Winners
The DFA
The league's largest-ever field and perhaps its most anticipated season to date. New strict time limits are in place to ensure an actual pace to the fixtures, finally making form and fitness a factor. Injuries will nudge managers to prioritize competitions and expand use of squads. International Cup roster registration is another factor for savvy managers to hang their hats on. All of these reasons along with a revitalized blogosphere and cutting edge new platform make the Fall 2010 season destined for GIMP greatness.
Purveyors of Patient Football
If the FIFA 11 demo has taught us anything, it's that the run and gun offense will be much more difficult to pull off this year (especially without any tinkering in "custom tactics"). It still may be too early to officially declare the era of strength & speed dead, but the writing is certainly on the wall. As any Darwinist worth his salt will tell you, adapt or become irrelevant.
Manchester City
If there's one thing Cushing will not fret over this season, it's injuries. Whilst most of our stars may be one John Terry temper tantrum away from missing a cup final, City's squad would barely notice a fiery team bus explosion.
Barcelona
They lost Zlatan, but will they even notice? David Villa and Javier Mascherano will ensure Murphy sheds nary a tear over "Zeebra-himovic" (I always suspected he despised him anyhow).
Losers
Another off-season, another slew of headlines. No stranger to the managerial merry-go-round, Ingoglia has found himself back where he began, at Inter Milan. Only this time the big names he so craved have waltzed in the front door as he slinked out the back. The aforementioned Ibrahimovic and digitally dynamic Robinho may make Ingoglia regret his switch before a ball has even been kicked. No doubt the DFA's pundits are sharpening their knives and waiting for his buyer's remorse to creep in.
Roma
Totti another year older, and Toni gone. How Roma cope with the loss of their Spring surprise package, Luca Toni, remains to be seen. It will certainly not be easy, though, as 43% of Roma's goals (in all competitions) have just walked out the door.
Arsenal
Do any of their big names not have the "injury prone" trait?
Adebayor has some experience with avoiding bus incidents...
ReplyDeleteThat's distasteful. To even suggest that he "missed" the incident is the worst part. Shocking behavior, even from you...
ReplyDeleteS it. Roma was just fine without Toni. Also, be ready for Totti to be the second player in DFA history to reach 100 goals behind Torres (or the first, for John Terry temper tantrums might just keep him out for most of the season given his recent spell of crippling injuries).
ReplyDelete"or the first [to hit 100 goals]"?
ReplyDeleteTotti to score 42 before 'nando can notch 13?
Delusions of grandeur...
I believe I have some contributions to Totti's goals.
ReplyDeleteCan I switch back to AC Milan? Your thoughts Burns?
Those career goals totals are only league goals, not international.
ReplyDeleteAs for your "contribution to Totti's goals":
Winter 2009: 3
Fall 2009: 2
Spring 2010: 0
You left out a key point to my argument, Liam. Shocker, you distorting a statement to meet or advance your own needs.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say I "left it out" as much as I have merely plucked a kernel of grandiosity from that garbled syntax.
ReplyDeleteShame that my posting continues to be oh so biased with no 'fair and balanced' respite. This space is an open forum. If you can't be arsed to post articles then a steady diet of facts-based 'propaganda' is what the masses will consume.
Look for Muller to storm to 100 goals before anyone in the league! That's right 100 goals for Muller before 13 for Torres.
ReplyDeleteGarbled Syntax? Check your definition of syntax, sir. There is nothing wrong with my sentence structure. Also, reread the post. I said that he (Totti) would be the second, behind Torres, to reach 100 goals. I then went on to say that he "might" be the first if Toress' recent spell of crippling injuries continues and keeps him out of matches (have you forgot the recent amendment to the rules? Spoiler: Injuries keep players from playing games in this years GIMP season).
ReplyDeleteThe injury rule will require the player to only sit out one match. Torres will see a minimum of half of Liverpool's league matches. That should be enough to net 13.
ReplyDeleteBoth are injury prone. Surely the more talented striker,who also has less goals needed, will reach 100 before the Roma tailsman can...
just my two cents
Oh, ABC-Ritt, dear, sweet ABC-Ritt...
ReplyDeleteOf course I know "the recent amendment to the rules." I know it so well that I can say with absolute certainty that the most a player can miss due to injuries is close to 50% of a club's league matches. This means that a man (Torres) who averages 1.74 goals per (league)match is on pace to net 15.66 league goals as a minimum this season (31.32 as a maximum).
That paltry (for 'nando) haul would place him on 102 goals well before a man (Totti) who averages a mere 1.16 goals per (league) game took about 36 matches to hit 100.
Ain't maths fun?
I like turtles.
ReplyDeleteAverages, smaverges. Math is of the devil. Everyone knows that. Just ask Ingo, he'll tell ya.
ReplyDeleteAsk Bobby Boucher's momma. But yeah, math is the devil. Remember Business Calc Pruitt? Care to share? Help me out
ReplyDelete