The Right Man?
So it's up and running again - as well as the hype, the ridiculous post match questions posed to managers, revolting Sky Sports running the show...I could go on. I suppose we just have to take it. On the positive side at least Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher are reunited. I think Neville actually knows his stuff - just a pity he couldn't get the message across at Valencia.
They were at it again last night before the Chelsea game - something like:
David Jones:"Your not a big fan of defenders doing Cruyff turns in the six yard box are you Jamie?"
Jamie Carragher: "I've had five or six foreign managers and not one of them would want me - or any defender - to be doing Cruyff turns in the six-yard box."
Gary Neville: "You couldn't do them anyway (chuckles)."
Must be in the contract that they need to have a go at each other at least once a session.
So this season:
I took Chelsea at 13/2 to win the title. It's the first time I have bet on them to win the league (I am a fan so tend not to bet on my team and in previous seasons the price has been prohibitively short). I don't think you can look at last season. The players simply decided not to play for Mourinho. In a 'company' the whole lot would have been fired and replaced - but you can't do that in football, certainly not mid-season. I think that price will get a lot shorter at some point in the season for a decent trade - the price just looked ridiculous to me for a squad of their calibre with no European football.
I think Conte is a superb manager. When he took over at Juve they had finished 7th or 8th in the previous season - he then took them to three consecutive titles. He has done well with an Italian National team devoid of any real talent. He is hugely passionate but can be petulant too sometimes. Let's hope he can take the pressure of the Premier League without cracking or offending too many people.
Liverpool could be a threat, no Europe. They obviously won at Arsenal but they also let in three goals and Arsenal don't have a particularly potent attack, so that would worry me. Liverpool will be good to watch but will probably just fall short.
I had a bit on Spurs at around 11/1 - for a trade really. Based on their performance last season and barring Kane having a confidence crisis after the Euros, they could put a run together and go much shorter.
I have laid Man City because I felt the Guardiola factor pulled them in to a price that was layable. They have bought a lot of players but something still bothers me about them when I watch them play. Pep might or might not sort them out. 3.25 is not a price I would be taking for them to win the league. I might trade out of the lay if they drop a few places.
So to Jose and Man Utd (sob). You almost think 'he will win it because he has to'. Not for Man Utd but for himself after what happened last season. He has a monstrous ego that needs to feed now and that can only be good for United. I wonder if Mourinho will still be at United in five, six, seven years time. I hope not because it would mean that Chelsea didn't do enough to keep him. I have profit on them if they win because of the Man City lay - but I will just leave it there and perhaps watch them all the way to a top two finish.
Leicester: I just think the Champions League and the loss of Kante will kill off any chance of a repeat title
Best of the rest, West Ham. Stoke to do better than expected maybe.
