Football season 2015/16

What planet are you on Hook?  Man City's draw is, yet again, a very tough one with last years beaten finalists Juventus, Europa League Champions Seville and Borussia Monchengladbach. No easy matches there. However, the way City are playing I think the other teams will be more worried. 

Great weekend of football. Who would have thought that Crystal Palace, Leicester and Swansea would be occupying second, third and fourth spots in the table with Man Utd and Arsenal five points adrift of leaders City and Chelsea in thirteenth spot eight points adrift. 

Steve

Steve - I agree that City has the toughest draw.  Given their blistering start to the PL season I think the other three teams in their group will be the more worried but in recent seasons City seem to struggle to take their domestic form into Europe. Curious given the experience of their players.  Maybe this will be the season that they perform in the way they should.  If so they should get the semis.

Mike  

I guess they have to beat the best to win Mike. I agree they haven't performed to their ability in the last few years but they always seem to get the rough end of the stick when it comes to the draw. Hopefully with the strength and depth of the squad and their new found belief they will perform better this year. 

I agree on Noble Mike - but not Coutinhno.

He had gone to ground early - he slid in and was committed to the foul. If it had not been for the bit of skill Dimitri Payet would have been taken out completely 

… or, in my view, hopefully not 

Man U seem to be in a bit of disarray ATM Chris. Watching their game at Swansea I don't think they'll trouble City this year.  I know, famous last words and all that.  

I agree that Utd are a fair way behind City.  To me what they seem to be lacking is a strong leader on the field (Rooney's definitely not it). Van Gaal is a big personality off the field, perhaps in the Ferguson mould, but Fergie always had some strong personalities on the field e.g. G Neville, Keane.  This might be a bit harsh, but to me Utd look like a team playing to a system dictated off the field and lack the leadership on it to improvise when that system isn't working.   

I was at the Swansea game yesterday. United were all very stilted and pedestrian - again.

We actually got a bit lucky with the Mata goal - and then played well until Rooney's touch let him down again* and we fell apart for five minutes and lost it.

We then of course reverted to a slow square ball build up and ultimately the long ball to Fellaini tactics 

TBF a lot of the players don't look bad but there is a lack of creativity and they seem to be playing to a formula that just doesn't work.

Players almost never try to go past a man and even on the quick breaks Shaw and Memphis just stop and give hte oppositon chance to get back.

Apparantly we will buy Anthony Martial from Monaco soon - we definitely need someone 

* he has the first touch of a bollard at the moment sadly

£36m for a 19 year-old seems a lot.  And Van Gaal says there will be no panic buys!?

It does, doesn't it. I'd better buy another United shirt to help out. 

Hi Doc -

At 0-2, The Old Lady does not look anywhere near last year's form. Seville isn't a bad squad, and it was fun watching them beat Barca's B squad in the Super Cup. But a problem for City? Doubt it. Have never seen Borussia M...h, but after a 1-3 start in the Bundesliga, where's the threat?

Not saying it will be easy, but City only needs to finish in the top two. Besides, they aren't staring down the barrels of Barca (A squad), Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. Not yet, anyway...

After prior year disappointments, I too would be cautious. But honestly, I would be shocked if City does not make it to this year's round of 16.

What do think of the de Bruyne signing?  Nice player, but is he a £50M ($77M+) player?

ATB.

Hook

Saints have signed Virgil van Dijk which I know the local media have been clamouring for.

There have also been reports in the national media about rifts behind the scenes between Reed and Koeman over the value of the academy. Whether this is 'just paper talk' remains to be seen.

Saints' defeat of Norwich at the weekend troubles me somewhat. I miss Morgan Schneiderlin. They took their time turning Whittaker's sending off to their advantage. Eventually came good though.

Chris

Pleased to see that justice has prevailed with Noble, his 'red card' being rescinded. Nice to see the authorities admitting that refs occasionally get it wrong and are prepared to correct that error when they can.   

Yes - and at least the original error was not a game changer.

I've just remebered that last Sunday in Swansea the home crowd were chanting very loudly "2-1 to the sheep shaggers" which made me chuckle - a little - at the time 

What on earth has happens to Holland? A 3-0 defeat today away to Turkey and they are now fourth in their group will barely a hope of qualifying for the Euros. The Dutch have been one of those sides that I've marvelled at for pretty much as long as I've followed football. 

Just shows what a great job LvG did 

Only caught the second half of the Scotland v Germany game so missed most of the goals.  However, while Scotland looked organised and industrious, I was very impressed by Germany's passing game. Very pleasing on the eye.  While some teams are able to keep possession the impact can be sterile but I thought the way Germany maintained their passing game into the final third made them look a constant threat.  Must be very hard to defend against that very fast one-touch game, particularly when it's happening on your 18 yard line! 

Not looking good for the Black Cats after this afternoon's home defeat, a result which also means Chelsea are London's bottom club in the PL.  Who would have thought that possible after five games?

Adopting Kevin Keegan rant "I'D LOVE IT…." if Newcastle win against West Ham - just to push Chelski temporarily into the bottom 3 - although I think it unlikely.

No, indeed, and Mourinho is becoming even more deluded in his post match interviews. 

Yes it would appear to be true. I was reading that on the Sky Sports app this afternoon. 

Looking forward to meeting up with you tomorrow. 

Chris, I would love nothing more than to see the Chavs in the bottom three, but not at the expense of my beloved irons. If we win tomorrow night we'll move up to fifth.

Missed the game Wat but am looking forward to MOTD toinight!

It is indeed true that Chavs have 33 players out on loan. On the last day of the transfer window, they bought someone from Reading, only to loan him straight back to the club they just bought him from! The guy didn't even get the chance to be photographed in a Chelsea shirt! Bonkers!

Chelsea are in no real danger of relegation, but they seem a dysfunctional mess this season...

Sorry, has the season started already? Passed me by.