There's No Easy Games...

[doctor_mac]

It is usually a line that managers of top teams trot out, but this year there appears to be a large number of teams that have strengthened, and look like they can give anyone a game. Southampton, West Brom, Swansea, Norwich, Everton, are in the vangard of these teams, but also Stoke, Cardiff and even Hull, god forgive me, might be tough to beat on their home patch. Who is going to continue to be strong? Where are the easy fixtures?

 

[the count]

It is usually a line that managers of top teams trot out, but this year there appears to be a large number of teams that have strengthened, and look like they can give anyone a game. Southampton, West Brom, Swansea, Norwich, Everton, are in the vangard of these teams, but also Stoke, Cardiff and even Hull, god forgive me, might be tough to beat on their home patch. Who is going to continue to be strong? Where are the easy fixtures?

Stoke
Aston Villa
Man U
Sunderland
Crystal Palace

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

It's fairly simple.

Everyone that we've played so far is an easy one, everyone that the top teams have lost points to are the hard ones.

 

[Modo]

 

[Piedro]

Tough fixtures we have had so far are Swansea and Utd in my opinion. The rest I've expected 3 points in. See where we are after New year as we have a really tough November and December.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Tough fixtures we have had so far are Swansea and Utd in my opinion. The rest I've expected 3 points in. See where we are after New year as we have a really tough November and December.

I didn't fancy us against Southampton after last years game and obviously was worried about Utd.

The rest were as expected but then we haven't always done what we expect so it's a welcome surprise.

Palace at home will be our easiest fixture I think all season.

 

[Squiggles]

You can never go into games thinking they will be easy, but that isn't to say plenty of games don't turn out to be easy victories.

Crystal Palace, Norwich and Sunderland all look especially bad.

Swansea are a weird one. They look so good a times, but there league position is very poor. Newcastle can usually be relied upon to hand over 3 points to us.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

What the fuck has got in to Southampton. They are supposed to be shite. Fucks sake.

 

[tombrown]

I hate it when our fans post that shit

 

[mark1975]

Innit, straight from the Manc/Toffee book of unfunny put downs.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Looks like it's going to be a quite wide open interesting league this season.

 

[Hansern]

Crystal Palace seem to be the only easy game so far for most of the teams in the league.
Southampton are a good team and they bought some very good players this summer. Expect them to be top 8 this season.
Stoke are always tough, as are Swansea and Villa away. Utd could go either way when we play them.
I expexted 3 points against Sunderland but they showed against Utd that once the new players settle in they'll be tough to beat at the Stadium of Light.

Newcastle are not easy to beat and that will be tough game aswell but one we have to win if a top 4 finish is going to be achievable.

The thing is there is so much money in the PL compared to the rest of Europe. This has made the league much more competitive and there really arent many "easy" fixtures anymore. Medel to Cardiff, Van Wolfsvinkel to Norwich and Lovren/Wanyama to Soton. If you dont turn up you'll get beat. Especially away from home.
Apart from Crystal Palace, both Cardiff and Hull have made decent starts.

So the early relegation prediction is Fulham, Crystal Palace and Stoke or Sunderland.

 

[Buddha]

I reckon Villa will flirt with a relegation battle again this season.

 

[Leo]

I didn't fancy us against Southampton after last years game and obviously was worried about Utd.

The rest were as expected but then we haven't always done what we expect so it's a welcome surprise.

Palace at home will be our easiest fixture I think all season.

Didn't you say we would win our first 9 games?

 

[Dreambeliever]

Didn't you say we would win our first 9 games?

lol that was in jest which I would have thought would have been obvious.

When was the last time any team in the top flight won their 1st 9?

I expected a draw against UTD and a lose against Swansea and Southampton but the rest had wins written all over them. We have a very easy start compared with last season.

Arsenal away is a massive test

 

[RolandG]

The fixtures have conspired to give us confidence for a change and build some winning momentum. Let's hope the lads continue their winning ways and lead us to the promised land. I'm quietly optimistic. We bounced back from the Soton loss in style. We haven't yet put together a 90 minute display and that needs to come soon. Gooners away will test our title credentials. Its pleasing to see us on top and moving in the right direction. The swagger isn't yet there but we're getting is right when it matters.