EPL picks

Here's what I reckon.  Post your picks in the comments and we'll see who's closest come end of the season.

I reckon this is going to be a bloody interesting season.  So many teams there or thereabouts and with so many changes to managers and squads it'll even things up a bit.  Here's my breakdown of it all and predictions for the season. 1st - Chelsea.  Will be boring to watch a lot of the time (see ManU for example) but should be efficient.  2nd - City.  Some potential big transfers so it depends how they settle.  Loss to Cardiff shows they are vulnerable.  From here you could throw a blanket over the others but I'm gonna stick my neck out and say... 3rd - Arsenal.  Assuming their DM, D and GK can hold somewhat strong, their attackers are potentially the best in the league.  Walcott, Ozil, Carzola, Wilshere & Podolski are class, and if Giroud can bag just a few of the opportunities they provide they should do well.  Lack a physical presence though?  4th - Man U.  I actually want to say 5th but surely that won't happen.  I'm not just being a Liverpool hater here either.  They squad just seems to lack a threat other than RvP but Liverpool showed how to keep him quiet.  They could finish anywhere from 1st-6th in my opinion, but I just find it too hard to believe they will finish outside the top 4.  January window very important I reckon.  5th - Liverpool.  Things very positive at the moment but you can't help but feel they lack enough quality to get them through a full season.  Could possibly make top 4 but could just as easily finish 7th.  6th - Spurs.  Controversial with all the potentially good signings they have made, but Bale carried them so much last year and I reckon it'll take a while for the newbies to settle.  If they keep this team together and add a few more they could be challengers in a few years.  7th - Everton.  Big signings on deadline day.  I'd take Lukaku over Torres or Ba any day so they've done well there.  Barry and McCarthy solid as well.  So that's my wrap.  I'd back myself to call Chelsea and City as 1 and 2, but after that it's anyone's guess.  What ya reckon?  Place your picks and we'll see who's right at the end of the season.

And a little comment about Fantasy EPL.  Aaron, so long a champion of FPL, is coming last.  Yep, last.  Funny does not even begin to describe it.

Fantasy EPL - Do it

Go to http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ and set up a team.
Enter you team into a private league with the code 48809-14563

You've got 2 days!

An Open Letter From The Raiders Captain

hey Ra,

Saw that the Stallions won the league, congrats mate. So glad it was you blokes and not those BNU or Olympic fu**ers. We had some ding-dong matches against those boys this year, few fisticuffs here and there... We lost to Olympic both times but knocked over BNU 3-2 a few weeks back, our best win of the year.

You guys were a class above this year, deservedly hammered us both times. We've had an up and down year, few departures and couple of long-term injuries to key players, but we kept on fighting.

Good luck if you go up.

cheers

Kris


Thought that was a pretty classy touch from him. They did us a massive favour by beating Brooklyn a few weeks before we played them so we owe them a thanks. Crack up that they find Olympic as much a bunch of f**ckers as we do. The centre back from Brooklyn also said to me as we were shaking hands "Oh well, at least it won't be Olympic". Can't wait to start up our rivalry next year!

Awesome effort gents

Hope this works....

CHAMPIONS!!!

Assistism

 Some cool infographics on where most assists and goals come from on the field, check it:

http://blog.kickdex.com/post/56157934804/the-perfect-assist

Where assists come from

And the chart in the comments shows that in the EPL you need about 10 passes from inside the box to create 1 goal.  What would the stallions charts look like?

It's our Destiny

Tangihaere's uncle gives the Stallions a pre-match speech on Destiny

Lads, I'm not sure how you're all feeling, but I'm getting a bit nervous.  There's a lot of injuries in the team at the moment and I feel like we built ourselves up so much for last weeks game we almost forgot about this week.  We were talking about last week's game as if it were a final, which it felt like it was, but Lower Hutt is not a push over, trust me on this.  A couple of seasons ago (it was the last game of the season actually) we were up 3-0 at half time and cruising only to lose 4-3.  We write Lower Hutt off at our peril.  A draw isn't going to be enough for us.  Only a win will do.  We need to get up for this game - big time.  One last big push.  LET'S DO THIS!!!