I think you are talking about different games.  There was a game between Chelsea and Arsenal yesterday (21 August) which Chelsea did indeed win with a lucky goal - it bounced off Drogba's shin or knee from what I could see.  But having said that, they always looked the more penetrating side when they went forward.

The game to which Smyslov fan refers, a couple of weeks back, was the Community Shield (not the Coca-Cola Cup), played every year between the Premiership champions and the FA Cup winners.  Chelsea won this as well, and again they were the superior side in my view.

In both games, Arsenal had plenty of possession, but they seem to be lacking the 'killer ball' into the box.  With (again) apologies to TJ, I don't think the problem is with Ljungberg getting injured, but rather with a Dutchman, Bergkamp, getting old and not playing so much ...

Woofwoof,

No clue on F-agan.  (F-agin was an anti-semitic stereotype in Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist which is being made into yet another movie with Ben Kingsley playing him.)

I just figured it out:  The censor is reading a homosexual epithet into the name.  This is ridiculous. 

And then it can't even read the name of the author of A Christmas Carol without twisting its meaning into something filthy.  This is worse than ridiculous, this is scandalous!

As much as I love Liverpool, you've got it all wrong about Chelsea being boring.  Didn't you see the Coca-Cola Cup final between Chelsea and Arsenal about two weeks ago?  There is some amazing talent on both teams, but especially Chelsea.  

This isn't like Argentina or Greece that won major titles by letting better teams beat their brains out against a packed defense only to score a game winner on some flukey counterattack.  Chelsea's the real deal, which means that anyone (that is, Liverpool) who beats them will have really accomplished something!

I personally hope that Chelsea doesnt make it!! Chelsea under Mourinho is basically a team of all kinds of stars, plenty of attractive attacking players but all playing very very Petrosian like!!. Its such a bore to watch! In fact the only time that they become more interesting is when Robben was around! apart from that.......Ugh! what agony!

Spurs look like they are improving, Martin Jol has done quite a fair bit to really turn the team around. Finally now they are playing the kind of football which was typical of them in the past. I wonder if they are as attractive & creative as they were when Hoddle, Ardiles, Villa, Perryman, Crooks & Archibald were together???

Liverpool?? Hmmm..... As much as I do hv a bit of a spot for them.....I'm not too optimistic abt them winning the league though. Sorry Smyslov Fan! Sure they brought in some good players & Benitez has really done wonderfully..... still I think not this year. Probably in a couple more years. Gerrard would be at his peak then (By golly! when that happens). No doubt they have been unbeaten but i think its just a matter of time when those inconsistant moments will start to set in again. Say what you like, but they just arent the same quality as the boys under Shanks, Paisley, Fagan & Dalglish! - Those were REALLY consistant & dominant.  Another interesting point was under Shanks & Paisley most of their signings came from the youth or lower divisions & they eventually became stars with Liverpool!! (with the exception of Dalglish & Keegan)

Man U will also be up among the contenders together with Arsenal. But I will pick Arsenal to do better than Utd. (just a gut feel). Perhaps Arsenal might win it this Year!! Wenger is a great manager, invested wisely on players & the youth, Great defense & lots of flair & creativity in attack.... what more could one ask for?? Viera may be gone, but they have also shown last season that they can still win without him.

I personally support Newcastle. But unfortunately with Souness in charge I cant see them getting anywhere + they are too reliant on Shearer.

Quote:

Gordon Banks
But usually your keepers are sucky. Iirc you had a keeper (Shilton) who played in the team until he was 40. That saying something of the level of the others.

Back on topic, Chelsea will win by a landslide, though I'll be rooting for Spurs. Actually I'll be rooting for any team playing against Chel$ki, including german teams.

True, there are many foreign players playing in the Premiership, but Chelsea's success last season was founded mostly on John Terry and Frank Lampard.  Robben was influential at the start of the season, and Makalele and Cech were also outstanding, but Lampard and Terry won the players' player of the year and the sports writers' player of the year awards - generally the most coveted because they reflect the views of those most in the know.

On paper the England side has good quality.  There are weaknesses at the back in my view, but the main problem, I'm sorry to say to TJ, is the overpaid Swede in charge.  He has turned what ought to be a good attacking unit into a miserable over-cautious outfit that is painful to watch.  And he hasn't got the defence working as a unit, which might at least help to paper over some of the cracks.

It must be said, that he has reversed the old situation where England used to win all its friendlies but struggle to qualify for major championships.

But we keep getting knocked out of tournaments in the quarter finals - usually on penalties - after spending most of the time fighting a rearguard action.  The classic example was against Portugal in the last European Championships, but Brazil at the last World Cup was also a case in point (they didn't need penalties to beat us - they had Ronaldinho ...)

Alumbrado, 

Objectively, all you say makes great sense.  I think it's gonna come down to Chelsea and Arsenal.  The Spurs do look like a really good team right now, and Manc's 2-0 victory at Goodison was pretty impressive.  

Nonetheless, Liverpool is riding quite an unbeaten streak that includes defeating Chelsea in the Euro Semis!  Benitez made some rather bizarre comments about Liverpool needing a central defender more than it needs another striker in Michael Owen.  If he'd kept his mouth shut I'd have said Owen was going somewhere else.  But those comments make me more convinced that we will lose Baros and Cisse and get Owen.  But who would we trade to Real Madrid? Hmmm.

BTW, Spurs' main chance rest solely on the play of their no-name goalie.    It's a shame that England, once the proud owner of the best three goalies in the world has to rely on only one.

Isn't Tony Blair English Premier?