George Weah asks “With Anelka possibly linking up with Diouf at Bolton the Trotters could have the most combustible strike force in the EPL. What are the odds on one of these two being dropped by December?”

Bobby – Or how long until Anelka’s first sulk? What a fantastic talent, what a moaner.

Reggae_Boy_23 – What’s your opinion on Jens Lehmann.

Bobby – Up until last season my opinion of Lehmann was not great. However, being dropped for a spell the season before seems to have made a ton of difference. He was fantastic last season and although he did have his little tantrums now and again he really did come into his own.

JohnQuinn – Frank Lampard and deflected goals.

Bobby – I’m not aware of any statistic being kept on deflected goals but it is an interesting point. It seems to me that there are a lot more than there was a decade ago – but there again I don’t have anything to prove that. Maybe it has something to do the ball?

 TheFishingWidow – Sheva and Drogba

Bobby – Shevchenko will bring out the best in Drogba. Not only is he a great striker but he also works hard to create chances for others as well. Sheva will create space for Drogba and if they both stay fit I can see them scoring 40 between them in the Premiership.

 thedream “Why was Pascal Chimbonda not in Wigan's line-up this past weekend?”

Bobby – Because Paul Jewell and Wigan are royally pissed off at him for wanting a transfer. Next he is going to be sent to his room early, without supper, and no internet privileges.

SLRed – Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt.

Bobby – What I have seen of Kuyt has not been all that impressive but I don’t think Benitez has bought a dud – although he did sign Crouch. I can see Crouch becoming a role player who is brought off the bench to give the opposition a different look. I just don’t think Crouch is up to what is needed week in and week out.

Looneyrooney14 - Does Man U's performance today make you want to edit your prediction? Especially since Liverpool were disappointing on Saturday.+ I am the only Tottenham fan in my family, everyone else is a Man U fan, so I was teased pretty bad this weekend, do you think my team can turn it around?

Bobby – Not after one game I am not. United were great on Sunday but it is far too early tell. Mind you drawing conclusions after every team has played one game is not as bad as what we saw on Sportsnet in Canada after the Sheffield United and Liverpool game on Saturday. As you all know this game was the first of the season and finished before the others kicked off. Sportsnet put up the league standings with Liverpool and Sheffield United top and all the other 18 teams showing zero records. Talk about pointless!  For a comment on Spurs see below.

milanfan – Lack of action from Milan in the transfer market.

Bobby – I find this surprising as well. Could the rumour of a Ronaldo bid be true?

 djnima – 1. Your prediction for Spurs not challenging for the top four this season surprised me. The front 6 line up for them looks quite dangerous. If Zokora succeeds in the EPL, and I think he will, then Tottenham's midfield and striking options surely look promising. They only seem to lack quality in defense which would seem to be their only weakness. Chimbonda was the answer to some of those questions. Since Tottenham failed to sign him, do you think their lack of spending at the back will lead to their demise?

2. I joined the Fox EPL fantasy so I could see your picks. I can't seem to be able to view your team. How can I do so?

 Bobby – 1. Taken from another blog response to a similar question.  My take is that few teams have been able to produce back to back seasons that have moved them into the top four. Spurs will also have the UEFA Cup and are unlikely to be knocked out at the first attempt in the Carling and FA Cups. Finally (a) Spurs had a fantastic record against teams that finished in the bottom half of the table while (b) they had a poor record against the top four and (c) they had a great home record. I can't see them doing much better against the top four while I don't think that they will be able to replicate the record against poorer sides and it will be difficult to match the home record from last season.

 2. This is my rookie year in the Fantasy League so I will be happy to avoid relegation. I have made some four transfers all ready but this is what I have at the moment under Tayport. Van der Sar; Carr, Ferdinand Rio, Gabbidon, Hunt: Parker, Nolan (captain), Arteta, Benayoun; Johnson Andy, Henry; Sub Solskjaer.


travel_coach -   What can be done about the disparity in cash? I watched Chelski beat my Man. City side handily, despite that Chelski were missing 3 starters. The Prem. really has split into super teams and the rest of the lot. Is that really what we want? EU labour laws to the side for a minute would instituting a "4 non-U.K. player maximum in the Prem. help restore a reasonable level of parity? How about a salary cap like we have in the Fantasy league? Or, given the Sheffield United game, are such efforts really unnecessary?

Bobby – There has always been a disparity of cash, the only difference is that now it is greater than ever and Chelsea has more money than anyone can reasonably dream of. Unfortunately any discussion has to involve European Union Laws. UEFA and FIFA chose to ignore that reality so when the Bosman decision came down they were totally ill-equipped to respond. The fact that UEFA and the European Union cooperated in the report tabled in May was very important and a sign that UEFA now sees the EU has part of a long term solution rather than the problem.

Keane16 - dmanufan07: I believe the addition of Hargreaves would be excellent as it would give an added option in the midfield(if we can get him for 6 to 8 million), but what I would prefer is the addition of more young players who can fill gaps and do a good job there. Such as a younger Quinton Fortune or Phil Neville type player who can be put anywhere on the field and do an above average job and doesn't complain if he doesn’t get to start every week but when called upon puts the shirt on and plays for his place. John O'Shea is an excellent example of this even if you wince every time he needs to control a ball.

Bobby – I can’t believe that United are willing to fork out $30M plus for a player who they could have had on a Bosman pre-contract last season given that his deal was up in June of 2006. Hargreaves is a competent and energetic ball winner and that is all. He is a younger Philip Neville. He plays a couple of good games for England and suddenly Fergie is willing to pay silly money for him.

 henry 14 - bobby l am now getting confused l heard that arsenal bid for Gallas and Chelsea refuse at the same time Mourinho is prepared to trade him with Cole +money, to be honest l feel Chelsea have money to spend and can afford to pay A PLAYER WHILIST IN THE RESERVES which tells me that the coming of cannibal does not affect the Gallas issue, l still feel that they will be no deal, l le boss just said if nothing happens till Friday he closes his door and Cole will stay. At the same time they are rumours that Cole does not want to leave arsenal until December because he wants a 2m pound loyalty bonus so he might be dragging his feet for the deal, he gets me sick. What do you feel about the sudden twist of events?

Bobby – Patrick Barclay in his Jose Mourinho biography put it very well. When a manager or a coach speaks publicly, he his only out to achieve one thing – an advantage. If the truth is also spoken then it is just a fortunate side effect. 

 davard - Actually my real question involves South American futbol. I have enjoyed watching some of the Argentina league on FSC, and I was wondering about the Copa Libertadores. Do the South / Central American clubs view it as the Euro clubs view the Champions League? Is it as prestigious? I just like to know what I'm watching, since I wouldn't know if the teams were fielding weakened sides as I don't know any of the players that well.

Also, what is the possibility of MLS teams participating? Do they already? That would be excellent to see them in a cup like that.

 Bobby – The Copa Libertadores is the most important club tournament for South Americans but a country mile. Clubs will play weakened sides in their domestic competitions in order to have their best available for the Copa Libertadores. Mexican clubs participate by invite and have done so for a few years. MLS clubs being invited might a few years away yet.

As the dust finally settles after the World Cup equivalent of the Gunfight at the OK Corral another question surfaces –  why was Ruud van Nistelrooy still on the bench while Dirk Kuyt started, and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink came on as a substitute?

Has van Nistelrooy suddenly become so poor that he has plummeted below Kuyt and JV of H in the Dutch pecking order?

 His record during the group stage was:

Serbia and Montenegro Started but replaced by Dirk Kuyt after 69 minutes

Ivory Coast Started and scored a goal but replaced by Danny Landzaat 73 minutes.

Argentina Started but replaced by Ryan Babel 56 minutes.

So how do you go from the first choice striker – albeit one who is replaced in the second half of all three group games – to not even seeing any action in a must one game against a side that at various times is up a goal but down a man?

 Of course the issue is complicated by his fall out with Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford and likelihood that RVN will be changing his place of business come the new season.

There has been mention of tactical situations but I’m not sure that the explanation holds water given the desperate nature of the game against Portugal. Maybe at the kick off, but when you have the kind of possession that the Dutch enjoyed late in the game, who would you want on the park Hesselink or van Nistelrooy? (For what it is worth did Kuyt show anything to indicate that he is worth the fee that has supposedly being placed on him?)

It would seem to me that one is beyond tactics and the only explanation is van Nistelrooy and Marco van Basten must have had “words” and severe ones at that. I had expected RVN to arrive at the WC ready to take out his club frustrations on other countries.

Apart from a decent first half against Serbia and Montenegro and the chance he put away against the Ivory Coast he looked out of sorts and lacking sharpness.

The Dutch midfield missed a match-fit Rafael van der Vaart and although the passed the ball nicely in midfield there was few penetrating passes into the penalty box – the kind RVN feasts on.

Eric Wynalda thinks that the Dutch will win because Marco Van Basten is a great coach. I guess that makes Big Phil chopped liver - cheez.

It looks like RVN has been dropped in favour of Dirk Kuyt.

I fancy Portugal in this one but I also would not be surprised if the Dutch took it.

Back at half time.