AND now we move to our fourth offering after yesterday’s three. Mikes Nevin and Girling are separated by Stephen Goldsmith on Sunderland and Iain McIntosh on Southend.

 

Mike Nevin

 

What do Liverpool still need to do before the window closes?

Sign someone we’ve heard of to command a first team place. Not really arsed about the fee, but a statement of intent from FSG other than just keeping Suarez. After 4 years of infighting we need a united football club. End the window on a high and avoid the “flat” deflated ground we had v Arsenal last year.

Which Liverpool player are you most looking forward to watching?

Aspas. I think he’s got rough edges but he’s got something.

What amusement arcade game do you excel at?

Donkey Derby; and shooting basketball hoops to win massive teddy bears that get lashed on the M62.

How many points and what position do you think Liverpool will finish with?

5th on 70 points

Whose back are you getting on early?

Moyes. I don’t do LFC scapegoating.

What are your drinking plans before the first game of the season?

Probably 2 cans of export in the car (my dad will be driving) and 3 or 4 bottles in the Solly. As it’s before 12.45 that should see me alright for the numbness Stoke bring.

Who do you think will win the league?

Chelsea (or City)

Who do you think will go down?

Hull, Palace and Stoke

Who is your favourite player Martin O’Neill has ever managed?

Henrik Larsson

Make three predictions across the league season.

Moyes will come under media pressure and show a proper nasty side; Liverpool will be spoken about as title outsiders before fading, Wenger will be sacked.

What are you least looking forward to this season?

Watching the bottom three-quarters of the Kop sit down ready for their 90-minute silence and disengagement, pierced with occasional carping. The parrot-headed, bald-patch disguise on the wooly fella in front of me. Chris Maguire spending the entire game on the Kop wifi

You are DJing to a wedding crowd. The couple are 28. What song are you dropping at around 11pm to make it go right off?

Rudimental – Waiting all night.

What are you most looking forward to this season?

Getting out the house without needing an excuse.

 

Stephen Goldsmith

 

What do Sunderland still need to do before the window closes?

Sign a left back for probably only the second time in a decade! We’ve had years of centre halves, wingers and central midfielders filling in there and since Danny Rose returned to Spurs we’ve not realistically come close to acquiring one. We also need e central midfielder who can dictate play and offer us some creativity. Nobody has made the central midfield spot there own since Jordan Henderson left and it’s been costly.

As you’ve sold you’re other North East lads Downing and Carroll at a loss, you may as well complete the hattrick and give us him back.

Which Sunderland player are you most looking forward to watching?

Emanuele Giaccherini. Signing current Italy internationals may be the norm for you lot, but for us it isn’t. In fact, we’ve never had an Italian even play for us despite Marco Gabbiadini sounding the part. He looked boss (for you lot) in the Confed cup so I’m hopeful. Like I was last year with Adam Johnson, what could go wrong?

What amusement arcade game do you excel at?

Ghosts and Goblins. As a kid I observed Todd Landers get addicted to it on Neighbours so I tried to replicate that stroryline in my own self. Who says telly doesn’t influence kids?

How many points and what position do you think Sunderland will finish with?

11th with 50 points. No idea if that correlation is likely or realistic. I think a lot of midtable sides will break free from the bottom five this year, so possibly.

Whose back are you getting on early?

Hmm that’s a toughy as Di Canio has axed all the usual suspects from his plans. I’d like to see Westwood start in sticks, meaning Mannone could be a howler or two away from some stick.

What are your drinking plans before the first game of the season?

Unimaginatively, one of the normal pubs in town that we go to. It gets very traditional does match day and we prefer to stay in one place and catch up. This is our respite from the real world that imprisons us all. Plus the pub that hosts the match day strippers and comedian has just gone under.

Who do you think will win the league?

Chelsea. Mourinho. Blah.

Who do you think will go down?

You better not all be saying us!! Palace, the Hull City Tiger Franchise and Fulham. Fulham probably won’t but I want them and their lovey, dovey, house on the prairie cottage thing to leave the Premier League alone.

Who is your favourite player Martin O’Neill has ever managed?

None while he was with us. I liked Stan Collymore and think O’Neill was the only manager to get close to managing him properly, channeling that genius. I was at Filbert Street when he scored that hatrick on his debut against us. I was also at Filbert Street when Ade Akinbiyi scuffed a winner over the line in response to the press labelling him the worst ever striker in the top flight’s history. I hated that place.

Make three predictions across the league season.

 

Liverpool will win one of the cups (removes brown from nose)

Steve Bruce will continue to remind te media on a weekly basis that he finished 10th with Sunderland and feels he should have been given more time.

Mike Ashley will change Newcastle’s name to Sports Direct Magpies (well I can dream)

What are you least looking forward to this season?

Any sort of insight Michael Owen has to offer. Or the first reference to a hand grenade when Paolo criticises a player or three.

You are DJing to a wedding crowd. The couple are 28. What song are you dropping at around 11pm to make it go right off?

What a question. I predict a riot, by The Kaiser Chiefs.

What are you most looking forward to this season?

Seeing a Sunderland side in the opposition half. To get out of our seats in a game in anticipation of an attacking move coming off. Actually daring to dream that we may break a team down when we start building up from the back, or at least put seven passes together. I barely remember what an attacking move is because of Martin O’Neill’s footballing philosophies. Yep, it really did get that bad.

 

Iain McIntosh

What do Southend still need to do before the window closes?

We’ve only got 21 players on the books, many of whom have been promoted from the youth team to make it look like we’re absolutely fine. We’re not. If we going to get through a long, hard campaign in the fourth division, we need more players. Any players. We’ll take Suarez, if you really want to punish him.

Which Southend player are you most looking forward to watching?

Because of work, I haven’t been to Roots Hall yet, but I’m intrigued by John White. Phil Brown signed him from Colchester (our local rivals) and instantly made him captain. That’s like you lot nabbing Jagielka and giving him the armband. It’s quite a vote of confidence.

What amusement arcade game do you excel at?

I was awesome at Gauntlet. You need to be the Elf. The Elf is faster than everyone, so you can scurry clear of the goblins while your mate, who so foolishly picked the Barbarian, is eaten alive. That’s the spirit.

How many points and what position do you think Southend will finish with?

Points? Positions? We’ve had seven winding-up orders in the last few years. I just hope we’re still in business by May.

Whose back are you getting on early?

Probably the chairman, Ron Martin. He’s been waxing lyrical about a gorgeous new stadium for ages, but there’s no sign of it yet. It must be nice being a Liverpool fans. I bet you never have to worry about things like that…

What are your drinking plans before the first game of the season?

The first game of the Fourth Division season has been and gone. I was covering the Emirates Cup. I drank tea with one sugar and then had a bottle of Coca-Cola. My teeth aren’t going to make it the end of the season, I fear.

Who do you think will win the league?

Our league? When Portsmouth settle down, I think they’ll take everyone else apart. They just need a bit of time to find their feet. Your league? Chelsea, I’m afraid.

Who do you think will go down?

I’m very worried about Hartlepool. There’s some lovely people at that club and there can’t be many people who don’t want good things for Colin Cooper and Craig Hignett. But they’ve lost three on the bounce, including a home defeat to Southend. That’s not a good sign.

Who is your favourite player Martin O’Neill has ever managed?

I always rather liked Pontus Kamaark. Now there was a player you could rely upon to Do A Job. He was gloriously functional and very versatile, like a decent set of Allen keys.

Make three predictions across the league season.

Everyone will lose their shit about David Moyes and Manchester United after his first defeat. United fans, other fans, journalists, David Cameron, Radio 2 presenters, everyone.
England will fail to qualify for the World Cup. We will, as a nation, decide that it’s something to do with coaching. Or the lack of poor kids playing on beaches with oranges. Or tactics. Yeah, it will probably be tactics.
Joe Kinnear will be picking the Newcastle team by Christmas.

 

 

What are you least looking forward to this season?

The Champions League group stages. I hate group stages, but when they’re hyped up as much as these, I can’t bear it. They’re so heavily seeded and coefficiented that it’s almost as if every effort has been made to ensure the safety and prosperity of a select group of elite European teams…

You are DJing to a wedding crowd. The couple are 28. What song are you dropping at around 11pm to make it go right off?

The Jackson Five’s ‘ABC’, Dexy Midnight’s Runners ‘Geno’ and Madness ‘Baggy Trousers’. Everyone will be clattered, it’ll be awesome.

What are you most looking forward to this season?

Neil’s glorious scouse cadence on Newsnight, but only when someone’s come over and done his bleeding tie up for him.

 

Mike Girling

What do Liverpool still need to do before the window closes?

We need a big top up front. No a marquee signing. A marquee signing up front which makes the footballing world sit up and take notice. We also need a left back badly [Written 15/8/13]. And a centre half.

Which Liverpool player are you most looking forward to watching?

Gerrard.  As the clock winds down on this glorious players career I just want to watch him play while he’s still bloody brilliant.

What amusement arcade game do you excel at?

Bomb jack.

How many points and what position do you think Liverpool will finish with?

78 and 3rd

Whose back are you getting on early?

Aspas. He’s shit.

What are your drinking plans before the first game of the season?

Steve Graves is my new ST buddy for the year so I’m going to meet him early doors for a swift half in town. He’s talking whisky but I’m not feeling it.

Who do you think will win the league?

Chelsea

Who do you think will go down?

Hull, Palace and Everton.

Who is your favourite player Martin O’Neill has ever managed?

Bobo Balde

Make three predictions across the league season.

Coutinho will be young player of the year
Goal line technology will have no impact whatsoever
Utd will struggle and finish 4th

What are you least looking forward to this season?

Sky Sports and the ‘Noise’ around the ‘EPL’.

You are DJing to a wedding crowd. The couple are 28. What song are you dropping at around 11pm to make it go right off?

Ok so 10 years ago they’d have been 18…significant age of awakening ….big tune of the time …Beyonce, Crazy In Love. It’s going to go batshit mental.

What are you most looking forward to this season?

Following the tricky reds of course. Following the tricky reds and not getting embroiled with off field nonsense if possible.