The Premier League starts this weekend and every man and his dog are making predictions but although each season throws up a few surprises, it doesn't take a footballing genius to have a good idea of where the winners and losers will be coming from.
The champions will only come from a shortlist of three, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City.
The clubs relegated come May will be perm 3 from Swansea, Norwich, West Brom, Newcastle, QPR, Wolves or Wigan.
Of the teams left, they even break down into teams who will challenge for the 4th Euro spot (Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool), those who will finish just outside the UEFA Cup places (Everton, Sunderland) and the rest who will stay safely in the middle not threatening the top or the bottom (Fulham, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Stoke).
My hunch is for Manchester United to take the crown again due to their boring efficiency although if Manchester City click and they don't implode as they always seem on the verge of doing, they could be serious challengers.
Arsenal, if anything, are weaker than last season and if Fabregas and Nasri both leave as looks likely, it will be optimistic to think they will finish in the top 4.
Hard to look past Swansea, Norwich and Wolves to be relegated and join my team in the Championship next year. If we are not relegated by then.
I predict:
Man Utd (C)
Chelsea
Man City
Liverpool
Arsenal
Tottenham
Everton
Sunderland
Fulham
Aston Villa
Blackburn
Bolton
Stoke
Wigan
Newcastle
QPR
West Brom
Wolves (R)
Norwich (R)
Swansea (R)
3 comments:
I can't argue with that prediction except to say that, every season, there's usually one 'bolter' who does much better than expected and at least threatens for a place in Europe (Bolton or Stoke this year?) and occasionally there's also a 'bigger team' who fails to live up to expectations... last season it was Liverpool... this season I'm hoping it's dirty Arsenal :)
I don't know what Wenger is playing at. It's as if everyone else can see what Arsenal need except him. Maybe he has been there too long and he needs to be moved upstairs and a new person come in because Arsenal are going to get left behind. If they get knocked out the ECL by Udinese and he doesn't get in a decent, ready made replacement for Fabregas and not some 17 year old who may come good in 5 years time, he could come under some serious pressure.
Obviously, being a Spurs fan, I've got a vested interest in Arsenal (doing badly I mean), but a lot of my Gooner friends are saying exactly the same thing as you. More than a couple want him out already. Obviously a world-class replacement for Fabregas is needed, but two other players I've heard connected with a move to the Emirates are Scott Parker and Gary Cahill - that type of player would surely put a bit of much-needed steel in the team.
I'm happy enough with Tottenham's start to the season anyway. We usually lose on the first day, but we managed to avoid that this year (albeit through some drastic measures)...
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