'Tis the season

[undyingking]

Comments

[dr_bob]

I think it'll be a lot closer than you suggest this year, and none of ManU, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea look like they'll be consistently brilliant. Chelsea are starting to look their age, and while experienced, the team is likely to be on the slide since last year, and I'm not convinced the new manager will adjust to the Premiership quickly. Liverpool have the strongest look about them, and, like Arsenal, have improving players, but Gerard and Torres are so critical, and fragile, they could easily go on long winning streaks and then really indifferent ones. ManU have lost a little brilliance, but are the only team that I think will be consistent, althouhg are liable to get a few more draws where they won last season. Arsenal are young and exciting. If they get their defensive act together (perhaps Arsene might put in a bid for Lescott?:o) they'll be right up there, and as for City, who knows. Spurs have also had the Off season to bed in, and with Harry at the helm, and a great looking squad, they'll finish very close to Chelsea

[undyingking]

Mm, I saw that they'd managed to purge the troublesome Mr Rolls. Hope that leads to a bit of stability!

[mrlloyd]

Yup. Newcastle are certainly in trouble. I'm not sure it's actually worse trouble than say Portsmouth's though. Between the sales and the associated wage bill reduction I reckon there's no danger of actual bankruptcy this season...

[zenithed]

I probably have massive blinkers on, but I think Arsenal might benefit from the lack of Adebayor's incessant offside runs and occasional days when he couldn't be bothered. As you say, the status of Van Persie's balsa wood legs will be pretty critical, but considering Arshavin played on with stitches in his foot last season I'm not too worried about him. Hopefully the 4-3-3 formation will pay off with the attacking options making up for the frailty in defence.

I predict a tight season ending with Chelsea, Arsenal, Man U then Liverpool. Real Madrid vs Barcelona Champions League final, with Real Madrid to win it.

[undyingking]

It'll be interesting to see how much of a contribution Vermaelen can make at the back. By all accounts he's quite a player, and coming from Dutch football it shouldn't take him that long to settle.

[mrlloyd]

No way will Real Madrid win the Champions Leage. Hunterlaar just gave an interview in the Dutch press saying before he left he'd been asked if he could play in central defence, seems they've forgotten to buy half the team again...

[zenithed]

He looked fine on Saturday, but that may not have been the best match to judge him on.

Big matches coming up in the next couple of weeks so fingers crossed, since we're only a couple of injuries away from Silvestre playing centre-back. *shudder*

[jiggery_pokery]

It's traditional around these parts to leave a top five; one year I'll get it spot on, by virtue of a spectacular lack of initiative in my predictions. In order:

Chelsea
Man U
Liverpool
Arsenal
Man C

I can't see Tottenham coming within nine points of these five. (I'm looking for some Premiership handicap betting lines, and the first one I found has Tottenham exactly nine points behind Man C.)

[jiggery_pokery]

A bad start for my dismissal of the Spurs. *scratches head*

[undyingking]

Mm, they seem to have gelled pretty quickly!

[mrlloyd]

I'm hoping for an interesting season. So more in optimism than expectation lets take a guess at...

* Arsenal to win, off the back of stylish vibrant football, and one or two big money signings when it becomes clear the title could be on the cards.
* Chelsea second, off the back of controlled, effective football. Let down by aging limbs at the last.
* Man Utd. third, as there are now too many players who aren't quite top class in that squad, and they're going to miss Ronaldo. Mid season restructure not enough to save the title.
* Tottenham or Villa fourth. It's between Redknapps millions and O'Neil's savvy. The other to finish 7th.
* Liverpool and Man City, 5th and 6th. Liverpools squad is too thin, City's can't defend. Knee jerk firing of Mark Hughes by his Saudi Overlords around Christmas for not being 10 points infront won't help matters.

Or maybe it'll be Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool. But if I thought that would happen would I bother watching?

[undyingking]

would I bother watching?

Well, last year ended up predictable at the top, but the teams had some thrills along the way -- Scolari's struggles, Tottenham's diabolical start, Liverpool's serious challenge until Benitez'z crackup...

[ubiquitous_cat]

Ignoring Sunday's result....

Liverpool
Man U
Chelsea
Arsenal

but what do I know with my hopeless optimism just waiting to be crushed once again.

[undyingking]

Mm, better to start out optimistic, at least.