With a lot of clubs spending a lot of money in the summer,it should be harder to predict who finishes where,but i cant see the top four being any different to the top four of the last 3 years.
My Predictions
1st: Manchester United
Man utd have spent more more than any other club in the summer,with the signings of,nani,hargreaves,anderson and teves,the jury is still out on wether teves and rooney can play together,but even if they are too similar united have other options, Nani and anderson are an unknown quantity to me as ive never seen them play,but they will have to be something special to justify their transfer fees.
For me theyre best transfer of the summer was hargreaves,he could be the missing link in europe that turns them from nearly men to winners.
2nd: Arsenal
Everyone seems to be writing arsenal off since the sale of Henry,but what they have is a good young and talented,and more importantly ambitious crop of players. They are the best footballing side in the league,and if they can add consistency to their play they can achieve anything.
..
3rd: Chelsea
With the African nations cup in January,and with Chelsea losing the likes of Drogba,Mikel,Essien and Kalou,i think Chelsea will miss out on points around this period,so i am picking them for 3rd spot.
.
4th: Liverpool
Liverpool have made a lot of changes in the summer,although it could be argued they have increased the quality in the squad,just the shear numbers of comings and goings will mean it will take a while for them to blend and bed in,its for this reason im putting them in fourth spot.
..
5th: Spurs
They continue to buy the cream of the best young british talent with the purchases of darren bent and gareth bale. Over the past couple of years they have been the nearly club,finishing 5th both times and just missing out on a champions league place,a lot of people are tipping them to creep into the top 4 this year,but i think they will just miss out again.
6th: Newcastle
Newcastle have arguably the best quartet of strikers in the league,with Owen,Viduka,Smith and Martins,big sam is spoilt for choice up front,now if only they can sort out their defence they could be in for a big season.
..
7th: West Ham
West ham have brought lots of new players in since the arrival of Alan Curbishley last christmas,and have now got a high quality squad,wether he can merge them into a high quality team is yet uncertain,but with Dean ashton back to fitness and with the recent additions of craig bellamy and scott parker,the future looks bright for the hammers.
.
8th: Blackburn
Mark Hughes teams are notoriously hard to beat,they dont have the quality of other teams with more spending power,but hughes organizes them well,and if they can keep hold of Benny McCarthy,they could be in for a top 10 finish.
..
9th: Aston Villa
I dont think Villa have the greatest squad,but like Hughes at Blackburn,O;Neill is a great motivator,he had an ok first season at villa,and i predict another mid table finish.
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10th: Portsmouth
Probably harrys best buy of the summer was getting Distin from Man City on a free,i think pompey will play some good football without ever really threatening the top 6 places,and finish mid table.
11th: Everton
I think everton over achieved last year,and with other clubs around them adding significantly to their squads,i think everton may get left behind a little,they are still a hard team to beat though,so i dont think they will struggle,but i think it will be a finish outside of the top 10 for them.
.
12th: Manchester City
Svens first season in charge in the premiership could be a rocky one,he has bought virtually a new team,and he needs to get them playing as a team as soon as possible,as a slow start could see them in trouble early on,i expect them to pick up though and to finish safely.
13th: Sunderland
Roy hasnt bought any big name players,but as a manager he will instill in his players the same desire to win that he had as a player,and that desire should keep them safe in their first season back in the premiership.
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14th: Reading
I think it will be second season syndrome for reading,and with the loss of sidwell to Chelsea,i think they will struggle,i dont think they will get relegated,but they will flirt with it a little.
..
15th: Bolton
With big Sams departure to tyneside,and little Sam taking over,i think the momentum that took them into top 6 finishes season after season has been lost,i think they will find it hard this year,and if they are in trouble around christmas time,Anelka wont want to be around,so it will be a season of transition,but i think they will survive.
16th: Middlesborough
Southgate in his second season will be hoping to improve on last years efforts,but i cant see it happening,with Viduka their main supply of goals off to Newcastle,its not looking good for boro.
17th: Fulham
Sanchez has bought in a few players over the summer,he has gambled on a few of his Irish players including David Healy,if it pays off they should be safe.
18th: Wigan
They only just survived relegation on the last day of last season,but i think time is up for Wigan,they have made some good signings in,Brown,Koumas and Bramble,i just dont think they have enough overall quality to survive.
..
19th: Birmingham
I like Steve Bruce,but looking at his squad,theres nothing there that makes me think that it will result in anything other than a quick return to the championship.
20th: Derby
This years Watford,will play well in games,be called unlucky,losing to the odd goal,but will be relegated by april.
My Predictions
1st: Manchester United
Man utd have spent more more than any other club in the summer,with the signings of,nani,hargreaves,anderson and teves,the jury is still out on wether teves and rooney can play together,but even if they are too similar united have other options, Nani and anderson are an unknown quantity to me as ive never seen them play,but they will have to be something special to justify their transfer fees.
For me theyre best transfer of the summer was hargreaves,he could be the missing link in europe that turns them from nearly men to winners.
2nd: Arsenal
Everyone seems to be writing arsenal off since the sale of Henry,but what they have is a good young and talented,and more importantly ambitious crop of players. They are the best footballing side in the league,and if they can add consistency to their play they can achieve anything.
..
3rd: Chelsea
With the African nations cup in January,and with Chelsea losing the likes of Drogba,Mikel,Essien and Kalou,i think Chelsea will miss out on points around this period,so i am picking them for 3rd spot.
.
4th: Liverpool
Liverpool have made a lot of changes in the summer,although it could be argued they have increased the quality in the squad,just the shear numbers of comings and goings will mean it will take a while for them to blend and bed in,its for this reason im putting them in fourth spot.
..
5th: Spurs
They continue to buy the cream of the best young british talent with the purchases of darren bent and gareth bale. Over the past couple of years they have been the nearly club,finishing 5th both times and just missing out on a champions league place,a lot of people are tipping them to creep into the top 4 this year,but i think they will just miss out again.
6th: Newcastle
Newcastle have arguably the best quartet of strikers in the league,with Owen,Viduka,Smith and Martins,big sam is spoilt for choice up front,now if only they can sort out their defence they could be in for a big season.
..
7th: West Ham
West ham have brought lots of new players in since the arrival of Alan Curbishley last christmas,and have now got a high quality squad,wether he can merge them into a high quality team is yet uncertain,but with Dean ashton back to fitness and with the recent additions of craig bellamy and scott parker,the future looks bright for the hammers.
.
8th: Blackburn
Mark Hughes teams are notoriously hard to beat,they dont have the quality of other teams with more spending power,but hughes organizes them well,and if they can keep hold of Benny McCarthy,they could be in for a top 10 finish.
..
9th: Aston Villa
I dont think Villa have the greatest squad,but like Hughes at Blackburn,O;Neill is a great motivator,he had an ok first season at villa,and i predict another mid table finish.
..
10th: Portsmouth
Probably harrys best buy of the summer was getting Distin from Man City on a free,i think pompey will play some good football without ever really threatening the top 6 places,and finish mid table.
11th: Everton
I think everton over achieved last year,and with other clubs around them adding significantly to their squads,i think everton may get left behind a little,they are still a hard team to beat though,so i dont think they will struggle,but i think it will be a finish outside of the top 10 for them.
.
12th: Manchester City
Svens first season in charge in the premiership could be a rocky one,he has bought virtually a new team,and he needs to get them playing as a team as soon as possible,as a slow start could see them in trouble early on,i expect them to pick up though and to finish safely.
13th: Sunderland
Roy hasnt bought any big name players,but as a manager he will instill in his players the same desire to win that he had as a player,and that desire should keep them safe in their first season back in the premiership.
..
14th: Reading
I think it will be second season syndrome for reading,and with the loss of sidwell to Chelsea,i think they will struggle,i dont think they will get relegated,but they will flirt with it a little.
..
15th: Bolton
With big Sams departure to tyneside,and little Sam taking over,i think the momentum that took them into top 6 finishes season after season has been lost,i think they will find it hard this year,and if they are in trouble around christmas time,Anelka wont want to be around,so it will be a season of transition,but i think they will survive.
16th: Middlesborough
Southgate in his second season will be hoping to improve on last years efforts,but i cant see it happening,with Viduka their main supply of goals off to Newcastle,its not looking good for boro.
17th: Fulham
Sanchez has bought in a few players over the summer,he has gambled on a few of his Irish players including David Healy,if it pays off they should be safe.
18th: Wigan
They only just survived relegation on the last day of last season,but i think time is up for Wigan,they have made some good signings in,Brown,Koumas and Bramble,i just dont think they have enough overall quality to survive.
..
19th: Birmingham
I like Steve Bruce,but looking at his squad,theres nothing there that makes me think that it will result in anything other than a quick return to the championship.
20th: Derby
This years Watford,will play well in games,be called unlucky,losing to the odd goal,but will be relegated by april.
