Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Premier League
Premier League Predictions: Part One
Our predictions for the 2007/8 season attempt to forecast the fate of clubs fighting for the title, a place in Europe or to stay in the Premier League. Part one covers ten of the twenty sides, from Arsenal to Liverpool. Do you agree? Arsenal There’s little chance of Arsène Wenger’s side winning the Premier League, so it’s [...]
Our predictions for the 2007/8 season attempt to forecast the fate of clubs fighting for the title, a place in Europe or to stay in the Premier League. Part one covers ten of the twenty sides, from Arsenal to Liverpool. Do you agree?
Arsenal
There’s little chance of Arsène Wenger’s side winning the Premier League, so it’s down to the Champions League to make something of the Gunners’ season. However, the departure of Thierry Henry and lack of a comparable replacement makes success on the continent difficult to envisage. Wenger’s future is unresolved and the team lacks direction as a result, meaning success in the domestic cups might be as good as it gets though medium term prospects are excellent.
Prediction: 4th
Aston Villa
New American owner Randy Lerner has not delivered the anticipated revolution to Villa Park, and the close season has brought in just two familiar names both from West Ham. Too many draws last season ensured the Martin O’Neill miracle failed to transpire – for once – and his squad still looks far too thin for European push. Without a major overhaul, Villa look set to continue to mingle with mediocrity and mid-table finishes.
Prediction: 12th
 |
PREDICTION TABLE 1 Chelsea 2 Liverpool 3 Manchester United 4 Arsenal 5 Tottenham 6 Newcastle 7 Portsmouth 8 Everton 9 Manchester City 10 Blackburn 11 West Ham 12 Aston Villa 13 Reading 14 Bolton 15 Fulham 16 Middlesbrough 17 Birmingham 18 Sunderland 19 Wigan 20 Derby |
Birmingham
Steve Bruce’s side exited the top-flight following a terrifically dull season of mundane football, but now the former Manchester United defender is expected to steady the Birmingham ship and rebuild their status as an established Premier league club. And of the promoted clubs, Birmingham appear to have the most capable squad. The likes of Garry O’Connor, Olivier Kapo, Daniel de Ridder and Franck Queudrue have all arrived, complementing present talent such as Larsson, McSheffrey, Jerome, Forssell and Jaidi. Don’t suppose that attacking football will be served up, but Birmingham have invested considerably in order to avoid the drop and they have the means to reach 40 points.
Prediction: 17th
Blackburn Rovers
Mark Hughes has done a tremendous job at Rovers and there is no sign of any slip-up just yet. An FA Cup semi-final and promising progress in the Uefa Cup were the highlights from last season, and a late surge in the league earned Blackburn an Intertoto Cup place, meaning another season of Uefa Cup football is imminent. The astute signing of Roque Santa Cruz has strengthened their front line and an accomplished squad containing Pedersen, McCarthy, Bentley and Savage is again set to compete for a position inside the top six, though their bid may be hampered by the focus on cup competitions.
Prediction: 10th
Bolton Wanderers
Sam Allardyce was the driving force behind Bolton’s unlikely recent successes, but his departure means the club will struggle to overachieve again. Sammy Lee has little managerial experience and didn’t impress at the end of last season, but he has brought in a host of new players, stamping his own authority over the squad, and can rely on Allardyce players like Diouf, Campo, Nolan, Jaaskelainen and Anelka. Regular scalps of the top four and top six finishes may be off the cards for next season at least, but Lee has enough quality at his disposal for a comfortable mid-table climax.
Prediction: 14th
Chelsea
For the first time in five years, it has been a relatively sensible summer at Stamford Bridge – no galacticos, no rifts, and no lack of concentration on the season’s objectives. A hat-trick of free transfers can do no harm and Jose Mourinho beat Liverpool to the signing of French international Florent Malouda. The pressure this campaign is on Manchester United, not Chelsea, and Mourinho’s side will revel in their underdog status, especially with much expected of the other contender, free-spending Liverpool. A great work ethic and unprecedented desire to succeed and avenge last year’s demons stands Chelsea in good stead to recapture the Premier League crown from their Manchester foes.
Prediction: 1st
Derby
Unsurprisingly, the Rams are favourites for the drop having failed to lure much in the way of Premier League talent. Billy Davies paid a mammoth £3.5m for Robert Earnshaw – unimpressive for Norwich when they were in the top-flight – while Andy Todd and Andy Griffin will bring some experience to the back line. A few notable players, such as Barnes, Howard and Fagan, may save Derby from embarrassment but at a time when even relegation contenders are spending big, the club’s frugality will surely cost them.
Prediction: 20th
Everton
The yo-yo club of the Premier League, Everton have again reacted to qualifying for Europe by failing to strengthen their squad substantially. Phil Jagielka arrived early on for £4m, but David Moyes has been frustrated since by inflated transfer fees though seems ready to spend £5m on Leighton Baines and has bid £11m for the dexterous Lucho Gonzalez. With the existing squad, success on two fronts – in the league and Uefa Cup – looks improbable so progress on the continent could compromise the chase for another top six finish.
Prediction: 8th
Fulham
It would ironic if new manager Lawrie Sanchez, who has spent as much this summer as predecessor Chris Coleman did in four years, fails to match the Welsh rookie’s relatively good performance, but in spending more than £20m on untested Premier League players, a season of struggle seemingly awaits. Sanchez himself is distrusted by the majority of Fulham fans and the pre-season matches have witnessed a tentative and directionless side. Such expenditure ought to ensure relegation is off the agenda, but the West Londoners seem set to spend the next ten months endeavouring to reach the golden 40-point mark.
Prediction: 15th
Liverpool
A year ago, a frightening number of pundits predicted Liverpool would win the league but that dream soon evaporated on the back of continuing poor away form and results against their immediate rivals. The same prediction now would have far more substance following Rafa Benítez’s spending spree, which included bringing in Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel, but are Liverpool ready to flatter to deceive once again? Their lack of consistency has cost them in recent years but with such significant investment this time around, pressure is on Benítez to succeed away from cup competitions. An immensely talented squad must perform, and with constancy, if Liverpool are to keep pace with Manchester United and Chelsea.
Prediction: 2nd
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lol these predictions are the worst I have ever seen. Arsenal wont finish 4th they’ll be in the top two. Arsenal play the best football in the premier league - fact. Arsenal failed to finish off chance after chance during games last season - fact. Arsenal have signed a predator to finish those chances - fact. Result = success. It’s not rocket science lads.
My Dear friend,
Just wait and see how our young gunners are going to shock Man utd, Liverpool and chelsea.This team remindes me of the Man utd team of early 90s.
And you know what happened next.
That is a terrible prediction, atleast for the top teams.
I agree with you on some points, but on the whole I think you have the teams finishing places completely wrong.
Firstly on Arsenal. I agree they have little chance of winning the league this season. However, when you take into account, two seasons ago they just placed 4th with Henry, and last season they finished 4th comfortably(level on points with 3rd)largely without Henry, it may appear Wenger knows his men. I believe Henry was on the decline and the team(read youngsters)were on the rise. I believe Wenger has judged this just right and seen the grumbling comments Henry made throughout last season about the youngsters and knew it was time for him to move on as he didn’t have total belief in the next generation. With Henry’s negitive comments now gone the youngsters will only recieve praise and encouragememnt from a man they all worship, Wenger. This is the way it should be. They should worship the boss, a true footballing God and not be dragged down by negetive comments from a false God, Henry. Don’t get me wrong. I loved what Henry brought to the premiership and Arsenal, but it was time to go as his reign was over. The King of Highbury is dead. Long live the Kings of Ashburton Grove. I believe this season will finish
1. Man U
2. Arsenal
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Spurs
Ferguson has bought well and knows how to put a team together.
Arsenal will benefit from keeping the same squad and placing total faith in the youngsters. They are already gelled into a team.
Chelsea will bore teams into submission with their style of defensive football. Without a season long fully fit Drogba they have little penetration.
Liverpool and Spurs will suffer from too many new additions to their squads. It will take a long time to find the right combinations and gell the new additions into a team. By the time they both find these combinations the title will be beyond them.
Man U to win premiership.
Arsenal to win Champions League(without Henry)
Chelsea to win nothing, keeps everyone happy that, doesn’t it.(ever seen a Chelsea player smile?)
Liverpool to win F.A.cup
Spurs invest heavily again only to win European spot, again.
Here is a worst most perdiction i had read… Please dont easily perdict i you hv a little knowledge about every EPL club…:( bad, worst and ugly prediction.
Liverpool 2nd? Arsenal 4th? Torres will be a flop at liverpool. He scored 15 goALS IN 40 games last year, and I doubt he will even reach that much for liverpool. Arsenal will be better than them, it is van persies time to shine.
It appears to me that one single journalist wrote an article on the Arsenal and now everyone is copying it. Watching football may give more insight than reading the same essay’s over and over again. It is extremely surprising that there are still people out there who think Henry’s departure left a hole in the team. Fact is that the hole has left and the team is stronger now than it was (of course a player like Henry cannot be replaced but still the team is stronger). The team did good in pre-season and will further improve. Do not count them out!
Chelsea has too many superstars and will suffer the fate of late Real Madrid - they are the ones who may have to be happy with a cup. Players of that profile don’t like to sit on the bench and the unrest this brings will finally sink the ship.
ManU has a strong team, maybe even a bit stronger than last year. I see problems in defense but they may figur that out.
Liverpool improved the team dramatically. The question here is if the team can gel together fast or if they will loose vital points in the early stages of the season - that may come back to bite them.
Totally bias article by the way chelsea to be first.
Excellent summing up, though should any of those teams face an injury problem this season (of the sort Chelsea endured last season) they could drop a position (in the case of the big three) and 2 or 3 in the case of the others. That would leave the likes of Birmingham, Fulham, Bolton with a big worry.
My one disgreement - I think Derby will do a Reading, until Christmas at least - and then just about relegation by the end of the season.
Firstly what has rattled the gunners cage?, most people would look and say that they’ll be 4th, thats not a slag off, its reality. Comments such as Smiffy’s “Firstly on Arsenal. I agree they have little chance of winning the league this season. followed later by his predictions
1. Man U
2. Arsenal
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Spurs
which is then followed by Arsenal to win the Champions League. Sorry smiffy I know its the season of wishfull thinking but you agree Arsenal have little chance of winning the premiership yet you predict Arsenal will finish 2nd! Wise up
the top 4 is seen as a cartel but with united winning the league last year the top 2 will be hard to break into and as for the CL you have a slight problem who is your world class turn a game around when you’re in the shit? The CL requires you to have that player if you want to win it 2004 Porto had Deco, 2005 We, yes I’m a Liverpool fan, had Gerrard, in 2006 you had Henry who was fantastic in that campaign and Barca had about 4 or 5 of them, and last season AC had Kaka. At some point in every CL campaign you’ll be in the shit, it will then be down to your key man to get you out. In 2005 Gerrard scored that goal against Olympiakos and was superhuman in the 2nd half and extra time in Athens, Kaka was superb last season remember the Celtic game? or the United game?. Personally I think the ratings are fair enough, Chelsea are favourites in my eyes, the Reading game last year cost them big time and makes Cech look like a horror character, and if you go back 2 years we finished one point behind Man U, forget last season we had a horror run of away games early on and we fecked up but look at LFC’s away form after Arsenal and before the last 2 when we couldn’t be arsed and it’s not bad. This year the League has to be our priority and as for all those slagging Torres, wait and see what he does he may be great, he may be crap but it’s less of a risk than Eduardo who has only broken through in the last couple of years and Nani and Anderson who have little experience. That’s not to say that those players aren’t going to be better but it’s about time people stopped going o he’s shite and o player x who I’ve never seen is great because he plays for my team. It will be an interesting season
what a load of complete rubbish.
UTD will destroy everything is a very massive way, deel with it
i think outside the top 4/5 most predictions are spot on with question marks on the derby/sunderland ones. as for earnshawhavin no form in the premier remember west brom? got at least 10 goals at the end of a season still wont get them out of jail though.
You all have wrong wrong wrong:
Newcastle
Man United
Chelsea
Arsenal
Liverpool
also the top 4/5 hard to call im a spurs fan btw and i do think it is a big challenge for us to get in the top 4. also most arsenal fans on here are a little too optimistic dont punch above your weight top two- only with no injuries and thats if your lucky you just dont have the quality or squad depth of man u chelsea and you know it if van persie and fabregas are injured wots your back up and pls dont say your youngsters tht beat us in the semis they wouldnt ave a hope without fabregas and hes a first teamer.
Your all not dealing with the inevitable,
the toon are coming.
Toon on the rise but be realistic
Top 5
1. Chelsea
2. Man Utd
3. Arsenal
4. Newcastle
5. Liverpool
I seriously think with 2 more key signing - without injury we now have the strength to finish top 5
Sorry to upset you Yogi, but it is just my opinion that Liverpool will struggle to gel the many new signings. Maybe I’ll be wrong. I like Liverpool and wish you success. I cannot say the same for Chelski. I wish they could smile just once in a season and wish they could entertain me at least once in a season if not I hope they get relegated. Wishful thinking I know. On your point about needing a match winner. I think Arsenal are okay in that department. We have several capable, and as you know, our game style suits European competitions more than the premier league where we get kicked to death by the teams who have no belief in their ability to play football. I wish you luck in all of Liverpools fixtures this year except for when you meet the Gooners. Enjoy!
how funny is it that ur top 4 is up to now completley wrong and its the other way round
i dont think sunderland is relegated this season, also newcastle will not be fishing 6th. there is one score that safc fans will neva let nufc fans live down and that score is… 1 DERBY - NEWCASTLE 0
also mick_toon is having a laugh newcastle will not even finish in the top 10 neva mind the top 5
GAZZA ur a joke newcastle will be last
these r my predictions for the end of season for sunderland and newcastle…
sunderland - 9th
newcastle - 12th
I dont think sunderland is relegated this season, also newcastle will not be fishing 6th. there is one score that safc fans will neva let nufc fans live down and that score is… 1 DERBY - NEWCASTLE 0
Also mick_toon is having a laugh newcastle will not even finish in the top 10 neva mind the top 5
GAZZA ur a joke newcastle will be last.
These r my predictions for the end of season for sunderland and newcastle…
sunderland - 9th
newcastle - 12th
lol these predictions are the worst I have ever seen. Arsenal wont finish 4th they’ll be in the top two. Arsenal play the best football in the premier league - fact. Arsenal failed to finish off chance after chance during games last season - fact. Arsenal have signed a predator to finish those chances - fact. Result = success. It’s not rocket science lads.
Just wait and see how our young gunners are going to shock Man utd, Liverpool and chelsea.This team remindes me of the Man utd team of early 90s.
And you know what happened next.
That is a terrible prediction, atleast for the top teams.
I agree with you on some points, but on the whole I think you have the teams finishing places completely wrong.
Firstly on Arsenal. I agree they have little chance of winning the league this season. However, when you take into account, two seasons ago they just placed 4th with Henry, and last season they finished 4th comfortably(level on points with 3rd)largely without Henry, it may appear Wenger knows his men. I believe Henry was on the decline and the team(read youngsters)were on the rise. I believe Wenger has judged this just right and seen the grumbling comments Henry made throughout last season about the youngsters and knew it was time for him to move on as he didn’t have total belief in the next generation. With Henry’s negitive comments now gone the youngsters will only recieve praise and encouragememnt from a man they all worship, Wenger. This is the way it should be. They should worship the boss, a true footballing God and not be dragged down by negetive comments from a false God, Henry. Don’t get me wrong. I loved what Henry brought to the premiership and Arsenal, but it was time to go as his reign was over. The King of Highbury is dead. Long live the Kings of Ashburton Grove. I believe this season will finish
1. Man U
2. Arsenal
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Spurs
Ferguson has bought well and knows how to put a team together.
Arsenal will benefit from keeping the same squad and placing total faith in the youngsters. They are already gelled into a team.
Chelsea will bore teams into submission with their style of defensive football. Without a season long fully fit Drogba they have little penetration.
Liverpool and Spurs will suffer from too many new additions to their squads. It will take a long time to find the right combinations and gell the new additions into a team. By the time they both find these combinations the title will be beyond them.
Man U to win premiership.
Arsenal to win Champions League(without Henry)
Chelsea to win nothing, keeps everyone happy that, doesn’t it.(ever seen a Chelsea player smile?)
Liverpool to win F.A.cup
Spurs invest heavily again only to win European spot, again.
Here is a worst most perdiction i had read… Please dont easily perdict i you hv a little knowledge about every EPL club…:( bad, worst and ugly prediction.
Liverpool 2nd? Arsenal 4th? Torres will be a flop at liverpool. He scored 15 goALS IN 40 games last year, and I doubt he will even reach that much for liverpool. Arsenal will be better than them, it is van persies time to shine.
It appears to me that one single journalist wrote an article on the Arsenal and now everyone is copying it. Watching football may give more insight than reading the same essay’s over and over again. It is extremely surprising that there are still people out there who think Henry’s departure left a hole in the team. Fact is that the hole has left and the team is stronger now than it was (of course a player like Henry cannot be replaced but still the team is stronger). The team did good in pre-season and will further improve. Do not count them out!
Chelsea has too many superstars and will suffer the fate of late Real Madrid - they are the ones who may have to be happy with a cup. Players of that profile don’t like to sit on the bench and the unrest this brings will finally sink the ship.
ManU has a strong team, maybe even a bit stronger than last year. I see problems in defense but they may figur that out.
Liverpool improved the team dramatically. The question here is if the team can gel together fast or if they will loose vital points in the early stages of the season - that may come back to bite them.
Totally bias article by the way chelsea to be first.
Excellent summing up, though should any of those teams face an injury problem this season (of the sort Chelsea endured last season) they could drop a position (in the case of the big three) and 2 or 3 in the case of the others. That would leave the likes of Birmingham, Fulham, Bolton with a big worry.
My one disgreement - I think Derby will do a Reading, until Christmas at least - and then just about relegation by the end of the season.
Firstly what has rattled the gunners cage?, most people would look and say that they’ll be 4th, thats not a slag off, its reality. Comments such as Smiffy’s “Firstly on Arsenal. I agree they have little chance of winning the league this season. followed later by his predictions
1. Man U
2. Arsenal
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Spurs
which is then followed by Arsenal to win the Champions League. Sorry smiffy I know its the season of wishfull thinking but you agree Arsenal have little chance of winning the premiership yet you predict Arsenal will finish 2nd! Wise up
the top 4 is seen as a cartel but with united winning the league last year the top 2 will be hard to break into and as for the CL you have a slight problem who is your world class turn a game around when you’re in the shit? The CL requires you to have that player if you want to win it 2004 Porto had Deco, 2005 We, yes I’m a Liverpool fan, had Gerrard, in 2006 you had Henry who was fantastic in that campaign and Barca had about 4 or 5 of them, and last season AC had Kaka. At some point in every CL campaign you’ll be in the shit, it will then be down to your key man to get you out. In 2005 Gerrard scored that goal against Olympiakos and was superhuman in the 2nd half and extra time in Athens, Kaka was superb last season remember the Celtic game? or the United game?. Personally I think the ratings are fair enough, Chelsea are favourites in my eyes, the Reading game last year cost them big time and makes Cech look like a horror character, and if you go back 2 years we finished one point behind Man U, forget last season we had a horror run of away games early on and we fecked up but look at LFC’s away form after Arsenal and before the last 2 when we couldn’t be arsed and it’s not bad. This year the League has to be our priority and as for all those slagging Torres, wait and see what he does he may be great, he may be crap but it’s less of a risk than Eduardo who has only broken through in the last couple of years and Nani and Anderson who have little experience. That’s not to say that those players aren’t going to be better but it’s about time people stopped going o he’s shite and o player x who I’ve never seen is great because he plays for my team. It will be an interesting season
What a load of complete rubbish.
UTD will not destroy everything is a very massive way, deel with it
i think outside the top 4/5 most predictions are spot on with question marks on the derby/sunderland ones. as for earnshawhavin no form in the premier remember west brom? got at least 10 goals at the end of a season still wont get them out of jail though.
Also the top 4/5 hard to call im a spurs fan btw and i do think it is a big challenge for us to get in the top 4. also most arsenal fans on here are a little too optimistic dont punch above your weight top two- only with no injuries and thats if your lucky you just dont have the quality or squad depth of man u chelsea and you know it if van persie and fabregas are injured wots your back up and pls dont say your youngsters tht beat us in the semis they wouldnt ave a hope without fabregas and hes a first teamer.
NUFC are not the bottom but be realistically
18th
1. Chelsea
2. Man Utd
3. Arsenal
4. Sunderland
5. Liverpool
I seriously think with 2 more key signing - without injury we now have the strength to finish top 5
Sorry to upset you Yogi, but it is just my opinion that Liverpool will struggle to gel the many new signings. Maybe I’ll be wrong. I like Liverpool and wish you success. I cannot say the same for Chelski. I wish they could smile just once in a season and wish they could entertain me at least once in a season if not I hope they get relegated. Wishful thinking I know. On your point about needing a match winner. I think Arsenal are okay in that department. We have several capable, and as you know, our game style suits European competitions more than the premier league where we get kicked to death by the teams who have no belief in their ability to play football. I wish you luck in all of Liverpools fixtures this year except for when you meet the Gooners. Enjoy!
how funny is it that ur top 4 is up to now completley wrong and its the other way round
I dont think sunderland is relegated this season, also newcastle will not be fishing 6th. there is one score that safc fans will neva let nufc fans live down and that score is… 1 DERBY - NEWCASTLE 0
Also mick_toon is having a laugh newcastle will not even finish in the top 10 neva mind the top 5
GAZZA ur a joke newcastle will be last.
These r my predictions for the end of season for sunderland and newcastle…
sunderland - 9th
newcastle - 12th
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