Pre Season Predictions

Ok the 1st of August is here, so the time has come to make some pre season predictions for the upcoming season.

Here are mine:
Title winner: Man City
Top 4: City, Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal
Surprise Package: Norwich
Relegation for: Swansea, Wigan, Southampton

What are your predictions?

Title winner: Man City
Top 4: City, Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal
Surprise Package: Swansea
Relegation for: Stoke, West Brom and Norwich

Title winner: Man City
Top 4: City, Arsenal, United, Tottenham
Surprise Package: Fulham
Relegation for: Southampton, QPR and Norwich

Oh also post a little explanation why as well. I will do it in the morning when I have more time

Norwich- not good enough, Holt fails to score

Title winner: Man City, good squad bonding and better than the rest
Top 4: City, Arsenal, United, Chelsea,all bringing in goodplayers, done more than spurs IMO
Surprise Package: Soton , dunno have a hunch
Relegation for: Villa, West Brom and Norwich, villa aint that good and see thembeing a suprise down, west brom are hodgsonless,norwich W/O Lambert are doooooomed, Lambert and Norwich were made foreach other, ->

I'll make my predos closer to the day.

Title winner: UTD-Always seem to bounce back and I got a feeling last year will motivate them even more. If we can bring in a quality CM then I think we'll win, however, I would put money on it going to the last day of the season again.
Top 4-Utd, City, Chelsea, Arsenal
Surprise package-Liverpool, got a feeling that they will click under Rodgers
Relegation for: Southampton, QPR, Norwich-Just feel they are the weakest sides at the minute

Title winner: Chelsea
Top 4: Chelsea United City Spurs - If arsenal lose RVP then they're in trouble.
Surprise Package: Reading
Relegation for: Norwich, Wigan, Southampton

Title winner: Manchester United
Top 4: Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal
Surprise Package: Aston Villa
Relegation for: Southampton, QPR, Norwich

I'll probably change my predictions once the transfer window is nearing its end, as both Manchester United and Manchester City have only dipped their toes in so far.

Winners: Manchester City

I think they will only get further ahead this year, while they struggled last year, I think that was just the pressure of being leaders getting to them. Getting the first league title over with will give them confidence going into the season. If they can keep any problems with Tevez and Balotelli out they are the best side.

Top 4: Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham

I think this will finally be the year that Arsenal drop out the top 4, I think Chelsea will struggle for the first half of the season but then come back hard when their new players settle in. Tottenham to flourish under AVB.

Surprise Package: West Ham

I think with Allardyce they have a manager who will be able to make their style works, knows how to get unfancied sides punching above their weight. Nolan to flourish back in the Premier League.

Relegation: 18 Norwich, 19 Reading, 20 Southampton

I think after the success of the promoted sides last year that two of the three from this year won't have the same kinds of success. I can also see Norwich, with the loss of Paul Lambert, slipping into the relegation zone. Swansea, QPR to both get sucked into the relegation battle and Wigan obviously.

Winner: United (just have a hunch, that everytime they get a question asked of their ability they bounce back stronger, ala Blackburn, Arsenal and Chelski's title wins)

Top 4: United, Chelsea, City and Newcastle (Chelsea and City in either order, will be very close between top 3 i reckon. Just think Newcastle looked great last year and again noone is expecting anybody to do anything again which will spur them on)

Surprise Package: Newcastle (see above but they are being written off for top 4 already despite only missing out by the narrowest of gaps last year)

Relegation: Norwich, Reading and Wigan (Norwich were very lucky last year and havent really replaced Lambert with quality in Houghton like Swansea did. Reading will struggle to adapt and Wigan surely have rode enough luck for the past 4 years that it has to be their turn like Bolton before them)

Hmmm please explain how Norwich were lucky last year?

Winner: Man City
Top 4: City, Utd, Chelsea, Spurs.
Surprise package: Reading.
Relegation: Swansea, Wigan, Saints.

cherriesfan wrote:Title winner: Man City, good squad bonding and better than the rest
Top 4: City, Arsenal, United, Chelsea,all bringing in goodplayers, done more than spurs IMO
Surprise Package: Soton , dunno have a hunch
Relegation for: Villa, West Brom and Norwich, villa aint that good and see thembeing a suprise down, west brom are hodgsonless,norwich W/O Lambert are doooooomed, Lambert and Norwich were made foreach other, ->

Villa to go down.

I'll bet you £500 we wont be going down.

Nice to see Arsenal being written off for the Top3/4 yet again this year same as every year.

Norwich were great last year, though they may struggle against 2nd season syndrome this year - especially with their losses, but you never know.

I think if Swansea can keep Allen then they'll go from strength to strength, still gutted for them that they had Gylfi snatched from under their noses.

I'm not making an predictions until closer to the start of the season, as if Spurs don't sign a striker and lose RVDV and Modric then they'll struggle against N'Castle and Pool but then again they could keep both and sign a striker or two.

Arsenal could sign a defender and someone like M'Vila as well as Sahin, which could round out their squad nicely and ensure they have cover for every position.

Then again Man C and Man U could well go out and spend £50m on players again, which would change things hugely.

Title winner: Man United

Will bounce back emphatically to win the title by 6+ points.

Top 4: Utd, City, Chelsea, Tottenham

City will just about pip Chelsea to second while AVB will steady Tottenham and lead them to fourth. Arsenal fifth, Liverpool sixth.

Surprise Package: West Ham

Experienced manager, will end up around 12th.

Relegation for: Swansea, Reading, Southampton

Second season syndrome for Swansea, I don't think Reading and Southampton are good enough.

I predict that making predictions is a futile exercise. We have no idea what injury problems certain teams may have. If Yaya Toure and Kompany have long term injuries City will be in trouble.

Champions - Chelsea
FA Cup Winners - Man City
Champions League Places - Man Utd, Man City and Arsenal
League Cup - Arsenal
Relegation - Swansea, Reading and QPR
Top Scorer - Fernando Torres
First Sacking - Steve Clarke

Who said you could add in your own ones Freeky

Olly wrote:Who said you could add in your own ones Freeky

FreekShow wrote:

Olly wrote:Who said you could add in your own ones Freeky

It's ok

Winners: City
2nd Chelsea
3rd Manure
4th Arsenal
Relegation Fodder
18th Reading
19th Southampton
20h Norwich

Winner: Chelsea

Top four: Chelsea, City, Arsenal, spurs or united



Relegation: Wigan, Norwich and QPR


My opinion will change based on what happens between now and end of transfer window. I suppose my biggest talking point would be not even confident that we (United) will end up in top four but I think that's the pessimistic side of me. I know we only lost the title on goal difference last year but some of the football we played, the first month or two aside, was crap. God forbid if Rooney went on long term injury because we would be screwed

God forbid if Rooney went on long term injury because we would be screwed

As long as Valencia can stay fit, anybody can stand in the six yard box to knock them in.

good point well made Crimey

I was the same before the season started last year and we nearly won the thing

So its just myself and Olly so far who think Norwich will be ok.

westisbest wrote:So its just myself and Olly so far who think Norwich will be ok.

The only ones with sense West, the only ones with sense

Hey come one, I said they might stay up...

Olly wrote:Hmmm please explain how Norwich were lucky last year?

Just my opinion, Olly. Dont get me wrong I really respect them for their work ethic and how they played under Lambert last year but it did always seam to me that there were two Norwichs last year. The one with the brilliant ethic and controlled football like when they battered the scousers and beat Totenham, but then there is the one that just seems to lie down and take it like when they lost to Blackburn, Fullham, Stoke and even Leicester.

Its all very well beating the big teams but its the teams around them they need to focus on and Norwich didnt do that as much last year and if they had another loss or two they would have been right in the thick of it, with inexperienced (premiership) players suddenly turning to headless chickens like Blackpool the season before last.

I hope Norwich do stay up as I do like them as a team and respect the way they are set up, but with Houghton in charge (who seems like a decent bloke but not the motivator Lambert seems to be), no assistant manager and no notable new signings just not sure they will make it this year.

Y2James wrote:

Olly wrote:Hmmm please explain how Norwich were lucky last year?

Just my opinion, Olly. Dont get me wrong I really respect them for their work ethic and how they played under Lambert last year but it did always seam to me that there were two Norwichs last year. The one with the brilliant ethic and controlled football like when they battered the scousers and beat Totenham, but then there is the one that just seems to lie down and take it like when they lost to Blackburn, Fullham, Stoke and even Leicester.

Its all very well beating the big teams but its the teams around them they need to focus on and Norwich didnt do that as much last year and if they had another loss or two they would have been right in the thick of it, with inexperienced (premiership) players suddenly turning to headless chickens like Blackpool the season before last.

I hope Norwich do stay up as I do like them as a team and respect the way they are set up, but with Houghton in charge (who seems like a decent bloke but not the motivator Lambert seems to be), no assistant manager and no notable new signings just not sure they will make it this year.

To be honest we did beat all the teams around us last season. Those examples you have pin pointed were our worst performances of the season. We did the double over Swansea, QPR, Bolton. If anything I think we need to take more points off the top teams, as it is less than likely we will get as many points off the teams around us this season.

And we have an assistant manager, Hughton bought all his backroom staff with him, even the England GK coach. And on the signings front, we will never be able to bring in players of huge note, just to continue to cherry pick the best from the lower leagues

Hopefully they will prove me wrong then Olly, as I said I do like them as a team and respect the way they are set up. The prem is a much better place for having Norwich rather than teams that set up to defend and play the long ball, like Bolton and no doubt West Ham will this year with Big Sam in charge.

Y2James wrote:

Olly wrote:Hmmm please explain how Norwich were lucky last year?

Just my opinion, Olly. Dont get me wrong I really respect them for their work ethic and how they played under Lambert last year but it did always seam to me that there were two Norwichs last year. The one with the brilliant ethic and controlled football like when they battered the scousers and beat Totenham, but then there is the one that just seems to lie down and take it like when they lost to Blackburn, Fullham, Stoke and even Leicester.

When did this happen?

FreekShow wrote:

Y2James wrote:

Olly wrote:Hmmm please explain how Norwich were lucky last year?

Just my opinion, Olly. Dont get me wrong I really respect them for their work ethic and how they played under Lambert last year but it did always seam to me that there were two Norwichs last year. The one with the brilliant ethic and controlled football like when they battered the scousers and beat Totenham, but then there is the one that just seems to lie down and take it like when they lost to Blackburn, Fullham, Stoke and even Leicester.

When did this happen?

Could be when we played Everton or Liverpool I imagine Freek

Olly wrote:

FreekShow wrote:

Y2James wrote:

Olly wrote:Hmmm please explain how Norwich were lucky last year?

Just my opinion, Olly. Dont get me wrong I really respect them for their work ethic and how they played under Lambert last year but it did always seam to me that there were two Norwichs last year. The one with the brilliant ethic and controlled football like when they battered the scousers and beat Totenham, but then there is the one that just seems to lie down and take it like when they lost to Blackburn, Fullham, Stoke and even Leicester.

When did this happen?

Could be when we played Everton or Liverpool I imagine Freek

You never battered either you sarcastic little so and so you!

FreekShow wrote:

Olly wrote:

FreekShow wrote:

Y2James wrote:

Olly wrote:Hmmm please explain how Norwich were lucky last year?

Just my opinion, Olly. Dont get me wrong I really respect them for their work ethic and how they played under Lambert last year but it did always seam to me that there were two Norwichs last year. The one with the brilliant ethic and controlled football like when they battered the scousers and beat Totenham, but then there is the one that just seems to lie down and take it like when they lost to Blackburn, Fullham, Stoke and even Leicester.

When did this happen?

Could be when we played Everton or Liverpool I imagine Freek

You never battered either you sarcastic little so and so you!

To be fair we didn't although when we played Liverpool away we did do pretty well.

Anfield was the place to be for away teams last season Olly. Change is due...

Even at Anfield it was only some excellent saves from Ruddy that saved you in the end.

We did batter Spurs at White Hart Lane though!!! We were class that day, and how we didn't get at least one penalty I will never know. Oh I do actually, bloody Michael Oliver was referee. Hates us

Crimey wrote:Even at Anfield it was only some excellent saves from Ruddy that saved you in the end.

Yes but I do remember Holty missing a pretty simple header to put us 2-1 up. Anyway Ruddy was immense that day