Mid-Season Review

With just over half the season's games played already, it's time for us to review each club's season considering what was expected of them at the start and where they are now. There are a few overachievers, as well as quite a lot of underachievers.

Arsenal
Premier League position: 6th
Champions League round: Last 16 (still in competition)
FA Cup round: Third Round (still in competition)
League Cup round: Quarter Final

A disappointing season for Arsenal in all honesty. While there is still a good chance of top 4 qualification, and technically they're still in the hat to win both the Champions League and the FA Cup, in all liklihood 2013 will be another barren year for Arsenal and top 4 qualification is getting harder every year. They lost their biggest player in Van Persie in the summer, and while they did bring in some good players such as Podolski, Cazorla and Giroud this is probably the first year in the last 15 that nobody considered them title challengers at any point.

Aston Villa
Premier League position: 16th
FA Cup round: Fourth Round (still in competition)
League Cup round: Semi-Final (still in competition)

Aston Villa are one of the biggest disappointments of this campaign. They've had a decent run in the Capitol One Cup, which looks set to end in embarrassment at the hands of League 2 side Bradford, and they are still in the FA Cup but in the Premier League, they are in real danger of being relegated, just one point above the relegation zone and conceding huge amounts of goals. We're constantly told about how young Villa's side is, but it's time they step up because Villa are too big of a club to be relegated and should be much higher up than they are now. Paul Lambert will fear for his job as Villa slip further down the table.

Chelsea
Premier League position: 4th
Europa League: Last 32 (still in competition)
FA Cup round: Fourth Round (still in competition)
League Cup round: Semi-Final (still in competition)

Realistically Chelsea still have a shot in three competitions, but still this season is looking quite disappointing after the highs of the Champions League win last year. They are all but out of the title race, having not really looked in it at all this year, they became the first winners to be knocked out of the Champions League and have already lost one manager. Having fulfilled his craving for European glory, it's likely Abramovich will turn his attention back to the Premier League and becoming domestic champions once more, but this year it hasn't looked like happening. Torres has again failed to hit form, after early promise Hazard and Oscar haven't quite been at top level and the club has been overshadowed by Di Matteo, Benitez and Frank Lampard's contract saga.

Everton
Premier League position: 5th
FA Cup round: Fourth Round (still in competition)
League Cup round: Third Round

A good campaign so far for Everton who normally start very slowly as they look like genuine top 4 contenders and seem to have truly taken over Liverpool in the Merseyside battles. Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal are their main contenders for the third and fourth spots but if they can keep up the form, there is no reason why Everton can't achieve Champions League football for the first time since 2004-05. They were disappointing in the League Cup, and it's too early to judge in the FA Cup, but with a relatively small squad, Moyes would be happy to focus on the Premier League this year rather than challenge for cup glory.

Fulham
Premier League position: 13
FA Cup round: Third Round (still in competition)
League Cup round: Second Round

An average season for Fulham, they're far away from their Hodgson glory days, but are not really in any relegation danger. They still struggle immensely with their away form, but if they can keep trundling away at home, they shouldn't have to worry this year. Berbatov has been an inspired signing, but losing Dempsey and Dembele has been a bitter blow, but they just need to get through this year and can try and improve next.

This was always a write off season for Chelsea I think. Roman was going to sack RDM and install Guardiola, but Guardiola wanted another year out so he used this year to bed in the new players

I think Aston Villa have a lot of work to do in January. I really don't think there squad is good enough to stay in this league and Lambert needs to get a few more players on board. More senior players.

I still maintain we wont go down.

We need a good centre midfielder and centre back, hoping Vlaar back soon.

Defence and centre mid are the real concerns.

We've been on a downward spiral since MON left.
Its been a tough first half of the season and will probably be a tough second half.

Done great in the C1 cup until last night, but I'll have some faith, we're not out yet.

Villa will smash Bradford at Villa Park.

By the sounds of things youll have some cash soonish as McLeish wants Bannan, Hutton and N'Zogbia again.

Bannan & Hutton can go.

N'Zogbia can stay.

I still think Villa will stay up.
Arsenal, Everton and Chelski will fight for 4th place in my opinion. And providing Everton can keep there stars in Jan and fit they will get it imo
Fulham are sliding down the table at a rate of knots! If they lose Berbatov they could get sucked into a relegation battle, you never know, but they should finish comfortably 13-15th

I think United will win the league with few matches to spare this year.

I think Reading and QPR will go down. Then 18th spot is completely open.

Bradford to win the league cup as well

What does singing, "There's only one Di Matteo" exactly achieve for the Chelsea fans?

Olly wrote:What does singing, "There's only one Di Matteo" exactly achieve for the Chelsea fans?

So they continue to let Roberto how much he is respected by the fans at Chelsea football club. They disagreed with what happened so there showing respect. Also telling Romieo how much they are disgraced by the decision to bring rafahaha in.

NickisBHAFC wrote:

Olly wrote:What does singing, "There's only one Di Matteo" exactly achieve for the Chelsea fans?

So they continue to let Roberto how much he is respected by the fans at Chelsea football club. They disagreed with what happened so there showing respect. Also telling Romieo how much they are disgraced by the decision to bring rafahaha in.

So how long will this continue for? Until what they get a new manager in? What happens if they don't like him? Do they just sing about DiMatteo for season's on end? Move on for god's sake.

Olly wrote:

NickisBHAFC wrote:

Olly wrote:What does singing, "There's only one Di Matteo" exactly achieve for the Chelsea fans?

So they continue to let Roberto how much he is respected by the fans at Chelsea football club. They disagreed with what happened so there showing respect. Also telling Romieo how much they are disgraced by the decision to bring rafahaha in.

So how long will this continue for? Until what they get a new manager in? What happens if they don't like him? Do they just sing about DiMatteo for season's on end? Move on for god's sake.

Im not a Chelsea fan at all, but i do respect them for this.

NickisBHAFC wrote:

Olly wrote:

NickisBHAFC wrote:

Olly wrote:What does singing, "There's only one Di Matteo" exactly achieve for the Chelsea fans?

So they continue to let Roberto how much he is respected by the fans at Chelsea football club. They disagreed with what happened so there showing respect. Also telling Romieo how much they are disgraced by the decision to bring rafahaha in.

So how long will this continue for? Until what they get a new manager in? What happens if they don't like him? Do they just sing about DiMatteo for season's on end? Move on for god's sake.

Im not a Chelsea fan at all, but i do respect them for this.

When they chant, "we want our Chelsea back" do you respect that too?

They can have their chelsea back. Roman can have the silverware.

Muppets the lot of them

NickisBHAFC wrote:I think Aston Villa have a lot of work to do in January. I really don't think there squad is good enough to stay in this league and Lambert needs to get a few more players on board. More senior players.

i think there squad is certainly good enough. Crazy times for them tbh.. Is there manager just really truely shoody! Or is it as you say.. Not sure tbh.. But i have seen them play some great footy this year and am baffled by it all.

They're just going through a bad patch. Every team has it at some point of the season

I think Olly should write a mid-season review for Norwich, that would be a great read OMG BASSONG TETTEY PILKS HOLTY OMG YEEEEEESSSS!

Olly wrote:I still think Villa will stay up.
Arsenal, Everton and Chelski will fight for 4th place in my opinion. And providing Everton can keep there stars in Jan and fit they will get it imo
Fulham are sliding down the table at a rate of knots! If they lose Berbatov they could get sucked into a relegation battle, you never know, but they should finish comfortably 13-15th

Who's fighting for 3rd place then? Have I missed something? The top 2 are pretty much set in stone, with only Chelski having the potential to surprise to the upside. It's a 2 way fight for 1/2 (United-City) and 2 way fight for 3/4 (Chelski-Arsenal) and a 2 way fight for 5/6 (Everton-Spurs), IMO.

Can't see anything changing in the top 6, other than the order, from now on. Liverpool struggling to make 8th. Ha.

Liverpool
Premier League position: 8th
Europa League round: Last 32 (still in competition)
FA Cup round: Fourth Round (still in competition)
League Cup round: Fourth Round

Another disappointing season for Liverpool with still not much progress made on the last two years. The main positives are the performance in Europe, where they topped their group and young players such as Wisdom, Shelvey and Sterling breaking through and performing well. The league performance has been pretty poor, with an upturn of form at the new year, and the defence of the league cup was pathetic. There is time to turn the season around but Champions League football is a distant dream.

Manchester City
Premier League position: 2nd
FA Cup round: Fourth Round (still in competition)
League Cup round: Third Round

No European football, trailing by 7 points in the league...Manchester City are in trouble. While there is obviously time to turn it around, and an FA Cup, Premier League double is still on, it seems incredibly unlikely with star performers lacking the same hunger and drive as last year and Manchester United keen to bulldoze through everybody they come across.

Manchester United
Premier League position: 1st
Champions League round: Last 16 (still in competition)
FA Cup round: Third Round (still in competition)
League Cup round: Fourth Round

This season is shaping up to be a very good one for United who have blasted back after the disappointment of throwing away the title last year to storm into the lead scoring more goals than ever as a result. A treble is still a possibility, but with Real Madrid ominously waiting for them in the next round United would be forgiven for focusing more on the league. Van Persie's successful transfer is probably the highlight for United as he is scoring goals for fun and driving them to the title.

Newcastle United
Premier League position: 15th
Europa League round: Last 32
FA Cup round: Third Round
League Cup round: Third Round

After the glory of last year, Newcastle are probably the biggest disappointments in the Premier League. They are quickly being sucked into a relegation battle, they have been knocked out of both domestic cups, have lost their top scorer, rumours still that they will lose the rest of their best players. The small consolation of qualification out of their group in Europe was soured by the fact that 1. it was a pretty easy group and 2. it adds to the fixture list when they're struggling in the Premier League alone.

Norwich City
Premier League position: 12th
FA Cup round: Fourth Round (still in competition)
League Cup round: Quarter Final

Norwich were most people's favourites to suffer from second-season blues and be relegated this year, but they have proved everybody wrong and are arguably having an even better season than last. They're very comfortable in the league after terrifying start when Liverpool put 5 past them and had a decent cup run. Keep it up and Norwich will easily be safe and could push for a top half finish.

TopHat24/7 wrote:

Olly wrote:I still think Villa will stay up.
Arsenal, Everton and Chelski will fight for 4th place in my opinion. And providing Everton can keep there stars in Jan and fit they will get it imo
Fulham are sliding down the table at a rate of knots! If they lose Berbatov they could get sucked into a relegation battle, you never know, but they should finish comfortably 13-15th

Who's fighting for 3rd place then? Have I missed something? The top 2 are pretty much set in stone, with only Chelski having the potential to surprise to the upside. It's a 2 way fight for 1/2 (United-City) and 2 way fight for 3/4 (Chelski-Arsenal) and a 2 way fight for 5/6 (Everton-Spurs), IMO.

Can't see anything changing in the top 6, other than the order, from now on. Liverpool struggling to make 8th. Ha.

I think he thinks Spurs will stay where they are (in third) now.

Hardly struggling, if Liverpool can keep up their current form, sixth isn't out of reach. Top 4 is, but sixth could definitely be achieved.

I'm waiting to see the Albion's review...I think we'll start sliding down the table with the injuries / lack of money we have.

I was only needling Crimey 6th is a shot, will need Suarez to stay clear of any incidents/suspensions though and I think 7/8 is more realistic.

Also, did you lock the KP Boateng thread and delete my post? Didn't realise it was stepping over a line, not sure what was wrong with it (arguably my, undeleted, post above was more provocative). Happy to take a response by PM.

rimey[color=yellow]Norwich City
Premier League position: 12th
FA Cup round: Fourth Round (still in competition)
League Cup round: Quarter Final

Norwich were most people's favourites to suffer from second-season blues and be relegated this year, but they have proved everybody wrong and are arguably having an even better season than last. They're very comfortable in the league after terrifying start when Liverpool put 5 past them and had a decent cup run. Keep it up and Norwich will easily be safe and could push for a top half finish.[/quote]

Nice write up Crimey! The aim is still to finish 17th and above for sure this season, and then hopefully we can push on in the summer. A cup run would be nice. Chris Hughton was a fantastic appointment by our board.