English Premier League 2012/13

[Guy Incognito]

Hey, what better way to kick it off than a shiny new transfer

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19179833

[MC Moot]

Predictions: Liverpool will finish in the top 4 and West Ham will shock everyone...

[TreasureEverywh]

Predictions: Liverpool will finish in the top 4 and West Ham will shock everyone...

Liverpool in the top four? I'm down with that!

[Guy Incognito]

ok if we are going there:

1. Man Utd
2. Man City
3. Chelsea
4. Newcastle

Liverpool will be lucky to finish top half. No doubt new boss has got potential but i really dont think its going to happen for a couple of seasons at least and i dont know whether he'll get the time

Relegation:

Reading
Norwich
Southampton

[MC Moot]

ok if we are going there:

1. Man Utd
2. Man City
3. Chelsea
4. Newcastle


That sounds pretty much like the bookies line on it...realistically accurate but lacking in shock and guffaw...;)

[checkyourprez]

city
chelsea
united
arsenal

[Guy Incognito]

you think arsenal gonna feature now that RVP has gone? cant see it. if arsenal dont spend that money soon, the fans are going to get really angry

Think its going to take a bit of time for RVP and Wayne to settle in, wouldnt be surprised if wayne takes a deeper role, maybe even in a three with welbeck. who knows, loads of options now up front but its a going to be a tricky job keeping them all happy.

[checkyourprez]

you think arsenal gonna feature now that RVP has gone? cant see it. if arsenal dont spend that money soon, the fans are going to get really angry

Think its going to take a bit of time for RVP and Wayne to settle in, wouldnt be surprised if wayne takes a deeper role, maybe even in a three with welbeck. who knows, loads of options now up front but its a going to be a tricky job keeping them all happy.

besides last year rvp never had played a full year for them anyways. was constantly missing games and they still would be top 4.

cazorla is a fantastic signing. giroud should be a good signing as well. podolski i think will be alright nothing special. they will probably bring in 1 or two more players is my guess. i think ox will get better this season.


perhaps tottenham could nab 4th, but idk how they will do without Arry. and with the uncertainty of modric, who is a focal point of that team, idk.

i dont think newcastle can maintain the level of play they did last year.

liverpool is full of jokers, although i think suarez and borini will do well together.

[Lex Diamonds]

Going in hard with a top 8:

United
City
Arsenal
Chelsea
Tottenham
Newcastle
Liverpool
West Ham

[Guy Incognito]

not sure about all this love for west ham doing well. not convinced at all. yeah sure Big Sam is experienced but i dont think they have calibre of players really. I think Everton will be in top 8.


Newcastle have bought well and managed to keep hold of Ba and Cabaye so far. I think they will really push for top 4 this year.

Still dont think Liverpool have suffered enough. Dont think they have learnt lessons. In many ways the rodgers appointment was much like the hodgson appointment. Geezer successful at a small club then has to prove it on a bigger stage but Rodgers does have benefit of not having two cowboys in charge.

[Freebasser]

I'm going all out on a limb and predicting the entire league. I must be mad.

Man City
Man United
Newcastle
Chelsea
Arsenal
Spurs
Sunderland
Liverpool
Everton
Fulham
Stoke
West Brom
Swansea
Wigan
QPR
Aston Villa
West Ham
Norwich
Southampton
Reading

After the RvP signing, the majority of pundits seem to think United will finish top, but I don't think we have enough to pip City this season. They always say that once you win the league, it's easier to win it a second time and I think City will make fewer mistakes than last year. No, they haven't spent big but then again they don't exactly have any need to anyway. The only real problems I can see are either an injury to Hart or a long-term injury to the back line, as I don't think they have real strength in depth in defence.

United may have splashed the cash this summer but Ferguson has again ignored the glaring issue of the lack of a midfield engine. Giggs and Scholes must surely now be entering their final seasons, Anderson has had 4 or 5 years to impose himself but - 2 or 3 cracking matches aside - has yet to come on, Cleverley is yet to have a run of games and as such is still relatively inexperienced although obviously has talent and Carrick is dependable one minute and a complete passenger the next. Fergie seems to class Kagawa as a striker which means that we now have a glut of attacking talent and will have to employ some heavy rotation, possibly at the expense of meaningful game time for Welbeck and Hernandez (and either one or two of Young, Nani and Valencia). United's real problem this season lies in defence; The lack of cover for Evra is a major concern and although having Vidic back is fantastic, we are staring at the reality of a defence that's aging quickly (bar Rafael, although he has his own issues - *cough* glass knees *cough*) and has no real back-up for the wingbacks. I think City win the league purely on the basis of having the most consistent 11 week in, week out. They suffer from far fewer injuries and employ less squad rotation. They are a real unit, and no amount of £24m Dutchmen is going to make a dent when our defensive options are so limited. We lost the season on goal difference last year, but it was more a case of rotating a limited defence that lacked concentration, than an inability to convert chances.

In regards to the top 4, I've made what some might see as a schoolboy error by posting Arsenal outside the top 4. Although they prepared for the loss of van Persie by making some early purchases, the Gunners have lost too many star players recently and too few youngsters have made the step up. I think this will be a transitional season for them and they will keep pace with the Chelsea and Newcastle, but ultimately lose out in the scrap for the final Champions League place with a lot of questions to be asked of Wenger if they endure yet another trophyless season.

I also have Newcastle above Chelsea as they have only improved on last year's squad. In Ba and Cisse they have a real strikeforce to be reckoned with, although there are questions over Ba's fitness. Chelsea however have very little in the way of attacking options. Torres will really have to step up in Drogba's absence and justify his price tag, and I don't see Sturridge as someone they can rely on to do the goods on a weekly basis. Unless Chelsea make another attacking signing before the transfer window shuts, I think Newcastle may well have too much for them.

Spurs are going to struggle to make the top 4 this season - mark my words. They have no strikeforce whatsoever and they are leaving it far too late to sort out Adebayor's future. That's before we even discuss the obvious question marks over Villas Boas' pedigree.

A lot of people think Rodgers can propel Liverpool back towards the European places this season but they need some heavy investment before the dream becomes a reality. He appears to be doing what previous Liverpool managers have done in recent years - completely ignoring the backbone of the team. Liverpool need to work from the defence forwards as there are far too many average players in their backline.

I think there will be the usual mix of teams from mid-table down to the relegation zone but one notable overachiever could be Wigan. For the first time in the Premiership they've avoided losing too many players and in Kone in looks like they finally have someone who can finally convert all those chances that they otherwise miss on a regular basis.

Swansea and Norwich are both going to suffer from second season syndrome, especially as they have both lost their managers, both of whom were vital to their respective gameplans. I think Norwich will be worse off as they don't have the strength in depth to perform at a high level consistently whereas Swansea have retained the core of their team and so should at least maintain their excellent home record. I think Swansea will stay up, but it will be a lot harder for Norwich to find the same form as last season and I think ultimately they'll go down.

Villa will struggle to improve but I doubt they'll get relegated (unlike Robbie Savage, who seems to have them as a relegation certainty) and I think if they can hold on for another season then Lambert will have enough time to stamp his mark on them in order for 2013-14 to be a real improvement. A transitional season for Villa then.

Only West Ham out of the 'new boys' have enough about them to stay up - mainly down to Big Sam's hoof and hope tactics. They might play some boring football but they have a rigid approach that'll ultimately be enough to see them safe. Serious investment is needed if they are to get back to mid-table the following season though.

[checkyourprez]

anyone see suarez today so far? 2 nice goals, the second of which was particularly nasty. he is a quality player, defiantly rate him.

[Gareth]

sahin.
i hope we can keep on after this loan spell though.

[checkyourprez]

i think real madrid would be stupid to let him go permanently. problem is he is up against some quality in that midfield that is no where near the end of their best days.


to have too many good players in your team you have to let them leave on loan...how i wish for those days to return to the Milanese. someday....someday.