In the last edition of the Monday Night Club on Radio5, Mark Chapman got Motty, McGarry and Claridge to predict who would be top of the PL by Christmas Day. I think it was due to the fact that Steve Claridge has trotted out the Saints on a plane story several times on Radio and TV, and because the PL is such a tight, unpredictable league this season [and all the better for it, may I say. TV companies and advertisers take note..!]. Chapman also invited listeners to have a go at predicting it themselves, using the fixture lists for each of the top 6-8 teams. How far you went down the table depended on how you felt it was important to fill the minor places. Here's the link to the programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03h3hqz It's actually a pretty good programme to listen to in whole anyway, as it features Saints a heck of a lot, but if you slide the time to 1hr 28 minutes** you'll get each contributor's predictions. Motty was pessimistic [the bleeder], Ian McGarry said 5th and Claridge also said 5th. 5th isn't bad, but I thought we'd do a lot better. I'll post mine up later. **Don't simply slide the time to the end. You get tennis.
Despite their loss to ManU, I think Arsenal will be top at Xmas. I think 5 th for us would be a decent position bearing in mind our next group of fixtures (we can still make a spurt for the title later )
We all have our heads in the clouds right now and rightly so, as the team has played so superb football this season, but 5th place would be a superb achievement at Christmas.
I actually think that Arsenal are over-achieving at the moment. I believe that out of the top clubs they will be the ones to fade. If you look at their team, only a couple of them would have got a look at their very best side of a few years back. Hopefully the start of the fade will be next week. I would still expect the Manchester clubs and Chelsea to be the ones left standing although maybe not United as their strength in depth isn't what it once was. As for Saints, the next couple of games will be a massive pointer.
Having started the thread I thought I'd go to a little trouble, so in homage to the defunct BBC Predictor table, I made one up. please log in to view this image I kept the GD exactly the same as it is at present because I wasn't going to into that kind of speculative detail. Of course, keeping the present GD is unlikely, if nigh impossible, but if you look at how tight it is up there, then playing about with GD can make a huge difference. So best left alone. According to my prediction, Saints could be anywhere between 2nd and 5th. Get a win at the Emirates and anything out of Chelsea, or visa-versa, and we're top. Anyway, Arsenal acquire 11 points, Liverpool 10, Saints 11, Chelsea 12, ManU 13, Everton 10, Spurs 10, ManC 10. Amazingly, I managed that with no favouritism, just basing it on form.
If we can maintain our current form there is no reason why we should not end the season in the same position as now.
OK my medication was increased so I have bumped this thread to see what a loon I was back in November.
I may have slightly overestimated Man U's ability to win at home. And away. And, should they beat Sunderland in the cup, probably their ability to win on neutral ground as well.
