I don't agree with a few of the OPs predos and some are way off the mark like Chelsea getting 5th and us winning by a wide margin. I think whoever wins this season, including us, will win it by a very narrow margin. Also to predict Maureen's Chelsea to finish 5th, and that with them adding 2 World Class players, to an already very good squad, is far fetched indeed. I also don't see Liverpool getting 2nd unless they buy a couple of top quality signings and I can see a much improved Manure and Spurs with them performing better. This season will be one of the hardest to date. I can see either Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea realistically winning the title this year.
Chelsea 5th Liverpool 2nd Arsenal winning by a wide margin Those are some pretty ******ed predictions there. Arsenal will challenge for the title, but I cannot see anyone running away with it, let alone Arsenal. With the shortcomings your squad has, you need a manager who can outfox the other top 4 teams tactically in order to get ahead in that pack, and you definitely don't have that! Our defence "wont cut it" despite having the best defensive record in the league last season. Matic wont be able run the middle? Despite bossing Yaya Toure and every other midfielder last season? What Chelsea lacked was creative passing from midfield to our 3 AM's and a striker who could score goals. That has hopefully been resolved in Fabregas and Costa. But probably the most ******ed of your predictions is Liverpool finishing 2nd again! They have lost one of the best players in the world and replaced him with Rickie Lambert, and then bought half the Southampton team that finished 8th last season............ Their squad looks beefier I have to admit, but their first XI is probably weaker, without Suarez in it. The addition of Lovren means they might ship less goals but they will certainly score A LOT less. BR has gone for Quantity over quality imo, the only one of their signings that impressed me was Markovic, who is a very good player.
Very funny. IMO the top four is as good as nailed on. Chelsea, Arsenal, City, United - in no particular order.
Spot on. Liverpool punched way above their weight last season and that was primarily due to an excellent Suarez and to a lesser degree Sturridge. For me Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City are top 3 and it depends on how quick Wenger learns from the defeats of last season against the top teams. Also how well Chelsea's two top signings adapt to Maureen's tactics and the Prem, and how consistent City can be. Add Liverpool, Manure and Spurs to the mix, it will be even harder to get those results and stay top. There will be a lot more ups and down that's for sure.
I'm about as much a Manc fan as you are a Spurs fan. I know it may seem foreign to you, getting along with fans of other teams, since the Arsenal fans on here are by far the most tribal and discordant. (That doesn't apply to all of you mind). But getting all pissy with someone because he wears a different football shirt than you is not very enlightened I get pissy with people if they are dicks.....regardless of the team they support, even Chelsea fans. I couldn't stand cpofl (if you dont remember him he was an uneccessarily aggressive little weasal who would jump on any rival fans that visited our board and just spout abuse unprovoked). Why the hostility? Most of your fellow fans agreed with what I said. I didn't say the OP was ******ed, I said the prediction was ******ed. And it most certainly is.
I am called ******ed for my predictions yet their are still people predicting that Arsenal will drop out of the top 4, after 15 years of getting it wrong. That isn't ******ed, it is insane. And at least I tried to justify what I predicted. Thanks to the intelligent among you that raised an eyebrow and said "hhmm, probably not, but interesting point of view!" To the kindergarten crew, who just said I was ******ed, why bother posting? You aren't contributing anything. Next time try to come up with something remotely original to justify your air consumption.
Again, wish to reiterate, wasn't calling YOU a ******, just saying the prediction was...... But yeah, I wouldn't take much notice of McNulty, he is a hack. Arsenal aren't dropping out of no top 4. I would say they are the third best squad in the league right now, so unless your team has a meltdown, I can't see it happening.
Fook me, I didn't even realise he played all season! For some an apparent tough guy he was quite elusive for the majority of it I (as signings etc stand) have it as between Arsenal, Chelsea and City for the top 3 with Liverpool 4th and United very close behind. I think Everton and Spurs will not be far behind them either though I am intrigued how European football will effect the Scouse clubs.
I would write long reply, but your precious little hearts would just have it removed as it would offend your poor little brains.
I'm just shocked that not a single pundit, out of 28 at the BBC, picked Arsenal for the title. If Arsenal do win (even some of our staunchest critics admit there has to be a chance of that this year) what does that say about the quality of the analysis there? I'm not that upset that people are dismissing Arsenal this year. It will be interesting if we post a big win over one of our rivals early on, what the reaction will be. I suspect it will be something like, "Yes they played great, but no one could possibly have predicted that Arsenal would be so good this year!" Well, I just wanted to make sure I went on record to prove them wrong in advance. Edit: Also - no one has Liverpool in the top 3. I realize that Suarez has gone, but that really doesn't make a lot of sense.
I'm not surprised we've not been tipped as we have history of not having the depth/mentality to hold on to a title lead. What annoys me is when we're dismissed from even getting top 4 (again) but I generally just assume it's their way of causing controversy and hits. Most seem to acknowledge our new signings but the others have all strengthened too so it's easy for them to stick with what they know. Regarding Liverpool I personally thought they'd drop a bit because they've a large number of new players which can be hard to settle straight away. Combine that with losing your best player (by far) and the added stress/burden of European football and I think they'll struggle a bit more.
I think none of the BBC pundits have gone for Arsenal because the defensive frailties of last season haven't been addressed. Arsenal remain probably 2 players short to mount a realistic challenge and it'll be a shame if Wenger doesn't address this issue as you're so close to being genuine contenders....
Our defense wasn't the problem last season, our attack was. Moreso, we fell apart in big games. But our defensive pairing was the most solid it has been in years.
