Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS 1 Man City 12 6 0 0 19 3 5 1 0 23 8 31 34 2 Man Utd 12 5 0 1 18 9 4 2 0 11 3 17 29 3 Newcastle 12 4 2 0 10 5 3 2 1 8 6 7 25 4 Chelsea 12 4 0 2 16 11 3 1 2 9 6 8 22 5 Tottenham 10 3 0 1 10 7 4 1 1 11 8 6 22 6 Liverpool 12 2 4 0 8 5 4 0 2 8 6 5 22 7 Arsenal 12 5 0 1 12 4 2 1 3 13 18 3 22 With 3 Points seperating 3rd and 7th, No team apart from United and City are dead certains for a top 3 Finish (I know Spurs have two games in hand) All the top 7 seem to be beating each other, and considering how many points we've dropped at home the last few games its quite a decent position to build from Tottenham- Probally the favourites at the moment, and have the strongest first eleven. They have plenty of quality in midfield in Modric, Bale and Van Der Vart and although starting the season with 2 losses against the best teams in the league, they've bounced back brilliantly and have won their last 8 Premiership games. Arsenal- It's suprising to see us level on points with them considering their bad start to the season, but fair play to them and Wenger. They've bounced back brilliantly winning their last 6 Premiership games. Robin Van Persie has been VITAL to their impressive run scoring 9 goals in 6 games, while also setting up a few too. If they can keep Van Persie fit they will be a real threat Chelsea- A mixed season so far, They started well while not playing amazing football. Their progress is always followed by a set back (Remind of you of anyone?) That has been the story of their season so far, but still have a lot of quality in their squad, and I considered them most likely to finish third Newcastle- It would be unfair to not include Newcastle. They were unbeaten up until this weekend. They put up a good perfomance against City and the 3-1 Scoreline flattered City. They have a solid spine in Coluccini And Tiote, with some added flair in Cabaye and Ben Arfa and an inform striker in Demba Ba. Perhaps the dark horses and deffinitely the suprise package. People will keep writing them off but in a way that can be a good thing. Liverpool- A bit like Chelsea it's been a mixed season so far. Our league place doesn't do us justice. I can only recall us playing bad in 2 games. We're an imrpoved team from last season, Playing pass-and-move football and creating bundles of chances with more shots than any other team bar City but we're lacking that finishing touch. It's been a season of What If's so far, but if we can get a run of wins going we can be big contenders for one of the two CL places. I have no idea who will finish third and fourth, Theirs just to much football left to be played with plenty of twists and turns to come. One of the most unpredictable seasons in a long time! Apart from the top 2 of course
I agree Spuds are in poll posistion, Arsenal now with the momentum too. Cannot see anything but United vs City. Not sure where we will finish. 4th is a very big ask.
The thing is everyone (not top 2) has shown pretty mixed form so far, this makes it really hard to predict but as you say spurs are looking favs at the mo.
We've played 12 games. At this time it's NO HORSE race and nobody is in pole position for any of the top 4 places. United believe that they will come on strong in the 2nd hald of the season - becuase they always have done. But this is a different season. City are palying well but will they bottle it? - who knows Arsenal have done well to recover but they are so reliant on van Persie (history shows that's a bad bet) Newcastle - even their own fans think they are in a false positon - but who knows Chelsea - it's up to them to sort their own problems out Spurs - who knows Liverpool - improving There's just too many games left to play. The really good thing is that this season, the team finishing 5th or 6th could still have had a good season. Let's just enjoy it!
I have said (somewhere on this forum) that if you were to beat Chelsea and Man City I would put you in pole position for 4th spot as that would be some achievement. Chelsea look like a mess at the moment and could (could being the big word here) drop out of the top 4. City United Spurs Liverpool is a possibility.
Spurs and Newcastle are both due their bad patches (as are City) - the teams that cope the best during their bad patches will finish in the top 4
