Can't judge Sunderland on last year though....I think they will be a very different team this season.
Interesting that perople are predicting doom and gloom in the North East. Pardew and Di Canio must be near favs to be out of work soon.
Sad for the fans. They deserve a bit of success.
The bottom five will include Hull, Palace, Cardiff, Stoke and Sunderland. I can't see any other teams being involved in a relegation battle even if Newcastle end under finishing 6th from bottom. These teams look set to remain in the bottom five for the whole of the season from about 4 games in and I can't see it changing. The relegation battle will be a bit boring this season even if the likes of Swansea and WBA start to preform poorly. I can't see these two team pulling up any trees either. Villa will mature as a side this season and I think they will be something of a surprise package.
I meantioned this on an earlier thread but it might be worth while adding that I wouldn't be surprised if Arsenal ended up mid-table this season. I think that Saints will actually finish above Arsenal.
That's one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever seen.Not sure what gives, re: Arsenal predictions. There is no way they won't finish in the top five. How can the second most consistent team of the last two decades suddenly underperfom to the extent that it will drop almost half a table? The window isn't shut yet either - predictions are just nonsense at this stage of the season imo.
I completely agree. I can see why people think the two Manchester clubs, Spurs and Chelsea would finish above Arsenal but even Liverpool finishing above them would be a surprise and anyone else would be a massive shock.
Another plus for Arsenal is that for the first time in a while they haven't sold their best player this summer. I agree about the rivalry but as things stand (and even bearing in mind there's another week of the window to change things) I think Spurs may finally have too much for them this year.Yep. And Wenger's methods - like them or not - are completely tried and tested. It is a standard formula that he knows inside and out; a method for finishing fourth which allows for their traditional mid-season slump, and a few losses to the teams above them, and a few below them. He will buy just enough new players to remain at that level too, just like last season and the season before. It's a seriously steady ship.
Agree, it could be tighter than ever before, re: Spurs. If it was any team other than Spurs in that position of competing for fourth, Arsenal may have failed to achieve fourth a handful of times over the last five years. But nothing gees a team on like a fierce local rivalry, and that gives Arsenal that extra impetus in going for that position.
That's one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever seen.