2013/2014 Premier League Prediction Thread

[m4ttm4son]

Now the window's closed, where do you think the important clubs will end up?

My prediction -

1.Chelsea

2. Arsenal

3. Man City

4. Man Utd

5. Tottenham

...

18. Norwich

19. Hull City Tigers

20. Crystal Palace

I just think Mourinho is boring enough to pick up the points. Tottenham will scare everyone with a late surge and Man U will declare this a "transitional" season.

[NewNiceMrMe]

I'm sorry, but if you seriously think Arsenal will finish second...

1. Manchester United (by 50 points)

2. Chelsea

3. Manchester City

4. Tottenham Hotspur

5. Arsenal

6. Everton

...

18. Newcastle United

19. Hull City (I'm sorry but I'm not going to put Tigers after it!)

20. Crystal Palace

Notes: Pardew sacked by November. Di Canio will punch someone and be banned from the game. Pellegrini will be gone by Christmas. Wenger will be sacked at the end of the season. Ian Holloway will be missed. Steve Bruce will be sacked 7-8 games from the end of the season but not even God will keep them up. Liverpool will disappear into a cloud of average and Brendan Rogers will have to do another TV docusoap to retain any interest in his weirdness and that of his irrelevant club.

Edited September 3, 2013 by MrMe

[m4ttm4son]

Wenger's in the last year of his deal. They won't sack him

I have no idea if Arsenal will truly finish second , but I know Man U won't finish top

Hull City Tigers is just hilarious. Just a shame I think Norwich are slightly worse than The Cardiff City Dragons

[garcon magnifique]

Top six (definitely head over heart...) :

1. Chelsea

2. Manchester City

3. Manchester United

4. Tottenham Hotspur

5. Arsenal

6. Liverpool

Relegated:

18. Newcastle United

19. Crystal Palace

20. Hull City

I used to laugh openly at the Toon, but as I've said recently it has now got beyond a joke. As a football fan I have great sympathy for Newcastle fans (the sane ones at least), they really don't deserve what Ashley is doing to the club. My prediction is based as much on Milo's own synopsis of the situation at the club and the rapid decline since finishing in Europe two years ago. I don't expect Pardew will be sacked early, but if he is he'll walk away from the circus with a HUGE pay-off - and Ashley's record of spending more on sacking managers than he does on buying players will be confirmed.

Di Canio to be the first sacking of the season, before November is finished. Sunderland to survive, just - but only because they'll get rid of the crazy fascist early enough.

Villa will do well (sadly - few fans are more deluded as to how 'massive' their club is).

Norwich will be comfortable.

Stoke could be pulled into the relegation scrap after early promise fades.

Cardiff will be the promoted club to survive.

Swansea will be safe but may finish bottom half having struggled to cope with the demands of a Europe campaign.

I was concerned for Everton but they have bought well and have kept Baines - mid table.

Southampton will finish top half (or go bankrupt again).

West Ham will struggle for goals but Sam's nous will keep them up.

Fulham will do what Fulham do, safe but bottom half.

And finally, West Brom might, for once, save their fans from a final day panic.

[billy2shots]

1. Chelsea

2. Utd

3. City

4. Spurs

5.Liverpool

5. Arsenal

Bottom 3 in no particular order

Cardiff

Hull

Crystal Palace

In January Utd will realise their mistake and invest big to finish 2nd.

[Milo]

I used to laugh openly at the Toon, but as I've said recently it has now got beyond a joke. As a football fan I have great sympathy for Newcastle fans (the sane ones at least), they really don't deserve what Ashley is doing to the club. My prediction is based as much on Milo's own synopsis of the situation at the club and the rapid decline since finishing in Europe two years ago. I don't expect Pardew will be sacked early, but if he is he'll walk away from the circus with a HUGE pay-off - and Ashley's record of spending more on sacking managers than he does on buying players will be confirmed.

Ashley has scored [another] own goal in bringing in Kinnear. He specifically said he was brought in to get some players through the door and Kinnear then had his Billy-Big-Bollocks rant about how dare the fans criticise him and he should be judged on the quality on his signings. He brought 1 player in on loan. Someone who rejected us in January in favour of a bigger money deal and who is injured. And facing an alleged rape charge. So Joe, how do you think the fans should view you now?

Normally, when a team performs badly, the fans get on the manager's case. Only very few will turn on Pardew now. All the the venom will be directed at Ashley and Kinnear, which makes Ashley look an even bigger arse if he sacks Pardew*. Part of me wanted Pardew to walk. Not because of the results (is W1 D1 L1 that bad?) but because I wanted him to dump the whole shebang at Ashley's door and say, "your mess, you sort it". But now, I want him to tough it out. I want Ashley to be an even bigger laughing stock than he is.

* if the rumours are correct, it wouldn't cost very much to sack Pardew and his team. They were given 8 year contracts but with a 1 year compensation clause. And he's meant to be the lowest paid manager in the Premier League by some margin (some say as little as £15k/week).

Ultimately, Ashley could have done so much more for the club. Yes he helped stop the rot, avoiding a Leeds-type meltdown, and put them on a much sounder financial footing, but then his interest waned. He's one of the UK's richest businessmen, I not asking him to pile £250m into the club, I just want him to treat it with a bit of respect. It's not a Sports Direct shop, to be run on a shoestring budget, paying low wages thus attracting some suspect staff, peddling crap goods. If he doesn't want to run it like a premiership club then sell it to someone who does. FFS, they get 50,000+ fans through the doors, treat the way it is supported, with a bit of passion.

The 2011/12 squad did amazingly well (far better than they should have). However players have been sold on and released ever since without any notable replacements. The first gamble with relatively unknown French players paid off. The second wave has been a disaster. When we struggled last season, the blame was directed at Pardew (and Ashley) for not strengthening the squad and building on 2011/12's success. However I now don't think Pardew had any say in it. Everyone was screaming out for some decent signings during this last transfer window, and Ashley brought in Kinnear with the sole intention of doing just that. And together they've signed nobody.

They're going to struggle this season, really struggle. Their only saving grace is that teams around them will struggle more. I think they'll avoid relegation, but only because some of the newly promoted teams look a little out of their depth and Sunderland are looking like a train crash.

15 months ago I was celebrating them qualifying for Europe. Now I'll be celebrating if they avoid the drop and manage to keep a couple of our better players.

/long-winded rant

[Milo]

Oh, and:

1. Chelsea or City

2. Chelsea or City

3. United

4. Spurs

5. Arsenal

6. Liverpool

I think there'll only be 3 or 4 points between 3rd and 6th, with the final positions being decided on the last day of the season, some of them on goal difference.

18. Sunderland (and not just because they're smelly mackems)

19. Hull

20. Crystal Palace

[Calm Chris]

Chelsea

Arsenal

Liverpool

Man City

Spurs

Man Utd middle table somewhere, mostly lower middle table.

[NewNiceMrMe]

Multi-choice:

a. You've got to admire the optimism of Arsenal fans.

b. You've got to laugh at the Arsenal fans.

c. One player does not a trophy winning side make.

d. Arsenal fans are easily pleased.

e. Arsenal fans are deluded.

f. Arsenal fans have got their predictions upside down.

g. 3 days ago they wanted the manager sacked, now he's God

h. All of the above

[Luke]

Arsenal to finish 2nd just because they've bought one player? Come on, ffs.

[NewNiceMrMe]

One of the best things I heard today was the Arsenal fan who, when asked the above (Luke's post), said "United did. When they signed Eric Cantona he completed the jigsaw."

The response, from the FULHAM fan, was "Ozil isn't Eric Cantona. He isn't even Eric F*cking Morecambe."

[m4ttm4son]

g. 3 days ago they wanted the manager sacked, now he's God

I'll say the same when Moyes starts winning games and the fans change their tune too

Everyone in this thread, except the gooners, have predicted Arsenal to finish outside the top four. That's fine, it's not the first time and look how that's panned out before

[garcon magnifique]

Thing is, I think MrMe will happily join in the berating of that section of United 'fans'.

If there is one constant in football, whether it's Man United at the sharp end of the Prem or someone like Oldham Athletic at the scary end of League One, and without trying to sound too much of an old git, that constant is today's football 'fans'. Support through thick and thin is a lost concept, replaced by unrealistic expectation and blind short termism.

I suspect United will lose many of those 'fans' as an era of domination draws to a close. 'Fans' who expect rather than support. 'Fans' who are actually really only fans of winning. The good thing for United is that the loss of those 'fans' won't cost them a single penny.

Of course a fan should want their team to win, but to me the definition of a fan is one who will still support the team when they don't.

[Luke]

How the fück Spurs keep their fanbase, I don't know! We haven't won fück all for ever!!! If we did we'd need Wembley.

[m4ttm4son]

Thing is, I think MrMe will happily join in the berating of that section of United 'fans'.

That was my point

I've never been a member of the Wenger Out brigade and there are many more like me. Only a small minority have wanted Wenger out, but most have been quite vocal about the spending habits. I'm sure it's the same demographic of youngsters calling for Moyes' head after five poor games.

I'll never blindly tip my team for the top, but I would say that this season we have a chance to vie for second place. Last season I wasn't sure about it, but this season we won't finish outside the top four. Wenger's beautiful football is back

Luke, I have no idea, but I respect that doggedness, like the Man City fans of Old. " '61, never again"

[NewNiceMrMe]

Thing is, I think MrMe will happily join in the berating of that section of United 'fans'.

I suspect you knew you could have removed the words "I think" from that too.

In a sense I think 4-5 years of not winning anything would do United good. It is very evident the club has a large proportion of 20-somethings and 30-somethings who think you just turn up and win. I have said since 1999 that any further trophies were nothing but the icing on the cake. The Treble means anything less is disappointing to many. To me it was just the end of a dream. It became reality, so what do you do after that?

People have short memories too. When Chelsea started to dominate for a while there was a large section of fans calling for Ferguson to be sacked. He was too old. The game had moved on, and so on. Those same fans are now calling for Moye's head. They're just so fickle it is nothing but humiliating for themselves.

Financially of course the club can't go too long without winning, but that isn't going to happen anyway. The youngsters knocking at the first team door will see to that as any real United fan knows. We have two of the best young strikers in the world being groomed for the first team and I think they'll provide a forward line for many years to come.

If Ferguson had had the start to the season that Moyes has had nobody would bat an eyelid. I think that sums it up for me.

I watch my local team most weeks and we're 5 places off the bottom of the league right now. The conversation in the stand isn't about sacking the manager or needing new players. It's about how Bovril doesn't taste the same in August/September. It's much nicer in January and we want to know why. We demand to know. We'd also like to know if the new woman in the club shop (that's a flattering description of it) takes it up the arse. Winning is secondary. Fans know this.

[Twinspark]

Some United fans want him sacked for current performance. Some say give him time. Some never wanted him in the first place.

I sit with the latter.

He has done nothing of note in his managerial career and was humiliated more than once when he actually had a chance to win something.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[garcon magnifique]

I think Everton's achievements over the next few years might place your "nothing of note" into context.

[Calm Chris]

I was lucky enough to have 4 years of most tickets most games at Highbury, at the Emirates it changed to about 6 games a year.

I've done maybe 75% fandom and having seen the invincibles season first hand, I am guilty of wanting the same season to be repeated. Is there a fan out there that wouldn't?

Banter aside, football (and any sport you chose to support) encourages thought, passion, interest and occasionally great conversation- so how bad is that?

As an Arsenal supporter all I want is a PL placing above Spurs and (cherry on top) above Man Utd.

[NewNiceMrMe]

Twinspark, when you say 'nothing of note', I really do think you need to look at the reality of his achievements.

David Moyes kept Everton in the Premier League for his 11 year tenure there. When he joined they were fourth from bottom with only goal difference keeping them out of the relegation spots.

He kept them up and took them to a Champions League play-off place the following season - finishing above Liverpool in doing so.

They qualified for the UEFA/Europa cup in three of the next four seasons.

He took them to a 7th place end of season position numerous times.

They lost an FA Cup final to, yes, Manchester United. Any shame in that?

Throughout all of that, do you know what his net spend on players was?

£2.7 million. In 11 years. But he's achieved nothing. It is truly astonishing that you think that, isn't it?

[Milo]

I seem to recall he had a net spend of less than £10m in his 11 years in charge. Rant jangle in the modern game.

[Milo]

Rant jangle? WTF?

Remarkable

[garcon magnifique]

Thought it was worth having a mid-season appraisal of our wild and hopeless predictions back in early September.

 

 

Top six (definitely head over heart...) :

1. Chelsea
2. Manchester City
3. Manchester United
4. Tottenham Hotspur
5. Arsenal
6. Liverpool

Relegated:
18. Newcastle United
19. Crystal Palace
20. Hull City


I used to laugh openly at the Toon, but as I've said recently it has now got beyond a joke. As a football fan I have great sympathy for Newcastle fans (the sane ones at least), they really don't deserve what Ashley is doing to the club. My prediction is based as much on Milo's own synopsis of the situation at the club and the rapid decline since finishing in Europe two years ago. I don't expect Pardew will be sacked early, but if he is he'll walk away from the circus with a HUGE pay-off - and Ashley's record of spending more on sacking managers than he does on buying players will be confirmed.

Di Canio to be the first sacking of the season, before November is finished. Sunderland to survive, just - but only because they'll get rid of the crazy fascist early enough.

Villa will do well (sadly - few fans are more deluded as to how 'massive' their club is).
Norwich will be comfortable.
Stoke could be pulled into the relegation scrap after early promise fades.
Cardiff will be the promoted club to survive.
Swansea will be safe but may finish bottom half having struggled to cope with the demands of a Europe campaign.
I was concerned for Everton but they have bought well and have kept Baines - mid table.
Southampton will finish top half (or go bankrupt again).
West Ham will struggle for goals but Sam's nous will keep them up.
Fulham will do what Fulham do, safe but bottom half.
And finally, West Brom might, for once, save their fans from a final day panic.

 

I stand by my top 3.  Tottenham could still make 4th but it's a loooong shot.  Everton may well be in the top six mix barring serious injuries.

 

I'm happy for the Toon fans that my prediction of disaster was way off the mark. Although they are always no more than a crazed Ashley decision from catastrophe - and there's a transfer window around the corner...

 

As for everything else, it's quicker to mention what I got right than wrong... 

 

Di Canio the first to be sacked, Villa doing ok, Swansea just about coping with Europe, Southampton doing well, West Ham struggling for goals.

 

Here's something to ponder - what chance all three promoted clubs staying up?!

[NewNiceMrMe]

I can see Pulis keeping Palace up.

 

Hull, definitely.  Cardiff, I'm not so sure.  With the lunatic in charge anything could happen.

 

I don't think Villa are 'going well' though and I can see then getting dragged into a relegation struggle.  I still think Sunderland could survive it and this might be a season when more than the usual one club finds itself battling relegation with a late drop into the bottom three.

 

I'd say Fulham, West Ham and Villa could be relegated.  In fact I think Fulham are down already.

 

Southampton and Everton are the surprises and I agree Everton could stay in the top 5.

 

I still think Liverpool will fall out of it.  I think Rodgers is all bluster and his squad is nowhere near strong enough.

 

Spurs to finish 6th.

 

United to make the top 14 and I'll be delighted at that.  I think we might push higher if the January signings are right.

 

City to win the league.  Arsenal/United to take 4th/3rd.  Chelsea 2nd. 

 

Newcastle will tail off to 8th-10th and I think Pardew will have done a fantastic job to achieve that.

[Calm Chris]

Chelsea

Arsenal

Liverpool

Man City

Spurs

Man Utd middle table somewhere, mostly lower middle table.

I'm loving my Man Utd prediction, and the first 3 are all there.