[Archived] 2004-2005 Premiership Predictions

[Philly Rover ®]

For me it all depends on whether Vieria leaves as to whether Arsenal retain the League Title - they look far less impressive without him imo.

I forgot to mention that bit, Tango. If Arsenal end up selling Vieira then I'd have to pick Chelsea to lift the trophy at the end of the season. I realize that sounds like I'm just covering all my bases... but I'll decree (since I started this thread ) that anyone can edit their predictions until the season officially kicks off on Saturday.

I'm seeing a lot more pessimism than last year... two out of twenty-one (den and The Dart) have already picked us to go down. For what it's worth, Soccernet's Premiership predictions have us picked to finish thirteenth--but then again they have Boro finishing fifth so what do they know?

Oh, and I thought it would be kind of fun to make a game out of this, so here's my idea: at the end of the season, for every spot each person's off for each team, you gain a point. For instance, if you have Rovers predicted to finish 19th and they finish 14th, you're given five points. Picking the correct champion subtracts ten from your total score, and you get three apiece for each relegated team you get right. Person with the lowest score wins.

Alright come on, let's hear some more... jim, where'd you go?

[Ninjathunder]

Manchester United

Arsenal

Chelsea

Liverpool

Newcastle

Middlesborough

Tottenham

Aston Villa

Charlton

Fulham

Southampton

Birmingham City

Manchester City

Bolton

Blackburn

Crystal Palace

Portsmouth

Everton

West Brom

Norwich

[roversmum]

1. Arsenal

2. Chelsea

3. Liverpool

4. Blackburn Rovers

5. Newcastle

6. Manchester United

7. Middlesborough

8. Birmingham City

9. Aston Villa

10. Fulham

11. Tottenham

12. Charlton

13. Portsmouth

14. Southampton

15. Crystal Palace

16. Bolton

17. Manchester City

18. Everton

19. Norwich

20. West Brom

[samtheozzy]

1. Arsenal

2. Chelsea

3. Liverpool

4. ManUre

5. Newcastle

6. Middlesborough

7. Aston Villa

8. Charlton

9. Tottenham

10. Blackburn

11. Southampton

12. Birmingham

13. Fulham

14. Man City

15. Bolton

16. Portsmouth

17. Everton

18. West Brom

19. Norwich

20. Crystal Palace

[tcj_jones]

1. arsenal

2. chelsea

3. man utd

4. liverpool

5. newcastle

6. middlesburough

7. birmingham

8. villa

9. blackburn

10. spurs

11. southampton

12. charlton

13. man city

14. fulham

15. portsmouth

16. bolton

17. everton

18. west brom

19. norwich

20. palace

I've got to say im pretty amazed at peoples predictions for spurs; about to sell Carr, looked awful all pre season, keane injured for the start... I really don't think they'll improve at all.

Man UTD season will be dependant on their start. With an opener at Chelsea and extensive injuries and Ronaldo and Heinze in the olympics I think they'll struggle. Otherwise its pretty even between the top three but i think arsenal will take it.

Everton, pompey and bolton's squads look pretty thin and i think that once injuries hit they will suffer and finish low mid table.

Afraid I can't see any players with the quality to succeed in the premiership in the newcomers either.

[SouthAussieRover]

1. Chelsea.

2. Arsenal

3. Liverpool

4. ManUre

5. Newcastle

6. Southampton

7. Fulham

8. Charlton

9. Tottenham

10.Boro

11. Portsmouth

12. Birmingham

13. Aston Villa

14. West Brom

15. Bolton

16. Man City

17. Rovers

18. Everton

19. Norwich

20. Crystal Palace

[cole]

1 Chelsea

2 Arsenaal

3 Liverpool

4 Man United

5 Villa

6 Boro

7 Newcastle

8 Blackburn

9 Charlton

10 Birmingham

11 Norwich

12 Bolton

13 Fulham

14 Southampton

15 West Brom

16 Spurs

17 Everton

18 Palace

19 Portsmouth

20 Man City

[tsnuf]

1. Arsenal

2. Chelsea

3. Liverpool

4. Manchester Utd.

5. Newcastle

6. Middlesborough

7. Aston Villa

8. Birmingham

9. Blackburn

10. Charlton

11. Fulham

12. Southampton

13. Tottenham

14. Portsmouth

15. Everton

16. Bolton

17. West Bromwich

18. Manchester City

19. Norwich

20. Crystal Palace

[AussieinUk]

1 Chelsea

2 Arsenal

3 Newcastle

4 Man United

5 Liverpool

6 Blackburn

7 Boro

8 Villa

9 Charlton

10 Birmingham

11 Spurs

12 Fulham

13 Bolton

14 Southampton

15 Portsmouth

16 Norwich

17 Everton

18 Man City

19 West Brom

20 Palace

[vyeo]

1. arsenal

2. chelsea

3. liverpool

4. manure

5. newcastle

6. middlesbrough

7. charlton

8. villa

9. birmingham

10. US!

11. spurs

12. fulham

13. southampton

14. portsmouth

15. crystal palace

16. bolton

17. west brom

18. man city

19. everton

20. norwich

[bob fleming]

For what it's worth, IMO: -

This little lot trying to win it...

1. Chelsea

2. Arsenal

3. Manchester United

Then this lot trying to get 4th spot...

4. Liverpool

5. Newcastle United

6. Middlesbrough

7. Birmingham City

Then finally this lot all trying to get to 40 points which will allow them to try and get to 40 points the season after...

8. Charlton Athletic

9. Aston Villa

10. Tottenham Hotspur

11. Manchester City

12. Blackburn Rovers

13. Everton

14. Fulham

15. Norwich City

16. Bolton Wanderers

17. Portsmouth

18. Southampton

19. West Bromich Albion

20. Crystal Palace

[RevidgeBlue]

With the squad as it is at this precise moment I feel the decision to let Cole go for nothing and replace him with Dickov will lead to another desperately disappointing season, the saving grace being the three promoted clubs should still be worse than us.

1) Arsenal

2) Chelsea

3) Liverpool

4) Man Ure

5) Newcastle

6) Spurs

7) Fulham

8) Villa

9) Boro

10) Brum

11) Charlton

12) City

13) Portsmouth

14) Bolton

15) Southampton

16) Rovers

17) WBA

18) Everton

19) Palace

20) Norwich

Edited August 10, 2004 by RevidgeBlue

[CAPT KAYOS]

Went for MU at the bookies as you can never write them off and the value is with them. However can also see them having another bad League Season (in their book) but retaining the FA Cup. 3rd spot between them and Liverpool with the scousers just pipping them

Chelsea for me still need another Season but will push Arsenal a bit closer and will probably have the same exploits in Europe.

I think Newcastle will struggle to make the top 5 and internal turmoil will set in ( if it hasn't already!)

Although I hate to see it I think Boro will surprise a few and dependent on how they take to Europe could decide whether a top 10 finish or just outside . Villa will have a steady Season and nick 6th place.

As for the drop - think this is the season we say goodbye to the Toffees as Norwich nick a draw at Fulham and Everton lose at Bolton on the last day of the Season. WBA and Palace to drop (either one bottom)

As for us, I think if we can organise ourselves, play players in their accustomed positions and Souness has learnt from his mistakes from last Season we could be pushing for a top 10 - otherwise a battle with 6/7 teams fighting to avoid the drop - just glad there are some poor teams down there who I feel we are better than. Thing is we have to prove this

Do we have the Bottle and the will? We'll soon find out.

1. Arsenal

2. Chelsea

3. Liverpool

4. Man Utd ( Retain the FA Cup)

5. A Villa (League Cup)

6. Charlton

7. Boro (Dependent on how Europe affects them otherwise 11/12th)

8. Newcastle (start of the slide for the Geordies)

9. Spurs (how do they manage it - better organised this year)

10. Birmingham

11. Rovers (dependent on many factors - good enough but have to prove it)

12. Fulham

13. Saints

14. Bolton

15. Citeh

16. Portsmouth

17. Norwich

18. Everton (not a sweet end for the toffees - last game misery)

19. WBA

20. C Palace

Climb on board and enjoy the Rovers Rollercoaster

[den]

18  Norwich

19  Blackburn R

20  Crystal Palace

Nothing like a bit of optimism at the start of the season is there?

I don't think we have the fire power to succeed at this level.

So there you go, I'll be going into the west brom game expecting nothing out of it. I'll be pleasantly surprised if we win it.

[greggyk]

1. Chelsea

2. Arsenal

3. Man Yoo

4. Liverpool

5. Newcastle

6. Spurs

7. Aston Villa

8. Boro

9. Brum

10. Fulham

11. Charlton

12. Man City

13. Pompey

14. ROVERS

15. Everton

16. Bolton

17. Saints

18. WBA

19. Norwich

20. C. Palace

[Radagast]

1. Rovers

2-20. Who cares?

Seriously, though, I never waste my time trying to predict these things anymore, there's too many X-factors involved.

[broadsword]

I agree most with Capt (but would have Man Yoo above Liverpool) and Bobadopolis F (but with Arse above Chels).

[Ninjathunder]

So only Cookiemonster and I so far have gone for Man U. I can see that on paper they don't appear to be as stong as Chelsea or Arsenal but they now have Carlos Querioz back, who Ferguson credited with sorting out their defence and assisting them to win the title the season before last. + they missed Ferdinand last season.

I feel Chelsea are one for next season - it will take time to make the appropriate changes before they can make a decent fist of the title.

On a far more important (and sad) note though is that it's going to be a tricky season for us. I'm look forward to this season with less optimism than any of our previous premiership campaigns, given the strengthening that our direct competitors seem to have made coupled with Souness's new found love for Yorke.

[nellybc]

1. Chelsea

2. Arsenal

3. Newcastle

4. Liverpool

5. Manure

6. Man City

7. Blackburn

8. Fulham

9. Birmingham

10. Aston Villa

11. Charlton

12. M'boro

13. Southampton

14. Bolton

15. Everton

16. Portsmouth

17. Spurs

18. C Palace

19. West Brom

20. Norwich

[WaffleWag]

1 Blackburn

2 Chelsea

3 Arsenal

4 Newcastle

5 Boro

6 Man United

7 Liverpool

8 Villa

9 Birmingham

10 Spurs

11 Fulham

12 Charlton

13 Portsmouth

14 Southampton

15 Man City

16 Norwich

17 Bolton

18 West Brom

19 Everton

20 Palace

[Lathund]

On a far more important (and sad) note though is that it's going to be a tricky season for us. I'm look forward to this season with less optimism than any of our previous premiership campaigns, given the strengthening that our direct competitors seem to have made coupled with Souness's new found love for Yorke.

IMO the squad looks better than it did last season (And I'm not only talking about de Pedro, Dickov and Matteo. Also Stead, Gray and if we can have Thommo and Bazza fit they'll count too) and IMO our competitors haven't strengthened much at all. At least not those who are likely to be involved in a relegation scrap. Everton have lost Radzinski and Linderoth (And they didn't have much midfield cover before that either), and may yet lose Rooney and Gravesen. City have signed Thatcher and some other defender, not a huge improvement exactly. Southampton haven't (IMO) looked that good under Sturrock yet, and haven't strengthened their squad more than we have, although Nilsson is a fine player. Bolton look pretty weak too.

Yes; the likes of Boro, Villa, Brum and Charlton have strengthened their squads, and will probably finish ahead of us. And even assuming that neither of those teams or one of the top 5 have a bad season, we're still among the best contenders for 9th-10th or so. And if we don't hit a collective dip in form like last season, we're not much behind Charlton or Brum at all.

But I can agree that our strike force look a little worrying. Still, the season we finished 6th most goals came from midfield. And I can see de Pedro, Ferguson, Thommo, Amo and even Neill contributing. And I'm sure our five forwards will score a fair few goals between them, even if none of them hit 25. So I'm not worried about this season. I don't think we'll qualify for Europe through the league, but we won't be near relegation either.

[frosty]

1. Arsenal

2. Chelsea

3. Newcastle

4. Man u

5. Liverpool

6. Birmingham

7. Middlesbro

8. Blackburn

9. Villa

10. Charlton

11. Fulham

12. Bolton

13. City

14. Southampton

15. Spurs

16. Portsmouth

17. West brom

18. Everton

19. Norwich

20. Palace

League cup: Charlton

Fa: Rovers

[brfcshabba]

So only Cookiemonster and I so far have gone for Man U.  I can see that on paper they don't appear to be as stong as Chelsea or Arsenal but they now have Carlos Querioz back, who Ferguson credited with sorting out their defence and assisting them to win the title the season before last.  + they missed Ferdinand last season.

I think Chelsea could will win it and i think it is harder to retain the premiership title.

I also like to be different

Edited March 26, 2005 by Cookiemonster

[Tom Pringle]

1. Arsenal

2. Aston Villa

3. Birmingham

4. Blackburn

5. Bolton

6. C.Palace

7. Charlton

8. Chelsea

9. Everton

10. Fulham

11. Liverpool

12. Man City

13. Man Utd

14. Middlesbro'

15. Newcastle

16. Norwich

17. Portsmouth

18. Southampton

19. Tottenham

20. West Brom

[bob fleming]

Tom. I'm gonna take a guess here. I think the idea is to take a guess where everyone will finish at the end of the season rather than at the very start.

Granted, as things stand right now, you're spot on.