Week 5 Predictions

Last week, I got 3 results right but no perfect score. This week,

Swansea 1-1 Everton
Chelsea 2-0 Stoke
Southampton 1-1 Aston Villa
West Brom 2-0 Reading
West Ham 2-2 Sunderland
Wigan 0-0 Fulham
Newcastle 2-0 Norwich
Man City 1-1 Arsenal
Tottenham 2-0 QPR

Liverpool 2-3 Man Utd

Liverpool's woeful start to the season continues. They are now above the relegation zone on goal difference only. Much has been made of this clash since it comes right after the revelation of the details of the Hillsborough disaster, when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death. That, and the still-talked about Evra-Suarez affair seem to be the only talking points of this fixture.

Man United are continuing their road to recovery. They are now just one point off the top of the table. For the first time in many, many years this game is about more than just the rivalry between the two clubs. However, on the field, it will be anything but. And I believe United have the upper hand.

It will be an intense afternoon. And I predict United to prevail.

Week 4 Predictions

Last week, I got 2 results right but no perfect score. This week,

Norwich 1-2 West  Ham
Arsenal 2-0 Southampton
Aston Villa 1-1 Swansea
Fulham 2-2 West Brom
QPR 1-2 Chelsea
Stoke 1-2 Man City
Sunderland 2-1 Liverpool
Reading 1-1 Tottenham
Everton 1-1 Newcastle

Man Utd 2-0 Wigan

Man United are still leaking in the goals. They conceded 2 against Southampton last week, but found a hero in Robin van Persie. He got a niggle on international duty in midweek, but is expected to shake that off. Another boost for United is the return to the squad of Darren Fletcher, who has been out for 10 months with a bowel problem.

Wigan, I believe, are one of the teams to go down this season. So far, they are proving me wrong having lost only once in 3 games. If they continue this run, who knows how far they can climb up the table. The problem for them is that they have lost influential midfielder Victor Moses to Chelsea, and haven't replaced him.

I expect a comfortable home win for the Red Devils. 

Week 3 Predictions

Last week, I got 4 results right but no perfect score. This week,


West Ham 2-2 Fulham
Swansea 2-0 Sunderland
Tottenham 2-1 Norwich
West Brom 1-1 Everton
Wigan 2-1 Stoke
Man City 3-0 QPR
Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal
Newcastle 2-0 Aston Villa
Southampton 0-2 Man Utd

Man United returned to winning ways with a less than convincing home win against Fulham. Their defense is leaky, and they still lack that cutting edge in midfield. Worse news though is the fact that Wayne Rooney is out for two months with a leg injury. On the bright side, Johnny Evans returns to the side and should start.

Southampton have had a bad start to their season, losing both games so far. And playing another Manchester club in quick succession will certainly not help. I am predicting them to go down this season, despite having had a great run in the Championship last season.

Man United should secure the win comfortably.

Week 2 Predictions

Last week, I got 4 results right but no perfect score. This week,

Swansea 2-0 West Ham

Aston Villa 1-1 Everton

Norwich 2-1 QPR

Southampton 0-0 Wigan

Sunderland 3-1 Reading

Tottenham 2-0 West Brom

Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle

Stoke 1-1 Arsenal

Liverpool 1-2 Man City

Man Utd 3-0 Fulham

Man United were very poor last week, and are already three points off the pace. They failed to get into gear and hardly created any chances. Their defensive issues will ease a little this week, with new signing Alexander Buttner set to feature. Robin van Persie is expected to make his full debut.

Fulham had a fantastic result last week where they scored five times against newly promoted Norwich City. Striker Clint Dempsey who is still harboring hopes of leaving the club will be absent, and the team will certainly miss him.

I expect United to open their points account and won't be surprised if van Persie gets on the scoresheet.

Week 1 Predictions

Arsenal 2-0 Sunderland

Fulham 2-1 Norwich

Man City 2-0 Southampton

Newcastle 1-1 Tottenham

QPR 1-0 Swansea

Reading 1-2 Stoke

West Brom 1-1 Liverpool

West Ham 2-1 Aston Villa

Wigan 1-2 Chelsea

Everton 0-2 Man Utd

Manchester United typically do not start the new season well, but this year could be different. Sir Alex Ferguson could hand a debut to new signing Robin van Persie, who will partner Wayne Rooney upfront. Nemanja Vidic is back after a long spell on the sidelines.

Everton welcome back Steven Pienaar to their ranks, who replaces the departing Tim Cahill. But their key man is striker Nikica Jelavic. However, he will find it hard to break down United’s defense.

The race for the title starts on day one, and United will make sure that they get the three points.

2012/13 Premier League Preview

It’s the 2012/13 season. And it’s going to be exciting. Therefore, I’ve decided to expand my blog beyond Manchester United. Each week, I will predict all 10 games of the week, plus give a detailed analysis of all Manchester United games. Here we go!

Table Predictions

Winners: Manchester United

Runner-ups: Manchester City

Champions League: Chelsea, Newcastle

Europa League: Liverpool

Additional potential Europa League: Arsenal, Tottenham

Relegation: Southampton, Norwich, Wigan

1 MANCHESTER UNITED

Two days ago, I wouldn’t have pipped Man United to win the title. However, the signing of ex-Arsenal captain, Robin van Persie changes everything.

Strengths:

Van Persie was the best player in the league last season, and he will only get better. Him and Rooney form perhaps the deadliest strike duo in the league, so I expect United to score a lot of goals this season. Also, the United defense missed captain Nemanja Vidic immensely, and his impending return can only make United stronger. As well, Darren Fletcher could make a comeback into the team with Shinji Kagawa adding to the creativity.

Weaknesses:

United clearly lack in central midfield. Tom Cleverley is still young and developing, while Paul Scholes cannot play week in week out. In an ideal world, United should have signed another midfielder rather than a striker, and missing out on Lucas Moura could be vital. Another area United lack in is left-back. There is no one to cover for Patrice Evra should he get injured. There has been talk of Leighton Baines signing for the club, but nothing has materialized so far.

Conclusion:

With the strikers at United’s disposal and the flair and pace of their wingers, they’re going to score a lot of goals. When you score a lot of goals, you almost certainly win games.

2 MANCHESTER CITY

Manchester City haven’t made a big signing all transfer season. And this could be why they won’t go all the way.

Strengths:

Manchester City have the squad with the most depth. They have several players covering each position. This gives them a lot of options, and competition for places only brings out the best in you. Carlos Tevez looks rejuvenated and Mario Balotelli may have learned a few valuable lessons post-season. City have a brilliant leader in the shape of Vincent Kompany and arguably, the League’s best goalkeeper in Joe Hart. Hard to break down and hard to defend against. It’s the perfect combination.

Weaknesses:

City have allowed too much drama to happen of late, mainly from Tevez and Balotelli, which naturally hurt their progress last season. That cannot continue. Also, it will be a real challenge for Roberto Mancini in keeping the entire squad happy. If you tinker too much with the squad, it causes instability. Most importantly, it’s hard enough to win the title. But much harder to defend it.

Conclusion:

I believe that while City will put up a big fight for the title, it wouldn’t be enough. A lack of signings could be the thin line between both Manchester clubs.

3 CHELSEA

Spending over £60m in the transfer market means Chelsea could do a lot better than last season.

Strengths:

The key for Chelsea is that they have stuck with Roberto Di Matteo. Di Matteo turned around Chelsea’s faltering season by leading his side to the Champions League title. He was instrumental to the club’s success, and this could continue this season. Fernando Torres is improving, and the club have not held back in the transfer market. Eden Hazard and Oscar are both exciting and able players and should be what Chelsea need to finish in the Top 3.

Weaknesses:

Chelsea have lost their talisman, Didier Drogba. The striker has been absolutely fantastic for the London club over the years and he will be missed. Also, the departure of Jose Bosingwa could mean that the club will be a little short of full-back cover. The ongoing ‘trial’ of John Terry with the FA makes matters worse.

Conclusion:

With the new signings, Chelsea could really mount a title bid, though they still need to do a lot of work if they are to topple the Manchester clubs.

4 NEWCASTLE

Newcastle were the surprise team last season, and if they continue where they left off, could surprise everyone again.

Strengths:

The Magpies have managed to hold on to most of their star players. What they had last season was consistency and resilience, and in Tim Krul have one of the best shot-stoppers in the game. Key to their success was the 16 clean sheets they kept. The signing of Ajax midfielder Vurnon Anita could provide them with that extra man in midfield.

Weaknesses:

Newcastle’s away form was awful last season. They would need to improve on that. While the pairing of Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse sounds deadly on paper, it was the opposite on the field. Adding to the trouble are Europa League matches, which could be seen as an unnecessary distraction.

Conclusion:

Newcastle’s main advantage is that their immediate rivals, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham, haven’t built on from last season and this could help them finish in a Champions League place.

5 LIVERPOOL

A change in manager could see Liverpool back in the hunt for Europa League soccer.

Strengths:

Liverpool were going nowhere under Kenny Dalglish. A change in manager is exactly what they needed. They went out and brought in a manager who instilled free-flowing and exciting soccer into his team. Steven Gerrard still has the goods to deliver, while the signing of Fabio Borini and the return of Joe Cole could be crucial.

Weaknesses:

Dirk Kuyt, who has probably been Liverpool’s best player for the last few seasons, is no longer with the club. In addition, Craig Bellamy has departed and Andy Carroll does not feature heavily in Brendan Rogers’ plans, so I wonder where the goals are going to come from? Defensively, they are weak as well and have insufficient cover.

Conclusion:

Liverpool will play exciting soccer this season, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll win games.

6 ARSENAL

Having lost their captains in two success seasons, things are looking a bit grim for Arsenal.

Strengths:

Arsenal have done really well in the transfer market, in terms of buying players. I’ve always like Lukas Podolski and the effervescent Santi Cazolra should provide the team with pace and creativity that they need. Jack Wilshere is back, and he is like a new signing. Thomas Vermaelen has been promoted to skipper, which should add more confidence in the Arsenal defense.

Weaknesses:

Three words. Robin van Persie. When you lose your best player and captain, you don’t expect to do well. The Dutchman’s goals will be missed, and Arsenal are only half as strong without him. Add Alex Song to the departure list and you have a real worry. There is talk of Nuri Sahin coming in to replace him, but until that happens, I don’t see Arsenal going anywhere this season.

Conclusion:

It’s a bold statement, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this will be Arsene Wenger’s last season at Arsenal.

7 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

You don’t get rid of your best player. And you don’t get rid of your best manager. Unfortunately, Spurs have committed both crimes.

Strengths:

Gareth Bale is the Spurs’ new talisman. He will need to be at his very best if Spurs are to do well this season. Jermain Defoe is STILL one of the best finishers in the league and he would need to start games. The signing of young manager Andre Villas-Boas means that the team will continue to play attacking soccer, which may help their cause.

Weaknesses:

It is no secret that Luka Modric had been wanting to leave the club for a while now. And he finally had his wish granted. He was the best player at the club, and he will be a massive loss. The departures of Steven Pienaar and Niko Kranjcar leaves the Spurs short in midfield and this could hurt them. Former manager Harry Redknapp led the side to 4^th last season, which was a pretty good finish, but it wasn’t enough for the chairman. It seems that Villas-Boas would need to do even better than that, which puts him under a lot of pressure.

Conclusion:
Spurs will be lucky to finish 7^th with the changes that have taken place at the Lane, provided that Everton have a rare off-season.

Season Preview 2009/10

The start of the Premier League season is just around the corner and it’s time to predict who will finish where in the table.

Champions: Man United
With the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, I think it’s going to be very hard for United to claim a fourth straight Premier League title. However, United have signed Antonio Valencia who has impressed in pre-season. The loss of Carlos Tevez was overcome by the signing of Michael Owen which, I think, is the buy of the summer. A fit Michael Owen can give you 20 goals a season. An unfit Michael Owen can still give you around 15 – which is about what Tevez gave United last season. I think Owen and Valencia have settled in nicely in the United squad, and we will see a different Berbatov and Rooney this season. While the loss of Nani and Van der Sar may be felt at the start of the season, I still believe that United can pick up the pace later on in the season to get the points that they need. My prediction is that United will claim an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title.
 
2nd: Chelsea
Chelsea have been able to hold on to their stars who were on the brink of leaving, like Deco and Carvalho. On top of that, they have added in Yuri Zhirkov from CSKA Moscow. Didier Drogba has signed a new deal and is raring to go. The rest of the squad more or less remains the same, which is important. Ancelotti is a very accomplished manager and I expect Chelsea to give United a strong challenge and finish one place better than last season – 2nd.

3rd: Liverpool
About a week ago, I would have predicted Liverpool to finish in 2nd place. However, losing Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid is a major blow. Rafa Benetiz has brought in Alberto Aquilani from Roma to replace Alonso but he will need time to adapt to the English game. While the addition of an overpriced Glen Johnson has improved Liverpool, I still feel that they lack the cutting edge needed to convert those draws into wins. If Gerrard and Torres give Liverpool an injury-free season, Liverpool will still put up a challenge, however, only to 3rd place.

4th: Arsenal
Arsenal have, again, failed to make any major signings. They have lost two of their most influential players, Adebayor and Kolo Toure. While Toure has been replaced with Thomas Vermaelen, Adebyaor still needs replacing. Arsenal need a center forward who can finish. Even with the arrival of Vermaelen, I think that Arsenal are still a center back short and if they don’t make the necessary arrangements soon, it will be a tough ride to 4th place for them. The good thing for Arsenal is that their two main opponents for 4th place, Everton and Aston Villa, have failed to bring in the required players.

5th: Everton
Everton were brilliant last season when they reached the FA Cup Final and finished 5th. However, they have failed to make any major signings, except for Jo, this summer. I think that Everton are a couple players short and now, the departure of Lescott seems very likely. On the other hand, Aston Villa will suffer from the loss of Barry to Man City. They have brought in Downing, but he is out till December. I think that because of Villa's lack of quality signings, they will not be able to challenge Everton for 5th place. However, Everton's own case for 5th place lies in Lescott's fate. If Lescott stays, Everton have a big chance of finishing 5th or even upset Arsenal in the so-called 'Big Four'.

I expect the rest of the Top Ten to be filled in by Villa, Man City, Spurs, West Ham, and Sunderland.

Relegation: Portsmouth, Stoke City, Wigan Athletic
Portsmouth have sold or released about half their squad. Key players Glen Johnson and Peter Crouch have moved on to Liverpool and Tottenham, respectively, while others such as Lauren have been released. Sean Davis has gone on to Bolton, with Djimi Traore going to Monaco. Pompey have brought in experienced players such as Mokoena and Steve Finnan but this won't be enough for them. I expect them to be relegated.
Stoke enjoyed a very successful first season in top-flight football. However, Tony Pulis' men will see a tougher season this time around. Their only signing this summer has been Dean Whitehead and I think that's insufficient. Other clubs will have learned by now on how to break down Stoke's defenses and how to deal with their long throws. Stoke's future doesn't look bright.
For the last relegation spot, I think the contenders are Wigan, Wolves, and Hull City. Wolves have made a lot of signings but the important thing is that they've signed players that have already played Premier League football and have done well at that. Marcus Hahnemann will make sure he defends his goal to the very best of his ability and Kevin Doyle will always give you goals. I expect Wolves to be safe.
After watching Hull's final 22 games last season (in which they won just once) I feared for their safety in the forthcoming season. However, Phil Brown is a very talented manager and I'm sure he'll be up for this big task. Also, his summer signings such as Stephen Hunt have greatly improved the squad. Other than that, Hull are in talks with Real Madrid to sign their £12m rated striker Alvaro Negredo which only shows their intent and ambition.
Wigan, like Pompey, have sold their key players Antonia Valencia and Lee Cattermole and they haven't done enough to replace them. I feel that they will suffer greatly due to this and have a big chance of going down.