1. Chelsea 2. Liverpool 3. Arsenal 4. Manchester United 5. Birmingham 6. Aston Villa 7. Tottenham Hotspur 8. Manchester City 9. Bolton 10. Middlesborough 11. Everton 12. Charlton 13. Newcastle United 14. Blackburn Rovers 15. Fulham 16. West Bromwich Albion 17. Sunderland 18. Portsmouth 19. Wigan Athletic 20. West Ham
People keep saying "Chelsea are due a slip" or that "egos will take over" but you have to remember that first of all, Mourinho is the coach. No way in hell will 'ego problems' ever be an issue with a Mourinho coached team. Second of all, they are built around the superhuman Terry and Lampard. Actually perhaps a long term injury to either of those two FOR NOW, is the only hope.
What will have to happen is that other top teams will just have to take points off of Chelsea. Arsenal, Liverpool and United have to draw or beat Chelsea more often. Thing is, Chelsea just do not drop points.
They do not draw away, even on those 'miserable winter nights in Middlesborough' like people always used to say their mercenaries did under the Ranieri-Bates days. Thats's the Mourinho factor right there.
Arguably almost as good as the Mourinho factor, is the Benitez factor. He too is a disciplinarian yet, obviously he has some people skills. He's jolly good guy. He eats, sleeps and poos football, if you've read
articles about him his legit psychotic level obsessed with the sport. I have called him the Spanish Wenger. He is not afraid to admit mistakes (he's cut his losses with Nunez for example). Liverpool are second because simply put, we are going to score more goals than last season. We lost 1-0 like 2487329 times last season. If just about half of those are 1-1s or 2-1s instead, and Arsenal-United-Us take more points off of Chelsea, then the top of the table is closer. I think the European Champions have it in them to finish runners-up.
Arsenal third because too much in transition and overeliance on Henry. Why no Owen? It doesn't make sense. Imagine Owen-Henry as a strike partnership. They are a little suspect at the back though for a team with ECL aspirations, and they get easily frustrated if it doesn't look
like they will overwhelm their opponents. They need to learn to grind it out like the Chelski do. But then IF they click, my my, Hleb, Reyes,
Van Perisie all supporting Henry - on their day, Arsenal play some of the most scintillating football in the World.
HYYPIA AGREES NEW ANFIELD DEAL:lfc.tvSami Hyypia today revealed he has agreed a new deal to extend his stay at Liverpool until 2008. The Finnish defender will put pen to paper on his new contract when he touches down...
United fourth because I think their midfield is past it. Scholes starting again? What when Keane gets injured or tires? Ronaldo and Rooney are good, but they can't do everything. Have injuries caught up
to RVN? They'll continue to be a workmanlike team, Ronaldo-Rooney aside, and will probably be involved in a lot of dull boring games. Also of the top four teams, I think they'll drop the most unexpected points. That's actually the primary reason I have them fourth.
Birmingham are my dark horse of the year. Good players across the park.
Pandiani, Forsell, Upson, Butt....and there are more but I won't name names because I'm not going to be your free fantasy consultant overrated by everyone this preseason. However, they are not as deep, they'll have to stay healthy. Spurs look good on paper, I don't think they'll storm the Premiership this season, there are quite a few that actually have them qualifying for the ECL.
Villa too, will impress, the city of Birmingham will have a good year. So those are my two picks for UEFA Cup spots, via the league.
Quick Notes for the mid-table teams:
- Newcastle made good midfield signings, but they still have a shocking
defense, and no attack, and a pretty pooty coach. Not looking promising at all.
- Everton I have nothing against, I just don't think they're that good to be playing deep into multiple competitions. Hey, Ipswich finished fourth a few seasons ago too.
Man Utd fans protest over GlazersSeveral hundred Manchester United fans protested against the takeover by Malcom Glazer as the US tycoon's three sons attended their first game. Joel, Avi and Bryan Glazer were at...
- Charlton are the team everybody forgets exist. They're like plain white rice. You have it with every meal, but nobody ever says, "so how did you like that rice?"
- Fulham will not be as bad as predicted.
Sunderland will stay up. Usually one of the relegated teams stay up, and it wont' be West Ham or Wigan. Also, they'll make their season, because I think they'll do Newcastle.
Wigan are going right back down. They have the same team as they did in Div 1, and they didn't even win that. Simple logic. Ditto for West Ham "big club" or not, they finsished what, 6th in Division 1??
