[Lazarus]

Well, it's almost that time again, and everyone's chomping at the bit waiting for me to embarrass you all in the Fantasy Footy!

So I thought I'd run another thread which we can dig up in 9 months or so to see how good we all are at predicting the future.

Simple really, post your predictions for the Premier League for this coming season!

1. Man United
2. Chelski
3. Liverpool
4. Tottenham
5. Arsenal
6. Everton
7. Newcastle
8. Blackburn
9. West Ham
10. Bolton
11. Reading
12. Aston Villa
13. Portsmouth
14. Middlesborough
15. Fulham
16. Sunderland
17. Wigan
18. Birmingham
19. Man City
20. Derby

Sorry to say I think Derby are doomed already. The news that Sven's been on a shopping spree based on watching a few guys on some DVD's fills me with confidence that the ass is due to fall out of Man City's premiership life sometime soon. I think Roy Keane might pull off premiership survival this time round but maybe only this one time. West Ham are going to sort themselves out at last. Reading won't be the force they were last year but will still be a joy to watch. And Spurs will finally get revenge for the season before last and beat Arsenal to 4th place. Big Sam will perform similar miracles at Newcastle as he did at Bolton, who'll suffer from his absence. Villa will once again inspire nobody throughout the entire season but will get their kicks from watching Birmingham go down. I think Wigan will have another tough year and survive again by the string of their teeth.

The top 3 race is meaningless though really, I don't particularly care. You might as well rename the premiership season as "who wants to finish 4th?"

First manager to be sacked: Chris Hutchings (Wigan) or Sven (Man City)

[Lord FK]

Here's the mail: Arsenal will remain top 4, and Tottenham will struggle a bit by virtue of having such injury-prone key players ala Ledley King and Aaron Lennon. If anyone's to drop out of the top 4 to make way for a fringe team, my pick is the 'Poo. Torres will be another stinker (like Morientes, Heskey, etc), and they keep making needless wholesale changes to their lineup which are of more detriment than benefit.

Man City will jump a couple of places up the table, but without a strong back four and dependable keeper, they aren't a legitimate threat. Their problem is spending big money that in the end will merely catch them up to where other fringe clubs were last season, given the likes of Newcastle, Tottenham, Everton and West Ham have already thrown down their share of paper also.


My top 4:

1 - Arsenal (more than a bit biased I know)
2 - Chelsea
3 - Man Utd
4 - Tottenham

[Carl Briggs]

01 - Man Utd
02 - Liverpool
03 - Chelsea
04 - Arsenal
05 - Newcastle
06 - Spurs
07 - Everton
08 - Portsmouth
09 - Reading
10 - Bolton
11 - Blackburn
12 - West Ham
13 - Aston Villa
14 - Man City
15 - Middlesbrough
16 - Birmingham
17 - Sunderland
18 - Wigan
19 - Fulham
20 - Derby

I fancy Liverpool to have a good season and finish above Chelsea. Chelsea will be disappointing again - they might have the players, but they don't gel as a team.

Arsenal will finish 4th. On their day, they play the best and most entertaining football in the league - but, unfortunately, they don't seem to have the consistency. Big Sam will continue his miracle working at Newcastle - however, he'll be in the same position as he was at Bolton - good players, good support and the potential to go places - but forever playing catch up to the "big four". However, if the big four all have a bad patch, and Newcastle find some consistency, I wouldn't rule them out of grabbing 3rd or 4th place.

Down the bottom end, I think Derby are doomed from the start. Fulham have been poor for the last two seasons, so its finally time for them to go, and Wigan will struggle too. Sunderland won't do a great deal - but they'll survive just because the other three will be so bad. Birmingham have just about got enough quality to stay up, but they'll find it hard work.

I think the first manager would have been Sven if they didn't have to pay much out in compensation, so i'm going to go with Lawrie Sanchez instead.

I fancy Liverpool for the FA cup, and Newcastle for the Coca-Cola Littlewoods Worthington Milk whatever-its-called cup.

I also predict that the top English scorer in the Premiership won't get an England call up, but the worst off-form striker will. McLaren also won't pick any fit players - he'll pick his usual crocks. Oh, and he'll persuade Jimmy Greaves to come out of retirement at the age of 107 years old, to replace the in-form Darren Bent - who can't play any more for England because he's going on a run of 5 goals in 4 games.

[Lord FK]

Each season has its revelations, young players that step it up a notch in the top flight and make fans sit up & take notice. Last season we saw players such as Leroy Lita, Tom Huddlestone and Matt Derbyshire step up a notch; who do you guys think will play up a storm this season?

I'm liking the prospects of Gareth Bale, David Nugent and Giles Barnes so far. What young guns do you guys think will shine in the big time this season?

[Lazarus]

Everton have made a cracking signing in Leighton Baines from Wigan I reckon, I think he'll put in some storming performances this year too

[sypickle]

Arsenal
Man Utd
Chelsea
Portsmouth!!

Liverpool
Blackburn
Man City
Everton
Tottenham
West Ham
Newcastle
Sunderland
Villa
Birmingham
Fulham
Bolton
Wigan

Reading
Middlesbrough
Derby

[Lazarus]

I'm slightly annoyed that I didn't think Arsenal would do well without Henry this year. I predicted them for the title last year lol

Then again, as Mr Pickle may remember, I've been predicting Arsenal's invincible revival for a while now - if not this year probably again in the next season or two I think. And I still consider a full season unbeaten to be a better achievement than the treble

[Carl Briggs]

I'd love to see Fulham go down this year - they've been boring to watch for the last few years, and always manage to survive with a couple of games left to go. They're not good enough for the Premiership in my opinion.

As for Portsmouth - well, they fully deserve to be fourth. I saw them play on Saturday, and they're the most entertaining team i've watched this year after Arsenal. I'd much rather watch Portsmouth than Chelsea, Liverpool or Man Utd.

I've said it before, and i've said it again - Harry Redknapp is a very under-rated manager, and I think the FA should seriously consider him as England manager when Steve Mclaren is sacked.

On a side note, Bolton's position just highlights what miracles Allardyce performed there. Now that he's gone, they're looking like a Championship side.

[Andy Cain]

Its late like so Im just gonna do the top 5

Man U
Chelsea
Arsenal
Liverpool
Everton

Buuuuut If Arsenal get a good run in against Liverpool and Everton prevail at Anfield then it may look like this...

Man U
Arsenal
Chelsea
Everton
Liverpool

Its defo an exciting close to the season