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Top 4 in EPL this season?
It's an exciting time of the year. That time just before the start of the season. The time when you dream that this will be the year that your team does well. And when you secretly fear it may all go horribly wring.
It's also the time when the BBC "experts" (sheep) give their thoughts.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66434067
25 of 26 have Man City 1st. Props to the 1 actually brave enough to go for someone else-Arsenal.
Top 4? All 26 go for Man City/Arsenal. 22 Man Utd. 21 Liverpool.
Rest? Nowhere. Chelsea 3, Villa 2, Newcastle 2, everyone else 0.
Man City are deservedly favourites. But the odds look deeply unattractive-particularly after realising their CL dream last year.
Most overrated? Liverpool. Sold experience. Bought potential. Would not surprise me to see Klopp leave this season.
I believe there are 9 clubs that might make the top 4. The 7 mentioned, plus Brighton and Spurs.
My top 4?
1. Man Utd 2. Man City 3. Arsenal 4. Newcastle
It's also the time when the BBC "experts" (sheep) give their thoughts.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66434067
25 of 26 have Man City 1st. Props to the 1 actually brave enough to go for someone else-Arsenal.
Top 4? All 26 go for Man City/Arsenal. 22 Man Utd. 21 Liverpool.
Rest? Nowhere. Chelsea 3, Villa 2, Newcastle 2, everyone else 0.
Man City are deservedly favourites. But the odds look deeply unattractive-particularly after realising their CL dream last year.
Most overrated? Liverpool. Sold experience. Bought potential. Would not surprise me to see Klopp leave this season.
I believe there are 9 clubs that might make the top 4. The 7 mentioned, plus Brighton and Spurs.
My top 4?
1. Man Utd 2. Man City 3. Arsenal 4. Newcastle
Comments
Kaneand Son up top under Ange could be quality......maddison was a good signing tae.......suppose it all hangs on the defence.City, United, Arsenal,
Spursfor me.edit; city, united, arsenal, liverpool
If Spurs finish in the top 4 I will show my 4rse in Tesco Hanley car park on a Saturday afternoon.
Thought the Banning Order was still in place
Looking down to the little leagues, Stoke seem to have bought well, and may well have a better season
Arsenal will probably finish runners up, don’t like the signature of the Chelsea flop, especially at that price. They didn’t upgrade at centre half either, the guy on the left side is a liability and got shown as such when his partner got injured late last season. The youngsters have All added vital experience and I expect them to push City hard.
United made their best signing last year and he never kicked a ball for them. The manager worked wonders, got rid of the poisonous Renaldo and managed to create a team from what was left. Still think they’re a year and two transfer windows away from competing for the title.
Liverpool need to stay fit, another team who need to improve at the back, this may cost them second or third. The young lad on the left and the ex Wolves man missed so much time and in turn the team suffered in their absence. Midfield, which absolutely needed an overhaul, Milner really should be using his bus pass, has improved and I could see them in any of the three places behind City.
Newcastle had a tremendous season, not sure if they can repeat a top four finish, but they should be fun to watch and European nights will be a fitting reward for their success starved rabid fan base.
Spurs are a difficult one to call, they probably should have sold Kane two years ago, they look to be getting top money for a guy who I think is on the downward slope of his very good career. However, Spurs have been atrocious at spending the money they have got in for their departing stars in the past, so unless this manager has it in his contract that he has last say on targets, I cannot see them finishing higher than sixth or seventh.
Brighton could surprise everyone this season, either way, good or bad. Influential players have been sold before, making them look vulnerable, only for players to appear from their system and make supporters forget about those they have lost. Can they continue that trend? The big worry for me is the Thursday Sunday slog , jetting around far flung European cities, playing in a competition that doesn’t bring the financial benefits of the Champions League , but gives you all the other rubbish that entails. If they finish top six it will be a super achievement.
Villa, can they possibly do as well as last season? I may be wrong but I expect a bit of a struggle to finish above eight or ninth.
I’ve not mentioned Chelsea, just don’t know what to expect, really good manager, they’ve exploited the financial fair play to the max ( what a joke the FFP rules are) they have spent so much money on not very good players , you could see them finishing outside the top ten, but I go back to the manager, he’s very very good, he didn’t sign up without thinking that there are players he can work with. I just don’t see them scoring goals, especially if the toblerone footed Sterling is their main threat.
Hey ho this could all look very silly in nine months time, the beautiful thing is, everyone starts with dreams intact, at least for another 24 hours
That made me chuckle.
My guesses differ from yours Nick. But you are quite right in that no-one knows what will happen. That's the beauty of football.
Looking back at last year, this thread shows:-
1. My worst prediction was Man Utd to be 1st. Ten Hag was always going to be great or awful-amazed he is still there
2. Best prediction was that Klopp would move on
3. Pleased to see that Tescos Hanley were all fervent Aston Villa supporters at the end of the season
This season the BBC pundits have actually done some work, rather than just cut and pasting the then supposed Top 4.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cp8nkkwjk39o
All 30 gone for Man City/Arsenal. 27 for Liverpool. 6 other teams get a mention.
Looking at Oddschecker yesterday, the standout odds for me were:-
Top 4. Liverpool to short at 4/7. Aston Villa at 15/4 looked too long.
Relegation? Leicester/Ipswich too short. Southampton 27/20, Forest 11/4, Brentford 5/1 and Bournemouth at 9/1 had more appeal.
This was a great shout by @Essexphil
"Would not surprise me to see Klopp leave this season"
Liverpool have 2 massive problems at the minute.
Their defence has been built around the brilliant van Dijk for 5 or 6 years. Pace. Power. Positioning. Organiser. He is 33. Looked to be on the slide season before last. The World Cup season saw him back to his best. Now?
Their attack has been built round Salah for 6 or 7 years. He is 32. And, for me at least, he is good but not the World class player he was 2 years ago.
Liverpool have lots of good players coming through. Still the 3rd best side in the Premier League. But look a lot closer to the chasing pack than the 2 in front. To me, at least.
Compare/contrast with Man City. De Bruyne has been brilliant for years. Looks to be past his best. And City have already got his replacement in place.