Pre Season Predictions

[west didsblue]

Thought it might be interesting (to some) to list pundits, journalists and former players pre-season predictions, copied from a few websites.
Only 8 out of 98 predicted City to win the league.
26 predicted us to be 4th and three "experts" predicted us to be out of the top 4 (Robbie Savage, David James and Dion Dublin)

Edit: Found a few more

Telegraph
Henry Winter Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Liverpool
Jeremy Wilson Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Paul Hayward Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Alan Smith Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Matt Law Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Jason Burt Manchester United Manchester City Chelsea Asenal
Mark Ogden Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Chris Bascombe Chelsea Manchester City Liverpool Arsenal
John Percy Chelsea Manchester City Manchester United Arsenal
Guardian
Daniel Taylor Manchester City
Barney Ronay Manchester City
Simon Burnton Chelsea
Paul Doyle Arsenal
Dominic Fifield Chelsea
Andy Hunter Chelsea
David Hytner Chelsea
Jamie Jackson Chelsea
Jacob Steinberg Chelsea
Louise Taylor Arsenal
Paul Wilson Chelsea
Mail
JAMIE REDKNAPP Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
JAMIE CARRAGHER Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
LEE CLAYTON Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
JEFF POWELL Arsenal Chelsea Manchester United Manchester City
OLIVER HOLT Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal Manchester City
IAN LADYMAN Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
DOMINIC KING Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
ROB DRAPER Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Manchester City
RIATH AL-SAMARRAI Chelsea Manchester United Manchester City Arsenal
MIKE KEEGAN Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
LAURIE WHITWELL Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Manchester City
JOE BERNSTEIN Manchester City Chelsea Arsenal Liverpool
CRAIG HOPE Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
SAM CUNNINGHAM Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
MATT LAWTON Chelsea Manchester United Manchester City Arsenal
CHRIS WHEELER Chelsea Manchester City Manchester United Arsenal
MATT BARLOW Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Mirror
Dave Kidd Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
John Cross Manchester City Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal
Simon Bird Chelsea Manchester City Manchester United Arsenal
David Maddock Chelsea Manchester United Liverpool Arsenal
James Nursey Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Liverpool
David McDonnell Chelsea Manchester United Manchester City Arsenal
Adrian Kajumba Arsenal Chelsea Manchester United Manchester City
Darren Lewis Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Manchester City
Mike Walters Arsenal Manchester United Chelsea Manchester City
Neil McLeman Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
BT
Robbie Savage Manchester United Arsenal Chelsea Liverpool Manchester City
David James Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal Liverpool Manchester City
Michael Owen Chelsea Manchester City Manchester United Liverpool
BBC
Alan Shearer Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Ruud Gullit Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Jason Roberts Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Jacqui Oatley Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Steve Bower Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Rachel Brown-Finnis Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Jermaine Jenas Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Manchester City
Kevin Kilbane Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Manchester City
Jonathan Pearce Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Manchester City
Ian Dennis Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Manchester City
Alistair Bruce-Ball Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Manchester City
Gary Lineker Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Mark Lawrenson Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
John Hartson Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Chris Sutton Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Graeme Le Saux Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Conor McNamara Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Pat Nevin Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal Manchester City
Guy Mowbray Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal Manchester City
Dan Walker Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal Manchester City
Danny Mills Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal Manchester City
John Murray Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal Manchester City
Ian Wright Arsenal Chelsea Manchester United Manchester City
Gabby Logan Arsenal Chelsea Manchester United Manchester City
Didi Hamann Arsenal Chelsea Manchester United Manchester City
Trevor Sinclair Arsenal Chelsea Manchester City Manchester United
Dion Dublin Manchester United Chelsea Arsenal Liverpool
Steve Wilson Manchester United Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City
Chris Waddle Manchester City Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United
Alistair Mann Manchester City Manchester United Chelsea Arsenal
Sky
Matt Le Tissier Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Paul Merson Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Liverpool
Charlie Nicholas Arsenal Chelsea Manchester United Manchester City
Phil Thompson Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Graeme Souness Manchester City Chelsea Arsenal Liverpool
Martin Keown Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City Manchester United
Talksport
Danny Higginbotham Chelsea Manchester United Arsenal Manchester City
Alan Brazil Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Micky Gray Manchester United Chelsea Arsenal Manchester City
Ray Parlour Arsenal Chelsea Manchester City Manchester United
Danny Murphy Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Stan Collymore Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United
Daily Star
Jeremy Cross Chelsea Manchester City Manchester United Arsenal
David Woods Manchester City Chelsea Arsenal Liverpool
Chris McKenna Chelsea Manchester City Manchester United Arsenal
Ian Murtagh Arsenal Manchester United Chelsea Manchester City
Dave Armitage Chelsea Arsenal Manchester United Manchester City
Paul Brown Chelsea Manchester City Arsenal Manchester United

 

[Mikejl]

Think Souness is the only one close

 

[aguero93:20]

Is Joe Bernstein any relation to David Bernstein?

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

It might be interesting in April or May but it's certainly not in September. We've only played FOUR games! These some called experts have furnished anyone who wants to listen to/read them with 'opinions' not fact.
There is also a worrying trend on here at the minute; that of various threads implying that the title is already won and we can sit back, get a cigar on and laugh at all the naysayers. I rather suspect it won't be quite so straightforward!

 

[SWP's back]

Robbie Savage is a ****.

 

[SWP's back]

David James is also a ****.

 

[west didsblue]

It might be interesting in April or May but it's certainly not in September. We've only played FOUR games! These some called experts have furnished anyone who wants to listen to/read them with 'opinions' not fact.
There is also a worrying trend on here at the minute; that of various threads implying that the title is already won and we can sit back, get a cigar on and laugh at all the naysayers. I rather suspect it won't be quite so straightforward!

No implication from me that the title is won. I did it now while it's fresh in the mind and it will be interesting to come back to it in the Spring. Many on here also predicted Chelsea and anyone who did that was certainly justified in that prediction a month ago. Having said that, it's probably not too early to laugh at Robbie Savage, David James and Dion Dublin.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

No implication from me that the title is won. I did it now while it's fresh in the mind and it will be interesting to come back to it in the Spring. Many on here also predicted Chelsea and anyone who did that was certainly justified in that prediction a month ago. Having said that, it's probably not too early to laugh at Robbie Savage, David James and Dion Dublin.

It is never too early to laugh at Larry, Curly and Moe!

 

[MadchesterCity]

Posted this before but for those that missed it and have recovered from the eye strain

Robbie Savage has Arsenal to finish second and third in that listing!

that's a good point - an error on my part! But to be fair even he doesn't know which position the top 4 will be if you read conflicting reports ;)

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/robbie-savage-predicts-premier-league-6213328

5th - Manchester City

Too many people in Manuel Pellegrini’s team want to run forwards, not backwards – and they haven’t solved the problem.

I’m not sure Raheem Sterling is worth £49m based on eight goals and seven assists last season.
And if Sergio Aguero is injured, Wilfried Bony will not fire them to the title.

4th - Liverpool

Christian Benteke, Firmino, James Milner and Nathaniel Clyne will go straight into the first team, and when Daniel Sturridge is fit again they could force their way back into the top four. But manager Brendan Rodgers desperately needs a good start.

3rd - Chelsea

Never, ever write off Jose Mourinho, and the Special One will grind out enough wins to stay in contention for back-to-back titles.
But I would fear for them if Diego Costa is injured – because Radamel Falcao looks off the pace and Loic Remy won’t make them champions again.

2nd - Arsenal
This is their best chance of winning the title since the Invincibles season.

The Gunners have pace to burn up front, Alexis Sanchez is world class, they have a glittering array of midfield talent and new goalkeeper Petr Cech’s safe hands will be worth five to 10 points alone.

1st - Manchester United
I'm not going to back down now - United remain my tip for the title, but they must resolve the goalkeeping situation.

If David De Gea is not going to play against Tottenham because his mind is elsewhere, perhaps it's best for all concerned if they let him go to Real Madrid and bring in a world-class replacement.

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/...tions-for-bpl-season-bt-sport-sky-sports.html

Robbie Savage (BT Sport)
Who do you think will be the champions and why?
Manchester United. They have bought well. It should be one of the tightest races for the title we have seen. I would go for United, Arsenal, Chelsea and then Manchester City.

United have resolved the central midfield problem with Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Add to that Carrick, Herrera and Fellaini, who did well last year.”

Top four prediction
1. Manchester United, 2. Arsenal, 3. Chelsea, 4. Manchester City.

 

[Bozzie]

Is Joe Bernstein any relation to David Bernstein?

I used to read his match reports in the MOS. I swear to God the guy has never set foot inside The Etihad because I never recognised any of the matches he described as being the same as the one I'd watched.

 

[west didsblue]

Just realised there's two Mirror journos to add to the list that predicted us outside the top 4 - David Maddock and James Nursey.

 

[malg]

I'll wait a bit longer before slating them.

 

[west didsblue]

Bump

No implication from me that the title is won. I did it now while it's fresh in the mind and it will be interesting to come back to it in the Spring. Many on here also predicted Chelsea and anyone who did that was certainly justified in that prediction a month ago. Having said that, it's probably not too early to laugh at Robbie Savage, David James and Dion Dublin.

Might have to eat humble pie next week.

No-one's going to do better than 2/4. Surprised no-one at all had Tottenham in the top four. As for Leicester, I think everyone can be excused for not predicting them.

 

[super_city_si]

Haha Savage got it bang on in his assessment of us, maybe on position too.