Predictions: Premiership, CL and Relegation

Prem-
Chelsea
City
Spurs (if they keep Bale)
United

Relegation-
Sunderland
Hull
Palace

Champs-
Bayern
 
It's a very tough call to make, deciding who will be 2014 Premier League champion. The top 3 will be City, Chelsea and United, but it's the order of those 3 sides that's hard to pick. All three have a new manager and, as such, all three will need to cope with changes to matchday tactics, training methods etc, how quickly the respective squads adapt to these changes will undoubtedly decide which of the three squads will finish top of the pile. My head tells me that Chelsea, and Mourinho, will be able to adapt quicker and that they will finish as champions. City I feel will be runners up again, with United finishing in third. United haven't strengthened their squad really (Zaha apart) and Moyes is not going to be able to wring as much from a modest squad as Ferguson was able to do. The fight for 4th and 5th will be a north London affair between Arsenal and Spurs, Arsenal haven't missed out on Champion's League football for over a decade, whereas Spurs have qualified just once (although that's a little harsh given they finished in 4th in 2012 only to see Chelsea win the Champion's League and relegate them to the Europa League). I think Spurs have addressed some of their weaknesses whereas Arsenal seem to be in penny pinching mode again, linked to names such as Higuain, Suarez etc but as yet no real impact signing. If Arsenal sign Suarez I think they'll finish 4th, if they don't then I think Spurs will finish 4th. It's really a coin toss between the two sides for me.

PREMIER LEAGUE WINNER

1 - Chelsea
2 - City
3 - United

As for the relegation zone, I think all three promoted sides will find it a real struggle. They are the weakest promoted sides, as a group, we've had in a long while. Apparently not one of those three sides had a player with 10 or more league goals last season, that's a hell of a big hole to fill, and an expensive one. Sides simply can't survive in the Premier League without a goalscorer. For me both Hull and Crystal Palace are doomed, their squads are pretty poor, their funding isn't really sufficient, they're just overall not very good. Cardiff are in with more of a shout when it comes to survival, they might have more money to spend, and in Caulker and (potentially) Capoue they'll have two very capable players. However I still feel it'll be too much for Cardiff and the three promoted sides will be the three to go down. Norwich, Sunderland and Stoke I feel will all struggle. With Sunderland I just don't rate Di Canio as a manager, and with an entire new side it seems there are bound to be teething issues. Stoke are trying to adapt to a new style of football, and Hughes has already proven at QPR he's far from a good manager. They might be more open and attacking, but "Fortress Britannia" will no longer hold the same fear for sides. Norwich don't have a big squad, and are weak in the defensive third, but in Hooper and Van Wolfswinkel they will score goals (plus Fer is highly rated, and there's talk of Quagliarella from Juventus coming in, which would be somewhat of a coup for them). There's certainly the potential for any of those 3 sides to go down, but all would seem to have stronger squads than those promoted sides.

RELEGATED

18 - Cardiff
19 - Hull
20 - Crystal Palace

As for the champion's league, there are only a few sides capable of winning it, but not as many as some might think. For me, I'd be surprised, if the winner wasn't from the following list:-

Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Paris SG
Real Madrid

There's always the potential for someone to "do a Chelsea" and win it despite at no point looking like a side capable of doing so, but that's not really something you can predict. I don't see the Italian trio of AC Milan, Juventus or Napoli having any real shot at winning it, and the English quartet or Chelsea, City, United and Arsenal are either not good enough, or else will have domestic battles that will ultimately see them fall short in Europe. Borussia Dortmund might have been in the list but, I feel, last season was their big chance. I don't see them putting it together for a second season. For me I think Bayern Munich will make it 3 finals in a row, and I think they will become the first side to retain the Champion's League since it changed it's name to that from the European Cup.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Bayern Munich
 
Prem:-
well as the 'Happy One' said, its up to six teams to win and i think city will have a slow start but should win it so here is my prediction:-

1st City
2nd Chelsea
3rd LFC (Think we will surprise a few)
4th UTD

I expect a few comments and just to say its my prediction maybe a bit over the top but by october we might get a betterr idea on whats going to happen.

18th Stoke
19th Hull
20th Newcastle

Again this is my prediction but this year is going to be the hardest year to call anything.

Champions League:-
PSG-Real Madrid final!!! Madrid to win on penalty's!

Again this is the same as the premier league, most teams have new managers so it is really hard to say, also you will get a good idea after the 4th group game
 
LFC-Jay said:
Prem:-
well as the 'Happy One' said, its up to six teams to win and i think city will have a slow start but should win it so here is my prediction:-

1st City
2nd Chelsea
3rd LFC (Think we will surprise a few)
4th UTD

I expect a few comments and just to say its my prediction maybe a bit over the top but by october we might get a betterr idea on whats going to happen.

18th Stoke
19th Hull
20th Newcastle

Again this is my prediction but this year is going to be the hardest year to call anything.

Champions League:-
PSG-Real Madrid final!!! Madrid to win on penalty's!

Again this is the same as the premier league, most teams have new managers so it is really hard to say, also you will get a good idea after the 4th group game
Click to expand...
I totally understand people being bullish about their sides chances, but Liverpool to finish in third, ahead of United, Spurs and Arsenal, is just not going to happen. Liverpool have 2 truly world class players, one of those is 33 and on the decline, and the other is absolutely desperate to get the hell out of there. Suarez will either leave, or else be stunningly unmotivated, either way he's of no use to you. Liverpool will finish 6th. At the absolute limits of credibility you could claim Liverpool will finish 5th. They've no chance of a Champion's League spot. Liverpool finished 12 points adrift of 4th last season. Hell, they finished 28 points behind United. Even with Ferguson gone, and Moyes as a replacement, the mere suggestion that Liverpool are capable of clawing back such a huge gap is pretty farcical if we're being honest.
 
Matty said:
LFC-Jay said:
Prem:-
well as the 'Happy One' said, its up to six teams to win and i think city will have a slow start but should win it so here is my prediction:-

1st City
2nd Chelsea
3rd LFC (Think we will surprise a few)
4th UTD

I expect a few comments and just to say its my prediction maybe a bit over the top but by october we might get a betterr idea on whats going to happen.

18th Stoke
19th Hull
20th Newcastle

Again this is my prediction but this year is going to be the hardest year to call anything.

Champions League:-
PSG-Real Madrid final!!! Madrid to win on penalty's!

Again this is the same as the premier league, most teams have new managers so it is really hard to say, also you will get a good idea after the 4th group game
Click to expand...
I totally understand people being bullish about their sides chances, but Liverpool to finish in third, ahead of United, Spurs and Arsenal, is just not going to happen. Liverpool have 2 truly world class players, one of those is 33 and on the decline, and the other is absolutely desperate to get the hell out of there. Suarez will either leave, or else be stunningly unmotivated, either way he's of no use to you. Liverpool will finish 6th. At the absolute limits of credibility you could claim Liverpool will finish 5th. They've no chance of a Champion's League spot. Liverpool finished 12 points adrift of 4th last season. Hell, they finished 28 points behind United. Even with Ferguson gone, and Moyes as a replacement, the mere suggestion that Liverpool are capable of clawing back such a huge gap is pretty farcical if we're being honest.
Click to expand...
i knew i looked foolish saying that but thats what i felt, tbh i will explain why i said this well i can see united having a poor start and if im honest moyes really isnt proven and it will only take one bad result in the first 6 games before the pressure will build on moyes, remember he won nothing at everton so this will already give big amount of pressure on moyes as well as that he's replacing SAF also i cant see spurs doing well with out bale, there is no one they can get to replace bale and it was shown last season how vital he was, also i feel LFC can replace suarez, i mean Sturridge will get 20 goals a season if he stays fit, but you have to remember LFC hold all the cards here with Suarez! Also arsenal will have the same squad as last year it seems, i can guarantee they wont get suarez and they actually that daft there not looking for other players, also i think spurs really need to buy a other striker with maybe a new lb. Tbh this is all based on paper and media talk as well as a bit of delusion but i think the only way to get a solid prediction is to come back here after 4-6 games and see whats happend!
 
LFC-Jay said:
Matty said:
LFC-Jay said:
Prem:-
well as the 'Happy One' said, its up to six teams to win and i think city will have a slow start but should win it so here is my prediction:-

1st City
2nd Chelsea
3rd LFC (Think we will surprise a few)
4th UTD

I expect a few comments and just to say its my prediction maybe a bit over the top but by october we might get a betterr idea on whats going to happen.

18th Stoke
19th Hull
20th Newcastle

Again this is my prediction but this year is going to be the hardest year to call anything.

Champions League:-
PSG-Real Madrid final!!! Madrid to win on penalty's!

Again this is the same as the premier league, most teams have new managers so it is really hard to say, also you will get a good idea after the 4th group game
Click to expand...
I totally understand people being bullish about their sides chances, but Liverpool to finish in third, ahead of United, Spurs and Arsenal, is just not going to happen. Liverpool have 2 truly world class players, one of those is 33 and on the decline, and the other is absolutely desperate to get the hell out of there. Suarez will either leave, or else be stunningly unmotivated, either way he's of no use to you. Liverpool will finish 6th. At the absolute limits of credibility you could claim Liverpool will finish 5th. They've no chance of a Champion's League spot. Liverpool finished 12 points adrift of 4th last season. Hell, they finished 28 points behind United. Even with Ferguson gone, and Moyes as a replacement, the mere suggestion that Liverpool are capable of clawing back such a huge gap is pretty farcical if we're being honest.
Click to expand...
i knew i looked foolish saying that but thats what i felt, tbh i will explain why i said this well i can see united having a poor start and if im honest moyes really isnt proven and it will only take one bad result in the first 6 games before the pressure will build on moyes, remember he won nothing at everton so this will already give big amount of pressure on moyes as well as that he's replacing SAF also i cant see spurs doing well with out bale, there is no one they can get to replace bale and it was shown last season how vital he was, also i feel LFC can replace suarez, i mean Sturridge will get 20 goals a season if he stays fit, but you have to remember LFC hold all the cards here with Suarez! Also arsenal will have the same squad as last year it seems, i can guarantee they wont get suarez and they actually that daft there not looking for other players, also i think spurs really need to buy a other striker with maybe a new lb. Tbh this is all based on paper and media talk as well as a bit of delusion but i think the only way to get a solid prediction is to come back here after 4-6 games and see whats happend!
Click to expand...
People seem to be focusing on Moyes and his impact here, and that's understandable. He has no track record of winning things, and he's clearly not in the same bracket as the man he's replacing, so the pressure will be on, and any run of poor results will be jumped on and used to show how Moyes is not the man for the job. However what seems to be being ignored in all of this is that the United squad is still the same squad that won last seasons Premeir League title at a canter, obviously Ferguson had a hand in that, but you can't just dismiss the team based on a change of management. If Rooney leaves then I can see United replacing him, so the squad will stay pretty much as it is ability wise. I can't see them getting Fabregas, and Ronaldo is just a laughable suggestion, but Moyes will bring in someone for the midfield area, even if it is someone of a lesser ability. United will be a top 3 side, they are too strong for the likes of Arsenal, Spurs or Liverpool to overhawl them, regardless of the "Moyes factor".

If Bale leaves Spurs then Spurs will obviously be weakened, however it looks like they'll be getting £80m+ for him. That's a SHIT LOAD of money, even Levy, with his natural tendency to be conservative with the funds, will be able to bring in 2 or 3 really top quality players for that kind of money. I don't see Bale leaving meaning Spurs are actually any worse off, yes he's a quality player, but he's just one player, sometimes you are better off spreading the quality. The interest in Bale could end up being a blessing in disguise for Spurs (as long as they don't "do a United" and pocket the cash like they did with the Ronaldo money).

Your argument that Bale is irreplaceable but Suarez can be replaced isn't one I can agree with. Both players carried their sides for the majority of last season, and the loss of both would be devastating (if the funds aren't reinvested successfully). Maybe, if Liverpool get £45m for Suarez, they can find a suitable replacement. The issue they have is that Suarez was equally as important to them as Bale was to Spurs, yet Spurs look like getting over £80m for Bale and I can't see Suarez commanding much more than the £40m offer currently on the table. For £80m you can bring in 4 players of real quality to total reinvent Spurs, for, lets say, £45m you can't get "another Suarez". Yes, you too can bring in a couple of £20m players, but replacing 1 player with 2 lesser players isn't improving the squad too much. You say Sturridge will get 20 goals this season, I just don't see how you can make that claim. Is it possible? I suppose so, but it's not likely. His time at Liverpool has been his most prolific by some distance for a club, you'd need him to continue in that kind of form to have any real chance reaching 20 goals. He's only really had 1 full season for any club where he's made regular appearances, 2011-12 at Chelsea, he made over 40 appearances, and scored 13 goals. Even with more starts, and greater experience, a jump to 20 goals a season, is a big leap to make, it's certainly not something you can bank on as a certainty.

You say Arsenal will have pretty much the same squad as last season, that seems pretty likely. However they are letting both Chamakh and Gervinho go, that wouldn't be happening if they weren't going to bring in another striker. You also say you can "guarantee" they won't get Suarez, I completely disagree. Liverpool know Suarez is going to leave, it's now just a matter of trying to get as much money as possible for him at this stage. Technically Liverpool could keep Suarez, he's under contract and it seems the clause he thought he had, and the agreement with the club, are not enough to force Liverpool into letting him go, so yes they do "hold all the cards". However this is modern football, it's naive to believe because Liverpool CAN force Suarez to stay, that he has no power in this. When a player wants to go he almost invariably does so, the Modric scenario is far from the norm. When you also factor in Suarez's temperament, and the possibility that he would be disruptive to Liverpool's squad, and far from motivated to perform, then his exit is the best solution for all concerned. That being the case, Liverpool would absolutely allow him to go to Arsenal, if an acceptable fee is offered. It's also naive to assume that Arsenal don't have a "plan B". In the same way that I have no doubt United are looking at lesser players than Fabregas in the background, I also believe Arsenal will have alternatives to Suarez in mind. They were linked to Higuain before Suarez so they haven't just been a one target club here. You say Spurs need another striker, and a left back. I agree. With the £80m+ they get from Bale they can more than afford to strengthen these areas. They need to get a move on, let Bale go now rather than in 2 or 3 weeks time, and give themselves time to bring in the players they'll need, but they are more than capable of making the required strengthening steps.

Obviously, at this stage, this is all based on transfer rumours, potential moves in the transfer market, and the squads available on paper. Who would have thuoght, at the start of last season, that United would win the league with such ease? Or that the talent on display at both City and Chelsea would underperform in the league as much as they did? Once we get to the start of October we'll have more of an idea where teams stand, and what we can expect from the upcoming season.
 
Premiership

1. City
2. Chelsea
3. United
4. Tottenham

Bottom 3

18. Villa
19. Hull
20. Palace

Champions League

Real Madrid

No team has won it back to back, I think Pep may change Bayern too much to stamp his mark on them and that will require some adjustment so whilst for me they are the best team overall I think everyone will be looking to beat them and can see them getting knocked out at semi final stage.

Barca have taken a bit of the pressure off Messi by signing Neymar who will do well in La Liga and draw on that confidence in Europe. He will require close marking and allows more space to other players and so they will fight back from last years drubbing. But Real for me will win the Champions League, they have a great squad of players and have improved. They also have a manager who will add some stability and go about things quietly and effectively. It is the trophy they want the most and I think this will be their year.

We will see a massive improvement from City and I think we will get out of the group. I think as we will be challenging on several fronts we will see a dip at some stage and think quarters or semis at best. A massive improvement and a great achievement for what is looking like a refined squad. For me we still lack a bit of strength in depth that the top European sides have. If Fernandinho or Yaya is injured we have good replacements but when up against the top teams in Europe will Barry, Milner or Rodwell cut it???
 
Top
City
Chelsea
Arsenal
Tott
uniTard

Bot
Villa
Palace
Hull

I have my reservations over Everton with Martinez, he's on proving ground now, I think he was in his element at Wigan, and only with Wigan.

We'll edge the title because we have members of the squad looking to push for the national sides. Chelsea have players that are cemented in their respective countries. My only reservation with our squad is the goalkeeper spot, Panty has been on superb form every time I have seen him, and recently much better than Hart. Hopefully there won't be any drama or fallout if Hart takes a back seat for a while.

United have looked ridiculous pre-season with a strange balance of the squad getting game time. Their core players are twindelling fast and Moyes and his coaching team will be lost. United will be scrapping to push the upper echelon of top places for a while. Obviously biased but it isn't without merit from what I think and have seen.



CL
Barcelona will win it despite the romping they got this time round. Neymar's on a crusade to be the best player ever and Messi and co are undeniably fantastic. They just need to strengthen in defense.
We'll reach the semis.
 
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