Premiership Prospects

The Premiership season is half way through, with Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea looking like they'll be fighting it out for the title and anywhere up to 10 clubs still looking anxiously over their shoulder at the relegation zone. What do you predict is going to happen over the second half of the season?

My money is on United to win the league - I'd love to see Chelsea do it, but I think the constant changing and rotation is going to hurt them in the long run. I don't think more big signings in January will help from that perspective either. I reckon Arsenal will suffer because of their lack of strength in depth just as they did last season.

My money would be on Newcastle to claim 4th again, Liverpool are just too inconsistent and I just struggle to see the likes of Charlton, Fulham and Birmingham coping with the end of season pressure that afflicts those high up the league.

For relegation I think Wolves are certs, and I'd tip Spurs and Leicester to go with them. I've seen Spurs a couple of times this season and they really are witless, spinless and leaderless.

Any opinions?

id say man united will probably get it purely based on squad strength and experience and id say chelsea will come second and probably do best of all the english teams in the champions league. i fancy everton to go down though.

Hopefully Bolton or Fulham or someone fluke the CL and a ''big'' club (Spurs) go down, it's getting too predictable.

Also Rooney and Vosell coming good is very worrying. England to win Euro 2004 anyone ?

My money has been down on United from the start, with Bolton and Portsmouth for relegation. I still confident in Utd coming through but SA has surprised me at Bolton. He has done better than I expected and a bit more and would be forth in my ladder of prem managers (1 Fergie, 2 Wenger, 3 Curbs), so that is lookin dodgy but I still see Pompey going down with one from Wolves/Leeds. Despite Wolves bein bottom I cant help but think that they still have a chance, this year will be closer than ever top and bottom and I can see them still being there about with 3 games to go. Leicester havnt got beat (roughly) by more than one goal except again manu and might just sneak it. To say Everton will go down is strange and if you could let us know why they have a better chance of getting relegated than any of the above I for one would like to hear it. For me Spurs really do have to much quality and experience but Pleat managing any club is a worry.


On to Euro 2004, I looked at England and thought yeah why not? Then crossed then reluctantly off, then I was watchin the Jimmy Hills Sunday Supplement (Im still sayin the penence) but on it Peter Bracley (a Scot) said that he thought that England would win either that or the next WC. His reasoning being that they are unbeaton competitly except for Brazil, they should have Gary Neville back in defence, Gerrard back in midfield and a partner for Owen in Rooney thus strenghting the team in each area. Its a good arguement and I had a rethink but its still the AAIItalians for me.


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The Title
As much as it pains me to say it Man Utd look like they have the consistancy, drive and stability to win it again. However with Ferdinand facing the ban a few injuries at the back and one to Mr. Keane and Mr. Van Nistelrooy and it could be a different story.

Arsenal are still unbeaten but an injury to Henry and their title challenge is over. Fact! If he stays fit they are still genuine title contenders.

Chelsea lack the stability and at Charlton their defence was a shambles. Minus Duff and Crespo they lack invention. Not long enough time to gel will cost them.

Relegation

Wolves
Leicester
Portsmouth

The three that went up are going straight back down - as the gap between the elite and Division One grows bigger.

I know Neville is no world beater, but hes far better than Mills and has a very effective understanding with Beckham down the right. As for Stevie G, he has played 20 times for England, in those 20 games England are yet to be beaton. Put it down to luck if u want but he is producing.

Ferguson has said that United would win the premership without Van nistelrooy whereas Arsenal wont win it with out Henry, so they should be ok for another title this year.

Relegation is very interesting this year but I see Man City closer to the CL than Nationwide, they are only 9pts off Charlton and Fowler could be finding his form atlast and all those players KK brought in during the close season should be settled at this stage and with that do better things in 2004. Bolton too are still far from safe five pts off the relegation zone and just seeningly coming out of a good patch. Interesting that they have Javi Moreno lined up as a loanee for the rest of the season, SA showing his shrewdness again but like I say it aint over for another 19 games.

prem.
1.Chelsea
2.Arsesnal
3.United
4.Liverpool
relegated.
leeds
leicester
wolves

Fa Cup.
United or Liverpool

League cup
Arsenal

Champs league
Juve,man u or Chelsea

Uefa cup
Liverpool or barca

I Hope it's Chelsea's year even if they buy their way to the title.Duff to score the winner in the champ's league final and be crowned european player of the year for 2004 would be brilliant.'Pool content with cup runs,again.:( Hope the two big sh!tes manure and arse get nothing but can see united being the strongest brit club in cl.

Ferguson is full of crap. He says one thing in public just to take the pressure off or put it on someone else. If the Dutchman got injured they would struggle big time as would Arsenal without Henry. Keane is right that United need another striker.

The relegation fight and the fight for fourth place/ UEFA Cup is more interesting than the fight for the title this year IMO.

I was just making a point earlier that England have a decent chance in the Euros, I said that it didnt change my opinion and was mearly stating the facts of the matter. Gerrard is an excellant young player and you only know how good you are when you've been challanaged, he has passed all tests put in front of him and deserves credit. Which brings me back to Chelsea, they have yet to answer their critics and why people continue to expect them to win the CL and/or the league is strange espessially when you consider that there are other proven teams there that have done it year after year.

Agree with ya Steve G is a great player and with Micky Owen in front of him an even better player.Gerrard and Scholes is a world class centre midfield partnership.

As for Chelsea the reason everyone is backing them this year is because they have brought together the best squad of players in the world(sorry,Real) in a very short period of time.The fact is if they don't do it this year they will next.
Plus Ranieri is a great manager.

DONT REALLY GIVE A FLYING FCUK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally posted by thecorner
DONT REALLY GIVE A FLYING FCUK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Corner .... i hear ya !!

I am reading it .... i have seen some of it ..... All the papers are on about it


But i actually couldn't give a toss ....... does that make me a bad person. Should i feel guilty ...... Why do i still think it is all crap ??


Can someone help me ??
Can someone help them ??

Lads if ye don't give a flying Fcuk then why don't ye fly the fcuk off this thread.

The eircom league is over for another few months and some ppl actually watch and enjoy the premiership and CL as well as supporting there own local team.I know it's a shock to ye but that's how it is.

i've no problem with it. We all support City. If its ok to watch the PREM it should be ok to support Celtic. Thats all.

I dont support any English teams but I think it will be

1 Man Yoo
2 Arsenal
3 Chelsea

Fa
Arsenal (Newcastle would be a good bet tho)

Lads if you had any real interest in football you would look at the premership, if only to appreciate the talents of Henry, Scholes, Keane, Viera, Mutu...

Ive seem the error of my ways and dropped that bad habit I had of supporting Manu, but does that mean I shouldnt watch it? Does that mean I should only subject myself to the dirval that the Drogs play at times?

In case you dont actually know the answers to these questions they are NO followed by NO.

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Originally posted by Coltron
Lads if you had any real interest in football you would look at the premership, if only to appreciate the talents of Henry, Scholes, Keane, Viera, Mutu...

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Most people have no problem looking at it, others just aren't interested. Personally I watch the highlights on ITV the odd time when I get home from work, thats about it. Apart from the eircom League, the only league I would really make an effort to see would be the Spanish league, because its the best in the world. I don't pretend to know enough about the Premiership to really comment on who's going to do what (its obvious the winners will be one of the top 3) because I'm more interested in other things than it, same way as if Eurogoals are showing highlights of the dutch or belgian league I'll watch them without being very knowledgeable about them.

I agree with Éanna. I'm interested in liverpool. I don't "support" de team or "follow" them - never been to a match and haven't even watched a full 90 mins on TV for 2 seasons; I don't own a jersey either. I do keep an eye on their results and (mis)fortunes though and would love to see them regain their rightful place as best british team ;).

You can't escape de premiership, esp when u've bought de paper and there's no eL footie news on it.

As to predictions, Man U fighting it out with Arsenal with probably Man U winning it. 'Pool after a tremendous final stage that saves Houllier's bacon surprisingly just pip Chelski to 3rd. Chelski's success in Europe proving their undoing in de Premiership.

Can see Chelsea doing better in Europe than domestically this year - tho' watch out next season.

the most interest I'd have in an English team would be blackburn, simply cos any friends I have from England who are into football are Blackburn fans. Still, I don't think I could name a full team.

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Originally posted by thecorner
DONT REALLY GIVE A FLYING FCUK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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:rolleyes:
Well then don't post on this thread. You should also go and learn some grammer.