After watching a few pre season games this time last year, I was
bold enough to say Manchester City and Manchester United were not going to win
the league last season. You might want
to read my write up before the start of last season here
I got a few things right and some very wrong. For example, I was
wrong in thinking Arsenal had a sneaky chance to win the league as long as The
Spuds came 2nd. The Spuds bit was right but sadly for all lovers of
good football and decency within the game, Arsenal lost out again after looking
good for some part of the season.
The former things have now passed. A new season starts today. I am
excited. I am looking forward to it. Not the heartaches or the rotten post
match moods. Just the joy. The pleasure of booking match tickets, the
excitement of waking up on match day and travelling to the stadium, the sheer
delight of mixing with fellow like minded fans, the knot in your tummy before
matches, the post - match contentment that your players have put in a decent
shift or the fulfillment from getting a result even if it was nicked.
That feeling is now with us for the next 10 months. I am hoping for
more highs than lows.
Who will win it this time? Don’t look at the pundits for answers.
They have been spectacularly wrong on the last 2 occasions. This time, they
have been unanimous in giving it to Manchester City or Drawchester United. No
doubt both teams especially City have added well. The key factor in my opinion why
Pundits are lapping up Pep & Jose is the reputation these two enjoyed in
the not too distant past. Pundits are holding on to this doe eyed belief that Jose
is not a busted flush and that Pep can hack it in a competitive league. We
shall see.
While City look to have cured their defensive inadequacies, I don’t
see what United have actually done. Surely Lukaku’s goals will replace
Zlatan’s. What next? United scored 31 goals less than Chelsea the last term, 32
goals less than The Spuds. Where will United make up this deficit? I do not
expect Henrikh Mkhitaryan & Perpetually Missing Pogba to start popping up
with double-digit goals tally for the season. Kolewerk. United are not winning
the title this season. The earlier they drop down to The Europa in December and
smash it again the better. Jose has pedigree in this trophy. At least if he can’t
win a hat trick of Champions League, he can win The Europa 3 times.
It is amazing why the bookies have made Chelsea 3rd favorite
for the Premier League. The conspiracy theorist in me thinks Roman Abramovich
deliberately sabotages his coaches after winning the league because he realizes
that winning back-to-back Premier Leagues is extremely challenging. Nothing
else explains some of the chaos we have heard from the leaks & speculation
coming out of Stamford Bridge & Cobham.
Apart from the handicap of successfully defending EPL title wins and
their Champions League participation, I think Chelsea will be close again.
The Pundits have also derided Liverpool. Some have written them out
of Top 4 for this new season. Considering they scrapped through last season, I
totally understand why. However even if they lose Coutinho, I think Liverpool’s
energy is too much for most teams and they will be very competitive for a top 4
place. I however think they can’t win the league simply because the energetic
style of play can’t last for 90 minutes every game and for the 38 games season.
The biggest disadvantage I believe the Spuds will have is
psychological (Wembley + Wages issue + Bottling DNA) plus the fact that whoever
replaces Kyle Walker won’t compete with Kieran Trippier the same way the later
was pushing Walker in training. I think
barring significant injuries, sadly the Spuds will become established Top 4
side going forward. I have seen nothing to suggest Drawchester United are as
good as Totteringham.
Where do I think Arsenal will finish? I am not sure. Every year, I
hope we are going to win the league again. It hasn’t happened so far but it
might happen again soon. At the minimum, I will shake hands on a Top 4 finish
right now. However it might just be this season when everybody is unanimous in
writing Arsenal off, that we go in and snatch it. Stranger things have
happened.
For Arsenal to win, just like Leicester and Chelsea recently did, we
need the proverbial rub of the green, For the PGMO to assign referees who are
inclined to referee matches the way it ought to be played, for referees to favor
us the same way they favored Leicester’s wrestling defenders 2 seasons ago and
Chelsea’s Mixed Martial Art wingbacks last season, for opponents to lose the
plot and play proper football against Arsenal instead of building a miniature
version of the Hadrian Wall in front of their goalposts and for other title
contenders to implode for one reason or the other. If these things happen, Arsenal will win the
Premier League. You heard it here first.
I am positive Lacazette will plunder many goals. I like the steely
look about Kolasinac, I will like more solidity in the middle of the pack from
existing players or new joiners and with this, Arsenal can have a successful
season.
I believe the above clubs will be the Top 6 with guess who retaining
their 6th position. If they are not careful though, Everton might
usurp their new birthright and they will have to jostle with West Brom,
Bournemouth & Southampton for Top 10.
With the challenges at Newcastle, I doubt Rafa Bentiez can gate
crash the Top 10. Survival will be a bonus.
Mr. Wagner of Huddersfield has promised to be true to his philosophy
of playing good football. I think this is a mistake. If he sticks to this, they
are going down with a disastrous point tally.
I suspect Brighton will cope better than Huddersfield as I think
Chris Hughton will play a more cautious game in the Premier League
I worry for Stoke. It might just be bye bye to the Premier League. I
wont miss them though.
Watford, Burnley, Swansea, Palace, Leicester and West Ham are very
vulnerable.
My relegation tip is Huddersfield, Watford & Burnley.
My tip for the league is Arsenal. Like you expected me to write all
of this and tip someone else?
BRING ON THE NEW SEASON
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