EPL 2012-2013

The new season has begun thank god!

One of the best Community shield games, City were absolutely dominant and should have won the game 5-2 , Chealsea look lost without Drogba (although I thought Torres was allright).

Bring on next week.

Predictions:

Top 4:

Man City

Chelsea

Man U

Spurs

Relegation:

Swansea

Wigan

Reading

Fa Cup:

Spurs

League Cup:

Aston Villa

Top 4

Man City: They are getting better every year as the team plays more together. I fear they will be a unstoppable force this season.

Chelsea: They made some very good signings this summer, and they are probably not done yet. They are going to push City for the title.

Man Utd: Not sure really, they made some decent signings. But they've missed out on a lot as well. But it's not done yet of course. If they end up with Van Persie or Lewandowski, they are going to push for the title as well.

Arsenal: It's been said a million times. But it all depends on Van Persie staying or not, how far they will go. But they have made some decent signing as well. The league is very strong this year, but they will push for a ChL spot with or without Van Persie.

(It all still depends on how the transfer windows plays out of course)

Relegation

West Brom: They have now become somewhat established in league now. But there's going to be a established team relegated almost every year. And I think West Brom will be that team this year. Uninspired signings, and I'm sure about Clarke fella. But they kept their together for a few seasons now, which might could save them.

Norwich: I'm still surprised how well they did last year. But Lambert's gone, and Holt wanted to leave. He's a very vital player, Is he going to have his head the right place?

Reading: Probably a no-brainer when you look at the squad. But who knows, Blackpool and Swansea has surprised the previous season, they where predicted to go down as well. Blackpool did go down of course, but it was very close that they survived.

Fa Cup

Arsenal: I'm dreaming, but Wenger has to win something this season, and it's not going to be the league. So I think they are going to push hard for this.

League Cup

Newcastle: Very good team. But they are probably going to struggle for getting into the top 4. So I could see them motivated to go for this.

The Rest

Spurs: They are probably not going to able to keep Modric. And they need a good striker. Top 6.

Liverpool: Rodgers is a good pick for the job. But this is going to be transitional season for them. It's going to be some years before they are back for the ChL spots.

Everton: upper midtable (as usual). Nothing to see here.

Aston VIlla: They struggled the last couple of season. And they made very unspectacular signings. But Lambert is good manager. But it's not going to more than mid-table/the lower end. They are having a transitional season as Liverpool.

Sunderland: Decent side, good manager. They haven't been very active on the transfer market. But they are going to need a striker who knows how to score goals.

QPR: They put together a interesting squad this season. Might surprise this year.

West Ham: Has also made some good signings. They are going survive. But nothing more.

Wigan: I'm done predicting them relegated.

Swansea: They actually have a lot of money for new signings. And they've sold Allen for 16,5m£. Which is kind of crazy. So they are going to sign more players very soon. They bought some interesting names so far. But I'm not sure if Laudrud is the right man as their manager. Probably going to struggle.

Southampton: This years Swansea/Blackpool. They are going to surprise people with some very entertaining football. But they are going to struggle.

But my predictions are usually way off. Last year I think I predicted Wolverhampton for a Europa League spot, lol.

Predictions:

Top 4:

Man City

Man United

Chelsea

Arsenal

Relegation:

Aston Villa

Norwich

Reading

FA Cup:

Man City

League Cup:

Arsenal

Top 4:

Man United

Chelsea

Man City

Arsenal

Relegation:

Norwich

Swansea

West Brom

FA Cup:

Man City

League Cup:

Liverpool

Top 4:

1. Man City - the squad basically hasn't changed (and won't change drastically before season starts), and is only going to become more of a unit this season. 100+ points.

2. Arsenal - I think Arsenal are finally going to have a good season with or without RVP. Great signings by Wenger.

3. Man Utd - The beginning of the end for Fergie. Even if he gets RVP, they just aren't the side they were a couple years ago.

4. Chelsea - will push Utd for 3rd. Di Matteo to be sacked if they hit a bad patch.

Relegation:

18. Wigan - another summer of uninspired transfer business. I hope Miyaichi comes good for them, but they're overdue.

19. Norwich - I hope they prove me wrong, but they just look crap on paper.

20. West Ham - I'm surprised they actually got promoted. Allardyce sacked by January.

Some others:

Liverpool - really can't see them doing well this year. Rodgers made a poor decision, he had a great project going on at Swansea. Can't see them higher than 6th or 7th.

Spurs - 5th. Nothing exciting at all about them.

Newcastle - think they might underwhelm a bit, but should finish top 10.

West Brom - my pick for surprise top 10. Clarke has worked with the best, and he could really get this squad going... but sorry WBA fans, saying this probably means you're relegated now.

Swansea - will do reasonably well again. Laudrup is an unknown quantity but he's inherited a good core.

Reading - excellent last year, and will do well this year. Pogrebnyak to score 15 in the league. 11th.

Southampton - 17th and crap.

  On 8/12/2012 at 6:02 PM, Gary C said:

Predictions:

 

Top 4:

Man City

Man United

Chelsea

Arsenal

 

Relegation:

Aston Villa

Norwich

Reading

 

FA Cup:

Man City

 

League Cup:

Arsenal

Top Goalscorer:

Torres. With everything going through him at Chelsea he'll easily claw his way into the top-rankings.

Best Signing:

Cazorla. With Song going and Wilshere still on the mend, Cazorla will stand-out in the Arsenal midfield.

Worst Signing:

Jack Rodwell. Unless Man City play him as a sweeper between two wing-backs, then I think he's going to get lost amongst all the big names like Adam Johnson has.

First Manager to get Sacked:

Mark Hughes. He'll get into a touchline punch-up with Barton and both will have to be sacked for bringing the game into disrepute.

Top 4:

Man United

Man City

Chelsea

Arsenal

Relegation:

West Ham

Wigan

Swansea

FA Cup:

Man City

League Cup:

Chelsea

Top goalscorer:

van Persie (Aguero will flat-track teams to run him close)

Best signing:

Cazorla - £15m is great business, he's a class player. Giroud could be a hit too.

Worst signing:

Agree about Rodwell. Hazard is skillful but might be a little lightweight to justify his price-tag - may need a season to bed in (like CRon early on).

First manager to be sacked:

Lambert at Villa - I like Lambert but I think he'll struggle to rotate players and will lose the dressing room.

Top Goalscorer:

Kun Agüero

Best Signings:

Santi Cazorla, Arsenal, 16,7m £ - amazing signing, gives me back hope in Arsenal

Worst Signings:

Joe Allen, Liverpool, 16,5m £ - good player, but not worth the sixteen million price tag

First Manager to get Sacked:

Steve Clarke - still don't understand why he was made their new manager

I can't sleep from the excitement!!! , i can't remember the last time i was this excited about the beginning of a season. Van Persie in a United shit is going to be weird can't wait for him to go to the Emirates hahahaha.

Could this partnership win United the league ??

I don't rate Van Persie, he has had like 9 season with Arsenal and only 1 good season, i think Ferguson bought a bag of hype.

RVP was always good when he was fit. It's not his ability or hype, it's his fitness which is the concern. United have cover and so I think it's a decent (if expensive) purchase that they just had to go for. He's a 1 in 2 goalscorer, a record which has been consistent since 2004.

van persie is outstanding and for the last 18 months not injured as often if at all. his record his brilliant and he get abit more rest at utd than arsenal.

i think city will win the league again with united, aresnal, chelsea other spots. i think everton with there attacking signings will finally have more end product to what is a solid side if they start the season well instead of waiting till december then i think they could be a outside bet for the champions league spots . like the last time they started well and got fourth.

think norwich and west brom will get relegated then its one from west ham ( hopefully ) / southampton / swansea / wigan / reading

expect arsenal or everton to go for the cups as both managers will want a trophy after so long

liverpool will improve i think newcastle and tottingham won't do as well this year

real madrid for the european cup

What sites/streams are you guys using to watch live games? I had a favourite last year, but I think it's disappeared.

Gary -

www.sportlemon.tv still up and running. (Thanks chenGOD )

I'm probably going to break down and buy a subscription to foxsoccer2go.com again. Then there's ESPN3.com for Americans with Verizon/Comcast.

Done. Cheers.

QPR-Swansea wow

West Brom-Liverpool LOL

Fulham-Norwich, Fulham playing some wonderful stuff, Chris Hutton ... Meh

Both Podolski and Giroud looked poor today.. Very dissapointing.

Podolski will come good quickly. Giroud was so good for Montpellier, but this is the Premier League, and I think he'll take a little while to get going. Same for Hazard.

Looking forward to seeing how Swansea and Fulham do against less shite opposition!

Fantastic game of football, very impressed with Southampton even though they'll probably loose the game they played with no respect for Man City, fucking fearless performance from them.

Yeah, holy shit, what an incredible opening weekend. Man City - Southampton was 20 minutes from being fucking completely awesome.

Nani is such a cunt, fuck I hate this team.

...except Scholes. Still love me some Scholes.

RVP wanted to wear that?