Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[Dingle]

Now, now, nobody ever said anything about it being an outrageous prediction.

[Nerf]

Just seemed like you were mocking the idea that we will finish higher than 8th this season >_>

[Dingle]

Can't risk you finishing seventh and me getting egg all over my face.

[Colly]

I'm not touching this until at least the end of July. Obviously there'll be a few comings and goings, but if we end up with effectively this squad plus a right or left back (Santon moving across if its a lefty) and a better backup/alternative to Taylor at centre half there's no reason we can't be top 7 again.

If on the other hand we flog Cabaye, Cisse, Krul, Coloccini and Ben Arfa to the highest bidder without giving Graham Carr fair warning we're buggered. Oh, and something about Danny Simpson.

[stokeriño]

1) Arsenal<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">2) Man Utd<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">3) Man City<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">4) Aston Villa<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">5) Liverpool<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">6) Newcastle<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">7) Tottenham<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">8) Everton<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">9) Stoke City<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">10) West Ham<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">11) Sunderland<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">12) Norwich<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">13) West Ham<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">14) Southampton<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">15) QPR<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">16) Reading<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">17) Wigan<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">18) West Brom<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">19) Swansea<br style=color: rgb(28, 40, 55); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(250, 251, 252); ">20) Spurs

Tottenham and Spurs, you say?

[Dingle]

Good work fixing that quote box up, Stok >_>.

[stokeriño]

Stupid thing was in html for some reason.

[Johnny Drama]

1. Man City

2. Chelsea

3. Man Utd

4. Tottenham

5. Arsenal

6. Everton

7. Liverpool

8. Newcastle

9. Sunderland

10. Fulham

11. Aston Villa

12. Stoke

13. West Brom

14. Norwich

15. QPR

16. West Ham

17. Wigan

18. Southampton

19. Swansea

20. Reading

[Matticus]

1. Man City

2. Chelsea

3. Man Utd

4. Arsenal

5. Liverpool

6. Newcastle

7. Spurs

8. Everton

9. Aston Villa

10. Sunderland

11. Reading

12. Fulham

13. Stoke City

14. QPR

15. Wigan

16. Swansea

17. Norwich

18. Southampton

19. West Brom

20. West Ham

[Matt]

1. Manchester City

2. Chelsea

3. Manchester United

4. Tottenham

5. Arsenal

6. Everton

7. Liverpool

8. Newcastle

9. Villa

10. Stoke

11. Sunderland

12. QPR

13. Norwich

14. Reading

15. Fulham

16. Southampton

17. West Brom

18. Swansea

19. West Ham

20. Wigan

Something like that, anyway. Partly based on what I think, partly based on what I want.

[stokeriño]

Last summer there was a thread on one of the Chelsea forum entitled "Where will Chelsea finish this season?". This was on the back of our second season with Ancelotti where we nearly pulled off a ridiculous late-season comeback to snatch the title after an awful, awful winter run...which imploded the moment we conceded about 30 seconds into the third-from-last game at Old Trafford. Prior to that, of course, we had the Double-winning season.

Ancelotti was gone. We were getting this new guy, AVB. He was supposed to be good - another Mourinho. We were going to play better football. We were getting Juan Mata, who was awesome and just what we needed. Clearly, the upcoming season would be like the one before, only minus the awful winter run that had us playing catch-up. No new or different negatives could be imagined: it would be like last season with all the bugs removed.

The poll had five options: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th or lower. A total of 148 votes were cast.

"5th or lower" got precisely three votes (and I think at least two of those were cast after the end of the season!). Even 4th only got one vote.

And this is why I no longer make these predictions.

[Dingle]

What a buzz kill.

[stokeriño]

It's my lot in life.

[Hobo]

I think it's impossible to predict how the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea will do to be honest.

We have to see how full time manager RDM works out at Chelsea and if the champions league/FA Cup win are things he can carry on into a good league performance. Over all I believe his record was no better or worse than AVBs for his games in charge.

As for Liverpool, I again think it's hard to tell. The squad can probably do better if some players are more consistent in the league as a lot of them tended to have drops in form after January (Enrique is a notable example). Plus if we can get Lucas back to full fitness and playing like he was before injury, if Agger can stay fit for a full season and Rodgers has the balls to tell Jamie Carragher what everyones known for years - that he's just not good enough to play Premier League football anymore and puts Coates above him on the pecking order. If Carroll keeps playing like he was toward the end of the season, if Rodgers can ship out Adam at least and get a better midfield player to replace him. There are more ifs about Liverpool than anything going into next season.

Whereas Kenny's team were pretty much: "Is Carroll on? Long balls! Suarez? Make him do runs! Midfield don't even try to support. Keep playing Adam and Downing! No matter how poor they are!" I think Rodgers will be better in that regard and his style will suit everyone but Carragher.

[MDK]

It's my lot in life.

The poor Chelsea fan

[Colly]

He's been supporting them through thick and thin, including that horrible lull when they only finished second in the league.

[stokeriño]

What can I say, it's been tough. I shit you not - we even finished 14th once!

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

1. Chelsea

2. Man City

3. Man Utd

4. Tottenham

5. Arsenal

6. Liverpool

[Berober]

Well I think Man City will probably win it again this year, but I'm not really one for doing a list...

[Noah]

You are out of place on Ewb then.