2 out of 6 journos from The Independent reckon...

[R A Softlad]

...the title will be ours in May.

 

Our experts' predictions: Who will do what at the top and the bottom

 

James Lawton Chief Sports Writer

 

Premiership

 

1 Liverpool (by 2pts)

 

2 Chelsea

 

3 Manchester Utd

 

4 Arsenal

 

Relegated: Reading, Watford, Sheffield Utd

 

FA Cup: Aston Villa

 

Champions' League: Barcelona

 

 

Sam Wallace Football Correspondent

 

Premiership

 

1 Chelsea (by 5pts)

 

2 Liverpool

 

3 Man Utd

 

4 Arsenal

 

Relegated: Charlton, Sheffield Utd, Reading

 

FA Cup: Arsenal

 

Champions' League: Real Madrid

 

 

Glenn Moore Football Editor

 

Premiership

 

1 Chelsea (by 5pts)

 

2 Liverpool

 

3 Manchester Utd

 

4 Arsenal

 

Relegated: Reading, Fulham, Watford

 

FA Cup: Everton

 

Champions' League: Real Madrid

 

 

Jason Burt Football writer

 

Premiership

 

1 Liverpool (by 2pts)

 

2 Chelsea

 

3 Manchester Utd

 

4 Arsenal

 

Relegated: Middlesbrough, Sheffield Utd, Charlton.

 

FA Cup: Manchester Utd

 

Champions' League: Barcelona

 

 

Andy Hunter Football writer

 

Premiership

 

1 Chelsea (by 2pts)

 

2 Liverpool

 

3 Manchester Utd

 

4 Arsenal

 

Relegated: Portsmouth, Sheffield Utd, Reading

 

FA Cup: Blackburn Rovers

 

Champions' League: Milan

 

 

Phil Shaw Football writer

 

Premiership

 

1 Chelsea (by 4pts)

 

2 Liverpool

 

3 Arsenal

 

4 Manchester Utd

 

Relegated: Sheffield Utd, Fulham, Watford

 

FA Cup: Manchester Utd

 

Champions' League: Barcelona

[realtarragona]

Plenty of people seem to think it'll be us or Chelsea. I reckon Man Utd actually have more of a chance than people think, especially if they sign Hargreaves.

[LFCJari37]

Plenty of pressure on Rooney this season with no RVN. I reckon they wont get enough goals, although they will probably be defensively sound. Any injuries and they are up the creek....

Edited August 18, 2006 by LFCJari37

[fyds]

Plenty of people seem to think it'll be us or Chelsea. I reckon Man Utd actually have more of a chance than people think, especially if they sign Hargreaves.

I'm not exactly sure why, but I don't think they'll get near it this season. Maybe some of that squad are getting a bit older and it may begin to catch up with them.

[Knox_Harrington]

I'm not exactly sure why, but I don't think they'll get near it this season. Maybe some of that squad are getting a bit older and it may begin to catch up with them.

Thought that last season but not this. Neither Giggs nor Scholes look to be nailed on first choice which has been their problem. As experienced players to come in and out I'd expect them to flourish. Goalkeepers are goalkeepers and Neville is still a good right back.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Plenty of people seem to think it'll be us or Chelsea. I reckon Man Utd actually have more of a chance than people think, especially if they sign Hargreaves.

aye - depressingly, how many times in the last 14 years have they been o/s the top 2? Not many

[Scorpion]

Arsenal will win it.

[floyd]

Andy Hunter is our kids mate from Uni. He's a blue nose, and got a cracking story of how he was in a nightclub in Ibiza, in a private party which happened to be Carra's stag do. (Carra really is a class above)

Edited August 18, 2006 by floyd

[Stevie H]

theyve got solskjaer back mind

one kick and he'll be out for months again though. the embryonic looking little gimp.

[Falconhoof]

Andy Hunter is our kids mate from Uni. He's a blue nose, and got a cracking story of how he was in a nightclub in Ibiza, in a private party which happened to be Carra's stag do. (Carra really is a class above)

 

 

whats the story ?

[Gilps]

one kick and he'll be out for months again though. the embryonic looking little gimp.

 

I'd kind of forgotten how much I disliked the little runt until I saw him playing for them again. Loathsome little t***.

[Gomez]

Does this mean that we are now officially one of the 'big three' teams? Because before now we've always been, you know, a bit small-time according to the hacks.

 

I'm going to start referring to us and the chavs as "The Big Two" as it will really annoy the mancs.

[Ronnie Whelan]

They've lost Bergkamp, Campbell, Pires and look like losing Cole.

 

They have only signed one decent player in Rosicky.

 

If they dont sign anyone else i think it is more likely the jump will be downwards.

 

 

Reyes is almost gone too. I personally think the a*** will be fighting it out with Spurs for 4th.

[Gilps]

Reyes is almost gone too. I personally think the a*** will be fighting it out with Spurs for 4th.

 

Definitely. They finished 15 points behind us (16 behind the Mancs, 24 off the top) last season with a stronger, more experienced squad. They'd be going some to improve on 4th even if us or the Mancs stood still - which neither is.

[G Richards]

If Reyes goes Arsenal might get Baptista. If Cole leaves they may possibly get Gallas.

 

Both of those 'swaps' would see them no weaker (perhaps a bit stronger). Still, I can't see them higher than 4th.

 

Man Utd will need a lot of luck with their strikers to sustain a challenge. THeir midfield will be much better than last season, but Saha has had a lot of injuries, and Solksjaer makes Kirkland look like and iron-man. Rooney is not much of a goalscorer IMO. He has a reputation as some sort of saviour of English football, and whilst he is obviously a good player, I feel the reputation goes beyong solid achievement at this point in time.

 

It will be between us and Chelsea. I agree that we should start using 'big two' terminology, after too many years of being regarded as also rans behind the Manu Utd/Arsenal axis.

[Dan]

Be interesting to see how our boys handle the pressure of being many people's title favourites. Not really had that since the 80's. Think there are strong enough characters to handle it in our dressing room.

 

People should never write the Mancs off either, it's happened far too often in the past and proved everyone wrong.

[Falconhoof]

Be interesting to see how our boys handle the pressure of being many people's title favourites. Not really had that since the 80's. Think there are strong enough characters to handle it in our dressing room.

 

 

i think Rafa and the strong characters in our team are more than capable of handling the pressure. The experience of going all the way in the champions league will have given them belief. They know they can beat anyone if they play to their ability and crucially, what we haven't had until now is the squad to cope with key players being injured. This is the key factor for us.

 

The pressure is all on Chelsea now, and they won't enjoy it. The smiles have all worn off at Stamford Bridge, you can sense from the fans and some of the players that the bubble of enthusiasm has burst there. Of course they will be up near the top but won't have it all their own way this time.

[Billy Dane]

see all bar one think the European Cup is going back to Spain - the odd one out thinks it's going to Milan(!).

 

Jose to miss out again, the sack? Even if he does win the league?

[Guz]

You know we're f***ed when the hacks are predicting us for the title.

 

I remember Ron Atkinson said he thought we'll finish 1st a couple of years ago, and we ended up being 5th.

[Falconhoof]

You know we're f***ed when the hacks are predicting us for the title.

 

I remember Ron Atkinson said he thought we'll finish 1st a couple of years ago, and we ended up being 5th.

 

 

At the time though, in your heart of hearts, did you believe we could. Until now I have always thought we were vulnerable to injuries that would leave us with poor cover in key areas. Now we haven't got that problem, we've also got a manager and a team that have consistently won trophies over the last 5 years and are hungry to go for the big one.

 

The main thing is that Rafa will keep their feet on the ground and won't let them listen to any s**** from the press.

[beejay]

Dont want this becoming an arsenal or any other club thread but whats counting arsenal out is that they're not a very big side any more, when veira was playing for them they had physical presence and speed, since he left, the lower end of the table teams just hustle and hack them in the knowledge that they'll back down because they dont have that physical edge. I dont see that happening when we have players like Gerrard, Sissoko, Sami, Carra, Alonso, Crouch, Kuyt... the list goes on. Same for Chelsea all over the park they are a big side and in Manures case slightly the same.

 

As much as I am pleased that we are now a very good footballing and pressuring team, one thing that fills me with pride about the current set up is that they are not easily bullied or out worked during games, even when we are playing poorly and that is the mark of a championship winning side, the other mark is being clinical and thats something we need to and with the additions to the squad WILL improve on this season, hopefully enough so that the long wait for the title is over come the end of the season.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

Thought that last season but not this. Neither Giggs nor Scholes look to be nailed on first choice which has been their problem. As experienced players to come in and out I'd expect them to flourish. Goalkeepers are goalkeepers and Neville is still a good right back.

 

You look at the squad and just like last year, it looks like a team that hasn't found its shape and doesn't quite know where to look for leadership (save perhaps gary f***ing neville) on the pitch. Ferguson kept them together in spite of their quality and had them playing above their actual level. Losing nistelroy and still juggling with introducing players like vidic and evra in defence hasn't changed that despite signing one good midfielder who will obviously fill one gap.

 

There is of course no reason to think that Ferguson won't be able to do the same again this season. He's a quality manager and it would be foolish to consider it a one-off miracle season of managerial work. With that said, I still think that manU are not as well equipped as the other challengers to handle a crisis and shake it off. If they hit a few bumbs in the road at the same time, I can see them struggle more than one would expect. They can mount a challenge but of the top three I think they are definitely also the most vulnerable to fall by the wayside.

 

Arsenal are gonna do well this season and could well aim for a top two finish. They are a much better side than they showed last season and they can enjoy playing without the pressure of having to claim to top spot. Think they are gonna sneak into the top three again this season.

[Maldini]

I just can't see it with Arsenal, there's not enough steel in the team and still too many questions over certain players.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

think players like Van persie, fabregas and Reyes have played in the side long enough to step up to the plate and start delivering the goods on a more regular basis now. Getting rid of the likes of Pires and Bergkamp is a step in the right direction. The players will know the onus is on them to start taking some responsibility now.

[Ostrich Man]

I'm going to start referring to us and the chavs as "The Big Two" as it will really annoy the mancs.

wont annoy me...though it does go against the general consensus that i read on here that chelsea arent really a big club.

 

but hey whatever tickles your fancy.