Aug 15 2008
Your Premier League Previews
Okay, I admit it. I was too lazy to write any previews for the new Premier League season. But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a good primer to the start of the campaign.
So in lieu of a real hard-hitting, in-depth preview this year, I’m just going to give you my predictions for the final table this year and link to the in-depth previews provided by other sites — specifically, The Guardian and EPL Talk. For the money I make from this blog, that’s good enough…
1. Chelsea (EPL Talk, Guardian)
2. Manchester United (EPL Talk, Guardian)
3. Liverpool (EPL Talk, Guardian)
4. Arsenal (EPL Talk, Guardian)
5. Tottenham Hotspur (EPL Talk, Guardian)
6. Aston Villa (EPL Talk, Guardian)
7. Portsmouth (EPL Talk, Guardian)
8. Newcastle (EPL Talk, Guardian)
9. Everton (EPL Talk, Guardian)
10. Manchester City (EPL Talk, Guardian)
11. West Ham (EPL Talk, Guardian)
12. Sunderland (EPL Talk, Guardian)
13. Blackburn Rovers (EPL Talk, Guardian)
14. Middlesbrough (EPL Talk, Guardian)
15. Wigan (EPL Talk, Guardian)
16. Fulham (EPL Talk, Guardian)
17. West Bromwich Albion (EPL Talk, Guardian)
18. Bolton Wanderers (EPL Talk, Guardian)
19. Hull City (EPL Talk, Guardian)
20. Stoke City (EPL Talk, Guardian)
A few random thoughts:
Keep an eye on the Gunners-Spurs rivalry this year. I liked what Juande Ramos is doing with Tottenham, and he’s got the best shot of anyone at finally breaking through the Big Four’s stranglehold on the Champions League. Unfortunately, it’ll only happen if injuries thin out Arsenal’s squad over the long term. If Cesc Fabregas struggles to get fit, though, Arsenal might be in a little trouble.
Liverpool, on the other hand will be better in league play, thanks to Robbie Keane’s new partnership with Fernando Torres, but this is not the year they finally end the league title drought. They’re just not deep enough, and neither are Everton and Blackburn, whom I expect to fall out of UEFA Cup contention this year. If I were David Moyes, I’d pull a Rafa and pin it all on this year’s cup competitions. That might be the Toffees’ best shot at glory.
Finally, no, I don’t believe in Gary Megson, and neither should you.
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