Who will win the Premiership 2007/8?

[RG30]

Very good weekend of Premiership football ahead;

Saturday, 27 October 2007
Birmingham v Wigan, 15:00
Chelsea v Man City, 15:00
Man Utd v Middlesbrough, 15:00
Portsmouth v West Ham, 17:15
Reading v Newcastle, 15:00
Sunderland v Fulham, 15:00

Brum Vs Wigan is a big relegation match that we should be watching closely. Since losing Heskey, Wigan have struggled but Birmingham have surprised me this season, they've been better than I expected.

Chelsea Vs Man City has the makings of a cracker. Another real test to see how much progress City have made under Sven. Chelsea can't afford to drop points with leaders Arsenal 7 points clear of them with a game in hand.

Man Utd Vs Boro will be a goal scoring fest for United, but Fergie may be tempted to rest a few players with Arsenal to play the Saturday after.

Portsmouth look a very good team with the in-form Benjani, but West Ham are still finding there feet with bad injuries.

Hopefully we'll beat Newcastle but they impressed me Monday night, Allardyce has got them looking deadly from set pieces and a draw would be a good result for us.

Sunderland Vs Fulham is another relegation battle, but Sunderland should win fairly easily. Fulham don't travel well, Sunderland at the Stadium of Light can turn it into a fortress against sides they have to beat and Fulham fit the catergory.

Sunday, 28 October 2007
Bolton v Aston Villa, 13:30
Derby v Everton, 14:00
Liverpool v Arsenal, 16:00
Tottenham v Blackburn, 15:00

Bolton still look no nearer to getting a new Manager while Villa started the season pretty well, they have the makings of a top half side fairly comfortably.

Everton have the UEFA Cup match Thursday night so they may feel jaded but Derby will make it difficult for them.

Stand out game is Liverpool Vs Arsenal. Liverpool have a pretty decent record at Anfield against Arsenal but the way Arsenal are playing, Liverpool will have to be at there best.

Spurs Vs Blackburn is another tricky game for Spurs, but Blackburn aern't as good away from home as perhaps maybe they should be.

[Katie Marsden]

Title race looking a little clearer now with Arsenal and United up there at the top.

Liverpool still clinging on after picking up 4 points from 2 tough games in the last week. Tricky game at Blackburn next week though, must win especially as Arsenal play United and one side or both will drop points. Bad news for them is that Alonso has broken his foot again and Torres looks like being out for another few weeks.

United with 8 wins in a row and the Tevez/Rooney partnership looking unstoppable. The third goal yesterday was different class, as was Nani's early strike.

Arsenal v United will be some game next weekend.

[cmonurz]

Interesting formation that Liverpool started with - eerily similar to one I suggested on here last week. The team lacks real penetration on the flanks, so I suggested Benitez concentrate on using Gerrard and attacking players through the middle with some additional support. And we get Mascherano and Alonso behind Gerrard and three strikers.

Certainly made Liverpool more expansive, but I can't see it working with Sissoko in the Alonso role.

Crouch very lively when he came on.

But looks like Arsenal and United for now. United's 3rd on Saturday was goal of the season so far.

[Katie Marsden]

Scholes out for three months, a big blow for United although he's not been in great form this season.

Carrick and Anderson will step in for him depending on the opposition. United won't miss him if Anderson plays like he has been. Still a big ask for a 19 year old with no experience of English football to fill the boots of Scholes though.

[Victor Meldrew]

Scholes out for three months, a big blow for United although he's not been in great form this season.

Carrick and Anderson will step in for him depending on the opposition. United won't miss him if Anderson plays like he has been. Still a big ask for a 19 year old with no experience of English football to fill the boots of Scholes though.

Somebody will have to fill his boots one day and both he and Giggs have become more injury-prone as they get close to retirement.
It will be interesting on Saturday how Nani and Anderson get on in a mainly non-tackling midfield or will Fergie go a bit negative and play O'Shea in there as part of a double holding role with Hargreaves?
I somehow feel that Toure,Sagna and Gallas will outmuscle Tevez,Rooney and whoever plays mainly wide left and Clichy is even quicker than Ashley Cole so could well contain Ronaldo.
Will try to catch the game somewhere near Craven Cottage.
IMHO Man Utd's record for Saturday lunchtime games is quite good but Arsenal may well win this particular contest.

[bottom left hand corner]

Man Utd by 3 points

then...
Arsenal
Chelsea
n dont no

[g]

I think any of the top 4 clubs are still in with a shout for champions. No real gaps have formed either. I think January will be a testing time for Chelsea. without Drogba, Essien, Mikel and Kalou, they will look very ordinary. I don't think Benítez has the ability to win the league, but no doubt becoming CL finalists is a much bigger achievement than a cup double. IMO, it is between Arsenal and United. Let's hope dodgy decisions and massive injuries don't ruin a close season. It would be nice to see a different team breaking into the top 4, but I don't think any of the teams will be able to this season.

[Vision]

I think any of the top 4 clubs are still in with a shout for champions. No real gaps have formed either. I think January will be a testing time for Chelsea. without Drogba, Essien, Mikel and Kalou, they will look very ordinary. I don't think Benítez has the ability to win the league, but no doubt becoming CL finalists is a much bigger achievement than a cup double. IMO, it is between Arsenal and United. Let's hope dodgy decisions and massive injuries don't ruin a close season. It would be nice to see a different team breaking into the top 4, but I don't think any of the teams will be able to this season.

It may just be my perception but won't Arsenal be just as effected by the African Nations as Chelsea.?

Still reckon Man Utd will take some stopping.

[Katie Marsden]

Togo didn't qualify so they won't lose Adebayor.

They'll lose 2 players, Eboue and Toure. Toure will be a big loss as I expect Ivory Coast to win it so he'll be missing for the duration.

Chelsea will be missing Drogba, Kalou, Obi Mikel and Essien.

Liverpool will miss Sissoko which is probably a good thing for them while Man Utd won't lose anyone.

[Vision]

Togo didn't qualify so they won't lose Adebayor.

They'll lose 2 players, Eboue and Toure. Toure will be a big loss as I expect Ivory Coast to win it so he'll be missing for the duration.

Chelsea will be missing Drogba, Kalou, Obi Mikel and Essien.

Liverpool will miss Sissoko which is probably a good thing for them while Man Utd won't lose anyone.

Cheers for that.

Not as bad for Arsenal as i thought.

Still think Utd will win it.

[BR2]

Will Anderson and Tevez have to jet off to South America sometime?
Not sure that would make much difference but it would be interesting to know.

[Katie Marsden]

Tevez jetted off to South America before the game against Vila. Didn't seem to do him much harm as he set a goal up and won a penalty.

Anderson isn't a regular for Brazil, theres a bit of competition in the form of Ronaldinho and Kaka.

International breaks don't effect the players unless they suffer injuries, it's just a nice excuse managers use if they fail to win a game. Even the South Americans by the time they'll flown back will have 48 hours minimum to recover.

[BR2]

I agree that some managers use it as an unjustified excuse -Elano arrived back on the Friday afternoon,played on the Saturday and scored.
Kevin Doyle played in Dublin on the Wednesday night but was rested for the first half v Blackburn but then came on and scored twice.
If you tell somebody they are tired they will be tired.

[Katie Marsden]

Liverpool have to their credit battled away and come through some tricky games well even though they've not been at their best. They've wasted the good start and are a few points off Arsenal and United but with Alonso, Agger and Torres to come back they've managed to keep their season on track. They could easily be 15 points off the leaders but they have that spirit that Arsenal lack. With some good signings next summer I think they'll be genuine title contenders.

Arsenal have come through the big games with Liverpool and United OK, although they'd have expected more than 2 points from those games given how well they were playing. After the Wigan game (which Fabregas will miss after getting booked on purpose Monday) they've got some difficult games coming up.

Aston Villa v Arsenal, 17:15
Newcastle v Arsenal, 19:45
Middlesbrough v Arsenal, 13:30
Arsenal v Chelsea, 16:00
Arsenal v Tottenham, 12:45
Portsmouth v Arsenal, 17:15
Everton v Arsenal, 17:15

5 out of those 7 away and the home games aren't going to be easy. This will be the real test.

Man Utd appear to be hitting top form at the right time, after a terrible start that could have killed their season they've won 9 and drawn 1 of the last 10 league games. They were unlucky not to beat Arsenal but with the toughest away game out of the way they should win the next 3 before they visit Anfield in mid December. They also have the added bonus of being able to rest players after securing CL qualification.

Chelsea have recovered well from Mourinho leaving but the jury remains out on Grant. Can't see them being up there in May.

[Royal Rother]

Liverpool... They could easily be 15 points off the leaders but they have that spirit that Arsenal lack.

What recent evidence is there that Arsenal lack spirit?

Van Persie injured for Holland and set to be out for 4 weeks, missing games against Bolton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Reading. Big loss for Arsenal at a testing time in the season

They have come through this testing time without Van Persie with the lead in the table intact still so they still seem to be on track to me.

[Katie Marsden]

Arsenal haven't hit a bad patch so their spirit is still open to question. Both United and Liverpool have shown they can bounce back from poor results. United only taking 2 points from 3 games and Liverpool after terrible CL results.

Van Persie is a big loss, they were always going to beat Bolton and Reading but dropped points against the 2 good sides they faced. Van Persie would have made a difference in those games.

Arsenal have no leaders, once the confidence gets knocked I think they'll drop off. Last season Chelsea displayed remarkable fighting spirit and still ended up losing out. Man Utd are a much better side this season. Hopefully I'm proved wrong because it would be boring to see Man Utd run away with it

[cmonurz]

Thankfully for United, I don't think their players would be as arrogant as to write off Liverpool and Chelsea just yet.

[Katie Marsden]

Thankfully for United, I don't think their players would be as arrogant as to write off Liverpool and Chelsea just yet.

True, according to Ronaldo United will win the title and Champions League.

[Royal Rother]

Van Persie is a big loss, they were always going to beat Bolton and Reading but dropped points against the 2 good sides they faced. Van Persie would have made a difference in those games.

It just so happens that the 2 good sides they faced also dropped points in those games.

[Katie Marsden]

Van Persie is a big loss, they were always going to beat Bolton and Reading but dropped points against the 2 good sides they faced. Van Persie would have made a difference in those games.

It just so happens that the 2 good sides they faced also dropped points in those games.

The real title race will start in January, lets see if Arsenal are in it then or if they've already bottled it after the tough games coming up.