Season Predictions.

As I have been continually promising on & off over the last few weeks I’ve finally put together a ‘prediction piece’.

As I also explained, there was no point in producing any predictions until the transfer window closes for fairly obvious reason.

I did intend, however, to release this piece closer to the window closing but a week’s holiday abroad ‘n’ stuff has delayed it until now. Apologies.

Past predictions…

Now, of course, there’s PLENTY of room for error in-trying to predict every, single team-finishing place…but it’s a bit of a personal challenge and in many ways just a bit of fun of course.

But what I will say is that with regards to City’s predictions I’ve not done TOO badly if I could be so bold.

Firstly, you’ll have to trust that I both got the prediction right in the 2010/11 season that, under Roberto Mancini, we’d achieve some kind of silverware. And we did – the F.A. Cup.

Secondly, you’d have to believe me AGAIN that in the following season (2011/12) we’d win the league. And we did – in dramatic style against QPR I think most of you might recall…

I didn’t start Blue chews-daze until the back end of 2012/13; that frustrating season where we just didn’t make a fist of a challenge to Manyoo for the title and then completely blew our consolation prize of an F.A. Cup trophy against Wigan Athletic; Roberto’s final act as Manchester City Manager.

And so my first blog prediction came ahead of the 2013/14 season:

League prediction: 1^st

Actual finishing position: 1^st

For some reason I just can’t find a cup prediction in my archives for this season but I’m flippin’-well SURE (and frustratingly puzzled as to why I can’t find it) that I predicted a League Cup final place at least, which we then ended up winning against Sunderland…  

My second in 2014/15:

League prediction: 1^st

Actual finishing position: 2^nd

Cup predictions:

League Cup prediction: Quarter final

League Cup outcome: Fourth Round

F.A. Cup prediction: Finalist at least

F.A. Cup outcome: Fourth round

Champions League prediction: Round of 8 (quarter finals)

Champions League outcome: Round of 16

Not a GREAT season prediction-wise…

So this season and starting with the league…

1^st Manchester City (Up one from last season…AND CHAMPS!)

2^nd Manyoo (Up two…and league 'runners up')

3^rd Chelsea (Down two…and but still in an automatic Champs League spot)

4^th Arsenal (Down one…and forced through the Champs League qual games)

5^th Swansea City (Up three…and into a Europa spot)

6^th Tottenham Hotspur (Down one…and into a Europa spot)

7^th Liverpool (Down one…and possibly into a Europa spot)

8^th West Ham United (Up four…and joint-best league climbers’ form last season)

9^th Crystal Palace (Up one)

10^th Leicester City (Up four…and joint-best league climbers’ form last season)

11^th Southampton (Down four)

12^th Everton (Down one)

13^th Watford (Not applicable)

14^th West Bromwich Albion (Down one)

15^th Stoke City (Down six…and biggest league fallers from last season)

16^th Bournemouth (Not applicable)

17^th Newcastle United (Down two)

18^th Aston Villa (Down one…and relegated)

19^th Norwich City (Not applicable…and relegated)

20^th Sunderland (Down four…and relegated as the bottom side)

So there you have it, we’re gonna win the league!

Manyoo to be the strongest challengers, I think; although before Chelsea’s ‘orrible start to the season I did have The Pensioners 2^nd and Manyoo 3^rd. Chelsea will rise and rise [to eventual 3^rd place] in the long, long season ahead…

Other notable finishing places…

…include an impressive 5^th place for Swansea; a team quite rightly getting a lot of plaudits from many in the footballing world and a team who can not only hurt you what they attack but, I’ve noticed, can be so stubborn and eke out a draw when 'under the cosh'.

West Ham & Leicester to equal the highest climbers; both doing well under their new managers and sandwiched between them, Crystal Palace to continue their steady one-place climb year on year.

Watford to have a very impressive and respectable mid-table finish in their first season back in England’s top division; Bournemouth too to have a slightly nervy last few weeks, perhaps, but to have enough in their locker to survive.

Stoke are the biggest fallers but remain safe; Newcastle to just about 'scrape it' having scrapped for their lives.

The fallers are Villa (despite Tim Sherwood’s motivational skills…if he lasts to the end that is), Yo-yo club Norwich and disaster club Sunderland to FINALLY crash through the trap door…although they’ll probably change their manager some-time in early 2016 (if not before) and try to amass a fightback.

 

As for City and ‘the cups’…

League Cup – Quarter Final

F.A. Cup – Finalists at least and, therefore, very possible winners

Champions League – Round of 8 (quarter finals)

You havin’ that? Premier League Champions & F.A. Cup finalist / possible winners; with some ‘advancement’ in Europe? I’ll take that.

Enough to keep Manuel Pellegrini in his job next season? Well it should be…but I suspect the ‘Pep thing’ might already have been agreed; leaving our ‘charming man’ with a 1-year, pay-off-contract-extension bonus to look forward to…