Predictions time.

The outgoing transfer window closed less than 2 weeks ago, it’s an international break and, so, time for my-usual season predictions piece.

First of all…

…last season’s prediction posting and the results of (in those links).

And now…

…for this season’s, starting with how I think the Premier League table will look at around 5pm on Sunday 12^th May 2019.

1^st        Manchester City

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2^nd       Liverpool

3^rd        Chelsea

4^th        Tottenham Hotspur

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5^th        Manyoo

6^th        Arsenal

7^th        Everton

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8^th        Fulham

9^th        Wolverhampton Wanderers

10^th      Watford

11^th      AFC Bournemouth

12^th      Leicester City

13^th      West Ham United

14^th      Newcastle United

15^th      Southampton

16^th      Crystal Palace

17^th      Burnley

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18^th      Huddersfield Town

19^th      Brighton & Hove Albion

20^th      Cardiff City

Notable points about that predicted, final table of 2018/19:

·         Well, I’ve put us down as finishing Champions, which is something I didn’t predict last season; when I got unusually jittery and stuck us down as 2^nd…behind Manyoo of all teams! I did actually only get both team’s finishing place wrong by one…but I’m certainly not going to try to put ‘spin’ on a season where we finished 19 points ahead of them! I think this season will be a very, very tough & close one, league-wise, and only wobbling ever so slightly after seeing both a full and bit-part Liverpool matches, in which they look frightening & devastating in their attacks; I think we’ll still pip ‘em to the title in, what is sure to be, a close & tense race. I agree with what I heard America-bound Nedum Onuoha say on local radio last night, which was something along the lines of that it’s going to be very close fight but, when both teams inevitably hit a wobble, it’ll be Pep’s brilliance over Klopp’s ability that is likely to be the difference. I agree with that and I think our Manager will deliver what I know a lot of Blues, myself included, are craving, which is back-to-back titles. As for Liverpool, I can’t see them finishing any lower than 2^nd.

·         I was gonna stick Chelsea a place or two below that but I now think they’ll have a strong season also. I’ve gone for Spurs to finish a creditable 4^th but some of that might depend on whether their farcical stadium issues will affect them.

·         I think Manyoo both on the pitch and behind the scenes are feeling the tremors from the grumbling volcano that is “Mount 3^rd season Moanrinho” and they’ll do well to finish 5^th…but are likely to be around that spot come the end of the season. As for Arsenal, they have a good team but are in transition at the moment and might be looking at a 6^th-place slot, which most Gunners’ fans might be okay with this-season-round and for now.

·         Slightly beyond those, I think we have a bunch of teams who I believe will have fairly good seasons. Everton have some strong-looking, talented, attacking players and a Manager who has now gained some years’ experience in England. I think they’ll do well. I like the look of Fulham under their Manager who has been with them now since December 2015. They have some decent attacking players and the team as a whole look like they love to press with pace. I really liked the look of Jean Michael Seri when we were linked with him as a central, box-to-box midfielder with lots of energy who would have acted as relief for Fernandinho. I was sorry we didn’t snap him up. Fulham got a good deal in today’s market, I think, at around £26.5M! Similar things could be said of Wolves too, with good players and a Manager who, despite only being with the club for 16 months, has got them very well organised and working very hard too. They’ve certainly taken to the Premier League well, so far, after the Manager with a name that sounds like a South American prayer blessing got them promoted as Champions last season just 12 months after joining ‘em!

·         The middle bunch pretty much align themselves as most would expect. However, a quick word on West Ham. I think it was always going to be a case of how their many signings, costing around £100M in the summer, were gonna gel and up to this early stage, it most-certainly looks like they’re not. Even more concerning, I’m sure, for the Hammers’ faithful is that they don’t even look like they want to TRY for the former Manchester City boss! Just before the start of the season, I was going to put them in a finishing position of around 7^th or 8^th but they’ve got some serious work to do now and although I can see them surviving, I just can’t see them finishing above where I’ve put them in 13^th.

·         I think Cardiff – and their obnoxious Manager – are doomed and I think this’ll be one season too many for both Brighton & Huddersfield; with the latter STILL not finding players who can find goals often enough. Brighton might prove me wrong. I was gonna stick Burnley higher up the table and now that their European adventure is over, perhaps they will pull themselves together and become the resilient side we’ve come to know in recent seasons. However, they are now having to push on from a position of just 1 point from 12 and not only are they still not scoring many, they are, unusually for them, also leaking like crazy too; with 9 conceded from their opening 4 fixtures. Could be a struggle for them but I think they’ll scrap themselves to eventual safety.

City and the cups.

Finally, here’s how I think we’ll do in the cups.

League Cup                -           Quarter finals.

I can see a lot of EDS and fringe players being picked for this one this season; despite adding this trophy to our growing cabinet in 2017/18.

F.A. Cup                      -           Final and, therefore, possible winners.

I’ve got a feeling that Pep would like to add this one to his ‘list of’ and will field strong side IF the fixtures are kind in & around the various rounds in 2019.

Champions League     -           Quarter finals again.

Have we strengthened enough to compete with the REAL big boys in Europe? We’re a flippin’ good team / squad with the best Manager of the lot, in my opinion, but when it comes to the proper ‘top end’ of teams, I just feel that we still don’t have quite enough quality in such depth as-to push us onto that level; hindered this season also with a sure-to-be pressured domestic league campaign.

So…

…if I’m right, that’s the Premier League retained and possibly an F.A. Cup to parade around too. And with 2 quarter final appearances chucked into the mix also, I would hope that most City fans would be pleased with that.

And, again if I am right with this predicted season for us, I can see the summer off 2019 being one where the club spends big and that we’ll see some next-level-signings come in to add to the talent we already have at our wonderful football club.

The future is still bright and wonderfully sky blue!