So I'm going to do my predictions for this season, its something I've been thinking about for the last few weeks, might be a long post as I'm going to explain my decisions after
1. Chelsea
2. Man United
3. Arsenal
4. Man City
5. Liverpool
6. Tottenham
7. Swansea
18. Sunderland
19. Leicester
20. Watford
Pretty much all the major teams have improved their squads this summer, but even so its difficult for me to look past Chelsea for the title, they have had a good summer and replaced Cech and Drogba and the likes of Hazard, Fabregas, Matic, Costa, Terry etc are all still there as is Jose and they have the strongest squad in the league.....however, I don't think it will be as routine as it was last time out for them, I feel it will be really close and we could have a situation where it will be a four horse race going into the final weeks, Man United have improved in one key area but are still short in defence and up front but I think we will definitely challenge for the title this year, Arsenal have been reinvigorated since their good run of form at the end of last season and Cech will plug a big hole at the back, they are still short defensively though I feel, I don't think Man City have really improved their squad with Sterling and Delph, they really need a defender to cover Kompany and his dodgy hamstrings, the erratic Mangala and the ageing Demichelis, they have got rid of some of their deadwood in Jovetic but the squad needs bigger changes than the ones they have made.
Outside of the top four, Liverpool have improved their squad with some good signings in Clyne, Milner and Benteke who can slot straight into the team, they will push for a top four place but will come up short, there is a lot of pressure on Rogers and he is the bookies favourite for the sack and he does look like someone with the weight of the world on his shoulders right now, Tottenham have mostly been getting rid of some of flop post-Bale signings with Paulinho and Capoue gone but Soldado is still there, they have bought well though with Alderweireld and Wimmer coming in and if they have Kane firing for a full season then they will push for a top four place, I think its difficult for Swansea to improve as I feel we have hit something of a glass ceiling after last seasons minor heroics, another top half finish would be satisfying, the new signings will take a while to bed in.
I haven't really got any predictions for the mid table Everton, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Stoke will fight it out for those places along with Southampton and West Ham who have the distruption of the Europa League to contend with, the Saints have added some good players to their squad but will be a few places lower than last season.
as for the relegation battle, Aston Villa, West Brom, Bournemouth and Norwich will be down there fighting, but Sunderland will be 18th, Leicester made a big mistake sacking Pearson and Ranieri is not a good replacement and the Pearson sacking will prove costly, Watford have made some decent additions to their squad but a majority of them are foreign and are unproven at this level, their also have owners who are very sack happy and you have to wonder how long Sanchez Flores will last...
So that's my take on this season, I'm really excited for it and I think it will be a cracker unlike last season which was far from vintage.
