Barclay’s Premier League

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Blogpastor’s BPL 2015/2016 predictions

13 September 2015 blogpastor Leave a comment

The mad summer transfers, or the lack thereof as in the case of Arsenal, have run to the ground, like a tired footballer after extra time. Now we know which players each team has. Now is a good time to make some predictions. I read articles which showed that many pundits and journalists had put Chelsea in the front. For the time being, those predictions does not look smart.

My predictions are as follows:

CHAMPIONS: Arsenal. They have plugged their weakness at goal and to a certain extent they have sufficient defenders to last the rigours of Champions League and BPL. I wished they had more height and muscle in the middle of the park but they have two katek ayam. Up front I wished they had a clinical finisher, one better than Giroud or Welbeck, but the manager said there were no solutions available for transfer. I support that. Whats’ the use of buying a below standard striker, pay him big bucks and then keep him on the bench and try to get rid of him the next year. Think Balotelli.

My head tells me its Manchester City that will be champions, but as a fan, I let my heart rule. So its Arsenal for champions.

SECOND: Manchester City. The most balanced, power packed and talented squad. Pretty scary on paper. On the field, they look like formidable Mongols and Zulu warriors. The only factor that may change the game is injury to Aguero their striker. Looking at his past track record this is a given.

THIRD: Manchester United. They have lots of talent and character on paper but it will take time for them to play Van Gaal’s system. European players seem more able to adapt but the Spanish and Brazilian ones will feel stifled. Like Arsenal striker options are thin and it is doubtful they will be able to solve this problem in January. Originally, I put them fourth. But after seeing their hunger and their new expensive teenage striker I switched Chelsea to fourth place.

FOURTH: Chelsea looks jaded. Something is missing. Looks like a completely different team with Costa, Falcao, Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas, Terry and Ivanovic out of form at the same time. Is it mere fatigue? Or is it due to a slow start after winning last year – the champion’s hangover? Or are they all protesting on the field against Mourinho’s judgment call on Dr Eva Carneiro ? Is there a simmering passive resistance to his management? It happened in his other teams after they have won cups. Mourinho teams typically unravel during the third season. Is he itching for the German Bundesliga or French League?

What are your personal predictions?

Blogpastor’s BPL 2012-13 football season predictions

4 September 2012 blogpastor 9 Comments

The transfers are almost done and all the teams in the English Premier League have played three matches. Now is a fair time to make some predictions of the teams that will make it to the top six. Here are my predictions:

Champions: Manchester City will retain their title. Depth of the squad is a very important indicator of championship potential. The number of matches played by a club in the premier league is legion, more than any European league. Wear and tear, fatigue and injuries is not uncommon. Man City has the best squad. Their forwards are all fearsome internationals. No other team has as much firepower, or should I say, petro-power in attack, midfield and defence. Now with Tevez looking like scary demon he was before, I expect them to be the biggest goal-scorers. I think they will go beyond the Group of Death but not to the semi final stage of the UEFA Championship.

Runners up would be Arsenal. This is a surprise pick, ya? I think with RVP this team had a chance at being champions. But without him, they should be satisfied, indeed elated if they could grab a close second. Their defence is growing in confidence and if they keep being mean and stingy, they will lose less points to lower ranking teams. I believe all four cylinders will be firing consistently within a month or two. I hope to see Abou Diaby do a Van Persie this year – be injury free for one whole season and be a Goliath in the midfield, even as Carzola plays the Davidic part.

Third will be Chelsea because the midfield has been completely revamped and they seem to be already playing telepathically and creatively. Drogba is gone; Lampard is aging; Terry gets injured more often; and Petr Czech no longer seem unbeatable: change is in the air, and this means they will lose points. But I expect the the Torres-Eden axis to be toxic and hazardous enough to get them to third.

Fourth will be Manchester United. Rooney and Ferguson are not in bed together and this is disastrous. Furthermore, Ferguson keeps praising Van Persie to goad Rooney but this tactic may backfire due to the distrust in their relationship. Will their purchase of injury-prone Van Persie from Arsenal, become a 24 million dollar mistake they will regret? Probably, expect an injury to restrict his time on the field. Their midfield was the strongest in the league whenever they were champions and now it does not look as formidable and creative. In addition, their defence has been as injury plagued as Arsenal’s two seasons ago. Is Man Utd being in fourth position shocking? Yes it is. Fourth position will be the unthinkable torpedo that will sink the career of Ferguson……….finally. The hairdryer will move up to the boardroom, and Pep Guardalio will replace him.

Fifth will be Tottenham Hotspurs. They should have kept Harry Redknapp. Now instead of a man motivator they got in AVB, a player destroyer. But they have good players so a fifth to them should be worth celebrating.

Liverpool fans should take comfort that the painful change the team is undergoing will land them a creditable sixth this season, so they will get into the Europa Cup games in the next season.

You should disagree with all of the above if you are a real fan. Yes my predictions is more fire than cold logic. Of course it has to be. We are talking about the BPL not accountancy. Like to hear your predictions in the comment box.