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A Season Of Predictions 2007/08
Written by Kj talk | 10th August 2007 | 0 Comment(s)
August 11/12/2007 and the ecstasy and misery that is the English Premiership begins once again. With due respect to all the other teams that make up the football leagues of course it will always be the elite of England that sets the pulses racing like no other.
Victor Predictor is a football site that asks you to put your opinions and knowledge to the test and this season due to the uncertainty of credit card transactions for gaming sites you simply sign up for free and pit your wits against all others.
You can follow your progress and where you stand against all others by simply logging on with your user name once you have signed up and made your selections.
I like millions of others have pondered and speculated on who will be the star of the season and what teams will finish where and I will share those with you and save my blushes until May 2008 when no doubt I will be made eat humble pie!
PREMIERSHIP: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool
I don't think many people will be choosing the Premiership winner away from either Manchester United or Chelsea and I just go for Fergie's attacking style over the more pragmatic approach that Chelsea adopt. The introduction of Owen Hargreaves gives Manchester United added steel and I would not be surprised to see him get games at right back in a position that he has played for England.
If the Carlos Tevez transfer goes through then Manchester receive a player that is already Premiership proven with his best years ahead of him. There may be a slight doubt that his style is a little too close to Rooney and United still do not have a so called target striker in the guise of Van Nistlerooy.
Chelsea will push United close and despite not spreading Roubles like confetti this summer they still have made some important acquisitions to add to a quality filled squad. I will be very interested to see how free signing Steve Sidwell performs and may make North London's French professor regret letting him go.
I fully expect Didier Drogba to have another storming season and be the Premierships top goal scorer and Chelsea is reinforced by left winger Florent Malouda, a player all top sides across Europe wanted.
The Vultures have been swooping over Arsenal's head for a while with the uncertainty of the clubs stability and direction after the surprise departure of director David Dein. The speculation continued that Arsene Wenger might follow but I believe things are a lot more stable than has been speculated and I fully expect Arsene Wenger to sign a new extension to his contract.
This season it's all about how the team will cope without the former talisman Thierry Henry now departed for Barcelona of course. It is too be remembered that Arsenal did not lose a game at the Emirates to a side above them and in any of those games Henry did not play.
They have brought in a Brazilian Croatian Eduardo Da Silva and the Arsenal faithful will hope he can pick up where Henry left off. I see it as being Vital that William Gallas forms a partnership with Kolo Toure at the heart of defence and stop the silly goals the team conceded last season. If Robin Van Persie can stay fit then Arsenal have a player that Marco Van Basten described as being the most talented to come out of Holland for a decade and he should know.
Fourth spot for me will be Liverpool. I still do not consider the club has what it takes to be Premiership winners despite the arrival of record signing Fernando Torres from Spain. His arrival along with Ryan Babel makes the Liverpool strike force an attractive one but its asking a lot for an instant return with players that are not used to the pace and aggression of the Premiership.
Tottenham will be seen as the most likely club to break into the top four elite and hopes were raised when Darren Bent arrived for a massive fee, but it may be at the back that things become disappointing. Manager Martin Joel will be under intense pressure to deliver something this season and if his team flatters to deceive once again then expect the natives to get restless.
A top six finish will be a great reward for a host of teams but probably the most likely candidates will be Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Everton and maybe Portsmouth. Can West Hams Alan Curbishley handle big named players? Something he was not used at Chartlon
At the other end Derby look certain to struggle along with Fulham, Wigan and I believe Middlesborough.
CHAMPIONSHIP: West Bromich Albion, Charlton Athletic, Coventry City, Watford
The Championship is considered by many as being the hardest league to escape from. As this site deals with top four teams then its Victor's opinion that the named above will be the main contenders.
West Brom have been knocking on the door for a while now and this may just be their turn whilst Chartlon under Alan Pardew has a manager who has guided a team into the top flight before and will be looking to bounce straight back.
Coventry may surprise a few teams and at times last season they were starting to get a consistency together and this term they may go further think people think. Watford who was way out of their depth in the Premiership last term should be a top tier team in the Championship once again.
SCOTS PREMIERSHIP: Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts
I would love to see the Glasgow stranglehold broken up but it just is not going to happen. Rangers returned some good results in the pre-season friendly games and Walter Smith is likely to be bringing the tile back to Ibrox once again.
Now let's have a journey into the leagues that Victor Predictor deals with in Europe starting across the water with our French cousins.
LIGUE 1: Olympique Lyonnaise, Monaco, Lens, Paris Saint Germain
Can anyone back against Lyon? They seem to finish in top spot no matter who is in charge and the team is now in the hands of present manager Jacques Santini. Monaco should be good enough for second whilst the home support of Lens which is likened to an English crowd can carry the team. Fourth spot may go to serial under achievers Paris St Germain.
BUNDESLIGA: Bayern Munich , Hamburg SV, FC Schalke 04, VFB Stuttgart
Bayern will be looking to get back to the summit of German football and to add to their all star line up arrives from France winger Franck Ribery to the tune of £17,000,000. Hamburg SV I tip to finish second with the consistent FC Shalke 04 in third sport and VFB Stutgart to be placed fourth.
EREDIVISE: Ajax, PSV Eindhoven , Feynoord, AZ Alkmaar
In the land of the orange Ajax should have just enough to keep PSV from claiming top spot in what could be the last season for star striker Klass-Jan Hunetalaar. Many top teams in the Premiership have been linked with the player including Arsenal and Manchester United.
SERIE A: Inter Milan, Roma, Juventus, AC Milan
The best league in Italy welcomes back Juventus after one season away due to relegation for corruption. The old Lady of Turin is now managed by the popular Claudio Renieri. Artist formally known as the Tinker Man! Whilst they should re-establish themselves right back at the top of Italian football I do not think this will be the season that they win the Scudetto.
That honour once again will fall into the arms of Inter Milan I believe with Roma also giving a good account of them selves. AC Milan despite being the Champions League holder still need younger fresh blood I feel.
PRIMERA LIGA: Barcelona , Sevilla, Real Madrid, Valencia
I make Barcelona a strong favourite to regain their Championship and the biggest problem they may face this season is where to play all their strikers now Henry has arrived. UEFA cup holders Sevilla seem strong enough to finish at least in the top four and I have placed them second despite the fact that Daniel Alves seems destined to become an English Premiership player soon.
Win a league and sack the manager is the modern day style of Real Madrid and I can't place them any higher than third spot with Valencia following close behind.
Fourth place is now seen as the golden chalise due to qualification into the Champions league and that is why Victor Predictor asks for teams to be placed in the top four throughout all the domestic leagues we cover.
The single predictions tend to be made with a gut instinct and below are mine;
FA CUP WINNER......... Arsenal
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNER.......... Barcelona
EUROPEAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR......... Lionel Messi ( Barcelona)
PFA PLAYER OF THE YEAR......... Robin Van Persie
EUROPEAN GOLDEN SHOE........................ Klass Van Huntalaar (Ajax)
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TOP SCORER................. Adriano (Inter Milan)
GOLDEN BOOT............. Didier Drogba
So those are my predictions publicly aired for much scorn and derision no doubt but that is the beauty of this game. You put your own football knowledge to the test and unlike the tired format of football fantasy you will be receiving points based solely on the level of your accurate predictions.
Good luck and happy predicting!
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