how many teams are in the Prem title race?

Bounty Hunter

This years title race seems much more open than recent times kind of like last years La Liga (though its still early in the campaign)

Chelsea and United have had poor starts to the league. Jose has now departed Chelsea which will mean an adjustment period is needed, while united are struggling to fitting new players in a new formation.

looking to fullfill their potential thus far has been Arsenal meanwhile Liverpool have avoided the usual bad start to the season. But can either of them win the league this year? I think its going to be a lot closer this season.

~Rebel~

Im gonna keep it short cause its late and im tired, but 4.

I still think Liverpool will drop more points then United and Chelsea have over the past few years, but i think they'll do the same. A lot of the middling clubs have improved a lot and I could see a fair few upsets this year (like those that have befallin everyone already at the hands of Pompy, Blackburn and Reading)

A Dub in Glasgo

It is only just gone mid September!!!

It will pan out the same way since the EPL was created and have 2 teams challenging or one runs away with it.

PHB

4, but by Christmas I expect Liverpool to be out

jameshayes

PHB wrote:

4, but by Christmas I expect Liverpool to be out

I dont think so, i think liverpool will do well this year, and as a utd fan i'm worried.

s_carnage

Liverpool could be serious title contenders but with Benitez's rotation system it will seriously impair any hope they've got.

Hyzepher

On the whole this year looks like it might venture into a 3 or 4 horse race. However, a lot will depend on how each team do in other competitions. Trying to juggle squads for 3 or 4 trophies can result in the whole stack of cards falling. If the 4 teams are still in the hunt come next Spring when the FA Cup and CL knockout stages arrive then it moght boil down to who has the freshest squad.

leninbenjamin

i'm gonna say 5. i think all the big clubs are going to stutter this season at stages, dont think we'll see a 90point winner really. i also think that a club like Man City/WHU/Everton could hang on to the fringes of the race for a good bit yet as it wont be so demanding, probably not all the way to the end of season but enough to surprise a hell of a lotta people.

Mr Alan

Think there is 4 teams in it

PHB wrote:

4, but by Christmas I expect Liverpool to be out

and i really hope that comes back to bit ya in the bollox

griffdaddy

PHB wrote:

4, but by Christmas I expect Liverpool to be out

What makes you so sure Liverpool will be out by Christmas when they've started out so well? (I think they'll be out of it by March or April, but my Liverpool Fan spider sense is telling me that, and Man U fans don't get the Liverpool spider sense:D )

PHB

lol they haven't done anything to show me that they can perform better than last year. Also they have just gotten unlucky with injuries and gotten them in the one area that they didn't have good cover, CB.

I think the Portsmouth result is a sign that Liverpool can't win the league, that Rafa still hasn't cracked the league. I think they'll win the next three games (and if they don't, they'll defo be gone), and then really struggle against Spurs, Everton, Arsenal, Blackburn, (Fulham), Newcastle. I think in that run of 6 games (ignoring Fulham), they'll pick up about 6-9 points, which will see them drop away from the leader, who imo will still be Arsenal.

Pepe LeFrits

3. Arsenal will probably be relegated or finish mid-table at best, because without Henry they are incapable of kicking a ball.

flanzer

PHB wrote:

lol they haven't done anything to show me that they can perform better than last year

And United and Chelsea have?! They're all playing shíte to be honest, well shíter than the 2nd half of last season anyway! They only team playing better and consisantly better are Arsenal.

growler

2 Arse and ManU



Can't see chelsea improving in the short term and Jose going will be a major blow, whoever replace him will be licking Roman's @rse and we'll be playing with 7 strikers and no keeper by mid October. Liverpool, will struggle with injuries and may well be out of the race by Feb.

PHB

flanzer wrote:

And United and Chelsea have?! They're all playing shíte to be honest, well shíter than the 2nd half of last season anyway! They only team playing better and consisantly better are Arsenal.

Indeed, but United nor Chelsea haven't started playing yet, both suffering key injuries/suspensions. Once they get going, I fully expect them to perform near the levels of last year. Arsenal have clearly shown they are a different prospect to last years Arsenal. So far, Liverpool haven't done a huge amount different, had a good run against bottom half teams.

Mr Alan

PHB wrote:

I think the Portsmouth result is a sign that Liverpool can't win the league, that Rafa still hasn't cracked the league.

and Utd picking up no points at fratton park last year meant?

patrickc

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

3. Arsenal will probably be relegated or finish mid-table at best, because without Henry they are incapable of kicking a ball.

have you watched any of their games this season? keep dremaing pepe

Jazzy

PHB wrote:

4, but by Christmas I expect Liverpool to be out

cen fath ?

flanzer

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

3. Arsenal will probably be relegated or finish mid-table at best, because without Henry they are incapable of kicking a ball.

You need to come out and stop living with Osama, Pepe! Madness....With the way they're playing, they'll have 39 points by mid-November, enough to keep them up!!

gandalf

I think Mr LeFrits is being sarcastic

I still expect the big 4 to be challanging, whether its stays that way right to the end I don't know. Remember injuries and the African Nations will have a big say in the title as well.

The big question for Chelsea is what the player reaction is to Jose leaving, they can either fall apart or it will gel them into a stronger team. Liverpool need to sort out the rotation system, if they do then they have a squad more than capable to win the league. United keep getting written off and keep confounding people and grinding results out. Arsenal look like they are motoring at the moment but have to watch the traditional November slump, injuries to key players and particularly fairly lightweight cover at the back.

gandalf

I think Mr LeFrits is being sarcastic

I still expect the big 4 to be challanging, whether its stays that way right to the end I don't know. Remember injuries and the African Nations will have a big say in the title as well.

The big question for Chelsea is what the player reaction is to Jose leaving, they can either fall apart or it will gel them into a stronger team. Liverpool need to sort out the rotation system, if they do then they have a squad more than capable to win the league. United keep getting written off and keep confounding people and grinding results out. Arsenal look like they are motoring at the moment but have to watch the traditional November slump, injuries to key players and particularly fairly lightweight cover at the back.

Pepe LeFrits

lol.

I was actually satirising some of the moronic comments made about Arsenal in the summer's prediction threads.

jank

Arsenal will probably be relegated or finish mid-table at best, because without Henry they are incapable of kicking a ball.

Its always the same, Predictions of doom and gloom then praise for arsenal. Anybody who remembers the **** that was spouted around during the pre 2003-2004 season will testfiy to that.

It just goes to show how little some people know about football.

Jazzy

its still a four horse race. i think its going to be very close this year due to the standards of the mid table rising as they have. man city are now a tough team, as are villa, pompey, everton, newcastle, reading etc.
arsenal have the most to gain and the least to lose imo, no1 was expecting them to be contenders pre season but they are really showing us wat a gelled team can do and their youngsters are now extremely consistent aswell as naturally talented. losing henry is a blow of course, but it just means van persie and eduardo can step up.
pool are the iffy ones atm, they have started well and have a brilliant squad... but they are sorta like inter in the way that they always seem to trip over themselves and ruin the cake when the ingredients are perfect.
and of course man utd and chelsea are the 2 favorites... its pretty much fact - u dont spend that amount of money over the years without becoming a good side still the hardest two teams in the league for anyone to get points off and contain the leagues 2 best players (drogba and ronaldo).. fabregas is making a good shout for the #3 spot tho

Fighting Irish

United and one other team

Necronomicon

Chelsea still have the quality in their squad but with an untried manager at Prem level, as well as the African Nations Cup affecting them more than the others, they're probably slipping down the favourites list.

Liverpool, well I think they'll go closer this year but it really depends on how much Benitez wants it. If he rested players for his first group game, what will his attitude be if they get to the quarters or semi's?

I'd put Arsenal and United at slight favourites at the moment, Arsenal have been terrific so far and United are getting some very important players back - it's been a while since we had a Wenger vs Ferguson title fued, they're always interesting

shatners basoon

Arsenal have done excellent so far, they've certainly been the best team however a single injury to Fabregas will effectively stop their campaign, think they're a bit light in terms of an overall squad in comparison to the other big 3 too but if they get lucky (which any team needs to win the league) in that regard and they can consistently score more goals than they concede- they're more than capable. I don't think it was to ridiculous to think that Arsenal would miss Henry considering how great he is, I don't think anyone predicted too much doom though but if they did then yes they're idiots that watch too much Dunphy.

United are a funny one, i can't see them repeating the same dizzying heights as last season considering how they've carried on the form from the end of last season, new players not integrating properly (which was in all fairness expected) and the continuing depreciation of their talismen (Scholes and Giggs). However they're still without a doubt challengers simply due to the quality of some of their players and their (incredibly annoying ) ability to win without playing well.

To be honest i can't see Chelsea winning it now unless all the teams screw up sufficiently (which is well possible) with all thats going on and looking at how they're playing. The African Nations will probably hurt them, they've shown that without Lampard and/or Drogba that goals won't come so easily for them but they've still such a wealth of talent that they could easily step it up a notch.

Liverpool are pretty unpredictable but so far the league position is good and they've improved a lot over last year without a doubt. They'll need to play a lot better than the previous two games to continue the challenge but the same goes for all the teams (bar Arsenal).

So i reckon it'll be 4 challenging, United possibly shading it as favourites if Ronaldo stays fit. Can't see any other team breaking into the top 4 as whilst they've all improved none of them have done so sufficiently to be able to beat their rivals consistently due to their likewise improvement.

Liverpool, well I think they'll go closer this year but it really depends on how much Benitez wants it. If he rested players for his first group game, what will his attitude be if they get to the quarters or semi's?

He rested them more on account of the Internationals rather than the group game i reckon. Its said he likes to train his players specifically for each match and probably wasn't happy with the amount of time that the players from the internationals had to train with them so i wouldn't look into it too much. Liverpool tend to bottle it due to resorting to boot it up tactics for no reason rather than anything else, considering they're actually decent at making good moves if they get the attitude sorted in their away performances they'll do pretty damn well.

Mitch Connor

can't write anyone off yet really.

People thought United were going to struggle to get a CL spot last season.

Gangsta

3...soon to be two when Chelsea fall behind due to Maureen being sacked (lol:p)

Utd should be heavy favourites to win the title now imo, especially with Rooney and Ronaldo back. I'm with PHB on thinking that the showing against Pompey shows Liverpool can't challenge for the title (The pre-season talk every year that it's their year is getting a bit old now). Arsenal I believe still could challenge but the squad is light at the back really which will be a problem when the nuisance that is the African Cup of Nations starts:( Also I don't believe an injury to Fabregas is the be all and end all, Rosicky and Hleb can fill in their-Hleb being particularly creative.

Mr Alan

the game at Frattan park means **** all, United got nothing there last year,and won the premiership.

we got a point with a weakened team. Portsmouth also seem to be a better prospect this year than they were last. i'm happy enough, a point there was an improvement on wat we got last year.

Any of the top 4 can win it.

United favourites,then Chelsea, then Arsenal and Liverpool..... but i really do think Liverpool/Arsenal have wat it takes to win the league this year.

pd101

Its between Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool and maybe Chelsea. Whoever is knocked out of Europe first will win.

mike65

Chelsea are out of the race as of now.

Mike.

kincsem

Five - the usual four and Blackburn Rovers.

DSB

Are you a Blackburn fan? That is the only logical explanation for that post I can think of. They'll finish about 10th.

Bounty Hunter

kincsem wrote:

Five - the usual four and Blackburn Rovers.

tongue and cheek i presume. its nice though to have the prospect of it not just being Chelsea vs Man Utd for the championship.

KdjaCL

4 for once i can actually say 4.....

If it stays at 4 come march time, it should be as good a league as last seasons la liga.


kdjac