5th February 2005
By
Jody Jamieson
I write articles for a Heart of Midlothian fanzine. I got my free
copy of Maroon View through the post a couple of days ago and read
it. Decent read, but one article got me thinking from it. There was
someone who had logged their predictions for the season and was having
a look back to see how they had gone so far. It reminded me that I'd
done the same at the start of this season with the Premiership table
and I just had to have a look to see if I could find it. Low and behold
I've just found it and it makes for some interesting reading. The
top 3 is fine so far, but then it gets strange. Some I can see what
I was thinking, but some I wondered what possessed me to make such
stupid predictions. Let's have a look.....
Chelsea. Current position 1st. JJ's pre-season prediction 1st.
So far so good. I fancied with the addition of Mourinho and some brilliant
players such as Didier Drogba and Arjen Robben that Chelsea would
be unstoppable this season, and so far it looks that way. It'll be
interesting to see how much wear and tear comes over the squad in
the next few weeks with a packed schedule over 4 competitions, but
I'm still confident that Chelsea will win the title. However, I fancy
them to win it by a far more comfortable margin than I had them down
for at the start. I'd have had them to win the league by 4 points,
and that might still happen, but Chelsea look good.
Manchester United. Current position 2nd. JJ's pre-season prediction
3rd.
Manchester United are on a fantastic run right now, and haven't lost
in the league for a good 3 months. The addition of Wayne Rooney and
the continued development of Christiano Ronaldo has given Manchester
United the impetus to go on a charge that could still lead to another
title, depending on Chelsea. Man U didn't start well, but write them
off at your peril.
Arsenal. Current position 3rd. JJ's pre-season prediction 2nd.
The air of invincibility that came with a 49 game unbeaten run was
shattered at Old Trafford by an airborne Wayne Rooney. Everyone speculated
whether it would but a big spanner in the Highbury cog and it did
indeed. Almunia's lack of ability hasn't helped either, and surely
if Arsene Wenger hasn't fell out with Lehmann he's got to put him
back in sometime. He's not a lot better than Alumunia but is still
an improvement. I fancied them to push Chelsea all the way, but it
doesn't look that way right now.
Everton. Current position 4th. JJ's pre-season prediction 18th.
Oops. Everton have been revelation this season. The football isn't
always pretty, but I'm sure the Evertonian supporters won't care too
much. Losing Rooney seemed to have more of a positive than a negative
effect on them. Losing Gravesen may prove to be the difference between
Champions League football and the UEFA Cup (or no Europe at all) but
they can be proud of their achievements so far, although their recent
blip will have to be ironed out pronto to keep their push for 4th
alive. Well done Everton. I had you to go down. I couldn't have been
more wrong.
Liverpool. Current position 5th. JJ's pre-season prediction 5th.
I've got this one right so far, even if I've not got the team to finish
directly above them correct. Rafa Benitez is a good boss but I saw
this season as a transitional period where the team underachieved.
That said I still fancied them to do just enough to qualify for Europe
via the league. Selling Michael Owen was a big mistake I felt, and
if they lose Gerrard in the summer then a return to the Roy Evans
style mediocrity could be around the corner. They should still do
enough to finish in the top 5, and they can see Everton in the distance
so much fancy their chances of getting back into the Champions League.
Burnley debacle aside they must be very happy with their season so
far.
Middlesbrough. Current position 6th. JJ's pre-season prediction 4th.
At the start of the season I fancied Steve McClaren's side to make
the push and finally show some consistency in the league. They've
done a very good job and their achievements so far can't be criticised.
Breezed through their UEFA Cup group but struggled in the domestic
cups. It'll be interesting to see where Boro finish at the end of
the season, and if Everton continue to struggle, and Liverpool's injuries
get any worse, then perhaps they can still make a push for 4th. We'll
wait and see.
Bolton Wanderers. Current position 7th. JJ's pre-season prediciton
9th.
You can say anything you want about Bolton. "They play boring football."
"They are a side devoid of talent" "Bunch of divers" etc etc. But
what you can't take away from them is the points they've won. Looking
at the table you wonder where they could be if they hadn't gone on
that horrible run towards the end of 2004. Much like Everton, I'm
sure Bolton fans aren't concerned about their lack of pretty football.
Football is all about results and Bolton get them. Simple as.
Charlton Athletic. Current position 8th. JJ's pre-season prediction
12th.
I fancied Charlton to struggle, before going on a run in the last
couple of months of the season to escape relegation comfortably. If
they went on a run in the last couple of months of the season then
who knows where they could end up. Curbishley has dealt with enough
adversity, and even though the signings of Murphy and Rommedahl were
expected to make the difference, you just wondered if Curbishley would
see out the season. Fair play to him as he's proved yet again that
he's a very capable manager, and West Ham fans must rue the day he
turned them down.
Tottenham Hotspur. Current position 9th. JJ's pre-season prediction
10th.
Mid-table anonymity. What Spurs specialise in. However it's been very
topsy-turvy at White Hart Lane this season and when Martin Jol took
over you must have wondered what the hell was going on. Jol has done
a great job so far and if he could put the consistency back into their
side then they could be a big threat next season. I do fancy them
to stay round about this part of the table this season though.
Manchester City. Current position 10th. JJ's pre-season prediction
17th.
Kevin Keegan has improved this sides fortunes no end. The club is
reportedly in a shedload of debt and must have wondered if they'd
be able to stay in the league this season. They're doing it fairly
comfortably so far and with Robbie Fowler hitting a vain of form that
is so overdue, you wonder whether the pressure on Keegan is off for
now. I for one didn't fancy him to be Man City manager come May. Well
done to our old hero in doing a sterling job, the highlight being
the victory over Chelsea.
Aston Villa. Current position 11th. JJ's pre-season prediction 6th.
They're fast becoming the Spurs of the Midlands. When was the last
time Villa did anything interesting? The former European Champions
continue to flatter to deceive. With Carlton Cole forgetting how to
finish and Thomas Sorensen dropping a few clangers then dreams of
Europe for Villa are as good as over for another year. Not wanting
to start a David O'Leary debate, but I just can't see him ever being
a huge success at managerial level.
Newcastle United. Current position 12th. JJ's pre-season prediction
7th.
It's been a bad season for the Toon. February will be a crucial month
as defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup and Heerenveen in Europe would
end our season. It's been a circus from start to finish and I'm just
hoping that we can salvage something from a largely poor season. I'm
not holding my breath, but another run in Europe would be something
positive to come from this year.
Portsmouth. Current position 13th. JJ's pre-season prediction 13th.
Woo-hoo I got one right!!! Well so far anyway, and not without talking
points. Pompey have reacted fairly well to the Harry Redknapp adversity
and are looking very good for survival yet again. Zajic has done well
so far and will be hoping he can keep it up, but I'm not overly sure
that he will. They'll stay up this season without much trouble, but
next season will be crucial on the south coast.
Birmingham City. Current position 14th. JJ's pre-season prediction
8th.
I fancied Heskey to be the surprise of the season. I fancied Jesper
Gronjkaer to add a creative edge to Birmingham. I also fancied Muzzy
Izzet to make an incredible difference. While Heskey and Izzet have
done fairly well, Gronkjaer has already been shipped off. Steve Bruce
just hasn't got it right this season. There's still time to go on
a decent run and finish in the top half, but it has to come soon.
Birmingham have been one of the disappointments of this season though
in my view.
Fulham. Current position 15th. JJ's pre-season prediction 15th.
Their unbelievable 4-1 win at St James Park aside, it's been normal
service for Fulham. They've picked up numerous lucky results along
the way this season. The 4-1 against Newcastle was a game they should
have lost heavily. The recent 1-1 draw against Villa came about after
2 Angel penalty misses, and one from Andy Cole too though. They were
pummelled by West Brom at home before stealing it in the last minute.
Manchester United should have been out of sight before Papa Bouba
Diop equalised. And in a recent game at home to Palace they were fortunate
to win. That said you make your own luck and Fulham probably deserve
to play Premiership football next season.
Blackburn Rovers. Current position 16th. JJ's pre-season prediction
19th.
My prediction of relegation for Blackburn shows the belief I had for
the man who was about to become our new manager one month in. Blackburn
are a side without much to offer in terms on creativity, skill or
defending at times. They should be fine to stay up but better watch
out. Nothing about Blackburn gives me the impression that they'll
be challenging for Europe anytime soon. Must do better.
Crystal Palace. Current position 17th. JJ's pre-season prediction
20th.
The side who many of us probably had down for the wooden spoon continue
to overachieve, and would we really grudge Dowie survival? He's done
a sterling job at a team who looked in risk of dropping to Division
2 last season, only to go up via the play-offs. A very likeable side
who fight for each other and never give up till it's over. It would
be a shame to see them go down as they've done a great job so far.
Norwich City. Current Position 18th. JJ's pre-season prediction 16th.
A side I fancied to stay up who show a similar fighting spirit to
Palace. However they to me down look quite like staying in the Premiership.
I can't see them doing enough to stay up. The recent incredible comeback
against Middlesbrough shows that they're capable, but I don't feel
they have the ability required to gain enough points over 38 games.
They looked good last season, but there's something missing from that
side, and with it being too late for Nigel Worthington to make any
moves in the transfer market I think it'll be curtains for Norwich.
Southampton. Current Position 19th. JJ's pre-season prediction 14th.
If Southampton do go down, then a lot of the blame will have to be
laid at the door of Rupert Lowe and his managerial merry go round.
Sturrock was doing a good job and was given the bullet because his
face didn't fit. The Stuart Wigley farce was just that. A farce. Harry
Redknapp has a proven record of survival but if it doesn't come off,
then Rupert Lowe must hold his hands up and take his rather large
share of the blame for relegation.
West Bromwich Albion. Current Position 20th. JJ's pre-season prediction
10th.
Oops again. They're not as bad as they look though, and the amount
of bad luck they've had this season is incredible. They've put in
more than a few shocking performances, but Bryan Robson must be pulling
his hair out at some of the games they somehow contrive to lose. If
they start getting the luck anytime soon then survival is far from
impossible, but they'll have to put a run together very soon or it'll
be curtains.
So some have gone to plan. Some have gone completely against the plan,
but the Premiership this season has the potential to be dead and buried
by about April with Chelsea wrapping up the title, and one of the
bottom 4 pulling away from the other 3. Hopefully the league will
become a bit more interesting in the months to come. |
 |
Toon
Shirts |
|
Sponsors |
|
|
