English Premiership
Promotion & Relegation ~ Premiership
The following are my Promotion & Relegation predictions for the forthcoming English football season (2008/09). These predictions cover the English professional divisions,ie, Premiership to Division two as well as the Blue square Premier League.
Explanations these predictions are to be found at the end of this article.
Premiership 2008/9:
Champions: Chelsea 15/8 with bet365
Runners Up: Manchester United
3rd Place: Arsenal
4th Place: Aston Villa
Relegated: Stoke City, Hull City & Wigan Athletic
Reasons for the above predictions:
Premiership: Chelsea & Manchester United:
I feel that the appointment of Scolari as manager plus the re-signing of Lampard will give Chelsea the edge to push Manchester United into second place. United had luck in abundance last season and I feel that their chance to achieve the feat of three Premiership titles in a row has been lost now that Chelsea have their equal in financial stakes. The final points difference will be very little.
Arsenal:
Arsenal can feel themselves very hard done by last season.. They were beaten by Liverpool in the champions league by the referee’s penalty decisions and they would have won the Premiership if not for the injury to Eduardo. The loss of several players will harm their chances, especially in midfield if not the handicap of not being able to match the top two in financial terms. A good bet for one of the cups and will play the best football.
Aston Villa:
This will surprise some but I think Liverpool are in trouble. A combination of a manager whose obsession with team rotation (They haven’t got the player quality of the other Three) and internal politics from their American owners will see them drop out of the top four. This will mean that fourth place is up for grabs and I think Aston Villa’s keeping of Gareth Barry will help their cause not to mention the quality of Martin O’Neil’s motivational skills (A better manager than Rafael Benitez methinks) will see them leap frog Liverpool. I don’t even think that Liverpool will win anything but Villa are my tip for the FA Cup. It helps when your American owner is in football for the right reasons. Oh, the irony.
Stoke City, Hull City & Wigan Athletic: (Relegated)
Stoke City haven’t been in the top flight since 1985 and as pleased as I am for them in getting promoted I can see a combination of money (lack of), player quality and inexperience having a deadly effect. I also feel that the same applies to Hull City who are playing in the top flight for the first time. If only the loyalty of your fan base and history counted for something. (Stoke are founder members of the football league).
My third choice of Wigan athletic is based on the fact that I don’t think that Steve Bruce is not that good a manager, average at best I feel. I also feel that West Bromwich Albion have enough to stay up.
Douglas Martin
3rd August 2008
Related Football Betting tips for 2008/9 Season
Premiership Predictions 2008/9
Championship Predictions 2008/9
League One Predictions 2008/9
League Two Predictions 2008/9
Blue square Conference Predictions 2008/9
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