MOTFA Episode Four - "Pre Season Predictions"

Safehands · Cult Status

MOTFA Episode Four - "Pre Season Predictions"

Sinky2707 · Cult Status

Pre-season predictions some have been right and some have been wrong i guess i'll discuss my opinion of it all-

In Spain its been pretty much expected as Barcelona Real Madrid and Sevilla look to contest the title although Villarreal have done surprisingly badly and Levante have done reasonably well. Cadiz have done well considering their own board were only hoping for a top ten finish

My Main Predictions Now
La Liga:
Champions-Real Madrid
Top Four-Real Madrid,Sevilla,Barcelona,Valencia

Segunda:
Promotion-Real Zaragoza,Celta Vigo
Play-offs-Racing Santander/Osasuna

In English Premiership West Ham have done well again as i thought they might Spurs have surpassed my expectation so far i thought they might be challenging for a top 4 finish with Chris as their new manager but at the moment they could do even better Arsenal look as if they're improving all the time and the win aginst Man United suggest they will have a much better season than the last Wigan and Fulham being down in the relegation mere isn't surprising i reckon they will go down Newcastle i'm surprised how badly they're struggling i thought they would be down near the bottom but not relegaion contenders I believe Portsmouth might now struggle due to their manager leaving for Real Madrid and go down with Wigan and Fulham i don't think the mid table teams will change really i feel Man City,Liverpool and Everton will be where they are now.

Champions-Chelsea
Top Four-Chelsea,Arsenal,Tottenham,Man United
Relegation-Wigan,Fulham,Portsmouth

In the Championship many of the teams that arenear the top i'm expected to be their Watford i didn't think would do so well or for that matter Coventry who have really impressed me I personally feel now that Blackburn,Bolton and Watford or West Brom will go up at the bottom of the table i would have predicted Norwich and Charlton to be down there but im a little bit surprised Reading and Cardiff have done so badly but due to porr transfer dealings i believe they are down their i still think Cardiff can get out of it due to their manager but i have a feeling reading are certain to go down

Promotion-Blackburn,Bolton,
Play-offs-West Brom/Watford
Relegation-Reading,Charlton,Aston Villa

In League One they are many surprises Derby i didn't think would cope with relegation so well i didn't think Wolves would be in the top 2 i thought they would contend top 6 but they might be able to do better Bristol have been the biggest shock in England i thought they'd be lucky to finish ahead of anyone except sheffield wednesday but they have managed to grind out some highly impressive wins so far i thought Crystal Palace and Sunderland would be in the top 2 by the end of the season i reckon that will still happen but it'll be tougher than i expected for them i believe Wolves could go up with them I think Jamie has done an incredible job with a team that was badly struggling when he first took charge of them but i think Preston could have something to say about that as Mark has one an incredible with them he has made a lot of quality signings and can give it a real good go this season
Birmingham,Sheffield United and Leicester would be contesting for play-offs but fall away while Birmingham and Sheffield united are where i expected them Leicester have done woeful and Leeds are a little bit off where i thought they'd be but that could be due to aging stars and loss of their old manager. Sheffield Wednesday,Nottingham forest and Bristol City would be down there Bristol have done brilliantly the other two haven't surprised me Sheffield Wednesday have got a very poor team which isn't the managers fault at all Nottingham Forest don't have the defence to do well at the moment and with administration looming over them they are a little distracted right now.

Promotion-Sunderland,Crystal Palace
Play-Offs-Wolves/Preston

Italian Sere A their have hardly been any surprises i'd say only parma have really punched above their own weight although Livorno and brescia aren't in the relegation zone i still feel they have a tough season to avoid relegation the three teams i expect to be in and around the three newly promoted teams at the bottom were Atalanta,Lazio and Udinese i believe one of these might go down with Empoli and either Brescia or Livorno as for the top i think the top two will contest for the title while Jventus and AC Milan will fight for 3rd and 4th spot

Champions-Roma
Top Four-Roma,Inter Milan,Juventus,AC Milan
Relegation-Empoli,Brescia,Lazio/Atalanta

Italian Serie B is going to be just as tough as last season with lts of teams thinking they could have a chance of promotion Torino and Siena i'm not at all surprised they are near the bottom Napoli i am a little surprised they are but they don't have a goalscorer in their team they so badly need and will be mid table i feel for them now long with Messina and Reggina who will both look to this season as a stepping stone for next season to push on. Cagliari while they have struggled to find their feet this season i think they are starting to improve with new manager Steve and i think he'll have enough to get them into the play offs at the end of the season again i think they're have a tough battle with Chievo and my team Ascoli to bag a play-off position Catania have been the biggest shock so far out of all the teams they were lucky if they scored at all last season they did have a good defencethough and it looks as if they have found their scoring boots this season while keeping their defence tight i don't think they will get promoted still but they will definately have a shout which is more than i ever predicted for them this season Genoa have done well again this season they do know how to score goals i do worry about their defence i feel they could be favourites if it came down to the play-offs Palermo and Sampdoria are my favourites to go up like last season i thought Palermo had enough quality about them but let themselves down in the end i think those two will pu clear of the pack during the season Sampdoria already look like they have far to much quality to contest with and will end up as Champions i'm sure

Promotion-Sampdoria,Palermo
Play-offs-Genoa

sorry i didn't go into detail about Spain but i tend not to follow the Segunda that much and their wasn't a lot to say about la liga as its what i expected to be really.

Well this will be a good read for everyone i hope and i hope my spelling isn't to bad haha

Football Academy · Cult Status

A very good post. This should be an interesting topic.

Richard.

Sinky2707 · Cult Status

Thanks Richard

it took a good while to write it haha i do hope to see if people agree or disagree with any of my predictions and if they're surprised by certain teams this season

-- Edited by Sinky2707 at 21:17, 2008-07-21

Spartikus47 · Cult Status

This is definitely an interesting topic of discussion. Mainly because I think there are plenty of teams who have over achieved this season and plenty to keep everyone speculating over what may happen over the course of the season.

In the Premiership special mention has to go to my friend Chris Hanton at Spurs, who has elevated himself into a possible title race. Even though his fixtures have been reasonably kind and he is yet to face the big boys you can only beat teams in front of you and he has done so at a canter so far.

At this stage I would also be tipping Portsmouth to make an impact further up the table, but the loss of their manager to Real Madrid may see Manchester City claim a top six spot at their expense.

Relegation wise I struggle to see Fulham, Newcastle or Wigan getting out of trouble, ,
although I know Jackie at Fulham well and I have no doubt Fulham will improve measurably over the course of the season.

Top Tip; Chelsea (winners)

Top Four; Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur

Going Down; Fulham, Newcastle, Wigan

The Championship (my league) is already developing into an extremely competitive league. I am glad to renew my acquitances from league one with Paul (West Brom) and Jamie (Watford) and both are proving to be similarly effective in the higher league. Thankfully, my own side Coventry have got off to a good start, but we are under no illusions that there are tougher tests around the corner and avoiding relegation is still the realistic ambition. I cant see Blackburn and West Brom being troubled too much for the automatic promotion places and have to tip Middlesbrough (with a new manager) to take the play-offs.

Relegation wise I hope Coventry now have enough to keep clear of the fight, although there are some good manager at Cardiff and Norwich who will want to drag us back into it. Charlton and Reading have suffered in the transfer market and I struggle to see a way out of it all for them.

Top Tip; Blackburn (winners)

Going up; West Brom, Middlesbrough (play-offs)

Going down; Reading, Charlton, Cardiff

My old hunting ground, League One, looks to have suffered slightly for the loss of so many talented and vocal managers. It could have been considered the most exciting league on Football Academy last season but now it seems as though it is there for the taking for anyone who gets ahead first. I always back John Petty at Sunderland and will stick by that pre season pick. I think he knows where he wants to get to and barring another Phil Neville esq mistake will be the team to beat. Derby also look good while Wolves are ever impressive.

Top Tip; Sunderland (winners)

Going up; Derby, Wolves (play offs)

In Spain it has been business as usual towards the top of La Liga, with the powerhouses of Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Seville already illustrating their dominance. With a new manager in Paul, I am tipping Madrid to pip Seville this season with Valencia rounding off the top four.

Towards the bottom I am finding it hard to find a way to back Mr Dale Price for another great escape, although we have seen before that anything is possible with Mr Price. As I suggested earlier this season that I wasnt overly keen on Villarreals squad and they are proving me right so far. However, I think Mallorca and Levante will still be the ones to drop down come the end of the season, possibly being edged out by Recrativo Huelva.

Top Tip: Real Madrid (winners)

Top Four; Seville, Barcelona, Valencia

Segunda in Spain is fact turning into a smaller version of League One with a few up and coming managers plying their trade in the league. I think Zaragoza will hold onto their top spot, but if Gareth Gardener can get Celta Vigo firing I would not be surprised if he makes the move up to La Liga at the first attempt.

For the play offs I am tipping my colleague Arthur at Almeria to pull off a suprise promotion via the play offs. He has already brought in some quality players and adopted a system which should work well in that league.

Top Tip: Real Zaragoza

Going up; Celta Vigo, Almeria (play offs)

If there is one league that seems less predictable than any other in FA it seems to be Serie A. AC and Inter Milans ageing squads seem unable to push Roma all the way and I am expecting Adam Goble to pick up another Serie A title. I really hope Juventus challenge for Europe because they are the only team I realistically see getting anywhere near Roma in the next few seasons.

Towards the bottom it already looks bleak for Empoli and Udinese. Elsewhere it will be interesting to see the battle between Brescia and Livorno for survival. I am tipping Livorno to keep themselves up.

Top Tip: Roma (winners)

Top Four; AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus

Going Down; Udinese, Empoli, Brescia.

Finally we head down to low scoring Serie B. With a few new, high profile managers now plying their trade down at the Italian basement I think we will see a real improvement in standard come the half season point. Sampdoria seem to already have a monopoly on the league title, and will need good guidance next season in Seria A. Following them up will be Palermo in my view, maybe just pushing out Chievo who have struggled with Johndaniel Jaques after his move to Cardiff.

However, I can see the play-offs going elsewhere, and if Cagliari pull themselves together then I can see them sneaking into Serie A. Mr Davies-Evans must pull his finger out soon however, as his team have looked almost impotent up to now!

Top Tip; Sampdoria (winners)

Going up; Palermo, Cagliari

-- Edited by Spartikus47 at 14:19, 2008-07-22

Rhino · Cult Status

Hi all,

A very interesting subject this...i would hope to get a top 4 spot this season but i was looking for a top 6 spot to be honest this season and then push on next season.

I see Chelsea winning the league again but i feel there main rivals will be Arsenal,Simon has got a very good young team going there and i can see them winning something this season.and then push for the title next season he just needs a bit more depth.The other 2 teams that i think will make the top 4 will be Man Utd and Liverpool.

In Spain

I thinks Stu's Seville will be crowned champs with Real Madrid,Barcelona and Valencia.And if my old team Atletico can get a good manager and keep the likes of Sidwell then they will be a threat to the top 4.

Thanks for your comments Mark but dont big me up mate i like to be the underdog...lol, Good push for the playoffs for you if you can keep the good form up.

Chris

messiah · Cult Status

Englands Premier League.
I think Spurs and Arsenal have surprised people in the first games this season. Spurs had been big underachievers but now they have a manager with experience and they are scoring a lot of goals just like his Madrid team did last season. Arsenal upset this league by beating United but their team has not changed much from last season. I think United might struggle to meet their top two target with so much competition at the top. Even with their good start I think Arsenal will fail to meet their target. At the bottom I think only Wigan should be relegated. Fulham have a very good team and Newcastle should be doing better but if any one can keep them up I think their current manager can.

Englands Championship.
A lot of teams in this league are good enough to have a shot at the next league. It will be a battle of old squads against experienced managers I think. Who takes over the big jobs here will have a big effect on the promotion but I would not be surprised if Southampton or Watford reach the play offs. There are four teams at the bottom who look to be in trouble. Out of them I think Cardiff have a manager with lots of experience who has been there for a little time and I think he will just beat Norwich to survive. People are saying Cardiff are underachieving but they have made lots of changes to their team this season and they could be in a good position next season if they manage to stay in this league.

Englands League 1.
It is time for Wolves this season I think. He has signed good foundations and his loan signings have been in impressive form. It looks like he has found a successful style and I think they might even win the league. Derby are a strong team but they need a manager to help them if they will get promoted. There are lots of even teams in this league but I think if I had to pick a surprise team I would pick Bristol or Preston. Preston were in administration not long ago but the manager has made big changes and they look a reliable team again. Bristol were a poor team last season but the manager has got them winning and not made many changes to the team so they might go unnoticed and that could be a big advantage for them.

Italys A League.
Milan are the team I think will fail to live up to their target this season. They have a very old team and I think they will go backwards in the league if the manager is not prepared to sell his big name players. I would expect it to be Juve that replaces them in the top group because they have a very good team and a very experienced manager. Fiorentina have an experienced manager but their team is not as good and they need their young players to improve quickly if they are going to challenge in the coming seasons because youth alone does not win leagues. Livorno have had a good start to the season but I think they will fall back to the relegation places. They have an old team with no cover.

Italys B League.
The manager at Napoli has confused me with his deals so far. I used to manage them and the team they had was good enough to be in the top 12 teams in Italy. I think the team has gone backwards. They are predicted to get promoted but I think the play off places are too far for them. Chievo are under performing this season to. This league has become a place where the manager makes a difference and maybe a team like Cagliari or Ascoli with support from other league club will surprise every one later in the season.

Spains La Liga.
I think Real Madrid will win this season. They have a very experienced manager now and this is his chance with a big team. I think he will be very successful there. The rest of the top of the league is very even and any one could get the next couple of places there. At the bottom Recreativo and Betis have had terrible starts to the season. I think one of these will get relegated and Recreativo have more money left so I think they might just get to safety. The team I think will do well at the bottom is Real Valladolid. The manager has a team that can last the season and he has experience of promotion and then succeeding in the next league.

Spains Second League.
Osasuna have surprised me in this league. They have picked up a lot of points for a team that did not score many last season. Celta Vigo have a very active manager but I do not think they will win the league. Zaragoza have a very good team and it must have been tactics or injuries that got them relegated because they are good enough for the top league. Racing Santander had a low target and are second. I think the manager should be very pleased with his start and if he can sign a few more players they could be a big surprise there.

-- Edited by messiah at 17:20, 2008-07-24

evertonian · Cult Status

Some managers seem to be tipping Recreativo to struggle this season. I appreciate that our start to the season is awful in terms of the league table, but when you consider that I played Sevilla, Real Madrid and Barcelona in the first three games, with my 3 points coming from the Betis game last week, I'm exactly where I expected to be when the fixtures were announced.

At the moment I can't see us reaching 6th place which is the set target but I believe we should avoid relegation this year. The only major worry I have is over fitness towards the end of the season, considering that we are in the European Cup meaning an extra 3 games - that was a bit of a shock when I scrolled through the results and saw Recreativo in the European Cup section!

Rob