How It Started vs How It's Going: Part 1

Normally, I would wait until after the January transfer window to reassess my Premier League predictions. Winter signings have the potential to impact a team’s season for the better, or for the worst. However, given roughly half of the season has been played thus far, it seems like a good time to see how many (if any) of my early season picks have changed. Let’s get right into it.

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Title Winners: Liverpool

Like most people, I tipped City to win their fifth successive title. But they’re so far away from their usual selves that I cannot seem them catching this Liverpool side. The Reds through the first half of the campaign have been the team to beat. Slot has been a revelation in his first year, and whatever he’s doing, it’s been working. They’ve lost only 1 league game all season (and that wasn’t even against a member of the traditional top six).

Their charge is being led by Mohamed Salah, who has 17 goals & 13 assists in just 18 matches says it all. Truly nuts! One of my biggest question marks was their midfield, as I didn’t think it could compete with City’s or Arsenal’s. However, Gravenberch has been one of the best midfielders in the league. MacAllister has also been very good whilst Jones has emerged as a valuable member of the engine room. They’ve established a 9-point at the summit, and I can’t see them letting in slip.

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Top Five: Arsenal, City, Chelsea, Newcastle

FYI, I’m assuming five clubs will qualify for the Champions League next season. In my view, Arsenal are best placed to finish as runners-up this year. My thing with Arsenal is, we’ve seen them throw away title leads in the past, so do I think they’re good enough to be the hunters rather than the hunted? No, I don’t. My head really should have Chelsea above City, based on what I’ve seen over the first half of the campaign.

As bad as City have been, it’s not as if their players have suddenly become terrible. This team can rack up wins like it’s no man’s business. I don’t think this will be the case this time around, but they should be much better in the next few months. The last team I have sneaking into the top five is Newcastle. I know Forest are flying but it will come a point where they’ll go through a sticky patch and the Magpies will be the team to make the most of this. 

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Sixth to Eighth: Forest, Villa, Spurs

To be third at the halfway point is credit to the job Nuno Espírito Santo is doing in the East Midlands. Chris Wood has been their best player, and if he can keep scoring goals, they’ll be in with a shout. What I think will be their undoing is the lack of experience competing for European football. Come the last third of the season, the pressure will start to kick in, and I don’t think they’ll be able to cope.  

For the other two spots, I’ve gone for Villa and Spurs. Villa’s Chanpions League exploits have negatively affected their league form, but I trust Emery to add some stability to his side. There’s no real logic to me having Spurs finishing eighth. Fans are not happy with Big Ange and some even want him out. His tactics are baffling, but there’s no other team I can confidently say should replace them.

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Best of the Rest: Bournemouth

Again, this is another free-for-all. I’m going to go out on a limb and say Bournemouth will be the best of the rest. It’s hard as a neutral to not be a fan of Andoni Iraola. In his 18-month reign, he’s really established the Cherries as a credible Premier League side, one not satisfied with simply staying in the English top-flight. They have been able to catch some of the big teams off guard, beating both Manchester clubs already this season.

If you go through their team, they have some good players. Kerkez has been one of the better left-backs in the league. Semenyo and Kluivert have been able to provide good support in the forward positions. Lastly in his debut campaign, Evanlison has provided a good focal point, as well as chipping in with a few goals here and there. Back to front, they possess talent and whilst they may drop off a little bit as we head into Spring, they could be set for their best PL finish ever.

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Relegation: Leicester, Ipswich, Southampton

Eventually, it will be the Toffees time to get relegated, but in the meantime, I think they’ll be safe for at least another year. I do hope Ruud Van Nistelrooy can keep Leicester in the league, but the odds don’t look good. In my original predictions, I said that Ipswich will be this year’s Luton and that it was going to be a long season for Southampton. Both statements are proving to be true.

Going to Portman Road has proven tough for a lot of teams, but their lack of Premier League experience is proving to be their nemesis. They’ve only won 3 games all season. I just don’t think they’ve good enough to stay up. Southampton have been terrible, plain and simple. It’s their defence in particular that’s been the most concerning. Some of the mistakes they’ve made which have directly led to goals is alarming. Like Ipswich, they lack firepower up top. All in all, a bad combination, one that is likely to result in relegation.

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This Week’s Hot Take

If Slot can deliver Liverpool’s second Premier League title, it will be the best debut campaign for a manager since Jose Mourinho in 2004/05. We all thought this would be a year of transition for Liverpool, having lost Jurgen Klopp, and therefore a drop-off was expected. They’re proving everyone wrong so far, and for that, a lot of credit needs to go to the Dutchman. To come into one of the toughest leagues to manage in the world and deliver a league title in your first season would be something special.