Posts
After
11 rounds of game, the Barclays Premier League is shaping up to be one of the
most competitive and unpredictable in recent seasons. At the beginning of the
season, Chelsea and Manchester City were odds on favourites to win the league’s
title, while Hull City and Crystal Palace were facing a sure return to cellars of
English football.
Fast
forward to Mid-November, the teams are getting prepared for round 12 set of
games; Arsenal is leading the chasing pack of title hunters, pre-season
favourites, Chelsea, are sitting fourth with an inconsistent team, lacking fire
power upfront and the stage fright actors, Manchester City, keep forgetting
their lines away from home in eight. With more than 25 % of the games out of
the way and all the tell-tale signs showing, it’s safe to say this is how the
cookie will crumble.
TOP 5
5. Southampton:
Mauricio Pochettino’s men are enjoying a fairy-tale start to this season, the
best the club has ever had in their top flight history. Unbeaten at home this
season, the Saints has earned a draw at Old Trafford and has shocked Liverpool
by walking away from Anfield with all three. A long way yet to go, 3rd spot might
be too ambitious but Southampton will definitely be in Europe next season.
4. Manchester City:
A goal keeping “Hart” ache and a poor away form, pre-season favourites
Manchester City are currently sitting in eight spot and Manuel Pelligrini is
finding it hard to motivate his players away from the Etihad. Sergio Aguero’s and Yaya Toure’s red hot form
cannot be ignored but the loss of David Silva to injury will do no good for
these players and the team.
3. Liverpool:
The Daniel
Sturridge and Luis Suarez pairing is the best the English Premier League has
seen in recent years and it will definitely fire Liverpool back in contention
with the big boys this season. Title contenders? No. Liverpool still lacks the killer
instinct to finish off teams in the top half of the table. While they will be
back in the Champions League this season, Rodgers and his men will have to wait
a while before Anfield is back to its glory days.
2. Arsenal:
Top of
the table after 11 games, did Arsene Wenger finally get it right? A lost to
Aston Villa at the start of the season, the Gunners’ fans thought the team was
in for another trophy-less, roller coaster season. But then came the signing of
Mesut Ozil. Fortunes changed and Wenger and his merry band of men are now the
talk of the town. Before you get all excited though, there is still one big
chink in the Gunners’ armour, the lack of top class replacements. Injury to an already over worked Oliver Giroud could leave the Gunners bare in
attack with a tame Niklas Bednter who has been firing blanks since April 2011.
Barring another big transfer in January, Arsenal will fall short in their title
hunt for yet another season.
 |
| Mourinho and his Bandits |
1. Chelsea:
The
return of Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge will once again pay off for Roman Abramovich.
Currently sitting in fourth with
inconsistent results, the men from Stamford bridge possess the depth and
firepower to turn their season around. While Chelsea still lacks conviction in
attack, the current form of Et’o and Torres is promising and if things keep
going their way like the last minute
“penalty” at West Brom, there will be no stopping Mourinho and his blue
bandits.
Relegation
20. Crystal Palace:
One win in 11 games, bottom of the table and manager-less, Crystal Palace
already has their faith written in stones.
19. Sunderland:
It’s
dark days for the fans at the Stadium of light, yet another team struggling to
win away from home and already with a change of management less than halfway
through the season. While Steven Fletcher is a creative upfront, his partner
Jozy Altidore is still to have any impact on his second return to England. Adam
Johnson could cook up some magic out wide but it’s got to be one heck of a
broth if its going to save his Sunderland team.
18. Norwich:
Norwich
City might currently be sitting at 15th and outside the drop zone,
but the signs are already showing. With only one win away from home, only
Sunderland and Crystal Palace have scored less goals than the Canaries this
season. Their defending is not much to write home about either, conceding the
most goals in a single game this season, only Sunderland (22) has conceded more
than Norwich (21) this season. While it will be a close call with the likes of
Hull City, Stoke City and Cardiff, also expecting to flirt in the drop zone, we
are giving the boot to the Canaries to fall.
