I am aware I have created this thread very early but I am interested into what people think may happen come the end of May 2013, given all the signings so far that we have made and not forgetting Arsenal have strengthened and have done the unthinkable and spent a bit of money with Tottenham adding AVB and others to their ranks where do you think teams will finish at the end of the season?

I am going for a rather optimistic view in all honesty as I think we can mount a good title bid only with City to run away with it towards the end, given the fact United have only signed Kagawa although the return of Vidic could prove vital as well if he comes back the same as he left.

1. City

2. Chelsea

3. United

4. Arsenal

5. Liverpool

6. Tottenham

7. Newcastle

I don't believe Tottenham will be as good this year even with signings of Sigurdsson and Vertonghen given the fact they haven't got Adebayor back, I do not rate Van der Vaart as much as I used to and think injuries get the better of him and also think Modric will move on therefore I have placed them behind Liverpool whom I think will improve on last years position (not difficult). I think Arsenal will continue finishing in the top 4 especially if they keep Van Persie, maybe even make a push but I doubt it.

As a Chelsea fan, I think we will definetly top 3 next season. Your opinion?

I can't see us winning the title. In fact, I think we're battling for fourth, with Arsenal, Utd and City all ahead of us. The order they all end up in may be dependent on Van Persie, and where he ends up. If he goes to Utd, they are obviously significantly stronger, if he stays at Arsenal, they'll be better than they were last season, with their new arrivals and the fact Wilshere will return for them, eventually.

I agree that Liverpool will finish above Spurs. I think Liverpool's transfer activity this summer has been very shrewd, and they haven't finished.

As for Newcastle, no idea. I rate Tiote very highly and am surprised he hasn't been snapped up. They also have other very good players, which they've managed to keep, thus far. Cisse, Ba, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Coloccini. They could well finish top seven, but Everton always do well under Moyes. I expect Sunderland, QPR and Aston Villa to be competitive. My hunch is that Newcastle could suffer this season, with heightened expectations. I could be underestimating Pardew, but they have the Europa League to contend with, and I can see many of their players failing to hit the heights they did last season.

1. Man City

2. Man Utd

3. Arsenal

4. Chelsea

5. Liverpool

6. Everton

7. Sunderland

Obviously Tottenham could sack AVB in February and have a storming end to the season, in which case, they might finish 16th.

I can't see us winning the title. In fact, I think we're battling for fourth, with Arsenal, Utd and City all ahead of us. The order they all end up in may be dependent on Van Persie, and where he ends up. If he goes to Utd, they are obviously significantly stronger, if he stays at Arsenal, they'll be better than they were last season, with their new arrivals and the fact Wilshere will return for them, eventually.

I agree that Liverpool will finish above Spurs. I think Liverpool's transfer activity this summer has been very shrewd, and they haven't finished.

As for Newcastle, no idea. I rate Tiote very highly and am surprised he hasn't been snapped up. They also have other very good players, which they've managed to keep, thus far. Cisse, Ba, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Coloccini. They could well finish top seven, but Everton always do well under Moyes. I expect Sunderland, QPR and Aston Villa to be competitive. My hunch is that Newcastle could suffer this season, with heightened expectations. I could be underestimating Pardew, but they have the Europa League to contend with, and I can see many of their players failing to hit the heights they did last season.

1. Man City

2. Man Utd

3. Arsenal

4. Chelsea

5. Liverpool

6. Everton

7. Sunderland

Obviously Tottenham could sack AVB in February and have a storming end to the season, in which case, they might finish 16th.

Hopefully that is the case with your last comment.

Back on topic, I agree about Arsenal. I honestly think they will do well this year and surprise a few, I think it could be a close battle for 2nd between us three but I do think we will make it this season and hopefully build for next, if we get somebody like Hulk as well we could be even more in contention but it looks even more unlikely now the fact that we have pretty much signed Moses.

1. Manchester City

2. Manchester Utd

3. The Champions of Europe

4. Arsenal

5. Tottenham

6. Liverpool

7. Everton

Newcastle and Sunderland to fight it out for 8th place.

Don't get me wrong, would be happy to see either of them get higher in the table, especially at the expense of Spurs.

Our performance will be guaged on how near we get to the top, not position. We are in transition and tbh i'd be happy with 4th... not sure Roman will share the sentiment after his outlay.

1.City

2. Utd

3. Gooners

4 Chelsea

5. Liverpool

6. Spuds

7. Everton

Some teams are really difficult to judge at the moment.

Three of the big teams have new managers, atleast if we count Robbie as a new manager.

Rodgers is good, but is he the right man for Liverpool and is the team good enough to fight for a top three position?

Spurs have AVB now who didn't do well here and also handled some people very badly. Will he make the same mistakes at Spurs and will he manage the player better?

Robbie came in at our Chelsea and suddenly we played better, getting us two big titles in the end. Now it's time to prove whether it was just a coincident or if he really is a great manager for us.

I guess we can safely say that we have made the biggest changes - getting rid of a few players (most noticably Drogba) and buying some very interesting players, and there might be more to come - but will it make us better immediately, or will it take a lot of time to make them settle in.

The only two team we really know where they stand is the two Manchester teams. Same managers who by now know the team and how to play and there have been very few transfers. City really doesn't have to spend because they already have a great squad and United have a good enough team as well, but have added a few players they needed.

The same could be said about Arsenal, but there are a few question marks surrounding them, especially about van Persie. If he goes they have lost a very important player.

This is how the league might finish:

City

United

Chelsea

Arsenal

Newcastle

Liverpool

Tottenham

Not sure if that is how I think it will end or how I'd like it to end. Probably a bit of both since I have us as third.

1. United

2. City

3. Chelsea

4. Arsenal

5. Liverpool

6. Newcastle

7.Tottenham

8. Everton

Interesting that noone thinks we can win it. I think it will take time for Hazard and co. to find their feet and that might mean it isn't until later in the season that we hit our stride. Robbie is going to have a tough season.

I think we have strengthened the squad enough to challenge.

1 man c

2 Chelsea

3 man u

4 Liverpool

5 arsenal

I think we've strengthened our side enough to challenge, but (and nothing you say before that word counts) it's going to take too much time for our squad to gel for us to challenge this year.

I think that with no signings next year, we'll be challenging, if not winning but this is a year too early.

1. Man City

2. Man Utd

.... gap ....

3. Chelsea

4. Arsenal

.... gap ....

5. Liverpool

6. Tottenham

7. Newcastle

1. City

2. Utd

3. Chelsea

4. Arsenal

5 Tottenham

6. Newcastle

7. Liverpool

I think we're not too far away from City but they definitely have the edge up front. Teves, Aguero and Balotelli, or Torres, Sturridge and ?

Man Utd are short in midfield (assuming Scholes and Giggs will not play as much) and defense. If Arsenal lose RVP it will hurt them a lot. I think Newcastle were punching above their weight last season and will struggle to maintain that form.

Liverpool and Tottenham are unknown quantities. Of the two, I think Liverpool could do well under Rogers. Tottenham under AVB will be very interesting, and they are in a lose-lose situation with Modric; if he goes they will lose their string-puller,if he stays then he has good reason to be very pissed off with the club.

1. City

2. Chelsea

3. Utd

4. Liverpool

5. Arsenal

6. Tottenham

7. Newcastle

So no one actually thinks we can do it this year?

I'm gonna go with;

1. Chelsea

2. City

3. Utd

4. Liverpool

5. Newcastle

6. Arsenal

7. Spurs

1. City

2. Chelsea

3. United

4. Arsenal

5. Liverpool

6. Newcastle

7. Everton

8. Spurs

MAN UTD

MAN CTY

ARSENAL

CHELSEA

TOTTENHAM

LIVERPOOL

EVERTON

1.Man City

2.Chelsea

3.Man Utd

4.Arsenal

5.Tottenham

6.Liverpool

7.Newcastle

Community Shield Winners: Chelsea

Champions of Europe 12/13: Chelsea (GET IN)

FA Cup Winners: Man Utd

Carling Cup Winners: Liverpool

Edited August 11, 201213 yr by Amputechture

1. Utd

2. City

3. Arsenal

4. Chelsea

5. Newcastle

6. Spurs

7. Liverpool

1 City

2 Chelsea

3 Arsenal

4 Man U

5 Newcastle

6 liverpool

7 Everton

Spurs drop alot of points due to no strikers. United's def is a wreck and their mid field is old

as long as we finish in a champions league position this year and playing more fluent football(and malouda but a distant memory)i reckon i will be fairly happy.it will take me a season to watch the champions league re-runs, before it really sinks in, WE ARE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS!.

my only prediction is,rdm will be sacked at christmas,if we are not in contention.no more 'projects',no more excuses for torres or any other player that is not performing.the amount of money this club has spent,we should be there or there abouts,every year.

Edited August 12, 201213 yr by kevin o'kane

1.City

2.United

3.Chelsea

4.Spurs

5.Arsenal

6.Liverpool

7.Villa

I think IF the gooner lose RVP or he gets injured they will flop massively.

Also I picked Villa because they have some decent players and i really rate their manager. It was a toss up between Villa and Newcastle for 7th.

City

Chelsea

Arsenal

Man U

---------

Spuds

Liverpool

Newcastle

1. Man City

2. Chelsea

3. Man U

4. Arsenal

5. Liverpool

6. Spurs

7. Newcastle

City

Utd

Chelsea

Sp*rs

Arsenal

Liverpool

Newcastle

Utd will just keep grinding it out, even with inferior players in various positions they always play with a lot more organization and heart than most teams even when things are going badly, they still end up around at top on most occasions. We need that consistency.

City will be stronger and more confident in doing the job. The have a huge squad. Other teams will be out to get them, but they have so much firepower that they will blast away teams.

I think we are short in the middle, need a big enforcer to run the pack and release the creatives.

I think if we finish third its a good improvement, but not great long term and we must keep improving.

Edited August 14, 201213 yr by Zola

1. Man City

2. Man U

3. Chelsea

4. Arsenal

5. Liverpool

6. Spurs

7. Newcastle

People have been saying Arsenal will flop massively for years now. It was going to happen when henry left, it was going to happen when they lost Fabregas and Nasri, it's going to happen when they lose RVP apparently as well... but the bar stewards are always in the top 4.. Now whether that shows that they are a good side or everyone else below them is just sh*t, who knows, but they're always there.

Edited August 14, 201213 yr by Zeta Orionis

1. Utd

2. City

3. Arsenal

4. Chelsea

5. Newcastle

6. Spurs

7. Liverpool

If Liverpool get Tello and Sahin, move them above Spurs. Still don't think, as a team, they will be better than Newcastle who just got Anita for next to nothing by the way. Great little player.

People have been saying Arsenal will flop massively for years now. It was going to happen when henry left, it was going to happen when they lost Fabregas and Nasri, it's going to happen when they lose RVP apparently as well... but the bar stewards are always in the top 4.. Now whether that shows that they are a good side or everyone else below them is just sh*t, who knows, but they're always there.

Thing with Arsenal is that regardless of who plays upfront, they always create so many chances for their strikers. Probably more than most teams but I can't back that up with stats, only what I have seen. It's why they always finish in the top 4, if they could sort their defence out (which is what the new assistant manager/coach is going to be tasked with doing this season) and the whole injuries thing they could easily have won the league in previous seasons and probably even this season.

Edited August 14, 201213 yr by Remodez