Alan Hylands’ Premiership Predictions 2006/2007

More than likely this will all come back to haunt me come the end of the season but what’s a preseason without some vaguely guessed at predictions for how the season will pan out.

All comments to the usual form…

Alan’s Premiership Predictions 2006/2007

Arsenal ? Very weak at the back and despite signing Tomas Rosicky still look a pale shadow of their former midfield glory. They?ll miss the goals Pires used to give them and having relied on Thierry Henry for so long upfront, they know they can?t afford to see him injured or lacking in form.
Prediction: 5th

Aston Villa ? A barebones squad that needs serious fattening up with quality before a ball is kicked or even the considerable talents of Martin O?Neill in organising a hard working squad will amount to little. It may take a couple of years post-Ellis (if the takeover ever happens) to truly rid themselves of the after effects of the past few years of lack of investment.
Prediction: 12th

Blackburn Rovers ? Mark Hughes side will miss Craig Bellamy in attack and no amount of Francis Jeffers will ever replace the no-necked Welsh thug. Rumours of a cut-price move for Lucas Neill to Spurs will further anger Blackburn fans who will see the disintegration of another strong side and remember what happened after their title winning side broke up. Still strong enough (in all regards) for a mid-table finish.
Prediction: 10th

Bolton Wanderers ? Always solid, dour and hard to beat under Sam Allardyce who, contrary to rumours earlier in pre-season, hasn?t jumped ship and has planted his flag firmly at the Reebok Stadium. Sammy Lee?s removal from the England backroom staff will allow him to concentrate on Bolton?s affairs more which can only be good news for Big Sam.
Prediction: 6th

Charlton Athletic ? Iain Dowie?s first job at The Valley is to shake away the cobwebs from Alan Curbishley?s long rein and reinvigorate a club which always seems to promise a lot early in the season but runs out of puff once the turkey hits the table. Dowie?s overwhelming enthusiasm and the welcome bonus of Darren Bent still being at the club should keep them out of immediate danger.
Prediction: 13th

Chelsea ? How does the most expensive team ever assembled improve on back to back league titles? They sign two of world football?s top players in Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko and aim to make it three in a row. It may all be getting a tad boring but I don?t hear too many Chelsea fans complaining, do you?
Prediction: Champions

Everton ? A horrible season following their Champion?s League qualifying run the previous year saw David Moyes? reputation take a battering and Everton struggle for an yearly season form. The signing of Andy Johnson should guarantee them some penalties at least and if he forms a good partnership with the underachieving James Beattie they may surprise a few people. I doubt it though.
Prediction: 11th

Fulham ? Problems off the pitch with Steed Malbranque don?t bode well for the new season for Chris Coleman and the crew at Craven Cottage. The Al Fayed has rapidly dried up from the Kevin Keegan days and it would take quite a few million to overhaul the struggling squad they?ve got. Another season of biting their nails and hoping other sides are worse I?m afraid.
Prediction: 14th

Liverpool ? A shaky preseason has been lifted by a 2-1 first leg win against Maccabi Haifa in the Champion?s League and with one of the Premiership?s strongest squads being bolstered by bad boys Craig Bellamy and Jermaine Pennant amongst others, they look suitably reinforced to move closer to the top of the tree this year.
Prediction: 2nd

Manchester City ? Stuart Pearce has tried to add quality to his squad but has found that getting the real quality players to come to Man. City isn?t such an easy task. Didi Hamann?s shambolic move from Liverpool via Bolton is perhaps their best buy and it will take a lot of Pearce?s enthusiastic encouragement from the touchline to motivate his squad this season.
Prediction: 15th

Manchester United ? Losing Ruud Van Nistelrooy and still not finding a suitable replacement for Roy Keane (despite spending nearly ?19m on Michael Carrick from Spurs) will be the two major problems for Sir Alex Ferguson as the season approaches. Ruud?s goals have been the main source of attacking nourishment for United over the past few years and I can?t see Alan Smith or Louis Saha matching the big Dutchman in terms of prolific scoring. A season of transition beckons by United?s standards.
Prediction: 3rd

Middlesbrough ? With ?Second Choice? Steve McLaren moving into the England hotseat, Gareth Southgate gets the chance to move into his old job as new Boro manager and hopefully can add some spark of creativity to the usually painfully defensive Boro side under McLaren. Last season?s UEFA Cup Final appearance was a surprise bonus that some good signings could have built upon. The loss of Franck Quedrue to Fulham and only the signing of Julio Arca (and the failed transfer of Robert Huth) have meant that Boro mightn?t move too far forward. Never bet against the bore them to death strategy though.
Prediction: 7th

Newcastle United ? The ridiculous reign of Graeme Souness isn?t quite a distant memory for Geordies as Luque and Boumsong still inhabit the Newcastle squad and the hard loss of Michael Owen, possibly for the season, is the harshest blow yet for new permanent boss Glenn Roeder. Investment in Damien Duff is another injury prone gamble although continued interest in big money moves for Obafemi Martins and Dirk Kuyt could help plug the gaps left my Owen?s injury and Alan Shearer?s retirement.
Prediction: 8th

Portsmouth ? The poor man?s Chelsea are finding that despite having all the money in the world, it doesn?t mean that good players are willing to throw their careers away completely to move to Fratton Park. Being Sol Campbell?s second choice and making overtures at David James are hardly facts likely to have that bell ringer in the crowd dislocating their shoulder through sheer joy and excitement and it looks like being a long hard season for Harry Redknapp?s charges.
Prediction: 17th

Reading ? Finally the shot at the bigtime that John Madejski has spent his money on achieving. I can?t see them doing a Wigan though and unless they get very lucky with some signings it could be a season long party ending in tears next May.
Prediction: 20th

Sheffield United ? Neil Warnock talks a good game and has a reputation for knowing how to organise a squad but the Premiership is a different beast since the last time the Blades fought their way through it. A couple of yo-yo years are a necessity for most clubs looking to establish their place and I can?t see Sheffield United being any different in that respect to Reading.
Prediction: 19th

Tottenham Hotspur ? a fine season under Martin Jol which was lost just as much by conceding too many last minute goals against lowly clubs as it was under the weight of a lasagne influenced last game away to West Ham. Spurs are back this year, strengthened by the signings of Berbatov and Zokora and hopefully ready to splash some of the Michael Carrick money on a left winger. Looking superb in preseason we hope they can crank it up even further once the season gets underway.
Prediction: 4th

Watford ? Another of those sides who make it up to the top table only to find that they don?t quite have enough about them to hang around for more than a season. Thankfully recovered from the financial problems under Vialli?s stewardship and coached expertly by Aidy Boothroyd. I?d like to see Watford stay up, sadly I don?t think they?ve just enough investment in new players to do it.
Prediction: 18th

West Ham United ? A fantastic first season back up from the Academy of Football who surprised everyone by not dipping back down again at the first attempt. A great run to the FA Cup Final didn?t end in success but it cemented Alan Pardew?s position at the club so he could build for another year. Top half finish is very doable.
Prediction: 9th

Wigan Athletic ? Surprised everyone by not only staying up last year but by challenging in the top half of the table as well. The loss of Jason Roberts will be felt hard as will the potential sale of wantaway defender Pascal Chimbonda and without these two heroes of last season I fear a difficult season for Paul Jewell and Dave Whelan.
Prediction: 16th