who will win the premiership next season?

i think chelsea will win the league next season because they are a strong quality team especially with ballack in the team and shev might be coming.

Don't forget that they might be getting Freddy Adu as well. With steady-Freddy leading their attack - they will be unstoppable.

Maybe they can bring in R. Carlos, and convince Zizou to not retire and come there. Maybe also buy Raul and Beckham. Woodgate can replace Gallas. They will be unstoppable!!!!

Sadly, i too think Chelski will win it next season.

Ballack, Kalou, Mikel, Shevchenko, Terry, J.Cole, Lampard, Makelele, Cech etc..... the list (rather depressingly), goes on.

The league is starting to become shockingly predictable, in regards to first place anyway. Second place should be considered the real prize. At least it'll be competitive and interesting.

I bet you thought exactly the same way when United were winning three in a row?

One of these is not like the others, one of these does not belong...

At least we were pushed all the way by Arsenal and at one point, Leeds. Nowadays, it doesn't even look likely that anyone else other than Chelsea will win the league.

It is possible with all the egos in the dressing room there may be a fall out. Jose, Ballack, Terry, Lampard, Drogba, Robben, maybe this Kalou guy, perhaps Sheva also at times, many people who all think a hell of a lot of themselves and could end up derailing the Chelsea machine. Add to this perhaps Roberto Carlos and also I suspect Carlos Tevez, and there is a real powder keg waiting to go off at any point. But even if there were to be problems they would probably still win the league. As a previous poster stated already, the race for second place will sadly be the only real competition we see at the head of the table. The CL spots are more than likely going to be Arsenal, Man United and Liverpool. The only think that could happen here IMO is that if United sell Ruud and try and carry on with Saha as their number one striker, they could very well be fighting it out with Spurs for the fourth slot, very much like Arsenal were doing this season. If you take away Ruuds goals, United are a very different proposition across the length of a league season.

I think that Mourinho is too strong a personality to let egos get out of hand.

Eh? Kalou has had problems and Ballsack loves himself, but none of those other players are "me" guys. There's no way Tevez joins this year, either. If anything, Jose is best at man-management so I'm not worried about that.

Have we seen Lampard not being given what he is wanted? Have we ever seen Sheva in this position? It is well known how difficult Robben is to manage, and Roberto Carlos is extremely big mouthed and out spoken, and John Terry is not a trouble maker, but will be very much used to being in charge around Stamford Bridge. I am not guaranteeing fireworks, i am just stating that with that many egos, arguments can ensue. ( I also acknowledged that even with behind the scenes problems, they would still probably win the league, and all would be happy in the camp after this regardless of what had gone on)

Chelsea is just trying to buy the Champion's League title, the Premiership is just gravy to them. They spend more in a Summer, than Arsenal and Man U combined.

my heart says man utd but with all of chelski's new signings( Sheva, Ballack, Kalou) mixed with thier old squad, they seem to strong to not end up on top

hmm sure your not "Mister obvious"...






just teasing.

I'd far more interested in finishing ahead of ManU next season than winning the league baby steps will suffice. And to the guy who knocked Saha, you seem to be forgetting his amazing form is what started this mess to begin with. If you look back you'll find he usually averages a goal a game, and then will get injured. Which figures well for ManU since they are trying to break in Rossi no?

Chelsea. No doubt no question they will win it again.

United's publicly stated strategy of completing all transfer business before the World Cup was either a promise broken or an outright lie. Either way, no squad strengthening has taken place,
No doubt Ferguson will argue that it is difficult to tie up deals prior to the World Cup, with selling clubs wishing to cash in on an excellent tournament that their players might have. This may well be true... unless you're Chelsea or Arsenal that is! What value Tomas Rosicky now? Certainly more than the £7m that the North London side has paid for him.
Further west, Chelsea's four deals - Mikel aside - were conducted with minimum fuss and no protracted negotiations through the media. Expect that exact opposite with United, should any further moves be made in the market. Indeed Tottenham, Spurs, Atletico, Corinthians or any other club dealing with United would do well to drag out negotiations as close to the August 31st deadline as possible. Thus increasing United's desperation and pushing the subsequent transfer fee upwards.
Then, of course, there will be the inevitable and painful conclusion to the van Nistelrooy saga. United are busy retreating from their position as desperate sellers by supposedly rebuffing Bayern Munich's interest in the player. Don't believe a word of it - the Reds will sell but are looking for a premium price that cannot be achieved if the club are perceived as being in a weak negotiating position.
Meanwhile the fans can only presume that Ferguson and Gill, fresh from their holidays in the South of France and Florida, are working on a plan of such devilish cunning that it has eluded us all. Either that or we are doomed to another season of soul searching!

Unless there is a cunning plan (which I hope for it must be said) I fear the worst at the moment, put as much as you can on Torres please.

Better question: Which of the newcomers are you rooting for to stick around and not be relegated after just one season? My pick is Reading. I have a soft spot for a club that old who had never been in the Premiership.

But back to the topic...

I think Real Madrid found out what it's like to try and buy a Champions League title. Apparently, history is lost on Chelsea.

I think Arsenal might give the Blues a run for it next season.

Yeah we can all see how Chelsea has bought 2 world class players at the expense of their great defense and midfield, oh wait we still an immense back 4 and keeper? plus makelele and Essien? And an all around great team with few holes to think of?

So your comparison was utter shite? Got it....

Real Madrid won 3 Champions Leagues during that span. I'd say history is lost on you.

Real Madrid hasn't won the Champions League since 2002, and since then the bringing in of high priced talent (namely, Beckham, Owen and Robinho) hasn't slowed down. That was my point.

How have I been Chelsea-bashing? I have nothing against them. I follow the EPL because I enjoy their style of play, but I don't have any allegiance to any one club.

You mean Figo and Zidane and the like weren't high priced talent?

You even quoted my post, and you still have to ask that?

Real Madrid hasn't won the Champions League since 2002, and since then the bringing in of high priced talent (namely, Beckham, Owen and Robinho) hasn't slowed down. That was my point.

"hasn't slowed down" implies it happened before, and continues to happen today. Only now it's not producing results.

Please take the time to thoroughly read and understand what you're replying to.

The argument over Real is split. They won the CL in 1998 and 2000. After this second win the galactico era began, with the signing of Figo. The next summer was followed by ZZ, and that season the CL was won again. So under the era of the galacticos only 1 CL was won, whereas it would appear that before this era, where they won 2, the club management could statistically be said to be better, at least in terms of CL yields.