Prediction time!

[Naushad78]

Posting in the Scum/ManUre thread got me to start this one.

It's that time of the year when barely a third of the seasons remains. ManUtd lead by Chelsea with both teams having 2 big games to play.

What are your predictions for the title? Does anyone see Chelsea catching the reds and winning a third consecutive title or will the reds end Chelsea's stranglehold on the title?

[GoonerMan]

i think there are too many negative things going on around chavski at the moment for them to put together a real run of results to disposses of man u. the only hope they have is if man u have a real slump in form with a bad spate of injuries, which to be fair, they are due.
its possible but i dont see it being chelskis league this year.
good

[Val1]

Man Utd has had the look of destiny all year long. And there are a lot of Man Utd fans who will tell you that they really haven't played very well this year, to have had the leads they've had...

[antifan]

ManU has had a fantastic season, they've played as a team and nearly everything has gone their way. That said, I think they've overacheived for the past 2 years with a mediocre squad, a few young talents and some aging stars. There luck is due to run out sometime soon. They really haven't had a blip yet, and there's still 2 months to go, so the title isn't out of reach for Chelski. I really couldn't choose which team i would prefer to win it. Right now i guess its ManU, just because we've proved that we've got a more talented team by taking 6 points off them this year.

[goonsquad]

ManU has had a fantastic season, they've played as a team and nearly everything has gone their way. That said, I think they've overacheived for the past 2 years with a mediocre squad, a few young talents and some aging stars. There luck is due to run out sometime soon. They really haven't had a blip yet, and there's still 2 months to go, so the title isn't out of reach for Chelski. I really couldn't choose which team i would prefer to win it. Right now i guess its ManU, just because we've proved that we've got a more talented team by taking 6 points off them this year.

Anti, what happened man? I thought you were with me on the "Screw Utd, a Chelsea title is easily dismissed because of RA, and I don't want to hear ManUre fans bleating on about getting 'their' title back" bandwagon. ;)

[antifan]

Anti, what happened man? I thought you were with me on the "Screw Utd, a Chelsea title is easily dismissed because of RA, and I don't want to hear ManUre fans bleating on about getting 'their' title back" bandwagon. ;)
Yeah, I was with you. Beating ManU twice this year made me change my tune. :)

[Smalls123]

Yeah, I was with you. Beating ManU twice this year made me change my tune. :)

I could NEVER root for Man U no matter what the situation. I am praying for man u to fall apart so chelsea could take it.

[akofman12345]

1. Man u
2. Chelski
3. The One, the only, The Arsenal
4. Liverpool
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who cares....

[Stag133]

Times change.
I couldn't imagine wanting United to win the league say... 3 or 4 years ago, but I'd much rather they win than Chelski.

I think United will hold them off to win the league...
United have been very consistent.
They deserve it based on the first 2/3 of the season.

[Gooner_for_Life]

Manure
Arsenal
Chelsea
Liverpool

Before all of you say "why us in 2nd?" I have reasons. We are currently 11 points behind Chelsea with a game in hand. So that can move us to 8 if we win. We can reduce that to 5 because we still play them at home and have yet to lose at home to anyone. They have two more "derby" matches against the Scummies and West Ham. Both not great teams but derby matches are always more intense. Another couple of games that points can be lost are both against Bolton and Portsmouth. Not too shappy of teams. Finally they play Manure, although at home, still though. Plus i continue to see the rumor mill run rampant and cause disruption.

As for Liverpool, i think we can overtake them by beating them in our remaining game this season which would be fantastic to do them four times over. :D

[RealMadGunner]

Well, Chelsea are in a LB crisis .. After Wayne Bridge is injured too .. Guess Moroniho will use that as an excuse !!

[michaec]

All it took for Chelsea to falter was to have John Terry injured for a few weeks. Makes me laugh :D

[deaner1971]

Total crapshoot. Man United are a key injury away from 4th. Chelsea are facing huge issues in defence and each time that is discussed, Mourinho has to get a twinge of "and whose fault is that?" Liverpool can look dominating one day and absolutely mid-table the next. And we can beat Man Utd. but lose to teams closer to a drop than a title.

If either Man Utd. or Chelsea clear up their schedule by dropping out of a competetion or two, it could make the title race turn in their favor. the fear of working for four and getting none will be a prevalent thought.

We and Liverpool will likely be close no matter what the final order.

In in the end, a finish I the same order as found today is as likely as any scenario:

1. Man Utd.
2. Chelsea
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal

[Cannon]

If ManU stay at the bottom of the injury table like they have been for most of this season, I can't see them letting their lead slip. However, they have little quality depth so even a couple of key injuries and that lead could be gone pretty quickly. I don't think they have the quality or tactics to win in Europe which will actually help them retain their top Prem spot. They'll probably get past Lille (especially if Bodmer isn't fit in time) despite only getting a draw and a loss against Lille in the group stage last season but not much further. I also think that ManU won't win the FA Cup which will go to one of the other top clubs remaining (hopefully us). The good news is that this probable title is likely the last one for many of their current starters (Giggs, Scholes, Neville, Van der Sar...plus guys like Solskjaer and Larsson) and it's unlikely that they'll be this injury fit two seasons in a row. You also have to wonder whether this title will be a farewell to Fergie or bring him back in the hope for more out of his Dad's army squad.

Chelski for all the crisis talk lost once during their recent blip sans Terry so I think people writing them off is a bit much. However, I see them getting further in the CL and with that plus the League cup final and FA cup they'll have more to cope with than ManU from now to the end. Chelski are the only team with a realistic chance of passing ManU but I think they'll fall just short.

I think Liverpool end up third and Arsenal fourth. Liverpool will be done in the CL in early March which leaves them with only the Prem to worry about. They have a pretty easy Prem schedule for the rest of the season with their only big games at Anfield (usually a good thing for them despite our big cup wins there this season). The fact that they've only given up 2 goals against since early Novemeber would suggest a level of consistency that should allow them to keep their current spot in the table and could even see them move up if Chelski get distracted with cup runs.

I see us holding on to fourth and winning a cup or two (with the league cup being the most likely). We're in every cup and I see us going far in europe which will make moving up the Prem table more difficult than a team like Liverpool. Combine that with our injuries, a young squad, and our inconsistent performance against the mid to lower table clubs and I can't really see us overtaking the top three. I don't see Bolton catching us for the last CL spot but another few long term injuries and it is possible especially if we knock them out of the FA Cup in the replay. The other teams below Bolton are not likely to pose a threat to that 4th spot.

[Catfish]

1. Man u
2. Chelski
3. The One, the only, The Arsenal
4. Liverpool
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who cares....
my thoughts exactly.