Two Team, Three Team, or More Team Race?

[SoccerCityFC]

Anyone care to offer up some analysis on the how many clubs have a shot at the title?

[leg_breaker]

Three I'd say.

[SoccerCityFC]

Three I'd say.

Chelsea is hanging close but African Nations could really take a bite out of their production. How many players are they losing? Three, four? I am not sure.

[michaec]

Chelsea is hanging close but African Nations could really take a bite out of their production. How many players are they losing? Three, four? I am not sure.
On top of their injuries, taking Essien and Mikel out of the midfield will hurt them.

[SoccerCityFC]

On top of their injuries, taking Essien and Mikel out of the midfield will hurt them.

Essien has been very solid these last few games.

[Ukrainesheva]

Three team race, you never know chelsea aren't that bad... are they. After they recover from all there problems and injuires they should be ok.

[SoccerCityFC]

Hey Ukrainesheva! Thanks for the input. Yes, I think they still have a shot. I actually think it is a more team race but the window is only open ever so slightly!

[kanonier]

Three team race, you never know chelsea aren't that bad... are they. After they recover from all there problems and injuires they should be ok.

I think it all depends what Chelsea does in the transfer window. As it stands now, if they don't bring in some quality, I don't think they'll be in the race. Losing 4 players to the ACN + Lampard + Terry out is rough.

If they add Anelka, or some other quality, I think they'll very much be in the race.

[SoccerCityFC]

I think it all depends what Chelsea does in the transfer window. As it stands now, if they don't bring in some quality, I don't think they'll be in the race. Losing 4 players to the ACN + Lampard + Terry out is rough.

If they add Anelka, or some other quality, I think they'll very much be in the race.


Thank you for the input!

[glennaldo_sf]

Anyone care to offer up some analysis on the how many clubs have a shot at the title?

Twenty

[EvanJ]

Twenty

LOL. Derby County would finish with 58 points if they won all their remaining games and Arsenal has 50 so in not that long Derby County will be the first team with no chance at first.

[glennaldo_sf]

LOL. Derby County would finish with 58 points if they won all their remaining games and Arsenal has 50 so in not that long Derby County will be the first team with no chance at first.

Um Ok then.. so 19


Seriously guys... even before a ball is kicked ... due to reasons of financial desparity, the Premiership is basically a 4 team race Arseanl, Liverpool, ManU and Chelsea ... Man U and Chelsea have been the top teams in the last three years - but Liverpool and Arsenal are the only teams who can challenge for it. Arsenal have been resurgent lately and are currently top of the table but they are young and inexperiences so we'll see how it goes. Liverpool have not won the title in almost 2 decades but they have the $$$ and every year they're saying that this is gonna be there year but that never happens. As it stands this year is no different and Arsenal + Man U appear to be the two main contenders. Chelsea are still within touching base but have many key players out and a rather inexperienced manager. Pool as I said earlier appear to have blown it with too many draws.

[michaec]

Three teams, Liverpool are too far behind now. While one of the other three might suffer such a dip in form that Liverpool will catch them it's hard to see all three doing so.

[frasermc]

At the minute it's a three team race. By the end of February though it could be a two team race. Chelsea's fate hangs in the balance. If they fall off the pace in January due to ACN commitments to some of their players then they need to pick up the slack by the end of Feb. If they're off the pace going into March then they're out of it.

Mind you if Man Utd sign Berbatov in this transfer window then all bets are off.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Here is how I will break down all the "races" in the Prem

Title: Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal

Fourth CL Spot: Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa, Man City

UEFA Cup Spots: Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa, Man City,
Portsmouth, West Ham

Mid-table Obscurity: Reading, Tottenham, Newcastle, West Ham, Portsmouth

Relegation Survival: Fulham, Sunderland, Wigan, Brum, Bolton, Boro

Hello Championship: Derby

My thoughts on all the races. Arsenal and Man United have a chance to pull away from Chelsea, especially with Chelsea's injuries and ACN departures. Liverpool is too far back to compete for the title and are likely to be resigned to competing for the fourth spot.

Man City, Everton, and Villa are going to be difficult to hold off, because they have good managers and a few quality players. But I think Liverpool will be able to hold them off for the fourth CL spot. I believe that Everton and City will take the UEFA Cup spots (5th and 6th). West Ham (not enough quality) and Portsmouth (large ACN loss) will probably slip to mid-table obscurity.

Reading, Spurs, Newcastle, West Ham, and Portsmouth are, barring any major collapses, likely to be safe from relegation but not in contention to play in Europe. Reading doesn't have the depth. Spurs performed too poorly early in the season. Newcastle sacked their manager. Like I said earlier, West Ham lack the quality and Portsmouth are losing too many players to ACN.

Fulham, Sunderland, Wigan, Brum, Bolton, and Boro are all candidates for the final two relegation places (we all know Derby is going down). Fulham look likely for one place, just because they are five points from the others. Birmingham will stay up because of Mcleish. Boro will stay up because they have quality in Downing and others. Sunderland has a decent chance of survival. I really think it is going to come down to Bolton (lost their best player/main goalscorer) and Wigan (not good at all).

[drahnier]

I'd say Manchester and Chelsea.
Of course Arsenal have a shot judging by the standings, but i'm almost counting them out anyway.
They're not playing real impressively now (especially compared to how they started) and they seem a bit too light-weight, as opposed to Manchester who always get the wins regardless of how they play.

I know this isn't a prediction thread, but Manchester is most likely gonna win.
(No i'm not a United supporter in any way)

4th champions league spot is Liverpool, no competition there.

[sildavia84]

I think that this season is very similar to the previous ones, where Liverpool focus on the Champions League, and the rest of the teams, Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea, for some reasons, don´t have any chance to move on into the Champions League final. Maybe for the lack of experience of their players, especially Arsenal, maybe for the lack of rotations in the big players, as Ronaldo or Rooney at the end of the season, or just maybe because the players aren´t enough motivated, as Chelsea players. So, I believe that the favourite ones are, in this order, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea

[fernb8]

most likely will end up as a 2 horse race

I think the Relegation battle and the race for the UEFA/4th CL spot will be more interesting by seasons end.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

most likely will end up as a 2 horse race

I think the Relegation battle and the race for the UEFA/4th CL spot will be more interesting by seasons end.

Agreed.

[Chelsky_15]

IMO it will come down to chelsea and man u