Arsenal
Or should it be Robin Van Persie FC. The Dutch striker has already scored 16 goals in the league and is the top scorer so far. He has already surpassed his total last year, although he did miss most of the beginning of the season. Without his goals this season they would have picked up 9 points and would bottom at Christmas. However that’s not the case and they are pushing for a Champion’s league place. In my opinion I don’t think they will get into forth place but you never know they might win the Champions League. Who knows?Aston Villa
It has been an average start for Alex McLeish since his summer move to the club from main rivals Birmingham City. The club are currently mid-table and to be honest it is just finishing as high as they can because they are not going to get relegated nor are they going to get a place in a European competition. Their strikers have been in decent form especially Gabriel Agbonlahor who has been a threat either up front or down the wing. Star Man: Gabriel Agbonlahor
Blackburn
Blackburn are where every club do not want to be at Christmas... last. Only one team, West Brom have avoided the drop when bottom at Christmas, during the 2004/05 season. Like I have previously mentioned, they are scoring goals but are conceding just as many, if not more. Steve Kean, the luckiest man in England, has to be the next manager to go. As soon as the chairman listens to the fans and the local media, who turned against him, he will be gone. Will it leave enough time to deal with the uphill battle they face? Maybe, but look what happened to West Ham when they stuck with Giafranco Zola. Bolton
Bolton narrowly missed being bottom at Christmas with a 2-1 win away to Blackburn. Things did start so promising for Bolton; a 4-0 win on the opening day of the season against QPR left them top of the table. However since then they have fallen dramatically and have not had a win that convincing. Things have to radically improve across the team and with the possible departure of defender Gary Cahill, in the January transfer window, make it seem a tough task to do. A task that might be the end for Owen Coyle’s two years in charge.Star Man: Ivan Klasnic
Chelsea
I have been very optimistic about Chelsea and their potential this season. However this stopped on Saturday evening after not being able to defeat Wigan, a club in which we had scored 15 goals in our last three games. It has been tough to watch my team in recent months. We seem incapable of defending and the last goals we seem to be conceding is costing us. I have been impressed with the form of Daniel Sturridge. His loan move to Bolton last year seems to have done him good and he is making sure he stays in the starting line up ahead of Fernando Torres. Who? Of course I am joking. Defending is where we need to improve but Villas-Boas must change he tactics as they do not suit our way of playing. Star Man: Daniel Sturridge
Everton
It's not the premier league without Everton struggling at the start of the season. Their 1-0 win against Swansea mid-week was their first clean sheet at home all season. Quite worrying for England fans as Baines and Jagielka could start in Euro 2012. They seem to be coping with the loss of Mikael Arteta who left in the summer and Osman have filled the gap well. Like Aston Villa, they have been in the premier league for nearly all the premier league seasons but have not won it. They are not going to be relegated nor pushing for a Europa League place.Star Man: Leon Osman
Fulham
Fulham have practically played a full season as they have played over 30 games already. They were knocked out of the Europa League after conceding a late goal against Odense. They have 4 strikers capable of being in the starting line-up and perhaps that’s where the struggle has been. Zamora has reportedly fallen out with manager Martin Jol and he could leave in January. Fulham’s squad is ageing and the team hasn’t changed much since Roy Hodgson. They have to bring in fresh face to stand in for any injuries. Star Man: Clint Dempsey
Liverpool
Kenny Daglish is working magic in Merseyside. His side are lying in 7th place behind Arsenal. Luis Suarez has been incredible this season and has scored whenever needed. However Liverpool face 8 weeks without Suarez, who got given the punishment after being found guilty of a racist remark towards Patrice Evra. The club have appealed but there is the possibility the ban could increase which would be unfortunate for Luis Suarez who in my opinion has been given a very harsh ban. Will that ban cost them? Manchester City
Life in Manchester must be good but if you are a City fan it must be brilliant. It is a near perfect start with City only losing to the mighty Chelsea. They are playing sublime football that has seen them score 53 goals this season and only conceding 15. Some results include that infamous 6-1 win against United and thrashing Norwich 5-1. At this rate they will beat Chelsea record set in 2009/10 season of the most goals scored in a premier league season: 108 (I think off the top of my head). Every single player has played to their potential and I reckon the title will go to City now that they are out of the Champions League. Star Man: Sergio Aguero
Manchester UnitedManchester united won their 19th title in May but will they be able to defend their title. I don’t think so because of all injuries that are occurring. At the moment Vidic and Fletcher have been ruled out for the season and also Jones, Anderson, Owen and Fabio are all sidelined. They are winning games but not as convincing as Manchester City as 1-0 seems to be their only result of late. Their goal difference is 11 less than city (42) and that could be a huge factor come the end of the season. Rooney has found his form that he had in the beginning of the season. One of the most memorable results of the year’s premier league had to be their 8-2 win over Arsenal.
Star Man: Wayne Rooney
Newcastle
When Newcastle signed Demba Ba from West Ham the Newcastle fans were not impressed. He struggled to make a name for himself at Upton Park and well we all know what happened to West Ham. However he has established himself to be one of the premier league stars of the season. They had been in the top 4 for ages and did not look like the team that were relegated only two years ago. Their home ground had been a fortress to them but since they renamed it from St James Park to the Sport Direct Arena they haven’t won a game there. One of the main players, Steven Taylor has been ruled out for the season and that could be costly if they are going for a Europa league place.Norwich
What a job Paul Lambert has done! He took charge of them after they lost 7-1 to Colchester and were bottom of league 1. Now they are 9th in the Premiership. Not only are they back in the premier league but they are picking up results against the big teams with a 1-1 draw against Liverpool. I can see them staying up this year which will be a huge achievement. Huge credit also has to go to Steve Morison. I saw him playing for Stevenage (my local team) and he was a crowd favourite. It is nice to see him also representing his national team. He has scored 5 in his last 8 games and can play alongside Grant Holt who is also finding his scoring boots.Star Man: Steve Morison
QPR
QPR, under new chairman Tony Fernandes, have made steady progress in their first premier league campaign since 1995/96 season where they finished 19th, they seem to be coping with the increase from championship to the top division and have picked up points against Wolves, Everton and most notably Chelsea. However they have been on the end of a thrashing when they lost to Fulham 6-0. It has to be more or less the same for QPR if they are to secure those 40 points that would likely see them safe. I saw Helguson play ages ago when he was playing for Fulham when they beat West Brom 6-1. He went quiet for a while but now he is back in the goals scoring 7 this season. Star Man: Heidar Helguson
Stoke
Stoke seem to be able to balance their first Europa league campaign and their league progress pretty well. Their home ground has been always been hard to go to and this year is no exception with Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United failing to win there. Despite being known as a defending team, they have let in a lot of goals, whether that is to do with fatigue levels from playing in the Europa League I don’t know but they lost to Sunderland 4-0 and struggling Bolton 5-0. They should be fine in the league but I don’t think that they are aiming for a Europa league place. Sunderland
It is going to be a season of two halves for Sunderland. The first half didn’t go too well with Steve Bruce and he eventually lost his job. His replacement, former Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill seems to be doing a good job. He picked up a decent 3-2 win away to QPR, a result that might have been different if they were still under the charge of Bruce. Their main target is to improve on last season which will be a lot easier with the performances of summer signings Wes Brown, Sebastian Larsson and Nicklas Bendtner. Stephane Sessegnon had a tricky start to the season even though he scored five goals in pre seasons friendlies. Though in recent games he has shown his full potential.Star Man: Seb Larsson
Swansea
Swansea were favourites to be relegated when they beat reading in the play-off last season. The first welsh team to play in the premiership instead took to the league by storm. Most of the credit has to go to Michel Vorm who has been incredible since his move from Utrecht. Remarkably Swansea have kept the most clean sheets in the league: 8. Six of the eight are at home which shows how hard it has been for clubs playing at the Liberty Stadium. That will surely give them the confidence and the belief that they can stay in the league. Sinclair, who scored a hat-trick in the play off final, has not made a big impact in my opinion; whether the defence have taken the limelight off the forwards, perhaps. Anyway for Brendan Rogers life must be going well and they are looking like a premier league sideStar Man: Michel Vorm
Tottenham
I hate saying this but Tottenham are playing fantastic football. Their unbeaten run did end to Stoke but despite that their players still look fit and look happy to play for their respected manager Harry Redknapp. The worrying thing about Tottenham is their young talents for example Kyle Walker, Livermore, Kane and Bale. Since the opening game of the season they have had a game in hand and that is worrying me as a Chelsea fan who is hoping for at least 3rd place. I do believe that in the long term, their Europa league exit will help them secure a top four finish and a champions league place however I this might cause a talking point but I can’t see them finishing higher than third. Whatever the outcome I just hope the finish below Chelsea. Star Man: Gareth Bale
West Brom
West Brom are usually the yo-yo team. One minute they are in the premier league the next they have been relegated to the championship and back again in the top division. However it looks like that has ended under Roy Hodgson and they look set to permanently stay in the league, for now anyway. Shane Long, a summer singing from Reading, has settled in very quickly and proves to be very effective by scoring in the first two league games against Manchester United and Chelsea. Their defence are conceding loads and they have kept just 3 clean sheets all season against Norwich, Fulham and Wolves respectively. Anyway I am sure that they will be safe by the time May comes.Star Man: Shane Long
Wigan
Thank goodness for Blackburn otherwise Martinez would be in the public eye more often. His Wigan side are really struggling and are probably the most inconsistent team in the league. They have won two games this season, in August and November, the worst in the league with Blackburn. They did show what they were made of by picking up two draws against two tough teams of Chelsea and Liverpool. I can see them getting relegated this season and it could be the end of Roberto Martinez’s at Wigan after 3 years in charge.Star Man: Ali Al-Habsi
Wolves
Wolves are in their third season in the top flight but are in serious trouble of going back into the Championship. They looked set to have a good year as they collected 7 points from their first three games (Blackburn, Fulham and Aston Villa) and picked up two clean sheets in the process. However things went bad from then on and they find themselves in 17th (the position they ended last season in) and they have conceded in every game since despite the quality of Wayne Hennessey. It is going to be a tough few months that wolves and Mick McCarthy face but they have the experience and I think they will be able to deal with the pressure. Star Man: Wayne Hennessey
So there you have it. Each team has their own problems, some worse than others. Hopefully the next half of the season should be as exicting as the first. I leave you with my predictions for the final outcome of the season. Once again Merry Christmas
My Prediction of the final league | |
1 | Manchester City |
2 | Manchester United |
3 | Tottenham |
4 | Chelsea |
5 | Arsenal |
6 | Liverpool |
7 | Newcastle |
8 | Aston Villa |
9 | Stoke |
10 | Everton |
11 | Norwich |
12 | Fulham |
13 | Sunderland |
14 | QPR |
15 | West Brom |
16 | Swansea |
17 | Wolves |
18 | Bolton |
19 | Wigan |
20 | Blackburn |
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