Another season in the bag, albeit about two months late.
So it is just under a year ago that I put my predictions out there and I have waited for my chickens to come home to roost. My incredibly correct chickens.
Or my incredibly wrong chickens?
Let’s see just how wrong my chickens were.
You want an in-depth gander, look here, but here’s a run-down of the table I picked out.
1. Manchester City
2. Liverpool
3. Tottenham Hotspur
4. Arsenal
5. Leicester City
6. Chelsea
7. Manchester United
8. Everton
9. Wolves
10. West Ham
11. Watford
12. Bournemouth
13. Southampton
14. Crystal Palace
15. Sheffield United
16. Norwich City
17. Aston Villa
18. Burnley
19. Brighton
20. Newcastle United
Okay, wow.
It’s been so long… Maybe I just didn’t remember.
I came into this with far too much confidence.
Here’s the actual final table.
1. Liverpool
2. Manchester City
3. Manchester United
4. Chelsea
5. Leicester City
6. Tottenham Hotspur
7. Wolves
8. Arsenal
9. Sheffield United
10. Burnley
11. Southampton
12. Everton
13. Newcastle
14. Crystal Palace
15. Brighton
16. West Ham
17. Aston Villa
18. Bournemouth
19. Watford
20. Norwich City
And here’s a side-by-side view.
NOW, FOR THE SCORING. The aim is to get as close to 0 as possible, starting from 0, with any difference in positions coming off my score.
For example, my beginning score is 0, I had Norwich finishing 16th, they finished 20th, that’s minus-4 off my score.
My score last season was -56, let’s do better.
Lesgo.
ARSENAL
Predicted Finish: 4th / Actual Finish: 8th
They can only dream of 4th place right now.
Mocked for years for only being able to achieve 4th, The Gunners have slid while in search of their climb.
Everything I said about them was correct (apart from the fact that I listed Iwobi as a key player and they sold him a day later), but they went down the rebuild route and while that change might still deliver an FA Cup, Mikel Arteta will need plenty of time beyond that if this Prem season is anything to go by.
Score: -4
ASTON VILLA
Predicted Finish: 17th / Actual Finish: 17th
I said Grealish would be their key player, and wasn’t he just. It wasn’t a difficult prediction to make, but having that player that’ll take a chance was vital this season for Villa. Clever signings accompanied the cap to survival, as well as a manager who can inject passion into an entire squad.
Might struggle without more smart signings though…
Score: 0
BOURNEMOUTH
Predicted Finish: 12th / Actual Finish: 18th
A sad end to a bright spell for The Cherries. I said that as long as Nathan Aké performed that they would be safe. Well, he performed, and they weren’t safe. They just weren’t impactful enough, and despite Aké and co’s performances, they leaked far too many goals.
They couldn’t build on a spine that was ever-evolving, and it’s cost them.
Score: -6
BRIGHTON
Predicted Finish: 19th / Actual Finish: 15th
Considering Graham Potter was taken over a near-broken team, he worked some minor wonders here. Yeah, they looked shite at times, like proper shite, but they also produced gold. It was like a murky California stream in the 1930's.
With that gold, Potter has something to build on, but he needs a better sieve.
Score: -4
BURNLEY
Predicted Finish: 18th / Actual Finish: 10th
I got the goalkeeper bit right, but as for the rest of it, it seems I can’t predict what The Clarets are gonna do on any given day, so decide to underestimate them.
Yes, they displayed power and strength, as is their strength, but they also showed measure, and that is Dyche’s strength as he once again proved. And every other top flight club would do well to learn that.
Score: -8
CHELSEA
Predicted Finish: 6th / Actual Finish: 4th
The New Blue is here and they have exceeded expectations, no doubt. He put the emphasis on youth, but didn’t alienate any of the existing squad, and though he might be moving on from them, he didn’t cast them out.
A Champions League place and an FA Cup Final is not a bad first season in Prem management, and with the reinforcements Frankie’s got coming, I imagine he’ll feel quite relaxed.
Score: -2
CRYSTAL PALACE
Predicted Finish: 14th / Actual Finish: 14th
The first time a team has failed to score more than twice in any of their matches and stayed up. Palace were not a traditionally entertaining side this season, but they came with their own drama, as well as the oldest squad.
They’ve hung on this time, but without some changes and some fresh blood, they could suffer a fate worse than 14th place.
Score: 0
EVERTON
Predicted Finish: 8th / Actual Finish: 12th
I continue to rate this squad far too highly. They should be up in the mix with the players I see on paper, but they just can’t get them to perform. Even Ancelotti hasn’t inspired them too much since coming in. Granted, there was a small up-turn, and we might be able to blame the pause on any dodgy form, but any Toffees fan will be hoping that this short Summer break can really gel manager and squad to create football worthy of this club; and these players are capable of it.
Score: -4
LEICESTER CITY
Predicted Finish: 5th / Actual Finish: 5th
Sometimes, a bet comes in good.
It wasn’t a wild stab though, looking back. These players were always capable of it, and showed glimpses of it at the end of the 18/19 season. A Europa League spot, Golden Boot winner, and record-breaking away win is probably not what The Foxes or their fans expected, but they looked casual doing it. Signings gelled, but it just seemed that some players ran out of gas post-pause.
Score: 0
LIVERPOOL
Predicted Finish: 2nd / Actual Finish: 1st
It was time.
You can put it down to Manchester City failing, but you cannot detract from the drive of this team to see out games and finish off opponents, not necessarily with goals, just with game-play.
They tightened up every part of their ship and went in confident that no-one could beat them, and, very nearly, no-one could.
Their time is finally here, everything clicked, and they have become icons.
Score: -1
MANCHESTER CITY
Predicted Finish: 1st / Actual Finish: 2nd
With the capability to be as dominant as in their title-winning seasons, they could also just fail to show up on random days. With Liverpool running away like they did, dropping points to Norwich and Newcastle on their way to 9 defeats was never gonna deliver a title, or even a title challenge, no matter how even the clubs looked pre-season.
Revenge can be swift though.
Score: -1
MANCHESTER UNITED
Predicted Finish: 7th / Actual Finish: 3rd
He had his cake, and he ate it.
He experimented, and he reaped.
Ole and the lads had their blips no doubt about it, and they’re far from perfect, but he put his team out there, and for the first time since a certain Scotsman left (not Moyes), they started to play like Manchester United again.
Or you could put it all down to Bruno Fernandes.
Score: -4
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Predicted Finish: 20th / Actual Finish: 13th
I predicted relegation on The Tyne, instead, there is just… Unease.
With turmoil abound at St. James’ Park, I thought the team would succumb, but credit where it’s due, they called in a proper fixer in Steve Bruce, and he was able to hold The Toon steady. His signings were probably underrated in their effectiveness because the higher-profile ones looked floppy, but everyone had their role to play in this survival.
There is the feeling of flood defences being prepared here, as the club head for their tornado shelter.
A storm is coming. Newcastle need to be prepared, or suffer the consequences.
Score: -7
NORWICH
Predicted Finish: 16th / Actual Finish: 20th
Well, they started off alright. I mean, they were never gonna set the world on fire this season, but I expected more of a backbone from this side. Just turns out it was made of paper; and how quickly it folded.
They kept their poise, but then obviously decided it meant nothing and let that slip, and once that had gone, they had no chance, they looked beaten by the break and then somehow got worse.
The challenge now will be rebuilding the heart of the team and hanging on to at least some of their important players. Farke has his head screwed on right, and I think they would be wise to keep him about.
Score: -4
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Predicted Finish: 15th / Actual Finish: 9th
Should have put a bit more faith on The Blades here, a bit more respeck on their name. I was pretty confident the solidity of the squad would see them survive, but certainly not in the manner they did.
For a side many expected to be straight-forward, they often brought the most dynamicism and surprised sides with their on-pitch domination.
They’ll need to remain defensively sound while improving up front if they wanna advance next season. And they’ve already got a fair job if they wanna keep their hands on Deano.
Score: -6
SOUTHAMPTON
Predicted Finish: 13th / Actual Finish: 11th
A club truly lucky that the season is not 19 games long. Also, a club truly unlucky that the season is not 19 games long.
A club lucky that not all games are played at home. A club truly unlucky that not all games are played away.
Battered and beaten to brave and bombastic, Ralph and his boys sorted themselves right out and have provided promise where previously, there was none.
Score: -2
TOTTENHAM
Predicted Finish: 3rd / Actual Finish: 6th
Oh, Poch, you’ll be missed.
Then Jose! That was exciting! For about five minutes. Then everyone was bored. Then they realised he was actually doing a job of getting Spurs up the table. Then everyone was confused.
It still doesn’t feel like Spurs have had a good season, but it’s a season of turnover, and next season will be a big tell for the future of Spurs.
Score: -3
WATFORD
Predicted Finish: 11th / Actual Finish: 19th
Went off the rails when they sacked Javi Gracia.
Rolled over when they re-hired Quique.
Set on fire when they changed their mind on Quique.
Managed to douse the flames when they hired Big Nige.
Spontaneously combusted when they sacked Big Nige.
The fuck were they doing?
Maybe a deserved relegation if that’s how you run a club. Right up there with Hull this season.
Score: -8
WEST HAM
Predicted Finish: 10th / Actual Finish: 16th
Yeah, the big players get signed, and then it’s existing players who do the work and keep them up, and this season, even an old boss! Honestly, this was a good move. Moyesy did one thing to secure this side, and it was to pick a team and stick with it, they knew their job, no matter how simple, and they went out and did it, really efficiently at times.
The Hammers might wanna look at some simpler signings, they really don’t seem to need all the flair they’re bringing in. Maybe keep a bit about though…
Score: -6
WOLVES
Predicted Finish: 9th / Actual Finish: 7th
These guys look more and more dangerous. If they keep building carefully, they’ll be grand. I mean, they were pushing Champo this time round and just missed out on Europa. Then again, they’re still in the Europa this season, now verging on a 13-month season.
It just makes everything more impressive. Throw in a double over Manchester City and that’s somet to remember. They’ll have to keep an eye on players getting sniped though; it’ll only take one or two dropping for the harmony to be disrupted.
Score: -2
— — — —
FINAL SCORE: -72
— — — —
Funk.
Aye, lowest score’s about -200, so I’m nearly one third wrong, which means I was two-thirds right, which makes me feel a bit better.
RIGHTEST
Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Leicester — 0
WRONGEST
Burnley, Watford — -8
All this goes to show is that you can never guess what’s gonna happen. You can get close and you can generalise, and you can make a good guess while having very little faith in it, hoping you’ll look like a genius if it comes off, but in reality, a team can exceed expectations or flop at any time, and most of us aren’t, and never will be, privy as to why.
This time, we say goodbye to the valiant Cherries, the tumultuous Hornets, and the tired Canaries, all teams who came up together five years ago, going back down together. Norwich had a few dips along the way, mind.
They’ll be replaced by the mighty Leeds United, back where they belong, the persistent Baggies, and one of Swansea, Cardiff, Brentford or Fulham.
Whoever it is, there is obvious potential for excitement.
Congratulations to Klopp and The Kop, enjoy it in this shortest of breaks and be prepared for nineteen challengers when you return.
And if you’re gonna get off, get off at the TOP.
Keep it streets ahead,
C.L.R.
