Clock End Talk Season Preview

@CraigBennett10

League Winner:

Manchester City The Citizens are far superior to any other squad in the league. Packed with quality, experience and dynamism in every position, I expect to see Pep's men regain the title.

FA Cup Winner:

West Ham A shock suggestion to some but now blessed with signings like Yarmolenko, Wilshere and Anderson in forward/midfield areas, Issa Diop in the back line, and Manuel Pellegrini at the helm, West Ham will soon realise that they have quality but the top six is virtually unbreakable. Burnley pushed last year, Everton have pressed before and I expect to see West Ham finish 7th or 8th but having plenty in the tank to go for a trophy elsewhere. Best of the rest.

Europa League Winner:

Arsenal Unai Emery is a serial winner of this competition and will not want this to end. He will believe his team has the quality and I agree that they do. Finding a balance between league form and competing in Europe is always the issue but our squad is far more blessed now than it has been in recent years. The only hurdle is meeting a big fish dropping out of the Champions League group like last season but Arsenal are still a team to be feared.

Top 4:

1st Man City - to retain the title.

2nd Liverpool - blessed with class talent in all forward areas, and now backed by solid midfield options, I expect Liverpool to push City all the way domestically. The defence is still a tad leaky although the new keeper will plug this hole to some extent.

3rd Arsenal - with a new and intense regime under Unai Emery, I believe Arsenal will reclaim a spot in the top four. Plenty of new additions means better quality options and depth throughout a squad that should be topped by bags of goals from Lacazette and Aubameyang.

4th Manchester United - Mourinho's men will sneak the last spot ahead of Chelsea and Spurs just because Mourinho knows how to get the job done. Sarri is looking to rebuild at Chelsea and Spurs have signed no one to date and with stadium repayments looming, I expect United to do the job and push both out.

Arsenal Finish:

3rd - Lucas Torreira looks to be a real find and should finally provide Arsenal with a true defensive midfield dynamo who naturally holds and protects. Experience has arrived in the shape of Sokratis and Litchsteiner, whilst Xhaka should step up again this season. Goal scoring should come freely with a full season of Lacazette and Aubameyang together - a partnership we have lacked since Henry and Bergkamp. Goalkeeping options are the best they have been for years with the addition of Leno, and with much of the dead weight already trimmed or on the way out, there seems to be an element of togetherness and comradery that perhaps Wenger lacked in his latter years. Optimism officially renewed!

Golden Boot:

Harry Kane - I expect the England captain to again carry Spurs. He takes penalties and usually plays the full ninety in every game so opportunities are a plenty. Salah could threaten but I anticipate teams to work him out a little more now, after his heroics last season.

POTY:

Kevin de Bruyne - A close second last season, I feel that his combination of consistency and quality in unmatched and after a freak season from Salah that I don't think will be repeated means that KdB will reign supreme. Goals, assists and game management - he has it all.

AFC POTY:

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - I am extremely confident that Auba will net at least twenty-five league goals this season. A consistent goal scorer is what we've lacked and I expect to see him be our top scorer, and maybe even push for thirty league goals. Ten goals in thirteen league games (in his debut season) last season - double this makes twenty in twenty-six, leaving a further twelve games to chase down that elusive thirty goal mark. It's possible and boy is he capable.

First Sacking:

Mark Hughes, Southampton - no style, no creativity no goalscorers. Sold Tadic and let Boufal leave on loan. Got lucky keeping the Saints up last year and even luckier to get a long term contract. Could be gone by November if things don't go well.

Relegation:

20th Cardiff - experienced manager but serious lack of Premier League quality in the squad. Small budget club (compared to Wolves and Fulham) who'll struggle to attract big names. Lack of goals will prove costly. Wolves and Fulham have added international quality, Cardiff haven't.

19th Southampton - the Saints were lucky last season, and this was by virtue that Swansea were worse than them, not them being good by any means. Lack of goals will cost them too, as well as lack of defensive quality. Will do well to hold onto skipper Bertrand. Hughes' lack of style will leave them with little identity and tactically flawed.

18th Huddersfield - Wagner's men found it difficult in their debut season last year, and I think it will be a more of the same. The lack of real quality in the centre of midfield means that managing games and pulling strings was hard to come by. One thing they do have in their favour though is clean sheets and solid defending. Goal scoring will be an issue for the Terriers too.

@CarlJHiggins

League Winner: Man City

FA Cup Winner: Liverpool

Top 4: 

1st - Man City

2nd - Liverpool

3rd - Arsenal

4th - Tottenham

Arsenal Finish: 3rd (depending on our ability to establish communication in defence)

Golden Boot: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

POTY: Kevin de Bruyne

Arsenal POTY: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

First Sacking: Jose Mourinho

Relegation: Huddersfield, Cardiff, Brighton

@SaviAfc

League Winner:

Liverpool They have spent smartly and will definitely challenge for the title this season.

Equipped in every area, they have a great starting eleven now including the world’s most expensive defender and goalkeeper. It will be a failure if they don’t win the title now.

FA Cup Winner:

Manchester City They have a great squad coupled with a great coach and any season without a trophy would be a disaster. I expect them to go all the way in FA Cup this season.

Europa League Winner: 

Arsenal We have a Europa League specialist manager now and our squad is certainly too good for Europa league so I expect us to win it comfortably this season. Auba will be more confident now and his partnership with Laca can be deadly. We have to win this title at the least this season.

Top 4:

1st Liverpool - Spent massively and have added quality in every area. If they don’t win it now then they are never going to win it.

2nd Manchester City - They have great depth and enough quality to challenge for the title. I think they’ll miss it narrowly because Liverpool have more goals and teams would be better prepared for City now. 

3rd Arsenal - I think top 4 will be our aim this season as a new manager is coming in. Our squad has enough quality and certainly we have two seasoned goal scorers in Auba and Laca. Good tactical understanding with Emery will be key too. 

4th Chelsea - I think Sarri’s style of play could help Chelsea and get them a top 4 finish. This can only happen if they hold onto their key players whose future is up in the air.

Golden Boot:

Aubameyang - Signs are already very promising in the English game. Having properly settled now, Auba will  come all guns blazing and will score plenty. He’ll be on penalties too and his pace can carve out even more chances.

POTY:

Mane - I think he’ll be key if Liverpool achieve anything this season. He’s very consistent and quality players in every position can bring the best out of him.

AFC POTY:

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 

First Sacking: 

Roy Hodgson, Crystal Palace

Relegation:

18th Southampton 

19th Brighton

20th Cardiff 

@TheTexasGooner

League Winner:

Liverpool Retaining the title is a massive challenge and I think it will prove difficult for City.   Liverpool have strengthened in the right areas, have significant squad depth, and Klopp has now had the proper amount of time to instill his system, style, and philosophy into his team.  They will demonstrate the consistency required for the league.  Given their investments in players, and the amount of time he's been at the helm, if they don't win or seriously challenge, its a complete failure.

FA Cup Winner:

Manchester City Will be a mere consolation prize for not retaining their league title.

Europa League Winner:

Arsenal A competition Emery has had previous success, he will know how to navigate our team through the competition properly while balancing priorities as well domestically.

Top 4:

1st Liverpool

2nd Manchester City

3rd Manchester United

4th Arsenal

Arsenal Finish:

4th We will narrowly beat out Sp*rs and Chelsea to our objective of getting back in the top 4.  I believe we will struggle for consistency a bit initially as Emery attempts to 'reprogram' the muscle memory of our players who played under Arsene Wenger and instill his system and philosophies.  I expect us to come on strong and gain momentum from the congested festive period and into the spring.  Lucas Torreira will be the key figure in properly balancing our central midfield.

Golden Boot:

Harry Kane Should be an easy task considering he claims all the Sp*rs goals anyways.  In all seriousness...he'll win the golden boot, but Sp*rs will have a crap season.

POTY:

Mohamed Salah Will be instrumental once again for Liverpool and will prove his 2017/2018 campaign was not a one season wonder.

AFC POTY:

Mesut Ozil Will come into this season with a chip on his shoulder given the fallout after Germany's World Cup and all the surrounding controversy.  Will thrive playing under Emery, as well as providing service to Lacazette and Aubameyang.

First Sacking:

Mark Hughes, Southampton - will be surprised if he lasts until Christmas.

Relegation:

20th Cardiff

19th Huddersfield

18th Southampton

@SooryaThavaraj

League Winner:

Manchester City Despite Riyad Mahrez being the only signing of note, the Sky Blues still have the best squad in the league and it is hard to see how any team will surpass them. Unless injuries hit them hard, nothing less than the title will be considered a poor season for Pep's men.

FA Cup Winner:

Arsenal Notoriously a trophy the Gunners have succeeded in and with the smart additions made in the summer transfer window, this year could see the trophy return to Arsenal. If they progress to the later rounds of the Europa league, juggling the different competitions could prove a struggle but with the improved squad depth; players such as Elneny, Lichtsteiner and Nketiah could prove their worth.

Europa League Winner:

Arsenal Unai Emery, in his largely successful managerial career, has proven time and time again that he knows exactly what to do to win the Europa League. Arsenal will be hoping that they are blessed with an easier route from last year but will confident that the signings of Torreira and Leno, as well as Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, being eligible to play in this competition will push them towards the trophy that can take them back into the Champions League.

Top 4:

1st Man City - with the best squad and manager, they are too strong for anyone this year and to make it back to back titles. 

2nd Liverpool - have bought very well, clearly identifying the problems in goal and midfield signing Allison, Keita and Fabinho respectively. However, will be just pipped to the title by Manchester City as a result of Dejan Lovren at the heart of their defence. Moreover, last season was such a good season as a result of Mohammed Salah's brilliance but can't see the Egyptian hitting the same heights.

3rd Manchester United - despite the unrest at the club at the moment, I still Mourinho's team having a decent season and securing Champions League for another season. However, although the signing of Fred is an astute one, they are still a couple signings short of the top two, especially in defence. 

4th Arsenal - the Gunners will return to the Champions League spots in Emery's first season at the club. Although I don't doubt Arsenal's ability to beat United in a one-off game, I can see the team struggling to juggle a run in the Europa League, FA Cup and the league to get above the Manchester Club. However, through the fantastic signings of Torreira and Guendouzi, the club looked to have brought back a balance of flair and tenacity missed sorely in recent years.

Golden Boot:

Eden Hazard if the Chelsea star man stays, and that is a big 'if' with Real Madrid sniffing around, I believe this will be the season where the Belgian will take it to another level. Following a tremendous World Cup, Hazard could well be a one-man shining light in what I believe will be a poor season for the Blues.

POTY:

Kevin De Bruyne the playmaker was very unlucky last year to not win the accolade and if it wasn't for a freak season from Salah he would have done. This year, I can see him carrying on that form which made him formidable at points last season and leading City to another title.

AFC POTY:

Mesut Ozil following a summer of turmoil and criticism, will have an outstanding season this year. Eager to prove the doubters wrong and with the new backbone in place for him, we could see the German return to the form when he first came to the club and was handing out assists for fun. Whilst, Auba and Lacazette might get 20 goals each, Mesut will be the star man and Arsenal will rely on him to succeed this season.

First Sacking:

Mark Hughes, Southampton as a club, the Saints traditionally buy poor and sell well, and this season is no different. The sale of Dusan Tadic will surely be a bitter blow for the Saints and I can see Hughes suffering the consequences and being sacked before Christmas.

Relegation:

20th Cardiff - having bought very poorly the Championship club will struggle this season making a very unhappy welcome back to the Premier League for Neil Warnock and his club.

19th Brighton - Chris Hughton's men struggled last year and will struggle again in an ever more competitive league.

18th Southampton - poor signings, a manager with dated tactics and a lack of imagination; this could well be the year that the Saints, who have been flirting with relegation the last few years, finally go down.

@Weener14

League Winner: Man City

FA Cup Winner: Arsenal

Top 4:

1st Man City

2nd Arsenal

3rd Liverpool

4th Man United

Arsenal Finish: 2nd

Golden Boot: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang / Alex Lacazette

POTY: Kieran Trippier

Arsenal POTY: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

First Sacking: Jose Mourinho, Man United

Relegation: Burnley, Huddersfield, Crystal Palace

@Gooner_Paddy

League Winner: Arsenal

FA Cup Winner: Man City

Top 4:

1st Arsenal

2nd Man City

3rd Liverpool

4th Man United

Arsenal Finish: 1st

Golden Boot: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

POTY: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Arsenal POTY: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

First Sacking: Jose Mourinho, Man United

Relegation: Huddersfield, Cardiff, Bournemouth

@GlenBaxter1980

League Winner: Man City

FA Cup Winner: Man City

Top 4:

1st Man City

2nd Liverpool

3rd Man United

4th Arsenal

Arsenal Finish: 4th

Golden Boot: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

POTY: Kevin de Bruyne

Arsenal POTY: Mesut Ozil

First Sacking: Chris Hughton, Brighton

Relegation: Brighton, Cardiff, Newcastle

That's all from us at Clock End Talk blog for this season's preview. Follow us through the season and see who's right and who's wrong, and who's way off!