August 9, 2019 Manchester City will win the PL. As much as statistics argue against not only a two-peat which they achieved last season but more so obviously to clinch a three-peat, they will do it. They are simply the best team. Amazing talent that works together with perhaps one of the greatest managers who instills a hunger to achiever greatness and win, win and win Silverware. The fact that ... Read More »
2018-2019 Premier League Predictions And we’re off. Apologies for the 1-week tardiness, but my views have not changed after Week 1. And I did swim the Thames Marathon 14K and am still a bit knackered and have been otherwise focused. 2018: plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. 1. Manchester City win the PL title to become the latest since their great. cross-town rivals Manchester Unit... Read More »
Pain I had to ask myself which was more painful the 2-hour, 6000+ yard Sunday Double Swim or another Arsenal loss and the answer was quite clear, the swimming. Perhaps most obviously, it hurt (as usual) to push myself swimming with the great guys and gals in Lane 1 (formerly Lane 8 in the outdoor now gone LCM pool) with all kinds of past and current swimming pedigrees. But perhaps worse in some re... Read More »
As we’ve exited another International Break, and now have the first game under our belts, it’s time to assess the season after 12 games and compare results to-date versus my beginning-of-the-year SWAG about this season. What is unsurprising? Man City look good and I will maintain my prediction, they will win the League. The Top 6 race looks to be among the usual suspects as predicted altho... Read More »
The Arsenal Brand: A Failure of Leadership This was written after witnessing the Liverpool-Arsenal fixture on August 27, 2017, a day that may be viewed as THE low point in Arsenal’s recent history Who is responsible for the performance of a football team? In my view it is not a single person, rather the owners/senior management team; the manager and the players. In Arsenal’s case ALL three hav... Read More »
Premier League Week Two: What Have We Learned? 1. Man U have bought the horses and if they can consistently run for Jose as they have for his other Year 2 teams, then they will be in the race if not in the lead. This writer along what many were shocked that Man U pipped City to get Lukaku. And Matic? What was Chelsea thinking? He has the ability to play the role that Kante played at Leicester. And... Read More »
1. Will Arsenal finish in the Top Four? 50-50 chance. At worst another 5th. 2. So, who will win the PL and who else will finish in the Top Four? Man City will win as Chelsea will not repeat, but will be 2nd or 3rd at worst. Chelsea has thus far lost more than they’ve gained in personnel and looked incomplete against Arsenal in the Community Shield match. Arsenal; Man U; Liverpool; and Tottenham ... Read More »
The PL season finished with Arsenal’s surprise FA Cup Victory #13 – a record — and 7th for Wenger – also a record. And a new season has started with Arsenal’s similarly surprising Community Shield win also versus Chelsea and Conte. So, how did I do with my predictions from last year? 9 of 14/64% 1. CORRECT: Arsenal’s year to win the PL was the prior season and they truly missed it.... Read More »
OK, season is done, but not quite dusted after Arsenal’s surprise FA Cup Victory #13 – a record — and 7th for Wenger – also a record. So, how did I do? 73%: 8 of 11 currently known 1. CORRECT: Arsenal’s year to win the PL was last year and they truly missed it. 2. CORRECT, Leicester ended in 12th thanks to a good final run-in and were knocked out in the Quarter Finals of the CL, but ... Read More »
I started the thought process of writing this in January as the year got under way, thought and came back to it numerous times, but ultimately changed very little. So here goes with my predictions on the remainder of this season. 1. Arsenal’s year to win the PL was last year and they truly missed it. 2. Leicester will escape relegation, but is far from acting like the Champions they were last ye... Read More »