05 Aug 2015 09:53:38
So 27 out of 28 pundits asked by BBC Sport think we would finish out of the top 4. Not surprising really and just show what everone think about ours and the top 4 squads, signings and managers.
05 Aug 2015 10:30:20
I wonder how many gave us a sniff of 4th the season we finished 2nd.
05 Aug 2015 10:32:30
Football can be very hard to predict sometimes, we will just have to wait and see how the season pans out.
If we are going to break into the top 4 we will have to ride our luck a bit and hope that the players we have brought in settle down quickly.
Have faith my friend.
05 Aug 2015 10:33:29
We would have to replace City to reach the top4. What makes me optimistic out of all, City are struggling to get their targets.
05 Aug 2015 10:40:51
A good morning to you too. It's all opinions. I think we will so let's see if I'm more knowledgeable than the 27 pundits lol
05 Aug 2015 10:42:15
Do you ever post anything positive? A real Victor Meldrew!
05 Aug 2015 11:01:00
What did the 28 predict for us last season? Life is what happens when you make other plans. With certainty it will be other than they predict!
05 Aug 2015 11:16:08
They are just predictions. It may help us if expectations are lowered this year.
05 Aug 2015 11:42:56
Long way to go lots of twists and turns ahead , can we gel quickly is my only worry but we are a top 5 squad where we finish in that top 5 I do not know .
05 Aug 2015 11:39:11
A lot fo them rate the city squad. I think it's terribly weak.
I put a little bet on Liverpool to finish ahead of City
Kompany really needs to up his game after last season,demichellis for me is not a great central defender,mangala seemed very shakey and fernando and dinho just aren't good enough. I think they really lack a decent defensive spine. Not only that but time and again they rely too much on aguero to bail them out. for me top 4 will be chelsea arsenal UTD and either us or spurs. I think city will drop out
05 Aug 2015 11:45:52
No one ever rates our chances of top 4 don't worry about it
05 Aug 2015 12:17:23
What are some of you moaning for? On last seasons form and a failure to properly address our back line, I'm surprised they all didn't say we won't be in the top 4!
They are peoples opinions and given the above points I've made they have a point.
I despise Man Utd ( not as much as Everton like,) but not because I'm biased against them, I genuinely think that out of last seasons top 4, they are the most vulnerable, unless they pull 2 or 3 world class players out of the hat before the TW closes then the current squad isn't up to scratch. They have also failed to improve there back line problems and the players they've brought in don't fill me with fear at all.
The Italian full back could be another dossena, Schweinstiger & Schneiderling ( apologies for the spelling ) have points to prove for me, 1 has to prove his fitness and if he is still up to the levels of 3 years ago and the other has to prove he can hack it at a massive club with the expectation and pressure to deliver from game 1 on his shoulders, same point applying to Depay, looks great in a poor league and he may turn out to be fantastic, but until he proves it then he's just potential, and I think as we've all seen, pressure and expectation can way heavy on potential.
So you see, people have opinions without being bias against a club, so stop looking for a media conspiracy against us, because makes us all look like nuggets!
{Ed002's Note - To be fair their interest in Darmain goes back more than a year and Chelsea would have taken him this summer if Ivanovic were to have left. He is a well thought of player. They are also still looking to add between two and four players - depending on someone leaving. I would not discount them just yet.}
05 Aug 2015 12:37:15
Last seasons predictions were better than the average. From a random sample of 60 pundits from 'well known' media outlets were reviews and 25% of pundits predicted the top 4 correctly, 47% got the top 2. Year before that it 8% getting too 4 correct and 12% guessing top 2.
It's all just blowing smoke. No-one knows what this seasons worth of games will bring and that's why we play them.
But, if you want to take anything even remotely serious, may e the top 2 predictions can be given a grain of merit but as far guessing the top 4, it's a shot in the dark.
05 Aug 2015 12:44:20
Actually agree Waro. I cannot fathom why these 'experts' are so hyped about United. The look very frail at the back, and with Rooney leading the line no one can guarantee he will bang the goals in. Though, unfortunate as it is, I do think they will pull off a least one major signing (Bale maybe) that will turn it all upside down. But, based on the squads as they are now, I think United and City look weakest, and personally, I think Arsenal will push Chelsea all the way and may even win it
05 Aug 2015 12:47:36
Pundits pick the obvious stuff they pick last years top4 because it more offen than not happens so they can feel like they got it right. Like top goal scorer, it's easy to pick aguero because he is the best in league but realistically he won't be top because he will be injured. Pundits make me sick! Alan shearer is the worst of the lot! Mr penalty! Muppet!
When was the last time a pundit stuck there head out and said something different to the rest of them?
Having said all this I don't think we will but not because of our squad, because of the idiot picking the team!
05 Aug 2015 12:49:21
The fact is there are 2.8 billion billion permutations possible in the premier league this season anyone that can predict the exact league is certainly defying the odds
05 Aug 2015 13:07:14
Six new Man Utd signings so far, and more to come.
That's an awful lot to 'gel' (that dreaded word).
They look good on paper, but I agree with Waro, how that translates to form on the pitch is a different matter.
Chelsea and Arsenal look settled and clear of the rest.
But 3rd and 4th positions could be a dog-fight again, with the respective attacking forces being the difference.
City up front are strong, Man Utd's attack is a could / should be, Liverpool upfront is a hope so, Tottenham's is a Kane or bust.
Liverpool need to start well.
2 points average will do it, I feel.
05 Aug 2015 14:44:59
i wouldn't wory about what the pundits think. half of them thought southampton would go down last season and look at them now. it will no doubt b difficult to break into the top 4 but i think we can/will do it. i am an optomist though
05 Aug 2015 14:54:41
permutations and chances are different shane k. This isn't a lottery where every ball has the same chance of coming out,this is probability,which is an entirely different concept.
05 Aug 2015 15:15:31
We have the worst backline of the top teams so yes expectations should be lessened. It's more of whether we are punished at the back this season
05 Aug 2015 16:07:21
Waro and others
all players settle in at different rates some take forever and some hit the ground running.
Chelsea, much the same squad as last season -not an issue
Arsenal- much the same with the , 1 of the best signings in cech (already) premiership ready)
City - need more players and think they are weak in comparison to the others
united- added quality players got rid of di maria and expect other top signings, darmian looks decent, sneiderlin already epl player schweinstiger-luxury player ? depay could be the real deal
Liverpool- benteke epl background , firmino ? prospect, milner liverpools best bit of business imo, clyne epl backed but a bit rash, origi good prospect ings- bench warmer
wont mention spurs but its going to be the same top 5 and 3/4 place between united , city and liverpool . get the blnkers off enjoy the season and like a fan of every team hope for better than what they deserve:)
05 Aug 2015 16:44:40
How many of the pundits where ex Liverpool players? I bet a lot. Our fans are deluded, seriously. We are nowhere near as strong as the top four
05 Aug 2015 17:39:54
Obviously bobatron but the fact of the matter still remains predicting anything in the premier league is as good as a lottery. No one would have said West ham and Southampton would have been in with a shout of europe after the summer they had. With a few games to go no one would have said Leicester would stay up.
I'm just alluding to the fact that realistically using 'some pundits say we won't finish in the top 4 therefore we wont' is silly.
I would still also be surprised if in a 100,000,000 people 1 would predict the table top to bottom. Ladbrokes will confirm this after they rake in a couple hundred million on people entering the premier predictor to win 50 million, which will not happen and a couple people will get one hundred thousand consolation price but Ladbrokes will be sitting back laughing.