Top 6 Challengers

[Timberwolf]

So starved am I of football that I just watched some of Leicester's pre-season match against Atalanta. They handily beat the 3rd best team in Italy (2-1 - Atalanta scored a late penalty) and looked rather good. With Perez adding a little extra link play and threat, Maddison looking like a young Eriksen, Tielemans' passing range and 2 of the best fullbacks in the league, I reckon they have a great chance of challenging at least one of Chelsea, Utd and Arsenal for a top 6 place.

You could also make solid arguments for Wolves and Everton. The former are very well run and know how to beat the big teams, while the latter have made some interesting signings - Gomez looked good last year and Moise Kean in particular might prove to be an inspired move.

Who do you think are most likely to break in?

Personally I'd go with Leicester due to their lack of European football and Rodgers' experience. I think Wolves' small squad and Europa League will distract them and I just can't see Everton being solid enough defensively to sustain a challenge.

I suspect Utd will be the ones to drop out.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

So starved am I of football that I just watched some of Leicester's pre-season match against Atalanta. They handily beat the 3rd best team in Italy (2-1 - Atalanta scored a late penalty) and looked rather good. With Perez adding a little extra link play and threat, Maddison looking like a young Eriksen, Tielemans' passing range and 2 of the best fullbacks in the league, I reckon they have a great chance of challenging at least one of Chelsea, Utd and Arsenal for a top 6 place.

You could also make solid arguments for Wolves and Everton. The former are very well run and know how to beat the big teams, while the latter have made some interesting signings - Gomez looked good last year and Moise Kean in particular might prove to be an inspired move.

Who do you think are most likely to break in?

Personally I'd go with Leicester due to their lack of European football and Rodgers' experience. I think Wolves' small squad and Europa League will distract them and I just can't see Everton being solid enough defensively to sustain a challenge.

I suspect Utd will be the ones to drop out.

The traditional top 6 could be a fierce top 8 battle next season

 

[Shadydan]

So starved am I of football that I just watched some of Leicester's pre-season match against Atalanta. They handily beat the 3rd best team in Italy (2-1 - Atalanta scored a late penalty) and looked rather good. With Perez adding a little extra link play and threat, Maddison looking like a young Eriksen, Tielemans' passing range and 2 of the best fullbacks in the league, I reckon they have a great chance of challenging at least one of Chelsea, Utd and Arsenal for a top 6 place.

You could also make solid arguments for Wolves and Everton. The former are very well run and know how to beat the big teams, while the latter have made some interesting signings - Gomez looked good last year and Moise Kean in particular might prove to be an inspired move.

Who do you think are most likely to break in?

Personally I'd go with Leicester due to their lack of European football and Rodgers' experience. I think Wolves' small squad and Europa League will distract them and I just can't see Everton being solid enough defensively to sustain a challenge.

I suspect Utd will be the ones to drop out.

Leicester just sold Maguire and that will severely weaken them.

As much as its fun to speculate on who will drop out the top 6, let's face it no one will but I reckon the gap may be reduced though.

 

[Timberwolf]

Leicester just sold Maguire and that will severely weaken them.

As much as its fun to speculate on who will drop out the top 6, let's face it no one will but I reckon the gap may be reduced though.

I think the most likely outcome is indeed the same top 6, but I really think there's a decent chance - maybe around 25-30% - of someone breaking in.

Utd may have fixed their defence to some degree but Maguire isn't worth anywhere near what they paid and I think they'll still have issues at the back and especially in midfield. Ole is inexperienced and the way they crumbled at the tail end of the season makes me think they have a serious issue with mentality - if they go on another bad run I think they'll struggle to pull themselves out of it.

Chelsea also have quality but I'm not convinced they have enough goals in that team. Are Pulisic and Mason Mount really going to fill the gaping Hazard shaped hole? Add in the distractions of the Champions League and some Lampard teething problems and I can easily see them dropping down to ~60 points. Is it so inconceivable that one of Wolves, Leicester and Everton reaches that?

Wolves finished on 57 and dropped a huge amount against the bottom clubs. They've also kept their best players and strengthened in a few areas. I think they might be a little 'found out' and will win less games against the top teams, but they're bound to beat more of the relegation teams. If they don't go deep in Europe I think they have a v.solid chance.

As for Leicester, they got 52 but markedly improved when Rodgers signed. They've made some smart signings and overall, even with the loss of Maguire, I think they're in a much stronger position this season.

Silva is finally settled at Everton and actually sorted out their defence at the end of the season. If their signings work surely they too will do better than 54 pts.

 

[BENNO]

Fairly sure the top 6 will be the same again but would again point to the fact that VAR coming in must have a reasonably negative impact on teams that traditionally get 'home' advantage to a larger degree than other clubs. And as teams like Man Utd won't get as many dubious decisions going their way, the smaller clubs (think Cardiff last season) will benefit from factually correct decisions. So i'd expect bottom teams to get more points this season and top teams less points.

Spurs may possibly end up losing out a bit this season. Had VAR not come in, i would have thought the new stadium atmosphere would have seen an upswing in favourable decisions over Wembley. So VAR not really doing us a favour, other than stopping our rivals gaining blatantly incorrect decisions (Mr.Salah, i'm looking at you). Having said that, the new stadium over Wembley must be worth a good few points to us in terms of atmosphere so we'll be better off regardless.

 

[Pellshek]

I thought Claude Puel was pretty damn unlucky to lose his job at Leicester when he did. They played really well during his last season there, getting back their swagger from their champ season, but for some reason they kept dropping points in really unlucky/weird/Spursy ways. He also blooded and brought through several exciting youngsters. Left a really great set-up for Rodgers, who is benefiting.

 

[SugarRay]

Fairly sure the top 6 will be the same again but would again point to the fact that VAR coming in must have a reasonably negative impact on teams that traditionally get 'home' advantage to a larger degree than other clubs. And as teams like Man Utd won't get as many dubious decisions going their way, the smaller clubs (think Cardiff last season) will benefit from factually correct decisions. So i'd expect bottom teams to get more points this season and top teams less points.

Spurs may possibly end up losing out a bit this season. Had VAR not come in, i would have thought the new stadium atmosphere would have seen an upswing in favourable decisions over Wembley. So VAR not really doing us a favour, other than stopping our rivals gaining blatantly incorrect decisions (Mr.Salah, i'm looking at you). Having said that, the new stadium over Wembley must be worth a good few points to us in terms of atmosphere so we'll be better off regardless.

I think we’ll do great out of VAR

Kane and Dele both got booked for diving last season when in fact they had been fouled.

Dele especially has a massive black mark against his name when it comes to officials so he’ll get a better shake of it.
Kane gets harshly treated too.

 

[BENNO]

I think we’ll do great out of VAR

Kane and Dele both got booked for diving last season when in fact they had been fouled.

Dele especially has a massive black mark against his name when it comes to officials so he’ll get a better shake of it.
Kane gets harshly treated too.

Yep good call, i hadn't thought about that side of things

 

[Johno1470]

Personally I think Wolves will struggle. They’ve got the added challenge of EL and haven’t added much depth to their squad, though that could change in the coming days.

Everton are still crying out for a striker, lost Gueye and Zouma. Depending on how their new Gueye replacement settles and if they get a defender in, they possibly could mount a challenge.

Leicester will be fantastic to watch. With Rodgers getting a pre season with the squad and bringing in Perez and Tielemans, they’ve added some depth. I assume they’ll go on a last minute dash in the market to replace Maguire and maybe another signing too.

These three are being touted as the three main challengers to break into the top 6 but I can’t see it changing much. I’ll reserve my predictions until the market is closed but it’s looking more likely that it will be Leicester than anyone else.

 

[sebo_sek]

I think we’ll do great out of VAR

Kane and Dele both got booked for diving last season when in fact they had been fouled.

Dele especially has a massive black mark against his name when it comes to officials so he’ll get a better shake of it.
Kane gets harshly treated too.

Son's penalty against Liverpool...

 

[Timberwolf]

I'm smugly bumping this thread as you fucks all doubted me. Should've named it 'Top 4 Challengers' if anything.

Now that Leicester are looking pretty good for a top 4 finish, do we reckon they can hold on? And are Wolves still a legit threat?

 

[Tucker]

I was really surprised at Chelsea losing to West Ham today, they were shite against us last week.