Now the season has finished, I assessed the teams that will be in the Premier League next season. One team is missing because we don't know who will win the play-offs, yet. But, whoever comes up will finish bottom in my opinion because all the play-off clubs don't look good enough at the moment to stay up.
I will re-assess after the World Cup as teams will be doing their transfer business, and this is based purely on how this ended season has panned out.
Arsenal
I actually think that they will go backwards a bit before they go forwards again.
Many of the players they have are nowhere near world class. On the whole, you look at their squad and wonder are they actually any better than many other sides who would fight for mid-table mediocrity. I am thinking about Burnley and similar clubs, for example. I don’t think they are better. I also think that with the spirit in their side, I can actually see Burnley finishing above Arsenal next season.
Bournemouth
I don’t think Bournemouth are that bad a side. They are a club who need additions to keep them going just as with any club. But, I feel there are definitely worse sides then them. That being said, a low league finish beckons for them unless they do make those additions because I think there is a danger that they are tailing off a bit and aren’t really making forward strides anymore.
Brighton & Hove Albion
As much as many of my fellow Eagles fans will resent me for saying this, Chris Hughton has done a very good job at the Amex. Chris is a no-fuss, no blow-my-own-trumpet manager and quietly goes about his job. That being said, he has done a very good job down there considering the quality of their squad.
For next season, Brighton have to find a striker, just like so many others, because Glenn Murray is not going to go on forever.
Overall, I feel Brighton will be competing at the lower end of the table with the likes of Bournemouth, but they do battle away and they could well survive another season if they repeat their efforts this season and indeed get support for Glenn.
Burnley
As stated above, I think the Burnley project will continue in the direction that it is going. I am predicting them to finish above Arsenal for the reasons stated above. A few additions on the Burnley level and they will be a strong force for years to come.
Cardiff
I feel Cardiff could do what Newcastle have done this season. They could well do a Huddersfield too. Either way, I am not sure they are certainties for the drop. They will have Neil Warnock’s fire in their bellies for sure, and that will count for something. It will be close for them.
Chelsea
I feel Chelsea are going to start going backwards like Arsenal have, and they will struggle to replicate the levels that saw them finish top of the league or even fighting. Overall, their squad is ageing, and they are also running out of top managers to come and do the business for them. I am also not sure about whether Roman is going to keep splashing the cash, but even if he does, they are going to have to replace certain players that formed part of the formidable side of only a couple of seasons ago. They need a striker, but so does everyone else though, and I don’t think there are that many strikers around anymore whom are world-class and can really do the business. They may scrape top-four next season, or they may finish just outside because their saving grace is there are many sides whom are worse still, but the gap to the likes of the two Manchester clubs and Liverpool is going to get wider, and that is why they will not reach the heights that brought them success in the past for some time to come. A lot will depend on who comes in in terms of management and playing staff.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace are my club, but what I tell you here is my honest modest opinion.
We are going to lose some players this season, it seems. Ward seems to have decided that he is leaving the club. He certainly doesn’t look like he is staying at the club, at the moment, but I could well be wrong in the end, and kind of hope that I am because we can do far worse. A replacement for him is then going to be important even with the emergence of Wan-Bissaka.
I am hoping Benteke re-finds his scoring form. He hasn’t always been that bad this season, but only three goals – one was given to him on a plate is not what you want from £30m striker. I would say, like so many other clubs, we still need another striker at the club in case he Benteke doesn’t do it after all.
Central midfield is another position where we need to strengthen. Our Serb has served spectacular performances and been crucial in our performances this season. He has been such a terrific find that my worry is that he is wanted by top clubs soon. I think he is good enough to replace Fernandinho at Manchester City. I feel he is that good. Aside from our Serb, McArthur has been brilliant, and Cabaye, after my initial reservations has become like a fine wine or Bordeaux. They are all always there, but some years provide belters, and he has, despite struggling for fitness at times, has shown his class, and we will most definitely miss him if he goes as is believed to be the case.
The rest of the Palace squad is decent, and I feel that, without a repeat of our seven and eleven games start this season, we would be competing with Burnley for the Europa League. I fancy us. I really do.
Everton
Everton have some decent players still, but some of those decent players are aging and will need replacing. Leighton Baines is one such example.
The problem with Everton is that they are seemingly and surprisingly a club in turmoil. Even Wayne Rooney seemingly wants out now, and he has only been back at his boyhood club for one season. Whether he stays after winning what has seemingly become a personal battle with Big Sam, or whether Big Sam will stay – much to the dislike and unwantedness of seemingly every Evertonian, Everton are going to have to once again spend the GDP of a small country to strengthen their side as I don’t feel that the team is very strong or at least as strong as it should have been considering the money spent last season. Despite my reservations about them, the fact there are many worse teams than them means that they can still finish top-half if Big Sam stays and they get some players in.
Huddersfield Town
I feel Huddersfield will struggle next season. They could well be relegated. Certainly, they are one of my tips. Their squad is definitely not that great but that doesn’t take away from their superb season this season in which Wagner has kept them up at the first attempt, and pulled off some decent results against the top-six along the way. Their problem is that, this season, there were three sides who had such bad seasons since the start that Huddersfield survived. I am not entirely sure that this will happen next season, so Huddersfield are going to have to get better results against lower-league sides if they are to survive again next season.
Leicester City
Leicester are a club who are another whom could go either way. Currently, they are still a decent side despite their cold second-half of the campaign. The rest of the teams behind them are so bad that they were never in danger of being caught. But, they need to replicate their early season form, and they need to try and add to their squad as they are another club who seem to be drifting backwards although no-one expects them to finish in the top four.
As a club, Leicester are still very attractive to any manager and are decent enough. Puel is not a bad manager and Southampton are probably now wishing he didn’t actually leave, but he needs to steer Leicester forward again and get them playing the great way and stuff that got them to the heights where they have been recently.
Their current side, if playing as well as they can are a top-ten side with ease.
Liverpool
I am going to say it, Liverpool are the club who I feel will push Manchester City hardest next season. Their only downfall is their lack of cover for their key players, and the loss of Oxlaide-Chamberlain is massive. After a slow start, he has been magnificent for them and an absolute certainty for England this summer until his injury. They seem to have found some much-needed cover in goal. Mignolet was as accident prone as Max Verstappen currently is in F1. Some decent additions and they could be even closer to the top than I currently believe they will be.
Manchester City
First of all, Manchester City were the best side in the league this season and deserved to win the title. They were the most consistent side and although they did blip once or twice for about one or two games, they managed to break the records along the way.
Some of their players are just class. I was a huge fan of David Silva from day one that he arrived in the country and is one of my top-ten foreign players to have braced the Premier League since it started, and De Bruyne started the season so well too albeit he didn’t carry on the blistering goal-scoring throughout. Still, these two are probably the best midfielders in the country, at the moment.
The downside is that, other than Manchester United shutting them out, and Liverpool being more blistering in attack at times, I feel the rest of the league has generally been so poor this season that they have enabled City to do what they have done.
Crystal Palace were the first side to really give them a game and threaten them, and a blip followed for them, but they pulled through it and still won the league.
Manchester City don’t really need strengthening. They are so good a squad, but useful additions are always needed to avoid stagnation and to keep themselves at the top. Some of their top players are ageing too and some forward-thinking is now required.
Back to my opening statement though, despite the money it took, they are one hell of a side now, they are the best in the league, and they are now setting the standard that everyone else needs to strive for.
Manchester United
I think Jose ahs done a very decent job this season in the end especially considering the negativity around the team and him at times. Yes, they have spent a fortune since he turned up, but they needed to. The Fergie United needed a lot of replacements, and some that did come were not good enough. Jose is like any other manager. He judges his players and he does what he needs to to get his side finishing as high up the table as possible, and Manchester City’s start is the reason why United have fallen so far behind. In the end, Jose has finished second which means he has performed better than all the other top-six sides including Liverpool who faltered in the league slightly in favour of the Champions League.
Jose will do what he feels he needs to keep them there at least, or pip Manchester City. I don’t believe it will happen. I also believe Liverpool will finish higher if they can add suitable replacements because Liverpool are a more destructive side. I am going for 3rd place for Man Utd next season.
Newcastle United
If it wasn’t for Roy’s recovery job at my club Palace, I would say Rafa is manager of the season. Ok, there have been so very poor sides in the bottom half of the league, and no-one really went on a run per se, but Rafa, despite almost no funds and a championship squad managed to steer the Geordies to mid-table safety with a fair few games to spare.
Next season, Newcastle need to spend money to progress significantly as as good and spirited as their squad is, it is going to need a lot of support. If they did, I would fancy Newcastle for a top-eight ten finish next season with ease.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham need to move their project on. As things stand, they are in danger of drifting away again after making such fantastic significant progress and strides over the last seasons to be in the Champions League places.
If Spurs stay as they are, they will finish fourth again next season. However, Lloris needs to go back to be the best or second-best keeper in the league as I felt he was last season. They also can’t afford to lose any of their players yet need to add to their squad to take them further forward. If, as is rumoured, Rose leaves and others follow, and they don’t get the odd additions they need, they will rue the decision.
Southampton
Southampton survived by the skin of their teeth. Swansea threw it away after looking like they had resurged up the league.
I don’t dislike Mark Hughes. I think he is better than he is given credit for and doesn’t really deserve the stick he gets although his press conferences are a bit monotonous at times and full of Mark’s almost trademarkable clichés.
They need to be careful with their recruitment from now on, and Mark cannot make the same mistakes that he made in the end at Stoke. It is not about quantity as much as quality, and Southampton have some decent players still. But, they desperately need additions, and they need to perform better than this season.
I feel the league will have a similar finish to this season with so many clubs so close together and fighting to stay up. That being said, I feel Southampton are actually a bit better than some of the others around them, so I feel they will survive. But, caution is needed going forward for them.
Watford
Watford are a club whom I just don’t know what will happen next. They seem to have lost the buzz they once had but I still don’t feel they are that bad a side. They could flop next season and end up relegated much to everyone’s surprise, but it won’t be surprising to see them struggle if they fail to avoid stagnating or going backwards. Probably the hardest club to predict next season. I am going for lower league.
West Ham United
David Moyes has done a decent enough job at the club and he needs to stay and be supported if they are going to progress again after what has been very difficult times.
To be honest, I don’t agree with them being in the Olympic Stadium and don’t agree with how they got it and it is because of this why I would love to see them implode. Despite this, they won’t. They have some decent players still who will ensure that they will survive, but they may struggle still next season. However, I feel they will put this season behind them and they will finish about the same position or slightly higher next season next season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Whether anyone else likes the way they have done it or not, Wolves stormed the Championship which is no easy feat. It’s harder to get promoted from that league then it is to survive in the Premier League, in my opinion.
If Wolves carry on as they are, I fancy them to be a surprise package next season. As high as top-ten like Newcastle have almost done? Very likely in my opinion. There are too many mediocre sides in the Premier League who are all fighting to stay up. I feel Wolves will have a different approach and will go for it, and I believe they will succeed. Dare I say it, but I am predicting a top-ten finish for them
I will re-assess after the World Cup as teams will be doing their transfer business, and this is based purely on how this ended season has panned out.
Arsenal
I actually think that they will go backwards a bit before they go forwards again.
Many of the players they have are nowhere near world class. On the whole, you look at their squad and wonder are they actually any better than many other sides who would fight for mid-table mediocrity. I am thinking about Burnley and similar clubs, for example. I don’t think they are better. I also think that with the spirit in their side, I can actually see Burnley finishing above Arsenal next season.
Bournemouth
I don’t think Bournemouth are that bad a side. They are a club who need additions to keep them going just as with any club. But, I feel there are definitely worse sides then them. That being said, a low league finish beckons for them unless they do make those additions because I think there is a danger that they are tailing off a bit and aren’t really making forward strides anymore.
Brighton & Hove Albion
As much as many of my fellow Eagles fans will resent me for saying this, Chris Hughton has done a very good job at the Amex. Chris is a no-fuss, no blow-my-own-trumpet manager and quietly goes about his job. That being said, he has done a very good job down there considering the quality of their squad.
For next season, Brighton have to find a striker, just like so many others, because Glenn Murray is not going to go on forever.
Overall, I feel Brighton will be competing at the lower end of the table with the likes of Bournemouth, but they do battle away and they could well survive another season if they repeat their efforts this season and indeed get support for Glenn.
Burnley
As stated above, I think the Burnley project will continue in the direction that it is going. I am predicting them to finish above Arsenal for the reasons stated above. A few additions on the Burnley level and they will be a strong force for years to come.
Cardiff
I feel Cardiff could do what Newcastle have done this season. They could well do a Huddersfield too. Either way, I am not sure they are certainties for the drop. They will have Neil Warnock’s fire in their bellies for sure, and that will count for something. It will be close for them.
Chelsea
I feel Chelsea are going to start going backwards like Arsenal have, and they will struggle to replicate the levels that saw them finish top of the league or even fighting. Overall, their squad is ageing, and they are also running out of top managers to come and do the business for them. I am also not sure about whether Roman is going to keep splashing the cash, but even if he does, they are going to have to replace certain players that formed part of the formidable side of only a couple of seasons ago. They need a striker, but so does everyone else though, and I don’t think there are that many strikers around anymore whom are world-class and can really do the business. They may scrape top-four next season, or they may finish just outside because their saving grace is there are many sides whom are worse still, but the gap to the likes of the two Manchester clubs and Liverpool is going to get wider, and that is why they will not reach the heights that brought them success in the past for some time to come. A lot will depend on who comes in in terms of management and playing staff.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace are my club, but what I tell you here is my honest modest opinion.
We are going to lose some players this season, it seems. Ward seems to have decided that he is leaving the club. He certainly doesn’t look like he is staying at the club, at the moment, but I could well be wrong in the end, and kind of hope that I am because we can do far worse. A replacement for him is then going to be important even with the emergence of Wan-Bissaka.
I am hoping Benteke re-finds his scoring form. He hasn’t always been that bad this season, but only three goals – one was given to him on a plate is not what you want from £30m striker. I would say, like so many other clubs, we still need another striker at the club in case he Benteke doesn’t do it after all.
Central midfield is another position where we need to strengthen. Our Serb has served spectacular performances and been crucial in our performances this season. He has been such a terrific find that my worry is that he is wanted by top clubs soon. I think he is good enough to replace Fernandinho at Manchester City. I feel he is that good. Aside from our Serb, McArthur has been brilliant, and Cabaye, after my initial reservations has become like a fine wine or Bordeaux. They are all always there, but some years provide belters, and he has, despite struggling for fitness at times, has shown his class, and we will most definitely miss him if he goes as is believed to be the case.
The rest of the Palace squad is decent, and I feel that, without a repeat of our seven and eleven games start this season, we would be competing with Burnley for the Europa League. I fancy us. I really do.
Everton
Everton have some decent players still, but some of those decent players are aging and will need replacing. Leighton Baines is one such example.
The problem with Everton is that they are seemingly and surprisingly a club in turmoil. Even Wayne Rooney seemingly wants out now, and he has only been back at his boyhood club for one season. Whether he stays after winning what has seemingly become a personal battle with Big Sam, or whether Big Sam will stay – much to the dislike and unwantedness of seemingly every Evertonian, Everton are going to have to once again spend the GDP of a small country to strengthen their side as I don’t feel that the team is very strong or at least as strong as it should have been considering the money spent last season. Despite my reservations about them, the fact there are many worse teams than them means that they can still finish top-half if Big Sam stays and they get some players in.
Huddersfield Town
I feel Huddersfield will struggle next season. They could well be relegated. Certainly, they are one of my tips. Their squad is definitely not that great but that doesn’t take away from their superb season this season in which Wagner has kept them up at the first attempt, and pulled off some decent results against the top-six along the way. Their problem is that, this season, there were three sides who had such bad seasons since the start that Huddersfield survived. I am not entirely sure that this will happen next season, so Huddersfield are going to have to get better results against lower-league sides if they are to survive again next season.
Leicester City
Leicester are a club who are another whom could go either way. Currently, they are still a decent side despite their cold second-half of the campaign. The rest of the teams behind them are so bad that they were never in danger of being caught. But, they need to replicate their early season form, and they need to try and add to their squad as they are another club who seem to be drifting backwards although no-one expects them to finish in the top four.
As a club, Leicester are still very attractive to any manager and are decent enough. Puel is not a bad manager and Southampton are probably now wishing he didn’t actually leave, but he needs to steer Leicester forward again and get them playing the great way and stuff that got them to the heights where they have been recently.
Their current side, if playing as well as they can are a top-ten side with ease.
Liverpool
I am going to say it, Liverpool are the club who I feel will push Manchester City hardest next season. Their only downfall is their lack of cover for their key players, and the loss of Oxlaide-Chamberlain is massive. After a slow start, he has been magnificent for them and an absolute certainty for England this summer until his injury. They seem to have found some much-needed cover in goal. Mignolet was as accident prone as Max Verstappen currently is in F1. Some decent additions and they could be even closer to the top than I currently believe they will be.
Manchester City
First of all, Manchester City were the best side in the league this season and deserved to win the title. They were the most consistent side and although they did blip once or twice for about one or two games, they managed to break the records along the way.
Some of their players are just class. I was a huge fan of David Silva from day one that he arrived in the country and is one of my top-ten foreign players to have braced the Premier League since it started, and De Bruyne started the season so well too albeit he didn’t carry on the blistering goal-scoring throughout. Still, these two are probably the best midfielders in the country, at the moment.
The downside is that, other than Manchester United shutting them out, and Liverpool being more blistering in attack at times, I feel the rest of the league has generally been so poor this season that they have enabled City to do what they have done.
Crystal Palace were the first side to really give them a game and threaten them, and a blip followed for them, but they pulled through it and still won the league.
Manchester City don’t really need strengthening. They are so good a squad, but useful additions are always needed to avoid stagnation and to keep themselves at the top. Some of their top players are ageing too and some forward-thinking is now required.
Back to my opening statement though, despite the money it took, they are one hell of a side now, they are the best in the league, and they are now setting the standard that everyone else needs to strive for.
Manchester United
I think Jose ahs done a very decent job this season in the end especially considering the negativity around the team and him at times. Yes, they have spent a fortune since he turned up, but they needed to. The Fergie United needed a lot of replacements, and some that did come were not good enough. Jose is like any other manager. He judges his players and he does what he needs to to get his side finishing as high up the table as possible, and Manchester City’s start is the reason why United have fallen so far behind. In the end, Jose has finished second which means he has performed better than all the other top-six sides including Liverpool who faltered in the league slightly in favour of the Champions League.
Jose will do what he feels he needs to keep them there at least, or pip Manchester City. I don’t believe it will happen. I also believe Liverpool will finish higher if they can add suitable replacements because Liverpool are a more destructive side. I am going for 3rd place for Man Utd next season.
Newcastle United
If it wasn’t for Roy’s recovery job at my club Palace, I would say Rafa is manager of the season. Ok, there have been so very poor sides in the bottom half of the league, and no-one really went on a run per se, but Rafa, despite almost no funds and a championship squad managed to steer the Geordies to mid-table safety with a fair few games to spare.
Next season, Newcastle need to spend money to progress significantly as as good and spirited as their squad is, it is going to need a lot of support. If they did, I would fancy Newcastle for a top-eight ten finish next season with ease.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham need to move their project on. As things stand, they are in danger of drifting away again after making such fantastic significant progress and strides over the last seasons to be in the Champions League places.
If Spurs stay as they are, they will finish fourth again next season. However, Lloris needs to go back to be the best or second-best keeper in the league as I felt he was last season. They also can’t afford to lose any of their players yet need to add to their squad to take them further forward. If, as is rumoured, Rose leaves and others follow, and they don’t get the odd additions they need, they will rue the decision.
Southampton
Southampton survived by the skin of their teeth. Swansea threw it away after looking like they had resurged up the league.
I don’t dislike Mark Hughes. I think he is better than he is given credit for and doesn’t really deserve the stick he gets although his press conferences are a bit monotonous at times and full of Mark’s almost trademarkable clichés.
They need to be careful with their recruitment from now on, and Mark cannot make the same mistakes that he made in the end at Stoke. It is not about quantity as much as quality, and Southampton have some decent players still. But, they desperately need additions, and they need to perform better than this season.
I feel the league will have a similar finish to this season with so many clubs so close together and fighting to stay up. That being said, I feel Southampton are actually a bit better than some of the others around them, so I feel they will survive. But, caution is needed going forward for them.
Watford
Watford are a club whom I just don’t know what will happen next. They seem to have lost the buzz they once had but I still don’t feel they are that bad a side. They could flop next season and end up relegated much to everyone’s surprise, but it won’t be surprising to see them struggle if they fail to avoid stagnating or going backwards. Probably the hardest club to predict next season. I am going for lower league.
West Ham United
David Moyes has done a decent enough job at the club and he needs to stay and be supported if they are going to progress again after what has been very difficult times.
To be honest, I don’t agree with them being in the Olympic Stadium and don’t agree with how they got it and it is because of this why I would love to see them implode. Despite this, they won’t. They have some decent players still who will ensure that they will survive, but they may struggle still next season. However, I feel they will put this season behind them and they will finish about the same position or slightly higher next season next season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Whether anyone else likes the way they have done it or not, Wolves stormed the Championship which is no easy feat. It’s harder to get promoted from that league then it is to survive in the Premier League, in my opinion.
If Wolves carry on as they are, I fancy them to be a surprise package next season. As high as top-ten like Newcastle have almost done? Very likely in my opinion. There are too many mediocre sides in the Premier League who are all fighting to stay up. I feel Wolves will have a different approach and will go for it, and I believe they will succeed. Dare I say it, but I am predicting a top-ten finish for them
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