The season starts in four days, so it's time to go on the record so that in 10 months we can all look back and realize none of us know anything. Of course teams could still change significantly before the window closes. Even besides that, I can't remember a season with so much uncertainty going in (obviously last year turned out to be wildly unpredictable, but it didn't look that way in August). You could make a plausible case that any of 7 teams could win the title. The three richest clubs all have new managers who play wildly different systems to the previous regimes.
For fun, here are links to previous seasons' prediction threads:
http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/premier-league-predictions-2015-16.10570/
http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/premier-league-predictions.5041/
League table:
1. Arsenal. They had the best team last year by most of the underlying performance metrics, and their abnormally poor finishing should improve. Adding Elneny and Xhaka fixed some of their biggest weaknesses. They have the advantage of consistency and cohesion while the other big sides adapt to new managers and integrate new players. If it's ever going to happen for Arsenal, it's going to be this year.
2. Man Utd. There's a non-zero chance that Rooney submarines their season, but otherwise this team is starting to fall into place. Pogba solves so many problems.
3. Spurs. They kept all their key players and added two helpful pieces. On paper this shoudld be a deeper, more experienced version of last year's team with another year of adjustment to Pocchetino's system. I don't think they quite have the quality to win the league, but I don't think last year was a total fluke either.
4. Man City. Tons of attacking firepower. But they aren't really set up to play Pep-ball, and the back five is a mess. I think they need another year.
5. Chelsea. Is this team really that different from last year's that was so mediocre? Like Man City, their squad doesn't mesh with their manager's favored tactics. Conte likes to press, but this is not a squad set up to play that well. Their backline is old and slow.
6. Leicester. I don't think they can repeat, but they'll be good again. Keeping 2 of the Vardy/Mahrez/Kante trio was a victory.
7. Liverpool. There's potential here, but they've been too inconsistent for me to rank them higher. Maybe the hardest team to predict, along with Chelsea.
...
18. Watford
19. Burnley
20. Hull City
Player of the Year: Ozil
Golden Boot: Aguero
Young Player: Alli
For fun, here are links to previous seasons' prediction threads:
http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/premier-league-predictions-2015-16.10570/
http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/premier-league-predictions.5041/
League table:
1. Arsenal. They had the best team last year by most of the underlying performance metrics, and their abnormally poor finishing should improve. Adding Elneny and Xhaka fixed some of their biggest weaknesses. They have the advantage of consistency and cohesion while the other big sides adapt to new managers and integrate new players. If it's ever going to happen for Arsenal, it's going to be this year.
2. Man Utd. There's a non-zero chance that Rooney submarines their season, but otherwise this team is starting to fall into place. Pogba solves so many problems.
3. Spurs. They kept all their key players and added two helpful pieces. On paper this shoudld be a deeper, more experienced version of last year's team with another year of adjustment to Pocchetino's system. I don't think they quite have the quality to win the league, but I don't think last year was a total fluke either.
4. Man City. Tons of attacking firepower. But they aren't really set up to play Pep-ball, and the back five is a mess. I think they need another year.
5. Chelsea. Is this team really that different from last year's that was so mediocre? Like Man City, their squad doesn't mesh with their manager's favored tactics. Conte likes to press, but this is not a squad set up to play that well. Their backline is old and slow.
6. Leicester. I don't think they can repeat, but they'll be good again. Keeping 2 of the Vardy/Mahrez/Kante trio was a victory.
7. Liverpool. There's potential here, but they've been too inconsistent for me to rank them higher. Maybe the hardest team to predict, along with Chelsea.
...
18. Watford
19. Burnley
20. Hull City
Player of the Year: Ozil
Golden Boot: Aguero
Young Player: Alli