December End of 2008 - Barclay English Premier League Standing

Current Standing (as on 31 December 2008)
1. Liverpool - 45
2. Chelsea - 42
3. Manchester United - 38
4. Aston Villa - 38
5. Arsenal - 35
6. Everton - 32
7. Wigan Athletic - 28
8. Hull City - 27
9. Fulham - 26
10. West Ham United - 25
11. Bolton Wanderers - 23
12. Portsmouth - 23
13. Manchester City - 22
14. Newcastle United - 22
15. Sunderland - 22
16. Tottenham Hotspur - 20
17. Middlesbrough - 20
18. Stoke City - 20
19. Blackburn Rovers - 18
20. West Bromwich Albion - 18

After Aston Villa vs. Hull City match ended, the year 2008 ending "Top 4" had been finalized. With Liverpool leading the pack by third points more than Chelsea and seven points more than Manchester United (still got two games on hand). The year 2008 had developed a new power house to fight for the Top 4 which is Aston Villa that being turn fortune by Martin O'Neil that first took over a Top 10 side and with the smallest team in Premier League and less funding than any other club. This year, Aston Villa had proved to everyone that they are capable to fight for "Top 4" with consistent performance especially Ashley Young, Gareth Barry, Martin Laursen and Brad Friedel is "The Star" for the team. Hopefully none of them will get injury because in the team, there is lack of quality player that can replace them unlike the quality in Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea.

The most disappointment of the previous "Top 4" will be Arsenal; the young team finally took a tow by suffering inconsistency performance and No.5 position by end of 2008. There is a lack of experience and motivation in the team. With the lose of Mathieu Flamini (4 years with Arsenal) and Alexander Helb (3 years with Arsenal), the midfield had leave a big gap to be fill. Although they signed the highly rated attacking midfield Samir Nasri from Marseille and Aaron Ramsey from Cardiff City, the lack of experiences through their age 21 and 18 respectively and new in the team, won't help them adapt to the team tactics and chemistry as soon as possible. The disappoint player is Gael Clichy that several bad defending and clearance that contribute to opposition side scoring a goal. The best performance player will be Manuel Almunia that finally prove to everyone that he deserve to be in the team.

2008 really got a lot of surprise that including good and bad. The surprising will be the performance of Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Blackburn Rover. They all deserve to be in the Top 10, however currently they are struggling to avoid the relegation zone. The players that had is consider as world class players however the performance they showed really disappointing. The most surprising will be Tottenham that struggle since the early of the season however with Harry Redknapp on board, they also had a change of fate with climbing up the standing very quickly starting with a win over Liverpool that boost their confident.

The most likely Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton will fight to finish Top 6, 7 and 8 respectively in 2008/2009 season. Manchester City will boost by the funding given by the Middle East owner with purchase of powerhouse players to change the fate of the club in the January Transfer Window. Then for Tottenham, finally Harry Redknapp can get the chance to bring players that he needed to fill the gap leaving at the club especially a striker that Jermaine Defoe and Emile Heskey are the key transfer targets. Everton still show us that they are a Top 10 club with the consistent performance.

This year relegation strugglers are most likely be West Brom, Stoke City, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, West Ham and Portsmouth. West Brom and Stoke City is most likely to be relegated by looking at their performance and the player quality (new in premiership and age of the player). Meanwhile for Sunderland, Middlesbrough, West Ham and Portsmouth, all the players are experiences and international represent their countries, however giving a lack of experiences in term of manager. Tony Adams, Gianfranco Zola and Gareth Southgate are lack of experiences to handle a team in Premier League especially the demand and pressure in the league is getting much more higher, they may lack of the experiences to handle it although they are ex-players for great clubs. Meanwhile it is disappointing to see Roy Keane leave the club which the season should be the greatest team they had build with all the new signing however they unable to "click" together in a short time to build success to be club.
2008/2009-season title contender will more likely to be among Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United. However it is most likely to be Liverpool with this season are the less changes in the club players compare to the changes in other seasons. They only added Albert Riera from Espanyol (Spain) to be left midfield section that they are lack of players and he is performing very well for the club by scoring 2 goals already. Meanwhile for Manchester United and Chelsea, there is too many controversy in the clubs internally that unable them to focus on the title. Cristiano Ronaldo had been consistently being link with Real Madrid, Carlos Tevez had been complaining on lack of first team action and contract issue, and Dimitar Berbatov had been struggling to prove his worthy to the club and combining with the other players: Wayne Rooney, Ronald and Tevez in front of goal. For Chelsea, currently there is news that senior players in the club are critic Luiz Felipe Scolari tactics especially Didier Drogba had clearly critic him in the public and the future of him in the club also in doubt by linking with Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan.

Season 2008/2009 Prediction
Champion: Liverpool
Top 4: Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal
Relegation: Stoke City, West Brom and Middlesbrough