We had some folks do alright at this last year!

Reserve the right to change my mind until the window shuts, but here we go. Think City will struggle to replicate what they've done 2 years on the bounce and will have an eye on the Champions league this time. I think we will amass fewer points, but it will be enough.

Spurs have done some good business and are comfortably the third best team. Arsenal are the only team of the rest that actually improved. Chelsea will have feel good factor, but will struggle without Hazard. United are a train wreck club at the moment.

Leicester will do bits this year. Rodgers is a perfect manager for them. Wolves will still be very good, but will drop a place with Europa league. Not a lot between Watford, West Ham, and Bournemouth. If palace lose Zaha, they will be lower. Burnley I think are done. They've run their course. Sheffield and Brighton don't have a prayer. Everyone else will have just enough, but it will be tight. Villa I think are best equiped of the new boys. Grealish I think will do well.

1. Liverpool
2. City
3. Spurs
4. Arsenal
5. Chelsea
6. United
7. Leicester
8. Everton
9. Wolves
10. Watford
11. Bournemouth
12. West Ham
13. Palace
14. Aston Villa
15. Southampton
15. Norwich
17. Newcastle
18. Burnley
19. Brighton
20. Sheffield United

With just under a week of the transfer window to go, I'd rather reserve judgement until the window closes on the top places. However I think Newcastle are done for this season without Rafa, they were punching well above their weight all because of him. In terms of PL Bruce is a dinosaur, the game has moved on so much in the top tier since he was last apart of it in 2016. Palace if they lose Zaha, I agree could be down there, Villa have made too many acquisitions...where are they going to fit them all? that could go sour very quick, Sheff Utd in contrast haven't really made any for their return to the top flight. Norwich played some nice football in the championship and I can see them staying up.

The last 2 relegation places are between Newcastle, Palace, Villa and Sheff Utd definitely go down stone cold last.

The sack race:
Bruce, Solskjaer, Marco Silva, Hodgson, Wilder, Smith

I think City will win it with a big gap to the second.

Well as we�ve not signed anyone yet, it�s the only one that matters.

20. Liverpool

Well I've been to the Crone, and ochone, ochone,
The prognosis wasn't good!
So I thought of a selfi, with the Orical in Delphi,
And there I eventually stood,
But alas and alack, she's the cranky ould hack,
And she raged in a terrible mood!
Said she: City'll beat ye, and maybe they'll eat ye,
For ye look like tasty food!

Like a fan that grieves, I returned to my leaves,
Feeling really down.
They laughed and joked, and my eye they poked,
And said: "be off you clown!"
" The odds now lengthen, ye failed to strengthen,
And viewed me with a frown!
With that dour verdict, I'm now loath to predict,
So I'm off for a night on the town!

I predict that despite signing no new players, despite our main players being shattered from 18months of non stop games.

We have being positive got new players in the returning Lallana, The Ox and Brewster.

With those lads coming back, we will win the league by 20 points.

.....and I predict that you will complain that we would have won it by 30 points if we had signed Messi and Mbeppe in this window.

Never mind, Cech and Lavezzi arriving. . .

I�d agree with that top 8, thought 5th to 8th could see some variance depending on how OGS and Lampard manage the teams.

The middle is too hard to call as there�ll be very little in it.

Relegation - I fancy Newcastle, villa and Sheffield to go down

forgetting about both extreme view points, I seriously think it's a stretch to be confident about winning the league.

Last season we played to our limits, had not too many injury issues, scarped some wins and somehow stayed in touch with city. I can't see that happening with basically the same top 15 to 16 players.

Other teams will be prepared for us. And we really d only seem to have one preferred style and set up. Not sure if simply playing Origi every now and then will make much dofference.

City on the other hand have produced the same standard in two consecutive seasons. It's become their bar. Can we do the same? I'm not confident we can. Would be great to be proved wrong.

Klopp has the club on an upward trajectory, we have improved every season under him, signings or not he knows what he is doing so I predict we improve one position from last season and win the league. He is already a legend imo but if he can land the league after 30 years, people will never forget his name and his impact.

I think we will win it with 88 points.
Relegated I am looking at Brighton, Sheffield United and either Villa or Newcastle.

I don't think we necessarily will be as good as last year.

We might need a season to grow into a steady top 4 team.

Then if we see significant addressing of our weaknesses next summer, we might take the next step and become a more regular threat to City.

But that is not to say we won't get any silverware this season. I think/hope we can get at least a cup to show - FA Cup or the League Cup maybe. Plus make it into top 4 in the league of course.

That would be a good year to build further on for the future imo.

Man City
Liverpool
Chelsea
Spurs
Man utd
Arsenal

Burnley
Brighton
Sheffield utd

I can't see either of us or City repeating last season, there will be more points dropped, I can see a team winning it with 90 points, every year klopp has improved us, I hope the trend continues and we win PL:

1. Liverpool
2. City
3. Tottenham
4. Utd
5. Chelsea
6. Leicester

Relegated:
Norwich
Bournemouth
Newcastle

I don't know who will win it

Wont be surprised if City go into 3 figures, because can't see them losing against the likes of Palace at home again especially after the run of 14 wins in a row

Klopp improved every season because he bought players, Mane, then Salah and then the big guns last year and the improvement was massive, we spent more than 200m and improved by 25 pts I think.

I think if we don't get injuries to important players then we will run them close again. This is a young group of players who just won the CL. We can only get better. Still expecting city to have too much for us though in the end.

I'm expecting Origi to step up a bit more this year. He is a year older and he will be needed to give us at least a few goals. At least more of an input that Sturridge. Also hope that we see something from Kieta, he's had a year and a preseason.

It also looks like we are after a left sided player. So that would help

I am hearing that Pep is going to do another Mascherano and move Fernandinho to CB now that they have Rodders. With Kompany's influence at the back now gone Pep is hoping to reinvent Fernandinho's influence from Def midfield to the CB position.
Should be interesting to see if it works out, like it did for him with Mascherano at Barcelona. Although I feel a lot of clubs will then target City aerially because Fernandinho is on the small side at 5' 8" ?

City first then Spurs. We will come in third. Rest i don't care about.

We are a steady top 4 team. We've been in the Champions league places every full year under Klopp, and seriously challenging in Europe every year.

Any trophy would be a success, but I wouldn't be surprised if we won the league simply because City drop off a bit. It's difficult to sustain that hunger, and even fro United under Ferguson it was rare to win it 3 years in a row.

At Barca, the opponents were hardly getting the ball in Barca's penalty box to target Mascerano, City are just playing like Barca now but without Messi.

What make you say City drop off a bit? I mean they had 14 straight wins to win the league last season. Since then they only played pre season games without their full team

They had slightly fewer points this past season than the year before. Winning the league three years on the trot is difficult. It's hard to maintain that fanatical hunger for the same prize.

Pep can't really better than he has, domestically, but he hasn't won the Champions league with City. If Pep win's the champions league, he can probably cement his place as the most successful manager who ever lived, and the Messi asterisk goes away.

He has dominated every league he has been to, so would be surprised to see him reduce the pressure, next year he will go for 4 trophies, he came close last season. That 14 win streak would have put a lot of confidence in their team.

I think people are deluding themselves if they think city are going to drop of next season. They have so much competition in that squad. If they drop off it will be minimal.

Ok, but they lost more games than we did. There wasn't a lot between them and us. If Kompany gets the red card he deserved and isn't eligible to score that worldie, it might have ended differently. It's a subjective opinion, but I think we'll be a tad hungrier after the near miss, much like we were after the loss to Real Madrid.

It depends on what they mean by dropping off. If it�s thinking they�ll get 80 points then maybe you�re right. But they may drop a few more points than the last few years and it�s not deluded to think that. Don�t forget they lost more games than us last season. For me it depends on what they concentrate on.

Do they want the champions league more? They�ve also lost the big influence of Company and I don�t think that should be under estimated regardless of how long he was injured for last term.

But we all know the depth they have so even with the above they could still run away with it. But we also know how good we are so there�s no reason to think we can�t repeat what we did last year either.

But what if Mahrez scores the penalty, or Lloris doesn't do his blunder against us etc. I mean, we cannot look at specific incidents and decide, what is true is that City dominated games more than us, have a bigger goal difference in addition to the 1 point gap, so they have won their games more easily despite losing more. I think we all agree that they have a better squad as well.

Their squad didn't look a whole lot better today though.

We were very thin out left with Origi doing nothing.

San� got injured almost before they introduced the lineups.

They had the first half and we had the second half.

Yep, maybe this is why we don't want to improve so that the league can be tight.

Or maybe the purse strings? After all we all know John Henry's Arse squeaks, he's that tight.

Why don't you give us the table your tea leaves predict, Herc?

They ran me for bypassing them and going to the Crone, and the Orical, as well as raging at Liverpool for apparently not strengthening our squad, so I dare'nt approach them. They're also disgusted with Liverpool for not seeming to take on City this season, so no joy to be had there.
Mind you, I am considering a long hike up to the fairy fort in the hallowed northwest, indeed I might even drop in on them unannounced, when I'm up there this coming week end. That's if I can find a moment from the celebrations.

Sounds like a verbose cop out to me, my loquacious friend. Take stab at it. If LFC have no ambition, make a guess that reflects it.

Ah sure wouldn't that be very selfish of me red? Especially after all these years of diplomatic consultation with all me occult friends and confidants! No, no, no I couldn't possibly live with 'me-sel' if I did that.
However all is not lost yet red, as me good fairy friends mightn't feel quite as sore at our suits as the leaves do. And then I always have Mystic Meg, the Banshee, and the ever gracious Will-O-The-Wisp to consult, so who knows an accurate table prediction may well be forthcoming in the near future.

All mouth and no trousers springs to mind. Why makes prediction when you can just see what happens then claim your tea leaves predicted it? About as much guts as FSG in a transfer window.

Wrong again Wilk's, my by now estranged tea leaves predicted last season's outcome to within a point in both major competitions, at the beginning of last season. So the Arse is clearly falling out of your trousers, and I needn't comment on your guts, It's there for all to see!

Cheers to Bo and prince for being the only two to actually take a stab at it.

So you �predicted� to within a point last season but won�t this? Sounds like you�ve not got the balls to say how you see us finishing in case you�re wrong which wouldn�t be a surprise going by most of the dirt you come out with.

I�d say top three will be the same again. Not sure about fourth though. Depends on Lampard for me.

Relegated will be Newcastle, Villa and I think Bournemouth will drop this year.

I think Villa have actually done some smart business. I think they will stay up. Newcastle could go either way.

What makes you say Bournemouth though? They have good players and money, and they're consistently 10-12th every year. They score plenty of goals. Why should they drop off now?

They had quite a bad run last season. Just makes me wonder if they will again and not be able to get out of it? I hope they stay up though as always thought they're good value. They play some good stuff.

So you admit you were talking your usual shyte when you said I wait to see what happens. That's par for the course with you wilk's you get caught out talking shyte and then try to change the narrative. No arse in your trousers as usual.

They beat Spurs on the second to last game when they were already on the beach. Their last 5 games were two wins, 2 losses, and a draw. That's midtable form.

Compare that to Brighton (2 Losses 3 draws), Burnley (1 Win, 3 losses, 1 draw) and Southampton (2 losses 3 draws), I don't really follow that train of thought.

To me, the Cherries have a better squad, a better manager, more goals, and better form. They weren't much worse than Newcastle, and Rafa left, so I would expect them to finish higher than the Geordies this year.

Not sure where I admitted to talking poo? But you�d certainly know about that with your tea bags and your poems.

Still no prediction though?

Not disputing that but just think they may struggle this season. I hope they don�t as I like them and like watching them.

Top 3 I expect the same as last year. Tough call for 4th but hopefully Manure's signings don't push them back to the CL. At a push I'd say Arsenal.

I don't follow the Championship but you expect at least 1 team to drop straight back down. Burnley I agree will finally drop and hopefully Newcastle.

The team with the most points at the end of the season will win the league.

The three teams with the least points at the end of the season will be relegated.

You heard it here first.

Liverpool will win the league title. Taking the converse view Liverpool won't win the league title.

So we can conclude either Liverpool or somebody else will win the title. Bold stuff there, Stan.

I can see City going all out for the CL, that's what the owners want and Pep was brought in to deliver, especially after what happened in last season CL, they will feel they have a score to settle, winning back to back PL titles was a big thing for them last season, previously they had fell away after winning PL under Mancini & Pellegrino, so back to back is what the fans wanted.

I can see teams having more of a go at City & us this year, teams like Leicester have improved, Chelsea will be interesting under Lampard, Utd have bought a few, so will carry a punch and would love to derail us or City.

VAR might make top 4

Being of a positive predeliction,
I'll offer you a benign prediction
Despite a worrying restriction,
Of negligible signings!
With a consequent constriction,
Of tired muscles resigning!

Towards completing my report,
I Thought it prudent to resort,
To Yonder far, far fairy fort;
And solicit their view,
And pray my words won't distort,
How I put it to you!

They say: Man City shall be first,
And that there's not the worst,
They say our bubble shall burst,
Spurs next's their word!
And however long we may thirst,
We'll fight United for third!

They say: as the season lengthen,
Our crass failure to strengthen,
For which pundits shall mention;
As a prime detractor:
The wearied player dimension,
Being a deciding factor!

1. City
2. Spurs
3. Liverpool
4. United
5. Arsenal
6. Chelsea
7. Everton

18. Newcastle
19. Brighton
20. Sheffield United

1. City by a Country mile
2. Spurs
3. Arsenal
4. Liverpool
5. Chelsea
6. Wolves
7. Utd
8. Leicester
9. West Ham
10. Neverton

18. Villa
19. Newcastle
20. Sheff Utd

Well I'm looking forward to seeing how the others do today that's for sure

1. Man City
2. Man United
3. Arsenal
4. Spurs
5. Chelsea
6. Wolves
7. Leicester City
8. Crystal Palace
9. Liverpool

At least if we do worse than last year there will only be Klopp to blame and if we do better all the laurels should go to him as well.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/fo...r-news-16738682

Only what I�ve been saying all summer and every other window when those that love to blame FSG blame FSG. I�m sure they still won�t believe it but still.

Also reinforces what we all should already know that is that Klopp will only buy the right player for us and rightly so.

I can't believe that you still think Klopp buys players.

And there it is! An interview with all those involved saying that Klopp and his team are responsible for transfers but no, still not true. Oh well, each to their own.

Predictions, we'll make top 4 and win nothing.

For me, if we do not improve this season, Klopp has to take full responsibility. If he couldn't find a player to improve us, then he has to make sure he does it with the players he has because IMO, there were players on the market who could have improved our squad.

City for example spent 85m to improve their squad and I am sure Klopp had that kind of money at his disposal

City spent about �140 million, Rodri was �63 million & Cancelo was �59 million

I think Klopp has the final say on if he fancies a player or not, I'm sure I have seen him say that a while ago, but the club decide who they can afford etc, I doubt Klopp negotiates the fees/contracts etc.

No point in Klopp identifying Messi as a target if the club know they could never afford him. Apparently the scouting team identified Salah as a target and took it to Klopp, and I think he needed some convincing before we bought him, so shows how it is a team effort now.

Sorry, I made a mistake, their net spend was 76.1m not 85m and definitely not 140m.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/...n-summer-window

We had a profit of 24m, only 2 clubs made more than us, Crystal Palace and Chelsea, but for Chelsea I think it would be fair to add the Pulisic Jan fee.

And he will take responsibility and could lose his job.

And just because we can see a player and think he will improve us doesn�t mean he will. Klopp knows what he�s doing. He knows the squad and what type of player will improve us and fit the system. But he will only do it if the deal is right and again, rightly so.

It will be rightly so if we win the league (or win the CL come second and win the FA cup, ie, improve). Otherwise it would have been the wrong decision or just to improve our profitability

And Chelsea couldn't buy anyone this Window.

They could but were not allowed

Why do you keep talking about profitability? I�m pretty sure Klopp isntvteying to make a profit and that�s why he didn�t buy.

Yes...so believable a PR piece from the PR extension of FSG "The Liverpool Echo"!

There's a pattern with FSG and their Transfer windows, it's almost like Fallow Field Farming. If they don't sell a star player for a fortune to subsidize more lower priced players with potential and sell on value, then we do without. The star player gets sold normally every 3 or so years. No amount of fluffing and bluffing from whomever is our Manager at the time can disguise this blatant fact. I am surprised they haven't try to trademark the name "+Netto" as in positive Nett Spend, because they are the Kings of it!

So what happened last summer then when we spent something like �140m? I know we sold Phil in January and got Virgil but even with what�s left it still rubbishes that argument. Unless we sold another star without me noticing?

And do you think Klopp, a manager who could have his pick of pretty much any team to manage, would work with such?

I�d suggest that it is what it is and as reported. Not everything in this world is a conspiracy and smoke and mirrors. Life is simple and probably 95% of the time the simple answer is the right answer like in this case.

How much did we get for Phil?

It's frustrating as a fan to watch us come so near and then stall the following season in trying to get that little bit extra in quality in vital areas.

Last season was quite a contrast for FSG in their approach to transfer windows. However they have stalled on doing anything this season when logic says to bolster the squad some more to reap more dividends. They got a very good return from their splurge by winning CL, coming 2nd in PL and also the record tv revenue for being the most watched club around the world in 18/19 season.

I thought FSG were supposed to be finding ways to be innovative with their approach to finding sponsors and money to bring into the club to help transform us into the best team around?

Derby County are letting 32Red bring in Rooney to their club in January as a player/coach...surely there's benefit to going to sponsors/partners and having them help out purchasing players for the club and help subsidize wages?

Why do you assume it�s them? They�ve said and Klopp has always said that he has the say on transfers. As I said before, he could have his pick of clubs so why would he settle? We obviously have a budget but I believe if Klopp wanted someone then the money was there.

And if it�s not Klopp buying these players and it�s FSG, surely you have to applaud them for buying us the best squad we�ve had in years. So over to you to say �well done FSG� if you truly believe it�s not Klopp doing the buying.

Not enough to recover the VVD transfer money and the �140m or whatever it was we spent in the summer.

I know net spend is a dirty word around here but was just curious about exactly how much we actually spent in total.

Just googled and the first site said we spent �170.5m and sold �33.5m. That did include Keita though.

That can't be right,what about Phil?

That was for last summer. Phil went in January so wasn�t included.

I think Phil was going to total �145m with �110m up front?? But we got VVD for �75m. So even when you add those two to the incoming and out goings (I can�t be bothered to actually add it up) it�s still a good net spend.

I want lumba banned for saying that dirty word "Nett Spend"!

At least a "c u next tuesday" is useful...

Probably too late for me to say, but after Arsenal signed Luiz and Tierney, I probably would swap them and Chelsea.

You think Chelsea will finish above Arsenal?

No, originally I had Chelsea for 4th, but I think Arsenal will pass them.

Liverpool
City,
Spurs
Chelsea
United

Haha, and where are they now then?

You got me

I didn't ckeck and went off memory. I thought I had them switched. I guess I'm sticking to my OP then. Nevermind

Man City
Liverpool
Arsenal
Spurs
Man United
Chelsea
Leicester
Wolves
Everton