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Premiership Previews
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17th August 2006

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Chelsea

Its a bold statement to make but we think that Chelsea are far from certainties to win the Premiership title this year. The reasoning is complex but compelling. If you are thinking of putting that lump sum on Chelsea rather than getting interest from a bank then think again. This is the season that things could start to go wrong, at least on the domestic front. There is no denying what this team under Mourinho has achieved and dont be lured too much into thinking that they only succeeded with Abramovichs millions. Its not as simple as that and thats precisely the reason why we think they are vulnerable this year. The point is that football is never that straight forward. Theres simply too much going on nowadays and Chelsea are about to find out that the pressure will be greater than ever this season.

Historically teams�however good�have a shelf life. Mourinho espouses the virtues of the Chelsea family and it might be trite to assume that complacency will set in at Stamford Bridge. Mourinhos mantra is based around the fact that when nobody likes us it just makes us stronger. All well and good, but footballers are not machines and with achievement already fulfilled on the domestic scene, maybe they will be turning up on cold nights without the fire they once had. Make no mistake this season will be a real test of their character and this is just one of the traps they have to avoid.

One thing is certain. The honeymoon is over. Other sides now know how to beat them. There is a trend to back this up. Whenever a team has romped the Premiership they always seem to win the next one well, then fail on the third time. 1999-2000 season Man Utd romped home losing just 3 matches, a season latter they won again losing 6 games and then failed to win losing 9 matches. Arsenal when they won the title without losing a match, lost 5 a season later, and then they lost 11. Chelsea lost one match when they blitzed the Premiership under Mourinho two seasons ago, but they lost 5 matches in their last campaign. If they were to lose between 9 and 11 matches, then they probably fall short of lifting the Title. Almost certainly theyll get beaten at Stamford Bridge a couple of times.

There is also a train of thought that Mourinho (or is it Abramovich) has his eyes set on the Champions League this year and this could be another thing that could upset their domestic season. Its very difficult to do both well and if he decides to rest leading players around the Champions League campaign, Mourinho could leave himself exposed on the home front. Also their galacticos signings of Ballack and Shevchenko could have a negative effect. Are there now too many big personalties in the team? Take a look at what happened with Real Madrid. Its often a recipe for disaster. The Shevchenko signing could quite easily backfire, and Ballack might not blend in too well and could easily have a negative effect on Lampards performance over the season. There are also murmurings of discontent in the squad, Gallas being the prime example, and if they dont acquire Ashley Cole, or John Terry gets a prolonged spell out injured, things could start to go wrong defensively as well.

Lastly well centre on Jose Mourinho. He was like a breath of fresh air when he arrived on the scene and how we laughed at his jokes and marvelled at his attitude. A year later we began to see a different side. Still occasionally funny he began to display a pernicious streak and a tendency to be overly confrontational. It can only begin to backfire and teams will certainly not be intimidated any more. Mourinhos style of play is beginning to be read. Do not underestimate the ability of our managers to disrupt Chelsea now that they have found out what they are all about. The bag of tricks could be running thin. Another thing well see this year is a strong, and quite possibly virulent, media campaign against Mourinho. Not exactly sure why but again its a trend that happens. Mourinho might be hardy enough to withstand it, but it just might begin to cloud his judgement. Dont forget we have a big ego here and history tells us that these people often have a propensity to self-destruct.

So there you have it. We could quite easily be wrong and Chelsea could be romping away with the Title at Christmas, but its certainly food for thought. Remember football is never quite exactly what it seems�

Premiership Outright 4/9
Season Handicap (Scr) 15/1
Season Match Bet Chelsea 1/5, Arsenal 3
Season Group Bet Chelsea 4/9, Man Utd 11/2, Arsenal 13/2, Liverpool 13/2
Premiership Top Scorer Shevchenko 9/2, Drogba 16, Lampard 20, Ballack 25, Robben 50.
Relegation 5000/1

Man United

You cant say there is a fantastic vibe for Man United to win the title this season. The reason is that they seem like a team still in transition, but it would be rash to discount their chances if they were to buy a top class striker to replace Van Nistelrooy. They are still a very solid outfit with a host of big name players and the addition of Carrick to take up the Roy Keane role could be a masterstroke. They need to come out of the blocks quickly though if they are to launch an assault on the title. Rooney will still be the key to their success, but he cant win it on his own. The supporting cast of Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Alan Smith, Scholes and Solskjaer all have to inspire and nurture the younger players like Richardson and Rossi to make an impact.

Alex Ferguson knows that it is a crucial season. the devils playground be under pressure to deliver a convincing challenge and although the Glaziers have proved to be hands off, theres no doubt that Man United need to step up a gear. Fergie loves to blood his youngsters and that has to be admired but in these times of instant gratification, it is a strategy that the board can only live with for so long. He might hold off from buying a striker just yet as he is a big fan of young Guiseppe Rossi. We could see a lot of him at the start of the campaign and hes a real talent, but its all about a time and a place.

But to be fair there is not much wrong with United at the moment. They just need to tighten up and get off to a good start. Their capacity at Old Trafford is now up to 75,000 and its important that they keep it a fortress. They only lost five games last season�.the same as Chelsea�.so there is hope. If they bag that big name striker and he clicks into gear early then they would have a real chance to take the title. If Chelsea misfire and United get off to a flyer the whole complexion of the Premiership could change. Write Man United off at your peril�

Premiership Outright 11/2
Premiership without Chelsea 13/8
Season Handicap (+10) 15/1
Season Match Bet Man Utd 4/6, Liverpool 11/10
Season Group Bet - Chelsea 4/9, Man Utd 11/2, Arsenal 13/2, Liverpool 13/2
Premiership Top Scorer Rooney 9, Saha 20, Ronaldo 50, Smith 66, Solskjaer 80, Rossi 100.
Relegation 2000/1

Arsenal

A new era for the Gunners begins on Saturday. Highbury is no more. Instead they have a brand new stadium and it could signal the start of a renaissance. Arsenal are a good footballing side and the more space they have the better theyll perform. That said there hasnt been a particular vibe for Arsenal either in the build up to the new season. It was a disappointing campaign last year, at least on the domestic front, and in some ways it has put a lot of people off backing them. The major coup for them was retaining the services of Thierry Henry. the devils playground not only score a hatful of goals but the devils playground boost the confidence of a side that needs a little bit of self belief. Their domestic campaign last year was a mish-mash of good and bad, and they never attained the consistency needed to sustain a challenge to Chelsea. This needs to be addressed. They lost eleven times and theyll have to keep that figure to at least 5 if they are to contend. Reyes seems destined to leave, but Ashley Cole could still be a Gunner this season and the devils playground be needed in a defence that was decidedly leaky. If they can remain tight at the back, they certainly have the ammunition on the park to destroy teams. They will miss Robert Pires and Sol Campbell, but Fabregas is a fabulous prospect and the signing of Rosicky will add options in midfield. This is a team full of experience and youth. They have Theo Walcott to come as well so do not dismiss them lightly. Van Persie looks the real deal at times and he could have a very big impact this year. And of course Henry is still a class above most defenders and he should bag them at least 20 goals again. All in all an interesting season awaits the Gunners. Its a new dawn for the club and they should be in the mix for the title. Its easy to lose sight of their chances. Remember last season Arsenal dominated Europe, but were average at home, Chelsea were the opposite. If Chelsea get too distracted on the Continent, Arsenal could well sustain a serious title challenge..

Premiership Outright 13/2
Premiership without Chelsea 7/4
Season Handicap (+12) 15/1
Season Match Bet Chelsea 1/5, Arsenal 3
Season Group Bet Chelsea 4/9, Man Utd 11/2, Arsenal 13/2, Liverpool 13/2
Premiership Top Scorer Henry 9/4, Van Persie 50, Adebayor 50, Reyes 80, Walcott 100, Rosicky 100
Relegation 1000/1

Liverpool

There is certainly a serious vibe for the Reds this season. Raphael Benitez has already put one over on the Blues in the Charity Shield and he looks as if hes ready to take them on over the season. Benitez is proving his worth as a manager. His record is first class wherever hes been and after sorting out the mechanics of this squad, it looks like hes finally going to launch the Reds back into domestic nirvana. This is a squad that has depth, talent and belief. Steven Gerrard will mastermind everything from midfield and hes certainly desperate to bag the title for his home support. The addition of Craig Bellamy and Jermaine Pennant can only promise big things. Bellamy especially will shine this season. Hes often derided because he can be in your face, but this is a top class striker. He has a natural instinct for scoring and with Crouch laying balls into his feet, we could see a return to the Toshack/Keegan days of old. Robbie Fowler will also do a job for them and its not out of the question that Benitez will buy another top class striker at some point in the season. They had a fantastic second half to the season during last years campaign and they look stronger and more balanced this time around. They wont lose many games and they are better equipped than Chelsea to dog out results. They are fantastic value for the title. They only lost 6 times last year and theyll certainly improve on that. That will put them right in the mix at the end of the season and it just could be their season.

Premiership Outright 13/2
Premiership without Chelsea 15/8
Season Handicap (+12) 15/1
Season Match Bet Man Utd 4/6, Liverpool 11/10
Season Group Bet Chelsea 4/9, Man Utd 11/2, Arsenal 13/2, Liverpool 13/2
Premiership Top Scorer Bellamy 18, Crouch 25, Gerrard 33, Fowler 80.
Relegation 1000/1

Tottenham

Tottenham are another one of the talking teams this year. They ran out of steam a bit towards the latter stages and were cruelly denied a European spot that they deserved. They lost 9 times and drew 12 and they look as if they are capable of better than time around. The squad is growing in confidence and Martin Jol is popular with the players and has generated a great team spirit at White Hart Lane. They have lost Carrick and theres no doubt that he will leave a hole�literally�.but theyll have to adapt. But the deal enabled them to splash out on Berbatov and Zokora so these additions could make up for the loss. They have a great forward line now and with Aaron Lennon blossoming down the right they look as if they will score plenty of goals. This is a team that has the right balance between youth and experience. It could be another big season for them. They have improved steadily over the years and if they continue to improve they must have a great chance of getting in amongst the elite. Tottenham Hotspur is a giant in football and everything is in place for them to take that step back into the big time.

Premiership Outright 80/1
Premiersip without Chelsea 12/1
Premiership without Top Four 11/8
Season Handicap (+24) 15/1
Season Match Bet Tottenham 1/4, Blackburn 5/2
Season Group Bet Tottenham 10/11, Newcastle 10/3, Blackburn 4/1, Middlesboro 5/1
Premiership Top Scorer Defoe 20, Keane 22, Berbatov 25.
Relegation 100/1

Newcastle

There has to be a big signing out there soon if Newcastle are to have any chance of having a decent campaign. The finished 7th last season which was a fantastic achievement, but they will be without Michael Owen to begin with so things could turn ugly in the first few months. In fact they could struggle all season if they dont get a top class striker in. The acquisition of Duff should prove to be not only good value but itll give them the width to open sides up. The problem though is that Ameobi and Luque might not be up to the challenge of tucking the ball away on a regular enough basis. By the time Owen returns the damage could have been done. Glenn Roeder also knows how difficult it is to keep hold of his seat at St Jamess and this will add to the pressure if they get off to a poor start. Things could spiral away from him very quickly and with a man as ruthless as Freddie Sheppard at the helm his tenure might be short lived. The loss of Alan Shearer is difficult to gauge but the team lacks a bit of clout now that hes gone. The ironic thing is that Shearer would be top of the list to succeed Roeder as well. Newcastle looked short on confidence in their pre season games and it doesnt auger well

Premiership Outright 175/1
Premiership without Chelsea 66/1
Premiership without Top Four 5/1
Season Handicap (+36) 12/1
Season Match Bet Newcastle 8/13, Middlesboro 6/5
Season Group Bet Tottenham 10/11, Newcastle 10/3, Blackburn 4/1, Middlesboro 5/1
Premiership Top Scorer Amoebi 80, Luque 150.
Relegation 33/1

Blackburn

With Bellamy moving to Liverpool, Blackburn had to land some big name players�..and they have. Benni McCarthy is a great buy, because the devils playground revel in the cut and thrust of the Premiership. Jason Roberts has also proved that he can hold his own with the big boys as well. So to temper the loss of Bellamy (and Dickov) they have splashed out on very adequate replacements. Both will get them goals. Blackburn finished 6th last year and there is nothing to suggest that theyll suddenly go into freefall. Its hard to imagine them mixing it with the big boys especially over a season, but they have decent players like Pedersen, Steven Reid, Robbie Savage and Mark Hughes has instilled a good work ethic. At times last season they played some tremendous football, so it should be another decent season and the possibility of a European place at the end of it.

Premiership Outright 300/1
Premiership without Chelsea 100/1
Premiership without Top Four 8/1
Season Handicap (+37) 15/1
Season Match Bet Tottenham 1/4, Blackburn 5/2
Season Group Bet Tottenham 10/11, Newcastle 10/3, Blackburn 4/1, Middlesboro 5/1
Premiership Top Scorer McCarthy 50, Roberts 80, Jeffers 250.
Relegation 25/1

Bolton

Sam Allardyce will need all his managerial skills to improve on Boltons 8th place last season. They have been very consistent in the last three seasons but its difficult to envisage this side getting anyway near that position. He has brought in three main players in Meite, Idan Tal and Quinton Fortune, but it remains to be seen as to how effective they will be. A lot of goals last season came from the midfield duo of Giannakopoulos and Nolan�in fact, more than their strikeforce of Kevin Davies and Borgetti. If the goals from the central areas dried up this season and the front men under perform, then Bolton might struggle to finish in the upper half of the league. And you just get the feeling that Big Sam has taken Bolton as far as he can and maybe theyll struggle

Premiership Outright 350/1
Premiership without Chelsea 125/1
Premiership without Top Four 12/1
Season Handicap (+39) 15/1
Season Match Bet Bolton 4/5, Man City 10/11
Season Group Bet Bolton 9/4, Everton 9/4, Man City 13/5, West Ham 10/3.
Premiership Top Scorer Davies 100, Borgetti 150.
Relegation 14/1

Everton

All eyes will be on striker Andy Johnson at Goodison. They have taken a �8.6m gamble on him and the Everton faithful will hope that he can repay them with plenty of goals this season. His partnership with James Beattie will be crucial. If they gel, then things could look good and they could well finish in a European spot. If they dont and the goals dry up, then Everton and Moyes especially will feel the pressure. But its hard to see this Everton side struggling to avoid relegation. The squad now has a depth to it that should ensure a decent enough season. They have also splashed out �5m on Joleon Lescott from Wolves to strengthen their defence and Tim Howard could prove to be a valuable asset between the sticks. However Everton never do anything by the book and they could just as easily self destruct and have a nightmare season. They are always that sort of team. Its either one extreme or the other..

Premiership Outright 350/1
Premiership without Chelsea 125/1
Premiership without Top Four 12/1
Season Handicap (+37) 15/1
Season Match Bet Everton 4/7, West Ham 5/4.
Season Group Bet Bolton 9/4, Everton 9/4, Man City 13/5, West Ham 10/3.
Premiership Top Scorer Johnson 20, Beattie 40.
Relegation 12/1

Man City

Man City have bought wisely over the summer, bringing in Dietmar Hamann, Paul Dickov and Valencian striker Bernado Corradi. This will reinforce an already decent squad, which has a good mixture of youth and experience. The jury still out a bit on Stuart Pearce, so itll be interesting to see how he fares this year. If he manages to nurture the new talent he has at his disposal like Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge then the fans will get behind him and the season should go well. But like Everton, Man City have a habit of free falling for no apparent reason so you never quite know what to expect.

Premiership Outright 400/1
Premiership without Chelsea 150/1
Premiership without Top Four 14/1
Season Handicap (+39) 18/1
Season Match Bet Bolton 4/5, Man City 10/11
Season Group Bet Bolton 9/4, Everton 9/4, Man City 13/5, West Ham 10/3.
Premiership Top Scorer Cole 66, Samaras 125, Vassell 150, Dickov 150.
Relegation 8/1

Andy Johnson. Should do well.

Middlesboro

Congratulations to Middlesboro and especially Steve Gibson for having faith in Gareth Southgate. It was a bold decision. The pluses are that he knows the players, the staff and more importantly the young talent that is in the club. The against argument is centred on the lack of managerial experience. Can Southgate make the transition? Will he be tactically aware and will he be able to deal with the pressure. He certainly looks potentially an exciting young manager. It should be a smooth transition but they need to blood some youngsters and they need them to blossom and step up to the plate. But it could well be a season of struggle if things start sluggishly. Southgate has promised to play attacking football this season, but it could backfire if the Boro defence are not on top of their game. An interesting season ahead and it could well be a tough time for the new kid on the block.

Premiership Outright 400/1
Premiership without Chelsea 150/1
Premiership without Top Four 14/1
Season Handicap (+39) 15/1
Season Match Bet Newcastle 8/13, Middlesboro 6/5
Season Group Bet Tottenham 10/11, Newcastle 10/3, Blackburn 4/1, Middlesboro 5/1.
Premiership Top Scorer Yakubu 40, Viduka 66.
Relegation 12/1
To Finish Bottom 33/1

West Ham

Dean Ashton will be the lynch pin of their side. Already he is out with an ankle injury, so they need him to return and show his undoubted ability. He will make the difference between a good season and a bad season. If he gets injured again and heaven forbid gets transferred, then the Hammers could struggle. But this is a squad with plenty of talent. Marlon Harewood, Anton Ferdinand, Bobby Zamora, Benayoun, Reo Coker, Carlton Cole are just a few. They have always been a side that likes to play football and Alan Pardew is beginning find his feet as a Premiership manager. You do feel that they will have enough about them to fare well this year�

Premiership Outright 500/1
Premiership without Chelsea 200/1
Premiership without Top Four 18/1
Season Handicap (+40) 15/1
Season Match Bet West Ham 5/4, Everton 4/7.
Season Group Bet Bolton 9/4, Everton 9/4, Man City 13/5, West Ham 10/3.
Premiership Top Scorer Ashton 40, Harewood 50.
Relegation 8/1
To Finish Bottom 28/1

Portsmouth
Pompey have another big season ahead. Its time that they pushed on and aimed at a mid table finish. They could just do that this season, as they should be better equipped to compete in the transfer market. They have already splashed the cash on Sol Campbell and that should prove to be a great signing. David Calamity James is still a very decent keeper despite the odd bit of ribbing and Harry Redknapp should be able to wheel and deal a bit if necessary. They have struggled to adjust to life in the Premiership but they have survived now for three seasons and this year they might just kick on to a top half finishing position.

Premiership Outright 650/1
Premiership without Chelsea 250/1
Premiership without Top Four 22/1
Season Handicap (+42) 15/1
Season Match Bet Portsmouth 4/6, Aston Villa 11/10.
Season Group Bet Portsmouth 7/4, Aston Villa 12/5, Fulham 10/3, Charlton 7/2.
Premiership Top Scorer LuaLua 150, Mwaruwari 150.
Relegation 4/1
To Finish Bottom 18/1

Aston Villa

Its going to be an interesting season at Villa Park. It was a masterstroke by the club to attain the services of Martin ONeill and with extra funds into the coffers, the enigmatic Irishman should be able to revitalise their fortunes. There is certainly talent in the ranks but ONeill will probably eek out those that arent up for the challenge and reward those that are willing to die for the cause. It might not come overnight, but his record shows that he will get there as the season pans out. So its probably best to watch them this year to see exactly how ONeill progresses with the players he has inherited. They wont go down, but they also wont be challenging for a European pot�

Premiership Outright 750/1
Premiership without Chelsea 275/1
Premiership without Top Four 25/1
Season Handicap (+42) 15/1
Season Match Bet Portsmouth 4/6, Aston Villa 11/10.
Season Group Bet Portsmouth 7/4, Aston Villa 12/5, Fulham 10/3, Charlton 7/2.
Premiership Top Scorer Baros 100, Phillips 100, Angel 150.
Relegation 7/2
To Finish Bottom 16/1

Fulham

Has Chris Coleman run out of speed at Fulham. Its a crucial season for himself and the club. They must address the fact that the side has been on a downward spiral. Only one in the last five years in the Premiership have they reached 50 points (52pts in 2003/2004), so the acid test will be to get to that figure. They won 14 games last season, but the real shocking thing was that only 2 of them were away from Craven Cottage. In fact they were woeful on the road, and its certainly a worry. So this season will show us just how good Coleman is. Its a tough time for him. Anything but a top half finish could see him on his way, so the pressure is on�

Premiership Outright 1000/1
Premiership without Chelsea 350/1
Premiership without Top Four 33/1
Season Handicap (+45) 15/1
Season Match Bet Fulham 8/11, Charlton Evs.
Season Group Bet Portsmouth 7/4, Aston Villa 12/5, Fulham 10/3, Charlton 7/2.
Premiership Top Scorer Helguson 150, McBride 150.
Relegation 4/1
To Finish Bottom 16/1

Wigan

Can Wigan really achieve as much as they did last season? All the sides know what they are about now and its going to be no honeymoon this year. They have lost Jason Roberts and theyll miss his lively influence up front. They have brought in Emile Heskey as a replacement and although the devils playground do a job, hes not the most frightening striker for a back four to be facing. They had some terrific results last season, but you suspect that a lot of these will not be repeated. It could affect morale if they were to start the campaign slowly, but they lost the first two games last year and still regrouped and strung some great results together. Maybe its harsh to write them off. The common consensus though is that theyll struggle. They won 15 matches last season and lost 17. They could easily just win around 10 matches this time around, in which case they might be struggling around the relegation zone.

Premiership Outright 1500/1
Premiership without Chelsea 400/1
Premiership without Top Four 50/1
Season Handicap (+47) 15/1
Season Match Bet Wigan 1/3, Sheff Utd 2/1.
Season Group Bet Wigan 13/8, Reading 12/5, Watford 4/1, Sheff Utd 10/3.
Premiership Top Scorer Heskey 100.
Relegation 9/4
To Finish Bottom 9/1

Charlton

If they get off to a poor start it could be a torrid season for Dowie and Charlton. They have always started well and then faded. The problem for Dowie is that after Curbishley, its such a hard act to follow, and if things dont go according to plan, it could be a sticky season. They had a great start last year and seemed to cruise through the first half of the season, but then went a bit stale in the latter half. They do possess a potent strikeforce in Hasselbaink and Darren Bent, which should get them goals, so its unlikely that theyll go down and in Iain Dowie they have a hungry young manager of some pedigree. It s just that this first season is fraught with danger. To take over a successful regime that has lasted for fifteen years is a tall order but he has a lot of talent and his squad is very capable.

Premiership Outright 1500/1
Premiership without Chelsea 400/1
Premiership without Top Four 50/1
Season Handicap (+46) 15/1
Season Match Bet Fulham 8/11, Charlton Evs.
Season Group Bet Portsmouth 7/4, Aston Villa 12/5, Fulham 10/3, Charlton 7/2.
Premiership Top Scorer Hasselbaink 66, Marcus Bent 100.
Relegation 9/4
To Finish Bottom 9/1

Reading

Just get the feeling that they will struggle as the season progresses. They could very well do a Wigan and really shine early on, but Reading havent really bought much and they are going to rely on the team which brought them up. I think its easy to get carried away with the thought that they will slip easily into the Premiership and its a dangerous assumption to make. I think theres a little too much hype about this team, and if they dont get off to a good start they might find it a long hard season. Out of the three teams that came up, everyone is expecting Reading to do the best and their Championship points tally has to be respected. But it has also been pointed out that Sunderland also skated the Championship before their dire showing last season. The manager is also a worry. This might be harsh, but Steve Coppell doesnt necessarily always get things right. He was terrific at Palace and when things are going right he shines. But if there is one chink in Coppell it that when things go badly he doesnt necessarily possess the guts to fight his way out of a corner. He has nurtured a good young side at Reading, but lets no get carried away. Im not convinced they have the firepower to score goals. Dave Kitson, Leroy Lita

Premiership Outright 2000/1
Premiership without Chelsea 500/1
Premiership without Top Four 66/1
Season Handicap (+50) 12/1
Season Match Bet Reading 1/2, Watford 6/4.
Season Group Bet Wigan 13/8, Reading 12/5, Watford 4/1, Sheff Utd 10/3.
Premiership Top Scorer Kitson 150, Lita 150.
Relegation 11/8
To Finish Bottom 6/1

Sheff United

Of the three sides that came up, it looks like Sheffield United will be the club that struggles the most. The reason is that the will probably lack the firepower up front. They have bought Rob Hulse in to complement Akinbiyi, Kabba, Shipperley and Danny Webber, but you still feel that they will be up against it. Neil Warnock will always be good value and you can bet that the Blades will fight like cats to retain their Premiership status, but on paper they appear to lack the depth in their squad to be able to survive. Claude Davis is a good acquisition at the back and the midfield duo of Jagielka and Tonge are useful so you never know. But if you back them to be propping the league next May you probably wont be far off the mark.

Premiership Outright 2500/1
Premiership without Chelsea 750/1
Premiership without Top Four 100/1
Season Handicap (+55) 15/1
Season Match Bet Wigan 1/3, Sheff Utd 2/1.
Season Group Bet Wigan 13/8, Reading 12/5, Watford 4/1, Sheff Utd 10/3.
Premiership Top Scorer Akinbiyi 250, Webber 250.
Relegation 4/7
To Finish Bottom 11/4

Watford

Watford have a bright young manager in Adrian Boothroyd and theres no doubt that this chaps has got talent. But the Premiership will be a different ball game and no matter what he says and how much he motivates them, it is going to be a long hard season. They were very impressive though in how they finished the season in the Championship and they outplayed Palace and Leeds in the playoffs. Marlon King looks to have the ability to mix it in the Premiership and there is enough talent around him to make it all happen. Darius Henderson and Ashley Young are also decent prospects. They have Ben Foster in goals and he is a keeper who is tipped for big things. If he performs then Watford can easily avoid going straight back down. In fact of the three clubs that have been promoted they seem the most likely to succeed.

Premiership Outright 3000/1
Premiership without Chelsea 1000/1
Premiership without Top Four 100/1
Season Handicap (+50) 12/1
Season Match Bet Reading 1/2, Watford 6/4.
Season Group Bet Wigan 13/8, Reading 12/5, Watford 4/1, Sheff Utd 10/3.
Premiership Top Scorer King 100, Henderson 150.
Relegation 11/8
To Finish Bottom 6/1

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