2010-11 EPL Picks

Top Of The League

1 - Chelsea : I can imagine a scenario where Chelsea chokes down the stretch, but they have spent so much money and return most of the team that battered the league last year. I think they win the league by at least 4 points, pad their stats with a few 7-0 wins over Championship bound teams, and feature more than one insufferably arrogant jerk.

How dare you call me insufferably arrogant!

2 - Arsenal : They have all the talent to win the league, but they managed to get their teeth kicked in by Chelsea and Manchester United last year. They still have a small lineup and will probably get pushed around by bigger squads, but they have enough offense to ignore their fragile defending. If, and I know its a big if, they get a full season of van Persie and Fábregas they should have a shot at the title.

Fábregas to Barcalona?! Fábregas to Barcalona?!

3 - Manchester United : A tough pick for half of the Sports Optimator, but last year was their "How the hell did they win the league?" chance and they blew it. Lord Ferg added a few budget players, because you need 15 strikers, and missed out on the big marquee signing you expect of United. I think United is a solid third, and quite possibly tie Arsenal for points but fall to third based on goals scored and/or goal differential.

They aren't broken, I picked you to finish 3rd.

4 - Manchester City : Comfortably out of the Top 3 but firmly in fourth. City has spent and eye watering amount of money to improve their team and should make the Champions League just based on that. Adding Yaya Touré, David Silva, and Jerome Boateng (along with 40 other guys) should be enough to put them over Spurs and floundering Liverpool.

Bottom Of The League

18 - Wigan : Newcastle should stay up, so someone has to go down, why not Wigan?

19 - West Brom : Open the season with a brutal loss to Chelsea, welcome to the Premiership.*

20 - Blackpool : The EPL equivalent of a cup of coffee, or maybe its a cup of tea over there, thanks for coming.**

*I wrote this two days ago, and they were torched 6-0 this morning.
** Beat Wigan 4-0 today, maybe they should trade places.