#360Fans: UAE fans' 2015/16 Premier League predictions

Sport360 staff 02:05 07/08/2015
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  • Big things are expected of Harry Kane and Memphis Depay.

    On the first weekend of Premier League action for 2015-16 Sport360 speaks to the UAE satellite supporters’ clubs and finds out their predictions for the season.

    RICHARD DCRUZE, ARSENAL UAE
    Prediction: After an excellent pre-season, which saw us lift the Barclays Asia Trophy, Emirates Cup and Community Shield, there’s a lot of momentum for Arsenal going into the new campaign. We didn’t have many key players out either injured or on international duty, which is good as we can field a full strength squad for matches.

    I can see Arsenal challenging for the trophy and possibly finally bringing home the Barclays Premier League. The boys really showed their full potential last season by pulling us from 12th position in December to third in May. And with the addition of Petr Cech – who is a beast of a goalkeeper, I can see problems arising for strikers getting past our defence.

    Arsene just needs to make sure the team can stay fit for the entire season. If they do, then I see the team challenging on all four fronts and adding more history to our beloved club.

    Key players: Petr Cech, Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

    DALE WELCH, DUBAI LIONS – ASTON VILLA
    Prediction: With nine players in, 11 players out & £87m changing hands, the Villa squad for 2015/16 is unrecognizable!  The first five games are going to be crucial in setting the tone for the new team’s confidence, with every opponent finishing 10th or below last season bar our home fixture against Manchester United.  

    With a kind run of fixtures over the Christmas and New Year period, Sherwood should expect to take enough momentum into the New Year to make a sustained charge for the top half of the table. We should finish 9th.

    Key players: The arrival of Micah Richards, signed as a free agent from Manchester City, could be the catalyst to turn around our fortune at the back.  His pace is a rare asset for a centre-half, and his experience can only bring out the best in Ciaran Clark and Nathan Baker who will both be vying for the berth alongside him. 

    Moving further up-field Jordan Veretout is famously one of three ‘Jordans’ signed by Sherwood from Ligue 1 this summer and could cause probelms for any opposition.   

    TOBY YOUNG, CHELSEA UAE SUPPORTERS’ CLUB
    Prediction: Although I don’t like tipping Chelsea to win, it often adds extra pressure, I can’t help but feel that the other top five sides have not strengthened enough, nor in the right places. 

    I think both Manchester cubs are short on top-class central defenders. 

    Liverpool will take time to bed in half a new team. While Arsenal, who will in all probability be our main challengers also suffer with a lack of central defensive cover and are prone to injuries too. They could also probably do with more cover up front too.
    Key players: Eden Hazard and Thibault Courtois. If Hazard can hit the heights again then I am sure we will see Chelsea make further progress in Europe.

    It is also vital that Courtois plays well. He made a number of mistakes last season that showed his inexperience in the Premiership.

    There is a little less pressure on him now that Cech has joined Arsenal, although Begovic will be looking to push him hard for the number 1 spot. 

    KEITH MAISEY, CPFC DUBAI SUPPORTERS’ CLUB – CRYSTAL PALACE
    Prediction: Palace fans tend to be pessimistic, perhaps justifiably what the club has been through, but I believe stability and drive has never been higher at the club. We would love to better last year’s achievement and maybe sneak into the top-eight and have a good run in the cups!

    Key players: I think there will be a number of key players for us this season Scott Dann at the back following on from last year. Yohan Cabaye with out a doubt can help take us to the next level and obviously our dangerous wingers.

    CHRIS KELLY, EVERTON FANS DUBAI 
    Prediction: Everton need to be challenging for European honours as a minimum requirement to maintain their top talent. To do this it is critical that the ‘three signings’ that Roberto Martinez has promised in coming weeks are ‘Marquee’ and ‘influential’ to revitalise a stagnating first team. I think we will finish 9th.

    Key player: After a break over the summer Ross Barkley should be raring to go.

    NEIL BRODY, DUBAI REDS – LIVERPOOL
    Prediction: We have a difficult start with possibly the toughest set of away fixtures any team has had to face in Premier League history so if we are to challenge for a top-four spot we will need to make sure we pick up as many points as possible early on.

    Champions League qualification has been set as a minimum target and I think it’s possible for us to achieve this, really depends how the first 7 to 10 games go. Expect us to also challenge and get to the later stages of all the cup competitions we enter.

    Key players: We never really filled the void left with Luis Suarez departing and key to this season’s success will be a significant increase in the number of goals we can score so signings of Benteke, Firmino and a fit Sturridge will be key this season. The arrival of James Milner will also help add some much needed experience to the midfield.
     

    DARREN BALL, MCFC ABU DHABI BLUES – MANCHESTER CITY
    Prediction: 
    Champions! I can never see it any other way. I would particularly like to see City progress further in the Champions League which must surely now be the barometer of our progress as a super club. Maybe a semi or final appearance. On their day City can beat anyone.

    Key players: Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero, Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany

    ZIAD ALJAMAAN, MUSC UAE – MANCHESTER UNITED
    Prediction: I think we will have a solid season and should challenge for the title. Whether or not we finish top is another story. I hope we have a good run in all cup competitions and win at least one trophy for the fans of a club who need to see a return on some huge recent investments in the team.

    Key players: Wayne Rooney has got to be the man to watch as he will be heavily relied upon to score the goals as our main striker. Memphis Depay could also have an important debut season as he clearly has the talent to be a success. 

    ROSCOE FRIEND, NEWCASTLE UNITED SUPPORTERS’ CLUB DUBAI
    Prediction: Newcastle is a bit of an unknown entity this season with a new manager, coaching staff and a few new signings and returning players like Siem de Jong.

    The first few games will be crucial to get the fans onside and the players confidence up. With a few more quality signings before this transfer window shuts and possibly two or three in January and you never know, Europa league may be in sight. However as things stand and with my rose-tinted glasses on I still think top-10 is a realistic goal and the club should not settle for anything less.

    Key players: I think everyone will be watching the newcomers of Wijnaldum, Mbemba and especially Mitrovic. We have been crying out for a decent striker and it looks like the club may have delivered in Mitrovic.

    The young talent of Rolando Aarons will be exciting to watch and it will be interesting to see how Ayoze Perez performs in his second season after a great debut season.

    PHILIP BRAY, UAE CANARIES – NORWICH CITY
    Prediction: With Alex Neil in charge we should do OK and finish around 14th. The core of the team have stayed together and it was the Hughton factor that took us down last time. Things are a lot different now. OTBC!

    Key players: Mulumbu would be had he not picked up a metatarsal injury but Ruddy, Redmond, Jerome and Johnson should do well.

    PHILIP HUGHES: DUBAI SAINTS – SOUTHAMPTON
    Prediction: The big unknown for us is the Europa League. Currently we have to play two rounds of qualifying games to then reach the group matches.

    Everyone at Southampton views this as an important step in our development as a club and the fans have embraced it with open arms, selling out for our win against Vitesse Arnhem last week. The strain this will put on the squad will be a key issue.

    Key players: Victor Wanyama & Sadio Mane should step up and be this season’s stars. Also look out for Jay Rodriguez returning from a season out with injury. If he can recapture the form that earned him an England call-up we could be challenging again this season.

    RAAD JABOORI, UAE SPURS – TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
    Prediction: In the last six seasons ‘Spurs have finished fourth twice, fifth three times and sixth once. Being ever the optimistic fan, I expect us to finish fourth.

    We lost the spine of our team from last year in Clyne, Schneiderlin and Alderweireld. Cedric Soares has come in at right back and looks like an upgrade on Clyne, Jordie Clasie has come in for Morgan and looks a great prospect, we signed Stephen Caulker on loan as cover at centre back but are still rumoured to be after a first choice replacement.

    The attack looks better this year. We will move the ball forward a little quicker and again be the team that neutrals enjoy watching. Depending on the Europa League we expect to finish somewhere between tenth and fifth this year. Our other ambition is to get further than Liverpool in the Europa League.

    Key players: Kane, Lloris and Bentaleb. I expect new signing Delle Ali to be a revelation this season and I hope Lamela will eventually come good. Watch for a number of other ‘Spurs youngsters making their mark in the first team.

    MARK DARBY, WATFORD
    Prediction: We are going to love every game – win, lose or draw.  Being promoted to the EPL is fabulous for a club like Watford. Almost every pundit is predicting us to finish rock bottom, but I think we will be the surprise package and finish around 15th.

    Key players: Troy Deeney has the potential to prove he is a Premier League striker and get his first England cap. A couple of the new signings, like Berghuis and Nyom could well be hidden gems in the EPL. 

    TONY SUTTON, DUBAI HAMMERS – WEST HAM

    Prediction: The past two seasons aside, West Ham have always been predictably unpredictable and that is part of the fun in following them.

    The general feeling is that we could struggle to find our rhythm early on but will end up in or around mid table, hopefully pushing up towards seventh or eighth once we get everyone fit and firing.

    We didn’t finish last season well and it may take a bit of time to get a few of those bad habits out of the system. In addtion we have a few new faces and a whole new coaching team to find their feet too.

    Key players: Due to the size of our squad, all of our players are key but without doubt Sakho and Payet are going be the most important.

    Sakho really surprised a few people last season and we really need him to carry on finding the net as we don’t have many other options.

    Payet will sit behind him in the number 10 role and he looks to be a really good acquisition from Marseille who will create plenty of chances. If we can keep both of these two fit, it could lead to a really exciting pairing. 

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