10 Things that Could Still Happen In the Premier League this Season - Updated

A little bit earlier in the season, I highlighted 10 things that could still happen in the Premier League this season. With most teams only having 11 more games to play, let’s take a quick look back and see how many of those 10 things have happened or could happen.

1. Romelu Lukaku could end up as Premier League top scorer – Barring a major miracle, this one isn’t going to happen. After a very bright start and steady stream of goals, the Midas touch seemed to desert the Belgian international. The dry spell was followed by an injury and even if he returns for the final 10 games of the season, he is miles behind the likes of Suarez, Sturridge and Aguero.
2. Someone other than Man City, Man United and Chelsea could win the Premier League this season – This one is still alive and well. Although many will have Chelsea and Man City as favourites to battle it out, at the time of writing both Arsenal and Liverpool have a genuine chance of winning it.
3. Paulo Di Canio might not be the only manager to lose his job this season – Martin Jol, Rene Meulensteen (both Fulham), Ian Holloway (resigned not sacked), Andre Villas Boas, Michael Laudrup, Steve Clarke and Malky Mackay all followed in a domino rally meaning that with just over a quarter of the season still to play, we have lost more Premier League managers (eight) this season than we did in the whole of last season (seven).
4. This could be the closet title race for years – Still on! 11 games to play and only 4 points separate the top 4!
5. Leighton Baines could finish the season at a different club – Not going to happen. The transfer window slammed shut with Baines still very much an Everton player and seemingly happier than he was in the summer when both Manchester United and Chelsea showed an interest. Everton’s steady improvement under Roberto Martinez and the struggles at old Trafford, may have made it easier to convince him to stay at Goodison Park.
6. Romelu Lukaku might score more Premier League goals than the Chelsea frontline combined – Lukaku has 9 league goals, Eto’o has 6, Torres has 4 and Demba Ba has 1. That puts Lukaku behind by 2 and up against it. It could still happen if he gets back from injury and the Chelsea strikers continue at their current pace!
7. A Welsh player could win player of the season for the second time running – The chances of this are fading fast. If the season had ended at Christmas, Aaron Ramsey would surely have won but an injury has interrupted his season and a host of other players have come into contention – Suarez, Aguero, Yaya Toure, Hazard to name but a few.
8. Man United could finish outside the top 4 – This is now probably a likelihood rather than a possibility.
9. Tom Huddlestone could cut his hair – Done and dusted! In fact after scoring against Cardiff recently, he could have cut it twice!
10. Stoke City could become the next Arsenal (in style of football) – Okay, so this was going a little bit far but it is fair to say that Mark Hughes and Stoke are not as predictable as they have been for the past few seasons. They are in a relegation battle (just 3 points from bottom 3) but they are also in the battle to finish where they usually finish in mid table (just 4 points off 10^th). So, that one could go either way.

So, out of those 10 items written about earlier in the season, only 1 of them definitely won’t happen, 2 or 3 of them are unlikely to happen, a couple of then happened already while some still remain in the balance. Watch this space!

Liverpool, Lukaku, Lloris and Lallana Light up Premier League Alphabet

It’s still relatively early days but Liverpool can be really happy with their season so far. However, with Everton, Man City, Chelsea and Spurs to play (all away from home) before the New Year, things may look quite different come the half way stage of the season. In recent seasons though, Liverpool have not been flying quite as high as they are right now. Brendan Rodgers has settled in and his team is starting to take shape after he inherited a squad that had been built largely by Kenny Dalglish and Roy Hodgson.

Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have been prolific so far. Steven Gerrard, admittedly now in the twilight of his career, is probably having his most injury free run in the side for a few years and seems to be relishing the responsibility he has been given with the England captaincy. Coutinho has added some much needed flair to that midfield while Jordan Henderson is having is best spell ever in a Liverpool shirt.

Defensively, it’s been a mixed bag. The Reds kept 3 clean sheets in succession at the start of the season but didn’t get another until the recent thrashing of Fulham. Many will point to the experimentation of playing 3 centre backs which doesn’t really seem to have worked but also to Glen Johnson. He was present for the opening 3 clean sheets but then effectively missing through injury until the latest clean sheet against Fulham. So, a great start for Liverpool and by January 1^st 2014 we should know whether they have the legs for a title challenge or whether they will be content with battling for a Champions League spot.

There are some great players in this “L” category too and many of them have already created good talking points this season.

Hugo Lloris – Is the Tottenham goalkeeper the best in the Premier League and should he have been substituted after that head injury at Everton?

Romelu Lukaku – What a great loan signing for Everton and sure to be amongst the league’s top scorers this season.

Frank Lampard – Still a favourite of Jose Mourinho but could this be Frank’s final season at the very top? I am a massive Lampard fan and in my opinion he has been the best midfielder in the league for 10 years, but there are signs that age is finally catching up with him.

Ricky Lambert and Adam Lallana – Have now both been capped by England and their terrific form has helped Southampton to the dizzying heights of the top 4 in the Premier League.

Erik Lamela – Many hadn’t even heard of him when Spurs made him their most expensive signing ever and with the emergence of Andros Townsend coupled with his (Lamela’s) inability to speak English, he has found settling in London really tough. However, those who saw his display against Sheriff Tiraspol in the last round of the Europa league, will have noted the potential of the young Argentinian. It may take a while but there could be a superstar waiting to explode at White Hart Lane – and they certainly need one after the departure of Gareth Bale!

Premier League Football Alphabet 2013/2014 – E for Everton

It’s an important season for Everton. In fact, that might be an understatement, it’s a massive season for Everton and all those associated with the Goodison Park club. After 11 years of hard work and quality service, David Moyes left his managerial post to take on the biggest job in English football as manager of Manchester United. In stepped former Wigan Athletic manager, Roberto Martinez – highly respected but somewhat unproven at the very top levels of the game. In his final season at Wigan, Martinez led the Latics to FA Cup Glory but also relegation from the Premier League.

So, there is a change at the top and new ideas to not only bring in but to bed in. There are some new players too and one might argue that despite the loss of hugely influential Belgian, Marouane Fellaini (who followed his old boss to Old Trafford) on transfer deadline day, they did manage to hold onto (some would say even more influential) Leighton Baines. The Toffees also managed to secure the services of midfield duo James McCarthy and Gareth Barry as well as striker Romelu Lukaku. Many expected Lukaku (dubbed by some as the new Didier Drogba) to feature heavily for Chelsea this season after his 17 goals for West Brom last time out and an impressive pre season for Chelsea, so his signature (even on a season long loan) could be highly significant. It does perhaps leave Arouna Kone wondering what he might have to do to become a first team starter.

How high can Everton finish? Before the transfer window closed, many may have settled for mid table solidity in the first season under a new manager, but with those new additions, perhaps there will now be hope of something a little better. After the first 3 games, the Toffees defence looks as solid as ever but with just 2 goals scored, the Goodison faithful will be pinning a lot on Lukaku getting on the end of those delicious crosses from Baines.