Premier League is taking shape

image: AP

With more than half the season gone the table has finally settled down and we now know who will be competing for what in the coming weeks.

At the foot of the table crisis club Portsmouth have crammed a decade’s worth of problems into this season alone, and not just on the pitch. With all the uncertainty off it they understandably sit dead last and I can’t see them moving any higher. Their football odds show just what a poor state the team is in.

Above them it looks like a five way tussle between Bolton, Burnley, Hull, Wolves and West Ham. I think the Hammers have enough quality to pull clear but there is also boardroom uncertainty at Upton Park, so the January transfer window could be crucial for them. Hull and Wolves are my tips to slip back down.

The likes of Wigan, Stoke and Blackburn are unlikely to trouble the top half of the league anytime soon, but I feel they should be able to keep their heads above water.

At the other end of the table it is proving to be one of the most fascinating seasons in years. The big four cartel could be broken for the first time in five years, with Man City, Spurs and Villa all vying for 4th spot as Liverpool struggle. Behind them Birmingham and an ever improving Fulham are proving to be the surprise packages of the season. The Champions League might be a step too far, but a spot in next season’s Europa League is not an unrealistic aim for these clubs.

At the very top it has become a three horse race, with Arsenal hitting form at just the right moment. A win at home to Bolton on Wednesday will see them overtake Chelsea at the summit, just a month after falling 12 points behind them following a 3-0 home defeat by Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

At Old Trafford Manchester United are looking more vulnerable than they have done in some time. Without Ronaldo, who was their jewel in the crown, a lot of pressure has been heaped on Wayne Rooney and while the England star is delivering he is getting precious little support. Meanwhile injuries at the back mean United’s defence has been unusually porous this season. A fourth straight title might be beyond Fergie’s current crop and the Premier League title betting reflects this.

With no clear distance between the sides fighting it out at the top and bottom it is still all to play for at either end of the league, meaning it could be one of the closest and most exciting Premier League seasons yet. Just don’t ask me to predict the outcome.