Premier League Half Season Review

[Zomp]

After Liverpool's result tonight, we'll officially be halfway done with the season.
 
I wrote this in the prediction thread:
 

 
I'll say Chelsea wins it.  They added 2 huge additions to an already complete squad that shouldn't take too much time to fit in.  Mourinho coaching them means they can sit back against bigger teams and absorb pressure while waiting to nick one late in the game, and now with Cesc, Costa, and the continued brilliance of Hazard they have the fire power to put 3 or 4 past a Villa away in January.
 
Manchester City to finish second.  Jovetic, Aguero and Dzeko will all be kept happy by the number of games City will play this year.  The Kompany reports are a worry and even though he's proved me wrong a few times, I don't think Demichelis has much left in the tank.  Mangala, if everything I've read is accurate, could be a beast but if Kompany isn't 100% they could start to leak goals.
 
MANCHESTER FUCKING UNITED TO FINISH THIRD.  Yes, I'm biased...but I just think now the squad is too good to not make Champions League.  If Van Gaal is as clever as he thinks he is, he'll find a formation to get at least 4 of Rooney, Mata. RVP, Falcao, and Di Maria playing.  I'm not ready to right off the defense yet as 3 of the potential starters haven't even played a match yet and Blind or a healthy Carrick in front of them should see less and less frantic plays.
 
Liverpool to finish 4th and Arsenal 5th.  I worry about Arsenal's defense and their ability to score away from the Emirates.  If Balotelli is productive, Liverpool could finish as high as second but thats a big if.  Sterling is obviously a star in the making and Sturridge should have another great season but I'm looking forward to seeing Coutinho pull the strings.
 
Everton and Tottenham to finish 6th and 7th.  I get the Everton love and don't think there is any shame in putting them here.  Once Barkley gets healthy they'll be in really good shape and I do like Eto'o (even if he is 60) but its very tough to pip the teams above.  Spurs will finish 7th with 6 very good teams ahead of them.  They'll beat City at home, draw with Arsenal away, then lose to QPR.

 
 
Not bad so far, apart from Everton.  I'm actually going to keep the order of the top 4.  If Liverpool can get Sturridge back I think they'll improve enough to see them finish ahead of Arsenal.
 
Signing of the season so far:  I wish Di Maria was healthy because I think he could be the best (or second best) player in the league, but right now I'll give it to Sanchez.  Costa has scored more but has had a much better team around him while Sanchez is dragging Arsenal up the table.
 
Player of the Season so far:  Eden Hazard.  Best player in the league on the best team in the league.  Simples.
 
Goal of the Season so far:  I'm biased, but this finish was delicious..
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp9R3Mj5flE
 
 
Team of the halfway point:
 
 
--------------Costa-------Aguero-----------------
Hazard------Fabregas---Rooney------Sanchez
Azpilicueta----Terry-----Ivanovic------Clyne
---------------------De Gea-------------------
 
 

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Despite Liverpool now being in an acceptable position (5 points off 4th), there's nobody in the squad remotely close to consideration for team of the season thus far.
 
Agreed on Sanchez as signing of the summer, I'd actually also give him player of the season to date.
 
Goal of the season for me is this one by Graziano Pellè, spoilered for size [hiyo]:
 

Spoiler

 
My team thus far is probably the following 4-5-1 or 4-1-4-1.
 
------------------Aguero------------------
Hazard--Rooney--Fabregas--Sanchez
-------------------Matić-------------------
-Azpilicueta---Fonte--Terry----Clyne-
-----------------De Gea-----------------
 
I've bolded guys that I think you'd have to be crazy to leave out of your team of the halfway point.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

I believe that I had Chelsea, City, Arsenal, United, Liverpool, Everton, Spurs as my top seven.  I think it'll end up being Chavs, City, United, and then Arsenal edging Liverpool for 4th.  On pure performance, there's not much between United and Arsenal so far, but I think we needed to build a lead over the first half of the season to edge them for 3rd and we failed to do that.  That United has no European football and is over the initial adjustment period to LVG-ball will both help them a lot in the spring.  As far as Liverpool catching Arsenal, it could happen but I think they're a substantial underdog for several reasons: First, they're five points off, which is a lot.  Second, while getting Sturridge back is big, Arsenal have had a worse time overall with injuries and are now or soon getting Ozil, Ramsey, Koscielny, and Arteta back.  Finally, the remaining h2h fixture is at Emirates, so the odds of Liverpool making up ground there are relatively small.  I think it will be a battle to the end and I wouldn't discount Spurs also being in the mix, as they've found a good run of form recently.  I don't see Southampton or West Ham sticking around, but I said that a few months ago and they're still there near the top of the table so who knows.
 
I can't argue with anything in PSK's team of the season.  That looks perfect.

 

[Conigliaro's Potential]

Definitely Chelsea first and City second; after that, I think it'll depend what the remaining clubs do in the winter transfer window before I'd dare to predict the remaining order. If Liverpool buys a goalie and Arsenal doesn't strengthen its defense (CB + DM), I'll feel rather differently than if the reverse happens. I would note, though, that Liverpool figures to have a fair amount of Thursday football coming up starting in February, which isn't going to help their chances of cracking the top four. (Their first two Europa League knockout matches against Besiktas are followed by Sunday matches away to Southampton and home to Man City...)

 

[coremiller]

I think Fabregas has been the signing of the season so far.  He's leading the league in assists by a mile and has been far and away the best midfielder in the league this year.  
 
The interesting question for Chelsea is whether their lack of depth is going to catch up with them in the Spring.  They have been unusually reliant on a first-choice XI and they don't have a lot of cover at key positions.
 
I can't see Utd losing third, for the reasons MMS states, plus Utd have had horrific luck with injuries in the first half that is unlikely to continue.  Eventually they will have some healthy defenders.

 

[Gunfighter 09]

I think any United fan would have Hugo Lloris in goal after what they saw yesterday. 

 

[Zomp]

I think any United fan would have Hugo Lloris in goal after what they saw yesterday. 

 
 
You mean besides the keeper who's been doing that all season?  WTF?