Managerial Merry-Go-Round.

The Premier League managerial merry-go-round.

Crazy to think that Mikel Arteta is the longest serving manager in the top four divisions.
Six years in the Arsenal job, but it seems to have paid off with them winning last year.
Next best Eddie Howe 4 years, Unai Emery 3, Daniel Farke 3 and only 10 in the job for more than a year.

Current Premier League Managers (subject to change)

Arsenal            Mikel Arteta
Aston Villa        Unai Emery
Bournemouth        Marco Rose    (Replacing Andoni Iraola)
Brentford        Keith Andrews
Brighton        Fabian Hürzeler
Chelsea            Xabi Alonso    (Replacing Calum McFarlane)
Coventry        Frank Lampard
Crystal Palace        Pierre Sage    (Replacing Oliver Glasner)
Everton            David Moyes
Fulham            Álvaro Arbeloa    (Replacing Marco Silva)
Hull            Sergej Jakirović
Ipswich            Gary O'Neil    (Replacing Kieran McKenna)
Leeds            Daniel Farke
Liverpool        Andoni Iraola    (Replacing Arne Slot)
Man City        Enzo Maresca    (Replacing Pep Guardiola)
Man United        Michael Carrick
Newcastle        Eddie Howe
Nottingham Forest    Oliver Glasner    (Replacing Vítor Pereira)
Sunderland        Regis Le Bris
Tottenham        Roberto De Zerbi
 
So eight clubs with new managers this season, Iraola and Glasner swapping one for another.
Surprises were Forest getting rid of another manager Pereira who had done a good job keeping them up, and replacing him with Glasner who was doing well at Palace.
Also Ipswich with McKenna leaving after getting them promoted?

Predictions Final Table 2025/26

The full table for the Predictions competition 2025/26

Winner was Paul with 13 weekly wins
9 of those in the first 17 weeks, so it was catch up for the rest of us after that.
Paulo got 9 wins in the 2nd half of the season.
Paul won week 31 with just 4 points, the lowest ever

Weeks played - Lee and Paulo 38, Paul 37, Biopunk 16, Gibbo 6
The best points were by the (non counting) BBC-AI with 255 (3 points correct score, 1 point correct result).

Highest weekly score - 13 Paulo, one of the BBC Guests did get 14 and Paul's Model got 13

The Table

 The Table if Sutton, BBC Guests, AI etc were all included

 

Fantasy Football

Fantasy Premier League 2025/26

The Nothing Better Than Football League

Usually get around 40 players but decided to advertise it on Social Media (Twitter and Bluesky) this year.
Started with 112 players (4 dropped out) so 108 left at the end of season.
8 family and friends, 100 people I don't actually know

Winner was newcomer Izzul a Malaysian Chelsea fan, congrats to him. 🏆
But I do know the people in 2nd and 3rd.

Table below shows Top 12 because I dropped from 5th to 12th in the last month  😢

 

Good quality this year with 4 players in the Top 1%, 16 in the Top 5% and 28 players in the Top 10%.

Family and friends
2nd Dave R - Over Land And Sea - 2,374 - 24,804
3rd JB - Muppets - 2,334 - 81,984
6th Sean - Voodoo Jazz Hat - 2,295 - 202,976
10th Tim - X Force - 2,258 - 399,180
12th Lee - Chip Shop Boys - 2,249 - 460,027
42nd Gary - Action Heroes - 2,105 - 2,190,325
90th Paul S - Artificial Stupidity - 1,866 - 6,515,828
103rd Dave J - Quizland Dave - 1,682 - 9,350,135

The other competition the Telegraph Fantasy Football only attracted 5 players with 5 teams each possible.
Winner was Dave with a top thousand finish in 718th

Managerial Merry Go Round

Arne Slot the latest managerial sacking? I thought with a League title and Champions League qualification he might have got more time.
They have been poor this season by the high standards of his first season, but losing players like Diaz, Jota, Nunes, Arnold would make any team struggle. I don't know if he was the driving force behind the players brought in for an eye watering £460m last summer but apart from a few bright moments none of them have lived up to the price tags.
Star player Salah doesn't seem to have shown any form since signing his mega money deal last year. Maybe Isak should have been avoided after going on strike at Newcastle showing he has a dubious character.
With Jabby Alonso now signing for Chelsea I thought he would get more time.
Iraola seems to be favourite but got the impression he was leaving Bournemouth because he wanted to go back home to Spain, but money talks.
So many managers who have done great things at smaller clubs with limited budgets have failed when they've gone to big clubs, thinking of Frank, Amorim, Potter and many others.
Iraola had a terrible start at Bournemouth but they held their nerve and he turned them around, would he get the same treatment at Liverpool where one bad result usually turns the fans against their managers.

Premier Predictions (Week 38)

Final week of the season, all games kick off at 4pm on Sunday

Arsenal are champions, Man City 2nd, Man Utd 3rd, Liverpool or Villa 4th
Still a few things to sort but obviously it's praying for a miracle time at the bottom.
Tottenham need a point at home to Everton, West Ham need to beat Leeds to have a chance.
Would be absolutely gutted if Tottenham lost and we failed to beat Leeds 🙄

Congratulations to Aston Villa for winning the Europa League last night

Predictions table is also sorted, Paul is this years Champion.
Disappointing season as Biopunk and Gibbo seem to have disappeared leaving just 3 of us.
Missing Bio as he's been a supporter of this blog since the start (2010), don't know him away from here so no idea if he's OK or just got bored with it?

Brighton v Man Utd
Burnley v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Arsenal
Fulham v Newcastle
Liverpool v Brentford
Man City v Aston Villa
Nottm Forest v Bournemouth
Sunderland v Chelsea
Tottenham v Everton
West Ham v Leeds

Good Luck All  😀


Will probably do a World Cup version, even if it's just for my own entertaiment

Football Round Up

Arsenal win the League for the first time since 2003/2004.

Relegation down to the last game, Tottenham need a point vs Everton, West Ham have to beat Leeds and pray  🙏

European places very complicated. If Aston Villa win the Europa league but then lose to Man City on Sunday and Liverpool win it means 6th place gets a Champions League place (currently Bournemouth or possibly Brighton).
Other comps I'm not sure about, Bournemouth Brighton Brentford Chelsea and Sunderland still in with a chance, Crystal Palace get Europa league if they win next weeks Conference League.

Looks like Guardiola is leaving Man City at the end of season, Enzo Maresca tipped to take over which makes complete sense.
Former Man City coach, with 3 trophies in 2 years, rated by everyone except the Chelsea owners.

Chelsea have lined up Shabby Alonso as their next temporary manager, wish him luck but should get a bank boost and maybe be available for Liverpool sometime next season when Slot gets thrown under the bus by more players 🙄

Iraola and Glasner both leaving at end of season, Maybe Silva as well? plus might be some less expected?

Although if West Ham get relegated I'll be more interested in Lincoln, Millwall, Charlton and possibly Stockport

Championship play off game is still undecided, should have been Southampton vs Hull but the Saints have been expelled for spying so now it's going to be Middlesborough vs Hull. Although Southampton have appealed so might change?

My local club Southend win the FA Trophy on Sunday at Wembley, their first proper trophy ever.
Two days later and they sack manager Kevin Maher ????
It's always been said Southend hate success, everytime they've been doing well they've either sold off the best players or sacked managers. Maybe Guardiola was looking for a new challenge  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 37)

Didn't realise they had moved the Villa Liverpool game to Friday until today.
Makes sense as Villa play the Europa League final on Wednesday.

Bonus game this week with the FA Cup Final on Saturday (90 minute score to count).
So that's 1 game Friday, 1 Saturday, 6 on Sunday, 1 Monday, 2 on Tuesday.

At the top Arsenal should beat Burnley, meaning Man City would need to win at 16 game unbeaten Bournemouth to stay in with a chance. Even if they do Arsenal play Palace who have their Euro final 3 days later so will probably play a reserve side.
At the bottom West Ham go to Newcastle needing a win, not impossible? as we have 3 wins and 2 draws from the last 7 visits. Then hope Chelsea do us a favour on Tuesday. 🙏

Sunday a big day for me as the West Ham game is at 17:30, and Southend play Wealdstone at Wembley at 16:30 in the FA Trophy final. 4 Wembley visits in 13 years after never playing there before.
Giving this a miss as I seem to be a curse on them, 2 trips to the Millennium Cardiff and 2 to Wembley and they've lost all of them, won the finals I didn't go to. Plus I hate new Wembley  😩


Aston Villa v Liverpool
Chelsea v Man City (FA Cup Final)
Man Utd v Nottm Forest
Brentford v Crystal Palace
Everton v Sunderland
Leeds v Brighton
Wolves v Fulham
Newcastle v West Ham
Arsenal v Burnley
Bournemouth v Man City
Chelsea v Tottenham


Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 36)

Extra game this week with the long delayed City Palace game finally being played.
5 games Saturday, 4 on Sunday, 1 on Monday and 1 on Wednesday

Bournemouth, Brentford and Brighton play Saturday chasing 6th place, or 5th if Villa play like last week.

Liverpool play serial losers Chelsea, maybe they need someone like Maresca who made them World champs but they weren't happy with that. Could be a good choice for any out of work manager who wants to earn £20m for 3 months work.

Really can't see West Ham doing Man City any favours, but I will keep hoping 😟
Man City have 2 home games to keep the title interesting.

Europe - Arsenal make the final against PSG, will need a miracle but as Chelsea did it you never know?

Liverpool v Chelsea
Brighton v Wolves
Fulham v Bournemouth
Sunderland v Man Utd
Man City v Brentford
*
Burnley v Aston Villa
Crystal Palace v Everton
Nottm Forest v Newcastle
West Ham v Arsenal
*
Tottenham v Leeds
Man City v Crystal Palace

Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 35)

Week 35 spread over 4 days
One game Friday, 4 games Saturday, 3 games Sunday, 2 games Monday.

At the top Arsenal play first at home, Man City play away on Monday.
At the bottom Tottenham, West Ham and Forest have difficult away games.
Man Utd v Liverpool a battle for 3rd place.

Leeds v Burnley
Brentford v West Ham
Newcastle v Brighton
Wolves v Sunderland
Arsenal v Fulham
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
Man Utd v Liverpool
Aston Villa v Tottenham
Chelsea v Nottm Forest
Everton v Man City

Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 34)

Just 7 Premier League games this week so I've added the 2 FA Cup Semi Finals
(90 Minute score to count on those)

All a bit spread out this week, 1 game on Friday, 6 on Saturday, 1 on Sunday, 1 on Monday

Another big week at the bottom, Forest play Friday and a win could make them safe?
Tottenham go to relegated Wolves, West Ham play Everton so not ideal.
Arsenal could go top again at home to out of form Newcastle.


Sunderland v Nottm Forest
Fulham v Aston Villa
Liverpool v Crystal Palace
West Ham v Everton
Wolves v Tottenham
Man City v Southampton (FAC)
Arsenal v Newcastle
Chelsea v Leeds (FAC)
Man Utd v Brentford

Good Luck All  😀

5 weeks left and Paul's 4 in front, still not over

Premier Predictions (Week 33)

A 13 game week, going with the FPL layout as the 3 extra games are the ones that should have been played on the following weekend due to the FA Cup semi finals.

So that is 5 games on Saturday, 4 on Sunday, 1 on Monday, 1 on Tuesday and 2 on Wednesday.

Obviously the big game is Sunday where an Arsenal win would put them in prime position to win the league, a City win could see them top after Wednesday's game.
At the bottom Forest and Leeds have winnable home games, Tottenham take on Brighton at home with West Ham going to Palace on Monday, and could be back in the bottom 3 by then 😧
Euro spots very tight with 3 points between 6th Chelsea and 11th Bournemouth.


Brentford v Fulham
Leeds v Wolves
Newcastle v Bournemouth
Tottenham v Brighton
Chelsea v Man Utd
*
Aston Villa v Sunderland
Everton v Liverpool
Nottm Forest v Burnley
Man City v Arsenal
*
Crystal Palace v West Ham
*
Brighton v Chelsea
*
Bournemouth v Leeds
Burnley v Man City

Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 32)

Premier League is back
1 game Friday, 4 games Saturday, 4 games Sunday, 1 game Monday

Big one Friday, slightly knackered West Ham vs In-form well rested Wolves, a must win.
Arsenal and Liverpool play Saturday, mixed fortunes in Europe.
Another new Tottenham manager the highly overrated De Zerbi, slightly better option than Redknapp I suppose? 🤔
Man City at Chelsea, will see if they have enough to challenge Arsenal.

Random thought - For the last year I've thought Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is the best player in the world, but most people can't spell his name so he doesn't get mentioned as much as Messi/Ronaldo 😀


West Ham v Wolves
*
Arsenal v Bournemouth
Brentford v Everton
Burnley v Brighton
Liverpool v Fulham
*
Crystal Palace v Newcastle
Nottm Forest v Aston Villa
Sunderland v Tottenham
Chelsea v Man City
*
Man Utd v Leeds

Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 31)

Mixed bag this week before another International break
8 Premier league games + the League Cup Final - 2 games postponed
(Result at 90+ minutes to count, no extra time)
One game Friday, 4 games Saturday, 4 games on Sunday

Four 'Champions' League teams now concentrating on the league + maybe Forest, Palace or Villa?
Arsenal and Liverpool safely through, Chelsea and Man City out with a whimper, Newcastle looked good for the first half against Barcelona but fell apart in the 2nd half, Tottenham actually won a game but were out of it after 20 minutes last week.

Big relegation battle at Tottenham, North East derby and a few hard to pick others

Bournemouth v Man Utd
*
Brighton v Liverpool
Fulham v Burnley
Everton v Chelsea
Leeds v Brentford
*
Newcastle v Sunderland
Aston Villa v West Ham
Tottenham v Nottm Forest
Arsenal v Man City (LC)

Good Luck All  😀

8 weeks to go and Paul has a 5 game lead, my 2 low scoring wins have delayed the inevitable, but I don't hold out much hope 😐

Premier Predictions (Week 30)

In the middle of all these European games we have a Premier League weekend.
5 games Saturday, 4 on Sunday, 1 on Monday

Most games have been unpredictable this season (as our scores have proved), and due to midweek results this lot are as well.

Everton's away form might give Arsenal problems?
Usually dread Man City coming to Stratford, Haaland likes playing us with 7 goals in his last 3 games against us, but with them needing an unlikely masterclass to overturn Madrid maybe they'll not be at it?
Forest have Euro games against tough opponents so might have problems against unpredictable Fulham.
Was hoping Liverpool would go goal crazy at home to Tottenham, but seeing them in midweek looks unlikely even against the worst team in the league.

Bad week for the English teams in the 'Champions' League last 16
Tottenham, Chelsea and Man City all got thrashed, Liverpool toothless but only lost by one.
Arsenal needing a dubious last minute penalty for a draw, some credit to Newcastle who were unlucky to only draw with Barcelona.
Obviously someone forgot to tell the rest that the Premier League is the best in the World 🙄


Burnley v Bournemouth
Sunderland v Brighton
Arsenal v Everton
Chelsea v Newcastle
West Ham v Man City
*
Crystal Palace v Leeds
Man Utd v Aston Villa
Nottm Forest v Fulham
Liverpool v Tottenham
*
Brentford v Wolves


Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 29)

Midweek games - 4 on Tuesday, 5 on Wednesday, 1 on Thursday

Arsenal go to Brighton who have found a bit of form.
Man City are at home to Forest and I hope will do us a favour.
Man Utd at Newcastle which on current form looks like an away win?
West Ham go to Fulham which used to be a good place to get a win, but London games have been a disaster this season.
Thursday's game should be interesting.
Will Rosenior, Pereira and Tudor survive the week 😆

Annoyed with TNT, I get it as part of the Virgin package and they are supposed to be covering all games this week. But one isn't being shown the Fulham v West Ham one grrrrr...  😡


Bournemouth v Brentford
Everton v Burnley
Leeds v Sunderland
Wolves v Liverpool
*
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Brighton v Arsenal
Fulham v West Ham
Man City v Nottm Forest
Newcastle v Man Utd
*
Tottenham v Crystal Palace

Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 28)

Friday start this week
1 game Friday, 5 games Saturday, 4 games Sunday

At the top Arsenal face Chelsea, Man City go to in-form Leeds.
At the bottom Forest go to Brighton, Tottenham go to Fulham.
West Ham travel to Liverpool, where they have won once in my lifetime ..... 🙄


Wolves v Aston Villa
*
Bournemouth v Sunderland
Burnley v Brentford
Liverpool v West Ham
Newcastle v Everton
Leeds v Man City
*
Brighton v Nottm Forest
Fulham v Tottenham
Man Utd v Crystal Palace
Arsenal v Chelsea

Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 27)

5 games Saturday, 4 on Sunday, 1 on Monday

North London derby, relegation candidates Tottenham at home to title hopefuls Arsenal.
Man City home to Newcastle after their 5,000 mile round trip to thrash Qariabag 6-1.
West Ham with the chance to put pressure on Forest who travelled to Turkey and have to play Liverpool.
Monday in-form Man Utd go to Everton who don't seem to like their new stadium.

Aston Villa v Leeds
Brentford v Brighton
Chelsea v Burnley
West Ham v Bournemouth
Man City v Newcastle
*
Crystal Palace v Wolves
Nottm Forest v Liverpool
Sunderland v Fulham
Tottenham v Arsenal
*
Everton v Man Utd


Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 26)

Midweek games for Week 26
A bit of a messed up week as it goes on for 8 days due to a re-arranged game in the following week.
So that is 4 games on Tuesday 10th, 5 games on Wednesday 11th, 1 game on Thursday 12th + 1 game on Wednesday 18th
In the middle of this is the FA Cup 4th Round (separate post for that).
Hope that's clear?

Arsenal with the chance to pull further clear with 2 away games, or possibly City could put the pressure on?
At the bottom We (West Ham) usually beat Man Utd at home, but they are flying under Carrick so not feeling confident.
Really need 6 wins from the last 13 games, and 8 of those are against top 10 teams 🙄
Forest take on Wolves, and Palace are at home to Burnley so the gap could get bigger. 😞


Chelsea v Leeds
Everton v Bournemouth
Tottenham v Newcastle
West Ham v Man Utd
*
Aston Villa v Brighton
Crystal Palace v Burnley
Man City v Fulham
Nottm Forest v Wolves
Sunderland v Liverpool
*
Brentford v Arsenal
*
Wolves v Arsenal


Good Luck All  😀

Premier Predictions (Week 25)

Friday night start this week
So that's 1 game Friday, 7 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday

Liverpool v Man City would normally be the big game, but more a battle for top 4 this year.
Arsenal with a chance of stretching their lead, unless the usual February crumble is on?
Burnley v Hammers a chance to catch up a few points on Leeds and Forest who play each other on Friday.


Leeds v Nottm Forest
*
Man Utd v Tottenham
Arsenal v Sunderland
Bournemouth v Aston Villa
Burnley v West Ham
Fulham v Everton
Wolves v Chelsea
Newcastle v Brentford
*
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Man City


Good Luck All   😀

Premier Predictions (Week 24)

5 games on Saturday, 4 on Sunday, 1 on Monday
Last set of games before the transfer window closes.
Another chance of freak results this week? but most of the games are hard to call. 

Hoping the far East betting syndicates fancy an upset at Chelsea 😉

3 teams clear at the top, Villa at home the others away.
At the bottom a 5 point gap and the 2 teams West Ham might catch play each other.

Brighton v Everton
Leeds v Arsenal
Wolves v Bournemouth
Chelsea v West Ham
Liverpool v Newcastle
*
Aston Villa v Brentford
Man Utd v Fulham
Nottm Forest v Crystal Palace
Tottenham v Man City
*
Sunderland v Burnley


Good Luck All  😀