Premier League: Half Term power rankings for all 20 teams (A-L)
By Adrian Addai
Premier League Half Term Grades and Review
As we have just crept over the halfway point for all teams, I think it is a perfect opportunity to give my half term grades for all the team and where I think their final position will be. A few managers have already been given the boot and there have been a few surprise packages in the first half of season in the likes of Fulham and Newcastle as well as a few shocks with the Premier League positions of Liverpool, Chelsea and West Ham to name a few.
Arsenal (Premier League Position: 1st – Half Term Grade: A)
As much as it pains me to give this half term grade for Arsenal as a Manchester United fan, an A grade is well deserved. They have been setting a relentless pace only losing one game this season so far, shrewd signings of Gabriel Jesus and for me a very underrated mention for signing of season in Oleksandr Zinchenko seems to have transformed Arsenal fortunes and given them a winning steel about them.
Notable mentions for Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Thomas Partey who have all had brilliant starts to the season. Arsenals patience with Arteta seems to be being rewarded but as we go into the second half the season it will be interesting how they manage their squad up against a strong city side, although signings like Leandro Trossard will help with the fixture pile up.
(Predicted Final League Position: 2nd)
Aston Villa (Premier League Position: 14th – Half Term Grade: C-)
After an horrific start to the season, the Villa board decided to part company with Steven Gerrard who seemed to be losing the dressing room and replacing him with an astute manager in Unai Emery. Since then, it seems things have been on the up beating Manchester United in his first home game and since then only losing one of the last six against Liverpool. Emery seems to be getting a tune out of Leon Bailey who came to Villa having impressed previously at Bayer Leverkusen. The squad finally seems settled and although losing Danny Ings to West Ham in January , I believe Emery is more than happy with his attacking options going forward and will look to climb the table for a potentially top half finish which the Villans will settle for having such a bad start to the season.
(Predicted Final League Position: 10th)
Bournemouth (Premier League Position: 18th – Half Term Grade: D)
Another team that has sacked their manager hoping for better fortunes. Scott Parker, although probably the right decision was not afforded the time to turnaround a poor start to the season which included a 9-0 battering away at Liverpool. They replaced him internally with Gary O’Neill and immediately they had a bit of a new manager bounce going unbeaten in the following six games. Unfortunately, that form has deserted them a bit and they find themselves struggling and not keeping many clean sheets. They do possess a few good players like Phillip Billling and Kieffer Moore but I don’t see anything but relegation to the championship in all honesty.
(Predicted Final League Position: 20th)