5 crazy bets that might pay off well from the 2016-17 Premier League season
So Arsenal close out the 2015/16 Premier League season finishing above Manchester City, Tottenham, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, yet they’re not league champions. As sick and tired people may be of hearing it, that honour belongs to Leicester City who, despite defeat to Hull City on the opening day of this campaign, turned all consistency and logic in football on its head last term and have changed the English football picture forever.
Never have pundits, journalists and writers like myself been so cautious in their predictions at the start of a campaign than over the past few weeks. It really is now a case of ANYTHING can happen. Yes, a lot of predictable finishes and results will come to fruition, but don’t be surprised if a handful of inconceivable events pop-up over the next nine months. Here’s a look at the most likely unlikely outcomes this season that you may tempt you to have a flutter...
1) Champions League football for the Hammers
Had it not been for the fearless Foxes, West Ham may very well have stolen the headlines last season after they finished a very modest 7th under the slick Slaven Bilic. Only the top three lost fewer games than the Hammers last campaign (8) and ahead of arguably the most competitive Premier League season ever, the East London side have made some great deals in the transfer market.
While the additions of Sofiane Feghouhli on a free and Andre Ayew for £20.5 million are more than impressive, retaining the likes of Dimitri Payet and Andy Carroll could prove the most prudent pieces of business. Bilic has instilled the squad with a terrific harmony and with the new Olympic Stadium able to bolster revenue and generate an electric atmosphere, the Hammers could easily squeeze into the top four spots.