Provide a brief description on each choice of course.
Favourites for the title
Chelsea, they'll find their recent form disquieting I think it’s a minor blip. Other notables are Man Utd and Arsenal; the former probably need to make a significant midfielder as a signing this month and the latter need to hope that they don't drop too many points in a tough four game run at the end of this month.
Most improved team(s)
Birmingham is the obvious choice. If you didn't know, they're recent run of form hasn't been bettered since 1906. What's truly remarkable is the players that this has been achieved with - primarily Bowyer (seen as past it two seasons ago), Hart (undoubtedly talented but he's been phenomenal for them this season) and Dann-Johnson (the central defensive partnership they signed in the summer from separate championship teams).
Fulham as well deserve a mention. They havent' necessarily improved but last season was seen by many as a bit of a fluke.
Also Burnley. But they'll probably still go down.
Teams you think will be relegated
Portsmouth (the Xerex of the EPL)
Hull (Bullard's out for a while again and without him they're pants)
Burnley (If Coyle leaves)
Team(s) that have regressed
Everton. They've had a few injuries though, with the most crucial of these being Arteta. They've also drawn a lot of games they should have won. Nevertheless, their form has been far from adequate. Moyes isn't under any sort of managerial threat though.
Liverpool. The points shows this. They've been truly dreadful though. We all know how dull they were to watch before… well this season they've been even worse and they're points total flatters them!
Top 3 players of the season so far
Drogba and Cesc and shoe ins.
Drogba has 14 goals and has been truly phenomenal in his application and endeavour.
Cesc has 9 goals and 12 assists from 16 games.
The third is a bit tougher but as I've gone for one from Chelsea and one from Arsenal, the other should be from Utd and for me, its been Giggs. He's got 11 assists I think + 3/4 goals. His recent form hasn't been so great but he hit a real rich vein back in September/October time.
Most improved players of the season so far/talents emerging
Particular players that I have noticed:
Milner (Aston Villa)
Ramsey (Arsenal)
Tevez (Man City)
Zamora (Fulham)
Hart (Birmingham)
Obertan (Man Utd)
Lennon (Spurs)
Reid (Sunderland)
Probably others that I'll add later.
Teams that you expect to improve over the next 5 months
Man City have made a great start under Mancini - 3 wins, 3 clean sheets. They have a couple more easy games but then a run of 4 away games so we'll have to wait and see how they're doing after that.
Now that Alberto 'Superman' Aquilani is 100% fit you'd expect Liverpool to start picking up results again too.
Everton also must surely start to improve. They have the personnel.
West Ham as well - they're afflicted by monetary worries but if the purchase of the club goes through they should have a bit to spend and they have a mid-table quality first team.
Teams that will get worse
Birmingham surely. If they carry on doing as well as they are they might even sneak into the last CL spot! They've got money to burn in the window and there's a serious risk that new signings might unbalance the finely tuned squad. They defence and central midfield shouldn't be touched by McCleish but I think he'll be spending a few $$$ on a striker and a winger.