The start of a new year brings the hope of new beginnings, and for most football clubs, an optimism that their under-rated side will start to prove the doubters wrong.
Inevitably, these illusions will lie in tatters by the end of the month, but with half of the season still to go, things can still change substantially. To help spare you the shock, I thought it best to run through the more interesting revelations you will see come to pass during 2012.
Some of these are at best optimistic, fuelled in part by sheer hope rather than expectation. But it will still be enlightening to look back in twelve months to assess how wrong I was.
1. Steve Kean will keep his job
I'm not convinced that Venky's are even aware of when Blackburn are playing. Having stopped attending matches, and only speaking to the press to say they are happy with the status quo, expect manager Steve Kean to defiantly struggle on until May, fighting his way between 18th and 20th in the league, while every Blackburn fan shouts themself so hoarse they can no longer be heard.
2. QPR will be relegated
The club with all the money in the world just don't know how to buy well. Traore, Gabbidon and Bothroyd are not players who will rise to the big occasions come the end of the season, while the likes of Wigan have been here so often in previous years that finishing 17th feels like second nature. What's more, with Neil Warnock as manager, you can bet that clubs want to beat this lot more than most.
3. Torres will score 15
Nobody should be under the illusion that Fernando Torres isn't good. With no Drogba for the next six weeks, all of Chelsea's attacking play will be channeled through him, and the chances will come.
4. Real Madrid will win the league without beating Barca
Real's blistering start to the season, while Barca dropped points, could be all important. Despite losing to their arch-rivals in last month's Clasico, Madrid still have a healthy lead in La Liga, and don't have a habit of dropping points. A Barcelona win in the return fixture won't be enough, leaving Mourinho with another title win. Albeit a hollow one.
5. England will fail to qualify from their Euro 2012 group
With or without Rooney in the side, England is still a side that lacks real cohesion. Squad selections are questionable at best, and this summer will be no different. Starting with an attacking foursome of Downing, Lampard, Walcott and Andy Carroll, France and Sweden will both take points from us. Then things will culminate in defeat to hosts Ukraine and, almost inevitably, a Wayne Rooney red card.
6. A random will win the Europa league
Doubtless Man City and United will have their eyes on this frankly ridiculous competition as a way of showing they can cut it with Europe's finest. But despite their presence in the knock-out stages, along with a host of big names, the Europa league is not known for being won by the favourites. Rubin Kazan, PAOK Salonika and Steaua Bucharest, take note.
7. Robin van Persie will get injured
On current form, he is the best centre forward in the world. But this is a player that has completed his first full calendar year for the first time in his Arsenal career. Something has to give, and unfortunately for Arsenal, it is likely to be their star striker's hamstring.
8. West Ham will fail to win promotion
We have the ability to attract Premier league-quality players to Upton Park, and we may be currently bidding for all of our rivals' best players. But long ball is a horrible, predictable and un-inventive way to approach football, and lots of Championship teams are learning how to deal with it. A run of one win in five confirms this. Having now been leapfrogged in the automatic promotion places, the familiar air of under-achievement and frustration threatens to grip West Ham once again. Which is the way we liked it, thanks very much.
9. Mario Balotelli will save Italy
Italy havent had a proper centre forward for absolutely ages. The current crop is either remarkably inconsistent (Quagliarella), more suited to wide positions (Di Natale), or suffering from a heart defect (Cassano). Enter super Mario, a player that mixes the physicality of Didier Drogba with the swagger and excess of an 18th-century French monarch. When he plays, goals and wins follow. Expect to see him leading the line for his country at the Euros, and Italy to reach the semi finals or further.
10. John Terry will serve time in prison
Luis Suarez deserves his eight-game ban for racially insulting Patrice Evra, regardless of whether or not he understood the severity of what he was saying. John Terry knew the severity of what he was saying. He was also caught on camera saying it. Which is why he is being investigated by the police. England captain or no, this is a serious incident that needs to be dealt with by the FA. If Suarez is now the yardstick, John Terry will spend time (maybe not much time, but time at least) behind the bars. And it couldn't happen to a nicer fella.
