2024/25 Premiership Supercomputer results - where Hearts and Hibs finished vs pre-season predictions
Ahead of the campaign, both Edinburgh rivals were expected to challenge for top half finishes and be firmly in the race for European competition when the season came to a close in May.
However, as the final stages of the campaign arrived, it was Hibs that had firmly solidified their place in Europe as a third place finish ensured they entered the Europa League and they are currently focusing on a second qualifying round tie with Danish side FC Midtjylland.
Hearts were left disappointed as they missed out on a top six place when the Premiership split took place and will hope to fare better when the new league season gets underway next month.
But how did the two sides' performances compare to the pre-season predictions delivered by a Supercomputer?
2 . Ross County
2024/25 predicted finish: 11th - 2024/25 actual finish: 11th | SNS Group Photo Sales
3 . Dundee United
2024/25 predicted finish: 10th - 2024/25 actual finish: 4th | Getty Images Photo Sales
Related topics: Premiership
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
a few seconds ago
- The Guardian
Premier League 2025-26 preview No 7: Chelsea
Guardian writers' predicted position: 4th (NB: this is not necessarily Michael Butler's prediction but the average of our writers' tips) Last season's position: 4th Securing Champions League qualification on the last day of the Premier League season and an unlikely Club World Cup triumph have transformed the club, their finances and ambitions for 2025-26. Chelsea stayed relatively under the radar for much of the Club World Cup – in part because of their relatively kind route to the later stages – but their commanding 3-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the final means they are again regarded as a potentially dominant European force and perhaps even as contenders for the Premier League title. That is if Chelsea are ready – mentally, physically and tactically – for the new season. By the time Chelsea played the Club World Cup final on 13 July, nearly every other Premier League side had started their pre-season. Since then, while Liverpool, Arsenal and co have been hard at work, the players have had three weeks off and returned on Monday, with two friendly matches, two days apart, scheduled before their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on 17 August. To say Chelsea are playing catch-up is a severe understatement. That said, this is probably the most exciting period for Chelsea since the Champions League triumph in 2021. With the exception of goalkeeper and possibly centre-back, Enzo Maresca has a claim to having two elite players in every position and he could yet add further depth with Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho heavily linked. Departures will be needed to trim the fat and balance the books – Chelsea were given a €31m (£27m) fine last month by Uefa for breaking financial rules – but few would argue against them having the deepest squad in the league and one of Maresca's biggest challenges will be maintaining harmony and continuity, on and off the pitch. Last season, the Conference League was a useful chance to rest and rotate players. The Champions League will not be so accommodating. As recently as April, Maresca was at odds with the Chelsea fans and appeared to blame a negative environment at Stamford Bridge for a 2-2 home draw with Ipswich that left top-five hopes fading fast. But five wins from the final six league games secured fourth place, saving Chelsea's season and possibly Maresca's job. 'They were saying that we are too young, we are not good enough,' he said. 'Unfortunately for them, they have all been wrong. So in English, how do you say? Eff-off to all of them.' Chelsea's Club World Cup triumph – and the tactical masterclass by Maresca in the final to neutralise PSG's front three and create pockets of space for Cole Palmer – means he will get a very different reception at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea's league opener. Chelsea's much-maligned financial gymnastics of recent years – the eight-year contract amortisation (a loophole closed by Uefa), the sale of their hugely successful women's team (to their own parent company) and their rampant use of multiclub ownership and the loan system – have infuriated rivals and allowed them to assemble one of the deepest, youngest, most talented squads around. In the Todd Boehly era, Chelsea have spent more than £1.5bn and the club face an additional €60m fine from Uefa if they fail to comply with regulations over the next four years. A bigger stadium would help, but what Chelsea do with Stamford Bridge remains unclear; the 40,044-capacity ground is not easily developed given challenges ranging from the freehold to a nearby railway line. A move to Earl's Court has been mooted. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Estêvão was courted by PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich and is widely regarded as the biggest talent to come out of Brazil since Vinícius Júnior. The 18-year-old's performances at the Club World Cup – including a brilliant strike for Palmeiras against Chelsea in the quarter-final – suggests that the summer arrival is already world class. Players swooned over the teenager at the final whistle in Philadelphia – 'I told Estêvão: 'We are excited for you to join' but he didn't understand a single word I said,' Palmer said after swapping shirts with the £52m signing. Capable off both wings or as a No 10, the slender Estêvão will want to impress the former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, now of Brazil, before the World Cup next summer. 'He potentially can be a top defender for this club,' Maresca said of Josh Acheampong after the defender's performances at the Club World Cup prompted whispers that several clubs in England and Europe were tracking the teenager. How the 19-year-old fits into Maresca's plans remains to be seen, but his versatility, 6ft 3in stature and composure enabled him to enjoy a breakthrough year with 13 first-team appearances. Naturally a right-back or a centre-back but capable of playing anywhere across the backline, Acheampong joined Chelsea as an under-eight and signed a new five-year contract in 2024. 'The clubs that were mentioned, they like Josh, but we also like Josh,' Maresca said. 'The best plan for Josh is to be with us.' Roméo Lavia. The 21-year-old's quality is not in question. Chelsea are a better side with Lavia, more fluid and press-resistant, and he was sensational in a 3-1 win against Liverpool in May when he completed 100% of his passes. Maresca even moved Moisés Caicedo to right-back to accommodate Lavia alongside Enzo Fernández at the back end of last season, but concerns remain over the Belgian's fitness. After a first year when he managed 32 minutes in 2023-24, another injury-hit campaign followed, starting 11 league games. Another year on the sidelines could spell trouble, particularly as Chelsea have Caicedo, Fernández, Dário Essugo, the impressive Andrey Santos and perhaps Reece James competing for two spots in defensive midfield in Maresca's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.
Scotsman
30 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Hibs braced for hostile Belgrade 'Gravediggers' as David Gray explains Thibault Klidje situation
Place in Conference League playoff at stake Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Rip away all the noise and nonsense, the sound and fury that make European competition so reliably fascinating for those with a dog in the fight, and there is still a game of football to be played. Hibs will need to remember that as they take to the field in front of 30,000 roaring Serbs at the Partizan Stadion on Thursday night. Against a team whose supporters revel in the nickname of 'The Gravediggers', David Gray's men must not allow themselves to be buried under the avalanche of animosity likely to come tumbling down from the stands here. They have to impose their own game upon a young Partizan side still developing as a European force. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad At stake is a place in the UEFA Conference League play-offs where qualification for the league phase will be up for grabs. Something Hibs thought was already in their possession not so long ago, only for Aberdeen to rip that prize from their grasp courtesy of an odds-defying Scottish Cup win over Celtic. Hibs expect a hostile reception from Partizan Belgrade fans on Thursday night. (Photo by) | Getty Images Partizan, knocked out of the Europa League on penalties by Larnaca but handsome Conference League conquerors of Ukrainian wanders Oleksandriya last time out, represent a formidable enough challenge. But not the most fearsome opposition ever laid before a Scottish club at this stage of qualification. 'Firstly, you expect it to be quite a hostile environment, one that the players maybe haven't experienced before,' said Hibs manager Gray, whose team took Midtjylland deep into extra time at Easter Road before suffering their own Europa League exit last week, the former club captain adding: 'Some of them might have, but going over there, it's a different environment, it's a bit hostile and from what I've seen, a very intense, aggressive nature. 'So discipline is going to be a big thing as well from our players in making sure we do things properly. It's another brilliant test against a top side and we know we need to be at our very best. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's no different from the Midtjylland test, which was a difficult one, but we need to take confidence from that. I say to the players all the time, you need to believe you can go over there and get a result, and if they were doubting or weren't fully believing before the first leg over in Denmark, they certainly were when they came home, which shows the level of performance and the level of quality we've got as well.' Partizan are aware of the threat posed by Hibs striker Kieron Bowie, whose double secured a 2-0 win over Dundee on Sunday. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group Hibs certainly boast top-line quality in their starting XI, with Partizan boss Srdjan Blagojevic singling out stand-in skipper Martin Boyle as the one to watch. Although, among the Belgrade media corps attending the MD-1 event at the Partizan Stadion yesterday, the name of Kieron Bowie was also given a frequent airing; it's impossible to sneak that sort of bruising talent under the radar against even the most lax opposition. And Partizan are no slouches. As for the options available to Gray as the game goes on, well, there is some strength in depth. Even if it will take a while for latest signing Grant Hanley to get up to speed. Record signing situation explained On that subject, might Hibs finally get a proper look at record signing Thibault Klidje? Having cost the Easter Road club over £1 million, there's a natural clamour to see what the Togolese international striker has to offer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Gray is prone to caution on that subject, however, stressing: "Yeah, I understand that as soon as you see the price, people talk about getting him in the team. But the boys are obviously doing well, and I don't want to push him either. 'The expectation is one thing, but he needs to settle. He needs to get used to me and the way we're working and get used to the intensity, because it's a different way of playing. "I've noticed he's really settled around the group now, which is pleasing. Coming to a foreign country, the players have made him feel really welcome, which is great. He's getting used to my accent slightly, which is probably good for him as well, and he's got his own place now. "He's starting to settle a lot quicker, and I'm sure we'll see a lot of improvement from him pretty quickly. But I'm not putting too much pressure on him right now. We're just going to make sure that we keep progressing when we can.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hibs fans have seen little of record summer signing Thibault Klidje thus far. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group) | SNS Group Hibs really rattled Midtjylland in the opening exchanges of their first leg at the tidy-but-tame MCH Arena, attacking with intent and taking an early lead through Jamie McGrath's cheeky free-kick. But, of course, that desire to really test opponents, not the worst tactic if Hibs are to put the Gravediggers in a sombre mood from the off, only works if you've got the defensive strength to avoid conceding a crazy number of chances at the other end. "Yeah, I think we've demonstrated that a few times now,' said Gray. 'The defensive organisation needs to be there. That's the most important side to it. 'We'll always have players who can score goals. And defence is not always the back five or the back three. The defence starts right at the very front. 'I think we saw that against Dundee at the weekend. The front two, Martin Boyle and Kieron Bowie, really worked hard with Junior Hoilett in behind them. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The effort that goes into that, the organisation behind the ball, it's something that we do work a lot on. It's a massive part of the game because tactically, the players are really switched on nowadays, at every level. "We need to be ready for that, even more so in Europe. It's a bit of an unknown because you don't watch these teams week in, week out. "But the hard work goes in from our point of view to make sure we educate the players to know exactly what the challenge is and then put a game plan in place that we feel gives us the best chance to win the game.
Leader Live
36 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Son Heung-min admits Los Angeles FC move was not his first choice
The 33-year-old on Wednesday completed a move worth in excess of £20million – the highest transfer fee paid by an MLS club – after it was revealed on Saturday he would be leaving Spurs following 173 goals in 454 appearances and months after he captained the club to Europa League glory. At an introductory press conference in Los Angeles, the South Korea international admitted he had to be persuaded of the merits of moving to the United States before signing an initial two-year deal. New Beginnings ☀️ Welcome to Los Angeles, Sonny! — LAFC (@LAFC) August 6, 2025 'They've been absolutely working so hard to get me here to join LAFC,' Son said. 'If I'm honest it was not my first choice but John (Thorrington, LAFC general manager) was the first call when the season finished and John changed my mind, he changed my heart. 'I'm so happy to see all the Korean fans, I was at the game and I saw you supporting like crazy and I wanted to run on the pitch and show my performance. I'm here to win and I will perform. 'I will definitely show you something exciting in… are we calling it football or soccer? I will definitely show you some exciting football and we will have success.' Son added that the decision to leave Spurs had left him feeling 'very empty'. 'I felt like I gave it all, but I felt like I needed a new chapter and new challenge and I chose LAFC. I'm old but I still have good physicality, good legs and I still have good quality.' Earlier Son had issued an heartfelt message to Tottenham fans on making the 'hardest decision ever' to leave north London. 'How to find the right words for this? I don't know. I have been thinking for days. It's impossible. But here I go,' Son wrote. 'It's time for me to say goodbye to Tottenham Hotspur. My home for the past decade. When I arrived in 2015, I didn't speak English, I didn't know London, but you welcomed me with open arms, believed in me, and stood by me through every high and low. 'I was just a boy from Korea with big dreams who was supposed to have no chance. And now, 10 years later, North London is in my heart forever. Dear Spurs fans… Sonny's letter to you 🤍 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 6, 2025 'I've made friends for life here, had the honour of becoming a godfather here, and had the privilege of captaining our special club here. I've poured my heart and soul into this club, which makes this the hardest decision ever. 'I thought if I was ever going to leave, it would have to be on my terms, on the best terms, when our mission had been accomplished together. With pride and honour.' Son joined Spurs in 2015 from Bayer Leverkusen. Alongside old partner in crime Harry Kane, Son holds the record for the most goal involvements by a duo in the Premier League, with the pair assisting each other on a record 47 occasions in the competition. Son's performance helped turn Tottenham into title contenders when they finished second in the Premier League under Mauricio Pochettino in 2017, finishing as runners-up in the Champions League two years later. After Kane left for Bayern Munich, Son became Spurs captain under Ange Postecoglou, lifting the Europa League trophy in May – having come off the bench in the final against Manchester United, a 1-0 Spurs win, after an injury-affected campaign. The popular South Korean will renew acquaintances with Hugo Lloris and move to Los Angeles, which boasts one of the largest Korean populations in the world, ahead of next summer's World Cup in the United States.
