I have it at 3 with James an outsider making it 4

Contenders

Debra, Yasmina Kate

Outsiders

James

No chance

Lorraine, Mona, Howard, Ben

Think 3 from 8 in a reasonable return more than half way through.

I think the top3 are finalists plus maybe James although he would probable struggle with the interviews.

Contender
Yasmina

Damaged
Kate - distracted by Philip and unprofessional in coasting the last task
Debora - Abrasive and I can't see her fitting in in Sir Alan's eyes.
Lorraine - AS thinks she may antagonise people

Not enough known
Mona - got a great assesment of selling technique
James - We've really not see him do anything that stands out
Howard - We've really not seen him do anything

No chance
Ben

James, Mona and Yasmina should make it to the final four. They are by far the best three candidates.

The last spot is between Kate, Debra and Howard. Which I think Debra will win. Not because shes better, but because shes more likely to backstab, lie etc to make the final four.

Lorraine and Ben no chance of making the final four.

Contenders - Yasmena, Kate, Debra, possibly Mona.
No chance - Ben, Lorraine
Still unsure - Howard
I like him but I don't think Sir Alan does - James

I'd say Yasmena has been strong and effective in everything we've seen her do. She's the closest to a front runner there is, but going on previous years that doesn't mean he'll pick her.
Mona had a good week, but I think she's still coming across as emotional and will struggle when she's up against it in the boardroom. (I'm biased by press stories about her, I admit.)
Debra, after a terrible week, had a good week this week and sold well. She's not a team player, but if the majority of the remaining tasks are sales based, she could do well.
Howard - I'm still not sure about him. He's OK but a bit invisible, but some of what he says to camera seems sensible.
James - comes across as a sweetheart to me, but I doubt he'd survive the interview stage if he gets that far. I think he has good instincts under that gormless exterior, but perhaps doesn't push himself forward enough for this show.
Ben - my least favourite left, but would be entertaining telling the interview panel about Sandhurst.
Lorraine - it's not just the bullies she winds up, it's everyone. I'm biased by press coverage on her too, but I can't believe she's a serious contender.
Kate - think she really damaged her chances this week, by not even seeming to try or care, and I don't for a minute believe she was so 'in luv' with Philip she lost her focus, more she thought she could coast. She's slipped but I don't think she out yet, and I think she's the closest of anyone left to the type Sir Alan likes.

Q:How many of the final eight might win?

A: Only 1, unless suralan hires 2 of them

How many of the final eight might win?

Just one!!

Hah! Great minds, etc. etc etc.

JJ

I think Yasmina is the strongest so far

Debra can win if she shuts up, but the damage may have already been done

they could do with a double 'eviction' to speed up getting rid of the deadwood though

This is taking into account only what's been shown on TV so far. In the next few weeks there's a few things that happen that may spoil or further particular candidate's chances but I don't want to spoil them for anyone else.

Contenders:

Yasmina (Apart from the mess up in week 4, she's been consistantly strong)
Howard (I think he's been very calm and professional throughout)
Mona (Has definitely put herself in the running after this week)
Kate (if she can pull things back for herself, but she messed up more than Yasmina did in week 4 so that may not be as easy to do)

Outside chance:

Debra (Definitely capable enough, may even make it as far as the final, but Sir Alan doesn't like her)
James (I think Sir Alan likes him and he's a good candidate, but not as strong as many of the others)

No Chance:

Lorraine (I think Sir Alan likes her and I do too, but I didn't think she was a very strong leader and she thinks she's better than she is at selling and pitching)
Ben (No explanation required)

Contender Debra and Yasmina

Possible Howard and Kate

Outside Chance James and Mona

No Chance Ben and Lorraine


I'd like it if James won but Siralan probably thinks he's too nice and his mind nice = weak

I would say:


Contenders:

Yasmina - seems a confident, strong all-rounder who hasn't made too many mistakes.

Kate - good in the coporate environment and has done pretty well so far, but unsure on her ability to get her hands dirty (ie, just plain selling)



Outsiders:

Howard - Like Yasmina, he's not made many mistakes and is a steady pair of hands, but he does have a tendency to disappear.

James - A very good team player and a decent leader without the attitude problems that hinder many. But he needs an outstanding performance of his own to make himself stand out.

Debra - Also similar to Yasmina in that she's comfortable in any situation you put her in, but Debra has quite a nasty side to her that doesn't help her on a team level.


Unlikely:

Mona - The opposite of Kate. She can and will succeed in selling tasks, but I don't think she's capable of planning, marketing and all the other skills required to excel at corporate level.

Ben - I think he has potential, but his overly self-confident attitude blocks off any chance of him learning from others. I just think he lacks experience, but he's still a half-decent candidate.

Lorraine - I just feel that her inability to get people on her side will lead to her failure. You don't have to be totally charming to get others to see your point of view, but I think she has no man-management skills at all.

I think I agree with this. And although I do like James, I think AS might see him as being a bit too set in his ways to be an apprentice....?

Contenders: Yasmina and Kate (if she can pull it back after this week's fiasco). Howard possibly - dark horse, the editing is strange - they deliberately seem to leave him out a lot
Outsiders: James and Mona
No chance: Lorraine, Ben and Debra

Contenders:
Yasmina: strong all round, one big mistake that she survived.
Debra: best team leader so far, no big mistakes.
Kate: strong all round, only one weak episode.
Howard: strong in the background, no mistakes.
James: poor start but has made up for it since.

Outsiders:
Ben: creative and good seller, but poor leader and too many mistakes.
Mona: only strength is sales, can't handle herself.
Lorraine: no strengths, poor leader, divisive.

Of the survivors, are there any that haven't had a go at PM yet?

Yasmina looks the favourite (just don't let her near anything that involves mixing or costing)

Kate's dropped a bit after a poor week, probably alongside Debra now...

Can't see the rest challenging much (maybe Howard will make an impression, from the clips for next week's show)...

Out of them all though, James is the only one i'd like to see again on tv after - reminds me of an older version of Neil from Inbetweeners his two great quotes this week "Why we going to a service station - maybe we're doing a drug deal!" and (talking about his bad luck) "if i was trying to set up a funeral parlour, people would stop dying"

Seems to gel really well with whoever he works with too.

All the remaining candidates have led once, and Mona has led twice.

I love James to bits, but the reason he was in the Boardroom in wk 2 was that nobody liked him. The whole team went down the line and said he should be fired because he was such a problem to work with.

I do think he gets on really well with some people (almost certainly Yasmina given how often they're put on subteams together) but he's by no means universally popular.

Yes, to be fair that's based more on the last few tasks, where he's seemed to get on well with the rest of his subteam - he did come across as more of an oddball early on.

I think we've all met people that we took a bit of a dislike to on first encounter but have rapidly grown on us.

And, of course, there are their opposites. Those who know how to make a good initial impression but have nothing to back it up later.

None of them seem very strong, but I think Kate might win.

Ben has no chance but will make it through to the interviews because he makes good TV and it will be classical when he has to back up statement such as I've got a scholarship to Sandhurst.

Yes...he kind of reminds me of Raef. Not in his personality, but after the first episode of the last series, not many people liked Raef at all, whether they were viewers or potential candidates. Yet he went on to be arguably the most popular candidate that year.

In this week's Daily Telegraph, Margaret said that all of the remaining candidates have a realistic chance of making thefinal which surprised me as I would have said Ben and Phil (who was still in at the time) have no chance, James and Mona are unlikely. In my opinion it leaves Yasmina, Howard, Kate and Debra possibly for the final four.

Margaret said he was a good leader, and had a calm, harmonious team, in the third task, so I think by then he was already becoming liked by the other candidates.

SAS is capable of almost any bad decision after the last two series, but on abilities he only really has Kate, Debra, Yasmina or a fallback male. All three females have some very strong points. Kate will now remind him even more of Michelle though as she now also has a relationship going. Not selling anything will also need some recovery. Debra has blotted her copybook with her attack on Nick - she has an awkward label on her. Yasmina has made mistakes and the cheap as bruschetta approach might make a few people wonder what tat SAS was using her to sell. Howard and James are not that bright, Mona is worse, Lorraine has had her card marked as unlikeable.

I think thats all why he looked so sad when Kate didn't sell. He had an easy choice but it suddenly became dangerous all around.Given the top three all offer problems I wouldn't be at all surprised if he goes for a weaker winner.

i too would say Kate, debra and yasmina are the only ones who could go to the final now. Ill be shocked if ben or howard isnt fired over the next couple of weeks, so im pretty sure we will see a female winner this year...