Manchester United celebrate
Carl Kinsella and Jack Leahy
@LosKinsellos; @Jack_Leahy
Arsenal
The Arsenal of this very moment in time and the Arsenal we’ll have at the start of September could and should be entirely different animals. Likely to have their guts torn out by the sales of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the next 24 hours, manager Arsene Wenger will have to work fast to spend this extra ~£55m income. Arsene has thus far forked out on two exciting, risky-as-ever, youth prospects in Carl Jenkinson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as well as a possible Chamakh Mark II in Ivorian striker Gervinho. Expect him to wake up on September 1st, turn up to training to find Vermaelen as injured as ever, Clichy gone, Almunia/Fabianski/Squillaci as rubbish as ever and realize that there was something he meant to do this summer.
Strengths: Jack Wilshere ought to hammer home his status as the best young player in England in a blossoming partnership with Aaron Ramsey.
Weaknesses: Their top players would rather kick in the doors holding them at Arsenal than a football, their defense is as French and as weak as the Maginot Line, and Wenger has forgotten what a reliable keeper looks like.
Bottom line: Weaknesses brutally exposed in 10/11, and not much has changed for the good since then. It will take a miracle to stop Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool replacing the Gunners in the top four elite. 5th
Aston Villa
Shay Given may well prove to be the bargain of the summer at £3.5m, but otherwise Alex McLeish has had a summer to forget in his controversial new role as Brum-hopping gaffer. The loss of both Stewart Downing and Ashley Young could mean a new wingerless style from defensive-minded McLeish, who is under immense pressure from the Villa fans to produce results quickly. My tip for the first managerial casualty.
Strengths: Darren Bent can always be relied upon to produce goals. The signing of Charles N’Zogbia could enhance this to no end. They have great youth prospects in Barry Bannan and Ciaran Clarke.
Weaknesses: The bigger players are leaving without adequate replacement, and we all know that you’ll never win anything with kids. Their excellent youth prospects by far surpass their experienced players.
Bottom line: Manager under pressure before a ball is kicked and his two best players sold to Premier League rivals. Ouch. Mid-table obscurity awaits. 11th
Sometimes, captions are unnecessary
Blackburn Rovers
Venky’s could well be the worst thing to happen to Rovers since Alan Shearer left for Newcastle in the 90s. Not only did they inexplicably replace experienced Sam Allardyce with rookie Steve Kean, but they did so without offering any sort of financial security, as evidenced by the departure of Phil Jones for Manchester United. Chris Samba kept them in the league on his own last year, and if Arsenal get their man before the transfer window closes then it may well be the case that Rovers can kiss goodbye to Premier League football. Mr. Kean could rival Big ‘Eck in the sack race.
Strengths: Good experience in Paul Robinson, Brett Emerton, Michel Salgado, and David Dunn. N’zonzi and Junior Hoillett are both names for the future.
Weaknesses: Venky’s and their ownership are crippling the club. The manager’s not great and, most importantly, El-Hadj Diouf is still on the books. Nightmare.
Bottom line: There is talent among the ranks, but Newcastle and Middlesbrough have shown us that no side is too big to be relegated. They’ll probably make it by the skin of their teeth. 17th
Bolton Wanderers
A very decent side who at one stage last year looked set to contend for European places before a dreadful run of form saw them finish in the bottom half. Owen Coyle is one of the league’s better managers, but even he will have trouble coping with the loss of Johan Elmander. Or will he? Daniel Sturridge is back, after all. Nigel Reo-Coker is a decent signing, and his proven Premier League quality will add greatly to a combative midfield. Today’s singing of Sanli Tuncay on a season-long loan should see the Turk employed out wide in a potent winger combination with Martin Petrov. Never likely to struggle under Coyle, but probably missed their chance and competing for Europe. They have to hope that Gary Cahill stays, too.
Strengths: A well-rounded side with a lot of experience and a good manager. A clinical finisher for ten years running in Kevin Davies.
Weaknesses: When the going gets tough, Wanderers find it hard to cope and long periods of poor results can blight a season. These results could come early as Chung-Yong Lee, Stuart Holden, Zat Knight and Tyrone Mears all miss the start of the season.
Bottom line: Unlikely to threaten either end of the table with any real significance. 13th
Chelsea
This summer’s all been about one man: new Mourinho manager André Villas-Boas. The 33-year old arrives from Porto having come, seen, and conquered everything that came before his side last season and his reputation is accordingly huge. The acquisitions of Oriol Romeu Vidal and Romelu Lukaku are unlikely to make a telling impact this time around, so we’re likely to see a tactical variation on the same set of players. They’re getting old, mind you, and there are doubts as to whether they can last the season while still in competition.
Strengths: Much has been made of Villas-Boas’ age, especially given that he has to deal with 33- and 34-year olds. But this is Chelsea, and the Lampards and Anelkas – yes, even the Anelkas – are mature enough not to cause problems. Great experience and a dressing-room full of leaders. Players capable of tearing apart any team.
Weaknesses: The other side of the experience coin is age. Anelka and Lampard are 33, John Terry is getting on and Florient Malouda will be 32 at the end of the season. Without the locomotion of Michel Essien keeping things ticking over, these guys could struggle. The biggest potential weakness? He’s Spanish, he plays up front, he cost fifty million – and if he doubles his Chelsea goal tally from last year he’ll only have scored twice.
Bottom line: Sustaining a challenge in four competitions won’t be easy for an ageing bunch. It will be interesting to see what the new manager can get out of them. 3rd
Greek president Karolos Papoulias laughs at Everton's lamentable finances
Everton
Another season without cash being available for signings; David Moyes must be getting pretty sick of being solid but unspectacular when his side could be so much more. They have managed to hold onto Seamus Coleman, Leighton Baines, Mikel Arteta and Tim Cahill, so things aren’t all bad. Like a sandwich made with quality bread and butter, garnished with no ham, no cheese, no lettuce, no no tomatoes and no mayo whatsoever.
Strengths: Very strong down the flanks, with the lighting-quick Coleman and Baines in particular impressing last season. Squad of seasoned professionals given balance by young blood. They know how to beat the big guys, too. Tim Cahill is always a threat.
Weaknesses: Goals; they don’t score many. They need a dollar, dollar, a dollar’s just what they need. Also several million more.
Bottom line: Expect the same Blue Peter-like shoestring miracles from David Moyes as his side finish up around 7th.
Fulham
The Cottagers performed out of their skin for much of last season, and Martin Jol’s quiet return to London should encourage more of the same. They have gone quietly about their pre-season business, starting European competition in late June while bringing in a few signings, the best of which has to be John Arne Riise. Only 30, all-action Riise still has a lot to offer the Premier League and joins Brede Hangelaand, Bobby Zamora, Danny Murphy, Simon Davies, Mark Schwarzer, Clint Dempsey (best player outside the top 6?) and Damien Duff in the list of those likely to do a great job for Jol this year.
Strengths: See above. A good number of proven Premier League players and a fighting spirit to beat the rest.
Weaknesses: If they do well in Europe, it could be a long season of Thursday and Sunday fixtures. They’d do well to crash out of the pointless Europa League before it does too much damage to their season.
Bottom line: Talented fighters, who will fight their way to 8th.
Liverpool
King Kenny is back at Anfield, and he means business. Dalglish has bought well this summer to complement his January acquisitions of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. The Reds are spoilt for choice in midfield, with Maxi and Raul Meireles now resigned to back-up roles and the indefatigable Dirk Kuyt fighting for his right to run. Dalglish will have to strike a balance between squad rotation and under-using players to the point of unrest, but he’s a wise man who will quietly offload the excess in the coming weeks. Has employed a policy of nicking the Players of The Year from mid-table teams in Henderson, Downing, Adam and Jose Enrique. Better, but still not quite ‘Alonso-Mascherano-Gerrard’ in the middle.
Strengths: The Daglish-effect on its own is enough to lift the club, and the signings are a bonus. Copa America MVP Luis Suarez is poised to tear defences to shreds, with the help of Stewart Downing, Alberto Aquilani and Andy Carroll.
Weaknesses: Don’t get carried away, Kop fans; United and City would never dream of buying some of the players Kenny has. The squad is equipped to qualify for Europe’s elite competition, but not to win the league. The fitness of Agger, Gerrard and Carroll remains a worry
Bottom line: The ‘top five’ just got interesting. 4th
Looks like United have Kompany at the top table!
Manchester City
Let’s cut the jealous crap and take our heads out of the sand; this side can challenge for the Premier League, despite the best efforts of Mario Balotelli to derail any run of good form City encounter. The signing of Sergio Aguero and the likely arrival of Samir Nasri are the two best signings the league will see this year unless United get their act together over Sneijder/Chelsea and Modric. Four major signings, a relatively low number where City are concerned, suggests that this squad is finally coming together. If Carlos Tevez and Balotelli can be persuaded to act like professionals, this lot will take some beating.
Strengths: Quality, genuine quality, all over the pitch. There’s a formidable spine to the side in Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Touré, and Sergio Aguero.
Weaknesses: The likelihood that a member of the dressing room will press the self-destruct button on his side’s chances. The team spirit is nothing on that of their red-clad neighbours and they have much to learn about attitude.
Bottom line: Write them off if you dare. 2nd, and not by much.
Manchester United
New-look side, same old United. While it’s never wise to read too much into the outcome of the Community Shield, this is a side that knows how to win games. Ashley Young’s arrival will provide the competition to bring the best out of an ever-maturing Nani, and the prospect of Antonio Valencia competing with those two for winger berths is frightening for competitors. Sir Alex Ferguson looks to have learned his lesson from the Wembley humiliation, and those nightmares of Messi seem to have shaped his evolution of United. The big brothers of the Premier League are back and ready to batter you.
Strengths: Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez found their groove together last season, and Nemanja Vidic managed to continue his impenetrable barricade with Rio Ferdinand. Winners all over the park and a manager who knows what winning teams are made of.
Weaknesses: Central midfield has all the locomotion of a derailed horse-drawn carriage, and that problem may have been ignored by David Gill and Ferguson. David de Gea’s horror show in the Community Shield piles more pressure on his talented shoulders to live up to the van der Sar legacy.
Bottom line: They’d have to cock up spectacularly for City to beat them, and that will drive them. 1st
Joey Barton's hard-hitting tweets
Newcastle
Yohann Cabaye, Sylvain Marveaux, Hatem Ben Arfa, Demba Ba, a veritable smorgasbord of D-list players at the expense of Kevin Nolan, Andy Carroll, Jose Enrique, perhaps Joey Barton if he keeps re-tweeting Nietzsche and George Orwell. Unlikely to make a run for European competition, Mike Ashley is more than likely to oversee the club make a run straight into the ground. To the remaining quality in the ranks, Jonas, Barton, Taylor: you guys should just make a run for it.
Strengths: Pardew is by no accounts a bad manager. His squad is currently being stripped of assets but the players that have been brought in are solid and talented. How they blend is up to him, and plenty will have faith that he can keep them up.
Weaknesses: Pardew is by no accounts a great manager, and taking Barton as a microcosm, Newcastle are a team fighting against their own owner. They have faith that they’ll stay up – but since when is ‘staying up’ enough for the Toon Army?
Bottom line: They’re lucky in that relatively weak teams have been promoted and that Balckburn and Wigan are both on the slide. 15th.
Norwich City
Manager Paul Lambert has coached Norwich through two successive promotions, so if nothing else they have wild momentum coming into this season. Players like Grant Holt and Wes Hoolahan have been free-scoring up until now, but The Premier League is made of sterner stuff than what The Canaries are used to. Lambert is tipped as a coach to watch for the future, and this season will very much be the canary in the coalmine on which people will judge his skills.
Strengths: Last season Norwich scored 14 goals on past the 90 minute mark. Ask Alex Ferguson just what that can do for you.
Weaknesses: They didn’t hit the ground running, and while they are capable of scoring from all over the park, they’ve just signed Liverpool’s eighth choice centre-half Daniel Ayala to strengthen. And Liverpool don’t have the best centre-halves in the league.
Bottom line: Paul Lambert will have to be cautious. Attacking teams generally go the way of Blackpool and Hull after a quick burst of energy. Football is a marathon not a sprint, but this guys has the brains to pace himself. 16th
QPR
Welcome back, Neil Warnock, you moany old so-and-so. QPR are a team with a lot of potential, and they’re performance this season will be largely dependent on Moroccan live-wire Adel Taarabt, who has been looking longingly out the transfer window at Sheikh-rich PSG all summer. This guy failed to impress Harry Redknapp at Spurs, but he contributed heavily to the QPR side which walked to the top of the Championship. Bolstered by good but unpredictable strikers DJ Campbell and Jay Boothroyd. They have a fighting chance, and are bound to be part of a nervy Survival Sunday in 2012.
Strengths: Adel Taarabt’s feet.
Weaknesses: Adel Taarabt’s attitude.
Bottom line: Whether they win or lose, nobody is going to like them. Bound to cause some problems in the final third, might be enough to keep them up if they win “six-pointers” against weak defenses. 18th
Stoke City
Can these European lads do it on a cold Thursday night in the Britannia? We ask it of Messi, of Xavi, of Ibrahimovic. This is the regard in which Stoke are now held. Pulis’ side require the utmost strength to beat, and now they’re about to take their game to Europe. No plaudits are enough for these lads. Now that technique has been added to their physicality in the form of Matty Etherington and Jermaine Pennant, and a solid defence with Matthew Upson on board, Stoke no longer look in anyway a Championship side and are on course to become Premiership stalwarts.
Strengths: The long-throw of Rory Delap, the pace of Matty Etherington, and the colossal centre-half pairing of Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth supplemented by Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson.
Weaknesses: Kenwyne Jones is not enough to lead the line, nor is Jon Walters. They rely on their defenders for goals.
Bottom line: They don’t have a big squad, and European football will tire these lads out. Nevertheless, they’ll learn something and be a better rounded force next year – but this year 10th.
Sunderland
Steve Bruce has got a big, fat head goes the beloved terrace tune. Since selling Jordan Henderson and Darren Bent, he’s also got a big fat wallet. He’s nabbed Craig Gardner, highly-pursued teenager Connor Wickham, Swedish delivery-boy Seb Larrson, as well as the invaluable experience of John O’ Shea and the less valuable experience of Wes Brown. Add to that the Premier League’s best dancer in Asamoah Gyan and other impressive players like Phil Bardsley and Sessegnon – and you’ve got yourself a damn fine squad. Will certainly be the envy of bitter neighbours Newcastle.
Strengths: Quality in every first XI spot, likely to start brightly.
Weaknesses: They run out of quality fast. Failed to make the loans of Danny Welbeck, Nedum Onuoha and Sulley Muntari permanent. They did however get.. Ahmed Elmohammady. Lack of quality in depth is conducive to a typically Sunderland run of poor results.
Bottom line: How well they finish depends on how well they start, because they’re destined to taper off. 9th.
Swansea parade their new signings at the same time as they release their financial statement
Swansea City
The Swans. The Welsh Dragons. This year’s Blackpool. Whatever you call them, you want to be nice about them. Nevertheless, this side has about as much of a chance as Blackpool did last season, and in finishing 18th Blackpool overachieved. Swansea have lost some of last season’s contributors like Darren Pratley (to Bolton) and Gorka Pintado. However, in Danny Graham and Scott Sinclair, they have over 40 Championship goals between them. Nevertheless, when your players are eager to leave after you’ve been promoted, it does not inspire much faith.
Strengths: The speed and creativity of Scott Sinclair, a lot of heart, a lot of momentum, and the desire to do Wales proud.
Weaknesses: They don’t have a single player good enough for the Premiership, and spent the summer pursuing Trezeguet, Gouvu, and Senna with no luck.
Bottom line: Bottom line sums this up well, because when you see the league table you’ll know where to look. The bottom line. 20th
Tottenham Hotspur
‘Arry ‘as ‘ad a ‘eadscratcher of a window. Brad Friedel in? We expected better of England’s greatest wheeler-dealer since Del Boy. Talk of signing Hulk and Fernando Llorente appears to be utterly unfounded and it seems as though Daniel Levy is tightening the purse strings. Their best player made it abundantly clear that he wants out, and when Chelsea don’t see fit to pay over 30 million for your best player.. It’s again going to be up to Michael Dawson, Luka Modric, Rafa Van Der Vaart and a crocked Gareth Bale to offset the ineffectiveness of Tottenham’s strikers. It would seem as though 14 minutes of their 15 minutes of fame are up.
Strengths: Sheer quality going forward from the midfield, albeit of Lennon, Modric, Bale and VDV, you wouldn’t want any sponsoring a fitness video.
Weaknesses: Redknapp hasn’t been allowed to do what he does best, spend. It’s an unfit team of players who play on confidence. They’re lucky that Everton don’t have the money to strengthen either.
Bottom line: 6th, but they won’t come close to the top five this year. Soon to fall back among Villa, Everton et al.
Brom's star man Peter Odemwingie
West Bromwich Albion
Another twist in the mystery that is Roy Hodgson. The man with the Midas touch, as long as what he’s touching has never had any success in the past. There’s quality in West Brom’s ranks. Ben Foster made the most saves of any keeper in the Prem last year, and Chris Brunt is never shy of goals or assists. With frequent scorers Peter Odemwingie and Shane Long up top, with the maestro of mediocrity at the helm, West Brom could surge into the top half and shake their rep as a yo-yo club.
Strengths: They have no immediate weaknesses.
Weaknesses: They have no immediate strengths.
Bottom line: To finish in the top half, Roy will have to finally shelve his fear of playing away. No pressure on West Brom, they’re far better than the relegation candidates. Perfect atmosphere for progression 12th.
Wigan Athletic
It’s not easy for Wigan. They play in a city that only cares about rugby, they struggle to keep their best players, and nearly no credit for remaining in the Premier League on nothing but the the hard-work and pure football ethics of Roberto Martinez. It’s his football naivete that makes Wigan both better to watch than their bottom half counterparts, and also more likely to lose. While they had some wonderful footballers last season in James McCarthy, Tom Cleverly, Charles N’zogbia and Hugo Rodallego, they’ve lost 50% of that talent this summer.
Strengths: They play good football and do really well against a team that’s having a bad day.
Weaknesses: Don’t have the quality to break down a solid defence through pure football, will have even less quality this season.
Bottom line: Martinez’s men have walked the road to Wigan Pier and this season they’ll probably jump off of it. 19th
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy
Wolves
Wolves are always down there in the bottom three, but I’m ending this season preview by tipping them for my surprise package this year. This is a team built on tireless work and industry in the form of George Elokobi, Karl Henry, Stephen Hunt and Kevin Doyle. Last season, Wolves doled defeats out onto each of Man United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal and showed unbelievable mettle at the end of the season. New signing Roger Johnson should shore up their defence alongside Richard Stearman – and I think Wolves will be the first of the lower echelons to save their arses from the baconslicer, if you’ll excuse Mick McCarthy’s language.
Strengths: Tireless. All players for the big occasion. Into the opposition for the word ‘go’.
Weaknesses: A lack of technical ability that makes it hard for them to pull defenses apart. Need at least one player with creative flair.
Bottom line: Should make a stride forward this season, the promoted teams are weak enough that Wolves should be capable of picking up points even when they aren’t playing the best teams in the league. 14th.
