European Football – Pre-Season Roundtable – Part One
Posted by on 08.15.2008
Can Wayne Rooney start scoring some league goals and help Man Utd win their third Premier League trophy in a row? Will Big Phil be a big success at Stamford Bridge? Will Luka Modric and Samir Nasri be too small for the Prem? Can QPR’s money win them The Championship? Will Brentford win the Carling Cup? Some of these questions answered in our annual staff roundtable ahead of the brand new football season. One click away.
Football is back. No more bullshit friendly matches with the competitive edge of a snail race – this is the real deal. We'll be previewing the European leagues and Champions League in part two, but right now myself, Matt Snelling, Morgan Marx and Lotfi Sariahmed look ahead to the competitions in England, including the Premier League.
It's go time...
ENGLAND
Tim O'Sullivan
PREMIER LEAGUE
Champions – Arsenal
I've got so much shit for this pick. In the office, in the pub, on 411......well everywhere. Anyone who knows I've made this pick has slated me. I'm sticking by it, though. It seems like people have just forgotten how close they were last season. It would have been slightly easier to predict this if Arsenal kept Flamini and bought Zapata, but I'm still not-so-quietly confident. Nasri could be epic, Walcott might be ready, Rosicky and Eduardo are in-line to return, Fabregas is some sort of superhero, Van Persie may not get injured, Gallas is pumped, Clichy and Sagna are incredible, and Adebayor is better than we think. Do we really know more than the top dogs at Milan and Barcelona? Can we be that arrogant? No.
Second – Chelsea
No longer can we say that Inter Milan have the strongest squad in Europe. Mainly because they don't. They clearly don't. This Chelsea team look exceptionally impressive on paper and they will be unbelievably pumped after last season's multiple tears. Seriously, they were everywhere – floods of them. They should probably be favourites for this title and it wouldn't surprise anyone if they did it, but I feel they'll suffer in the Champions League weeks more than anyone else. It was a huge plus keeping Lamps, though. Slate him all you like, but he'll get them so many points this season.
Third – Manchester United
I questioned United in the other preview, but still put them second. In hindsight I think I doubt them enough to put them third. Ferdinand and Vidic are too good to let more than three goals go past them this season – erm, probably – but I still doubt them in attack until that gimpy Portuguese dude returns.
Fourth – Liverpool
Ah, Liverpool. I watched the Arsenal game on Wednesday but apparently Rafa's men were utter toilet. Despite always hinting at making a challenge for the title they always fall short. They'll probably make a stronger effort this season, but ultimately it's evident they'll fail once again. For me, the Dossena signing was good, but aside from that they should have put the rest of the transfer pot on two superb wingers. Mancini would have been a great coup, but he went to Inter for under £10 million, and then someone like Quaresma, Downing or Riera could have filled the second spot. Then they play Gerrard, Masch and Xabi in the middle and leave El Nino on his own up front. As long as Gerrard powers forward and the wingers attack, that would have been devastating. The defence is strong enough. Alas, that didn't happen and it looks like fourth again.
Fifth – Tottenham
Last season everyone got carried away, but they look like the real deal this time. I still feel like the Corluka signing would have been superb for them and that they need a defensive midfielder to shore everything up, but aside from that they look the most dangerous threat to the big four in years.
Sixth – Aston Villa
It's been a monster week in the transfer market for O'Neill, and for that reason they've got to be the strong favourites for sixth. They may even have the class for fifth.
Relegated Trio – Blackburn, Stoke, Hull
There's no rule that says the three promoted sides can't go straight back down, but I respect Tony Mowbray enough to back West Brom for survival. That leaves one of Blackburn, Fulham, Wigan or Bolton to join the duo that everyone seems to agree is doomed. I keep changing my mind, but Blackburn's squad's been depleted enough for me to pick them.
Surprise Package – Middlesbrough
As I said in the preview, I like Boro on their best day. In terms of team football unity and tactics they are one of the only teams that can give the big four a real game. They need to drastically improve their consistency, but if they do I see them surprising some doubters of Southgate's funny little head.
Star of the Season – Cesc Fabregas - Arsenal
If I'm predicting Arsenal to win the league I'm guessing that one of Wenger's starlets will rise to become the best player in the league. Fabregas is an incredible player. Yes, I slated him in an article for Arsenal fanzine ‘THE GOONER' in March, but that was because his form had dipped below his exceptional standards. However, a better performance in the final and he would have been crowned the Euro 2008 player of the tournament off the freakin' bench! The fella is a rare breed. His intelligence and awareness is second to none in the central midfield role, and on his day there's no one better right now.
One to Watch – Michael Essien - Chelsea
The Ghana midfielder is one of the best players in the world on his day, but that seems to have been forgotten amidst all the position changing last season. If Scolari's as good as everyone says he is then he'll utilise Essien properly.
Golden Boot Winner – Fernando Torres
Emmanuel Adebayor has a far better chance of repeating last season's individual stats than critics are giving him credit for, and we should expect better seasons from Rooney and Drogba, but it's El Nino who looks head and shoulders above the rest right now. He can disappear for 89 minutes, but it's that second of genius that will win Liverpool games and put him in a higher bracket than everyone else.
Best Summer Signing – Heurelho Gomes to Tottenham
I really wanted him to join the Arsenal. He's an exceptional keeper, and what's invaluable about him is that he's a match-winner. Not many players wearing the No.1 jersey can claim to be that influential, but I honestly think this lad is that damn good.
Worst Summer Signing – El-Hadji Diouf to Sunderland
He's a bad egg. It's as simple as that. I don't care how cheap he was. He's an idiot.
FA Cup Winners – Manchester United
Only a crazy game against Pompey stopped them last season and you've got to fancy them doing well when they take it more serious than any of the other big four. It may sound hard to believe, but think about what the other three do.
Carling Cup Winners – Sunderland
Keano can't expect anything better than mid-table in the league, so this competition could be taken really seriously. The further they get the bigger the nights will be at the Stadium of Light, too. Tricky game in round two, though.
Three teams to be promoted from The Championship – Birmingham, Reading, Crystal Palace
I don't trust Iain Dowie enough to back QPR, but with their squad and potential further signings, but I guess they could surprise some people and back-up the bookies faith. I'll go with Birmingham because of their squad, and the other two for their managers.
Matt Snelling
PREMIER LEAGUE
Champions – Chelsea
Last time out you could barely squeeze anything between the top two as they seemed so evenly matched, albeit with their respective talents in different areas. Once again this season I think things will be desperately close and find it really hard to separate Chelsea and Manchester United. I am going to put my head on the block and go for Chelsea to just pip their opponents to top spot due to the Scolari factor. They came so close last season with effectively no-one in charge, meaning that with a ‘proper' manager in place that could be all the difference. Looking at their team then there is the potential that they could play a really narrow midfield (Lampard, Essien, Ballack and Deco) but with the width provided by Bosingwa (a good buy) and Ashley Cole at fullback, with Essien dropping in as a third centre back when this happens. Well that's the way I think they could play, but what do I know?
Second – Manchester United
As I have already said I think it's going to be so tight between the top two again that I can see a situation where Manchester United come out on top. The whole Ronaldo thing has been incredibly tedious this summer and I think it's not all the sweetness and light many may think now he has decided ever so graciously to come out and say he wants to stay. If you look at what he says then he's basically committed to another season and methinks that next summer it will all come around again as he clearly wants to play for Madrid. As for the rest of the team, well there's not really been much change, which is hardly surprising given how good the team was last year. It still looks as if another central striker would round things off nicely but the defence is still unbelievably tight and the way they play is enough to blow most other teams in the league away. If they don't win it, then they will come very, very close.
Third – Arsenal
I think one of the most intriguing battles (as much as a battle for who can be the best loser is intriguing) is going to be for the 3rd place spot. Just as I am finding it hard to separate Man Utd and Chelsea, it is also hard to find a huge gap between the other 2 members of the ‘top 4'. Much as Arsenal came very close last year, realistically, I still see the Premiership title race coming down to the top 2 from last year and so Liverpool and Arsenal will once again be fighting it out for the spots just behind them. Both squads seem to have their own clearly defined strengths and weaknesses. Arsenal have lost Hleb and Flamini and to me the squad looks a bit light. A lot of Arsenal's young players are very talented but they ran out of steam last year and I feel once again they could do with some more depth. Nasri is a good addition and a classic Wenger player. People are hoping he can replace the Work of Hleb but it would be very useful for the Gunners if he could become something of the new Pires, although he is far from prolific. For Arsenal it is imperative that they try and keep Robin Van Persie fit as he could be the difference between them having a ‘good season' and a ‘great season'.
Fourth – Liverpool
A lot of my views here are in my explanation on who I believe will finish 3rd, but as it stands I still see Liverpool as not having enough to be winning the league. The signing of Robbie Keane, I think will end up being a very good one and I can see him linking very well with Torres by playing just off him, almost adopting a ‘Beardsley/Sheringham' role and I think it will be a strike pairing that will score a lot of goals. Dossena and Degen are solid acquisitions at fullback but you still can't help thinking that these aren't the kind of signings to win you the title. Personally I can't figure out Benitez's continued desire to sign Gareth Barry (it might have happened by the time you read this). Don't get me wrong, I think he's a really good player but is he really worth the hassle of trying to find a buyer for Alsonso just to pay 18 million for? I think Liverpool would be better served by going for some wingers, and felt they should have focussed on getting David Bentley rather than Barry. Bottom line, the spine of the team (Reina, Carragher, Mascherano, Gerrad and Torres) is still incredibly strong but I still don't think they have enough to go to that next level just yet.
Fifth – Tottenham Hotspur
This is a position that many expected Tottenham to be in last year and they ended up finishing 11th (a position a lot of Tottenham fans seem to have forgotten about). Ramos is a very good manager and there were signs last season that he was starting to stamp his authority on the club and make some significant strides. However much will depend on the defence and goalkeeper, who were all uniformly terrible for Spurs last time out. Once again a lot of money has been spent. Gomes in goal is eccentric and unpredictable but is a good keeper and it was clear that Robinson needed to be moved on. Bentley and Modric are both excellent buys and Tottenham's midfield is now ludicrously talented in terms of some of the players they can call upon, although once again the lack of a strong holding midfield player seems to have been overlooked. They have lost Keane but still have Berbatov so once again goals will not be hard to come by, it's at the other end that they need to shape up. The talent they have means 5th place is highly achievable but as always with Spurs you always get the feeling that they can self destruct at any minute.
Sixth – Portsmouth
I am not the biggest fan of either Peter Crouch or Jermain Defoe and don't think either is good enough for the international scene, but in the Premiership this is a partnership that in my eyes will score a stack of goals. Indeed considering Portsmouth had one of the tightest defences and goalkeepers' last time out the addition of some goals (which were sorely missing last time out) should mean a strong season this time around. It remains to be seen how much of a loss Sulley Muntari will be but Portsmouth with the nous of Harry Redknapp look good to build on last season's FA Cup win and have another good season.
Relegated Trio – Middlesbrough, Stoke City and Hull City
As usual, you have to look at the promoted clubs and figure that they are likely to struggle. Hull are a lot of peoples favourite to ‘do a Derby' but I think that is greatly insulting to Hull and indeed a lot of other clubs who have come up over the years, have spent less than Derby did (as Hull have done thus far) and yet still managed to be competitive and actually win games. Anyway back to the topic at hand, Hull seem to have bought with the expectation that they will not bankrupt the club and will come back stronger after the inevitable relegation, which if it as it appears is a damning indictment of the current state of English football but also perfectly understandable. With Hull, it's hard to see where the goals are going to come from and they have signed Bernard Mendy who I found this lovely quote about from the Guardian: "Bernard Mendy, who, alas, last week marked his debut for the Tigers by living up to his reputation as the French Titus Bramble, conceding two penalties and missing one in a 4-0 friendly defeat by Crewe. Oh Jesus".
Stoke have made a good signing with Dave Kitson, and spending 5 million on him shows admirable ambition and intent but again you just feel like they wont have enough. Their direct and ‘uncompromising' style of play will have to be changed a bit as that wont cut it in the Premiership but you can see it inflicting a bit of damage on some shaky defences like Tottenham and Newcastle's. I think West Brom have just enough to stay up but it's going to be very tough for them and they wont be able to play like ‘the Arsenal of the Championship' that they did last year. Learning to defend set pieces would be a start. Then you have the other usual suspects like Fulham, Wigan and the like. I think Blackburn could fair really badly this season under Ince but for the other side to go down, much as I am a fan of Gareth Southgate I look at Boro's squad and it looks awfully shaky. I think they are going to need a lot out of Afonso Alves if they are to stay up but I can really see them struggling.
Surprise Package – Stoke City & Hull City
I know, I know it sounds odd to put two teams as surprise packages who I am predicting to go down but I think they will surprise in how well they will do. As I have said a lot of people are mentioning the teams in the same breaths as Derby last time out yet I think both will be competitive and upset a number of those sides outside the ‘top 4' who underestimate them or do not treat them with respect. Stoke especially can ruffle some expensive feathers and if they pull off the rumoured transfer coup of giant Serbian striker Nikola Zigic from Valencia then they have a real chance of causing a lot of damage to a number of people.
Star of the Season – Michael Essien
With Claude Makalele departed for PSG, Essien is set to be the man to play the holding midfield role in Chelsea's team. If Chelsea also play a little like I think they will ‘the Bison' will also be asked to play as something of a third centre half and thus a lot of responsibility is going to be on the mans shoulders. This though is something that he is easily capable of and I firmly believe that Chelsea stand a real chance of success on multiple fronts and that this season, Essien will evolve into the best, all round central midfield player in the world
One to Watch – Carlos Villanueva
Let me begin by clarifying this, this guy could also be a massive flop but lets go out on a limb and say that Carlos Villanueva could be an absolute star this season. The Chilean has initially signed on loan and possesses some phenomenal skills as well as a sumptuous left foot. An attacking midfielder or winger, he could set the Premiership alight if given the chance, although the disclaimer at the beginning is because he is still fairly slight and may not be up to the physical battering he is going to get at ‘Bolton away' and the like. Also his nickname in Chile is ‘Cabeza de Piña' or ‘pineapple head'. Let's just hope for my sake that he's not the next Jason Lee.
Golden Boot Winner – Fernando Torres
Cristiano Ronaldo's goal return last season was absolutely phenomenal but I just can't see him replicating it to such a degree this year, especially given that he is still recovering from his ankle injury. Last season Torres hit the ground running and outside of a fully fit and functional Didier Drogba he is the most complete striker in the League. Playing with Robbie Keane this season and buoyed by the success he enjoyed with Spain this summer, Torres is going to be a force to be reckoned with and I can see him if he stays fit and doesn't fall victim to Rafa's infamous rotation policy reaching the magical 30 goal mark in the Premiership. With so many slow, ponderous and awful defenders in the Premiership the Spaniard should help himself to a sack full.
Best Summer Signing – Deco
His performances for Portugal at Euro 2008 showed that he still has gas in the tank and to be getting a 2 time Champions League winner (albeit one over 30) with the skills that Deco has for around 8 million is really good business in my opinion. He may not be the fastest or the strongest but he has a fantastic football brain and an eye for the impossible pass. He is also far tougher than people give him credit for and in his first two seasons at the Nou Camp was absolute class. Really good to see a player who relies far more on actual talent rather than physical attributes get a chance in the Premier League
Worst Summer Signing – Bobby Zamora/Luke Moore
It's hard to think of some real stinkers as some of the usual suspects (Newcastle, Middlesbrough, West Ham) have been fairly quiet whilst serial offenders Tottenham actually seem to have bought well and Lawrie Sanchez is no longer in employment. Let's see then… Quite why Younes Kaboul has been in such high demand is beyond me (did no-one actually see him play last year???) but if we take into consideration a fee as well Bobby Zamora seems ridiculously overpriced given the fact that I can't imagine John Pantsil contributes much to their combined 6.3 million price tag. At least I hope not. Quite why West Brom have felt the need to spend 3 million on Luke Moore either, given that he's absolutely rubbish and just a ‘rich man's Kevin Lisbie' I don't know either.
FA Cup Winners – Everton
Last season we saw a crazy FA Cup and finally saw some of the other teams getting a chance at a tilt at glory and refreshingly there was none of the ‘top 4' in sight. Optimistically then lets hope that happens again and another team can take the trophy. Under David Moyes, Everton have been so impressive in the league but absolutely woeful in the Cup, regularly going out to League 1 teams. This season though amid all the turmoil here's where they will get their hands on a trophy, and who knows by the time the final comes along in May they might have actually signed someone…
Carling Cup Winners – Chelsea
Long are the days when no-one cared about the League Cup, it's almost like we've gone full circle. Because everyone needs that trophy, craves it to justify their position as a ‘big club' or all the money they have spent, the Carling Cup is now super important. Witness the last few winners and finalists, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool - they are all there (even if they were kind enough to let one of the small clubs win it last season). Under Mourinho Chelsea liked to win everything and I think Scolari will be the same. What's more, the Carling Cup was the first trophy of the Abramovich reign and it set the tone for what was to follow, I can see ‘Big Phil' and Chelsea making sure they do their best to make it happen again. What's more, even when Chelsea play their reserves it looks like a first team given the squad they have.
Three teams to be promoted from The Championship – Reading, Birmingham City, Sheffield United
Well I certainly hope that Crystal Palace are going to be in amongst this lot, but personal bias aside I just don't think we have the strength in depth that these other teams have. Thinking objectively then, Birmingham have four of the best players in the league (McFadden, Carsley, Phillips and Larsson) while Reading still have the majority of the squad them took them up a couple of years ago and in Steve Coppell, the most underrated manager in the country. Sheffield United were on fire at the end of last season and still have James Beattie to score the goals to get them up.
Morgan Marx
PREMIER LEAGUE
Champions – Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo is out for the first two months of the season. Wayne Rooney is battling a Nigerian virus. The Red Devils failed to add any major names this off season. Yet they remain the favorites to retain their EPL title. So long as Carlos Tevez can carry the strikeforce through the opening games, Man U should sit near the top when they return to full force. If a younger player, such as Fraizer Campbell, manages to surprise with a good run of form, perhaps they won't even struggle early.
Second – Chelsea
Given the choice, I'd rather have more world class players than less. But I'm wondering how Chelsea is going to sort out the midfield. By retaining Frank Lampard and signing Deco, they now have an abundance of central midfielders. Add in rumours of a swoop for Kaka, and one has to wonder whether Scolari will be able to spread enough playing time around. They have the talent to win the tile (as ever), but with a new coach, some unsettled players, and some very large egos, will team chemistry suffer?
Third – Arsenal
Last year, everyone (including myself) predicted an Arsenal free fall. Instead, inspired early play propelled the Gunners to the top of the table. After another post season exodus, will this be the year Arsenal slip out of the top four? So long as the young starlets produce, I don't think so. New signings such as Aaron Ramsey and Samir Nasri won't have to replace the likes of Hleb and Gilberto so long as returning players like Carlos Vela and Theo Walcott develop as they should.
Fourth – Liverpool
Is Gareth Barry that much better than Xabi Alonso, arguably the best passer in England? I don't understand Liverpool's obsession with adding the Villa captain at the expense of its own players. I love the addition of Robbie Keane, but the depth at forward takes a sheer drop down to modified midfielder Dirk Kuyt and the rarely used Andriy Voronin
Fifth – Aston Villa
With or without Gaz Baz, Villa has the depth to make a push for a Champions League spot. The addition of Steve Sidwell to midfield that already features Barry, Nigel Reo-Coker and Isaiah Osbourne (he's really good in Worldwide Soccer Manager 2008) bolsters the middle of the pitch. So long as the defence can make up for the loss of Olof Mellberg, and the Team American net minders can keep some clean sheets, Villa can erase thoughts of Tottenham's emergence.
Sixth – Portsmouth
After two solid seasons in the Prem (and a surprise FA cup victory), can Portsmouth make a move for Europe? As the last remaining peter Crouch fan, I hope his new partnership with Jermain Defoe spells goals (and keeps David Nugent burried on the bench). The loss of Sulley Muntari might hurt, and the age of the back five is an issue, but Portsmouth has an intriguing mix of Big Four cast-offs, young foreigners, and over achieving veterans.
Relegated Trio – Hull, Middlesbrough, Stoke
The newbies aren't particularly surprising. Hull added a few notable players (I like the Boateng addition), but still rely on too many second tier men. Stoke are probably this year's Derby. Middlesbrough leave me baffled. Do they even have enough of a squad to make it through the season? How can you enter the Prem with a goalkeeping trio made up of Ross Turnbull, Brad Jones, and Jason Steele? How can you let go of Lee Cattermole? I like Tuncay, but otherwise, what a mess…
Surprise Package – Fulham
Now, I'm not suggesting that Fulham are going to push for a top half finish. But with expectations so low, I think America East can stay out of the relegation zone. There are a lot of ifs involved: if the stars (Bullard, Johnson, Murphy) stay healthy, if Mark Schwarzer is the answer in net, if Bobby Zamora can replace McBride, Fulham can achieve safety earlier than last season.
Star of the Season – Cesc Fabregas
At 21, Fabregas will be a veteran leader on an incredibly young team. After a season in which he scored 13 goals and added 24 assists in all competitions, the Spaniard will have to be equally productive if Arsenal is to outshine predictions. In Ronaldo's absence, Fabregas can stake his claim as the best young player based in England.
One to Watch – Denilson
Can the young Brazilian replace the impact of his countryman, Gilberto Silva? Arsene Wenger's "youth first" mentality depends on the performance of players like Denilson, Vela, and Walcott. While the strikers are buoyed by the presence of Adebayor, Van Persie, and Bendtner, Denilson doesn't have that same safety net. Someone has to play the role of holding midfielder, and all eyes will be on Denilson early on.
Golden Boot Winner – Fernando Torres
Another player to benefit from the absence of Ronaldo and his Day-Glo tan. If Keane supplies the through balls, Fro Torres can tuck them away. With some of his biggest competitors absent or ailing (Drogba), Torres can capture the title of top scorer. If it weren't for Cristiano's remarkable run last season, he might already have done it.
Best Summer Signing – Heurelho Gomes
With al the new signings at Tottenham, I think the addition of Gomes sticks out. Last season, Tottenham scored more goals than both Chelsea and Everton. Unfortunately, they let in more than Fulham and almost as many as Reading. At PSV, Gomes kept clean sheets in 60 percent of his league games (thanks Wikipedia!). If he can continue that same level of goal keeping, perhaps Tottenham might finally make that upper echelon push.
Worst Summer Signing – David Bentley
With all the new signings at Tottenham, I think the addition of Bentley sticks out. This isn't necessarily a reflection on Bentley; he's a perfectly serviceable player. But Tottenham already has Aaron Lennon and just signed Luca Modric for 16 million pounds. Adding Bentley for 15 million seems redundant. Bentley will add a few goals and over 10 assists. But for that much money, couldn't you have signed something more?
FA Cup Winners – Aston Villa
Why not?
Carling Cup Winners – Arsenal
Sure, they're due.
Three teams to be promoted from The Championship – Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton, Reading
Who knows? Wolves have been knocking on the door for a bit and Palace lost out in the playoffs last season. Of the Prem rejects, Reading kept most of its squad together, which might mean a quick return to the big league.
Lotfi Sariahmed
PREMIER LEAGUE
Champions – Manchester United
Why not? They're bringing back essentially the same team that won the double last year. Looking to the other big four clubs I can't really see where anyone else has improved that much. Is Robbie Keane really going to help out Liverpool that much? Chelsea's the only other pick you can really make but I just don't buy Scolari having that big of a positive impact on this team. I'll go on about Chelsea in my 2nd place blurb on them.
Second – Chelsea
They clearly have at least the 2nd most talented team. But can Scolari handle this team when/if it blows up again? How will he handle a rough stretch from the Blues? That's just one of a BUNCH of questions I have about this team. Where will Deco fit in if at all since Lampard is staying with Chelsea? There's a lot of talk about Robinho coming in which would obviously be a great signing but I would (reasonably) expect Man United to counter that when/if they bring in Berbatov to add to the attack. More than really anything else though, it's hard for me to pick Chelsea to win the league when they have so many new pieces in place and the team ahead of them won the double.
Third – Liverpool
In the race for third place, Liverpool will once again do battle with Arsenal. This year I think if Rafa's bunch doesn't take at least third there will be problems at Anfield. Keane and Torres will make each other better strikers which is scary considering how good Torres was last year. Bringing in Keane along with Arsenal's losses should make Liverpool an easy pick for the third spot. But then again Rafa Benitez is crazy so who knows.
Fourth – Arsenal
Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb and Gilberto Silva can't simply be replaced by Samir Nasri, Aaron Ramsey, Carlos Vela and whomever else you want to plug in. I understand Flamini's performance was a very welcome surprise last season but he was part of the reason the team played as well as it did for so long. On top of that, don't forget that their bench played out of their minds for the good part of last year. They'll have the same problem this year with the bench. Don't get me wrong, I love Nasri and what he could bring to the team but it won't be enough to get into the Top 3 without the other three teams having problems.
Fifth – Tottenham
David Villa or no David Villa, you can't crack into the Top 4 in the Premiership hoping you beat your opponents 5-4 night in and night out. I like the team offensively but their back 4 still stinks.
Sixth – Portsmouth
Call it a hunch, but this is mainly because I don't think that much of the other teams competing in this spot. I'm not a fan of Peter Crouch but the rest of the team should be good enough to get sixth.
Relegated Trio – Wigan, Fulham, Hull
Because Fulham lost too much, Wigan should have been last year and I don't know if Hull's ready for Premiership.
Surprise Package – Arsenal's Midfield
I can't pull the trigger on Arsenal being a Top 3 team comparing its losses with the other three teams in front of them. That said, I don't want to doubt what Arsene Wenger can do given his past history. If Arsenal does crack into the Top 3 or Top 2 it will be because of another big performance out of its midfield and I'm not talking about Fabregas here. Obviously the big questions are Nasri, Ramsey and Vela among others. Given what Arsenal is going into this season with in the middle, a top 2 or 3 finish means that midfield did very well again.
Star of the Season – Carlos Tevez—Man United
With both Ronaldo and Rooney out for at least some part of the start of the season and with Berbatov having yet to come to Man U (as of this writing), someone has to score goals for Man U. Tevez will be the catalyst for the Red Devils early in the season helping them stay near the top of the table. People will forget about him come the end but Tevez will be just as important as anyone else on that team this season.
One to Watch – Giovani dos Santos—Tottenham
Samuel Eto'o says he's too good for Tottenham. The former Barcelona wunderkind will get to show everyone if that is indeed the case this season and he should have ample opportunity to show what he's got. With Keane off to Liverpool and Berbatov possibly going to Man U, that leaves Bent and dos Santos as the main attacking options for Tottenham. Even if David Villa comes in, dos Santos should get ample opportunity to prove himself and it should be fun to watch.
Golden Boot Winner – Fernando Torres
With Ronaldo out early Torres will be able to get out to a sizeable lead. Adebayor doesn't have the pieces around him this season to put up the same numbers. So Torres can and should win this Golden Boot especially considering the summers best signing will only make him better.
Best Summer Signing – Robbie Keane to Liverpool
It's hard to imagine El Nino getting any better than he was last season, but he should do just that with Robbie Keane coming over from Tottenham. It's not too hard to figure out what bringing in a scorer like Keane does for Torres. All of a sudden opposing defences have two dangerous strikers to worry about and very few teams have the stud back four to stop both Keane and Torres. It should be fun to watch.
Worst Summer Signing – Peter Crouch—Portsmouth
I'm sorry but I have always thought Crouch was absurdly overrated even in limited duty as a striker for Liverpool. I think he'll prove that in his first season with Portsmouth failing to live up to expectations.
FA Cup Winners – Tottenham
After last year's tournament it goes without saying that this is a bit of a crapshoot. Who's taking this tournament more seriously and who's looking toward other competitions? It's hard for me to think any one of the top four will be that set on winning the FA (or the Carling Cup for that matter) as their goals always lie on winning the league and/or Champions League. So I think that leaves the door open for a team on that second tier to win one of these Cups. I think Tottenham is a team that's put themselves in a position to win the Cup.
Carling Cup Winners – Portsmouth
Basically the same reasoning as Tottenham winning the FA Cup just figured I'd switch it up and I didn't want to pick Everton.
Three teams to be promoted from The Championship – Birmingham, Reading, Cardiff
I can't honestly say I have a reasonable explanation for these three teams. Two of them were obviously just relegated and as for Cardiff…well why not?
