It is that time of year.
A time of year where Americans gear up for pennant races and NFL training camps.
Across the pond there is a buzz from Carlisle to Brighton.
It is time for the English Premier League to kick off. Here are my predictions for the upcoming EPL campaign.
20. Birmingham- The Brummies have always had a tough time staying in the top flight. This season will be no different. Their mission is simple, scratch and claw their way out of relegation. Unfortunately the additions of Barry Ferguson and Christian Benitez will not be enough to keep the Blues in the Premiership.
19. Portsmouth- It has been an awful summer for Pompey. The team lacks the financial stability needed to be a consistent contender in the Premier League. The team that won the FA Cup is pretty much gone. David James is still a great keeper and may be able to steal a few points here or there but it won't be enough to salvage this campaign. Pompey supporters can blame it on location. They just lack the resources to stay afloat, and now the EPL's southernmost team seems to be heading south into the Championship after this season.
18. Bolton Wanderers- Most would say Bolton has enough to make it through the season and stay in top flight football. I beg to differ. The Trotters did not do enough this summer to convince me that they will remain in the EPL. The signing of Zat Knight should help stabilize the back line but, it won't be enough to keep the Whites out of the Red.
17. Hull City- The Tigers made headlines across the pond last year with an incredible start to the season. A great start had the Tigers and their supporters believing that they could in fact play European Football this year. Those thoughts were dashed in the winter however, and Hull's focus was mainly on sticking around in the EPL. The Tigers barely escaped relegation and found themselves back in the Premier League for one more year. The addition of Jozy Altidore will help the Tigers stay in the Premier League. Look out for Altidore to thrive in a low-risk, high-reward situation at KC Stadium.
16. Burnley- It has been 33 years since Burnley has been playing in the top league in England. And for the Clarets and their supporters, they won't let this go to waste. Owen Coyle is a very good manager and will have Burnley ready for an incredibly tough start to the schedule. They take on 4 of the top 5 finishers in the EPL last year. If they can survive that start, they will turn heads.
15. Wolves- The champions of the Championship (love it) made some great moves this summer to make sure they could hang with the big boys. Marcus Hahnemann, Kevin Doyle, and Ronald Zubar will make Wolves the best of the recently promoted teams in the league. This team has the capability to upset some of the EPL's top teams and also has the capability to lose to some of the worst teams. Look for Wolves to have the most inconsistent season in the EPL.
14. Blackburn Rovers- The Rovers didn't wow anyone with their signings this summer, and won't wow anyone with their play in the upcoming season. They lost Roque Santa Cruz, who will be tough to replace, but they did sign a few depth defenders who could help solidify the back four at Ewood Park. I don't think they will ever really be in relegation danger, but they won't be in the top 10 either.
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