Premier League Preview 2010/11

As the new Premier League season draws nearer, it's time to look at how the 20 teams that will grace England's top division might fare in the coming season.

Premier League fans will be hoping to quickly forget the woeful performance of the England team in South Africa by getting engrossed into the real passion of club football.

So who's who in 2010?

Arsenal

The London side have not won a trophy in five years and it has been even longer since they lifted the Premier League crown—since 2004.

They have gotten into a habit of starting well, full of promise, and ending poorly, dropping away and out of the title race by the end of March.

Arsene Wenger continues to argue that his side are in it until it is mathematically impossible, but he seems to be the only deluded one.

The Gunners have the makings of a good side and although Arsene’s reserved approach to the transfer market has been questioned in recent years, his latest crop of young players look certain to shine.

Their season will rely heavily on whether they can keep hold of captain Cesc Fabregas to supply Robin van Persie. This season could also see the breakthrough of promising youngster Jack Wilshere.

The signing of Marouane Chamakh on a free transfer may prove to be a shrewd bit of business as the striker is highly rated in Europe.

Prediction: 5th
(Last season: 3rd)

Key Man: Cesc Fabregas
One to Watch: Jack Wilshere

In: Laurent Kosielny (Lorient), Marouane Chamakh (Bourdeaux)
Out: Sol Campbell (Newcastle), Eduardo (Shakhtar Donetsk), Philippe Senderos (Fulham)

Aston Villa

Aston Villa have been making steady progress under the guidance of Martin O’Neill. The former Celtic manager has turned the club around since taking over in 2006, taking the club from the bottom half of the table to genuine Champions League contenders.

He has shown a knack for developing young, homegrown talent, nurturing the progress of Ashley Young, Gabby Agbonlahor, and James Milner to name a few. Youngster Nathan Delfouneso made a few appearances at the back end of last season and will be hoping to force his way into the first team.

Last season Villa finished in sixth place for the second year running, qualifying for the Europa League. They also reached the Carling Cup final losing to Manchester United, and the semi-final of the FA Cup, eventually succumbing to Chelsea.

Unfortunately for O’Neill, his side’s progress is being hampered by the disloyalty of his top players. Last season he lost captain Gareth Barry to Manchester City. This summer he is facing a similar problem with star James Milner.

The youngst Milner is looking to join Barry at Eastlands, which will put Aston Villa back another season—something Martin O’Neill cannot afford to do. He feels that by holding onto Milner he will have a real chance of pushing his side into the Champions League next year, but losing him will only see Manchester City stretch their advantage.

Prediction: 8th
(Last Season: 6th)

Key Man: James Milner/Ashley Young
One to Watch: Nathan Delfouneso

In: -
Out: Wilfred Bouma (Released)

Birmingham City

It was a surprising return to the top flight last year for the Brummies, finishing in ninth position after being hotly tipped for relegation last summer.

Alex McLeish made a number of shrewd signings last summer, notably the capture of Roger Johnson and Scott Dann in what many considered the signings of the season. The two youngsters cost a combined £7 million and made the step up from the Championship almost flawlessly. There was also the loan signing of Joe Hart, who was sensational in goal with 12 clean sheets, earning a World Cup call up with England.

Birmingham City’s season will be remembered for their 12-game unbeaten run that propelled them up the table and a home record that saw them losing only once at St. Andrews.

The coming season will be a chance to improve, but there will be the nagging fear of ‘second season syndrome.’ Deep down bluenoses will know the first objective is once again survival. They will also need to improve on their goals record: They scored only 38 goals in 38 games last season.

New acquisitions Ben Foster and Nikola Zigic have filled gaps in the squad and Big Eck will be hoping to get further financial backing from owner Carson Yeung as he aims to establish Birmingham in the Premier League.

Prediction: 10th
(Last Season: 9th)

Key Man: James McFadden
One to Watch: Jordan Mutch

In: Nikola Zigic (Valencia), Ben Foster (Man Utd), Enric Valles (NAC Breda)
Out: Lee Carsley (Coventry), Gary McSheffrey (Coventry), Franck Queudrue (Released), Christian Benitez (End of Loan)

Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn did not have the best of seasons in 09/10, flirting with the relegation zone in the early stages, before a late surge saw them finish in tenth position.

Sam Allardyce’s side are notoriously hard to break down and proved to be difficult opposition for many teams as they picked up their stride towards the end of the season. Notably, a 0-0 draw with Manchester United towards the end of the season may have ultimately handed the trophy to Chelsea.

Blackburn fans will be hoping their side can mount a push towards Europe next season and recapture the league form they have shown in previous years. Lead by the experience of captain David Dunn, there is no reason why Blackburn cannot continue to move up the table.

However, there is currently a gap opening between the top eight and the rest, but Blackburn could prove to be the team that finishes top of the chasing pack.

Prediction: 9th
(Last season: 10th)

Key Man: David Dunn
One to Watch: Aaron Doran

In: -
Out: Steven Reid (West Brom)

Blackpool

No one expected Blackpool to be competing in the Premier League this season, not even their eccentric manage Ian Holloway.

The Tangerines were one of the favourites for relegation from the Championship last year, but through shrewd business in the transfer market and sheer grit and determination, Blackpool snuck into the playoffs on the last day of the season. Still no one could have predicted that they would see off Nottingham Forest and Cardiff to claim their place among England’s elite.

Blackpool’s success in this league could rely heavily on the shoulders of the inspirational Charlie Adam, but they will need a lot of luck to stay up on a limited budget. I can’t see this tenure lasting more than a season.

Anything better than bottom would be considered a success, but if last season is anything to go by, Holloway will advise you to write them off at your peril.

Prediction: 20th
(Last Season: Championship Play-Off Winners)

Key Man: Charlie Adam
One to Watch: Stephen Husband

In: -
Out: Daniel Nardiello (Exeter City), Ben Burgess (Notts County), Hameur Bouazza (Released)

Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers were in serious trouble at the start of last season, looking like they were destined for a season-long relegation battle.

Gary Megson was sacked just before the turn of the year and Bolton brought in club hero Owen Coyle from Burnley to turn things around. Despite a shaky start, the Scot did just that, saving Bolton from relegation, eventually finishing 14th and nine points clear of the drop.

Bolton fans will expect more from their side this year, with one of the best young managers in the league at helm, there is no reason why Bolton can’t push further up the table and avoid safety with ease.

The club has already made some impressive summer signings including the capture of Martin Petrov from Manchester City, who could prove to be a brilliant bit of business on a free transfer.

Prediction: 13th
(Last Season: 14th)

Key Man: Kevin Davies
One to Watch: Marcos Alonso

In: Martin Petrov (Man City), Marcos Alonso (Real Madrid), Robbie Blake (Burnley)

Chelsea

The Premier League Champions will be hoping for more of the same this year as they look to defend their title.

Chelsea came out on top in a season-long dogfight with Manchester United, but in truth they were the far more deserving side. They rolled over numerous opponents, netting seven goals or more on a number of occasions. They also picked up the FA Cup, and Didier Drogba won the Golden Boot. However there is still one trophy that eludes them, the Champions League, and that may be their downfall this year.

There is a risk that after a third league title, Chelsea might switch focus to Europe and there is the risk that league form could suffer as a result. They will still be in the fight at the end of the season, but it could depend on whether they can secure a big name player to rejuvenate an aging squad.

Fernando Torres has been touted, but it’s starting to look increasingly likely that the Spaniard will stay at Liverpool.

Frank Lampard will be hoping to bounce back from a disappointing World Cup, and once again his form could dictate Chelsea’s season.

Prediction: 2nd
(Last Season: Champions)

Key Man: Frank Lampard
One to Watch: Gael Kakuta

In: Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool)
Out: Joe Cole (Liverpool), Juliano Belletti (Released), Michael Ballack (Bayer Leverkusen)

Everton

The Blue half of Merseyside will have been somewhat disappointed with last season despite finishing in a respectable eight position.

The first team to break the big four’s dominance in recent years were expected to once again push for a Champions League place, but a dismal start scuppered their chances and ultimately left them failing to even qualify for the Europa League.

Toffee’s fans will be confident they can improve on that position this year. With the quality of teams above them and the money being splashed by the likes of Tottenham and Manchester City, however, I can’t see them improving too much this year. If they can perform like they did in the second half of last season for 38 games, though, they might be capable of a surprise assault on the upper echelons of the table.

They will once again rely heavily on the fitness of Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta to propel them, but the emergence of Jack Rodwell will be important. Keeping the youngster away from the lure of Manchester United could be the most important thing David Moyes has done for the club. It will also be interesting to see how Jermaine Beckford copes with the step up from League One.

Prediction: 7th
(Last Season: 8th)

Key Man: Mikel Arteta
One to Watch: Jermaine Beckford

In: Jermaine Beckford (Leeds)
Out: Dan Gosling (Newcastle)

Fulham

This season could be a potential banana skin for the Cottagers after the loss of highly influential manager Roy Hodgson.

Last year was a magnificent season for the London club. Although they only managed to finish 12th in the league, they reached the Europa League final, only to lose in extra-time to Athletico Madrid.

Hodgson has been replaced by Mark Hughes, which is a great coup, but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to do as well as Roy Hodgson on a modest budget with a modest squad.

Last year’s success was heavily down to the form of Bobby Zamora, who had his most prolific Premiership season, but the jury is still out on whether it was a one season wonder or if he will be able to maintain it. If Zamora cannot keep hold of his shooting boots then there is a worry that Fulham may find themselves in a relegation battle.

The loss of star Chris Smalling to Manchester United could be a blow, and the signing of Philippe Senderos is hardly going to settle the nerves of Fulham fans.

Prediction: 14th
(Last Season: 12th)

Key Man: Bobby Zamora
One to Watch: Matthew Saunders

In: Philippe Senderos (Arsenal)
Out: Chris Smalling (Man Utd)

Liverpool

Last year was a dreadful outing for Livepool as they failed to qualify for Champions League and barely even mounted a challenge in any tournament except for the Europa League, which they only played in after a dismal Champions League exit.

Anfield is a bit more positive now with the capture of Roy Hodgson as the new manager, replacing Rafael Benitez. Hodgson has already been busy, with the signing of Joe Cole as the biggest coup so far. They also signed Rangers defender Danny Wilson and Milan Jovanovic, who could also prove to be a superb acquisition if he can adjust quickly to the Premier League.

Good news for the Reds is that Steven Gerrard is going to stay at the club despite interest from Real Madrid, and it is looking increasingly likely that Fernando Torres will give Liverpool at least one more season. On the flip side, Javier Mascherano is headed for the exit after demanding a transfer on his first meeting with the new boss.

‘Uncle Woy’ will be hoping he can work his magic on a deflated Liverpool side and lift them back to former glories. His first mission has to be to keep Torres; without him, the season is destined to be a repeat of last year.

Prediction: 6th
(Last Season: 7th)

Key Man: Fernando Torres
One to Watch: Jonjo Shelvey

In: Joe Cole (Chelsea), Danny Wilson (Rangers), Milan Jovanovic (Standard Liege), Jonjo Shelvey (Charlton)
Out: Yossi Benayoun (Chelsea)

Manchester City

The blue half of Manchester are certainly making a big impression on the Premier League. The free spending outfit have already passed the £100 million mark this summer and it doesn’t look like stopping any time soon.

With the owner’s millions, City are hellbent on knocking off archrivals Manchester United and claiming their first Premier League crown. However, they still have a long way to go before they can be considered title contenders.

Last time out they were pipped to fourth place by Tottenham, but they will come back this season even stronger, with world-class signings such as the versatile David Silva and the solid Yaya Toure. It also looks like Inter Milan star Mario Balotelli is on the verge of joining the City revolution.

City are still a few players short of a title-winning side, but their strength in depth is unparalleled. The rest of the league will be jealous of City’s squad, which could comfortably play two different sides of high quality. They possess two of the best goalkeepers in the league in Shay Given and Joe Hart as well as have more top class midfielders than you can shake a stick at.

Expect City to qualify for the Champions League this season, but I think it’ll be at least another season or two before they get close to being title winners.

Prediction: 3rd
(Last Season: 5th)

Key Man: Carlos Tevez
One to Watch: Jerome Boateng

In: Aleksandar Kolarov (Lazio), Yaya Toure (Barcelona), David Silva (Valencia), Jerome Boateng (Hamburg)

Manchester United

The Red Devils were disappointed with the way last season played out despite picking up the Carling Cup.

In their first season without Cristiano Ronaldo, United were desperate to prove they could still be the first club to win four successive titles and at the same time, set a new record for titles won, which they currently share with Liverpool. They looked on course to do so until a late season injury to Wayne Rooney left them short of firepower, and eventually they finished just shy of rivals Chelsea.

Rooney was sensational last season, bagging 34 goals, dragging United kicking and screaming to the top of the table. They will be hoping he will be able to carry on this season after a poor World Cup, but this year they will be hoping that Rooney receives more support from his teammates.

They could well be the team to beat this year, with a number of strong youngsters coming through which could be of huge benefit with the new Premier League squad rules, and new signing Javier Hernandez could prove to be the perfect foil for Wayne Rooney. There are also murmurs of interest in German Mesut Ozil, who would be a terrific signing.

Prediction: Champions
(Last season: 2nd)

Key Man: Wayne Rooney
One to Watch: Javier Hernandez

In: Javier Hernandez (Guadalajara), Chris Smalling (Fulham)
Out: Zoran Tosic (CSKA Moscow), Ben Foster (Birmingham)

Newcastle United

The Magpies arrive back in the Premier League after just one season in the Championship. After managing to keep hold of a large proportion of their squad, Newcastle romped to victory in the Championship, amassing 102 points on their way.

It is not going to be a walk in the park for the Geordies on their return to the top flight and even the most positive Geordies will have to think primarily about survival before anything else.

They have the backbone of a midtable side but a few signings need to be made before they can start to feel a bit more comfortable. The capture of Sol Campbell will help to add experience to the side and the astute acquisition of Dan Gosling could prove vital. Newcastle are also in the hunt for winger Hatem Ben Arfa who is considered one of the hottest talents in Europe, which would be an outstanding coup for the newly promoted side.

It is good to see the Toon back in the Premier League as they have easily one of the best fan bases in the division, with a trip to St James Park always a joy. This season is all about staying up and building from there, but don’t be surprised if Newcastle emulate Birmingham City’s exploits last season and stay up comfortably.

Prediction: 15th
(Last Season: Championship Winners)

Key Man: Kevin Nolan
One to Watch: Andy Carroll

In: Sol Campbell (Arsenal), Dan Gosling (Everton), James Perch (Nottingham Forest)
Out: Nicky Butt (Released)

Stoke City

Stoke City have never been the most exciting side to watch and last year’s outing in the Premier League was no different.

The Potters are not ashamed to say they are built to defend, with a team of powerhouse midfielders and a tough defence lead by Ryan Shawcross. They rely heavily on an aerial attack and the long thrown-ins of Rory Delap. No matter what you think of Stoke, it has to be said that they don’t look like budging anytime soon. They don’t get beaten enough to get relegated and are capable of soaking up pressure and stealing games 1-0 against anyone in the league.

They have been somewhat quiet in the transfer window, with only one low key signing so far and they will certainly need to add a few new faces before the opening day of the season.

I think still don’t think Stoke are capable of a top half finish, but I just cannot see them going down. There are worse teams around.

Prediction: 12th
(Last Season: 11th)

Key Man: Ryan Shawcross
One to Watch: Ben Marshall

In: Florent Cuvelier (Portsmouth)
Out: Ibrabhim Sonko (Portsmouth, Loan), Steve Simonsen (Sheffield United, Loan), Andy Griffin (Reading)

Sunderland

Sunderland are the one of those side’s that could go either way. Steve Bruce has built a decent side that have consolidated their position in the Premier League over the last two seasons. I don’t expect them to get relegated but depending on the performance of key players, they may not have it that easy.

Bruce has made a number of additions to his side so far this summer and the club’s success is wholly dependent on how the new boys settle in. He will also be hoping that Darren Bent has got his shooting boots on again despite the disappointment of missing out on Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad.

Sunderland are never easy to beat and will be excited by the prospect of the return of Newcastle, setting up a couple of tasty derby games in the coming season. The main aim for Sunderland fans will be to finish above Newcastle and they will be favourites to do that, but it won’t come easy.

If Christian Riveros is able to settle in quickly, he could prove to be a vital spoke in the Wearside wheel.

Prediction: 11th
(Last Season: 13th)

Key Man: Darren Bent
One to Watch: Christian Riveros

In: Marcos Angeleri (Estudiantes), Titus Bramble (Wigan), Ahmed Al-Muhammadi (ENPPI Club), Simon Mignolet (St Truidense VV), Christian Riveros (Cruz Azul)
Out: Daryl Murphy (Celtic), Lorik Cana (Galatasaray), Roy O’Donovan (Coventry)

Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs are embarking into the unknown this season having finished fourth last season to qualify for the Champions League.

They have become the first team in five years to break into the top four at the expense of Liverpool and will not be keen to give it up easily. It will be interesting to see whether Harry Redknapp will be able to build a squad that is capable of handling the demand of the Champions League whilst mounting a serious challenge on the Premiership.

Redknapp has said recently that he thinks Spurs are capable of winning the league but I am not convinced. However, there is a good chance that this season could see another important milestone reached. This could be the year that they finally finish above Arsenal again. There is absolutely no reason why not. The most important thing is keeping Defoe and Modric fit all season.

Despite not bringing anyone in yet, Redknapp is being linked with some big names and will be hoping he can capture the signature of Scott Parker to bolster his midfield. They are also a striker short at the moment, but if rumours of Luis Fabiano coming to White Hart Lane come true than they could be quids in.

Expect to see a number of youngsters get a look in this year as ‘Arry rotates his side to cope with the extra fixtures.

Prediction: 4th
(Last Season: 4th)

Key Man: Luka Modric
One to Watch: Danny Rose

In: -
Out: Dorian Dervite (Villareal), Lee Butcher (Leyton Orient)

West Bromwich Albion

The newly promoted Baggies are the definition of a yo-yo team. They have either been promoted or relegated each season fro as long as I can remember.

Finishing comfortably in second placed behind Newcastle in last season’s Championship, they will be hoping to make a better impression in the top flight this time around, but it certainly won’t be easy.

There will of course be plenty to look forward to as derby games against Wolves, Birmingham and Aston Villa await them this year, but it has to be said the they will be one of the favourites for relegation and unless something special happens then they may well continue to be the nearly men of English football.

They have made positive strides in the transfer window, securing the signature of defender Steven Reid from Blackburn and the signing of Pablo Ibanez will bring some much needed top level experience to the squad. The Baggies will be hoping that captain Scott Carson will be able to recapture the form he showed for them in goal last season.

I can’t see past relegation for the Albion, but it will go right down to the wire.

Prediction: 18th
(Last Season: 2nd in Championship)

Key Man: Scott Carson
One to Watch: Giles Barnes

In: Steven Reid (Blackburn), Pablo Ibanez (Athletico Madrid), Gabriel Tamas (Auxerre)
Out: Borja Valero (Villareal), Joss Labadie (Tranmere), Filipe Teixeira (Released)

West Ham United

This season could prove to be another struggle for cash-strapped West Ham. Despite assurances otherwise from owners Gold and Sullivan, there does not seem to be any money available to improve on last season’s near miss.

Key players will need to be sold to raise funds, but the club are desperate to hold onto influential midfielder Scott Parker, although every player has his price and if Spurs are content on capturing their man then the Hammers may have to let him go. They will also be hopeful of holding onto Carlton Cole, who is capable of steering them clear of trouble.

A change of manager could breathe new life into the side, with Avram Grant proving with Portsmouth last year what he is capable of even with the world against him and his club. There is a chance West Ham could prove everyone wrong and turn it around this season but it looks inevitable with the quality of teams around them that West Ham could face another season of turmoil.

The capture of Thomas Hitzlsperger is a good one and so to Frederic Piquionne. If both can find their shooting boots then West Ham may have pulled off some impressive low fee transfers with these two.

Prediction 16th
(Last Season: 17th)

Key Man: Scott Parker
One to Watch: Pablo Barrera

In: Frederic Piquionne (Lyon), Pablo Barrera (Universidad Nacional), Thomas Hitzlsperger (Lazio)
Out: Bondz Ngala (Plymouth), Guillermo Franco

Wigan Athletic

Wigan are the Premier League’s ultimate hit or miss team, capable of beating the best and getting thumped by the most mediocre the next week.

Last season they produced stunning victories against Chelsea and Arsenal, but were also on the wrong end of hammerings, against a vengeful Chelsea (8-0) and a clinical Tottenham Hotspur (9-1).

It is testament to manager Roberto Martinez that his side continue to play attacking and attractive football in the face of adversity but it is likely to come back and bite them hard unless they sure up their defense. With the loss of Titus Bramble this summer they are hardly making sure of that either.

There is a very real possibility that Wigan will get relegated this season, especially with key player Hugo Rodallega the subject of enquiries from Arsenal. If they are unable to hold onto him then they could be facing a tormenting season with more hammerings to come.

A saving grace could be the capture of Mauro Boselli, but it is still unknown whether he will adapt to the Premier League in time to save them.

Prediction: 19th
(Last Season: 16th)

Key Man: Hugo Rodallega
One to Watch: Mauro Boselli

In: James McArthur (Hamilton), Ali Al Habsi (Bolton), Mauro Boselli (Estudiantes)
Out: Antonio Amaya (Rayo Vallecano, Loan), Titus Bramble (Sunderland), Tomasz Cywka (Derby)

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves did well to survive last season and will be hoping to build on that this year. Unfortunately they seem to lack the credibility to attract big name signings which could ultimately be their downfall. They are also managed by serial relegation expert Mick McCarthy.

The signing of Stephen Hunt will prove to be a good bit of business and Stephen Fletcher from Burnley is capable of scoring goals at this level. Other than that though there is not much to get excited about at Molineux. Especially when you consider three of the four signings so far have come from teams who were relegated last season.

It is likely to be another tough season for Wolves but I get the feeling they will just about survive again. That will be the main aim of McCarthy from the off and anything outside the relegation zone will please Wolves fans. The second season is always the hardest and if Wolves can survive this time around then they can start to build on it next year.

For now there are just too many teams better than them and without more movement in the transfer market, I struggle to look past 17th place.

Prediction: 17th
(Last Season: 15th)

Key Man: Kevin Doyle
One to Watch: Sam Vokes

In: Stephen Hunt (Hull), Steven Mouyokolo (Hull), Steven Fletcher (Burnley), Jell Van Damme (Anderlecht)
Out: Jason Shackell (Barsnley), Andrew Surman (Norwich), Chris Iwelumo (Burnley), Daniel Jones (Sheffield Wednesday)

Final Positions

1 - Manchester United
2 - Chelsea
3 - Manchester City
4 - Tottenham Hotspur
5 - Arsenal
6 - Liverpool
7 - Everton
8 - Aston Villa
9 - Blackburn Rovers
10 - Birmingham City
11 - Sunderland
12 - Stoke City
13 - Bolton Wanderers
14 - Fulham
15 - Newcastle United
16 - West Ham United
17 - Wolverhampton Wanderers
18 - West Bromwich Albion
19 - Wigan Athletic
20 - Blackpool

What do you think?

Obviously I am no psychic and football is an unpredictable game, especially in the Premier League. Who do you think is going to finish where in this season's Premier League?

Who will be champions? Who will go down?