EPL: New Boys, Second Season Syndrome and Relegation Candidates

With the new season of the English Premier League fast approaching and much of the focus on Cristiano Ronaldo with the will he wont he saga, I thought it was about time someone took a look at the teams lower down the league and how they will fare this season.

Bolton start their the season with Gary Megson in-charge for his first pre-season. Megson has made three new signings this season to bolster his squad, although he has let five players go.

Of the players brought in, none have massive premier league experience, although Elmander does has a fair amount of international experience with 38 appearances for Sweden. Muamba has had limited experience with Birmingham and previously Arsenal, but after an impressive first season it remains to be seen whether he can carry that forward at his new club. Danny Shittu has also only had one season in the top flight with then strugglers Watford.

Of the players out for Bolton there is only one name that seems to stand out as a big loss from that season. That name is El-Hadji Diouf who has gone to Sunderland. Bolton will be hoping that Elmander can be a suitable replacement for the Senegalese winger.

Prediction: 16th

Fulham have certainly been the busiest of all the clubs in the premier league with no fewer than 24 players in and out (including loans).

Obviously the biggest signing for Fulham this season is Andrew Johnson, whose protracted transfer has finally gone through. The Cottagers will be hoping from goals from the England striker to move them away from the relegation battle that they found themselves in last season

Other notable signings include Mark Schwarzer, Bobby Zamora and Zoltan Gera amongst others who will all be hoping to either ignite or resurrect their premier league careers.

A major bonus for Fulham is that they have not lost any major players in the summer break and they should have a reasonably strong squad going into the new campaign.

Prediction: 15th

Hull City are the team who came up through the dreaded play-offs. In their first foray into the top flight they have strengthened their squad with seven players, most with some sort of premier league experience.

Of them, record signing George Boateng stands out for the tigers with his vast premier league experience, which is so vital to any new team in the premier league.

Whilst other players brought in do not have the same experience they have brought in some quality with Halmosi from Plymouth and Geovanni from Manchester City.

The major loss for Hull this season is that striker Fraiser Campbell will not be returning to the club after a successful loan spell last term.

Prediction: 18th

Middlesbrough have lost a few vital players over the summer and have replaced them with a couple of gambles. The loss of Mark Schwarzer, George Boateng, Lee Cattermole and most recently Luke Young would surely effect any team let alone Middlesbrough.

The loss of such experience has been replaced by two relative unknowns in Didier Digard from PSG and Marvin Emnes from Sparta Rotterdam. Digard, 22, has France under-21 experience and Emnes, 20, will be hoping to utilize his pace in his debut season.

Prediction: 17th

Stoke City have managed to keep their squad from last season, losing only Marlon Broomes.

They have brought in a very experience keeper in Thomas Sorenson and a player who has been touted for England honours in Dave Kitson to bolster their strike force. Their other summer signing Seyi Olofinjana from Wolves may not fill the Stoke fans hearts with great hope, as it does not seem like an ambitious signing to me.

I can see Stoke struggling this year unless they can sign some more players with experience at the highest level.

Prediction: 20th (Sorry Stoke fans)

Sunderland have made themselves busy this summer signing six players, with four of them having good premier league experience. This added to their squad from last season without losing any major players.

Of the new signings El-Hadji Diouf seems to have captured the imagination most with his pace and never say die attitude (even if he sometimes takes it a bit too far).

Other signings Tainio, Malbranque and Chimbonda, all from Spurs, will add strength and depth to a squad which fared reasonably well in their first season.

I think the second season syndrome which hit Reading so hard last season will not effect the black cats.

Prediction: 14th

West Bromwich Albion have brought in a few decent signings this summer with Marek Cech and Luke Moore with limited premier league playing time, although Cech is a Slovakian international and has champions league experience with FC Porto.

Scott Carson has been brought in as number one, but after his relegation with Charlton and conceding far too many goals at Aston Villa last season, it remains to be seen whether he can be enough of a stopper for a relegation candidate.

The loss of Zoltan Gera on the wing, with his back post headers and neat trickery, will surely effect the Championship winners in no small way.

Prediction: 19th

Wigan seem to be heading in the direction, despite Steve Bruce's obsession with signing his former players from Birmingham, who managed to get the team relegated last season.

Bruce must have huge faith in Oliver Kapo and Daniel De Ridder in the summer and Wilson Palacios in January earlier in the year. 

The signing of Lee Cattermole will add fight to the Wigan midfield to go with the style of Palacios.

With no major losses for Wigan, I think their fate will be the same as last year, being the highest of the bottom half.

Prediction 13th