Finally Liverpool's season? Don't get my hopes up...

We have all heard it every year but this year has more reasons than previous seasons for the old predictions to be dusted off and that age old favourite quote to be rehashed:

"Could this be Liverpool's year?"

Let me get this out the way quick, I am a Liverpool fan, I have been since I started watching football in 1996. But living in South Africa, I have the privilege of getting every single Premier League game of the season on TV.

So it is fair to say I get more than enough exposure to the other teams and players in the Big Four.

Let me start by looking at the other three constituents of the aforementioned Big Four.

Arsenal FC

Losing Mattheu Flamini has to be seen as the biggest blow. Not for the player he is but for the partnership he formed with Fabregas. Flamini complimented Fabregas brilliantly and allowed the Spaniard a freedom I feel he will struggle to find now that Flamini has left.

Add to that the fact that Arsenal have yet to replace him and suddenly a worrying hole has appeared right in the engine room of a team that gets all their success from a strong creative midfield.

Alexander Hleb's departure is equally bad for Wenger's men. Nasri has come in and I have heard great things about the youngster but Arsenal will need him to hit the ground running, especially seeing the medical state of Tomas Rosicky.

Otherwise Arsenal have added nothing as no matter what squad number you give him, 16 year olds can not be looked at to change the fortunes of the first team immediately. So this leaves Wenger and Arsenal with a few new headaches to add to the long standing as thus far unaddressed problem of central defence where Tuore and Gallas don't seem to be the players they used to be.

Chelsea FC

Chelsea's biggest hope of regaining the title lie with Scolari and Ballack. Unfortunately for them, Scolari, despite his brilliance, has spent the last six years at least in international management. Add the change to club management to the adjustment to the Premier League and no one will blame him for taking a season or two to settle.

With all due respect to the players bought, Bosingwa and Deco, neither are the type of player to drag a team to the top. Bosingwa because I cannot remember a full back since Roberto Carlos who has a huge, defining impact consistently on match results. Deco for the simple reason that he is an attacking midfielder in the same role as Lampard and Ballack.

Chelsea really started to gel last season when Lampard got injured and Ballack was finally able to assert himself. Had Lampard been sold to Inter Milan, I would rate Chelsea's chances much higher for the fact that they are guaranteed for the German to continue to pull the strings. As it happens he stayed and now with Deco added, Ballack's opportunities to be Uber-kaiser of Chelsea will be limited, thus limiting Chelsea's best attacking potential.

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