2011/12 EPL Season Preview: Ranking the 5 London Clubs

When it comes to club football, there are few cities that have more energy or better quality than London. Year in year out they have more teams representing their city in top flight football than any other English metro.

Northerners often look down upon the capital for its pompous air it takes toward their fellow countrymen and claim the London fans are novices compared to the hardened working class of cities like Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.

They point to the fact that no London team has had European glory and other than brief forays by Arsenal in the 30's and at the turn of the century, top flight English ball has been a game best left to the rest of the country.

Even with history working against them, the five London clubs in taking part in this year's Premier League will attempt upend their northern rivals and bring glory back to the capital.

5. Queens Park Rangers

The newly promoted Queens Park Rangers will be the most welcomed to London by opposing clubs.

They have some decent talent on the squad including Moroccan Adel Taarabt. Their attacking midfielder led the squad in goals last year and captained the team at only age 22. They picked him up after a loan spell from Tottenham. Right now it is looking like the Spurs made a bad move.

The playmaker has been rumored to a move away from Loftus Road, but after a deal with PSG fell through he looks to be staying. That will only help the team as they aim to stay in the league.

Many people have them as going right back down at the conclusion of the season, or at least fighting to stay up come the final weeks of the season.

I do not really see this. They dominated the League Championship the whole of last season with a defensive record of only 32 goals against. That is the best defensive record for a promoted team in the past three seasons.

They also have the benefit of history on their side. The last four teams to win the League Championship are all still in the Prem.

They will probably finish in the bottom half of the table and lower than any other London-based club.

4. Tottenham Hotspurs

Tottenham's 2010-11 league campaign was a failure by all accounts.

They put quite a bit of money and time into acquiring the necessary parts to get them into the top four and secure a Champions League spot for the second year in a row. That did not happen as they lost out to Arsenal by a distant six points.

Next season is not looking any brighter at White Hart Lane.

While the three of the four clubs that finished above them (as well as a few below) have been on major spending sprees and only look to be better next year, the Spurs' biggest signing was 16-year-old Souleyman Coulibaly.

He is a good player for the future, but do not expect to see him making a major if any contribution in 2011.

To make matters worse, Luka Modric has handed in a transfer request, with local rivals Chelsea being his No. 1 suitor. Gareth Bale has also been linked to rumors suggesting a move away.

Should they lose either of these players without replacing them, they will be fighting for a top half finish, let alone spots in Europe.

3. Fulham

Call me naive, but I love the Cottagers. They have always had this aura surrounding them like they don't quite belong in the Premier League with their 25,000 seat stadium and an American as their leading goal scorer. Nonetheless they have been a thorn in the side of big boys for 10 straight years.

If you look at them on paper, they really do not belong in the top half, let alone challenging for European positions, but they have been a consistently improving side over the past several seasons.

Finishing eighth last year may not have been ideal coming off a season when they became only the second London club to ever make it to a Europa Cup final. But doing so with a new manager and 16 draws (once each to Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal), the second best finish in club history is not all that bad.

They have gone out this summer and bought John Arne Risse to help sure up that back line. With a veteran midfield they should fare much better in the league, especially considering they have no other competitions than the league and domestic cups.

I know this is going to irk Spurs fans, but I am sorry, my American lovin' Fulham is going to finish higher this season.

2. Arsenal

This slide is going to be more about why they will not finish higher than Chelsea rather than why they will finish higher than the rest. All I ask is that Arsenal fans please look objectively at their team for at least the two minutes it takes you to read this slide.

Arsenal faithful, I am sorry to tell you, but you are not that good. Your club finished fourth last year and had the season gone on another week or two you might have been even lower. Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United are all changing to make improvements. You guys have lost Gael Clichy.

So you have signed Gervinho, congratulations. He is a good player indeed, but is he going to replace Nasri or Fabregas when one of them leaves?

Eboue out. Denilson out. Bendtner probably on his way out. You will be lucky if you can even field a full squad next season.

Your failure to retain third place in the league last year means you are going to be starting Europe and the season a little earlier than the rest. That is the last thing a team lacking depth wants.

I know you have optimistic and high hopes for your team as any loyal fan should, but let's be honest, they are not going to upend Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and probably not Liverpool either.

OK I know that was hard to exist in the realm of reality for those last six paragraphs, but you may now return to the diluted life of an Arsenal fan.

1. Chelsea

Did anyone really think I would pick anything other than Chelsea for No. 1? Yes they are my favorite team, but this pick isn't totally biased (let's say 70/30).

Chelsea went into the last week of the season in third and still capable of winning the league. They made it further than any other London club in Champions League. And are retaining all of their key players.

They have a new coach who is expected to solve their creativity issues and have been linked to some big time players this transfer window.

Gunner fans will surely point to their preseason as an example of why Arsenal is so much better, but this is a team trying to learn a new system. They are working out the kinks as the players earn coach and the coach learns the players.

Despite all of this I would like to point out that out of the teams expected to contend for the league next season, Chelsea is the only one who has not had a goal scored against them yet in the preseason. So what if they are having offensive troubles. Did you know you could win the league and every single game scoring only 38 goals throughout the entire season?

I really don't think this is just because the level of competition is lower right now as Villa-Boas has a proven track record of defensive success. His Porto side allowed only 13 goals in the league last season.

That is not to mention they have a handful of very bright looking youngsters. Josh McEachran, Daniel Sturridge and Slobodan Rajkovich have all shown big promise this preseason. Yossi Beayoun has also been promising in an attacking midfield role. Even if they don't sign anyone, these individuals and more should be enough.

I am not saying that Chelsea are going to handle the league and all domestic competitions, then go on to Europe and make people forget the name Messi and Barcelona. But I think it is safe to say they will be the best team in London this coming season.

And as any self-righteous egotistical Londoner would say: "That's all that really matters, isn't it?"

Let's Hear It Arsenal and Spurs Fans...

I can already feel the brimming hatred I am going to incur from my North London rivals. If you think my list is misguided in any way, shape or form, do tell.

I am always up for a good debate. And if you agree I always enjoy a little praise (I'm talking to you Fulham and Chelsea fans!).