English Premier League Preview

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.

13. Stoke City- After almost 25 years without watching the Potters play in England's top league, the fans of Stoke City made the rest of the league notice they were for real. Britannia Stadium quickly became one of the toughest places to play in the EPL. Expect nothing different this year as Stoke City looks to solidify it's place in the Premiership. 

12. Sunderland- After watching rivals Newcastle United fall into relegation, Sunderland did something about it. Darren Bent should offer the Black Cats some consistent scoring for the first time in a long time. The signing of Frazier Campbell can turn out to be one the best signings of the summer. If all the pieces fall into place, look for Sunderland to be battling for a top 8 spot. However, the team's inability to hold onto leads will once again be their Achilles heel and keep the EPL's northernmost team safe from the fate that took its neighbors, Middlesbrough and Newcastle.

11. Wigan Athletic- Wigan lost a lot of assets over the summer. Manager Steve Bruce went north to Sunderland, as did fan favorite Lee Cattermole, and Antonio Valencia went to Manchester United. James Scotland will provide some scoring for the Addicks. I think a team that lacks the big names like Wigan does, could surprise people by playing as a team and being successful in the Premier League.

10. Fulham- The Cottagers are perhaps the EPL's most boring team. They don't score much, but they also don't let up a lot either. Andy Johnson needs to build on his 7 goal campaign from last season and then some. Clint Dempsey also had 7 goals for Fulham last year and was rewarded with a new four year contract. Mark Schwarzer is a top goalkeeper and is a big reason that the Cottagers kept opponents at bay last year. But, the team did not improve much from last year and will not be playing European Football next year.

9. West Ham United- The Hammers have one of the best Academies in England, earning them the moniker "The Academy of Football." Their young studs, Jack Collison and James Tomkins will be great players in the future. Look to newly signed Luis Jimenez to have a big season as the Hammers repeat as ninth place finishers.

8. Tottenham- The Spurs have a team that could challenge for a top 5 spot. Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko, and Jermain Defoe should score a lot of goals for the Spurs. Aaron Lennon and David Bentley comprise a fast and talented midfield, and captain Robbie Keane's leadership is unquestionable. However, their defense could lead to problems and ultimately mediocrity.

7. Aston Villa- Villa's successes last season were a result of good team play and solid defense. That being said, they lost leader Martin Laursen to retirement and have yet to replace him. They will find a replacement for him (possibly Phillipe Senderos) and will play well again under Martin O'Neill. The team struggled at the end of last season, but this year they will be more consistent and finish 7th again. 

6. Manchester City- No team in the EPL created as much a stir this summer as the Citizens. Gareth Barry, Carlos Tevez, Stuart Taylor, Kolo Toure, Roque Santa Cruz, and Emmanuel Adebayor all joined the other team from Manchester this summer in a massive transfer parade. The team has also made what seems to be dozens of bids for Everton's Joleon Lescott, but the England international seems to be staying at Everton. City's team is much improved, there is no question about that, but will they be able to gel right from the beginning? I think they will struggle in the beginning leading to Mark Hughes' firing. Following that, they will go on a roll and fall just short of a top 5 finish.

5. Arsenal- That's right this is the year that the Big Four is broken up. Losing Emmanuel Adebayor will hurt Arsenal more than most people think. Robin van Persie, Andrei Arshavin, and Eduardo are going to have a lot more responsibility with Adebayor's absence. If those three can find the back of the net consistently, the Gunners could find a way to challenge for the title. In the end, it will be disappointment for the Gunners as they will fall out of the top 4.

4. Everton- My pick to take over Arsenal's spot in the top four will be the Toffees. The Toffs did not sell a single starter from last year and brought back Jo on loan from Manchester City. Everton lost two of their top players, Mikel Arteta and Yakubu, to injury for good portions of last season and both of them will be welcomed back. Arteta, Yakubu, Louis Saha, Leon Osman, Jo, Tim Cahill, and Marouane Fellaini can all score goals. Phil Jagielka and Phil Neville are terrific midfielders. Budding youngsters James Vaughan and Jack Rodwell are both gaining experience and should help to give the Blues depth. Their back four is still very solid and Tim Howard is arguably the best goalie in England. David Moyes won Manager of the Year again last year and is Everton's most valuable asset. Put all these factors together and add in pride to play for The People's Club, and you have a top four finish.

3. Liverpool- Finishing just ahead of rival Everton will not be enough to make Liverpool fans happy. They expect a championship this campaign, but will not get one. Glen Johnson will help shore up the defense in front of Jose Reina, Alberto Aquilani is a superb midfielder. And Fernando Torres will score a ton of goals, however, losing Xabi Alonso will hinder the team's quest for a title. That will not sit well with the Anfield faithful.

2. Manchester United- Say what you want about Cristiano Ronaldo, he was still an incredible talent. Losing him does make a difference for the Red Devils. Michael Owen and Antonio Valencia will have to do their best to fill the voids left by both Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, and Wayne Rooney will need to step his game up as well. Sir Alex Ferguson did not make too much noise in the transfer window yet, and it could haunt them, all the way to 2nd place.

1. Chelsea- Chelsea once again changed managers this summer. Carlo Ancelotti will feel the pressure from Roman Abramovich, but will be able to overcome. He has all the tools needed to win a title. Even though Yuri Zhirkov is the only prominent new face, the Blues already have all they need to win, goal scorers, solid midfielders, and a defense that can shut down any team in the EPL. It will all come down to how well Petr Cech plays. If Cech can live up to expectations and deliver, the Blues will be champions in May.