Premier League Preseason Power Rankings

The 2010-11 Premier League season is upon us and with the start of the season on Saturday, it is only fitting for me to put out my preseason rankings for what will be yet another exciting year in the EPL.

Last year, I picked Liverpool to win it all and was just a bit wrong so hopefully my top pick at the beginning of this season does not tank like the Reds did last season.

20. Blackpool

The newcomers to the Premier League are the 44th to play in England's top flight and  have one of the smallest squads of all twenty teams and will need to have an amazing season to stay up and avoid relegation.

First Game: @ Wigan Athletic, 10:00 AM Saturday

19. Stoke City

The Potters shock 11th place finish last season was just that: a shock. Tony Pulis' club will most likely lose a veteran presence in Liam Lawrence to Celtic if everything goes according to plan.

Whether Lawrence leaves or not could affect the chances for Stoke this season.

First Game: @ Wolverhampton, 10:00 AM Saturday

18. West Bromwich Albion

The Baggies return to the Premier League after being relegated in the 08-09 season.

To prevent another one-year stint in the top flight, manager Roberto di Matteo has signed EPL veterans like Nicky Shorey and Steven Reid as well as former Hull City keeper Boaz Myhill.

First Game: @ Chelsea, 12:30 PM, Saturday, FSC

17. Newcastle United

The Magpies rebounded from their relegation to the Championship in 08-09 and return with a squad that has EPL experience.

One big help or distraction to Chris Hughton's squad will be Sol Campbell, who has found another team to try and resurrect his career with.

First Game: @ Manchester United, 2:30 PM, Monday

16. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Mick McCarthy led Wolves to survival last year and will look to improve on last year's 15th place finish and with a healthy Sylvan Ebanks-Blake that is very possible.

First Game: vs. Stoke City, 10:00 AM, Saturday

15. Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn are in a group of seven to eight teams that are a part of the middle of the table teams that will be in a fight all season for places in Europe and a finish in the top half of the table.

Big Sam Allardyce's team is mostly the same from the side that ended last season with the exception of Steven Reid's move to West Brom.

First Game: vs. Everton, 10:00 AM, Saturday 

14. Bolton Wanderers

Owen Coyle's club made some additions to the squad that finished 14th last season. Martin Petrov and Robbie Blake are new acquisitions from other EPL teams and Ivan Klasnic has been signed on loan from Nantes. Also joining the squad is 19 year-old Marcos Alonso from Real Madrid.

If you are a US fan watch for Stuart Holden to get some playing time for the Trotters.

First Game: vs. Fulham, 10:00 AM, Saturday

13. West Ham United

Avram Grant takes over the side that Gianfranco Zola almost got relegated last season. Grant has brought in a good amount of players to take the Hammers back to a respectable mid-table club.

The most notable signing has to be Thomas Hitzlsperger, the German international came over to London from Lazio. Frederic Puquionne and Tal Ben-Haim also join the club this season.

First Game: @ Aston Villa, 10:00 AM, Saturday, FSC

12. Aston Villa

Martin O'Neill is now gone and with less than a week before the season starts, the Villans have no manager and could lose star player James Milner in transfer to Manchester City.

This could be a completely different football team by the end of August but for right now, the same squad is in tact as it was for last season.

First Game: vs. West Ham United, 10:00 AM, Saturday, FSC

11. Wigan Athletic

Wigan have put themselves in position to improve on last season's 16th place finish. Manager Roberto Martinez has gone out and gotten some quality talent like Antolin Alcaraz and Ronnie Stam on defense and Mauro Boselli up front.

First Game: vs. Blackpool, 10:00 AM, Saturday

10. Sunderland

Steve Bruce's team finished 13th last season and will look to stay in the middle of the table again this season.

With the strike combo of Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent starting and Frazier Campbell off the bench, the Black Cats have a formidable attack to go up against the tough Premier League defenses.

First Game: vs. Birmingham, 10:00 AM, Saturday

9. Birmingham City

Alex McLeish led the Blues to a ninth place finish last season after coming back to the EPL from the Championship.

Birmingham will not be a surprise team again this season as other teams in the league will know their potential especially after bringing in Ben Foster at keeper and Nikola Zigic up front.

First Game: @ Sunderland, 10:00 AM, Saturday

8. Everton

David Moyes has brought in Jan Mucha at goalie as a backup to Tim Howard and strengthened his strike force with Jermaine Beckford, who will add to the attack options for Moyes.

As long as the injury bug does not hurt the Toffees this season, they should contend for a spot in Europe.

First Game: @ Blackburn, 10:00 AM, Saturday

7. Fulham

After the miracle run to the Europa League Final last season, the Cottagers have lost manager Roy Hodgson to Liverpool and after a drawn out saga, Mark Hughes took charge of the team.

Philippe Senderos and Jonathan Greening are the only two new additions to the squad that will focus more on the EPL this season without a European spot.

First Game @ Bolton, 10:00 AM, Saturday

6. Liverpool

What difference a year makes for Liverpool. Going into last season, they were some people's favorites to win it all, but after a historic collapse, the Reds have a new manager, Roy Hodgson, new sponsor, Standard Chartered and some new faces like Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic and Danny Wilson.

With star players Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres still on the roster to start the season, Hodgson would like to keep them around but if the right situation comes in to play, Liverpool could see some more new faces.

First Game: vs. Arsenal, 11:00 AM, Sunday, FSC

5. Manchester City

The most talked about team in the offseason, Manchester City will have some tough decisions ahead of the season by having to include only 25 of their over 40 players for the EPL season.

Big money transfers this summer include David Silva, Yaya Toure, Jerome Boateng and Alexander Kolarov and many players could be on their way out like Martin Petrov and Valeri Bojinov already have.

First Game: @ Tottenham, 7:45 AM, Saturday

4. Tottenham Hotspur

Harry Redknapp worked wonders with Spurs last season leading them to a spot in the Champions League.

Not many changes have been made to the squad and the consistency of the team unit in North London will be key to staying in the top four.

First Game: vs. Manchester City, 7:45 AM, Saturday

3. Arsenal

One of the main storylines going into the season will be Arsene Wenger's last season of his contract but hopefully for the Gunners that will not bother them that much.

Wenger signed yet another young Frenchman during the offseason by getting Marouane Chamakh to join. Also signing was Laurent Koscielny who could have the same impact as Thomas Vermaelen did last season.

First Game: @ Liverpool, 11:00 AM, Sunday, FSC

2. Manchester United

The Red Devils have plenty of young talent and veteran experience including the addition of Chicharito and Chris Smalling to the club as well as youngsters like Rafael, Fabio and Federico Macheda will have bigger roles this season.

Do not discount the veterans like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Edwin van der Sar, Gary Neville and more to propel Sir Alex Ferguson's club back to the top of the league.

First Game: vs. Newcastle United, 2:45, Monday

1. Chelsea

The defending EPL champions will look to repeat and will have to do it with the help of new signings.

Yossi Benayoun has signed from Liverpool and Ramires is set to join from Benfica. Both will have a chance to get a spot in the first team thanks to the departures of Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, Deco, and Ricardo Carvalho.

First Game: vs. West Brom, 12:15, Saturday, FSC