EPL Preview: Let's RUMBLLLLLLLLE!!

Finally, it's that time of the year again! The week before the start.

The echoes of the vuvuzelas have finally extinguished, footballing pundits are dishing out their verdicts on the dozen, Manchester City are planning on selling a couple more camels and oil wells to finance another spoilt brat and his mom, Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba are being bought into every other fantasy league team, and Arsenal fans are rattling on about it being their year.

Life, is back to normal, in the world of the Premier League!

So, what can we expect from the Premier League this year?

The monopoly of the Big Four was finally squashed last season with Tottenham Hotspurs giving their North London neighbours much to ponder over other than which cheese to have as dessert.

Tottenham have the added incentive of Champions League football this season and will surely be pretty fired up for the same.

However, they haven't made any substantial changes to their squad after their promotion, which is pretty surprising.

Champions League football is a different ball-game altogether and you wouldn't want yourself falling short at this stage.

Harry Redknapp seemed a bit too preoccupied in his role has a pundit during the World Cup, and Spurs fans will be hoping he hasn't lost focus.

Add to that the recent reports of Peter Crouch practicing his robot act on call girls wouldn't have helped at all. Somehow, the physics behind the whole thing eems unimaginable!

Arsène Wenger, a couple of miles away, seems to have gotten his French Revolution into full swing with the signings of Marouane the Moroccan (sounds catchy doesn't it?) and some Koscielny chap who has been given the ardent task of making Almunia and Fabianski look good!

Oh mon dieu! Just a heads up Arsène, your job will be made much easier if you show Abou Diaby which way's the right net! Ça va?

After finally standing victorious over the Fabregas saga (at least for another year), le Professeur can finally concentrate on getting a keeper who can do better than trying to advertise for a fly-swatter commercial. Mark Schwarzer looks to fit the bill right.

Speaking of keeper problems, Chelsea have some of their own with Petr Cech set to miss out the opening few games. His replacement, well, calling him Hilario(us) would be a bit much, but his showings at the Community Shield would certainly have given Carlo Ancelotti something to think about. 

Defense is another worry for the defending champions, with Real Madrid completing the signing of Ricardo Carvalho, who has been one of the stalwarts of Chelsea's prized defense, which let in just 32 goals last season, second only to Manchester United.

However, Carvalho's acquisition seems to have warded off the Galacticos' interest in Ashley Cole, and Ancelotti will consider himself lucky to have dodged the bigger bullet. 

After having released Joe Cole and Micheal Ballack on a free transfer, one would have expected owner Abramovich to loosen the purse strings and spend big, but Ancelotti seems to be content with his double-winning squad. Ramires looks to be the only substantial addition to the Blues' artillery. However, you just can't trust that pesky Russian, can you?

Moving northwards, much of the pre-season activity seems to have been done by..surprise, surprise! The Arabs have already spent in 10 figures for the likes of David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Aleksandar Kolarov, along with making Yaya Toure the highest-paid player in the league in a staggering five-year deal worth £55 million.

And if that wasn't enough, they look keen to bolster their attack with offers for Inter Milan's troubled Super Mario and the unsettled Zlatan Ibrahimovich.

Money, it seems, doesn't grow on trees, but camels! It looks to be seen if City can challenge for a Top Four spot with such massive reinforcements.

If City have been making all the ruckus on one end, their neighbours have all but been the silent assassins with almost non-existent transfer activity, well, at least compared to City.

Sir Alex seems to have pulled off a bargain with the signing of Mexico's World Cup star Javier Hernandez, Fulham's Chris Smalling and a Portuguese Bebe who looks like one of those predators in that new Adrien Brody flick.

United's attack looks set, and you just can't help but feel that this could finally be the year of the dracula! He's snipped his bangs, polished his fangs and looks all set to go slow-mo on the opposition!

Add to that a resurgent Nani, the Energizer bunnies Giggs and Scholes, and one of most impregnable defenses headed by Vidic, I'd say, throw in another camel or two, City!

Finally, there's been much activity on the other side of the M62, with the Spanish Armada eventually weighing anchor to public pressure, and sailing off for Italian shores.

As if new boss Roy Hodgson didn't have enough on his plate to deal with, Rafa Benitez couldn't help but serve a parting dish: the sale of Yossi Benayoun.

Roy seems to be the right man to take Liverpool out of the mess created by Rafa, that being apparent with the acquisition of Joe Cole. And, a little Chinese intervention (read investment) wouldn't do them any harm now, would it? 

How Liverpool's season will eventually shape out, could be determined by their opening five fixtures, where they come head-to-head with Arsenal, Man City and Man Utd. 

So, the premier league 2010-11 kicks off on Saturday, Aug. 14, with two high-profile clashes: Liverpool vs. Arsenal and Man City vs. Tottenham. Lots of fireworks guaranteed; they will certainly set the tempo for what looks to be an enthralling season.

Will Chelsea defend their title? Will Man Utd grab title No. 19? Will Man City break into the top 4? Will Arsenal win..something? Paul..any answers?