The Premier League is a week away, this time next weekend the top clubs in England will be kicking off their seasons. After a year where Chelsea dominate all major english domestic competition and English teams flamed out of Europe's biggest tournament, there have been many changes in the offseason, an offseason fraught with world cup failures for most of the prem's big name players. Let start off with transfers. Major names such as Fabregas and Torres are staying at Arsenal and Liverpool respectively. Arsenal have also brought in Marouane Chmakh, a mercurial striker from Bordeaux, who could be a major producer this year. Liverpool have picked up Milan Javaonic, a solid striker who will bring some stability to Liverpool's front line. They have also signed Joe Cole, while losing Yossi Benayoun, but one must question Cole's worth after he failed to start for Chelsea and refused to sign a contract extension at Stamford Bridge due his wage demands. Speaking of Chelsea, the champions have managed to bring in Yossi Benayoun, a perfect replacement for Joe Cole, while also releasing Ballack and Belletti. The choice to release either of these two players is somewhat surprising and shocking, but Carlo appears to know what he is doing...Finally, the last of the big four, Manchester United, have brought in two young guns who will most likely spend their days sitting on the bench. Tottenham, a team which was able to break into the champion's league and end big four dominancy last season opted to not bring in anyone. Lastly, big spenders Manchester City made a number of major moves this off season. Manchester City released Martin Petrov, Benjani, and Sylvinho, to name a few; while picking up defender Aleksandar Kolarov, midfielder Yaya Toure, midfielder David Silva, and defender Jerome Boateng. City have picked up some major players who have allowed them to be one of the best teams on paper, but lets see if Roberto Mancini can bring their talent out on the pitch. Now that we have figured out who is going to be playing where this year, let's see if they actually make an impact.
Ahh, now for that all important predictions -
1st - Liverpool
They have a new manager, they have all the talent and experience of a championship team. They have also waited 20 years...After last season's disgrace of a season, this team will have everything to prove and be on a course to crush all who doubt that they can contend in the modern game and that their glory days are behind them. This team has so much talent at hand and a manager who can apparently conjure up miracles, they really have no excuse this year not to take the league.
2nd - Chelsea
They have a new manager, they have all the talent and experience of a championship team. They have also waited 20 years...After last season's disgrace of a season, this team will have everything to prove and be on a course to crush all who doubt that they can contend in the modern game and that their glory days are behind them. This team has so much talent at hand and a manager who can apparently conjure up miracles, they really have no excuse this year not to take the league.
2nd - Chelsea
As odd as it seems that they have released players like Ballack and Belletti, there is some reason in this madness. Chelsea have simply cleaned house, they have trimmed their budget and their team of extraneous players who have kept other players off the field. As much as we at the upper ninety love Ballack, he was simply not performing at the levels he should be. Chelsea played last season without Michael Essien an Yuri Zhirkhov was often injured. Either of those men can play Ballack's holding roll in midfield. With Ballack on the payroll, Chelsea would have too many midfielders, they would have to bench a world class talent, while paying a world class salary. Belletti's release makes sense in the same manner, also one must remember that Juliano wanted to leave the club and return home to Brazil. The amount of talent in this club if healthy is more than enough to win the premier league. Though, that is a very large "if"... Sadly this year Chelsea will finish a close second as they just seem of the pace already. They aren't playing as a team and their recent double success may have made them a bit too cocky...
3rd - Manchester United
They won the Community Shield but they are not going to be adding another premier league trophy to the case at Old Trafford. The team is tired of having to rely on only Wayne Rooney to score goals. Luckily, Nani and Berbatov will come into their own this season and score a number of goals. Sadly this will not be enough to propel them to the top of the premiership, they drop too many points against teams they should be crushing. This in conjunction with the strength of the top 8 teams in the league means that they will have a hard time finding a full three points. Manchester United plays to many draws and were able to eek out 1-0 wins, this trend cannot continue and many of these small wins will become draws this season.
4th - Tottenham Hotspur
The Spurs will hold this place, this will be much harder than it seems as Aston Villa (without Martin O'Neill) will be contenders for this spot along with Everton and Fulham. Look for this team, like Manchester United, to draw numerous games which would have been 1-0 wins and lose games which used to be draws. They will still manage to hold on to this spot and keep their champion's league spot.
6th - Arsenal
They are still missing major parts to a championship team like experience and depth. They are also a team that is plagued by injury issues. They have managed to retain and gain talent, but they are still so young. They also only can rely on their strikers and lack depth. They are still lacking a solid defender and a goal keeper. It is my belief that Arsenal will lose their spot in the champions league, though I believe Arsenal will be able to secure one piece of silverware this year, say the Carling Cup...
7th - Manchester City
Once again, the money spent by this team will not land them in the top 4. This team which Roberto has created has too many conflicting personalities and too many different styles of play. Splashing cash does not equal championships, they have just become the new Real Madrid and like Real (was), they are lacking leadership and players to cement this team together. They are also lacking the experience to win the title.
In terms of teams that are going down - I am not even going to make a prediction, as this is near impossible to predict. No one would have thought Newcastle would have gone down, but it happened, and there are just too many variables for this prediction.
3rd - Manchester United
They won the Community Shield but they are not going to be adding another premier league trophy to the case at Old Trafford. The team is tired of having to rely on only Wayne Rooney to score goals. Luckily, Nani and Berbatov will come into their own this season and score a number of goals. Sadly this will not be enough to propel them to the top of the premiership, they drop too many points against teams they should be crushing. This in conjunction with the strength of the top 8 teams in the league means that they will have a hard time finding a full three points. Manchester United plays to many draws and were able to eek out 1-0 wins, this trend cannot continue and many of these small wins will become draws this season.
4th - Tottenham Hotspur
The Spurs will hold this place, this will be much harder than it seems as Aston Villa (without Martin O'Neill) will be contenders for this spot along with Everton and Fulham. Look for this team, like Manchester United, to draw numerous games which would have been 1-0 wins and lose games which used to be draws. They will still manage to hold on to this spot and keep their champion's league spot.
6th - Arsenal
They are still missing major parts to a championship team like experience and depth. They are also a team that is plagued by injury issues. They have managed to retain and gain talent, but they are still so young. They also only can rely on their strikers and lack depth. They are still lacking a solid defender and a goal keeper. It is my belief that Arsenal will lose their spot in the champions league, though I believe Arsenal will be able to secure one piece of silverware this year, say the Carling Cup...
7th - Manchester City
Once again, the money spent by this team will not land them in the top 4. This team which Roberto has created has too many conflicting personalities and too many different styles of play. Splashing cash does not equal championships, they have just become the new Real Madrid and like Real (was), they are lacking leadership and players to cement this team together. They are also lacking the experience to win the title.
In terms of teams that are going down - I am not even going to make a prediction, as this is near impossible to predict. No one would have thought Newcastle would have gone down, but it happened, and there are just too many variables for this prediction.
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