Ah, season preview time. How I love it. The thrill of new players and newly promoted teams, of making predictions that will never happen, of having hunches that just happen to work or you. It remains the only time where fans everywhere can have hope for anything before the dust settles and the misery of another disappointing season sinks in.So lets enjoy these few days and indulge in a little harmless previewing, shall we? After all, how wrong can I be.
I’ll start at the top - I think the title race is between Manchester United and Chelsea again. And I’ve gone for Chelsea to win it but in all honesty it could be either team. Chelsea have very much a similar team from last year, where they did so well in pushing United all the way to the last day of the season. They have strengthened in key areas - the addition of Bosingwa at right back could be crucial as he provides defensive stability alongside burning pace and attacking ambition. They have an exceptional midfield with the likes of Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien and the newly acquired Deco.
Where I feel they’ve strengthened most is in the managerial department. Luis Felipe Scolari is a brilliant coach and could provide the creative spark that was maybe missing under Avram Grant’s leadership. Scolari won’t be afraid of ruffling a few feathers. If he see’s something he doesn’t like you can bet those ego’s in the Chelsea dressing room will know about it. But he can also inspire and motivate with the very best of them and, although it may be too soon in his first season, I have a hunch he will lead Chelsea to glory this year.
Manchester United still have a glorious team and you can’t really take anything away from them. There’s no reason why they won’t go and win everything again this year. But I can’t help but think that the drawn-out saga over Cristiano Ronaldo may have a detrimental effect on morale and as much as Sir Alex tries to paper over the issue, the fact remains that Ronaldo wanted to leave. Yes, he’ll still be brilliant on the pitch but I just think the team will have been damaged by this.
As for the rest of the top four, Liverpool signing Robbie Keane was a great step for them towards having a proper title challenge this year. But that’s all it was. A step. They need more, they need a world class winger to play down the right, they need a decent pair of full backs and they need a decent centre back to support Carragher and Agger. Liverpool won’t challenge for the title this year but they won’t lose their top four status. Neither will Arsenal, who have had an unsettling summer but still have a great side. Arsenal would do well to challenge for the title but I don’t feel their side is as strong as Chelsea’s or Manchester United’s. Players like Van Persie, Fabregas and Adebayor will keep Arsenal in a strong position but at the end of they day, do they have the mental strength to win a title?
The ‘best of the rest’ league looks to be, again, an interesting one. Portsmouth have built on their great season last year by signing Peter Crouch and if he clicks with Jermain Defoe then it could be another good season for Harry Redknapp’s men. The loss of Sulley Muntari, however, is a blow. Aston Villa again look threatening, despite the hurrah surrounding Gareth Barry. Barry leaving will hurt them but they have an excellent coach in Martin O’Neill and the acquisition of Nicky Shorey and Luke Young will strengthen their defence no end.
Tottenham have, again, signed loads of players for loads of money in the hope that this will eventually be their year. It may well happen but a lot depends on a certain Bulgarian. Should Dimitar Berbatov stay it will boost Tottenham. Yes he may want to leave, but if Juande Ramos can get one more season out of him and keep him just happy enough then Spurs could do very well indeed. Luka Modric is an extremely exciting prospect and with a new goalkeeper and fresh looking defence, Spurs are on the brink. That being said, I don’t think they’ll break the top four but they should finish anywhere around 5th or 6th.
Everton have not strengthened, despite desperation from the fans and they may fall behind the rest if they don’t spend a little money. The same with Newcastle who have hardly done much in the transfer market and could be stuck in mid table mediocrity again this year. The managerial merry go rounds at Blackburn and Manchester City mean that it could be another transitional season from them but City fans will feel Mark Hughes can weave some of his magic at the blue half of Manchester, under the watchful gaze of their owner, evil Dr Thaksin.
As for teams going down, the obvious choices spring to mind. Hull have made some good signing and should they get a few lucky results then they may surprise a few people. However I feel that the other teams around them have more quality and experience. So I feel that Hull, along with Stoke, will go straight back down. Joining them, I think, will be Bolton. They look clueless under Gary Megson and how they survived last year is beyond me. They’ve lost Nicolas Anelka and El Hadji Diouf and appear to be heading south. West Brom have a bit of Premiership experience and I feel they should stay up, should they beat the teams around them.
I think Alan Curbishley will be the first managerial casualty. West Ham have a poor record of keeping patience with managers and if the poor results continue, West Ham will be stuck in the mid table and, make no mistake, Curbs will be held responsible. As for all the other trophies, I’ve gone for a Liverpool FA Cup win, purely because they haven’t won it in a few years. I think a top four team will win the Carling Cup and I’ve picked Manchester United but in all honesty it could be anyone of them. Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan will pick up the title he so craved at Chelsea and win the Champions League with AC Milan picking up the UEFA Cup, making it a Milan double. And as for teams coming up? I think Birmingham will be straight back up alongside Crystal Palace and one from Watford or Reading.
I’ve never been good at making predictions. So I have little doubt that most of what I’ve said will not happen. But it’s all fun and games and it’s the one part of the season, where I can afford not to worry about Tottenham. Here’s to the Premier League, the greatest and most thrilling league in the world.
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