Hey guys! Footie Frog is back and can't wait for the new season to get underway... below is a little look at each club and how I think they're shaping up a few days before the big kick-off... Enjoy!
Arsenal:
It will undoubtedly be another season of over-reliance of both youth and the fitness of injury prone stars, but the prospect of Eduardo, Arshavin and Rosicky all returning after a full pre-season is exciting. Or should I say was. Rosicky is already injured. Again. A whole summer of rumours about Chamakh and Vieira wasn’t exactly inspiring, but looks even worse with the (albeit fiscally fantastic) departures of Toure and Adebayor. Is there enough bite in midfield? Will they get enough goals? Will the defence hold out? A pre-season full of questions.
Aston Villa:
Worryingly weak at the back. Having their best centre-back and centre midfielder leave, Martin O’Neill had to make sure he added to a thin squad. While Fabian Delph is an exciting replacement for Gareth Barry, there has been little activity in the way of defenders. Zat Knight has been sold to Bolton, leaving only Cuellar and Davies as recognised centre-backs. Still, at least O’Neill only spent most of his budget on another attacking player…although Downing can’t even play til December…the mind boggles…
Birmingham City:
Relying on a defence made up of inexperienced ex-Championship players and an £8m Ecuadorian striker nobody has heard of, from a club nobody has heard of, in a league that isn’t very good… makes sound business sense, no? No.
Blackburn Rovers:
Cheques written for a variety of players this summer – all but one will surely fail to set pulses racing. Nikola Kalinic was dubbed ‘the future of Croatian football’ by Slaven Bilic, and he certainly has quality, having notched up a ratio of a goal every two games at Hajduk Split. If he fails to adapt quickly though, Blackburn will find themselves in the same situation as last season – struggling to buy a goal.
Bolton Wanderers:
Unsurprisingy, blowing most of the Anelka windfall on Johann Elmander has turned out to be a mistake. Failed to make a big impact last season, and reduced the funds available for this term. Megson has brought in cheap, sensible, defensive players and opted to place all of his eggs in Elmander’s not-so-prolific basket.
Burnley:
A small, rather weak squad has hardly been enhanced this summer. David Edgar and Tyrone Mears will both bring in experience… of relegation… and the rest of the signings have hardly been noteworthy. Except Steven Fletcher. The Scot striker has a fine record in the SPL, but charged with the task of keeping a very ‘Championship’ side in the Premier League, may crumble under the pressure. If he doesn’t succeed, neither will Coyle’s men.
Chelsea:
Little has changed from this time last year. Another new manager is expected to bring silverware to the Bridge, and with a very similar squad. The fact that the Blues managed to hold onto Terry and Carvalho among others will have buoyed the fans almost as much as United’s loss of Tevez and Ronaldo. Zhirkov is a quality addition, but for him and the others to succeed, the tactics must be right.
Everton:
Only last season’s loanee Jo has (re) joined the Everton ranks this summer, and David Moyes will be hoping that he can sustain last term’s initial impact. With Saha and Yakubu both returning to fitness, we should see an improvement on the Everton that managed to impress against the odds last season. It remains to be seen if want-away Lescott will get the move he desires. If not, back the Toffees to do well.
Fulham:
Roy Hodgson did a superb job last season but many in and around the Cottage feel that a repeat of those heroics are unlikely. Brede Hangeland declared that the team are ‘focussing on survival’ and when you add the extra games brought by European football to a relatively thin squad (that has been bolstered only by Stephen Kelly and Bjorn Riise,) it’s not too difficult to see why.
Hull City:
It has been a summer of nearly-men for Hull. Zamora, Owen, Fortune and Campbell have all flirted with Phil Brown, who recognised the need for a goalscorer to join the Tigers’ ranks, but none were drawn to the KC. Eventually Brown was able to bring in exciting young USA international Jozy Altidore, but only he and Seyi Olofinjana have been added to side that only just avoided the fate that could beset them this time round.
Liverpool:
Have their best shot at the title in years. Possessing arguably the strongest starting line-up of any of the ‘big four’, expectation is high at Anfield. The loss of Alonso to Madrid was a sore point, but provided Aquilani is fit and settles quickly, he should add to the side a dynamism not possessed by the Spaniard. Liverpool’s strength in depth, however, is not that of the other major title challengers. They lack quality cover in defence, and should Gerrard or Torres get injured (as last season) it could spell the end of their bid for title 19 (as last season.)
Manchester City:
A host of quality signings hasn’t, in pre-season at least, yielded the results Mark Hughes was expecting. Some of his bids for defenders have screamed desperation, and though Lescott’s head has been turned, Matt Upson seems a more likely late-purchase. While many see City as 4th-spot contenders, there will likely be too much disharmony (both in the tactics and the egos) for City to provide the consistency needed. The defence still looks shaky, the midfield disjointed, and who will Hughes pick up front? If results don’t go his way early on, the job-centre could be calling.
Manchester United:
As solid as ever at the back, their season will live or die on their midfield. With Ronaldo and Tevez gone Sir Alex’s men not only need goalscorers, they need their creative players to come to the fore. A lot of pressure rests on the shoulders of Nani and Anderson, not to mention Ronaldo’s replacement Valencia. Berbatov, Rooney and Owen can and will all score goals, but only if they get the ball.
Portsmouth:
Best players Crouch and Johnson have moved on this summer, and only free transfers Finnan and Mokoena have replaced them. Loan signing Piquionne will be charged with getting the goals needed to keep Pompey in the top-flight. With the less-than-prolific Kanu, Nugent and Utaka fighting for a place beside him, things do not bode well for Pompey. If the threadbare squad gets any thinner in the next few weeks, relegation looms ominously.
Stoke City:
No real additions to last season's squad, and surprisingly few players leaving. Another couple of bodies should be brought in towards the end of the window, just to provide some strength in depth (particularly up front to lighten Beattie's load). But with good team spirit, solid tactics and an intimidating ground, not to mention an intelligent manager, little needs changing for Stoke. Provided Beattie keeps scoring and they play as they did last season, there'll be no worries at the Britannia.
Sunderland:
Bruce’s capture of Darren Bent was a masterstroke. Capable of scoring enough goals to keep them in the division, he could form a powerful partnership with Kenwyn Jones. Though Bruce has not addressed the lack of attacking creativity in midfield and quality defenders at the back, the purchase of Lorik Cana from Marseille will give them some bark and more than a little bite in the middle of the park. Injuries, though, could see them struggle.
Tottenham:
Seemingly hell-bent on assembling the largest squad of good-but-not-great players football has ever known, Harry Redknapp has brought in Crouch and Bassong for big money. Kyle Naughton represents a promising future, but it all seems a bit too-many-cooks-not-enough-ingredients at Spurs. They need to pick the right players in the right positions and stick with it.
West Ham:
A squad with little talent has barely been bolstered this summer. Luis Jimenez has been brought in, but whether he will adapt to the pace and rigour of the Prem after a miserable time in Italy is to be seen… Much depends on the form and fitness of Ashton and Cole up front, whether the left wing slot can be filled, and whether Upson listens to Mark Hughes’ overtures.
Wigan:
Have suddenly turned into relegation candidates. A lack of goals, little creativity in midfield, and a defence that works in fits and starts is a recipe for disaster. Roberto Martinez has to inspire his players and quickly adapt to management at this level. James McCarthy is the one exciting signing at the JJB, and certainly a rising star…
Wolverhampton Wanderers:
Do not be surprised if Wolves do a Reading or Hull and shoot up the table early on. They have a well-drilled, well-gelled side, and talents like Ebanks-Blake, Kightly and Henry could shine on the big stage. Kevin Doyle from Reading and Serbian international Nenad Milijas both bring much-needed experience to the squad. The place they do look a little shaky is at the back, and they could be frequently outpaced and overpowered.
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