Alright, so the weekend I've been looking forward to since May has finally come; the start of Premier League!
I've been trying previous years to keep this thread going with some big posts and I thought I would continue doing that! I know some people here are more casual than I am, and it can always be nice to get some information about the teams and the players. So I thought I would make this post the first major post for the 14/15 season, and I will post the situation for all the teams, who they have brought in and who they have lost, just how their situation looks going into the season. I'll also post my predicted table of how I think the season will end, as well as the games this first weekend. But let's dive right into it, and I'll alphabetically post something on all the teams.
ArsenalArsenal is one of the teams that have been the most active this summer, and they have brought in four major signings in Ospina, Debuchy, Calum Chambers and Sanchez. Much like last season, Wenger has chosen (so far at least) to ignore the two positions screaming the most for reinforcement (another Striker and a Defensive Midfielder) and strengthened other positions instead. The loss of Vermaelen in the defense shouldn't matter that much since he wasn't a regular last season, but they still need to replace him with another defender in my opinion. I think Arsenal will have a great season and be contenders for the title, which they might even win. It all comes down to how many goals Giroud can score, how well Sanchez will settle into Premier League, and if Arsenal can avoid the painful injury problems they've struggled with for the last few years. The team looks in harmony and completely destroyed Manchester City last weekend in the Community Shield with 3-0, so it looks like a team in balance. If they can snap up a defender/defensive midfielder and/or a striker like Cavani/Falcao before the window closes, they will be really dangerous this year.
Aston VillaI'll be honest, Aston Villa worries me. They have an owner who is looking to sell off the team and doesn't want to invest any money into transfers, and the players they have brought in are questionable. Joe Cole is way past his prime, and players like Richardson and Senderos are not what I would call great transfers. Cissokho is a decent left back, and I don't know much about their most recent signing Sanchez, who is a defensive midfielder, but overall their transfer window is pretty bleak IMO. I think the team could go down this season, and I would not be surprised if Paul Lambert is the first manager to get sacked and the assistant manager Roy Keane takes over. I wanna root for them because I like Lambert's philosophy and his project of letting the young and talented players play, but so far it hasn't paid off during the last few seasons. Benteke will be out for the start, and I think it comes down to him this season. If he scores a lot of goals, they'll stay up, if not... it's not looking too bright.
BurnleyIf I think Aston Villa has good chances of being relegated this year, I think Burnley might have it even harder. They've brought in a few players, the most Premier League merited ones are Kightly from Stoke and Reid from West Bromwich. Two okay players, but the rest of their transfers (Gilks, Sordell, Jutikiewicz and Taylor) are from Championship. They're aiming to stay up with the core of the team that went up to the league from last seasons performance. It's admirable, but in my experience, there's a big difference between Championship and Premier League. You need to strengthen and get good additions, and you won't stay up with a Championship-team. I think Burnley could have a rough season, but it all comes down to how they adjust to the higher tempo and higher quality. Maybe they'll adjust nicely, and maybe they have some late transfers in mind. It's important as a newcomer to get something going for you. Maybe build an impenetrable fortress at your home station, and make sure you always get points from your home games.
ChelseaChelsea is in my opinion the favorite this year. They have the best team, they have the best manager and it's their year to win it. They've brought in amazing talent in Diego Costa, who will lead the attack, Fabregas who will lead the midfield, and Luis who will strengthen the defense. Add young talent in Zouma, and Courtouis, possably the best goalkeeper in Europe at the moment, who is coming back to Chelsea after 3 years on loan at Atletico Madrid. I think Chelsea has the best starting lineup, but it all comes down to injuries. Diego Costa has a lot of pressure and needs to score +20 goals for them this year. I think he will, but what they really need is to keep him fit. If he gets injured, I think Chelsea could struggle with Torres or Drogba up front, and if Costa goes out for a few months, that could very well be the title disappearing for Chelsea. But still, the best manager and the best team IMO. This year could be a blue year.
Crystal PalaceHad you asked me a week ago, I would have said a solid mid-team table. Now, I'm not so sure. Crystal Palace might have suffered the worst loss out of any Premier League teams, when their manager Tony Pulis left a few days ago. He was the reason the team went from being dead last to being a strong middle team who could take points out of anyone last year. He's one of the best bottom club managers out there, because he knows how to get 100% out of his team. He knows discipline and he can take teams like Crystal Palace and Stoke and fight with the big teams during tough games. The team has strengthened okay otherwise. Campbell, Kelly and Hangeland are all proven Premier League players, but what will really hurt them is the loss of Tony Pulis. At this point I don't think it matters who they bring in, I think they will struggle to survive this year.
EvertonEverton was one of the wonderful surprises of last year, and what Martinez has done with the team is amazing. From the defensive minded team they were under Moyes, Martinez made Everton an attacking team that was a joy to watch. They've secured the services of Lukaku and Barry (who were only there on loan last year) and bought a young and interesting prospect in Besic. I think Everton will finish in the top7 spots, and I think they could go pretty far in Europa League. Martinez is a manager to watch, and I would not be surprised if we saw him as the manager for a club like Arsenal or Barcelona in 2-3 years. He's a humble guy you just love in interviews, and he has done wonders with this team. They could use another transfer or so, but they managed to buy Lukaku (who saw that coming?) so I think they'll do just fine.
Hull CityHull was one of the surprises last year and Steve Bruce managed to take a newcomer and make them a solid Premier League team. They even reached the FA Cup final, which they lost to Arsenal. This summer they have brought in players like Ince, Snodgrass, Maguire, Robertson, Ter Horst and Livermore (who was just on loan to them last year). I think Hull will be a solid mid-table team this year. I don't see them pushing into the top8 or anything, but I see them finishing safely above relegation, maybe in the 10-15 area. Steve Bruce is a decent manager who works well with clubs on this level, and the atmosphere within the club seems positive and I think they'll do fine. Again, not a team that will fight for European Cup positions, but not a team bad enough to be relegated either.
Leicester CityMy write-up for Leicester will be very similar to my write-up for Burnley, but they are in similar situations. Leicester are also newcomers, and they have only brought in two players this window. Rowley and Ulloa joins, not exactly names that strikes fear in the opposition. Leicester are also hoping that the team they jogged home Championship with is going to be enough to stay up, and I'm not convinced. Again, the difference between Championship and Premier League is huge. If you take too lightly on that, you're gonna have a rough time. I think they need to get in at least 2 or 3 more players before the transfer window closes, and that's player with Premier League experience or players of the higher class. I think Leicester will struggle this year, and could very well be relegated.
LiverpoolAlright so time for Southampton. Or wait... Lallana, Lambert and Lovren. This isn't Southampton? I don't know what's the most bizarre, the fact that Liverpool has bought half of Southampton's starting lineup before this season, or the fact that Liverpool has Southampton in the very first game. Man will that be awkward. The already mentioned Lallana, Lambert and Lovren are strengthening the midfield, attack and defense, and with other additions like Markovic, Can and Manquillo, Liverpool has done a really strong transfer window. The big elephant in the room is of course the question of "How will Liverpool do without Suarez?". I think Liverpool will finish top4, but with the addition of Champions League, contending for the title will be tougher. I think the one thing they really need is a huge star transfer, and someone who could fill Suarez´ shoes. Either Cavani or Falcao, someone who could score those goals. Because Sturridge will have his dips during the season for sure. Still, Rodgers is probably the most exciting manager in the league, he has a young and talented team, and Liverpool played some of the best football in Europe last year. It's just a joy to watch them. Players like Coutinho and Sterling will continue to improve as well.
Manchester City The previous league winners of last year, and a team many people are holding as favorites. I actually think Manchester City will miss out on the top4 this year. I'm not that impressed, and the way they got hammered by Arsenal last week, even if it was just the Community Shield, that says something about a team. I think Pellegrini is overrated as a manager, and a lot of the times last year, his tactical failures were salvaged by him having such a good team. I think City will miss out on the top4, but they could go far in Champions League instead. They have strengthened with Mangala and Fernando, two rigid/solid and defense-minded players, as well as a second goalkeeper in Caballero. Add in some experience in Frank Lampard (most odd transfer this summer?) and a young talent in Zuculini. I think City will fail mostly because of Pellegrini's tactical errors, but I still see them finishing 5th, because even if Pellegrini makes errors, they still have players like Aguero, Silva, Toure, Jovetic, Dzeko and Negredo, who all can decide games with their goals.
Manchester UnitedTime for the team I'm rooting for myself. A new manager in Louis Van Gaal, and two strong transfers in Shaw and Herrera. Pre-season has been incredible and without the extra pressure of Champions League, I think Man United will be this season's Liverpool of last year. The team that flies under the radar and contends for the title under everyone's noses. We still need at least 2, but maybe 3 transfers in my opinion. A versatile defender (either Blind or Rojo), and a central midfielder (Vidal). If we can get those additions, I think the problems are solved for now. I actually think Man United could win the title this year. The team is still great and with a competent manager and good additions (unlike how it looked last season), this could be a very special year. Like I said, we need those 2 or 3 transfers to really make this special, but even with the team we have now, I think top4 is more than doable.
NewcastleSimilar to Liverpool, Newcastle has kept busy this summer. New players in Cabella, De Jong, Riviere, Ferreyra, Colback, Perez and Janmaat, I think Newcastle could have a nice season this year. If I had to guess, I would say top10 probably. Around the 8-10 positions. They have a nice team with some real talent, they have an amazing fanbase and it's always hard for teams to go to their home stadium and get a good result. After their weak season last year, I think they wanna get back on track with something special, and there's no high pressure they gotta live up to after last year's disappointment. I think they will show us what they're capable of, and they have signed some really good players this window. Not a team for the highest top of the table, but they should be upper half at least.
Queens Park RangersTogether with Burnley and Leicester, QPR are the third and final newcomers for this season. I think they'll stay up, and I think they have the best chances out of the three. You got a solid Premier League manager in Harry Redknapp, one of the greatest profiles of the league, and it's nice to have him back. They have brought in solid additions in Ferdinand/Caulker to strengthen the defense, Mutch in the midfield, who had a great season with Cardiff last year, and some international flair in Isla from Juventus. I think QPR are too good on paper to go down, but I see them finishing maybe 15-16 place or something. I don't see them blowing us away this year, but they're also too good (at least on paper) to go down again, which happened last time they were up.
SouthamptonIf I could describe Southampton, I would compare them to a battered corpse. Last season they were amazing. But the way they have been dismantled this summer has been painful for me to watch, and I'm not one of their own supporters, so I could only imagine what hell the supporters have been through. First, they lost their amazing manager Pochettino, who joined Tottenham. Then they started losing players, and wow did they lose players. Lallana, Lovren and Lambert all joined Liverpool. Shaw joined Man United, and Chambers joined Arsenal. Schneiderlin posted on twitter in anger that he wanted to leave the club, and a lot of rumors have been circulating about Schneiderlin and Rodriguez being on their way out. So Southampton have already lost 5 starting players, all who had a huge impact last year, with 1 or 2 more looking to leave. Add a new manager in Koeman, who doesn't have PL experience, and you have a mess. They have brought in a few exciting names like Shane Long, Frazer Forster, Pelle, Bertrand, Taider and Tadic, but it's hard to say how some of them will adjust to the league. Still, I think Southampton will stay up. Despite being utterly dismantled and slaughtered, they have a competent manager, they have one of the best youth academies in England, and they have a few pretty good players. A few more additions before deadline day and next season doesn't have to be that bad.
StokeStoke is pretty much the definition of a firm and rigid mid-team table in Premier League. They're pretty strong defensively and Mark Hughes who took over last year has been working on their offense to improve as well. With the additions of Bojan (the old Barcelona striker who never became the next Messi), Teixeira and two Premier League merited players in Sidwell and Bardsley, I think Stoke will have another solid season. They could very well finish in the upper half, like the 9-10 places. I'm not a huge fan of Mark Hughes or Stoke, but it's hard to overlook the fact that they are pretty darn solid. Some decent transfers and they will probably continue to look good.
SunderlandAnother team with a lot of new faces this summer. Rodwell, Pantilimon, Jones, Gomez, Vergini, van Aanholt and Buckley, with Borini rumored to join from Liverpool. My biggest doubt is not the quality of the team, but Poyet as the manager. They managed the great escape last spring when they were looking to go down, but managed to stay up after a few impressing games towards the end. Still, a lot of new names and I'm not too sure. I don't think they will go down, but there's a lot of work for Poyet to make this team solid again. Sunderland has been very up and down the last few years, and what they really need is some consistency.
SwanseaSimilar to Southampton but a very light version of it, Swansea is a team I loved a few seasons ago, but they have slowly been dismantled and they're not the same anymore. Monk as the manager, there's problem nr1. He has the position because he's a club legend as a player, but he is unproven as a manager. They have brought in a few interesting names in Gomis, Montero, Fabianski and Sigurdsson, and at their core, they play offensive and beautiful attacking football. I think Swansea are too good to go down, but they need to start showing more this season than they did last year. It's time for Monk to step up as a manager and show the world what kind of manager he is, and what kind of football he wants to play.
Tottenham HotspurTottenham have been laying fairly low so far this summer, but they got loads of transfers last season, so there's still a lot of untapped potential. Great addition in Pochettino as the manager, and I like the transfers of Dier from Sporting, and Davies and Vorm from Swansea. There are questionmarks regarding players like Lamela and Soldado, but if Pochettino can get those players to perform (and I think he can), Spurs could very well be a contender for Champions League places this year. The team is strong on paper, and this could be a nice year for them. A nice start away against West Ham today, let's see what they can do. I expect them to be in the top7 this year.
West Bromwich AlbionsWBA has one of the least experienced managers in Irvine, and they could have a rough season this year. The team still looks better than some of the newcomers, and they have done some transfers in players like Brown, Lescott, Gamboa, Wisdom, Gardner and Pocognoli, but they're a bit of a joker team this season. I think they'll stay up, but finish somewhere in the 14-17 region. I can't say I'm excited to watch them or anything, but they have some experienced players, and staying up should be doable.
West Ham UnitedSome questionmarks regarding manager Sam Allardyce, but they have done some sweet transfers in Enner Valencia (who was amazing in the World Cup), Mauro Zarate (former wonderkid of Lazio/Inter) as well as Carl Jenkinson of Arsenal. I think West Ham are too solid to go out, but they still need to improve from last season when they weren't very good. It's a classic London club and I hope they stay up, but I also hope they play more offensively than they have in the past.
-----------------------My predictions for the table this season:----------------------------------------
1. Manchester United (yes I'm an optimist!)
2. Arsenal
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Manchester City
6. Tottenham
7. Everton
8. Newcastle
9. Stoke
10. Hull
11. Swansea
12. Southampton
13. West Ham United
14. Sunderland
15. Queens Park Rangers
16. West Bromwich Albions
17. Crystal Palace
18. Aston Villa
19. Leicester
20. Burnley
------------------------------------This weekend's games:-------------------------------------------------
Today:
12:45 - Manchester United - Swansea (1)
15:00 - Leicester - Everton (2)
15:00 - Queens Park Rangers - Hull (1)
15:00 - Stoke - Aston Villa (1)
15:00 - West Bromwich - Sunderland (X)
15:00 - West Ham - Tottenham (2)
17:30 - Arsenal - Crystal Palace (1)
Tomorrow:
13:30 - Liverpool - Southampton (1)
16:00 - Newcastle - Manchester City (X)
Monday:
20:00 - Burnley - Chelsea (2)
LETS GET EXCIIIIIIIITED