JoeMercer'sWay
Well-Known Member
Seeing as the pundits have crawled out their pits into the daybreak that is the new Premier League season, and posting there predictions for the new campaign, I thought I'd do the same, though I'm gonna go for a team-by-team basis.
Arsenal
A lack of investment last summer meant The Gunners fell dramatically off the pace in the race for the title last year, although the signing of Andrei Arshavin stemmed a few of the problems. However this summer little has been done to rectify the problems that hindered Arsene Wenger's youthful outfit last season, in fact the squad has been damaged further with the sales of key players Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Man City, with only the largely unproven Thomas Vermaelen coming in. However the returns of Eduardo and Tomas Rosicky(albeit delayed) and the up and coming genius that is Jack Wilshere set to make strides into the first team this year, Arsenal will still be a competitive side and world beaters on their day, though they will start to look over their shoulders with a greater worry than ever before.
Prediction-4th.
Aston Villa
Last season was a dramatic improvement for the Villans as for a large part of the season as they rode high in the Top 4, but they eventually fell away to finish a dissappointing 6th. However this season will be more of a struggle for Villa, losing 2 key players in Martin Laursen and Gareth Barry, and the more than dubious acquisition of an injured Stewart Downing at the forefront of the transfer deals. The signing of Fabian Delph highlights the potential Villa have, along with Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor, but Villa seem to lack a true leader and backbone that will propel them to the dizzy heights they experienced last season, and with the investment rival clubs have made, this could be a long, hard season for Martin O'Neill's men.
Prediction-8th.
Birmingham
Birmingham returned to the top flight at the first time of asking under Alex McLeish, and they have invested in the squad over the summer to give themselves a good chance to staying up. Taking Joe Hart on loan is a good move which will help all involved, a very talented keeper with prem experience. The additions of Espinoza and Johnson will add depth and stability to the backline, and the arrival of Christian Benitez, although a huge gamble, could pay off handsomely if he settles into the PL. If he doesn't, a lack of goals may hinder Birmingham, but they may stay up on the basis that other teams are weaker than them, and they have an experienced midfield with Barry Ferguson and Lee Bowyer, alongside the talented Sebastien Larsson. All in all I think Birmingham have a fair chance of staying up.
Prediction-18th(if Portsmouth get investment), 17th(if Portsmouth don't get investment)
Blackburn
Big Sam turned around a sinking ship in Rovers last season, leading them to safety after the debacle of the Paul Ince regime. The sale of frontman Roque Santa Cruz brought in welcome finance, but so far Rovers signings leave a little to be desired, especially with a frontline that on paper lacks goals. Benni McCarthy needs to find his prolific edge whilst new signing Nikola Kalinic will need to settle in and realise his potential. Blackburn have a solid backline though a lack of midfield presence and firepower will mean they may have to play ugly to reach Premier League survival this season.
Prediction-13th.
Bolton
Bolton survived quite comfortably last season under the stewardship of Gary Megson, and will look to do the same this season. With the presence of Kevin Davies and the left peg of Matty Taylor, Bolton have some decent players but will definately need some to step up and realise their potential and price-tags, like Johan Elmander and Fabrice Muamba. Some solid signings mean the Wanderers have some depth to the squad, but ultimately this season is about staying up than really progressing, and they'll have reliable performers like Jussi Jaaskelainen and Gary Cahill means Bolton have a good chance of being here next year.
Prediction-14th.
Burnley
An outstanding achievement to be promoted, and no doubt they will savour every moment they are in England's top flight. However I see this being a 1-season wonder and them returning straight back down to the Championship. The squad is looking the weakest on paper, and I don't believe they will do a Hull or Stoke. They may do well at home with the crowd behind them, but playing week in week out in the league is completely different to one-off Carling Cup games. Owen Coyle is undoubtedly a talented manager but for me Burnley will be returning to the fizzy pop leagues next season.
Prediction-20th.
Chelsea
My pick for the title. Why? Because imo they have the best squad and one of the best managers in Europe. Hiddink proved how good Chelsea can be if managed competently and I think Ancelotti can do this. Drogba looks a changed player and alongside Anelka they can bag loads of goals. If Terry and Carvalho can stay fit then Chelsea will be pretty solid at the back, and Alex is a more than adequate replacement, and Cole and Bosingwa are 2 of the better wingbacks in the division. Also with a midfield boasting the likes of Lampard, Ballack, Essien and Mikel Chelsea are strong across the pitch, and with the exciting prospect of Yuri Zhirkov, Chelsea are my favourites to win the title this season.
Prediction-1st.
Everton
Everton had a shaky start to last season but really improved during the campaign despite many injuries. The returns of Yakubu and Arteta will be a great bonus to the Toffees and the return of Jo on loan provides decent back-up. However if the injury bug returns Everton could well be thin on the ground and it might not work for them this time around. Phil Jagielka is already ruled out for the start of the season and anymore long term injuries will hamper their progress. To me their midfield is their strongpoint, with Arteta, Cahill, Fellaini, Osman and Pienaar all talented players, however they do look vulnerable at the back, with no obvious RB and the long term setback of Jagielka's injury, which is why they are desperate to hold onto Lescott. Ultimately though I think Everton are a strong group of players who can adapt well and battle hard to get results so I think they will do well next season.
Prediction-6th.
Fulham
Fulham well overachieved last season under the stewardship of Roy Hodgson and Europa League beckons for the Cottagers this term. However the squad has seen little investment and I think they will start to move downwards from now on unless new faces are brought in to strengthen the outfit. If Brede Hangeland stays he will be the rock on which the rest of the team is built, helped by Danny Murphy and Clint Dempsey, Fulham have a more than decent outfit but I do think unless a few more players come in before deadline day Europe is beyond reach for them this season.
Prediction-9th.
Hull
Hull spectacularly survived last season. Top 4 material in November to being 1 goal from relegation, it was an amazing first season last year for the Tigers. Phil Brown did a great job keeping them up but the squad is very thin and lacking any real quality, as was proved over the 2nd half of last season. Very little movement in the transfer market has lead to Brown virtually sticking with the same group of players, and I don't think they are good enough to stay up. It will be a long, hard season up at the KC this time around.
Prediction-19th.
Liverpool
Liverpool had a strong campaign last time around, remembered by their memorable 4-1 demolition of United at Old Trafford. They have also invested heavily, spending nearly £40m on Glen Johnson and Alberto Aquilani, both talented players, though they have lost one of their most talented stars in Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid. If Gerrard and Torres play it's likely Liverpool will fire, but once again if they don't you have to look at where the goals will come from, which as we've seen in the past can be a problem. Another big problem is Aquilani, if he fires Liverpool could be awesome, but if he doesn't settle and picks up injuries suddenly Liverpool will look very weak without Alonso. For me Liverpool's season hinges on the success of Gerrard, Torres and Aquilani, but I think they can retain their place in the top 2.
Prediction-2nd.
Manchester City
Wow...the new rich-kids on the block have spent big this summer to bring progression to the club. The big money signings of Adebayor and Tevez and the astute purchases of Barry and Toure have greatly strengthened the Blues squad and they have also cleared out a lot of the clutter that wasn't good enough or prepared to play its part on the road to City's ultimate aim, success. City's defence still looks shaky like last year, so a defender is still priority before the deadline, however the Top 4 is not all that far away, I believe they are in a better position than Villa last year. However being realistic top 5 should be the minimum expectation, as the fans would not take kindly to the digs other fans of any club who finished above them that wasn't one of the big 4, after all the money that has been spent this summer. Mark Hughes has a tough task on his hands and 5th place should be the minimum expectation this season.
Prediction-5th.
"Manchester" United
Well, well, well. The champions have certainly had an interesting summer, selling their best player and one of their best in Ronaldo and Tevez, and bringing in Michael Owen of all people, along with Gabriel Obertan and Antonio Valencia. Fergie is obviously relying on a good team ethic to pull the side through, but the flaws in United's side were all there to see in several games last season, notably the CL final, Tottenham(H) 1st half, Liverpool(H), Porto(H), Liverpool(A) and Fulham(A). The goals and assists Ronaldo gave will be a great loss, and even though Tevez didn't score many, he did score important goals, work very hard and assist as well, so they will both be great losses. Whether Owen can stay fit to deliver remains a mystery, whether Berbatov can find something to deliver his full potential remains to be seen. United to me need to start investing in the future and in several areas of the team, but they have no money left because of all their debt, so for me they won't win the league, in fact they'll be lucky to finish top 2.
Prediction-3rd.
Portsmouth
And your winners of the FA Cup...Portsmouth! Seems such a distant memory that Pompy actually won the trophy, and many of the players of that success have departed, leaving the bare bones of a team left. Paul Hart is a decent coach but can he make it as a full time manager with such a lack of resources?. Portsmouth need the Sulaiman Al-Fahim takeover to go through before the end of August and to bring some players in to strengthen the side. If they don't, I think they will go down, if they do, they may just make it. To me Pompy's Premiership future depends on this.
Prediction-18th(no takeover), 16th(takeover)
Stoke City
What a fantastic achievement it was for Stoke to stay up so comfortably last season. Tony Pulis pulled the strings to create a brand of football many of the top teams struggled with, and many will expect the same this season. The goals of James Beattie and Ricardo Fuller will be once again crucial, as will the power and strength of Faye and Shawcross will be integral to Pulis's plans. The only notable addition is the steady Dean Whitehead from Sunderland, but Stoke have enough about them to stay up this season, they're half a dozen teams worse than them in the division. The key once again will be whether Britannia Stadium can be a fortress like it was last time around.
Prediction-12th.
Sunderland
The Black Cats will look to progress from their abject showing last season under their new owner and new boss Steve Bruce. Bruce knows how to manage this level of club and it's expectations and is also more than decent in the transfer market. The signings of Darren Bent & Lorik Cana show more promising times ahead for Sunderland and I expect them to be moving up the table comfortably this season, with next year looking to get involved with the top 10 and the Europa League chase. I expect Sunderland to have an average yet comfortable season.
Prediction-11th.
Tottenham
Harry Redknapp turned round Spurs last season, and one thing you can't argue is there's a lot of firepower in the squad, with Defoe, Keane, Crouch and Pavlyuchenko, and their midfield isn't shabby either, with the flair and skill of Luca Modric mixed with the pace of Lennon and the power and determination of Palacios and the steadiness of Jermaine Jenas. However as we move further back Spurs's problems become clear. They have some of the most injury prone defenders in the league. No matter how talented King, Woodgate and Dawson are you would never bet on them to play more than 75% of the games in a season. Corluka is inconsistant and careless, and the RB position is weak with Chimbonda and Hutton the obvious candidates, though Kyle Naughton will be one to watch if he can realise his potential this season. Gareth Bale will need to step up this year at LB and challenge Benoit Assou-Ekotto. This year will be an improvement on last year for Spurs, but their defensive frailties, never mind the inconsistencies of Gomes, will mean they won't realise their full potential for another year yet.
Prediction-7th.
West Ham United
Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke worked wonders last year for the Hammers, but the financial problems at the club has meant a lack of investment in the playing squad this summer. The team is quite strong, but if injuries then West Ham will have to look to their acclaimed academy which has delivered quality talents over the years. For me goals might be hard to come by, but they are a very solid outfit with players like Parker, Upson and Noble who will not ship many goals. West Ham won't be as competitive as last season, as I feel they needed a few more signings and a proven goalscorer, but they certainly won't be in any trouble this campaign.
Prediction-10th.
Wigan
Wigan under Bruce were a determined, hard to beat outfit. However those days are long gone, Bruce has left as has key players like Heskey(January), Palacios(January) and Valencia, and the second half of the season wasn't as promising as the first for Athletic. Under Roberto Martinez they have a young, talented manager but past experience tells us it's a huge risk and a poisoned chalice. Hopefully he can buck the trend but they'll have to turn to players like Hugo Rodallega, Lee Cattermole and Paul Scharner to really deliver and become the core members of the side to keep Wigan up, because if they start poorly they could be in a bit of danger, though I think they have more quality and PL experience than some of their relegation rivals, which may help.
Prediction-15th.
Wolves
Wolves return to the top flight after a several year absence, and will look to make their mark this time around. A young, exciting team, they like to go forward more than they like to defend. The signing of Kevin Doyle is a good one and he and Ebanks-Blake could be the deadly partnership in the league, provided they click of course and players like Kightly make the step up. However they're some concerns with the backline which could ship goals against strong attacking teams, a few additions would be welcome before the window shuts. However they have a very experienced manager in Mick McCarthy and I fancy them to be the survivors of the promoted clubs this season.
Prediction-16th(If no Portsmouth takeover), 17th(If Portsmouth takeover)
so my final table is:
1) Chelsea
2) Liverpool
3) Manchester United
4) Arsenal
-----------------------------------
5) Manchester City
6) Everton
7) Tottenham
-----------------------------------
8) Aston Villa
9) Fulham
10) West Ham United
11) Sunderland
12) Stoke City
13) Blackburn
14) Bolton
15) Wigan
16) Wolves* Portsmouth**
17) Wolves** Birmingham*
------------------------------------
18) Portsmouth* Birmingham**
19) Hull City
20) Burnley
*If Portsmouth do not get taken over within a reasonable time of the end of the transfer window.
**If Portsmouth do get taken over.
Arsenal
A lack of investment last summer meant The Gunners fell dramatically off the pace in the race for the title last year, although the signing of Andrei Arshavin stemmed a few of the problems. However this summer little has been done to rectify the problems that hindered Arsene Wenger's youthful outfit last season, in fact the squad has been damaged further with the sales of key players Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Man City, with only the largely unproven Thomas Vermaelen coming in. However the returns of Eduardo and Tomas Rosicky(albeit delayed) and the up and coming genius that is Jack Wilshere set to make strides into the first team this year, Arsenal will still be a competitive side and world beaters on their day, though they will start to look over their shoulders with a greater worry than ever before.
Prediction-4th.
Aston Villa
Last season was a dramatic improvement for the Villans as for a large part of the season as they rode high in the Top 4, but they eventually fell away to finish a dissappointing 6th. However this season will be more of a struggle for Villa, losing 2 key players in Martin Laursen and Gareth Barry, and the more than dubious acquisition of an injured Stewart Downing at the forefront of the transfer deals. The signing of Fabian Delph highlights the potential Villa have, along with Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor, but Villa seem to lack a true leader and backbone that will propel them to the dizzy heights they experienced last season, and with the investment rival clubs have made, this could be a long, hard season for Martin O'Neill's men.
Prediction-8th.
Birmingham
Birmingham returned to the top flight at the first time of asking under Alex McLeish, and they have invested in the squad over the summer to give themselves a good chance to staying up. Taking Joe Hart on loan is a good move which will help all involved, a very talented keeper with prem experience. The additions of Espinoza and Johnson will add depth and stability to the backline, and the arrival of Christian Benitez, although a huge gamble, could pay off handsomely if he settles into the PL. If he doesn't, a lack of goals may hinder Birmingham, but they may stay up on the basis that other teams are weaker than them, and they have an experienced midfield with Barry Ferguson and Lee Bowyer, alongside the talented Sebastien Larsson. All in all I think Birmingham have a fair chance of staying up.
Prediction-18th(if Portsmouth get investment), 17th(if Portsmouth don't get investment)
Blackburn
Big Sam turned around a sinking ship in Rovers last season, leading them to safety after the debacle of the Paul Ince regime. The sale of frontman Roque Santa Cruz brought in welcome finance, but so far Rovers signings leave a little to be desired, especially with a frontline that on paper lacks goals. Benni McCarthy needs to find his prolific edge whilst new signing Nikola Kalinic will need to settle in and realise his potential. Blackburn have a solid backline though a lack of midfield presence and firepower will mean they may have to play ugly to reach Premier League survival this season.
Prediction-13th.
Bolton
Bolton survived quite comfortably last season under the stewardship of Gary Megson, and will look to do the same this season. With the presence of Kevin Davies and the left peg of Matty Taylor, Bolton have some decent players but will definately need some to step up and realise their potential and price-tags, like Johan Elmander and Fabrice Muamba. Some solid signings mean the Wanderers have some depth to the squad, but ultimately this season is about staying up than really progressing, and they'll have reliable performers like Jussi Jaaskelainen and Gary Cahill means Bolton have a good chance of being here next year.
Prediction-14th.
Burnley
An outstanding achievement to be promoted, and no doubt they will savour every moment they are in England's top flight. However I see this being a 1-season wonder and them returning straight back down to the Championship. The squad is looking the weakest on paper, and I don't believe they will do a Hull or Stoke. They may do well at home with the crowd behind them, but playing week in week out in the league is completely different to one-off Carling Cup games. Owen Coyle is undoubtedly a talented manager but for me Burnley will be returning to the fizzy pop leagues next season.
Prediction-20th.
Chelsea
My pick for the title. Why? Because imo they have the best squad and one of the best managers in Europe. Hiddink proved how good Chelsea can be if managed competently and I think Ancelotti can do this. Drogba looks a changed player and alongside Anelka they can bag loads of goals. If Terry and Carvalho can stay fit then Chelsea will be pretty solid at the back, and Alex is a more than adequate replacement, and Cole and Bosingwa are 2 of the better wingbacks in the division. Also with a midfield boasting the likes of Lampard, Ballack, Essien and Mikel Chelsea are strong across the pitch, and with the exciting prospect of Yuri Zhirkov, Chelsea are my favourites to win the title this season.
Prediction-1st.
Everton
Everton had a shaky start to last season but really improved during the campaign despite many injuries. The returns of Yakubu and Arteta will be a great bonus to the Toffees and the return of Jo on loan provides decent back-up. However if the injury bug returns Everton could well be thin on the ground and it might not work for them this time around. Phil Jagielka is already ruled out for the start of the season and anymore long term injuries will hamper their progress. To me their midfield is their strongpoint, with Arteta, Cahill, Fellaini, Osman and Pienaar all talented players, however they do look vulnerable at the back, with no obvious RB and the long term setback of Jagielka's injury, which is why they are desperate to hold onto Lescott. Ultimately though I think Everton are a strong group of players who can adapt well and battle hard to get results so I think they will do well next season.
Prediction-6th.
Fulham
Fulham well overachieved last season under the stewardship of Roy Hodgson and Europa League beckons for the Cottagers this term. However the squad has seen little investment and I think they will start to move downwards from now on unless new faces are brought in to strengthen the outfit. If Brede Hangeland stays he will be the rock on which the rest of the team is built, helped by Danny Murphy and Clint Dempsey, Fulham have a more than decent outfit but I do think unless a few more players come in before deadline day Europe is beyond reach for them this season.
Prediction-9th.
Hull
Hull spectacularly survived last season. Top 4 material in November to being 1 goal from relegation, it was an amazing first season last year for the Tigers. Phil Brown did a great job keeping them up but the squad is very thin and lacking any real quality, as was proved over the 2nd half of last season. Very little movement in the transfer market has lead to Brown virtually sticking with the same group of players, and I don't think they are good enough to stay up. It will be a long, hard season up at the KC this time around.
Prediction-19th.
Liverpool
Liverpool had a strong campaign last time around, remembered by their memorable 4-1 demolition of United at Old Trafford. They have also invested heavily, spending nearly £40m on Glen Johnson and Alberto Aquilani, both talented players, though they have lost one of their most talented stars in Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid. If Gerrard and Torres play it's likely Liverpool will fire, but once again if they don't you have to look at where the goals will come from, which as we've seen in the past can be a problem. Another big problem is Aquilani, if he fires Liverpool could be awesome, but if he doesn't settle and picks up injuries suddenly Liverpool will look very weak without Alonso. For me Liverpool's season hinges on the success of Gerrard, Torres and Aquilani, but I think they can retain their place in the top 2.
Prediction-2nd.
Manchester City
Wow...the new rich-kids on the block have spent big this summer to bring progression to the club. The big money signings of Adebayor and Tevez and the astute purchases of Barry and Toure have greatly strengthened the Blues squad and they have also cleared out a lot of the clutter that wasn't good enough or prepared to play its part on the road to City's ultimate aim, success. City's defence still looks shaky like last year, so a defender is still priority before the deadline, however the Top 4 is not all that far away, I believe they are in a better position than Villa last year. However being realistic top 5 should be the minimum expectation, as the fans would not take kindly to the digs other fans of any club who finished above them that wasn't one of the big 4, after all the money that has been spent this summer. Mark Hughes has a tough task on his hands and 5th place should be the minimum expectation this season.
Prediction-5th.
"Manchester" United
Well, well, well. The champions have certainly had an interesting summer, selling their best player and one of their best in Ronaldo and Tevez, and bringing in Michael Owen of all people, along with Gabriel Obertan and Antonio Valencia. Fergie is obviously relying on a good team ethic to pull the side through, but the flaws in United's side were all there to see in several games last season, notably the CL final, Tottenham(H) 1st half, Liverpool(H), Porto(H), Liverpool(A) and Fulham(A). The goals and assists Ronaldo gave will be a great loss, and even though Tevez didn't score many, he did score important goals, work very hard and assist as well, so they will both be great losses. Whether Owen can stay fit to deliver remains a mystery, whether Berbatov can find something to deliver his full potential remains to be seen. United to me need to start investing in the future and in several areas of the team, but they have no money left because of all their debt, so for me they won't win the league, in fact they'll be lucky to finish top 2.
Prediction-3rd.
Portsmouth
And your winners of the FA Cup...Portsmouth! Seems such a distant memory that Pompy actually won the trophy, and many of the players of that success have departed, leaving the bare bones of a team left. Paul Hart is a decent coach but can he make it as a full time manager with such a lack of resources?. Portsmouth need the Sulaiman Al-Fahim takeover to go through before the end of August and to bring some players in to strengthen the side. If they don't, I think they will go down, if they do, they may just make it. To me Pompy's Premiership future depends on this.
Prediction-18th(no takeover), 16th(takeover)
Stoke City
What a fantastic achievement it was for Stoke to stay up so comfortably last season. Tony Pulis pulled the strings to create a brand of football many of the top teams struggled with, and many will expect the same this season. The goals of James Beattie and Ricardo Fuller will be once again crucial, as will the power and strength of Faye and Shawcross will be integral to Pulis's plans. The only notable addition is the steady Dean Whitehead from Sunderland, but Stoke have enough about them to stay up this season, they're half a dozen teams worse than them in the division. The key once again will be whether Britannia Stadium can be a fortress like it was last time around.
Prediction-12th.
Sunderland
The Black Cats will look to progress from their abject showing last season under their new owner and new boss Steve Bruce. Bruce knows how to manage this level of club and it's expectations and is also more than decent in the transfer market. The signings of Darren Bent & Lorik Cana show more promising times ahead for Sunderland and I expect them to be moving up the table comfortably this season, with next year looking to get involved with the top 10 and the Europa League chase. I expect Sunderland to have an average yet comfortable season.
Prediction-11th.
Tottenham
Harry Redknapp turned round Spurs last season, and one thing you can't argue is there's a lot of firepower in the squad, with Defoe, Keane, Crouch and Pavlyuchenko, and their midfield isn't shabby either, with the flair and skill of Luca Modric mixed with the pace of Lennon and the power and determination of Palacios and the steadiness of Jermaine Jenas. However as we move further back Spurs's problems become clear. They have some of the most injury prone defenders in the league. No matter how talented King, Woodgate and Dawson are you would never bet on them to play more than 75% of the games in a season. Corluka is inconsistant and careless, and the RB position is weak with Chimbonda and Hutton the obvious candidates, though Kyle Naughton will be one to watch if he can realise his potential this season. Gareth Bale will need to step up this year at LB and challenge Benoit Assou-Ekotto. This year will be an improvement on last year for Spurs, but their defensive frailties, never mind the inconsistencies of Gomes, will mean they won't realise their full potential for another year yet.
Prediction-7th.
West Ham United
Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke worked wonders last year for the Hammers, but the financial problems at the club has meant a lack of investment in the playing squad this summer. The team is quite strong, but if injuries then West Ham will have to look to their acclaimed academy which has delivered quality talents over the years. For me goals might be hard to come by, but they are a very solid outfit with players like Parker, Upson and Noble who will not ship many goals. West Ham won't be as competitive as last season, as I feel they needed a few more signings and a proven goalscorer, but they certainly won't be in any trouble this campaign.
Prediction-10th.
Wigan
Wigan under Bruce were a determined, hard to beat outfit. However those days are long gone, Bruce has left as has key players like Heskey(January), Palacios(January) and Valencia, and the second half of the season wasn't as promising as the first for Athletic. Under Roberto Martinez they have a young, talented manager but past experience tells us it's a huge risk and a poisoned chalice. Hopefully he can buck the trend but they'll have to turn to players like Hugo Rodallega, Lee Cattermole and Paul Scharner to really deliver and become the core members of the side to keep Wigan up, because if they start poorly they could be in a bit of danger, though I think they have more quality and PL experience than some of their relegation rivals, which may help.
Prediction-15th.
Wolves
Wolves return to the top flight after a several year absence, and will look to make their mark this time around. A young, exciting team, they like to go forward more than they like to defend. The signing of Kevin Doyle is a good one and he and Ebanks-Blake could be the deadly partnership in the league, provided they click of course and players like Kightly make the step up. However they're some concerns with the backline which could ship goals against strong attacking teams, a few additions would be welcome before the window shuts. However they have a very experienced manager in Mick McCarthy and I fancy them to be the survivors of the promoted clubs this season.
Prediction-16th(If no Portsmouth takeover), 17th(If Portsmouth takeover)
so my final table is:
1) Chelsea
2) Liverpool
3) Manchester United
4) Arsenal
-----------------------------------
5) Manchester City
6) Everton
7) Tottenham
-----------------------------------
8) Aston Villa
9) Fulham
10) West Ham United
11) Sunderland
12) Stoke City
13) Blackburn
14) Bolton
15) Wigan
16) Wolves* Portsmouth**
17) Wolves** Birmingham*
------------------------------------
18) Portsmouth* Birmingham**
19) Hull City
20) Burnley
*If Portsmouth do not get taken over within a reasonable time of the end of the transfer window.
**If Portsmouth do get taken over.