Football 2009-10

[Jonno]

It's August so it's time to start our new season thread - scary to think this will take us into a new decade!

The new season's almost here (in fact European competiton qualifiers are underway already) and terrestrial viewers will get some significant Championship coverage on the Beeb - starting with Newcastle and West Brom live on BBC1 after Final Score next Saturday.

[Paul Clement]

I shall endeavour to do my write up of the teams in the Premiership again.

[duncan]

Oh Goody. And I can tell you what life is like way down here in League 1.

We'll be back, yes, one day we'll be back!

[Pip Madeley]

Celtic pulled it out of the bag tonight didn't they...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...pe/8178985.stm

Love the Scottish commentary, sounds a bit like Martin Penny... must be me.

[Captain Tancredi]

Oh Goody. And I can tell you what life is like way down here in League 1.

We'll be back, yes, one day we'll be back!

We've been saying that for the last eight years or so- it's bound to become true eventually. The trouble with League 1 is that you have to be able to play against the talentless yard dogs from League 2 as well as the Championship material.

While I'd like to think that John Barnes will work an instant miracle, I doubt this will be Tranmere's year somehow- half the squad seemed to go once Ronnie Moore was sacked (including Mark Allott, who was only on our books for about eight weeks and never played a competitive game), and what we have left is really quite thin. What may save us is that as a well-run club, we're unlikely to find ourselves going into administration and getting a points deduction- Southampton are already starting on -10, and if a couple more teams pick up deductions over the course of the season, it could mean that the relegation places sort themselves out.

[Paul Clement]

My predictions for the coming season:

Premiership:
1. Man Utd
2. Chelsea
3. Liverpool
4. Man City
5. Arsenal
6. Everton
7. Aston Villa
8. Tottenham
9. Fulham
10. West Ham
11. Blackburn
12. Wigan
13. Sunderland
14. Bolton
15. Stoke
16. Wolves
17. Portsmouth
18. Birmingham
19. Burnley
20. Hull


FA Cup:
Chelsea

League Cup:
Chelsea

Champions League:
Barcelona

[Paul Clement]

Man Utd:

The loss of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez is going to have an impact on Man Utd this season, but I don't believe it will stop them winning the Premiership this season. I think things will be a great deal closer, but none of their major rivals has improved enough in the close season to overturn their bid to win the Premiership for the fourth consecutive occasion.

This looks likely to be the swansong year for Van Der Sar, but it's quite probable that he will lose his number one slot to Ben Foster before the season has ended. The youngster has pushed his way into the England squad, despite the fact he has had to play second fiddle to the Dutchman for most of his time at the club, but he is now emerging as the more capable keeper the club has. In front of him, the defence is as solid as ever, with Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra being complimented by either the experience of Neville or the freshness of Rafael. It's a testament to their defensive options, that Wes Brown, a seasoned England international, cannot even consider himself second choice as right back now. With the emergence of Jonny Evans and the continued availability of John O'Shea, the side doesn't look much weaker in defence when injuries do finally hit.

From midfield through to attack, there is likely to be a big change in the system that Man Utd play this season. The attacking formation in the last few seasons was skillfully adapted by Ferguson to revolve around Ronaldo, a player that could win a game for him by being difficult to pin down. A player that relished having the freedom of the pitch to play within. Because of this, Rooney was often pushed into a role that was not particularly suited to him, and his own game suffered as a result. With Ronaldo's departure, and the arrival of Antonio Valencia, I would expect to see United revert to a more traditional 4-4-2 formation with Valencia having much less freedom to roam the pitch, staying in a more orthordox right wing role. On paper, the midfield looks weaker than it has for some time, with either Carrick or the often injured Hargreaves playing as the lynchpin of the midfield. Around them you have Park, Fletcher, Valencia, Anderson, Gibson and Nani available, as well as the ageing stars Giggs and Scholes. I would expect the latter two to be played less frequently this season, coming in against the weaker Premiership sides and in the cup matches. This will allow the two players to remain fresh for times when there craft and guile are truly needed.

Up front, Rooney and Berbatov will be the expected starting duo, with new recruit Michael Owen and youngsters Wellbeck and Macheda providing support. Ferguson has taken a gamble with Owen, especially when considering the vast amount of money he had available to him from Ronaldo's transfer. Bringing in the injury prone attacker on a free transfer could end up a mistake, but if he can get his fitness back, Ferguson is relying on the Owen to re-launch his career at a club where chances are going to be in a far greater abundance than he ever had at Newcastle.

I see Man Utd retaining their title this season, but with a smaller margin than last season, perhaps even to the extent that it could be one on the closing day of the season.

[Paul Clement]

Chelsea:

It could be said that Chelsea's golden years have already come and gone. When Abramovich first took over the club, he installed Mourinho as manager and launched a spending spree that was unprecedented in English football at the time. Now, a number of Premiership clubs have got their own money machine, all with the goal of reaching the Champions League. Chelsea went one step further and took the Premiership crown, but this wasn't enough for Abramovich, and since the axe fell on Mourinho, a number of manager have tried and failed to live up to the owners expectations, silverware and exciting football. None of these managers had anywhere near the financial outlay available to them that Mourinho did, and Ancelotti also appears to be operating within a budget determined by closed purse strings, with the club having only made a couple signing bringing in youngsters with potential and only one player brought in that will immediately challenge for a first team place.

The Chelsea defence is starting to show signs of weakness. When they were winning the Premiership, Chelsea were almost impossible to break down, but now the years seem to be taking their toll. John Terry, according to some reports, hasn't got the legs to perform week in, week out any more, and his performances last season had far more mistakes in them than we had come to expect. Alongside him in the heart of the defence is Alex, a player whoi isn't yet the finished article, and who appears to have one of those personalities that can cause conflict within a club. Carvalho looks to be on his way from the club, with the inability of Inter reaching an agreement over his and Deco's price being the only reason he is still at the club. A worrying concern considering that he is the only central defender who looks like an adequate replacement for the first choice pairing should the club suffer any injuries. Ashley Cole has little competition at left back, while Bosingwa looks to have cemented his place as first choice right back. Bosingwa himself looks far more confident when attacking the other team rather than in his defensive capacity. Beyond the main four, the likes of Mancienne, Belletti, Ferreira and Ivanovic don't convince as suitable back ups for a club with an eye on the title.

The midfield has been strengthened by a return to fitness of Essien, a player who was sorely missed at the start of the previous season. Mikel will be the obvious back up to Essien should he suffer any further injuries, and although adequte, Mikel hasn't produced the sort of football that made Chelsea so keen to sign him. New signing Zhirkov will be looking for a spot on the right of midfield, and he can, if needed, also play in Bosingwa's position at right back. The remainder of the midfield will come from Lampard, Ballack, Malouda and Joe Cole, with Deco avaialble if required but now very much out of favour. The trouble with the midfield is that age is starting to creep up on them. Ballack, Lampard and Deco are all in their thirties, and the club don't seem to be doing anything to bring in a fresh look to this part of the team.

Drobga and Anelka will continue to be the mainstays of the Chelsea attack, and the fact that Drogba has recently signed a new contract implies that he is finally happy at the club again. Kalou and Sturridge will offer support in cameo roles, but the club will really need to rely on the goals of the main two, plus Lampard to push for the title.

I see Chelsea pushing Man Utd a bit more this season, but really the club needs an overhaul. Too many ageing players need to be released and the owner needs to put his hand in his pocket again to get the right replacements if Chelsea want to win the league again.

[Paul Clement]

Liverpool:

What a difference a season makes. Last season, Liverpool finally put in a credible challenge for the Premiership title, thanks in no small part to a player they were keen to sell on at the start of that season. Xabi Alonso was almost on his way with the club vigorously pursuing Gareth Barry. Forward 12 months, and Xabi Alonso is on his way to the Real Madrid Galacticos II and Barry in now happily housed at Man City. Liverpool on the other hand, look a weaker outfit than they did last season.

Reina will, yet again, be the keeper for the club, and their defence looks settled with Carragher, Skrtel and Agger vying for two spots in the centre of defence, whilst Glen Johnson will come in at right back as the only new addition to the back four (one of only two significant signings).

The midield wil have a slightly different look to it, with Aquilani coming in as a direct replacement for Xabi Alonso. Mascherano also seems to be looking for an exit from the club, which will cause Liverpool some difficulty if they were to let him go. Obviously, their biggest asset in midfield is Gerrard, and once again, the club will be looking for him to drive the team on and score some vital goals too. The trouble is, the club is looking a little lightweight in midfield now. Babel has failed to live up to expectations so far, while Lucas hasn't produced performances that suggest he is ever going to become a regular.

Up front, the club will be relying on Torres more than ever. Their flirtation with Robbie Keane failed last season, and surprisingly, the club haven't made any moves to replace him, seemingly content to rely on Ngog, El Zhar and Voronin (recently returned from a loan spell in the Bundesliga) as cover. If the club suffered an injury to Torres, you wonder exactly where the goals are going to come from.

Liverpool had an excellent season last last time out, but the club haven't built on their success, looking, if anything, a weaker proposition than they did 12 months ago. The end result could be another season where they miss out on silverware and another season of what ifs.

[Paul Clement]

Man City

They say you can't buy the title, and to be honest, I think I'd have to agree. Chelsea spent millions when they won their titles, but this wasn't built on Galacticos style purchses, rather a manager who was tactically astute, bringing in players who he knew could do a job for him. Man City appear to be following the Galacticos route, and I don't think it will get them the title they crave, but it looks a good bet to get them a Champions League place.

In Shay Given, they have a keeper that is good enough to have played for a big club. His years at Newcastle certainly would have given him a lot of shop stopping experience. Their defence, always the weak spot of their team, has been strengthened by the purchase of Wayne Bridge during the January transfer window and has been subsequently strengthened in the close season by the purchase of Kolo Toure. Their failed attempts at getting Terry and Lescott show that Mark Hughes is aware of the clubs defensive frailties and is actively trying to overcome them. I wouldn't be at all surprised if another central defender wasn't to come in before the season starts, with Matthew Upson being one name mentioned recently. Vincent Kompany, mainly a midfielder for the last season, may find a midfield position hard to come by due to recent purchases, and was considered an excellent defender when his career began, so could drop back.

The midfield has been bolstered by the signing of Gareth Barry and with Stephen Ireland, Robinho, Nigel De Jong and Shaun Wright-Phillips pushing for a place in the team, the signs look very good for City. Juggling the pack will be very important for Hughes this season, and you may be surprised to hear me say that it is Barry that they need to build the midfield around. He is the clubs ball winner. Their Mascherano for want of a comparison. He will be the one that gels the midfield together, with De Jong as his understudy should he be injured. Robinho will most liekly end up on the left with SWP on the right. Ireland in the centre alongside Barry with licence to attack and get into the box.

Up front, City have finally gained the players that will consistently get them goals. Santa Cruz, Tevez and Adebayor will have to fight it out for two places, and my expectation is that it will be Tevez plus one other who gets the nod each time. Lets not forget though, the club still has Benjani and Craig Bellamy in their squad. Two more strikers that will be pushing to get a chance and who will need to really shine in that role should they get that chance.

The club are improving their defence, the one weak spot they have. Their midfield is full of attacking options, and they have a wealth of choice up front. The task now is to turn this potential into a team, if Hughes can do that, then a Champions League place is certainly an achievable target for the Premiership big spenders.

[Paul Clement]

Arsenal

If ever there was a club in a serious state of decline, then it's Arsenal. They managed to scrape into the top four last season courtesy of Aston Villa's season blowing up in the new year. Yes, they got the results they needed, but they were so lucky that a Villa side who had played a free flowing style of attacking football bottled it when it really mattered. Since the season ended, the only good news the club has had was Wenger declaring he wanted to continue to manage the club.

They added Vermaelen to their defence, only to lose Toure to Man City shortly after. I don't honestly believe that the Belgian was brought in to be a first choice central defender. I'm sure he was there to be understudy to Gallas and Toure and that it was Gallas if anyone that Vermaelen would have eventually replaced. Clichy and Sagna will not make up the back four, with youngsters such as Traore and Song alongside Senderos and Silvestre as back up.

Their midifeld lacks experience, and looks similar to their Carling Cup sides of two seasons ago. Fabregas, at only 22 years of age, is the clubs most experienced midfielder alongside Rosicky. Arshavin is an excellent player, but should anything happen to these main three players, the club is then reliant on Nasri, Denilson, Wilshere and Eboue to carry the team on. This is the season that Walcott really needs to produce the goods on a regular basis. If the right side of midfield is going to be his usual position, he needs to imprve on his crosses and passes into the box. If he is seen as a striker in the long term, then Wenger needs to start playing him there on a regular basis.

The loss of Adebayor, and the lack of any replacements will dent Arsenal's chances this season. Van Persie, Bendtner and Eduardo will have to carry Arsenal's goal threat, and none of the three are particularly renowened as major goalscorers, although Eduardo fits the bill better than the other two.

Arsenal will continue to play attractive football, using the philosophy Wenger has instilled in them since he first arrived, but as each season passes, he has less available in his team to win games. The cutting edge has gone missing, and money is so tight at the Emirates that they couldn't afford to buy it, even if they wanted to. This could be the season that Arsenal finally drop out of the Champions League places, and I'm being king by suggesting that they will come 5th, and there are clubs out there who could push them hard for that place too.

[Pip Madeley]

The loss of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez is going to have an impact on Man Utd this season, but I don't believe it will stop them winning the Premiership this season. I think things will be a great deal closer, but none of their major rivals has improved enough in the close season to overturn their bid to win the Premiership for the fourth consecutive occasion.

I agree.

This looks likely to be the swansong year for Van Der Sar, but it's quite probable that he will lose his number one slot to Ben Foster before the season has ended. The youngster has pushed his way into the England squad, despite the fact he has had to play second fiddle to the Dutchman for most of his time at the club, but he is now emerging as the more capable keeper the club has.

Considering Van Der Sar is out for two months I would say Foster is going to see some real action this season - he's on my fantasy footy team.

Ferguson has taken a gamble with Owen, especially when considering the vast amount of money he had available to him from Ronaldo's transfer. Bringing in the injury prone attacker on a free transfer could end up a mistake, but if he can get his fitness back, Ferguson is relying on the Owen to re-launch his career at a club where chances are going to be in a far greater abundance than he ever had at Newcastle.

Owen's been in great form pre-season, I'm sure it has definitely boosted his confidence and I can see him picking up a few goals.

[Paul Clement]

Everton:

Moyes for Man Utd!!! That's the call I would be passing to the board when they look for a successor to Alex Ferguson if I was a Man Utd fan. Season after season, Moyes has led Everton to the top six in the Premiership, and always with a paper thin squad. Very rarely does Moyes sign a player who doesn't produce the goods for him, so his small squad manages to achieve things that some of the big money spenders fail to do.

There aren't any new signings in the Everton defence this season, but more importantly, they still retain the services of Joleon Lescott. The defender has been the subject of a number of transfer bids from Man City, but so far, Everton's resolve has stayed firm. Alongside him, Baines, Hibbert, Jagielka, Yobo and Phil Neville will build a solid and uncompromising back four. The club don't usually concedce many goals and that is something I expect to continue into the new season.

The midfield is built upon the skill of Arteta and the work ethic of Tim Cahill. Pienaar offers some midfield steel, while Fellaini has some guile to his play that can unlock an opponents defence. Osman is an effective, if orthodox, replacement. The team, if suffering an injury crisis, then relies on youngsters, but Rodwell in particular looks like an assured player when called upon.

Up front, the club had all manner of injury problems last season. This season, they will be hoping that Yakubu especially can stay fit. Anichebe, Saha, Jo and Vaughan provide an array of options for Moyes, with many of them useful as impact substitutions to change a game late on.

The biggest problem Everton could suffer with this season is injuries. However, they had that problem last season, with Cahill spending a good part of the season playing up front, so as long as the squad isn't decimated by injury, I expect them to push Arsenal and Man City for that final Champions League spot, but ultimately fall a little short.

[Paul Clement]

Aston Villa:

The wheels came off the wagon for Aston Villa last season, seeing the club plunge from a potential place in Champions League football to sixth in the league come the final day after an awful post Christmas run of results. Martin O'Neill will be hoping thathis side can continue with last seasons early form, and avoid the mid year slump this time around.

O'Neill has signed Habib Beye from Newcastle as he looks to replace the loss of Martin Laursen due to an injury related retirement. With Curtis Davies as an established first team central defender, and having sold Zat Knight, O'Neill needs a partner for Davies in the centre of defence. The signing of Beye means that Cuellar could move across to the centre of defence. Luke Young, usually a right back, played a great deal of last season in the left back role after Shorey failed to impress. If Shorey, or Bouma, now that he is returning from injury, can stake an ongoing spot at left back, Young would give further cover in the right back department.

The loss of Gareth Barry will be a bitter blow to Villa this season. Apart from the fact he was their captain, he was also one of their most accomplished midfielders, weighing in with a few goals too. Stewart Downing has been brought in, but his injury is likely to keep him out of the side until December at the earliest. Ashley Young, despite constant transfer rumours, is still at the club, and O'Neill will be hoping his pace and power can unsettle opposition defgences again. Sidwell, Petrov, Reo-Coker and Craig Gardner will fight for the central midfield roles, while Milner will most likely be a regular on the right hand side this season.

Up front, it will be Carew, Agbonlahor and Heskey pushing for a starting place, with Harewood likely to leave the club in the near future and Delfouneso still learning the art of goal scoring.

Villa have the ability to impress with their fast attacking football, but I have reservations about their ability to grind out results when required. I still seem them pushing Arsenal and Everton during the early part of the season, but could quite easily see them dropping off the pace during the winter again.

[Paul Clement]

Spurs:

The last two seasons have been somewhat depressing for Spurs fans. After the nearly years of Martin Jol's reign, there was the jubilation of the Carling Cup win. But for the last two seasons, the Premiership has been a case of one step forward five steps back. Finally, under the leadership of Harry 'Houdini' Redknapp, the club looks like it it heading back in the right direction. The bulk of the transfer spending was made during the January transfer window as Redknapp steered the club away from the relegation zone, and this summer, speculation has been light on the ground for the most part. Until the last couple of weeks, signings even lighter still.

After a shaky start, Gomes has established himself as an excellent keeper, and in Cudicini, the club has a first rate back up. The centre of defence has been bolstered by the timely arrival of Bassong. With Woodgate unlikely to feature for a few months and Dawson still recovering from injury, Ledley King was the only recognised centre back available, and he has injury issues of his own that are well known now. Hutton, Corluka, Chimbonda and new signing Kyle Naughton will fight for the right back position, and it is quite feasible that one of those four, most likely Chimbonda or Hutton, could be sold to balance the books. Assou-Ekotto, a player that improved significantly last season, seems to have cemented his position as left back, while Gareth Bale will be hoping to finally end the statistic that shows he has never played in a winning side for Spurs in the Premiership so far. Of course, that's if he stays at the club with alleged interest from Ajax, Inter and AC Milan.

The midfield still requires that elusive left sided player that it has been crying out for in the last few seasons. Modric took the role on a number of occasions last season, while Jamie O'Hara can also fill in there when required. The centre of midfield will be Palacios and one other. That other will most likely be Modric, Huddlestone or Jenas. Lennon will be the right sided winger, and following the dismal performance of Bentley last season, it's hard to imagine that he has much competition for his place in the side.

It's a case of one in, one out up front for Spurs. Bent has left, with Crouch brought in, one can assume, to be the player that a second striker plays off of. Redknapp was keen on the Defoe/Crouch partnership at Portsmouth and it's likely that this will be his first choice option for Spurs in the coming season, with Keane and Pavlyuchenko providing a back up role.

Peter Crouch has tipped Spurs for a top four finish this season, but as much as I would love to agree, I just can't. Crouch has no place in the side of a top four team, and if he is the future of Spurs, then a mid table finish is about all we can expect.

[Paul Clement]

Fulham:

The surprise package of last season, Roy Hodgson has turned Fulham into a side that is very difficult to break down, and who can score the odd goal that will win them matches that in seasons before, they would have lost. Despite their success, and the added fixtures that go with the Europa League competition, Fulham haven't really tampered with their side too much during the close season.

Their sole defensive signing has been Stephen Kelly from Birmingham. A right back who directly replaces Moritz Volz who was released by the club during the close season. The club are hoping to hold onto Brede Hangeland following interest from Arsenal, and it is imperative that they do so. Without him, the defence looks rather ordinary and you wonder whether they would concede a lot more should he go.

The brother of former Liverpool player John Arne Riise has joined the club as a new midfield option. Bjorn Helge, who has joined from Lillestrom, will be trying to push for a starting place in the midfield alongside Clint Dempsey, Simon Davies, Danny Murphy and Zoltan Gera. A side that seems to lack a bit of the creativity that other squads have, but who have a strong work ethic.

Up front, Andrew Johnson will continue to get the goals that Fulham require. It's a little hard to believe that only a couple of seasons ago, he was in the England squad and playing for Everton. He has a few injury niggles, but when fit, he's one of the most likely players in the Fulham squad to get a goal. Around him he will have Diomansy Kamara, Erik Nevland or Bobby Zamora. None of them are likely to weigh in with a lot of goals, but they are great foils for the more prolific striker they will play alongside.

Fulham had a surprising season last time out, and it will be harder for them this season. However, I still expect them to end up in the top half of the table come May 2010.

[Paul Clement]

West Ham:

Gianfranco Zola is starting to impose a playing syle into the club that is reminiscent of his own playing style. So far, he is falling a little short, due in the main to the fact he cannot attract the quality of player he would like to the club. Despite this, the club is playing attractive and partially successful football.

In Rob Green, the club has one of the better keepers in the Premiership, something that the England managers of the last few years have sadly overlooked. Zola will be hoping that the club can get free agent Lucas Neill to sign a new contract with the club. His experience, along with that of Matthew Upson is going to be of vital importance to West Ham over the coming season.

In midfield, Zola has brought in Luis Jimenez on a season long loan from Inter. The player is one that Zola will be able to identify characteristics that he himself had as a player, and will be a vital part of the West Ham squad this season. Faubert, Behrami, Parker and Noble are likely to be the other players pushing for a starting spot, and if Kieron Dyer can put three or four seasons of hell behind him and get playing regularly again, he will add another sort of option to the team.

Up front, the club is looking a little threadbare. Ashton is unreliable due to injury problems and Carlton Cole, although an England international now, doesn't score the number of goals that would see them progress in the league. Beyond them, they have youngster Savio and then nothing else. Zole has gone on record as saying he needs a striker, perhaps he should be looking for two, but if they did, one would probably have to be a free transfer or loan signing, as the money isn't their for them to go out and get the quality they need.

West Ham are progressing, but very slowly. Their football is looking far more polished, but there are defensive frailties that need addressing as well as a serious need for more firepower.

[Paul Clement]

Blackburn:

Big Sam has an unenviable task on his hands at Blackburn. The club should have the squad to avoid relegation, but making the step up to push for a European place is something that is going to take time and money. Time... something he may get as Blackburn (apart from the Pasul Ince situation) seem to give their managers the chance to get things right. Money, again in supply following the 17 million sale of Roque Santa Cruz. So why has the team not been strengthened yet? It appears that the players he needs and wants aren't interested in going to Blackburn. Apart from Santa Cruz, the club have also sold Derbyshire, while Ooijer, Mokoena and Tugay have all left thbe club. So far, the players coming in have all been ones with potential but without the experience Big Sam needs.

The back five will most likely be Robinson, Warnock, Samba, Nelsen and Givet. A line up that needs a little more beefing up, and could be hampered further if rumours about clubs being interested in Samba are true.

Again, there are six names that immediatley look as if they could be part of the four midfield places, Emerton, Dunn, Grella, Reid, Andrews and Gamst Pedersen. Five of those names are combatative midfielders, while the other, Gamst Pedersen, has failed to live up to the success he had two seasons ago. It's a team that will boss games, but they don't have that creativity a team requires at Premiership level to create chances.

Up front, the team will have to rely on Roberts and McCarthy to get goals. Both are more than capable strikers, but the loss of Santa Cruz cannot be underestimated. El Hadj Diouf has that touch of skill the team needs, but with a dearth of attacking options, he may be employed in an orthodox strikers role more, a position where his creativity will be less of an asset.

Sam Allardyce needs to bring in more quality. The team will be up for a fight at present, but will struggle to break teams down. He has the money, but can he find the players. Unless he does, a lower half finish is the best he can hope for.

[Paul Clement]

Wigan:

Sometimes, when you bring in a successful lower league manager, the results are excellent. David Moyes is one such example. Other times, you end up with a Paul Ince moment. Wigan will be hoping that Roberto Martinez falls into the former category.

The goalkeeper and defence for Wigan look likely to be the same as last season, although there are suggestions that Martinez is looking at his native Spain for a few players to bolster the club ranks. As it stands, Kirkland will be in goal, and Bramble, Melchiot, Scharner and Figueroa will fill in at the back. The side have been playing together for some time, and has, at least to this point, been on the whole rather successful.

The midfield has been bolstered by the signings of James McCarthy from Hamilton (a youngster who is meant to have a great deal of potential), Hendry Thomas and Jordi Gomez. Gomez is a player that Martinez knows well from his time at Swansea, and is a big admirer of. Obviously, the loss of Vaneica and Palacios will be a blow, but not an unexpected one as the club were aware that offers were likely to be coming in for the two players. The two newcomers are expected to come in as direct replacements and should compliment Koumas, N'Zogbia and Brown.

Up front, Martinez has strengthened the side with another of his Swansea old boys. Jason Scotland will be keen to prove that he is capable of providing the goods at a higher level, and he certainly has the build that will make him difficult to knock off of the ball. Rodallega, Marlon King and on loan signing Scott Sinclair will complete the team of forwards available to Martinez.

Wigan have funds to spend, and the manager seems to have a good eye for players. Don't be surprised if the club strengthen further before the end of the transfer window. If they do, they may even push into the top half of the table.

[Paul Clement]

Sunderland:

Having just arrived at the club, Steve Bruce has the job of trying to create a team out of individuals that Roy Keane's tenure left behind. The doors have been busily opening and closing at the Stadium of Light, as Bruce has trimmed the unwanted from the squad and then started to look at reinforcements. The club has a fanbase that will come through the gates in droves, all he needs now, is a team that will encourage them to stay.

Despite his injury plagued last season, Craig Gordon is among the best keepers in the Premiership. He is hampered by the fact that the defence in front of him has been paricularly porous since his arrival at the club. Paulo Da Silva has arrived to bolster the defensive options at the club, but there is still work that needs to be done in this area. Bardsley, Anderson, McCartney, the younger Ferdinand, Collins and McShane are the other defenders at Bruce's disposal, and although they are all adequate, none of them stands out as players other clubs attackers would fear facing.

The midfield is blessed with a great deal of creativity, with Kieran Richardson, Steed Malbranque, Andy Reid and Lorik Cana all capable of stringing some telling passes together. Teemu Tainio is a workaholic in the centre of the park, a player that doesn't give the opposition any time on the ball, while Carlos Edwards is a player who can get the odd goal or two.

It has been up front where the team falls down in recent seasons. Chances were created, but not enough were being put in the back of the net. Kenwyne Jones managed to get a few, but none of his strike partners have chipped in with anywhere near enough of their own. Bruce has looked to resolve this problem with the signings of Fraizer Campbell and Darren Bent. The pair should supplement Jones' goal returnn far better than last seasons options, but there is still some way to go before they are able, as a team, to push towards a top half finish.

[Paul Clement]

Bolton:

I was somewhat surprised by how well Bolton performed last season. Megson's previous stints in the Premiership hadn't suggested much beyond a tough season battling against relegation, and part of me really expected them to be in the Championship for this coming season.

Megson has obviously decided that his defence wasn't going to be strong enough to face another season of Premiership football, with three of his four signings being defenders. Paul Robinson has come in from West Brom, while Zat Knight and Sam Ricketts also have previous Premiership experience having signed from Aston Villa and Hull respectively. The three will add some good experience to a defence that already has a number of years experience of Premiership football between them. What the signings more importantly give the manager is options. He now has a variety of players who can play across the back to choose from. The recent news that the highly rated Gary Cahill has signed a new contract will be another big boost to the club.

The midfield has a more sparse look to it. Sean Davis has been brought in from Portsmouth on a free transfer, but the club only really has another five or six midfielders to choose from. A very small amount for a Premiership club. Because of this, any injuries in this area could mean players playing out of position or youngsters having to be blooded.

Up front, the club will once again rely on the tenacity and aerial ability of Kevin Davies. He will most likely be partnered by Elmander, with Vaz Te and Mustapha with neither offering the sort of quality the club really needs.

I fully expect Bolton to stay up this season, but any injury crisis to the midfield or forwards could cause the club big problems this season.

[Paul Clement]

Stoke:

With their long throws, awkward attackers and never say die team spirit, Stoke surprised a lot of teams last season. They were, perhaps, looked upon as an easy win by a few clubs, but after last season, that mistake won't be made again. On paper, they are probably the most workmanlike team in the Premiership. Their team spirit will need to be just as strong as it was last season if they are to avoid relegation again. The fact that the club still have a low profile, and littel spending power is the main reason why the club has only made one signing so far during the close season.

The management will be hoping to keep hold of Ryan Shawcross despite the interest from Liverpool. The youngster came in and performed admirably, with his performances catching the eye of the bigger Premiership teams. Pulis has a reputation as a manager who builds teams that put you off your stride wehn you play them, teams that don't let in many goals. He's done that again at Stoke, but it may be time the club reinforced the backbone of the side.

The midfield has been bolstered by the signing of Dean Whitehead from Sunderland. Whithead has good Premiership experience, and has an eye for goal, something that was lacking from the Stoke midfield last season. With Delap providing the long throws and Matthew Etherington a tricky player on the wing, the club should get a lot of balls into the box.

That is where the big men up front come in. Beattie is good in the air, while Big Mama Sidibe is one of the most awkward attackers to defend against with his ungainly presence in the box. When Stoke get the ball into the box, they make it very difficult for the opposition. Ricardo Fuller gives the team another option with his pace and a little bit of trickery, while they have back up in the form of Cresswell and Dave Kitson.

Stoke will find things a little bit harder this season, with clubs more aware of their style of play. Despite this, they have a strong spiritt in the team, and knowing that they play long balls into the box is one thing, dealing with it is another thing entirely. I think they'll finish the season safe, but they may need to sign more players of quality and creativity and they want to remain in the Premiership in future seasons.

[Paul Clement]

Wolves:

Last season, the Premiership contained a side that had been free-scoring in the Championship the previous season. That side was West Brom, and cme the end of the 08/09 season they were relegated having hardly scored any goals. This season, Wolves enter the Premiership with that same free-scoring tag, but backed up by a defence that, even in the Championship, had looked poor on occasion.

The signing of Marcus Hahnemann to fight for the goalkeeping duty against Matt Murray and Wayne Hennessey suggests that Mick McCarthy was unsure whether the options available to him were of sufficient calibre to take on the demands of the Premiership. Whether Hahnemann, now 37, is the answer remains to be seen. What he does bring to the club is competition. If Murray or Hennessey wants that number 1 jersey, they are going to have to fight hard to get it and even harder to keep it. McCarthy has brought in two new defenders, Zubar and Halford to bolster the clubs defensive options. Halford was largely unspectacular during his stint at Sunderland, but has re-established himself somewhat at Wolves while on loan last season. Whether he can up that level for the Premiership remains to be seen. Zubar, a signing from Marseille, is untried in the Premiership but the club will be hoping that he will bring some solidity to the back four.

The midfield contains a couple of new signings also. Surman comes in from Southampton, where, despite their relegation to League 1, he had a reputation as an exciting attacking midfielder. Their wing play, with Kightly and Jarvis as potential suppliers of crosses is probably one of their biggest strengths in midfield. Neither player has had the chance to perform in the Premiership before but both have excellent reputations.

The signing of Kevin Doyle from Reading gives the club a striker who has scored a lot of goals at this level already, and also gives them a striker who is excellent with the ball at his feet. Ebanks-Blake has shown in the Championship that he is a prolific striker, and he will be keen to prove he is capable of stepping up a gear. Keogh, after an excellent start to his Wolves career, has found the goals drying up somewhat, so it will probably fall to Scottish international Iwelumo to provide cover to the two main strikers.

Wolves still look a little shaky at the back, and I can see them taking a couple of hammerings during the season. The club will be hoping to avoid the dismal showing of their last season in the Preemiership, and I think they have a little more about them this time. It will be a long season for them though, and although I think they'll survive the drop, they will probably flirt with relegation all season.

[Paul Clement]

Portsmouth:

The manager is in place, and the new owners are in the process of taking over the club. The club may soon be in the position to bankroll themselves to safety, but if that process isn't completed before the end of the transfer window, it could end up being too late by the time the January transfer window comes round again.

With almost all the Portsmouth squad being linked with moves away from the club during the close season, the fact that they have kept hold of David James will be a big boost to Portsmouth fans. Despite his sometimes wayward performances, James has been a rock at the heart of the Portsmouth defence for the last few seasons. In front of him, the club will be looking to new signing Steve Finnan to fill the gap left by Glen Johnson's departure to Liverpool. Mokoena has been brough in from Blackburn, and is adept at playing at centre back or as a defensive midfielder. Sol Campbell has been linked with a move to Notts County as part of Sven's revoultion there, while Distin is being tracked by a number of clubs, including Man City. At present, it would be hard to imagine Portsmouth being able to turn down the sort of money City could offer, but if these two were to go, the defence that would remain would stuggle to stay in the Championship, let alone the Premiership.

The midfield is looking equally threadbare, with Kranjcar and Diop the only players that really look Premiership quality. Hughes, Basinas and Mullins are not going to create the chances that the strikers will be demanding, and the transfer rumours haven't picked up on any movements into the club that will impove this.

The club are waiting to finalise a deal to sign Mark Viduka on a free transfer. If Viduka signs, they will have replaced Crouch with an equally valubale player. Kanu remains at the club, and although he has never been a prolific goalscorer, he does have the ability to create goals for others. Utaka, who can also play in midfield, will provide a different sort of option to anyone else in the team while Nugent, unless sold, will be hoping that Crouch's departure will afford him the opportunity to play regular football again. Even if Viduka signs, the goals look like they will be in short supply.

The club has been in freefall since Redknapp left. Players have left at an alarming rate, and most of the signings into the club have been of a sub-standard degree. The club has the potential for financial backing, but it could be too late. If they can keep in touch with the relegation pack until January, which I think they will, then they could spend enough at that stage to pull them to safety. Even if they do survive, it's not going to be by a great margin.

[Paul Clement]

Birmingham:

Birmingham have been a yo-yo club over the last couple of decades, spending time going between the top two divisions. Despite the size of the city and fanbase, there hasn't ever been a time when the club had a significant amount of funds to spend in the transfer market. To cover the step up in class between the Championship and Premiership, the club have brought in 8 new players, whilst trimming the wage bill by allowing 5 players to leave.

Joe Hart has been brought in on a season long loan from Man City, and I full expect him to be the first choice keeper for the season. The defence has been improved by three signings, with Giovanny Espinoza being the most controversial of them. After his signing, rumours abounded that manager Alex McLeish hadn't wanted to sign the player and had instructed the club to pull out of negotiations only for the club to continue their pursuit of the player. If true, it suggests that McLeish didn't feel the player would improve the squad enough to make the deal worthwhile. Roger Johnson has come in for a fee of £5million, which is a large outlay for a club of Birmingham's stature. The defender showed a great deal of promise at Cardiff but is unproven in the Premiership and could be an expensive gamble.

The midfield has seen additions in the shape of Barry Ferguson and Lee Bowyer. Ferguson had an unsuccessful stint at Blackburn a few season ago before returning to Rangers. After a rather public incident whilst playing for Scotland, Ferguson's days at Rangers were numbered, and the 31 year old has jumped at the chance of trying his hand at Premiership football again. He has a lot of experience, and a point to prove, but it will also take some time to adjust to the far more competitive English league. Bowyer has been around the Premiership clubs in recent years, but at 32, he is certainly a declining force in the game. His experience and combatative nature could be vital to the club, but his ability to lose his head could also cost them dear.

The strikeforce hasn't been greatly improved during the close season, with only one attacking recruit taken on so far in the shape of Christian Benitez. The rest of their strikerforce consist of the aging Kevin Phillips and the same remaining strikers who were unable to keep Birmingham up last time they were in the Premiership.

The club has spent money, but the signings don't look anywhere near enough to keep the club in the Premiership. They will concede too many and score to few, and ultimately will find themselves relegated when the season closes.