The English Premier League - Preview/Opening

One week down, and arguable the best league in the world is more than living up to its title and the new claim that it is more open than ever. The "big 4" still look strong, but some of the outsiders are looking to close the gap and break into that glorious champions league spot. Lets take a look, team by team, at the EPL and what it has to offer this season.

Arsenal:
My personal thoughts, before the season had started, were that this team was going to be the most vulnerable of the big 4. The last couple of seasons have not been spectacular for the gunners, and last season looked like a new low. Most of the season they were battling for that 4th spot. And while they did eventually secure it, and by a good margin, the going was not easy. This season, however, they look like a different team. No Adebayor and you would think the team couldn't score, but it seems just the opposite from their first 2 meaningful matches. They put on a clinic @ Everton and then went into Celtic and got a 2-0 win. Watch out for the gunners, if this kind of play continues, they could be the strange dark horse of sorts.

Aston Villa:
I have always been a fan of the villans. I find their football, their players, their fans, just everything to be spot on for what a good club should have. So, a little foolishly now that I think of it, I thought they could be one of the potential teams to break up the party of 4. However, looking at their losses, most notably Gareth Barry, and their lack of new additions, its hard to see them pushing the likes of Liverpool, arsenal, Chelsea, and united. I expect this team to still finish near a UEFA spot, but wouldn't be surprised to see them miss it. A very talented squad, just still trying to get over that hump this season.

Birmingham City:
After a season away from the top flight, Birmingham finds itself back in the mix. Birmingham has made a few adjustments to try and stay in the top flight this time around, but this league is not for anybody weak or with holes in their roster. Sadly, I think Birmingham's stay will only last this year and they will find themselves being relegated again. Still need to find more talent, but better than the last time around.

Blackburn Rovers:
Having Big Sam on your side is usually a good thing... well don't ask a Newcastle fan about it at least. This team always finds a way to amaze me. They don't have the best players, the best facilities, or anything close to the top (compared to the rest of the league) yet they find a way to scrap out wins and stay in the top flight. I think this trend will continue, but they may flirt with relegation more than they would like. A finish around the middle of the table, more likely the bottom middle, is where I expect Blackburn to be at seasons end.

Bolton Wanderers:
Making sure to have the ugliest kits in all of the EPL (can I get a price check on a Bolton wanderer please on isle 5?) Bolton will not be a push over. While nobody thinks they will push for the Champions League spots, don't be surprised to see them pushing for that UEFA spot. Bolton has many talented players and is always very well managed. This team will surprise people this season.

Burnley:
The league needed another team that wore red with light blue sleeves didn't it? I was watching highlights from this past weekend and was asking myself, why did Villa play twice? Oh wait, maybe West Ham had two games? nope, newly promoted Burnley has decided to stick with a kit that looks pretty much identical to that of those other two teams (should be entertaining to watch those teams play each other don't ya think, especially the fans). I thought this team would be a one and gone kind of team, but after knocking off the champs, Manchester United, they are not to be passed. I still think they will battle relegation all season, but they wont be a Derby County kind of team (no offense). Relegated, but not going down without a fight.

Chelsea:
As hard as it is to admit, this is the team to beat in my opinion. Chelskea has former Milan coach Ancelotti at the reigns and with a very talented squad, they will be a major test for anyone. The only problem I see the fake blues facing is that they have some very streaky players in some very important roles. Terry is always good, Lampard is mostly as well, but players like Drogba, Anelka, Ballack, Deco, etc can all be really good or pretty awful. The trick for Ancelotti will be to find a way to get them all to play well enough to not drop dumb points in the later part of the season like they usually do. Not an easy task, but not impossible with the amount of talent.

Everton:
The true blues (yes I hate Chelsea scum) looked like a team to be reckoned with in pre-season. They knocked off the brilliant MLS all-stars (its a joke, get off the floor) and played well in their friendlies. However, no team wants to open the season with a loss at home, especially one so painfully awful. A 6-1 defeat will be hard to shake, but honestly it came at the best time it could if it had to happen. You learn and move on. Everton has to figure out how to get the ball in the back of the net and how to defend set pieces. They will push the top 4, but it is going to take a MUCH better effort to be an honest threat. UEFA spot maybe in the end, still just not enough consistent talent.

Fulham:
After finishing in a UEFA spot for the first time last season, Everton will be looking to keep and/or improve their status in the league as a top team. While I do not honestly expect them to push the top 4 too much, they have the dark horse role for that kind of thing. Fulham is a very talented squad, then when clicking, can knock off the top teams in the league (see last season against United). I see a similar finish as last season for Fulham, which they will likely be more than happy to keep.

Hull City:
The team that won the hearts of many last season is still, after some sort of miracle, in the top flight. I have never seen a team sink as bad as they did last season, but I am very happy they didn't sink into relegation. With the addition of Jozy Altidore, this team will quickly be one many Americans check on regularly. The Tigers have some very talented players, the most obvious being Geovanni. The man is a machine in the middle that produces some of the most gorgeous goals in the league. I am hopeful that this team can stay in the top flight again, and in the end it should be a very feasible task. However, any dreams of pushing into the top part of the group should be pushed to the side now. They will finish in the middle of the table, but that will be very good for them overall.

Liverpool:
Losing Xabi Alonso looked like it was going to kill Liverpool in their first match against Tottenham. However, it looked like it may have been a short missing period as they destroyed Stoke at home. While Stoke is not top talent, to beat a team like that isn't easy no matter who it is in this league. Liverpool is going to be a good team this year. The addition of Johnson at the outside back position will help greatly. But not having a top holding mid is going to be what kills them in the end. I expect them to stay in the top 4, but it wont be an easy task at all.

Manchester City:
On paper this team has the best chance of breaking into the top 4. But, the game is not played on paper thankfully. While City may have some very good talent, they still lack a strong and sturdy back line. This is one thing that you MUST have if you want to even contend for a top spot, even a UEFA spot, in this league. City may have some fantastic fire power (very streaky though) but they dont have the defense to hold it up. City will finish 5th if they can figure something out on the back line, and that's the very best I see things going for them. If I had to put money on it, I think they will finish just outside the top 4, maybe 6th-8th place.

Manchester United:
The biggest question for the red devils is who will fill in for Ronaldo? This, in my opinion, is not going to be just one player. The easy answer would be Rooney, but he cant do it all on his own, hate to break it to you. Rooney should have a stellar year, the team is now built to go through him, not use him to go through Ronaldo. Unless United figures out a solution, its going to be hard to say that they will defend their title. Players like Nani, Anderson, Berbatov, and Owen have to show their worth this year if this team wants to finish above Chelsea. In the end, I see a tight title race decided on the last day between the red devils and Chelsea... my heart says to go with United, so I will.

Portsmouth:
Poppy is going to have a rough go at it this year I think. They don't have top talent outside of their aging keeper David James. I see them flirting with relegation, and being one of the teams fighting on the last day to stay above water. Will they? Its hard to say. I think they will be the surprise (sorta) relegation team this season.

Stoke City:
Stoke found a way to stay in the top flight last season, but this season is going to be just as hard, if not harder, to keep that place. These guys seem obvious candidates for 2nd season slump/relegation. And honestly, its hard to argue against that. This team does not have the talent to hang with the big, medium, and even other small guns in the league. Stoke could easily be the first team to be relegated this season.

Sunderland:
Somebody has to fill the spots between relegation and the middle of the table, and Sunderland seems to be a shoe-in for that spot. Not great talent, but better than a handful of teams. Sunderland will produce some interesting results, but in the end, they will be in the 15ish range. Nothing great, but hey, you are in the top flight still.

Tottenham Hotspurs:
The hotspurs have constructed a team that has a lot of teams in the EPL worried. If this talent clicks, they could be nearly unstoppable. However, getting the talent to click is much easier said then done. While it pains me to say it, this team has shown it has the talent and depth to push for a Champions League spot. I don't see the big 4 busting up this year, but these guys will be nipping at the heels just waiting to get in. A very respectable 5th place is the likely spot for the boys from White Heart Lane.

West Ham United:
Its confusing to watch a team play such pretty soccer do so bad with the end result (sounds like RSL at times eh). West Ham has talent better than half of the teams, roughly, in this league. However, they have talent that isn't as good as the other half. What does that mean? You guessed it, middle of the table.

Wigan Athletic:
Wigan is one of those teams that can look brilliant one day, against a very good side, but the next day look like they are fighting relegation. Consistency is vital in this league, and unless Wigan can find a way to get some, they will be sitting in the bottom/middle of the table. I don't see them getting relegated, but I also don't see them having the consistent play that they need to push for a UEFA spot.

Wolverhampton:
How can you not like a team that calls themselves the wolves? I have found myself already liking this team though I have never really even seen them play a full 90. They remind me of Hull, but they wont make the same splash. Come season end though, sadly there must be 3 teams that say bye to the top flight. I don't know how the Wolves will stay above that sink zone, and in the end, I think they might just squeeze it out.


In the end, I see it ending something like this:

1-Manchester United
2-Chelskea
3-Arsenal
4-Liverpool

5-Tottenham
6-City
7-Fulham
8-Everton
9-Villa
10-Wigan
11-Bolton
12- Blackburn
13- West Ham
14- Hull
15- Sunderland
16- Wolves
17- Portsmouth

18- Birmingham
19- Burnley
20-Stoke City

I think it will be an open season, but in the end, the top 4 just are so much deeper than pretty much everyone else that they can make it to May still playing good football.

I hope you enjoyed my first off-topic Wednesday piece. Next up I will write on the RSL vs New England game coming this Sunday, then a post game piece will follow it very quickly, then I might squeeze in another off-topic piece (Spain?) before I preview the RSL vs Chivas game. Its going to be a busy couple of days.

COME ON RSL!!!!

Cheers,
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