EPL, England, Europe, Features, Ian John, Leagues, Regions POSTS

EPL Season Preview : Part One

Published by Ian John on August 4, 2010

Arsenal
Manager: Arsene Wenger
Players In: Marouane Chamakh (Bordeaux), Laurent Koscielny (Lorient)
Players Out: Fran Merida (Atletico Madrid), Philippe Senderos (Fulham), Francis Coquelin (Lorient-loan),Eduardo (Shakhtar Donetsk), Luke Ayling (Yeovil), Sol Campbell (Newcastle United)

Chamakh and Koscielny promise much and with the only major departures being Eduardo, who was never the same after his horror injury and defenders Sol Campbell and Philippe Senderos, Arsenal should at least be capable of maintaining their form of last season. Have they improved enough to bridge the gap between the top two? I don’t think so. Keeping Fabregas out of the clutches of Barcelona, even if it is only temporary, will help for this season but there isn’t enough to suggest the Gunners have made enough moves to strengthen their squad sufficiently or allow Arsene Wenger to adapt his tactics enough to pose a greater threat to the top teams.

+ POINTS : Keeping Fabregas thus far, even if it is just delaying the inevitable. Getting rid of Senderos & Eduardo. Having several players returning from injury. Chamakh could give the club the goal threat they missed at times last season.

- POINTS : Still no resolution to the goalkeeping issue, not enough quality signings to bridge the gap to the top two. No real indication that Arsenel are going to be able to play a different style of game to cause problems to the top teams. Will Fabregas be happy spending another year in London when he has already indicated he wants to go to Barcelona?

Aston Villa
Manager: Martin O’Neill
Players In: None
Players Out: Steven O’Halloran (Coventry City), Marlon Harewood (Released)

Like Arsenal before them, Aston Villa’s pre season has been about who hasn’t left the club…yet. James Milner’s mega-money-move to Manchester City hasn’t yet been finalised but it seems only a matter of time before it is. If, as reported, Villa get Shaun Wright-Phillips in part-exchange then his replacement will have at least been found but his potential loss will hit Villa hard. With no players, as yet, coming into the club Martin O’Neill’s men look likely to be able to try and build on their showing last season but if Milner does go, how O’Neill invests the money they receive will dictate whether they slip back into the pack or push on towards the Champions League places.

+ POINTS – No major losses in playing staff, even if Milner looks likely to go. The nucleus of a talented young and British based squad has been kept together well. Some talented youngsters, such as Delfouenso, should make an impact this season. In Brad Friedel they have arguably the best goalkeeper and certainly one of the most underrated in the Premier League.

- POINTS – With no signings, and the loss of Milner still hanging over the club, it is hard to put forth a case for how Villa have taken the step forward they need to to get into that top four. Also the talk of Milner leaving may well have had an unsettling effect on other members of the young Villa squad.

Birmingham City
Manager: Alex McLeish
Players In: Nikola Zigic (Valencia), Ben Foster (Manchester United), Enric Valles (NAC Breda)
Players Out: Lee Carsley, Gary McSheffrey (Both Coventry City)

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has been in the somewhat unusually happy position of looking to build on a strong season back in the top flight. Carson Yeung’s takeover saw significant investment in the club and they have invested well in keeper Ben Foster and somewhat hopefully in tall Serbian striker Nikola Zigic. There is still a lack of creative midfielder which perhaps is a problem, but Birmingham’s rock solid back line all return for the new season. I can’t see Birmingham being as strong this season as they were last, but they certainly won’t be relegation candidates either.

+POINTS : Ben Foster looks like being a shrewd signing and regular football will help the former Manchester United star regain his best form. The defence looks as solid as ever and the addition of Zigic gives the attack a new dimension.

-POINTS : There’s still a real lack of creativity from midfield so it looks, once again, as if Birmingham are going to be perhaps too reliant on their strong back line. Zigic is a gamble, he looked something of a disappointment at the World Cup finals in the summer and Birmingham will be hoping for much more than he showed in South Africa.

Blackburn Rovers
Manager: Sam Allardyce
Players In: None
Players Out: Marcus Marshall (Rotherham), Andrew Haworth (Bury), Steven Reid (WBA)

Sam Allardyce has been unusually quiet over the post season. A couple of reserve team players and the oft-injured Steven Reid leaving apart, Blackburn return for the new season with pretty much the same squad that they ended the last. Rovers finished that campaign in mid-table comfort but it is hard to stake a case for a similar outcome this season with so many of Rovers rivals improving their squad. Big Sam will be hoping his side can kick-on from last season but with so few signings and seemingly little cash available, it looks like being a season of struggle for Rovers this time around.

+POINTS : A squad that did well last season will return for this. Croatian striker Kalinic should benefit from having one full Premier League season behind him and should pose a more regular goal threat and having David Dunn back and fully fit will help the team enormously,

-POINTS: Rovers have basically been treading water this pre-season while their rivals have been busy trying to make up the ground. With no new signings and their rivals closing the gap, it looks like being a tough season ahead for Rovers.

Image Courtesy of ***fabricadezvonouri*** on flickr.com

Readers Rating: