In addition, today marks the opening of the January transfer window, allowing clubs to bolster their squads during the season.  Manchester United has typically eschewed this opportunity to add players, but that hasn’t stopped the club being linked to players as illustrious as David Villa and Angel Di Maria.  Chelsea, despite manager Carlo Ancelotti claiming that he would strip naked if his club made any January singings, has been linked to Atletico Madrid superstar Kun Aguero, who would certainly come in handy with star striker Didier Drogba on African Cup of Nations duty for the next month.  It should be an interesting month, to say the least.
To get you all excited for the FA Cup, I’ll leave you with a video from the opening of the new Wembley Stadium:

Nike Cage (all matches)

Nike The Mission

Pepsi Wild, Wild West

Nike Thierry Henry

And, while I said that these were in no particular order, this is my all-time favorite: Nike’s Good vs. Evil.

Eric Cantona…immense.

1. Manchester United

IN: Antonio Valencia, Wigan, £16m; Gabriel Obertan, Bordeaux, £3m; Michael Owen, Newcastle, free (Adem Ljajic and Mame Biram Diouf will join the club in January from Partizan Belgrade and Molde, respectively)

OUT: Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid, £80m; Carlos Tevez, Manchester City, free; Fraizer Campbell, Sunderland, £6m; Rodrigo Possebon, Braga, loan

Defending champions Manchester United lost former FIFA World Player of the Year winner and top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as workhorse forward Carlos Tevez, but even without buying expensive replacements the Red Devils should once again lift the Premier League trophy.  With Ronaldo in the squad, United were forced to maintain a rigid positional structure so that Ronaldo could occupy a free role and play all over the park.  This forced players like Wayne Rooney out of position and limited their impact, but now Rooney should be able to play in his preferred position of center forward.  Additionally, Dimitar Berbatov looks very good in preseason games; last season was very disappointing for him and an improvement in both goals and assists is well within the realm of possibility.  Ferguson’s purchases were all aimed towards a more traditional 4-4-2; Valencia is an out-and-out winger whose speed and strength should cause problems for Premier League defenders, and Michael Owen is a deadly finisher inside the area.  He should get plenty of service from the wings and from central midfield.  While United’s central midfielders were denigrated following their loss to Barca in the Champions League final, it remains the deepest in the Prem–Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes, Giggs, Anderson, Gibson, and Hargreaves, if healthy, are all very good players and Fergie can mix and match their skills based upon the opposition.  The wingers aren’t bad either; Nani looks like he is finally ready to step into United’s first team, though he is currently struggling with a dislocated shoulder–hopefully he will not need surgery.  New signing Valencia is very quick and one of the strongest players in the Premier League–seriously, he is jacked.  Park Ji-Sung provides a high workrate, and it seems that he has also improved his offensive contribution from last term.  Zoran Tosic should be able to play well against lesser teams, though his lack of strength may prevent him from having a large role in the team.  Giggs can also play on the left; his trickery and experience makes up for the step that he has lost.  I haven’t even discussed the defense yet, but it is probably the team’s strongest asset–Ferdinand and Vidic in the middle are indubitably one of the two best central defense pairings in England (Chelsea being the other), Patrice Evra is one of the world’s best left backs, and John O’Shea is a very capable right back.  Add in Johnny Evans, a capable understudy to Ferdinand and Vidic, Wes Brown, who is returning from injury, young Brazilians Fabio and Rafael, and Belgian Ritchie De Laet (not to mention Gary Neville, who is as good of a mentor as one could ask for), and United are set at the back.  Goalkeeper is a bit of a question mark; Edwin van der Sar should reclaim his spot between the sticks when he returns from injury, but until that time United must decide between Ben Foster and his shaky clearances (which you read about here before anyone else wrote about it) or the unproven Tomasz Kuszczak.  United face games against Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and, depending on how quickly VDS recovers, possibly Liverpool.  It seems that Ferguson will play Foster with Kuszczak getting an occasional start, and their play will be key to United’s push to retain the title.  Besides the starting duo of Rooney and Berbatov and new signing Owen, United also have youngsters Kiko Macheda and Danny Welbeck at forward; Ferguson is very impressed with both players and said that they would get more appearances this season.  Webeck can also play on the wing, but judging from last season both are more than capable of contributing to the team.  Much like last year, United may not have the best starting 11–most would give that honor to Chelsea–but they have the deepest squad and multiple matchwinners.  The key will be replicating last year’s performance against teams in the bottom half of the table; last year United collected an astounding 58 points out of 60 from these teams, the only slipup being an opening-day draw against Newcastle.

2. Liverpool

In: Glen Johnson, Portsmouth, £17m; Alberto Aquilani, Roma, £20m

Out: Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa, both Real Madrid, combined £34m; Sebastian Leto, Panathinaikos, £1m; Jermaine Pennant, Real Zaragoza, free

Runners-up last year, many pundits are predicting anything but the same; most either have them winning the league or finishing behind United and Chelsea.  While Xabi Alonso is a big loss for them–he was certainly one of their best players last year–Roma’s Aquilani is a good, if injury-prone, replacement.  Liverpool fans think that this may finally be the year that they overcome United and take back sole possession of most Premier League/1st Division titles won, but they rely too heavily on a few key players, namely Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, and Javier Mascherano, for this to be a reality.  If any of these players gets hurt, as Torres did last year, Liverpool could find themselves finishing third or even fourth.  One must also take into account manger Rafa Benitez.  Famed for his rotation policy and his “facts” rant directed at Sir Alex Ferguson, Benitez must find a way to improve Liverpool’s home record–they had too many draws at Anfield last term and must improve to win the title.  In the end, though, they lack the depth needed to go all the way–when David N’Gog is a team’s third striker, they will have problems.  Other areas that need reinforcement are central midfield, where Aquilani is going to miss games no matter what, and central defense; Jamie Carragher is still a good player but is getting older and had an injury scare in preseason play.  Goalkeeper Pepe Reina is one of the most consistent and talented keepers in the Premier League; without him Liverpool’s loss today to Tottenham could have had a much uglier scoreline.  In defense, new right back Glen Johnson was Liverpool’s best player today and will aim to continue his impressive run of form for club and country.  Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger are all good center backs, but when injury problems hit, as they did today, the Reds’ lack of depth is evident.  First-choice left back Fabio Aurelio is out until December, but young Argentine Emilio Insua is a capable deputy.  Liverpool play five in midfield, with Steven Gerrard often pushing forward as a second striker to support Fernando Torres.  Dirk Kuyt has locked down Liverpool’s right wing position, but there is no depth behind him–both Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel could be played there in an emergency, but both are naturally left-footed.  While Babel has been highly touted for quite a while, he has yet to consistently play well.  Besides Babel and Benayoun, Spanish international Albert Riera is another option on the left wing; currently out with an ankle injury, he should reclaim his starting place when he returns.  Javier Mascherano occupies one of Liverpool’s two holding roles and is one of their best players, consistently breaking up opposition attacks and starting them for Liverpool.  His new partner in this role is to be Alberto Aquilani, whose talent is matched by his injury history.  Currently out until October, Liverpool will suffer in his absence; other options like Lucas Leiva cannot pick out passes nearly as well as the Italian.  Gerrard is Liverpool’s talisman and a tremendous talent in a free attacking role; he is one of the EPL’s best in shooting from distance, can also finish inside the box, and can create opportunities for teammates as well.  Fernando Torres, despite his woeful performance today against Tottenham, is arguably the Premier League’s best striker and should be among its leading scorers at the end of the season, barring injury.  The players behind him, however, are not very good.  Andriy Voronin, who probably has the worst touch of any player on a top four team, is back in the squad, while young Frenchman David N’Gog has shown nothing in limited appearances.  Liverpool have shown that they can survive without Gerrard or Torres for short periods of time, but in the end losing Alonso may have been more important, as he was one of the main facilitators of Liverpool’s attack.  Time will tell if Liverpool can win the Premier League–many seem to think they can–but judging from today’s result it may be a bit too difficult.

3. Chelsea

In: Yuriy Zhirkhov, CSKA Moscow, £18m; Daniel Sturridge, Manchester City, undisclosed; Ross Turnbull, Middlesbrough, free

Out: Ben Sahar, Espanyol, £1m; Franco Di Santo, Blackburn, loan

Chelsea will be looking to rebound from last season’s third-place finish, as owner Roman Abramovich is hoping that new manager Carlo Ancelotti’s tactics and the return of Michael Essien, Joe Cole and Didier Drogba, who all missed parts of last season because of injury, will be enough to propel them to the title.  Chelsea probably have the best starting XI in the EPL, but are they getting old, as Sir Alex Ferguson said before last season?  I would say that it isn’t too much of an issue, but Chelsea’s defense and their ability to adapt to Ancelotti’s diamond formation may make beating out United and Liverpool too difficult.  Goalkeeper Petr Cech is highly rated but has not been the same since he suffered a fractured skull against Reading two seasons ago; while still very good, he is more prone to errors and does not have the same commanding presence as before this accident.  At right back, Chelsea have the magnificently unibrowed Jose Bosingwa and Branislav Ivanovic, who does not have much first-team experience but who seems to be an Ancelotti favorite.  Bosingwa is a very good attacking fullback but can be vulnerable in defense, while Ivanovic was tortured by Nani’s pace in the Community Shield.  He is a solid defender but not well-suited to face quick wingers, which could be a problem.  John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho are second only to Ferdinand and Vidic in center defense pairings; like the United tandem they mesh well and also pose a significant threat from set pieces.  However, they are sometimes overrun when the fullbacks do not track back.  At left back, Ashley Cole, who is one of the world’s least intelligent men (he cheated on this woman) is the regular starter, though Zhirkov should see action there as well as in midfield.  Cole is slightly more defensive than Bosingwa but can also be caught going too far forward.  John Mikel Obi has gotten two starts in the bottom of Ancelotti’s diamond, but the results have not been stellar; Michael Essien has switched to this position at halftime of both games.  Ancelotti seems unsure how to best use Chelsea’s midfielders; Joe Cole, Zhirkov, and Florent Malouda are all wingers, but Ancelotti may play one of them on the left and either Essien or Michael Ballack, both of whom usually play in the center, on the right, leading to an imbalance.  Although Frank Lampard seems the natural choice to play at the top of the diamond, he must shift to the side when Deco enters the fray.  This shuffling and the players’ lack of experience with the diamond is reflected in Chelsea’s play; too often players run into each other or one player is caught out of position.  While Chelsea have not been punished for this yet, it may only be a matter of time.  However, if their forwards can produce at their highest level, it may not be much of an issue; Drogba is one of the world’s best finishers, as his two-goal haul against Hull shows (even if one was slightly accidental), and Nicolas Anelka was the Golden Boot winner last year.  Salomon Kalou provides energy and the odd goal off the bench and can play either on the wing or up top.   Sturridge, who defected from Manchester City, may have a part to play as well.  While Chelsea are clearly very skilled, I just don’t know how well the diamond system will go–it has the potential to make or break Chelsea’s season.

4.  Arsenal

In: Thomas Vermaelen, Ajax, £10m

Out: Emmanuel Adebayor, Manchester City, £25m; Kolo Toure, Manchester City, £16m

I really feel bad putting Arsenal in fourth, especially because of the number of Arsenal fans I know will be reading this.  These feelings intensified after watching their 6-1 drubbing of Everton, but I just can’t see them overcoming their usual problems–they don’t do well against physical teams and they often try to pass the ball into the net.  Neither of these were problems against Everton, but one game certainly doesn’t tell the whole story; at least that’s what Liverpool fans are telling themselves.  Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is solid, but I thought it was very interesting that Fabio Capello had no plans for him to play for England after gaining citizenship despite England’s lack of proven keepers–clearly Capello does not think as highly of him as others do (it seems unlikely that he is doing it because Almunia is not “really English;” after all, Capello himself is Italian).  The Gunners’ defense is very, very good; Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy, the two fullbacks, are both young and already two of the best in the league.  Keiran Gibbs is a decent deputy at left-back, but there is no clear-cut backup at right back.  Arsenal are deep in central defense, but how many players are quality is up for debate.  First-choice pairing Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas looked very good against Everton, providing a goal apiece and limiting Everton’s chances, and Johan Djourou is a decent backup, but Mickael Silvestre and Philippe Senderos are uninspiring, to say the least.  Arsenal are switching to a Barcelona-esque 4-3-3 this season, and while they certainly have the forwards to emulate the Spanish champions, the midfield is more uncertain.  Barca use an uncompromising defensive midfielder such as Yaya Toure and two players with tremendous vision, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, who can join the attack.  Arsenal, meanwhile, have no Yaya Toure and only one Cesc Fabregas.  Against Everton, Denilson and Alexandre Song, two more defensive midfielders, played alongside Fabregas and enjoyed great success,  but what will happen when Samir Nasri, currently injured, and Tomas Rosicky are available?  One option is playing them on the wing at forward, a position filled by Andriy Arshavin and Nicklas Bendtner against Everton.  This is a very free position; players can create on the wing or cut infield, and Arshavin and Bendtner both did very well.  I could easily see Walcott, Rosicky, and Nasri thriving in this role, though it may be too far up the pitch for Nasri and Rosicky.  Robin van Persie is the ideal figurehead; like Samuel Eto’o he has a tremendous shot, is a physical presence, and can hold up the ball and create for teammates.  Arsenal should be a lot of fun to watch, and it will be interesting to see what happens against other top teams, who have not fared well against Barca recently.  Any conversation about Arsenal must include their youngsters; in addition to Walcott, Gold Cup star Carlos Vela and Emirates Cup standout Jack Wilshere may see more action this season as Wenger tries to win a trophy for the first time since 2005.

I’m sorry that this is a bit late and again, I envision this being the most exciting title race for quite some time, which is really saying something.  I feel absolutely awful about having Arsenal fourth, as I think they will play really well and surprise many who thought their summer moves doomed them to failure, but I really can’t justify moving them above any of the top three.  I look forward to seeing all of your comments!

5.  Manchester City

In: Roque Santa Cruz, Blackburn, £18m; Gareth Barry, Aston Villa, £12m; Carlos Tevez, unattached, £25m; Emmanuel Adebayor, Arsenal, £25m; Kolo Toure, Arsenal, £16m; Stuart Taylor, Aston Villa, free

Out: Daniel Sturridge, Chelsea, undisclosed; Ched Evans, Sheffield United, £3m; Elano, Galatasaray, undisclosed; Gelson Fernandes, Saint-Etienne, undisclosed; Joe Hart, Birmingham, loan; Jo, Everton, loan; Valeri Bojinov, Parma, loan; Dietmar Hamann, Michael Ball, Danny Mills, Darius Vassell, all released

Not many teams could spend close to 100 million pounds (and counting) while letting a Brazil international and two very highly-regarded young strikers leave the club for below market value, but City are not a normal club; rather, City are a massive club (come on, you didn’t think I was going to have fun with this?).  It is City’s goal to shed its second-banana image in Manchester and establish the club as a world-class team capable of attracting any player in the world, though the Citizens still have a ways to go.  This season, a fifth-place finish would be slightly disappointing, but it is difficult to see the team gelling enough to accomplish more, especially if no further defensive reinforcements are brought in.  Manager Mark Hughes is under huge pressure to deliver results to owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who graduated from American University (note the history of being overshadowed by better options in the same town), and failure to do so will surely result in his firing.  Hughes has many quality players at his disposal, but whether he can form them into a potent team remains to be seen.  Goalkeeper Shay Given developed into arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premier League with Newcastle and has continued to gain plaudits for his play at City.  The defense in front of him is not quite as accomplished; Nedum Onuoha and Micah Richards are both young Englishmen who can play on the right or in the center of defense, but Richards has regressed since being labeled as England’s next right back two seasons ago, and Onuoha’s progress has seemingly stagnated as well.  New signing Kolo Toure and club captain Richard Dunne are the first-choice center backs, but their partnership is still in its infancy and growing pains should be expected.  Wayne Bridge is a solid if unspectacular left back who is known more for going forward than his defensive prowess.  City are ridiculously stacked in midfield, but choosing the right players could be a problem for Hughes; in today’s game against Blackburn he deployed Gareth Barry as the team’s only holding midfielder, leaving City’s back line vulnerable.  Nigel De Jong and Vincent Kompany, who is currently injured but can play in defense or as a defensive midfielder, are better fits in this position.  Barry is more of a box-to-box midfielder, and a good one at that, but Bruce must also juggle club favorite Stephen Ireland, last season’s player of the year, and Shaun Wright-Phillips, the club’s best winger.  While Martin Petrov is also a winger, he is not in the same class as City’s other midfielders; this causes problems for Hughes in balancing his midfield as he only has one good winger.  He solved this problem in City’s first game by playing Brazilian maestro Robinho on the left wing, but this is certainly not his best position and he was limited to only one threatening shot.  While City’s midfield has many quality players, it is nowhere near as crowded as the logjam at forward.  In addition to Robinho, Adebayor and Tevez expect to start every game, while Paraguayan Roque Santa Cruz will soon be match fit.  While Craig Bellamy, the combustible Welsh forward, started today, he may not see regular action going forward and his behavior may deteriorate as a result–this could be a significant problem.  Benjani Mwaruwari, brought over from Portsmouth in January, is even less likely to see the field.  If Hughes can capably manage the huge egos and rotate the many players clamoring for action, City could make an outside run at a Champions League place; if he fails to do so, they could flame out and finish in mid-table.  The huge amount of talent at City’s disposal means that this is unlikely, though, and the team should come together enough to finish as the first club outside of the “Big Four,” though breaking into this club should be a step too far.

6. Aston Villa

In: Fabian Delph, Leeds United, £6m; Stuart Downing, Middlesbrough, £12m; Habib Beye, Newcastle, undisclosed

Out: Gareth Barry, Manchester City, £12m; Zat Knight, Bolton, undisclosed; Stuart Taylor, Manchester City, free; Martin Laursen, retired

This season could be a trying one for Villa, as replacing captain Barry and defensive stalwart Laursen, who retired because of a chronic knee problem, will be difficult.  Nevertheless, Villa have one of the most highly-regarded managers in the Premier League and a strong nucleus of young English talent.  Like City, it may take Villa a bit of time to find their identity following the two departures, but Martin O’Neill has the managerial acumen to right the ship quickly.  Villa is set at goalkeeper, where 38-year-old Brad Friedel holds the Premier League record for consecutive appearances.  In the unlikely event of an injury, compatriot Brad Guzan has looked good in limited action for club and country.  Carlos Cuellar is likely to take over Laursen’s spot in central defense alongside Curtis Davies, while Luke Young can play on both sides of defense and Wilfred Bouma, Nickey Shorey, and new signing Beye are all in the mix as well.  Villa have many good wingers, but are a bit thin in the center of the park after Barry’s departure.  Craig Gardner is more of a utility player than an out-and-out central midfielder, while Steve Sidwell and Nigel Reo-Coker have disappointed since their moves to the Midlands.  Young defensive midfielder Isaiah Osborne has yet to establish himself as a Premier League-quality player.  Villa’s group of wingers includes England internationals Ashley Young, James Milner and Stuart Downing, who is out until mid-year with a foot injury, as well as captain Stiliyan Petrov.  Villa also have options up top; Norwegian John Carew and Englishman Emile Heskey are both potent options in the air, while speedster Gabriel Agbonlahor provides a nice contrast, though he could stand to improve his finishing.  Look for 18-year-old Nathan Delfouneso to establish himself in the side; he is highly-rated and Martin O’Neill has said that he will get more first-team opportunities this season.  Villa’s improved depth and O’Neill’s past success means that they will be a very good team despite losing two key players, but they cannot afford a slow start because the competition for Europa League places is so fierce.

7.  Tottenham Hotspur

In: Sebastian Bassong, Newcastle, £8m; Peter Crouch, Portsmouth, £9m; Kyle Naughton, Kyle Walker, both Sheffield United, undisclosed (Walker will stay on loan at Sheffield for this season)

Out: Didier Zokora, Sevilla, £8.62m; Chris Gunter, N Forest, £1.75m; Ben Alnwick (Norwich, loan; David Button, Crewe Alexandra, loan; Jake Livermore, Derby, loan; David Hutton, Cheltenham, free; Ricardo Rocha, Gilberto (both released)

Tottenham were the laughingstock of the Premiership for the beginning of last season because they went about a month without a win (a typical joke: what’s the difference between a triangle and Tottenham? A triangle has three points), but under manager Harry Redknapp Spurs should be much improved and capture a Europa League place.  Goalkeeper is a bit of a problem position; Heurelho Gomes is the first choice, but he had trouble in his first season, most notably dealing with crosses.  He seemed to improve towards the end of the campaign, however, so perhaps he just needed time to adjust to the faster pace in England.  Backup Carlo Cudicini, late of Chelsea, is a more than capable backup, though his skills have eroded due to age and lack of playing time.  Tottenham’s defense is paper-thin at present, but this is more due to bad luck than a lack of quality defensemen.  Captain Ledley King is injured, as are Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson.  King suffers from a debilitating knee condition that only allows him to play once a week; in addition he cannot train regularly with the team.  He is nevertheless a tremendous player and manages to cope with the rigors of the Premier League despite this lack of training.  Dawson, Woodgate, Corluka and new signing Bassong are all very good defenders in the center, while Kyle Naughton should take over at right back for Alan Hutton, who isn’t bad himself; this is certainly a position of strength for Tottenham.  The left side is not as strong; in an unfortunate coincidence Spurs have never won a game that Gareth Bale has played in, while regular starter Benoit Assou-Ekotto is decent but uninspiring.  He may be the weakest link in Spurs’ squad.  Tottenham’s midfield is versatile, deep, and, if certain players live up to their potential (we’re looking at you, David Bentley), could be seen as one of the best in the Premier League.  Tom Huddlestone occupies the holding role; while he has battled weight problems and is inconsistent, his strength and powerful shot make him a very promising player.  Kevin-Prince Boateng, Wilson Palacios, and Jermaine Jenas also play central midfield, though all are more offense-minded than Huddlestone.  Aaron Lennon is one of the Premier League’s most frustrating players; his searing pace and tremendous ball control make him one of the most feared wingers in the league (just ask Patrice Evra), but his crosses and shots leave much to be desired.  If he can improve these areas of his game he could crack the England squad; right winger is somewhat of a problem position, with David Beckham soon to retire and Theo Walcott inconsistent on the flank.  David Bentley was one of England’s rising stars just a year ago, but has fallen off dramatically and is in danger of being labeled a bust unless he improves his game this season.  Spurs’ ambitions would be greatly helped by a Bentley revival; Palacios and Bale can both play on the wing, as can Luka Modric, but it is not their natural position.  Modric is one of the Premier League’s most creative players; his best position is between the midfield and forwards but too often last season he was forced to work on the left flank or in another position that diminished his impact.  He plays best when given free reign, and it will be interesting to see if Redknapp gives him more room to maneuver this season.  To me, Tottenham’s most intriguing player is one who plays the same position, Mexican Giovani dos Santos.  He tore the USA apart in the Gold Cup but has been far less impressive in England; he is best known for his drunken escapades at Spurs’ Christmas party and for being loaned to Ipswich because he was not ready to play in the Premier League.  He is clearly talented, as he was in Barcelona’s academy as a youngster, but whether he can adapt to England remains to be seen.  Tottenham are set at forward; buying Peter Crouch gives them an England international strikeforce of Crouch and Jermain Defoe, meaning that poor Robbie Keane may be forced back onto the bench (or onto the left wing–we’ll have to see).  This doesn’t even take 6’2″ Roman Pavlyuchenko into account; putting him and the 6’7″ Crouch up top would give Spurs a tremendous aerial threat; of course, if their wingers do not perform well, this partnership would go to waste.  Despite their wingers, Spurs are a deep and talented team who should withstand injuries better than most teams that they are competing with.  Factor in Redknapp, who players love playing for, and a Europa League place seems likely.

8. Everton

In: Jo, Manchester City, loan

Out: Lars Jacobsen, Blackburn, free; Nuno Valente, Andy van der Meyde, both released

Despite Everton’s 6-1 tonking (I love that word) at the hands of Arsenal, I think that they will recover and have a decent season.  They were missing midfield playmaker Mikel Arteta and key defender Phil Jagielka, and hopefully they’ll figure out what’s going on up top, as lone striker Jo looked hopeless.  I trust David Moyes, though; he may do more with less than any other Premier League manager.  Tim Howard is rock solid in goal, but as today showed Everton have some problems in defense.  Joleon Lescott is the subject of rumors linking him to Manchester City, and if one listened to pundits it severely effected his performance today.  I see it as correlation rather than causation, but it probably did affect him and he’ll have to do better.  If he gets sold, Everton will have to hope that they can find a replacement; Lescott has been a tremendous presence since signing from Wolverhampton.  Jagielka is a very good partner and Everton will hope that they can withstand his absence; he is not slated to return until December.  Before today I would have said that Tony Hibbert, Joseph Yobo and Leighton Baines are solid defenders, but they all got exposed on set-pieces and Baines in particular had problems dealing with height.  Moyes needs to sort these issues out quickly; if not, Everton may face a lot of teams doing everything they can (read: diving) in an effort to get as many free kicks as possible.  Everton played with five men in midfield today, but it was very stagnant; the lack of a creative force like Arteta was painfully obvious.  Tim Cahill works as hard as any player in the EPL but he is more of a finisher than a creator, while Phil Neville has always been more defensive.  Steven Peinaar was very disappointing; so often the creative center of South Africa, his influence was severely limited by Arsenal.  If he can improve Everton will look much more dangerous going forward.  Marouane Fellaini and his ridiculous Afro are recovering from illness; he apparently lost a significant amount of weight and is less dangerous in his current form.  Once he regains his optimal playing weight he should become much more dangerous from set-pieces.  Jack Rodwell is the X-factor; only 18, he may be Everton’s best passer in Arteta’s absence.  Forward is Everton’s most infuriating position; Jo was useless today, while Louis Saha, who scored the Toffees’ consolation goal, is always injured.  Everton will hope that Yakubu and youngster Victor Anichebe will soon be fit, giving them more options up front.  All in all, Everton are hoping that players can recover quickly from various injuries and praying that their makeshift squad is sufficient to keep them in the hunt for Europa League places.  In the end, however, the injuries and lack of signings may make such a goal out of their reach.

Tomorrow comes the part that everyone’s been waiting for, the top four teams.  Also, Manchester United takes on Birmingham and Liverpool faces Tottenham.  Can they respond to Arsenal’s tremendous statement or will they put in an unconvincing performance like Chelsea?  We’ll find out soon enough!

9.  Fulham

In: Bjorn Helge Riise, Lillestrom, undisclosed; Stephen Kelly, Birmingham, free; Kagisho Dikgacoi, Golden Arrows

Out: None

Fulham were one of the biggest surprises in the Premier League last year, finishing in seventh place largely thanks to manager Roy Hodgson.  Brought in in the middle of the 2007-08 season to prevent the Cottagers from being relegated, he made it into seventh place last year, earning Fulham a place in the Europa Cup.  While Hodgson can certainly take a lot of credit for Fulham’s position, the team also has some very good players.  Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer was last year’s player of the year; after arriving from Middlesbrough he was instrumental in many of Fulham’s most impressive games, including wins over Manchester United and Arsenal and a draw with Chelsea.  Schwarzer could rely on a steady defense to help out; the star performer was Norwegian Brede Hangeland, purchased last summer.  His performances were good enough to draw interest from Arsenal this summer, and his departure would be a huge blow to Fulham’s hopes.  Fulham’s other defenders, including Aaron Hughes, John Paintsil, and Paul Konchesky, are all solid, but losing Hangeland would leave a huge hole in the center of the defense.  The midfield is workmanlike; ageless (and Manchester United-killer) Danny Murphy captains the side, while Teymourian Adranik anchors the center of the park.  New signing Dikgacoi should provide competition to Adranik despite a lackluster Confederations Cup for South Africa.  Zoltan Gera and Clint Dempsey provide options going forward, and Bjorn Helge Riise, John Arne’s brother, can play either on the wing or centrally.  Fulham have many options up front, but no one who will strike fear into EPL defenses; Andy Johnson was disappointing after his move from Everton, while Erik Nevland and Diomansy Kamara have been inconsistent.  Bobby Zamora did not played badly last term but scored only two goals, and American Eddie Johnson has yet to break into the squad after spending the last two seasons on loan at Cardiff.  If the Cottagers can score consistently they could do better than ninth, but their lack of summer spending relative to some teams that finished below them means that replicating last season’s finish will be very difficult.

10. Sunderland

In: Lorik Cana, Marseille, £5m; Fraizer Campbell, Man Utd, £3.5m; Paulo da Silva, Toluca, free; Darren Bent, Spurs, £10m; Lee Cattermole, Wigan, £6m

Out: Dean Whitehead, Stoke, £3m; Michael Chopra, Cardiff, £4m; Greg Halford, Wolves, undisclosed

In terms of return on investment, it’s difficult to argue that any team had a better transfer season that Sunderland, and they may not be done yet.  Sure, Man City made bigger moves, but whether they got value for their buys remains unknown.  Getting highly-rated midfielder Cana for only five million pounds is, in my view, the biggest bargain of the year.  A player of undoubted quality, I’m amazed for two reasons: first, that a team of Sunderland’s caliber (or lack thereof, in this case) was able to land him, and two, that they got him at such a low price.  Tremendous business for new manager Steve Bruce, who was known for getting tremendous bargains–think Antonio Valencia–at previous club Wigan.  Bruce also did well to get Fraizer Campbell at such a low price–while he saw very little action on loan at Tottenham last year, Hull offered six million pounds for the England Under-21 striker, only for Campbell to reject them.  His purchase, along with that of Darren Bent ensures that Sunderland have a very dangerous and deep strikeforce, with Trinidadian Kenwyne Jones another potent option.  Let’s start from the back, though: former club record signing Craig Gordon has been reduced to Sunderland’s backup goalkeeper; Martin Fulop took over when Gordon got injured last season and has maintained his place since.  Both are capable and Sunderland are in good hands at the back, though Gordon could chafe if he continues in a backup role.  Sunderland’s defense is talented, but perhaps a bit thin: Anton Ferdinand, Rio’s younger brother, keys the middle of their defense, where he is usually partnered by Nyron Nosworthy.  Former United player (Sunderland have a few; remember, Roy Keane was their old manager and Bruce is a former United player) Phil Bardsley capably mans the right side, and fans’ player of the year Danny Collins is a fixture on the left.  George McCartney, Paul McShane, and new signing Paolo da Silva, player of the year in Mexico last year, provide depth; whether McShane will stay after being loaned to Hull last season remains unknown.  Sunderland’s midfield is very strong; anchored by the combatative Cana, the club has attacking flair in Teemu Taino, Carlos Edwards, Keiran Richardson and Steed Malbranque.  Grant Leadbitter and Andy Reid are also good players who can take on a variety of midfield roles.  New signing Lee Cattermole, signed from Bruce’s old club Wigan, is one of the Premiership’s rising stars; he was in high demand this summer and should combine well with Cana to make up a central combination that will have other teams quaking in their boots.  The three-headed monster of Bent, Jones and Campbell should supply Sunderland with quite a few goals this season, while David Healy and Darryl Murphy should be good for the occasional goal in cameo roles.  Overall, Sunderland look very strong in all positions and with Bruce at the helm, they should improve upon last season’s 16th-place finish.

11.  West Ham United

In: Luis Jimenez, Inter Milan, loan; Peter Kurucz, Ujpest FC, undisclosed; Fabio Daprela, Grasshopper Club Zurich, undisclosed; Radoslav Kovac, Spartak Moscow, undisclosed

Out: Freddie Sears, Crystal Palace, loan; Lee Bowyer, Birmingham, free

West Ham also did very good business this summer, and manager Gianfranco Zola has formed West Ham into an attractive, flowing team that still gets results.  That said, the advances of teams such as Sunderland and Tottenham, who finished below them last season, will make replicating last season’s 9th-place finish difficult.  However, if injury-prone players like Keiron Dyer and Dean Ashton can stay healthy, West Ham could exceed expectations and could even make a bid for a place in the Europa League.  One place that West Ham do not have to worry about is goalkeeper.  Robert Green has been called into the England squad recently, a testament to his fine form for the Hammers.  Protecting him in defense will be fellow England international Matt Upson, provided he does not complete a rumored move to Manchester City, and James Collins, Danny Gabbidon, and youngster James Tomkins all provide adequate partners.  American Jonathan Spector provides depth across the back line, though his natural postition is right back, and Herita Ilunga has blossomed into a good left-back since replacing George McCartney when the latter was sold to Sunderland.  West Ham has a very deep and versatile midfield, led by England Under-21 captain Mark Noble.  Scott Parker, Keiron Dyer, Radoslav Kovac and 20-year-old Jack Collison also play in the center of the park, and Zola is spoiled for choice on the wings: Luis Boa Morte, Savio Nserenko, Valon Behrami, Julien Faubert and Junior Stanislas are all capable players; Faubert was even loaned to Real Madrid this year in the strangest move of the January transfer window.  It will be interesting to see how Zola incoroporates Luis Jimenez into his squad; ideally, the Chilean plays between the midfield and the forwards, but he may be forced to play as a traditional forward due to the Hammers’ depth in midfield and lack thereof  up front.  England internationals Carlton Cole and Dean Ashton make up a potentially deadly duo, but Ashton has missed a lot of time with injuries, and backup Zavon Himes missed all of last year through injury.  It is interesting that Zola let young striker Sears go on loan; clearly he has faith in his strikers to play well and stay healthy.  If they do so West Ham could easily exceed expectations, but their lack of depth at forward may prove to be their Achilles heel.

12.  Wigan Athletic

In: Jordi Gomez, Espanyol, £1.7m; Hendry Thomas, Olimpia, free; Jason Scotland, Swansea, £2m; James McCarthy, Hamilton, £1.2m; Scott Sinclair, Chelsea, loan; Antonio Amaya, Rayo Vallecano, free

Out: Antonio Valencia, Manchester United, £16m; Lee Cattermole, Sunderland, £6m

Wigan could be in for a tough season: they sold arguably their two best players and lost their manager this summer, and they are relying upon low-cost replacements and a manager who is in the Premier League for the first time to continue their success.  That said, the Latics still have a strong squad and Roberto Martinez is seen as one of the most promising young managers in the game; while he may need a bit of time to catch his breath, he should be fine in the long run.  He will have a strong backstop in England international Chris Kirkland; though the goalkeeper has only made one appearance for his nation he has consistently played well for his club.  In front of him will be an experienced defense led by captain Mario Melchiot, Paul Scharner, Emmerson Boyce, and Titus Bramble, who has overcome his reputation as an error-prone defender to become a solid presence in the center of defense.  Though Wigan’s midfield has been gutted since the turn of the new year–Wilson Palacios, Valencia, and Cattermole have all departed–talented players remain, most notably Jason Koumas, Charles N’Zogbia, and new signings Gomez and McCarthy.  They also have depth, though the backups are not quite as talented.  Finally their forward line is very intriguing: Jason Scotland scored a goal every other game with Swansea and Martinez will have to hope that he can come close to replicating that return at the Premier League level, while Scott Sinclair, at age 20, should be ready to produce or risk being sold by Chelsea.  Hugo Rodallega will hope to improve upon his three goals in fifteen appearances from last season, and no one really knows what to make of Marlon King.  The temperamental striker was drawing interest from Hull, and considering he was loaned out twice last season it seem unlikely that he has a future at Wigan.  Nevertheless, he is undeniably talented and if Wigan cannot attract any other forwards this summer he may stay.  In a team so full of unknown quantities, including at manager, it is difficult to predict where Wigan will finish, but I think that Martinez and the new imports will adjust quickly.  They will have to if they want to maintain the comfort of a mid-table finish this season.

Tomorrow, along with the start of the Premier League–I hope you’re all excited–I’ll unveil 5th through 8th place.  Get excited for the weekend and the start of the EPL!

"This is audacious of me."

Well, well, well – we made it through our summer withdrawal and tomorrow we will get our first fix of the Barclay’s Premier League (dubbed by many as the most prestigious league in the world). But there is something I still need to get off of my chest before I feel I can properly move on. Last season was spectacular and full of drama (as ever), and a league with world-class players will always produce world-class goals. The unlikely winner of last year’s ‘Goal of the Season’ was ex-Portsmouth and Liverpool’s new right-back Glen Johnson, with this beautiful chest to volley that left Hull keeper Myhill rooted “ficus-tree-like”. But I disagree.

“How, Matt!? What could be better than that?” you may be asking. While the technical form is tremendous, the courage to take it on spectacular, and the result inch-perfect, it was a game between Portsmouth and Hull. In harsher words: who cares? It wasn’t a goal that gave three points to avoid relegation, it simply had no impact other than an average 2-1 victory. In my eyes, that can’t be goal of the year material, despite it’s quality.

"Oh My Word..."

So, instead, here are two goals (involving four of the top six sides) that should have been considered for the year’s best. United’s Sir Alex Ferguson once again proved his worth by pulling 17-year-old Federico Macheda up from the reserve squad for United v. Aston Villa (note: defending champs vs. a side pushing the big four) in early April, a crucial time in the season. Macheda had never played with the first team and his call-up kept him from going to play for the U-20 Italian national squad; but then Fergie went on and had the guts to sub him in. United led at home through Ronaldo early on before Villa responded with two of their own, before Ronaldo scored late on, or so it seemed at the time. But in the 93rd minute, tied at two, Macheda took a pass just inside the box, turned brilliantly and lashed the ball behind Freidel to win the game, send the crowd into pure ecstasy, and give United a vital two extra points. The boy had some nerve. A great contender, but still not my goal of the season.

FOUR!?!

Nope. For my goal of the season, I take you to Anfield, Liverpool – one of the hardest stadiums to go into and leave with any result at all. Scoring a goal there is a dream come true, but four in your first ever trip to Anfield is downright stupid – unthinkable – worth some sort of medal. It was Liverpool v. Arsenal, a titanic match-up in late April with plenty of title implications. For the Reds, drop points and risk losing the title right then and there. For the Gunners, get something from the game to ensure Champions League next year. Step up, Andrey Arshavin. It wasn’t his first three, all of which were decent enough on their own, but his fourth and final goal that is my ‘Goal of the Season’. On the verge of stoppage time, tied at three, and with everyone back to defend a Liverpool corner, Arsenal countered like only Arsenal can. It popped out to Theo Walcott…and he can shift! As he took off with the ball down to the other end, Arshavin made up roughly 90 yards to give support (just popping suddenly into picture), receives the ball with a good first touch, and then has the concentration to bury it with his weaker left foot. Having already netted three and playing 90 minutes at a frantic pace, he kept his cool and his concentration and denied Liverpool a chance at three points. I know that is what they get paid so generously to do, but let’s be real and say not many would or could. It might not look like much at first and no one may agree with me, but Arshavin wins my ‘Goal of the Season’.

No Caption Necessary

But what do you think? Leave me a comment with your choice for ‘Goal of the Season’. Oh, and this is bold, but I think it will be Chelsea’s Didier Drogba who gets it this upcoming season – just my prediction.

Thanks, Matt

13. Blackburn Rovers

In: Gael Givet, Marseille, £3.5m; Franco Di Santo, Chelsea, loan; Lars Jacobsen, Everton, free; Elrio van Heerden, Club Brugge, free; Nikola Kalinic, Hadjuk Split, £6m

Out: Roque Santa Cruz, Manchester City, £18m; Matt Derbyshire, Olympiakos, £3m; Aaron Mokoena, Portsmouth, free

With respected manager Sam Allardyce leading the ship, Blackburn should steer clear of relegation despite selling gifted foward Roque Santa Cruz to Manchester City, where he should be fourth-choice striker or so (enjoy, Roque).  Although Allardyce’s playing style is not a pretty one–his teams are heavily reliant upon the long ball and do not play attractively–it is effective when players buy into his tactics; Newcastle’s failure to do so was the main reason that he fared so poorly with the club.  He did much better at Blackburn after taking charge in December 2008, though, and he has the talent at his disposal to shoot for a mid-table finish.  Goalkeeper Paul Robinson played his way out of the England setup with Tottenham, but he looks better with Blackburn and has less pressure to succeed; last season was a solid one and Allardyce will hope that he can build on this success.  Blackburn’s defense is very good; led by hulking Christopher Samba and captain Ryan Nelsen, it is both skilled and deep–the signings of Gael Givet and Lars Jacobsen were good moves for Allardyce, as Nelsen has had injury problems in the past.  The midfield is hit-or-miss: Morten Gamst Pederson is one of the most underrated players in the Premiership and a key player for Blackburn and David Dunn is a pretty good central midfielder, but Brett Emerton is still recovering from a torn ACL, Steven Ried missed all of last season through injury, and predicting El Hadji Diouf’s form is an exercise in futility.  Rovers should not miss Santa Cruz too much, though; he was injured for part of last season and only scored four goals.  In addition to Jason Roberts and Benni McCarthy, Rovers signed highly-rated Kalinic (Croatia coach Slaven Bilic has called him “the future of Croatian football”) and got Di Santo on loan; he is similar to Santa Cruz in that both are good in the air and skilled on the ball.

14.  Bolton Wanderers

In: Sean Davis, Portsmouth, free; Zat Knight, Aston Villa, free; Sam Ricketts, Hull, undisclosed; Paul Robinson, West Brom, loan; Lee Chung-Yong, FC Seoul, £2.2m

Out: none

Bolton, like Blackburn, rely heavily on their manager’s tactics and knowledge to stay up.  Gary Megson is another crafty manager who was able to keep Bolton competitive even after selling Nicolas Anelka to Chelsea without buying a replacement.  His squad has many capable veterans, most notably Jussi Jaaskelainen.  The Finnish goalkeeper has been an integral part of Bolton’s team for years and continues to play at a high level.  Bolton’s defense was at times overrun last year; Megson addressed that and its limited depth by bringing in Knight and Robinson, two signings that should improve Wanderers’ defense considerably.  In addition, look for youngster Chris Basham to take steps towards establishing himself as a regular; he is highly rated but at age 21, he should be ready to step into the first team soon.  After losing midfielder and captain Kevin Nolan to Newcastle last season, Newcastle lacked a steadying and influential presence in the middle of the park: Sean Davis has been brought in to fill that role and should perform well; Portsmouth wanted to re-sign him, but their perilous financial situation led him to join Bolton instead.  Bolton’s other midfielders are no slouches; Matty Taylor, Joey O’Brien, Ricardo Gardner and Fabrice Muamba are all capable players and will be key to Bolton’s hopes this season, and Korean import Lee Chung-Yong has drawn comparisons with former Arsenal midfielder Aliaksandr Hleb. The biggest question is Bolton’s forward line: Kevin Davies is hugely underrated and had significant support for an England call-up last year, though that did not happen, but Wanderers have no other proven players up front.  Record signing Johan Elmander has been injury-prone and inconsistent since coming to England.  If he can adjust in his second season, Bolton could be poised for an upper-mid-table finish, but that is a big “if.”  Another option is Portuguese youngster Ricardo Vaz Te, who, like Basham, needs to step up soon to avoid being labeled as a bust.  Vaz Te has shown very little thus far, however, and the EPL may be a level too high for him.

15.  Portsmouth

In: Steve Finnan, Espanyol, free; Aaron Mokoena, Blackburn, free; Frederic Piquionne, Lyon, loan; Antti Niemi, Fulham, free; Anthony Vanden Borre, Genoa, loan

Out: Peter Crouch, Tottenham, undisclosed; Glen Johnson, Liverpool, £17m; Sean Davis, Bolton, free

Talk about upheaval–Portsmouth lost manager Harry Redknapp and two England internationals in half a season, and they are in the middle of a Middle East takeover attempt that WON’T give them hundreds of millions to spend.  In fact, the club could still be forced to sell other key players like David James.  Portsmouth are by far the hardest team to predict a finish for–manager Paul Hart is untested but put up good results after replacing Tony Adams, while the result of the takeover bid could determine if Pompey must sell or can buy.  Depending on what happens, I could see them finishing anywhere from 10th to 20th, and many pundits are predicting that they will be relegated, but their current roster simply has too much talent.  David James gets a lot of criticism for his occasional errors, but the fact remains that at age 37, he remains England’s best option between the sticks and is one of the better goalkeepers in the Prem.  The strength of the defense in front of him is largely dependent upon Sol Campbell; the imposing center back is currently out of contract and his departure could be devastating.  If he stays and Sylvain Distin, who is the subject of numerous transfer rumors, remains his partner, Pompey should be fine; the difference between Johnson and Finnan is not 17 million pounds.  The midfield remains strong; losing Davis and replacing him with Mokoena hurts the team, but they still have quality going forward in Niko Kranjcar and John Utaka, while Pape Bouba Diop is a good box-to-box midfielder.  The forward line suffered the most from Portsmouth’s fire sale; Crouch was not only a tremendous aerial threat, he could also hold the ball and was the team’s most dangerous finisher.  Pompey addressed the problem somewhat by getting Piquionne on loan; while getting a 30-year-old on loan is usually bad news, he scored twice against Rangers in a friendly.  The jury remains out on his effectiveness over the coming season, however.  Nigerian Nwankwo Kanu will have to step up, as will David Nugent if he remains with the club–a training ground bust-up with a teammate, along with his lack of goals since his move to the south of England, puts his future in jeopardy.  If Pompey can score goals and hold onto their remaining stars, they should stay up.

UPDATE: Manager Paul Hart has said that he thinks the takeover is unlikely, despite reports that Sulaiman Al Fahim, the prospective owner, will be in the stands this weekend to see Portsmouth take on Fulham.  If this is true, then Pompey’s ambitions take a serious hit and they may be forced to sell more players to avoid going into administration.  More updates will come as information becomes available.

16. Wolverhampton Wanderers

In: Ronald Zubar, Marseille, undisclosed; Greg Halford, Sunderland, undisclosed; Nenad Milijas, Red Star, £2.7m; Marcus Hahnemann, Reading, free; Andrew Surman, Southampton, £1.2m; Kevin Doyle, Reading, £6.5m; Michael Mancienne, Chelsea, loan

Out: none

Few seem to think that Wolves have what it takes to survive, but they are the only promoted team who has someone who I see as a deadly Premier League striker–Sylvain Ebanks-Blake.  While there is some hypocrisy in this claim given that I have questioned others’ abilities to adapt to the Premier League, Ebanks-Blake is the type of predatory striker that, if he receives service, should thrive in the Premiership.  It will be up to manager Mick McCarthy, whose last stint in the EPL (with Sunderland) ended poorly, to make sure that Ebanks-Blake and his strike partners see enough of the ball to fire Wolves above 18th place.  He will also have to decide who to start at the back, though, and the position battle starts at goalkeeper.  Wayne Hennessey will likely maintain his starting position, but Hahnemann is a capable deputy despite his advancing age and, should Hennessey falter, could supplant him.  McCarthy will be ecstatic to get Mancienne on loan from Chelsea for anther season; the young Englishman was key to Wolves’ promotion last season and should be a rock in their defense again.  Who partners him is up in the air; last season veteran Jody Craddock and youngster Richard Stearman shared duties, and Frenchman Ronald Zubar should provide further competition and depth.  George Elokobi, recently recovered from a knee operation, is a question mark at left back, but right back is more secure; Kevin Foley was Wolves’ player of the year last season.  Midfield is an area with a lot of depth but no real stars; captain Karl Henry, Matthew Jarvis, and David Edwards are all good players in the center of the park, while Stephen Ward’s versatility allows him to play all over the park.  Greg Halford can also play in multiple positions, and his long throws are almost as renowned as Rory Delap’s–he could be a fearsome weapon if Wolves can utilize him correctly.  New signing Milijas could be quite a bargain; he led the Serbian league with 22 goals last season as a midfielder and has ten international caps, scoring twice.  If he can get into double digits with Wolves, McCarthy will be very happy.  The team’s forwards are also deep: besides Ebanks-Blake, Scottish international Chris Iwelumo, despite being best-known for a horrific miss against Norway that may have cost Scotland a place in the 2010 World Cup, is a decent striker, and record signing Kevin Doyle will be counted on to provide the same threat that he did with Reading; in their one Premier League season, he had more headed goals than any other player in the English leagues.  Wolves have done the best summer business of any promoted club, adding depth and key players to a team that won the Championship last term.  If any promoted team stays up, I think it’ll be the Wanderers.

17.  Stoke City

In: Dean Whitehead, Sunderland, £3m

Out: Seyi Olofinjana, Hull, £3m

Stoke caused a lot of problems for teams last season (just ask Arsenal) and should do much the same this year.  A hard-nosed team under manager Tony Pulis, Stoke relied upon the goals of Ricardo Fuller, the throw-ins of Rory Delap, and an underrated defense led by former Manchester United youngster Ryan Shawcross to grind out points against teams with far higher payrolls.  Though Stoke may not be the prettiest team to watch, their style of play is perfect for the Premier League and Pulis has proven to be a shrewd tactician.  His midfield is filled with hard-working players who have pedigrees–Salif Diao is a former Liverpool player, Dean Whitehead, a shrewd summer signing, was Sunderland’s captain in the past, and Michael Tonge was long viewed as one of the most talented players outside of the Premier League while with Sheffield United–if he can live up to his promise, Stoke could finish closer to mid-table.  Goalkeeper Thomas Sorenson is an experienced EPL player and his consistent play will be key to Stoke’s hopes.  Strikers Dave Kitson and James Beattie need to improve their performances from last year; Kitson, Stoke’s record signing, did not score a single goal.  That said, if they can supply goals alongside Fuller, Stoke should be able to stay up again, though their lack of summer signings mean that they are unlikely to replicate last season’s twelfth-place finish.

18. Birmingham City

In: Joe Hart, Man City, loan; Barry Ferguson, Rangers, £1m; Roger Johnson, Cardiff City, £5m; Christian Benitez, Santos Laguna, £8.5m; Giovanny Espinoza, Barcelona SC (Ecuador), undisclosed; Lee Bowyer, West Ham, free

Out: Stephen Kelly, Fulham, free

Birmingham are somewhat of an unknown quantity; they have bolsered their squad with many players, but very few are proven at the Premier League level.  While goalkeeper Joe Hart, who was squeezed out of a place at Manchester City by Ireland international Shay Given, was a brilliant piece of business, the jury is out on record signing Christian Benitez, the first Ecuadorian to play in the Premier League.  Compatriot Espinoza is mainly on the team to help Benitez adjust; he is unlikely to play on a regular basis.  Ferguson and Johnson were both good players with their previous teams, though Ferguson did not fare well in his brief time in the EPL with Blackburn Rovers.  Their forward line is filled with question marks–how well will James McFadden play after missing most of last season with an injury?  Will Benitez cope with the physicality of the EPL?  Can 36-year-old Kevin Phillips play at the Premier League level at such an advanced age?  Their midfield should be relatively strong; workmanlike captain Damien Johnson and right winger Sebastian Larsson, formerly of Arsenal, should prove especially important, while Lee Bowyer provides experience and numerous yellow cards.  Their defense, however, is suspect; EPL retreads such as Stephen Carr and Franck Quedrue will have to replicate their impressive performances from last season and Roger Johnson will have to show fans why he was voted Cardiff’s player of the year in 2009.  While Birmingham have the potential to say up, it may be asking too much; veterans will have to produce at a very high level and all of Birmingham’s summer signings will have to thrive in the Premier League.

19.  Hull City

In: Jozy Altidore, Villareal, loan; Seyi Olofinjana, Stoke, £3m; Steven Mouyokolo, Boulogne, £1.8m, Stephen Hunt, Reading, £3.5m; Kamel Ghilas, Celta Vigo, £1.7m

Out: Sam Ricketts, Bolton, undisclosed

Hull barely survived last season despite having a tremendous start that saw them in the upper half of the table for a long stretch.  They ended, however, by only winning one of their last 22 games and have fared miserably in the transfer market, as all of their choices to come in at forward (including Michael Owen and Fraizer Campbell) chose to sign elsewhere.  Boss Phil Brown is a polarizing figure; his halftime lambasting of Hull on the pitch against Manchester City was seen by many as the reason that Hull finished the season so poorly.  He will have to hope that his team can replicate their early-season form if Hull are to stay up.  Their defense is relatively strong–goalkeeper Boaz Myhill is a steadying presence in goal, and Michael Turner has been linked with a move to Liverpool; if he stays, he will be integral to Hull’s chances.  Their other defenders are solid if uninspring; Kamil Zayatte and Anthony Gardner are the best of the bunch.  Their midfield is strong but inconsistent; Geovanni is a tremendous talent but mercurial, record signing Jimmy Bullard was impressive enough to play for England last season but is injury-prone and may not fully recover from multiple knee surgeries, and players such as George Boateng and Kevin Kilbane are past their prime.  Stephen Hunt is a good signing, though, and should provide good service from the wing.  The main problem, though, is their forwards; Geovanni led the team with eight goals and Altidore, while talented, may take time to adjust to the Premier League.  Hull have no one else who can score regularly, however, and their desperation for goals has seen them explore the possibility of signing Marlon King, who has a reputation as a malcontent.

20. Burnley

In: Steven Fletcher, Hibs, £3m; Tyrone Mears, Derby, £500,000; Richard Eckersley, Man Utd, compensation pending; Brian Easton, Hamilton, £350,000; David Edgar, Newcastle, compensation pending;  Fernando Guerrero, Independiente de Valle, loan

Out: Alan Mahon, Tranmere, free

Burnley won a lot of fans with their entertaining style of play, which was exemplified in their playoff victory over Sheffield United at Wembley.  That said, they have a very tough task ahead of them in the Premier League.  Their summer signings have been solid, but goalkeeper is a problem position; much like Ben Foster, starter Brian Jensen is less than assured in clearing the ball.  Their defense should be decent but not spectacular; Tyrone Mears, David Edgar, Steven Caldwell, 37-year-old Graham Alexander, and Richard Eckersley are all solid defenders, though the group has little Premier League experience.  The midfield is also serviceable but not overly impressive; although Chris Eagles, Wade Elliot, and Guerrero are all good players, Burnley’s lack of depth could haunt them.  Their forward line also lacks depth; Stephen Fletcher is a quality player, but whether he and leading scorer Andrew Paterson can replicate their form at a higher level remains to be seen.  Manager Owen Coyle has shown that he has the tactical nous to succeed at a high level, but I just see too much of West Brom in Burnley to think that they will survive–both were teams that tried to play attractive soccer with talent that wasn’t quite up to EPL standards.  While it would be nice to see a team like Burnley manage to avoid the drop, I just don’t see it happening.

The next post, on positions 13-16, will be up tomorrow–one post a day until Sunday, when last season’s first and second-place finishers, Manchester United and Liverpool, start their Premier League seasons.

Thanks, Matt