English Premiership 2008/2009

by Matthew Chapple

A very good start to the Barclays Premiership season which sees Chelsea occupy the top spot with Liverpool level on points in second. Those two, along with Manchester United, are the only sides who have yet to taste defeat. Chelsea got off to the best possible start by thrashing Portsmouth at home in their opening fixture 4-0 and followed it up with a narrow 1-0 away win over Wigan. They let their 100% record slip at home to Tottenham Hotspur when a defensive error let in Darren Bent to level the match at 1-1.

Liverpool have made a shakey start to the season with narrow victorys over both Sunderland and Middlesborough but could only manage a dull -0- draw against Aston Villa at Villa. One slight positive for them is that they have got the result without playing well. When they do start playing well they should pick up points more comfortably. They have been delt a blow which is that they will be without Gerrard for the match against Manchester United and Fernando Torres could also miss the tie.

Their haven’t been many surprises so far with the only real shock result coming at Old Trafford where Manchester United were held by Newcastle in their opening fixture. Also, a late Djibril Cisse goal seen all 3 points go to Sunderland when they beat Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane 2-1.

Hull got their first ever Premier league victory at the first attempt when they beat Fulham 2-1. With 4 points from their first three games they find themselves in a respectable 10th position. The other two new clubs haven’t made matching starts with Stoke being hammered 4-1 in their first outing and West Brom picking up just the one point after their first three fixtures.

Outright Betting: Chelsea are justified 6/5 favourites after their first three preformances and look a good bet as they will almost certainly be thereabouts come the end of the season. Despite Liverpool currently lying in second place in the table, the bookies have priced them up as just 4th favourites for the title at 8/1. Arsenal look a poor bet at 6/1 after they looked shakey when they lost to Fulham on their travels while Man Utd are second favourites at 7/4.

Relegation Betting: Despite Hull finding themselves in 10th position at this early stage the bookies have priced them up as joint favourites for the drop with Stoke City at 3/10. With West brom not far behind in the betting at evens, it is clear to see that the bookies don’t fancy their chances of survival. The value in this market looks to be with Bolton Wanderers. They are currently 3/1 and with no recognised striker they could struggle for goals. They may have thrashed Stoke City 4-1 but Stoke were poor and they won’t get many easier games then that.

Arsenal
Players in: Aaron Ramsey, Samir Nasri, Mikael Silvestre
Players out: Mathieu Famini, Jens Lehmann, Kerrea Gilbert, Philippe Senderos, Justin Hoyte, Alexander Hleb, Gilberto Silva
Key Player: Cesc Fabregas
Prediction: 4th Despite them having a very young and in-experienced side Arsenal once again finished in the champions league places in 3rd. They have lost several key players though with Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb moving on to so called better things with AC Milan and Barcelona. They did eventually manage to keep hold of Adebayor who was second top goalscorer in the premiership last season and with Cesc Fabregas and new boy Samir Nasri providing the creativity, Arsenal should be thereabouts come the end of the season.

Aston Villa
Players in: Curtis Davies, Steve Sidwell, Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan, Luke Young, Nickey Shorey, Carlos Cuellar, James Milner
Players out: Patrik Berger, Thomas Sorensen, Luke Moore, Shaun Maloney
Key player: Gareth Barry
Prediction: 5th We like Aston Villa a lot. They are a young side full of pace. Gareth Barry has the ability to control the midfield while pacey English winger Ashley Young has the ability to beat his man and put in a decent ball to the two tall forwards, John Carew and Gabriel Agbonahlor. They did very well to keep Gareth barry out of the clutches of Liverpool and they have a great chance of snatching a European spot.

Blackburn Rovers
Players in: Paul Robinson, Carlos Villanueva, Danny Simpson, Vincenzo Grella, Keith Andrews
Players out: David Bentley, Brad Friedel,
Key Player: Roque Santa Cruz
Prediction: 9th With a new manager at the helm in the form of Paul Ince, Blackburn will be looking to build on their finish of 7th last season. A big negative is the transfer of David Bentley. Not only did he provide the strikers with extremely good service from the wing but he contributed with his fair share of goals. They did keep Santa Cruz who is now their most high profile player and with him singing a new long term contract, Fans will be hoping for more goals from the Paraguay international this season. The key to their season will be centred around this man and if he can continue scoring like he did last season then they could have a decent season.

Bolton Wanderers
Players in: Johan Elmander, Danny Shittu, Ebi Smolarek, Fabrice Muamba
Players out: Daniel Braaten, Abdoulaye Meite, El-Hadji Diouf
Key Player: Kevin Nolan
Prediction: 17th A club with only one real aim for the season which is Premiership survival. Gone the days when they used to finish around the UEFA Cup spots. They lack quality players with their captain being their only player worth mentioning. They spent somewhere in the region of £12,000,000 on Toulouse striker Johan Elmander which i don’t think is a good piece of business. Kevin Davies has lost his sharpness and won’t bag them enough goals this season. They have to beat the teams around them else they could be lured into a relegation dogfight.

Chelsea
Players in: Jose Bosingwa, Anderson Deco, Slobodan Rajkovic
Players out: Ben Sahar, Steve Sidwell, Claude Makelele, Khalid Boulahruz, Tal Ben Haim, Claudio Pizarro, Andriy Shevchenko, Shaun Wright-Philips
Key Player: Anderson Deco
Prediction: 1st Chelsea already had one of the strongest teams in Europe but went ahead and improved their squad by adding two Portuguese internationals in Jose Bosingwa and play-maker Anderson Deco from Barcelona. Deco will be a fantastic addition to Scolari’s squad. He has the ability to pull the strings and can ship in with a few goals. Bosingwa also adds more width down the right hand side and will be tricky to handle. With Lampard and Drogba remaining with the blues Chelsea remain one of the favourites for the crown and will certainly be up there come the end.

Everton
Players in: Segundo Castillo, Carlo Nash, Louis Saha
Players out: Lee Carsley, Thomas Gravesen, Andrew Johnson
Key Player: Mikel Arteta
Prediction: 12th Everton had a very good season last term and finished in 5th position. However, they haven’t brought in any new recruits over the summer that are worth making a note off with maybe the exception of Louis Saha. Everton do lack quality in depth and with Andrew Johnson heading to Fulham, if they were to get a few injuries then they could struggle. Mikel Arteta will be key for them. If he could form some sort of partnership with Louis Saha then maybe they could have a decent season but we doubt they have enough to match last season finish.

Fulham
Players in: Mark Schwarzer, Zolton Gera, Toni Kallio, Bobby Zamora, John Pantsil, Andrew Johnson, Dickson Etuhu, Julian Gray
Players out: Dejan Stefanovic, Ricardo Batista, Hameur Bouazza, Steven Davis, Alexei Smertin, Antti Niemi
Key Player: Andrew Johnson
Prediction: 15th Probably the most active team in the transfer market over the summer which seen Andrew Johnson and Zolton Gera join the Fulham squad. Both could be very influential. Fulham will be hoping the new boys will help them push away from the relegation zone and a mid-table finish would be a great result for Fulham. Their early win over Arsenal at home proved they can play very well on their day and i think they will have enough to stay away from a relegation battle.

Hull City
Players in: Craig Fagan, Geovanni, Bernard Mendy, George Boateng, Peter Halmosi, Anthony Gardner, Marlon King, Daniel Cousin
Players out: David Livermore, Simon Walton
Key Player: Daniel Cousin
Prediction: 20th With very little in quality entering the club over the season. Hull could find themselves in a tricky situation earlier then then they would want. The Premiership is one of the hardest leagues in the world and Hull just don’t have enough decent players to survive this time around. Geovanni looked decent in his opening game but he did the same at Man City and rarely got a gamer come the end of the season. Daniel Cousin could be a decent capture and they will need him to get his shooting boots on straight away if they are to put up a fight.

Liverpool
Players in: Phillip Degan, Andrea Dossena, Diego Cavelieri, David N’Gog, Robbie Keane, Albert Riera
Players out: John Arne Riise, Harry Kewell, Danny Guthrie, Peter Crouch, Scott Carson, Sebastien Leto, Andriy Voronin, Steve Finnan
Key Player: Steven Gerrard
Prediction: 3rd The under achievers in Liverpool will be hoping to close the gap on the top two this season. They were disappointing last season finishing in 4th. 11 points behind winners Manchester United. Fernando Torres was phenomenal last season scoring over 30 goals in his first season for the reds. He will need to pick up where he left off and form another lethal partnership with Gerrard if they are to get closer to Chelsea and Man Utd. Robbie Keane should be a good buy if he clicks with Torres. After the first few games they have yet to gel but I’m sure they will get it together soon. We’re not sure if they have what it takes to go all the way this season.

Manchester City
Players in: Jo, Robinho, Tal Ben Haim, Shaun Wright-Philips, Pablo Zabeleta
Players out: Emile Mpenza, Geovanni, Georgios Samaras, Bernando Corradi, Vedran Corluka
Key Player: Robinho
Prediction: 6th A turbulent last day of the transfer market saw Manchester City get bought by Abu Dhabi who have already promised the fans a top 4 finish this season and the title next season. We seriously doubt their first claim. They purchased the club too late and although they have made a fantastic signing in Robinho, they still lack quality in depth. They are very inconsistent and Mark Hughes would need the likes of Wright-Philips and Elano to perform week in, week out if they are to get close to their target. They need a lot more players to achieve this and we fancy them to fall short.

Manchester United
Players in: Dimitar Berbatov
Players out: Chris Eagles, Louis Saha, Mikael Silvestre, Fraizer Campbell
Key Player: Christiano Ronaldo
Prediction: 2nd With very little transfer activity over the summer man Utd will be looking to their new signing Berbatov for goals. With Ronaldo out until mid October they will rely heavily on Scholes, Carrick and Rooney for creativity in the center of the park. Wayne Rooney has yet to get going while Tevez is yet to score. If Berbatov settles in well at the club then he could be a great signing. It will probably be a two horse race between them and Chelsea which could go all the way once more.

Middlesborough
Players in: Marvin Emnes, Didier Digard, Justin Hoyte
Players out: Mark Schwarzer, Fabio Rochemback, Lee Catermole, Luke Young
Key Player: Stuart Downing
Prediction: 10th Gareth Southgate will be looking to push his side into the top half of the table and with players like Alfonso Alves and Stuart Downing, they have a chance. They have a defender in David Wheater who can score from set plays and looks destined for a regular England place. Stuart Downing is a class apart in that team. Many clubs have shown interest but yet to confirm it with a serious offer. He will be their key player for the season. He can beat his man on the wing and can certainly whip in a decent ball. Alfonso shown bits of good form last season but will need to vastly improve his form if Middlesborough are to make this season worth remembering.

Newcastle United
Players in: Jonas Gutierrez, Danny Guthrie, Fabricio Coloccini, Nacho Gonzalez, Xisco
Players out: Stephen Carr, Peter Ramage, David Rozenhal, Emre, James Milner
Key Player: Michael Owen
Prediction: 13th A club in turmoil right now. With Kevin Keegan walking out and the departure of James Milner, it is clear there is unrest at the club. With the new manager still yet to be decided it is a surprise Michael Owen didn’t follow Keegan out the door. He is too good for Newcastle. His is rather unfortunate with all his injuries but when he plays he is England’s best striker by far. Jonas Gutierrez looks a good buy but if Newcastle are to have any sort of season they will need Owen to avoid any more injuries. Troubles in the boardroom doesn’t help a club and we fancy them to struggle this season.

Portsmouth
Players in: Glen Little, Ben Sahar, Peter Crouch, Younes Kaboul
Players out: Sulley Muntari, Pedro Mendes
Key Player: Jermaine Defoe
Prediction: 7th Harry Redknapp really has transformed Portsmouth and with the amount he has spent over the summer we reckon they will do alright this term. Sulley Muntari moving to Inter Milan will be a massive loss and he was a rock in the centre of midfield. The capture of Liverpool forward Peter Crouch looks a decent one and if he and Defoe can click form the off then they could form a good partnership. Defoe will enjoy playing off Crouch’s knock-downs and they could complement each other. They will need to work hard to get a UEFA spot but they have a good chance.

Stoke City
Players in: Dave Kitson, Thomas Sorensen, Abdoulaye Faye, Ibrahima Sonko, Tom Soares, Danny Higginbottom
Players out: Marlon Broomes, Jon Parkin
Key Player: Dave Kitson
Prediction: 18th Another of the new boys in Stoke City. They have a tough challenge if they are to survive this season. Like Hull they have failed to buy anyone of real quality and lack depth. Dave Kitson could be a good signing and if he contributes with goals then they could have a slight chance of surviving. They are a powerful side and their best chance of getting goals looks to be from set pieces. They will have a tough season ahead which could end in disappointment.

Sunderland
Players in: Teemu Tainio, Pascal Chimbonda, El-Hadji Diouf, Steed Malbranque, Djibril Cisse, David Healy, Anton Ferdinand, George McCartney
Players out: Andy Cole, Dickson Etuhu, Danny Higginbottom
Key Player: El-Hadji Diouf
Prediction: 11th Roy Keane did well to get his side to 15th in the league table last season and has made signings over the summer in a bid to improve on that finish. Diouf is a lively character and could be just what Keane needs. Not only can he score but he can create chances as well. Djibril Cisse will also be crucial for Sunderland this season. Keane has loaned him from Marseille and it took him just minutes to repay his manager and score the winner over Spurs. Anton Ferdinand should strengthen their back four along with pacey full back Pascal Chimbonda from Spurs. They have put in some decent performances thus far but were rather unlucky to lose to Liverpool in their opening fixture. A win over Sours was duly deserved and a sign of things to come possibly. We fancy them to better their position this time around.

Tottenham Hotspur
Players in: Geovani Dos Santos, Luka Modric, Gomes, David Bentley, Roman Pavlychenko, Fraizer Campbell, Vedran Corluka
Players out: Teemu Tainio, Paul Robinson, Pascal Chimbonda, Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov, Steed Malbranque, Younes Kaboul
Key Player: Luka Modric
Prediction: 8th A disappointing season last year looks set to continue after a poor start once again. With two defeats against Middlesborough and Sunderland and a 1-1 draw with Chelsea shows their in-different form. They are very inconsistent despite the quality they have at the club. The fans will be devastated with the departures of both Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov and will be looking towards Darren Bent and new signing Pavlychenko for goals. Luke Modric has the ability to play his part in the centre of midfield but Tottenham are too inconsistent to mount any sort of challenge to the UEFA cup spot. Another disappointing season beckons.

West Brom
Players in: Luke Moore, Gianni Zuiverloon, Marek Cech, Scott Carson, Borja Valero, Ryan Donk
Players out: Zolton Gera, Curtis Davies, Kevin Philips
Key Player: Scott Carson
Prediction: 19th A season at the foot of the table beckons for WBA. Despite spending a fair amount over the summer they still lack a recognised striker. I honestly cannot see where the goals will come from and they will rely heavily on Scott Carson in goal to keep out their opponents. With just 1 points from the first 3 games it doesn’t look good. Them and Hull looked doomed from the off.

West Ham
Players in: Valon Behami, David Di Michele
Players out: Bobby Zamore, John Pantsil, Richard Wright, Anton Ferdinand, George McCartney
Key Player: Dean Ashton
Prediction: 16th Another club in trouble after Alan Curbishley walked out on West Ham just last week. The board were selling several key players without his consent with Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney both heading out of the club without Curbishley’s acknowledgement. They are another club i think will struggle this season as they don’t have any players that stand out in the creativity department. Dean Ashton can score when given the chance but i seriously doubt they can provide the English forward with consistent good supply. Too many good players have left with very little in return. Wouldn’t be surprised if they were involved in a battle for survival come the end of the season.

Wigan Athletic
Players in: Daniel De Ridder, Olivier Kapo, Amr Zaki, Lee Catermole
Players out: Marcus Bent, David Cotterill, Marlon King, Carlo Nash
Key Player: Wilson Palacios
Prediction: 14th Wigan should go well this season. They were terribly unlucky to lose their fixture with Chelsea after they went down 1-0 at home but enjoyed the majority of the possession and had the better chances. They followed this performance with a great victory over Hull which ended 5-0. Palacios and Valencia look good on the wing while new signing Zaki looks sharp in front of goal. If they can keep hold of Emile Heskey for the whole season then they should go well and stay clear of the drop.