2004/05 Barclaycard Premiership - Comprehensive (Football in General)

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Product:	Football in General
Date:	30.07.04 (722 review reads)
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=== Intoduction ===

The start of the 2004/05 Barclay Card Premiership season is drawing tantalisingly close. Proceedings get under way on the 14th August. My team, Tottenham Hotspur, are in action against Liverpool. This game can be seen on Premiership Plus, with kick-off at 12.45. There has been a frenzy of transfer action already this summer and expect to see last minute movements of players between clubs. In this review, I will give my thoughts on the coming season and offer a few predictions. I will run through each club alphabetically.


=== Arsenal - Current Champions ===

The defending Champions, who went through the whole of last season unbeaten. There is nothing to suggest that they won't complete the same feat again this term. They have made some exciting additions to their side, the like of Robin van Persie, and they still Jose Antonio Reyes to make a real mark on the first team. Ray Parlour has been off-loaded to Middlesborough and it looks like Patrrick Vieira could be on his way to Real Madrid. Dennis Bergkamp has signed a new one year contract and veteran defender Martin Keown was released on a free.

I expect, as much as it pains me to say it, Arsenal to win yet another Premiership title. Their side is far too strong and the whole side has been together for a long time. The only area that Arsenal may have a few problems, is the strength in depth of their squad. The centre back and wide midfield positions are areas that Arsenal are very light in and a couple of injuries could pose serious problems. However, they do have versatile players that can fill in. They do need to keep hold of Patrick Vieira, if they want to be sure of having a good chance of retaining their crown.

Prediction - 1st
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=== Aston Villa - 6th in 2003/04 ===

Towards the end of last season, Aston Villa embarked on a late surge winning a large number of game
s. They secured the last UEFA cup place ahead of Charlton. David O'leary seems to have built a consistent side, on a relatively small budget. There are no real superstars in his squad, but there seems to be a belief and team spirit that runs through the side. They have added Danish defender Martin Laursen, on a free from AC Milan, and the controversial loan switch of Carlton Cole from Chelsea, via Charlton. Veterans Dion Dublin and Ronny Johnsen have been allowed to leave the club on free transfers.

Villa have a very solid defence and have gone a long way to strengthen it in the summer. Their attacking prowess has been re-inforced, adding to the pairing of Darius Vassel and Juan Pablo Angel. Carlton Cole should provide good cover, as Angel and Vassel are particularly prone to injury. There is a strong nucleus of young players at Villa Park, which will come good in a couple of seasons. For now, O'leary has a tough job on his hands to try and achieve a top six finish again. The expectation may just be too much this time around and other sides have made far greater improvements. I think they will finish somewhere in the top half of the league, providing that they get off to a good start.

Prediction - 8th
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=== Birmingham City - 10th in 2003/04 ===

Under the management of Steve Bruce, things at Birmingham are starting to look up. A fierce rivalry has sprung up between Birmingham and neighbours Villa, as both have become top half sides in recent seasons. Things looked promising for Birmingham last season, but a poor run saw them fade away at the end of last season. They looked a strong and compact unit, helped by a superb defensive record. The goals of on loan striker Mikael Forssel helped propel them up the league. The services of Forssel have been secured for a further year and Jesper Gronkjaer and Mario Melchiot have also signed from Chelsea. Muzzy Izzet was snapped
up on a free from Midland neighbours Leicester after they were relegated. The most high profile addition, was that of Emile Hesky from Liverpool. Brian Hughes left the club to join Charlton.

Birmingham now have a very strong squad, with plenty of depth. Their first eleven will be very strong, with Heskey likely to partner Forssel up front. There hasn't really been a solid front pairing at St. Andrews, but that looks set to change with Heskey's arrival. The defence has always been strong and I expect it to stay that way, because the midfiled is full of talent. There are a lot of players that like to tackle and there is David Dunn who will provide the link to the forwards. I think that Birmingham will be more capable of lasting the pace this season and they will achieve a much higher finish than last season.

Prediction - 6th
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=== Blackburn Rovers - 15th in 2003/04 ===

Blackburn had a rather torrid campaign last time around, narrowly escaping relegation by stringing a late run together. Many things were expected of Blackburn after the relatively good 2002/03 campaign. The only shining light from last season, was the signing and success of young striker John Stead. He has showed a lot of promise and could be a key player this time around. Graeme Souness' signings didn't pay off last term and a poor relationship with strikers Dwight Yorke and Andrew Cole didn't help. They were unlucky last year, with a number of players picking up injuries. There hasn't been a great deal of transfer activity at Ewood Park, but i'm sure Souness will make a few signings before the new season begins.

The side will look to players such as Brett Emerton and John Stead to help them up the league. Ewood Park wasn't a happy hunting ground for Blackburn, most of their points were picked up on their travels. If they can turn their home form around, they will h
ave a much better season. I feel that they will have a slightly better season but they won't have enough to threaten the top eight. If they can add a few more players and we see more of the youngsters, they will be safe.

Prediction - 13th
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=== Bolton Wanderers - 8th in 2003/04 ===

Sam Allardyce has turned Bolton Wanderers around in his time at the club. They bravely saw off relegation the season before last and in the last campaign exceeded all expectations. They showed tremendous team spirit in reaching the dizzy heights of the top half of the Premiership. Allardyce has become the Premiership's 'wheeler dealer', by bringing them to the Reebok Stadium and in some cases re-igniting their careers. This summer, he has bought in veteran Spaniard Fernando Hierro and Newcastle old boy Gary Speed. They have also signed striker Michael Bridges who has had an unsettled career following numerous injuries.

I think Allardyce has the potential to be an England manager in the future, such is his ability to work with players and make them better. He has got a very strong squad of players and he will be looking to reinforce Bolton's status as a top half of the table side. I predict that they will fare much the same as last season, maintaining a good home record and pulling off a few surprise defeats. Life can't get any better for Bolton fans at the moment and this season should be no different.

Prediction - 9th
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=== Charlton Athletic - 7th in 2003/04 ===

Things looked so promising for Charlton around Christmas time last term, but the sale of Scott Parker to Chelsea seemed to put the brakes on their progress. They were candidates for a top six, or better, finish. In the ended, they found it hard to stay the entire course of the season. Alan Curbishley has now firmly cemented C
harlton's position of a good quality top flight outfit. During the summer break, they have acquired the services of Dane Dennis Rommedahl but have lost the services of both Claus Jensen and Carlton Cole. The other notable addition to the squad is Brian Hughes, who I think will be a player to look out for this season.

If Charlton can get a settled strike partnership, they may be able to repeat the success of last season. It may have been tough to handle narrowly missing out on the UEFA cup, but i'm Charlton will be trying hard to reach the top six this time around. Sadly, I don't see Charlton having it within their squad to perform to a high standard for all 38 games of the season. Curbishley will hold it together and I think they will be firmly rooted in mid table. This can't be regarded as a failure, but as consolidation of their position and status.

Prediction - 12th
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=== Chelsea - 2nd in 2003/04 ===

Chelsea will be hard pushed to build on their success of last season. They have a new manager in Jose Mourinho, the winner of the Champions League, who has come in to replace Claudio Ranieri. They did well to finish second last season, their best ever Premiership finish. They have again splashed out on new faces, as well as letting many players leave the club. Mourinho has stated that he wants a squad of around 23 players. He has bought in Mateja Kezman, Petr Cech, Tiago, Paulo Ferreira, Arjen Robben and Didier Drogba. Those that left the club included Marcel Desailly, Jesper Gronkjaer, Mario Melchiot, Hernan Crespo on-loan and Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink. The new signings already add to a very strong squad.

The new sigings are those who are proven on the European stage or those that Jose Mourinho has seen a lot of. I think their side is much stronger than last time around but it will take them time to gel. Mourinho has stated that he doesn't expec
t to win the title this time around. The players to watch out for will be Mateja Kezman and Arjen Robben. They are both highly talented and have tasted success at previous clubs. Kezman is a prolific scorer and has a complete game. Robben is and exciting youngster and he has many similarities to Damien Duff, who is currently at the club. I think they will finish in the top three, but they may be focusing on European success.

Prediction - 2nd
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=== Crystal Palace - Division One Play-off Winner 2003/04 ===

Under the management of Iain Dowie, things are fast improving down at Selhurst Park. When Dowie took over, Palace were languishing in the lower reaches of the First Division. The club seemed to respond in a positive way to their new manager, before embarking on a frightening run, which saw them finish off in the play off positions by May. They have a strong blend of youth and experience in their squad. Last season, striker Andy Johnson was prolific, scoring a hat full of goals. Palace haven't made any really notable signings, but their squad is very strong. Strikers Dougie Freedman and Neil Shipperly are the most experienced players and they will be looking to perform well as their careers draw to a close.

It will be tough for Crystal Palace to retain their Premiership status with the squad that they have. However, Iain Dowie does seem to have the respect and also the full commitment from every player in his squad. Getting off to a good start will be the key to their survival. However, they have shown that they are a side who relish a challenge and enjoy coming from behind. Their side is young, but sometimes inexperience can count in a side favour. A tough season for Palace, but I think they will just survive by the skin of their teeth.

Prediction - 17th
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=== Everton - 17th in 2003/04 === <
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The speculation regarding the future of England's hottest talent, Wayne Rooney, will just not go away. It now looks likely that he will leave Everton in the January transfer window. This can't have done Everton's preparations for the new season any favours whatsoever. Despite Rooney's presence last season, the Merseyside club came perilously close to losing their top flight status. The only notable transfer activity, has been the arrival of Marcus Bent from Leicester and the departure of Tomas Radzinski.

The players within the Everton squad have shown that they can perform, after having an impressive spell in the 2002/03 season. Their form has taken a dive of late and David Moyes will be trying to turn it around. Everton are short of money at the moment and the sale of Rooney will provide much needed cash for new playing staff. If the current players continue to perform to the low standards of the last campaign, then they can expect an even more nerve racking season. They will be relegated in my opinion because of events off the field. Players will become angry at the whole Wayne Rooney saga and will start to show their frustrations on the pitch.

Prediction - 18th
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=== Fulham - 9th in 2003/04 ===

Since retiring from the playing side of football through injury, Chris Coleman has taken charge of Fulham and transformed the club. The Lily Whites will return home to Craven Cottage this season after two seasons in exile, playing home games at Loftus Road. They should be looking to re-affirm their position in mid-table or just above. They did well last season and Coleman showed his qualities as a man manager. They also suffered the loss of Louis Saha, but that didn't seem to effect their progress in the same way as Scott Parker departing Charlton. Fulham have added Tomas Radzinski, Andy Cole, Bouba Diop and Claus Jensen to their already strong squad
, but have lost Sean Davis to Spurs. They also look set to lose Junichi Inamoto after Fulham failed to agree a transfer with his Japanese club.

This term will be a test for Coleman and his squad, but they should be able to handle the expectation now placed upon them. If they can achieve a finish around about their position of last season, the fans can be pleased. The return to their spiritual home, should give them that extra boost that the club needs to perform to the high standards of the past couple of seasons. Steed Malbranque and Luis Boa Morte will be they key players in my opinion and they were excellent last year. I think a solid mid table finish is on the cards this season.

Prediction - 10th
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=== Liverpool - 4th in 2003/04 ===

New manager Rafa Benitez will be under pressure to bring success to the Anfield club. After season after season finishing outside the top three, Liverpool are looking for an instant return to the big time. An automatic Champions League spot surely has to be the target, if Benitez is to do any better than Houllier. The club have made one major signing, that of Djibril Cisse for around £15 million. The other notable addition is that of defender Josemi whom Benitez is an admirer from his days at Valencia. The departure of Emile Heskey and the loan move of Bruno Cheyrou are the only departures from the club.

I feel that Liverpool still aren't a match for the top three. As ever, it will be between Newcastle and Liverpool for fourth spot and also the 'surprise club' that always comes through in any season. Their strike force is very good and Steven Gerrard and Dietmar Hamman in the centre of midfield are top quality. Otherwise their team doesn't really boast too much class and they do get a lot of injuries. Benitez will need time to settle and I do think that they will have to add players in January. Another top five fin
ish I think.

Prediction - 4th
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=== Manchester City - 16th in 2003/04 ===

Kevin Keegan had a terrible time in charge of Man City last term. The move away from Maine Road seemed to be difficult for the players and also the supporters, in terms of the type of atmosphere. There are a number of good quality players at the club and this tempted Keegan to chop and change too much. They didn't really get a settled line up which may have proved decisive in their poor season. As yet there has been no new signings, but i'm sure Keegan will look to strengthen his squad in key areas.

The return to full fitness of Paulo Wanchope helped City see off the threat of relegation as he netted several times. They did finish the season on a relative high and also the form of Shaun Wright-Phillips was a welcome sign for fans. This season, they should be able to improve on their poor showing and give their fans something to shout about. I do feel that if they get off to a poor start, Keegan will be on his way. If they can get a good settled line-up, in which all of the players are happy then they will have a good campaign.

Predicition - 14th
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=== Manchester United - 3rd in 2003/04 ===

United had a rather poor campaign by their standards last time around. Their new signings didn't fulfill their potential and a number of injuries and Rio Ferdinand's suspension put a downer on the club. They were a very unpredictable side at times, notably losing away at bottom of the table Wolves and at home to Fulham. They were never able to embark on a run of games undefeated and weren't able to settle in to a rhytm. This summer, Gabriel Hienze and Alan Smith have been added to the squad and also Liam Miller has joined up from Celtic. Nicky Butt has left to join Newcastle.

This season, Ronaldo sh
ould be more certain of a place in the starting line up after his form in Euro 2004. Their whole squad seems to be back to full fitness, only Rio Ferdinand will be the major absentee come the start of the season. Last time around, especially in defence, they was too much chopping and changing due to injuries. They do have a good set of defenders now and they can expect to have a more settled line up. I do think that again, Arsenal and Chelsea will be too strong, but they will run the top two a lot closer.

Prediction - 3rd
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=== Middlesbrough - 11th in 2003/04 ===

Things are starting to improve up at the Riverside under the management of Steve McClaren. He turned clubs season around last season after an indifferent start to the campaign. They managed to turn their ground into something of a fortress towards the end of last year. The additions that they have made this season include the strikers Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka. They have also added Michael Reizeger to their defence and Ray Parlour into the midfield. Johnaton Greening has left the club after failing to impress.

Last season, the lack of goals was the main problem for Boro. They were very solid in defence with Ugo Ehiogu and Gareth Southgate at the heart. Hasselbaink and Viduka are both prolific scorers and they are potentially a lethal combination up front. I think if Jimmy and Mark can click and score around 20 goals each, then Middlesborough could spring a few surprises this time around. Steve McClaren is an excellent manager and has an excellent footballing brain. He should guide them to a very high finish and confirm his managerial quality.

Prediction - 7th
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=== Newcastle United - 5th in 2003/04 ===

Bobby Robson has had many attempts at trying to elevate Newcastle into the top three, but has so far failed to do
so. They are still a long way from doing this as they showed last season. They were unable to string results together as they would have wanted and their season became 'bitty'. They did lose a number of games by the odd goal and the injuries of Craig Bellamy did nothing to help team moral. They have added Patrick Kluivert and James Milner up front and Nicky Butt to the strengthen the midfield after Gary Speed left to join Bolton.

These signings are very good but they will have to bed in to the side, which will take a few games. Patrick Kluivert is top quality but can be a difficult customer for the manager to handle. Newcastle were also unlucky with injuries last term, but Johnathan Woodgate is playing again and he will be a key part of the defence. They will improve on last year in terms of the quality of their performances but I still don't think this is good enough to match or surpass the top four. Bobby needs to find that little but extra in the form of a couple of new faces, this may be done in the January transfer window.

Prediction - 5th
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=== Norwich City - Automatic Promotion from Division One 2003/04 ===

The backing of Chairman Delia Smith, has provided crucial funds for manager Nigel Worthington. He has built a really good side for Division one standards, but not the sort that can fight it out in the Premiership. They embarked on a huge run at home last season which set the standard for the rest of the campaign. They were able to score a lot of goals which made them too strong for other sides in the league. The main summer signings have been Simon Charlton, Thomas Helveg and Youseff Safri. These aren't the best quality of players and Helveg is 33 years old. They won't have had much experience in the lower reaches of the league either.

This isn't a side that I can see making a mark on the Premiership. Their squad doesn't ha
ve enough top quality players in it to compete with other clubs in the top flight. They will struggle from start to finish because they are relatively inexperienced at the highest level. Worthington may have the chance to try and rescue things at the turn of the year, but by then it may be too late to make a recovery.

Prediction - 19th
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=== Portsmouth - 13th in 2003/04 ===

Harry Redknapp has worked miracles down on the south coast. He has joined Sam Allardyce as a workman like manager. He searches out quality players and snaps them up for relatively small amounts. He bought Lomana Lua Lua in from Newcastle last season and he linked up the Yakubu to form a frightening partnership up front. They turned the season around in spectacular style and they hurtled towards the top half of the table. The only real signing this summer, has been to make Lua Lua a permanent addition to the squad.

I do think that it will be hard to repeat the huge success of last season at Fratton Park. Their will be an expectation to do well but they played out of their skins at the end of the last campaign. I would say that they will get off to a bright start, but will gradually fall away as the season unfolds. The defence will not be very strong and goal keeper Shaka Hislop is sgeing. They should be safe from relegation because there are far weaker clubs in the league this time around, but just above the relegation zone is where they should end up.

Prediction - 16th
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=== Southampton - 12th in 2003/04 ===

New manager Paul Sturrock had a very good start to his reign as manager after joining from Plymouth. However, the side did seem to go into a bit of a lull and couldn't remain consistent enough to hold thier position in the top half of the league. There are a number of top strikers at the club, James Beattie a
nd Kevin Phillips have formed a good partnership. The midfield and defence aren't particularly great in terms of personnel. The new faces at St. Marys include Jelle van Damme, Mikael Nilsson and Peter Crouch. These aren't very high profile signings and aren't proven in the Premiership.
I think that James Beattie is on his way out of the club in the near future and this was supported by the signing of Peter Crouch. This will be a major blow for the club because he is their premier threat in front of goal. Paul Sturrock will have a tough time, as he sets out on his first full season managing on the top flight. It could be a bridge too far for the Scotsman and things could fall apart. I think the Saints will struggle and have an awful season. They will come close to relegation but should avoid it, with a reasonable home record.
Prediciton - 15th
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=== Tottenham Hotspur - 14th in 2003/04 ===

Now to my beloved Tottenham Hotspur. At times last season, Spurs were among the best sides in the league and at others they were among the worst. The word i'm looking for is inconsistency. They went through a rough ride at the start of the season, which saw Glenn Hoddle dismissed. The caretaker boss, David Pleat, took up the reigns and managed to turn things around. The side went unbeaten for around eight games in league and cup, before it all fell apart again. The away form last term was pityful, only a stack of home wins and good results against top sides spared Tottenham's Premiership status. The main additions to the side have been Sean Davis and Pedro Mendes who will add much needed strength to the midfield. Gus Poyet, Darren Anderton and Christian Ziege were all released.

My early optimism for this season has somewhat died away after a poor pre-season so far. Robbie Keane is injured and the other players seem rather sluggish. The only good point has been Jermain D
efoe who is in fine form going in the new season. Santini is under pressure to do well with such a big reputation to live up to. I think that he will start to find the right ingredients, given time. The fans will become anxious if things start off poorly, but I think Santini and the boys will start to show some signs of promise as the season progresses.

Prediction - 11th
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=== West Bromwich Albion - Automatic Promotion from Division One 2003/04 ===

West Brom have earned their second promotion in three seasons and are the current yo-yo club between the top flight and Division One. They will look to give a much better account of themselves this time around. The side is much younger than before, although there is a wealth of expeience in the squad. Gary Megson also seems to have developed as a manager and has a taste for success. They have added a number of defenders to their squad, including Darren Purse and Ricky Scimeca who have plenty of experience. They have also signed Geoff Horsfield, although he has had mixed fortunes in the Premiership.

It will be an almighty struggle for West Brom to stay up this season. They have had to cope with relegation before and with that hanging over the club the pressure, I think, will prove too much. The management of Gary Megson has been good, but I don't really think that he is a manager of Premiership class. He doesn't have too much money to spend and he isn't really a wheeler dealer type of manager. With the squad as it is, I think they will drop straight back down again.

Prediction - 20th
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So there you have it. My team by team break down of this seasons Premiership. I hope you enjoy reading this and if you have any comments or things that you disagree with, please feel free to let me know.

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