Sport magazine 318 - Premier League Preview

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ArsenalLast season 4th, 73 points

Is it trophies, or challenging for the title? Since May 2005,

when Arsenal last experienced that winning feeling with the

FA Cup, Arsenal fans have been caught in two minds. On one

hand, they want something to put in a trophy cabinet that has

been empty for eight long seasons. It’s not quite the great

drought of 1953-70, when Arsenal went 17 years without a

trophy – but then a season ticket to watch those Arsenal sides

probably wasn’t costing fans the princely sum it is now. Those

same supporters were also blissfully ignorant of the beautiful,

winning football to come in the Invincibles season of 2003-04.

On the other hand, the fans would desperately like to see

their team challenging for the league title. The 2007-08

season was the last time Arsenal came close to winning the

Premier League, spending two-thirds of the season at the top

of the table before Eduardo’s leg was horrifically snapped,

William Gallas went into a very public sulk and they finished

third. Should Arsenal accept that they’re now a team fighting

for Champions League qualification and place more focus on

cup wins? Or should they continue to fight the good fight

against the fatcats towering above them? The indecision,

with or without Luis Suarez, will almost certainly go on.

Keep an eye on...Olivier Giroud

The Frenchman netted 17

goals in all competitions

in his debut campaign –

a haul not quite matching

the prolific reputation he

brought with him from

Montpellier, but seven

in five games during pre-

season suggest his self-

proclaimed ‘magical’ left

foot could yet come into

its own. The Gunners

have lacked a clinical

front man since the

departure of Robin van

Persie – but if Giroud’s

form continues, they

might have finally

found their man.

If they were an animal...Peacock

Possesses all the frills

necessary to attract

new beaux, but

ultimately spends

too much of its time

strutting around

being ineffectual.

The stat

40Premier League points

amassed so far by

Arsenal in 2013 –

level with Manchester

United but more than

anyone else. They

clearly play better

with a deadline.

Opening fixturesSaturday August 17

Aston Villa (h)

Saturday August 24

Fulham (a)

Sunday September 1

Tottenham (h)

Prediction

4th

The big issueWhat constitutes success?

Join now at thesun.co.uk

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Aston VillaLast season 15th, 41 points

Five wins and two draws from their last 10 games propelled

the Lambert Babes of Aston Villa to safety last season. A

campaign plagued by defensive nightmares and catastrophic

mistakes had been turned on its head as a squad full of

talented but inexperienced footballers found their feet,

under the greatest of pressure, in the nick of time.

So goes the theory, anyway – and this is the season when

that gets put to the test. In the aftermath of the great escape,

manager Paul Lambert has remained true to his policy of

investing in youth – of seven new faces to arrive this summer,

the Bulgarian midfielder Aleksandar Tonev is the oldest at an

almost geriatric 23. Danish international Jores Okore (21)

looks set to partner captain Ron Vlaar at the back, while

Antonio Luna (22) should usurp Joe Bennett at left back.

The adored former skipper Stiliyan Petrov has retired, but

competition for midfield places will be ramped up by the

arrival of Leandro Bacuna (21) from Groningen, and the return

from long-term injury of the hugely talented Gary Gardner.

Still, who are we kidding? The biggest news to come out of

Villa Park over the summer was the new contract signed by

Christian Benteke – the biggest and best kid of the lot.

Keep an eye on...Ron Vlaar

Brought in for £3.2m last

summer, Vlaar was the

rock upon whom Paul

Lambert wished to build

his defence – but calf

trouble ruled him out

between November and

January, and the Villa

rearguard fell apart

without him. Restored

to the team and given

the captain’s armband,

the Dutch international

ranks alongside popular

goalkeeper Brad Guzan

and Christian Benteke as

the players his manager

cannot do without. Even

if he is, at 28, far too old.

If they were an animal...Dolphin

Exuberant and fast

learner that responds

well to an appreciative

crowd. Communication

sometimes puzzling,

however, and regularly

all at sea.

The stat

1At the time of writing,

number of players in

the Villa squad over

the age of 30. And

that’s 37-year-old

Shay Given, whose

fat salary they can’t

wait to get rid of.


Arsenal (a)

Wednesday August 21

Chelsea (a)

Saturday August 24

Liverpool (h)

Prediction

10th

The big issueAre the kids really alright?


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Cardiff CityLast season 1st (Championship), 87 points

Balls to that. The question really intriguing neutrals is does

Craig Bellamy still possess the roadrunner pace that he

weirdly kept into his thirties, despite a long history of knee

injuries? However, it isn’t the rapidity of their feisty star that

Cardiff supporters are concerned about. It’s more that,

despite winning the Championship by a comfortable eight

points, their team lacked a pure goalscorer (see stat on left).

Boss Malky Mackay has solved this problem by breaking the

club’s transfer record to spend £8m on 21-year-old Steven

Caulker: a defender. Oh. He has also spent over £7m on target

man Andreas Cornelius, but while the 6ft 4ins Dane netted 19

goals for Copenhagen last season, he’s just 20 years old and

has played fewer than 50 club games – it’s asking a lot for him

to be prolific in his debut season.

Instead, a team that came up playing functional football will

need to rely on supreme fitness and solidity, with captain Mark

Hudson the defensive rock alongside smooth-passing Caulker.

The club’s prized asset is the gaffer, however, cut from the

cloth of savvy Scottish motivators. With momentum, Mackay

in charge and vocal home fans relishing top-flight football,

Cardiff may have enough to make it to safety. Just about.

Keep an eye on...Kim Bo-Kyung

Cardiff may lack silks, as

kids today express it, but

South Korean attacking

midfielder Kim began

to showcase his skills at

the end of last season.

The 23-year-old’s quick

feet, deft first touch,

ability to spot a pass

and tidy finishing have

had his manager purring

during the club’s

pre-season. “You can

see the talent there,”

said Mackay after he

scored the winner in a

friendly against Chievo.

Queston is: can he do it

at the highest level?

If they were an animal...Chameleon

Have thrived following

a change in colour.

Not generally thought

very attractive to look

at, but may just prove

sticky enough to

hang around for a

little while at least.

The stat

8No Cardiff player

scored more than eight

league goals last year:

Aron Gunnarsson,

Peter Whittingham

and the now-departed

Heidar Helguson.


West Ham (a)

Sunday August 25

Manchester City (h)

Saturday August 31

Everton (h)

Prediction

16th

The big issueWill defensive solidity be enough?


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ChelseaLast season 3rd, 75 points

Chelsea have an advantage over their title rivals from

Manchester – and it comes in the slightly weathered yet still

handsome package of Jose Mourinho. After all, David Moyes

and Manuel Pellegrini have no experience of being at the

sharp end of a Premier League title chase, while Mourinho has

triumphed in such situations. It’s bread and butter to him.

However, what is also Mourinho’s bread and butter is

building a team with a spine of technically adept but also

physically impressive athletes. Think Didier Drogba, Michael

Essien, Sergio Ramos or even Cristiano Ronaldo – who is, for all

his flair, an imposing unit. Yet the crown jewels in Chelsea’s

current squad are footballers such as Juan Mata, Eden Hazard

and Oscar – dazzlingly gifted, but somewhat lightweight. It

isn’t all like that, of course: Romelu Lukaku brings power and

pace, while new recruit Andre Schurrle is renowned for his

workrate as much as his attacking prowess.

This will need to be a different style of team to Mourinho’s

first Chelsea side – but he’s a crafty, adaptable strategist,

usually able to extract the best from his players. He may not

quite be able to gel this squad in time to win the title this

season, but Premier League winers 2014-15? Sounds likely.

Keep an eye on...Oscar

We’ve all found

ourselves jaw ajar at the

Brazilian attacker’s gifts

(Exhibit A: that goal

against Juventus last

season, though we have

plenty more evidence,

m’lud). No great surprise

that he was also a tad

inconsistent in his first 12

months in England, but

with experience and Jose

Mourinho’s arm around

his slender shoulders, he

could be unstoppable

this year. Also tends to

track back reasonably

diligently. Eden Hazard,

on the other hand...

If they were an animal...Great white shark

A fearsome predator,

if generally more

respected than loved.

Russian billionaires

with dreams of global

domination tend to

own at least one.

The stat

8 Current players who

survive from the first

Mourinho era: Ryan

Bertrand, Petr Cech,

Ashley Cole, Michael

Essien, Hilario, Frank

Lampard, Jon Obi

Mikel and John Terry.

Opening fixturesSunday August 18

Hull (h)

Wednesday August 21

Aston Villa (h)

Monday August 26

Manchester United (a)

Prediction

2nd

The big issueCan Jose build with silk rather than steel?


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Crystal PalaceLast season 5th (Championship), 72 points

Imagine being picked for the X Factor finals, only to be told

you had to try to win without the looks or voice that got you

there. That’s the predicament – in the loosest possible sense,

at least – facing Ian Holloway, having lost star man Wilfried

Zaha to Manchester United and goal machine Glenn Murray

to injury for Palace’s latest crack at the Premier League.

The pressure is on Dwight Gayle (above), then, whose

summer signing for an initial £4.5m has smashed Palace’s

previous transfer record by almost £2m. Considering the

23-year-old striker started the last two seasons at Bishop’s

Stortford and Dagenham & Redbridge respectively, it’s a big

burden to carry. He finished last term with six goals in 20

league games for Peterborough, but there’s no hiding the

fact that Palace – even if they do bring in Marouane Chamakh

– still need more up top.

Jerome Thomas, Jose Campana, Elliot Grandin and Stephen

Dobbie have been brought in to add quality to the midfield,

while the defence looks likely to rely mainly on the men who

got them up. Sunderland and Stoke, two sides with definite

potential to struggle, are second and third on the Eagles’

fixture list – goals, and at least one win, are a must.

Keep an eye on...Julian Speroni

If Palace are to start a

second straight season

in the Premier League

for the first time in their

history, the first man

to win their player-of-

the-year accolade three

years on the bounce

(2008–2010) could well

be in the running again.

Speroni’s lightning

reactions make him

a shot-stopper of some

quality – two stunning

moments of brilliance

helped the Eagles

through the playoffs

– but he can expect a

busy 38 games ahead.

If they were an animal...Mayfly

Mature over time, but

enjoy only a very brief

moment in the sun –

during which they often

fall prey to larger

beasts. Still capable

of causing irritation.

The stat

0Number of times

Crystal Palace have

safely negotiated

a Premier League

season without being

relegated, from four

attempts. Fifth time

lucky, eh lads?


Tottenham (h)

Saturday August 24

Stoke (a)

Saturday August 31

Sunderland (h)

Prediction

20th

The big issueDo they have the goals in them to stay up?


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EvertonLast season 6th, 63 points

Amicable break-ups are a dangerous thing: all seems fine,

the mood is one of optimism, but then a new partner comes

along and you realise that you’re still in love with your ex.

Such is the worry at Goodison this season, where for the first

time in more than a decade, Everton begin a Premier League

campaign without David Moyes at the helm.

That is not to doubt the warmth with which new companion

Roberto Martinez has been welcomed on Merseyside. The

Spaniard arrives on the back of his own cordial split from

Wigan, promising a full-on assault on the top four. He will

certainly bring a greater attacking mindset than the more

practically minded Moyes – but Martinez needs to balance his

own expansive intent with the defensive fortitude that has

been at the heart of Everton’s success in recent years.

A spine of Tim Howard, Phil Jagielka and Darron Gibson

will help on that score, with Steven Pienaar and Kevin Mirallas

offering the wide threat that Martinez used to such effect at

his previous home. The Barcelona youngster Gerard Deulofeu

will bring a welcome touch of je ne sais quoi – which might

prove extra-important if Moyes returns to the family home to

collect his favourite ornaments: Messrs Baines and Fellaini.

Keep an eye on...Arouna Kone

Everton fans will be well

aware of the goalscoring

prowess of their new

striker, having seen him

score against them for

Wigan both home and

away last season. The

Ivorian scored 11 Premier

League goals in all last

term – equalling the total

of the Toffees’ leading

marksman, Marouane

Fellaini – and will add

pace and trickery to a

forward line that was

threatening to rely too

heavily on the physical

presence of the injury-

prone Victor Anichebe.

If they were an animal...Sheepdog

Hardworking, reliable

and often fearsome

in the face of larger

adversaries. Intelligent

handling an absolute

must, however.

The stat

-109Wigan’s combined

goal difference in the

previous four seasons

under Roberto

Martinez. How will

the Spaniard’s more

open brand of football

affect Everton’s usual

defensive solidity?


Norwich (a)

Saturday August 24

West Brom (h)

Saturday August 31

Cardiff (a)

Prediction

7th

The big issueHow much will Moyes be missed?


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FulhamLast season 12th, 43 points

What do John Arne Riise, Brede Hangeland, Steve Sidwell,

Dimitar Berbatov, Giorgios Karagounis, Damien Duff, Aaron

Hughes, Sascha Riether and Mark Schwarzer all have in

common? Each of that nine started more than half of Fulham’s

league games last season – and each ended the season over

the age of 30. Of course, that isn’t a total disaster: the superb

right back Riether is in his prime at 30, while 40-year-old

Schwarzer has moved on. But the fact remains that the core

of Fulham’s squad are closing in on their autumn years.

Manager Martin Jol knows this, and has quietly begun

refreshing his squad. Maarten Stekelenburg is also aged 30,

but that’s a baby in goalkeeper years – and signing a Dutch

international (who played in the last World Cup final) looks

great business at an estimated £3m. Loanee Adel Taarabt

offers raw talent to go with his youth, but it’s doubtful as to

whether another mercurial-but-lazy attacker is what Fulham

really need. What they do require is new owner Shahid Khan

to twirl his mighty moustache and cough up for a new central

midfielder or two before the start of the season. Jol has the

nous and class of player to keep clear of a relegation battle,

but this remains a squad that requires new blood.

Keep an eye on...Bryan Ruiz

It’s wakey-wakey time,

Bryan. Don’t worry: that

portly figure standing

over you isn’t Tony

Soprano, but his Dutch

lookalike Martin Jol –

and he’s simply working

out how to get the best

from a versatile attacker

of flair and vision but

one who has, at times,

flattered to decieve with

Fulham. For a player

with his ability, seven

goals over two seasons

isn’t enough. It’s time for

the Costa Rican to kick

on, and Jol plays football

that suits his style.

If they were an animal...Water vole

Small, river-dwelling

creature. Generally

well-liked and cute to

look at, but not very

scary to encounter.

The stat

30%Languid fop Dimitar

Berbatov netted 30

per cent (or 15 of 50)

of Fulham’s Premier

League goals last

season. No one

else managed more

than five. What’s

that you say...

dependent much?


Sunderland (a)

Saturday August 24

Arsenal (h)

Saturday August 31

Newcastle (a)

Prediction

14th

The big issueCan Jol coax more from ageing bones?


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Hull City Last season 2nd (Championship), 79 points

For a team that scored only 61 goals in 46 Championship

fixtures last season, Hull City pulled off a minor miracle

in securing a return to the Premier League after only three

seasons away. They couldn’t have limped over the line any

more painfully, however, failing to score in three of their last

four league games – against relegated Wolves, relegated

Bristol City and nearly relegated Barnsley.

As such, Steve Bruce will have been left in no doubt as to

where he needed reinforcements ahead of a tilt at the big

boys. The manager will hope an on-loan Danny Graham brings

his Swansea form of two years ago, rather than the lumbering

impotence on display in an unhappy spell at Sunderland last

season. A reported £3m has also been spent on the Ivory

Coast international Yannick Sagbo, who struck the winner in

Hull’s 1-0 pre-season victory over Dynamo Dresden.

Captain Robert Koren, the fit-again Sone Aluko and player

of the season Ahmed Elmohamady all offer a threat in behind,

but this is not a team brimming with goals. No shock that Bruce

has moved to add proven Premier League quality to his defence,

then, with Curtis Davies (£2.3m) and Maynor Figueroa (free)

arriving from Birmingham and Wigan respectively.

Keep an eye on...Sone Aluko

Hull might have secured

promotion a lot more

easily had the former

Aberdeen and Rangers

attacker not missed

the second half of last

season with an Achilles

problem. Aluko knows

where the goal is, having

scored eight in 23 league

appearances before

injury curtailed his

campaign, but he also

brings pace, intelligent

movement and a proper

bag of tricks to this side.

The man most likely to

provide the magic Hull

need to survive.

If they were an animal...Mud snake

Heavy-bodied black

and orange beast

commonly found lying

low. Slippery enough,

but lacks venom and

likely to be in the shit.

The stat

22Goals scored by

new forward Yannick

Sagbo in 90 league

appearances for his

previous club Evian.

The Tigers will be

hoping for a slightly

better strike rate in

the Premier League.


Chelsea (a)

Saturday August 24

Norwich (h)

Saturday August 31

Manchester City (a)

Prediction

19th

The big issueDo the Tigers have enough bite?


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LiverpoolLast season 7th, 61 points

Liverpool’s slow and painful death as a club with title-

winning pretensions has seemed almost complete this

summer, with wantaway striker Luis Suarez angling to take

his unique brand of villainous brilliance away from the glare

of the English media to... Arsenal. Wherever the Uruguayan

ends up (at the time of writing, ‘court’ looked the only certain

destination), his desire to quit Anfield in search of Champions

League football merely serves to underline the size of the task

Brendan Rodgers has in bringing good times back to the club.

That’s not to say the manager isn’t trying. Even before

Suarez started kicking and biting, Spanish striker Iago Aspas

arrived for £7m from Celta Vigo, with the 20-year-old Luis

Alberto joining him after an impressive spell with Barcelona B.

Both have scored in what could only be described as a gentle

pre-season – but with Philippe Coutinho following on from

where he left off last season, and Daniel Sturridge fit to face

Stoke this weekend, Rodgers does have attacking options.

Now all he needs is a better centre half than Kolo Toure to

partner Daniel Agger in central defence, an error-free start

for new goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, and for captain Steven

Gerrard to have a season free of injury. Not much to ask, eh?

Keep an eye on...Philippe Coutinho

It’s dangerous to get too

excited about a handful

of impressive displays at

the end of a season, but

the young Brazilian was

superb in Liverpool’s

strong finish. An inventive

passer and intelligent

runner, he boasts a mix

of pace and guile that

will strike fear into the

hearts of defenders

across the nation. Expect

him to be used more

centrally this term, as

Brendan Rodgers seeks to

ease the creative burden

on Steven Gerrard’s

ageing shoulders.

If they were an animal...Woolly mammoth

Once bestrode the

continent, but failed

to adapt successfully

to significant changes

in the climate and

haven’t been on the

scene for some time.

The stat

793Combined Premier

League appearances

racked up by the

now departed Jamie

Carragher and Pepe

Reina. That amounts

to four very big boots

to fill right there.


Stoke (h)

Saturday August 24

Aston Villa (a)

Sunday September 1

Manchester United (h)

Prediction

6th

The big issueWhere are Liverpool’s teeth without Suarez?


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Manchester CityLast season 2nd, 78 points

Man City fans will loathe hearing it, but their club could have

taken a leaf from Sir Fergie’s big book of management ahead

of last season. Ferguson always touted ambition as crucial: no

matter what’s been won before, look into each player’s eyes

at the start of a season and make sure they still have a hunger

for silverware. Judging by how City’s superstars played for

much of last season, they rocked up with heavy-lidded eyes

hidden behind sunglasses. Key players in all positions – Sergio

Aguero, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Joe Hart, even captain

Vincent Kompany – failed to replicate their 2011-12 form.

New boss Manuel Pellegrini has a reputation as a skilled

man-manager, so he’s a good bet to unify a squad that had

allegedly turned on Roberto Mancini. The absence of Carlos

Tevez’s ego should help, but City have also spent smartly.

Spain international Jesus Navas offers quality width, Brazil’s

Fernandinho can free up Yaya to power forward, while Stevan

Jovetic competes with Silva for the lightweight magician role.

Pellegrini’s lack of Premier League experience is likely a

disadvantage, but both Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti

won the title in their debut season. If ‘The Engineer’ can get

the best from City’s premium parts, he will do likewise.

Keep an eye on...Alvaro Negredo

Fired in 31 goals for

Sevilla last season and

has shone in pre-season

for his new club. An

athletic 6ft 1in, the

27-year-old striker can

finish with both bonce

and boot – and he should

flourish granted the

service he’ll receive from

compatriots David Silva

and Jesus Navas out

wide. A different type of

player to pocket genius

Aguero, but it wouldn’t

hurt if ‘the Beast of

Vallecas’ gave him a

wake-up call after an

underwhelming 2012-13.

If they were an animal...Lion

Would-be kings of the

jungle, but spent much

of last season asleep.

New additions to the

pride make them even

deadlier in attack.

The stat

£246mCurrent total spent on

strikers since Sheikh

Mansour bought City

in September 2008.

This includes Robinho

(£33m), Sergio Aguero

(£38m), Edin Dzeko

(£27m), Roque Santa

Cruz (£18m) and more.

Opening fixturesMonday August 19

Newcastle (h)

Sunday August 25

Cardiff (a)

Saturday August 31

Hull (h)

Prediction

1st

The big issueCan the City big guns reload this season?


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Manchester UnitedLast season 1st, 89 points

Success breeds success, but with Sir Alex out to stud, it’s

down to new man David Moyes to ensure that his efforts to

put his own stamp on the most successful team in England

don’t damage the continuity of those winning ways.

Ferguson began the process of phasing out the old guard,

but with doubts remaining over the calibre of the latest United

youth – Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck and Phil Jones aren’t

quite the Class of ’92 – the continued presence of veterans

like Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs could prove vital.

Restocking United’s threadbare midfield cupboard is a

priority, with Marouane Fellaini a possible arrival after Barcelona

stood firm against two offers for Cesc Fabregas. New boy

Wilfried Zaha should add creativity and goals from out wide

– something that will also help take the pressure of Robin van

Persie up front, particularly if Wayne Rooney departs in the

most drawn-out saga since The Lord of the Rings.

The club has a reputation for rescuing wins from impossible

situations, and their recent title wins have been defined by

a relative lack of star names. Without Ferguson pulling the

strings, will that same ramshackle mix of fading experience

and relatively raw youth be able to reach the same heights?

Keep an eye on...Shinji Kagawa

A sharp hat-trick against

Norwich aside, the

Japanese midfielder

didn’t sparkle in his first

season. Understated and

classy, with real economy

of touch, the £12m man

struggled with injuries

and made just 17 league

starts, mostly away from

his preferred central

role. When fit, he can

dictate play and chip in

with goals – he scored

21 league goals in two

seasons at Borussia

Dortmund, which could

be vital if Wayne Rooney

is indeed on the way out.

If they were an animal...Man

Used to life at the top

of the food chain, but

could become victims

of their own success

as they struggle to

compete with scarce

resources in the

modern world.

The stat

73The percentage of

games Manchester

United won when

Robin van Persie

started last season,

compared to 50 per

cent when he didn’t.


Swansea (a)

Monday August 26

Chelsea (h)

Sunday September 1

Liverpool (a)

Prediction

3rd

The big issueCan David Moyes keep the fire burning?


Ian

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Newcastle UnitedLast season 16th, 41 points

Much as we all laughed at the mumbled, jumbled interview of

nonsense Joe Kinnear gave talkSPORT early in the summer,

it couldn’t and shouldn’t hide the fact that his appointment as

director of football at Newcastle is one of the most appallingly

judged decisions the game has seen in a very long time.

Not only does Kinnear’s arrival undermine the position of

manager Alan Pardew – himself not overly popular with the

St James’ Park faithful – but it also does likewise to Graham

Carr, the highly respected chief scout responsible for bringing

many of the current squad’s most talented players to the club.

Things are sure to come to a head sooner rather than later,

and that can only be damaging to matters on the field – where

Pardew is faced with the challenge of improving on a deeply

disappointing 16th last season. The arrival of Loic Remy on

loan from QPR will bolster an attack still led by apologetic

gambler Papiss Cisse, but in a quiet summer the club’s best

work has been convincing the talismanic Fabricio Coloccini

to stay. With Tim Krul, Yohan ‘Kebab’ (reportedly a target for

Manchester United), Hatem Ben Arfa and Cisse completing a

spine of genuine quality, it is unthinkable that the Magpies will

be as bad again. But then, on the Toon, anything can happen.

Keep an eye on...Cheick Tiote

One of the reasons why

Newcastle finished in a

lofty fifth two seasons

ago, but also one of the

factors behind them

faring so poorly last

time out. After a mighty

debut season in the

northeast, the Ivorian

struggled for both form

and fitness last term,

featuring in less than

two-thirds of the club’s

Premier League fixtures.

Fully fit this time around,

and with no Africa Cup

of Nations to distract

him, Tiote could be on

for a renaissance.

Opening fixturesMonday August 19

Manchester City (a)

Saturday August 24

West Ham (h)

Saturday August 31

Fulham (h)

Prediction

11th

The big issueWhat will prevail: the football or the circus?


The stat

32Players used by

Newcastle last season

– more than any other

team in the Premier

League. Only three

(Papiss Cisse, Davide

Santon and Jonas

Gutierrez) featured in

more than 30 games.

14

If they were an animal...Bull terrier

Powerful and actually

rather loveable – but

often undone by an

idiot owner sporting

bald head and can

of warm lager.

15

Ja

mie

Mc

Do

na

ld/G

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, M

igu

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a/A

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Norwich CityLast season 11th, 44 points

Evolution rather than revolution is the norm at football

clubs these days. Subtle addititions are more common than

wholesale playing staff makeovers, especially at well-run

clubs like Norwich. However, manager Chris Hughton has

clearly decided to stamp his own mark on this team and has

revamped Norwich’s forward line. Gone is main man Grant

Holt (top scorer last season, but only with eight goals) and in

come striker Gary Hooper from Celtic, Holland international

forward Ricky van Wolfswinkel (above), and Leroy Fer –

a creative Dutch midfielder with an eye for goal.

Together they cost the best part of £20m (van Wolfswinkel

the priciest at a rumoured £8.5m) – but while that makes for

exciting times at Carrow Road, there is cause for concern. For

every Luis Suarez who translates prolific Eredivisie form into

Premier League goals, there’s a Mateja Kezman. Who doesn’t.

And, with respect to Hooper and the SPL, banging in goals

against Kilmarnock is a little trickier than it is against Chelsea.

Blooding several new attackers will be a challenge for

Hughton, but – providing the impressive John Ruddy stays fit

– he at least has a safe pair of hands at the back. Should have

enough winkle to keep the relegation wolf from the door.

Keep an eye on...Wes Hoolahan

Curiously underrated

by Republic of Ireland

manager Giovanni

Trapattoni, but not

by the Carrow Road

faithful. The diminutive

31-year-old midfielder

has been pulling the

strings in the Canaries’

engine room for a while.

It’s his technique and

passing ability that

catch the eye, married to

an impressive workrate.

With new personnel

around him, Hoolahan

will be crucial in

providing a supply line

from midfield to attack.

If they were an animal...Salmon

Have leapt higher than

expected, despite

swimming against

the tide. Everyone’s

second favourite dish.

Delia can’t resist it.

The stat

10Went on a 10-game

unbeaten league

run last season,

beating Arsenal and

Manchester United

along the way. They

followed that by

winning one of their

next 16. Streaky.


Everton (h)

Saturday August 24

Hull (a)

Saturday August 31

Southampton (h)

Prediction

15th

The big issueCan all-new attack fill the goals gap?


16

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SouthamptonLast season 14th, 41 points

No team was as maddeningly inconsistent last season as

Southampton – supporters must look back and wonder how

the same team that saw off Manchester City, Liverpool and

Chelsea at St Mary’s also managed to lose at home to QPR,

Sunderland and Wigan. For all their quality, they somehow

contrived to finish beneath Norwich, Fulham and Stoke.

It’s a conundrum that manager Mauricio Pochettino will be

hoping to solve this season, as Saints bid to consolidate their

place back at English football’s top table. The £8.5m arrival

of centre half Dejan Lovren from Lyon should help counter

the defensive lapses that saw the team drop 29 points from

winning positions last term, while Victor Wanyama (see left)

should provide greater security in front of the back four.

It’s as you were further forward, where Pochettino will once

more call upon the brute strength (and dead-eye finishing) of

Rickie Lambert, the bustling energy of Jay Rodriguez and the

guile of Gaston Ramirez to break down opposing defences.

The best news of all, however, could be the five-year contract

signed by left back Luke Shaw last month. If he is to be the next

Gareth Bale, then he will become so at St Mary’s. For now.

Keep an eye on...Victor Wanyama

Saints are hardly short on

quality in midfield, but

that didn’t stop Mauricio

Pochettino breaking the

club’s transfer record

to secure the services of

the powerful Kenyan this

summer. Wanyama only

turned 22 in June, but

he arrives from Celtic

for a meaty £12.5m and

with a lofty reputation as

a box-to-box midfielder

with more than an eye

for goal. His partnership

with the classy Morgan

Schneiderlin in the

centre of the park could

well be one to watch.

If they were an animal...Polar bear

Out of hibernation to

find life tougher at

the top of their world.

Attractive and often

dangerous, but still

in a fight for survival.

The stat

15Premier League goals

scored by Rickie

Lambert last season,

making him the top-

scoring Englishman in

the league (alongside

Frank Lampard). He is

66/1 to win the Golden

Boot this time around.


West Brom (a)

Saturday August 24

Sunderland (h)

Saturday August 31

Norwich (a)

Prediction

12th

The big issueCan they bring it every week?


17

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Stoke CityLast season 13th, 42 points

It’s trendy to mock Mark Hughes. Dubbed a “strange man”

by Mohamed Al-Fayed post-Fulham, he seemed hapless

during his QPR stint and seems to have a bizarre obsession

with signing Roque Santa Cruz. Yet Hughes seems unfairly

maligned. Yes, QPR was a disaster, but his record with

Blackburn, Fulham and the Wales national team is largely

positive (Manchester City is trickier to judge).

At Stoke, however, he faces a near impossible task: taking

over from a successful manager and being asked to tweak

their brand of football, yet not being given the funds he needs

to revamp a squad that desperately requires new blood.

But how badly? Well, put it this way: the favourite to be

Stoke’s top scorer this season is the 32-year-old Peter Crouch,

who got seven goals in 34 league games in 2012-13. Hughes

can rely on Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross at the back, but

his signings haven’t set the Potteries alight. Dutch full back

Erik Pieters comes in for £3m, while 21-year-old Spanish

defender Marc Muniesa is snaffled from Barcelona’s reserves

on a free. Let’s hope Hughes gets to invest a little more before

the transfer window closes, or the Britannia could be a bleak

place for more than just the visitors this season.

Keep an eye on...Asmir Begovic

When Stoke snapped up

young English keeper

Jack Butland, it seemed

a tacit admission that

prize asset Begovic was

on his way out. However

unless the 26-year-old

Bosnian cad has pulled

a fast one on Stoke by

the time you read this,

he looks set to stay.

Relief sweeps the

Britannia. Begovic kept

12 clean sheets in the

league last season and

is a commanding aerial

presence. A crucial part

of Stoke’s generally

miserly defence.

If they were an animal...Gorilla

Gruff, hairy, muscular

backside (Stoke the

Gorilla, that is – not

Mark Hughes), but

might prove a poor

swimmer if the tide of

relegation draws near.

The stat

£88mSince 2006-07,

Stoke’s net transfer

spend is an estimated

£88m – the same as

Manchester United’s

over the same period.

No wonder the coffers

are now a bit bare.


Liverpool (a)

Saturday August 24

Crystal Palace (h)

Saturday August 31

West Ham (a)

Prediction

18th

The big issueIs Mark Hughes the answer?


18

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SunderlandLast season 17th, 39 points

It’s the question everyone’s asking, and easily one of the

more compelling threads ahead of the new Premier League

season. Just how mad is Paolo Di Canio, and can he remain

sane enough to drive Sunderland significantly higher than

last season’s dreadful 17th-placed finish?

In truth, no one knows – but we’re going to have a lot of fun

finding out, and Di Canio has certainly shown an appetite for

the fight in a relatively busy summer of transer activity for

the Black Cats. The weighty burden on the shoulders of top

goalscorer Steven Fletcher should be eased by the arrival

of former Hull forward Jozy Altidore, who has spent the past

two seasons tearing up the Eredivisie with AZ Alkmaar.

However Di Canio hasn’t left it at that. Emanuele Giaccherini,

a £6.5m signing from Juventus, will bring much-needed

creativity in behind Fletcher, while the defensive midfielder

Cabral and centre half Modibo Diakite will add further steel to

a squad that so desperately lost its way under Martin O’Neill.

Successfully integrate the new recruits, while getting the

best of out of Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson and Stephane

Sessegnon, and Di Canio will have the makings of a tidy outfit.

Fail, and it may not be long before the wheels come off.

Keep an eye on...Cabral

Or Adilson Tavares

Varela, to give him his

full name. The Cape

Verde-born midfielder

has been one of the

driving forces behind FC

Basel’s recent dominance

in the Swiss league and,

still only 24, arrives on a

free transfer that could

prove phenomenal value.

A converted centre half,

he will likely operate in

a deep midfield role for

his new club – but he can

play, as he showed with a

neat finish in a pre-season

win over Tottenham in

Hong Kong.


Fulham (h)

Saturday August 24

Southampton (a)

Saturday August 31

Crystal Palace (a)

Prediction

17th

The big issueWill Paolo’s passion be a force for good?


The stat

24Combined number

of Premier League

appearances made

by goalkeepers

Keiren Westwood

and Vito Mannone.

The concern is that

Simon Mignolet will

be much missed.

If they were an animal...Giant panda

No questioning their

size or popularity, but

spend too much time

watching them and

you end up wondering

why you bothered.

19

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Swansea CityLast season 9th, 46 points

Swansea’s miracle progress up the leagues has been done

without a sugar daddy chairman or hocking the club’s future

to invest. Even now, the club is in the Premier League’s

bottom five in terms of salary outlay. However, this is a season

of change. Rumours abound that dapper manager Michael

Laudrup fell out with chairman Huw Jenkins this summer over

the amount invested in the playing staff. It seems Laudrup has

got his way, the Swansea squad being beefed up with Wilfried

Bony, Jonjo Shelvey and young Spanish defender Jordi Amat,

signed for a combined £18m+.

Meanwhile last season’s stars, such as Michu and skipper

Ashley Williams, look set to stay. So all is rosy in Swansea’s

garden. Yet the team have a tough beginning to the season

(Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool are three of

their first four league opponents) and, if there is still conflict

behind the scenes, a stumbling start won’t help. Plus there’s

the introduction of European football, which often disrupts a

team’s league progress. A season of fresh challenges, then,

but Swansea seem to glide serenely past most new obstacles.

If the new recruits settle in reasonably quickly, another top-10

finish – and yet more eye-catching football – looks likely.

Keep an eye on...Wilfried Bony

Swansea lacked a top-

drawer striker last year,

Michu often filling the

role (fairly successfully).

For this season, the club

have more than doubled

their previous transfer

record to bring in Ivory

Coast forward Wilfried

Bony for £12m. Scored

a brace on his debut

in Swansea’s Europa

League qualifier against

Malmo, including a

trademark springboard

header. The 24-year-old

is a classy finisher, fast,

athletic, with a few

tricks. A potential star.

If they were an animal...Butterfly

Grubbed around as a

lowly caterpillar for

most of its life, before

latterly emerging as

a dazzling butterfly.

Elegant to watch, but

there has been some

flapping this summer.

The stat

58 Total, combined goals

scored last season by

Michu (22 in 43 games)

and Wilfried Bony

(36 in 36 for Vitesse

Arnhem). Could be

an arousing pairing.


Manchester United (h)

Sunday August 25

Tottenham (a)

Saturday August 31

West Brom (a)

Prediction

9th

The big issueWill new challenges drown the Swans?


20

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Fif

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Tottenham HotspurLast season 5th, 72 points

We know that chairman Daniel Levy drives a hard bargain.

What many can’t agree on is whether this benefits or works

against Tottenham. He certainly extracts the maximum fee

for a player, but often at the cost of having time to adequately

replace them. At time of press, it appears as though Gareth

Bale is Real Madrid-bound at some point, with Levy doing an

expert job in ramping the price up. However, this gives boss

Andre Villas-Boas scant time to plan for the upcoming

season, unsure of the state of play with his stand-out player.

Not that we’d call Spurs a one-man team. Hugo Lloris is a

dynamic young sweeper-keeper, Mousa Dembele has showed

his adaptable midfield class, while Sandro and Younes Kaboul

will be like the proverbial ‘new signings’ back from injury. An

actual new signing – the £17m box-to-box Brazilian Paulinho

– should be an upgrade on the ageing legs of Scott Parker,

while Lewis Holtby will be better for a pre-season with the team.

It’s a strong squad, then, but Bale has reached the level of

irreplaceable. Spurs have the manager, set-up and even most

of the players to kick on, but if Bale is either long gone or

a discontented presence, the gaping hole he leaves could

thwart Tottenham’s top-four ambitions once more.

Keep an eye on...Roberto Soldado

With Emmanuel

Adebayor in what we’ll

call ‘full-contract mode’

for most of last season,

Spurs regularly lacked

a focal point for their

attacks. The man to

provide that is £26m

record signing Roberto

Soldado. The Spain

striker is an ideal outlet

for Andre Villas-Boas’

side: quick, mobile, alert

and a lethal finisher (he

has scored more than

one in two for former

club Valencia and the

national team). Hits a

smashing volley, too.

If they were an animal...Leopard

A sleek, athletic beast

– but there are bigger

cats out there. Has to

contend with wealthy

poachers coming after

it every damn summer.

The stat

2Beginning a second

consecutive season

with a club for the very

first time in his short

coaching career, Andre

Villas-Boas must relish

not having to spend

pre-season meeting

a whole new squad.


Crystal Palace (a)

Sunday August 25

Swansea (h)

Sunday September 1

Arsenal (a)

Prediction

5th

The big issueHow smart is old iron balls Levy being?


21

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West BromLast season 8th, 49 points

In the three seasons since their latest return to the Premier

League, West Brom have finished 11th, 10th and eighth.

That represents a spectacular effort from a club with one of

the lowest budgets in the division, but with chairman Jeremy

Peace continuing to preach financial common sense over

wayward ambition, the challenge now facing manager Steve

Clarke is how to find any more progress from a squad of no

little quality but questionable depth.

The return of last season’s loan star Romelu Lukaku to

Chelsea is a blow, but the tireless Shane Long – one of the

most underrated strikers in the league – will continue to give

defences plenty to think about. The recruitment of Nicolas

Anelka – now 34, but with the class to compensate for his

ageing limbs – should prove a shrewd move, while the axis of

Youssouf Mulumbu and Claudio Yacob at the heart of the

midfield gives the Baggies the kind of steely core teams need

to thrive in this physically demanding league. Injuries to any

of these key players (chuck Ben Foster and Jonas Olsson in

there as well), however, and Clarke could find himself looking

over his shoulder. With two winnable home ties in the club’s

opening three fixtures, a good start is absolutely crucial.

Keep an eye on...Youssouf Mulumbu

There won’t be many

Premier League players

with five Us in their

name, but the Congolese

midfielder brings much

more than that to the

Baggies’ midfield.

Strong, athletic and

composed in possession,

he is perhaps the closest

thing West Brom will

ever have to Patrick Vieira

(the Arsenal version).

At 26, he should now be

nearing his peak – which

means the contract

extension he signed this

summer is great news for

a club he joined in 2009.


Southampton (h)

Saturday August 24

Everton (a)

Saturday August 31

Swansea (h)

Prediction

13th

The big issueHow do they do any better?

The stat

123Career Premier

League goals scored

by new signing Nicolas

Anelka, putting him

joint 12th (with

Jermain Defoe and

Dwight Yorke) on

the all-time list.

If they were an animal...Mountain goat

Belies humble outward

appearance to handle

tricky heights with

surprising style,

surviving on relatively

meagre rations in

a world of plenty.


22

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West HamLast season 10th, 46 points

Co-owner David Sullivan says signing another striker

alongside Andy Carroll is his top transfer priority, given that

the Hammers’ approach with their £15m record buy tends to

be something of a one-dimensional, direct line.

Without their 24-year-old battering ram last season, West

Ham looked toothless. With him, it was a refinement of the

Bolton and Stoke variation of strong-arming the opposition

into submission to the stage that they would not even bother

to challenge Carroll, relying instead on winning the second ball.

At least Sam Allardyce is pragmatic. Forget the Academy of

Football rubbish – the last time West Ham played like that was

under Gianfranco Zola, which didn’t end well.

The question, then, is whether they can keep Carroll fit. He is

currently recovering from a foot injury and will likely miss the

start of the campaign. That in itself is no disaster. The Cockney

Boys were untroubled by relegation last season because the

teams around them were markedly worse/engulfed in

behind-the-scenes farce and because the fixtures computer

did them a solid turn, allowing Big Sam’s team to take 11 points

from their first six games. Mr Nicey Fixtureson has done it

again: Tottenham away, on October 5, is their first real test.

Keep an eye on...Mohamed Diame

Few players at the Boleyn

are capable of those

bottled lightning moments

for which you put up with

cold, turgid November

nights watching your team.

Diame tended to reserve it

for the big boys last

season: jinking through

the Arsenal defence to

arch one into the top

corner and whipping a

daisy-cutter from the edge

of the area in the 2-2 with

Manchester United. The

athletic tank’s absence

was felt keenly when he

spent six weeks out with

a hamstring injury.

If they were an animal...Giraffe

Survives as strength

up front allows it to

reach heights others

cannot. Engages in

combat with long neck

used as a weapon.

The stat 100Top-flight substitute

appearances by Joe

Cole. The five others

to rise from the bench

100+ times are Louis

Saha (101), Ryan Giggs

(104), Jermain Defoe

(116), Kanu (118) and

Shola Ameobi (126).


Cardiff (h)

Saturday August 24

Newcastle (a)

Saturday August 31

Stoke (h)

Prediction 8th

The big issueCan the Hammers rely on sweet Carroll-line?


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Sport magazine 318 - Premier League Preview

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