As promised, here's a lengthy, detailed team-by-team preview of the Premier League 2009-10 season. Not only is it yours truly's take on how the league table will pan out, this is the ultimate fantasy preseason guide and cheat sheet for your fantasy Premiership squad. Who will be crowned champions? Will Manchester City crack the top four? Can Burnley actually escape the drop? Is Andrei Arshavin the real deal? Can Wayne Rooney be a fantasy beast? Can Michael Owen enjoy a 20-goal comeback season? Well, one can dream, but at any rate, find out and read on...
Arsenal
Last season: 4th
Players in: Thomas Vermaelen (Ajax, undisclosed)
Players out: Emmanuel Adebayor (Man City, undisclosed), Kolo Toure (Man City, undisclosed), Fran Merida (Levante, loan), Havard Nordtveit (Nurnberg), James Dunne (released), Abu Ogogo (released), Paul Rodgers (released), Rene Steer (released), Vincent van den Berg (released), Anton Blackwood (released), Amaury Bischoff (released), Rui Fonte (released)
Last we left them: To no real shock, there was a continued youth movement taking place at the Emirates as Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri put on rather significant roles in the first-team. If the overemphasis of youth was the cause to Arsenal coming up empty in all competitions for another year can be disputed, but for what it's worth, Arsenal had the nasty habit of hogging possession but could never do anything of substance to actually put the ball in the net on an acceptable basis. Such was the symptom in matches away to the lower lights of Sunderland and Stoke, for example. The most glaring weakness for Arsenal was the big hole left at the center of the park in the form of the absence of a patrolling combative defensive midfielder who can synchronize well with the center backs and allow Cesc Fabregas greater freedom to involve himself in the Gunners' attack, his greatest strength. Mathieu Flamini was the closest thing to a Patrick Vieira replacement, but he found himself many a days on Milan's subs bench and this left Arsenal quite imbalanced. Sure enough, the side looked to have lost its mettle when William Gallas greatly criticized the team's collective courage and was stripped of the captain's armband as a result. The loss of Fabregas after a serious injury suffered in a home match to Liverpool threatened to do over Arsenal's chances of finishing in the top four, but the Gunners were given a chance to make up ground (and were also boosted by the midseason transfer of Andrei Arshavin), just as Aston Villa was in the process of capitulating and Arsenal eventually ran away with a fourth place finish. On the European front, Arsenal had it in them to last to the Champions League semifinal, only for Manchester United to outclass them, to which Arsene Wenger defiantly defended that his young team always had what it takes to win honors.
I know what you did this Summer: Once again, a holding midfielder wasn't purchased although a dazzling return of Patrick Vieira back to North London would've been quite an interesting move on Wenger's part. Instead, Wenger opted to buy a new center-half in the form of Ajax Amsterdam's Thomas Vermaelen, but odds are even if the Dutchman adds improved stability at the back, a holding midfielder to sustain overall defensive cohesiveness would still be necessary. The big story at the Emirates was the disenchanted Emmanuel Adebayor being sold at little to no volition of the Arsenal front office to Manchester City and Kolo Toure followed suit out the exit door.
Popping the question: Is maturity earned over the course of a year? Arsene Wenger, ever a stickler for poaching and developing young talent and conversely, a reluctant wheeler-and-dealer, has insisted that Arsenal are strong enough to seriously challenge for honors (a claim that's often mocked on Special 1 TV, as in the famous Wenger's "Wormholes" episode). In terms of intangibles, there doesn't seem to be a sense of leadership and mettle with the current Arsenal side, something newly minted captain Cesc Fabregas will have to ascend to this term.
The guy to watch: Eduardo da Silva. As a result of Adebayor's move to City, every forward moves up the depth chart and the lad likely to get first crack is Brazilian-born Croatian, Eduardo. He has been crocked several times in his career, but he's more of a complete forward than Nicklas Bendtner and more of the refined product than Carlos Vela and can be a real sleeper, if healthy.
The guy to have: Andrei Arshavin. It was a toss-up between the former Zenit man and Robin van Persie, but you can consider me as one of those aboard the Arshavin hype train. I've gone on record saying that the best prominent club side that suits Arshavin's play is Arsenal and sure enough, he settled right in, having bagged six goals and eight assists in just ten matches. Arshavin is flexible as a winger and support striker. The downside with Arshavin is that because he has carte blanche to push forward, he doesn't offer much in the way of helping out the fullback, but in fantasy terms, that can be a wonderful thing. Outside of Lampard and Gerrard, there isn't a more explosive fantasy midfielder than Arshavin and it's because of his impressive season on paper that justifies the big outlay. Top five fantasy player potential, in my opinion.
In fantasy terms: Robin van Persie managed to stay healthy for much of last term and chipped in with 11 goals as well as 10 assists in 26 contests. His deep involvement in set pieces and penalties make RVP a prized match-winning forward, which easily makes top 3-5 in his position. If I had to choose between Arshavin and RVP out of the two Gooners, however, I'm going with Arshavin for the midfield position scarcity (at least I reckon there is) and because of the natural worries (or paranoia) of RVP getting crocked..... If you're skittish about spending big on Arshavin, the cost-effective alternative is Theo Walcott and for what it's worth, Samir Nasri will miss the first two months or so with a leg injury. Meanwhile, once highly touted Tomas Rosicky is once again on the shelf, this time, with a hamstring knock..... The prospect of clean sheets are dicey when it comes to Arsenal because Walcott/Arshavin don't generally cover Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy too well down the flanks and I've already harped on about the possible continued deficiency with no holding midfielder to coordinate with Gallas/Vermaelen at the back. Only pick up an Arsenal center-half or goalkeeper Manuel Almunia against the most offensively challenged sides (i.e. Hull, Portsmouth), preferably at home. Sagna and Clichy can still net you points on the attacking side because of their implied involvement in the Gunners' attack.
Verdict: I wouldn't say Arsenal's success isn't entirely predicated on getting that combative defensive midfielder back at the end of August or in January, but adding such a piece will go a long way to whether or not Arsenal contends for silverware. If they're able to get said player, I'll be bold and declare it a four-team title race, with Arsenal placing ahead of Liverpool. Like last season, it's fashionable to write off Wenger's Arsenal's Champions League place once again, with the usual suspect this time being Manchester City. I believe they can still ride out their brilliant attacking talent to stave off City, Everton, Aston Villa, and Tottenham, but based on the current makeup of the team, they'll need more of a boost away from the Emirates to cement their spot in the top four.
Prediction: 4th
Aston Villa
Last season: 6th
Players in: Fabian Delph (Leeds, undisclosed), Habib Beye (Newcastle, undisclosed), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough, £12m), Courtney Cameron (Northampton, undisclosed)
Players out: Gareth Barry (Man City, £12m), Martin Laursen (retired), Stuart Taylor (Man City, undisclosed), Zat Knight (Bolton, undisclosed)
Last we left them: Last Summer, Martin O'Neill held firm in his stance to keep Gareth Barry at Villa Park for at least one year in spite of the player's desire to join Liverpool and the 20 million pound bid from the Scousers for Barry's services. The wish of Barry to play in Champions League football was starting to see the light of day, as Aston Villa made steady inroads on a top four place and an away win over Arsenal brought extra optimism that Villa could indeed crack the top four. Then things went awry with the season-ending and eventual career-ending injury of center back Martin Laursen and the once-sturdy rearguard capitulated. With it, Villa's chances of wrapping up fourth dwindled and so did the best chance for Villa in recent years to return to the grandest stage of European football.
I know what you did this Summer: Aston Villa wound up shipping away Gareth Barry, albeit at a cheaper 12 million pound transfer fee, to Manchester City. The curious bit of business this Summer was the move for relegated Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing, who will miss half of the term anyway for a foot injury suffered in his last days at Boro while O'Neill made a shrewd capture of Leeds youngster Fabian Delph although the move seems to be made with an eye turned to the long run, but he could also turn out to be another gem in the vein of Ashley Young.
Popping the question: Can Villa challenge for a CL place without Gareth Barry? Martin O'Neill has yet to replace Barry, but he doesn't necessarily have to, like for like. For one thing, Stiliyan Petrov was perhaps Villa's most valuable player and I expect him to plug in the hole Barry left effortlessly, in terms of a holding midfielder who can control the center of the park. The bigger void created in Villa's side isn't left by Barry, but by Laursen and while Carlos Cuellar has done a decent job of holding the fort in the preseason, one would think a quality center back is needed for O'Neill's lads to mount a challenge for a European place once again.
The guy to watch: Carlos Cuellar. For a possible bargain clean sheet mainstay, it could be Cuellar, who has displayed better poise in the preseason against quality European opponents (i.e. Porto, Juventus). It all depends on O'Neill's faith in Cuellar having a permanent place in the starting XI and given that O'Neill is often gun-shy about making big signings, I think he stands a boxer's chance of holding it. For what it's worth, he's price under 7 million in the Yahoo game.
The guy to have: Ashley Young. The former Watford man is the driving force to Aston Villa's attack, an energy sparkplug who has fantastic pace and solid crossing ability. The concerns I'd have with Young is his end product isn't necessarily about goals since his purpose is to loft the ball for the likes of John Carew and Emile Heskey to pounce home and he was burned out down the home stretch of last season. That said, it's for those reasons that will keep his price tag in check somewhat heading into this term and if your league slants gives nice bonuses for things like completed crosses and fouls won, Young doesn't provide too much downside week to week.
In fantasy terms: Gabriel Agbonlahor had the nasty habit of busting out in a big game, only to score anonymous points in the bulk of matches no matter how attractive the matchup. Like Young, I reckoned he burned out a bit as the season drew to a close since much of his game is reliant on his pace, but the young lad still isn't in his pomp yet and might just break out in earnest and is an asset to the counterattacking game Villa made much of their living on. Martin O'Neill has reckoned that the 4-4-2 is the way to go despite the 4-5-1 being the formation of choice that Villa generated results with. John Carew figures to be the go-to pure out-and-out striker to net the goals, even though I prefer my strikers to be more well-rounded than to be so straightforward unless they came at some discount. A good cost-effective alternative to Young is James Milner, who can interchange flanks with Young and can create..... On the defensive side of the ball, I'll keep a skeptical stance with the Villans' rearguard, but as a result the reliable American keeper Brad Friedel might be needed more to stop some choice shots. Of course, you'll make some tradeoff between a clean sheet and saves in this case.
Verdict: Assuming O'Neill is content with the lot he's trotting on the pitch, his defense leaves much to be desired if Cuellar can't be 50-60% the center back Laursen was. I'd think Fulham's Brede Hangeland would slot in nicely at the back. Meanwhile, I'd say the Villa central midfield lacked a creative influence with just Barry and Petrov patrolling the middle and this is why I said Villa don't have to replace Barry like for like when Petrov can be the same defensive-minded midfielder. Whatever the case, this team lacked some depth last term and while that's an issue, the bigger thing is they're two pieces away from regaining the kind of impact Laursen and Barry made. Otherwise, expect Aston Villa to either burn out later in the season or to be on the outside looking in on contending for a Champions League spot.
Prediction: 8th
Birmingham City
Last season: 2nd (Championship)
Players in: Christian Benitez (Santos Laguna, undisclosed), James O'Shea (Galway United, undisclosed), Lee Bowyer (West Ham, free), Scott Dann (Coventry, undisclosed), Giovanny Espinoza (Barcelona Sporting Club, undisclosed), Joe Hart (Man City, loan), Roger Johnson (Cardiff, £5m), Barry Ferguson (£1.25m)
Players out: Stephen Kelly (Fulham, free), Radhi Jaidi (released), Mehdi Nafti (Aris, free), Krystian Pearce (Peterborough, loan), Artur Krysiak (Burton, loan)
Last we saw them: Birmingham were preseason favorites for Premiership promotion, a year removed from being relegated. Alex McLeish stayed on with the Blues and he helped guide the club to a runners-up finish in the Championship, second to league winners Wolverhampton. The trademark for City's success was their rearguard, as even though they scored a rather pedestrian mark of 54 goals, they only allowed a league-best 37 goals.
I know what you did this Summer: McLeish did his share of wheeling and dealing but he's gone on record believing that he needs a couple more deals to bolster the side to his liking, especially in light of the Blues' suspect preseason showings. Brum added some attitude with the signings of former Leeds and West Ham man Lee Bowyer and ex-Rangers central midfielder Barry Ferguson. The Blues' gaffer also added on-loan Manchester City #2 goalkeeper, Joe Hart, while resorting to poaching the Championship in shoring up his defense in the forms of Cardiff's Roger Johnson and Coventry City's Scott Dann. The most intriguing addition is Ecuadorean international, "Chucho" Christian Benitez, but other than that, no signings from Birmingham that elicit a raised eyebrow.
Popping the question: Tired legs + inexperience = a damaging mix? It wasn't to much surprise that McLeish would sign Bowyer and Ferguson, two lads who are magnets for yellow cards, with the same being said of Lee Carsley, the no-nonsense central mid who once plied his trade at Everton. However, the midfield has its fill of gray hairs which can call for disaster if opposing sides get the better of the Blues with their pace through the middle. While the Birmingham rearguard impressed in the Fizzy Pop league, both Dann and Roger Johnson are new to the system and lack experience. In addition, Birmingham could use another left back. It's inexperience and age in the problem areas that Birmingham need to address and McLeish knows it.
The guy to watch: Christian Benitez. The rumor is, he's the Ecuadorean Lionel Messi, but of course, it smacks of sheer hyperbole. He might be this year's Amr Zaki, but everyone in any fantasy sport is always eager to label the next big under-the-radar breakout that goes bonkers. At any rate, the lad they call "Chucho" is a wild card, simple at that. One thing Birmingham lacked in a big way was a go-to goalscorer. The closest thing to it was Kevin Phillips, but Lord knows he's as old as dirt, and it's been ancient history when he happened to score 30-plus goals for Sunderland and it seems that while Cameron Jerome showed some promise in Birmingham's last top-flight stay, he's not quite the answer. Enter Benitez, a 5' 6" striker who is quite quick, but lacks the height to pounce on aerial service. Much will be relied on his boots as the dynamic goal scorer who can change the tone of the match.
The guy to have: Sebastian Larsson. In his last foray in the Premier League, the winger was quite a good bargain who put up useful attacking stats and could be of solid service again this go-round. To make an analogy to West Brom, Larsson is more of a James Morrison in output than a Chris Brunt. Get it?
In fantasy terms: Think we've covered the Blues' attack to a T and we've got a bit of insight into how useful the Brum defense can hold up. Last thing to talk about is the keeper, Joe Hart, who has a first-team gig now that Given usurped him at Manchester City, but that's just about what he has going for him.
Verdict: If it's one advantage that Birmingham have, it's that several of their key players have had Premier League experience. One would think that with the moves McLeish has made, he has enough invested in his side to keep the Blues in the top flight. Whether Birmingham survive or not depends on how the heart of the park holds up, as well as if the rearguard success in the Championship carries over to some degree to the Premier League, and if they have a consistent goal scorer or two. No matter what, it seems the Blues will be destined to scrap it out in a relegation dogfight and the other curious point is to see if McLeish wobbles under increased pressure of keeping the Blues up; remember McLeish nearly walked out of the door last term.
Prediction: 18th (relegated)
Blackburn Rovers
Last season: 15th
Players in: Gael Givet (Marseille, undisclosed), Lars Jacobsen (Everton, free), Steven N'Zonzi (Amiens, undisclosed), Elrio van Heerden (Bruges, free), Franco di Santo (Chelsea, loan), Nikola Kalinic (Hajduk Split, £6m)
Players out: Josh O'Keefe (Walsall, undisclosed), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven, free), Tugay (retired), Aaron Mokoena (Portsmouth, free), Carlos Villanueva (released), Roque Santa Cruz (Man City, £17m), Tony Kane (Carlisle, free), Matt Derbyshire (Olympiacos, undisclosed), Andreas Arestidou (Shrewsbury, free), Johann Vogel (released), Dean Winnard (Accrington Stanley, free), Bjorn Bussmann (1860 Munich, undisclosed), Keith Treacy (Sheffield United, loan), Mark Bunn (Sheffield United, loan), Alex Marrow (Oldham, loan), Gavin Gunning (Tranmerre, loan), Alan Judge (Plymouth, loan)
Last we left them: To say that Rovers under Paul Ince's management was a shambles, was surely an understatement. Blackburn conceded way too many goals, for some odd reason, and a change needed to be made with a gaffer who's more utilitarian about his side's doings: Sam Allardyce. While Blackburn continued to leak goals at the back, the blow-ups were more scarce in between games and although Rovers flirted hard with relegation, they eventually built enough cushion with a handful of matches left in the season, to ensure safety.
I know what you did this Summer: Much of the Summer was moving day out of Ewood Park, as not only was Roque Santa Cruz finally sold to Manchester City, but the likes of Matt Derbyshire, Andre Oojier, and Aaron Mokoena bolted Blackburn. Even the venerable Tugay called it quits. Coming in, Rovers signed a hodgepodge of unknown quantities, with the banner capture being Hajduk Split striker Nikola Kalinic, who Croatian national team coach Slaven Bilic, lauds as "the future of Croatian football". Hmmm... even Davor Suker was something of a bust in the Premier League and so, I'll put Bilic's word with a big grain of salt. For what it's worth, Kalinic scored 32 goals in 59 career appearances for Hajduk Split.
Popping the question: Is it delusional to think Blackburn will finish top half? I came across one Rovers fan in particular, who thought that Rovers can reasonably be contending for a Europa League place this term, to which my eyes did a freaky eye-popping act (no, don't worry, they don't regularly do that). At any rate, the key signings Big Sam made, were made with the focus in shoring up the defense and not necessarily to add an attacking flair or quality to the side (that's to be expected of Allardyce). The other thing to note is how paltry their goal scoring output was, as they mustered just 40 goals, which gives you a raw average of over a goal a game. Allardyce's teams are normally meant to gut out games with physical, harassing play, which in some way takes away from the attacking quality bit.
The guy to watch: Morten Gamst Pedersen. Somehow, I tend to think of that one campaign that preceded David Bentley's breakout season when MGP was quite a goal/assist machine himself. Flashbacks aside, MGP is the main reservoir of attacking panache on this team, as he still managed eight assists despite a suspect pairing of Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts up front. Known for having a good long-range shot and credentials as an able dead ball specialist, it might take a talismanic all-around effort from MGP to catapult Rovers' chances of assaulting the table.
The guy to have: Gael Givet. Signed permanently from Marseille, Givet figures to be a permanent fixture at left-back and is a low-risk, moderate-reward bet for clean sheets, given the relatively inexpensive price tag. This year's John Pantsil? He's one of the sleepers, I'll say.
In fantasy terms: Benni McCarthy comes perpetually cheap as a pure out-and-out striker and I'll give him the edge over Roberts..... Without a great deal of depth up front, we might see Roque Santa Cruz's brother, Julio, get a call-up to the first-team..... There's the now annual temptation for picking up goalkeeper Paul Robinson for mere pennies, but if the Blackburn back four can hold the fort, there might be a chance he'll redeem himself as a nice matchup-only option..... Odds are Stephen Warnock and Christopher Samba are a bit on the pricey side for my liking in the defense of a mid-table side a year removed from flirting with the drop, which is why I'd opt for Givet and if he gets the run-outs, Lars Jacobsen.
Verdict: Rovers should have a safer time of it in terms of having a cushion from the drop, but goals, quality, and depth remain an issue with Blackburn, which tempers the top-half hopes a great deal. Big Sam would like to shed the recent perception that he's a relegation scrapper, but he needs X-factors such as Stephen Reid to stay healthy and make an impact in order to move by leaps and bounds this time around.
Prediction: 13th
Bolton Wanderers
Last season: 13th
Players in: Sean Davis (Portsmouth, free), Paul Robinson (West Brom, loan), Zat Knight (Aston Villa, undisclosed), Sam Ricketts (Hull, undisclosed)
Players out: Blerim Dzemaili (Torino, undisclosed), Rob Sissons (released), Nathan Woolfe (released), James Sinclair (released)
Last we left them: Manager Gary Megson received plenty of schtick from the Bolton fans, especially on the occasion where he treated an UEFA Cup game much like a Premier League big four side would deem a Carling Cup game, all in the name of ensuring that Bolton stay in the top flight. The Trotters did decently in the end, as Premier League survival wasn't much of a question as the campaign wound down.
I know what you did this Summer: In general, the Bolton supporters weren't too thrilled about the sale of their best club servant, Kevin Nolan, to Newcastle in their futile hopes of escaping the drop. Over the transfer season, Nolan was replaced by Sean Davis on a free transfer in the Pompey fire sale while the biggest scalp came of Zat Knight, who is assured a center-half partnership with Gary Cahill. Also, Paul Robinson (the defender, not the lousy ex-Leeds keeper) and Sam Ricketts were brought along to add depth to the Wanderers' backline.
Popping the question: Does Megson stay on board? Some Bolton fans insist that Gary Megson is still on the hot seat despite the decent term, with some of his dodgy decisions last season. Tough lot, this Bolton lot, no? At any rate, it seems as if the higher-ups are a more patient lot in their view of Megson, even if the side fails to live up to achieving hopes of another mid-table finish.
The guy to watch: Johan Elmander. Last season's high-profile addition, Johan Elmander had a so-so first season with the club, having netted five goals in 28 games, but in the contests where he scored, he displayed some of the promise the Wanderers sought at first sight. With Megson edging towards standing pat before the Summer window closes, Elmander could have a chance to form a good partnership with club-leading scorer, Kevin Davies.
The guy to have: Matthew Taylor. A beacon of light in a side managed by a gaffer who professes straightforward, consistent defensive, but otherwise dour football, Matty Taylor was the driving force behind Bolton's attack. Anything from free kicks and corner kicks to coming forward and going for goal, Matty did it all. There's also the chance of an England call-up in his future with 2010 nearing, which is just incentive enough to maintain his good form. He's awfully expensive at under 15 million in the Yahoo game for a mid-table attacker, but the former Pompey winger is really the only creative match-winner that the Trotters have. In the EPL game, I think he's a steal at 7 million and only 7% of EPL participants have him rostered.
In fantasy terms: Unless Elmander becomes more than a non-factor, Kevin Davies should be one of the cheaper double-digit goal strikers, fresh off a year where the Bolton man bagged 11 goals in 36 games. In my opinion, he's better used as a matchup play or as a third striker..... In leagues where goals and assists from defenders carries extra weight, consider that Ricardo Gardner and Gary Cahill combined for 7 goals and 18 shots on target; their involvement in the set pieces still makes them an extra bit more valuable amongst defenders with the odds stacked against them in nabbing clean sheets..... Continuously undervalued because of the side he's behind the sticks of, Jussi Jaaskelainen is a suitable keeper for the price if you're bargain hunting.
Verdict: Bolton are still one of those mid-table flip-flop sides in my book, as in that team that isn't quite stable to the point they can slide closer to relegation than to the top of the bottom-half. That said, with no European play to distract them, Bolton can focus on the league, where they've shown their resilience against Big Four sides at times and have done decently against lower-table sides as well.
Prediction: 12th
Burnley
Last season: 5th (Championship), Promoted via playoffs
Players in: David Edgar (Newcastle, tribunal), Brian Easton (Hamilton, £350,000), Richard Eckersley (Man Utd, undisclosed), Steven Fletcher (Hibernian, £3m), Tyrone Mears (Derby, £500,000), Fernando Guerrero (Independiente del Valle, loan)
Players out: Alan Mahon (Tranmere, free), Steve Jones (Walsall, free), Gabor Kiraly (released), Alex MacDonald (Falkirk, loan)
Last we left them: Owen Coyle made himself a legend in the working class town of Burnley as his brand of attacking football turned a humble mid-table Championship side into one in the running for promotion and cup glory. Although they came up just short of Wembley in a thrilling Carling Cup semifinal aggregate loss to Tottenham at Turf Moor, the Clarets would make the trip to Wembley, a Playoff final date with the favored Sheffield United. In holding out for a 1-nil victory over the Blades, Burnley returned to the English top flight for the first time in 33 years. Along the way of their Carling Cup run, Burnley also made scalps of Arsenal and Chelsea, highlights to what was a remarkable season at Turf Moor.
I know what you did this Summer: Burnley added some Premier League experience in the form of Tyrone Mears and David Edgar and they also came to terms with Manchester United academy man Richard Eckersley. Coyle also set a club record transfer fee in the signing of Steven Fletcher from Hibernian.
Popping the question: Could Burnley be this season's Hull City? It was something of a Cinderella story to see Burnley rise into the top flight and it would be almost fitting to see the Clarets defy the 1-2 odds to be sent down by capturing the football romantic's imagination and to witness the supporters singing "We are staying up", this coming May. The interesting thing is, Burnley have a murderous six-game opening stretch, which might leave the Clarets past the first big storm and onto fixtures that are a few steps down in difficulty.
The guy to watch: Steven Fletcher. The Hibs' striker was Burnley's highest profile signing and naturally, there would be some spotlight on Fletcher, a lad who might not even crack the Wigan first-team.
The guy to have: Chris Eagles. The former Manchester United winger is a rather complacent one and in fact, he even bought a Lamborghini with the promotion money with a license plate "E4GLES", but he's a versatile midfielder who doubles as a striker and right winger.
In fantasy terms: Coyle likes to play 4-5-1 which could mean that Martin Paterson and Robbie Blake could drop back on the wing..... Burnley backline, well, best to avoid them like the plague.
Verdict: There will be plenty of neutrals backing Burnley to stay up, but Coyle will need his lads to stay healthy and stay out of bookings as they adjust to the faster Premier League. Doing what Stoke did in using their home pitch to their advantage, the loud and ever-spirited Turf Moor, would be an essential component to survival, but the fact remains they're a bit lacking in quality to stay the course a full 38-game season.
Prediction: 20th (relegated)
Chelsea
Last season: 3rd
Players in: Ross Turnbull (Middlesbrough, free), Daniel Sturridge (Man City, tribunal), Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow, undisclosed)
Players out: Lee Sawyer (Southend, loan), Ben Sahar (Espanyol, undisclosed), Jimmy Smith (Leyton Orient, free), Slobodan Rajkovic (FC Twente, loan), Scott Sinclair (Wigan, loan), Patrick van Aanholt (Coventry, loan), Miroslav Stoch (FC Twente, loan), Morten Nielsen (AZ Alkmaar, undisclosed), Sergio Tejera (Real Mallorca, undisclosed), Frank Nouble (West Ham, undisclosed), Franco di Santo (Blackburn, loan)
Last we left them: Big Phil Scolari was the toast at Stamford Bridge and with his appointment, it was multibillionaire owner Roman Abramovich's great hope to see attacking football thrive at the Bridge and most of all to see the lads lift their first Champions League trophy in the club's history. Things kicked off to a head for Scolari's men until the chinks in the armor became much more apparent for everyone to nitpick. Gone was the spartan defensive discipline imbued from the Jose Mourinho/Avram Grant days and with it, the tactical soundness or the lack thereof was exposed. Chelsea looked vulnerable in the marking of set pieces and the high backline which Scolari put in place with his Brazil national sides just didn't translate well in England. There were also rumblings of discontent from Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba in the way Scolari handled them, so much so that they reportedly put in less effort in order for Big Phil to get the boot. Playing third to Manchester United and Liverpool, there needed to be an immediate change and with it came the simultaneous sacking of Scolari and temporary appointment of Russia national team manager, Guus Hiddink, who pledged to stay on board at Chelsea until season's end. Under "Lucky Guus", Chelsea rediscovered their form as well as their identity of a side, as they once again challenged well on the domestic and European fronts. After falling short in the league title race again and shutting out Barcelona over two legs of the Champions League semifinal until a bit of divine intervention off Andres Iniesta's boot broke Chelsea hearts, the season ended off on a positive note, as the Blues hoisted the FA Cup over Everton and Guus Hiddink rode off into the sunset.
I know what you did this Summer: After brief overtures in attempting to lure Franck Ribery, Pato, Sergio Aguero, and David Villa to the Bridge, it was a quiet transfer season at Chelsea... that is, outside of the little matter of club captain John Terry being wooed over a potential transfer to Manchester City. To add to this, Terry's partnering center-half Ricardo Carvalho also mulled over the prospect of departing the Bridge. While Terry isn't the most gifted defender, he's a fastidious player who works well in Chelsea's space-clogging scheme and losing Carvalho would've been a greater blow as he's the better of the two at snuffing out runs. Both wound up staying, not before JT in particular was hounded by some Chelsea fans for going against his firm stance as a Chelsea lifer and spending sleepless nights thinking over City's massive offer. In fairness, Terry stayed at the Bridge because of the weekly salary raise he'd get at Chelsea in relative terms to City, which just makes player loyalty a bunch of bullplop, even for one player considered to be as steadfast and as loyal as a golden retriever like the English sporting media would like you to believe. There were signings to be had in the form of 19 year-old Daniel Sturridge, a raw but proven prospect of a forward and the addition of Russian winger Yuri Zhirkov, who doubles as a fullback, and happens to be the wide player Chelsea have been in need of for some time. The biggest splash of all was to be made in the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti to the Chelsea managerial post, with Abramovich's mindset being in hiring Ancelotti with the focus of capturing that elusive Champions League trophy, a prize that Ancelotti won twice in his stint at AC Milan.
Popping the question: How will Carlo Ancelotti adapt to the English game? For the Chelsea fans who look at the glass half-empty, they probably have the trauma of Scolari's sacking fresh in their minds with regards to Ancelotti's hiring as the new gaffer at the Bridge. Like Big Phil, the former Milan gaffer hasn't managed in England, but keep in mind he has two advantages over Scolari: one, he's had some experience in handling against English sides through the Champions League and two, Ancelotti didn't have the luxury that Scolari had in managing Brazil and Portugal of cruise control management, such is the nature of the club game being more hands-on, after all. Ancelotti has also had more than his fair share of experience in handling and getting on with big-ego players. I don't reckon communication or the lack thereof will be a big issue with Ancelotti as it was for Scolari. The biggest issue is, if Ancelotti will stick to a diamond formation, which generally doesn't work too well in the Premier League and this would force Michael Essien to be more defensive, which takes away what he's capable of doing on both fronts. Communication is one thing, but stubbornness to a certain set of tactics (as was the case with Scolari) is another. There's also the matter of Essien, Jon Obi Mikel, and Didier Drogba set to participate in the African Cup of Nations for a month-long stretch in January/February, which coincides with some winnable fixtures (Hull, Sunderland, Birmingham, Burnley) and a couple of fairly difficult go-rounds (Arsenal, Everton).
The guy to watch: Yuri Zhirkov. The "Russian Ronaldinho" is given the bargain basement treatment in the Yahoo game - albeit listed as solely as a midfielder - and he adds quality as a fine crosser as well as a nifty dribbler that can go for goal. One has to wonder about a dreaded rotation system with the likes of Florent Malouda, which does make him a risk for sunken money if/when he doesn't play. The good news is, he's had a fairly good preseason and if he can settle in, Zhirkov can provide solid return for a small price.
The guy to have: Frank Lampard. An easy call, really. Lamps is year in and year out, one of the most consistent fantasy scorers in the game and he turned in another solid season, having struck a league-leading 57 shots on target. He makes for a sturdy foundation to your fantasy squad.
In fantasy terms: Nicolas Anelka picked up the Blues goal scoring burden - especially during the days Didier Drogba was very much displeased with Scolari at the helm - with a league-leading 19 goals. The wild card is a rejuvenated Drogba, who found his way back when Hiddink took over and over the offseason, he signed a new three-year deal in committing his future at Chelsea. One has to worry about his age taking a toll on him from being fully fit for much of this campaign and while I don't see him going bonkers like he did in 2006-07, he'll be more effective than last term assuming that this new lease on life sticks. Drogba is also handsomely cheap relative to Anelka in the Yahoo game. Keep an eye out on Daniel Sturridge once Drogba goes on his African Cup duty, as he could be a cheap source for meaningful attacking stats in Drogba's absence..... When one thinks of Chelsea, it's defense and clean sheets. One of the things the Blues need to sort out is their sense of marking, which seemed lacking at times. That said, forking up extra for the likes of Terry, Carvalho, and Ashley Cole can be a good thing, granted that Alex and Branislav Ivanovic don't spell for either of them. Jose Bosingwa won't be as cheap as last year, but what he adds on the offensive side of the ledger when the clean sheets aren't rolling make up for the price tag in some way..... We really haven't seen the ultra-resolute Petr Cech since that head injury incident suffered at Reading a couple of years back and while he's still a top 3 fantasy keeper, keep in mind that Ross Turnbull, formerly of Middlesbrough is capable of spelling Cech if he suffers those nagging nicks he had last year. Remember, don't pay too much for clean sheets, especially if it's a keeper who isn't likely to see his fair share of shots to give you extra points in case you don't get that CS from Cech.
Verdict: Chelsea remind me oddly, of Ancelotti's old team, Milan, a team that's a bit on the old side but have the cohesiveness to make a run. Ancelotti places a higher weight on the Champions League, but this is also a Chelsea team that are well balanced enough to be in the thick of winning Premier League honors as well. For my money, I'd agree with Sir Alex Ferguson in saying that it's because of this balance from a solid rearguard and a tip-top, physical midfield to two professional finishers in Anelka and Drogba at the top, which makes Chelsea the biggest threat to United's crown yet again (not Liverpool). A sizable determinant to whether or not Chelsea wins the Premier League is how quick Ancelotti adapts his trade to the English game. That and the age of the squad as well as the African Cup of Nations year, casts enough of a shadow of a doubt to make them a very close second this year, I'd say.
Prediction: 2nd
Everton
Last season: 5th
Players in: Jo (Man City, loan), Anton Peterlin (Ventura County Fusion, undisclosed), Shkodran Mustafi (Hamburg, free), Luke Garbutt (Leeds, tribunal).
Players out: Andy van der Meyde (released), Nuno Valente (released), John Irving (released), John Paul Kissock (released), Scott Spencer (released), Eunan O'Kane (released), Cory Sinnott (released), Thomas McCready (released), Luke Powell (released), Michael Jensen (released), Daniel Redmond (released), Lars Jacobsen (Blackburn, free), John Ruddy (Motherwell, loan)
Last we left them: David Moyes performed one of the more remarkable bits of management in recent seasons as Everton suffered multiple blows in the form of extensive long-term injuries to Yakubu, Louis Saha, Joseph Yobo, and talismanic playmaker Mikel Arteta. The biggest blow of them all came later in the season when Phil Jagielka, Everton's player of the season without doubt, suffered a torn ACL that will rule him out until approximately this December. Still, Everton persevered in the league, having leapfrogged Aston Villa for a fifth place finish by season's end and although they lost in the FA Cup final to Chelsea, they can be proud that they put away their nearest neighbors Liverpool in the competition with a hard-fought, memorable win.
I know what you did this Summer: Not too many high-profile moves at Goodison, as expected, but David Moyes have kept rejecting Manchester City's advances to lure center back Joleon Lescott to Eastlands.
Popping the question: Why did Everton let Le Coq Sportif butcher their kits? Yes, seriously. Have you seen their kits? An absolute monstrosity. I can understand Everton wanted to go retro with the white filled-in V, but it looks like a drooping evening gown. I actually think the black and pink away kit is quite smart... if it was ring gear for the Hart Foundation.
The guy to watch: Mikel Arteta. Set to return some time this month, Everton had to make do with their Spanish playmaker sidelined with a knee ligament injury since February. Everton are bereft of a proven creative midfielder who can change speeds on a dime, keeping the ball under control with a compact dribble and possessing the top passing skill to open up opposing defenses. Arteta is quite expensive as it stands and it's best to see how he fares in the first couple of matches back in action, but his designation as Everton's default set piece taker and the Toffees' tendency to capitalize on set pieces makes Arteta too valuable to not consider somewhere down the line.
The guy to have: Marouane Fellaini. Screech Powers' stunt double was quite the offensive asset in spite of his role as a holding mid, as he fired home 22 shots on target and snagged eight goals in the process. Granted, he and Tim Cahill at one point had to serve as second-choice forwards with Yakubu and Saha hurt, but he had been an impact player on set pieces. For 7 million in the Yahoo game, that's quite cheap for a midfielder with a near-double digit goal tally last year. The only knock on Fellaini is he has a knack for the hard foul and the subsequent yellow card.
In fantasy terms: Jo fit right in at Goodison from the moment Moyes obtained him on loan from Man City, but with Yakubu and Saha healthy, he has competition as Moyes generally likes playing a lone striker with one of Fellaini/Cahill behind him..... Steven Pienaar was second among midfielders in drawing fouls, ahead of even Aston Villa's Ashley Young, and just behind West Ham's Valon Behrami. The South African winger is more valuable in leagues with a fouls won category or awards good points there, but just isn't a match-winner to prove more valuable for anything else..... With Jagielka hurt, the onus of the Everton rearguard is on Joleon Lescott. Moyes is reluctant to part ways with Lescott and with good reason, as he'll be relied on more as a center-half rather than in the fullback role he featured in at times last year. This also boosts the value of American keeper Tim Howard quite a good bit albeit he's still a bit rich for my blood.
The verdict: A slow injury-riddled start probably cost their chances of sneaking into a top four place last year and this time around, staying healthy will be key. The way Moyes danced around injuries and didn't bother to re-up on a somber budget was quite the feat and it was just that, a feat bordering on a magical act. Hanging on to Lescott and getting Jagielka and Arteta back in the fold eventually would be crucial to propeling themselves to within fingertips of a Champions League place.
Prediction: 6th
Fulham
Last season: 7th
Players in: Stephen Kelly (Birmingham, free), Bjorn Helge Riise (Lillestrom, undisclosed)
Players out: Moritz Volz (released), Collins John (released), Leon Andreasen (Hannover, free)
Last we left them: David Moyes wasn't the only miracle worker at the Premier League last year, as down in the Fulham side of West London, Roy Hodgson performed a master stroke of his own in getting the Cottagers into Europa League football and into a surprise 7th place finish. This was all done on the wings of a paltry away goals record, a disappointing striker output from former Crystal Palace and Everton man Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora, and in light of the midseason sale of Jimmy Bullard to Hull City. Simply put, Fulham did their business at Craven Cottage, which seemed to be a fortress for the Cottagers, as their outstanding defense anchored by center half Brede Hangeland made use of the compact Cottage pitch and were one of the more stubborn sides to score against at home in the league.
I know what you did this Summer: Nothing of note from the Cottage, outside of brief overtures from the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Tottenham looking to bid on Brede Hangeland. Hodgson sought the signature of Peter Crouch in the hopes of landing a reliable scoring source up front, but to no avail, as Harry Redknapp's Spurs snapped him up. Supposedly, rumors are popping up that Fulham are interested in putting pen to paper on signing Aussie international and Newcastle striker Mark Viduka.
Popping the question: Where are the goals going to come from? Much of the reasoning of what Fulham did last term smelling like a fluke has more to do with their flaccid inability to find the net. Johnson, famous for the 20 goal season he racked up with then-new boys Crystal Palace (although 8 of those goals were scored from the penalty spot), has to be considered a disappointment since that campaign while Zamora keeps striking the ball to "Row Z". Much is made of the likes of Manchester City and Spurs splashing the cash and like Everton, Fulham are still on tight pockets, which makes a decent striker a bit hard to come by.
The guy to watch: Clint Dempsey. The American winger aided Fulham's cause some in finishing off opportunities with seven goals in 33 appearances, the same tally as his fellow teammate Andy Johnson racked up for all of last term. It's likely that a number of fantasy managers will mull over the dilemma of choosing between Dempsey and the veteran central midfielder Danny Murphy for roughly the same price tag in the Premier League and Yahoo games. It's worth mentioning that Dempsey had 20 shots on target last year, as opposed to Murphy's five goals on seven shots on target, and it makes sense given that Murphy's main purpose is to facilitate the attack through the middle and going for goal is a second resort. With a better strike rate than Murphy and Fulham strapped for a quality forward that can sustain productivity for a long run, Dempsey can come close again to bagging double-digit goals.
The guy to have: Brede Hangeland. The Norwegian center half is arguably the best defender in the league outside of the Premier League's Big Five of Man United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Man City and if Fulham decide to sell him, it's likely he'll shore up the likes of Aston Villa, Spurs, and perhaps Arsenal. In any case, Hangeland is in demand for the clean sheet points he can gain especially when a tight-knit Fulham are stubborn to break through at Craven Cottage.
In fantasy terms: John Pantsil was a tremendous fantasy defending bargain as well, but he might have some competition at right back with the addition of Birmingham fullback Stephen Kelly..... Mark Schwarzer, as a result of being the benefactor of a steadfast backline, is probably the most valuable fantasy goalkeeper for the buck. If you like going cheap on your keeper and can fork up the extra pound, do so for the Aussie international keeper..... Simon Davies proved to be quite useful later in the year, as the midfielder's crossing and set pieces also made an impact on fantasy score sheets.
The verdict: The chances of repeating a 7th place finish aren't too great for a side that haven't made marked improvements in their problem areas and still are strapped for depth. Fulham's involvement in Europa League competition presents a bit of a juggling act for this side, which complicates things as they stand as well. The key is, for the side to stay healthy seeing how they've practically played with the same starting XI (sans Bullard) over the course of last year and another to keep Hangeland in Fulham black and white. Goals should be treated as gravy at this point, but as long as that spine is intact, there should be no reason as to why a mid-table finish can't be expected of the Cottagers.
Prediction: 11th
Hull City
Last season: 17th
Players in: Seyi George Olofinjana (Stoke, £3m), Steven Mouyokolo (Boulogne, undisclosed), Jozy Altidore (Villarreal, loan)
Players out: Sam Ricketts (Bolton, undisclosed), John Welsh (Tranmere, undisclosed), Dean Windass (Darlington, free), Ryan France (Sheffield United, free), Michael Bridges (released), James Bennett (released), Joe Lamplough (released), Matthew Plummer (released), Tom Woodhead (released), Wayne Brown (Leicester, undisclosed)
Last we left them: Hull were the very definition of a Jekyll-and-Hyde team, as they enjoyed a dream start which included a few choice away scalps of Tottenham and Arsenal. Then, once the calendar turned to 2009, so did the clock turn midnight, as the team couldn't buy a victory, couldn't buy a goal, and made a slew of fundamental errors at the back. Ultimately, it took help from elsewhere on the final day of the season that sealed their survival.
I know what you did this Summer: Bereft of any real sustainable creativity, Phil Brown has sought some creative attacking players and the best he could nab is Seyi Olofinjana of Stoke and on-loan American international Jozy Altidore. Reading's Stephen Hunt and Kamel Ghilas are believed to have signed on and Brown is still hopeful that they can come to terms with Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo.
Popping the question: Goals, goals, goals, where? Aside from a leaky rearguard that showed Sunday league tendencies, Hull did not have a consistent goal scorer on top of a lacking attacking midfielder who could create opportunities for others. Geovanni burned out as his strike rate dwindled and became anonymous in the second half of the campaign.
The guy to watch: Jimmy Bullard. The former Fulham man is the X-factor to Hull's success and it's his attacking persistence that can add a much-needed spark to the Tigers. Due back in September on a repaired ACL, his pace might be a bit off and the price tag in the Yahoo game in particular is still relatively high to be buying in on.
The guy to have: Michael Turner. Even though the clean sheets dried up in a big way in the second half, Turner was still a force in set pieces. Add into the rumors that Turner could be on the move to Liverpool and he could be the cheapest Big Four defender for potential clean sheets.
In fantasy terms: Aside from Turner, the defense is best left to some other fantasy managers' picking. A word on Altidore: his technique is a work in progress and it's a pity that he didn't find first-team play at Villarreal or for another Spanish side where he can best hone in on it. He makes for curious watch list material, otherwise.
Verdict: Unless Hull can mold a consistent goal scoring threat or get a clue at the back, they could suffer the fate that could've very well befallen them last term. However, a good start would do wonders to get past a half's futility.
Prediction: 19th (relegated)
Liverpool
Last season: 2nd
Players in: Alberto Aquilani (AS Roma, undisclosed), Chris Mavinga (Paris St Germain, undisclosed), Glen Johnson (Portsmouth, £17m), Aaron King (Rushden & Diamonds, nominal), Jesus Fernandez Saez (Cadiz, nominal)
Players out: Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid, undisclosed), Sebastian Leto (Panathinaikos, undisclosed), Adam Hammill (Barnsley, undisclosed), Astrit Ajdarevic (Leicester, free), Jack Hobbs (Leicester, £400,000), Sami Hyypia (Bayer Leverkusen, free), Ryan Flynn (Falkirk, loan), Jermaine Pennant (Real Zaragoza, free), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid, £3.5m), Dean Bouzanis (Wrexham, loan), Paul Anderson (Nottm Forest, £250,000), Ronald Huth (released), Godwin Antwi (released), Miki Roque (released), Gary MacKay-Steven (released)
Last we left them: By December, you could usually write off Liverpool's chances of winning the league, the one prize they've so desperately wanted in nearly two decades and for Rafa Benitez's men to concentrate on a run for European glory. This just wasn't the case last term as Liverpool started their season off strong and the buzz over the Reds' title credentials was kicked into full gear when they ended Chelsea's undefeated home streak in the league. Then came January 11, 2009: the day Rafa Benitez lost his marbles in an overdrawn long rant of Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United, a rant that Kevin Keegan wrapped up in 30 seconds many moons ago (Benitez took several minutes to explain). Although Rafa's boys eventually did the double on United and Chelsea and yanked out resilient victories at Portsmouth and Fulham, the fact that Liverpool squandered their chances against lower-quality opponents hurt them in the long run. It had less to do on the reliance of the Steven Gerrard-Fernando Torres connection, but rather their ineffectiveness in putting said opposition to bed that cost Liverpool domestic glory (especially at home to settle for draws) and as a result, they fell four points short of United in spite of their highest point total in a number of years.
I know what you did this Summer: Much of the Summer's hubbub at Anfield was the Liverpool front office addressing the whopping debt as a result of the American duo of Tom Hicks and George Gillett buying the club a few years back. Liverpool made one big buy and that was the acquisition of England right back and former Chelsea man, Glen Johnson from Portsmouth for 17 million quid, a sum that some argued was a bit on the steep side for a fullback who can help break down stubborn-minded defensive sides down the flank, but is known to be suspect defensively. The latter part of the transfer season was dedicated to keeping a few crucial players drooling at the goings-on in Spain, particularly Xabi Alonso being wooed by the magnificent Galactico rebuilding project at Real Madrid and Javier Mascherano being enticed by the prospects of anchoring the engine room at Barcelona. Not known to get on with Rafa Benitez, Alonso was finally sold to Real and almost immediately, the Fat Spanish Waiter responded with the signing of Roma playmaker Alberto Aquilani, an oft-injured second-choice central mid (in fact, he's set to miss extensive time from the off) considered as somewhat of a bust, for an eyebrow-raising 20 million quid. Rafa is reportedly looking into making a late Summer buy of Hull center-half Michael Turner, just as he's dealing with the fitness issues of Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel.
Popping the question: Have Liverpool made enough tweaking to win the league? I'll be direct here and say, no, because I still think they're lacking depth, an attribute that's eluded them in recent years. In particular, they're still missing that winger in the form of a David Silva or an Aaron Lennon type (hoping for Glen Johnson to fill that void, no doubt). That said, the league is so wide open with neither of the Big Four improving a great deal, it should come down to the wire yet again. Liverpool rely greatly on Gerrard and Torres, but they still have a bundle of useful players who rise to the fore, albeit neither can take a match over quite like Gerrard/Torres can. However, with Torres having his injury run-ins and the same could be said of Gerrard to a minor extent, Liverpool's chances are dented if they can just run out one of their duo (the Reds only had Gerrard and Torres on the pitch in 14 of 38 games, 12 of the matches were wins).
The guy to watch: Alberto Aquilani. In the Yahoo game, he'll be super cheap, coming in at a bargain basement price at 5.60 million. Although he fills in Alonso's boots, the former Roma midfielder is also known to be more adventurous in taking a long range shot or pushing into the final third of the pitch. How he adapts to the Premier League and if he can manage to avoid being snakebit is key.
The guy to have: Steven Gerrard. Not counting the departing Cristiano Ronaldo, only three midfielders averaged more than 11 points a week in Yahoo's Premier League game last year and the Liverpool skipper was one of them (the other two are Frank Lampard and Andrei Arshavin). I'd rather have Lampard over Gerrard now that Alonso has left Anfield, but it's likely you won't go wrong with Gerrard either. One can expect double-digit goals and assists.
In fantasy terms: Everything on the attacking end runs through Gerrard and Torres and likewise, they're the cream of the crop and priced as such for their position. Both players bring the best out of each other and their stock is strongest when both are present on the pitch. If I had to invest in one, it would be Gerrard for the scarcity at midfield, but I'd be mindful about him dropping back a bit unless Aquilani and Lucas Leiva can cover for him. Torres was a goal scoring machine in his first season, but with run-ins with hamstring problems last year, his action was limited in spite of keeping a very clinical rate of 13 goals in 22 games played. He's surely the top of the class in my book otherwise and if you're going to spend on a big-name striker, make it Torres..... Not a fan of opportunistic forwards like Dirk Kuyt who rely mainly on workrate and such a player is more likely to regress. That said, Benitez is a stickler for giving Kuyt a good run-out and he has relative raw value to Torres..... Yossi Benayoun had a surprising goal count of seven, as he was peaking in the second half, but he can be had for half of what Gerrard costs in the Yahoo game, and is worth considering as a bargain..... I value defenders who can help you with two things: a solid shot on target rate and have attacking verve to do good with a possible assist. That said, Glen Johnson is a bit pricey, but could be worth it. Jamie Carragher is a bit cheaper, but no Spring chicken, even if he's relatively durable. Never pay for clean sheets, remember. Assuming that Rafa is spot on about Fabio Aurelio being ready in the immediate future from an offseason injury suffered in playing with his kids, Emiliano Insua's usefulness dwindles a bit in fantasy managers' bids to buy clean sheets on the cheap from a Big Four side..... If you're looking to cement your keeper spot with a top option, Jose Reina is probably the pick among the Big Four, I'd say.
Verdict: The wild card to how Liverpool do is dependent on how quick a study Aquilani is in adapting to the English game aside from being nothing more than a lad with a venomous long shot; some say he can double up as an attacking mid or a box-to-box mid. Take away Gerrard and Torres and Liverpool's best player last year was Xabi Alonso, as his partnership with Mascherano at the center of the park. Because of Alonso, Stevie G. can move up as a second forward and as a result, Gerrard can concern himself linking up with Torres while all the dropping deep has more to do with him pushing the attack than having to divert his attention in snuffing out runs through the middle. Liverpool will miss Alonso's playmaking skill and flexibility and I think that loss will be quite difficult to get over.
Prediction: 3rd
Manchester City
Last season: 10th
Players in: Carlos Tevez (unattached, £25m), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa, £12m), Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn, £17m), Nils Zander (Schalke, undisclosed), Stuart Taylor (Aston Villa, undisclosed), Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal, undisclosed), Kolo Toure (Arsenal, undisclosed)
Players out: Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea, tribunal), Gelson Fernandes (St Etienne, undisclosed), Michael Ball (released), Dietmar Hamann (released), Danny Mills (released), Darius Vassell (released), Glauber Berti (released), Richard Martin (released) , Joe Hart (Birmingham, loan), Jo (Everton, loan), Ben Morris (released), Curtis Obeng (released), Chris Ramsey (released), Ched Evans (Sheffield Utd, £3m), Shaleum Logan (Tranmere, loan), Donald McDermott (Chesterfield, loan), Felipe Caicedo (Sporting Lisbon, loan), Elano (Galatasaray, undisclosed), Valeri Bojinov (Parma, loan)
Last we left them: Last Fall, Manchester City became the nouveau riche side in the league and their outbidding over Chelsea for Robinho's services stamped their intent. Mark Hughes' side played some blistering football early on, but it was a struggle for City to score away from Eastlands as the season wore on and their backline wasn't quite as disciplined as it was when Sven Goran Eriksson was at the helm a couple of years back. City flirted with making a big coup for Kaka at the January transfer window but Kaka wound up staying in Milan before eventually joining the Bernabeu circus and instead their billions just netted Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given instead. True to their unpredictable history and nature, City were much closer to relegation at one time or another than a sniff at European play last term, but talent won out eventually and the Blues finished a lukewarm 10th place, disappointing for a club whose ambitions are for Champions League football with the coffers at their disposal.
I know what you did this Summer: The biggest spender in England wasn't from any Big Four side, but rather Manchester City, who spent a reported 80 million pounds to bolster their squad. Aston Villa manager remarked that City's spending and reformation have catapulted their side into England's Big Four-turned-Big Five. If you ask me, it sounds like they signed everyone else's excess to requirements. Carlos Tevez was adamant about seeking a side that would guarantee him first-team play, but it was apparent that Sir Alex Ferguson's plans were mainly to keep Tevez as strictly a squad player. That said, United didn't want to cough up 25-30 million pounds for a lad who would have trouble finding himself in the starting XI often, which gave Carlitos the clue that there will be no meeting with the minds at Old Trafford with his demands. Wanting to stay in England, Tevez did one of the big boo-boos that a United player should never do: make the switch to cross-town rivals City. So started City's annoying ad campaign of posting ads across Manchester of Tevez in a sky blue backdrop with the words "Welcome to Manchester" while simultaneously, Emmanuel Adebayor fell out with Arsenal and promptly joined City. Sparky's fetish in signing strikers was concluded, having signed Adebayor, not before bringing in Tevez and injury-riddled Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn. Adebayor's fellow Gooner, center-half Kolo Toure, also followed the Togo forward onto Eastlands to plug in a much-desired role at the back while Gareth Barry shrugged off his immediate Champions League ambitions by following the money trail to City instead. The Citizens nearly wooed Chelsea's lion John Terry to the blue half of Manchester, but have now turned their attention to plucking away Joleon Lescott from Everton.
Popping the question: Management, not money. A number of United fans, myself included, as well have United chief David Gill, have gone on record in hinting that City have hired mercenaries and not necessarily a cohesive side where talent and telepathic instinct can prevail. City manager Mark Hughes has his work cut out for him, in having to hammer out the tactics (which were wonky for much of last season) while having to massage more than his fair share of egos in the dressing room. In City's massive overhaul, Craig Bellamy has become overshadowed while a proper left winger in the form of Martin Petrov has returned from an injury-ravaged campaign last term, only to become an afterthought in the starting XI even in light of impressing in the preseason. There's a running joke among United fans that former United players who have some pull in clubs deemed as traditional rivals, unintentionally (intentionally) sabotage their respective clubs' development and it seems that anything short of a top six finish would smack of another seemingly dodgy job from Sparky at the helm. Never was Hughes' job under serious question from the City front office last term, but this year, I reckon Sparky will have to be doing a lot of man-management to get this side to jell in earnest.
The guy to watch: Martin Petrov. The Bulgarian international and former Atletico Madrid man is a traditional left winger whose influence was missing in the City fold last season, due to an extensive time out with injury. He's understandably missed a step, but he adds quality pace, a good distance shot, can cross the ball, and does decently in tracking back down his flank. The question is, where will there be room for Petrov? Sparky can elect to play something of a 4-5-1 with Gareth Barry and Nigel DeJong playing as the spine at the center of the park while Robinho and Shaun Wright-Phillips play a high line as Stephen Ireland plays in behind the lone center forward in Adebayor up top. Bellamy can also double up as a wing forward in this formation. Also, Barry and Ireland could be played out wide with Robinho playing in support of Tevez and Adebayor. Either way, it's a messy situation, but Petrov's price tag at 7.61 million in the Yahoo game makes for enticing watch list material if Petrov earns his way into the starting XI. There's also a chance Hughes could sell him or put him on loan a la Everton man Jo, who was really bang out of favor with Sparky.
The guy to have: Stephen Ireland. Arguably the best two-way central mid last season, last year's breakout fantasy mid Stephen Ireland is only had for 10% on rosters in the Premier League game in spite of being priced for a very reasonable 9.0 million. Much of his stock is dependent on how high up Ireland is played up the pitch, but odds are Sparky will switch up his tactics from game to game, giving Ireland a shot to play in behind the striker(s) and either go for goal or pass it on for an advancing attacker. The addition of Barry as a ball-winning custodian gives Ireland greater license to join in on the attack more frequently.
In fantasy terms: Like I was saying on the topic of Petrov, Mark Hughes' juggling of the tactics and formations will play a hand into the fantasy impact for a number of City players. Regardless, the studs here are Robinho and Ireland. With the case of Robinho, a number of new signings should keep him from being as disheartened as he was in the second half of the term although putting him on the wing puts somewhat of a damper on what his goal scoring tally could be..... Of the new strikers signed, I'd say Adebayor is the best bet of the lot although I don't see him matching the career year he enjoyed with Arsenal a couple of seasons back. I'm not too keen on Tevez when he lacks pace and vision to beat defenders; I do think by reputation alone, Sparky will give him the playing time, but Tevez still stands as a striker who has name value although he's neither a clinical finsher nor a guy who can make up for a lack of skill with a certain savoir-faire or sense of guile. Santa Cruz was a top out-and-out forward for a year at Blackburn although there's much to be uncertain about when an injury-riddled term last year murks the picture of quite how good he is in Premier League terms. Like Tevez, I'm avoiding RSC until proven otherwise and by otherwise, I see his role being that of a "super-sub" striker..... You know what you're getting out of Shaun Wright-Phillips: plenty of points for corners and fouls won, but not quite a finisher..... Gareth Barry's fantasy stock goes down a touch or two at City, in my book. However, he can also see time on the wing given his skill set and it's likely he'll be the designated penalty taker..... Steadily, City have built a good defensive foundation in Vincent Kompany and de Jong, but even with Kolo Toure to reinforce the back, Micah Richards was coming off an off-year and Richard Dunne figured to be a bit rough around the edges. Certainly one of the X-factors this year and while City defenders aren't quite cheap, Shay Given can be had for a fairly cheap price tag in both the EPL and Yahoo games; surely, worth a punt for any bargain clean sheet speculator.
Verdict: Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill also had gone on to say that the movements at Eastlands have reminded him of what Chelsea had done in 2003 when Roman Abramovich took over and the club had gone on a spending spree. Methinks comparing City to Chelsea in 2003 is like apples and oranges. Chelsea were able to lure then-top-flight players not because of the new money rolling in, but because Chelsea had their forays in European football prior to that big transfer season and in the process, they still managed to nab quality foreign players to their side (as in Chelsea were a respectable side on the continent already). City have yet to build that reputation, which is why the likes of Kaka and David Villa have never made the egress to Eastlands with their massive lot of money thanks to Sheikh Mansour. It's easy to cite the writ of "City being City", as to why they won't perform as a top six team. While adding the likes of Adebayor, Tevez, and Santa Cruz seems like one-dimensional business, the addition of Barry adds skill and class to the City midfield, on top of what they've established in the rearguard. The crucial thing for Mark Hughes' lads is to instill a sense of team chemistry and camaraderie, and if need be, he would need to cut the fat if his man-management skills can't seep through to certain malcontent egos. This will be the biggest test for Sparky yet and while there's a sense of great patience and faith from the higher-ups in Mark Hughes' abilities, I get the feeling this is a make-or-break year for him. I don't see Champions League football being clinched at Eastlands this May, but I'd see this season as a stepping stone that City can nab quality signings (at least in name) and that they have the direction to move up the table. As a United fan, it would be quite exciting to see the Manchester derby reach the heights of what it was in the late 60's-early 70's with more than just civic pride at stake.
Prediction: 5th
Manchester United
Last season: 1st
Players in: Michael Owen (Newcastle, free), Gabriel Obertan (Bordeaux, undisclosed), Antonio Valencia (Wigan, undisclosed), Sean McGinty (Charlton, undisclosed), Paul Pogba (Le Havre, nominal)
Players out: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, £80m), Rodrigo Possebon (Braga, loan), Lee Martin (Ipswich, undisclosed), Fraizer Campbell (Sunderland, £3.5m), Richard Eckersley (Burnley, undisclosed), Manucho (Real Valladolid, undisclosed)
Last we left them: A slew of pundits tipped Chelsea for Premier League honors, noting Manchester United's hectic commitments by virtue of winning the previous year's Champions League as one of the factors. As fate would have it, United were still very much in the thick of things after the triumphant return from Japan in the Club World Cup, as Chelsea looked increasingly vulnerable at and past the halfway point of last term while bitter rivals Liverpool kept the door ajar. Despite their football lacking fluidity and invention at times, United looked invincible, thanks to a rearguard that was practically impregnable for a prolonged stretch, having snapped Chelsea's all-time Premier League streak of consecutive clean sheets. It all looked pear-shaped when Liverpool trounced United at Old Trafford and in the subsequent game, United fell to Fulham and in the process, leaving the title race wide open for Liverpool and Chelsea to lay claim to. However, it was the vital results, such as the thrilling victory over Aston Villa (the Kiko Macheda extra time goal win), the scrappy win at Sunderland thanks to Macheda's heroics once again, and the five-star comeback triumph over Spurs that kept the Premier League trophy at Old Trafford. The season ended on a sour note, having been outclassed by Barcelona in the Champions League final last May, but United could still take solace - and great, serendipitous solace at that - in tying Liverpool at #18 for the all-time record in English league times, while pipping Liverpool in the process to boot.
I know what you did this Summer: It wasn't a total shock to see Sir Alex Ferguson wave on goodbye to Cristiano Ronaldo for 80 million pounds for CR7-turned-CR9 to ply his trade at his dream destination, Real Madrid. The warning signs were there to see as the business end of last term drew near and it was apparent Ronaldo wanted out. What came at some surprise to some, was how Ferguson reacted in light of the Ronaldo sale: that was, to go on a nice little shopping spree and fill in the void left in the Ronaldo sale with two or three quality pieces to make the sum of the parts greater than the whole (or hole) that Ronaldo was at United. Instead, the wise auld fox skimped from the big-name signings and opted for the cost-effective route: signing Wigan and Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia instead of David Silva or Franck Ribery as well as going prospect-hunting in France in the forms of winger/forward Gabriel Obertan (who can be mistaken for Mikael Silvestre's stunt double) and Paul Pogba (neither of whom I reckon will make an immediate impact this season). The eye-popping moment of the Summer came from the little episode where Fergie walked away from a potential bidding war with Real Madrid for Karim Benzema's services to settling on a free transfer on one of those guys you would have never imagined would don a United kit: Michael Owen, who in a parallel universe somewhere would've taken the Gerrard route and been a Liverpool lifer had he not taken the image-conscious, Galactico route. It was apparent that United weren't going to be doing business in a vastly inflated transfer market and that playing out with the personnel Fergie has now is the route the gaffer will take until the January window.
Popping the question: Sorting out the midfield. There are a number of questions heading into the season, ranging from Rio Ferdinand's health holding up over the course of a full season (one doesn't have to look too far back when Alessandro Nesta struggled with back flare-ups) to Ben Foster or Tomasz Kuszczak holding the fort as the temporary #1 keeper while Edwin van der Sar recuperates from hand injuries. The obvious question as it was back in the Summer of 2006, when Ruud van Nistelrooy left for Real Madrid, is where are the goals going to come from. The answer back then, was of course, Cristiano Ronaldo raising his game to a world-beating level, but again, it's back to square one. Ronaldo has left, United were reliant on his efficient finishing and his ability to take the match by the scruff of the neck to see them through. The bigger question over that is, the state of the United midfield which can use a mixture of new blood and a quality player who's in the fold for the full 90 virtually every time out. Regardless to say, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are on their last legs of their brilliant careers and while Giggs' ability to facilitate the attack through the middle is still useful, Scholes is relegated to having that odd appearance every now and then. Anderson has a leash going forward and he doesn't have the stamina yet to last 55-60 minutes because he doesn't necessarily have a grasp on how much energy he should be expending. Michael Carrick is key because of how vital he is in distributing, passing, and in covering for defensive duty, and while Darren Fletcher has sort of been that missing link to the closest thing to a box-to-box midfielder, the X-factor is Owen Hargreaves, a true box-to-box midfielder, but a player who tends to be a walking sick note waiting to happen. In short, the midfield has depth in useful pieces but aside from Carrick, there needs to be a midfield signing that can make an immediate impact for now and the future, either in the form of a ball-retaining playmaker like Scholes or an all-energy man in the way Hargreaves is if he's healthy.
The guy to watch: Nani. Invariably compared to his Portuguese compatriot, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani's career arc isn't too dissimilar from that of Ronaldo's; both were the unfinished article when they came to Old Trafford and Nani is currently at the stage of his career where his talent and pedigree are questioned as to if he can take his game to another level. The inevitable question that will come up is (if it hasn't already), if Nani can have that similar breakthrough season Ronnie enjoyed in 2006/07. Well, for one thing, Nani falls into more of a traditional winger role than Ronaldo did as a pseudo-winger who assumed a forward role and the fact of the matter is, he doesn't need to be a wing-forward. For fantasy purposes, any goals scored from Nani is a bonus because he has the raw explosive ability to get by defenders with fine dribbling (I'd argue it's better than Ronnie's) and is a better crosser than Ronnie. Much has been made of his mental makeup, but without much first-team play especially in the course of last year, it must have been a mixture of other teammates not knowing Nani's tendencies to the full when playing a ball into or outside of the area and bad decision making on his part. How he settles into a full-time role with more first-team play and with greater responsibility to create and/or share some of the goal scoring burden will be key to determining Nani's fantasy stock. In the Yahoo game, he's quite cheap at 8.42 million and should be watchlist material at the least.
The guy to have: Wayne Rooney. No longer playing second fiddle to Ronaldo, United is officially Wayne Rooney's team. In the last couple of seasons, Rooney had to be sacrificed some by playing down the flank as a two-way winger of sorts, in deference to Ronaldo. The logic is that Rooney in a central role will up his goal count and it seems that Fergie will make it a point to keep Rooney up top as much as possible. The caveat here - and I think some United fans will concur - is that Wazza isn't a true center forward that specializes in one role, but rather an attacking player who can be unpredictable because of where he likes to be on the pitch whenever he feels it's best for the team at the time and from there, he can build up the attack. The other thing is, because it's Roo's side, he'd demand more support from his mates because he isn't like Ronaldo in the sense he does much of the work in going for goal, but rather there has to be a telepathic understanding in others to be aware of Rooney's tendencies and exploit any holes created in the opposition trying to react to Rooney's impulsive sense of being that "everywhere, anywhere" man. Theoretically, Rooney can score goals because he's in a true central role, but again, he isn't necessarily a true center forward with his all-around skill set. I don't see him being a 20-goal scorer for that reason, but I think he can play up to value with double-digit goals and some assists on the side. One thing I'll say is we haven't seen the best of Rooney yet, but rather in tastes of what he did for Everton, his Euro 2004 run, and his early United days playing with Ruud. At just 23, this could be the year where Rooney is indisputably recognized as a top 5 world-class quality player.
In fantasy terms: Dimitar Berbatov has looked quite sharp in the preseason and while he wasn't a hit among fans taking more of a shine to an all-action man like say, Carlos Tevez, he adds class with his ball retention, control, and a calculated knack for his next move. Methinks Berba was misunderstood in his first go-round at United and I think a full season under his belt of adapting in full to the United system, Berba will be more comfortable. I still prefer Rooney, even for a price hike..... The value alternative of the United strikers lies in either Danny Welbeck or Federico Macheda, but the intriguing forward here is Michael Owen. Sure, Owen isn't the speed burner he once was, but the fact remains he's a good finisher and an honest-to-goodness goal poacher that United haven't had since Ruud van Nistelrooy was the king of Old Trafford. He's a good complement to Rooney, as a guy who has to earn his bacon with a solid workrate, and finish the chances Rooney and others can create. Sure, one can cite Owen's horrid luck with injuries, but Fergie has the right mindset in using him in a role that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had, that is, to start every other game at most and come off the subs bench. In this fashion, Owen can still see 10-15 goals off his boot and with the outstanding service United have, it's feasible. The only concern I have is, he's had a tendency to miss his fair share of sitters (like he did at Newcastle), but nonetheless he's a small gamble who can reap big-time rewards for Fergie and for fantasy managers investing a price tag akin to what's spent on a second-tier striker..... I've always been a fan of Antonio Valencia because of his pace, passing ability, and his flexibility as a two-way winger. I'm curious to see if Valencia can sustain the number of tackles he made at Wigan, even if he has better support from the fullback. He's not a match-winner by any stretch, which does temper his fantasy stock quite a good bit in my book..... Defensively speaking, the go-to guy here is Nemanja Vidic. Outside of missing the start of the season, Vida was far and away, the top fantasy defender, but sticking with my personal credo here is never pay extra for clean sheets. However, Vidic is a threat to score on set pieces, which justifies his value some, but we're talking about something in the ballpark of like 4-6 goals..... Like I've said, keeping Rio healthy is key especially for Vida if the opposition have a pacey forward or two, but one can think that Jonny Evans is a more than suitable fill-in although he's too rich for my blood, at least in the Yahoo game (low 10's)..... The fullback picture can be murky and so, monitoring the status of fairly inexpensive defenders such as Wes Brown and John O'Shea is recommended. Like Evans, Rafael and Fabio da Silva are a bit on the expensive side, but Ritchie de Laet might have an outside shot at getting a run-out following an impressive display in a friendly against Valencia..... Either Ben Foster or Tomasz Kuszczak could be a wonderful goalkeeping bargain for the first two months or so in VDS' absence. Although Foster came up a bit hurt in the Community Shield, I think he's the favorite for the job otherwise.
Verdict: Selling Ronaldo is a big blow, but even if this is what you'd call a transition or rebuilding year, it doesn't feel as such. Neither Liverpool, Chelsea, nor Arsenal have vastly improved, which gives United more than a boxer's chance of winning an unprecedented fourth league in a row. The prevailing issue seems to be fitness, especially the fitness of Rio and Rooney because much is reliant on their success. Replacing Ronaldo's goals is still a tough ask when Rooney is the only match-winner on the side and much will depend on others picking up some of the goal scoring burden. That said, United have the positives of a strong defensive battery that can hold the fort if either Rio or Vidic is absent from the side. Given the lingering midfield questions and the void of Ronaldo unanswered, the title race will be very, very close with United on an even plane with their title rivals, but they still have the quality (and the drive) to win title #19.
Prediction: 1st (Champions)
Portsmouth
Last season: 14th
Players in: Antti Niemi (unattached) Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn, free), Steve Finnan (unattached), Frederic Piquionne (Lyon, loan)
Players out: Glen Johnson (Liverpool, £17m), Sean Davis (Bolton, free), Andre Blackman (Bristol City, free), Noe Pamarot (released), Lauren (released), Djimi Traore (Monaco, free), Glen Little (released), Jerome Thomas (released), Joe Collins (released), Peter Crouch (Tottenham, undisclosed)
Last we saw them: Pompey fans were on a high when their club won their first FA Cup since the 1930's and an automatic UEFA Cup berth, but nothing could prepare them for the precipitous downfall from then on. The rearguard, which was Portsmouth's bread and butter the last couple of years prior, was markedly more vulnerable than their reputation would peg them, and they eventually surrendered 57 goals by season's end. The departures of Harry Redknapp and star forward Jermain Defoe crippled the South Coast outfit and then, it was the sorry days of interim manager Tony Adams which opened the rude possibility of relegation. Paul Hart succeeded the former Arsenal skipper and he righted the ship, resulting in a sigh of relief from the Pompey faithful that their club's league survival was secured. With the uncertainty hanging the club's finances and a new ownership regime, Pompey are likely to stare at another relegation battle.
I know what you did this Summer: The inevitable Fratton Park fire sale resulted in the sales of their two best remaining players, fullback Glen Johnson and striker Peter Crouch, as they trimmed off more fat off the roster. In terms of players coming in, Steve Finnan and Aaron Mokoena are Premier League veterans who add some defensive depth, if only that they serve the purpose of putting bodies out on the pitch.
Popping the question: Key signings before it's too late. Now that Pompey have been sold to Arabian billionaire Sulaiman Al Fahim, there's at least some organizational stability in terms of ownership and stewardship of the club. Wiping the slate clean with the books has been most important, but given the needs of the current squad (i.e. a decent striker, a creative midfielder), a few signings might have to be made to secure a top-flight place and the timing of which will be vital in procuring useful talents.
The guy to watch: Niko Kranjcar. Much will be relied on the Croatian midfielder, whose skill, technical vision, and tremendous right-footed shot can help Pompey stay afloat. He's likely to play in the hole behind the likes of John Utaka or Kanu, neither of whom inspire a great deal of faith, and it's up to Kranjcar to spot either with accurate throughballs. Could be a hidden fantasy gem yet again, granted that he avoid the injury bug.
The guy to have: Hermann Hreidarsson. The cheapest first-choice defender of the lot, Hreidarsson bagged two goals at the back in 21 games played, and if he stays healthy, he could be a diamond in the rough in fantasy again.
In fantasy terms: Oh lordy, for one thing, there isn't much imagination to the Pompey attack as it stands. Lads like Kanu, Utaka, and David Nugent figure to be the best attacking threats for Portsmouth as it stands and Nugent might have the best upside of the three to be something special, but his work seems to be on the wing. All put, Portsmouth could be one of those teams you'd love to pick up cheap defenders against for the possibility of a clean sheet at their expense.... Keep an eye on Nadir Belhadj again; not only is he playing as a winger, he's still listed as a defender in the Yahoo game, which increases his value some..... The Pompey rearguard would've been lost without its rock, Sylvain Distin, but it's still not sufficient reason to be sporting Distin at the back of your fantasy squad aside from the odd matchup..... Same goes for goalkeeper David James.
Verdict: Many are writing off Portsmouth for relegation and in fact, they're 4-to-1 favorites to take the drop, the same odds as Birmingham are given. The difference here is, with good timing and Fahim pledging to build for a future beyond next term, Pompey can undo the odds and beat the drop.
Prediction: 16th
Stoke City
Last season: 12th
Players in: Matthew Lund (Crewe, free), Ben Marshall (Crewe, free), Dean Whitehead (Sunderland, £3m)
Players out: Seyi George Olofinjana (Hull, £3m), Ben Marshall (Northampton, loan), Vincent Pericard (released), Tom Thorley (released), Jimmy Phillips (released) and Marc Grocott (released)
Last we saw them: They play boorish, primitive football but apparently if you're Tony Pulis, winning a relegation fight the first time around is to scrap it out in the cages with taut, park-the-bus type of football. Stoke were odds-on favorites to be relegated, but say what you will, the Britannia Stadium was a fortress last year with its vibrant atmosphere bordering upon lunacy, as Stoke wrapped up 35 of their 45 point total to separate themselves from the rest of the pack slogging it out for relegation. Even though the throw-in master Rory Delap was found out, the key midseason acquisition of James Beattie paid dividends, as Stoke finally had a proven league goal scorer in the latter half of the campaign.
I know what you did this Summer: Tony Pulis had been on a pursuit for another striker, ranging from Michael Owen to Dean Ashton, the latter being the most persistent target. Dean Whitehead is the headlining name to arrive to the Britannia this season.
Popping the question: Can Stoke get by without any real creative influence? Tony Pulis' Stoke side is mainly built on the tenets of an excellent work ethic, physical play, and ball pursuit. In short, this is a side that either will hold teams bitterly for a point or risk getting carved up with pace without any real creative response. Rory Delap's deadly throw-ins are Stoke's main source of creativity in the hopes of someone pouncing the ball in the box. Taking a punt on Dean Whitehead, who could be that on-the-ball midfield bridge between the likes of Beattie and Ricardo Fuller could prove to be a difference maker.
The guy to watch: Rory Delap. Seriously, his long throw-ins are crazy accurate. Other than that, his fantasy value leaves much to be desired.
The guy(s) to have: Abdoulaye Faye, Ryan Shawcross, Andy Wilkinson. It seems to be a good rule of thumb to follow in investing in a Stoke defender if and when Stoke are at home because it's at the Britannia where they tend to tighten up better. Faye, Shawcross, and Wilkinson offer something different from each other and at varying prices. Faye might come at a premium in your Yahoo league, but can be had for an excellent discount in the EPL game; he has a big frame, is good through the air, decent on the ground, and is the most important cog to the Stoke backline. Ryan Shawcross has been known to be a poacher for the odd goal and is paired up with Faye, but is also at some premium in the Yahoo game. The cheapest of the trio is Andy Wilkinson, who blossomed in a big way later in the season, and while he's the roughest along the edges, his penchant for the hard tackle makes him also valuable for leagues counting tackles and needless to say, he's a good bet for a clean sheet at home, especially when the opponent is of low-table caliber.
In fantasy terms: Like Faye/Shawcross/Wilkinson, play goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen at home. In the EPL game which allows for backup keepers, you can get a good battery between Sorensen and say, another low-cost option like Wigan's Chris Kirkland or Bolton's Jussi Jaaskelainen, and can get a similar aggregate point total to a top quality goalkeeper..... Stoke is not the best place to be seeking attacking players, but if you choose one, let it be Beattie; Fuller is a bit pacey, but isn't quite as good a pure finisher as Beattie.
Verdict: Assuming Stoke can keep up three-quarters of their solid home form with their rather dour brand of football, the Potters are capable of staying up. Taking advantage against opponents starved of attacking options or players who aren't quite fleet of foot at home was also key to last year's success and it's these matchups that will be enough to keep Stoke in the top flight.
Prediction: 15th
Sunderland
Last season: 16th
Players in: Darren Bent (Tottenham, undisclosed), Fraizer Campbell (Man Utd, £3.5m), Paulo da Silva (Toluca, undisclosed), Lorik Cana (Marseille, undisclosed)
Players out: Jamie Chandler (Darlington, loan), David Dowson (Darlington, loan), Jack Colback (Ipswich, loan), Martin Waghorn (Leicester, loan), Jean Yves Mvoto Owono (Southend, loan), Dwight Yorke (released), David Connolly (released), Arnau Riera (released), Nick Colgan (released), Darren Ward (retired), Peter Hartley (Hartlepool, free), Niall McArdle (released), Greg Halford (Wolves, undisclosed), Michael Chopra (Cardiff, undisclosed), Dean Whitehead (Stoke, £3m)
Last we left them: Successfully keeping Sunderland in the top flight, Roy Keane had ambitious plans for the Wearside club and perhaps those ambitions were nearing delusion, as he spent a massive layout of money on new signings which panned out to be dead money. A really uneven start led Keano to leave the roost last December, leaving interim manager Ricky Sbragia with an unexpected relegation fight. Sunderland could only manage a slight cushion as the relegation race wound down and it took until the season's curtain call to assure the Black Cats survival into the next term, while their fans celebrated their arch-rivals Newcastle being sent down.
I know what you did this Summer: It was an active offseason at the Stadium of Light, as Steve Bruce left his post at Wigan to manage Sunderland with a bigger transfer war chest to work with. No more Djibril Cisse at the club meant that Bruce would need to reinforce his side's strike force responsible for the lion's share of the Black Cats' goals albeit the fact the scoring came in a sputtering fashion. Bruce came to terms with Manchester United prospect forward Fraizer Campbell, who fared well with the England U-21's and has served loan stints to Tottenham and Hull. It took a great measure of patience for Stevie Bruce to get his man, Tottenham striker Darren Bent, who became excess to requirements at the Lane with the acquisition of Peter Crouch and a Twitter rant on Bent's part seemed to be the right elixir to get what should've been considered an inevitable deal through. Bruce also added a few combative central midfielders in the form of Marseille's Lorik Cana and most recently, he splashed 6 million quid to usher in another promising England U-21 Lee Cattermole, to much reluctance to Bruce's successor at Wigan, Roberto Martinez and the Wigan board. Last but not least, Sunderland added Paulo da Silva from Toluca to add a steely center back to a suspect rearguard.
Popping the question: Avoiding inconsistency. Roy Keane was a stickler for knocking out all signs of complacency to the tiniest smidgen, but instead, Sunderland resorted to underachieving, with increased pressure from the boss doing more harm than motivating in the end. The question is at the least half-answered with what Steve Bruce brings to the table: a refreshing vision, steeped in realism which has proven successful in getting role players to play beyond themselves and unfinished talents to play to their potential.
The guy to watch: Kieran Richardson. An unfinished product in his own right, one half of the former Manchester United winger's development was attributed to Roy Keane, but it's under Bruce's tutelage which can make Richardson a more than useful league player. With a better spine through the middle, this can give more incentive for Kieran Richardson to press the initiative in making good use of his pace and set piece ability to be a difference maker. In making this a side that's not reliant on any two players to score, Richardson will be relied on to be a secondary source for goals as well.
The guy to have: Kenwyne Jones. In an injury-shortened campaign, Kenwyne Jones still managed to crack double digit goals last season. His assist count was down from 07/08 when he notched 10 assists, but if he can forge a better partnership with Darren Bent than what it was when paired with Djibril Cisse, Jones could celebrate another career milestone. Here's a second-tier forward who might just make the egress from fairly good bargain into a fine one.
In fantasy terms: Darren Bent thrived when he was the focal point of Charlton Athletic's attack a few years ago and as a result, became the best first-half bargain striker, but keeping in form with Charlton's tendency to fade in the second halves of league seasons, so did he. That said, D-Bent is a first-choice striker yet again and like Jones, he could be a nice bargain..... With Cattermole and Cana entrenched into their ranks, one has to wonder if Sunderland could actually be a gold mine for cheap fantasy defenders. Keep in mind Paulo da Silva (assuming he adapts well), Nyron Nosworthy, George McCartney, and Phil Bardsley. Of course, keep an eye on Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon at the ultra-cheap price of 4.44 in the Yahoo game.
Verdict: The stars aligned well for Sunderland this Summer, as they have an ambitious owner in Ellis Short seeking a top 10 finish from the Black Cats and the manager to boot in Steve Bruce, who carried a Wigan side to a mid-table position on squeezing the best out of the players at his disposal. Bruce will not have to worry so much about the bigger fish in the league looking to poach on talent with the higher-ups playing for keeps, not to make a pretty profit on transfer fees. The signings have been made within reason and I'd say Bruce has the mentality suited to round his lads together for a markedly better finish.
Prediction: 9th
Tottenham Hotspur
Last season: 8th
Players in: Sebastien Bassong (Newcastle, undisclosed), Peter Crouch (Portsmouth, undisclosed), Kyle Naughton (Sheffield Utd, undisclosed), Kyle Walker (Sheffield Utd, undisclosed)
Players out: Darren Bent (Sunderland, undisclosed), Didier Zokora (Sevilla, undisclosed), Ricardo Rocha (released), Simon Dawkins (released), Kyle Fraser-Allen (released), Cian Hughton (released), Danny Hutchins (Yeovil, undisclosed), Jake Livermore (Derby, loan), Andros Townsend (Leyton Orient, loan), Adam Smith (Wycombe, loan), David Hutton (Cheltenham, free), Jacques Maghoma (released), Takura Mtandari (released), Kyle Walker (Sheffield Utd, loan), Chris Gunter (Nottingham Forest, £1.75m), Ben Alnwick (Norwich, loan), Gilberto (released), Troy Archibald-Henville (Exeter, loan), Kyle Walker (Sheff Utd, loan), Jonathan Obika (Yeovil, loan)
Last we left them: It was the same old song and dance for Spurs last term: escalating hype they would pip their bitter North London rivals, Arsenal, for the last Champions League place, only to be let down in a big way thanks to a mixture of an underachieving squad and frustrating tactics on the gaffer's part. Former Sevilla manager Juande Ramos wore out his welcome, a far cry from him leading Spurs to a famous Carling Cup victory over Chelsea, and eventually bowed out to Harry Redknapp. Tottenham were dawdling in the relegation zone, but it was that 4-4 draw at Arsenal that became the defining point of the season when Tottenham scored two last-gasp goals to bag a valuable point and a measure of confidence. Aside from a hiccup which left Spurs regressing back towards the threat of the drop, Tottenham would climb back up the league to a respectable 8th place. Once again the closest they came to silverware was the Carling Cup, which Manchester United were able to claim on penalties, in thwarting Spurs from winning the cup two seasons in a row.
I know what you did this Summer: Somehow you could swear monkeys run White Hart Lane, but Spurs' transfer dealings weren't quite in their control as there was a scarcity in signing a viable center back (one that can actually stay healthy). Surprise, surprise, another striker, Peter Crouch, was bought from Portsmouth which reunites Crouch with Redknapp and old teammate Jermain Defoe. This gives Spurs a four-man striker rotation of Crouch, Defoe, Robbie Keane, and Roman Pavlyuchenko. Being excess to requirements, Darren Bent was eventually sold to Sunderland. The other big signing, if you want to call it that, is the addition of Kyle Naughton, who adds a wrinkle to Spurs right back picture. Sebastian Bassong gives 'arry cover once the inevitable Ledley King knock occurs.
Popping the question: Striker controversy? The striker dilemma Redknapp has on his hands isn't too dissimilar to a couple of years back when Spurs had Berbatov, Keane, Defoe, and Bent to choose from; two of them happen to be prodigal sons of sorts (Keane and Defoe). The question is, who should be in the preferred starting partnership for most of the matches. With Defoe on a hot streak in preseason and for England, one would think he should be a shoo-in. To me, Crouch and Pavvy are a toss-up because they're somewhat similar or at least, they serve similar purposes. It's just that one is rather wasteful (Pavlyuchenko) and the other is more of a long-ball target man (Crouch). Where this leaves Keane, a forward who's best when he's cutting in, is also anyone's guess. Whatever the case, I reckon 'arry is just trying to stir up competition and/or wants to have the bases covered in options when adapting to the matchups.
The guy to watch: Luka Modric. It took a long while for Modric to settle into Premier League play and it was facilitated some by Redknapp's guidance. The hype about him being close to the next Johan Cruyff, of course, was ludicrous (though he has a facial likeness to Cruyff), but he adds the quality technical skills and vision as well as the flexibility to play either flank. Fully adapted to the English game, a breakout season could be in order for the Croatian winger.
The guy to have: Aaron Lennon. Emerging from the ashes of what was the crash of fantasy's biggest bust, David Bentley, Aaron Lennon earned his way onto the starting XI and then some with perhaps his most complete season in a Spurs kit, amassing five goals, four assists, and 21 shots on target. Both he and Modric figure to be quite a handful for opposing fullbacks next year and Lennon could as well improve upon a banner year.
In fantasy terms: If you're an eternal optimist in David Bentley bouncing back from a horrid first year at the Lane, then you might take inspiration in Bentley having a better preseason than some Spurs fans are willing to give him credit for. His passing and crossing accuracy was mostly a big-time miss last year, but with greater competition and his name dropping a bit down on the depth chart, he might just able to squeeze himself onto the pitch more..... The rearguard once again looks wonky and again, it depends on Ledley King's health and effectiveness. Otherwise, between him and Jonathan Woodgate, there's a bit of a soft spot in the Spurs backline again. Only play Heurelho Gomes or a Spurs defender if the matchup looks favorable for now. The good news is with Wilson Palacios in the middle, Tottenham won't be as leaky as they've proven to be prior to Palacios' arrival.
Verdict: Like Man City, predicting Spurs is much like playing craps. The talent is there, but they would need to be stave away from their tendency of being consistently inconsistent and Redknapp will have to keep his four-man striker rotation in good spirits, on the side. I reckon if Harry Redknapp can bring in a quality center back and another central midfielder, Spurs have a solid shot at a top six place, but for now, I'd say they're still a ways away from genuinely contending for a Champions League spot. The one upper hand Spurs have, after all, over Everton and Aston Villa is a bigger budget and a greater willingness to use it for reinforcements.
Prediction: 7th
West Ham United
Last season: 9th
Players in: Jack Lampe (Harlow Town, free), Peter Kurucz (FC Ujpest, undisclosed), Herita Ilunga (Toulouse, undisclosed), Luis Jimenez (Inter Milan, loan), Frank Noble (Chelsea, undisclosed), Fabio Daprela (Grasshoppers, undisclosed)
Players out: Kyle Reid (West Ham to Sheffield Utd, free), Diego Tristan (released), Lee Bowyer (Birmingham, free), Walter Lopez (released), Tony Stokes (released), Jimmy Walker (released), Lucas Neill (released), Freddie Sears (Crystal Palace, loan), Joe Widdowson (Grimsby, free)
Last we left them: The beginning of the 08/09 term was quite the unstable one at Upton Park, bordering on a train wreck it seemed. Manager Alan Curbishley left rather abruptly a few games into the new term, West Ham's shirt sponsor XL Holidays had gone into administration, and financial uncertainty loomed over the Boleyn Ground. It took a while for the new gaffer, former Chelsea cult hero Gianfranco Zola and his right-hand man Steve Clarke to turn things around at West Ham, but eventually they did, at one time being the best in-form team in the country aside from Manchester United. Indeed, it was a case of all's well that ends well as the Hammers finished 9th, a fine placement given.
I know what you did this Summer: The only big profile signing the Hammers was made really wasn't a signing but a loan deal which brings Inter Milan midfielder Luis Jimenez over to Upton Park, a lad who can possibly add some much-needed goals from the midfield. With Zola thin operating on a paper-thin budget, West Ham will have to rely mostly on the youth system and loan deals to see them through.
Popping the question: Can West Ham continue to make do? West Ham's run from mediocre to respectable attacking football was impressive, just as much as their run was up the table, given that injuries also threatened to derail the side. However, Zola can breathe a bit easier getting the likes of Kieron Dyer, Scott Parker, and Daniel Gabbidon back ready for the new campaign, but of course, with little in the way to do with quality signings down the pipe, West Ham will also be dependent on Zola and Clarke's steady hands to keep the Hammers upward and onward.
The guy to watch: Savio Nsereko. Brought on at the January transfer window, Savio is a German U-20 international who played his football for Brescia and late last season, he chipped in with a few good assists. Zola is bullish on the lad breaking out in a big way, but yours truly remains a bit skeptical as he's feasibly still in the transition stage of keeping up with the pace and physicality of English football. Whatever the case, the Hammers need someone to relieve the goal scoring burden from Carlton Cole and it seems Savio, not Dean Ashton, that will get first crack. Plus, Savio can be had for an ultra-svelte price of 3.6 million in Yahoo and he might be a valuable placeholder should you want to invest top-heavy funds elsewhere on your fantasy squad.
The guy to have: Carlton Cole. One of the minor miracles Zola performed last year was to make the former Chelsea prospect a striker to be reckoned with... well, at least, on paper with the 10 goals and 5 assists bagged in 25 appearances. Cole won't be mistaken for a clinical striker, by any stretch, but with much of the Hammers goal scoring burden resting on his shoulders, he's the Hammers top option.
In fantasy terms: The former Norwich man Dean Ashton could help stomach some of that goal scoring burden but his fitness and effectiveness figure to be a sizable question mark..... Center back Matthew Upson is a Man City target should their bids for Everton's Joleon Lescott continue to fall by the wayside, which could spell for some instability at the back and it can mean for an adventurous time for the venerable West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green.
Verdict: I don't believe West Ham to be as safe as a mid-table bet as some of the pundits make them out to be, even though I'd say they surely should finish mid-table at best and at worst. Zola might be East London's version of David Moyes if he can keep the Hammers sniffing Europa League football.
Prediction: 10th
Wigan Athletic
Last season: 11th
Players in: Jordi Gomez (Espanyol, undisclosed), Hendry Thomas (Deportivo Olimpia, undisclosed), Jason Scotland (Swansea, £2m) , James McCarthy (Hamilton, £1.2m), Scott Sinclair (Chelsea, loan)
Players out: Antonio Valencia (Man Utd, undisclosed), Lewis Montrose (Wycombe, free), Henri Camara (released), Lewis Field (released), Matt Hampson (released), Craig Mahon (released), Andrew Pearson (released), Antoine Sibierski (released)
Last we left them: Wigan were one of the feel-good stories of the first half, as on-loan Egyptian striker Amr Zaki initially torched Premier League defenses in what seemed to be a rousing season for the Egyptian international. The Latics' first-half success had only risen the stocks of the midfield trio of Wilson Palacios, Lee Cattermole, and Antonio Valencia while Steve Bruce was hailed for the tremendous management job he was pulling off at the then-named JJB Stadium. Once Bruce agreed to a fee on the sale of Palacios to Spurs, Wigan's defensive record waned a bit as the Latics slid a bit and finished at the tops of the bottom half of the Premiership table. The latter half of the season was marred by the ugly quarrel between the once-AWOL Zaki and Steve Bruce, which led to his loan expiring and Zaki's return to Egypt's El Zamalek.
I know what you did last Summer: Turnover was aplenty in Wigan, as even the stadium was renamed from the JJB to the DW Stadium. Predictably, Antonio Valencia was transferred to Manchester United for approximately 16-17 million pounds while the club also trimmed the fat in letting the likes of Henri Camara and Antoine Sibierski go. Wigan did well in replacing Steve Bruce's void with young Spanish manager, Roberto Martinez, who guided Welsh club Swansea City to promotion in the Championship. Martinez didn't come to Wigan alone, as he brought with him Swansea star striker Jason Scotland, who bagged 29 goals in helping Swansea's promotion and signed on-loan central midfielder Jordi Gomez to a permanent deal with Espanyol. Some would argue that the prized plum signing of the lot was the capture of Irish midfielder, James McCarthy, who won the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year last year with Hamilton Academical.
Popping the question: Is Roberto Martinez ready for top flight football? The Spaniard's short resume is quite impressive, sure, given the team he left behind at Swansea and one he was a key figure in putting together. Then again, some made the same claim about then newly minted gaffer Paul Ince at Blackburn last term, determining how he made Milton Keynes Dons into the Manchester United of the lower leagues. The good news is, Martinez has had a keen eye on building a team competitive for the future within the constraints of Wigan's budget, but it's also a matter of seeing whether the likes of Scotland and Gomez, who enjoyed success in the Championship can translate that success into the Premier League.
The guy to watch: Jason Scotland. James McCarthy may have the highest ceiling of the new signings, but the one that figures to make the immediate impact in terms of this year, could be striker Jason Scotland, who bagged 45 goals in 90 career appearances for Swansea. At age 30, the Trinidad and Tobago man doesn't have a world of marginal upside to offer and he might have some troubles in acclimating to the Premier League.
The guy to have: Jordi Gomez. Having made the rounds in the Barcelona and Espanyol youth systems, Jordi Gomez is a playmaking central midfielder who plays in behind the forward(s) and can also vie for set pieces. The 24 year-old Gomez bagged 14 goals for the Swans last term and seemed to have built a report with fellow Spaniard, Roberto Martinez there. Creative, skillful, and can play in a host of attacking positions, he might be the next best thing after crowd favorite Antonio Valencia.
In fantasy terms: Another name to keep track of is striker Hugo Rodallega, another under-the-radar signing Steve Bruce made who had shown certain flashes of brilliance last season. If Martinez opts to play one striker, Rodallega could have the inside track over Scotland for said position..... There's a question over the fantasy viability of the Wigan backline now that with one half of their midfield steel Lee Cattermole having moved on to Sunderland, but regardless, right-back Maynor Figueroa is a fine value for the money and provides the dimension of either pitching in with a goal or assist. Goalkeeper Chris Kirkland makes for another cheap matchup-intensive play behind the sticks.
Verdict: Losing Lee Cattermole was a sizable blow, which probably knocks them down a peg or two in my predictions table. Wigan are an intriguing side to watch where under Steve Bruce, the Latics played industrious football, but under Roberto Martinez comes the spark of a few upside-laden youngsters making a name for themselves and the promise of the stylish, attacking football witnessed at Swansea. Martinez has surely brought the sexy to Wigan, if you want to call it that. However, the question marks over the immediate quality of the new buys, the voids left behind by Palacios, Cattermole, Valencia, and Emile Heskey and the gaffer himself add a quirk to Wigan's bid in encroaching to the top 10.
Prediction: 14th
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Last season: 1st (Championship)
Players in: Ronald Zubar (Marseille, undisclosed), Kevin Doyle (Reading, undisclosed), Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, free), Greg Halford (Sunderland, undisclosed), Andrew Surman (Southampton, undisclosed), Nenad Milijas (Red Star Belgrade, undisclosed)
Players out: Lewis Gobern (released), Alex Melbourne (released), Matt Bailey (released), Stephen Gleeson (MK Dons, undisclosed), Darren Potter (Sheff Wed, undisclosed)
Last we left them: Wolverhampton stormed out of the gates at the beginning of last year's Championship campaign with wonderful attacking football and while they struggled for a stretch at the start of the second half, Mick McCarthy's lads ended the season with just one loss to their name and outright promotion to the top flight for the first time since the 2003/04 season.
I know what you did this Summer: Mick McCarthy had a relatively busy Summer in focusing his side for Premier League survival by obtaining American keeper Marcus Hahnemann and veteran striker Kevin Doyle from Reading. The big signing to gloss over is Red Star Belgrade attacking midfielder Nenad Milijas, who might just be a budding star in the making.
Popping the question: Are Wolves this year's West Brom? With the kind of fashionable attacking football Wolves have played, one can't help but wonder if Mick McCarthy makes like Tony Mowbray did in his regime at West Brom and stubbornly hold dear to implementing all-out attacking football at the risk of leaving his side's rearguard exposed. McCarthy has something to prove, following an unsuccessful stint with Sunderland a few years back which led to the Black Cats' relegation and a certain Roy Keane bouncing them right back up to the top flight.
The guy(s) to watch: Nenad Milijas and Michael Kightly. Wolves have two exciting attacking midfielders in their ranks. One is the new boy, Nenad Milijas who figures to play in the hole behind Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Kevin Doyle and granted that holding midfielder Karl Henry gives Milijas ample protection, the Serbian midfielder has carte blanche to get forward and press the initiative. Milijas can add goals and a creative influence through the middle as well as some proficiency in dead ball situations. The other is Michael Kightly, a flying winger who scored eight goals and a bundle of assists last season. Kightly is derailed some by a metatarsal injury which will keep him out for the start of the season. In any case, both Milijas and Kightly are worth taking a look at for a relatively inexpensive price and in fact, I just happen to have Milijas stashed on two of my fantasy teams, as well as this next bloke...
The guy to have: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. The former Manchester United prospect has developed into one of the better U-21 target men in the country, having won the Championship's Golden Boot in 2007-08 with 23 goals and last term with 25 goals. Ebanks-Blake could very well be the difference maker in whether or not Wolves stay up and in fantasy as well, as a host of fantasy owners have drooled over the lad's scoring pedigree.
In fantasy terms: Out of the three promoted sides, Wolves arguably has the best fantasy options in attack, but what can be said about their defense? For starters, McCarthy's side lacks a quality center-half, a target for Wolves' next signing, no doubt. The one to keep an eye on here is on-loan defender Michael Mancienne from Chelsea and could be fairly useful.
Verdict: The goals will be harder to come by, compared to the rate they flowed in the Championship and understandably so. What will be of interest is how Wolves fare the first several fixtures, some of them being winnable games or matches where they have a fair shot at getting points in. It remains to be seen how McCarthy adapts in averting a West Brom predicament to his team and true, Wolves don't have experience in the top flight, but they have a young, talented team and depending on where they are in the table, they could have a good base from which to draw solid midseason signings from. It'll be an uphill climb, no doubt, for Wolves, and for the neutral's perspective, for all that's lovely and holy, it would be nice to see the beautiful attacking side stay up in the end.
Prediction: 17th
Phew, so there we have it: a detailed tour around the league looking for fantasy gold and of course in previewing the Premier League clubs' fates. Stay tuned for the first Diving in the Box on Friday and until then, keep your clothes on...
-Ray
Great Write Up. Must have taken you forever. Lookin forward to the start of the season.
Ryan
Ha, thanks. Glad you liked it.
Yeah, it took an hour or so the last four days to put it together. Wanted to do it a few weeks earlier, but just got tied up.