A new season in the Barclay's English Premier League gets underway this coming weekend as teams will begin to find out if they did enough this off-season to crack the top four and ultimately win the league title.
Fresh off of their first Premier League title in four seasons, Chelsea looks to regain it's footing atop of the league and capture another title. While it's a game that does not count toward the final standings, Chelsea did not look good in their Community Shield match against Manchester United on Sunday as they took a 3-1 thrashing from the Red Devils.
While Chelsea will almost certainly be in the race for the title all season long, what other clubs will push them for the league along with the FA Cup and the coveted top four spots for Champions League?
Every year we hear 'This is Arsenal's year!' It seems the always youthful side constantly wants us to believe that one of these years they will finally rise up and compete for the league title all the way to the end of the season. For Arsenal, they must manage now the effects of the Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona courtings. It is clear that Barcelona wants Fabregas and Fabregas likewise. However, Cesc has made it clear that he is focused at Arsenal. Will that remain the same throughout the 2010-11 campaign?
Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, it's another season where the club just has not done enough to fill in the gaps. Gallas and Silvestre have both departed leaving question marks in the back line, evidenced in their recent friendly. This team will need to have a killer offense. Wenger continues to refuse to sign big names over his youth, and once again Arsenal will not be playing for the title this season...
...After failing to win last season's league title on the final day of the season, Manchester United will look to get back to their winning ways that captured the three previous championships. United did not make a big splash in the summer market, but the addition of Javier Hernandez looked good in their pre-season campaign and he should be able to step in when needed. United also had one of the best defenses in the league last season despite being riddled with injuries. With the backs returning to the field, if the team can stay relatively healthy it will go a long way to their race back to the top of the table...
...After being knocked out of the top four Liverpool are determined to get back into their spot near the top. One step in the right direction for Liverpool was hanging on to Fernando Torres who seemed certain to leave. Torres decided to stay with the club. Unfortunately for Liverpool Torres had an awful World Cup which ended with a terrible injury.
Roy Hodgson has stepped in as the new manager for the club and he can't do any worse than Benitez did last season. Hodgson will count on Torres and Gerrard to continue to produce while Ryan Babel and newly acquired Joe Cole will be asked to step up and help propel the team forward...
...After all these years, Tottenham finally gave some reason to be taken seriously at the end of last season. The Spurs went on an unreal tear through league play toward the end of last season to eject Liverpool from the top four and hold Manchester City off to finally earn a chance to play in Champions League this year.
Tottenham still have not made any big signings in the transfer window and are looking to continue to rely on their youth this season. Last season was impressive for the Spurs, but the lack of adding any players to bolster the squad thus far shows the club is not thinking long term. If they don't add something now or possibly during the winter window, Tottenham could be looking at one and done in the top four...
...If you only listened to Manchester City fans you may actually believe that City has a legitimate shot to win the title this year. City has gone berserk in the off-season, sparing no expense in improving their club to reach the top four and stay in the race for a title. The additions have been impressive to say the least. The question of whether Mancini can actually manage that talent and deliver is yet to be seen. While finishing in a Champions League spot at the end of this season would be nice, after all of these moves and the improvement last season, there would be no good excuses in Manchester for City not to be competing for the league title at the end of the month...
2010-11 Campaign Predictions
EPL Champion: Manchester United
Runner-Up: Chelsea
3rd: Liverpool
4th: Arsenal
FA Cup: Manchester United
Carling Cup: Manchester City
Player of the Year: Wayne Rooney
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