The Premier League season is fast approaching.
As the teams desperately try to add new faces before the transfer window shuts, let’s take a glance at which big names look set to struggle and which mid-table sides have outside European ambitions.
Manchester United Will Struggle To Retain Title
The aura that surrounded United is diminished following the resignation of Sir Alex Ferguson, and their squad, in particular the midfield, is in need of an overhaul.
Wingers Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia and Nani endured difficult campaigns last year as Robin van Persie consistently got the champions out of trouble.
Manchester City have strengthened this summer whilst Chelsea welcome back the Special One, so United look a touch light ahead of the new season with Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs all creeping closer to retirement.
With Wayne Rooney’s future far from certain, United’s squad doesn’t look capable of competing with Chelsea and City for the Premier League crown. Obviously if they go and splash out on Cristiano Ronaldo or Cesc Fabregas, as Manchester United legend Denis Irwin suggested in his column in the Sunday World (via ESPN), the picture completely changes though.
David Moyes will be hoping to prove the doubters wrong by getting United’s season off to the perfect start, but their opening three fixtures sees a home match against Chelsea sandwiched between visits to Swansea and Liverpool—three games they could conceivably lose.
Arsenal's Top Four Run To End
The final weeks of the transfer window will have a massive bearing on this prediction’s credibility, but as it stands, Manchester United and Arsenal have failed to improve their sides.
Arsenal’s weaknesses were exposed against Galatasaray in the Emirates Cup on Sunday, where they looked blunt—barely creating anything of note—before succumbing to two late goals from the familiar face of Didier Drogba. They boast an incredible record of 16 consecutive Champions League qualifications, but this might be the one it all comes to an end.
Gunners fans are getting restless over their side’s lack of activity in the transfer market, and Arsenal need to make a couple of signings to give them a shot at ending their long wait for a trophy. Olivier Giroud showed promise up front as last season wore on, but a more reliable goalscorer would make them a real force.
Six or seven sides realistically harbour ambitions of earning a top four spot, with Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton the outsiders for Champions League qualification.
Gareth Bale’s increasingly likely departure to Real Madrid, as reported by the Daily Mirror, would make Spurs’ challenge trickier, but they’ve spent well in the summer, bringing in Paulinho, Nacer Chadli and Roberto Soldado, and any sale of their star player would bring in funds to strengthen further.
If Liverpool lose Luis Suarez to Arsenal then their hopes of a top-four spot would surely end, while Everton remain an unknown under Roberto Martinez and are hard to gauge at this stage.
Swansea City, Southampton and West Brom to Push For Europe
Four years ago Southampton were in administration and languishing in League One. Now they look set to push further up the Premier League table after finishing 14th on their return.
Question marks were raised over the sacking of Nigel Adkins, but new boss Mauricio Pochettino has installed an attacking philosophy that kept them clear of danger last season.
New signing Victor Wanyama will help shore up the Saints midfield, and, if Rickie Lambert finds his scoring touch, they will shoot up the table.
Swansea City are already preparing for life in the Europa League after earnng a spot from their League Cup triumph last season, but they have a real chance of qualifying through their league performances this year.
In Michael Laudrup they have a manager who is destined to be in the dugout of a major European club, and he has bought wisely again, with Wilfried Bony in particular looking lively in preseason. A partnership of Bony and Michu has the potential to cause havoc in even the league’s stingiest defences.
Steve Clarke is also building an impressive side at West Brom. He has recruited Nicolas Anelka, following the loss of Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea, to score the goals to propel them towards the Europa League.
While the Frenchman probably won’t stay for more than a season, given his fancy for moving clubs, he shouldn’t have a problem finding the net this campaign. Goran Popov and Diego Lugano are the other acquisitions and will provide a solid platform for the Baggies.
Any prospect of European football for these sides will improve dramatically if the FA Cup and League Cup are claimed by sides in the top four, thus sending their European spots to the sides that finish sixth and seventh in the Premier League.