Right, last week I did my predictions for the leagues, but this week we get a bit more serious with the rankings of each Premier League team from top to bottom. Let's get straight into it.
1 - Manchester City
The best team in the league didn't improve much, but the addition of Riyad Mahrez will certainly help as Pep's team tries to juggle four competitions.
2 - Liverpool
Klopp's men have strengthened in areas which desperately needed it (GK and CM), and the fact that the board have invested in players who won't just come in and sit on the bench, but automatically slide into the first XI, shows their intent to push on for the title following last season's CL success, even with a midfield of Henderson, Wijnaldum and Oxlade-Chamberlain.
3 - Arsenal
Starting a season without Arsene Wenger for the first time in my memory could mean anything, but the way Arsenal's strike force of Aubameyang and Lacazette finished last season, plus the addition of a few class signings in Leno, Sokratis, and Torreira could be exactly what the faithful at the Emirates need to bump themselves back above Spurs.
4 - Tottenham
Pochettino hasn't made any moves in the transfer market at all, but the strength of the squad he possesses could be all they need to finish in the Top 4. Personally, I think that the lack of movement in the window will be detrimental, but the quality already in the squad will be enough to finish in the middle of the pack as far as the Top 6 are concerned.
5 - Chelsea
Maurizio Sarri has come in and tried to shake up the Chelsea squad in the short amount of time he's been in charge. The additions of Matteo Kovacic on loan from Real Madrid, and Jorginho from his old side Napoli have added to N'Golo Kanté's dynamism in a way which should see Morata, Hazard and Giroud given more clear cut chances in front of goal. The addition of Kepa in goal could be a steal as well, even at £72m.
6 - Manchester United
Jose Mourinho is a polarising figure at the best of times, but some of his antics during preseason have turned people against him. That said, Mourinho's side should be good enough to finish at least this high this season. Mourinho's teams always know how to defend, it's just a case of making the most of the attacking talent at his disposal.
7 - West Ham
So far, 7th has been the most difficult team to predict, which isn't surprising. The choice of West Ham, though, isn't one of bias. The additions to the squad have been in all the right areas, and the arrival of manager Manuel Pellegrini has meant that West Ham is now a place that top class players now want to play their football. The team will be dangerous going forward with the likes of Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson, but the real steal of the window could be Fabian Balbuena at just £3.5m.
8 - Leicester City
Quietly, Leicester have gone about their business, making additions in all the necessary areas to take the team back to challenging for Europe once more. Pereira in defence, as well as James Maddison to add some creativity in midfield are just some of the signings that could catapult the Foxes back towards the big time after their 2015/16 success.
9 - Everton
Marco Silva's first summer as Everton manager ended with a flurry of activity, signing Andre Gomes, Bernard, Yerry Mina, and Kurt Happy Zouma. The worry is that the the manager's insistence on spending £50m on Richarlison will have inhibited the number of quality additions available elsewhere within the squad, and that players like Gomes and Bernard become as revered in the blue half of Merseyside as Davy Klaasen - that is to say, not at all.
10 - Wolves
Just sneaking into the top half are Wolves, who, following the intervention of Kanye West, have become the landing spot for just about every Portuguese footballer not named Ronaldo. That said, just one look at their summer window shows why they've been put this high. Rui Patricio in goal, Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho alongside Leander Dendoncker in midfield, and Adama Traore playing further forward with the creativity of Diogo Jota, gives Wolves an enviable spine that should see them comfortable by March in their first season back in the Premier League.
11 - Fulham
The second of the promoted teams, Fulham's only real weak spot following a very impressive transfer window, is the goalkeeper. Bettinelli doesn't fill me with confidence in the same way that Rui Patricio does, and had they added someone closer to the quality of the Wolves 'keeper, I might have had them finishing 10th. As it is, though, Fulham fall just short of a top half finish.
12 - Newcastle United
Rafa Benitez's squad hasn't been helped by the ownership of Mike Ashley, whose constant neglect of investment in the transfer window has left the club stagnant. Getting £27m for Aleksandar Mitrovic was a fantastic piece of business considering his track record in the Premier League, but the failure to reinvest that money in a centre-back or a potent striker of their own (outside of Rondon), has meant that Newcastle will be unlikely to push for a top half finish this year, but the leadership and skills of Benitez will be enough to see them finish comfortably mid-table.
13 - Burnley
Burnley, despite having three goalkeepers who have played for England in the last two years, I think will struggle this season, especially if they make the Europa League group stage. Dyche's style of play will ensure safety, especially with the squad at his disposal playing the same way they did last season.
14 - Crystal Palace
Originally, Palace weren't going to be quite this high, but the best piece of business they've managed all summer has been keeping hold of Wilfried Zaha. Of course the additions of Meyer and Kouyate have helped with squad depth, but I don't think either of them will be waltzing into Hodgson's first choice XI any time soon.
15 - Bournemouth
Eddie Howe's men, like Palace ahead of them, haven't made any barnstorming signings, but their Premier League know-how will keep them in the league another season. The development of Lewis Cook is a big reason for the departure of Harry Arter, and the strides taken by Ryan Fraser last season should see him become a key cog in the Eddie Howe wheel. The strike force of Wilson, Mousset, Defoe and King won't strike fear into the hearts of many opposing defenders, but this is a small team with a small budget who will do enough to stay up.
16 - Brighton
Brighton's second season in the Premier League will likely see as many downs as ups, but there's little doubt in my mind that there are at least three teams worse than the Seagulls. Iranian forward Alireza Jahanbakhsh impressed at the World Cup under Carlos Queiroz, and opposite Jose Izquierdo, should be able to cause opposition fullbacks all sorts of problems, and if Glenn Murray can replicate his form from last season, then the fans at the AMEX are in for a treat.
17 - Watford
Having made the decision to sack Marco Silva and replace him with Javi Gracia last season, the Hornets struggled mightily. Now, having lost one of their creative outlets to Everton in Richarlison, they will need the likes of Will Hughes to step up. Gerard Deulofeu blows hot and cold, so we don't know what to expect of him, and the rest of the strike force has been unimpressive since about March.
18 - Huddersfield
David Wagner's team haven't made a great deal of inspiring signings this summer, although Terence Kongolo will rejoin the club following his loan spell last season in an attempt to tighten up a defence that at times struggled last year. The lack of signings further forward is a worry, though, with Ramadan Sobhi being the most dangerous of them, which counters the departure of Thomas Ince, who once again will be lighting up the Championship before being a huge damp squib in the Premier League again.
19 - Southampton
To say that the decision to stick with Mark Hughes was uninspiring is a huge understatement. Last season, Southampton looked weak, and the fact that Guido Carrillo (their record signing) has gone out on loan already hardly fills you with confidence, although if Danny Ings can finally fulfil his promise, then the Saints may be in with a shout of staying up.
20 - Cardiff City
Neil Warnock might have a shot at staying up, but the strength of the Premier League this season is such that I don't think his track record will be good enough to keep his team from going straight back down, although the singing of Bobby Reid from Bristol City could be enough to bring some excitement to an otherwise bland team.
No comments:
Post a Comment