Premier League Preview 1-5

The Chaaaaaampionsssssssss
The crem de la crem. This is the top of world footballing. The top of this league is better than any other league in the world. All 5 teams in this group are made up of International superstars, and could compete with the best that any country could possibly offer.

5. Arsenal (Prediction: 65 Points)
I'm sorry Arsenal fans. I know those of you out there really believe that Wenger is a God amongst men, and that he can turn pennies into Premiership titles. But, let's be honest with each other here. Losing Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini is a massive blow to this club. They were two of the tougher players on a club that has already been labeled as soft. Still, they have a terrific spine on this club. Almunia is a quality keeper, with Gallas in front of him, Fabregas and Nasri controlling the midfield, and a lethal striker in Emmanuel Adebayor. I just think that the other teams in the big four, and Spurs, have all improved themselves beyond Arsenal. Last season when I wrote a preview for Arsenal, I said the Young Gunners would need another year to improve. They went on a tear, staying on top of the League through the first half of the season. But winning this league is about depth of talent, and physical strength to get through the overbearing schedule, and cold winter months. I think Arsenal takes a step back this season, because Samir Nasri, little Zidane or not, will need a year to acclimate himself from Ligue Un, to the Premiership. Whether fans of the club will admit it or not, Emirates Stadium forces them to become sellers instead of buyers. And you cannot win this league unless you are buying quality talent.
Arsenal open their first six at home against West Brom, at Fulham, and then home for Newcastle. September stays easy for the Gunners, as they go up to Blackburn, to Bolton, and then home for Hull. Arsenal have a good chance at going 100% in their first six, will help give them a boost that can carry them into Christmas. When the weather gets a little colder, and the games get a little tougher, look for Arsenal to fold up like a cheap suit.

4. Tottenham Hotspur (Prediction: 71 Points)
Oh my, Juande Ramos, that is some club you have put together. Luka Modric, Giovanni Dos Santos, AND David Bentley? Wait, and they dumped off Paul Robinson? The loss of Robbie Keane will hurt them no doubt, but keeping Dimitar Berbatov is absolutely pivotal for this club. Juande Ramos is unquestionably one of the best managers in the game today, his experience speaks for itself. I think he will be able to coax Berbatov into staying at Spurs, at least until January. At that point, Ramos can let him be on his way and bring someone in his stead. Make no mistake, this team is for real, and their firepower cannot be denied. They just came back from a 5-0 thrashing of AS Roma, AT Roma. If Ledley King and Johnathan Woodgate can stay healthy, and that is a large IF, they should be fine in the back. If they can finally finish this Arshavin deal (At time of writing, Zenit St. Petersburg has just lowered their demands, so I would assume by Monday he will be with Spurs), that will give them the finishing touches on a Champions League season.
Spurs' schedule is a little bit on the up and down side. Tough game, easy game, and that could be tricky for a club that wasn't well managed, but I think Ramos knows what he's looking at how to succeed in a league table. They open the season at Middlesbrough, than come home for a match against Sunderland. After that Spurs travel to the Bridge to take on Chelsea, and look for many goals to be scored in that game. September proves to be a tricky month for Ramos's boys, with matches at home against Villa, and Wigan, and then at Portsmouth. There are a lot of traps littered in that series of games, but if Spurs can come out with 13 points, they can start talking big four. Anything less, and Arsenal shoots too far in front of them, and that could be the end of Champions League dreams before they even start.

3. Liverpool (Prediction: 75 Points)
Do I have to write about them? Is it even necessary? They're going to finish third, make it to the Semi's of the Champions League, ownership will fight, Rafa will cry, end of story. In all seriousness though, 20 million for Robbie Keane? For a manager crying that he doesn't have enough money to spend, a 45 million pound strike force seems like an awful lot. I don't think Keane is worth 20 million, and I don't think Gareth Barry is worth 18 million, but Rafa will do what Rafa wants to do. Dossena and Deegan are supposed to be Rafa's answer to completing his back four, and I think between them he will find the player he is looking for at left back. There isn't enough firepower on this club to keep up with Chelsea and Manchester United, which is what the Scousers want this season. They've been saying since last November that it's League Title or bust for Benitez & Co. We'll see if they really mean it and fire Rafa when they finish third again. At the end of the day Liverpool are better than a lot of clubs out there, but they just don't have the horses to compete with Chelsea and United. As long as Gilette and Hicks are in control at Anfield, there will be a feud over spending, and that cannot exist for a team looking to become the best in England.
The Liverpudlians open their season at Sunderland, than come home for Middlesbrough, and go on the road to Villa in what will be a massive, massive match. It's going to be a good bloody fight, and I can't wait to see guys go flying everywhere. Liverpool follow that up with a home match against a weakened United, and a match against Stoke City. They close out September with the Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park. Liverpool have an opportunity to come out with 100% points, but they should be pleased with 12 or 13 points. It's a tricker schedule than it looks with the derby, United, and Villa all scattered about there.

2. Manchester United (Prediction: 83 Points)

Call me biased, go ahead. It's too hard to win three in a row. Ask Chelsea. No matter if people believe it or not, that hunger dissapates. After doing the double last season, and the Ronaldo situation over the last two months, I just don't believe they will be able to mount an effort to recapture the Winners' Medal. They didn't make many changes to the club, a few reserve players exchanged here and there. The difference between United and other clubs though, they don't need to make changes. Far be it for me to tell Fergie how to do his job, the man makes Red Auerbach look like Rick Adelman. If they do manage to sneak Berbatov from Spurs however, this outlook may have to change. I can't imagine a line of Tevez, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov, and Nani coming at opposing keepers. It sends shivers down my spine just writing it out. Look for Nani to take his first steps towards World Player of the Year. United squeaked the title away on the final day of last season, this season I just don't see them being able to keep up with Chelsea.
They are going to open the season with a sick Wayne Rooney, and an injured Ronaldo, so Fergie will probably be looking to just hold the fort over while his team returns to 100%. When you take a look at their first six matches, you understand why. They start at home for Newcastle, and then travel down to Portsmouth. Newcastle haven't won at Old Trafford since the 1970's, I'm not joking. United follow that with an easy three-pointer at home against Fulham. Then they travel to Anfield to play Liverpool and to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea in consecutive weeks. That is bad news for the Red Devils. Usually the big four just swap points with each other, and end up pretty similar in point totals between the four of them. If a weakened United goes to Liverpool and Chelsea, Fergie could be in a lot of trouble in September. This is the same guy who once said, "You can't win the League in September, but you can most certainly lose it." Fergie has a real test in front of him.

1. Chelsea (Prediction: 90 Points)
I have debated this decision for a week now. There is no bias going into it whatsoever. I had United in first for the first few days, and then I switched it to Chelsea. There is logic behind it, though, not just fanhood. Last season Chelsea dealt with a lot of turmoil in the club. The departure of Jose Mourinho left a gaping hole in the club, and the appointment of Avram Grant was one of the largest dropoffs in the history of knowledge ever. To put it into perspective for sports fans, we had Bill Bellichick and we were demoted to a poor man's Steve Spurrier. The biggest thing Avram ever won was the Israeli FA Cup. Not quite Champions League material. There was also the African Cup of Nations last season, a tournament in the middle of the schedule where Chelsea lost some of their biggest starters for a month. With all that, Chelsea took United to the last match of the season before losing out. Chelsea also went to the Champions League Final, and again went down to penalties before the tournament was decided. Add in Luis Felipe Scolari, aka winner of the 2002 World Cup, and add Bosingwa and Deco, and I think Chelsea are the most complete team from top to bottom in the Premier League. Still, I wasn't ready to announce Chelsea as champions. Then they locked up Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, and it looks like they are pretty close to stealing Robinho from Madrid. The only problem facing Chelsea is that they may have too many players. But this is not an argument that really works in football, people get hurt all the time, and depth is the key to winning the title. Bosingwa locks up a terrific back four, finally solving the right fullback problem that has haunted Chelsea for the last few years. Deco becomes the playmaker in midfield linking the back to the front, and Lampard and Ballack are free to roam a little further forward. Assuming Essien takes over the role that Claude Makelele played so well for so long, as the defensive holding midfielder, and Robinho and Drogba run rampant in the front, I don't think anybody can beat this team when they are in form. If Robinho doesn't come through, look for Scolari to play Drogba alone up front, and add Joe Cole to the mix in the midfield.
Chelsea open the season at home for Portsmouth on Sunday, than travel up to Wigan in the following week. They close August by having Spurs over by the Bridge, in a game that may have 10 goals scored in it. In September, Chelsea goes to Manchester, but to play City, and then come home to take on United in what will be a big game. They close out their first 6 by going out to play Stoke. Look for Chelsea to bag about 16 points out of their first 18. Anything less, and I am wrong about everything I just said.

Thanks for reading the preview guys. I'll be here all season posting Premier League information, and I will cover a little more on some of the other leagues in Europe as well. I hope you enjoyed it, it killed me, I'm probably going to take a few days off now. Enjoy the football, and keep riding the pine!