The "Freeola Customer Forum" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Who will win the premiership this season? Who will be relegated? Below is some information on each premiership team and where I think they'll finish.
1st – Man United
Man United are one of the best teams in the world and they have proved this by winning the premiership the last 3 seasons in a row. If they win it again this year, it will be the first time a team has won the top division 4 times in a row. This would be a great achievement for the club, and the manager, Alex Ferguson, as this is his final year as the Man United manager.
Man United have also won the F.A. Cup and the European Cup, over the past few years and they have also got some of the best players in the world, including David Beckham, Juan Veron and Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
Man United’s best players are definitely the following, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Juan Veron, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Fabien Barthez. All of these players would be considered in a world squad, in my opinion, and some of them would get in. Apart from Barthez, all of the other players are midfielders or strikers and this shows that Man United have the players to destroy some of their opposition, in front of goal, but they have been conceding quite a few this season and this is where there seems to be a problem.
Alex Ferguson is one of the best managers in the world and he has shown this by winning so much with Man United over the past decade. He will be remembered by so many at Man United after he quits at the end of the season and he will surely be a man who will never be forgotten for what he has done to United.
2nd – Liverpool
Liverpool are one of the favourites to win the premiership this season, having won 3 cup competitions last season, plus 2 trophies already this season. That’s 5 in the space of about 7 months, which is simply amazing.
Last season, they won the F.A. Cup, the Worthington Cup and the UEFA Cup and so far this season, they have won the Charity Shield, beating Man United 2-1, and they recently defeated Bayern Munich in the European Super Cup, 3-2. This has shown the world what they are capable of and many think that they are now the team who can compete with Man United throughout the season for the premiership title.
Liverpool have got a lot of decent players and quite a few world-class players. I reckon that their best players are definitely Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Dieter Hamann, Gary McAllister, Sami Hyypia, Steven Gerrard and Markus Babble. These players will help Liverpool in their bid this season to win the premiership, as well as have a good run in the Champions League and try to win that.
Liverpool’s manager, Gerard Houllier, has got to be one of the best in England at the moment, after winning 5 trophies with them, in the space of about 7 months. He has shown what he can do and he will be hoping that he can lead his team to the premiership title this season, as well as winning the Champions League.
3rd – Arsenal
Arsenal are a very good team and are capable of winning the premiership, although I think they will need to put in a lot of effort this season in order to. Arsenal have got a lot of excellent players in their squad and they have a large enough squad to compete against Man United and Liverpool this season.
In my opinion, Arsenal’s best players are Patrick Viera, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Sol Campbell, Martin Keown and Giavanni Van Bronkhurst. All of these players can be considered to be one of the best in the premiership, in their positions and I think that these players will need to perform throughout the season for Arsenal in order for them to do well.
Arsenal have also got a very good manager in Arsene Wenger but he has yet to sign a new deal with the Gunners and many think that he will leave Arsenal soon to become the manager of France. He has a lot of experience and I think that a good team needs a manager with this skill. Hopefully for Arsenal, he will sign a new deal with the club soon.
4th – Chelsea
Chelsea have got one of the best squads in the premiership, but they never seem to be able to finish top of the premiership and usually finish around 4th-5th. They have got some excellent players, as well as a good manager, but the problem with Chelsea is that many people don’t like the fact that most of the Chelsea players are foreign and not many are English.
I reckon that Chelsea’s best players are Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Emmanuel Petit, Gianfranco Zola, Zenden and Frank Lampard. All of these players play in midfield or upfront so as you can see, Chelsea are capable of scoring a lot of goals.
The problem with Chelsea is that they usually play really well against the likes of Man United and Liverpool, but they seem to struggle against the lower sides. If they could win more of their games against the lower teams, then they would do so much better in the premiership and have more of a chance of winning it.
Chelsea’s manager is very experienced and knows what he wants from his players. He has said that if they don’t perform, then he will drop them, including the big stars.
5th – Leeds United
Leeds United are another team who I think will finish in the top 5 this season and they should be able to perform better in the premiership this season, compared to last season, as they are not in the Champions League this season and so they will not have to worry about any champions League matches.
Leeds United have got a lot of young talented players and this summer, they have not bought any big signings and so the players who played last season for them, are playing again this season and so they will all be familiar with one another and know how each other plays. Young players like Bowyer, Kewell, Ferdinand, Smith, Robinson, Harte and Woodgate are all great young payers who can become even better over the next few seasons.
I reckon that their best players are probably most of the youngsters I have just mentioned, plus Viduka, Martyn and Robbie Keane. All of these players can help Leeds have a good season.
Leeds United’s manager, David O’Leary, has shown that he is a great manager, since becoming their manager, a few seasons ago. He has signed some great players and helped improve some of the young ones to make them even better. He will be hoping that this season is the one where he can try and make Leeds win the premiership, although it will be hard.
6th – Sunderland
Sunderland have shown over the past 2 years that they are capable of getting into Europe via the premiership as they have finished 7th both times. This season, they will be hoping to improve on their recent positioning and try to finish in the top 6. This is an aim that I reckon they can easily achieve, if the players work their best every time they play because Sunderland have got quite a lot of good players.
I reckon that Sunderland’s best player is Kevin Philips as he is a great goal scorer and he is a team player. He is a player who I think should be given a chance in the England squad and I reckon that it should be soon. Other good players in the team include Michael Gray, Thomas Sorensen, Bernt Haas, Emerson Thome and Gavin McCann.
Sunderland’s manager, Peter Reid, has been the manager of the club for quite a few years now and he is one who can get the best out of his players, most of the time. He has seen Sunderland finish 7th in the last 2 seasons and he knows that they can improve on that.
The Stadium of Light is truly a magnificent stadium and probably one of the best in England. The capacity is also one of the largest in England and you can always expect a near full capacity when Sunderland play there.
The latest news about Sunderland is that they have sold Don Hutchinson to West Ham for 5 million pounds. This is a great signing for West Ham, but bad news for Sunderland as he was one of their best players. But he wanted to move back to London and so Sunderland had to let him go.
7th – Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspurs would not be said by many to be one of the best teams in England, but as a supporter, I reckon they are, although they still need to do quite a lot of work. They never seem to finish in the top 6, which is what most people would say they were, a top 6 side. Tottenham have got a good manager and some good players, so all they need to do is show that they are a good team.
I reckon that Tottenham’s best players are as follows:
Sergei Rebrov – He is a small skilful player and can also score some good goals. He needs to start shooting more often so that he can score more for Tottenham and help them start winning things.
Teddy Sheringham – He was voted player of the season, last season, because of his great finishing and all-round play. He was No. 1 striker at Man United for the majority of last season, which says a lot about the 35 year old.
Darren Anderton – Although he is nicknamed ‘sick note’ as he always seems to be injured, Anderton is a great player and he has been at Tottenham for quite a few seasons now. He is a player that Tottenham need in their side and so hopefully he won’t be injured much this season.
Gustavo Poyet – Poyet signed for Tottenham in the summer from Chelsea in a 1.5 million pound deal. Although he is 33, he is a very experienced player and was had been one of Chelsea’s best players over the past few seasons. He is an attacking player who likes to get forward and score goals.
Stephen Carr – He is not only one of the best right backs in the premiership, but many would consider him to be one of the best in the world. He has not only got pace and skill, but he is a good tackler and he will always use all of his strength when tackling. He has scored some excellent goals for Tottenham over the past few years and I can see him becoming a Tottenham great.
Neil Sullivan – He was player of the season last season, for Tottenham after his great performances in matches. He kept quite a few clean sheets and he always gave his best. It was his first season as a Tottenham player after his free transfer move from Wimbledon.
Glenn Hoddle is a Tottenham legend and I think he is the man that can help Tottenham get back to being one of the best clubs in England.
I really love Tottenham’s stadium, White Hart Lane. I have been there quite a lot of times and have always admired the atmosphere around the ground. Although it is only a 36,000 capacity stadium, you can always expect the stadium to be at least 90-95% full.
One thing Tottenham definitely need to do is they need to buy a defender to replace Sol Campbell after he joined Arsenal in the summer on a free transfer. This was shocking news for many fans, as they would never have expected Campbell to join archrivals Arsenal. Anyway, he is a great player and Tottenham need to find someone who can do what Campbell did for them.
8th – Newcastle
Newcastle United have not shown what they are capable of over the past few seasons and they are a side very much like Tottenham. They have got quite a few good players and they are known as a top premiership club, but they never seem to finish in the top 6-7.
Newcastle’s best players are Alan Shearer, who has just recovered form an injury that has kept him out of football for a long time, Kieran Dyer, currently injured but a young talented player, Gary Speed, Nolberto Solano, Robbie Elliot and Lauren Robert, who recently signed for them for 10 million pounds. Once Newcastle have got all of their best players fit and laying together, they should be able to stay in the top half of the premiership throughout the season.
Newcastle’s manager, Bobby Robson, may be one of the oldest managers in England, but his experience and knowledge of football have made him well known across the world. The fact that he has also managed the likes of Barcelona and England, says a lot about him. I think that he is a great manager and will have a good season with Newcastle this season.
9th – Fulham
Last season, Fulham won the Division 1 title by a lot of points and many people said that they would have a good season in the premiership. This season is the first time Fulham have been in the premiership.
Fulham have made quite a few excellent signings this summer and they have shown that they want to compete at the top. Some of their signings include Edwin Van Der Sar, Sylvain Legwinski and their latest signing is Steve Marlet, from Lyon, for 11.5 million pounds. Fulham want to win things and they have proven that they want to by signing these quality players.
I reckon that their best players would have to be their 3 signings that I have just mentioned, plus Louis Saha and Andy Melville. I really admire Saha and I think that he can score a lot of goals this season and help Fulham do well.
Fulham’s manager is one of the best in the premiership as he has got a lot of experience and he has worked with quite a lot of quality players. Jean Tigana used to be the manager of France, and he is someone who will want to make his team one of the best, which is why he is trying to sign quality players.
10th – Ipswich
Last season, Ipswich surprised many people as they finished 5th in the premiership, even though they had been said to be one of the favourites for the drop, at the beginning of the season. They had an excellent season and got themselves into Europe, which wouldn’t have been their aim at the start of the season.
Ipswich have got some decent players in their squad and they have signed a really good player this summer in George Finidi. Some of their other decent players include Marcus Stewart, who scored a lot of goals for Ipswich last season and helped them secure a place in Europe, Hermann Hreidarsson, Matt Holland and Chris Makin. Ipswich will be hoping that these players perform well in all of their matches this season, especially in Europe.
George Burley has shown what he can do with the club as manager, even though it has taken some time for him to do it. He was voted manager of the season last season, because of what he did with Ipswich, and he even did better than Gerrard Houlier, who won 3-cup competitions with Liverpool. (The F.A Cup, the Worthington Cup and the UEFA Cup)
11th – Aston Villa
Aston Villa are in my opinion, a good team with some good players in the squad, but what they have achieved over the past decade is basically, not a lot. They have not won many trophies at all and they never seem to be up there year after year, in the top lot of the premiership.
In my opinion, Aston Villa's best players are Paul Merson and David Ginola. Both these players can win matches for the club and they can turn things around. They are both midfielders and their skills are very good. Both players are also in their 30's, but I think they still have quite a few seasons left. The manager, other players and supporters have recently criticised David Ginola, although the manager seems to be starting to get on Ginola's side as he was telling fans to lay off him. I honestly don't know why he isn't in their first team but that is just me. Paul Merson is probably their best player and he showed that last year with an outstanding season.
John Gregory is not the right man for the managerial role at Villa but that is something I believe and that is something people will just have to deal with. I don't rate him as a manager and the way he treats Ginola is disgraceful.
12th – Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers were promoted from Division 1 last season, into the premiership and I think that they will have a good season. I don’t think they will be relegated although they could find themselves battling it out with other low teams for safety, but I reckon that their team is too good and better than others to go down.
In my opinion, Blackburn’s best players are David Dunn, Damien Duff and Nathan Blake. All of these players can score goals and Blackburn will be hoping that these players score enough goals to help keep them in the premiership. There are some other decent players in their squad, but I feel that these 3 are the best. David Dunn is currently injured and it has been said that he will be out for about 5-6 weeks. This is a huge loss for Blackburn but the fact that it has happened at the beginning of the season, rather than the end, is probably better. Blackburn will just have to hope that their other decent players can perform every game and make sure that when Dunn gets back from injury, they won’t be in a position where the players will have to work even harder.
Blackburn’s manager, Graham Souness, is a very good manager and one that can help Blackburn do well this season. He has got quite a bit of experience and knows the game well. He is also a manager that will not put up with poor performances by his players and so if they don’t perform, they could find themselves on the bench or not even in the squad.
13th – Everton
Everton have got off to a really good start this season, having played 3, won 2 and drawn the other, which they probably should have actually won.
They have beaten both Charlton, 2-1 away, and Middlesborough, 2-0 at home, but they were disappointed to only draw 1-1 with Tottenham at home, seeing as Tottenham were reduced to 9 men with 25 minutes to go. Everton have shown in their first few matches that they are capable of doing better in the premiership that what they have been doing recently.
Everton have got quite a few decent players in their squad and they are capable of doing better than what they have done over the past few seasons. I reckon their best players are Duncan Ferguson, Kevin Campbell, Nicholas Alexanderson and Paul Gerrard.
Everton’s manager, Walter Smith, is one who is capable of winning things with clubs, which he did when he was in charge of Rangers, but he has yet to win anything with Everton since becoming their manager, although he has shown signs of improvement for the club. He is quite experienced and if he can keep his best players fit, Everton should have a good season.
14th – Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic have not got that many decent players in their squad, although some of their players are quite impressive and I think they can help Charlton have a fairly good season.
I reckon that Charlton’s best players are Jonatan Johansson, Claus Jensen, Richard Rufus and Mark Kinsella. These players have all got a lot of talent and can help Charlton have a good season.
Charlton’s manager, Alan Curbishly is quite a good manager, but he has been at the club for quite a while now and although he got them back into the premiership a few season ago when they raced away with the Division 1 title, he hasn’t done that much for them in the premiership.
I have never been to Charlton’s stadium, but I have been told that it is quite a nice stadium and one that they would go back to again, if their favourite team were playing them.
I think that they are a premiership team and they won’t really need to worry about relegation, but they need to start performing better in some of their games and try and get higher up the league.
15th – Middlesborough
Middlesborough are another team who have got quite a few decent players, but they have got off to a bad start this season and new manager, Steve McClaren will need to try and get the team some points in order for them to get themselves up the table.
Middlesborough have made a few good signings in the summer, including Gareth Southgate who signed from Aston Villa for 6.6 million pounds. He is a great defender and one who can help Middlesborough concede less goals than what they have been recently over the past few seasons, but he needs a bit more time to settle in with his new team mates and learn how most of them play.
Other good players that Middlesborough have are Ugo Ehiogu, Paul Ince, Alen Boksic and Hamilton Ricard. These players will need to work hard this season so that Middlesborough don’t have to worry about relegation.
Steve McClaren was appointed their new manager in the summer and although he has not got off to the best start with the team, I think he will turn things around and help Middlesborough have an OK season. He has had a lot of help as he used to be Man United’s No. 2 and so he would have learned a lot from Alex Ferguson which will definitely help him and the way he manages the side.
16th – West Ham
Over the past few years, West Ham have been finishing quite high in the premiership and they have shown people that they are a premiership team. But, last season saw them sell Rio Ferdinand to Leeds United in an 18 million pound deal, and then Harry Redknapp quit as the manager and Frank Lampard Senior also left. In the summer, quite a few of the players were saying that they were also going to leave West Ham after they appointed Glen Roader as the new manager and some of the players weren’t happy that they hadn’t appointed a more well known manager.
The only other player to actually leave in the end was Frank Lampard Junior, as he was sold to Chelsea for about 10 million pounds. Stuart Pearce also left the Hammers to sign for Man City and link up with Kevin Keegan. Other players decided to stay. Although it was only Frank Lampard and Stuart Pearce who left in the summer, West Ham didn’t seem to look like a premiership team and they were said to be on of the favourites to be relegated this season.
They lost their opening game of the season, 2-1 to Liverpool, but they showed a lot of team spirit. They then drew their second game of the season 0-0 with Leeds United, which was a good result.
In my opinion, West Ham’s best players are Paulo Di Canio, David James, Trevor Sinclair, Frederic Kanoute, Michael Carrick and Joe Cole. The first 4 of these players are experienced and will help West Ham stay up this season. Carrick and Cole are young English stars and I reckon that they will become great footballers over the next few years.
Glen Roader is someone who I can’t see being the manager of West Ham for very long. I think he could be one of the first managers this season to be sacked or to quit their club. He does not have much experience, compared to other managers, but he has just made a good signing in Don Hutchinson. Apparently, West Ham have just signed Hutchinson for about 5 million pounds from Sunderland after he wanted to move back to London.
17th – Derby
Derby County have signed a very good player this summer in Ravenelli, but I honestly cannot see him making much difference to the side and I think that they will be relegated this season.
Derby have got quite a few good players in their squad, but I don’t think they have got enough to keep them in the premiership and they are one of the favourites to go down. They have also got a good manager in Jim Smith, but he doesn’t seem to be able to get Derby higher up the premiership.
I reckon that their best players are Ravenelli, who has already scored twice for them this season, and Malcolm Christie.
I reckon that in order for Derby to stay in the premiership, they either need to bring in a few decent players, or they need to get a new manager who can actually do something with the club.
I must say that I think Derby County’s stadium is very nice and one that should be visited by many football fans. It is a great sight and I think that if Derby could improve as a team, then they would be a better club.
18th – Southampton
I think Southampton will find it hard this season to stay in the premiership and I think that relegation is a possibility for the club. They have been in the top division for quite a long time now but this year could be the year that they are relegated.
Southampton have not really got any great players, although they have got a few good ones including Dean Richards, who has been a Tottenham target for a long time now, but he will be staying with Southampton. Other good players are Pahars, Paul Jones, Rory Delap and Matthew Oakley. As you can see, Southampton have not really got a well-known good player and this is why I think they will struggle this season.
They have already played 2 and lost both of them this season, scoring 0 and conceding 4.
Southampton’s manager, Stuart Gray, is not a known manager but he is one that will want to help Southampton do well as he has been with the club for quite a few years now. He is not a manger that I think can help Southampton stay in the premiership and sign big players that would make them better.
19th – Leicester City
Leicester City have got off to a very bad start to the season, having played 2, lost 2, scoring 0 goals and conceding an amazing 9. Leicester city lost on the opening day of the season to Bolton, 5-0 and they then lost to Arsenal, 4-0, last Saturday.
Leicester City’s best players are Muzzy Izzet, Matt Elliot, Dennis Wise and Darren Eadie. Other than Matt Elliot, I do not think the other players are as good as most of the best players at other clubs in the premiership and overall, Leicester City have not got a good enough squad to stay in the premiership. I think that they will be relegated this season and go back down to Division 1.
Leicester’s manager, Peter Taylor, is quite a good manager, but I don’t think he is a premiership manager. I think that he will be sacked by Leicester this season because he doesn’t seem to be able to get Leicester City into winning ways and Leicester could really do with some points at the moment, as well as goals, although they are only 2 games into the season.
20th – Bolton
Bolton Wanderers are a team that many think will finish bottom of the premier league and go straight back down to Division 1. They have not got the sort of money that many other premiership clubs have and so they are not a team that are able to make big signings that would help give them more chance of surviving in the big league. They have got quite a few good players in their squad and I think that if their best players can stay fit for the majority of the season, and perform at their best every time they play, then Bolton could surprise a few people and stay out of the relegation zone, come next May.
As I have said, Bolton have got a few good players in their squad, including Michael Ricketts, Per Frandsen and Gudni Bergsson. All 3 of these players can help Bolton do well this season in the premiership, as long as they stay fit and perform their best in every game they play. I think Michael Ricketts will finish Bolton’s leading goal scorer, as he is a good finisher and can frighten some defences with his strength. Per Frandsen is probably Bolton’s best player. He can score goals and help the rest of the team perform well. Gudni Bergsson is an experienced defender who is a good leader. He can encourage other players and I think he will be needed throughout the season at the heart of Bolton’s defence.
Bolton have got a really nice stadium as well as a good manager and I think these things are essential in a good team.
1st – Man United
Man United are one of the best teams in the world and they have proved this by winning the premiership the last 3 seasons in a row. If they win it again this year, it will be the first time a team has won the top division 4 times in a row. This would be a great achievement for the club, and the manager, Alex Ferguson, as this is his final year as the Man United manager.
Man United have also won the F.A. Cup and the European Cup, over the past few years and they have also got some of the best players in the world, including David Beckham, Juan Veron and Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
Man United’s best players are definitely the following, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Juan Veron, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Fabien Barthez. All of these players would be considered in a world squad, in my opinion, and some of them would get in. Apart from Barthez, all of the other players are midfielders or strikers and this shows that Man United have the players to destroy some of their opposition, in front of goal, but they have been conceding quite a few this season and this is where there seems to be a problem.
Alex Ferguson is one of the best managers in the world and he has shown this by winning so much with Man United over the past decade. He will be remembered by so many at Man United after he quits at the end of the season and he will surely be a man who will never be forgotten for what he has done to United.
2nd – Liverpool
Liverpool are one of the favourites to win the premiership this season, having won 3 cup competitions last season, plus 2 trophies already this season. That’s 5 in the space of about 7 months, which is simply amazing.
Last season, they won the F.A. Cup, the Worthington Cup and the UEFA Cup and so far this season, they have won the Charity Shield, beating Man United 2-1, and they recently defeated Bayern Munich in the European Super Cup, 3-2. This has shown the world what they are capable of and many think that they are now the team who can compete with Man United throughout the season for the premiership title.
Liverpool have got a lot of decent players and quite a few world-class players. I reckon that their best players are definitely Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Dieter Hamann, Gary McAllister, Sami Hyypia, Steven Gerrard and Markus Babble. These players will help Liverpool in their bid this season to win the premiership, as well as have a good run in the Champions League and try to win that.
Liverpool’s manager, Gerard Houllier, has got to be one of the best in England at the moment, after winning 5 trophies with them, in the space of about 7 months. He has shown what he can do and he will be hoping that he can lead his team to the premiership title this season, as well as winning the Champions League.
3rd – Arsenal
Arsenal are a very good team and are capable of winning the premiership, although I think they will need to put in a lot of effort this season in order to. Arsenal have got a lot of excellent players in their squad and they have a large enough squad to compete against Man United and Liverpool this season.
In my opinion, Arsenal’s best players are Patrick Viera, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Sol Campbell, Martin Keown and Giavanni Van Bronkhurst. All of these players can be considered to be one of the best in the premiership, in their positions and I think that these players will need to perform throughout the season for Arsenal in order for them to do well.
Arsenal have also got a very good manager in Arsene Wenger but he has yet to sign a new deal with the Gunners and many think that he will leave Arsenal soon to become the manager of France. He has a lot of experience and I think that a good team needs a manager with this skill. Hopefully for Arsenal, he will sign a new deal with the club soon.
4th – Chelsea
Chelsea have got one of the best squads in the premiership, but they never seem to be able to finish top of the premiership and usually finish around 4th-5th. They have got some excellent players, as well as a good manager, but the problem with Chelsea is that many people don’t like the fact that most of the Chelsea players are foreign and not many are English.
I reckon that Chelsea’s best players are Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Emmanuel Petit, Gianfranco Zola, Zenden and Frank Lampard. All of these players play in midfield or upfront so as you can see, Chelsea are capable of scoring a lot of goals.
The problem with Chelsea is that they usually play really well against the likes of Man United and Liverpool, but they seem to struggle against the lower sides. If they could win more of their games against the lower teams, then they would do so much better in the premiership and have more of a chance of winning it.
Chelsea’s manager is very experienced and knows what he wants from his players. He has said that if they don’t perform, then he will drop them, including the big stars.
5th – Leeds United
Leeds United are another team who I think will finish in the top 5 this season and they should be able to perform better in the premiership this season, compared to last season, as they are not in the Champions League this season and so they will not have to worry about any champions League matches.
Leeds United have got a lot of young talented players and this summer, they have not bought any big signings and so the players who played last season for them, are playing again this season and so they will all be familiar with one another and know how each other plays. Young players like Bowyer, Kewell, Ferdinand, Smith, Robinson, Harte and Woodgate are all great young payers who can become even better over the next few seasons.
I reckon that their best players are probably most of the youngsters I have just mentioned, plus Viduka, Martyn and Robbie Keane. All of these players can help Leeds have a good season.
Leeds United’s manager, David O’Leary, has shown that he is a great manager, since becoming their manager, a few seasons ago. He has signed some great players and helped improve some of the young ones to make them even better. He will be hoping that this season is the one where he can try and make Leeds win the premiership, although it will be hard.
6th – Sunderland
Sunderland have shown over the past 2 years that they are capable of getting into Europe via the premiership as they have finished 7th both times. This season, they will be hoping to improve on their recent positioning and try to finish in the top 6. This is an aim that I reckon they can easily achieve, if the players work their best every time they play because Sunderland have got quite a lot of good players.
I reckon that Sunderland’s best player is Kevin Philips as he is a great goal scorer and he is a team player. He is a player who I think should be given a chance in the England squad and I reckon that it should be soon. Other good players in the team include Michael Gray, Thomas Sorensen, Bernt Haas, Emerson Thome and Gavin McCann.
Sunderland’s manager, Peter Reid, has been the manager of the club for quite a few years now and he is one who can get the best out of his players, most of the time. He has seen Sunderland finish 7th in the last 2 seasons and he knows that they can improve on that.
The Stadium of Light is truly a magnificent stadium and probably one of the best in England. The capacity is also one of the largest in England and you can always expect a near full capacity when Sunderland play there.
The latest news about Sunderland is that they have sold Don Hutchinson to West Ham for 5 million pounds. This is a great signing for West Ham, but bad news for Sunderland as he was one of their best players. But he wanted to move back to London and so Sunderland had to let him go.
7th – Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspurs would not be said by many to be one of the best teams in England, but as a supporter, I reckon they are, although they still need to do quite a lot of work. They never seem to finish in the top 6, which is what most people would say they were, a top 6 side. Tottenham have got a good manager and some good players, so all they need to do is show that they are a good team.
I reckon that Tottenham’s best players are as follows:
Sergei Rebrov – He is a small skilful player and can also score some good goals. He needs to start shooting more often so that he can score more for Tottenham and help them start winning things.
Teddy Sheringham – He was voted player of the season, last season, because of his great finishing and all-round play. He was No. 1 striker at Man United for the majority of last season, which says a lot about the 35 year old.
Darren Anderton – Although he is nicknamed ‘sick note’ as he always seems to be injured, Anderton is a great player and he has been at Tottenham for quite a few seasons now. He is a player that Tottenham need in their side and so hopefully he won’t be injured much this season.
Gustavo Poyet – Poyet signed for Tottenham in the summer from Chelsea in a 1.5 million pound deal. Although he is 33, he is a very experienced player and was had been one of Chelsea’s best players over the past few seasons. He is an attacking player who likes to get forward and score goals.
Stephen Carr – He is not only one of the best right backs in the premiership, but many would consider him to be one of the best in the world. He has not only got pace and skill, but he is a good tackler and he will always use all of his strength when tackling. He has scored some excellent goals for Tottenham over the past few years and I can see him becoming a Tottenham great.
Neil Sullivan – He was player of the season last season, for Tottenham after his great performances in matches. He kept quite a few clean sheets and he always gave his best. It was his first season as a Tottenham player after his free transfer move from Wimbledon.
Glenn Hoddle is a Tottenham legend and I think he is the man that can help Tottenham get back to being one of the best clubs in England.
I really love Tottenham’s stadium, White Hart Lane. I have been there quite a lot of times and have always admired the atmosphere around the ground. Although it is only a 36,000 capacity stadium, you can always expect the stadium to be at least 90-95% full.
One thing Tottenham definitely need to do is they need to buy a defender to replace Sol Campbell after he joined Arsenal in the summer on a free transfer. This was shocking news for many fans, as they would never have expected Campbell to join archrivals Arsenal. Anyway, he is a great player and Tottenham need to find someone who can do what Campbell did for them.
8th – Newcastle
Newcastle United have not shown what they are capable of over the past few seasons and they are a side very much like Tottenham. They have got quite a few good players and they are known as a top premiership club, but they never seem to finish in the top 6-7.
Newcastle’s best players are Alan Shearer, who has just recovered form an injury that has kept him out of football for a long time, Kieran Dyer, currently injured but a young talented player, Gary Speed, Nolberto Solano, Robbie Elliot and Lauren Robert, who recently signed for them for 10 million pounds. Once Newcastle have got all of their best players fit and laying together, they should be able to stay in the top half of the premiership throughout the season.
Newcastle’s manager, Bobby Robson, may be one of the oldest managers in England, but his experience and knowledge of football have made him well known across the world. The fact that he has also managed the likes of Barcelona and England, says a lot about him. I think that he is a great manager and will have a good season with Newcastle this season.
9th – Fulham
Last season, Fulham won the Division 1 title by a lot of points and many people said that they would have a good season in the premiership. This season is the first time Fulham have been in the premiership.
Fulham have made quite a few excellent signings this summer and they have shown that they want to compete at the top. Some of their signings include Edwin Van Der Sar, Sylvain Legwinski and their latest signing is Steve Marlet, from Lyon, for 11.5 million pounds. Fulham want to win things and they have proven that they want to by signing these quality players.
I reckon that their best players would have to be their 3 signings that I have just mentioned, plus Louis Saha and Andy Melville. I really admire Saha and I think that he can score a lot of goals this season and help Fulham do well.
Fulham’s manager is one of the best in the premiership as he has got a lot of experience and he has worked with quite a lot of quality players. Jean Tigana used to be the manager of France, and he is someone who will want to make his team one of the best, which is why he is trying to sign quality players.
10th – Ipswich
Last season, Ipswich surprised many people as they finished 5th in the premiership, even though they had been said to be one of the favourites for the drop, at the beginning of the season. They had an excellent season and got themselves into Europe, which wouldn’t have been their aim at the start of the season.
Ipswich have got some decent players in their squad and they have signed a really good player this summer in George Finidi. Some of their other decent players include Marcus Stewart, who scored a lot of goals for Ipswich last season and helped them secure a place in Europe, Hermann Hreidarsson, Matt Holland and Chris Makin. Ipswich will be hoping that these players perform well in all of their matches this season, especially in Europe.
George Burley has shown what he can do with the club as manager, even though it has taken some time for him to do it. He was voted manager of the season last season, because of what he did with Ipswich, and he even did better than Gerrard Houlier, who won 3-cup competitions with Liverpool. (The F.A Cup, the Worthington Cup and the UEFA Cup)
11th – Aston Villa
Aston Villa are in my opinion, a good team with some good players in the squad, but what they have achieved over the past decade is basically, not a lot. They have not won many trophies at all and they never seem to be up there year after year, in the top lot of the premiership.
In my opinion, Aston Villa's best players are Paul Merson and David Ginola. Both these players can win matches for the club and they can turn things around. They are both midfielders and their skills are very good. Both players are also in their 30's, but I think they still have quite a few seasons left. The manager, other players and supporters have recently criticised David Ginola, although the manager seems to be starting to get on Ginola's side as he was telling fans to lay off him. I honestly don't know why he isn't in their first team but that is just me. Paul Merson is probably their best player and he showed that last year with an outstanding season.
John Gregory is not the right man for the managerial role at Villa but that is something I believe and that is something people will just have to deal with. I don't rate him as a manager and the way he treats Ginola is disgraceful.
12th – Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers were promoted from Division 1 last season, into the premiership and I think that they will have a good season. I don’t think they will be relegated although they could find themselves battling it out with other low teams for safety, but I reckon that their team is too good and better than others to go down.
In my opinion, Blackburn’s best players are David Dunn, Damien Duff and Nathan Blake. All of these players can score goals and Blackburn will be hoping that these players score enough goals to help keep them in the premiership. There are some other decent players in their squad, but I feel that these 3 are the best. David Dunn is currently injured and it has been said that he will be out for about 5-6 weeks. This is a huge loss for Blackburn but the fact that it has happened at the beginning of the season, rather than the end, is probably better. Blackburn will just have to hope that their other decent players can perform every game and make sure that when Dunn gets back from injury, they won’t be in a position where the players will have to work even harder.
Blackburn’s manager, Graham Souness, is a very good manager and one that can help Blackburn do well this season. He has got quite a bit of experience and knows the game well. He is also a manager that will not put up with poor performances by his players and so if they don’t perform, they could find themselves on the bench or not even in the squad.
13th – Everton
Everton have got off to a really good start this season, having played 3, won 2 and drawn the other, which they probably should have actually won.
They have beaten both Charlton, 2-1 away, and Middlesborough, 2-0 at home, but they were disappointed to only draw 1-1 with Tottenham at home, seeing as Tottenham were reduced to 9 men with 25 minutes to go. Everton have shown in their first few matches that they are capable of doing better in the premiership that what they have been doing recently.
Everton have got quite a few decent players in their squad and they are capable of doing better than what they have done over the past few seasons. I reckon their best players are Duncan Ferguson, Kevin Campbell, Nicholas Alexanderson and Paul Gerrard.
Everton’s manager, Walter Smith, is one who is capable of winning things with clubs, which he did when he was in charge of Rangers, but he has yet to win anything with Everton since becoming their manager, although he has shown signs of improvement for the club. He is quite experienced and if he can keep his best players fit, Everton should have a good season.
14th – Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic have not got that many decent players in their squad, although some of their players are quite impressive and I think they can help Charlton have a fairly good season.
I reckon that Charlton’s best players are Jonatan Johansson, Claus Jensen, Richard Rufus and Mark Kinsella. These players have all got a lot of talent and can help Charlton have a good season.
Charlton’s manager, Alan Curbishly is quite a good manager, but he has been at the club for quite a while now and although he got them back into the premiership a few season ago when they raced away with the Division 1 title, he hasn’t done that much for them in the premiership.
I have never been to Charlton’s stadium, but I have been told that it is quite a nice stadium and one that they would go back to again, if their favourite team were playing them.
I think that they are a premiership team and they won’t really need to worry about relegation, but they need to start performing better in some of their games and try and get higher up the league.
15th – Middlesborough
Middlesborough are another team who have got quite a few decent players, but they have got off to a bad start this season and new manager, Steve McClaren will need to try and get the team some points in order for them to get themselves up the table.
Middlesborough have made a few good signings in the summer, including Gareth Southgate who signed from Aston Villa for 6.6 million pounds. He is a great defender and one who can help Middlesborough concede less goals than what they have been recently over the past few seasons, but he needs a bit more time to settle in with his new team mates and learn how most of them play.
Other good players that Middlesborough have are Ugo Ehiogu, Paul Ince, Alen Boksic and Hamilton Ricard. These players will need to work hard this season so that Middlesborough don’t have to worry about relegation.
Steve McClaren was appointed their new manager in the summer and although he has not got off to the best start with the team, I think he will turn things around and help Middlesborough have an OK season. He has had a lot of help as he used to be Man United’s No. 2 and so he would have learned a lot from Alex Ferguson which will definitely help him and the way he manages the side.
16th – West Ham
Over the past few years, West Ham have been finishing quite high in the premiership and they have shown people that they are a premiership team. But, last season saw them sell Rio Ferdinand to Leeds United in an 18 million pound deal, and then Harry Redknapp quit as the manager and Frank Lampard Senior also left. In the summer, quite a few of the players were saying that they were also going to leave West Ham after they appointed Glen Roader as the new manager and some of the players weren’t happy that they hadn’t appointed a more well known manager.
The only other player to actually leave in the end was Frank Lampard Junior, as he was sold to Chelsea for about 10 million pounds. Stuart Pearce also left the Hammers to sign for Man City and link up with Kevin Keegan. Other players decided to stay. Although it was only Frank Lampard and Stuart Pearce who left in the summer, West Ham didn’t seem to look like a premiership team and they were said to be on of the favourites to be relegated this season.
They lost their opening game of the season, 2-1 to Liverpool, but they showed a lot of team spirit. They then drew their second game of the season 0-0 with Leeds United, which was a good result.
In my opinion, West Ham’s best players are Paulo Di Canio, David James, Trevor Sinclair, Frederic Kanoute, Michael Carrick and Joe Cole. The first 4 of these players are experienced and will help West Ham stay up this season. Carrick and Cole are young English stars and I reckon that they will become great footballers over the next few years.
Glen Roader is someone who I can’t see being the manager of West Ham for very long. I think he could be one of the first managers this season to be sacked or to quit their club. He does not have much experience, compared to other managers, but he has just made a good signing in Don Hutchinson. Apparently, West Ham have just signed Hutchinson for about 5 million pounds from Sunderland after he wanted to move back to London.
17th – Derby
Derby County have signed a very good player this summer in Ravenelli, but I honestly cannot see him making much difference to the side and I think that they will be relegated this season.
Derby have got quite a few good players in their squad, but I don’t think they have got enough to keep them in the premiership and they are one of the favourites to go down. They have also got a good manager in Jim Smith, but he doesn’t seem to be able to get Derby higher up the premiership.
I reckon that their best players are Ravenelli, who has already scored twice for them this season, and Malcolm Christie.
I reckon that in order for Derby to stay in the premiership, they either need to bring in a few decent players, or they need to get a new manager who can actually do something with the club.
I must say that I think Derby County’s stadium is very nice and one that should be visited by many football fans. It is a great sight and I think that if Derby could improve as a team, then they would be a better club.
18th – Southampton
I think Southampton will find it hard this season to stay in the premiership and I think that relegation is a possibility for the club. They have been in the top division for quite a long time now but this year could be the year that they are relegated.
Southampton have not really got any great players, although they have got a few good ones including Dean Richards, who has been a Tottenham target for a long time now, but he will be staying with Southampton. Other good players are Pahars, Paul Jones, Rory Delap and Matthew Oakley. As you can see, Southampton have not really got a well-known good player and this is why I think they will struggle this season.
They have already played 2 and lost both of them this season, scoring 0 and conceding 4.
Southampton’s manager, Stuart Gray, is not a known manager but he is one that will want to help Southampton do well as he has been with the club for quite a few years now. He is not a manger that I think can help Southampton stay in the premiership and sign big players that would make them better.
19th – Leicester City
Leicester City have got off to a very bad start to the season, having played 2, lost 2, scoring 0 goals and conceding an amazing 9. Leicester city lost on the opening day of the season to Bolton, 5-0 and they then lost to Arsenal, 4-0, last Saturday.
Leicester City’s best players are Muzzy Izzet, Matt Elliot, Dennis Wise and Darren Eadie. Other than Matt Elliot, I do not think the other players are as good as most of the best players at other clubs in the premiership and overall, Leicester City have not got a good enough squad to stay in the premiership. I think that they will be relegated this season and go back down to Division 1.
Leicester’s manager, Peter Taylor, is quite a good manager, but I don’t think he is a premiership manager. I think that he will be sacked by Leicester this season because he doesn’t seem to be able to get Leicester City into winning ways and Leicester could really do with some points at the moment, as well as goals, although they are only 2 games into the season.
20th – Bolton
Bolton Wanderers are a team that many think will finish bottom of the premier league and go straight back down to Division 1. They have not got the sort of money that many other premiership clubs have and so they are not a team that are able to make big signings that would help give them more chance of surviving in the big league. They have got quite a few good players in their squad and I think that if their best players can stay fit for the majority of the season, and perform at their best every time they play, then Bolton could surprise a few people and stay out of the relegation zone, come next May.
As I have said, Bolton have got a few good players in their squad, including Michael Ricketts, Per Frandsen and Gudni Bergsson. All 3 of these players can help Bolton do well this season in the premiership, as long as they stay fit and perform their best in every game they play. I think Michael Ricketts will finish Bolton’s leading goal scorer, as he is a good finisher and can frighten some defences with his strength. Per Frandsen is probably Bolton’s best player. He can score goals and help the rest of the team perform well. Gudni Bergsson is an experienced defender who is a good leader. He can encourage other players and I think he will be needed throughout the season at the heart of Bolton’s defence.
Bolton have got a really nice stadium as well as a good manager and I think these things are essential in a good team.
Top 3 should be:
1. Manchester United
2. Arsenal
3. Liverpool
Let's face it there's only 3 teams in the 'Premiership'. Personally I think we should replace the first two with Rangers and Celtic and shift Man Utd and the Gunners north of the border just to make things interesting for both countries.
1. Manchester United
2. Arsenal
3. Liverpool
Let's face it there's only 3 teams in the 'Premiership'. Personally I think we should replace the first two with Rangers and Celtic and shift Man Utd and the Gunners north of the border just to make things interesting for both countries.
You really think Bolton will finish bottom this year? they have won all thier games so far aint they? top of the league aint they?
Who will win the premiership this season? Who will be relegated? Below is some information on each premiership team and where I think they'll finish.
1st – Man United
Man United are one of the best teams in the world and they have proved this by winning the premiership the last 3 seasons in a row. If they win it again this year, it will be the first time a team has won the top division 4 times in a row. This would be a great achievement for the club, and the manager, Alex Ferguson, as this is his final year as the Man United manager.
Man United have also won the F.A. Cup and the European Cup, over the past few years and they have also got some of the best players in the world, including David Beckham, Juan Veron and Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
Man United’s best players are definitely the following, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Juan Veron, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Fabien Barthez. All of these players would be considered in a world squad, in my opinion, and some of them would get in. Apart from Barthez, all of the other players are midfielders or strikers and this shows that Man United have the players to destroy some of their opposition, in front of goal, but they have been conceding quite a few this season and this is where there seems to be a problem.
Alex Ferguson is one of the best managers in the world and he has shown this by winning so much with Man United over the past decade. He will be remembered by so many at Man United after he quits at the end of the season and he will surely be a man who will never be forgotten for what he has done to United.
2nd – Liverpool
Liverpool are one of the favourites to win the premiership this season, having won 3 cup competitions last season, plus 2 trophies already this season. That’s 5 in the space of about 7 months, which is simply amazing.
Last season, they won the F.A. Cup, the Worthington Cup and the UEFA Cup and so far this season, they have won the Charity Shield, beating Man United 2-1, and they recently defeated Bayern Munich in the European Super Cup, 3-2. This has shown the world what they are capable of and many think that they are now the team who can compete with Man United throughout the season for the premiership title.
Liverpool have got a lot of decent players and quite a few world-class players. I reckon that their best players are definitely Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Dieter Hamann, Gary McAllister, Sami Hyypia, Steven Gerrard and Markus Babble. These players will help Liverpool in their bid this season to win the premiership, as well as have a good run in the Champions League and try to win that.
Liverpool’s manager, Gerard Houllier, has got to be one of the best in England at the moment, after winning 5 trophies with them, in the space of about 7 months. He has shown what he can do and he will be hoping that he can lead his team to the premiership title this season, as well as winning the Champions League.
3rd – Arsenal
Arsenal are a very good team and are capable of winning the premiership, although I think they will need to put in a lot of effort this season in order to. Arsenal have got a lot of excellent players in their squad and they have a large enough squad to compete against Man United and Liverpool this season.
In my opinion, Arsenal’s best players are Patrick Viera, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Sol Campbell, Martin Keown and Giavanni Van Bronkhurst. All of these players can be considered to be one of the best in the premiership, in their positions and I think that these players will need to perform throughout the season for Arsenal in order for them to do well.
Arsenal have also got a very good manager in Arsene Wenger but he has yet to sign a new deal with the Gunners and many think that he will leave Arsenal soon to become the manager of France. He has a lot of experience and I think that a good team needs a manager with this skill. Hopefully for Arsenal, he will sign a new deal with the club soon.
4th – Chelsea
Chelsea have got one of the best squads in the premiership, but they never seem to be able to finish top of the premiership and usually finish around 4th-5th. They have got some excellent players, as well as a good manager, but the problem with Chelsea is that many people don’t like the fact that most of the Chelsea players are foreign and not many are English.
I reckon that Chelsea’s best players are Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Emmanuel Petit, Gianfranco Zola, Zenden and Frank Lampard. All of these players play in midfield or upfront so as you can see, Chelsea are capable of scoring a lot of goals.
The problem with Chelsea is that they usually play really well against the likes of Man United and Liverpool, but they seem to struggle against the lower sides. If they could win more of their games against the lower teams, then they would do so much better in the premiership and have more of a chance of winning it.
Chelsea’s manager is very experienced and knows what he wants from his players. He has said that if they don’t perform, then he will drop them, including the big stars.
5th – Leeds United
Leeds United are another team who I think will finish in the top 5 this season and they should be able to perform better in the premiership this season, compared to last season, as they are not in the Champions League this season and so they will not have to worry about any champions League matches.
Leeds United have got a lot of young talented players and this summer, they have not bought any big signings and so the players who played last season for them, are playing again this season and so they will all be familiar with one another and know how each other plays. Young players like Bowyer, Kewell, Ferdinand, Smith, Robinson, Harte and Woodgate are all great young payers who can become even better over the next few seasons.
I reckon that their best players are probably most of the youngsters I have just mentioned, plus Viduka, Martyn and Robbie Keane. All of these players can help Leeds have a good season.
Leeds United’s manager, David O’Leary, has shown that he is a great manager, since becoming their manager, a few seasons ago. He has signed some great players and helped improve some of the young ones to make them even better. He will be hoping that this season is the one where he can try and make Leeds win the premiership, although it will be hard.
6th – Sunderland
Sunderland have shown over the past 2 years that they are capable of getting into Europe via the premiership as they have finished 7th both times. This season, they will be hoping to improve on their recent positioning and try to finish in the top 6. This is an aim that I reckon they can easily achieve, if the players work their best every time they play because Sunderland have got quite a lot of good players.
I reckon that Sunderland’s best player is Kevin Philips as he is a great goal scorer and he is a team player. He is a player who I think should be given a chance in the England squad and I reckon that it should be soon. Other good players in the team include Michael Gray, Thomas Sorensen, Bernt Haas, Emerson Thome and Gavin McCann.
Sunderland’s manager, Peter Reid, has been the manager of the club for quite a few years now and he is one who can get the best out of his players, most of the time. He has seen Sunderland finish 7th in the last 2 seasons and he knows that they can improve on that.
The Stadium of Light is truly a magnificent stadium and probably one of the best in England. The capacity is also one of the largest in England and you can always expect a near full capacity when Sunderland play there.
The latest news about Sunderland is that they have sold Don Hutchinson to West Ham for 5 million pounds. This is a great signing for West Ham, but bad news for Sunderland as he was one of their best players. But he wanted to move back to London and so Sunderland had to let him go.
7th – Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspurs would not be said by many to be one of the best teams in England, but as a supporter, I reckon they are, although they still need to do quite a lot of work. They never seem to finish in the top 6, which is what most people would say they were, a top 6 side. Tottenham have got a good manager and some good players, so all they need to do is show that they are a good team.
I reckon that Tottenham’s best players are as follows:
Sergei Rebrov – He is a small skilful player and can also score some good goals. He needs to start shooting more often so that he can score more for Tottenham and help them start winning things.
Teddy Sheringham – He was voted player of the season, last season, because of his great finishing and all-round play. He was No. 1 striker at Man United for the majority of last season, which says a lot about the 35 year old.
Darren Anderton – Although he is nicknamed ‘sick note’ as he always seems to be injured, Anderton is a great player and he has been at Tottenham for quite a few seasons now. He is a player that Tottenham need in their side and so hopefully he won’t be injured much this season.
Gustavo Poyet – Poyet signed for Tottenham in the summer from Chelsea in a 1.5 million pound deal. Although he is 33, he is a very experienced player and was had been one of Chelsea’s best players over the past few seasons. He is an attacking player who likes to get forward and score goals.
Stephen Carr – He is not only one of the best right backs in the premiership, but many would consider him to be one of the best in the world. He has not only got pace and skill, but he is a good tackler and he will always use all of his strength when tackling. He has scored some excellent goals for Tottenham over the past few years and I can see him becoming a Tottenham great.
Neil Sullivan – He was player of the season last season, for Tottenham after his great performances in matches. He kept quite a few clean sheets and he always gave his best. It was his first season as a Tottenham player after his free transfer move from Wimbledon.
Glenn Hoddle is a Tottenham legend and I think he is the man that can help Tottenham get back to being one of the best clubs in England.
I really love Tottenham’s stadium, White Hart Lane. I have been there quite a lot of times and have always admired the atmosphere around the ground. Although it is only a 36,000 capacity stadium, you can always expect the stadium to be at least 90-95% full.
One thing Tottenham definitely need to do is they need to buy a defender to replace Sol Campbell after he joined Arsenal in the summer on a free transfer. This was shocking news for many fans, as they would never have expected Campbell to join archrivals Arsenal. Anyway, he is a great player and Tottenham need to find someone who can do what Campbell did for them.
8th – Newcastle
Newcastle United have not shown what they are capable of over the past few seasons and they are a side very much like Tottenham. They have got quite a few good players and they are known as a top premiership club, but they never seem to finish in the top 6-7.
Newcastle’s best players are Alan Shearer, who has just recovered form an injury that has kept him out of football for a long time, Kieran Dyer, currently injured but a young talented player, Gary Speed, Nolberto Solano, Robbie Elliot and Lauren Robert, who recently signed for them for 10 million pounds. Once Newcastle have got all of their best players fit and laying together, they should be able to stay in the top half of the premiership throughout the season.
Newcastle’s manager, Bobby Robson, may be one of the oldest managers in England, but his experience and knowledge of football have made him well known across the world. The fact that he has also managed the likes of Barcelona and England, says a lot about him. I think that he is a great manager and will have a good season with Newcastle this season.
9th – Fulham
Last season, Fulham won the Division 1 title by a lot of points and many people said that they would have a good season in the premiership. This season is the first time Fulham have been in the premiership.
Fulham have made quite a few excellent signings this summer and they have shown that they want to compete at the top. Some of their signings include Edwin Van Der Sar, Sylvain Legwinski and their latest signing is Steve Marlet, from Lyon, for 11.5 million pounds. Fulham want to win things and they have proven that they want to by signing these quality players.
I reckon that their best players would have to be their 3 signings that I have just mentioned, plus Louis Saha and Andy Melville. I really admire Saha and I think that he can score a lot of goals this season and help Fulham do well.
Fulham’s manager is one of the best in the premiership as he has got a lot of experience and he has worked with quite a lot of quality players. Jean Tigana used to be the manager of France, and he is someone who will want to make his team one of the best, which is why he is trying to sign quality players.
10th – Ipswich
Last season, Ipswich surprised many people as they finished 5th in the premiership, even though they had been said to be one of the favourites for the drop, at the beginning of the season. They had an excellent season and got themselves into Europe, which wouldn’t have been their aim at the start of the season.
Ipswich have got some decent players in their squad and they have signed a really good player this summer in George Finidi. Some of their other decent players include Marcus Stewart, who scored a lot of goals for Ipswich last season and helped them secure a place in Europe, Hermann Hreidarsson, Matt Holland and Chris Makin. Ipswich will be hoping that these players perform well in all of their matches this season, especially in Europe.
George Burley has shown what he can do with the club as manager, even though it has taken some time for him to do it. He was voted manager of the season last season, because of what he did with Ipswich, and he even did better than Gerrard Houlier, who won 3-cup competitions with Liverpool. (The F.A Cup, the Worthington Cup and the UEFA Cup)
11th – Aston Villa
Aston Villa are in my opinion, a good team with some good players in the squad, but what they have achieved over the past decade is basically, not a lot. They have not won many trophies at all and they never seem to be up there year after year, in the top lot of the premiership.
In my opinion, Aston Villa's best players are Paul Merson and David Ginola. Both these players can win matches for the club and they can turn things around. They are both midfielders and their skills are very good. Both players are also in their 30's, but I think they still have quite a few seasons left. The manager, other players and supporters have recently criticised David Ginola, although the manager seems to be starting to get on Ginola's side as he was telling fans to lay off him. I honestly don't know why he isn't in their first team but that is just me. Paul Merson is probably their best player and he showed that last year with an outstanding season.
John Gregory is not the right man for the managerial role at Villa but that is something I believe and that is something people will just have to deal with. I don't rate him as a manager and the way he treats Ginola is disgraceful.
12th – Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers were promoted from Division 1 last season, into the premiership and I think that they will have a good season. I don’t think they will be relegated although they could find themselves battling it out with other low teams for safety, but I reckon that their team is too good and better than others to go down.
In my opinion, Blackburn’s best players are David Dunn, Damien Duff and Nathan Blake. All of these players can score goals and Blackburn will be hoping that these players score enough goals to help keep them in the premiership. There are some other decent players in their squad, but I feel that these 3 are the best. David Dunn is currently injured and it has been said that he will be out for about 5-6 weeks. This is a huge loss for Blackburn but the fact that it has happened at the beginning of the season, rather than the end, is probably better. Blackburn will just have to hope that their other decent players can perform every game and make sure that when Dunn gets back from injury, they won’t be in a position where the players will have to work even harder.
Blackburn’s manager, Graham Souness, is a very good manager and one that can help Blackburn do well this season. He has got quite a bit of experience and knows the game well. He is also a manager that will not put up with poor performances by his players and so if they don’t perform, they could find themselves on the bench or not even in the squad.
13th – Everton
Everton have got off to a really good start this season, having played 3, won 2 and drawn the other, which they probably should have actually won.
They have beaten both Charlton, 2-1 away, and Middlesborough, 2-0 at home, but they were disappointed to only draw 1-1 with Tottenham at home, seeing as Tottenham were reduced to 9 men with 25 minutes to go. Everton have shown in their first few matches that they are capable of doing better in the premiership that what they have been doing recently.
Everton have got quite a few decent players in their squad and they are capable of doing better than what they have done over the past few seasons. I reckon their best players are Duncan Ferguson, Kevin Campbell, Nicholas Alexanderson and Paul Gerrard.
Everton’s manager, Walter Smith, is one who is capable of winning things with clubs, which he did when he was in charge of Rangers, but he has yet to win anything with Everton since becoming their manager, although he has shown signs of improvement for the club. He is quite experienced and if he can keep his best players fit, Everton should have a good season.
14th – Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic have not got that many decent players in their squad, although some of their players are quite impressive and I think they can help Charlton have a fairly good season.
I reckon that Charlton’s best players are Jonatan Johansson, Claus Jensen, Richard Rufus and Mark Kinsella. These players have all got a lot of talent and can help Charlton have a good season.
Charlton’s manager, Alan Curbishly is quite a good manager, but he has been at the club for quite a while now and although he got them back into the premiership a few season ago when they raced away with the Division 1 title, he hasn’t done that much for them in the premiership.
I have never been to Charlton’s stadium, but I have been told that it is quite a nice stadium and one that they would go back to again, if their favourite team were playing them.
I think that they are a premiership team and they won’t really need to worry about relegation, but they need to start performing better in some of their games and try and get higher up the league.
15th – Middlesborough
Middlesborough are another team who have got quite a few decent players, but they have got off to a bad start this season and new manager, Steve McClaren will need to try and get the team some points in order for them to get themselves up the table.
Middlesborough have made a few good signings in the summer, including Gareth Southgate who signed from Aston Villa for 6.6 million pounds. He is a great defender and one who can help Middlesborough concede less goals than what they have been recently over the past few seasons, but he needs a bit more time to settle in with his new team mates and learn how most of them play.
Other good players that Middlesborough have are Ugo Ehiogu, Paul Ince, Alen Boksic and Hamilton Ricard. These players will need to work hard this season so that Middlesborough don’t have to worry about relegation.
Steve McClaren was appointed their new manager in the summer and although he has not got off to the best start with the team, I think he will turn things around and help Middlesborough have an OK season. He has had a lot of help as he used to be Man United’s No. 2 and so he would have learned a lot from Alex Ferguson which will definitely help him and the way he manages the side.
16th – West Ham
Over the past few years, West Ham have been finishing quite high in the premiership and they have shown people that they are a premiership team. But, last season saw them sell Rio Ferdinand to Leeds United in an 18 million pound deal, and then Harry Redknapp quit as the manager and Frank Lampard Senior also left. In the summer, quite a few of the players were saying that they were also going to leave West Ham after they appointed Glen Roader as the new manager and some of the players weren’t happy that they hadn’t appointed a more well known manager.
The only other player to actually leave in the end was Frank Lampard Junior, as he was sold to Chelsea for about 10 million pounds. Stuart Pearce also left the Hammers to sign for Man City and link up with Kevin Keegan. Other players decided to stay. Although it was only Frank Lampard and Stuart Pearce who left in the summer, West Ham didn’t seem to look like a premiership team and they were said to be on of the favourites to be relegated this season.
They lost their opening game of the season, 2-1 to Liverpool, but they showed a lot of team spirit. They then drew their second game of the season 0-0 with Leeds United, which was a good result.
In my opinion, West Ham’s best players are Paulo Di Canio, David James, Trevor Sinclair, Frederic Kanoute, Michael Carrick and Joe Cole. The first 4 of these players are experienced and will help West Ham stay up this season. Carrick and Cole are young English stars and I reckon that they will become great footballers over the next few years.
Glen Roader is someone who I can’t see being the manager of West Ham for very long. I think he could be one of the first managers this season to be sacked or to quit their club. He does not have much experience, compared to other managers, but he has just made a good signing in Don Hutchinson. Apparently, West Ham have just signed Hutchinson for about 5 million pounds from Sunderland after he wanted to move back to London.
17th – Derby
Derby County have signed a very good player this summer in Ravenelli, but I honestly cannot see him making much difference to the side and I think that they will be relegated this season.
Derby have got quite a few good players in their squad, but I don’t think they have got enough to keep them in the premiership and they are one of the favourites to go down. They have also got a good manager in Jim Smith, but he doesn’t seem to be able to get Derby higher up the premiership.
I reckon that their best players are Ravenelli, who has already scored twice for them this season, and Malcolm Christie.
I reckon that in order for Derby to stay in the premiership, they either need to bring in a few decent players, or they need to get a new manager who can actually do something with the club.
I must say that I think Derby County’s stadium is very nice and one that should be visited by many football fans. It is a great sight and I think that if Derby could improve as a team, then they would be a better club.
18th – Southampton
I think Southampton will find it hard this season to stay in the premiership and I think that relegation is a possibility for the club. They have been in the top division for quite a long time now but this year could be the year that they are relegated.
Southampton have not really got any great players, although they have got a few good ones including Dean Richards, who has been a Tottenham target for a long time now, but he will be staying with Southampton. Other good players are Pahars, Paul Jones, Rory Delap and Matthew Oakley. As you can see, Southampton have not really got a well-known good player and this is why I think they will struggle this season.
They have already played 2 and lost both of them this season, scoring 0 and conceding 4.
Southampton’s manager, Stuart Gray, is not a known manager but he is one that will want to help Southampton do well as he has been with the club for quite a few years now. He is not a manger that I think can help Southampton stay in the premiership and sign big players that would make them better.
19th – Leicester City
Leicester City have got off to a very bad start to the season, having played 2, lost 2, scoring 0 goals and conceding an amazing 9. Leicester city lost on the opening day of the season to Bolton, 5-0 and they then lost to Arsenal, 4-0, last Saturday.
Leicester City’s best players are Muzzy Izzet, Matt Elliot, Dennis Wise and Darren Eadie. Other than Matt Elliot, I do not think the other players are as good as most of the best players at other clubs in the premiership and overall, Leicester City have not got a good enough squad to stay in the premiership. I think that they will be relegated this season and go back down to Division 1.
Leicester’s manager, Peter Taylor, is quite a good manager, but I don’t think he is a premiership manager. I think that he will be sacked by Leicester this season because he doesn’t seem to be able to get Leicester City into winning ways and Leicester could really do with some points at the moment, as well as goals, although they are only 2 games into the season.
20th – Bolton
Bolton Wanderers are a team that many think will finish bottom of the premier league and go straight back down to Division 1. They have not got the sort of money that many other premiership clubs have and so they are not a team that are able to make big signings that would help give them more chance of surviving in the big league. They have got quite a few good players in their squad and I think that if their best players can stay fit for the majority of the season, and perform at their best every time they play, then Bolton could surprise a few people and stay out of the relegation zone, come next May.
As I have said, Bolton have got a few good players in their squad, including Michael Ricketts, Per Frandsen and Gudni Bergsson. All 3 of these players can help Bolton do well this season in the premiership, as long as they stay fit and perform their best in every game they play. I think Michael Ricketts will finish Bolton’s leading goal scorer, as he is a good finisher and can frighten some defences with his strength. Per Frandsen is probably Bolton’s best player. He can score goals and help the rest of the team perform well. Gudni Bergsson is an experienced defender who is a good leader. He can encourage other players and I think he will be needed throughout the season at the heart of Bolton’s defence.
Bolton have got a really nice stadium as well as a good manager and I think these things are essential in a good team.
1st – Man United
Man United are one of the best teams in the world and they have proved this by winning the premiership the last 3 seasons in a row. If they win it again this year, it will be the first time a team has won the top division 4 times in a row. This would be a great achievement for the club, and the manager, Alex Ferguson, as this is his final year as the Man United manager.
Man United have also won the F.A. Cup and the European Cup, over the past few years and they have also got some of the best players in the world, including David Beckham, Juan Veron and Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
Man United’s best players are definitely the following, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Juan Veron, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Fabien Barthez. All of these players would be considered in a world squad, in my opinion, and some of them would get in. Apart from Barthez, all of the other players are midfielders or strikers and this shows that Man United have the players to destroy some of their opposition, in front of goal, but they have been conceding quite a few this season and this is where there seems to be a problem.
Alex Ferguson is one of the best managers in the world and he has shown this by winning so much with Man United over the past decade. He will be remembered by so many at Man United after he quits at the end of the season and he will surely be a man who will never be forgotten for what he has done to United.
2nd – Liverpool
Liverpool are one of the favourites to win the premiership this season, having won 3 cup competitions last season, plus 2 trophies already this season. That’s 5 in the space of about 7 months, which is simply amazing.
Last season, they won the F.A. Cup, the Worthington Cup and the UEFA Cup and so far this season, they have won the Charity Shield, beating Man United 2-1, and they recently defeated Bayern Munich in the European Super Cup, 3-2. This has shown the world what they are capable of and many think that they are now the team who can compete with Man United throughout the season for the premiership title.
Liverpool have got a lot of decent players and quite a few world-class players. I reckon that their best players are definitely Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Dieter Hamann, Gary McAllister, Sami Hyypia, Steven Gerrard and Markus Babble. These players will help Liverpool in their bid this season to win the premiership, as well as have a good run in the Champions League and try to win that.
Liverpool’s manager, Gerard Houllier, has got to be one of the best in England at the moment, after winning 5 trophies with them, in the space of about 7 months. He has shown what he can do and he will be hoping that he can lead his team to the premiership title this season, as well as winning the Champions League.
3rd – Arsenal
Arsenal are a very good team and are capable of winning the premiership, although I think they will need to put in a lot of effort this season in order to. Arsenal have got a lot of excellent players in their squad and they have a large enough squad to compete against Man United and Liverpool this season.
In my opinion, Arsenal’s best players are Patrick Viera, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Sol Campbell, Martin Keown and Giavanni Van Bronkhurst. All of these players can be considered to be one of the best in the premiership, in their positions and I think that these players will need to perform throughout the season for Arsenal in order for them to do well.
Arsenal have also got a very good manager in Arsene Wenger but he has yet to sign a new deal with the Gunners and many think that he will leave Arsenal soon to become the manager of France. He has a lot of experience and I think that a good team needs a manager with this skill. Hopefully for Arsenal, he will sign a new deal with the club soon.
4th – Chelsea
Chelsea have got one of the best squads in the premiership, but they never seem to be able to finish top of the premiership and usually finish around 4th-5th. They have got some excellent players, as well as a good manager, but the problem with Chelsea is that many people don’t like the fact that most of the Chelsea players are foreign and not many are English.
I reckon that Chelsea’s best players are Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Emmanuel Petit, Gianfranco Zola, Zenden and Frank Lampard. All of these players play in midfield or upfront so as you can see, Chelsea are capable of scoring a lot of goals.
The problem with Chelsea is that they usually play really well against the likes of Man United and Liverpool, but they seem to struggle against the lower sides. If they could win more of their games against the lower teams, then they would do so much better in the premiership and have more of a chance of winning it.
Chelsea’s manager is very experienced and knows what he wants from his players. He has said that if they don’t perform, then he will drop them, including the big stars.
5th – Leeds United
Leeds United are another team who I think will finish in the top 5 this season and they should be able to perform better in the premiership this season, compared to last season, as they are not in the Champions League this season and so they will not have to worry about any champions League matches.
Leeds United have got a lot of young talented players and this summer, they have not bought any big signings and so the players who played last season for them, are playing again this season and so they will all be familiar with one another and know how each other plays. Young players like Bowyer, Kewell, Ferdinand, Smith, Robinson, Harte and Woodgate are all great young payers who can become even better over the next few seasons.
I reckon that their best players are probably most of the youngsters I have just mentioned, plus Viduka, Martyn and Robbie Keane. All of these players can help Leeds have a good season.
Leeds United’s manager, David O’Leary, has shown that he is a great manager, since becoming their manager, a few seasons ago. He has signed some great players and helped improve some of the young ones to make them even better. He will be hoping that this season is the one where he can try and make Leeds win the premiership, although it will be hard.
6th – Sunderland
Sunderland have shown over the past 2 years that they are capable of getting into Europe via the premiership as they have finished 7th both times. This season, they will be hoping to improve on their recent positioning and try to finish in the top 6. This is an aim that I reckon they can easily achieve, if the players work their best every time they play because Sunderland have got quite a lot of good players.
I reckon that Sunderland’s best player is Kevin Philips as he is a great goal scorer and he is a team player. He is a player who I think should be given a chance in the England squad and I reckon that it should be soon. Other good players in the team include Michael Gray, Thomas Sorensen, Bernt Haas, Emerson Thome and Gavin McCann.
Sunderland’s manager, Peter Reid, has been the manager of the club for quite a few years now and he is one who can get the best out of his players, most of the time. He has seen Sunderland finish 7th in the last 2 seasons and he knows that they can improve on that.
The Stadium of Light is truly a magnificent stadium and probably one of the best in England. The capacity is also one of the largest in England and you can always expect a near full capacity when Sunderland play there.
The latest news about Sunderland is that they have sold Don Hutchinson to West Ham for 5 million pounds. This is a great signing for West Ham, but bad news for Sunderland as he was one of their best players. But he wanted to move back to London and so Sunderland had to let him go.
7th – Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspurs would not be said by many to be one of the best teams in England, but as a supporter, I reckon they are, although they still need to do quite a lot of work. They never seem to finish in the top 6, which is what most people would say they were, a top 6 side. Tottenham have got a good manager and some good players, so all they need to do is show that they are a good team.
I reckon that Tottenham’s best players are as follows:
Sergei Rebrov – He is a small skilful player and can also score some good goals. He needs to start shooting more often so that he can score more for Tottenham and help them start winning things.
Teddy Sheringham – He was voted player of the season, last season, because of his great finishing and all-round play. He was No. 1 striker at Man United for the majority of last season, which says a lot about the 35 year old.
Darren Anderton – Although he is nicknamed ‘sick note’ as he always seems to be injured, Anderton is a great player and he has been at Tottenham for quite a few seasons now. He is a player that Tottenham need in their side and so hopefully he won’t be injured much this season.
Gustavo Poyet – Poyet signed for Tottenham in the summer from Chelsea in a 1.5 million pound deal. Although he is 33, he is a very experienced player and was had been one of Chelsea’s best players over the past few seasons. He is an attacking player who likes to get forward and score goals.
Stephen Carr – He is not only one of the best right backs in the premiership, but many would consider him to be one of the best in the world. He has not only got pace and skill, but he is a good tackler and he will always use all of his strength when tackling. He has scored some excellent goals for Tottenham over the past few years and I can see him becoming a Tottenham great.
Neil Sullivan – He was player of the season last season, for Tottenham after his great performances in matches. He kept quite a few clean sheets and he always gave his best. It was his first season as a Tottenham player after his free transfer move from Wimbledon.
Glenn Hoddle is a Tottenham legend and I think he is the man that can help Tottenham get back to being one of the best clubs in England.
I really love Tottenham’s stadium, White Hart Lane. I have been there quite a lot of times and have always admired the atmosphere around the ground. Although it is only a 36,000 capacity stadium, you can always expect the stadium to be at least 90-95% full.
One thing Tottenham definitely need to do is they need to buy a defender to replace Sol Campbell after he joined Arsenal in the summer on a free transfer. This was shocking news for many fans, as they would never have expected Campbell to join archrivals Arsenal. Anyway, he is a great player and Tottenham need to find someone who can do what Campbell did for them.
8th – Newcastle
Newcastle United have not shown what they are capable of over the past few seasons and they are a side very much like Tottenham. They have got quite a few good players and they are known as a top premiership club, but they never seem to finish in the top 6-7.
Newcastle’s best players are Alan Shearer, who has just recovered form an injury that has kept him out of football for a long time, Kieran Dyer, currently injured but a young talented player, Gary Speed, Nolberto Solano, Robbie Elliot and Lauren Robert, who recently signed for them for 10 million pounds. Once Newcastle have got all of their best players fit and laying together, they should be able to stay in the top half of the premiership throughout the season.
Newcastle’s manager, Bobby Robson, may be one of the oldest managers in England, but his experience and knowledge of football have made him well known across the world. The fact that he has also managed the likes of Barcelona and England, says a lot about him. I think that he is a great manager and will have a good season with Newcastle this season.
9th – Fulham
Last season, Fulham won the Division 1 title by a lot of points and many people said that they would have a good season in the premiership. This season is the first time Fulham have been in the premiership.
Fulham have made quite a few excellent signings this summer and they have shown that they want to compete at the top. Some of their signings include Edwin Van Der Sar, Sylvain Legwinski and their latest signing is Steve Marlet, from Lyon, for 11.5 million pounds. Fulham want to win things and they have proven that they want to by signing these quality players.
I reckon that their best players would have to be their 3 signings that I have just mentioned, plus Louis Saha and Andy Melville. I really admire Saha and I think that he can score a lot of goals this season and help Fulham do well.
Fulham’s manager is one of the best in the premiership as he has got a lot of experience and he has worked with quite a lot of quality players. Jean Tigana used to be the manager of France, and he is someone who will want to make his team one of the best, which is why he is trying to sign quality players.
10th – Ipswich
Last season, Ipswich surprised many people as they finished 5th in the premiership, even though they had been said to be one of the favourites for the drop, at the beginning of the season. They had an excellent season and got themselves into Europe, which wouldn’t have been their aim at the start of the season.
Ipswich have got some decent players in their squad and they have signed a really good player this summer in George Finidi. Some of their other decent players include Marcus Stewart, who scored a lot of goals for Ipswich last season and helped them secure a place in Europe, Hermann Hreidarsson, Matt Holland and Chris Makin. Ipswich will be hoping that these players perform well in all of their matches this season, especially in Europe.
George Burley has shown what he can do with the club as manager, even though it has taken some time for him to do it. He was voted manager of the season last season, because of what he did with Ipswich, and he even did better than Gerrard Houlier, who won 3-cup competitions with Liverpool. (The F.A Cup, the Worthington Cup and the UEFA Cup)
11th – Aston Villa
Aston Villa are in my opinion, a good team with some good players in the squad, but what they have achieved over the past decade is basically, not a lot. They have not won many trophies at all and they never seem to be up there year after year, in the top lot of the premiership.
In my opinion, Aston Villa's best players are Paul Merson and David Ginola. Both these players can win matches for the club and they can turn things around. They are both midfielders and their skills are very good. Both players are also in their 30's, but I think they still have quite a few seasons left. The manager, other players and supporters have recently criticised David Ginola, although the manager seems to be starting to get on Ginola's side as he was telling fans to lay off him. I honestly don't know why he isn't in their first team but that is just me. Paul Merson is probably their best player and he showed that last year with an outstanding season.
John Gregory is not the right man for the managerial role at Villa but that is something I believe and that is something people will just have to deal with. I don't rate him as a manager and the way he treats Ginola is disgraceful.
12th – Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers were promoted from Division 1 last season, into the premiership and I think that they will have a good season. I don’t think they will be relegated although they could find themselves battling it out with other low teams for safety, but I reckon that their team is too good and better than others to go down.
In my opinion, Blackburn’s best players are David Dunn, Damien Duff and Nathan Blake. All of these players can score goals and Blackburn will be hoping that these players score enough goals to help keep them in the premiership. There are some other decent players in their squad, but I feel that these 3 are the best. David Dunn is currently injured and it has been said that he will be out for about 5-6 weeks. This is a huge loss for Blackburn but the fact that it has happened at the beginning of the season, rather than the end, is probably better. Blackburn will just have to hope that their other decent players can perform every game and make sure that when Dunn gets back from injury, they won’t be in a position where the players will have to work even harder.
Blackburn’s manager, Graham Souness, is a very good manager and one that can help Blackburn do well this season. He has got quite a bit of experience and knows the game well. He is also a manager that will not put up with poor performances by his players and so if they don’t perform, they could find themselves on the bench or not even in the squad.
13th – Everton
Everton have got off to a really good start this season, having played 3, won 2 and drawn the other, which they probably should have actually won.
They have beaten both Charlton, 2-1 away, and Middlesborough, 2-0 at home, but they were disappointed to only draw 1-1 with Tottenham at home, seeing as Tottenham were reduced to 9 men with 25 minutes to go. Everton have shown in their first few matches that they are capable of doing better in the premiership that what they have been doing recently.
Everton have got quite a few decent players in their squad and they are capable of doing better than what they have done over the past few seasons. I reckon their best players are Duncan Ferguson, Kevin Campbell, Nicholas Alexanderson and Paul Gerrard.
Everton’s manager, Walter Smith, is one who is capable of winning things with clubs, which he did when he was in charge of Rangers, but he has yet to win anything with Everton since becoming their manager, although he has shown signs of improvement for the club. He is quite experienced and if he can keep his best players fit, Everton should have a good season.
14th – Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic have not got that many decent players in their squad, although some of their players are quite impressive and I think they can help Charlton have a fairly good season.
I reckon that Charlton’s best players are Jonatan Johansson, Claus Jensen, Richard Rufus and Mark Kinsella. These players have all got a lot of talent and can help Charlton have a good season.
Charlton’s manager, Alan Curbishly is quite a good manager, but he has been at the club for quite a while now and although he got them back into the premiership a few season ago when they raced away with the Division 1 title, he hasn’t done that much for them in the premiership.
I have never been to Charlton’s stadium, but I have been told that it is quite a nice stadium and one that they would go back to again, if their favourite team were playing them.
I think that they are a premiership team and they won’t really need to worry about relegation, but they need to start performing better in some of their games and try and get higher up the league.
15th – Middlesborough
Middlesborough are another team who have got quite a few decent players, but they have got off to a bad start this season and new manager, Steve McClaren will need to try and get the team some points in order for them to get themselves up the table.
Middlesborough have made a few good signings in the summer, including Gareth Southgate who signed from Aston Villa for 6.6 million pounds. He is a great defender and one who can help Middlesborough concede less goals than what they have been recently over the past few seasons, but he needs a bit more time to settle in with his new team mates and learn how most of them play.
Other good players that Middlesborough have are Ugo Ehiogu, Paul Ince, Alen Boksic and Hamilton Ricard. These players will need to work hard this season so that Middlesborough don’t have to worry about relegation.
Steve McClaren was appointed their new manager in the summer and although he has not got off to the best start with the team, I think he will turn things around and help Middlesborough have an OK season. He has had a lot of help as he used to be Man United’s No. 2 and so he would have learned a lot from Alex Ferguson which will definitely help him and the way he manages the side.
16th – West Ham
Over the past few years, West Ham have been finishing quite high in the premiership and they have shown people that they are a premiership team. But, last season saw them sell Rio Ferdinand to Leeds United in an 18 million pound deal, and then Harry Redknapp quit as the manager and Frank Lampard Senior also left. In the summer, quite a few of the players were saying that they were also going to leave West Ham after they appointed Glen Roader as the new manager and some of the players weren’t happy that they hadn’t appointed a more well known manager.
The only other player to actually leave in the end was Frank Lampard Junior, as he was sold to Chelsea for about 10 million pounds. Stuart Pearce also left the Hammers to sign for Man City and link up with Kevin Keegan. Other players decided to stay. Although it was only Frank Lampard and Stuart Pearce who left in the summer, West Ham didn’t seem to look like a premiership team and they were said to be on of the favourites to be relegated this season.
They lost their opening game of the season, 2-1 to Liverpool, but they showed a lot of team spirit. They then drew their second game of the season 0-0 with Leeds United, which was a good result.
In my opinion, West Ham’s best players are Paulo Di Canio, David James, Trevor Sinclair, Frederic Kanoute, Michael Carrick and Joe Cole. The first 4 of these players are experienced and will help West Ham stay up this season. Carrick and Cole are young English stars and I reckon that they will become great footballers over the next few years.
Glen Roader is someone who I can’t see being the manager of West Ham for very long. I think he could be one of the first managers this season to be sacked or to quit their club. He does not have much experience, compared to other managers, but he has just made a good signing in Don Hutchinson. Apparently, West Ham have just signed Hutchinson for about 5 million pounds from Sunderland after he wanted to move back to London.
17th – Derby
Derby County have signed a very good player this summer in Ravenelli, but I honestly cannot see him making much difference to the side and I think that they will be relegated this season.
Derby have got quite a few good players in their squad, but I don’t think they have got enough to keep them in the premiership and they are one of the favourites to go down. They have also got a good manager in Jim Smith, but he doesn’t seem to be able to get Derby higher up the premiership.
I reckon that their best players are Ravenelli, who has already scored twice for them this season, and Malcolm Christie.
I reckon that in order for Derby to stay in the premiership, they either need to bring in a few decent players, or they need to get a new manager who can actually do something with the club.
I must say that I think Derby County’s stadium is very nice and one that should be visited by many football fans. It is a great sight and I think that if Derby could improve as a team, then they would be a better club.
18th – Southampton
I think Southampton will find it hard this season to stay in the premiership and I think that relegation is a possibility for the club. They have been in the top division for quite a long time now but this year could be the year that they are relegated.
Southampton have not really got any great players, although they have got a few good ones including Dean Richards, who has been a Tottenham target for a long time now, but he will be staying with Southampton. Other good players are Pahars, Paul Jones, Rory Delap and Matthew Oakley. As you can see, Southampton have not really got a well-known good player and this is why I think they will struggle this season.
They have already played 2 and lost both of them this season, scoring 0 and conceding 4.
Southampton’s manager, Stuart Gray, is not a known manager but he is one that will want to help Southampton do well as he has been with the club for quite a few years now. He is not a manger that I think can help Southampton stay in the premiership and sign big players that would make them better.
19th – Leicester City
Leicester City have got off to a very bad start to the season, having played 2, lost 2, scoring 0 goals and conceding an amazing 9. Leicester city lost on the opening day of the season to Bolton, 5-0 and they then lost to Arsenal, 4-0, last Saturday.
Leicester City’s best players are Muzzy Izzet, Matt Elliot, Dennis Wise and Darren Eadie. Other than Matt Elliot, I do not think the other players are as good as most of the best players at other clubs in the premiership and overall, Leicester City have not got a good enough squad to stay in the premiership. I think that they will be relegated this season and go back down to Division 1.
Leicester’s manager, Peter Taylor, is quite a good manager, but I don’t think he is a premiership manager. I think that he will be sacked by Leicester this season because he doesn’t seem to be able to get Leicester City into winning ways and Leicester could really do with some points at the moment, as well as goals, although they are only 2 games into the season.
20th – Bolton
Bolton Wanderers are a team that many think will finish bottom of the premier league and go straight back down to Division 1. They have not got the sort of money that many other premiership clubs have and so they are not a team that are able to make big signings that would help give them more chance of surviving in the big league. They have got quite a few good players in their squad and I think that if their best players can stay fit for the majority of the season, and perform at their best every time they play, then Bolton could surprise a few people and stay out of the relegation zone, come next May.
As I have said, Bolton have got a few good players in their squad, including Michael Ricketts, Per Frandsen and Gudni Bergsson. All 3 of these players can help Bolton do well this season in the premiership, as long as they stay fit and perform their best in every game they play. I think Michael Ricketts will finish Bolton’s leading goal scorer, as he is a good finisher and can frighten some defences with his strength. Per Frandsen is probably Bolton’s best player. He can score goals and help the rest of the team perform well. Gudni Bergsson is an experienced defender who is a good leader. He can encourage other players and I think he will be needed throughout the season at the heart of Bolton’s defence.
Bolton have got a really nice stadium as well as a good manager and I think these things are essential in a good team.