English Premier League Preview Part II E-M

English Premier League Preview Part II E-M

Everton : Last season finish 11th with 47 points.  2014 income £120m – Payout - Wages £69m Debt £28m. Major deals in: Cleverly and Deulofeu – Major deals out: Alcaraz and Distin. Everton had a really sloppy start to last season and couldn’t seem to handle the dual effort of Europa League football on a Thursday and then league football on Sunday either. They finished way down on the year before and will for sure improve this year. Cleverly will keep things ticking over in the middle while Deulofeu looked a very exciting prospect in his 1^st spell.  Martinez likes to play possession football but sometimes Everton tend to overdo it in areas that are not dangerous. They can be over reliant on lumping the ball to Lukaku sometimes also. The big Belgian is an tremendous talent but he can be hit and miss.  Everton are in a good position financially but don’t seem to do much with the profit they regularly seem to turn.

Prediction: 8^nd in Premiership.

Leicester: Last season finish 14^th with 41 points. 2014 income £23m – Payout – Wages £30m Debt £103m. Major deals in: Fuchs, Huth and Okazaki – Major deals out: Upson and Cambiasso.  Leicester were one of the success stories of last year.  Marooned at the bottom of the table they were an unstoppable force after Christmas and full credit went to the coach Nigel Pearson. So how was he rewarded? With the sack of course.  Leicester are playing a dangerous game and the arrival of “The Tinkerman” Claudio Ranieri is an ominous sign. This is the manager who led Greece to defeat to the international powerhouse Faroe Islands.  His style is fluid football but he is known to chop and change. News just in sees one of the signings of last season Estaban Cambiasso refuse the offer of a contract extension - a huge blow as he was so influential.  Leicester have made some good signings though with Huth playing in their improved 2^nd half of the season. Fuchs and Okazaki are proven international players and the Japan striker has an exceptional strike rate of 43 from 93 for his country. Leicester should be safe this year but I don’t think they will get near 14^th they made last season.

Prediction: 16^th in Premiership.

Liverpool: Last season finish 6^st with 62 points.  2014 Income £255m – Payout – Wages £144m Debt £127m. Major deals in: Clyne, Firminho, Ings and Milner. (Benteke almost done)  – Major deals out: Gerrard, Coates, Sterling and Johnson. Liverpool lose talisman and club legend Steve Gerrard. With Sterling leaving for the erm Sterling we will see a slight change in the LFC play I feel.  Milner could be the purchase of the summer. With a promised central start the key in him moving from Manchester he could have a major say in The Reds finishing position. LFC have a really tough opening fixture list with the away games in particular seeing 7 very hard match ups. If they have a decent total into September they could get close to the promised land of 4^th. Europa League will be a hindrance but they have a big squad so should cope. Benteke looks signed and I think there may be one more incoming. For me though LFC will transition this season and next year could be a big year for them.

Prediction:  5^th in Premiership.

Man City:  Last season finish 2nd with 79 points. 2014 income £347m – Payout – Wages £205m Debt £67m. Major ins: Sterling and Delph.  Major outs: Lampard, Milner and Nastasic. City have moved quickly to bolster the ranks with English players as their squad runs short of the “homegrown quota” – Sterling was vastly overpriced at £49m but these amounts are nothing to the endless pockets of the UAE owners. With more men guaranteed to arrive before the season begins we may see a marquee signing or two. City need something else to compliment the attack. Sterling has immense promise but hes not prolific infront of goal. He offers rapid attacking threat but can go missing in games. City need applauding for their patience with Pelligrini. I did think he would be on his way after last years “failure” but fair play to the owners for not getting shot of him. City will continue with the patient probing football they employed last year. They have the likes of Nasri and Silva drifting around the final 3^rd. Aguero is a supreme striker and the best in the league for sure. Midfield is solid and the defence usually is. Skipper Kompany made some high prolife errors last year though and he will be keen to get back to his best for sure.

Prediction: 3rd^t in Premiership.

Man Utd: Last season finish 4^th with 70 points. 2014 income £433m – Payout – Wages £215m Debt £342m. Major deals in: Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, Depay and Darmian – Major deals out: Cleverly, Van Persie and Nani – United have been a big hitter over the summer with a huge outlay of £78 million so far. They have signed 3 players of supreme quality and a RB in Darmian who has huge promise.  LVG has got the broom out and decided there is only room for one Dutchman with three capital letters. RVP has gone and taken Nani with him.  United have quality in all areas now, a key transfer or one they should concentrate on not happening is keeper De Gea. Its no secret he wants to go back to Spain and Real Madrid. United should get the cheque book out and do whatever it takes to keep the keeper. One player I don’t see hanging around is Angel Di Maria. The lure of the Euros of PSG seem to be calling him and he never really got going last season.  I have a feeling United will do well in Champions League this year.  That however will compromise the league for me. Van Gaal will be playing his normal pass and move game. I expect United to again dominate at home but they did struggle on the road last year and a repeat this year is possible.  Going deep in UCL will mean they will be content with 4^th. A challenge for me is more likely the year after with the new signings bedding in to the frenetic pace of EPL.

Prediction: 4^th in Premiership.

Click here for English Premier League Preview Part I A-C