English Premier League Preview Part IV S-W

English Premier League Preview Part IV N-S

Swansea : Last season finish 8th with 56 points.  2014 income £101m – Payout - Wages £68m Debt £0m. Major deals in: Ayew,  Eder and Tabanou – Major deals out: Fringe members.  Swansea do well year on year and despite tending to lose their better players each season they have the right approach to the game.  Andre Ayew could be this years revelation,  he could be the buy of the year. Coach Garry Monk was unheralded when he started off but he is looking the business. Their strengths lie in keeping the ball and moving it around quickly.  I think they may drop a few positions this season but nothing to cause concern.

Prediction: 11th in Premiership.

Tottenham: Last season finish 5^th with 64 points. 2014 income £180m – Payout – Wages £105m Debt £36m. Major deals in: Alderweirald and Trippier– Major deals out: Holtby, Kaboul and Paulinho.  Spurs seemed to be on the verge of a challenge for a top 4 but they just seemed to fall short.  They battered Chelsea in one of the performances of the season. However they struggled against some of the lesser sides – losing to  West Brom, Newcastle and Villa. I like the coach Pochettino but don’t think he could improve the position as they have not signed anyone of note. Alderweirald is a solid addition but not someone to set the league alight. Pochettino likes  his sides to play exciting football,  with high pressing and a level of flair.

Prediction: 6^th in Premiership.

Watford: Last season finish 2^nd in Championship.  2014 Income £17m – Payout – Wages £12m Debt £N/A. Major deals in: Bahrami,  Motta, Capoue, Holebas.  –. I think Watford will be best equipped of all the teams who have moved up from the 2^nd tier but I don’t expect them to escape relegation. The level of the teams coming up is not great. The teams from the Championship notice the huge leap in class of opposing forwards – and all agree that whereas they can get away with it in the lower leagues chances are generally taken at the top level. Watford have the advantage of the contacts in Spain and Italy being linked to Granada and Udinese through the owners the Pozzo family.  They have had something of a coup in bringing in Quique Flores. The ex-Atletico Madrid boss is a quality manager but he may have trouble bringing his philosophy into this team of players who are not at the level of what hes used to.

Prediction:  18^th in Premiership.

West Brom:  Last season finish 13th with 44 points. 2014 income £86m – Payout – Wages £66m Debt £1m. Major ins: McClean.  Major outs: Baird, Mulumbu and Dorrans.  Everyone knows what they get with Coach Tony Pulis but one thing that tends to go hand in hand is the workaholic and at times uninspiring football is the results – they are usually good. West Brom have done much business yet, despite realising a host of players.  To me they will have a carbon copy season this time around – a few wins at places that you wouldn’t expect but a few drab losses to teams around them in the table. I think they would be happy with 13^th again if you offered in now.

Prediction: 13th in Premiership.

West Ham: Last season finish 12^th with 47 points. 2014 income £114m – Payout – Wages £64m Debt £110m. Major deals in: Jenkinson, Obiang, Obonna and Payet – Major deals out: Cole, Demel, Downing and Nene – West Ham had a strange season, they started off with a tremendous run of form. They were in the top 4 for a lot of the early part of the season – with wins over Liverpool and Man City highlights. They then followed that up with a terrible run of form that saw them plunge down the table.  They did recover though and finished in midtable. Sam Allardyce was never a fit for West Ham though and it was only a matter of time until they parted ways. They went to an old boy in Croatian Slaven Bilic. Although only a Hammer for 18 months he was welcomed with open arms by the East Enders. West Ham have a European campaign to look forward to also but that could be a problem for them in the long run.  Bilic doesn’t have a particular playing style – preferring to base his team game to game.

Prediction: 12^th in Premiership.

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

Click here for English Premier League Preview Part II E-M

Click here for English Premier League Preview Part III M-S