-arsenal, the chokers of Eqqlish football iD recentyears, ha\'€ targeted this season as the one to break their seven yeartroph) drought. Arseml lans have becn sweating all summer over the filture of thet star Robin van PeNie. As I !\'r'ite this, he is still undecided. Arsenalhas at least bought players in the offseasorl \'ith Llrkas Podolski from FC Koln, Olivier Giroud fron1 Montpellier and Santi Carzoia fion Malagajoining the club. For tlre sanit-v offans, Arsenal has to win something this season.
Ptediction: 3t
.7
CHELSLA:
The European champions have recmited well
duing the summer $.ith Marko Madn from \ /erder Bremen and Eden Hazar-d from Lille the maii signingsjoiniog fte club. Cheisea has struggled in pre season losiDg to Brighton and losing in the Communit)' Shield to city last week and has lost
experience in Drogba and Kalou leaving. Newfull-time manager Robefto Di Matteo has hisjob cut out forhim this season as he looks to rebrlild. The John Terry al1ah coniinres to be scab that keeps being picked with the lA looking at a ban which would nrle him orrt ofthe start ofthe season.
me for not including tlem above, but both have done little over the summer to excite me. Liverpool has a new managea Brendon Rodgers and JoeAllen
ftoln SwaDsea City
who ]\ill look to change lhe fortunes of the once great c.iub. Tottenham also has a new nTanager with Cheisea reject ADdre Villas Boas taking over from ol' Harry. Both teams ha1.e decent players, but ollen lack dircction and poise to compete lor the whole season. Look fol Liveryool to make a mn at the Euopa League though.
NEWCASTLE L]NITED punched well above their weight ]ast season on the back ofsome excellent JanuarJ signings. They wili make iiie difficult for ttre top teams
for sure. For
EVERTON
FULIIAM,
the rnain goal
and
will
Preiliction: 4th
injury fiee as both clubs don't have deep pockets and this could determine the success of iheir
MANCHESTER CITY:
respective seasons,
Last season's champions have had a q[iet summer ldth only the signing of Jack Rodwel] {rorn Everton of note. They cal't l:lame a lack of funds, but possibly Mancini has decided he has the team to defend their title. With a team stacked \!ith pace a4d skill, it will be hard to looh past Cib,again. Ballotelli and Co will again \r'r ite their own headlines with behariour h'hich last season almost outshone the grcat football theypiayed. Something they will want to chaflge is their perfornance in the Charnpions Leag[e where they strugg]ed and fbur, d themselves knocked orlt in the group stage.
hedictionr tst
M,\NCHESTER UNITED:
Manchester United look prctty mrch unchanged from last season. with lhe arival of Shinji Kagawa from Dofimund t}}e onlymajor signing, iast season's runners up wili be hoping for greatel consistency at home this time arcund. There have been nrmours this seasoi 'isill be SirAlex's iast season in charge so he wouldn't want to go out in second place that's for sure. During the summer, the biggest story around Manchester United arguably has been their ne$"picnic rug' desigr home strip.