Despite my prediction, Stoke will survive!

A hectic end to the transfer window meant Stoke's summer of dealings improved the squad. Steven N'Zonzi and Charlie Adam from Blackburn and Liverpool respectively are exactly what Tony Pulis's side need, and that's quality in the centre of the park. Even when the window was shut Pulis added a proven goal scorer in the form of the free agent Michael Owen, which could turn out to be a brilliant gamble!

Adam will bring a higher level of quality to the Stoke midfield

Before these additions I had tipped Stoke to go down, saying that I still expect them to struggle this campaign as more Premier League clubs have found them out; however I now believe they won't be playing the Championship next season!

Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth are both very good defenders and given the fact they've been playing together for a while now has ensured they are one of the league's best central defensive partnership's. Their lack of real quality in the full-back position doesn't matter too much, as under Pulis, the full-back's main priority is to be solid defensively.

I really like the additions of Adam and N'Zonzi as I feel they'll compliment each other well in the middle of the park for Stoke. In Adam they've someone who can spread the ball around, whilst N'Zonzi is more of a stereotypical Stoke player given his height, strength and battling qualities. Given Wilson Palacios's poor form and the fact Adam is better then Stoke's other passer Glenn Whelan, expect to see the new additions fit straight into the side.

Key player - Peter Crouch. Crouch is key to the way Stoke play, his height is an obvious target with the Stoke long ball and high amount of crosses from the wide. He's scored twice already this campaign and if he gets double figures, which he should, then he should steer Stoke up the table. If Owen is fit and starting, the duo will be a good centre partnership, and like Adam and N'Zonzi in the centre of the park, will compliment each other well.



Crouch had a good first year with Stoke!

Prediction - 20th. I know I touched upon it before, saying that Stoke won't go down; however I've got to stick with my prediction! It's not inconceivable they'll be in trouble this season, but in their opening four games they've shown they can be solid against the top sides, whilst being difficult to beat away from home, gaining creditable points away against Reading and Wigan.

Sunderland to push for top half finish.

Sunderland’s transfer activity really picked up as the window went on, and the additions of Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson were brilliant. Martin O’Neill also added experience in the form of Carlos Cuellar and Louis Saha, both of whom were out of contract with their previous clubs.

Johnson will get more first-team action with his new club

O’Neill came in last year and turned Sunderland’s season around. Under Steve Bruce it appeared the Black Cats would be in a fight against survival; however the former Aston Villa manager made an immediate impact, as the club won seven out of the first 10 games under O’Neill to propel them from 17^th to 8^th! A poor end to the season saw Sunderland fail to win any of their last seven League games and eventually finished 13^th, but things looked a hell of a light brighter then they did at the start of December.

In Fletcher’s first game for his new club, he scored two goals, both superbly taken, and having scored goals for a struggling Wolves side last year, I expect Fletcher to at least get double figures, and maybe even get close to the 24 League goals a certain Darren Bent scored for Sunderland in the 2009-10 campaign. Johnson, their other key signing is also another one who should have a good year given a run in the side, something he never get close to at Manchester City.

Defensively Sunderland have a number of injury prone players; however in the form of John O’Shea and Wes Brown, both of whom fall into that injury prone bracket, they have two quality defenders with Champions League experience. The addition of Cuellar from Aston Villa is one that has slipped under the radar, as his versatility and solid defensive work will ensure he plays regularly for Sunderland this year.

Key player: Stephane Sessegnon – The Benin international is technically superb and should feature off Fletcher in a good looking forward line for Sunderland. His creativity shone through even during the disappointing periods of the Black Cats season, and if he can improve his goal tally then Sunderland should have a good year.

Sessegnon is a class act!

Prediction: 12^th – Before the additions of Fletcher and Johnson I did worry for Sunderland as I wasn’t sure where the goals would come from, and to be fair they’ve only scored twice so far this year, and both were from the man Fletcher! But with these two excellent additions they’ll be fine and Martin O’Neill will probably get them close to a top half finish!

View from a fan – Glenn Kidger @glenn_safc

What would be a brilliant year?
A great season would be finishing in the top eight as well as seeing Fletcher top the goal scoring charts.

What would be a nightmare season?
A nightmare year would be seeing our best players injured and losing against the scum Newcastle!

How would you rate your transfer window?

I am very happy with what Martin O’Neill has done this window, some quality transfers have been added and good money has been spent!

Do you have the right man in charge?
O’Neill is definitely the right man for the job! He plays mind games with the opposition and catches them on the attack.

Is Steven Fletcher worth the £12million Sunderland paid?
Fletcher is certainly worth the money! He’ll prove himself, and started brilliant with the double against Swansea.

Reading to struggle!

Having started their Championship campaign in lethargic fashion, very much suffering from their play-off hangover, following their 4-2 final defeat to Swansea City in 2011, Brian McDermott performed a miracle in orchestrating their end of season form which saw them gain promotion to the Premier League as Champions!

Reading celebrating their 2012 Championship success

Continuing the trend of promoted sides, Reading have brought players from the Championship whom are at the right age and probably equipped to handle top flight football. Chris Gunter, Gareth McCleary and Adrian Marriappa, all second tier performers last year, deserve their chance in the Premier League, and credit to McDermott who’s given them exactly that. However for me the best addition is Danny Guthrie. Having failed to dislodge Yohan Cabaye and Cheick Tiote at his former club Newcastle, Guthrie left the club on a free transfer and will no doubt flourish given a decent run in a side.

Their threat from the wide areas of the pitch is a key part of Reading’s game as both Jimmy Kebe and Jobi McAnuff took the Championship by storm last year. Kebe has an extremely good end product, something flair wide players usually come without, and if he has another good season, I’m sure some of the bigger clubs will check the availability of the Malian midfielder. 

Key player - Pavel Pogrebnyak: The big Russian centre forward was a surprise transfer addition, with many people expecting him to sign for Fulham, whom he was on loan at during the previous campaign. But Fulham’s loss is most certainly Reading’s gain. He has all the attributes to make it in England, and having already broken his Reading duck with a brilliant header against Chelsea, I reckon the former Stuttgart man will reach double figures for the Royals. Whether that'll be enough to save his new club is another thing. 

Pogrebnyak scored 6 goals in 12 games when on loan at Fulham

Prediction – 18^th: I’m a huge fan of the manager and I believe he's assembled a strong squad; however I do feel they lack the quality to survive in the Premier League. I worry where the goals will come from if Pogrebnyak is ever injured; however they’ve impressed me in both games so far this season and were very unlucky not to leave Stamford Bridge without a point.

View from a fan - Dan Brown @DAB_44

What would be a good season?
A good season would to just stay up, preferably without getting into a dog fight at the bottom. Mid table is the best we can hope for.

What would be a nightmare year?
Relegation followed by the loss of our manager and best players!

Do you have the right man in charge?
Brian McDermott is the best manager we could have, he’s been at the club for 10 years, and has managed all the different age levels at the club, so he knows the place like the back of his hand. A very very good manager!

How would you rate your transfer window?
The business done in the transfer window was good! Players were brought in where needed, and we didn’t go crazy like QPR, the manager wanted cover for every position and that is exactly what he did!

Aside from Pogrebnyak where are the goals going to come from?
Goals can come from anywhere, last season we very much spread out the goals amongst the squad. We’re a threat from anywhere; we scored goals from the wings as well a set pieces. Adam Le Fondre is definitely our secret weapon for the Premier League though, he’s a typical poacher and if he gets the opportunity he will score. Also you’d always fancy Ian Harte when he’s standing over a free-kick. 

Comfortable safety for West Ham

Despite not being the most popular man at times at Upton Park, Sam Allardyce guided West Ham to promotion at the first attempt ensuring the quickest of returns to the Premier League. A very positive end to the transfer window saw 'Big Sam' bring in two impressive loan additions in the shape of Yossi Benayoun as well as pulling of a transfer coup in the form of Andy Carroll.

Carroll had an impressive West Ham debut before injury brought it to a premature end

A good start to the season ensures that West Ham sit comfortably in the top half of the Premier League. Two wins at Upton Park have proven they'll be a hard nut to crack at home, which is imperative if they are to avoid being part of the relegation mix come the end of the season. 

The addition of Carroll hasn't done the belief Allardyce's side playing 'long ball football' any favours; however they do have some flair players in the form of Ricardo Vaz Te and the returning Benayoun, and these two could be the difference in the tight games.

I worry about them defensively as in their previous two Premier League campaigns they've conceded a lot of goals. Under Allardyce they'll be more solid then both Avram Grant and Gianfranco Zola, and in James Tomkins they potentially have a world-class centre half; however if they defend half as poorly as they did away to Swansea, then the Hammers will concede more then they score. 

Key player - Kevin Nolan. Having previously worked under Allardyce at Bolton and Newcastle, bringing Nolan to a then Championship side was a brilliant move for West Ham. Just three games into the new campaign and Nolan has proven his worth to the team with two goals, including the winner on their return to the big time against Aston Villa. A goal scoring midfielder is key as it takes the pressure of the centre forwards, and Nolan is one of the best in the business at doing exactly that. 

Two goals in three games already for Nolan

Prediction - 15th. I don't think the Hammers will be in a relegation fight this year and 15th may even be a tad harsh as they've started the campaign well; however they don't have enough about them to make the top 10. It might not be pretty at times but under 'Big Sam' it'll be effective in ensuring they won't be in a dog fight.

View from a fan - Tommy Wathen

What would be a good year?
For most Hammers fans the general expectation is to stay above the dreaded relegation zone, but for me that wouldn't be enough. I would like to think we have the ability to finish at least 14th, but we'd need some big performances for that to happen. It would also be nice to see the players give everything and the fans get behind the team which didn't happen all last season, which really angered me.

What would be a nightmare season?

Plain and simply relegation! 

Do you have the right man in charge?

People have their own opinions on Sam Allardyce and there is the tag that we play 'long ball football which isn't the West Ham way', but to perfectly honest if we pass the ball three million times before scoring like Spain, or if the goalkeeper kicks it long onto the centre forward's head and into the net, as long as the goals are there and the points are being earned. I'm very happy that we have Sam as our manager going into the Premier League, there is a lot worse out there and Sam has experience in the Premier League. I have full confidence in him.

Who would you have like to have seen arrive at Upton Park in the previous transfer window?

Firstly I would have loved to have seen Carlos Tevez return, which I still hope will happen. I prefer a hardworking team player joining the team rather then a selfish superstar. One player I wished we had signed was Jermaine Defoe. I know the majority of the Hammers fans wouldn't agree with me but you only have to watch him play to realise just how good he is. West Ham have not had a 20 goals a season striker for as long as I can remember, and he is exactly that!

Who should we look out for this year?

I think the most interesting area to look out for next season would be the youth players that are coming through. During the season I hope some of the youngsters get to show what they've got, whether it's too early or not is another question. Ricardo Vaz Te may also be an interesting asset this year. He had a fantastic second half to the season with us last year, and for a player that has been away from the Premier League for many years now, it will be a surprise  for all the Premier League defenders when they have the tricky Portuguese attacker running at them. 

I said 4th for Spurs; if I could change it I would, will be a Europa League spot for them again!

It’s fair to say Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy has taken a risk! Sacking Harry Redknapp, who guided the club to Champions League football after arriving when they were bottom, and appointing Andre Villas-Boas whose previous Premier League experience was hardly a success. However I do believe there to be method in madness!

As great as Redknapp was for Spurs, in the really big games, his side went missing and given his age, he was always going to be a short-term fix. Villas-Boas on the other hand is 34 and, despite his poor spell at Chelsea, has the potential to be a great manager. It’s not going to happen overnight, Villas-Boas has brought new ideas and a new philosophy to the club, however I do believe if he is given a chance then he’ll be at Tottenham for a hell of a long time!

The loss of Luka Modric was a huge blow to Spurs; however for me they've found a like for like replacement in the classy Moussa Dembele. He can play just off the striker, but figured mostly in the centre of the park for his previous club Fulham, and will do so at White Hart Lane. Having missed out on Joao Moutinho on deadline day, Dembele needs to hit the ground running.

£15million well spent!

One thing you won’t see under Villas-Boas that you did with Redknapp is short-term fixes. Louis Saha and Ryan Nelsen were added in January, both have left already. Jan Vertonghen, Hugo Lloris and Dembele are players who could be playing at White Hart Lane in eight years time, all of whom have their best years ahead of them.

Key player- Gareth Bale. Having lost both Modric and Rafael Van Der Vaart, Gareth Bale is going to have to step up and really rubber stamp his authority on games. For me he drifts in and out of football matches too much, and he, like Spurs have had a poor start to the season. The Welshman has undoubted quality and if Tottenham are to challenge for those Champions League spots then he needs to be more consistent.

More performances like the two vs Inter are needed from Bale

Prediction- 4^th. When I started these predictions (before the start of the season, I’ve just been slow typing them!) I believed Tottenham would edge Chelsea out of the top four; however having seen both clubs starts I no longer feel this is the case; however will stand by my prediction, as it isn’t horrendously unlikely. It’ll take time for the Villas-Boas mentality to rub off on Spurs, and a top six finish is more realistic.

View from a fan – DanUnderwood

What would be a good season?
Qualifying for the Champions League as well as a decent FA Cup run like last year.

What would be a nightmare year?
Finishing outside the Europa League positions, this could happen considering where we were before Harry Redknapp.

Do you have the right man in charge?
Given time he is the right manager! Whether he’ll be given that is another matter.

How would you rate your transfer dealings?
I like who we’ve brought in; however we need cover at left back and go into the year with just two strikers! I don’t like the fact we sold Van Der Vaart either, whilst Modric’s exit was inevitable.

Who should we watch out for this year?
The likes of Jake Livermore and Sandro will probably get more game time considering Modric has left, and the latter is a really good player who could edge out Scott Parker.

No relegation fight for new look QPR

After playing their part in what was a truly enthralling end to the 2011-12 Barclays Premier League season, QPR will be hoping, in fact expecting an improvement without the drama of a relegation battle. Mark Hughes came in, and pretty much via home form alone, kept the Hoops in the top flight. At Loftus Road they were brilliant, beating the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea; however an improvement on their travels is needed if the club are going to challenge for the top half of the table.

Hughes will ensure that there will be no repeat relegation fight

Hughes has brought in a mixture of Premier League experienced campaigners as well as class acts from Spain and Italy in the form of Esteban Granero and Julio Cesar. Despite not spending huge sums on transfer fees, one thing is for certain, QPR are going to have a huge wage bill. A transfer that hasn’t been mentioned much is the shrewd addition of Park Ji Sung from Manchester United, whose commitment levels will go down well with the Loftus Road faithful.

The huge overhaul that has taken place at QPR will take time to happen; however QPR have the right man in charge, and Hughes has found a club that ‘matches his ambitions’ having left QPR’s London rivals in controversial circumstances last year. An opening day thumping at the hands of Swansea was the far from ideal start and with fixtures against the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal coming up in the next few weeks, it’s likely their best form will come later on.

Key player – Stephen MBia. The Cameroonian centre half addition from Marseille is another smart move from Hughes. Defensively for a while QPR have been average, and after missing out on Tottenham’s Michael Dawson, MBia should be the man to make them more solid. MBia brings Champions League experience and is also the perfect age, with him coming to the Premier League at the peak time in his career.

Prediction – 9^th. Despite the huge wage bill and the fact numerous players won’t have much sell on value in a few years time, I do like what Hughes has done this window and it won’t take long for them to be competitive, and were better away to Manchester City in defeat then they have been at any point this season. Given time QPR will have a brilliant squad and I feel they’ll be a huge threat to the top half of the table.

View from a fan - @Tel11dog

What would be an ideal season?
With the transfer’s we’ve made, we’ve got to be looking at the top 10.

What would be a nightmare year?
Another fight against relegation would be a bad year.

Do you have the right man in charge?
I’m not struck over by Hughes, but I believe he and his team are right to take us to the next level.

How would you rate QPR’s transfer dealings?
Compared to previous transfer windows and who we’ve been linked with but never added, I’m loving who we’ve brought through the door.

If you could’ve signed anyone this window, who would it have been?
Michael Dawson was a massive miss, he was the one.

How important is it that under Hughes QPR improve their away form?
To get us to the next level and into the top ten we have to improve our away form dramatically. 

Saints to struggle

A difficult start has left Southampton bottom of the Premier League heading into the first international break. Narrow and morale deflating defeats against both Manchester sides have shown they can compete; however sandwiched between these games was a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to perennial strugglers Wigan.

When Nigel Adkins took over the reins at Southampton, the club were in the League One relegation zone (all be it at an early stage in the season), but in just two years he has overseen back-to-back promotions meaning the club are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2005. A positive transfer window was headlined when they beat the likes of Tottenham and Liverpool to the services of the Uruguayan Gaston Ramirez. The addition of Emmanuel Mayuka, who starred for Zambia in their 2012 African Nations success, could also prove to be a shrewd piece of business.

Adkins has done a brilliant job with Southampton

Under Adkins Southampton have always had a positive approach to the game, scoring more goals than any other side on their way to promotion from the Championship last year, and on the evidence of their first three games, they aren’t going to alter their mentality despite promotion. For all the positives in their attacking play, I do worry for Southampton defensively. Admittedly two of their opening three fixtures have been against the very best of what the Premier League can offer; however I worry if the likes of Jose Fonte and Jos Hooiveld are good enough.

Key player – Adam Lallana. A crowd favourite having stayed at the club even when they stooped as low as League One, Lallana is certainly reaping the rewards now and is one of the first names of the Southampton team sheet. Over the last few seasons Lallana has added more goals and if he can get anywhere near double figures then he could help steer Southampton away from the drop.

Prediction – 19^th. What Adkins has done with Southampton is brilliant; however I think they’ll struggle to survive. Much pressure is on the likes of Ricky Lambert and Jay Rodriguez to score the goals; however neither have Premier League experience and reaching double figures will be a struggle.

Two in three Premier League games is a top start for Lambert

View from a fan - Matt Wall @MattBWall

What would be a perfect season?
A perfect season would be comfortably avoiding relegation and enjoying a decent cup run.

What would be a nightmare season?
Would be finishing bottom with the lowest points tally in Premier League history, god forbid!

Do you have the right man in charge?
Without a doubt Nigel Adkins is the right man in charge, he achieved our back to back promotions and I like the way he emphasises on team spirit.

Given the choice, which Premier League player would you sign?
That’s a difficult one, but one that could’ve happened was Theo Walcott, he would rediscover his form with us!

Is Ricky Lambert good enough for the Premier League?
Although time isn’t on his side, I do think ‘Super Rickie’ has what it takes! Very similar scenario to Grant Holt who was very good last year.

Does the squad need players with more top flight experience or are you happy with the transfer additions?

It's encouraging looking at other sides like Norwich and Swansea who've done very well without much Premier League experience and it's also great for the future the way we are signing young British players, that's combined with our brilliant academy! We also added Ramirez, beating off bigger sides which is quite the coup!

Norwich to keep their heads above water

Having lost their inspirational manager Paul Lambert to Aston Villa during the summer, the task of maintaining Norwich City's Premier League status has been handed to Chris Hughton. Apart from Lambert, there hasn't been any stand out exits at the club, meaning their squad is stronger then last year. Robert Snodgrass's addition has been a good one, with the former Leeds captain more the equipped to take on the Premier League.



Norwich along with Swansea took the Premier League by storm last year; however both have lost their manager and it's taken Norwich longer to adapt to life under a new regime. Just the solitary win from their opening eight games mean the Canaries perch just above the relegation zone; however I expect them to improve under the Hughton.

Whether Grant Holt can repeat his goal scoring form of last season is up for debate. 15 league goals was an exceptional return given the fact it was his debut season at the highest level, and even better considering he was a League Two player in 2009.  Hughton only brought in Harry Kane on loan from Spurs to bolster his attacking options, and already Norwich have had problems scoring goals.

Despite their struggles defensively, the additions of Sebastian Bassong and Michael Turner are solid and will improve Norwich's back line. Both of whom have Premier League experience and I was very surprised to see Sunderland let the latter go.

Key player - Bradley Johnson. Another former Leeds man at Norwich is key in the centre of the midfield. At 25 he's approaching the peak of his career and if Norwich are to survive then Johnson needs another good season. He, like so many Norwich players, had a good season last year; however for me Johnson will have to step up and be the main man in the centre of the park, which he is capable of.


Prediction - 16th. Having lost Lambert this year is all about consolidation, with survival the main goal in Hughton's first year. I like the transfers Norwich have made this transfer window and I think they'll just have enough to stay up.

View from a fan - Charlie Nicholson 

What would be a perfect season?
One position beneath Europa League qualification, I wouldn't want to risk relegation next year with the extra fixtures.

What would be a nightmare year?
Any relegation position.

Do you have the right man in charge?
Paul Lambert was the right man, but given that he has left, then Hughton was my choice, so yes!

If you could sign any Premier League player who would it be?
We need a pacey striker who'd fit in with the squad, so unrealistically Wayne Rooney, but maybe someone like Nathan Delfouneso whom has potential and would fit into the squad. I would like Jordan Rhodes too, but he's in the Championship.

Are you happy with the clubs transfers so far?
I'm really happy so far, more hungry British players who want to prove themselves and Steven Whittaker has European experience.

How key was it to keep ahold of Grant Holt?
Keeping Holt was key! How much would the club have spent in trying to replace a 15 goal a season man otherwise!

Another good season for Pardew and Newcastle

Newcastle at times were superb last year and surprised many as they finished 5th in the Barclays Premier League. Alan Pardew defied his critics and despite the sales of previous key figures in Jose Enrique, Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton were well worth their high finish. Pardew has added in Ajax's Vurnon Anita and Gael Bigirimana from Coventry.

Papiss Cisse, an arrival from German side Freiburg in January, took the Premier League by storm as he completed an all Senegalese strike force with Demba Ba. Cisse scored an incredible array of goals, many worthy of challenging for the goal of the season crown, with his strike away to Chelsea in a 2-0 victory winning the said trophy. Whether Cisse can continue his form from last season is up in the air; however if his strike rate is half as impressive as his first 14 games, then he'll certainly be challenging for the top goalscorer.

For once Newcastle haven't sold during a Summer transfer window, keeping their midfield duo of Check Tiote and Yohann Cabaye despite rumoured interest from some of Europe's finest clubs. Their midfield ranks with the best in the Premier League; however they don't have as much depth as those who finished above them, meaning any injuries will hit Pardew's side hard.

Club captain Fabricio Coloccini was immense at the heart of Newcastle's defence, earning a place in the PFA Team of the year. The Argentine had many doubters following the clubs relegation in 2009, and despite interest from abroad stayed with the club during their season in the Championship, making him a fans favourite in the progress. With Steven Taylor's return to full fitness, Newcastle again have a solid partnership at the back.

Key player - Hatem Ben Arfa. Ben Arfa towards the back end of the season was one of the Premier League's best players, and with injury cutting short his previous two campaigns, this season is a big one for Ben Arfa. At times his attitude is questionable, having fall outs at both of his former clubs leading to his exit; however if he reaches his undoubted potential then Newcastle will do very well to keep him.

Prediction - 6th. I think Newcastle will just be short in their pursuit of a top four finish; however under Pardew the club have improved immensely and will finish in a Europa League spot. 

View from a fan - Scott Anthony Carr

What would be an ideal season?

A perfect season would be finishing fourth as well as a decent run in the Europa League

What would be a nightmare year?

My nightmare year would be finishing in the bottom half of the league because all of the momentum would be lost.

Do you have the right manager in charge?

I like Pardew, I was skeptical and annoyed when they first put him in charge because I thought Chris Hughton did a good job but he's been doing the business and with the set up of the club we need a manager who is happy not to have all the power such as a Ferguson or Moyes, with transfers etc, which he seems happy to do. 

Which Premier League player would you sign given the chance?

Realistically I'd like us to sign Michael Dawson after his move to QPR has hit the rocks. He's a great centre back and Steven Taylor has his injury problems and is shaky at times.

Can Papiss Cisse really keep up the form he shew in the back end of last season?

I think he'll still be a regular scorer, just not as frequent as last season. I still reckon he'll get 15+ goals for the season.

Is this Ben Arfa's big season?

Ben Arfa showed in the back end of last year what a quality player he is, and I think now he's in the side and the fans and the manager realise how much ability he has he's going to get more freedom and be a great player this season. I'm just worried one of the big club will come in for him!