English Premier League Top 4 Contenders & Dreamers by @ komptrolla
In another few weeks, the English premier league will kick off again, brothers will be at war, strange sights, like that of Petr Cech in between the sticks at Arsenal, likely sights of Raheem Sterling flying on the flanks of the blue arm of Manchester, James Milner sailing in the midfield of the Scousers, Charlie Austin probably in the ranks of Newcastle or West ham, Chistian Benteke in a top four team if his champions league dreams are anything to go by and many more inter-premier league transfers in the offing.
We have ahead of us a season to savour, but despite these summer acquisitions, some teams will still end up fighting relegation, barely squeezing into Europa places or not so impossible meander into the sacred top 4.
We look at the chances of the traditional contenders and the dreamers as well as the outsiders.
CONTENDERS
Champions Chelsea will definitely make the top 4, even when they play boring football, they still manage to grind out results, they have what it takes to soak up pressure, do their job and go home with shoulders high.
If they run the rules like they did last season, winning on a roll to set early unassailable lead then causing traffic with their 'damaged buses' at places like Manchester and Emirates, they most likely will retain their title.
With a manager that knows what winning means, keeping Costa out of trouble and the medics room, and Hazard away from the claws of big spending Madrid and PSG, they are odds on to be champions again.
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| Vincent Kompany, Aaron Ramsey, Rooney, Herdenson, Harry Kane, Schneiderlin |
Manchester City showed again that they lack the mentality to sustain achievements, they mismanaged advantages severally the two times they campaigned as champions, if they do get Pogba and Kevin Debruyne, they will challenge, maybe not in Europe, but on the home front, they have materials.
Letting Milner go on a free won't hurt them much, they will make the top 4, but their early season form will determine how well their title chances would be, keeping Yaya Toure happy and Vincent Kompany in form will do magics too.
Arsenal have snatched Petr Cech from the lions den, finding safe hands in hopeless places.
Lots of fans took to the streets to celebrate the arrival of a veteran, in revenge to the Cesc Fabregas saga, but as much as the experience of Petr will win Arsenal points, what's the point of plugging a leaking hole when you have Giroud and Welbeck upfront?
With respect to the former, he put in a decent run at the second half of the season when he returned from injury in late November, Welbeck scored four premier league goals, that's a Burnley-QPR form.
Arsenal needs a proven striker, and to get such you have to spend big, a midfield enforcer too.
The Vidal news seem out of place, William Carvalho more like it, as Coquelin sure needs competition and Arsenal need to establish some fear factor.
Arsenal won't win the league without strike force and defensive midfield additions, but if they add, expect them to cause headaches if their key men stay fit...
Good thing no key player is leaving and Alexis just won the Copa, the lion is hungry.
Manchester United have been linked to every player in Europe, having snapped up the 'next Ronaldo; as labelled by the media in Memphis Depay, they have had heartbreaks in the market so far with Inter Milan agreeing terms with Stoke for a United target, Xhedan Shakiri, how sad, every of the player they've been linked with is either penning long term deals with current club or moving elsewhere, the promise of champions league football isn't making any difference.
Wanting Sergio Ramos is a good dream, if it happens it will boost United, but David De Gea going the other way is a step backward, at this pace, it will take something special to surpass the 4th place trophy united currently holds.
Robin Van Persie is heading out, Chicharito uncertain, Nani off to Turkey and more to follow, the fate of Manchester United lies in the hands of the philosophical LVG... There isn't much to dream about at the theater next season.
DREAMERS
Liverpool have done some fine businesses, Firminho is a strong addition, especially when you realize he was strongly liked with Manchester United before being announced as a Kop, Milner isn't a Gerrard but he will put in a fine shift, if you criticize the Danny Ings signing, then you know nothing about the Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler stories.
Brendan Rodgers certainly knows how to spend money, albeit on players he doesn't need, Nathan Clyne is certainly not one of those Aspas-Manquillo-Llorri signings, he will replace Johnson perfectly, but knowing Rodgers for his selection gambles, expect Liverpool to struggle early on, with very unfair away fixtures starring at them in the face, and a certain Balotelli proving unsaleable, Sterling wheeling away, and the Gerrard factor now in the MLS, Coutinho won't be able to save them, not even Henderson.
Tottenham Hotspur needs no introduction, they can spend money on average players and still not make impacts.
Harry Kane will repeat last season's heroics, but that's where it ends, they will struggle to make Europa places, that's if they hold on to their inspirational French goalkeeper
Southampton showed us how to sell and still regroup last season, they know how to string wins together early on, they most likely will fizzle out again, but expect them to give Liverpool and Spurs some headaches again, and if they get some lucky run, watch your backs Arsenal and United.
Article written by @komptrolla
