Arsenal – Bernard Azulay – goonersdiary.co.uk
No matter how meaningless pre-season results might be, the scintillating 6-0 drubbing of the French runners-up, Lyon, was something special. It made for a pleasant change to win our own Emirates Cup competition, and to do so in such fine style. The question on most Gooners’ lips is how on earth Le Prof managed to mine another Clairefontaine gem in Jeff Reine-Adelaide for just £1.75m? And how fast can the French teen be polished into another first XI diamond?
Key players Petr Cech’s imposing presence is bound to have a positive impact, both on and off the pitch, and, with Ramsey, Özil, Cazorla et al already conjuring up such magic pre-season, there’s real anticipation. My prediction, below, might be a bit much, but if you can’t indulge in some pre-season optimism you might as well pack in this whole supporting malarkey. Reine-Adelaide is obviously among the emerging talents to watch, along with Iwobi, Akpom and Hayden.
Weak links The inevitable decline of Arteta and Flamini leaves the surprising figure of Coquelin as just about the only piston in the engine room.
Headline generator Lord Harris appears to have slipped comfortably into the brogues of the bumbling Hill-Wood. Doubtless Wenger will be left cursing the premium on any new signings that will result from Harris’ revelations about the club’s coffers. I hope we don’t blow the entire budget on a Real Madrid reject such as Benzema but squad morale would benefit from at least one major signing.
Who would play your manager in a movie? Blanche from Coronation Street.
My prediction: 1st
Aston Villa – Jonathan Pritchard, Observer reader
I said in May I was really looking forward to this season. Funny how quick the milk turns sour. The news over the summer has been almost completely negative. The breakdown of the takeover talks, meaning more under-investment, was hard to take for a set of fans which still has recent-ish memories (and thus delusions) of Villa being a top-six club. The departed Benteke scored 60% of our goals last season, and half of them the season before. Nominal replacements have been signed, but given the settling in/bedding down period, we’re undoubtedly starting this season in worse shape than we finished last. Sherwood’s signings must hit the ground running or we’ll be down by Christmas as the underlying squad is just not good enough. It’s difficult to comment on the Ligue 1 signings as I’ve never heard of any of them, and Micah Richards is a fitness coin toss. We just have to keep our fingers crossed that we’ve unearthed another Benteke.
Key players The fact that Guzan, Clark, Westwood and Agbonlahor are the existing spine says it all: would they get a game anywhere in the top 14? There’s now big pressure on Jack Grealish to produce. At least he’s someone the Holte End can get behind.
Weak links We don’t run around enough, and our main source of energy, Delph, has slithered off.
Headline generator Grealish, both front and (hopefully) back page.
Who would play your manager in a movie? Danny Dyer: grudgingly likeable for the banter and geezer-ness, but in fact probably a bit of a twerp.
My prediction 17th
Bournemouth – Peter Bell, AFCBchimes.blogspot.co.uk, @peterbell19
It’s hard to know just how good some of the signings might turn out to be when they have to fit into a close-knit team that has risen through the leagues. Experience was needed and In Artur Boruc, Adam Federici and Sylvain Distin the team now has more of a Premier League backbone. Christian Atsu is the sparkle of quality that Eddie Howe wanted to add and Josh King will be a powerful striker. It’s important that Tyrone Mings doesn’t feel daunted by his £8m record fee, and is made to feel at home. We know we won’t have it easy this season, but we’ll get behind the team and enjoy every match. We just want to finish as high as we can, and avoid a relegation scrap.
Key players Callum Wilson will be attempting to score more than 20 goals for his third season in a row. If he has a big season the Cherries will do fine. We’ll also need Harry Arter and Matt Ritchie to quickly get to grips with the Premier League in midfield. Mings will be key at the back, and Steve Cook will impress many pundits. Also watch out for England under-20 centre-back Baily Cargill.
Weak links Defending set plays and high balls into the box. Conceding too many corners and free kicks is something that has to stop at this level. Howe has already said the team will have to wise up.
Headline generator Expect a bit of finger-pointing and a few late tackles from Arter. Ritchie and Atsu will have the most outlandish haircuts.
Who would play your manager in a movie? Eddie Redmayne. Both young, ambitious and at the top of their games.
My prediction 14th
Chelsea – Trizia Fiorellino, ChelseaSupportersGroup.net
Pre-season has been fine – I’d have preferred not to have done a world tour but it seems it’s all about the brand these days, doesn’t it? I’m wholly underwhelmed by Cech’s replacement, but then again, who could you bring in who could compare? As for the rest of the transfers – well there just haven’t been many and, with time running out, I can’t imagine a huge last-minute influx. That’s disappointing as there are certainly areas where we are weak. Falcao on loan is an interesting one – it’s sink or swim time. We have a pretty hit and miss history with “proven” strikers, so who knows.
Key players Hazard again, but we’ll also be looking at the strikers to pull their weight. We suffered last season with both injuries and suspensions with Costa, and I can’t see that changing. Patrick Bamford was my tip for a youngster to watch, but he’s been loaned out to Palace - it will be interesting to see how he does at this level. Loftus-Cheek certainly has the potential to make it too, and I imagine Kurt Zouma will cement his place.
Weak links Opponents will target Costa’s temperament, and Ivanovic and possibly Cahill are sometimes perceived as vulnerable.
Headline generator Costa, as discussed, and, of course, José. I particularly enjoy the shenanigans between him and Wenger, because it isn’t just for the cameras.
Who would play your manager in a movie? Michael Madsen – Mr Blonde in Reservoir Dogs.
My prediction 1st
Crystal Palace – Chris Waters, palacetrust.org.uk, @Clapham_Grand
It’s been an unusual pre-season for the players: major building work at the training ground means the team has been a little nomadic in terms of locations. But the signings of Yohan Cabaye (I’m still pinching myself), Patrick Bamford, and Alex McCarthy, with a possible additional striker in Connor Wickham and a centre-back to be added, show a huge statement of intent as the club look to progress still further than last season’s top-half finish.
Key players The exciting thing is that there are so many potentially key players to choose from, especially in midfield. Any of McArthur, Cabaye, Puncheon, Chamakh, Bolasie, Jedinak or Zaha could prove pivotal. Scott Dann was voted player of the year last season and will be crucial in holding the defence together. In terms of younger players, the left-back Christian Scales and winger Sullay Kaikai were taken on the pre-season tour to South Africa.
Weak links The fact we’ve been looking so hard for a forward and a centre-back speaks volumes; last season we lacked a 15-goal-a-season striker, and a top quality defender to partner Dann.
Headline generator The nagging worry at Palace is that arguably we’ve never had it so good; so much progress is being made on and off the pitch that surely something’s got to go wrong? Alan Pardew being poached for the England job? We could also expect some more takeover/investment stories.
Who would play your manager in a movie? George Clooney - just the right blend of smugness, self-confidence, and good looks.
My prediction 9th
Everton – Steve Jones, @bluekippercom
It’s good to have Gerard Deulofeu in the squad full-time – he’s a big talent, and hopefully the hamstring injury he picked up in pre-season won’t hold him back. I’m not so sure that Tom Cleverley improves us though – and we still have some big holes to fill, specifically a centre-back, a playmaker – especially given Steven Pienaar’s continuing injury– and another striker. We need to have a productive end to the transfer window. I’m happy to see we’re digging our heels in over potential sales though, and so far holding on to Stones, Barkley, Coleman and McCarthy. Here’s hoping that continues.
Key players Howard, Jagielka, Mirallas and Lukaku will be the core key players who need to stay fit. Look out for youngsters Ty Browning at centre-half and Kieran Dowell, a proper tricky winger.
Weak links No obvious ones ahead of the new season – but we can’t rely on Lukaku to score all the goals. We also need Mirallas, Deulofeu, Barkley and the rest to step up.
Headline generator No doubt Lukaku and Mirallas will be misquoted when they’re away with their national sides. Also watch out for Roberto Martínez’s speeches – he’ll aim to beat his record for the number of times he can use the word “phenomenal” in every TV interview.
Who would play your manager in a movie? Sean Connery. Suave.
My prediction 8th
Leicester City – Chris Whiting, TheChrisWhitingShow.wordpress.com, @ChrisRWhiting
So far the summer’s been a relative disaster. We finally landed Shinji Okazaki from Mainz and our defensive saviour Robert Huth signed permanently from Stoke, but we’ve also lost our midfield magician Esteban Cambiasso and the best manager we’ve had since Martin O’Neill, thanks to the sordid affairs of his son. We’re already showing vague signs of the early symptoms of Second Season Syndrome - but we’re not on the death bed yet.
Key players Huth is key at the back, while Andrej Kramaric looks like a different player from last term and effectively starts as a new signing. England’s Jamie Vardy will be instrumental if he can keep his end-of-season form up. On the youth front, many at the club are tipping Ben Chilwell for big things – if he can get a run in the team, that is.
Weak links We’re traditionally weak in the full-back positions, where half our options are devoid of any footballing quality. We also look very bare in the centre of midfield now with Cambiasso gone and Matty James out for most of the season with his knee ligament injury. We could really do with two more signings in that area.
Headline generator Despite the change of personnel, I can’t imagine there will be much change here: it’ll be the manager again.
Who would play your manager in a movie? Ranieri’s eccentric character demands an equally eccentric actor, so I’ll cast John Cleese in the role. They don’t look too dissimilar these days either.
My prediction 13th
Liverpool – Steph Jones, Observer reader
I ended last season wishing this one over already, and with the fixtures, it could well be by October. Summer has passed in the usual whirr of far-off tours, mostly wins but no real opposition, and again a plethora of new signings. Two of them, our big name Benteke and samba star Firmino hadn’t, up until yesterday, played a minute for us. It’s also a first campaign for a long time without a major star in our lineup. Hopefully the comparisons with the Gerrard era won’t continue much beyond autumn. At least the start of the season (away to Stoke) will be a chance to put the horrors of the last behind us. Oh hang on …
Key players Benteke, obviously, should be one of them. For that we’ll need Clyne and Moreno to be on top form and we’ll need to rediscover the consistent lightning-quick buildup play of the season before last. Sturridge, obviously, should be another if he can kick the injury trap. We’ll have the tricks of Coutinho, and Firmino, too, fingers crossed, but I’m really looking forward to seeing Jordan Ibe progress from his great start last year.
Weak links Defence still, keeper still. Teams will know we were easily bullied last season.
Headline generators Gerrard and Sterling. Still. The boss will undoubtedly have a bit to say, the rumours of the owners looking to sell aren’t going away, but I hope the fans will be heard above all others, listened to, and action will follow from the clubs on lowering the ever-spiralling extortionate ticket prices.
Who would play your manager in a movie? Liberace. A great showman.
My prediction 6th
Manchester City – Lloyd Scragg, @Lloyd_Scragg
Raheem Sterling is an excellent signing. Amid the media furore over the manner of the move everyone seems to have forgotten just how good a player he is – a perfect foil for Silva and Agüero. Given the astronomical cost of luring Pogba back to Manchester, Kevin De Bruyne may be our last signing of the summer. While he’s undoubtedly a fine player, and will offer something completely different to our current attackers, I’m worried that the squad is a little top-heavy. Our central midfield was horribly exposed in countless big games last season, and I fear we’re still one short in that department.
Key players Agüero. He’s absolute dynamite. Barring any injury troubles, this should be the season he bags himself 30 league goals. The form of Vincent Kompany could also be decisive. He’s been way short of his best for at least 18 months now and needs to turn it around. As for the emerging youngsters, Kelechi Iheanacho could be the third striker, but the real excitement surrounds Jason Denayer, who is already established in a Belgium side brimming with talent.
Weak links Besides those frailties in central midfield, left-back remains a real worry. Neither Clichy nor Kolarov are of the standard required.
Headline generator One thing’s for certain, it won’t be Pellegrini. I’ve never seen a manager so expert at straight-batting questions.
Who would play your manager in a movie? Christopher Walken.
My prediction 2nd
Manchester United – Shaun O’Donnell, @stoney_utd
With the signings of Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin, Depay and Darmian we’ve added a real mix of experience and class. Bastian is a huge signing and has the presence we’ve been lacking since Keane departed. The remarkable thing about this pre-season is that we’ve avoided injuries, compared to last season where we had a patched-up team consisting of teenage defenders and Rooney in midfield. Schneiderlin should offer the back four more protection, while Depay’s pace will be a great attribute in a team that appeared pedestrian in attack last season. I expect us to challenge and, if we avoid injuries and add another defender and an experienced striker, we could win the title.
Key players Rooney will be the difference. He’s LVG’s first-choice striker – injuries and an unfit Falcao forced him deeper last season, but I expect him to return to his 2011-12 form. And keep an eye on Januzaj: he failed to build on an impressive debut season but LVG played him in a more central attacking role on the pre-season tour.
Weak links Phil Jones has been here since 2011 and has regressed over the last couple of seasons. He seems to think that throwing himself in to reckless challenges will endear him to the faithful.
Headline generator LVG will be under intense scrutiny. He is already talking about his legacy and knows he has to win the league, this season or next.
Who would play your manager in a movie? Russell Crowe in his Noah outfit. He’ll earn biblical status if he returns us to the Promised Land.
My prediction 2nd
