(Brendan Rodgers is under pressure following a disappointing season last year)
What do you hope to see this season?
Liverpool winning the Premier League. Manchester United failing to make the top four.
What do you expect to see?
Liverpool not winning the Premier League. Manchester United making the top four and potentially winning the title.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best: Petr Cech (Chelsea to Arsenal)
Worst: Tom Cleverley (Manchester United to Everton)
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
1 Manchester United
2 Chelsea
3 Manchester City
4 Arsenal (of course!)
Who will get relegated?
Bournemouth
Watford
Norwich City
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Robbie Brady at Norwich. This guy has a sweet left foot and should do well with the Canaries after switching from Hull. Would like to see Shane Long getting some extended game time at Southampton too.
Paul Hosford
PA Wire / PA Images
PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images
(Aston Villa’s Ciaran Clark recently signed a new contract with the club)
What do you hope to see this season?
A real title race, not a processional. I also want to see an outsider challenge for the top four, but I think that’s less likely. Also, Villa not being in a relegation fight would be lovely.
What do you expect to see?
More of the same. A battle between Chelsea and City with nobody wanting either to win. Liverpool to start poorly, put together an okay run and then finish 6th.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best: Benteke. He was the best number 9 in England in the last two months of the season, he’s young, strong, quick and scores all sorts of goals. Memphis Depay could also be a massive signing.
Worst: Raheem Sterling. A massive outlay for a guy who’s scored fewer than 20 goals in the Premier League. Would want to be world-class very quickly to justify it.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
City
Arsenal
United
Who will get relegated?
Norwich
Bournemouth
Watford
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Jack Grealish (*hides*)
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
It’s back, and it’s live.
Rónán Duffy
AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
(Manchester United will be hoping to improve on last season’s fourth-place finish)
What do you hope to see this season?
Mourinho and Van Gaal having a serious go at each other. I’d love to see how the Dutchman would react to some needling from Stamford Bridge.
What do you expect to see?
Man United regaining some of the fear they used to instill in the rest of the league. I don’t think their defence is solid enough to win it though, X2 if De Gea leaves in the next three weeks.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best: I’ll take a punt on Roberto Firmino to Liverpool. He wasn’t cheap, but if Liverpool want to rediscover the pace that made them so awesome 18 months ago, they need players like Firmino. Doubly so with the departure of Sterling.
Worst: Man City’s English signings. Obviously they overpaid for Sterling, but I can at least see the investment logic in buying him. But Fabian Delph and Patrick Roberts are box-ticking exercises that didn’t need to be ticked. Man City needed to buy well this summer and they haven’t.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
Man United
Arsenal
Liverpool
Who will get relegated?
Watford
Norwich
Leicester
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Robbie Brady could have been one of those promising Irish players at a top club (Man United) that we never heard from again. Instead, he showed bottle at Hull to prove himself worthy as a Premier League player. He’s now showing even more brass to establish himself in the Ireland team in a left-back position not really natural to him.
£7 million was a big price Norwich paid for him but all the evidence suggests he’ll at least work to pay them back.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Sky Sports have all their eggs in one basket.
Steve O’Rourke
PA Wire / PA Images
PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images
(Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea comfortably won the league last season)
What do you hope to see this season?
Manchester United winning the league with about 10 games to spare would be nice. Failing that, it would be great to see a new name on the Premier League trophy.
What do you expect to see?
Chelsea being their efficient, boring/brilliant, best.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer.
Best: Memphis Depay. Remember the last time Manchester United signed a young goal-scoring midfielder?
Worst: Christian Fuchs. Imagine all the ‘clever’ headlines we’re going to have to read when he ‘Fuchs up’, etc
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
United
Liverpool
Arsenal
Who will get relegated?
Norwich
West Ham United
Sunderland
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Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Has anyone made the Jack Grealish joke yet? If they have, I’ll go for James McClean, because this year feels like it could be make or break for him.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
A competition involving 20 teams, each playing 38 games to determine who will emerge as champions.
Niall Kelly
EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
(Big things are expected of Aaron Ramsey and Arsenal this season)
What do you hope to see this season?
A title race to match the 2011-12 season would be great, if that’s not too much to ask.
What do you expect to see?
Another year of the Mourinho obsession, United showing that they’re getting back to their best, and Arsenal as bridesmaids.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
He’s no spring chicken but I think £14m was brilliant value for Bastian Schweinsteiger. I’m less sure about the £29m Liverpool paid for Roberto Firmino, so I’ll stay on the fence there for a couple of months.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
Man United
Arsenal
Man City
Who will get relegated?
Norwich, Watford, Leicester
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
It feels like Robbie Brady has been around forever but he’s still only 23 and it would be great to see him kick on at Norwich.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence
LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE
Donal Lucey
John Walton
John Walton
(Harry Arter was a key player as Bournemouth won the Championship last season)
What do you hope to see this season?
A competitive title race and Liverpool replicating the kind of form that saw them challenge for the title in 2013-14.
What do you expect to see?
More of the same from Chelsea. A lack of recruitment doesn’t make them any weaker and I fully expect them to comfortably become the first team in seven years to retain the title.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best – There have been some big signings but in terms of actually making a difference to a team and not paying over the odds, I’d go for Petr Cech’s move to Arsenal.
Worst – City’s problems in midfield go back as far as the departures of Nigel De Jong and Gareth Barry. Fernando and Fernandinho haven’t worked out and Yaya Toure looks a shadow of his former self. It was the one area they really needed strengthening and they decided to sign… Fabian Delph.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Liverpool
Who will get relegated?
Aston Villa
Watford
Sunderland
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Harry Arter was one of the best players in the Championship last year and it earned him a call-up to the national side. The challenge now is to prove he has what it takes to succeed in the Premier League and push for a place in Ireland’s starting XI.
I’d also like to see the likes of Robbie Brady, James McCarthy and James McClean kick on and show their quality on a more consistent basis.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
We go again.
Eoin O’Callaghan
PA Wire / PA Images
PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images
(Yohan Cabaye joined Crystal Palace from PSG this summer)
What do you hope to see this season?
A league campaign that doesn’t go according to plan. Last year Chelsea were so much better than everyone else and it meant everything was all a little bit anti-climactic.
What do you expect to see?
A better Manchester United, more tuned to Van Gaal’s team-ethic rather than emphasis on superstars despite the absolute turmoil currently bubbling in the dressing-room. Chelsea to stumble more than last term and Arsenal to reap the benefit of a terrific goalkeeper between the posts. Despite signing a new contract, Pellegrini likely to be gone from City next summer.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
For me, a best signing is a player that brings something badly needed in a team. Cech is an experienced and immensely talented figure. He cost a tiny fee for what he provides and Arsenal will be much better off with such a security blanket. Given United’s current goalkeeping crisis, quite extraordinary that they didn’t register an interest. Other notable mentions here include Morgan Schneiderlin and Matteo Darmian arriving at Old Trafford, Palace somehow persuading Yohan Cabaye to come to Selhurst Park and Andre Ayew shipping up at Swansea.
Worst signings are always identified by their price, aren’t they? It may be another loan deal but a it’s pricy one and it’s impossible to see Falcao resurrecting his career at Chelsea. Sterling will get goals for City but will he justify the transfer fee? Again, it’s impossible. Nothing short of 15 league goals and a rake of assists would do it justice. If City struggle, he’s also an easy scapegoat. You’d fear for Firmino at Liverpool too — big price tag, South Americans usually start slowly in England and by the time he puts some performances together, his manager could be gone.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
I don’t think United will start as poorly as they did last term while their record in big games under van Gaal is already pretty solid. But there’s a lot of ground to make up. And they need to score between 10-15 goals more than they did last season to be in with a shout. They could do it but need two more signings before the window shuts to bulk up the team. Smart money says Chelsea again but it will be closer. Arsenal are heavily-tipped but I’m not convinced of their title credentials. And I’m really not sure about City who, despite their second-place, were found out quite a few times last season. Maybe a 1-2-3-4 of Chelsea, United, Arsenal, City.
Who will get relegated?
You’d fear for a Leicester — such a remarkable turnaround last season and it’s going to be more of the same this time. Can the same bulk of players dig deep once more and fight hard for an entire campaign? Hard to see. I think Newcastle need to go down, as do Sunderland. But it comes down to maths and there’s going to be at least one newly-promoted side that will go straight back down. I’ll tip Leicester, Watford and Bournemouth.
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
A few really need to step up. Can Brady and McClean deliver after summer moves? Can Hoolahan contribute to Norwich’s survival hopes? And, perhaps most importantly, will James McCarthy wield more influence for Everton after signing a new deal?
But the biggest issue for Ireland is central defence. Ciaran Clark has been a slow-burner, patchy at times for Villa. But with a new contract, it’s a big chance for him to get regular football and become a big player for his country. Also, worth keeping an eye on Marc Wilson at Stoke regarding where Mark Hughes plays him this season.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Ruining relationships one game at a time.
Ryan Bailey
Mike Egerton
Mike Egerton
(Sergio Aguero scored 26 goals for Man City last season)
What do you hope to see this season?
A title race and relegation scrap that both go down to the wire.
What do you expect to see?
Chelsea continuing where they left off but you’d expect Man United, after a purposeful recruitment drive, and Arsenal to provide stiffer competition this time around. You can’t write Manchester City off but they’ve failed to bring in players of the calibre you need to challenge on all fronts and uncertainty remains over whether Manuel Pellegrini has the full backing of the club’s hierarchy.
At the other end, it’s difficult to know how the promoted sides will fare but they’ll need a fast start while you’d expect at least one club to punch above their weight, much like Southampton did last term.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
The signing of Petr Cech was a shrewd piece of business by Arsenal but Crystal Palace’s acquisition of Yohan Cabaye appears to be a real coup. Not so long ago, the French midfielder was heavily linked with several top six sides before eventually moving to PSG.
In terms of the worst, it’s difficult to gauge before a ball is kicked but on value for money alone, Roberto Firmino will be under significant pressure to justify his £29 million price tag at Anfield.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
Man United
Arsenal
Man City
Who will get relegated?
Leicester
Bournemouth
Watford
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
It’s a big season for all the Irish players in the top flight but you feel James McClean faces a make-or-break campaign. After securing a move to West Brom, the winger has already become embroiled in controversy and needs to start doing his talking on the pitch rather than making headlines off it. Harry Arter and Wes Hoolahan are two other players worth keeping an eye on as both have the capacity to have a major influence on games for Bournemouth and Norwich respectively — there aren’t too many current Irish internationals you can say that about.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Here we go again.
Paul Fennessy
PA Wire / PA Images
PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images
(Tottenham’s Harry Kane has been linked with a move to Man United of late)
What do you hope to see this season?
Quite simply, a bit of unpredictability. Liverpool’s surprise title challenge the season before last made 2013-14 one of the most memorable Premier League campaigns ever.
What do you expect to see?
More of the same, unfortunately. I’d be surprised if there was even one new entrant into the top four come the end of the season, while I expect the promoted sides and other usual suspects like Leicester and Sunderland to struggle.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best: Schweinsteiger if he stays fit. The last time United signed a supposedly world-class-but-injury-prone player (Falcao), it didn’t work out so well, but the time before that (Van Persie), they ended up winning the league. Honourable mention too for Matteo Darmian, who has been hugely impressive whenever I’ve watched him.
Worst: Radamel Falcao. I’ve seen hardly any evidence over the past 12 months that he’s still good enough to represent a top-tier club. He reminds me a little of post-Liverpool-era Torres — a once-great player looking increasingly bereft of confidence and well past his best.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
1. Chelsea 2. Man United 3. Arsenal 4. Man City
Chelsea still possess the most balanced squad, while no team boasts a superior spine than Courtois, Terry, Matic and Costa. Arsenal haven’t made enough new signings, while Man United arguably have made too many (at least, looking at it from a short-term perspective). And as talented as Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling undoubtedly are, it’s difficult to imagine them instantaneously turning City into a title-winning side.
Who will get relegated?
History tells us that promoted sides have a 57% survival rate, so ignoring that statistic partially, I’m going with Watford and Norwich to go down, along with a Nigel Pearson-less Leicester.
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Ciaran Clark was superb at times last season before a bad injury prematurely ended his campaign. If he can build on that success — and the new contract he has been granted suggests Villa think he can — then he could also become a hugely important player for Ireland in years to come.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Fools and their money.
Hugh O’Connell
Andrew Matthews
Andrew Matthews
(Shay Given joined Stoke from Aston Villa during the summer)
What do you hope to see this season?
Liverpool showing that last season was a mere blip and getting back into contention for the league this season. Raheem Sterling failing miserably at City.
What do you expect to see?
Liverpool not doing the above and Sterling having a worldie of a season at City as they win the league.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Can’t look beyond Petr Cech to Arsenal as the best. He’s worth at least an extra 10 points to them this season.
Elsewhere, can’t see the logic in City signing Fabian Delph to almost certainly sit on the bench all season.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Man City
Arsenal
Chelsea
Man United
Who will get relegated?
Watford
Leicester
Norwich
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Shay Given at Stoke may enjoy an extended Indian summer
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Meh.
Ben Blake
Anna Gowthorpe
Anna Gowthorpe
(Ireland U21 defender Tommie Hoban is part of Watford’s squad this season)
What do you hope to see this season?
A significant improvement on last season in terms of quality and competitiveness in the title race. Chelsea had it far too handy last time around. Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool all appear to have stronger squads and you would expect Man City to add a couple of players before the window shuts, so hopefully it makes for a much more entertaining campaign.
What do you expect to see?
Chelsea to reclaim the title, but after being pushed a lot harder by the chasing pack.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best – Both Manchester United and Liverpool have made considerable upgrades in the right full-back department with the captures of Matteo Darmien and Nathaniel Clyne respectively. And both appear to be great value for money at €17m. Elsewhere, Yohan Cabaye could be exactly the type of player Crystal Palace are screaming out for. Georginio Wijnaldum looks a great signing for Newcastle too.
Worst – Just as I wanted to see Fernando Torres succeed when he joined Chelsea, it would please me greatly if Radamel Falcao rediscovered the form that earned him a reputation as one of the deadliest strikers in the world. I just can’t see it happening, however, and Chelsea will sorely miss Diego Costa if his history with injuries continues.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester City
Manchester United
Who will get relegated?
Leicester
Watford
Bournemouth
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Ireland’s senior squad is badly in need of some fresh blood and the emergence of 21-year-old centre-half Tommie Hoban at Watford last season was an encouraging sight. Fingers crossed new Hornets boss Quique Sanchez Flores sticks with him despite the making a raft of new signings.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Best league in the world*
*According to Sky Sports
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Our writers give their predictions for the upcoming Premier League season
Jackie Cahill
(Brendan Rodgers is under pressure following a disappointing season last year)
What do you hope to see this season?
Liverpool winning the Premier League. Manchester United failing to make the top four.
What do you expect to see?
Liverpool not winning the Premier League. Manchester United making the top four and potentially winning the title.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best: Petr Cech (Chelsea to Arsenal)
Worst: Tom Cleverley (Manchester United to Everton)
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
1 Manchester United
2 Chelsea
3 Manchester City
4 Arsenal (of course!)
Who will get relegated?
Bournemouth
Watford
Norwich City
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Robbie Brady at Norwich. This guy has a sweet left foot and should do well with the Canaries after switching from Hull. Would like to see Shane Long getting some extended game time at Southampton too.
Paul Hosford
(Aston Villa’s Ciaran Clark recently signed a new contract with the club)
What do you hope to see this season?
A real title race, not a processional. I also want to see an outsider challenge for the top four, but I think that’s less likely. Also, Villa not being in a relegation fight would be lovely.
What do you expect to see?
More of the same. A battle between Chelsea and City with nobody wanting either to win. Liverpool to start poorly, put together an okay run and then finish 6th.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best: Benteke. He was the best number 9 in England in the last two months of the season, he’s young, strong, quick and scores all sorts of goals. Memphis Depay could also be a massive signing.
Worst: Raheem Sterling. A massive outlay for a guy who’s scored fewer than 20 goals in the Premier League. Would want to be world-class very quickly to justify it.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
City
Arsenal
United
Who will get relegated?
Norwich
Bournemouth
Watford
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Jack Grealish (*hides*)
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
It’s back, and it’s live.
Rónán Duffy
(Manchester United will be hoping to improve on last season’s fourth-place finish)
What do you hope to see this season?
Mourinho and Van Gaal having a serious go at each other. I’d love to see how the Dutchman would react to some needling from Stamford Bridge.
What do you expect to see?
Man United regaining some of the fear they used to instill in the rest of the league. I don’t think their defence is solid enough to win it though, X2 if De Gea leaves in the next three weeks.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best: I’ll take a punt on Roberto Firmino to Liverpool. He wasn’t cheap, but if Liverpool want to rediscover the pace that made them so awesome 18 months ago, they need players like Firmino. Doubly so with the departure of Sterling.
Worst: Man City’s English signings. Obviously they overpaid for Sterling, but I can at least see the investment logic in buying him. But Fabian Delph and Patrick Roberts are box-ticking exercises that didn’t need to be ticked. Man City needed to buy well this summer and they haven’t.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
Man United
Arsenal
Liverpool
Who will get relegated?
Watford
Norwich
Leicester
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Robbie Brady could have been one of those promising Irish players at a top club (Man United) that we never heard from again. Instead, he showed bottle at Hull to prove himself worthy as a Premier League player. He’s now showing even more brass to establish himself in the Ireland team in a left-back position not really natural to him.
£7 million was a big price Norwich paid for him but all the evidence suggests he’ll at least work to pay them back.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Sky Sports have all their eggs in one basket.
Steve O’Rourke
(Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea comfortably won the league last season)
What do you hope to see this season?
Manchester United winning the league with about 10 games to spare would be nice. Failing that, it would be great to see a new name on the Premier League trophy.
What do you expect to see?
Chelsea being their efficient, boring/brilliant, best.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer.
Best: Memphis Depay. Remember the last time Manchester United signed a young goal-scoring midfielder?
Worst: Christian Fuchs. Imagine all the ‘clever’ headlines we’re going to have to read when he ‘Fuchs up’, etc
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
United
Liverpool
Arsenal
Who will get relegated?
Norwich
West Ham United
Sunderland
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Has anyone made the Jack Grealish joke yet? If they have, I’ll go for James McClean, because this year feels like it could be make or break for him.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
A competition involving 20 teams, each playing 38 games to determine who will emerge as champions.
Niall Kelly
(Big things are expected of Aaron Ramsey and Arsenal this season)
What do you hope to see this season?
A title race to match the 2011-12 season would be great, if that’s not too much to ask.
What do you expect to see?
Another year of the Mourinho obsession, United showing that they’re getting back to their best, and Arsenal as bridesmaids.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
He’s no spring chicken but I think £14m was brilliant value for Bastian Schweinsteiger. I’m less sure about the £29m Liverpool paid for Roberto Firmino, so I’ll stay on the fence there for a couple of months.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
Man United
Arsenal
Man City
Who will get relegated?
Norwich, Watford, Leicester
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
It feels like Robbie Brady has been around forever but he’s still only 23 and it would be great to see him kick on at Norwich.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence
LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE
Donal Lucey
(Harry Arter was a key player as Bournemouth won the Championship last season)
What do you hope to see this season?
A competitive title race and Liverpool replicating the kind of form that saw them challenge for the title in 2013-14.
What do you expect to see?
More of the same from Chelsea. A lack of recruitment doesn’t make them any weaker and I fully expect them to comfortably become the first team in seven years to retain the title.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best – There have been some big signings but in terms of actually making a difference to a team and not paying over the odds, I’d go for Petr Cech’s move to Arsenal.
Worst – City’s problems in midfield go back as far as the departures of Nigel De Jong and Gareth Barry. Fernando and Fernandinho haven’t worked out and Yaya Toure looks a shadow of his former self. It was the one area they really needed strengthening and they decided to sign… Fabian Delph.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester United
Liverpool
Who will get relegated?
Aston Villa
Watford
Sunderland
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Harry Arter was one of the best players in the Championship last year and it earned him a call-up to the national side. The challenge now is to prove he has what it takes to succeed in the Premier League and push for a place in Ireland’s starting XI.
I’d also like to see the likes of Robbie Brady, James McCarthy and James McClean kick on and show their quality on a more consistent basis.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
We go again.
Eoin O’Callaghan
(Yohan Cabaye joined Crystal Palace from PSG this summer)
What do you hope to see this season?
A league campaign that doesn’t go according to plan. Last year Chelsea were so much better than everyone else and it meant everything was all a little bit anti-climactic.
What do you expect to see?
A better Manchester United, more tuned to Van Gaal’s team-ethic rather than emphasis on superstars despite the absolute turmoil currently bubbling in the dressing-room. Chelsea to stumble more than last term and Arsenal to reap the benefit of a terrific goalkeeper between the posts. Despite signing a new contract, Pellegrini likely to be gone from City next summer.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
For me, a best signing is a player that brings something badly needed in a team. Cech is an experienced and immensely talented figure. He cost a tiny fee for what he provides and Arsenal will be much better off with such a security blanket. Given United’s current goalkeeping crisis, quite extraordinary that they didn’t register an interest. Other notable mentions here include Morgan Schneiderlin and Matteo Darmian arriving at Old Trafford, Palace somehow persuading Yohan Cabaye to come to Selhurst Park and Andre Ayew shipping up at Swansea.
Worst signings are always identified by their price, aren’t they? It may be another loan deal but a it’s pricy one and it’s impossible to see Falcao resurrecting his career at Chelsea. Sterling will get goals for City but will he justify the transfer fee? Again, it’s impossible. Nothing short of 15 league goals and a rake of assists would do it justice. If City struggle, he’s also an easy scapegoat. You’d fear for Firmino at Liverpool too — big price tag, South Americans usually start slowly in England and by the time he puts some performances together, his manager could be gone.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
I don’t think United will start as poorly as they did last term while their record in big games under van Gaal is already pretty solid. But there’s a lot of ground to make up. And they need to score between 10-15 goals more than they did last season to be in with a shout. They could do it but need two more signings before the window shuts to bulk up the team. Smart money says Chelsea again but it will be closer. Arsenal are heavily-tipped but I’m not convinced of their title credentials. And I’m really not sure about City who, despite their second-place, were found out quite a few times last season. Maybe a 1-2-3-4 of Chelsea, United, Arsenal, City.
Who will get relegated?
You’d fear for a Leicester — such a remarkable turnaround last season and it’s going to be more of the same this time. Can the same bulk of players dig deep once more and fight hard for an entire campaign? Hard to see. I think Newcastle need to go down, as do Sunderland. But it comes down to maths and there’s going to be at least one newly-promoted side that will go straight back down. I’ll tip Leicester, Watford and Bournemouth.
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
A few really need to step up. Can Brady and McClean deliver after summer moves? Can Hoolahan contribute to Norwich’s survival hopes? And, perhaps most importantly, will James McCarthy wield more influence for Everton after signing a new deal?
But the biggest issue for Ireland is central defence. Ciaran Clark has been a slow-burner, patchy at times for Villa. But with a new contract, it’s a big chance for him to get regular football and become a big player for his country. Also, worth keeping an eye on Marc Wilson at Stoke regarding where Mark Hughes plays him this season.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Ruining relationships one game at a time.
Ryan Bailey
(Sergio Aguero scored 26 goals for Man City last season)
What do you hope to see this season?
A title race and relegation scrap that both go down to the wire.
What do you expect to see?
Chelsea continuing where they left off but you’d expect Man United, after a purposeful recruitment drive, and Arsenal to provide stiffer competition this time around. You can’t write Manchester City off but they’ve failed to bring in players of the calibre you need to challenge on all fronts and uncertainty remains over whether Manuel Pellegrini has the full backing of the club’s hierarchy.
At the other end, it’s difficult to know how the promoted sides will fare but they’ll need a fast start while you’d expect at least one club to punch above their weight, much like Southampton did last term.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
The signing of Petr Cech was a shrewd piece of business by Arsenal but Crystal Palace’s acquisition of Yohan Cabaye appears to be a real coup. Not so long ago, the French midfielder was heavily linked with several top six sides before eventually moving to PSG.
In terms of the worst, it’s difficult to gauge before a ball is kicked but on value for money alone, Roberto Firmino will be under significant pressure to justify his £29 million price tag at Anfield.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
Man United
Arsenal
Man City
Who will get relegated?
Leicester
Bournemouth
Watford
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
It’s a big season for all the Irish players in the top flight but you feel James McClean faces a make-or-break campaign. After securing a move to West Brom, the winger has already become embroiled in controversy and needs to start doing his talking on the pitch rather than making headlines off it. Harry Arter and Wes Hoolahan are two other players worth keeping an eye on as both have the capacity to have a major influence on games for Bournemouth and Norwich respectively — there aren’t too many current Irish internationals you can say that about.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Here we go again.
Paul Fennessy
(Tottenham’s Harry Kane has been linked with a move to Man United of late)
What do you hope to see this season?
Quite simply, a bit of unpredictability. Liverpool’s surprise title challenge the season before last made 2013-14 one of the most memorable Premier League campaigns ever.
What do you expect to see?
More of the same, unfortunately. I’d be surprised if there was even one new entrant into the top four come the end of the season, while I expect the promoted sides and other usual suspects like Leicester and Sunderland to struggle.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best: Schweinsteiger if he stays fit. The last time United signed a supposedly world-class-but-injury-prone player (Falcao), it didn’t work out so well, but the time before that (Van Persie), they ended up winning the league. Honourable mention too for Matteo Darmian, who has been hugely impressive whenever I’ve watched him.
Worst: Radamel Falcao. I’ve seen hardly any evidence over the past 12 months that he’s still good enough to represent a top-tier club. He reminds me a little of post-Liverpool-era Torres — a once-great player looking increasingly bereft of confidence and well past his best.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
1. Chelsea 2. Man United 3. Arsenal 4. Man City
Chelsea still possess the most balanced squad, while no team boasts a superior spine than Courtois, Terry, Matic and Costa. Arsenal haven’t made enough new signings, while Man United arguably have made too many (at least, looking at it from a short-term perspective). And as talented as Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling undoubtedly are, it’s difficult to imagine them instantaneously turning City into a title-winning side.
Who will get relegated?
History tells us that promoted sides have a 57% survival rate, so ignoring that statistic partially, I’m going with Watford and Norwich to go down, along with a Nigel Pearson-less Leicester.
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Ciaran Clark was superb at times last season before a bad injury prematurely ended his campaign. If he can build on that success — and the new contract he has been granted suggests Villa think he can — then he could also become a hugely important player for Ireland in years to come.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Fools and their money.
Hugh O’Connell
(Shay Given joined Stoke from Aston Villa during the summer)
What do you hope to see this season?
Liverpool showing that last season was a mere blip and getting back into contention for the league this season. Raheem Sterling failing miserably at City.
What do you expect to see?
Liverpool not doing the above and Sterling having a worldie of a season at City as they win the league.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Can’t look beyond Petr Cech to Arsenal as the best. He’s worth at least an extra 10 points to them this season.
Elsewhere, can’t see the logic in City signing Fabian Delph to almost certainly sit on the bench all season.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Man City
Arsenal
Chelsea
Man United
Who will get relegated?
Watford
Leicester
Norwich
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Shay Given at Stoke may enjoy an extended Indian summer
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Meh.
Ben Blake
(Ireland U21 defender Tommie Hoban is part of Watford’s squad this season)
What do you hope to see this season?
A significant improvement on last season in terms of quality and competitiveness in the title race. Chelsea had it far too handy last time around. Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool all appear to have stronger squads and you would expect Man City to add a couple of players before the window shuts, so hopefully it makes for a much more entertaining campaign.
What do you expect to see?
Chelsea to reclaim the title, but after being pushed a lot harder by the chasing pack.
Name the best and worst signing of the summer
Best – Both Manchester United and Liverpool have made considerable upgrades in the right full-back department with the captures of Matteo Darmien and Nathaniel Clyne respectively. And both appear to be great value for money at €17m. Elsewhere, Yohan Cabaye could be exactly the type of player Crystal Palace are screaming out for. Georginio Wijnaldum looks a great signing for Newcastle too.
Worst – Just as I wanted to see Fernando Torres succeed when he joined Chelsea, it would please me greatly if Radamel Falcao rediscovered the form that earned him a reputation as one of the deadliest strikers in the world. I just can’t see it happening, however, and Chelsea will sorely miss Diego Costa if his history with injuries continues.
Who will occupy the top four spots come the end of the season and in what order?
Chelsea
Arsenal
Manchester City
Manchester United
Who will get relegated?
Leicester
Watford
Bournemouth
Which Irish player(s) should we watch out for?
Ireland’s senior squad is badly in need of some fresh blood and the emergence of 21-year-old centre-half Tommie Hoban at Watford last season was an encouraging sight. Fingers crossed new Hornets boss Quique Sanchez Flores sticks with him despite the making a raft of new signings.
Describe the new Premier League season in one sentence.
Best league in the world*
*According to Sky Sports
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Bastian Schweinsteiger Barclays Premier League Fabian Delph Harry Arter looking ahead Premier League roberto firmino Wes Hoolahan