The 4th and final installment of the "official" preview for the English Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur: The team that I’ll most likely go to the grave supporting. Why, you may ask. It all began rather innocuously as I started my journey towards becoming a massive football fan. After the miracle in Istanbul, I decided to start following the English Premier League on a regular basis. I also decided to start playing football video games and someone recommended on a board that some team called Tottenham was a fun team to play as. As I developed a liking for the team, I started watching summer games on FSC to catch up. I became genuinely enthralled with Spurs and decided that this was one hundred percent the team I was for. To be fair, last year wasn’t exactly a bad year to follow Tottenham. They held 4th for about 7 months only to lose it on the last day due to a mass virus that swept through the starting eleven. Robbie Keane became my favorite footballer because a) he’s Irish, b) he is a great striker, and c) he is simply The Man. The goal against Blackburn in March was a thing of beauty and was my favorite goal of the year.

On to this year. I can only hope that our new big transfers of Didier Zokora and Dimitar Berbatov come good and within the first month. I was rather upset at the loss of Mido (although rumors are rampant that he will return), and Berbatov needs to pick up that slack. As a bit of a tank up front, having speedsters such as Defoe and Keane to run at defenders will allow Berbatov to perhaps gain a bit of space to score some fantastic goals. I also am depending on Keane to continue as the main striker for the full season because he is simply that good so long as he’s fit. Sorry Jermaine, 60th minute substitute duty for you. We’ll give you a run out in the cup competitions though. I still think a returning Mido would give us a lot more options when Spurs get into the fray of UEFA Cup football. Going with 2 different quality strike forces in the same week does not suck. Midfield wise, the departure of Carrick may be a bit of a loss, but that’s why Zokora was brought in. Having a great World Cup gives me confidence that he’ll get it done. Edgar Davids is still a bit of a rover who doesn’t exactly shy away from hard tackles. While others say he’s washed up, I think used in the proper way; he can still be a big asset. Jenas started to piss me off and he needs to get his crap together for this year. He’s good for some free kicks, but every time I see him with the ball, he gets owned by the defender. This bloke better come correct or one Mr. Huddlestone will be all over that spot. Aaron Lennon is the one who I’m looking for to have a monster breakout year. His pace down the right is blinding and when he gains the proper confidence to just own the game, he’ll be considered one of the best in the league. Defense still worries me. Assou-Ekotto didn’t exactly impress me a whole lot from what I saw, but once he adjusts to the pace of the Premiership, I would like to believe he’d be fine. We desperately need Ledley King back to govern the middle. One good thing I notice is that Y.P. Lee is being played in his correct spot, at right back. With Robbo still minding the net, we need not worry too much about that spot. The great Tony Soprano is in charge, and I envision a great year. Prediction: 4th. Much alcohol will be consumed on the final day of the season by yours truly when we clinch a Champions League spot. Or, much alcohol will be consumed by yours truly when we somehow bottle it up again and finish 5th.


Watford: I know precisely dick about this team. But because I am a bit thorough in my research, I promise that by mid season, I will have a quality write up about The Hornets that would make the greatest journalists in the world would shed a tear. Prediction: Bottom.


West Ham United: As part of my newly founded “Adopt a Promoted Team Foundation” I created last year, West Ham was exciting for me to watch as they returned to the Premiership. I took a liking to them throughout the entire season, including a fantastic F.A. Cup Finals run (until they knocked my boys out of 4th. Bastards). Dean Ashton proved an exciting addition in January and became one of my favorite players in the league. Unfortunately for him and the club, he broke his ankle during training and shall now miss everything up to November at the least. Harewood and Zamora are also some great strikers up front and will bag a lot of goals this year. The newly signed Carlton Cole from Chelsea may just prove a stroke of genius with Ashton going down. The midfield is where it’s at on this side, however. Matty Etherington along with Reo-Coker and returning Lee Bowyer should be a formidable one. Now if only they can get Shaun Newton to stop sniffing everything in sight, they can have a complete season with all their players in the middle. I would be remiss if I did not mention Yossi Benayoun, the Israeli right-winger who just exploded onto the scene last year. His ability to spring open his strikers as well as the right back into dangerous positions was absolute class and his finishing was quality as well. Having 2 wingers like Etherington and Benayoun will keep The Hammers in the top half for sure. Defense is where I do question their ability. Anton Ferdinand had a great year to be sure, but Konchesky, Gabbidon, and Dailly didn’t convince me the way Ferdinand did. The transfer of a not quite fit Jonathon Spector should help however, but if they can just keep pace with last season, they’ll be doing well. The goalkeeper situation is a bit tenuous for the time being, with Roy Carroll currently in charge. However, West Ham went out and got Norwich and England keeper Robert Green to take over when he recovers from that ever so painful groin injury. I think boss Alan Pardew is in good shape to take The Hammers even further up the table. Prediction: 6th.

Wigan Athletic: Last year’s promotion darlings are going to be this season’s relegation fodder, in my opinion. They’ve been plucked more times than the rose trellis outside the nearby country club. Losing the likes of Roberts, Bullard, Francis, and Thompson shall be the death knell of Wigan’s Premiership aspirations of staying afloat. Perhaps manager Paul Jewell can get this side to play so far over their heads that their noses bleed for the entire campaign, but I am skeptical. They have made a few good signings over the summer, most notably Chris Kirkland from Liverpool to mind the net. Also, Emile Heskey should help out with the striking situation now that Jason Roberts has left for the sanctuary that is Blackburn Rovers. Their best defender, Paschal Chimbonda, provided he doesn’t go anywhere, will once again have to be the glue that holds that back line together. Overall, this club has been too ravaged from the transfer market to maintain top-flight status. Prediction: 19th. Fare thee well, Wigan. We hardly knew ye.


There it is; my inaugural season preview of the English Premier League. Hope you enjoyed it. And as always, if you don’t agree with it, that is just too damn bad. But, even if you don’t agree, I sincerely hope you liked reading it. There will be more to come in the following 9 months of borderline torture that comes with the ups and downs of following The Premiership. Until next time, this is Mike Stevenson saying; STAND UP IF YOU HATE ARSENAL! STAND UP IF YOU HATE ARSENAL!