Manager: Arsene Wenger
Arsenal have lost Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City and that is a big blow. Only Thomas Vermaelan has been brought in so far with Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamankh still itching for a move to the Emirates. Arsenal still have plenty of talent at their disposal despite the two departures to Manchester, Andrey Arshavin, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott as well as Robin Van Persie all can pose a threat but a title challenge looks to be a bridge too far for the Gunners.
Predicted Finish: 4th
Aston Villa
Manager: Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill did a fantastic job in the Midlands last season and almost dislodged Arsenal from the Champions League places, now, Villa will want to push on and break into the elusive 4th place in the division, however, this season may be the wrong time for them. Although there has been only one main departure from the club (Gareth Barry), Villa have got more competitors for a European place with over half the Premier League looking for survival followed by a push for Europe. The quality is in their squad for sure but the question is whether the club has learned from their experiences of last season to fight until the very end.
Predicted Finish: 6th
Birmingham City
Manager: Alex McLeish
Have done well to bounce back from the disappointment of relegation in 2008. Birmingham gained promotion from the Championship at the first time of asking. Alex McLeish had a big job on his hands since replacing Steve Bruce but the former Rangers manager has put together his own side and seems to have a settled squad. The signing of Christian Benitez will be a key purchase for the club. A reported fee of £8.5m was paid for his services and if he can hit the ground running, the club has a good chance of survival.
Predicted Finish: 16th
Blackburn Rovers
Manager: Sam Allardyce
Big Sam did a great job when he took over from Paul Ince back in December and steered the club to safety when relegation looked on the horizon. Allardyce installed grit and determination into his side, much like he did when he was in charge of Bolton, which paid dividends as the club can look forward to another season of Premier League football. Expect Rovers to be safe this season and to be a tough outfit for most sides to face. Nikola Kalinic has arrived from Hajduk Spilt for a fee of around £12m and Franco Di Santo has signed from Chelsea on a season-long loan. If these two can get amongst the goals, Rovers can be looking at pushing for a top ten place.
Predicted Finish: 11th
Bolton Wanderers
Manager: Gary Megson
After his first full season in charge at the Reebok, Megson still is yet to convince most of the Wanderers faithful that he is the right man for the job. A summer of signing mainly defenders to add competition and depth to the squad has been the aim so far and Megson could still be in the hunt for another couple of players. A rocky season could lie ahead for Bolton if they do not get off to the best of starts. Many clubs have looked to strengthen up front while Bolton have failed to do so at the minute. If goals become a problem, Megson will have to improve his team in January. The strong and resilient defence they have will see them safe though.
Predicted Finish 15th
Burnley
Manager: Owen Coyle
A big season for the newcomers. Memories of when Wigan gained promotion flood back when you look at Burnley and one must only think that they may surprise a few people. Owen Coyle has done a fantastic job there and has been astute in the transfer market. They proved last season they can match the best with that amazing Carling Cup run where wins against Chelsea and Arsenal made everyone sit up and take notice. If the can scrape a few results together after a horrific start to the season, they could just about survive.
Predicted Finish: 17th
Chelsea
Manager: Carlo Ancelotti
Since Guus Hiddink left, fans wondered what new boss Carlo Ancelotti would bring to the club. Pre-Season has been very successful for the club, 4 wins out of 4 in their tour of the USA including wins against Inter and AC Milan along with John Terry rejecting the lure of a move to big spenders Manchester City has given fans hope for the new campaign. Yuri Zhirkov and Daniel Sturridge have been brought in alongside Ross Turnbull. Andrea Pirlo could still join from AC Milan as well. A strong title challenge could be on the cards in what should be one of the greatest title races the Premier League has ever seen.
Predicted Finish: 1st
Everton
Manager: David Moyes
Everton have had another quiet summer in terms of incomings at the club but with Joleon Lescott wanting to depart to Manchester City, that could be about to change. Only 3 players have been brought in with Brazilian striker Jo arriving on loan after impressing in a similar deal in the second half of last season. Moyes will make Everton hard to beat but a finish in the top 4 looks way out of reach compared to how Aston Villa and Manchester City have spent this summer, Tottenham could also be brought into that group of teams as well. A good season but more is needed if they are to break into the top four once again.
Predicted Finish: 7th
Fulham
Manager: Roy Hodgson
A fantastic season for Hodgson and his men last time round which saw them finish in the Europa League places, beating plenty of top clubs to the spot. If Fulham can maintain their resilience in matches they will cause teams problems. Only two players have been brought into the club which means they may struggle to push for the top 6. The European campaign may mean that their league form falters and an average season could be on the cards for the Londoners.
Predicted Finish: 10th
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