Time To Do It All Again: My Premier League 2013/14 Preview

There's always something quite beautiful about August. Whether it's receiving those exam results you so desperately wanted (Good luck to all who are getting their A Level results this week, and hopefully you've made the right choice and are coming to Nottingham Trent University in September) soaking up the last rays of summer or just simply enjoying the holidays. For the majority in this country though, you cannot shy away from the simple fact that August is the month where we start the 9 month journey that is the domestic football season.

At first look, you might think that it is quite stupid to endure this repetitive process year after year. Look closer however and you will see why. Nowhere other than football is the scent of glory stronger. Nowhere other than football can you be hoping against hope that relegation is not for you even when you're 20 points adrift with ten games to play. Only in football, can you win the Premier League title, which has become the holy grail for many.

Which brings me to my season preview for 2013/14 and the defending champions: Manchester United. As a Liverpool fan I could unleash some inner bias for the sake of this post & give them no credit whatsoever. I will not do that. I respect Manchester United for what they have achieved just like I respect recently retired Sir Alex Ferguson. It doesn't mean that I have to like them! They currently have the leagues best striker in Robin Van Persie. They also have a new manager in David Moyes. There is no doubt after a successful ten years at Everton that he deserves the opportunity to manage one of the biggest teams in the world.

The New Man Utd Manager will be hoping for a successful first season.

The pressure though is ridiculously high and everybody outside of Manchester United has seemed to be determined to make it a uncomfortable welcome as possible. Take Jose Mourinho and his public admiration for Wayne Rooney. You'd have to be living under a rock not to realise that the Chelsea boss is playing mind games, trying to get under the new boys skin. If Sir Alex was still at the helm, Mourinho would not be doing this because he knows that it wouldn't work. Monday August 26th when United play Chelsea could be telling. If Mourinho wins the battle there it could set the tone for the rest of the season.

It'll be interesting to see what happens between now and then especially with the Rooney situation but even if he does stay, I personally believe also that Moyes must buy at least one midfielder. The simple reason being is that United's first 11 on paper at this time is not good enough to win the title this year. Chelsea have strengthened and with or without Rooney would look extremely strong in attack. Noisy Neighbours Manchester City have gone under the radar and with Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, David Silva & Jesus Navas in midfield, it now looks far better than United's current midfield by some margin. Of course it would be stupid to rule United out of anything, their squad still has depth and it looks like one of two young players are once again emerging. But I would argue that the same is happening elsewhere, not to mention the fact that the two players that Moyes has sought after most this summer, Thiago Alacantara & Cesc Fabregas have opted to stay away from Old Trafford. That being said many other continental players have refused to join the Premier League this summer so United aren't a single case of this! It's not a case of thinking United are a bad team, I just think there are a couple of teams at the moment that boast better teams than them. All can change thought by the time the transfer window shuts on September 2nd.

If there is a time that the era of United dominance is going to end then it will be this season. If it doesn't then we will be seeing Moyes in charge and winning many trophies for years to come. I hope he copes and gets time because he seems a reasonably nice bloke. It is my hope though that when September 1st comes round and Moyes brings his troops to Anfield that we'll be sending him into the international break with a lot to ponder!

So if I don't think United will win the title this year then who will? Well my pick is Chelsea. Petr Cech is not far away from his best form again, in defence they looked solid at the end of last year and that is helped by David Luiz looking like he has finally learned to defend properly under Rafa Benitez then Luis Felipe Scolari at the Confederations Cup! Their attacking midfield of Hazard, Oscar and Mata is the best in the whole league. Striker is the issue they must fix, if they get Rooney then job done but I'm sure Romelu Lukaku would do a decent job as well. The return of "The Special One" gives Chelsea all the aces. No man since Sir Alex Ferguson invented the concept of mind games has played them so well. It's one of the reason why Sir Alex has a lot of respect for the man. No man beat him to the Premier League title without defeating him in the mind games department that corresponding year. Arsene Wenger did it in his prime, Roberto Mancini just about pulled it off in 2012 & Mourinho did it for two seaons running. Meanwhile Rafa Benitez decided to present "facts" in 2009 and the rest as they say is history. Mourinho might be a pain in the backside at time, he might not be the most loyal man in the world. But one thing he most definitely is is a winner, along with the drive to achieve his way with whatever set of players he inherits. With a Chelsea team that looks stronger than the one that performed the miracle of all miracles in Munich, they would be the team I suggest you put a fiver on to win the league this season.

The self proclaimed "Happy One" will be looking for immediate success on his return to Stamford Bridge.

Don't rule out the blue side of Manchester either. Manuel Pelligrini has installed stability at the club, with them all pulling in the right directing for the first time since May 2012. The problems that Carlos Tevez and Mario Ballotelli gave the club are gone. Jovetic and Negredo, two very capable forwards in their own right have come in to assist Sergio Aguero. If they can return to the almost majestic defensive capabilities of the 2011-12 season, then they are in with an almighty shout. I do feel however that a League or FA Cup and progress past the group stages of the Champions  League will suffice the owners appetite for this season.

So what about the race for the place that carries so much significance these day, with the final Champions League spot up for grabs. 4th place looks like a wide open book this year and Arsenal Spurs along with Liverpool (yes Liverpool) are looking like the main protagonists. Again a lot can change by September 2nd but at the moment with Arsenal doing their classic tactic of waiting until the last minute and then panic buying after all the good players have gone, a Spurs side with or without Gareth Bale but definitely with quality new signings in Paulinho & Soldado, and Liverpool who even with the running saga that is Luis Suarez have strengthened their ranks. 16 years in a row Arsenal have made it into the Champions League. I think finally this year is where the bubble bursts. Liverpool will cause the surprise of the season and finish 4th. You might think that's blind optimism but with another signing or two (Winger Willian is rumoured to be joining) a bit of luck and down right hard work adapting to Brendan Rodgers style of football then I genuinely think we can upset the apple cart and get that 4th spot. Of course that man Suarez is imperative to this but we did cope well without him when he got banned when auditioning for the next Jaws film with Branislav Ivanovic!

Will either of these two knock Arsene Wenger out of the Top 4?

In other news, Everton have done well this summer & another manager in Roberto Martinez has earned his opportunity to manage a big club. Top ten should be a certainty for them along with Swansea, Norwich who have got a pretty potent strikeforce in Van Wolfwinkel and Gary Hooper, along with Southampton who now boast England new star Ricky Lambert. Maybe sacking Nigel Adkins wasn't such a bad idea after all!

The relegation battle will be one of the fiercest ones fought for years. Stoke look in danger with Mark Hughes not regarded as the finest manger around lets put it that way, not to mention the fact that by the end of last season team had finally figured Stoke out. Aston Villa might still have Christian Benteke but elsewhere their squad still looks weak, likewise at Sunderland and Newcastle (Where Alan Pardew will be the winner of the sack race because of the farce that is director of football: Joe Kinnear)

A lot of people have written off the promoted clubs. I would agree that Hull look very vulnerable to go straight back down, but Cardiff and Crystal Palace I'm not so sure. Palace have the trump cards in Ian Holloway and the legend that is Kevin Phillips ( I implore you put him as 1st choice sub in your fantasy league teams, he will get you goals), whilst Cardiff have Premier League experience in Craig Bellamy and a strong defense to help get them through. At the end of the day, I think Palace will go down, but Cardiff will survive and possibly quite comfortably.

There only target is survival.

So to finish this preview I shall put my full premier league table prediction below. I might not have covered every team (although West Ham fans bet you're excited anyway with Andy Carroll and Stuart Downing now in your ranks) so please don't shout at me but I hope you enjoyed reading and who knows maybe I'll check back in May 2014 and see if I got anything right!

The Premier League season is upon us. Time to go back to business. Strap in all, it's going to be a bumpy ride! Good luck to all, especially the team at Anfield!

                      'If you are first you are first. If you are second you are nothing.'
                                                            Bill Shankly
Premier League Final Table Prediction
1. Chelsea
2. Man City
3. Man Utd
4. Liverpool
5. Spurs
6. Arsenal
7. Everton
8. Swansea
9. Southampton
10. Norwich
11. West Brom
12. West Ham
13. Fulham
14. Newcastle
15. Cardiff
16. Sunderland
17. Stoke
18. Aston Villa
19. Crystal Palace
20. Hull