Premier League 08/09 Preview: Part III

We move into the top half of the table with the third part of my Premier League preview:

10. SUNDERLAND (v. Liverpool, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Stadium of Light (Cap.: 49,000)
Manager: Roy Keane

07 / 08 Finish: W 11, D 6, L 21, GD -23, P 39 (15th)

Along with Fulham and Tottenham, Sunderland have done more than almost every team that finished in the bottom half of the table to improve their squad. The former Tottenham trio of Pascal Chimbonda, Steed Malbranque and Teemu Tainio will go a long way towards keeping Roy Keane's side out of the relegation battle this season. Malbranque in paticular, along with El-Hadji Diouf will provide creativity and match-winning skill that was sorely missing for the Black Cats last term. Mind you, this squad is a long way from challenging for Europe, and finishing below teams like West Ham and Fulham isn't out of the question. The team still needs a proven striker (Kenwyne Jones is good, but not a natural finisher) and the team needs a boost at the back. Keane appears to have a plan however, and he is the biggest reason this team will continue to improve. The Irishman is turning out to be an excellent Premier League manager, and the future is bright for Sunderland.

IN: Pascal Chimbonda (Tottenham, £4.9m); Steed Malbranque (Tottenham, £4m); Teemu Tainio (Tottenham, £3.5m); El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton, £2.5m); David Meyler (Cork, undisclosed); Nick Colgan (Ipswich, free)

OUT: Andrew Cole (Nottingham Forest, free); Greg Halford (Sheffield United, Free); Arnau Riera (Falkirk, season loan); Ross Wallace (Preston, season loan); Billy Dennehy (released); Gavin Donoghue (released); Iain Harte (released); Jack Pelter (released); Jake Richardson (released); Stanislav Varga (released); Stephen Wright (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Kenwyne Jones 7
Michael Chopra 6
Daryl Murphy 4
Danny Higginbotham 3
Kieran Richardson 3

9. MANCHESTER CITY (at Aston Villa, Aug. 17)
Stadium: City of Manchester Stadium (Cap.: 47,726)
Manager: Mark Hughes

07 / 08 Finish: W 15, D 10, L 13, GD -8, P 55 (9th)

What has Mark Hughes gotten himself in to? Owner Thaksin Shinawatra flees Thailand rather than standing trial, but leaves his suitcase full of questionable cash behind (allegedly) and the funds needed to fill some of the gaps in this improved squad dry up. Brazilian Jo and Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim remain the only signings of the summer, leaving City still a little short at the back. Richard Dunne, Vedran Corluka and Micah Richards are all fine players, but the depth behind them leaves something to be desired. Scoring wasn't the problem last season for City, it was bleeding goals in defence. Hughes, who claims to be fine with the pandemonium in Manchester, will be an improvement over Sven Goran Eriksson, who will likely never get a fair shake in England and has made a good move to Mexico. Hughes, who is used to being strapped for cash and working with a small squad should keep Manchester City in the top half of the table.

IN: Jo (CSKA, Moscow £19m); Tal Ben Haim (Chelsea, £6m)

OUT: Giorgios Samaras (Celtic, £1.5m); Matthew Mills (Doncaster, £300,000); Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven, undisclosed); Ashley Grimes (Millwall, free); Geovanni (Hull, free); Garry Breen (Hereford, free); Bernardo Corradi (Reggina, free); Sun Jihai (Sheffield United, free); Michael Daly (released); Paul Dickov (released); Andrea Giombetti (released); Christian Mourtisen (released); Emile Mpenza (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Elano 8
Darius Vassell 6
Martin Petrov 5
Rolando Bianchi 4
Stephen Ireland 4

8. EVERTON (v. Blackburn, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Goodison Park (Cap.: 40,569)
Manager: David Moyes

07 / 08 Finish: W 19, D 8, L 11, GD +22, P 65 (5th)

Poor, poor, David Moyes. Like Hughes at City, Moyes is dealing with an empty bank account. The club is looking for investors to help secure a move to a new stadium, and the vault seems to be locked until some sort of deal is finalized. Unfortunately, with no deal on the horizon, Moyes will have to cope with the same miniscule squad they had last season, minus the scoring of Andy Johnson and the steel of Lee Carsley. The Everton first team squad is strong, and when Tim Cahill, Yakubu and Mikel Arteta are on form, they are capable of taking on all comers. Their defence is superb, featuring the likes of Joleon Lescott and Joseph Yobo. It will be up to Moyes to choose his competition this year, as even a couple of injuries could see Everton sliding down the table. If Everton's efforts are focused on the league, they should retain a UEFA Cup position. If injuries strike, the Toffees could be looking up at the top half of the table.

IN: None

OUT: Andy Johnson (Fulham, undisclosed); Lee Carsley (Birmingham City, free); Darren Dennehy, (Cardiff, free); Aidan Downes (Yeovil, free); Jamie Jones (Leyton Orient, free); Bjarni Vidarsson (FC Twente, free); Stefan Wessels (VfL Osnabruck, released); Patrick Boyle (released); Stephen Connor (released); Shaun Densmore (released); James Hall (released); Ryan Harpur (released); Steven Morrison (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Yakubu Ayegbeni 15
Joleon Lescott 8
Tim Cahill 7
Andy Johnson 6
Leon Osman 4

7. PORTSMOUTH (at Chelsea, Aug. 17)
Stadium: Fratton Park (Cap.: 20,688)
Manager: Harry Redknapp

07 / 08 Finish: W 16, D 9, L 13, GD +8, P 57 (8th)

Last season was a special season at Fratton Park. An eighth place finish, winning the FA Cup to secure the club's first entry into Europe, and all the while playing attractive football. Harry Redknapp has established Pompey as a force to be reckoned with in England. The arrival of Peter Crouch should add to the goals produced by Jermaine Defoe, making for a deadly English pairing. Portsmouth are fairly strong at the back, but Sol Campbell is getting a little long in the tooth. It will be interesting to see how Younes Kaboul responds to life on the south coast, as he was inconsistent at best while at Tottenham. He is young (22) however, and perhaps Redknapp and the veterans Campbell and Sylvain Distin can mould him into something approaching a centre back. The central midfield is depleted with the loss of Sulley Muntari, but with Pedro Mendes and Papa Bouba Diop, should be up to the task. The UEFA Cup should inspire the squad, and they look a good bet to earn a second consecutive place in continental competition.

IN: Younes Kaboul (Tottenham, undisclosed); Peter Crouch (Liverpool, £9m rising to £11m); Omar Koroma (Banjul Hawks, undisclosed); Glenn Little (Reading, free); Ben Sahar (Chelsea, six month loan)

OUT: Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan, £12.7m); Nicky Jordan (Hereford, free); Omar Koroma (Norwich, season loan); Andreas Govas (released); Farid Hassani (released); Ugo Udoji (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Benjani 12
Jermain Defoe 8
John Utaka 5
Sulley Muntari 4
Kanu 4
Niko Kranjcar 4

6. ASTON VILLA (v. Manchester City, Aug. 17)
Stadium: Villa Park (Cap.: 42,573)
Manager: Martin O’Neill

07 / 08 Finish: W 16, D 12, L 10, GD +20, P 60 (6th)

After dominating the summer transfer rumours with an on-again, off-again deal with Liverpool, Gareth Barry is staying after all. The midfielder played in Villa's UEFA Cup qualifier against FH Hafnarfjordur today, and the prospects for manager Martin O'Neill's season immediately got better. Now that he's cup-tied, Barry will solidify his place alongside Nigel Reo-Coker, with Steve Sidwell to challege from the bench (Oh my! Depth!). Ashley Young, John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor form a potent combination in attack, with Young and Agbonlahor only getting better. But like many of the teams outside the big four clubs, Villa suffered from a lack of depth last season. With the Villans competing in Europe, the depth provided by Sidwell will prove vital. The recent signing of Carlos Cuellar should move into the void left by Olof Mellburg, while the American pair of Brad Friedel and Brad Guzan should improve the goal keeping situation. While still a ways off from breaking into the top four, Aston Villa remain one of the top candidates to challenge for a Champions League place.

IN: Carlos Cuellar (Rangers, £7.8m); Steve Sidwell (Chelsea, £5m); Curtis Davies (WBA, £3m); Brad Friedel (Blackburn, £2.5m); Brad Guzan (Chivas USA, £600,000)

OUT: Luke Moore (WBA, £3m to £3.5m); Damian Bellon (FC Vaduz, free); Patrik Berger (Sparta Prague, free); Erik Lund (Gothenburg, free); Olof Mellberg (Juventus, free); Thomas Sorensen (Stoke City, free)

Top League Goalscorers:
John Carew 13
Gabriel Agbonlahor 11
Gareth Barry 9
Ashley Young 8
Martin Laursen 6

TOMMORROW: The final installment of the Premier League Preview, featuring what I think will be the top five teams including my pick to become the 08/09 champions.