Andy's Huge Transfer Round-Up.

After a busy summer of wheeling and dealing in the English Premiership, you could be forgiven for missing some transfers. Here at The Side Netting we realised this and Andy gallantly took it upon himself to provide you with a club-by-club walkthrough of the Summer window. He's detailed not only all the ins and outs of each club, but also identified their best value signing, as well as who the club should have signed and rated how each club performed. 

With a lot of new faces coming into the Premiership, reading this will keep you on top of all the possible conversations you'll have about English football.

ARSENAL

Ins - Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Southampton, £11m), Gervinho (Lille £10.7m), Chu Young Park (Monaco, £3m), 

Carl Jenkinson (Charlton, £1m), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen, undisclosed), Andre Santos (Fenerbahce, £6.2m), 

Yossi Benayoun (Chelsea, loan), Mikel Arteta (Everton, £10m).

Outs - Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona, £35m), Samir Nasri (Manchester City, £24m), Gael Clichy (Manchester City, £7m), Emmanuel Eboue (Galatasaray, £3m), 

Armand Traore (QPR, undisclosed), Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (Ipswich, undisclosed),

Best Value Signing - Per Mertesacker

Should Have Signed - A real replacement for Fabregas (not a goalkeeper).

Transfer Window Rating - 6/10 - Lost their two key players and replaced them with good players, but not world beaters.

ASTON VILLA 

Ins - Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan, £9.5m), Shay Given (Manchester City, £3.5m), Alan Hutton (Tottenham, undisclosed), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham, loan).

Outs - Stewart Downing (Liverpool, £20m), Ashley Young (Manchester United, £16m), Luke Young (QPR, undisclosed), 

Brad Friedel (Tottenham, free), Nigel Reo-Coker (Bolton, free), John Carew (West Ham, free)

Best Value Signing - Alan Hutton

Should Have Signed - An experienced winger.

Transfer Window Rating - 5/10 - Lost two of their key players and replaced only one of them.

BLACKBURN 

Ins - Simon Vukcevic (Sporting Lisbon, £2m), David Goodwillie (Dundee United, £2m), Radosav Petrovic (Partizan Belgrade, undisclosed), 

Bruno Ribiero (Gremio Prudente, free), Scott Dann (Birmingham, £6m), Yakubu (Everton, undisclosed).

Outs - Phil Jones (Manchester United, £16.5m), Frank Fielding (Derby, undisclosed), Nikola Kalinic (Dnipro, undisclosed), 

Zurab Khizanishvili (Kayserispor, free), Benjani (Portsmouth, free), Brett Emerton (Sydney FC, free)

Best Value Signing - Scott Dann

Should Have Signed - A right back who is under the age of 25.

Transfer Window Rating - 6/10 - Phil Jones is a loss but he's been well replaced in Scott Dann, and they have bought some useful attacking players.

BOLTON

Ins - Chris Eagles and Tyrone Mears (Burnley, joint £3m), David Ngog (Liverpool, undisclosed), Darren Pratley (Swansea, free), 

Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa, free), Tuncay (Wolfsburg, loan), Dedryck Boyata (Man City, loan), Gael Kakuta (Chelsea, loan),

Outs - Ali Al Habsi (Wigan, £4m), Matt Taylor (West Ham, £2.2m), Johan Elmander (Galatasaray, free), Tamir Cohen (Maccabi Haifa, free), Joey O'Brien (West Ham, free)

Best Value Signing - Chris Eagles

Should Have Signed - Someone to replace either or both fullbacks.

Transfer Window Rating - 6/10 - They've gone for quantity over quality but the squad has slightly improved.

CHELSEA

Ins - Juan Mata (Valencia, £29m), Romelu Lukaku (Anderlecht, £20m), Thibaud Courtois (Genk, £5m), Oriol Romeu (Barcelona, £4.4m), Lucas Piazon (Sao Paulo, undisclosed),

Raul Meireles (Liverpool, undisclosed)

Outs - Michael Mancienne (Hamburg, £3m), Slobodan Rajkovic (Hamburg, £1.8m), Yury Zhirkov (Anzhi, undisclosed), Nemanja Matic (Benfica, undisclosed), 

Fabio Borini (Parma, undisclosed), Thibaud Courtois (Atletico Madrid, loan), Jeffrey Bruma (Hamburg, loan), Ulises Davila (Vitesse Arnhem, loan), Patrick van Aanholt (Wigan, loan), 

Gael Kakuta (Bolton, loan), Yossi Benayoun (Arsenal, loan)

Best Value Signing - Juan Mata

Should have Signed - Another centre back. Terry and Alex are both aging and David Luiz needs a partner for the future.

Transfer Window Rating - 9/10 - Bought some exciting young players to try and solve the problem of an aging squad.

EVERTON

Ins - Eric Dier (Sporting Lisbon, loan), Denis Stracqualursi (Tigre, loan), Royston Drenthe (Real Madrid, loan).

Outs - Mikel Arteta (Arsenal, £10m), Jermaine Beckford (Leicester, £4m), James Vaughan (Norwich, £2.5m),

Best Value Signing - Royston Drenthe

Should Have Signed - A striker, or three since they sold two.

Transfer Window Rating - 3/10 - Another disappointing window for Everton who have sold some of their best players and failed to replace them adequately.

FULHAM

Ins - Pajtim Kasami (Palermo, £4m), John Arne Riise (Roma, £2.4m), Marcel Gecov (Slovan Liberec, undisclosed), Csaba Somogyi (Rakospalotai, free), 

Zdenek Grygera (Juventus, free), Bryan Ruiz (Twente, £10.6m), Orlando Sa (Porto, free)

Outs - Jonathan Greening (Nottingham Forest, £670,000), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Crystal Palace, undisclosed), Zoltan Gera (West Brom, free),

Diomansy Kamara (Eskisehirspor, free), John Paintsil (Leicester, free)

Best Value Signing - Zdenek Grygera

Should Have Signed - A young, creative midfielder to help their somewhat stale midfield.

Transfer Window Rating - 7/10 - Some smart signings from Jol, and some gambled that may pay off.

LIVERPOOL

Ins - Stewart Downing (Liverpool, £20m), Jordan Henderson (Sunderland, £16m), Charlie Adam (£9m), Jose Enrique (Newcastle, £6m), Alexander Doni (Roma, free), 

Sebastian Coates (Nacional, undisclosed), Craig Bellamy (Manchester City, free)

Outs - Joe Cole (Lille, loan) Christian Poulsen (Evian, undisclosed) Alberto Aquilani (AC Milan, loan), Paul Konchesky (Leicester, £1.5m),

Emiliano Insua (Sporting Lisbon, undisclosed), Daniel Ayala (Norwich, undisclosed), Milan Jovanovic (Anderlecht, free), 

Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Wolfsburg, free),Christian Poulsen (Evian, undisclosed), David Ngog (Bolton, undisclosed), Raul Meireles (Chelsea, undisclosed)

Best Value Signing - Jose Enrique

Should Have Signed - They signed everyone.

Transfer Window Rating - 9/10 - Spent so much money, but it's lead to a greatly improved squad.

MANCHESTER CITY

Ins - Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid, £38m), Samir Nasri (Arsenal, £24m), Gael Clichy (Arsenal, £7m), Stefan Savic (Partizan Belgrade, £6m),

Owen Hargreaves (Manchester United, free).

Outs - Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich, £10m), Shay Given (Aston Villa, £3.5m), Felipe Caicedo (Levante, £880,000), Jo (Internacional, undisclosed),

Emmanuel Adebayor (Tottenham, loan), Dedryck Boyata (Bolton, loan), Roque Santa Cruz (Real Betis, loan), Vladimir Weiss (Espanyol, loan),

Michael Johnson (Leicester, loan), Shaun Wright-Phillips (QPR, undisclosed), Craig Bellamy (Liverpool, free).

Best Value Signing - Despite being extremely pricey - Sergio Aguero

Should Have Signed - A top quality centre back to partner Kompany.

Transfer Window Rating - 8/10 - Have spent the most, but Aguero and Nasri have made their attacking line-up terrifying.

MANCHESTER UNITED 

Ins - David De Gea (Atletico Madrid, £17.8m), Phil Jones (Blackburn, £16.5m), Ashley Young (Aston Villa, £16m).

Outs - Gabriel Obertan (Newcastle, £3.25m), Wes Brown (Sunderland, £1m), John O'Shea (Sunderland, undisclosed), Owen Hargreaves (Manchester City, free), 

Paul Scholes (retired), Edwin van der Sar (retired), Bebe (Besiktas, loan), Ritchie de Laet (Norwich, loan).

Best Value Signing - Ashley Young

Should Have Signed - Creative (and good) central midfielder ie Luka Modric.

Transfer Window Rating - 8/10 - Bought young, talented players to create a well, balanced team but have spent a lot in the process.

NEWCASTLE

Ins - Davide Santon (Inter Milan £5m) Yohan Cabaye (Lille, £4.3m), Gabriel Obertan (Manchester United, £3.25m), Sylvain Marveaux (Rennes, free), 

Mehdi Abeid (Lens, free), Demba Ba (West Ham, free).

Outs - Jose Enrique (Liverpool, £6m), Kevin Nolan (West Ham, £4m), Wayne Routledge (Swansea, undisclosed), Joey Barton (QPR, free), 

Ben Tozer (Northampton, free), Sol Campbell (released), Shefki Kuqi (Oldham, free), Kazenga Lua Lua (Brighton, loan), Xisco (Deportivo La Coruna, loan), 

Fraser Forster (Celtic, loan),

Best Value Signing - Yohann Cabaye

Should Have Signed - A small, quick striker to partner their three tall ones (Peter Lovenkrands doesn't count).

Transfer Window Rating - 7/10 - Controversially, I think Newcastle have improved over the window despite selling their best players. Santon is a very good replacement for Enrique and Cabaye is better than Barton/Nolan.

NORWICH

Ins - Steve Morison (Millwall, £2.8m), James Vaughan (Everton, £2.5m), Anthony Pilkington (Huddersfield, £2m), Daniel Ayala (Liverpool, undisclosed), 

Elliott Bennett (Brighton, undisclosed), Bradley Johnson (Leeds, free), Ritchie De Laet (Manchester United, loan), Kyle Naughton (Tottenham, loan).

Outs - Owain Tudur Jones (Inverness, undisclosed), Cody McDonald (Coventry, undisclosed), Luke Daley, Steven Smith (Preston, free), (Plymouth, free), 

Matt Gill (Bristol Rovers, free), Sam Habergham (Tamworth, free), Jens Berthel Askou (Vejle Kolding, free), Stephen Hughes (released), 

Cody McDonald (Coventry, undisclosed).

Best Value Signing - Bradley Johnson

Should Have Signed - An effective winger.

Transfer Window Rating - 6/10 - Unsurprisingly better since they've been promoted but not improved as much as they could have done.

Q.P.R

Ins - DJ Campbell (Blackpool, £1.2m), Armand Traore (Arsenal, undisclosed), Danny Gabbidon (West Ham, free), Kieron Dyer (West Ham, free), 

Jay Bothroyd (Cardiff, free), Joey Barton (Newcastle, free), Shaun Wright-Phillips (QPR, undisclosed), Anton Ferdinand (Sunderland, £3m).

Outs - Mikele Leigertwood, (Reading, undisclosed), Georgias Tofas (Anagennisi Dherynia, free), Josh Parker (Oldham, free), Joe Oastler (Torquay, free), 

Lee Brown (Bristol Rovers, free), Pascal Chimbonda (released), Gavin Mahon (Notts County, free), Romone Rose (Muangthong United, free), 

Peter Ramage (Crystal Palace, loan), Angelo Balanta (MK Dons, loan), Leon Clarke (Swindon, free), Kaspars Gorkss (Reading, loan), Michael Doughty (Crawley, loan).

Best Value Signing - Joey Barton

Should Have Signed - Another centre back - still the area where they are poorest.

Transfer Window Rating - 7/10 - Rangers have improved impressively for their first season in the Premiership.

STOKE 

Ins - Jonathan Woodgate (Tottenham, free), Matthew Upson (West Ham, free), Cameron Jerome (Birmingham, £4m), Peter Crouch (Tottenham, £10m), 

Wilson Palacios (Tottenham, £8m).

Outs - Carl Dickinson (Watford, undisclosed), Eidur Gudjohnsen (AEK Athens, free), Abdoulaye Faye (West Ham, free), Ibrahima Sonko Ipswich, free)

Best Value Signing - Jonathan Woodgate 

Should Have Signed - A creative midfielder to give them another option if they go behind.

Transfer Window Rating - 8/10 - Despite getting terrible value for money, they have certainly bought effective players for their style and are definitely better as a result.

SUNDERLAND

Ins - Connor Wickham (Ipswich, £13m), Craig Gardner (Birmingham, £5m), Ahmed Elmohamady (ENPPI, £2m), Ji Dong-won (Chunnam Dragons, £2m), 

Wes Brown (Man United, £1m), James McClean (Derry City, £350,000), John O'Shea (Man United, undisclosed), Sebastian Larsson (Birmingham, free), 

David Vaughan (Blackpool, free), Keiren Westwood (Coventry, free), Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal, loan).

Outs - Jordan Henderson (Liverpool, £16m), Steed Malbranque (St Etienne, undisclosed), Bolo Zenden (released), Cristian Riveros (Kayserispor, loan), 

George McCartney (West Ham, loan), Anton Ferdinand (QPR, £3m).

Best Value Signing - Sebastian Larsson

Should Have Signed - Much like Stoke, a creative central midfielder - one who is better than Cattermole.

Transfer Window Rating - 6/10 - The most active side in the window are better off but could be accused of going for quantity over quality.

SWANSEA 

Ins - Michel Vorm (Utrecht, £1.5m), Danny Graham (Watford, £3.5m), Leroy Lita (Middlesbrough, £1.75m), Wayne Routledge (Newcastle, undisclosed), 

Jose Moreira (Benfica, undisclosed), Steven Caulker (Totteham, loan), Federico Bessone (Leeds, undisclosed), Darnel Situ (Lens, undisclosed).

Outs - Dorus de Vries (Wolves, free), Darren Pratley (Bolton, free), Albert Serran (AEK Larnaca, free), Cedric van der Gun (released), 

Gorka Pintado (AEK Larnaca, free), Yves Ma-Makalamby (released)

Best Value Signing - Michel Vorm

Should Have Signed - A strong, defensive midfielder - Swansea are a quick but lightweight team.

Transfer Window Rating - 7/10 - some good signings to benefit their quick style as well as a target man, which they needed.

TOTTENHAM

Ins -  Brad Friedel (Aston Villa, free), Cristian Ceballos (Barcelona, free), Souleymane Coulibaly (Siena, undisclosed), 

Emmanuel Adebayor (Man City, loan), Yago Falque (Juventus, loan), Scott Parker (West Ham, £5m)

Outs - Peter Crouch (Stoke, £10m), Wilson Palacios, Stoke, £8m), Jamie O'Hara (Wolves, £5m), Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy £1.8m), Alan Hutton (Aston Villa, undisclosed), 

Jonathan Woodgate (Stoke, free), Kyle Naughton (Norwich, loan), Steven Caulker (Swansea, loan), Bongani Khumalo (Reading, loan), 

Ryan Mason (Doncaster, loan), Jonathan Obika (Yeovil, loan), David Bentley (West Ham, loan), Jermaine Jenas (Aston Villa, loan).

Best Value Signing - Souleymane Coulibaly

Should Have Signed - A centre back who isn't made of glass.

Transfer Window Rating - 8/10 - Have shifted alot of dead wood and have bought sensibly for the present and the future.

W.B.A

Ins - Shane Long (Reading, £6.5m), Zoltan Gera (Fulham, free), Marton Fulop (Ipswich, free), Gareth McAuley (Ipswich, free), Billy Jones (Preston, free), 

Ben Foster (Birmingham, loan).

Outs - Scott Carson (Bursaspor, £2.1m), Ishmael Miller (Nottingham Forest £1.2m), Borja Valero (Villarreal, undisclosed), Marek Cech (Trabzonspor, undisclosed), 

Abdoulaye Meite (Dijon, free), Gianni Zuiverloon (Real Mallorca, free), Giles Barnes (Doncaster, free), Dean Kiely (retired), Boaz Myhill (Birmingham, loan), 

Chris Wood (Birmingham, loan), James Hurst (Blackpool, loan), Marek Cech (Trabzonspor, undisclosed), Pablo Ibanez (Birmingham, undisclosed).

Best Value Signing - Zoltan Gera

Should Have Signed - Some good defenders, the area they need most improvement, but which they seemed to ignore.

Transfer Window Rating - 6/10 - Again, shifted a number of fringe players (mostly to Birmingham), and brought in some good players, but in the wrong areas.

WIGAN 

Ins - Ali Al Habsi (Bolton, £4m), Shaun Maloney (Celtic, £1m), Albert Crusat (Almeria, undisclosed), David Jones (Wolves, free), Nouha Dicko (released, free), 

Patrick van Aanholt (Chelsea, loan).

Outs - Charles N'Zogbia (Aston Villa, £9.5m), Antonio Amaya (Real Betis, undisclosed), Daniel de Ridder (Grasshopper Zurich, free), Mauro Boselli (Estudiantes, loan),

Steven Caldwell (Birmingham, free), Jason Koumas (released).

Best Value Signing - Patrick Van Aanholt

Should Have Signed - A better winger replacement than Shaun Maloney.

Transfer Window Rating - 4/10 - Lost their best player and bought a lot of mediocrity.

WOLVES

Ins - Roger Johnson (Birmingham, £7m), Jamie O'Hara (Tottenham, £5m), Dorus De Vries (Swansea, free)

Outs - Greg Halford (Portsmouth, undisclosed), David Jones (Wigan, free), Geoffrey Mujangi Bia (Standard Liege, free), Marcus Hahnemann (released), 

Steven Mouyokolo (Sochaux, loan),

Best Value Signing - Roger Johnson

Should Have Signed - Another defender, as well as Johnson.

Transfer Window Rating - 6/10 - Relatively inactive but Roger Johnson could be the key to improving their terrible defence.

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As an added bonus, here are the Premier League teams who I think have grabbed a bargain and who has been the victim of daylight robbery:

Top five best value Premier League transfers:

1. Yohann Cabaye - Lille to Newcastle - £4.3m

2. Zdenek Grygera - Juventus to Fulham - Free

3. Michel Vorm - Utrecht to Swansea - £1.5m

4. Souleymane Coulibaly - Siena to Tottenham - £1.7m

5. Jose Enrique - Newcastle to Liverpool - £6m

Top five worst value Premier League transfers:

1. Jordan Henderson - Sunderland to Liverpool - £16m

2. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain - Southampton to Arsenal - £12m

3. Cameron Jerome - Birmingham City to Stoke - £4m

4. Stewart Downing - Aston Villa to Liverpool - £20m

5. Peter Crouch - Tottenham to Stoke - £10m

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And, as an even sweeter bonus, here's a round up of the ten best value transfers from the rest of Europe this window:

1. Nuri Sahin - Dortmund to Real Mardid - €10m

2. Diego Forlan - Athletico Madrid to Inter Milan - €5m

3. Goran Pandev - Inter to Napoli - Loan

4. Arda Turan - Galatasaray to Athletico Madrid - €12m

5. Phillipe Mexes - Roma to Milan - Free

6. Miralem Pjanic - Lyon to Roma - €10m

7. Jeremy Toulalan - Lyon to Malaga €10m

8. Taye Taiwo - Marseille to Milan - Free

9. Pablo Piatti - Almeria to Valencia - €8m

10. Blaise Matuidi - St. Etienne to PSG - €8m

The Big Premiership Preview A - M

We've been working on this for the past couple of days and we're chuffed with how it's came out. We're running through the teams alphabetically, so all you Newcastle/Spurs and Swansea fans will just have to be patient while we finish off. The "big four" all feature in this post though, so have a look and see what we think about them. AS will be Andy Stephenson and AH will be Adam Huntington. These were compiled individually, any matching opinions are purely coincidental. 

ARSENAL

Strengths -

AS: Their style of beautiful football has been long praised by almost all. Short passing, possession and fancy flicks are good for the neutrals and on their day it can absolutely rip teams apart. But in the words of Moss; “The problem with Arsenal is, they're always trying to walk it in”.

AH: Arsenal’s strength will always come from their style of play. Being the best in the League at possession football will see them create plenty of chances, converting them will be the real test though. Scoring shouldn’t be a problem, but the problem with Arsenal has always been that – all together now - they always try to walk it in.

Weaknesses -

AS: As has been seen annually, as soon as they mount any sort of title challenge or indeed come anywhere close to silverware (see Carling Cup final against a poor Birmingham side), Arsenal somehow manage to mess it up. This is set to be made even worse by the now almost completed move of their captain and only real leader – Cesc Fabregas.

AH: Much like Liverpool, Arsenal are the ashamed owners of a poor defence. Losing Gael Clichy to City wasn’t the best way to start the summer. They lack a real leader in the defence, someone to bark orders and keep everyone right. The Gunners have very little muscle in their team, which will see them crumble to Stoke/Sunderland etc. teams who will be physical in the challenge and look to score from a set piece.

Key Player -

AS: While the goals of Robin Van Persie are absolutely vital, and the addition of Gervinho could also prove vital, the real key to Arsenal's success could be the form of Jack Wilshere. Due to Arsene Wengers reluctance to spend big, it is likely that Fabregas and Nasri may not be directly replaced, should they leave. This would leave it up to Jack Wilshere to control the midfield. If he can avoid “Second-Season-Syndrome”, he could be key.

AH: If you look past the hype of Wilshere and the arrival of Gervinho, a fit Thomas Vermaelen will be desperately required. A technically brilliant, resolute and reliable defender is exactly what Arsenal need, they don’t have that in Djourou or Koscielny but they do in Vermaelen.

Manager -

AS: Arsenal need to spend money to challenge for the title again. It may be unfair to blame this on Arsene, but he doesn't seem to mind, and is happy with his squad (including Emmanuel Eboue). I don't agree with the fans calling for his head though, anyone else and Arsenal would be a lot worse off in my opinion. 7/10

AH: Disappointing. As I write this it looks very likely that Fabregas will leave to join Barcelona, this will obviously upset fans, and might enrage them if Wenger doesn’t spend, and spend huge. 6/10

Final Position -

AS: 5th. Will be edged out of the Champions League spot due to loss of key players.

AH: 5th. Sale of Fabregas and lack spending has confirmed they're no longer part of the "big four". 

ASTON VILLA

Strengths – 

AS: Villa have one of the best goal scorers in the league, in Darren Bent. The addition of Charles N'Zogbia will help ease the loss of Downing and Young, and should chip in with a number of goals on his own. However, this strength is largely dependant on the fitness of Bent and should he become injured, Villa might really struggle.

AH: Despite losing their beloved Ashley Young, Aston Villa still have a young and talented midfield. If kept fit, Ireland, N’Zogbia, Albrighton, Petrov and Bannan will all be contesting starting places. I wouldn’t expect Bannan to feature much, but he’s a good prospect to have as a substitute. Darren Bent was wonderful last season, and if he repeats his performance Villa might push for Europe.

Weaknesses – 

AS: I was worried for Villa that the loss of Friedel had left them overly vulnerable at the back. Whilst they have a good replacement in Shay Given, their back four is still undoubtedly their weakness. A number of defenders are past their best, such as Warnock and Dunne, while others are just a bit average. Some once-useful defenders such as Beye and Cuellar were forgotten about under former managers, it could do Alex McLeish some good to try and revitalise these players.

AH: As good as they are going forward, their defence is pretty poor. Shay Given was a big signing; replacing Brad Friedel, but there’s something about the centre back partnership of Dunne and Collins that doesn’t sit well with me. There might be a big tendency to rely on Bent for goals too. As good as he was last season this is a dangerous gamble.

 

Key Player – 

AS: A lot of pressure will be put on Charles N'Zogbia in his first season. He has big boots to fill and needs to step up to the plate. Darren Bent is definitely an “in the box” player and there is a danger that without effective wingers, there is a danger of Bent becoming isolated.

AH: Marc Albrighton, Villa seems to be depending on him to fill Young’s boots. I’ve always thought Young was overrated, so I reckon he’s capable. Intelligent on the ball and has a consistently good cross, his assists for Bent will be important.

 

Manager – 

AS: Will be under a lot of scrutiny after coming from a rival, especially when he is not famed for exciting play. I rate him as a manager but I do not think his style of play is suited for the club and he, and Villa may struggle this season. 5/10

AH: Good first season for McLeish, he’s bought sensibly and if injury doesn’t ruin his season like it did at Birmingham, he’ll possibly overachieve. 8/10

Final Position – 

AS: 16th – A dwindling, inexperienced squad and poorly suited manager could see them in a relegation battle.

AH: 7th - Complete surprise package. 

BLACKBURN ROVERS

Strengths – 

AS: The likes of Junior Hoillet, Grant Hanley, Ruben Rochina and David Goodwillie mean Blackburn have a promising squad for the future, guided by the much-needed experience of Salgado, Dunn and Emerton.

AH: Not many if I’m honest. If Chris Samba stays, they might have a better chance of beating the drop. They’ll also need to have Paul Robinson on top of his game for the entire season. If they were to be knocked out of both domestic cups early on, it’d be a blessing in disguise, allowing them to focus solely on the League.

Weaknesses – 

AS: However, Blackburn don't seem to have a prolific goalscorer, creative midfielder, a leader or a solid defender, if Chris Samba gets his much-desired move. They have good depth in their squad but a lot of OK players, rather than the solid core of a team.

AH: Blackburn don’t have much goal threat and without goals, it’s going to be a long, hard season. Selling Kalinic hasn’t exactly helped their striker-less situation. Jason Roberts performed decently last season and new signing David Goodwillie has a great record in Scotland, but is unproven in the Premiership. Blackburn have an old team, and I just feel that, unlike Chelsea, the quality isn’t there for them. Another huge weakness is the ineptitude of Steve Kean. Completely out of his depth, he got very lucky last season. He’ll be the first man to be sacked.

Key Player – 

AS: On his day, Morten Gamst Pedersen is a great player, and gives Blackburn the creativity they need, but the difficulty I had finding a key player highlights just how mediocre they are.

AH: Paul Robinson. He’s in for a long season but I think he’ll emerge from the relegation as the stand out player.

 

Manager – 

AS: No idea how he has a job in the Premiership, and is in no way, shape or form the man to inspire Blackburn. Dull, inexperienced and is the main reason why I am tipping Blackburn to finally get relegated after years of hovering around the bottom. 3/10

AH: I don’t think he’ll see November let alone May. 0/10

Final Position – 

AS: 20th – Steve Kean to lead them to rock bottom.

AH: 19th - Experience of players the only reason they don't finish last. 

BOLTON WANDERERS

Strengths – 

AS: Bolton have got a lot of strength from the back to the front, and while not always playing the most beautiful football, are a very tough side to break down and could well prove a headache for a lot of top teams.

AH: The manager. Owen Coyle is one of the brightest managerial talents in the league. He’s completely transformed Bolton from a very one-dimensional team to one that’s able to play some nice possession football. They’ve got a good midfield with Stuart Holden, set to return to fitness soon, and Chris Eagles, who was inspired for Burnley last season. They’ve also got the in-demand Gary Cahill who, if kept, will partner Zat Knight in what will be a pretty tight centre back duo.

Weaknesses – 

AS: With playmaker Chung Yong Lee, new signing Tyrone Mears and key midfielder Stuart Holden all having their legs broken in the last few months, it appears this bad luck could be Bolton's downfall. Be careful, boys.

AH: Goals will be hard to come by. Elmander’s off to Galatasaray on a free and they haven’t replaced him. Kevin Davies is old (34), as is Robbie Blake (35), and Ivan Klasnic was pretty poor last season. Injuries have also been a thorn in Coyle’s side; new boy Mears and the tremendous Chung-Yong Lee have been ruled out for six and nine months respectively with broken legs.

 

Key Player – 

AS: If I'd written this a couple of weeks ago, I would be writing a few hundred words about the most under-rated player in the league and a personal favourite of mine – Chung Yong Lee. However, with his season over before it has begun, I need to find a new key player. I'm going to go for Kevin Davies. A Bolton institution, his goals, strength and ability to hold up the ball have become vital for Bolton's direct approach.

AH: Stuart Holden. He’s a very promising player whose creativity and attitude will be invaluable to Bolton this season. I firmly expect he’ll get himself a big move next summer if he stays fit and plays regularly.

 

Manager – 

AS: A brilliant man-manager, he has a great relationship with his players and can truly get the best out of them. Gets good results from an average team. 9/10

AH: Sterling job from Coyle and the fans won’t question him. I’d like to say I think they’ll have a little cup run, but I reckon he’ll be too focussed on the League. 8/10

Final Position – 

AS: 12th – If this was done simply on squad strength, they'd be a couple places lower but Owen Coyle and Bolton's team spirit gain them some places to a respectable 12th.

AH: 12th - A better strike force would put them a little higher. 

CHELSEA

Strengths – 

AS: Torres, Drogba, Anelka, Malouda, Sturridge, Kalou, Lukaku? Quite ridiculous eh? This amount of goal potential there is the highest in the league and have a great mix of creativity, youth, experience and strength. Even if Drogba or Anelka move on as has been suggested, the likely incoming of Lukaku will ensure Andre Villas Boas has the best sort of problem to have – too many good strikers.

AH: An incredibly strong spine to the team. From the established Petr Cech, through Terry and Luiz, Lampard and Essien (when he’s fit) and finishing with Drogba/Anelka/Malouda, Chelsea has strength and experience at their core. Their defence will be sound and Ashley Cole will be a class performer again. They’ll need to rely on this defence because I can’t see them outscoring City or United, despite having a huge choice of strikers.

 

Weaknesses – 

AS: Is having too many good strikers a good problem? A strong strike partnership is key, and while these are great individual players, could it become a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth? It could work out perfectly or it could be disastrous.

AH: Their ageing squad will prove to be their downfall. Drogba and Anelka should figure less and give way to youth, but Andre Villas-Boas might not see it that way. Expect an annoying ever-changing forward line, which will affect consistency and will lead to an unexpected lack of goals come the end of the season.

Key Player – 

AS: If Fernando Torres can find the form that led to his £50 million transfer, he could be vital to a title push for the blues. On his day, there are few better strikers in the world and if Chelsea can find a way to utilize him in their system, he might go SOME way to repaying that ridiculous sum.

AH: David Luiz. Had a good first six months with the Blues last season and I reckon he’ll prove himself to be more important than Terry. His fondness to burst forward gives teams a fright and usually results in something positive. That said, he has been caught out of position on a number of occasions.

 

Manager – 

AS: Whilst there have been questions about a 33 year old being able to control the egos of players his age, if anyone can do it, it's him. He knows Chelsea like the back of his hand too and if his performance at Porto is anything to go by, Chelsea could well have another “special one”. 8/10

AH: Good first season for Villas-Boas, hopefully the board and owner will see some sense and let him continue his good work into the future. 8/10

Final Position – 

AS: 3rd – will just lose out to both sides of Manchester but building a younger, stronger squad with a young manager could mean that as long as Abramovic doesn't get bored – it could be the start of a great side for years to come.

AH: 3rd - Pipped by the power-spending of City and the winning mentality of United. 

EVERTON

Strengths – 

AS: Everton have a good number of options in their squad, particularly in midfield, with Arteta, Cahill, Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov, Neville, Osman, Coleman and Rodwell all fighting for first team places. This is the kind of selection headache manager's love, and it is particularly vital for this Everton side who have not brought in a new player in almost two years (as highlighted here).

AH: Everton have a very talented midfield; Arteta, Cahill, Osman and Fellaini are all good on the ball and can pick a decisive pass. Having not bought anyone for almost two years, the Toffees will be a very together unit, well aware of each other’s capabilities and frailties. It’s rare that this occurs in the league, and I’d expect them to put it to good use. Leighton Baines will be strong yet again.

 

Weaknesses – 

AS: Louis Saha is a brilliant finisher on his day, as we saw with his four goals against Blackpool last season. However, he only scored three goals over the other 21 games of his season. Alongside other inconsistent performers such as Beckford and other non-performers such as Anichebe, Everton could well struggle for goals this season if Tim Cahill can't live up to last season's goalscoring form.

AH: They have a complete lack of proven goal-scoring strikers. Jermaine Beckford came to life late last season but always looked off the pace. Louis Saha only scored seven goals in the League last season and Anichebe has scored an abysmal seven goals in 91 appearances for the Toffees.

Key Player – 

AS: Baines and Cahill were the pair who most commonly linked up for goals in the Premier League last year. With Baines chipping in 11 assists and five goals from defence, this could help subsidise Everton's lacklustre strike force and may be key.

AH: Phil Jagielka is key should he stay. He reads the game well, wins the ball well and along with Phil Neville, organises the backline. Tempted to mention Baines who, if he also stays this season, should certainly seal a move the season after.

Manager – 

AS: David Moyes is a brilliant manager and has done extremely well to keep his squad from going stale despite no new incomings for two seasons. Has turned this Everton side around from strugglers to consistently pushing for Europe. 9/10

AH: Moyes is loved by the Evertonians, but he’ll definitely struggle this season if he doesn’t acquire a proven goal-scorer.  Tough season. 5/10

Final Position – 

AS: 8th – Another strong season for Everton, but will not reach Europe after another season with no new players.

AH: 15th - Lack of strikers will lead to a very difficult and frustrating season.

FULHAM

Strengths – 

AS: Fulham are assured at the back, conceding the fourth fewest goals in the league last year (level with Arsenal), with a strong back four lead by Brede Hangelaand, and one of the most under-rated goalkeepers in the league – Mark Schwarzer (and David Stockdale isn't a bad backup either). This lead to the most draws in the league, but three less losses than Liverpool.

AH: Defensively strong. Their defence boasts the incredible Brede Hangeland and the less incredible, but still good, Senderos. Schwarzer’s experience behind them will be important too. Aaron Hughes isn’t exactly a world-class player, but he’s consistent. The return of Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson is a huge lift for Fulham, who struggle for goals without them.

 

Weaknesses – 

AS: Similarly to Everton, goalscoring is a problem for Fulham. This is not helped by injuries with Bobby Zamora, Andy Johnson and Moussa Dembele all missing key portions of last season. These are the only three recognised strikers in their squad so similar injuries this season could have severe consequences.

AH: Draw specialists and a bit inconsistent. Drew with Man United, Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal but lost 3-1 to West Ham last season. They drew 16 times last season, struggling to kill off games. They also have a relatively small squad, so a couple of injuries will seriously dent any hopes of my predicted top half finish.

Key Player – 

AS: Clint Dempsey was the club's top scorer this season – far outscoring all the recognised strikers. He is another hugely underrated player who would, in my opinion, improve the midfield of most of the top sides. He is vital for Fulham.

AH: Hangeland will be crucial for Fulham. His aerial excellence and ability to read the game well means he’s capable of cancelling out some of the best strikers in the Premiership.

 

Manager – 

AS: A quiet manager, who gets on his business and is a good fit for Fulham who should have a good first season. 7/10

AH: Good things from Martin Jol, he’ll work well with the type of players at his disposal. 7/10

Final Position – 

AS: 11th – A season in mid-table for Fulham, who could become a top side with an improved strike force.

AH: 9th - Impressive from Fulham, should they stay injury-free.

LIVERPOOL

Strengths – 

AS: Kenny Dalglish has been given a spending spree, and has spent over £100 million so far in 2011 on Suarez, Carroll, Henderson, Downing, Adam and Enrique. This has lead to amazing depth, particularly in midfield, and a hugely improved squad to that which Roy Hodgson took into the season at this stage last year.

AH: Going forward, Liverpool could be devastating this season. Luis Suarez returns off the back of an incredible Copa America and Andy Carroll will have Stuart Downing and Charlie Adam pinging balls at his big, ugly head all season. Reina’s continued presence in goal will be important too.

Weaknesses – 

AS: Too many midfielders, including some who would walk into most Premier League teams sitting on the bench. Who do they leave out - Kuyt, who saved them many times last season? Gerrard the Scouse hero but somewhat out of form? Mereiles who ended the season as Liverpool's best player? Surely they can't leave out the players they've just signed for £20 million. Does Dalglish go for rotation and potentially disrupt the flow of the team, or stick with the same midfield and keep big egos on the bench? Should have absolutely spent some of that money on defenders to ensure Kyrgiakos never has to play in a Liverpool shirt again.

AH: A very shaky defence. A formidable centre back partnership is required and until they get one, they’ll never challenge for the title. After watching his below average performance in the Under-21 Championships, I’m going to name Jordan Henderson as the flop of the season. His value has inflated his ego to a ridiculous level, and his potential, along with his work rate, will suffer tremendously.

Key Player – 

AS: Luis Suarez looked to have continued his incredible form from the offset in the Premier League, a difficult task. He will surely only improve and could well be one of the best players in the league this season. While it seems strange to call him a bargain at £22 million, he is certainly a bargain compared to their other 2011 signings.

AH: Suarez. After a strong couple of performances through the summer with Uruguay, he’ll finish as the League’s top scorer. His pace, anticipation and determination were all apparent in the Copa, and I think it’s safe to say he’ll hit the ground running come the opening game.

Manager – 

AS: A hero to most of Liverpool. Even though, in my opinion he is a hugely overrated manager, he could be what they need for confidence and unity in the team. 7/10 (since he's at Liverpool).

AH: Slight improvement in Kenny’s first full season, not being in Europe and spending big will help them with their campaign. 8/10

Final Position – 

AS: 4th – their huge improvements will see them pip Arsenal to that final Champions League spot.

AH: 4th - Big buys will see them above Arsenal. 

MANCHESTER CITY

Strengths – 

AS: Surprisingly, I'm going to say the millions and millions of pounds at their disposal. Aguero could be a fantastic purchase and if he hits the ground running, could lead Man City to the title. Nasri is currently in talks as I write this. They have a ridiculous amount of attacking players and these combined with the solid defensive play of Nigel De Jong should mean Man City are genuine title challengers right til the death.

AH: With a huge squad filled with a lot of talented individuals, Man City will find they can cope with injury/suspension with ease. Roberto Mancini should have his sights set on the title as well as the Champions League. Sergio Aguero’s signing will be focussed on, and if he can link up with the unsettled Carlos Tevez or media-labelled wildchild Mario Balotelli, City should push their neighbours and southern rivals all the way. 

Weaknesses – 

AS: A number of players could be accused of lacking effort, not really caring or thinking they are bigger than the club. Roberto Mancini does not seem to be good at motivating his side, and so it's up to the players on their own. If they are up to the task and can get a team mentality, they should win the league, but I'm not too sure they can.

AH: This big squad has a lot of big egos within it, keeping them happy will be a ball breaker for Mancini, especially if a couple of results don’t go against them. The defence also looks a little weak, Vincent Kompany had a shocker in the Community Shield and Joleon Lescott isn’t capable of carrying himself, never mind Kompany too. 

Key Player – 

AS: Now time to talk about my favourite player in the world to watch - David Silva. He's a joy to watch with the ball and will hopefully be able to provide the much needed link between the midfield and Aguero/Dzeko/Balotelli/Tevez.

AH: Nigel De Jong will prove absolutely crucial. Not a fan of the man myself, but as a player he’s excellent at what he does; breaking up play, helping out his defenders and setting off counter attacks. A strong, injury-free season for him will see City clinch the title.

 

Manager – 

AS: Not suited to controlling the big egos at the club, and has often been accused of playing negative football, which is not ideal with such an incredible amount of attacking players. 6/10

AH: With the players and cash at his disposal, a major cup win is pretty inevitable this season. Mancini’s toughest task will be choosing from his many overpriced players, the rest should be a walk in the park.  8/10

Final Position - 

AS: 2nd – Will push the closest they ever have but will JUST fall short to experience.

AH: 1st - Inevitable. 

MANCHESTER UNITED

Strengths – 

AS: It's been said so many times, but it is true: Manchester United always manage to carve out results, even when they aren't playing well. They know how to win, and they do so consistently. Their home record last year was frightening – only dropping two points. They've brought in a good number of young players and have spent more than they have in the last few years – could this be the strongest Manchester United side for a number of years?

AH: Manchester United have the perfect balance of youth and experience. Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney have countless games under their belts and their guidance of Phil Jones, Tom Cleverly and Javier Hernandez will show throughout the season. With Nani, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young capable of shredding most defences, I wouldn’t be surprised to see an incredible goal tally, especially if Hernandez improves on last season and Dimitar Berbatov looks a bit more interested.

Weaknesses – 

AS: To answer my earlier rhetorical question - Probably not. They've brought in wingers and defenders who they didn't really need, yet failed to strengthen in the area that needed it most – central midfield. Michael Carrick should not be starting in central midfield for the English Champions. While the strongest in the league in most areas, they are weaker than their rivals in this key area, which could be their downfall.

AH: Last season, United won the league despite having a terrible centre midfield. They’ve got a large choice, but none should be classed as world-beaters now Paul Scholes has retired. An expensive, creative replacement, in the same vein as Sneijder, would improve United’s chances this season. It would also stop Darron Gibson playing who, with his constant long distance shots and low technical ability, was the biggest liability in a United shirt since Eric Djemba-Djemba.

Key Player – 

AS: If Wayne Rooney can find his best form, he should lead Manchester United to the title. With the addition of Javier Hernandez as a goalscorer, this has allowed Rooney to play with the ball a bit more, which he is thriving upon. They have formed a good partnership, and could be leading the way for Manchester United for many years to come.

AH: Nemanja Vidic. With Ferdinand ageing, getting visibly slower and becoming more obsessed with Twitter, Vidic will prove again how important he is to United. If he can form a good understanding with new ‘keeper David De Gea, the defence should be sound without @rioferdy5, maybe even stronger.

Manager – 

AS: Not much needs to be said. Knows how to win the title and as long as he is in charge, Man United will always start the season as favourites. 10/10

AH: A good season for Sir Alex, expect plenty of little mind-game jibes at City at the end of the season. He’ll have no trouble, and might clinch the FA Cup, if they get dumped out Europe quickly. 9/10

Final Position – 

AS: 1st – Winning mentality and experience should fend off Man City for one more season.

AH: 2nd - Runners-up to their neighbours.