Abruzzi's Premiership preview

The Premiership season kicks off this weekend and will chelskea walk away with their third straight crown or will the other teams pounce and take advantage? Their are tough times ahead for newly-promoted Reading, Sheffield United and Watford. My thoughts on the 2006-07 Barclays Premiership season..

I am not so sure the Premiership is going to be the one-horse race many people are predicting, but if I were a betting man and had to stick money on the champions tomorrow, I would go for Chelsea.

There's no doubt as we head for the big kick-off, that they are the strongest side. You do not win the title two years in a row then go out and sign Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko and become weaker, it's as simple as that.

They still have two world-class players for pretty much every position and although the special one (Jose Mourinho) says they are nowhere near their peak following the World Cup, they are still rightly the strong favourites.

But don't think it will be a cakewalk. Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal may not have spent the same money Chelsea have, but they will also consider themselves in a stronger position than many people give them credit for.

Take Manchester United. Michael Carrick may be their only signing of real note over the summer and it is a huge blow for both the club and the boy to see him injured, but don't forget they have players coming back.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been missing for virtually three years and has been scoring in pre-season, Paul Scholes will also be back after missing all of last season and you can also throw Alan Smith into that equation. That's four players that they didn't have at the end of last season and Sir Alex Ferguson will look upon those coming back as new signings.

Arsenal might have lost some big names over the summer, but there was also every chance that they could have gone into the new season without Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas as well. They have added Tomas Rosicky to the squad and don't forget that the likes of Alexandr Hleb and the youngsters in Arsene Wenger's squad should be stronger for last year's experience.

Then we have Liverpool. They laid down a bit of a marker in the Community Shield and of the big four they have probably brought the most - and they needed to.

They needed pace and penetration up front, which Craig Bellamy will provide and to supplement Steven Gerrard having to play on the right-hand side of midfield, they have got Jermaine Pennant in. Add to that the likes of young Mark Gonzalez and they are definitely better equipped to challenge the champions

You have to expect the same big four to be up there again, but there are a few clubs who were 'bubbling under' last season, who will be looking to go that one bit further and break into the top four.

In all honesty, the only one I see anywhere near of doing that is Tottenham.

Dimitar Berbatov looks like he will get them goals and they beat a number of clubs to get Didier Zokora in and with those two alone, they are stronger immediately. Like Arsenal, they have a young side that will be better equipped than last season, and more importantly they now have a better understanding of just what's required in that very top bracket of the Premiership.

Of the other teams, I do think Everton can have a good season, providing they get a good start and providing they can defend well. They needed more goals and they did what they had to do in getting Andy Johnson in at £8.6 million. That could turn out to be good business and if he and James Beattie can hit it off from the start, they will be a force.

Glenn Roeder will also be looking at pushing Newcastle on and the signing of Damien Duff could prove a masterstroke. This will be Glenn's Newcastle side and because of their stature, you would have to expect them to in the hunt for a European place again.

I know with Alan Shearer retired and Michael Owen out injured, a lot of people expected them to sign a big-money striker, but don't think the manager hasn't tried - I know that for a fact that he has.

Blackburn lost their own star turn in Bellamy, but have brought Benni McCarthy in and a few others, who although they might not be the biggest signings of the summer, will give them more strength-in-depth

They are one of several clubs who laid down some foundations last season and can be more than pleased with what they achieved - but the second season, where they have to build on all that good work, is the crucial one. As long as the big four keep spending money and bringing in quality it makes it harder and harder to keep up with them, never mind overtake them.

You do wonder how those clubs are going to cope with it and master it, and it does look like a tall order, but don't forget they all have the Champions League to contend with and if the chasing pack can maintain the self-belief and in particular, get off to decent starts, they have a chance.

The one thing I just can't see over the coming months is the newly-promoted sides doing a West Ham or a Wigan. You never really know how they are going to fare, but the one thing about the Hammers in particular, is that they are tradtionally a top-flight club - and no-one was really that surprised to see them do so well.

Of the three clubs that have come up this time, Sheffield United and Watford have flirted with the Premiership, but none are really recognised as top-division outfits. For instance, if Birmingham come straight back up, you would expect them to be pushing towards mid-table.

For instance, West Ham had better resources - as they showed with the signing of Dean Ashton - and although Reading, Sheffield United and Watford have added quantity, whether they have brought in enough quality remains to be seen.

It's hard to see any of them not being in the bottom six or seven all season, but that should not worry them. It will be hard at times but if they have to enjoy it and even if they do end up surviving in fourth-bottom on the final day, they can then build on that in that all-important second season.

One side I don't expect to be right down there again is Portsmouth. Harry, as we all knew he would, has been busy wheeling and dealing and they just look like a squad that has far more quality and experience than they started last year - I can't see them having the same terrible start that almost cost them in the end.

In fact, as obvious as it sounds, a good start is vital across the board. I expect both Charlton and Middlesbrough to be safe in mid-table, but with Iain Dowie and Gareth Southgate both new to their jobs, they will want to hit the ground running.

It will also be important for Stuart Pearce to get off to a flyer - the last thing they needed was a trip to the champiopns first up! Manchester City lost their way completely towards the end of last season and have made some big signings in the summer. They will need to gel quickly.


With all due respect, the clubs I've just mentioned might well struggle to get out of that bottom six or eight if they do get off to a slow start, and you can add Fulham to that.

I have nothing but admiration for the job Chris Coleman has done in keeping them in the Premiership but although he has managed to unearth some talent along the way, I think this might be the year Mr Fayed has to help him with a little bit of investment, depending on where they are when that transfer window opens again.

West Ham finished the season so well last year and might well have to go out and find a replacement for Dean Ashton quickly, because they are facing up to that second season when sides know what to expect from them, having maybe being caught cold last time out

It is also a massive season for Wigan, who were the real success stories and surprise packages last year. They have lost a lot of players, big players, in David Thompson, Stephane Henchoz, Jason Roberts and Jimmy Bullard and it might well be a tough season for Paul Jewell.

He has brought in players though and of those, he really needs Emile Heskey and Chris Kirkland to fire. A goalkeeper and goalscorer are so important and both of these have a thing or two to prove!

I get the feeling that like Jewelly, Big Sam Allardyce might find it tough going at Bolton this year. There have been the usual comings and goings from the Reebok, but for the first time in a few years, I wonder whether Sam has brought in enough quality and is actually starting the season with a stronger squad.

You don't need me to tell you that it is a huge season for plenty of Premiership clubs, but none more so than my old club Aston Villa.

I am delighted they have a new manager in Martin O'Neill, but I am not like plenty of other Villa fans who immediately assume that because Randy Lerner has taken over, he will immediately wave a magic wand and make everything better.

I was actually a big Doug Ellis fan and sometimes in football you don't realise just how good a guy is until he's left your club - that might well be the case at Villa Park.

But they do have an excellent manager with plenty of experience. Although he has not been in the English game for six years, but I'm sure he has been keeping tabs on it from Scotland and he will already know where he needs to strengthen.

Whether the cash is there from the start remains to be seen, but one thing Martin can count on, is patience - from the Villa fans at least.