The 2013/2014 make-or-break XI

So here we are.  The new Premier League season is underway.  Fans and players have managed to contain their excitement (just).  The anticipation is over and the big kick-off has arrived.  But whilst excitement is virtually universal some players are experiencing a very different emotion as they step on the field for their first competitive fixtures since May.  The pressure is on and a sense of nervousness overpowers any excitement.  For some this season could be the making or breaking of them, a season that could define the rest of their career.  This is my make-or-break XI for the 2013/2014 season.

 

GK - David de Gea (Team: Manchester United, Age: 22)  
 
Spanish goalkeeper De Gea goes into the 2013/2014 Premier League season with the opportunity to seal his long-term future for both club and country. After sharing goalkeeping duties with Andres Lindergard at the start of last season, by the time it came to a close he found himself not only undisputed first choice but also a member of the PFA team of the year. Since signing for Manchester United in the summer of 2011, the young keeper has featured in over 80 games for the reigning champions and last year kept 11 clean sheets in the league from his 28 starts. A product of the Atlético Madrid youth system, he has already featured 27 times for the Spanish U21 team and last summer was on the cusp of making the Euro 2012 senior squad. With Iker Casillas turning 32 and Spain's other established squad keepers in Valdés and Reina now also the wrong side of 30 De Gea surely has the chance to claim at least a  place in the senior set-up, if not a starting role. Many of his early critics have been impressed by his increased physical presence and the way in which he has shown himself capable of competing in the air with the biggest strikers that the English game has to offer. This will be a pivotal season for the United keeper as it gives him the ideal opportunity to establish himself as first choice for the next decade both for his club and for the Spanish national side. A poor season may see new manager David Moyes look for a new man between the sticks so it is essential that De Gea performs to his best and recaptures the form which saw him lead by example as Atlético Madrid claimed the Europa League title in the 2009-2010.  He will be hoping to add to his already impressive medal haul in the season ahead.

 
 
RB - Martin Kelly (Team: Liverpool, Age: 23)    

Martin Kelly will be looking to leave his injury problems behind him this season and regain his place in the Liverpool starting XI. His impressive debut against Lyon way back in 2009 was ended by injury and it has been a similar story ever since for the athletic right back. Having joined the Liverpool academy in 1997, he came through the ranks and at the start of the 2010-2011 season managed to oust first choice right back Glen Johnson from his preferred position, a feat which he will be looking to repeat this year. After spending a promising 5 months in the first team his season was ended in February 2011 by yet another injury and since then he has struggled to match the 23 games that he had featured in until injury hit. Last season again started positively but was ended before it really began with a cruciate knee ligament injury in September limiting Kelly to just 7 appearances. His injury troubles have gradually seen him slip down the pecking order at Anfield as a result of new acquisitions and the emergence of young defenders like André Wisdom so it is essential that he makes his mark this season or else risk becoming Liverpool's forgotten man. He has all the attributes to develop into a fine central defender but his pace, strength and stamina make him legitimate competition to Glen Johnson who may find himself switched to left back should Kelly return to top form. His one England cap so far came in 2012 and he was part of the injury-hit England squad that departed for the European Championships. He will undoubtedly be targeting a return to the England set-up but before he does that he must first prove that he is worth a place in Liverpool's first team.  Although competition is stiff, if he delivers performances akin to those put in during his breakthrough season then he will make it difficult for manager Brendan Rodgers to leave him out.
 

 
CB - Phil Jones (Team: Manchester United, Age: 21)

Preston-born Jones is a player whose versatility seems to be working against him so far in his career.  Like Jamie Carragher and Phil Neville before him the young defender has been used in a variety of roles during the early stages of his career without ever establishing himself as a permanent fixture in any position. After making his professional debut at Blackburn Rovers he was snapped up in June of 2011 by Manchester United yet has struggled to make his mark thus far at Old Trafford again often finding himself played out of position. 46 league games in two seasons for United doesn't tell the full story as he was frequently deployed at right back or in central midfield rather than in his preferred position of centre halve. It is a similar story on the international stage.  7 caps at just 21 is of course a great achievement but it was only this week that he saw minutes at the centre of England's defence, coming on for the final 7 minutes of the 3-2 win over Scotland. Roy Hodgson and former manager Fabio Capello have both chosen to play him in England’s holding role which not only exposes his flaws in possession but prevents him displaying his full defensive capabilities.  He even found it impossible to make the centre back role his own at club level last season in spite of United's persistent injury struggles which saw them experiment with a variety of defensive partnerships.  Nevertheless with Rio Ferdinand approaching the end of his career Jones must surely be in with a shot of taking on Ferdinand’s mantle for both club and country. He is blessed with the physicality necessary to thrive at the heart of the defence but the real challenge for him this season is to prove that he is more than just a stop-gap who can be thrust into the action wherever he might be needed. This is the season when he must prove that he was worth every penny of his £16.5 million transfer fee.
 

 
CB - Jack Rodwell (Team: Manchester City, Age: 22)    

Yes I know that Rodwell isn’t really a centre back but he more than warrants his place in this make-or-break XI. Just 5 years after making his debut for Everton at the age of 16, the Scouse midfielder sealed a dream £12 million move to Manchester City and his career has been stagnating ever since. After just one season at the 2011/2012 Premier League champions it looks as if Rodwell may have made a huge mistake in leaving his home town club as the dream move slowly turns into a nightmare. With injury problems and competition for places limiting him to just 15 appearances last year, it seems unlikely that he will add to his 3 England caps any time soon. His best season to date came in 2009/2010 when the then 18 year old featured in 36 matches, the consistent run in a strong Everton side seeing him put in some excellent performances at the heart of midfield. New club City have again spent big this summer on midfield options with the £30 million acquisition of Fernandinho so Rodwell goes into this season knowing that he can't have a repeat of last year’s inconsistency if he wants to break out of his slump and continue the development which has stalled since swapping Merseyside for Manchester just 12 months ago. He has good pace, enough stamina to get box-to-box for the full 90 minutes and the composure on the ball to find a team-mate when under pressure making him well suited to a fluid passing system. There have already been flashes of his goal-scoring ability and being comfortable with either foot makes him adept defensively as well as going forward. It is crucial this season that he gets the first team football he evidently needs to reproduce the form which has brought him international recognition in the past.  If he can’t find that at City then maybe Rodwell’s only option is to move on once more.  A return to former club Everton would surely be his preferred destination.
 


LB - Danny Rose (Team: Tottenham Hotspur, Age: 23)   

Yorkshire-born Danny Rose seems to have finally found his best position and he will be looking to make the Spurs left-back slot his own during the coming season after 4 loan spells honing his game away from White Hart Lane. It was during the last of these at Sunderland that he began to show his full ability, making 29 appearances and performing well in a struggling team. The fact that he retained his place when Paolo Di Canio replaced the much criticised Martin O’Neill is testament to the consistency he showed prior to the Italian’s appointment at the end of March.  Rose signed for Spurs in July 2007 and was initially employed as a left winger, although during his reign former boss Harry Redknapp suggested that he would eventually settle at left back and the current QPR manager may yet be proven right. It took almost 3 years after his arrival at Spurs before he made his league debut but in the 2010/2011 season he featured in 20 games and many predicted that to be his breakthrough year. Nevertheless the following year he found himself again shipped out on loan and his aim this season will surely be to show enough form to ensure that this isn’t just another false dawn. The opportunity to nail down a first team spot seems to be open to him with manager André Villas-Boas seemingly unconvinced by Benoit Assou Ekotto who has occupied the left side of the Spurs defence for much of the last 2 seasons.  A good start to the season is crucial as he may only get one chance to prove to his manager that there is no need to invest in that area of the team. He already has 29 U21 caps to his name and after playing for Great Britain at last year's Olympic Games he will surely have his eye on a spot in the England squad. First however he must prove to the Tottenham coaching staff that he is capable of repeating his performances from last year and hope that this is enough to avoid adding yet another club to his list of loan destinations when the 2014/2015 season rolls around.
 

 
CM - Aaron Ramsey (Team: Arsenal, Age: 22)

Some may think it strange for me to include a player with 70 league games for Arsenal over the last 2 seasons in my XI but Ramsey is facing a massive season in 2013/2014. Despite starting 9 of Arsenal’s first 10 games last season he spent the remainder of the year entering the fray as a substitute as he struggled to displace Wenger's first choice midfield of Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla. Making his debut for Cardiff at just 16 and performing well in the Championship, the long-time Arsenal manager had no hesitation in shelling out the £5 million needed to bring Ramsey to the Emirates where he made quick progress under the experienced Frenchman. The terrible injury that he suffered against Stoke in February 2011 which saw him ruled out for more than 9 months greatly affected his development and since then he has struggled to consistently reproduce the form which got him his move to Arsenal in the first place. Despite Wenger's reluctance and at times downright refusal to spend the transfer funds afforded to him, Ramsey has found himself gradually slipping down the pecking order at the North London club. At times last season Wenger chose to deploy him in a wide position where he is considerably less effective.  It is key then that he performs well from the off this year in order to convince his boss to restore him to his preferred central midfield role where he sees more of the ball and can show what he is all about. Ramsey undoubtedly has talent, 25 Wales caps and a stint captaining his country attests to that, but there is still much more to come from him. Having the Wales captaincy taken away from him, apparently due to his inconsistent performance, will make the young Welshman even more determined to get back to his best but to do that he will need a consistent run playing in his favoured role.  Like Rodwell at Manchester City, perhaps Ramsey needs to step down to a less illustrious club in order to return to his previous level of performance.
 

 
CM - Jordan Henderson (Team: Liverpool, Age: 23)

Sunderland-born Henderson will be hoping to avoid becoming another expensive flop at Liverpool after the club made considerable losses on expensive English signings Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing. Last season the former England U21 captain showed flashes of the ability which had led some to anoint him as Steven Gerrard’s natural successor before he even had the chance to set foot on the hallowed Anfield turf. Now closing in on 100 games for Liverpool since his £20 million move 2 years ago, Henderson turned in a series of impressive performances last year most notably in the 6-0 away win against Newcastle in which he scored 2 and created another. More impressive in that game was his all-round play which gave a timely reminder of exactly what had led Liverpool to spend such a huge sum of money in order to tempt him from his home town club.  He returned his best goal-scoring figures last season but this is an area of his game that he acknowledges he must improve although he has shown himself capable of scoring spectacular long range strikes in the past. He is an unselfish player who possesses a good range of passing but beyond that he seems willing to sacrifice his own strengths and play out of position on the left of midfield to the benefit of his team mates and Liverpool’s tactical system. This season is crucial for him as it will be one of the last opportunities he has to learn from one of the best midfielders in Premier League history and he will be looking to add to his 5 England caps given that he is now ineligible for England's junior teams. There is plenty of competition for midfield places at Anfield so he will need to perform consistently well in order to hold down a first team place. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers showed his growing faith in the reigning England U21 player of the year however during pre-season when he named him captain for Liverpool's penultimate pre-season friendly and he will be hoping that the club’s fans are finally beginning to see the real Jordan Henderson. He need look no further than midfield colleague Lucas Leiva to find an example of someone who has triumphed after adversity at Liverpool.
 

 
 
CM - Jonjo Shelvey (Team: Swansea, Age: 21)

Former Arsenal and West Ham trainee Shelvey is another English midfielder who struggled at Anfield under the weight of comparisons to Steven Gerrard. After 3 fairly uninspiring seasons at Liverpool in which he showed only fleeting glimpses of his potential he joined Swansea in July for £5 million. Graduating from the much-acclaimed Charlton Athletic youth academy he made his debut not long after his 16th Birthday before arriving at Liverpool in June 2008.  In spite of his age he arrived with lots of experience and went on to make almost 50 appearances before deciding to move on to pastures new. Some were shocked that Brendan Rodgers allowed such a promising young player to leave but with only 1 goal in 20 league games last season Shelvey clearly hadn't shown the Liverpool manager enough to warrant an extension to his stay.  Nevertheless the move to South Wales may be exactly what he needs. Swansea are an excellent footballing side and if pre-season is any indication of the season to come, the Romford-born youngster will get the first team chances he so desperately needs in order to fulfil the promise that he has at times displayed.  During the England U21 team’s victory over Scotland this week Shelvey showed the full range of passing which he has in his locker and chipped in with a goal before departing the field to a great reception from the Bramall Lane crowd. What he undoubtedly lacked at Liverpool was a consistent run in the team and he will be hoping that with this opportunity at Swansea, he will be able to show the sort of form which earned him his first (and so far only) England cap against minnows San Marino in October of last year. He will be looking to repay the faith that Swans’ boss Michael Laudrup has shown him whilst also proving to his critics at Liverpool that they made a mistake in letting such a talented young midfielder leave for what is a bargain price in the current transfer climate. If he manages this, it is likely that Shelvey and his former team-mate Jordan Henderson will be competing for a place in the England midfield.
 

 

 
RW - Victor Moses (Team: Chelsea, Age: 22)

Nigeria winger Moses is another player facing a crucial season ahead as he looks to force his way into a Chelsea team blessed with attacking talent. He arrived from Wigan last summer in a £9 million deal and managed 10 goals in 43 games during his debut season at Stamford Bridge. These figures don't tell the full story however as more than half of his total appearances for Chelsea last term came off the bench. Despite his obvious versatility, being equally adept on either wing or as a central striker, Moses still finds himself under-used due to the embarrassment of riches that his new club have in these positions, an issue which has only been amplified by the signings of Andre Schurrle and Marco Van Ginkel from Bayer Leverkusen and Vitess Arnhem respectively. Despite playing for England at youth level, Moses chose to represent the Nigerian national team and has so far won 12 caps for the Super Eagles. Whilst he is undoubtedly very talented and possesses both great pace and strong crossing ability, it will be extremely tough for him to displace the likes of Mata, Hazard or even Oscar in returning manager Jose Mourinho's first XI. Without the opportunity to play consistent first team football on a weekly basis it is unlikely that he will be able to replicate the form he showed at Wigan or before that in the Championship with Crystal Palace. What may give the Lagos-born youngster heart however is the style of play which many expect Mourinho to employ upon his return to Stamford Bridge. The Portuguese coach favours a big target man with a pacey winger on each side charged with putting good balls into the box and Moses is well suited to this system so maybe all is not lost for him. Whilst travelling with Nigeria may not always be ideal, the experience and confidence he surely gained from being part of their African Cup winning team this year should give him an excellent platform to kick on and hopefully nail down a place in the Chelsea XI. If he can’t, he too may need to move elsewhere in order to retain his place in the international set-up.
 
 

 
LW - Raheem Sterling (Team: Liverpool, Age: 18)

Jamaican born Sterling differs from others who made this make-or-break team because his main problems are off field rather than on. With a series of unflattering newspaper stories as well as arrests for various misdemeanours the young Liverpool winger risks wasting the incredible ability which saw him become a mainstay in the Liverpool first team at the start of last season. After 2 years dazzling defenders for Liverpool's U18 and reserve teams since joining from QPR as a 15 year old he burst into the senior set-up making 3 league appearances as the 2011/2012 season drew to a close. Last season he appeared in a total of 36 games before his form began to fade. Manager Brendan Rodgers was wise to withdraw him from the first team fold as the season drew to a close, not only to prevent the youngster from burning out but also in order to shield him from the attention he was receiving as result of his off-field behaviour. A whirlwind season last year saw him become Liverpool's 2nd youngest ever scorer (after Michael Owen) and also receive his first senior England call up. Comparisons to John Barnes are inevitable given his heritage but whilst he possesses the same electric pace, change of direction and bag of tricks he currently lacks Barnes’ ability to consistently make the right decisions in advanced positions. Prior to his removal from the first team last year he was beginning to show the composure required from modern wingers in front of goal but he will be looking to improve his goal scoring tally of 2 this season. His 3 goals for Liverpool in pre-season so far suggest he is well on his way to doing so but Sterling will need to fight off plenty of competition for his place this season. Liverpool are still in a position to strengthen from without this summer but the emergence of equally promising winger Jordan Ibe should be enough to convince Sterling to get his head down and ignore the off-field distractions that have so far affected his career. If he can focus on his game, he has the opportunity to grow into one of the most exciting talents that Liverpool FC and the Premier League has ever seen. But that’s a big if.
 
 

 
CF - Romelu Lukaku (Team: Chelsea, Age: 20)   

It is almost impossible not to draw comparisons between Belgian frontman Lukaku and his self-proclaimed idol Didier Drogba. He has so far displayed many of the same attributes which saw Drogba become first choice striker during Mourinho's first spell in charge at Stamford Bridge. He is tall, strong and pacey but he is perhaps an even more complete player than the big Ivorian given his increased mobility and his desire to run the channels and put in the hard yards for his team when they don’t have the ball. He is more than just a big target man. He arrived at Chelsea at just 17 years of age but with 2 years of first team football already under his belt after making his Anderlecht debut at a mere 16 years old. During the 2010/2011 season, he finished as top scorer in the Belgian league and that convinced Chelsea to part with the £10 million required in order to win the signature of one of Europe's most sought-after young talents. Whilst his first season at the West London club was far from spectacular, it was the recent season that he spent on loan at West Bromwich Albion which suggests that Chelsea are likely to see a fine return on their investment. The challenge now is can Lukaku repeat the 17 league goals he managed last season, a feat which shouldn't be too challenging given that he will have Mata and Hazard (amongst others) to create a plethora of chances for him. The 21 cap Belgium international will surely fancy his chances of leading the Chelsea line given the inconsistency of Demba Ba and the out of favour Fernando Torres’ lack of form.  He needs to hit the ground running though as he may only get 6 months to prove himself before Jose Mourinho looks to invest the funds which are without doubt at his disposal. If he can repeat his performances from last season on a more illustrious stage (5 goals in pre-season is a good start) then the Drogba comparisons will flow from all quarters. If his goals dry up however he will have no excuses to hide behind given the incredible array of creative talent which he will be surrounded by this season.

Completing the Jigsaw

With just over 3 weeks left until the summer transfer window slams shut once more I decided to take a look at what I think are the best deals to be done by Premier League clubs so far as well as a few new  signings that I’m not so convinced about. 

Best Business

Great summer signings come in a variety of shapes and sizes.  Perhaps it’s the experienced defender needed in order to replace a retiring club legend.  Or the injection of width and pace that was lacking when it came to breaking down stubborn defences at home.  It could even be that young whippersnapper needed to strengthen a threadbare l squad and make an impact towards the end of crucial games.  Here are my 10 best Premier League transfers of the summer so far in no particular order.

 

Kolo Touré – Liverpool (From: Manchester City, Fee: Free transfer)

Replacing a player with over 700 appearances and a stalwart of the side for over 15 years was never going to be easy but that was the task facing Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers when Jamie Carragher unlaced his boots for the final time as a professional.  The club acted quickly to bring in former Arsenal defender Kolo Touré when his Manchester City contract expired at the end of June.  The 32 year-old Ivory Coast international with over 300 Premier League appearances to his name (as well as over 107 caps for his country) seems to be the commanding presence required to fill the gap left by former Vice Captain Carragher as well as the perfect organiser for a defence now playing in front of an unfamiliar figure between the sticks in the shape of Simon Mignolet.  With his strong aerial presence and a decent turn of pace which belies his advancing years it seems that the Ivorian will be first choice partner for Daniel Agger when the season kicks off next weekend.  He will also help to shore up a defence guilty of conceding a fair few goals from set pieces last season as well as being a useful weapon in the opposition box.  With a few years left in the tank Rodgers will also be hoping that Touré can have a positive influence on the likes of Martin Kelly and André Wisdom so that Liverpool’s central defensive options go from strength to strength over the next few years.  Whilst many fans were sceptical when Liverpool signed a free agent with less than 30 appearances combined in the last 2 years, his pre-season performances suggest that Toure’s signature may turn out to be one of the shrewdest and best-judged summer deals in recent memory.

 

Steven Caulker – Cardiff (From: Tottenham Hotspur, Fee: £8 million)

The decision to let 21 year old central defender Caulker leave was met with disbelief my many Spurs fans.  Not only did he have 3 years left on his contract but his departure sees them lacking depth at the back with the season fast approaching.  Cardiff fans on the other hand were delighted with the acquisition of a player who will surely go on to be a permanent fixture in the England team in years to come.  Having scored on his only international appearance so far he will undoubtedly be eager to perform well for his new club in the hope of gaining Roy Hodgson’s attention once more.  Following a successful season on loan at Swansea where he made 26 league appearances, Caulker returned to his parent club for last season and seemed to be making headway in the pecking order as he tried to make his mark on the Tottenham first team.  He joins a team who are already strong defensively, keeping 18 clean sheets on their way to winning the Championship last season and he will be an excellent partner at the heart of the defence for experienced skipper Mark Hudson.  Given the number of years left on his contract, Cardiff will consider themselves lucky to pick up this young Englishman for the price that they have.  Composed on the ball and strong in the air Cardiff will be hoping that the future England star’s best years are spent in the Welsh capital and that his performances contribute to the club establishing itself as a top flight club.

 

Wilfried Bony – Swansea (From: Vitesse Arnhem, Fee: £12 million)

Swansea smashed their transfer record in July to bring in the 24 year-old Ivory Coast international who has been dubbed the next Didier Drogba. Despite Swansea achieving an impressive 9^th place finish last season, they will be hoping that he can provide a solution to the lack of goals which has their main problem throughout that otherwise successful campaign.  Only 47 goals in the league last year (equalling relegated Wigan’s total) will not be good enough this time around if they want to push on and the Ivorian has been signed to take some of the pressure off last year’s signing of the summer Michu.  The Spaniard scored 22 league goals but no other player managed more than and it is expected that the arrival of Bony will also allow last year’s top scorer to drop deeper and play in his favoured position behind the front man where he can make those last ditch runs to get on the end of crosses from wide positions.  Both players will be hoping to take advantage of the creative play of Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge as well as the passing ability of Jonathan De Guzman who has signed on loan for another season from Villarreal. Although goal scoring success in Holland is never a guarantee of a return in the Premier League, Michael Laudrup will be hoping that the 6ft striker will be able to carry on the form that saw him grab 31 goals in 30 league games last season and propel Swansea to an even higher league position.  Early signs are good for this new attacking link-up as Michu and the record signing shared 3 goals in Swansea’s first competitive march of the season against Malmo in the Europa league.  Swans’ fans can be optimistic that this is just the start of a blossoming partnership.

 

Nicolas Anelka – West Brom (From: Juventus, Fee: Free transfer)

The 34 year-old Frenchman returns to the Premier League after an 18-month absence and signs on at his 6^th Premier League club.  West Brom acted swiftly to snap up the experienced striker after his release by Juventus and they will be looking to him to fill some of the void left by 17-goal striker Romelu Lukaku’s return to Chelsea after a brilliant season.  Having left Chelsea under 2 years ago, Anelka will surely still have the legs to make an impact on West Brom’s campaign this time around and he will be hoping to add to the 123 Premier League goals that he has managed since first setting foot on these shores 16 years ago.  He will add much needed competition to a depleted front-line and his contribution will be essential given that aside from Lukaku nobody managed more than 9 goals for West Brom in the 2012/2013 season.  Having cost almost £90 million pounds in transfer fees during his career Steve Clarke will be happy to have avoided paying a fee for a man with almost 350 Premier League appearances although a player of his reputation will most likely be commanding a fairly high salary.  Nevertheless with his good movement and creative input West Brom will certainly see a return on their investment as the new signing chips in with frequent goals and assists throughout the season.  Don’t expect him to play every game or track back as the clock passes 90 minutes but his experience will be vital as his new team looks to push on from an impressive league performance last year.

 

Jesús Navas – Manchester City (From: Sevilla, Fee: £17 million (rising to £23 million))

Having finally overcome the crippling home sickness which has stalled his career progress, Jesús Navas left his hometown club this summer in search of overseas domestic honours.  Entering the peak of his career at 27, this is the perfect time for the Spaniard to make his big money move to England and having played first team football since the age of 17 he arrives at Manchester City with a wealth of experience.  Pacey and with a variety of tricks in his bag, Navas may be the piece of the puzzle that City were missing last year as they finished well off the pace of their cross-city rivals.  With David Silva and Samir Nasri preferring to cut inside from wide positions, the 28 time Spain international will provide a different option as he sticks to his line and looks to whip in crosses at every opportunity.  Edin Dzeko and fellow Spaniard Alvaro Negredo will be keen to get on the end of those crosses whilst Sergio Agüero will relish the chance to finish off the accurate cut backs which Navas also favours.  Manchester’s second club struggled at times to break down opposition defences at home as team’s visiting the Etihad looked to keep it tight and put men behind the ball but Navas’ pace will provide stubborn defences with yet another challenge.  The experience that the tricky wide man brings in European competition may also be the key to City finally making their mark on the continental stage.   His lack of goals is easy to ignore when you consider the sheer number of chance that he will create for his teammates and Manchester City are hardly lacking in goal scoring forwards to pick up the slack.  Expect the sevillano to be at the head of the assists chart this season.

 

Gerard Deulofeu – Everton (From: Barcelona (B), Fee: Loan)

Some may think that it’s strange to include such an inexperienced young player in my list, many may even have never heard of this 19 year old product of Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy.  Nevertheless I feel that Deulofeu (spelling checked once again) could have a real impact for Everton this year.  He is quick and creative with a definite eye for goal as has been demonstrated by his good goal scoring record for the Barcelona B team currently plying their trade in Spain’s 2^nd division.  Last season saw him score 18 goals in 33 games for the Catalonian club’s ‘reserve’ team as well as appearing in 4 games alongside first team stars like Iniesta, Messi and Pique.  A versatile attacker, Everton manager Roberto Martinez has the option to employ him up front or out wide adding depth in a variety of positions to a squad that was at times stretched last year.  Everton made the least substitutions of any Premier League team and the signing of Deulofeu will take some of the pressure off established wingers Steven Pienaar and Kevin Mirallas whilst his footballing education at Barcelona will see him fit in perfectly with the style of play that the new Everton manager will undoubtedly want to employ.  Although initially unlikely to start big games due to his relative inexperience few full backs will relish facing the young Catalan late on in games and so he has a great opportunity to make a name for himself as an impact sub as the season goes on.  Everton will be looking to him to show that he’s worthy of a starting role.

 

Marc Muniesa – Stoke (From: Barcelona, Fee: Free transfer)

Like Deulofeu above, Marc Muniesa is a product of the Barcelona youth academy and has been a frequent starter in their B team.  Having only made 2 first team appearances at the Nou Camp (including his debut 4 years ago) he has been allowed to leave on a free transfer and Stoke have done a good bit of business to bring in a versatile player of only 21. After returning from being part of Spain’s triumphant U21 team who won this summer’s European Championships he will be eager to kick start his club career and Potters’ fans will be hoping that we can do just that at the Britannia Stadium this season.  New Stoke manager Mark Hughes is expected to try and appease some fans who are demanding a more attractive brand off football than was played previously under departed Tony Pulis and Muniesa’s comfort on the ball will complement the physicality offered by Robert Huth and Ryan Shawcross.  Although his preferred position is central defence, he is equally adept at left full back and his ability on the ball makes him well-suited to the centre of midfield should Hughes need cover there.  He is likely to spend at least some time on the left side of the defence this year as the manager shows reluctance to separate his first choice centre back pairing of Huth and Shawcross given that they conceded only 2 more than eventual champions Manchester United during the course of last season.  What is certain though is that given the chance this young lad will be desperate to show that Barcelona made a mistake in letting him leave on the cheap

 

Kevin Phillips – Crystal Palace (From: Blackpool, Fee: Free transfer)

Veteran 40-year old striker Phillips may have feared that his chances to play in the Premier League were dead and buried.  If this was the case he certainly didn’t show it as he dispatched the winning penalty in the play-off final against Watford to confirm Palace’s promotion back to England’s top division.  It was only fair then that he found himself back at Selhurst Park when his contract at Blackpool expired and he will bring a wealth of experience to a squad fairly inexperienced in this division.  Phillips will obviously not be expected to start of every game but his record last season of 7 in 16 suggests that he still has the finishing ability which saw him become the only Englishman thus far to win the European Golden Shoe when he scored 30 league goals in the 99/00 Premier League season.  He was Crystal Palace’s 3^rd top scorer behind departed Wilfried Zaha and injured top scorer Glenn Murray and if his goals off the bench can help his team pick up a few bonus points then they will have a much better chance of making their stay in the top flight last longer than 9 months.  Nor can you ignore his influence on the dressing room, especially young strikers like Alex Nimely and Kwesi Appiah who both made brief cameos for the first team last season.  A natural goal scorer is still a rare commodity in today’s game and I would wager that there is still one more chapter of the Kevin Phillips story that is yet to be told.

 

Fernando Amorebieta – Fulham (From: Athletic Bilbao, Fee: Free transfer)

Another opportunistic free transfer makes it onto the list and again this one comes from Spain.  28 year old Amorebieta arrives in London after a contract dispute with his club saw him become available and Fulham took full advantage to sign up a player who has made almost 200 La Liga appearances for Bilbao since graduating from their academy.  He was particularly impressive during the 2011/12 season as the Basque Country club made it to the Europa League final, beating Manchester United over two legs along the way.  It is at the back that Fulham need to improve this season, leaking a total of 60 goals in the league last year including 10 matches in which they conceded 3 or more.  The 8 time Venezuela international will add more depth to the Fulham squad whilst hopefully providing a consistent partner for Brede Hangeland who found himself playing alongside Philippe Senderos and Aaron Hughes with equal frequency during the course of the previous campaign.  At 6ft 4in tall Amorebieta will provide a strong physical presence whilst joining his new defensive partner as a real challenge for opposing forwards in the air.  With Fulham looking to improve on their 12^th placed finish his experience in European competition could prove very beneficial in the future should his new team make the step up and start challenging for a top 8 finish and the European football that comes with it.  Few opposition attackers will relish facing Fulham’s new central defensive pairing this season.  

 

Maynor Figueroa – Hull City (From: Wigan, Fee: Free transfer)

Hull City’s approach to the transfer market this summer has been focussed on signing players with Premier League Experience.  Steve Harper joined after ending his 20 year association with Newcastle United and Figueroa has joined him at the KC Stadium to strengthen a squad lacking in games in the top flight.  The 30 year old Honduran has made 179 appearances in the Premier League for Wigan over the past 6 seasons including the last four in which he made over 30 starts.  Steve Bruce’s team favoured a 3-5-2 formation in the Championship and they are likely to reproduce this set-up as they attempt to mix it with the best teams that England has to offer.  Figueroa’s ability to play at centre back, left back or as a wing-back in a 3-5-2 will make him a very useful member of the Hull squad which may struggle during their first season back up following relegation in 2010.  Having cruelly missed the FA Cup Final with Wigan which preceded their relegation back to the Championship, the 95-cap international will be keen to show that he is worthy of more than playing in a struggling Premier League outfit and Hull fans will be equally keen for him to display his full ability.    As well as his influence on the Hull backline don’t be surprised if he chips in with the odd spectacular goal, a cracker in pre-season being added to the highlight reel which already includes a free-kick from his own half against Stoke in the 2009-2012 season.

 

 

Dodgy Deals

With every good piece of business successfully completed during the summer transfer rush, there are inevitably a few which at first seem like dream signings for local fans but end up turning into nightmares before Christmas (excuse the pun.)  Here are 5 signings that I feel might not quite have the season that they or their new club hopes.

Diego Lugano – West Brom (From: PSG, Fee: Free transfer)

Unlike several of the free transfers already to feature in this article, Diego Lugano is a player that is well and truly on his last legs.  Having struggled to break into the PSG team so blessed with expensive talent, last season saw him finding it difficult to keep up with the pace in La Liga.  His 10 league games on loan at Málaga were far from convincing and adjusting to the Premier League will only be more difficult given the increased pace of the English game.  West Brom already appeared to have an abundance of defensive options before the signing of the 85-cap Uruguayan and it is likely that he will struggle to oust any members of last season’s fairly settled back four all of whom have an age advantage over him.  It is unlikely that he will have agreed to take much of a pay cut at the Hawthorns given that he had plenty of offers on the table upon his release by PSG and so Lugano could turn out to be a very expensive bench warmer for the length of his two year contract.

 

Adel Taarabt – Fulham (From: QPR, Fee: Loan)

Fulham have taken a chance on the mercurial and often inconsistent Taarabt who probably deems himself to be better than the QPR team which he had a part in condemning to relegation.  At 24 years old, it is getting to a crucial stage in the Moroccan’s career and he will be hoping that he shows enough during the next 12 months for Fulham to sign him up on a permanent deal.  I’m not so confident however.  As a player who enjoys being the star attraction (think QPR’s last promotion campaign) he may find it difficult being overshadowed by bigger players such as Dimitar Berbatov and Bryan Ruiz.  Whilst QPR often gave him license to be lazy defensively, that will not be an option at Craven Cottage as this luxury is already afforded to attacking magician Berbatov.  He may also find himself played out of position on the left of midfield given that Costa Rican Ruiz seems to have made the number 10 role his own.  As he showed last year he struggled for consistency when asked to occupy a position out wide and there is plenty of competition in the shape of Damien Duff and young hope Alex Kacaniklic who had his breakthrough season last year.  Should Marton Jol find himself in relegation trouble this year, QPR fans will be only too happy to tell him that Taarabt cannot be relied on to show the fight required to help them survive.

  

Victor Wanyama – Southampton (From: Celtic, Fee: £12.5 million)

Having netted only 49 league goals last season, it was expected that manager Mauricio Pochettino would look to strengthen his attacking options and provide much needed support to 15-goal spearhead Rickie Lambert.  With Southampton failing to turn draws into wins on many occasions last year it came as a shock then when they shelled out a huge transfer fee on Kenya international Wanyama, a player with just two good SPL seasons on his résumé.  At 23 and largely unproven outside Scotland it seems to me that the South Coast club have well and truly bought into the hype generated following his two impressive Champions League performances against Barcelona.  It is strange that they have spent so much of their summer transfer budget on a central midfield player like Wanyama when they already have Morgan Schneiderlin who is a similar age and fulfils much the same role as the Kenyan captain.  Not to mention the negative effect it could potentially have on young English midfielder James Ward-Prowse who has surely been pushed further down the pecking order after struggling to consistently break into the first team last season.  Wanyama will have to go some way this year in order to live up to his high value and I for one am not convinced that he will.

Dwight Gayle – Crystal Palace (From: Peterborough United, Fee: £8 million)

Just two seasons ago Dwight Gayle was playing in the Conference North for Bishop Stortford.  42 goals in 55 games that season got him a permanent move to Peterborough and a year later he finds himself an expensive new acquisition at promoted Crystal Palace.  £8 million is a lot of money for a 23 year old with just one year’s experience playing in the championship especially given that the more experienced and consistent Gary Hooper has been snapped up by Norwich City for just over half the fee that Palace reportedly paid for their new striker.  He is faced with a big task to replicate the form which saw him score 13 goals in the Championship last season whilst also being charged with replacing the goals of top marksman Glenn Murray who is expected to be out until Christmas with a serious knee injury.  Fans at Selhurst Park will be looking for an instant return on their club’s huge investment and the pressure on Gayle could begin to tell if he doesn’t hit the ground running.  In the long run it may prove to be that that £8 million would have been better served strengthening the newly promoted squad on the whole rather than taking a punt on a goal-scoring saviour. 

 

Andreas Cornelius – Cardiff (From: FC Copenhagen, Fee: £8 million)

Just like Crystal Palace fellow newcomers Cardiff City have spent a large chunk of their budget on a raw untested striker in the hope that his goals will keep them out of the relegation zone come the end of the season.  The big 20 year old Dane has only one season in professional football to his name and so represents an even bigger risk.  Expectation will be high on the former FC Copenhagen striker to produce instantly in order to help out a Cardiff City squad which saw no player score more than 8 during their Championship winning campaign.   Their lack of forward options following the release of Heidar Helguson (one of those who scored 8) will see the burden of goal scoring fall heavy on the shoulders of Cornelius and it will be a tough ask to expect him to play the majority of games in what is a much more physical league.  Given his injury history 38 league games may be too much to ask for the 7-time Denmark international and it is already seeming likely that he will miss the start of the season with an injury picked up in a pre-season friendly.  Setbacks like that will make it difficult for him to hit the ground running and it could be that he gets up to full speed too late to have an impact on Cardiff’s league campaign.   Bluebirds’ (sorry Red Dragons’) fans will be hopeful that my prediction is wide of the mark and I’ll happily eat my words if the young man wins the Golden Boot come May after scoring 25 goals.