Wednesday 11 June 2014


The Road to Glory – 2014 World Cup predictions

On the eve of the World Cup, here is how I think this summer’s tournament will pan out.

Group stage

Group A

Brazil top the group easily with comfortable wins over Mexico and Cameroon having come through a tight opening match with Croatia where nerves and the crowd’s expectations almost get the better of them.  It’s plain sailing from that point onwards though and they finish in a flourish against Cameroon.  Croatia are the victors in a winner-take-all clash with Mexico in the final game of the group which sees them join Brazil in the last 16. Mexico finish with just 3 points from a win over Cameroon to show for their efforts whilst the African side finish bottom of the group with no points.


Group B
 
Much like Brazil, defending champions Spain breeze through their group with not even Holland, 2010 beaten finalists, doing enough to stop them from claiming maximum points.  Along the way they crush a weak Australia side. The crucial final match in the group sees Holland and Chile go head to head for a place in the next round after both sides suffer defeat to a confident Spain. Although Chile give their all, a competitive draw is enough to see Holland through on goal difference by virtue of having beaten whipping boys Australia by a greater margin.  The team from down under head home having made no impact on the group and fail to claim a single point.


Group C

The Ivory Coast, spurred on by star man Yaya Touré, provide the first big shock of the tournament by beating Colombia to top spot in the group. Wins against Japan and Greece sandwich a draw with the South American side who have enough to go through in second place despite being disadvantaged by the absence of striker Radamel Falcao. Crucially they secure a draw with Japan in their final group game and the result also sees the Asian side avoid the wooden spoon.  This unwanted accolade goes to Greece who fail to cope with the physical challenges they face against Colombia and the Ivory Coast and finish with just a single point earned in a draw with Japan.

Group D
 
The so-called ‘Group of Death’ proves fatal to Italy who become the first big casualty of the tournament.  Uruguay’s attacking fire power helps them take top spot in the group as they draw with Italy but claim a crucial win over England in their second game.  Having beaten Italy in their first match, England recover from that loss to Uruguay to easily dispatch Costa Rica and seal their place in the last 16. Italy pay the price for their lack of pace at the back with England’s offensive mobility allowing them to claim three points and although they still have a chance of going through ahead of the final round of games, they are unable to force a winner against group winners Uruguay and exit the tournament early.  Costa Rica lose all three games to finish bottom.


Group E

Group E lives up to expectations as Ecuador, Switzerland and Honduras compete for second place behind an in form France side who make easy progress due to the goals of striker Karim Benzema. In the end, Ecuador make their experience of the playing conditions tell and just pip a much-fancied Switzerland side to a place in the next round. Following a draw between the sides in the opening match of the group, Ecuador overcome Honduras whilst Switzerland lose to neighbours France but it’s all to play for going into the final games. Despite Ecuador’s defeat at the hands of France leaving the door open, Switzerland can’t quite secure the big win they need over Honduras (who finish bottom) to overcome a goal difference deficit and so Ecuador claim second place in the group.


Group F

Argentina’s incredible array of attacking options sees them easily through to the last 16 with a tight opening win over Bosnia being followed by the destruction of vastly inferior Nigeria and Iran sides. The key game of the group comes in the second round of games as Bosnia’s players make good use of their experience in top European leagues to overcome Nigeria and leave themselves needing a win over Iran in their final game to seal their place in the next round. They manage this without any trouble although Nigeria’s heavy loss to Argentina makes their result irrelevant to the final group positions.  Iran finish bottom having scored just one goal and conceded heavily in all three of their matches.


Group G
 
After overcoming the toughest test in their opener against Portugal, it’s plain sailing for Germany and they claim maximum points on their way to top spot in the group. Portugal recover from that early setback and also beat USA and Ghana to seal second place. Despite getting off to a good start with a win over Ghana, the lack of experienced players in the USA side shows and they lose any chance of progressing when they are beaten by Germany in what is seen as a grudge match for Jurgen Klinsmann, German coach of the American team. Ghana can’t repeat their success of four years ago and exit the tournament with no points and without really putting up much of a fight.


Group H
 
The tightest of all the groups sees three sides still in with a mathematical chance of progressing as the final group games get underway. Earlier on, Belgium and Russia both claim wins in their opening matches and a draw between the sides see them level pegging ahead of the decisive round of fixtures.  South Korea also have a chance following their win over Algeria, who are already out after losses in their first two matches.  Belgium only need a draw to progress but they go one better and secure a win over South Korea, which in turn sees the Asian side eliminated and makes Russia’s result irrelevant.  They are held to a draw with Algeria (who earn their first and only point in the group) and qualify for the last 16 in second place behind Belgium.
 

Round of 16

Brazil vs Holland                                             Ivory Coast vs England

France vs Bosnia                                             Germany vs Russia

Spain vs Croatia                                              Uruguay vs Colombia

Argentina vs Ecuador                                     Belgium vs Portugal


An increasingly confident Brazil, roared on by a home crowd, overcome a Holland side who fail to reach the heights of 2010 and exit prematurely .

England manage to stifle the influence of Yaya Touré and the other Ivory Coast players don’t have the quality to combat the enthusiasm of their opponent’s young stars.

Free-scoring France have no trouble penetrating the questionable Bosnia defence in what is the least competitive match of the last 16 stage.

Germany make good use of their superior tournament experience to dismiss a Russia side who lack the superstars needed to progress further.

The battle of midfield stars goes to Spain as the defending champions shackle the La Liga-based Croatia axis of Modric and Rakitic and are beginning to grow in confidence.

Uruguay come out on top in this clash of South American sides as Luis Suarez stars against a Colombia side who in contrast are missing their star striker Radamel Falcao.

Argentina eventually come through a surprisingly tough battle with continental rivals Ecuador who, despite being more comfortable with the conditions, can’t match their rivals strength in depth and fall after extra-time.

A young Belgium side, featuring several Premier League stars, shock Portugal who struggle in extra-time as World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo shows signs of tiredness following a demanding season at club level.


Quarter-finals

Brazil vs England                                             France vs Germany

Spain vs Uruguay                                            Argentina vs Belgium


Brazil ride the increasing wave of belief which has swept up their supporters and beat England to claim a place in the semi-finals.  Neymar finally starts to grow into the tournament and is crucial as his side ensure England exit at the quarter-final stage yet again.

A disciplined Germany side halt France in their tracks. Although far from spectacular, they manage to efficiently shackle in-form French striker Karim Benzema as their opponents begin to feel the absence of the injured Franck Ribery.

Uruguay pull off the biggest shock of the tournament so far as they knock out holders Spain. Their aggressive tackling and energetic pressing prevents Spain from getting a foothold in the match and although they can’t quite finish the job in extra-time, they progress on penalties. 

Argentina have a much easier task than in the last 16 as they overcome an inexperienced Belgium team to make it three South American teams in the semi-finals.  Both teams seem tired from their previous match but Argentina progress whilst Belgium head home with their heads held high after a good showing.


Semi-finals

Brazil vs Germany                                           Uruguay vs Argentina

Brazil reach the final of their home World Cup as Neymar scores a late goal to knock out Germany, who finally wilt in the heat giving their opponent’s creative players the chance to shine. They battle hard but with increasing space available for Brazil, they eventually pick the German defence apart and now have the chance of glory on home soil.

Argentina are the victors in a predictably competitive South American clash as Uruguay finally pay the price for their overreliance on attacking stars Suarez and Cavani. As in previous games it is Argentina’s options on the bench which make a difference and they give their side the added boost they need to claim victory in extra-time.

Final

Brazil vs Argentina

Argentina steal glory from under the noses of their perennial rivals Brazil, who relive the nightmare of the Maracanazo against Uruguay in 1950. Neymar is almost anonymous in the final as the weight of a whole nation’s expectations crush him allowing Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi to take the glory in the final with a brace. Messi finally emerges from the shadow of Diego Maradona and can now legitimately be talked about as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.

Argentina crowned 2014 FIFA World Cup champions

(Argentina striker Sergio Aguero claims the golden boot award as top scorer in the tournament with 7 goals. He gets off to a good start with 4 strikes in the group stage but his 3 goals in the knock-out stages are crucial to Argentina’s success.)

Friday 16 May 2014


Making an impact – the transfers that changed the season

With the curtain coming down on one of the most exciting Premier League seasons in recent memory, I decided to take a look at the players who made an important impact having only arrived on British shores in the last 12 months. I based my decisions on a few key criteria including: value for money, goals and assists, overall impact as well as how positive the move was for the players themselves.


Adam’s special transfer scale



How it works: the transfer scale shows whether each player’s transfer was better for them as an individual or for the club who signed them.  For example, a player who stepped up and thrived at a top club would find himself further into the red half of the scale. On the other hand, if a big money signing scored the goals that helped keep their new club in the division then this transfer would fall into the green half of the scale. 

So without any further ado, here are my top 10 transfers of the 2013/2014 Premier League season.


Wilfried Bony – Swansea City

When Swansea paid £12 million to Vitesse Arnhem for a 24-year-old striker who had just scored 31 goals in the Eredivisie it was a big risk.   For every Ruud van Nistelrooy that has starred in the Premier League there’s a Mateja Kezman who has come and gone without making any impact whatsoever.  10 months on and 16 league goals later Wilfried Bony falls undoubtedly into the former category.  His physical strength stood him in good stead when faced with some of the Premier League’s best, a fact backed up by goals against Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City.  He also stepped up and performed for the long spells when last season’s star Michu was missing through injury.  Whilst the likes of Norwich and Fulham bit the dust due to their lack of goals, Swansea had a frequent scorer in Bony which greatly contributed to them retaining their Premier League status.  The move has also proved beneficial to the man himself.  He proved he can do the business in a big league after a successful spell in Holland and has been rewarded with a place in the Ivory Coast squad for the World Cup.  With star man Didier Drogba likely to retire from international duty after this summer’s tournament, there is surely now a chance for Bony to stake his claim to lead the line for Les Éléphants for years to come.


 

Gareth Barry – Everton

When Everton announced that they had agreed to sign Gareth Barry on a season-long loan from Manchester City, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who chuckled a little.  I have no trouble now in admitting that I was wrong.  The former Villa midfielder has been one of the stars of Everton’s season and his calming influence in midfield has been vital to Roberto Martinez’ attractive style of football.  Barry helps the play tick over as his side try to dominate possession and create chances through patient build-up play. The 32 league appearances he made this season is considerably more than he would have made at Manchester City had he remained there and by accepting a slight step down in terms of league position he has ensured his career will not stagnate as has been the case with those players content to sit on the bench at the Etihad Stadium.  He has now passed the milestone of 500 Premier League appearances and his experience has clearly rubbed off on young midfield partner James McCarthy who has gone from strength to strength under the wing of the former England international.  Everton only just missed out on fourth place and with them looking to push on to another level next season they will surely be looking to hold on to him. Barry seems to be really enjoying his football again and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him turning out at Goodison Park again come August.
 
 

 Tom Huddlestone – Hull City

The last 3 years of Tom Huddlestone’s eight-year stay at Tottenham were far from idyllic with the midfield playmaker making just 36 league appearances during that time.  Still by my money one of the best passers of the ball England has, Hull was the destination he chose to get his career back on track and they paid a modest fee of £5.25 million for him.  Since then he has been an absolute revelation, spraying the ball about the park and dictating his new side’s play with consummate ease.  He featured in 36 of Hull’s 38 league encounters, the most league appearances he has made in the last 10 seasons, and it is now difficult to see how they could possibly cope without his influence and ability on the ball.  As well as being his side’s set piece master he has chipped in with 3 league goals (which came as a great relief to hairdressers around the country) and this is an area in which he has expressed a desire to further improve.  His ball-striking ability suggests there is more to come in that department.  Such was his form this season that he was several experts’ outside pick to make England’s World Cup squad.  He may not have received that particular call but at just 27 and with his best years ahead of him, his move to Hull may prove to be the catalyst to international recognition in the future.  
 


Álvaro Negredo – Manchester City

As we have seen in the past, shelling out a massive transfer fee for a proven goal scorer from overseas does not always come off (just ask Roberto Soldado or any Spurs fan.)  With a strikingly similar record in Spain to the aforementioned Soldado, Álvaro Negredo arrived at Manchester City for a fee which could rise to £20 million having scored 85 goals in 182 matches for Sevilla over the past four seasons.  That was when their careers went in distinctly different directions.  Like Wilfried Bony, Negredo’s strength and power made him well-suited to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League and although he only bagged 9 league goals his record of 23 in 48 games overall was impressive. He linked up well with old Sevilla pal Jésus Navas whilst providing the perfect foil for fellow striking superstar Sergio Aguero.  In the early part of the season they formed a classic ‘little and large’ partnership with Negredo occupying opposition centre-halves allowing the diminutive Argentine space to work his magic. City fans will be looking forward to them further developing their understanding in the coming years. Injuries plagued the second half of his season (he failed to score after January) but he still ended it with his first league winner’s medal and, injury-permitting, he will compete with Diego Costa to lead the line for Spain in this summer’s World Cup. Money well spent by Manchester City.
 

Jonjo Shelvey  - Swansea City

As a Liverpool fan I felt mixed emotions when the club accepted a £5 million bid from Swansea for young midfield prospect Jonjo Shelvey.  Anointed by some as the natural heir to Steven Gerrard’s number 8 shirt, the former Charlton man struggled to find the consistency needed to succeed at the top level. His move to Wales has been the perfect tonic for him.  Throughout this season he has played the consistent first-team football that he needs to fully realise his ability and build on the promising flashes which he has shown in his young career to this point.  His wonder goal against Aston Villa towards the end of the season should be evidence enough that, with the right guidance and opportunity, Shelvey has the necessary technical ability to be a frequent member of the England squad in the future.  6 goals in 31 league games was his joint season-high and whilst he is still prone to the odd lapse in concentration or misplaced ‘Hollywood’ pass, he has thrived on the added responsibility placed on him at the heart of the Swansea midfield.   Unlike other young players with huge potential (Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair spring to mind), Shelvey took the bold step of leaving a huge club in order to further his career, effectively taking a step back in order to take two forward. If he continues to progress at this rate, it won’t be long before the big clubs come knocking again.

 


Nikica Jelavic/Shane Long – Hull City

It was just too difficult to separate these two strikers who, after signing for Hull in the January transfer window, scored the goals which helped keep the Tigers in the top flight.  Jelavic arrived for around £6.5 million from Everton whilst the club shelled out £7 million to prise Ireland international Long from West Brom.  Whilst 4 goals each might not sound like a lot, those strikes were vital in preventing Hull from sliding into the bottom three at a time when the club seemed to be treading water.  Whilst Norwich, Fulham and Cardiff failed in their attempts to recruit a goalscorer, Hull bagged two in the same month and their combined contribution helped keep the club in the division.  Their ineligibility for the FA Cup hasn’t prevented Hull reaching the final and the fact they could focus purely on their league form contributed to their good performances.  Their good link-up play was evident from day one and it became a key feature of Hull’s play as the season went on.  It must be encouraging for midfielders to know that any chances they create will be taken by one of these two poachers. For Jelavic in particular the move to Hull has been very beneficial. With former club Everton preferring Lukaku up front, he needed first-team football in order to keep his place in Croatia’s World Cup squad and in this regard it was mission accomplished as he will be on the place to Brazil.

  

Jason Puncheon – Crystal Palace

For many football fans, Jason Puncheon’s most memorable moment of the season was his awful penalty miss against Tottenham.  Perhaps by the time the ball eventually comes back down to earth he may even be able to laugh about it himself.  That one incident shouldn’t blot his copy book though as the winger performed consistently well to help Crystal Palace surprise everyone by thriving in the Premier League. Starting the season on loan at Selhurst Park from Southampton, his early season form convinced the Eagles to pay £1.75 million to bring him on board permanently.  He finished the season with 7 goals in just 34 league matches which makes his small transfer fee look like an absolute bargain when compared to what other Premier League clubs spent on disappointing wingers this season (think Erik Lamela at Tottenham or Chelsea’s Mohamed Salah.)  Puncheon was Palace’s most consistent creative influence and following his permanent move in January he scored important goals against Norwich, Stoke and Hull to help lift his side comfortably clear of the relegation zone.  He followed this up with 4 goals in 3 games in April, playing a crucial role in ensuring that his new team secured safety with matches to spare.  A nomadic few years now seem to be at an end for Puncheon and Crystal Palace appears to be the stable environment he has needed in order to showcase his true ability.
 

Romelu Lukaku – Everton

After the season that Lukaku has had on loan at Everton, José Mourinho is perhaps regretting making such a rash decision about the young striker’s future following the UEFA Super Cup final.  He missed the decisive penalty in the shoot-out which saw Chelsea lose to Bayern Munich and from that point on Mourinho seemed intent on showing that the Belgium international would not be part of his plans.  After 15 goals in 31 league games (adding to 17 on loan at West Brom last season) the decision seems even stranger, especially given the poor performance of the strikers the Portuguese manager chose to keep at Stamford Bridge.  At Goodison Park Lukaku became Everton’s focal point and finisher; when the players behind him created a chance, Lukaku was there to finish it.  But that isn’t the extent of his contribution.  His hold-up play helped Everton retain possession whilst his work-rate up front allowed Martinez’ side to implement an impressive pressing game which brought them to within a few points of a Champions League berth.  With the injury to Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke, Lukaku looks to be the undisputed first choice to lead Belgium’s line at the World Cup.  Needless to say that had he remained at Chelsea this would be much less of a certainty. Another successful season at the top level also puts him in the shop window for a big summer move should Mourinho continue to show a lack of faith in his obvious talent.

 

Fernandinho – Manchester City

By modern football standards, £34 million is not a huge transfer fee.  In fact, since Liverpool paid £35 million for Andy Carroll it seems they have spiralled out of control, culminating in the £85 paid by Real Madrid for Gareth Bale.  Nevertheless, there was general surprise when Manchester City spent such a large amount on holding midfielder Fernandinho last summer. After all, isn’t it just the headline makers who have traditionally commanded such sums of money? As City’s players lifted the Premier League trophy on May 11, there were few left questioning the decision.  The partnership that the Brazilian formed with Yaya Touré was pivotal to the success of their side this season and his discipline and work rate allowed Touré to take the headlines with his goal scoring exploits.  Without Fernandinho City’s creative players wouldn’t have had such licence to express themselves and lay on the sorts of chances which saw them score over 100 Premier League goals.  He provided constant support to his defence and was always there to break-up opposition counter attacks when it looked like his side might be exposed.  He even chipped in with 5 goals of his own. Despite having just 6 caps for Brazil, the form he has shown playing in a top European league for the first time this season has earned him a place in the squad for the World Cup and so for him it was undoubtedly a great decision.

 

SPECIAL MENTION: Tony Pulis – Crystal Palace

A list of the most important signings of the Premier League season just wouldn’t be complete without mention of Tony Pulis. What he accomplished after taking over at Crystal Palace at the end of November was nothing short of a miracle!  When he stepped through the door the club were adrift at the bottom of the league with just 7 points and had gone without a win in 8 games. Six months and 38 points later they finished in an astonishing 11th place, just 4 points away from a top-half Premier League finish in their first season back in the top flight. For this achievement he was rightly awarded with the Premier League manager of the year award as well as the plaudits of pundits and opposition fans alike. He showed his ability as a motivator by getting the likes of Marouane Chamakh and Yannick Bolasie to perform well beyond expectations and displayed his transfer nous by bringing in players like Scott Dann and Joe Ledley in the January transfer window to shore up his side. When Pulis agreed to take the job many questioned his decision, believing he was risking his record of never being relegated as a manager. That record is still intact and all that’s left for him now is to walk on water. My signing of the season.

 


  

The grass isn’t always greener…

Whilst the 10 people already mentioned made a real impact on the season of their respective sides, some singings really disappointed.  Here are my five worst signings of the 2013/2014 season.

Ricky Van Wolfswinkel (Norwich): Dutch striker Van Wolfswinkel arrived with some pedigree having scored a hatful of goals in both Holland and Portugal and his goal on the opening day of the season suggested this form would continue.  That was his one and only goal of the season however and at £10 million that simply wasn’t good enough. He was almost anonymous as Norwich were relegated and his awful season means he will watch this summer’s World Cup at home having missed out on a place in the Holland squad.

Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United): Fellaini followed manager David Moyes to United from Everton as a £27.5 million panic buy after the club had failed to sign any of their main transfer targets.  As a results, he now has on his CV that he was part of the Manchester United team which missed out on Europe for the first time in 26 years. In his defence, Fellaini was dropped into a side not suited to his style of play whilst injury also blighted his season.  Nevertheless when a player arrives for such a large fee, fans rightly expect considerably more than no goals in just 16 league appearances. 

Roberto Soldado (Tottenham Hotspur): The fact that Soldado scored just two goals from open play this season doesn’t tell the whole story. Goals are the minimum expectation for a £26 million striker but it was the Spaniard’s lack of fight which was most disappointing this season.  At times he seemed completely disinterested and his low work-rate up front made him a passenger in many matches. Despite an excellent scoring record in Spain, Soldado has never looked comfortable in the Premier League and he lacks the physicality needed to really compete.  Missing out on the World Cup is just salt in the wound.

Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur): Having arrived at Tottenham for £30 million as a replacement for Gareth Bale, much was expected of the young Argentine winger. In the end he only started 3 league games for Spurs and was last seen on the pitch on December 29 after which his season was supposedly curtailed by injury. It seems clear however that Tim Sherwood was not Lamela’s biggest fan and he will surely be hoping whoever replaces the former England international will be much more favourable to his cause. He too missed out on selection for the World Cup due to his form.

Kostas Mitroglou (Fulham): Felix Magath turned to Greek striker Mitroglou to save Fulham’s season when he spent £12 million on him at the end of January.  Rather than firing the goals that led Fulham to safety, he was completely anonymous as they fell down into the Championship.  Just one league start in 4 months also puts under the spotlight Magath’s logic when he decided to spend so much money on an injured striker. One thing is for certain, Mitroglou will not be keen on playing Championship football next season having consistently starred in the Champions League for Olympiacos.

Thursday 5 September 2013

Winners and Losers of the summer 2013 Transfer Window


With what was a record breaking transfer window coming to an end, here is my review of how successful the 20 Premier League teams were in their dealings.

Arsenal
Arsène Wenger only narrowly missed out on overseeing a thoroughly disappointing transfer window by making the 11th hour capture of Mesut Özil from Real Madrid.  The French manager finally came good on his promise to Arsenal fans to spend big this summer as he shelled out £42 million on the Germany playmaker but it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that this signing was made for the wrong reasons.   With fans at the Emirates getting restless it seems to an outsider that Wenger prioritised a big name signing over strengthening a weak squad.  Whilst he could have spent the club’s money on strengthening his defence or providing depth up front he instead chose to bring in an expensive marquee signing in an attempt to prove to his doubters that he was in fact willing to splash the cash.  Özil joins a team already abundant in creative players and it is difficult to see where he will fit into Arsenal’s system in spite of his excellent record in recent seasons.  Although they succeeded in getting big earners like Arshavin and Gervinho off the wage bill, their only other permanent signing was young striker Yaya Sanogo who will serve as the only back up to Olivier Giroud after the club failed to complete a deal for their top target Luis Suarez.   Score: 4.5/10

 
Aston Villa
Manager Paul Lambert added several young players to the inexperienced squad that avoided relegation last season against the odds.  Villa successfully managed to strengthen all over the pitch without overspending and it is clear that they are attempting to improve in a sustainable manner which whilst not the quick fix some fans demand will surely set them up well in the long-term.  Deadline day signing Libor Kozák represented their biggest expense at £7 million but they also managed to bring in reinforcements in defence in the shape of Jores Okore and Antonio Luna (affectionately known as Tony Moon by Villa fans) whilst improving their attacking options with the signings of Leandro Bacuna and Nicklas Helenius.  They also successfully shipped out unwanted fringe players like Stephen Ireland and Darren Bent to free up more funds that could be re-invested to take the club forward.  One of those to benefit from this policy with an improved contract was Christian Benteke, a player who looked certain to leave for pastures new earlier in the window.  With the young Belgian as their spearhead (he is still only 22 after all), Villa are slowly building the sort of squad that will allow them to challenge higher up the league and avoid any further relegation scares.   7/10

 
Cardiff City
Cardiff have clearly decided that spending big is the best way to stay in the Premier League this season, shelling out on central defender Steven Caulker, combative midfielder Gary Medel and big target man Andreas Cornelius.  The biggest positive Cardiff fans can take from this spending spree is that the newly promoted Red Dragons have strengthened in 3 key areas whilst keeping hold of the majority of the players who contributed to their Championship triumph last season. Their biggest loss over the summer came in the shape of last season’s retiring top scorer Heidar Helguson but they will be hoping that new man Cornelius can fill the void left by the experienced Icelandic international.  Caulker is an excellent defensive prospect with a great future ahead of him and Chilean midfielder Medel will undoubtedly add steel to their midfield in the season ahead.  His disciplinary record is less encouraging however and he will need to curb his aggressive nature at times if he is to consistently help out his team in the months to come.  If Cornelius can strike up an effective partnership with Frazier Campbell, who has started this season so impressively, Cardiff will have a much better chance of extending their stay in the top division beyond one season.  6/10

 
Chelsea
Chelsea invested greatly in attacking options this summer with the signings of Willian (from under the nose of Spurs) and German André Schürrle.  With the Stamford Bridge outfit far from lacking in creative midfield options it is curious that the returning José Mourinho felt the need to bring in further competition for the likes of Eden Hazard and Juan Mata, the latter of whom has seen his Chelsea career stall for some unexplained reason since the return of the ‘Special One.’  Whilst the signing of Marco van Ginkel may provide a ready-made replacement for the aging Frank Lampard, the refusal to bring in any defensive reinforcement leaves Chelsea in a questionable position at the back given John Terry’s waning powers and the inconsistency of both Gary Cahill and David Luiz.  Although Mourinho pulled off two excellent free signings in the shape of Mark Schwarzer and Samuel Eto’o, the bizarre decision to allow Romelu Lukaku to again leave the club on loan is highly suspect given the unconvincing striking options of Torres and Ba which Chelsea have retained.    Allowing Victor Moses to leave and strengthen Liverpool’s attacking options on deadline day was also a strange decision and his departure along with that of Lukaku ruined what had been a decent transfer window for the club up until that point.  6/10

 
Crystal Palace
Eccentric manager Ian Holloway brought in a fair few players during the off season, especially as deadline day approached.  His signings of choice were players with proven Premier League experience which he knows will be crucial to their chances of survival.  New faces include former Reading man Jimmy Kébé, Stoke’s unwanted Cameron Jerome and Barry Bannan who has experience playing in the top division for Aston Villa.  The club’s strategy is in contrast to that of fellow newcomers Cardiff as they chose to curb their spending; only shelling out a considerable fee on former non-league star Dwight Gayle.  Like the Welsh side however they only let a few players leave Selhurst Park and added some depth to an already settled squad.  The influence of experienced duo Kevin Phillips and Neil Alexander may be felt more off the pitch than on but they have also tried to look to the future with the signings of Jack Hunt from Huddersfield and promising young Spanish midefielder Jose Campaña from Sevilla.  Only time will tell whether their strategy of bringing in players who know their way around the Premier League to support their promotion winning squad is the right one but they have clearly tried not to overstretch their resources in their first season back in the top flight for 8 years. 6/10

 
Everton
An already strong transfer window was transformed into an exceptional one in the last hour before the deadline as 3 players came in and 2 went out.  The twin loan signings of Gareth Barry to shore up the midfield and Romelu Lukaku who excelled with West Brom last season were secured and young prospect James McCarthy came in from Wigan for £13 million.  Whilst some may say that the fee for the young Republic of Ireland international was too high, any concerns about breaking even were quickly offset as incredible profit was made with the sale of Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United and academy graduate Victor Anichebe who now finds himself at West Brom.  Whilst Fellaini is undoubtedly a loss to Everton, the fee that they managed to command for him was much greater than anyone expected and chairman Bill Kenwright certainly exploited former manager David Moyes’ desperate need for a big-name capture.  The £6 million fee received for the unconvincing Anichebe is an excellent bit of business for the club, especially given that they replaced him with Lukaku.  They had already managed to attract three of Martinez’ trusted men in Robles, Alcaraz and Koné whilst Blues’ fans must be over the moon that their club held on to star man Leighton Baines.  An excellent summer.  9/10

 
Fulham
Manager Martin Jol showed his transfer pedigree this summer with some astute signings on a tight budget.  The club successfully found an excellent replacement for Chelsea-bound Mark Schwarzer in the shape of Dutch ‘keeper Martin Stekelenburg whilst managing to retain all of their other key players.  The most notable of these was Brede Hangeland and Fulham brought in some much needed support for him, completing a permanent deal for right-back Sascha Riether and adding Fernando Amorebieta to their list of central defensive options.  Adel Taarabt arrived from QPR to add further creativity to a team already blessed with the attacking talents of Bryan Ruiz and Dimitar Berbatov.  For these flair players to flourish Fulham were in desperate need for some steel in midfield and have managed to find this with the signing of Derek Boateng and more impressively Scott Parker who was a Spurs and England regular in the recent past.  The former Charlton and West Ham man will add experience and character at his 5th London club.  Fulham’s key success this summer has been to retain the majority of their key players whilst replacing those on the fringes of the first-team with stronger individuals who offer more to the team.  The addition of Darren Bent provides useful support to Berbatov up front.  7/10

 
Hull City
Hull City took a similar approach to fellow newcomers Crystal Palace and tried to add experience to their squad whilst keeping faith with many of those who helped them to get up.  Maynor Figueroa and Ahmed Elmohamady have both played in the Premier League and add versatility in both midfield and defence.   The Yorkshire club completed the impressive signing of Spurs pair Jake Livermore and Tom Huddlestone, the latter of whom will add both a calming influence and a physical presence in this season’s midfield battles.  Huddlestone is excellent on the ball which will allow his team to better retain possession and he will be looking to prove that he is worthy of playing at this level after a disappointing couple of seasons at Spurs.  They too have strived to spend within their means and new man between the sticks Allan McGregor already looks more than comfortable in the Premier League.  Whilst Cardiff City chose to take a risk and spend big on a goal scorer to keep them in the top flight, Hull hedged their bets and brought in a variety of attacking options including Danny Graham, George Boyd and Ivory Coast striker Yannick Sagbo.  With more options to choose from, they surely have a better chance of one of their new forwards hitting the ground running.  6.5/10

 
Liverpool
Liverpool succeeded where many other clubs failed and completed all of their transfer business well ahead of the deadline.    Whilst Arsenal spent their entire budget on Mezut Özil, Liverpool managed to bring in 8 new singings for roughly the same total spend.  These 8 players not only strengthened the squad overall but were carefully selected so as to fit perfectly into the system that manager Brendan Rodgers is trying to employ as he enters his 2nd season at the helm.  Simon Mignolet arrived to replace the departing Pepe Reina and has settled well whilst the signings of Mamadou Sakho and Tigao Ilori have added further depth to a defence already bolstered by the free transfer of Kolo Touré from rivals Manchester City.  With big wage earners like Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll moved on earlier in the summer, Liverpool have strengthened in attacking positions with permanent deals for Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto as well as the deadline day loan move for Victor Moses.  Whilst the loaning of Fabio Borini to Sunderland late on was a curious decision, the club managed to retain the world-class Luis Suarez and with his return from suspension on the horizon Liverpool fans are relishing his link-up with current attacking stars Sturridge and Coutinho.  They go into this season stronger than at the end of last.  8/10

 
Manchester City
Like Liverpool, Manchester City did the majority of their transfer business early on in the window and so avoided the inflated transfer fees that are often demanded as deadline day approaches and selling clubs look to exploit buyers desperate for new signings.  They spent big on attacking options Álvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetić to replace Italy-bound Carlos Tévez and looked to solve their creative problems by bringing in Spanish winger Jesús Navas and Brazil midfielder Fernandinho who will be looking to form a daunting physical partnership with Yaya Touré at the heart of City’s team this season.  They may be regretting letting brother Kolo join rivals Liverpool however as injury problems in defence resulted in them needing to dip back into the market to sign Argentine Martin Demichelis for over £4 million.  Some fans may wonder why their team needed to waste money on a 32 year-old central defender having let one go just a few months earlier.  City were confident enough with their early singings that they were virtually absent from the market once the season got underway though they offloaded big earners Maicon and Santa Cruz and allowed Gareth Barry and Scott Sinclair to join fellow Premier League clubs rather than spend the season on the bench. Big money spent, but good players brought in by Manchester’s second club.   7.5/10

 
Manchester United
An awful transfer window for the reigning champions was topped off on deadline day by the signing of overpriced midfielder Marouane Fellaini from Everton.  Having been rejected by all of their transfer targets over the summer (including Cecs Fàbregas, Thiago Alcântara and Ander Herrera) the Old Trafford based club panicked as the minutes ticked away and spent £27.5 million on a player that they could have got at a much cheaper price had they met Fellaini’s buy-out clause earlier in the summer.  Not to mention that they missed out on fellow Everton star Leighton Baines who new manager David Moyes was keen to snatch from his former club.    United struggled to secure any marquee signings as Moyes showed that he couldn’t match the pulling power of former gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson and to make matters worse, Fellaini is far from the player that United needed having again failed to replace Paul Scholes following his 2nd retirement.  Their only other signing came in the shape of young Uruguayan Guillermo Varela and they failed in their attempt to bring in Fábio Coentrão as an alternative to Leighton Baines.  Although they kept hold of want-away striker Wayne Rooney, a poor transfer window has left the club with their weakest squad going into the Premier League season for many years.  3/10

 
Newcastle United
As a football fan it is difficult to watch the implosion of such a great club that is blessed with some of the most passionate fans around.  A disgraceful performance in the transfer window which saw only one player come in was compounded by the debacle which ensued as Mike Ashley appointed former manager Joe Kinnear to oversee Alan Pardew as director of football.  It is unclear exactly what Kinnear has been doing since his appointment as Newcastle failed to spend a single penny, only managing to capture striker Loïc Rémy on loan from relegated QPR.  With a squad that barely avoided relegation last season and all other teams in the division strengthening to some extent, the lack of ambition shown by their club will surely be a massive worry to the Toon Army who must be wondering exactly where the money from their inflated ticket prices is going.  Although they managed to hold on to their best player in Yohan Cabaye, his commitment to the cause must surely be called into question and the reception he received from some of St. James’ Park recently suggests his re-integration will be far from easy.  Joe Kinnear is evidently to blame for this summer’s debacle but it seems that it is Pardew who is being lined up to take the flack.  1/10

 

Norwich City
The Norfolk club made some unbelievable signings this summer and their fans can look forward to seeing several excellent players strut their stuff at Carrow Road this season.  Looking to build on an impressive return to the top flight, they have brought in a blend of youth and experience without overreaching on their budget.  Experienced trio Johan Elmander, Javier Garrido and Martin Olsson come in to bolster the team but it is the young prospects that they have managed to attract which will most excite Norwich fans.  Dutchman Leroy Fer finally gets his move to England following failed talks with Everton in January and adds quality to the midfield whilst Nathan Redmond comes in at a bargain price and is one of the most promising English players to emerge in recent years.   Their most spectacular signing however is Dutch striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel (the ‘Wolf’ to many pundits) who has shown himself capable of scoring goals in both Holland and Portugal and was on the radar of the likes of Liverpool in recent seasons.  Norwich now have good strength in depth and several quality players who are worthy of a top 10 team which the Canaries may prove to be this season.  They have offloaded several sub-standard players and brought in genuine quality which makes for an excellent transfer window.  9/10

 

Southampton
Southampton have followed Norwich’s lead and signed players of real quality who can take them to the next level following a strong season back in the Premier League.  Unlike Norwich however they struggled to find the real bargains and instead broke their transfer record on 3 separate occasions in the pursuit of excellence.  The players they did add are excellent though.  Dejan Lovren is a central defender with European experience, Vincent Wanyama could be the physical presence that the Saints require to compete at the top end of the division and Pablo ‘Dani’ Osvaldo is a proven goal scorer who has been courted by much bigger clubs than Southampton.  Fans at St Mary’s will surely be delighted with their clubs ability to attract players of this calibre to strengthen an already very impressive group.  Although they have significantly trimmed their squad over the summer to accommodate their 3 new record signings, they have not let anyone essential to their side head for the exit.  The aim of the transfer window is to ensure that your squad is stronger than the previous season and this is without doubt what Southampton have succeeded in doing.  Nevertheless they have done it without abandoning their faith in young English players and several graduates of their fabled academy still feature strongly in their starting XI.  7/10

 

Stoke City
Mark Hughes failed to sign a so-called big name player during this summer’s transfer window, preferring instead to bring in players who fitted the style of play which he is trying to instil at the Britannia Stadium this season.  On a small budget, Stoke could only afford to bring in unknown quantities from abroad or players looking to get their careers back on track.  This resulted in obscure names like Marko Arnautović and Juan Agudelo finding themselves at Stoke as August became September.  Hughes and Potters’ fans will be hoping that they prove to be hidden treasures who really make an impact on the team this season and make other clubs curse the fact that they didn’t spot them first.  Marc Muniesa arrives from Barcelona looking to get his development back on track with consistent first-team football and both Steven Ireland and Liverpool’s forgotten man Oussama Assaidi will be keen to show exactly what they can do.  It may well be the case that these players entering the last chance saloon will really knuckle down and work hard to ensure that they don’t waste their potential and this can only be a good thing for Stoke fans.  Letting the likes of Michael Kightly and Cameron Jerome leave on loan may have left them lacking in depth however.  5.5/10

 
Sunderland
The Stadium of Light saw an incredible turnover of players over the summer months with the squad that starts this season being virtually unrecognisable to that which avoided relegation by the skin of its teeth last season.  14 new signings arrived during the transfer window with a further 15 being shown the exit door and that will make for an unpredictable few months for Sunderland fans.  Such huge overhauls rarely come good and with Black Cats’ manager Paolo Di Canio having already displayed his fickle nature during his time in the Sunderland hot seat who knows how long some of his new signings will last before being discarded.  American striker Jozy Altidore will be looking to show he is a much-improved player to the teenager who spent a season on loan at Hull whilst Emanuele Giaccherini, a surprise signing from Juventus, will be expected to show the quality that has made him an Italy regular from the off.  Di Canio has signed many unknowns who will need time to adapt but he made good use of the loan system bringing in Swansea’s Ki and Liverpool’s Borini to strengthen his growing squad.  Sunderland’s biggest problem this summer was their failure to replace the departed Simon Mignolet in goal and they may come to regret it by May next year.  ?/10  *anyone’s guess

 
Swansea City
Swans’ boss Michael Laudrup has brought in the players required to add depth to a squad which will face the dual challenge of domestic and European competition for the first time this season.  The club smashed their transfer record to sign Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony and his good start to the season suggests that his physicality will make him well suited to the Premier League after spending 2 years wreaking havoc in Holland.  Jonjo Shelvey is also an excellent acquisition from Liverpool and with a run of first team football Swansea fans will be looking for him to reproduce the quality which he evidently has but which he only came out in flashes during his time at Anfield.  Much will also be expected from new Spanish imports Jordi Amat, José Cañas and Alejandro Pozuelo who will be looking to repeat the success of last year’s diamonds in the rough Michu, Chico and Hernández.  Keeping hold of last year’s top scorer Michu is another massive positive of Swansea’s summer transfer business and the return of Jonathan de Guzmán on loan for a further season means that the Liberty Stadium will still be able to count on all of the star players who performed impressively last season as well as some excellent new additions.  The challenge of Europe awaits.  7.5/10

 
Tottenham Hotspur
It is very rare that you can say that a team who lost their best player had a successful transfer window but that is exactly what Spurs have done.  Despite losing Gareth Bale to Real Madrid in a record-breaking deal, disappointed fans at White Hart Lane have been appeased by several excellent signings joining a new-look Spurs squad.  The root of Tottenham’s transfer success this summer lies in the fact that they invested the money from the Bale deal before it had even been completed and thus avoided the inflated fees which clubs would have demanded if they had waited as well as any panic buying before the window closed.  They spent big but in doing so strengthened all over the pitch; Roberto Soldado is a proven goal scorer, Paulinho will add steel to the midfield and the attacking trio of Nacer Chadli, Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen should go some way to replacing the influence of the departed Bale.  Young Dane Eriksen looks to be an absolute bargain and Spurs’ fans will be glad that they managed to secure his signature ahead of their domestic rivals.  Tom Huddlestone and Clint Dempsey were rightly allowed to leave but they may have made a mistake in letting Steven Caulker slip away given his potential and their lack of defensive depth.  8/10

 
West Bromwich Albion
The Baggies finally spent some money on deadline day to bring in Everton’s Victor Anichebe and Sunderland’s Stéphane Sessègnon for whom they broke their transfer record.  With free signing Nicolas Anelka seemingly dissuaded from retirement following the death of his agent, he will be expected to spearhead the Albion attack and use his experience to guide those around him.  Uruguayan international Diego Lugano will also be expected to lead from the front, though it may be his off-field influence which is more important as the season goes on.  The loan signings of Morgan Amalfatino and Scott Sinclair will add quality to the West Brom squad.  Former Marseille man Amalfatino comes with experience of playing in Europe and Sinclair will be looking to get his career back on track after what has proved to be a disastrous move to Manchester City.  Fans at the Hawthorns will have been disappointed to miss out on re-signing Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea who chose to join Everton whilst the £6 million spent on Anichebe to replace him seems excessive for a player who has never shown the consistent ability to be a success in the Premier League.  Nevertheless the club did well to bring in 9 players to strengthen the team all over the pitch without spending a great deal of money.  6.5/10


West Ham United
A fairly quiet and unspectacular window passed by without much movement either in or out at West Ham.  Fan’s favourite Andy Carroll was signed on a permanent deal and bringing with him another fairly hefty price tag he will be looking to show that Liverpool didn’t give him a fair chance to show his full quality.  Sam Allardyce has also taken a punt on fellow Anfield reject in winger Stewart Downing and the link-up between him and Carroll will go some way to defining how successful a season West Ham have this year.  The club only made two further signings this summer; goalkeeper Adrián arrived to compete with established number one Jussi Jääskeläinen and full-back Razvan Rat will add a wealth of experience to the West Ham defence.  The East London club were hindered by lack of funds following the completion of the deal for Carroll and so struggled to add any real depth to a squad that seems to be understrength despite last season’s top half finish.  More first team players left the Boleyn Ground than came in this summer so West Ham could struggle to repeat their success of last season especially if injuries hit.  They’ve taken a big chance on the £20 million due of Carroll and Downing and that could come back to haunt them.  5.5/10