Let's start from the bottom.
20th - Burnley
Turf Moor was a fortress at times last season for Sean Dyche's men, for the first half of the campaign Burnley had one of the best home records in the league but as 2016 turned into 2017 that form appeared to abandon Burnley. Being placed in mid table coming into January, they ended the season in a relegation battle and just managed to scrape survival, reaching just 40 points. I can see Burnley carrying that same poor form into the upcoming season, and the loss of star defender Michael Keane could be a big part of that. The £30 million Burnley received from Everton for Keane is yet to be reinvested in the squad, so now they have an England international shaped hole in their defence and no one what so ever so fill it. Last season Burnley's defence is what kept them up, conceding the least goals out of every side in the bottom half of the table, in stark contrast however they struggled to find the back of the net. The only three sides to score less then Burnley last season all got relegated, and with their star defender no longer at the club, this weak attack will be even more exposed. Now I have little doubt that if Burnley go down, Dyche will find a way to bring them back up, that's just what he does. But their squad simply isn't improving, and I feel like this will be one step too far for the clarets.19th - Huddersfield
This one pains me to say just a little bit, because towards the back end of last season, I was seriously rooting for Huddersfield to get promoted, and doing it through the drama of the play offs was an incredible story. But despite bringing in as many players as just about anyone in the league so far, (Including Tom Ince from Derby, giving Paul Ince's son another chance to prove he can live up to his family name) I just can't see them staying up any longer then a year. The style of football Huddersfield play is one which certainly drawers the eye, and when you notice their manager David Wagner was the manager of Borussia Dortmund's second team, and was an understudy to Jurgen Klopp during his time there, it is easy to see why. But in a similar vein to Blackpool in the 2010-2011 season, I feel their style of football will gain many plaudits, but will ultimately lead to their relegation. they quite simply aren't strong enough to play an entire season in the way they do, with the players they have, and survive! I feel like this is the prediction I am least confident about, maybe that's me being optimistic as I hope Huddersfield do retain a place in the top flight for years to come, but we'll just have to wait and see.
18th - Swansea
Much like Burnley who I have previously mentioned, Swansea spent the back end of last season in a fight for their lives, but managed to survive in no small part to new manager Paul Clement. The Englishman came in while the Welsh side were in free fall and he managed to get them organised, and keep them afloat. One man who had a huge part to play in the survival was Icelandic play maker Gylfi Sigurdsson who, at the time of writing this, is still a Swansea city player. But that is where I believe the problem lays, with the future of their best player. A £50 million price tag has been slapped onto Sigurdsson, one which has scared of a few potential suitors, but reports suggest Everton have matched the price tag and that the deal will be completed 'within days' as confirmed by Clement himself. This move could have drastic consequences for Swansea, an average squad, probably not strong enough for the Premier League has been being held up by one truly top drawer player. A top drawer player who, in a side which finished 15th with 41 points last time around managed 10 league goals and provided 13 league assists last season, Sigurdsson played a part in HALF of Swansea's top flight goals during the campaign, and without him I can't see a way the Welsh side survive. Even with the £50 million coming in, the climate of this transfer window, and the amount of time remaining in it means it will be harder then ever for Paul Clement to bring in a replacement for his star man. They've become almost a staple of the Premier League throughout this decade, but I feel like this season will be their last for now.What about a place in mid table obscurity? Mid table in the Premier League is a strange place, for example Southampton ended last season in 8th with 46 points, a tally which was closer to 18th placed Hull then it was to 7th place Everton. It's not really a place anyone wants to be, but at least it's better then being in a relegation scrap! And if you can solidify a place in mid table obscurity for a number of seasons, it gives the club a foundation on which to build and push up the table. So let's have a look at a few of the top contenders.
11th - Leicester City
So that thing I just said about growing? That is both true and very very not true about Leicester. On one hand, they finished 12th last season, so 11th is one place higher, therefore growth right? Well if the 2015/2016 season didn't happen, and there wasn't a time when Leicester were the champions of England anyway. So you can either consider this as the continuation of the bubble bursting for Leicester fans, or an attempt to reach the heights of last year, is your glass half empty or half full, that sort of scenario. If I may be serious for a moment, I feel a place in mid table next season will be a good thing for Leicester. Despite the underwhelming defence of their title last time out, their run in the Champions League meant that the fans had their heads well and truly in the clouds. Finishing in mid table again will hopefully ground the fans, the players and the club into realising where they fit in regards to the Premier League. It sounds like I'm being overly negative so far, I am from Leicester and have sat in a pub, watching City in the Champions League, there is no doubt that the success has done a huge amount of good for the club and the city itself. And I do feel like this season can be a stepping stone towards big things again for the club in the long run. The signing of highly rated defender Harry Maguire from Hull could be the first step towards building a younger, more versatile defence after Huth and Morgan were found out last season. And despite the signing not being completed as of yet, Kelechi Iheanacho is set to complete his move from Manchester City, a move with bags of promise. With 12 Premier League goals to his name despite very few starts, and 6 goals in his only 10 international caps, he has shown he knows where the goal is. Maybe Iheanacho could be the answer to the question, who should partner Jamie Vardy? And with Mahrez reportedly on his way out, the Nigerian striker could fill in with the missing goals. I'm not saying they'll go on the win the league again, but don't expect to see the foxes in a relegation dog fight any time soon.10th - West Ham United
Now West Ham have had a year to settle in to their new home in the London Stadium, there really is no excuse for West Ham anymore, and despite this I still see the London club finishing mid table. There is no doubt the Hammers have had one of the most successful transfer windows so far by their standards. Bringing in Joe hart on loan, Pablo Zabaleta on a free, Javier Hernandez from Bayer Laverkusen for £15 million, a bargain in the current climate. And finally, a club record signing, £20 million, potentially rising to £25 million for Austrian maverick Marko Arnautovic. So why won't West Ham be able to push up the table? First of all there is the factor that their first three league games will all be played away from home. Due to the World Athletics Championships taking place at the London Stadium, West Ham will start their campaign on the road, which at any other point of the season might not be too bad. But with every other team wanting to start the season of strong in front of their home fans, it could be a very tough beginning to the season for West Ham. Then, a complete opposite argument. Once West Ham return home, I can't see it getting any better, purely because no matter what happens, West Ham can't seem to adjust to their new home. The lack of atmosphere seems to drain energy from the side, and no amount of new signings can change that. So I can see their season starting off poorly, losing away from home, and then getting worse when they return. I'm not saying it will stay like this, they simply will have too good of a side to be involved in a relegation battle come 2018, and I do believe they will eventually learn to win games at home, leading to a finish which could have been a lot worse, mid table once again.9th- Bournemouth
Eddie Howe and his side just seem to go from strength to strength at the moment. The smallest club in the league by quite some distance managed to chalk up a very impressive 9th place finish last season, and I'm backing them to match it this time around. For a club the size of Bournemouth, 9th is not only a respectable finish, but a very impressive one. The owners have proven they are not shy about backing the club, and the additions of Asmir Begovic and youngster Nathan Ake, both coming in from Champions Chelsea prove that the sea side club are trying to breed a winning mentality into the side. Also proven goal scorer Jermain Defoe has joined on a free from Sunderland, and with the World Cup in 2018 to earn a spot in, Defoe will be out to prove he still has it in the coming campaign. With everything pointing towards Bournemouth improving again in the coming campaign, why have I got them remaining in 9th position. Simple, the glass ceiling. Maybe they could reach 8th at a push, battling it out with Southampton for the crown of 'best of the rest' but the top 7 of English football right now is effectively a league of it's own, as I mentioned earlier, more points separated 7th from 8th, then separated 8th from 18th, the gap is huge. The only way, seemingly, to break into that group seems to be massive spending! That is how Manchester City joined the party almost a decade ago, and Everton have been steadily spending big to stay on the fringes, still on the outside looking in. Bournemouth, despite being heavily backed by their owners, simply aren't a big enough club to push on any higher. It does happen, Leicester defied the odds and broke their way in, but it was short and sweet as they failed to keep up with the spending power of the top 7. And this is why I can't see Bournemouth finishing any higher next season, not because they won't impress, because I'm certain they will, but because to get any higher, the league would have to change course dramatically.
Not quite Europe's elite -
6th - Arsenal
What's that saying about London busses? You wait forever for one and then two come along at once. For 20 straight years Arsenal finished in the top four of the Premier League, last season Liverpool beat them to the post on the last day of the season and this time around I think they'll go one better (Well technically one worse) and I think they'll drop another place into 6th. Now Arsenal fans, calm down. Yes you signed Lacazette, a huge signing, a world class striker, something you haven't had since RVP. But what's even worse, is this wasn't your biggest problem. With the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil, Oliver Giroud, Arsenal have never struggled to score goals. Now yes, Lacazette is a better natural striker then anyone on that list, but to spend a club record amount on a player who shouldn't have been their top priority, that is cause for concern. For years it's been obvious that a leader, a strong midfielder, has been what Arsenal needs, and with their defence looking more and more frail by the day, they needed serious back up in front of Cech. Other then Lacazette they have signed one player, Kolasinac, a full back on a free from Schalke. Now the young defender has shown potential, but he certainly isn't the answer. They will still have far too strong of a team to fall any lower in the table, and with a month left of the season they could still bring in reinforcements but everyone they're being linked (Including Monaco winger Thomas Lamar) with fall into the same category as Lacazette, world class, but not what they REALLY need. Plus there's the fact Alexis looks all but certain to be on his way out, which much really suck for Arsenal as he is potentially the best player in the league, and if he goes to, like the rumours suggest, Manchester City then that would feel like a real kick in the teeth. Truth be told I feel like it will be more of the same at Arsenal, a group of incredibly talented attackers, made to look stupid by a mediocre back line, and a manager who is scared of change. If they hold onto Sanchez, they might challenge for a top four place, but without him, I can't see them getting close.5th - Spurs
A place among Europe's elite -
4th - Manchester United
3rd - Liverpool
The five time champions of Europe secured a place in the coming season's Champions League on the last day of last season, and I can see them pushing on and going one place better this time around. The main criticism of Klopp's side last time out was the lack of a plan b, how it seemed that if they weren't firing on all front, that the opposition could find a way through their weak defence. Towards the back end of the season they seemed to find that plan b, winning more games that they would have lost or drawn earlier in the campaign. The front line Liverpool posses is one that would strike fear into any opposition. Coutinho, Mane and Firmino leading the line throughout last season fired in the goals, as despite not have any one attacker featuring in the race for the golden boot, Liverpool finished as the 4th highest scorers in the league. The only problem with this line up was Countinho playing out wide left. The Brazilian has always been a more natural number 10, and despite him settling in on the left with relative ease, you could always see he wasn't quite at his best. In the final two games of the season Philipe moved back into his favoured position and scored three, as well as assisting two in two of his best performances of the season. This was just a glimpse of what could be a full time arrangement this season, with the addition of Mo Salah, to fill the second wide position. The frightening pace of Salah and Mane down the flanks could prove to be very fruitful for their side. With Daniel Sturridge and new signing from Chelsea, Dominic Solanke, looking very sharp in pre season, Liverpool's attack has strength in numbers as well. However with Barcelona sniffing around Coutinho, there is the potential that the star man could be pinched before the season gets under way. Klopp has sternly said that he is not for sale, but with a rumoured £100 million offer in the pipeline, we'll have to wait and see. Liverpool have however failed to address their other major weakness, their defence. As it stands, full back Andrew Robertson is Liverpool's only new addition to their back line, a talented young full back who in the future could answer Liverpool's on going left back problem. But the Scot's signature isn't the final piece to the puzzle. The potential signing of Virgil Van Dijk could be however. Now the controversy surrounding this deal is extreme, Liverpool had been accused of 'tapping up' the Dutchman, a deal between the player and the club appeared to be agreed, before the accusations killed to move. Since then Van Dijk has gone on strike, stating he wishes to leave current club Southampton. The defender was not taken on the clubs pre season trip to France, and has been training alone, it is clear he wants out. Now it appears to be a matter of time before Liverpool come in with an offer, rumoured to be in the range of £60 million, to convince The Saints to part ways with their want away captain. Should this deal go ahead I feel Liverpool will have everything they need to push a potential title challenge, overall however having to fight on four fronts, with a squad considerably smaller then that of the other potential title challengers, it all points towards them falling short. However, 3rd will still show signs of progression, and with potential challenges in Europe and in the cup competitions, Liverpool could continue to impress as they grow.2nd - Chelsea
And runners up next season will be the current champions of England, Chelsea. Any other year I'd say Chelsea were a certainty to retain their title, they have invested well all over the pitch, they have a manager who knows how he wants his team to play, the fans are optimistic and the players know they're a part of something great. A club record £60 million was spent on Spanish striker Morata, who looks set to become Chelsea's new first choice striker. German centre back Rudiger could turn out to be one of the signings of the summer, the solid defender starred for Germany in the Conflagrations Cup cup this summer, and his £30 million move looks like a bargain when compared to some of the other signings floating around. And then we get to Tiemoue Bakayoko, the French midfielder anchored the Monaco midfield on route to their Ligue 1 win last season, and impressed on route to the Champions League semi finals. he was one of Chelsea's primary targets when the window opened, and slotting in along side Kante could form one of the best central midfield pairings in the country. And it appears the champions aren't even close to done, with rumours linking them to long time target Alex Sandro of Juventus, their defence could get even stronger. There is however a bit of uncertainty towards the top of the pitch with Chelsea. Diego Costa has been told he will play no part in the coming season, leaving the striker in limbo, with no club effectively. Eden hazard is the latest player to be linked with Barcelona, the Catalan giants of course coming into money with the sale of Neymar to PSG all but completed, and with speculation Conte isn't entirely sold on Hazard, the Belgian winger could be out the door. But in reality that is it, there is nothing else to say. All in all Chelsea look very strong from back to front, and they should been seen as one of the favourites to win the title. So why don't I have them as my predicted winners? Well...Champions of England -
1st - Manchester City
Because I feel like this will be the year Pep gets it right and the year this Manchester City side finally click into gear. The problem last season was obvious, the players just weren't right to fit the style of play their Spanish manager wanted, so this summer, they have spent big. £50 million on Kyle walker, and £52 million on Benjamin Mendy, two attacking, natural wing backs, a huge part of Pep's style that simply didn't exist at the Etihad last season. Brazilian Ederson has been brought in between the sticks, he could be the answer to City's goal keeping dilemma, a capable keeper with the ability to play out from the back. Manchester City had perhaps the biggest and strongest squad in the league already, but they're even improving on strength in depth this summer. Bernado Silva is the latest player to come to England from Monaco, and the Portuguese midfielder has been turning heads during his time in France. Very good on the ball with an eye for a pass, he also can chip in with a goal too, putting him along side Kevin De Bruyne in the ranks of goal scoring midfielders at City. Not to forget the incredible roster of talent already at Pep's disposal. Gabriel Jesus showed everyone just how good he was during his brief stint last season, scoring goals, providing assists, and asking a huge question of the manager. Jesus or Aguero. The Argentinian is no doubt on the the best strikers on the planet, and if he can stay fit for the entire season, he will no doubt be in the running for the golden boot. Then you have the solid midfield pairing of Yaya Toure, and Fernandinho. (Not Fernando, he's off to Turkey) These two are capable of not only protecting the defence, which as times can be CIty's weak link, bit they are both capable on the ball, both at creating chances and taking them. So City look set, from back to front they can put out arguably the strongest team in the league. And in terms of depth no other side can stand with them, the question now is if the side can buy into Pep's philosophy and produce the goods. History shows that once a Guardiola side gets going, they're hard to stop, and I really can see this year being the year for the blue half of Manchester. The title race this season I think will be very tight, which is a concept Pep won't be used to, but if he is the manager everyone seems to think he is, then he should be able to adapt, and thrive under the pressure. They had the manager, they had the players, now they need to go and win the silverware.So there we have it, my main predictions for the upcoming Premier League season. Now I could be drastically wrong on a few of these (Just waiting for Spurs to make me look stupid) but I feel whatever happens, we could be in for one hell of a season. The top 6 is ridiculously hard to call, with so many world class talents, managers getting to grips with their teams and money being spent like it;s going out of style. Then at the other end we have plenty of teams set to be for a dog fight to maintain their place in the top flight. I for one can't wait, the opening weekend can't come close enough.
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