In the 2009-2010 English Premier League the ‘big four’ had their monopoly of the Champions League places broken by Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham, and conceivably this season anywhere up to seven clubs could be vying for a place amongst Europe’s elite.
The champions Chelsea and their arch rivals Manchester United still, on paper at least, remain the strongest of the seven and one would assume they would be favorites to be occupying Champions League slots this time next year. Indeed should one of those two sides miss out on taking their place at Europe’s top table it would represent an astronomical failure, eclipsing Liverpool’s capitulation last season by some considerable distance.
Arsenal, one would suspect, must finally fulfil the promise that they have demonstrated for the last four or five seasons. Potential must translate into trophies for Wenger if they are to hang on to the likes of Theo Walcott, Thomas Vermalen and of course Cesc Fabregas. Champions League football is a must again for the Gunners next season and if they could combine a top four finish with a first domestic trophy since 2005 it would go a long way to alleviate a great deal of the pressure on both the club and their manager. The addition of the talented Moroccan Marouane Chamakh to the playing staff is a huge boost for the coming season and could prove to be a vital piece in the puzzle for the Londoners.
The deposed Liverpool represent something of an unknown quantity when it comes to the coming season. Free of the burden of Champions League football one would suspect that Roy Hodgson’s men will focus the majority of their energy on climbing back up the Premier League ranks. Hodgson’s influence will be pivotal this season, highly respected and incredibly experienced, he will no doubt look to steady the ship following a tumultuous couple of seasons under Rafa Benitez. In turn the respective decisions of the talismanic duo Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres will also no doubt help to re-galvanise the club. Couple this with the considerable coup the Reds pulled off by securing the services of Joe Cole and suddenly Liverpool could re-emerge as a force in the Premier League.
Manchester City are zeroing in on the title itself rather than simply settling for a top four finish. The seemingly endless supply of money available to Roberto Mancini will bear fruit eventually; it is simply a matter of when and not if. Their summer spending again has passed the £80 million mark and shows no signs of slowing down, with any number of players seemingly on the brink of joining the club on any given day. If Mancini can blend his new signings into his already immensely talented squad then City could potentially win it all this season before embarking on a European assault in 2011. The constant process of renewing their playing staff could hinder the club in some regards; Mancini will be looking for fluidity and understanding amongst his players and this does takes time when wholesale changes are made. Whether the club’s owners will have the patience to match their bank balance is questionable, just ask Mark Hughes.
Tottenham Hotspur are in an unenviable position in some regards. They have not yet qualified for the Champions League proper and until they do they may struggle to attract the calibre of player that they will require to become a true force at home and in Europe. Indeed Joe Cole’s decision to join the Europa League bound Liverpool ahead of the London club is quite telling. It is conceivable that they could yet follow in Everton’s ill-fated footsteps and crash out before the competition really begins, should that happen it could be a disaster domestically. While Tottenham’s squad is impressive in its creativity and potency in front of goal their rivals have stolen a march on them when it comes to re-enforcements. Equally their perilous defensive situation means that they need bodies soon. Ledley King is a case in point, despite his obvious talents, he is in no condition to be deployed on a regular basis and will doubtless be unable to sustain a European campaign as well as a domestic one; his summer in South Africa is testament to that.
Aston Villa appear to be the dark horses in the race for the top four, yet Martin O’Neill has worked wonders with the Midlands club. He has taken them from perennial under-achievers to League Cup finalists and the brink of Champions League qualification. O’Neill has a very young, British squad at his disposal and it is vital that he be allowed by owner Randy Learner to keep a hold on his best players. With the likes of Young, Milner and Agbonlahor attracting some furtive (and in the case of Manchester City, not so furtive) glances from bigger and more powerful clubs, it is time for Villa to decide whether they are serious about becoming contenders for European and domestic honours. With a few additions in the right areas the glory days could easily return to Villa Park.
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