How Our Season Predictions Are Getting On So Far..

Can you believe it has been nearly a month and a half already since the first domestic football of the season was kicked in England?

Two of our most viewed posts ever came in the form of our 2014/15 Season Previews, whereby we analysed each teach in both the Premier League and the Championship and eventually produced a final league table based on our predictions.

Anyway, despite it still being relatively early doors we thought it would be fun to see how we're getting on, and which teams are over/underachieving based on where we expected them to be.

In the tables below we have placed the leagues in their present order, before detailing the difference to our predicted finishing position, and of course how this compares with our eternal yardstick; the bookmaker. 

This is of course likely to change as teams pick up form, make crucial signings in January, change managers, and of course, suffer the dreaded injury crisis. Nonetheless, certain teams have caught the eye, some for all the wrong reasons (Fulham and Newcastle, we're looking firmly at you).

Premier League

Premier League table; accurate as of 18/09/2014

The obvious over-achiever comes in the form of Aston Villa. Despite having languished in the nether regions of the league, flirting with relegation throughout most of the last two seasons, the Villains have started impressively, alongside Swansea City.

Keane has added a winners mentality to
the Villa dressing room.

Our "one-to-watch" Fabian Delph has started the season well, earning a call up to Roy Hodgson's England side for the games against Norway and Switzerland, and you can't help but feel the presence of a certain Roy Keane is spurring Aston Villa on. No doubt such a ferocious winning mentality in the camp will have made several under-performers at the club sit up and take notice. Managing to cling on to MVP Ron Vlaar is also a huge success.

Swansea meanwhile have had a similar upturn in performance, despite also not making many changes. Manager, Garry Monk seems to have steadied the ship following the somewhat shock departure of Michael Laudrup, and is now really starting to put his own stamp on the team. The second coming of Gylfi Sigurdsson has been inspired, as the Icelandic playmaker has returned to the kind of form that sparked interest from Spurs in the first place.

Elsewhere, Newcastle the perennial underachievers, have had a shocking start to the season, with many Geordies calling for the head of Alan Pardew; who must be coming close to the end of the line. For a club the size of Newcastle to not be consistently pushing for the top six, you have to look beyond the playing and coaching staff however. 

Mike Ashley, though a shrewd businessman, does not have many fans on Tyneside, despite turning around the financial fortunes of the club. There is only so long that they will tolerate a sub-par Toon side, in a region where football is religion. We predict that we may see an "Ashley Out" campaign by the end of the season, if form does not pick up soon.

Chelsea look a cert for the title.

Otherwise the table is shaping up to represent what we thought it might. As the league picks up momentum teams will start to settle out into their respective positions, and we will start to gain a true representation of how the Premier League may look come May.

Honourable mentions for Leicester City who have started well; we predicted them to avoid the drop and they look more than equipped to do so - and Chelsea, our tip for the title, which seems to be their's to lose on current form. Can anybody stop Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas from delivering the trophy back to The Bridge for the first time since 09/10?


In terms of how we are currently faring vs. the bookies; the bookies just edge it, in a neck and neck battle. Our predictions are currently displaced by 88 positions, compared to the bookies 82. We do however take comfort in having predicted Chelsea to be in the top spot, with Ladbrokes having picked Manchester City.

Championship

Championship table; accurate as of 18/09/14

You'd be forgiven for thinking the table was upside down.

True to form, the Championship has proven difficult to predict. Several fancied teams have failed to get going; chiefly in the form of Wigan, Cardiff (as I type, it has just been confirmed that Ole Gunnar Solksjær has left the club), Brighton and Fulham who, despite being firm play-off contenders, have found themselves floundering in the bottom half. On top of this, we have already seen three managerial changes, with Huddersfield's Mark Robbins winning the sack race in bizarre fashion following the season opener.

Psycho's Forest have looked impressive in the early stages.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the table it is a different picture. Nottingham Forrest have regained their identity under club legend Stuart Pearce, whilst newly promoted Wolves have continued along the upward curve following promotion last season. Charlton and Sheffield Wednesday have also outperformed everybody's expectations and find themselves in-and-around the crucial top six positions. A mention must also go to Millwall, who have turned around a pretty desperate situation early doors, and Brentford who are currently looking good for their money to stay in the league. Derby however, have started slowly. Nonetheless, we're still confident that they will be there or there about come May.

Fulham have to be considered the out and out under-performers so far this season, and haven't even managed to pick up a win; losing six of their seven games so far - despite having poached Leeds strike partnership Ross McCormack and Matt Smith.

In our original post we said that it is apparent Felix Magath has already underestimated English football and could look set to do it again; having been unable to avoid the drop last season despite boldly claiming it to be impossible.

We also predicted that he'd be out of work by December. With Magath visivly perplexed by the lack of form his team have shown, he has absolutely no answers to his critics - claiming to have never witnessed anything like this in his career. Hate to say we told you so Felix.

Looks like it's going to be a lean Christmas at the Magath house this year.

Felix Magath has seemingly no answers for his teams
"calamitous" start to the campaign. 

We must take off our hat to Stuart Pearce. Following a pretty poor few years with the England U-21's, we had Pearce down as a tactically inept manager, with little to offer. Forest however, have started the season strongly and look to be a shoe-in for a play-off position at least.

Time will tell how much of this is down to the feel-good factor from the return of a legendary leader, as Pearce will be forced to show his managerial qualities and improvise as the fixture schedule goes into overdrive, and injuries become more of a problem.

Before leaving you, we must address Leeds United. Having picked up various amounts of grief from angry Yorkshiremen following our Pre-Season Prediction, we feel that the season has so far, provided us with enough evidence to feel justified in our decisions.

We predicted that Leeds would finish around the mid-bottom half of the table, where they currently reside. We also said that they were in big trouble in terms of club hierarchy, following the farce last season that led to the take-over of the club, and sacking of previous manager Brian McDermott.

With the Dave Hockaday shambles now done and dusted, it is also apparent that this is indeed the case. It is time supporters of Leeds United stopped living under the pretence of a divine right to be top of the league, and start preparing for a long old season and relegation battle. As long as Massimo Cellino remains the man with the power at Elland Road, Leeds face a bleak outlook.

Dave Hockaday; one of football's nice guys, but doomed from the off.

With regards to how our predictions are faring against the bookmaker, we are afraid that the Bookies are currently in the driving seat with this one. Our displacement of 190 is somewhat lacking behind a still-struggling total of 158.

One thing is clear; the Championship is as (un)predictable as ever.

On a much more serious note: Newcastle  midfielder Jonas Gutierrez has revealed that he is suffering from Testicular Cancer. We wish him the very best and a speedy recovery. Remember to Check Your Balls fellas! 

Book Review - RED: My Autobiography by Gary Neville

The season is back, and with it, comes Monday Night Football. The ultimate indulgence for those who consider football with an air of intelligence in debate. With two absolute footballing heavyweights - in the form of Liverpool and Manchester United legends Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, sitting on the panel, the Sky punditry line up is probably the best in world football right now. 

Football analysis and punditry was getting very stale by the time Sky Sports picked up the two former England defenders. Almost to the point where Brian Clough’s famous interview with John Motson had become absolutely relevant again (watch here). Match of the Day has become one of the most boring shows on TV, and let’s not even mention the standard of analysis/coverage on The Football League show.

In taking on Carra and G. Nev, Sky Sports have added modern top level experience to their line-up, which already boasts the brilliance of Graeme Souness, Jamie Redknapp and Glenn Hoddle, taking football broadcasting to a whole new stratosphere.

This is particularly interesting in the case of Gary Neville. He has gone from being one of the most hated men in English football to one of the most respected and adored. From “Gary The Rat” and “Red Nev”, to one of the most intelligent and intriguing analysts of the game we have yet been subjected to.

Best mates

Shortly before his debut on Sky, Neville brought out his autobiography; Red - which is the focus of this article. The debut of this book was categorically the turning point for G. Nev. and his reputation amongst English fans who had previously held the former United captain with disdain.

Neville speaks to us with the frankness and intelligence that we have since become accustomed to. Although, let me announce from the off that in the build up to this post I have read several other reviews, whereby I mainly concerned myself with the poor ones - of which there are very few. The general disappointment stems from the lack of personal life that is revealed throughout. 

But they've missed the point. For Gary Neville, football is life, and this book oozes that fact. Do not read this book if you are concerned with the birth of his children, his wedding, his home... (you get the picture), as you will ultimately not find what you are looking for. If you are however interested in the inner mentality of a winner, a man obsessed with football, and in particular Manchester United, the emotion of the game on the pitch, and maybe just a bit of insight into what life under Sir Alex Ferguson was really like, then go out and pick up this book immediately.

From the FA Youth Cup winning side of '92, to deciding to retire mid-game against West Brom, Neville takes us on a detailed account of his time as a Red, kicking off with tales of his upbringing into a working class family in Bury (which happened to yield three international athletes). We are taken inside his school playground and how life was growing up standing in the K-Stand (Old Trafford's East Stand) under the shadow of Liverpool, as well as the inescapable bust-ups with supporters of United's famous rivals. Indeed, Liverpool play a huge role throughout the book, as they undoubtably have throughout Neville's sporting life.

"As a kid, I had to suffer at their hands again and again. But that’s why every victory later in life tasted so sweet. That’s why I charged up and down the pitch celebrating every win over Liverpool. It’s why I kissed the United badge in front of them, like any true fan" 

"Now I am able to appreciate Liverpool as another true working city of the north. I can recognise the loyalty of their supporters and admire how Liverpool, like Manchester, has punched above its weight when it comes to music and football. But back then I loathed Liverpool and I loathed their success"

Fergie's Fledgelings - Then and now

Neville gives us a stark insight into what life was like growing up as part of the famed "Fergie's Fledgelings" - the hard work and commitment that was required, and of course the unenviable initiations that the apprentices were put through - often at the hands of a certain Welsh winger. Neville puts us under no illusion that it was never his footballing talent that got him where he was, very much demonstrating the type of steel that was needed to just be a part of Manchester United under SAF. 

What is starkly apparent is the sheer aggression and fierceness with which United conducted business from top to bottom in the early 90's. Fergie comes across every bit as ruthless as we imagine him to be, with youth coach Eric Harrison coming up not far behind. Second place was most certainly the first loser.

Aside from the seriousness of on-pitch affairs, we also gain priceless stories behind the "kids" who rose from humble beginnings at The Cliff to defeat the world of football and go on to win countless trophies. The book works very well as an accompaniment to the recent cinema release "The Class of '92" in this sense.

"There are a few moments you look back on - those cross-roads moments - and wonder how life might have played out differently. I wasn’t nailed on to be a professional footballer. I knew that."

Notable sections in the book also include the relationship between David Beckham and the boss, the England players' 'almost-strike' following Rio Ferdinand's drug-test ban, the treatment that Beckham received along with brother Phil from England fans following errors in the national shirt, being shit-scared of Peter Schmeichel, and of course his disappointing time in an England shirt, with some mention of the methods employed by now-Sky colleague Glenn Hoddle. 

"What are you meant to do? Smile
sweetly and jog back to the half-way
line?"

Red is a must for any fan of sport. An unflinching account of life at the top of world football, without over-zealous commentary it provides a peek inside one of the most famous/infamous dressing rooms around in a time when both England and Manchester was changing for the better.

I actually had the pleasure of being coached by Gary Neville on more than one occasion, during the time he took his UEFA Coaching Licenses, and what struck me the most about his style of coaching was first of all, he loved to have a laugh, and secondly, that he cared deeply about football as a tactical system, and how the game evolves through certain phases of play - he very much wanted to impress the importance of this on us as players (in fact on one occasion it turned out that he wanted to coach a system whereby the attacking team did so through the wing backs. As the left-sided wing back on the attacking team, he more or less spent a whole hour showing me the in’s and out’s of playing in the role he dominated for nearly two decades. It was brilliant).

It was presented to us and explained in such a way that it made learning easy, and made us thirsty for more tactical insight - and that is exactly what he is doing to the wider public now in his role as Sky pundit. His knowledge of the game is clearly exceptionally strong.

Of course, it was quite a proud moment for us who partook in his sessions when he passed his qualifications, and subsequently went on to enter the England setup under Roy Hodgson.

United celebrate the 1996/97 Premier League title; L to R - Cantona,
Butt, Giggs, Beckham, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, Scholes, Keane.

Bill Shankley famously said: "Football is a simple game, made complicated by idiots”. But in the case of Gary Neville, when the game of football is complicated by men of intelligence who possess a deep understanding of the game, great things can become of it. It is important for the development of footballing intelligence amongst English supporters that Neville remains on our screens for a long time to come, whilst undoubtably providing the England setup with his winning mentality and invaluable insight.

"Being a football supporter has never just been about the team you love. It’s also about the teams you love to hate. English football is brilliant for being so tribal and there’ll always be an edge between United and Liverpool"

8.5/10

nb. I am well aware that this post has probably gone beyond the realms of just a "book review". However, given the sheer influence that Gary Neville now has over English football on both sides of the media/professional football fence, I feel it is more than warranted. 

Enjoy our article? Let us know! If you have any suggestions for further reading material that you would like reviewing or discussing, send us a tweet @LoneStrikerBlog

The New England Revolution

Well, today has certainly been busy in the world of football. Roy Hodgson has both named his squad to face Norway and Switzerland for the upcoming fixtures, and handed Wayne Rooney the Three Lions armband in the same breath. Along with that, the Champions League Group Stage draw is underway as I type. Liverpool have just been paired with Real Madrid - "Tasty" as Daniel Sturridge has just put it on Twitter.

Hodgson’s selections have been general met with discontent, with neither his choice in captain, or his young squad selection, finding much enthusiasm from England supporters. A record low attendance is expected at Wembley for the friendly against Norway.

But should it be that way? With the retirements departures of messrs Gerrard and Lampard - not to mention Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry in recent years, the England squad has been left painfully thin in the way of experienced on-field leaders. 

Could Roy have realistically opted for anybody other than Wayne Rooney? What were his real options? Let’s take a look..

Joe Hart

The idea of a keeper leading the team out is something that sits uneasy with many footballing people. There have been many iconic keepers throughout time to successfully captain their sides - just look at Gigi Buffon and “Pre-José” Iker Casillas for two shining modern examples.

Hart clearly plays with passion, albeit sometimes allowing his emotions to get the better of him. Despite his No. 1 jersey coming under pressure last season at Manchester City (with a few dodgy TV commercials in the processes), Hart has now experienced two major tournaments with both England and manager Roy Hodgson, giving at least a decent account of himself both in Poland/Ukraine and Brazil. 

During the same period of time, he has won everything you can do, in terms of top-end domestic football in England, including the Premier League twice - taking the competitions “Golden Glove” for three of the last four campaigns.

At age 27, Hart already has enough experience under his belt and has a possible ten or so years left in his career - with many keepers staying on for international duty until they hang up their boots for good. You could even argue that he still hasn’t hit the peak of his goalkeeping career.

Had Joe Hart been picked, he could have provided a stable base for at least the next four major international tournaments from which Hodgson, and any subsequent England managers, could have built this new young team. 

However, when it’s the 85th minute and you are 2-1 down against France, who do you look to drag you kicking and screaming through the shit to urge and inspire his team on? 

Not your keeper, that’s for sure. 

The luxury that modern day Italy and Spain have had in recent years has been in having leaders all over the pitch - willing to do that job as second nature - allowing the goalkeeper to be the perfect figurehead of absolute calmness amidst the chaos. England, as we have been starkly reminded today, do not have that luxury. 

Theoretically, players representing their country should not need their captain to be the driving force that they sometimes can be at club level, but this will no doubt play a large part in the thought process of many when discounting Joe Hart.

Gary Cahill

In Gary Cahill, England have probably one of the world’s most on form defenders over the last couple of seasons, forming an enviable partnership with John Terry. At 28, Cahill is also the same age as new captain, Wazza.

Despite being relatively new to the sharp end of the game (Cahill only joined Chelsea from Bolton in 2012, lifting the Champions League trophy in his first season at the club), Cahill has become an integral cog in the England machine. Under the tutelage of John Terry (arguably the man who should still be England captain himself incidentally), Cahill’s game has certainly gone up a level over the last couple of years. 

His mental game has always been one of cool composure on the field, not often allowing himself to become flustered. It would certainly have been a bold move to hand Cahill the armband, sealing his rapid rise to the top of English football, but it would have shown once again that Hodgson has the balls to make bold choices and back himself. 

Capable of crunching tackles, calmness in possession, and more than an odd goal or two; Cahill would have been the perfect fit to lead the young exciting squad that Hodgson is clearly trying to mould. 

In order to have secured the backing from Hodgson for his captaincy bid, Cahill's performances would have needed to have been supreme. Did his performance in Brazil really stand out so much so that he warrants getting the nod over Wayne Rooney? Perhaps not.

Wayne Rooney

For all Wayne Rooney’s positives points, this decision is quite evidently one that not all fans are happy about. And it’s easy to see why. Rooney is the personification of everything that many people detest about the modern footballer. 

He’s had numerous scandals, both on and off the pitch, and has a terrible temperament at times; picking up a red card for England prior to the Euro 2012 tournament, in a mindless action that meant he missed the first two games of the group stage. He has been caught smoking and partying in the earlier hours of the Manchester night and has, on more than one occasion threatened to leave Manchester United, in an attempt to leverage a new multi-million pound contract - much to the disgust of Sir Alex Ferguson. These actions have safely ensured that Rooney will never be held in the same regard as Best, Charlton, Law, Cantona, Robson, Ronaldo et. al. 

Rooney will never be considered amongst these immortals who’s names are still sang out with love in the Stretford End.

But he works his bollocks off.

On the pitch, there is absolutely no questioning Wayne Rooney’s work rate. He is, in this sense, a shining example of the kind of effort and devotion that is required of an England captain. It has most certainly been a tough couple of seasons for Rooney, with the changing formations of recent times making a traditional No. 10 a difficult fit into the system - something very evident in Brazil. With the coming of RVP to United, he is no longer the main front man - and at the minute they both look to be very much on a sinking ship.

LVG made Rooney Manchester United captain at the start
of the season.

Van Gaal has come into United as the supposed saviour of the club and has in the process, named Wayne Rooney his captain, which might have come as a bit of a nasty surprise to Robin van Persie, who many tipped to be given the honour. However, with their form diabolical in times of late and a mass transitional phase in the offing, Rooney could cut a frustrated figure at Old Trafford for the next few years - if indeed he stays put. Either way, it will certainly be a test of his temperament and maturity.

Rooney has appeared more and more in front of the camera in recent times, becoming the spokesman for the national squad on more than one occasion. He clearly cares deeply about the England side, famously blasting boo-ing fans on TV after the final whistle in Cape Town, following a flat display in a 0-0 against Algeria. 

He is clearly the most experienced man in the side, and in this sense you have to agree with Roy Hodgson that Rooney is indeed “the obvious choice”. During the World Cup in Brazil you could argue that he was barely deserving of his starting slot, and many did - however, this could be put down to the system that Hodgson employed, with Rooney starting out wide on the left flank. 

One thing all England fans will agree on, is that Rooney must now take his game to the next level, both on and off the field, regardless of the position he starts in, if he is to prove himself worthy of  the same title as former legendary England leaders.

It is clear to see why Hodgson has picked Rooney; he is the safe choice. But is he the right one? Time will tell. Hodgson clearly thinks that handing this degree of responsibility, and honour, to Rooney will have a similar effect that it has had elsewhere on some of the world's best strikers, whose international form, like Rooney's, has come under intense criticism. The promotion to captaincy has elevated the performances of Leo Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo in recent years. Roy will be hoping for a similar result.

Elsewhere (much) more radical choices could have come in the form of either Jordan Henderson or Jack Wilshere. 

Henderson has shown himself to be of great quality in the centre of the park in the last two major tournaments and has really made the midfield his own; outshining Gerrard comfortably in Brazil. Wilshere, on the other hand, is now likely to gain a few more minutes with Gerrard having retired. Wilshere must earn this spot however. Since bursting onto the stage as a youngster he has yet to solidify his name on the team sheet for both club and country, and this season is probably the most important of his whole career. Injuries cannot be another excuse for Jack. 

Despite this pair looking likely to be our engine-room going forward, they are both fairly unrealistic choices for the captain’s armband, and in this instance, Rooney more than deserves the call over the duo.

The one apparent fact that the instatement of Rooney as captain of both Manchester United and England leaves resonating, is that both club and country are in desperate need of depth and quality. 

The Squad

Goalkeepers; Fraser Forster (Southampton), Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Hart (Manchester City).

Defenders; Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Everton).

Midfielders; Jack Colback (Newcastle United), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal).

Strikers; Rickie Lambert (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United).

With the absence of Ross Barkley and Adam Lallana through injury, coupled with the retirement of Lamps and Gerrard, Hodgson hands four players their first England call ups; Jack Colback, Fabian Delph, Calum Chambers, and Danny Rose. It is pretty obvious that had Barkley and Lallana been available then two of these names would not have been on the sheet.

However, in a period of transition it is important that Hodgson introduces competition for positions, and in bringing in four hungry young players he has guaranteed himself men that will give everything they have in training and, given the opportunity, in a match. 

The main question is; do they have the quality? Certainly all four have started the season strongly. Colback has looked outstanding since making the switch from Sunderland to Newcastle, and Calum Chambers presents us with the first genuinely promising young centre-back since Matthew Upson - all those years ago. In Fabian Delph, England have called up Aston Villa's consistent inspirational spark through the middle of the pitch, having had to endure two years of otherwise pretty dull stuff under Paul Lambert. Danny Rose has flirted with call-ups before, but the dynamic youngster falls somewhat victim of type-cast of the modern full-back - that is to say, bags of pace and exciting going forward, but you could probably choose a better defender. I cannot see Rose inspiring us any more than Kieran Gibbs, Luke Shaw, Kyle Naughton, Kyle Walker, Glen Johnson, etc. If anything, we are inundated with average full-backs. 

PS. It is beyond me how George Friend of Middlesbrough has evaded an England call-up thus far. - he's nicknamed "RoboCop" on Teesside for goodness sake! On a serious note, I would actually keep an eye out for him. A serious piece of talent.

Otherwise the squad is not too different from the one we took to South America, save the addition of Andros Townsend, who looked sharp last season before picking up an injury.

England did not look beyond hope in Brazil. 

Baines and Jagielka were indeed found out at international level, but Cahill and Johnson (in parts) were strong. It is here that Hodgson must focus his attentions. The emergence of Calum Chambers and John Stones looks to be a potential solution to England's defensive frailties, whilst Luke Shaw will slot dutifully into left-back, more or less unchallenged. 

Moving up the pitch, England are packed with fast paced, strong tackling, and skilful young talent. A few more months of refinement will not, require too much change, but players like Jack Wilshere and indeed, the new captain are going to have to take their game to the next gear. Competition for places in the midfield and up front will hopefully keep performance high in these areas of the pitch, and leaders will of course be made in time.

One thing is for certain though; despite early career hype, it is looking fairly likely that Phil Jones will never see the England captaincy, but the outlook for England and it's young squad could be a lot brighter than it currently appears to be.

Louis van Gaal: The Ajax Years

An increasingly familiar collective groan of disappointment descended around Louis van Gaal’s ears at the final whistle of his first game in charge at Old Trafford on Saturday. Both he, and the supporters of Manchester United are however, offered solace from Van Gaal’s first managerial experience at Ajax, where, after an equally inauspicious start, he embarked on a trophy laden six-year reign and oversaw one of the most successful periods in the club's history.

Former PE teacher van Gaal had been a youth coach at Ajax when, in September 1991, its head coach, the revered Leo Beenhakker was summoned back to Real Madrid, from where he had steered them to three successive league title victories in the mid 1980’s - in order to combat the emergence of a young, thrilling team at Barcelona, under the tutelage of another Dutchman; their greatest ever player, Johann Cruyff. To the admonition of almost the entire Dutch footballing fraternity, van Gaal was unexpectedly named as Beenhakker’s successor.

Despite the hostility of the Ajax support, who had began a public campaign to pressure the Ajax board into the return of the iconic Cruyff, van Gaal indeed felt quietly confident that his squad possessed the means through which they could go on and harbour success. 

He inherited a squad already rich with rising stars, who were already fixtures in the Dutch National Team, and in youngsters Wim Jonk, Aron Winter and Dennis Bergkamp - players who were already attracting the attention of the world’s richest clubs in Italy and Spain. 

But van Gaal’s first significant move at Ajax was an acrimonious one, and has been an often repeated theme throughout his career. He marginalized, and then forced out the man widely regarded as Holland’s most pivotal player, during the resurgence of Dutch Football under Rinus Michels, and their  midfield lynchpin during The European Championships triumph in 1988; Jan Wouters. The same aversion to coaching established senior players has continued to plague LVG's managerial career. At Barcelona, the mindless decision to marginalise Rivaldo (then the world’s best player), before a similar fate befell Marc van Bommel at Bayern Munich, after starring during van Gaal’s first double winning season, prior turning his ire on Frank Ribery.

van Gaal’s very public fallout with Ajax’s established figurehead only exacerbated their erratic form, during the early period of his reign. De Amsterdammers took just 20 points from their first 16 games. Pressure mounted and the calls for van Gaal’s head grew louder and more intense. More damaging for Ajax supporters (as indeed it would be for Barca Fans), was van Gaal’s pragmatic style of football. It was cold. Clinical. Methodical. It was the very antithesis of Tootalvoetball. van Gaal proved to be no ideologue to the sacred 4-3-3 of Ajax and the Dutch DNA. His Ajax teams were the triumph of tactical pragmatism over footballing dogma.

Young Gunner - Dennis Bergkamp

He was aloof and confrontational with the Dutch media and was driven by a rigid conviction and unbending belief that his methods would bring success. He was criticized for being ‘authoritarian’ and ‘dictatorial.’ His vision of how football should be played differed markedly from that of the sacred principal’s of Ajax Totaalvoetbal. van Gaal’s Ajax was the triumph of systemic efficiency over individual brilliance. It was clinical and calculated, built around an ethic of collective discipline.

His model of success would be based on intelligence system building, with players drilled incessantly on their roles, their positional play, their individual responsibilities, and their decision making. Van Gaal’s Ajax played a high tempo possession game that relied for its success on fast compact exchanges of passes between always forward attacking players. Through this high tempo possession game, his players were drilled to probe for areas of weakness in the opposition and then ruthlessly exploit it.

Yet it was bereft of the romance and the free spirit of individualism that were the hallmarks of the great Ajax teams who had won three successive European Cups two decades earlier, but van Gaal would always vigorously defend his principles;

“Football is a team sport, and members of the team are therefore dependent on each other. If certain players do not carry out their tasks properly on the pitch, then their colleagues will suffer. This means that each player has to carry out his basic tasks to the best of his ability, and this requires a disciplined approach on the pitch.”

But while van Gaal initially found new admirers off the pitch, his players had no qualms with buying into the van Gaal philosophy. Here, Dennis Bergkamp describes van Gaal’s arrival at the helm;

"Van Gaal made us eager and ambitious. We trained meticulously. Every detail, shooting, passing, everything became more tactical. van Gaal would say, “Consider every move you make” He constantly hammered home that you had to be aware of everything you were doing. Our game was innovative, attractive to watch and enjoyable to play. If we slipped up we didn’t give up. We kept bouncing back because we stuck to van Gaal’s philosophy that the team is more important than any individual player.  Louis said time and again, “If everyone adheres to the agreements we make as a team, success will inevitably follow.”

Despite the early difficulties however, things improved dramatically. A resurgence in league form clawed back vital ground in the title race and van Gaal’s side finished as runners-up to PSV by just three points. But the league had proven to be a sideshow as van Gaal delivered Ajax’s first Uefa Cup in their history - triumph in his first season at the helm. The victory also meant that Ajax were only the second club to win all three European club trophies, after Juventus.

In its previous life, the Uefa Cup was a prestigious honour - not the bloated staged managed freakshow it has become under Platini’s much maligned and devalued Europa League guise. Ajax’s 1992 triumph was a stunning victory after around a brilliant performance against a much vaunted Torino side.  For one season at least, the Dutch upstarts had broken the Italian monopoly of the trophy.

Wim Jonk's Wonderstrike against Torino in The 1992 Uefa Cup Final.

Stefan Petterson equalizes from the penalty spot.

As van Gaal’s second season in charge began, he started to shape his true vision of what his Ajax would look like. Aron Winter was sold in a big money move to Lazio. Criss-crossing paths with the outgoing Winter were two dynamic wingers, Nigerian, Finidi George and young Dutch starlet, Marc Overmars. van Gaal’s second season proved somewhat of a disappointment, given the way his side had ended the previous campaign. A third place finish in the league was however offset by victory in the Dutch Cup.

During the close season before the 1993/94 campaign, van Gaal had sanctioned the joint departures of Wim Jonk and Dennis Bergkamp to Inter, in another huge multi-million pound deal. He had agreed to the deal after publicly declaring, to widespread derision, that he had a ready replacement for the star in Finnish unknown, Jari Litmanen.

But van Gaal’s defining masterstroke and inspired act of genius was in persuading veteran Frank Rijkaard to return to Amsterdam from AC Milan, where he had been the central figure in the greatest team of its generation, the last to win successive European Cup titles.

Van Gaal saw in Rijkaard the missing piece to his evolving Ajax team, a player equally adept at Centre-back or in Central Midfield. He would be capable of giving van Gaal the tactical versatility to compete against the elite of European club teams. He also saw in Rijkaard the perfect mentor to play alongside the Ajax youngsters both handed their debuts by van Gaal, Edgar Davids and Clarence Seedorf. With Rijkaard as van Gaal's fulcrum his teams could seamlessly transition between formations. Whilst van Gaal favoured a 3 man back line, Rijkaard could step into Centre-back alongside Danny Blind allowing for a 4-4-1-1, with Litmanen behind a number 9 (nominally from Ronald de Boer, Nwanku Kanu or Patrick Klliuvert).

The impact was immediate. Ajax won the Dutch League title in 1994, with the previously unheralded Litmanen crowned top goalscorer. But it was for their achievements during the 1994/95 campaign that van Gaal is best remembered, as Ajax retained the Dutch League title after having gone through the season unbeaten, and were crowned Champions of Europe for the first time in two decades.

Ajax’s 1995 Champions League triumph has seemingly been remembered in footballing folklore as the biggest upset of its type in recent history, yet nothing could be further from the truth. Ajax began the campaign drawn alongside defending champions Milan in the Group Stages, during which they comprehensively defeated the Italians 2-0 in both home and away ties.

LVG toasts the 1995/96 Dutch Eredivisie with his young team.

With van Gaal using the versatile Rijkaard deployed as the deep-lying central midfielder, he favoured a radical 3-1-2-3-1 formation. With Rijkaard playing in front of a three man backline of Danny Blind (CB) Frank De Boer (LB) and Michael Reiziger (RB), Van Gaal freed up Blind to play as a sweeper. As attacks broke down, or balls were played beyond the Milan front line, Rijkaard stepped in seamlessly, thus leaving Blind to carry the ball out of defence and launch attack after attack. Van Gaal compensated for the weakness of any 3 at the back setup (the lack of defensive width), by using their centre midfielders, (nominally Seedorf and Davids) to track the runs of opposing wide players - not the conventional wisdom of marauding wingbacks. The advantage of Van Gaal’s system at Ajax was that with the centre midfielder tracking wide runs, the blistering natural pace of his wingers, Marc Overmars and Finidi George were ever available outlets though which to launch attacks.

Their landmark performance came during the second leg Semi-final against a Bayern Munich side seen by many as the tournament’s favourites. After a goalless first leg in Munich, the Germans were simply swept aside, as a relentless Ajax dismantled them with a veracity not seen in Amsterdam for a generation. van Gaal’s midfield trio of Rijkaard, Seedorf and Davids dominated the game augmented by the blistering pace on both flanks by the marauding Finidi George and Marc Overmaars who both found the net in an era-defining 5-2 victory. In fact, the final itself was one of frustration for van Gaal and his young side, as Capello’s Milan sought to frustrate the dutch and wear them down in a battle of attrition. But with 20 minutes left in a game destined for extra time, van Gaal replaced Litmanen with the 19 year old Patrick Kliuvert, who had been handed his debut earlier in the season.

And so it was that with 5 minutes left,the young substitute found himself in possession on the edge of the Milan box, played a neat one-two and slotted home past the despairing Rossi, to complete the ultimate footballing fairy-tale. With an average age of just 23, Ajax had become the youngest side to ever lift the most revered club trophy on earth.

Immediately after the final, the first cracks emerged that would signpost the fate of van Gaal’s Ajax. The final was the last game 18 year-old Clarence Seedorf played for the club.  With the outcome of the soon-to-be Bosman Ruling in the offing, and with only a year left to run on his first professional contract, Ajax were not financially equipped to offer long-term multi million pounds deals to its raft of young stars.

Seedorf left for Sampdoria, followed by Rijkaard, who retired after the Champions League triumph, perhaps all too aware of the perfect symmetry it had brought to a career laden with silverware and individual accolades.

The 1995/96 season was still one of continued success for Ajax. The League title was retained for the third consecutive season, and in Europe van Gaal’s team continued to win admirers. In the group stages Ajax were applauded off the pitch at the Bernabeu as they beat a star studded Real Madrid team 2-0. But ultimately the season would end in disappointment.  A second successive Champions League Final ended in defeat for the Dutch.  After a 1-1 draw and extra time, they lost their trophy to a newly resurgent Juventus team on penalties.

Van Gaal’s legacy at Ajax is one mired in conflict. Despite overseeing one of the most successful periods in the clubs history he is still viewed by many as a shrewd pragmatist whose win-at-all-costs mentality was a betrayal of the principles of Ajax and Totaalvoetbal.

As van Gaal was lifting the Uefa Cup in his first season in charge, another Dutch coach was lifting the European Cup for the first time in Barcelona’s history. The heirs to Rinus Michels’ vision of Totaalvoetbal were reshaping modern football in Catalonia - not in Amsterdam.

This resentment runs deep, certainly, Ajax’s most beloved son Cruyff never forgave van Gaal for abandoning the sacred Ajax principles. Following his sacking from Bayern Munich in 2011, Ajax appointed van Gaal as Chief Executive. Cruyff, outraged,  launched a legal challenge and his appointment was overturned, such is the enmity by which van Gaal is still regarded by some elements of the Ajax support.

The greatest tragedy is the rapid decimation of van Gaal’s Ajax, although nurtured by one Dutchman, it was effectively destroyed by another, Marc Bosman. With such an inordinately young team, most of its first team stars were playing under their first professional contracts, which by the precarious nature of youth development in football, remain notoriously short ended. With the Dutch Eredivisie then as it is now, essentially a footballing backwater, with none of the same commercial pull of the English, Spanish, or Italian game, Ajax were simply unable to offer their young stars the same long term multi-million pound deals they found elsewhere on the continent - Ajax became the singular greatest victim of the Bosman Ruling.

Premier League 2014/15 Season Preview

The waiting is finally over, and in just a few immensely long hours, and minutes, the world's premier domestic football competition will return to full flow. Fans of Championship sides and those competing in the qualifying rounds of European competition have already whet their appetite with a return to action - whilst Arsenal and Real Madrid have already had their name engraved on silverware this season.

Following a belter of a campaign last time out, the stage is set for, incredibly, an even more enthralling show this season. Transfers in and out, coupled with intriguing managerial additions, have added some zing to the melting pot, and we honestly, for the second time in two years, have no idea where the famous trophy will end up, come May.

Through the promotion of Leicester, Burnley and QPR, as well as the coming of "King" Louis Van Gaal, the league has seen the influx of four huge managerial personalities - all with a point to prove. One thing is for certain, despite losing out of big world names to the Spanish La Liga, the English top flight has seemingly not suffered in the way of quality or intrigue.

Whilst a prediction is obviously not law - something lost on many Leeds and Norwich fans following my unkind assessment of their Championship chances (I did however allow myself a chuckle when both were beaten by Millwall and Wolves, respectively, in their opening fixtures) - we have tried to give our best prediction, based on transfers completed, form at the back end of last season, managerial change, and of course, finances, to give our assessment of how we see the Barclays Premier League panning out in the 2014/15 Season.

Arsenal

Nickname: The Gunners

City: London

Stadium (Capacity): Emirates Stadium (60,361)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 59,487

Manager: Arsene Wenger

One to watch: Alexis Sanchez

Position finished last season: 4th

Expectations for 2014/15:

The Gunners have already managed to get their name on some silverware this season, making that two trophies in their last two competitive matches. Their victory was conclusive over Manchester City in last week's Charity Shield,  with impressive performances from across the squad, notably including new boys, Alexis Sanchez and Calum Chambers, and Aaron Ramsey.

The Gunners look set to go up through the gears, and could go one better than last season, finally breaking out of the shackles of 4th place. In order to do that though, they need further investment. Rumours of Sami Khedira have gone quiet, and though whilst the German would add some steel in midfield, it's not exactly Arsene Wenger's problem area. Central defence is still woefully thin, following the departure of Thomas Vermaelen to FC Barcelona last week. In order to become a title winning side, Arsenal must acquire at least two more defenders before the seasons gets fully going.

New kid on the block - Alexis Sanchez arrives from
FCB following an impressive World Cup for Chile.

Going forward, the Gunners have it all. Against City they showed awesome pace in attack - and that without the services of Mesut Özil, Lukas Podolski, and Theo Walcott. There will be goals, and Arsenal should start to see some of the quality of old in the final third. Maybe the plan is to just simply outscore every opponent they come up against?

Given some transfer magic, and a bit of fortune, could Arsenal be about to pull off the unthinkable and take the Premier League trophy back to North London for the first time in almost a decade? It's unlikely, given the quality they face around them. City, Chelsea and possibly Liverpool all have deeper and more tactically versatile squads. They will most certainly be one to keep an eye out for though.

Aston Villa

Nickname: The Villains

City: Birmingham

Stadium (Capacity): Villa Park (42,788)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 36,081

Manager: Paul Lambert

One to watch: Fabian Delph

Position finished last season: 15th

Expectations for 2014/15:

Villa have been flirting with the drop for a couple of years now, with Paul Lambert having been “blooding youth” for what feels like forever. Villa need to start kicking into gear and pressing on up the league. However, with owner Randy Lerner wanting out, this isn’t about to happen, as investment is at an all time low, and has probably served to keep Paul Lambert in a job for longer than expected.

Villa have had some money during the Lambert years, but it has been poorly invested. Middlesbrough fans could barely breathe through laughing as Villa forked out around £5m for Joe Bennett – a terrible left back even in the Championship.

One positive is the arrival of Joe Cole, but in reality he will not make significant impact where Villa really struggle – organisation at the back. In this sense, maintaining the signature of Ron Vlaar following a mighty summer in Brazil, could be invaluable if Villa are to beat the drop. This isn’t even a certainty though, with Southampton new Dutch manager Ronald Koeman poised to strike. They're desperate for a return to form from Christian Benteke, in order to form a decent axis with Fabian Delph.

The inpact of out-and-out winner Roy Keane could be massive this season. If Villa make a dire start, Keane could even see himself in the hot seat before January.

To compound any misery Villa fans may already have, they need to face the entirety of last season's Top Six in their first ten games. Not looking good.

Burnley

Nickname: The Clarets

City: Burnley

Stadium (Capacity): Turf Moor (22,546)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 13,719

Manager: Sean Dyche

One to watch: 

Position finished last season: Promoted from the Championship as runners-up.

Expectations for 2014/15:

If you are a regular viewer of The Footballer’s Football Show, or Soccer AM, both on Sky, you are familiar with Sean Dyche. The charismatic Burnley manager was one of the Championship’s biggest success stories last campaign, overseeing the Claret’s return to the big time, as runners-up, with a huge tally of 93 points. Dyche speaks with intelligence, and has a methodical, astute view of the game, and it will be very interesting to see how he fares up against the likes of LVG and Mourinho.

Sean Dyche - immortalised in Lego.

Danny Ings and Sam Vokes formed a ferocious strike partnership last season, bagging 41 between them. This time, you would imagine they are not afforded the freedom of the opposition penalty area, and a similar haul will be next to impossible. But with Ings receiving shouts for an England call-up at the back end of last season, Burnley are certainly strong going forward. They have added experience and depth across the squad, with the arrivals of Matt Taylor and Steven Reid.

With one of the smallest budgets on the go, Burnley may find it a struggle to keep up over the course of the season, but with a bit more investment, and if Dyche can maintain his upward managerial curve however, there is no reason why Burnley could stay up. We hope they do.

Chelsea

Nickname: The Blues

City: London

Stadium (Capacity): Stamford Bridge (41,798)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 41,482

Manager: José Mourinho

One to watch: Cesc Fabregas/ Diego Costa

Position finished last season: 3rd

Expectations for 2014/15:

Chelsea have shown themselves to be the shrewdest operators in the English transfer market in the last two seasons. The Special One and his "Little Horse" look ready to compete for top honours this time out, following the purchase of both Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa from La Liga. Costa comes fresh from a La Liga title and Champions League final, and is widely regarded as the second most dangerous front man in Europe, behind a certain Uruguayan chomper. Not to mention the return of club god, Didier Drogba.

And all of this whilst more-or-less breaking even. The sales of David Luiz (we've all seen the memes following Germany's thrashing of Brazil), Demba Ba, and Romelu Lukaku have more than subsidised the two big summer signings, and the wage bill has been slashed following the departures of Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, and Samuel Eto'o. Impressive.

Mourinho in conversation with the
departed Frank Lampard.

José, for all the criticism of his methods, is unquestionably one of the world's tactical masterminds, and one of the Premier League's premium personalities. He is a seasoned winner, and he knows exactly how to extract the absolute best out of his Chelsea squad over the course of a season. We fancy Chelsea to lift the trophy, and possibly either win more domestic silverware, or go far in the Champions League.

Make no mistake though, this season is one of pressure for JM. Chelsea finished third last time out, and José still hasn't really shook the Real Madrid monkey off his back. His years in Spain were some of the worst in his career, and he is still looking to fully recover from them. A certain Roman Abramovich will no doubt be watching keenly.

Crystal Palace

Nickname: The Eagles

City: London

Stadium (Capacity): Selhurst Park (26,255)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 24,377

Manager: Tony Pulis

One to watch: Mile Jedinak

Position finished last season: 11th

Expectations for 2014/15:

As I was typing this piece up last night, I was about to write something for Crystal Palace along the lines of; “Having won Manager of the Season last time out, Tony Pulis has done a magnificent job and will undoubtedly look to make an assault on the top half of the Premier League this campaign.”

As the news unfolds this morning that Pulis has incredibly left the club – apparently by mutual consent - over a rift in the boardroom regarding control over transfers, we can’t help but feel that this is probably the worst way Eagles fans could have possibly imaged kicking off the new year. In Pulis, Palace had a manager who would guarantee top flight football, and in the managerial market that Crystal Palace operate in, he will be very difficult to top - and we struggle to think who might come in and do a better job.

No doubt, Messrs Pearson, Dyche and Redknapp will be watching the news unfold with glee, as this now very much opens up the opportunity for them to stay up at Palace’s expense. Not only through the loss of manager, but to start the season off with this level of uncertainty is never a comfortable feeling for any fan.

If Palace do not replace their fall hero swiftly, and with quality, they could very well end up exiting the Premier League through the trapdoor.

Everton

Nickname: The Toffees

City: Liverpool

Stadium (Capacity): Goodison Park (40,537)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 37,732

Manager: Roberto Martinez

One to watch: Ross Barkley

Position finished last season: 5th

Expectations for 2014/15:

Last season was just dreadful for poor David Moyes. Not only did he find the United job to be far too much for him, but his old club managed their biggest points haul since they last won the top flight. The perception that Moyes had been overachieving with Everton was harshly swept away, and replaced with one that suggested he might have done better with the squad he had.

Life after Moyes for the Toffee’s has certainly exceeded expectations. With a new brand of ultimately attractive attacking football, built on a solid foundation at the back, has won the hearts of many neutrals around the country. Coupled with the rise of a handful of home-grown youngsters, the resurgence of Gareth Barry, and the awesome left foot of Leighton Baines, Everton must take plaudits for their English core, in a time when the like of Manchester City field a full starting XI of foreigners. If the England team is to attempt to replicate the German model, it is teams like Everton that will get the ball rolling,

Despite narrowly missing out on the Champions League last season, Everton may find this season a bit tougher going. United will be a stronger force, and will likely compete directly with Everton for 5th place, as well as the Toffees now having to compete in the Europa League on Thursday nights.

They have been very quiet on the transfer front, in terms of volume of signings, with only really the permanent capture of Barry and Lukaku to note, as well as the Loan signing of Christian Atsu from Chelsea.

Without having expanded the squad to fight in Europe, and United not having that as a distraction, we fancy Everton to compete well in Europe, but ultimately suffer at home for it, with United beating them to 5th place.

Hull City

Nickname: The Tigers

City: Hull

Stadium (Capacity): KC Stadium (25,400)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 24,116

Manager: Steve Bruce

One to watch: Tom Ince

Position finished last season: 16th

Expectations for 2014/15:

Rebranding and dodgy new badges aside; it’s an exciting time to be from Hull (first time that has ever been said). Steve Bruce is really onto something at the KC, and Tigers fans can look forward to European football, owing to their FA Cup Final appearance in May.

They have recruited impressively - despite losing Shane Long to Saints for “an offer too good to refuse” - adding Robert Snodgrass and Jake Livermore, whilst beating Inter Milan to the signature of Tom Ince – we do not understand how.

Despite only finishing 16^th in the league last season, this position doesn’t do Hull any justice, as their league form dropped off severely, as they started to take the FA Cup more seriously – and rightfully so.

Competing in Europe, whilst it may be an amazing experience for the fans, could see league form suffer, but not to the extent of them being in danger of the drop. There are definitely worse outfits in this league than Hull. Hopefully the man at the top doesn't do anything drastic to spoil what could be a memorable season.

Leicester City

Nickname: The Foxes

City: Leicester

Stadium (Capacity): King Power Stadium (32,262)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 24,995

Manager: Nigel Pearson

One to watch: David Nugent

Position finished last season: Promoted from The Championship as runaway Champions.

Expectations for 2014/15:

The Foxes absolutely ran away with the Championship last season – scoring an almighty 102 points haul. Nigel Pearson, a former General in his playing days, looks to employ the same level of intense motivation in his managerial style, with players ready to go the distance for him.

In (the very much underrated) Marc Albrighton, and Matthew Upson, the Foxes have recruited crucial top flight experience, to add to the likes of Kasper Schmeichel and David Nugent, both of whom have had short-term outings previously. They may feel a bit more comfortable with one or two solid signings before the end of the transfer window, but in their current, well-organised hungry young squad, with Pearson at the helm, they have every chance of staying in the Premier League.

With Tony Pulis leaving Crystal Palace in bizarre fashion before a ball is even kicked, all three of the promoted clubs will smell blood, and Leicester might possibly be favourites to capitalise.

Liverpool

Nickname: The Reds

City: Liverpool

Stadium (Capacity): Anfield (45,276)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 44,671

Manager: Brendan Rodgers

One to watch: Raheem Sterling

Position finished last season: 2nd

Expectations for 2014/15:

Brendan Rodgers has very much proven himself one of the more tactically astute managers in the Premier League; and no doubt that loss against Chelsea at the end of last season will have felt like an arrow to the heart, as the Reds were undone by wily old Mourinho’s counter attack.

Expect to see a bit more
of this in 2014/15

That said – what a season it was for Liverpool last time out. The Reds very much go into this season with high hopes, even after losing the world’s most dangerous striker (for more than just his shooting ability). They have recruited well this summer, and will be all too aware of the depth needed in the squad if they are to compete on the European stage too this season. The arrival of Southampton’s finest, in the form of Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Rickie Lambert is a mouth watering proposition, and will add to the already magnificent attacking forces at Anfield, as well as steadying the ship at the back. No more unforced errors from poor Kolo Toure will be tolerated.

Jordan Henderson has very much come into his own over the last season. Having suffered significant stick for his performances during the Kenny Dalglish years, the young Mackem was one of the outstanding figures at Liverpool last year. The power shift in the England camp was evident also, as Henderson collared Wayne Rooney, to remind him of his defensive responsibilities down the left wing against Italy, following Liverpool teammate Daniel Sturridge’s goal. He may yet be even more crucial to Liverpool's title chances. Towards the end of last season, and throughout the World Cup, incredibly, we started to lose a bit of faith in Steven Gerrard's ability. The Scouse God may be forced to sit out a bit more of the season than he would like, in order to preserve his longevity.

We expect Liverpool to try and press on and make another assault on the title. However, given the quality of Chelsea and Manchester City, they will be hard pressed to outscore them both over an entire season, given that they will now face midweek action in the Champions League also – they no longer have that advantage this season.

Manchester City

Nickname: The Citizens

City: Manchester

Stadium (Capacity): Etihad Stadium (47,805)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 47,080

Manager: Manuel Pelligrini

One to watch: Sergio Aguero

Position finished last season: 1st

Expectations for 2014/15: 

Despite a massively flat outing in the Charity Shield against Arsenal, in which they were amazingly, outclassed in every department - you can never write off a squad with this much talent from retaining their title. Having won the trophy twice now, City are now fully aware of what it takes to go the distance, albeit, clinching their first on the final minute of the season, and their second having lead the league the least amount of days out of anybody who had. They certainly wouldn't say no to a comfier ride.

That said, the pressure is starting to mount of City to make any sort of impact on Europe's biggest stage. Given the quality in their side, their last two Champions League campaigns must go down as massive failures. This squad, as a unit, is not used to competing for titles both at home and on the continent simultaneously - and concentration on either could see their form suffer in the other. Having taken two Premier Leagues now, we expect City to pour everything they can into the assault on Europe, which has been made slightly more difficult with their UEFA wrist slap - they must now operate on a budget of only £49m, and must register at least five homegrown players in their 21-man Champions League squad (which, after fielding an entirely foreign starting XI against Arsenal, could prove to be a stretch on quality).

Back home, they now face an even hungrier Mourinho, now in his second season back at Chelsea, with his "Little Horse" seemingly ready to race. We cannot see past Chelsea for the Premier League.

For this reason, we do not see City lifting the title in May. But they may fare better than they have done in the Champions League. Locking Vincent Kompany into a new four year deal is at least something to be over the blue moon about.

Manchester United

Nickname: The Red Devils

City: Manchester

Stadium (Capacity): Old Trafford (75,713)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 75,207

Manager: Louis Van Gaal

One to watch: Ander Herrera

Position finished last season: 7th

Expectations for 2014/15:

"Nobody wants to be the man to follow Sir Alex Ferguson" - maybe not. But who wouldn't want to be the man to follow David Moyes? United have handed Dutchman, Louis Van Gaal one of the best managerial positions in world football, owing to the bashing that expectations took under the Moyes regime. 

Following a strong World Cup, Louis Van Gaal appears to be on top form, and his strict methods are exactly what United crave at Carrington - off the back of one of their least disciplined periods of recent history. Van Gaal looks poised to instate a back three, as employed in Brazil - which could see heavy dependance on the wing backs from the Reds this campaign. With the rumour mill persistently churning out stories about Mats Hummels, Daley Blind, Marco Rojo and Angel Di Maria, it would appear United will make at least one more headline signing before the end of the transfer window, with Blind a perfect fit for the LWB slot.

LVG recently instated Wayne Rooney as the new captain of
Manchester United, ending months of speculation.

Having said that, aside from Ander Herrera (who appears to be the answer to United's prayers since Paul Scholes hung up his boots) and young Luke Shaw, LVG hasn't really had the mass clearout that some pundits were citing essential last season. Figures like Nani, Antonio Valencia, Hernandez et. al. still remain, whilst key members of the old guard depart in the form of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic to pastures new, and Ryan Giggs, finally into retirment. Hard to blame Van Gaal for the relatively tame transfer window however, given his involvement as Holland boss.

This season could very much be about Van Gaal getting the ropes in the Premier League, before making the squad his own next summer. Although, despite all of this, the lack of midweek European football will only serve to play into United's hands, much as it did for Liverpool last season. We expect United to be certainly fighting for their Champions League place back, but it might just be beyond them this campaign with their current squad.

Newcastle United

Nickname: The Magpies

City: Newcastke

Stadium (Capacity): St. James' Park (52,405)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 50,395

Manager: Alan Pardew

One to watch: Tim Krul

Position finished last season: 10th

Expectations for 2014/15:

Patience for mediocrity at Newcastle must be depleting as they see teams around them galvanising, ready for the new season. Pardew has taken over following the departure of the likeable Chris Hughton, and hasn’t really done all that much.

Let’s make no mistake here, for a club the size of Newcastle, mid-table really isn’t good enough. Whether that falls solely on Pardew’s shoulders or not, it is usually the manager who takes responsibility regardless. Unless the Magpies make early head way, Pardew might be a decent bet to not be around come Holiday Season, harsh or not. Of course, headbutting opposition doesn’t help.

Very much in the mould of a selling club, Newcastle have lost the services of one of their best, in Mathieu Debuchy, following a decent World Cup, and of course Yahan Cabaye to PSG, last season. The arrival of Siem de Jong from Ajax is a positive, but they will need key players, notably Papiss Cisse, to bring their A-game. 

A potential season of the unknown for Newcaslte, but there are far worse clubs in the league. Despite universal hatred from the Geordie faithful, Mike Ashley has turned around the financial fortunes of the club, albeit without any sort of passion. The boardroom of St. James’ Park is however, seemingly (incredibly) one of the more secure in the Premier League, and Pards may yet be afforded another summer if Newcastle do have an indifferent season.  

Not an enthralling proposition though.

QPR

Nickname: The R's

City: London

Stadium (Capacity): Loftus Road (18,489)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 16,655

Manager: Harry Redknapp

One to watch: Joey Barton

Position finished last season: Promoted from the Championship as Play-off Winners.

Expectations for 2014/15:

There was real affection in the air between Barton
and Fernandes at Wembley following QPR's
victory over Derby in the Play-off Final

At the beginning of last season, QPR were firm favourites to bounce straight back into the Premier League, and the duly delivered. Despite Joey Barton’s claims before the season had kicked off that he would “never play Championship football”, with an eye on staying in France, the fans accepted his apologies and welcomed him back with open arms. Never has such faith been repaid in the way that it was by Barton last season. The standout player for QPR, urging them on ferociously, whilst players like Nico Kranjcar couldn’t have looked less interested in playing in the second tier. Barton’s game has improved incredibly from the Rottweiler of the midfield, to a much more cultured all-rounder, who’s eye for a pass is something to behold. He will be key to their fortunes this season.

In manager Harry Redknapp, QPR have a seasoned vet, who knows what it takes to stay in the big time. Owner Tony Fernandes’ pockets are deep, and with him withdrawn interest from his other sport, Formula 1, looks set on focussing all attention in staying in the Premier League. Whilst the bookies don’t appear to fancy QPR, many will tip them to be most likely to stay up out of the promoted teams. The signing of Rio Ferdinand will add to this, as the former England captain will add steel, and a desire to win, amidst his endless experience. Keep an eye out also for Charlie Austin, who would have been a Premier League player regardless of the switch he made from Burnley last season.

Southampton

Nickname: The Saints

City: Southampton

Stadium (Capacity): St. Mary's (32,589)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 30,212

Manager: Ronald Koeman

One to watch: 

Position finished last season: 8th

Expectations for 2014/15:

You’ve got to feel for Saints fans. Never before has a club seen such a summer of Exodus, following a great previous season. Southampton are a victim of their own design, in the sense that through nurturing all of their young talent, they have become the envy of many, including the big boys. The departures of Shaw, Chambers, Lambert and Lallana – not to mention the man behind the meteoric rise last season, Mauricio Pochettino, came as a hammer blow. But in new boss Ronald Koeman, they have one of the game’s all-time greats, fresh from turning Feyenoord back into a Dutch force.

Having sold the aforementioned stars of last season Saints have reaped somewhere close to a staggering £100m in transfer fees, so there is plenty in the “warchest” for them to rebuild effectively – so long as they don’t do what Spurs did with Gareth Bale’s £90m. Still, influential players in the form of Wanyama, Rodriguez and Ward-Prowse remain, so there is a foundation with which to build on, and with the arrival of Fraser Forster from Celtic, Shane Long from Hull, and Ryan Bertrand on loan from Chelsea, Saints looks to be in recovery mode. The opening weeks will reveal the problem areas no doubt, but Saints fans shouldn’t fear the worst. We tip them to stay up, and consolidate lower-mid table. They’ve done it once before and they’re in decent shape to do it again.

Stoke City

Nickname: The Potters

City: Stoke

Stadium (Capacity): Britannia Stadium (27,740)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 26,137

Manager: Mark Hughes

One to watch: Bojan

Position finished last season: 9th

Expectations for 2014/15:

Few were expecting the degree of change that Mark Hughes would bring with him, but incredibly, Stoke are now fairly attractive to watch. Starting to stagnate a bit in the bottom half, change was necessary from the Pulis era, even if he did go on to become Manager of the Season with Palace.

Stoke have been fairly quiet on the transfer front, aside from the signing of a certain diminutive attacking player from Barcelona. Lionel who? We’re talking about Bojan, of course. Probably the biggest sign of change at the Britannia – Bojan would never have gotten into a Pulis team, where direct play was king. Now the onus is very much on the players to get the ball, and keep it.

We expect a solid mid-table effort from Stoke. They havn’t yet the squad to trouble the top half to any significant degree.

Sunderland

Nickname: The Black Cats

City: Sunderland

Stadium (Capacity): Stadium of Light (48,707)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 41,090

Manager: Gus Poyet

One to watch: Jack Rodwell

Position finished last season: 14th

Expectations for 2014/15:

Incredibly, Sunderland managed to finish 14^th in the league last season, following one of the most remarkable turn-arounds ever witnessed, under BBC favourite Gus Poyet. It was quite a task undoing the mess brought about under Paolo Di Canio’s tenure, and Poyet will look to invest much more astutely than his predecessor.

Sunderland have been in a relegation dog-fight now for the last two seasons, something which is never a comfortable feeling – unless you’re master escape artists Wigan (until recently). If this season is to be considered any sort of success, Poyet will need to take stock, and look to push on towards the safety of mid-table, consolidating mathematical safety a good few weeks before the end of the season.

The Black Cats have grabbed a great transfer in Jack Rodwell, who will add much to the squad, and have otherwise invested in depth, whilst ridding themselves of deadwood in the form of free transfers. Don’t expect much change to the starting XI from last season, but do expect a much better turn-out.

Swansea City

Nickname: The Swans

City: Swansea, Wales

Stadium (Capacity): Liberty Stadium (20,750)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 20,407

Manager: Gary Monk

One to watch: Wilfried Bony

Position finished last season: 12th

Expectations for 2014/15:

Swansea were a team that I loved a couple of seasons back. However, they have lost their way a bit. In Michael Laudrup they had one of the great up and coming managers, playing stylish football, and generally winning the hearts of many. Cue a boardroom bust-up, the departure of Laudrup and the promotion of club-captain Gary Monk into the manager’s office and you have the modern Swans.

Monk is still an inexperienced manager. Swansea have been scrambling around a bit for quality throughout last season and never really looked like getting going. Losing influential keeper Michel Vorm and Ben Davies, both to Spurs is a blow, but they have brought in some quality, in the form of Lukasz Fabianski, and the returning, hugely underrated, Gylfi Sigurdsson, as well as French hit man Bafetimbi Gomis from Lyon/ Although, quite what Swansea think they’re purchasing in Marvin Emnes is beyond me. A proven flop at both Premier League and Championship level, Emnes is a sight for sore eyes at the Riverside, and I’m delighted to have gotten rid of him. Sorry Swans fans. Although, hanging on to Wilfried Bony, under pressure, was a result.

Much like Sunderland, Swansea are in need of improvement on last season’s outing, but do not look to have the potential to break into the top half.

Tottenham Hotspur

Nickname: Spurs

City: London

Stadium (Capacity):White Hart Lane (36,284)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 35,808

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

One to watch: Cristian Eriksson

Position finished last season: 6th

Expectations for 2014/15:

Eriksen has been a real success at Spurs.

Following Poch’s impressive tenure at Saints, he is the latest man to be tasked with making Daniel Levy happy. There was outrage at the sacking of AVB, and Levy yet again not giving his manager enough time/ support to the likeable Portuguese. In came Tim Sherwood, to the bemusement of many, who did actually enough to be considered a shoe-in for the permanent spot. But not for Levy.

Who knows what this season will hold for Spurs. Probably more of the same. The squad has had a bit more time to settle down now, following the monumental waste of money that was Gareth Bale’s transfer fee. One positive has to be the form of Christian Eriksen under Sherwood, who looks to be a real piece of quality. Football Manager fan’s will have us know that he has always been this good. Particularly when they masterminded Ajax to the treble.

Despite the most recent upheaval however - Pochettino in and a mass of players out, we don’t see Spurs having the quality to beat Manchester United or Everton to a Europa spot. You never know though, Pochettino has surprised us all once, with the job he oversaw at Saints. Can he do it again?

West Bromwich Albion

Nickname: The Baggies

City: West Bromwich

Stadium (Capacity): The Hawthorns (26,445)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 25,194

Manager: Alan Irvine

One to watch: 

Position finished last season: 17th

Expectations for 2014/15:

The question on many people’s lips this summer regards new WBA boss Alan Irvine. People mainly want to know who he is. David Moyes’ former assistant has had a relatively decent run with Preston recently, before being sacked from Sheffield Wednesday whilst they languished in League 1 mediocrity.

Not the most inspiring managerial acquisition, and just at the wrong time too. The Baggies had a poor season last year, avoiding the drop by the finest of margins, and would have looked to try and grab somebody in the shape of Tony Pulis to keep them up this season. 

However, given their inexperienced manager, and perilously thin squad – having lost many of their experienced players – WBA are staring down the barrel of a gun, even if they have brought in Joleon Lescott, rather impressively.

For us however, WBA are almost a certainty to go down.

West Ham United

Nickname: The Hammers

City: London

Stadium (Capacity): The Boleyn Ground (35,016)

2013/14 Average Attendance: 34,197

Manager: Sam Allardyce

One to watch: 

Position finished last season: 13th

Expectations for 2014/15:

It’s safe to say Big Sam wasn’t the most popular man around East London, last season. Famously cupping his ear to boo-ing home fans, unhappy with his robust style of play – “But it’s not the West Ham way!” – whatever the West Ham way actually is, I’m not sure many people actually know.

 

This season is crunch time for Sam, if Andy Carroll remains fit, there’s no reason to suggest any danger. West Ham are capable of both playing some decent stuff, and grinding out a win – both could come in handy over the course of a season.

The signing of Enner Valencia, having burst onto many people’s radar in Brazil is an apparently good addition, and shipping out trouble-maker Ravel Morrison is also a wise move.

Despite there being many better teams than West Ham in the competition, we tip them to remain fairly solid lower-mid tablers, without too much drama – unless Sam continues to shun the “West Ham way”.

The Lone Striker Table Prediction

"How The Bookie Sees It" Final League Table

Odds derived from Ladbrokes, 15/08/2014. Top half positions calculated using "Outright Winner" market, Bottom half odds (marked with a *) are calculated using the "To Get Relegated" market.

So there we go. We've given it our best shot, and stated our reasons. We predict the trophy to end up at Stamford Bridge, and Villa, Palace, and WBA to all face the drop. We disagree with the bookies on a couple of fronts, mainly concerning who will go down, and the performance of Manchester United.

That concludes our Premier League Season 2014/15 Preview. Whilst certainly more predictable than the Championship, the top flight is sure to throw some massive results and upsets our way over the course of the next ten months. We can't wait.

Don't agree? We would love to hear our reader's thoughts and opinions. Write a comment below or fire us a Tweet!

The Premier League season officially kicks off on Saturday, 12:45pm,  at Old Trafford, where Louis Van Gaal's Manchester United face Swansea in their first test of the new season.