Cham Blog

 Arsenal

Despite pipping arch-rivals Tottenham to 2nd at the climax to last season, Arsenal fans would have been disappointed in finishing ten points adrift of eventual champions Leicester. Arsene Wenger is again expected to bring in big-name additions to accompany: Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Hector Bellerinif the North London club can ever dream of regaining the title that they last won a generation ago. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Granit Xhaka: The combative midfielder plays with a nuanced maturity and excellence that begets his 23 years. His for year term as the creative hub of a functional Borrusia Monchengladbach side has made Arsenal confident in his abilities and led them to meet his £30 million asking price very early on in the window. One potential issue that has arisen is the future of Jack Wilshere. The England international must surely see Xhaka as a threat due to his durability and it could spell the end of WIlshere’s time at the Emirates. 

Takuma Asano: Wenger still has contacts from his days as a manager within Japan’s J League and it is no doubt that such sources have convinced him into signing this young Japanese striker. One for the future. 

Rob Holding: The U21 defender was one of few bright spots in a tainted and dismal Bolton Wanderers’ campaign. The Lancashire club were beset with deep financial worries and had to sell their Player of the Year for the miserly sum of £3 million. However, Holding has the potential to easily develop into class defender under Wenger’s tutelage. Chances  to impress will arise due to the inconsistency of both  Per Mertesacker and Gabriel. 

OUT:

Mikel Arteta: Last season’s captain departs the Emirates after a solid, yet, unspectacular time at the club. Initially joining to enhance his (small) chance of being a mainstay within the Spanish side, Arteta has been a dependable player whose limitations have increased as time has gone on. Due to the dwindling amount of appearances and numerous injuries, Arteta has called time on his career and has interestingly decided to join up with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in a coaching capacity/ 

Tomas Rosicky: Another popular player whose departure signals the end of an era at Arsenal. Rosicky has enjoyed a long, yet unsuccessful, tenure at Arsenal, where he will deem his two FA cup wins as mere pittance for his talent. Injury has diminished his end product over the years with Wenger preferring Santi Carzola  and Francis Coquelin. 

PREDICTION; 5th

Arsenal will have another crack at winning the league this year but one feels that the ship has already sailed last year. With both Manchester clubs hiring arguably the two best managers in Europe and with pricey signings in tow, it seems that Arsenal’s relative inactivity will force them out of a Champions League place.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth’s incredible rise through the divisions under Eddie Howe was underlined by a fabulous 16th place finish last season with wins against Chelsea and Manchester United. However, their defensive record was nearly on par with relegated Aston Villa and the fallibility of last year’s signings was shown up on numerous occasions. Their transfer business so far this season suggests that their ambitions lie further up the table. 

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Jordon Ibe: £15 million for an English player without an international cap? Yep, that’s how much Bournemouth paid Liverpool to acquire Ibe’s services. Despite unsettling doubt over the club record fee, there is no issue with Ibe’s talent. His performances for Wycombe and Derby with fleeting moments at Liverpool. His pace and power will enhance the Cherries, especially with a returning Max Gradel and Callum Wilson to benefit from his play.

Brad Smith: Another smart acquisition from Liverpool’s development squad is the young Australian left back. Smith will be hoping to ignite his career at Deon Court having looked unconvincing in an error-strewn display against Swansea last season which saw him sent-off. However, having seen the like of Matt Ritchie develop under Howe, Smith will no doubt be looking forward to working under him in the forthcoming season. 

Lewis Cook: Bournemouth’s best signing this season so far. Cook was the stand out player in a mediocre Leeds side after Sam Byram departed for West Ham in January. The young midfielder has excellent defensive attributes and can pass the ball well during different phases of play. Needs to increase his offensive output but this can be done through effective coaching. 

OUT:

Tommy Elphick: A stalwart of Bournemouth’s meteoric rise, Elphick had a chastening time at the heart of the defense alongside Dystin (who was also released). With Howe looking for upgrades, he has made himself part of Aston Villa’s squad and on a long-term contract. Will now look to inspire Villa back to the Premiership.

Matt Ritchie: Having been a revelation for Bournemouth since signing from Swindon Town in 2013 (infuriating Paolo Di Canio in the process), it would have bemused Muff fans to see their star player drop a division to sign for relegated Newcastle. The Toon Army will appreciate the skill of the talented winger who will excel in the Championship and could be a key player if they are promoted.

PREDICTION: 12th

A season of consolidation will occur only if Eddie Howe remains in charge. Bournemouth’s exciting squad has the potential to do much better than predicted if the defense is improved , especially at center back. 

Burnley

After a scintillating 2015/2016 campaign, Burnley return to the Premiership with a much better squad than their previous attempt. However, despite the talent of Andre Gray and Sam Vokes,  the Clarets have not spent enough to warrant staying in the top tier. 

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Johann Berg Gudmundsson: The most accomplished player in a dispirited Charlton side was signed on a free transfer immediately after a string of impressive displays for Iceland in the Euros. A good signing but more needed if they wish to keep their top-flight status.

OUT:

Joey Barton: Burnley’s player of the year last season will be sorely missed as he leaves for Mark Warbuton’s Rangers side. Barton added steel and a touch of creativity in the Clarets midfield and will need replacing before the start of the new season. 

PREDICTION:19th

Sean Dyche  is an astute manager and will get the best out of his promoted side, especially Andre Gray.  However, based on the current transfers within the league, I feel that Burnely have not adequately prepared for the challenge ahead and will face relegation. 

Chelsea

A disastrous campaign for the West Londoners saw them marooned in 10th with a title defense over well before Christmas. This cost Jose Mourinho his job while key payers in: Eden Hazard, Oscar and Thibault Courtois went missing. Billionaire owner, Roman Abrahmovic, has turned to passionate Italian Antonio Conte to restore the title back to Stamford Bridge. 

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Michy Batshuayi: Belgium has been a gold mine for Premier league talent this decade and Batshuayi is another player who is tipped to set the league alight. With fantastic stats from his time at Standard Leige and Marseille, he will no doubt be compared to compatriot Hazard. 

N’Golo Kante: The best player in Leicester’s surprising title win, is an absolute steal at £30 million and will strengthen a Chelsea midfield already containng Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic.  

OUT:

Mohamed Salah: The Egyptian winger’s move to Roma was finalised after a frustrating period of inactivity at Chelsea. Jose Mourinho did not rate the talented player and is pace will be missed in the Premier League. It seems that Conte prefers Willian and deemed Salah surplus to requirements. 

PREDICITION 3rd:

Conte will revitalize and replenish this Chelsea side, but despite their attacking talents, the defense should be questioned. With John Terry approaching retirement and doubts increasing over Gary Cahill’s limitations, the back four will determine Chelsea’s title challenge. 

Crystal Palace

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Andros Townsend: Townsend’s nomadic career has now taken him to South London. After impressing towards the latter end of last season for relegated Newcastle, Townsend will imprve a tenacious Palace side that will try and aim for a top- half finish. it is imperative that the English winger establishes himsef fully at Selhurst Park if he wishes to push for an Englland place under Allarydce. 

Steve Mandanda: To capture Marseille’s Player of the Season and Ligue 1′s top goalkeeper for a miserly sum of £1.5 million represents very good business for Palace.

James Tomkins: Another addition to the squad that will add greater depth. Tomkins excelled at times at West Ham but will need to justify his £14 million fee as he moves across London. 

OUT:

Dwight Gayle: After a blistering career in the lower leagues of Engish football, Gayle arrived at Palace to conquer the Premier League. For various reasons he has been unable to do that and his sale to Newcastle reveals that Pardew’s patience in him was finally extinguished. Gayle must now be a driving force in getting Newcastle promoted  in order to imput momentutm back into his career. 

PREDICITION: 9th

Palace have made shrewd signing to add to a cohesive squad full of exciting players such as :Zaha, Sako and  Bolasie. Connor Wickham will need to increase his goals tally to ensure that a top-half finish remains plausible. 

Everton

After two seasons of disappointment, Everton sacked Roberto Martinez and hired the legendary Ronald Koeman to revitalize the Merseyside club that is now under new ownership.

TRANSFERS

IN:

Idrissa Gueye: One of the few standout players in a diabolical Aston Villa season, Gueye seems a reasonable buy for the Everton midfield. He will be utilized just in front of the defence to try and break down oppositin attacks. Suprisingly, he was as effective as Kante last season according to the statistics and wll need to maintain that form to allow Everton to compete for European football. 

OUT:

PREDICITION: 8TH

Everton have a very talented squad in: Romelu Lukaku, Ross Barkley, John Stones, Gerard Deulofeu and Seamus Coleman. Hoever, before he cann add to his squad, Koeman will have to persuade Stones and Lukaku not to join bigger clubs as they are central to his team’s chances. Koeman should also look to his youth set up to fill in gaps with Brendan Galloway and Tyias Browning both impressive in short spells last season. 

Hull City

What a disastrous start to the season. Despite a successful return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, Hull City have had a nightmare of a pre-season with injuries cutting them to 14 first team players. Even worse is Steve Bruce’s resignation due to lack of transfer funds emanating from an ownership crisis. At this moment of time, relegation seems a certainty. 

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Out:

Mohamed Diame; For many periods over the last year, Diame looked like a Premier league player in the Championship and ill continue to shine at that level with Newcastle next season. This is a body blow to Hull City who often looked to Diame for inspiration and crucial goals. 

PREDICTION: 20th

Instability and uncertainty, especially at the start, often leads to certain relegation. Combined with the lack of players makes this inevitable.

 Leicester City

How can the club follow such an enthralling season? Their Hollywood-esque surge to the title meant that their key players: Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’golo Kante were all heavily linked to other clubs. However, Claudio Ranieri knows that his club is now attractive to potential players and will continue to build up his squad ahead of the title defence.

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Bartosz Karputska: A string of impressive performances at the Euros prompted Leicester to sign this promising Polish midfielder.  It is often risky to sign a player on the basis of a short tournament but Leicester may have snapped a star at a bargain price. 

Nampalys Mendy: The French successor to the departed Kante, Mendy will be thrust straight into the first team with instructions to protect the back four.

Ahmed Musa: Possibly the most intriguing and exciting transfer of the window. Musa is a pacy and clinical forward who could inflict as much damage as Vardy and Mahrez did last season. Impressive showings in pre-season have lifted Leicester fans.

Out:

N’Golo Kante: Leicester fans were heartbroken when the popular midfielder departed for Chelsea. The Fenchman excelled statistically in every department last season and will need to be replaced effectively if Leicester are to challenge next season. 

PREDICITION 6th

Leicester will not fall away but they will not be competitive enough to instill another titile challenge. However, youth in Ben Chiwell and Damarai Gray will provide excitement in a pivotal season for the Foxes. 

Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp will be determined to prevent any further  defensive collapses as seen in the Europa League final. He will also look to shore up an attack that is often missing Daniel Sturridge. Klopp’s love affair with Anfield has strengthened since her arrived and there is no doubt that he will be given time to bring the title back. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Joel Matip: The experienced Cameroonian centre back is a good acquisition on a free transfer that will add competition to the defence. 

Loris Karius: The inconsistency of Simon Mingolet, has led Klopp to bring in Karius. The young German was the second- highest rated ‘keeper behind Manuel Neuer and can establish himself as No 1 for a decade if he plays to his ability. 

Sadio Mane: A very expensive purchase from Southampton, Mane will bring pace into this Liverpool squad that has often looked devoid of quality. However, his effectiveness will depend on the quality of  players around him.

Georginio Wijnaldum : A very curious purchase. Wijnaldum has skill and flair but rarely showed it away from St James Park last season. Newcastle fans will be delighted to have that money reinvested, but if Klopp can harness his brilliant qualities in a more consistent manner he will make the Dutchman an integral member of the squad.

OUT:

Joe Allen: Despite impressive performances at the heart of the Welsh midfield was not enough to convince Klopp of his long-term future at Anfield. Stoke City, rejuvenated by Mark Hughes’ stewardship, have made a shrewd purchase and will shine at the Britannia. 

PREDICTION: 4th

Liverpool will challenge this year, but need to address their issues in defence to be assured of the title. Coutinho, Firmino, Mane and Clyne will be their stand out players this season, but they will need a fit Sturridge to return if they are to truly compete.  

Manchester City

After two seasons of relative disappointment, Manchester CIty hired Pep Guardiola in order to establish domestic and European success at the Etihad. With a decent squad and high-quality additions, Pep will look to create a dynasty.

TRANSFERS

IN:

Iklay Gundogan: The stylish, yet often injured player, will enhance the creativity in City’s midfield. A player designed in Pep’s mould. 

Nolito: A smart signing. Nolito will bring pace and goals into a City side that lacked a cutting edge at various points throughout the season. 

Leroy Sane: Pep’s dynasty building starts with the German wonderkid who dazzled Shalke fans with his vast array of skills last season. However, he will need to handle the expectation of a heavy price tag much better than Raheem Sterling.

Gabriel Jesus; A future superstar. Jesus impressed with the Brazil team at at the recent Olympics. City will expect him to shine like Neymar. 

John Stones: As a ball-playing centre back, John Stones fits into Pep’s possession- based philosophy . However, questions remain over Stones’ defending ability as there may be situations where simply clearing the ball will suffice. Having escaped the England fallout, Stones has a glorious chance to establish himself in the national frame. 

PREDICTION: 1st

With Pep at the helm and a squad brimming with world-class talent, Manchester CIty are favorites for the title but will expect strong competition from their cross-city rivals. 

Manchester United

Instantly after winning the FA Cup, Manchester United sacked Louis van Gaal and replaced him with Jose Mourinho. The nature of the sacking caused consternation and controversy within the football world, but United knew that they had to make dramatic changes to arrest a slide since Sir Alex Ferguson retired 3 years previously. Armed with a huge warchest and intensive knowledge of English football, Mourinho will look to bring titles and glory back to Old Trafford. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Eric Bailly: United have needed a  dependable centre-back since Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic both left the club in 2014. Bailly is the latest to embrace that role after the failures of Johnny Evans, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones. A tough-tackling centre back that is a threat from set pieces, fits into the system that Mourinho will want at Old Trafford.  

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: The highly- decorated and colorful Swedish superstar signed for United after months of niggling speculation. A prolific goal-scorer all over Europe, Zlatan will look to showcase his talent at the richest league of them all.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan: The best player in the Bundesliga last season was lured to Old Trafford  by Jose Mourinho and will be a stellar signing to go with Bailly and Zlatan. United’s midfield was deplorably slow with Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin, but Henrikh will provide creativity.

Paul Pogba: Since leaving Old Trafford for £800k in 2012, it was immediately obvious that United had made a huge mistake in letting the Frenchman leave with his eye-catching displays for Juventus. The price tag of near £100 million will create it’s doubters, yet Pogba is one of 4 players in the world that deserves such a transfer. 

OUT:

Paddy McNair: The young defender never really showed the consistency of his earlier performances and a move to Sunderland seems like good business for all parties. 

PREDICTION: 2nd

United will have a very strong season, but will be pipped to the post by their cross-city rivals. Jose will know that this is phase 1 of a squad rebuild and he will need additional funds and the lure of Champions League football to lure players for next season. 

Middlesborough

Aitor Karanka finally justified owner Steve Gibson’s large investment in the club with comfortable promotion as champions. Boro will be favorites to be relegated but with shrewd purchases and an impressive squad, they will cause suprises this season. 

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Viktor Fischer: An outstanding youth career led Fischer to be signed by Dutch giants Ajax, where he excelled yet again scoring 24 goals in 79 league appearances as an attacking midfielder. Only paying a paltry £5 million transfer fee represents excellent business for the young player. 

Bernando Espinosa: The exciting young defender was previously wanted by my own club, Brentford, but has been signed on a 3year deal by Middlesborough. Despie a serious knee injury, Espinosa was heralded as an undervalued lower league defender in La Liga and will bring competition to the back line. 

Victor Valdes: Unceremoniously kicked out of Manchester United by louis Van Gaal, the trophy-laden goalkeeper will bring solidity to defence and is a major coup for the newly-promoted team. 

Alvraro Negredo: One of the best signings of the season. Negredo was a key player in winning Manchester City the title back in 2013/2014 with 9 goals. His decision to come to the Riverside shows the attractiveness of the club and will instill confidence to a talented squad. 

PREDICTION; 13th

Middlesborough are the dark horses in this year’s Premier League with significant expenditure to go with their talented squad. Adam Forshaw, Albert Adomah and Ben Gibson will all impress this season and will directly contribute to their success. No relegation fears. 

Southampton

Arsenal 

Following a successful season, where the Gunners finished 3rd in the league and retained the FA Cup, the emphasis is very much on Arsenal to challenge for the title since they last won it during the “Invincibles “ season in 2003/2004. The back to back FA Cup wins have instilled a winning mentality within a club that has previously been notable for the lack of silverware. This combined with expensive additions of Alexis Sanchez & Mesut Ozil as well as the promotion of Hector Bellerin & Francis Coquelin have given Arsenal stability and prowess in key areas on the pitch. However, Gunners fans must know that it takes more than a decent side to combat for the league over an arduous, grueling 46 game season. 

TRANSFERS:

IN:

Petr Cech: The indomitable goalkeeper sent Arsenal fans into squeals of delight he moved across London from rivals Chelsea. Arsenal finally have a world class goal keeper with Premier and Champions League winning experience. 

OUT:

Daniel Crowley: Any devout player of Football Manager will know this name by now. Crowley is by far the most exciting talent that Arsenal currently possess among it’s Academy squads. The skilled midfielder has drawn comparison to Jack Wilshere and Arsenal fans will no doubt hope he progresses in the same way. First stop- a loan spell at Barnsley. 

Abou Diaby: The talented Frenchman drew comparison to Arsenal legend Patrick Viera after signing on in 2006. However, he was injured a mere 5 months into his Arsenal career which sadly set the pattern for the rest of his time at the Emirates. Diaby has gone to Marseille purely as he believes they offer the best medical help. 

Carl Jenkinson: “Jenko” will spend a second successive season at West Ham , a surprise seeing as he played well for them previously as well as being a stand out player in England’s U21 debacle earlier this summer. Jenkinson has long-term security after signing a 5 year deal, but is he willing to spend the majority of that away from his boyhood club?

Lukas Podolski: Podolski’s Arsenal career is quite a weird one. After a successful first season consisting of 16 goals and 11 assists, the World Cup winning German never really matched those figures. A player that wasn’t good enough to make the first team consistently but is deemed as too good for the bench is a tricky situation to manage with Podolski openly unhappy with a lack of game time. A move to Turkey may help revilatise   his club career. 

PREDICTION: 3rd

Arsenal will be in the hunt all season long, but that niggling feeling that a bad run anywhere within the season will derail their challenge. Perhaps Karim Benzema may sway the doubters?

Aston Villa

Most of the talk in Birmingham this season has been the potential ownership of the club with current owner Randy Lerner  apparently keen to sell for around £150 million. This hasn’t impacted manager Tim Sherwood from doing vital business throughout the window as he tries to improve , and in some cases, replace his squad. Villa did manage to reach the FA Cup final in 15 years, but the thrashing received by Arsenal as well as the disappointing 17th place finish surely shows how big a gap Villa need to fill. 

TRANSFERS 

IN: 

Jordan Ayew: Strong, Athletic and blessed with Ariel prowess, Ayew seems, on paper, to be the perfect replacement for Christian Benteke. However, the quality of Lique 1 to Premiership is vast and he will have to adapt quickly to the physicality of the English league. Ayew is known fr his attitude while Sherwood is known for turning that into performance. Potentially a top-signing or another disappointment. 

Scott Sinclair: Ever since the then on-loan Chelsea youngster scored a hat-trick for Brendan Rodger’s Swansea at the Championship play-off final in 2011, I had earmarked Scott Sinclair for great things. His performances in the Premier League for Swansea would enhance his reputation, which ultimately led to the ill-fated move to big-spending Manchester City where he made a paltry 13 appearances including an injury hit loan at West Brom. However, after a positive end of last season on-loan at Villa, Sinclair has made the move permanent and is looking to re-start a once promising career. 

Idrissa Gueye: Another member of Villa’s French Revolution and another gamble. Gueye was a solid defensive midfielder in Ligue 1. Yet niggling doubts about the lack of English football experience remains. 

Rudy Gustede: After helping Cardiff City gain promotion in 2013 scoring vital goals late in the season, Gustede found Premiership appearances difficult and when on-loan to Blackburn Rovers where he struck up a promising partnership with star forward Jordan Rhodes. With a permanent move made, Gustede blossomed at Ewood Park scoring 30 goals in 62 appearances before his switch to Villa. Whether he will strike up such a partnership with fellow newcomer Jordan Ayew remains to be seen. 

Micah Richards: The Englishman’s 10 year stay at Manchester City has meant he has witnessed the club go from rags to riches. Richards was initially well within the first team but became peripheral due to Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy. Richards is now highly experienced within the Premier League and Sherwood will need him to help guide the youngsters within the squad. 

OUT:

Darren Bent: Bent is a goalscorer if you consider  his stats at various clubs in   Ipswich (48 from 122), Charlton (31 from 68) & Sunderland (32 from 58). The problem is that his attitude and off-the-ball weakness combined with fitness issues left fans annoyed at a player that usually came with a large price tag and large wages. Bent has secured a move to ambitous Derby County in the Championship where he performed decently when on-loan there last season.

Christian Benteke: Benteke was usually involved in anything good that Villa created since his arrival (43 goals and 8 assists from a total of 105 team goals since 2012). He know departs to Liverpool where he is under greater scrutiny with expectations high at Anfield. Villa have got a fabulous return from him both on the pitch and financially. It’s the reinvestment of such money that will concern Villans.

Fabian Delph: I genuinely thought that nothing would ever top Sol Campbell’s hugely controversial move from Tottenham Hostpur to hated North London rivals Arsenal, yet this particular transfer came very close. An adored captain who proclaimed his loyalty to raise his status among Villans to deity-levels, only for a heart-wrenching betrayal a mere  8 days later as he signed for Manchester City.  Emotions aside, Villa have lost their most creative player, while Delph may follow the fate of previous Englishmen  before him. 

Andreas Weimann: Joining Bent at Derby is Austrian International Andreas Weimann who increasingly found himself shut out of the side under Tim Sherwood after 8 years at the club. Villa may have replaced him with Sinclair, but Weimann brings something extra to Derby and having experienced the Premier League, will definitely use next season as a launchpad to further his career. 

PREDICTION: 15th

Think Villa will have an average season without any real danger of relegation but without any real promise. Young players including Jack Grealish need more experience as well as the foreign signings. This is all to do with a long-term plan but I feel that Villa do have enough quality in Sinclair, Richards and Agbonlahor to stay up with some breathing space.

Bournemouth

The story of AFC Bouremouth is a remarkable one. Five years after the “Great Escape” away from the Conference , Bournemouth find themselves in the Premier League under the astute and enigmatic stewardship of Football League Manager of the Decade, Eddie Howe. Bournemouth have talent in abundance within their squad, but as with all promoted teams it’s about making sure that players make the chasm between Premier League and Championship usually through good transfer business.

TRANSFERS

IN:

Christian Atsu: Blessed with natural pace, Atsu showed off his talent at the 2014 World Cup and big things were expected when the Chelsea player joined Everton on-loan. However, he made little impact with the Toffees and will look for inspiration from Howe to make sure he doesn’t become a permanent on-loan Chelsea player. 

Sylvain Distin: Once a key member of Everton’s defence since his arrival at Goodison park in 2009, Distin eventually lost his place to John Stones which also coincided with a decrease in pace. Having joined the Cherries, Distin’s experience will need to  shine through on the pitch. 

Adam Federici- The Australian has come to Dean Court to provide competition with Arthur Boruc, yet this transfer did seem odd as there are better keepers out there than Federici who gave consistently average performances with Reading last season. He does have a season of Premier League experience, but that led to relegation. Cherries fans may be worried. 

Lee Tomlin: A creative player that has risen as exponentially as his new club. Tomlin’s creativity at Middlesborough led them to a play-off final yet there are doubts about his fitness and attitude. Eddie Howe will need to unlock that potential in the Premier level which has been seen throughout the Football League.

Tyrone Mings: In a tale to match the rise of his new club, Mings was picked up by Mick McCarthy for £100K to play left back in his Ipswich team. After a record-breaking £8 million transfer to the newly -promoted Cherries, Mings is expected to be part of a defence that most will naturally tip to go down. Despite the transfer fee, expect Mings to do well and have bigger clubs looking for his signature. 

OUT:

Brett Pitman: A  favorite with Cherries’ fans as he scored vital goals in League 1 & Championship promotion seasons yet was deemed to not have Premier League quality needed so left in the deal with Tyrone Mings. Ipswich have a formidable Championship striker, no doubt increasing their  own Championship credentials. 

Ryan Fraser: Also sent to Ipswich on-loan as part of the Mings deal. Has huge potential having seen him play excellently against my beloved Brentford. Again will improve Ipswich’s promotion chances whilst hoping to impress Howe.

PREDICTION: 12th

No doubt that Bournemouth have the momentum and talent to suceed this season as long as they keep players like: Callum Wilson, Steve Cook, Harry Arter and Matt Ritchie. A few loan signings and one or two new faces would help. 

Chelsea

Chelsea breezed to the title in 2014/2015 with effective signings of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa adding quality to an existing multi-talented squad consting of: Eden Hazard, Oscar, John Terry and Cesar Azpilicueta. Jose Mourinho will look for a successful defense of the title as well as Champions League glory 

TRANSFERS:

IN:

Asmir Begovic: After a solid career at Stoke City, Begovic has finally made a move to a bigger club. It is accepted that he will be deputy to the highly-rated Thibault Courtois. Whether Begovic will accept the role with the odd league and cup gain is up to him. 

Radamel Falcao: After a hugely underwhelming season on-loan to Manchester United, Falcao returns to the Premier League with Chelsea. Most Blues fans will remember how devastating he was in the European Cup Winners Cup against Chelsea where he scored a hat-trick. However, injury and lack of form have shown him to be a  fraction of that player. Mourinho will have his work cut out to return him to that stature. 

OUT:

Patrick Bamford: After successful loan spells at Mk Dons, Derby County and Middlesborough. Bamford will finally get his chance at the Premier League, albeit on loan at  an ambitious Crystal Palace. The England youngster will get a big chance to cement his place at Chelsea next season and will not let this opportunity drop. 

Petr Cech: This one will hurt Chelsea fans. The long-time stalwart of the Chelsea defence has left for crosstown London rivals Arsenal. A legend of the football club, Cech left purely for guaranteed first-team experience, a situation which most Chelsea fans can understand, regardless of the pain. 

Filepe Luis: After a season mostly spent on the bench, Luis has returned to Athletico Madrid. Mourinho’s honesty over chances of first-team football as well as the quality and trust shown by Azpilicueta and Ivanovic left him no choice but to move away. 

PREDICTION: 1st

This season has seen minor changes to those on the fringes of the first team squad. Chelsea’s ease in winning the title means that they don’t have to spend as much as their rivals; instead focusing on embedding Juan Cuadrado and Loic Remy fully into the first team.  Chelsea have the best quality all over the pitch, yet their experience in winning situations just edges them in a tight title contest. 

Crystal Palace

A solid 11th place finish last season means that Palace can now start to look forwards rather than backwards. With an experienced manager at the helm with funds to spend, Palace fans will naturally have increased expectations about the season ahead. 

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Yohan Cabaye: Certainly a contended for signing of the season. The talented Frenchman has returned to the Premier League under Alan Pardew after a successful time at Newcastle United.£13 million price tag looks a bargain for a player of his quality and alongside Miles Jedinak, Yannick Bolasie & Wilfried Zaha adds a touch of solidity. Palace definitely made their intentions clear with this particular signing

Bakary Sako: The talented Malian winger was a big hit a Wolverhampton Wanderers and joins Palace has a free signing to test himself at Premier league level. Another exciting signing that will no doubt enhnce the squad. 

Connor Wickham: The £9 million fee paid by Palace does repesent a gamble, given the relative poor return that Wickham achieved at Sunderland ( 11 from 74), yet he has shown of his talent at international youth level. Would the more creative midfield at Palace play to WIckham’s strengths? 

Out:

Stephen Dobbie: The nomadic Glaswegian has struggled to make a telling impact within English football but has a knack of scoring important goals. He has signed for Bolton, where the expertise of Neil Lennon may get the best out of him. 

PREDICTION: 8th

Having already got a squad of talent especially with: James McArthur, Scott Dann, Yannick Bolasie and Joel Ward, Palace have a huge chance of a top 10 finish with their new additions. They are my tip for the surprise package of the season. 

Everton

After a decline in performance from Roberto Martinez’s first season, Everton will be wiser and more cautious this season with enhancements to the squad needed to help the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Kevin Mirallas and Seamus Coleman. 

TRANSFERS 

IN: 

Tom Cleverley- After failing to convince at Manchester United, Cleverley spent last season on loan at Aston Villa where he performed admirably. He signed on a free to reunite with Roberto Martinez when they were both at Wigan and now has to prove himself at the top level. Everton is the last opportunity for Cleverely to show that he can ever come back as an England international which unfortunately looks unlikely.

Gerard  Deulofeu: The former Barcelona winger was highly-rated at the Camp Nou but after an unsuccesful loan-spell at Sevilla last year has returned to Goodison Park at a bargain price. The young Spaniard is a Martinez type of player and will no doubt feature alongside Ross Barkley, James McCarthy, Romelu Lukaku, John Stones and Seamus Coleman at the young core of the Everton team.

OUT:

Antonlin Alcaraz: A disaster signing. Often injured, and when not, ineffective, Alacaraz was a sentimental signing from Martinez as they both were at Wigan together. Will Arouna Kone, who arrived at the same time as Alcaraz, fall into this category?

PREDICTION: 6th

Everton already have a talented, young squad with U21s Conor McAleny & Ty Browning also providing competition. The challenge will be to hold on to these players with John Stones attracting interest from Manchester United & Chelsea while there are still rumours about Seamus Colemnan. Martinez will also have to motivate his squad better this season.  

Leicester City 

After occupying much of the season in the relegation zone, Leicester City rebounded in resurgent fashion with fantastic performances in the back-end of the season eventually finishing comfortably safe in 14th.  Since then, their enigmatic manager Nigel Pearson was sacked, largely due to the fallout from his son’s “racist orgy” with a Thai prostitute including his fellow Leicester City scholars. Fans were not taken in by Pearson’s replacement, Claudio Ranieri, and the club needs a good transfer window  to appease the supporters and give themselves a chance of staying up. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Christian Fuchs: The Austrian international arrives on a Bosman transfer with the expectation that he will shore up Leicester’s back line. On paper it seems like a very good piece of business, but again adapting to English pace and power will be crucial. 

Robert Huth: One of the main instigators of Leicester’s rise up the table last season after signing on loan from Stoke City, Huth is now a permanent member of Leicester’s squad and will give vital experience to the back line. 

Shinji Okazaki: Boasting impressive statistics at club  (27 from 65) and international (43 from 93) levels makes Okazaki an impressive acquisition for the Midlands club. Leicester need a prominent forward to put away chances that their creative midfield  often create , something that Ben Nugent and Jamie Vardy couldn’t do early last season. 

OUT:

Paul Konchesky: The experienced defender has had a nomadic career of late with Leicester being his longest club and his most successful having gained promotion to the Premier League in 2013/2014.  However, the Foxes need more quality at left back if they wish to remain in the league so Konchesky has gone on-loan to QPR. 

Matthew Upson:  Another expeinced player who has had spells at different clubs. The arrival of Huth has displaced him and at 36 , Upson has decided to join Championship newcomers MK Dons in what will be a tough relegation battle. 

Chris Wood: Having spent most of his career on-loan at different clubs when at West Bromwich Albion and now at Leicester, Chris Wood has signed permanently at Leeds United.  He’s still only 23 years old and now has the opportunity to establish himself within English football. 

PREDICTION: 18th

Leicester has an exciting squad with creative talents in Riyad Mahrez, Jeff Schlupp and Leonardo Ulloa. With big spending potential and ambition, Leicester have the ability to take the league by storm, however the managerial skills of Ranieri, especially in the last few years, has left most people underwhelmed, and it’s hard to see him changing his “tinkerman” ways this season. 

Liverpool 

After a deflating season, Brendan Rodgers has splashed the cash in a bid to return to Champions League football as well as try to challenge for the Premier League title. Having been largely unsuccessful in the last summer transfer window, Rodgers must prevail this season or face a certain sacking.

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Christian Benteke: The Belgian was the fulcrum of the Villa attack during his time there and has now made a big-money move to Anfield with heightened expectations. His presence will allow Rodgers the chance to experiment tactically by either having Benteke up alone or with Sturridge as a forward two up top. A signing that will invigorate Liverpool fans, despite the exaggerated fee. 

Nathaniel Clyne: Clyne showed his vast potential at Southampton with his quality being recognized by an England call up in 2014. He will add flair and pace as a more-than-adequate replacement for the ageing Glen Johnson. A chance to fully establish himself as a long-term Liverpool player beckons.

 Roberto Firmino: Another big money signing, the Brazillian international is expected to gel into a match-winning  midfeild partnership with compatriot Phillepe Coutinho. A creative talent that has an eye for assists, looks like someone who fits into Rodger’s philosophy. 

Danny Ings: Ings comes to Anfield with only 1 impressive season for Burnley during their promotion campaign on 2013/2014.  He was less prolific in the Premier League yet is another player that fits into the Rodgers mould of attacking football. 

James Milner: On paper, this is a shrewd purchase by Rodgers as he has found a two-time title winner with experience to replace the legendary Steven Gerrard. With such a youthful squad around him, Milner will be expected to show composure and mettle in tight contests. 

OUT:

Steven Gerrard: After 504 appearances scoring 120 goals, the legendary Steven Gerrard leaves Anfield accomplishing most  club achievements apart from a Premier League title. Does he regret not moving to Chelsea?  Regardless, Liverpool will need to find replacements for his vision and skill, not to mention the vast experience that he had. 

Glen Johnson: The first purchase of Roman Ambramovich’s Chelsea spending spree, Johnson, a right back, has left Anfield after 6 years of  inconsistent service. Lambasted for his performances at major England tournaments (rather like the rest of the team), Johnson has occasionally seen the ire of Liverpool supporters and has been replaced by  Nathaniel Clyne. He has the chance now to join an ambitious Stoke project. 

Rickie Lambert: The Englishman’s time at Liverpool could be made into a Greek tragedy.Released by Liverpool as a young trainee, Lambert made his way through the Football League whilst working at a beetroot bottling plant. Successful spells at Stockport County,  Rochdale and Bristol Rovers before being picked up by then League 1 Southampton scoring an unbelievable (106 goals from 207 apps), before being signed by his boyhood club. The emotions displayed on his first interview were clear as was his celebrations upon scoring his first goal . Unfortunately, a lack of promience up front meant that  the move didn’t work out and he has signed for West Brom in the vain hope of resurrecting his career.

PREDICTION: 7th

Liverpool will do well this season, yet the spending and enhancement of their bigger rivals will mean they will miss out on Champions League football again.. It will be interesting how an under-pressure Brendan Rodgers applies his youthful squad with the likes of: Divock Origi, Emre Can, Jordon Ibe and  Lazar Markovic in the hard slug of the Premier League. 

Manchester City

Despite finishing 2nd in the previous campaign, the points gap to runaway leaders Chelsea will concern the brass at the Etihad.  City have retained title-winning manager Manuel Pellegrini and will no doubt flex their financial muscles to obtain the quality they need to obtain the title. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Fabian Delph: A bargain purchase for the England International has been overshadowed by the controversy over his move from Aston Villa. Delph does bring options to City’s midfield but he needs to prove , mainly to himself, that he doesn’t become a Homegrown player statistic, but a vital cog in City’s machine.

Patrick Roberts: A talented wunderkid maybe, but is he worth the £12 million City paid? Especially for a player who spent the majority of Fulham’s disappointing Championship on the bench, only making a paltry 19 appearances. Roberts is surrounded by quality at City, but will he be able to make an impact or even progress at a club notorious for lack of opportunities for English youngsters? 

Raheem Sterling: The most expensive, longest-running transfer saga was finally completed as Sterling left Anfield for an eye-watering £49 million. Sterling has talent in abundance, however his finishing leaves a lot to be desired. Can he improve his goal scoring rate under Pellegrini? Will he buckle under the pressure or fully unleash himself? Whatever happens, Sterling will no doubt excite and exhilarate crowds all over.  

OUT:

John Guidetti: The Swedish international has spent almost his entire career on-loan away from the Ethiad with his most impressive season being at Feyenoord in 2011/2012 with 20 goals from 23 league appearances. Yet, City fans will be frustrated that Guidetti hasn’t broken through the ranks at the club. He has a chance now to play in the La Liga with an exciting Celta Vigo team. 

Stevan Jovetic: Another forward that has failed at City. Jovetic arrived from Fiorentina on the back of a £22 million deal. Sadly, he has failed to impress with a distinct lack of goals and appearances. The form of Aguero as well as Negredo and Dzeko put paid to his chances in Manchester. He’s now gone on loan to Inter Milan to re-join former manager Roberto Mancini. 

PREDICTION: 4th

Manchester City have a strong squad with: Sergio Aguero, Wilfried Bony, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Joe Hart. Their inspirational captain, Vincent Kompany looks to be in decline and it will be up to Eliaquim Mangala to improve massively on last year’s form. Unfortunately, I believe that City have too many parts missing to construct a winning challenge, however I believe Raheem Sterling will be the fulcrum of their side for many years. 

Manchester United

After securing Champions League football throughout a season of inconsistency, Louis Van Gaal has spent a huge amount on improving the squad that finished 4th in the Premier League last season. Fan favourites  and established players have been been let go with new faces being brought in to enhance their campaign. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Matteo Darmian: An intelligent and consistent right back for Torino in Serie A, Dependable and strong in the tackle, he will need to improve his attacking approach if he is to succeed at the Premier League. WIth no real challengers at right-back, Darmian has a chance t fully establish himself as a United player. 

Memphis Depay: After taking a little while to settle at PSV Eindhoven, Depay was mightily impressive last season scoring 28 goals from 40 appearances. A huge move to Old Trafford has heightened expectations  of the young Dutchman and he’ll be expected to play a huge part in United’s season.

Morgan Schneiderlin: The Frenchman’s public fury over not being allowed to move to Tottenham Hotspur last season was visible, yet the midfielder may have got a better move with his patience. A lynchpin of the Saint’s midfield since their arrival in the Premier League, Schneiderlin’s arrival at Old Trafford has finally given the club a full choice of midfield options along with: Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Marounne Feillaini

Bastian Schweinsteiger: A stawart of Bayern Munich and Germany, and having won almost everything possible, Schweinsteiger arrives at Manchester United ready to add the Premier League title to his glittering CV. A player that arguably should have been purchased 3/4 years ago, Schweinsteiger bring class to a midfield that, on paper looks promising but he and Van Gall must contrive to make sure that niggling fitness issues do not limit Schweinsteiger’s presence this season.

Sergio Romero: The Argentitnian  goalkeeper that spent last season as back up at Fiorentina, has found himself at arguably the biggest club in the world. Whether the player can impose and establish himself at United after the impeding exits of David De Gea and Victor Valdes is one of the more interesting questions of United’s season.

OUT:

Rafael Da Silva: The popular Brazilian defender leaves Old Trafford after his attitude and discipline were called into question by Van Gaal. Earmarked as a long-term  starter under previous manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, Rafael’s demise is extraordinary as he leaves the club for Lique 1 Lyon after a series of injuries. 

Angel Di Maria: The Argentinian signed for United for a British transfer record of nearly £60 million, yet failed to fulfill that figure, despite a decent start. A combination of mis-management and a lack of attitude has led to his exit. A massive shame given his status as a world-class player. 

Nani: Having been overshadowed by Portuguese compatriot Ronaldo at United, Nani really did fail to deliver after the latter left for Real Madrid in 2009. Occasional outbursts of his talent could be seen including winning Player of the season for 2010/2011 and being included in the PFA Team of the Year for that season. Sadly, he never really showed a consistent output and departs to Turkey to join an exciting influx of foreign stars. 

Robin van Persie: After a controversial transfer from Arsenal, van Persie made an instant impact scoring 30 goals from 48 appearances in a title-winning campaign, yet failed to ever reach those heights, due to injury. The Dutch striker no doubt impressed United fans with his consistent scoring, yet a feeling of sadness lingers around Old Trafford over such a departure. 

PREDICTION: 2nd

There were times last season where United played at their vintage best yet there were entwined with awful, erratic performances . The players will need to learn quickly from the previous campaign. The David De Gea transfer saga will need to be solved, with a replacement needed to be brought in if necessary. Finally, a bit of quality is needed at centre back. However, with transfer business done early and key areas strengthened, United will be back to their very best. 

Newcastle United

A depressingly disappointing campaign which needed a last-gasp win on the final day to confirm survival, Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley ,has had to input vast funds to placate the unrest of the fans whilst add quality to an underachieving squad they must surely improve this season under the tutelage of new manager, Steven McLaren . 

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Chancel Mbemba: Although there is relative uncertainty to his age, Mbemba was a solid defender for Anderlecht and comes to St James Park to shore up a leaky defence that leaked 63 goals last season. Mbemba will need to ensure that he builds a strong partnership with Fabricio Collocini.

Aleksandar Mitrovic: Another player leaving Anderlecht, the 20 year old Serbian arrives at St James Park after a successful spell in the Netherlands where he scored 36 goals from 69 appearances. Mitrovic is known to have a “devil” in him as he is known for his strong tackling and agressive play. McLaren will have to temper such spirit in order to allow the striker to focus his energy in scoring goals.

Georgino Wijnaldum: The Dutch midfielder was tipped as the best player of the Dutch league for PSV last year, ahead of former team-mate Memphis Depay, purely because of his defensive abilities combined with his attacking play. This has led to a large fee for the player who will be expected to bring such quality to the Newcastle team as they strive to improve theirperformance. 

OUT:

Adam Armstrong: An exciting young talent, Armstrong has scored 21 goals from 27 England Youth appearances and is seen as a big name for the future . The 18 year old has secured a loan move to Coventry City and will test himself at League 1 level.  

Jonas Gutierrez: After 187 appearances, Guitierrez’s career at Newcastle United is at an end. Once a mainstay in the midfield, injury and cancer halted his progress at the club, yet his last kick of at St James Park, secure Newcastle’s position in the Premier League. Unfortunately, his heroics did not secure him a new contract  and his release was confirmed , disgracefully, through mobile. 

Ryan Taylor: Signed as a promising centre back from Wigan, Taylor’s career at Newcastle as been continually disrupted by injury , which seems to have impacted on his pace contributing to his lack of performance at various points last season. Taylor was also released through a mobile phone call, but has quickly found a new club in Hull City

PREDICTION: 13th

Newcastle has to deliver this season and will no doubt continue to improve their squad until the transfer deadline. McLaren does have good players in the club with: Moussa Sissiko, Papiss Cisse and Daryl Janmaat being key components last season. Better collective performance must be seen at St James Park this season, the quicker it happens, the greater the support will return. 

Norwich City

Norwich rebounded back from relegation in the 2013/2014 season via the Championship play-offs under Scottish manager Alex Neil. This was done with most of the relegated squad being utilized in the Championship such as: Nathan Redmond, Bardley Johnson, John Ruddy and Wes Hoolahan. The challenge for Neil is to ensure that Norwich have an improvement of strikers to allow an end product from the creativity of the midfield. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Robbie Brady: The Irish winger can also play as a left wing-back and was a jewel in Hull City’s squad since his move from Manchester United. A £7 million price tag after multiple bids, means that Brady is under a lot of pressure to deliver for Norwich, yet he has the talent to live up to it.  

Graham Dorrans: After 7 years at West Bromwich Albion, making 154 appearances, Dorrans leaves for a new challenge at Carrow Road. He brings vital experience to the midfield and at 28, still has years left within the Premier League.

Youssuf Mulumbu: After a stutttered career at West Bromwich Albion , mainly due to injury, Mulumbu’s move on a Bosman transfer to Norwich City allows Alex Neil to have more experience within the midfield, but more quality is needed if the club is to stay up.

Andre Wisdom: The young Liverpool defender had a tough time towards the latter-end of his loan spell at West Bromwich Albion  as he was dropped by Tony Pulis towards the latter-part of the campaign. He’s come to  Norwich in hope that a successful loan will allow him to make the Liverpool first team.

OUT:

Mark Bunn: After a sporadic 23 appearances over 3 years for Norwich City, Bunn goes to Aston Villa in search of first team football that was not guaranteed at Carrow Road. 

PREDICTION: 19th

Norwich utilized their squad very well under Alex Neil in the Championship yet i feel that the large gap in quality means that the Canaries will be short again this season. However, they will put up a great fight with Nathan Redmond, Wes Hoolahan and Cameron Jerome all playing vital roles. 

Southampton

Many pundits thought Southampton would struggle after selling: Luke Shaw, Callum Chambers,  Devan Lovren and Adam Lallana for huge fees. They responded with astute signings in Grazianno Pelle, Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane who helped propel the Saints  into Europa League football with a 7th place finish. A similar situation has happened this season with Morgan Schneiderlin and Nathaniel Clyne departing, yet Ronald Koeman has the funds needed to ensure an equal, if not better, finish this time around. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Steven Caulker: A curious case with this particular transfer. Caulker was highly rated with the Spurs Academy and showed his talent when on-loan to Premier League newcomers Swansea City in 2010/2011.  He came back to Spurs after helping the Swans to an 11th finish,yet was sold to Cardiff City for £8 million despite impressive performances upon his return to White Hart Lane. However, he has since been relegated successively at Cardiff and last season with QPR. Saints fanswill hope that this is not an omen. 

Jordy Clasie: With the loss of Morgan Schneiderlin, Koeman has replaced him with fellow Dutchman Jordy Clasie who shone for the Netherlands at the World Cup last year. An all-round midfielder who is combative and creative in equal measure, Clasie is a star player who will maintain Southampton’s European charge this season.

Juanmi: The young Spanish striker has a great deal of pace and skill which Koeman hopes to execute within the Premier League. Highly-rated by Spain head coach Vincente Del Bosque, Juanmi know has the perfect opportunity to establish himself at both club and international level. 

Cedric Soares: Another signing that fits the Southampton mould, Soares is a capable defender that has been capped 72 times at Portuguese Youth level with 4 senior caps to his name. He has been bought to replace the pace and skill of the departed Nathaniel Clyne and will find it a tough job to do. 

OUT:

Nathaniel Clyne: A huge loss to Southampton. The pace and defensive ability that he gives will need to be swiftly replaced if the Saints are to maintain European ambitions. 

Morgan Schneiderlin: The Frenchman has finally got his big-club move to Old Trafford yet the Saints receive a huge fee that will no doubt be re-invested into the squad.

Dani Osvaldo: Is this the worst piece of  recent transfer business done by Southampton? Signed from Roma to re-join then Saints manager, Mauricio Pochettino, Osvaldo struggled with the physicality of the English game on the pitch and fought with his team mates off it. Eventually, he was released after two disappointing loan spells at Juventus then Inter Milan. He goes to Porto in a bid to relaunch his flattering career. 

PREDICTION: 9th

Southampton still have the makings of a strong side as well as support players in: Shane Long, Fraser Forster  and Matt Targett. If they continue to utilize their attacking, flowing football combined with a solid defense, which is till a lingering concern, they will no doubt be in contention for European football. 

Stoke City

Under Tony Pulis, Stoke City played a defensive, physical long-ball football which kept the club in the Premier League, yet alienated some supporters who wanted to see ball on the floor. However, Mark Hughes has changed the philosophy of the Cottagers by purchasing more technical players like: Marc Muniesa, Steve Sidwell and Bojan but keeping the gritty, physical talents like Johnathan Walters and Peter Crouch.This has led to successive top-ten finishes at the Britannia which Hughes will be looking to maintain, if not , improve. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Ibrahim Affelay: After impressive for PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch league, Affelay’s move to Barcelona carried huge expectations after a glittering time in the Netherlands.. Yet the presence of Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Alexis Sanchez and Pedro meant that he spent the majority of his career on the sidelines, making only 21 appearances. At the age of 29, after an injury-plaugued time at Catalan, he now finds himself trying to revive a once-promising career at Stoke City. 

Joselu: Once the talk of Madrid after an impressive 40 goals from 72 appearences for Real Madrid Castilla, Joselu has spent the last few seasons in the German Bundesliga, scoring goals but not setting the division alight. His move to Stoke CIty is a curious one, yet Hughes will hope to get the best out of a technically adept player.

 Xherdan Shaqiri: Wow what a signing! Shaqiri is a world-class talent that was left on the sidelines at the star-studded Bayern Munich, Shaqiri endured a short-stay at Inter Milan before moving at a bargain fee of £12 million. A player that will terrorize defences all over.

 Marco van Ginkel: The talented Dutchman finds himself on-loan for the second time of his Chelsea career. Here, he will have to prove his worth has a box-to-box midfielder that he acclaims to be and to live up to the hype since he arrived from Vitesse in 2013. The new style Hughes has bought to Stoke City will suit him and he’ll enjoy playing in the Premier League.

OUT:

Steven Nzonzi: Stoke City’s Player of the Year last season leaves the club to join an exciting Sevilla team as their club record signing at £7 million. Stoke will miss the pace, power and skill of the Frenchman and will need to replace him if they wish to gain another top ten finish.

PREDICTION: 11th

Stoke have the experience and talent within their squad to do well this season. Marko Arunatovic, Stephen Ireland, Charlie Adam and Peter Crouch all have different abilities should Stoke need to change tactics or look for power from the bench. It’s going to  exciting time at the Britannia this season.

Sunderland  

The Black Cats scraped there way to Premier League survival last season, when Dick Advocaat managed to squeeze out results with a weak squad. This season, with major rivals Newcastle spending big money, Sunderland must invest owner’s Ellis Short’s money properly otherwise a bleak campaign looms.

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Sebastian Coates: The Uruguyan defender made his move permanent from Liverpool to Sunderland earlier this year, However, Coates will need solid performances to dispel the doubts that he doesn’t  deserve Premier League football . 

Younes Kaboul: After being a solid presence at Tottenham, and a brief spell at Portsmouth, Kaboul has joined Sunderland, despite saying that an “earthquake” would not take him to the Stadium of Light when a Roy Keane managed Sunderland wanted him as part of a £15 million deal back in 2008. How times change. Will the injuries impact his pace and his career?

Jeremain Lens: Having a good, but not sterling, career in the Netherlands and most recently Ukraine, the Dutch winger has  re-united with former manager Dick Advocaat to bring much-needed  pace and skill to a Sunderland side that is very much lacking in those departments.

Adam Matthews: After 4 years at Celtic, the Welsh defender joins Sunderland in the search for first-team football at right back. A competent, young defender, Matthews will need to bridge the large quality gap between the SPL and BPL if he is to succeed in top-level  English football. 

 Yann M’Vila:  Once heralded as the next big thing in French football, Yann M’Vila’s career has declined considerably since joining Rubin Kaza with disappointing loan spell at Inter Milan His career is nothing compared to his compatriot Paul Pogba, so M’Vila will need to make sure he progresses and plays well at Sunderland,    

OUT:

Connor Wickham: 11 goals from 75 appearances means that a £6 million fee from Wickham to Crystal Palace seems to be good transfer business. Sunderland need to make sure that money is spent wisely if they want to give additional fire power to their forward line. 

PREDICTION: 20th

Sunderland had a lot of problems before this transfer window and those areas, especially in defense, still look lightweight despite the new signings. To compensate for this they will need to make sure their creative players: Emmanuel Giacherrini, Jordi Gomez and Sebastian Larsson contribute with goals as well as assists. Unfortunately, a lack of quality this season will see them fall far short. 

Swansea City

Since their entrance into the Premier League in 2011/2012, Swansea City have excited fans and neutral  viewers by their fast, free-flowing football combined with their attacking mind set. Last season was a historic one for the Swans , as they finished 8th with double victories against Arsenal and Manchester United. under the stewardship of Gary Monk. His job in his second season is to ensure that such performances continue.

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Andre Ayew:  Another son of the great Abedi Pele and a brother to Aston Villa’s Jordan Ayew, Andre provides another option to Swanse as either a second striker to Bafetimbi Gomis or on the wing. A stalwart at Marseille scoring 44 goals from 16 appearances, Ayew seems to be anther top signing, especially on a free transfer.

Eder: The money from Wilfried Bony’s sale to Man Ciis still being put to use by Swansea with the purchase of the Portuguese striker Eder from Braga after he scored 26 goals from 60 appearances. Eder will take time to grow into the role vacated by the departed Bony and will increase the competition in Swansea’s forward line. 

Kristoffer Nordfeldt: The Swedish international goalkeeper comes into the Liberty Stadium after spending large swathes of his career in Scandavania with his latest spell at the Eredivise club Heerenveen. At 26 , Nordfeldt allows competition with Gehard Tremmel and Lukasz Fabianski.for the No 1 spot.

Franck Tabanou: Another experienced player whose spent his days as a professional within the French Ligue 1  for Toulouse & St Etienne. A competent left back who can also play further up on the left midfield.   Tabanou is another good signing to add to Swansea’s depth this season. 

OUT:

Jazz Richards: After loan spells at Crystal Palace and Huddersfield, Richards moves to Fulham in order to seek first-team football after finding starts difficult at Swansea City. Fulham are crying out for solid defensive players after struggling in their first season at the Championship and Richards gives them an option to fill their gaps.

PREDICTION: 10th

Swansea have retained a large amount of their squad with the added bonus of the extra Premier League experience they will now have. Gary Monk will be pleased to have the pace of Jefferson Montero, Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer combined with the accuracy of Gomis. At the back, the presence of captain Ashley Williams with the potential creative midfield of Jonjo Shelvey, Jack Cork and Ki Sung-yeung giving the team a solid base to which to base their charge of European football.  :

Tottenham Hotspur 

A decent 5th place finish last season in Mauricio Pochettino’s first season at White Hart Lane. The new manager has blooded in the youth with Harry Kane, Ryan Mason and Andros Townsend playing large amount of minutes. Daniel Levy, the enigmatic owner, will look to spend well and wisely in the upcoming transfer window to finally breach into top 4 football. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Toby Alderweireld: The Belgian defender completed a controversial transfer to Spurs from Athletico Madrid despite Southampton, where he had been on-loan the previous season, stating that they had a deal in place to sign him permanently. Nevertheless, this signing is a real coup for the North London club, with Alderweireld being impressive for the Saints last season. Spurs fans will hope that a Vertonghen and Alderweireld partnership, last seen playing together at Ajax, will be a much tighter one that previous seasons.    

Clinton N’jie: A relatively large transfer fee  for the Cameroon international is mainly for the potential that he could deliver in the future. He has been compared to the great Cameroon player Samuel E’to and Spurs fans will hope this rings through. 

Kieran Trippier: After starting his career at Manchester City having gone through the youth system, he found his feet on-loan at Barnsley and Burnley, eventually  signing permanently at Turf Moor and helping them gain promotion. He was one of Burnley’s bright spots in a tough relegation campaign and with 145 appearences to his name has left to challenge Kyle Walker for the right back position at Spurs. A chance for the young player to make a name for himself and get into reckoning for an England cap.

Kevin Wimmer: The Austrian defender arrives at Spurs to provide competition at the centre back positions. The 22 year old was in the top 10 defenders in the league when playing for FC Koln  last year. Another exciting signing for Tottenham. 

OUT:

Etienne Capoue: When Gareth Bale left Spurs for Real Madrid in a £86 million move, Capoue was one of the players that was bought disastrously with the profit. Lightweight in midfield, he didn’t look comfortable at any time during his Tottenham career. Levy managed to recoup some of that transfer fee when Capoue moved to Watford.

Vlad Chiriches: Another disastrous signing of 2013, the Romanian centre back has joined Serie A side Napoli, after failing to provide a solution to Spurs defensive woes especially from set plays. He leaves the club after only making 27 appearances. 

Lewis Holtby: Once heralded as an exciting German player ready to make the leap into their ultra-talented midfield, Holtby’s career has declined considerably since leaving Shalke 04 for Tottenham. A string of lacklustre performances, with Moussa Dembele and Christien Ericksen being preferred,saw him being loaned to Fulham, where he couldn’t help the West Londoners get out of their relegation plight. He know finds himself having to rebuild his career at Hamburg.

Paulinho: After impressing for Brazil in a poor Confederations Cup tournament in 2013, the midfielder arrived at White Hart Lane and played solidly under Andre Villas Boas but  found options limited under Tim Sherwood and Pochettino. Daniel Levy has done well to recoup almost £10 million for a player that looked out of form last year. A perfect template of an unwise transfer.

Roberto Soldado: Probably the most disappointing signing of an underwhelming Spurs transfer window of 2013, Soldado arrived on the back of a massive fee of £26 million after a prolific spell at Valencia, Getafe and Real Madrid Castilla. He only made 52 appearances scoring 7 domestic goals, looking uncomfortable throughout his entire Spurs career. 

Benjamin Stambouli: After a successful, title-winning time at Montpellier, Stambouli  arrived at Tottenham but failed to make an impact, unable to dislodge Moussa Dembele and has departed to a great move to PSG to replace Yohan Cabaye. A fantastic opportunity of Champions League football.

PREDICTION: 5th

Tottenham have changed their approach completely, from signing expensive players to a present day method of promoting talent from their youth teams such as: Harry Kane, Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb. Spurs will need to rely on the excellence of Harry Kane, Christian Ericksen and Hugo Lloris to continue their form into this season while hoping that their solid squad continue to deliver. However, I expect them to finish quite away back from top 4 football.

Watford

Despite changing managers 4 times last season, Watford eased into the Premier League through the efforts of Troy Deeney, Odion Ighalo, Ikechi Anya, Matej Vydra and Fernando Forestieri. Watford’s exciting football will need to be replicated in the Premier League, with a plethora of foreign signings., under the stewardship of new manager, Quique Sanchez Flores. 

TRANSFERS

IN:

Giedrius Arlauskis: The Romanian goalkeeper will provide competition to Heurelho Gomes after spending time at Rubin Kazan and Steau Bucharest.     

Valon Behrami: The Swiss midfielder arrives at Vicarage Road for his second stint at Premier League football after an injury-stunted time at West Ham United. His career has seen top flight status in Italy and Germany and will bring experience to the newly-promoted team..

Miguel Britos: Another experienced defender who spent 4 years with Napoli who the new manager will look to give another option if there are injuries throught a long slug of the new season.

Alessandro Diamanti: The former Italian international can play as a winger, attacking midfielder or a second striker  but has never really played to his full potential at most of his club, including a spell at West Ham. However, the former Italian striker will need to make sure he is more successful this time around.   

Jose Holebas:: The deal between Roma and Watford over the transfer was done without the knowledge of the defender, who claimed he was in Dubai when the deal was completed. Later, he accepted the deal meaning that another experienced defender, who can also play left midfield, has been added to the Watford squad. 

Jose Jurado: Having started off at Real Madrid, Juardo had spells at Athletico Madrid, Shalke 04 and Spartak Moscow. Injury has led to the lack of games that the talented winger endured during his career thus far. Jurado’s pace and pedigree will give Watford a chance to switch up formations  

Allan Nyom: The right back is another signing from the Udinese- Granda connection that the Pozzo owners have with Watford FC. Such signings, have proved competent in the past, and Watford fans will hope that Nyom, another experienced player,allows greater squad depth.

Sebastian Prodl: A contender for signing of the season, Prodl is an established Austrian defender who has been capped 50 times for his country and has also played at the top level in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen making 149 appearances. If he applies himself properly at Vicarage Road, he’ll be a top signing for the Hornets.

Matej Vydra: Probably the best signing of the Pozzo era. Vydra was loaned from sister club Udinese to Watford in their Championship campaign in 2013/2014 and proved to be a big hit scoring 20 goals from 41 appearances  and gaining the Championship player of the year award in the process.  The Hornets fell short in that year’s Play-Off final, and Vydra spent an injury hit time at West Bromwich Albion. However, having again joined Watford and acheived promotion, looks to fully establish himself in the Premier League after signing a 5 year contract.

PREDICTION: 16th

Watford has  been tipped by most pundits to go down, yet the quality and experience brought in by their foreign signings combined with the creativity and versatility of the players within the squad, means that they will suprise many teams with their attacking football.Their new manager, Flores, will instill a continental culture at the club that many players will adhere to.

West Bromwich Albion

The arrival of Tony Pulis rescued a side seemingly nailed on for relegation to a creditable 13th place. Pulis will need to strengthen his squad and add potent firepower if he is to secure Premier League status and consolidate before trying for a top ten finish.The future of young striker, Saido Berahino hangs in the balance with Tottenham glancing admiring views, yet Pulis is a veteran of Premier League management and will have identified targets.

TRANSFERS

IN:

James Chester: An under-rated defender throughout his time at Hull City, Chester now joins an experienced set up at the Hawthorns where he will hope to establish himself fully within the Premier League , something that he couldn’t have envisaged when he was released by Manchester United as a youth. 

Serge Gnabry: The Arsenal youngster moves on loan to the Hawthorns to build on impressive cameos at the Emirates. He will seek to use this loan spell to consolidate his place in an Arsenal midfield such as: Aaron Ramsey, Santi Carzola and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

James McClean: Having shown flashes of his talent at  Sunderland and Wigan, McClean’s career has been overshadowed by his antics over the Poppies and British national anthem. Pulis will hope to set McClean’s path straight on football and not politics.

Salomon Rondon: After prolific spells at Malaga, Rubin Kazan and Zenit St Petersburg , Rondon comes to the Hawthorns on the back of a £12 million move in order to increase the intensity of the strikeforce, which may lose Saido Berahino to Tottenham. 

OUT:

Chris Baird: Having only made 19 appearances, the experienced midfielder, who can also play in defense, leaves West Brom to join Derby County , where his Premier League credentials will be seen in the Championship. 

PREDICTION: 14th

Tony Pulis has a knack of keeping teams up, with the focus being on defense and set pieces. This style of football is controversial as it replaces free-flowing football for more direct , clinical play. However, Pulis has a proven track record and will use his squad and transfer to good effect in the upcoming campaign. 

West Ham United 

After the departure of Sam Allardyce, whose long-ball football was effective but aesthetically horrendous, Irons fans were determined to return to a pleasing style of football under former player now manager, Slaven Bilic. The Croatian will look to have a consistent season with the Hammers with a mid-table finish being expected as a decent return. 

TRANSFERS 

IN:

Manuel Lanzini: The Argentinian play-maker is nicknamed “the Jewel” and has been been compared admiringly to Manchester City’s David Silva. With modest spells at River Plate, Lanzini has age on his side, and will look to provide the creativity that West Ham fans crave. 

Pedro Obiang: After 5 years at Serie A side Sampdoria, Obiang arrives at West Ham after an excellent season where he helped his side to 7th in the league allowing them to qualify for European football. West Ham will need him to quickly adapt to English football as his skill set would prove to be vital in tough midfield battles.

Angelo Ogbonna: The Italian international moves to the Boleyn Ground from Champions League runners- up Juventus after failing to secure a first choice starting place within their centre-back partnership. He is definitely an upgrade on James Tomkins and will look to form an understanding with the impressive Winston Reid  

Dimitri Payet: A star player for Marseille last season, Payet will need to conform to his large fee as his eye for assists, with 17 last season, as well as scoring his fair share of goals from attacking positions in the midfield. A player who potentially could be one of the best this season.

Darren Randolph: The former Birmingham keeper, who was a key reason for the Blues survival in the Championship over the past 2 years,and has made a comeback to the Premier League with West Ham. His experience makes him a solid back up to first-choice Adrian. 

OUT:

Stewart Downing: Downing’s return to him home-town club is one for the football romantics. After an initial 8 years at Middlesborough, then Englishman moved to Aston Villa where he impressed under the tutelage of Martin O’Neill. After O’Neill’s departure, a large £20 million fee took Downing to a dream move to Liverpool, where he  supremely disappointed at Anfield, before impressing yet again at West Ham after a cut-price move. Ambitious Middlesborough, under Aitor Karanka, ave stumped up a large fee and wage for the winger and such a move has proved to be hugely popular with the Boro fans.

PREDICTION: 17th

The truth is that West Ham need a few more signings to imrove the overall quality in the squad. Established players like: Cheikhou Kouyate, Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia and  Mark Noble will need to pull their weight and make sure they contribute to each individual games. Reece Oxford, a very talented youngster, may also play a substantial part this season but Bilic needs more signings to fully ensure that his team are not in danger of relegation.     

                                             :  : 

Bobby Womack (4th March 1944 - 27th June 2014 )

Kanye West, a multi-Grammy winning, multi- award winning, multi- life winning, American rap artist has married Kim Kardashian, a model, fashon designer and reality personality.

Why though? 

Let me swing you back to  late 2004.  Kanye has dropped his first release "The College Dropout" , after a successfully period of composing beats and wider musical production. The album earned rave reviews with many critics lauding this new talent. He followed it up with a brilliant sophomore album “Late Registration"  and a 3rd release "Graduation" , the perfect ending to the trilogy of lyrical content. 

By 2007, Kanye has it all. A loving relationship with a long-term girlfriend, a mother who noticed and supported his obvious musical talent and an acquired wealth that has allowed him to pursue his own personal, philanthropic quests to reverse Chicago’s literacy rates.

How did he then end up pledging his life to, what can only be described, as a glorified porn star?

His mother’s death from surgical complications  in 2008 may provide such an explanation. It was after this event , that major controversies began to blow up. The 2009 MTV award fiasco with Taylor Swift was a distasteful incident that is cringe worthy 5 years later.  Heated confrontations with paparazzi ensued throughout his most recent period of performing. Is it possible that all this madness stemmed from the death of his closest supporter and all his actions are reflexes to his personal situation?  What about the disappointing Yeezus release? Even his most ardent fans wouldn't enjoy him regurgitating arrogant phrases in interviews and tracks. 

All we can do as fans is hope that this marriage is a happier chapter for Mr West. After all, he does have a daughter now. Maybe fatherhood and marriage will mellow him; causing him to embrace a mature side to his lyrical repertoire. .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s-w-zSbTu8

Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.

— Maya Angelou (@DrMayaAngelou)

May 23, 2014

April 19th 1994.  Graeme Obree bicycles world record 10km (11:25.88). Rodney King is awarded  $3,800,000 in compensation for his police beating. The Rwandan Genocide "officially" ends on this date after an estimated 500,000 -1,000,000 deaths. Illmatic, the début album of 17 year old rapper Nas is released. 

The build up to the album was modest, but not surprising. Nas had had some moderate success with a succession of underground singles  as well as his collaboration with Large Professor in the " Breaking Albums" EP with his group Main Source. Also, one of his first solo songs was used in the soundtrack to the 1992 film "Zebrahead" . Despite all of this, Nas or Nasty Nas as he was know back then, could not secure a record deal to start creating a fully-fledged studio album. After a few rejections, out-of-work artist, MC Serch allowed the young rapper into his studio for a recording session, where the raw talent and passionate lyricism shocked the veteran. A demo CD was given to prominent New York producers , such as modern-day titan DJ Premier , which paved the way for booked sessions at Power House Studios,  

The album cover is the first thing that a potential customer would see. It is a superimposed image of a 7 year old Nas  on the background of a New York City block.  The artwork was well received and has a legendary status among hip hop followers & critics alike. Definitely a lot better than the original one of Nas head- locking Jesus Christ.  With the tape bought, the consumer would then take it out and put it in the deck. Thus, the biopic starts. 

Even from a  brief listen to the album, it is obvious that Nas' inner-city upbringing and environment are the main sources for this work. Themes such as: Urban poverty, gang violence, high unemployment & drug desolation are explicit throughout the album. The heightened  sense of realism through  the use of first-person narrative when confronting death and it's aftermath puts the listener in the Purgatory state between fiction and documentary, The visceral telling of a cut-throat criminal underworld fully leached and embedded into the Queenbridge projects, combined with Nas' schizophrenic respect and hate of his criminal elders is surreal to the listener. Amidst all of this, Nas complains about his lack of musical legitimacy. He is upset that he hasn't been recognised in the same echelon as Biggie Smalls  & LLCool J ;  rap's biggest stars in this era; although his young age is acknowledged.  Therefore, this work is not just a poetic recital of his life thus far, but a benchmark of his progress and  a show of desire to go to the very top in Hip Hop.

Lyricism and production are key components in any rap album, but on "Illmatic" both are used to world class proportions. Nas's delivery is immaculate with clever vocabulary, intricate word play and complex rhyme patterns akin to Rakim and Kool G Rap.  Lyrical portraits are often in the style of jazz ( a known influence is his father Olu Dara, a celebrated Blues & Jazz musician) and  "drawn" on with Nas's technical precision and rhetorical dexterity.  The soul and jazz samples,  tweaked slightly with rumination by the album's 4 main producers : (Large Professor, DJ Premier, Pete Rock & Q Tip), allows an iconic, cohesive atmosphere to be formed. The climate created allows for self-reminiscing, which is somewhat cheerful An ironic feature, given the dark sided nature of the libretto.

Despite worldwide critical acclamation, the initial commercial aspect of the album well way below it's lofty standards. In recent times, the legendary status of the album has allowed impressive sales. Many reviewers have labelled it as "flawless"  and often tops the best rap albums list. Nas' career struggled with the demand set by Illmatic with releases such as: I Am & Nastradamus being criticised for lacking his authentic sound. There was an upturn with Stillmatic, God's Son & the Lost Tapes being likened to the Illmatic legacy.  The release of Illmatic XX is a chance for older and younger generations to revive memories of the classic tape as well as experience new remixes and recordings. 

Sources: HipHop DX, Fuse TB & Rap 101

It’s been one week since Thisara Perera smacked Ravichandran Ashwin down the ground for the winning six, that gave Sri Lanka an ICC title for the first time, since that memorable night in Lahore 18 years ago. Despair and defeat at International finals have been a national trend in recent competitions with honourable losses to : pre -tournament favourites Australia (2007) & India (2011) in ODI Finals as well as crushing defeats to Pakistan (2009) & West Indies (2012) in the World T20s. The formula for such a defeat was the same: Easing through the group stages without much hassle, few eye opening wins or events in the Super Sixes / Eights e.g. Lasith Malinga 4 in 4 in 2007, followed by gritty wins in the quarter and semi finals, usually against the odds. Now for the main stage, the climax of a hard fought and weary campaign. The end point of a 4 year plan. The final. It all goes wrong. Poor bowling at various points by our best bowlers e.g. Vaas in 2007 & Malinga in 2012 or pathetic batting at the start of the innings e.g. Dilshan in 2009. All our best made plans destroyed by the opposition along with our hopes and dreams. This time it felt different.

Firstly, some background. With the World T20 being held in Bangladesh on the back of a 5 week tour , SL had a chance to familiarise themselves with the conditions, particularly getting used to the “dew” factor in the evenings. Barring the 3rd Test against Pakistan aside, we were undefeated so far in 2014 with the Asia Cup also in the locker. The team felt confident and had established core nucleus of players with decent support available that could cover for any type of given playing surface. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka is more known for it’s human rights record and repressive society than it’s cultured cricket. A terrible end to a brutal 26 year civil war, as well as the loss of life from the 2004 tsunami, demoralised and deflated the country. Cricket has often been the conduit of healing among the different ethnicities and communities with the highs and lows of the team being followed by all. There are some who brand the team as “apologists” for the authoritarian government and protest against it’s presence , notably in England & Australia. However, the cricketers play through this feeling that they are “connected” to the population.

So back to the tournament itself. Being drawn with South Africa, New Zealand, England and Netherlands (check out the qualifying win against Ireland - mad ting) had the potential for an upset and subsequent early exit. However. surprisingly good captaincy by Chandimal in the slender win over SA followed by the mauling of the Dutch, gave the Lankans 4 points. The English game was a weird one with lax bowling and even worse fielding. A bad defeat that seemed to influence the dismal batting innings against New Zealand. With a shambolic exit looming, Rangana Herath conjured up a magical spell of left arm spin that dazzled the batsmen and put us in the semi against the world champions West Indies. Another weird event where the bemusing approach by Marlon Samuels and the timely washout allowed progression to the final. The WI captain, Darren Sammy, commented that the “Almighty wanted two gentlemen to have one last chance at a World Cup”. Those two gentlemen? Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.

Both men are held in a singular pantheon of greatness by all Sri Lankans . Both have 10,000 plus runs in both Tests and ODIs as well as being in the top 10 of T20 run getters. Both are Once- a- generation match winners who can tip the balance of the game to their side’s favour no matter what the circumstances. Both are mature, intelligent cricketers with an unbound passion for their profession, survivors of a ghastly terrorist attack and strong captains on the field. All of this without a major ICC win in their name. Surely it was time?