Sunday, 7 August 2011

The Full English: The 2011-12 English Premier League season is here and it's preview time! - Part I

It’s here. It’s finally here. The wait is over. Football is back. No more baseball. No more soccer. Proper football has returned to save us from the doldrums of summer.

Now, I know what you’re all thinking... the regular season doesn’t start until next weekend! Right? Right. So I’ve decided to treat you to TWO preview columns. This week’s will take a look at the first half of the league, with next week’s looking at the other 10. As an added bonus, you get a Community Shield preview here and next week, three full match previews to kick off the year. Boomshakalaka!


After all, you lot expect the best and who am I not to deliver? I’ve been doing it for four seasons and I can’t stop now. Wouldn’t be prudent. The previews themselves will have a musical element, as I tend to enjoy the culture side of things. This year, I’ll link every team to a band. The band/team will display similar qualities which I’ll elaborate on at that time. Also, no top 40 crap here... only good music.

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The only wrinkle I’ll put in them is that I won’t put each team’s expected finish in there, as I have in the past. Instead, I’ll just draw up my predicted table in next week’s column. Will be a little mini surprise for you all!

Following those lovely previews, we’ll actually have a match to examine. Not sure you forgot about this, but the FA Community Shield is this Sunday. It’s a real match, for a real trophy and is a juicy matchup to boot as Manchester United and Manchester City will be going at it once more. Color me all kinds of excited.

Right. I cannot contain myself any longer. We’ll go in alphabetical order, as you do, starting with (as always, until Accrington Stanley get promoted) everyone’s favorite screw ups, the Arsenal.

Arsenal
2010-11 Finish: 4th (19-11-8, 68 points)

Season outlook: The Gunners will go into 2011 with an almost identical squad to the one they fielded last term. We all saw how that worked out for them. Having said that though, a year of growth and cohesion could help them take the next step. It’s just that lingering Cesc/Nasri business that needs to be sorted, and soon.

Biggest addition
: Gervinho
Biggest subtraction: Cesc Fabregas (presumably)
Star player in 2011-12: Jack Wilshere

Band it resembles
: Arcade Fire - Young, creative and captivating... but are they really that good? Only time will tell if they build on their prior triumphs.



Aston Villa
2010-11 Finish
: 9th (12-12-14, 48 points)

Season outlook: A number of key names walked out the door at Villa Park this summer and it’ll be interesting to see if the squad that former enemy Alex McLeish has put together will compete the way it once did under Martin O’Neill. I’m not so sure.

Biggest addition
: Charles N’Zogbia
Biggest subtraction: Ashley Young
Star player in 2011-12: Shay Given

Band it resembles
: Queens of the Stone Age - Something of a cast of characters. Can’t really tell if they’re going to take over the world or just flounder. Has equal chance at both if they could only stay consistent.

Blackburn Rovers
2010-11 Finish: 15th (11-10-17, 43 points)

Season outlook: Trying desperately all summer to hold on to its core players, Blackburn has seemingly won in its fight to keep Christopher Samba, though Phil Jones got away. With some money behind them, Rovers are trying to build on a disappointing year last year and will want to get back to their EPL glory days.

Biggest addition
: David Goodwillie
Biggest subtraction: Phil Jones
Star player in 2011-12: Christopher Samba

Band it resembles
: Cake - A slightly quirky bunch (see recent Venky’s commercial) but entertaining and fun to watch. Unlikely that it’ll ever recapture former stardom, unfortunately.

Bolton Wanderers
2010-11 Finish: 14th (12-10-16, 46 points)

Season outlook
: I like Owen Coyle. I feel like he has the chops to make it in the EPL and to be a David Moyes-esque type manager. Even with a so-so team like Bolton, he gets the best out of his players and I think it’ll improve this season.

Biggest addition
: Darren Pratley
Biggest subtraction: Matthew Taylor
Star player in 2011-12: Stuart Holden

Band it resembles
: The Hives - Remember them? Great to listen to every once in a while and some of the deeper tracks are pure magic. Too bad that no one thinks much of them…

Chelsea
2010-11 Finish: 2nd (21-8-9, 71 points)

Season outlook
: We start 2011 at Stamford Bridge again under new management. New promise, new hope, all that fun stuff. Heard that one before, have you? Fact is, Chelsea picked the right guy in Andre Villas-Boas, it just remains to be seen if Mr. Roman will have the patience to stick with him if things get rough about halfway in.

Biggest addition
: Andre Villas-Boas
Biggest subtraction: N/A
Star player in 2011-12: Fernando Torres

Band it resembles
: Coldplay - Always in the thick of the top talk amongst those in the know. Can be a bit too soft at times and there are certainly identity issues there, but generally worth the money and produce results when it counts.



Everton
2010-11 Finish: 7th (13-15-10, 54 points)

Season outlook
: Kinda like Arsenal, Everton comes into this year virtually unchanged. Unlike Arsenal, it doesn’t have all this money to spend and just doesn’t. Seventh was a stretch last year, will be even tougher this go-around.

Biggest addition
: Uhh...
Biggest subtraction: James Vaughan
Star player in 2011-12: Mikel Arteta

Band it resembles
: Everclear - You really can’t not like these guys. Happy go lucky and are grounded by some really big hits way back when. Would love to see them back on top, but the talent just isn’t there to make it happen.

Fulham
2010-11 Finish: 8th (11-16-11, 49 points)

Season outlook
: Another new boss for the Cottagers as last year was an awkward one. With an experienced boss like Martin Jol in charge, they should do alright. Not expecting big things, but they could surprise.

Biggest addition
: John Arne Riise
Biggest subtraction: John Pantsil
Star player in 2011-12: Clint Dempsey

Band it resembles
: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - One of the most underrated outfits there is. Put on a quality show every time and gets no love. Still waiting for that breakout tune that will make people really take notice.

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