So Who Are The Title Contenders?

By: Rob | July 22nd, 2010

Premier league trophy A lot of talk over the last couple of days about who exactly the title contenders will be. Harry Redknapp has claimed Spurs are in with a shout. Ryan Giggs has said that Liverpool and Manchester City shouldn’t be written off. If these are true, then its going to be the most open title race in the history of the Premier League. So probably time to take a closer look at the top teams, and see if they are likely to make a title push.

Chelsea
Are the current champions, and so should be expected to be there or there abouts again next season, but they are in a period of transformation. They’ve not blown anyone’s mind in the transfer market just yet, despite rumours linking them with everyone from Bastian Schweinsteiger to Fernando Torres. They have let Joe Cole and Michael Ballack leave to free up the wage bill, and Real Madrid are desperately chasing after Ashley “I hate the English” Cole. Presumably they are going to bring in a few big name, and it’ll be interesting to see who they move for.

Manchester United

Obviously would be foolhardy to rule out Man United under any circumstances. Again haven’t yet made their move in the transfer market (Mexican Javier Hernández aside) so its tricky to judge where they are at, though Fergie is talking up the club’s young players, which is probably code for “don’t expect me to spend too much money”. After last season’s comparitively frugal summer (Money in £80m, out £16m) Its tough to imagine he won’t grab somebody.

Arsenal

Have been making unlikely waves in the transfer market despite the huge shadow hanging over Cesc Fàbregas future. They’ve bought in French defender Laurent Koscielny, as well as striker Marouane Chamakh. Wenger has said he’s still in the market for a goalkeeper, with everyone from Sebastian Frey to Igor Akienfeev mentioned in relation to the club. I know we’ve been saying it every year, but if this is the season that Wenger’s team of young players comes together, and finally pays off, then it could kick start an era of dominence. Wenger still needs a couple more signings, but if he gets them, they could be real title contenders again.

Spurs

Harry Redknapp thinks that Spurs are title contenders, but they do need to build a bit before that’s genuinely true. They only just about made it into the fourth Champions League spot, and that competition may prove a bit of a distraction with all the other sides fighting to nick that place from them. Harry has been uncharacteristically quiet in this transfer market, though he batted his lashes at Joe Cole for ages before the former Chelsea midfielder opted to go to Liverpool instead. They need a bit more balance and stability if they genuinely want to go for the league title.

Manchester City

Man City are, as ever these days a volatile, unpredictable mix. They haven’t crazily stalked a world superstar this summer, and have signed really good players, in David Silva and Yaya Touré. They’ve got an exciting bunch of players coming through the ranks as well, the future looks really really bright. The test is of course, whether Roberto Mancini can keep the squad happy, and gain some consistency out of the most inconsistent of sides.Its pretty tough to imagine they won’t finish in the Champions League this season, especially when you consider they probably aren’t done yet in the transfer market.

Liverpool

Have put a good manager in place, who always seems to get his sides to overperform (watch Fulham slide down the table this season), and have made the right kind of moves in the transfer market (they are selling want-away midfielder Javier Mascherano have bought in Joe Cole, and seem to have convinced Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to stay). How well they do will pretend on the fitness and mood of Gerrard and Torres, but the title is probably pushing it, they should be just aiming to get back into the Champions League, which could be tough enough as it is.