Andre Villas Boas will definitely need time to settle in, however he is an exceptional manager and appears to have a great love for the game. When he has truly settled, I feel the team will beat Liverpool to third, yet still trail narrowly to the Manchester clubs come May.
Now, fifth and sixth position will be decided based on form once more. Arsenal seem to have invested poorly this summer, failing to fill the holes the likes of Fabregas and Clichy have left. Having witnessed their first two games, Nasri seemed the only player who caused problems, looking lively in his display against Liverpool.
However with him departing to a wealthier climate in Manchester, it seems Arsenal need some new recruits desperately if they are to find themselves in the same position as last year. With Gervinho suspended, Van Persie looking lacklustre and Thomas Vermaelen seeming to be the only experienced centre half in the team, panic stations are surely required to attempt to stop what has already been a rocky start to the season. The pressure on the youth within the Arsenal team will be tremendous, and, although of very good quality, I feel the experience of the teams around them will show through, leaving Arsenal a distant fifth this season. Therefore Tottenham are the last team to complete the line up. Keeping hold of Van Der Vaart, Bale and Modric in midfield could be the key to Spurs succeeding this season. It seems that Tottenham will have sixth position tided up comfortably, as they look to push on and get close to London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal.
The 3-0 defeat to Manchester United in their first game of the season, despite being a poor result, showed signs of promise, with pace from Lennon and Bale a significant factor in any chances Spurs mustered. However, if Harry Redknapp and his side are to challenge for the Champions League position that they so desire, recruiting a Striker similar to that of Adebayor will be top of the wish list. With a new, more agile Striker, then I can see Spurs in a mini-battle with Arsenal for fifth place, and despite no champion league football, the chance to finish higher than Arsenal in the Premier League table would surely be reward enough.
There is a long way to go in the remainder of the season, and with clubs constantly being hit by injuries or suspensions, anything could happen to deplete the strength that some teams hold. Ultimately, the reason why we love football is because anything can happen, therefore twists and turns will no doubt occur throughout.
However with Manchester United having Ashley Young, Nani and Valencia to choose from, and with Rooney appearing to be back to his best, I find it hard to see a team stopping the Red Devils this season. With the imminent signings of Mata for Chelsea, and Nasri for Manchester City, this Premier League season could be the closest yet, as each of these sides mentioned have every case for their own title chase.
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Or have a look at the ten strikers that we think will lead the race for the Golden Boot next season