2010/11 Season Preview Pt.2

Posted on August 11, 2010

junior

Europa!!

9^th Fulham: A successful European campaign meant that they had to feel content with finishing 12^th in the league. That also meant Roy Hodgson being poached by Liverpool and them having to adapt to a new manager in the shape of Mark Hughes.

The good thing is that he has managed in the EPL before and has quite a decent track record at this level. If he manages to improve on Fulham’s away woes it will be half the battle won.

7^th Everton: Turned their season around in dramatic fashion after a dismal start. Losing only 2 games out of 19 games played in the year 2010. Beating Chelsea and Manchester United in a ten-day span.

They should be chasing Champions League football but the teams around them have bigger squads and even bigger wallets.

8^thAston Villa: Have pretty much the same set of pros and cons as Everton; ~~a good manager~~, no prominent striker, limited squad and budget. They lost a spot on my ladder when MoN left the club. If they don't manage to hold on to their talented youngsters, they might fall further behind.

6^th Tottenham Hotspur: Although they have a big squad they will still have to juggle their domestic and European priorities. It will be good to see them go for broke in Europe rather than being neither here nor there in the league.

5^th Liverpool: The appointment of Roy Hodgson is a positive start. But the continuous distractions off the field might prove to be too much of a dampener on it. Hodgson has a tough assignment in front of him; regaining Champions League football and their pride.

I’m being generous in my prediction of a 5^th place finish. This could turn catastrophic in a hurry if results on and off the field don’t go Liverpool’s way.