6th Annual EPL Preseason Awards Prediction Spectacular

With the start of the Premiership season just hours away, we invite our readers to learn all about what is going to happen over the next ten months with our latest EPL Preseason Awards Prediction Spectacular. Brian and Bryce take turns looking into the future of what is to come this season in England.

Most Surprising Team

Bryce: Building on last season's remarkable display of resiliency and key new faces brought in this summer, Portsmouth will play well enough to land itself in the top half of the table. Kanu, Calamity James, the oft-forgotten Glen Johnson, and Sol Campbell bring confidence and experience to the defense and the creative attacking options that Harry Redknapp recruited in the January transfer window will continue to click for Pompey. Any time Portsmouth aren't involved in a relegation battle, people should be surprised.

Brian: Last year, we were getting "Wiggy" with it with Wigan Athletic's outstanding mid-table performance. This year, I expect similar results out of Premiership newcomers Reading. While no one expects the Royals to be competing with the Chelseas and Liverpools of the world, Reading has the players, the manager, and the boardroom support to finish mid-table and well clear of the relegation zone. Expect young midfielders Steve Sidwell and Bobby Convey to turn a lot of heads this year.

Most Disappointing Team

Brian: Tottenham Hotspur was one win away from Champions League football last term. This year, Spurs will be many wins away from the world's premier club competition. Losing Michael Carrick, the engine that ran the midfield, is a tremendous blow. Ledley King has had trouble recovering from injury problems. There are concerns up front; Mido is gone, Jermaine Defoe is too inconsistent, and Dimitar Berbatov is unproven. With a thin squad and UEFA Cup football this term, the games will come quickly for Spurs. That could lead to some Premiership struggles in 2006/07.

Bryce: Seeing more faces leaving the dressing room than steady replacements coming in means Bolton face a tough task in maintaining their level of consistancy under Sam Allardyce. Out are Okocha, Nakata, and Jaidi, all first-team regulars at the Reebok. And in? Why, the commanding presences of Abdoulaye Meite, Idan Tal, and Quinton Fortune, of course. They did manage to hold onto captain Kevin Nolan, but it looks like Bolton are in for a big dip in points come May.

Best New Signing

Bryce: While much has been and should be made of the man he is replacing, Craig Bellamy, new Blackburn man Benny McCarthy will prove to be a fantastic signing for Rovers. A proven goal-scorer and winner across Europe, the South African will bring scoring punch to help replace the pace and feistiness of the Welshman and keep Rovers in the hunt for more European football next season. Already a £4 million profit after the sale of hispredecessorr, don't be surprised if McCarthy tops Bellamy's goal total of 13 EPL goals of last season as well. A close challenge could come from new Everton man and England hopeful Andy Johnson.

Brian: If Liverpool had one major weakness last season, it clearly was goalscoring. Enter Craig Bellamy. The Welsh striker has resurrected his career and reputation after a successful stint with Blackburn, and now will get to lead the attack at Anfield. When his head is right, Bellamy is one of the most consistent scorers in the EPL. With Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso feeding him and Peter Crouch drawing defenders away from him, Bellamy might have his best season yet.

Worst New Signing

Brian: We love Sol Campbell here at Bookable Offense, but what exactly is the logic behind his move to Portsmouth? Campbell, pushed by the younger and hungrier Philippe Senderos, saw the writing on the wall at Arsenal. But when he asked out of his contract this summer, it was with the understanding that he wanted to move abroad. While the English would like to tell you that Portsmouth is a foreign country, Pompey isn't playing in La Liga or Serie A this term. What Campbell hopes to accomplish at an obscure, bottom-of-the-table club isn't exactly clear. At this point of his career, he's injury prone and his head and his heart don't exactly appear to be into football anymore.

Bryce: Since I can't find anyone important with the last name of Thompson anywhere in the league, I'll instead point to everyone's favorite target at one point in life, Emile Heskey. Everyone loved Wigan and manager Paul Jewell last season, but throwing 5.5 million quid to Birmingham for the goal-less wonder? I can't say I agree with the gaffer this time and it just might be the kind of purchase that jeopardizes the club's chances of sticking around the Premiership for a third season.

Best Young Player

Bryce: As boring as it is to say, I still think a motivated Cristiano Ronaldo will end up being the young star of the season. Motivated to win back the support of Man U supporters following his "alleged" involvement in Wayne Rooney's dismissal at the World Cup, the young Portuguese star should be an inspired force in the Red Devil attack. With an ever-increasingly strengthened midfield to feed the exciting winger, he should get plenty of chances to create for himself or even the other kid on the team, Mr. Rooney himself.

Brian: While I'm very excited to see what Steve Sidwell will do at Reading this year, it's hard to name a more talented young footballer on the planet right now than Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas. The 19-year old added "World Cup star" to his CV this past summer. This will mark his third year as an Arsenal regular. If last year's magical Champions League run showed us anything, it's that Fabregas is as valuable to the Gunners' success as Thierry Henry. Expect Fabregas, who has taken Patrick Vieira's old number 4 shirt, to take up more of a leadership role and pick up his goalscoring rate in the season ahead.

Player of the Year

Brian: They say it usually takes a foreign player at least a year to settle in the Premiership. That won't be the case for Andriy Shevchenko. If there's been one knock against Chelsea during the Abramovich-Mourinho era, it's that the Blues have played a slow-it-down, defensive style of football. That won't be the cast this year with Sheva leading the charge. Shevchenko is that rare striker who sets up just as many goals as he scores. He's among the best in the world, and his play could possibly elevate Chelsea even higher.

Bryce: I feel it necessary to preface my following statements with this: if there were a manager of the year award, it would wind up in the hands of one Rafa Benitez. That being said, the player of the year will not be wearing the blue of Chelsea, but instead will be wearing red. That man will be Steven Gerrard. With the new firepower in the form of Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt brought in to accompany the robot-dancing, head-on-a-broomstick Peter Crouch, opposing defences will be even more vulnerable to the class, power, and determination that so absolutely defines the play of the Liverpool captain. Watch for even bigger and better things from Stevie G this campaign.

And the Winner Is...

Bryce: This season I think the gap will be closed for two reasons. Number one, Mourinho seems intent to fundamentally change the style and system of the Blues' play. It will take time for the team to adjust and learn how to play with such a crowded and offensive-minded midfield. Number two, it does not take a psychic to predict that the focus of this year's efforts for the boys from the Bridge will be to win the Champions League. Winning in Europe and winning the ten-month marathon of the Premiership are two distinct tasks. With the new weapons at his disposal, I think the Rafa Revolution will bear fruit come May for Liverpool.

Brian: While I think they won't have it wrapped up by Christmas this year, it's hard to pick anyone but Chelsea. I think Liverpool, Arsenal, and certainly Manchester United will give the Blues a run for the money this year. But as long as Abramovich is throwing is rubles around like Monopoly money, the title is Chelsea's to lose.

Champions League

Brian:
2. Manchester United
3. Arsenal
4. Liverpool

Bryce:
2. Chelsea
3. Manchester United
4. Tottenham Hotspur

Relegation Zone

Bryce:
18. Aston Villa
19. Sheffield United
20. Watford

Brian:
18. Charlton Athletic
19. Sheffield United
20. Watford

Final Thoughts

Brian: Bryce is either trying to be cute with his pick or is sipping on too much smuggled absinthe from across the Czech border. While Liverpool will be improved, the Reds, much like Arsenal, concede too many goals and go through too many bad spells on the road to be considered true threats. No one will score on Chelsea. That's why you can't pick against them. With Cech in goal and anchors like Makelele and Essien in midfield, plus a bolstered attack with Ballack and Sheva, you can't pick against the Blues. Watch out for Man Utd. Sir Alex quietly has built a young, stubborn, hungry squad at Old Trafford.

Bryce: With the close of the transfer window still almost two weeks away, things could still be shaken up a bit even at the top of the table. The futures of William Gallas, Ashley Cole, Jose Antonio Reyes, Marcos Senna, Mido, Pascal Chimbonda or even Owen Hargreaves could all tip the balance for one club or another in the battle for Champions League play next year. When the transfer window closes (and Newcastle finally has a new striker) the fog should clear a bit more on this season. At least this year it should be a contest.

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