Premier League Preview: Liverpool

Last Season: 2nd

Pre-Season Prediction: 4th - With intelligent summer purchases squad depth has been increased and should see the Reds more than capably cope with the loss of Luis and the challenge of Champions League football.

At the start of last season you would have been hard-pressed to find a Liverpool fan disappointed with coming second in the League. Such was the manner of their season though, with 24 victories in a 26 game unbeaten run, that fans will have been heartbroken to see that infamous Gerrard slip against Chelsea which also saw their chances of a first Premier League title fade away. Nevertheless, after a period of reflection that disappointment can be pushed aside and the realisation that Rogers has instilled a sparking philosophy in this Liverpool side which should carry them forward for years to come is a major positive, as well as the fact that they are finally back in the Champions League.

However, there is a pretty large, teethy elephant in the room that I have neglected to mention so far. Luis Suarez. With 31 goals in the League last year and an ability to change a game with the flick of a boot, his departure to Barcelona leaves a monstrous hole at the front of this Liverpool side. Echoes of Bale's departure to Madrid seem in place as Liverpool have gone on a spending binge to fill this departure but there is notable more intelligence to the signings. Improvements have come across the park with Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic providing creative flair in the midfield whilst Rickie Lambert provides an alternative up top. Emre Can is a solid addition to bolster the center of the park whilst Dejan Lovren and Javier Manquillo provide a welcome boost to, what was a fairly leaky defense last season.

Despite this summer spree, Rogers insists that Reds are not done there and expects more signings to be brought in to ensure that Liverpool are able to have a large enough squad to fight in both the Champions League and the Premier League. The main priority is still to find a world class striker to replace Suarez, with Lambert at 32 not being able to fill that gap in the long term. Both Falcao and Cavani were on the radar but deals for either of them look unlikely so it will be interesting to see who Rogers turns to next. Alberto Moreno is another deal which looks set to go through as Liverpool seek to ensure they do not concede another 50 goals like last  season, with the left-back being heavily linked with a transfer from Seville.

The main challenge of pre-season was the International Champions Cup which was relatively successful for the Merseyside club. Victories over Milan and Olympiakos and a penalty shoot-out victory over Manchester City saw them reach the final which they eventually lost to Manchester United. That said, a first team mauling of Borussia Dortmund a few days ago will have boosted the confidence of an already positive team and, on the whole, pre-season can be heralded as a great success.

The big question, is can Liverpool replicate their success without the talismanic Luis Suarez leading the line? I believe that the answer is yes, albeit in a different style. Last season there was a reliance on Suarez and co to outscore the opposition. With the signing of Lovren though, Rogers is clearly trying to address the defensive weakness of last season and the reduced quantity of goals from Suarez should be counteracted by this new defensive stability. Whether this will be the case remains to be seen but don't expect European football to have a major impact on Liverpool's season.

Key Man: Raheem Sterling - The loss of Suarez places greater emphasis on the striking capabilities of Daniel Sturridge but it will be his partner in crime who will need to make the step up to replace the Uruguayan. Sturridge has already proved he is a 20-goal-a-season man but Sterling needs to ensure he can provide the creativity lost up top. One of the few bright sparks in England's dismal World Cup run, Sterling has had a solid pre-season after terrorising Phil Jones in the ICC and will be hoping to make another step up in an already hugely promising career.

One to Watch: Emre Can - The pick of the youngsters signed this summer, Can is a powerful midfielder and long-term successor to Steven Gerrard. The 20-year-old has had a fantastic pre-season impressing fans and neutrals alike with his determination and physicality in the center of the park, most notably his well-documented brushing aside of Mario Balotelli [Below]. Liverpool have not had a truly outstanding defensive midfielder since the departure of Javier Mascherano, but with the right development, Can could easily fill that gap. Are we looking at one of the bargains of the season?

Best Summer Signing: Dejan Lovren - The major weakness of Liverpool last year was their vulnerability in defense. Martin Skrtel may have knocked in seven Premier League goals but was susceptible to a lack of concentration at the other end of the park. And with Daniel Agger seemingly falling out of favour with Brendan Rogers a trademark defender was needed to bring assurance to the back line. Lovren had a stellar debut season in the Premier League with Southampton and was quickly earmarked as the 'next Carragher'. In amongst a host of forward thinking signings, Lovren is likely to turn out to be the best.

Sports Ladder (June 29th - July 6th)

UP - Surprise Packages - So the semi-finals are decided and we have a heavyweight bunch with Brazil against Germany and Argentina versus Holland but it really was the performance of certain 'minnow' teams that captured the imagination of the public. Costa Rica were the last to fall after an outstanding qualification from a 'group of death' but there was some sensational stuff from Colombia, USA and Algeria to name just a few. If we could have some of that passion for our England boys in four years then that would be fantastic.

UP - Susie Wolff - Okay, so it only lasted one racing lap. Okay, so it was a bit disappointing that the car suffered an oil pressure issue. Besides that it was great to see Susie Wolff become the first female driver to step into a Formula One car on a race weekend in twenty-two years. So the actual practice session was a disaster as she suffered a technical issue beyond her control and finished second last in the session. Yet Susie will get another chance in Hoffenheim and I for one look forward to seeing her get a proper crack of the whip.

UP - Nick Kyrgios - If you had not heard of the tenacious Australian before this week then you will have now. Kyrgios, who I met just last month at the AEGON Trophy in Nottingham, took the tennis world by storm as he blew apart Rafael Nadal on route to his first Wimbledon quarter-final at just nineteen years old. He may have lost to Milos Raonic but the youngster certainly proved why many are considering him to be the next big tennis sensation.

UP - Jordanne Whiley - Whilst British eyes were fixed on Andy Murray this week, (well until Wednesday at least), there was another Brit who walked away with a title as Jordanne Whiley and her partner Yui Kamiji won their third Grand Slam Wheelchair Doubles title of the year, meaning they need just the the US Open to complete the set. The pair have been playing some magnificent stuff over the last 12 months or so and now sit proudly at the top of the global rankings.

UP - Aberystwyth Town - With the World Cup coming towards a sparkling end it will not be long before we return to the regularity of everyday football. For some however, that has already started and I couldn't help but chuckle at the sly dig made by Aberystwyth Town to Manchester United when they messaged the Red Devils saying 'we are all off to Europe... are you?'. Unquestionably funny but perhaps United will have the last laugh as Aberystwyth were only travelling to Derry and lost 4-0 in the first leg.

DOWN - Massimo Cellino - So it's official, we have another Vincent Tan on our hands. We all knew from his time at Cagliari that Cellino was a little bit bonkers but he stepped it up this week by refusing to allow Paddy Kenny to join the first team because his birthday is on the 17 May. Seventeen is considered an unlucky number in Italy and Cellino's deep suspicion of it has now left Kenny looking for a new club. People like this should not be allowed to own football clubs.

DOWN - Mark Cavendish - Poor Mark. You wait your whole life to cycle the most prestigious event on the cycling calender right past your own doorstep but the Manxman had it taken away from him when he unfortunately crashed barely 200 metres from the end of the first stage. The resulting shoulder injury has ruled Cavendish out of the rest of the Tour after he was just a little too desperate to wear that coveted yellow jersey at home.

DOWN - Luis Suarez - Why? Just why? I cannot help but laugh at the calamity that is Luis Suarez. He has the potential to be one of the absolute best players in the world but is constantly impeded by his vampirical tendencies. I'm not sure what was worse though, the fact he bit someone for the third time in his career or his excuse that he tripped and fell teeth first into Chiellini's shoulder. I'm concerned that if he does it again he will emerge from the ban in the 'twilight' of his career. Terrible vampire joke quote ticked.

DOWN - Serena Williams - Well it looks like the Queen of women's tennis has now well and truly lost her grip on the thrown. Suffering her third early exit in Grand Slams this year Serena will now have a monumental job on her hands to retain her US Open title. Luckily her grip on the number one ranking is well in tact as Li Na also lost early but others are catching fast and it may only be a matter of time before Serena loses in tennis' game of thrones.

DOWN - Match Fixing - Whichever direction you turn your head in the sporting world there seems to be problems with match fixing at the moment. Lou Vincent, the self-proclaimed cricketing cheat, was littered on the back page of the papers this week for his confession and then we were treated to a number of stories about match-fixing at the World Cup. As if that wasn't enough, there is now an investigation into Aberdeen in the Europa League. It has become an epidemic that needs to be killed sooner rather than later.

Disclaimer - This was written before the finish of the Wimbledon Men's Final and before I have watched the British Grand Prix so that's why neither are mentioned.

Sports Ladder 2013

UP - Andy Murray - I know it's an obvious choice, but realistically he is one of the main reasons 2013 will be remembered as a sporting year. His Sport's Personality of the Year award from earlier this year was never really in doubt following his Wimbledon title. His men's singles title was the first won by a Brit in 77 years, exception not only for the achievement, but also the way he dispatched the World number one Djokovic in just three sets. He also reached the Australian Open final and will be looking to add to his Grand Slam titles in 2014

UP - Mo Farah - I think his achievements went quietly under the radar this year but what he achieved was simply breathtaking. By winning both the 5,000 and the 10,000 metres at the World Championships in Moscow he achieved the double-double following his victory at the London Olympics. This year was more challenging as, following his Olympic golds, he became the hunted member of the field. Despite this he still managed to walk away with the golds, and also Steve Cram's European 1500m record. Let's all do the MoBot.

UP - Ben Ainslie - It is hard to find words to describe the incredible nature of the comeback orchestrated by Ben Ainslie in this years America's Cup is something that will go down in, not only Sailing legend, but sporting legend. With the American team having succumbed to an 8-1 deficit against the Kiwis, Ainslie's recent appointment as a tactician was founded to be an inspired decision.. The Cup was turned around as Ainslie guided them to a 9-8 victory overall. Certainly gives Liverpool's 2005 Champions League final a run for its money.

UP - Chris Froome - I spoke about Farah's achievements going under the radar but sadly I think Froome's went even lower. Froome suffered from the fact that Sir Bradley Wiggins won it a year before; a victory that would not have been achieved without his help. This year, not only did Chris win, but he annihilated the rest of the field, blowing them away in numerous mountain stages. What we all want to see in 2014 is Froome vs Wiggins as the Tour starts in England.

UP - Tai Woffinden  - Many people will not have heard of Tai Woffinden, but this year he became only the 8th Brit ever to win the Speedway World Championship. For many he was a surprise exclusion from the Sports Personality of the Year shortlist but sadly this highlights the decline of Speedway's popularity. Nevertheless, Tai's achievements cannot be understated, as he became the first Brit to win since 2000. Hopefully his victory will increase popularity in the sport.

DOWN - Luis Suarez - In the 2013-14 season Luis Suarez has been simply incredible. Scoring goals left, right, center and just about every other way possible. However, let us not forget that Suarez committed the downright bizarre at the tail end of last season when he took a mouthful of Branislav Ivanovic's arm leading to a ten match ban. As much as I admire Suarez for his outstanding footballing ability, he is hardly the model professional and that must not be forgotten.

DOWN - Formula One - Sebastian Vettel won this years title and he must be commended for that but the car changes for next season cannot come soon enough. Formula One really did hit a low point in terms of viewer interest this year. Vettel's dominance is fine if everyone is racing on a level field but the Pirelli tires have meant that the drivers have not been able to race. Outstanding drivers such as Hamilton have been unable to drive at their fluent best and it is damaging the sport. Roll on 2014 and an F1 shake-up.

DOWN - Stephen Lee - Match-fixing was a prominent concern throughout 2013. It struck Football, Cricket and NASCAR during this year but the most widely reported was that of Snooker player Stephen Lee. Despite still professing his innocence, Lee was found guilty and sentenced to a twelve year ban from the professional snooker circuit. It is obviously a problem throughout a number of sports, but hopefully with its increased presence in the media it will become less of an issue in the coming years.

DOWN - Lance Armstrong - The Lance Armstrong affair made my list despite largely happening last year although my interest in it stems from my current reading of Wheelman by Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell. However it is relevant to this year as it was in January when he first confessed to drug-use in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. It is one of sports greatest ever controversies and will remain so for many years to come. On a more personal note for me, it certainly ruins his 'inspirational' scene in the film Dodgeball.

DOWN - Oscar Pistorious - I don't think I will ever forget the morning I awoke to the news that Oscar Pistoroius had shot his girlfriend. Whether it was intentional or not we may never know but it was a truly shocking moment. Pistorious was a role model for a number of disabled athletes and has left a huge whole in the hearts of idolising fans. It will be really quite intersting to see what the verdict is of the 2014 trial.

Premier League Preview: Arsenal

Arsenal fans enter the season with their usual sense of optimism mixed with transfer-window disappointment. After cheif-executive Ivan Gazidis promised Arsene Wenger £70 million to spend at the start of the summer, fans will be disappointed to see only free-transfer Yaya Sanogo arrive at the Emirates.

However, they will feel more optimistic than usual that players will arrive before the 2 September deadline after Arsenal have looked to smash their previous transfer record, having a bid declined of £40,000,001 for Liverpool's want-away striker Luis Suarez. With Suarez himself pushing for a transfer it now seems like only a matter of time before the controversial Uruguayan arrives at the Emirates.

Having lost none of their big name players during the window and shifting a bit of deadweight in the form of Andre Santos and Gervinho they will be looking to press on from retaining their fourth place position. Ideally Wenger will be looking to challenge for the title but with the return of Mourinho at Chelsea and big signings at Manchester City it seems difficult to see how realistic that aim is. Perhaps Wenger should instead look to break the eight year trophy duct by attempting to win either the FA Cup or League Cup, pleasing the fans by finally winning a trophy.

Key Player: Santi Carzola - Whilst many will argue that Jack Wilshere is Arsenal's key man, his injury-prone nature means that Arsenal need someone who can perform consistantly all season. Last year Carzola proved he could be that player with 12 goals and 14 assists after playing in every premier league game. If he can continue that form Arsenal can certainly make a push for the top 3.

One to Watch: Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain - After breaking through to the Arsenal team two seasons ago, 'the Ox', had a quiet season last year and failed to regularly establish himself in the Arsenal team. However, with another years experience under his belt 'the Ox' will be looking to regain a regular spot in the Arsenal team.

Best Summer Signing: Yaya Sanogo - An easy decision as he is the only signing thus far. A traditional Wenger signing as the young striker will certainly be one to watch over the coming years.

Last Season: 4th

Pre-Season Prediction: 4th - Retaining their coveted 4th place trophy again. Even if Suarez signs it does not cover the fact that their squad is not as strong as teams around them.