Premier League Preview: Everton

Last Season: 5th

Pre-Season Prediction: 7th - A long season juggling domestic and European commitments will see the Toffees lose ground in the race for top four.

One year on and I think its safe to say that Roberto Martinez was the best managerial appointment of last summer. Questions were asked as to how Martinez would cope competing at the end of the Premier League previously unfamiliar to him but the Spaniard excelled, toppling both Tottenham and Manchester United to finish a remarkable 5th place, just seven points off of the Champions League and setting a new points total in the Premier League for the Toffees. His player management and tactical nous made an already tight unit of players even stronger, and Europa League qualification was his reward for a wonderful debut season at the helm.

Last year Martinez placed a lot of faith in the loan system, shipping in both Gareth Barry and Romelu Lukaku. After excellent seasons for the pair Martinez has acted quickly to bring them both back on permanent deals, Lukaku becoming the clubs most expensive signing at £28 million. With Everton the financial minnows that they are among the top dogs, this has taken a sizeable chunk out of the kitty, and the only other signings are the two youngsters, Muhamed Besic and Brendan Galloway.

With the re-purchase of both Lukaku and Barry, Everton have largely retained the same squad as last season. This is good to an extent, but with the Europa League on the horizon investment, they will definitely be required to increase the squad depth in order to compete on both fronts. With Everton splashing the cash on Lukaku, Martinez may turn his attention back to the loan system or continue his trend of signing youngsters in order to bolster the squad. One area that especially needs attention is in the heart of defence. With Hibbert, Distin and Jagielka all over 30 it is vital that Martinez brings in an established centre-back.

The purchase of the big Belgian has done plenty to deflect from an otherwise disappointing pre-season which has seen a winless run of four matches as the Toffees battle to find form before the start of the new season. Getting points on the board early will be important with the imminent arrival of the grueling Europa League campaign but losses to Celta Vigo and opening day opponents Leicester will cast seeds of doubt among the Goodison Park faithful and they will be hoping their boys can overcome this potential slump as the season begins.

The honeymoon period is over now and it is with eager eyes we shall watch to see how Martinez gets on during his second season on Merseyside. Expect no less attractive football and expect Everton to still be mixing it with the top sides this year. However, a draining Europa League run could seriously dent their chances of finishing above Manchester United and Tottenham for a second successive season. European football is another new adventure for Martinez although after last seasons successs, who knows, perhaps the Spaniard can mastermind another Everton triumph.

Key Man: Leighton Baines - Has well and truly established himself as one of the best, if not the best left-back in the top flight of English football over the last few years. Whilst his defensive capabilities are occasionally called into question, it is his marauding runs down the flank move overlapping, and underlapping his team mates that have earned him his plaudits. At times last season he was overshadowed by his opposite, Seamus Coleman, but there can be no doubt that without him, Everton would be a notably weaker side.

One to Watch: John Stones - Last season saw Ross Barkley burst onto the scene with a flurry of excellent performances and this year may be the time of another youngster, John Stones. Stones has already established himself in the Everton starting eleven and his matured performances in the second half of the season almost led to a late England call up for the World Cup. At just 20, Stones still has a lot to learn but at Everton he will have found a safe environment with which to explore and exploit his potential. He will also have taken a lot of belief from watching his teammate, Barkley, go through a similar period of establishment and I reckon this could be his year.

Best Summer Signing: Muhamed Besic - We have already seen Lukaku and Barry in an Everton shirt so they hardly feel like new signings. Therefore it is only right that I turn my attention to the hidden gem that is Muhamed Besic. Unlikely to be a name known to the masses, Besic is a deep-lying midfielder who is very much prepared to put his foot in and break up the opposition play. Whilst unlikely to see him knocking goals in or contributing to offensive periods of play, Besic is an extremely talented player who likes to do the dirty work behind the players who gain the plaudits. That said, Besic has some quick feet, as demonstrated by his very first few touches in a toffees shirt.

Sports Ladder (26th August - 1st September)

UP - Dan Evans - It finally looks like Evans might be maturing into a top 100 tennis player. After a third round run at the US Open which included knocking out Kei Nishikori and Bernard Tomic, both established top 100 players, Evans will be looking to push on. After his controversial past he will have gained a lot of fans this week.

UP - Women's Ashes Team - Following on from the success of the men's team a few weeks ago, the women stepped up and matched them, with a 12-4 points victory over Australia. With English Cricket on a high at the moment we all look forward to the third Ashes event of the year during Christmas as the men take on the Aussies down under.

UP - Men's Eight (Rowing) - For the first time in the history of the World Rowing Championships, England walked away with gold in the Men's Eight category to top off a great week for British Rowing. This victory took us to third in the overall medal table with three golds and five bronze medals.

UP - Chris Mitchell - A record breaking week for Chris Mitchell who became the first one-armed man to complete a race around the TT track on the Isle of Man. It is an extraordinary story for the man who lost the use of his arm during a motorcycle accident in 2001, as he finished in 11th place in the 20-strong field.

UP - Papiss Cisse - After his bizarre summer sponsorship incident, Cisse has certainly boosted support amongst Toon supporters after hosting a BBQ for young fans. The youngsters were treated to a tour of his house, some home-cooked food, FIFA Tournaments and games of pool. That is certainly one way to win back your fans.

DOWN - Romelu Lukaku - Poor Romelu Lukaku. After a fantastic season last year he has to suffer with being behind Fernando Torres in Chelsea's pecking order. As if to further his misery, this week he missed the vital penalty in the European Super Cup meaning that meant Chelsea missed out on their first potential silverware of the season.

DOWN - Venus Williams - For so long it was the 'Williams Sisters', now it looks more likely to be Serena and 'the other one'. Venus has not won a Grand Slam in 5 years whilst Serena has won seven in that time and will certainly be a contender for a fair few to come. After her third consecutive US Open second round exit, Venus' time could soon be up.

DOWN - US Open - Once again the US Open has come under scheduling criticism, this year from our very own Andy Murray, who had to wait until the night session on the third day of the tournament to play his first match. It seems to happen every year and something really should be done as some women had played two rounds of tennis before Murray had played one. Blushing Meadows!

DOWN - Gareth Bale - So as I write this, history's most inevitable event has finally occurred as Bale leaves for Madrid but it has not been a good week for the Welshman. His unprofessional approach to this transfer led to him nearly getting fined for failing to show up to training. What's the best way to get transferred away from a club? Annoy the people stopping you from leaving obviously. At least the saga is finally over.

DOWN - David Moyes - Oh dear David. Still no summer signings of note (sorry Varela), a 1-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool and #MoyesOut sprawled all over twitter. Moyes needs an expensive day of shopping tomorrow to ease the mindset of many United supporters. Look on the bright side though, at least he doesn't have the World's fastest man out to get him...

Premier League Preview: West Brom

Last season West Brom were the best of the rest, coming in at a great 8th place, however with the loss of top West Brom goalscorer Romelu Lukaku back to Chelsea, West Brom are in for a harder season this year. However, under Steve Clarke they have a strong manager and will still be right in the mix for a top half finish.

West Brom have strengthened their squad with three experienced players. The replacement for Romelu Lukaku is journeyman Nicolas Anelka and they have also signed defenders Goran Popov and Diego Lugano to add plenty of experience to the defensive line. Selling a few squad players, I feel like West Brom have a slightly weaker squad than last season but their experiences will allow them a top half finish.

West Brom has a really small scale pre-season although it was successful enough. Anelka scored a couple of goals and will be instrumental if Clarke's team are to replicate last season's form. Sadly I feel as though they may fall away a little bit this year. Don't get me wrong they won't be in the relegation battle but they won't be in the top half like they were last year.

Key Man: Gareth McAuley - Last season's Player's Player of the Year and Supporters Player of the Year, 33 year old McAuley has his best season in a West Bromwich Albion shirt. As well as being a rock at the back he also supplied three goals for the team last year, showing his importance all over the park. If he can replicate his defensive form then West Brom will be pushing for the top half.

One to Watch: James Morrison - James Morrison is one of the most talented players in the League who has never quite reached his potential. After looking solid in pre-season, along with scoring a goal against England in the 3-2 friendly defeat on Wednesday, Morrison will be looking to really fulfill his potential and have a better season than last year.

Best Summer Signing: Nicolas Anelka - The journeyman returns to the Premier League once again. This time at his twelth club and his sixth different Premier League game, Anelka joins West Brom to fill the boots of last seasons talisman Romelu Lukaku. Anelka looked strong in pre-season and will be looking to, well, re-make his name in the Premier League.

Last Season: 8th

Pre-Season Prediction: 14th - A tougher season for West Brom with the loss of Lukaku but safe enough.

Premier League Preview: Chelsea

The return of Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge has seen Chelsea become the Bookmakers favourites for the title. The newly Christened 'Happy One', has a squad full of quality and will certainly be challenging for the title but with Manchester City purchasing big name players and Manchester United losing none of their title-winning team from last year it is by no means a one horse race.

Chelsea have strengthened their squad with plenty of youngsters, most notably Andre Shurrle from Bayer Leverkusen but it is their pending transfer of Wayne Rooney which will certainly catch the eye if it goes through. Despite having two bids rejected, it is thought that Rooney wants to leave Old Trafford and there is still the possibility that this deal could go through. If it does, I think it is hard to see Chelsea not winning the title this year.

Last year Chelsea's year was disturbed by the sacking of Di Matteo and their successful Europa League campaign. With Mourinho back and order seemingly restored after an extremely successful pre-season, Chelsea will definitely be challenging for the title, and with the right squad rotation and man management it seems hard to see them not winning it
.

Key Player: Juan Mata - The starlet of a creative midfield, Chelsea will once again be looking to their playmaker to dictate play as well as score goals. The clever Spaniard was sometimes overlooked by Rafael Benitez last season but is without a doubt Chelsea's best player and deserves to start regularly due to his quick feet and mental prowess.

One to Watch: Romelu Lukaku - A number of players to keep an eye on including Brazilian star Oscar and the return of Michael Essien but after a fantastic season on loan at West Bromwich Albion, Lukaku will now be looking to establish himself at Chelsea. With Torres and Ba both struggling for form Lukaku could easily force his way into the team and with a whole host of creative players behind him and his power and presense up front he could certainly maintain a regular starting role.

Best Summer Signing: Mark Schwarzer - A surprising choice for some but with Thibaut Courtois on loan for another season and Ross Turnbull's departure to Doncaster in the summer Chelsea were lacking in a quality second keeper. Now, should Petr Cech get injured at any point, Chelsea fans will be safe with the knowledge that Hilario will not be given the responsibility.

Last Season: 3rd

Pre-Season Prediction: 1st - Mourinho's Chelsea will gather momentum as the season progresses and edge out the two Manchester clubs for the title.