Premier League Preview: Everton

This will be a strange season for Everton fans. With David Moyes departing to Old Trafford at the start of the summer they look forward to the new season under Roberto Martinez and will be once again pushing the top four or five as they look for a place in Europe.

Everton have so far managed to hold onto their big names but with Manchester United lurking around Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini, they will have a challenge to hold onto their star players. Much like Moyes chasing former players, Martinez himself has purchased all his summer signings from his old club Wigan, with the loan signing of Gerard Deulofeu the sole exception.

With a solid enough pre-season under his belt Martinez will now be looking to hold onto star players until the end of the window. Sadly for Everton I think that their financial restrictions mean they will not challenge for the top four but are most likely to end up around the same position they did last season. Martinez has added depth to the squad and should Baines and Fellaini go at least Martinez will have some finances to replace them so it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Another solid season for Everton coming up.

Key Man: Leighton Baines - In my opinion currently the best English defender, Everton will have a battle to keep hold of Baines. If they do, then expect another solid season from the attacking left back, especially with Martinez's preference for wing-backs, Baines will be given more chances to attack and continue his evergrowing partnership with Pienaar on the left wing

One to Watch: Kevin Mirallas - One of a whole host of fantastic young Belgians, Mirallas made a strong start to life in the Premier League last year. This season he can only get better and this attacking minded player is one of the Premier League's most underated players in my opinion.

Best Summer Signing: Gerard Deulofeu - Straight off of the infamous Barcelona production line, this season-long loan might just turn out to be one of the Summer's great coups. Played as either a winger or striker Deulofeu is tipped for great things in the future and what better way to start your career than a season in the Premier League.

Last Season: 6th

Pre-Season Prediction: 7th - Sorry Everton fans, I see a narrow loss to Liverpool, with or without Suarez.

Premier League Preview: Crystal Palace

Three years ago Ian Holloway got relegated with a Blackpool side he took into the Premiership through the Play-offs. This year he will be hoping not to replicate that feat with Crystal Palace, but he facing a daunting task in front of him.

The bookmakers favourites to go down, Palace's transfer activity has hardly showered them in glory. With no marquee signing to boast about and few players with Premier League experience it is no surprise that they are being viewed as relegation certainties. Palace fans will undoubtedly be unhappy with the way summer transactions have been conducted considering Palace pulled in £15 million for starlet Wilfried Zaha.

Despite a successful but unchallenging pre-season, it's going to be a long, hard, slog of a season for Palace and some major activity is needed in the transfer market before the 2 September deadline. The sole reasons for Palace's promotion last season was Wilfried Zaha and Glenn Murray but with Zaha gone and Murray injured until October it's going to be a tough start to the season and sadly I see no other alternative than a one way trip back to the Championship.

Key Man: Julian Speroni - With Murray injured until October and unlikely to return instantly to form it's going to be a rocky start to the campaign and Palace will need their talisman goalkeeper Speroni to be on top form if they are to steer clear of the relegation zone. Three times a winner of Palace's Player of the Season award, Speroni will be vital to Palace's survival chances.

One to Watch: Jonathan Williams - Plenty of players to watch, including Yannick Bolasie and Mile Jedinak but young Jonathan Williams is my pick of the crop. A talented playmaker with international caps under his belt, Palace are going to be looking to him for creativity in midfield and he will certainly be a handful for opposition teams.

Best Summer Season: Dwight Gayle - Bringing youth and energy to the team Gayle will be looking to make a name for himself early whilst Murray is injured. Full of pace and strength Gayle will be a player to keep an eye on and with the veteran Kevin Phillips also at the club he has a tutor full of Premier League experience.

Last Season: 5th (Championship, Playoff Winners)

Pre-Season Prediction: 18th - Despite putting up a good fight, I see too much strength throughout the Premier League for Palace to stay up.

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.

Premier League Preview: Cardiff

Having been the nearly-team for so many years, Cardiff finally gained the promotion to the Premier League that they deserved. Malky Mackay will take confidence going into the season after watching newly promoted sides succeed in recent seasons, notably Southampton and West Ham last year.

That said, the aim for Mackay's side in their first season in the top flight in 51 years will be to avoid relegation. Their transfer activity has reflected this aim with £17 million spent on players in the close season, including Steven Caulker, and their squad holds more members with Premier League experience, in particular, none other than Craig Bellamy.

Malky Mackay is the only manager from the three promoted sides not to have managed in the Premier League before so the experience is as new for him as it is for his team. We will have to see whether this will be a help or a hindrance. However of the three teams to come up they seem to have the largest squad depth and are perhaps the least likely to go straight back down. That said, with the Premier League standard going from strength-to-strength, its going to be a long, hard season for Cardiff.

Key Player: Peter Whittingham - Cardiff's playmaker has been instrumental throughout the seven years he has been at the club. Whittingham has been regularly linked to Premier League clubs and now is his time to show what he can do in the top tier. His creativity in midfield will certainly give Cardiff a chance of staying up.

One to Watch: Frazier Campbell - Campbell joined Cardiff in January and scored seven goals in twelve games during the second half of the season. With Premier League experience at Manchester United, Tottenham and Sunderland, Campbell gets another chance to prove himself on the big stage.

Best Summer Signing: Andreas Cornelius - Whilst Steven Caulker is a fantastic signing, it was the purchase of relatively unknown Dane, Cornelius that caught my eye. With seven international caps already and hugely popular with the fans at his last club, FC Copenhagen, it will be interesting to watch the development of the young striker.

Last Season: 1st (Championship, Promoted)

Pre-Season Prediction: 17th - A tough season will see them narrowly avoid the drop.

Premier League Preview: Aston Villa

After flirting with relegation last year Aston Villa will be looking to build on their form at the end of the season. Paul Lambert started to see the rewards of his long-term project during the last ten games-or-so of the season and will be wanting to push on, targeting a mid-table finish this year.

Whilst Villa's transfer activity kept relatively quiet, Lambert has continued his youth project, signing six players under 24 years old and clearing out a number of fringe players. Whilst all signings are relative unknowns, Lambert has proven experience signing hidden gems, as demonstrated by his signing of Christian Benteke so we await to see how these players will perform as the season continues.

With Shay Given the only player aged over 30, it is clear to see the youthful revolution occuring at Villa. With Borussia Dortmund demonstrating that youth can indeed prosper, it will be interesting to see how far Aston Villa can progress over the next few years as their team mature and gain more Premier League experience. Lambert will certainly not expect to be in the relegation zone again and should be aiming for mid-table.

Key Player: Christian Benteke - Without a shadow of a doubt the best piece of business done by Aston Villa this summer was getting their talisman striker to sign a new contract. Without Benteke last season Villa would probably have already played their opening games of the season in the Championship so this highlights his importance to the squad. Lambert will be looking for Benteke to replicate his form from last season as they aim towards the top half of the table.

One to Watch: Andreas Weimann - Whilst Benteke stole the headlines last season, his strike partner Andrew Weimann also prospered, linking well with Benteke but living in his shadows. With three goals in pre-season it will be interesting to see how well his relationship with Benteke has improved in the off season and if they can feed off each other.

Best Summer Signing: Jores Okore - The young centre-back already has seven international caps for Denmark and turned down a move to Chelsea in January. A formidable pairing could form between Okore and Vlaar if the pacey youngster is given pitch-time.

Last Season: 15th

Pre-Season Prediction: 10th - With Lambert at the helm, the Villa Revolution Ship will sail higher up the table.

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.

Tiger Roars to Victory at Firestone

Tiger Woods sent a message of intent to his rivals the week before the final major of the year as he surged to a seven shot victory at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.

Woods won the title at Firestone for the eighth time in his career, an incredible feat considering the tournament has only been played there fourteen times.

Woods was in control from the first day, carding a four under par 66. Woods played the par fours beautifully, carding six birdies paired with two bogeys. However, it was his Friday score of 61 which gave him an astonishing lead over the rest of the field.

Woods held onto his seven-shot overnight lead.

With an eagle and seven birdies taking him to nine under at the end of the 13th hole, many dared to dream that he could shoot a sub-60 round. He had the opportunities over the last five holes but was sadly only able to par them. Nevertheless, his career-equaling best and course-equaling 61 meant that he had all-but wrapped up the victory by Friday.

This enabled Woods to relax going into the weekend maintaining his seven shot lead through the whole of Saturday with a respectable 68. On the final day Woods played conservatively, shooting an even-par 70 but it was unnecessary for him to take risks with the lead that he had already earned. This meant Woods ended the weekend on an impressive fifteen under par.

Seven shots behind Woods was last years champion Keegan Bradley and in-form Henrik Stenson. Whilst neither were ever close to catching Woods, both will take confidence from their performance heading to Oak Hill on Thursday.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson were a further two shots back with Chris Wood the highest placed Englishman, a further one shot behind on five under par. Rory McIlroy showed signs that he might be returning to some form with a two over par tournament meaning he ended in tied 27th.

However, the limelight belonged entirely to Woods as he rolled back the years to win the 79th Tour victory of his career. He will now be focused on the PGA Championship and homing in on Jack Nichlaus' record of 18 major championships. If Tiger was doubting winning a major the week after winning another tournament he should take solace from the performance of Phil Mickelson a few weeks ago at the Open.

So now we await the start of the PGA Championship on Thursday to see if Tiger can continue his imperious form.