First, in the upcoming review of the strongest season of the English football league, we discussed the perspectives of ten teams. Let's try to predict what awaits the remaining clubs in the 2014-15 season.
Manchester United
Last season's finish: 7th place.
Coach: Louis van Gaal.
New signings: A. Herrera, L. Shaw, Anderson returned from loan, W. Keane, W. Zaha, N. Powell.
Departures: A. Buttner, J. Barmby, R. Ferdinand, F. Macheda, N. Vidic, C. Ekangamene, L. Rowley, P. Evra, Bebe.
The Manchester United fans would like to forget the 2013-14 season as quickly as possible - one of England's most decorated clubs not only ended up without trophies but also without a place in the UEFA Champions League. This season looks different - the experienced Dutch national team coach Louis van Gaal is at the helm of the club, and the new signings already show that "Man United" is aiming to rise like a phoenix from the ashes. Big sums were paid for young players Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera, and talks of acquiring other stars are ongoing. Led by Van Gaal, the "Red Devils" are playing well in friendly matches, so a resurgence is likely. However, it will take some time for the club to return to the fight for trophies. Manchester United is likely to compete for a place in the top four.
Newcastle United
Last season's finish: 10th place.
Coach: Alan Pardew.
New signings: A. Perez, J. Colback, S. De Jong, R. Cabella, E. Riviere, D. Janmaat.
Departures: D. Gosling, Sh. Ameobi, S. Logan, B. Miele, J. Mitchell, C. Newton, M. Richardson, J. Tavernier, M. Debuchy, S. Marveaux, L. De Jong, L. Remy.
For a club with deep traditions and a strong lineup, 10th place is certainly not an ideal result. Newcastle was holding the sixth place after 18 league rounds, but later they suffered losses - including a home defeat against Sunderland. This Northern England club has a strong defense and a decent attack, but their Achilles heel is defense as shown by the negative goals conceded ratio (-15). This summer, Newcastle has already made some signings - bringing in two forwards, three defenders, and a left-back to replace Mathieu Debuchy. It's hard to understand, but they still haven't acquired more defenders. To rise from the tenth place, Newcastle definitely needs to add at least one or two top-class defenders. Fixing their defense would lead to a successful season. Without doing that, the Magpies could be facing another mid-table finish.
