EPL 2012/2013: Previews, Permutations And Predictions! Part 1

Seriously, we have missed it. The thrills it brings, the exictement it conjures and the heart breaks it doles out. This is why we have missed it. After the EPL season ended in May, we had the Euros between June and July, and the olympics after that. Yet, we just can't get enough of football, and football itself can't stop giving. It is barely one week to the commencement of the new Barclays English Premier League season, and the bookmakers are already out, and expectations arehigh. We doubt if any season could match last season in terms of drama and intrigues, especially the one we saw on the last day of the league. But then, we can never tell with football. No doubt, among the twenty teams, some will manage to survive, some will struggle to get to the top half, some will struggle to get to the top half, while some will simply exist to make up the numbers. Yet there are those that will yearn for gold and tussle for the summit. Champions Manchester City will obviously be many people's favourite, but it is apt to state here that it is even harder to defend the EPL title, than it is to win it for the first time. Having said that, City are a side to reckon with. They are yet to get the petro-dollars rolling in the transfer market, but you only need to look at the entire squad to see the assault of talents at Roberto Mancini's disposal. Say what you may about him, but Sir Alex Ferguson and his United team are never push overs. They went trophyless last season, but expect a resurgence from the Red Devils. With new acquisations such as Kagawa and the likes, you will expect United to compete on all fonts and wrestle for the summit.