WIGAN ATHLETIC

The signs indeed look ominous at Wigan.

Back at the end of season 2006-07, before the euphoria of that smash-and-grab win over Sheffield United on the last day of the season had even settled down, inspirational boss Paul Jewell decided to throw in the towel, leaving the door free for a familiar yet not fondly remembered figure in Bradford to step in—Chris Hutchings, a manager infamous for Bradford’s relegation soon after.

Fast forward to 2007 and selling Leighton Baines to Everton will not have helped morale among the side. Hutchings’ summer signings would have hardly helped appease the fans either. The clumsy and error-prone Titus Bramble has joined from Newcastle in a free transfer, along with 32-year-old Antoine Sibierski, the mediocre Michael Brown brings his abrasive brand of football along from London and Mario Melchiot becomes the new captain after his capture from Rennes.

New signing Jason Koumas will be the one the club is pinning hopes on. The Welsh playmaker, procured for a massive £5.3 million ($15000000) from West Bromwich Albion, has the potential to run the show from midfield with his vision, but the feeling remains that the club is too shallow in depth to be able to sustain another long-drawn Premership season.

Player to watch: Paul Scharner. The goalscoring Austrian International will need to chip in with a leader’s performance at the back now that Baines and Arjan de Zeeuw have left the JJB stadium.

DERBY COUNTY

Can Derby buck the trend and survive the curse of the play-off winners? In recent years, 3 out of the 4 previous play-off winners have returned back to the Championship after a sole season in the top flight.

After watching the gritty, full-blooded performance put up by Billy Davies’ men in their 2-2 opener against Portsmouth, they just might. In many approaches, manager Davies appears to have built a side which is full of desire to stay up. With no real star names and nothing to endear them to the likes of those glory-loving supporters to be found here, Derby might just have enough to pull themselves out of the relegation mire they will undoubtedly find themselves in long before May.

Nonetheless with a long season ahead, a couple of shrewd signings just days before the Portsmouth game may just help to boost their worryingly lightweight young team. The Finn Mika Vayrynen, signed from Dutch champions PSV, looks to be an interesting acquisition with his ability to play on either flank. Where else American Benny Feilhaber, has loads of potential and is one to watch out for with his flair.

One to watch: Giles Barnes. The 19-year-old midfielder made his first appearance in the 2005-06 season and was named the club’s Young Player of the Year last season. Has already struck 9 goals for the club in his short career, and a decent season could see clubs clamouring for his signature soon.

WEST HAM UNITED

Signing a bunch of overpriced and maybe over-the-hill players has left us feeling that West Ham might be in for a bit of trouble this season, especially after the dismal defeat at Manchester City.

Scott Parker has come in from Newcastle United and will replace the gap left by a sulky Nigel Reo-Coker, but Parker’s proneness for long layoffs may be slightly unsettling. New signing Julien Faubert from Girondins Bordeaux, a 23-year-old midfield playmaker from France ruptured his Achilles tendon in a pre-season friendly and isn’t expected to be back before next year. Other big signings include the Craig Bellamy from Liverpool for a club record £7.5 million ($22.5 million) as well as Freddie Ljungberg from Arsenal for approximately £3 million ($9 million).

It goes without saying that the jury is still out on Bellamy who has been signed to replace Carlos Tevez. But the pint-sized Welshman, though possessing the pace of an Olympic sprinter, doesn’t exactly spark the same respect that one would garner from his past employers, and judging from his pre-season comments about justifying his “nice guy” attitude, it’s easy to see that boss Alan Curbishley is going to have to keep a very close eye on him.

The other big signing, Ljungberg, is admittedly mellower, but there’s a niggling feeling that Arsene Wenger is usually right with his decisions to sell big-name players once they’re past their sell by date, nevertheless, if the Swede who’s now West Ham skipper, can even recapture half of his goalscoring form this season. And if the returning Dean Ashton can show why at one point he was in the England set up, West Ham should be looking at a comfortable mid-table spot.

But then again, when you are at a club which includes the likes of Lee Bowyer, Anton Ferdinand and Mr Personality himself, that’s a big IF.

Player to watch: Other than Bellamy who else? It will be interesting to see how his partnership with Ashton works out though.

MIDDLESBROUGH

The reason why Middlesbrough figures in this list is mainly because of the lack of real quality brought in by manager Gareth Southgate in the summer. Yes, signing Real Madrid defender and England international Jonathan Woodgate was a coup, but ominously for Southgate, injury has plagued the former Leeds man to wherever club he goes—from Leeds to Newcastle and then to Real. Building the backline around him, as Southgate has done, may just prove to be a dangerous gamble.

The burly Australian Mark Viduka has left to join the Allardyce revolution at northeastern rivals Newcastle, and the signing of Jeremie Aliadiere from Arsenal hardly acts as adequate cover. Even though he’s just 24, the Frenchman already has seen the dressing rooms of Arsenal, Celtic, West Ham and Wolves, and will forever be remembered among Arsenal fans for contributing a grand total of 1 league goal in the 5 seasons. Moreover, the youngster is injury prone.

With Viduka’s leaving, Nigerian Yakubu Aiyegbeni will be expected to shoulder much of the scoring burden, but even that is not certain as other clubs like Portsmouth, Manchester City, Everton and Birmingham City have shown interest in taking him away from the Riverside.

New signing, Tuncay Sanli from Turkish side Fenerbahce, is a decent acquisition, but it remains to be seen if he can produce the goals in his first season..

The impending signing of Tottenham’s abrasive striker Mido will also boost their attacking options—only if Southgate manages to keep Mido’s infamous temper in check. Mid-table mediocrity beckons.

Player to watch: Stewart Downing. The England international will really have to use that trusty left boot of his to provide the ammunition for whoever is going to be upfront this season if Boro are to avoid getting caught in the relegation battle.

BOLTON WANDERERS

“Big Sam has gone, in comes Little Sam!” was something that almost every sports paper decided to play on at the end of last season. One game into the new season and already Little Sam (Sammy Lee) seems to be sinking fast

After their opening match which saw Big Sam’s Newcastle emerge 3-1 vitors at the Reebok Stadium on opening day, Lee has already faced his baptism of fire and appears to have already pushed the early panic button by pleading for more patience from the Bolton support.

It’s not all doom and gloom at the Reebok though. Sammy Lee appears to have learnt at least one crucial aspect from Allardyce—the wheeling and dealing of players through free transfers and loans. Ex-England Under-21 left back Jloyd Samuel, Swedish winger Christian Wilhelmsson and Mikel Alonso, brother of Liverpool’s Xabi, join for virtually no cost, while Norwegian striker Daniel Braaten, midfielder Gavin McCann, defender Andy O’Brien and Icelandic striker Heidar Helguson’s have made the club no more than £5 million ($15 million) poorer.

Only time can tell if their European endeavours this season might prove to be their undoing.

Player to watch: Wilhelmsson. The Swedish winger best known for his ludicrous rat-tail hairstyle at last year’s World Cup has been handed the number 10 jersey, last worn by Nigerian magician Jay-Jay Okocha, and his dribbling flair and crossing ability will certainly provide a plus point for Bolton in a transitional year.