Premier League 2013/14: Predicting Best Players Of Each Club

Norwich City - Gary Hooper

Norwich City surprised me last season, not only by surviving after a pretty poor start, but by managing to finish 11th in the table in front of some well-established sides. The club has managed to survive two seasons in the top flight, but will still be considered one of the most likely teams to go down. What has impressed me about the Canaries is that under both Paul Lambert and now Chris Hughton, the players are competing at their fullest potential in the majority of their matches, and that drive is keeping the club safe in the Premier League. A lot of these players have little experience or are not held in the highest regard by those in the know, but they perform week in and week out for the club, and that is to their immense credit. Furthermore, the club has given Hughton the funds to improve the club and so far he has spent wisely on talented players such as Robert Snodgrass and Sebastian Bassong. These players have come from the Championship or the fringes of top Premier League clubs and have seized the chance to play regularly in the top flight with both hands. Furthermore, the club seems capable of retaining their best players, as very few members of the team have been linked to other clubs during the transfer market. They have also bought in bulk this year, with signings such as Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Martin Olssen and Nathan Redmond having potential to have a big impact on the direction the club take in the league this year. Another much-speculated transfer was the signing of Gary Hooper from Celtic for over £5 million, seen as a replacement for the outgoing Grant Holt, an integral component of their success the last two seasons. Hooper was one of the first players I ever saw score live when playing for my local club Southend United, and unfortunately I was watching him during the worst years of his career. Since then his spells at Scunthorpe United and Celtic have brought a ton of goals. Entering his first season in the top flight he has scored 132 goals in his last 233 games, although it must be said that his time in the Premier League will need a steep improvement in quality. His goalscoring prowess is undeniable though, and given the chances he will score goals. His goals in Scotland were so regular that some have suggested that he could soon break into the England side. Hooper will need to hit the ground running in the Premier League, as he will be found out remarkably quickly if he can't deliver. I expect him to shake off suspicions and prove a success for Norwich in another season of mid-table security. Where will they finish? - 16th