Fulham - Adel Taarabt
Fulham are a team that is essentially bound to mid-table, and the only question is whether they will finish slightly in the top half or slightly in the bottom half. Martin Jol has assembled a team of unknown quantities from all across the globe, and this has made his side unpredictable to a degree. However, they do not have the quality as of yet to challenge for European places, despite the acquisition of Dimitar Berbatov from last year which added a flair and potency to their attack force that had been missing, and he proved to be worth the cost. And, with the club recently coming under new ownership with the takeover of Shahid Khan, it could be signs that Fulham will soon be pushing themselves into the circle of clubs constantly battling for European places. But, where does this leave Fulham this year? The key for Jol considering the club is under a new direction is to ensure that he is able to impress and ensure that the club remains safely in the league for another year as the priority. As last season clearly illustrated, even the most established of Premier League teams can be drawn into the scrap for relegation due to a sharp downturn in form. However, if Jol wants to secure his position in the club for the upcoming seasons with the new owner, he will have to display that the club is moving forward by finishing higher than 12th place this year and hopefully for the sake of the fans, an extended run in one of the two domestic cup competitions. Fulham have a strong mix of experienced players in the top flight along with young talent that all have at least a season of playing time in the Premier League, so experience should not be an issue among the squad. Nevertheless, my pick for their key player this year is due to this particular man's need to prove himself after last season. Adel Taarabt has been signed on loan from QPR for the season, with an intent to prove that he can consistently perform in the Premier League. There is no doubting that the Algerian has great skill and quality in his play, with his range of passing, dribbling and long-range shooting his key assets. But, his application and attitude have often been called into question, especially with his lacklustre displays last season as QPR whimpered out of the division. Jol gave Taarabt his début in the league with Tottenham, and seems assured in his potential to perform. There can be no doubt that this is the last chance saloon for Taarabt, and I for one believe he will thrive in a team where there is less pressure on him to carry the team to victories. Though he underperformed last year, I feel that QPR were lacking in all areas and so were unlikely to succeed with or without Taarabt, so hopefully competing for one of the safest and most secure teams in the division will allow him to flourish like many believe he can and should.
Where will they finish? - 8th