3. Norwich City
We start this assessment of potential overachievers with Chris Hughtons Canaries. Last season was rather strange for them because in some stages they were flying high and cruising in the upper echelons on the League and other parts they looked deflated, devoid of ideas and flirted with relegation before nestling in an aptly season-reflective position of 11th. A golden period in November and December proved the high point of the season beating Man United and Stoke both at Carrow Road in addition to a hard fought 4-3 triumph at the Liberty Stadium against a hard to beat Swansea side whilst grabbing impressive points at Goodison Park and St Marys. Against the top sides at home they showed their quality and grit by beating Arsenal and only suffering single goal defeats to Chelsea and ManchesterCity. Even on their travels they impressed in some games against the elite of the league drawing with a Spurs side in October before rounding of their season by doing what only their cross-town rivals could with a 3-2 win at the Etihad against the 2011 Champions. Draws and defeats against lesser teams (0-0s against relegated QPR and Reading, both at home, to exemplify such results) may have prevented a top half finish and that is something Chris Hughton has looked to rectify, and has certainly swiftly acted upon with the surprise- yet potentially fruitful- signing of Sporting Lisbon marksman Ricky Van Wolfswinkel. At times, Grant Holt wasnt up to his standards he set the previous season and as a result goals from midfield were more telling and prevalent then they wouldve been in 2011-12. With this signing, Norwich will be hoping the lethal Dutchman can create his runs and finish with aplomb, as he has been doing with Sporting Lisbon scoring 14 goals in the Portuguese Liga last season.