Alan Pardew was the man Crystal Palace really wanted
Transfer Deadline Day is upon us, and Luke Moore assesses the personnel that Premier League teams may well be after before the window closes...
Arsenal
Current Position: 5th
Amount Spent in August 2014 Window: 78m
Problem Area: Defensive Midfield
As just about every Arsenal fan breathes a sigh of relief that they've actually signed a defender in the shape of Villarreal's Gabriel Paulista, Arsenal's attention should turn to trying to obtain a world-class holding midfield player. Mathieu Flamini is no longer up to it, Abu Diaby isn't really a full time professional footballer anymore due to a tragic injury record, and a screening presence in front of that back four a la Gilberto 'The Invisible Shield' Silva would make a huge difference to this side.
That said, I fully expect this deadline day to pass with about as much activity from Arsene Wenger as Adel Taarabt in training - no movement, and a whole heap of excuses.
Aston Villa
Current Position: 15th
Amount Spent in August 2014 window: 4.7m
Problem Area: Terrified of Scoring Goals
Aston Villa Chief Executive Tom Fox was on the radio last night denying that Randy Lerner wants to sell the club and insisting that he remains fully committed to ownership and to Paul Lambert. If that is to be taken as gospel, Lerner needs to put his hand in his pocket. 11 league goals is an embarrassing return for a Premier League club at this stage of the season and if the Villans are to ensure safety they need to score a hatful more.
In theory, and I say in theory because he's hot and cold, Christian Benteke should be able to score the chances that are created, but it's not working in the final third for Villa at the moment. The highly-rated Carles Gl will help, but they need something more. What I'm trying to say here is that the Villa Park outfit should go after any forward player they can. A rumoured signing of Scott Sinclair on loan is a step in the right direction, presuming he can still remember what a footballer is supposed to do.
Burnley
Current Position: 17th
Amount Spent in August 2014 Window: 1.5m
Problem Area: Multiple
Sean Dyche and Burnley are looking to stay in the Premier League on work rate and passion alone, and that's very noble. It also probably won't work, and the Clarets are desperate for a bit of quality. Of course, it's financially prudent to not leverage the club in the pursuit of ever-expanding wage demands and transfer fees, but the level of income a club receives these days from simply plying their trade in the top flight should mean that Dyche is given more than a paltry 1.5m to spend.
They're heavily reliant on Danny Ings for goals, and concede far too many. It feels to me like Burnley have had more joy recently by being a bit more direct though, and so a target man that isn't Lukas Jutkiewicz to compliment the diminutive Ings and energetic George Boyd and Ashley Barnes might go down a treat. Other than that, unless a 26-year-old Paolo Maldini is available it's hard to see them staying up.
Chelsea
Current Position: 1st
Amount Spent in August 2014 Window: 88.5m
Problem Area: Campaign Against Them By The Media
Chelsea appear to have amended the one problem they had last season (a lack of a world-class striker) and now look as if they're going to power to the title. Jose Mourinho appears to want to upgrade a player or two in wide areas though, and it seems highly likely that Andre Schurrle and Mohamed Salah will move on with the fiery, lightning-quick Colombian Juan Cuadrado coming in from Fiorentina.
On the face of it, that looks a good move. Mourinho doesn't rate Schurrle or Salah above Willian or Eden Hazard, but Cuadrado can offer something a bit different. Other than that it's hard to think of how Chelsea can improve; they look a worse team without Nemanja Matic in there, so perhaps a back-up player for him that isn't John Obi Mikel might well be pertinent. That said, Matic is probably the best in the world in that position so it'll always be hard to swallow his loss, whoever comes in.
Crystal Palace
Current Position: 13th
Amount Spent in August 2014 Window: 12.9m
Problem Area: Lack of Goals
In one way, Palace have got the man they wanted above all else in the shape of their new manager Alan Pardew. They should have no problem staying up now with his experience at the helm, and the confidence around the team thanks to his appointment and the support of the league's best fans is worth a fair few points to them at this key part of the season.
It would be no bad thing for the Eagles to improve competition for places up front however; Dwight Gayle (who is still very raw himself) is the only forward player scoring goals in any number, and that's probably why Pardew has made a move for Blackburn's Rudy Gestede who has gone from a striker terrified of hitting the back of the net to a man who's been among the goals a lot recently and looks a genuinely dangerous player at Ewood Park.
Shola Ameobi has also been linked, but I don't really think it's got quite to that stage yet. Or has it?
Everton
Current Position: 12th
Amount Spent in August 2014 Window: 32.8m
Problem Area: Conceding Goals
This season has been hugely disappointing so far for Everton fans. They've failed to capitalise on the impetus that they showed in Roberto Martinez's debut season at Goodison Park and now find themselves in serious danger of a relegation scrap. Just four points off the drop zone and with a tough run of games coming up, things need to change rapidly for Martinez's men.
The forward men weigh in with a decent amount of goals between them, but a fit, solid back up in central defence is a must. Sylvain Distin has been a brilliant servant to the Premier League but is now 37 and can't be relied upon consistently, and John Stones is still learning his trade. If Everton can snap up a top-quality centre-half a lot of their problems may well disappear.
Hull City
Current Position: 18th
Amount Spent in August 2014 Window: 32.9m
Problem Area: Apple Cart Officially Upset
The Tigers spent an astronomical amount in the last window for a club of their size, but despite a solid debut season back in the top flight they've really struggled in their sophomore year. It's hard to know what Steve Bruce can do in terms of signings to get them back winning games - they've signed so many players already that upsetting the apple cart has probably been part of their problem.
My advice to Bruce: Move away from the cheque book. You've done enough damage with your high-falutin' ways.
Leicester City
Current Position: 20th
Amount Spent in August 2014 Window: 8m
Problem Area: Lack of Goals
Despite only paying a fee for Leonardo Ulloa, Leicester brought a number of new personnel into their squad for this campaign, but save a decent headline-grabbing win over Man United, haven't really got any sort of fluency or consistency in performances so far.
They have, on paper, a decent and complimentary group of forward players, but they still don't score enough goals. They also concede far too many. I'd personally like to see them try and upgrade that holding/defensive midfield position - it's a hugely important one in the Premier League and Dean Hammond isn't up to it, Danny Drinkwater hasn't really stepped up since promotion and Esteban Cambiasso has been inconsistent.
Either that, or get Nigel Pearson to actually scare the ball into the net. He could do it, I've seen his eyes.
Liverpool
Current Position: 8th
Amount Spent in August 2014 Window: 117m
Problem Area: Goalkeeper
Despite slight improvement recently, Simon Mignolet isn't a keeper good enough to match the ambitions Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool have, and Brad Jones isn't of the quality to step into the breach long-term. Rodgers appears to agree with that assessment judging by how keen he was to snap up ex-Barcelona stopper Victor Valdes, but he went to Manchester United and the Reds still look short in that department.
There are plenty of goalkeepers available for a club of Liverpool's size - Maarten Stekelenburg, Diego Lopez, Timo Horn, or perhaps looking closer to home, Asmir Begovic would all likely be attracted to the prospect of moving to Anfield.
Manchester City
Current Position: 2nd
Amount Spent in August 2014 Window: 53m
Problem Area: Authorities Threatening to Stop Them Spending More Money
I actually think Man City could do with a better first-choice goalkeeper than Joe Hart, but realise I may not be in the majority there. So, aside from that, which areas could City do with strengthening in? Well, they undoubtedly need a solid, reliable partner for Vincent Kompany. Eliaquim Mangala has struggled since coming over from France, Martin Demichelis' best days are behind him and Matija Nastastic appears to have dropped off the face of the planet (ok, he's gone to Schalke on loan).
With City's budget and pull it's difficult trying to work out who they might target, but after the signing of Wilfried Bony FFP may limit them to small amount of activity this window.
Manchester United
Current Position: 4th
Amount Spent in August 2014 Window: 145.5m
Problem Area: Defensively Hapless On Occasion
Manchester United broke the record for the most amount spent by a club in one transfer window in the summer, bringing in a whole host of new names to work under Louis van Gaal. That said, they still look light at the back and are desperate for a big-name, experienced defender to shore them up and instill confidence.
Argentine central defender Nicols Otamendi has been linked repeatedly with a move to Old Trafford, with Valencia saying they rejected a bid from an unnamed club (rumoured to be United) earlier in the month. Otamendi is having a good season at the Mestalla, has experience at both Champions League and World Cup level, and could well be the answer to their defensive issues. Mats Hummels is another linked, and would also fit the bill.
Back who you think will buy and loan the most players in this transfer window here!
Current Odds:
West Brom 2/1
Swansea 7/2
Crystal Palace 4/1
Leicester 7/1
QPR 7/1
Arsenal 10/1
Sunderland 10/1
Hull 12/1
Burnley 20/1
Liverpool 20/1
Manchester United 20/1
Southampton 20/1
Stoke 20/1
Chelsea 25/1
Everton 25/1
Manchester City 25/1
Tottenham 28/1
West Ham 28/1
Aston Villa 33/1
Newcastle 33/1
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