NEWS NEWS BLOG SPORT brings you a comprehensive review of every Premier League team's season so far.
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| Premier League half-time report: News News Blog Sport reviews every team's season so far |
Arsenal
So far: Inspired by Mesut Ozil, they finished 2015 at the summit. Arsene Wenger’s side have been marginally more consistent that the rest of the natural order.
What they need: To hold their nerve and stay injury free. There has never been a better chance for Wenger and Arsenal to prevail.
January transfers in: Mohamed Elneny will join from Basel in a £5m, but interest in Southampton’s Victor Wanyama will have to wait until the summer.
Out: Mathieu Debuchy will be allowed to leave on loan to boost his hopes of playing for France at Euro 2016.
Aston Villa
So far: Nothing short of a disaster. The optimism of last season is gone along with Tim Sherwood, replaced by Remi Garde. Villa remain in a downward spiral, 11 points adrift with just one win. They are doomed with the problems exacerbated by the flawed ownership of Randy Lerner coming.
What they need: A miracle.
January transfers in: Garde is targeting the likes of Chelsea’s Loic Remy on loan and is interested in Everton’s Steven Naismith to boost a shot-shy attack. Villa are short in all areas, but who is going to join permanently?
Out: Villa fan and pundit Stan Collymore believes the whole squad should be put up for sale. Finding buyers may prove more difficult.
Bournemouth
So far: Difficult start to their first ever season in top flight, not helped by some unfortunate long-term injuries to key players, particularly striker Callum Wilson. But recent back-to-back wins over Chelsea and Manchester United lifted confidence and instilled the belief in Eddie Howe's squad that they can avoid going straight back down.
Howe has refused to compromise his footballing principles and like fellow newly-promoted teams, Watford and Norwich, the Cherries have been a breath of fresh air.
What they need: to finish off their good approach play with more goals and stop conceding from set pieces.If they maintain current average of a point a game, it should be enough.
January transfer in: former Swansea midfielder Jonathan de Guzman, now with Napoli, and Roma winger Juan Iturbe are targets.
Outs: with so many injuries, Howe is unlikely to let anyone go.
Chelsea
So far: How the mighty of fallen. The champions have unravelled, Jose Mourinho has departed and Guus Hiddink’s task is now all about salvaging the campaign and avoiding relegation.
What they need: To climb the table.
January transfers in: They need a striker desperately with Shakhtar Donetsk’s Alex Teixeira a target along with Leicester’s Jamie Vardy.
Out: Patrick Bamford and Papy Djilobodji can leave on loan.
Crystal Palace
So far: The deal to bring on board US investors will strengthen the club’s infrastructure but on the pitch the season could not be going better with Alan Pardew’s men in fifth spot.
What they need: A proven goalscorer (Yohan Cabaye is their top scorer with five goals) a better home record, and some defensive cover.
January transfers in: Pardew may well join a scramble for Chelsea front man Loic Remy’s signature and utility defender Davide Santon (Inter Milan) could rejoin his old boss.
Outs: Dwight Gayle is interesting Derby.
Everton
So far: An inability to hang onto leads is proving costly and but for Romelu Lukaku’s goals their predicament would be worse. They have failed to beat a side currently higher than 12th this season.
What they need: Skipper Phil Jagielka to return from a knee problem and James McCarthy to stay fit. Gareth Barry said the club needs to change its mentality and become harder to beat. Is Roberto Martinez listening?
January transfers in: Roberto Martinez is focusing on bringing in reinforcements for the future rather than the present with Grasshoppers’ Swiss U21 star Shani Tarashaj a target.
Out: Steven Naismith and Kevin Mirallas could be allowed to leave.
Leicester
So far: Beyond all expectations. After the great escape under previous boss Nigel Pearson towards the end of last season, many wondered if Claudio Ranieri was the right appointment and though the Foxes might struggle again.
But the seasoned Italian has carried on Pearson's good work, instilled his own philosophy and at the half-way stage Leicester look good enough, if not to quite sustain a title bid, then certainly finish in the top four. They have a superb work-ethic, great discipline and spirit and in Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez two of the best strikers in the Premier League.
What they need: To resist any potential bids for Vardy and Mahrez and carry on believing they can break the monopoly of the so-called big clubs on the Champions League places.
January transfers in: Ranieri is confident of landing Birmingham winger Demarai Gray and Lazio's Portuguese full-back Pedro Pereira.
Outs: Won't want to weaken squad for what could be the club's greatest season.
Liverpool
So far: Firing Brendan Rodgers three months after he has spent £80m was not part of the blueprint, however. Enter Jurgen Klopp Successive 1-0 wins leave Liverpool seventh in the table, but January will shape their campaign.
What they need: Klopp will be praying Daniel Sturridge stays fit. He can be the difference between securing a top-four berth and missing out.
January transfers in: Marko Grujic will sign from Red Star Belgrade for £5m and then be loaned back. Injuries could shape moves elsewhere.
Out: Jose Enrique, out of contract in the summer, can move on.
Man City
So far: Started as if they were going to run away with the title, but injuries to key men Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva put the brakes on. With Aguero and Silva working their way back to full speed the prospects look good, but Kompany’s continued absence is a huge blow.
What they need: To get and keep skipper and defensive kingpin Kompany fit and improve their away form.
January transfers in: Linked with Real Madrid attacking midfielder Isco but appear to have enough in that department with Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Raheem Sterling and Yaya Toure.
Outs: Not a massive squad so no one likely to leave.
Man United
So far: Top at the end of September then started to struggle, raising serious question marks over Louis Van Gaal’s future. Eight games without a win is the club’s worst run since 1989-90.
What they need: Goals. United have their lowest total of goals at the half-way stage in the Premier League era.
January transfers in: Anyone who can find the net regularly. Lazio’s attacking midfielder Felipe Anderson and Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the hit list, Adnan Januzaj and James Wilson could be recalled form loan spells.
Out: The squad has been stretched by injuries so Van Gaal is unlikely to sanction any sales.
Newcastle
So far: Disappointing. There have been brief highlights such as the wins over Liverpool and Tottenham, but otherwise the gloom has been unrelenting. Steve McClaren needs time to shape his squad, but he also needs a good January transfer window to lead his side away from the relegation zone.
What they need: Newcastle have one of the worst attacks in the League and one of the leakiest defences. McClaren must resolve that and eke out more consistency.
January transfers in: One of a host of clubs interested in Everton’s Steven Naismith, McClaren is also a fan of Tottenham’s Andros Townsend.
Out: Yoann Gouffran.
Norwich
So far: Alex Neil’s side know they are in for a dogfight having posted just one victory – against Manchester United – over a top-half side. But they are a well-organised, cohesive and motivated outfit which should stand them in good stead.
What they need: Strengthening all over the field after missing out on a number of targets in the summer.
January transfers in: Agreement in principle to bring Scotland striker Steven Naismith from Everton and defender Andrea Ranocchia could be on his way from Inter.
Outs: Gary Hooper (on loan at Sheffield Wednesday) and Kyle Lafferty look set for exits.
Southampton
So far: Inconsistency has dogged their campaign with December a particularly poor month despite a thumping 4-0 win against Arsenal. Their current 12th is firmly in ‘could do better’ territory. Injuries have contributed but they have not looked as vibrant with striker Graziano Pelle a shadow of his former self.
What they need: Injury to Jay Rodriguez makes a striker a priority although given Ronald Koeman’s usual style he is likely to come from left field.
January transfers in: Midfielder Tonny Vilhena (Feyenoord) and striker Sebastien Heller (Utrecht) have been linked.
Outs: Keeping hold of Sadio Mane and Victory Wanyama, linked with Manchester United and Arsenal respectively, looks key to putting together a second-half push.
Stoke
So far: Tenth place does not reflect how well Mark Hughes’s men have played at times claiming notable scalps and a Capital One Cup semi-final. Record £12million signing Xherdan Shaqiri and striker Marko Arnautovic increasingly impressive.
What they need: Cover for Glenn Whelan in defensive midfield, a trip to Wembley and to tie down Arnautovic this January.
January transfers in: Hughes insists he would prefer to wait for the summer but is a known fan of Spurs midfielder Mousa Dembele.
Out: Stephen Ireland and Steve Sidwell have struggled for playing time and could leave, the former possibly for old club Newcastle.
Sunderland
So far: Dick Advocaat didn’t want to stay at Sunderland after keeping them up last season, talked himself into it and then quit at the start of October after no wins in eight matches. Successor Sam Allardyce has ended the year with five straight defeats and are adrift in the drop zone.
What they need: Allardyce to work his magic in the January window. The squad he inherited is not good enough.
January transfers in: Lamine Kone should arrive from Lorient to shore up the top flight’s worst defence who concede two-goals-per-game.
Out: Take your pick, Jeremain Lens could lead an exodus.
Swansea
So far: All seemed to be going well when they beat Manchester United at the end of August but then form nose-dived amid rumours of dressing room problems and led to Garry Monk being fired, too hastily in many people's view.
While chairman Huw Jenkins looks for a replacement, caretaker Alan Curtis has steadied the ship with draws in the last three games but the Swans currently sit only one place - and just two points - above drop zone and relegation remains a threat in the most competitive Premier League season so far, especially as they are short on goals - they have scored just 16 in 19 games.
What they need: a new manager as soon as possible to stop them drifting plus a striker or two. Talented squad but must not believe they are too good to go down.
January ins: targets are QPR striker Charlie Austin and Chelsea striker Loic Remy.
Outs: Striker Bafetimbi Gomis looks on his way.
Tottenham
So far: All going swimmingly in fourth place and with the tightest defence in the league. Harry Kane is ‘not for sale’ and the only dark clouds circling are the injury to back-up striker Clinton Nije and the possible distraction from the Europa League. Look set fair to grab a Champions League place.
What they need: With Nije out for up to three months a back-up striker to Kane – and a belief that this time they can last the course.
January transfers in: Saido Berahino still ticks Mauricio Pochettino’s wishlist. Birmingham’s Demarai Gray is another who has caught the Argentinian’s eye.
Out: Andros Townsend to West Brom, maybe, and Milos Veljovic to the Bundesliga, probably.
Watford
So far: Been slightly under the radar because of Leicester's exploits but are beginning to make people sit up and take notice, especially after demolishing Liverpool and drawing at Chelsea.
Manager Flores has adapted quickly from La Liga to the demands of the Premier League and assembled a workmanlike team who have one of the best defensive records in the top flight - just 20 goals conceded in 19 games. And the attacking spearhead of Ighalo and Deeney gives them a real cutting edge.
What they need: already have 29 points - so barring a complete collapse look pretty safe. But if they can repeat points haul in second half of season will be on course for a top eight place.
January transfers in: targets are Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford, Tottenham winger Andros Townsend and Juventus striker Simone Zaza.
Outs: not looking to sell.
West Brom
So far: Six points above the relegation places is not a position Tony Pulis or the club can be happy with and an average of less than a goal a game shows where they have struggled. The ongoing sulk of striker Saido Berahino is a distraction they could do without.
What they need: To get Berahino out of the door as soon as possible and the money in Pulis’s hand.
January transfers in: Andros Townsend is a target seemingly tied to a possible move to Spurs by Berahino. Peter Crouch could work out a deal to rejoin his old boss.
Out: Berahino could spark activity with a move to Spurs or possibly Liverpool.
West Ham
So far: Punching above their weight in eighth and could have been pushing a top four spot had they been able to convert a couple of eight draws (joint top with Spurs) into three points. Hamstrung (quite literally) by an injury crisis the manager believes was down to the training pitches at their old training base at Chadwell Heath.
What they need: Victor Moses, Dimitri Payet, and Diafra Sakho back soon, no more injuries and a few wins.
January transfers in: Juventus striker Simone Zaza a possible target as Bilic seeks back-up to injury-prone Carroll.
Outs: Michail Antonio looks set for a move away after interest from several Championship clubs.
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