Blue Winner is back and this time he talks about the transfers of the Big Five clubs and who got good deals and who got rotten ones and of course, except Chelsea as we discuss that concurrently, in more detail. If you wonder who forms part of this ‘Big Five’, it is the Big Four plus Arsenal ;-)

Just a friendly reminder here that there is football life outside of Chelsea. Indeed, there has been plenty movement from the other teams in the Premiership, from those destined to be at the bottom of the table to those who have visions of hoisting the silverware on the last fortnight of the season. Each of the Big Five (once must certainly now count Tottenham) has been active. While no team has elected hold completely, there is only room here to consider moves that may have an effect on the season. This is a look at the major moves of the transfer window for the EPL.

Arsenal

The Gunners made news for all of the wrong reasons this off season. Thierry Henry bolted for the money and the glory at FC Barcelona and Arsenal is yet to react. Questions abound at the front for Arsenal: Is Adebayor capable of consistent scoring? Will Van Persie be healthy enough step to the challenge? Can anyone else on the squad provide some help? It says here no. Arsenal is in serious trouble without the talismanic Henry.

The team that struggled so desperately to score (when not being aided by Khalid Boulahrouz) near the end of the season has added little to help that. Eduardo da Silva, once of Dinamo Zagreb, will be expected to improve this year and the enigmatic Adebayor will be asked to shoulder much of the load. Neither player has yet shown himself to be capable of being the number one option for a Premiership team. A resurgence from Van Persie will be key for the Gunners. The loss of Jeremie Aliadiere could be felt by a team that could find no room for him last year. Such is the sad state at the front of Arsenal.

Cesc Fabregas has remained despite much speculation but he brings much more style than substance to the Gunners side. Barcay Sagna has come from Auxerre to provide defensive support. Perhaps young Theo Walcott will bring the impetus this side needs, the transfer window certainly has not. As a Chelsea supporter, it is difficult not smile at the state of Arsenal.

Liverpool

Anytime you can replace the mercurial Craig Bellamy with Fernando Torres you must be given some respect. That is exactly what LFC managed this year. Torres comes from Atletico Madrid, where he made his debut at the age of 17. Now 22, Torres brings with him a flair for scoring that is seen only in special talents. Fernando is a slender player with tremendous pace, more in the mold of Thierry Henry than Didier Drogba. Torres is also possessed of the ability to conjure goals seemingly out of thin air. Football fans will remember his virtuoso performance in World Cup 2006, when he seemed to score whenever Spain desperately needed a goal. Despite coming off what Atletico supporters derided as a “down” season (if 15 goals in top flight play at the age of 22 can be considered down), Torres will be fantastically dangerous at the front for Liverpool. The thought of Steven Gerrard with a real target in front of him is not a pleasant one.

To further improve the attacking capabilities of the side, Rafa Benitez brought in Andriy Voronin (Bayer Leverkusen) and Ryan Babel (Ajax). Voronin will take the place of Bellamy as a change of pace from lanky striker Peter Crouch. Ryan Babel is something of an unknown quantity, but one Benitez thought worth £11.5 million. Benitez promises that the addition of Babel, a Dutch forward, shows further his commitment to attacking football. Babel may threaten for an attacking position but it is always difficult to guess what Benitez will do. Whether Babel’s game adjusts well to the Premiership is a question that cannot easily be answered. Expect him to take some time getting his feet wet.

In the centre of the field the Scousers suffered a loss that could prove problematic. The always underrated Luis Garcia headed the other direction as Fernando Torres arrived. Garcia was instrumental in the middle of the pitch, distributing the ball while also remembering his defensive duties and allowing Gerrard to roam forward. Yossi Benayoun was signed away from West Ham for £5 million in a move possibly designed to fill this space. Benayoun, however, is much more suited to playing a wing mid position and at times seems to forget the defensive third of the field. If this spurs Benitez to use Gerrard in the middle of the field the loss of Garcia will not be felt and Benayoun will function as a fitting replacement for the departed Boudewijn Zenden. If Benitez persists in his usual method of playing his star where the whim so strikes him, the loss of Garcia could be telling. New addition Lucas Leiva could possibly fill the boots of Garcia but it seems he is a step down in class.

Manchester United

It was United that struck early and often this year. The insufferable Sir Alex Ferguson roped in two eponymous, budding young stars in Nani and Anderson. However, the biggest splash may be made by the signing of Carlos Tevez. Depending on whom you believe, Tevez has/has not/might have already agreed to make the move to Manchester U. in a move that will be announced on Thursday. There are some reports that it is an outright transfer and conflicting reports that the move is a loan with a £20 million first option. Either way, it seems extremely likely that Tevez will be in Manchester for the open of the season.

This transfer is a bit curious on the surface. While the talent of Tevez is undeniable, he is easily one of the ten best strikers in the EPL, if not the world, it is difficult to determine how he will fit in with Wayne Rooney. Both players are 23 years old, have very good touch on the ball, a knack for scoring the crucial goal, good passing skills and pace that is not blistering but can cause problems. The difficulty is in that both players are possessed of essentially the same skill set and both are accustomed to being the first option. The two could combine to be a devastating force on the front if they learn to play together. If they squabble over whom deserves the ball in the attacking third, well, they will still be a devastating force. Only a complete ego explosion from one or the other will derail the potential of this combination. What is more likely is that each will feed from the success of the other. The talent at the front for Manchester this year will be unequaled in the Premiership. Only Chelsea, assuming a return to form for Sheva, will even come close.

Dropping back a bit from the point of attack for Manchester will be the other new additions, Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson. Nani brings an explosion to the left side of the field that has been compared to that of the Portuguese Flopper, Cristiano Ronaldo. While Nani’s current skill has probably been a bit exaggerated, it is easy to see that he is capable of being quite a disruptive presence for any defence he will face. The major problem Nani will face is that he is blocked at his natural position by Ronaldo.

Anderson will play more of his time in the middle of the field, where he will join Carrick in shoring up the midfield. Anderson is also a creative player who will put pressure on the opposition. He is something of a hybrid between an attacking mid and a natural forward. A 4-3-3 that featured Carrick, Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo across the middle and Tevez and Rooney being supported by Anderson in the front would be a nightmare to defend (though it would also be a nightmare for Nani, who would play out of position). The creativity of Man U will cause countless problems this year. The rest of the team may be good enough that Ronaldo will actually stay on his feet.

Owen Hargreaves also joined Man U in the least surprising move of the transfer session. Hargreaves had long made no secret of his ambition to play for Manchester (which must have thrilled his employers in Germany) and he received his wish very shortly after transfers commenced. Hargreaves will not get forward nearly as much as his newly signed counterparts. Of all the Ferguson signings, Hargreaves most closely fits a need. The defense of Manchester was suspect at times last year and was glaringly bad against AC Milan in the Champions League. Hargreaves brings European experience and should prove useful in shielding the back line. Whether his talent is up to the challenge is yet to be seen. The buzz around Hargreaves has always somewhat outshone his skill and it remains to be seen if he can shake that. While not as heralded as the other signings, he could prove the most vital to the success of Man U this season.

Tottenham

Last season at Tottenham was a disappointment after the success of the campaign prior. Tottenham was expected to again challenge the Big Four but instead seemed to wilt under the pressure. On the positive side, Dimitar Berbatov showed himself on the verge of becoming a transcendent talent. It seemed that he would have become even more effective with some dependable help at his side.

To that end Spurs went and deprived relegated Charlton of their lone bright spot, forward Darren Bent. For £16.5 million Bent will join Keane and Defoe in support of Berba. Bent showed in his time at Charlton that he is capable in filling the net with regularity. The youthful Englishman will benefit greatly from Berbatov’s ability to create problems in the attacking third. Jermaine Defoe has been rumoured to be unhappy with the new situation created by the signing of Bent. Berbatov, Keane, Bent and Defoe will combine to make a very useful rotation of forwards. The new addition will keep them just a tick behind Chelsea and Man U in the terms of talent on the attack.

It is not only the attack where Tottenham has added help. Southampton youngster and free kick wizard Gareth Bale has also joined the squad for £10 million. Bale, while perhaps not quite ready for extended time on the field at this level, is a back with attacking tendencies and the kind of pace usually found much farther forward on the pitch. As he matures he will provide Spurs with a weapon equal to or greater than Dani Alves of Sevilla. Younes Kaboul has also come over from Auxerre for the price of £8 million to aid in the defence. Kaboul, no elderly man himself at 21, has been a regular for the French Ligue One side for two seasons and should quickly fit into the fold at Tottenham. Spurs have been greatly strengthened in attack, defence and dead ball situations by these additions.

So that caps the look at the rest of the EPL for this transfer season. The big winners are Tottenham and Man U, each of whom improved on the attack and in defence. Arsenal lost a major piece to the puzzle and could struggle to rebound. The face of the familiar Big Four could be changing at the head of the table.

This post was contributed by Blue Winner