After a long, hot summer filled with plenty of football, we now stand between what’s left of the work week before the Premier League returns with guns blazing, before Arsenal look like world beaters for four months on all those pristine green pitches before the weather turns, and before your least favorite post, Premier League Footballer of the Week returns with an unabashed arrival.

If you’re an Arsenal fan or don’t understand self-deprecating humor, then you’ve probably already stopped reading. If you have a sense of humor and a halfway open mind, here are four top four players I’ll be keeping a watchful eye on (and why) this season for one reason or another. Liverpool fans, maybe next time.

Daniel Sturridge – Chelsea: Having joined Chelsea from Manchester City in 2009, Sturridge looks set to have a break through season at Stamford Bridge after impressing last season for Chelsea in the FA Cup and more recently in the FA Community Shield v Manchester United last Sunday. Upon his arrival in the Community Shield, Sturridge injected pace into Chelsea’s attack with his probing runs, movement and positioning in front of goal, a welcome arrival to a stuttering Chelsea attack.

Although he’s still struggling with a niggling ankle injury that kept him from appearing for the Blues on their recent pre season trip to Germany, the England U21 insists he’s constantly improving. The talented Sturridge still has work to do to break into the first team at Chelsea. At only 20, Sturridge has Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka in front of him in the Chelsea pecking order. But if he can take his early chances and impress Carlo Ancelotti, Sturridge could have the break out season his potential says he can have. If he fails to impress right off the bat, he’ll likely be relegated to Cup duty but could still be one for the future.

David Bentley – Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs look set to build upon their fantastic season last year as they’re favored to advance to the Champions League group stages for the first time in the club’s history. As Gareth Bale last season made more than good on his potential, another young Spur hopes to do the same. Arguably yet to really break through into regular first team action at Tottenham, Bentley had shown flashes of brilliant play for the past two seasons, but has equally showed some dull moments in attack.

As Spurs approach a season where they’ll potentially have an extra load of Champions League fixtures, Harry Redknapp will have to use the majority of his squad to assure Spurs don’t burn out or neglect other competitions. Used to playing second fiddle to Aaron Lennon on the right wing, Bentley will get his chance to re-gain a starting spot and to impress for Spurs in the upcoming and most important of seasons.

Marouane Chamakh – Arsenal: The silky smooth French striker (but playing internationally for Morocco) acquired from Bordeaux will be a welcome addition to Arsene Wenger’s squad as Arsenal look to capture some silverware this season. Upon hearing about Chamakh’s move to Arsenal some months ago, I immediately realized the 26 year old could potentially be that piece up front that Arsenal have lacked in seasons past. Whether through injury to Robin van Persie, the inconsistency of Niklas Bendtner, or the massive hole left upon the departure of Thierry Henry, Arsenal have lacked a consistent goal scorer not named Fabregas over the past few seasons.

Equally as good with his right foot or with his head, Chamakh will score goals for Arsenal this season. He’s just come off a sub-par campaign in Ligue 1 finishing sixth with Bordeaux but also helped Les Girondins finish first in their group and reach the quarter finals of the Champions League. Chamakh has recently stated he ‘already plays the Arsenal way’ and that his move to the Gunners was a ‘dream’. Also dreaming: Arsenal fans hoping Chamakh will come good and help bring trophies to the Emirates. Chamakh, sure to impress.

Paul Scholes/Ryan Giggs – Manchester United: As young players and new additions to the Premier League such as Daniel Sturridge and Marouane Chamakh (respectively) interest me, so too do the old guard, the experienced, and the living legends of the Premier League tractor beam my peering eyes to their performance.

Not much really needs to be written about the brilliance and timelessness of Scholes and Giggs that hasn’t been written before. As fans loose track of and attempt to count just how many seasons the dynamic duo has represented United at the senior level, the talented midfielders quietly go about their business. Training, acquiring match fitness, already a sharp knife, Giggs and Scholes will ready themselves for yet another campaign and look set to methodically use their skills on the pitch: spreading the ball with accurate passes, linking with forward players, scoring important goals and leading the team by example.

Just how much longer can the two effictively push on is yet to be known. What is known is that until the two hang up their boots, they’ll impress United fans by keeping them on their toes wondering what they’ll come up with next.

Well, two days are left until the transfer window opens again and Manchester City look like they’ve signed two strikers to help Mark Hughes drag them up the table. I suppose they need some good news down at Eastlands after the ground flooded on Saturday due to flash floods.  With both signings, City could have an incredible 12 strikers on their books at the last count, but that number will fall by one on July 1st as young prospect Daniel Sturridge has agreed to join Chelsea.

With the roster of talent up front that Hughes has now, it’s safe to say that City will be looking to probably offload at least another 4 strikers apart from Sturridge. Vassell and Benjani, Ched Evans and the unloved Jo would be favourites to be heading for the door and all 4 will easily find new clubs before the season starts.  Bojinov may get another chance to show his potential, after a couple of injury ravaged seasons at Eastlands, Craig Bellamy and Roque Santa Cruz will still be settling in.

Of the others, Robinho will surely stay regardless of the rumours of Barcelona weighing up a bid for him and Caicedo may be off after comments in the press last week stating he’d had contact from 4 or 5 clubs looking to take him next season. Even footballers can work out that 12 strikers into 3 positions does not work out too well if you aren’t called Robinho, Santa Cruz, Eto’o, Tevez or Bellamy.

The signing of Carlos Tevez is no surprise as it’s been mooted since he announced that he was leaving Manchester United last week and throwing his dummy out of the pram as he went. The potential signing of Samuel Eto’o is a different level for me, easily one of the most consistent strikers in world football today, two footed, great in the air, pacey and a thunderous shot on him. He is one of the best strikers in the world to put it simply. I’m surprised but not shocked by Barcelona accepting a bid for him; he’s 28 and only has one year left on his contract at the Camp Nou. £28 million pounds is a lot for a guy with only 12 months left on his contract, but City need to show real ambition and the Eto’o signing is key to that ambition becoming reality.

Eto’o's signing could be the beginning for Hughes’ side and satisfying the long term aims of the Abu Dhabi Group. By now signing a genuine world class player for Manchester City, it’s a major development. Before anyone goes on about Robinho and Carlos Tevez being world class, no they’re not. They’re both damn good players, but the best players in their positions? Not a chance. Eto’o is certainly a name that would easily be mentioned when discussing the best striker in the world and if he decides to come then City have a top quality player.

The other aspect to this signing is the fact that other players will sit up and take notice that Eto’o has agreed to join Manchester City. It’s a major signing by any stretch of the imagination and will send a message out to other players out there. Now all Mark Hughes has to do is get this squad of players working as a team.

When was the last time Arsenal looked so pathetic?

Today, they were defeated 3-0 away against Manchester City in a game where it could have easily been 4-0 or 5-0 to the blue half of Manchester.

I’ve never seen so many poor passes from Arsenal in one game. Their first half performance was dire. Man City’s play in the first half wasn’t that much better either but it took a defensive error between Gael Clichy and Mikael Silvestre to give Stephen Ireland the opportunity to knock the ball into the back of the net.

In the second half, City replied with two more goals. A beautiful chip by Robinho and a late penalty winner by Daniel Sturridge.

Arsenal deserved to get a goal back in the second half when City goalkeeper Joe Hart lifted the ball into the air before kicking it, but Robin van Persie nicked in and slotted the ball into the net. Unfortunately, referee Alan Wiley disallowed the goal.

There were so few highlights for Arsenal in this game. Whenever Arsenal received the ball, Manchester City players quickly pressured the Gunners to prevent them from playing their sleek attractive passing game. Watching this game, it didn’t really look like Arsenal on the pitch. They were that awful.

I was surprised by the performance of Arsenal. I honestly thought that William Gallas being away from the team would galvanize the players and help them focus on the task at hand. This Arsenal side is desperately lacking experience and, without Cesc Fabregas due to suspension, is missing a true leader.

Arsenal have now lost in the league to Manchester City, Aston Villa, Stoke City, Hull City and Fulham. Before the season started, most people who have put money on the Gunners to win all those games. Now Arsenal languish ten points from first place.

It’s time for Wenger to go back to the drawing board. His decision to start Gavin Hoyte for his first Premier League debut seemed mistimed and a poor decision in hindsight. When Aaron Ramsey came on for Hoyte in the 60th minute, the Welshman made an immediate impression which benefitted Arsenal’s midfield play.

Wenger doesn’t have much time to right the ship. Arsenal plays Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday night in the Champions League. And who is their next Premier League opponent? None other than Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next Sunday. Luiz Felipe Scolari will be licking his chops in anticipation.

The second half of Sunday’s Sheffield United against Manchester City FA Cup match was a thrilling encounter and a good testament to what the FA Cup should be all about. Two teams playing their hearts out and the fans trying to outsing their opposition, creating an incredible atmosphere.

On the pitch, one of the things we often overlook is how the FA Cup gives us an opportunity to watch promising youngsters who may be the next big thing.

Last year it was Blackburn’s Matt Derbyshire who impressed me during the FA Cup match against Luton Town when the promising forward scored two outstanding goals.

This year it’s Daniel Sturridge. Never heard of him? Don’t worry, me neither. When the 18-year-old forward replaced the injured Elano to begin the second half, I was thinking that Sven Goran Eriksson was clutching at straws by bringing Sturridge on, but it didn’t take long for Eriksson to look like a genius again.

From a corner, Sturridge’s first two touches of the ball were brilliant. The first touch was to control the ball and knock it up. While in the air, his second touch was dynamite as he volleyed the ball with his left foot toward the Sheffield United goal, hitting the top of the crossbar and down into the back of the net.

Not bad for only his second appearance for Manchester City. (I later learned that Sturridge is the nephew of former Derby striker Dean Sturridge (back when Derby was a decent side)).

It wasn’t just his beautiful goal that impressed. Throughout the second half, Daniel Sturridge’s pace and tenacity were on display as well as gifted touches of the ball with his left foot.

Sturridge is yet another product of Manchester City’s youth academy. He’s been in the system at City since 2003.