A lot of the media are reacting to AvB’s rant by saying that they ‘were swift to point out the folly of not letting this clearly very able and emerging young coach last beyond the first few months of his tenure’ (taken from Phil McNulty's piece after Tuesday night's win over Valencia). But it was the media themselves who were questioning whether or not Abramovich was going to retain the coach!
AvB has already revealed himself to be more human than previous coaches at Stamford Bridge. Sure there’s arrogance, and a degree of ‘nerdiness’ (sic) but there has also been worry and passion on display. With Mourinho, it was mostly arrogance – save for medals thrown into the crowd – Ancelloti seemed mostly cold/detached to me – and it was hard to get much of a read from Scolari, Hiddink or Grant due to their short tenure at Stamford Bridge.
AvB has had to endure more than any of these managers and in a much shorter space of time. He has taken over a successful team from a famous and popular manager (who many in the media and in the crowd had huge sympathy with when he was turfed out at the end of last season). His buyout price was high and is well known. He has many well loved and experienced players in his team, who have been 1st choice since they joined the club and are close in age to the manager himself. He has been saddled with an expensive ‘flop’ (no names necessary). He has not faced media scrutiny and the pressure of a competitive league like this before. So it is not entirely surprising to see the mask slip a little.
He was humble/honest enough to admit after Tuesday night’s game to admit that Chelsea got the result they wanted but not by playing how he would like them to play. This suggests that he still believes that Chelsea need to change and will continue along the path we’ve seen over the past few months – where results have not matched expectations. Chelsea are in a position where there’s only a small amount of margin for error – Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs all look like they are credible challengers for 3rd and 4th place (I’ll assume for now that both Manchester teams will continue to occupy 1st and 2nd for now). Development is important, but results are vital.
I think it’s a good thing that the young man appears to be developing a chip in his shoulder. Maybe it’s earlier than normal, but look at the Fergusons and the Wengers – they have faced down perceived adversity in a similar fashion to the bristling AvB the other night. And, having watched clips from the press conference, I honestly didn’t think the behaviour was as sensational as that claimed by journalists on Twitter. But developing a siege mentality is only a good idea if you can lift that siege at some point.
The win over Valenica was vital, but AvB does not have a ‘signature win’ since he came to Stamford Bridge. The biggest opportunity was the away game against Man Utd back in October, but Chelsea fluffed their lines that day. Sure they have played (and lost to) Arsenal and Liverpool since – games they were expected to win. But Monday night represents another opportunity to make his mark. Man City has been the team to beat this season. And the 4th Estate will be watching closer than usual after Tuesday’s outburst. What better way to cause a real stir by taking out the champions elect?
Sunday, 11 December 2011
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
What I thought after the defeat to Liverpool 20/11/2011
It seems ludicrous to suggest that the coach is under pressure - but the owner has form. He does seem sure of himself - or at least that it will cost too much to fire him. A dangerous assumption. Let's be honest - the quality/competitive nature of the Premier League is much higher than that of the Liga Zon Sagres or even the Europa League for that matter (where would Braga feature in a Premier League table I wonder?). Note that this is a slight on the quality in those competitions, not a pat on the back for the Premier League.
Drogba looks a spent force, certainly as a starter against the likes of Liverpool. Whither Lukaku - who looks at least as physical as Drogba but would no doubt present something of an unknown to Premier League defenders. He showed again ts Arsenal that he relishes the physical side of the game, which looks like exactly what we needed against Liverpool.
Speaking of physical - it was evident that we were 2nd best in this respect in all areas of the pitch on Sunday - a few years ago there were very few (any?) teams who could match us in this regard. Age, injury, and distractions have diminished the powers of Drogba, Essien and Terry, and Carvalho and Ballack have been dealt away. Ramires is wiry and energetic, but Mata is too easily pushed around at times. 2 guys I can think of who would compete well in the Premier League would be Romeu and Lukaku - surely they need to get more game time?
Drogba looks a spent force, certainly as a starter against the likes of Liverpool. Whither Lukaku - who looks at least as physical as Drogba but would no doubt present something of an unknown to Premier League defenders. He showed again ts Arsenal that he relishes the physical side of the game, which looks like exactly what we needed against Liverpool.
Speaking of physical - it was evident that we were 2nd best in this respect in all areas of the pitch on Sunday - a few years ago there were very few (any?) teams who could match us in this regard. Age, injury, and distractions have diminished the powers of Drogba, Essien and Terry, and Carvalho and Ballack have been dealt away. Ramires is wiry and energetic, but Mata is too easily pushed around at times. 2 guys I can think of who would compete well in the Premier League would be Romeu and Lukaku - surely they need to get more game time?
Sunday, 18 September 2011
I don't like cricket. Or cricket scores.
When all is said and done, I prefer my team to win games 1-0 or 2-1 than by the odd goal in 7 or 9. And I never like losing. Still, Chelsea played their part in an entertaining and open game, and even in defeat there were signs that point to an intriguing and encouraging future at Stamford Bridge.
I didn't expect Chelsea to win. Indeed, I feared slightly for them based going to Old Trafford given what I'd seen from both teams so far this season. My fear was somewhat justified - Chelsea's defence (and I use the word defence in the wider sense of the word, not just the back 4) was pretty poor for much of the game. The game was crying out for Mikel to play in a screening role. And I'm sorry, but to me, John Terry ishttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif waning - if for no other reason than he doesn't seem to have the organisational ability that your captain and number 1 centre back should have. As well as that, Michael Cox points out here that Chelsea's passing out of defence was seriously deficient to that displayed by the Man Utd centre backs - my view that either Alex or Luiz should start is reinforced by this stat. The next position I would target in the transfer market is right full back - Bosingwa just isn't good enough defending or attacking to justify his position in the starting XI in my mind. And I wonder about Chelsea's eagerness to sign Alvaro Perreira - was this to cover the left side of midfield or as a replacement for Ashley Cole?
I don't mean to dwell on the past - but we never looked this ragged under the Special One. There's been too many games now when we've looked defensively suspect - Sunderland and Aston Villa at the Bridge last season come to mind quickly - and ok, the line was probably right for Man Utd's 1st goal today and we should have got the offside decision, but how often did Man Utd look like scoring aside from that? And, as I wrote yesterday, we've conceded to some pretty average teams. Clean sheets need to become a habit again.
Again, I ask the question - what is Frank Lampard's role in this team. Of the 3 that started in midfield, Meireles provides the creativity, Ramires provides the energy - what does Lampard bring to the table? His goal threat is considerably less than it was, and he doesn't have the range of passing or defensive qualities to sit deep. He needs to re-invent himself to remain relevant.
It was also a rude awakening to the Premier League for Juan Mata who was too often not willing/able/aware enough to work back when Chelsea lost the ball. I have no doubt that he will be an excellent signing, but he needs to pull his weight when Chelsea don't have the ball!
As for Fernando Torres...
1. He finally showed what he is capable of when the ball is put in front of him (a 'vertical ball' as AvB would say) - it was an excellent finish and hopefully a sign of things to come (more on that later of course...)
2. I wonder about his choice to square for Ramires in the 1st half. Many would laud his unselfishness, but I want my number 1 striker to be selfish. Would a more confident Torres have taken the chance himself?
3. Yes, his miss towards the end of the game was shocking - it's a great pity his goal didn't come after this rather than before it, and came at a key moment in the game. I can only hope that he takes the positives with him from this game.
Finally, yes there were decisions that went against Chelsea today, but hey, these things seem to even themselves out, e.g. Rooney missed the generously given penalty. If we'd taken our chances (Ramires, Torres), we could have come away with a point. But for a change, I have a 'glass half full' outlook. We created a bunch of chances. Fernando Torres scored 1 and could have had a hat-trick. AvB made a bold decision at half-time that by and large worked. We are only 2 months or so into a project that will hopefully lead to more than a Premier League title. The future is bright. The future is Blue.
I didn't expect Chelsea to win. Indeed, I feared slightly for them based going to Old Trafford given what I'd seen from both teams so far this season. My fear was somewhat justified - Chelsea's defence (and I use the word defence in the wider sense of the word, not just the back 4) was pretty poor for much of the game. The game was crying out for Mikel to play in a screening role. And I'm sorry, but to me, John Terry ishttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif waning - if for no other reason than he doesn't seem to have the organisational ability that your captain and number 1 centre back should have. As well as that, Michael Cox points out here that Chelsea's passing out of defence was seriously deficient to that displayed by the Man Utd centre backs - my view that either Alex or Luiz should start is reinforced by this stat. The next position I would target in the transfer market is right full back - Bosingwa just isn't good enough defending or attacking to justify his position in the starting XI in my mind. And I wonder about Chelsea's eagerness to sign Alvaro Perreira - was this to cover the left side of midfield or as a replacement for Ashley Cole?
I don't mean to dwell on the past - but we never looked this ragged under the Special One. There's been too many games now when we've looked defensively suspect - Sunderland and Aston Villa at the Bridge last season come to mind quickly - and ok, the line was probably right for Man Utd's 1st goal today and we should have got the offside decision, but how often did Man Utd look like scoring aside from that? And, as I wrote yesterday, we've conceded to some pretty average teams. Clean sheets need to become a habit again.
Again, I ask the question - what is Frank Lampard's role in this team. Of the 3 that started in midfield, Meireles provides the creativity, Ramires provides the energy - what does Lampard bring to the table? His goal threat is considerably less than it was, and he doesn't have the range of passing or defensive qualities to sit deep. He needs to re-invent himself to remain relevant.
It was also a rude awakening to the Premier League for Juan Mata who was too often not willing/able/aware enough to work back when Chelsea lost the ball. I have no doubt that he will be an excellent signing, but he needs to pull his weight when Chelsea don't have the ball!
As for Fernando Torres...
1. He finally showed what he is capable of when the ball is put in front of him (a 'vertical ball' as AvB would say) - it was an excellent finish and hopefully a sign of things to come (more on that later of course...)
2. I wonder about his choice to square for Ramires in the 1st half. Many would laud his unselfishness, but I want my number 1 striker to be selfish. Would a more confident Torres have taken the chance himself?
3. Yes, his miss towards the end of the game was shocking - it's a great pity his goal didn't come after this rather than before it, and came at a key moment in the game. I can only hope that he takes the positives with him from this game.
Finally, yes there were decisions that went against Chelsea today, but hey, these things seem to even themselves out, e.g. Rooney missed the generously given penalty. If we'd taken our chances (Ramires, Torres), we could have come away with a point. But for a change, I have a 'glass half full' outlook. We created a bunch of chances. Fernando Torres scored 1 and could have had a hat-trick. AvB made a bold decision at half-time that by and large worked. We are only 2 months or so into a project that will hopefully lead to more than a Premier League title. The future is bright. The future is Blue.
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Man Utd v Chelsea Preview
So, Andre Vilas Boas (AvB) takes his 'new' Chelsea team to Old Trafford on Sunday looking for a watershed victory to really kick start his tenure at Stamford Bridge. The start so far has been solid but relatively unimpressive. It looks like change will be a slow process, and to be fair, why should it be any other way, given that this team finished 2nd last year and won it all the year before.
Man Utd rightly start as favourites, and I look at the game in terms of hope rather than expectation. Man Utd have been scoring for fun, and Chelsea have conceded to West Brom, Norwich and Sunderland. I can't see Chelsea shipping 8 or even 5 to Man Utd, but their abilty to score along with Chelsea's propensity to concede to pretty avarage teams concerns me.
But, Man Utd's defence is a strange mix of new and old and not so good at the moment, and Chelsea will have their chances I'm sure. Who starts in the middle of the front 3 will be interesting - it looks as if Drogba is certainly out, Anelka got the start against Sunderland last week, and Torres played against Leverkusen in midweek. Of the 2, I guess I'd have to go for Torres tomorrow - but I was much more optimistic about Torres' goalscoring abaility before the Old Trafford game last April than I am for tomorrow's game, and he was pretty subdued that day.
In saying that, Meireles and Mata look like good signings and just the sort of players that might create the sort of chances Torres needs to thrive. And I can't fault Torres' attitude in general - he played his part on Wednesday night, but I wonder would he have squared that ball if it were anyone other than Mata waiting?
So, Sturridge (who has just the sort of spark Chelsea have needed since they sent him on loan) last season looks certain to occupy the right side of the front 3, with Mata on the left. In midfield, I see Ramires and Meireles starting, with Mikel and Lampard likely to fill the remaining spot. Given it's an away game, I wonder if AvB would opt for Mikel? It would be interesting if Frank Lampard were to be left out for such a big game. On form, Ramires and Meireles deserve their spots and while Mikel has many critics, he is a very steady player, and will happily sit deep allowing those around him to play with more freedom. Lampard's role in the team is no longer clear to me I'm afraid.
At the back, it would be a huge shock if John Terry does not come back in. Given the form of Ashley Young, I'd be inclined to start Ivanovic at right back. This would leave Alex and David Luiz to fill the remainig centre back spot. Luiz of course was probably at fault for Hernandez' early opener in the April game, and seem to come in for unneecessarily harsh and public abuse from the then manager, Ancellotti. He returned to the side in midweek and scored a good goal and played some nice football, but was guilty of 2 reckless fouls that could have seen him sent off. Whether he is truly a centre back remains to be seen. So I would go for Alex - who a lot of people have written off after an average enough display against West Brom. But, I don't think he's a bad player, and maybe the time out has given him a chance to get back his focus. In my view, he was often the best defender behind Ivanovic at times last year.
For Man Utd, there aren't too many difficult choices, although goalkeeper could be an interesting one. Not that Alex Ferguson will entertain such questions. Their front 2 of Rooney and Hernandez and wingmen Young and Nani could cause Chelsea nightmares. Their weak link is probably the centre of midfield, where Chelsea will likely outnumber them in both numbers and quality. But Man Utd will probably move the ball quickly and expect their front players to work back and disrupt Chelsea posession (this could be a huge issue it both Mikel and Lampard play as both can be ponderous in possession these days) and so Chelsea's numerical advantage in that area may count for nothing.
There could be 2 wildcards for Chelsea. One is the defensive minded midfielder Oriel Romeu, who got a run out against Sunderland last weekend and performed steadily in limited action. The other more interesting option for AvB is Romelu Lukaku who could fill the 'No. 9' role - I'd like to see him up against Jonny Evans and giving David De Gea something to think about under the odd high ball. But, in line with the seeming evolution rather than revolution approach at Stamford Bridge, I suspect that a substutute appearance is the most either youngster can expect.
Given Man City's ordinary enough display during the week, a positive result for Chelsea in tomorrow's game could make many hastily re-think their 'only 2 teams can win it' proclomations of recent weeks. I'm not for a moment suggesting that Chelsea should be ranked ahead or Man Utd or Man City, but there's a lot of talent on the pitch and (potentially) on the sideline. I think they will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season. But I don't expect them to win tomorrow.
Follow me on Twitter @CiaranMcMonagle
Man Utd rightly start as favourites, and I look at the game in terms of hope rather than expectation. Man Utd have been scoring for fun, and Chelsea have conceded to West Brom, Norwich and Sunderland. I can't see Chelsea shipping 8 or even 5 to Man Utd, but their abilty to score along with Chelsea's propensity to concede to pretty avarage teams concerns me.
But, Man Utd's defence is a strange mix of new and old and not so good at the moment, and Chelsea will have their chances I'm sure. Who starts in the middle of the front 3 will be interesting - it looks as if Drogba is certainly out, Anelka got the start against Sunderland last week, and Torres played against Leverkusen in midweek. Of the 2, I guess I'd have to go for Torres tomorrow - but I was much more optimistic about Torres' goalscoring abaility before the Old Trafford game last April than I am for tomorrow's game, and he was pretty subdued that day.
In saying that, Meireles and Mata look like good signings and just the sort of players that might create the sort of chances Torres needs to thrive. And I can't fault Torres' attitude in general - he played his part on Wednesday night, but I wonder would he have squared that ball if it were anyone other than Mata waiting?
So, Sturridge (who has just the sort of spark Chelsea have needed since they sent him on loan) last season looks certain to occupy the right side of the front 3, with Mata on the left. In midfield, I see Ramires and Meireles starting, with Mikel and Lampard likely to fill the remaining spot. Given it's an away game, I wonder if AvB would opt for Mikel? It would be interesting if Frank Lampard were to be left out for such a big game. On form, Ramires and Meireles deserve their spots and while Mikel has many critics, he is a very steady player, and will happily sit deep allowing those around him to play with more freedom. Lampard's role in the team is no longer clear to me I'm afraid.
At the back, it would be a huge shock if John Terry does not come back in. Given the form of Ashley Young, I'd be inclined to start Ivanovic at right back. This would leave Alex and David Luiz to fill the remainig centre back spot. Luiz of course was probably at fault for Hernandez' early opener in the April game, and seem to come in for unneecessarily harsh and public abuse from the then manager, Ancellotti. He returned to the side in midweek and scored a good goal and played some nice football, but was guilty of 2 reckless fouls that could have seen him sent off. Whether he is truly a centre back remains to be seen. So I would go for Alex - who a lot of people have written off after an average enough display against West Brom. But, I don't think he's a bad player, and maybe the time out has given him a chance to get back his focus. In my view, he was often the best defender behind Ivanovic at times last year.
For Man Utd, there aren't too many difficult choices, although goalkeeper could be an interesting one. Not that Alex Ferguson will entertain such questions. Their front 2 of Rooney and Hernandez and wingmen Young and Nani could cause Chelsea nightmares. Their weak link is probably the centre of midfield, where Chelsea will likely outnumber them in both numbers and quality. But Man Utd will probably move the ball quickly and expect their front players to work back and disrupt Chelsea posession (this could be a huge issue it both Mikel and Lampard play as both can be ponderous in possession these days) and so Chelsea's numerical advantage in that area may count for nothing.
There could be 2 wildcards for Chelsea. One is the defensive minded midfielder Oriel Romeu, who got a run out against Sunderland last weekend and performed steadily in limited action. The other more interesting option for AvB is Romelu Lukaku who could fill the 'No. 9' role - I'd like to see him up against Jonny Evans and giving David De Gea something to think about under the odd high ball. But, in line with the seeming evolution rather than revolution approach at Stamford Bridge, I suspect that a substutute appearance is the most either youngster can expect.
Given Man City's ordinary enough display during the week, a positive result for Chelsea in tomorrow's game could make many hastily re-think their 'only 2 teams can win it' proclomations of recent weeks. I'm not for a moment suggesting that Chelsea should be ranked ahead or Man Utd or Man City, but there's a lot of talent on the pitch and (potentially) on the sideline. I think they will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season. But I don't expect them to win tomorrow.
Follow me on Twitter @CiaranMcMonagle
Sunday, 14 August 2011
The God Delusion
So on Sunday, the Andre Vilas Boas (I’m going to take liberties and refer to him as ‘AvB’ from here on) era begins in earnest at Stoke. Other than the absent Michael Essien, I expect it to be as you were for Chelsea under Carlo Ancelotti. After all, none of the 3 summer signings are expected to feature and line-ups used in pre-season suggests that the same players will be deployed in the same positions as they were last season. All of which leads me to believe that AvB really believes his own hype.
To be fair, both Josh McEachran and Danny Sturridge have seen game time in pre-season. McEachran saw very limited action under Ancelotti and while Sturridge did make a few appearances, he was of course loaned out after the acquisition of Fernando Torres and scored goals for fun at Bolton while Torres drew blanks. Sturridge is suspended to start the season, so I guess we’ll have to wait a while to see if he figures in AvB’s plans.
I’ll admit to seeing little of AvB in action, except for last season’s Europa League final, which I was able to attend in person. His Porto side were clearly technically superior to Braga and contained all the star power, yet the manner of their victory was far from convincing and the style of play most unsatisfactory for a neutral like me. Much of it reminded me of watching Chelsea under the doleful Italian! Of course I know of the statistics from Porto’s season – all the goals scored – but I remember watching Chelsea 6 goals a game at the start of last season, but at the same time being largely unimpressed with the style of Chelsea’s play. Yes of course results are everything, but ultimately Chelsea’s season was not defined by how they fared against West Brom and Wigan. It came down to performances against the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United, where they lacked the ideas and creativity to break down higher quality opposition.
Chelsea’s problems seemed to me to stem from 3 areas last season – an aging squad, a lack of creativity, players who didn’t respond to the manager, or a manger who lost his appetite for the game. The squad issue has only been partially addressed – how often Romeu or Lukaku actually play remains to be seen (Lukaku could very well be loaned out), the lack of creativity could be solved by AvB, but I still think he needs to sign someone like Modric if things are to change dramatically from last season. As to whether the players will respond to him or not, that will be interesting – sure Porto had some stars, but no one in the league of Drogba, Torres, Cole, Lampard or Terry. Can AvB’s methodical approach inspire them to heights they failed to reach last season? Let’s assume that he still has an appetite for the game!
Anyway, I am being harsh – despite all that has been written, the guy has not managed a game that matters at Chelsea at yet. So he needs time. Will his patron give him time? Judging by the signings Chelsea have made this summer, it appears that they are trying to build for the future rather than sign quick fixes. Strange, given the moves they made in the last transfer window, but maybe Financial Fair Play is weighing on their mind? He’s a young manager, he’s trained under some of the best, including the original ‘Special One’, he’s won trophies, and he’s likely to be just a big a hit with the media as Ancelotti (who it seemed could do no wrong in the eyes of most scribes). I’m happy to give him time – I just hope his employer feels the same way.
To be fair, both Josh McEachran and Danny Sturridge have seen game time in pre-season. McEachran saw very limited action under Ancelotti and while Sturridge did make a few appearances, he was of course loaned out after the acquisition of Fernando Torres and scored goals for fun at Bolton while Torres drew blanks. Sturridge is suspended to start the season, so I guess we’ll have to wait a while to see if he figures in AvB’s plans.
I’ll admit to seeing little of AvB in action, except for last season’s Europa League final, which I was able to attend in person. His Porto side were clearly technically superior to Braga and contained all the star power, yet the manner of their victory was far from convincing and the style of play most unsatisfactory for a neutral like me. Much of it reminded me of watching Chelsea under the doleful Italian! Of course I know of the statistics from Porto’s season – all the goals scored – but I remember watching Chelsea 6 goals a game at the start of last season, but at the same time being largely unimpressed with the style of Chelsea’s play. Yes of course results are everything, but ultimately Chelsea’s season was not defined by how they fared against West Brom and Wigan. It came down to performances against the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United, where they lacked the ideas and creativity to break down higher quality opposition.
Chelsea’s problems seemed to me to stem from 3 areas last season – an aging squad, a lack of creativity, players who didn’t respond to the manager, or a manger who lost his appetite for the game. The squad issue has only been partially addressed – how often Romeu or Lukaku actually play remains to be seen (Lukaku could very well be loaned out), the lack of creativity could be solved by AvB, but I still think he needs to sign someone like Modric if things are to change dramatically from last season. As to whether the players will respond to him or not, that will be interesting – sure Porto had some stars, but no one in the league of Drogba, Torres, Cole, Lampard or Terry. Can AvB’s methodical approach inspire them to heights they failed to reach last season? Let’s assume that he still has an appetite for the game!
Anyway, I am being harsh – despite all that has been written, the guy has not managed a game that matters at Chelsea at yet. So he needs time. Will his patron give him time? Judging by the signings Chelsea have made this summer, it appears that they are trying to build for the future rather than sign quick fixes. Strange, given the moves they made in the last transfer window, but maybe Financial Fair Play is weighing on their mind? He’s a young manager, he’s trained under some of the best, including the original ‘Special One’, he’s won trophies, and he’s likely to be just a big a hit with the media as Ancelotti (who it seemed could do no wrong in the eyes of most scribes). I’m happy to give him time – I just hope his employer feels the same way.
Saturday, 13 August 2011
Our First Podcast! The Guff Report Premier League Preview 2011-12
Here it is!
Guff Report Premier League Preview
All comments welcome. Please share with others if you think it's worth it.
Guff Report Premier League Preview
All comments welcome. Please share with others if you think it's worth it.
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Premier League Preview 2011/12
Arsenal
You really have to question the competence of the decision-makers at Arsenal if the stories about the Juan Mata failed bid are true. Fabergas looks like he’s gone and Nasri may not be far behind. Sure there will be funds, but with less than 3 weeks left in the transfer window, the pressure will be on to bring in big name replacements. Or so you would think – the only name being floated around at the moment seems to be Scott Dann. Gervinho will probably be a success, Oxlade-Chamberlain has not played at a level higher than League 1 until now, so we’ll have to wait and see how he steps up in the Premier League. This could be the the season where Arsenal drop out of the Top 4. I’m sure their fans are frustrated, heck, they sort of frustrate me at times as well.
Aston Villa
What is the plan at Villa? Spending big money on Darren Bent last season seemed to signal ambition, but then selling his 2 putative providers in chief seems contradictory, although denying Ashley Young a move to Manchester United was probably going to be a difficult position to maintain in the short-term, while Liverpool’s offer for Stewart Downing appears to represent good business for Villa, especially when they can turn around and buy Charles N’Zogbia for half the money. Fans patience will be very thin this season, especially in light of the decision to appoint the man who has just overseen the relegation of their fiercest rivals.
Blackburn Rovers
David Goodwillie? This is what the Venky’s money is bringing to Blackburn? Where’s Kaka et al? Losing Phil Jones will hurt, and losing Chris Samba could be fatal. No better than mid table, and possible relegation contenders, but the fact that there are probably poorer teams out there mean that they might hang on.
Bolton
A quiet enough summer at the Reebok, where keeping Gary Cahill and getting Stuart Holden back from injury could go a long way towards defining their season. They haven’t had the best of luck so far this summer – Tyrone Mears and the Korean Lee Chung-Yong both look like missing significant time due to both suffering broken legs in pre-season. A team that will struggle to break into the Top 8, but should find it relatively comfortable to remain in mid table.
Chelsea
Is essentially the same squad that looked tired and unimaginative last season really the one to do better this season? Is Fernando Torres really finished or just not getting the kind of service on which he thrives? How much time will Andre Villas-Boas be given to win a Premier League and Champions League title? So many questions that look like taking a while to answer. Chelsea’s signings so far this summer almost hint at building for the future – in contrast with the big money signings of David Luiz and Torres in January which seemed to suggest a desire to win big, quickly. As things stand, I don’t see them overhauling Man Utd this season, and Man City are only going to get stronger.
Everton
Moving forward by standing still? It’s hard to see this team achieving more than say a Europa League or Cup Final berth – some good players for sure, but the squad is thin, especially up front, where Louis Saha is dangerous when fit, but alas that is never a given. Holding on to Baines, Jagielka, Fellani and Arteta is perhaps a more valuable coup than any signings David Moyes could hope to make.
Fulham
I guess the position taken over Mark Hughes shows that disloyalty won’t be tolerated, which is fine in one sense, but it also smacks to me of cutting off your nose to spite your face in another. Hughes seemed like a decent manager - although Martin Jol could turn out to be a decent replacement. Fulham have a pretty solid defence anchored by Hangelaand and Schwarzer, and some decent striking options in attack and from deeper. Assuming the players take to Jol relatively quickly, they could have a relatively comfortable season, but the Europa League via the Fair Play table is probably likely to be the zenith of their ambitions again.
Liverpool
Big spenders but value for money doesn’t seem to be a concern. The prices paid for Henderson and Downing seem inflated, but if they deliver, then no-one will care. Of the 2, Downing looks like he will be a good addition, but the jury could be out on Henderson for a long time yet. He was largely anonymous in the European U-21 Championships, but that was admittedly as a part of a pretty poor England team. What could be more relevant to Liverpool’s chances this season is how Suarez and Carroll perform given that they now have a full season to show their worth. Charlie Adam could also represent good value, but how Liverpool accommodate him and Meireles (and indeed Gerrard when he comes back) will be interesting. If nothing else, Dalglish has strengthened his squad, but keeping expectations dampened will be a challenge.
Manchester City
Sergio Aguero may be a very good player, but will he be as effective in the Premier League as Carlos Tevez? I suspect not. City however may not be denied for long – the squad is full of quality players at just about every position, but their style of play is far from that of champions. I would question the wisdom of signing Gael Clichy, over Leighton Baines, or in persevering with Jerome Boateng for that matter. There are still questions in attack as well, namely whether or not Mario Balotelli has anywhere near enough maturity to be trusted, or whether Edin Dzeko has the requisite quality. The Tevez situation is far from resolved either – it struck me last week that a swap between City and Inter involving the mercurial family man and Wesley Sneijder would make sense for City on so many levels – they rid themselves of a potential distraction while acquiring a quality player that their crosstown rivals appear to covet. This sort of move would go a long way to making City more than just noisy neighbours.
Manchester United
Whether David de Gea will be able to seamlessly fill the massive void left by the departure of Edwin van der Saar or whether Phil Jones represents an upgrade over John O’Shea in the short-term remains to be seen, as does the issue of the quality of central midfield, especially in light of Paul Scholes’ retirement, but the reality is that this squad is more than good enough to retain its title when you survey the Premier League landscape as it is presently configured. What Ryan Giggs has left to offer is a huge question, but the acquisition of Ashley Young, along with the talents of Nani and the return from loan spells of Cleverly and Wellbeck means that there are plenty of options available to take up the slack should age and other matters begin to impact Giggs’ form. The acquisition of Sneijder may not be what they need to beat Barcelona on the European stage, but it would surely but them over the top yet again in their domestic league. As usual, Man Utd. drive on while their domestic rivals dawdle.
Newcastle United
Follow their implosion live on Twitter! Another team that is in serious danger of falling into a relegation fight. Mike Ashley did very well from the sale of Andy Carroll, but his stance on Joey Barton signals his true intent for this proud club. I would question the decision to sell Kevin Nolan as well, but maybe it says something for his motivation that he was happy to move to a Championship club (what price that he will be back in the EPL next season?). Expect them to cash in on Jose Enrique before the transfer window closes. I don’t know enough (read: anything) about their 3 French signings to say what they will contribute, but Demba Ba on a free could prove to be shrewd business, and Hatem Ben Arfa should be fit and raring to go, so maybe it’s not all doom and gloom.
Norwich City
Based on the excellent writing of the Swiss Ramble, Norwich appear to be the best run of the 3 promoted teams and while they lack star power, they have a sustainable strategy, which seems to assume that they will be relegated this season, but have the resources to come straight back up and then fight to stay there. Sensible stuff, but based on what I think may happen at QPR and the fact that they finished so far ahead of Swansea last season makes me think that Norwich have the best chance of the 3 to stay up. Early form will be crucial.
Queens Park Rangers
Possibly one of the richest clubs in the league, but other than the fact that they have just hiked ticket prices, you’d hardly know it. Any signings made have been free (at least they have Premier League experience) and Neil Warnock is one of the favourites to get the sack. Not quite a soap opera of Newcastle type proportions, but it could get there by the end of the season. In Taarabt, they have a player I’m see many are intrigued to see on the Premier League stage (which is graced previously very briefly with Spurs). Having said that, PSG are reportedly interested and aren’t afraid to splash the cash. If he leaves, I will assume that they are doomed if the owners reluctance to spend continues.
Stoke City
Ones to watch? Very steady performers under Tony Pulis and very solid at home. Their style is not to everyone’s liking, but it is effective. Woodgate and Upson are high risk signings, and how can Tony contemplate leaving out goal machine Robert Huth from his back 4! Landing Scott Parker would be a coup, and outside of last season’s Top 4 plus Spurs and Liverpool, Stoke could be the team to break into the Europa League places ahead of more established names. Of course, they play in this season’s EL thanks to their runners up spot in last season’s FA Cup so how they handle the demands of Europe could have a bearing on their PL form.
Sunderland
Selling Darren Bent and buying Asamoah Gyan and then selling Jordan Henderson and buying Craig Gardner for around half the money (or less) received and Seb Larsson for nothing looks like pretty good business to me. How John O’Shea and Wes Brown fare away from Old Trafford, where they served as valuable squad players will be interesting, especially when Nicky Butt and Phil Neville performed similar roles for Man Utd but hardly distinguished themselves elsewhere. Steve Bruce appears to have the resources to survive, and perhaps challenge for a Europa League spot, but a long run of dreadful results similar to last season cannot be repeated.
Swansea City
Like the other team in white (Bolton), I’ll confess that not much about Swansea in the news has caught my eye this summer. Scott Sinclair looks a good player – someone that Chelsea could have done well to persevere with, but all indications are that they will be relegation candidates unless they can pull a few surprises early on.
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs are making all the right noises on the Modric issue, but they will look like fools if he does end up leaving. What they can expect from a player who has made public his desire to leave but has yet to formally request a move is a moot point. Whether or not Gareth Bale can continue his Footballer of the Year ‘form’ (which was fleeting enough to be honest!) and who is deployed up front are key questions. Even if Modric leaves, there is quality there to compensate – Sandro showed great development last season and Kyle Walker’s form for Aston Villa and England was very encouraging (if you’re a Spurs fan). Given Liverpool’s signings and Manchester City’s continued development, it seems unlikely that Spurs are good enough for the Champions League as things stand, less so if they lose Modric and fail to address questions up front.
West Bromwich Albion
Based on past history, would appear to be a leading candidate for relegation, but if they continue the form they showed under Roy Hodgson last season, they could survive with some degree of comfort, especially if Peter Odemwingie continues his good goalscoring form. Signings up until now weren’t very inspiring, but this week’s acquisition of Shane Long could be a good buy.
Wigan Athletic
The loss of N’Zogbia and Cleverly will hurt, but keeping Rodellega will help in their fight to stave off relegation. The continued development of McCarthy will be of interest to Irish fans, but how much we see of him in a green jersey is a worry at this stage. Roberto Martinez tries to play the game the right way, but perhaps a touch more pragmatism will be necessary this season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Like Martinez at Wigan, Mick McCarthy picks players and uses a system that yields football that is easy on the eye. Some great results last season, and they’ve managed to retain the likes of Kevin Doyle, who, if fit, could be the key to their survival this season. In addition, Jamie O’Hara and Roger Johnson add to the quality of the team. It’s hard to see them repeating wins over Chelsea and Liverpool, so beating their peers will likely go a long way to determining their final league position. They may struggle against well organised and physical teams.
Top 3
1. Man Utd.
2. Chelsea
3. Man City
Bottom 3
18. Wigan
19. QPR
20. Swansea
You really have to question the competence of the decision-makers at Arsenal if the stories about the Juan Mata failed bid are true. Fabergas looks like he’s gone and Nasri may not be far behind. Sure there will be funds, but with less than 3 weeks left in the transfer window, the pressure will be on to bring in big name replacements. Or so you would think – the only name being floated around at the moment seems to be Scott Dann. Gervinho will probably be a success, Oxlade-Chamberlain has not played at a level higher than League 1 until now, so we’ll have to wait and see how he steps up in the Premier League. This could be the the season where Arsenal drop out of the Top 4. I’m sure their fans are frustrated, heck, they sort of frustrate me at times as well.
Aston Villa
What is the plan at Villa? Spending big money on Darren Bent last season seemed to signal ambition, but then selling his 2 putative providers in chief seems contradictory, although denying Ashley Young a move to Manchester United was probably going to be a difficult position to maintain in the short-term, while Liverpool’s offer for Stewart Downing appears to represent good business for Villa, especially when they can turn around and buy Charles N’Zogbia for half the money. Fans patience will be very thin this season, especially in light of the decision to appoint the man who has just overseen the relegation of their fiercest rivals.
Blackburn Rovers
David Goodwillie? This is what the Venky’s money is bringing to Blackburn? Where’s Kaka et al? Losing Phil Jones will hurt, and losing Chris Samba could be fatal. No better than mid table, and possible relegation contenders, but the fact that there are probably poorer teams out there mean that they might hang on.
Bolton
A quiet enough summer at the Reebok, where keeping Gary Cahill and getting Stuart Holden back from injury could go a long way towards defining their season. They haven’t had the best of luck so far this summer – Tyrone Mears and the Korean Lee Chung-Yong both look like missing significant time due to both suffering broken legs in pre-season. A team that will struggle to break into the Top 8, but should find it relatively comfortable to remain in mid table.
Chelsea
Is essentially the same squad that looked tired and unimaginative last season really the one to do better this season? Is Fernando Torres really finished or just not getting the kind of service on which he thrives? How much time will Andre Villas-Boas be given to win a Premier League and Champions League title? So many questions that look like taking a while to answer. Chelsea’s signings so far this summer almost hint at building for the future – in contrast with the big money signings of David Luiz and Torres in January which seemed to suggest a desire to win big, quickly. As things stand, I don’t see them overhauling Man Utd this season, and Man City are only going to get stronger.
Everton
Moving forward by standing still? It’s hard to see this team achieving more than say a Europa League or Cup Final berth – some good players for sure, but the squad is thin, especially up front, where Louis Saha is dangerous when fit, but alas that is never a given. Holding on to Baines, Jagielka, Fellani and Arteta is perhaps a more valuable coup than any signings David Moyes could hope to make.
Fulham
I guess the position taken over Mark Hughes shows that disloyalty won’t be tolerated, which is fine in one sense, but it also smacks to me of cutting off your nose to spite your face in another. Hughes seemed like a decent manager - although Martin Jol could turn out to be a decent replacement. Fulham have a pretty solid defence anchored by Hangelaand and Schwarzer, and some decent striking options in attack and from deeper. Assuming the players take to Jol relatively quickly, they could have a relatively comfortable season, but the Europa League via the Fair Play table is probably likely to be the zenith of their ambitions again.
Liverpool
Big spenders but value for money doesn’t seem to be a concern. The prices paid for Henderson and Downing seem inflated, but if they deliver, then no-one will care. Of the 2, Downing looks like he will be a good addition, but the jury could be out on Henderson for a long time yet. He was largely anonymous in the European U-21 Championships, but that was admittedly as a part of a pretty poor England team. What could be more relevant to Liverpool’s chances this season is how Suarez and Carroll perform given that they now have a full season to show their worth. Charlie Adam could also represent good value, but how Liverpool accommodate him and Meireles (and indeed Gerrard when he comes back) will be interesting. If nothing else, Dalglish has strengthened his squad, but keeping expectations dampened will be a challenge.
Manchester City
Sergio Aguero may be a very good player, but will he be as effective in the Premier League as Carlos Tevez? I suspect not. City however may not be denied for long – the squad is full of quality players at just about every position, but their style of play is far from that of champions. I would question the wisdom of signing Gael Clichy, over Leighton Baines, or in persevering with Jerome Boateng for that matter. There are still questions in attack as well, namely whether or not Mario Balotelli has anywhere near enough maturity to be trusted, or whether Edin Dzeko has the requisite quality. The Tevez situation is far from resolved either – it struck me last week that a swap between City and Inter involving the mercurial family man and Wesley Sneijder would make sense for City on so many levels – they rid themselves of a potential distraction while acquiring a quality player that their crosstown rivals appear to covet. This sort of move would go a long way to making City more than just noisy neighbours.
Manchester United
Whether David de Gea will be able to seamlessly fill the massive void left by the departure of Edwin van der Saar or whether Phil Jones represents an upgrade over John O’Shea in the short-term remains to be seen, as does the issue of the quality of central midfield, especially in light of Paul Scholes’ retirement, but the reality is that this squad is more than good enough to retain its title when you survey the Premier League landscape as it is presently configured. What Ryan Giggs has left to offer is a huge question, but the acquisition of Ashley Young, along with the talents of Nani and the return from loan spells of Cleverly and Wellbeck means that there are plenty of options available to take up the slack should age and other matters begin to impact Giggs’ form. The acquisition of Sneijder may not be what they need to beat Barcelona on the European stage, but it would surely but them over the top yet again in their domestic league. As usual, Man Utd. drive on while their domestic rivals dawdle.
Newcastle United
Follow their implosion live on Twitter! Another team that is in serious danger of falling into a relegation fight. Mike Ashley did very well from the sale of Andy Carroll, but his stance on Joey Barton signals his true intent for this proud club. I would question the decision to sell Kevin Nolan as well, but maybe it says something for his motivation that he was happy to move to a Championship club (what price that he will be back in the EPL next season?). Expect them to cash in on Jose Enrique before the transfer window closes. I don’t know enough (read: anything) about their 3 French signings to say what they will contribute, but Demba Ba on a free could prove to be shrewd business, and Hatem Ben Arfa should be fit and raring to go, so maybe it’s not all doom and gloom.
Norwich City
Based on the excellent writing of the Swiss Ramble, Norwich appear to be the best run of the 3 promoted teams and while they lack star power, they have a sustainable strategy, which seems to assume that they will be relegated this season, but have the resources to come straight back up and then fight to stay there. Sensible stuff, but based on what I think may happen at QPR and the fact that they finished so far ahead of Swansea last season makes me think that Norwich have the best chance of the 3 to stay up. Early form will be crucial.
Queens Park Rangers
Possibly one of the richest clubs in the league, but other than the fact that they have just hiked ticket prices, you’d hardly know it. Any signings made have been free (at least they have Premier League experience) and Neil Warnock is one of the favourites to get the sack. Not quite a soap opera of Newcastle type proportions, but it could get there by the end of the season. In Taarabt, they have a player I’m see many are intrigued to see on the Premier League stage (which is graced previously very briefly with Spurs). Having said that, PSG are reportedly interested and aren’t afraid to splash the cash. If he leaves, I will assume that they are doomed if the owners reluctance to spend continues.
Stoke City
Ones to watch? Very steady performers under Tony Pulis and very solid at home. Their style is not to everyone’s liking, but it is effective. Woodgate and Upson are high risk signings, and how can Tony contemplate leaving out goal machine Robert Huth from his back 4! Landing Scott Parker would be a coup, and outside of last season’s Top 4 plus Spurs and Liverpool, Stoke could be the team to break into the Europa League places ahead of more established names. Of course, they play in this season’s EL thanks to their runners up spot in last season’s FA Cup so how they handle the demands of Europe could have a bearing on their PL form.
Sunderland
Selling Darren Bent and buying Asamoah Gyan and then selling Jordan Henderson and buying Craig Gardner for around half the money (or less) received and Seb Larsson for nothing looks like pretty good business to me. How John O’Shea and Wes Brown fare away from Old Trafford, where they served as valuable squad players will be interesting, especially when Nicky Butt and Phil Neville performed similar roles for Man Utd but hardly distinguished themselves elsewhere. Steve Bruce appears to have the resources to survive, and perhaps challenge for a Europa League spot, but a long run of dreadful results similar to last season cannot be repeated.
Swansea City
Like the other team in white (Bolton), I’ll confess that not much about Swansea in the news has caught my eye this summer. Scott Sinclair looks a good player – someone that Chelsea could have done well to persevere with, but all indications are that they will be relegation candidates unless they can pull a few surprises early on.
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs are making all the right noises on the Modric issue, but they will look like fools if he does end up leaving. What they can expect from a player who has made public his desire to leave but has yet to formally request a move is a moot point. Whether or not Gareth Bale can continue his Footballer of the Year ‘form’ (which was fleeting enough to be honest!) and who is deployed up front are key questions. Even if Modric leaves, there is quality there to compensate – Sandro showed great development last season and Kyle Walker’s form for Aston Villa and England was very encouraging (if you’re a Spurs fan). Given Liverpool’s signings and Manchester City’s continued development, it seems unlikely that Spurs are good enough for the Champions League as things stand, less so if they lose Modric and fail to address questions up front.
West Bromwich Albion
Based on past history, would appear to be a leading candidate for relegation, but if they continue the form they showed under Roy Hodgson last season, they could survive with some degree of comfort, especially if Peter Odemwingie continues his good goalscoring form. Signings up until now weren’t very inspiring, but this week’s acquisition of Shane Long could be a good buy.
Wigan Athletic
The loss of N’Zogbia and Cleverly will hurt, but keeping Rodellega will help in their fight to stave off relegation. The continued development of McCarthy will be of interest to Irish fans, but how much we see of him in a green jersey is a worry at this stage. Roberto Martinez tries to play the game the right way, but perhaps a touch more pragmatism will be necessary this season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Like Martinez at Wigan, Mick McCarthy picks players and uses a system that yields football that is easy on the eye. Some great results last season, and they’ve managed to retain the likes of Kevin Doyle, who, if fit, could be the key to their survival this season. In addition, Jamie O’Hara and Roger Johnson add to the quality of the team. It’s hard to see them repeating wins over Chelsea and Liverpool, so beating their peers will likely go a long way to determining their final league position. They may struggle against well organised and physical teams.
Top 3
1. Man Utd.
2. Chelsea
3. Man City
Bottom 3
18. Wigan
19. QPR
20. Swansea
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