Why the English Premiership Just Got Crazier

All summer, two English Premiership clubs consistently hogged the news headlines and both co-exist acrimoniously in the same area - Manchester.

First, defending three-titles-in-a-row champions Manchester United sold their most flamboyant player Cristiano Ronaldo to Spain for a world record fee, and then they parted ways with the tigerish striker Carlos Tevez before securing the services of England's forgotten son Michael Owen for free.

Not to be outdone, United's less preponderant neighbors Manchester City, backed by petrodollars from Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, splurged over £100m in a single summer for soccer talents. In their effort to break the stranglehold held by the Big Four in England, City started this soccer season with an startling nine senior strikers on their roster.

Despite being the richest club in the world, I think Manchester City would probably end up with not much more than they had wished for. After all, a great team takes time to build up and gel together. Also, even when they are chasing games, at most three to four strikers can take to the field, leaving the rest sulking on the cold subs bench, that if they even make it there.

What about the rest of the Premiership? If anything, I can't see them being unhappy because each club stands to receive £32m for plainly playing in the elite soccer division. It will be tidy earnings, especially for the smaller clubs. And talking about them, this season will herald a bumper bunch of such 'lesser clubs', such as Wolves, Burnley, Wigan, Birmingham, Hull City, Sunderland, and so on.

The truth is sometimes I wonder if soccer fans are witnessing less interesting Championship-level soccer rather than Premiership soccer. Not only that, with raising players salaries, I shudder to think if fans are in fact overpaying for football that in fact could turn out to be less interesting than anticipated.

Now into the 17th edition since the formation of the English Premiership in 1992, this season could see three major events taking place: first, the rise of Manchester City interesting for top honors, second, the scramble to avoid the relegation trap door becoming more nerve-wrecking than ever and third, Manchester United retaining their crown for a historic four-in-a-row for a recording-breaking 19 English titles.

Why the English Premiership Just Got Crazier

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The English Premier League Starts Here, But Who Will Be the New Champions?

The English Premier League gets under way this week, and though it doesn't seem five minutes since Chelsea were lifting the trophy for the second season in a row, here we go again.

Chelsea start as clear favourites, 1/2 say the bookies, and that does not characterize good value. There may be better value to be had in the next few weeks. True, Chelsea have improved their squad by recruiting Shevchenko from Ac Milan and Ballack from Bayern Munich, though the unfortunate Ballack was at once injured in the original warm up match, the society Shield. It doesn't appear a serious injury though, and Ballack should be back soon. But Chelsea have also puzzlingly let Duff go to Newcastle for a pittance of a fee, and there are problems with one or two other players. It may be that Chelsea combine their main fire this season on the Champions League, and if they do that, there are three, possibly four challengers, who will be eager to jump in and snatch the title.

Incidentally Chelsea lost that society Shield match to Liverpool 2-1 with a late goal from the beanpole giant Peter Crouch, and Liverpool look well equipped to challenge the blues this season. They have not won the title since 1990, and amazingly have never won the Premier League. Their supporters are hungry for the league title, and this year urged on by inspirational captain Steven Gerrard, they could go close. They have strengthened again by acquiring the lightning fast Bellamy from Blackburn Rovers, though he is injury prone, and accident-prone too. Liverpool will go close. Current price 8/1.

Second last year were Manchester United, and I have a feeling if you offered them a top two place right now, they might take it. They have lost their talisman goal scorer Ruud to Real Madrid and they will well miss his thirty goals a season. But oddly now he has gone, the other players know they must step up and start scoring right through the team. They do have goalscorers in the side and Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager, has cash in his pocket to spend, though he seems to be seeing it difficult locating the right players. They will be desperate to stay ahead of their nearest and bitterest rivals Liverpool, and will do well to do so. Lots will depend on Rooney and Ronaldo, retention their tempers and concentration. You write off Manchester United at your peril. 8/1 for the league.

Fourth last year, albeit by only two points from their closest rivals Tottenham Hotspur, were Arsenal. It is all turn for them as they go into their spanking brand new home at the Emirates Stadium. They have also lost three stalwarts in Pires, Bergkamp, and Campbell, and are on the brink of losing England's full back Ashley Cole too, to Chelsea. The blues have reportedly bid £20 million, Arsenal want £30 million. They do have good young players coming through, and a much larger crowd this season judging by early label sales and greater ground capacity. Don't forget they did make the Champions League final last season. Add to that Thierry Henry's renewed commitment to the club, and it would be foolish to write off their chances. But the competition will be hotter than ever for the Gunners, not least from their near neighbours, Spurs. Arsenal are also 8/1 for the title, but might do well to stop in the top four.

That brings us to England's most improved club, Spurs. They have been getting stronger for several seasons now, and under their likeable boss Martin Jol, they should be stronger again this year. They have concentrated on buying the best young players they can find, and being outpatient with them as they grow into the team. They have consistently bought young English players too, something that Arsenal have noticeably not done, though selling Michael Carrick to Manchester United is a blow, (Arsenal are now normally putting out an eleven containing not a single British player) and one senses that the spirit in the Spurs' camp continues to rise. But can they break into the top four this year? They could do so, and if any of the top four slip up, or have a bad year, then expect the whites to step up and take their place. Spurs are currently 80/1 to win the league and even that may not be too fanciful.

So what of the rest? The black and white shirted hordes will still turn out at Saint James's Park to maintain Newcastle, and in Damien Duff for £5 million they must well have landed the buy of the season. The new captain Scottie Parker will drive them on, but the loss of England's centre send Michael Owen through injury during the World Cup, he may miss the whole season, is a big blow. Newcastle are improving, but still need more firepower to compete with the elite.

Aston Villa have been a sleeping giant for years, but with the long drawn out takeover ultimately getting sorted, and the charismatic manager, (Saint) Martin O'Neill duly installed, Villa will improve. But they need to. They were almost relegated last year, and they have so far added no new players to the squad. But there is a sense of optimism around Villa Park, and the supporters will well flock back, to begin with at least. Don't forget Villa are old European champions, but then again so are Nottingham Forest (twice) and they are now languishing in the third division. Villa alone flies the flag for the English midlands and they will need to improve to stay up, and under Martin, they will.

Everton are Liverpool's second club, though their supporters still think they are the best. They have bought well in the close season landing Andy Johnson from Crystal Palace, (albeit for a lot of money at £8.5 million) but alongside Beattie, they look to have the firepower to issue the best defences. Everton are very much an up and down side. I expect them to be up this year.

West Ham are currently London's fourth club, and they will be seeing to improve on that. They reached the cup final last year and were unlucky to lose and in Dean Ashton, they have a striker who knows where the goals are. I notion he should have gone to the World Cup, and I am pleased to see him included in the current England squad. I intuit the boss Alan Pardew has bought well, and West Ham will be a handful for anyone, especially at their tight home stadium of Upton Park.

Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers, both from Lancashire, and both I intuit will do well to repeat last year's successes. Blackburn have lost Bellamy to Liverpool, a big blow, and the players they have bought in are not in the same class. Bolton have been quiet in the change shop and one detects a dinky discontentment from their larger than life manager, Sam Allardyce. He missed the England job to Steve McClaren by a whisker, and it shows.

McClaren's change at Middlesbrough is the ex England centre half and Boro player, Gareth Southgate. They will need to hit the ground running. He has lost Jimmy Floyd to Charlton, though he has acquired the cultured left footed Arca from relegated Sunderland. I expect the umpteen English kids to step up this year and Middlesbrough should do Ok.

Charlton and Fulham are London's fifth and sixth Premier League Clubs. Charlton have lost their long time manager, Alan Curbishley, and they will miss him. They have recruited Ian Dowie, and Dowie took Crystal Palace down. Addicks' fans will be hoping he does not repeat the performance, and they well should not be relegated. They have recruited Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink from Boro for his goals, and in Darren Bent, they have a centre send eager and willing to show that his omission from the England World Cup squad was a catastrophic mistake, which it was. They should score goals, and that will be good sufficient to keep them safe.

I expect Fulham to be relegated every year, and every year they escape. That is a huge credit to their manager, the likeable Welshman, Chris Coleman. They have recruited Jimmy Bullard from Wigan, though there still seems some unrest in the camp with Malbranque and one or two others. Fulham will do well to stay up, but when it comes to it, they always seem to, and they probably will again.

Wigan Athletic confounded everyone with their performances last time. But as boss Paul Jewell has found before (at Bradford City), it is the second season where teams are often found out. But Wigan are no Bradford. They have a thought about chairman who puts his money into the club, a old pro himself who broke his leg in the 1960 Cup Final, and they have acquired the old England centre send in Emile Heskey, from relegated Birmingham City. But Emile has never been a prolific goal scorer. Wigan well cannot match last year's achievements, and they could struggle, but I would be surprised if they were relegated.

Manchester City have made numerous personnel changes through the close season, though I am not convinced they are all for the better. The sale of their goalkeeper David James to Portsmouth is well a puzzling move. But their boisterous boss Stuart Pearce will keep everyone on their toes. I intuit this will be an leading year for City, and for Pearce. A bad start could spiral out of control. A good start could see City pushing for a European place. If I had to choose, it would be the former.

Portsmouth survived by the skin of their teeth last year thanks solely to their returning talisman boss Harry Redknapp. Can they do it again? Yes, I think they can, urged on by their fanatical fans in their crumbling old stadium. Harry has had money to spend, and has spent it wisely. Portsmouth will be a handful at home, as they always are, and that should be good enough. I hope it isn't a hard year for Pompey, I don't think their nervous boss could stand it.

That leaves the three promoted clubs, Reading, Sheffield United and Watford. It is unusual for the three promoted teams to go straight back down, yet that is what the pundits are predicting. Reading, the Royals, won the Championship last season in a canter, and in their boss Steve Coppell, they have a reasoning man's manager. I have followed his work intimately ever since his league debut for Tranmere Rovers in the early seventies, a match I witnessed. They haven't added greatly to their squad, and it is uncertain how much cash he has at his disposal. Reading have never played in the top tier before, and the fans can't wait. A bad start could mean a long and painful season. A good start could be sufficient to see them safe. It's a fifty-fifty call.

Sheffield United, the Blades are back, and under the polisher boss Neil Warnock for his first time in the Epl. No one will relish the trip to Brammall Lane, Yorkshire, not least the match officials who will well hear the wrath of Neil's needful tongue. United have shown in modern seasons that they can compete with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool in Fa Cup matches, but either they can do that week in week out is an entirely dissimilar matter. You look at their squad of battlers, and you don't see quality, and ultimately, that could cost them.

Watford are an phenomenal story. They scrambled up through the play-offs defeating the much fancied Leeds United, and in their thoughprovoking young boss Adie Boothroyd, they have someone who demands listening to. He well talks a good season ahead for the Hornets, but can they well stay up? The bookmakers and the pundits say a specific no, but it has happened before. This situation reminds me of Jewell at Bradford City a few years ago, when everyone said they didn't have a cat in hells chance. But Jewell kept Bradford City up, and Boothroyd could do the same. If he did, much bigger clubs might come calling. Boothroyd seems destined to succeed, but either it is at Watford, only time will tell. Incidentally, you can still get a free bet at betfair.com by inputting the code 6Che3Vpwj where required.

As for my choices: I will take Liverpool to break their duck, and win the Premier League. Chelsea might take the Champions League, and sorry, but Sheffield United, Fulham and Watford could be relegated. But what do I know? Don't consequent my thoughts. Pick your own!

Let's hope it's a great season, with close finishes at either end of the table, which for once, it could be.

The English Premier League Starts Here, But Who Will Be the New Champions?

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English Failure at the 2010 World Cup

I know nothing can make up for a team that just is not playing well but there are a couple of things that did literally get on my nerves about the "non - performance" of the England 2010 squad. Simple, time-proven elements should have been avoided and would have been if Fabio Capello was not so inflexible. He stuck to his tried and tested rules by announcing team option as the players boarded the bus to the game, two hours before kick off! How that must have motivated / demotivated those pampered, overpaid prima donnas!

Why was Emile Heskey even there? Why was he even thought about for the squad in the first place? He is just a big, bruising English centre transmit in the Nat Lofthouse mould (without Nat's goalscoring record!) with the stature and guile of a fully laden supertanker. Capello's masterstroke while the Germany game was to bring on Heskey when England were already losing 1 - 4! How is a striker with only seven international goals in over sixty appearances going to suddenly convert the procedure of England's World Cup? His non existent goal scoring article for England meant wee to Capello who saw him as the exquisite partner to Wayne Rooney. Unfortunately Rooney lost the form that so lit up his season with Manchester United. Emile and Wayne naturally didn't click. But then again neither did whatever else.

Peter Crouch was brought along to unsettle defences with his ungainly playing style and height. Unfortunately his cameo doing against Algeria confirmed his lack of international class - he should not have been on the field, playing international football for England. He unbalances the team. The most unlikely, six-foot nine plus English footballer with wee ball operate has only ever scored in the past because Beckham could pick out his head. Without Becks and superior opposition to what he meets day in day out in the Premiership, Crouch remained a poor attacking option for England in South Africa.

Why did he not do the obvious? Take Michael Owen instead of Heskey! literally Owen has a sketchy injury article but he has scored breathtaking goals throughout his career and could have been brought along as an impact substitute! His appearance near the end of a game may have created something spectacular. Then, instead of Crouch, Agbonlahor should have been there, maybe even as first option striker with a proven goal scoring article in the Premiership.

Another factor is we all know that Lampard and Gerard cannot play on the same squad as they are the same player! They should have been substitutes for each other. Playing Gerard down the left-wing was not his best position. We all know that his role should have been in the hole just behind Rooney! It is a position England have never been able to properly fill, not at least adequately since "rapper turned footballer", John Barnes. Then finally in 2006, Joe Cole (the most under utilised English player at this World Cup) came along, an attacking midfielder with buckets of skill and speed for the wing fitted the slot perfectly. Yet, Gerard was placed out left and Joe Cole was bought on seventy minutes into a game that was already lost. He went into Rooney's position and was anticipated to pull off a miracle.

So as I ponder all the options with my feet propped up on my favourite footstool I look transmit to the 2018 World Cup. By then members of the thriving England Under 17 side who have just been crowned European champions will be established regulars in the senior England team. Just like the Germans who have promoted many of their best young players while this World Cup, England will become a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately we will have to wait an additional one eight years for the emergence of the next "Golden Generation".

English Failure at the 2010 World Cup

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English Premiership Football Prospects for 2007-08

Can Manchester United repeat their success this year after their unexpected win last time? Many habitancy think they can and they start favourites. They have boosted their squad by signing Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich plus Nani and Anderson and have now picked up Carlos Tevez as well from West Ham. They have looked good in pre-season and will be there or thereabouts.

Their biggest challenger will probably again be Chelsea, though Liverpool Arsenal and Spurs will all have a say in that. Chelsea would dearly love to recover the title they lost last season, but then again they seem more interested in the Champions league. No London club has ever won the Champions league and Chelsea would dearly love to smash that unwanted record.

Arsenal on paper don't look as strong, with Henri gone to Barcelona, and continuing rumours that the boss himself Arsene Wenger could be on his way out of the club. Leagues are not won on paper. I have a feeling Arsenal will confound the critics and put in a strong doing this year. Their younger players will be one year older and wiser and anything who writes them off could be standing on risky ground.

Liverpool have not won the league for an expected 18 years. Before that they were commonly winning it more than all the others put together. Despite two Champions league finals in the last three seasons it is the English Premier league their fans are so desperate to win. They have spent big money this time too under their new American owners, a reported 22 million pounds on Torres alone from Athletico Madrid. Either he genuinely is the final piece in the jigsaw, or even an foremost piece, remains to be seen. Some of the manager's Spanish signings have been moderate successes at best, like Morientes, now back in La Liga, and the pressure will be on Torres to perform. He will too, but Either it will be adequate only time will tell. The tempestuous Bellamy has gone to West Ham, and Cisse to Marseilles. Last year I tipped Liverpool to win the league and I was wrong. They could do it this time, but will have to get past Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United to do so.

As in the past two seasons Spurs remain the most likely to break into the top four. They have spent big on Southampton's young Welsh full back Gareth Bale, and maybe more importantly 16.5 million pounds on relegated Charlton's striker Darren Bent. Darren has scored goals wherever he has been and now in a better team like Spurs he will be expected to score even more, though Either he will get adequate starts is someone else matter. Spurs have four other top strikers, and Martin Jol has shown he likes to rotate his players. Spurs insistence on signing and promoting home grown talent, a direct opposite of Arsenal's policy across the road, is to be applauded. They could improve, and break into the top four, but for that to happen, one of the top clubs would need to suffer a poor season.

And what of the rest? Newcastle have a new owner, new chairman, and new boss in Sam Allardyce, and some tasty new players too. They have signed former Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka, they should have the fit again Michael Owen available at last, plus the signing of the tempestuous Barton from Manchester City and Alan Smith from Manchester United. The boss has been quick in attempting to sort out the leaky defence too; something that has plagued the Toon for practically as long as most of us can remember. Expectations on Tyneside are huge. A vitally foremost season for the manager, and many of the players who are at a crossroads. I expect them to succeed.

Manchester City is someone else club under new possession and managership. former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson has taken over and with lots of Thai money to invest he will now be looking for some top players to build a decent side. He has quickly bought scattergun style on relatively unknown players, but the boss has a proven track description at club level. He will need them too as the City squad still looks lightweight and weak. It will all depend on Sven's buys. If he can get good habitancy in, City will genuinely stay up, and may well do better than that. If he cannot, City could struggle, and Sven may turn out to be a one-season wonder in English football. I speculate not, because Sven is a good manager.

Aston Villa have begun to spend some cash under their new American owners too. England Under 21 skipper Reo-Coker has just been signed from West Ham for £8 million though they will need more than him if they are to worry the top teams. Martin O'Neill's side started last season on fire but drifted away alarmingly. The Villa fans will be hoping for better, but I cannot see beyond mid table for them.

Everton had a good season last time and fine for this years Uefa cup but the last time they were in Europe it seemed to distract them, and they had a terrible year. I don't see David Moyes allowing that to happen again. They have signed Jagielka from relegated Sheffield United though that is hardly going to set the world on fire, plus the promising Baines from Wigan. Johnson should be fit again to furnish some goals but they will need more than that if they are to worry the top clubs. Top eight could be their best hope.

Reading, who enjoyed a super season last year in their first ever year in the top flight, have picked up a terrible beginning pair of fixtures. Unsurprisingly they are favourites to be bottom of the premiership by the end of August, but under their quietly spoken astute boss Steve Coppell, they might surprise a few people. The loss of Sidwell to Chelsea is a big blow, though they have signed some of the club's more promising players on long-term contracts. This will be their difficult second season, something that so nearly sank Wigan last time. Reading only just missed a European place last year, anything above the dreaded bottom three this time will be thought about someone else success by all but the most enthusiastic of Royals' fans.

Middlesbrough have lost talisman striker Viduka, and stories abound that Yakubu could supervene him out the door. If that happened I would worry who is going to score the goals to keep them up. Fulham are someone else club who went into freefall last time and only stayed up through a last slight convert of managers. The newly installed former Northern Ireland boss Lawrie Sanchez has already been busy in the markets signing Davis from Aston Villa and Healey from Leeds. A good start could be crucial for them as well.

The fact that West Ham stayed up at all last year was due to their new boss Alan Curbishley, and the courts choosing not to dock them points over the decidedly odd Carlos Tevez affair. The boss has strengthened by signing Parker from Newcastle and Bellamy from Liverpool and should have the talented and much missed Ashton back from injury. He missed the whole of the last campaign after injuring himself in the warm up for an England match. The Icelandic owners seem thought about to take West Ham on to someone else level. Many fans will be watching their improve this time round, some no doubt hoping they trip up due to that protracted court case, but I cannot see West Ham struggling. Mind you no one imagined they would last time out, and they did. Mid table I speculate for the Irons and a good cup run too.

Of the three promoted clubs, maybe the most spirited one will be to see Roy Keane's Sunderland back as Championship champions, especially when he confronts his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson back at Old Trafford where the legions of fans still chant his name. Sunderland have been busy building up a big squad backed by Irish money and they would seem to have the financial clout to keep out of trouble. A good start might be foremost for them too. One feels Mister Keane's measurement and charisma all by itself will be adequate to see them safely into mid table.

Birmingham look vulnerable. They did not have a great season last year despite finishing second, and took a long time to convince their own stay at home fans to turn out. They have bought players but Either they are good adequate to keep the blues up remains to be seen. Currently they are second favourites to discontinue last, and though that might be a tad pessimistic, it does seem likely they will flirt with relegation again. anything else would be major achievement for their yo-yo boss Steven Bruce. By the way you can still land a free bet at betfair.com by inputting the code 6Che3Vpwj when prompted.

The third newcomers are Derby Country. slight Scottish boss, known as mini-Fergie wasted no time in signing former Norwich striker Robert Earnshaw who has scored goals wherever he has been and in partnership with Steve Howard, they could trouble some defences. Either they have adequate class and firepower would be a worry for Rams' fans. They are expected to be relegated, and I think so too, and anything else would be a huge achievement for the board, manager, players and most of all, for the supporters who have bought season tickets in their thousands. They will be looking to emulate Reading last year and Wigan the year before that, but it will be a tall order to do so.

The Lancashire twins of Blackburn and Bolton both had good seasons again last term and with small crowds and slight money to spend, that is a huge testament to their managers. But with Allardyce gone from the Reebok, Bolton under new manager, former Liverpool player, the slight Sammy Lee, could be in for a hard year. A good start would be most foremost for the Trotters and they do have players like Anelka, if they can hold on to him, who can score goals. Bolton will rely on him, but if he doesn't do the business, they could be in trouble. Blackburn still have their super boss in Mark Hughes and with players of the growing stature of the likes of Bentley, Derbyshire and Pederson they should be fine again.

They only just missed out on Europe last time and made the semi finals of the Fa Cup. On their day they are quite capable of beating anyone, and that is a huge achievement for this likeable Lancashire town club. The third Lancashire town club Wigan stayed up last time by a singular point and have since lost their talismanic manager. That is not a great start and though they have signed a handful of new players, their new boss Chris Hutchings is unproven in this league. They are many people's pick to go down this time and they could well go close to that, but something tells me they might just survive again. It will be close.

Portsmouth only just missed a Uefa Cup place by a whisker last season and they have been busy again in the market buying Nugent, the England under 21 striker from Preston, plus signing Kanu for someone else year. There is a much-needed new stadium on the horizon, and they should have someone else good season, but they are a yo-yo club, and sometimes when expected to do well, they don't, and vice versa. Mid table again for me.

Last year two of my four predictions came up, so what about this season? Could this genuinely be Liverpool's year? They will go a lot closer, I am sure of that, but I speculate that Chelsea will still have something in hand to regain the crown and they can all the time spend more cash if they need to. Manchester United would dearly love to do better in Europe and I speculate they will put all into trying to win the Champions league again, something that the boss and fans would dearly like to see.

As for relegation, sorry Birmingham and Derby, but I just don't think Either have the firepower or class to stay up, though I would be happy to eat my words in both cases. The third downer place is a much harder one to call with City, Fulham, Reading, Wigan, Bolton, Pompey, Boro, and Sunderland, all flirting with a bottom three place during the year. For these teams, their future will be decided on the results in the middle of these clubs, where points will take on added significance. I have to pick one though, and somewhat surprisingly I feel that Boro might the ones to go, though Fulham and Wigan could also be in for someone else hair-raising time.

My predictions then: Champions: Chelsea. European Champions: Manchester United. Relegated: Derby, Birmingham, and Middlesbrough. Sorry chaps! Whoever you support, I wish you and your team well. Let's have someone else cracking year with all issues going down to the last week. That would be the ideal for everyone. As Stuart Pearce was fond of saying: Come On!

English Premiership Football Prospects for 2007-08

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