The SPL Dilemma

It has been evident for quite some time now that Scottish football has been on a rapid decline. The Old Firm continues to have a stranglehold on the league title, both taking turns lifting the top prize every season. The other clubs in the Scottish top flight are left to feed off the scraps and battle it out for mediocrity. It has been twenty-six long years since the title has been outside Glasgow.

The SPL cannot afford to pay the wages to attract the top players, therefore having to settle for second or even third best. A growing number of players are even leaving for the English Championship: The money and quality being the main reason. Even Rangers and Celtic struggle to lure and hold on to players. Football is big business now and unfortunately Scotland is on the outside looking in. This has affected the quality of the league tremendously.  The Old Firm might dominate the opposition domestically but on the European stage, it has been a disaster for Scottish clubs.

Poor results have seen Scotland slip down the UEFA coefficient rankings, stripping the league of crucial automatic European places and guaranteed profits from the group stages. Rangers and Celtic have already crashed out of Europe with Hearts and Dundee United suffering the same fate. Another example of how far the SPL has fallen in quality is the most alarming; they are currently seventeenth trailing behind Cyprus, Austria and Switzerland by UEFA.

Aside from the Old Firm derby, I have lost complete interest in Scottish football. The talent pool is watered down and as a result the play is sloppy. The pace is slow and the officiating is horrible. The standard is simply below par all round, and I would much rather watch the MLS than the SPL at this point. Judging by the influx of star players going abroad, my statement doesn't seem that crazy. The competition is better and the money is available to lure the big names in turn allowing them to prolong their careers.

The Tartan Army has been hit hard by the lack of quality in the SPL. How can you develop the national program with a mediocre league that lacks competition? The lack of competitiveness is why Scotland has not qualified for the World Cup since 1998 and the European Cup since 1996. The gap between the Old Firm and the rest of the league has become enormous. Clubs like Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibernian have no choice but to sell their best players every season to the highest bidder (Celtic or Rangers) just to balance the books.The cycle then see's the same players bolt for the English second tier because it is a better option.

The solution is quite simple. For Scottish football to improve Rangers and Celtic must be removed from the SPL and added to the Football League in England. They are miles ahead of the remaining eight clubs domestically, leaving no chance for any of them to catch up. The level will only improve by taking the Old Firm out of the SPL and allowing the remaining clubs the chance to win silverware. With that come European places and the prospect of earning valuable funds that will help the talent pool. It is a long term solution rather than a temporary one. Look at how Tottenham demolished Hearts recently, it showed just how far behind the Scots have fallen.

By putting Rangers and Celtic into the English Championship it will provide real competition for a change. If Wales can have representation in the Football League, I’m sure it is possible for Scotland to be considered. Naturally you will need to reshuffle the divisions but this added competition will benefit everyone. The Premiership will have to swell to twenty-two teams to compensate this proposal; however Celtic and Rangers will have to earn the right to play in the top flight. The Championship sides will embrace the change because it opens up two extra tickets to the big show. In the first season, three clubs will get automatic promotion instead of two, and fourth through to seventh will qualify for the playoffs. Four will earn promotion in total and only two will get relegated from the Premiership to facilitate the temporary transition.

Scotland will finally be able to properly develop their domestic league without the monopoly of the Old Firm, which will allow the further progression of their national program. At the moment the majority of SPL clubs are on the same level as a mid-table Championship sides, or the top of League One at best. Celtic and Rangers would barely be considered a top ten side in the Premiership at this point. That’s why starting off in the second tier makes much more sense.

This is the only option available. The decline will continue further until these obvious truths are recognized by their FA, and a decision is made to balance the playing field. This is the unfortunate reality plaguing Scottish football.

La Liga Losing It's Luster

The Spanish top flight started off exactly how everyone expected. Real Madrid and Barcelona both had convincing victories over inferior opponents, it was not even close. Neither will drop below second spot in the standings all season, which exposes the lack of competition in the league. Take a closer look at the results from the opening weekend and you'll see the frightening truth the remaining eighteen clubs are facing.

Real Zaragoza had the unfortunate task of hosting the Madridistas to kick-off their season. This game was over before it even started. At no point did Zaragoza even look to be a threat offensively, only managing one single shot on target to Madrid's sixteen. The home side allowed two goals in the first half and then four in the second for a total of six on the night. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick with relative ease, the perfect start to the season. Home field advantage is virtually a non-factor at the moment for any of the minnows in La Liga.

The soccer is entertaining to watch and Spain boast's some of the worlds best footballers who put on breathtaking performances each and every week for an adoring crowd. The talent is there, the fan base is also present but without a system set in place to regulate television revenue the gap will continue to grow wider. Only the richest clubs have a chance to compete for the title, but even those are in debt. Luckily they have a wealthy board behind them with a war chest full of funds or friends in high places.

On Monday, Barcelona hosted Villarreal. This was supposed to be a somewhat competitive contest, remember the visitors finished fourth last season and will be participating in the Champions League as well. The end result however was much of the same. Pep Guardiola's titans of club football left the Nou Camp five goal winners against a top four side. Let's look at the stats to get a better idea for the margin of victory. Barcelona had twelve corners to Villarreal's zero and outshot them eight to one on target. Lionel Messi was superb as usual netting two, Cesc Fabregas and Alexei Sanchez both scored on their league debut that brought the crowd to it's feet, not that any of them were sitting down to begin with.

Foreign investment has only recently arrived in Spain. Malaga and Getafe are the most recent clubs to be financed from the Middle East and Racing Santander was purchased by an Indian businessman. Out of the three, Malaga are in the best position to pose a challenge within three years at the earliest. This being part of a five year plan designed by the owners to challenge Real Madrid and Barcelona for the title.

Just look at scoreboard from the weekend and you'll notice all matches not involving Real and Barca ended under a two goal margin of victory. Three were draws and Valencia were the only club to score more then two goals. Los Che netted four against Racing Santander in a thrilling comeback. Valencia previously finished in third place, twenty-one points behind second and twenty-five from the title. A repeat result this year would be welcomed which is sad. The comparison to the SPL is looking more relevant because of the dominance of two and the medeocrity of the rest. The quality of soccer is far better in Spain but the lack of competitiveness bares a strong resemblence to Scotland.

Nothing is more entertaining then competition for every soccer enthusiast. Why watch if you already know the outcome before the ball is kicked? In Spain the focus is on Barcelona and Real Madrid from the start, no need to waste time on the rest of the league. You support your local side but also one of the top two, it is a scary reality. Seven years have passed since another club has been crowned champions, and only two in total since the turn of the century. The only hope other clubs have to win silverware is the Copa Del Rey, but only because Barcelona and Real Madrid generally do not judge this competition to be a priority and field weaker sides.

Germany has the most competetive league followed closely by France and the Netherlands. Even England has at least three clubs challeneging for top honours. Italy are on the bubble, alleged corruption taking center stage while clubs continue to lose money. The Spanish FA must make drastic changes in order to fix this growing concern that is becoming more evident as the seasons pass. The focus has to be placed upon the collective and what can be done to facilitate competiton. The monopoly of Real Madrid and Barcelona must end for La Liga to have any chance of resurecting the luster it once had.

The Prem: Round Up of Game Week 3

What a weekend in the English top flight. Plenty of goals with some shocking finishes. Manchurians are bursting with excitement after Sunday's results. Londoners must be nursing hangovers after two humiliating defeats. Saturday's action was quite tame considering what took place a day later. Some clubs will be relishing the international break next weekend as the league goes dark.

One of those clubs is Arsenal. It was simply men against boys at Old Trafford versus Manchester United. I expected a lopsided score line knowing how many players were out for the Gunners. Wenger basically had a reserve squad going up against United. The absence of Thomas Vermaelen turned out to be a critical blow; the middle of the field was virtually wide open all game and for United to exploit.

Danny Welbeck started the route with a great goal but sadly limped off with a hamstring injury. He looked devastated coming off the pitch after having such a great start to the season. Wayne Rooney scored his 150th career goal and got a hat trick. Two were off free kicks that showed his class and the last was from the spot. Ashley Young added a brace, one being a stunning curl into the top right corner past the outstretched arms of Wojciech Szczesny. The Polish keeper was hung out to dry by his teammates throughout the match. The highlights seemed endless as did the poor display by Arsenal's inexperienced back line. Wenger was visibly shaken and I would think a tad embarrassed by the end result.

The match could have ended up differently if Robin Van Persie converted from the spot just before the half hour mark but David De Gea gained some much needed confidence with a nice save. He then made two in quick succession to keep United ahead by two. But before the break Theo Walcott pulled one back with a weak shot that went through the legs of De Gea. It was another weak goal to add to the growing list of blunders for the Spaniard.

Adding to the misery was the sending off of Carl Jenkinson. The fourth player in three games to be given their marching orders and another suspension Wenger will have to manage. It was a night to forget night for Arsenal and their supporters who to my surprise could be heard in the stands chanting and cheering their club throughout the match. Szczesny watched eight go past him in total and endured the wrath of United’s offensive prowess, although none were his fault. Surprisingly United surrendered two despite controlling the entire match and the weakened state of their opponents. Sir Alex Ferguson will address this to his players as unacceptable despite the flattering score line. Wenger has three days to address the issues within the squad as Arsenal look to be on life support at the moment.

Manchester City started off the day smashing Tottenham for five goals at White Hart Lane. Samir Nasri made his first appearance for the club, receiving the start by Roberto Mancini. He made an immediate impact assisting on two of Edin Dzeko's four goals on the night. The Bosnian had the natural hat trick in his man of the match performance. A stunning header was capped off by an unbelievable long distance strike that curled into the top left corner that ended the match.

Tottenham started off strong and could have had the lead if not for Gareth Bale squandering a glorious chance by sending his shot wide from a short distance. After being one down, Peter Crouch could have tied it up for Spurs but sent his header wide right despite a perfect look on goal. Luka Modric was in the starting lineup but was a non factor and was subbed off just past the hour mark. All the offence Spurs could muster came from Rafael van der Vaart, the Dutchman was denied on multiple occasions by Joe Hart. Unfortunately he limped off with under twenty minutes to go with a hamstring injury and forced his side to play a man down for the rest of the match.

Sergio Aguero was the other goal scorer giving him three on the season as City steamrolled right through Tottenham in convincing fashion. Mancini has his group playing a very entertaining brand of football that is proving to be extremely dangerous and hard to stop.

Newcastle United recorded back to back wins with Leon Best scoring the brace for the Geordies at St. James Park. Both came in the second half as the match took a while to get going. Man of the match goes to Tim Krul for a handful of fine saves to preserve the lead that kept Alan Pardew's side unbeaten to start the year. Clint Dempsey scored the consolation goal for Fulham late in the match which was the first surrendered by Krul this season. The mood on Tyneside might be sour at the moment with ownership but the players are showing a tremendous amount of heart on the pitch and deserve the good run of form early on.

At the Hawthorns things looked like they would end at a stalemate but a mix up at the back cost the home side the match. West Bromwich was in control for most of the first half and should have taken the lead on numerous occasions. Asmir Begovic was able to keep Stoke City on level terms with saves on Simon Tchoyi and Shane Long from great crosses by Chris Brunt. With one minute of injury time remaining Ryan Shotten got the winner after a blunder by Ben Foster. You could argue Shotton was high with his challenge that poked the ball past the keeper but Foster came out softly to collect the ball with Gabriel Tamas shielding the oncoming attacker.

On Saturday, Norwich City traveled to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea with Didier Drogba getting his first start of the season under new manager Andre Villas-Boas. The Ivorian however will be remembered on this night not for goals but the sickening collision with John Ruddy that left him unconscious on the pitch. Drogba was punched directly in the head by Ruddy as the keeper attempted to clear a cross. The impact was vicious and Drogba was out cold in mid air crashing down face first into the ground. He was taken off on a stretcher after being attended to for several minutes by the medics.

The match started off positive for Chelsea with Jose Bosingwa opening the scoring with a powerful long distance strike. The lead lasted into the second half until Hilario and Branislav Ivanovic had a mix up in communication colliding at the edge of the box which allowed Grant Holt to score into the open net. At first glance you would blame the keeper but Ivanovic has collided with Petr Cech in similar situations in the past.

Frank Lampard restored the lead from the penalty spot after Ruddy was sent off for tripping Ramires on the breakaway. Debut's were handed to Romelu Lukaku and Juan Mata with the latter scoring his first for the Blues deep into injury time to seal the victory.

The atmosphere was electric at Anfield as Liverpool thrashed Bolton in front of a sold out crowd. Luis Suarez was brilliant throughout the match; he is definitely the spark in attack creating great chances with his timely runs into space. The clubs new signings deserve much of the credit with Jeremy Henderson scoring his first for the club after a stunning point blank save by Jussi Jaaskelainen on Stuart Downing initially. Suarez showed remarkable skill on the cross bending it with the outside of his right foot right to Downing. Henderson's finish was just as good.

The only chance for Bolton came from Martin Petrov on a thunderous volley that Pepe Reina punched wide at his near post. Liverpool had all the chances early on but failed to extend the lead. Suarez was the closest on the breakaway, going for the cheeky chip over Jaaskelainen that went over the bar. Bad news for Dalglish came in the form of Martin Kelly needing to be subbed off after picking up a hamstring injury towards the end of the first half, derailing the good form he has been showing for Liverpool.

Charlie Adam has proved a fantastic acquisition by Dalglish, providing the Reds with great service from all over the pitch. His precision passing doubled the lead off a corner that found Martin Skrtel's head and then the back of the net. The Scotsman then opened up his scoring account with a low right footed shot into the left corner to make it three for Liverpool. Jose Enrique deserves honorable mention for his work down the left side, his runs and crosses stretched Bolton wide open. The clean sheet was ruined in injury time after a mistake by Jamie Carragher allowed Ivan Klasnic to score, but nothing could destroy the mood around Anfield after the convincing home victory.

The woes continued for Steve Kean and Blackburn after another home loss, this time to Everton in injury time. Mikel Arteta scored from the spot after a controversial penalty decision was given by referee Lee Mason. Despite the call Rovers have no one to blame but themselves after missing two from the spot beforehand. David Hoilett was denied on the first after a great save by Tim Howard and Mauro Formica hit the post on the final attempt. Worse for Kean was the double injury blow suffered by Morten Gamst Pedersen and David Dunn. Three losses to start the season will have Kean the odds on favorite to get the sack.

Wolverhampton stayed undefeated with a scoreless draw away at Villa Park. Roger Johnson was the real standout in the heart of Mick McCarthy's back line. The Wolves captain and keeper Wayne Hennessey were the main reason for the well earned point by the away side. Aston Villa continued to attack Wolves but could not break through the defensive line with both Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent missing great chances.

The other scoreless match came from Liberty Stadium. John O'Shea struck the bar early on for Sunderland as Michel Vorm produced another fine performance to earn the shutout for Swansea City. The Dutchman has proven to be the clubs savior so far this season. Scott Sinclair was unlucky to hit the bar in the first half and Danny Graham squandered three chances to score. The Welsh side continues to search for their first goal and win of the season.

Queens Park Rangers newest signing Joey Barton was in attendance at the DW Stadium and judging by the result he might be questioning his decision to join the club. Frank Di Santo scored a brace that gave Wigan Athletic the two goal victory. His first was a solid strike and second looped in off a deflection over Paddy Kenny. QPR were a bit unlucky hitting the woodwork twice in the first half but Ali Al-Habsi also deserves credit for a couple great saves at key moments to preserve the lead for the Latics. A great result for Roberto Martinez and plenty of positives to build on.


Game of the Week: Manchester United vs. Arsenal
Goal of the Week: Edin Dzeko vs. Tottenham
Goalkeeper of the Week: Tim Howard vs. Blackburn
Lowlight of the Week: David De Gea blunder vs. Arsenal

Please share your thoughts and opinions on the best of the week.

2010/11 La Liga Season Preview

Another season of La Liga soccer is about to kick-off, but sadly my excitement was put on hold due to the players strike. A part of me feels cheated but the other part understands the reasons why this needed to happen. Some clubs struggle to pay their wage bill and as a sign of solidarity the players union decided to strike. Thankfully a resolution was swiftly and play begins tomorrow.

The title chasers are obvious so let’s start with the relegation battle, which is also easy to predict. The table can be separated into five groups amongst the twenty teams. Before the first kick-off clubs have a good idea on exactly which group they will be a part of and what to expect in the season. The gap is tremendous and continues to grow.

What goes up must come down. With that being said my apologies to Rayo Vallecano and Granada. Both will have a disastrous campaign in La Liga. Not enough quality to compete at this level and will be swiftly relegated.

Following closely behind will be a group of three teams fighting to avoid the drop. It could be any one of Levante, Real Sociedad and Mallorca. Out of the three I believe Levante have enough to stay up but barely. Mallorca was lucky to avoid relegation last season, unfortunately this year they will fall. The squad is visibly the weakest of the three. Basque Country rejoices as Txuri-urdin supporters can breathe a sigh of relief.

The bottom half of the table is anyone's guess really. Every season it is a tight race. Only six points’ separated eighth through eighteenth place. It is that close, all it takes is a poor run of form and it could be lights out.

Newly promoted Real Betis have finally returned to the top flight after spending two years outside looking in. Crowned champions of the Segunda last year they will try and use some of that confidence to achieve safety. The narrowest of margins will see them finish below Real Zaragoza and Racing Santander.

Rounding out the bottom half lets start with Getafe. The Azulones made a great signing recently bringing back Daniel Guiza from Turkish club Fenerbahce. The added goal boost will see them finish in a better position then last. That leaves Osasuna and Sporting Gijon. Both overachieved finishing in the top half of the table tied for points last season, but a repeat of good fortune is unlikely.

This brings me to the top half of the table. Starting in the tenth spot I have Espanyol. Carlos Kameni has stayed put after speculation had him moving early in the summer. Good news for the Perequitos. The departure of Pablo Osvaldo and his thirteen goals will be sorely missed. The Argentinian moved to AS Roma and has left behind a huge void.

Sevilla and Villarreal will have the biggest drop from last season and will fall outside the European places. It has more too due with the strengthening of other clubs however. Los Rojiblancos have added Piotr Trochowski from Hamburg which will provide another attacking presence in the midfield to assist Jesus Navas in creating opportunities for Alvaro Negredo and Frederic Kanoute. The Yellow Submarine has seen two quality players depart the El Madrigal. Santi Carzola and Joan Capdevilla are gone and Javi Camunas and Cristian Zapata arrive hoping to steady the ship. European competition will push both clubs rosters to the limit and depth will become a factor as the season progresses.

The fight for the Europa League qualification will be tight but I see Athletic Bilbao earning the final spot. Another good season by Fernando Llorente will surely see him move on next summer to a bigger club, but Los Leones will earn back to back sixth place finishes and a spot in the Europe. They have a strong unit and a great core of players who continue to impress. New manager Marcelo Bielsa will be hoping to continue the recent good fortunes of the Basque club.

Atletico Madrid will grab the fifth spot despite the loss of their star striker Sergio Aguero. The Vicente Calderon will definitely miss the Argentine but the club did a great job in replacing him with the acquisition of Falcao from FC Porto. He will be a favorite for the Pichichi this season. The Colombian will hope to form a solid partnership with other newcomer Arda Turan who arrived from Galatasaray. Atleti also sold their prize asset in David De Gea but were able to bring in a strong replacement in Thibaut Courtois on loan from Chelsea. Keep an eye out on the Belgian keeper. There is a reason why the blues see him as the future replacement to Petr Cech. Another potential hole might appear if Diego Forlan is sold to Inter Milan which is looking more certain as the transfer window draws near. You might think it will be impossible to better last season with those losses in personnel but I’m convinced this squad will have what it takes to overcome the changes.

My dark horse this year is Malaga. I see a fourth place finish on the horizon and qualification into the Champions League. Qatari investment has changed the fortunes of this small club. Manuel Pellegrini will have plenty of options this term that will see Los Boquerones catapult into the top four. Their additions this year include Ruud van Nistlerooy, Joaquin, Jeremy Toulalan, Santi Carzola and Joris Mathijsen. The ambition of the new owners is clear. They have strengthened very wisely in key positions and brought in some great character players to build a foundation upon. Even though funds are plentiful the club has not just thrown money around to attract big names. A top four finish will only make Malaga more appealing next summer. The foundation has been laid and the blueprint thus far could pave the way for them to become contenders in the near future. La Liga giants you have been warned.

Valencia are another club that have become sellers in the past couple seasons. Last year Los Che waved goodbye to David Villa and David Silva. What followed was a surprising third place finish and hope was restored despite the club's financial woes. This summer another two high profile names were sold to balance the books, this time it was Joaquin and Juan Mata who departed the Mestalla. Unai Emery has done a great job despite the need to sell and has been able to add a couple new faces to replace the departed. Keep an eye out for Pablo Piatti. A speedy winger who can create and will finally have a good supporting cast to compliment his fine play. He will be looked upon to replace the production that was lost with the sale of Mata. I predict him to have a breakout season under Emery. Another noteworthy addition is Sergio Canales from Real Madrid on loan. He has yet to live up to lofty expectations placed upon him but Valencia look like the perfect at the moment. In defense the presence of Adil Rami will help immensely, another great addition into Emery's squad. Third place is a realistic achievement for Valencia, although the gap between them and the big two will be much larger this campaign.

That brings me to the obvious front runners, Real Madrid and defending champions Barcelona. The Madridistas and the Blaugranes have a rivalry that is unlike any other. Not only for the hatred for one another but for the level of soccer on display whenever they’re in direct competition. The Supercopa was just a taste of what is to come this season. Mark it on your calendars, December 11th. The Bernabeu will host the next El Classico and will be the first hurdle in the race to the La Liga title.

Despite the loss in the Supercopa Real Madrid looked significantly better then last season. Outplaying Barcelona in the first leg but were unlucky not to get the win. What’s disappointing to see was their display during the final moments of the return leg at the Nou Camp. Madridistas pointed the finger at the Barcelona for going down easy throughout the match but Marcelo's tackle on Cesc Fabregas was disgusting. Jose Mourinho's antics during the bust up made things even more appalling. But that’s where the Portuguese manager is a genius, he some how manages to always deflect the pressure off his players and on to himself.

His squad looks more capable of threatening Barcelona. Fabio Coentrao will have the biggest impact of Mourinho's additions this season but what is evident this year is the fear of their rivals has vanished. In two legs, Real Madrid never backed down and really pressured Barcelona right to the end. Karim Benzema looks to have earned the confidence of his manager and has been rewarded with more minutes to prove his worth in goals. Hopefully his scoring will alleviate the pressure from Cristiano Ronaldo's shoulders. He carried the club on his back last season. Despite all the positives for Real I still cannot see them dethroning Barcelona.

The Catalans are a powerhouse and play the most entertaining brand of football I have ever seen. Collectively, there has never been a more compact unit on the pitch. Season after season Barcelona keep getting better. The philosophy of the club is second to none and the driving force towards their success. Money is spent but development is preached.

Pep Guardiola welcomed Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas into his squad, which will provide even more depth. Let's not forget the trump card of Lionel Messi, without question the best player in the world today. I can see him eclipsing Cristiano Ronaldo's La Liga scoring record for goals in a season, not even a year after it was set. Fabregas and Sanchez will aide in providing even more service for the Argentine.

The emergence of Thiago is another bonus for Guardiola. Another example of the Blaugranes expertise of developing quality from within the academy. Other most recent graduates include Adriano, Sergio Busquets and Pedro. All have come through La Masia and have been able to work their way into the first team. Barcelona has over ten players on their present roster that have come through the academy. Real Madrid only has two. Iker Casillas being the most noteworthy.

The fact Barcelona allow players to grow and mature within their system is the reason for their dominance. From a young age players learn the Barca way until it becomes second nature, that’s why graduates from the academy fit seamlessly into the first team and make an immediate impact. The formula for success is development. Money can only take you so far and until Real Madrid can find the right balance of both, they will always be trailing behind Barcelona.

Red Devils Run Spurs Rampant

The focus before kick-off was David De Gea and the rocky start he has endured early into his Manchester United career. Slight in stature, the Spaniard's weaknesses have been put under a microscope since the Community Shield. Poor aerial prowess and the lack of physical strength has left him susceptible to crosses. Tottenham travelled to Old Trafford looking to exploit and attack these key weak points.

I really thought Spurs playing style could make thing difficult for United. Sending crosses into the box should have been the game plan. Sir Alex Ferguson was already without Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, calling on Phil Jones and Jonny Evans to pick up the slack. United was clearly lacking experience to compensate for De Gea's obvious weakness in commanding his area.

The absence of Luka Modric wasn't surprising but his playmaking ability was severley missed. The positive's for Harry Redknapp was the stellar play of Brad Friedel in goal. The save on Tom Cleverley was unbelievable in the first half. Clearly the better option for Spurs, you could see the confidence he gave his defensive line.

Despite the key absences United were on the attack practically the entire match.They hit a rough patch and slowed towards the tail end of the first half, but the better chances went to the home side. Tottenham threatened but nothing that would put De Gea under pressure, the saves were routine. I could not understand why Spurs decided against attacking with high balls and forcing a mistake out of the youngster.

Down the wing Aaron Lennon looked awful in attack . His pace and service was needed but never came into fruition. One chance clearly stands out. After making a nice run down the flank and cutting in from the by line Lennon could have easily set up Rafael van der Vaart for the opener, instead he opted to drill a shot into the crowded  penalty area and wasted a perfect opportunity.

That missed chance came back to haunt Spurs when Danny Welbeck was able to nod home a header between two defenders that gave United the lead. Give credit to Tom Cleverley for the sublime cross and direct the blame to Younes Kaboul for losing his marker. Friedel was hung out to dry.

The American then denied Wayne Rooney with a fine save off a curling free kick, but the lead was doubled by Anderson after a brilliant backheel from Welbeck left the Portugese midfielder with the easy task of scoring into an open net. Friedel for the second time was let down by his defenders. Redknapp had his keeper to thank for not allowing the score to get out of hand. United had fourteen shots on target with at least half being quality chances.

Tottenham had a close call late with Jermaine Defoe hitting the post after De Gea fumbled a high ball. You could hear Old Trafford gasp as the cross came into the danger zone. Ferguson will need to address this problem quickly because points will be dropped as the season gets older and mistakes of this nature continue to happen.

Rooney added his second in as many games with an uncontested header to finish off the match and give United the three goal victory. With the win United move into second spot behind rivals Manchester City, but despite the great start to the season questions will continue to swirl around De Gea.

So far the Red Devils have been able to overcome the mistakes at the back and have yet to pay the price in spite of them. Ferguson has been very positive and upbeat thus far as United have yet to suffer defeat, but what's going to happen when points are lost because of these type of errors? Only time will tell, however if the mistakes continue you might see Anders Lindegaard between the posts sooner then you think.

The Prem: Round-Up of Game Week 2

After witnessing another fantastic weekend of Premier League soccer I can't hold in the excitement much longer. It all just began and already I’m losing my mind. My rituals at the moment include checking transfer rumours hourly and studying potential formations and line-ups for the week ahead. I can’t get enough information.  The matches so far have provided real quality and have left me on the edge of my seat.

The Tyne-Weir derby was a great way to start the action Saturday morning. Already a heated encounter, this game was full of fouls and cards. Sunderland had most of the chances in the first half but Tim Krul kept the game scoreless. Stephane Sessegnon being the stand out performer early on. To my amazement Newcastle United took the lead thanks to Ryan Taylor. His free kick curled past Simon Mignolet from a difficult angle. Bad positioning being the main culprit. It went box to box from there on until a vicious tackle by Phil Bardsley on Fabricio Coloccini. The Argentine was lucky to escape without injury after the high studs up challenge. The Geordies left the Stadium of Light with maximum points and early bragging rights.

From the North East to North London and Emirates Stadium. Liverpool came into the game with confidence despite a disappointing opening day home draw. Having gone eleven years without an away win against Arsenal, Kenny Dalglish was expecting nothing short of victory. The Gunners limped into this fixture with a slew of injury problems, mainly at the back due to inexperience. With Andy Carroll as the target, Stewart Downing and Charlie Adam looked to exploit Arsenal's obvious weakness.  As the game progressed Carroll had only one real opportunity but his strong header was blocked by Wojciech Szczesny. Thomas Vermaelen was my player of the match for Arsenal, the way he commanded the back line and his aerial presence was outstanding. His role even more crucial after Laurent Koscielny had to be helped off with back spasms.

Arsenal could have taken the shock lead if it wasn’t for Pepe Reina. The Spaniards reaction timing was impressive to say the least, Emmanuel Frimpong was stunned. This was followed by a great run by Samir Nasri from his own end but his shot was off the mark. I was surprised to see him get the start after all the controversy surrounding his potential move to Manchester City. But Arsene Wenger was short on options. The match went south for the Gunners after Frimpong received his second yellow for a reckless challenge on Lucas. The addition of Luis Suarez immediately followed. The Uruguayan made an immediate impact and Liverpool took the lead due to an own goal by Aaron Ramsey. Suarez and Raul Meireles set up the play leading to the opener, the two linked up again for the final goal to seal the win for Liverpool.

Next stop Wales and my vote for snoozer of the week. The game was slow and failed to gain any momentum as time progressed. Swansea City failed to create anything offensively worth mentioning, but Wigan Athletic was unfortunate not to score. First it was Jordi Gomez hitting the post, ending with Victor Moses hitting the cross bar after a good run.  Michel Vorm did well to earn his side their first point, denying Ben Watson from the penalty spot.

Goodison Park played host to Queens Park Rangers as Everton finally got their season underway following last week's cancellation. The Toffees are notorious slow starters but this provided them with the perfect opportunity to earn three points. Neil Warnock's side was a little shell shocked coming off a huge loss. QPR supporters had something to smile about prior to kick-off with the news Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes bought out Bernie Ecclestone to become majority shareholder. On the field it was the visitors miraculously opening the scoring. Tommy Smith was surprised to see how much space was offered to shoot and curled the low shot perfectly past Tim Howard. Everton had plenty of chances but were lacking the final touch and quality to give Paddy Kenny any trouble. A proven goal scorer is visibly missing, Jermaine Beckford and Louis Saha have failed to show the consistency needed to pose a constant threat. David Moyes will be hard pressed to strengthen but with funds not available positive results may be difficult to come by.

Everyone was waiting to see the reception Alex McLeish would receive at Villa Park for the home opener. The boo birds were scattered in the crowd of course, but it was surprisingly pleasant to the managers delight. Aston Villa started strong, Gabriel Agbonlahor producing an exquisite show of skill to shake off his defender and finish off with a beautiful right curl from a tough angle. An early contender for goal of the season. Emile Heskey got his first of the season to double the score. The big man has virtually no pace but still proving his ability to find the back of the net. Blackburn pulled one back when Canadian David Holiett showed off his pinpoint accuracy picking out Morten Gamst Pedersen's head in heavy traffic. Unfortunately for Steve Kean and Rovers Darren Bent sealed it with a clinical finish to earn maximum points.

With the news of Petr Cech suffering a knee injury in training that will keep him out for at least a month, Andre Villas-Boas Stamford Bridge debut got off to a horrible start. It took Shane Long just four minutes to open the scoring against Chelsea, somehow outmuscling Alex after the Brazilian got caught in possession. A brilliant start for West Bromwich Albion, although they were under constant pressure from then on. Fernando Torres was given the start again but failed to score or provide anything offensively. Ben Foster had to be sharp making a string of saves to keep his side ahead going into the break. Nicolas Anelka equalized in the second half with a good shot from an acute angle. The Frenchman almost scored again if it wasn't for a kick save by Foster from in close. You could feel Chelsea would eventually get the winner; Jose Bosingwa made a nice run and split two defenders setting up Florent Malouda for the go ahead goal. A great ending after a rocky start for the Blues.

On Sunday, Norwich City hosted Stoke City at Carrow Road. The Canaries took the lead courtesy of Ritchie De Laet, losing his marker and flicking a header in for the goal. Both John Ruddy and Asmir Begovic stole the show for the most part, each provided their side a chance to win with stunning saves. Stoke were awarded a penalty after Johnnie Walters was taken down from behind by Leon Barnett who was swiftly given the straight red card.  But Walters couldn't capitalize on the spot kick, with Ruddy making the save look easy. Deep into injury time the Potters tied the game, Kenwyne Jones finding space to nod in Dave Whelan's lob pass.

Wolverhampton continued their impressive start with a convincing win against Fulham at Molineux. Kevin Doyle had the best chance early beating Brede Hangeland to the ball at the by line, going around Mark Schwarzer but sending his shot over the bar. He made amends shortly after from a tight angle to open the scoring. Pajtim Kasami and Damien Duff couldn't clear the danger zone and Fulham paid the price. Matt Jarvis clinched the victory before half time, pouncing on a rebound after Steven Fletcher hit the post with a header.

The final game of the weekend saw Bolton host Manchester City at the Reebok Stadium. Carlos Tevez made his first appearance of the season from the bench while Sergio Aguero got his first start. El Kun had a great open look early on but skied his one timer over the bar. The deadlock was broken by David Silva half way through the first, finding the space needed to beat Jussi Jaaskelainen off the bounce. A weak goal to allow for a keeper of his stature. Aguero then missed another sitter, sending his header off target despite being wide open. The second came through a wonder strike by Gareth Barry to give City the two goal lead. Jaaskeleinen was partially screened but the force of the shot made it impossible to stop. Almost immediately Bolton cut the lead in half, Ivan Klasnic going five hole on Joe Hart off a nice cross by Martin Petrov. No chance for Hart after Joleon Lescott was slow to react and couldn't close down Klasnic.

A great finish to the half was met with a terrible start to the second by Bolton. Edin Dzeko calmly restored the two goal lead with a fine finish almost right after the restart. With just under thirty minutes to play, Kevin Davies made it a contest flicking a header past Joe Hart from a set piece. Joleon Lescott being at fault again defensively. Mistiming his jump for the clearance. Even with the shaky defensive errors City held on for the victory and ended the week at the top of the table.

Game of the Week: Arsenal vs. Liverpool 

Goal of the Week: Gabriel Agbonlahor vs. Blackburn

Goalkeeper of the Week: Pepe Reina vs. Arsenal
Lowlight of the Week: Sebastian Larsson hand ball + Phil Bardsley red card vs. Newcastle United

Please share your thoughts and opinions on the best of the week.

Wenger On The Hot Seat

It is hard to imagine Arsenal without Arsene Wenger. Since his arrival in 1996, he's been instrumental in the success and ambition of the club. The trophy cabinet is full of silverware proving his achievements. His formula is simple. Breed talent from the academy, do not over spend and buy young players that can be nurtured to grow within the system. This principle has been very successful for the Frenchman and for Arsenal Football Club.

The business model at Arsenal is perfect and the envy of the league. The ethos of the club restricts over spending and massive contracts being handed out to players. Never will you see Wenger bending to player demands and the over valuation of potential targets by their clubs. Even when weaknesses are obvious and the urgency to fill the void is immense, he does not deviate from the rule.

This is where the problem begins for the supporters. The stubbornness of the board to open up their wallets and bring in the proper players capable to catapult Arsenal into serious contenders has practically vanished. Or is Wenger to blame for his refusal to put pressure on the board to make a move. His unwillingness to pay that little bit extra is more ego then common sense. Whoever is to blame the club is visibly suffering because of it.

Youth can only take you so far but experience win trophies. The transfer window is almost shut; why Arsenal have waited this long to strengthen is surprising. The sale of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona has brought in funds and Samir Nasri's expected departure will award Wenger with even more cash to spend. Targeting the center back and defensive midfielder needed should be the priority. Phil Jagielka, Gary Cahill, Christopher Samba and Scott Parker have all been linked. But with Wenger failing to meet club valuations, all bids have been rejected. Prices will only rise as the final day of transfers draws near.

This is where Wenger's plan of attack gets confusing. Refusing to meet the price tag of Cahill and Jagielka is astonishing, considering that’s exactly the type of player Arsenal is starving for in defense. Spending twelve million pounds on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, another unproven prospect who needs time to develop left me scratching my head. Just like the failure to acquire a proven goalkeeper to replace Jens Lehmann when he retired. How many games were lost during the juggling of Manuel Almunia and Lucasz Fabianski? I have a plethora of examples of these blunders and howlers by both keepers. Dozens spring to mind. Thankfully Wojciech Szczesny has stepped up and given some consistency and stability to the goalkeeper fiasco Wenger has faced.

The money is there to spend obviously. That leads to the question of is the manager spending it wisely? Every club at some point has to over pay a little to get the players desired. Soccer is driven by money, its big business and although I agree with Wengers principles it’s not possible for a club of Arsenal's size and stature to sustain itself and compete for domestic titles under these restrictions. Something has to give.

The signs are clearly there. The lifeless performance against Newcastle in the opener was proof that the club clearly lacks an identity. Their will be no Barcelona comparisons this year. Jack Wilshere is injured and sorely missed at the moment. The midfielder will now be thrown into the spotlight and become the focal point and eventual leader of the club. But he won’t be able to do it alone, help will be needed. I’m expecting Aaron Ramsey to have a big year for the Gunners. The Welshman will hope to form a great partnership with Wilshere and become a formidable force in the Arsenal attack. If Robin Van Persie stays healthy he will contend for the golden boot, but the Dutchman is prone to missing extended periods of time through injury every season.

Arsenal could instantly become contenders and challenge for the title if some experience is added. The reason for the usual winter collapse is a result of inexperience inside the locker room. The kids cannot handle the pressure and it’s evident on the pitch. Having Thomas Vermaelen back from injury will help settle the unease in defense but more is needed or Arsenal face the prospect off dropping out of the top four. The club has never missed out on Champions League under Wenger, but there is a first time for everything.

This year’s competition isn’t guaranteed either, following another below par performance against Udinese last night. Opening the scoring early but being outplayed by an inferior side at the Emirates failed to restore confidence. Two more injuries were added to a growing list of casualties with Kieran Gibbs and Johan Djourou doubtful for the match against Liverpool on Saturday. In addition to Gervinho and Alex Song picking up suspensions at Newcastle, things are looking bleak. A trip to Italy for the second-leg against Udinese mid-week is followed by an epic encounter at Old Trafford to close out the month.

I know it is crazy to think of Wenger being shown the door after his years of service. He has the confidence of the board and respected by the supporters. However doubt is slowly beginning to spread. A loss to Liverpool at home, followed by elimination in the Champions League and defeat to United would be disastrous for any manager to endure this early into the new season. Despite this Wenger has the power to avoid the axe. But if he fails to secure Champions League football next year it will be impossible to avoid.

Do you think Wenger is in danger of being shown the door? If so what will need to happen for the axe to drop?

Call PETA! Aguero Drowns Swans

Thirty-two minutes of action was all Sergio Augero needed to make a statement of intent for the season ahead. Manchester City had just opened the scoring against Swansea City and the little Argentinian trotted on to the pitch with a confident swagger. Like it was just another day at the office. Instead of his first start game in the Premier League, for the richest club in the world, who just paid a sum close to thirty-five million pounds for your services. You think he would look a little nervous, I certainly would be. 

Eight minutes into his first shift El Kun immediately made an impact. An easy tap in to ease the pressure placed on his shoulders. Thats how quick and effortless it was to open up his Premier League scoring account. The perfect start on his debut in City blue. It was incredible to watch how Manchester City came to life as a collective when Aguero entered the game.

Before that it was David Silva doing all the work for the Citizens. He was brilliant all game. Constantly getting in the mix trying to create chances. Its amazing how lost City would be without Silva. When Aguero entered the two seemed to click right away and with that so did the rest of the team. It wasn't surprising to see the two combine to give City a three goal lead. Aguero went for the chip over Swans keeper Michel Vorm as he came rushing out but quickly realized it was going wide. Continuing his run was able to flick a backwards pass to Silva for the finish into the open goal. A great display of football.

Its a shame that video replay showed the ball had crossed the line and was out of bounds. It shouldn't have counted. Nonetheless this was the night of El Kun. He could do nothing wrong. Everything seemed to click,  a substitute appearance that announced his arrival on the English scene. If that wasn't impressive enough Aguero saved his best for injury time. A wonder strike from 25 yards out put the exclamation point on the evening. What a perfect ending to a magical night for the young Argentine and blue side of Manchester. 

My heart goes out to Michel Vrom. Swansea's keeper was also making his debut but was on the losing end. Allowing four goals on paper looks bad for keeper but in Vrom's case it wasn't deserved. I must have counted over a half dozen quality saves, City could have had at least eight goals by my count. 

I wouldn't say surprising is the best word to describe Aguero's adaptation to the English game. He reminds me of a younger, more versatile version of compatriot Carlos Tevez. My amazement came from the ease in which he took control of the game. His first touch was a fantastic strike at goal almost seconds upon entering. I can't wait to see what he can do when given the full ninety minutes. His skill would elevate with the class of opposition standing across from him. 

Roberto Mancini has five hundred million worth of player stock available. Two hundred million are on the bench alone. With another hundred or so not even suited to play, kind of surplus to requirements. Yet all that stands out for me is Silva and Aguero. Soon City supporters will forget all about Tevez and the drama that closely follows. Aguero has even more skill and a much lower profile despite being the son-in-law of Diego Maradona. City have purchased a real gem.

Will Sergio Aguero become the new and improved Carlos Tevez? My guess is he will eclipse his compatriot, but we shall soon see. 

The Prem: Round-Up of Game Week 1

One week down. Thirty-seven to go. After waiting almost three months for the start of the Premier League, it came and went with some interesting score lines and the sense that this season will be filled with much drama. You can't really make a true assessment after one game, but you can form an idea of what will be the positives and negatives each club will face throughout this long season.

Starting in Anfield, Liverpool started with probably the most optimism of any club after splashing out heavily in the transfer market. The Kopites were in full voice and happy to see many of the new faces in the starting eleven. To my surprise Dirk Kuyt was on the bench for the first time under Kenny Dalglish. Something I thought was a mistake. The first half belonged to Liverpool. Stewart Downing and Charlie Adams were both clinical in their skilful distribution of the ball. It was amazing to watch. The former had an impressive run which led to a shot that smashed off the cross bar, and the latter was picking apart the opposition with accurate long distance passes and the Black Cats were forced to chase the ball all half. Luis Suarez also got the start and was a major factor in the opening stages. Firstly for a good run. Followed by missing a penalty and finally for scoring the opener. Dalglish had many positives going intthe break and Liverpool looked ruthless.

The second half was a different story. Sunderland started strong and created chances. Anfield became surprisingly quiet as the ball movement dried up and Liverpool were on the defensive. An impressive strike by Sebastian Larsson sealed it after John Flanagan failed to mark him in the box. The youngster with his confidence blown looked extremely nervous on the ball and had to be bailed out on a number of occasions as the game progressed. It wasn't the start Dalglish would have wanted to start the season but Steve Bruce and his group was happy to leave Merseyside with the split.

The biggest result came from Loftus Road. Bolton hammered promotion newbie’s Queens Park Rangers in front of a packed house. Ticket prices were raised by the mega-rich owners but the quality on the pitch must improve to match the money supporters will have to spend this season. With all the internal fighting a supporter revolt is brewing under the surface. Kieron Dyer didn't even last ten minutes into his QPR debut, being taken off after by a stretcher after falling awkwardly after a tackle. It is obvious Neil Warnock will need new players added to have a chance this season. Owen Coyle's side came into the game limping but left with a sense of belief and confidence after putting four past Paddy Kenny and earning a rare clean sheet for Jussi Jasskelainen.

Norwich City earned a point late in their opening fixture against Wigan Athletic as they drew 1-1. Paul Lambert has his side playing an entertaining style of soccer, although it was an Ali Al-Habsi mistake in goal that led to Wes Hoolahan's equalizer. Wigan had chances late to get the winner but was denied. The Canaries showed they will struggle defensively this season, showing their vulnerability at different stages throughout the game. They will be this year's Blackpool but hopefully with a different end result.

At Craven Cottage, Shay Given deservingly earned all the praise after a stellar performance in goal for Aston Villa. He was the true stand out in a game that involved more missed half chances than quality ones. John Arne Riise had a good chance early on to open the scoring for Fulham and Bobby Zamora had the best chance after the interval but was also denied. Given's experience was ever present for his new club, his positioning and distribution were perfect all game but the clean sheet was wasted with the Villains failing to score. Charles N'Zogbia was looking rusty and out of sync in his Villa debut and Darren Bent wasn't really provided with enough service to be a threat. Reason enough why it ended scoreless.

Wolverhampton left it late but managed to finally beat Blackburn 2-1, but this time it was at Ewood Park. These two met on the final day last season, both needing to win to earn safety. Rovers went on to win that day but both managed to avoid the drop after a late goal by Stephen Hunt kept Wolves up on goal difference. In this fixture the scoring came in bunches with Mauro Formica giving Blackburn the lead, immediately followed by Steven Fletcher scoring an equalizer minutes later. The winner came in the second half when Paul Robinson denied Matt Jarvis from the spot, but Stephen Ward scored on a rebound after a flurry of chances. Steve Kean will have his hands full this season, providing he makes it that far.

The final game on Saturday came from Tyneside. Arsenal returns to St. James Park after last season's four goal collapse. After all the drama surrounding Arsene Wenger and the club, Gunners fans were hoping for someone to step up. Unfortunately for them that didn't happen. Arsenal looked a shadow of what we're used to seeing. An identity was clearly missing. Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri were left out of the squad with their futures up in the air. Jack Wilshire was injured and Arsenal suffered for it. Robin van Persie had a decent game as did new signing Gervinho. Until he took a dive looking for a penalty and what ensued was farcical at best. Joey Barton decided to get involved and help the Ivorian up, which is putting it lightly. How Barton wasn't sent off is beyond me. It got heated because of his reaction. A scrum followed with Gervinho lightly slapping Barton at best. He reacted late and went down as if he was KO'd by Mike Tyson. The ref should have sent both players to the showers or given them each a yellow card.

Before this play, Barton was involved in an earlier altercation but this time he was the victim of a vicious stomp on the back of his ankle by Alex Song. Something the officials missed which sent Barton bonkers. If he could only concentrate on his football, the sideshow that follows him would slowly disappear. Newcastle United couldn't capitalize on being a man up and the game ended scoreless.

On Sunday, Andre Villas-Boas took his Chelsea side to the Brittania Stadium for a difficult opener on the road against Stoke City. The young manager decided to start Fernando Torres ahead of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka despite the Spaniard having some concussion like symptoms earlier in the week during international duty and only playing fifteen minutes. To be honest Torres probably had his best game since his arrival. He showed confidence in his runs and touches throughout the game and came close on a number of occasions to put the blues in the lead. A positive sign that his form maybe creeping back to the surface. The Potters surprisingly dominated the first half, keeping possession and creating chances that put Chelsea on the ropes. Asmir Begovic deserved most of the praise in my opinion, he was instrumental in earning Stoke a point. The second half was different with Villas-Boas men controlling the play, but the result remained the same and the game ended without a goal. But an entertaining nil-nil to say the least.

The final game of the weekend was at The Hawthorns with Manchester United visiting West Bromwich Albion. We witnessed the offensive power of United last weekend against City. The way they can almost effortlessly move the ball around the pitch and create chances at will. It wasn't surprising that Wayne Rooney opened the scoring early in the first half. Going back to last weekend we also witnessed what might potentially be United's Achilles heel, and that's David de Gea. His howler last week was followed with another blunder this weekend. A weak dribbler by Shane Long proved to be too much for the young Spaniard to handle. The reaction of his teammates was evidence of how soft of a goal this turned out to be. The potential is there but his thin build and wiry frame looks incapable to handle the physicality of English football thus far. He was bullied around all game and couldn't establish dominance of his area. I'm not denying his skill at shot blocking, he has great instinctive skills, but when given time to think he seems to falter. It’s too early to judge but his displays so far have been below par. Luckily for United supporters, the team has the quality to push forward at will and the winner was scored after a nice piece of skill by Ashley Young and an unfortunate deflection by Steven Reid for the 2-1 victory.

Bad news for United is they saw Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand limp off during the game with injuries. This following the news of Rafael being sidelined for ten weeks with a dislocated shoulder. Sir Alex Ferguson is now left with a rather inexperienced defensive pairing of Phil Jones and Jonny Evans to rely on. At the time of writing Ferdinand was expected to be out for six weeks with a pulled hamstring and the calf problem for Vidic will take at least a couple of weeks as well. With blunders slowly piling up for de Gea week after week the youngster will start to feel the pressure tremendously. Being without the leadership and strong partnership of Vidic and Ferdinand could be a recipe for disaster.

It was an interesting start to the campaign; you really can't get overly excited or upset at your clubs performances after one game. You could see some players need time to gel with their team-mates and some still are trying to regain full fitness. Managers are still tinkering and the transfer window is still open for business. The season is fresh and lofty expectations have to be kept in check for the time being, their will be plenty of time to complain about ambition, player form and tactics starting in September.

Game of the Week: West Bromwich vs. Manchester United
Goal of the Week: Sebastian Larsson vs. Liverpool
Goalkeeper of the Week: Shay Given vs. Fulham
Lowlight of the Week: Joey Barton vs. Arsenal

Leave your comments and opinions about what you thought was the game, goal, keeper and lowlight of the week.

2011/12 Barclays Premier League Preview

The curtain is about to be raised for the new Barclays Premier League season with kick-off scheduled for Saturday. Well, for most anyway. Unfortunately rioting in the streets of London has led to the cancellation of Tottenham's home game with Everton at White Hart Lane. This is the only casualty in the opening weekend schedule. For the rest it is business as usual.

It is now time for me to put my neck on the line and make my predictions. Let's remember the transfer window is still open and club rosters have yet to be set. No excuses, just a friendly reminder. As I look into the future, it becomes clear to me that this season is loaded with plenty of question marks.

The defending Champions, Manchester United have strengthened substantially in the summer and look strong candidates to retain their title. But the big question is if David de Gea can replace Edwin van der Sar between the posts. In the past United have proven capable of winning the league without a solid number one, but this year the competition looks to be a lot stronger than before. Smart acquisitions by Sir Alex Ferguson (Ashley Young) and the emergence of youngsters Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley continue the Red Devils tradition of breeding new blood.

Chelsea is coming in with a new look and credible title challengers to the crown. They have a new young manager with new ideas for the team. Andre Villas-Boas first mission is getting Fernando Torres to find his old form. The returning Yossi Benayoun might be able to help Torres regain his reputation and provide the Blues with the playmaker they desperately need. Villas-Boas also has plenty of fire power upfront if Torres falters, the returning Daniel Sturridge has looked fantastic in pre-season and the recent acquisition of Romelu Lukaku gives the manager a problem most would gladly accept.

Manchester City on paper looks like a power house. The amount of talent in the squad is mind-blowing. But questions can be raised at Roberto Mancini's defensive tactics despite having all those weapons. Plus disharmony in the locker room amongst players with huge contracts that are not part of Mancini's plans could provide a major distraction to those who are. Regardless, the addition of Sergio Aguero helps their cause and no one can deny their strength if it’s harnessed properly. Mental toughness however is clearly lacking, they have a bad habit of losing focus and switching off before the final whistle. Not good enough if your trying to challenge for the title.

Liverpool will start the season focused on restoring the glory of years past, and trying to break back into the top four. John W. Henry made that clear this summer after splashing heavily into the transfer market and expecting Champions League soccer next season. A healthy Andy Carroll will help and with the addition of a natural winger in Stewart Downing providing him with the service, Carroll could have a huge season. Throw Luis Suarez into the mix and you can see why Kopites around the world are smiling. A title challenge looks a little premature but with over one hundred million pounds of investment spent, manager Kenny Dalglish has to get the Reds to produce on the pitch.

Arsenal limp into the season with the most questions of all the clubs. Will Fabregas finally be sold to Barcelona? Will Samir Nasri soon follow out the door? And will the Gunners ever reach the potential Arsene Wenger has promised. He failed to strengthen the squad where needed most and start the season with a number of high profile injuries. Thankfully for Gunners fans they aren't long term but without replenishing the ranks the threat of falling outside the Big Four is a big possibility.

Tottenham is another club who struggled all summer to strengthen and is more focused on retaining what they have, Luka Modric being the prime example. The Croatian handed in a transfer request and made his desire to join Chelsea public. Harry Redknapp has so far been able to hold on to Modric but has failed to sell some of the dead weight on the roster. Adding an ageing Brad Friedel was a positive, the American is more consistent then the error prone Gomes. But that’s not enough to break into the top four.

The next two clubs I have down to possibly push for a Europa League place are Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion. Steve Bruce has put the Jordan Henderson transfer money he received from Liverpool to good use, adding almost a dozen new faces to the Black Cats roster. Connor Wickham especially is one to watch. Now they will have to avoid their usual second half slump if they want to be taken seriously. West Brom is my pick to be this season's over achievers. Roy Hodgson had the Baggies playing great since taking over the club. Ben Foster is a major upgrade in goal and will keep them in games. Shane Long arrives from Reading and if he can form a strong partnership with last years stand out player Peter Odemwingie, West Brom has the potential to stop being a yo-yo club and threaten for a spot in the Europa League.

Following closely behind will be Everton, Aston Villa and Stoke City. The Toffees are notorious slow starters which usually is their downfall. Without adding to the squad David Moyes will have a tough job and Europe will be out of his reach. Aston Villa start the season with a new manager in Alex McLeish, minus two important players as Ashley Young and Stewart Downing were sold this summer. The addition of Charles N'Zogbia helps and will provide Darren Bent with the service he needs and Shay Given is a major improvement between the sticks. He alone will win games for the Villains this season. Stoke City will be playing in the Europa League this season which will really test Tony Pulis' squad. The Potters have somewhat strengthened their back line with the addition of Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson but playing on two fronts will definitely prove to be too much.

Speaking of playing on two fronts, Fulham will see their side pushed to the limit. New manager Martin Jol had to start the new campaign early in the Europa League and will find things extremely difficult as the season progresses. Newcastle United comes in with major problems within their ranks. The sale of club captain Kevin Nolan after the departure of Andy Carroll last season has led to a major backlash. Add the Joey Barton soap opera and the recent sale of Jose Enrique; the magpies are in for a tough year. The return of Hatem Ben Arfa and additions of Demba Ba, Gabriel Obertan, Yohan Cabaye and Sylvain Marveaux will prevent the threat of relegation, which is a relief to the black and white of Tyneside.

The next two clubs will be struggling all year. Starting with Bolton, Owen Coyle will find it difficult to replicate the results from last season. Daniel Sturridge is back at Chelsea after his loan deal expired, Stuart Holden is still recuperating from a major injury, Johan Elmander was sold and the recent leg breaks of Lee Chung-Yong and Tyron Mears will be devastating. Wigan Athletic is used to being on the relegation bubble and will find it just as difficult this year to sustain their status. Every season Roberto Martinez watches his best player get sold without really being able to buy a replacement. Another grueling season awaits the Latics who continue to punch above their weight.

Out of the newly promoted clubs Norwich City looks the best suited to avoid the drop. David Lambert has added wisely to an already solid unit. Canadian International Simeon Jackson was a major bright spot teaming up with Gary Holt in the attack last term. On the defensive end the returning Robert Green has the quality to keep them safe.

Swansea City will struggle a little more, no disrespect to Brendan Rodgers, he has done well in Wales. The competition is just far superior to that of the Championship. But I do however think they will be in a better position then Queens Park Rangers. Despite how they dominated last season in the Championship, problems within will lead to a relegation battle that will be difficult to overcome. Adel Taarabt has asked for a move and adding Kieron Dyer was laughable at best. D.J. Campbell and Jay Bothroyd were key pick-ups but that’s where the positives end unfortunately for QPR.

The bottom two will suffer the same fate but for different reasons. Wolverhampton will begin their third campaign in the league and have always struggled to score goals. Lacking a true goal scorer that can provide the goals needed to win games. Mick McCarthy gave new acquisition Roger Johnson the captain’s armband but he will unfortunately suffer the same fate he did with Birmingham City last year.

And Finally I arrive at Blackburn. My heart goes out to them. After being purchased by Venky’s, Rovers have slid down the table drastically. The Indian based poultry company has made some poor decisions and the club has paid the price, the firing of Sam Allardyce has been costly. Steve Kean doesn't look like he can steady the ship and unfortunately they will suffer the pain of relegation. All this talk about signing big names and Champions league football by the owners seems to be smoke and mirrors. The sale of Phil Jones opened up funds to make changes, but only ten percent of that money has been used. The addition of David Goodwillie from Dundee United doesn't exactly show the same ambition on the pitch then what’s being spoken in the boardrooms and to the media.

We will see how good my prediction's are in May. Just sit back and enjoy the start of the Prem!

Top Four: Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool
5th - 8th: Arsenal, Tottenham, Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion
9th-13th: Everton, Aston Villa, Stoke City, Fulham, Newcastle United
14th-17th: Bolton, Wigan Athletic, Norwich City, Swansea City
Relegation: Queens Park Rangers, Wolves, Blackburn
FA Cup: Liverpool
Carling Cup: Arsenal
Leading Goal Scorer: Sergio Aguero
Top Keeper: Pepe Reina
Young Player of the Year: Jack Wilshere, Daniel Sturridge
Watch Out for: Aaron Ramsey, Luis Suarez, Tom Cleverley
Sack Race: Steve Kean, Alan Pardew, Neil Warnock

Cheers To The Football League

Soccer is back. Or should I say football? They both mean the same thing regardless of which side of the pond you live. On the side I call home it’s soccer but only because if I say football people over here think I’m talking NFL. Or for the readers who live on the other side of the world, American Football. In any case, the good news is what comes next after these many months of waiting, and that’s a fresh start. A strong belief and hope for a positive outcome for the challenges that lay ahead. Whatever club you support and however high or low the expectations, each start the year in the same position. Unfortunately there are very few leagues across the globe that can provide a competitive playing field that stretches as deep as the Football League.

Naturally when the Premier League formed, the playing field was still pretty equal for the first couple of seasons. Clubs like Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City and Norwich City would provide the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United great competition despite the obvious financial advantages behind some of the clubs. The gap grew significantly larger as seasons progressed and money started to play a major role in the game, not only in English football, but globally. The other impact it caused was these so-called lower league clubs bunched together and forced to fight for a piece of the Premier League pie, and the riches that follow.

In the end, what was formed was the Football League, and in my opinion the most competitive professional league in the world. I understand the standard starts to take a dip from the Championship right down to League Two. However, each season every club can say they have a fighting chance for promotion, which is one step closer to the Holy Grail that is the Premier League. The potential TV revenue that would filter into a small club even if only for one season and the parachute payments that follows if relegated to cushion the blow is enormous.

Take Blackpool for example. In 2009 they finished the season in 16th place in the Championship. The following year it was 6th and shock promotion after surprisingly winning at Wembley in the Playoff Final against Cardiff City. Imagine what that meant to a club from a small seaside town to be thrust into the Premier League against heavyweights like Manchester United and Chelsea. For the Tangerines it was short lived but they were able to renovate Bloomfield Road and made a tidy profit in player sales after the drop. Add the parachute payments for the next three years and you have yourself a great foundation to challenge for promotion in the future. Every team has a chance, whatever the bank account or scenario and that’s what I love the most. If you have the right manager in place and the ability to produce quality players from within your Academy, the possibilities are endless. The jackpot of promotion is at your doorstep.

The football is pure and old school, and by that I mean physical. It’s not fancy but a throwback to English style from years past. You have youngsters trying to step up or veterans trying to prolong their careers in the lower leagues. The game seems more natural and genuine. The results are unpredictable and clubs can get on a roll and watch themselves creep up in the standings. Or it can go the opposite way.

Not every example is a good one unfortunately. If you do gain promotion and spend beyond your means, trying to establish yourself with the big boys too quickly, things could spiral out of control in a hurry. That was the case for Leeds. They are an extreme example but a valid lesson on how not to go about things. There is also Sheffield Wednesday who still are trying to climb back to the summit after stumbling down the ladder. Charlton are still languishing in League One after dropping out. Poor spending and mismanagement are the reasons for their decent. Not every story is a fairytale.

The positive news is there is always the opportunity of the magical fairy tale. Clubs who take their time and do things properly have been able to move up the ladder and sustain themselves in the top flight. Wigan Athletic and Bolton come to mind immediately. Stoke City are a more recent example. Each fought their way up the divisions of the Football League and established a playing style that fit accordingly. Patience and hard work do amount to success. They just have to keep your goal in mind and remember it’s not a sprint but a marathon. I’m not saying they are challenging for the Premier League Crown. That gap is still quite big, but they can attribute a portion of their success to the competitiveness of the Football League.

Looking into the future you already can see investment going into these smaller clubs, whether it’s through wealthy businessmen, or by fundraising by the supporters. Crawley Town and AFC Wimbledon are both great examples of each side of the coin. The former is paying relatively high wages to attract the players needed to gain promotion, and the latter did it the hard way and fought through the ranks of the Conferences to gain promotion to the Football League. For AFC Wimbledon it was almost a decade of battles in the wilderness to achieve their new deserved status. While Crawley Town were bank rolled into the Football League. The one thing they have in common is equal chance for promotion this season.

I still love and enjoy top tier football. I have been counting down the days since the end of last season. I can't wait until the start of the Premier League on Saturday. But I also have been counting down to the start of the Championship, or League One for that matter. The races for promotion and battles to avoid relegation will be extremely entertaining and the rivalries are enormous. How do you not get excited for Nottingham Forest v Derby County in the Championship, or the Sheffield Derby in League One between United and Wednesday. I’m even interested in Plymouth Argyle's fight to move back up the ladder from League Two. The Pilgrims rapid decent brings with it the West Country derby between Argyle and Bristol Rovers. The match ups are endless and consistently change because of promotion and relegation, but the rivalries continue to be hotly contested.

I know that I’m stretching it just a little with the last one but seriously how can anyone deny how close the competition is in these three leagues. The feeling of being contenders each year is quite remarkable and not common in the soccer world nowadays. Thankfully the Football League is able to provide a different style and form its own identity amongst the giants of club football. You can argue about the quality, but what it does provide is the biggest bang for your buck. Finally the countdown is over and the new season is under way. Wear your colors proudly and get ready for another rollercoaster ride.

United Sizzle, City Fizzle

What a way to ring in the start of a new season than the display of football we all witnessed at Wembley today. Big spending Manchester City was looking to make a statement against rivals and title-rich Manchester United.  Both teams played down the importance of the Community Shield, calling it just another pre-season friendly. However, judging by the class on the pitch and the reactions from each dugout and the stands, we can see that it meant a lot more than that.

City looks like credible title challengers this season and watching them dismantle Inter Milan in the Dublin Super Cup last week proved it. I know its just pre-season and players are still trying to regain fitness but this squad is looking and more determined than ever before. United also came into the game with some swagger. The Red Devils were fresh off an impressive win against Barcelona during their American summer tour. More of a mental victory but great for confidence going into this opening derby.

As I expected United maintained control of the ball and had most of the possession, but City didn't back down and were able to contain the pressure. Nani and Ashley Young stood out for me - both were impressive in stretching the defence by going wide and running at their marker. Honourable mentions go out to Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney as well. I felt like a United goal was looming. They were the aggressors and weren't really being pressured defensively. David Silva was the only bright spot for City at the start, as his pacey runs created space, but the final ball was lacking in the opening stages for both clubs.

No one could have predicted City would be two up going into the break. It all started with a terrific cross by Silva from a free kick which found Joleon Lescott's head perfectly. David de Gea could take some criticism on that one, as he seemingly was caught in two minds as to whether he should come out or stay on his line. He did a mixture of both, putting United surprisingly behind.

It got worse for de Gea right before the break, being beaten from some distance by a thunderous shot by Edin Dzeko. You can blame the defence for backing off Dzeko and giving him time and room to shoot, but de Gea was caught back-peddling and had the time and space to see the shot perfectly.  He was just fooled by the pace and swerve of the ball. From that distance it was a bad goal to allow and will only raise more question marks for the young Spaniard.

Sir Alex Ferguson decided to make three changes after the break bringing in youngsters Tom Cleverley, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans for Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick. On paper these substitutions might look weak considering the score line, however it proved to be exactly what United needed to get back into the game. Right from the start United were all over City, and it was Chris Smalling who got United on the board  after connecting on a free kick by Young. Dzeko takes most of the blame for not following Smalling run and leaving Joe Hart helpless to make the stop. 

But it was the equalizer that showed United's class over City and how far the blue side of Manchester still have to go to match their rivals. A combination of Cleverley, Rooney and Nani split the City defence apart to tie the game at two. A stunning display of football with Nani getting the goal with an impressive chip finish over Hart from a tough angle.

Despite being tied and the game winding down, I was surprised to see Sergio Aguero sitting on the bench. Roberto Mancini declared him fit to play but decided to keep the Argentinian as a spectator. He could have given City the spark they needed to change the dynamic of the game. I don't think they made it into United's final third at all in the second half - it was that one-sided.

With penalties on the horizon, and deep into injury time a defensive blunder cost City the game. Gael Clichy and Vincent Kompany seemingly misread a long clearance gifting Nani a clear breakaway from almost the centre circle. Nani calmly went around Hart and broke Manchester City hearts with the winner. It was a remarkable comeback by United.

All the talk about being a meaningless pre-season friendly went out the window for Ferguson in the second half, as he was jumping around like a school boy on the sidelines after every chance. This game was more than that for both clubs. For City it was a chance to show their intent and strength for the upcoming season. For United, it was a chance to prove they still are top dogs despite the size of their neighbours bank account.

Sure its only one game but the mental edge goes to United.   To be able to come back from two goals down in any game is a great accomplishment. Even better when it's in a derby for silverware. City will need to shake off the loss and regroup quickly. They still will be looked upon as contenders for the Premier League crown, however United showed how easily they can be broken down and fold under pressure. Money can buy you world class players but it takes more than that to form a winning mentality on the pitch. Champions are made through time and hard work. 

The gap might have narrowed but City still have to prove their status on the pitch if they want to be considered to be on the same level as their neighbours. The red side of Manchester have won the first battle against their City rivals but the long gruelling Premier League season is just beginning.  It's important to never underestimate the importance of the psychological edge. Football is a mental game - something that Ferguson has proven to be a master at.