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All smiles for Terry and Lampard but could the title be coming back to Stamford Bridge? - Source: Reuters -
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If last season was anything to go by, the 09/10 Barclay's Premier League looks to be more exciting than ever.
How will Manchester United cope without Ronaldo? Can Liverpool grab their first League title in 20-years? Will Wenger ever put his hand in his pocket? And can Ancelotti lead Chelsea to victory?
In part one of our Premier League Preview tvnz.co.nz's football reporter Sarah Williams looks at how the top four will shape up before the first whistle blows.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
Last season: Premier League champions, Champions League
runners-up, FA Cup semi-finals, Carling Cup winner, FIFA Club World
Cup winners
In: Antonio Valencia (Wigan) 16m, Gabriel Obertan
(Bordeaux) 3m, Michael Owen (Newcastle) free
Out: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 80m, Fraizer Campbell
(Sunderland) 3.5m, Richard Eckersley (Burnley) undisclosed, Lee
Martin (Ipswich) undisclosed, Carlos Tevez (Manchester City) loan
expired, Rodrigo Possebon (Sporting Braga) season-loan
This will be an interesting season to see just how Manchester United will cope after losing two of their star players in the summer transfer season.
There is no doubt that the 08/09 Premier League winners have lost a prolific goalscorer in Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) and a workhorse in Carlos Tevez (Manchester City) and the side are sure to miss the finesse and power of both these players respectively.
United boss Alex Ferguson has tried to lessen some of the damage left by the gaping hole Portuguese ace Ronaldo will surely leave in their midfield by bringing in winger Antonio Valencia (Wigan) and versatile forward Gabriel Obertan (Bordeaux) in a 19 million pound swoop.
The United veteran also pulled off one of the most surprising transfer moves of the season when it was announced he would be bringing former Liverpool hero and Newcastle crock Michael Owen to Old Trafford on a free transfer from the newly Championship relegated Magpies.
There is no doubt that Ronaldo's 84 goals in 194 appearances for Manchester United have helped the North-west side to the Premier League title in the last three years - and one only has to look at United's shaky start to last season (when Ronaldo was out with an ankle injury) for proof that the club will miss the boy.
It took three years for Manchester United to bounce back from losing former Old Trafford icon David Beckham to the same Spanish club in 2003 and bring the title back to the Red Devils and I believe it will beyond doubt take the side time to reshape and rebuild from the loss of Ron and Tevez.
Prediction: Alex Ferguson's desire to end his United career on a high, and the thought of surpassing fierce rivals Liverpool's 18-league titles, will no doubt push the Scot, but I see yet another characteristic slow start to the new season as United try to find their feet that may continue throughout.
TAB odds on Man United winning League: $2.75
Sarah's prediction: 3rd
LIVERPOOL
Manager: Rafael Benitez
Last season: Premier League runners-up, Champions League
quarter-finals, FA Cup fourth round, Carling Cup fourth rnd
In: Glen Johnson (Portsmouth) 17.5m, Aaron King (Rushden
and Diamonds) undisclosed, Chris Mavinga (Paris Saint Germain),
undisclosed
Out: Paul Anderson (Nottingham Forest) 250,000, Jack Hobbs
(Leicester) undisclosed, Sebastian Leto (Panathinaikos)
undisclosed, Jermaine Pennant (Real Zaragoza) free, Sami Hyypia
(Bayer Leverkusen) free, Astrit Ajdarevic (Leicester) free
It was a case of so close yet so far for Liverpool last season as the Reds most promising Premier League campaign since they last won the League title in 1989 ended in frustration as North-west rivals Manchester United pipped the Merseysiders to the long-awaited title at the final hurdle.
But instead of being down in their luck, the glimpse of success has given Liverpool and their Spanish manager more hope than ever of bringing the elusive title back to Anfield.
While cash-issues have stopped Liverpool from making a splash in the summer transfer season; Benitez has brought in former Portsmouth and current England defender Glen Johnson, who should give the side more strength down the right, and highly rated Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani as a replacement for Real Madrid's new signing Xabi Alonso.
One thing Liverpool are missing though is another 'world class' striker.
Last years failed transfer of Robbie Keane to the Reds showed just how weak Liverpool are without the talent of Torres. And while tireless workhorses Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Bennayoun showed their worth towards the end of the season, both do not necessarily have the pace or flair to help Liverpool win the league and it if he is not going to use some of the money used from the sale of Alonso to bring in a new forward it could be about time for Benitez to let 2007 signing Ryan Babel show what he can do up front.
Prediction: After many season's that failed to live up to expectation, Liverpool are finally starting to believe in their own hype but there is no doubt that influential midfielder Xabi Alonso will be a huge loss to the Reds and it remains to be seen just how the currently injured Aquilani will shape up.
One thing that will be key to Liverpool's title fight is the powerful combination of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres and if both can keep fit for much of the season then there is no reason why Liverpool cannot come close again.
TAB odds on Liverpool winning the League: $3.50
Sarah's prediction: 2nd
CHELSEA
Manager: Carlo Ancelotti
Last season: Third in Premier League, FA Cup winners,
Champions League semi-finalists, Carling Cup fourth rd
In: Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow 18m, Daniel Sturridge
(Manchester City) undisclosed Ross Turnbull (Middlesbrough)
free
Out: Ben Sahar (Espanyol) undisclosed, Lee Swayer (Southend)
six-month loan, Jimmy Smith (Leyton Orient) free, Michael Mancienne
(Wolves) loan
After a shaky start to last years season under Brazilian manager Luis Felipe Scolari, and then stabilising under Guss Hiddink, Chelsea will finally be hoping to put the memories of past glories while under the helm of Jose Mourinho to bed as they get ready for the new season ahead with former AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti - the Blues fifth manager in just under two years.
And while Chelsea may have been somewhat tight in the summer transfer market, to some supporters this is not a bad thing for a team who, although they have not gained many players, have, unlike United, Arsenal and Liverpool not lost any either and with a settled team and an on-fire Didier Drogba anything could be possible at Stamford Bridge.
The club of course can also be thankful that they managed to keep hold of their talismanic skipper John Terry whose defensive strength often keeps Chelsea together and it is for these reasons that many critics are haling Chelsea as the ones to beat this season.
Chelsea have also received a major boost early on after beating Manchester United to the Charity Shield, but along with their Premier League title tilt, the one trophy all Chelsea fans will be after this season is the only one to have eluded them thus-far, the Champions League and a with CV that boasts two European Cups with AC Milan and three Serie A titles many will feel that Ancelotti will be the one to succeed where others have failed.
One thing that could trip the Italian up though will be the implementation of his preferred formation, the midfield diamond, a system that failed to fire under Jose Mourinho - but if he succeeds, the system, which will see influential midfielder Frank Lampard have more freedom to roam - could be used to great affect.
Prediction: For some, the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti seems all too similar to that of the doomed Scolari and many have questioned whether the Italian, in his first job in the English league, will be the one to bring the Blues back.
But what Ancelotti - known as a great man-manager has is an ability and control and contain where Scolari failed and he already seems to have won over the players and hierarchy at the Bridge. And While the Champions League shines bright for the Blues, there is no doubt that a rejuvenated Chelsea have not only a hunger but also a real shot at taking out their first Premier League title in three years, laying to rest the ghost of the 'Special One' once and for all along the way.
TAB odds on Chelsea winning the League: $3:00
Sarah's prediction: 1st
ARSENAL
Manager: Arsene Wenger
Last season: 4th in Premier League, Champions League
semi-finalists, FA Cup semi-finalists, Carling Cup
quarter-finalists
In: Thomas Vermaelen (Ajax, 10m).
Out: Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City, 25m); Kolo Toure
(Manchester City, 14m); Abu Ogogo (Dagenham & Redbridge, Free);
Rene Steer (Oldham Athletic, Free); Amaury Bischoff (Released); Rui
Fonte (Released); Paul Rodgers (Released).
It has been four years without a trophy for Arsene Wenger's Gunners and the pressure is starting to mount for the Frenchman whose side was seriously in danger of slipping out of the 'big-four' last season.
The departure of frontman Emmanuel Adebayor and defender Kolo Toure to Manchester City in the summer transfer season, while failing to bring in suitable cover will only add to the public opinion that instead of floundering for fourth in 2010, Arsenal will find themselves nowhere near it.
But there are also many who have found the transfers of Toure and Adebayor as no great loss to the London side, and are waiting with bated breath to once again see the talent of Russian fire-cracker Andrei Arshavin - who succeed in transforming the side on his arrival - explode once again.
Ever the optimist Wenger also feels like he has a few aces up his sleeve with the return of Eduardo, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott, who if fit, should provide more than enough cover for his exited players.
But after banking 39 million pounds from the sale of two players, calls are growing for the usually tight-fisted Wenger to start splashing the cash, and many think that there is no way Arsenal can challenge for the title without adding more strength to their side.
One thing Arsenal fans can take heart from though is that as well as being reluctant to spend the sides cash, he is also known for making his deals towards the finishing end of the transfer season and some serious buys may still be about to unfold.
Prediction: It is no secret that Arsenal suffered through some dire results last season, but as always with Wenger's side there are the flashes of brilliance that make you realise just how good the side can be. Contrary to popular opinion I am not one of the people who think that Arsenal will fall out of the top four this season but I do believe Wenger does need to bring in a few more players to add strength and depth to what can often be an injury ravaged squad if they have any chance of maintaining a Premier League challenge whilst going through what is sure to be a difficult Champions League campaign.
TAB odds on Arsenal winning the League: $8:50
Sarah's Prediction: 4th
HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you agree with Sarah on her Premier League top-four predictions? Or you do think the top of the table will take a different shape this season? Whatever you think share your comments below and don't forget to send in your comments and opinions to Sarah and about tvnz.co.nz's brand new podcast TalkFootball.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentSammi said on 2009-08-14 @ 12:58 NZDT: Report abusive post
I'm sorry but I don't think there is anyway City are going to finish higher than seven unless they get a new boss, which they will have by Christmas after Hughes fails to make them gel. But I agree, it's got to be Chelsea for the title..
Rememberthetitans said on 2009-08-14 @ 12:44 NZDT: Report abusive post
I would agree that Chelsea will be the ones to beat for the title- I would be surprised if Arsenal can hang onto 4th after losing a whole load of players, and with Man City loading up and spending all that cash it would be hard to see them finish lower than 5th
GerrardsGirl said on 2009-08-14 @ 12:16 NZDT: Report abusive post
YOUR AVIN A LAUGH! WHILE THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT LAMPARD IS A DECENT PLAYER HE WILL NEVER BE HALF THE MIDFIELDER GERRARD IS! LIVERPOOL FOR THE LEAGUE. Y.N.W.A!
j-dub said on 2009-08-14 @ 12:14 NZDT: Report abusive post
All going to plan, my boys Chelsea will win it all this year! This season John Terry shows again he's best defender in the world, Didier Drogba and Anelka are going to lead all goal scorers and Lampard is finally going to prove that he's better than Steven Gerrard!