It will take more than a catastrophe for the same
five big premiership clubs not to dominate the Premiership competition this
season; I think that for the first time in a very long while, most of the clubs
playing in the premiership have signed on very decisive players from all over
Europe and even beyond to construct very formidable teams. I might even Endeavour
to say that the premiership this season has more quality and efficient players in all
its teams than there are in any other European league. It maybe because of the
economic recession that is affecting countries like Spain and Italy whose
leagues have always been known to be much more competitive in terms of quality
and effectiveness.
Be it as it may, I want to stake my bet on
Manchester united as my favorite club to clinch the Premiership title this
season, my argument is based on the fact that they are the most compact team if
we have to consider all the various departments on the field of play, It is
unfortunate though that it took Manchester united so many costly experiments and
time after the exit of sir Alex Ferguson who had stamped his identity on the
team for 20 years and as such left the team in a situation that became very
difficult for a redirection.
But thanks to Louis Van Gaal and the very good
and carefully selected players that Manchester United signed on this season,
among them, the indefatigable and very skillful Angel Di Maria, and his
argentine team mate and one of the most progressive defenders in the world,
Marcos Rojo, whose superlative performance for Argentina in the world cup left
no one in doubt as to his technicality on the field of play. Then also is Ander
Herrera, one of the best midfielders in the Spanish league in recent times, referred
to by many as the heart of the Lions of Bilbao, his former team, Athletic Bilbao. Then also is another utility player with proven skills, one of the surprises in
the last world cup in Brazil, Daley Blind of Holland and a striker that needs
no introduction because of his effectiveness and goal poaching skills, Radamel
Falcao who is perhaps the best striker in the world today. Coupled with some
already established stars in the Manchester united line up like Wayne Rooney,
Van Persie, Juan Mata and a host of others the team would be doing everything
it can to be in the race for the title this season.
Although the team still needs some time to
finally get its acts together, no one should doubt that when it finally does,
it will become the team to beat in the premiership, and lucky enough, the team
has a very good manager in the person of Van Gaal, a coach who has proved his
mettle in the world of football.
Another team that will sure be in the contest
for the crown this season is Chelsea f.c, for the first time in a long while,
Jose Mourinho appears to have incorporated the much longed for, good flowing
football to his traditional tactical and austere kind of play, the
incorporation of a tested and very creative player like Cesc Fabregas to join with
Eden Hazard in the midfield alongside Shurle, Ramires, Willian and co whose duty
shall be that of creating goal scoring chances for Diego Costa who proved last
season with Atletico de Madrid that he is a constant danger to the opponents
with his runs into space and his mastery in the art of goal scoring. Loic Remy
and the indefatigable Didier Drogba who is back at Chelsea after his sojourn in
Galatasaray would be supplying the goals that Lukaku, Eto´o, and El niño Torres
could not supply the team last season, the choice of Luis Felipe is another
prove that Mourinho is opting for an attacking football this season, so from my
point of view, Chelsea stand a better chance this season than they did last
season and the experience of Jose Mourinho in the premiership as against Louis
Van Gaal is one key point in Chesea´s favor this season. My point of view is
that it will need a very good Manchester United team to stop them from clinching
the trophy this season.
The third candidate for the premiership crown and
with the permison of Manchester united and Chelsea is no doubt Manchester city,
although they had not signed too many new players this season but that may
still play to their favor as they already had a compact team from last season with
key players who have been playing together for some time now, the coach, Manuel
Pellegrini had insisted on experienced and well tested players among them
Lampard and Sagna to further make the team more compact and consistent. So if
everything goes according to plan, Manchester City will also be in the race for
the title they are defending this season
I think that the gunners, Arsenal will pool
surprises this season if they succeed in believing their possibilities and not
fizzling out at very important moments of the season as always. The problem with
Arsenal is basically their philosophy of going for young players with the
possibilities of great progression, sometimes experience matters a great deal
in football, a combination and a very good management of young and experienced
players is very important in the game. The last time Arsenal won the
premiership was 10 years ago, and at that time they had players like Kanu
Nwankwo, Thiery Henry, Patrick Viera, Ashley Cole, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert
Pires, Friedrick Llungberg etc, in the squad, maybe they need to go back to the
kind of philosophy they had then, that made the team so successful rather than
depending on inexperienced players to help them clinch such a competitive title
as the Premiership, not withstanding I think they are very much going to be in
the race this season more than they have done in recent times and the
incorporation of former Manchester striker Danny Welberk might be positive for
them if Welberk is more fortunate with goals this season than he had been in
the recent past with Manchester united .
The last contender for this year´s league title
is Liverpool who for several moments last season touched the title with the tip
of the finger until they finally fizzled out of the race in the very last
moment of the league, I am not particularly expecting them to be as close this
season to winning the trophy as they were last season, and I am not expecting the
controversial Maria Balotelli to automatically regain his full concentration
enough to make the fans of Liverpool forget Luis Suarez so easily. Balotelli is
a very good player but it is no secret that he lacks the composure necessary to
play football and his actions could be detrimental to the interest of the team
at key moments during the long competition.
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