Fragility

The practical aspect of sport is commonly associated with health, happiness and personal/group satisfaction. However the recent death of Sevilla’s Antonio Puerta has once again reminded us the fragility of life, and the obvious paradox.

This certainly rings a bell with Marc-Vivien Foé and his passing away. My sources tell me that there is some sort of distortion of what really happened to him. The official story is that he had an enlarged right ventricle, which made cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation the likely cause of death. Apparently Foé had been taking performance enhancing drugs prior to the time of his death, and I was told that this is common practice for professional players at the highest level. This apparently has something to do with his death. I must state that the nature and legality of the alleged supplement he was consuming are not known to me.

There are risks when you are priming the body to be in its best condition to perform and entertain, through hard work and supplements. Untold and unknown side-effects which are still being researched today can cause physical and psychological harm. R.I.P. Chris Benoit, Antonio Puerta, Marc-Vivien Foé and the countless others who devoted their lives to sporting excellence as well as entertainment of the masses, and paid a price for it. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.

BPL Game Week 4 Preview

This week’s game in focus is Bolton hosting Reading at the Reebok. Sammy Lee desperately needs a result tonight so let’s take a look at his prospects.

Bolton v Reading

Three straight losses and Lil’ Sammy is the fore-runner in the race to get sack first. His attempts in altering the system that work so well under the more illustrious Sam seem to reap little, if any, rewards. Such is the distress in the dressing room that Anelka and Diouf have both invoked rumours of moving elsewhere. He does possess a decent team that could produce better results under different circumstances. Nolan needs to pick him and the team up, and drive them forward. The key concern is the evidently frail defense that has not filled the void left by Ben-Haim. It is now or never for Sammy

Reading on the other hand is having an excellent start to the season. 4 points from a possible 9, 6 of which came against Chelsea and Manchester United. The win was no walk in the park either, against a resurgent Everton side. They look initially good for a squad that has relatively mediocre paper quality. Their strength lies not in the team but in their manager. Steve Coppell is achieving as a manager, what he was not able to as a player after retiring prematurely. But there is only so much a manager can do.

Losing twice to Reading last season, Bolton will be looking to exact revenge and get their first proper result of the season.

Last Season’s Head-2-Head

English Premier Bolton Wanderers 1-3 Reading 21-04-2007

English Premier Reading 1-0 Bolton Wanderers 02-12-2006

Score Prediction: Bolton 1-0 Reading

Final Notes: Sammy will get his first win tonight to ease the pressure off him, and his team. Reading has flown high enough, and what goes up must come down.

Fun-Pix (1)

Big Sam and Lil' Sammy

An excellent picture I picked off Guardian. Many meanings and lotsa laughs. Been a tad busy with commitments, will be back with the usual dose real soon. Till then...

BPL Game Week 3 Preview: Part II

Three sizzling Sunday matches awaits as the three big teams that played last Sunday, will again play this Sunday in overlapping times. Let’s take a quick look at the three games and size up how each team should do.

Manchester City vs Manchester United

City has a 100% start to the season so far but against arguably lesser opponents. This is where the real test comes. A United side still looking for their first win of the season travel just a couple of miles to the City of Manchester Stadium in what is a familiar yet hostile environment will be out to kill. Other than the absence of Isaksson, Sven virtually has a full strength squad to choose from and looking at the past two matches, they will probably play a 4-5-1 formation without much change to the personnel on the pitch. We all know David Dunne is susceptible to pace and how he handles Tevez will determine whether City can hold on for a draw. Expect to see a goal contrived by Petrov and/or Bianchi and/or Elano, the backbone of City’s attack.

Manchester United’s cursed start to the season continues with Rooney out for extended periods and Ronaldo suspended for three matches. The team that is to be put out is still reasonable by United’s standards, but once again the question is can they score more than they will invariably concede? Tevez particularly would play in a big role in this game as I feel most of the pressure of not having Rooney and Ronaldo will rest on his shoulders. He will revel in being the focal point of attack and should create space for Scholes, Giggs and Nani to do their stuff. Ferdinand may find trouble handling the strength and presence of Bianchi and he should be thankful that he has Vidic by his side.

Score Prediction: Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United

Final Notes: The only reason why I think United will win this is the fact that if they do not, alarm bells will certainly start ringing. City though, could spring a surprise.

Blackburn vs Arsenal

Blackburn is a team whose pre-season started earlier as they were involved in the Inter-Toto competition. This could mean the team peaking earlier than the others and could put them in good stead against Arsenal. The challenge for Mark Hughes is to maintain the team’s performance throughout the season and not let them peak too early and die off late into the campaign. Bright starts from Derbyshire and Santa Cruz in the first game could see either or both starting in this match. They look reasonable in all departments so far and have a variety of options going forward. Pedersen should be running the show for them again tonight.

Arsenal’s youths came back from a goal down last week to clinch the game against Fulham but this is a different ball game all together. They will have to stay focused and disciplined throughout the game if they were to get any result from this fixture. Eduardo has yet to play and I believe everyone is excited to see him in action. Jens Lehmann needs to sort himself out and put in a sound and confident performance this week to make up for last week’s gaffe, and the same goes to the entire defense that looked shaky at times, making uncharacteristic mistakes.

Score Prediction: Blackburn 2-1 Arsenal

Final Notes: Blackburn is a team already in gear while Arsenal’s still trying to sort themselves out defensively. The Gunners are good for a goal and could force a draw, but I see Blackburn putting in a competent performance to clinch this one.

Liverpool vs Chelsea

Liverpool sees this as a good chance to inflict a blow on Chelsea’s title challenge and proclaim their own as they face an injury-hit squad that looks suspect in defense, especially when Liverpool have the likes of Torres and Gerrard pushing forward. Terry’s possible inclusion will be a much welcomed sight. As much as I see Liverpool scoring, I also foresee that the Liverpool defense will not be able to handle Didier Drogba and he will cause a lot of problems for them.

Both teams have recent history against one another, and Benitez and Mourinho are not exactly the best of pals. I expect this to be a hot-blooded affair as a victory for either team will be a big step towards claiming the title. The one-on-one match ups of the night that will be interesting for the fans are – Lampard-Gerrard, Carvalho-Torres, Drogba-Agger pairings. Glen Johnson will have to contain an explosive Riise too if Chelsea were to get anything out of this game and the same goes for the Liverpool defense in handling the threat that Malouda poses.

Score Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea

Final Notes: I feel both teams will score, and the match will likely end up a draw. But I could not help but hope for a Liverpool victory to make the race for the title that little bit more interesting.

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Three big games in three time slots that overlap, how stupid. Oh well, we make the best of what we can and maybe what we can do is watch the game that interests us the most. So much for the promise of better quality for increased rates. Anyway, have a good night catching the games, and a good working week ahead. Melvin, out...

BPL Game Week 3 Preview: Part I

While everyone’s attention will be on the big clash between Liverpool and Chelsea on Sunday, I have decided to focus on solely one match that would be of almost equivalent significance but has been overshadowed by the Red vs Blue encounter – Newcastle vs Aston Villa. Both are decent teams with good managers who should both be aiming for Europe this season, and both deserve decent media coverage, as much as that big encounter.

Newcastle vs Aston Villa

Newcastle

The Magpies may be missing quite a few first team players like Duff, Barton and Babayaro but the figure whose inability to feature tonight could have a major bearing on the result is Shay Given. When the defense finally looks like they have moved on from the Boumsong-Bramble days, they will be without their steady custodian. Steve Harper may be a reasonable talent, but the variety that the Villa attack has means he would have to handle shots from all over the pitch, crosses and headers. How he performs tonight would determine how many Villa can score.

Sam Alladyce has developed a unique footballing philosophy that brought success to Bolton and here at Newcastle, he has managed to assemble a team that could outshine his achievements at the Reebok. Compact, disciplined, hard and patient while defending and when they get the ball, they have several options. They could throw the ball out wide to N’Zogbia or Milner to attack down the flanks or drop balls behind the full-backs for them to chase, go route one towards Viduka who could play off to Martins, hold the ball up or barge forward on his own, or they could build up from the middle and look to play the ball into space for Martins to pounce on. This is the variety of options up front that makes Newcastle so dangerous and when combined with Big Sam’s belief in making full use of their set-pieces, it will arguably be a complete strategy.

He brought fans expectations to a new high, which has never been higher since they purchased Alan Shearer and the excellent start to the season certainly brings much promise. Mark my words: Newcastle is one of the few teams in the league that will be able to have a hand on how the title race is decided as they are capable of springing surprises on every single one of the Big 5.

Newcastle Probable 11: Harper, Geremi, Taylor, Rozehnal, Carr, N’Zogbia, Milner, Butt, Smith, Viduka, Martins

Strengths: Variety of options up-front, disciplined, excellent manager

Weakness: No Shay Given

Aston Villa

This could be billed as the Battle of the Gaffers as both teams seems equally matched on paper and it could go down to the managers to separate the two teams. Villa has an arguably better first team who moves forward quite similarly to Newcastle. The difference is that Newcastle has two holding midfield players, one of which is allowed to join in the attack, and plays two forwards, while Villa has only one holding midfielder and plays one forward.

Agbonlahor looked ordinary in Villa’s opening game and it was Ashley Young who came up with an inspired second-half performance to be a nuisance against Liverpool. John Carew should have a better outing this time round as I foresee Geremi and Taylor having problems handling his strength and presence. The weak-link in Villa when facing Newcastle could be Wilfred Bouma and O’Neil will be hoping his experience will be able to make up for his lack of pace against Milner.

Scott Carson should come in and start in goal after completing his loan move to replace the injured Sorensen, and would relish the chance to impress McClaren and make a claim for a spot in England’s European challenge. Another player that I expect to make an impact tonight for Villa is Petrov but contending with the two holding midfielders that Newcastle deploys could pose a problem. The key to victory in this game for Villa is how Carew conducts himself, and how much his teammates are able to get him involved tonight.

Aston Villa Probable 11: Carson, Mellberg, Laursen, Bouma, Gardner, Barry, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Young, Agbonlahor, Carew

Strengths: Creativity in the middle, John Carew’s presence, excellent man-manager

Weaknesses: Depth in squad, pace on the wide of defense

Score Prediction: Newcastle 2-2 Aston Villa

Final Notes: I actually fancy Big Sam getting a result on his home debut, but his defense showed they were shaky handling the likes of Davis in the first game against Bolton and now they face an even stronger opponent in the form of John Carew. Villa should grind out a result after their disappointment against Liverpool last week. Goals should be scored by both teams and I expect an exciting match.

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Ok I was just kidding when I said I would overlook the massive match between Liverpool and Chelsea, as well as a certain Manchester derby. They will be previewed tomorrow. Till then, enjoy the action tonight. Melvin, out...

BPL Game Week 2 Review

If this is going to be the how the league is played out over the rest of the season, it is going to be keenly contested on all fronts. Once again, let’s look at the few talking points, team, player and goal of the game week.

Talking Point 1: Slow off the Blocks

­Spurs and Manchester United start off their first two games of the season on uneasy footing as both struggled to find wins, with Spurs even losing to an unfancied Sunderland side. Tottenham possess a team that is always changing every season, and arguably every game. The thing that I find weird is, they are a big club in this league and how big clubs should operate is to play their best formation and tactics and let the opposition alter themselves tactically; but in the case of Martin Jol, he changes his formation and tactics irregardless of the team he faces, giving little chance of allowing his best 11 have game-time together and grow as a team, prolonging that process. Although his approach seems logically sound, it has this precise disadvantage, making Spurs a slow starter as a result. Tactical tweaks are welcomed but drastic changes should be given time to work on the training ground before being applied on an ad-hoc basis.

As for Manchester United, I believe their problem is their lack of variety of options up-front as well as the massive void left by Roy Keane without anyone to fill that leadership role. They have an excellent team on paper, but if their first two games were any indicator, teams are beginning to sit deep and neutralize the pace of the Red Devils. This would not be a problem if they had someone different to mix it up up-front, an example I can think of is what Niclas Bendtner did for Arsenal when they played Villa. Looking at the people who have taken on the captain’s armband since Keano’s departure, the best of the worst were Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand. The former is not exactly first-team quality while the other seems to have distractions outside of the pitch making Sir Alex reluctant to make it permanent. Wayne Rooney has the fire but lacks the experience and mental stability to take on such a task. Sometimes you need that leader-figure on the pitch to rally the team forward and United does not have anyone capable of doing that. They will come through as a formidable team sooner or later, but if they want success on all fronts this season, they will need to sort these problems out.

Talking Point 2: Fan-Tevez-Tic

United once again failed to find the net more times than they invariably would concede and did not win the game, but one consolation is Tevez’s performance that night. Seeing what I saw, he is definitely a better option than Wayne Rooney. He has better ball skills, more awareness and is able to get his teammates involved, while Rooney on the other hand has a habit of barging forward solo and losing the ball after poor touches or being crowded out by defenders. Mind you, Tevez was not even fully fit and with a performance like that makes it even more obvious that he should be penned on that team sheet before Rooney. Sir Alex however has named Rooney in his list of the top five players he ever managed in United and would definitely beg to differ.

Talking Point 3: Sammy-Southgate Trouble

4 games without a win, Sammy is in trouble. It ain’t that bad if you look at it, but the success and expectations his predecessor achieved and left behind leaves him a high benchmark. If he doesn’t bring back results in the next couple of months, he could very well be the first manager to be relieved of his services.

As mentioned in my BPL Preview, Gareth Southgate has to improve if Middlesbrough were to have a decent season and from the looks of it, he doesn’t seem to be cut out for management at such high level yet. Although Mido’s purchase could go a long way in securing his job, he seems to be the competing with Sammy for the uncoveted title of First Manager Sacked. My humble opinion is that Southgate will pip Sammy for the title.

Team of the Week

Everton and Arteta put in an amazing performance to pounce on Spurs’ fragilities and bring back 3 precious points away at White Hart Lane. Moyes has started off well, but it is early days yet with teams still tinkering and getting the formula right. I wouldn’t be surprised if Everton falters as the season progresses, but their performance this week nonetheless wins my Team of the Week.

Player of the Week

It was a close fight between Arteta and Drogba but I figured I would mention Arteta above leave this space for the best forward in the league. Having a hand in Chelsea’s equalizer and scoring the match winner, he starts off this season the same way as he ended the last, to a scoring and winning encounter. He will once again be Chelsea’s best forward and with the likes of Pizarro, and a much to prove Shevchenko in the wings, Chelsea will be deadly this season.

Goal of the Week

Well this time it was between Sunderland’s Michael Chopra’s astounding and important volley against Birmingham, and young Michael Johnson’s sublime finish with the outside of his right boot to maintain Manchester City 100% start to the season. It’s really hard to decide and maybe you should make up your own mind about this one. Both goals are absolutely brilliant and it would be a shame if either were left out from this accolade.

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The next preview for this weekend's games will hopefully be in by Saturday afternoon. Till then have a wonderful remainder of the working week. Melvin out...

BPL Game Week 2

Midweek action this week as we see 14 teams face off against one another in early season fixture congestion. This time we take a look at last season’s top 2, both playing a tricky away game.

Portsmouth vs Manchester United

Team Update

In their previous encounter against Reading, United had a massive share of possession but could not turn them into goals. Reading sat back defending deep, leaving little room for United to play their counter-attacking style of play, where players will push the ball forward into space and run at defenders. They were obviously not accustomed to passing the ball around and looking for openings patiently, something a team like Barcelona would be adapted to. This was further compounded with their lack of a target man which could act as an extra option to play the ball to if there were limited opportunities to run at defenders. Ah yes, Rooney is injured again meaning Tevez will be drafted into the action earlier than Sir Alex would like.

This time round, it would unlikely that Portsmouth will be adopting Reading’s style of play as they would feel they could snatch something away from this game, rather than settle for a draw, since Fratton Park has always been a fortress. Once again it has to be said that the trio of David James, Sol Campbell and Sylvain Distin will be a very tough nut to crack, was quite surprised that they conceded 2 goals against Derby which could be one-off, or could spell underlying possible fractures. Yet, Portsmouth are capable of scoring as seen in pre-season and in their first game against Derby. With talent like Nugent, Utaka and Benjani leading the forward line, the mercurial Lua Lua will be missed, but not much. The weak link lies in their wide positions in defense, where Lauren and Hreidarsson are prone to lapses in concentration, as well as a lack of pace to keep up with United’s speed. If Portsmouth deploys the same tactic as Reading of having the defense and midfield sitting deep whenever they do not have possession, it may again cause some problems for United.

Portsmouth Probable 11: David James, Sol Campbell, Sylvain Distin, Lauren, Hermann Hreidarsson, Pedro Mendes, Sean Davis, Sulley Muntari, John Utaka, David Nugent, Benjani Mwaruwari

Manchester United Probable 11: Edwin van Der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Mikael Silvestre, Wes Brown, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Partrice Evra, Cristiano Ronaldo, John O’Shea, Carlos Tevez

Head-2-Head

English Premier Portsmouth 2-1 Man United 07-04-2007

English FA Cup Man United 2-1 Portsmouth 27-01-2007

English Premier Man United 3-0 Portsmouth 04-11-2006

English Premier Portsmouth 1-3 Man United 11-02-2006

English Premier Man United 3-0 Portsmouth 03-12-2005

Score Prediction: Portsmouth 1-3 Manchester United

Final Notes: I expect United to sort themselves out and put in a strong performance. Portsmouth is worth as least a goal in this game because of their respectable strike-force and United’s defensive frailties. The question here is can United score more than they concede, and how much can Tevez contribute on his debut. United will be looking to avenge the coresponding fixture last seasonwhen they lost 2-1. I anticipate this game like a giggling girly.

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Reading vs Chelsea

Team Update

Terry’s presence in defense is sorely missed, as demonstrated by the two goals Chelsea conceded against Birmingham. Even this would not stop Chelsea from keeping a clean sheet in this game. Moreover they possess a variety of quality going forward, scoring 3 different kinds of goals against Steve Bruce’s side and threatening in every tactical form of attack that football possesses – speed and trickery wide which sends crosses in, driving midfield middle that are good from range, a goal poacher and a strong target man who can hold up the ball well and involve his teammates with intelligent play. It has to be noted that this was all done against a team that did not look comfortable as a defensive unit. I do not expect Chelsea to let up though, and they should put in another sterling offensive display to clinch a result. If Chelsea manages to have a 2 goal cushion before the 60^th minute, I expect to see Sidwell, Drogba and Joe Cole coming on as substitutes for match fitness.

It is precisely the variety in attacking options that they have that would pose as a tactical dilemma to Steve Coppell. Certainly his sit-back-and-defend tactics would not hold out against a quality side like Chelsea. Reading lacks the quality going forward and attempt to match Chelsea goal for goal to try to get a result. As a result, I believe Reading will not be able to get even a point from this fixture and their best option is actually to do some damage limitation. One thing that could prove to be useful is to employ a rough-and-tough approach to the game and try to throw Chelsea’s players off-focus by riling them up. Essien, Lampard, Mikel, Ashley Cole, Ben-Haim, Carvalho all are susceptible to such treatment and could react.

Reading Probable 11: Marcus Hahnemann, Ulises De la Cruz, Michael Duberry, Ivar Ingimarsson, Graeme Murty, Nicky Shorey, Brynjar Gunnarsson, James Harper, Stephen Hunt, Seol Ki-Hyeon, Kevin Doyle

Chelsea Probable 11: Petr Cech, Tal Ben-Haim, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson, Frank Lampard, Jon Obi Mikel, Sean Wright-Phillips, Florient Malouda, Salomon Kalou, Claudio Pizarro

Head-2-Head

English Premier Chelsea 2-2 Reading 26-12-2006

English Premier Reading 0-1 Chelsea 14-10-2006

English League Cup Reading 0-1 Chelsea 03-12-2003

English League Cup Chelsea 3-2 Reading 07-10-1987

English League Cup Reading 3-1 Chelsea 23-09-1987

Score Prediction: Reading 0-3 Chelsea

Final Notes: Reading will find tactical problems in handling this offensively excellent Chelsea side and the result is inevitable. How big the margin will be will depend on how many minutes Mourinho tells his side to go full steam.

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Tonight we will see Spurs hoping to put the shock defeat by Sunderland behind them as they face an Everton side fresh from a moral-boosting win over the weekend. The other matches on Thursday early morning include Steve Bruce’s Birmingham attempting to set the record straight against a buoyant Sunderland and show them who was last season’s champions, Fulham and Bolton face each other fresh from agonizing defeats, another wound-licking fest is Wigan at home to Middlesbrough, and Man City will try to make it two wins on the trot against a Derby side that performed beyond expectations last weekend, and trust me their first game was just a one off as I expect City to boss them around.

Here’s a good mid-week to all and I’ll catch you over the weekend.

BPL Game Week 1 Review

What an amazing opening week for the BPL. In my weekly post-mortem, I will once again devote 3-4 themes/incidents of the particular game week that would be called Talking Points. This will be accompanied by a player, team and goal of the week. Well, here goes…

Talking Point 1: Debut Goals

12 out of the 28 goals scored this weekend were goals that came from players who made their league debuts. This could only mean that the purchases made during the summer did improve the league’s attacking flair. Although not every goal was a gem, there were certainly a couple of crackers. The most obvious one would be Olivier Kapo’s scorcher against Chelsea. What a goal that was.

Talking Point 2: Goals Galore?

28 Goals in 10 games. Only one 0-0 draw and that came from the team that scored the most goals last season, Manchester United, despite dominating the match with over 70% possession. If this is a marker for how the entire season will pan out, fans will be in for a goal glut as majority of teams seem more willing to move forward, rather than sit back cautiously. Heck, even Birmingham managed to get two against Chelsea. This could be due to the attacking quality that the league purchased and with the likes of Bojinov, Tevez and Eduardo da Silva yet to feature, there can only be more.

Talking Point 3: No Pushovers

The promoted teams showed they were no pushovers with Sunderland even managing a last minute winner against a weary Tottenham side that is supposed to be challenging for a Champions League place this season. Sunderland looked disciplined and patient without the ball but were admittedly lacking up-front even though they managed a win. Although Birmingham were dominated by Chelsea, they still managed two goals, one of which was down to individual brilliance; imagine if they started playing like a team. Their defense though, looks extremely disorganized and panicky. Derby may lack in quality, but they sure make up for it with spirit, as exemplified by manager Billy Davies. Coming back from a goal down, they clinched a good result with a draw with a Portsmouth side that looked impressive in pre-season.

Talking Point 4: Big 5 Appraisal

Chelsea: Excellent display. Malouda, Pizzaro, Essien and Wright-Phillips had good games and there’s still Alves on the way, Shevchenko, Drogba, Terry unfit. Defense will be more stingy when the full team is fit and back in action. Looks on course for another successful season barring any surprises.

Manchester United: Showed that when opponents sit back and let them attack, they lack ideas. Too reliant on their counter-attacking style of play. Desperately needs fresh options up-front and the injury to Rooney will push the likes of Tevez and Anderson into the fray earlier than planned. Would do much better as the season progresses and the team gets into gear together.

Liverpool: Steven Gerrard is once again their main player and he was involved in every move. New signings Torres and Babel look menacing with their pace, intelligence and skill. Overall, they did not perform as well as the score would suggest as Villa made a good account of themselves in the 2^nd half, but managed to grind out a result. Can only improve from here.

Arsenal: Excellent movement off the ball and work-ethic. Jens Lehmann still proves to be a liability, and the lack of a leading figure up-front meant an attack that lacked direction and finishing. Eduardo could solve that problem, but it is too early to predict. Should have done better against a side like Fulham, but a win is a win.

Tottenham Hotspur: Needs a lot of work on the training ground if they are serious about breaking into the big four. Darren Bent looks like an absolute waste of money, Even Rose Wallace looked more promising than him. Needs King presence in defense badly as Anthony Gardner is not up to the mark. Expect them to come out blazing in their next match.

Team of the Week:

Sunderland. What a way to start off the season. Holding their own against a club that was supposed to have a stroll in the park against them; even managing to snatch a last gasp winner. Credit to Roy Keane for instilling patience, discipline and spirit in a side that lacks quality on paper. If they keep playing the way they did for the rest of the season, he will have more to smile and clap about.

Player of the Week:

It was a close fight between Steven Gerrard and Paul McShane, but the result that Sunderland got and the role he played in that victory left me no choice but to name McShane. Disciplined and strong, he played his role out to perfection as Berbatov was left evidently frustrated. Could be a one off performance from him, but let’s hope he proves us wrong. Smile son, you are on camera!

Goal of the Week:

As a consolation, Stevie G’s extraordinary free-kick that won the game for Liverpool late against Villa comes in as goal of the week.

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It will be a hectic week for me as there are mid-week games as well as games on the coming weekend. Will try to keep up with the action, and pen my thoughts. Till then...

BPL Game Week 1

Here we are boys and girls, the time of the year is finally here. Weekends will no longer be uneventful as the new season heralds its arrival. For every game week, this space will preview (a maximum of) 3-4 games that I would call “Games of the Week”. The preview will include team news and updates, head-to-heads, possible lineups and score predictions.

To start off the season, we will ponder the fortunes of 6 teams, all of whom would be looking for a good start to European dreams, or survive the relegation nightmare.

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Sunderland vs Tottenham Hotspur

Team Updates:

Keano has made numerous purchases this pre-season but what he has in numbers, he lacks in quality. His best buy would probably be Kieran Richardson whose experience with WBA’s relegation battle a couple of seasons back would prove very useful indeed. Breaking the bank to purchase a goalkeeper, especially when the real need is quality in defense and up-front, leaves many perplexed. Being able to land Mido would be a major coup but one concern will be the relationship that would develop between the two of them. If he manages to rub off his winning mentality and no-nonsense style to the team, Sunderland may very well survive the drop.

Many have come out and predicted that this is the season where Spurs chances of a 4^th place finish is at it brightest. Having a good mix of experience and youthful exuberance, I would have to agree. How Jol manages his team and keeping the talent in the team happy with his squad rotation will be vital to the club’s success this season. A real exciting force going forward, scoring goals will not be a problem. If Younes Kaboul forms a stiff partnership with King and justifies his billing; while Kevin-Prince goes royalty on opponents, there is no reason why Tottenham won’t do well this season. A good result in their first game will be an excellent morale booster for a club with a mission this season.

Sunderland Probable Line-up: Craig Gordon, Greg Halford, Paul McShane, Nyron Nosworthy, Ross Wallace, Liam Miller, Dean Whitehead, Kieran Richardson, Dickson Etuhu, Daryl Murphy, Michael Chopra

Tottenham Probable Line-up: Paul Robinson, Pascal Chimbonda, Rocha, Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul, Didier Zokora, Jermaine Jenas, Tom Huddlestone, Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane, Darren Bent

Head-2-Head

English Premier Sunderland 1-1 Tottenham 12-02-2006

English Premier Tottenham 3-2 Sunderland 03-12-2005

English Premier Tottenham 4-1 Sunderland 08-02-2003

English Premier Sunderland 2-0 Tottenham 10-11-2002

English Premier Tottenham 2-1 Sunderland 02-03-2002

Score Prediction: Sunderland 0-1 Tottenham

Final Notes: I believe Spurs will dominate the game but will be only able to put one away as the gears are not fully oiled. Sunderland will be physical and make it very tough for Spurs. It will be interesting to see if Sunderland can shut out the lethal Spurs strike-force and hold on for a draw.

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West Ham vs Manchester City

Team Updates

Sven is looking to add even more players as his pre-season transfer frenzy will only seem to only end when Thaksin’s wallet is empty. Mark Bresciano almost became his 9^th signing but last minute disagreement between the clubs meant a collapse in the deal. Well I can tell you that guessing the first eleven for City is like throwing a dagger blindfolded. Sven is well-known for his tinkering style of management and you will never know what he has under his sleeve. The players he has at his disposal are a real exciting bunch, with Bianchi, Bojinov and Gelson topping the list. The impressive players on paper will take time to be a team and a draw here will be a good result for the Sky Blues.

Curbishley ain’t no dead-fish in the transfer window as well, adding 5 signings this season to his couple of others last season; Craig Bellamy, Freddie Lujngberg and Julien Faubert ranking in as his stellar purchases. His first eleven will however be slightly more predictable, especially in defense and midfield where squad rotation will only be done when tactically necessary. They look very dangerous going forward which will be vital as their defense looks untested, this we can wait and see.

West Ham Probable Lineup: Robert Green, Lucas Neil, Matthew Upson, Anton Ferdinand, George McCartney, Freddie Ljungberg, Luis Boa Morte, Scott Parker/Lee Bowyer, Matthew Etherington, Craig Bellamy, Dean Ashton/ Bobby Zamora

Manchester City Probable Lineup: Andreas Isaksson, Micah Richards, Nedum Onuoha, David Dunne, Javier Garrido, Geovanni Deiderson Mauricio Gomez, Gelson Fernandes, Martin Petrov, Elano Blumer, Rolando Bianchi, Valeri Bojinov

Head-2-Head

English Premier West Ham United 0-1 Manchester City 30-12-2006

English Premier Manchester City 2-0 West Ham United 23-09-2006

English Premier West Ham United 1-0 Manchester City 15-04-2006

English FA Cup Manchester City 1-2 West Ham United 20-03-2006

English Premier Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United 16-10-2005

Score Prediction: West Ham 3-2 Manchester City

Final Notes: Will be a close affair with lots of goals as both defenses are unproven and relatively new playing together. I see the Hammers edging in front because of home ground advantage.

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Aston Villa vs Liverpool

Team Updates

Martin O’Neil is still looking for a couple more signings to add to his worryingly thin squad, especially in defense. He possesses quality that would need to stay fit throughout a grueling season in order to launch a serious League or Cup run. I suspect he is looking at reaching Europe through a Cup backdoor. An excellent man-manager and motivator, he has lots of work to do if his squad remains the same. His strongest asset is the solid midfield pairing of Stiliyan Petrov and Nigel Reo-Coker. The youthful Ashley Young, Luke Moore and Gabriel Agbonlahor all look good in pre-season and I expect them to spearhead the Villa offense, playing off John Carew or Marlon Harewood.

The perennial League underachievers the past decade, Benitez has no excuses this season. His heftily assembled squad smacks of quality all round and it is about time they make a real challenge on the League title. The array of talent in the squad this season is arguably as good as what Manchester United and Chelsea has. He can mix and match his options going forward as per tactically required and I believe that the defense will be as stingy as ever, if Pepe Reina keeps his antics locked away. Many see Torres as the answer but I beg to differ, as I believe it will once again be Steven Gerrard pushing the team forward while everyone else plays their bit part role. A good result in this first game is absolutely vital.

Aston Villa Probable Line-up: Stuart Taylor, Wilfred Bouma, Olof Mellberg, Gareth Barry, Gary Cahill, Stiliyan Petrov, Nigel Reo-Coker, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, John Carew, Patrick Berger/Luke Moore

Liverpool Probable Line-up: Pepe Reina, Steve Finnan, John Arne Riise, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres, Jermaine Pennant, Ryan Babel, Dirk Kuyt

Head-2-Head

English Premier Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool 18-03-2007

English Premier Liverpool 3-1 Aston Villa 28-10-2006

English Premier Liverpool 3-1 Aston Villa 29-04-2006

English Premier Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool 05-11-2005

English Premier Liverpool 2-1 Aston Villa 15-05-2005

Score Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Final Notes: Villa’s quality going forward should be able to come up with one goal, especially when their pace gets behinds the defense. Liverpool should come through and stamp their intentions for the season Will Torres score on his debut? Will Reina perform another memorable clowning performance? The more questions we have, the more eagerly anticipated the match is.

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The other matches for this game week will see Sam Alladyce kicking off his time at Tyneside at the club he left for Newcastle last season, Bolton. Derby will start their fight for survival against a Portsmouth side looking to display their European credentials. Everton and Wigan will try to show the other directions to relegation. Blackburn will hope to build from last season’s achievements as they visit Middlesbrough. The Young Guns will start their campaign at home to relegation hopefuls Fulham. Chelsea’s injury-ridden squad faces a Birmingham side raring to make an impression this season. And champions Manchester United will look to show Steve Coppell that he has to read up a little more if he were to guide Reading to safety.

BPL (Week 0) - Community Shield Preview

After months the wait is finally over, the Barclays Premier League is about to have its curtain raiser tonight - The FA Community Shield. Some may call it the cursed Shield as the winners very seldom go on to win the League. Here is a short presentation on my feelings and thoughts on the proceedings tonight. Both teams are barely done with their pre-season preparations and would probably view tonight's match as another warm up.

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CHELSEA

The list of injuries may have shorten somewhat but several notable players like Ballack will not see any action tonight. What is interesting is whether Mourinho will play a 4-4-2 formation or a 4-3-3. With the former we will probably get to see Shevchenko starting at the expense of Mikel, and the latter he will probably come on as a substitute along with Robben and possibly Pizarro, Ben-Haim or Sidwell. Players to watch for tonight will indefinitely be Didier Drogba and Florian Malouda. Boasting a sound defense and forward-line spearheaded by the Ivorian, Chelsea will look to inflict a psychological blow on the Red Devils.

Probable Lineup:

Cech, Terry, Carvalho, Ferreira, A. Cole, Lampard, Mikel, Makelele, Malouda, J. Cole, Drogba

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MANCHESTER UNITED

The mood of pre-season will seem even more obvious in the Red camp as they will probably not field their best 11 since many are injured or lack match-fitness. The real test comes in defense in trying to handle the likes of Drogba, Malouda and Joe Cole. Always looking excellent going forward, I will expect United to field a 4-5-1 formation that plays on the swift counter. Rooney and Ronaldo will take turns being the lone man up-front while the latter will probably be handed the free-role that he played with such devastation last season. Substitutes that I would expect to see play a part in the proceedings include O’Shea and Nani.

Probable Lineup:

Van der Sar, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Brown, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Rooney

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The competitive spirit in both teams will overshadow the pre-season atmosphere, but don't expect either team to push themselves too much. Chelsea could possibly edge Manchester by the odd goal, and I see both teams scoring at least one. For the sake of the neutrals, I hope this will not turn out to be a bore-fest.

BPL Pre-Season Preview (5)

1. Chelsea
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2. Manchester United
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal
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5. Tottenham
6. Newcastle
7. West Ham
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8. Manchester City
9. Blackburn
10. Aston Villa
11. Bolton
12. Portsmouth
13. Birmingham
14. Middlesbrough
15. Everton
16. Sunderland
17. Reading
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18. Fulham
19. Wigan
20. Derby

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Here is my prediction on how the table will look like at the end of the season, give and take a couple of places. Relegation places will probably be keenly contested from 15th to 19th place. Europe should be a close race from 10th to 6th place. The coveted 4th Champions League slot will also be an area of interest. 3rd place is more or less certain but could come close to 2nd place. Barring any distractions or unforseen circumstances, 1st place should be wrapped up by Chelsea with 2-3 games to go.

Coming up tomorrow, a preview on the season's curtain raiser - the Community Shield.

BPL Pre-Season Preview (4)

Tottenham Hotspur

Player Watch:

1. Dimitar Berbatov: Forward

- Kinda expected isn’t it? Scoring 23 goals in 49 games for Spurs last season, he was more or less the only fixture upfront as Defoe and Keane were rotated. Tall and lanky, he possesses brilliant skill and balance for someone of his physique. Could move on to a bigger club next season if Spurs underachieve this season.

2. Younes Kaboul: Defender

- Bought at £7million, the French U-21 skipper has to justify his price and billing. Much needed purchase to add depth in a position that has only two other decent players in Ledley King and Michael Dawson. Could dislodge Dawson from the first team if he shows more pace and composure than him.

3. Robbie Keane: Forward

- He is not a fixture in the first-team but delivers every time he plays. Highly intelligent, mobile and often comes up with brilliant goals and assists. Possesses decent leadership qualities as well and is capable of driving the team forward through both words and actions. I personally rate him very highly.

Lacks: Creative midfielder

Strengths: Speed on the wide, intelligence while going forward.

Prediction: Will make it a very close race for 3^rd/4^th place.

Reasons: Excellent first team that only lacks creativity from the middle of the park, Didier Zokora (or recent acquisition Boateng) has to step up and be counted. Squad rotation system employed by Jol may not be worth while but he has to keep the whole stable of players happy.

Chicken Soup for the Team: Needs consistency on the road

Parting Shot: Has a real exciting bunch of young players, but the lack of experience and leadership could pose a problem. To dare, however, is to do.

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Arsenal

Player Watch:

1. Robin van Persie: Forward

- The man to lead the frontline for Arsenal next season. Could be too heavy a responsibility but he will relish it. A Thierry Henry without the charisma and leadership. Lacks the presence to operate alone but Adebayor could help out there. Needs to stay fit for Arsenal to make a serious challenge for Champions League

2. Cesc Fabregas: Midfielder

- He is only 20 but will already be making his 4^th season appearance for the Gunners, simply amazing. Plays like a seasoned veteran, could be the man to lead the team to greater heights if Arsenal manages to keep him and Arsene Wenger. Not much can be said, just watch him play and you will know what I mean.

3. Eduardo da Silva: Forward

- The Official Henry Replacement Guy. Has massive boots to fill, and his diminutive size could deceive. A goal scoring machine at club and international level, his goals will be much needed if Arsenal were to compete for the top places. The physicality of the English game should not be a problem.

Lacks: Experience, leading figure upfront

Strengths: Speed and off-the-ball movement

Prediction: Will make it a very close race for 3^rd/4^th place.

Reasons: Youthful team may not be able to concentrate throughout games or for entire season, Jens Lehmann’s temperament and inconsistency, lack of leading figure up front

Chicken Soup for the Team: Experience is sorely needed, especially up front. Cesc may have something to say about that though…This is a team for the future, but could spring some surprises now.

Parting Shot: Has to look for a new first team goalkeeper soon. The challenge for the club is to retain the services of Fabregas and Wenger.

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Liverpool

Player Watch:

1. Steven Gerrard: Midfielder

- Ever tireless and dangerous going forward, he is obviously Liverpool’s key man next season. He needs to stay fit if Liverpool were to challenge the top 2 places. Excellent at what he does, he is a lad with very very few shortcomings. Will be interesting to see where he fits in Benitez’s new game plan.

2. Andriy Voronin: Forward

- He has made an impression in pre-season with solid performances, but is yet to be proven. Has upstaged big name and big money signings Babel and Torres, grabbing the headlines, and he was acquired free. There will be stiff competition for first team places next season, but each has their own strengths and would be tactically employed accordingly.

3. Xabi Alonso: Midfielder

- This midfield maestro pulls the strings for the team. Suspect on the tackle but can devastate opposition defenses with his pinpoint visionary passes. Quite an obvious favourite of Benitez.

Lacks: Depth in defense, needs another winger to service the likes of Torres and Crouch. A team/manager that is required for Premier League success.

Strengths: World-class backbone.

Prediction: 3^rd/4^th place is more or less secure. Can they challenge the top 2? Unlikely…

Reasons: Reina’s inconsistency, lack of defensive cover in times of injury

Chicken Soup for the Team: Another centre-defender will come in very handy. If Torres lives up to his big name, the gap between 1^st and 3^rd may not be that far after all.

Parting Shot: I rate Momo Sissoko quite highly and if he were applied more often in matches, could make a difference. The question is where do you put the rest of the stunning midfield players? If Rafa Benitez has improved on his tactics employed in the Premier League, or decides to be more focused on the domestic front, things may be different.

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Chelsea

Player Watch:

1. John Terry: Defender

- Superb balance for someone as big and tall as he is, excellent in the air. Reads the game extremely well, which makes up for his lack of acceleration (I believe Alex has been brought in precisely for this shortcoming in the Chelsea defense). He however has a hard time dealing with quick players. His leadership is one of the cornerstones of success for Chelsea.

2. Didier Drogba: Forward

- I rate him as the best out-and-out forward in the league. Strong, good in the air, skilful and fast, you can’t get any better than that. He adds an intelligent element into his game by riling up/throwing opponents off their game; however his antics can sometimes get overboard and ends up getting himself into trouble. World-class player that is very well employed by Mourinho.

3. Petr Cech: Goalkeeper

- Another one in the top 5 goalkeepers’ league. His absence last season was one of the reasons for Chelsea’s inconsistency. His massive frame between the posts is as intimidating as you can get. Remaining brave in his challenges despite a horrific injury last season speaks volumes of his professionalism.

Lacks: Ball winners especially when it is Lampard and Ballack in the centre of midfield, cover for full-backs.

Strengths: Excellent defense, experience at the highest level both on and off the pitch.

Prediction: Will push Manchester United to the limit this season and could very well pip them to the title.

Reasons: A strong first eleven coupled with adequate depth in key positions

Chicken Soup for the Team: Cover for wide positions in defense will do the team’s quest for glory on all fronts much good

Parting Shot: Shevchenko has a lot to prove this season and I expect him to do just that.

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Manchester United

Player Watch:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo: Forward

- Speedy, skilful, strong in the air blah blah blah…Has everything you ever need in an attacking player, never mind the fact that he cannot defend for nuts, he has Hargreaves to do the job for him. One interesting potential flashpoint is how he would react if Anderson and Nani put in similarly brilliant performances this season. If he has matured, this will be healthy competition. If he hasn’t, this could be cause for concern.

2. Owen Hargreaves: Midfielder

- I was very reluctant to include him in this list. Big price comes with big responsibility and to fill Keano’s shoes is no easy task. He has a hell of a lot to prove to the world and is someone I consider to be over-rated. I hope he proves me wrong. United’s season could rest on the amount of faith Sir Alex puts in him.

3. Anderson & Nani: Midfielders

- I feel it is apt to place both of them together, as the 2 of them will probably for the focus of comparison throughout the season. Both cost £17million, were U-21 stars and are currently full internationals, quick and skilful and both speak Portuguese. Being able to withstand the physicality of the English game would determine if either would be a success. Their arrival will lift the attacking responsibilities that Rooney and Ronaldo shouldered for last two seasons.

Lacks: Cover in defense and in goal

Strengths: Formidable counter-attacking style, creativity and innovation when going forward

Prediction: It will be much tighter this season and could possibly be edged out by Chelsea at the very end.

Reasons: Questions in defense that were evident last season has not seemed to be solved. Van der Sar’s public announcement that he feels he is not at the top of his game and could retire at the end of the season is worrying.

Chicken Soup for the Team: They will have to score more than they concede especially against the top teams. Are you paying attention Nani, Anderson…Tevez?

Parting Shot: The timing which the Tevez issue is solved is crucial to United’s performance next season. The sooner the better, and if it drags on past the start of the season, he may only be able to establish himself in the team at the later third of the season which may be too late.

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Spurs could make the race for the 2 Champions League spots very exciting and the onus is on Arsenal and Liverpool to keep ahead of them. I still feel Manchester United and Chelsea are way ahead of Arsenal and Tottenham, but if Liverpool places more priority on domestic success this season, thing could get really interesting at the top. My heart tells me Manchester United, but my head says Chelsea. To find out what I think the end-of-season table will probably look like, stay tuned for the next and final installment on the Barclays Premier League Preview where I will make my predictions and place myself in the line of fire. Please be gentle, I'm fragile...