PREVIEW
midfielders in Mirko Marin, Eden Hazard and Oscar. All given the brief to supply ammunition to a (potentially?) newly confident Fernando Torres. The Spaniard’s mental fragility would suggest we must wait and see.
On the subject of rebuilding exercises, Andre Villas-Boas brings his immaculate, gravel-voiced English, precise tactics and now-iconic crouching position to the sideline of White Hart Lane. His time at Chelsea will have somewhat stained his dapper reputation but he is still an
Getting this Liverpool side to play the way Rodgers’ previous sides have will be the litmus test, the fact that he seems happy to do with Andy Carroll suggest he has no plans on compromising his ideals, regardless of the club or player involved. It is also a massive example of political backing from John W Henry in Rodgers to say he is happy to offload a player they signed 18 months ago for £35m on Rodgers’ word. Just go back to Rodgers’ refusal to meet for an original interview with the club, citing they
playing direct, attritional football - and it will serve them well. Southampton and Reading may find it more difficult, with less squad players having Premier League experience, but the same was said of Norwich and Swansea last year.
Sitting in the middle of title aspirations and promoted newcomers, it will be interesting to see if Paul Lambert can lift a sorry-looking Villa side who came mighty close to disaster last season. His record for getting big performances from unfancied teams is perhaps exactly
excellent manager and could prove to be quite a shrewd appointment.
Having not trained for five years, Ledley King will no longer play games either. To be honest, it is astonishing he managed to play so well in competitive fixtures while going without adequate training, or any training at all for that matter. King has been replaced with Jan Vertonghen, a highly rated Belgian centre-back signed from Ajax who Villas- Boas will be hoping forms a solid part- nership with fit again Michael Dawson.
Spurs will offer the same threat as last season, although they are seriously lacking in terms of strikers to once again feed off the pace and supply of Bale, Lennon, Van der Vaart, Walker et al
And so to the last of the group. “Long live King Brendan!” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it but one cannot deny Rodgers was one of the most highly rated and respected young managers around. This is by far and away the biggest club the Northern Irishman has managed and much will depend on how he deals with the huge increase in pressure, but from the outside it seems that very little rattles Rodgers.
knew full well his capabilities when they saw his Swansea side defeat them on the last day of the season, as proof of the Nothern Irishman’s confidence. The jury is probably out but I’ve got a feeling that Rodgers and Liverpool could end up being quite a good fit.
For the rest of the division, newly promoted West Ham, Southampton and Reading will all take heart from the way in which Newcastle, Swansea and Norwich, and further back Stoke, have all in recent years proved being new to the top flight doesn’t necessarily mean fighting for relegation scraps thrown down by the moneyed clubs from their platinum-encrusted pedestals. Under Sam Allardyce, West Ham will do what Sam Allardyce does and battle hard -
If we have one
day this season like that of May 13th then that would be enough
what is needed at Villa Park. Not at Villa Park, and still at the DW, is Roberto Martinez, and without the usual loss of his top players there is a chance his side could perform over a season, rather than the end, in which they played some really good stuff.
QPR will outspend those around them, while Fulham and Everton will continue to do their business on a shoestring. Newcastle will continue to develop, they have already added more French fancies, and if Yohan Cabaye and Papiss Cisse repeat last season’s performances, there is much to look forward to in the north-east.
If we have one day this season like that of May 13th then that would be enough. It may not be what United fans want to hear but City are the team to beat. The fact that they have got over that hurdle of winning a first Premier League title will lift a huge weight off sky blue shoulders, their home form was exemplary and they will only strengthen. It looks ominous, but just like that day in May, you never know, it’s why you’ll watch it all over again.
www.activinstinct.com 19
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68