All it took was 20 minutes. In 1/3 of an hour Liverpool cemented themselves as one of the Premier League's most explosive offensive juggernauts, while in that same space of time Arsenal's title hopes were put into serious question. 4 goals by Liverpool in the first 20 minutes put the match & possibly Arsenal's title hopes to bed. The 5-1 result was damning enough, but the ruthlessness of the Liverpool attack & the limited fight back or resistance by Arsenal was especially surprising. This result could have a massive effect on how the rest of the season concludes. To sum up the early match this morning, here's The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.
THE GOOD
Almost everything Liverpool did today was brilliant. Attacking Arsenal from the outset, superb service & finishing from set pieces to name just a few. But the part that stood out for me was the fact that Liverpool completely dominated the midfield. The play of Philippe Coutinho & Jordan Henderson disrupted an Arsenal midfield that has been unrivalled for the majority of the season. Henderson & Steven Gerrard masterfully quashed any Arsenal attacks, which were few & far between anyways.
Coutinho, on the other hand, pulled the strings in the midfield, dribbling past Arsenal's midfield & slicing through perfect passes behind the Arsenal back four. The Brazilian created 5 chances on his own in today's match. With more efforts like this Coutinho should be in serious consideration to make the Brazilian World Cup squad.
THE BAD
Despite being Arsenal's signature summer signing & making a dream start for the club, Mesut Ozil has been barely noticeable in the last month or so. It is undeniable that Ozil is one of the most talented players in the Premier League, but the physical nature of the Premier League may be taking its toll on the young German. In today's match Ozil looked unmotivated, lazy & was a root cause of one of the goals given up by the Gunners in the 1st half. Ozil hung on to the ball for far too long on the left flank & was eventually dispossessed by Jordan Henderson, which led to a Liverpool counter attack & Raheem Sterling goal only moments later.
With Aaron Ramsey missing due to injury until at least early March & Ozil in dreadful form, the once dominant Arsenal midfield is in serious trouble. Arsene Wenger needs his star signing to live up to his price tag.
THE UGLY
Following Liverpool's best performance in the Premier League this season, it may give Red's supporters added pleasure that a former Everton midfielder was one of the main reasons their team thrashed Arsenal today. Mikel Arteta, a former Toffees stalwart, plays for Arsenal but is turning into the club's weakest link. Arteta is in the squad to track back, provide cover for Arsenal's back four & break up passes in the midfield. He is doing very little of that currently. For the past 2 months or so, the Spaniard has been Arsenal's poorest performer despite the team sitting a top the league. Arteta's lack of pace have him chasing players in the midfield most of the time and not breaking up passes in front of him. Arteta is losing possession, which puts himself & his team mates in a poor position to defend. It looked like Arteta was playing in quick sand today.
With Mathieu Flamini suspended for the Manchester United fixture on Wednesday, Arsenal will need Arteta to occupy the same role in midfield. Poor Arsenal fans are asking when "star signing" Kim Kallstrom will be fit to play. Arsene Wenger's decision to not splash the cash in January could prove costly.
Until next time,
RJ
Saturday Morning Musings
Lewandowski Joins World Champs
The first domino has fallen. Borussia Dortmund's Polish striker Robert Lewandoski has joined German, European & World Champions Bayern Munich on a free transfer. While rumoured for the past year, Lewandowski's move to Munich was confirmed this morning by the Bavarians. The Pole will not join Bayern until the end of the season, but you can expect that this will put pressure on other European heavyweights to act quickly.
With Lewandowski's arrival it seems that Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic will be a surplus to requirements at the Allianz Arena. Apparently Arsenal FC & Juventus are already lining up to sign the 27 year old.
Chelsea FC have been rumoured to be searching for a new star striker, since the triumvirate of Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o & Demba Ba are not quite setting the world alight. Despite Jose Mourinho insisting that the Blues will not dip into the transfer market for a new striker, Lewandowski joining a European rival may force the Blues to look for a goal scorer in January. One that is being linked with Chelsea is Athletico Madrid's hit man Diego Costa, who has scored 19 goals in 18 matches for his club. Arsenal, who are very thin at the striker position, are also rumoured to be interested in Costa as & said to be preparing a major bid.
4 days into the January transfer window and a big move is announced. But this may not be the last one. Get ready for some fireworks.
The first domino has fallen. Borussia Dortmund's Polish striker Robert Lewandoski has joined German, European & World Champions Bayern Munich on a free transfer. While rumoured for the past year, Lewandowski's move to Munich was confirmed this morning by the Bavarians. The Pole will not join Bayern until the end of the season, but you can expect that this will put pressure on other European heavyweights to act quickly.
 |
| Lewandowski: Joining former team mate Gotze in Munich |
With Lewandowski's arrival it seems that Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic will be a surplus to requirements at the Allianz Arena. Apparently Arsenal FC & Juventus are already lining up to sign the 27 year old.
Chelsea FC have been rumoured to be searching for a new star striker, since the triumvirate of Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o & Demba Ba are not quite setting the world alight. Despite Jose Mourinho insisting that the Blues will not dip into the transfer market for a new striker, Lewandowski joining a European rival may force the Blues to look for a goal scorer in January. One that is being linked with Chelsea is Athletico Madrid's hit man Diego Costa, who has scored 19 goals in 18 matches for his club. Arsenal, who are very thin at the striker position, are also rumoured to be interested in Costa as & said to be preparing a major bid.
4 days into the January transfer window and a big move is announced. But this may not be the last one. Get ready for some fireworks.
A Bone-headed Play Costs The Knicks.....Again
The New York Knicks currently sit at the bottom of the Atlantic division & are in the basement of the Eastern Conference with a winning percentage of 31.3%. However if the league standings depended on the number of bad decisions, bone-headed and terribly executed plays attempted by a team, the New York Knicks would be running away with the league.
On Friday night against the Rockets, the Knicks flushed yet another game down the toilet when mere seconds earlier it looked like they would either win or at least take the game to overtime. This time after Tyson Chandler pulled in an offensive rebound with the game tied at 100-100, the ball worked its way to J.R. Smith and the guard propelled a 3-pointer that bounced off the rim. The problem? There were 17 seconds left on the clock & the shot clock had been turned off. Rather than hold for the final shot & possibly beat the Rockets with little or no time left on the clock for James Harden to reply, Smith took the game into his own hands. Wrong move. After the game, Smith stated that he thought the Knicks were down by 2, when the game was actually tied. Yes, he was actually serious.
But the Knicks weren't done there. Following Smith's miss, Beno Udrih immediately fouled Aaron Brooks. Albeit unintentional, Udrih's foul proved costly because the Knicks were already in the penalty which gifted the Brooks 2 free throws.
The Knicks got the ball back, but Iman Shumpert and Beno Udrih missed consecutive shots and just like that the New York Knicks fell to 10-22.
There's no shame in losing to the Houston Rockets. The Rockets are a dynamic team, who are clinical on offensive & solid defensively. But to lose THAT way is atrocious. This is not first time New York has coughed up a game that they should have probably won. Blowing a double digit lead in the 4th quarter against the Celtics on Dec. 13, Mike Woodson not taking a late game time-out to organize offensively against the Wizards on Dec. 17, and now this. Even the good teams get blown out every now and then, but New York's re-occurring late game collapses are baffling. Its clear that the Knicks lack veteran poise, particularly at the point guard position, to settle things down. The skill is there, and Thursday's win over the Spurs proves it. But the Knicks mettle between their ears is failing them.
No player personifies this year's Knicks like J.R. Smith. Throughout his entire career Smith has always been known as a player with a great skill set, but questionable basketball IQ and poise. This year is showing the latter of J.R Smith more than most. Last year's 6th Man of the Year is looking like Knicks weakest link this year.
While Smith and his mistakes have stood out, in the end it is the coach's job to compose the team and ensure that the players are prepared to execute effectively. The poise is supposed to come from the bench, but Mike Woodson has looked less than stellar on more than a few occasions this year as well. Whether it has been a time-out that was not called late in the game, not having the right players on the floor, or benching Pablo Prigioni, Woodson has made his fair share of mistakes along with his players.
While Friday's mistake was not made by Woodson on the floor, but by his players, you would have to think the fledgling New York Knicks will have to make a move at some point to try to resurrect this sinking ship. Pulling the plug on Woody may be the only realistic move they can make. That time may be coming very soon.
On Friday night against the Rockets, the Knicks flushed yet another game down the toilet when mere seconds earlier it looked like they would either win or at least take the game to overtime. This time after Tyson Chandler pulled in an offensive rebound with the game tied at 100-100, the ball worked its way to J.R. Smith and the guard propelled a 3-pointer that bounced off the rim. The problem? There were 17 seconds left on the clock & the shot clock had been turned off. Rather than hold for the final shot & possibly beat the Rockets with little or no time left on the clock for James Harden to reply, Smith took the game into his own hands. Wrong move. After the game, Smith stated that he thought the Knicks were down by 2, when the game was actually tied. Yes, he was actually serious.
But the Knicks weren't done there. Following Smith's miss, Beno Udrih immediately fouled Aaron Brooks. Albeit unintentional, Udrih's foul proved costly because the Knicks were already in the penalty which gifted the Brooks 2 free throws.
The Knicks got the ball back, but Iman Shumpert and Beno Udrih missed consecutive shots and just like that the New York Knicks fell to 10-22.
There's no shame in losing to the Houston Rockets. The Rockets are a dynamic team, who are clinical on offensive & solid defensively. But to lose THAT way is atrocious. This is not first time New York has coughed up a game that they should have probably won. Blowing a double digit lead in the 4th quarter against the Celtics on Dec. 13, Mike Woodson not taking a late game time-out to organize offensively against the Wizards on Dec. 17, and now this. Even the good teams get blown out every now and then, but New York's re-occurring late game collapses are baffling. Its clear that the Knicks lack veteran poise, particularly at the point guard position, to settle things down. The skill is there, and Thursday's win over the Spurs proves it. But the Knicks mettle between their ears is failing them.
No player personifies this year's Knicks like J.R. Smith. Throughout his entire career Smith has always been known as a player with a great skill set, but questionable basketball IQ and poise. This year is showing the latter of J.R Smith more than most. Last year's 6th Man of the Year is looking like Knicks weakest link this year.
While Smith and his mistakes have stood out, in the end it is the coach's job to compose the team and ensure that the players are prepared to execute effectively. The poise is supposed to come from the bench, but Mike Woodson has looked less than stellar on more than a few occasions this year as well. Whether it has been a time-out that was not called late in the game, not having the right players on the floor, or benching Pablo Prigioni, Woodson has made his fair share of mistakes along with his players.
While Friday's mistake was not made by Woodson on the floor, but by his players, you would have to think the fledgling New York Knicks will have to make a move at some point to try to resurrect this sinking ship. Pulling the plug on Woody may be the only realistic move they can make. That time may be coming very soon.
Saturday Morning Musings
MANCITY FLEX THEIR MUSCLE
The early Saturday match between Manchester City & Arsenal was seen by many as the 1st match of the season with REAL title implications. Arsenal, the league's gold standard so far this young season, against Manchester City, probably the most talented team in the Premier League that occasionally suffers from moments of severe inconsistency. A win for Arsenal would increase the Gunner's lead over City to 9 points, while a City win would decrease the lead to just 3 points.
In the end, City continued their torrid home form with a 6-3 win over the league leaders, closing the gap between them and Arsenal. Fernandinho's double and Manuel Pellegrini's team's lethal counter-attack overwhelmed the Arsenal. It is clear: if Manchester City can duplicate their home form on the road, the title will be theirs to lose. Manchester City have brave and smart defending, depth unlike any other team in England, and limitless creativity in attack in their squad.
For Arsenal, the story is not so optimistic at this moment. It's not all doom and gloom for the Gunners as they are still on top of the league. But it is time to worry. Manchester City beat Arsenal because they produced a display that Arsenal weren't able to match. But near the end of the match, you could tell that Arsenal were starting to tire when City was still fresh. Arsenal have a relatively small squad, particularly since they play in the Champions League. Consider that Manchester City rested 8 regular starters during the week when they played European champions Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and STILL won.
As the Premier League schedule heats up in the next 2 weeks, Arsenal will play 4 matches in 9 days against title challengers Chelsea and improving Newcastle. Will the squad hold up until the January transfer window opens? They better hope so, as depth at the striker and winger positions is needed as soon as possible.
THROWBACK
Happy 34th birthday to one most prolific strikers the Premier League has ever seen!
On this day in 1979 star English striker Michael Owen was born. The Chester born striker rose through the ranks at Liverpool FC to become one of the club's most prolific scorers notching 118 goals in 216 appearances for the Reds. 2001-02 was Owen's best year as he scored 28 goals in 43 matches for Liverpool and also picked up the Ballon D'or award as European Footballer of Year.
In 2004 Owen moved to Real Madrid which saw his career stall, followed by a series of injuries. Owen continued on to play for Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, eventually retiring in 2013.
For England, Owen played in 3 World Cups and amassed 40 goals in 89 matches.
Here's a look at Owen in his prime. Clinical!
The early Saturday match between Manchester City & Arsenal was seen by many as the 1st match of the season with REAL title implications. Arsenal, the league's gold standard so far this young season, against Manchester City, probably the most talented team in the Premier League that occasionally suffers from moments of severe inconsistency. A win for Arsenal would increase the Gunner's lead over City to 9 points, while a City win would decrease the lead to just 3 points.
In the end, City continued their torrid home form with a 6-3 win over the league leaders, closing the gap between them and Arsenal. Fernandinho's double and Manuel Pellegrini's team's lethal counter-attack overwhelmed the Arsenal. It is clear: if Manchester City can duplicate their home form on the road, the title will be theirs to lose. Manchester City have brave and smart defending, depth unlike any other team in England, and limitless creativity in attack in their squad.
For Arsenal, the story is not so optimistic at this moment. It's not all doom and gloom for the Gunners as they are still on top of the league. But it is time to worry. Manchester City beat Arsenal because they produced a display that Arsenal weren't able to match. But near the end of the match, you could tell that Arsenal were starting to tire when City was still fresh. Arsenal have a relatively small squad, particularly since they play in the Champions League. Consider that Manchester City rested 8 regular starters during the week when they played European champions Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and STILL won.
As the Premier League schedule heats up in the next 2 weeks, Arsenal will play 4 matches in 9 days against title challengers Chelsea and improving Newcastle. Will the squad hold up until the January transfer window opens? They better hope so, as depth at the striker and winger positions is needed as soon as possible.
THROWBACK
Happy 34th birthday to one most prolific strikers the Premier League has ever seen!
On this day in 1979 star English striker Michael Owen was born. The Chester born striker rose through the ranks at Liverpool FC to become one of the club's most prolific scorers notching 118 goals in 216 appearances for the Reds. 2001-02 was Owen's best year as he scored 28 goals in 43 matches for Liverpool and also picked up the Ballon D'or award as European Footballer of Year.
In 2004 Owen moved to Real Madrid which saw his career stall, followed by a series of injuries. Owen continued on to play for Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, eventually retiring in 2013.
For England, Owen played in 3 World Cups and amassed 40 goals in 89 matches.
Here's a look at Owen in his prime. Clinical!
Trending Downwards: Where do the Knicks Go from Here?
Exactly one year ago today, the New York Knicks defeated Tim Duncan & the San Antonio Spurs to start the 2012-13 campaign with a 6-0 record. Led by the resurgence of Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd & superstar play from Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks took the NBA by storm.
How a year changes things. Jason Kidd is now coaching across the East River, while key bench players like Steve Novak, Kurt Thomas, & Chris Copeland have left. The team has added new faces, with the likes of Beno Udrih, Metta WorldPeace, Tim Hardaway Jr. & defensive stalwart (insert chuckle) Andrea Bargnani putting on the orange and blue. The additions in the off-season coupled with players like Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler & J.R Smith, should have made the Knicks a very competitive team, fighting for a top 3 spot in the Eastern Conference.
It's early, but a top 3 finish doesn't seem too likely with the current make-up of the team. The Knicks have started the season 3-5, with little signs of improvement coming anytime soon. Wins over the Hawks, Bobcats & Bucks are not exactly something to get overly excited about either. Carmelo Anthony has started off the season in strong form, but his numbers aside, the Knicks run a static offense with little ball movement and one that lacks real outside shooters (other than the trigger happy J.R Smith). Udrih, World Peace & Hardaway Jr. have not yet rivalled Kidd, Novak & Copeland's 3 point and jump shooting production from last year. While the offensive struggles are sizeable now, any team with the NBA's reigning scoring champ Carmelo Anthony on the floor will have a chance to put up points.
The defensive side of the ball is where the real worries lay. While perimeter defense shouldn't be a worry with Iman Shumpert & Metta World Peace in the fold, the rest of the Knicks are a defensive liability on the court. Amare Stoudemire & Carmelo Anthony's defensive efforts (or lack thereof) have been well documented over the last few years, but you can add everyone's favourite pasta pusher Andrea Bargnani to the mix now. Rushed out of Toronto for his terrible defensive effort & lacklustre play, the former 1st overall pick & his $11 million annual salary was welcomed by the Knicks' management team. While Bargnani has scored 20+ points in the last two games, he remains a poor defensive player most of the time. Couple this with J.R Smith's bad shot selection, which often puts the Knicks in poor transition defense, is a recipe for disaster.
To compound all of this, the Knicks best defensive player, center Tyson Chandler, is out of action until at least December. This puts additional pressure on Bargnani & Stoudemire to come up big on the defensive end. I'm not liking the Knicks interior defense with those two leading the front line.
So what can the Knicks do to stop the bleeding? Signing Marcus Camby or Kurt Thomas, who are both available could be a stop gap measure. But how much of a better team would that make the Knicks? Title contenders? Not a chance.
Another option is to go the trade route. With no first round draft picks until 2018 (yes, 5 years from now) the Knicks options are fairly limited. Two names being floated in the rumour mill are: the Manimal, Kenneth Faried & 7 footer Omer Asik.
A deal for Houston's Asik would be a solid addition for the Knicks. The 7 foot Asik would give the Knicks more length, a defensive boost and allow the team to have a formidable 1,2 combo with Chandler & the Turk. But this deal is very unlikely as Asik comes with a hefty salary. In order to make this move, the Knicks would likely have to dump some of their own salary & include a big piece of their own in the trade. Additionally, the Rockets are looking for a stretch four big man, who can shoot from the outside & spread the floor. The Knicks do not have this asset to trade.
With Faried, the Knicks would get a PF with one hell of a motor. Physicality, athleticism & intensity is what Faried brings on the court, exactly what the Knicks need in their frontcourt. So what's the damage? Denver will likely want New York's young star SG Iman Shumpert & picks. Is letting go of Shumpert worth it? With J.R Smith locked in for the next 2 years, New York still have a solid shooting guard in Smith. While letting go of Shumpert would be a tough loss for Knicks fans, Faried is the player the Knicks need right now.
If the Knicks choose to stand pat, this could be a season to forget with long lasting ramifications. All successful teams need decent team defense in the NBA, without that the Knicks will be a one and done team in the playoffs. With Carmelo Anthony already deciding that he will test the market in the off season, would he really want to re-sign with a team with limited cap space, no draft picks until 2018 and limited young talent? My guess is no. The Knicks need to make moves now, and move quickly. Or they may risk losing the one superstar they went all in on.
How a year changes things. Jason Kidd is now coaching across the East River, while key bench players like Steve Novak, Kurt Thomas, & Chris Copeland have left. The team has added new faces, with the likes of Beno Udrih, Metta WorldPeace, Tim Hardaway Jr. & defensive stalwart (insert chuckle) Andrea Bargnani putting on the orange and blue. The additions in the off-season coupled with players like Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler & J.R Smith, should have made the Knicks a very competitive team, fighting for a top 3 spot in the Eastern Conference.
It's early, but a top 3 finish doesn't seem too likely with the current make-up of the team. The Knicks have started the season 3-5, with little signs of improvement coming anytime soon. Wins over the Hawks, Bobcats & Bucks are not exactly something to get overly excited about either. Carmelo Anthony has started off the season in strong form, but his numbers aside, the Knicks run a static offense with little ball movement and one that lacks real outside shooters (other than the trigger happy J.R Smith). Udrih, World Peace & Hardaway Jr. have not yet rivalled Kidd, Novak & Copeland's 3 point and jump shooting production from last year. While the offensive struggles are sizeable now, any team with the NBA's reigning scoring champ Carmelo Anthony on the floor will have a chance to put up points.
The defensive side of the ball is where the real worries lay. While perimeter defense shouldn't be a worry with Iman Shumpert & Metta World Peace in the fold, the rest of the Knicks are a defensive liability on the court. Amare Stoudemire & Carmelo Anthony's defensive efforts (or lack thereof) have been well documented over the last few years, but you can add everyone's favourite pasta pusher Andrea Bargnani to the mix now. Rushed out of Toronto for his terrible defensive effort & lacklustre play, the former 1st overall pick & his $11 million annual salary was welcomed by the Knicks' management team. While Bargnani has scored 20+ points in the last two games, he remains a poor defensive player most of the time. Couple this with J.R Smith's bad shot selection, which often puts the Knicks in poor transition defense, is a recipe for disaster.
 |
| Andrea Bargnani: Comes to NY with major defensive issues |
So what can the Knicks do to stop the bleeding? Signing Marcus Camby or Kurt Thomas, who are both available could be a stop gap measure. But how much of a better team would that make the Knicks? Title contenders? Not a chance.
Another option is to go the trade route. With no first round draft picks until 2018 (yes, 5 years from now) the Knicks options are fairly limited. Two names being floated in the rumour mill are: the Manimal, Kenneth Faried & 7 footer Omer Asik.
A deal for Houston's Asik would be a solid addition for the Knicks. The 7 foot Asik would give the Knicks more length, a defensive boost and allow the team to have a formidable 1,2 combo with Chandler & the Turk. But this deal is very unlikely as Asik comes with a hefty salary. In order to make this move, the Knicks would likely have to dump some of their own salary & include a big piece of their own in the trade. Additionally, the Rockets are looking for a stretch four big man, who can shoot from the outside & spread the floor. The Knicks do not have this asset to trade.
With Faried, the Knicks would get a PF with one hell of a motor. Physicality, athleticism & intensity is what Faried brings on the court, exactly what the Knicks need in their frontcourt. So what's the damage? Denver will likely want New York's young star SG Iman Shumpert & picks. Is letting go of Shumpert worth it? With J.R Smith locked in for the next 2 years, New York still have a solid shooting guard in Smith. While letting go of Shumpert would be a tough loss for Knicks fans, Faried is the player the Knicks need right now.
 |
| Carmelo Anthony: Will he stay or go after this season? |
If the Knicks choose to stand pat, this could be a season to forget with long lasting ramifications. All successful teams need decent team defense in the NBA, without that the Knicks will be a one and done team in the playoffs. With Carmelo Anthony already deciding that he will test the market in the off season, would he really want to re-sign with a team with limited cap space, no draft picks until 2018 and limited young talent? My guess is no. The Knicks need to make moves now, and move quickly. Or they may risk losing the one superstar they went all in on.
Barclay's Premier League Preview: Arsenal, Aston Villa & Cardiff City
Wake up out of your slumber footy fans! The world's most popular & most followed league is about to start on Saturday. There are a number of big story lines to start off the 2013-14 season! Does Manchester United have what it takes to repeat as champions without Sir Alex Ferguson? Will Manchester City's new manager & new additions bring the title back to the Eastlands? Is the "Special One" still all that special? Will Luis Suarez, Gareth Bale & Wayne Rooney be playing for new clubs?
We shall find out the answers to these intriguing questions soon, but in the meantime let's start with a breakdown of the 20 clubs taking part in this season's campaign. Part 1 will feature: Arsenal, Aston Villa & Cardiff City.
ARSENAL
After barely holding onto 4th place in the Premier League standings last year, some changes were expected at the Emirates Stadium this summer. To be fair, there were plenty. Gervinho (Roma), Marouane Chamakh (Crystal Palace), Sebastian Squillaci (released), Denilson (Sao Paulo), Andre Santos (Flamengo), Vito Mannone (Sunderland) & Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St. Petersberg) were all allowed to leave North London, freeing up significant amounts of money off the wage bill. The only problem: Arsenal have barely signed anyone to replace any of these departed players. While young French striker Yaya Sanogo could be a great signing for Arsene Wenger's club, you cannot blame Gunners' fans for being disappointed. Especially after Arsenal CEO Ivan Gadzidis declared that the club could now compete with Europe's heavyweights in terms of wages & transfer fees.
While it is still to be seen if Arsenal's approaches for Bayern Munich's Luis Gustavo & Liverpool's Luis Suarez pan out, the Gunners' current roster is not one that can compete for a title. While the midfield is stacked with talent & speed, Arsenal are undermanned at the back. With Thomas Vermaelen expected to miss the start of the season, Arsenal are one injury away from being left in a vulnerable position. Not the type of depth needed to compete for honours.
Player to Watch: Olivier Giroud
The former Montpelier man enters his 2nd season with the Arsenal after scoring 11 goals in 34 league appearances last season. If Arsenal fails to sign another striker during the remainder of the transfer window, Giroud will need to pick up the slack & need to produce more goals this year. The 26 year old has improved in the pre-season thus far, but then again he won't be playing against the Vietnamese all-star team in the EPL this year!
PREDICTION: 5TH
ASTON VILLA
Out with the old, & in with the new. That is the new mantra at Aston Villa. Manager Paul Lambert cut ties with some veterans players (Richard Dunne, Jean Makoun & Brett Holman) while bringing in younger players like Antonio Luna (Sevilla), Nicklas Helenius (Aalborg BK) & Aleksandar Tonev (Lech Poznan) to Villa Park. It has been sometime since Aston Villa decided to do a full scale re-build, but it seems quite necessary right now. The expensive purchase of Darren Bent continues to haunt the club, as the once deadly, but now oft injured striker sits on the Villa bench.
While Villa still has a decent core of veterans such as the aforementioned Bent, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ron Vlaar & Brad Guzan, pairing the new additions with developing stars like Barry Bannan, Christian Benteke & Marc Albrighton will be a project of vital importance for Paul Lambert. Can Villa bring a youthful & energetic brand of football to their fans this year? Or will another relegation battle be in the cards this May?
Player to Watch: Christian Benteke
The Belgian put pen to paper & decided to stay with Villa despite interest from a couple clubs in London after a wonderful first year in English football, bagging 19 goals in 34 matches in 2012-13. With such a young squad, the 22 year old will need to take even more of a leadership role this year to keep his club out of a relegation battle. If Benteke has a sophomore slump this season, Aston Villa are real big trouble.
PREDICTION: 17TH
CARDIFF CITY F.C.
The Welsh capital's main club is back in the Premier League after 51 years of toiling in England's lower divisions. Malky McKay's side finished 1st in the League Championship & earned promotion to the Premier League. Backed by wealthy Malaysian investors, the club doled out a cool £8.5 to sign Danish striker Andreas Corneilius from F.C. Copenhagen. The Dane is a pricey buy for the new Premier League club, but his 6 foot 4 frame may come in handy in the physical English Premier League & he could be a steal for that price if he is able to bag 10-15 goals this season.
Cardiff has an impressive blend of youth (Steven Caulker & Bo-Kyung Kim) & veteran presence (Craig Bellamy, Matthew Connolly & Frazier Campbell). Last year's player of the year Mark Hudson is sure to lead the back four, but will it be enough against the formidable attacks of the Manchester City & Chelsea's in the Premier League?
Cardiff's strength will certainly be going forward with the likes Peter Whittingham & Bo Kyung Kim in the midfield & Andreas Corneilius, Craig Bellamy, Fraizer Campbell & Nicky Maynard up front. Scoring can often be the most difficult task for newly promoted clubs, but Cardiff should have no problem there. Defending against Premier League attacks is where the real concern will be.
Player to Watch: Fraizer Campbell
The 25 year old forward is back in the Premier League after stints with Manchester United, Sunderland & Tottenham prior to signing with Cardiff last year. Campbell will be vital for The Bluebirds this year as he is one of the few players on the squad with Premier League experience (scoring 7 goals in 70 appearances). He is entering the prime of his career (unlike his strike partner Craig Bellamy, who is 34), so if Campbell is in the right form, he could be a game changer for Cardiff City this year.
PREDICTION: 10TH
Stay tuned to for a preview of more clubs shortly!
We shall find out the answers to these intriguing questions soon, but in the meantime let's start with a breakdown of the 20 clubs taking part in this season's campaign. Part 1 will feature: Arsenal, Aston Villa & Cardiff City.
ARSENAL
After barely holding onto 4th place in the Premier League standings last year, some changes were expected at the Emirates Stadium this summer. To be fair, there were plenty. Gervinho (Roma), Marouane Chamakh (Crystal Palace), Sebastian Squillaci (released), Denilson (Sao Paulo), Andre Santos (Flamengo), Vito Mannone (Sunderland) & Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St. Petersberg) were all allowed to leave North London, freeing up significant amounts of money off the wage bill. The only problem: Arsenal have barely signed anyone to replace any of these departed players. While young French striker Yaya Sanogo could be a great signing for Arsene Wenger's club, you cannot blame Gunners' fans for being disappointed. Especially after Arsenal CEO Ivan Gadzidis declared that the club could now compete with Europe's heavyweights in terms of wages & transfer fees.
While it is still to be seen if Arsenal's approaches for Bayern Munich's Luis Gustavo & Liverpool's Luis Suarez pan out, the Gunners' current roster is not one that can compete for a title. While the midfield is stacked with talent & speed, Arsenal are undermanned at the back. With Thomas Vermaelen expected to miss the start of the season, Arsenal are one injury away from being left in a vulnerable position. Not the type of depth needed to compete for honours.
 |
| Will Olivier Giroud be all alone up front for Arsenal this year? |
Player to Watch: Olivier Giroud
The former Montpelier man enters his 2nd season with the Arsenal after scoring 11 goals in 34 league appearances last season. If Arsenal fails to sign another striker during the remainder of the transfer window, Giroud will need to pick up the slack & need to produce more goals this year. The 26 year old has improved in the pre-season thus far, but then again he won't be playing against the Vietnamese all-star team in the EPL this year!
PREDICTION: 5TH
ASTON VILLA
Out with the old, & in with the new. That is the new mantra at Aston Villa. Manager Paul Lambert cut ties with some veterans players (Richard Dunne, Jean Makoun & Brett Holman) while bringing in younger players like Antonio Luna (Sevilla), Nicklas Helenius (Aalborg BK) & Aleksandar Tonev (Lech Poznan) to Villa Park. It has been sometime since Aston Villa decided to do a full scale re-build, but it seems quite necessary right now. The expensive purchase of Darren Bent continues to haunt the club, as the once deadly, but now oft injured striker sits on the Villa bench.
While Villa still has a decent core of veterans such as the aforementioned Bent, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ron Vlaar & Brad Guzan, pairing the new additions with developing stars like Barry Bannan, Christian Benteke & Marc Albrighton will be a project of vital importance for Paul Lambert. Can Villa bring a youthful & energetic brand of football to their fans this year? Or will another relegation battle be in the cards this May?
Player to Watch: Christian Benteke
The Belgian put pen to paper & decided to stay with Villa despite interest from a couple clubs in London after a wonderful first year in English football, bagging 19 goals in 34 matches in 2012-13. With such a young squad, the 22 year old will need to take even more of a leadership role this year to keep his club out of a relegation battle. If Benteke has a sophomore slump this season, Aston Villa are real big trouble.
PREDICTION: 17TH
CARDIFF CITY F.C.
The Welsh capital's main club is back in the Premier League after 51 years of toiling in England's lower divisions. Malky McKay's side finished 1st in the League Championship & earned promotion to the Premier League. Backed by wealthy Malaysian investors, the club doled out a cool £8.5 to sign Danish striker Andreas Corneilius from F.C. Copenhagen. The Dane is a pricey buy for the new Premier League club, but his 6 foot 4 frame may come in handy in the physical English Premier League & he could be a steal for that price if he is able to bag 10-15 goals this season.
Cardiff has an impressive blend of youth (Steven Caulker & Bo-Kyung Kim) & veteran presence (Craig Bellamy, Matthew Connolly & Frazier Campbell). Last year's player of the year Mark Hudson is sure to lead the back four, but will it be enough against the formidable attacks of the Manchester City & Chelsea's in the Premier League?
Cardiff's strength will certainly be going forward with the likes Peter Whittingham & Bo Kyung Kim in the midfield & Andreas Corneilius, Craig Bellamy, Fraizer Campbell & Nicky Maynard up front. Scoring can often be the most difficult task for newly promoted clubs, but Cardiff should have no problem there. Defending against Premier League attacks is where the real concern will be.
Player to Watch: Fraizer Campbell
The 25 year old forward is back in the Premier League after stints with Manchester United, Sunderland & Tottenham prior to signing with Cardiff last year. Campbell will be vital for The Bluebirds this year as he is one of the few players on the squad with Premier League experience (scoring 7 goals in 70 appearances). He is entering the prime of his career (unlike his strike partner Craig Bellamy, who is 34), so if Campbell is in the right form, he could be a game changer for Cardiff City this year.
PREDICTION: 10TH
Stay tuned to for a preview of more clubs shortly!
The Pursuit of Luis Suarez: Worth the Massive Risk?
The old saying goes "any press is good press." With the recent revelations in England, you would have to think that Luis Suarez is pushing the boundaries of that saying. The prolific and talented striker has drawn the ire of Liverpool fans, team mates & the club's brass over the past week after trying to push a through a move away from the club. Suarez is even exploring his legal options in attempting to leave Liverpool. This is particularly irksome to Liverpool fans, who stood by Suarez's side after his most ridiculous antics, namely racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra & subsequently refusing to shake Evra's hand in the next Liverpool/United match. If that wasn't enough, Suarez bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during a match near the end of last year's campaign & was suspended for 10 matches (which will carry into this upcoming season). Liverpool fans even supported these highly questionable eating habits. That's quite possibly the farthest a group of fans have gone to support a player, backing an alleged racist cannibal despite his flaws.
So, after receiving this backing, how does Suarez want to reward the Kop? By jumping ship, of course! After making seductive glances at Real Madrid & subsequently being passed up by the Spaniards, the Uruguayan is now making eyes at Arsenal.
A potential deal to land Suarez makes sense for the Gunners on paper. After losing Cesc Fabregas in 2011 to Barcelona & star striker Robin Van Persie to Manchester United last summer, the Gunners need a star. While Arsenal has continued to qualify for the Champion's League (now a streak of 16 straight seasons), the last 2 seasons have shown that Arsene Wenger's men are starting to lose their grip on a top 4 finish.
Gunners' fans have been disappointed with the club's inactivity in the transfer market in recent years, but part of this is due to the fact that Arsenal is not seen as a prime destination for the best footballers on the planet. In recent years, Arsenal could not compete with the wages being offered by the Manchester City & Chelsea's of the world. But most importantly, Arsenal has not won a trophy in almost a decade. Getting paid less than your peers & not winning will not lure stars to a club. Adding Suarez may not guarantee trophies right away, but it will give Arsenal legitimacy in offering competitive wages & attracting top players in the transfer market again.
Think of the Robinho effect at Manchester City. The on field effect was minimal, but the fact that one of the world's top talents moved to the blue side of Manchester gave Man City instant legitimacy in the transfer market & lured other top talents to the Eastlands.
Don't get too excited though Arsenal fans. There is no guarantee that a £50m plus bid will even be accepted by Liverpool. But let's say it is.The main question to ask is how long would Suarez stay at Arsenal? In 2007 he forced his way out of FC Groningen of Holland to play for Amsterdam's Ajax. In 2007 Suarez looked towards the courts for a solution, but while Groningen won an arbitration hearing, they opted to sell the striker as he had soured relations with his teammates & the fan base. He seems to be maneuvering a similar move here. Based on this history, what would hold off Suarez from forcing his way out of a club again? Would he depart Arsenal for Real Madrid or another one of Europe's elite teams in a year or two leaving the club in a poor position?
So, before you start counting how many titles you will win with Suarez, take a look back at history Arsenal fans. It often repeats itself.
So, after receiving this backing, how does Suarez want to reward the Kop? By jumping ship, of course! After making seductive glances at Real Madrid & subsequently being passed up by the Spaniards, the Uruguayan is now making eyes at Arsenal.
 |
| Suarez is starting to alienate fans & teammates alike at Liverpool |
Gunners' fans have been disappointed with the club's inactivity in the transfer market in recent years, but part of this is due to the fact that Arsenal is not seen as a prime destination for the best footballers on the planet. In recent years, Arsenal could not compete with the wages being offered by the Manchester City & Chelsea's of the world. But most importantly, Arsenal has not won a trophy in almost a decade. Getting paid less than your peers & not winning will not lure stars to a club. Adding Suarez may not guarantee trophies right away, but it will give Arsenal legitimacy in offering competitive wages & attracting top players in the transfer market again.
Think of the Robinho effect at Manchester City. The on field effect was minimal, but the fact that one of the world's top talents moved to the blue side of Manchester gave Man City instant legitimacy in the transfer market & lured other top talents to the Eastlands.
 |
| Suarez at FC Groningen: Successful stint ended in controversy |
So, before you start counting how many titles you will win with Suarez, take a look back at history Arsenal fans. It often repeats itself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)