TRW’S TRANSFER XI
With the transfer window now shut and the 25 man squads have all been handed in by the teams we thought we would take a look at some of the Premier League’s new arrivals.
There have been so many new recruits (especially at the likes of Manchester City) but we have chosen just 11 who think have the potential to really make an impact at their clubs.
Stipe Pletikosa
Tottenham Hotspur have brought in experienced Croatian goal-keeper Stipe Pletikosa on loan from Spartak Moscow. The 31 year old will provide good competition for Gomes and Cudicini. Pletikosa will join up with a Spurs team who already boast three Croatians in; Luka Modric, Niko Kranjcar and Vedran Corluka.
Marcos Alonso
Marcos Alonso joined Bolton Wanderers after having been part of Real Madrid since he was a kid. Well at just 19 you could say he is still a kid… The young defender can play left back or left wing. We could possibly have another Gareth Bale on our hands. The Spaniard likes to press forward and could add an exciting attacking dimension to Bolton.
Jerome Boateng
At TRW, we are big fans of Jerome’s half brother Kevin-Prince. Although KP saw his Portsmouth side get relegated last season, the midfielder’s form was impressive. Jerome had a good World Cup with Germany and now we hope to see his ability shine through in the Premier League just like his brother.
Laurent Koscielny
Arsene Wenger enjoys young French players and seems to have found another rising French star. (Perhaps he should take the job of French National coach.) Laurent Koscielny arrives at Arsenal with a real chance to impress. Two older French defenders were let go by Arsenal at the end of last season. William Gallas and Mikael Silvestre’s departures have paved the way for Koscielny to establish himself at the heart of Arsenal’s defense.
James Perch
James Perch is a name Premier League fans won’t be familiar with, but those avid League One fans will. Perch has played 190 games for Nottingham Forest and now gets his chance to impress at the highest level with Newcastle. Still just 24 years of age, Perch can play almost anywhere across the back and in midfield. He reminds us a little of John O’Shea. The question is whether or not he will hold down a spot in the starting 11 or be a bench-warming jack of all trades.
Hatem Ben Arfa
Another Newcastle recruit, Ben Arfa has promised a lot for a while now but has yet to really realize his potential. Ben Arfa made 60 appearances for both Lyon and Marseille. Now the young French winger has a chance to impress in the Premier League.
Raul Meireles
Liverpool have lost Xavi Alonso and Javier Mascherano in the last two seasons. The purchase of Aquilani seems to have been deemed a failure so Reds fans will be hoping for some better performances from Raul Meireles. The Portuguese midfielder impressed at the World Cup playing in every match for Portugal. He could be the Gerrard complementing midfielder Liverpool have been looking for.
Rafael van der Vaart
We think that Harry Redknapp has pulled another rabbit out the bag. Just a few days ago Harry said he needed another Modric and we agreed. Well, we think he has got his man. The deadline day coup from Real Madrid came at a bargain price. Van der Vaart is a brilliant passer and technically gifted player. We look forward to seeing the impact he can make in the Premier League.
Jermaine Pennant
So this could be a little bit of a cheat. Pennant has been in the Premier League before. The ex-Arsenal and Liverpool winger has been in Spain playing with Real Zaragoza and now has an opportunity to prove that he has what it takes to be successful in the Premier League. Stoke have done some good business in the transfer window but Pennant is the one we are most excited about.
Asamoah Gyan
There are so many forwards we could have chosen in our Transfer XI but after his fine display at the World Cup, we couldn’t leave out Asamoah Gyan. Gyan is only 24 and has a bright and promising future ahead of him. Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has done a lot of shopping in the attacking department and Gyan is the crown of his purchases. African stars are becoming more and more sought after and we think Gyan can have as big an impact as some of his fellow Africans such as Drogba and Essien.
Marouane Chamakh
Marouane Chamakh came to Arsenal on free transfer. What a bargain! The Moroccan forward was prolific for Bordeaux and has looked a real threat for Arsenal in the three Premier League games he has played. Robin van Persie is a brilliant footballer but Arsenal have suffered because of his injury problems. Chamakh has the potential to step into the Dutchman’s shoes and perhaps even become Arsenal’s number one striker.
FA PREMIER LEAGUE AWAY KITS 2010/11
A few weeks ago we had a quick look at all the home kits of this season’s Premier League sides. (Here.) It was interesting to see how the likes of Burrda (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Le Coq Sportif (Everton), Kappa (Fulham), Macron (West Ham United), Xtep (Birmingham City), Mi-Fit (Wigan Athletic) and Carbrini (Blackpool) all joined the list of the usual kit suppliers like Adidas, Nike, Umbro, Puma and Reebok. We wanted to show you the full range of Away kits earlier but have had to wait for Mi-Fit and Wigan to release their new away kit – which was officially released today.
So which away kit do you think is the best? We at TRW rather enjoy the bright pink Everton effort as well as the very classy looking Manchester City shirt from Umbro.
PREMIER LEAGUE REVIEW: 28-29 AUGUST 2010
Week 3 of the FA Premier League began with a classic clash of styles. Blackburn Rovers are a tough, long-ball, direct-styled team – a way of playing that has brought them a measure of success in recent years. They were up against the ultimate ‘passers’ team. Arsenal are well known for their brilliant passing techniques, their beautiful football, patience and counter-attacking ability. The match was brilliant to watch as Arsenal threw everything they could at Blackburn. Walcott was on the score sheet again after latching on to a fine crossfield ball from van Persie to give the visitors the lead. On-loan striker Mame Diouf brought the home side level 7 minutes later. The game swung between the two until Arshavin grabbed the winner in the 51st minute. The surprise of the weekend came when recent UEFA Champions League qualifiers Tottenham Hotspur went down at home to Wigan Athletic. Spurs haven’t lost at home in 18 matches. Perhaps Harry Redknapp’s men were suffering from a Champions League hangover. Whatever their excuse, you can’t deny Wigan the praise they are due. A fighting display was rewarded when Rodallega grabbed a goal with 10 minutes remaining to give Wigan their first ever victory at White Heart Lane. Andy Carroll has many tongues wagging. The Toon striker scored his fourth goal of the campaign during Newcastle’s visit to Wolves. The Magpies needed more than one however as Carroll’s effort was only enough to cancel out Sylvan Ebanks-Blake’s early strike. Blackpool and Fulham were the other sides to share the spoils as it ended 2-2 at Bloomfield Road. Fulham came off an impressive draw against Manchester United last weekend. Blackpool were recovering from their 6-0 drubbing by Arsenal. Bobby Zamora scored first but Fulham found themselves behind after an own goal by John Pantsil and a goal from Luke Varney, gave Blackpool the advantage. Dickson Etuhu denied Blackpool a famous first Premier League home win with a goal just three minutes from time. Chelsea had scored 6 in their last two matches and were hoping to continue in their rich goal scoring vein. Stoke however proved to be harder to break down than their last opponents as the Blues could only breach their defenses twice. Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba were once again on the score sheet. The game may have cost Chelsea dearly however as Frank Lampard and John Tery both face a spell on the side lines with injuries. Wayne Rooney finally broke his 13-match goal drought after converting from the spot for United. The opener came after 32 minutes as West Ham fought hard to keep the Reds at bay. Eye catching performances from Nani and Berbatov saw both score with magnificent efforts to give United a 3-0 win.
Bolton Wanderers seemed dead and buried after they found themselves 2-0 down with only 10 men. Roger Johnson opened the scoring for Birmingham City before being involved in an incident that resulted in Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen being sent off. Birmingham doubled their lead through Craig Gardner before Bolton fought back in true Trotter fashion. A converted penalty by Kevin Davies sparked an amazing comeback by the visitors. Robbie Blake capped it off brilliantly when he scored with a wonderful free kick to secure the home side a point. Another team to go down to 10 men was West Bromwich Albion. Star striker Fernando Torres had already given the Reds the lead with a stunning strike before James Morrison saw red. It was Torres’ first Premier League goal since 28th March and his 50th in all competitions for Liverpool. Sunderland and Manchester City looked to be heading towards a draw as the game entered stoppage time. The Black Cats are without a win so far this season and were handed a brilliant opportunity when Kolo Toure was blown for a push on Darren Bent in the area. The England striker converted the resulting penalty to secure all three points for Steve Bruce’s side. Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini will be frustrated that his side couldn’t find an end product earlier and lost out on at least a point in the dying moments.
Featured Match: Aston Villa v Everton
It took Luke Young two years to score his second goal for Aston Villa and what a time to do it. The defender’s second goal of his Villa career was a brilliant finish on his weaker foot to give the home side the lead after just 9 minutes. Young’s early strike proved to be enough to condemn Everton to another defeat as the Blues experienced their worst start to a campaign in 11 years. Both clubs were under pressure and the vital win will certainly help Kevin MacDonald’s chances of remaining in the Villa hot seat. David Moyes on the hand will be experiencing a major headache as he attempts to turn his sides’ fortunes around. The biggest worry for Everton is the fact that they have begun the season with what is pretty much a full squad. The likes of Pienaar, Jagielka, Arteta and even Saha all spent lengthy spells on the sideline last season but are all fit and have featured in all three games so far this season. David Moyes has a few weeks – thanks to the International break – to get his side to their best before Manchester United come for a visit.
Results from this weekend:
Saturday
Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal (1-2)
Blackpool v Fulham (2-2)
Chelsea v Stoke City (2-0)
Tottenham Hotspur v Wigan Athletic (0-1)
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United (1-1)
Manchester United v West Ham United (3-0)
Sunday
Bolton Wanderers v Birmingham City
Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion
Sunderland v Manchester City
Aston Villa v Everton
Top of the log:
Bolton’s impressive come-from-behind draw with Birmingham City means they leap-frog Manchester City after the Blues’ last minute loss to Sunderland.
Top Goal scorers:
All four of the men at the top were again giving the score keepers work to do. They are now 2 goals ahead of the next batch of challengers for the Golden Boot.
Top Scoring boots
Goals from Drogba and Walcott helped lift the Nike Superfly above their speed boot rivals the Adidas AdiZero. Rooney and Torres both opened their Premier League account to help move Nike’s T90 Laser III into the Top 4.
In-form team:
Chelsea are the only unbeaten side after 3 weeks. Arsenal drew on opening day before Manchester United failed to stop Fulham from grabbing a point last weekend.
PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW: 28-29 AUGUST 2010
The weekends are coming thick and fast. It seems that we were waiting expectantly for the pre-season to finish just a few hours ago but here we are in week three already. Rumour has it that there was a World Cup last month… The global spectacle is long forgotten for many – bar the Spanish – and the Premier League consumes the thoughts of football fans. This weekend throws up some interesting matches. There are no big, classic, Top 4 clashes. No City v Liverpools or United v Chelseas or anything like that. In fact bar our featured Aston Villa v Everton match, most games have a clear stronger and weaker team. Bolton v Birmingham is the only other game that looks like a real contest. Owen Cole has been impressive at the helm since leaving Burnley for the Reebok. Bolton began with a draw against Fulham and followed that with a good 3-1 win over West Ham. Birmingham’s trip to Bolton on Sunday will be an interesting one. City are almost unbeatable at home but are less convincing away. Ben Foster has been immense for the Blues and will hope for another fine showing this weekend. He will also be hoping for another England call-up for the upcoming Euro qualifiers. The weekend begins when Arsenal travel to Blackburn Rovers. The last time these two met, the Gunners were bullied out of the game and will most likely face a similarly physical battle this weekend. Blackpool started with a fine win against Wigan before receiving a 6-0 hammering from Chelsea. They now host Fulham and will be hoping for their opening day home form to return. Fulham battled well and looked good in their draw with Manchester United last weekend. Chelsea should have a tougher job scoring 6 when they host Stoke. Tony Pulis’ side are not known as flogging horses and will look to end the champions’ current goal fest. Tottenham Hotspur were brilliant midweek as they disposed of Young Boys to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time ever. Harry’s boys will want to keep their momentum going when they host Wigan. Roberto Martinez’ men have shown why many expect them to be relegated this season. The Latics are in desperate need of some form. Newcastle looked like they were going to struggle in the Premier League after their opening day defeat at Old Trafford but an exhilarating display at home against Aston Villa brought their ability to everyone’s attention. They will want to carry their home form to the road and Wolves will be their next hurdle. Mick McCarthy has built a solid side at the Molineux and Wolves are beginning to look like a real Premier League side. Manchester United were disappointed to lose 2 points last Sunday. The Reds looked to have the game in the bag against Fulham but a missed penalty proved costly as the Cottagers came from behind to earn a draw. Sir Alex won’t accept any slip-ups this week when West Ham visit the Theater of Dreams. With Chelsea and Arsenal both winning by big margins over the past 2 weekends, United will see this as an opportunity to play a bit of catch-up with their goal difference.
On Sunday Liverpool host West Bromwich Albion. The Reds would have rued their missed chances on Monday. Their trip to Manchester City ended with a 3-0 loss but the Reds looked more value than the score line suggests. West Brom provide Roy Hodgson with an opportunity to regain some momentum and confidence. Manchester City are slowly becoming a real force. It was the simple games that tripped them up much of last season and their visit to Sunderland is one such game. City would expect to win fairly comfortably. Steve Bruce is a wily old fox however and could make the trip very uncomfortable for his visitors.
Featured Match: Aston Villa v Everton
Kevin MacDonald was thrust into the Villa hot seat when Martin O’Neil quit just days before the Premier League kicked off. The Scot has had mixed fortunes in his three games in charge. Villa looked aggressive and poised in their 3-0 win over West Ham on opening day. Their trip to Newcastle last week was very different however as they went down with a humiliating 6-0 drubbing before being knocked out of the Europa League by Rapid Vienna. MacDonald himself stressed that he wasn’t the first choice to take Villa forward and Sundays’ clash with Everton could be his last in charge. Everton haven’t had a bright start to their campaign either. A loss to Blackburn was followed by a draw at home against Wolves. David Moyes will be looking for his team to hit their straps and find the form they finished with last season. Aston Villa v Everton wouldn’t normally be seen as a classic but with both teams struggling for form and in desperate need of a win to really kick-start their season, we expect a cracking game on Sunday.
Fixtures taking place this weekend:
Saturday
Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal
Blackpool v Fulham
Chelsea v Stoke City
Tottenham Hotspur v Wigan Athletic
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United
Manchester United v West Ham United
Sunday
Bolton Wanderers v Birmingham City
Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion
Sunderland v Manchester City
Aston Villa v Everton
TOPS
Top of the log:
The log is already taking shape. Many predict that this will be the Top 4 come seasons end. Will Liverpool, Spurs or even Aston Villa or Everton crash this party?
Top Scoring boots
It seems that Adidas have carried their World Cup form into the new season. The AdiZero dominated the competition here in South Africa and is looking good again.
Top Goal scorers:
Chelsea’ front men dominate the top scorers log after their blitzing start to the season. One noticeable absentee is last season’s runner-up Wayne Rooney. The England start is yet to find the back off the net – or any form for that matter.
In-form team:
Chelsea are going about retaining the trophy in the right way. They are without a doubt the current team to beat.
PREMIER LEAGUE REVIEW: 21-23 AUGUST 2010
It seems that 6 is the lucky number at the moment. Chelsea put 6 past West Bromwich Albion on opening day and followed that up with a 6-0 win over Wigan Athletic. Arsenal also scored 6 unanswered goals against Blackpool but the surprise ‘6’ of the weekend was Newcastle’s demolition of Aston Villa.
Chelsea’s performance last week wasn’t much of a surprise as it was West Brom’s first game back in the League. Wigan however really should have done better. Roberto Martinez’ men ended last season badly with some heavy losses and this season has started horrendously with a 4-0 drubbing from new boys Blackpool and now the 6-0 football lesson at the hands of Chelsea. Malouda was once again on the score-sheet while a brace by Anelka and Kalou was rounded off by Benayoun’s first goal for the Blues. Wigan are now rooted to the bottom of the log with no points and a -10 goal difference. Blackpool’s fine display last week against Wigan sent the Tangerines onto Cloud 9 but they were brought back to earth by Arsenal on Saturday. Theo Walcott is desperate to prove everyone wrong and went about it well with a hat-trick as his side ran circles around the hapless Blackpool defense. Arshavin, Diaby and Chamakh were also on the score-sheet while Cesc Fabregas made a welcomed return from the bench. Tottenham Hotspur overcame their midweek Champions League disappointment with a good away win against the tough Stoke side. Tony Pulis has built a good side at the Britannia but Ricardo Fuller’s 25th minute strike wasn’t enough to grab a point for the Potters. Gareth Bale scored the opener before Fuller made things level. Bale scored his second 4 minutes later to put Spurs back in front. Gomes was twice tested late on but the Spurs defense held strong to secure Harry’s men all three points. Another fine goal-keeping display took place at St Andrews where Ben Foster was instrumental in securing a win for Birmingham City. It seems that City is the place to go to build your England goalkeeping career. Joe Hart was brilliant on loan last season and now ex-Manchester United stopper Foster is out to impress. And impress he did. A fine penalty save followed, by some confidence-boosting saves saw Foster enable his side to hold on for a 2-1 win over Blackburn. Everton’s less than impressive early season form continued when they only managed a draw at home against Wolves. Tim Cahill set the home side on the road before Sylvan Ebanks-Blake made sure that the points would be shared. West Bromwich Albion got their first win back in the league when they beat a confusingly poor Sunderland side. West Ham continue to struggle. They went down to Bolton in front of their home fans at Fratton Park.
Newcastle United were nowhere near good enough last Monday night against Manchester United but looked like a different team against Aston Villa on Sunday. Villa looked good last week under caretaker coach MacDonald but a 6-0 whipping won’t help his chances of taking the job fulltime. A goal from Joey Barton, a Nolan brace and Carol hat-trick saw the 4th 6-0 result this season. Manchester United’s bogey team came back to haunt them again. Fulham have been a thorn in United’s side the last few years and United failed to kill off the Cottagers. New manager Mark Hughes failed to get a point against United when he was manager of cross city rival Manchester City but secured one on his first encounter as Fulham boss. United had a penalty saved late on which would have put them 3-1 ahead but Stockdale’s fine save proved even more valuable when Hengeland made up for his earlier own-goal with a last minute header to level matters.
Featured Match: Manchester City v Liverpool
Roberto Mancini handed the City money men their first victory of the season with an impressive display at home against Liverpool. Last week agasint Spurs, City looked disjointed and disconnected. Whatever Mancini did this week paid off however as City’s performance looked like that of a team rather than a mish-mash of superstars. New signing James Milner looked impressive as he walked straight into the starting line up. His pass, after a great run, was latched onto by Gareth Barry who slotted home to give City an early lead. New captain Carlos Tevez then doubled the lead. Liverpool came back strongly but Steven Gerrard was denied by the post. Tevez put it beyond doubt when he converted a penalty brought about by Skrtel’s tackle on Adam Johnson.
Results from the weekend:
Saturday
Arsenal v Blackpool (6-0)
Birmingham City v Blackburn Rovers (2-1)
Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers (1-1)
Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur (1-2)
West Bromwich Albion v Sunderland (1-0)
West Ham United v Bolton Wanderers (1-3)
Wigan Athletic v Chelsea (0-6)
Sunday
Newcastle v Aston Villa (6-0)
Fulham v Manchester United (2-2)
Monday
Manchester City v Liverpool (3-0)
Top of the log:
United remain in the Top 4 despite their draw with Fulham. Chelsea and Arsenal lead the way after their 6-0 wins.
Top Goal scorers:
Hat-tricks by Andy Carrol, Didier Drogba and Theo Walcott see them topping the goal scorers list. They are joined by Flourent Malouda who also has three to his name.
In-form team:
6-0 wins are the flavour of the month for Chelsea with both West Bromwich Albion and Wigan Athletic receiving 6 of the best from the reigning champions.
PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW: 21-23 AUGUST 2010
So week 2 is already upon us. The Premier League started off with a bang last weekend with some great matches – which rewarded us with some extraordinary football. (I’m looking at you David Jones!) This week has just as many intriguing match-ups which crescendo to a peak on Monday night when Manchester City host Liverpool. The weekend begins when 9th placed Arsenal host 2nd placed Blackpool. Yes, OK. We know it has only been one game and Arsenal wont be 9th for long and Blackpool certainly wont be anywhere near 2nd when the season ends… But for now that is how the table looks and we are going to give the Blackpool fans an opportunity to gloat while they can. Let’s face it, they will be whipping boys against the bigger clubs. Like Arsenal… Birmingham City – who drew with Sunderland on opening day – will host Blackburn Rovers who were impressive in their 1-0 win over Everton. David Moyes’ men return home this weekend as they welcome Wolves to Goodison Park. Wolves looked good value for their 2-1 win over Stoke last week. Stoke will be without record signing Kenwyne Jones when they host Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs come off a good, yet frustrating draw with Manchester City where they looked better than the 0-0 draw suggested, as well as a midweek loss to Young Boys in the Champions League qualifier. The shock loss in Switzerland should motivate them going into their trip to the Britannia. West Bromwich Albion return home after their harsh ‘welcome back to the Premier League’ from Chelsea. The Champions put 6 past the hapless Baggies. Hopefully the Hawthorns can provide a bit of comfort and Roberto di Matteo can inspire his side to a result against Sunderland. West Ham United host Bolton Wanderers before Wigan Athletic host Chelsea. The two met on the last day of the season, last season when Chelsea needed a win to lift the trophy. It ended 8-0 to the Blues and Roberto Martinez will be hoping for a better performance from his charges so as to avoid such embarrassment again.
Newcastle were welcomed back to the Premier League by Manchester United on Monday night. There have been many classic matches between the two clubs but Monday showed the difference between the top of the Championship and the top of the Premier League. The job doesn’t get much easier for Newcastle as they welcome Aston Villa in their first home match. Kevin MacDonald looked a natural last week against West Ham and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he gets the gaffer job permanently. Mark Hughes had a cautious start to his Fulham managerial career against Bolton last week and will have to up his game when his old club visit on Sunday. Manchester United looked in fine form against Newcastle on Monday. Well, everyone but Wayne Rooney that is…
Featured Match: Manchester City v Liverpool
Both Manchester City and Liverpool will be pushing for a place in the UEFA Champions League next season. They both have a lot to prove this season but for slightly different reasons. Manchester City have been the big spenders for the last two seasons and with their acquisitions this term, anything less than Champions League football will be a failure. A go at the title will even be on the cards but that may be slightly over ambitious this season. Liverpool are one of the Premier Leagues’ most respected, famed and romantic clubs. The Merseyside club had a poor season last term and will be looking to restore themselves, under new Manager Roy Hodgson, to the top of English football. Missing out on a UEFA Champions League spot for the second year running will most certainly be seen as a disaster. It is on the back of many fans hopes and expectations that the two meet on Monday night. Both got off to a slow start with a draw – albeit to some very tough opponents. Liverpool looked good against Arsenal and were actually unlucky to draw even though they played the whole of the second half with 10 men. Manchester City looked disjointed against Spurs. They were lucky to gain a draw in the end after Spurs dominated possession and spent most of the game camped around City’s box. Liverpool’s new signings – especially Joe Cole, have fitted right in to the side and in fact look like they have been there for years. City on the other hand looked like a team who had never played together. There were enough signs to give City fans and Mancini hope but for now Liverpool will think they are in with a shout.
Fixtures taking place this weekend:
Saturday
Arsenal v Blackpool
Birmingham City v Blackburn Rovers
Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur
West Bromwich Albion v Sunderland
West Ham United v Bolton Wanderers
Wigan Athletic v Chelsea
Sunday
Newcastle v Aston Villa
Fulham v Manchester United
Monday
Manchester City v Liverpool
TOPS
Top of the log:
Top Goal scorers:
Didier Drogba may well be left out from Chelsea’s trip to Wigan due to a slight niggle. His hat-trick on opening day sees him leading the way for the Golden Boot. (Yes, we know it has only been one weekend…)
In-form team:
With the Community Shield already in the cabinet and a commanding display against Newcastle in their opening Premier League fixture, one must say that Manchester United are currently the team to beat.
PREMIER LEAGUE REVIEW: 14-16 AUGUST 2010
The opening day of the FA Premier League is over and the results provide us with one or two surprises. Chelsea, it could be said, surprised a few people with their display on Saturday evening. A win would have been expected but the 6-0 drubbing of West Bromwich Albion wasn’t necessarily on the cards. It took the champions just 6minutes to find the back of the net through Malouda who grabbed a brace. Lampard was also on the scoresheet but it was Didier Drogba who really stole the show. The Ivorian’s hat-trick showed just why he was last season’s Golden Boot winner. Chelsea were outplayed in the Community Shield but this performance will send a strong message to both United and all other title hopefuls that the Blues are not going to give up the trophy easily. Aston Villa put in a great display for a club who lost their manager of four years just 5 days earlier. Martin O’Neil walked out which left Kevin MacDonald in charge and he couldn’t have hoped for a better start. His side always looked the better team with goals by Downing, Petrov and Milner. The two ‘upsets’ came in the form of victories for Wolves and Blackpool. David Jones and Steven Fletcher – who was making his Wolves’ debut – gave Wolves a valuable home win over the much fancied Stoke City. Blackpool’s victory was even more of a shock. The newly promoted side struck 4 past Wigan Athletic who had home ground advantage. A brace by Marlon Harewood followed Taylor-Fletcher’s early strike to hand Blackpool the tie before halftime. Alex Baptiste gave the visitors a 4th and 3 points that will go a long way to helping them stay up. Blackburn Rovers were the only other team to get a result after their 1-0 win over Everton. Tom Howard’s mistake in the 14th minute was pounced on by Nikola Kalinic and that is all Rovers needed to secure what could also be described as an upset.
There were four draws over the weekend. Bolton and Fulham played out to a goalless draw. David Stockdale came in for Arsenal target Mark Schwazer and went a long way to prove he could be Mark Hughes’ number 1. Bolton looked the better side but Fulham held on to secure their first point under new manager Hughes. Sunderland looked set to come away from their first home game with three points until Birmingham scored 2 goals in 12 minutes to rob them of all 3 points. Bent and Carr gave the home side the advantage. Sunderland had gone down to 10 men thanks to two yellow cards for Lee Cattermole. The home side had to hold City for 35 minutes to secure the win and looked good with just 13 minutes left to play but goals from Dann and Ridgewell broke the hearts of the Stadium of Light faithful.
Featured Match: Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Liverpool v Arsenal
The Premier League started with a bang when Spurs hosted Manchester City. The game began with a frantic pace with Spurs looking the better side for most of the first half. Joe Hart found himself in the starting line-up ahead of Shay Given and it proved a great choice by Mancini. Many people wonder how he will manage both players and rumors persist about an exit for one of them. Hart can be thanked for the point City secured as Spurs had multiple chances to win the game. The closest was when Garth Bale managed to beat the young keeper only to be denied by the post. Manchester City looked like a team made up of stars who had never played together and lacked penetration. You can see the potential but one must wonder how long it will take them to click together. In the end a 0-0 draw will be an acceptable result for both managers. Liverpool and Arsenal will also both be reasonably happy with a draw although Wenger may have expected more. His side failed to make the most of man advantage after Joe Cole was sent off – for the first time in his professional career – just before half time. A strong tackle was deemed a straight red card offense and Cole was sent for an early shower – not the perfect start to his Liverpool career. Liverpool didn’t seem to mind however as Ngog sent the home side into the lead just after half-time. It was 40 minutes of defensive football after that for the Reds as Arsenal threw everything at them. The Gunners seemed to run out of ideas in the final third but their patience was eventually rewarded thanks to a blunder by Pepe Reina. A header from Chamakh rebounded off the post only to be bundled in by the Spanish keeper.
Monday
On Monday night Newcastle United began their new season back in the Premier League with a trip to Old Trafford. Newcastle bounced straight back up to the Premier League with relative ease after the disappointment of being relegated two seasons ago and their trip to Manchester was a sharp reality check. The Premier League seems to become more and more competitive each year and Manchester United showed just what it takes to be successful with a dominating display against the Magpies. Newcastle never really troubled Manchester United, bar an early header from a corner by Carrol that flew wide of the mark. Dimitar Berbatov has had much criticism since his arrival but capped a fine display with well worked goal. Fletcher was also on the score sheet before Ryan Giggs volleyed home after a superb ball from Paul Scholes. United could have had more but 3-0 was the score line at the end which flattered Newcastle more than it did Manchester United.
Results from the weekend:
Saturday
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City (0-0)
Aston Villa v West Ham United (3-0)
Blackburn Rovers v Everton (1-0)
Bolton Wanderers v Fulham (0-0)
Sunderland v Birmingham City (2-2)
Wigan Athletic v Blackpool (0-4)
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Stoke City (2-1)
Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion (6-0)
Sunday
Liverpool v Arsenal (1-1)
Top of the log:
After the opening weekend the table has an interesting look to it. Blackpool fans must be wishing the season was just a single game long!
Top Goal scorers:
Didier Drogba just carried on from where he left off. A hat-trick in the last game of last season and another on opening day.
In-form team:
With a commanding 6-0 win over West Bromwich Albion you can’t argue that Chelsea are looking good.
PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW: 14-16 AUGUST 2010
After what seems like an age, the FA Premier League returns to us. Fans have bought their new jerseys, clubs have bought their new players, broadcasters have bought their new rights and now, it is time for action. The wheel of fortune has thrown up three cracking matches on opening weekend. Tottenham Hotspur host Manchester City – who they beat to 4th spot last season, Liverpool host Arsenal on Sunday which promises to be a ripper and then there’s the proverbial hotpot between Manchester United and Newcastle. But let’s not forget all the other teams! This season promises to be the closest ever and with Chelsea winning by just a single point last term, we wonder how many points it will take to lift the trophy this time around. For some the question may be; ‘how many points will it take to guarantee survival?’ however. The Premier League lost Portsmouth, Hull City and Burnley last season and now we welcome West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle and Blackpool. Many expect Blackpool to go right back down but West Brom and certainly Newcastle will be looking to keep their top flight status.
Manchester United gave their rivals a strong warning when they lifted the Community Shield last weekend. Chelsea never really seemed a match for the Red Devils and that will be worrying for them and everyone else. The season however hasn’t even begun and everyone is on level footing. There is no ‘in-form’ team. There is no top scoring player, highest scoring boot or anything of the sort. The FA Premier League 2010/11 is a blank page and to borrow Nike’s World Cup campaign theme – is still to be written. Many people believe this will be the season an ‘underdog’ goes all the way and lifts the trophy. Could it be? Will we see Tottenham Hotspur go a step further and become champions? Will Everton, Aston Villa or big spending Manchester City be able to burst through the door they have been knocking on for a couple of years? Time will tell… but for now we break open the chips, pour ourselves a cold one and sit in the armchair waiting for our favourite ‘boy’ to ‘have a crack’….
Featured Match: Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Liverpool v Arsenal and Manchester United v Newcastle United
Tottenham Hotspur broke into the Top 4 last season with some brilliant displays under Harry Redknapp. The English gaffer would still love to coach the national side but Spurs’ fans will be thanking their lucky stars that he is still at the helm at White Heart Lane. Spurs haven’t spent nearly as much in the close-season as Manchester City and it will be an interesting test to see tomorrow how this game ends. The last time these two met was in the final week of the previous season with Spurs coming out on top and ending City’s chances of finishing 4th. City will want revenge and we can expect them to arrive in the capital with their star studded squad fully focused on getting a result. Liverpool have much to prove this season. As does new manager Roy Hodgson. The ex-Fulham boss gets a shot at the big time after impressing at the London-based club. The departure of Rafa Benitez looked to spark a mass exodus of stars but Hodgson has proved a wise head and father-like figure in convincing Gerrard and Torres to stay as well as landing the ‘coup of the century’ in Joe Cole on a free. Arsenal have held onto prized asset Cesc Fabregas and with the addition of striker Marouane Chamakh look stronger upfront then last season. They do have one or two defensive problems however after losing Gallas, Silvestre and Campbell. It is great to see Newcastle back in the Premier League. Newcastle are one of English football’s most iconic clubs and they couldn’t have had a harder opening match when they travel to the most successful English team over the last 10 years – lead by the most successful manager. Manchester United will want to gain the ascendancy over their fellow title rivals with a commanding performance on Monday night. Newcastle want to show they mean business – and what better way to do it than securing three points at Old Trafford?
It’s a weekend of tantalizing intrigue and we at TRW are buzzing with anticipation!
Fixtures taking place this weekend:
Saturday
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
Aston Villa v West Ham United
Blackburn Rovers v Everton
Bolton Wanderers v Fulham
Sunderland v Birmingham City
Wigan Athletic v Blackpool
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Stoke City
Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion
Sunday
Liverpool v Arsenal
Monday
Manchester United v Newcastle United
TOPS
Top of the log:
This is how it ended last season. Who will be enjoying life in the UEFA Champions League next season?
Top Goal scorers:
Didier Drogba went home with the Golden Boot last season. Chelsea will rely on the big Ivorian’s goals again this term.
Top goal scoring boots:
We have new contenders this season, one of which is the Adidas AdiZero. The superlight boot really made a name for itself during the World Cup. Can they have the same impact on the Premier League?
In-form team:
We mentioned that there is no ‘in-form’ team but there have been a couple who have really impressed in pre-season. Manchester United’s Community Shield victory would have given them a morale boost.
FA PREMIER LEAGUE HOME KITS 2010/11
The Premier League season kicks off this weekend and all the clubs have released their new kits for the 2010/11 season. It seems that ‘retro’ is the current flavour with many kits drawing inspiration from past kits. There are an amazing 12 different manufacturers this season with kits by the usual suspects like Adidas, Nike, Umbro, Puma and Reebok but there are also some unconventional brands in the mix such as Burrda (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Le Coq Sportif (Everton), Kappa (Fulham), Macron (West Ham United), Xtep (Birmingham City), Mi-Fit (Wigan Athletic) and Carbrini (Blackpool). Take a look at the full range of Premier League kits below:
What do you think of the new kits and which would get your vote for ‘Kit of the Season’?
CAN MANCHESTER CITY BUILD A TEAM?
Manchester City got rich in 2008 when Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan owned Abu Dhabi United Group bought the club. Since then, the Blues have gone on to spend more money on players than the whole world spends on Christmas presents. Last season Manchester City spent over £100million. With the £35million deal for Mario Balotelli soon to be confirmed, and with over £86million already spent on new recruits, City look set to do so again this season.
We saw a similar pattern with Chelsea in 2003. Thanks to new owner Roman Abramovich’s big spending, Chelsea won the league in just their second season after being bought by the Russian – a feat Manchester City have not been able to repeat. Now as the 2010/11 season kicks off, the City hierarchy will be looking for results.
UEFA Champions League qualification is surely a minimum requirement for Roberto Mancini this season after missing out narrowly to Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs, despite City’s big spending, were the team to break into the Top 4 last season. (The so called ‘Top 4’ has been breached 3 times since 2001/02. Interestingly, on each of those occasions, the team to get bumped was Liverpool.)
With all the money being spent, everyone will agree that Manchester City will eventually ‘buy’ success. Every time the transfer window opens, clubs run and hide. They throw camouflage over their prized players and hope that City’s wondering eye passes them by with little fuss. The likes of Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and even Liverpool can no longer compete in the transfer market as players know they can earn more signing for City. And no longer can the ‘we can guarantee you success at this club’ card be played as City will find success. Some are asking the question: ‘How long will it take City to win something?’ but I think there is a more important question to consider: ‘Why have they not won anything yet?’
Possible Manchester City starting XI
I believe City haven’t won anything yet because their buying has been poor. Take a look at some of the players City have bought in the past two seasons and you’ll find the likes of Bellamy, Wright-Phillips, Bridge, Adebayor, Tevez and Kolo Toure… all of whom can be considered ‘cast offs’ from the teams ahead of them. Bridge and Phillips were no longer needed at Chelsea. Manchester United didn’t think Tevez was worth what his owners wanted. Adebayor and Toure were deemed surplus to requirements at Arsenal and Bellamy was surrounded by chaos at Liverpool. It is almost as if City have been trying to build a team out of everyone else’s spare talent. The point is: how can you expect to beat a team when you are made up of their fringe players? On their day, these guys can still be match winners – don’t get me wrong! And there are plenty of teams out there who would snap any of them up if they came back on the market. They are still ‘stars’. They are still good. They are however perhaps not the best.
As mentioned with Bellamy, City have bought some notoriously ‘hard to handle’ characters to Eastlands. Adebayor was said to have been a disruptive influence at Arsenal, Tevez was perhaps overly vocal in his criticism of Sir Alex and Joleon Lescott’s move from Everton was done in bad taste. Add to that the Robinho/Elano affair. Both Brazilians were star performers in South Africa but that form was absent in a City shirt, resulting in Elano being sold and record-signing Robinho being loaned out to Santos. City have the money to buy any player but they seem to end up with the ones with major egos, short tempers, overly strong wills or an inability to be a team player. City’s biggest problem isn’t buying players. Their biggest problem is buying players who can play together and for each other.
I believe that City have bought better in this regard this time around. They have a UEFA Champions League winner in Yaya Toure who has had his own share of minor on-field explosions… but perhaps that can be expected from a defensive midfielder. David Silva is a World Cup and Euro winner and seems like a right decent guy. Jerome Boateng comes in with a good discipline record and his experience levels hiked thanks to a great run in the World Cup for Germany. Despite these good choices, I feel they have made another risky purchase in Mario Balotelli. The talented player can be unpredictable in his childish arrogance and can easily flutter between sheer brilliance and juvenile conniptions.
TRW Manchester City starting XI
With the new squad rules imposed by the FA, City will have to make some sales and we may just see some of the ‘problem children’ move on. They will still have to keep one or two egos in check however and this is where success can be lost or found. If Manchester City can keep everyone happy, keep them all fit and keep them all playing well… then the Premier League’s Top 4 could have a problem on their hands. City still have a lot of work to do however. Yes they have match winners. Yes they have a big squad. But what they need more than anything is to build a team. The biggest reason for Spurs pipping City to the post last season was because Spurs played as a team. This is where Mancini’s ability to get the best out of the players may well determine where City end up come seasons’ end.
I think with the clever purchases they have made (bar Bolatelli) and the faith they are showing in Mancini, success will not be far away for City. Manchester City have become like a rough diamond and all they need is a little work before they become the crown jewel. Maybe it will take some tough calls by Mancini. Perhaps they need the luck of the draw to smile upon them. Perhaps the volatile mix of raw talent and youthful, exaggerated passion will push them further than last season. The fact is money alone can’t do it all for City and the toughest job starts now. City have a point to prove. Hey, and with Nike’s purchase of Umbro, they are going to do it looking good!
