The English Premier League is back again, and not a moment too soon

Boy have I missed it! The World Cup ebbed and flowed, went in and out, up and down, whatever you say - but it just wasn't quite the same as what we have from August until May each season. If you're looking for the best footballing talent in the world, sadly, I feel you have to look largely towards the Premier League - week-in, week-out, it just doesn't get any better.


So, onto 2010/2011, the nineteenth season of the top divison of English football as we know it today. Immediately the rules differ slightly - a squad cap has been imposed on all clubs, allowing a maximum of 25 players over the age of 21 to be chosen for selection in the Premier League. In addition, eight of these players must be "home-grown" i.e. domestically registered to any club for three seasons prior to their 21st birthday.


All very interesting - it may lead to perhaps the emergence of some young talent on the big stage for clubs who struggle for money and whose range will be restricted in the transfer market consequently. Plus it means clubs like greedy-guts on the blue side of Manchester will in all likelihood have to ask players to leave in order to help trim down; contrast that with Liverpool who are currently struggling to get to 25 as it is (that may change however, if transfer funds are injected into the club as a result of a change in ownership).


Now, baring in mind I am a Manchester United supporter, perhaps this season preview will be a tad biased. I'll do my best, but I make no promises.


I’ll start by highlighting Aston Villa, Tottenham and Everton as the outsiders for a top five place - they all have squads that have been built on over the summer and managers whose heads are screwed on the correct way around. Put them down for 6th, 7th and 8th. Fulham should be okay again, and along with Blackburn I reckon they’ll complete the top 10. Who to go down? Well, that’s anyone’s guess, it’s usually two of the promoted clubs that go back where they came from plus one existing Premier League side, and on that basis, it’s West Brom, Blackpool and Wigan for the drop. Newcastle United should squeak back in for 2011/2012, with many of their squad having had previous top-flight experience, which should be enough to see them through. I’m sure that the safety zone of 15th-17th will be extremely hard-fought for, though, as always.


Now let’s take a look at the realistic title contenders, of which I think there are five:


ARSENAL - Last Season: 3rd, 10/11 Prediction: 3rd
At some point every season, the press go ape over Arsenal's style of play; their apparent sexy football so superior in every single way to any other team who have ever played the game. Now that's all very well as we know, but as the last six years have proved, that wins you next to nothing. I don't think this season will be any different. They may smash a few teams before Christmas and look like they might be onto something, then pick up a few injuries or setbacks and slip into dropping lots of points away from home because they don't have the experience to deal with the demands of the title run-in. Wenger's a fantastic manager but that can only get you so far; the players have to stand up for themselves. Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny could prove to be excellent signings, Chamakh in particular is one to watch with van Persie up front. They'll look promising, before slowly fading away. Sound familiar?

CHELSEA - Last Season: Champions, 10/11 Prediction: 2nd
On the face of it they certainly deserved the title last year. I'm not bitter. They were just that little bit better - that's all it takes - and didn't drop points in as many stupid games like United and Arsenal did. Having lost Juliano Belletti, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack, who in particular had a poor season last time around, Carlo Ancelotti has brought in Yossi Benayoun and Ramires who should prove solid if unspectacular replacements. They're in about the same state as last season for me, with the returns of Michael Essien and Jose Bosingwa after injury also a boost. The key to their success may well lie in goal - in the most part, treating Petr Cech with kid gloves. While I don't think he has been exactly the same man since his accident in 2006 (in all honesty, who would be?), he still remains an integral and essential part to Chelsea's backline. Ross Turnbull looked shaky last year in the few first team chances he got, and in pre-season, plus we all know Hilario is prone to the hilarious for all the wrong reasons. Expect Drogba and Lampard to bang in the goals throughout the year, firing them extremely close to two in a row once again.

LIVERPOOL - Last Season: 7th, 10/11 Prediction: 4th
The fact that Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres have both committed their (short-term) futures to Liverpool will give fans and players alike a welcome psychological boost ahead of a season that should end in a much better fashion than 2009/2010. The arrival of Roy Hodgson can surely only propel them close to European glory once again and they may be an outside bet for the FA Cup too. There’s no doubt either that Joe Cole is a fantastic signing and he should provide some creativity in tough situations that is evidently much-needed. I feel that Maxi Rodriguez may be one to look out for as well; a summer playing alongside Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Juan Sebastian Veron and Carlos Tevez can have done him no harm whatsoever. Their starting XI looks, on paper, the strongest it has been in possibly the last four or five years, but it’s the squad that wins trophies and this is undoubtedly where Liverpool will fall short again. If Torres, Gerrard, or both, get injured - it’s not looking good to say the least. Having said that, David Ngog can’t get too much worse.

MANCHESTER CITY - Last Season: 5th, 10/11 Prediction: 5th
The Massives. With the transfer market at their finger-tips. And do you know what? They’ll only balls it up. David Silva, Jerome Boateng, Yaya Toure and Aleksandar Kolarov, the most impressive transfer “in” list in the Premier League. And it’s down to Roberto Mancini to fit them in with Richards, Bridge, Zabaleta, Johnson, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Adebayor, Santa Cruz, Barry, Lescott, Vieira, Tevez, de Jong... you get the picture. There are essentially too many players - the quality is there, undoubtedly. Last year, their home form was usually good but their away fixtures always let them down, a trend you’d expect to see I suppose, with 48,000 lunatics with their heads in the clouds cheering them on at Eastlands. But it’s Mancini’s head on the chopping block if he cannot pull it off. How do you cope with over-paid prima donnas who begin to get restless if they’re not playing every week? I’m sure at some point this season, he’ll find out.

MANCHESTER UNITED - Last Season: 2nd, 10/11 Prediction: Champions
I think Sir Alex has just about got the squad balance right this year, with the youth talent as strong as ever whilst the golden oldies are still going but are in all likelihood about to begin a final farewell. Admittedly it would be better if such things existed as an Owen Hargreaves who could stand up and a Rio Ferdinand who can run quickly without bandages on his body, and sadly I do fear both those things are going to be lacking in 2010/2011. Having said that, Anderson is due to return from injury in early September, Nemanja Vidic has signed a new contract and a hideously expensive Chris Smalling is going to get some lessons from the very best - so it’s not all bad news. Plus there’s a certain Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez in town who, put simply, is a 22 year-old fit Michael Owen who scores goals, on the back of a promising World Cup. And of course there’s everyone’s favourite Bulgarian, Dimitar Berbatov, who I hope manages to shut up the critics for once and bag his first 20-goal season haul for the club. If Wayne Rooney stops smoking and dirtying the streets at 3am, and pisses all over the 19 other Premier League teams instead (and there’s no dropped points to promoted sides), the trophy will be back where it belongs, for the 12th time. But it will certainly be no walk in the park.

Long time no blog; some snippets!

Sat at home, feeling yuck, just watched Federer/Tsonga and then the McLaren F1 car launch, loving the Button and Hamilton banter already. Glad it doesn't seem to be the Norovirus, however! Just a few musings :)

• The big news of this week of course, is that Andy Murray is through to the Australian Open final against Roger Federer. At this point, the majority of anyone reading this is likely to exclaim, "Go Roger!" or anything along the lines of pro-Fed or anti-Muzza. Consequently, I have to admit I do fall into camp Murray. Shameful I know. Now look, if the title was awarded for being the gentleman of the tournament, most graceful of the tournament, most sporting of the fortnight, or even the prize for "I can keep my mouth shut when I get excited and don't resemble the Mona Lisa", then sure, Federer would win every time. Not only this, but it comes down to the fact the Roger Federer is probably the most naturally gifted tennis player the modern world has ever seen. Federer is Swiss. They are best known for cheese. Murray is British. Now he'll have some remnant of blood contained within him that can also be found within yourselves. However faint, it will be there. My theory is - just get behind him! He's our best hope for any sort of glory for this country in both recent years, and for the foreseeable future. Like I say, Murrary's on and off court demeanour does him few favours; spared by the fact he is bloody good at tennis. And so from me, good luck Andy.

• The first of the 2010 car launches happened on Thursday in Maranello, Ferrari territory. With a striking new design, what's now known as the F10 has a Red Bull-esque front wing and a much wider body designed to incorporate the enormous fuel tanks necessary for the 2010 season. Felipe Massa, who is assuming the position of number one driver, and new capture Fernando Alonso managed to put on an entirely united front for their prestiged launch party. Wonder how long that will last. Also, Luca di Montezemolo revealed this week that had his proposal of three cars per team been accepted for the new season, then Michael Schumacher certainly would not be driving a Mercedes. The prospect of Alonso, Massa and Schumacher at the same team would certainly have any F1 fan, myself included, watering whole-heartedly at the mouth.

• Big, big game this weekend in the Premier League. Fergie calls it the game of the season so far, and he's probably not too far off with that assumption. Arsenal vs United, who won't try and watch it? Rio Ferdinand's ban is justified, he cannot complain too much (God knows what he was thinking) but with Vidic's return you'd have thought we wouldn't have too many problems at the back. The Gooners have their fair share of injury trouble now as well, Vermaelen, Eduardo, Diaby and van Persie should all be missing. And an in-form Wayne Rooney should have some fun against a slightly creaky Sol Campbell - that could well have a large say in the outcome of the match. They must approach with caution though, and I am apprehensive somewhat. You can't write Arsenal off under any circumstances, much like United!

• Finally, as a last side-note, I'm pretty sure that Owen Hargreaves's knee(s) must have exploded. Just that it's been quite a long three weeks, you see. Again.

United vs Bolton: Review

3 points. Thank goodness. And by all accounts, I reckon we deserved them.

A goal inside five minutes always helps, I suppose, yet it arose from the most unfortunately comical circumstances. Having received an inch-perfect cross from Patrice Evra, all Michael Owen had to do was make a half decent connection and it was likely to result in a goal. He didn't manage it; but Zat Knight was still intent on helping out. Knight realised the ball was being directed at him and he had to make an effort to clear his lines. He failed. Somehow, his contact with the ball resulted in it being directed back between his legs and into the corner of the net. 1-0. In the moments that followed, there could easily have been two, three, or even four more. Evans had a header cleared off the line and then the post, next to Owen, Berbatov and Giggs who all had shots blocked or saved up until Antonio Valencia lashed home for the second.

But now let me talk about the two players who have lit up Manchester United's play this year. The 35-year-old Welsh wizard who doesn't know the meaning of age, and the brooding Bulgarian whose lack of apparent desire is made up for with the sheer tenacity of his play. I'll start with Berbatov. He was at the centre of everything good about United yesterday, and this has been much the same for the duration of the season so far. I am annoyed at the fact he doesn't get as many goals as he deserves, only three in ten games so far this year, and was denied spectacularly by an in-form Jussi Jaaskelainen on two occasions. The flicks and tricks, backheels and intricate passes all contribute towards the positive impact he has on the team. Owen, Rooney and co. must thoroughly enjoy playing alongside the Bulgarian captain; he is certainly a joy to watch.

And then there's Ryan Giggs. You just run out of words to describe him. The pace, close-control, dribbling and brain are still as good as they ever have been. Giggs is capable of beating his man and putting the cross in as any winger should do (a fine example to Nani who - thank goodness - played no part on Saturday). He gave the Bolton backline so much to think about that their minds were probably full of Ryan Giggs by the time they left Old Trafford. Credit to the manager as well; Sir Alex Ferguson is using him extremely wisely, in general only letting him play anything near 90 minutes every other week, which means he is easily able to reproduce this sort of form every time he plays. It must be said there was no Rooney, Fletcher or Vidic in the matchday squad for one reason or another, but boy do we need it, most of the time. He provides something unique, what we cannot get out of any player, and whatever he does, he does well.

It should have been an awful lot more than two, and if we continue to miss that amount of chances (bar the occasional bit of outstanding goalkeeping) in matches then we won't be in a position to challenge for the title come May. Also of concern is the fact we have let in nine league goals in nine league games - neither is this good enough. However, now that Edwin van der Sar is back in the side and Rio Ferdinand regaining his fitness, I'd be surprised if this remained a problem for much longer.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, both Villa, Wigan and a beach ball did United many favours over the weekend, contributing to Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool all dropping valuable points at the hands of clubs who they'd normally be expecting to beat. So I'd have thought that none of the title contenders will be happy bunnies come Monday when training resumes.

Looking ahead, United revisit the scene of their Moscow triumph on Wednesday where I fully expect Ferguson to utilise his squad ahead of a big trip to Anfield next Sunday. For the record, here's what I reckon he'll do: van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Fabio, Nani, Scholes, Carrick, Valencia, Owen and Berbatov (edited due to new injuries). This will give a currently unfit Evra, Vidic, Park, Fletcher and Rooney the very best chance to be fit for a game where we will need them most. Bring on the Scouse and their beach balls.