Premiership 2008-2009 Preview
With only a couple days to go before the Barclay's Premier League kicks off, things are really starting to get exciting. I know, I know - all you can think about right now is the Olympics and Brett Favre, right? Well, at least that's all the American media can think about. But fear not, wise reader - you've entered a nice Favre-free zone. Just sit back, relax and start readin'.
Norman Hubbard of soccernet.com just put out a great little rhetorical question list to get our minds crankin' prior to the season. He issued 10 very important questions for the league - and I will do my best to answer each of them as my season preview.
Is Samir Nasri really the new Zidane?
I hate questions like this. Of course not. I see Nasri as a Charles N'Zogbia type. The kid can run and run and juke and juke and has some brilliant pace and skill on the ball. He just needs to learn how to score. What's that you say? Arsenal is full of great players on the ball who need to learn how to score? Yeah, I agree with you. Which is why Arsenal won't get any further towards winning the Premiership this season as they did last season.
Is Jose Bosingwa finally the answer to Chelsea's full-back difficulties?
To be honest, yes. Just look at this defensive line: Bosingwa, arguably the best young Portugese defender, John Terry, arguably the best English defender, Carvalho, arguably the best overall Portugese defender, and Ashley Cole....who's also pretty good. Adding Deco to their midfield (for 7m!) and keeping Drogba makes a VERY promising, economical offseason. I choose Chelsea for the pre-season favorite for the Premier League champions.
Will Robbie Keane form the best strike partnership in the Premier League with Fernando Torres?
I'm assuming he meant BESIDES Obafemi Martins and Michael Owen. But besides this obvious omission, I would have to agree that they are. Fernando Torres is obvious. He's the most exciting striker in the league, setting it COMPLETELY en fuego last season. But he's small-framed, and plays mostly on the ground. Robbie Keane, as much as I dislike the guy, is more like Superman. He is quick, he gets stuck in, not afraid to hit or be hit, and he can go up in the air. Not incredibly successful in the air, but can certainly compete with some of the best. If Crouch would have been used more effectively by Rafa, this move would have been a reduction in effectivity. But since Rafa didn't, I believe this will, in the end, make Liverpool a better team. But we all know their midfield, defense, and crazy, crazy manager will spoil things for them, and they'll finish at the MOST 3rd again this season.
Can Andrea Dossena end Liverpool's left-back problem?
The good news? The guy's Italian. Italian defenders are probably the biggest reason why the game of football has such a bad name for diving...they've been historically so GOOD, they drove Italian strikers to start diving to create dead ball opportunities. So it's a good move to bring an Italian defender in the squad.
The bad news? He's Italian. Not Spanish. And we all know Rafa's dependence on Spanish talent. Arvalo Arbeloa? Fabio Aurelio? Are these guys honestly better than Riise? Well, maybe, but you get my point.
Can Jo change the fortunes of Manchester City forwards?
Jo is a great capture for City. They're lack of striking ability in the past 5 or more years is glaringly obvious and getting the most exciting, under-20 year old Brazilian striker - how can you beat that? It's a shame the club will be disbanded by Christmas.
Will Fabricio Coloccini give Newcastle defenders a bad name?
BOOOOYAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! FabriZio Coloccini could be, if all goes correctly, the best signing by Newcastle since Sir Alan Shearer. Their past failures to secure a good center of defense is well known and often-times hilarious. But this Argentinian, linking up with another fellow Argeninian (and fellow brilliant Keegan signing) Gutierrez, will immensely help that tarnished reputation. Have Newcastle done enough this offseason to truly turn their fortunes around? No, not yet. Are they starting to show promise that they're making all the necessary adjustments to change them from a laughing stock on many levels to a true, consistent competitor in Europe? You bet. Maybe not this season. (Okay, fine. Definitely not this season.) But in two or three - we'll be there.
Can Paul Robinson become England's No. 1 again?
I love Robbo. He's freaking HILARIOUS. I wish Robinson and Titus Bramble could somehow get on the same team because I would buy a season ticket and fly over there EVERY WEEKEND just to get my jollies off it. HAHAHAHAAAAAHHAHAAAAHAHAHAA!!!
No, he can't. I mean, the ONLY reason he could is because England is full of mediocre-at-best keepers, but come on. It's freaking Paul Robinson.
Will Peter Crouch prove a long-term signing for Portsmouth?
Hells yes. Anybody who knows me knows I love Peter Crouch and was gutted when NUFC didn't get him. And as much as I dislike 'Arry as a person and public figure, he's not an idiot. He's actually one of the most intelligent managers in the English game. So yeah, I think he'll keep him for a while. It'll be really interesting to see Crouchy and Defoe next to each other. The two England strikers have been criticised for so long, so how will they do on the same line, in a league that boasts some of the most prolific international strikers in the world?
Does Valon Behrami mark a change of policy at West Ham?
I mean - yeah, West Ham has brought in more international players. Yeah, Behrami for 5mil is fantastic business. But here's the thing - THEY LOST NOLBERTO SOLANO!! Just ask Newcastle - when you lose Nobby, you have to find a new way to win. West Ham is West Ham is West Ham. Booooorrrriiiiinnnnggggggg
Can Luka Modric and Deco make the playmaker essential in the Premier League?
Luka Modric? Nope. He's too small and frail. He's already injured for H's sake. I'm not bitter - I'm glad Spurs swiped him out from under Newcastle's nose this offseason. I thought so at the time, and I still do - Arda Turan is a MUCH better, more promising, more penetrating playmaking central midfielder. Deco, on the other hand, was a fantastic pickup for Chelsea, and the only question will be whether he can play with Lampard. We all know that Gerrard can't. But Deco and Gerrard are very different players. I would love it, LOVE IT if the playmaker became more essential in the Premier League.
And finally, what you've all been waiting for (especially Brett) my full prediction for the Premier League this season.
1. Chelsea
2. Manchester United
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal
5. Everton
6. Tottenham
7. Portsmouth
8. Aston Villa
9. Newcastle
10. Fulham
11. West Ham
12. Middlesbrough
13. Sunderland
14. Blackburn
15. Wigan
16. Bolton
17. West Brom
18. Stoke City
19. Hull City
Liquidation: Manchester City
Norman Hubbard of soccernet.com just put out a great little rhetorical question list to get our minds crankin' prior to the season. He issued 10 very important questions for the league - and I will do my best to answer each of them as my season preview.
Is Samir Nasri really the new Zidane?
I hate questions like this. Of course not. I see Nasri as a Charles N'Zogbia type. The kid can run and run and juke and juke and has some brilliant pace and skill on the ball. He just needs to learn how to score. What's that you say? Arsenal is full of great players on the ball who need to learn how to score? Yeah, I agree with you. Which is why Arsenal won't get any further towards winning the Premiership this season as they did last season.
Is Jose Bosingwa finally the answer to Chelsea's full-back difficulties?
To be honest, yes. Just look at this defensive line: Bosingwa, arguably the best young Portugese defender, John Terry, arguably the best English defender, Carvalho, arguably the best overall Portugese defender, and Ashley Cole....who's also pretty good. Adding Deco to their midfield (for 7m!) and keeping Drogba makes a VERY promising, economical offseason. I choose Chelsea for the pre-season favorite for the Premier League champions.
Will Robbie Keane form the best strike partnership in the Premier League with Fernando Torres?
I'm assuming he meant BESIDES Obafemi Martins and Michael Owen. But besides this obvious omission, I would have to agree that they are. Fernando Torres is obvious. He's the most exciting striker in the league, setting it COMPLETELY en fuego last season. But he's small-framed, and plays mostly on the ground. Robbie Keane, as much as I dislike the guy, is more like Superman. He is quick, he gets stuck in, not afraid to hit or be hit, and he can go up in the air. Not incredibly successful in the air, but can certainly compete with some of the best. If Crouch would have been used more effectively by Rafa, this move would have been a reduction in effectivity. But since Rafa didn't, I believe this will, in the end, make Liverpool a better team. But we all know their midfield, defense, and crazy, crazy manager will spoil things for them, and they'll finish at the MOST 3rd again this season.
Can Andrea Dossena end Liverpool's left-back problem?
The good news? The guy's Italian. Italian defenders are probably the biggest reason why the game of football has such a bad name for diving...they've been historically so GOOD, they drove Italian strikers to start diving to create dead ball opportunities. So it's a good move to bring an Italian defender in the squad.
The bad news? He's Italian. Not Spanish. And we all know Rafa's dependence on Spanish talent. Arvalo Arbeloa? Fabio Aurelio? Are these guys honestly better than Riise? Well, maybe, but you get my point.
Can Jo change the fortunes of Manchester City forwards?
Jo is a great capture for City. They're lack of striking ability in the past 5 or more years is glaringly obvious and getting the most exciting, under-20 year old Brazilian striker - how can you beat that? It's a shame the club will be disbanded by Christmas.
Will Fabricio Coloccini give Newcastle defenders a bad name?
BOOOOYAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! FabriZio Coloccini could be, if all goes correctly, the best signing by Newcastle since Sir Alan Shearer. Their past failures to secure a good center of defense is well known and often-times hilarious. But this Argentinian, linking up with another fellow Argeninian (and fellow brilliant Keegan signing) Gutierrez, will immensely help that tarnished reputation. Have Newcastle done enough this offseason to truly turn their fortunes around? No, not yet. Are they starting to show promise that they're making all the necessary adjustments to change them from a laughing stock on many levels to a true, consistent competitor in Europe? You bet. Maybe not this season. (Okay, fine. Definitely not this season.) But in two or three - we'll be there.
Can Paul Robinson become England's No. 1 again?
I love Robbo. He's freaking HILARIOUS. I wish Robinson and Titus Bramble could somehow get on the same team because I would buy a season ticket and fly over there EVERY WEEKEND just to get my jollies off it. HAHAHAHAAAAAHHAHAAAAHAHAHAA!!!
No, he can't. I mean, the ONLY reason he could is because England is full of mediocre-at-best keepers, but come on. It's freaking Paul Robinson.
Will Peter Crouch prove a long-term signing for Portsmouth?
Hells yes. Anybody who knows me knows I love Peter Crouch and was gutted when NUFC didn't get him. And as much as I dislike 'Arry as a person and public figure, he's not an idiot. He's actually one of the most intelligent managers in the English game. So yeah, I think he'll keep him for a while. It'll be really interesting to see Crouchy and Defoe next to each other. The two England strikers have been criticised for so long, so how will they do on the same line, in a league that boasts some of the most prolific international strikers in the world?
Does Valon Behrami mark a change of policy at West Ham?
I mean - yeah, West Ham has brought in more international players. Yeah, Behrami for 5mil is fantastic business. But here's the thing - THEY LOST NOLBERTO SOLANO!! Just ask Newcastle - when you lose Nobby, you have to find a new way to win. West Ham is West Ham is West Ham. Booooorrrriiiiinnnnggggggg
Can Luka Modric and Deco make the playmaker essential in the Premier League?
Luka Modric? Nope. He's too small and frail. He's already injured for H's sake. I'm not bitter - I'm glad Spurs swiped him out from under Newcastle's nose this offseason. I thought so at the time, and I still do - Arda Turan is a MUCH better, more promising, more penetrating playmaking central midfielder. Deco, on the other hand, was a fantastic pickup for Chelsea, and the only question will be whether he can play with Lampard. We all know that Gerrard can't. But Deco and Gerrard are very different players. I would love it, LOVE IT if the playmaker became more essential in the Premier League.
And finally, what you've all been waiting for (especially Brett) my full prediction for the Premier League this season.
1. Chelsea
2. Manchester United
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal
5. Everton
6. Tottenham
7. Portsmouth
8. Aston Villa
9. Newcastle
10. Fulham
11. West Ham
12. Middlesbrough
13. Sunderland
14. Blackburn
15. Wigan
16. Bolton
17. West Brom
18. Stoke City
19. Hull City
Liquidation: Manchester City
posted by darkred at 7:22 PM
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