Another MLS Blunder

I've read enough about David Beckham's injury. I've read enough about who should take on the blame for the disaster his arrival has turned out to be. And I've definately read enough about the Champions League group draw - which by the way is not even technically set since Sevilla and AEK Athens still have to play the return leg of their qualifier. Serious, I totally understand that everyone needs to get their predictions out their as early as possible. But at this stage in the competition unless you can make a convincing and awesome argument that Rosenborg are going to top Group B, I'd ask that we just let them play the matches before discussion heats up.

What I do want to read about - and you can thank MLS for another fine PR blunder on this - are the Chicago Fire and Cuauhtemoc Blanco taking on New York Red Bull and Juan Pablo Angel this weekend. The Fire were easily one of the most boring teams in MLS until Blanco showed up. Suddenly they sign Paulo Wanchope, Chris Rolfe and Justin Mapp come back to health, and Calen Carr looks like a decent player. Going into the match against NYRB we have two clubs with the most exciting players in the league right now.

Note: I didn't say the best clubs in the league but the players I would pay money at this point to watch.

NYRB's Juan Pablo Angel - while not matching his early form - is still the best striker in the league. Jozy Altidore should have his face plastered on any and all MLS advertisements for the next 6 weeks or until Becks is back. Even then, this is an American league and we all know how much the average American sports fan loves their homegrown talent and fear anything from overseas. So Altidore ought to be the face of the league...Until he signs a massive contract with a real club in Europe.

Serious, I am going to be in front of my TV watching Blanco, Angel, Altidore and Wanchope all on the pitch at the same time. The Los Angeles Galaxy? Please. They're one of the most awful sides ever to play in MLS. Not just this season - ever. And I'm not limiting this to play on the pitch. I am referring to the club as a whole. This season's LA Galaxy - on a whole - are without question one of the worst performing and run clubs of all time.

Why did MLS not have a back up plan in place should something as terrible as Beckham getting injured happen? Talk about needing to review the people you have in place in the Marketing and PR departments. Is because Blanco is a bit chubby, speaks no English and isn't as stylish as Beckham the reason he hasn't been getting dedicated banner advertisements on ESPN? Why isn't there a "Juan Pablo Angel in the USA" icon above every column on Soccernet? Didn't they think diversifying the marketing a bit and spreading some of the budget around to the other big name signings would help promote the league? Or do they want people to think it is just Beckham and a bunch of part-timers?

It is just mind blowing that MLS allowed this to take place. Meaning, they essentially are admitting the league has no talent or marketable players worth investing in other than Beckham. They can't do much for Landan Donovan because he doesn't want to leave LA unless there is a road match and once word gets out to the non-hardcore soccer fan that he high tailed it out of Europe when he hit a rough patch no one is going to buy into Donovon serving as a role model.

Instead of promoting the hell out of this NYRB vs. Fire match for weeks MLS has missed a serious opportunity. College football starts this weekend so good luck getting any promo opportunities other than the final 2 minutes on SportsCenter. I would bet that if this type of poor judgement happened in the NFL or MLB people would be looking for new employment right now. At MLS HQ it is just another day on the job.

So, I would encourage you to watch the match this weekend. There are playoff implications and some damn fine players participating. MLS obviously doesn't want you to know that.

AS Roma: Team of the Weekend

I watched a fair amount of football this weekend - roughly around 12-16 hours worth of matches - given the size of my social circumference it was no easy task to simply block everything out and focus on the football. But with the Italian and Spanish leagues revving up this weekend I wouldn't have been able to focus had someone convinced me a happening was taking place more worthy of my attention.

And after the final whistle blew (Sorry MLS: I mean whistles in matches I will be watching) I have to admit that AS Roma were the most exciting side that took the pitch this weekend. The two goals they scored were magnificent. Defender Philippe Mexes knocked in the first off an unstoppable cross and Alberto Aquilani submitted an early contender for Goal of the Year with his 27th minute cracker. More than that, the entire side were dangerous, inventive and sharper than anyone else I watched. And that includes the English clubs that have been going for a few matches now.

I remarked earlier this summer that Ludovic Guily's transfer to Roma would go down as the best signing of the close season. If he continues to run his ass off the way he did tonight I will be more than justified in making such a statement. I mean, Thierry Henry and a Barcelona side that could not find the back of the net against Racing Santander?!?! Captain Francesco Totti had a mediocre night and that may be generous (Totti is a Vein of Form favorite I can't be too harsh or risk losing my staff to revolt). Totti still managed to bring the look of fear in the Palermo 'keeper's eyes whenever he stood over a free kick, forced him into a fantastic save on a longer range attempt and passed the ball around nicely.

I was most impressed with Mirko Vucinic. A few more matches and this guy will be knocking in the goals at a ridiculous rate. I could dedicate a paragraph to the entire starting lineup if I wanted. Rodrigo Taddei - someone I've never been high on in the past - was trouble all night for Palermo and Daniele De Rossi was his usual brilliant self. Roma 'keepr Doni was forced into some very difficult saves and to be fair did not look the strongest link in the Roma chain at times. Luckily he has the likes of Mexes and Christian Panucci around him.

Keep in mind Roma were without Juan, Alessandro Mancini and Simone Perrotta. Once those three are available I think the rest of Italy will be seriously worried. Juventus may have returned to a flying 5 goal start and AC Milan knocked in 3 of their own while keeping a clean sheet. But defending champions Inter settled for a 1-1 draw and were less than impressive against Udinese.

It was just one match - yes I am well aware of that. Inter could be the team of the weekend for the next 8 weeks for all I know. Or Barca could get their act together and win out! You never know with football. But I have to comment that Liverpool still look like the best side in England. Manchester United were just bland against Spurs today. Serious, they looked like nothing more than a tough home side and were fortunate Nani produced a wonder strike or else they would be in crisis mode right now.

And Chelsea should be thanking David James for their 3 points against Portsmouth. Real Madrid were in the Madrid derby so everything gets thrown out the window in that instance.

Anyways, based off the weekend results the side I know I'll be waiting to see again is Roma. I don't believe for a second Inter are going to run away with this title again and Roma just have the spoiler look about them.

Where Will Fabio Capello Turn Up Next?

Perhaps one of the greatest managerial minds football has ever seen, Fabio Capello, is currently without a club to lavish his brilliance on. You would have to be quite foolish to think he is content offering match commentary and is not surveying the football landscape for an opportunity to win additional trophies. And it goes without saying that Capello will bring trophies to whichever club makes the wise decision of hiring him.

Everyone witnessed this last season as he guided Real Madrid to the La Liga title. The squad looked wayward and out of the running for a large portion of the season. After Champions League elimination it was a serious possibility that Capello would not see the end of the season and the forever revolving manager door at Real Madrid would see him out. But the players bought into his system - they seemingly cast their gigantic egos aside - and played epic football (albeit defensive and a bit boring) and caught a shaky Barcelona. Was this Capello's greatest managing achievement? That is debatable when you look at prior accomplishments.

His AC Milan squads dominated Serie A throughout the 90s. He made a prior La Liga winning appearance at Real Madrid towards the end of that decade prior to returning to Italy and guiding AS Roma and Juventus (eventually stripped of the title) to the Scudetto. Factor in a Champions League ('94), Italian Super Cups ('92,'93,'94,'01) and a European Super Cup ('94) and Capello is as decorated and respected an unemployed manager as there ever was. So what are his options?

The Italian national squad seems an obvious choice. But I wonder if someone of Capello's tactical acumen would be satisfied with just the European Championships, World Cup and the random friendly to ply his trade. Indeed, I believe that club football is where Capello will turn up again. If Juventus fail to finish in a Champions League qualifying spot it might give them an opportunity to fire Claudio Raneiri so that Capello could return. Carlo Ancelotti hoisting the Champions League trophy last season has earned him another season at Milan that looks certain to end in either second or third place in the table, but I feel like Capello would approach any potential opening there with a "been there, done that" attitude.

You could argue that Spain offers more intriguing opportunities. If Barcelona fail to win La Liga and conquer Europe the club will surely give manager Frank Rijkaard the axe and Capello would be amongst the first names suggested in the boardroom. If history tells us anything new Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster could be gone by the halfway point of the season and the club could beg Capello to return. The chance to play the hero at the biggest club in the world would be too much to resist should this scenario arise. Although, do not count out Sevilla as being a future destination. Juande Ramos is the hottest property in managing right now. I doubt he'll be at the club this time next season. Depending on how things play out Ramos could easily be at Chelsea or Tottenham Hottspur of the Premier League next season and Sevilla would be the project - similar to Roma - that attracts Capello to return to the managing ranks.

But I want to dig even deeper into the possibilities here. What about England? What if trophies fail to arrive at Chelsea and Liverpool this season? If Liverpool do not win the Premier League it is not out of the question that Rafael Benitez will be fired. You know that Jose Mourinho is no guarantee to be at Chelsea next season if multiple trophies (and I don't mean of the FA Cup and Carling Cup variety) don't make their way to Stamford Bridge. Thus, two big clubs with big budgets and lots of talent could have manager openings. Thinking even bigger for a second, England national team manager, Steve McClaren, will be gone either before Euro 2008 because England fail to qualify or immediately after the competition when they crash out in dismal fashion again. Managing England is one of the highest profile jobs in the world. Mr. Capello - your ego is knocking...

And let me just throw this out there: Would Capello consider managing in the United States? If we've learned anything over the summer it is that current manager Bob Bradley hasn't done much to raise the competitiveness of the US national team. They look pretty ordinary outside of CONCACAF and if David Beckham is getting MLS on front pages and prime time television shouldn't the national team strive for the same? Consider the total lack of pressure on the US national team manager, and I would have to believe Capello could balance managing an MLS club with the national team job. He could settle in at LA Galaxy, Chivas USA or Chicago Fire all while guiding the Americans to respectability at the international level.

Whatever happens, as a football fan I want to see Capello on the sidelines. I want to be able to appreciate his ability the same way I do the actual players. After this season a big club is going to have supporters demanding more trophies and Capello should be the first man called to remedy the situation.

Suspend Rob Styles

Looking back on this weekend in the Premiership a few performances stood out above all others. First, Stephen Hunt at Reading has to start to get consideration as one of the top players in the league. Unfairly known around England as the player that cracked Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech's skull, Hunt should now be getting recognition for his inspiring work rate on the pitch. His goal secured the 3 points for Reading against a very solid Everton side. More than that, Hunt was everywhere on Saturday. He was causing problems for Everton with his runs down the wing and his crosses into the box. He was muscling his way through the middle and you couldn't help but think you were watching one of the unheralded players in the Premiership. If Hunt were playing for a bigger club than Reading he would getting talked about much more.

Manager Steve Coppell has to be aware that his player will become more attractive to richer clubs. This undoubtedly is going to happen as Hunt only seems to operate at a speed higher than most other players on the pitch. Reading are once again a very well organized side and Coppell rightfully so is getting whispered about as an England manager candidate when Steve McClaren's tenure comes to an end - possibly when England fail to qualify for Euro '08. That being said, if I were to pick one player I would want starting in my midfield it would be Stephen Hunt. He's never going to be the flashiest player in the top flight but that doesn't matter. His effort will inspire the players around him to give their all and if he gets a goal of his own every now and again all the better.

The next standout performance was Micah Richards at Manchester City. I don't think many believed that Manchester City would come away from the derby on Sunday with all 3 points. Much less be top of the table after three matches played. The young Richards was immense for Sven-Goran Eriksson. He bullied Carlos Tevez and made tackle after tackle in the box on attacking United players. Considering that United had a ridiculous bulk of the possession and really should have connected on a few 2nd half opportunities it makes Richards' performance all the more admirable.

City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichal was almost as brilliant. He was well out of position a couple times and were it not for the likes of Richards and captain Richard Dunne, City would have conceded a couple of goals. Certainly Richards has earned a start for England on Wednesday against Germany. The boy is easily the best available option to play central defense. I say that only because John Terry is not going to be 100%, and there are no other healthy England defenders that come close to the form the City player is in. You cannot ignore the confidence he will carry in the weeks ahead.

You also cannot ignore the confidence Manchester City will have. One of the most dangerous type of side is the one that doesn't necessarily have the best players or the deepest squad, but that somehow pulls off victories and gets on a bit of a run. They begin to believe in one another and believe they can beat anyone. City have that look right now. I'm not predicting they are going to challenge for the Champions League, but I will predict that they are going to be a handful the rest of the season.

Finally, Rob Styles, referee during the Chelsea v. Liverpool match should be suspended after his terrible performance. Styles was fine during the 1st half. He let there be physical play, allowed for advantages to be had and gave a few deserved yellow cards. But his penalty call in the 2nd half was dead wrong. Dead wrong! Despite being so early on in the season the match today was possibly a title decider and he did the worst thing referees can do: he has caused all the post-match talk to be about his decisions and not the play on the pitch.

A great referee goes unnoticed during the big matches and it was as if Styles couldn't allow that to happen. The league should watch the replay of the match and do the right thing - suspend Rob Styles. You know when he was handing out all those yellow cards in the 2nd half that control of the match had been lost. In fact, I thought he had given Michael Essien a second yellow card without sending him off. He was so horribly unclear that fan and the announcers couldn't be sure what was going on. What was a thrilling 1st half and early 2nd half was marred by Styles' decisions. When the big clubs of England hook up that cannot be allowed.

A Must-Read Chelsea v. Liverpool Preview

Given that Manchester United has just 2 points after two matches (0-0 against Reading, 1-1 against Portsmouth), Liverpool and Chelsea smell blood in the water as they prepare to meet on Sunday in the Barclays Premier League. Factor in that one of those draws came at Old Trafford against a 10-man Reading and that United will be playing a very determined Manchester City this weekend without Cristiano Ronaldo there is reason to believe pressure can be applied to the Champions at an early stage in the season.

At the same time an argument could be made that the match to be contested at Anfield will be a 90 minute slog as neither side is prepared to risk dropping all the points available. This type of strategy is what makes the Premier League such fascinating viewing. Jose Mourinho has an injured squad that has let in 3 goals (2 against Birmingham, 1 against Reading) and even if John Terry is in the lineup his match fitness has to be questioned. Meanwhile, Rafael Benitez watched his side put in a very impressive performance away at Aston Villa in week 1 and travel to Toulouse mid-week for a Champions League qualifier that was played in blistering heat but scored a crucial away goal that should make progress to the next round a sure bet.

If you recall this fixture from last season, Peter Crouch and Jermaine Pennant both scored fantastic goals as the Reds won 2-0. I have a feeling that Benitez is going to be eager to unleash his new look squad on Chelsea, establish Liverpool as the class of the league early and build a small points gap on United and Chelsea. There is an embarrassment of riches at the striker and mid-field positions. Dirk Kuyt was rested against Toulouse which leads me to believe he will partner up top with Fernando Torres. First off the bench should be Ryan Babel - a player that looks like he could take the Premier League by storm - or Andriy Voronin after he unleashed the winning wonder strike in France. The early returns of Babel and Voronin could mean that Crouch looks more one-dimensional than ever in the eyes of Benitez and will struggle to get minutes in matches of this magnitude. Keep in mind, Babel can always be placed in the attacking midfield role which could boost Crouch's chances of making an appearance against Chelsea.

The midfield of Liverpool presents further possibilities. Steven Gerrard (fractured toe and all) will be starting in the center but I am not certain that Xabi Alonso will return to the starting role in the league. Javier Mascherano will probably make the start as his tackling and tenaciousness is going to be critical against Chelsea. Pennant, despite his antics at Villa, should earn at least the first 45 minutes especially after the way he attacked this fixture last season. I am still not sold Momo Sissoko is the dynamic player Benitez promised upon his arrival. At this point I think he is a 2nd half substitute that comes on for defensive purposes. Yossi Benayoun's versatility could garner him consideration in the starting lineup. Even though Benitez is the Master of Tinkering I feel he will keep John Arne Riise on the left and only use Benayoun as a substitute.

Didier Drogba has been a Liverpool killer in the past and Florent Malouda will give the defense all kinds of problems. Malouda is just a remarkable footballer and should know he was brought to Chelsea for this type of match. He must assert himself early in the match. Shaun Wright-Phillips has been the best player on the pitch for Chelsea in the early part of this season. Is Michael Essien at 100%? Probably not, but he will still be in the lineup because Essien at 80% is better than most midfielders in the world. Frank Lampard hasn't looked bad - even scoring a goal - but I'm still not a believer in this guy.

The match in my opinion has 1-1 or even (deep sigh) a 0-0 draw. If there is going to be a winner though I think Liverpool should be able to ride their momentum, confidence and home field to victory. Plus, Chelsea's defense is questionable right now. Richardo Carvalho is injured, Terry is back but not fully fit and I have trouble believing Tal Ben-Haim is a defender worthy of being on a championship contending squad. Ashley Cole is a shell of his former self. Simple as that. I see Essien having to drop back and when his opportunities to attack are decreased the odds of Liverpool winning increase.

Even though it is very early there is a hell of a lot to lose in this match. Get ready for another snoozer between these two clubs. Vein of Form is calling it a scoreless draw.

Tone Set for Spurs' Season against Sunderland

Now that they've gotten the first match out of the way might everyone calm down a bit about Tottenham Hotspur breaking up the traditional Big 4? Look, in a bit of weakness - perhaps I have too many friends that are Spurs supporters - I picked them to finish in the 4th spot so I am equally at fault for getting worked up about all these summer signings. And it might have been just the first match in a long season but I couldn't help but feel like I've seen this same effort from Spurs for the past couple of seasons.

Their defense is shocking. Michael Dawson and Ledley King are injured. King seems to be injured all the time. Jermaine Jenas was missing the entire match. He really is just an ordinary player that keeps getting propped up as something special. I can't believe he's even in Steve McClaren's plans for the England set up (Who by the way was at the Manchester City vs. West Ham match. Micah Richards should be your starting center back Mr. England Manager.).

Let me also say that Steed Malbranque is utterly useless. He made one good pass the entire match and otherwise was a disaster. Dimitar Berbatov was surprisingly poor - and you won't have many opportunities to say that about the player. I promise you Berbatov will be gone sooner than you think if everyone around him at the club is this average for the full season and start to drag his performances down.

Sunderland are not going to be a relegation fighting side, but they sure as hell are not going to be pressing for a top 6 or 7 finish either. This was a match Spurs ought to have taken 3 points from if they are serious about being a top side. This was strangely similar to Liverpool's first match last season against Sheffield United. They managed a 1-1 draw on a terrible penalty call that set the tone for the remainder of a dismal Premier League campaign.

I will repeat that I know it is a long season and this was only the opening weekend. But I think there is real cause for concern at the London club. They looked totally unprepared and unwilling to stand up to Roy Keane's fighting Sunderland. Keane may be the perfect example of why Martin Jol should be fired! No one looks like they want to fight for Jol while I think every player that pulls on the Sunderland shirt is willing to do anything to win 3 points for Keane.

With one match in the books, I might have to reconsider my prediction already. Spurs look well out of sorts.

EPL Preview: Top 5 Prediction

5. Blackburn
Barring new ownership taking over the club, this will be the season manager Mark Hughes realizes he has taken Blackburn as high in the table as he will be able to. I can't believe Hughes is even still at Blackburn. He's one of the best managers in the Barclay's Premier League and by keeping an already solid squad in tact the supporters will see how that steadiness pays off in the league and in the UEFA Cup. First, David Bentley is becoming one of the best midfielders in the league. His crosses last season were Beckham-esque. Bentley's runs on the counter attacks were eerily reminiscent of the former England captain's. Add tough midfielders like Brett Emerton and Robbie Savage to the mix in addition to Morten Gamst Pederson and Blackburn have one of the best midfields in England. Pederson in particular is one of the most versatile players you will see all season. He can score through the air, outside the box or get the poachers goals when the opportunity arises. No wonder he's been swirling in transfer rumors for the past couple of seasons. Keeping 18 goal scorer Benny McCarthy was a major win for Hughes. McCarthy will be the starter every match but there is significant competition for the other strikers. Matt Derbyshire, Jason Roberts and new signing Roque Santa Cruz will all want to stake claim to pairing with McCarthy. Training sessions ought to be quite intense this season and the depth at that position means a deep UEFA Cup run is a strong possibility. When people reel off the top goalkeepers in the Premiership Brad Friedel routinely gets skipped. Perhaps this is because he is so understated and plays for a club the size of Blackburn. But you can't tell me he isn't as consistent or puts in as many Man of the Match performances as the likes of Petr Cech or Pepe Reina. If he wanted the job, he could be the US National Team #1 and Friedel is possibly the best US player ever. The reason I have Blackburn this high in the table is that the chemistry I saw within the squad at the end of last season will not have been disrupted through players exiting the squad or too much off season tinkering. Blackburn essentially got stronger by not trying to fix too much. I have to believe Hughes knows it might be impossible to keep this group together much longer and now is the time to bust out. A Champions League spot is way too ambitious but they will push the clubs above them.

4. Tottenham Hotspur
If anyone was going to break up the Big Four it was always going to be Spurs. Martin Jol has no excuses left if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season other than he just isn't a good enough manager. Dimitar Berbatov is flat out one of the top 3 players in the Premiership. I'd rate Ronaldo and Drogba above him. In fact, if I were assembling a squad today I'd prefer Berbatov over the likes of Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, John Terry or Cesc Fabregas. Jol could play Jermaine Defoe, Robbie Keane or newly acquired Darren Bent in some combination with Berbatov at any point during the match. That is a ridiculous amount of trouble for defenses to deal with. Spurs should not get shut out this season. At some point in the match one of those guys will score. And if they can't, play maker Aaron Lennon will do it himself from the midfield. I've never been a believer in Jermaine Jenas. He gets a handful of goals during the season and somehow holds down a spot on the national squad. I much prefer Didier Zokora - he's a more versatile player - and I will be interested to see new signing Kevin Boateng adjusts to life in England. I like Tom Huddlestone and think he'll be great off the bench, but prefer Wayne Routledge. Routledge just keeps popping up in the top flight. I think he'll fit in well at Spurs and become a first team choice eventually for Jol. The defense is where I think the top 4 finish could be lost. Paul Robinson isn't one of the best 3 English 'keepers. Off the top of my head I would take David James, Ben Foster or Scott Carson over him any match. He'll single handedly drop points for Spurs this season, just wait and see. Ledley King is never healthy - a trend that will continue in 2007/08. Michael Dawson is steady but nothing to rave about. Pascal Chimbonda is their best defender and possibly behind Berbatov the most important player at the club. Youngster Gareth Bale will eventually develop into one of the best defenders in the Premiership. This just won't be the season for that emergence. He'll make a lot of mistakes but by the end will begin to show that all the hype attached to him has been deserved. The club has spent money on new players and refrained from serving as a feeder system to the bigger clubs. The end result ought to be a dream season. But this is Spurs I'm talking about...

3. Liverpool
I find it quite hard to pick how the remaining three clubs will finish. They have so much talent and such great managers I don't see any single club breaking away this season. The competition from top to bottom will be so intense that no two clubs will pull away either. Instead, we'll see three clubs finish a greater distance from fourth place while at the same time being tighter together than ever before. Have I confused you enough? Which brings me to the European runners-up: Liverpool. Manager Rafa Benitez got his wish for funds granted and he has spent wisely. I don't understand where the Fernando Torres doubters are coming from. He's big, athletic and has the prime years of his career to be under the tutelege of Benitez. Ryan Babel was an interesting signing. I don't know that he is that much better than Dirk Kuyt right now, and I don't know that either player will really distinguish themselves as an automatic starter over the other. However, if used in combination with Torres or Peter Crouch they will experience a great deal of success. Andriy Voronin could be useful off the bench or to give Torres rest in cup matches. The midfield is the class of the league. How do you choose starters out of this group? Steven Gerrard is, well, Steven Gerrard. Phenomenal player who routinely pulls this squad up by the scruff of the neck. He is the definition of a captain. But then you've got Xabi Alonso, Momo Sissoko and Javier Mascherano. Mascherano could by the end of the season emerge as the best midfielder on the squad behind Gerrard. Sissoko still looks out of control at times. His passes are errant and his tackling can be sloppy. Yossi Benayoun cost a good deal of money but will have to battle a fit Harry Kewell and Mark Gonzalez for minutes. Jermaine Pennant is the best crosser of the ball in the squad but do you start him over the other options on hand? John Arne Riise (a Vein of Form favorite!!!) can play defense but he's most effective when deployed in the midfield and can push forward with that thunder strike serving as one of Liverpool's most dangerous weapons. Hell, some are saying that the Brazilian youngster Lucas could be the best midfield player no one in the league has seen play! Indeed, it will be hard for Benitez not to tinker but he will have to find the correct formula or risk another poor start that kills any chance of winning the league. Pepe Reina remains one of the top 3 goalkeepers in the league. I like him better than Real Madrid's Iker Casillas. The defense will be the best in the league once again at home but will they replicate that form away from Anfield? Steve Finnan is so underrated. I think he could start for any of the top clubs in England. Jamie Carragher will once again be a force. Danny Agger will emerge as the best defender at Liverpool this season. I expect him to be mentioned in the same sentences as John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and William Gallas very soon. The two clubs in front of Liverpool are just a hairline better at this point. Because of the new signings they might be a year away from putting it all together and forming the chemistry a champion must have. However, if everything clicks sooner than expected Liverpool could end their league trophy drought. But if the away form doesn't match the ferociousness at Anfield it will be another early end to the domestic season.

2. Manchester United
I have to give credit to Alex Ferguson for reeling in Chelsea last season. I thought the Premiership trophy would have Chelsea blue ribbons tied to it for the next 8 years. Man United benefited from Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs having a season that stood with any other of their great efforts. But Scholes is already injured and I don't think he was going to repeat that effort anyways. Giggs might be able to play another two seasons in the top flight but age is inevitable and I think he will struggle this season to recapture last year's magic. United invested heavily in the midfield by signing Owen Hargreaves (the best England player at the World Cup in Germany), Nani and Anderson. Nani has been impressive during the pre-season but he hasn't had to go consecutive weeks getting battered and bruised against Premiership defenses. It is way too early to gauge what Anderson's capabilities are. Michael Carrick nearly lived up to his price tag towards the end of last season. Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world. I wouldn't be surprised if he leads the Premiership in scoring on a regular basis from here on out. I can count on one hand players I've seen play that match his skill. Maradona, Zidane...yea he's going to be in that class. Carlos Tevez is going to be unstoppable. He should instantly become their most dangerous scoring threat provided Rooney doesn't improve on what was a really flat year for him. I don't rate Rooney as one of the top 5 or 6 strikers in the league right now. I'd rate Tevez just behind Drogba and Berbatov. Should either of them get injured Ferguson is thin on the bench at that position. Ji-Sung Park and Louis Saha always are injured. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's knees cannot be trusted plus they dumped Alan Smith to Newcastle and Giusseppe Rossi to Villareal. I think the Rossi deal was a bad move. No matter what happens in the Gabriel Heinze saga he'll never play first team football at United again. But I still love their defense. Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand are still world class. However, I think Patrice Evra has done nothing but get stronger since his arrival and Nemanja Vidic might be the best defender in the squad. John O'Shea can look at times like a pub league player and yet he comes on the pitch and tends to have a positive effect on the match. Edwin Van der Sar might not be the starter by seasons end. Ferguson falls out of love with 'keepers fast and Van der Sar is losing his looks. There is enough talent in the starting eleven to allow for games to be killed off at the half and starters can rest for the final half hour of most matches. I'm predicting United to lose the title but they'll never be more than 3-5 points behind the leaders. Matches such as away at Liverpool, Fulham and Everton jump out at me as when the title was won. United seemed to slip up and then they would just flip a switch and turn the match on its head. That just can't happen every season. But then, I'm a Liverpool fan so I can't bring myself to picture United hoisting the trophy again.

1. Chelsea
The only thing I see slowing this club down is the African Cup of Nations. Losing the likes of Michael Essien, Didier Drogba, John Obi Mikel and Salomon Kalou for possibly a month must have Jose Mourinho terrified. Drogba is the best striker in the league and Essien is one of the most versatile players in the world. Essien could basically start at any position for Chelsea and be the best option. This is why Andriy Shevchenko has to have huge season. His nightmare debut season in England should be behind him and he will look to regain the form that made him the world's best striker in the past. Claudio Pizarro and Steve Sidwell could become the steals of the close season. A healthy Joe Cole means that Mourinho will have one of the most creative players in England to terrify defenses again. Add Florent Malouda to the mix with a resurgent Shaun Wright-Phillips and Chelsea might become not boring! Ashley Cole looks like a shell of his former self. I'd take Wayne Bridge as the starter any day of the week over Cole. Chelsea need John Terry and Petr Cech to be healthy the entire season. Everyone saw how gaping that defense looked without them last season. Richardo Carvalho essentially carried the defense on his own during that spell. I think Michael Ballack might be done at Chelsea. The ankle surgery debacle is going to be the end of him. Chelsea have spent the past couple seasons spending like crazy and they won right away. However, that spending spree was designed to bring in world class players that would grow as a squad together and sustain that success over several seasons. The last campaign beat Mourinho to hell. The off the pitch drama was ridiculous. Which is why the club announcing Roman Abromavich making good with the manager was a brilliant move - the press can now focus on the pitch. The footballing empire Chelsea have dreams of building is still likely to happen. Pressure will be on the club to conquer Europe and reclaim the Premiership. They have the depth, experience and now the motivation to do both. Repeating as champion is one of the most difficult things to do in any sport. Well, Chelsea are not trying to repeat this season so the pressure is off in that regard. Top to bottom the Premiership is more competitive than it has ever been so matches that used to be an easy 3 points will now be 90 minute fights. But I feel like Chelsea are going to be welcoming that fight. Those first two titles were so easy. Now they have scars to show. Which will should only build chemistry and resilience. Maybe bruised and battered is how Mourinho wanted them after all that glory placed them on a pedestal. The slightest wobble and Manchester United or Liverpool will smell blood and pounce. The difference is that Manchester United and Liverpool seem almost desperate to win the title now. Chelsea just seem to believe it is theirs for the taking.

EPL Preview Pt. 3

10. Aston Villa
Manager Martin O'Neill will have his side very organized and very prepared to fight for a UEFA Cup spot this season. However, I still think they are a year away from breaking out in that manner. Plus, I do not like the club's close season activity thus far. I think Nigel Reo-Coker is overrated and was the wrong guy to bring in. Perhaps O'Neill sees potential that Alan Pardew and Alan Curbishly failed to recognize or draw out of him at West Ham. I don't see him as one of the top midfielders in England like some have claimed. What were they thinking when they signed Marlon Harewood? Ashley Young and Luke Moore have had their share of brilliant moments in the pre-season. I'm not convinced Moore will be consistent the entire season, but Young could be the offensive spark. John Carew is going to score a lot of goals against bottom half clubs. Gabriel Agbonlahor is one of my favorite players in the EPL. I love his pace and his creativity. Gareth Barry is still the best player on the squad. Olof Mellberg and Wilfred Bouma already look on the decline. Bouma was never really on the rise though... Liam Ridgewell is just okay for me. If I were owner Randy Lerner I would do everything I could to get O'Neill the players he wants most. He's an outstanding manager and while he will have Villa ready to take points off clubs that brushed them aside the past few years there will still be plenty of frustrating moments for his club in 07/08.

9. Newcastle
I was almost tempted to predict a higher finish for Newcastle. But I know that they won't stay healthy, one of their biggest signings is injured and could end up in jail (Joey Barton) and another big signing is a chunky striker past his prime (Mark Viduka). Perhaps Sam Allardyce realized that he cannot count on Michael Owen to get healthy and then stay healthy. And I have to believe that his signing of Alan Smith could mean that Obafemi Martins really is unsettled at the club and will not be around the entire campaign. Which would be a shame for Newcastle fans because Martins had flashes of complete brilliance and a couple of his goals would make many Top 10 Goals of the Year lists. If his strike force falls apart Big Sam will depend heavily on midfielders like James Milner, Damien Duff and Nolberto Solano to pick up the slack. The defense is embarrassing. I don't know that the defenders on the squad would see the pitch for any other club in the top half of the table. Shay Given remains one of the best 'keepers in the EPL but he will get shelled relentlessly. Which further highlights my concern that if the goal scorers break down - I'm telling you, it WILL happen to Newcastle - supporters are going to be wondering how to stop the bleeding (literally and figuratively). If Owen is capable of playing the entire season and Martins is right there with him Newcastle could defy expecations and push hard for a UEFA Cup spot. Those players along with Smith could score enough goals to offset the inevitable deluge that the defense is going to surrender. Considering the talent that has pulled on the Black & White the past few seasons Big Sam will not be allowed much leeway and success will be expected immediately. He has double the talent available to him at Bolton during his time there. He just might be the man to bring trophies to St. James Park.

8. Everton
The news that Tim Cahill will miss the start of the season - possibly 2-3 months - had to crush manager David Moyes and his hopes of getting off to a fast start. Few players have as much influence on their club's success as Cahill has the past couple of seasons. In fact, I think he is one of the most underrated players in the world. Everton were fairly quiet in the transfer market. No real difference maker was brought in. This tells me that Moyes believes the likes of Mikel Arteta, Phil Neville and Andrew Johnson can provide leadership in the face of a several cup competitions and the domestic campaign. It also hints at Moyes' belief James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe will emerge as true stars of the EPL. Vaughan's performances towards the end of last season have me sold. He'll push AJ for the top scorer at the club and we all know how fast AJ is to fall down when pushed. Joleon Lescott shouldn't be content with his recent England call up. Lescott should be in the starting lineup for the national team. He's one of the class defenders in the EPL. Tim Howard was exceptional last season and he might have a chip on his shoulder as US National Team head coach Bob Bradley didn't confirm his position as the new #1 by giving Casey Keller plenty of time in the net during the summer's Gold Cup. Everton just don't have the squad depth to repeat the 6th place finish of last season. A signing like Phil Jagielka isn't going to make that big a difference.

7. Portsmouth
Oh that Harry Rednapp. Does he ever have an interesting pool of players to utilize in 2007/08. Several clubs were as active or more active in the transfer market, but I don't know that any EPL club did as much to improve as Portsmouth have. The first signing that jumps out at me is Sulley Muntari. Anyone that paid attention to Ghana at the World Cup in Germany saw the potential of Muntari. I expected a "big club" in Europe to snatch him up - not Portsmouth! He will be a handful in the midfield. Which just happens to be where the club has an embarrassment of riches. Matthew Taylor is becoming a player that you feel with each touch of the ball will make something great happen. Niko Kranjcar is going to be much improved and if he stops taking shots out of his range and focuses on putting the ball on target or setting up a teammate he will be something special. But Rednapp also held onto the grumpy but always dangerous Kanu, LuaLua and Benjani. Add to that dangerous group David Nugent and Portsmouth suddenly have the chance to be an imposing attacking side. I'll be most interested to see how Nugent fares against Premiership defenses. If he is able to draw defenders Kanu could have a huge year. David James is the best goalkeeper in England. He should the the national team #1 and he will single handedly win games again for the club. Sylvain Distin will prove to be a significant signing and Sol Campbell should continue his revival. Last year when Portsmouth was near the EPL summit I never felt it was a permanent situation. But they hung around all year and finished just short of qualifying for Europe. This season they will believe qualifying is realistic. It might take some getting used to, but Portsmouth are going to be near the top of the table this season and those relegation struggles are a thing of the past.

6. Arsenal
Who is going to provide leadership? Who is going to score the goals? I don't care if Arsenal strings together a hundred pretty passes in a row there is still no one there to put the ball in the back of the net. Robin Van Persie will be back healthy but he will need to form a consistent partnership with Emmanuel Adebayor. Nicklas Bendtner remains an unknown quantity. Theo Walcott has proven he has boatloads of pace but again: will he be able to score the goals? I don't see anyone in the midfield other than Cesc Fabregas that should case other clubs concern. Yes, he's one of the best in the world but one man can only do so much. Captain Gilberto will probably be spending most of his time yelling at the youngsters to get in proper position and focus. Tomas Rosicky and Alexander Hleb have been disappointing. New signing Da Silva has been playing in the Croatian football league. I highly doubt the form he displayed in that league will just transfer over to the EPL. Manager Arsene Wenger doesn't get much wrong, but Da Silva could be a huge bust. I don't know why that decision was made. Thierry Henry's absence won't be noticed too much since he wasn't around much last season either with injury problems. There are still ownership questions that the players are going to be dealing with and Wenger's future is very much in doubt at the club. They are going to struggle this season and if they get eliminated early from the Champions League and qualification for the next competition looks in doubt it could get very ugly at the Emirates.