New Season, Old Aspirations

The football season has been kickstarted and I hope Chelsea wins all the trophies in sight :-)

Chelsea has done a couple of big changes this year. Bringing in Scolari in place of Grant was a smart move though I would have loved to have Jose back. And Deco is a cool signing. Our mid-field is not the strongest in EPL but infact in the whole of Europe. 
Also, I agree with the release of SWP. I really liked him coz he always gave his all when he was on the field but somehow he never was able to fulfill his true promise in the blue shirt. May he do well in City though not aganist Chelsea :-)

And I guess from this year atleast, we are stopped being called big money spenders. 

The Reds did some spending too and some blocking too. They bought in Bebatov and managed to hold on to Ronaldo by going aganist the wishes of the player. If the same would have been done by any other team when Utd was interested in that player, then Alex and the English press would have crucified that team and its owners but then Sir Alex has a unique place in EPL and he gets away with anything.

Arsenal are still the same. I do like them except for Adebyor. So, I would not mind them taking the second place in EPL after Chelsea.

Liverpool can take the 3rd place with the Spurs in 4th. Yes, I want the Reds out of the top 4 and one could call me a bit mad but I do hope to see that happening this time :-)

And as Asif said, CL is more of a lottery and I have always been bad at them. So, I don't mind Jose's team taking the CL this time.

Let the beautiful game roll on!

~HP

The more the things change, the more they remain the same

Three rounds in the new season and things look the same as they were the last year, the year before and the year before.

Can't figure it how? Well Man. Utd started out with a draw against Portsmouth and looked like they wouldn't be able to defend their title, This year they started with a draw against Newcastle and don't look all that strong with all the injuries.

Liverpool started the year with some good performances, but always looked short of looking like they are going to be the champions. Its exactly the same story this year, add to it the sparring between the owners and the manager and the chairman etc etc.

After a disappointing year by standards of Jose's era, Chelsea started off strongly but there were always doubts about their quality and they are still being derided for one of the most boring football in the league. The second win scraped over Wigan and the following draw, just reaffirmed that they are the same as last year. The only difference, they've manage to bring in one of my favorite player - Deco - and a less boring manager.

As for Arsenal, well they didn't start the year strongly as they did last year, but nevertheless looked at ease in the next few game. Apart from that, it has been the same. There is no body apart from the manager who thinks that some money needs to be spent and big players brought in. But call it french arrogance or his old age, Wenger is hell bent on sticking with the kids to win him the league. God bless Arsenal and may they kick the other 3's ass!!!

The most interesting developments have come from Man City, where it looks like a crazy Sheikh got up one morning with a billion dollars to throw away, bought the next available club on the market and plans to turn it in to the biggest club in the world.

No offences to Chelsea, but after spending 3/4th of a billion, many cups won and as many managers in the number of years that Abromvich has owned the club. Chelsea is losing 10's of millions of dollars a year and still has empty seat for many of the matches. Man Utd. and Arsenal did not become the biggest clubs in the world in a year or two, it takes years and years to build a hugely successful club and I hope the Sheikh's have the patience unlike the big fat impatient owner of Newcastle.

Ok the important part, prediction time.

League winners --- Man Utd/Chelsea
CL --- Its always a fluke you know

Arsenal --- Might win a cup or two
Liverpool -- Nothing, unless they get really lucky