Curtain Raiser - 2008-09 English Football

A new Premier League (PL) season is going to start on the 16th and if the last season was any indication, the quality of football in the PL is going to improve further thus making it the most attractive league to watch. And this season again we may see the UEFA Champions League being reduced to another English club competition where the big 4 should at least be in the QFs. I was afraid that Ronaldo leaving the PL will reduce its high quality and that he has not left means quality wise the PL remains the very best. I actually expected another top quality player like Messi or Kaka joining any of the PL clubs this season. It would have been really great. That it did not happen suggests that maybe the lure of the PL clubs are reaching a saturation point.

Anyway looking at the PL schedule I, for the first time in 4 yrs, see myself smiling a bit as the draw has been as kind (or unkind depending how you look at it) to Liverpool as to the remaining 3 of the Big 4. The PL draw has never been kind to Liverpool at least in the last 5 yrs where they being the only team to start away from home for the 4th consecutive season (including this new season) and getting majority of the first 10 games with the prospective top 10 finishers. This season is no different where Liverpool again plays at least 6 top 10 finishers in the first 10 matches. But this season the draw has been less kind to the other big 3 clubs as well, especially with Ronaldo missing and ManU playing away to Portsmouth, Liverpool and Chelsea in the first 4 matches itself. This may have a big bearing on the season although last season ManU showed that even with 2 points from the first 4 games you can still win the league while Arsenal showed that with 12 from the first 4 you can still finish 3rd!!!!

Liverpool fans are used to the slow start to the season and like the last 3 seasons the months of November and December is the period when the team gathers steam. I expect this to change this time although the challenge is tough. At least none of them will have the fate that Liverpool suffered 2 seasons ago when they played Everton, Chelsea, ManU, Arsenal and Portsmouth all away in the first 8 matches itself and lost all of them!!!! Anyway more than August-September deciding the fate of the league, its always the month of February and March when the decisive games are played. As for the transfers, Arsenal brought in Aaron Ramsey and Samir Nasri as direct replacements for Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini, so in a sense they remain at same strength as last season unless you consider Gilberto Silva leaving as a loss. When Van Persie and Rosiscky are fit along with Walcott, few in the world will match the pace and sublime touches of the Arsenal attack. But the key once again is Fabregas and boy this lad can play and make others play. But unless Wenger uses him judiciously Arsenal will again run out of steam by February-March. The defense still is a suspect under pressure especially with the wimp Gallas and sub-standard Sendoras, but overall Arsenal are just fine and should again be in the top 4 or atleast close to it.Chelsea brought in Bosingwa and Deco while losing several fringe players like Sidwell, Boulahrouz, Tal Ben Haim and Makelele. So I think they have actually strengthened their side as Bosingwa and Deco are both first 11 players and very good with the ball. And with the entire squad fit, Chelsea has both the depth and strength that they missed so much for the better part of last season. The midfield of Ballack, Lampard, Joe Cole, Deco, Essien, Mikel is probably the best in the world on paper. Drogba is the key (only one) for them to get the goals and if he gets stuck then once again Chelsea will have lots of ball possession but score a lot less. With Scolari Chelsea will be an interesting team to watch both on and off the field. I'm sure they will be competing in 2-3 competitions right till the very end. Also I hope some team finally beats Chelsea in the league at Stamford Bridge first time since Feb 2003 and who better than Liverpool :-)Of the big 4, Liverpool has been the most active in the transfer market and have brought in David Ngog, Andrea Dossen, Philipp Degen and Robbie Keane while losing only Peter Crouch and John Arne Riise of any significance. If Barry comes in then Liverpool will have 2 quality players in almost all positions. If Torres plays anywhere close to what he did last season, then honestly if Liverpool doesn't win anything this season I'll be very surprised and suffice to say we will actually see the last of Benitez.And then comes ManU where Sir Alex doesn't feel the need to add any more to the squad and why would he. The defence is top class so much so that even Gary Neville is not required, the midfield is young and dynamic with Carrick and Hargreaves both maturing and then everyone knows about the trio of Ronaldo-Rooney-Tevez with Nani and Anderson as the back-up. But I'll be eager to see how Ronaldo plays this season and whether ManU can still get enough goals if Ronaldo has a ordinary season and a big name striker is ultimately not bought.The only bit of interest that remains in the transfer market is whether Berbatov or Roque Santa Cruz actually joins ManU and whether the saga of Gareth Barry joining Liverpool actually comes to an end. Else expect some fireworks in the Liverpool - Villa match pretty early in the season.