Back Pass: Why Chelsea will retain Premier League title.
The 2010/2011 Premier League season has entered its third week, and unsurprisingly, the debate about which club will win the competition has intensified.
On the basis of what I have seen so far, this season's Premiership will be a two-horse race between the double champions, Chelsea, and the stubborn red devils from Old Trafford, Manchester United.
Chelsea.
Chelsea are on course to retain the trophy they won last season. Already, they lead the table with maximum nine points from three games. They have scored an astonishing 14 goals in three games and haven't conceded any. Chelsea have made their premier league intent clear by ruthlessly white-washing West-Brom and Wigan six nil apiece in the opening two weeks of this campaign. Chelsea still possess the likes of Drogba, Lampard, Terry, Essien, Anelka, Malouda, and Mikel, who are among the best players in the Premiership and will be looking to rigorously defend the title they won last season. Though Ballack and Deco have been released, they have been replaced with a younger and more effective duo of Ramires and Benayoun, thereby providing Chelsea with more strength in depth.
Manchester United
Manchester United will definitely win the Premiership if Chelsea slip along the way. There is no need to talk about Manchester United's abilities or achievements. We know how hungry, resilient and positive they are when it comes to the Premier League. Manchester United have proven over a long period that they are never tired of winning trophies. Although Scholes and Giggs have been playing for almost twenty years, they are not ready to retire yet! They are still interested in rubbing shoulders with their younger and more enterprising counterparts. Anyway, truth be told, both players have consistently proven that in spite of their age, they are capable of rising to the occasion at any given time. Scholes, especially, has been shockingly phenomenal this season. The 'old man' is in hot form!
With regard to coaching, Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson is, in my opinion, the most successful coach in the world. That man is exceptionally astute, technically and tactically. Sometimes I find it hard to comprehend how he manages to win trophies using 'old men' like Giggs and Scholes, and 'dead men' like Fletcher, Gary Neville, and John O'Shea. The foregoing underlines Ferguson's pedigree as arguably the best coach in the world.
Manchester United have signed a certain Javier Hernandez, and on the basis of how the latter performed at the World Cup in South-Africa, he should be a wonderful addition to a team which already boasts the likes of Rooney, Nani,Valencia, Vidic, and Evra.
Arsenal
Many Arsenal fans are probably fuming, frowning, and clenching their fists. They must be asking themselves the following questions: 'What is this guy talking about?' 'Doesn't he know that Arsenal are second on the league table and have the ability to go all the way?' 'Doesn't he know that this season, more than ever, Arsenal are determined to fight tooth and nail for the Premier league title?'
As an Arsenal fan, it's important that I remind my fellow 'gunners' of the need to have realistic expectations this season. In my candid opinion, Arsenal's five year trophy drought will enter its sixth year this season. I just can't envisage Arsenal beating the more formidable duo of Chelsea and Manchester United to the Premier league title. Yes, Arsenal are second on the table and have started the season with a series of fine results, including a 6-0 drubbing of Black Pool. However, it must be acknowledged that for the past five years, Arsenal have started every Premier league season very brightly, with hope and enthusiasm. However, at the end of each season, they have found themselves in no man's land.
In my candid opinion, we (Arsenal) are struggling today because we have a coach who is probably more interested in grooming players for the French national team than helping Arsenal win trophies. One of Arsenal's major problems is that Arsene Wenger finds it extremely difficult purchasing players who aren't French. This season, Wenger has added two French defenders, Laurent Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci, to the team taking the total number of French players in Arsenal to eight . After the 2010 World Cup, Wenger had the opportunity of purchasing several quality players such as Ozil, Vander Vaart, Sanchez, Honda, Muller, Nuer, and evenYakubu Aiyegbeni, and Sanni kaita, but he failed to purchase any of them. Currently, Arsenal are in dire need of a goal keeper, yet Wenger is reluctant to sign either of Mark Schwarzer or Shay Given for incomprehensible reasons.
On the brighter side, however, the addition of koscielny, Squillaci and Chamakh to the team will ensure that Arsenal fend off competition from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, and Tottenham for a place in the Premier League top four. For now, Arsenal will continue to perform well against the premiership minnows, but will struggle against the Premiership top guns. Arsenal's opening day draw with Liverpool gives credence to the foregoing assertion.
Liverpool.
If Liverpool fans have any tears, they should start shedding them now; because, as the saying goes, it would be easier for the camel to pass through needles' eye, than for Liverpool FC to win the Premier League this season. At best Liverpool would qualify for the Champions League in fourth place.
In conclusion, competition among six strong teams Manchester City, (who have invested huge sums of money in securing the services of David Silva, Yaya Toure, Mario Balotelli and Jerome Boateng), Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea will make this season's premiership the most competitive in recent years.
At the end of the season I expect to see Chelsea top the league table, with Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool (or Man city?) following in that order.
Enjoy this season's Premiership!
Credit: Samuel k. Obour for ghanaland.wordpress.com
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