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EPL is over. Chelsea won as i predicted with the last match to be played at Stamford Bridge. (a whopping 8-0 victory!) Ferguson has my deep admiration, despite losing 30 goal per season Ronaldo and hard working Tevez, Man United came so close to winning, just based on the knowledge and experience on the Scott alone, Man utd will again be title-contenders next season. I think every team needs three ingredients to success: good manager, deep financial pockets and quality players. Deep financial pockets have propelled Chelsea to where they are right now, after Mourinho brought Chelsea to its first title, the team has been transformed inside out, they will join Man Utd to be title contenders for many seasons to come. ( In my opinion, Ancelotti is a good coach, but not good enough to win Champions League, the top two club coaches now are Josep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, question mark will hang over Gudus Hiddick untill this weekend Champions League Final)
3rd and 4th spot will be hard to predict. Arsenal has been lucky this season to get the third spot, i dare say that there is not a chance that the Gunners will have a shot at the top four next season. Arsenal is lacking quality midfielders who can withstand the physical aspects of EPL for the whole season. Liverpool has some serious fundamental problems to resolve: No funds for new players, a coach with no plan B in matches, lacking a quality midfielder and injury-prone players. I don’t think Gerrard, Benitez or Torres will leave unless the team undergo a complete overhaul, liverpool will struggle to get into the top four.Spurs came in strong this season, together with Aston villa they have been the dark horses for too long in the premier league. Next season, they will still be the dark horses to finish top four.
Manchester City is the team to watch next season. Roberto Mancini, is he a Champions League material manager? are the overpaid players truly hungry for success? Two things are for sure, Manchester City have depth of quality players and heaps of money, it is the next-Chelsea in the making, give it two more season and it will be steady on the top four.
It is still too early to have a more accurate prediction. Summer signings. Manchester City will buy quality over-priced players, but can they gel under Mancini? Lesson from Chelsea and Real Madrid is that its the Manager that makes the most difference, not a squad of stars. Ferguson is not likely to spend heaps on top-quality players like sebastian veron and diego forlan, (michael carrick is fast joining the list) his expertise is to sign relatively unknown young players, and groom them into super stars, but his magic fingers doesn’t work consistently all the time. (look at Anderson) Chelsea will probably bring in one or two more players, simply because Russia loves Chelsea. Arsenal will continue to sign mediocre old players and remain a mediocre team, some day Fabregas will be called to replace some Oldie in Barca, and the Gunners should just take the cash and invest in the Arsenal woman’s squad, at least the women are playing well and winning consistently !
By diversifying on the topics that i am writing on, i hope to write more often. With soccer, some background knowledge about me is i used to be a man utd supported, (then it starts losing) used to be a chelsea supporter (then it starts losing?!), now i am an Arsenal supporter.( and yes third time lucky its losing too!) Anna is a fan of Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool at the start of the season, today is she a proud fan of Chelsea. (i managed to convinced her out of the other two clubs) I will analyse and attempt to predict matches and winners, based on my own yours truly observations, so bettings are at betters’ own risks.
And my first prediction is.. Chelsea will win the Premier League this season ! (such a no brainer) If you ask me,i don’t think Chelsea has changed much since Mourinho has left, relying on rigid tactics and mucles. (and of course Drogba the beast) What has happened this season is the other three clubs have sunk even before the Premiership kicked off. Liverpool’s sales of Xavi Alonso and Hypia, Man Utd sales of Ronaldo, Arsenal sales of Adebayor and Toure. Stupid, stupid, stupid decisions made by the managers in terms of football decisions. Of course Man Utd is glad that Rooney showed out his true potential, (now that no one is at Old Trafford to snatch the limelight) but when key players are injured, the top three teams other than Chelsea do not have enough depth to last the pace, to sustain the team’s consistency.
I am sticking out for Arsenal for next season. After following EPL for years, i think it just got more exciting than ever before, with Man City and Spurs finally showing their credentials, that they can too, challenge for the top four spot.
