Recipe for a Classic

In about ten minutes (2:45 Eastern Time), at Old Trafford in Manchester, FC Barcelona will take the pitch against Premier League giants Manchester United in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal. The teams played to a 0-0 draw in the first leg at the Nou Camp in Barcelona last week. While Man United will be looking to get back on track for the EPL-Champions League double, after an extremely ill-timed defeat at Chelsea in league play this past weekend, while for Barcelona, this afternoon represents one of the two (potentially) remaining matches that could save this season from being considered anything other than a total failure.

Thanks in part to the home field advantage of Old Trafford, and in part to Barcelona’s inconsistent and subpar (that’s being very generous) play this season, Sir Alex Ferguson’s United side come into this matchup as the heavy favorite. As usual, leading them into the match will be the world’s best player, Cristiano Ronaldo, not to mention the complete embarrassment of riches that makes up the rest of the club’s roster (Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Anderson, Nani, Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves, just to name a few). Make no mistake, most (if not all) logical assessments of what’s likely to happen in this match conclude in a ManU victory, however, it may not be that easy.

Despite their difficulties in depositing the ball into the net this season, and the fact that they will battle United without Ronaldinho, there is absolutely no questioning the firepower that Barcelona brings to this match: from one of the world’s truly transcendent talents in Lionel Messi, to their supremely talented duo of strikers, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry (who has played many a big game in the UK), to a pair of gifted, if yet unproven teenagers in search of a big stage on which to burst onto the world scene (Giovanni and Bojan Krkic), not to mention the talents of midfield playmaker Andres Iniesta and the return of captain Carlos Puyol. Even without Ronaldinho (and probably Deco), there is simply too much talent on the Barcelona roster for this side not to accidentally hit its stride for a match or two- and possibly just as frightening as the thought of playing this side when they are in form is the thought of having to contend with them when they are so obviously overdue for a game in which they fulfill they rather great potential.

The 0-0 aggregate score is another factor working in Barcelona’s favor, as the lack of an away goal will likely influence United’s tactical plan. While ManU will undoubtedly be playing to win this semifinal outright and avoid penalty kicks, the home side will be equally concerned with keeping Barça off the scoreboard, as even one goal scored by the visitors will put United in the extremely uncomfortable position of having to score two goals of their own, while making sure not to concede again. Against this backdrop, Barcelona is in a position to play a defensive-but-wide-open style of game this afternoon, as even falling behind United by a one-goal margin will not be disastrous, since the equalizer (provided they can find it) would in fact be the game-winning goal.

So there you have it. One game, two of the world’s most offensively talented clubs, on one of world football’s great stages, both with a very strong incentive to score– is that any good? Sit back and enjoy!

Congratulations, Freddie!

Almost three months to the day of his $2,000,000 transfer from Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer to Benfica in Portugal, the America’s greatest soccer prodigy scored his first goal for his new club in league play when he tapped an 87^th minute goal to lift Benfica to 2-1 victory over Maritimo. Adding to the drama of the goal was the fact Adu was inserted into the game just seven minutes prior to netting the game-winner. In addition, Benfica had been reduced to playing with just ten players, as a result of the 30^th minute ejection of their goalkeeper, Quim, for a foul on an opposing striker.

Though this was not Adu’s first goal since making his move to Portugal (he has scored twice previously in Portuguese Cup matches, once on a penalty and once from open play), this is his most significant goal to date, as it came at a vital moment in, at a time when his team needed him, and secured two additional points for Benfica, lifting club to second place in the league table with 16 points, one point ahead of Sporting Lisbon and Guimaraes, and two points ahead of Vitoria Setubal and today’s opponent, Maritimo.

Congratulations are in order for Freddie Adu. In the short time he’s been at Benfica, he’s been praised by his coaches for both his skill and his attitude, and he’s shown a knack for scoring goals.

Good job, Freddie! You are on your way!

The Future Is Now for Lionel Messi

There’s some thing special happening at the Nou Camp. Something Once-In-A-Generation special.

Lionel Messi, one of football’s all-time great prodigies, is not only adding his name to short list of top-tier superstars in today’s game, he looks poised to enter football lore as this generation’s transcendent star. To watch him make the incredible seem mundane is to know that you are watching greatness. Messi’s game does not feature the step-overs and theatrics that we’ve come to see from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. His greatness is defined by a combination of speed, agility, maneuverability, and footballing genius that only comes around once in a generation.

Going back to the mid-20^th Century, roughly once every decade, a phenomenal talent whose star outshines those of his contemporaries emerges. In the 1940s and 50s it was another Argentine, Alfredo Di Stefano of Real Madrid and River Plate; the 1960s belonged to the legendary Pele; Holland’s Johan Cruyff dominates the 1970s for Ajax Amsterdam and FC Barcelona; the 1980s brought us the brilliance of Messi’s controversial countryman, Diego Maradona; and the 1990s and early-21^st Century brought the greatness of Zinedine Zidane. More than any other player in the world today, Lionel Messi has the look of world football’s next legend.

At just 20 years of age, with just 90 senior level matches under his belt (75 for FC Barcelona, 15 for Argentina), Lionel Messi has cemented himself among football’s most electrifying players. He is often compared to Argentine legend Diego Maradona, not the least of these comparisons coming from Diego Armando Maradona himself. His Argentina side won the 2005 FIFA Under-20 World Cup (Messi was both top scorer in the tournament and named its most outstanding player), he is the youngest Argentine to appear (and score) in the World Cup, he’s played 3 seasons of top-flight club football in Spain with FC Barcelona, having scored 32 goals in 75 games with the club (including 6 goals in 6 games so far this season), he is the youngest goal scorer in Barcelona’s history and the owner of two Primera Liga winner’s medals as well as a European Champions’ League winner’s medal. He has been named 2005 Argentine Player of the Year and 2006 Young Player of the Year by both World Soccer magazine and FIFPro. In June 2007, he won the EFE Trophy, awarded to the top Ibero-American (Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Central and South America) player in Spain.

Did I mention that until June 24, he was still a teenager?

While his resume compares favorably to any 20-year-old footballer in history not named Pele, the true magic of Lionel Messi’s game cannot be quantified. It’s even difficult to put into words. What makes him so special? The way the ball sticks to his feet? The way he slithers through, and flies past, world-class defenders, making them look like their stuck in cement? The way he always seems to make the right decision at just the right moment? Yes… but there’s more.

Maybe it’s his size, or rather, his lack of size that makes him relatable to average fan. Due to a growth hormone deficiency, he stands just 5’7” tall and weighs about 140 lbs., but his abilities command the attention of every defender on the field. His counterparts, not to mention his own uniform, which often appears several sizes too big for him, dwarf him, but he never seems overmatched. It’s as though the football gods thought it unfair to couple his otherworldly speed and skill with an imposing physique.

He commands the attention of everyone watching, from opposing defenders to television viewers thousands of miles away. Whether he’s playing for a championship or in a preseason exhibition, Lionel Messi not only lives up to the hype, he exceeds it. From his hat trick on March 10, in El Clasico against Real Madrid (the first hat trick in a Barça-Real match since 1994-95), to his awe-inspiring, Maradona-like goal against Getafe in the Copa del Rey semifinal, to his two goal performance in Barça’s must-win season finale against Gimnastic, Messi seizes the big moments in a way that only the truly special ones do, often in spectacular fashion.

All this before his 20th birthday.

This past summer, while playing for Team Argentina in the 2007 Copa America tournament, Lionel Messi continued his run of outstanding play, establishing himself as the premiere talent in Latin American football. Despite Robinho’s goal scoring binge for Brazil en route to the tournament title, and the presence of top-class talents like Juan Roman Riquelme and Carlos Tevez on his own star-studded Argentina side, Messi established himself as the must-see star of the tournament.

Now, just over a month into the 2007-08 season in Spain, it is obvious that Messi has not only picked up where he left off last season, he’s taken his game to all new heights, occasionally delivering plays that seem to take the game to its highest elevation. From his first goal of the young La Liga season, an awe-inspiring combination of a flick and volley that left Sevilla keeper Andres Palop frozen in his tracks, to his amazing two-goals-in-six-minutes at the start of Barcelona’s match against Real Zaragoza just four days later, Messi’s play early in the La Liga season has emphatically sent the message that the future of football has arrived.

Despite my best efforts, it’s impossible to describe the nature of a feeling. One can only comprehend what separates Lionel Messi from his peers by watching him play. Only then does it become apparent that the smallest player in the game is its biggest star.

EPL Talking Points- Week 2

I apologize for the belated arrival of this article. Personal commitments, along with a debilitating addiction to the late night Team USA basketball games hijacked my brain for much of this week. But this may prove to be a blessing in disguise. In addition to some observations on last weekend’s games in the Premiership, the past couple of days have seen the development of the two most important talking points outlined here- one on the field, the other in the owner’s suite.

The talking points from Week 2 (plus a few days) of the EPL:

David Dein cashes in his Arsenal stake, accepts position with buyer to accumulate more. This week, Red and White, a company jointly owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov and UK fund manager Farhard Moshiri, purchased former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein’s 14.58% stake in the for a reported £75 million (about $150 million). Dein, who left Arsenal in May, has been named chairman of Red and White and charged with the task of accumulating more of the club’s shares. Usmanov said that he’s been an Arsenal fan for eight years and called Arsene Wenger “the best manager in England”. The Russian steel and iron ore tycoon also stated that he sees Arsenal’s business as undervalued, and that the deal is an investment decision, not a political play. Ok… whatever. What part of London is this, again?

Nikolas Anelka extends his contract with Bolton Wanderers through 2011. This has to be the most puzzling four-year decision since the American electorate re-elected George W. Bush. With former manager Sam Alardyce now at Newcastle United, the club’s next best player, El-Hadji Diouf, expressing his desire to exit the club and Bolton looking like a very likely relegation candidate, there seems to be no logical explanation as to why Anelka, who one of the most talented strikers in England, if not all of Europe, would want to stay. He’d better have gotten A LOT of money and an out-clause if the event of relegation.

A very manageable schedule is likely to extend Liverpool’s early-season roll. Despite being robbed of two points at Anfield against Chelsea, the Reds are just two points behind Premiership leaders Manchester City, with a game in hand. Looking ahead at their next four league games (Derby at home, away to Portsmouth, Sunderland at home, away to Wigan), expect the club to reside atop the table by the end of September. With their depth and quality, it is not a stretch to call Liverpool the most impressive side of the young EPL season. A quick side note: Fernando Torres is REALLY good! His pace and skill may even be better than advertised. Unfortunately, he probably only capitalizes on one out of every three chances he gets- just as advertised.

Kasper Schmeichel looks like world football’s next superstar goalkeeper. The 20 year-old son of former Manchester United (and City) star goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, Kasper has looked fantastic in the first four games of 2007-08, conceding just one goal, a point-blank rocket from Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas. In the hard luck loss at the Emirates, Scheichel made a variety of saves against the Gunners, from the mundane to the spectacular, not to mention saving a penalty kick from Robin Van Persie in 67th minute. He even took a page out of his father’s book, coming up to join the attack for a late corner- he won the ball and put his header on target, nearly equalizing for City. It is definitely still very early in his career, but Kasper Schmeichel looks like the real deal.

Cesc Fabregas’ goal against City is worth more to Arsenal than just two points. The manner in which Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal’s 20 year-old playmaker (and the object of both Barcelona and Real Madrid’s desire), celebrated his clinching goal against Man City should be very comforting to Arsenal supporters. To see him stand before his fans and kiss the club crest on his shirt was compelling evidence of his commitment to Arsenal. Plus, if it’s ever a huge payday he’s after, nothing beats a Russian billionaire owner!

Chelsea secure two additional points against Portsmouth thanks to Ashley Cole’s brilliant goal-line header. Not a whole to say here. I’m particularly fond of Chelsea or of Ashley Cole, but I will give respect where it is due. Cole’s 87th minute save of Hermann Hreidarsson’s point-blank header was an absolutely brilliant display of awareness and reflexes.

EPL Talking Points- Week 1

We’re just over a week into the 2007-08 Premiership season, and have already seen the emergence of several intriguing storylines. Just ten days into the season, and we’ve already got quite a bit to talk about:

At this moment in time, Manchester City is the EPL’s top club. Granted, an away win at West Ham and home wins against Derby and a depleted Manchester United side aren’t enough to establish City as championship contenders, but you can only play whoever’s on your schedule- an so far Man City has looked impressive in securing full points, without surrendering a goal, from its first three matches. Their biggest test of the young season will come when City travels to London to take on Arsenal at the Emirates. To be clear, I am not predicting that City will continue its dominance, but it’s only fair that they receive their just due as the lone Premiership club with 9 points after three matches.

It’s far too early to declare them dead in the water, but Manchester United’s season is teetering on the brink of disaster. Having earned just 2 points from three games, United has put itself in a very precarious position- they already trail Man City by 7 points, Chelsea by 5, and Liverpool and Arsenal (each with a game in hand) by 2 points. It’s still very early in the season and United does boast a very talented lineup, but with Wayne Rooney unlikely to return before October and Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo suspended for the club’s next two matches at Old Trafford against Tottenham and Sunderland, Man United must find a way to accumulate some points and not fall too far from the top of the table.

Of the Big Four English clubs, Liverpool has been by far the most impressive. Had Chelsea not been awarded an absolute joke of a penalty, Liverpool would have 6 points from its first two games. Despite only a relatively unimpressive win and a hard-luck draw to show for its two matches, Liverpool looks to be the most talented, focused and balanced side in the Premiership, and doesn’t look to face many serious challenges in the EPL until October (Next 5 matches: @ Sunderland, Derby, @Portsmouth, Birmingham, @ Wigan). Judging by their play thus far, once the Reds manage to integrate all of their new faces into the squad the Premiership title may be theirs for the taking. Fernando Torres looks to be having little trouble adjusting his game to the pace of the Premiership, and Ryan Babel has the look of a future star in attack.

Despite two wins and a draw in three matches, Chelsea has yet to put together more than few minutes of dominant play at once. Had it not been for some very suspect goalkeeping from Birmingham in its home opener at Stamford Bridge, about 5 minutes of brilliant play against Reading and a gift penalty at Anfield against Liverpool, Chelsea, not Man United, would the Premiership’s biggest disappointment.

In addition to first place Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers and Everton have been the most impressive non-Top Four clubs in the EPL. Blackburn has shown a solid combination of skill and strength in amassing one win and one draw from its two matches, dominating much of its second half draw against Arsenal. The coming weeks will tell us a lot about Blackburn, as they face away matches against Everton and Chelsea, with a home match against Man City sandwiched in between. Everton’s most challenging matches between now an October will home matches against Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United, so they have a good opportunity to accumulate some early points before facing the teeth of their schedule.

Apparently Sam Allardyce is quite a difference-maker. Although Newcastle still look a bit inconsistent and likely won’t be challenging for any silverware this season, Big Sam has the club playing solid football and should be eying a top-10 finish. Equally telling about Big Sam’s impact is the absolutely atrocious start his former club, Bolton Wanderers has gotten off to (3 matches, 0 points, 3 goals), as well as the recent announcement that one of the club’s top players, El-Hadj Diouf, wants out.

Barring a small miracle, Derby County and Bolton Wanderers are already as good as relegated. After an impressive Premiership debut, drawing 2-2 at home against Portsmouth, Derby has surrendered 5 goals, while scoring none, in its two most recent matches. Looking ahead, after this Saturday’s home match against Birmingham, Derby’s next three matches will be (in order): @Liverpool, home vs. Newcastle, @ Arsenal. They are not likely to right the ship during that stretch or, sadly, at any point during this season. As for Bolton, Big Sam is gone El-Hadj Diouf wants out (can Nicolas Anelka be far behind?), they’ve lost all three of their matches thus far this season and have failed to hold a single opponent to less than three goals.

Hard-luck Fulham has been impressive thus far, though you’d never know it by looking at their record. Fulham has deserved points from all three of it matches thus far. The Cottagers held Arsenal scoreless and led 1-0 until the 81st minute of their opening day match, before surrendering a penalty kick and the eventual winner to Alexander Hleb in the 90th minute. And on Saturday, Fulham was absolutely robbed of another point when the officials of the club’s match at home against Middlesbrough failed to spot the ball crossing the line on what would have been a late David Healy equalizer. These painful results, along with injuries to both Brian McBride and Hameur Bouazza could take much of the wind out of Fulham’s season. But it should be mentioned that the Cottagers have looked like a solid side in the season’s opening week.

Not only does Arsenal’s chronic inability to finish still seems to be plaguing the club, in the absence of Thierry Henry, Freddie Ljungberg, and Gilberto Silva (granted post-Copa America rest until the start of September), the Gunners seem to be lacking a certain on-field leadership and maturity that championship sides possess. This was particularly evident in Sunday’s match away to Blackburn Rovers, when Blackburn was able to use its physical tactics to frustrate Arsenal and disrupt the rhythm of their play. For all of the talent that Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie, Alexander Hleb and Theo Walcott bring to the pitch, none of them seem capable (yet) of stepping to the forefront and leading a team to victory in a tough match in a hostile environment- a problem that could be slightly magnified by recent injury to new captain William Gallas, who is expected to be out for up to three weeks. By the way, Jens Lehmann could destroy the Gunners’ season. Does he really plan to give away a goal with a new-and-exciting amateur mistake every week?

These are a few of the biggest talking points to emerge from the first nine days of the Premiership season. Stay tuned as there will undoubtedly be more to come!

Opening Day Thriller Between Arsenal and Fulham

I want to start by mentioning that Arsenal's season opening win against Fulham at the Emirates is one of the most entertaining games I've seen in some time- and up and down tempo, plenty of chances and a thrilling, comeback finish. A real pleasure to watch!

Some observations on Arsenal-Fulham:

The departure of Thierry Henry will not be a crippling blow to Arsenal, but Arsenal's incredible ability to create chances and their chronic inability to capitalize on them could prove costly as the season goes on. The Gunners were held scoreless for the first 82 minutes of this match, although they could have at least two or three goals on the board. Despite creating several excellent goal-scoring chances, Arsenal had great difficulty finishing off their chances. On the bright side, however, several of Arsenal's attackers seemed much more willing to shoot the ball.

Tony Warner, Fulham's back-up keeper who called upon to start just 10 minutes before kick-off, turned in an absolutely sparkling goalkeeping performance. For over 80 minutes, Warner stodd tall in the Fulham net, making a host of outstanding saves. His performance was worthy of far more than a hard luck defeat.

The play of Nicklas Bendtner, Arsenal 19 year-old Danish striker, may be exactly the kind of change-of-pace this club needs. A departure from Arsenal's fluid passing and beautiful build-up style of play, Bendtner is a physical, pragmatic striker who seems more concerned with putting the ball in the net than most members of the Arsenal team.

Theo Walcott still has a long way to go. For all of his skill and his blinding pace, the teenage sensation does not yet seem to have a knack for making the correct decisions in the flow of the game. He's breathtaking to watch and still has a lot of time to develop, but if he doesn't make strides soon, it could be slightly worrisome- remember, even in his teens, Cesc Fabregas was a natural creator and brilliant decision-maker.

All in all, this was a fantastic game to watch, with few lulls in the action and plenty of skill on display. It will be very interesting to see how Arsenal perform next Sunday against stiffer competition, when they travel to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rover. As for Fulham, they played a very competitive game and probably deserved to come away with a point. They will next take the field on Wednesday against Bolton Wanderers.

2007-08 EPL Preview

We’re less than two days from the kick-off of the 2007-08 English Premier League season, when Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur will face off at the Stadium of Light. From Liverpool’s spending spree, to Big Sam Allardyce’s immediate impact at Newcastle, to the Carlos Tevez transfer saga, it’s been an intriguing off-season whose results are about to play out on the pitch.

Let’s take a look what the latest season in the Premiership may have in store for us. Some thoughts on how the season will play out:

• Who will represent the Premiership in the Champions League? Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur (In order). Once again, the Premiership is Manchester United’s to win. With additions of Owen Hargreaves (finally!), Nani, Anderson and Carlos Tevez (probably) to last season’s league championship side, United boast the best all-around side on the EPL. Even if Gabriel Heinze moves to Liverpool, and despite some depth issues at the striker position, a healthy ManU is the class of the Premiership. Coming off of a busy transfer season, new-look Liverpool, who bolstered their attack with the additions of Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel, will have just enough to edge out Chelsea, their only true competition for second place. Sadly, this may be Jose Mourinho’s last dance at Stamford Bridge, with his team competing against a retooled and highly motivated Liverpool squad, and still not having the quality top to bottom to overcome ManU. After a relatively subdued transfer season, midfielders Arjen Robben and Michael Ballack have both been rumored to be out the way out, and Chelsea could make a splash by signing Brazilian fullback Daniel Alves, who may be a difference-maker, from Sevilla. However, there’s just too much uncertainty here to predict a top-two finish. Rounding out the top four is Martin Jol’s Tottenham Hotspur side. A potentially down year for Arsenal coupled with an active transfer season with, among others, Darren Bent and Gareth Bale joining a talented side that already features Robbie Keane, Jermaine Jenas and the ultra talented Dimitar Berbatov, will be enough to put Spurs in the top four.

• Which Premiership clubs will be fighting for the UEFA Cup? Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers, Reading. Let’s be clear. A “down” year for Arsenal is still a more than acceptable season for virtually any other club. Despite the departure of Thierry Henry, Arsenal’s core of Robin Van Persie, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott have the quality to beat anyone on any given day. They will likely need time to adjust to their new roles, but they’ll be competitive all season. With an attack led by Benni McCarthy, David Bentley and Morten Gamst Pederson, as well as Robbie Savage in midfield, Blackburn Rovers are a very talented side that played well last season and could turn heads in the EPL this year. The final Premiership side to get into Europe this season will be Reading. Despite the loss of Steve Sidwell Chelsea, Reading will get quality play in 2007-08 from the like Kevin Doyle, Leroy Lita and Dave Kitson in attack, as well as Nicky Shorey in defense.

• Which clubs should not be getting too comfortable in the Premiership? Derby County, Wigan Athletic, Fulham. Despite each spending some money on new talent in the transfer period, neither Wigan nor Fulham, both of whom narrowly avoided relegation last season, appear to have the quality to survive another year in the top-flight. Joining them in their Spring 2008 trip to the Championship will be one-and-done Derby County.

• Who will be the top player in the Premiership at season’s end? Cristiano Ronaldo. Maybe not the most creative prediction, but it’s the most likely to be correct. Ronaldo is coming off a season that saw him take his already spectacular game to new heights and become the EPL’s best player and one of its top goal-scoring threats. Much like last season, United will need goals from all over the pitch again this season, with or without Carlos Tevez. This could lead to an even larger role in attack for Ronaldo.

• Which player will take his game to another level in 2007-08? Robin Van Persie. Van Persie is one of the most skilled attackers in world football, and he’s now got the opportunity to show it. The only problem in his first three seasons with the club was that as long as Thierry Henry was at Arsenal, there would always be a limit to just how much Van Persie would be showcased. To draw a comparison from the NBA, think of Van Persie as Andre Iguodala to Thierry Henry’s Allen Iverson. As the new centerpiece of the Arsenal attack, look for him to have a fantastic season.

• Which new acquisition will make the biggest positive impact for his club? Yossi Benayoun. Will have a great impact on the Reds’ attack this season. Benayoun will thrive in an attacking midfield role at Liverpool. The combination of Benayoun and fellow-newcomers Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel, along with holdovers Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch, should make Liverpool the most improved offensive side in the EPL.

• Which new acquisition is most likely to disappoint his new club? Joey Barton. Aside from being a disappointment to humanity as whole, a broken foot suffered in his Newcastle debut will sideline Joey Barton until September at the earliest. Ignoring his inability to steer clear of trouble, this injury makes it unlikely that Big Sam’s £5.8 million man will be able to make a significant contribution to the club any time soon, given the fact that the schedules of Premiership teams do not provide many opportunities for extended rest.

• Whose departure will be the most damaging to his former club? Alan Smith. This has less to do with Alan Smith than it does the lack of depth in Manchester United’s attacking corps. The delay in Carlos Tevez’s arrival, coupled with the departure of Giuseppe Rossi and Smith will have Sir Alex holding his breath every time Wayne Rooney goes to the ground.

• Who could exceed expectations and be a pleasant surprise? Blackburn Rovers. Aside from the Big 4 and Spurs, Blackburn is the most talent team in the Premiership. Their attack features Bentley, McCarthy, Matt Derbyshire and one of the truly talented and underrated wingers in the EPL, Morten Gamst Pederson. The Blackburn midfield is also very capable, with talents like Tugay and Robbie Savage. The team could be slightly hindered by its defense, which is somewhat suspect, having surrendered 54 goals in 2006-07. However, this looks like a side loaded with talented young attackers that can compete within anyone and belongs in the top half of the Premiership table.

• Who will be the EPL’s biggest disappointment? West Ham United. Activity does not necessarily signal accomplishment. While they probably won’t have to fight for their Premiership lives until the season’s closing day again, the Hammers are not likely to find themselves near the top half of the table in 2007-08. The aggregate sum of West Ham’s numerous arrivals and departures this summer is, frankly, a loss. Trading Carlos Tevez, Marlon Harewood, Yossi Benayoun and Nigel Reo-Coker for Scott Parker, Craig Bellamy, Freddie Ljungberg and Julien Faubert, which is effectively what West Ham has done, does not set the stage for significant improvement.