| Arsenal will have a hard time retaining the league title The summer holidays have flown by, and the English Premier League starts on Saturday. The tournament promises to be very interesting, because at least four clubs will compete for the main trophy - Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. These are clear favorites. There are also hidden ones that can intervene in this dispute - Newcastle, Aston Villa and Tottenham.
Three days before the start, the epic with Patrick Vieira finally ended. The captain and leader of the “gunners” still leaves for Real Madrid, the money has done its job. No matter how the champions of England held their queen, it was all in vain. Considering that Vieira's importance to Arsenal can be compared to the role of a queen on a chessboard, it is not difficult to guess how great this loss is. Of course, for the 30 million euros raised from the purchase of a Frenchman, you can find a very strong football player, but this takes time. And the “gunners” have just enough of it. In addition, another Arsenal heavyweight, Sol Campbell, is recovering from an injury and will miss the start of the championship. It is possible that the champions will face some difficulties at the start. However, in the recent Community Shield match, in which Arsenal comfortably beat Manchester United 3-1, the champions' performance left the most pleasant impression. Even though the Gunners played without their leaders - Vieira, Campbell, Pires, Ljungberg.
Problems at the start for Manchester United are inevitable. Injuries to Van Nistelrooy and Solskjaer, Ferdinand's imprisonment has not yet ended, and then there is the almost month-long absence of Heinze and Cristiano Ronaldo from the Olympics. It will be hard. And losses at the start could prove to be heavy weights on the Red Devils' feet. However, Sir Alex Ferguson, entering his 18th season as Manchester United boss, cannot imagine any other place than first place in the final table. “Last season was spent on reconstruction. It has been carried out, and now no one and nothing should stop us from regaining the lost title,” Ferguson said.
Much is expected from Liverpool. The new coach, Spaniard Rafael Benitez, rolled up his sleeves and got down to business. The Reds looked more than convincing on the overseas tour. Quite quickly, newcomers fit into the team - the best sniper of the French championship, Djibril Cissé, and coach Josemi's fellow countryman. Reconstruction at Liverpool continues. There is a high probability that the famous Portuguese Luis Figo from Real Madrid will appear in the team. Liverpool and Real Madrid continue negotiations on a super-exchange of strikers Owen and Morientes. The multi-million army of Merseyside fans has the right to expect that in the new season their favorites will not be limited to fourth place.
And finally, Chelsea. For many seasons in a row, Blues fans listened to opponents' barbs about how their favorite club became champions once every 50 years. But this year, that joke may come true. Firstly, next year is an anniversary year for Chelsea; the club turns 100 years old. Secondly, it’s 50 years since the Blues’ first and last victory in the English Championship. Thirdly, the anniversary dates are seriously supported by the ambitions of Chelsea, its owner Roman Abramovich and the new coach, Champions League winner Jose Mourinho. Just like a year ago, Londoners are the champions of the selection campaign. But last year's chaotic shopping is no longer observed. All players are acquired on the recommendation of Mourinho, for specific positions. Only two players were acquired without the knowledge of the coach, or rather, before his arrival at Stamford Bridge - goalkeeper Petr Cech and attacking midfielder Arjen Robben, but it is unlikely that the Portuguese would be against the purchase of two rising stars of world football. Those who were recommended by Mourinho himself also deserve to be listed - Portuguese defenders Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho, their compatriot midfielder Tyagu Mendis, two super forwards - Serbian Mateja Kezman and Ivorian Didier Drogba. Alexey Smertin returned from Portsmouth. The captain of the Russian national team played excellent exhibition matches and is ready to compete for a place in the team with eminent competitors. In any case, Mourinho made it clear to Alexei that he was counting on him.
Sir Bobby Robson, 72, has won a lot in his illustrious coaching career, but does not have a Premier League title on his resume. The doyen of the English coaching guild certainly wants to fill this gap in his final season. So Newcastle are determined to reach the top, something they haven't achieved since 1924. This is why Patrick Kluivert, Nikki Butt and James Milner were bought. Former head coach of the French national team Jacques Santini did not move across the English Channel so that his Tottenham team could continue their inglorious sitting in the swamp - the Spurs have every chance to shoot. Middlesbrough has seriously strengthened - forwards Marko Viduka and Jimmy Hasselbaink have not yet said their last word in football and have not scored all their goals. Birmingham City, Charlton Athletic, who signed Jeffers and Murphy at the last minute, Southampton and Fulham are expected to continue their rise. In short, the championship promises to be interesting. Oleg TIMOFEEV |
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