Manchester United have a few issues and surprisingly it isn’t in the area where everyone was talking about over the summer, the forward position. Though Berbatov and Owen still looked like they needed a few more games to get up for the season, Wayne Rooney was in fine form. In fact, Wayne Rooney provided the only goal of the 1-0 victory against Birmingham on Sunday at Old Trafford. All things fair (and exciting) the game probably should have gone 3-2 to United, but in the end it didn’t really matter, what mattered was what I witnessed throughout that game: United’ huge problem.

That problem is located right around the center circle, that problem is Paul Scholes.

Granted, I love Scholesy, he epitomize what it means to be a United player: someone who does the work, likes to pass and is all about the team. Scholes of course used to be an amazing lynch pin behind the strikers of United’s past. The converted forward moved to the midfield to provide the vision and those long rocket shots, it was class to see. Sadly the last time we saw it was over a year and a 1/2 ago when United beat Barcelona in the Champions League Semi-finals from Scholesy’s solo effort.

Yesterday, partnering Darren Fletcher, Scholes turned out a sub-par performance and in my opinion could have cost United the points. Yes it was against Birminghamn, a promoted club that was having serious fitness problems of their own, and yes United have whacked the promoted sides each of the last 2 seasons, so I could see the logic by Sir Alex to play Scholes in this fixture. We all know that Scholes isn’t going to be as effected when it comes to the tougher match ups United will be facing in the long upcoming season, but I still don’t understand the point of having him start the game. If Fergie wants us United fans to believe that United are in no need of new players and that instead we will be just as successful with the youth in the team, why doesn’t he then start the likes of Anderson along with Fletcher? No one is denying that United is not in a transitional year, no team can lose their best player (who happens to be the top 1 or 2 best player in the world) and not act like they are in a huge transition. So I want to see United to act as such.

Birmingham would have been a great match up to test the waters with the new blood in the middle. The strikers are set for right now, with Rooney and Berbatov starting and Owen off the bench, that is fine. The defense is in shambles, so that can’t be mucked about with too much, so the only real area in which Fergie can really try to figure out is the midfield. This is also the area in which the last meaningful match United played got completely overrun (coincidently it was last year’s CL final where United lost to FC Barcelona 0-2). I can’t complain too much, because United did win the match on Sunday, but there were many good chances taking by Birminghman that could (or should) have went in, and I couldn’t stop from thinking that most of those chances came from sloppy plays from Paul Scholes. There were times when Birmingham’s midfield was allowed to stride into the middle of the pitch at the top of the box and take a shot or put in a solid uncontested pass. Fletcher for all his will and endeavor was focused more on helping the make shift back line stay strong, leaving Scholes as a sole guardian of that important patch of grass, one which I saw left mostly unchecked by the Ginga’ Ninja. When those chances from Fahey and McFadden, luckily, came in weak, all I could think of was if that was a Gerrard, Lampard or even a Clint Dempsey, those balls would have seen the back of the net. So why not try out the youth, start with Anderson or when the back line gets more solid and Carrick be a more holding player, a Darren Gibson who likes to push forward and force the other team’s midfield to focus on defending. I know that Anderson was schedule to come into the game around the 60 minute mark, but the injury to Johnny Evans forced Wes Brown in, but if things had been different and the game was tied up, wouldn’t Fergie of wanted the option of having a more fit Anderson running 90 instead of Paul scholes? Especially with Ryan Giggs in for Nani? Paul Scholes is a United Legend, his skills and vision and ability is not in question, what is in question is his pace and stamina. Instead of turing Scholes into a liability having him play near 90, why not turn him into a Luxury by having him come off the bench with 30 to go. If United is doing with with Owen, why not Scholes? Play the youth in the beginning, see how it turns out, and then close out the game with the veterans who know how.

Like I said before, I can’t really complain, United got the win and it could easily have been 3 or 4 goals more for United, but the play all around was still very flat and that stems from a central midfield pairing that wasn’t in sync and which was more reacting than dictating the game.

Tomorrow United have another easy (relatively) game, albeit away to Burnley at the Turf Moor, maybe this time Fergie will live up to his talk and play some more youth, but then again would any of us be surprised if #18 showed up on the line up card prior to the match? Yeah, me neither.

My proposed and hopeful line up for tomorrow’s match:

————-Foster————

Fabio — Brown — O’Shea — Evra

Valencia - Carrick - Anderson - Nani

——–Berba — Rooney——–

Subs: Kusczak, Tosic, Da Leat, Owen, Macheda, Fletcher, Park

 

Score prediction Burnley V Manchester United: 0 - 3

It is finally upon us. After a summer of insane and mediocre transfers, a summer when the US Men’s National Team nearly pulled of the biggest soccer upset in South Africa and a summer when I saw in the flesh 2009’s most successful football club play in a windy stadium off the San Francisco bay, the Barclay’s English Premier league is almost underway (may have already started by the time this massive post is finished).

This season so far is shaping up to be one of the more interesting seasons in a long time. With the best footballer in the English game moving over seas to Spain, and an influx of Middle Eastern wealth flooding the transfer market, there are many new aspects of the league that must be address. Through out the season I’ll try my best to opine about those aspects, but for today I just want to lay down my season predictions. The past 2 seasons I’ve been correct in deciding the title winner, always going for my boyhood team of Manchester United, who have succeeded in creating a 3 peat for the title glory. This year United is going for that record breaking 4 in a row. As we all know, United is a team that likes to break records, but ultimately failed to do so last May when they went for back to back Champions League glory but instead were dominated by a much better FC Barcelona club. I can’t fault Barcelona, their incredible midfield just bullied United’s and the tough call in the early part of the game really deflated United’s confidence. (That tough call being what should have been a straight red for Pique taking down Rooney in a goal scoring opportunity and last man situation). But I digress. We’ll have plenty of other posts to discuss the on-goings of Champions League, once again this is about the Premier League title.

So, let’s start with the 3 Relegated teams and work our way down (but really up) to the eventual champions:

20: Portsmouth: I hate to say this about a team I actually started to enjoy last season, especially near the end where they were desperately trying to avoid relegation and dealing with Harry Redknapp leaving them high and dry when he went to Tottenham. This season though, they are dealing with major financial issues and there is no end in sight on whether a new owner will come in. Sulaiman al-Fahim’s take over just seems like a giant bluff to me, and I just don’t see it happening. The result being, that Pompey have had to sell a lot of the quality players and Peter Crouch for financial stability so they just don’t look like a team that can score goals. They still have David James, but now a less tested back line with Sol Campbell gone. I can see this team being stuck in the bottom 3 for the whole season, or at least from September until the end. It’ll be sad to see Pompey go down, because I’m not sure if they are a club that can get back up especially with such a crummy stadium. The fans are top class though.

19: Hull City: I’m going out on a limb here, because I’ve so far picked 2 Premier League teams from the previous season to drop down, rather going with the Championship sides that came up (most of whom always go back down). Yet last year, of the 3 promoted sides, it was only West Brom which did get relegated, so maybe this limb is a nice long strong one. Hull City was the darling team of the first half of the season, and I think that really got into Phil Brown’s head. They completely free fell in the 2nd half, and if the season was 1 or 2 weeks longer they surely would have had the drop. It looks like though, they’ll have the sophomore syndrome and drop down this year. I put them at 19 basically because I think teams this year will know how to play them better and they won’t get the rapid first half start. Also the fact that Phil Brown has not brought in any proven quality to the team must be a little disheartening for Tiger fans. As an US Men’s National team, I’m glad that Jozy Altidore is being loaned out and I hope he gets a good run out, though in all honesty, I think Altidore would do better on a Championship side. He’s one step closer to that by being at Hull, but in a World Cup year, Altidore needs consistent playing time. I could be wrong though, Phil Brown might stay clean shaven, wear respectable clothes and whip this team into shape and avoid the drop.

18: Birmingham City: The only promoted team I see dropping back down this season. Though they were just up 2 years ago, I don’t think the team has made any drastic changes that will allow them to do anything special this time around. Birmingham City have some quality players, but top quality for the Championship and below average for the Premier League. Alex McLeish will have his boys playing tough and hard, but with the top of the table even stronger this season, I just don’t see them getting enough draws and points from away matches this season. Even McLeish understands that they don’t have the right types of players to succeed, and with the way Scotland is headed under Burley, McLeish might already be thinking about going back to managing that international side. He figures he has a better chance of getting Scotland into the World Cup than keeping Birmingham City up in the Premier League. It’ll be a tough time in deed.

So those are the relegated teams. Now onto the teams that will be fighting relegation and will be fighting it most of the season.

17: Burnley: A surprise club to make it up this season, but one that seems to be on the right track to barely keeping up. Though their preseason form has been dreadful, I think losing all of their games including to pub sides, they have some quality players and a terrific coach in Owen Coyle. I may also have a soft spot for the team because they have a couple former Manchester United players. They are getting quality players in the places that matter, midfield. With Steven Fletcher coming in as a striker, Burnley has addressed their biggest issue, and that is scoring goals. Burnley could be the Stoke City of this year (though I mean Stoke City will naturally be the Stoke City of this season), in that they won’t play beautiful fantastic attacking football, but they’ll get stuck in, throw their weight around and get the odd draw here and there that will keep them up, and for a team that hasn’t been in the Premiership in ages and haven’t won a trophy in 49 years, that will be fantastic.

16: Stoke City: Speaking of Stoke. It seems that the boys that defied the odds and didn’t go back down are going to be trying to defy those odds once more. This time their players will have a bit more experience and Tony Pullis I’m sure will keep pulling tricks out of his baseball cap he keeps wearing during games. Sometimes I feel like that cap is like the play card for NFL head coaches. He just writes successful set pieces and formations on the bill and looks up whenever he needs a new idea. What ever it is, it worked last season and he’s hoping as well all as the Stoke City fans that it works again. Stoke will once again have the fortune of playing in a league where there many clubs that have major problems with one thing or another, and ultimately it’ll be Tony Pullis and his ability to keep the team playing the way they know how to play that keeps this team successful.

15: Wolverhampton Wanderers: This was my team in the Championship, I’ve been somewhat following Wolves ever since Denis Irwin and Paul Ince went over to play for them. As an Irish fan I also have a soft spot for Mick McCarthy, even though he had a bust up with Keano and ultimately killed the chances of Ireland back in 2002. Any ways, his last spell in the Premiership was disastrous when he managed Sunderland to the poorest performance in the top flight up until Derby 2 years ago. I think this time he has learned his lesson, and the fact that Wolves dominated the Championship last year means that this team is ready for the challenge. McCathy has also brought in some great signings that will help him fulfill his dream of staying up. Kevin Doyle from Reading has that premier league experience, and the Wolves know how to score. It’ll be up to their other signings on whether or not they’ll be able to stop shipping goals and stopping 2-1 games from becoming 2-2 games. I think they’ll be able to do it, but a rough start might make or break this team and that mentality might be tested, something that McCarthy has shown in the past could be troublesome for Wolves fan. It’ll be nice also to see another team form the North West of England, besides the two Manchesters and Liverpools. Well I guess there is also this next team too:

14: Wigan: I had the biggest soft spot for Wigan when Brucey was still the manager, but now that he’s moved onto Sunderland, I have no qualms about seeing Wigan do poorly or not. They are an establish side now in the Premier League and thanks to Steve Bruce’s wise transfer policy has actually put them in a good position to compete. Problem is, can Roberto Martinez continue on that success and more importantly build upon it? They have some very capable players, but no one flashy and stylish. With Antonia Valencia now at Manchester United (thank you Brucey), they don’t have any real attacking prowess. It’s going to be up to King, Scotland to help out their only remaining top class goal scorer, Rodallega. The loss of Lee Cattermole was the worse thing possible, but there’s still 2 weeks left and a bunch of players from Swansea that Martinez can poach, but will they be quality enough? Martinez seems like a manager this is going to keep pushing this team, let’s hope that it’s away from relegation and closer to the middle of the pack.

Middle of the pack. Teams that are just happy to be in Premier League and not in the relegation zones. Many of these teams do have aspirations of making it into Europe, but until something drastically changes, they’ll settle for middle of the table with maybe a nice domestic cup run.

13: Bolton Wanderers: Gary Megson’s men finished 13th last year, and I don’t really see them doing any better or any worse. They’ve been one of the teams most quiet during this transfer season, mostly because of Real Madrid and Manchester City inflating the prices of all players by like 10 mil dollars, something that a smallish club like Bolton cannot deal with. But with the likes of Kevin Davies, Sean Davis, Gary Cahill and Mark Davies (gotta lot of Davies) they have veteran premier league players that now how to grind out the season, get the important draws and the easy wins. It is a stable team, and just as long as they continue to haunt the likes of Arsenal, I’m happy for them.

12: Blackburn Rovers: With Big Sam at the helm for the full year, I think Rovers have a better turn around. Though they had to give up some top players, specifically Roque Santa Cruz, they have a lot of great players around. I would not be surprised if they finished in the top half of the table, but for right now I have them sitting at 12th, 3 spots better than last year when Paul Ince had them headed for relegation. With the addition of Di Santo as a forward from Chelsea (on loan), Rovers can still put on a great offensive show, unlucky for the fans, that’s not Big Sam’s MO. I also forgot that Rovers are found near the Manchester, so well, whatever. Rovers could definitely jump over the next few teams depending upon fixtures and injuries, but for now I’m playing it safe at 12.

11: Sunderland: Steve Bruce’s new team looks like a middle of the table force to be reckoned with, but The Black Cats have also been a team with a lot of hype and upside but seems to never live up to it, so a near dead middle of the table standing seems like a perfect fit. Sunderland should be a team I could really support after United just because of all the Irish and Manchester United ties the team has. From a personal stand point I hope that Fraizer Campbell does well, I’m sorry to see him leave United, but he’s been with the reserves for so long it was time for him to see if he has the quality to be a top footballer in England. Brucey will be a fantastic manager for the team and has so far used his smart transfer policies to help keep Sunderland a strong team and one that can really build upon the future. The only sad thing about this season is that Sunderland won’t have Newcastle to play in a big Tyne-Wear derby, but I bet not one Sunderland fan is much worried about that. I know both Bruce and Niall Quinn would like to see Sunderland in the top half the table, but they have a good thing going and with patience could be a staple of Premier League football for years to come.

Top Half of the tables. Teams that don’t really worry about relegation and may be more concerned about making into Europe, which now is set at 6th place or better.

10: West Ham United: The Zola effect was amazing last year. All the issues with the Carlos Tevez suit, financial ruinings of the owners and the fact that their main striker was Craig Bellamy was all calmly washed away by every Englishman’s favorite Italian, Giancarlo Zola. This year can only get better right? Well with my predictions they actually take 1 step back. The talk of Europe was very much in the mind of all Iron’s fans, but this year they should be prepared for a tougher battle with the teams around them. Zola for the most part was able to keep a lot of the players he wanted, but he still has to deal with financial issues and as of right now his only options are taking players on loan and who have small salaries. This could all change if a capable suitor comes in and buys the club, but not everyone can be as lucky as Manchester City. (I can’t believe I just wrote that line, I may have to take a moment to throw up). The addition of Julien Faubert on a permanent basis was a giant coup for the Italian, especially since it seemed for certain that Celtic was going to get their man. Any truth in Gudjohnsen from Barcelona or Luci Toni from Bayern Munich coming over on a loan would really make this fantastic team to watch even more fantastic. I know a certain Iron’s fan that would go crazy of the prospect of having either big target men throwing around their weight. In the long run it’ll also help Carlton Cole, their permanent big man striker, develop into a larger treat (goal wise, not size wise, he’s already too massive). England fans may be even rooting for that to happen, as a proper Cole and Rooney partnership would be perfect for the World Cup. Think of Cole as a younger Heskey. There are 2 more weeks in the transfer market, so anything is possible. What I am certain of, is that barring any crazy financial crash, West Ham will not have to worry about being in the bottom half of the table. They’ll be focusing on inching ever closer to Europe, where Zola really did shine.

9: Tottenham Hotspur: It has been an interesting off season for ‘Arry Redknap and the Spurs. They seem to be linked with everybody but don’t seem to have anything to really show for it, well except for one very tall and skinny striker.  It still seems they have a couple extra forwards they don’t need, Robbie Keane being one of them, and lack of true quality in the defense. Picking up Bassong doesn’t really help. I see the Spurs dropping a place this year just on the sheer fact that Magic Harry is not a boy wizard, but rather a very old manager that deals better with back room handling of players than on the pitch managing. Yes Harry brought Spurs out of the bottom 3 and into the top 8 in half a season, and many were wondering what would have happened if he had been there from day one. Well this season we’re going to find out and to the dismay of many Spurs fan, I think they’ll be left very disappointed, but then again they are Spurs fans so they always feel disappointed. The teams in this group though are all very close, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I completely messed up the standing here on out until we reach the top 4.

8: Fulham: To many, Fulham making Europe last year was a complete and utter shocker. It was easy to see why, since only 12 months prior Fulham barely escaped relegation by a single point on the last day of the season. Roy Hudgson has really turned the team around. So far this off season they’ve already moved up through the qualifying rounds of the Europa league and have added some pretty unknown, but apparently crafty players in. Bjørn Helge Riise should be an interesting player to see this year. Maybe he’ll score some own goals and follow in his older brother’s footsteps. The real issue though is to get Bobby Zamora and Clint Dempsey to score some more goals. Both players seem to be full of skill and quality up until the final touch, Dempsey coming off the wing isn’t really there to score goals, but as an American fan I really want to see him take over games. Fulham can’t completely rely on Nevland and Andy Johnson to get all the goals, especially with their injury issues. So because of that I have Fulham dropping a place and missing out on Europe. This of course could all be moot, because Fulham could go on a fantastic run and win the Europa League and therefore qualify for the Champions League. Billy the Badger would be quite pleased with that I imagine.

Europe and breaking into the Big 4. These teams feel like they are so close to that gold mine that is the Champions League and the stature that comes with being in the top four. Last year it almost seemed like the Big 4 was going to breached, but one team started too slow and the other just ran out of gas. This year could finally be the year.

7: Aston Villa: I hate putting these guys right here, but I have to. Their off season has been pretty unremarkable and most of the time rumors about transfers are about players leaving rather than coming in. Martin O’Neill has done a fantastic job for the team and Randy Lerner has been a fabulous owner, but this off season has been a mad house especially with Manchester City creating so much inflation. They had to pay the over for Stewart Downing and his bad knee, though the silver lining is that they’ll have James Milner for a full season and they added Fabian Delph from Leeds, but you still get a feeling that they are missing some key players. Any other year and O’Neill could have possibly added good depth to the team that might have enabled them to maintain their pace and pip Arsenal for 4th place. This year though, and only due to outside forces, the club is going to feel a big step back. In reality that step back might only be the 1 place from 6th to 7th, but the fact that Villa could almost feel that rich European soil on a Champions League night makes dropping one place feel like being relegated.  I know I’m betting against Martin O’Neill and I shouldn’t do that, but maybe I’m doing it just so I can be proven wrong and I can be completely happy it about come next May.

6: Everton: This was a tough one, but you can’t under estimate Moyes. He’s so far been able to keep many teams away form his prize assets and if he can survive that until the close of the transfer window, he should be able to do well with his very small team. The other key is getting Mikel Arteta back and to have Jo continue on his run of form from last year when he came over on loan. Everton had a lot of bad luck last season which was surprising when you figure they finished in 5th. They had no out and out striker for most of the season all because of injuries and lack of players. This year if Yakubu and Louis Saha can stay fit, they’ll have no issues with scoring goals (a big ask). This can also allow Fellaini, the human Red card, to deal more in the middle to help out Arteta and Cahill. They still have an aging midfield and back line, but that just means they are dependable and capable. This could of course all go up in smoke if they lose Lescott and can’t get either Steven Taylor or Matthew Upson as a replacement. David Moyes is a smart manager, one that I wouldn’t mind taking over for Sir Alex in a few years time. As of right now, I have Everton being leaped over by that upstart and oldest rival to my team, Manchester City. Billionaire Boys Club as I shall refer to them from now on.

5: Billionaire Boys Club (BBC): I can’t give Mark Huges and the BBC (wait this could get confusing), the nod in the big four this time around, even though they have a ridiculous team. I mean most teams have problems fielding 2 out and out strikers, and the BBC have like 7! At first I considered this all a big joke, but then Sparky started to make some smart plays, particular with the defense. If he can get Lescott or Upson to partner up with Toure, Micah Richards and Wayne Bridge, then what was once a laughable back four can become quite good, especially with Shay Given between the sticks. Then when you start to look at the midfield, with Stephen Ireland, Nigel De Jong, Money Bags Barry, Michael Johnson, and SWP you stop and think about things for a moment. Actually as I start to think about things more, I could easily see BBC get into the top 4 and pip Arsenal. Crap, I really don’t want to change my mind right now. So let’s see, the reason they aren’t going to get into the top four is because, well, because of Sparky, the man in charge. It’ll be up to Sparky to get all these ego and millionaires playing proper footy to win games. It would just be as easy for a manager to sit back and let the talent do the rest and rely on individual skill, but the best managers know how to get players to play together and to play a certain way towards a goal. That’s probably why the Big Four is till the Big Four because of that fact. So the pressure is completely on Mark Hughes and Manches..er.. BBC to live up to the hype and expectations. As a United fan, I really hope they crash and burn, but being a realist that would only make the owners of City doing something even crazier, like maybe bring over Fabio Capello or The Special One himself. I’d rather they just keep finishing in 4th. This does bring up a good point though, what would be considered a failed season for City? I would have to imagine it isn’t breaking into the Top 4 and making Champions League. Then again, maybe they are arrogant enough to think that not winning the title this year is a failure. Once again, come May we’ll see. (By January we’ll see if Sparky is still with the team).

The Big Four. Nothing new here, but you have a feeling this is the last year for that.

4: Arsenal: My head is telling me this is all wrong. Arsenal nearly dropped out of the top four last year and this off season they have gotten worse rather than better. A team that desires silverware but continues to fall short due to lack of depth just got, well, shallower. The Gooner nation will soon turn on the Professor, especially if Wenger can’t keep Cesc from going to Barcelona by the end of August. Like O’Neill, Wenger has always been an intelligent buyer and seller (and this is coming from a die hard United fan), and you can’t blame him for his style of football, it is quite nice to watch, but it seems like it’s time to change things up and get things going. We don’t know if Wenger himself is responsible for the transfer policies this summer, or if it’s the issue with the Arsenal board and the lack of funds due to the economic slow down. What I do know is that Arsenal has a long uphill battle this year and with Adebayor and Toure gone and the injuries to key players already, it seems like the battle started back in June. It would be sad to see Arsenal drop out the big four, but only because then I’d have to see the like of Mancher… dammit!, BBC there. In reality for me it is all lose-lose. For Arsenal fans, it could just be another trophy-less season and a step down from Champions League competition.

3. Liverpool: The less I say about Liverpool the better. They really messed up last season, they should have won the league but thanks to Rafa and his stupidity they gave away the ball and let United pip in an extra time goal (this actually didn’t happen, Liverpool destroyed United in both fixtures. I was trying to use an appropriate metaphor for Liverpool’s collapse at the end of last season). As a United fan I never want to see Rafa leave the club, because of him, I never really have to worry about Liverpool winning. This off season has been brutal for the club, whether it was the issue with the American owners and getting new funding, the fact that Steven Gerrard assaulted a bloke and got away with it or the fact that Liverpool’s best and healthiest player last year was sold to Real Madrid and replaced by an Italian in a wheel chair that played slightly more games than Michael Owen in the same time period. But don’t worry Liverpool fans, you have Glen Johnson as your right back, the same Glen Johnson that got worked over and over again by Arjen Robben the Dutch boys this past Wednesday. The likes of Torres and Gerrard make this team still too good to drop any lower than 3rd. With Ronaldo gone, Torres is hands down the best player in the league. He just needs to stay fit for more of the season (but really I don’t want that to happen).

Okay I’m taking a break.

2. Chelsea: Yeah I had to take a lunch to really mull this one over. I mean United lost Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo. The former being a real hit to the gut, but the latter having more significance to the title hopes for United (more on that later though). Chelsea on the other hand didn’t lose any players, and in fact got a great midfielder in Yuri Zhirkov. The biggest thing for Chelsea is that they have a manager that has shown success on the club level. Everything points to it being Chelsea’s year except for one thing, Roman Abramovich. Since day one, Abramovich has wanted a Champions League trophy. It was in the Champions League that he fell in love with soccer, and so his ultimate goal is to reach that trophy. 2 years ago he was close when Chelsea met Manchester United in the final only to lose in penalties (thank you again John Terry). Last year Chelsea didn’t make the final, due to some dubious referring. In hind sight I would have rather Chelsea make the final because United would have probably won it again. Any ways, this year Abramovich brought in Carlo Ancelotti, winner of 2 Champions League titles and Roman is hoping that Chelsea can make it it a hat trick for the Italian. In this pursuit, the Premier League title may be sacrificed leaving the door open for United to walk in and snatch the 4th in a row. In any case it is going to be a closer race than last year or the year before, both of which was very close in deed.

1. Manchester United: Yes United lost Tevez and CR9,  but they still are reigning champs and they still have Sir Alex Ferguson and an army of players ready to fill roles and do what is necessary to win. Sir Alex and United have done this time and time again. A team is built, they win a bunch of trophies, they sell a lot of shirts and then they take a few years to transition. The only real change this time is that United in the past choose to make those transitions, whether it was selling David Beckham or Ruud or releasing Roy Keane, it always seemed to be on United’s term. This time around they were forced by CR9 to sell and it came on the same summer where Real Madrid and Manchse… DAMMIT!, BBC decided to go bat-shit crazy in the transfer market. Worse was that United also lost Tevez, but that’s it! CR9 and Tevez are both gone, but people seem to forget that United still has Wayne Rooney and will have a another year of a more adapted Dimitar Berbatov. For giggles, United threw in Michael Owen for fun and then went into their huge reserve and youth team to bring up Federico Macheda, Zoran Tosic (best United name), Darren Gibson, as well as Danny Welbeck to sit on a bench and provide sparks (similar to back in 1996 with Becks, Scholes and the Nevilles). Buys from 3 years ago are ready to prove their worth in Anderson and Nani, and you can’t forget about the old boys Giggs and Scholes that will give you some quality during those games that don’t require great skill but sheer determination (Stoke, Bolton, Birmingham), saving the best for best (Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal). The midfield still has the likes of Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, and Ji Sung Park all capable players who on a good day could change games.  With the addition of Antonio Valencia as an out and out winger, United can continue to play wide with intricate passes. Best of all, United isn’t even finished, there’s still 2 weeks to go and the likes of Franck Ribery and Sergio Aguero are being linked with the Red Devils. Most importantly of all, United’s defense was the key to last years success and that defense is still in tact, though a little wobbly right now with injuries. Rio Ferdinand (if he can stop playing Media Mogul), Vida, Brown and Evra command a great back line, with the likes of Rafael, Johnny Evans and Johnny O’Shea giving them cover. Then there’s Neville and Hargreaves, both of which any United fan would love to see just combine their legs so that one of them has at last 1 healthy pair, but if either comes back (mostly Hargreaves) that’ll be an added boost. United is still a deep and strong team, one that for the last 3 years have played in nearly 60 games each season and are well aware of how to win a league title. The difference this time is that they don’t have a person that strikes fear into the heart of every full back or keeper, well unless Sir Alex Ferguson is able to get on the pitch to give them all they hair dryer treatment, but I think the FA will frown upon that.

So there you have, that’s my complete prediction. I’ll have an updated one by time the transfer window ends, since then we’ll have better understanding of the teams, but this is my gut feeling for the upcoming season. It’s going to be close, which means it should be pretty exciting and fantastic.

So, come on United! Let’s make it

My gooner friend just pointed out the fact that if the #12 on United plays a lot of games, then there is no chance of United getting the 12th trophy. This coming from a guy who’s goal keeper looks like this.

Yesterday’s epic Arsenal v Liverpool game was great, especially for a United fan. Yes I would have preferred an Arsenal win over the draw, but really those 2 dropped points by Liverpool could really give the edge to United. As United face Pompey today at Old Trafford, I decided to see how the season may turn out. Now, I’m hoping that I’m jinxing the Red Devils, but honestly I did this every week last year and the came away with the Double, so I’m not too concerned.

So below are my predictions for United’s Premier League matches until the end. I even decided to put scores for fun. My results:

Wed. 22 Manchester United (2) v (1) Portsmouth -Old Trafford WIN
Sat. 25 Manchester United (5) v (0) Tottenham Hotspur -Old Trafford WIN
Sun. 3 Middlesbrough (1) v (1) Manchester United -The Riverside Stadium DRAW
Sun. 10 Manchester United (4) v (0) Manchester City -Old Trafford WIN
Wed. 13 Wigan Athletic (0) v (3) Manchester United -JJB Stadium WIN
Sat. 16 Manchester United (2) v (2) Arsenal -Old Trafford DRAW
Sun. 24 Hull City (1) v (3) Manchester United -Kingston Communications Stadium WIN

+17 more points, meaning that United finish the season with 88 points.

Here’s my results for Liverpool. (Couldn’t be bothered putting score lines for the scousers)

Sat. 25 Hull City v Liverpool -Kingston Communications Stadium WIN
Sun. 3 Liverpool v Newcastle United -Anfield WIN
Sat. 9 West Ham United v Liverpool -Upton Park DRAW
Sun. 17 West Bromwich Albion v Liverpool -The Hawthorns WIN
Sun. 24 Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur -Anfield WIN

+13 more points, meaning that Liverpool finish the season with 84 points.

4 points or (1 Draw and a Lose for United) behind.

I’ll gladly take it.

So, let’s get a United win today and get this back to back to back league title started or rather, finished!

I used to love Kevin Garnett. I even had an authentic KG T-Wolves jersey. I’m a die hard Lakers fan, been one since I moved to Los Angeles at the age of 6 and saw Magic at the Forum with James “Big Game” Worthy, but I loved KG so much that he is the only NBA player that I’ve ever spent $100+ on a jersey. For years I felt sorry for him when he wouldn’t make it out of the first round of the playoffs but put up MVP numbers. I’d get frustrated at his situation when the T-Wolves would screw him over with horrible draft picks and terrible trades. Twice I’ve seen KG play live, both times I came away in awe of his presence and his skill and how he could dominate the game. I also came away thinking that he was one crazy s.o.b. Both of those games came during his waning years at the T-Wolves.

Now?

Now I hate Kevin Garnett. I hated him jumping out of his seat last night at the Bulls/Celtics game when Ray Allen sank the game winning three. He jumped out yelled an expletive (which he does a lot) and started hopping around on his broken knees as if he was the one that got the game winner. The first thought that came into my head when I saw him jumping around and mock-punching his teammates was, “I hope your knee breaks in half KG, you punk.”

I don’t have regrets about my feelings for KG right now. From my years of following soccer and professional sports, fan-dom shouldn’t be about players because ultimately those players will let you down. Fan-dom should be about the team. I didn’t care about the T-Wolves 3 years ago, I just cared that KG wasn’t getting what he deserved, a chance at winning the championship. His chance obviously did come, and it resulted in my inner NBA fandom coming to clashes with itself. When KG had a chance to represent the Western Conference finals during the 2003/2004 championship I wasn’t rooting for him then, since he could only do that by defeating the Lakers. I should have known then that fan-dom isn’t about players, it’s about the team. Teams are what fans should be supporting, teams are what gives the passion, whether that is undying love or unrelenting hate.

Boston Celtics. I hate the Celtics. I hate them with an irrational passion that rivals that of my hatred for Liverpool FC. I mean I know it’s irrational, but somewhere in my sports brain and sports upbringing in Los Angeles I have been filled with such disdain for Boston and its sports teams that when Kevin Garnett was lifting the O’Brien trophy last year after beating the Lakers I completely forgot about all those years I supported KG, how I loved him as an NBA and how I used to wear his jersey. In fact I threw out that jersey the moment he joined the Celtics, and luckily it was giving to GoodWill or something because if not, that jersey would have been burning in a trash can in my house when I saw him lifting that trophy - All because he was wearing the white and green of the Boston Celtics.

Last night, KG wasn’t wearing the white and green, he was wearing civilian clothes. His knees are messed up to the point that he’s missing the playoffs and he’s not defending his title. There was a good chance that if the Celtics lost that game last night, KG would have experienced something he was used to for 6 years at the Timberwolves, losing in the first found of the NBA playoffs. Even if KG comes back he might not have anything left in his legs and any memories of his greatness would soon be replaced watching his misery on the bench or his ineptitude on the court. For a player as great as Kevin Garnett, that is a sad thing to think about.

Expect I’m not sad. He fucking deserves it, going to play in fucking Boston, for the fucking Celtics. KG, enjoy your one championship trophy and sit the fuck down before you do break your knees in half.

If only…

Hibachi Chef - Col. John “Hannibal” Smith
- Veteran
- Likes to bark order
- Loves when a plan comes together
- Consistent

Effing Natey - Sgt. B.A. “Bad Attitude” Baracus
- Killing machine
- Master with the weapons
- Gets things done
- Reliable

MrChachee - Capt. H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdock
- Crazy
- Loose cannon
- Great at gathering info

Bondurant34 - Lt. Templeton “Faceman” Peck
- Baby faced killer
- Controlled, Not reckless
- Sometimes gets lost

The Flowers Of Manchester

“One cold and bitter Thursday in Munich, Germany,
Eight great football stalwarts conceded victory.
Eight men will never play again, who met disaster there,
The flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester.

The Busby Babes were flying home, returning from Belgrade,
This great United family all masters of their trade.
The pilot of the aircraft, the skipper Captain Thain,
Three times tried to take off and twice turned back again.

The third time down the runway disaster followed close,
There was slush upon that runway and the aircraft never rose.
It ploughed into the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned.
And eight of that team were killed when the blazing wreckage burned.

Roger Byrne and Tommy Taylor, who were capped for England’s side,
And Ireland’s Liam Whelan and England’s Geoff Bent died.
Mark Jones and Eddie Coleman and David Pegg also,
They all lost their lives as it ploughed on through the snow.

Big Duncan he went too, with an injury to his brain,
And Ireland’s brave Jack Blanchflower will never play again.
The great Matt Busby lay there, the father of this team,
Three long months passed by before he saw his team again.

The trainer, coach and secretary and three members of the crew,
Also eight sporting journalists who with United flew,
And one of them was Big Swifty who we will ne’er forget,
The finest English ‘keeper that ever graced a net.

England’s finest football team it’s record truly great,
It’s proud success mocked by this cruel turn of fate.
Eight men will never play again who met disaster there,
The flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester. ”

More info here.

So, what if current NBA players decided to ditch the hard court and kit up on the pitch to play the beautiful game. I know this has been done before, back during the last world cup, but I’m going do it my way and only with NBA. Why? Because after Futbol, Basketball is my second favorite sport. All other sports are a distant 3rd. Also, I was inspired by my ESPN Magazine that showed up the other day with the above cover on it.

So, if I were a manager and I had the pick of the NBA this would be my team starting from the back going up to the front and the formation will be a 3-4-3. (Similar to the formation of the team I play on in reality).

Goalkeeper: (GK)

Dwight Howard (6′11, 265 lbs, C, Orlando Magic)
This was a toss up with Kevin Garnett, but I mean Howard right now is grabbing the most rebounds and blocking the most shots. He would be a beast between the posts. I just don’t think any shot would get by him into the net. He’s tall, explosive and has incredible reach. Also, he’s a bit crazy which is what you need in a good goal keeper. Another thing going for Dwight, is that there is another American named Howard who’s doing quite well in the Premier League, Tim Howard (former United keeper, current Everton and US National keep). This team would have no problem keeping clean sheets, especially with the 3 guys in front of Howard. In fact, if Howard got bored he could just stay at the top of the box and be the 4th defender…

Defense: (RCB, CB, LCB)

Al Jefferson (6′10, 265 lbs, C-F, Minnesota Timberwolves)
Now my thought here with 3 backs is that they’ll do a good job of switching around with the holding midfielder, who I’ll reveal in a bit, but to start on the right hand side would be Al Jefferson who is just a freak as the Center for the Timberwolves, but who does a great job of running up and down the court. He would be the work horse of the defense, coming in to cut off opposing wingers and put in the hard tackles. He’d also be the guy that would defend in the air and clear out any chances by opposing corners. Basically I see Jefferson as the player similar to Nemanja Vidic on Manchester United. Does that mean his partner in the back will be like Rio? No not really, but he’ll be equally impressive:

Tim Duncan (6′11, 260, F-C, San Antonio Spurs)
Duncan will be the rock on my team’s back line. Though he’s getting up in age, he’ll have that level head to be able to clear out balls calmly and easily. He wouldn’t get excited or anxious and he’ll be able to get the line organize. He’ll also be able to clear out balls in the air, but he’ll be most deadliest when the team has corners and he comes up for the odd goal here and there. Duncan, with his age and experience will be similar to that of Steve Bruce. Just a quality defender and player and he would be the Vice-Captain of the team. On Duncan’s left finishing off the back line would be…

Dirk Nowitzki (7′0″, 245, F, Dallas Mavericks).
Nowitzki would be someone with a little more creative flair and some speed than the other defenders, also he’ll be the only European I have on the starting XI. With Dirk’s range and height, I mean the dude is just long and he’ll be the tallest out of all the defenders and the goalkeeper, he would be a great back that could track back and be an outlet for Howard and Duncan. His length would stop any ride side winger from getting behind him or getting a cross over him. Offensively, Dirk’s range is the biggest key, because he could clear balls out deep and under pressure. This ability is something that the team would use to spark counter attacks and to get the play up in the attacking half of the field quickly. Of course with his vision he could also just be the safety value for the defense and easily pass it out to the man sitting in front of the back line. That man being…

Midfielders (DM, CM, RM, LM)

Lebron James (6′8″, 250 lbs, F, Cleveland Cavaliers)
Yes I know that LeBron is known as an offensive player, probably one of the best offensive players in the league and one of the best finishers, but he’s also one of the best defenders in the league, as well as one of the best at getting rebounds, blocking shots, getting steals and putting up assists. He’s pretty much the best all around player which makes him so good in the NBA. It is these attributes is what would make him a brilliant anchor man for the team. I liken him to that of Patrick Vieira in that his vision, speed and strength will allow him to boss the midfield. He would be able to sit in the center circle and see the whole field. His ability to go forward and to drop back would make him such a stalwart on the pitch. The Cavs depend on LeBron doing so much on the court from scoring the points himself, dishing the passes, getting the rebounds and locking down the opposing team. On the pitch he’d be doing pretty much the same thing except that he wouldn’t have to do it all on his own and most of the time he wouldn’t even be the best player out there. Instead, James could focus on being the player that will get in and do whatever needs to be done to get a W, and most of the time that means playing defense and bossing the midfield. LeBron could leave the play making to his partner in crime in the middle…

Chris Paul (6′0″, 175 lbs, G, New Orleans Hornets)
Yes Paul is small, but that won’t matter if he knows the man behind him is LeBron James. Chris Paul is a baller though, and he’ll easily get the offense going with his superb passing, whether that it is to the outside midfielders or up to the central forward/attacking midfielder. In either cases, his vision on the pitch and his skill to get people the ball no matter what, is what a good central midfielder is all about. If his ability in the NBA to get steals and get break-a-ways started is any consideration he’d also be the great point man to start any counter attack or break aways on the pitch, only he’ll be given more room to do his tricks and he’ll have more than just 4 options to pass up the ball. Paul’s soccer tactics would include driving up the middle giving time to the other midfielders and forwards to set up, then it would be chances upon chances with his, lobs, flick on’s, and ole’s. Size would not matter in this cause, he’d be a Deco or a Diego (but not a Paul Scholes who I’m reserving for later). He would be the creative spark plug on an already very creative team. And on games where he doesn’t want to be all flashy or use a lot of energy, well he could just then do quick passes out to the wingers/outside midfielders such as…

Manu Ginobili (6′6″, 205 lbs, G, San Antonia Spurs)
Manu is easily my Ryan Giggs on the left hand side. Come on Manu (Man.U=Man United)! I am sure that if Ginobili played in Europe he’d be a United player (except of course he’s Argentinian…) Speaking of Argentinian, you all knew I had to get at least one person from Argentina or Brazil on the team (and it wasn’t going to be Boris Diaw, though it could have been Leandro Barbosa). Ginobili would cause such chaos out on the outside and the wing for the opposing team. He’d drive the ball towards the goal with ease and could cut in to create chances for the strikers. Also he would be a great outlet for strikers if they gather the ball inside and create the space for him to get into the box. Also he would be the team’s best diver, and could get a lot of penalties (hah!). He would be an amazing offensive creator on the outside and he’d have the legs to track back and help play some defense… I mean if the team ever needed that. Worse case, he could hoof the ball over the whole field and send it to the right hand side where the ball would be picked up by…

Dwayne Wade (6′4″, 216 lbs, G, Miami Heat)
Wade would be the best counter part to Ginobili on the right hand side and would provide the exact same threat as Manu. Teams would have to worry about the same sort of attacks coming from either side of the pitch and that would make the pitch very wide and stretch the defending team very thin. Also after that remarkable pass on Wednesday while falling out of bounds, I’m pretty sure that Wade would get in some very neat crosses and set up some very interesting goals especially if he’s getting fed the ball by Chris Paul or by the following, my center forward/attacking midfielder:

Forwards (CF/AM, LS, RS)

Steve Nash (6′3″, 178 lbs, G, Phoenix Suns)
Steve Nash is a no brainer as an NBA player who could play in European soccer. I mean besides the fact that his brother was a professional soccer player in Canada and that Nash once said he wanted to buy Tottenham Hotspurs is besides the point. Nor is the point that he loves to play keepy-uppy during practice, but rather it is just his style of play that is pretty much just like that of all the great soccer players. His creativity, skill, and ability on the ball is very similar to many of the creative central midfielders of the leagues. Most of all though, Steve Nash is my Paul Scholes, who could be argued as one of the most creative and skillful English midfielders of all time and was really a central forward in the fact that he was always pushing the ball in on offense and played shite defense. (I bet there are others more similar to Nash, but since I am a United fan, I’m going to go to Manchester United as my team to compare, plus they are the best in the world as I type.) Just like how I believe Steve Nash could be a good soccer player, I think Paul Scholes could have been a great guard in the NBA. Steve on the pitch would be a player that ravaged defensive midfielders and the opposing defensive line. Nash would just get by them with give in go’s with the Chris Paul and the two strikers. He would pull the strings and cut the defense with perfectly weighted passing and when it came to it, he’d rip a rocket from the top of the box into the top corner before the defense had a chance to even settle. His vision and creation and his ability to stay on the ball would be a perfect fit to the two strike partners. Also Steve Nash would easily be my Captain of the team. So who would Steve be neatly threading the ball too up top, well one would easily be…

Paul Pierce (6′7″, 235 lbs, F, Boston Celtics)
Paul Pierce would the point of attack for the offense. Creating the strike partnership that should score easily 100 goals would be the best shooting finisher in the league. I’m stressing shooting here, because I feel his strike partner IS the best finisher in the league in all categories, but Pierce hits shots at big times from all over and his style of getting off the tough spots at appropriate times reminds me of Ruud van Nistelrooy or Thierry Henry. Basically Pierce wouldn’t have to worry about creating anything, and just focus on getting the ball into the back of the net. He’d have Chris Paul and Steve Nash feed him all the passes he needs, and his striking partner would command all the focus and would therefor create the space for Pierce to bag the goals. So who is Paul Pierce’s partner in crime? None other than…

Kobe Bryant (6′6″, 205 lbs, G, Los Angeles Lakers)
The guy who started this epic post (well over 2000 words), and the reason why I am so giddy on this Friday. Kobe Bryant could be an amazing soccer star, and many would think he’d be a great midfielder. I feel the same way, but his killer instinct and his size and skill is so much like Lionel Messi or better yet Cristiano Ronaldo. Kobe could drive right into the defense after he picks up the ball from Nash at the top of the box a la Messi, or he could muscle his way into the air to get the easier header a la Ronaldo. He would be prolific, though he might not get the goals, he’ll be the key player in whatever goal is scored. Whether he used his skill to hold up the ball, flicked on a pass, or banged the cross bar and allowed the others to pick up the rebound and score themselves. His creativeness and vision (a common theme, yes I know), would mean constant man marking by the other team and if there are any set plays to be done, a quick lob from Wade into Bryant in the box would seem like an automatic goal. Bryant has that killer instinct that would result in him scoring goals deep into injury time of need be on either sides of the half. He’d will the offense to score goals very much like Eric Cantona. Though he wouldn’t be the captain, he’d be close to the top, but he’d definitely be the face of the team and the talsimanic figure on the pitch.

Forget USA Gold in Basketball, with a team like this, I’m thinking Champions League Finalist/Winners every year and for Kobe Bryant, that could be the best trophy ever!

Below is the formation and positions for my NBA Fantasy Starting XI:

Subs:
Goal Keepers - Kevin Garnett / Reserve - Elton Brand
Defense - Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire / Reserve - David West
Midfielders - Tony Parker, Brandon Roy, Carmelo Anthony / Reserve - Joe Johnson
Forwards - Vince Carter / Reserve - Ray Allen

Ahh, who the hell cares?!

My Chargers are once again not going to the Superbowl, and now no Manning is going to be there. We have the Cardinals, Ravens, Steelers and Philly? Big freaking whoop.

Really, the only thing that would be awesome is if Philly wins and then T.O. can just look like a bigger fool! That being said, I think the Cardinals pull out the victory. Let’s go to my picks.

NFC Championship:

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals made me money last week in Vegas. It was great watching the Cardinals smack around the Panthers. I mean I just knew it was going to happen. Well I mean, I knew they were going to come out with the win. When Vegas had the line at +9.5 for the Panthers it became a no brainer. Turned out the points should have been given to the Cardinals. The defense was great and Warner had a field day with Fritzgerald. Any ways this week the Cardinals are at home and though Philadelphia is playing some what well, I just think they faced two teams in the NFC that lost the energy in Minnesota and the Giants.

Cardinals 34, Eagles 29

___

AFC Championship:

Screw it, I don’t even care. Stupid Steelers

Steelers 14, Ravens 10

Ugggggh!

The juggernaut machine that is Manchester United has a great chance of taking the top spot on the table tomorrow when they travel to the Reebok stadium and face off with Bolton. Okay, so maybe “great” chance isn’t the best term. More of a good chance. Like a chance were you’d expect them to win, but as the match gets closer I wouldn’t be as surprised if Bolton puts a wrench in United’s onslaught.

First off, after that 1-0 win on Wednesday against Wigan was a great result but with some major consequences. Specifically #10 won’t be around for a couple weeks and that could cause a problem. But even more disturbing is that Evra and Rio are out, and Evans who deputized for Rio is also on the fence for tomorrow’s match. It is no secret that United’s recent success is all based on the great defensive play by United. Those clean sheets have been so precious, especially since the firepower at United still can’t seem to find the target…

So this Bolton match which was considered an easier game than most just a few days ago has now turned into a big test for United. These are the games that crown champions and United are champions so even though it’ll be close I think we’ll still see a victory.

2-1 to United. Top of the table.

Now let’s hope the on form team of Everton can get by their town rivals. Come on Arteta! Come on Cahill!

I used be a fanatic for Formula 1 racing. Growing up it was up their with basketball and football, and by the time I got to college with less and less soccer available to me, Formula 1 took the podium for my sports fandom. I was of course a huge Michael Schumacher fan, up until the very end, but along the way I had a lot of other favorites: Eddie Irvine was my second favorite of all time, followed by Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello, and Johnny Herbert. It was a wonderful sport to follow and though I never a race live, I remember quite a few of them, specifically the horrific crash of Ayrton Senna at Imola at San Marino in 1994. I was 12 at the time and it was great to be a sports fan. Eric Cantona and Ryan Giggs were flying around for United, and David Beckham was just about to move up to the first team, but that year was a dark year for Formula 1.

I bring this up because I just learned that Ron Dennis of McLaren F1 Racing is stepping down as the principal. He’s handing over the team reigns to Martin Whitmarsh, Dennis’ second in command at McLaren for over 2 decades. In fact, Ron Dennis has been the man in charge for McLaren since 1981, nearly a year longer than I’ve been on this planet. So when I think of F1 Racing, besides thinking about Michael Schumacher and the dominance of Ferrari, I also think about McLaren and their dominance, especially during the ‘90 and ‘91 season when Ayrton Senna dominated the field and won back-to-back Formula world titles.

These days, I barely watch Formula 1, last season I only watched the Singapore Gran Prix because it was the first Formula 1 race at night, and it was gorgeous, but ever since Schumacher left, and all these regulations came into the sport, races have been less of a spectacle. It is just sad, because it was so easy to remember the 90s with the McLarens and the Ferraris constantly battling it out… I guess that’s why Ron Dennis called it quits, he knew those times are long gone and may never come back.