Football Dispatch

Wednesday Football
30 July 2008
by Jerrad Peters

The return of Premier League football is less than three weeks away. With that in mind, football journalist Jerrad Peters will evaluate each of the 20 clubs in the top flight before the new season kicks-off on August 16th. Clubs will be presented in alphabetical order. Email any comments to jerradpeters@gmail.com.

ARSENAL
Manager: Arsene Wenger
Grounds: Emirates Stadium
Championships: 13

Manager’s dilemma
Arsene Wenger’s “youth revolution” sermon is getting old. And fast. Within the first two weeks of July, each of Mathieu Flamini, Jens Lehmann, Alexander Hleb, and Gilberto Silva had packed their bags, thumbed their noses at the manager, and made a hasty exit from North London. While Wenger has continued to preach “youth” and “growing from within,” his club has won exactly zero trophies since beating Manchester United on penalties in the 2005 F.A. Cup final. Another season without silverware would surely spell the departures of even more key players. It’s time for Wenger to put a trophy where his mouth is.

Bread & butter
Arsenal have come through three, otherwise ordinary seasons with their reputation intact because of a consistent commitment to attractive, attacking football. The results have often been lacking; but they have never failed to entertain. Cesc Fabregas is the fulcrum of every offensive movement. Just 21-years of age, the Spain international has established himself as one of Europe’s top central-midfielders. His 13-goals in 2007-08 equaled his total output from the previous four campaigns.

Key addition
Also 21-years-old, Samir Nasri arrived at Emirates Stadium on July 11th. A crafty, versatile midfielder, the Frenchman can play in a central, attacking role or wide on the right flank. Gifted with superb technical abilities, Nasri will probably be asked to split time with fellow right-winger Theo Walcott.

Projection
Don’t be surprised if Arsenal burst out of the gate before fading down the stretch. That said, they won’t fall out of the top four. If Wenger can find a decent partner for Fabregas, and if Eduardo da Silva makes a successful comeback, and if Nasri slots in as planned, and if Carlos Vela is the next great thing, the Gunners could finish as high as second in the Premier League. But that’s a lot of ifs.

Probable formation to start the season
Almunia
Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy
Nasri, Eboue, Fabregas, Rosicky
Van Persie, Adebayor

ASTON VILLA
Manager: Martin O’Neill
Grounds: Villa Park
Championships: 7

Manager’s dilemma
You’d think that diminutive Martin O’Neill would have at least a touch of Small Man’s Syndrome. Not so. In fact, the opposite is true. Since succeeding David O’Leary as manager of Aston Villa in 2006, O’Neill has operated with one of the smallest squads in the Premier League. And he has done very little to make it bigger. But with the club about to make a return to European football, he would be well advised to add at least one more player to each third of the park. If he doesn’t, Villa can be expected come off the rails around March.

Bread & butter
Villa’s starting-XI is among the five or six best lineups in the Premier League. New goalkeeper Brad Friedel is one of the finest at his position in England, Curtis Davies and Martin Laursen are an effective defensive tandem, and Ashley Young, John Carew, and Gabriel Agbonlahor comprise an attacking threesome which can penetrate any backline. Young and Agbonlahor, in particular, can be mesmerizing at times. Both are blessed with exceptional pace. Young is already a top left-winger; and Agbonlahor could work himself into Fabio Capello’s England plans with a good start to the season.

Key addition
He didn’t get a sniff at Chelsea; but his upside remains undeniable. Steve Sidwell, christened the direct replacement for Gareth Barry (who will remain at the club), will pull the strings in the midfield. From 2003 to 2007, the 25-year-old scored 29-goals in 168 league appearances for Reading.

Projection
Without a bigger squad, it’s hard to see how Villa can finish ahead of Portsmouth, Tottenham, or Manchester City in the battle for UEFA Cup places. Injuries to key players could suddenly plunge the club below mid-table.

Probable formation to start the season
Friedel
Finnan, Davies, Laursen, Barry
Petrov, Reo-Coker, Sidwell, Young
Agbonlahor, Carew

BLACKBURN ROVERS
Manager: Paul Ince
Grounds: Ewood Park
Championships: 3

Manager’s dilemma
Paul Ince has big boots to fill. When former manager Mark Hughes bolted for Manchester City in June, Blackburn Rovers lost their heart and soul. Under Hughes, Blackburn made a name as one of the most physical, intimidating outfits in the Premier League. But they could also play football. In each of the past three seasons, they finished in the top half. Now, without the likes of mainstays Brad Friedel and David Bentley, Ince inherits a club which has just lost its best goalkeeper and most talented player.

Bread & butter
Since the arrival of Mark Hughes in 2004, Blackburn Rovers out-ran and out-fought the opposition for every ball. But they also maintained an ability to put the ball in the back of the net. In Benni McCarthy and Roque Santa Cruz, Rovers boast a pair of strikers which should combine for between 30 and 40-goals this term. Of course, they will be lacking the usual supply of chances from Bentley. But Morten Gamst Pedersen and Carlos Villaneuva should be able to provide a handful of opportunities in each match.

Key addition
Paul Robinson has something to prove. Actually, he has everything to prove. Effectively chased out of White Hart Lane, the former Tottenham and England number-one is desperate for a fresh start. To that effect, he may have come to the perfect club. Ince is an exceptional motivator. If he can’t jump-start Robinson’s confidence, no one can.

Projection
There’s just not enough here for another top-half finish. In fact, an injury or two could send Blackburn Rovers tumbling into the relegation zone. If Ince can keep the club out of the quagmire in his first season, he will have done his job.

Probable formation to start the season
Robinson
Reid, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock
Emerton, Tugay, Dunn, Gamst-Pedersen
Santa Cruz, McCarthy

Have a question about football? Email your query to jerradpeters@gmail.com.

Jerrad Peters covers football for the Winnipeg Free Press, Soccer Three-Sixty magazine, ESPN Soccernet, and Soccer365.com. His work has also appeared on TheMirror.co.uk, Canadian-soccer.com, Footy247.co.uk, Foot2ball.com, and Squadinfo.com.


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