Today concluded the summer transfer window, closing at 11 PM BST or 5 PM ET. Many interesting deadline deals took place, and there were clear winners and losers from the window.
WINNERS
QPR - Newly promoted last year from the Championship, Queens Park needed to add some experience to their squad in order to stay in the Premier League. They were able to add controversial midfielder Joey Barton, who will add some intensity along with his unorthodox style of play, winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, defenders Armand Traore and Luke Young from Arsenal and Aston Villa respectively, and today center back Anton Ferdinand. Experience in the back is key in the Premier League, and QPR have got that with their signings. SWP will provide speed on the outside and Barton will help settle the midfield. I think the most important move QPR made was one that they didn't make - they were able to keep talismanic midfielder Adel Taarabt at Loftus Road. With this squad, I think QPR is safe from relegation by a good amount, and will have the opportunity to finish in the top half of the table.
Stoke - Stoke lost Danny Welbeck this summer as his loan deal expired, but added Peter Crouch, Cameron Jerome and Wilson Palacios on deadline day. They were also able to add Matthew Upson and Jonathan Woodgate over the summer. Crouch brings a different option for any team to defend against, and should fit perfectly into Stoke's long-ball style. Palacios brings more physicality in the midfield to a team already notorious for its physical play. Upson and Woodgate are both out of their primes, but give Tony Pulis solid, experienced options to play alongside Ryan Shawcross. Well done this summer by Stoke yet again.
Bolton - Bolton were also winners this window, most importantly holding onto defender Gary Cahill, while also signing Gael Kakuta on loan, Dedryck Boyata on loan, and signing David N'Gog for an undisclosed fee. Bolton have the talent to play with some of the bigger clubs, and keeping their best player will allow them to remain exciting for the remainder of the season. Boyata provides some young talent to bolster the back and while Kakuta has yet to fill his potential on the wings, Owen Coyle is a great coach who could help his development. N'Gog also provides another attacking option for Coyle going forward.
Inter Milan - Inter watched Samuel Eto'o depart the San Siro this summer, but cashed in on his move to Anzhi, and were able to bring in Diego Forlan and Mauro Zarate to replace him. Inter also were able to hold on to Wesley Sneijder, their most important midfield player. Inter now have a plethora of attacking options, and maintained the solid core (minus Eto'o) that has helped them to their recent successes. Inter should be a close challenger to AC Milan this season for the Scudetto.
LOSERS
Arsenal - Yes, I know they just added Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos, and Park Chu-Young in recent days, but this a disastrous window for Arsenal. They lost star left-back Gael Clichy and arguably the EPL's best midfielder, Samir Nasri, to rivals Manchester City. Captain Cesc Fabregas moved to Barcelona. Emmanuel Eboue also moved on to Galatasaray, leaving the midfield even more thin. Arsenal's new acquisitions will help them compete for a Champions League place, but nothing more. Selling three of your best players in one summer is never a good idea, and even a squad as deep as Real Madrid or Barcelona would be weakened by such moves. There are many issues surrounding each player's move, but Arsenal will be set back a few years by the departures this summer.
Everton - The club no one wants to buy saw their summer go from bad to worse. The club lost prominent midfielder Mikel Arteta to Arsenal and forward Jermaine Beckford to Leicester. They were able to secure a loan for Roysten Drenthe, but really Everton has done nothing of note. Manager David Moyes said it would be a challenge to finish in the top ten given his transfer funds, and that will be even more difficult now. Everton have a decent core so they should be safe from relegation, but Everton's saga will drag on the players and the team's results.
Valencia - Valencia sold Juan Mata to Chelsea very late in the transfer window, leaving little opportunity to find a replacement, and Joaquin to Malaga in June. Valencia have often sold many of their best players and still been a good side in the La Liga, but their Champions League campaign does not look promising against Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea. It took a near-miraculous comeback in the first week of fixtures to defeat lowly Racing Santander for Los Che, and they could struggle to reach the Champions League places this year because of their weakened squad.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Champions League Draw
Arsenal got through the tie in Udine as expected, although not without a scare. I got seven out of my ten picks correct, but before I congratulate myself, the three I picked incorrectly were three of the closest ties to pick. So it was an okay forecast of the round. Plzen defeating Copenhagen was teh real surprise, with the Danish champions capitulating in the final qualifying round.
Today's draw gives us a clear group of death, with Group A containing Bayern, Villarreal, Man City, and Napoli. I can honestly say that looking at this group, there is no way to predict a winner, runner-up, third or fourth place. Bayern have the squad strength, tradition, and experience, but often lack the consistency to be considered a far-and-away favorite. Villarreal have very strong attacking options in Nilmar and Rossi, as well as experience in the back with Marchena, but have failed to impress in Europe in recent years. Man City probably have the strongest squad, and a manager with loads of European experience, but the group together and the club have no experience in the Champions League. Napoli also have strong forwards in Cavani, Lavezzi, and Hamsik, along with new signing Inler, but are also making their debut in the Champions League. Any order of those teams in the standings would be plausible to me at this point, so this group should be great to watch.
The other groups are generally not as close in quality, although there are some other parts of the draw which stand out. Manchester United again got an easy draw (probably the easiest of any Pot 1 side), with only a trip to Benfica that could really trouble them. Chelsea's draw was decent, as Valencia will be tough even without Mata and Leverkusen finished very strongly in the Bundesliga last year. Arsenal's draw was the second toughest, pulling French giants Marseille, Greek champions Olympiakos, and German champs Dortmund. Arsenal must keep focused in order to get through this group, as there will be no easy fixtures. I believe the tightest group (although being the least flashy) will be Group G, containing Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit, and APOEL. Other than Group A, these teams are closest in quality, all of experience in the Champions League, and have the ability to get the results they need to get through. Porto is a clear favorite and APOEL a clear underdog, but this group should be very competitive from start to finish.
The Europa League's action today saw all four competing English teams go through, along with giants Schalke, PSV, PSG, and Lazio go through. Roma were eliminated by Slovan Bratislava (yikes). That draw will bring more interesting matchups, of a far lower quality though. We will see tomorrow. Hopefully the end of Sevilla-Hannover brings some drama.
Today's draw gives us a clear group of death, with Group A containing Bayern, Villarreal, Man City, and Napoli. I can honestly say that looking at this group, there is no way to predict a winner, runner-up, third or fourth place. Bayern have the squad strength, tradition, and experience, but often lack the consistency to be considered a far-and-away favorite. Villarreal have very strong attacking options in Nilmar and Rossi, as well as experience in the back with Marchena, but have failed to impress in Europe in recent years. Man City probably have the strongest squad, and a manager with loads of European experience, but the group together and the club have no experience in the Champions League. Napoli also have strong forwards in Cavani, Lavezzi, and Hamsik, along with new signing Inler, but are also making their debut in the Champions League. Any order of those teams in the standings would be plausible to me at this point, so this group should be great to watch.
The other groups are generally not as close in quality, although there are some other parts of the draw which stand out. Manchester United again got an easy draw (probably the easiest of any Pot 1 side), with only a trip to Benfica that could really trouble them. Chelsea's draw was decent, as Valencia will be tough even without Mata and Leverkusen finished very strongly in the Bundesliga last year. Arsenal's draw was the second toughest, pulling French giants Marseille, Greek champions Olympiakos, and German champs Dortmund. Arsenal must keep focused in order to get through this group, as there will be no easy fixtures. I believe the tightest group (although being the least flashy) will be Group G, containing Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit, and APOEL. Other than Group A, these teams are closest in quality, all of experience in the Champions League, and have the ability to get the results they need to get through. Porto is a clear favorite and APOEL a clear underdog, but this group should be very competitive from start to finish.
The Europa League's action today saw all four competing English teams go through, along with giants Schalke, PSV, PSG, and Lazio go through. Roma were eliminated by Slovan Bratislava (yikes). That draw will bring more interesting matchups, of a far lower quality though. We will see tomorrow. Hopefully the end of Sevilla-Hannover brings some drama.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Week 2 in the Premier League
The second weekend in the Premier League featured many of the same elements as the first - a strong attacking display from Manchester City, a struggling Chelsea side, a panicking Arsenal squad, and an increasing feeling that this year's relegation battle will be one of the tightest ever. Manchester City looked very strong this afternoon, with three different players scoring and the ones who didn't looked threatening. City's problem last year was goals - this year they will have to keep up their defensive standards from last year to push for the title. Bolton is not the toughest of tests, but they are a good side and caused some problems for City's back four. If City continue to display this type of attacking prowess, they can be a threat all season long.
As for the struggling giants, Chelsea came out of the weekend in the best shape, defeating West Brom 2-1 after conceding early. There was still a lack of creative movement from the Blues, especially early, but the team started to grow into the game in the second half, eventually grabbing the winner. The signing of Juan Mata will undoubtedly help in that department, but Torres was again disappointing, and Drogba's introduction had no impact of the game. There are many things AVB will have to look at, but the victory was one of the few things to take away for Chelsea. There are far more worrying signs at Arsenal. The squad being what it is, the Gunners are not a top four team, and maybe not even top-five. It is very much in the balance as to whether they will take part in the group stages of the Champions League. They will be in far worse trouble if Nasri leaves, and with no foreseeable additions, it is a real crisis for Arsenal. Trips to Udinese and Manchester United in their next two fixtures will do nothing to build the team's confidence. Major changes are needed at Arsenal and they may not have the time to implement them.
The relegation battle this year was poised to be very close because of the similar qualities of the smaller clubs in the Premier League. QPR, Newcastle, and Wolves all posted victories this weekend that could be crucial in April and May. An away victory against Everton does not come easy, and Tommy Smith's well-taken strike gave QPR a huge boost after their opening day defeat. Newcastle took a derby game against the always enigmatic Sunderland, who looked very good last week against Liverpool but porous against a weak Newcastle team. Newcastle still have plenty of issues to deal with, but the victory gives the supporters something to smile about. Wolves sit at the top of the table with City, with two impressive performances against teams of similar quality. The positive for Wolves has been the consistent attacking play, which was absent for large portions of last season's campaign. They will not be able to keep up the victories, but a good start could help the club immensely later in the season. Meanwhile, Blackburn looks hapless in their opening two losses, while Norwich were denied their first win by Stoke at the death. Blackburn desperately needs to change their manager if they are to survive, as Steve Kean has posted an abysmal record in charge of Rovers. There is enough talent at Blackburn to survive, but new leadership will be needed at some point this season.
The weekend concludes with Manchester United and Tottenham tomorrow afternoon. I would like to be optimistic and think Tottenham could get a result, but they almost never put together any kind of decent performance at Old Trafford so I'm expecting a United win. Tomorrow I will share my thoughts on that game as well as the upcoming second legs in the playoffs of the Champions League.
As for the struggling giants, Chelsea came out of the weekend in the best shape, defeating West Brom 2-1 after conceding early. There was still a lack of creative movement from the Blues, especially early, but the team started to grow into the game in the second half, eventually grabbing the winner. The signing of Juan Mata will undoubtedly help in that department, but Torres was again disappointing, and Drogba's introduction had no impact of the game. There are many things AVB will have to look at, but the victory was one of the few things to take away for Chelsea. There are far more worrying signs at Arsenal. The squad being what it is, the Gunners are not a top four team, and maybe not even top-five. It is very much in the balance as to whether they will take part in the group stages of the Champions League. They will be in far worse trouble if Nasri leaves, and with no foreseeable additions, it is a real crisis for Arsenal. Trips to Udinese and Manchester United in their next two fixtures will do nothing to build the team's confidence. Major changes are needed at Arsenal and they may not have the time to implement them.
The relegation battle this year was poised to be very close because of the similar qualities of the smaller clubs in the Premier League. QPR, Newcastle, and Wolves all posted victories this weekend that could be crucial in April and May. An away victory against Everton does not come easy, and Tommy Smith's well-taken strike gave QPR a huge boost after their opening day defeat. Newcastle took a derby game against the always enigmatic Sunderland, who looked very good last week against Liverpool but porous against a weak Newcastle team. Newcastle still have plenty of issues to deal with, but the victory gives the supporters something to smile about. Wolves sit at the top of the table with City, with two impressive performances against teams of similar quality. The positive for Wolves has been the consistent attacking play, which was absent for large portions of last season's campaign. They will not be able to keep up the victories, but a good start could help the club immensely later in the season. Meanwhile, Blackburn looks hapless in their opening two losses, while Norwich were denied their first win by Stoke at the death. Blackburn desperately needs to change their manager if they are to survive, as Steve Kean has posted an abysmal record in charge of Rovers. There is enough talent at Blackburn to survive, but new leadership will be needed at some point this season.
The weekend concludes with Manchester United and Tottenham tomorrow afternoon. I would like to be optimistic and think Tottenham could get a result, but they almost never put together any kind of decent performance at Old Trafford so I'm expecting a United win. Tomorrow I will share my thoughts on that game as well as the upcoming second legs in the playoffs of the Champions League.
Monday, August 15, 2011
First Weekend of the Premier League and Champions League Preview
I did not have the time to write an extensive Premier League preview this week, but, having nothing to do with this weekend's events, my top 4 prediction was Man City, Chelsea, Man United, and Liverpool. Of the four, Man City was by far the most impressive this weekend (albeit against the weakest opponent) while the other three sides were less than convincing. Arsenal was also sluggish and completed the sale of Cesc Fabregas, so there are plenty of worrying signs there.
The reason I believe City will win the Premier League this season is because they have added some significant pieces while the other sides have neglected to do so. The additions of Aguero and Clichy are particularly crucial, with Clichy helping secure an already superb back line, and Aguero providing some magic to lock in a brace in his first thirty minutes of Premier League action. Tougher tests await City, but this was an important start for Mancini's men. As for United, an opening day victory marks another good start, but there are a few key issues that glared at Sir Alex. First, the exposure of David De Gea, who has been in the spotlight twice and has sputtered both times. Another error allowed a goal for a resistant, but far inferior West Brom side, and more errors of that kind could really cost United against stronger opponents. Second, the health of Rio Ferdinand is a concern, as he picked up an injury in the second half, shortly after Vidic had gone off, also injured. Along with the injury to Rafael, United is all of a sudden very short at the back, and with a presently fragile goalie, creates problems for the Red Devils in the back. Lastly, United's midfield looks weaker without Scholes and Giggs, as Tom Cleverley failed to impress against Albion. United have enough experience in the front and on the wings to overcome the deficiencies of Cleverley and Michael Carrick, but the position could be a concern against teams like City and Arsenal, who have very strong midfield players.
That being said, United took the points, something Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool all failed to do.
Chelsea looked like more of the same, although Torres looked like the Torres of old. With those type of performances, he will be putting the ball in the back of the net in no time. While uninspiring, the draw isn't too concerning for Chelsea, as few teams win at Stoke. With the style Stoke played, they are lucky to escape with their health. For Arsenal and Liverpool, I think the displays on Saturday were more concerning. Arsenal failed to break down a Newcastle side that sold all of their best players (other than Barton) and Liverpool played a very even game with Sunderland. Granted, both sides had their chances and were the better teams in their respective games, but the difficulties both experienced are a warning flag for the future. Liverpool need to strengthen their defense immediately and Arsenal are going to have to learn to deal without Fabregas, and likely Nasri. For all three sides, a draw is not a bad start, but there are changes that must be made to compete for the whole season.
As for the Champions League, I am excited to see the final playoff round kickoff tomorrow, headlined by Arsenal and Udinese at the Emirates. Lyon-Rubin and Twente-Benfica should also be good matches between quality sides. Normally Arsenal is already into the group stage, or a big favorite to progress through a qualifying round, but this tie presents a challenge for the Gunners. I do think they will get through, because they have to in order to have any chance of signing any top players, but despite losing Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona, Udinese present many threats to a fragile defensive side. Antonio Di Natale spearheads a side that finished fourth in Serie A last year, so I'm interested to see how Arsenal cope with the Italians.
Wednesday's games are less appetizing, but Bayern-Zurich should be interesting because of Bayern's recurring early season struggles. Maccabi Haifa-Genk and Wisla-APOEL provide good matchups between sides who would be minnows in the group stages, but will play some good football nonetheless. Haifa and APOEL have seen the group stages in recent years, while Genk and Wisla have less experience on the European stage. My first predictions for the final qualifying round are as follows:
APOEL o/ Wisla
Maccabi Haifa o/ Racing Genk
Zagreb o/ Malmo FF
Copenhagen o/ Plzen
Sturm Graz o/ BATE
Villarreal o/ Odense
Benfica o/ Twente
Arsenal o/ Udinese
Bayern o/ Zurich
Lyon o/ Rubin
Arsenal-Udinese kicks off at 2:45 tomorrow EST on Fox Soccer if anyone wants to watch live. I'm just excited to see the Champions League back.
Report on these ties (first legs) later this week. Plenty of appetizing Europa League ties on Thursday as well.
The reason I believe City will win the Premier League this season is because they have added some significant pieces while the other sides have neglected to do so. The additions of Aguero and Clichy are particularly crucial, with Clichy helping secure an already superb back line, and Aguero providing some magic to lock in a brace in his first thirty minutes of Premier League action. Tougher tests await City, but this was an important start for Mancini's men. As for United, an opening day victory marks another good start, but there are a few key issues that glared at Sir Alex. First, the exposure of David De Gea, who has been in the spotlight twice and has sputtered both times. Another error allowed a goal for a resistant, but far inferior West Brom side, and more errors of that kind could really cost United against stronger opponents. Second, the health of Rio Ferdinand is a concern, as he picked up an injury in the second half, shortly after Vidic had gone off, also injured. Along with the injury to Rafael, United is all of a sudden very short at the back, and with a presently fragile goalie, creates problems for the Red Devils in the back. Lastly, United's midfield looks weaker without Scholes and Giggs, as Tom Cleverley failed to impress against Albion. United have enough experience in the front and on the wings to overcome the deficiencies of Cleverley and Michael Carrick, but the position could be a concern against teams like City and Arsenal, who have very strong midfield players.
That being said, United took the points, something Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool all failed to do.
Chelsea looked like more of the same, although Torres looked like the Torres of old. With those type of performances, he will be putting the ball in the back of the net in no time. While uninspiring, the draw isn't too concerning for Chelsea, as few teams win at Stoke. With the style Stoke played, they are lucky to escape with their health. For Arsenal and Liverpool, I think the displays on Saturday were more concerning. Arsenal failed to break down a Newcastle side that sold all of their best players (other than Barton) and Liverpool played a very even game with Sunderland. Granted, both sides had their chances and were the better teams in their respective games, but the difficulties both experienced are a warning flag for the future. Liverpool need to strengthen their defense immediately and Arsenal are going to have to learn to deal without Fabregas, and likely Nasri. For all three sides, a draw is not a bad start, but there are changes that must be made to compete for the whole season.
As for the Champions League, I am excited to see the final playoff round kickoff tomorrow, headlined by Arsenal and Udinese at the Emirates. Lyon-Rubin and Twente-Benfica should also be good matches between quality sides. Normally Arsenal is already into the group stage, or a big favorite to progress through a qualifying round, but this tie presents a challenge for the Gunners. I do think they will get through, because they have to in order to have any chance of signing any top players, but despite losing Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona, Udinese present many threats to a fragile defensive side. Antonio Di Natale spearheads a side that finished fourth in Serie A last year, so I'm interested to see how Arsenal cope with the Italians.
Wednesday's games are less appetizing, but Bayern-Zurich should be interesting because of Bayern's recurring early season struggles. Maccabi Haifa-Genk and Wisla-APOEL provide good matchups between sides who would be minnows in the group stages, but will play some good football nonetheless. Haifa and APOEL have seen the group stages in recent years, while Genk and Wisla have less experience on the European stage. My first predictions for the final qualifying round are as follows:
APOEL o/ Wisla
Maccabi Haifa o/ Racing Genk
Zagreb o/ Malmo FF
Copenhagen o/ Plzen
Sturm Graz o/ BATE
Villarreal o/ Odense
Benfica o/ Twente
Arsenal o/ Udinese
Bayern o/ Zurich
Lyon o/ Rubin
Arsenal-Udinese kicks off at 2:45 tomorrow EST on Fox Soccer if anyone wants to watch live. I'm just excited to see the Champions League back.
Report on these ties (first legs) later this week. Plenty of appetizing Europa League ties on Thursday as well.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Champions League - Qualifying Third Round
Today concluded the third round of qualifying for this year's version of the Champions League. Many of these clubs are probably ones you have not heard much about, as their leagues are not of high quality and prominence. The round's shock came with Swedish champions Malmo FF defeating Scottish champions Glasgow Rangers 2-1 on aggregate. Much criticism has gathered around Scottish football recently, with the national team struggling and the domestic teams in decline on the European stage. Hearts' owner Vladimir Romanov criticized both sides of the SFA recently, and while his rant is a bit disorganized, it is hard to ignore. Both Scottish and Swedish football are not at the level they once were, but Rangers should be able to take out Malmo in a two-legged tie. Scottish football will go another year without a representative in the group stages, while Denmark have two teams still in contention, and Belarus, Cyprus and Poland's champions are still alive.
At the third round and in the playoff round, the qualifying for the UCL splits into two. There is the Champions route, which contains teams that won their league, and the non-Champions route, which contains teams that qualifying based on league position. The teams in the Champions route are weaker teams from smaller countries, while the non-Champions contain juggernauts like Arsenal and Bayern. Of the 10 teams in the Champions route attempting to qualify for the group stages, there are a few with a chance to make some noise later in the tournament. Danish champions FC Copenhagen seem a good bet to make it through, as they are one of the bigger clubs in this stage of qualifying, and made the knockout stages of last year's edition before losing to Chelsea. Maccabi Haifa, the Israeli champions, could also be a tough out, as Israeli football has been steadily improving over the last few year's of the Champions League. The last team that could really make an impact is APOEL FC, the Cypriot champions. Despite going 0-3-3 in their inaugural appearance in the group stages two seasons ago, APOEL did not lose a game by more than a single goal and managed to draw Atletico Madrid, that season's Europa League champions, home and away. If these squads reach the group stages, they have the ability and experience to cause some trouble for the bigger clubs in Europe.
The draw for the play-off round is Friday afternoon. On the Champions side, the seeded teams will be looking to play Malmo FF, while the non-seeded teams will be looking to avoid Copenhagen. On the non-Champions side, the seeded sides will be looking to draw Odense BK, while the non-seeded sides will look to avoid Arsenal. After the draw on Friday comes the English Community Shield between Manchester United and Manchester City this Sunday, which should be a good one. Next week comes a preview of the upcoming Premier League season, as well as a brief outlook on the Champions League match-ups.
At the third round and in the playoff round, the qualifying for the UCL splits into two. There is the Champions route, which contains teams that won their league, and the non-Champions route, which contains teams that qualifying based on league position. The teams in the Champions route are weaker teams from smaller countries, while the non-Champions contain juggernauts like Arsenal and Bayern. Of the 10 teams in the Champions route attempting to qualify for the group stages, there are a few with a chance to make some noise later in the tournament. Danish champions FC Copenhagen seem a good bet to make it through, as they are one of the bigger clubs in this stage of qualifying, and made the knockout stages of last year's edition before losing to Chelsea. Maccabi Haifa, the Israeli champions, could also be a tough out, as Israeli football has been steadily improving over the last few year's of the Champions League. The last team that could really make an impact is APOEL FC, the Cypriot champions. Despite going 0-3-3 in their inaugural appearance in the group stages two seasons ago, APOEL did not lose a game by more than a single goal and managed to draw Atletico Madrid, that season's Europa League champions, home and away. If these squads reach the group stages, they have the ability and experience to cause some trouble for the bigger clubs in Europe.
The draw for the play-off round is Friday afternoon. On the Champions side, the seeded teams will be looking to play Malmo FF, while the non-seeded teams will be looking to avoid Copenhagen. On the non-Champions side, the seeded sides will be looking to draw Odense BK, while the non-seeded sides will look to avoid Arsenal. After the draw on Friday comes the English Community Shield between Manchester United and Manchester City this Sunday, which should be a good one. Next week comes a preview of the upcoming Premier League season, as well as a brief outlook on the Champions League match-ups.
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