The new Premiere League season 2010-2011 starts this week-end. Good opportunity to look back on last year. My last post mid-January was to rejoice at the brief glimpse of Arsenal on top of the table. It was just before Arsenal lost again to ManU and Chelsea. We were expecting Arsenal without a valid striker to struggle against the Big Two but hoping that they would lose points to the small four in the last third of the season. And they did, beyond expectations, dropped points to Aston Villa, Everton, City and Spurs while Arsenal made six wins in a row against Liverpool, Sunderland, Hull, Burnley, Stoke and West Ham to come back to two points behind the leaders with easier fixtures coming up (MU and Chelsea playing each other in particular). In truth, many of the wins in that Arsenal series came in the dying minutes and not in very convincing way.
Then came another 'Birmingham moment' two years after that fatal February day (the Eduardo injury, the late equalizer and the Gaslas nervous breakdown). Poor game, Nasri opens the score ten minutes from time but then a stupid mistake in the box and a draw. And Fabregas gets injured for the rest of the season. We then won home to Wolves in the last minute, to reach 71 points – 9 more than the previous season - but the impetus was lost. For match-day 34 against in-form Spurs , Arsenal was missing four or five of its most important players: Fabregas, Arshavin, Song, Gallas, Van Persie (who came in, returning from six month injury, in the last 20 minutes). Spurs were favourite and won 2-1 logically. It was probably over at that point. But the final blow came at Wigan (match 35); Arsenal was leading 2-0 after 80 minutes and then conceded three goals to lose 3-2. Then a goalless draw to City at home and another defeat at Blackburn. In the end, Arsenal finished third with 75 points, only three more than the previous season, and 11 points behind Chelsea.
To be honest, it was a good performance to come back into contention, up to match-day 33 or 34 after having lost home and away – and so badly - to both ManU and Chelsea. But, with another batch of key players injuries in the last stand, the team was toothless and out of steam.
So what about the new season ahead? Never so few transfers. Top teams will remain essentially the same, only one year older, with minor additions: Chamakh and hopefully a new goalkeeper (Given, Schwarzer?) for Arsenal, Hernandez for ManU, Chelsea and Liverpool swapping Cole and Benayoun. Only City has, again, significantly strengthened the squad. One year older might be too old for ManU but perhaps Valencia, Nani, Anderson and Evans will raise their games to take over ageing Giggs, Ferdinand and Scholes.
Everybody expects City to be a contender for the title but I think Liverpool (16/1 to win for some bookmakers) should not be written off. With key players remaining and the excellent Hodgson as a new manager, with no pressure and low expectations, I believe they will surprise.
As for Arsenal, Fabregas is staying one more year. Barca made a £30m offer but Arsenal rejected it and that was it. Fabregas has consistently been very clear that he wants to go to Barcelone at some point but he realized he was not on top of their shopping list this year and in the meantime he still likes playing for Wenger. Let’s hope the World Champion and Arsenal captain will instil confidence and maturity in the team and will find extra motivation in the fact that it may well be his last year in London.
To be honest, it was a good performance to come back into contention, up to match-day 33 or 34 after having lost home and away – and so badly - to both ManU and Chelsea. But, with another batch of key players injuries in the last stand, the team was toothless and out of steam.
So what about the new season ahead? Never so few transfers. Top teams will remain essentially the same, only one year older, with minor additions: Chamakh and hopefully a new goalkeeper (Given, Schwarzer?) for Arsenal, Hernandez for ManU, Chelsea and Liverpool swapping Cole and Benayoun. Only City has, again, significantly strengthened the squad. One year older might be too old for ManU but perhaps Valencia, Nani, Anderson and Evans will raise their games to take over ageing Giggs, Ferdinand and Scholes.
Everybody expects City to be a contender for the title but I think Liverpool (16/1 to win for some bookmakers) should not be written off. With key players remaining and the excellent Hodgson as a new manager, with no pressure and low expectations, I believe they will surprise.
As for Arsenal, Fabregas is staying one more year. Barca made a £30m offer but Arsenal rejected it and that was it. Fabregas has consistently been very clear that he wants to go to Barcelone at some point but he realized he was not on top of their shopping list this year and in the meantime he still likes playing for Wenger. Let’s hope the World Champion and Arsenal captain will instil confidence and maturity in the team and will find extra motivation in the fact that it may well be his last year in London.
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