Posted on 13 Aug 2010 at 8:39pm By GavinoLast year, I predicted that Manchester United would win its nineteenth English soccer title, only to see the Red Devils finish as runners up behind Cheslea, by a single point. Looking back, the championship was lost in a 3-0 away defeat at Fulham when United had no fit central defenders and were forced to resort to playing midfielders Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher in central defense. That won’t happen this year, as Sir Alex Ferguson has an additional defender, Chris Smalling, ironically acquired from Fulham.
Let battle commence...
After watching United’s pre-season game against the Philadelphia Union, my conclusion is that the Red Devils have the energy, depth and enthusiasm to win the Premier League at a canter. The depth of the squad, including the outstanding 20-year old Tom Cleverley as the new David Beckham, the growing maturity of Nani and Valencia, the extra firepower of Chicharito, Macheda and a fit again Michael Owen, the experience of Giggs and Scholes, and the array of defensive options all point to a successful campaign.
While pre-season games do not provide a full measure of a team’s status, Chelsea’s succession of defeats does suggest greater vulnerability than last year. Chelsea is looking older than its rivals, with a squad that needs an overhaul. London rivals Arsenal and Spurs both look as if they will provide a bigger challenge this year, although Arsenal inexplicably have not replaced Almunia in goal, while Manchester City, with its ever expanding squad of expensive names, could also prove to be handful. Liverpool, meanwhile, could find themselves bettered by Merseyside rivals Everton over the course of 38 games.
Rafa Benitez will be hoping that his new club, Inter Milan, can win a sixth consecutive Serie A title. No one can blame him for moving to the European champions but it will be extremely difficult to fill José Morinho’s shoes. My prediction is that Roma and Juventus will both top Inter this season.
Can the special one lead Real Madrid to league success this year? The answer is yes. Expect Real to play more as a team, with a solid defense and penetrating attack. Barcelona won’t find any relief in Europe. After being the best team over the last three years (but only winning the Champions League once in this period), and despite being the home to so many of Spain’s victorious World Cup squad, Barcelona is the team everybody wants to beat – or at least contain. They will still entertain, and Messi will continue to demonstrate his brilliance, but their great rivals are about to turn the tables yet again, by completing the European and Spanish double.
On the other hand…
Good post! Always enjoyable to read about Man united. On a side note, what do you think of the new signing Chicharito? I think he may well be a good player, but people are getting too excited too fast.
A few weeks into the season and your prediction isn’t looking impossible. Yes, Chelsea have started very well but your old team are playing solidly and that young chap Scholes (I think he is 102 next birthday) is playing phenomenally well. Sadly, Liverpool are not……. I like your comment about Real and how they should play more as a team under The Special One. I visited Milan a few months back and went to the San Siro to take some pictures. Although I knew that Inter and AC shared the stadium, I hadn’t appreciated they had separate changing rooms too. The comparison between the two couldn’t have been more stark. Berlusconi’s AC had dedicated leather Ricardo seats for each player and a sense of lavishness about everything. Jose’s Inter had benches. He’s all about the team and not at all about the individual – apart from himself
Sounds a bit like Sir Alex. Is it completely impossible that he could succeed Ferguson one day????
That’s fascinating about the Milan teams. It explains a lot. Do you think Morinho will want another challenge like Man U. after Chelsea, Inter and Real…? Tough as it is for a Man U. fan to say so, he may see it as a step backwards. While Man U. fans would be delighted to see him come to Old Trafford to succeed Sir Alex, I wonder if he isn’t more likely to become the next head coach of Portugal, England or even Brazil…