A THREE HORSE RACE

I don’t think I am alone in believing that it’s going to be an exciting title race this year.

Heard this all before?

In my view there is nothing to choose between Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. Only seven points separated the three teams last year, but United showed the consistency when it really mattered.

They fundamentally claimed the title with a fantastic run of results in the winter months.

So let’s dissect the three teams.


Manchester United:

The Champions are certainly weaker.

Nobody can tell me that losing Ronaldo is a positive thing.

Granted, he is outspoken, has a horrible attitude at times and even seems to annoy his team mates on the field of play.

But, he has scored 66 league goals in three seasons and has been the match-winner on so many occasions.

Last season, when the Madiera born winger was not in good form for long patches, he still chipped in with 18 league goals, including some crucial goals in the run in.

Now of course, a lot depends on whether Wayne Rooney can step up to the plate in a far more expressive, central role. And he will now be their main threat.

It will also be interesting to see how Dimitar Berbatov performs. The Bulgarian is inconsistent, but can also be truly majestic.

Without Carlos Tevez breathing down his neck for a starting role, maybe Berbatov will become the player will he all know he can be.

The other intriguing prospect at Old Trafford is how Michael Owen fares. Can Sir Alex Ferguson get the best out of him? Or is he a spent force.

I personally think Owen will chip in with 15 goals plus, but as it always seems to be with Owen, he seems incapable of staying fit for more than several weeks.

Elsewhere, United’s midfield is certainly the weakest of the top three.

Darren Fletcher has improved so much but is still not in the very top bracket of world midfielders.

Scholes and Giggs can surely not to be more than bit part players this season.

And, while Anderson is a great talent, his development seems to have gone backwards in the last year.

Jung Si Park is an aimable workhorse, but for me was out of his depth in the Champions League final.

However, the Korean does often come in handy in the Premership due to his persistence and battling qualities, and will be valuable in tricky away games against lesser teams.

The defence is very strong, but there remains a question mark over the goalkeeping position.

Edwin Van der Sar is ageing and a little injury prone these days. While, Ben Foster still has a lot to prove. His kicking certainly needs vast improvement.

You can never write off Ferguson’s team, but this might well be a season of transition for the 11 times Premiership winners.

Liverpool:

Rafael Benitez certainly has a love-hate relationship with the media and probably his players too. But sometimes I believe the Spaniard gets unjust criticism.

The team he has built is unrecognisable to the one he inherited. It is a huge force in Europe and the team finished 26 points better off in 2009, than the team he took over from in 2004. That is progress in any one’s book.

Pundits have often referred to Liverpool as a ‘two man team’ but that is ludicrous. And the facts need to be stated clearly.

The Merseysiders finished with 86 points last season. But Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres only started 14 of the 38 league games in tandom.

When they did play together, predominantly in the last three months of the season, the team were unstoppable, but to say there are not other top class players at the club is insulting to players such as Javier Mascherano, Albert Riera, Pep Reina and Jamie Carrager.

Liverpool really clicked towards the end of last season. The Anfield club took 31 points out of the last 33 avaliable, and scored an incredible 34 goals.

If last year's runners up can start in the same vein this campaign, they have to be serious contenders.


Much has been made of Xavi Alonso’s departure. But I think Liverpool got a good deal.

He is 28 in November and the Reds have made a 200 % profit on a player they bought five years ago, and during a recession.

As good as his passing is, and when it’s good it’s really good. I have also seen the Spaniard give it away on numerous occasions as well.

Alonso is also very slow for a top class midfielder and doesn’t score enough goals for a player who strikes the ball as well as he does.

It should also be remembered that Liverpool’s best performance of last season did not include the Basque born player. He missed the 4-1 thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Alonso will be missed at Anfield, but Alberto Aquilani is an Italian international, a crisp passer of the ball and scores more goals than Alonso. He is also two years younger.

However, the former Roma trainee appears to be quite prone to knocks, so there are question marks over his fitness.


Javier Mascherano is a vital cog in the Anfield machine. The club have managed to stave off interest from other clubs and he offers so much protection in front of the back four.

Liverpool miss the Argentine so much when he is not there. The 3-1 reverse at home to Chelsea in the Champions League last season being one such example.

One player that excites many Liverpool supporters is Yossi Benayoun.

The former West Ham man was one of the best players in the country during the last two months of last season. He chips in with vital goals and is also a very lively substitute.

The Israeli will be hoping for more starts, and with Aquilani not expected to be fit until October he may get plenty of them in the early months of the campaign.

Glen Johnson still has a lot to prove. He is very talented going forward has so much ability.

But the England right back’s defensive discipline is still a cause for concern, and 17 million pounds is an awful lot of money. Arbeloa was an excellent player and Johnson has a lot of pressure on him to fill thos boots.

Benitez can hopefully improve the former Chelsea man as a defender without nullifying his talent going forward. This can also be a major plus for England.

It’s a big if, but if Gerrard and Torres play in 80% of Liverpool’s games together, they are my tip for the title.

Chelsea:

I do sense a touch of de ja vu in the build up to this season.

Many people are building up Carlo Ancelotti as a master. But this also happened with Phil Scolari and look what happened there.

Once again, the Italian lacks Premiership experience. But, on the fip side he has vast experience in a European League and speaks better English.

I do feel there is a possibility it could all backfire for Abramovich, and the fact that Chelsea keep having to start from scratch season after season much be wearing for the players.

Ancelotti was at Milan for over seven years but only won one Scudetto in that time. But Roman Abramovich’s dream is to win the Champions League, and the 49 year old Italian certainly has an record to marvel at in that competition. Two victories and another final (in which they led 3-0) is a superb record.

So maybe the team could be a better bet in Europe.

However, with the players at their disposal Chelsea should certainly be in the mix in the league come the end of the season.

For all Scholari’s problems, the team did miss Michael Essien for five months of last season. He is their most important player and has so much power and ability.

I just hope Ancelotti plays him further forward because I think he is wasted in a defensive role. Hiddink used him more effectively, allowing him freedom to break forward when gaps appeared.

Zhirkov was one of the stars on Euro 2008 and is an excellent signing who will offer both defensive security and attacking zest.

While, like Benayoun, Florent Malouda was a star towards the end of last season, and if he continues that form, he will be a real handful.

As I have stated before, the Chelsea side is an ageing one, and have been for a couple of years now.

Nine of their starting eleven will be 29 or over come 2010 and I think this could play an important role later in the season.

Ancelotti, however, is not there to build a team. He is there to continue an on going project and it will be fascinating to see how he does.

His AC Milan team won the Champions League with a team of ageing players, but failed to challenge for the title.

Whether that will be good enough for Abramovich remains to be seen.

I do think that Chelsea’s priority is the Champions League, and a lot depends on whether Didier Drogba can stay focused and injury free.

It also appears like Nicola Anelka is finally the player we all believed he could be. While Frank Lampard will always be a threat, especially in the big games.

But I think a question mark remains over Petr Cech.

Again the Czech international should have saved Nani’s shot in the Community shield, but let the shot slip past him.

Towards the end of last season, the keeper had an horrendous time, and just seems to have lost his confidence.

If he can return to being the player he was four years ago, he will make a huge difference, and that might just be the difference that win’s Chelsea the title.

It's going to be a thrilling season and I believe the winning points total will be lower than in previous campaigns. I also think the race will go to the wire.



For what it’s worth. Here is my predicted final league table:

1 Liverpool (if Torres and Gerrard play 80% of the games)
2 Chelsea
3 Manchester United
4 Everton
5 Arsenal (but Arshavin to win player of the year)
6 Tottenham
7 Aston Villa
8 Manchester City
9 Sunderland
10 West Ham
11 Fulham
12 Blackburn
13 Bolton
14 Burnley
15 Stoke
16 Birmingham
17 Wigan
18 Wolves
19 Hull
20 Portsmouth