Well, here we go.
I have to admit, I’m underwhelmed about the start of this season. It’s been a fairly nondescript Summer season in terms of the clubs, with most of the news coming out shading towards the “bad” category. The league implemented two rules that will have immediate impact on how the clubs do business. Squads must name and maintain a 25 man team list, and 8 of those 25 must qualify under a “home-grown” rule. Personally, I don’t have a problem with the new rules, as it appears that the league is trying to aid the national team to see more of it’s young players getting a chance at one of the top club leagues in the world.
Of course, though, some of the managers are squawking. This is not shocking, because the managers squawk about everything these days. The players squawk about everything, the media squawks, and after awhile it just turns into so much noise. Take this past week, for instance. Martin O’Neill resigns at Aston Villa and the world immediately goes mental. Reports start pouring in about possible successors, with USA national team manager Bob Bradley being mentioned prominently. Somehow, it comes out yesterday that Bob has “resigned” from the USA job and is on the way to Birmingham to take the reins. Then, of course, predictably, USA Soccer comes out and denies the whole thing.
Perhaps this feeling of melancholy will be shaken when the matches start, which of course, happens today. I’m obviously interested to see Spurs/City in the early match. City has been on an epic buying spree (again) in this transfer period, culminating with one of the more puzzling purchases I can remember in the form of highly flammable Mario Balotelli. I get the impression that a lot of fans who may not have seen Balotelli play in Italy will take an instant dislike to him. I remember when Roman Abramovich took control at Chelsea and started spending like they couldn’t print money fast enough. Everyone got all up in arms and accused the Russian billionaire of trying to buy the title. To a certain extent, that’s exactly what happened, and now City and their mid-Eastern owners are following that blueprint. They haven’t completed the signing of England midfielder James Milner from Villa yet, but it appears to just be a matter of time. Spurs haven’t done much on the transfer scene other than bringing in Sandro (yet another midfielder, sigh), but are still loaded with quality. It should be high drama in North London, especially since Spurs directly kept City out of this season’s Champions League qualifying on a Peter Crouch header at the Lane last May.
The aforementioned-Aston Villa start their now-in-flux campaign at home against the other claret and blue side in the league, West Ham United. It appears that unless you are named Manchester City, Chelsea or (to a certain extent) Arsenal, the word “finances” has to be a part of any discussion of matchday, and Villa and the Hammers are no exception. Supposedly, O’Neill left due to the impending sale of Milner without a makeweight coming in the opposite direction. Randy Lerner, the chairman, came out after the resignation and accused O’Neill of being “reckless” with spending. Jesus wept. In terms of West Ham, it’s another new start, but this time with Avram Grant at the helm. I’ve grown to really respect Grant, especially seeing how hard the doomed players at Portsmouth played for him last season. I think he’ll return some credibility to Upton Park this season.
The other match of note in the middle set is Sunderland hosting Birmingham City. Sunderland opened last season with a lot of promise, and were mostly living up to it, but just completely fell apart after the holiday period. Birmingham, with loanee Joe Hart leading the way, finished an astonishing 9th last season, only conceding three more goals than league champion Chelsea. This year, though, Hart will be starting at his home club, Manchester City, and Birmingham will have to make do with ex-United misfit Ben Foster. Foster survived and did well on a loan spell at Watford awhile back, and now he’s the main guy at a new club after being thought of as Edwin Van Der Sar’s heir apparent at United forever. It remains to be seen whether or not he’ll adapt, but certainly, the pressure at a club like Birmingham is much different than what goes on at Old Trafford. Sunderland just rid themselves of striker Kenwyne Jones, who had a bit of a lazy reputation, and now their scoring is focused directly on Darren Bent, who was outstanding last season. Still, it’s been a mostly quiet summer for them on the transfer market and with big rivals Newcastle back in the top flight AND signing players, tensions are simmering.
The late match today sees league champions Chelsea kick off their league campaign against yo-yo club West Bromwich Albion. Gee, the league champs get to kick off at home against a newly-promoted club. Let’s just gift them three points, shall we, Premier League. Yeah, I’m slightly bitter, but Chelsea have to open with someone. They’ve managed to finally confirm the signing of Brazilian international Ramires who, along with new signing Yossi Benayoun, should assume some of the duties of the departed Joe Cole. Chelsea will probably be installed as co-favourites with United to be at the top of the table again this season (stop me if you’ve heard this song before), and while I’m not necessarily buying that hype, they will be pretty solid again this season. For Albion, well, welcome back to the top flight, guys.
MLS has a fairly rich schedule today, highlighted by the New York Red Bulls hosting the Los Angeles Galaxy at 6:00 PM EDT and Real Salt Lake hosting Columbus Crew at 9:00 PM EDT. The Scottish top flight kicks off today as well, with Celtic visiting IC Thistle and Rangers hosting Kilmarnock.
Let’s see what’s available on television and the internet:
7:45 am – ESPN2/ESPN3.com – Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester City
10:00 am – Fox Soccer Channel/FSE – Aston Villa vs. West Ham
10:00 am – Fox Soccer Plus – Blackburn vs. Everton
12:00 pm – Fox Soccer Plus – Leicester City vs. Middlesbrough
12:30 pm – Fox Soccer Channel/FSE – Chelsea vs. West Bromwich Albion
1:45 pm – ESPN3.com – PSV Eindhoven vs. DeGraafschap
2:00 pm – Fox Soccer Plus – Wolverhampton vs. Stoke City (Delayed)
2:30 pm – Fox Soccer Channel – Bolton vs. Fulham (Delayed)
2:30 pm – GolTV – River Plate vs. Defensor Sporting
4:00 pm – Telefutura – Philadelphia Union vs. Colorado Rapids
5:30 pm – GolTV – Palmeiras vs. Atletico Paranaense
6:00 pm – Fox Soccer Channel – New York Red Bulls vs. Los Angeles Galaxy
6:00 pm – Azteca America – Cruz Azul vs. Pachuca
8:00 pm – Direct Kick – DC United vs. FC Dallas
8:00 pm – Direct Kick – New England Revolution vs. Houston Dynamo
8:00 pm – Telefutura – Santos Laguna vs. Jaguares
8:00 pm – Telemundo – Chivas Guadalajara vs. Tecos
9:00 pm – Direct Kick – Real Salt Lake vs. Columbus Crew
10:00 pm – Direct Kick – San Jose Earthquakes vs. Kansas City Wizards
11:00 pm – Direct Kick – Chivas USA vs. Seattle Sounders
I’m assuming some of us will be around in comments today, although with Fuse out galavanting around, who knows who that might be (I’ll be around for a bit, especially during Spurs/City). We’re usually making inane remarks on Twitter, too, so find us there. As usual, thanks so much for stopping by and giving us a bit of your time. We very much appreciate it. Enjoy the matches.
The Crouch header was at Eastlands last year, but who’s squabbling?! It’s the start of the season everybody!!!! Whahoooooo!!!!
Come On You Spurs!!
Ha, I had forgotten that happened at Eastlands. That was a tasty match.
City/Spurs was one of the more entertaining 0-0 matches I’ve ever watched, especially considering I strongly dislike both clubs. Joe Hart is a fantastic keeper on today’s evidence, so I would sorely love City to sell Given either (a) straight to Arsenal or (b) to Fulham, whereby Arsenal can sign Schwarzer. I’m slightly apoplectic at the thought of Almunia, or worse, Fabianski, manning the sticks at Anfield tomorrow, but it’s seeming a little late to change that.
Second note: I realize Arsenal has a lot of money, but the fact that they refuse to spend it and are focused on paying off debt first means that I would include them in the rank of clubs who’s moves are always colored by the finances angle. Small point in your post, but thought it worth a mention.
Would someone mind telling two things? Didn’t get a chance to watch.
1) How in the blue hell did Blackpool win 4-0 over Wigan?
2) Does Roberto Martinez replace Robbie Mustoe for pre-game, half-time and post-game EPL coverage on ESPN starting next week?
Blackpool fire in 4, Chelsea 6, Villa 3, and Man City can’t even fire one in…yeah, it’s gonna be a weird season. All I can say: I am ecstatic at Blackpool’s opener and my god, I hope they survive.
Did anyone here realize (before today) that Blackpool signed Marlon Harewood recently? I don’t remember his name in the Blackpool preview. He scored twice and added an assist. If he keeps playing like that Blackpool have a shot at scoring a few goals. Of course Wigan’s defense isn’t stellar. Next Saturday at the Emirates should be interesting. And yes, it’s only a matter of time before Martinez is canned. Only please let him replace Lalas and keep Mustoe.
Harewood got a trial with Blackpool last week and signed during their major rush of signings yesterday (or Thursday, but it was very recently). Would like to see him do well; he’s had some fair seasons in the Championship but has never put it together in the Prem.
And you know as well as I that ESPN will never budge from their equal representation for US and international personalities, so Lalas is a made man at Bristol.