Category: 
Crystal football gazing for 2009
Premier League
There’s something ominous about Man Utd’s form of late. They’re generally winning and not playing well. They look like they can step it up a couple of gears when needed. Much has been made about Liverpool topping the table at Christmas – mostly by Rafa Benitez – but the undeniable truth is that in recent seasons, their form in the second half of the season has matched and in some cases surpassed that of the title contenders. Having not conceded the ground to their rivals in the first half of the season that they have done in recent years, it looks to be a genuine title challenge.
Chelsea will be boosted by the return of Michael Essien at some point in the coming months, but once he is match fit, he needs to be given a more pivotal role in the team, possibly displacing Frank Lampard but that will never happen because he’s Frank Lampard and that gives him the right never to be questioned or dropped. Arsenal may not make the Champions League and Arsene Wenger may decide he’s had enough of his beautiful vision being trampled on by the likes of Rory Delap. He resurfaces to take over France’s stuttering bid to reach World Cup 2010, reunites the Henry-Vieira-Pires trinity of the glory days and tempts Tony Adams and Martin Keown out of footballing retirement with a couple of French passports. A cryogenically frozen Dennis Bergkamp thaws out and changes allegiances to join this vision of football excellence.*
*This may not actually happen. The crystal ball may have been getting confused with a dream he had after eating some late night cheese.
Calling a relegation battle competitive seems to have something of the oxymoron about it, but it looks set to be the closest battle to avoid the drop in recent memory. Even flying high as they are in 7th, it wouldn’t take much for Wigan to be dragged right back into the mire and that’s a claim you can make for all of the teams below them – yes, even the revered Hull. Man City need to stop thinking of themselves as a big club because although they’ve got the money, it will take some time before the performances on the pitch truly see the benefit of the injection of cash. There seems to be a touch of the West Ham ‘too good to go down’ attitude that was prevalent prior to their most recent relegation about City and whilst Mark Hughes has some brilliant individual players within his ranks, the squad as a whole needs to work harder.
City should ultimately be ok by virtue of the fact there are other teams with bigger problems. Tony Mowbray’s commitment to playing football looks to be a touch naïve and West Brom will continue to struggle. Relegation shouldn’t detract from the fact that Mowbray is one of the games top coaching talents and hopefully will get a chance at a club with the resources to back up his footballing vision. It won’t be pretty, but Blackburn should be able to make upward progress under Big Sam and you suspect that Arry will cobble together enough points to see Spurs reach safety.
Of the more established Premier League teams, you’d have to have big concerns for Newcastle, Portsmouth and Middlesbrough, especially considering the likelihood of high profile departures during January. Shay Given leaving Newcastle could be enough to turn them into a Championship side. With the Magpies not playing in Europe and not always live on TV, Given’s sublime brilliance has been underestimated and if he leaves, it could bring about uncertainty in a Newcastle defence that was hardly surefooted to begin with. Despite his lofty reputation as a defender, Tony Adams has undone most of the good defensive work that saw Pompey reach their recent heights. Hesitation crept in after Arry’s defection and Adams hasn’t been able to restore confidence. Gareth Southgate has enjoyed a period of grace where his inexperience has saved him from any real scrutiny, but going into his third year of management, Boro find themselves in almost exactly the same position they were in when he took over. They have one of the finest youth academies in the country and seem to constantly uncover young gems, but under Southgate they’re not getting the results or performances they should be with a useful crop of players.
Champions League
Aside from the Paddy Power Tuesday Night All Star Fives, Barcelona have been playing the best football in Europe. If being beautiful was all that was needed to win football tournaments, then Luke Chadwick would have multiple European Cups to his name. It’s early days, but with a relatively young team, relative harmony in the dressing room and the intelligence and style that he displayed as a player, Pep Guardiola is on the path to establishing a dynasty at the Nou Camp. The pragmatism of the English sides could deny him, but there is a tough centre to this Barca that hasn’t always been in evidence in Spanish teams in recent years. Although Jose Mourinho will say otherwise, the Italian league is still recovering and you would have to doubt the chances of a Serie A side going all the way. Inter Milan stumbled through a group that should have afforded them straightforward qualification whilst does anyone ever see Claudio Ranieri ever getting his hands on the European Cup other than taking the tour of the Juventus club museum? Barcelona would win it in an ideal world, but all four English teams are capable of beating them over two legs.
Big huge other predictions for 2009:
- Stevie G to avoid prison and Rafa to make a full recovery from the kidney stones.
- Cristiano Ronaldo to have another long summer of transfer rumours linking him with a move to Real Madrid. The move looks to have fallen through, but finally goes ahead in the minutes before the transfer deadline (It would be thrilling if we hadn’t lived through it a few times already). He gives a tearful press conference in which he states his love for himself Man Utd.
- Phil Scolari to respond to any criticism thrown his way by saying something that sounds deep, makes you think for a few seconds during which he has taken the opportunity to leave the room and skilfully avoid any questions about Chelsea’s poor home form.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW | RUGBY PREVIEW | GOLF PREVIEW | TENNIS PREVIEW | SPORTS PREVIEW
January 6th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Liverpool are a false price for the league and whatever team you support I can only advise you to take that price now before they kick clear, the league title will officially change hands on the 14th March.
January 7th, 2009 at 10:45 am
totally agree with you by the way spud - liverpool are DEFINITELY a false price for the league!!
January 7th, 2009 at 10:59 am
It’ll be 7/4 come Sunday evening tonton and odds-on by the end of the month, has VALUE written all over it at the moment - top of the league with the best striker in the world to come back fresh for the second half of the season. Old Red Nose has shifted his mind games from Chelsea to the opposite end of the East Lancs Road which is all the proof that you need about who he thinks will win.
January 7th, 2009 at 11:05 am
nope - that’s proof that he sees you as a threat - which you are. a big difference.
good to hear robbie keane will be back for the 2nd half of the seaon - you’ve missed him in the 1st half. hope he’s over his injury problems.
January 7th, 2009 at 11:22 am
When do you think Berba the 30m goal machine will get over his?
January 7th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I is still just laughing at 33million for Berbatov, well done Fergie
January 8th, 2009 at 2:26 am
You got about big Phi’sl drawn out shoulder shrugg… seems to be solving more problems for him than the magic sponge ever did back in the day
January 8th, 2009 at 11:10 am
berba will come good. never gonna be a goal machine - he’s not that type of player - but will get his fair share. class act on the ball though - and don’t forget it took him a while to settle in at spurs. will have a big 2nd half of the season!
January 8th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Had my doubts about Berbatov from day one but United are very much in the race for everything thats left to win this season with or without him scoring 20 or 30 goals this season.Off to worship at the theatre of dreams on Sunday think Chelsea are there for the taking.With Torres back Liverpool are well able to stay till the bitter end but I still think they are short 2 or 3 players before they can genuinely win the Prem.Looks like been a nailbiting tension filled rollarcoaster of a season
January 8th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Ferguson is that stubborn that he will keep playing that waste of space just like he has done with all the other failures he has brought there, Carrick, Park, Hargreaves, Veron, Forlan, Nani. Class act on the ball hardly justifies that price tag!
January 9th, 2009 at 10:46 am
LOL austy!!
how exactly is carrick a failure?! a regular for two and a half seasons, has won 2 premier league titles, a champions league and a world club cup? top class player, very assured on the ball and reads the game incredibly well. a very good signing indeed from ferguson.
hargreaves - 1 season, 1 premier league, 1 champions league. some failure.
park - highly underrated player. he may not win you matches through a moment of genius, but he’s very reliable, won’t let you down and this season has been showing glimpses of inspiration to add to his undoubted perspiration.
nani - admittedly is gash. comparisons with ronaldo in his first 2 seasons are not appropriate either as ronaldo was 18 when he signed, nani was 20. you’re entitled to expect more from nani at this point - and he needs to step up quickly.
forlan - obviously flopped big time but proved he’s a top player in spain.
veron - played very well in europe for us, but just couldn’t cope with the premiership.
you may be right though - when ferguson looks back on his career when he eventually decides to call it a day, his first reflection may well be: “i wish i hadn’t been SO DARN STUBBORN!”.
January 9th, 2009 at 10:49 am
What complete and utter bollix Tonton.
Berbatov was “never gonna be a goal machine - he’s not that type of player”.
Why did Ferguson buy him exactly? For his disinterested link up play?
To play him just off a phantom ‘main striker’?
The truth is Berbatov leads the line, should be fully expected to score 25+ goals a season. Having played in England for a few seasons already shouldn’t need time to ’settle in’ and the reality is that he has flopped. He might still come good, but now that he’s got the cash in his pocket and is at a big club, his motivation is gone. He may start playing again if Real say they’re interested.
You’ve said some ill-thought out things on this blog, but your partisanship on this subject means you’ve reached a new and desperate low with your opinions.
January 9th, 2009 at 10:58 am
floppy - if you actually watch football, and watched spurs for the last couple of seasons as well as united this season, you’ll see that berbatov is not and has never been “a main striker” who “leads the line”.
united haven’t actually played with a “main striker” since we sold ruud van nistelrooy. it doesn’t really suit our style of play. since we sold ruud, we’ve become far less predictable, much more fluid in attack and harder to defend against - and our trophy haul since is testament to that. hence ferguson not going out to buy a tradtional “lead the line” striker, or as you so eloquently put it a “main striker”. berbatov’s link-up play is fantastic and his game is so much more about goals.
some players need time to settle in at a new club, regardless of which league they played in previously - simply for people to get used to others’ style of play. some players settle in immediately. admittedly i’d like to see more from him but i’d rather judge him at the end of the season rather than half-way through. i still think he’ll be a big player for us.
January 9th, 2009 at 11:10 am
TonTon=Clueless
January 10th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Quote “united haven’t actually played with a “main striker” since we sold ruud van nistelrooy. it doesn’t really suit our style of play. since we sold ruud, we’ve become far less predictable, much more fluid in attack and harder to defend against - and our trophy haul since is testament to that.”
What is this ‘we’ and ‘our’ business? Are you on the board or a major shareholder? I am with floppy on this, complete and utter bollox mate!
January 11th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
raffa was right about united getting away with murder with the refs. can anyone explain how rooney didnt get booked for his continious foul mouthed ranting at the ref and linesmen. thus resulting in a sending off with his disgraceful tackle which merrited a red on its own.
January 11th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
is there any liverpool fans out there that can explain how lucas gets into liverpools midfield. he is awful and cost us a win versus stoke with his lack of ability.
January 11th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
well said michelle, bit tired of tonton myself, between him and spud i not yet know which is most clueless
January 12th, 2009 at 11:11 am
“between him and spud i not yet know which is most clueless” - says it all really - pot, kettle and black idiot boy!
January 12th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
idiot boy are you confused
January 23rd, 2009 at 10:50 am
Try a straight forecast for the Premier League: 1st Man U ; 2nd Rag Arse Rovers
January 26th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
“Barcelona would win it in an ideal world, but all four English teams are capable of beating them over two legs.” Yeah HOW??? Total Luck can’t save the English all the time and neither can penalties. Barcelona are capable of WIPING the floor with your beloved english sides.1 2 or over any number of legs IN FACT. Their luck will run out eventually. Can’t keep being outplayed and winning usually in injury time or penalties. English sides have had their time - such style and dominance NOT. European Club Soccer to Strike back in 2009 for the good of the game and put an end to overinflated egos of players fans and pundits from premiership avenue.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
spud - can we have an updated prediction of when liverpool will be odds on for the league please? it’s nearly the end of january and you want to reassess it. thanks in advance.
January 26th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Barcelona and Valencia to make it a Spanish European Cup double.Barcelona look unstoppable at the moment while AC Milan are false favourites for Uefa Cup and Valencia are the pick here
January 26th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Last year when man utd played barca the club was a shambles with Ronaldino and barca hadnt scored in 6 and a half hours b4 they played man utd also lionel messi had only returned from injury.. also struggled in defense … this year the team has become far better at defending even right from the front and are scoring goals for fun so all ye english louts im warning ye now… dont have 2much of a shocked look on yer faces wen ye c barca lifting the champions league title in may…..
January 26th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
plus lionel messi is the best footballer in the world not dat ponce ronaldo. barca best team in the world.
January 26th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
manchester united: english premier league champions 2007-08, uefa champions league winners 2007-08
cristiano ronaldo: fifpro world player of the year 2007-08, ballon d’or 2008, fifa world player of the year 2008
thees ees fax - all thoroughly deserved.
obviously - it’s 2009 now though - and barca are looking incredible, messi currently the best player on the planet - but we’ll wait till the end of the season before dishing out the trophies and accolades. barca are worthy favourites - but there are 5 or 6 teams who could win the champs league this season, and whoever does will no doubt have a little luck on the way.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Barcelona best team in Europe at the moment and Xavi best player in Europe right now until the champions league winners are crowned in Rome next May this will remain the status quo