I'm back for the 2006/2007 season of the Uefa Champions League.. I think most fans found my 2006 edition to be a fairly good source of club information as well as their chances of progressing throughout the competition. I did say that it would be Arsenal vs Barcelona last year in the final, with Barca being possible winners... Let's see if I repeat history. I'll start either tonight or tomorrow. Feedback is needed if you guys want to improve this section of Big Soccer.. Thank You, Marko
Teams qualified for the competition so far: The Big Dogs: 1. FC Barcelona 2. Bayern Munchen 3. Inter Milan 4. Real Madrid 5. Chelsea 6. Olympique Lyon 7. Manchester United The Mid-table Runners: 1. Werder Bremen 2. Celtic 3. PSV Eindhoven 4. FC Porto The Challengers: 1. AS Roma 2. Olympiakos 3. Anderlecht 4. Bordeaux 5. Sporting Lisbon
I think Barcelona will play Chelsea or Lyon in the final. These are the three best teams IMO. Barcelona will win.
The Big Dogs: Bayern Munchen Last Season's Performence: Round of 16, losing to AC Milan 5-2 on aggregate. Evaluation: This club as a whole has changed their whole outlook in terms of transfer dealings and how they handle themselves. In recent history they've been labeled as a "feeder" club for the bigger European giants, but one must not forget that Bayern is a giant in itself. Last season seems like a distant memory and that loss to ACM away has all but been forgetten. The real threat to Bayern's dominance is the lack of creativity in the center of midfield. Micheal Ballack, as reported ended up leaving for Chelsea FC. The real question is who will step up and replace the German dynamo. Some have said Julio dos Santos will step up to the fore and let his charisma take over, Mattheus in particular saying that. But after recently watching the Liga Pokal final against Werder Bremen I really noticed that lack of midfield movement that Ballack would so often provide. This could be down to inexpereience but I for one disagree. In the Bayern midfield there are several players who could take the reigns by the horn, but are unwilling to do so, as if they're waiting to sign a Ballack replacement. I would rather see Ali Karimi live up to his billing than just wait for another player to come in. As Bayern begin their title defense in an hour time against Borussia Dortmund I feel sort of lethargic... I feel as if I've seen this Bayern before in the past couple of years in which they dominate the German Bundesliga but are incapable of challenging on the European front. Even though Werder Bremen might have something to say about that I'm sure that Bayern will challenge for the title, but the days of Laudrup and Effenberg are long gone. Bayern is no longer viewed as the benchmark as was the case in the mid 1970's. I remember an efficient German line-up that would just demoralize the opponent with their conditioning. This is a new look Bayern, and even though I feel their under strength is a point to be taken, one must also understand that they've entered a new era. It certainly feels that way as a certain Ballack chap has left, and has opened up space for a new generation of fussball. Bastian Schweinsteiger has come into his own and lived up to his billing in that of 2 years ago. Lucas Podolski has been signed from 1 FC Koln... And players like Phillip Lahm have finally returned to the fold. It is this mix of exuberence that will translate into desire and results. It certainly seemed odd to me that Maggath didn't find a quick replacement for the German captain, but now I can see his plans for the future. Dos Santos will ultiamtely develop into that attacking force that Ballack once was and Demichelis and Hargreaves will be there in support. Others who will also come up from the younger ranks this season include Andreas Ottl as well as Andreas Görlitz and both will try to make an impression after impressing in German youth sides as well as Bayern Amature. This season looks set to be one of the most interesting in Bayern's history. Such a mix of youth and experience will definetely be a fun one to watch reminding me of those old days of Bavarian discipline and dominance, a trademark of the German footballing craft. In truth I can see this team suprising many and if proper results go their way and they find a bit of confidence early in the season then anything is possible. Add a young and eager Podolski who wants to prove that the World Cup wasn't a fluke and you have one of the biggest German seasons in quite some time with Klose and Werder looking very, very good this coming season. I can see this team going to the quarterfinals but anything past that is an overachievement in my eyes. One thing is for sure though, Maggat and Co. will give it everything they have come the Champions League this season, a true footballing school in Bayern. Squad and Projected 11: Goalkeepers: Oliver Kahn (1), Micheal Rensing, Bernd Dreher Defenders: Willy Sagnol (2), Lucio(3), Daniel Van Buyten (4), Valerian Ismael, Phillip Lahm (5), Andreas Gorlitz, Christian Lell Midfielders: Martin Demichelis, Mehmet Scholl, Julio dos Santos, Ali Karimi (7), Owen Hargreaves (6), Bastian Scweinsteiger (8), Hasan Salihamidzic, Sebastian Deisler (9), Stephan Fürstner, Andreas Ottl Forwards: Lukas Podolski (10), Roque Santa Cruz, Roy Makaay (11), Claudio Pizarro Evaluation: With the legendary Oliver Kahn in the back everything will be taken care of in the goal, and with prodigy Micheal Rensing learning Kahn's every move he will soon be a force to be reckoned with, and in my eyes will replace Kahn once he retires. In defense two new additions include Van Buyten and Lahm. Van Buyten led Hamburg SV to an impressive third last season and will look to win his first German Bundesliga with the Bavarian outfit. Strong in the air and quick in the ground nothing too much wil get past him, if anything at all. Look for him to develop his partnership with Lucio in an amount of time... Phillip Lahm finally lived up to his billing during his World Cup run with Germany and has come from loan from VfB Stuttgart. He has replaced Bayern legend Bixente Lizarazu, who has retired after an amazing spell with the Bayern giants. Overall this backline is solid. The only question mark lies on the left side of defense with Lahm and Van Buyten. They will take time to learn one another, but if gelling comes quickly then this will be one of the most feared defenses across Europe, and quickly. In midfield I see Owen Hargreaves starting as the defensive midfielder who will be allowed to roam up front on a couple of occasions during the match. The tenacious midfielder made his Champions League mark against Real Madrid at the Olympistadion during that magical year when Bayern last lifted the trophy. He shut down Zizou, and has been on the rise ever since. On the left hand side of the park we have Bastian Scweinsteiger who will look to continue his good form from last season as well as this World Cup. He is certainly the future of German football, and he will look to form a good tandem with Lahm after they did so well in the National team together. On the right side we will see Sebastian Deisler, although some speculate it could be others like veteran Salidhamidzic. But in truth I see Deisler working well with Sagnol to provide a good punch on the right side of the pitch. If he can get back up to his form of 4 years ago then we'll see the true Deisler. He showed glimpses of it last season, but wasn't consistent enough. Let's see if he has what it takes this upcoming season. In the middle, as the creative force I have Ali Karimi. He has been billed as the Iranian Ballack ever since coming to Bayern and I for one really want to see what he is made of. There is a lot of creativity there, but his ability to bring it out on a constant basis will be an issue. The game against Dormund in 45 minutes will surely provide us of some clues. The depth of the Bayern midfield also merits some plaudits with Ottl, Scholl, and Dos Santos providing very good cover in case of an injury crisis. Up front we have Bayern's fresh new signing in Lukas Podolski, and Dutchman Roy Makaay. Makaay struggled at the beginning of last season, but he found his feet eventually, scoring 17 goals. With the addition of Podolski, Bayern are set to tick and after watching the German NT playing so beautifully with Lahm, Scweinsteiger, and Podolski in harmony this could be one of the most attacking Bayern sides I've seen produced in quite some time. On top of that Roque Santa Cruz has looked very good in pre-season and will be out for a starting 11 spot. Include Pizarro, and his amounts of Champions League experience and you have one of the most balanced line ups in the whole tournament. Let's see what they're made of. Projection: Quarterfinals
Holy freakin christ man, why would you write all that!?!?!?!?!? Are you doing this for every CL team???? Oh, and I'd take out Celtic from that mid-table group, cause I can guarantee any of those "challengers" would demolish them. And I'd switch Porto with Sporting cause they have been on fire lately beating Sevilla and Recreativo Huelvo with 7 goals in both games.
Here's the thread for last season... It was updated throughout the CL season, with new features every stage. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=230096 That's why I wanted to get feedback on what could be improved.
I don't think the lack of creativity after Ballack's departure will be a problem. Bayern were formidable before him and will be again. The German brand of soccer is very efficient without the need of a really creative midfield and Bayern have proven it in the past. Edit: I suppose you will wait until each league begins to write the different profiles, mainly because the rosters won't be compelte until them.
I think you have a good evaluation of Bayern, but you may have passed over one thing. After a player has a good world cup, he will draw more attention from defenders the following season. In certain players' cases, this is a burden because they dont have a great supporting cast, but in the case of Poldi, you have a very solid team alongside. He should be getting a lot of attention defensively from his group stage opponents and thus opening things to Makaay, Schweinsteiger and the rest of the team.
The Big Dogs: Internazionale Milan FC Last Season's Performence: Quarterfinals, drawing Villareal CF 2-2 on aggregate, but losing on away goals. Can he lead them to glory? Evaluation: Well last season is a complete and forgotten memory. The Italian game has gone through a much needed cleaning and hopefully has gotten rid of its bad reputation. The only team, of the big three not to be included in some kind of punishment were the Nerazurri. They've been "officially" handed the title as the Italian Champions, although finishing third on the last day of the season. Roberto Mancini has received a fair amount of criticism following another disappointing season at Inter, but I would have to disagree. Mancini, an Italian legend came to the Nerazurri two years ago, and has changed a club from being perennial underachievers to a club that challenges for trophies. In the last two seasons Mancini has won 2 Coppa Italia's, a fact none of the previous Inter coaches can show in accordance with their name. He got rid of Kily Gonzales, and a lot of other players which Inter owned but were not impressing on the pitch at Inter or on loan at other clubs. Improvements were seen last season as Inter finally started to challenge for the Scudetto once again, unlike before where they would finish an occasional third with a Champions league spot to show for it. Mancini also recorded a victory in the Milan derby over the Rossioneri as Adriano hit a 92nd minute header to clinch the tie 3-2 in favor of Mancini's men, a long time in waiting for the Nerazurri fans. It has taken two seasons to make such a step, but with his reselience and his vision Inter are once again being touted as favourites, not underdogs. Their last major trophy before Mancini came was the Uefa Cup in 1997/1998 with Ronaldo leading them to glory, and in the end Inter succumbed to the giant "syndrome," as seen with Barcelona in the late 1990's albeit one league title, and even Liverpool in the late 1990's. Mancini has returned the desire that Inter was known for during the 1960's with two European Champions' Cups to their name. He has started to rebuild a squad full of spoiled internationals and his finally gelled them into one working, piece of harmony. While some will say that they still ended up losing the Scudetto last season like they usually do, I would tend to disagree. I saw a lot of fight in Mancini's men even after they succumbed to Juventus's pressure at the San Siro, with Alessandro Del Piero striking a perfect free kick to insure victory for the Old Lady. They kept calm, and kept at it and came away with a nice run in the Champions League. Were it not for the magic of Juan Roman Riquelme and Juan Pablo Sorin the Nerazurri could've gone into the semifinal, although one must remember it was an away goal that ruined their chances. With the old guard now gone Mancini has set out to bring in new blood and they've been all quality signings unlike players a la Cristiano Zanetti, or Giorganis Karagounis. He has bolstered the defence with Fabio Grosso coming from Citta di Palermo, Maxwell from Ajax, and Maicon from AS Monaco. He has replaced Juan Sebastian Veron with Patrick Vieira, and has also added Olivier Dacourt who also has a lot of experience with Vieira in the French National Team. Lastly he has also added 2 quality strikers in Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Hernan Crespo to support Adriano and Martins. A strike force of this magnitude hasn't been seen too often at Inter, and this will surely improve their chances of winning the title this season, as Adriano only hit the net 13 times in the league last season, a major reason why Inter failed in their title bid. Add to that the enthusiasm of Hernan Crespo, and his known reputation for his amount of goal scoring in Italia and you have a truly magnificent line up. The only question is, as always; can they put it all together? With Mancini's vision and Zanetti's discipline as captain I for one believe they will. With such a menacing defence looming over an experienced midfield it will be hard to put it past them. This is probably the best Inter I've seen in my life time and I for one predict great things await such a talented club. I firmly see this club making it at least to the quarterfinal, and with some luck to the final of the Champions League. Squad and Projected 11: Goalkeepers: Francesco Toldo (1), Julio Cesar, Paolo Orlandoni. Defenders:Marco Andreolli, Nicolas Burdisso, Ivan Cordoba (5), Maicon, Javier Zanetti (2), Fabio Grosso (3), Marco Materazzi, Walter Samuel (4). Midfielders: Esteban Cambiasso (6), Olivier Dacourt, Patrick Vieira (8), Maxwell, Santiago Solari, David Pizarro, Cesar, Figo (7), Dejan Stankovic (9). Forwards: Adriano (10), Hernan Crespo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (11), Julio Cruz, Obafemi Martins, Alvaro Recoba. Evaluation: Well this line-up is probably one of the hardest to predict. Add to the fact that some of them might be leaving and this is a nightmare. It looks likely that at least 1 forward will depart from the Inter front line, and going from rumors it certainly seems to be Obafemi Martins. Alvaro Recoba is Moratti's crown jewel and penned a new deal at the end of May therefore it will either be Julio Cruz or Obafemi to make way. In goal, a friendly competition has been established between Francesco Toldo and Julio Cesar with the Brazillian taking Toldo's spot for the first half of last season with Toldo regaining his regular spot in goal for the remainder of December through May. Toldo seems to be the likely starter before he retires, and Julio Cesar will look to push the Inter No.1 before he sets up camp in that role himself... The defense has to be one of the best aspects of this team. Javier Zanetti leads the line and as captain is probably one of the most determined and intelligent defenders one will have the chance to see. Ryan Giggs named him in his Four Four Two Best XI due to his tenaciousness when coming up against opposition. He was quoted as saying, "he is probably the most difficult defender I've played against." As for the center of defense we have Walter Samuel who has regained that form he had at AS Roma before his move to Real Madrid turned sour. Add to the fact that he knows Zanetti inside out and you have a right pairing that will be hard to get past. In the left center of defense is Ivan Cordoba, who despite his diminutive size has the speed to cause even opposition defenders' problems! The increased competition this season will see Cordoba battle Marco Materazzi and Nicolas Burdisso for that position, but due to the Columbian's experience I see that he will get the starting spot. Finally on the left is Fabio Grosso, who made a name for himself during the World Cup in Germany. He is a sharp player, and will venture forward on occasion to cause problems for opposition. Add an eager Maicon from Monaco into the frey and you have a defense which has 8 sure starters... Competition will be high. Midfield is a totally different proposition. Figo will start on the right, but the biggest question is: who will start in the middle? Cambiasso, Dacourt, and Vieira are all defensive midfielders, but with Juventus combining Emerson and Vieira last season to win the title I see Mancini rotating the trio from game to game as all three are excellent in what they do. Although I do believe that the prefered pairing in the middle will be Vieira and Cambiasso, who had an amazing season last year. On the left competition has also been increased with Maxwell having a goal of displacing Dejan Stankovic, who is Mancini's last S.S. Lazio survivor besides Cesar. Maxwell was loaned out to Empoli last season as they brought in the Brazillian from AFC Ajax to get him ready for this season. He has a great left foot and will provide depth to the Inter midfield. Add Recoba and Pizarro to the equation and the battles will surely be interesting in training. The biggest question mark of all is: Who will start up front? In my eyes it will be Adriano, Crespo, and Ibra alternating similar to the situation in center of the park for the Nerazurri. This is one area that Inter have improved greatly when compared to last season and I find it difficult to say who will provide the goals, as I see all three scoring many... I predict that Martins will probably leave due the increased speculation of leaving to Chelsea, or Tottenham. Adriano will start with Ibra and Crespo rotating, although if Adriano doesn't produce like half way through last season, it wouldn't suprise me if he was dropped in favour of the Argentine and the Swede. Mancini is bold with his decisions, and it's simple; if you don't perform you're out of the starting 11, just like Adriano found out a couple of times last season. Juilo Cruz is an amazing subsitute, scoring the most goals for Inter last season, most coming off the bench. He scored 21 compared to Adriano's 19 in all competitions.. But it certainly seems he is better when coming off the bench, because most of the times he has started has ended up in him fading throughout the match. And with that Inter's squad is complete. I think that this Inter squad has the most potential out of any Nerazurri team in the last 10 years. In every aspect of the game they have experienced veterans who are eager to prove they are still one of the best in Europe. With Zanetti leading the charge I think they have every chance of suprising a lot of people and with the Serie A in turmoil, look for Inter to become the new giant... Projection: Semifinal
The Big Dogs: Real Madrid CF Last Season's Performence: Round of 16, losing to Arsenal 1-0 on aggregate. Here we go... Evaluation: This team has arguably gone through the biggest rebuilding phase of all involved in the Uefa Champions League this season. Last year was a disaster for the Marangues finishing second in La Liga, again to their bitter rivals FC Barcelona, and once again losing in the Champions League before the quarterfinal. The last time Madrid failed to win a trophy in 3 seasons was 1981 through 1984... with the season culminating in defeat. Seen as a saviour at the beginning of last season Vicente Luxemburgo headed a positive effort in the Marangue white. He did after all, come in half way through a season beat FC Barcelona in Madrid to the tune of 4-2 and almost pipped the Catalans for the title come the end of the season. This resulted in a positive outlook on the new campaign and the La Liga title was thought to be on its way back to Madrid. No one could forsee what would rather happen that season. Missed training sessions, drama at the club, players ego's getting in the way and by half way through the season Luxemburgo was without a job, being sent back to Brazil in convincing fashion to say the least. There were no positives for the White of Madrid at all in the first half of the season, culminating in a 3-0 defeat in Madrid against their bitter rivals in FC Barcelona. Ronaldinho showed the whole world what Madrid missed out on as he put on a display that even the Madrid fans applauded to as he ripped the Madrid defense apart. But then came in the coach of the youth team, Caro, to limit the damage suffered that season. He did a fine job considering the circumstances as Real finished second, and ensured direct Champions League qualification. But after a bizarre season there were some positives for Real at the end of the tunnel. Robinho finally started to show what he was made of in the left wing spot of Madrid, and Baptista, who had a horrible start to the season finally started to fire on all cylinders in his best position, one of attacking centre midfield. So good was Caro in inspiring the players that he somehow managed to come away with a 1-1 draw at the Nou Camp albeit a man down with Carlos taking a red, one, which in my opinion wasn't deserved. But that wasn't enough. New elections brought in a new president and a new sporting director, a former Madrid legend in eyes of Predrag Mijatovic. He has headed the club's future and is looking for bright new talent for the club to come up to terms. Madrid have brought in Fabio Capello for a second term at the club where he won one La Liga, being fired at the end of his term in 1996. Now he heads a rejuvinated Madrid squad and has brought in 3 quality signings in Fabio Cannavarro, Emerson, and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Players that look to be going out of the club are Tomas Gravesen, Pablo Garcia, Carlos Diogo and a couple of others. It remains to be seen that this Madrid will work as a unit, but I firmly see a bright future with Fabio Capello on board. He will definetely bring success back to the Bernabeu, just give it time, a characteristic that the new Madrid board has unlike their predecessors. With Capello's discipline, and his agressive nature he will not be afraid to bench big name players like he did at Juventus a couple of times. He will also look to join up with his former prodigy Antonio Cassano, who at times showed moments of genius and brilliance at AS Roma. He was so good I was awestruck at times. With Cassano reaching the best shape of his life and Capello at the helm look for a rejuvinated Italian. Add to the fact that Roberto Donadoni has given Cassano a second chance and I see a bright future for the young Italian, something which wasn't seen last season. Speculation in this club has a headway for making trouble, but I see a future Madrid which won't be in the papers all the time and certainly will force Barcelona to play greatly to beat them, unlike the last 2 seasons. With their feet planted on the ground Madrid might make a push for the Champions League this season if the La Liga slips out of their hands, but I forsee Capello rather trying to establish domestic dominance first instead of European, while both are possible to win, I don't think that will happen immediately. If results go their way in the first half of the season look for the Marangues to be serious contenders for the La Liga title, and if not, look for that anger to come out in the Champions League, as I'm sure Capello will not go in his first season without winning a trophy. Squad and Projected 11: Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (1), Diego López. Defenders: Micheal Salgado, Roberto Carlos (3), Johnathan Woodgate, Fabio Canavarro (4), Sergio Ramos (5), Ivan Helguera, Cicinho (2), Raul Bravo, Carlos Diogo, Paco Pavo, Alvaro Mejia, Miñambres. Midfielders: Emerson (6), David Beckham (7), Julio Baptista (possible 9), Guti (9), Pablo Garcia, Tomas Gravesen, Forwards: Raul, Ronaldo, Antonio Cassano (8), Ruud Van Nistelrooy (10), Robinho (11). Evaluation: This squad is another one that is hard to predict as I'm sure they will add some names over the next 2 weeks before the transfer window closes. One thing is for sure though, they're set in goal with Casillas being the lead man. He has held this post since the 1999/2000 season and with his experience he in my mind is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. He has held his nerve throughout the tough times in the last 3 years and for me should have a much higher contract at Madrid due to his position. His team loyalty is unparalleled in terms of passion and I see him at Madrid for a long time to come. In my eyes he should be the captain when Raul is not starting, simple as that. The amount of times he has saved Madrid is incredible. In defense things get a little bit more complicated but it seems as if the back line will look something like this in the near future. Cicinho should get the nod on the right in my opinion, but Capello might take an interest in the former veteran Salgado... we will see. In the center of defense Canavarro is a sure starter but the second spot will be a tough one to predict as both Sergio Ramos and Johnathan Woodgate have an interest. Woodgate looked pretty good in a couple of pre-season friendlies, and just might suprise a couple of people if he indeed gets the nod. On the left there is no question who the starter is... Roberto Carlos. Lastly Ivan Helguera will look to push the Madrid defense as he himself will be interested in a starting spot. In midfield Madrid are lacking options. This is one sure area which they will address before the transfer window closes. Emerson will get the nod in defensive midfield, but it remains to be seen who his partner will be. Plus I'm not sure which system Capello will use, possibly the one he used at Juventus to great effect.. I think the creative force with Emerson will be Jose Maria Guti, with Robinho starting on the left wing. Capello was quoted as saying that "Beckham will get a more central role," therefore it remains to be seen that Beckham will start on the right. Quite possibly Beckham could go the middle with Cicinho adapting and going to right mid with Salgado coming in at right back. However as of now I have a starting midfield of Robinho, Emerson, Guti, and Beckham. Baptista on the other hand has shown very good form at the end of last season as well as in this pre-season therefore it remains to be seen how Capello will use him, if it all, due to the rumors that Baptista will leave before the season starts. In my opinon Capello should let Baptista continue in the role from last season, sitting behind the two strikers waiting to pounce, because we saw some of that form while he was held in high regard at Sevilla. Gravesen looks set to exit as well as Garcia. Both players have had pretty bad tenures in La Liga, and will surely be shown the door this transfer window or the Winter one in January. Up front things are a little bit hazy. Raul, Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooy, and Cassano will be difficult to control but a job I feel Capello can handle without a hitch. I see Ruud starting but the other spot will be up in the air. Two years ago a Ronaldo and Ruud partnership would've been unstoppable but that was 2 years ago, and it's yet to be seen whether R9 will start. Add Raul, the Madrid God, to the equation and you have one of the toughest choices in history of football. Also one must not forget Cassano who can switch positions and start in the left wing spot which I think Robinho might tackle. This would indicate if Cassano did start on the left, Robinho is a definite striker. Looking back I might see Cassano on the left with Robinho and Ruud a good partnership up front. Only time will tell. Can he get back to his best? One thing is for sure though. If Madrid buckle up all their ego's seen in Ronaldo, Carlos, and everyone else they have every chance of lifting silverware for the first time in 4 seasons. Capello can provide the guidance, and as long as the players listen to him, they should win something come the last day in May. Projection: Quarterfinal
The Big Dogs: Chelsea FC Last Season's Performence: Round of 16, losing to FC Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate. What will be the expression come next May? Evaluation: Three years ago nobody would've predicted that Chelsea FC would be where they are today. But through some miracoulous determination to win, and an owner who has millions this image has been realized. Many have criticized the club as buying their way towards the title, myself included, and there is truth in that, although much less than most people think when they think of Chelsea football club. In the past 3 years Mr. Roman Abrahamovic has spent more many in the past season than that of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal FC. But take a look at English rivals Manchester United, and you will also see a tendency of buying players, certainly none of them on the cheap and look what they've done in the past 3 seasons... nothing much if we're being truly honest. Now this is not to banter the Red Devils, as I respect that club more than any in the world, but it's just to point out that money hasn't brought immediate success for a couple of reasons, the biggest one being managment. After Claudio Ranieri didn't deliever home a title doubts began creeping into rumors, and rumors soon turned into reality as Jose Mourinho came to the English game. He was no stranger to it though, as he knew what it would take for him to defeat the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal, the 2 biggest forces in English football at the time. With his experience at FC Porto, he brought in Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho, both players that would assimilate into the Blue of Chelsea. They would take his orders without question and they would turn into leaders out onto the pitch. Two seasons later and Chelsea have become a force to be reckoned with. They've won 2 Premiership titles back to back, and have also had the pleasure of winning a Cup. Were it not for that controversial piece of refereing at Anfield, and a miracoulous FC Barcelona, Chelsea could've possibly won 2 European Cups, as they've lost to the actual Winners both times. Last season Mourinho achieved his goal of becoming Premiership champions once again, but it must be ideally seen that he wanted to win just as bad in Europe. Domestic success has yet to be translated into European domination, but Mourinho has handled it quite comfortably resting on his laurels to finish the job. Mr. Abrahamovic wanted results immediately, and he's getting them. One certainly cannot argue over that. While spending millions in the transfer market, Mourinho has also changed the outlook of the club constantly improving academic facilities as well as looking for young talent. His transformation of Joe Cole has certainly been miracoulous, and a performence that should be applauded by all the Chelsea fans. I see this as one of his biggest accomplishments, right up there with the Champions slogan on his CV. From what I've seen this pre-season Chelsea look set to conquer all fronts this coming term. One need not be reminded that they've brought, arguably the two best players in their respective positions in Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan, and Micheal Ballack from Bayern Munchen. Both of these signings stipulate the desire for European success this coming term as Mourinho looks for the third time to be the charm. But these are the signings I've come to expect from such a rich club... The signings I truly admire include Salamon Kalou from Feyenoord as well as Obi Mikel from Norway. They spent a lot of money for these two, but I certainly want to see them in action. Kalou in my opinion is the best signing of the summer at Chelsea, because he will pave the way for the Chelsea future. Mourinho has been quoted saying that what he likes about Kalou is that "he has all the qualities that Shevchenko has, he just has to believe in himself." And this is what I really like about Mourinho. He is not afraid to challenge his players, and especially invoke in team competition, because when you're at Chelsea, if you're scared, you're out of the door. He believes in youth and in my opinion Chelsea will stop buying mega stars in the near future, once they set up a good youth core. The other 17 million pound signing is John Obi Mikel, who controversially came to Chelsea, after he backed out of Manchester United. He is another player to watch out for as well as Lassana Diarra, where both are learning from the senior players, and will become forces when they reach that age or even sooner. Mourinho has created a winning mentality at Chelsea, and he now has a leader in every department. Cech in goal, Terry in the back line, Makalele in midfield, and Shevchenko up front. It has yet to be seen how he will blend this mixture of talent together, but knowing Jose he will come up with something, something that took him a long time to prepare. This seems to be a Chelsea so different of two years past, as they'll look to unleash some power in a matter of minutes when they're at their best. Wayne Bridge has also come back to fitness, and it will be very nice to see him back playing football at the top level once again. He might be arrogant but he is the best manager right now in the English game, and were it not for Rijkaard possibly in the world. Many say he has bought his way to that title, but he has won the Uefa Cup and the Champions League with Porto in successive seasons, and after coming to Chelsea he has won successive titles, and not many can say that. His tactical awareness is beyond imagination, and his infamous "dossiers" just show the common person or even a fan of the game how prepared he is to do everything in his power to win. Lastly, if anyone questions that Mourinho can handle all this star power, the answer is an astounding yes. He has brought a discipline to Chelsea, that Hernan Crespo found out the wrong way in his first season at the club. The reason Crespo left for ACM two seasons ago on loan was because he was late to the beginning of the season, and this has earned him respect among his players. He has shown no favoritism, and if you're playing good, you'll get your chance... unlike some clubs which have a starting 11 that might not change that much over the course of the year. Such is his rotating policy that one could argue against the resources he has, and that in fact is largely true... not many teams have that many good players in each position. But, one must also see the genius in the man who has kept a quiet word on his squad, and delivered all the attention on himself in the media, thus the players are not bothered by anything. He knows his stuff, and if he comes up against FC Barcelona this year again, one can certainly expect a much bigger fight from this Portugese master... This team doesn't need luck. They have the backing, the resources, and the management to take them to the final. If they really want it they will get it this season. Squad and Projected 11: Goalkeepers: Petr Cech (1), Carlo Cudicini, Henrique Hilario. Defenders: Wayne Bridge (3), William Gallas (5), Paulo Ferriera (2), Robert Huth, Geremi, John Terry (4), Ricardo Carvalho. Midfielders: Frank Lampard (6), Micheal Essien, Claude Makalele (8), Shaun Wright Phillips, Micheal Ballack (9), Arjen Robben (7), Joe Cole, Lassana Diarra, John Obi Mikel. Forwards: Anrdriy Shevchenko (10), Didier Drogba (11), Salomon Kalou. Evaluation: With such a line up it is impossible to predict who will start every single game, but I've listed the players I think will get the most playing time. The first question comes in the form of formations which Mourinho will use... Will he use a 4-3-3 that used Robben and Cole on the wings last season with one forward, or will he revert to a less common version of the 4-4-2 with Makalele or Essien in the hole with Drogba and Shevchenko up top? It is difficult to predict which formation he will use but I think it will be the latter. He seems to use Drogba and Shevchenko in tandem, with Drogba sitting a little bit behind. I see that Cech will definetely start in goal, as the steel man has been hard to get past these past 2 seasons. Paulo Ferreira got less time last season but I'm seeing a return to form this upcoming season. In the center it will be John Terry with the continuing saga of William Gallas challenging Ricardo Carvalho for that other spot. Wayne Bridge will start on the left, in case Gallas opts out of playing there, after being numerously quoted that he prefers the center back position. If not it's possible to see Gallas at left back, with Terry and Carvalho in the middle, and lastly Ferreira on the right. In midfield things get more complicated, or rather difficult to predict what Mourinho will do. He will have the engine of the team protecting the back 4, which so far has been Claude Makalele, but with the emergence of Micheal Essien, I wouldn't be suprised if he after some time took the role from the veteran that has served Chelsea so well these three seasons. With so many central midfielders, and natural wingers it will come down to formation. If he intends to use the 4-3-3 then Joe Cole, after coming back from injury, and Arjen Robben will start. If not, then you could have a possible midfield of Essien, Ballack, Lampard, and Cole. Whichever one he decides on it will surely include Ballack and Lampard in my opinion. After that it becomes a guessing game. One can finally see why the loss of Damien Duff didn't discourage Mourinho so much after all. The loss of Eidur Gudjohnsen might come back to hunt Mourinho this year in the Champions League, and it might not, but one thing is for certain, and that's that Jose has found a replacement in Salomon Kalou. The speedster that hails from Holland, but originally from the Ivory Coast will be a player to be kept an eye on this season. He does have the skill, it's just a question of stamina and experience at attacking football which Mourinho favors in this regard. And in case Didier Drogba is concerned, he will be favoring the 4-4-2 which Chelsea used to so much success at the end of last season with him partnering Hernan Crespo who last left for Inter Milan. In tight matches I see Mourinho favoring the Essien, Ballack, Lampard, and Makalele midfield, but for regular Prem games I can see him going to the wide formation to open his opponent up. Who knows, maybe Robben might even play more of a forward role this upcoming season coming from the left... We'll see what he does in the Champions League, but one thing is for sure, he will have no excuses if he doesn't win this season... Projection: Final
The Big Dogs: Chelsea FC Last Season's Performence: Round of 16, losing to FC Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate. What will be the expression come next May? Evaluation: Three years ago nobody would've predicted that Chelsea FC would be where they are today. But through some miracoulous determination to win, and an owner who has millions this image has been realized. Many have criticized the club as buying their way towards the title, myself included, and there is truth in that, although much less than most people think when they think of Chelsea football club. In the past 3 years Mr. Roman Abrahamovic has spent more many in the past season than that of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal FC. But take a look at English rivals Manchester United, and you will also see a tendency of buying players, certainly none of them on the cheap and look what they've done in the past 3 seasons... nothing much if we're being truly honest. Now this is not to banter the Red Devils, as I respect that club more than any in the world, but it's just to point out that money hasn't brought immediate success for a couple of reasons, the biggest one being managment. After Claudio Ranieri didn't deliever home a title doubts began creeping into rumors, and rumors soon turned into reality as Jose Mourinho came to the English game. He was no stranger to it though, as he knew what it would take for him to defeat the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal, the 2 biggest forces in English football at the time. With his experience at FC Porto, he brought in Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho, both players that would assimilate into the Blue of Chelsea. They would take his orders without question and they would turn into leaders out onto the pitch. Two seasons later and Chelsea have become a force to be reckoned with. They've won 2 Premiership titles back to back, and have also had the pleasure of winning a Cup. Were it not for that controversial piece of refereing at Anfield, and a miracoulous FC Barcelona, Chelsea could've possibly won 2 European Cups, as they've lost to the actual Winners both times. Last season Mourinho achieved his goal of becoming Premiership champions once again, but it must be ideally seen that he wanted to win just as bad in Europe. Domestic success has yet to be translated into European domination, but Mourinho has handled it quite comfortably resting on his laurels to finish the job. Mr. Abrahamovic wanted results immediately, and he's getting them. One certainly cannot argue over that. While spending millions in the transfer market, Mourinho has also changed the outlook of the club constantly improving academic facilities as well as looking for young talent. His transformation of Joe Cole has certainly been miracoulous, and a performence that should be applauded by all the Chelsea fans. I see this as one of his biggest accomplishments, right up there with the Champions slogan on his CV. From what I've seen this pre-season Chelsea look set to conquer all fronts this coming term. One need not be reminded that they've brought, arguably the two best players in their respective positions in Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan, and Micheal Ballack from Bayern Munchen. Both of these signings stipulate the desire for European success this coming term as Mourinho looks for the third time to be the charm. But these are the signings I've come to expect from such a rich club... The signings I truly admire include Salamon Kalou from Feyenoord as well as Obi Mikel from Norway. They spent a lot of money for these two, but I certainly want to see them in action. Kalou in my opinion is the best signing of the summer at Chelsea, because he will pave the way for the Chelsea future. Mourinho has been quoted saying that what he likes about Kalou is that "he has all the qualities that Shevchenko has, he just has to believe in himself." And this is what I really like about Mourinho. He is not afraid to challenge his players, and especially invoke in team competition, because when you're at Chelsea, if you're scared, you're out of the door. He believes in youth and in my opinion Chelsea will stop buying mega stars in the near future, once they set up a good youth core. The other 17 million pound signing is John Obi Mikel, who controversially came to Chelsea, after he backed out of Manchester United. He is another player to watch out for as well as Lassana Diarra, where both are learning from the senior players, and will become forces when they reach that age or even sooner. Mourinho has created a winning mentality at Chelsea, and he now has a leader in every department. Cech in goal, Terry in the back line, Makalele in midfield, and Shevchenko up front. It has yet to be seen how he will blend this mixture of talent together, but knowing Jose he will come up with something, something that took him a long time to prepare. This seems to be a Chelsea so different of two years past, as they'll look to unleash some power in a matter of minutes when they're at their best. Wayne Bridge has also come back to fitness, and it will be very nice to see him back playing football at the top level once again. He might be arrogant but he is the best manager right now in the English game, and were it not for Rijkaard possibly in the world. Many say he has bought his way to that title, but he has won the Uefa Cup and the Champions League with Porto in successive seasons, and after coming to Chelsea he has won successive titles, and not many can say that. His tactical awareness is beyond imagination, and his infamous "dossiers" just show the common person or even a fan of the game how prepared he is to do everything in his power to win. Lastly, if anyone questions that Mourinho can handle all this star power, the answer is an astounding yes. He has brought a discipline to Chelsea, that Hernan Crespo found out the wrong way in his first season at the club. The reason Crespo left for ACM two seasons ago on loan was because he was late to the beginning of the season, and this has earned him respect among his players. He has shown no favoritism, and if you're playing good, you'll get your chance... unlike some clubs which have a starting 11 that might not change that much over the course of the year. Such is his rotating policy that one could argue against the resources he has, and that in fact is largely true... not many teams have that many good players in each position. But, one must also see the genius in the man who has kept a quiet word on his squad, and delivered all the attention on himself in the media, thus the players are not bothered by anything. He knows his stuff, and if he comes up against FC Barcelona this year again, one can certainly expect a much bigger fight from this Portugese master... This team doesn't need luck. They have the backing, the resources, and the management to take them to the final. If they really want it they will get it this season. Squad and Projected 11: Goalkeepers: Petr Cech (1), Carlo Cudicini, Henrique Hilario. Defenders: Wayne Bridge (3), William Gallas (5), Paulo Ferriera (2), Robert Huth, Geremi, John Terry (4), Ricardo Carvalho. Midfielders: Frank Lampard (6), Micheal Essien, Claude Makalele (8), Shaun Wright Phillips, Micheal Ballack (9), Arjen Robben (7), Joe Cole, Lassana Diarra, John Obi Mikel. Forwards: Anrdriy Shevchenko (10), Didier Drogba (11), Salomon Kalou. Evaluation: With such a line up it is impossible to predict who will start every single game, but I've listed the players I think will get the most playing time. The first question comes in the form of formations which Mourinho will use... Will he use a 4-3-3 that used Robben and Cole on the wings last season with one forward, or will he revert to a less common version of the 4-4-2 with Makalele or Essien in the hole with Drogba and Shevchenko up top? It is difficult to predict which formation he will use but I think it will be the latter. He seems to use Drogba and Shevchenko in tandem, with Drogba sitting a little bit behind. I see that Cech will definetely start in goal, as the steel man has been hard to get past these past 2 seasons. Paulo Ferreira got less time last season but I'm seeing a return to form this upcoming season. In the center it will be John Terry with the continuing saga of William Gallas challenging Ricardo Carvalho for that other spot. Wayne Bridge will start on the left, in case Gallas opts out of playing there, after being numerously quoted that he prefers the center back position. If not it's possible to see Gallas at left back, with Terry and Carvalho in the middle, and lastly Ferreira on the right. In midfield things get more complicated, or rather difficult to predict what Mourinho will do. He will have the engine of the team protecting the back 4, which so far has been Claude Makalele, but with the emergence of Micheal Essien, I wouldn't be suprised if he after some time took the role from the veteran that has served Chelsea so well these three seasons. With so many central midfielders, and natural wingers it will come down to formation. If he intends to use the 4-3-3 then Joe Cole, after coming back from injury, and Arjen Robben will start. If not, then you could have a possible midfield of Essien, Ballack, Lampard, and Cole. Whichever one he decides on it will surely include Ballack and Lampard in my opinion. After that it becomes a guessing game. One can finally see why the loss of Damien Duff didn't discourage Mourinho so much after all. Can he gel with Lampard and Essien? The loss of Eidur Gudjohnsen might come back to hunt Mourinho this year in the Champions League, and it might not, but one thing is for certain, and that's that Jose has found a replacement in Salomon Kalou. The speedster that hails from Holland, but originally from the Ivory Coast will be a player to be kept an eye on this season. He does have the skill, it's just a question of stamina and experience at attacking football which Mourinho favors in this regard. And in case Didier Drogba is concerned, he will be favoring the 4-4-2 which Chelsea used to so much success at the end of last season with him partnering Hernan Crespo who last left for Inter Milan. In tight matches I see Mourinho favoring the Essien, Ballack, Lampard, and Makalele midfield, but for regular Prem games I can see him going to the wide formation to open his opponent up. Who knows, maybe Robben might even play more of a forward role this upcoming season coming from the left... We'll see what he does in the Champions League, but one thing is for sure, he will have no excuses if he doesn't win this season... Projection: Final
A nice summary, however your statement that Mourinho is the best manager in the English game is unsubstantiated. I believe he is in a group with Ferguson, Wenger and Benitez as the best in England. His tactical selections against Liverpool in the FA Cup and Barca in Barcelona were questionable. His biggest achievement has been winning the European Cup with Porto. At Chelsea he has inherited a team that finished second to an unbeaten Arsenal. Add to this squad Robben + Cech who were purchased by Ranieri and it would be a surprise for any competent manager to not be a title contender with just these additions. It is undeniable that Abrahamovic was not content with just the Premiership last year - hence Ballack + Sheva. If Jose does not go close to lifting the European Cup this year his time may be up at the Bridge. But keep on with your summaries - they are informative.
The Big Dogs: Arsenal FC Last Season's Performence: Final losing to FC Barcelona 2-1. Was it all planned? Evaluation: This time last year Arsenal FC were shocked by the loss of Patrick Vieira. The talisman of the club for the past decade headed of to Juventus and there was no clear indication of whose his replacement was going to be. Some said Gilberto would be up to the job, while others panicked and were in mass histeria. After the season started it was clear that this wasn't the Arsenal of old. The utter dominance they had shown in the past 5 years was a memory of the past and a new mind set was building. Labeled the "transition year" the Gunners just hoped to qualify for the next Champions League campaign. At some point most fans had their doubts as bitter rivals Tottenham were gaining on the Gunners in the table, at one point 7 points behind Spurs. After all the turmoil with Ashley Cole, and the nagging injuries which stripped Wenger of his first choice in central defence, right full back, and right midfield positions Wenger coped with what he knew best... and that was his mentality of improvisation and development. The emergence of Emmanuel Eboue and Matthiu Flamini solidified Wenger's reputation as arguably the best manager around when it comes to bringing up young talent. Add to the fact that another emerging central back in the form of Phillipe Senderos showed his full potential and 3/4's of the back line was completely new. In midfield Fredrik Ljungberg had consistent injuries all season long, so it was up to Gilberto and Fabregas to carry the midfield. After Cesc proved incapable of handling Vieira's job in the early going, he got better with every game, and that was the main reason why Fabregas was Arsenal's best player at the end of last season as was clearly seen in the game versus Juventus. After such a disappointing EPL campaign Wenger did what Benitez did last season and turned his attention to the Uefa Champions League. He finally got through to the final 16 and it was to be seen if Arsenal could indeed make it through. With a group that included Ajax, Sparta Prague, and FC Thun much was left to be desired as Arsenal finished on top of the group. Indeed the draw for the last 16 was magical as Real Madrid were drawn. Even though the Marangues proved that last season they weren't at their full best, one cannot forget they've finished 2nd in La Liga the last 2 seasons. Add to the fact that there were incentives for the white of Madrid as they knew the league was gone, and you had a taste of beautiful football in your head. The first leg proved Wenger's tactical mastery as he used the 4-5-1 to perfection with Henry scoring the lone goal at the Bernabeu. The goal to this day is probably one of the best alongside Ronaldinho's stroll through the left hand side of Madrid's defense. With the leg over all that was left was a secure result in London, and Arsenal were through. That indeed though, proved much more difficult than anyone thought. The leg started off as a feast of attacking football with both sides playing to their strengths. The crucial moment in the game came when Jens Lehmann made probably the best stop I've seen in my life, as Raul had chipped him and the German international put his index finger to the ball with it clipping the post. Without that stop Real Madrid ties the score on aggregate and the game goes to extra time. The game was at full swing, with Aleksandar Hleb having one of his best games in an Arsenal shirt. This tie had to be one of the best in the competition, and even though it ended 0-0 I don't think I've ever seen a more anticipated game in the UCL. On to the next round and Arsenal faced Juventus as Tottenham kept getting points in the league. With the first leg in London the Gunners looked to solidify their position going into Turin. A brilliant tackle by Robert Pires over former team-mate Patrick Vieira led to the first goal as Thierry Henry fed the ball to Fabregas who perfectly placed the ball through Thuram's legs and to the other side of Buffon who was going in the opposite direction. The second goal was another piece of art as Henry looked for Cesc across the box, and then Cesc gave the ball to Hleb... Hleb took a few dribbles and threaded the ball to a running Fabregas on the right side of the box, when he squared it to Henry to put away at the penalty spot. All that remained now was a draw in Italia and the semi final was on. That was to be the case as Arsenal drew 0-0 in Torino with Juventus, seemingly incapable of finding away through the Gunner defense which had gone on to record 5 straight shutouts to this point in the competition. Villareal came up next and were taken care of swiftly. The first leg finished 1-0 as Kolo Toure finally scored his first and only goal at Highbury. He made it a night to remember as that was the last ever European contest to be held at Highbury. Onto the El Madrigal and the job proved tough for Arsenal. With a rampant Villareal and Riquelme working on all cylinders it once again came down to Lehmann. In the 89th minute Lehmann saved a penalty from Riquelme and therefore led the Gunners to the invincibe final. It was hard to believe at the time and such an iconic figure isn't without a sense of irony. Eleven minutes into the Final and the fallen hero was found. Tripping Samuel Eto'o outside the box Lehmann received the red card and the rest was history. Life seems to have a twist of fate and it seems that it was meant to be. Many can say what they want but Arsenal showed a sense of fight in their minds. They tried to keep their slender 1-0 lead after the 36th minute but it just wasn't to be. Cries from Henry to put in another forward fell on deaf ears and Barca went to the title with a brilliant Eto'o run. Such was an effort by Arsenal that I couldn't believe after what the team had been through that they were still in such a position. Eventually Arsenal got the better of themselves through the summer and this "transition period" has finally ended. Gone are Sol Campbell, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Pascal Cygan and others including Ashely Cole and Jose Antonio Reyes. This is a new Arsenal as Tomas Rosicky, Julio Baptista, and William Gallas have been added to the squad. Wenger seems to know what he is doing, and I certainly feel after the transfer deadline last night that this team can go very, very far in the competition. Add to the fact that Denilson and Ito have also signed as exciting prospects and you have a very hungary Arsenal team waiting in the wings. It remains to be seen how Wenger will utilize his new signings but the man will sort it surely. With Fabregas maturing into a world class playmaker, Toure a world class central defender, and Henry molding himself into a true captain this team has all the aspects of a Champions League winner. Henry has stayed for four more seasons which shows his love for the club. In a time where money speaks all he has remained true to his colours and hopefully this shows a sign of coming for Arsenal FC. Let's see if they can really go one better than last season, and prove that their European woes are behind them... Squad and Projected 11: Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (1), Manuel Almunia, Mart Poom Defenders: William Gallas (4), Kolo Toure (5), Emmanuel Eboue (2), Lauren, Phillipe Senderos, Gael Clichy (3), Johann Djourou, Justin Hoyte. Midfielders: Tomas Rosicky (7), Aleksandar Hleb (8), Abou Diaby, Francesc Fabregas (9), Gilberto Silva (6), Fredrik Ljungberg, Denilson, Alexandar Song, Matthieu Flamini, Theo Walcott. Forwards: Robin Van Perise, Julio Baptista (10), Thierry Henry (11), Emmanuel Adebayor, Jeremie Aliadiere. Evaluation: Well a week before and it would've been shambles for Arsenal. Now it's a bright picture indeed. All the positions stand corrected and if there is any weakness to be found it is hard to come by. In goal Lehmann will do the duty one more season, and as he proved last season he is the best goalkeeper in the Uefa Champions League without a doubt. The defense on the other hand has changed somewhat. With the departure of Ashley Cole and the signing of William Gallas Arsenal has imrpoved greatly. Not only do they cover their center back problems, but the left back position has also gotten some good boost. Even though Gallas will not play there, I don't think he would mind if Wenger asked him to fill in due to the fact that everyone else is injured like last season. Wenger won't make the same mistake Mourinho did last season and play Gallas out of position on a regular basis. With this signing, Senderos will have to up his game if he indeed wants to challenge for a starting spot. At right back the battle continues between Eboue and Lauren, and on the left is Clichy, Djouou, and Flamini... Even Armand Traore might join the bunch soon. Therefore that concludes the defense. Midfield is a bit more complicated due to the question of how Wenger will use Baptista. If his early comments are any indication Arsene will certainly use him to interchange play between the strikers and the midfieldrs with a potential Gilberto, and Baptista partnership in the middle with Fabregas roaming. Due to the fact that Wenger knows how to develop players it will be interesting to see Arsenal's formation at the end of the season. I see a 4-4-2 with Baptista replacing Bergkamp but that's just my opinion of course. On the other side of things we have Ljungberg, Hleb, Rosicky, and Walcott battling it out for the winger slots so it should provide an interesting match up game for Wenger... who best interplays with who... that sort of thing. Add to the squad experienced players like Flamini and Diaby and you can sort of start to see what Wenger saw last season. Include new talent in Denilson and you have a squad that's hungry to challenge on all fronts. Up top it's the Thierry Henry show with the supporting cast. Robin Van Persie has shown signs of brilliance in the past 2 seasons, as has Adebayor therefore it remains to see how Wenger will fit the system to compliment his strikers. He also may be tempted to use Baptista behind the strikers, like his days at Sevilla so it is an intriguing question... one that definetely will be answered within the upcoming weeks. The Leader... Overall, on paper this has to be the best Arsenal squad in some time... probably the best one since the 2003/04 season. New blood has come in and the old veterans have either retired or have been sold to other clubs. Arsene certainly had a plan to do this, but even I think he might be suprised how this past week has turned out. He has gotten rid of 2 players which didn't want any part of Arsenal FC, gotten two capped internationals and 2 exciting prospects, and 5 million pounds. To top it all off Henry stays for another 4 seasons and it looks like Emirates Stadium has a bright, bright future. All that remains to be seen is how they play together. If that fight is still there from last season expect them go far, possibly the final once more if indeed they're firing on all cylinders. Projection: Quarterfinal (Final if they get rolling)
Development of Groups: Group A Will this be the picture Chelsea fans see again at the Camp Nou? Predictions: 1.FC Barcelona 2.FC Chelsea 3.Werder Bremen 4.Levski Sofia Prognosis: Unless Werder Bremen has a trick up their sleeve I see the Catalan Burgundy and Red, and the blue of Chelsea going through to the knockout round. Reason? Well considering what these two teams have done in the past 2 seasons, neither of them will give an inch to each other and that will make for 2 interesting encounters. The only way Bremen can make it interesting if they beat Levski both times, and beat Chelsea at home. If Barcelona can then beat Chelsea at least once Bremen are in with a shout. The Champions League is the goal for the Blues of London this time around, and Mourinho knows what it takes to win it. In my opinion look for the Barca-Chelsea games to be a feast of football, then anything else, unless Ronaldinho and Co. think about tactics first. But because both teams know that a lot is at stake, in terms of getting knocked out, look for them to come swinging, and pride is at large, and that will either make or break the 2 games. I predict personally that Barcelona will still have the upper hand due their team superiority. I don't think Chelsea has yet debugged the togetherness of the team, but I don't think that will affect them by the time they go into the knock out rounds. Barcelona has only added Gudjohnsen, Zambrotta, and Thuram, while letting go Larsson, and Van Bommel. Chelsea on the other side have added Ballack, Shevchenko, and Kalou. Look for these two matches to be feasts of football, rather than what will happen in the future. Werder Bremen have added Per Mertasaker, and Miroslav Klose is on form. But the absence of Micoud to Bordeaux will endanger the creativity of the Bremen midfield. Unless Diego can take over Micoud's role then look for Bremen to go to the Uefa Cup. As for Levski, anything they can get out of all the games will be considered an accomplishment.
Development of Groups: Group B How long before he wins a Champions League medal? Prediction: 1. Bayern Munich 2. FC Internazionale 3. Sporting Lisbon 4. Spartak Moscow Conclusion: From the current standings it would only seem fair to inlcude Sporting in the final 16 but I think Inter and Spartak Moscow are both far away from dying in this group. Inter do in fact have a mountain to climb but it's a mountain that they can cope with. All that is needed in the camp of the Nerazurri is some team bonding and gelling with one another. In the league they've been fairly consistent beating their main rivals for the title in AS Roma away from home. With all the new inclusion it will take a while for Mancini's men to settle down, but I believe once they do they will cause trouble for the other teams in their group. I am going out on a limb to say the Nerazurri will progress, and that Lisbon won't but I can easily see the opposite happening with Sporting going through. I think who moves on will come down to the question of who wins the last game between Inter and Sporting. As for the other two teams in their group, well Bayern have secured passage in my opinion, winning in Italy at the San Siro. Claudio Pizarro has re-awakened and Lukas Podolski's good form are starting to notch up some serious results for the old Red German machine. Spartak Moscow on the other hand still have a decent chance, and that will all depend if they can come away with a win against Sporting Lisbon and at least get a draw in Italy. If they can do that then they could suprise a few people. Overall I see Bayern Munich already in the final 16 with Inter and Sporting battling it out until the last minute for the second spot in the group. Spartak can cause a few problems, and have a decent shot for the second phase, and a great shot at the Uefa Cup.
Development of Groups: Group C Can Julien Faubert, the newest French prodigy help make this a memorable campaign for Bordeaux? 1. Liverpool 2. PSV Eidnhoven 3. Galatasaray 4. Bordeaux Conclusion: From looking at the current standings two familiar names pop out in Liverpool and PSV. Both teams have had good runs in the past 2 seasons with Liverpool bowing out to Benfica last term and winning the season before, with PSV going the semifinal 2 years ago and losing last season to Olympique Lyonnais. Liverpool always does well in the Champions League and with Dirk Kuyt joining the front line and the midfield looking real solid I think the Reds will surely make it to the quarterfinal. With Steven Gerrard leading the way and Jaime Carragher in the back this team knows what it takes to win the Chamions League and that can only inspire them to better results than last term with a suprising loss to Benfica. PSV Eidnhoven on the other side have a tough fight in front of their hands as both Galatasaray and Bordeaux are not the easiest of teams to get past. Include the fact that the Turks almost came back from 3-0 down at Anfield and you have a very interesting proposition. Considering how tough it is to win in Turkey I predict that the group progress will depend how both PSV and Bordeaux fare in Turkey. Les Girondins have Johann Micoud and the French magician will be looking to work wonders this european campaign. Add Faubert to the side and it will be very interesting what the French side can do. If they can get one win under their belt then I firmly believe that they can go through to the second phase, but it's yet to happen and I can't see them being fast enough in Europe to progress. Therefore in my opinion Liverpool are through with their wealth in quality and experience, with PSV encountering major resistence with Galatasaray but with enough determination to go through. Bordeaux can go far but only if they win this coming round.
Development of Groups: Group D Can he return with his club to the prominence of five years ago, when it seemed all but lost? One has to admire this man's loyalty. 1. Valenica 2. AS Roma 3. Olympiacos 4. Shakhtar Dontesk Conclusion: This group has an intersting flavor to it. Both Eastern Europe and the Mediteranian have had recent revitilizations in football and with the fact that this year's final is in Athens and the Greeks will have even more motivation to make it to the final 16 and give themselves a Cinderella chance of getting into the final. Valencia CF are the firm favourites with David Villa and Fernando Morientes clicking on all cylinders. Morientes seems to have regained his confidence after a torrid spell at Liverpool, in which he himself admitted was distraught, because the English game didn't suit his style. Not many players have the guts to admit that. Villa on the other side keeps scoring goals and he seems to be the most promising Spanish forward in quite sometime besides Fernando Torres. With other great talents in Joaquin, Tavano, Edu, Angulo, del Horno, Ayala, Albelda, Vicente this team has a great deal of potential. This is probably the best Los Che I have seen in quite some time, quite possibly the best since Rafa Benitez or even that of Raul Cuper. They have their eyes set on the prize and with the recent draw against Barcelona they know they can compete with the best. They're through for sure. Then comes the question of second place. To me it seems it will be a battle between the two Meditteranian teams of Olympiacos and Roma. The Greek side will be looking forward to the fact that they haven't yet played Roma and have 1 game against Valencia out of the way. They went to Ukraine and got a tough draw against Shakhtar. It all depends on the two games to decide who will go through. The Italians have depth without a question with Totti, Mancini, de Rossi, Chivu, Perotta, Aquiliani, Pizarro, Chivu, and Mexes just to name a few. Add Panucci as the man with experience and you have a very solid side. On the other hand are the Greeks who are hoping to somehow claw their way into the final 16. They have some fare talents of their own in Rivaldo, Djordevic, Maric, Ne, Castillo, Borja and with a safe pair of hands in Tomislav Butina. If Olympiacos can salvage a draw in Italy, and Roma manage to slip up versus Shakhtar away and to Valencia then they have every chance of going through. It's plausible so it all is on those two games between the two sides, and how Roma fares away from home. It will be intersting to say the least but I see Roma and de Rossi especially making his presence felt on the pitch as Roma in my opinion will go through.