Checking In

So, it's been a while since I last posted here and I'll have my weekend recap up tomorrow hopefully.

Here's the deal. I started my freshman year of college on Monday and I've got a full schedule with classes and uh, extracurricular activities. Don't get me wrong, I'm still trying to put as much time into this blog as I can but I haven't even been able to spend much time watching and keeping up with my traditional "American" sports like baseball and football lately with all this college stuff.

From now until breaks, I can pretty much say that it's going be two posts a week (Predictions and Recaps) and maybe the occasional rant, but believe me, I've got a few topics in mind already that I want to address in the coming weeks (Instant Replay, Refereeing, etc.)

I just wanted to check in, I'm still here and doing the best I can to keep up with what's going on. The Gaffer and fellow EPL Talk Community posters are more than capable of filling everyone in on the latest news and things that I simply won't have time to mention on this blog, so head over to www.eplleague.blogspot.com for that, and check the sites I have listed under "Useful Soccer Sites" regularly.

Premiership Predictions--Weekend, Round 4

1. Sunderland vs. Liverpool (Saturday, 7:45 AM, Setanta): Neither of these teams were happy with the result they got last weekend but the difference between the two is that Liverpool actually played well. It was a poor refereeing decision that cost the Reds all 3 points against Chelsea but Sunderland came out totally flat and uninspired in their 3-0 loss to Wigan. Black Cats manager Roy Keane won't stand for another performance like that in this game but his squad is simply overmatched. Liverpool had their share of problems on the road last season but I just can't see them dropping points in this game. Liverpool-2, Sunderland-0

2. Aston Villa vs. Fulham (Saturday, 10:00 AM, Setanta Xtra): I guess you either have to be American or hail from Northern Ireland to play for Fulham these days. Kasey Keller was brought in this week by the Cottagers as a stopgap solution to their goalkeeping woes but he'll face a proficient Aston Villa striking corps of some combination of John Carew, Marlon Harewood, and Gabriel Agbonlahor in this game. Those guys haven't really gotten it going yet this season but the Fulham defense is the perfect solution to their problems. The fans at Villa Park are desperate for a win after two disappointing performances from their club to start the year. They'll get one here. Aston Villa-2, Fulham-0

3. Bolton vs. Reading (Saturday, 10:00 AM): If this game was being played in my front yard, I'd sneak out the back window to avoid it. Luckily neither FSC nor Setanta will be televising this fixture because it has ugly and boring written all over it. Bolton are without a point in 3 games and Reading sit in 10th place with 4 points. The Royals certainly aren't doing it in style but they're getting the job done and that's all that manager Steve Coppell is responsible for. Chalk up a victory for the away team in this one. Is it over yet?? Reading-1, Bolton-0

4. West Ham vs. Wigan Athletic (Saturday, 10:00 AM): Another game I can't say I'd watch even it was on TV. Wigan have gotten out to a surprising start with 2 wins in 3 games while West Ham can thank a Colin Doyle goalkeeping blunder for their only 3 points of the season. It's good to see Jonathan Spector getting a game for the Hammers in their back line, which will do its best to contain a red-hot Antoine Sibierski. Sibierski is gunning for his fourth goal in as many games. Sign him up for your fantasy team! West Ham-1, Wigan-1

5. Derby County vs. Birmingham City (Saturday, 10:00 AM--2:30 AM replay on Sunday; FSC): This is already Birmingham's second game against fellow newly-promoted teams this season, meaning after this match things get considerably more difficult for the Blues in the first half of the year. Both teams are struggling to find consistency at the moment. Which Derby team will show up in this game, the one that got a tie against Portsmouth and played Manchester City close or the one that got blown out by Tottenham? Will we see the Birmingham side that scored twice at Stamford Bridge or the one that gave up 2 goals at home to Sunderland? Whichever team finds the form they had opening day and shows it in this game will win. Problem is, I don't think either of them will. Derby County-1, Birmingham City-1

6. Arsenal vs. Manchester City (Saturday, 10:00 AM, FSC): If anyone out there put money on Manchester City to lead the Premiership after 3 games, they'd be rich. Their foreign signings are, to this point, defying the prototypical logic that says it takes a while for new players to jell together and get used to the faster style of play found in the Premier League. Speaking of foreigners, Arsenal are made up almost completely of non-English players. The fact that Gunners goalkeeper Jens Lehmann is out for two weeks with a knee injury is a blessing in disguise for Arsenal fans as it's been one howler after another for the German this season. Sven's perfect record at City ends here. A thought just occurred to me when I looked at these two teams: No wonder it's not called the ENGLISH Premier League anymore. Arsenal-2, Manchester City-1

7. Chelsea vs. Portsmouth (Saturday, 10:00 AM, Setanta): This is the Saturday morning game I'll be watching live. Chelsea's right back problem was solved today with the addition of Barcelona's Juliano Belletti, although he was not their preferred signing (fellow Brazilian defender Daniel Alves). Ironically, Portsmouth's right back last season, Glen Johnson, who was on loan from Chelsea, is the player who was given an opportunity to win that starting spot with Chelsea this year and just didn't play well enough to do so. Johnson will watch his former teammates from the bench in this game. Chelsea will keep their Premier League record home unbeaten streak going, but they'll have to settle for a point. Chelsea-1, Portsmouth-1

8. Everton vs. Blackburn (Saturday, 12:15 PM, FSC): This game pits teams that will battle it out for two of the three available UEFA Cup spots this season. Everton's two-match winning streak was grinded to a halt at Reading last weekend and Blackburn capitalized on an aforementioned Jens Lehmann howler to snatch a draw with Arsenal. Leighton Baines is set for his Toffees debut as he'll return from injury in front of the new home fans. I'm still not completely sold on Blackburn but an away win here would be a great result for them. With Tim Howard in goal, I find that unlikely. Everton-1, Blackburn-0

9. Middlesbrough vs. Newcastle (Sunday, 8:30 AM, Setanta): It's the first of two Tyne-Tees Derbies this season between the Boro and the Magpies as the Riverside will play host to the late-summer edition. One point separates these two teams in the standings, although Newcastle has a game in hand. Both sides have toiled in mediocrity over the past few seasons and there's no signs of that changing this year. Middlesbrough's problem lies in the fact that their youth academy is so good that the players who come out of it want to go to a big club and Middlesbrough can't afford to pay them. They're a victim of their own success, but success is something Newcastle would love to have in any form. This game screams "draw". Middlesbrough-0, Newcastle-0

10. Manchester United vs. Tottenham (Sunday, 11:00 AM, FSC): When you talk about a failure to live up to expectations in the early part of the season, you're referring to these two teams. The defending champions are winless in 3 games and Tottenham, who many people (including myself) had pegged to finish in the top 4 this season, have only 3 points. It's too early in the year to call this game a must-win for either team but it's about as close as you can get to being one. Usually when both teams need a victory, neither of them get one. I'm still going to give the benefit of the doubt to last year's champions. Manchester United-2, Tottenham-1

Premiership TV Games This Weekend

Saturday, August 25:

Sunderland vs. Liverpool--7:40 AM Eastern, Setanta; Live
Chelsea vs. Portsmouth--9:55 AM Eastern, Setanta; Live
Aston Villa vs. Fulham--9:55 AM Eastern, Setanta Xtra; Live
Arsenal vs. Manchester City--9:55 AM Eastern, FSC; Live
Everton vs. Blackburn--12:00 PM Eastern, FSC; Live

Sunday, August 26:

Derby County vs. Birmingham City--2:30 AM Eastern, FSC; Delayed
Manchester United vs. Tottenham--11:00 AM Eastern, FSC; Live
Middlesbrough vs. Newcastle--8:00 AM Eastern, Setanta; Live


•TV times and channels courtesy of soccertv.com

England-Germany Preview

On its face, tomorrow's friendly between England and Germany (5:00 PM Eastern, FSC) means nothing. The game will be played at the new Wembley Stadium in London, whose former namesake hosted the England-Germany World Cup Final in 1966 and their Euro 1996 semi-final match, with Germany winning the most recent affair. The 2007 edition of this rivalry will be played without some of both countries' biggest stars. Owen Hargreaves, John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Gary Neville, Wayne Rooney (and others) won't play for the Three Lions and Michael Ballack, Lukas Podolski, and Miroslav Klose won't suit up for Germany.

When you look deeper however, this game really is important. Embattled England manager Steve McLaren and his team are in serious danger of not qualifying for Euro 2008, cohosted by Austria and Switzerland. They have four home games remaining out of their last five qualifying matches and currently sit in 4th place (they need to finish 2nd or 1st) in Group E, 3 points behind the cutoff line. Tomorrow's friendly provides an excellent chance for McLaren to see some backups and 3rd-stringers play in the hopes that some of them will step up and make a case to contribute in the more meaningful games. It's the guys like Micah Richards, David James, Shaun Wright-Philips, Stewart Downing, and Jermain Defoe who will be given an opportunity to prove that they can provide a spark to a team that's been stagnant since McLaren took over after the 2006 World Cup.

The major problem for England right now is a lack of competition for spots. There's a sense of complacency hovering around the team. Players who haven't done anything for their clubs in the past few seasons are still being handed starting spots on the national team (Michael Owen, Jonathan Woodgate, and Ledley King, I'm talking about you) over the players who have accomplished more and stayed healthy. It's an outrage that a quality, quality center back like Jamie Carragher can't get a game for England over King, Woodgate, and Michael Dawson and it was right for him to quit international soccer for the time being. Holdovers like Alan Smith and Owen still play more often than Darren Bent, Andy Johnson, or David Nugent. It seems like places are being given based on reputation and past performances than current form, and that's not right; it's why England are just a "quarterfinal" team at the World Cup.

Obviously neither side wants to lose this game and that goes without saying. Germany leads their group and are unbeaten so far in Euro 2008 qualifying so tomorrow will simply be a tune-up match for their two qualifiers in September. England would be wise to put a higher value on the game though because if they continue to play the way they have been recently, the only part of Euro 2008 they'll play is spectator.

My Radio Interview

I got an e-mail last week from a suburban Boston radio host, The Brick, who has a Saturday night show from 10-midnight on WMFO 91.5 FM in Medford, Mass., and the surrounding area. He wanted me to come on the show and talk about this site and English soccer in general, as well as the hype around David Beckham. I believe any publicity is good publicity so I agreed to call in and we did the interview Satuday night.

You can download the interview by going to www.wmfo.org, clicking the "Schedule" link on the left, going to the 10-midnight slot on Saturday night and clicking "download last show". It'll take a couple minutes to download so don't click out, and then the Quicktime audio will play. I called in around 10:45, so go about a third of the way into it for my interview.

The Brick House is a great show and streams live on Saturday nights from both WMFO's website and from the show's website, http://thebrickhouse.bravehost.com/index.html. Check it out if you get a chance, it's 2 hours well-spent.

Weekend Recap

Round 3 is in the books and with no games this midweek, Manchester City fans can savor their team's position at the top of the Premiership for a little longer. A sound thrashing over Derby County may not be enough for Tottenham manager Martin Jol to keep his job even though his club has been the best non-"Big Four" team in the last two seasons. Story plots abound in the Premiership; that's why we love it so much.

On to the recaps:

1. Portsmouth-3, Bolton-1 (My prediction: Portsmouth-2, Bolton-1): A late penalty converted by Portsmouth's Matthew Taylor thwarted my predicted scoreline and the fact that it shouldn't have even been a PK just makes it that much unfortunate for me. Nicholas Anelka put the visitors in front after slipping one through David James' wickets, but the Kanu/John Utaka combination struck for two goals in 15 minutes to give Pompey the 2-1 lead. John Utaka's goal was one of beauty; a 55-yard solo run in which he simply outsprinted Bolton's defenders, capped off by rounding Jussi Jaakselainen and sliding the ball into the empty net. Portsmouth remains unbeaten on the season; Bolton can't buy a point right now. I can't believe I picked the Trotters to finish 9th!

2. Middlesbrough-2, Fulham-1 (My prediction: Fulham-2, Middlesbrough-1): I don't think there was any team more unlucky this weekend than Fulham. First their captain and today's goalscorer, Brian McBride, dislocated his left knee on the shot he scored on, then Hameur Bouazza dislocated his shoulder. Worst of all, though, was the potential late equalizer that was disallowed by the assistant referee, who didn't believe the ball had completely gone over the goal line (replays showed it clearly did). Middlesbrough's new signing, Mido, benefited from a Tony Warner howler to draw his side level in the 54th minute and young midfielder Lee Cattermole gave the Boro the eventual winner just 3 minutes from time. Full credit to them for going on the road and getting full points but let's be honest: Fulham were jobbed. These things tend to work themselves out over the course of the year.

3. Wigan Athletic-3, Sunderland-0 (My prediction: Sunderland-1, Wigan Athletic-0): Two home wins in a row for Wigan put them just three victories short of last season's total. Some atrocious defending from Sunderland's substitutes led to two PK's (both converted) and were just the insurance Wigan wanted after Emile Heskey's header gave them the early advantage. Antoine Sibierski has scored 3 goals in 3 games for Wigan this season. He'll go for 4 this weekend at West Ham. Antoine Sibierski?!?

4. Reading-1, Everton-0 (My prediction: Everton-2, Reading-0): Reading won the game in typical Royals fashion: an ugly goal (Stephen Hunt) made to stand up by gritty, hard-nosed defending. Everton threw everything they had and the kitchen sink at Reading to try and snatch a draw, and almost found one late through a James McFadden chip, which hit the crossbar but had Marcus Hahnemann beaten. Andy Johnson picked up the loose ball and got around Hahnemann, but his left-footed short range effort came back off the post. The other American goalie in this game, Everton's Tim Howard, was booed relentlessly every time he touched the ball. Reading manager Steve Coppell has to be happy with his club after the tough run of games they've had to begin the season as they sit on 4 points.

5. Tottenham-4, Derby County-0 (My prediction: Tottenham-2, Derby County-0): Tottenham scored early and often in this game with a goal in the opening minute and 3 in the first 13 minutes. French midfielder Steed Malbranque scored twice for Spurs and summer signing Darren Bent got off the mark with a late tally. If you believe the various newspaper reports out there, Tottenham manager Martin Jol will be fired later this week. His sideline clash with star striker Dimitar Berbatov after their first game of the season and his stated wish to sell Berbatov have drawn matters to a head at White Hart Lane. The board at Tottenham already have a tense relationship with Jol but firing him only 3 games into the season would be a huge mistake.

6. West Ham-1, Birmingham City-0 (My prediction: Birmingham City-1, West Ham-1): Mark Noble's PK was the difference in this game as he converted from the spot after Craig Bellamy was sent sprawling midair by Birmingham keeper Colin Doyle, who then looked as if he wanted to fight Bellamy after the call was made (I don't like your odds in that one, Colin). Noble hit the post on a driven, skidding free kick 25 yards earlier in the game as well. Birmingham head to Pride Park this weekend to battle a fellow newly-promoted side, Derby County.

7. Newcastle-0, Aston Villa-0 (My prediction: Newcastle-1, Aston Villa-1): Michael Owen made his less-than-triumphant return to his Newcastle team as a 63rd minute substitute but played no part in this scoreless game. Aston Villa's new goalie, Scott Carson, on loan from Liverpool, made a great save on a screaming left-footed drive by David Rozehnal in the 36th minute. Not many highlights in this game but I'm left wondering one thing: Why in the world did the Newcastle fans give Owen an ovation when he came on as a sub? He's constantly injured and has been a major disappointment since coming Tyneside.

8. Manchester City-1, Manchester United-0 (My prediction: Manchester United-1, Manchester City-0): Manchester City kept up their perfect record after getting a deflected goal from Geovanni in the 30th minute. Sven-Goran Eriksson's extensive experience in Italian soccer certainly came in handy as City slowed the game to a crawl after that and defended, defended, and defended some more. Manchester United has dictated play in each of their first 3 games but have only 2 points to show for their considerable efforts, something that Sir Alex Ferguson won't be happy about. Wayne Rooney's absence showed considerably in this game. United had plenty of chances and a couple that needed just one touch to finish but couldn't convert, though City's Micah Richards played an outstanding center back all game long. Sven will try and make it 4-for-4 this weekend at tbe Emirates against Arsenal.

9. Blackburn-1, Arsenal-1 (My prediction: Blackburn-2, Arsenal-2): Has any keeper looked worse this season than Jens Lehmann?? He gift-wrapped another goal for an opponent in this game when David Dunn's pedestrian long-range effort was tipped into the net by the German. Robin van Persie scored for the Gunners after a goalmouth scrum 17 minutes into the game. Neither team has lost a competitive game this season to this point but more shoddy goalkeeping from Lehmann and Arsenal will change that. Former MLS standout Ryan Nelsen was sent off for Blackburn after he received his second yellow card.

10. Liverpool-1, Chelsea-1 (My prediction: Liverpool-2, Chelsea-1): Liverpool were denied the victory when a controversial penalty was awarded to Chelsea by match referee Rob Styles. Styles had an extremely rough game in the middle and the Premier League has announced that he won't be working this weekend, a punishment for his shoddy work on Sunday. To be fair to Chelsea however, the Blues deserved a share of the points in this game with the way they played. It seems unlikely they would've gotten a draw without the penalty though and Liverpool had every reason to complain about the decision. Fernando Torres scored his first league goal for Liverpool to put the Merseyside Reds ahead in the first half. Frank Lampard converted the equalizing PK in the 61st minute for Chelsea. This was a great game to watch. Tempers flared all game long between the teams and between the teams and Mr. Styles. "Well, we played hard today because we are champions and we will not complain. We are champions."--Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho after this one.


Prediction results so far ("Wins" are games in which I have the result right, either win, loss, or draw, "Losses" are games in which I don't have the result right. Scorelines are not included): 9-18

Premiership Predictions--Weekend, Round 3

1. Portsmouth vs. Bolton (Saturday, 7:45 AM, Setanta): After their midweek loss to Fulham, things don't get any easier for Sammy Lee and his Bolton side. It's no picnic to play at Fratton Park (as Manchester United knows all too well) and Bolton had a -11 goal differential on the road last season. Scoring could again be a problem for the Trotters as Ricardo Vaz Te and Kevin Davies are both out due to injury, however Portsmouth's defense is getting down to its skin and bones as Sol Campbell, Lauren, and Linvoy Primus are also hurt. What separates these two teams? Portsmouth have a better manager and home-field advantage. Portsmouth-2, Bolton-1

2. Fulham vs. Middlesbrough (Saturday, 10:00 AM): Fulham have been impressive in both of the games they've played so far this season (loss to Arsenal, victory over Bolton). Fill-in keeper Tony Warner will make his third consecutive start in goal for the Cottagers and take the task of denying Middlesbrough's new signing, Mido, who is set for his club debut. The Boro won just 2 games on the road last season and couldn't beat Wigan away in midweek. I don't like their chances here either. Fulham-2, Middlesbrough-1

3. Wigan Athletic vs. Sunderland (Saturday, 2:15 PM, FSC): Sunderland manager Roy Keane has his club playing good soccer. They have a chip on their shoulder and they honestly believe they belong in the Premiership; they're not a typical newly-promoted team who goes back down the next season. After going down a goal with just 10 minutes left on the road at Birmingham in midweek they could've just packed it in for the day, resigned to defeat. That's not the way this team plays however, and they came back to get a draw in the last minute. Wigan, on the other hand, have Titus Bramble. Enough said. What's that? Oh alright, if you insist. Keane-O, Keane-O!! Sunderland-1, Wigan Athletic-0

4. Reading vs. Everton (Saturday, 10:00 AM, FSC): Reading have already been handed out 2 red cards this season, which is shocking for a Steve Coppell side that prides itself on discipline and focus. Kalifa Cisse's dismissal ended any hope of a comeback against Chelsea in midweek while Everton dominated Tottenham at White Hart Lane and won 3-1, their second victory in as many games. The Toffee Train will truck right through the Madejski, giving Everton 9 points after 3 games. Joleon Lescott got jipped in not being named to the England squad for their friendly against Germany next week. Everton-2, Reading-0

5. Tottenham vs. Derby County (Saturday, 10:00 AM, FSC): If I was a betting man, I'd put money on Derby getting points from this game at White Hart Lane. Tottenham can't score goals right now and their struggles are further compounded by Dimitar Berbatov's groin injury. They're conceding goals as well, and though Gareth Bale isn't too far away from making his debut, he's not known as a defensive left back. However manager Martin Jol knows the pressure he's facing, he knows his club can't afford to drop this game. Derby County could easily have 4 points this season as they outplayed Portsmouth for much of that game (settled for a draw) and competed step-for-step with Manchester City. There's every reason to think Derby can get a result, but that's what leads me to believe they won't. Tottenham-2, Derby County-0

6. Birmingham City vs. West Ham (Saturday, 10:00 AM, Setanta Xtra): Let me get this straight. Kieron Dyer, Lee Bowyer, Craig Bellamy, and Lucas Neill are all on the same team?? I can see a training ground brawl a mile away between a couple guys in this group. Colin Doyle's masquerade as a legitimate Premiership goalie is rapidly coming to an end with Birmingham. Neither team has won yet this season and I just can't see that changing after this game. Birmingham City-1, West Ham-1

7. Newcastle vs. Aston Villa (Saturday, 12:15 PM, FSC): Both teams had the midweek off as their scheduled opponents had European conflicts that took precedence. Aston Villa is coming off a 2-1 home loss to Steven Gerrard--I mean Liverpool--and will look to rebound away from Villa Park against a Newcastle side that played very well against Bolton (3-1 win) a week ago. Michael Owen will join the Magpies' squad for this game (one of his 10 or so Premier League matches per season) but figures to come off the bench. Scott Carson, who is on loan from Liverpool, will make his debut in goal for Villa. He better be prepared to face a lot of action; Villa's defense looked ancient against Liverpool last weekend. Newcastle-1, Aston Villa-1

8. Manchester City vs. Manchester United (Sunday, 8:30 AM, Setanta): The first Manchester derby of the season won't be like the ones we've seen recently. The fact that there is no Wayne Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo for United and few English players for City could result in a rather subdued derby; City's players will be new to this rivalry and Cristiano Ronaldo is the one player their fans love to hate. United come into this game with just 2 points from their 2 games while City are tied for the league lead with 6 points. The Red Devils can't afford to fall any further behind Chelsea or Liverpool and will be hoping for a draw when those two teams meet later on Sunday. They have it all to play for, that's why they'll squeak this game out. Manchester United-1, Manchester City-0

9. Blackburn vs. Arsenal (Sunday, 10:00 AM): Both of these teams were succesful in their respective European competitions during the week; Blackburn won the first leg of their UEFA Cup 2nd qualifying round tie 1-0 and Arsenal went to the Czech Republic and beat Sparta Prague 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League 3rd qualifying round tie. Rovers striker Benni McCarthy is doubtful for this game with a concussion, but it's not like there's a shortage of strikers for manager Mark Hughes to choose from. Arsenal were fortunate to escape with a 2-1 victory against Fulham last weekend and they'll have to play much better in this game if they want full points. Blackburn-2, Arsenal-2

10. Liverpool vs. Chelsea (Sunday, 11:00 AM, FSC): The weekend's biggest game is its final game. Chelsea come to Anfield on the heels of a come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Reading in midweek and Liverpool return to league competition after beating Toulouse 1-0 in their Champions League 3rd round qualifier. It's not quite a real 6-pointer, but it's by far the most meaningful game in the Premiership for the near future. England midfield mates Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard come into this game with a broken toe apiece but both will play for their respective clubs. John Terry should make his return from a knee injury for Chelsea; Michael Essien figures to play as well for the Blues. Liverpool lost just one league game at home last season but Chelsea have won 3 of the past 4 league meetings between the two at Anfield. Will it be 4 out of 5? I don't think so. Liverpool-2, Chelsea-1

Premiership TV Games This Weekend

Saturday, August 18:

Portsmouth vs. Bolton--7:40 AM Eastern, Setanta; Live
Tottenham vs. Derby County--9:55 AM Eastern, Setanta; Live
Reading vs. Everton--9:55 AM Eastern, FSC; Live
Birmingham City vs. West Ham--9:55 AM Eastern, Setanta Xtra; Live
Newcastle vs. Aston Villa--12:00 PM Eastern, FSC; Live
Wigan Athletic vs. Sunderland--2:15 PM Eastern, FSC; Delayed


Sunday, August 19:

Manchester City vs. Manchester United--8:25 AM Eastern, Setanta; Live
Liverpool vs. Chelsea--11:00 AM Eastern, FSC; Live
Blackburn vs. Arsenal--2:30 PM Eastern, FSC; Delayed


•TV times and channels courtesy of soccertv.com

Carling Cup 2nd Round Draw

The 2nd round schedule for this year's edition of the Carling Cup has been released, with all games set to be played on Tuesday, August 28. Premier League teams make their entry into the tournament at this stage and there are 48 teams left overall.

Notable fixtures include (home team listed first):

•Birmingham City vs. Hereford
•Bristol City vs. Manchester City
•Bristol Rovers vs. West Ham
•Derby County vs. Blackpool
•Luton Town vs. Sunderland
•Middlesbrough vs. Northampton
•Newcastle vs. Barnsley
•Nottingham Forest vs. Leicester City
•Portsmouth vs. Leeds United
•Shrewsbury vs. Fulham
•Swansea City vs. Reading
•Wigan Athletic vs. Hull City
•Wolverhampton vs. Morecambe
•Wrexham vs. Aston Villa

The complete 2nd round match list can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/fixtures/default.stm

FSC Broadband Now Available

It's been a little late in coming, but Fox Soccer Channel's broadband service is now available, though only to viewers who reside in the US.

Here's FSC's description of their product:

"For the first time on broadband, Fox Soccer Channel brings you the
best of the Barclays Premier League. If you miss the game live or don't
get Fox Soccer Channel, catch the action here on Fox Soccer Broadband.
We'll bring you full matches on 12-hour delay, and let you view them
until the new fixture round. For the low price of $4.99 per game,
you can't afford not to watch!"

Right now the Reading-Chelsea and Fulham-Bolton matches are available for purchase at FSC's official website.

Midweek Recap

It was another exciting round of games in the Premier League. After 2 matches, we're seeing the completely unexpected (Tottenham pointless, Sunderland with 4 points, Manchester City top of the table), and that's what makes the Premier League so exciting. It's the best domestic league in the world for my money. Just 2 more days until the weekend!

To the recaps:

1. Everton-3, Tottenham-1 (My prediction: Tottenham-1, Everton-1): It's a horror story in North East London right now as Tottenham have 0 points after 2 games. The crowd at White Hart Lane was quieted early as Joleon Lescott scored for Everton just 3 minutes into the game, and after Anthony Gardner equalized, Leon Osman slammed home a finish from close range and Alan Stubbs' thunderous free kick took a wicked deflection into the net to cap off the scoring. Jermain Defoe came on as a 60th minute sub and looked lively for Spurs, but Everton were clearly the better team today and sit on 6 points heading into their weekend game at Reading. Gareth Bale, Michael Dawson, and Aaron Lennon couldn't return from injury any sooner for Martin Jol.

2. Fulham-2, Bolton-1 (My prediction: Fulham-1, Bolton-1): Fulham and David Healy continue to impress as the Northern Ireland striker made it 2 goals in 2 games after scoring the game-tying tally. Alexei Smertin had the deflected winner for the Cottagers while former Fulham player Heidar Helguson scored for Bolton, who remain pointless on the season. Things aren't looking too good for little Sammy Lee; Bolton make the trip to Fratton Park this weekend.

3. Manchester City-1, Derby County-0 (My prediction: Manchester City-1, Derby County-1): Sven's boys are at the top of the league after their narrow victory against the Rams. 19-year old midfielder Michael Johnson ended a goal-scoring drought for City at the Eastlands of 227 days (New Year's Day was the last time they scored at home) and was set up by another young player, Stephen Ireland. With all the foreign players Sven has brought in this summer, it was two English youngsters who earned City the win. Derby played well and almost earned another point; they play Tottenham away on Saturday. Could they get points from that game? Play at the level they've played in their first 2 matches and it's more than possible.

4. Portsmouth-1, Manchester United-1 (My prediction: Portsmouth-2, Manchester United-1): Just when you didn't think it could get worse for Manchester United after Wayne Rooney's injury, Cristiano Ronaldo faces a 3-game suspension after his straight red card in the 84th minute. The match referee, Steve Bennett, has sent Ronaldo off once before and appeared pretty quick on the red card trigger this time around, perhaps a bit too quick. Benjani's powerful header gave Pompey a share of the points after Paul Scholes scored his club record 96th Premier League goal for United on a lovely strike. Sulley Muntari was sent off after receiving his second yellow card and will miss Portsmouth's game with Bolton this weekend. Manchester United will head across town to the Eastlands for a Manchester derby. 'Arry's lads don't make it look pretty, but they're getting the job done.

5. Birmingham City-2, Sunderland-2 (My prediction: Sunderland-2, Birmingham City-0): They left it late, but Roy Keane's Sunderland side remain unbeaten after a 2-2 draw with Birmingham. Keane and Birmingham manager Steve Bruce were former teammates at Manchester United and both have been linked to be Sir Alex Ferguson's successor. Nothing separated their teams today. Stern John finished off a goalmouth scrum for the Black Cats to tie the game in the 90th minute while Michael Chopra scored earlier to make it 2 goals in as many games. Birmingham took advantage of an own goal to go out in front 1-0 and appeared to have the win in the bag when Gary O'Connor scored in the 81st minute. Sunderland's trip to Wigan this weekend has all the makings of more points for them and Birmingham have a chance to also get points as they host West Ham. One more time?? Ok. Keane-O, Keane-O!!

6. Chelsea-2, Reading-1 (My prediction: Chelsea-1, Reading-0): As advertised, it wasn't a pretty game at the Madejski but Chelsea came from behind to win. This was exactly the type of game Chelsea needs to take full points from: on the road, against a tough mid-table team who plays to grind the game out. Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba scored for the Blues, who have 6 points from 2 games despite all the nagging injuries across the locker room. Reading went ahead on an Andre Bikey goal (Petr Cech really looked hesitant on that one, thinking about last season perhaps?) but looked doomed after Kalifa Cisse got sent off in the 72nd minute. It's early days, but one of the most important games of the season will be played on Sunday when Chelsea travel to Anfield to play Liverpool.

7. Wigan Athletic-1, Middlesbrough-0 (My prediction: Wigan Athletic-0, Middlesbrough-0): Thank God this game's over, I don't think I could watch 10 more minutes of these two teams going at it. It's quite possible that hitting my head with a hammer would've been a more productive use of 2 hours than watching this. Middlesbrough looked sluggish throughout; Antoine Siberski's second goal of the season gave Wigan the win at home. One good sign for the Boro: Mido's finishing his move from Tottenham and will join his new team at the Riverside soon. There's nothing better than signing someone else's 5th-choice striker!

Notable Carling Cup 1st Round Results

•Leicester City-1, Accrington Stanley-0
•Bristol Rovers-1, Crystal Palace-1 (Bristol Rovers win on PK’s)
•Cardiff City-1, Brighton-0 (Extra Time)
•Nottingham Forest-0, Chester-0 (Nottingham Forest win on PK’s)
•Coventry City-3, Notts County-0
•Leeds United-1, Macclesfield-0
•MK Dons-3, Ipswich Town-3 (MK Dons win on PK’s)
•Norwich City-5, Barnet-2
•Morecambe-2, Preston North End-1
•Sheffield United-3, Chesterfield-1
•Charlton Athletic-2, Swindon Town-0
•Watford-3, Gillingham-0
•West Bromwich Albion-1, Bournemouth-0
•Peterborough-2, Southampton-1
•Wolverhampton-2, Bradford City-1

One more 1st round match is scheduled for tomorrow. See the complete list of results at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/results/default.stm

Arsenal and Liverpool Win on the Road

Arsenal and Liverpool will head back home in their respective Champions League 3rd qualifying round ties ahead on aggregate, as the Gunners went to Prague and beat Sparta 2-0 while Liverpool came away from Toulouse with a 1-0 victory.

Both teams are in the driver's seat now to advance to the group stage of the 2007-08 edition of the Champions League tournament. This was to be expected, but you can't assume anything until you play the games and both English clubs went out and took care of business away from home. The second legs will take place in two weeks' time, and I fully believe Arsenal and Liverpool will make their hard-earned lead stand up and move on to the next phase of the competition.

Premiership Predictions--Midweek, Round 2

1. Tottenham vs. Everton (Tuesday, 3:00 PM, Setanta): Tottenham will be out to avenge their disappointing loss at Sunderland last weekend while Everton tries to build off a dominating performance against Wigan. Leighton Baines has been ruled out of the Everton lineup again due to injury, and the Toffees won only 4 away games in 2006-07. Tottenham have injury problems of their own, which forced them to field a less-than-optimal lineup against Sunderland. It'll be a raucous crowd at White Hart Lane but at the end of the day, it's not the fans that win games. Tottenham-1, Everton-1

2. Fulham vs. Bolton (Wednesday, 5:00 PM, FSC): This game involves teams seemingly headed in opposite directions. Fulham looked very impressive against Arsenal on Saturday and were unlucky to come out of the game without points but Bolton came out flat and got hammered (at home) by Newcastle, 3-1. Unfortunately for the Cottagers, David Healy probably won't be gifted another goal ths time around. El Hadji Diouf should start for Bolton as Kevin Davies and Ricardo Vaz Te are both injured and he could be the difference in what should be a low-scoring affair. Fulham-1, Bolton-1

3. Manchester City vs. Derby County (Wednesday, 2:45 PM, Setanta Xtra): Both teams achieved positive results over the weekend with Manchester City blanking West Ham on the road 2-0 and Derby coming back to get a 2-2 draw against Portsmouth. Sven-Goran Eriksson should be pleased with how well his new signings jelled together and found their rhythm. Play like that again and they shouldn't have too much of a problem against Derby, but it's tough to find consistency when you haven't played together for that long. I like Derby County and the feistyness and resolve they showed against Portsmouth, a better team than City. Manchester City-1, Derby County-1

4. Portsmouth vs. Manchester United (Wednesday, 2:45 PM, Setanta): It's the first game of two months' worth of matches without Wayne Rooney for Manchester United, but Carlos Tevez will make his first start for the Red Devils in this game. Portsmouth came out of Pride Park with a draw on the weekend and now they come home to Fratton Park, never an easy place to play (11 wins, 5 draws, 3 losses there in 2006-07) and the site of a 2-1 win over United last season. I think 'Arry's boys can make it two home wins in a row over the defending champions. Portsmouth-2, Manchester United-1

5. Birmingham City vs. Sunderland (Wednesday, 2:45 PM): I'm still shaking my head as to how Birmingham scored twice at Stamford Bridge last weekend. Sunderland beat Tottenham 1-0 on Michael Chopra's 2nd half injury time winner and will look to carry that momentum into St. Andrews. All I can say is, if Colin Doyle is in goal again for Birmingham, give this game to Sunderland. Keane-O, Keane-O!! Sunderland-2, Birmingham-0

6. Reading vs. Chelsea (Wednesday, 3:00 PM, FSC): I find it amazing that you can get a red card not even a minute after you came on the field, yet Dave Kitson found a way for Reading in their 0-0 draw with Manchester United on Sunday. The Royals sat 10, and then 9, men behind the ball and scratched out a point, while Chelsea took advantage of some horrific goalkeeping to beat Birmingham 3-2. Didier Drogba may start in this game after coming off the bench Sunday. Both teams like to grind out results and one thing is for sure: this will be an ugly, ugly game. Chelsea-1, Reading-0

7. Wigan Athletic vs. Middlesbrough (Wednesday, 3:00 PM): Here's another game that won't exactly be a glorious sight for viewers' eyes. Wigan had a chance to snatch a point at Everton over the weekend but came up short and Middlesbrough squandered a 1-0 lead in their home loss to Blackburn. Wigan were awful at the JJB last season (5 wins, 4 draws, 10 losses), but Middlesbrough were even worse on the road (2 wins, 7 draws, 10 losses). Ah yes, mediocrity at its finest. Wigan-0, Middlesbrough-0

Carling Cup 1st Round

League Two side Peterborough beat Championship squad Southampton today 2-1 in the first game of the Carling Cup's first round. Most of these games will be played tomorrow at 2:45 Eastern Time, though two are scheduled for Wednesday and one more for Thursday.

The Carling Cup is considered to be the third most prestigious trophy in England after the Premier League title and the FA Cup. It was won last season by Chelsea, a 2-1 victor over Arsenal.

To see the complete list of first round matches, head over to http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/fixtures/default.stm

Premiership Midweek TV Games

Tuesday, August 14:

Tottenham vs. Everton--3:00 PM Eastern, Setanta; Live


Wednesday, August 15:

Reading vs. Chelsea--3:00 PM Eastern, FSC; Live
Fulham vs. Bolton--5:00 PM Eastern, FSC; Delayed
Portsmouth vs. Manchester United--2:45 PM Eastern, Setanta; Live
Manchester City vs. Derby County--2:45 PM Eastern, Setanta Xtra; Live


•The Blackburn-Aston Villa game and the Liverpool-West Ham game have been postponed due to European conflicts.

•TV times and channels courtesy of soccertv.com

Weekend Recap

Well, what can I say about this weekend? I'll be the first to admit that nearly all of my predictions were wrong, and it was a crazy opening slate of games in the Premiership. We saw injuries, we saw cards, we saw some great goals (including two breathtaking efforts); the bottom line is we saw good soccer, and that's what matters most. The Premiership is back, 37 more games to go!

On to the recaps:


1. Sunderland-1, Tottenham-0 (My prediction: Tottenham-2, Sunderland-1): The first 45 minutes were about as drab as you can get, with only a couple decent chances for each team. Tottenham fielded a less-than-full strength lineup, but no excuses, they came to the Stadium of Light expecting 3 points. Michael Chopra's second half injury-time winner gave Roy Keane a victorious Premiership managerial debut.

2. Newcastle-3, Bolton-1 (My prediction: Bolton-1, Newcastle-1): Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce enjoyed a dominating performance from his side on his return to the Reebok Stadium, where he led Bolton to four consecutive top 8 finishes. Two goals from Obafemi Martins, including a wonderful overhead kick, led the Magpies to a win on the road.

3. Derby County-2, Portsmouth-2 (My prediction: Portsmouth-2, Derby County-0): This is a game Portsmouth didn't deserve to win, yet Derby didn't deserve to lose either, so a draw was the only fair result. A soft goal by Benjani Mwaruwari tied the game at 1 after an early goal from Derby's Matt Oakley. John Utaka put Portsmouth ahead in the 82nd minute but a diving header from Andy Todd just 2 minutes later earned a share of the points for Derby. Portsmouth were caught on their heels early and often in this game and it was a disappointing game for the team from the South Coast. The draw was more than Derby could've hoped for I think, we'll see if they can expand on this good result.

4. Everton-2, Wigan Athletic-1 (My prediction: Everton-2, Wigan-0): Finally, I got one right! Everton dominated this game for 80 minutes and held off Wigan for a home win. Leon Osman and young Nigerian up-and-comer Victor Anichebe scored for the Toffees, and new signing Antoine Sibierski scored what turned out to be a consolation goal for Wigan. Leighton Baines was held out of the game due to injury, but I have no doubt he'll be in the lineup when Everton play at the JJB in January.

5. Blackburn-2, Middlesbrough-1 (My prediction: Blackburn-3, Middlesbrough-0): What a pathetic crowd at the Riverside for this game. First game of the season and Middlesbrough can't even get a sellout?? Roque Santa Cruz scored just two minutes after making his debut as a substitute for the injured Benni McCarthy, and fellow substitute Matt Derbyshire sent a curling beauty into the top corner of the net only 23 seconds after he came in. Stewart Downing put Middlesbrough ahead 1-0 on a free kick, but Boro couldn't hold the lead at home.

6. Manchester City-2, West Ham-0 (My prediction: West Ham-2, Manchester City-0): You can debate about who you think was the most impressive team this week, either City or Newcastle, but for my money I'll take Sven's boys. The new signings jelled together and simply outclassed West Ham, spurred by goals from Rolando Bianchi and Geovanni (absolutely comical defending on Nedum Onouha's run to set up Geovanni; Onouha is a defender for God's sake!). Great road victory for Manchester City.

7. Liverpool-2, Aston Villa-1 (My prediction: Aston Villa-1, Liverpool-1): A magical goal by Steven Gerrard gave the Reds the victory at Villa Park, one they fully deserved but looked to be denied after Gareth Barry converted a penalty to tie the game 1-1 in the 86th minute. Gerrard's free kick could turn out to be the goal of the season, and it gave Liverpool the 3 points they needed after a tough, physical affair in Birmingham. Ashley Young played extremely well for Villa in defeat.

8. Arsenal-2, Fulham-1 (My prediction: Arsenal-3, Fulham-0): Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez should give serious thought to starting Tony Warner in goal more often this year as Warner, who started on just 10 minutes' notice after Antti Niemi got injured during warmups, stood on his head in net all game long. Arsenal were very fortunate to win the game. Jens Lehmann's mistake was punished by David Healy not even a minute into the match and Fulham succesfully defended their lead for 80+ minutes. Robin van Persie's booming penalty kick equalized for the Gunners and Aliaksandr Hleb won the game in injury time, snatching the points from Fulham.

9. Chelsea-3, Birmingham City-2 (My prediction: Chelsea-2, Birmingham City-0): Shoddy goalkeeping was the major theme throughout this game. Goals by Michael Essien and Claudio Pizarro could've, and should've, been saved by Birmingham goalie Colin Doyle. Mikael Forssell put Birmingham ahead early after redirecting a flick by Liam Ridgewell, but that lead was short-lived. Jose Mourinho shouldn't be disappointed by his team's performance as Chelsea clearly controlled the game but giving up 2 goals to Birmingham is a bit troubling.

10. Manchester United-0, Reading-0 (My prediction: Manchester United-2, Reading-1): Full credit to Reading for snatching a point from this game, but Manchester United can't be happy with this result. They had their chances and were even up a man after Reading's Dave Kitson got sent off in the 72nd minute, not even a minute after coming off the bench. A hairline fracture of Wayne Rooney's foot will keep the England striker out for 2 months, and the decision to let Alan Smith and Giuseppe Rossi doesn't look too wise right now. Calling Dong Fangzhuo, calling Dong Fangzhuo!

Premiership Superlatives-Predictions

The 2007-2008 Premiership season starts tomorrow, and I couldn't be more excited. It's been an exciting summer with Copa America, the Gold Cup, the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the 2007 UEFA U-21 Championship, and David Beckham's arrival in MLS. However all of that comes secondary to the Premier League for me, and I'll be up early to watch Sunderland and Tottenham kick off the season tomorrow.

I've already made my predictions as to where I think each team will fall in the table at the end of the season. Without the individual players though, there would be no team. These predictions are all about them, the players we all love to watch who compete for the teams we all love to root for. Not all of the categories are real and it's likely that not many of my picks will be correct, but really, did Manchester United deserve seven players in the Premiership XI last season? No. The players (and manager) who get awards often get them either out of reputation or because the team they're on. Here we go:


Most Outstanding Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Most VALUABLE Player (who means the most to their team): Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)

Top Scorer: Didier Drogba (Chelsea)

Most Outstanding Goalie: David James (Portsmouth)

Manager of the Year: Harry Redknapp (Portsmouth)

Best Bargain Buy (incoming transfer worth $8 million US and lower): Freddie Ljungberg (West Ham)

Biggest Flop (incoming transfer worth $20 million US and higher): Fernando Torres (Liverpool)

Most Outstanding Newcomer (first season in the Premiership): Sulley Muntari (Portsmouth)

Top Young Player (21 years old and younger, two or fewer full Premiership seasons): Tied; Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Gareth Bale (Tottenham)

Most Missed Player (player who departed this summer): Thierry Henry

Feilhaber Secures Work Permit

Brazilian-born American international midfielder Benny Feilhaber has been granted a work permit by Britain's Home Office, clearing the way for him to complete his move to Premiership new boys Derby County from Hamburg SV, a Bundesliga club. A player must take part in 75% of his country's international games in the last two seasons to get a work permit and Feilhaber doesn't meet that requirement, which is why he had earlier been turned down.

Feilhaber was also eligible to represent Austria on the international level and turned down approaches from their coach, Andreas Herzog, to play for them.

After his second season playing for UCLA, Feilhaber was selected to play for the US U-20 team in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, hosted by the Netherlands. An impressive performance there led to a move to German club Hamburg SV that same year but he has appeared in only 9 league games for their senior team since he signed.

Feilhaber is doing what Eddie Johnson should've done: take advantage of interest from a Premiership club. Johnson's development as a player has been stunted by continuing to play in MLS. Yes, he's one of the league's top strikers and won't have any problem continuing to be one if he stays in MLS, but it won't make him any better of a player and it hurts his chances to play for the US National Team. Feilhaber turned in a breakout performace at the Gold Cup and turned some heads across the world. Moving to Derby County is just a stepping stone for him; nearly everyone is an agreement that Derby will be relegated from the Premiership after this season, but a good year (and he'll get more than his share of playing time) could result in moving to a bigger club, one that is a Premiership mainstay. He joins another talented young player, Giles Barnes, in the Rams' midfield, and fellow Americans Carlos Bocanegra, Brian McBride (captain), Clint Dempsey (who all play for Fulham), Tim Howard (Everton), Brad Friedel (Blackburn), Marcus Hahnemann, Bobby Convey (both at Reading), Johann Smith (Bolton), Jonathan Spector (West Ham), and Eric Lichaj (Aston Villa) in the Premier League.

Premiership Predictions--Opening Weekend

1. Sunderland vs. Tottenham (Saturday, 7:45 AM, Setanta): If he plays (he's questionable due to injury), it'll be a tough debut for Sunderland's new goalie, Craig Gordon, with the quality of attacking players Tottenham possesses. However, don't just write off Sunderland at home in front of what should be a capacity crowd at the Stadium of Light as it's their return to the Premiership. Tottenham-2, Sunderland-1

2. Bolton vs. Newcastle (Saturday, 10:00 AM, Setanta): A warm welcome back to the Reebok for new Magpies manager Sam Allardyce will be the most exciting part of a game between injury-racked Newcastle and old-as-dirt Bolton. Bolton-1, Newcastle-1

3. Derby County vs. Portsmouth (Saturday, 10:00 AM--2:15 PM delayed, FSC): Premiership new boys Derby County, already missing their best player in Giles Barnes, will be the first team to see just how good Portsmouth will be this year. Portsmouth-2, Derby County-0

4. Everton vs. Wigan Athletic (Saturday, 10:00 AM, Setanta Xtra): New Everton left back Leighton Baines makes his debut against the team he played for since 2002, when he was just 17. The start of the new era at Wigan under manager Chris Hutchings won't be a pleasant one. Everton-2, Wigan Athletic-0

5. Middlesbrough vs. Blackburn (Saturday, 10:00 AM): Benni McCarthy and Roque Santa Cruz, Jason Roberts, Maceo Rigters, or Matt Derbyshire + Middlesbrough's extremely depleted back line, especially in the center (which wasn't that good to start with) = no contest. Blackburn-3, Middlesbrough-0

6. West Ham vs. Manchester City (Saturday, 10:00 AM, FSC): Has new Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson ever even watched any of his 8, to this point, new signings play a game before?? It takes a while to build chemistry and get used to the Premiership. West Ham-2, Manchester City-0

7. Aston Villa vs. Liverpool (Saturday, 12:15 PM, FSC): Game of the week figures to be this one. Aston Villa is a team on the rise and Liverpool brought in a host of talented players this summer. Liverpool scored just 18 goals in 19 away games last season (13th best in the league) en route to only 6 wins. Can Torres help turn that around this year? Aston Villa-1, Liverpool-1

8. Arsenal vs. Fulham (Sunday, 7:00 AM, FSC): Arsenal plays the beautiful game, Fulham are draw specialists who sit 9 or 10 men behind the ball, content to boot the ball up field all game long. Fulham invested a lot of money into a lot of players, mostly defenders. That won't matter one bit here. Arsenal-3, Fulham-0

9. Chelsea vs. Birmingham City (Sunday, 8:30 AM, Setanta): "Eh, the boys played well, I thought the boys deserved better and the boys will go out and give it 110% next week, I'm sure of that", says Birmingham manager Steve Bruce after the game. Injuries are plaguing Chelsea, but they'll keep the unbeaten streak at Stamford Bridge going. Chelsea-2, Birmingham City-0

10. Manchester United vs. Reading (Sunday, 11:00 AM, FSC): Reading will have to fight the second season jinx that almost cost Wigan their spot in the Premiership last year. They won't get relegated, but they won't get a result out of this game either, not against the defending champions. Manchester United-2, Reading-1

Premiership TV Games this Weekend

Saturday, August 11:

West Ham vs. Manchester City—9:55 AM Eastern, FSC; Live
Aston Villa vs. Liverpool—12:00 PM Eastern, FSC; Live
Derby County vs. Portsmouth—2:15 PM Eastern, FSC; Delayed
Sunderland vs. Tottenham—7:40 AM Eastern, Setanta; Live
Bolton vs. Newcastle—9:55 AM Eastern, Setanta; Live
Everton vs. Wigan Athletic—9:55 AM Eastern, Setanta Xtra; Live


Sunday, August 12:

Arsenal vs. Fulham--7:00 AM Eastern, FSC; Live
Manchester United vs. Reading—11:00 AM Eastern, FSC; Live
Chelsea vs. Birmingham City—8:25 AM Eastern, Setanta; Live


•The EPL Review Show (highlights) comes on at 8:00 PM ET on Sunday night on FSC, 9:00 PM ET on Setanta. I definitely recommend this show if you missed games over the weekend, check it out.

•TV times and channels courtesy of soccertv.com

Premiership Preview--1. Manchester United

1. It'll be back-to-back Premiership titles for the world's most popular club side, Manchester United. A come-from-behind 4-2 road victory at Everton last April 28 sealed the deal for the Red Devils and they went on to win their 16th Premier League/old First Division crown. The rich only got richer this summer as big names like Owen Hargreaves and Carlos Tevez joined the ranks at Old Trafford, and the addition of supremely talented youngsters Anderson and Nani mean the future is bright in Manchester. The thing that separates Manchester United apart from every other club in England is that their past, present, and future all are intertwined and play vital roles on the team. The old guard, the guys who played in Manchester United's glory days in the late 1990's like Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, and Paul Scholes are all irreplaceable for the time being. Players who are there to help Manchester United win now, individuals such as Hargreaves, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic, Gabriel Heinze, John O'Shea, Darren Fletcher, and Mikael Silvestre also play varying roles of importance, with Ferdinand, Hargreaves, and Carrick obviously the players who have the bigger say in the success of the team. Then you've got the players of both the now and the future, the cornerstones of the team. Cristiano Ronaldo and 21-year old striker Wayne Rooney, as well as new signing Carlos Tevez, are world-class players right now, but players that will also be in Manchester for a long, long time. They're the type of players you build your team around, and Nani and Anderson are just a season or two away from stepping into the void that will be left by that old guard. Gerard Pique, a young Spanish defender, showed off his talents this summer at the U-21 World Cup and will turn out to be a good player for United if given the chance. Manchester United are loaded up and down their roster, and winning a second consecutive league title is more than possible for the Red Devils, especially with the best Premiership manager out there in Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson and the new American chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer spent a lot of money this summer to bring in top-level talent. $46 million US was invested in three midfielders, Brazilian-born Anderson, who can play a variety of positions, the Portuguese winger Nani, and defensive-minded central midfielder Owen Hargreaves. Nani is very similar to fellow countryman Cristiano Ronaldo in his style of play. He can operate on either wing and would be the heir apparent to Ryan Giggs, who probably doesn't have more than two seasons left in him. Anderson is almost two years younger than Nani, and his versatility will pay dividends for United both this season and in the future. He's capable of playing on the left wing, as a central midfielder, behind the striker, and as an attacking left-back (think Roberto Carlos), though he probably will be used mainly in the midfield this season. Canadian-born Owen Hargreaves' presence will be important as well. Having him in the lineup will allow Michael Carrick or Paul Scholes, whoever is playing, to move forward. Scholes has never been known as a gifted tackler but has had to play more defensively in past years as United have never really had a true holding midfielder since he's been there. Having him go forward to show off his passing and shooting ability will be possible with Hargreaves on the field. Striker Carlos Tevez finally arrived after much controversy surrounding his agent, Kia Joorabchian, and his former club, West Ham. Combined with Wayne Rooney, these two make up a lethal combination of youth, pace, power, and scoring ability that can be matched only by Tottenham in the Premiership. Tevez will probably miss the start of the season as he'll need time to get fit and acclimate himself to the rest of the team, but when he gets into the lineup, watch out. Louis Saha will move back to his familiar role as 3rd-choice striker, and old veteran Ole Gunnar Solksjaer will also be used this season. Strikers Alan Smith and Giuseppe Rossi both left Old Trafford this summer, though Manchester United have a buy-back clause with Rossi that would allow them to bring him back if they so desire. Winger Kieran Richardson departed for Sunderland as his future with the club was in serious doubt when Nani was brought in. He'll play for former teammate Roy Keane at Sunderland, where he'll benefit immensely from more playing time.

August will be a tough month for United as not only do they have to travel to Portsmouth and host Tottenham, they play Manchester City (away) in the always hotly-contested Manchester derby. September 23 is their first meeting of the season with Chelsea; it's at Old Trafford and will be a must-watch game. What should be four easy wins follow that game before a trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal in early November. Another road game against a "Big Four" team comes against Liverpool on December 15, which begins a packed stretch of 4 games in 14 days. February brings Tottenham and Manchester City again, and the game of the season will take place on March 26 when United go to Stamford Bridge in a game that could decide the Premiership. Chelsea haven't lost a league game at home under Jose Mourinho and Manchester United will look to end that run when they visit West London.

Bottom Line: Though Manchester United will probably put a lion's share of focus on the Champions League, they should win the Premiership as well. A Double won't be out of the question (Champions League and Premier League), though Barcelona look to be the team to beat in Europe. They have, for my money, the world's best player in Cristiano Ronaldo and he'll lead the team again as he's coming off the PFA Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year awards. The load on his shoulders will be considerably lightened with Tevez and Hargreaves coming in this summer, and the defense will do the job as well. Manchester United now boast the best midfield in the Premiership as well as one of the two best striking corps (United have better starters, Tottenham has more depth) in the league. This team has the makings of a Premiership champion all over it, but can they win the Champions League as well? Not if Chelsea and Barcelona have something to do with it.

Premiership Preview--2. Chelsea

2. The 2006-2007 Premier League season was decided on April 28 when Chelsea, needing nothing short of a win, welcomed Bolton to Stamford Bridge. After falling behind 1-0, Salomon Kalou equalized and an own goal by Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen put Chelsea up 2-1. On the same day, in the northwest of England, league leader Manchester United were in deep trouble against Everton, down 2-0 50 minutes into the game. A Chelsea win coupled with a Manchester United loss would've put the two teams equal on points and set up a massive showdown to decide the league at Stamford Bridge just two weeks later. However, a 54th minute goal from Bolton's Kevin Davies leveled the game at 2-2, where it would finish, and Manchester United scored 4 consecutive goals to beat Everton 4-2 and effectively wrap up the title.

Chelsea hope to write a different story for the 2007-2008 season. French winger Florent Malouda was the club's only cash buy as he came over from Lyon. The other three players brought in this summer (Tal Ben Haim, Claudio Pizarro, and Steve Sidwell) by José Mourinho were free transfers; absolute steals as each of those players wouldn't have come cheap if they were still under contract with their respective clubs. Malouda's breakout performance at the 2006 World Cup for France was followed up by his earning the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award for Lyon in the 2006-2007 season. At $26 million US, he's going to be counted on to produce on the wing in Chelsea's vaunted 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation. Tal Ben Haim moved over from Bolton and provides Mourinho with a legitimate 2nd/3rd option at center back behind John Terry, and will also be used at right back and even left back if need be. This frees up the powerful Michael Essien to return full-time to the central midfield role at which he excels. Peruvian international Claudio Pizarro's transfer from Bayern Munich is a solid move for Chelsea. Behind Didier Drogba, who scored a team-high 20 goals in 32 league games last season, and Salomon Kalou, the striking choices for Mourinho aren't too reliable. Ukranian forward Andriy Shevchenko only scored 4 goals in the Premiership last season (in 22 games; Kalou scored 7 in 19 games) and can't be counted on yet, though increased production is expected from him as he's now had a full season to adjust to the Premier League. Pizarro brings Champions League experience and production to a team that will undoubtedly be focusing on Europe's top competition this season. Midfielder Steve Sidwell had it made at Reading; starting and playing every game he was fit enough to take part in was a given with Steve Coppell's club but he wanted to play for a higher-profile team that played in Europe. He'll provide some depth to the Chelsea midfield; but with Michael Essien, John Obi Mikel, Frank Lampard, Lassana Diarra, Claude Makelele, and even Michael Ballack all playing in the center, Sidwell's playing time figures to be limited.

A trip to Anfield to meet Liverpool highlights the first month of Chelsea's schedule, which also includes a home game against Portsmouth. The best two teams in the Premiership square off at Old Trafford on September 23 as Manchester United will look to make a statement for the rest of the season at home and Chelsea will try and make one of their own and get a rare away win at the home of the defending champions. Out of 6 combined games in October and November, 4 of which are on the road, anything less than 15 points would have to considered a disappointment with the quality of teams Chelsea will face in that span. Tough games at Arsenal and Blackburn are the last two before Christmas, and a home game against Aston Villa on December 26th won't be easy either. Chelsea play Tottenham twice in a span of 6 games, once in the middle of January (home) and the other at the end of February. February will prove to be a difficult month for the Blues, as not only do Chelsea have to go to Tottenham, they'll travel to Fratton Park (never easy) and play host to Liverpool. It's downhill from there until the end of the season, however, as Chelsea will be expected to take the maximum points in 10 of the last 11 games. If the title chase is at tight as many people expect it to be, the March 26 game at Stamford Bridge against Manchester United could very well decide the Premiership.

Bottom Line: Two Premiership titles in the past three seasons, as well as an FA Cup, two Carling Cups, and a Community Shield don't seem to be enough for Chelsea fans. The focus this year will be the Champions League as the Blues have never won it in their history. They've been eliminated in the semi-finals in two of the past three tournaments by Liverpool (both under Mourinho), and in three of the past four competitions in total. Another unsuccessful trip to the semi-finals is not going to cut it under chairman Roman Abramovich, and a failure to win the whole thing may cost Mourinho his job. With all that said, Liverpool have a chance to make a run at second place as Chelsea's priorites will lie in Europe, but Chelsea's roster is so deep that they'll be able to hold off the Reds. I don't think Chelsea can win the Premiership this season; injuries are already taking a toll on the London club and Manchester United are looking fit and ready to go. Second in the Premiership and an appearance in the Champions League final in Moscow (where they'll lose to Barcelona) is my prediction.

Premiership Preview--3. Liverpool

3. Liverpool have one goal in mind this year: winning the Premier League. The Merseyside Reds haven't won the domestic title since 1989-90, and though they're arguably the most successful club in England as far as European competition goes, the fans at Anfield are clamoring for a return to domestic glory. Liverpool finished a whopping 21 points behind Manchester United last season and new American co-chairmen George Gillette and Tom Hicks have spent a lot of money this summer to bring in players for manager Rafael Benitez in the quest for a Premiership title. Benitez has developed a reputation as being a great manager in Europe, probably the best out of any other manager in the Premiership, but far from a wizard in the Premier League. He'll have to shake that label if he wants to lead his club to the top of the table this season.

It's been a flurry of activity at Liverpool this summer. 11 new players have made their way to Anfield and 9 will be playing somewhere else this season (though Adam Hammill and Danny Guthrie are only on loan). At just 23 years of age, Spanish striker Fernando Torres cost Liverpool $40 million US but that investment could turn out to be well worth the cost. Torres played previously for Atletico Madrid, where he scored 82 goals in 214 league appearances, and also stars for the Spanish national team (14 goals in 40 games). He joins a striking corps that, quite frankly, is less than intimidating, and his presence and production will be important from day one. Another young player, 20-year old Dutch winger/attacker Ryan Babel, will also play a critical role this season. He'll play a lot on the left wing as incumbent Harry Kewell is constantly injured and fellow new signing Yossi Benayoun is more of a natural central midfielder. Benayoun made the move from West Ham, where he often played behind the striker as an attacking midfielder. He also figures to get his share of playing time as Rafael Benitez has been playing Steven Gerrard on the right side with increased frequency. Benayoun will probably get a chance on the left side as well, but he's never played there before and with quality options there already he'll end up playing in the center. Striker Andriy Voronin came on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, but at 28 years old, he's no spring chicken and returning Liverpool forwards Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch are better Premier League options. Liverpool also lost their share of talent this summer. Though he's hot-tempered and always surrounded by controversy, Craig Bellamy is actually a decent player and will score his share of goals for West Ham this season. Two wingers, Bolo Zenden and Luis Garcia, also left Merseyside (though not for greener pastures). Garcia was an important player for Liverpool in his time there, Zenden was a depth player who didn't factor into Liverpool's future plans. Robbie Fowler will be taking a helicopter to new club Cardiff City every day as he's keeping his home in Liverpool, where he earned his legendary status through numerous big, important goals in his decade-long stint there.

After a tough trip to Aston Villa to begin the season and a home game with Chelsea the following week, Liverpool play 13 league games in a row in which they'll be favored to take full points. A road game at Portsmouth in that span will be very tricky, but it's the kind of game Liverpool will need to win if they harbor realistic title hopes. Same goes for home games against the two North London clubs, Tottenham and Arsenal, and a match at Blackburn. Liverpool play host to Manchester United and Portsmouth for the last two games before Christmas, then embark on another long stretch of winnable games. This one's easier than the 13-game run mentioned earlier, as out of the 7 games involved a home game with Aston Villa is the toughest. Trips to Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham (to close out the season) mark the second half, so Liverpool don't get the benefit of home-field advantage against the Premiership's best teams when it matters most.

Bottom Line: Unlike Manchester United and Chelsea, Liverpool's primary focus will be the Premier League. However, Liverpool don't have the same caliber of players up and down their lineup like those two teams do and that's what is most important. The points gap between the top 3 teams will be much closer than what it was last season, so Liverpool won't be fielding second-string lineups at the end of the year like they did last season (resting players for the Champions League had a lot to do with that as well), and March 22 will be their most important game of the season as it's away at Manchester United. Liverpool will have to "settle" for a run at the Champions League final in Moscow, as they just don't have the firepower to compete with Manchester United and Chelsea.

PK's and a Near-Fight

Manchester United took the FA Community Shield today with a victory over Chelsea. The game was tied 1-1 after 90 minutes and went straight to PK's, where Manchester United goalie Edwin van der Sar saved three in a row and Wayne Rooney converted the clincher to give United the win. We learned nothing new about the two teams; Chelsea played a bunch of second-stringers and Manchester United didn't play with much intensity; they didn't go into many tackles and were content to let Chelsea knock the ball around. Chelsea may start the season without their captain John Terry; Terry didn't play today due to a knee injury and could be unavailable when his team plays Birmingham next Saturday to kick off the year.

Liverpool drew with Feyenoord today 1-1 in a pre-season friendly. Steven Gerrard equalized for the Reds, but let's be honest: The highlight of the match was a nice scrum that flared up after a pair of late, tough challenges. A Feyenoord player, 20-year old winger Royston Drenthe, came in and got all of Gerrard's left shin and ankle then was promptly taken down from the side. The whistle blew for a foul, and another Liverpool player kicked the loose ball into Drenthe, who was on the ground. Pushing and shoving ensued, just what I like to see! Is it hockey season yet??

Community Shield

It's a game that means absolutely nothing in the long run, but today's FA Community Shield (10 AM ET, FSC) will pit Premier League champion Manchester United and FA Cup winner Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London.

Multiple starters from both teams will be held out of the lineup as there's no point in risking them getting injured before the Premiership season kicks off next week, and what you'll see will have the excitement of an NFL pre-season game.

Net profits from the match today (ticket sales, match programs, etc.) go to various charities throughout England. At least it's for a good cause, right?

Premiership Preview--4. Tottenham

4. Tottenham has finished 5th in each of the past two Premiership seasons, unable to crack the top four and the Champions League spots that come with it. Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal have made up the top four in those two seasons and in three of the last four seasons in total, but that stranglehold will come to an end in 2007-2008. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has spent more than $60 million US this summer to bring in additional players for manager Martin Jol and it will be their contributions that catapult Tottenham into 4th place this season. If you're young and British, Tottenham have an interest in you (Aaron Lennon, Michael Dawson, Jermaine Jenas, Tom Huddlestone, Wayne Routledge, Ben Alnwick, Philip Ifil, Gareth Bale, and Darren Bent).

The prize signing is Bent, a 23-year old striker who spent the last two seasons toiling in obscurity with Charlton Athletic. Bent scored 31 goals in 68 games for the Addicks and after Charlton got relegated this past season, it was clear he was going to move to a bigger club. Tottenham paid a hefty fee for him ($32 million US), but got a player who will make their already-superb striking corps (Berbatov, Defoe, Keane) even better. Each of those players scored 10+ league goals last season and though Defoe's production will drop a bit this year with the addition of Bent, Keane and Berbatov should be good for more than 10 goals again this year and I'd expect Bent to do the same. The player whose addition I feel will prove to be the most important this year is left back Gareth Bale. At just 18 years of age, Bale is already a starter on the Welsh national team (2 goals in 5 games; he was first capped at the age of 16) and played regularly for his Championship team (Southampton) since 2005. He was the Football League (Championship, League 1, League 2) Young Player of the Year for 2006-2007, and possesses a truly lethal left foot which has helped him become a brillant free-kick taker. Bale has been compared favorably to fellow Welsh player Ryan Giggs, and though he's not the most defensive-minded left back, he should jump right into the starting 11 for Tottenham as he's already a better player than any of the other options Martin Jol has at that position. It was basically left-back-by-committee last season at Tottenham and the club didn't spend $10 million US to sit an 18-year old on the bench. Younes Kaboul, a 21-year old French defender, was wrestled away from Auxerre and will begin the season as a starting center back as the captain, Ledley King, is injured (again!). Kevin-Prince Boateng was the Best Young Player in the Bundesliga last season with Hertha Berlin and adds to the dearth of central midfielders that Tottenham has. Tottenham lost no one of note this summer (Reto Ziegler was the biggest name to depart), and have a great team (at least on paper) for Martin Jol to tinker with.

Tottenham shouldn't have much of a problem through their first three games of the season, and a trip to Old Trafford on August 26 will be a statement game. Beating Manchester United away will prove they're for real, and a draw wouldn't be a bad result either. Tottenham hosts Arsenal just 3 weeks (2 games) later in a North London derby, another big game for them, and then will go to Anfield to play Liverpool on the first weekend of October. The schedule isn't very difficult at all from there until the middle of December when two consecutive road games bring Portsmouth and the second North London derby with Arsenal just 3 days before Christmas. Tottenham will then play Chelsea twice in a span of 6 games, games that also include a home date with Manchester United an away game at Everton. 10 straight winnable games follow that second match with Chelsea, and a home game against Liverpool finishes out the season.

Bottom Line: Arsenal and Tottenham are both very young teams, but the difference is Tottenham have some older, more experienced players (Robbie Keane, Didier Zokora, Steed Malbranque, Pascal Chimbonda, Dimitar Berbatov, Paul Robinson, etc.) who all play important, critical roles on the team. Whereas Arsenal's lineup is centered around young players who are relied on heavily, Tottenham can ease their younger players into the lineup because the veterans are still producing. The older guys take the pressure off the kids and mentor them while winning at the same time. The young players are able to mature at their own pace and aren't put into the lineup by Martin Jol until he's certain they're ready to handle playing in the Premierhip environment. Tottenham has fewer question marks than Arsenal, a very, very underrated manager, and more certain financial backing. This team is ready to crack the top 4 and play in the Champions League next season.

Premiership Preview--5. Arsenal

Before I get to this preview, and I apologize in advance for its length, let me say that I've gone back and forth between who I think will finish 4th and 5th this season. It's the toughest decision I'll make in this whole Premiership preview, but for me, it came down to one prevailing factor: Youth and the relative inexperience that comes with it. I don't believe a club's manager can overcome that; he can be a brilliant tactician and have a knack for putting the right people in the right places, but I don't think there's any getting around youth, and that's why Arsenal will finish below Tottenham this season.

5. Two more of the "Invincibles" are gone, and now just three of the stars who played on the unbeaten 2003-2004 team remain with Arsenal. Freddie Ljungberg and Thierry Henry bid their respective farewells to the North London club, and a new era in a new stadium is underway. This could also be manager Arsène Wenger's last season with Arsenal as he hasn't yet, and probably won't, sign another contract after his current one runs out in 2008. He may be looking for another challenge with another club or he may even retire from soccer completely, but either way there's a very real possibility that Arsene Wenger won't be on the sideline after this season. Arsenal finished 4th last season, 8 points ahead of Tottenham. There's no question that their future is extremely, extremely bright but as far as the "now" goes, Arsenal have some real question marks to answer.

That first question, and the most important, is how do you replace Thierry Henry's contribution to the club, both off-the-field and on? Say what you will about him having a disappointing season last year, but the fact remains that he was tied for second on the team in league goals scored with Gilberto Silva, a fellow "Invincible" (10 goals each), despite playing 17 games less than Silva and 5 games less than Robin Van Persie, who had 11 to lead the team. In 254 Premiership games since 1999-2000, Henry bagged a whopping 174 goals and chipped in 77 assists. In 84 games in European competitions with Arsenal, Henry scored 42 goals. The point is, you can't replace that in one summer, not with new signing Eduardo da Silva, not with anyone. Per the club's official website, Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor will miss the start of the season with a groin injury (which tend to linger for a while), and Robin van Persie really isn't a natural goal scorer; he benefited greatly from playing off Henry. Eduardo da Silva is unproven, having never played in any high-profile league (Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, or even Ligue 1), much less the Premiership. Henry was also Arsenal's captain and leader from 2005 until this summer. He'll pass the armband onto Gilberto Silva, who's certainly capable, but his English isn't great and I can't imagine he speaks French that well either and French is certainly a language that's prevalent on Arsenal.

The second question pertains to Arsenal's back line. Kolo Toure has great speed and strength and is one of the best center backs in the Premiership. William Gallas can play anywhere across the back, though he prefers to play in the center, and is capable of turning in great performances on his day, but his day doesn't come often enough. Left back Gael Clichy is a real up-and-comer at the age of 22 and has play has been good enough to cause Arsenal fans to forget about their former left back and current England left back Ashley Cole. Other than that, it's shaky for Arsenal. Young Swiss center back Philippe Senderos has all the power and strength you could ask for and is a great ball-winner in the air, but a lack of speed and the mental aspects of the game trouble him. Emmanuel Eboué will move from right back to the right side of midfield. When he was fit, Eboué was the starting right back for Arsenal; the problem is he's rarely healthy. A whole host of untested young players will be counted on to step up this season, including new signing Bacary Sagna, Johan Djourou, and Justin Hoyte. Can this back line perform up to the level they'll need to? I'm not sure.

Arsenal haven't been able to go out this summer and buy the big-name, expensive players because of some ownership questions. It's widely rumored that the club will be bought out as soon as sometime this season, possibly by a well-known American, Stan Kroenke. Kroenke is a sports tycoon in the US, co-owner of the St. Louis Rams (NFL) and the Colorado Crush (AFL), and owner of the Colorado Avalanche (NHL), Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Mammoth (NLL), and the Colorado Rapids (MLS). The current board won't spend big money to get players for Arsene Wenger with the possibility of new ownership coming in soon. That has resulted in Arsenal losing a whole lot more this summer than they've been able to bring in, and subtraction isn't the way to contend with Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, and even Tottenham.

A game at Blackburn will be their toughest of the first month of the season, but out of 3 league games, Arsenal should start off with 9 points. September gets a bit shakier as Arsenal host Portsmouth and then go to White Hart Lane to play Tottenham in the first vicious, always hotly-contested North London derby of the season. The first difficult stretch doesn't come until late October-early November, where road games at Liverpool and Reading await, as do home games with Bolton and Manchester United. It's smooth sailing from there until mid-December until the beginning of the new year. Four games in 14 days will be tough, particularly the away matches at Portsmouth and Everton. Arsenal also play host to Chelsea in that time, and they'll welcome Tottenham to the Emirates for the second and final North London derby of the year. That should be a classic match; it takes place on December 22 and what a Christmas present it will be for those of us in the US. The last long run of difficult games comes in late March and stretches through mid-April. It sees Arsenal play 5 games in total, including away dates at Chelsea, Manchester United, and Bolton, as well as home games against Liverpool and Reading. Those 5 games will be the make-or-break stretch of the season for the Gunners. Take 10-12 out of the maximum 15 points, and they can think about a top 4 finish and the Champions League.


Bottom Line: Arsenal's remaining strikers each have great talent, more than enough to finish in the top 5, but I don't think they can get the job done against the defenses that Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and even Tottenham can put on the field. The midfield is great, no qualms there, but the defense has question marks after Kolo Toure and Gael Clichy. Arsene Wenger is a brilliant manager and gets the best out of the lineup he puts on the field, but he's simply going to be outgunned this season. The club is too young and inexperienced to contend for a Premiership title this season and maybe even next season, but come 2009-2010, especially if Stan Kroenke buys Arsenal, look for Arsenal to mount a serious challenge and reclaim their place as champions of England's top flight. As far as 2007-2008, expect 4th at best.