"20 Teams in 10 Days" Premiership Preview

As hinted to in earlier posts, it's almost time for my second annual Premiership preview.

Beginning this Friday, August 1, I'll be covering two teams a day for 10 days, starting with the club I believe will finish dead last this year and working my way up in order to the eventual league champion. Believe me, these are remarkably thorough looks at each team, something that you won't find at many other blogs out there.

I'll start with a quick recap of a team's 2007-2008 season, then move on to player movement this summer, both coming and going. I'll combine that with analysis of the holdovers and give you a full starting lineup that, barring injuries or transfers that take place after I put out a team's preview, should take the field for that team's first game. I'll examine the team's schedule, highlighting their difficult stretches and stretches where points need to be picked up. At the end of each capsule, you'll see a "Bottom Line", where I'll briefly summarize (in a couple of sentences or so) what a team's chances are based on their roster and manager.

Remember, because the transfer window will still be open well after I publish these previews, they have to be taken with a grain of salt. For example, I picked Manchester City to finish 15th last season before Sven brought in Elano, Martin Petrov, and a few other pieces of his international puzzle. I can only base my previews on the players that are there at the time of writing, not on transfer speculation or gossip that I see or hear in the media. I also obviously can’t predict injuries; certain players are more prone to them than others, but I can’t account for things that haven’t happened when I’m composing a team’s outlook.

I look forward to doing this, and I hope you'll check back daily as we get closer to the start of the '08-'09 Premiership season.

Euro 2008 Group Stage Predictions Revisited

The group stage of Euro 2008 is now complete, and we were lucky to witness 12 days of compelling action all afternoon long. There were great comebacks. There were upsets. Some of the favorites held serve and did what they were expected to do.

Croatia's Slaven Bilić, who I've been high on for a while, thrust himself to the forefront of the managerial world with the way he led his team to three wins in three games. He beat Austria in their own home and Germany in their own backyard. He beat a desperate Poland team while resting nine starters as his team had already won their group. He found a way to replace Eduardo da Silva, Croatia's leading goal scorer in Euro 2008 qualifying.

David Villa's four goals for Spain, including a hat trick against Group D's second-place team, Russia, raised his stock after an extremely disappointing '07-'08 campaign for Valencia. He'll be looking to move this summer, but his price has definitely increased with his two performances.

ESPN's coverage has been good for the most part so far, although I think I may be the only one who isn't a fan of Andy Gray, a man who too often tries to preach to the viewers about soccer in general rather than staying with the task at hand, the game itself.

As I did after the end of the 2007-2008 Premiership season, I'll now take a look back at the predictions I made before this competition started:

My picks:

Group A
1. Portugal
2. Switzerland
3. Czech Republic
4. Turkey

Group B
1. Germany
2. Croatia
3. Austria
4. Poland

Group C
1. Italy
2. France
3. Romania
4. Holland

Group D
1. Spain
2. Russia
3. Sweden
4. Greece

Actual Results:

Group A (2-4)
1. Portugal
2. Turkey
3. Czech Republic
4. Switzerland

Group B (2-4)
1. Croatia
2. Germany
3. Austria
4. Poland

Group C (1-4)
1. Holland
2. Italy
3. Romania
4. France

Group D (4-4)
1. Spain
2. Russia
3. Sweden
4. Greece

So as you can see, out of the 16 total teams, I correctly picked the exact finishing places for 9 of them (56%) and was spot-on with Group D. I also correctly identified 6 out of the 8 quarterfinalists (75%). All in all, not bad, if I do say so myself (and I will).

My biggest mistakes were underestimating Holland and their explosiveness and overestimating the ability of France and Italy to overcome the age that can be found on the rosters of both nations. I counted on the home crowd to boost Switzerland to at least a place in the quarterfinals, but two bad refereeing decisions went against them in their opening match against the Czech Republic, a game they needed to have, and condemned them to their fate.

Preseason Predictions Revisited

Alright, it's time for me to face the music and let you all have a go at me. I'm going to compare my preseason predictions as to how the final table would look with what has actually transpired over the 38-game season.

Here is my original prediction, and you can go back into the archives and look it up if you want proof:

1. Manchester United
2. Chelsea
3. Liverpool
4. Tottenham
5. Arsenal
6. Portsmouth
7. Aston Villa
8. Everton
9. Bolton
10. Blackburn Rovers
11. Reading
12. West Ham
13. Fulham
14. Newcastle
15. Manchester City
16. Middlesbrough
17. Sunderland
18. Wigan Athletic
19. Birmingham City
20. Derby County

Now, here is the final table. Teams that I picked to finish exactly where they did are highlighted in bold:

1. Manchester United
2. Chelsea
3. Arsenal
4. Liverpool
5. Everton
6. Aston Villa
7. Blackburn Rovers
8. Portsmouth
9. Manchester City
10. West Ham
11. Tottenham
12. Newcastle
13. Middlesbrough
14. Wigan Athletic
15. Sunderland
16. Bolton
17. Fulham
18. Reading
19. Birmingham City
20. Derby County

As you can tell, I hit four out of the league's 20 teams on the head, which is a 20% success rate. I also correctly predicted six out of 20 (30%) to finish either exactly where they did or one spot above or below, and 11 out of 20 (55%) to finish either exactly where they did or two spots above or below.

On the whole, I didn't do a great job but that's why this league is what it is. It's extremely difficult to make these kind of predictions and have any significant amount of accuracy. This was also the first season that I've really gotten into the Premiership and followed it closely.

I can't wait until July, when I do my second annual "20 Teams in 10 Days" Premiership Preview, where I take a look at all the teams for next year, their summer comings and goings, and predict where they'll end up in reverse order.

Go for it, everyone, have at me. I know you want to!

Tomorrow's Upset Special

Tomorrow's six-game slate certainly isn't the most attractive we've seen this season, especially not before closer inspection. When you really look at it though, there should be a couple of good games and I'm going to go on the record in one of them and say that Fulham will take points against Liverpool.

Part of me wants to take the safe route and predict a draw. You know what, though? Screw that. I'm going to lay it on the line right now; Fulham will BEAT Liverpool at Craven Cottage tomorrow. You heard me correctly. Fulham. Win. Over Liverpool.

Why? For several reasons:

1. The Cottagers have everything to play for -- Premiership survival. Liverpool has..well..nothing to play for. With Everton's loss to Chelsea yesterday, Liverpool is basically assured of 4th place and the final Champions League spot that comes with it. Don't underestimate the motivation of a desperate team against a team just playing out the string in the league.

2. Liverpool has their Champions League semifinal first leg on Tuesday. Make no mistake, that is the one thing driving Liverpool FC. Rafa is already known for his squad rotation system, and I just can't see guys like Torres, Gerrard, and either Mascherano or Alonso playing much tomorrow for fear of injury. Without that opposition spine right down the middle and with their team fully healthy, Fulham may have an advantage.

3. Remember last year's game at Craven Cottage between these two teams? It was a very similar situation; Fulham needed points and Liverpool was only competing for the Champions League. Benitez fielded a much-weakened team to rest his stars and Fulham got the victory.

4. Liverpool's fans -- will they travel down to West London? It's a long trip to the other end of England to likely see a less-than-full-strength Reds team. Even if the Scousers do make the journey, Fulham's fans are definitely going to outnumber them in that smaller stadium and Craven Cottage will undoubtedly be sold out.

Prediction: Fulham-2, Liverpool-1

Preseason Predictions Revisited

Premiership teams have now played either 29 or 30 games and as we head into roughly the final quarter of the season, there's a lot to play for at the bottom, middle, and top of the table. As a neutral fan, that's all I can ask for; suspense until the very end keeps me interested and it's shaping up to be a fantastic finish.

Last summer, I did my predictions as to where I believed each team would finish the year, and now, 75% of the way through the season, seems as good of a time as any to go back and revisit those picks and compare them to how the standings look today:

My Preseason Predictions:
1. Manchester United
2. Chelsea
3. Liverpool
4. Tottenham
5. Arsenal
6. Portsmouth
7. Aston Villa
8. Everton
9. Bolton
10. Blackburn Rovers
11. Reading
12. West Ham
13. Fulham
14. Newcastle
15. Manchester City
16. Middlesbrough
17. Sunderland
18. Wigan Athletic
19. Birmingham City
20. Derby County

Current Table (if my prediction matches, that team is in bold):
1. Manchester United
2. Arsenal
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Everton
6. Portsmouth
7. Aston Villa
8. Manchester City
9. Blackburn Rovers
10. West Ham
11. Tottenham
12. Wigan Athletic
13. Middlesbrough
14. Reading
15. Newcastle
16. Sunderland
17. Birmingham City
18. Bolton
19. Fulham
20. Derby County

Alright, 4/20 (20%) isn't too great, BUT, I've been 8/20 (40%) accurate within one place. For example, I picked Newcastle to finish in 14th but they're in 15th right now; they are one of the eight teams within one place of my predictions.

Here's your chance to let me have it, everyone. Tell me how wrong I've been, rub it in my face a little bit.

Come on, give it to me!

My Champions League Round of 16 Predictions Update

After seven of eight ties, with Liverpool going to Inter Milan next week, here's a quick recap of my predictions:

My predictions to advance:

Liverpool (second leg still to come, currently up 2-0)
Real Madrid (eliminated by Roma, 4-2)
AC Milan (eliminated by Arsenal, 2-0)
Fenerbahçe (defeated Sevilla on PK's, 5-5)
Barcelona (defeated Celtic, 4-2)
Chelsea (defeated Olympiacos, 3-0)
Manchester United (defeated Lyon, 2-1)
Porto (eliminated on PK's by Schalke 04, 1-1)

So as it stands right now, I'm 4-7, with Liverpool looking pretty good to make me 5-8. That would be 62.5%. Not bad, not great.

If I was able to predict the outcome of every tie correctly, there would be no reason to play the games. When it gets down to the last 16 in the Champions League, it's a crapshoot and all bets are off.

Quick Predictions for Today's Premiership Games

Alright, I gave you a brief preview of three of the four games yesterday. I want to change things up a bit today and just give you my predictions for this afternoon's action; nothing more, nothing less.

1. Chelsea-2, Reading-1
2. Tottenham-3, Everton-2
3. Manchester City-3, Derby-1
4. Manchester United-2, Portsmouth-0
5. West Ham-2, Liverpool-1

Agree? Disagree? Let me hear you.

Manchester United WILL Win the Premiership

After watching Manchester United's 2-2 draw against hosts Arsenal this Saturday, I was left with one clear impression: As I predicted before the season, Manchester United are the team to beat and will defend their Premiership title this season.

To be fair, Manchester United were the better side at the Emirates and if one team was going to win that game, it was going to be the Red Devils. Owen Hargreaves clearly wasn't even fully fit but still played well, Michael Carrick and Louis Saha are just getting back into form, and Nani didn't even play, but still Manchester United had pretty good control of the game. Ronaldo looked as dangerous as ever late in the game and as I've said before, Rooney and Tevez are the top striking duo in the Premiership, if not Europe.

On the other hand, you can argue all you like that Robin van Persie didn't play either and that his return from injury will make all the difference. Here's the thing: it won't. Arsenal are less-than-convincing up top; Adebayor is a very, very poor man's Kanu and doesn't have the ability to score goals against top teams when he's up front by himself, da Silva is barely worth mentioning, and Theo Walcott is more of a wing player anyway. I'm not sold at all on Almunia in goal, and when you combine him and Lehmann you have yourself a shaky combination on the best of days. Fabregas is bound to cool off; there simply is no way he maintains this goalscoring pace all year, there isn't any precedent for it in his history.

When I look at Arsenal, I see a team who has feasted off a relatively soft schedule to start the season and struggled when they've had to play tough competition. They didn't deserve to beat Fulham at home in the first game of the season, barely beat Sunderland at home, and picked up only ties on the road against Blackburn and Liverpool. They've played 7 home games already this season compared to just 4 away from the Emirates, and 2 of those away games were in London! Give me a break! They haven't proven themselves at all yet.

Manchester United went to Portsmouth and got a tie (and that was when they had injuries and suspensions galore), won at Everton, beat Chelsea at home, won at Aston Villa handily, and have now tied Arsenal on the road. United are the team who are going to enjoy the soft portion of their first-half schedule now and with the run of form they're on, even an Arsenal win at Old Trafford on April 12 won't be enough for the Gunners to catch the Red Devils, mark it down right now.

Glory Glory Man United!

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 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 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

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

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