August 13 2004

Premiership

The moment is nearly upon us, we are part of the Premiership once again, for the fourth time of asking.

Chelsea

Last Season: 2nd

In: Arjen Robben , Mateja Kezman (PSV), Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira (Porto), Tiago Mendes (Benfica), Didier Drogba (Marseille),Petr Cech (Rennes)

Out: Jesper Gronkjaer, Mario Melchiot, Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink, Neil Sullivan, Bolo Zenden, Carlton Cole (Loan), Hernan Crespo (Loan) Joe Keenan (Loan) Sebastien Kniessl (Loan), Alexis Nicolas (Loan), Juan Veron (loan), Winston Bogarde, Marcel Desailly, Mario Stanic, Marco Ambrosio (loan), Emmanuel Petit.

Player to Watch: Mateja Kezman

My Prediction: 2nd /1st

Total Points: Between 78 – 82 points

How Many Points will we get : 0

I am hedging myself here. So I create 2 scenarios. The first one is with the situation is at the moment. (11/08/04).

It seems strange, but Chelsea’s fate will be in someone elses hands this season, after all the money they have spent this close season (around £60 Million), it will be down to £30 Million of Real Madrids money if accepted by Arsenal for Patrick Viera.

The situation is very simple. If Arsenal sells Viera, Chelsea wins the title. If they don’t , Chelsea will finish second. Chelsea may have had a squad that would rival the cast of extras from all the Lord of the Rings movies put together, it makes no difference. They don’t have a Viera.

Of course, it is more complex than that. But that is essentially the rub of the green.(green being the money spent). Chelsea does have good players in Frank Lampard, but he is no Viera. There is no-one like Patrick in the game of football. He is what leaves Chelsea in 2nd place.

There are other factors to be sure. The manager is new, players have come and gone through the revolving door at Stamford Bridge quicker than you can say “corruption” and the squad has taken on a new feel, which could take time to settle.

Jose Mourinho is probably the most exciting manager in European Football today. He has worked with the best and he has won European tournaments, as well as his own national League and Cup, in Portugal. He arrives after winning the psychological war with Sir Alex Ferguson last season in the Champions League, and is ready to challenge Arsene Wenger for the title.

In Mateja Kezman, they have a world class finisher. A player who could score more than Henry and Van the man this year. I was hoping that his suspension would be upheld for the opening games, as this means that at Selhurst Park, he would be missing. Now he is playing, it means that he could run riot. 35 goals in 33 games last season for PSV, is impressive. I saw him play last season and the one thing is that he never stops running. He is going to be an absolute nightmare for opposing teams.

Frank Lampard has emerged as the one real plus from Euro 2004 from an English perspective and John Terry will in time, become as important. Then there is Didier Drogba, who at £24 Million, could also be a real thorn in the sides of teams this year.

I guess that getting promoted means that we have to face world class opposition. No longer will we face Gillingham at home, with players of the ilk of Hessenthaler or Spiller, but now it is Chelsea and Drogba, Kezman, Mutu or any other of the players in the stellar line up that is Chelseas’ first team squad. It sends shivers down my spine thinking about what this lot can do to a small club like us. Our boys will give their all, and may not be disgraced, well not too much. But ultimately it means one thing, no points.

I think that, it may still be one season to short for Chelsea, but the title will end up at Stamford Bridge if not this season, next season. Mourinho is no fool and he will bring what Abramovich wants most, the title.

Whether he will still be around to see it from his seat, is another matter. If the rumours about the origins of his billions are true, then Chelsea could be in real trouble. As it stands, they are the most improved side over the summer, but still are short of the x-factor that wins titles. That x-factor however, could soon be in Madrid, to much sniggering down the Kings Road, if it does happen.

Arsenal

Last Season: 1st

In: Robin Van Persie (Feyenoord), Manuel Almunia (Celta Vigo), Arturo Lupoli (Parma), Mathieu Flamini (Marseille)

Out: Giovanni Van Bronkhorst, Nwankwo Kanu, Ray Parlour, Martin Keown, Igor Stepanovs, Sylvain Wiltord, Efstathios Tavlaridis, Alex Bailey, Liam Chilvers, Craig Holloway, Nicky Nicolau, Ashley Probets, Stephen Bradley, Sam Kanu, Dean McDonald, Michal Papadopoulos, Paulinho, Rami Shaaban, Dorian Small, Hassan Sulaiman.

Player to Watch: Jose Antonio Reyes

My Prediction: 2nd /1st

Total Points: Between 80 – 85 points

How Many Points will we get : 0

We beat Arsenal in 1994. 2-1 at Highbury. In the season they won the double we beat them in the League Cup. That was 1971. I have to say it wont happen this year. Or next. Quite simply, we may be in the Premiership, but they are in a different class entirely.

To go a whole season unbeaten, is a tremendous achievement, one that Arsene Wenger is most proud of. However for them to do it again, is asking too much.

They may be a better side, but face the prospect of losing their star player, Patrick Viera. Talk about Henry, rave about Bergkamp and Pires, but the engine that is Viera drives the team to be what they are – champions. Without him, they are a pale imitation of themselves. For one or 2 games they can manage, but for the whole season, they are not strong enough.

Indeed while Arsenal has let the equivalent of a first team 16 go from the club, have brought in Robin Van Persie from Feyenoord. But he is, to date the only big name to join the ranks at Highbury.

Big names have departed, Jeffers, Parlour, Keown, Kanu , Wiltord are now surplus to requirements at Highbury. But Viera is the one name which has not been added to this list, yet.

Going back to that Scenario, if Viera leaves , Arsenal will have a very tough job to win the league this year. Let us not forget that Wenger spent his money last season, on getting Reyes from Sevilla. It looks like money well spent, as Reyes ran the Community Shield game. He is now settled. Many of Chelsea new signings are not.

But Chelsea have bridged that gap, so without Patrick, Arsenal will lose that va va voom, which has taken them to the title. Henry will struggle without the leggy midfielders breaking runs to set up goals for his Gallic counterpart, Campbell will miss those breathtaking tackles, which nullify so many attacks. The whole team will suffer. Patrick is worth 5-10 points on his own.

Will Wenger see any of the money? I doubt it. Arsenal is ploughing all their money into the Ashburton Grove project. I’m sure that Wenger will be able to get a replacement, should Viera go. But Micheal Carrick and Maniche are good players, but as good as Viera, they are not. Any replacement would be inferior.

Arsenal is not a one man team, but they are a team built around one man. He makes it work, the well oiled machine will well and truly go off the road, should he not be there to drive it. For sure, Dennis Bergkamp is better than ever, and Thierry Henry is going to make mincemeat of all defences this year, even Chelseas’.

But a post -Viera Arsenal will be one that struggles to shine in games when decisions go against them and luck is absent. Viera is a guarantee. Even when Arsenal have a dip in form, they would still win games. Without Viera this wont happen.

Should they keep him, then it is almost assured that they will win the league again. Wenger has a team on the top of its game. The side is settled and each person knows their job. They also have some of the best players in Europe playi