In Visitors, I invite one person around each month to share perspectives on a sport, a sporting event, sporting aspects or any thing in between. Ahead of the EPL season 2006-07, Ravi Gurnani joins us to give an indepth preview. If you would like to contribute for a future edition of Visitors, do not hesitate to e-mail me.

Put away those national flags for now and bring out your jerseys and scarves. For those still hungover from World Cup disappointments, worry not, football redemption is round the corner. Depending on the club you support ofcourse.

The 4 horse race I anticipated last season didn’t quite materialise. However it should be much closer this time round.

Chelsea

Beginning with the champions, Chelsea. Michael Ballack, Andrei Shevchenko and Ashley Cole, probably in the waiting. That is some quality. However, all the money in the world has not bought happiness at Chelsea. Witness Jose Mourinho’s continuous whining and William Gallas’ revolt. Out went Asier Del Horno, Damien Duff and Hernan Crespo. 2 league titles after, the holy grail for Abramovich is the Champions League. So I wouldn’t be surprised with a slip up or two in the process. Shevchenko’s goal in the Charity Shield last week should assure them of some clinical finishing upfront, something that they lacked last season. Also watch for some unhappy faces on the bench as a result of an overcrowded central midfield.

Manchester United

Let me make it clear that my support lies with Manchester United. Not the best of times for a club perpetually in transition since the glory days of 1999. Forget the new Roy Keane, we haven’t seen the new Nicky Butt yet! Michael Carrick’s signing should allay fears about the lack of quality in the midfield. Look beyond and the options are thin. Marcos Senna or Owen Hargreaves should add depth in the middle that they seriously lacked last season. van Nistelrooy’s departure will be a blow. Nobody has crossed Ferguson and survived at Old Trafford. Ideally another striker and midfielder would complete the jigsaw for United. Also the much hyped Rooney Ronaldo spat hasn’t materialised. Good riddance to that!

Arsenal

Emirates FC… err sorry Arsenal FC. The new stadium will give them the much needed financial boost. Their young squad continues to develop in the absence of veterans Patrick Vieira and now Sol Campbell under Thiery Henry’s leadership. Tomasz Rosicky is one of the players to watch for this season. If the WC was an indicator, he should ease the loss of Robert Pires. A striker to support Henry and defender at the back would complete the picture for them. Also the sooner A Cole and Spanish misfit Jose Reyes decide their futures the better for them. A title might be a season or two too soon for them.

Liverpool

The Rafalution at Anfield continues. And I have to admit, Liverpool are the dark horses for me this season. Champions League and FA Cup in the bag, now for the big one. They seem to have the voodoo sign over Chelsea for a while now. Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Momo Sissoko are as good as they come in central midfield. Add to that the pace and trickery of Harry Kewell, Jermaine Pennant, Luis Garcia and Chilean Mark Gonzalez. They have a squad not only with depth and quality but with pace as well. Craig Bellamy and now Dirk Kuyt will add to options upfront. Strong defensively, they will have to improve against the smaller sides, something that cost them dear last season. Expect them to be up there with the other three come May.

Tottenham

The only team likely to break into the big 4 is Tottenham Hotspurs. The addition of Didier Zokora and Dimitar Berbatov, who is destined for goals, will makeup for the loss of Carrick and Mido. Lot of depth in a young squad at Martin Jol’s disposal. Silverware will be expected sometime soon for the amount of investment that has gone into the squad. If Middlesborough could make the Uefa Cup final last season, well, then Tottenham are equipped to do better.

The relegation battle

For relegation I am going for safety in numbers. Three out of five from Reading, Sheffield United, Watford, who all came up, Fulham and Manchester City. But then nobody is too good to go down like Birmingham proved last season.

I would have added Aston Villa to the list if not for Martin O’Neill’s and Randy Lerner’s (why does that name sound so crude!!) arrival. Remains to be seen if that is Manchester United’s loss when time comes to replace Fergie.

Mid-table, UEFA spots and more

Managerial newbies Ian Dowie at Charlton Athletic and Gareth Southgate at Middlesborough should be somewhere in mid-table.

Newcastle United, who got the bargain of the season in Duff for 5 million, should push for Uefa Cup places if they can buy half a striker. While the midfield remains competitive, the defensive comic double act of Jean-Alain Boumsong and Titus Bramble should provide for some defensive gaffes.

Wigan Athletic will struggle to replicate last season’s success after losing key players, but under chairman Whelan and manager Paul Jewell, they have some dough and a shrewd manager. West Ham United haven’t made any significant additions. Europe might be expecting a bit too much.

Bolton Wanderers, Everton and Blackburn Rovers should lead the pack chasing for Uefa Cup and midtable places. They all have good managers and a good work ethic in their sides. Portsmouth, the poor man’s Chelsea, backed by Gaydamak, haven’t broken the bank as promised. Proven performers in Kanu, Campbell and David ‘Calamity’ James should help them avoid relegation.

We should witness some touchline antics with the arrival of Neil Warnock at Sheffield, who is never short of a word for a referee, and the return of the animated O’Neill.

All in all, a Chelsea, with one eye on the Champions League, slip up with Manchester United and Liverpool waiting with glee is my prediction for this season. Lets ‘ave some of it!!

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 19th, 2006 at 2:40 am and is filed under Football. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.