Pre-Match EPL 14/15: Week 1

The EPL will be back this weekend and The Writer wants to give his brief analysis on all those 10 matches scheduled. This season will surely have another close race at the top to the title and at the bottom towards relegations. With Luis Suarez gone, the race for the EPL’s best player will also be up for grabs…

Manchester United vs Swansea City

This is a good opener for the new EPL season. Everyone is excited to see Louis van Gaal and his new team. Wayne Rooney will be motivated to start strong as the new United’s captain. Swansea on the other hand is a new team. Many players come and go. The identity of the club that won the League Cup two years ago is diminishing. Gone are Michu, Chico Flores, Michel Vorm, Pablo Hernandez and the scorer in the final, Jonathan De Guzman. United will win this game to at least prove LVG is the man to take them forward and Swansea will take time to rebuild.

Leicester City vs Everton

Leicester is an unknown quantity and has nothing to lose against Everton. Playing at home, they may cause an upset. But expect Everton to win this one with hopefully Ross Barkley scores a screamer just like last season’s first game. He looks to be another Wayne Rooney than another Jack Rodwell.

QPR vs Hull City

This will be a tight game. Hull City is on fire at the moment. They won almost all their friendly and passing the Europa League qualifier with flying colours, although through a late goal. QPR is not in good form but Harry Redknap will know how to motivate his team with the help of Rio Ferdinand’s influence and Glenn Hoddle’s new tactical advice.

Stoke City vs Aston Villa

Bojan Krkic. The Writer hopes this name will be on the scoresheet at the end of this game. Cause he really needs it to resurrect his free-falling career. Chances are high for Stoke to win this game because they are quite excellent in pre-season but Villa players will be afraid to upset Roy Keane so early in the season. They have to at least give a fight against Stoke.

West Brom vs Sunderland

This is predicted to be a game of relegation battlers. Gus Poyet is a good motivator but he needs to bring more players to replace the key players of great escape last season. West Brom may struggle this season and they need their own wonderkid, Saido Berahino to mature faster and be their savior. A draw for both teams.

West Ham vs Tottenham Hotspur

West Ham beat Spurs last season with the solo goal from Ravel Morrison being the highlight. On paper, Spurs looks stronger but The Writer expects a nervy game from them to impress their new manager. Spurs may play safe with West Ham and a draw is likely. Unless Ravel Morrison pops up once more to run himself free into the Spurs goal net.

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace

What??? The Palace has crumbled again. Once more they lost their manager early in the season. But this time, the season has not even started yet. They will surely hoping to hire another type of Tony Pullis. However, the players will be very much disappointed to see Pullis gone and there is no way a comeback of 3 goals down against Liverpool last season can be repeated with this kind of motivation at such a crucial time. Arsenal will hit them hard at home. Aaron Ramsey and co will have no mercy, for sure.

Liverpool vs Southampton

Trio of Rickie, Adam, and Dejan will be anxious to wait for this fixture. But only Rickie and Dejan get the chance to play in it as Adam is out injured. Ronald Koeman will want to show the new exciting batch of Southampton's young fledglings in this match and prove that the club is still the real deal even after losing their stars. Liverpool is desperate to win this match to ease the pressure of having to face ManCity in the second fixture. Raheem Sterling and Coutinho will have to grow up and be the main men faster.

Newcastle vs Manchester City

Yaya Toure will love this game. He likes to score against Newcastle. City will continue their momentum of winning from last season's finale. Just hope that Alan Pardew doesn't headbutt any City player during the match. Steven Jovetic will be nervous to wait whether his fine pre-season form is good enough to warrant him a place in the starting eleven.

Burnley vs Chelsea

Ginger versus Grey. Different version of Mourinho. That's what the people are calling the Burnley manager, Sean Dyche. Dyche will hope he can be the new special one at least for this match by beating the star-studded Chelsea team. But expect Diego Costa to save Mourinho and prove he is better than the returning Didier Drogba.

Between the Post

Every club needs a great goalkeeper to safeguard their last line of defence. But two? It's insane to have two great goalkeepers in the same club. That is the situation at clubs nowadays, ironically. There is no way a manager can make his players happy all the time by putting some of them on the bench. Let alone great goalkeeper. Normally, goalkeeper will only be substituted if he is injured. Even if his performance is really bad during a match, manager seldom substitutes his goalkeeper. So to have a great goalkeeper sitting on the bench watching his teammate, another great goalkeeper, performing on the pitch is a mental torture. Unlike international football, where the national team manager will choose three of the nation’s goalkeepers for a match but still only use one or two of them. That is different because international match is a one-off. The gap between matches is long, often 1 or 2 months before international players will meet again for another match.

But at club level, it is a week in week out sort of game schedule. Goalkeepers are like other outfield players. They need match experience to improve. They cannot hope to just improve their ability by performing in training. Training and playing in a match is a very different thing. Although a goalkeeper is the most relaxed spectator on the pitch, he needs to a have a high focus and concentration because one lapse of these two can drag the goalkeeper into trouble. To have high focus and concentration level, a goalkeeper needs match experience. The intensity of the game. That really makes a goalkeeper improves actually.

So, back to the fact that most clubs now have two great goalkeepers. In the past, clubs will have one main goalkeeper and two backup goalkeepers. The backup goalkeepers comprising of one who has lesser ability than the main goalkeeper and another one usually from the reserve team or the club’s youth team. That is almost perfect balance because clubs cannot have goalkeepers of the same quality. Because at the end of the day, either one will question the manager’s decision not playing him for a particular match as both feel they should be the main one. Currently, Chelsea will have this problem to face as they have two world class goalkeepers in the likes of young Thibaut Courtois and the veteran Petr Cech. Even Mark Schwarzer, their third goalkeeper is a great goalkeeper. It will be very interesting to see how Jose Mourinho will accommodate all his goalkeepers’ demand to play. But surely it is a good situation to have rather than not having any great goalkeepers to win crucial points or saving decisive penalty when clubs really need one. The likes of Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Barcelona will face the same problem as Mourinho this upcoming season.

Wednesday’s Special: Meet Francesco Totti

In this second episode of Wednesday’s Special, The Writer will bring the readers into the life and story of a weekly selected footballer. Today, readers will have the chance to meet Francesco Totti, albeit in words only.

Totti was born in Rome. He is already 37 years old this year. But still going strong today and there is no sign of slowing down. He has even signed a new contract until the age of 39 years old. He started his football career as a youth team player at AS Roma and he has been there ever since. Totti is among a few one-man club in this world. He is the current captain of AS Roma and is already considered Roma's living legend and one of the most iconic people at the club and the city of Rome itself. 

 

Among his notable accolades are Italian Serie A title, Italian Super Cup, Italian Cup, and the FIFA World Cup 2006. In his youth, he was a quite temperamental player. He once spitted at Denmark's player, Christian Poulsen during EURO 2004 and was banned for three matches thus ending Italy's hope of progressing to the final stages without one of their best players. However he has improved now and becoming more discipline which enable  him to prolong his career until this golden ages. During his career, he was often deployed as a lone striker and advance playmaker or what football experts call as 'trequartista'. Totti has scored so many goals, won so many Golden Boot awards, and is currently the second highest goalscorer in Italian football with 235 goals to his name.

 

 

Totti often celebrates a goal by sucking his thumb, which is for the purpose of remembering the birth of his son and daughter. He is married to Ilary Blasi, an Italian TV celebrity since 2005.

 

2014/2015 EPL Countdown

With the start of the new season is less than 5 days away, The Writer tells the readers about his predictions and the players who will shine. This is original opinions, needless to say...

ARSENAL

Where Will They Finish?

Around 3^rd to 5^th place as long as they still don’t buy a top class striker.

Key Player

It has to be Aaron Ramsey. Improve his performance dramatically last season and the improved amount of goals he scored makes him a world-class to be.

New Signing to Watch

Everyone talks about Alexis Sanchez. But look out for Mathieu Debuchy. He plays like Sagna (Bacary), runs like Sagna, a Frenchman like Sagna, and Arsenal will not miss Sagna anymore.

ASTON VILLA

Where Will They Finish?

Around 17^th to 19^th place unless some rich owner buy the club and invest.

Key Player

It has to be Darren Bent. Bent needs to score many goals as Villa’s strength is surely not at their defense.

New Signing to Watch

Joe Cole joins Villa to have one last hurrah at football and Villa fans are hopeful and desperate to see his Brazilian skills of old.

BURNLEY

Where Will They Finish?

Around 14^th to 16^th place as they will need their inspirational manager, Sean Dyche to motivate them all season.

Key Player

Danny Ings have finally succeeded in replacing Burnley’ former prolific goalscorer, Charlie Austin who has gone to QPR. He is selfish in a good way, just like Daniel Sturridge.

New Signing to Watch

Sean Dyche doesn’t like to sign a nobody just for the sake of filling up his squad. So expect Michael Kightly to excel on the wing for Burnley.

CHELSEA

Where Will They Finish?

Around 1^st to 3^rd place as they look like the best assembled team in the league.

Key Player

With Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole already left, Chelsea lacks senior heads and John Terry has to be more influential than ever this season.

New Signing to Watch

Chelsea should win the EPL title last season if not because of their lack of goals. Expect Diego Costa to be among the top highest goal scorers this campaign.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Where Will They Finish?

Around 12^th to 14^th place and no more relegation battle as Tony Pullis never get relegated in his career.

Key Player

Yannick Bolasie was excellent last season and it made The Writer wonder of how Manchester United decided to sign Wilfried Zaha instead of him.

New Signing to Watch

No one really. All signings so far are not a first eleven type of players, so Pullis have to act faster and smarter to bring fresh bloods.

EVERTON

Where Will They Finish?

Around 6^th to 8^th place as Roberto Martinez will maintain their last season stability.

Key Player

This season is the moment when Ross Barkley should really step up. He is no longer the youth player to watch at Everton as he should be the main man.

New Signing to Watch

Romelu Lukaku is not new at Goodison Park but a permanent transfer to Everton this season will give him more stable platform to score more goals.

HULL CITY

Where Will They Finish?

Around 9^th to 11^th place as they will have to juggle between league and Europa league’s commitment.

Key Player

Tom Huddlestone needs to boss the midfield just like last season and his thunderous shots are assets.

New Signing to Watch

Tom Ince rejected Inter Milan to join Hull City as he wants to be the key player instead of having to seat on the substitute bench.

LEICESTER CITY

Where Will They Finish?

Around 18^th to 20^th place as they will have the most difficult task to avoid relegation.

Key Player

England one-cap wonder, David Nugent is still a specialist goal getter. Leicester will supply him with all the services to win matches throughout the season.

New Signing to Watch

Leonardo Ulloa is a unique name and hopefully is unique enough to score a lot of goals compared to other average name strikers who have average goalscoring records.

LIVERPOOL

Where Will They Finish?

Around 3^rd to 5^th place as they will feel the loss of Luis Suarez too hard to bear. 

Key Player

Goals are vital for Liverpool’s resurgence to 2^nd place last season and Daniel Sturridge will improve his last season goal tally of 21 and beat Suarez’s record of 31.

New Signing to Watch

The Writer has explained on several Liverpool new signings before but not Javier Manquillo. He gave a confident performance against Borrusia Dortmund last Sunday and has surprised everyone since. He is a very very speedy player and is not afraid to bomb forward just like Daniel Alves of Barcelona.

MANCHESTER CITY

Where Will They Finish?

Around 1^st to 2^nd place as the winner of last season will maintain their superiority against most leagues’ opponents. 

Key Player

It has to be Vincent Kompany. There are many City players that can replace Yaya Toure in case he is out injured, but no one can replace Kompany as City’s defense will leak goals and City will have higher chance of losing if Kompany is unavailable.

New Signing to Watch

A 32 million euro signing is quite a normal thins these days, only if people know his ability and the man himself, but Eliquim Mangala is an unknown quantity for most English Premier League fans.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Where Will They Finish?

Around 3^rd to 4^th place as Louis van Gaal will bring back the winning ways to Old Trafford but they lack world-class players compared to Chelsea and Manchester City. 

Key Player

Wayne Rooney will be the new captain of both Manchester United and England if he is lucky enough and thus need to score more goals as Robin van Persie becoming a more frequent visitor to the doctor’s room these days.

New Signing to Watch

Ander Herrera is a lesser known new name compared to Luke Shaw but he is the next batch of Spanish midfielders to replace the legacy of Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Where Will They Finish?

Around 7^th to 9^th place as they will maintain the push of a Europa league placing.

Key Player

It should be Hatem Ben Arfa but for whatever reasons, he is on his way out of the club. Fabricio Collocini is the next best player who needs to marshal the defense tighter after the loss of Mathieu Debuchy to Arsenal.

New Signing to Watch

The appointment of new signing, Siem de Jong to the vice captaincy role is an indicator of how special he is, on and off the pitch.

QUEENS PARK RANGERS

Where Will They Finish?

Around 10^th to 13^th place as Harry ‘The Houdini’ Redknapp will wave his magic once more to stabilize QPR from last two season’s disaster.

Key Player

Joey Barton is an improved human being and despite his bad behavior, he is a leader of men. He made QPR a better unit last season after almost being kicked-out of the club.

New Signing to Watch

Who is more popular to watch than Rio Ferdinand? He will be a better Ferdinand to play for QPR than his younger brother, Anton.

SOUTHAMPTON

Where Will They Finish?

Around 14^th to 17^th place as they will be badly affected from the huge sales of first team players this transfer window.

Key Player

Who else is left? Erm, Jose Fonte is the only good player who is not linked to any clubs and therefore will be most surely to lead Southampton to fight relegation.

New Signing to Watch

Graziano Pelle is living the dream to play in the most popular league in the world after his sudden emergence into the football map by netting numerous amounts of goals for Feyenord in the Dutch league last season.

STOKE CITY

Where Will They Finish?

Around 10^th to 12^th place as Mark Hughes will keep Stoke safe once more this season. 

Key Player

Ryan Shawcross is a warrior and is the sole reason alongside his partner Robert Huth that makes Stoke famous for their great defense. Should be going with England to the World Cup in Brazil last June.

New Signing to Watch

Stoke excites their fans by capturing former young superstar, Bojan Krkic from Barcelona. The Writer likes Bojan and hope he will make EPL his home for a long time.

SUNDERLAND

Where Will They Finish?

Around 15^th to 17^th place as they will struggle again in the relegation battle.

Key Player

Best players for Sunderland last season were actually on loan from other clubs. The next best thing there should be Lee Cattermole. Their former captain.

New Signing to Watch

With Phil Bardsley already left the club, it is up to the new signing, Billy Jones to continue what Bardsley did all these years on the right flank. And he has to like scoring, just like Bardsley.

SWANSEA CITY

Where Will They Finish?

Around 11^th to 14^th place as Garry Monk being promoted as the new manager of the club he played for last season. 

Key Player

Willfried Bony. Full stop. Unless he moves somewhere else, Swansea has to replace his goalscoring prowess.

New Signing to Watch

Gylfi Sigurdsson roles back the years after he rejoins Swansea this season. The Writer clearly remembered his great impact at Swansea two seasons back before he joined Spurs.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Where Will They Finish?

Around 5^th to 7^th as new manager, Mauricio Pochettino will have to take this new season as a trial before mounting more serious challenge next season.

Key Player

Goals are the different between success and failure in this league, no matter how creative your midfielders are. Emmanuel Adebayor is the one to rely on, luckily.

New Signing to Watch

It is a rapid rise for Ben Davies after he manages to get a transfer to Spurs this summer, considering he is only replacing Swansea’s injured first choice left back last season.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION

Where Will They Finish?

Around 18^th to 20^th as they lack top class players and also manager that can really excel in this league. 

Key Player

Ben Foster is only player capable to save West Brom from relegation with his goal saving performances.

New Signing to Watch

West Brom manages to at least cheer up their fans by signing former England centre back, Joleon Lescott. If Lescott can perform for his new team, he will back in the white shirt of England.

WEST HAM

Where Will They Finish?

Around 18^th to 20^th place as the abuse from their own fans for boring style of play will pressurize the players to succeed. 

Key Player

The unlucky and often-injured Andy Carroll should be West Ham main man because he suits their tactics perfectly but club’s captain, Kevin Nolan has to pump up his teammates’ spirit to avoid any move back to the lower division.

New Signing to Watch

West Ham fans are still skeptical about the manager’s preferred style of play but they are all eager to see new signing, Mauro Zarate to provide the fancy footworks, skills, and last but not least, GOALS!


The Writer's Summary on Final Place's Predictions

1st & 2nd Place    Chelsea & ManCity (either one)
3rd Place               Liverpool & ManUtd (either one)
4th Place               Arsenal
5th Place               Liverpool & ManUtd (either one)
6th - 17th Place    Other Teams
18th Place             West Ham
19th Place             West Brom
20th Place             Leicester City 

‘Pendatang Asing’

The English Community Shield match between Arsenal and Manchester City saw only three English players started in the list of the first elevens for both teams. All three were from Arsenal, unfortunately. The love of clubs towards foreign players is an unwanted disease. The Writer here is not talking about the English Premier League (EPL) only, but also on majority leagues in the world. However it is easier to put the focus more on the EPL as it is the most followed league in the world and most of readers will be more familiar with the names that The Writer is going to mention after this. The title above is a translated Malay term which refers to foreigners as The Writer wants the readers to feel uneasy about the bad impact that excessive foreign invasion can bring to any nations, be it from football perspective or other matters. 

England’s World Cup performance in Brazil recently indicated the problems which are affected from having a large majority of foreign players in the English Premier League. The failure can also largely be blamed on the wrong tactics by the England manager, Roy Hodgson, but who can really blame him? His choices of world-class English players are very limited and he had to shoulder the expected failure tags even before the World Cup started. Hodgson didn’t have any choice of world-class centre back after the retirement of John Terry. That’s because most EPL clubs buy big names from overseas to play in that position. Young players don’t get enough chance to impress.

EPL clubs also don’t invest heavily for their academy. They are more interested in paying for ready-made English young talents from the lower leagues and then put them in their reserve. The outcome is the same. Those young English players will never have the chance too. Only real wonderkids such as Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley, and Luke Shaw get the chance to shine because of their obvious and rare talents. Others young hopeful players’ talents are wasted and it is a sad situation.

The same goes to the Malaysian football. The influx of foreign footballers into the Malaysian Super League (MSL) is having a bad impact on the choices available to the new Malaysian national team coach, Dollah Salleh. The most particular position which is giving Dollah a great headache is the striker. Most MSL clubs recruit foreign players in the striker’s position because this is the position that will differentiate between the good and the poor teams in the MSL. The margin in this league is too small and teams which have strikers who is the most prolific and can win matches with their goals are usually at the top of the league at the end of the day. Having too many foreign strikers blocks the chance of Malaysian strikers to shine and this will result in the national team to have very little choices of reliable strikers. Having little reliable strikers affect Malaysia’s chance to succeed in Asian football competitions, let alone the World Cup!

Looking back at English football’s current situation, The Writer is suddenly aware of the existence of the only English club that has all English players in the team. That club is Hartlepool United in the English Second Division. This is a positive sign for English football, albeit it is only one club from the several hundreds in total. This situation can also be seen from Spain where a club named Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish La Liga, who only has Spanish players in their team from the first day of their establishment. Athletic Bilbao only buys Spanish players and no foreigners are allowed to be part of the playing squad. Wow, that’s special!