Eager to find out
I guess the starting point is to congratulate David Moyes and his Manchester United on rising to the occasion to pick the season’s first trophy last Saturday. There were jokes on Twitter after that Community Shield triumph at Wembley that Moyes is the most successful manager this season with a 100 percent record, but I am sure the manager will be under no illusions about the real magnitude of his task when the league kicks off this afternoon.
To his credit, Moyes was gracious enough to stay clear of the shadow of public acclaim by suggesting that the victory was down to his predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson whose feat — winning last season’s Premier League title — was the reason United were at Wembley in the first place. What you get here is a man who believes he can win titles in future for which he would be happy to take credit.
Of course, there are already signs of a reality check and culture shock on his part. Two days ago, Moyes was quoted as moaning about United’s league fixtures which see them playing Chelsea, neighbours City and my Liverpool in the first five matches. He said he found them “hard to believe”. Well, he might wish to look at Liverpool’s five opening fixtures for last season to see that while this may be strange to United, it is certainly not a first.
Something Moyes has shared with his counterparts at other clubs is the frustration in trying to bring in new players in this transfer window which closes on September 2. Attempts to sign Thiago Alcantara and Cesc Fabregas have failed as have approaches for other players. You could say that save for City and Tottenham Hotspur, most of the big sides have found it difficult to add to the quality of their sides significantly.
So, the English Premier League starts this afternoon at Anfield where Liverpool host Mark Hughes’ Stoke City in the early kick-off with both sides seeking to taste first position for a few hours at least; and then it all unravels. There are teams that have high expectations and those who are looking to the season with a sense of anxiety at best and trepidation at worst. I cannot wait to find out how it pans out.
If you believe in what pundits say, the top three is settled. United, City and Chelsea will fight for those positions, they tell us. Earlier in the summer, there were those who were certain that the top four would be certain with the Arsenal completing the quartet particularly because they have a settled team with the league’s longest serving manager at the helm. That has since changed because of Arsene Wenger’s failure to bolster the squad.
Because of this, most commentators expect the Gunners to fight it out with North London neighbours for the Uefa Champions League qualifiers slot. Others feel Liverpool may make it a three-way battle for that coveted position. But these are just opinions of human beings who can get things wrong and we do not have very long to discover if these predictions are right. I am cautiously optimistic about this season.
The midweek sees the first legs of the final Champions League qualifiers with the Arsenal battling it out with Turkey’s Fenerbahce whose future in European competitions hangs in balance. Wenger’s side should be confident of progressing to the group stages, not only because they have a good record against their opponents but also because of the pending ban.
