This was HD in my day.

There weren’t any personal computers or  cell phones.  There weren’t even calculators.  Pencil and paper served to write mail, do complex math, leave reminders (to affix them to something required scotch tape or thumb tacks; no post-its or pushpins) and, of course to do schoolwork.  If you needed to research something, there were these books called encyclopedias.  I walked back and forth to school.  Yes, in the snow or the rain, too, and some days it did seem uphill in both directions.

Automatic transmissions cost extra in your car, the windows cranked, power steering was a luxury and unleaded gas was just a rip-off to make the oil companies more money. Televisions had antennae and a colour set was as expensive as HD plasma screens are now.  Telephones featured rotary dials and party lines (think of it as involuntary conference calling) were still common.  FM radio was counterculture (AM was the big time) and digital watches and alarm clocks were considered otherworldly technology when they first debuted.  Now, one of my stepdaughter’s schoolmates can’t tell time from a traditional clock.  Blows my mind, that does.

So does the fact, when I wax nostalgic, that I don’t know what I’d do without my laptop, cellphone, cable, internet, ATM card or even how I’d get in touch with the police or an ambulance in a strange town if 911/999/112 hadn’t been conceived of yet..  An infinite number of inventions and innovations have come along in my adult, or young adult life, and yet they seem to me as though they’ve been around forever and are indispensable.

Fans of English football look at the current landscape of the Premier League in the same manner.  A week doesn’t go by without someone bemoaning in print or on video that Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have an unfair advantage and will always be on top unless something is done to level the playing field.  Yet, I’m willing to wager a fiver that journos used to go on about Liverpool, in Bill Shankly’s day, in the same fashion, and about the reigns of Aston Villa and Everton, as well, if you go even further into the past.  Never mind that a couple of years ago, until the follies of Hicks & Gillette, Liverpool were included in the royal class, also known as the ‘Big Four.’  The Anfield faithful aren’t too happy about having lost their seat in that house.

Interesting, isn’t it, how we simultaneously fear and crave after change?

Well, if you’re a Premier League aficionado, you should be quaking in your boots and trembling with joy, because the league is in the midst of what could be a tectonic shift in the balance of power.

I’ve just mentioned Liverpool’s recent decline and it’s been discussed in the media ubiquitously.  United is seemingly keeping the wolves away from the door because, instead of a trio of smallish porcine building contractors, they have the astute football mind of Sir Alex Ferguson.  Yet what will happen to the value of the club, when Fergie steps down, as, someday soon, he will?  Chelsea’s Roman Abramaovich has begun regulating the cash flow into Stamford Bridge but his squad is aging rapidly and UEFA’s financial accountability regulations, just around the corner, seem to prohibit the Russian from re-opening the floodgates.  Arsenal have maintained fiscal discipline, apparently with the consequence of a 6 year trophy drought.  The angst of not winning, however, has led to two of their biggest shareholders, Uzbeki Alisher Usmanov and American Stan Kroenke, each purchasing enough shares, separately, to threaten an imminent and hostile takeover of the club.

The First National City Bank of Manchester.

It’s well known that nature abhors a vacuum and so, too, does the nature of football.  With the weakest of their number having already been deposed and the dynastic runs of the remaining three quarters of the Big Four seemingly balanced on a knife’s edge, there are a number of clubs circling, with a mind to assuming a place at the top when one of the bluebloods stumbles.

Obviously foremost in that group is Manchester City.  Each time Liverpool’s troubles have been dissected, Man City and their Abu Dhabi funded ambitions have been offered up as the natural ascendant to the Red’s vacated place in the ruling class.  It hasn’t happened, yet, mainly because an East Londoner has proven a little quicker to the mark.  Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham side own a Champions League spot this season, having held off Roberto Mancini’s Citizens at last season’s end.  Nor does Harry mean the CL to just be a passing fancy at White Hart Lane, if the purchase of Rafael van der Vaart is any indication.

Another rule of  nature, though, is survival of the fittest.  The tricky part, the one that leads to surprises, is just how that fitness is measured.  City has no end of cash, which makes them very strong and Redknapp has an eye for offensive talent.  Those qualities have put the Eastlanders and Spurs into the spotlight, in the battle for supremacy in the coming ‘New Order,’ but there are other sides planning coups of their own.

Despite a proven record of success, Houllier will have to win over Villa fans.

Aston Villa and Everton, past rulers of the English top flight, have focused their hopes on strong management.  For Villa, the lack of finances has allegedly cost them their field general, Martin O’Neill,  but they are hoping that Gerard Houllier, the Frenchman who led Liverpool through the last stages of their dynasty, in the early ’90′s, can take them the rest of the way back to glory.  At Goodison Park, patience and fortitude have been the watchwords of the Scot, David Moyes.  Yet, he too, has not been able to put it all together, especially in the early stages of campaigns.

For Liverpool, the unhappiness of their displacement is still fresh and the demand for a quick turnaround is loud.   Roy Hodgson, as he showed at Fulham, is capable of doing much more than expected with far less resources than some but even he cannot conjure something out of nothing.  Owners, Hicks & Gillette, have proven unwilling and unable to invest for the long term and their desire to make a profit from their demolition of a proud franchise may instead see it turned over to the bank for liquidation.  The Kopp had best get used to being a struggling club, for the time being.

Each of these clubs has a missing ingredient in the recipe for ultimate success but there is one side, coming up quickly, that seems to have everything required.

Birmingham City, under Alex McLeish, surprised many with their performance last year.  Having just returned from a single season exile to the Championship, the club had gone through several changes and, early in their return, went through one more.  The former Celtic manager, having brought the club immediately back into the top flight, had to be overjoyed when he finally met the new chairman.

The purchase of City took longer than expected, despite the seeming haste of the David’s, Sullivan and Gold, to leave a place where they knew they were emphatically not wanted.  Although, once the transaction was complete, the new owner, Hong Kong investor and casino boss Carson (Ka Sing) Yeung quickly got down to business.

Plotting a dynasty?

The Scottish manager hasn’t had the blank checkbook that Roberto Mancini enjoys, but his eye for quality and value has allowed him to spend the resources he’s been given very well.  His triple dip on the last day of the transfer window, for Alex Hleb, Jean Beausejour and Martin Jiranek capped an interesting summer of shopping for the Blues.  Earlier, he had brought home the vagabond English striker, Matt Derbyshire, from Greece and, prior to the World Cup, had recruited match starved United keeper Ben Foster to replace Joe Hart, when Man City denied to extend his loan or sell him permanently.  Also new, is 6’7″ Serbian striker Nikola Zigic, who, despite the manager’s familiarity with Peter Crouch, was signed without the rumoured ‘no robot dance celebration’ clause attached to his contract.

Added to the UK and Irish base of Kevin Philips, James McFadden, Barry Ferguson, Lee Bowyer, Stephen Carr and Stuart Parnaby, the influx of international talents should give the Birmingham boss a greater diversity of  tactical options and make his squad a less predictable opponent for which to prepare.

It’s early days but the Blues have taken points in all 3 matches, including two hard fought draws away from home.  That type of fight shows another of McLeish’s strong attributes; his players are willing to go out and give their all for him.  When you examine the Scot’s methods and results, as well as his managerial career path, up from Motherwell and Hibernian, then on to Rangers and now birmingham, it puts you in mind of a much older countryman of his, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Remember that when Fergie first came into the United set-up, they were commoners themselves.  It took him a few seasons to build them into the European giants they were once and are again.  So don’t misunderstand me.  I’m not tipping City for immediate glory.  I’m just laying the ground work so that, in three or four seasons, I can say I told you so.

You know you're old if you can remember Alan Shearer with hair.

Wouldn’t it be nice, a generation from now, to say to some glassy eyed youngster, “I remember when Sir Alex first got to Birmingham.  Believe me, they weren’t such an unstoppable force back then!”

The landscape in the Premier League is changing.   Nothing is forever and one season, in the not too distant future, we’ll get a fifth Premier League Champion; one not named United, Arsenal, Chelsea or Blackburn (remember them!).  My money is on Birmingham.

So, to those of you still complaining about the lack of change in the Premier League, I say wake up!  It’s happening right under your nose.

Editor’s note:  Just as this article was being made ready for posting, Mikel Arteta’s ineligibility was announced.  However, WFC still believes the issues of player eligibility remain unresolved, even if Mikel Arteta’s case has been.  So, please read on and decide for yourself.

In South africa, England was lacking a creative spark...

Do you remember way back, in the springtime of England’s 2010 World Cup dreams, when anything seemed possible?  Brazil and Spain were within reach and the only real problem that Fabio Capello had was the lack of a proven goalkeeper.  Oh, to be young again.  Sadly, another generation of England fans have been forced to grow up too quickly, discovering that the footballing world is a cruel, hard place.

Now it’s autumn and the FA are trying to pick up the pieces of a crumbled dream.  Under pressure from fans and the media to not make the same mistakes and perform as is expected of an England team when the Euros arrive in 2012, new chairman Roger Burden, Sir Dave Richards, the Premier League overlord, and the rest of the board have had to consider suggestions from all quarters on how best to go about it.

The FA has made several decisions quite quickly, in laying plans for the reconstruction.  Should they let Capello go? (No, he stays)  What to do to resolve the poor pitch issues at Wembley? (Install a real and artificial hybrid blend)  What can be done to accelerate the development of young English players? (To begin, the implementation of the Homegrown Rule on 1 September)  The shape of the Euro squad has slowed them up, however.

In their first action since waking up from their pleasant dreams to the horrible realities of Rustenburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and, at the last, Blomfontein, the Three Lions took to the pitch against Hungary, receiving an ambivalent welcome from those faithful who did decide to come.  Much like their greeting, the squad was a mix of the fallen heroes and new faces eager to make their mark.  Unfortunately, Phil Jagielka’s own goal didn’t do much for the hopes of the youngbloods, although their blushes were spared by a brace from captain Steven Gerrard.  The England team, despite the win, seem trapped in a dark place, casting about for some light.

...but would Arteta bowing to the Queen, rather than a king, truly make him an Englishman?

Last week, however, there came either a ray of hope or an oncoming train, dependent upon your worldly outlook.  Everton’s wonderfully talented midfielder Mikel Arteta, who has had the misfortune of being only the ninth or tenth best player at his position in his home country of Spain, suggested that he might be very pleased to play for England, where he would likely be considered in the top three, alongside Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

Amongst the many who raised their half full glasses and drained it to the health of the Toffee’s playmaker (and took up a petition for his canonisation), there were a few old gaffers, frowning at the barmaid’s tardiness in topping off their empty looking mugs, whilst muttering thatsomething just wasn’t right about this.  Unfortunately, WFC editor Martin Palazzotto falls into the latter category , while new writer Tapesh Patel is firmly in the camp of the former.  In the interests of world peace and the general entertainment of others, the pair have agreed to sit down together, sample some Tucher’s on draught and see if they can come to an understanding.

Tapesh: When we talk about Mikel Arteta, I think we should talk about the player himself, before approaching the whole nationality issue. The key point is: if he obtained dual nationality and became eligible for England, would he get into the squad? In my opinion, he most definitely would. In fact, I personally would put him into the starting eleven.

There's no question the Three Lions would welcome him, as well.

One of England’s current problems is a perceived lack of creativity in midfield. This is strange, because the main pairing, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, are both fairly creative players. What we have seen over the years, though, is that both like to get forward when possible.

What England have lacked, then, is a foot-on-ball playmaker, with the ability to pass to a Gerrard or a Lampard.  Hence the outcry for the return of Paul Scholes (who, by the way, is too old). This lack of such a passer meant that Wayne Rooney tended to drop deep to make the play, which left the now departed Emile Heskey (yikes!) up front.

I believe Arteta is the solution. His ability to dictate play, combined with excellent technique and outstanding passing ability, cannot be matched at the moment by any English player. Tom Huddlestone or Jack Wilshere might become that player in the future, but they are not ready to be regulars yet.

Also, the guy takes a decent penalty!

...but are mercenaries what we want at the World Cup?

Martin: You’re not going to get any argument out of me on Arteta’s ability or where he would fit in with the England squad.  If he were from just about anywhere other than Spain (Brazil and Argentina spring to mind as exceptions), he might very well be a veteran of three World Cups by now.  But the plain, unvarnished truth is that he is a Spaniard.  As such, he should not be available to play for England.

Mikel Arteta is far from the first player to be considered for inclusion in a foreign squad.  There have been several before him and many more are likely to follow.  Some, like Kevin-Prince Boateng, Lukas Podolski and Giuseppe Rossi are doing it for the love of the nation they represent.  I applaud and welcome that.  On the other hand, there’s the onetime Chelsea midfielder Deco, a Brazilian, who just concluded his international career with Portugal and promptly returned home to play out the string with Fluminese.  As his tenure with the Iberians went on, it was rationalised that the two nations were, culturally speaking, close cousins.  That is true enough and if Deco had made his permanent home in Portugal, I would have been content with that line of reasoning.  Yet, the abruptness of his return to Brazil laid bare his true intent.  He was playing for himself, rather than for love of country.  We should never forget (Ashley Cole) that the latter is what the World Cup is about.

Tapesh: I definitely agree with you that this question is ultimately one of pride.  So, these questions really need to be taken on a player-by-player basis. We live in a world where many people have divided identities, especially in football. In fact, the case of Kevin-Prince Boateng is one of the best examples of this.  Infamously, he did not talk to his brother Jerome before facing him in the World Cup. That really goes to show that people from the same background can view their identities in completely different ways.

Unlike his countryman, Senna settled permanently in his adopted country.

A case very similar to that of Arteta, was Marcos Senna. The Brazilian began playing in his native country before moving abroad, to further his career. He went to La Liga, with Villareal, settling there, before gaining citizenship and playing for Spain.  One could not doubt Senna’s commitment to the cause; it was something integral to his role.  Starring in Euro 2008 as midfield enforcer, his displays led many to name him as one of the players of the tournament.

Coming back to Arteta, he seems a very loyal player, as well as a person of substance, having stated that he wouldn’t want to move to clubs like Arsenal or Manchester City in the hope of reaching the Spain team. He’s braved Scottish winters in Glasgow, having played for Rangers from 2002-04, and has learnt the intricacies of the Scouse accent. Given his background, I think he would be proud to step out for England, the country where his career has really blossomed.

Martin: I can appreciate that Arteta seems to be a more honourable candidate than Deco. It’s very loyal of him to publicly decline a possible move to another club, after Everton has treated him so well,  even though it might help him crack the Spanish lineup.  Still, by his own statement, his preferred choice would be Spain.  And there lies the rub.  Boateng’s first choice was Ghana, even though Germany, where he was both eligible and wanted, offered a better chance for glory.  That’s what I mean by love of country.

That he is a ‘person of substance,’ as you put it, and a great player certainly garners Arteta my sympathy and while these cases do have to be judged on individual merit, the criteria used to decide the matter must ultimately be whether or not the candidate has cultural ties, of some kind, to the nation he would represent.

Georgie may be the best of but not the only great to have never been to the World Cup.

Take George Best as an example.  The Northern Irishman was perhaps the greatest British player ever.  Yet, with his country being minnows, he never played in a World Cup.  For most of his adult life, he lived (and partied) in England and was a stand out for United.  What if he had pulled a Stephen Ireland, early in his career, and declined to represent his homeland, instead repatriating to England.  Think how that would have lessened his legacy within the game.  Sometimes, your greatness is also measured by what you weren’t able to accomplish.

Andy Carroll, for all his supposed immaturity, has passed this test by declining the invitation of Craig Levein and the Scots.  No, for me, Mikel Arteta must make do with the cards life has dealt him.

Tapesh: I think cultural ties are usually fixed at a young age, but can also be gained or transformed later on in life. The fact is that naturalised citizens will always face the question of when their identity shifts to that of the nation in which they live.

Different people, understandably, have different views on the matter but I think government is designed to represent the views of a nation. As such, I think that Arteta should be considered an Englishman since he now qualifies for dual-nationality by law. The country has a long history of successful assimilation of immigrants, which I think is also demonstrated within the domain of sport. For this reason, I think that most English people would welcome him playing for our national team.

If managers are eligible, why not players?

It’s also fair to argue that the England team lost part of its identity in 2000, when Sven-Goran Eriksson became the first foreign manager of England. This then set the precedent for Fabio Capello to manage the team, and while many opposed the very idea of a foreign manager, at first, no-one was complaining when England flawlessly gained qualification for the World Cup this summer. If there is one person who symbolises the team, it has to be the England manager, who takes a post frequently described around the world as ‘the toughest job in football’.

I was one of those that felt English patriotism took a blow with Eriksson’s appointment. The fact is, though, that the game is different nowadays – even at international level. Therefore, if Arteta wished to become part of the national setup, I see no reason for denying him what is rightfully his.

Martin: I’ve got no truck with foreign managers being involved in a national program; it helps develop the game, especially in the far corners of the football world.  Let them have at it, I say.  They can coach, advise and play the figurehead all they like, because when you get right down to it, championships are won on the pitch, by the players.  That simple fact puts them into two different categories.

As for Arteta, I’m not sure what you mean by rightfully his.  He’s been in England long enough to apply for a passport, yes, but hasn’t actually gotten, or even asked for one yet.  There is a process to go through, after all.  It’s not like he’s trying to buy a Premier League club.  If that were the case, then, naturally, you’d just hand it to him with no questions asked.

I take your point, though.  If he had an English passport, he’d have the right to play for England, given that he’s good enough, and who am I to deny him?  That is the letter of the law.  What I’m trying to champion, however, is its spirit.  In order to do that, I don’t believe FIFA can be as trusting, even judging on an individual basis, as you would have them be.   I don’t like to be redundant but the ‘alright, you seem like a nice guy’ policy hasn’t worked out too well for the likes of Liverpool and Pompey and won’t, if things continue as they are, for Manchester United.

...Greed is good.

In football, like any other big business...

That English fans would welcome him with open arms goes without saying, as well.  It’s human nature, after all, to take advantage in any way we can.  We got to the top of the food chain by adapting, being innovative and turning any opportunity to our advantage .  Winning at all costs in business and sport is just a product of evolution.  And that’s where you’re wrong about government.  It’s not there to give us what we want but to make sure we don’t kill each other trying to get it.  Allowing foreign players who can’t get a game in their own country to play for any country desperate enough to take them will eventually kill the World Cup.

Look at the America’s Cup of yachting.  It was going along nicely for the better part of a century until big money became involved.  Suddenly, rules began changing at an alarming pace, until you had the Swiss being crowned champions two times running.  The last time I checked an atlas, Switzerland was still a landlocked country.  If it had been bankers’ sons, raised on Lake Geneva crewing the Alinghi and its successor, I’d have no complaint.  Unfortunately, it was the best Kiwi and Aussie sailors that the Swiss Franc could buy.  So much for the battle of nations.

Is that what you want for the World Cup?

..

Of course, while Tapesh and Martin were busy having at it, FIFA weighed in and ruled Arteta ineligible due to a little known rule:

Article 18.1.a within the Fifa statutes outlines that any player who has represented their country in an official competition, at whatever level, would at that time need to have held a passport for the country they later wish to play for in order to be permitted to make the switch. –BBC report on Arteta’s eligibility to play for England

Arteta did play in an Under 16 competition for Spain and, of course, didn’t have a British passport at the time.  So that’s that.  Unless, of course, FIFA were to decide to change their rules or make an exception to an existing one, as they’ve been known to do, on occasion.  After all, Sepp Blatter is quite happy to have the UK represented by the separate home nations but is unwilling to sanction the Basques or Catalonia to field teams separate from the rest of Spain.

Meanwhile, having been informed that all their arguing was moot, Martin and Tapesh have resolved to go back to the bar and get falling down drunk.  How do the rest of you feel?  Answer the poll below and, if you like, add a comment through the Intense Debate comment section.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Like the Giro, the Scudetto is a long race with plenty of twists and turns. No sheep, though.

In preparation for the ‘Giro d’Scudetto,’ there’s been a maelstrom of player and manager movement during the summer.  The departure of one man, however, has changed the landscape more significantly than the rest of the comings and goings combined.  Jose Mourinho’s move to Real Madrid, after capping his stay at Inter with a domestic double and his 2nd Champions League crown, has sparked title hopes at clubs across the country.

With the outcome seemingly less inevitable than it’s been for some time, the race for the 2010-11 Scudetto is a tough one to handicap.  I’m willing to give it a go, however.  So, read on to see how I think the field will shape up in the coming Serie A season.

..

The Maglia Rosa (Pink Jersey)

How Rafa imagines himself managing Inter.

Jose Mourinho is indeed gone from Internazionale, as is the cancerous Mario Balotelli.  Still, Julio Cesar, Ivan Cordoba, Javier Zanetti, Dejan Stankovic, Lucio, Thiago Motta, Samuel Eto’o, Wesley Sneijder, Sulley Muntari, Maicon, Nicolas Burdisso, Esteban Cambiasso, Diego Milito, Marco Materazzi, Walter Samuel and Goran Pandev all remain.  That’s a formidable squad.

Even Rafa Benitez may need more than a year to screw up this dynasty.  Then again, maybe not.  He’s doing his best to get Javier Mascherano in the squad, although Barca is on the verge of swooping for the unhappy Liverpool man.  I’m not sure how having the captain of the Diego Maradona All Star World Cup squad around would affect the attitudes of Cambiasso and Zanetti but I  can’t imagine it going over very well.   Giving their blessing to a young teammate Milito’s World Cup dream is one thing.  El Pibe’s chosen man on the pitch suddenly showing up to take over in midfield, is another matter entirely.

Trust will be an issue for the players.  Rafa is the polar opposite of  Mourinho.  The Special One bonded with his players and stood between them and the rest of the world.  He was a general.  Benitez is a politico, gravitating to power.

How everyone else sees it.

At Anfield, that power was with the supporters, rather than the absentee owners, or the players.  The Spaniard made every effort to ingratiate himself to the Kopp, often without regard for players, like Xabi Alonso.  Milan’s president, Massimo Moratti, is very much a presence not to be bypassed or usurped but you can bet Rafa will be looking to mark out his patch.

There’s little, if anything, of significance missing from Jose’s treble winners, yet one wrong step from Benitez may be the difference between Inter driving for five or watching Roma come up in the rearview and slip past them to claim the Scudetto.

The Challenger

Last season, Claudio Ranieri assumed command, early in the AS Roma season, replacing an ineffective Luciano Spalletti.  In short order, the former Chelsea boss had the Romans marching in step, steadily up the table, until they’d laid siege to Jose Mourinho and Inter Milan.  Ranieri didn’t have quite enough troops for the siege to break the Nerrazurri but it was a close thing.

Over the summer, they’ve acquired Brazilian star, Adriano, who, if he doesn’t drink too much of the stuff in the Eternal City’s nightclubs, will add some punch to Roma’s attack.  With Taddei and Mirko Vucinic streaking down the wings, the thundering left foot of fullback John Arne Riise and a midfield anchored by deputy captain, Daniele de Rossi, an effective Adriano might just be the final weapon needed to end Inter’s reign.

Ranieri has put the wind in Roma's sails.

Just in case, however, there’s young French international, Jeremy Menez, and the ancient talisman of the club, the tottering Francesco Totti.  The former Azzurri number 10 still holds the captaincy of his club, although Ranieri has gradually weaned him from a starting role to that of a 60th minute sub.  When he is on the field, his lack of pace has the same effect as a baseball pitcher’s knuckleball.  When you’re used to everything coming at you at a dazzling pace, an old man out for a pleasant stroll doesn’t really catch your eye, until it’s too late.

The Pursuit

Outside of Italy, clubs often take on the personality of their manager, influenced by his style. That’s not such a frequent occurrence in the Serie A, where coaches usually aren’t in town long enough to rub off on their charges.  Instead , Italian sides tend to emulate their owners.  Unfortunately for AC Milan, that means transforming into an aging squad with sharply declining abilities.  Much like their owner, the scandal beleaguered Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, they’re clawing to hold onto the shreds of what once was an imposing mantle of power.

The wealth is no longer there for Berlusconi to purchase whomever he fancies and leave it to managing director Adriano Galliani to sort out.  Now, to buy, the Red Devils first must sell; a problem when most of the merchandise on the shelf is either past its sell by date, or not yet ripe.   In the buildup to Match Day 1, rumours have been circulating that Zlatan Ibrahimovic and/or Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt may be Milan bound.  Still, Milan must first generate the funds necessary to acquire either player.

Ronaldhino, you're sporting the physique of a 46 year old man. Namely me. Yours is a much better tan, though, if that's any consolation.

Currently, the only new blood is Ghanian international Kevin-Prince Boateng, on loan from Genoa.  Hopefully, Boateng will provide a direct link to the young Brazilian, Alexandre Pato.  As well, noted hip hop impresario Ronaldhino has committed his professional future to the club.   That may be a boost, if he can trim off some of the pounds acquired at the beach, while the rest of his compatriots were toiling in South Africa.

Even with Jose Mourinho no longer across the hall, Milan will find it tough to mount a challenge for the Scudetto. Under new manager, Massimo Allegri, they’ll be fighting off the likes of Juventus, Napoli and Sampdoria for the final Champions League place.

Juventus’ recovery from the infamous 2005 match fixing scandal has been slow and, to date, incomplete.  Yet , this could be the year they reclaim their Champions league place.  That prediction does come with a bucketful of ifs, however.

€40,000 per tackle? Madre Dios! If I just breathe on someone, it could cost me a day's wages.

If Gianluco Buffon stays healthy.  If Felipe Melo gets over his horrendous World Cup.  If Vicenzo Iaquinta, Alessandro del Piero and David Trezeguet can draw enough strength from their aging limbs to carry the scoring load for one more season.  If Diego doesn’t bolt at the last minute, for the Bundesliga.  If World Cup sensation Milos Krasic doesn’t turn out to be a flash in the pan.  If Alberto Aquilani, on loan from Liverpool, can rediscover his form and pull the strings in midfield.  And, of course, if Mauro Camoranesi is still willing to make a tackle without first seeking the permission of his attorney.

The Old Lady has enough talent to challenge Milan for a trip to Europe but are carrying enough baggage to get stuck in traffic, along the way.

The young Argentine has the potential to tilt the Serie A on its axis.

Napoli were a surprise in last season’s Scudetto, featuring a trio of dangerous forwards.  Twenty-three goals split between World Cup stars Marek Hamsik, of Slovakia, and Italy’s Fabio Quagliarella, as well as Argentine starlet Ezequiel Lavezzi’s eight strikes, forced opposing defenders to keep their heads on a swivel.  This season, they’ve upped the ante by adding yet another star of South Africa, Uruguayan Edinson Cavani, on loan from Palermo.  Anchoring the line is Cannavaro, not Fabio but his lesser known younger brother, Paolo.

Since film producer Aurelio de Laurentiis brought the club back from the dead, after its 2004 bankruptcy, they’ve doggedly risen up through the Serie A table, all the way to 6th position last year.  One gets the feeling de Laurentiis won’t be happy until they’re once again considered true contenders for honours in Serie A.

Rumours have it that Cassano actually prefers a five iron, as his weapon of choice.

Sampdoria surprised many with their torrid start to the last campaign.  For a time, they stood above even Inter on the table.  Dizzying heights, indeed.  Ultimately, they showed enough staying power to end up 4th, consolidating a place in the Europa league group stages.  Giampaolo Pazzini’s 21 goals certainly had much to do with the good fortune of Genoa’s 2nd club and his performance will again dictate their destiny in the upcoming competition.

The other main factor will be the contribution of Antonio Cassano. the club’s veteran second striker, aka Italy’s Craig Bellamy.  His mercurial reputation saw him left off Marcelo Lippi’s woeful World Cup squad, where his more positive attributes were sorely needed.  If he can hang onto his sanity for another season, Sampdoria may again do some damage, despite their expanded schedule.

The Peleton

Despite a disappointing 11th place finish in the league table, Fiorentina enjoyed a healthy romp through Europe last season, putting paid to Liverpool and only succumbing to eventual Champions League bridesmaids, Bayern, after some very questionable officiating went against them.  The purple clad Tuscans look a strong outfit but there are challenges facing them.

Fiorentina hopes that Prandelli's rise to the Azzurri doesn't signal a decline for them.

Manager Cesare Prandelli has left to assume the reins of a rebuilding national side.  His replacement is Serb Sinisa Mihajlovic, late of Catania and Bologna, where he finished 13th and 17th, respectively.

The addition of Mikael Silvestre, from Arsenal, is just as uninspiring but backline mainstay, Per Kroldrup has signed a 2 year extension to remain in Florence.  Up front, the load again falls on 15 goal man, Alberto Gilardino. As well, vice captain and number 1 keeper, Sebastian Frey, cannot be feeling too comfortable with the arrival, from Celtic, of Artur Boruc.

No longer in Europe, Fiorentina should fare better this year, if Mihajlovic can soothe the nerves of his inherited players and make good use of his own recruits.  Should he not, the Serie A managerial merry-go-round will surely make an early stop in Tuscany.

Rossi is ushering in a new era in Palermo.

While the rest of the world was watching the World Cup, Delio Rossi was enjoying a month long marathon of The Nanny, if the way he’s been cleaning house in Palermo is any indication.  Gone are Simon Kjaer, Edinson Cavani and Mark Bresciano, the latter in the autumn, if not winter, of his career.  Rossi’s spring cleaning has freed up space for Argentine sensation Javier Pastore to blossom and for an influx of younger players to begin cultivating top flight careers.

Spearheading the youth movement are two starlets from Argentine clubs, Rosario Central fullback Santiago Garcia and Boja Juniors central defender Ezequiel Munoz.  As well, Rossi has recruited Matteo Darmian and Kamil Glik for the back line, midfielder Pajtim Kasami, strikers Mauricio Pinilla and Massimo Maccarone, and goalkeeper Giacomo Brichetto.  Maccarone, the only Serie B player to feature for the Azzurri first team, is going to be relied upon to compliment captain Fabrizio Miccoli’s goal scoring prowess.

Di Natale is hoping his squad backs him up this year.

With so many changes and European fixtures adding to the burden, it will be difficult for Palermo to repeat their 5th place finish from ’09-10, much less improve upon it.

Despite the compact nature of last year’s Serie A table, it’s difficult to believe that Udinese finished 15th.  With Antonio di Natale’s 29 strikes, the support of Antonio Floro Flores and young Chilean starlet Alexis Sanchez, there was no dearth of scoring.  As Switzerland’s Gökhan Inler held down the midfield and partnered with Simon Pepe, Ghanian Kwadwo Asamoah and another Chilean, Mauricio Isla, the Little Zebras should have done much better.

Pepe has been loaned out to Juventus, Ghanian John Mensah to Granada and youthful French defender Mohamadou Sissoko to Scotland’s Kilmarnock.  New manager Francesco Guidolin knows he has the guns to shoot it out with almost anyone.  Now he just has to teach his charges to do it from proper cover.

In 15 appearances last season, Valeri Bojinov led Parma with 8 goals.  You might think that ratio would earn him more playing time, this season.  Unfortunately, Hernan Crespo has arrived at the ancient il Tardini, after a short spell in Genoa.

Crespo's flowing locks have been cut off but Parma is hoping the same doesn't hold for the flow of goals.

The 34 year old Argentine is far younger than the venerable stadium he will call home and the club is banking on him still having some spryness in his step.  If Crespo can lead and Bojinov follow, the Crusaders may be making plans to invade the Europa League, a year from now.

The Genoa Cricket and Football Club have long had a revolving door installed in the clubhouse.  They develop exciting young talent, such as Diego Milito and David Suazo, to sell to the big clubs.  Both to influence the youngsters and maintain competitiveness when they depart, the side also regularly takes in aging veterans of note.  Hernan Crespo, on his way from Inter to Parma, stopped off to contribute 5 goals in 16 appearances, last season.  This year’s big brother is former Roma and Bayern star, Luca Toni.

Rocchi is determined not to let anything rain on his century parade.

With players not always in permanent residence, goal by committee is very much the norm.  Rodrigo Palacio’s 7 led the squad in ’09 and he is back for more.  At the opposite end, Portugal number 1, Eduardo, backstops the club.

Last year, il Grifone were a comfortable 9th in the table and will likely finish the new campaign in the same neighbourhood.  After all, they are in the business of buying and selling players, not collecting trophies.

Lazio’s goal-scoring tandem of Sergio Floccari and captain Tommaso Rocchi will be getting some support in midfield, with the addition of Aussie Mark (don’t call me Marco) Bresciano, from Palermo.  The 33 year old Rocchi will be especially motivated,  as he was limited to 6 goals, a year ago, bringing his total for club to 89.  At the outset of ’09, he publicly stated his desire to become the 5th Lazio centurion, intentionally switching to the number 9 that 3 of the other 4 had worn, including the legendary Giorgio Chinaglia.  If Rocchi can enjoy a resurgence, Lazio might move into the top half of the table, after their 12th place finish in ’09-10.

Gillet was a major part of Bari's success in '09.

Bari were a major surprise, last season, finishing in 10th, having just earned promotion to the top flight, after championing the Serie B, in 2008-09.  As per usual, with a selling club, not much investment has been made to fortify their advances.  Five new players have come into the squad, all on loan, but the responsibilities on the pitch lie at either end, with acrobatic keeper and captain, Jean-Francois Gillet and the 14 goal scoring Brazilian, Barreto.  There is a lot of fight in this Adriatic seaside club, so it’s not so likely that they’ll fall victim to the sophomore blues.  Still, they’re not a threat for a European place.

The port city where football was first introduced to Sicilians by British sailors, Catania, has fallen into the habit of importing the game.  Italians make up only half the squad, very unusual for a less than elite Serie A squad.  Fully a dozen of its players are Argentine, a contingent led by striker Maxi Lopez.  He may see more time, this year, with Uruguayan Jorge Martinez now at Juve.  With Guisseppe Mascara also having an eye for goal, Marco Giampaolo’s side should have enough in attack to remain safely in the middle of the standings.

The Stragglers

Pellisier would like to see another gentleman, or two, come to his aid in Verona.

For 9 of the last 10 years, Chievo have led a quiet life in the mid to lower end of the Serie A table. During that time they have endured some tremoulous moments attempting to avoid the drop, especially in the ’08-09 campaign.  Under Domenico di Carlo, having picked up just 9 points in the first 17 matches, they suddenly found their stride, picking up results against Juve, Inter, Roma and Genoa to propel them out of danger.  This season looks to be another stressful one, as they rely heavily upon captain Sergio Pellissier, whose 11 goals were 1/3 of the team’s anemic ’09-10 output.

Last season, the strike partnership between captain Marc di Vaio and Brazilian veteran Adailton helped Bologna to narrowly avoid relegation.  Adailton has moved on to Romania and it will be up to a younger replacement, most likely Uruguayan Henry Gimenez or the Greek Peter Crouch, 6’5″ Vangelis Moras, to supply the necessary ammunition to keep the Rossoblu in the top flight.

At Cagliari, new manager, Pierpaolo Bisoli has moved over from newly promoted Cesena.  He’s acquired the effervescently named Robert Aquafresca, on loan from Genoa,and a pair of young Brazilians, Nene and Jeda, to supplement Alessandro Matri’s finishing.  Daniele Conti, the son of Roma legend Bruno, is the captain and midfield anchor.  Look for pacy young defender Francesco Pisaro to get some more minutes in the back.

Bisoli hopes to take the Sardinians away from the relegation zone, this year.  If their spirit, as evident in a recent unfriendly with Sicilian side, Palermo, is any indication, his charges are ready for the fight.

Leading the newcomers, the Giallorossi have popped in for another quick visit to the top flight.  Pulling a ‘West Brom,’ Lecce have bounced right back into Serie A, after having been ignobly relegated in 2008-09.  Beyond their newly appointed manager, the venerable Luigi di Canio, late of Queens Park Rangers, nothing much has changed for the club.  Nor have they done a lot in the transfer market, to improve their chances of hanging around for a while.  Expect them to continue emulating the Baggies, by not overstaying their welcome in the 1st division.

Brescia will return to the San Siro this season but they won't be bringing their own legend with them, this time.

In their 90 year existence, it’s been rare for Brescia Calcio to spend consecutive seasons in Serie A.  Their last such period was their greatest.  The talismanic ponytail of Roberto Baggio spent its final competitive years with the club, from 2000-01 to 2003-04, and through the skills of the man attached,  they actually accomplished an Intertoto Cup runners-up medal in ’01.  In 2005, however, after his final season, ‘Baggio’s Brescia’ were quickly relegated.

Other famous players have used Brescia as a stepping stone, in their early careers, including Pep Guardiola, Gheorges Hagi, Luca Toni and Andrea Pirlo.  With the retirement of Luigi di Biagio, after their promotion, the current group is left without a Baggio (of any variance) to guide them.  That’s not a good omen, but youngster Andrea Carracciolo will be looking to make his step up to Serie A permanent.  If he impresses, he may achieve that but for his club to also remain, more help than his will be needed.

***In a late development, just hours before this posting, Brescia have reached out for that help, bringing Alessandro Diamante back to Italy.  Having languished on the bench at West Ham,  for the past 12 months, the 27 year old striker, purchased for €2.2M, will likely be thrust into a leadership role with his new club.

Situated about an hour from Bologna, the Bianconera (yes, it’s yet another black and white kit in the Serie A) of Cesena are making their 1st top flight appearance since the ’91 season.

Although Massimo (pictured here with Piacenza) is a manager now, he remains as fit as Ronaldhino.

The new manager in town is Massimo Ficcadenti, whom you may remember as being the prize in the Verona/Reggina tug-of-war, ‘ in 06-07.  After Reggina finally won the right to his services, they promptly sacked him for failing to produce a victory in his first 10 matches.

Ficcadenti will be relying on former Velez Sarsfield and Atalante central defender, Maxi Pellegrino, acquired from the Italian side as partial compensation for Ezequiel Schelotto, to anchor the line.  Veteran Ghanian international Stephen Appiah and Schelotto, remaining with Cesena on loan, will patrol the mid-field.

This season marks their 2nd consecutive promotion, a surprisingly strong surge for the tiny club.  It was masterminded by the departed Pierpaolo Bisoli.  Whether or not his upward move, to Cagliari, suggests his former club has reached or exceeded its capabilities remains to be seen but don’t expect too much from them.

....

In 2009-10, Sampdoria was the rabbit that set the early pace, only to be run down in the final sprint by Inter and Roma.  This season, promises to be a tight finish again between the latter two clubs but perhaps with a different result.  The rest of the league was a whirlwind throughout the campaign, with clubs rising and falling throughout.  The mid table standings were so crowded that any little slip could have been devastating, as Juve eventually found out.

There is every indication that this year will be just as competitive.  Catch every match you can,in the race for the Scudetto, but, whatever you do, don’t blink…

...You never know what you might miss!

No, Elmo, I never bagged six.

Hi boys and girls, today’s report is brought to you by Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle and the number six.

Six does seem to be the hot number in the Premier League, to begin the season.  The Gunners reached that total against Blackpool on Saturday, as did the Blues for the second week running, this time at Wigan (Ladbrokes has posted 6-1 odds that the Latics will officially change their nickname to the Lambs, as in sacrificial).

Sunday saw the most stunning six of them all, though, with Toon absolutely throttling Villa, at St. James Park.  It was a happy result for everyone around the league, too, as it means Joey Barton will be shaving that creepy mustache off his upper lip.

So, if you play the lottery, make sure six is on your ticket for the immediate future.  Meanwhile, all the lads from WFC are back to talk about the goings on from the weekend.

Enjoy.

Matt Dalton

Matt Dalton

Arsenal 6, Blackpool 0

Indeed, it’s not very often that we are treated to 6 goal games but, like London buses, they all seemed to come at once this weekend!  The Arsenal -- Blackpool match, as predicted, was one of those to feature a sackful of goals.  Blackpool might well be counting themselves a bit unfortunate, having been reduced to ten men fairly early on.

Elsewhere, Chelsea thumped Wigan, one of my tips for the drop, by the same scoreline.  Then Newcastle decided to join the party yesterday, by giving Stephen Ireland a stinker of a birthday present, on his debut for the Villans!  Topping it off this evening, my beloved Liverpool received a pretty conclusive footballing lesson from the Premier League’s latest rich boys, Manchester City. You have to take your hat off to City, they didn’t do much wrong and fully deserved not only the three points but all three goals.

I hope every Premier League weekend is as entertaining as this one, although with a little luck, Liverpool will not be on the end of a roasting like that, too often!

Geoff Edwards

Geoff Edwards

Bayern Munich 2, Wolfsburg 1

Can anyone stop Thomas Müller? After his World Cup heroics, it was perhaps fitting that he scored the Bundesliga’s 1st goal.  What a goal it was, too, beautifully worked by the ‘New Bomber’ and fellow starlet Toni Kroos.

After being comprehensively outplayed in the 1st half, Steve McClaren deserves credit for lifting his side, at the break, and sending them back out onto the Allianz Arena turf with fire in their bellies. Substitute Zvjezdan Misimovic was instrumental, as Wolfsburg looked the better side in the 2nd half.   They equalised deservedly through Edin Dzeko, then wasted a number of chances to put themselves ahead, before being hit with a last minute sucker punch from another German World Cup hero, Bastian Schweinsteiger.

A disappointing start for McClaren, but plenty of positives to take from the 2nd half performance.

Tapesh Patel

Tapesh Patel

Paris Saint-Germain 1, Bordeaux 2

This match took a while to get going but really caught fire in an end-to-end second half. If anything, Bordeaux had the better of possession, although PSG occasionally threatened on the counter.  Les Girondins were also superb on set pieces and so it proved, when Alou Diarra headed home from a 68th minute corner. The Parisians equalised 8 minutes later, with veteran Ludovic Giuly squaring for Guillaume Hoarau to tap home.

It was the lads from the wine country who had the last laugh, however, and on 95 minutes, centre-back Mickael Ciani scored the winner, sparking crazed celebrations from the away crowd. The eleventh hour dramatics made this a brilliant match for the neutral, yet Bordeaux fans will undoubtedly be happy that their team has kick-started its season, after stalling out of the gate.

Chris Mann

Chris Mann

Wigan Athletic 0, Chelsea 6

I thought the Londoners might hand out a thrashing to Roberto Martinez’s charges and so it proved. After a bright start Wigan subsided alarmingly quickly, seemingly forgetting the art of defending and capitulating, in the face of some delightful play from Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba. Even at 6-0, it could have been worse for The Latics.

Leeds United 3, Millwall 0

Despite Millwall having had the better start to the season, it was Leeds who triumphed, on home turf, overcoming the Lions in what was an enthralling game, at Elland Road. With the momentum continually switching between the teams, Millwall took the lead before Lloyd Sam’s single strike and a brace from Davide Somma sealed the points for Simon Grayson’s side. An entertaining advertisement for The Championship.

Fab Presilli

Fabricio Presilli

River Plate 3, Independiente 1

River got their third win of the season with a stunning first half display.  Striker Rogelio Funes Mori scored two goals and got a big lift from his attacking midfielders, Manuel Lanzini and Diego Buonanotte.  Although outplayed in the second half by Independiente, el Millionarios managed to secure the win and keep pace with Velez Sarsfield, at the top of the Apertura table.

Santos 2, Atletico MG 0

Neymar delivered, after deciding to stay with Santos, scoring a penalty kick and assisting the second goal.  With the 18 year old secured, the club can now can focus on the national championship, and realistically target the domestic triple crown.

Vasco de Gama 2, Fluminese 2

The Rio derby was even all the way. Vasco remain undefeated since the World Cup but Fluminense are still atop the table. Vasco’s Carlos Alberto (no, not that one) was the star of the night with two assists. Deco made his debut in Rio, but he couldn’t shake off his jet lag, losing a good opportunity at the end.

The Brasilian story of the weekend, however, turned out to be Corinthians’ destruction of Sao Paolo.  Corinthians scored three goals at their rival and São Paulo seems hopelessly lost, needing a quick shift in order to get back on track.

Martin Palazzotto

Martin Palazzotto

Toronto FC 1, New York Red Bull 4

I think I put the kaibosh on TFC over the weekend, somehow telepathically overinflating their egos with my pre-match hype.  They did play amazingly well against Cruz Azul, in mid-week, but came out completely flat against Thierry Henry, et al, on Saturday.

Rafa Marquez opened his MLS account with an absolute scorcher on 35 minutes.  From about 25m in front of goal, the Mexican captain ran onto a little side pass,  sending a goal seeking missile, bending and twisting, through 3 defenders and beyond the reach of a helpless Stefan Frei.   The lead doubled moments later on a classic own goal.  After pegging one back through Dwayne Derosario, the Reds fell apart, surrendering a penalty on a handball that resembled the opening tip off for an NBA game and then gifting the Red Bulls a 4th goal, when Frei mishandled a fairly routine cross, into the box.

Here are the highlights, with apologies, in advance, for the sorry excuse for commentators.  They really are dolts.  It is a laugh, though, to hear of the incredible patience of Tee-Airy Hawn-ree, in signing autographs for over five minutes.  Wow, what a great guy, giving up so much of his time for the fans.

The gap between the two clubs, in the Eastern standings, widened to eight points and Toronto faces a long flight to Corona, Panama, for a mid week CCL clash with Arabe Unido, and then back home again, to face the defending MLS champs, Real Salt Lake.

Until next weekend, here’s a little fun from the Dutch Jupiler League (2nd div.), where Sparta Rotterdam showed no mercy to Allmere City, romping to a 12-1 victory after going a man up in the early going.   Sparta’s Johan Voskamp was the most bloodthirsty of the Kasteelheren, with not 6 but 8 goals. It took Andy Carroll, Theo Walcott and Nicolas Anelka combined, to match that!

How is a footy fan supposed to keep up with all that?  Well, the caring and nurturing staff at WFC is here to help, bringing you a new feature, in which several of our writers list the matches they think are can’t miss, from the weekend fixtures.  Pick and choose or Tivo them all, for enjoyment throughout the week.  Just do whatever it takes to catch them, if you can!

Geoff Edwards

Geoff Edwards

Bayern Munich v Wolfsburg, Bundesliga Friday evening .

Steve McClaren will make history as the 1st English coach to take charge of a team in the Bundesliga, when his Wolfsburg outfit come up against last season’s champions.

Simon Kjaer and Arne Friedrich could debut for Wolfsburg, and it will be interesting to see how Bayern’s stars have recovered from their World Cup exertions.

..

Tapesh Patel

Tapesh Patel

Paris Saint-Germain v Bordeaux, Ligue 1 Sunday

A clash of fallen giants.

PSG will look to build upon a solid start to the season, having beaten Saint-Etienne on the opening day, and impressively managing an away draw against title hopefuls Lille.  Bordeaux, meanwhile, are looking to make the tough climb back up the slope, from a descent that began last spring.   Losing Laurent Blanc and Marouane Chamakh over the summer, will make their ascent much more of a challenge.

Blanc’s replacement, Jean Tigana, has voiced concern about the fragile mentality displayed by his players, thus far. Expected to step up to the challenge will be Fernando Cavenaghi, needed to replace Chamakh’s goal threat.   If he can reproduce his form of the 2007-8 and 2008-9 seasons (when he scored 15 and 13 league goals respectively), Tigana will be well pleased. The former title-chasers have lost both of their matches, this season, and will be setting out to put things right, after their chairman expressed his disappointment at the latest loss.

Both defences could be shaky and so this should be a good game for the neutral. Don’t miss out!

..

Matt Dalton

Matt Dalton

Arsenal v Blackpool, EPL Saturday

When you think of Blackpool, you could be forgiven for thinking of sand, stag parties and strip bars. Having celebrated 100 years in league football, Blackpool is firmly back on the map for its football for the first time in 39 years.  Building upon their unexpectedly magical ending to last season, under the guidance of a very cast-against-type  fairy godmother, in Ian Holloway, they have started off well.  A resounding 4-0 victory against Wigan, whom they will likely be scrapping with, come the end of the season, has them in a very positive frame of mind.

If Arsenal find their groove it could end up quite one sided, yet they were sluggish at Anfield, surviving only after being granted a wish of their own, when Pepe Reina gifted them a late equaliser.  Being at home, at the Emirates Stadium, may be a comforting thought for the Gunners, until they remember that Blackpool did their damage, last weekend, on the road.

With Arsenal’s very open way of playing and Blackpool’s confidence and enthusiasm, we may well be treated to an early season humdinger.  Whatever happens, there are sure to be goals. I, for one, will be watching!

Chris Mann

Chris Mann

Leeds United v Millwall, The Championship Saturday

The over-zealous (to put it diplomatically) nature of both clubs’ supporters gives this clash an unfortunate extra edge, but these are both teams that played some excellent football during their successful League One campaigns last season and the game should be an attractive spectacle on the field, if not off it.
Wigan Athletic v Chelsea, Premier League Also Saturday

What’s not to love about the league’s worst defence being pitted against its best attack? It could be carnage at the DW Stadium. Wigan fans look away now.

Martin Palazzotto

Martin Palazzotto

Toronto FC v New York Red Bull, MLS Saturday

The Canadian side are coming off a stunning home upset of Mexican power, Cruz Azul, in the CONCACAF Champions League.  Mista, the Spanish mid season signing, under the DPR rule, paid early dividends with his first goal for the club, in a 2-1 victory.

That match was the first hurdle in a do or die stretch, on two fronts, late in their season.  On the outside, looking in at the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Reds now face a beefed up Red Bull side featuring the three headed monster of Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel and Rafa Marquez.  Then mid-week it’s a long jaunt, from the shores of Lake Ontario to the mouth of the Panama Canal, to face Arabe Unido in their second CCL match.  After that encounter, they must jump back on the plane and return home to face defending MLS champs, Real Salt Lake.

TFC’s coach, Preki, has obviously taken the league commissioner’s directive to take the continental championship seriously, and will have his best players fighting on two fronts.  With the fantastic support from the home crowd, at windy BMO Field, boosting the adrenaline already flowing through their veins, from their victory over los Cementeros, Toronto will be ready and waiting for the Red Bulls.

..

Fabricio Presilli

Fabricio Presilli

Santos v Atlético Mineiro, Brasileirao Sunday

This game marks the return of Vanderlei Luxemburgo to his former team ground. He left some enemies in Vila Belmiro, so expect the Santos’ boys to work extra hard in order to keep Atlético in the relegation zone.  The hotly sought after Neymar is likely to hear it from the home crowd, in a much more loving fashion, after turning down a truckload of cash to move to Chelsea.

Vasco v Fluminense, Brasilierao Sunday

The Rio derby will be further fueled by Fluminenses’ lead of the tournament. Maybe Deco can debut for the tricolor, giving them another option in an already good midfield.

River v Independiente, Argentine Apertura Sunday

Can River keep up the good form of their previous two games and get a third win? They are desperately battling relegation this year, from their low point average, accumulated in their previous tournaments.

..

As a final note, we bring you some footage of that Copa Libertadores final between Chivas and Internacional, and the aftermath.

Carrying on in the grand tradition of this year’s World Cup, the two sides were less concerned with attractive football than guerilla warfare.  This was the last year that Mexican sides will be invited to the South American competition, as CONCACAF has expressed concern about a very congested international schedule.  The Goats, after going down 2-1 in the home leg, made a match of it, equalising early in Porto Alegre, but eventually were defeated 5-3, on aggregate.  As like as not, the Central Americans won’t be missed after their farewell performance degenerated into general thuggery.  Take special note of the series of rabbit punches delivered to one Inter player, about a minute into the highlight package.

..

..

After the match, the fans joined in on the fun.  Internacional supporters are famous for pitch invasion but the traveling Goats contingent got in on the act, as well.  Apparently, it all started before the opening whistle, when the home crowd jeered the Mexican National anthem and events gradually descended into chaos from there, until an impromptu summit of nations was held on the field after the match finally ground to a halt.

..

..

Editor’s note:  A previous version of this report referred to newly signed Toronto FC player, Mista, as being Brazilian, due to an inaccurate source.  He is, in fact, Spanish.  Apologies for the error.

4-0?! This wise lad doesn't want to wake up.

Now, before you get all up in arms about that last match, I’m not saying that the Tangerine Dream are definitely staying up.  I’m aware that each one of the three results is just one game in a very long campaign.  With their away thrashing of the Latics, Blackpool have proven that they’re game, certainly, but there’s more work to be done before they’ve shown they belong.

So what am I getting at?  First off, it’s that the Blues and United are still the class of the league.  None of last seasons pretenders have taken a step forward.  City and Spurs fought to a stalemate but it wasn’t what you would call epic.  Arsenal were very slow out of the gate and Liverpool still seem to have  a black cloud over their heads, with Joe Cole being sent off early and Pepe Reina inexplicably gifting the Gunners a point at the death.   Tim Howard did the same, if in the early going, as Everton dropped what should have been at least one point at Blackburn.  Is it something in the Mersey’s water?  Villa were solid against West Ham but it was James Milner’s last match for the Birmingham outfit.  No, if you’re looking for the 2011 Premier League champion, it’s a very narrow search.

The other point that these contests drove home, was just which clubs and managers aren’t likely to be sticking around for long.  Shortly into every season, speculation heats up as to who will be the first manager to be let go by his club.  This year is no different.  At WFC, we’re just jumping the gun a bit because all the targets have already been flushed.

Now, it’s only a matter of time before a Premier League executive cocks the trigger and we wait for the…

..

Don't think about losing, Roberto. Just keep your mind on all that money.

West Brom suffered the worst drubbing of all, although there isn’t actually much surprise there.  They’ve been going back and forth between the Championship and the top flight for the last few years, like Hillary Clinton shuttling between Gaza and Jerusalem, trying to coax Hamas and the Knesset back to the bargaining table.  Only for the Baggies, by not signing overpriced, mediocre talent and just pocketing Richard Scudamore’s money, it’s been much more profitable.

Nor does Roberto di Matteo have any need to update his CV.  Tony Mowbray was hired by Celtic (wince!) based solely on West Brom’s lower division accomplishments.  If recent history is any indication, the WBA bar is set so low that the Swiss born Italian has no worries, whatsoever.

On the other hand, Chris Hughton, at Newcastle, and Roberto Martinez, of Wigan, can’t be calmed by any measure of job security, at all.  They’re joined in that unhappy boat by Avram Grant.

I'm not orthodox, so why do I keep flogging myself like this?

Newly arrived at the EPL version of The Eastenders, aka West Ham, Grant has jumped from the frying pan into the fire.  Ironically, the club is in West London but it’s day to day business is a soap opera nonetheless.  One would think, after his ordeal at Fratton Park, that the seemingly masochistic Israeli is aware that the Davids, Gold & Sullivan, will quickly chuck any investment that doesn’t show an instant return.  Yet, there he is.  To be fair, the signing of Scott Parker to a five year deal, should help the former victim of Chelsea and Pompey settle things somewhat, at Upton Park.

When you take a look at the bottom of the Premier League table, at the end of the last two seasons and to begin the present campaign, it seems to serve as proof for the old axiom, nice guys finish last.

Grant stepped in at Pompey last year, replacing another decent bloke in Paul Hart, and was promptly lied to and embarrassed by a succession of carpetbagging owners, who between them couldn’t scrape together a few bob for a pint at the Milton Arms.  As if that wasn’t a sufficiently nightmarish experience, he happily took over for Gianfranco Zola at West Ham.

I pity the next guy who sits in this seat.

Zola was the epitomy of class as he struggled to keep the Hammers in the Premier League, despite the reluctance of the outgoing Icelandic owners and incoming porn kings to spend significant cash on an impactful player, or two.  In press conference after press conference, Zola refused to rise to the bait of his new bosses, who played carrot and stick with him so frequently that it was obvious to all they thought him an ass.

Two years ago, Chris Hughton suffered the same treatment at the hands of Mike Ashley.  Twice dissatisfied with the young coach’s lack of results as caretaker manager, the Toon owner gave him the hook in short order on both occasions.  When the club was relegated and the discount sportswear magnate was unable to offload it or sign Geordie icon, Alan Shearer, as permanent manager, the Londoner was again given the job.  As it would appear, after his side were quickly cowed at Old Trafford, last year’s runaway success in the Championship has indeed, run away, and Ashley, still hoping to flog the club, will likely revert to past form and begin looking for a name to assume command.

If Hatem Ben Arfa doesn't sign, Hughton may be facing an early vacation.

Hughton, another example of professionalism and humility will likely envy Shearer.  Never one to blush when it came time for the rough stuff, the Premier League’s record goal scorer refused to back down from his demands for a solid budget and final decision on transfers.  Whether he would have been a success or failure, Shearer would have done it on his own terms.  Owen Coyle, by all accounts a player’s manager, also showed the ruthlessness to move on, from Burnley, when it became obvious that situation was hopeless.

That killer instinct is what is missing from all the men we’ve talked about here and likely why they find themselves propping up the table rather than partaking in the feast.

... Where he might want to watch out for Wigan's Martinez, who'll be wearing that deer in the headlights expression quite often, this year.

Worst of the bunch might be the unfailingly polite Wigan skipper, Roberto Martinez.  His side was battered several times last year and, in every aftermath, he stood before the press, smiling and saying all the right things.  In his coverage of the World Cup, for the American ESPN, he refused to respond to the frequent jibes of the rest of the analysts, most notably the ever arrogant Ruud Gullit.  Wigan owner, Dave Whelan, is noted for his loyalty but at some point, that faith needs to be justified with a few results.

So, here we are, one match into the campaign and the lines have already been drawn.  It’s inevitable that the League Managers Association CEO, Richard Bevin, will be mourning the loss of one of his clients.

Who do you think it will be?  Vote below and don’t be afraid to add your comments.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Just to illustrate this point, here are the 11 players that started the match in a 4-4-2 diamond formation:

Of these players, six had never played for France before, including Stephane Ruffier, Adil Rami, Aly Cissokho, Yann M’Vila, Charles N’Zogbia and Guillaume Hoarau. By and large, the entire starting XI are, or were, unknown outside France, with the exceptions of Phillipe Mexes, N’Zogbia, Samir Nasri and, possibly, Loic Remy. That doesn’t mean that this French squad as a whole lacked talent, though, as substitutes Hatem Ben Arfa, Karim Benzema and Lassana Diarra prove.

Dependent upon how you see it, then, this was either a brave, assertive way for the new manager to deal with the situation, or a complete waste of time. I would side with the former -- Blanc must take some credit for omitting players with sizeable reputations, whom he deems either not good enough for the national side, at the moment, such as Sebastian Frey and Bafetimbi Gomis, or not in his future interests, as with David Trezeguet and Mickael Landreau.

Norway 2-1 France: What Happened?

Ben Arfa's performance belied his club woes.

The first thing to mention here is that despite the scoreline, France put in a credible display. In the first half, they were dominant, but didn’t manage to score a goal. Blanc therefore switched the formation to a 4-2-3-1 at half-time, bringing on Jeremy Menez and Hatem Ben Arfa, as well as Lassana Diarra.

And how it worked!  Ben Arfa, in particular, was lethal down the right flank, scoring a 30-yard scorcher in the 47th minute. Menez looked threatening, as well, on his debut.

Unfortunately, that’s when it started to fall apart for the French. Shortly after Menez was introduced, Stephane Ruffier did his best Robert Green impression, allowing Erik Huseklepp to start the Scandinavian comeback, and ensuring that Hugo Lloris keeps his place in the side. A lapse of concentration by Lassana Diarra then allowed Huseklepp to run through and convert his second, in spite of pressure from two French defenders.

The Winners And The Losers

The big winner in this match was someone who, in my view, should have been on the plane to South Africa. With a new line-up in place, Blanc opted for a new formation, deploying the previously illustrated 4-4-2 diamond formation, with Samir Nasri at its tip. The Arsenal man was clearly the one who benefitted most from the tactical switch, going past defenders easily, passing smartly, and generally providing the creative spark with which France constructed their attacking moves.

For all of his club-level problems, Hatem Ben Arfa was one of the most impressive players on show, after coming on at half-time. He consistently caused problems for the Norwegians, running at the defence, was involved in everything good about the French play, and scored a peach of a goal just after half-time.

Blanc used the Norway trip to take the temperature of several new players. Prognosis: Despite the defeat, France seems strong enough to recover from the South African fiasco

Yann M’Vila was eyeing up a permanent spot in the French midfield, and will also be one to watch after this display. He passed efficiently and broke up Norwegian attacks effectively, whenever it was required.

Aly Cissokho, the Lyon left-back, impressed defensively, and although his passing left something to be desired, he put in a good shift.

The loser was undoubtedly Lassana Diarra, who underperformed badly after coming on in the second half. The midfielder was at fault for the second Norwegian goal, and almost gifted them another when he allowed a near-post flick-on to go unchallenged after a 75th minute corner.

Overall, there were positives to take from a match in which the French fielded a much-weakened team, yet dominated against a decent European side. The French media billed the contest as the return of Generation 1987, so-called because it is the year in which Benzema,  Nasri and Ben Arfa were all born.  Although, the three youngsters were all dropped from the World Cup squad by former manager, Raymond Domenech, French supporters are hoping that the trio will be at the core of a renaissance du bleue.  There’s a lot of tinkering still to be done but the potential warrants the promise.

Match Highlights

Whether he stays with Villa or joins City, Milner will have tens of thousands of reasons to smile week in and week out.

It’s been a strange off season so far; Chelsea have decided to sell, sell, sell, whilst Man City buy, buy and almost buy (here’s looking at you, James Milner). Sir Alex Ferguson loudly proclaims that there is not much value in the transfer market, especially with the wealth of youthful resources at his disposal in Manchester.  Simultaneously on  Merseyside, Roy Hodgson says not much at all, preferring instead to do his talking with signings and tactics.

This campaign will also see the introduction of the new homegrown rule. Personally, I don’t think it will cause too much change to the top teams anyway; Arsenal sign all their players as soon as they are out of nappies, United golden generation from the ’90s  seem almost ageless and Liverpool are quietly going about their business of re-Anglicisation. Chelsea and Man City are probably the two teams that will find the requirements somewhat hindering, with both boasting squads with far more international diversity than good old home cooking.

At Liverpool, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Before I venture too far into impartiality, let me get something off my chest.  As usual, the internet is awash with village idiots, trumpeting the impossible dream.  Especially where it pertains to the Kop.  I’m sorry Merseysiders, but as much as I love them, Liverpool are not going to win the league.  Quite frankly, they will be lucky to regain their place in the top 4 amongst stiff competition from the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal and Man City. It will take a very good season, with a an injury free Torres in place and on form, if they are to regain their place. Of course, this doesn’t mean they are a bad side, just not a great one. Unfortunately for them, City have bought extremely well over the course of the summer and the likes of Chelsea and United are a long way from where the Scousers would like to be.

Right then, on to business.  When trying to make predictions on the course of the coming season, it’s actually pretty difficult to come up with any that can be made with conviction.

Chelsea and United will undoubtedly be up there, but each has many questions that need answering, as do their closest challengers. Will the loss of Ricardo Carvalho, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack effect Chelsea more than they expect?  Are the youngsters, in which Fergie is placing so much trust, ready to take some of the load off Wayne Rooney’s shoulders?  Will the millions City have spent finally bring them a team capable of challenging, or will another offseason of change again mean a lack of chemistry when it is needed most?  Can Marouane Chamakh provide the firepower that Arsenal have been so obviously craving, since the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor?  Are Tottenham capable of juggling European and domestic football? Will Liverpool finally find a back up striker capable of stepping in for Fernando Torres?  Have they already, judging by the pre-season form of David Ngog?

Phew! That is just the tip of the iceberg!  Just under the surface, are 14 other clubs with issues and ambitions of their own.

O'Neill is not likely to sit on the sideline as long as Mark Hughes.

In perhaps the biggest news of the summer so far, Martin O’Neill sensationally walked out on Aston Villa, further fuelling speculation that Randy Lerner will no longer be going overboard with his spending, but rather looking to recoup a bit and steady the ship, financially speaking. What will become of Aston Villa now that the Irishman has gone?

Everton, who would surely have been challenging for 4th place last year, if it weren’t for an injury crisis, at the start of the season, which rivaled the later one suffered by their Merseyside neighbours, will now truly fancy their chances of being in amongst the European places this season.

If you thought Blackpool's promotion was miraculous, you'll really be amazed if Holloway can keep them in the top flight.

At the other end of the table, my all time favourite manager, Ian Holloway, will be gracing the Premiership with his presence and will surely provide a very welcome alternative display of how a football manager should behave. Personally, I can’t wait to see his interviews on Match of the Day and Soccer Sunday.  I just hope that he can work some miracles and keep Blackpool up, although I very much doubt their chances. Already, it appears that they may have already accepted their fate, concentrating on their facilities with the money obtained from promotion, rather than filling the squad with overpaid rejects from a multitude of European teams, as is so often the case for the newly promoted sides.  Can you say Mido?

It looks like it’s shaping up to be a tough season for all the newly promoted sides. West Brom seem set to continue their yo yo routine, bouncing from the Premier League to the Championship and back.  Newcastle have not exactly inspired anyone with their summer transfer activity.

You can’t help feel that a few bad results for any of the promoted trio could result in heads going down or, in Toon’s case, fans getting on the players’ backs and forcing yet another manager on his way. Of the lower table Premier League teams, it is hard to pick anyone that looks particularly weak.

That’s also the case when trying to pick one that looks particularly strong.  The top 6 this season will most likely be made up of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man United and Tottenham. When it comes to picking the order, it gets a little more difficult. I’m going to go out on a limb though and say that I think that the enemy of my heart will win the title, finally putting Liverpool’s top-flight domination in the past. City will make it a Mancunian top two, with Chelsea firmly on their heels. Arsenal will make up the top 4, with Liverpool and Tottenham scrapping all season long over 5th place.

The final Europa league place will be a very interesting battle this season; Aston Villa, Everton, Birmingham and Stoke will be fighting it out all season long, whilst the likes of Fulham, Blackburn, Sunderland and Wolves will simply disappear into the nether region, otherwise known as the mid table.  I fancy Everton to snatch the final Europa league place though; they are a better-equipped squad, with more diversity and experience than the others.

At the wrong end of the table, this leaves Blackpool, Bolton, Newcastle, West Brom, West Ham and Wigan. I am sorry to say it, but the writing is on the wall for both Blackpool and West Brom.  There just isn’t enough about either of their squads to stay up and, unless they start spending a bit of money on the kind of players that belong in the Premier League, my opinion on that won’t change. The third relegation place will be an interesting battle between the other four teams and I am finding it very difficult to pick the other team for the drop. I think Newcastle, armed with scrappers like Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan in midfield, will have enough steel in their side to keep themselves afloat. I think I will stump for Wigan to go down this season, with apparent investment of the Davids at West Ham and the wonder man that is Owen Coyle at the Reebok trumping Dave Whelan and the extremely polite Roberto Martinez at the JJB.

Fergie may have signed himself a really sweet pea.

So what about the other awards? Top scorer will be Torres, as long as he can stay fit. If not, Rooney will continue where he left off, last season, firing United to the title. The usual suspects, such as Carlos Tevez and Didier Drogba will be there or thereabouts. United’s new signing, Javier Hernandez, will end up proving to be an astute bit of business and will be fighting it out for buy of the season with Joe Cole. David Silva has a lot of promise at City but, with that £25m price tag, he will have to be pretty sensational to satisfy the economically jaded Premier League fans. Somehow, I just can’t see him winning them over.

Were this award given on sheer personality, Ian Holloway would be named Manager of the Year in a cakewalk, but as results unfortunately factor in, it will more likely be Ferguson who picks it up, despite some very stern competition from fellow Scotsman, David Moyes. The first for the sack? Well, that depends, really. If the Magpies get off to a dreadful start, we could well see Chris Hughton paying the price. Of the other teams likely to struggle, none are led by executives who have a reputation for being particularly quick to fire their managers, so it could well be one of the mid table skippers axed, if his side underperforms out of the gate. Whoever takes the Aston Villa hotseat has some large shoes to fill; if  he trips up, a rattled Randy Lerner may be prone to a knee jerk reaction.

There is still a long way to go in the current transfer window and many things could change between now and 1 September. With the possibly imminent buyout of Liverpool, that may see them attempt a late raid, or two, of significant talent and the sale of Milner to Man City looking more and more a done deal, we could well see a transfer merry go round getting underway, as the other big clubs look to keep up with the Joneses.  There might only be a few days to go until the first matches of the season but it will be much longer before we know how all the preseason wrangling pans out!

Opening a newspaper or checking the sports websites and reading about a club in financial difficulty is becoming frighteningly frequent. It came as little surprise that Arsene Wenger’s response to Chelsea’s claims to be “virtually debt free” after converting the loans owed to owner Roman Abramovich into club equity was not one of congratulations. The Arsenal manager’s retort that clubs who recklessly reject the need to manage team and club finances as one are “half-cheating” was a timely reminder of his beliefs, which in the current environment, should be applauded.

In the past 5 years, Wenger’s rivals have grown richer than ever before. Chelsea have emerged as a threat thanks to Abramovich’s billions and Manchester City may well follow next season. Yet Wenger has not backed down or changed his style out of fear of the nouveau riche. If anything, Wenger has become entrenched deeper into his own philosophy. A whole new team of typical “Wenger-type” players has been slowly constructed at Arsenal. The ‘Invincibles’ of Henry, Vieira, Pirés, Ljungberg, Lehmann, Ashley Cole and more recently Kolo Touré and Adebayor have all been replaced by younger models for a sizeable profit. Wenger’s belief in his youngsters is something that is sadly not shared by all managers. The pressure for instant success has played an important role here. Sure, 4 years without a trophy is a long time for a club like Arsenal, but Wenger has earned that time and the Arsenal fans and more importantly, the board, are safe in the knowledge that their manager is usually right in the end.

The current side contains the big signings of Vermaelen and Arshavin, who themselves, in the current market, look like shrewd deals at a total of around £25million. These are surrounded by the classic Wenger signings. Young talent, brought in for a typically small fee who develop into key parts of the first team. This has been best highlighted this season by the midfield. The hole left by the likes Vieira and Flamini led to persistent rumours of either Gareth Barry and Xabi Alonso being brought in for a huge fee as Arsenal looked for a player to fit next to Captain Fabregas. But now it seems like Wenger knew all along. Alex Song and Abou Diaby, were already at Arsenal and have been two of the most impressive players in the league so far this season, themselves ably backed up by Denilson and Aaron Ramsey. Plus, the TV pundits are quickly running out of superlatives for Cesc Fabregas. Again, Fabregas’ growth into perhaps the Premiership’s best player is not an accident. His performance in the 2006 Champions League game as an 18-year old against Juventus’ Patrick Vieira was one of maturity and quality. Since then, he has continued to improve and add different sides to his game. He has taken on the responsibility of the team’s talisman and is now the complete midfielder who would be the first name on arguably any team sheet in the world.

Perhaps the greatest achievement that can be attributed to Wenger is that Fabregas is not an anomaly, but rather one in a long line of successful Wenger projects. One point of interest personally as a Chelsea fan is that Fabregas arrived in 2003, the same summer as Roman Abramovich. Since then, Chelsea have bought over 15 players who have featured in central midfield at a total cost of 115 million. These include: Michael Essien,
Jiri Jarosik,
Juan Sebastian Veron,
Joe Cole,
Tiago,
Claude Makelele,
Scott Parker
John Obi Mikel.
It was slightly embarrassing to compare some of those deals to Cesc Fabregas.

Of course, Chelsea have won 2 league titles since then, every team would have been better off buying Fabregas,and players as good as the Arsenal captain are very rare, but it just signifies the difference between Wenger’s ideals and those of his rivals. One more thought that comes to mind after that kind of statistic, is Arsenal’s purchase of Fabregas the best signing of the last 7 years? Quite possibly.

Wenger’s team this year seems to be rid of the occasional vulnerability of a soft underbelly that has been exploited in the past. But even this has been done more mentally with a new steely determination rather than the addition of big, strong players at the expense of his preferred type of footballer. If a manager has ever, or can ever, deserve to win the League, then Wenger has to be considered. In the previous few years, he has portrayed the demeanour of a slightly mad professor, blinded by his own perfect vision of his football team. This year however, it could all pay off spectacularly. A title win in 2010 would mark a place in history for the “Wenger Way.” It would be an achievement for what is right about modern day football, something that we need to happen to restore some belief in the Premier League today, where the unthinkable notion of a club going out of business is becoming a real possibility. But we can be assured that it won’t be the end, Arsene Wenger is already working on his next Arsenal team.