Who will cross the finish line first..?

horsesOur crystal ball spoke to us clearly and concisely when the excitement and anticipation of the 2009/10 season kicked-off.  We made our predictions. We chose the chosen ones and it was off to the races.

As the best of the best galloped into the eyes of victory and defeat, we raved, we ranted, we posted and we polled about the beautiful game. And as the race to be crowned champion nears its end, we can’t help but wonder, who will cross the finish line first?

For so long Chelsea have been the favourites to scoop the Premier League title. If I remember correctly, we warned the Stamford Bridge outfit not to celebrate too soon. At Christmas, the Chelsea players and faithful believed they had it in the bag. There was an evident cockiness to them which has become synonymous with Chelsea. But a loss to Everton and a whipping by Manchester City in their own park soon made the Blues players and fans realize the fight to the finish will not be so easy. Did they under estimate their opponents? Did the John Terry scandal hurt them? What would they do without Drogba? Will the iron Chelski curtain find its strength again as they head towards the finish?

With Wayne Rooney turning on the style and making a case to be European Footballer of the Year, Manchester United are once again finding their strength and form at the right time. Determined to create history and make it four Premier League titles in a row, the Red Devils are as hungry as ever for silver ware. They’ve already bagged the Carling Cup, they have one eye on a Champions League quarter final spot and they are two points clear at the Premier League summit. Granted they haven’t been as exciting to watch as a team this term, but Rooney has given us every reason to be up for watching Manchester United play. Do you think they’d be flying if Ferdinand and Vidic were fit all season? Do you think Rooney deserves to be Player of the Year? Has Valencia been a success? Will Berbatov be the man United fans want him to be?

And what of Arsenal? After losses to Manchester United and Chelsea, everyone had written off their title chances for good. How could the Gunners win the league if they couldn’t beat the two best teams in the country? Somehow, some way, Arsenal have hung in there. Even though they lost to the big two, they picked up some good results in games we’ve easily seen them lose over the last few seasons. Beating the likes of Stoke and Hull has helped. Losing Ramsey to such a horrific injury has not. But unlike the Eduardo injury experience which saw Arsenal implode that season, it appears this time around the team are galvanized to win it for Ramsey. They seem to have a purpose we may not have seen in recent times. Can Arsenal finish strong without Fabregas? Would they be clear of United and Chelsea on points at this stage if Van Persie hadn’t been injured? Was Vermaelen the best buy of the season? How good could Arsenal actually be if they bought three more world class players?

The rest of the league are fighting for a fourth Champions League spot, a Europa League place or just plain old fashioned survival. How do your predictions match up to what you thought at the beginning of the season? Who do you see wining it all? Chelsea? Manchester United? Or Arsenal? Can Tottenham really steal a Champions League birth? Will Manchester City or Aston Villa ruin their coming out party? Will we see another famous old club like West Ham go down? Has Hull City’s luck finally run out? When Portsmouth go down, how much further will they sink over the next few years? Remember Leeds?

There is still much to play for. It’s sad that the season is almost ending but fear not fellow footie fans! The silver lining is that we are in a World Cup year so the wait for some quality football won’t feel like eternity. Could this be the year Wayne Rooney shines on the world stage? Is it his time to be crowned a world football superstar? The race to the finish line is almost over. The only question is, who will win?

The evolution of Robin van Persie…

01_VANMAN_280x390_919502aWe have all witnessed the growth and progression of Cesc Fabregas as a world class footballer. There’s no question the Spaniard has solidified his place as one of the best midfielders in the universe. His goal against Tottenham on Saturday was magical and proves that if he wants to turn his talent on like that, he has the ability to do so at any given time. The Arsenal fans are completely aware of his brilliance and the effect he can have on a game. But what of his teammate Robin Van Persie?

This season, Robin Van Persie is proving to Arsene Wenger and the entire Arsenal fan nation that he has matured as a player and is ready and prepared to take on much more responsibility. There is definitely something very different about the Dutchman this term. Van Persie has taken the team on his shoulders and is repaying the faith Wenger and the fans have shown in him. There’s always been an edge to Van Persie’s game, but so far this season it has been controlled and he has been more than affective for the Gunners.

We’ve all seen glimpses of how amazing Van Persie can be. There’s no doubt he has scored some incredible goals and has contributed to much of Arsenal’s beautiful play over the last few years. But there was always a part of his game that let him down. Rash challenges and emotional reactions raised question marks about the maturity of Van Persie. But he seems to have put that behind him this season and he has been able to contain his emotions far better. If he can continue to evolve like this as a player, surely there is a legend in the making at Arsenal?

Not only has Van Persie’s attitude improved, his finishing has been clinical and his overall team play has been unselfish and inspiring. With the departure of Adebayor, it’s as though he has been freed to play his game and in return, he has delivered his best performances in an Arsenal shirt. With Fabregas and Van Persie hitting form at the same time, this could definitely give Arsenal fans hope that they can really make a run for the title this year. Add the world class talent that is Arshavin to the mix, and anything is possible.

Van Persie is ready to take his place among the elite footballers on the planet and in a World Cup year, he could really solidify his status as one of the best. Who knows, perhaps the evolution can become a revolution for Arsenal and the national Dutch team…

He comes from Senegal, he plays for Arsenal…

Patrick_Vieira_280x_856165aThe Sun and other media outlets are reporting today that Patrick Viera is about to make a shock return to Arsenal. I couldn’t believe it when I read the headline. I think this could be more shocking than Michael Owen going to Manchester United. Don’t you think so? Nobody was expecting this were they?

The truth is Arsenal have never filled the void left by Viera when he joined Juventus in 2005. He was a great captain. He was a phenomenal leader. He was Arsenal’s rock and he became a legend. Now he could be making one of the most dramatic returns in Premier League history. The questions is, does Viera still have the legs to play and compete at the top level?

Let’s face it, he has not had a huge impact since leaving Arsenal and he can’t hold down a regular starting spot under Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan. So what makes Arsene Wenger think he can still play? Is this a desperate move having lost Adebayor, Toure and possibly Eboue too this summer?

Generally people say when a relationship ends you should never go back. They say it’s never the same second time around. Even Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor couldn’t make it work after a second chance. But could Arsenal and Viera fall in love all over again? Could they re-ignite their love affair and live together happily ever after? If Viera can still play with the best of them, anything is possible.

There’s no question the French star is unhappy playing in Italy and he wants a move to another club. Tottenham, Birmingham and Fulham are also after his signature, but who do you think he will sign for? Can you see Viera going back to the Gunners? Will Arsenal fans be happy? Do you think Arsenal would rather buy him back than watch him play for their arch rivals Spurs?!!

He does look good in red and white. I need another drink…

Bye-bye Manu, bye-bye…

TRUE_BLUE_____Emman_848719aIt looks like Arsenal fans have been given something to shout about this summer…they’re finally shot of Emmanuel Adebayor!

The love-hate relationship is over. Adebayor’s taunts about leaving have to be heard no more. And surprisingly, he didn’t end up at his “dream club” AC Milan. Adebayor signed-up for the Manchester City revolution and a whopping salary of 130,000 pounds a week. So much for wanting to play Champions League football and joining an elite European club.

Adebayor had one great season at Arsenal…in a contract year! This guy is a greedy little bugger who was out for the big bucks. If he really wanted to stay at Arsenal he would have. Robin van Persie just signed an 80,000 pound a week contract to stay with the Gunners. He made it very clear his next contract wasn’t about the money, it was about winning. Van Persie realizes he already makes a ton of cash. He was courted by Manchester United and Chelsea this off-season but he chose to stay at Arsenal. Adebayor on the other hand took an offer from the highest bidder and isn’t even guaranteed a starting place when the new season kicks-off in August.

Adebayor could be a huge success at Manchester City. He could also flop. So many players that have left Arsenal have failed to shine when they moved for bigger, better money. Look at what’s happened to Alexander Hleb at Barcelona. Flamini at AC Milan is doing much better now, but it was tough for him at first. And in the past Viera, Petite and Overmars flopped when they left Arsenal. They were not the same players. In the end, Adebayor’s pockets might be heavier, but he may have less silverware to admire when it’s time to put his feet up from his playing days.

Will Arsenal replace Adebayor? Is he a great loss to the team? Do you think Adebayor moved for money? Will he start at Manchester City? How loud will the boos be when he goes to the Emirates next season? I wrote an article about Adebayor last season. Check it out. http://britishsoccerdiva.com/prod/?p=61. Just shows you a leopard never changes its spots…