Burnley 1 Manchester United 0. This is not a typo…

burnley-goal_666x45_870581aWelcome to the Premier League Burnley! In your first home game of the season, you beat Manchester United, the reigning champions of England. Soak it up. Congratulations. Your victory was much deserved.

Two veterans led the way for one of the oldest clubs in British football. Robbie Blake scored a stunning goal that any world class striker would be proud of. And goalkeeper and fan favourite Brian Jensen was immense in goal. Known as “The Beast”, he saved a penalty from Michael Carrick (which Rooney or Owen should have taken) and was a giant throughout the game in front of goal. The entire team played good football and they should all be proud.

Owen Coyle could have taken the job at Celtic this summer but he chose to stay at Burnley so he could finish the job after getting them into the Premier League. He’s built a good side. They appear to have a togetherness that will help them through a gruelling Premier League season and their passion, fight and belief shone through against one of the best. But let’s not get carried away. Hull City started off causing mayhem and destruction and we all know how their season ended don’t we? Will Burnley end up like Hull? Can they build on this incredible win and survive the battle at the bottom? They did beat Arsenal and Tottenham in the Carling Cup last season.

Here are some fun facts. Burnley’s population is a little over 73,000, just under the average attendance at Manchester United’s home games. This was the first top flight match at Turf Moor since 1976. It has been 41 years since Burnley have beaten Manchester United. Welcome back to the big time boys!

From what I saw from the mid-week games, Chelsea and Tottenham look hot. Arsenal also look like they are a different proposition this season. Defoe looks like he’s a man on a mission. Not only does he want to do well for Tottenham, but you can sense his determination to get into that World Cup squad for England. Could it be a battle of London this season for the title? Who knows. Liverpool bounced back well at Stoke last night and it was good to see Torres playing well. Without Ferdinand and Vidic at the back, United look vulnerable.

Are we in for a sensational season or what?

Heaven, I’m in heaven…

gods-sunshineFinally, the agonizing wait is over. The greatest show on earth is back. The passion, the agony and the ecstasy of the Premier League is already in full swing. I loved every single second of opening weekend. How was it for you?

Manchester United put in a reliable performance, Chelsea were predictable, Liverpool looked unsavoury and Arsenal were sublime. Of the other teams challenging to break into the top 4…Tottenham looked impressive, Manchester City dazzled for about 10 minutes and Aston Villa were woeful. Now seeing as this is only week one, we won’t get too carried away with what we’ve seen thus far. Remember how we all thought Deco would be another Zola after Chelsea’s first game last season? Well I’m sure we don’t want to make mistakes like that again as we kick-off the 2009/10 campaign. But as fans, we can’t help ourselves in saying what we see, even if it is just week one!

So here’s what I saw and we’ll start with last season’s top 4…if Arsenal can sustain that type of play throughout the season then they have the ability to carve-up any team in the Premier League and I’m even going to say they looked as good as Barcelona when they are at their best. Vermaelen looks like a great signing and Gallas seemed to play exceptionally comfortably with him. Fabregas and Denilson were on fire and Bendtner shined playing on the right for the Gunners. We know Everton aren’t that crap. But are Arsenal really that good?

Hull were very unlucky. Chelsea got very lucky. 6 minutes of injury time. Really referee? Despite that, you can’t deny Drogba his free-kick winner in the dying minutes. Drogba was Chelsea’s best player. It’s as though he’s playing to redeem himself from the disgusting outburst he had during last year’s Champions League semi-final. If he’s going to play like this all season, he could be the key to the Blues success. Can Drogba deliver this year? For Hull, it could be another struggle. I can see why Michael Turner is attracting the likes of Liverpool. He was a rock for Hull and by far their best player. Does anyone else ever mistake him for Michael Dawson though? Can you say twins?

Manchester United already missed Ronaldo in their first game of the season. Who wouldn’t? He’s one of the world’s best players. Sir Alex Ferguson has said it’s going to be tough without him. And it might well be for United as they defend their title. New signing Antonio Valencia had a solid home debut and Berbatov’s touch at time was exquisite. However, the main man for United this year will be Rooney. They need him to stay fit. Without him, they will struggle. Rooney could have an award winning type of season. The shackles are off. Watch him fly. Can Rooney be a sensation? Do you see United winning 4 in a row?

Not to hit the panic button just yet, but Liverpool didn’t look good at all. There was no invention in their play and it felt as though Alonso was missing from that midfield. Torres and Gerrard were rusty and Benitez should have played Benayoun from the beginning. Babel just can’t cut it and he gave another poor performance. Glen Johnson had a great debut for the reds and was the reason they won that penalty. Benitez might need to buy a couple more players before the transfer window ends. And he needs Aquilano to get fit as soon as possible. Can Liverpool mount a challenge this season?

Now to the top 4 wannabees…Tottenham rolled over Liverpool and looked more like title contenders in this first game. From defense to attack, they dominated and made Liverpool look like a very average Premier League team. Modric, Huddlestone and King controlled the game. Defoe looks ready to rumble. Ekotto is establishing himself as an elite player and Lennon could still use some refnining. Is it me or does Huddlestone remind you of Hoddle? And if it wasn’t for his bum knees, could Ledley King oust Terry or Ferdinand from the England squad?

Manchester City, the new billionaire boys club of the Premier League got off to a great start. Don’t let the score fool you though. Blackburn put up a good fight and could have taken a point from the game. There’s no question Adebayor was flying from the word go, but for me it was the likes of Gareth Barry and Shaun Wright-Phillips that were at the heart of everything good for City. Mark Hughes still has a lot of work to do. They still look suspicious in defense and once again, Robinho had another average game. You can’t help but wonder how this team will react in a moment of adversity. I can see them tearing each other apart. Can you?

Notable mention of course goes to Wigan for a superb start beating Villa. Note to all Wigan fans…just remember how good a start Hull City made last season! And this is just week one. See…I told you it was too hard to keep the ole’ gob shut. Heaven, we’re in heaven…

I’m going home, to the place where I belong…

spainfashionparadeok2So Xabi Alonso finally joined Real Madrid for a reported 30 million pounds. The midfield maestro leaves Liverpool after 5 years of quality service. I’m sure the fans are sad today as they loved watching Alonso play alongside Gerrard, Mascherano and his fellow countrymen, Torres. And if the fans are looking for someone to blame for Alonso leaving, they should look no further than their coach Rafa Benitez. After the debacle that was trying to sign Gareth Barry last season, Alonso felt a little insulted and wanted out of Liverpool from then. Well done Rafa!

The Liverpool coach is however hoping to ease the fans pain with the signing of Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani who joins Liverpool from Roma as a replacement for Alonso. Aquilani cost the reds 18 million pounds and is an exciting prospect who has shined for Roma in Serie A and the Champions League. He does have some question marks with regards to injuries, but it seems the Anfield medical crew are happy with his status following the ankle surgery he had in May.

Will Liverpool be as strong in midfield without Alonso? Will this effect Gerrard’s play in any way? What do you think of Aquilani as a replacement? Now Benitez is in charge of transfers, do you think he’s doing a good job with it all so far?

And what about Real Madrid? They have signed Ronaldo, Benzema, Kaka, Alonso and let’s not forget Arbeloa who is also a quality player. If the coach can super glue this talent together, we could see one of the most exciting elite European teams in years. I for one will be watching to see how the new Glacticos fair against the current princes of Spanish football, Barcelona. Can Real Madrid knock the Catalans out of their treble-winning tree?

Alonso has moved on from the Premier League and the Gareth Barry saga to fulfill a childhood dream. Like so many other players, he has always wanted to play for Real Madrid. And for the Spanish international, he certainly feels like he’s back home in the place where he belongs…

Goal of the season…

fernandoIt’s that time of year where we harp on about the greatness of players, teams and managers. Us fans like to have our say in who wins what.

First-up is a fan favourite – Goal of the Season. With so many great games and performances, it really was difficult to pick the best goal. There were great individual goals and also incredible team goals scored in the Premier League this term. But who ranked in the top 3? Do you agree with the choices? Have your say… 

1. {Fernando Torres} vs Blackburn. A great ball from Jamie Carragher and then the beautification of football personified by the sheer brilliance of Torres. Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypmpc1dUls4&feature=related.

2. {David Bentley} vs Arsenal. Who knows if Bentley will even be at Tottenham next season. He will always leave Spurs fans with one of their greatest memories against Arsenal. Rough quality, but you can still see this amazing goal very clearly.       http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1941068/david_bentley_goal_for_tottenham_vs_arsenal_on_29_10_08/

3. {Paul Konchesky} vs West Ham. Against his former club, Konchesky takes the ball himself and blasts the back of the net with a stunning shot. Take a peek and remind yourselves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_IOJhE0fgI

Honorable mentions also go to Andrei Arshavin’s goal against Blackburn, Glen Johnson’s goal against Hull City and Carlton Cole’s goal against Wigan.

Premier League team searches for new hero…

arsenal-optimus-wallpaper-02-1024-776582What is wrong with Arsenal? For the first time in a long time, the fans are asking questions about Wenger and how the club is moving towards the future. The board and management have been given the benefit of the doubt for three trophy less seasons. Now the fans want answers. Have Arsenal become a youth farm system? Why won’t they buy British? Why won’t they spend more money in the transfer market? Who is going to step-up and lead this team? Why do so many players want to leave? Where is Arsenal’s magician? Who will be their next hero?

Similar questions were asked of this team last season and this was mostly due to the loss of Thierry Henry. Many pundits and critics ate their words as we soaked-up and salivated over Arsenal’s brand of sexy football. For a while they dazzled fans, opponents and perhaps even themselves! Then the injury to Eduardo, a terrible defensive mistake, a hissy fit from their captain and the implosion was in full swing.

After their performance on Saturday, it seems Arsenal haven’t changed much in the off season. The fans must be praying every night for Fabregas to return. And oh how they need another world class midfielder to support him. He can’t do it alone and who knows when Rosicky will be back in the squad. Arsenal have to splash the cash in the transfer market to solve these issues. Someone please navigate them to the “Buy Now” button.

The money men must not be afraid to pay for a special player who can change a game on a whim. Somone who has the ability to visualize beyond the next move. An influential force that can intimidate teams from the north, south, east and west. A player that can force himself to be written about on blogs and discussion boards across the globe. Arsenal need their Ronald, their Deco or their Torres.

The Arsenal lyricists are on standby to create a song for their new hero. Where is he? Will he come by land or sea? What will his name be? Hopefully when he arrives he comes with a blood hungry predator who can tear his rivals apart and fire in the goals week after week. Perhaps Xabi Alonso can smuggle David Silva through the back…

The Kop has a new hero…

SOCCER Liverpool 5Liverpool have a legend in the making and his name is Fernando Jose Torres. Absent for most of the game against Sunderland today, his power strike in the 83rd minute from a good 25 yards crushed the hearts of the home team. That is what makes Torres a great player. He created something out of absolutely nothing and saved the scousers from an embarrassing start to the season.

On today’s display, you would say Liverpool don’t stand a chance of winning the league. They were slow, unimaginative, uninspiring and gutless. Even Torres was poor by his own standards. But he was determined to re-write the back pages of the Liverpool Echo and every other regional and national rag in the country. Just as every reporter was ready to rip Benitez for his team selection and the poor performance overall, the Euro 2008 champion took matters into his own hands and delivered the killer blow.

What happens if Torres gets a serious injury? Where do Liverpool go from here? I hear you, I hear you…it’s only the first game of the season. We need to give them time to gel and for Keane to feel comfortable in the legendary Liverpool shirt. Agreed. I guess we’ll re-visit the Liverpool situation as the season progresses. That’s when we’ll find out if they are true title contenders.

For now, we’ll just salivate over the new Kop hero. Once upon a time, there was a Liverpool legend who owned the number 9 shirt. His name was Robbie Fowler, aka God. There’s a new number 9 in town now. Finally, the second coming has arrived.

Finally. A deal is done…

340x-790417The summer transfer market is officially open. With the signature of Robbie Keane, Liverpool have surely pulled off the surprise of the season so far. Yes the Deco deal was exciting, but he’s long been a target for Chelsea so there was no real surprise there. Jo, Nasri, Modric and Dos Santos could all well be good captures, but these are “wait and see” transfers. Peter Crouch, Steve Sidwell, Paul Robinson, Claude Makelele, Brad Friedel, Gilberto Silva, Sully Muntari and El-Hadji Diouf deserve honorable mentions as they move to pastures new. But…

Liverpool acquiring Keane is almost genius. Tottenham fans around the globe are feeling sick. Trust me. I know a few and they are not happy. They know Liverpool have bought quality. An exquisite striker, Keane has been one of the most overlooked players in the Premier League. His touch, his finishing and his ability to see beyond the next pass is impressive. His equalizer against Chelsea in last season’s 4-4 extravaganza is exactly the type of strike Spurs fans have enjoyed for 6 years. Oh how they will miss him.

Keane’s overall play and leadership will be very difficult to replace. In the absence of Ledley King and other key players, he stood-up and took the team on his shoulders. If Tottenham had Ramos sooner, would Keane still be leaving? Were they being held back by average coaches and bad signings? If they had qualified for the Champions League a couple of seasons ago, would things be different now? It doesn’t matter, it’s too late. Their Irish Prince has gone.

Now he teams up with another Prince. Perhaps the new Prince of Europe. Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane upfront. Imagine it. What a mouth-watering encounter. Plus alongside them will be Liverpool’s legend in the making and captain fantastic, Steven Gerrard. Ferry across the Mersey Batman! Could this be the year Liverpool win the Premier League? One thing is for sure, Keane is the type of signing that can elevate a team to another level. He will contribute immediately. He’s a seasoned player with big game experience. He’s hungry to win and he wants to play Champions League football. He was ready to go. Welcome to Anfield son.

There are players like Flamini and Hleb who leave for another club because they are chasing fortunes. Sure Keane was tempted by the money, but if he’d have asked, Tottenham would have given him what he wanted to stay. He is following a boyhood dream. He wants to play for Liverpool. For some reason, his transfer to Liverpool seems genuine on his behalf. Despite how it may have happened, he was motivated by his dream and not the money.

Liverpool and Keane have definitely wet the transfer whistle. After so much speculation, finally a huge deal happens. It’s what we’ve been waiting. And one thing’s for sure, Keane is not a “wait and see” transfer. He’s more of a “here and now” deal.