Arsene Wenger: Good Football Manager, Bad Business Manager?

From the outset, let me set the record straight. I don’t hate Arsenal; I admire their passing game and the trait of buying young (excluding Jens Lehmann and Sol Campbell) talent and nurturing this talent into fully fledged international players.

Ok, now that is out of the way, let’s crack on.

It would appear that in recent months, Arsenal fans have become somewhat annoyed and vocal about the lack of investment in the team, as well as the lack of silverware to put in the trophy cabinet at The Emirates. There are a number of Gooners who joke that the Emirates Cup is the 'only trophy worth winning'.

But, of course, this piece, which is all my opinion, has nothing to do with Arsenal’s fans and, really, nothing to do with Arsenals transfer policies regarding buying players. This article, or rant, if you will, relates to the Gunners’ manager.

He's got a degree in Economics, but fails to see that selling Nasri makes business sense

I’ll give him his due, he teaches players good attractive football, and he likes to implement technical skill as well as attacking football. He is, in all cases, a good, if not excellent, football manager.

My bone to pick with him is that he seems to lack any business sense, especially for a man that has an economics degree! You can argue that he shouldn’t see his team as a business; he is employed to train players, teach tactics and win football games. But it is clearly obvious, in this day and age, that football is a business. It’s as much about making money as it winning games and trophies, although the two evidently go hand in hand.

In Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, Arsenal have two great midfielders, but let’s not get above ourselves. Cesc, whilst being true class, is injury prone. His hamstrings, that continually have some sort of problem, are proving to be his downfall. And Nasri, who played well for 4 months of last year, is good but not a world-class versatile midfielder as people make him out to be.

Why not sell them both, gain £55 million in the process and reinvest this money in a world-class playmaker and a centre back. Arsenal is being touted as Gary Cahill’s next club, and he should be available for £15 million or more, this would leave roughly £40 million to invest in a new central midfielder. With that money, Arsenal could bring in Sneijder, Modric or even De Rossi with cash left to spare.

Will celebrations involving both Nasri and Fabregas be a thing of the past ?

In fact there are a list of players that would be adequate replacements for Nasri and Fabregas. The aforementioned De Rossi and Sneijder are some more senior examples, but Wenger could keep youth in his side if he bought Eden Hazard or tempted Lyon to part with Yoann Gourcuff.  The pair would cost under £55 million, would probably have cheaper wages and could be moulded into Arsenal's way of playing.

Don’t get me wrong. Players such as Nasri and Fabregas would be hard to replace, but not impossible. The emergence of Wilshere and the recovery of Ramsey are ideal for Wenger’s philosophy of attacking young midfielders. Just add someone alongside them who can either unlock a defence to release the striker with a pin-point pass, or to be a no-nonsense battler in midfield to finally replace Vieira and they’re sorted.

Even if Arsenal and Wenger manage to convince Fabregas to stay, Nasri should be sold. £20-25 million for a player that has one year remaining on his contract, is inconsistent and is stalling on signing an extension to stay at the club would be a great deal– even if he did leave for a league rival – as its very doubtful he'll be sold for more than £25 million in the future.

Was signing Gervinho a necessary purchase?

The North-London club apparently have a large transfer budget and the sale of Nasri would free up more funds for the club to invest in a much needed centre back, a new play-maker and a goal scoring centre forward partner Robin Van Persie. Gervinho has already been bought in, but this was not a necessary purchase in my eyes as focus should have always been getting a new centre back.

Wenger needs to buy 3 top players to make the difference between finishing in the Europa League or the Champions League qualifying spots come the end of the season.  He needs to invest or Arsenal will struggle to keep up with Man City and Spurs, let alone challenge United and Chelsea for the title. He needs to forget about his philosophy of not spending big. If he fails to deliver a trophy this season, it will probably be his last at the club. So, he may as well spend big and give himself the best chance of winning a trophy with some new top-class players with proven quality. 

Dave

Patience is a virtue

Patience is a virtue, and not one that is usually associated with football fans. However it is patience that is needed right now as a West Ham United supporter. 

Last season’s relegation hit the club hard, both in terms of pride and finances. The not-so-new owners have absorbed most of the financial burden from their own pockets but it still means that the clubs already thin budget will be stretched to breaking point.

The departure of almost 10 first team players will have helped free up some funds, players like Keiron Dyer, Matthew Upson, Demba Ba and Thomas Hitzlperger, some of the club’s top earners moving on to pastures new. However there is now a need to strengthen areas of the squad with some fresh faces.

The important word there is strengthen. The new boss, Sam Allardyce, has made it clear that he plans only to buy players that are better than what is currently available. ‘Big Sam’ is known for his shrewd transfer policy and this smart approach is characteristic. Instead of stockpiling players that will ‘do a job’ he is actively seeking players that will improve the team and provide real competition for the players already at the club.

No secret has been made of the areas that are in need of investment. The loss of Demba Ba and Robbie Keane – if you can call it a loss- mean that a striker is high on the list. Preferably one who can rack up 20 goals in a season. The slightly lower standard may give Carlton Cole (if he stays) and Freddy Piquionne the chance to prove themselves to the west ham faithful.

Absolutely bloody useless

Full backs are positions that West Ham has struggled to hold down in recent years. Herita Illunga, since signing a permanent deal has looked a shadow of his former self at left back and with Lars Jacobsen departed; the right back slot has been a weak spot for the Irons. Both will need strengthening, at least to take the pressure off young Hammers Spence and Brown. Spence, who spent last season on loan at Bristol City seems to be maturing into a good player adept at right back as well as centre back. Jordan Brown has looked solid at left back, another key position for the Hammers to strengthen

Sam Allardyce has a decent track record in the transfer market and has wasted no time in recruiting two fine players in Kevin Nolan and Aboldaye Faye; both have bags of experience and will provide a strong spine to the East London side, something they have lacked for a few seasons. With the transfer of Matthew Taylor expected to go through shortly, Big Sam has begun to address the lack of width on the left flank which has blighted the Hammers ever since Matthew Etherington was sold to Stoke in 2009. As long as Sam Allardyce keeps making smart signings like these, he’ll go some way to gaining favour with the West Ham faithful.

A little over a year ago, if you’d have asked West Ham fans about the appointment of Sam Allardyce, there would have been strong opposition, now however, given the club’s current position, most fans are grudgingly accepting that the ex Bolton man is probably the best man for the job.

Quite right too, in Sam Allardyce West Ham have a leader, a strong character who excels at man management. With a squad suffering from a devastating lack of confidence, Allardyce’s burly arm around their shoulder could well prove to be what’s needed to instil some self belief. 

 

Who needs a hug?

He has already shown his strength at negotiating with the signing of Kevin Nolan. Convincing Newcastle’s leading scorer last season to drop a division would have taken a lot of work (read cash) but Big Sam got his man. His refusal to be taken for a ride by Eidur Gudjonsen too only reinforced the strength in his character. West Ham, in desperate need of a striker, looked set to sign the Icelandic international. Allardyce refused to be held for ransom and cancelled the deal.

There is one player’s future that Big Sam can have no influence over, and that is Scott Parker. Signing Kevin Nolan basically renders the ‘will he stay or will he go’ discussion redundant. If he does leave, the combination of Mark Noble, Jack Collison and Kevin Nolan will easily be one of the best in the league. If he stays West Ham’s already strong midfield gains another excellent player. I’d be surprised if Parker does stay in East London, but as time ticks by the chances of him staying increase ever so slightly.

Allardyce will win over many fans if Scott Parker does end up staying, however fears over his more direct tactics will be either levied or realised as the season begins, but the performances so far in pre-season have been encouraging.

More faith has been put in the club’s youth players, with good results. Both Cristian Montano and Freddy Sears have both excelled, and showcased their talent in the build up and execution of a fine goal against FC Copenhagen. Relegation will be seen as a blessing in disguise for these players as the drop in standard will present them with more of a chance for a run in the first team, which they wouldn’t have had if West Ham had stayed in the Premiership.

Last season’s peripheral players such as Zavon Hines, Junior Stanislas and Jack Collison, all of whom have recently recovered from long-term injury, will almost certainly be thrust into the limelight this season and should relish the opportunity to show off their skills in the Championship. Both Hines and Stanislas possess great pace and will be crucial to West Ham’s fortunes this coming season. Hines is currently out of contract but has been offered a new deal by The Hammers and is expected to sign.

Needs to find his scoring boots this season.

A season in the Championship will be long and gruelling, many teams find it impossible to escape and have to resign themselves to a few years grafting in the 2nd tier. West Ham are employing a risky strategy in signing Premiership quality players on Premiership wages, however with the reward of a £40m promotion, the risk seems calculated enough.

Certainly the board seems to have got things right so far with the appointment of Sam Allardyce, they have also shied away from the media spotlight too, intent on letting the new man shape the team as he sees fit. Whether this strategy remains throughout the whole season is up for debate, but for now, as the new season approaches, there is a lot to give an Irons fan hope. I for one cannot wait.

Owain

Eng-flation

To quote the IT Crowd “Thing about Arsenal is, they always try an' walk it in”. If they were to re-write the episode now it might include the quote “Cor blimey Liverpool have paid a lot for those three Northern lads ain’t they?” 

Downing, Henderson and Carroll signed for a grand total of £75 million. If you had told Liverpool fans this time last year that they would have spent that sum of money on a striker and two midfielders they would have probably been dreaming of players of a different ilk perhaps the Sneijders, Agueros and Sanchezs of this world. Not three mediocre players who learnt their trade at far from glamorous Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Sunderland. 

Inflated cheeks and an inflated price tag

I would like to think that we could all agree that they have overpaid, yes? Good. Now, I’m not just picking on Liverpool all the larger English clubs have done it, for example:

Man Utd – Smalling, Jones, Carrick

Man City – Milner, Barry, Lescott

Chelsea – Wright-Phillips, Damien Duff (ROI), Sutton

Arsenal – Jeffers, Walcott...well, due to Wenger’s stance on inflated prices that’s about it!

Tottenham – Bentley, Richards, Defoe

Of course some of these transfers have turned out to be successful pieces of business, but at the time I would suggest at least a few eyebrows were raised at the vast sums paid. But why are the English players costing so much money when a more experienced, higher quality foreign player can possibly be bought for less.

Let us compare two examples this summer. We have Player A, he’s a twenty-five year old defender with one year left on his contract, he has won the Premier League and has Champions League and International experience and was sold for £7 million. Player B is also twenty-five, also has 1 year left on his contract, hasn’t won the Premier League, hasn’t played in the Champions League and only has three international caps to his name but has been talked about making a transfer this summer for a fee in excess of £15 million. Is Player A or B English?

Now there are a number of reasons that I can see for why English players are being bought at an inflated price. Firstly we have the eight home grown players rule; we all know it so I won’t bore you with its intricacies. This came into play last year this could possibly be given as a reason for why English players have cost so much during the last year. However if that is really the case then why is Charles N’Zogbia worth half as much as Stewart Downing? Both players are “home-grown” and in my opinion N’Zogbia is the better player. Gael Clichy aka Player A too is “home-grown” so why is he worth half as much as Player B?

This inflation can be further credited to the precedents that have already been set. Liverpool overpays for Andy Carroll and so an uncapped, minimally experienced English striker has been bought for £35 million. Now what are clubs going to do when their young English striker is on the wanted list? Let’s say for example Connor Wickham, would Ipswich have received the £12 million or so they did if this transfer hadn’t happened? Player precedents works against clubs too; Liverpool pay Newcastle £35 million so it’s clear to see they aren’t struggling for money so if they come calling the next selling club will automatically add some mark-up to the price, much like what happened with Chelsea and Man City. But this reason has the same affect with foreign players and clubs so the English foreign disparity is lost, when Man City came into some money not only would English clubs have been aware of this but so would the foreign clubs, after all they did pay £18 million for Jo. 

The inflated price tag and expectation can have disasterous effects

The last reason I can see, and one that I don’t feel is getting discussed, is the short sighted and narrow-minded view of the typical English football fan, manager and owner. The phrase “Them foreigners, coming over here, stealing our jobs!” is unfortunately a commonly used phrase in our general society.

I believe this has affected the countries footballing ethos and ultimately the transfer market by exacerbating the supply and demand pricing function. People want a local hero, and a side made up from local heroes, if they could I bet Liverpool fans would have eleven Jamie Carraghers on the pitch! At Liverpool, ‘King Kenny’ (one of the most annoying nicknames ever - Isn’t masquerading as a King some form of treason?) has come to the club and thought: I tell you what it’s these foreigners that have caused this demise at the club! Get me some good old British beef in the side then we’ll be cooking! Yes he has bought Suarez and Doni, but he’s also bought the three aforementioned Brits and brought numerous other English youth team players into the side. Such behaviour has led to an increase in demand in the English players, combine this with the home grown players rule and you have yourself an over-inflated price for an English player.

This inflation has a wider affect most notably the National side. The fans are always looking for an excuse as to why the England side has failed and the blame has, in recent years, fallen at Fabio Capello’s door. I have heard many an ex-pro blaming the national team’s current plight due to the fact that we have an Italian in charge and not an Englishman.

Here’s my opinion, it wouldn’t matter who was in charge: the players aren’t good enough and they don’t realise it. This is because they have had millions spent on them by these top clubs so they think: “yeah I’m good, I cost more than David Silva!” (The inner monologue of James Milner). When it gets to the international stage where these over-inflated egos combine with over-inflated prices and form some sort of ego price bubble, it bursts and the nation is left flabbergasted! “But they do it for their clubs” the fans and ‘pundits cry! Yes, but they have a lot better, less ego inflated players working their socks off alongside them. So judge a player on his ability rather than his nationality as these goddamn prices give the player and ultimately the fan false hope! 

Will one of these Evertonians be next?

A criticism of some is that the foreign players coming to our league have damaged the England national side, quite the contrary I believe it has aided it. Is everyone forgetting the technique deprived football that existed before hand? Also it hasn’t stopped players coming through if they are good enough they’ll find a club, so what if Chelsea have bought Torres when Sturridge is there, there are 19 other Premier League clubs and there are also countless other clubs in Spain, Italy, Germany etc. I’m not saying that we should only buy foreign players, but the clubs and the players need to garner some perspective. Why should £15million be paid for Player B aka Gary Cahill, when there is a perfectly adequate foreign player? The sooner the Premier League realises that England isn’t the hotbed of footballing talent the better as we can then begin to develop and nurture the young English players and start to get our national team back on track. 

Josh

The Championship Preview

Ok, I’ll admit it, I’m a West Ham fan, there I’ve said it, now we can move on without me having to explain why I’m doing the Championship preview, I’m hurting enough as it is without you bringing it up again.

One fundamental characteristic of the Championship is that it’s usually pretty impossible to call. It was expected that Middlesbrough would shoot back into the Premiership after the signing of Kris Boyd, and no-one would have predicted that Norwich would gain back to back promotions.

The league this season is as strong as ever, two ex England bosses now manage in the division and there is far more financial muscle in this league with teams pulling out the stops to gain their place in the promised land of the Premier League.

Let’s kick off with the favourites. Obviously West Ham are up there as the bookies favourites to go straight back up. Despite losing 12 first team players, (although Kieron Dyer doesn’t really count), the Hammers still find themselves in a decent position. The signing of Kevin Nolan will be seen as somewhat of a coup and will provide the Irons with some grit and determination, as well as a fair few goals.

Time to shine Junior (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Europe)

The difference in standard should allow last season’s fringe players to step up and play a more pivotal role. Youngsters like Junior Stanislas, Zavon Hines, James Tompkins and Jordan Spence have the potential to become the next generation of graduates from the Academy of Football. Some investment is needed, but I cannot see West Ham languishing in the Championship for too long.

The Irons’ biggest rivals this season will almost certainly be Leicester. The East Midlands club haven’t been shy in splashing the cash, bringing in no less than five players at the time of writing. With Sven-Goran Eriksson at the helm, Leicester’s chances are better than most. Sven is a great manager and since he has the financial backing, I can see The Foxes pushing for automatic promotion this season.

There are of course more than two challengers for the automatic promotions spots, and the competition is likely to be fierce. Both Leeds and Nottingham Forrest will be aiming for these places. Forrest, under their new manager Steve McClaren, has a great chance. They were out classed by Swansea in the play-offs last season, but still posses a decent attacking side capable of great things. Signing Andy Reid could well prove to be a great piece of business for the reds, his exceptional eye for a pass can help unlock defences this season. A replacement for Rob Earnshaw is likely to be high on McClaren’s list of priorities too.

Leeds dazzled the league and cup competitions with some breathtaking displays last year, although to really challenge this season they’ll need to tighten up that leaky backline, which conceded 70 goals last season. I’m not sure letting Kasper Schmeichel go was such a good piece of business but keeping hold of top scorers Luciano Becchio and Max Gradel will ensure they are taken seriously as challengers next year.

Shouldn’t have said goodbye so soon

The push for the play offs is likely to be contested by around seven teams; Leeds, Forrest, Cardiff, Reading, Birmingham, Blackpool and, if they can stop conceding goals, Watford stand a great chance.

Cardiff have bolstered their ranks this season with some smart signings, none more so than Robbie Earnshaw and Aron Gunnarsson, they’ll have to hope that Earnshaw fires in plenty of goals as replacing the 38 scored by Chopra, Bothroyd and Bellamy, who have all since departed, will be no easy task. Expect another striker to be brought in this season.

Reading will be on the hunt for a striker too if the mooted £8million transfer of Shane Long, to any of a number of Premier League suitors goes ahead. The Irishman scored 21 goals last season and if he departs, the £8million should be reinvested wisely in a similar player as they’ll lack raw pace up front this season.

Birmingham are at present an unknown quantity, with their chairman under police investigation and most of their squad being snatched from underneath them by various Premier league clubs. They’ll need to reinvest any money they receive in adding to their desperately under strength strike force and replacing Scott Dann who looks certain to leave, and Roger Johnson who has moved across Birmingham to play for Wolves. However with their remaining players full of top flight experience, they should have enough grit and determination to make a challenge for play-off qualification, under new boss Chris Houghton, it would certainly not be unlikely.

Blackpool almost achieved the seemingly impossible last season by nearly beating the drop, and doing so with a below average Premiership side and a no fefar attacking approach. If Ian Holloway can bring in some players and unlock their potential like he managed last year, plus adequately replace Charlie Adam, his side could find themselves back in line for another shot at the big time.

It’s just as tight at the bottom as it is at the top this season. Out of the promoted teams, I would imagine that Brighton and Hove stand the best chance at survival; this comes from their manager, the highly talented Gus Poyet, coupled with the excellent signing of Craig Mackail-Smith. The hardworking striker, who scored 34 goals last season, turned down a move to West Ham to play for The Seagulls and his goals will be integral to keeping them in the division.

Brighton’s gain, Peterborough’s loss (Photo PA)

However, one club’s gain is another’s loss. Peterborough, without their top scorer, may find the Championship more than a little taxing. They’ll benefit from keeping it in the family with a number of loan signings from Manchester United, but unless they find a striker of Mackail-Smith’s prolificacy they could be going straight back down. 

Southampton, I imagine, will be in and around the drop zone for most of the season, although with their financial backing, they could bring in a few players who can make a difference this season. However, a team without financial backing is Crystal Palace. They are skint, for lack of a better word, and only survived last season as three teams were simply worse than they were, I foresee a difficult campaign ahead for them. Talking of difficult challenges, Doncaster Rovers, who finished level on points with Crystal Palace last year, look likely to struggle this season. They have to hope that they can hold onto Billy Sharp – who was their top scorer last season with 15, lose him which is more than likely – Ipswich and Southampton are apparently very interested - and they don’t stand a chance.

The Championship has certainly improved it’s standards over recent years, which is reflected in the increase demand for TV rights and live matches, with big sides coming down and strong sides coming up, this season could prove to be it’s most interesting yet.

Winner

West Ham United

Runner Up

Leicester City

Play-off Winner

Leeds United

Relegated

Peterborough United

Crystal Palace

Doncaster Rovers


 Owain

La Liga Preview

As this blog is on the verge of becoming very English based, I thought I'd add some flair, creativity, a few step overs and preview La Liga for the upcoming season.

Where else to start than Real Madrid and Barcelona? Real Madrid, under Jose Mourinho, haven't taken long to splash the cash on new signings. Portuguese left back Coentrao has joined from Benfica for a cool £27 Million, whilst Hamit Altintop has arrived on a free transfer from Bayern Munich and Nuri Sahin has joined from Dortmund for £8 million. Youngsters Jose Callejon and Raphael Varane have also joined the Madrid ranks.

Highly creative in the Bundesliga, can Sahin be as successful in La Liga?

But even with these signings, the great thing to see about Madrid in recent years is that the industrious players that are common in the German Bundelsiga are becoming prominent in the squad. Hard-workers such Khediera, Ozil and Altintop, are players not galacticos, they are no Zidane or Ronaldo, however, you know they will give near enough 100% in every game they play. These are the players that Mourinho needs to play alongside C.Ronaldo to create a successful team to pip Barcelona to the title.

An exciting season lies ahead for Real Madrid, we just have to hope that Cristiano Ronaldo isn't shackled by Mourinho's more defensive tactics and that Nuri Sahin and Mezut Ozil click in midfield. I'm going to put my neck on the line and predict that Madrid win La Liga. Its Mourinho's 2nd season in charge and with Valdano no longer at the Bernabaeu, the Portuguese gaffer can take control of this team without interference from above (hopefully).

As for Barça? There seems to be a different player linked to them everyday. Nasri to Barcelona, Forlan to the Nou Camp, Alexis Sanchez to Barça. The only rumour that stays the same is Cesc Fabregas – and this finally looks like it will be completed this summer.

I can't see Barcelona needing to strengthen their incredible front line, although the departure of Bojan was a surprise, Pedro, Thiago Alcántara and what seems like the incoming Alexis Sanchez will be able to rotate and make up the 3rd player in the attack alongside David Villa and Lionel Messi.

The weakness in the Barcelona squad (yes, there is one!) is the lack of defensive cover. Towards the end of last season Barça finished with Mascherano at centre back and Puyol at right back. Investment in another centre back is critical. Since Marquez and Chyrginsky left the Catalan club, not one replacement has been bought in. Add to that the fact that Milito will probably be sold this summer then Gaurdiola must invest in this part of the team. But, then again, who knows what hidden gem he will dig up from nowhere. After all, who had heard of Sergio Busquets before Pep plucked him from the academy?

As for the majority of the rest..... Sevilla, Valencia, Atlético Madrid and Villareal will all be challenging at the top end of the table again, fighting for 3rd spot.

Sevilla's strong midfield will leave them in good stead for the season, Jesus Navas, Romaric and Diego Capel are all creative and have an eye for a pass. Alvaro Negredo, the clubs top scorer with 20, knows how to find the net and holding on to him will be very important. The ever-green Kanoute will also be looking to build on the 12 goals he scored for the club last season.

Valencia, with all their financial difficulties still have a team that can challenge for the European places in the league. Keeping hold of Juan Mata will be very important as he can score goals and continue to assist Roberto Soldado, who was the club's top scorer with18.

Will Atletico be needing to find a new strike partnership?

Atlético Madrid have one main priority for the upcoming season, keep hold of their strike force. Forlan and Aguero have been the lifeblood of their success in recent years. This task could prove very difficult with Aguero, who scored 20 goals last season, saying he wants to leave.

The yellow submarine that is Villareal have a squad that although is not blessed with skill and class, always seems to be towards the top of the table come the end of the season. Santi Cazorla, Giuseppe Rossi, Nilmar and permanent signing Borja Valero will, once again be very influential this season.

Can Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani millions propel Malaga up the league table?

Malaga will try and break the mould as they are backed by the funds of Sheikh Abdullah Ben Nasser Al Thani. He has backrolled Malaga into some sort of Casino and they are looking to recruit stars to propel them up the table after their 11th place finish last season.

The newly promoted teams of Granada, Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano are going to be in for a tough time in 2011/2012.

Granada came up through the play-offs and are back in the Spanish top division after a 35 year absence and in Spain its the equivalent of when Blackpool got promoted in England, they are favourites to go down as they have a relatively weak squad. A partnership with Italian club Udinese saved the club from bankruptcy in 2009 and allowed the Spanish team to loan youngsters and reserves for free. These players helped the club gain promotion to the second division in 2008/2009 and then the same Italian players again helped the club get promoted, this time, to the top flight. It will be interesting to see what happens with these players from Italy now that Granada will be trying desperately to stay in La Liga.

Real Betis are no longer the force they were once considered and have a lot to prove in the top flight. They came up as second division winners after a 4 point lead over Rayo Vallecano, who in turn finished 8 points clear of 3rd placed Barça 'B' team. It is clear to say that Betis and Vallecano both deserved automatic promotion but they have a lot to do if they want to stay up. Heavy investment, probably through the loan market, is needed for both teams.

His goals weren't quite enough last year, how will CR7 and Madrid fare this season?

La Liga overall is one of the most entertaining leagues in the world, and with the top 2 scorers in 2010/11 scoring 71 goals between them (Ronaldo getting 40 in the league, and Messi scoring 31). there is always going to be goals, goals, goals. And its not just those 2 that get the goals. 9 players finished the season with 15 goals or more in the league and these players were split across 7 teams. Let hope for a similar amount of goals and goalscorers in the upcoming season!  
 

Personally, I can not wait for La Liga to get under way once again

 

Dave

Premiership Preview: Tottenham Hotspur

Get out and stay out!

OK, firstly I need to admit, I’m a Spurs fan, so this preview may be somewhat biased! Also there will be no mention of Modric possibly leaving because as Daniel Levy has said “the case is now closed”.

Was last season successful? Yes and no: It was great to have a run in the Champions League and although we finished 5th, I look back at so many games and think if only we scored more goals! We’ve got a very good squad (a very big squad as well) so this summer I think we’ll see lots of outs and hopefully a few quality ins!

Goalkeepers
Sell Gomes! I cannot understand why people want to keep him! It must be some sort of daft sentiment because he is a “fans favourite”. He has made so many errors, that only the inbred can keep count on their fingers, so why on earth would we keep him? Brad Friedel is a good signing on a free transfer but at 40 he’s no long term replacement. I would sell Gomes and Ben Alnwick (yet amazingly he’s just signed a new deal?!) and buy Martin Stekelenburg from Ajax.

Defenders
We’ve got more centre backs than Jonathan Woodgate has had injuries so it’s an area that needs some trimming. We need four centre backs (and King) so for me they would be Michael Dawson, William Gallas, Younus Kaboul and A.N Other, with Sebastian Bassong being sold, and Khumalo being loaned out. I would (if there’s still time) buy Gary Cahill, failing that Chris Samba or Hangeland, all of whom are dominant Premier league experienced centre backs. With four Right backs at the club, two need to go and the two weakest for me are Naughton and Hutton so get them sold. Left back is fine, Assou-Ekotto is a top notch full back and Danny Rose’s performances at the end of the season were very promising.

Midfielders
In the midfield we have Lennon who is a great player but desperately needs some classy competition to keep him on his toes. David Bentley has come back but he really is a waste of space. So hopefully we can sell him and get someone that would provide a different approach: Charles N’Zogbia, Marko Marin, Joe Cole?? Left Midfield we have Bale, Pienaar and Kranjcar, and as much as it pains me to say Kranjcar is going to be the one leaving (well done Harry!).

Centrally we’ve finally got something to be proud of Modric, Sandro, and Huddlestone are all quality footballers. However I think one more body is needed as Palacios couldn’t even pass a 'fit and proper person' test (niche joke there). The ideal player would be a midfield enforcer and talisman, Scott Parker, Lassana Diarra or Arturo Vidal all fit that mould.

Forwards
This is the most important area to strengthen this summer. Roman Pavlyuchenko may have been our best striker last year but he’s still awful he can shoot but that’s about it. The man is a scorer of great goals rather than a great scorer of goals...sold, along with Robbie Keane.

I would keep Crouch and Defoe, and play them in a 4-4-2 formation in Europe as they both offer something unique (you can decide what that is), leaving Van der Vaart and a new striker to be first choice in a league formation of 4-4-1-1. That striker for me needs to be the complete player, who can play up top alone, someone who can link with VDV and score goals. Dimitar Berbatov would be ideal, I love the man but doubt he would be welcomed back the way he behaved before. A short term solution would be Didier Drogba. But with both players their current clubs would have to help with wages as they would annihilate our wage structure. A longer term option could be Fernando Llorente, incredible in the air and a clinical finisher, but is he mobile enough? We still own Giovani dos Santos and I would keep him as 5th choice, I just want him to be given a chance because up until now we haven’t been able to see what he can really do. ( If you don’t already read 101gg religiously you are missing out!)

If we manage to strenthen these areas whilst keeping hold of our key players this season really could be one to cherish.

Josh

Premiership Preview: WBA

For the love of god, don’t let him leave

West Brom could easily have ended up in the Championship this year if it wasn’t for Roy Hodgson who saved them from the brink and led them to a respectable league position by the end of the season. The man from Croydon, who looks like he could be your geography teacher, will have a limited budget this season, but has an excellent recruitment team that will be on the look out for bargains once again.

Goalkeepers
The rumours were true and Scott Carson did indeed make the somewhat baffling move to Turkey, so a new goalkeeper is high on the list for West Brom. Both Tomasz Kuszczak and Robert Green are seemingly available, the former finding himself surplus to requirements at Old Trafford and the latter in search of Premiership football. Either one of these would be a good buy for the Baggies.

Defenders
Conceding 71 league goals last season, the league’s third highest, means that Roy Hodgson will have to work hard with his current back line to give them some confidence. They have a decent crop of players, but could do with an experienced head to command the back line. Matthew Upson is available on a free transfer and would be an excellent choice. A right back should be a priority too; a loan signing of either Kyle Walker or Kyle Naughton could be a shrewd move.

Midfielders
West Brom’s midfield is sturdy and robust, but lacks any real flair or creativity. Graham Dorrans is a stylish player but another creative player to run the midfield would be useful. A hero’s welcome could yet be rolled out for Zoltan Gera and there has been talk of Reo-Coker or Owen Hargreaves as possible targets too. Youssuf Mulumbu, proved to be a great signing for the Baggies last year he is hardworking and strong, and the fans will be hoping he continues his good form into this season. I still feel they could benefit from a tricky wide player to support James Morrison, Somen Tchoyi and Jerome Thomas.

Forwards
It couldn’t be simpler for Roy Hodgson: Keep Peter Odemwingie. The Nigerian’s 15 league goals last season went a long way to securing the team’s league position. Tying him down to a long-term contract will be the highest priority, and could well be the biggest piece of business that the Baggies do this summer. They could also do with shifting on a couple of players; Marc-Antoine Fortune and Roman Bednar aren’t Premiership quality and should expect to be heading to pastures new in the near future.

Adding a spine of new players will no doubt help the West Midlands side this season. More steel at the back coupled with some flair in midfield and Peter Odemingie could enable West Brom to easily surpass expectations and enjoy a great season. They benefit from having a man in charge that can make these things happen.

Owain

Premiership Preview: Wigan Athletic

Can Wigan expect to climb any higher?

When ex-professional footballer Dave Whelan bought his hometown team in February 1995, he quickly announced his intentions of taking the fourth-tier side to the top flight, something he succeeded in doing just ten years later. Since then Wigan have been a mainstay of the Premier League, achieving a 10th place finish and a League Cup final. Present manager Roberto Martinez joined the club prior to the 2009-2010 season. However his blend of attacking football and reported great working relationship does not disguise two 16th place finishes. Indeed, the club only escaped relegation through a last day 1-0 win away at Stoke.

When looking at the squad it looks as if the biggest problem Wigan currently faces is the lack of a solid spine. Since their emergence in the Premier League, the club has boasted partnerships of Chimbonda - Bullard - Koumas, Lanzaat - Valencia - Heskey, and Bramble - Scharner - Palacios within particular sides. All of these players ended up moving to bigger clubs with varied success. That seems to be Wigan's big quandary, the mixture of established players and previously unearthed gems has worked very well for them, but what do you do when the mine runs dry?

Whelan has never been shy of investing in his team and will know that it is going to be important if they are to survive another Premiership season.

Goalkeeper
Ali Al-Habsi has now signed a permanent deal after a season on loan at the Lactics, the Omani keeper was one of Wigan's better players last season. In Chris Kirkland they also have a very capable goalkeeper although he has struggled with injuries these past couple of seasons and played very little first team football. Whether he stays now that Al-Habsi has signed a permanent contract is not yet clear.

Defence
A defence of Caldwell, Boyce, Stam and Figueroa aren't bad, but aren't particularly good either. The recent departure of Titus Bramble and Mario Melchiot has lead to a loss of steel in the backline. This is certainly something that needs to be looked at.

Midfield
Wigan does have some useful midfielders in the shape of James McCarthy and James McArthur whilst Charles N'Zogbia is probably the clubs most talented player. The former Newcastle winger finished the season as the clubs top scorer last season, there are however doubts as to whether he will be there last season. His direct wing play makes him a coveted player.

Strikers
Hugo Rodallega holds the Wigan record for most Premiership goals despite hardly being prolific. The acquisition of Mauro Boselli, from Estudiantes for a reported £6.5mil, will be seen as an expensive flop, despite possessing a fantastic scoring record in Argentina, the striker failed to settle in North-West England and saw him self shipped off on loan to Genoa. Goals are going to be hard to come by this season unless a goalscorer can be snapped up from somewhere.

Whelan and Martinez are undoubtedly close and share a vision of playing attack minded football. Indeed Whelan is so enamoured by his charmingly suave manager that he has predicted that in 10 years time he will be managing Barcelona or Real Madrid, while that may yet still be the case, scrambling around in the bottom of the league may not necessarily be the place to test Pythagoras' theory of football. Perhaps something befitting an ‘Alladycian’ approach to the game might be better suited. But then again, if we take what Whelan and Big Sam have been recently spouting perhaps we'll start to believe that El Classico in a decade will have these two managers head-to-head...

Jim

Premiership Preview: Wolverhampton Wanderers

Can wolves find a decent striker partner for Kevin Doyle?

Wolves narrowly avoided relegation last year, and I feel they are in for a scrap again in the upcoming season. Money will probably be tight at Wolves this summer. And although investment is needed, Mick McCarthy may just feel his current squad is good enough to stay in the top division.

Goalkeepers
Doris De Vries has been bought in from newly promoted Swansea to challenge Wayne Hennesey for the number 1 jersey at Molineux. So with those two 'keepers, there should be no need for another to be bought in.

Defence
In George Elokobi wolves have a surprisingly good defender, I would have expected there to be more interest in him this summer. Stearman, Craddock, Berra, Ward and Zubar make up some good solid defensive options but a younger defender with a bit of pace and something to prove could work wonders as another option for big Mick. Someone in the mould of Nedum Onouha or Jonny Evans could do the trick.

Midfield
Wolves' midfield was definitely not weak last year and the permanent signing of Jamie O'Hara should prove to be a good piece of business. Keeping hold of Matt Jarvis is essential and the return of Michael Kightly will improve Wolves' wing play, with Hammill providing adequate back up. Another centre midfielder might be needed in the squad to give a bit more competition to the likes of Karl Henry and Nenad Milijas. Stephen Hunt will more than likely be played as a wing forward rather than an out and out striker, but it’s more important to simply keep the Irishman fit and playing regularly.

A player on a free transfer with premiership experience could be a good acquisition, maybe Owen Hargreaves or Thomas Hitzlsperger.

Forwards
Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Sam Vokes and Steven Fletcher will definitely not bring fear to the eyes of the bigger club’s defenders. It’s a good thing that Kevin Doyle is still there, although with Arsenal apparently sniffing around, he may not be there much longer. Mick McCarthy needs to keep hold of Doyle and get one of his other strikers scoring regularly.

Ebanks-Blake has not managed to be as prolific as he was in the championship and Steven Fletcher, although being the top scorer for the club, was considered a tad inconsistent by some of the Wolves faithful. Sam Vokes hasn't played for Wolves since 2008, so I could see him being sold this summer. Considering all of this, a new striker is a necessity.

If Wolves can cut down their squad and make some money doing so, it'll be a good scenario for Mick McCarthy to be in. Strikers like Sam Vokes, Stefan Maierhofer and Andy Keogh could all be sold to make room for one good striker rather than 3 mediocre ones.

If I was Mick McCarthy, I'd try and get in Jonny Evans, Owen Hargreaves, Tomas Hitzlsperger and Robbie Keane. Also, Wolves could try and be the beneficiary of Man City needing to sell, picking up Jó, Onouha and Wayne Bridge on the cheap which would give them a lot more options.

Dave

Premiership Preview: QPR

Ooooh no, baby, please don't go. Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto

After a sensational return to the top flight, QPR’s boss Neil Warnock will need to spend his money wisely in order to stay afloat in the Premier League. The club’s owners have money, but are unlikely to throw it around as carelessly as Man City, but there should be some significant backing from the boardroom.

Goalkeepers

In Paddy Kenny QPR have themselves a fan favourite. Winner of last season’s players’ player and supporters’ player of the year award and with good reason too – keeping 24 clean sheets during the campaign. Ever-present last season, Kenny will surely keep his place and aim to test him self at the highest level once again.

Defenders

Warnock excelled in tightening his back line last year, forming some excellent partnerships at the back. The partnership of Kaspars Gorkss and Mathew Connolly – as well as Danny Shittu and Fitz Hall - kept the goals at bay, only conceding 32 goals from 46 league games and an inspired loan signing of Kyle Walker provided some attacking threat from the back. QPR may feel the need to strengthen their left side of defence at least to take off some of the pressure from Clint Hill and adding a centre half with Premiership experience could do them no harm either. Matthew Upson could well fit the bill.

Midfielders

The R’s posses a number of highly talented, technical midfielders and need only a couple of minor tweaks to make their midfield of Premiership quality. Shaun Derry would probably be the first to accept that he’s not going to last 38 games in the Premiership this season and so a tough tackling midfielder is most certainly required to play alongside the excellent Alejandro Faurlin in their 4-2-3-1 formation. Big things are expected of left footed Petter Vaagan Moen, who signed in January, but QPR will still need to add another winger to their ranks in case Akos Buzsaky has a reoccurrence of the knee injury that hampered his season last year. There are also questions about how Hogan Ephraim will cope in the top flight.

Strikers
Although not technically a striker, Adel Taarabt – who plays as a 'Trequartista' – was QPR’s stand out player last season. Skillful and explosive, with the tendency for the spectacular, Taarabt represents QPR’s best chance of scoring goals this season. It’s not surprising that he’s been linked with a move away from the club, with Neil Warnock almost resigned to the fact. If they can keep him - their priority would be to buy a striker or two who can regularly score goals (QPR’s goalscoring record last season was only the 7th best in the league) if they don’t keep him, their priority should be to buy a striker or two who can regularly score goals. Players like DJ Campbell, Carlton Cole and Cameron Jerome have been linked, pulling out the stops to sign DJ Campbell would be the best option.

QPR have amongst their ranks some highly skilful, technical players. Add a little steel to them and cling onto Adel Taarbt for dear life, and QPR have a good chance of beating the drop this season.

Owain

Premiership Preview: Stoke City

Can Pulis mastermind a European cup run?

This will be Stokes 4th successive season in the Premiership and as with the previous ones development is needed to make that next step up. Last year saw a cup run which gifted them European qualification and in turn led to a slightly disappointing league finish.

With Europe beckoning, a strong squad is needed to cope with the demands of playing Thursday and Sunday on a consistent basis. Overall I feel Stoke has a decent core squad but a bit of extra class is needed this summer to really kick on.

Ideally...I’d say around seven signings are needed; realistically 4-5 will be made.

Goalkeepers
Once Sorensen’s contract is tied up this position is more than adequately covered with 3 decent ‘keepers.

Defence
A bit light really, obviously Huth and Shawcross are an outstanding partnership but beyond that there isn’t much on offer. The full-back positions are covered, but not with the highest quality, so if the opportunity arose a decent full back or two wouldn’t go a miss. My suggestions for Tony would be Liam Ridgewell who could cover at Centre back and Left back, and possibly Kyle Naughton, who can provide decent cover for both full-backs and offers more going forward than they currently have.

Midfield
Centrally there is the same problem as the full-backs, enough but I don’t think they offer enough quality. Ideally a top notch enforcer and a classy playmaker should be purchased. But with the current market I think Stoke can afford one player to cover both, Jermaine Jenas anyone? Thought not. Now the wings we have a familiar problem, good quality but very little back up. I don’t think there are the players available at the right price who would be willing to play second fiddle for both positions so buy one player to cover both again, Matt Jarvis, David Bentley?

Strikers
With Sidibie, Jones, Fuller and Walters on the books there is cover here, but with two of those suffering with injuries last season an additional body may be wise. Carlton Cole and Cameron Jerome have been mooted, but I really don’t think they would provide enough goals, DJ Campbell however is a hard working forward with an eye for goal he could be a very shrewd purchase. Failing that, as some may view Campbell as a flash in the pan, Craig Bellamy would be available at a cheap price and has a lot of experience.

I think if Stoke heed my advice they could be in for a very successful season. The team is well organised and hard working, so by adding a bit of class could see Stoke cement themselves as a top 10 Premier league side and who knows maybe another cup run, but this time in Europe?

Josh

Premiership Preview: Sunderland

Will Gyan still be a Mackem come the start of the season? North News

Sunderland's 10th place finish last season under Steve Bruce was the club’s best finish since their promotion back to the Premiership four years ago. However, this is a statistic that flatters to deceive; the Black Cats failed to win a game after beating Blackpool at the end of January managing to beat Wigan ten games later. Some of this can be explained by the departure of Darren Bent during the January transfer window and the club's inability to adequately replace him; also let's not forget the major injuries to first-choice goalkeeper Craig Gordon which kept him out of contention for a lot of last season.

The departure of Henderson and Bent has earned the club around £36mil and much of this is expected to be ploughed back into the club. Sunderland has never been one to shy away from splashing cash when they feel it's necessary.

Goalkeeper
First choice goalkeeper Craig Gordon was signed for a potential record breaking sum, but has struggled to maintain fitness since making the Stadium of Light his home. This meant that young Belgian keeper Simon Mignolet was thrust into the limelight sooner than the club would have expected. Mignolet suffered with inconsistency and with doubts still lingering over Gordon's injury record, the Black Cats have moved swiftly to recruit Kieren Westwood from Coventry. While the Irish shot stopper was in great form for the Championship side and looks ready to make the step up to the Premiership, it will be interesting to see who can make the number one jersey their own over the course of the season.

Defence

In Titus Bramble and Michael Turner, Sunderland has an experienced and able centre back pairing, complimented by the busy Kieron Richardson and Phil Bardsley. However, squad depth is comparable to child's paddling-pool; with Anton Ferdinand failing to fulfil potential and Nyron Nosworthy expected to leave the club. Sunderland should be looking to strengthen this area. Several names have already been touted in this department; Sunderland (like every club and their grandmother) will be eyeing Scott Dann and Roger Johnson of relegated Birmingham. However they are likely to be gazumped by bigger clubs with deeper pockets. It is more likely that Steve Bruce will be looking towards his old stamping grounds at Carrington and attempt to snap up United fringe players Wes Brown and John O'Shea.

Midfield

The loss of Henderson seriously depleted an already thin midfield. Although club-captain Lee Cattermole would be one of the first names on Bruce's team sheet, the holding midfielder does have a habit of going into the tackle a little recklessly. The rest of the midfield is functional if not exciting. Players like Steed Malbranque, Ahmed Elmohamady and Stéphane Sessègnon are all able footballers, while the young Jack Colback does look to have potential. This is a weak area that Sunderland has identified and they have been quick to recruit Craig Gardner and Seb Larsson from relegated Birmingham. I wouldn't be surprised to see the club sign another, possibly left-sided, midfielder by end of the summer.

Strikers

In Asamoah Gyan, Sunderland recruited one of the most exciting forwards of last year’s World Cup and this was presumably why the club felt they were able to sell strike-partner Darren Bent. Despite having Fraizer Campbell on their books, the return of Danny Welbeck to Manchester United has led to a distinct lack of cover in this position, a position that will not be improved by the mooted sale of Gyan. Sunderland has already been busy recruiting for the upcoming campaign with teenage sensation Connor Wickham signed from Ipswich. Wickham is possibly the most exciting young English forward around and it will be intriguing to watch his progression at the Black Cats. Sunderland have also landed Korean Ji Dong-Won, the striker will be an unknown quantity to a lot of English football fans but the 20 year-old has a great record for both his old club, Chunnam Dragons, and the Korean national team.

Sunderland's strength at the back combined with often dazzling Asamoah Gyan mean that they are a tricky side to play and occasionally capable of pulling off seemingly miraculous results (see the 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge). If Wickham can progress as his potential suggests then Sunderland could have an attack comparable to any in the league come the next few seasons. Despite this, a serious injury to one of the clubs better players could curtail the clubs ambitions of a top-half position and a push for Europa League placing.

Jim