Jonathan's Unofficial EPL News

EPL 05/06 ... Opening Month Review...

2005-09-09T04:26:00.000+10:00

Finally the EPL is back and kicking...

It is early in the season, but the champion have shown their determination to carry on where they left off.
After 4 matches, Chelsea have topped the table with 4 wins out of 4, including a win over rival Arsenal.

Another big news over the past month is the return of Owen...
Newcastle????
Owen might have taken a very big gamble... Unless Shearer take over as the manager, it will be impossible for Owen to win anything this year.

Of course it is still early in the season, therefore it is too early to bet on anything...

Tip for the week:
Take Everton for a win over Portsmouth.
If not you can place your bet on Spurs to ntoch a win over Liverpool.

The Best of the 2nd Best

2005-06-21T21:24:00.000+10:00

Many people have praised the players that have performed superbly in the EPL 04/05. However these players are normally in the first team and have many chances and times to prove themselves. Yet there are always a bunch of fringe players who are forgotten for their hard work and impressive performance. I have chosen 11 players who have been underated and deserve a pat on their back.

Goalkeeper: Paul Smith

Right Back: Mekele Leigertwood

Left Back: William Gallas

Centre Back: Philippe Senderos

Centre Back: Liam Ridgewell

Centre Midfielder: Dietmar Hamann

Centre Midfielder: Stelios Giannakopoulos

Left Winger: Joe Cole

Right Winger: Jermaine Pennant

Striker: Robin Van Persie

Striker: Duncan Ferguson

The Best of 04/05 season!

2005-06-09T20:54:00.000+10:00

The EPL 04/05 season have come to a close. Finally after a long time, the winner is no longer Man U or Arsenal. 10 seasons ago, Shearer led Blackburn to victory and since the two red teams completely dominated the EPL. This season, Chelsea have proven money could indeed buy success, with their clear success over their rivals.

This is always the time to present awards for those who have perform wonders during the season.

The Best Formation: 4-5-1
This season many teams have used this formation successfully and the additional man in midfield does give the teams an advantage over the 4-4-2.

Goalkeeper: Peter Cech
He have to be the best keeper in the league without a doubt. His heroic performances not only have won the hearts of the Chelsea fans, I bet many of the other coaches would wish that he is in their teams.

Right Back: Tony Hibbert
This underrated defender have done a wonderful job at Everton, helping them to clinch the fourth spot. Even though his offensive quality needs polishing, his work rate and defensive quality have surpass many other in the league.

Left Back: Ashley Cole
One of the best left back in the world, his only error of the season was to meet up with the Chelsea officals.

Centre Back: John Terry
Terry have been the toast of the season and one reason for Chelsea great defensive record. Coupled with his offensive strength in the air, he is an asset for the Champion.

Centre Back: Jamie Carragher
This is one tough player that never say die. His work rate have been in doubt, but this season his concentration during the game need to be highlighted. Despite the numerous world class strikers in the league, he have marked them out of their games.

Defensive Midfielder: Claude Makelele
This is a simple choice, the unsung hero of Chelsea. It is due to his works in the centre of the park that allowed the team to unleashed their offensive strength.

Centre Midfielder: Frank Lampard
The player of the year have increased leaps and bounds these two years. His work rate, passing, assists and goals have earned the respect of many.

Centre Midfielder: Tim Cahill
What a sensational buy he was for Everton! He is an instant hit at Goodison Park replacing Rooney. Rooney? Who is he?

Left Winger: Arjen Robben
Without him, Chelsea seems to be an injured tiger. The team was not able to score goals without him. Not only is he a good player, he is a crowd teaser with his bursting runs and goals.

Right Winger: Shaun Wright-Phillips
This little guy have developed into a class act. A mirror image of Robben at the right side and is offensive weapon for Man City.

Striker: Andy Johnson
There is plenty of world class striker including Henry, however Johnson really stand out among them. Palace isn't the best team in the league, but Johnson is still able to clinch the second highest scoring place. Even though many of these goals came from penalties, he was the one that created these penalties.

Last Week of EPL 04/05

2005-05-14T04:31:00.000+10:00

This long and hard season is finally coming to a close.
However the throne as the king of EPL have long been won by Chelsea. Like many people expected, the riches of Roman have bought success. Credit have to be given to the manager and players for their hard work. Frank Lampard is my player of the year for both Chelsea and EPL. He have outshone many of his peers and shown the world that hard work breed success.

Talking about hard work, Everton's success in achieving the fourth spot have to be highlight. Their hard work have paid off and they get a shot at the coveted Champions League. Moyes, my manager of the year for EPL, have instilled in his team a desire to win.

This weekend matches would be relatively less crucial for the top teams. However, not even one team is confirm of being relegated as yet. The final match would decide which three teams would goes down. However all credit must go to them for their never say die spirits especially during the past months.

As the curtains draw to a close, it will be another interesting time for the managers to shore up their squad by using limited cash in comparison with Chelsea.

Happy Birthday!!!

2005-04-19T04:42:00.000+10:00

It is a long time since i last blogged...
Actually no one really read my blogs anyway...
EPL is still very much alive and Everton is still fourth...

But all these doesn't matter today...
Today is a special day... the Birth of someone Special...
So ah Nigau, I wish you a Happy Happy Birthday!!!

Just hope that your birthday will bring Everton good luck and beat Man Utd by 2 goals... HEHE!!!!

Liverpool Vs Everton

2005-03-15T18:29:00.000+11:00

Liverpool and Everton squared off this weekend, and this will be a cracker. Liverpool need to win against their arch rivals to stand any chance to clinch the fourth spot. Everton will be motivated to win this match to finish the season in the fourth spot. The prize is not only the Champion League spot, but the Blues fans will be delighted if their team finished in a higher spot.

Liverpool have not been consistent in the league and have many injures to deal with. On the other hand, Everton will welcome back record signing Beattie for this important match. However Arteta might not be able to play due to the injury suffered against Blackburn. My prediction for this match will be a draw, maybe a 2 all draw. However, Everton could steal all three points if Beattie regained his scoring form.

Ten more matches to go!

2005-03-01T14:30:00.000+11:00

The results in February have split the EPL into three exciting parts. The first race is the league champion, which is hotly contested by Chelsea (68) and Man Utd (62). Only 6 points seperated the top 2 teams but the leader have a game in hand. This will greatly increase the stakes when the 2 teams meet this month. Arsenal's recent results have forced Wenger to concede the title to the other 2. Chelsea's recent form have been less than impressive after the loss of Robben. Yet they have took the first throphy this yaer in the form of the League Cup. This win would surely lifted the team and can expect better performance from them.

The second race is the race for the fourth place, which could entitled that team to qualify for next year Champion League. Everton, Liverpool, Middlesborough, Bolton, Tottenham and Charlton are still in the running for this coveted prize. Everton are leading the pack and enjoyed an 8 points advantage over arch rival Liverpool. Liverpool are assured of a European spot after their loss in league cup finals. But it would be a disaster for them to not qualify for the Champion League. Unless Liverpool intends to win the Champion League this year, they will need to catch up soon in the EPL. The other teams does have their chances too, and need to keep winning to increase the pressure on Everton. Nevertheless there are still two European spots for grabs as consolation.

The last race will be at the wrong end of the table. Currently only the three newly promoted teams and Southampton seems likely to be in relegation troubles. However if results goes their way, Blackburn and Fulham could join them in this race. Among these few teams, Southampton have impressed me most. Their recent results and performance have shown the efforts of Harry and the teams to stay up next season.

10 more matches to go which means 30 points up for grabs. It would be interesting to see who come out as the winner of each of the 3 race.

The end of Transfers!

2005-02-05T21:35:00.000+11:00

The January transfer window have closed and teams have to dig deep in the teams to secure points from now on. Chelsea still have the advantage over their rivals and have a large squad. However recent injury to Robben could be the turning point of this season. Since his arrival to the squad, the Blues have been in great form and stated to score goals. During the mid week match against Blackburn might indicated that Chelsea will struggled to score goals without their flying Dutch man. However Cech, their rock solid keeper, would be tough to beat.

Two teams that could suffer a drop in form after the window closed are Liverpool and Newcastle. Liverpool have spent huge amount of money to bring in a few quality players. However many of these players are injured and hampered the team's chance of securing a spot in the Champion League. During the transfer window, Morientes have been added to boost their striking options. Everything might be looking well now, and the Kop fans will be hoping their team will catch up with Everton. All these hopes could be destroyed if another key player get injured.

Newcastle also faced a lot of problems this season and Bellamy's exit will put addition pressure on the team. Some fans will argued that his loan to Celtic might be good for the team. However I highly doubt this as Newcastle will sorely miss his contribution. Without the options to bring in new strikers, Newcastle could struggle for the rest of the season.

Tips of the week:
Man Utd 3 Birmingham 1
This would be the safest bet of the week. However the return would be low.

Middlesbrough 1 Blackburn 1
Newcastle 1 Charlton 2
Tottenham 0 Portsmouth 2
These 3 matches would be the likely upset of the week. Contrary to the popular belief that the home teams will win, i put my money on the away sides to come out with a respectable results.

January: Chelsea the team to beat!

2005-01-30T17:35:00.000+11:00

Chelsea continued to dominate the Premiership as they stretched their lead to 10 points. Meanwhile Arsenal and Man Utd contiuned to play catch up with the leader. The race for the fourth place is heating up as Liverpool, Middlesborough and Charlton are hot on the heels of Everton. In the middle of the league, the teams are evenly matched and could slipped into relegation troubles with consecutive losses. WBA and Norwich have to start turning their fortune now, if not their fates could be seal even before May arrive. Chelsea will be the team to beat in the month of February and could lose a few points in this coming month.

Tips of the week:
This mid week matches would be tough for smaller teams who cannot rotate their squad after the FA cup ties.

Everton 2 Norwich 1
This is a safe bet as Everton continued to be strong at home.

Arsenal 2 Man Utd 1
Arsenal will be hoping get this vital win and erased the nightmare they suffered after their loss at Old Trafford.

The Real Game Begins.

2004-12-25T16:59:00.001+11:00

Finally Christmas have arrived and in England, this means football is at the very best. Starting from Boxing Day, the EPL will embark on their hectic football schedule. Plus the transfer window opening in January, fans can expect their favourite teams to bring in new faces for the second half of the season.

However, the bigger teams in the league will be favourite to grab the available points during these two weeks. With a larger squad, the manager could depends on their fringe players to step in to prove themselves.

Yet this season have proven that it is not only size that matters. Teams like Everton have done well against the league big guns. But no matter which teams triumphed during this festive season, fans can still enjoyed a showcase of football.

Tips:
Everton 1 Man City 0

The Real Game Begins.

2004-12-25T16:59:00.000+11:00

EPL in November

2004-12-08T19:09:00.000+11:00

It have been a exciting month for EPL fans. At the top of the table, Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton and Man Utd have started their engines to pull away from the rest. Chelsea is leading the league by 5 points and could go eight points clear of Arsenal with a win against the Gunners this weekend. On the contrary, Arsenal have not been performing well after their defeat against Man Utd. Everton, the surprise package of the season, continued to grind out results against all odds. Lastly Man Utd have finally shown some promises with Scholes and Giggs back to their best.

In the mid table, the situation remained unclear and a good run of results can see a team leapfrogged over others. Liverpool and Newcastle would need to get their act together to try to clinch a Champion League spot. At the bottom half of the table, only 4 poinst separated the bottom 6 clubs. December would be a crucial months as rivals could pull away if a team keep dropping points.

With the hectic Christmas period starting, all the clubs would need to put in consistent performances. This period will test the depth of the teams and the smaller clubs will be stretched.

Tips of the Week:
Everton 2 Liverpool 2
Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1

Week 13 Results and Week 14 Prediction!

2004-11-16T14:26:00.000+11:00

Week 13 saw the top teams picking up wins except for Bolton who lost to Villa. The week were filled with remarkable goals including a nine goal thriller between Arsenal and Spurs. Chelsea continued their fine scoring form thanks to the in-form Robben.

At the bottom end of the league, the future seem tense and gloomy. From now on, every week will be vital as a win could helped the teams leapfrogged over others. Norwich, currently last in the table, will seek to win their first game. After 13 matches, they are still winless and pressure is mounting.

Week 14: Pick of the Week
Chelsea 3 Bolton 1
This have to be the top match in the week as the league leader squared off against the fifth placed Bolton. Chelsea is in excellent form and Robben could yet again create chaos for Bolton. However Bolton have proved to be a giant killer and could forced a shocking away win if they can contain Robben.

Back Again!

2004-11-10T17:52:00.000+11:00

After two week away from the EPL, i am back!

The league have truly changed within the last two week. The bottom teams are starting to show their determination and is producing upset these weeks..

Chelsea have really changed since the return of the flying Dutchman, Robben. Leading the league by two points, the Blues will hope Arsenal's slump to continue.

In the next few weeks, the results will be crucial for teams that are chasing the European slots. The gap is starting to form and top teams like Man Utd, Newcastle and Liverpool will need to get their act together to secure win over weaker teams.

It look like another exciting weekend coming up and the match of the week will be Newcastle against Man Utd.

Prediction for this match: Newcastle 1 Man Utd 2

Here my predictions.

2004-10-25T22:31:00.000+10:00

These are my predictions for this weekend. The top teams are expected to get their results despite their league cup matches in midweek. Like usual, Arsenal would start their unbeaten run with Southampton as their first victim.

Saturaday
Birmingham 0 - 1 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 4 - 0 Southampton

Charlton 1 - 3 Middlesbrough

Everton 1 - 0 Aston Villa

Fulham 1 - 2 Tottenham

Portsmouth 0 - 2 Man Utd

West Brom 0 - 2 Chelsea

Blackburn 1 - 3 Liverpool

Sunday
Bolton 2 - 2 Newcastle

Monday
Man City 1 - 1 Norwich

What a weekend!

2004-10-25T21:48:00.000+10:00

Norwich 2 - 3 Everton
Everton managed to win this thrilling match despite a spirited comeback from Norwich in the second half. Duncan have done it for Everton again, with a trademark header. With this match played early, Everton moved to the second place over Chelsea.

Aston Villa 2 - 0 Fulham
Nolberto Solano and Lee Hendrie scored two great goals to clinch the victory for Villa. Fulham seemed to be in trouble especially when playing away from home. Only Blackburn have let in more goals than this Fulham side. However nothing can be taken away from the scorers as their shots were unstoppable.

Chelsea 4 - 0 Blackburn
After nine low scoring games, Chelsea finally won by more than two goals. Eidur Gudjohnsen's hat trick and Duff's goal destroyed a disjointed Blackburn. With this win, the Blues moved back into second spot and is just two points away from the leader.

Crystal Palace 3 - 0 West Brom
Crystal Palace seems to be finally settling into the premiership with their second win. Andy Johnson continued his good form and scored a brace in the match. With this win, they leapfrogged over West Brom to 15th place due to goals difference.

Tottenham 1 - 2 Bolton
When Jaidi, the big Bolton defender, was signed by Sam, he was said to be the next big thing. In a few games, the defender have scored three goals for the club and helped them to this important away win.

Liverpool 2 - 0 Charlton
Two great goals were scored in this match from Riise and Luis Garcia. Liverpool continued to perform well and could moved to fourth as they have one game in hand. It is no surprise that they want to catch up their arch rival and neighbour, Everton at the top.

Southampton 0 - 0 Birmingham
Both teams are lacking the cutting edge and does not deserve the win. With only one win each, both need to work harder and be more creative in attack to win future matches.

Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Portsmouth
Despite a great performance by Portsmouth, Downing is the limelight of the show. The Boro youngster have grow from strength to strength. He was their saviour of the night with a great goal.

Newcastle 4 - 3 Man City
What to you have when you put Keegan, Fowler and Newcastle together? A seven goals thriller! This is the the first seven goals thriller between the three. Back when Fowler was with Liverpool and Keegan as the manager of Newcastle, Two of the matches ended in a 4-3 scores. However for this match, Keegan, Fowler and Man City lost to Newcastle by four goals to three.

Man Utd 2 - 0 Arsenal
The headlines new of the week belong to the giants of English soccer. Man Utd have ended Arsenal's 49 matches undefeated run. Wenger will feel that his team was robbed due to who else but his jinx, Wayne Rooney! A very well-performed dive in the box by the birthday boy managed to win a penalty for his team. And deep into stoppage time, another goal by Rooney destroyed Arsenal, giving the Red Devils the victory. However they are still 8 points behind and cannot afford to laugh yet.

My forecasts of the week

2004-10-23T20:04:00.000+10:00

Saturday
Norwich 0 - 2 Everton
Everton have been winning by a goal margin. Norwich will be searching for their first win and could be punished for pushing forward. The visitors can create chaos for defence if their 5 men midfield can link up.

Aston Villa 2 - 1 Fulham
Barry is out for Villa, but they could still get their third win of the season. Fulham's away form have not been good enough to trouble Villa. With both teams in the bottom half of the table, a ficerely contested match can be expected.

Chelsea 1 - 0 Blackburn
Mark Hughes have to be concerned over his team performance. After last week trashing, he will emphasis on more defensive duties for his team. Despite Chelsea losing Mutu over drugs, the expensively assembled team can crave out another one goal to win the match.

Crystal Palace 1 - 1 West Brom
The first two matches in the season when two newly promoted team played ended in draws. I expected this match to follow suit and ended one goal a piece.

Tottenham 0 - 0 Bolton
Tottenham is really finding it hard to find the net this season, and could depends on Robinson for another shut out. Bolton will want to increase its pressure on the top three teams, but might not be able to find a way past the tight Tottenham's defence.

Liverpool 2 - 0 Charlton
Danny Murphy return to Anfield and will hope to score against its former club. However Liverpool will be tough to beat at home and will attack straight from the start. Charlton need to defend like it did last sunday against Newcastle to get anything out of this match.

Sunday
Southampton 0 - 1 Birmingham
Bruce know his side need to win this match to kickstart a winning streak. Last week draw against Man Utd will give their players a massive lift. Southampton might need a leader on the pitch to shore up their attack.

Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Portsmouth
After midweek action in Europe, Boro might be a bit tired. They will need the home support to lift the players for this match. Portsmouth is playing well, but the defence could be punished for any sloppy play.

Newcastle 1 - 1 Man City
Man City will be a happier team after last week win. Man City loves playing big teams and will do well in St James Park. Newcastle could be feeling the effect of European cup ties and struggle for a draw.

Man Utd 2 - 2 Arsenal
The Blockbuster of the week have to be this match. After last season incident, the two rivarly between the two have reached its peak. Man Utd will be the underdog for the first time and could struggle in defence. However with four top class strikers, a draw can be achieved by Man Utd.

Last Week Scores

2004-10-23T19:49:00.000+10:00

These the scores for last week. Arsenal 49th unbeaten run have helped them cement their top position especially after Chelsea's first loss. All eyes will be on next weekend blockbuster as Arsenal clashes with the disappointing Man Utd. Other than Arsenal, Everton have been in fantastic form and sit at the third postion. The rest of the weekend actions have made the league pretty evenly match.

Birmingham 0 - 0 Man Utd
Arsenal 3 - 1 Aston Villa
Blackburn 0 - 4 Middlesbrough
Bolton 1 - 0 Crystal Palace
Everton 1 - 0 Southampton
Fulham 2 - 4 Liverpool
West Brom 0 - 0 Norwich
Man City 1 - 0 Chelsea
Charlton 1 - 1 Newcastle
Portsmouth 1 - 0 Tottenham

Predictions

2004-10-14T17:45:00.000+10:00

Birmingham 0 - 3 Man Utd
Arsenal 3 - 1 Aston Villa
Blackburn 1 - 2 Middlesbrough
Bolton 2 - 2 Crystal Palace
Everton 2 - 0 Southampton
Fulham 0 - 3 Liverpool
West Brom 2 - 0 Norwich
Man City 0 - 1 Chelsea
Charlton 0 - 2 Newcastle
Portsmouth 1 - 1 Tottenham

Results

2004-10-14T17:40:00.000+10:00

Southampton 0 - 0 Man City
Arsenal 4 - 0 Charlton
Blackburn 2 - 2 Aston Villa
Everton 0 - 1 Tottenham
Norwich 2 - 2 Portsmouth
West Brom 2 - 1 Bolton
Birmingham 2 - 2 Newcastle
Man Utd 1 - 1 Middlesbrough
Chelsea 1 - 0 Liverpool
Crystal Palace 2 - 0 Fulham

The Predicted Scores

2004-09-29T19:53:00.000+10:00

Southampton 2 - 0 Man City
Man City have put in two great performance in a row, and will hope to repeat that. The Saints need to start winning, and this could be the start. Man City's inconsistency might creep in and put Keegan's job on the line again.

Arsenal 2 - 0 Charlton
The leader got a mid week draw in Europe and will hope to get back on winning ways. The rumor of the bust-up between two Arsenal's players in the coach would be the tonic to fire them up.

Blackburn 2 - 1 Aston Villa
Youri's debut could spark the under-achieving Rovers, and add to the misery of Villa. Both teams need a win to climb up the table and secured their mid table position.

Everton 1 - 1 Tottenham
Everton have managed a very successful start to the season and would love to have another win at home. However in recent years, Tottenham have always been the jinx for them. It will be no surprise if this match end in a draw again.

Norwich 0 - 1 Portsmouth
Pressure is mounting on the newly promoted teams to secure their first win. The home fans will be giving all their support, but it might increase the pressure on Norwich. Portsmouth could sneak an early goal and defend their lead.

West Brom 2 - 2 Bolton
Fourth-placed Bolton is enjoying their football this season and will look forward to this game. West Brom could exploit the weakness in Bolton's defence with Kanu's skills.

Birmingham 1 - 2 Newcastle
Shearer's hat trick in Europe will boost his team and fellow strikers. Birmingham looked to be struggling in the scoring department, and could lose this game due to Newcastle's counter attack.

Man Utd 2 - 1 Middlesbrough
Rooney's dream debut have totally erased bad start by Man Utd. Boro will be fighting to get a point away, but mid week actions could have taken its toils on the team. Ruud will be determined not to be overshadowed by Rooney and will be impressive in this match.

Chelsea 1 - 0 Liverpool
Chelsea does not score a lot of goals in domestic league, but it also does not give away many too. They will be happy to contain the Liverpool's players and go for another win. Like they always said, a win is a win, no matter is one goal or ten.

Crystal Palace 1 - 0 Fulham
Chris Coleman will be hoping his team can get their first away win of the season. On the contary, Palace will wished to get their first point at home. Andy Johnson is have a good scoring spell and could get the decisive goal in this game to upset Fulham.

The Weekend Scores

2004-09-29T14:40:00.000+10:00

1-0 is the popular scoreline this week...
Chelsea, Fulham, Arsenal, Man Utd, Everton and Charlton all won their match with a single goal.
Liverpool also won their match with three goals against Norwich.
Villa, Palace, Bolton and Birmingham took one point each from their draws.
The top teams are all getting good run at the moment and are moving towards the top. Everton is still third in the table and looking promising. David Moyes will have more cash in January, and it might just be the season for the team in blues.

Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Chelsea
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Crystal Palace
Fulham 1 - 0 Southampton
Liverpool 3 - 0 Norwich
Man City 0 - 1 Arsenal
Newcastle 3 - 1 West Brom
Tottenham 0 - 1 Man Utd
Bolton 1 - 1 Birmingham
Portsmouth 0 - 1 Everton
Charlton 1 - 0 Blackburn

Predictions O' Predictions

2004-09-24T13:29:00.000+10:00

Middlesbrough 1 - 0 Chelsea
Boro will be upset over the loss to Everton, while Chelsea need to get back to winning ways. Chelsea might be slightly under pressure and lose their nerves away from home. Former Chelsea striker, Hasselbaink will want to prove his departure is a great loss to the blues.

Aston Villa 2 - 0 Crystal Palace
Villa is not scoring enough goals to win matches, but is defending well. Palace does not want to be archored at the bottom right at the start of the season. However, they are unlikely to get any point away to Villa.

Fulham 2 - 1 Southampton
Both teams seem to be on a rollar coaster right now, and it is hard to predict a winner. Fulham does have its home advantage and the return of Steed Malbranque could make the difference.

Liverpool 2 - 1 Norwich
Losing Gerrard is a big blow to Liverpool, but they should be able to see off the challege from Norwich. Huckerby's speed could just be enough to break the defence of the home team. Kewell will need to pull the string in midfield and provide some magic.

Man City 0 - 3 Arsenal
Anelka is the current top scorer in the league, but Reyes and Henry are right behind. Keegan have saved his job with a win last week, but a huge loss at home might revert the situation.

Newcastle 0 - 1 West Brom
Newcastle seem to be recovering from a bad start with back to back wins, but the strikers are not getting goals. West Brom might get the upset and their first win if Kanu and Earnshaw continue to shine.

Tottenham 2 - 3 Man Utd
Man Utd have become a better team with Rio returning to the side. Man Utd love to play on White Hart Lane, especially due to the 5-3 win. This could be another thrilling match, with the red devils coming out as winners.

Bolton 2 - 0 Birmingham
Birmingham does not seems to be able to score and the injury to Forsell will add to this problem. Bolton's confidence is high, and another win is highly possible.

Portsmouth 0 - 1 Everton
One more goal, One more win. Everton have shown that unity is more important than anything else. Everton will be hard to beat especially with the five hardworking midfielders.

Charlton 1 - 1 Blackburn
Mark Hughes have suffered a mid week defeat in the league cup, and will want to go back to winning ways. However Charlton is difficult to beat at home and will search for an odd winning goal.

Weekend Actions

2004-09-24T13:11:00.000+10:00

This weekend features the fantastic performance by Bolton and Everton. Bolton finally ended Arsenal perfect start, with a two all draw. However the defending champion remained undefeatd and top of the league. Everton remarkable start to the season continues with another one goal victory over Middlesbrough. Chelsea could not seize the chance to go level at the top as they was held to a goalless draw by Spurs. Newcastle and Man Utd gained valuable three points with wins over Southampton and Liverpool respectivity. The three newly promoted teams are struggling to find their first win. The weekend results left the teams from the seventh to nineteenth postions pretty even, with only five points gap between them. The league cup have gone underway and teams have to depends on the depth of their squad from here onwards.

Arsenal 2 - 2 Bolton
Birmingham 1 - 1 Charlton
Blackburn 1 - 0 Portsmouth
Crystal Palace 1 - 2 Man City
Norwich 0 - 0 Aston Villa
West Brom 1 - 1 Fulham
Southampton 1 - 2 Newcastle
Everton 1 - 0 Middlesbrough
Chelsea 0 - 0 Tottenham
Man Utd 2 - 1 Liverpool

Weekend Matches Prediction

2004-09-17T16:49:00.000+10:00

Arsenal 3 - 1 Bolton
They have won Liverpool and drew with Man Utd, will Bolton continue their giant killing feat? It is highly unlikely as Arsenal is set to break another record, the best start to a season.

Birmingham 1 - 0 Charlton
These two teams have not been performing as well as they hoped after last season success. Birmingham, with their home advantage, could just win by the odd goal.

Blackburn 1 - 2 Portsmouth
Portsmouth's attacking style will ensure that this match does not end goalless. Blackburn seem to be in trouble after a poor start, but the arrival of Hughes must lifted the team's spirits. Portsmouth could steal the limelights from the new manager with another impressive performance.

Crystal Palace 2 - 1 Man City
Palace was unlucky to lose last weekend and could caused Keegan his job this weekend. City will be hoping that thay can boost their confidence with a win against the newly promoted side. However this will be no easy task with Palace desperate to get their first win.

Norwich 0 - 0 Aston Villa
Norwich will be defending with all their might and hoped their striker to get a goal at the other end. Villa could be forced back in this match by the Norwich strikers who love to run at defence.

West Brom 1 - 1 Fulham
Fans would reckon that this match will be full-on as both teams were defeated by 3 goals margin last weekend. Kanu and Earnshaw will be the new strike force for West Brom and looked promising. Rumors of Chris Coleman being the Wales manager could affect Fulham, but a draw is within reach.

Southampton 0 - 3 Newcastle
Shearer and his team have got their confidence back after the poor start. Southampton is not playing well and have troubles scoring. Bellamy will be the key man to watch as he could be a handful for the Saints' defence.

Everton 1 - 2 Middlesbrough
David Moyes seem to find an ideal formation for Everton and will hoped to moved into the top four. However Viduka and Bess's favourite player, Hasselbaink could spoilt the home team dream start.

Chelsea 2 - 0 Tottenham
Roman will be unhappy that his team is not leading the table, and the team will surely respond. This might just be the first loss for Tottenham, after a wonderful start.

Man Utd 2 - 2 Liverpool
The blockbuster of the week must be the battle between these two giants. Man Utd is not enjoying their start, but Ruud is back to haunt the league's goalkeepers. Liverpool seems to be playing flowing football and it is hard for the Red Devils to shut them down.

Weekend Matches Round Up

2004-09-13T17:18:00.000+10:00

Aston Villa 0 - 0 Chelsea
This is the first time Chelsea is denied of victory this season. Chelsea was unable to score and the midfield especially Lampard was performing below their average. However their strong defence continued and kept yet another clean sheet.

Bolton 2 - 2 Man Utd
Man Utd's poor start continued with a fortunate draw against Bolton. The red Devils first took the lead through debutante Heinze, but Bolton came back with goals from Nolan and Ferdinand. However, Bellion rescued a point for the visitor with the last kick of the game.

Fulham 0 - 3 Arsenal
The stylish Gunners must be flattered by the final score despite a great second half performance. In the first half, Fulham was denied a penalty and a goal due to poor judgment of the referee. However once Reyes was introduced into the pitch, the defending champion was simply breathtaking to watch. Ljungberg, an own goal by knight and Reyes completed the three goals rout of Fulham.

Liverpool 3 - 0 West Brom
After their first loss of the season last week, Liverpool was ready to make amend. Gerrard, Finnan and Luis Garcia each netted a goal to gave the home team a comfortable win. West Brom will be disappointed by this loss and hopefully their new signing like Earnshaw improve the team performance in future games.

Man City 0 - 1 Everton
Tim Cahill became the talk of the week after scoring a goal and being sent off for lifting his shirt off during his celebration. Everton moved to the fifth position with this win and does not seem to be missing Rooney. Another player that answer his critics during this match was City David James, who pulled off three great saves to keep his team to only a one goal defeat.

Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Birmingham
Viduka scored two goals to secure the win over Birmingham, while Heskey found the net on the other end. Boro's are enjoying their great start to the season, sitting at the fourth position. Birmingham have invested heavily during the summer, but are unable to find the net this season.

Newcastle 3 - 0 Blackburn
With their new manager watching from the stand, Newcastle put in a wonderful performance to win by three goals. A early own goal by Flitcroft and a header by Shearer gave them a two goals lead by halftime. O'Brien made it three with a great move, spinning past his man before slotting the ball into the goal.

Portsmouth 3 - 1 Crystal Palace
A match filled with incident and a own goal by Popovic that even strikers would admired. Fuller and Berger got the goals for Portsmouth and Granville replied for the unfortunate Palace.

Tottenham 0 - 0 Norwich
A surprise result that is welcomed by Norwich, snatching a vital away point. It might be early in the season, but Norwich will need such showing to keep themselves in the league.

Charlton 0 - 0 Southampton
Another boring goalless draw!

Weekday Matches Prediction

2004-09-11T13:56:00.000+10:00

Aston Villa 0 - 2 Chelsea
Villa will be missing its central defender, Laursen, against the mighty Chelsea. It might not be an easy match for the Blues, but their strong midfield will help them win the match.

Bolton 1 - 0 Man Utd
After winning over Liverpool, Bolton must be looking to win this match too. Man Utd is not performing well and does not have a good record against Bolton. Could it be another single goal win for Sam and his boys?

Fulham 1 - 4 Arsenal
After being undefeated for so many matches, Arsenal is the team to defeat. However this team is playing attractive attacking soccer that will dazzles the opponent as well. Fulham's only hope of winning this match is to attack and pressure the defenders.

Liverpool 2 - 1 West Brom
After losing their first match, Liverpool will need to put in a solid performance in this match. West Brom is doing well and look likely to score. It will be a tightly contested match, and Baros might be the winning key.

Man City 2 - 3 Everton
Everton might have lost their wonderkid last weekend, but the team is bursting with confidence. After snatching a point from United, Everton might break the bad spell against Man City. Like Everton, City's player are happy over their huge win, and will not be pushovers.

Middlesbrough 2 - 2 Birmingham
Birmingham have not been performing as well as expected after the summer transfers. Yorke is the new man, and could deliver the goods for Birmingham. Boro will depends on its new strikeforce to score again and continue their good results so far. Both teams are evenly match and a draw will be a fair results.

Newcastle 2 - 0 Blackburn
A new manager facing its old club, Graeme Souness will guide his new team through this one. Blackburn will be in trouble as Newcastle is fired up for this match. Without a proper manager, Blackburn will hardly be able to score against Newcastle.

Portsmouth 1 - 1 Crystal Palace
Palace is last in the league and will need to pick up points before it gets too late. The loans of the two Inter players might just give them the results. Portsmouth have been competitive in all their matches and will not give away much. With a stroke of luck, Palace might just get the draw.

Tottenham 2 - 0 Norwich
Another undefeated London club, Tottenham, will be looking to extend their undefeated streak. Norwich will be up against a very strong side and a confidence filled Defoe.

Charlton 2 - 1 Southampton
Charlton will do well at home against the inconsident Southampton. Unless Beattie or Philips is at the top of their game, the three points is beyond the Saints' reach.

Weekend Matches Round Up

2004-09-08T19:36:00.000+10:00

The transfer of Rooney have truly overshadowed the weekend results. Arsenal and Chelsea have won four out of four, and this could become a two horse race. The rest of the league looked pretty even and will need to keep pace with the leaders. Henry and Reyes each have four goals to their names and led the scoring chart. It is the main reason for the Gunner's success. It might be early in the season, but the London clubs are certainly doing well so far.

Blackburn 1 - 1 Man Utd
Aston Villa 4 - 2 Newcastle
Chelsea 2 - 1 Southampton
Everton 2 - 1 West Brom
Man City 4 - 0 Charlton
Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Crystal Palace
Tottenham 1 - 0 Birmingham
Norwich 1 - 4 Arsenal
Bolton 1 - 0 Liverpool
Man Utd 0 - 0 Everton
Portsmouth 4 - 3 Fulham

Weekend Matches Prediction

2004-08-27T23:24:00.000+10:00

Blackburn 0 - 2 Man Utd
Blackburn seems to be struggling at the moment and Man Utd have found their winning ways. Jon Stead is not really as dangerous as last season, while Alan Smith is looking sharper with every match.

Aston Villa 1 - 2 Newcastle
Both team are blowing hot and cold in their last three matches, and it will difficult to predict the winner. However Newcastle strikers might be a bit sharper after the Rooney saga.

Chelsea 2 - 0 Southampton
It will be hard not to put your money on Chelsea for this game even if Drogda is injured. The strong defence of the Blues will hold the Southampton's attack, and it will be up to the strikers to do the damages.

Everton 2 - 1 West Brom
West Brom is still undefeated after 3 matches and will be looking for their first win. Everton is having a mixed week with the Rooney saga and new funds for Moyes. At home, Everton is a hard team to beat and could come out top in this match.

Man City 2 - 2 Charlton
City will need to pull themselves together to avoid defeat in this match. Charlton is getting better since they lost in the first match. Man City would hope to win this at home to lift the club and fans, but a draw is more likely.

Middlesbrough 3 - 0 Crystal Palace
This match would really show Palace's strength travelling to Middlesbrough. If Palace want to stay up in the Premiership, they really need to avoid defeat. However Boro new strike force look great and could bang a couple in this match.

Tottenham 1 - 1 Birmingham
These two team have a solid start to the season and will be hard to beat. Without Defoe, Spurs might need to look for another hero in this match.

Norwich 1 - 3 Arsenal
There is no need for guesses in this match as the champion will win with a comfortable score.

Bolton 2 - 1 Liverpool
Up to now, the three new managers in Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham have done well to remain undefeated. Bolton could just be the first team to break this run with Okocha in dazzling form.

Monday Matches
Man Utd 3 - 1 Everton
The recent match history does favour Man Utd more, notching three to four goals against Everton in the past few years. It will be a good time for Sir Alex to use this match to lure Rooney away with this huge win.

Portsmouth 2 - 0 Fulham
Fulham's season have not been consistent to say the least, and the home team is not having any great start as well. However Hislop will be ready to make amend for his mistake and a clean sheet is possible.

Weekday Round Up

2004-08-27T22:48:00.000+10:00

Birmingham 1 - 0 Man City
Man City's misery continued as they were beaten yet again. The only goal of the match was scored by the former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey.

Crystal Palace 0 - 2 Chelsea
Chelsea have won the all their games so far, including this mid week two nil win over Palace. Both new boys Drogba and Tiago netted their first goal for the club.

Arsenal 3 - 0 Blackburn
Another win for Arsenal and another record to their name. A solid performance by the team in red, putting three goals past their oppositionm through Henry, Fabregas and Reyes.

Fulham 0 - 2 Middlesbrough
Mark Viduka scored a goal for his new club Boro after returning from a suspension. Nemeth added a second to gave Boro the three points and compounded Fulham to their first loss of the season.

Southampton 1 - 2 Bolton
Bolton bounced back from their last saturday loss and won 2-1 away from home. Pedersen and Okocha both scored for Bolton while Crouch scored late in the game.

West Brom 1 - 1 Tottenham
West Brom's undefeated run continued with their third 1-1 draw. Gera scored for the home side while Defoe come to the Spurs recuse yet again.

Charlton 3 - 0 Aston Villa
Charlton seemed to find their form back as they gave Villa a three goals thumping. Jeffers repaid his new manager's faith in him by scoring two goals and with Young grabbing the third goal.

Newcastle 2 - 2 Norwich
Newcastle's poor start to the season continued with a draw against newly promoted Norwich. After Bellamy and Hughes scored to give them a two goals advantage, Newcastle gave Bentley and Doherty to sneak past the defence to level the game.

Weekday Matches Prediction

2004-08-23T17:24:00.000+10:00

Birmingham 2 - 1 Man City
Both team was defeated on saturday and need to start winning. With a home advantage, Birmingham looked more likely to win than Man City.

Crystal Palace 0 - 4 Chelsea
Chelsea have been winning with a 1 - 0 for two matches in a row. The Roman blue army need to start firing and this might just be the day. On paper, Chelsea just looked too strong for Palace and a victory is inevitable.

Arsenal 6 - 1 Blackburn
Arsenal could set a record with this match and they loved setting records. It will be no surprise that they will be fired up for this one. Four goals against Everton, five against Boro, Arsenal will win by a large score in this match. Blackburn's defence look shaky and it would be a tough away match for them.

Fulham 2 - 2 Middlesbrough
Fulham have not lost this season yet and is looking solid at home. Boro will be upset after their 5 - 3 loss to Arsenal, and their players will give their best in this match. This would be a tough one to predict, but a draw look like the most possible outcome.

Southampton 2 - 1 Bolton
The Saturday win over Blackburn would eased the pressure off Southampton, and give them confidence in this match. Okocha is the key in this match as his performance might just give Bolton the energy to win this match. However Philips and Beattie will be hard to deny especially after both have just scored.

West Brom 1 - 1 Tottenham
Tottenham have to be careful in this match and not be complacent after their win against Newcastle. Kanu looked very sharp and lively against Villa and could get his first goal for the club. This will be a tight and tough match, and both team will be happy with a draw.

Charlton 2 - 1 Aston Villa
Charlton and Villa both will be looking for their second win. Charlton players seemed to gel and Murphy can unlock Villa defence with his pin-point passes.

Newcastle 3 - 0 Norwich
Norwich did well against Man Utd and will hoped to upset Newcastle. Shearer and his boys need a huge win to boost their confidence after a shock home loss. This could be a one sided affair if Jenas and Butt can control the midfield.

Weekend Round Up

2004-08-23T15:32:00.000+10:00

This weekend truly belongs to the defending champion Arsenal. The team not only equal the record of Forest undefeated streak, but won their Sunday match with style and character.

Southampton 3 - 2 Blackburn
Southampton won this hotly contested match late into injury time with dubious penalty. Kevin Philips scored the first goal from six yards out in the 32rd minute. However Blackburn responded in the second half with goals from Ferguson and Dickov. The lead lasted for six minutes before Svensson tied the game, and Southampton have the last laugh when Beattie rammed home the winner.

Birmingham 0 - 1 Chelsea
Joe Cole scored the only goal of the match to secure the win for Chelsea. Chelsea manager will be thankful for this win as his side was outplayed by the opposition. It was only in the 68th minute that a deflected shot that gave them the precious three points.

Charlton 2 - 1 Portsmouth
A late own goal by Unsworth gave Charlton their first win of the season. Jason Euell scored the first goal to give charlton the lead, but a fantastic goal by Berger brought the game to one apiece. Just when it seemed the game was heading for a draw, the Portsmouth goalkeeper, Hislop, let the back header of his defender to slip through his hands, giving Charlton the win.

Crystal Palace 1 - 3 Everton
Everton finally gave their fans something to cheer about after their win over Palace. Palace was looking quite comfortable after Hudson's header gave them a one nil lead in the 9th minute. However Gravesen, the Everton midfielder, gave the away team the hope and the lead. He scored his first goal a penalty and a beautiful long range effort to gave them the lead. He completed the win with an assist for Bent first league goal to complete the win.

Fulham 2 - 0 Bolton
Andy Cole scored two of his trademark goal to wrap up the game for Fulham. He got his first goal through a goal melee in the 5th minute and scored another goal in the 82rd minute. A disappointing result for Bolton after last weekend convincing win, and the manager must be upset over this loss.

Liverpool 2 - 1 Man City
Liverpool fight back from a goal down to win the game at Anfield. Baros got the first goal and created the second for Gerrard to seal the game. Keegan will be disappointed to see his side lose the lead, but should be delighted that Anelka have ended his goal drought after giving them the lead in the first half.

Newcastle 0 - 1 Tottenham
New boy Timothee Atouba scored on his debut after missing a string of chances, however his goal was enough to give the visitors the win. Newcastle will be wondering how they lost the game as they created several great chances in the first half.

Man Utd 2 - 1 Norwich
After last week loss to Chelsea, Man Utd bounced back and won this game with goals from Bellion and Smith. The Red Devils, without the services of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, depended on summer signing Alan Smith. He did not disappointed the home fans as he smashed his volley into the corner of the net. A late goal by McVeigh gave Norwich slight hopes, but it was not enough.

West Brom 1 - 1 Aston Villa
David O'Leary will not be a happy man after his team draw with West Brom. Villa started the game brightly and Olof Mellberg's header gave them a early lead. The defender have another header cleared off the line and the visitors was unable to extend their lead. Neil Clement, who scored last week against Blackburn, replied for the Home team with a header of his own. The second half belongs to West Brom but was unlucky not to turn chances into goals.

Arsenal 5 - 3 Middlesbrough
This is certainly the highlight of the weekend, with eight goals scored. Both managers must be on a coaster roller ride as they looked at their teams' performance. Henry draw the first blood in the thrilling encounter as he lopped the ball past the keeper from outside the box. However Boro was back in the game after Job scored just before the halftime. Five minutes into the second half, Boro took the lead with a fantastic goal by Hasselbaink. Franck Queudrue added to Boro lead as he curved his shot into the goal past a wrongfoot Lehmann. Boro's joy was shortlived as Bergkemp scored with a long range effort after a minute. The match soon turned into a nightmare for Boro with the introduction of Pires. Within minutes of his arrival, he levelled the game from a pin point pass by Henry. And straight from the resulting kick off, Arsenal stole the ball and Reyes fired a rocket to gave their the lead. Henry finished off the match with his second goal, leaving the Boro manager and players in disbelief.

Weekend Matches Prediction

2004-08-20T13:50:00.000+10:00

Southampton 0 - 0 Blackburn
After poor performance by both team in the first match, it is unlikely that will be any winner in this game.

Birmingham 1 - 2 Chelsea
Chelsea would be a favourite to win the match, but the former Chelsea boys in Birmingham might just be worth a goal.

Charlton 1 - 0 Portsmouth
Charlton will be fired up to bounce back from their loss to Bolton, making it a tough game for Portsmouth.

Crystal Palace 1 - 2 Everton
Palace might hoped Everton bad form will continued to snatch the 3 points. However Moyes and his boys will not be pushovers and might find their scoring touches.

Fulham 2 - 3 Bolton
An interesting match that could see a goal spree if the strikers strike early. Bolton will look to build on their weekend success but Fulham at home will be difficult to shake off.

Liverpool 2 - 0 Man City
At Anfield, Liverpool look too strong for the Man City on paper. Unless Anelka end his goal drought, Liverpool will ended up being the comfortable winner.

Newcastle 1 - 2 Tottenham
This will be a big test for former France manager travelling away from home for the first time. Newcastle seem to be troubled by the ongoing manager and players rifts. Spurs might just be able to get the results with a bit of luck.

Man Utd 1 - 0 Norwich
Wounded Man Utd will not accept another defeat so early in the season, therefore expect them to battle hard for this victory. Last season Man Utd's loss to Wolves might just give Norwich the motivation for a upset.

West Brom 0 - 3 Aston Villa
West Brom have earned a draw last weekend with a slice of luck. Villa look strong and hungry for more success. This would turn up to be a real one-sided affair and West Brom need to work hard to limit the score down.

Arsenal 3 - 1 Middlesbrough
Will Arsenal go 42 matches undefeated to match the record undefeated streak. It will take a miracle to deny them and Boro might be lucky to escape with a draw. Both team might take an attractive attacking counter attack style, and this will be a beautiful match to watch.

Weekend Round Up.

2004-08-19T15:49:00.000+10:00

The EPL started last saturday with plenty of draws and huge wins for Arsenal and Bolton.

Results:

Everton 1 - 4 Arsenal
Chelsea 1 - 0 Man Utd
Bolton 4 - 1 Charlton
Tottenham 1 - 1 Liverpool
Middlesbrough 2 - 2 Newcastle
Aston Villa 2 - 0 Southampton
Blackburn 1 - 1 West Brom
Man City 1 - 1 Fulham
Norwich 1 - 1 Crystal Palace
Portsmouth 1 - 1 Birmingham

Arsenal demolition of Everton by 4 goals to 1 helped them extend their undefeated run to 41 matches. Goals from Bergkamp, Reyes, Ljungberg and Pires gave Arsenal the perfect start to the season and was unlucky not to score more. Everton did scored a beautifully craved goal by Carsley, but it was no more than a consolation. The contrast between the teams was obvious, and Everton future seem bleak with this awful display.

Another huge match on sunday was between Chelsea and Man Utd, with the blues coming top in the encounter. A single goal by Gudjohnsen gave the new Chelsea manager his first win in English soccer. Man Utd, missing several key players, was competitive during the entire match, but just could not create enough chances to tie the game.

Bolton notched an impressive 4 - 1 win over Charlton due to the brillance of Captain Jay Jay Okocha. Okocha and Pedersen both scored two goals each while Lisbie replied for Charlton after missing a string of chances.

Spurs with a newly assembled team came from behind to snatch a draw from Liverpool. Cisse, the replacement for Owen who left to join Madrid, scored in his debut in the first half. However Defoe steal the lime light from the liverpool star in the second period. He showed great ball control and skills before steering the ball into the net.

Newcastle and Middlesbrough ended an exciting match with 2 goals apiece. Bellamy and Shearer repaid Robson's faith in them scoring one goal each. However their victory was denied by youngster Downing and the hand of Hasselbaink in the injury time.

Aston Villa started their season well with a cormfortable 2 goals win over Southampton. Vassell and Cole scored the goals to clinch the win. Southampton will be concerned after a disappointing performance by its players.

Newly promoted West Brom took home one point after drawing with Blackburn at Ewood Park. Clement beat the Rover keeper with a deflected free kick to give his team the lead after half an hour of play. It took 40 minutes of pressure from the home team before a unexpected equaliser by Craig Short.

Man City and Fulham also played to a 1 - 1 draw in their opening match of the season. The highlight of the game belong to Fowler after scoring a fantastic goal in the first half. Despite the goal and plenty of chances, Man City failed to killed off the game, and allowed John Collins to sneak past the defence and scored the vital goal.

The two new Premiership teams, Norwich and Crystal Palace, clash on the opening match. With both team realising the importance of every point, they worked hard and got a draw in the end. Darren Huckerby started the season with the goal for Norwich, while Andrew Johnson beat Robert Green, the England hopeful, at the other end.

Birmingham took the lead early in the first half through a great free kick by Robbie Savage against Portsmouth. However the lead was short-lived as new boy David Unsworth replied after five minuties through a penalty. In the end, the spolit was shared between the two teams.

Arsenal's Community Shield Victory

2004-08-09T16:53:00.000+10:00

Arsenal gunned down the Red Devils in the Community Shield, the annual season opener for EPL. The 3-1 victory gave Arsenal their first silverware of the season, with goals by Gilberto, Reyes and an own goal courtesy of Silvestre. New boy Alan Smith played and scored the consolation goal for Man Utd, in the absence of top marksman, Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Despite the result is of relatively low importance to both teams, the match have revealed the weakness of Man Utd's defensive weakness and Arsenal's ability to cope with the absence of Vieira. Arsenal would be rather assured that they do have ample cover for their captain if Vieira agree to move to Real Madrid. Meanwhile Man Utd will have to tighten their defense and awaited the return of Rio. The wait hopefully will not be a costly one as the real quest for glory begin next weekend. However Man Utd might be ironically pleased with this defeat as the past winners of the Community Shield have failed to clinch the Premiership in recent years.

The 04/05 EPL Season Preview Part 2

2004-08-09T15:09:00.000+10:00

Last season, Aston Villa impressive performance in the second half of the season saw them finishing sixth, narrowly missing out on an European spot. Juan Pablo Angel was one key reason for their improved performance, after his career was revived by David O'Leary. O'Leary have captured the signatures of Laursen and Bersson, while securing the bizzare loan deal of Charlton Cole from Chelsea during the summer. The lack of financial backing means O'Leary could not improved his squad as much as he would loved to. However there is still ample cover for the squad, especially with youth players emerging. A repeat of last season feat greatly lies in Angel whose performance vary with his mood.

Seventh placed Charlton will enter the new season with few changes, notably the inclusion of Dennis Rommedahl. Danny Murphy and Francis Jeffers are also looking for a revival of their career under the care of Alan Curbishley. Despite losing Scott Parker last season, Alan managed to lead their to the seventh position. This season, the team would be looking to improve on their standing. With a decent squad and money to cash in on new players, Charlton might just be able to achieve that.

Carling Cup's runner-up, Bolton, will yet again relies on proven and experienced players this new season. Sam Allardyce have roped in Fernando Hierro, Gary Speed, Les Ferdinand and Michael Bridges to strength his squad at a low cost. Their key attacking player, Jay-Jay Okocha, will carry the responsibility to improve the team performance. The long and hard season could take its toll on the aging players, and the team could find themselves in back in the bottom half of the table again.

Fulham, under the wings of Chris Coleman, have improved greatly over the last 2 seasons. The squad remained largely unchanged with new players coming in to replace players that have departed. Andy Cole and Tomas Radzinski will have to fit into the gap left by Saha, while Claus Jensen and Pape Bouba Diop will add cover for the midfield spots. The team comprises of a good mixture of players aged below 24 and above 30. It would be no surprise if Fulham end up in the mid table this new season.

Steve Bruce have transformed Birmingham from a relegation contender to a European spot contender. He have made record signings in the last 2 summer, David Dunn in the last summer and Emile Heskey in this summer. This summer saw several other established premiership players joining the club, including Jesper Gronkjaer, Muzzy Izzet and Mario Melchiot. With these quality players joining the squad that achieved tenth in the league last season, Birmingham looked certain to improve in the coming season.

The 04/05 EPL Season Preview Part 1

2004-08-05T21:30:00.000+10:00

The exciting new season will start in 14th August. 20 outstanding clubs will once again do battle for the silverware. Defending Champion Arsenal will yet be at the top challenging and hopefully continue their undefeated run. However with rumors of club skipper Vieria leaving to join Real Madrid, the Wenger's boys will look upon Henry, the wonder striker, to lead them to another successful season.

Chelsea, the biggest spender in the transfer market, is not hiding their bold challenge to the defending champion for the title. The lack of trophy last season saw the departure of manager and players. In come Jose Mourinho, the man who led FC Porto to both the UEFA cup and Champion League success in recent years. The no-nosense coach have invested substantially on new faces like Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Arjen Robben, Peter Cech, Didier Drogba, Mateja Kezman and Tiago Mendes to add depth to the Roman army. Whether success could be bought by money would really depends on the desire and hunger of the players.

The 03/04 season was a nightmare for Manchester Utd, finishing third in the league. The FA cup triumph was no more than a consolation for the red devils who have dominated English football for the past decade. New boy Alan Smith who arrived from Leeds could make an immediate impact as Ruud is ruled out for a month. The return of Rio Ferdinand will be eagerly awaited by both the club and its fans. The most expensive defender will ease the team defense problems that was exposed during his suspension. Sir Alex's gamble in tactics could be the deciding variable in their quest for another championship.

Since the start of the Premiership, Liverpool have not been able to win the prized trophy. Benitez, the newly appointed manager, might be the key to success for the team. With a talented pool of players at his disposal, Benitez could continue to enjoy success like his time in Valencia. Old boys Owen, Gerrard and Kewell will need to find their form back, and new boys like Djibril Cisse and Josemi need to gel with the team in the early stages. The results could see more than just a serious challenge for the title but an attractive playing style.

Sir Bobby Robson, in his final year as Newcastle manager, would hoped his team could surprise everyone in the league. The arrival of new blood like Kluivert, Butt and Milner would add depth to the squad. With a number of players peaking at the age of 27 to 30, Robson could just have the winning combo. However the manager's tactics and consistency of players' performance would be in the lights once again, which have left them behind the top teams in recent years.