Premier League 2012-13 Preview

The London Olympics have come and gone and we are now just days away from the beginning of the Premier League football season, the start of nine months of ups and downs, excitement and disappointment and the ultimate roller-coaster for the fans of the individual clubs.

Speaking about the Olympics, I have been a little perturbed by the number of articles that have been written in the media comparing the 'good aspects' of the Games with all the 'bad aspects' of football- personally I think that is a little harsh as there isn't the same sort of pressure on the athletes of the Games outside of their sport as there is on footballers who have every aspect of their lives dissected for public consumption.

The bottom line is that people want to know everything about these footballers, while many of the athletes at the Olympic Games are 'forgotten' in the four year periods between Games, while I also heard an excellent point on the radio explaining how so few are willing to put up someone like Justin Gatlin and compare him with a Paul Scholes and actually show football in a positive light.

Others have bemoaned the behaviour of the football fan at matches- yes, some do take it too far in what they believe is 'banter', while some of the cruder chants are not necessary, but people invest a lot of time and money in their clubs and frustration can boil over which will lead to exclamations laced with some profanity.

I don't think as many people invest that same kind of interest in any of the events at the Olympics, so the crowds generated at such events are vastly different compared with a regular season football match.

Issues about behaviour on the field have been there for some time, but that will only be weeded out by bringing it in at youth level and gradually changing things, so complaining about it seems a little pointless to me.

All in all, I can't wait for the new season and a chance to watch all the drama unfolding over the next few months and below I will break down the Premier League into sections and look at all the contenders in this new season.

Winner and Champions League Places

Manchester City: The reigning Premier League Champions are the favourites to retain their title in the coming season and I do think they are the team to beat in the coming season.

It is a surprise that they haven't invested too much in the playing squad this Summer with Jack Rodwell the only major incoming signing, but I do believe the UEFA Financial Fair Play Rules may just have them a little worried. However, the fact they have Carlos Tevez back for the full season (barring any refusals to warm up as a substitute in the coming months) is a big boost to an already very productive forward line, while the spine of the side looks very good from Joe Hart through Vincent Kompany through Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero.

There has to be a slight concern of the understudy, Stefan Savic, to the first choice centre halves, but the attacking options at Roberto Mancini's disposal looks set to fire them to another title, while I also believe they have the best midfield in the League which will allow them to dictate more matches than their rivals can at this moment.

Manchester United: It was a heartbreaking end to the 2011-12 season for Manchester United as they suffered a kick in the teeth that they have delivered to so many others in the last 20 years. The League should never have slipped from their grasp after taking an 8 point lead in the title race with just 6 games to play, and it is clear that this is the priority this season.

Shinki Kagawa is the big Summer signing (as I write this), but there remains a lot of off-field turmoil as the fans continue to make their feelings about the owners very clear. The lack of investment remains in the middle of the park remains a real issue and they have to hope that both Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs do not show their age as 'father time' can quickly catch up with you.

However, they still look good enough to compete in the Premier League with the personnel they have, and Nemanja Vidic's return is huge considering it was goal difference that cost them the title last season. 

'If Robin Van Persie can be signed from Arsenal, Manchester United may have enough in them to take the title back from their 'noisy neighbours' with the potential for extra goals and their leader in defence back in action'- this is what I wrote before it was announced that United had agreed a deal with Arsenal, and I now believe United can nick the title back as long as Rooney and Van Persie are compatible and not the second coming of the Didier Drogba-Fernando Torres issues.

My full views on Manchester United can be found here

Chelsea: After winning the Champions League in dramatic fashion, Chelsea have been on a spending spree this Summer, bringing in the likes of Eden Hazard (who was much sought after), Marko Marin and Oscar as Roberto Di Matteo looks to freshen up what was an ageing squad.

It will take time for some of these players to settle into the pace of the Premier League and there could be an issue of consistency in their play, although the younger legs will see a changing of the guard in the first team.

Even with those new signings bringing excitement to Stamford Bridge, it has to be a little concerning that Di Matteo has made it clear that he will not change tact from the 'negative' tactics he used to win the Champions League and the FA Cup- it took a lot of luck to do so last season and we have seen previously, Rafa Benitez being a notable example, that it doesn't work over a 38 game League season.

Losing Didier Drogba is also a big blow to this side, particularly if Fernando Torres cannot turn back the clock to his 2009 form and I still have a few issues about a defence that doesn't have a lot of depth if injuries take their toll.

Getting back into a top four spot will be the priority for the Blues this season and I think that is the best they can hope for as I still think there is a significant gap between themselves and the top two sides.

Arsenal: The Gunners finished 19 points behind the top two teams last season and they remain a side that is always liable to losing some of their better players as they become disillusioned with the lack of silverware picked up over the last few seasons.

There continues to be rumours surrounding the future of Robin Van Persie, a player that has made it clear he will not be extending his time at the Emirates Stadium and one that could be on his way to Old Trafford before the transfer window closes.

The Dutchman was so influential last season in terms of the goals he was getting and I don't think Lukas Podolski or Olivier Giroud have the same consistency in front of goal that Van Persie displayed last season.

If Van Persie leaves the club, Arsenal's place in the top four could be under significant threat from their local rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Barcelona also continue to sniff around Alex Song, who would be another major loss for Arsene Wenger, while Jack Wilshire is not due back until October at the earliest having missed all of last season.

A few of the issues at the Emirates Stadium were covered by the form of Van Persie last season, and I think they could have trouble holding onto a top four place if their talisman is sold in this transfer window, something which is probably playing a big part in them playing hard ball with potential suitors.

All of the Arsenal write-up was written before the Robin Van Persie sale to Manchester United had been confirmed and I think the Gunners are now in for a tough season in holding on to a top four spot.

Tottenham Hotspur: It was a surprising turn of events that saw Harry Redknapp removed as manager of Tottenham Hotspur in the off-season and he was replaced by Andre Villa-Boas who is looking to restore his damaged reputation following his time as manager of Chelsea last season.

Spurs look to have retained the services of Luka Modric after he once again asked to leave the club, the second Summer in succession he has done so, although the loss of Emmanuel Adebayor (returned to Manchester City after his loan) and failure to sign a striker leaves them looking a little light up front as far as I am concerned.

The defence has been improved with the signing of Jan Vertonghen, but they do look a weaker side than last season because of the forward situation and I am sure that is an area they will look to rectify before the transfer window is slammed shut.

Tottenham will not be in the Champions League thanks to Chelsea winning that competition last season, but they will think they can push Arsenal if the latter loses Robin Van Persie. Spurs will need to find another option up front if they are to push enough to stay in the top four this season and get a chance to get back into the Champions League.

Luka Modric has been sold to Real Madrid since I wrote this and he will be a big loss- there is a lot of pressure on Gylfi Sigurdsson to make a seamless entry into this midfield and the team do look a notch or two weaker than last season in the attacking areas of the pitch.

European Places

Liverpool: Despite winning the Carling Cup and reaching the Final of the FA Cup, it was largely a disappointing season for Liverpool that had made large investments over the previous six months in order to get into the coveted Champions League places.

The poor second half of the season cost Kenny Dalglish his job and it was later admitted that even winning the FA Cup would not have been enough to prevent that from happening. Now they hand the reigns over to Brendan Rodgers who enjoyed success at Swansea, but who is now going to have to prove himself all over again.

It is clear that the players are going to have to work in a new system, one that has seen Andy Carroll shopped around the League as the 35 million pound man looks surplus to requirements after going through a tough period on Merseyside.

Fabio Borini and Joe Allen, two players Rodgers is familiar with, have been brought into the club, but there hasn't been the same level of investment as last Summer (although they continue to be linked with a number of players in the press). Lucas has returned from a major injury, but a European place looks the limit of their potential this season as they get used to a new voice in the dressing room.

A Cup run would show they are going the right way, but more consistency in their League form is what the owners demand this season.

Everton: I was very surprised to see David Moyes was overlooked for the Tottenham Hotspur job in the Summer and it looks like there is a glass ceiling above him as the 'bigger clubs' feel he is inexperienced at the highest level, but yet no one is willing to give him a chance to prove himself.

Moyes led Everton to a top 7 finish last season and that is something I feel they can achieve again and perhaps even finish above their local rivals Liverpool. They surprisingly let Tim Cahill go in the Summer, although he isn't the same player from a couple of years ago, and the permanent signing of Steven Pienaar looks an upgrade.

Steven Naismith has been brought in from the now defunct Rangers and he should blend well with his former partner in Scotland, Nikica Jelavic, who has made a big impact in English football since joining Everton in January.

The sale of Jack Rodwell for 15 million pounds to Manchester City may mean Moyes is going to reinvest in the playing squad, but the team will need to steer clear of injuries if they are to make a concerted effort to move up from 7th that they finished last season and I think finishing above Liverpool would be seen as a successful season.

David Moyes will be looking to win his first piece of silverware since taking over as manager here.

Newcastle United: It was a great season for Newcastle United last year, one that fell a little short of getting the team into a Champions League spot and I am a little unsure they are going to be able to repeat their form to finish as high again this season.

Things just seemed to click for Newcastle last season with the signings of Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse providing a number of goals (it seems that as soon as Ba stopped scoring, Cisse was signed and took over). However, both have now been exposed to the Premier League managers and may find it difficult to repeat their individual successes, which in turn may affect the success of the whole team.

Alan Pardew has not brought in a lot of new faces to the club and I think their surprise element is gone and may see them slip down a few places from the 5th placed finish from last season. They still have enough good players to finish in the top half of the table, but they over-achieved last year and a Cup run may be their best chance of getting back into Europe.

A Top Half Finish?

Fulham: Martin Jol had a decent first season in charge of Fulham and he would have continued to make a lot of friends with his brand of attacking football. He has done well so far in keeping hold of Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele, two players that have been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United respectively, and they pose plenty of problems for other sides in the League along with Bryan Ruiz and new signing Hugo Rodallega.

They couldn't conclude a deal for Pavel Pogrebnyak, who has since signed with Reading, but they remain a solid looking eleven that could match their finish of 9th from last season as long as they can keep the team together before the transfer window closes and steer clear of injuries.

Much will also depend on their form at Craven Cottage where they regularly give the 'bigger' sides plenty of problems, especially considering their 10 losses on their travels last season and Fulham have annually struggled for wins away from home.

Still, in this Premier League, I like Fulham's chances for a top half finish.

Stoke City: I have noticed that a lot of people are tipping Stoke City to be the surprise struggling team this season, with some going so far as predicting relegation for the Potters, but I am not of that belief.

They have some downward indicators flashing considering their poor end to last season, but I believe that was down to an extended run in all of the Cup competitions that caught up with a relatively thin squad.

Stoke remain a real tough prospect at the Brittania Stadium, where they lost just 4 games last season, and they also picked up 3 more wins away from home than they had in the previous season.

Tony Pulis has a solid XI that he sends out for matches and has goals in the team through Peter Crouch and Jon Walters and I think they could be pushing for a top half finish without the distractions of Europe this season.

He will hope Matthew Etherington can return to form after a disappointing 2011-12 season, but I think there is too much in this team and too many other sides that I don't rate as highly and so they may just do enough to push into their highest Premier League finish since returning to the top flight.

Queens Park Rangers: Queens Park Rangers may have survived by the skin of their teeth last season, but there were enough signs to think they are going to have a stress-free season this time around, while the added investment in the club can only push them up the table.

Mark Hughes is a good manager in my opinion and he guided QPR to safety with some big wins down the stretch, including against Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and the signings he has made look good on paper.

Rob Green will take over between the sticks, while Andy Johnson should help in getting some more goals along with Bobby Zamora and Djibril Cisse. Ji Sung Park and Fabio come in from Manchester United and there is a more 'Premier League feel' to the squad this season.

If QPR can take their form from the end of last season into this, with the added quality in the side, they may just be able to push for a top half finish, far removed from the relegation battle from last season.

Relative Safety

Aston Villa: Paul Lambert took over from Alex McLeish this Summer and he seems to have brought in a much more positive vibe to the club. The Aston Villa fans were never happy with the appointment of McLeish and he didn't endear himself to the faithful with his perceived negative tactics.

Lambert has already made it clear that he wants to get the best out of Charles N'Zogbia and Stephen Ireland, two attack minded players, and that has been received positively from the Villa fans. Darren Bent is back after missing much of last season with an injury and he should have more chances to score goals with support coming from the midfield.

Ron Vlaar has been signed to strengthen the defence, but I expect better from Villa mainly down to the good work Lambert did with his Norwich City team and I think he can get the best out of a squad that under-achieved last season when flirting with a relegation battle.

There is a potential for them to finish in the top half, but I expect them to be much improved from last season and should be far from any relegation issues.

Sunderland: Martin O'Neill inspired Sunderland to a comfortable League position after they had been tumbling down the table in the final days of the Steve Bruce era. While I don't think they will be involved in a relegation battle, they will do well to finish higher than last seasons 13th place after a lack of investment in the playing staff over the Summer.

Nicklas Bendtner was only on-loan last season and they haven't been able to get a permanent deal in place so the Black Cats look a little short up-front and may struggle to get goals on a consistent basis.

However, they look solid enough to ensure they are relatively safe in the League again this season without messing around with a relegation battle, although O'Neill is almost certainly looking to bring in a couple of new faces before the transfer window closes.

Norwich City: There is always a danger in how a club reacts when a new manager takes over from a successful one that has moved on, but I believe the appointment of Chris Hughton at Carrow Road will ensure they don't suffer a 'second season syndrome' in the Premier League and can extend their stay.

Hughton did really well at Birmingham City last season considering all the off-field turmoil that affected his time at St Andrews, and he also was doing a pretty good job at Newcastle United before he was sacked in favour of Alan Pardew.

That was a harsh decision and I think Hughton is capable of proving himself at this level- Norwich struggled at times with their defensive performances, but Hughton has proven himself as being a manager that focuses on keeping things tight at the back and that may make the difference in keeping them up this season.

Norwich have held on to Grant Holt and all of their key players from last season, while signings like Robert Snodgrass and Steven Whittaker can have a positive impact. They will probably drop a couple of positions from last season as teams will be a little more familiar with their personnel, but I think they will be solid enough under Hughton to avoid a relegation scrap.

Relegation Contenders

Reading: A great statistic I have read is only one of the last six Championship winners have gone back down immediately from the Premier League and I, like a lot of others, feel Reading are the best equipped of the new boys to avoid the drop in this season.

Brian McDermott is a decent manager and has shown in Cup competitions that he can mix it with the Premier League managers he is to face this season, while they look to have the most solid squad of the new boys and with one key component- they have the ability to get goals.

Pavel Pogrebnyak ws signed from under the noses of Fulham and he showed his keen eye for goal in six months at Craven Cottage last season, while Adam Le Fondre has scored plenty of goals in the lower Leagues and will look to continue that in the top flight.

Adrian Mariappa can prove why so many Premier League teams wanted to sign the centre half over the last 12 months and the Royals may even be able to surprise many by finishing higher up the table. I have listed them in my 'relegation candidates', but they may surpass these expectations with minimal fuss.

Wigan Athletic: The biggest piece of business Wigan Athletic may have done in the Summer is keeping Roberto Martinez as manager of the club after he was heavily linked with the vacant Liverpool job.

Martinez really impressed me with the foresight to go against the Premier League grain and set his team up in a 3-4-3 fluid system that got the best out of his personnel at the end of last season and he once again somehow guided them free of relegation certainty.

At this moment they have held on to Victor Moses, which could be key to their chances of survival, but there remains an issue with their strikers as I just don't feel comfortable in relying on Franco Di Santo to fire them to safety. Hugo Rodallega has moved on to Fulham so that is an area of concern, especially as Di Santo was top scorer with just 7 goals last season.

It is likely that Martinez continues with the 3-4-3 formation that has worked so well with the players he has and I think they are going to find at least three teams that are not as good and survive yet another season in the Premier League.

However, the lack of goals may mean another season fighting against relegation for much of it.

West Ham United: I haven't been overly impressed with the signings made at Upton Park so far this Summer, but I think Sam Allardyce has the experience to guide them to safety this season, although they could be sitting right above the drop zone come May.

Jussi Jaaskelainan is a solid Premier League goalkeeper and should form the basis of a much more reserved West Ham team- this season the fans are unlikely to badger Allardyce with 'boring' accusations as survival is the key.

The pressure will be on Modibo Maiga to provide the goals after he was signed for a little under 5 million pounds from Sochaux, especially now the bid to buy/loan Andy Carroll from Liverpool has fallen through. Carlton Cole and Ricardo Vaz Te will also be asked to chip in.

There is a solid looking feel to the West Ham team, although slightly underwhelming in terms of creativity and attacking options, but the experience of Allardyce may just be enough to see them maintain their position in the top flight.

West Brom: A lot of people look for a surprise relegation candidate at this time of the season and I think West Brom may just be that team. They have lost inspirational manager Roy Hodgson, a man who levelled the team out after they looked doomed to relegation around 18 months ago, and new manager Steve Clarke is taking on his first job as the Number 1 rather than the Number 2.

They haven't lost any key players from last season and have added Ben Foster in a permanent deal from Birmingham City, but this was a side that wasn't going anywhere when Hodgson took charge and they may not respond to the new voice in the dressing room.

If the Baggies get off to a bad start, it might make life difficult for Clarke and there have been previous instances when a first-time manager doesn't have the same respect from the players as an established one. If things start going downhill, West Brom may be dragged into a relegation scrap, one that may not end well.

Swansea: One team that may not survive 'second season syndrome' in the Premier League is Swansea who have lost an influential manager in Brendan Rodgers and replaced him with Michael Laudrup, a manager that has no previous experience in England.

Joe Allen has already left Swansea to join his former manager at Anfield, while both Gylfi Sigurdsson and Steven Caulker have left having spent time on-loan here last season.

Their style of football surprised many teams last season, but they are unlikely to change that under Laudrup and that could lead to their downfall with more teams being able to cater to what Swansea are going to do (unlike Norwich City who have brought in a manager who should be able to help with their defensive issues from last season and may have a different feel to the rest of the League compared with how they played in 2011-12).

Swansea just look a little weaker this season in defence and midfield and I am not sure they are going to have enough in them to find three teams to finish below them.

Southampton: Southampton replicated Norwich City by moving up from League One and the Championship in consecutive seasons to return to the top flight, but I fear that is where the similarity may end.

Even though I have the Saints at the bottom of my Premier League preview, I have been impressed with the job Nigel Adkins has done in his short time as the manager, while signings like Steven Davis, Nathanial Clyne and Jay Rodriguez look good on paper.

Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert will be looked at for the goals, but I have a feeling the latter may have a hard time now that teams have faced Grant Holt for a season and he is a very similar player in his style and ability.

If those two strikers hit it off, Southampton may just survive, but they have a horrible beginning to the season and that may put some negative energy into the team that may extend into the season.

There are enough teams with question marks to think that Southampton have a chance of survival in this Premier League, but I have to put someone in this position and I think there are rumours that the owners are looking for a way to remove Adkins in favour of a foreign manager and these can create issues that send a club the wrong way.

All of the above are just my thoughts on the teams competing in the Premier League this season and where they could potentially finish. As everyone will have seen while watching football, injuries can affect these final positions, but these are just my personal opinions and I am sure there will be at least three or four teams that surprise me massively.

Let's just hope for a fabulous season.

United Corner 2012-13 (Pre-Season)

This is a new 'corner' I have added to the blog that will be devoted to my first passion in life, Manchester United. I will publish this, on most occasions, on a Sunday evening where I will look back at the previous week, giving my take on results and upcoming fixtures.

All views expressed will be my own.


It has been a long Summer as the heartbreak of May 13th has lingered on- it hasn't helped that SkySports have been advertising the coming season by showing clips of those final, fateful, moments on that Sunday afternoon, but now the new season is upon us and there is a sense that Manchester United can earn some redemption by reclaiming the Premier League title from those lot up the road.

While the memories of the last day of the season have been in the back of the mind, the bigger issues this Summer were about the off-field activities of the club as the debt the Glazers accumulated when they bought the club continues to spiral out of control.

The latest method of floating the club on the New York Stock Exchange has many critics- I, for one, cannot understand why anyone would seriously invest in these 'shares' considering the lack of influence they actually provide, but they are seemingly holding their value at the moment (although far less than what the owners actually thought the club was going to be worth).

The issue continues to divide the club's supporters, something that wasn't helped with Sir Alex Ferguson's 'real fans' comments during the pre-season games. I have total respect for the way Fergie has turned around this club from the one that had failed to win a League title in 26 years, but the comments about 'real fans' have only increased the fracture between individual fans with some believing he needs full backing, while others believe he should do more in highlighting how his hands have been tied in the Glazer-era.

A lot of 'smoke and mirrors' are being used by the owners to claim there hasn't been an issue with the early exit from the Champions League last season, but the announcement of a new shirt sponsor a year before the current deal is expiring seems a touch strange (particularly considering AON were told to pay a lump sum in advance and I am assuming Chevrolet have had to do the same thing) and will only make sure the financial figures they release do not show the negative impact last season's relative lack of success may have had.


On the field matters have seen United purchase the likes of Nick Powell and Shinji Kagawa, while Robin Van Persie is due for his medical before the new season starts and should be in the squad come Monday night when United travel to Goodison Park.

The signings do look decent on paper, but I can't help but wonder why a centre midfielder has not been purchased, especially considering Darren Fletcher is coming off a debilitating illness, while Anderson has also been far too injury-prone over the last couple of seasons. The likes of Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Tom Cleverley will be expected to run the show in the engine room and I do think we now have a squad that is capable of being very good in the Premier League, but lacking the mobility and strength to really compete in the latter stages of the Champions League.

The attacking options available to United now could provide an effective 'band-aid' for the centre midfield, especially if Van Persie and Rooney can spark an effective partnership. I just hope Antonio Valencia is not going to be used as a permanent right back, a position he is expected to start the season.

I actually have felt the signing of Van Persie shows that Fergie may not have too long left in the job- it is almost like he has put all his eggs in one basket of trying to win the title back from Manchester City so he can end his time in charge of the club on a high. United have had a policy of buying players with a 'sell on' value in recent seasons, but this goes against that grain and strengthens the rumours that there are only one or two seasons left for Fergie as the man in charge at Old Trafford.


We did miss signing Lucas Moura from Sao Paulo, but I haven't seen enough of the lad to know whether that's a good or bad decision. He is still young and so we will see in a few seasons whether he was a miss or not, but the price was remarkably high for someone who wasn't even a regular in the Brazil Under-23 team at the London Olympics.

I was still amused that Fergie thought 'when somebody's paying 45 million euros (£35m) for a 19 year old boy you have to say the game's gone mad'... After all, he did spend £25.6 million on an 18 year old boy in Wayne Rooney back in 2004 (I would guess with the inflation in transfer fees, that price is actually more than what PSG spent on Moura).

Granted Rooney was a lot more established having just terrorised teams at the European Championships that Summer, but the comments from Fergie just seemed a little strange considering he opened the doors to the big-priced teenage signing, although most journalists are too scared to say that to him in fear of being banned from the weekly press conferences as has been the situation for some who challenged him over the last few years.


Nemanja Vidic's return is great news for the defence as United now have the added experience of Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling, two players that had to fill in in the Captain's absence, while Phil Jones has had a year at the club and should have improved from the experiences.

Rumours are running that the likes of Nani and Javier Hernandez will be sold off to 'balance the books' with the latter apparently requesting a transfer now that he is behind three other players for what could be one position. With Dimitar Berbatov set to stay for another year, and the likes of Valencia, Kagawa and Ashley Young in line to play in the wide positions, these two players do look the biggest 'assets' that can be let go, but I would be sad to see the back of Nani.

Despite being very inconsistent, Nani does possess that bit of magic that can turn a game and you can never have enough of those players, especially in the big matches when a single piece of genius can turn a game in favour of one team. However, his contract is running down (2 years left), with a new one yet to be agreed, and he would bring in a decent transfer fee from a foreign club so his future at the club may be in a little bit of danger.

It does look like the squad is going to be capable of pushing Manchester City all the way in the title race again, but I still think they will be a little short when coming up against the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in Europe.


Winning the title has become more possible with the signings made in the Summer, but thinking it was simply down to a lack of goals/lack of clean sheets last season that we failed to take the title seems far too simplistic has far as I am concerned.

Manchester City, despite the huge transfer fees paid, were inexperienced in many ways in terms of winning top level titles. Take out Yaya Toure, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli and there were plenty of big name players that hadn't won a big European League title nor a Champions League (not including Carlos Tevez who missed much of last season).

Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri had come in from Arsenal, a side that hadn't won anything since 2005, David Silva had been part of the Spanish World Cup winning team, but had been dropped after one game in that tournament, Sergio Aguero had helped Atletico Madrid win the Europa League, but not the League.

Roberto Mancini would also have been feeling the pressure with rumours surrounding his future in the job if they did not win the Premier League and all of this would have contributed to their collapse towards the end of the season.

Older Manchester United fans will remember the collapse in the League title race of 1992 as the team fell apart down the stretch and allowed Leeds United to steal the title. A year later, United did manage to control their nerves, although the turning point in terms of 'belief' came in the 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday thanks to two late, late Steve Bruce goals.

Those two seasons saw a very nervous United side blow one title, and just about control themselves to take another and it goes to show what can happen when the inexperience of being in that position affects the squad. After winning the title, there was a new found swagger in the United approach that saw them win the Double in 1994 with fabulous attacking football and I fear City, despite the lack of investment this Summer, may have acquired that swagger now.

They have plenty of goals in their side and lots of attacking options, while their midfield gives them an edge over most of the teams in the League.

Of course there are other factors to consider that may swing the momentum one way or the other this season- injuries will always play a factor and you have to keep your fingers crossed that the key men can survive the rigours of a full season (see the absence of Nemanja Vidic last season, especially when the Captain could have settled the side holding a 4-2 lead over Everton at Old Trafford).

The other factor is which of these teams goes deeper in the Champions League and has their squad stretched by being involved in the latter stages of that competition.

Robin Van Persie and Shinji Kagawa have helped close the gap on City this season, and they have me believing we can take the title back... But I think City are perhaps being under-estimated in terms of the continuity and experience they have built in the last 12 months and I still think they are the right favourites to win the Premier League at this moment in time.

The Week Ahead

Monday 20th August: Everton (a): This is a tough start to the season for United, although I am glad to get the game out of the way early with Everton being notoriously slow starters.

Over the last couple of seasons, United have dropped 4 points against Everton courtesy of blowing 2 goal leads so I won't be sitting tight in this one until the final whistle goes.

It would be a surprise to me if Fergie decides to start any of his new signings in this one considering the tough atmosphere generated at Goodison Park and I would look for a side that will all be well aware of what the rest of the starting line up are doing.

Three points would be a huge bonus from this, one of the tougher away grounds in the Premier League, but a point would not be the end of the World either if I am honest.

Predicted Starting XI: De Gea, Valencia, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carrick, Scholes, Nani, Young, Rooney and Welbeck; Subs: Lindegaard, Jones, Rafael, Cleverley, Kagawa, Anderson and Van Persie

Saturday 25th August: Fulham (h): The first home game of the season is when I think Robin Van Persie will make his debut for United as it has all the ingredients of a match in which to blood a new signing- Fulham are a good team, but they will likely give United plenty of the possession and attacking momentum at Old Trafford and that should help Van Persie blend into the side, rather than pitching him in at a raucous Goodison Park in an evening game five days earlier.

Anything less than three points from this game would be a big disappointment for United, and hopefully they won't be as tense as they were the last time they faced Fulham here when we won 1-0, but were fortunate not to concede a penalty in the last five minutes of that game.

This early in the season, the pressure of staying ahead of Manchester City will not be as great as it is/was in March/April and I would expect a comfortable enough home win.

Predicted Starting XI: De Gea, Rafael, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carrick, Cleverley, Valencia, Young, Rooney and Van Persie; Subs: Lindegaard, Jones, Scholes, Anderson, Nani, Kagawa and Welbeck

Tennis Picks August 16th (Cincinnati)

'Speaking of Cincinnati, Rafael Nadal has revealed that he will not be taking part at the tournament despite Toni Nadal saying he did expect his nephew to be back in action at the second Masters of the North American hard court swing.

His absence does make his participation in the US Open uncertain and, further to that, the rest of the season might now see Nadal take a leave of absence in a bid to get ready for the 2013 season.

It also, once again, raises real questions about the Spaniard's knees and whether he has much time left at the top of the Men's game with his grinding out style meaning he is working much harder on his body than someone like Roger Federer.'

The above is what I wrote about Rafael Nadal last week when he made it clear that he was not going to play in Cincinnati this week, despite what Toni Nadal had been telling the press, and it was confirmed yesterday that the Spaniard will miss the US Open.

Toni Nadal has said there are no plans to shut down for the season and he expects his nephew to be a part of the Spanish Davis Cup team that takes on the United States in the Semi Final.

Personally, I wouldn't see the point of Nadal trying to come back this season now that the final Grand Slam is one that he will miss- I would much rather see him take six months to get his knees back in shape as this sounds like a deeper problem than his camp are willing to admit.

This has always been the big concern with Nadal's playing style- the toll it was taking on his body meant it was always an issue that could lead to an earlier retirement from the sport and the lingering nature of this current problem has to worry all of his supporters.

Do I think Nadal can come back? Yes of course, but there is a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that this is a much more serious issue than anyone in his camp is letting on, especially with the constant setback to when he is due back on court, and I would now be very surprised if we see him in action again this year.

The Australian Open would then be probably too soon for Nadal to have a chance of winning it (if he took off 6 months to get in shape), but he would be able to find peak form ahead of the French Open in 2013, a tournament he has dominated, and so he can come back from this.

Nadal's likely to fall down the Rankings if he took time off, but not so far as to drop out of the top 10, so he would get a chance to work his way into draws and it might just be the best thing for his long-term aims.


Andy Murray - 5.5 games v Jeremy Chardy: Andy Murray was in very good form when knocking off Sam Querrey yesterday and he declared he is fully fit after pulling out of Toronto with a knee complaint.

On current form, Murray is probably playing the best tennis on the ATP Tour and he has the returning game to give Jeremy Chardy plenty of fits in this one.

The conditions have been said to be a little quick in Cincinnati this week, but Murray handled the Querrey serve very well and I don't think Chardy is as potent with his serve, particularly not his second serve.

With the pressure of having to hit an extra ball on Chardy, I expect the Frenchman will make mistakes today and that should lead to chances for Murray to find a couple of breaks in a set that should set the cover in motion.

Murray beat Chardy here in Cincinnati a couple of years ago in three sets, although it was easier than that would suggest. I would look for a 6-2, 6-4 win for Murray here this year.


Roger Federer - 5.5 games v Bernard Tomic: Bernard Tomic has had an under-whelming year after his start at the Australian Open and he is now ranked down at Number 49 in the World. He had lost 8 of his last 9 matches before winning 2 matches here in Cincinnati, but he will really need to up his level against Roger Federer if he is to continue the positive run.

Federer missed Toronto last week, but he looked very solid in beating Alex Bogomolov yesterday for the loss of just 5 games and that time off may just have reinvigorated him as he looks to hold on to his World Number 1 Ranking ahead of the US Open.

The Swiss man crushed Tomic in his home tournament in Australia earlier this year and he has the ability to grab a couple of breaks of serve as Tomic's second serve is one of the weaker shots in his arsenal.

The quicker conditions will also help Federer as he will be able to dictate points behind his forehand and I think he will likely grab a 6-3, 6-3 win.


Venus Williams - 3.5 games v Sara Errani: Venus Williams has been showing a bit of life in her form in the last two tournaments she has competed in and I will look for her to continue that when she meets Sara Errani in this Third Round match.

Williams reached the Third Round at the Olympics and was only beaten in two tie-breakers against Angelique Kerber, but she had crushed Errani for the loss of 3 games in the First Round there.

With the added speed these courts seem to have been providing this week, I think Venus Williams will be able to win enough cheap points in her service game, while Errani will have to work that much harder for her points, and that can take it's toll over the course of a match.

I will hope Venus starts much brighter than she did in her win over Chanelle Scheepers yesterday and, if she can, I will look for a straight sets win.


MY PICKS: Andy Murray - 5.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Roger Federer - 5.5 games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Venus Williams - 3.5 games @ 1.92 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-5, - 6.90 Units (11 Units Staked)

Tennis Picks August 15th (Cincinnati)

Sometimes you can feel the negative energy around yourself and that was the case yesterday as I can't believe the lack of finish any of the players I pick seem to have.

Tommy Haas became the latest in a long line over the last month that have got to the hill, but stumbled over at that point. Yesterday, he had set points at 5-2, 5-3 and 5-4 in the first set, but failed to take advantage and ended up missing the cover by half a game.

It was a real up and down performance, but I just seem to be falling on the wrong side of these things constantly at the moment.

To make matters worse, Ekaterina Makarova was leading 7-6, 3-1 before Nadia Petrova retired, something that doesn't pay off at the layer I used.

That is a disgusting bit of bad fortune to be honest- this has been the worst run of bad luck/form that I have experienced when it comes to tennis, and I would much rather see a player lose 6-1, 6-1 rather than coming so close and still failing to complete the job properly.


Julia Goerges v Anastasia Pavyluchenkova: I am going to pick Julia Goerges to be a little too good for Anastasia Pavyluchenkova in this Second Round match today as I think she has been in the more consistent in 2012 and that may just make the difference.

Goerges holds a 2-0 head to head record over the Russian and it has been a real down year so far for Pavyluchenkova as she has a 17-20 record on the season and is just 7-9 on the hard courts (she was 3-8 before a recent Semi Final run in Washington).

I think Goerges has the slightly more effective serve of the two players and that might be the real difference between the two when it is all said and done, while Pavyluchenkova has just not found her range during the year. The latter did reach the Quarter Final at the US Open last season, but she was also an early loser here in Cincinnati and I think Goerges will move through to the Third Round.


Denis Istomin - 2.5 games v Jeremy Chardy: Denis Istomin is a little up and down with his performances, but I like his chances against Jeremy Chardy considering the latter is coming off a big upset win over Andy Roddick yesterday.

Last week in Toronto, Chardy upset Jo-Wilfried Tsonga but was comfortably beaten in his next match against Marcel Granollers and he may have another let down performance in this one following the win over Roddick.

Istomin was a comfortable winner in his First Round match against Julien Benneteau and he has also crushed Chardy previously in a match at the Australian Open (back in 2010) when he lost just four games in a straight sets win.

I'll look for Istomin to be a little too strong off the ground for Chardy and enjoying more success against the Frenchman's serve and that should see him move through 6-4, 6-4.


Juan Monaco - 2.5 games v Radek Stepanek: Radek Stepanek had a big week in Toronto last week as he beat Alexandr Dolgopolov and Juan Martin Del Potro, and he started off this week with a big 6-2, 6-2 win over Albert Ramos.

Now he faces a tough match against Juan Monaco, a player he leads 3-2 in the head to head, but he has been beaten the last two times they have met one another.

Monaco has already recorded more wins in this season (33) than he has in the whole of 2010 (28) and 2011 (29) and he did crack the top 10 in the World Rankings as his consistency has improved. The Argentine also reached the Semi Final in the Miami Masters earlier this year and the Fourth Round at the US Open last season and I expect him to be a little too solid for Stepanek in this Second Round clash.

It should be tight for a while, but a 7-6, 6-3 win for Monaco is my prediction.


MY PICKS: Julia Goerges @ 1.80 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Denis Istomin - 2.5 games @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Juan Monaco - 2.5 games @ 2.00 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-2, - 0.90 Units (5 Units Staked)

Tennis Picks August 14th (Cincinnati)

It was a fairly windy day at times in Cincinnati yesterday, but it looks much better conditions for tennis today as we move into the Second Round for some of the players.

The big names in the Women's event will begin today as Serena Williams, Sam Stosur and Petra Kvitova (coming off her win in Montreal yesterday), although the likes of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will not begin their week until tomorrow.

The picks went 1-1 for a small profit yesterday, but hopefully that will be the start of a productive week.


Tommy Haas - 3.5 games v David Nalbandian: This is the second week in a row that these two veteran players will be meeting and you have to like Tommy Haas' chances to make it 5 wins from 5 against David Nalbandian considering the recent form of both of these players.

Haas has had some many injuries in his career that it is a real testament to his strength of character that he continues to come back from them and fight his way up the Rankings. He has moved up to 23 in the World after reaching the Final in Washington and backing that up with a Quarter Final appearance last week in Toronto.

He has also won a tournament in Halle and could cause a few problems at the US Open for one of the higher seeded players depending on the draw. The German's game matches up very well against David Nalbandian's and he has the edge when it comes to service games and I can't see a result too different from the one last week.

Tommy Haas is playing at the higher level and Nalbandian has not won a match on the Main Tour since his disqualification at Queens in June, something that also has to be playing on his mind a little bit.


Ekaterina Makarova v Nadia Petrova: This is a pick 'em match between two players that will come down to which of them can get the first strike in the point.

Usually these are the types of matches I would steer well clear of as it can come down to the smallest details, but Ekaterina Makarova does have the mental edge having beaten Nadia Petrova in three straight matches.

That includes two wins on the hard courts, and it is on this surface that Makarova has enjoyed most of her success this season having reached a Quarter Final in the Australian Open and the Fourth Round in Miami. On the other hand, Petrova is just 5-5 on the hard courts this season even though she did enjoy a very productive North American hard court swing last Summer.

It should be close no matter what, but I am going to back Makarova to move through to the Second Round.


MY PICKS: Tommy Haas - 3.5 games @ 2.10 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Ekaterina Makarova @ 1.92 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-1, + 1.10 Units (3 Units Staked)

Tennis Picks August 13th (Cincinnati)

It was a disappointing week last week in Canada- the full breakdown of that and the Outright Pick I have made from this tournament can be found here

Hopefully a new week will bring a change in fortunes and these are the picks I will begin with:


Donald Young v Jesse Levine: I am going only going to take a small interest in this considering Donald Young is currently 'enjoying' a terrible run of form where he has lost 16 matches in a row.

However, the layers may have had an over-reaction to that run considering he is facing Jesse Levine, a player that he has beaten in 5 of their 6 previous matches.

Levine did come through a couple of qualifying matches to get to this stage, so he will have a definite edge when it comes to feeling the conditions, but he is still 0-7 on the Main Tour in hard court matches this season and failed to make it to Cincinnati last season.

So essentially this pick is more against Levine than it is backing Young, who has at least come close in recent weeks by pushing matches to deciding sets- his confidence has to be shot to bits though so getting over the winning line will not be easy at all, but at big odds he looks worth pursuing.


Victor Troicki - 2.5 games v Ivan Dodig: Ivan Dodig had a memorable win over Rafael Nadal last season during this time of the year (it was at the Montreal Masters), but he has struggled to reach those heights in the last 12 months and could have a tough time in this battle between Serbian and Croatian players.

Victor Troicki has been a disappointment in 2012, but his recent performances may just be showing signs of a player that is going to halt his slide down the Rankings and start picking up some positive results again. He reached the Fourth Round at Wimbledon and he has had most of his success on a hard court so far this season.

The problem will be if Troicki is a little erratic as he is playing someone that can serve exceptionally well on any given day. However, I expect the Serbian to be a little more solid and may just do enough to win this match 7-6, 6-4.


MY PICKS: Donald Young @ 3.00 William Hill (1 Unit)
Victor Troicki - 2.5 games @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)

Tennis Outright Picks August 12-19 (Cincinnati)

Last week was probably the worst week I have experience in two years of putting up picks for the tennis on this site as I couldn't catch a cold let alone a break and it has made a heavy dent in the profit/loss column for the 2012 season.

The tennis world moves on quickly so I'll be hoping for a lot more consistency with the picks this week and hope to turnaround the fortunes ahead of the final Grand Slam of the season at the US Open which will be beginning on August 27th.

Below I will update the porous last week and I will also look at the draws for the Cincinnati Masters that will begin today and go on until next Sunday. We do have the top players all back in action this week as it is the last major preparation for them before heading to Flushing Meadows and hopefully the weather won't ruin the week as it has in Canada with double-duty being on the menu for many of the players.

Men's Tournament

The Men's tournament in Cincinnati will still be missing Rafael Nadal this week and that means the first thing we should look for is which of the remaining top four players have been paired with one another.

This week, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic have been set to meet in the Semi Final, something that should leave the way clear for Roger Federer to make it through to the Final at the least.

Federer missed Toronto last week as he believes he needed a little bit of rest, both physically and emotionally, having invested so much in winning Wimbledon and earning the Silver Medal from the London Olympics.

The World Number 1 has been given a kind opening match in the draw, facing the winner of the Jarkko Nieminen and Alex Bogomolov match, and he can't complain too much about any of the competitors in his half of the draw as he avoids Murray, Djokovic and Juan Martin Del Potro until the Final at the earliest.

Federer may have been beaten in the Quarter Final last season, but he is a four time winner here in Cincinnati, including in 2009 and 2010, and I don't see him being beaten before the Final with the way he has been playing.

There are a few more question marks about who he would meet in the Final as Novak Djokovic is in the Final in Toronto and may be a little tired having gone deep in the Olympics too, while Andy Murray has a slight issue with his knees and Juan Martin Del Potro may just be the man having had an additional week to rest following his early exit in Toronto.

However, the way Murray has been playing over the last six weeks means I wouldn't favour Del Potro against him so I am just going to stick with Roger Federer to win the title here for the fifth time.

Women's Tournament

There are a couple of really big names missing from this event this week as both Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova have decided to give their bodies a little more rest ahead of the US Open.

The first player that anyone should be looking at anyway is Serena Williams as she is playing the best tennis on the WTA Tour and has won three tournaments in a row (Wimbledon, Stanford and the London Olympic Gold Medal) since her surprise exit in the First Round at the French Open.

With the way Serena is serving, she is the clear favourite to win the US Open as far as I am concerned and this tournament is no different. She will have to beat the likes of Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova if she is to reach the Final, but her form has been good enough to think she will do so and she has to be the player to back to win any tournament right now.

The other half of the draw is a little more difficult to break down, but Na Li was showing signs of an improvement in her form by reaching the Final in Montreal last week and she may take advantage of being in the weaker half now that the likes of Azarenka and Sharapova are not in the draw.

Her potential Quarter Final against Agnieska Radwanska may just decide which of the two players reaches the Final this week, but Li has won the two previous meetings between them on a hard court, including a straight sets win last week for the loss of just three games.

However, Serena is hard to ignore and there are too many question marks around the other half of the draw and that makes it impossible to really pick a player from that section.

MY PICKS: Roger Federer @ 3.50 Stan James (3 Units)

Tennis Recap August 6-12 (Montreal and Toronto)

I won't mince my words here... Absolutely awful week as the numbers will show below:

Weekly Final: 4-10, - 12.64 Units (26 Units Staked)

Season 2012: + 46.21 Units (731 Units Staked, 6.32% Yield)

Season 2011: + 82.02 Units