I think that most of the problems with arsenal is self inflicted with their so called pay structure severely screwing their team. Arsene's arguments on leaving behind a good financial situation behind for his successor is his usual bollock stuff. I mean common you need atleast one good CM to replace players like diarra, flamini and gilberto.A player like that Arsenal do not have presently in the squad [denilson,diaby and song are all too young to step up]. So a player has to be bought.That will surely cost somthing in the range of 7-8 mill atleast.That plus he will definitely be on a payscale significantly more than the pittance arsenal paid to flamini.
Also the team spirit came under some severe beating in the preseason with hleb gone,flamini gone and adebayor agitating for a move too all tied up with salary issues.
Now the team seems broken and without spirit.Arsene has to put his hand up accept his mistakes and buy decent players in the January window.Also Gallas as capt is a joke.Everybody except arsene know it.
All this makes for a hugely entertaining fare for me.As i just LOVE to HATE Arsenal and arsene wenger.

Premier League Opening Weekend

Almost all the teams in the league are under one transfer saga or the other.For Liverpool it is alonso and Barry, ManU its Berbatov and Ronaldo,Arsenal one long transfer period where every player was linked with every club and vice
versa,Chelsea were under a cloud with regards to Lampard,Drogba and Carvalho but its been more or less resolved now.

And it showed on the pitch too,they were easily the best team amongst the top four in the opening weekend and if they keep this team fit for the season i think its going to be really hard to beat them in any of the competitions but they lack a bit in depth so ManU might still pip them to it again.Liverpool's crazy lusting after Barry i cannot understand cause they need a decent winger and having seen Jonas play for Newcastle i dont know how rafa missed such a gem.Without a decent winger or two,Liverpool do look a little flat.Arsenal's unwillingness to spend money is going to cost them,i mean i could understand when he did not buy anyone after that unbeaten season but now with flamini,gilberto and diarra all leaving in the last six months i think they need a holding midfielder and a good central defender.

The spurs have been most active in the market but there seems to be little direction in their buys,they have one striker in bent[this is not a joke] with berba laving soon and though their midfield and defense is better than their north london rivals without a good striker they will lose the plot very soon.

Amongst other teams Aston Villa,Newcastle and Borough look like this season's also rans.But right now Chelsea are the team to beat.Lets see what happens in the remaining two weeks,hope Liv gets in a good winger[sionko looked damn impressive to me in the euro's and riera is another good option] and spurs get in a good striker or two[personally i would prefer pavlyuchenko and mccarthy] and newcastle get in a good attacking midfielder and a left back[warnock and inler preferrable] and arsenal get no one in.That would make the season really interesting.

The devils getting closer

Another trophyless season for my beloved Liverpool,another season of success for manu(cant they just die like the class of 58).

Liv - ManU
English Titles 18--17
European Cup 5---3

Pull your socks up u scousers time has come to defend the history of the club.

On avram grant

So the season ends and man u retain the league ( through some horrific refreeing but that should be a separate post) but the real surprise in the season was avram grant. I have to say i was a bit shocked when jose was sacked , though it was clear that there is only one outcome when you keep sticking your tongue out at your boss, and nobody then knew who avram grant was....this joker is going to manage carvalho,ballack,terry,lampard and drogba ? everyone exclaimed . The first few weeks were horrendous to say the least defeat to manu in his first match and then a lucky draw against fulham convinved no one.....but since then the results have been astounding.
How much of it is his work is questionable though...the main weapons of chelsea still remain the dodged defending and their unbeaten record at home.....the man certainly benifitted from the professionalism of the team he inherited and its work ethic.....but then gradualy he seems to have won the team over...terry speaking out in his support is testament to that....he was much pillored for chelsea's shortcoming's in the league and fa cups...and rightly so in case of the league cup final where he sacrificed the team formation for the returning big names....
they looked short of conviciton in the fa cup qf too....
On the other hand they were awesome against manu,arsenal at home in the league and against liverpool in the champs league return leg....his team mgmt in these matches have been exceptional....but the draw against wigan again shows his/team's shortcomings...
The point is a team like chelsea with terry,makelele,carvalho,lampard,drogba,cole and anelka doesnt need much managing except a few tactical changes now and then...that has been done competently by grant....so another atleast has to given to the man to prove himself