ARSENAL
Manager: Arsene Wenger
Grounds:
Emirates Stadium
Championships:
13
Manager’s
dilemma
Arsene Wenger’s “youth revolution”
sermon is getting old. And fast. Within the first two weeks of July, each of Mathieu Flamini, Jens Lehmann, Alexander Hleb,
and Gilberto Silva had packed their bags, thumbed their noses at the manager, and made a hasty exit from North London. While Wenger has continued to preach “youth” and “growing from within,”
his club has won exactly zero trophies since beating Manchester United on penalties in the 2005 F.A. Cup final. Another season
without silverware would surely spell the departures of even more key players. It’s time for Wenger to put a trophy
where his mouth is.
Bread
& butter
Arsenal have come through three, otherwise ordinary
seasons with their reputation intact because of a consistent commitment to attractive, attacking football. The results have
often been lacking; but they have never failed to entertain. Cesc Fabregas is the fulcrum of every offensive movement. Just
21-years of age, the Spain international has established himself as one of Europe’s top central-midfielders. His 13-goals in 2007-08 equaled his total output from the previous
four campaigns.
Key addition
Also 21-years-old, Samir Nasri arrived at Emirates
Stadium on July 11th. A crafty, versatile midfielder, the Frenchman can play in a central, attacking role or wide
on the right flank. Gifted with superb technical abilities, Nasri will probably be asked to split time with fellow right-winger
Theo Walcott.
Projection
Don’t be surprised if Arsenal burst out
of the gate before fading down the stretch. That said, they won’t fall out of the top four. If Wenger can find a decent
partner for Fabregas, and if Eduardo da Silva makes a successful comeback, and if Nasri slots in as planned, and if Carlos
Vela is the next great thing, the Gunners could finish as high as second in the Premier League. But that’s a lot of
ifs.
Probable
formation to start the season
Almunia
Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy
Nasri, Eboue, Fabregas, Rosicky
Van Persie, Adebayor
ASTON
VILLA
Manager: Martin O’Neill
Grounds:
Villa Park
Championships: 7
Manager’s
dilemma
You’d think that diminutive Martin O’Neill
would have at least a touch of Small Man’s Syndrome. Not so. In fact, the opposite is true. Since succeeding David O’Leary
as manager of Aston Villa in 2006, O’Neill has operated with one of the smallest squads in the Premier League. And he
has done very little to make it bigger. But with the club about to make a return to European football, he would be well advised
to add at least one more player to each third of the park. If he doesn’t, Villa can be expected come off the rails around
March.
Bread
& butter
Villa’s starting-XI is among the five or
six best lineups in the Premier League. New goalkeeper Brad Friedel is one of the finest at his position in England, Curtis Davies and Martin
Laursen are an effective defensive tandem, and Ashley Young, John Carew, and Gabriel Agbonlahor comprise an attacking threesome
which can penetrate any backline. Young and Agbonlahor, in particular, can be mesmerizing at times. Both are blessed with
exceptional pace. Young is already a top left-winger; and Agbonlahor could work himself into Fabio Capello’s England plans with a good start
to the season.
