Wild American Gooner

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Category Archives: Arsenal


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Rusney Castillo, My U.S. Open Prediction and Some EPL Thoughts

With classes beginning tomorrow morning, I thought I’d get a post up tonight before I’m swamped with back to school meetings and work. This post will be a collection of some sports related thoughts from the last few days.

I’ll start with the Red Sox’s signing of Cuban defector Rusney Castillo over the weekend to a seven-year, $72.5 million deal. Having never seen him play, my gut reaction to the deal is that it seems like an awful lot of money for a player who has yet to prove himself at this level. I know most of the recent Cuban arrivals have worked out, but there is no guarantee that Castillo will do the same. This signing also doesn’t fit the mold of a team that has declared itself a frugal spender on the free agent market. Should he struggle, I expect to hear a lot of  people asking why this money couldn’t have been added on to an extension for Jon Lester earlier this summer.

The new center fielder is described as having a plus bat, but with middling levels of power. He’s a slightly above average defender but he certainly won’t be Jackie Bradley Jr. out there. (For the record, watching Bradley play center field has probably been my favorite part of this season.) And Castillo’s not a speed demon either. All in all, he sounds like a good player, but not a superstar. Yet comparisons are made to Yasiel Puig, and Yoenis Cespedes himself said Castillo is a better player than he. Based on the scouting reports I’ve read, something has to give.

But don’t get me wrong. I do like the deal, as I think it puts the Red Sox in a position of power this offseason, with an abundance of talented players they can use as trade bait in potential deals for the Giancarlo Stanton or Cole Hamels types. The outfield now includes Castillo, Cespedes and Allen Craig, three talented hitters, plus Shane Victorino, Daniel Nava, Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts. All of these players carry value. My guess at this point is that Craig, Nava and Bradley Jr. won’t be around next year, but it could easily be Cespedes and Victorino making way.

This signing is yet another statement from the Red Sox management that they will make all the effort they can to put a World Series contending team on the field next year. Worst to first to worst to first might be within reach. Adding frontline pitching remains a must, but the offense looks like it will be much improved. It’s not often a team struggling as badly as the Red Sox can have such reason for optimism. I hope we get our first taste of Castillo in Boston soon.

Switching to tennis, the U.S. Open starts tomorrow. I say this about a lot of things, but the event is truly one of my favorites. It will be tough for me to watch a lot of the action in the early going, but I will tune in when I can. Night tennis in Arthur Ashe Stadium is spectacular. And the music on the ESPN U.S. Open commercials gets me every time. It must be love.

I’ll have more to say in the next two weeks about the tennis itself, potentially picking the results of the later matches, but today I’m just going to offer my prediction for the winners. On the women’s side, I like Simona Halep to win it all. She has been climbing the ladder to stardom recently, and I think she will find it in New York.

On the men’s side, I think Roger Federer will finally get another Grand Slam title. Playing in front of the sport’s biggest crowds that will be on his side at all times, Federer will ride the wave of support all the way to title. He will look young again. As long as I’ve followed tennis, it feels like veteran, big name players have performed better in the U.S. Open than in any other major. There might be early upsets, but the stars are always there in the end. Federer has been playing well recently, and he won’t have to play Novak Djokovic until the final in this tournament. Without Rafael Nadal in his way this time, I think we’ll see Roger lifting the trophy in a fortnight.

And now to the EPL. This morning, I tuned in to the Sunderland-Manchester United match to check up on the relegation battle. To me, there was no question that Sunderland looked the better side today. United were sloppy and had no spark to their play. Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney were largely invisible up front, and defensively, the storied side were a joke. I don’t understand why the supposed tactical genius that is van Gaal is forcing the 3-5-2 on his team. They are simply not built for it, as they neither possess any true wing backs at the moment nor any talent at center back. If the defense is so bad they need a back five against Sunderland, how many will they need back against the likes of Chelsea?

Watching United drop points has become as regular as my trips to the grocery store. It’s getting increasingly funny. The seemingly imminent arrival of Angel di Maria adds a fantastic player to their squad, but it doesn’t address any of their problems right now. Van Gaal’s system also will see di Maria moved away from areas of the pitch in which he is most comfortable – assuming van Persie and Rooney remain up top with Juan Mata in the hole behind them. United will have spent an astounding amount of money this summer without addressing any of their biggest needs.

Tomorrow’s Liverpool-Manchester City match should be a fascinating one. Neither team was particularly impressive in their wins last weekend, and each will be looking to lay their claim as the league’s best side. With Mario Balotelli joining up with Liverpool, Daniel Sturridge has a point to prove. He and Balotelli would make an odd pairing up front, one I don’t expect to succeed long term. Sturridge has been on fire in the last year and should have the starting spot locked down going forward should Liverpool elect to play with a lone striker. But he’ll need to do a lot today to quiet all of the Balotelli fans out there. My prediction for this match is a 2-2 draw.

And lastly, the more I thought about the Arsenal game yesterday, the more satisfied I became with the result. We are incredibly lucky to be at four points after these first two Premier League matches. Things could easily be a lot worse. It was always going to be a tough stretch with players coming back late due to the World Cup. But as long as they get through Wednesday’s vital Champions League match, the team should come out of it fine. Arsene Wenger could be breathing a large sigh of relief soon.

 


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A Comeback From Nowhere – Player Ratings and Analysis from Everton Arsenal

Somehow, someway, Arsenal rescued a point on the road against Everton, scoring two late goals to earn a 2-2 draw. It will amount to what is a pretty good point at Goodison Point, but it was as strange a game as I’ve watched. The first half performance was abysmal, and for much of the match, Arsenal looked as lost as they were on the road all of last year. But then something changed. The introduction of Santi Cazorla and Joel Campbell in the 74th minute injected some urgency in the side. And the two necessary goals came, but not as you’d expect.

The goals weren’t your typical Arsenal goals. The first came almost at a stand still, as Cazorla sort of walked into the box before driving a low cross at the feet of Aaron Ramsey. Then the second came from a horribly overhit cross that Nacho Monreal tracked down near the corner. Monreal, who’d been overhitting crosses all day, picked out a perfect one that Oliver Giroud headed home. They weren’t beautiful goals. They didn’t come from added pace or creativity. They came from patience and determination.

The first half performance was sickening to watch. Arsenal’s demons from a year ago were back, and in a big way. The defense and midfield were unorganized, letting Everton run free all over the park. And offensively, with Alexis Sanchez up top, there was no outlet to hold the ball. Everton’s first was the result of Mesut Özil not marking his man, but it was a goal that was always going to come for the Toffees.

Playing without a physical striker against Everton probably wasn’t the best decision. It may have worked had Arsenal developed an element of cohesion this year, but with nothing going in the midfield due to Everton’s constant pressure, they needed a vertical outlet that Sanchez couldn’t provide. It wasn’t his fault, and to his credit, he worked hard hard in possession as he dropped deeper and deeper. But today wasn’t the time to experiment, even if this is the ultimate solution.

Everton’s second goal was offside, and the assistant referee’s non-call was atrocious. However, as rough as the call was, the Toffees deserved a second goal for the way they dominated the first half. The spaces Arsenal were leaving all throughout the midfield saw Everton do whatever they wanted when Arsenal lost the ball. The only defensive successes for Arsenal came as a result of gambling – be it Mathieu Flamini or Calum Chambers going in hard one-on-one – and when they missed a tackle, there was even more space for Steven Naismith and Romelu Lukaku. The second goal exposed that directly, as both Per Mertesacker and Calum Chambers gambled on Lukaku upfield and missed.

Arsenal were far too narrow for the first seventy minutes. There was nothing happening out wide for much of the match, so the passing game in the midfield became all the more difficult with extra bodies around. And near the box, there was no space to do anything. Mesut Özil should not play out wide, as his creativity gets stunted in that position and he constantly falls asleep as he did on Everton’s first goal. Things were looking bad.

The introduction of Santi Cazorla and Joel Campbell came just in time though. The two of them provided the width and energy that was so badly needed, and Campbell also added the ability to hold up the ball a little bit, creating a second outlet. Cazorla’s work rate was evident right away, a stark contrast to those that had been on the wings earlier in the match. One can only wonder what would have happened had the two of them come on ten minutes earlier.

It will be easy after to freak out about what happened in the first half, but I urge everyone to have patience. The talent is there, but the cohesion is not at the moment. It’s worth remembering that Mesut Özil and Per Mertesacker have not had a preseason game before today. The transfer window closes in a little more than a week, and today’s defensive struggles might see Arsene Wenger go back in on some of his targets. But none of them will come unless Arsenal advances in the Champions League on Wednesday. That game holds immense importance.

With ten minutes to play, not a single person watching the game around the globe would have seen the comeback coming. But it came nonetheless, and Arsenal grabbed a point on the road against a top side. The has been no shortage of struggles so far this season, but the late goals have saved the team. Spirits can be lifted with big late goals, and comebacks like this do a lot for morale. Down the road, we could be looking at this comeback as a big point in the title race.

Player Ratings (1-10)

Alexis Sanchez – 5.5/10 – Sanchez was given an impossible task today as I wrote above. It seemed harsh to take him off after the first half, as he was working hard and making good runs, but it was necessary to put on a physical focal point in the second half. His runs weren’t often spotted, and he needs to develop a better understanding with his teammates.

Mesut Özil – 5.5/10 – Asking Özil to start straightaway without any preseason didn’t set the World Cup winner up for greatness today. He was noticeably quiet on the wing in the first half, except for his defensive lapse. It wasn’t until he drifted inside in the second half that he began to pick out a few nice balls. Expect his form to pick up in a week or two, as it is still preseason for Mesut/

Aaron Ramsey – 6.5/10 – Ramsey found a way to score another big late goal, making a wonderful run into the box to get on the end of Cazorla’s cross for Arsenal’s first. But for much of the game, he was a frustrated figure, skewing shots and overhitting passes. He and Wilshere got in each other’s way, and Ramsey wasn’t finding any space to shoot in the final third. He did alright defensively, but he doesn’t look as eager to go into tackles this year as he was a year ago.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 6/10 – The Ox had a better game than most Arsenal players, especially in the first half. He had a little bit of success down the right, and looked most likely to score in the first half. He might have done better with the shot he got from a poor Everton clearance early on though. He faded in the second half, and was rightfully replaced.

Jack Wilshere – 5/10 – Wilshere hardly did anything today. Defensively, he didn’t help Flamini out in any great way, and he got knocked off the ball a lot in the final third. I don’t like the setup of having him and Ramsey next to each other in the midfield, as they seem to want to make the same runs. His team in the starting XI would seem to be running thin.

Mathieu Flamini – 6/10 – Flamini had a rough first half, as his fellow midfielders and defenders left him with a ton of space to cover. He also was careless in possession in his own half, which his manager won’t appreciate. Many will say he needs to be replaced in the transfer market, but the truth was that he didn’t get the necessary help today to stop Everton’s counter attacks. He made a few good, hard tackles as always, and towards the end of the match, he looked much more assured. A bit of a mixed bag from the Frenchman today

Nacho Monreal – 6/10 – Right as my frustration with Monreal was boiling over, he sent in the perfect cross for the equalizer. Were it not for that ball, I probably would have given him a 4.5. He looked shaky defensively again, although to be fair, he had very little help from Mesut Özil. Offensively, his passing was poor, and he didn’t provide much width to a side badly needing it. But then he hit that cross, and all was forgotten.

Per Mertesacker – 5.5/10 – Mertesacker shifted over to the left side of the defensive, and he looked uncomfortable over there. He was caught off balance once or twice, and he needed to do a lot better with Lukaku on the second goal. His early yellow card prevented him from halting play with a foul in that situation, and it was a good example of why players need to avoid cheap yellows.

Calum Chambers – 6/10 – Chambers gambled a lot today, and generally, he won the ball. But he was way off on the second goal, not coming anywhere close to Lukaku in his attempted tackle. Aside from that though, he had a decent game. He definitely seemed less comfortable with Mertesacker than he does with Laurent Koscielny.

Mathieu Debuchy – 6/10 – It seems pretty clear at this point that Debuchy has very little understanding with his teammates in the final third. He has been noticeably quiet going forward, but yet still got caught out of position a few times today, leaving loads of space behind him. His one-on-one defending hasn’t been horrible, but he needs to get his offensive game going soon. He got forward a little bit at the end of the game, but he needs to do more.

Wojciech Szczesny – 5.5/10 – Szczesny had very little action today aside from the two goals. He wasn’t at fault for either, but I felt he could have saved both. The first header would have been a tough save, but Szczesny did get a hand on it and was just a tad slow to react. On the second goal, I thought he wasn’t quick enough off his line, and he left his legs wide open as he often does when he goes out. Many goalkeepers would have saved that one.

Substitutes

Olivier Giroud (46th) – 7/10 – Giroud changed the game when he stepped on the pitch at the start of the second half, as he allowed Arsenal to hold possession. He could have scored three times before Arsenal eventually got on the board, and probably should have got at least one of those. But he deservedly got the tying goal with a well-taken header. This performance was certainly a large step up from Tuesday for Giroud.

Santi Cazorla (74th) – 7.5/10 – As soon as he got on the field, Cazorla was buzzing everywhere, picking up the ball deep and bringing it forward. He was good in possession, and posed a different sort of threat to Everton going forward. His cross to Ramsey for the first goal was superbly hit, and it showed Cazorla’s quality. Quite simply, Arsenal would not have gotten that point had Cazorla not been on the field late on.

Joel Campbell (74th) – 6.5/10 – In his first Premier League action, Campbell made an impact. He was all over the field, showing off his touch. He looked at home in Arsenal’s passing game. He wasn’t involved in either goal, but he made a difference in the momentum of the game. And he sent in a pretty decent cross late on might have led to a winner had anyone gotten on the end of it.

What were your thoughts on that strange game? Are you satisfied with the comeback? Or angry about the first half? Please comment below.


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Giroud’s Clumsy Feet – Player Ratings From the First Leg of Besiktas vs Arsenal

The Fox announcers called today’s 0-0 draw between Arsenal and Besiktas in the first leg of the Champions League qualifier a “good 0-0.”  While I don’t necessarily agree with that assessment, there were certainly chances for both sides. However, neither team had the quality today to put anything away. Once Arsenal went down a man due to Aaron Ramsey’s second yellow, the game could have turned towards the Turkish side, but the best chance instead fell to Arsenal. The teams will meet again next Wednesday at The Emirates for the second leg.

Arsenal were forced to play a different sort of game today, something that may prove beneficial down the road. The pitch presented some problems for Arsenal’s passing game, and Besiktas’s style also hindered things for Arsene Wenger’s men. Instead of knocking the ball around the midfield, with runs coming from the fullbacks, Arsenal played a more direct style. There was a lot more one-on-one attacking and long balls over the top. It didn’t always work out, but it was nice to see that Arsenal could create chances even without the majority of the possession.

The chances that Arsenal did create however, were not taken with any sort of vigor, and Arsenal wasted quite a few opportunities. Oliver Giroud in particular struggled to sort out his feet, wasting a number of great moves started by Alexis Sanchez. The best chance came very late on when a Besiktas miss-kick set up Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The substitute struck the ball well, but Besiktas keeper Tolga Zengin made an incredible save to push the ball onto the post.

On the other side, Demba Ba presented a lot of challenges for the Arsenal defense, and he nearly found the net in spectacular fashion on the first kick of the game. For the most part though, the defense was there to handle any pressure, with Calum Chambers particularly impressing when he was behind the ball. The problems came when Chambers had to run backwards, as his error led to a chance Ba should have put away late in the first half.

Playing just three days after Saturday’s Premier League Opener, there was clearly a high degree of fatigue in the Arsenal side. Many of the players are still lacking fitness due to the short preseason, so this game was always going to present a challenge. That this match came on a Tuesday instead of a Wednesday will be beneficial for Saturday’s game against Everton, as players will have a little more time to recover.

Arsenal didn’t necessarily need a win to take back to London ahead of the second leg next week, but the pressure will be higher at The Emirates knowing Besiktas only need one goal to hold the away goal advantage. However, Arsenal should be confident knowing the pitch will be more suited to their style of play. Besiktas are also considerably better at home than on the road, and have struggled mightily in England in the past, so Arsenal fans should not be too afraid about qualification even with the sides level after the first leg.

The late Aaron Ramsey red card does complicate things though. In this match, it meant Arsenal were forced to abandon their pursuit of a winner. However, a mistake from Besiktas nearly gifted the Gunners one anyway. But it also complicates things in the second leg, as Ramsey will miss through suspension. I would imagine Mesut Özil won’t be ready by next Wednesday, so it could be Tomas Rosicky stepping in to fill the creative role.

Overall, it was a pretty drab affair. The result shouldn’t scare anyone, but this match certainly doesn’t guarantee qualification for the group stage by any means. Arsenal are still behind on the fitness, and could use a boost from the Germans when they become match-fit.

Player Ratings (1-10)

Olivier Giroud – 5/10 – Giroud was well off the mark today, as his clumsiness on the ball cost Arsenal all match. Had he been able to sort out his feet, the Gunners would have been in on goal a few times. He needed to be a lot stronger when holding up play too. Having said all that though, he did find himself in a few good positions, so that’s one positive I guess. He clearly needed a longer preseason.

Santi Cazorla – 6.5/10 – Cazorla struggled a bit in the early going, but picked up his play as the match wore on. He was all over the place defensively, helping out Arteta and Flamini time after time. His work rate made up today helped make up for his poor play over the weekend. He could have done better with a late free-kick, but he nearly worked the bumpy pitch to his advantage with his bouncing effort.

Aaron Ramsey – 6/10 – Ramsey’s late dismissal for a second yellow was silly, if not a tad unlucky. It typified his day in many ways though. He created a couple of chances going forward, notably a gorgeous chip over the top for Giroud, but overall, he wasn’t as effective as he normally is. And when he found himself in a shooting position, he was slow with the trigger, and never got anything off. He will rue missing the second leg due to suspension. It was a day to forget for Ramsey.

Alexis Sanchez – 7/10 – The end product may still be lacking from the new signing, but Sanchez had a great game by all other standards. Down the right, he was Arsenal’s best option going forward, blowing by defenders with sheer pace. But what impressed me today was his defensive work. He seemed quite willing to track back when it was needed, and he cleverly nicked the ball off Besiktas players a couple of times. Had Giroud been better, Sanchez might have had a couple of assists. He faded late, and was withdrawn with twenty minutes to go.

Jack Wilshere – 6.5/10 – Wilshere didn’t have his best game in possession, giving the ball away a few times, but his work on the ball should quiet many of his critics for the time being. He was great when he picked up his head and drove forward into the final third. Able to get by defenders with bits of skill, Wilshere got himself into terrific positions, and nearly found the net with a curling effort on one occasion. Defensively, he was lucky to get away with a sliding challenge in the first half.

Mikel Arteta – 5.5/10 – Leaving with an injury early in the second half, Arteta didn’t have a spectacular game. He was solid in possession, but Besiktas caught him out of position a number of times, easily passing around him on occasion. He needed extra cover from Santi Cazorla behind him far too many times.

Nacho Monreal – 5.5/10 – Monreal was beaten a few too many times tonight. He shouldn’t be getting nutmegged from ten yards away, and it almost resulted in a Besiktas goal. He barely got forward, and didn’t make much of an impact offensively. He did earn a free kick late on in a great spot though.

Laurent Koscielny – 7/10 – Koscielny overcame injury to make the starting XI, and quietly went about his business. Most of the attacking came down the opposite side, so there wasn’t a whole lot for the Frenchman to do, but he dealt with any problems that came his way. At this pint in his career, Koscielny is as solid as they come.

Calum Chambers – 7.5/10 – Chambers is spectacular at cutting out any danger in the back, quickly making him a favorite of mine. He was everywhere, confidently heading everything away and strongly tackling any attackers that came near him. He seemed up for physicality with Ba as well. But where he struggled was when he was caught out and had to turn his back. His mistake late in the first half let Ba in on goal, and he was lucky to get away with it.

Mathieu Debuchy – 6/10 – Debuchy hardly got forward at all today, something Wenger will surely be out to change in the second leg. His defending was pretty solid, but once or twice he was out of position, letting his man find space behind him. For Debuchy to make a bigger impact, he needs to be involved in the attacking half, which he wasn’t today.

Wojciech Szczesny – 8/10 – Every time Arsenal plays on Fox, analyst Eric Wynalda is quick to remind everyone that he thinks Szczesny isn’t good enough. I disagree. While his save in the opening seconds on Ba’s long-range effort was unorthodox, it got the job done on a spectacular shot. The Pole made more than a few confident saves today, and handled anything that went his diction. He was lucky Besiktas missed the net on their best chances, but overall Szczesny deserved the clean sheet.

Substitutes

Mathieu Flamini (50th) – 6.5/10 – Flamini’s introduction helped Arsenal settle into the second half when the game was getting away from them. His physicality and hard tackling halted a few attacks, and he helped keep Arsenal composed and disciplined defensively once Ramsey was sent off. With Arteta leaving with some sort of injury, albeit one that looks nothing too serious, Flamini might have earned himself a start against Everton this weekend. However, he will need to be better about not picking up unnecessary yellow cards. His one today soon after he got on the pitch put him and his team in a needlessly bad position for the rest of the game.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (73rd) – 6/10 – Aside from his shot on target late on that should have won the game for Arsenal were it not for a spectacular save, the Ox was pretty quiet. He’ll want a start soon.

Tomas Rosicky (90th) – N/A – Rosicky’s late cameo was nothing more than a time wasting exercise. Expect the veteran midfielder to see more of the field in the next couple of matches.

What did you think about the match? Please comment below.


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Arsenal-Crystal Palace Reaction & Preview and Prediction for the Besiktas Match

After a little more than a week away, it’s good to be back home. While my family trip out to some of California’s beautiful National Parks was certainly not relaxing by any means, it was a needed break away from the world at large before I head back to school in a few days. Out in nature, away from cell phone service and Wifi for much of each day, I was able to refresh my mind a little bit. And that’s always valuable.

However, it killed me not to be able to watch any of this weekend’s season opening EPL action. I followed matches through texts from one of my friends that would come up when we randomly hiked through a spot with service – I got to watch Aaron Ramsey’s winner on a video of my friend’s tv, hardly the ideal scenario. But my excitement level all weekend remained sky high though regardless. For from now until May, we’re in for another wild ride.

I’ve only now watched some brief highlights from the action across the league, so I can’t really offer anything in the way of commentary about this set of matches. But from here on out, expect thorough post match coverage of all Arsenal games and further analysis of other EPL story lines.

From what I could tell, Arsenal weren’t very good against a manager-less Crystal Palace. But in the end, getting three points is all that matters right now. This was a type of game that teams of years past wouldn’t have won – think about all the times Arsenal couldn’t find a late winner last year. So maybe this performance was what was needed. It tells everyone from the fans to the planers and manager that this team is far from ready. But it also gives the team some confidence that things can go their way in the end.

I have read a lot about how poorly Jack Wilshere played on Saturday. Going off of those articles alone, I would think his career would be over and he’d never start another game. But we all should know better. However bad he and Santi Cazorla were, it was only the first game of the season. Remember how disastrous that was last year for all involved? Never judge a player or a team by the first game. Wilshere’s Arsenal career is not over. And I fully expect him to pick up his play in the coming weeks.

The one concern I do have though comes from the injuries on the back line. With Kieran Gibbs out two to three weeks now, Nacho Monreal can’t be the emergency center back Arsene Wenger wants him to be, as Monreal will need to be starting on the left. And with Laurent Koscielny hurting too, Arsenal could be facing a crisis at center back in the next week. Hopefully a new arrival is on his way, but the lack of depth in the back scares me right now.

This afternoon, Arsenal travels to Turkey to face Besiktas in the first of the two-leg Champions League qualifier. Everybody likes to freak out about these ties, as it seems like every year Arsenal are supposedly drawn with the worst team possible. Wenger talks about how important qualification is, and the script stays the same. But the reality is that Arsenal should have little trouble with Besiktas. I’m not saying it will be easy, but there is a huge difference in quality levels between the teams.

I expect Wenger to make a couple changes today, given the injuries and the short rest. I do think Koscielny will end up starting out of necessity, but it’s a gamble I wouldn’t want to take. Were it up to me, I’d start Mathieu Flamini at left back and move Monreal to the middle. Olivier Giroud should start up front in place of the injuries Yaya Sanogo, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tomas Rosicky take the place of Santi Cazorla or even Alexis Sanchez, who still lacks some fitness. And Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should make the starting XI as well.

Tactically, I want to see Arsenal push forward today, trying to find an offensive rhythm before Saturday’s match with Everton. They might be on the road in a Champions League tie, but Besiktas doesn’t possess enough talent in the midfield to control the game themselves. Arsenal are weakened in the back right now, but will be most exposed if they sit deeper and play for a draw. Demba Ba hasn’t had time to acclimate with his new team yet, so while he is a big name, he won’t be at his best quite yet for Besiktas.

My prediction for the match is Arsenal 2 Besiktas 0. I think the Gunners will look a lot better today than they did at The Emirates on Saturday, putting some things together in the final third. By the end of the match, fatigue will set in hugely. But there shouldn’t be too much trouble in Turkey.

I might not be able to get the player ratings and post game reaction up until tomorrow morning, but I’ll do my best. It’s good to have soccer back.


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Premier League Predictions – How the Table Will Look

After more than two months of posting at least once a day since this site’s inception, I am taking a week’s vacation with my family, and won’t have access to my computer. I’ll be back writing a week from Tuesday. Hopefully the brief break from the blog will keep me fresh heading into the fall. However, I will post my prediction for Saturday’s Arsenal-Crystal Palace game on Twitter (@MrMcGinnis94), so check for that.

Between now and next Tuesday, a pretty major event is happening. The Premier League opens play this weekend. We’ve all been patiently waiting for this since May. The World Cup helped shorten the summer, but it still feels like it has been ages since Arsenal finished up their season. And for that one brief moment as all the games kick off on Saturday, nearly every single fan across the globe will be smiling. Because Premier League football is back.

Once the games begin, anything and everything will happen between now and next May when the champion will be crowned. As Ian Darke says, there will be a few million talking points. It’s going to be fun.

Here are my predictions for how the table will look after all 38 games are played.

EPL Predictions

1. Chelsea – Chelsea are loaded this year. If Diego Costa is half of the player he was a year ago, the Blues should be scoring at a record pace. I think the pairing of John Terry and Gary Cahill will be found out by Arsenal and City, but the absurd amount of talent Chelsea has in the midfield will see them dominate against everybody else. The title may come down to who drops the fewest points against the Stoke City’s of the world, and I think Jose Mourinho will have his team prepared week in and week out.

2. Arsenal – I am certainly optimistic this year, as I firmly believe that Arsenal has the talent and depth to lead a sustained charge for the title. Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Özil, Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott will be lethal in the final third, and there will be goals scored at will. Defensive issues late on will keep Arsenal from winning the title, but they’ll be right there until the final day.

3. Manchester City – City will see their throne taken from them this season, as I feel they’ll have much of their attention focused on a run in the Champions League – I think they might reach a semifinal in that competition. They’ll appear disinterested at times in the league, and they’ll drop key points against lower level opposition. They have the talent to win the title handily, but I think they’ll disappoint.

4. Manchester United – After a terrific preseason, Louis van Gaal’s men will top the table at the end of September, led by a revitalized Wayne Rooney. But once United starts playing top sides – don’t be fooled by any early success against inferior opposition – they will struggle, with the defense left exposed. They will be much improved from a year ago, but their goal should be reaching the top four, not winning the title.

5. Liverpool – Luis Suarez will be sorely missed, as the Reds are a Daniel Sturridge injury away from having a crisis up front. Rickie Lambert is not at the stage of his career when he can be productive twice a week, and he’ll struggle to adapt to the rigors of a Champions League campaign. Their journey in Europe will end up doing more harm than good. I think they’ll end up in a fight with United for fourth.

6. Everton – The Toffees have strengthened through retention this summer, and expect to improve on a wonderful campaign a year ago. Romelu Lukaku should be near the top of the goalscoring charts, and I think Ross Barkley is ready to take the next step. They are one piece away from the top four in my eyes, but they are capable of beating anyone on their day.

7. Newcastle – Newcastle will be a much improved team from a year ago. If Alan Pardew has his head in the right place, he could lead this side to a place in the Europa League. I think Emmanuel Riviere will find immediate success scoring goals, and Jack Colback and Cheick Tiote will form a fierce pairing in defensive midfield. They should be a fun side.

8. Tottenham – Count me as one unimpressed with what Mauricio Pochettino has done this summer. I can’t wait to see Spurs dismantled by Liverpool at the end of the month. Pochettino will have the team playing better by December, but I think they’ll struggle at the beginning of the year in defense. They won’t be anywhere near the top 4 come May.

9. Hull City – Hull is a team capable of making the leap this year. In keeping last year’s upstart team together, and bringing in a few new faces, Steve Bruce has had a very successful summer. They have an excellent midfield, and I expect Nikica Jelavic and Tom Ince to be scoring plenty of goals by the end of the year. They will be a team to watch.

10. Swansea City – I think it will take the Swans a little while to adapt to their new style under Garry Monk. But ultimately, they have the talent up front to comfortably finish mid-table. Between Gylfi Sigurdsson, Bafetimbi Gomis and Wilfried Bony, they have an awful lot of options in the final third.

11. Crystal Palace – A candidate for most to go down in their second season back with the big boys, I think Palace will continue to make strides under Tony Pulis. The defense should be solid once again, and Frazier Campbell has been added to bolster a static attack. It will be up to him and Marouane Chamakh to determine just how far up the table Palace can go, but they’ll be well above the drop zone.

12. Stoke City – Mark Hughes began to turn Stoke into a watchable side last year, and he finally was able to bring in players to fit his system this year. Ex-Barca man Bojan Krkic will represent a new era of Stoke football. They won’t be as near to the relegation zone as some expect.

13. West Ham – Sam Allardyce will have his side comfortably above the relegation zone, but improvement over last season will be hard to see at times. He has made moves to make the side a little more dynamic going forward, but don’t be surprised if Big Sam reverts to old ways come February.

14. Sunderland – The Black Cats were sensational towards the end of last season, but I don’t see that form carrying over to this campaign. The aging defense will be leaky. And while Jack Rodwell is an improvement in midfield, Steven Fletcher will struggle to produce goals as a lone striker this year. Connor Wickham’s involvement could be crucial to survival.

15. QPR – ‘Arry is back in the Premiership – I really dislike that man. But QPR has more talent than both of the other promoted clubs, and should stay up. The back three with Rio Ferdinand and Steven Caulker should be strong enough to get the necessary points for survival. However, Charlie Austin won’t cut it as an EPL frontman, and Redknapp will need to buy a striker in January.

16. Southampton – The Saints have lost an awful lot from a side that made the leap to the top half of the Premiership a year ago. They’ll struggle this year. But don’t be surprised when the next wave of youngsters start making a positive impact. They will be in the relegation zone on Boxing Day, but they’ll finish in safety.

17. Aston Villa – It is worrying how little Paul Lambert has done to improve the team. He brought in a few experienced squad players, but Villa will still be lacking in many areas. They are another Christian Benteke injury away from relegation.

18. Leicester City – Despite a strong preseason, the going won’t be easy for the newly promoted side. They might hang around until the final day, but they’ll be back in the Championship next year.

19. West Bromwich Albion – After flirting with disaster a year ago, West Brom will be right back in the thick of the survival fight from the start. They may have strengthened their defense, but I just don’t think they have the talent up front to score enough goals.

20. Burnley – When your strengths going into a season are fitness and teamwork, it could be a long year. Their high press style will be pleasing for neutrals, but the lack of talent will see the Clarets down by April. Danny Ings is a name to watch though.

Who do you think is going to win the title this year? Are you worried about your team getting relegated? Please comment below.