CHELSEA – 19/10
Chelsea have made two big signings in Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa
but Chelsea could sign the greatest player in the world and he would
still end up being negative because he plays for Jose Mourinho.There is a reason why Arsenal didn't want Fabregas back and there is a reason why Barcelona let him go. I think he will struggle to play 'the Chelsea way'. I'm interested to see if Mourinho can get him to track back like he couldn't do with Juan Mata.As for Costa, well to me he looks like a Spanish/Brazilian version of Steve Bull. Is that a good thing? In the modern game I'm not sure it is. He is going to become their 'new Drogba' but the difference is that Drogba had a bit more technique and guile.
The signing tells me that Chelsea have no intention of changing their style of play. They will whack the ball into the box and hope Costa can use his shoulders and bully people and he should at least be able to do that better than their strikers last season.I feel that style will be another thing that ultimately leaves Fabregas frustrated and I'm sure he is a little bitter that Arsenal didn't take him back because he's definitely more suited to their style of play.
ARSENAL – 7/1
Sami Khedira
has been heavily linked with Arsenal but the latest reports are the
club might step away because of his wage demands. He is exactly the type
of player that Arsenal need and the reason why they need him so much is
because similar midfielders have left the club in the past because they
were not getting the money they were after.If Arsenal can get him for £150,000-£200,000-a-week they should just do it because United are paying £300,000-a-week on Wayne Rooney
and I know where I'd rather spend my money. If they pass, they will
again be left with a weak, brittle midfield that only plays well every
four games. They need a midfielder who makes those quick Arsenal passes
but who will also tackle, will move around, will be steady, will be
consistent. Khedira fits that bill.As for Alexis Sanchez, well after going to the World Cup and watching him live for Chile,
I was able to see just how good a player he is. He is superb with and
without the ball. His work ethic, honesty, desire and passion was
unbelievable. I liked him at Barcelona but seeing these extra qualities
at the World Cup made me realise just how good he is. He is a great
signing.
I also liked the way he rejected all advances from Liverpool
because he knows Arsenal's style suits him so much more. They play in
that Barcelona fashion while Liverpool are more about longer passes and
runs into big areas. He knows his game and has picked a club that suits
it.MANCHESTER UNITED – 11/2
The one player who really jumped out at me at the World Cup as a player I'd love to see in the Premier League was Mats Hummels
and he would be a wonderful signing for Manchester United. At Old
Trafford they have lost two centre-halves in Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja
Vidic, who were world class up until quite recently but who were dying
on their feet by the end of their United careers.United are
desperate for a player in that position who is of proven quality and
Hummels has been doing it for the last few years at Dortmund and showed
just how good he is at the World Cup.So far United have signed Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera. I must admit I do not know too much about Herrera but I'm not worried, like some, that he hasn't been capped by Spain. They have had an established midfield for a number of years and you are buying with potential in mind.Potential is
certainly something that United have bought with Luke Shaw but it is
hell of a lot of money to spend on just that. Two seasons at Southampton does not make you a proven Premier League star. Playing for a club of United's stature is a whole different matter.Players
with bigger reputations have jumped into the water at Old Trafford and
found they haven't had any armbands on and have sunk. There is no time
for him to settle, he needs to impress straight away.United definitely needed a left-back though and I feel they are right to get rid of Patrice Evra.
For the last few seasons he has been very poor defensively – he didn't
seem to have the same legs going backwards as he had going forwards.United are also looking for another central midfielder with lots of rumours about Arturo Vidal
but I also think they need to sign somebody who can provide width.
There are a few wide players at the club but they all lack consistency.
If you look at the recent World Cup, very few of the teams that did well
had much width in their side, but with the great United sides of the
past – width has always been very important.
LIVERPOOL – 10/1
Liverpool without Luis Suarez
look like a bit of a 'wait and see' project at the moment. Brendan
Rodgers has had mixed results in the transfer market: Iago Aspas was one
of the big signings last summer and he is already going back to Sevilla
on loan – he was hopeless.They
missed their golden opportunity to win the league so they are back in
rebuilding mode. They would like to qualify for the knockout stages of
the Champions League but I think their aim again should be to finish in
the top four even if that might be a little bit more difficult this time
out.The thing about Suarez
is they have not just lost their top scorer but also their top assists
man. His exit provides a real test for Rodgers, because people will
start to question him again now, and while he did fantastic last season,
they couldn't close out the league and he has to take his share of the
responsibility for that.Liverpool
fans are some of the best at appraising managers so they will be fair
with him and it will be interesting to see if Rodgers is brave enough to
continue with his high-tempo, pressing game without Suarez there.
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