African Nations Cup 2012: The Favourites

A young girl holds aloft the African Nations Cup trophy

The 28th edition of the African Nations up kicks off in Bata Equatorial Guinea on the 21st of January 2012. The tournament is being co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea  and as usual it promises to be enthralling prospect. Millions of Africans both at home and in the diaspora will be watching with optimism, and a sense of anticipation as the continent's showpiece event gets underway.

Defending Champions Egypt failed to qualify for Gabon & Equatorial Guinea 2012.

The failure of continental giants Cameroon, Nigeria and defending champions Egypt to qualify for Gabon & Equatorial Guinea 2012, has left some fans wondering whether the quality of football will be affected by their absence. Their failure to qualify stunned many fans and football pundits alike, as the teams share a combined 13 Nations Cup titles between them. Nonetheless the show must go on, and there will be an abundance of talented footballers showcasing their skills in the pursuit of international football glory. Here is a look at the teams considered as favourties to be crowned Champions of Gabon & Equatorial Guinea 2012.

The Elephants of Ivory Coast
Winners: 1992   Runners-up 2006

Key Players: Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Gervinho (Arsenal), Cheick Tiote (Newcastle United), Kolo & Yahya Toure (Manchester City), Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow) and solomon Kalou (Chelsea)

The Ivorians possess one of the most talented squads on the continent, and they will be hoping the absence of Cameroon, Nigeria and Egypt further enhances their chance of winning the Nations Cup for only the second time in their footballing history. The Elephants last lifted the Nations Cup in 1992 when they defeated Ghana 11-10 on penalties in a quite remarkable final.

Can the Elephants succeed at Gabon & Equatorial Guinea 2012?

The last three editions (2006, 2008 & 2010) have seen the Elephants go into the tournaments as favourites only to disappoint their dedicated fans.  They lost 4-2 on penalties to Egypt at the final of the 2006 edition in Cairo, and the Egyptians were victorious two years later at the semifinals in Kumasi beating the Elephants 4-1. Their misery was further compounded by the 3-2 defeat at the hands of Algeria in Angola 2010.

The Ivorians will be led by their phenomenal captain Didier Drogba, a player who has twice won the English Premier League's Golden Boot for being the top goalscorer, and a two time African footballer of the year (2006 & 2009). In addition, he is also the all-time top goalscorer for the Ivory Coast with 50 goals. Drogba is one of several key players approaching the twilight of their careers. Players such as Kolo Toure, Arthur Boka, Didier Zokora, and Abdul Kader Keita might consider this to be the ideal opportunity to finally win a trophy at international level after the previous disappointments.

Didier Drogba is under pressure to finally deliver the Nations Cup

The Elephants possesses the requisite experience, players and the structure in place to mount a formidbale challenge at the Nations Cup. However the fact that they have failed to win the tournament despite being so close at the last three editions could ultimately prove to be a psychological barrier. They will look to Arsenla's Gervinho, Manchester City duo Kolo and Yahya Toure, and Newcastle United's Cheick Tiote among others to lead them to glory.

The Black Stars of Ghana
Winners: 1963, 1965, 1978 & 1982   Runners-up: 1968, 1970, 1992 &2010

Key Players: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Andre Ayew (Olympic Marseille), Kwado Asamoah, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu (Udinese), John Mensah (Lyon), Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan)


The Black Stars of Ghana will go into the tournament in confident mood after their heroics at the 2010 world cup in South Africa. They were only denied a historic semifinal place courtesy of a deliberate handball by Luis Suarez and Asamoah Gyan missing the subsequent penalty, devastating an entire continent.

Much is expected of the Black Stars of Ghana

Prior to the world cup in South Africa, the Black Stars had successfully reached the final of Angola 2010 despite having the tournament's youngest squad. However they lost the final 1-0 to defending champions Egypt who completed a hatrick of successive Nations Cup titles.

A true continental giant, they will be hoping to close the gap on Egypt by winning their fifth title having won the tournament on four previous occasions (1963, 1965, 1978 & 1982). The fact that they  last won the tournament almost 30 years ago will further enhance their determination to succeed.

Asamoah Gyan & Andre Ayew could be at the centre of Ghana's bid for glory

The Ghanaians are quite a formidable outfit and they will command huge respect among the other nations. The Black Stars would have been regarded as overwhelming favourites had it not been for their Achilles heel, in other words their lack of genuine goalscorers. The problems of converting chances could be eased by the inclusion of Olympic Marseille's explosive young forward Jordan Ayew. They will be hoping the likes of Asamoah Gyan, Marseille's inform youngsters Andre and Jordan Ayew (sons of the legendary former captain Abedi Pele) can provide the goals in their bid to win the Nations Cup.

The Lions of Terranga (Senegal)
Runners-up: 2002    Fourth place: 1965, 1990 & 2006

Key Players: Moussa Sow (Lille), Demba Ba (Newcastle United), Pipiss Demba Cisse (Wolfsburg), Dame Ndoye (FC Copenhagen), Souleymane Diawara (Olympic Marseille),  Mohamed Diame (Wigan Athletic)

In spite of the fact that both Ghana and the Ivory Coast are widely regarded as the favourites, one cannot entirely rule out the Senegalese. They have successfully replaced their golden generation of 2002 which included the likes of El Hajj Diouf, Khalilou Fadiga, and Henri Camara among others. The current crop of players appear to be talented, determined and consistent.

The Terranga Lions of Senegal can upset the odds

The Senegalese finished top of a group that involved Cameroon to qualify for Gabon & Equatorial Guinea 2012, and judging by the number of goals they scored in the qualifiers  (sixteen goals in six games) one can reasonably conclude that they will be extremely difficult opposition in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Newcastle's Demba Ba is just one of the talented strikers at Senegal's disposal

There is no shortage of quality in the Senegalese team and there will be a plethora of Senegalese attacking talents on show. Such is the vast array of strikers that coach Amara Traore faces a difficult decision in deciding his strike-paring. The list of strikers includes; Newcastle United's Demba Ba, Lille's Mousa Sow (topscorer in the French League 1 last season with 25 goals), Wolfsburg's Papiss Demba Cisse (25 goals in the Bundesliga last season), Dame Ndoye (25 goals in the Danish League, and has just been named as the footballer of the year in Denmark), Mahmadou Niang, Durmansy Kamara and Manchester United's Mame Biram Diouf.

The Black Stars of Ghana and The Elephants of the Ivory Coast must surely regard the Terranga Lions as not only a decent opposition, but genuine contenders. Nonetheless, the fact that Senegal have never won the Nations Cup could eventually raise a few question-marks, but one must acknowledge that  "there is a first time for everything." Furthermore, they will be under less pressure as the the Ivory Coast and Ghana are widely regarded as the teams to beat. Irrespective of the outcome of Gabon & Equatorial Guinea, the current crop of Terranga Lions could be around for years to come.

The Panthers of Gabon

The Panthers of Gabon
Quarterfinal: 1996 


Key Players: Pierre Aubameyang, Didier Ovono, Daniel Cousin

The inclusion of the Mambas of Gabon as one of the favourites to win the forthcoming Cup of Nations will be a surprise to many fans, as they are neither regarded as a continental power, nor are they exactly brimming with talented players. However, they do possess the desired coordination, work ethic and teamwork to succeed at this tournament, and the fact that they are the hosts provides them with the advantage of playing at home and being cheered by millions of enthusiastic Gabonese fans.

Gabon's Pierre Aubameyang could be one to watch at the 2012 Nations Cup

While the players of the Mambas are not as well-known as their counterparts from Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal, they do possess a significant threat going forward with Pierre Aubameyang being their talisman. Goalkeeper Didier Ovono can often be an inspirational captain, while the experienced Daniel Cousin can be a vital strike partner for Aubameyang. With the exception of the 1996 African Nations Cup where they reached the quarterfinals, the Mambas have failed to progress beyond the group stage at the Nations Cup. Nonetheless, the current side can be a match for most teams on home soil, and should they get to the semifinals then they will fancy their chances of causing a major upset.


There are other nations with an outside chance of at least competing for the trophy such as Mali, Morocco and to some extent Guinea, but one does not realistically expect them to win the tournament. Morocco have always flattered to deceive at the Nations Cup, although they have the players to reach the latter stages.

Mali still posess some talented players such as Mahamadou Diarra, Momo Sissoko and Barcelona's Seydou Keita, but lack the required team-spirit to succeed at this tournament. Guinea will also fancy their chances of causing an upset having prevented the Super Eagles of Nigeria from qualifying for this Nations Cup. Regardless of the outcome of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea 2012, it is bound to be an enthralling tournement once again.

Wenger Refuses To Learn From Past Mistakes

When Arsenal were hammered 8-2 at Old Trafford, many fans laid the blame on both Wenger and the Arsenal Board for not strengthening the team in the wake of high profile departures. Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Emmanuel Eboue all departed for new challenges, leaving the Gunners lacking  strength in depth in their squad.

Arsene Wenger's team has been in good form

As a result, the Gunners had a terrible start to the season losing four of their first seven Premier League games. Wenger tried to rectify the situation following the humiliating result at Old Trafford by making several new signings; Mikel Arteta from Everton, Andre Santos from Fenerbahce, Park Chu Young from Monaco, Per Mertesaker from Werder Bremen, and Yossi Benayoun on loan from Chelsea.

These signings seemed to have galvanised the team as the Gunners have gone on a brilliant run, winning nine of their last eleven games. Robin Van Persie has been at the centre of the rejuvenated Arsenal. His goal against West Brom was his eigth goal in his last four Premier League games, and he has also scored 29 league goals in 2011.

Van Persie's importance cannot be overstated as it would appear the team has relied solely on him for goals. The 0-0 home draw against Marseille further illustrated the importance of this mercurial talent, as the Gunners failed to sparkle until his arrival. Nonetheless he could not change the result as Didier Deschamp's side held out for a well earned point.

Van Persie has been in outstanding form

In spite of his brilliant form this season, it is worth noting that Van Persie's time at the Emirates has often been blighted by injuries. The fact that the team now emphatically rely on his match winning exploits should not only be a cause of celebration among the Arsenal fans, but it must also be a cause for concern. One does not wish an injury on such a talented player, but judging by his injury record, it is quite astonishing that Wenger has not signed an adequate replacement should Van Persie's injury jinx strike yet again.

Chamakh has failed to replicate the form he showed at Bordeaux

Marouane Chamakh, a player devoid of form and confidence appears to be Van Persie's immediate replacement. Since joining Arsenal, he has struggled to replicate the form he showed at Bordeaux . The Gunners are expected to challenge on four fronts this season and an injury to the Dutch striker could ruin the season and compound Arsenal to yet another trophy-less campaign. However the situation can be rectified by Wenger bringing out the chequebook and signing a competent centre-forward to either play alongside Van Persie or replace him in the event of an injury.

Thomas Vermaelen has been plagued by injuries since joining Arsenal

Successive Arsenal campaigns have been ruined by injuries to key players, and these injuries have been a factor (although not the only factor) in Arsenal finishing the last six seasons without a trophy. For instance, they struggled for long periods without a competent replacement for Thomas Vermaelen.

However it must be emphasised that clubs of this magnitude are expected to cope with injuries to key players, as it is part and parcel of the game, especially when one takes into account the long and arduous English football season. The lack of a winter break means clubs are expected to assemble huge squads to cope with such eventualities. Arsenal's failure to sign competent replacements has been a crucial factor in their struggle to even challenge for the Premier League.

In a separate development, it would appear Van Persie's contract is running out, and the striker has decided to delay contracts talks until the summer. His contract expires in June 2013, meaning he will be contracted to the Gunners for just one year at the end of this season.

Samir Nasri moved from Arsenal to Manchester City

A similar situation occurred when Samir Nasri was allowed to run-down his contract to just one year, and he ended up joining Man City. Surely one would have expected Wenger to learn from past mistakes and make it a club policy that players will not be allowed to run-down their contracts to just one year, as it puts the club in an increasingly difficult position, where they will either have to sell the player, or watch him leave for free at the end of his contract.

The departure of the highly rated Flamini to AC Milan on a  free transfer further illustrates the dangers in allowing players run down their contracts. Arsenal could have made a significant sum of money, had he been sold, but the failure of club in taking control of the situation resulted in the departure of such a  competent player on a Bosman free transfer.

While the Arsenal fans continue to demonstrate their trust in Wenger, his failure to sign adequate replacements coupled with his failed transfer policy has severely hindered the chances of Arsenal ending their trophy jinx in the near future. England's third most successful club with 13 league titles (behind Manchester United, 19, &Liverpool, 18) will not be content with just finishing fourth and qualifying for the Champions League. Surely the objective must be winning trophies and unless Wenger learns from his past mistakes, the Arsenal fans might just start losing faith in his ability to turn things round. It remains to be seen whether Arsenal's season will crumble yet again because of injuries and Wenger's failure to sign adequate replacements.

Are We Witnessing A Shift In The Balance of Power in African Football?

The qualification stages for the forthcoming 2012 African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea have finally been concluded, and we now know the teams that will be participating. While there are new debutants Botswana and Niger, it is the failure of the traditional powers Egypt, Cameroon and Nigeria that has sent shockwaves around the continent. 


The failure of these teams to qualify for the 2012 Cup of Nations has led to widespread discussions, specifically relating to whether the balance of power is shifting on the continent, or as some have claimed, it is an isolated incident aided by poor organisation and lack of planning by the failed giants of African football.


Egypt
Egypt's failure to qualify for the 2012 Cup of Nations stunned many football fans and pundits worldwide. The Egyptians have had remarkable success on the continent's most prestigious football tournament. Prior to the 2012 qualifiers, the Pharaohs had never failed to qualify for the Nations Cup in their entire football history. In addition, they had won the last three editions of the Nations Cup (2006, 2008 & 2010), brushing aside the likes of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and the Ivory Coast, making them the most successful team at the nations cup with 7 titles (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010).

Egypt failed to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup

However the failure of the legendary coach, Hassan Shehata to rebuild an ageing team, coupled with the political unrest that had erupted in Cairo appeared to have cost Egypt the chance of defending their title. Egypt had an ageing squad comprising Essam El-Hadary , 38,  Mohamed Aboutrika, 32, Wael Gomaa, 36, among others. Shehata also failed to build his team around the brilliant and much younger Mahmoud Shikabala, the most inform player in the Egyptian league at the time. 

Legendary Egyptian coach Hassan Shehata paid the price for Egypt's failure to qualify for the Nations Cup

He decided to stick with the old guard who had been remarkably successful during his tenure as coach of the Pharaohs, and they finished bottom of a group that comprised Niger, South Africa and Sierra Leone, with just a solitary win. The political unrest which culminated in the resignation of long term president Hosni Mubarak further destablised the Pharaohs, as the league and other football activities were suspended. Nonetheless, Shehata has paid the price for their failure to qualify and a new coach will be at the helm as the rebuilding process gets underway.

Cameroon
In relation to Cameroon, many issues have been raised regarding their failure to qualify, such as poor organisation, lack of unity among the players, corruption in the administration of Cameroonian football, Eto'o being given preferential treatment, and finally the fact that Cameroon were battling with Senegal for a place at the Nations Cup. Senegal is also an established team on the continent and many teams would have found it difficult winning a group that involved the Senegalese.

Cameroon failed to qualify for 2012 Nations Cup

While the role of corruption is widely acknowledged in Cameroonian football, the impact of the lack of unity and infighting among the players cannot be underestimated. World renowned superstar and Cameroon's most influential player Samuel Eto'o was at the centre of various controversies. Firstly, he reportedly clashed with Arsenal's Alex Song at the 2010 world cup, and then the pair were involved in yet another dispute during camping for their decisive qualifier against Senegal in Yaounde. Song had refused to shake hands with Eto'o as he was still upset over the previous clash. 

Samuel Eto'o was involved in various controversies

The Indomitable Lions that went on to draw what was widely described as "a must win" game, with Eto'o missing an 87th minute penalty that was awarded in controversial circumstances. During the match Eto'o had appeared to prevent coach Javier Clemente from making a substitution. He was charged with indiscipline and missing a training session, but was subsequently cleared by the Cameroon Football Federation. 


While the Cameroonians pick up the pieces and try to rebuild the Indomitable Lions once again, many questions will be raised as to whether the phenomenal Samuel Eto'o should retire from international football and give the younger players a chance to make their mark.  It will be increasingly difficult to curb the influence of such an enigmatic player, without upsetting him. There will be a new coach in charge of the Indomitable Lions after coach Javier Clemente was sacked following the team's failure to qualify for Gabon & Equatorial Guinea 2012.


Nigeria
The Super Eagles of Nigeria went into their final qualifier against Guinea in Abuja needing a win to seal their place at Gabon and Equatorial Guinea 2012. Unlike Cameroon and Egypt, they went into their final group game with a chance of qualifying for the tournament. In spite of the match being played in Abuja, the Super Eagles still conspired to concede a stoppage time equaliser, sending shockwaves around the football world.  

The Super Eagles will not be at Gabon and Equatorial Guinea 2012

Various factors can be attributed to the failure of the Super Eagles, such as lack of discipline among the players, tactical errors, and in some cases coach Samson Siasia being too heavy-handed with the players, thereby affecting results in crucial matches. Following the departure of the much criticised Lars Lagerback, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) appointed former player Samson Siasia as the coach of the Super Eagles. The NFF appeared to be under pressure in making the appointment as Siasia was immensely popular and the preferred candidate of many Nigerians.


Siasia had succeeded in his previous engagements managing Nigeria's youth teams. He won the African Youth Championship in 2005, and also reached the final of the 2005 World Youth Championship, losing 2-1 to a Messi inspired Argentina. He then managed the Nigerian team at the 2008 Olympics in Bejing and yet again lost in the final to an Argentina team involving Messi. He was widely regarded by some of his most vocal fans as "the saviour of Nigerian football", as a result of his meticulous preparations before matches.


However, clashes with key experienced players such as Odemwingie and Enyeama proved decisive in his failure to succeed with the Super Eagles. He left out Westbrom's Peter Odemwingie for the crucial qualifier in Addis Ababa, which astonishingly ended 2-2. Nigeria needed a late equaliser from Joseph Yobo to salvage a point. He also dropped goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama for the decisive game against Guinea in Abuja, which also ended 2-2, and many fans blamed the replacement goalkeeper Dele Ayenugba for conceding a late equaliser which they believed he should have saved. His decision to replace Inter Milan's Joel Obi when Nigeria were leading 2-1 also raised further questions regarding his tactical competence. While some have defended Siasia's ultra disciplinary methods, others have questioned the wisdom in leaving out his key players for absolutely crucial matches.

Samson Siasia was sacked by the NFF

Nevertheless, the NFF fired Siasia for failing to qualify for the nations cup, and former Super Eagles captain Stephen Keshi has been appointed as the new coach of the Super Eagles. He is expected to embark on the difficult task of rebuilding the Super Eagles, and qualify for both the 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa, and the 2014 world cup in Brazil.

Despite Egypt, Cameroon and Nigeria failing to qualify for the forthcoming Nations Cup, Ghana and the Ivory Coast both qualified and are widely regarded as favourites to be crowned as champions in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. The Black Stars' qualification was secured in their final qualifier in Khartoum where they beat Sudan 2-0. Prior to kick-off, both Ghana and Sudan had 13 points a piece, and many will point to the fact that Sudan pushed the in-form Ghanaians all the way as further evidence of a shift in the balance of power in African football.

While it is difficult to emphatically state that the balance of power is shifting on the continent, it can be acknowledged that the gap between the traditional powers (such as Egypt, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria) and the other nations is closing. Other less traditional footballing nations have invested in football academies and the influx of agents seeking to get players on the cheap has also increased the chances of smaller nations exporting players to the top European leagues. One can only hope that while the traditional football nations continue their rebuilding process, the gap will be closed even further thereby leading to an increase in competition among the African nations.

Manchester United 1 Manchester City 6: The Man City Homecoming

Manchester City have beaten Manchester United 6-1 in an astonishing game at Old Trafford. Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko both scored a brace, with further goals from Aguero and Silva completing a humiliating result for the Premier League Champions. Darren Fletcher scored a brilliant consolation goal for Manchester United, while Jonny Evans was sent off earlier in the second half.

A happy Roberto Mancini at Old Trafford

In his pre-match press conference, City's manager Roberto Mancini had stated  that Sir Alex Fergusson is 'a teacher' and he is learning from him. But on the evidence of today's performance, one might be forgiven for thinking Mancini was the 'teacher' and Fergie 'the pupil'. It was such a comprehensive defeat that Darren Feltcher's outstanding consolation goal will hardly be remembered by the United faithful.

The red card shown to Jonny Evans was a factor in the result with Mancini acknowledging that ''after the sending off it was easier', but the fact remains that City were playing very well and looked the better and more dangerous side. Wing backs Micah Richards and Gael Clichy joined the attack at every opportunity, while Balotelli and Aguero looked dangerous throughout he match. However the mercurial David Silva looked unstoppable at times. His brilliant mind and quick feet proved too much for the United defenders who sometimes appeared to be clueless and had no way of stopping the phenomenal Spaniard.

David Silva was unstoppable at Old Trafford

The City of Manchester has been engulfed in a fierce rivalry for over a century. It has been  a city divided between the fans of Manchester United (The Reds) and Manchester City (The Blues), but it was the Blue half of Manchester that will be celebrating a well deserved win. They answered all questions and brushed aside a United team that had won a record nineteen consecutive league games at Old Trafford and had been unbeaten so far this season. Surely Sir Alex will now regard City not only as title contenders, but as a formidable outfit.

Sir Alex Ferguson  faces a new challenge from "The Noisy Neighbours"

While City march on aiming for glory on four fronts, Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to reflect on his team's performance and pick up the pieces. There is no doubting the fact that he will accept the challenge of silencing the team he described last season as "The Noisy Neighbours." Throughout his career he has risen up to various challenges; such as Keegan's Newcastle, Wenger's Arsenal, a resurgent and super-rich Chelsea, and finally overhauling Liverpool's previous record of eighteen league titles.

Fergie will take courage from the fact that on the two previous occasions United suffered such humiliating Premier League defeats, they went on to win the Premier League. Manchester United were comprehensively beaten 5-0 by Newcastle in 1996, and also lost 5-0 to Chelsea in 1999, but won the league on both occasions. However there's no denying the fact that the day belong to Manchester City, the team described by Sir Alex Ferguson as "The Noisy Neighbours", and one can now expect the noise coming from the Blue half of Manchester to reach a crescendo.

The Premier League Favourites

Manchester United players celebrate winning their 19th league title.

The new Premier League season kicks off on the 14^th August and millions of fans all around the world are looking forward to the new season with much optimism and anticipation. The start of the world’s most expensive league had been in the doubt following days of riots in London. However the police seem to have nipped any trouble in the bud, and the new football season can now get underway.

The curtain raiser (Community Shield) produced an enthralling match as Manchester United defeated Manchester City 3-2, in an all out attacking display that has become synonymous with the Premier League over the years.

Sir Alex Ferguson demonstrated he is still the master of comebacks (with United coming back from two goals down to score three unanswered goals in the second half), but City once again declared their intentions to challenge for major honours this season. They scored two goals even without the controversial but talented Carlos Tevez, and new marquee signing Sergio Aguero. Both teams alongside Chelsea are widely expected to be in the thick of the battle for the Premier League this season.

Here is a look at the favourites to win this season's Premier League and those expected to finish in the top four.


Manchester United (The Defending Champions)

The current champions Manchester United are considered as favourites in many quarters and justifiably so. They have won an astonishing four Premier League titles in the last five years, and they look a sure bet to win another title.

Sir Alex Ferguson takes a bow after yet another successful season

Sir Alex Ferguson has embarked on a summer rebuilding campaign, following the retirement of Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Edwin Van Der Saar, which culminated in the signing of Phil Joes, Ashley Young and David De Gea.

There is now tremendous strength and depth at Manchester United, and judging by their second half demolition of Man City, one can only admire at the brilliance of the young players (Cleverly, Welbeck, Smalling, Jones & Evans among others).

New signings L-R: Phil Jones, David De Gea and Ashley Young

Fergie has once again found adequate replacements for his ageing stars, and United seem to have the right mixture of youth and experience at Old Trafford. It will take a brave individual to bet against them retaining their title and being crowned English champions for the 20th time. They are the favourites, but anything can happen in football.

Predicted League Position: 1st. They are expected to retain the title.

Chelsea

The arrival of Roman Abramovich heralded a new era at Chelsea and the club has experienced the most successful period in its history. In addition they have been the closest challengers to Manchester United over the last seven seasons, winning three Premier League titles.

Abramovich has invested vast sums of money and transformed the fortunes of a club that had only one English league title prior to his arrival. However, the fact that Chelsea only won one Premier League title in the last five seasons tells its own story.

They finished last season as the closet challengers to Manchester United, and Abramovich wielded the axe as Carlo Ancelotti (a coach who won the Premier League and FA Cup double in his debut season) was replaced by the young and relatively inexperienced Andre Villas-Boas.

New Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is the Premier League's youngest manager at 33

Villas-Boas' first major signing is the teenage Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, and talks to sign Luka Modric appeared to have stalled, but Chelsea have maintained their interest in Modric and attempts are being made to push through the transfer.  There is an ageing squad at Chelsea with eight players being 30 years or older. The players in question includes; Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Yossi Benayoun, Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, Paolo Ferreira, John Terry and Nicolas Anelka. 

Surely one would have expected Villas-Boas to bring in  more players with emphasis on youth in a bid reduce the average age of the squad. He is under pressure as Abramovich has shown his ruthlessness in the past by sacking Mourinho, Grant, Scolari and Ancelotti. Fernando Torres will also be under pressure to finally start scoring and justify his £50 million transfer fee.

Torres had a torrid time at Chelsea last season

Winning the Premier League will be a difficult task for such an ageing squad especially with the absence of a winter break in England. It remains to be seen whether the current Chelsea squad can mount a challenge on four fronts (Premier League. FA Cup, Carling Cup & Champions League) this season. They could nonetheless finish yet again as runners up to Manchester United.

Predicted Position: 2nd. They might finish as runners up yet again.

Manchester City

Sir Alex Ferguson described Man City as "the noisy neighbours", and judging by their performances last season (finishing third and winning the FA, knocking out Man United in the process), these noisy neighbours intend to be around for a very long time.

Armed with the riches of Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, City are now being regarded as genuine title contenders. They have assembled a hugely talented squad, and some of their unwanted stars (such as Adebayor and Bellamy) could make the starting team of most Premier League clubs.

The arrival of Sergio Aguero reduces the goal-scoring burden of the controversial Carlos Tevez. Aguero is widely considered as a direct replacement for Tevez who was one the verge of joining Brazilian outfit Corinthians before they ran out of time, as the South American transfer window shut. 

New signing Sergio Aguero is expected to replace Carlos Tevez

Italian giants Inter Milan have also been credited with having an interest in signing Tevez, and with the transfer window still open, he could yet make the move to the San Siro.

Mancini is under immense pressure to challenge for the Premier League title. The expectations at the City of Manchester Stadium have almost reached crescendo, and the long suffering fans can finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is under immense pressure to challenge for honours this season

Despite of their massive spending power, the City fans still had to watch as Manchester United won a record 19^th League title and progressed to the Champions League final, losing 3-1 to Barcelona at Wembley. They are widely expected to mount a serious title challenge, although winning the league might just elude them this season.

Predicted Position: 3rd

Arsenal

These are turbulent times at the Emirates as the Arsenal have now gone six successive seasons without winning a trophy. Their troubles were further compounded as they conspired to lose the Carling Cup final to Birmingham, following some uncharacteristic errors and an apparent lack of communication between Laurent Koscielny and Wojciech Szczęsny.

Arsene Wenger was feeling the stress last season

The decisions of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasry to leave the Emirates further increases the anxiety of the Arsenal fans, and some of them are not only criticising Wenger, but surprisingly calling for his resignation.

Wenger is without doubt Arsenal’s most successful manager. Since his appointment in 1997, he has won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four FA Community Shields and lead Arsenal to both the UEFA Cup and Champions League finals. 

Wenger’s resume is quite impressive, but his failure to win a trophy in the last 6 seasons, coupled with his stubborn insistence on continuing a failed youth policy has tested even the most ardent and loyal Arsenal fans. The usually popular phrases such as “Arsene Knows” and “In Arsene We Trust” now rank hollow as some Arsenal fans now view Wenger with repugnant indignation.

Do the Arsenal fans still trust Wenger?

There is no doubting the fact that the current Arsenal squad is in dire need of some new signings.  A well established centre-back, a holding/defensive midfielder and a striker could assist in creating balance and offering some much needed competition for places.

Arsenal fans have had to watch Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool all strengthen their squads this summer, while they have to make do with Gervinho (a talented Ivorian signed for £11 million), and two teenagers; Carl Jenkinson (signed for £1million) and  Alex Chamberlain (signed for £15 million). 

New Arsenal signing Gervinho

Arsenal are being linked with a host of talented players, with the imminent departure of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. Andrew Ayew, Jadson, Willian, Gary Cahill, Christopher Samba, Phil Jagielka, Juan Mata, and Eden Hazard among others.

Whether or not these transfers materialise remains to be seen, but it is imperative that the Gunners bring out the chequebook if they are to challenge for the title or even maintain their position in the top four.

Predicted position: 4th. They will face a huge fight to finish in the top four unless they make the requisite signings.

Whatever the outcome at the end of the season, it is bound to be another exciting and action-packed season.

Replacing The "Irreplaceable" Paul Scholes

Sir Alex Ferguson faces the unenviable task of replacing Paul Scholes. The Manchester United legend  ended an immaculate career on a less than fruitful note following the 3-1 defeat to Barcelona at Wembley.

Paul Scholes

United struggled for large parts of the game and the absence of a genuine attacking midfielder was evident as Xavi and Iniesta ran rings around the United midfield, while Carrick and Giggs struggled to maintain the little possession they could muster.

Therefore Fergie made finding a replacement for Scholes his number one priority this summer. However, the fact that three signings  (Phil Jones, Ashley Young and David De Gea) have already been made for a combined £50 million, with none of them an attacking midfielder, has left the fans wondering whether an attacking midfielder was really Fergie's summer transfer priority.

Paul Scholes was such an important player to Manchester United that Fergie declared that he is "Irreplaceable ." While one acknowledges that replacing a player with such extraordinary talent, vision and elegance can be an extremely difficulty task, it is not entirely impossible. Here is an insight into possible replacements for Scholes:

Wesley Sneijder

Wesley Sneijder

Fergie could go for a stellar signing and Wesley Sneijder perfectly fits the bill. He was instrumental in Jose Mourinho's incredibly successful Inter Milan team, and he replicated his outstanding form for the Netherlands at the 2010 world cup in South Africa scoring 5 goals.


He is energetic, possesses good range of passing and phenomenal shooting ability. Furthermore he has a very good record in big games and could just be the man to replace Scholes.


However, he is believed to be on an astonishing "£250,000 a week contract" and any deal will require intense negotiations, as Sneijder will cost upwards of £30 million. His age could also be a hindrance  as he has little or no re-sale value at 27. The chances of Fergie signing him appear to be dwindling every day.

Javier Pastore

Javier Pastore

In the event of any deal for Sneijder failing to materialise, Fergie could turn to Javier Pastore. The young Argentine had a brilliant season for Palermo finishing last season as the club's leading scorer in Serie A with 11 goals.


Pastore possess good range of passing, can dribble and score goals as a result of his usually well-timed runs into the opponents box.


Interestingly, Palermo's club president Maurizio Zamparini has emphatically stated that Pastore will only leave Palermo for £45 million, although at 22years old, he does have re-sale value unlike Sneijder.



Marek Hamsik

Marek Hamsik

Napoli's talented attacking midfielder could yet be another option for Fergie. 


He was instrumental for Napoli last season and his passing and vision made him a target for some of Europe's great clubs such as Milan, Inter and Juventus.


Napoli's president Aurelio De Laurentiis is adamant that any potential bidder for Hamsik will have to meet his £85 million valuation. In spite of Hamsik being only 23, Fergie will most certainly be reluctant to meet De Lautentis' valuation.

Eden Hazard

Eden Hazard
Fergie could also turn to the outstanding Eden Hazard. He is  reportedly being monitored by Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and Arsenal. Hazard had a brilliant season playing a crucial role for Lille as they won both the French League and French Cup in a remarkable season. Furthermore he was named as League 1 player of the year 2011, and he was also awarded the young player of the year in 2009 and 2010.

Hazard possesses good dribbling ability, good range of passing and excellent vision. He is a player of enormous potential and the fact that he is only 20, means he could be an outstanding signing. Fergie could face huge competition should he decide to go for Hazard.

Yoann Gourcuff

Yoann Gourcuff
Gourcuff was such a highly rated player when he first burst unto the scene that he was being compared with the legendary Zinedine Zidane.

Milan hurriedly snapped him up, although he spent most of his time on the bench due to the brilliance of Kaka. 


He then moved to Bordeaux where he rejuvenated his career and helped them win the French League, and French cup. He is experienced and is very adept at dead ball situations. 

Paulo Henrique Ganso

Paulo Henrique Ganso
The Santos attacking midfielder is highly rated in Brazil and speculation is rife that he could be on his way to Old Trafford for a reported £25 million.

He is widely regarded as the best attacking midfielder in Brazil and is expected to play a crucial role for the Selecao when they host the 2014 world cup. 

Bastian Schweinsteiger

Bastian Schweinsteiger
Fergie could also opt for the mercurial Bastian Schweinsteiger. He has been known to be an admirer of this phenomenal German midfielder. A proven winner at Bayern, Schweinsteiger could prove to be another stellar signing and most importantly, he will be more affordable than Sneijder. 


Alternatively Fergie could look inwards and promote some of his young guns. This could be an opportunity for the likes of Tom Cleverly (back from his loan spell at Wigan) or the promising Ravel Morrison. 


While one cannot deny the importance of the legendary Paul Scholes to Manchester United, it can be argued that there are other capable alternatives as stated above. The signing of an attacking midfielder is vital, as failure to adequately replace Paul Scholes could result in another "deja vu" should United come up against Barca next season.