Friday, August 13, 2010
Sports World |
| Posted: 13 Aug 2010 07:13 AM PDT The consensus that the 2010/11 season title race is wide open seems a little optimistic. Either Chelsea or Manchester United will surely win it again, so observers should really say that the battle for third and fourth is more competitive than it has been for over a decade. Tottenham are one of the clubs that should be involved in this scramble for Champions League places. Spurs successfully bridged the gap between themselves and Liverpool last term and the realistic goal this time around is to lay the demons of 2005/06 to rest and dislodge Arsenal from the long-standing elite. Manchester City, Everton and, notwithstanding an untimely managerial change, Aston Villa, will have the same aim and decent cases for each can be made. They have all been in the hunt for Champions League football in recent years. Liverpool will inevitably fare better with Roy Hodgson at the helm. City is particular seem ready for a better assault on the top four, but suspicion remains that they will be a disparate bunch of stars unaccustomed to the rigours of Premier League football. They need time to bed-in, a luxury Roberto Mancini does not have. I wouldn't risk a Premier League betting prediction to tip them to win the title. Despite this stiff competition, Harry Redknapp has barely added to his squad, acknowledging both the financial situation and the talent he has at his disposal. He knows Spurs have the ability to improve, with consistency the big objective. Another good cup run is obtainable - a semi final defeat to Portsmouth was an area of particular under-achievement - and the manager is right to aim high. You can bet on Premier League games being a big priority, though. Third place, a cup victory and Champions League group stage qualification might sound optimistic, but the ingredients are there for further improvement.  |
| Ferguson predicts huge top four battle Posted: 13 Aug 2010 01:16 AM PDT Sir Alex Ferguson thinks there will be a bigger battle to finish into the Premier League top four this season than there has been in many years. Last season saw Tottenham and Manchester City battle to finish in the Champions League qualification, a contest Spurs eventually won and left usual top four occupiers Liverpool further down the table. Veteran manager Ferguson has told United's website that the Premier League was "a different league" to what had been seen in recent seasons, as the title challengers lost more games than normal and there was a titanic battle to get into the top four. The Premier League 2010/11 betting certainly suggests it will be a close contest. He added that Manchester City's huge spending this summer, together with the improvements seen at Spurs, mean the traditional so-called big four face another huge battle this campaign to hold onto their dominance. "We all have to be aware of the threats from the likes of Villa, Everton, Tottenham and Manchester City - they'll all be challenging to get into that top four," Ferguson said. "Things definitely changed last season - it was a different league altogether compared to what we'd seen before. That's an indication of the improvement made by other teams, and I think there'll be a bit of a dogfight for the top four places this season." Ferguson has not spent big money improving his squad this summer, with Mexican striker Javier Hernandez the main pre-season signing. Few would place a football bet on him to be top scorer, but the signs are he could do well. The Mexican international scored as a substitute in the Community Shield and United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said Hernandez is "capable" of firing many goals this season to help his side wrestle the Premier League title back from Chelsea.  |
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