The Premier League has started. The big four - Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool - are looking for the title in this 2008-09 season. Which one will be the greatest amongst the great? Will the current champion be able to renew the title? Let us analyse the reigning title owner - Man U.
So what defines this season's Manchester United?
SIDE-KICK: Well, it is inevitable to mention Manchester United had an issue to resolve during pre-season: the Cristiano Ronaldo issue, that is. Does anyone really think this matter is over and resolved? No, not by far. And why? - would you ask. Quite simply because although he is still an MU player, his head is already be in Madrid, where the sun shines for the whole year (and I don't just mean the 9 months of the season...) There is so much to be said on this theme, I'll come back to this at a later opportunity, assuring you for now that we will all be debating this again soon.
RECYCLING IN-HOUSE TALENT: MU has since the end of last season failed to hire any new player into the club. But this doesn't mean everything is the same. Assuring the comeback of Fraizer Campbell who had been on loan to Hull City, MU has also promoted two of his young Brazilian players to the main squad: the twin brothers Fabio da Silva (left defender) and Rafael da Silva (right defender). About these two, Sir Alex Ferguson has said: they are sensational!
QUALITY AND STABILITY: We have all gotten used to MU's tactic of not hiring much - this is a team that distanciates itself from the rest for another reason: the stability of the coaching team (Sir Alex Ferguson, for one, has been in the club for over 20 years). And even assisting coach Carlos Queiroz’ move to head the Portuguese National Team, while it constitutes a great loss, shouldn't be enough to disturb this stability. In terms of hiring new players, the moto is less is more. As in, a small number of very good (and expensive) acquisitions who will add something (or a lot) of value of the squad, those types of players who will make the difference (like Totenham Hotspurs’ striker Dimitar Berbatov, rummored to be on his way to the club). Sometimes this is an investment - perhaps the player will not be an immediate success in their first year in the club, but you can safely bet this will eventually happen.
Whether or not this current state of affairs will be enough to ensure they retain the title, remains to be seen as the 08-09 Premier League unfolds.
August 16, 2008
