Only one of the teams that finished 11th through 15th last season showed an improvement on the previous season. Even then, Fulham could only look to an improvement of one place from 13th to 12th and that was not a true reflection of a season where the relegation zone was a constant threat.
Everton fans will be hoping that the pattern of David Moyes’ four full seasons in charge continue. It has been a yo-yo existence 2003 – 7th, 2004 - 17th, 2005 – 4th and last season 11th. Moreover, given a much-improved second half to last season the indications are that it could mean that Everton is again challenging for a top 10 spot. Last season the goal-scoring department at Goodison was simply woeful with only 34 goals – a record club low – in the 38 Premiership games. It would have been substantially less if James Beattie had not started hitting the target in December. He finished with ten goals and finally showed why David Moyes had splashed out a club record fee to sign him in January 2005.
Now Beattie will be partnered with the club’s new record signing Andy Johnson. For $17m, Everton has a lightning quick main striker who should be good for 15 goals this season. Over the last decade, the best has been Kevin Campbell’s even dozen in the 1999/2000 season.
After arriving on loan from Manchester United Tim Howard will be looking to take Nigel Martyn’s starting position between the sticks although the sometimes-bumbling Richard Wright will be hoping for the same thing. The signing of Joleon Lescott from Wolves will bolster the back four with the biggest doubt being Lescott’s dodgy knees. If he avoids injury, Lescott could turn out to be a snip at $9m.
Fulham’s manager Chris Coleman will again be one of the favourites to be the first manager sacked once the season is underway. He came under severe pressure last season as the Cottagers spend much of the season flirting with relegation. For the second straight season, it was Fulham’s inability to keep the ball out of their net that caused a problem.
Over their first three seasons in the Premiership Fulham conceded 44, 50, and 46 goals. Over the last two seasons, the total has grown to 60 and last season 58. To date is difficult to see how Coleman intends to plug his leaky back four. Twenty-year-old central defender Gabriel Zakuani has been signed from Leyton Orient while last week Frank Queudre arrived from Boro to compete for the left back position. Jimmy Bullard will add something to the Fulham midfield but without a solid defense, it might be another season spent eyeing the Premiership trap door.
Alan Curbishley has moved on from the Valley leaving Ian Dowie the challenge of getting more out a Charlton squad that seems stuck in mid-table purgatory. The last six seasons have seen league placings of 9, 14, 12, 7, 11, and 13. Relegation rarely a concern; Europe a win or two too far.
Dowie might be able to coax some exceptional performances out of the squad early on but at the end of the day, it is likely to be the same old mid-table finish. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink continues his multi-season run to retirement after being released by Boro while American Cory Gibbs will get a chance to improve a defense that tended at times to fall apart last season. Eleven times Charlton conceded three or more goals in a game.
Middlesbrough is another club under new management as Gareth Southgate moves from the centre of the defense to the manager’s office. On the face of it Southgate would appear to have the makings o####ood manager – articulate, knowledgeable, and with solid international experience. The problem with throwing him into the deep end is if he falters early on, it may prove to be terminal. Boro continue to be linked with central defenders and it seems certain that at least one will arrive before the kick off to the season.
Chairman Steve Gibson has invested millions in the youth academy and there are signs that the investment is ready to pay off with a steady stream of youngsters ready to make the next big step. It is interesting to note that in the last game of the 2005/06 season Boro fielded the first all-English Premiership starting line-up since Bradford in December 1999 and the first all-English squad since Villa the season previous.
It will not have escaped the notice of City fans that the form exhibited by the blue team of Manchester from Christmas onwards was horrible. In fact, if the season had started at Christmas Manchester City would have been relegated. Over the close season, the City of Manchester Stadium has seen 16 players either arrive or leave. As well, manager Stuart Pearce has been able to sign youngsters Joey Barton and Micah Richards to long-term deals.
The arrival of Didi Hamann on a multi-year deal will help solidify the midfield and probably allow Pearce to rotate the German with Claudio Reyna. The much-traveled French midfielder Ousmane Dabo is another addition although City fans have a right to be skeptical of foreign signings given their relatively poor track record of the years. Bernardo Corradi also fits that bill although the former Lazio and Valencia man is a big powerful forward who has in the past, worked his butt off.
Ok this one is for the way forward, those of you who need to still vent (and having gone through this a number of times there is nothing wrong with you continuing to vent) can continue on the inquest blog.
Consider the age of the spine of this squad - up the middle in other words.
Keller (36); Pope (32) & Onyewu (24): Mastroeni (31) & Reyna (33); McBride (34).
If you go back through teams that do well at World Cups the core of the teams is usually between 25 and 29. Clearly this USA team that is beyond its shelf-life and has to be re-built.
I thought that the Donovan, Beasley age-type players would step up but they didn't but I don't think it makes a lot of sense dumping these players given that the next WC should see them at their peak.
Two bad goals to conceed actually three bad goals.
Rather than beating about the bush I think that Reyna going off is a positive. He is a very good player but his strength is slowing the game down and spreading the play - for Man City in the Premiership his is a great strength because of the frantic pace of the game there.
At this World Cup it has been to the detriment of the US. The US has some quick players but when Reyna slows the game down it allows the opposition to regroup and the advantage in a change of possession is lost.
If it was a penalty should the referee not have sent Onyewu off? Last man back? I think there are a lot of people questioning the penalty call but who can honestly say that they don't hold their breathe everytime the ball goes close to the big centre back?
I think there are goals left in this game.
The Italians are doing their bit - now it is up to the US.
Arena has to get a players or players forward to support McBride.
Without a threat over the top the Ghana defense can't be kept "honest".
Interesting choice by Arena. What do you think - Eddie Lewis wide on the left in midfield and Beasley up front with McBride? Reyna as the holding midfielder? Back four is not a surprise.
Watch out for Derek Boateng who has come in for Muntari. He was highly touted as a youngster and looked good when he came in against the Czechs.
Twenty minutes left and the Czech's have this one in hand. Eddie Johnson shows some life with a shot that goes wide.
A flowing move from the USA at last. They move the ball quickly and Convey puts in a cross that Cech gathers. Josh Wolff on but not before Rosicky gets his second and the Czech's third. At least Arsenal fans will be happy. McBride leaves the game - he has received no support whatsoever.
Johnson with another effort - he's playing his way into the starting line-up against Italy.
There as a huge gulf between the Czech Republic and the USA today.
Man of the match - Tomas Rosicky.
Player ratings
Keller – No chance with any of the three goals. 6
Cherundolo (sub 45) –A tactical substitution but the full back rarely got forward in the first half to support the attack. 4
Onyewu – He took an earlier booking and was guilty of a poor clearance that dropped to Rosicky for the second goal. 4
Pope – He did not look to smart on the first goal but it was wicked cross to deal and Koller added a little nudge. Pope adapted well to a back three in the second half. 5
Lewis – For a defender to be caught so badly out of position five minutes into a game is a cardinal sin. Lewis never looked comfortable all game. 2
Beasley – Was he playing? It was a bad day to try out the Harry Potter invisibility cloak. How he stayed on the field, I do not know. 1
Reyna – The captain battled away but his promptings did not receive much support. 6
Mastroeni (sub 45) – He was a victim of the half time situation and found himself sacrificed for a more creative player. 5
Donovan – He flitted in and out of the game. 3
Convey – He did not hide but he did not contribute much either. When he found himself in good wide positions, he failed to deliver quality crosses. 3
McBride (sub 77) – He should be able to sue for lack of support. Big Brian was isolated all game although his first touch was poor. 4
Substitutes;
Johnson (on 46) – When he came on he added a drive to the US game that had not existed previously. He has surely played his way onto the starting line-up against Italy on Saturday. 6
O’Brien (on 46) – He looked badly short of match practice and never made a telling contribution. 3
Brian McBride isn't in this game. When the ball is played up to him his first touch has been poor and that means he is unable to bring the other US players into the game.
A killer goal from Rosicky a poor clearing header from Onyewu drops to him. Reyna can't close him down quickly enough and the Arsenal player scores an absolute cracker. Apart from the two defnsive mistakes the US isn't playing bad football - just very ineffective football.
Nice and pretty but very predictable. Koller goes down holding his hamstring and he will be out of the game. This could have reprecussions in game 2, 3 and possibly later. A big blow to the Czech's WC hopes. Czech team size drops 2 inches as 6' 5" Vratislav Lovenc (Salzburg) replaces him.
Half time - USA needs to provide Brian McBride with some support and the team needs to be balanced. There is no natural width on the right hand side and with Nedved playing inside there is no reason why the USA can't make inroads down that side.
The US has settled into the game but has yet to make an impression on the Czech defense. Czech marking is excellent and they are not giving the US time on the ball.
The USA needs to get the ball wide where Convey and Beasley can use their speed. Reyna is beginning to get time on the ball and to dictate the play. Nedved is playing a more central midfield role than we see him play with Juventus.
When the Czech's get the ball they are playing at a higher tempo. The US is not able to use any speed adavantage because of a slower build-up.
Reyna's shot hits the post at the end of a better move. The ball was moved quickly and the shot was an inch or two out. Cech well beaten.
Thirty minutes in and if you were marking a score card I would say that the US has come back to match the Czechs.
It looks as if both sides have opted for a 4-5-1. Bruce Arena has made sure he has got some real pace in the line up with Convey, Donovan, and Beasley.
Key match-ups; Onyewu vs. Koller; McBride vs. Ujfalusi; Nedved vs. Mastroeni; Reyna vs. Rosicky; Convey or Beasley vs. Grygera
We are off. Beasley lines up on the right side which puts him up against a very left footed Jankulovski. A showing a few nerves by conceding a number of early free kicks. They need to settle down asap.
Onyewu - yellow card, a card as early as this will be a problem. Koller scores. Lewis caught out of position that frees up Grygera and he plays in a fantastic cross that Koller can't fail to score from. A bad and costly mistake.
Many Scottish newspapers continue to follow Claudio Reyna's career even though he left Rangers a few years ago. Here's one that appeared in the Scottish Sunday Herald by Philip Dorward.
I am the soccer analyst for the Fox Soccer Report and appear twice a week - every Monday and Friday at 10:00 EST. I have also been a regular contributor to the Fox Soccer Channel website since the summer of 2004. Over the last twenty years I have contributed to various radio and television programs throughout North America as well writing about the game for newspapers, magazines and websites.
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