Can't wait for the season to start

August 9th seem so far away...

The pre-season/silly season is a little bit nerve wrecking. There is the excitement of signing players you expected to get (Valencia), the excitement of the surprise signing of players you would never guess would wear the right red jersey (Owen), and the utter disappointment of players signing with other clubs then your own (Benzema, Ibrahimovic, and on and on and on). But what it all boils down to is the increasing anxiety of the upcoming season: Will the team perform like last year? Will the loss of Ronaldo haunt us forever (like Beardsley haunts the scousers)?

The first pre-season matches have led me to believe we will be as strong as ever. History has shown that when the biggest names have left Old Trafford others have excelled (Cantona/Beckham/van Nistelrooy) and I have absolutely no that in the abilities of Sir Alex to create another winning team and bringing number 19 back to Old Trafford.

I know 3-2 and 2-0 over a composition of Malaysias best 11 aren't the most impressive results ever, but we are winning matches (compared to teams which names will not be mentioned) and our strikes are scoring goals. The fact that Rooney, Macheda and Owen (2) have all opened their scoring accounts is significant. What is even more important is the fact that they are scoring scrappy goals. After van Nistelrooy left us we have struggled to get a pouncher in the area that can get the rebounds and tap in the easy goals. Owen is that kind of a striker, Rooney is getting better and better at it, and it seem like Macheda might have learned a thing or two from Solskjaer last year at the reserves.

So hopes are high for the coming season. I do not really feel that the other top teams have strenghtened their teams. Liverpool has signed Glen Johnson - which kind of surprised me considering the season Arbeloa had last year - but he will have an impact and create more width for the scousers. Chelsea has signed Yuri Zhirkov - the phenom from Euro '08 - but I am unsure if his impact will really bring the blues closer to the title. He might give them another option on the left side, but I will argue that both Ashley Cole and Joe Cole gives them better options on left back and left winger. Arsenal - if they can be considered a top team based on last year - has signed Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax. The 23 year old defender might an unknown entity for many has proven to be a steady central defender and should give Arsenal another alternative and might give them a little more confidence in defence (Arsenal (37) let in a high number of goals last season compared to United (24), Liverpool (27) and Chelsea (24)) .

While Chelsea and Liverpool have not sold any significant players, both Arsenal and United have. Even though Adebayor did not have the best of seasons for the gunners last season he had an impact and presence in every game he played. The questions is if Arshavin can keep up the form he had at the end of last season when more pressure will be put on him. Bendtner, van Persie and Vela should also be able to produce goals so my prediction is that Arsenal will not kick themselves for selling him when the season starts.

United on the other hand has had significant losses without really filling the needs so far. The sale of Ronaldo might come back and haunt us, but it was the right thing to do. He was not happy at the club and nobody wants players that want to leave (Beckham/van Nistelrooy). Just as significant is the loss of Tevez to City. It is typical for Ferguson though. No player is bigger than the team and we are not willing to pay players insane amounts in wages. I believe that if Tevez had really wanted to stay at United he could have. When the negotiations fell down earlier this year it was because Tevez wanted the same wage as Ronaldo....

To complete my analysis I do not think the other teams in the Premier League are stronger than they were a year ago, but United might be weaker. I do not believe the gap between number one and number four will be 18 points this season. I do not believe the gap between number one and number seven will be 37 points this season. But I do believe the top four will be United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.... in that order...