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It’s going to be an interesting 2009-2010 season for…

Published by Ian John on June 28, 2009

Michael Owen… The former Liverpool star faces a make or break season for him. Dogged with injury for the last four seasons he has shown only fleeting glimpses of the striker who looked certain to break the England all time scoring record just a few years ago. With his future still uncertain, though talk of a move to Hull City on the cards, the forgotten man of the England squad needs one of the best seasons of his career in order to prove his doubters wrong, lift Hull (if that is where he eventually signs) away from the foot of the Premiership and to perhaps even force his way back into the England squad. Owen’s problem has never been a lack of talent, but a lack of fitness. It seems highly probable that unless Owen can have a relatively injury free season this year and play in the majority of games, that he may have to consider retirement. Few teams will be willing to pay £50,000+ a week for a striker who guarantees you goals, but only in 10 games a season.

Arsenal… The Gunners face an uncertain season. Some of their own players have been criticising the clubs lack of success in the past four years. Striker Emmanuel Adebayor continues to be linked with a move away from the club and even Cesc Fabregas has voiced his unhappiness in recent times. Add to that the fact that there has been no significant transfer activity in or out of the club this season, it appears that manager Arsene Wenger is opting to stick with his current squad. A squad which was a distant fourth best for most of the season. This seems a risky policy, even with the excellent young players Arsenal produce season after season. While Wenger is rightly revered by many Arsenal fans for his success at the club and how he has transformed the club since his arrival, there are one or two murmerings of disquiet from some and that number may swell if Arsenal have another season of being a distinct fourth best behind the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Carlo Ancelotti… Chelsea’s new boss will know from the Big Phil situation last season that there is no such thing as a settling in period for a Chelsea manager. Ancelotti will have to come in and deliver results from day one. Given that the squad he inherited is an ageing one, with several players purportedly angling for a move away from the club and also understanding that Ancelotti will want to change at least some players to bring in players more fitting with his thinking as a manager, it looks like being a tough time for the Italian. I also find confusing Chelsea’s apparent insistence of appointing managers who create teams who play exciting attacking football. Scolari and Ancelotti have both had their success with teams primarily built on a defence stopping goals. It will be important for Ancelotti’s men to hit the ground running and start well, otherwise the knives will be out early for the Italian and as Mr Abramovic has shown in the past, he doesn’t have the greatest of patience with coaches, whom he feels, are underachieving.

Manchester United… Ronaldo gone. Tevez gone. £100m worth of talent out the door and still nobody signed to replace either player. Sir Alex may have the money but at the moment it seems the replacements he would like are either too old (Ribery is 27, and it seems United will not sign any player over the age of 26. A sound business practice perhaps as their assets will more likely appreciate), too expensive or just unavailable. Sir Alex has faced situations like this before and has ensured success throughout the ages. However this will be a season of transition for United and it is worth remembering, the last time they sold a top star to Real Madrid (David Beckham), they failed to win the league in any of the next three seasons.

Mark Hughes… Barry and Santa Cruz already signed, Tevez soon to follow and possibly Samuel Eto’o joining the club. Joleon Lescott hotly tipped to make the move down the M62 in a few weeks and with money plenty still to burn on players, Hughes will know that surely this has to be the season where Manchester City finally make the breakthrough into becoming a genuine top six side and a Champions League contender. Nothing less will do given the level of investment in the club by the wealthy Arab owners. Don’t expect Hughes to be given too much time to get his expensively assembled side playing well enough to forge their way into the top six. By November, if they are not there or thereabouts, the pressure will be on the Welshman.

Liverpool’s owners… Red’s fans will not be too enamoured if the situation at the club is not resolved positively this season. Owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette came to the club big on promises but seemingly short on capital to fulfil them. Still no work on the new ground, the club in a dreadful financial situation which could see manager Rafa Benitez forced to sell one or two of his star assets to fund other areas of the team. Yet along the M62, Manchester United and Manchester City can spend with seeming impunity. With the fans firmly behind the manager, the American owners have to start delivering on their promises otherwise their popularity, which at the moment is low, will only drop still further and make their situation at the club almost untenable.

Picture courtesy of **empaff** on Flickr.com

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