Barclay's Premier League Best XI and Review 2014

Man City lifted the trophy for the second time in three seasons.

It may be hard to believe, but another season of the Barclay's Premier League has come and gone.  There was no shortage of story lines this season between manager antics, the resurgence of a traditional power, and the title race again coming down to the last day.    If those stories don't suit you, how about the fall of a league giant or perhaps one the greatest relegation escapes in recent memory?  It was all there this year.

First off, congratulations are in order for Manchester City, who clinched their second title in three years by virtue of a 2-0 win over West Ham at the Etihad yesterday.  No disrespect to Liverpool, but City was the class of the league this season.  The biggest reason for this is defense.  City only yielded 37 goals this season, while Liverpool gave up 50.  Crystal Palace gave up 2 fewer goals than the Reds, and Hull City only gave up three more.  You can't say enough for Manuel Pellegrini and the job he did for City this season.

Of course the best defense in the league this year went to Chelsea.  They only gave up 27, ten fewer than City, who were in second place.  Unfortunately for Jose Mourinho's squad, they once again lacked the fire power to score with the likes of City and Liverpool.  Samuel Eto'o and Fernando Torres both scored some big goals along the way for the Blues, but neither proved able to score consistently and make themselves a constant threat up top.  Still, 3rd place and a run to the Champion's League semifinal is a decent year for Chelsea, and they'll certainly be looking to spend big this summer, with both Diego Costa and Edinson Cavani's names being bantered around the rumor mill.  It will also be interesting to see if Mourinho brings Romelu Lukaku into the fold after he had another great year on loan.

Back to Liverpool though.  What a tremendous season they had.  If not for a stinging home defeat to Chelsea and last week's huge stumble at Crystal Palace, they might have really pushed City to the limits.  However, the defense issue reared it's head at Selhurst Park, as Palace scored three goals in the last 11 minutes to tie Liverpool and all but end their title hopes.  Brendan Rodgers has brought Liverpool back into the Champions League and back into title relevance, but look for them to try to fix some of their issues at the back this summer.

But now, let's get to some awards, highs, and lows.   Let's start with a refresher on the Champions League Spots and teams that were relegated.

BPL Champions League Qualification Spots--
Manchester City
Liverpool
Chelsea
Arsenal.  (Playoff Qualification Round).

Teams Relegated From the BPL--
Cardiff City
Fulham
Norwich

As for the relegated folks, I seriously feel for Cardiff supporters.  I loved watching their matches and the passion they bring, despite having some flake of an owner try to alter their club identity to fit his National promotion agenda.  To that I say good riddance, Vincent Tan.  Fulham was just bad this year, and they were all over the place both in the transfer market and in the manager scene.  Hopefully they can find some stability in the Championship and bounce back up next year.  Norwich?  Meh.  They had a good run, but just couldn't sustain it.  Even the firing of Chris Hughton late in the season couldn't help them as they became the victim in Sunderland's great escape.

Surprise Team of the Year: CRYSTAL PALACE
Palace looked to be in serious trouble at midseason, bleeding goals and scoring none themselves.  They were mired in the bottom three and looked to be a good bet for relegation.  Then they did something incredibly smart, they hired Tony Pulis.  Pulis had been instrumental in Stoke's BPL rise, but was let go after last season as the Potters wanted to go in a different direction from Pulis's defensive style.  As it turns out, that defensive style was just what the doctor ordered for Palace.  They found themselves not only propelled out of the bottom three, but all the way to an 11th place finish.  I'll be looking forward to seeing them in the league again next season.

Disappointment of the Year: MANCHESTER UNITED
Is there any way that this can go to any other club?  The appointment of David Moyes turned out to be a complete disaster as United fell from champions to seventh, behind Moyes' old club Everton.  The defense was a complete screw up for most of the season and United suffered with injuries in the attack with Wayne Rooney and RvP missing significant time.  Moyes bought Juan Mata in January, but that seemed nothing more than a booby prize in the end as the former Chelsea man failed to be a game changer in the midfield and was often a defensive liability.  In the end, Moyes was sacked and Ryan Giggs guided United to an unremarkable finish, but at least he wasn't Moyes.  That brings us to our....

Story of the Year: David Moyes, damaged goods.
Moyes was the hand picked successor to Sir Alex, and hey, he won the Community Shield, but it was all down hill from there for United.  A decent run in the Champions League wasn't enough to save Moyes, as he often looked like he was in way over his head with the pressure on, something he didn't have to deal with much at Everton.  Is he really damaged goods now?  It will be interesting to see where he ends up.  Somebody will give him a shot.

And now finally here is the Puddle's Best XI for the Barclay's Premier League, 2014.  I'm sure all the players mentioned will value this extremely high honor.....ahem.

GK--David De Gea: Manchester United

Defenders--Branislav Ivanovic: Chelsea.  Gary Cahill: Chelsea.   Vincent Kompany: Manchester City. Leighton Baines: Everton.

Midfielders--Adam Lallana: Southampton.  Steven Gerrard: Liverpool.  Yaya Toure: Manchester City.  Eden Hazard: Chelsea.

Forwards--Luis Suarez: Liverpool.  Daniel Sturridge--Liverpool.

Player of the Year--Luis Suarez: Liverpool

Manger of the Year--Brendan Rodgers: Liverpool.

One last note, I want to thank NBC Sports for the tremendous job they did in their first year with the BPL broadcast rights.  It was so awesome to be able to watch any match I wanted to, live or on demand.  Now we just need to get Rebecca Lowe on twitter.

I hope you all enjoyed the BPL season as much as I did.  With the World Cup and the summer transfer window coming up, there will be plenty to talk about this summer, but I can't wait for August.

Puddle's Barclay's Premier League Preview 2013-2014

This man represents my biggest question going into the EPL season. (Manchester United Press)

The new Barlcay's Premier League season gets underway this weekend, and there's a lot of new aspects to be digested, especially for us fans here in United States.  This season the coverage shifts from Fox Soccer to the NBC Sports Network, which should mean more viewers for the league here in the states.  Plus NBC will be offering all matches on TV via their "Premier League Extra Time" and online via their streaming service.  It's quite exciting!

Of course there's plenty of new in the league itself, and none of the stories are bigger than the new managers at three of the league's top four clubs.  With Sir Alex retiring, Manchester United handed the reigns to Everton boss David Moyes.  Chelsea washed their hands of Rafa Benitez and brought Jose Mourinho back to Stamford Bridge for another go 'round.  Meanwhile, another Champions League failure and the loss of the EPL title cost Roberto Mancini his job at City, where he was replaced by Manuel Pellegrini, lately of Malaga fame.  In my opinion, these three men will largely shape the title race, and here's how I think it will shake out:

UEFA Champions League Places:

1. Chelsea FC--Last year I bet against Manchester United in the title race, and I got shown up.  Alas, I'm going to do it again.  I think having Mourinho back in the fold is going to make a huge difference for the Blues, and they've all seemed pretty positive.    The Blues have also gotten quite a bit younger, and I think they have a good mix of old guard and new.  The preseason buzz has largely surrounded the Blues pursuit of Wayne Rooney.  Ultimately, I don't see United selling him to a title rival, but we'll see.  Samuel Eto'o has also emerged as a dark horse possibility.  However, I'm looking for this guy to have a BIG impact this year:

When the Blues first signed Romelu Lukaku, he was hailed as "the next Drogba."  To my mind, he hasn't done anything to lose that reputation as he torched the league on loan with West Brom last year.  He should do even better under the Special One.

2. Manchester City--Pellegrini is a solid manager with tried and true experience in Europe.  Honestly, I look for City to have an improved Champions League campaign this year and to push Chelsea for the title all season long.  Edin Dzeko could be key for city, with Tevez and Balotelli both finally out of the way.  He's certainly a shoe-in for my fantasy squad.  Hopefully a lot of City's off the pitch issues exited with Tevez, Balotelli, and Mancini, giving Pellegrini a clean and quiet slate to work with.  Expectations will be high though, and he best meet some of them.

3. Manchester United--Do not adjust your screens.  I'm putting United in third.  Now, to give a little perspective, the title could come down to just a few points.  I expect United to contend all season long.  As for Moyes, it's time to see what happens.  For years people have been wondering what he could do if he had a big payroll and a big budget.  That day is here.  Unfortunately, Cesc Fabregas is not here, and as of yet United haven't seemed to be able to bolster that midfield.  Last year Van Persie was the man for United, and it's safe to say that he will be again, but does Moyes have the Sir Alex gusto that will take to push through to the title?  We'll see.

4. Arsenal.--It seems like fourth place has been a trophy in and of itself for Arsenal lately, and honestly, I don't see them getting much higher this year.  The summer transfer window has once again been devoid of significant action while Chelsea, City, and United have been more active.  If they can add another piece or two, they'll be outside contenders for the title, but I look for them to have another solid season and hit the Champions League spots for next year.  The question is, when is that going to stop being good enough?

THE BEST OF THE REST

5. Swansea City--The scary thing is, not only did Swans hold on to what was theirs in the off season.  They got better.  Micheal Laudrup not only has Michu at his disposal, but also newly acquired Ivory Coast International Wilfried Bony, who scored 32 goals last year in the Dutch league.  Swans will be a threat for the domestic cups, and if somebody in the top 4 slips up, they could have an outside chance for a Champions League spot.

6. Everton--No Moyes?  No problem.  That's been the attitude for Everton so far in the preseason, where they have looked really fresh and up for the competition.  New manager Roberto Martinez has the Toffees playing really attractive football, and they've just gotten deeper during the summer. (I'm looking at you Gerard Deulofeu.)  It could be an exciting year for the Toffees, with Europe not out of the question.

Now to finish out the top 10:

7--Tottenham
8--Liverpool
9--West Ham
10--West Brom

Who is going to relegated?  Sorry for fans of:

Southampton
Hull "Tigers"
Crystal Palace (I wish it were going to be otherwise.)

So there's my take on the EPL this season.  Good luck to everyone, the first fixtures are almost here!

Mourinho Returns to Chelsea as Rafa Heads to Napoli--I'll Take It!

"The Special One" has returned to manage to Chelsea for a second time.

Today it became official, something that Chelsea fans have been waiting to hear confirmed for weeks--Jose Mourinho will return to Stamford Bridge to manage the Blues on a four year contract.  Financial terms were not disclosed, and Mourinho will be introduced at a Stamford Bridge news conference next Monday.

Mourinho first managed Chelsea from 2004-2007.  He had won the Champions League with Porto prior to that, and brought Chelsea their first league title in 50 years at the end of his first season.  During his tenure he won every available domestic honor: The Premier League, the League Cup, the FA Cup, and the Community Shield.  He left after 2007 failing to achieve the Champions League success that Roman Abramovich so craved.  From there he went to Inter Milan, where he won the Serie A and the Champions League, before starting his stint at Real Madrid.

Expectations will be high for Mourinho again at Chelsea.  The fact that the Blues won the Champions League in 2012 has not reduced Roman's desire, as Roberto Di Matteo found out the hard way.  Morale will be high, especially with the fans, who were never on board with the Benitez appointment.  Still, Mourinho has spoken fondly of Chelsea and it's fans, and for the moment anyway, it seems like a match made in heaven, again.

Former Blues "interim manager" Rafa Benitez has taken leave of the club to go manage Napoli in Serie A.  Napoli's previous boss, Walter Mazzarri, left the club to take over  Inter Milan, leading Napoli's owner to compare him to a "cheating spouse."  Rafa will have some big shoes to fill there, but the "Days of Our Lives" type coaching carousel will continue.

In the end, what do we make out of Rafa's stint at Chelsea?  Certainly it could have been worse, as he won the Europa League and secured Chelsea's place in next year's Champions League.  He also accomplished this under a TON of adversity.  Still, in my mind, that was pretty much the bare minimum.  With Chelsea's payroll and talent, they should expect to be in the Champion's League.  What irks me the most was the loss of the Club World Cup.  It might be a bit before we get another crack at that. 

In the end however, I wish Rafa well.  I still disagree with his appointment, but he helped bring the club European silverware, not an easy task, even if it was the Europa League.  When you consider how many fixtures Chelsea took part in this last season, he deserves some credit, in my humble opinion.

Now it's time to look toward the future, which I think will be bright for the Blues.  United will have a new look next year with Moyes, and City look to be going with a manager untried in the Premier League.  Depending on what happens with Bale, Tottenham could be right back in the mix, and Arsenal aren't going to go away.  Still, I think Chelsea and Mourinho are well positioned to compete with these guys. No doubt the Blues will make other moves during the summer window as well.

I, for one, can't wait!  Welcome back Jose Mourinho!

EPL Final Sunday 2013: Chelsea, Arsenal Clinch UCL spots.

Demba Ba and Chelsea clinched 3rd place with a win over Everton (Getty Images)

Today was the last day of the 2012-2013 EPL season.  It's always sad to see the league wrap up another campaign, and it's bittersweet for some people this year as retirements and changes in TV contract rights will really change how we, here in the US, see the league next year.  More on that later, let's talk about today's pertinent action.

Often the final Sunday is called "Survival Sunday" as teams scrap to escape relegation.  That wasn't the case this year.  QPR and Reading have been relegated for a few weeks now, and Wigan joined them with a loss to Arsenal last Tuesday.  Last year we fans were spoiled as the EPL title came down to pretty much the last kick of the season as Manchester City came from behind to steal the title from United.  This year, the Red Devils put that to rest weeks ago. 

That doesn't mean that there wasn't anything to play for today though.  There was a lot of pride and a lot of MONEY on the line as three teams, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham battled for the final two UEFA Champions League places.  Chelsea were pretty much through, but Spurs needed a win and some help from the Gunners to climb into fourth.  The Gunners had qualified for the Champions League every year under Arsene Wenger, and were keen to keep that streak alive.  There was also the possibility of Chelsea and Arsenal having a one game playoff to decide 3rd place, as they were so close on both points and goal difference.  In the end, that wasn't needed.

All Chelsea needed to do to avoid that fate was win.  That wasn't going to be an easy task as they hosted Everton, who were playing their last match with David Moyes in charge.  Juan Mata gave the Blues the lead on 7 minutes, but Everton bounced back later with a goal from Steven Naismith in minute 14.  The game remained deadlocked late, with the specter of the playoff hanging over Stamford Bridge.  Then Fernando Torres punched in a goal in minute 76 to cement the newly minted Europa League Winners in third place.

Third place is important because the winner goes straight to the Champions League group stage, and Arsenal were shooting for that as well as just trying to hold off a late charge from Tottenham into fourth.  The Gunners visited Sports Direct Arena to face a lowly Newcastle squad who had every reason to already be on the golf course.  Newcastle did put up a fight though, and played better than they have of late.  It wasn't enough though as Laurent Koscielny scored in the 55th minute to give the Gunners the only goal they would need on the day.

All of Sunday's matches ran concurrently though, so with the matches being close, tension was still high.  Spurs needed the three points against Sunderland to even have a prayer at joining the Champions League, plus they needed Arsenal to lose or draw.  Spurs left it late as Gareth Bale hit a wonder strike to give them a 1-0 win at White Heart Lane, however with Arsenal's win, the Spurs face another season in the the gauntlet that is the Europa League.

So here's how things shape up now that all is said and done:

Champions League Group Stage--
Manchester United (Champions)
Manchester City
Chelsea

Champions League Playoff Qualification--
Arsenal

Europa League--
Swansea City (League Cup Champions)
Wigan (FA Cup Champions)
Tottenham Hotspur (5th Place Finish in the Premier League)

Relegation:
Wigan
Reading (promoted this year)
Queens Park Rangers (QPR finish in last place).

Promoted to EPL:
Cardiff City (Championship winners)
Hull City (Championship Runner-up)
Watford OR Crystal Palace (TBD by playoff at Wembley on 27 May).

So there it is folks.  Congrats again to United and Sir Alex on a great career.

Next year fans in the USA will being seeing the league covered by a different network for the first time in a long time.  NBC Sports was awarded the broadcast rights earlier this year in a move that was a big blow to the current holders: Fox Soccer and ESPN.  I'll miss Ian Darke's call on ESPN, but I'm very glad Gus Johnson won't be torturing any more Premier League matches on Fox.

Check back later this week for the Puddle's season review, and don't forget, only 90 days til next year!

Friday EPL Roundup: Chelsea, Newcastle, and West Ham Make Moves

Striker Demba Ba has officially joined Chelsea (Photo: Chelsea FC)

The European, particularly English, transfer window is now in full swing as clubs seek to strengthen their sides for the second half of the season.  The big news is flying in England today as Newcastle striker Demba Ba has officially signed with Chelsea FC.  The Blues offered Newscatle enough in a transfer fee to trigger Ba's automatic release clause.  The fee was rumored to be 7 million pounds.  Ba commented that he is excited to be at Chelsea because "when the team that won the Champions League wants you, it's a fairly easy decision to make."  Ba will replace the recently departed Daniel Sturridge.  Hopefully for the Blues, his knee holds out.  As a side note, since Senegal will not be playing in the African Cup of Nations, Chelsea will retain his services for the next few weeks.  He'll be eligible to play for the Blues during their FA Cup tie this weekend.

Newcastle hurriedly put the transfer fee to good use though.  They have announced the signing of French international fullback Mathieu Debuchy from Lille for a fee rumored to be about 5 million pounds. Debuchy has 12 caps for the French senior side.  Alan Pardew wanted this deal done last summer, but the two sides could not come to agreement.  Debuchy will not be in the squad for Newcastle's FA Cup match this weekend, and the Frenchman is targeting the next EPL match against Norwich for his debut.

West Ham United bolstered their squad today as well with two signings.  First off they signed Joe Cole on a free transfer from Liverpool.  The former Chelsea standout was a major flop at Anfield.  He took a red card in his first EPL match there, and missed a penalty in his next match, a Europa League tie.  He never recovered.  Last season he was loaned to French club Lille, where he scored 9 goals in 42 matches. He did score a goal for Liverpool against West Ham at Upton Park earlier this season , but earned the fans admiration by not celebrating. The Hammers also signed Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh on a loan for the rest of the season.  Chamakh has not started an EPL match for Arsenal in over a year, and has not made a league appearance yet this season.  However, the paperwork did not come through in time, so he will not be available for West Ham this weekend.

In other news, earlier this week West Ham announced that Yossi Benayoun has left the club and returned to Chelsea, ending his loan spell.

Transfers Kick Off: Sturridge to Liverpool

Forward Daniel Sturridge has signed a deal at Liverpool (football.co.uk)

The January transfer window has been open less than two days, and already Liverpool is off to an active start.  Today they have announced that they have acquired Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge and signed him to a long term deal.  The move has been long rumored, as Liverpool had sought him in the last transfer window.  It is thought that the transfer fee was around 12 million pounds.

Sturridge, the former Manchester City product, has been frustrated at his lack of playing time at Chelsea and hinted early this season that he was ready to move on.  He has scored 24 goals in 96 career EPL matches, including 8 goals during a loan stint at Bolton that lasted for five months.  He has started 31 matches in his EPL career.  Recently his playing time has been hampered by a couple of nagging injuries.

Liverpool hopes that the 23 year old will take some of the load off of Luis Suarez, who has been left as the club's only viable strike option after Andy Carroll was loaned out to West Ham and Fabio Borini was sidelined with a broken foot after failing to impress early on.  Both Sturridge and Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers have said that they expect him to stay at the club for a long time.  That remains to be seen.

It also remains to be seen if Sturridge can handle the the load as a top line striker.  A lot of his production has come from the substitute's bench.    It will also be interesting to see if he can remain healthy.  Still, he'll be number 2 behind Suarez, and if he can develop chemistry with the Uruguayan, it could end up being a major coup signing for Liverpool.

On the international level, he represented Great Britain at last summer's Olympic games in London.

Benitez Era Begins With Boos and a Whimper

Chelsea Fans are not impressed with the hiring of Benitez (Guardian UK)

I'm not sure who put the bug in Roman's ear.  You know, the one said "hire Rafa Benitez, he'll get the job done."  Obviously it wasn't the Chelsea fan base as the supporters at Stamford Bridge made their feelings quite well known Sunday during Chelsea's 0-0 draw with Manchester City.  Not only were there signs like the one above, but boos rained down on the pitch during his introduction.  The crowd also began chanting the name of Roberto Di Matteo, the Champion's League winning manager who was sacked last week after Chelsea dropped a 3-0 result at Italian Champs Juventus.  There's only word for the reception Benitez got: ugly.

 

It's also very convenient that "ugly" is also the best word to describe the match itself.   The recap in the AP notes that "neither side really created any attacking chances of note."  It was just dull, drab, and ugly.  It was the kind of 0-0 draw that makes people hate soccer.  Unfortunately, it was also the kind of drab result that characterized Benitez's short stint at the helm of Inter Milan, where the Nerazzurri  nearly fell to the bottom of the Serie A table before Benitez was sacked midseason.  One would think that brief reign of terror in Milan would have a red flag for Chelsea, but apparently not.

So what did Rafa do?  Well, he put Fernando Torres back in the starting XI.  How did that work out? Horribly.  The Spaniard got one decent look in the entire match, and made a total mess of it.  So here we sit, Torres still didn't score and Chelsea dropped more points at home.

Perhaps there are a couple of mitigating factors here.  First off, there are many teams in the EPL that would gladly take a point vs Man City, the reigning Champions.  The clean sheet was also an improvement, as Chelsea were somewhat bleeding goals in Di Matteo's final weeks.  Plus it's tough to expect any manager to come in and make and immediate improvement against a championship side on a few days notice.

Well, to those factors I say: when you fired the guy that won the FA Cup AND the Champions League, you had better realize that the fans pretty much expect your new guy to hit the ground running.  Obviously Benitez did not.

Could the Benitez experiment come off well?  Sure it could, we'll see.  However I think if he or anyone else is expecting Fernando Torres to return to anything close to the form he had before, they're totally insane.  Chelsea need to go out and get the same kind of finisher that they had with Didier Drogba.  Therein lies the heart of their problem.

Chelsea vs United Fallout: Complaint Lodged Against Referee

Referee Mark Clattenburg shows Fernando Torres the red card.

CORRECTION: According to Sky Sports, the referee audio is not recorded.  I had read on another article that it was. (--BrandonLBC)

Let me say a couple of things in the interest of full disclosure.  First, I am a Chelsea fan.  My grandfather spent time in London throughout his life, and for whatever reason, came home loving Chelsea, though unfortunately he passed away before what we shall term as the "Abramovich Era."  So Blue was in my blood when I kicked my first ball in AYSO in the early 80s.  Of course, I sucked at soccer, and went to play baseball instead, but I digress.  Let me just say, I try not to be a homer on this blog, but it's damn hard right now.

Second, while I am guilty of highlighting various high profile officiating debacles, especially in Major League Soccer, I really try to shy away from jumping on the "referee cost us the game" bandwagon.  Referees don't put the ball in the back of the net.  They don't make saves in front of goal.  Again, it's hard to take that tact after watching this game today.

Here's my take: On the first red card to Ivanovic, I don't know if it was a great call, but Ivanovic certainly put Clattenburg in position to have to decide, so I can't really blame him there.  The second yellow to Torres was a complete and utter farce in my view.  Now I understand that diving is largely a subjective call by the referee, so it isn't technically an incorrect call.  However, when you choose to effect that match in that manner, issuing a second yellow or red card for something that's not even a foul, like dissent or diving, I think that's just incompetent.  My views are my own.  The same thing happened to Freddy Adu earlier this year in MLS, and the decision was just as shaky.  It looked to me, from the replay, that Evans did make just a little contact with Torres.  Not to mention you can just fall over when you're playing a sport, like, say soccer.  It's not always a dive.  That's why I'm totally against the "red card for diving" crowd.

Javier Hernandez's goal was offside.  Period, end of story.  Arteta's goal for Arsenal was offside.  The EPL is starting to have some MLS sized credibility issues with their refs and linesmen, though it's hard to fault the center official for a blown offside call.

Chelsea does deserve some of the blame.  The own goal by David Luiz certainly didn't help, and they were down 0-2 at home within 13 minutes.  They deserve some credit too.   They did an amazing job fighting back, and probably would have gotten the point if it weren't for that offside goal.

As the dust cleared after the match, word came out that Chelsea FC had filed a complaint with the Football Association against referee Clattenburg.  However, the complaint, lodged with the FA match delegate, is not about the calls, but alleges that he used inappropriate language toward two different Chelsea players during the match.  The FA had no immediate comment.

Is this just Chelsea's way of lashing out at Clattenburg, or is there something to this?  Referees wear microphones and the audio is recorded, so we'll see I guess.  However, it is interesting to note that Clattenburg has already been appointed to officiate at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Chelsea Top Norwich in Brilliant Fashion

Eden Hazard scored his first non-PK league goal for Chelsea (Chelsea FC)

Norwich had the first eleven minutes today at Stamford Bridge.  The other 79 belonged firmly to Chelsea.  The Blues overcame a bit of a shaky start, especially on the defensive end, to blow out Norwich and keep hold of first place heading into the FIFA international break,

Chelsea looked a little ragged in their own penalty box in the early minutes, and Norwich's Grant Holt, ever the hard worker, was able to to take advantage.  In the 11th minute Leon Barnett headed a ball down into the path of Holt, who had way more space than he should have been given.  The Norwich forward rifled a shot past Petr Cech and into the bottom corner of the goal to make it 0-1 to the Canaries.

That was all the wake up Chelsea needed though.

Just three minutes later Branislav Ivanovic crossed a ball into the Norwich area where it found the head of Fernando Torres.  El Nino calmly deposited it into the back of the net to tie the match at 1-1.  It's his 6th goal of the year for the Blues across all competitions.  Just two minutes later Eden Hazard nearly put the Blues in front with an excellent volley chance, but he just mishit it and it trickled rather easily into the hands of John Ruddy.

However in the 22nd minute The Blues finally did grab the lead for good.  Torres tried a nice overhead kick in the area, but Ruddy managed to parry the shot away.   Unfortunately for him, the ball fell to Frank Lampard who volleyed home a cannon shot to make it 2-1 to Chelsea.  The Blues would get one more before halftime, as Juan Mata found Hazard with a seeing eye through ball in the 31st minute.  Hazard expertly one touched the ball inside the far post to give Chelsea the 3-1 lead going into the break.

Chelsea handled the Canaries pretty easily in the second half as well, though Grant Holt did get a decent look at a header in the 47th minute, only to see it glance a couple yards wide of the post.  Ruddy made a a couple of fantastic stops in 1v1 situations.  He snuffed out a nice run by Mata in the 58th, and then saved a sure goal from Torres in the 75th.

It was just one minute after that save on Torres that the Blues put the icing on the cake.  In the 76th minute Mata flipped a centering ball over the Norwich defense to Ivanovic who volleyed home the final goal of the match to make it 4-1 to Chelsea.  After that last strike, Norwich pretty much conceded, subbing out goal scorer Holt, and didn't trouble the Blues at all during the last 14 minutes.

The win keeps Chelsea in 1st place going into the break, regardless of  results on Sunday.  Norwich is still looking for their first win of the new season, and they remain in the bottom three.

Late Surge Pushes Chelsea to UCL Road Win

Fernando Torres and the Blues blanked Nordsjaelland 4-0 (AP Images)

After an opening match draw at home vs Juventus Chelsea traveled to Denmark to take FC Nordsjaelland, the Danish champions.  The Danes pushed Chelsea hard for nearly 80 minutes before the Blues finally broke the match open and cruised over the finish line.

Chelsea fans were perhaps right to be nervous after the defending European champions gave up a two goal lead at home to Juve, but the Blues got off to a pretty good start in this one.  In the early minutes Oscar sent a cross into Danes' area, and a Nordsjaelland defender headed it off his own bar while trying to clear the ball away from a lurking Victor Moses.  Then in the 10th minute Juan Mata connected with Frank Lampard, but Lamps sent the Spaniard's cross just over the crossbar.   Fernando Torres forced a save out of the Nordsjaelland 'keeper in the 22nd minute, and the Danes looked to have successfully weathered the early storm.

However in the 33rd minute the Danes turned the ball over to disastrous effect.  Torres took the ball off Enoch Adu and dished to Lampard.  Lamps hit Mata in the center of the area and he was able to slot the ball into the goal to give the Blues the 0-1 lead.

Early in the second half Torres had a chance to but the Blues up another goal, but the Nordsjaelland 'keeper barely beat him to another nice ball from Oscar.  Then in the 53rd minute The Danes dodged another bullet as Moses scored, but his goal was correctly ruled out for a foul.

Nordsjaelland fought well though, and their efforts nearly paid off with an equalizer late on.  In the 73rd minute Joshua John sent a low shot in on Petr Cech's goal, and Chelsea 'keeper just barely managed to save the ball, parrying it off the near post and away from danger.

The Blues finally put some distance between themselves and the home side on 79 minutes.  Torres earned a free kick just outside of the area when he was fouled by Michael Parkhurst.  David Luiz stepped up over the free kick and smacked a gorgeous right footed kick in off the left post to make it 0-2.  Then just three minutes later Mata got his second of the match after he drilled home a ball that deflected off of a defender.  Finally in the 89th minute Oscar dropped a little ball off to Ramires, who tapped home Chelsea's final goal of the night to make it 0-4.

The three points put Chelsea top of the group after Juve drew with Shaktar in the other Group E match from today.

EPL After Hours Dealing: Stoke Sign Owen, Chelsea Make a Sale

Michael Owen has signed with Stoke City (BBC)

The transfer window for clubs in England officially ended last Friday, but there were still a couple bits of business to be done.  The end of the window did not exclude a club from signing an out of contract player, nor did it prohibit teams from selling to a club where the window is still open in that country.  Both of those things have taken place in the last couple of days.

The headline grabbing news has to do with former England/Liverpool and Newcastle great Michael Owen.  Owen was on a free transfer after ending his time with Manchester United, and waited to see if a club would pick him up in the transfer window.  When that didn't materialize, speculation became rampant that he might return to Liverpool, who famously missed out on US International Clint Dempsey on deadline day.

In the end, Owen penned a one year deal with Stoke City.  He revealed on twitter that talks with Stoke had been ongoing, so the move to Potters wasn't a surprise.  The former star striker couldn't get his career back off the ground in the three injury riddled seasons at Manchester United.  He made only three appearances last year, and hasn't played in a competitive match since last November.

Chelsea were also back in the headlines just a couple of days after being defeated by Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup.  They sold midfielder Raul Meireles to Fenerbache, who in turn signed him on a four year deal.  Rumor has it that the transfer fee was around 8 million pounds.  

Meireles was said to be unhappy at Chelsea last year after Andre Villas-Boas, whom he had worked with at Porto, was sacked by the club.  After arriving in Turkey, he stated that former Liverpool teammate Dirk Kuyt had been instrumental in convincing him to come to Istanbul.

EPL Dealings: Chelsea Secure Spanish Defender, Irons Sign Jarvis

Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta has signed with Chelsea.  (Chelsea FC)

Things are heating up across Europe as the summer transfer window winds into it's final days.  In England, clubs are scurrying to take this last chance to better their squads during this calendar year. Today two fairly big name signings came in for a couple of London clubs.

First off, Chelsea FC have acquired the services of Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta from Marseille.   The 22 year old right back started Marseille's first two Ligue 1 matches, but today has sealed his move to Stamford Bridge.  He's represented Spain at the youth level and competed at the London Olympics this summer.  He made 69 appearances in two years in France.

The deal is rumored to be in the neighborhood of 7 million pounds.

Matt Jarvis has signed with West Ham (metro.co.uk)

A name that is likely to be more familiar to watchers of the Barclay's Premier League is Matt Jarvis.  The England winger and Wolves mainstay has finally made his move to West Ham United.  The Irons have been chasing Jarvis for awhile, and the recently relegated Wolves had rejected at least two prior bids from the club.  The deal that finally went through is rumored to be worth around £10.75million.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has praised Jarvis as "one of the best final third crossers in the Premier League," and in my opinion, he's not too far off.  Jarvis himself is quoted as saying:

 "I'll be playing with some fantastic players and it'll be great to get into training and I'm looking forward to playing with them. Hopefully I will add a bit of pace, crossing and deliveries that will provide some assists."

"It'll be straight in and hit the ground running. There's no time to think about it, you've just got to get on with it, which is good. I hope to train with the team today and then travel up to Swansea."

Jarvis joins the club on a 5 year deal.  The Irons won their first match of the new EPL campaign beating Aston Villa 1-0 last weekend.

Puddle's 2012-2013 Barclay's Premier League Preview

While I love my home domestic league, Major League Soccer, my first footballing love is England, specifically the Barclay's Premier League.  I'm very excited about the prospects for the upcoming season, and here are my non-expert thoughts and predictions on the new year.

The TOP FOUR: UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Who Are Ya designs has a shirt that's emblazoned with the Barclay's Lion and reads "Fourth is the new first."  In this era of the Premier League, this is really true.  For most clubs, you can fail to win the title, but still be viewed as having a successful campaign if you land in one of the top four spots that qualify for the big money of the UEFA Champions League.  Here's who I bet on seeing there next spring, in no particular order:

We'll start with the defending champs.  Manchester City has not been active at all in the offseason, but they've retained the services of key men and I can't really say as I've seen another team pass them up in the transfer market.  I fully expect City's stingy defense, top 'keeper in Joe Hart, and potent attack to have them at least back in the Champions League spots at the end of the season.

How about their cross-town rivals, Manchester United?  They'll be looking for redemption this season.  Not only did they lose the Premiership title to the "noisy neighbors" at City, but they exited the Champions League after the group stage and finished without a trophy.  They've upgraded some, acquiring Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund.  At the time of this writing, they're still in the mix to land Robin Van Persie as well.  My question about United is at the back though.  Can they stay healthy, and can David De Gea round into form as top EPL 'keeper?  Whether they push for the title or not, I can't see them not being in the top four.

Next up is Chelsea FC.  After winning the Champions League and FA Cup in underdog fashion last year, I look for the Blues to be a lot better in league form.  Yes, they lost Didier Drogba, and that's a huge blow.  Fernando Torres will need to step big time.  Daniel Sturridge will need to regain some of his form as well.  The Blues are still in the running to acquire Hulk from Porto, which I think would be a great pickup.  The midfield is stacked with guys like Lampard, Mata, Ramires, and new arrivals Eden Hazard and Marko Marin, who can play on the wing as well.  The question is, can they hold together at the back after some less than impressive defensive performances in the preseason.  David Luiz will have to show some maturity for sure.  There's no reason why the Blues should not compete for the title and the Champions League spots, and the pressure will be on if they stumble out of the gate.

I really have questions about who will get the other spot.  I believe Arsenal will have issues without Van Persie, but I don't think Andre Villas-Boas is a good fit at Spurs, who also look likely to be losing Modric in the next 48 hours.  I'm going to go with Newcastle United here.  The Magpies were a force to be reckoned with last season, and if they can stay healthy, they have a good shot at making a run for the top of the table.  If Demba Ba can stay healthy and team up with Papiss Cisse, Alan Pardew could have a top attack on his hands.  Cisse was unstoppable toward the end of last year.  Pardew will get the most out of them, and I expect them to land in the Champions League Spots.

Movin On Up--EVERTON
Speaking of managers who get the most out of their sides, don't be surprised to see David Moyes and Everton hanging out in the upper part of the table, maybe even with an outside shot at a top 4 spot.  Losing Tim Cahill is blow, but despite his enormous work rate, had a real tough time figuring prominently at Everton last season.  While the Toffees have not been able to secure the services of Landon Donovan, they did bring Steven Pienaar back from Tottenham, and finally were able to sign former Ranger Steven Naismith, who can play either in the midfield or at forward.  Pair him up with Nikica Jelavic (above) and the Toffees, who were formidable during the second half last season, could see a rise up the table.  I'd put them just outside the top four, with a chance to take one of the domestic cups.

Might Be a long year for--LIVERPOOL
Last year I picked Liverpool to regain their form and finish in the top four.  Well, we saw how that worked out.  King Kenny is gone.  Craig Bellamy is gone.  Dirk Kuyt is gone. Andy Carroll may be gone, but Liverpool seem to have too high of an asking price.  Brendan Rodgers is set to bring a new  philosophy to Anfield, but I'm not sold on it.  He's brought in Italian attacker Fabio Borini and a Swansea holdover in Joe Allen, but the Reds will need more than that.  They've been linked with Clint Dempsey, but apparently have not met either Fulham or maybe Dempsey's price.  In the end, I just don't see them improving much.  If Liverpool supporters want back in the top four, they'll need more patience than Hodgson or King Kenny were given.

And the winners will be:  MANCHESTER CITY
Last year my creed during the season was that I wouldn't bet against United.  This year, I won't be betting against City.  The key here is what I mentioned earlier:  City have not been big spenders, but I don't see anyone as quite catching up to them.  Both Chelsea and United have improved significantly (especially with United on the verge of signing Van Persie) but I think both of those squads have questions at the back, where City does not.  I look for the Citizens to repeat their Barclay's Premier League winning campaign.

EPL Moves: Bellamy Leaves Liverpool, Lukaku Loaned

Welsh International Craig Bellamy has returned to Cardiff City on a new deal.

There have been some interesting moves out of the Barclay's Premier League today, particularly from Anfield.  First off it has been announced that Craig Bellamy has left Liverpool to return to Wales and League Championship side Cardiff City.  Bellamy won the Carling Cup in his second stint at Liverpool last season, but had been vocal about the fact that he'd like to return to Wales and be closer to his family.  Two seasons ago Bellamy played for Cardiff on loan from Manchester City and really enjoyed it.  He is expected to join the Blue Birds in training next week and will be available for selection when they open up league play vs. Huddersfield next Friday.  The transfer fee was not disclosed, but Bellamy has signed a new two year deal with Cardiff.

However the Reds will be gaining a different Welsh International to help fill the void.  Sky Sports is reporting today that former Swansea City man Joe Allen has finalized his move to the red side of Merseyside.   The deal was finally completed after Allen attended Liverpool's Europa League match yesterday at Anfield.  He'll be reunited with former boss Brendan Rodgers.  Allen scored 4 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions last year for Swansea.

Chelsea FC was also active today, this time in the loan market.  They've sent striker Romelu Lukaku on loan to West Bromwich Albion for the season.  The man hailed as "the new Drogba" had a hard time getting into the team last year with so many forwards ahead of him, failing to tally a goal in 8 appearances.  He'll now join West Brom after playing with the Blues on their USA tour this summer and will hopefully gain some experience with the Baggies.

Chelsea Completes Oscar Signing.

Young Brazilian playmaker Oscar will join Chelsea FC

Sky Sports is reporting this morning that Chelsea have completed the signing of Brazilian midfielder Oscar from Internacional.  The deal has been rumored for a couple of weeks, and is said to be worth about £25million.

The 20 year old is a product of the Sao Paulo youth system, but has spent the last couple of seasons with Internacional. He has played at every level of the Brazilian system, and made his full international debut last September.  He has earned 6 caps and scored one goal for the senior side.  He'll also be participating in the London Olympics with Brazil.

Chelsea has been active this window, signing Eden Hazard and Marko Marin.  The Blues have also been strongly linked to two more forwards, Brazilian Hulk and Wigan's Victor Moses.  Still, the Oscar deal is quite a coup, welcome to Stamford Bridge!

John Terry Cleared of Racial Abuse Charges

There was some big off the pitch news this morning in England.  Chelsea Captain John Terry has been cleared of charges that he racially abused QPR's Anton Ferdinand during a match at Loftus Road last season.

Terry's defense maintained that any words exchanged were a result of Ferdinand taunting Terry about an alleged affair that Terry had with Wayne Bridge's girlfriend.  Terry's assertation  is that he misheard "bridge" as "black" and that comments were made in response to this, not as insults directed at Ferdinand. 

The magistrate wrote in his opinion:

"The prosecution evidence as to what was said by Mr. Ferdinand at this point is not strong. Mr. (Ashley) Cole (the Chelsea defender) gives corroborating (although far from compelling corroborating) evidence on this point. It is therefore possible that what he said was not intended as an insult, but rather as a challenge to what he believed had been said to him.''

Anton Ferdinand had been reluctant to pursue a criminal case in the matter, but was persuaded by an off duty police officer after the event.  The controversy resulted in Terry being stripped of the England Captain's arm band, and ultimately to the departure of Fabio Cappello, who publicly disagreed with the FA's decision.  Had Terry been convicted  he would have faced a fine of 2,500 pounds (3,900 dollars.)  Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said afterward that Terry is looking forward to getting his mind back on football.

Chelsea Appoint Di Matteo Permanently

Roberto Di Matteo holds the European Cup at Chelsea's Victory Parade

The speculation is now over.  Today Chelsea FC announced that they have hired "Interim Manager" Roberto Di Matteo on a permanent basis with a two year contract.  Di Matteo took over from Andre Villas Boas midway through last season.  He couldn't rescue a top four spot for Chelsea in the Premier League, but he did win not only the FA Cup, but the UEFA Champions League as well.  Champions League had been the white whale for Roman Abramovich ever since he took over ownership of the Blues.

Despite Di Matteo's success, rumblings through the summer had suggested that he still hadn't secured the job, despite clinching the European Cup.  Even former England manager Fabio Capello's name was kicked around.  However, the wondering is now over with the club's official announcement today.

As a Chelsea supporter, I think it's a good move.  Good luck to him and the boys for a good season next year!

Didier Drogba Will Leave Chelsea.

Well yesterday was kind of a sad day for must of us Chelsea Supporters, but it was a day most of us saw coming nonetheless.  On Monday, the strong rumor was that Didier Drogba had opted to leave Chelsea when his contract expired at the end of June.  Late Monday night, USA time, those rumors were walked back a bit.  However yesterday the Blues confirmed that the star of the Champions League final was definitely leaving after eight years at Stamford Bridge.

Drogba had this to say on Chelsea's website:

"It has been a very difficult decision for me to make and I am very proud of what we have achieved, but the time is right for a new challenge for me.

"As a team we have accomplished so much and have won every single trophy possible.

"Saturday was a very special moment for everyone at the club and for all the fans, and I am very proud to have played my part in bringing many trophies to this club, which has been my home for the last eight years.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at the club especially [owner] Roman [Abramovich] and my team-mates, many of whom have become very close friends and will be my friends for life.

"I would also like to say a very special thank you to the Chelsea fans who have shown me so much love and support over the years.

"I wish the club all the best and continued success for the future - you will always be in my heart.''

Drogba appeared in 341 games for Chelsea, scoring 157 goals and winning 10 trophies.  Despite the fact that MLS continues to clamor about the possibility of Drogs coming to the USA, most of the rumors say he'll be headed for a big pay day in China.

I would personally like to thank Didier Drogba as a Chelsea FC fan.  He's provided so man of my memorable moments in sport over recent years, and I'll never forget him!  Thanks Drogs!