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!

City Bulldoze Leeds to Advance in FA Cup

Sergio Aguero celebrates a goal vs Leeds (mirror.co.uk

Once upon a time, Leeds United was one of the top teams in English football and Manchester City were the club trying to come back up through the ranks.  That is certainly not the case anymore, and hasn't been for awhile.  Leeds took on City yesterday in the 5th round of the FA Cup, but couldn't call up any memories of their storied past as Sergio Aguero and company ran roughshod over the Championship side.  At one point the Leeds fans began chanting "You're nothing special, we lose every week."

City took ownership of the contest right from the opening whistle and converted the very first chance of the game on five minutes.  They engaged in some gorgeous one and two touch passing in the Leeds penalty area, which lead to Carlos Tevez finding Yaya Toure driving toward the goal.  Toure secured the pinpoint pass from the Argentine, gave the last Leeds defender and the goalkeeper the traffic cone treatment, and easily slotted the ball into the empty net to give City the 1-0 lead.

The home side continued to press the advantage as well, as it seemed like Leeds couldn't get a touch on the ball.  City looked every bit the Premier League Champions.  In the 14th minute, they played in Sergio Aguero who came at the goal from Leeds' right along the end line. Trying to stop him, Leeds defender Tom Lees grabbed him a couple of times about the arm and chest.  Aguero looked pleadingly at the referee, who somewhat hesitantly blew for a penalty. Aguero put the PK in top of the net to make it 2-0 on 15 minutes and effectively took all the pace out of the match.  Personally, I thought it was a pretty cheap penalty.  Was it a foul and thus a PK by the letter of the law? Probably, but you often see far more contact go unpunished in the penalty area.

In the end it didn't matter much though, but it took City until well into the second half to go further ahead.  In the 52nd minute Aguero again found himself coming up the end line.  This time he unleashed a nifty little cross to the front of goal, which Tevez eagerly connected with, jumping into the air and basically deflecting the ball over the line with his body to make it 3-0.

Surely Leeds must have had some quality chances though, right?  Well, not really.  In the 56th minute Rodolph Austin smacked a shot from distance that ended up being closer to row ZZZ than the goal.  The Leeds fans behind the goal had a bit of a laugh at this, refusing to throw the ball back onto the pitch.  Finally after security started to make their way to the spot, the Leeds folks gave up their entertainment and returned the expensive match ball.  One could hardly blame them for having a bit of sport though, there was nothing going on to interest them down on the pitch.

The match began to resemble a training session, with players completely out of position and zero intensity.  City finally put the last nail the in Leeds FA Cup coffin on 74 minutes and made it a complete laugher.  David Silva dropped a ball into Aguero who was running in straight on this time.  He easily volleyed the ball inside the far post to make it 4-0 and end the day's scoring.

As for City, they now look forward to a big clash this coming weekend with Chelsea in the Premier League.  Leeds, who are stuck in midtable in the Championship, will have to go back to the drawing board as a push for promotion seems to be all that they have left.  Still, eight points back of the playoff positions, that almost seems out of reach at this point as well.

Mario Balotelli Heading to AC Milan

City's Mario Balotelli is headed to Milan to seal a transfer move (Bleacherreport.com)

So it looks like one of the more controversial, and shall we say "interesting" Premier League tenures is about to come to an end.  The rumor that Man City striker Mario Balotelli would head back home to Italy and sign for AC Milan has been circulating throughout the transfer window, and now it seems to be all but a done deal.

According to AC Milan's Umberto Gandini, Milan have agreed to terms and signed a transfer agreement with City.  All that is left to do is for Balotelli to pass a medical and sign on to personal terms, rumored to be a 4 and a half year deal with the Rossoneri.  Hopefully the move back to his home country will be a good thing for the firebrand striker, possibly reigniting the form he flashed at Euro 2012.

Balotelli's time with City was always highly watchable, if a bit unpredictable.  He made many off the field headlines in England including car accidents, strip club sightings, and outrageous hairdos to name a few.  On the pitch he was involved in several training dustups, including a recent confrontation with City manager Roberto Mancini that was caught on camera.  Memorably, he lifted his jersey after scoring a derby goal against United last year to reveal a shirt underneath that asked "Why Always Me?"  However his form has left much to be desired this year.  After crapping out against United in December, he found himself completely relegated to the bench, only making two substitute appearances in the last two months.

It is worth noting that Balotelli did land a couple of trophies with City, the 2011 FA Cup and the 2012 Premier League title among them.  Personally, I would have loved to have had him back at Inter, but best of luck to him in his return to the San Siro with Milan.  I hope he can straighten out some but still find a way to entertain like few can.

UCL: Late Ronaldo Strike Sinks City

Marcelo celebrates his goal against City.  (Reuters/Action Images)

I loved this match so much that I watched it twice.  I'm not sure how someone could watch this, especially the last 20 minutes, and think that football is boring.  Real Madrid dominated the first half, but failed to close the door until right at the death, giving Manchester City plenty of chances to come away with a result.

Joe Hart's goal came under frequent bombardment in the opening stanza as the Spanish Champions pushed hard to get off the mark.  Obviously frustrated by their poor start in league play, they looked ready to take it out on City.  However Hart made great saves early and often to keep Madrid at bay.  At one point Cristiano Ronaldo tricked Vincent Kompany out of his boots and fired a low shot at the City goal, but Hart hit the deck and made the save.  Later Gonzalo Higuain seemed certain to put Madrid on top when he redirected a shot on target with his head, but once again the England 'keeper was up to the task.

City had a hard time getting out of their own half though.  They created very few chances in the first half, and seemed very vulnerable to the Madrid counter when they tried to create.  Despite the heavy possession and shots edge to the home side, the match was still 0-0 at halftime which suited City manager Roberto Mancini just fine.

The action really came to life in the second half though.  The longer the score stayed 0-0, the more confident City got, and they gradually began to carve out some chances.  They were the first to hit pay dirt on 68 minutes.  Yaya Toure triggered a counter attack featuring himself and the newly subbed in Edin Dzeko.  They streamed forward and caught Madrid in a 2 on 1 situation.  As they approached the penalty area, Toure hit Dzeko with a through ball, setting him up perfectly for a clinical finish past Iker Casillas to make the match 0-1.

The City goal really sparked Real Madrid to life, and they subbed in both Luka Modric and Karim Benzema.  The fresh legs had an immediate affect on the attack as Madrid pushed for the equalizer.  It finally came in the 76th minute as Marcelo found himself in space and smacked a shot into the top corner of the goal to make it 1-1.

However just when you thought Madrid would go in search of the winner, City struck again.  The Premier League champs earned a free kick just beyond the Madrid penalty area in the 85th minute, and Aleksandar Kolarov beautifully curled the shot just inside Casllas' far post to make 1-2 to City with 5 minutes left.

The drama was just beginning though.  Just two minutes later Benezma received the ball right the top of the City 18, turned around a defender, and slotted a goal inside Hart's near post to equalize at 2-2.  Hart would then come up with a huge save on Ronaldo as the 90 expired, but formerly sad striker had the last laugh in stoppage time as he sent in a dipping shot that actually bounced right before it got to Hart and kicked up into the net to give Madrid the 3-2 lead, which was the score at full time.

EPL Dealings: Down to the Wire!

Forget throwball and politics, it's officially transfer deadline day!  Different leagues across Europe wrap up proceedings at different times, but if the business is to be done, it has to be done today!  For the Barclay's Premier League, the window officially closes a little more than 15 hours from the writing of this entry.  Some big moves have already gone down in the last couple of days with promise of more in the next few hours!

                                                       

In one of the big high profile moves of the day, Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has joined West Ham on a season long loan deal.  Reports are also saying that the Irons will have an option to buy at the end of the loan.

Carroll cited the fact that he had worked with West Ham boss Sam Allardyce at Newcastle as a big reason why he wanted to make the switch.  Last year Liverpool paid 35 million pounds for the big striker's services, but it appears the Hammers finally met the loan conditions.  Carroll told West Ham's website that he's just looking forward to playing games and hopefully scoring some big goals for the side.

Elsewhere in London, QPR have confirmed the signing of Inter Milan goalkeeper Julio Cesar.  The deal is still pending international clearance and the visa process, but the Brazilian looks set to begin a four year stint at Loftus Road.  In 7 years between the pipes for Inter, Cesar won the Serie A title five times as well as the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.  This is a big addition for Mark Hughes' side.

Elsewhere in England, Swansea City have finally agreed to a fee to sell Scott Sinclair to Manchester City.  The Swans rejected a 6.2 million pound offer on Tuesday, but the new City offer supposedly has possible bonuses taking the price up to around 8 million for the former Chelsea man.  Sinclair is holding talks with City on personal terms.  If this goes through, the Swans are likely to continue in their pursuit to sign Spanish veteran Pablo Hernandez from Valencia

Finally, back in London. Fulham look set to sign up Manchester United man Dimitar Berbatov.  At last reports Berbatov was at Fulham taking a medical.  Fulham had previously sold Moussa Dembele to Spurs earlier this week, and they're still fielding options for Clint Dempsey.

That brings us back to Liverpool, who are trying to land two rather large fish.  As mentioned earlier, rumors have persisted that Anfield is keen to move for US International Dempsey, who has sat out Fulham's opening matches.  However there has been little concrete evidence of the process going forward, so it remains to be seen.  The other rumor for the Reds has to do with Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente.  However, this deal was seen as contingent upon being able to SELL Andy Carroll, so it remains to be seen.

One thing is for sure, by the time my American readers get this in the morning, the landscape will have shifted even more.  Look for a full round-up tonight on the Puddle.

EPL Thoughts: Liverpool Gifts City a Point at Anfield

Carlos Tevez celebrates his equalizing goal (Reuters)

Last week Liverpool played poorly in a loss to West Brom at the Hawthorns.    They faced an even tougher test this weekend as they hosted defending champions Manchester City at Anfield in their home opener.  There was much to be excited about for the Liverpool faithful in this one as things looked a lot better on the offensive end.  Unfortunately, two absolute howlers at the back gifted City all they would need to walk away from Merseyside with a point in their pocket.

City started out on the right track as they they probed for weaknesses in Liverpool's back line.  However the Reds did a really nice job of limiting any quality looks at goal for the Champions.  In the 9th minute Aleksandar Kolarov sent a threatening free kick on target, but Pepe Reina was positioned well and was able to easily field the shot in front of net.

However it was only a little bit of good fortune that kept the game level in the 19th minute.  Carlos Tevez squirted free of the defense and sent in a shot/cross along the end line.  Reina took a diving stab at it as did Martin Kelly.  Neither of them could alter the ball as it ended up rolling pretty much right on the goal line toward the far post.  At the end, it struck the post and took an Anfield friendly bounce away from the goal and the Reds breathed a sigh of relief.

Liverpool ended the first half with a bang, quite literally.  In the 34th minute Steven Gerrard sent a good looking corner kick into the City area and Martin Skrtel came flying in from nowhere to meet it.  His bullet header gave Joe Hart no chance before it stabbed into the back of the net to give Liverpool the 1-0 lead going into the interval.  Skrtel celebrated, but he would have a further effect on things in the second half.

The second half started a bit slowly, but turned into a real cracker when it came to life.  Luis Suarez nearly doubled Liverpool's lead in minute 50, but didn't get enough on his shot as his slow ground roller dragged just wide of the far post.  Then in the 63rd the Champions were able to equalize.  Tevez sent an airborne ball across the face of goal, one that Reina should have been able to punch clear rather easily.  However he totally botched it, and the ball went through to Kelly.  The fullback also could have cleared, but it bounced off of his knee and fell to Yaya Toure, who took full advantage for City.  The Ivorian easily tapped the ball into the open goal to equalize at 1-1.

Credit goes to Liverpool for not dwelling on their misfortune though.  They came right back to the other end of the pitch looking to reclaim the lead.  That happened in the 65th minute off the foot of Luis Suarez.  The mercurial striker had difficulty finding the target in the early going, but he sent a gorgeous free kick around the Manchester City wall that beat Joe Hart into the bottom corner to make it 2-1 to the Reds.

Manchester City piled on the pressure though, and there was still plenty of time for Liverpool to suffer from another self-inflicted wound.  In the 80th minute Skrtel sent a lazy rolling back pass in toward Reina from about a third of the way up his defensive half.  The Reds defender seemed blissfully unaware of the presence of Tevez for City, who easily picked off the pass and headed toward the goal.  He juked Reina out of his boots in the 18, and easily slotted home the goal to make it 2-2, which was the score at the full time whistle.

First off for City, it's not good news that they're giving up so many goals.  Defense was a strength of this team last season, and as yesterday's result shows, they can't win every match 3-2, especially with Aguero out injured.  If they can tighten up at the back though, they should be fine.  Tevez seems to be firmly back in the fold, which will help immensely.  

Liverpool is extremely unfortunate to drop points in this one.  Brendan Rodgers said after the match that they should have won.  This is true.  Both City goals were gifts from Liverpool, especially the second one.  You can't just press on and ignore that though.  If the Reds defense can't become more disciplined, there will be more gifted goals in the offing and more dropped points on the horizon.  It was definitely a step in the right direction offensively though.

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.

Congratulations to Manchester City, 2012 Premier League Champions!

City Manager Roberto Mancini Holds the BPL Trophy (PremierLeague.com)

The Puddle would like to congratulate Manager Roberto Mancini, Captain Vincent Kompany, and Manchester City on winning the 2012 Barclay's Premier League title.  The Citizens did it in spectacular fashion, coming from behind by scoring two goals in stoppage time to beat QPR.  In the process, they literally stole the title from Manchester United, who had already begun celebrating in Sunderland after winning 0-1 there.  In video, Sir Alex can be seen urging his players off the pitch as the news is delivered.

A lot of folks have been saying Man City bought the title.  I guess there's some merit to that, but I like the way Alexi Lalas put it on twitter today.  He said that City didn't buy the title, they bought the best tools with which to win it.

In the end, it all came down to goal difference which just proves that every goal and every point matters.  It also shows the glory of the beautiful game and the fact that you don't need to use some kind of a playoff to manufacture the drama.  Are you watching, MLS?

So I'm sure the blue half of Manchester will be partying well into the night, the night when the Blue Moon finally rose over the Barclay's Premier League.

Puddle's Goal of the Weekend: Aguero Clinches the Title

There can be no other goal of the weekend but this one.  Sergio Aguero fired this goal in stoppage time to seal Man City's win vs QPR and give them the EPL title on goal difference.  Basically the Premier League came down to the last kick of the season.  I chose this video not only because it shows the goal, but it also shows United and their supporters, who were literally celebrating the title, getting the bad news at the Stadium of Light.

Manchester Derby: For MOST of the Marbles.

City Captain Vincent Kompany after scoring the day's only goal. (Getty Images)

A few weeks back Vincent Kompany let his club down at home against Manchester United.  On that day, he received a red card early in a derby match in the FA Cup against City's heated rivals, ultimately leading to the demise of the dream of repeating their FA Cup success.  Today, the City captain erased that memory, notching a goal that will most likely be long remembered as one of the most important in history of his club.

Today was the "unmissable" game, as Sky Sports dubbed it.  United manager Sir Alex Ferguson called it "The derby to end all derbies." Manchester City hosted Manchester United.  The winner would not quite claim the Premier League title, but would have an advantage nearly impossible to be overcome.

In reality, only one team really showed up.  Manchester City came out confident on their home ground, knowing they needed three points.  A draw would have suited United just fine, and they definitely came out not trying to win, but to avoid losing.  That can spell disaster against a club that's as good as City.

The best chance that United had pretty much all day came in just the second minute.  They won a corner, and sent the ball in.  After a bit of ping pong in front of the City goal, the ball fell to Michael Carrick.  He volleyed the ball toward the goal, but his shot was blocked.  United screamed for handball, but it fell on deaf ears.

After that, Manchester City took control of the first half, and really took control of the match.  United slid back into an almost park the bus mentality, knowing all they really needed to do was keep City out of the back of the net.  In the end, they never really even looked threatening on the counter attack.  The men in sky blue had some issues though, United is never easy to break down.  Sergio Aguero had some half looks, and Carlos Tevez worked hard, but never really got a look.

In end, City would land the only blow of the day right before halftime.  In the first of two minutes of stoppage, City set up for a corner that was taken by David Silva.  As the kick came in Kompany shook his marker, Chris Smalling, and rose for a free header, putting it easily by David De Gea to make it 1-0 to City at halftime.

United tried to come out differently in the second half, but it just wasn't to be.  Honestly the most interesting thing that happened in the last 45 minutes was the 4th official having to break up a sparring match between Ferguson and Roberto Mancini. 

Late in the match Samir Nasri had a chance to ice it, looking at a shooting opportunity right in front of goal.  Instead of shooting to either post for an easy score, he got cute and tried to walk it in.  The United defense regrouped and stuffed him without even a shot.  In the end though, it didn't matter.  United didn't register a single shot on goal for the entire game, as City easily held onto the 1-0 win.

The result puts the two sides level on points, but City have a superior goal difference.  If they win their last two (at Newcastle and vs QPR) United doesn't really have much of a chance.  They have Swansea at home and finish on the road to Sunderland.  It's possible that United could put up a big number against Swansea, but likely not at Sunderland.

United will need City to slip up.  If they don't, the red half of Manchester might be facing a season void of trophies.

EPL: Manchester City vs. Blackburn

Mario Balotelli opens the scoring. (AP Images)

I really doubt that anyone watching this match, City fan, Rovers fan, or neutral, would have expected anything different than what we got from Etihad stadium today. In the end, the only surprise might be that City didn't win by more.

City kicked into gear right away, with Mario Balotelli blasting a shot on goal in the 2nd minute. Rovers 'keeper Paul Robinson reacted well to his left and managed to keep the ball out. It was the first of many saves he would have to make to keep the scoreline respectable.

Chances didn't exactly come regularly for City, but it wasn't because of the Blackburn defense at all. City provided a very patient attack, pushing and probing for the right way to open the Rovers defense. It was quite impressive. The next good chance fell to Adam Johnson in the 24th minute, but once again Robinson turned City away. In the 27th Balotelli also put a free kick on target, that was once again parried away by Robinson. Finally City and Super Mario broke through in the 30th minute. Balotelli took a cross from Kolarov at the near the post then whacked it by Robinson to make it 1-0.

City would turn up the pressure even more prior to the half. David Silva was the maestro of
the match all day, as usual, and he had a shot nicely saved in the 34th. Vincent Kompany had a shot turned away in the 37th. The rebound fell to Yaya Toure, but he couldn't do much except put it wide. City took the 1-0 lead into the half.

Blackburn must have felt alright about themselves coming out for the second. Despite only having 20 percent of the possession and giving up quite a few chances, they were only down 1-0. All that changed very early on though. In the 52nd minute Robinson totally fumbled a City corner and Sergio Aguero kicked the ball into the empty net to make it 2-0. Robinson had a good day up until then, but that was a real howler.

City wasn't done though, and even one of their subs got in amongst the goals. In the 81st minute Edin Dzeko took a beautiful cross, again from Kolarov, and snapped a powerful header into the back of the net to make it 3-0, which was the full time result.

I didn't mention any real Blackburn chances. That's because there weren't any. Rovers took 5 shots, 4 of them were blocked. Yakubu actually got the only shot on goal, and that came in the 2 minute of 2nd half stoppage time. Horrible game for Rovers. The result puts City 5 points clear of United, going into their match with Norwich tomorrow.

EPL: Manchester City vs. Fulham

Coming off of their previous loss on the road to Everton, Manchester City needed a pick-me-up. Turns out a visit from Fulham to Etihad stadium was just what the doctor ordered. City was wounded and bleeding, Fulham had just cut Bobby Zamora loose. It was a recipe for disaster.

City didn't wait long to fire their opening salvos at the Fulham net. Edin Dzeko tried his luck in the second minute, and Gareth Barry took his turn in the fourth. Both shots came up lacking however. Dzeko tried again in the fifth minute, but his header floated over the bar. He really should have done better.

City got on the board through dubious circumstances in the 10th minute. Adam Johnson flopped over in the box, and the referee gave a penalty. Turns out both Manchester clubs benefited from dubious penalties last weekend. At any rate, Sergio Aguero calmly hit the PK to make it 1-0 to City after 11 minutes.

Fulham tried to respond, but nothing was going their way in the Manchester snow. Clint Dempsey hit a shot wide in the 14th, and Simon Davies had a shot saved in the 24th. That was about it for Fulham in the first half.

However City would again benefit from tough circumstances before the half. In the 30th minute Johnson again went at Chris Baird, who had "conceded" the PK. Johnson put in a shot from a tough angle and it deflected in off of Baird for an own goal. A nightmare for Baird and Fulham, and City led 2-0 going into the half.

The weather turned even more sour in the 2nd half, and further hindered Fulham from getting back into the match. It even led to the ref calling for the lines to be shoveled off on a couple of different occasions. This was actually quite entertaining.

In the 72nd minute, City finished the task. Aguero dished to Edin Dzeko, who finally found his way into the back of the net again to make it 3-0 to City. Fulham would get a chance at a consolation goal in the 89th minute but John Arne Riise had his shot saved by Joe Hart, and City held on for the 3-0 win on a cold Saturday.

JOE HART GETS HELP FROM THE SHOVEL BRIGADE (EPL Official)

Carling Cup Semifinal: Liverpool vs. Manchester City

Despite being t0p of the Premier League for a good portion of the season, City have not experienced a lot of success in cup runs this year. They failed to make the Champions League knock out stage, though they did have a tough group including Napoli and Bayern Munich. A couple weeks back city rivals Manchester United ended their hopes of defending their FA Cup title. Coming into this second leg of the League Cup semifinal at Anfield, they trailed Liverpool 1-0 on the aggregate after falling in the first leg 0-1 to a Steven Gerrard penalty kick.

This was an awesome match to watch. King Kenny called his guys out publicly after an embarrassing defeat at Bolton on the weekend and his players responded, taking it to City early and often. Joe Hart was a BEAST in this match. In the 4th minute he turned aside a point blank shot from Jose Enrique and followed it up with three more good saves against the likes of Johnson, Bellamy and Adam over the next 20 minutes. No doubt he was keeping City in the tie.

City had no sight of goal until the 28th minute, when Edin Dzeko had a shot blocked. In truth, it was only a half chance. Nigel De Jong did a lot better on 31 minutes when he smashed a ball into the postage stamp corner to make 0-1 and equalize the aggregate. To say it was against the run of play would be an understatement.

Liverpool went right back on the attack however and took the aggregate lead again just 10 minutes later. In the 40th minute Micah Richards threw himself in front of a shot in the penalty area. The ball ricocheted off of his foot and hit his outstretched hand. Referee Phil Dowd awarded a PK, which Gerrard promptly converted.

City felt pretty slighted and I can see why. It was obviously a case of ball to hand. However, the hand was outstretched, nowhere near the body. To my way of thinking, if you throw yourself into a shot like that in the area with your hands up like that, you're just asking for a penalty. Phil Dowd illustrated this several times by doing what appeared to be the Thriller dance. It was highly entertaining.

Liverpool continued to dominate in the second half and nearly put the tie away. In the 53rd minute Skrtel forced a glorious save out of Hart on a Gerrard free kick. Then in the very next minute the big City 'keeper barely closed his near post in time to Stewart Downing.

City hung in there though, and it looked like the Reds might rue those missed chances. In the 67th minute they struck again against the run of play. Kolarov sent in a cross that Dzeko banged in off of his right foot to make it 1-2 and again equalize the aggregate.

Liverpool was not to be denied this day though. They finally put the tie away in the 74th minute off of the foot of Craig Bellamy, who else? Dirk Kuyt sent in a cross that Bellamy took then passed to Glenn Johnson at close range. Johnson then sent the ball right back to Bellamy who slotted the ball past a helpless Joe Hart to equalize the match at 2-2 and hand Liverpool the 3-2 win on aggregate. They'll face Cardiff in the League Cup final.


THRILLER! (Getty Images)

Man City Accept Balotelli Ban

The FA have confirmed that City will not appeal the recent four match ban handed down to Mario Balotelli. Balotelli was in hot water after appearing to do his best Pepe impression by stomping on Tottenham's Scott Parker during last weekend's EPL encounter.

Balotelli missed today's Carlign Cup semi-final 2nd leg against Liverpool. He will also miss EPL clashes with Everton, Fulham, and Villa.

City questioned Referee Howard Webb's statement that he did not see the offense. Balotelli's loud mouth agent said Webb, who refereed the 2010 World Cup Final as well the Champion's League Final, should be banned for life and accused the English of "not protecting Mario."

My take on all of this is that Balotelli is his own worst enemy. For all of the flare and excitement he brings to a match, he just can't seem to settle down and play within the rules. It's a pity, he's such a bright talent.

Oh, and yes, I think the ban is perfectly justified.

FA Cup 3rd Round: Manchester City vs. Manchester United

Yesterday's Manchester derby was undoubtedly the marquee match of the FA Cup's 3rd round. For some of my readers that don't always follow the English game, the 3rd round is where all the big teams from the top 2 flights come in and play all the minnows. However, this match was a clash of the titans, and it had pretty much everything.

After trouncing United 1-6 at Old Trafford earlier this season, City were coming out to finally assert their dominance over their more experienced rivals. They controlled the match in the opening minutes. United had pretty much everybody back behind the ball as they tried to weather the opening storm. However the storm ended up being nothing more than a rumble of thunder. The best chance City got in the first 10 minutes was a free kick from Aleksandar Kolarov, which he disappointingly hit into the wall.

After that United took their first real attack of the match and made it count. In the 10 minute Antonio Valencia provided a great cross into the box. Wayne Rooney was there to meet it and head it in under the bar to make it 0-1 to United. Rooney ran over to the City fans clutching the crest on his shirt, showing them who he thought ruled Manchester.

It got worse for City just a couple of minutes later. Captain Vincent Kompany went sliding in with two feet on Nani just outside the penalty area. Kompany got all ball, and Nani didn't even go to ground, but the referee went straight red on him and reduced City to 10 men.

City didn't shy away though and over the next ten minutes they put together a pretty good response, despite being down a man. In the 14th minute Sergio Aguero came the closest for City drilling in a shot from distance, but Anders Lindegaard grabbed it and held on to keep United in the lead.

However, the loss of a man finally started to tell on City later in the half. If I'm honest with you, they had trouble all day with United bringing the ball in from wide. In the 30th minute Patrice Evra sent in yet another quality cross that Danny Welbeck brilliantly volleyed into the net to make it 0-2.

Then just before half time it looked like United was going to put the game on ice. City conceded a PK and Wayne Rooney stepped up to take the spot kick. However, Rooney hit it rather lamely and Costel Pantilimon made the save for City. Unfortunately for him, the rebound went straight back to Rooney who nodded it easily into the empty net to make it 0-3 United at the half.

All eyes focused on Roberto Mancini's side in the second half. Would City park the bus just to prevent a United route, or would they go for it and try to get back in the match? Thankfully for us neutrals that were watching they fought, and they fought hard.

It took them less than 4 minutes to nick their first goal. Patrice Evra made a dumb foul for United right outside his own area, He was shown the yellow card, but more importantly gave up the free kick. Kolarov again stepped up and this time he made amends for the poor kick in the first half by slotting it over the wall and past Lindegaard to make it 1-3.

At that point you could feel the energy start to surge back into the City players and fans. United tried to check the momentum by changing personnel, including bringing in formerly retired Paul Scholes, who had recently just resigned with the club to help them fill in down the stretch.

However, the United legend spoiled his own return in the 64th minute by giving the ball up on a throw in deep in his own half. City took it and managed to get it to Aguero in the box. His first shot was blocked, but this time it was Lindegaard who gave up the rebound, and the Argentine promptly mopped up and calmly finished to make it 2-3.

Unfortunately for City, the tired legs caught up with them and they failed to really mount a serious charge to equalize. United did give them once good chance though. Rio Ferdinand committed a foul right outside his own area in stoppage time to give City one more free kick chance to score and force a replay. However, Lindegaard parried Kolarov's kick and United cleared it, ending the match at 2-3.

So the holders are out. Next up for United is a 4th round clash against Liverpool at Anfield later this month.

EPL: Sunderland vs. Manchester City

This really was a remarkable New Year's weekend in the Barcaly's Premier League. Nobody in the top 4 won. Manchester United was beaten at home by Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea was humiliated at the Bridge by Aston Villa, and Tottenham dropped points away to Swansea. This gave City a real chance to put a little distance between themselves and their title challengers.

However, it's also in the middle of the congested festive period, where managers are forced to try to juggle their lineups to keep people fresh. Roberto Mancini did just that, resting Silva, Aguero, and Richards. Sunderland knew they weren't facing the classic City side, and looked to take advantage.

Sunderland got one of the best chances of the match almost right off the bat. Nicklas Bendtner charged down the pitch on a counter on the 3rd minute, earning himself a one on one with Joe Hart. However, the England 'keeper made a great play, forcing the Sunderland striker to angle wide then taking to the ground to stop his shot. The Sunderland counter attack would be the pattern for the day.

Man City's best chances of the half mostly came in a period from about the 30th-35th minute, and were pretty much all fashioned by Edin Dzeko. He forced the Sunderland 'keeper into a great save on 33 minutes, and hit the bar in the 35th. Adam Johnson also beat the 'keeper in the 33rd, only to see his shot cleared off the line. The teams went to the locker rooms still scoreless.

After the lackluster first half, Roberto Mancini decided to make some changes, knowing what was on the line. Sergio Aguero came in to start the second half and both Silva and Richards would enter before the final whistle. While it did seem like they helped City grab even more control of the game, they still couldn't find the back of the Sunderland net.

They did have have their chances though. In the 79th minute Edin Dzeko again found his way into a golden chance but saw his header just float wide of the corner of the goal. Then in the 87th minute, City looked sure to score as David Silva forced a save from the 'keeper that rebounded right to Micah Richards. However, despite the open net, Richards saw his header clang off the bar.

Sunderland took advantage of City's failures in stoppage time. In the third of three minutes, they found themselves coming up the pitch one last time. Seemingly blocked off in the 18, Sessegnon found a way to dish the ball out to Dong-Won-Ji, who rounded Joe Hart and dropped the ball into the the net to give Sunderland the 1-0 win on the last kick of the game.

The only problem was, Ji was a mile offside and it was missed by everybody, including the linesman that was coming up behind the play. City didn't argue the goal at the time, but I'm sure they were fuming when they saw the replay. However, in the end the blame has to fall on them for not taking their chances on not mopping up Sunderland's counters. A huge miss for City that might end up being a big deal in the title race.


Ji's final kick...(AP Images/Fox Soccer)

Yaya Toure Wins 2011 African Player of the Year Award

I'd like to extend congratulations to Manchester City's Yaya Toure, who yesterday was named African Player of the year for 2011. The award is handed out by C.A.F., the Confederation of African Football, and was announced in Accra, Ghana.

Toure is an Ivory Coast international as well as a vital part of City's squad. He scored in the last FA Cup final, helping City claim the trophy over Stoke City.

Congratulations Yaya Toure!

Mario Balotelli's "Why Always Me" T-Shirt vs. Manchester United

Photo Credit: epltalk.com (View the original here)



Mario Balotelli sporting his "Why Always Me?" shirt after putting City up 1-0 over United in the 22nd minute of Sunday's Manchester Derby. Balotelli was given a yellow card on the play for pulling his jersey over his head. No humor allowed in soccer.

At least it didn't say "John 3:16"

EPL: Manchester United vs. Manchester City

Well, if you've ever wanted to see United totally get their butts kicked at Old Trafford, then I hope you caught this derby today. Personally, I pretty much never pull for either of these sides, but as the match wore on, I kept pulling for City to keep pouring it on and give United a bit of their own medicine.

Things didn't start out bad for the Red Devils though. In fact they controlled the possession for a good bit of the opening half. What they weren't doing though is creating any chances. Joe Hart wasn't quite able to pull out a deck chair, as the action was in his half, but United seemed to be having trouble breaking down City's defenses. The only half chance they got came in the 17th minute, but Ashley Young saw his shot blocked.

Then City climbed into the match. Actually I'd say they put everybody on notice. In the 22nd minute James Milner sent a cross into Mario Balotelli. The somewhat troubled Italian striker slotted it past David De Gea cool as you like in the bottom corner to give City the 1-0 lead. Balotelli promptly pulled up his shirt to reveal a T Shirt that read "Why Always Me?" It was hilarious. The referee didn't fins it funny though and gave Balotelli a yellow card.

Now it was time to see if the strike would wake up the Red Devils. It didn't really. They tried, a little. Both Anderson and Rooney forced saves out of Joe Hart before half time, but neither of them were particularly difficult, at City lead 1-0 at the break.

Whatever Sir Alex said to his club during the interval was tossed out the window almost immediately in the second half. In the 47th minute Johnny Evans hauled down Mario Balotelli around the penalty arc denying a clear goal scoring opportunity. He received the red card and put United down a goal and a man. Thirteen minutes later Balotelli completed his brace, flicking home yet another beautiful ball from Milner to make it 0-2. Then in the 69th Sergio Aguero got his first derby goal off another cross to make it 0-3, and that looked to be all she wrote,

Well, not so fast. United did manage a goal here. Darren Fletcher managed to beat Joe Hart in the 81st minute to make it 1-3. Chicharito checked in and the United crowd came to life, hoping for another historic comeback.

Well it wasn't to be today. In fact, after the Fletcher goal, United fell completely apart. City would pour on not 1, not 2, but three goals in the remaining minutes. Dzeko scored 2 after subbing in and David Silva added one to make the final tally 1-6 in favor of City.

How historic was this? Well, It was the worst home loss for United in 80 years. It was their worst loss in the Premier League era, and was the worst loss ever for Sir Alex either as a player or manager.

Noisy Neighbors indeed.