Canada v. Jamaica: World Cup 2010 Qualifying Preview

Canada starts the next stage in its bid to earn a berth in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with a match against the Reggae Boyz of Jamaica on Wednesday in Toronto.

The Canadian team, announced last week, is perhaps the strongest we've ever managed to assemble:

Goalkeepers: Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo); Greg Sutton (Toronto FC)

Defenders: Paul Stalteri (Tottenham Hotspur); Jim Brennan (Toronto FC); Mike Klukowski (Club Brugge); Kevin McKenna (FC Koln); Richard Hastings (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Adrian Serioux (FC Dallas)

Midfielders: Daniel Imhof (VfL Bochum); Julian de Guzman (Deportivo La Coruna); Issey Nakajima-Farran (FC Nordsjlland); Atiba Hutchinson (FC Copenhagen); Patrice Bernier (FC Nordsjlland); Tomasz Radzinski (Skoda Xanthi); Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo)

Forwards: Ali Gerba (MK Dons); Rob Friend (Borussia Moenchengladbach); Iain Hume (Barnsley)

Canada looks strongest in midfield, with the likes of De Rosario, De Guzman, Radzinski and Hutchinson. The forwards, particularly Gerba and Friend will also play a big factor in Canada's success. Defence is a weak spot with no true centre backs named in the squad.

For Jamaica:

Goalkeepers: Donovan Ricketts (Bradford City); Shawn Sawyers (Portmore United)

Defenders: Tyrone Marshall (Toronto FC); Ian Goodison (Tranmere Rovers); Keneil Moodie (Seba United); O'Brian Woodbine (Reno); Demar Stewart (Chengdu Blades); Jermaine Taylor (Harbour View); Demar Phillips (Stoke City)

Midfielders: Davion Thorpe (Reno); Evan Taylor (Reno); Rudolph Austin (Stoke City); Jevaughn Watson (Sporting Central); Jermaine Hue (Harbour View); Ricardo Gardner (Bolton Wanderers); Wolry Wolfe (Joe Public)

Forwards: Deon Burton (Sheffield Wednesday); Luton Shelton (Valerenga); Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids); Andy Williams (Real Salt Lake)

The Jamaicans also look strong up front, with Shelton leading the team with five goals in the opening qualifying round. Their defence looks decent, with a couple England-based players and TFC's Tyrone Marshall (who is questionable for the match, having picked up a quadriceps injury). The midfield is mainly composed of domestic-based players and remains somewhat of an enigma for us non-Jamaicans. They will surely benefit from their familiarity with one another, but the star, Gardner, didn't feature for Bolton on the weekend.

Canada leads the series between the two nations with a record of 6 wins, 4 draws and only 2 losses over 12 games. Particularly telling is the Canadians' record at home, with 5 wins and a draw. The confines of BMO Field should only help with this fine home form.

The Jamaicans dominated their second round qualifier against the Bahamas, winning 13-0 on aggregate.

There will be no games in the so-called Group of Death (also including Honduras and Mexico) that Canada can take for granted. They should be looking for three points against Jamaica, but by no means should these points be considered automatic.

Rene Simoes, the Brazilian who had been in talks with the Canadian Soccer Association to take over after the departure of Frank Yallop last year, manages the Jamaicans and will certainly have the Reggae Boyz prepared for the match.

Canadian manager Dale Mitchell would be advised to make the best of his limited training time with the largely European-based side, to ensure the squad is organized and acclimatizing his players to the artificial pitch at BMO.

Canada's next match is in Montreal on Sept. 6, against Honduras.

TFC's Edu makes Rangers switch

Glasgow Rangers have acquired Toronto FC and U.S. international midfielder Maurice Edu for a fee of £2.7 million (roughly $5.25 million Canadian).

According to the club's website, the move is still contingent upon Edu receiving a British work permit, but with six senior caps and his selection to the U.S. side for an upcoming World Cup qualifier against Guatemala, it should likely be nothing more than a formality.

Edu scored five goals in 38 appearances for Toronto FC, and won the MLS Rookie of the Year award in his debut campaign last season.

The midfielder has a bright future ahead of him in Scotland, but it leaves questions about what lies ahead for the TFC midfield. Aside from Welsh international Carl Robinson, there isn't really anyone else to mind the centre of the park for the Reds. Canadians Kevin Harmse, Tyler Rosenlund and Gabe Gala have all appeared in the role this season, none of the trio have managed to acquit themselves yet.

General manager Mo Johnston moved to pick up former U.S. under-21 forward Johann Smith late last week, but with Edu gone the transfers may not have wrapped up yet for Toronto. According to MLS rules, TFC receive two-thirds of the transfer fee for Edu.

Premier League 08/09 Preview: Part IV

At long last, the final installment of the Premier League preview!

5. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (at Middlesbrough, Aug. 16)
Stadium: White Heart Lane (Cap.: 36,310)
Manager: Juande Ramos

07 / 08 Finish: W 11, D 13, L 14, GD +5, P 46 (11th)

Perhaps the centre of attention in the Premier League this summer, Juande Ramos and Tottenham will this season reap the rewards of the stir they have caused. After stumbling for the first few months of last season, Spurs made steady progress after Maritn Jol was sacked and Ramos was installed as manager, culminating in their League Cup triumph over Chelsea. The team has improved iteself in almost every area of the pitch, and will be one of the treats to watch this term. The additions of David Bentley, Luka Modric and Gio dos Santos will bring verve to the midfield, while Heurelho Gomes will add solidity in net. Players added last season, including Scottish fullback Alan Hutton and Jonathan Woodgate, should continue to flourish. Ramos still may lose Dimitar Berbatov to Manchester United, which will surely impact the teams fortunes, but Spurs will remain the best candidate to challenge the dominance of the top four this year, and in years to come.

IN: David Bentley (Blackburn, £15m rising to £17m); Luka Modric (Dinamo Zagreb, £16.8m); Heurelho Gomes (PSV Eindhoven, £8m); Giovani dos Santos (Barcelona, £4.7m rising to £8.6m); John Bostock (Crystal Palace, £700,000 rising to £2.15m); Paul-Jose Mpoku (Standard Liege; undisclosed)

OUT: Robbie Keane (Liverpool, £19m rising to £20.3m); Pascal Chimbonda (Sunderland, £4.9m); Steed Malbranque (Sunderland, £4m); Paul Robinson (Blackburn, £3.5m); Teemu Tainio (Sunderland, £3.5m); Younes Kaboul (Portsmouth, undisclosed); Tommy Forecast (Southampton, undisclosed); Joe Martin (Blackpool, undisclosed); Simon Dawkins (Leyton Orient, six month loan); Anthony Gardner (Hull, six month loan); Jake Livermore (Crewe, six month loan); Leigh Mills (Brentford, season loan); Jamie Davis (released); Radwan Hamed (released); Chris Riley (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Robbie Keane 15
Dimitar Berbatov 15
Darren Bent 6
Jermaine Defoe 4
Jermaine Jenas 4
Steed Malbranque 4

4. ARSENAL (v. West Brom, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Emirates Stadium (Cap.: 60,355)
Manager: Arsne Wenger

07 / 08 Finish: W 24, D 11, L 3, GD +43, P 83 (3rd)

In December of last season, the Premier League was Arsenal's to lose. They lost. It was felt that between their run in the Champions League and the English season proper, their squad was too thin to compete over the 10-month haul. Arsene Wenger has responded by ... signing a teenager (Aaron Ramsey) and a player barely out of his teens (Samir Nasri). Now, I'm not one to question Wengers aptitude when it comes to identifying talent, but to me, it seems the Frenchman is content to fade from contention this season as well. Arsenal have the starting eleven to best any other club in the league, but not over the 50-plus games they will likely play over the course of the season. Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor will continue to terrorize defences, but if and when they break down, watch out. The loss of both Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini will be felt at some point this year. For the sake of the Gunner faithful, I hope that some of the ticket revenues generated by 60,000 fans can manage to purchase some cavalry before some of the teams beneath Arsenal sneak up from behind.

IN: Samir Nasri (Marseille, £12.8m); Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff, £5m); Francis Coquelin (Stade Lavallois, free); Amaury Bischoff (Werder Bremen, undisclosed)

OUT: Alexander Hleb (Barcelona, £11.8m rising to £13.5m); Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos, £1m); Mathieu Flamini (AC Milan, free); Jens Lehmann (Stuttgart, free); Kerrea Gilbert (Leicester, season loan)

Top League Goalscorers:
Emmanuel Adebayor 24
Robin Van Persie 7
Cesc Fabregas 7
Tomas Rosicky 6
Nicklas Bendtner 5

3. LIVERPOOL (at Sunderland, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Anfield (Cap.: 45,522)
Manager: Rafael Benitez

07 / 08 Finish: W 21, D 13, L 4, GD +39, P 76 (4th)

Liverpool start this season hoping they can have a say in ensuring Manchester United don't match their English record of 18 league championships. Easier said than done. Rafa Benitez has made some moves that will help end a title drought that is creeping up on two decades, but it remains to be seen whether he has done enough. Robbie Keane is sure to bring goals to Anfield, both for himself and for last season's top marksman Fernando Torres. Andrea Dossena and Philipp Degen bring added depth to a solid back line, which will benefit from the return to fitness of Daniel Agger, who missed most of last season through injury. What is still missing is a true wing player, especially vital as Benitez has grown fond of the 4-2-3-1 formation that demands a pair of skilled wide players. Ryan Babel could fill one half of that role while Keane may get drafted into the other, but a born-and-bred winger is what the Reds truly need. The biggest threat to a championship for the red half of Liverpool may lie in the boardroom however, as the travials of the two American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, won't seem to go away.

IN: Robbie Keane (Tottenham, £19m rising to £20.3m); Andrea Dossena (Udinese, £7m); Diego Cavalieri (Palmeiras, £3m ); David Ngog (Paris St-Germain, £1.5m); Nikola Saric (Herfolge, £600,000); Vincent Weijl (AZ Alkmaar, nominal fee); Christopher Buchtmann (Borussia Dortmund, undisclosed); Philipp Degen (Borussia Dortmund, free); Emmanuel Mendy (Murcia Deportivo, free); Zsolt Poloskei (MTK Hungaria, season loan)

OUT: John Arne Riise (Roma, £4m); Scott Carson (WBA, £3.25m); Peter Crouch (Portsmouth, £9m rising to £11m); Danny Guthrie (Newcastle, £2.5m); Anthony Le Tallec (Le Mans, £1.1m); Charlie Barnett (Tranmere, free); Besian Idrizaj (Wacker Innsbruck, free); Harry Kewell (Galatasaray, free); Godwin Antwi (Tranmere, six month loan); Adam Hammill (Blackpool, six month loan); Jack Hobbs (Leicester City, season loan); Robbie Threlfall (Hereford United, season loan); David Martin (Leicester, six month loan); Sebastien Leto (Olympiakos, two year loan)

Top League Goalscorers:
Fernando Torres 24
Steven Gerrard 11
Peter Crouch 5
Andriy Voronin 5
Ryan Babel 4
Yossi Benayoun 4

2. MANCHESTER UNITED (v. Newcastle, Aug. 17)
Stadium: Old Trafford (Cap.: 76,212)
Manager: Alex Ferguson

07 / 08 Finish: W 27, D 6, L 5, GD +58, P 87 (1st)

United's chances to win three league titles in a row rest on one of two things: Cristiano Ronaldo scoring 30-plus league goals again or someone else to pick up the slack. The imminent arrival of Spurs striker Dimitar Berbatov remains just a bunch of newspaper fodder, while it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo can recover from ankle surgery and rekindle his other-worldly form of last season. Along with Chelsea, Manchester United have oodles of depth and talent at every position. But their double from last season was secured largely without a traditional centre forward. Berbatov would fill the role, and surely create space for the likes of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez to further increase their goal tallies. Alex Ferguson has chosen not to invest further in the transfer market this summer, pinning his hopes on a squad that failed to win only 11 times (six draws, five losses) in 38 attempts last season. Not the worst bet, but with other clubs continuing to improve, it may turn out to cost the Red Devils come May.

IN: Davide Petrucci (Roma, £200,000)

OUT: Gerard Pique (Barcelona, £4m); Chris Eagles (Burnley, £1.2m); Richie Jones (Hartlepool, free); Michael Lea (Scunthorpe, free); Kieron Lee (Oldham, free); Conor McCormack (Triestina, free); David Williams (Oldham, free); Tom Heaton (Cardiff, season loan); Ferbin Brandy (Swansea, six month loan extension); Danny Simpson (Blackburn, season loan); Michael Barnes (released); Sean Evans (released); Chris Fagan (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Cristiano Ronaldo 31
Carlos Tevez 14
Wayne Rooney 12
Louis Saha 5
Nani 3
Ryan Giggs 3

1. CHELSEA (v. Portsmouth, Aug. 17)
Stadium: Stamford Bridge (Cap.: 42,360)
Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari

07 / 08 Finish: W 25, D 10, L 3, GD +39, P 85 (2nd)

When one of your biggest concerns is whether you can find any playing time for the likes of Joe Cole. things aren't bad. Felipe Scolari's Chelsea squad are dripping with talent, enough that it should bring the championship back to Stamford Bridge this season. The Blues only lost the title by two points last year, and the arrivals of full back Bosingwa and midfielder Deco will only make Chelsea stronger. Yes, they still only have a pair of strikers in Nicholas Anelka and Didier Drogba, but with German Michael Ballack back to his former, all-world self, the problem isn't nearly as glaring. And if it proves a problem, owner Roman Abramovich's pockets are still the deepest around. It will be interesting to see what sort of effect Scolari will have on Chelsea's style this year, which has bordered on drab or outright boring in the past. But really, this shouldn't matter too much in the end, so long as Scolari wins, everyone, including Abramovich himself, will be happy.

IN: Jose Bosingwa (Porto, £16.2m); Deco (Barcelona, £7.9m)

OUT: Steve Sidwell (Aston Villa, £5m); Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart, £4m); Tal Ben Haim (Manchester City, £3m); Claude Makelele (Paris St-Germain, free); Harry Worley (Leicester, free); Ryan Bertrand (Norwich, season loan); Shaun Cummings (MK Dons, one month loan); Slobodan Rajkovic (FC Twente, season loan); Ben Sahar (Portsmouth, season loan); Michael Modubi (Westerloo, season loan); Jeffrey Ntuka (Westerloo, season loan); Emmanuel Sarki (Westerloo, season loan); Jimmy Smith (Sheffield Wednesday, season loan); Hernan Crespo (Inter Milan; season loan); Anthony Grant (released); Adrian Pettigrew (released); James Simmonds (released); Phil Younghusband (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Frank Lampard 10
Didier Drogba 8
Michael Ballack 7
Saloman Kalou 7
Joe Cole 7

Premier League 08/09 Preview: Part III

We move into the top half of the table with the third part of my Premier League preview:

10. SUNDERLAND (v. Liverpool, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Stadium of Light (Cap.: 49,000)
Manager: Roy Keane

07 / 08 Finish: W 11, D 6, L 21, GD -23, P 39 (15th)

Along with Fulham and Tottenham, Sunderland have done more than almost every team that finished in the bottom half of the table to improve their squad. The former Tottenham trio of Pascal Chimbonda, Steed Malbranque and Teemu Tainio will go a long way towards keeping Roy Keane's side out of the relegation battle this season. Malbranque in paticular, along with El-Hadji Diouf will provide creativity and match-winning skill that was sorely missing for the Black Cats last term. Mind you, this squad is a long way from challenging for Europe, and finishing below teams like West Ham and Fulham isn't out of the question. The team still needs a proven striker (Kenwyne Jones is good, but not a natural finisher) and the team needs a boost at the back. Keane appears to have a plan however, and he is the biggest reason this team will continue to improve. The Irishman is turning out to be an excellent Premier League manager, and the future is bright for Sunderland.

IN: Pascal Chimbonda (Tottenham, £4.9m); Steed Malbranque (Tottenham, £4m); Teemu Tainio (Tottenham, £3.5m); El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton, £2.5m); David Meyler (Cork, undisclosed); Nick Colgan (Ipswich, free)

OUT: Andrew Cole (Nottingham Forest, free); Greg Halford (Sheffield United, Free); Arnau Riera (Falkirk, season loan); Ross Wallace (Preston, season loan); Billy Dennehy (released); Gavin Donoghue (released); Iain Harte (released); Jack Pelter (released); Jake Richardson (released); Stanislav Varga (released); Stephen Wright (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Kenwyne Jones 7
Michael Chopra 6
Daryl Murphy 4
Danny Higginbotham 3
Kieran Richardson 3

9. MANCHESTER CITY (at Aston Villa, Aug. 17)
Stadium: City of Manchester Stadium (Cap.: 47,726)
Manager: Mark Hughes

07 / 08 Finish: W 15, D 10, L 13, GD -8, P 55 (9th)

What has Mark Hughes gotten himself in to? Owner Thaksin Shinawatra flees Thailand rather than standing trial, but leaves his suitcase full of questionable cash behind (allegedly) and the funds needed to fill some of the gaps in this improved squad dry up. Brazilian Jo and Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim remain the only signings of the summer, leaving City still a little short at the back. Richard Dunne, Vedran Corluka and Micah Richards are all fine players, but the depth behind them leaves something to be desired. Scoring wasn't the problem last season for City, it was bleeding goals in defence. Hughes, who claims to be fine with the pandemonium in Manchester, will be an improvement over Sven Goran Eriksson, who will likely never get a fair shake in England and has made a good move to Mexico. Hughes, who is used to being strapped for cash and working with a small squad should keep Manchester City in the top half of the table.

IN: Jo (CSKA, Moscow £19m); Tal Ben Haim (Chelsea, £6m)

OUT: Giorgios Samaras (Celtic, £1.5m); Matthew Mills (Doncaster, £300,000); Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven, undisclosed); Ashley Grimes (Millwall, free); Geovanni (Hull, free); Garry Breen (Hereford, free); Bernardo Corradi (Reggina, free); Sun Jihai (Sheffield United, free); Michael Daly (released); Paul Dickov (released); Andrea Giombetti (released); Christian Mourtisen (released); Emile Mpenza (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Elano 8
Darius Vassell 6
Martin Petrov 5
Rolando Bianchi 4
Stephen Ireland 4

8. EVERTON (v. Blackburn, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Goodison Park (Cap.: 40,569)
Manager: David Moyes

07 / 08 Finish: W 19, D 8, L 11, GD +22, P 65 (5th)

Poor, poor, David Moyes. Like Hughes at City, Moyes is dealing with an empty bank account. The club is looking for investors to help secure a move to a new stadium, and the vault seems to be locked until some sort of deal is finalized. Unfortunately, with no deal on the horizon, Moyes will have to cope with the same miniscule squad they had last season, minus the scoring of Andy Johnson and the steel of Lee Carsley. The Everton first team squad is strong, and when Tim Cahill, Yakubu and Mikel Arteta are on form, they are capable of taking on all comers. Their defence is superb, featuring the likes of Joleon Lescott and Joseph Yobo. It will be up to Moyes to choose his competition this year, as even a couple of injuries could see Everton sliding down the table. If Everton's efforts are focused on the league, they should retain a UEFA Cup position. If injuries strike, the Toffees could be looking up at the top half of the table.

IN: None

OUT: Andy Johnson (Fulham, undisclosed); Lee Carsley (Birmingham City, free); Darren Dennehy, (Cardiff, free); Aidan Downes (Yeovil, free); Jamie Jones (Leyton Orient, free); Bjarni Vidarsson (FC Twente, free); Stefan Wessels (VfL Osnabruck, released); Patrick Boyle (released); Stephen Connor (released); Shaun Densmore (released); James Hall (released); Ryan Harpur (released); Steven Morrison (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Yakubu Ayegbeni 15
Joleon Lescott 8
Tim Cahill 7
Andy Johnson 6
Leon Osman 4

7. PORTSMOUTH (at Chelsea, Aug. 17)
Stadium: Fratton Park (Cap.: 20,688)
Manager: Harry Redknapp

07 / 08 Finish: W 16, D 9, L 13, GD +8, P 57 (8th)

Last season was a special season at Fratton Park. An eighth place finish, winning the FA Cup to secure the club's first entry into Europe, and all the while playing attractive football. Harry Redknapp has established Pompey as a force to be reckoned with in England. The arrival of Peter Crouch should add to the goals produced by Jermaine Defoe, making for a deadly English pairing. Portsmouth are fairly strong at the back, but Sol Campbell is getting a little long in the tooth. It will be interesting to see how Younes Kaboul responds to life on the south coast, as he was inconsistent at best while at Tottenham. He is young (22) however, and perhaps Redknapp and the veterans Campbell and Sylvain Distin can mould him into something approaching a centre back. The central midfield is depleted with the loss of Sulley Muntari, but with Pedro Mendes and Papa Bouba Diop, should be up to the task. The UEFA Cup should inspire the squad, and they look a good bet to earn a second consecutive place in continental competition.

IN: Younes Kaboul (Tottenham, undisclosed); Peter Crouch (Liverpool, £9m rising to £11m); Omar Koroma (Banjul Hawks, undisclosed); Glenn Little (Reading, free); Ben Sahar (Chelsea, six month loan)

OUT: Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan, £12.7m); Nicky Jordan (Hereford, free); Omar Koroma (Norwich, season loan); Andreas Govas (released); Farid Hassani (released); Ugo Udoji (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Benjani 12
Jermain Defoe 8
John Utaka 5
Sulley Muntari 4
Kanu 4
Niko Kranjcar 4

6. ASTON VILLA (v. Manchester City, Aug. 17)
Stadium: Villa Park (Cap.: 42,573)
Manager: Martin O’Neill

07 / 08 Finish: W 16, D 12, L 10, GD +20, P 60 (6th)

After dominating the summer transfer rumours with an on-again, off-again deal with Liverpool, Gareth Barry is staying after all. The midfielder played in Villa's UEFA Cup qualifier against FH Hafnarfjordur today, and the prospects for manager Martin O'Neill's season immediately got better. Now that he's cup-tied, Barry will solidify his place alongside Nigel Reo-Coker, with Steve Sidwell to challege from the bench (Oh my! Depth!). Ashley Young, John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor form a potent combination in attack, with Young and Agbonlahor only getting better. But like many of the teams outside the big four clubs, Villa suffered from a lack of depth last season. With the Villans competing in Europe, the depth provided by Sidwell will prove vital. The recent signing of Carlos Cuellar should move into the void left by Olof Mellburg, while the American pair of Brad Friedel and Brad Guzan should improve the goal keeping situation. While still a ways off from breaking into the top four, Aston Villa remain one of the top candidates to challenge for a Champions League place.

IN: Carlos Cuellar (Rangers, £7.8m); Steve Sidwell (Chelsea, £5m); Curtis Davies (WBA, £3m); Brad Friedel (Blackburn, £2.5m); Brad Guzan (Chivas USA, £600,000)

OUT: Luke Moore (WBA, £3m to £3.5m); Damian Bellon (FC Vaduz, free); Patrik Berger (Sparta Prague, free); Erik Lund (Gothenburg, free); Olof Mellberg (Juventus, free); Thomas Sorensen (Stoke City, free)

Top League Goalscorers:
John Carew 13
Gabriel Agbonlahor 11
Gareth Barry 9
Ashley Young 8
Martin Laursen 6

TOMMORROW: The final installment of the Premier League Preview, featuring what I think will be the top five teams including my pick to become the 08/09 champions.

Premier League 08/09 Preview: Part II

Here we go with part two of the preview:

15. BOLTON WANDERERS (v. Stoke City, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Reebok Stadium (Cap.: 28,723)
Manager: Gary Megson

07 / 08 Finish: W 9, D 10, L 19, GD -18, P 37 (16th)

There will be nervous days come May at the Reebok Stadium. Gary Megson and company should brace themselves for another season rooted near the foot of the table. As has been the case with Bolton teams since their arrival in the Premier League, there has been little in the way of transfer funding, meaning the club has needed to find success on the cheap, through the graft of its manager. Unfortunately, Megson has little of this precious commodity on hand, and the squad has been meagerly improved over the summer. He handily kept the team afloat last season, even after losing Nicholas Anelka in January. New signing Johan Elmander may eventually become a promising Premier League player, but his impact won’t be enough this season to justify the price tag, nor keep the Wanderers faithful from pining for the likes of Anelka. Danny Shittu however, is a solid defender from the Championship who has earned the right to prove himself at the top level. Kevin Nolan will once again need to carry Bolton on his back, and the Wanderers should have enough in the tank to avoid the drop, as they did last season, but there will be tense times in the northwest.

IN: Johan Elmander (Toulouse, £10m + Daniel Braaten); Fabrice Muamba (Birmingham, £5.5m); Danny Shittu (Watford, undisclosed); Mustapha Riga (Levante, undisclosed);

OUT: El-Hadji Diouf (Sunderland, £2.5m); Daniel Braaten (Toulouse, swap); Andranik Teymourian (Fulham, free); Ivan Campo (released); Mark Ellis (released); Stelios Giannakopoulos (released); Johann Smith (released); Les Thompson (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Nicholas Anelka 10
Kevin Nolan 5
El-Hadji Diouf 4
Matthew Taylor 3
Kevin Davies 3

14. BLACKBURN ROVERS (at Everton, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Ewood Park (Cap.: 31,367)
Manager: Paul Ince

07 / 08 Finish: W 15, D 13, L 10, GD +2, P 58 (7th)

Paul Ince has a job on his hands. The triumphant former MK Dons manager will quickly learn the cruelty of the top flight this season. Star winger David Bentley is gone, goal keeping saviour Brad Friedel is gone and the glue that seems to have kept Blackburn together, Mark Hughes, is also gone. Ince will need to rebuild bridges with the squad, and learn to cope with a diminished first team. Paul Robinson will play a big part in determining Rovers’ fate this term and has big boots to fill. Friedel was the basis of much of Blackburn’s success over the past few seasons and remains one of the Premier League’s top keepers. Robinson is … Robinson. Ince will have a good strike force this year with Roque Santa Cruz and Benni McCarthy up front (and a useful Jason Roberts on the bench), but play maker Morten Gamst Pedersen will need to find his form of two years ago in order to fill the gap left by Bentley in the midfield. Ince will have to deal with some discontent in the boot room, with the likes of Santa Cruz rumoured to be looking for greener pastures, and this will be the defining theme of his first season at the top. It will be a long season at Ewood Park …

IN: Paul Robinson (Tottenham, £3.5m); Carlos Villanueva (Audax Italiano, season loan); Danny Simpson (Manchester United, season loan); Julio Santa Cruz (Cerro Porteno, undisclosed)

OUT: David Bentley (Tottenham, £15m rising to £17m); Brad Friedel (Aston Villa, £2.5m); Peter Enckelman (Cardiff, free); Rafael De Vita (Livingston, free); Jamie Clarke (Accrington, six month loan); Osahon Eboigne (OH Leuven, season loan); Bruno Berner (released); Stephane Henchoz (released); Zak Jones (released); Darragh Tuffy (released); Francis Zenaba (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Roque Santa Cruz 19
Benni McCarthy 8
David Bentley 6
Morten Gamst Pedersen 4
Matt Derbyshire 3
Jason Roberts 3

13. WIGAN ATHLETIC (at West Ham, Aug. 16)
Stadium: JJB Stadium (Cap.: 25,138)
Manager: Steve Bruce

07 / 08 Finish: W 10, D 10, L 18, GD -17, P 40 (14th)

A competent, if unspectacular side has been quickly built by Steve Bruce at Wigan, relying on a similar formula for success he instilled at, err, Birmingham? Really though, Bruce did efficiently guide the Latics to safety last season and should be a safe bet to do so again, if only because he’s a better manager than some beneath him and because he’ll avoid the upheaval that other teams will surely endure over the course of the season. A healthy strike pairing of Marcus Bent and Emile Heskey will supply goals; Olivier Kapo and Daniel de Ridder, both arriving from Birmingham, will add depth to the midfield while Lee Cattermole should make Gareth Southgate rue the day he agreed to let the holding midfielder move on. Things won’t be easy for Wigan (they could use somebody to pair with Paul Scharner other than Titus Bramble in the heart of defence), but a full season with Bruce at the helm should continue the clubs conversion into a Premier League regular.

IN: Lee Cattermole (Middlesbrough, £3.5m); Olivier Kapo (Birmingham, £3.5m); Daniel de Ridder (Birmingham, free); Amr Zaki (Zamalek, season loan)

OUT: David Cotterill (Sheffield United, £1.5m); Andreas Granqvist (Gronigen, £795,000); Julius Aghahowa (Kayserispor, free); Salomon Olembe (Kayserispor, free); Josip Skoko (Hajduk Split, free); Peter Moore (released); Russell Saunders (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Marcus Bent 7
Antoine Sibierski 4
Emile Heskey 4
Paul Scharner 4
Antonio Valencia 3
Ryan Taylor 3

12. FULHAM (at Hull City, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Craven Cottage (Cap.: 26,600)
Manager: Roy Hodgson

07 / 08 Finish: W 8, D 12, L 18, GD -22, P 36 (17th)


After performing the Great Escape on the final day of last season, Roy Hodgson got straight to work ensuring a similar scenario won’t play out again this term. The addition of Andy Johnson from Everton should make teams like Middlesbrough and Bolton jealous. Johnson, who was mired on the bench at Goodison for most of last year, will make an instant impact for the Cottagers – who knows, maybe he’ll even make Bobby Zamora look good! Perhaps the most important thing for Fulham this season will be the continued form of captain Danny Murphy, who emerged from a shell under Hodgson. Along with Simon Davies, Clint Dempsey and newcomer Zoltan Gera, the Fulham midfield looks promising. Mark Schwarzer will be a boost in goal as well. Perhaps the biggest plus for Hodgson over the summer has been that he hasn’t had to sell any key players. Fulham at the very least should put on a good show and they’ll certainly find a comfortable place at the lower end of mid-table.

IN: Andrew Johnson (Everton, undisclosed); Bobby Zamora (West Ham United, £5.8m); Fredrik Stoor (Rosenborg, £2m); John Pantsil (West Ham United, £500,000); David Stockdale (Darlington, £350,000 rising to £650,000); Zoltan Gera (WBA, free); Toni Kallio (BSC Young Boys, free); Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough, free); Andranik Teymourian (Bolton, free); Pascal Zuberbuhler (Neuchatel Xamax, free)

OUT: Ricardo Batista (Sporting Lisbon, £120,000); Nathan Ashton (Wycombe, undisclosed); Dejan Stefanovic (Norwich, undisclosed); Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes, free); Brian McBride (Toronto FC, free); Bradley Hudson-Odoi (Hereford United, free); Michael Timlin (Swindon, free); Bjorn Runstrom (Odense, free); Tony Warner (Hull City, free); Lee Cook (QPR, season loan); Elliot Omuzusi (Norwich, season loan); Corrin Brooks-Meade (released); Phillippe Christanval (released); Ismael Ehui (released); Simon Elliot (released); Jari Litmanen (released); Ian Pearce (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Clint Dempsey 6
Danny Murphy 5
Simon Davies 5
Diomansy Kamara 5
David Healy 4
Brian McBride 4

11. WEST HAM UNITED (v. Wigan Athletic, Aug. 16)
Stadium: The Boleyn Ground (Cap.: 35,647)
Manager: Alan Curbishley

07 / 08 Finish: W 13, D 10, L 15, GD -8, P 49 (10th)

The Hammers persevere in spite of themselves. That they were able to field a team by mid-season last term was a miracle on its own, so riddle with injuries was the squad. Yet when healthy, West Ham provide a challenge for most teams in the Premier League. Striker Dean Ashton will go hand-in-hand with success at Upton Park this season: in spite of being injured for good chunks of the season, Ashton managed 10 goals. If Craig Bellamy can stay healthy, the pairing could become even more potent. He looks set to build on that tally and should figure in an England team hunting high and low for strikers. Robert Green should continue his unappreciated excellence in goal. The defensive unit of Lucas Neill, George McCartney, Matthew Upson and Anton Ferdinand has been bolstered with the arrival of Swiss international Valon Behrami. In midfield, Alan Curbishley, in a stroke of expensive yet seemingly rare wisdom, relieved the Hammers faithful from having to endure any more of Freddie Ljungberg. Now if only he’ll do the same with Kieron Dyer … West Ham have lofty goals this season, with Curbishley musing about Europe. They should be able to improve on last season’s 49 points, but teams ahead of them have improved enough that their final league position should change little.

IN: Valon Behrami (Lazio, £5m); Balint Bajner (Liberty Oradea, undisclosed); Orn Eyjolfsson (HK Kopavogur, undisclosed); Jan Lastuvka (Shakhtar Donetsk, season loan); Georg Grasser (Grazer AK, undisclosed)

OUT: Bobby Zamora (Fulham, £5.8m); John Pantsil (Fulham, £500,000); Richard Wright (Ipswich, £500,000); Zavon Hines (Chesterfield, season loan); Ben Hunt (Bristol Rovers, free); Christian Dailly (Rangers, free); Lorcan Fitzgerald (released); Lee Hales (released); Nolberto Solano (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Dean Ashton 10
Carlton Cole 5
Lee Bowyer 4
Nolberto Solano 4
Matthew Etherington 3

TOMMORROW: Check out Part III of the Premier League Preview, featuring the 5 - 10 place teams.

Premier League 08/09 Preview: Part I

Well, the new season is almost upon us, so I now offer my take on how the English Premier League will break down this season. Today, the bottom five teams from last place to 16th.

20. HULL CITY (v. Fulham, Aug. 16)
Stadium: KC Stadium (Cap.: 25,404)
Manager: Phil Brown

07 / 08 Finish: W 21, D 12, L 13, GD +18, P 75, (3rd in Championship, won playoffs)

Having won promotion to the Premier League via some courageous matches in the League Championship Playoffs, Hull City are set to have a difficult first-ever campaign in England’s top flight. Manager Phil Brown has his work cut out for him, as while he’s managed to cobble out a stable mix of young talent and crafty veterans in his squad, it’s unlikely to be enough for Hull to avoid the drop. Players like holding midfielder George Boateng and defender Anthony Gardner will provide some Premier League bona fides to the team and forward Caleb Folan will need to step up his scoring in the absence of last year’s star Fraizer Campbell, who returned to Manchester United after his loan period ended. A lot will depend on Brown’s ability to move beyond the one dimensional tactics that many promoted sides fall back on in the top division – which could be hard, given he learned the ropes under Sam Allardyce at Bolton. Big Sam new how to build for survival, but proved last year at Newcastle that tactics aren’t necessarily his forte.

IN: Peter Halmosi (Plymouth, £3m); George Boateng (Middlesbrough, £1m); Craig Fagan (Derby, £750,000); Geovanni (Manchester City, free); Bernard Mendy (Paris St-Germain, Free); Tony Warner (Fulham, free); Anthony Gardner (Tottenham, six month loan)

OUT: David Livermore (Brighton, free); Henrik Pedersen (Silkeborg IF, free); Ben Wilkinson (York, free); Frank Belt (released); Brewster Frizzell (released); Jay-Jay Okocha (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Fraizer Campbell 15
Dean Windass 11
Caleb Folan 8
Dean Marney 6
Richard Garcia 5

19. STOKE CITY (at Bolton Wanderers, Aug. 16)
Stadium: The Britannia Stadium (Cap.: 28,383)
Manager: Tony Pulis

07 / 08 Finish: W 21, D 16, L 9, GD +14, P 79, (2nd in Championship)

Stoke are in a similar boat to Hull, having finished second in the Championship last year, mainly on the back of hard work and perseverance. Seeing a few Stoke games on the telly last season, they were a committed side that gave little away at the back but were a little short on invention going forward. The arrival of Dave Kitson will add a proven finisher to the squad, but the question is who will provide the service? Salif Diao and Rory Delap are hardly the midfield wizards required at the top level. A great deal more commitment will be required from Tony Pulis’s side if they are to avoid a one way ticket back to the Championship.

IN: Dave Kitson (Reading, £5.5m); Seyi Olofinjana (Wolves, £3m); Thomas Sorensen (Aston Villa; free)

OUT: Marlon Broomes (Blackpool, free); Russell Hoult (Notts County, free); Dominic Matteo (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Ricardo Fuller 15
Liam Lawrence 14
Richard Cresswell 11
Leon Cort 8
Ryan Shawcross 7

18. NEWCASTLE UNITED (at Manchester United, Aug. 17)
Stadium: St. James Park (Cap.: 52,387)
Manager: Kevin Keegan

07 / 08 Finish: W 11, D 10, L 17, GD -20, P 43 (12th)

Yes, I think the bells are set to toll for the Toon Army. An owner who is more concerned with having a good time on the terrace than ensuring the stability of the club, a squad that is still in disarray – rife with grumblings about wanting out – following the disastrous transfer period this time last year and a fragile manager in Kevin Keegan whose shelf life is always a concern. Oh, and then there’s Joey Barton. There remains talent in the side, with James Milner, Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins all capable of performing at top levels, but injuries remain a concern. But concerns also remain over the play of Damien Duff, Alan Smith, Mark Viduka and the entire group of defenders. That Keegan splashed the cash out for a player like Jonas Gutierrez isn’t surprising: Keegan loves to attack. But United finished with a negative 20 goal difference last season and the team is a lot further than one player away from boosting the number of goals scored any further, meaning tightening up the back might be easier and cost less than £9 million. I fear this season will once again be about side shows, and with no Keegan-like saviour on the horizon, the off-pitch activities will sink Newcastle this season.

IN: Jonas Gutierrez (Real Mallorca, £9m); Danny Guthrie (Liverpool, £2.5m); Sebastien Bassong (Metz, £1.8m); Frank Wiafe Danquah (FC Ominworld, undisclosed)

OUT: Emre Belozoglu (Fenerbahce, £4m); David Rozehnal (Lazio, £2.9m); Mark Cook (Hartlepool, free); Peter Ramage (QPR, free); Stephen Carr (released); Lamine Diatta (released); James Troisi (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Michael Owen 11
Obafemi Martins 9
Mark Viduka 7
Charles N’Zogbia 3
Nicky Butt 3

17. WEST BROMWICH ALBION (at Arsenal, Aug. 16)
Stadium: The Hawthorns (Cap.: 28,003)
Manager: Tony Mowbray

07 / 08 Finish: W 23, D 12, L 11, GD +33, P 81 (1st in Championship)

The main reason I see West Brom squeaking past teams like Newcastle and perhaps Middlesbrough to avoid the drop is that generally one of the teams being promoted stays up the following season. West Brom represents the team most likely to adapt to the rigors of the Premier League. While the “Arsenal of the Championship” comparisons are overblown, West Brom does have the capability to move beyond the direct ball tactics less talented teams resort to in the Premier League. Jonathan Greening and Robert Koren offer solid options in the midfield, while newcomer Luke Moore will join the likes of Roman Bednar, signed permanently after a successful loan spell last season, in the attack. The losses of Zoltan Gera and Kevin Phillips will hurt, but West Brom is the best equipped team at the back of the three teams coming up. Scott Carson will be given a chance to shine at the Hawthorns, but veteran Dean Kiely provides adequate cover if the experiment fails. Gianni Zuiverloon also adds depth to the WBA back line.

IN: Scott Carson (Liverpool, £3.25m); Gianni Zuiverloon (Heerenveen, £3.2m); Luke Moore (Aston Villa, £2.5m to £3m); Roman Bednar (Hearts, £2.3m); Marech Cech (Porto, £1.5m); Do-heon Kim (Seongnam Ilhwa Shunma, £500,000); Graham Dorrans (Livingston, £100,000 rising to £250,000); Michael Danek (Viktoria Plzen, six month loan extension)

OUT: Curtis Davies (Aston Villa, £8m); Martin Albrechtsen (Derby, free); Zoltan Gera (Fulham, free); Stefan Morrison (Swansea, free); Kevin Phillips (Birmingham, free); Luke Steele (Barnsley, free); Luke Daniels (Shrewsbury, one month loan); Jack Compton (released); Michael Nardiello (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Kevin Phillips 22
Roman Bednar 13
Ishmael Miller 9
Robert Koren 9
Zoltan Gera 8

16. MIDDLESBROUGH (v. Tottenham Hotspur, Aug. 16)
Stadium: The Riverside Stadium (Cap.: 35,100)
Manager: Gareth Southgate

07 / 08 Finish: W 10, D 12, L 16, GD -10, P 42 (13th)

Should Newcastle struggle to survival this season, Middlesbrough offers another likely candidate to grace the Championship in 09/10. Gareth Southgate still seems to lack anything approaching a deft touch in the transfer market, Afonso Alves notwithstanding. Didier Digard and Marvin Emnes could be promising, but they aren’t enough to improve a side that struggled for much of last season. Southgate failed to replace Jonathan Woodgate, who left in January and Boro are still far to dependent on Stuart Downing for midfield creativity. Perhaps Southgate is relying on Turkish international Tuncay Sanli to build upon his Euro 2008 form and provide a spark down the right. It was only when the relegation writing was on the wall last season that Middlesbrough came to life, and this may be the case again this season, saving a poor Boro team from the drop.

IN: Didier Digard (Paris St-Germain, £4m); Marvin Emnes (Sparta Roterdam, £3.2m)

OUT: Lee Cattermole (Wigan, £3.5m); George Boateng (Hull, £1m); Jason Kennedy (Darlington, free); Fabio Rochemback (Sporting Lisbon, free); Mark Schwarzer (Fulham, free); Steve Thompson (Port Vale, free); Gaizka Mendieta (released); Dong Gook Lee (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Stuart Downing 9
Tuncay Sanli 8
Afonso Alves 6
Jérémie Aliadière 5
David Wheater 3

TOMMORROW: Part II of the Premier League Preview, featuring the 11th - 15th placed teams.

MK Dons sign Canadian Gerba: report

The Milton Keynes Citizen has confirmed that Canadian International striker Ali Gerba has signed with League 1 side MK Dons.

According to the club's website, the former Montreal Impact and Toronto Lynx player signed a one-year deal with a one-year option following a trial period. Gerba becomes the recently promoted side's fourth signing of the summer.

Gerba's signing should give Canada boss Dale Mitchell a boost ahead of his World Cup 2010 qualifying campaign, knowing now that one of his top strikers is now attached to a club.

Gerba scored two goals in Canada's last match, a 4-1 victory over St. Vincent and the Grenadines, helping them qualify for the CONCACAF group stages.

Early injuries could tell the tale of Manchester United's season

What happens when a club's first choice right back, two central midfielders, left and right wingers and star striker are injured? What happens when at least three of those players were instrumental in bringing titles to the club last season?

Only time will tell what this slew of preseason injuries will mean to Manchester United, reigning champions of England and Europe.

The list of the Red Devils' talent currently spending more time on the trainer's table than the training pitch is startling: full back Gary Neville; holding midfielders Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick; winger Ji-Sung Park and forward Wayne Rooney, who apparently came down with a virus while on United's tour of Africa (for an interesting take on the perils of preseason touring, read Tony Cascarino's column on the Times website).

To top it off, now that he's staying, forward Cristiano Ronaldo is still recovering from ankle surgery and won't be available until at least next month.

And injuries aren't the end of manager Alex Ferguson's selection woes: midfielder Anderson is currently with the Brazilian national team at the Beijing Olympics.

It will be argued that if any team can cope with a Swiss cheese-like roster, it's United (although the same claim could be made of Chelsea). With the likes of Nani, Carlos Tevez, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs available to fill some of those holes, the Red Devils won't exactly starve.

But a slow start could be meaningful come May. Chelsea will be out for revenge after being pipped to both titles last season and their squad is stable, if not strengthened over last year.

And while Ronaldo has committed himself to the team now, if United need a push to win the title this year, his heart may start looking towards Madrid sometime in March, just when United need him most.

Ferguson needs to look at the few remaining weeks of August carefully, shrewdly and be willing to pounce at a stop-gap measure if one presents itself.

Matches against Newcastle (H), Portsmouth (A) and Fulham (H) come before a vital international break over the first two weeks of September. The squad had better be coming together by this point, as United travel to Liverpool on Sept. 13. Following closely behind that fixture is the start of the Champions League group stages, also important to a successful United season.

Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov will remain on Ferguson's radar, but with a distinct lack of news on such a transfer, it makes me think Juande Ramos feels he is dealing from a position of strength, with enough money to accomplish his goals without having to stoop to United's fee proposal. A poor result, particularly on the road to Portsmouth, could force Ferguson to match Spurs asking price for the striker however.

I've heard it bandied about in the papers and on television that Ferguson's lack of transfer movement has more to do with the availability of funds than it has to do with his evaluation of the first team's strength. Manchester United and their American owners, the Glazer family, are deeply indebted and it has been suggested that the current credit crisis is holding back the club's transfer ambitions.

A slow start has been fatal in the past few seasons, but as Arsenal proved last year, a quick start to the campaign guarantees nothing. It'll be interesting to see how things at Old Trafford transpire.

Clubs within their rights to withhold players from Olympics

The fuss and furor surrounding Barcelona's demand that star forward Lionel Messi not attend the 2008 Olympic Games football tournament in China is far too overblown. That they have won an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport is vindication that the club has been right all along.

From the standpoint of the clubs and fans, the point should be moot: if a club wants to keep a player back, it should since it pays the player's wages. The fans pay to watch the best players, so the best players should be on display.

That FIFA has failed to ensure that the Olympic football tournament is on their official calendar is central to why they are at fault on this issue.

FIFA sanctions the Olympic tournament, but since it is in essence under the purview of the International Olympic Committee, the IOC determines the dates for the tournament. Since the Games run during the latter part of August, players who participate in the Games will miss the opening weeks of the new football season, as well as UEFA sanctioned club competition matches.

Generally, FIFA (and UEFA) schedule their international competitions in conjunction with the leagues, which are in turn partnered to a greater or lesser extent with the national footballing associations. This means tournaments take place in June and July, while qualification takes place in those months or during agreed upon international breaks during the season. These breaks are typically 14 days or so in length.

Since the Olympic tournament does not follow these guidelines, how can FIFA or the IOC expect the clubs to release their players for the Summer Games? If the Olympics want the best players available for their tournament, they should hold their competition at the appropriate time.

As far as I'm concerned, the Olympic games should be for amateur athletes anyway, given that the vast majority of the competitors are amateurs.

That professional footballers are expected to compete at an amateur event, especially when there are professional level competitions like the World Cup, is absurd.

Champions League third round qualifying draw: highlights

The draw for the third round of the Champions League was made today, and while the two English sides were able to avoid some of the better possible opponents, Schalke 04 v. Athletico Madrid offers the most attractive match to be played later this month.

In another intriguing twist, Arsenal have been paired with FC Twente of the Dutch league, managed by none other than former England boss Steve McClaren. Good luck, Steve.

Other highlights include:

Standard Liege (BEL) v. Liverpool
Barcelona v. Beitar Jerusalem (ISR) or Wisla Krakow (POL)
Juventus v. Tampere United (FIN) or Artmedia Petrzalka (SVK)
SK Brann (NOR) or FK Ventspils (LVA) v. Olympique Marseille
ACF Fiorentina v. SK Slavia Prague (CZE)
Aalborg BK (DEN) or FK Modriča (BIH) v. Rangers or FBK Kaunas (LTU)

Canadian international Ali Gerba to sign for MK Dons?

According to a story published in the Milton Keynes Citizen yesterday, Canadian international striker Ali Gerba claims he has signed a contract with League One side MK Dons.

Gerba, who has made 18 appearances for Canada scoring nine goals, reportedly has turned down a move to the Montreal Impact of the USL in favour of joining the Milton Keynes side. He had been on trial with the club recently.

Gerba spent most of last season with FC Ingolstadt 04 of the German second division.

If the rumour proves to be true, it will provide the unattached player with a club prior to the start of Canada's World Cup 2010 qualifying campaign. Gerba scored twice in Canada's last qualifying game against St. Vincent & the Grenadines in a 4-1 victory.