In the early season, as Chelsea Fans, I thought it
would be easy for Chelsea to win the Title of Premier League. It has been 3
years since the last time we won that title, so we should win the title this
season (2013/2014).
In the pre-season time, whenever I used to discuss
it with my friend, I always said that there were several reasons and prediction
that used to make me confident to say Chelsea would win EPL title this season,
in the early season:
1.
The comeback of The Special One
Everyone in
Chelsea loves Jose Mourinho caused by every nice memory was built in the past.
This season Chelsea has so many potential young players that need a principal
figure to teach and lead them to their glorious days. With bitter-sweet
experiences that he has been undergoes in several countries, Mourinho is the
right man to be Chelsea’s Manager today.
2.
The transition of the Red Devils
We all know
that this team has big tradition and big name in EPL. Magnificent
histories were created by The Man in Honor, Sir Alex Ferguson, during 27 years
of his careers in Old Trafford. No matter how big The Stars that left Old
Trafford, he always created the new one. Even though Eric Cantona, Peter
Schmeichel, Paul Ince, Roy Keane, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos
Tevez, Edwin Van Der Sar, etc left United, but This Man always has a lot of ways
to find their replacement.
However, this
season, United should be compliant to face the reality that The Man in Honor is
no longer their manager. This season should be difficult for them even though
they have superb players like RVP, Rooney, etc. It would take times to realize
that The Man in Honor is no longer United Manager. Brace yourself Manchunian!
3.
The Dismissal of Roberto Mancini.
Manchester
Blue became one of the contenders to win EPL in recent years. The fund support
and the signing of a lot of quality and talented players fashioned them became
another new supremacy in EPL. And Roberto Mancini is the manager who brought
the EPL title to them in 2012, first time since 44 years past. Mancini is the
one who crafted City’s players become unity and mentally strong. However, this
man had to leave Etihad Stadium due to the dismissal by City’s owner in the end
of last season due to his failure to bring any trophies to The Citizens last
season (2012/2013). Because of that, at that time, I thought, it might be hard
for City’s players to lose their boss who has brought glory to them.
4.
Another inconsistent season from Arsenal and
Liverpool
Without any
good transfer in the most of summer transfer period, I thought both of this
team would only follow their form in recent years that is ONLY competing for
UCL’s ticket. That was my prediction in the early season for both of this team.
As the time goes by, and now here were are in the
middle of December, which mean it is nearly entering the middle of the 2013/2014
season. What happen in EPL now is really contrast to my reasons and predictions
mentioned above (as shown picture). Arsenal leads the standings, followed by
Chelsea, City, Liverpool Everton, Newcastle, Spurs, etc. And where is United?
They stay on 9th position by the way.
There is difference between what I have predicted
and what happens nowadays. I would like to give several analyses why this
condition can be happening beyond my predictions.
According to what happened, I have tried to invent
several logical reasons what happen among EPL teams and cause the today
standings.
·
Chelsea is Facing Their Own Problems.
As one of the
team that was predicted as main contenders for title winner, till now, Chelsea
showed beyond the expectations of all people this season. Even though The
Special One is already stayed in Stamford Bridge, but this season is pretty different
compared to the first year of Mourinho in 2004. Now, Mourinho is facing three
serious problems. Even if Chelsea has already loaded by several talented
players across Europe and Americas, but still they cannot show their true class
as their hidden potential. I have several analyses to these problems:
1) Mental
Problems
For several
occasions, Chelsea experienced the bitter lost due to last minutes goal after
finding difficulties and frustration while they tried to score goal. But I think,
it is natural due to Chelsea has so many young players today. This mentality of
this team is not stable yet. And I am sure that this problem will be solved
after the team has experienced several decisive matches in the future.
2) Still in
the middle of research to find the best scheme for game play.
With no
longer Didier Drogba’s as Chelsea Front man, there is no old scheme anymore, such
as lob the ball directly from the defensive line to forward or early cross from
wing direct to penalty box. Different striker should be treated differently.
Because of that, the game style should be different as well. So, since last
years, Chelsea has been trying to build the game by utilizing the potential
ability of their creative attacking midfielder.
Juan Mata,
Eden Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Andre Schurrle, Kevin de Bruyne are the
young-talented attacking midfielder in Chelsea squad for 2013/2014 season. We
cannot deny that these players are really precious investment for Chelsea’s future.
With the depth of the squad, it is also good to face tense competition after the
winter break. However, with a lot of players playing as Attacking Midfielder,
Mourinho hasn’t found the best scheme for Chelsea. And also, he has no winning
team composition yet because he is still finding the right man for the right
places by rotating all of those players regularly. With the rotation, sometimes
Chelsea had to suffer bitter defeat for several occasions. And again, this transition needs times.
3) Bareness
of Didier Drogba’s Legacy
I think this
is the biggest problems in Chelsea at the moment. We all know that Didier has
already become legend in every single heart of Chelsea Fans since he left
Bridge in 2012. He had ever become the Iconic Chelsea’s Front man who is
well-known with his pace, strength, power, and tireless-effort to help the
team. This man was eminent as a Game Changer as well, which is needed by
Chelsea, today.
Now, Fernando
Torres, Demba Ba, Samuel Eto’o try to continue The Legacy of Didier as
Chelsea’s Front man. However, till now, they still cannot replace Drogba’s
status as The Best Front man for Chelsea All of Times. They are still
struggling with their games and try to adjust their game to Chelsea’s new style
of play. Those strikers only created 5 goals during 16 games in EPL. That is
really far below compared to what Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney
(United), Sergio Aguero (City), and Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea’s on loan striker to
Everton) have done for their teams.
I could
understand that the process could take quite times as well. But still, time
limitations should be set before everything goes worse. If the time is up, we
should find another way / somebody else to carry on The Didier Drogba’s Legacy.
And until that time, All of Chelsea fans should be patient and lay trust on The
Special One.
·
Ozil Changed The Face and Soul of Arsenal
I am sure that,
Mesut Ozil’s transfer from Real Madrid to Arsenal never crossed in every
Gooner’s mind, as well as Madridista. Based on his magical performance in Real
Madrid since arrived in 2010, it seemed impossible for him to leave Santiago
Bernabeu. But, that is football, everything can be happened. His landing on
Emirates Stadium on August 2013 shocked European Football.
His arrival was
really what The Gunners need after RvP left in the summer 2012. Not only as a team
composer, but also he gave spirit to the whole team, soul, trust, and he became
the new icon of Emirates Stadium as well. Started from that point, Arsenal
became new born team with full of confidence to face the new season. As the
result, now Arsenal shocked every football predictor by standing on the top of 2013/2014
EPL. Even though there is still another half of season, if they could stick to
their form as what they have shown recently, it is really possible for them to
end their title drought during these 9 years.
·
The “Unrestrained” Liverpool and “La Bestia”
Suarez
The form of
Liverpool this season also shocked me, it was beyond my prediction. Even though
this team was not really active in the summer transfer, by maximizing their
potential player and improving the way their game, they showed up differently
in this season. It seems Brendan Rodgers has already found the best way to lift
Liverpool’s performance.
And don’t
forget about their explosive striker, Luis Suarez. This guy is really
something. What he saw to us in recent matches put his status in the same caliber
as Gabriel Batistuta, Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Didier Drogba as a
natural striker who could make differences whenever he is needed by his team. All
of those strikers have ability to execute scoring from long distance, scoring
from tight angles, diving header, free kicks, impossible finishing touch,
etc. I have to admit that, Luis Suarez
is the only explosive strikers that exist in the EPL nowadays. Luis Suarez
really boosts Liverpool’s spirit after he came back from his banned suspension.
And it needs
to be noted that, this season, The Reds is only competing in domestic
competition. They don’t compete either in UCL or Europa League. It means, this
team can concentrate their energy to intimidate the big four or even the title
challenge. This team is really really Unrestrained!!
Now Liverpool is standing on the third place behind Arsenal and
Chelsea.
·
Magic Touch of Pellegrini
At first, I
thought it would be a problem for Pellegrini to carry on what Mancini has done
to The Citizens. And again, I was so wrong in this case. In thise season, he
decorated The Citizens with Spaniard Touch, by bringing Jesus Navas &
Alvaro Negredo to the team. And he can blend them with the rest of the squad
nicely. Apparently, his magic touch with Malaga last season still could be
continued with City. Till now, City still remains as one of the contenders for
title challenge by standing in the big four and destroying some of big teams
like United (4-0), Spurs (6-0), and the fresh one, Arsenal (6-3). And also,
this season he brought City to the UCL knockout phase for the first time. It is
really interesting to wait what kind of surprise that he could show to us in
UCL and EPL this season.
·
Gareth Bale’s Exit
Last season
Spurs really one of serious contenders out of big fours, even what they got
last season was better than what Liverpool had. Unfortunately, Gareth Bale, the
guy who always ignited Spurs in the every single game last year, had to leave
White Hart Lane last summer. Even though spurs bought several new players due
to Bale’s income, still, they cannot show what Bale had shown last year, yet.
Now, Spurs still is struggling in the mid standing with Everton, Southampton,
and United. I hope AVB could deal with the club’s problems so Spurs could be
back on the track where they could be the one of the serious contenders as
UCL’s representative candidates.
·
The middle class team, they are evolving!!
Due to EPL is
the most commercialized professional league in the world, it is not surprised
if every team in EPL is pretty healthy in their financial club. Furthermore,
the crowded in EPL is always supportive and always fills every seat in the
stadium even for small club such as QPR, Cardiff City, Crystal Palace, etc. It
also attracts the foreign players to come to EPL to feel the heat of the
league. The upper middle class players from all over countries come to EPL such
as, Emanuele Giaccherini, Pablo Osvaldo, Miguel Michu, Jonathan de Guzman,
Romelu Lukaku, Kevin Mirallas, Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Debuchy, Asmir Begovic, Tim Krul, Hugo Lloris,
Christian Eriksen, etc. It is really different if we compare it to Other Top
European League which prefer fill up their teams with original countries
players than foreigners. Even though this condition slightly obstructs the
maturity of English Players, but this condition really heat up this
competition.
We never
realized it, slow but sure, they have formed a solid team among the middle team
in EPL. They could make every big team in EPL to meet difficulties and it has
already proven for several occasions. Till this day, Everton lay on 5th,
Newcastle lay on 7th, and Southampton 8th. All of them
surpassed Man. United as the holder of the EPL! Today, facing the ‘weak’ team
in EPL is no longer easy as what happened 10 years past.
With the combination
of those reasons explained above and the tight of their domestic and European
competition, EPL produces very competitive and the most unpredictable league
compared to other League in the World. It seems, in the EPL season 2013/2014,
we need to wait until the last game of season to know which one will be the
winner, and which teams will go to UCL and Europa League, and which teams are
going to Championship League as well.
Shown Table below will give you description how tight EPL is, compared to Other Top European League.
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