So Tuesday saw the opening of the CONCACAF CL group stages, and here we would receive the opening matches from groups B and C on the night.  The other match played on the evening was from Group D, and in all honesty the result came out as one would expect.  So for those of you following along with me, here are a few words on the two matches I was able to watch and I will make sure to drop the score line from the Group D game as well.

UNAM (Mexico)  1 – 0  Comunicaciones (Guatemala)

Columbus Crew (USA/MLS)  2 – 0  Puerto Rico Islanders (PR/USL-1)

I was not sure what to expect out of this match, but I have to say I always saw Columbus as the better side in this one.  PRI would be missing a few players to injury and suspension, while Columbus had back their Argentinian leader Schelotto and hard nosed front man Moreno.  The match would be played by both sides as expected, with PRI trying to attack through the long ball and Columbus relying on a number of creative passes to create chances.  Columbus looked the better side from the start but could not find the net in the first half, taking the match into halftime at 0-0.

Going into the second half, the Crew coaching staff, seeing that they were the dominant side, would make a change to their lineup by bringing in another big attacker in Steven Lenhart to pair with Moreno up top.  This would work for the Crew, and in the 57^th Lenhart would find the net on a cross from central defender Chad Marshall.  This goal would give the side the lead they needed to be able to bring off Schelotto, who is just back from injury, and use their strong defense to close out the match.  I had no doubt about the result of this match after Columbus went up, but they surprised me as Robbie Rogers picked up a deflected cross in the box and slotted it home, taking the Crew up 2-0 and all but guaranteeing their win.

Columbus showed well on their first night, but with their group makeup I would not go writing them into the later rounds just yet.  Their group also contains Costa Rican side Saprissa and Mexican side Cruz Azul, both teams very tough.  So in the end the Crew got the result they needed, as it looks like the rest of the way might be an uphill battle.

Marathon (Honduras)  3 – 1  DC United (USA/MLS)

DC’s run of bad form continues.  This is all I could think as I watched the match against the Hondurans.  If you watched you would think that DC had the better of the possession and that they looked dangerous on multiple occasions, but I do not think you could say that you thought they would win this one.  Having beaten DC handily last season in the CCL, Marathon knew what to expect from a DCU team, even if there were some new faces on the pitch.  The Hondurans for their part, started out slow in this one, making even the announcers think DCU had some sort of advantage.  The match should have only been 2-1 in the end, but a bonehead encroachment move on a penalty by a DCU player brought the saved penalty by Josh Wicks back to be taken again, at which time Mario Berrios finished his second attempt.

The Hondurans looked dangerous on the counter all night, as a slower DCU back line could not keep up when a ball was played long forward to the Marathon front men, and it was at one of these moments that Marathon’s Walter Martinez would find the opening goal; coming in the 23^rd minute after a defensive blunder.  DCU would strike back right after the break though with a header that left Luciano Emilio bloodied and highly ineffective for the rest of the evening.  Try as they might DCU could not find another goal in this one, and in the 78^th, Honduran International Jerry Palacios found the net for the goal that would put the Honduran side ahead.  Insult to injury would be added from the penalty spot late, but with a busy schedule coming up; DCU will get on with it and return to DC to await the Galaxy of the MLS at the weekend.

DC do not look like they will make it out of the group stages at the moment, but as we have seen many times before, you cannot base the final from the first performance.  The side currently looks to lack the talent to compete at this level, but with the transfer window still open, there could be more bodies on their way in.  Marathon should be dangerous in this group with their combination of speed and attacking, but this match would not be one they would want a repeat performance of.  Had DC been a better side the result could be very different, but Marathon made it work and fought through a performance that was not up to their skill level.  The return leg of this one should make for an interesting match as DCU will now be looking for their first win in 4 against the Hondurans.

So there is the wrap on Tuesday night’s CONCACAF CL action, there are a few more matches this week, but the TV coverage is spotty and only showing the MLS sides I think.  I will update with them as they come in, but I would not expect much in the form of an in depth story, as many of the matches in these early rounds will not be shown.  So until next time, tune in to some MLS, CCL, or any of the other footy that has now started up around the world.

So after watching the opening weekend of the EPL and the opening matches of the UEFA CL, I have only one question regarding Arsenal.  Is the side good enough?

Arsenal fans may think so, given their 6-1 defeat of Everton on the weekend and their 2-0 win against Celtic at Parkhurst, but I still believe there are questions to be answered by the side.  No more than a week ago the fans and the press were all over Arsene Wenger for not picking up more during the transfer window, after losing Adebayor and Toure to Manchester City, but since their opening match I have not heard one word of doubt from anyone speaking about the Gunners.  It is as though 8 goals in two matches has jaded the public into thinking that the Gunners have not lost a step, and will be able to challenge for silverware this season after all; something they have not picked up in a few seasons.  But moving forward in this term there are still questions to be asked about the strength of the squad, and let’s not forget; Arsenal have won nothing yet.

So Gunner and footy fans alike, let’s have a look at the Arsenal scoring history to date.  There have been 8 goals scored by the side, which is great for your record, but look a bit closer and you will see that only one of those goals was scored by an Arsenal striker, and by the time that goal was scored the match had been over for almost 45 minutes.  Does this worry anyone?  It would worry me if I were an Arsenal fan.  Cesc Fabregas contributing and putting two goals in himself in the second half of the Everton match is one thing, but look at your other scorers.  Eduardo put the last of the six on the board in the 89th minute of the Everton match, Denilson scored on a shot from distance against Everton, new boy Vermaelen scored on a header from a set piece against Everton, defensive winger Gael Clichy put a cross/shot in that was deflected past Celtic’s keeper, and central defenseman William Gallas has netted in both fixtures, though he did not seem to know much about the goal against Celtic.  Would this worry me as an Arsenal fan?  Of course it would, and how could it not?  Out of 8 goals scored, all of them but one have come from places other than the front men, with half the goal total coming from the defense and another coming from a holding midfielder.  I would be asking questions about the future if I were an Arsenal fan.  The front men need to score, maybe not all the goals, but a better percentage than they have contributed so far.  Arsenal have quite a few options up front already, but I would not doubt the goal total will be a reason for Wenger again to get out of having to spend any money.

Another area to question in regards to Arsenal is the defense.  Do they have enough to make it through the season?  The starters at the moment are doing well and contributing on both ends of the pitch, but how much depth is there should something happen.  New arrival Varmaelen has already had to come into the starting lineup, and while he has not disappointed and actually looks like a quality option, how much depth is behind them?  Now with what I would consider a quality replacement in Phillipe Senderos, after doing nicely during his loan to AC Milan last season, they want to sell him; further weakening an already shallow depth list in defense.  This does not seem to be the brightest move when your main replacement is Silvestre, who has a history of finding himself unfit to play for long spells.  Though at the moment it does not look like an issue, I think it is a question Wenger will have to answer before the season is over.

The only other real question I have is the youth in the side.  Now I know that most of these young players have been playing in Europe for years now, and that they have experience in the big games, but is that enough.  As Wenger has trimmed some of the fat from the side, he has left the team lacking in depth, and with a side who’s young players often find themselves injured; it becomes a question that needs to be asked.  Yes they can play in the big games and produce, but how much pressure is going to be put on these young players as they have become the majority in the side?  If enough of them can stay healthy to always have the depth they need, I think they will be fine, but look out for the pressure put on players if injuries creep into the side during a busy schedule.

So to answer some questions for you all.  I do not hate Arsenal.  In fact I like watching them a great deal, as they play very attractive football.  These are questions that I think have been put on the back burner after a strong start by the side, but that are still issues going forward.  I do not see Arsenal having the depth and strength to challenge for the title this season, but if they can keep their youth performing they should find some success in the cups this season.  So beware Arsenal fans, as the season is long and the matches do not get any easier as things progress.  I feel that this lack of scoring from the forwards is an issue that needs to be addressed, but as long as the midfield and defense continue to score with regularity the side should still at least look dangerous.

So since I am already up against two cats in the EPL prediction game this season, Fumo from 24^th Minute and Mr. Wilco from Ginge Talks The Footy, I figured what would it hurt to have a competition with my own son at my blog.  He has now post picked the first round, not like it would have mattered much as he is two, and made his picks for Week 2.  So during the week when I post my EPL predictions, I will try to get his as well and we will see how much you really need to know to pick winners.  So here is a look at his Week 1 picks, a comparison of wins and losses between us, and a look at his Week 2 picks.  He enjoys picking the games for me so I am more than happy to let him participate.

Gavin’s Week 1 EPL Record:  6 – 4

My Week 1 EPL Record:  5 – 5

Gavin’s Week 1 EPL Picks:

**Bold denotes winner, no bold refers to a draw

Chelsea  v  Hull

Aston Villa  v  Wigan

Blackburn v  Manchester City

Bolton v  Sunderland

Portsmouth  v  Fulham

Stoke  v  Burnley

Wolves  v  West Ham

Everton  v  Arsenal

Manchester United v  Birmingham City

Tottenham v  Liverpool

Not a bad start for the little guy, but let’s see how he holds up during a long season.  This should be interesting as he has the jump on me so far by picking Wigan, Arsenal, and West Ham to take first round matches.  He did fall short however on results where he picked Hull, Blackburn, and Burnley to gain 3 points.  So now looking forward at Week 2, here are Gavin’s picks.

Gavin’s Week 2 EPL Picks:

**Bold denotes winner, no bold refers to a draw

Sunderland  v  Chelsea

Wigan  v  Wolves

Birmingham City v  Portsmouth

Burnley  v  Manchester United

Hull City  v  Tottenham

Liverpool v  Stoke City

So let’s see what happens now.  He seemed pretty determined and excited about his Week 2 picks, so we will see how he holds up going into Week 2.  The challenge looks to be a tough one this season, but I am up for it and I know he is as well.

So after a dismal few weeks of picking matches in the MLS, I have decided to turn matters over to my son Gavin from here on out.  Gavin is 2 years old, going on 3 in September, and I am working on getting him started into the game early as I had him watch the opening match of the EPL season with me Saturday morning; since he was awake already.  So from here on out I relinquish control of the MLS picks to him, and he seemed to enjoy making them so it should be quite interesting, until he forms a real opinion or picks his own club.  So without further ado, here are Gavin’s picks for MLS’ Week 23.

Last Week:  1 – 5

MLS Overall:  8 – 17

**team in bold is chosen winner, no bold denotes a draw

Los Angeles  v  Chicago

New England  v  Seattle

Los Angeles  v  DC United

Kansas City v  San Jose

Toronto v  Chivas USA

FC Dallas v  New York

Colorado v  Chicago

Real Salt Lake  v  New England

Seattle  v  Houston

Now here is my take on the matches, minus any REAL predictions.

Chicago should show strong as usual and LA are hurting at the moment, but I would not be surprised if LA come out to play in this one as Donovan will be a bit more recovered from his H1N1 virus, and they were managing before Beckham joined the team so his absence should not hurt them much.

Seattle got a result in what I can only guess was a horribly called match last weekend, but New England is struggling this season, and Seattle is a tough place to play this term.  This could be an interesting match to watch, if one of the sides can get a goal early.

LA will go from a mid-week matchup in Chicago to DC, who will have played a CCL match on Tuesday in Honduras.  This match in DC could go either way with both teams playing two matches in a short week.  LA could bounce back in this one after dropping two, but DC has the deeper side and should give the Galaxy trouble in DC.

Two of the worst possible teams face each other this week in San Jose.  Kansas City will come to town and will be looking to get on track, after going through a recent coaching change.  San Jose could pose a problem to Kansas City though, as they have gotten some results of late, and do not look to be giving up on their season quite yet.  This is probably one of the more useless matches to view of the week, the other taking place in New York.

After getting back on track against DC last weekend, Toronto will travel to the Home Depot Center to take on Chivas USA, who also managed to gain back some confidence in New York on the weekend.  This should be an entertaining match, and very physical with the two sides involved.  Do not be surprised to see more than a couple of bookings in this one, and maybe a player or two sent off by the end, as they both play a pretty physical game.

Dallas will travel this week to New York to face what has to be the worst team in the MLS at the moment.  This match is almost pointless, except I am a Dallas fan and hope to see them do well.  Dallas still has an outside chance at the playoffs, but New York really has nothing to look forward to for the rest of the season, and should be playing spoiler for the rest of their term.

The only other match I am really looking forward to is taking place in Chicago at the weekend, as Colorado come to town.  Colorado has looked good of late and Chicago will be playing their second match inside of a week with a weakened squad.  I am very interested to see if Colorado can take their show on the road in this one and find a result, but I am afraid I am going to be sadly disappointed by Chicago shutting up shop and defending like made.  Here is hoping that Colorado gets a goal early so Chicago cannot get all their men behind the ball for 90 minutes.

New England will welcome Salt Lake into Foxboro this weekend after returning from a late week match against Seattle, in Seattle.  With a weakened squad, I find it hard to believe New England can compete strongly twice in one week, but I would hope so since Salt Lake is not one of the stronger sides in the league.  This match will most likely be a bore to watch, but there are some entertaining players, and if they can produce some fireworks it could be interesting to see.

After a disappointing result in Seattle a few weeks back, the match that earned Brian Ching his $500 fine for his comment on Twitter, Houston will welcome the Sounders to Houston.  The Houston side will be on a short week as they open up CCL group play in the mid-week, but barring any serious injuries, Houston should be up for this match as they are used to this busy schedule.  Seattle will also be on a short week after playing New England at home in the mid-week, but if they can find the net this could be a match to watch.  The MLS new boys have had their ups and downs this season, but at the moment they still find themselves in position to make the playoffs, a feat not normally associated with a first year expansion side.  This should be a match to watch this weekend though.  I know I will be tuning in.

So there it is.  Week 23 picked by my son so I no longer have to embarrass myself trying to pick a league based on parity, to be sadly disappointed as the results roll in.  This should be a good weekend, as the MLS is packed with matches, the CCL and UEFA CL have action, and the EPL will start in the mid-week.  Another busy week in the world of footy.

So with Week 1 in the books it is time to move on to Week 2 in the EPL.  Starting mid-week this time around and finishing on Sunday, it should be another good week of EPL footy.  Last week I managed to go .500 in my picks and I am hoping to improve upon that this time around.  So here are the picks for the upcoming weekend.

Last Weekend:  5 – 5

**Team in bold denotes the winner, no bold means a draw

Sunderland  v  Chelsea

Wigan v  Wolves

Birmingham City  v  Portsmouth

Burnley  v  Manchester United

Hull City  v  Tottenham

Liverpool v  Stoke City

So looking forward, Chelsea should have no trouble making it past Sunderland this weekend as they travel to take on the Black Cats.  Wigan will continue on their hot start by taking 3 points at home against Wolves, though I think Wolves will find their first Premier League goal of the season in this one.  The hardest match to pick was Birmingham v Portsmouth, so I have chosen it as a draw, with neither team impressing in week 1.  Burnley’s schedule only gets harder as they welcome in Manchester United, who should have no troubles, even with injuries in the side.  Hull City performed well in Week 1 against Chelsea, but look for the Tigers to fall again as they welcome in Tottenham, who shocked Liverpool in week 1 by downing them 2-1 at White Hart Lane.  Finishing out the weekend will be Liverpool v Stoke City.  Though Stoke found a result in week 1, look for Liverpool to bounce back at Anfield and defeat City in week 2.

This should be a good weekend for football, as many sides continue in their quest to obtain a spot in Europe during the week, the action will not disappoint this week at all.  I hope your sides all got the result you were looking for in week 1, and if not, it is only the beginning of a long season and you cannot do much worse.

Overall Record:  14 – 24

Last Weekend(Combined Results):  6 – 10

MLS:  1 – 5

EPL:  5 – 5

So it was a rough MLS weekend, and because of this fact I will be changing up how I pick for the MLS in the future.  A new format will be unveiled for the MLS with this week’s pick, to follow soon.  The EPL on the other hand only held a few shockers that tripped me up on the weekend.  EPL fixtures will be up very soon as the week kicks off tomorrow, but I am feeling hopeful that this week will see me break even in the EPL and advance with a winning record.

All in all, I neglected the MLS this weekend to watch all but 2 EPL matches and therefore missed some great action I am sure.  I am working on seeing what all happened, but with all the upcoming action this week, I am not sure when I will have the time.

For now this little blurb will be where I put the weekend prediction results, the only change coming when I add in the Champions League after the groups are decided.  The EPL season is looking a lot more promising than the MLS at the moment, but I am sure my readers, as well as myself will enjoy the new format come this weekend.

So as this was the opening weekend of the EPL, I did not watch any MLS matches this weekend.  It was a busy weekend as it sat and I could not find time to get through all of the matches.  I have watched some, but I am going to stick to a brief recap on the weekend’s action.  As for the normal predictions review included with this post, I am planning a new predictions review post that will cover both the MLS weekend picks and the EPL picks into one.  Also, starting with MLS Week 23 fixtures, there will be a change to how the games are picked so lookout for that.  Enough babbling by me though, so let’s get on to the action.

Toronto FC  2 – 0  DC United

With Toronto’s recent struggles I had not expected this result, but TFC righted their ship this week and got back on track with an important win against Conference rivals DC United.  Dwayne De Rosario would put TFC up in the 30^th to take TFC in at the half up 1-0.  TFC was not finished yet though, as O’Brian White netted for TFC in the 66^th to put TFC up 2-0 and secure the home win.  DC will be in action this week in the CONCACAF CL so look for them, TFC bowed out of the CCL in the preliminary rounds, so now I am looking for them to get back on track in the league.

New York Red Bulls  0 – 2  Chivas USA

Chivas pulled it off in the Big Apple!  Having not scored a goal and seeing their strong start to the season resemble Hull City’s EPL start last season, Chivas have gotten themselves back on track.  What better a side to do it against than the NYRB, a side who has the leagues worst record and do not look to improve on it any time in the near future.  Chivas would end their scoring drought early on in the match through Maykel Galindo in the 14^th and in the 90^th with Eduardo Lillingston.  These goals were crucial to Chivas USA, who have been through a very rough patch of late and needed an easy match to gain back some confidence.  There will be hope for Chivas yet this season as they start their ascent back up the table while New York Red Bulls continue to anchor themselves to the bottom.

Columbus  2 – 0  FC Dallas

I do not know what to say about this match.  As a Dallas supporter I feel I should rail against the ref who made a poor call that led to Columbus’ first goal, but as someone who writes about the sport and who knows the team in question, I think no matter what the ref did or did not call Dallas needed to score and didn’t.  Columbus got their first goal on a header from Marshall in the 10^th through a corner earned by a poor call.  Dallas pressured Columbus throughout the match though, looking dangerous at times but lacking the finishing touch.  Columbus would shut the door on Dallas though in the 87^th when substitute Eddie Gaven came on and weaved his way through the Dallas defense before beating Dario Sala, to give the Crew a 2-0 victory.  Columbus continues to get the results although I do think their play is less than stellar of late, and Dallas needs to keep on going and score some more goals.  The playoffs are a far off option for Dallas still, but results like this one are not going to help them get any closer to those coveted playoff spots come the end of the season.

Real Salt Lake  0 – 0  Houston Dynamo

I thought for sure Houston would take this match, but that would not be the case on this night as both teams failed to find the back of the net.  The only real stat of interest in this one for me was the fact that both sides finished with 10 men as Houston’s Andrew Hainault managed two yellows in the first half, to be sent off in the 36^th, and RSL’s Clint Mathis followed suit by picking up his second yellow in the 45^th.  This tells me one of two things about this match.  Either the match was poorly called, which is the most likely case in MLS, or the players did not heed the refs early cards as warning enough.  Either way, there is no reason to have sent off two players in the first half.  I might have to go back and watch this one later to see what really happened.

Los Angeles  0 – 2  Seattle Sounders FC

Looks like the Sounders have bounced back when you look at the score line, but I doubt that was the whole story in this one, as two players were sent off for the Galaxy in the match and one for Seattle, and Landon Donovan did not enter the match for the Galaxy until the second half while recovering from his bout with the H1N1 virus.  Now after looking at the stats in this match I am definitely planning to go back and look at the tape to see what happened, but David Beckham was the first sent off in the 17^th minute, with Seattle’s Tyrone Marshall following in the 76^th and Galaxy’s Eddie Lewis departing in the 79^th.  Only Marshall’s was for two yellows, as both Galaxy players were issued straight reds by the official.  Missing a healthy Donovan did not help the Galaxy and going down to 9 men in the end did them no favors either.  Seattle did manage to find the finishing touch again in this one though as Steve Zakuani netted in the 22^nd and Fredy Montero found the net in the 54^th.  Since I did not watch the match I will not pass judgment on Seattle, but I do not think the new side is out of the woods yet, as winning against a weakened side does not convince anyone that you have gotten back in your stride.  Next weekend’s result will probably be the result that fans should concern themselves with concerning Seattle, and LA should be alright as this could just be a little bump on the final stretch of the season.

Kansas City  0 – 2  Chicago

Mike Banner scored his first goal for Chicago!  That was the headline I saw referring to this match.  Kansas City is in dire straits at the moment, following the sacking of their coach and their lack of results of late, but I was surprised to see Chicago win this one by 2.  No McBride and no Blanco did not look good for Chicago coming into this one, but I am guessing through sheer grit, the Fire pulled it out.  Rolfe provided the goal that Chicago would need in the 13^th and Banner did net for his first time in a Fire uniform in the 89^th.  I am guessing Chicago’s defense was great as usual in this one.  The only other thing that happened of note was the sending off of Kansas City’s Zoltan Hercegfalvi in the 86^th.  It had no real effect on the match for sure, but Kansas City is not looking like they will improve anytime soon.

So there you have it.  MLS Week 22 is now in the books and a few teams will now be looking forward to their group stages in the CONCACAF Champions League.  This will be a busy week for a few sides and many writers, but look for my predictions with a new twist to be up in the next day or so for Week 23.  I now have a few matches to catch up on to better understand what the outcome was, but that is nothing new in MLS, as there are always strange occurrences.  My prediction wrap up should be posted before long, but as the UEFA CL is starting up along with mid-week matches in the EPL, it will be another busy week in the world of soccer.

The Premier League season kicked off with a foggy start for some, mainly us Americans who had to wake bright and early to catch the opening match between Chelsea and Hull City.  It would go on to become an interesting weekend in which we found out a lot about what to expect this season, and though you might want to write a few sides off already, do not judge so quickly.  I only missed two matches this weekend, Stoke City v Burnley and Bolton v Sunderland, though many of the rest were watched at a later date during a busy weekend.  Here is what I saw and expect going forward.

Chelsea  2 – 1 Hull City

This match was entertaining from start to finish, having many Chelsea fans on the edge of their seats throughout after Hull’s new boy Stephen Hunt started off the scoring in the 28^th.  Chelsea were not rattled and never looked like they would lose this match though, unless they failed to find the back of the net, which would also not happen.  A rejuvenated Didier Drogba would lead Chelsea to their opening win this season as he netted in the 37^th and 90^th to give the Blues the victory they were expecting on the opening weekend though; the 90^th minute GWG was a beauty though as Drogba trying to cross the ball to the backpost actually chipped Hull’s keeper and found the net for the win.  Hull played Chelsea hard throughout though and actually deserved a point from this one in my opinion.  Do not write Hull off yet though as many of us have, including myself, because if their new signings come together and they can find the net consistently, they could be a side to be reckoned with this term as they fight to stay in the top flight.

Portsmouth  0 – 1 Fulham

I watched this match at a later time on the DVR and found myself fast forwarding to keep interested.  Aside from the Zamora goal in the 13^th, the match had a lot of back and forth play and neither side looked to be able to hold possession for long.  Portsmouth looked like they would equalize many times throughout, but whether it was by luck or just poor finishing; they never quite found the final touch needed.  Fulham have added depth and should continue to improve as the season moves on, but Pompey looks to be in for a long season that could very well find them fighting for their lives in the end.  It was a hard match to watch, but I doubt anyone expected a different result in this one.

Wolves v West Ham

Another match watched from the DVR a day later.  I was actually looking forward to seeing Wolves play and was excited SETANTA decided to give us a free weekend as I cannot seem to bring myself to pay for the channel monthly.  Now do not pass judgment on Wolves by this one game because they had their moments.  They are this season’s West Brom of the promoted sides, bringing up what looks to be the strongest of the 3 teams, but did not show it on the weekend.  If the shots had found the net for Wolves this game could have very well have been a draw, but as it stands, they were unable to score in their first outing.  Both sides controlled the match for lengthy spells of time, but it was the Hammers in the end who found the net in each half to earn the 3 points.  Noble would send a strike from outside the 18 in the 22^nd for the Hammers, and in the 69th Matthew Upson would send a header past the Wolves’ keeper from a corner to seal up the victory.  Wolves can do nothing but improve from here, and I would expect nothing less now that the opening day jitters should be out of their system.  West Ham on the other hand.  Well just look for them in the middle of the table and they should not be hard to find throughout the season.

Blackburn  0 – 2  Manchester City

I had to step out so I watched this match today, as I was just as curious as everyone else about the new Manchester side.  All the new big names for City would see the pitch in this one, except Roque Santa Cruz, who was not even on the bench.  City would make one substitution bringing on Tevez for Robinho, giving Tevez around 20 minutes to run around as he likes to do, but he really contributed very little as had Robinho who he replaced.  Adebayor would open up his account with City by scoring in the 3^rd minute and old boy Stephen Ireland would finish out the match in the 90^th with his own.  Blackburn just lacked the luck needed and the final ball to even the match up though, as City gave them many opportunities throughout the match.  City should improve as the season moves on and the players find their connections with each other, but do not look for Blackburn to have an easy season, as lack of a quality attack could lead to a poor finish this term.

Bolton  0 – 1  Sunderland

I did not get to catch this match, but I have to say I thought it was going to end in a draw.  Neither one of these sides looked to have the strength to take this match.  New boy Darren Bent found the net early on though, giving new manager Steve Bruce his first win with the Black Cats.  I have no further judgment to pass on these sides at the moment, but it does not look as if Sunderland will have the hardships many have predicted for the season, and we know Bolton will find a way as always to stick around.

Aston Villa  0 – 2  Wigan

I am not sure many could say they predicted this outcome when looking at the Week 1 fixtures, but if you did you most undoubtedly were a Wigan fan.  Coming off the Peace Cup victory, Villa looked to have a decent side coming in to the new season, and a depleted Wigan side with a new coach should have been no problem for them; but it was.  Villa’s defense was poor throughout this match and they never managed to link up properly to get themselves in position to score.  Ashley Young would try to take over the match for Villa, but his efforts would fall short as he never managed to keep his head up long enough to get anyone else involved, most times picking himself up off the ground after an attempt to draw a foul.  Wigan would surprise though as Hugo Rodallega launched a beauty into the net around the 30^th; one that will most likely be up for goal of the week.  Finishing off the Villains would be Wigan winger Jason Koumas, who would find his way past Friedel from a tight angle to all but seal the match for the Latics in the 56^th.  Wigan could impress this season, though many people did not and do not think they have the squad to compete throughout the season.  Villa should bounce back though, but now we know how badly the loss of Barry and a cohesive defense have affected the side.

Stoke City  2 – 0  Burnley

I was not able to catch this match, but it looks like a rough start that will not get any smoother for Burnley, as they face Manchester United next week.  Letting in a goal from Stoke defensemen, Ryan Shawcross in the 19^th and Stephen Jordan’s own goal in the 33^rd, all but sealed the fate for Burnley in this opening round.  I am looking forward to seeing the side play, and Stoke have started on the right foot to avoid relegation again this season.

Everton  1 – 6  Arsenal

Now if you had told me there would be a 6-1 score line in the first week, this would not have been the match I would have picked.  Maybe Chelsea could put up that many on Hull or the attacking train of Manchester City could have pulled in and dropped off half a dozen goals at the Riverside, but not against Everton, a team who pushed the top four last season and was thought to do so again this season.  Also, coming into the season, who thought Arsenal would ever be a side linked with a 6 goal performance?  Definitely not me, and I bet not you either.

Everton would come out competitive for the first 20 minutes, actually controlling much of the play, when Denilson launched a rocket to beat Howard and start off the scoring frenzy.  Now most would think that knowing Arsenal, they might tack on one or two more by the end of the match, not today though as they added two more by half time.  New boy Vermaelen would find the net in the 37^th and William Gallas would finish out the half with a goal in the 41^st, strangely enough these still aren’t the names you would expect to see on the score sheet.

Arsenal would not rest though, scoring 3 minutes into the second half through Cesc Fabregas to make it 4-0 early on.  Everton would hold Arsenal off for a bit after the 4^th, but Arsenal were not done yet as Fabregas added another in the 70^th and Eduardo would come off the bench to add his own in the 89^th, making it 6-0 to Arsenal.  You would think that we would be done now as I did, but we were not.  Everton, though beaten throughout the match, never gave up, and Louis Saha would put them on the scoreboard in the 90^th to finish out the match 6-1.  If you were an Everton fan I cannot imagine your thoughts after this one, but I do not think it can get much worse.  Everything went wrong for Everton on the day, but they should bounce back and have another strong season.  Arsenal on the other hand showed that they can score, and in bunches.  They are hungry for silverware this season and if they continue with this kind of form there is no reason they will not see any coming back to the Emirates.  Both sides should be interesting to watch the rest of the way though.

Manchester United  1 – 0  Birmingham City

Birmingham does not beat United, nor have they ever if what I have been able to find is true, and today would be no different.  Most people tuned into this match to see how United would be without Ronaldo, and I would think they would not be surprised to see that they are not doing so well.  I will say this though, United always start slow and I would not write them off quite yet.  Birmingham put on a good performance today and showed that they should be a side that can come away with some victories this season.  Rooney managed to find the net in the 34^th to put United up with the only goal they would need today, and though the side is a bit injured at the moment, they got their point.  Opponents should look out for Birmingham though as their new boy Benitez looks dangerous and could prove challenging for opposing defenses in the future.  Look for City to bounce back and start to pick up some results as this season progresses, they should be able to beat out some of the other troubled teams this term to keep a place in the Prem in the end.

Tottenham  2 – 1  Liverpool

This was my major pick for the week.  Many people have talked about Spurs this summer, but most have really just poked fun at them, never really considering them contenders of any sort.  Liverpool helped matters some today though by just playing awful.  I am not sure they knew how bad the loss of a link up player like Alonso would be, but if the performance against Spurs was any indication, Benitez needs to get a replacement in fast.  Scoring for Spurs was Assou-Ekotto in the 44^th from an awesome rebound from a free kick and ex Newcastle player Sebastian Bassong in the 59^th to seal the deal.  Spurs would give Liverpool hope though as Liverpool picked up a penalty when Spurs’ keeper Gomes took down Glen Johnson in the 55^th, resulting in a PK from Gerrard that evened the match up for 3 minutes.  Liverpool could be in trouble if they do not get going soon, missing points they need if they plan on challenging for the title this season, but I do not see them finding their 20^th this season.

So to close out I would have to say it was a good weekend.  ESPN started us out bright and early to kick off the season and FSC brought the weekend to a close with a great match, showing the first real upset of the season.  I am already looking forward to the midweek matches and only hope some of these sides can get things going in the right direction.  I am going to give out a Player of the Week rating to one player each round this season, and I think this weeks is obvious as Didier Drogba has come back from his sulk and dragged his team to victory in Week 1.  So let us all get ready now as the next round is literally right around the corner.

So today is just another day right?  Wrong!  Today is the day before the kickoff of the new Premier League season and you all should be ripe with anticipation for it.  Compared to American sports the EPL has a very short off season, but an off season filled with transfer rumors that leave us fans foaming at the mouth for the new season to start.  I have posted my predictions, entered my fantasy leagues, and previewed every team from 1-20 for the coming season, now I ask you, what have you done?  Are you ready for the season to kick off?  So to help get some of you off to the start of the season I am going to do a quick, or what I hope is quick anyways, preview of the opening weekends action.  I posted 5 matches to look out for this weekend already, so I will start there and give a brief bit of attention to those that are left.

To start out the weekend, and this is not one of my five, Chelsea will be welcoming Hull City to Stamford Bridge.  Now you may ask why I should watch this match.  I give you two reasons right here.  1) Chelsea has looked stellar in the preseason friendlies and is looking to recapture glory by unseating Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United.  2) Jozy Altidore has joined Hull City.  Now I know some of us hope that Chelsea do not dethrone United, me being one of them, but Chelsea look tough and are the only likely candidates this round.  Also, some may be saying, why should we care about Hull City?  Well the most likely answer is that if you are reading the crap I sling here then you are most likely American, and should care what one of the future stars of our national side is up to.  Jozy is new to England and this will be his big test.  Hull are more than likely going to be relegated at the end of season, but who could possibly miss the opening match of the new season?  Unless it happens to not be televised, this is looking more and more likely as we are waiting on word from ESPN about a possible airing of the match.

Back to my matches to catch this weekend is Aston Villa taking on Wigan Athletic.  Seems a boring match when you look at it, but Wigan are going to look completely different this season than last and Villa will be missing a key ingredient too.  Wigan lost a lot in the off season with Antonio Valencia departing to Manchester United and manager Steve Bruce stepping aside to take the Sunderland job, but the Latics have brought in new manager Roberto Martinez and promised him a full 3 seasons.  Does this mean Wigan will fold this season and rebuild through the Championship?  It is likely to happen, but Martinez will want to prove his salt as manager and try to keep the boys up in only his 3^rd season at the helm of a club.  Now Villa looked good in the preseason I was able to see, winning the Peace Cup over Juventus and bringing in some more young English talent.  They will be without their former Captain Gareth Barry, who has opted to move to Manchester City for a large payday, but will they really miss him?  I would like to think a player such as Barry would not disrupt this side going into the new season.  O’Neil has managed to hold on to many key players on the squad and they should again have a good start to their season.

Moving to much greener pastures at Manchester City this off season, but does money spent buy you a winning side?  I do not think they will crack the top four this season but an opening round trip to Blackburn should not worry them much.  This match will finally show the fans the new look of City, but with manager Mark Hughes sitting near the top of the sack list, a victory against a mid table side such as Blackburn will not be his saving grace.  City can come out and win 6-0 as they did at times last season, but unless their form evens out and they get results regularly, look for Hughes to be gone sometime this season.  It should be an interesting watch this weekend though as City rolls out the big guns.

I have predicted there will be two upsets this weekend of the big four.  The first will be by Everton, as they welcome Arsene Wenger and his young Arsenal side to Goodison for an early season showdown.  Everton have been pushing to get into the top four and this could be their opening shot of the season if they can manage to keep their proverbial foot on the throat of the Gunners throughout.  Arsenal have lost more than they think with Adebayor and Toure leaving in the off season, and a weak defense aside, it does not look promising that a side that has struggled to score at times in the past will prove themselves any stronger this season.  David Moyes will work his genius for cash strapped Everton as always, but this could be the final chapter for Wenger at the Emirates.  Look out for this match as it promises to be entertaining if nothing else.

The other upset on the weekend looks to happen at White Hart Lane.  Tottenham will welcome in the weakened Liverpool on the opening weekend and fans will finally find out how much Liverpool have been hurt by their recent losses.  Alonso is off to Madrid and Gerrard looks to be out injured for the opener, so where is the play going to come from?  I do not trust the likes of Lucas or Benayoun to lead a midfield, and neither should LFC supporters.  This will be a hard one to swallow for the Reds, but look for Spurs to come out and give them a game.  Nobody is really talking about Spurs to loudly this offseason, and honestly that could help them.  They have the talent in their stables and if Harry Houdini can get it right, they should be able to capture three points early, putting them way above their starting point in the last term.  This should be a telling match on the side of both teams, letting fans in on what we have not seen during the offseason.

My 5^th match to look at this weekend was the Manchester United versus Birmingham City match.  Now United should be able to take this match with ease, but that is not why I put them in this slot.  This will be a first look for most at the new United, post Ronaldo era.  Can they recapture the title this season, and who will step up to provide the spark that Ronaldo gave the side?  I think I know, but I have not heard his name mentioned yet this off season.  United fans look out for Anderson this season.  He is still young, but with the aging midfielders around him, he should be able to shine this term.  Luckily with the choices at keeper limited that there is a strong defense, but the keeper situation will need to be solved shortly if United are to keep up without dropping too far behind.  Birmingham City will also be interesting to watch, though they should not win this match.  They have brought in quite a few new faces in the off season, with high hopes of succeeding in the EPL this time around.  I think they might just have enough if they can get points where they should and not drop points against teams around them in the table.  It will be a telling match though, as we see a newly promoted against United with a new face.

Other notables to look at will be Steve Bruce’s opening match with Sunderland at the Reebok.  Will he be able to make it work for the Black Cats this season, and will Bolton continue to show just enough to find themselves safe at the end of the season, or will one of these two sides be fighting it out in the relegation zone come the end of the season?  I picked this match to be a draw and I honestly think it will be a physical match from both sides as they try and scrap for the win.

West Ham will find themselves against last season’s Championship winners Wolves in the first round, and though I have faith in the Hammers to find themselves mid table as always at the end of the season, I do not see them getting out of this one with full points.  It should be an interesting match, as we see what the new boys can do against the Hammers, but West Ham are not known for their scoring prowess, therefore making it hard for them to get enough to leave with more than a draw.  Both of these sides should be fun to watch this season.  Wolves could very well do as Stoke City did last season and finish near the middle of the table, or they could fail horribly as West Brom did and find themselves fighting for their lives week in and week out, lets hope they stay true to form as one of the top sides coming up.  West Ham on the other hand always seems to find their spot early and maintain.  Zola will be in his first full season with the side, and things are looking up for the Hammers.  They are always entertaining to watch and should provide nothing less this season either.

Will Portsmouth be sold or not?  That has been the question all summer long at the club.  Dropping the side to almost bare bones is going to make it tough to have enough fight to stay up this season and Pompey will most likely find themselves battling week in and week out for precious points.  Fulham on the other hand have stocked the cabinets this off season ahead of their European campaign.  Fulham should take this away win at Portsmouth easily, but at times the side tends to struggle on the scoring end of things.  If nothing else the action will be entertaining to watch.  Portsmouth will look like a train wreck from the start and Fulham should take charge and hopefully find their scoring touch early on.  Lets just hope as American fans that we get a chance to see Dempsey reclaim his form and Eddie Johnson actually grace the pitch for a bit, even if he happens to come on late as a sub.  This match should give Fulham what could be called an extra preseason match to get some of their new faces out on the pitch ahead of a tough schedule that is coming for the side.

And to finish it off a side that shocked the Premiership last season, and the new boys, and I do mean boys.  Stoke City will be welcoming in promoted side Burnley on opening weekend, and look to maintain the form they finished off the season with last term.  Burnley will be entertaining to watch as their manager has done it with youth like Wenger, but will they have the bottle to do it against Premier League sides all season?  This match should be entertaining with the young boys and the Delap throw ins, but in the end look for Stoke to take it at the KC Stadium to start off their second campaign in the top flight.  Should Stoke manage to stay up again, and I think they will, there will be many pundits who predicted them to finish dead last in their first season that will still be shaking their heads.  Stoke are entertaining to watch and I am hoping Burnley does not disappoint either as I am looking forward to this opening round matchup.

So there it is.  Try to get some sleep tonight.  I know we are all excited and on the edge of our seats.  Now it is time to look out for something amazing to happen as the magic of the new season fills the air.  Make sure all of your predictions are in and your fantasy sides chosen, and get ready to sit back and watch the stories unfold.