Season 2009 - The start of a new blog...

I can't get enough of football - soccer - futbol - fussball.

I read website after website...
I listen to podcast after podcast...
I shop for jersey after jersey...
I discuss everything from transfer sagas to the sociology of the Taylor Report

so, naturally, I wanted to start writing about it (really so I can neglect my studies even further).

The 2009-10 season should be interesting.

Will the Premier League start scoring again?! Last season saw the second lowest goal tally in the history of the EPL... Anelka landed the Golden Boot at 19 goals! Wow that is a whole bunch of goals for the King of Sulk! Only in 97-98 and 98-99 was there a lower Golden Boot tally (18, and each season Michael Owen was tied for the title)

What will happen in the Premier League now that Manchester City have the players to back the bank account, and more importantly who of the traditional "Top-Four" will be edged out for the blue half of Manchester (stand up Arsenal)?

What will Manchester United do to make up Ronaldo's goal tally (37% of the total goals over the past two seasons), or more pressing is how will Ferguson keep Owen healthy (side note: How do England fans feel that David Beckham and Michael Owen could be starters at the 2010 WC? What has happened to young talent in that country? Let it be known, I have nothing against tattoos and broken metatarsals)?

Who will be the sex symbol at Old Trafford now? We have had George Best (the 5th Beatle), Cantona, Becks, and CR to name a few (who all wore number 7). Now who?! Rooney, the White Pele, all that chest hair (taco meat) and receding hairline? Never. Berbatov? Dracula couldn't win a best-looking contest in Transylvania. Paul Scholes, the Ginger Prince, could take it, but I think Vidic should get it. We all love an Eastern European. Who loved Rocky IV the best? I know I did...

Speaking of CR9, What will the chemistry be like at Madrid with this new rendition of the Galacticos? I predict downfall. They have got to get rid of players! They have more Dutch surplus than Best Buy has copies of "Austin Powers Goldmember"

How will the Detroit of Germany, VfL Wolfsburg, cope without head coach Felix Magath? How quickly will they get bumped out of the Champions League? I think the addition of former VFB Stuttgart manager, Armin Veh, should be a fantastic addition to the core group of players from last year.

And then there is Barcelona.

As a Manchester United fan I must pause for a moments silence for the pride that was killed in Rome...

Now, how will the best-dressed manager in football follow up the perfect season? I guess coaching a team as fluid and "orgasmic" as FCB leaves you time to buy perfectly cut suits and leather skinny ties (So why doesn't Arsène Wenger wear better suits, or at least ones that aren't grey with maroon ties? Arsenal seem to be the closest thing to "sexy football" that is not in Catalonia. Well, because they are a poor man's Barca. Drawing numerous games and losing at home to teams like Hull City will not get you into Pep's category.) I think Barca could be the first team to retain the Champions League "big ears" trophy (in the modern format), and they will do it in Madrid at the Bernabéu... Irony...

Finally, World Cup year! When the draw happens in December, who will the USA get?! I pray that FIFA puts the USA nowhere near #4 in the world rankings again... How do you spell false sense of security? C-z-e-c-h-R-e-p-u-b-l-i-c. 3-0... World Cup 2006 over, thanks for the memories. Although we were the only team to score on Italy in open play... Albeit an own goal...