My Champions League Predictions

It's Finally Decided the Champions League is close to starting all that's left is the draw for the groups and then the excitement begins. With Last seasons final feeling like a life time ago I'm more than ready to get hyped for the new campaign. Last season we saw the re-emergence of Barcelona and the Underdogs Juventus prove to be the two best teams in Europe but what will we see this season ?
Well just like last year were I predicted Juventus rise to the final (still gutted they didn't win it) I'm going to attempt to predict the finalist again and to take it one step further I'm going to guess the player of the tournament plus the team of the tournament I'm also going to throw in Young Player of the Tournament don't actually no if UEFA do this but hey I'm Doing it so yeah.

So every time the Champions League starts everyone reels off names of the likely winners which mainly consist of Barcelona , Real Madrid and Bayern Munich but if the last three Champions league finals have taught us anything it's that there's always an underdog team that comes out of no where and makes it to the final Dortmund , Atletico and Juventus  proving it the last three years in a row plus lets not even forget four years ago when Chelsea won it they was 6th in the league so its got a recent history of throwing us a few surprises.

My two finalists I'm picking out right now are PSG and Barcelona I know Barca are the obvious ones but there team is looking strong and I feel they could be the first team to do back to back Champions League and yes I no we say this every year but come the knock out stages I'll Probably re-predict anyway but right now these are me choices. I'm picking PSG because there a team that's always been close but never quite got the luck or momentum you need to go on a good cup run. Now I'm not going to go into to much detail on this one because as I said come the Knock Out stage I may do another prediction and see how different my opinions vary lol.

So My Player of the Tournament

I'm going for Neymar Yes I could say Messi and please everyone but I really do think if Neymar can build on last season we could really start to see the gap between the 2 best players in the world Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo shorten and have Neymar join them on there level. He got 10 goals last season a lot of them important and he's still only 23 so expect to see the same this season and hopefully even more.



Young Player of the Tournament

I'm going for Marco Verratti hes a young man with the mentality of an old pro and the quality of an up and coming world star don't be surprised to see him mixing it with the best he can control a game at the tender age of 22 and for some one of his size he still packs a punch when it comes to being a physical presence he does need to sort his yellow card tally out as he gets booked far to much but other than that he is a fantastic midfielder and one who I think is going to tear up the stage if not in the Champions League then in the up and coming Euro's.

My Team of the Tournement

This is my best 11 of the tournament let me no what you think to it who do you think will make it ?

So yeah that's my Predictions let me no what you all think and come the knock out stages I'll re-look and see how far off I am and give myself one chance to change my mind lol

Let me no your predictions in the comments

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Is There To Much Money In The Premier League ????

For anyone that has read my previous blog entries you will no that normally I Like to talk about Signings and make season predictions but today I want to talk about Premier League Spending and how its getting out of hand. Now I no you're probably going to read this and point out two points
1- I'm Man Utd Fan so I can't really call out other teams for crazy spending
2- This Transfer window is not necessarily going to be a record breaker in terms of money spent
There fair points don't get me wrong but let me explain my concerns and thoughts for the current state of the transfer market

I think my main concern for how spending is going this season is it's not how it used to be before 5 years ago teams like Man Utd and Chelsea and the other big teams were still spending 30 million on players just like they are today the difference is now the smaller teams in terms of finance are spending nearly as much not just on transfer budgets but on wages. Now I no this is due to the huge amount of revenue teams are making from Television rights and it's great that every team is now making a lot of money as it builds up competition but it comes at a price and that is the damage it does on the market.

Now you're probably thinking well what is it you're talking about what damage everything's great in the Premier League But in my opinion there's a worrying trend starting to take place. For example Championship teams are starting to spend 8 million to 10 million on players like it's nothing and teams like Crystal Palace and West Ham are giving players contracts on £100,000 a week now there's nothing wrong with doing this if you can afford it ' its fine but what it does do is then inflate everyone else all of a sudden if you play in the Premier League your price tag is double what it really should be and if you're English then you're value more than triples. A good example of this is Alessio Romagnoli he's basically Serie A version of John Stones a good young defender with a lot of promise and like John Stones will probably be one of the best he moved from Roma to AC Milan the difference being AC Milan payed around £17 million for him were if you want John Stones you're going to pay at least £35 million why ? Because he's young and plays in the Premier League, if he played in Italy would he be this valued ? No he wouldn't. Money is getting thrown around the Premier League like its going out of Fashion and all the teams are guilty of doing so my advice to any Manager would be buy abroad its cheaper because if you want a Premier League Player you're going to pay an awful lot. Although Other Leagues are catching on when a Premier League team bids for a player from Germany or Spain they  no they can get more money for them and I don't blame them Premier League teams are splash cash right now and the teams from other leagues no they will pay.



Overall I think the value's in the Premier League have gone insane and it's something that needs addressing because at the moment its going to increase so much that the standard Premier League player will cost insane amounts.I don't know what we can do to stop the trend but I think it needs looking at before it gets out of hand.

Let Me No What You Lot Think

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So It Now Looks Like Pedro Is Going To Chelsea !!!!

So anyone that read my last blog you will probably be laughing right now as it's all about Pedro joining Man Utd !!!! Well it now looks like he's joining Chelsea and is teaming up with Mr Jose Mourinho a once fierce Rival when managing Real Madrid. I'm not going to lie this is kinda of rubbish for us Man Utd fans don't get me wrong Pedro wasn't every fans first choice but he was the most realistic one and is a world class player. Putting My Personal feelings aside though will he fit in at Chelsea ?

Well Pedro is the kind of wing forward any team would put in there squad he's hard working pacey and built with a philosophy to play for the team he can score goals with either foot and loves to get assists he really is a top quality winger he also tracks back to help his full back. He is similar to a player Chelsea already have which is Willian a player I really Rate and admire the only difference I would say is Pedro Scores a few more goals notching up an impressive 73 goals and 41 assists in his 259 games for both club and country that shows that he has an input in a goal in nearly every other game. Plus he's a big game player scoring in numerous finals.
like all transfers thought this one is not without risk and if it does go through Pedro will have to adapt to the League and the teams tactics something that has been proven difficult in the past Mourinho demands a lot from his players and doesn't accept anything but excellence Pedro is going to have to work hard and be prepared to battle the likes of Willian Oscar and Hazard for a starting role he won't have as much of a guarantee at first team football like he could of had at Man Utd however with Chelsea challenging on all fronts he will have plenty of games to step up and prove his worth.

I feel the real interesting question is why are Chelsea signing Pedro ? I'n My opinion its not necessarily the signing they need as I do believe there wingers are one of there strongest area's however it's still a great signing to make plus it's going to give everyone involved with the club a big boost specially after there faulty start to the new campaign. Unfortunately it does make me worry for Oscar's chances of a starting line up which is upsetting as I really like Oscar he's a quality player. My Theory is that Mourinho is signing Pedro and will start him thus shifting Eden Hazard into the number 10 role a position that he is reportedly meant to enjoy more than the left wing. There's no doubt Pedro will offer Chelsea a new dimension and its another great signing to add to the ranks but is it what they need ? Only Time will tell plus we should never rule Chelsea out.

What do you all think let me no in the comments below :)

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Man Utd On The Verge Of Signing Pedro !!!!

So anyone that watched Man utd on Friday against Villa will no if there's one last thing there lacking its a pacey winger that can get a bagful of assists and goals Memphis can fill that void but he's a little more Individual and has more of a Cristiano Ronaldo edge to him rather than a winger like Willian who is an overall top quality team play winger.

So to counter this void that they have Man utd seem to be wrapping up the signing of Pedro Rodriguez for a very smart fee of around 22.5 Million from Barcelona. This is a move that will really give Man utd an edge and make there 4-5-1 formation a lot more penetrative and will give them a chance to play a higher tempo game plus the thought of Memphis Mata Rooney and Pedro up front is mouth watering and one that on there day will trouble any defense in the world.

What will Pedro Bring and what are the Risks ?
Well Pedro is the kind of wing forward any team would put in there squad he's hard working pacey and built with a philosophy to play for the team he can score goals with either foot and loves to get assists he really is a top quality winger and also tracks back to help his full back in my opinion he is like Chelsea's Willian a player I really Rate and like the only difference I would say is Pedro Scores a few more goals notching up an impressive 73 goals and 41 assists in his 259 games for both club and country that show that he has an input in a goal in nearly every other game. Plus he's a big game player scoring in every in numerous finals.
like all transfers thought this one is not without risk and if it does go through Pedro will have to adapt to the League and the teams tactics something that has been proven difficult in past you only have to look at Angel Di Maria a quality player and still a quality player but he just did'nt suite Man utd or the Premier League (although I do Wish him well). only time will tell if  Pedro will be the same in the Meantime I eagerly await his Supposed arrival and if he does sign I look forward to seeing what he can do.

What do you all think let me no in the comments below :)

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Paulo Dybala The Heir To Tevez's Throne ?

The Serie A season is fast approaching and I for one am really excited obviously I have to back Juventus a not only because they are my Favorite Italian side but because they have proven to be a top quality team however with the likes of Roma and the Milan clubs spending big I do expect it to be the closes season yet. My latest entry is on a player I believe will be the Serie A breakthrough player

It's been a Mad 18 Months for Paulo Dybala but he's arrived at Juventus and he's ready to take the world by storm. It wasn't long ago when he was just another player to be dubbed the next Sergio Aguero and everyone looked at him and went well he's fast and from Argentina I suppose that makes him similar. It's obvious to want to compare him to his fellow countrymen but for me Paulo Dybala is a different type of player he is Juventus new Tevez in the world of football its players like Messi and Aguero that take the headlines for there moments of brilliance and players like Tevez and Dybala are a second thought it's not because they lack quality or class not at all its because there rugged and determined and run around all game though equally talented it's not the same as watching Messi dance past defenders and Aguero dribble like a form of art.

So Dybala has arrived at Juventus for around 31 Million Euro's its a big price tag and a lot of pressure to deal with however if anyone can deal with it , it's Dybala he's already slotted nicely in the team scoring against Lazio in the 2-0 win for the Italian super cup Trophy. Playing at Juve won't be easy they are the big team in the league going for a fifth straight title there going to have everyone gunning for them plus they have lost Vidal Tevez and Pirlo so it really is a new beginning for the team however it's also an opportunity for someone like Dybala to make there own legend at the club. Now he will have to improve on last season stats because 13 goals and 10 Assists even thought it's a great return for Palermo it's not going to be enough for Juve especially after spending the money they have on him plus he's going to play in the Champions League which again will be a huge learn curve for him however I believe he will rise to the challenge.

So with this season coming what do I expect ? well I'm going to put it out there I believe that Paulo Dybala will really step it up this year he's fast technically brilliant and as proven by his 10 assists last season a team player I expect with the likes of Pogba pulling the midfield strings we really will see the rise of a player ready to take over were Tevez left off.

Let Me Know Your Serie A player To Watch In The Comments Below

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Clinton Njie watch this space

Hey everyone the season's kicked off and we have so much to talk about who will win the the big leagues which team will out do expectations and which player will come out of no were and take the world by storm. It's an exciting time that's for sure and I cant wait to share my thoughts with you all over the next 12 months :)

But right now there's one player I want to talk about his name is Clinton Njie and it looks like he is about to touch down in the Premier League as he is close to signing for Spurs. for anyone who plays Fifa you will no this guy is awesome.He has electric pace and an eye for goal and is someone I'm backing to do really well in the Premier League should he join (which judging by reports he should be here by this weekend).

So Whats he all about well to put it simply he's got pace for days but that's not his only strength he's intelligent and makes runs in behind creating space for others and is an absolute pain for defenders. He's not just a head down and run kind of player not at all he has an eye for a pass notching up 7 assists last season in 30 games plus scoring 7 goals for himself. he's still very raw and is a player that spurs will need to develop but at the age of 21 (although his birthday is tomorrow 15/8/15 so Happy Birthday Clinton Njie) he is a real prospect and with the right management he could go on to be a deadly player in the Premier League the thought of Clinton Njie and Harry Kane in an attack is deadly and if they worked hard enough they could be a deadly partnership.

I really do have a lot of confidence in Clinton Njie and as a Man Utd fan I'm quite gutted were not taking a chance on him. But I'm sure he will be a success in the Premier League and I'll certainly be keeping track of his Premier League story.


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P.s If there anything you would like to discuss in regards to this blog leave a comment and I'm happy to chat :)

 

Chelsea Still The Favorites For The Title ?

So when I speak to anyone about this upcoming Premier League season everyone says Chelsea are the team to beat its all about Jose Mourinho and his squad built with a crazy winning mentality .They look at me like I'm crazy when I say Man utd can do it to be fair though I always believe in Man utd it's just the way us utd fans think even in the dark days there always this voice saying were utd we've come back from worse, I've got to thank Sir Alex Ferguson for that he installed a never give up attitude in everyone that followed his utd team. Don't get me wrong you would be daft to completely rule them out because at the end of the day Jose know's how to win and so do the senior players in his team. However do I believe that Chelsea are outright favorites to win the League ?

Well don't get me wrong I do believe there the team to beat but what worries me is they seemed to have fallen for the same mistake as Man City. They've really let this transfer window pass them by. Winning a League is incredibly hard but whats harder is defending it because from the day you lift the trophy all the other teams in the league mark you out as the one's to beat. Last year Man City didn't strengthen enough to defend there title and there performances suffered towards the end team's almost figured out how to contain there team and they had no surprise factor to throw at teams in moments were games were tight.

I fear the same could happen to Chelsea this season they have signed Falcao and Asmir Begovic
solid signings don't get me wrong but Falcao is rebuilding his confidence and even thought I do believe he will regain it it's not an instant impact signing plus Begovic again a quality signing but is there to compete with Courtois. I worry that Chelsea will be found out and there missing that punch they had last season. Last year Diego Costa came in and was a breathe of fresh air to the Premier League but this season teams no his game style now he is he's a marked man and they will create Plans to stop him the same goes for Eden Hazard he's the Big name now the best player in the league he will need to adapt to this and don't get me wrong I think both Hazard and Costa will continue to be top players and they can still win Chelsea the league both of them are world class. I just worry that when there having a hard day who do Chelsea have as that unknown quantity to come on and change the game ? I suppose only time will tell and come the mid season we will see. Overall I still think Chelsea will be up there come the end of the season but I do think its a point worth thinking about all the other big four teams have add to their squads and the Gap in Quality that was so apparent last season looks like its leveled out.

What do you all think ?  Do Chelsea need more strength ?

Thanks

Samuel