Former Republic of Ireland striker Tony Cascarino runs his highly-trained eye over the new Premiership signings and backs Chelsea’s Drogba to make a big impact. He also tips Colonel Gaddafi’s new favourites, Crystal Palace, to stay up.
Can we predict drama and surprise at the top of the Premiership this season? I doubt it. I fully expect the domination of Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea to continue.
All three sides have strengthened significantly over the summer – Manchester United have signed Alan Smith and Gabriel Heinze, while Rio Ferdinand’s return in September will be like a new signing for Sir Alex Ferguson. I think Jose Antonio Reyes will be even more successful for Arsenal this season. I am sure after a pre-season working with Arsene Wenger he will become a better player and it is rumoured he is actually even fitter than he was when he arrived from Sevilla. Mathieu Flamini, the young French midfielder Wenger has picked up cheaply, could turn out to be another bargain as well.
As an ex-Marseille centre-forward, I am looking forward to seeing how Didier Drogba settles in, following his £24 million move from Marseille to Chelsea. He scored against Liverpool and Newcastle United in the UEFA Cup last season and was on the scoresheet against Real Madrid and eventual winners FC Porto in the Champions League.
Drogba is an athletic forward who has a nifty turn of pace and is good at holding up the ball. He isn’t as fast as Djibril Cisse, who Liverpool have signed from Auxerre for £14 million, but Drogba is probably a more complete player. He causes defenders problems because he can do a bit of everything. His attitude is impressive too – I saw him a few times at Marseille last season and he always worked his socks off and gave everything.
I won’t be backing him in the Golden Boot race, but though he might not be as prolific as Alan Shearer or Thierry Henry, he offers so many other qualities as well. He scored 18 goals in a good French league team last season and I see him getting 15 to 20 goals for Chelsea in the Premiership this season.
Chelsea have also got new signings Tiago in midfield and Mateja Kezman, a direct, pacy striker who could partner Drogba up front.
Liverpool have got three strikers for two spots this season, and, perhaps controversially, I think the big question mark is over Michael Owen. Based on last season and his performances at the Euro 2004, you’ve got to ask: has he lost that yard of pace that made him the player he was?
His strike partner at Liverpool has always been sacrificed: Nicolas Anelka, Jari Litmanen, Robbie Fowler and Emile Heskey have all gone and Michael has always survived. Now, for the first time, Owen is not a guaranteed starter. He is facing competition from Milan Baros, who has yet to succeed alongside Owen at Liverpool but was top scorer at the European Championship, and Cisse, Liverpool’s record signing and a proven goalscorer. Can Owen stand up to the challenge?
Owen is not the only striker I’d avoid betting on this season – Patrick Kluivert at Newcastle United is a massive gamble. He has a great record, but he has lost his way over recent years and I’m not surprised that Newcastle took him on a free transfer. There’s no way I’d want to pay money for him, especially with his huge wages. I see little challenge coming from Newcastle – they leak too many goals at the back and I thought they were woeful away from home last season. Like Liverpool, fourth place is the best they can hope for.
The top three teams are just so much better than the rest. I know Middlesbrough and Birmingham have spent money, but I predict the top three will fi nish 15 points ahead of the team in fourth place.
At the bottom of the table, it will be a struggle for all three new sides, but more so for Norwich City than West Bromwich Albion or Crystal Palace. West Brom have recent Premiership experience and Iain Dowie has proved his managerial ability in leading Palace from near the foot of the Division One table to promotion last season.
Another factor in Palace’s favour is the fixture list – they face Norwich City, Everton, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth in the opening weeks. Their only fixture against a Big Five side is at home to Chelsea in week three, which makes their introduction easier.
I remember when we won promotion at Millwall in 1988 we had some perfect fixtures to kick off the season: Aston Villa away, Derby County at home, Charlton Athletic away (they shared Crystal Palace’s ground at the time), Everton at home and Norwich City away. It was remarkable – after five matches we were top of the table with 11 points!
We couldn’t have hand-picked the games better. It was such a confidence booster. We players were all looking at each other – we couldn’t believe how well we had done. John Docherty, the manager, kept telling us the big tests were still to come. He was right, of course – but that start gave us a lift. We ended up finishing tenth.
I look at Palace’s fixtures and it reminds me of my Millwall days. What an opportunity. If they make a good start, they could be worth backing to stay up.
