What this? Jason writing about English football rather than American soccer? What's going on here?
Relax. As I mentioned before, MFUSA will be taking a wider view of the football world, and as such, I felt it necessary to write a piece on the impending English season. Not only is this post a part of the new and improved site, it's also a nod that there are a lot of very excited people out there as tomorrow's matches rapidly approach.
As much as I tend to stress that Americans should take an interest in MLS, I understand the appeal of the Premier League. Big money, big stars, full stadiums; England has them in abundance, while MLS does not. I enjoy them both, and I believe that it's possible for almost anyone to do so.
The best part of the return of the EPL, and the European season in general, is the massive amount of matches available for sedentary viewing. Living in the US provides us Americans the opportunity to watch footy all day on Saturday, from the moment we wake up in the morning (depending on your weekend sleeping habits) well into the evening and later (for us Eastcoasters, the soccer days during the MLS season often doesn't end until after midnight). Think about that for a moment: if one was so inclined, it's possible to watch matches almost continually for sixteen hours. Overload or overkill for some, absolute heaven for others.
With the kickoff in England tomorrow, I have a few specific things I'll be looking for in the 2009-2010 season. Here they are, in a handy dandy bullet-point format:
American Fortunes
You didn't think I would avoid the American angle completely, did you? With addition of Jozy Altidore to the list of Americans plying their trade in England's top-flight, there now more high-profile players to keep an eye on from a USMNT perspective. The watch list:
1. Jozy Altidore (Hull City)
Jozy jumps to the top of the list for a few reasons; he's young, full of potential, hasn't played much in the last two seasons, and is extremely important to the USMNT's chances next year in the World Cup
2. Tim Howard (Everton)
It's Tim Howard for cripes sake, a man who might be a lock for the "Top 5 Goalkeepers in the World" conversation by the end of the year. He's always fun to watch, whether you're an Everton fan or not. And I'm not.
3. Clint Dempsey (Fulham)
Clint has steadily improved since moving to Fulham a few years ago, and should remain a fixture in the Cottagers' starting lineup. With Fulham in the Europa League this year, it should be an interesting season all-around; can Dempsey continue on his upward arc?
4. Eddie Johnson (Fulham)
Yes, Eddie Johnson. The somewhat-forgotten GAM is looking to revive his career, and it appears that he'll remain with Fulham this season, rather than going out on another loan. Manager Roy Hodgson has indicated that he's high on his "other" American, so I'm looking for Eddie to get some time and score a few goals. As previously mentioned, Fulham is playing in Europe this year, and that means more minutes to go around; Johnson might just work his way to first-off-the-bench at striker.
5. Eric Lichaj (Aston Villa)
If you don't know who Lichaj (pronounced "Lee-hi", I believe) is, you might very soon. Lichaj is a young American defender who should play a prominent role in the USMNT setup in the not-too-distant future. If he's able to get on the field, it will be worth keeping an eye on Aston Villa. Which I'll be doing anyway, but that's another story.
6. Jonathan Spector (West Ham)
Spector's ability to stay healthy remains the biggest concern; the defender has come back and played well for the National Team this summer, but there's always the fear that he'll get hurt again. If he can stay fit, he'll continue to get better, and that should mean only good things for his place in the USMNT.
United Falloff
It would be easy to think that United has taken a step back this year, after selling their best player and losing Carlos Tevez to City. But United is bound to be in the title race regardless, because they are simply that talented. How much they've lost, and how much it will affect them, will be a major storyline of the season. After two successive titles, it will be interesting to see what Sir Alex does to push his slightly-less-talented team towards a third; all eyes will be on Rooney and Berbatov as they attempt to pick up the slack left behind by Ronaldo.
City's Inevitable Crash
I say "inevitable crash" because I'm almost certain there will be one. Manchester City may start out hot, and streak out to the top of the table for period of the early season; but much like a dying star, I expect they'll collapse in on themselves, imploding due the weight of pressure and expectations. It might be epic.
Changes in the Big Four
Every year, we do this dance. Will someone finally manage to break into the top four, and get that coveted Champions League spot? And if so, who will be pushed out? Until it happens, I refuse to believe it actually can; while I would love to see Everton, or preferably Aston Villa, breakthrough and end the speculation, I'm not falling into the trap of predicting that it will come true.
Still...this might be the year. Damnit, fell right in.
Alright all you Prem fans; give me your story lines, what you're looking for, and how you seeing it playing out.
