The Season Starts with Everton

I'll probably write a full season preview after the transfer window closes. The truth is, it's hard to make definitive statements before knowing what we'll fully have at our disposal. I will state these three points though.

1) In Andrey Arshavin, we have one of the three best players in the Premier League (Essien and Rooney are the other two in my opinion). And sometimes, these players are the ones that decide who win the championship.

2) Never write off Arsenal when coming off a summer without a major international tournament. Sure, we had a few players in the Confederations Cup and the Gold Cup, but it's not similar to the effect that the World Cup or the Euros have on our team. If you look at all our league triumphs, you'll notice they come in these years. Take a look at the team that should have won the Premier League two years ago. Same deal there.

3) None of the other teams above us have improved considerably. In the case of Manchester United and Liverpool, it could be argued strongly that they have regressed. This year is wide open. Wide open.

And off to previewing the first match of the season.

Quite frankly, it is actually a difficult fixture. Everton are especially tough at Goodison, but at least they'll be deprived of Arteta and Jagielka. They still have players like Cahill, Fellaini, and Jo. It'll be interesting to see where they play Fellaini throughout the year. While decimated by injuries, they would play him up front, but he's a natural central midfielder. They'll definitely be pumping balls at his big afro throughout the whole match. We'll see whether or not Vermaelen will be able to deal with these aerial balls, a very interesting thing to keep an eye on.

For my money, David Moyes is a dead ringer for Moe Szyslak on The Simpsons. But anyway, he's a decent manager. He can pump out the maximum out of minimal conditions, but I don't think he has the tactical nous to ever manage a big club. Everton seems to be his level, and that's not an insult.

Our season starts with a brutal stretch of games. If we come through it, we'll show everybody that we're for real. The odds may be stacked against us, and it seems as though 50% of the pundits have predicted us to finish out of the top 4. But that's why they're pundits and not maangers. They don't have a fucking clue.

Believe.