Weekend Outlook (17 Aug 2008)

Manchester vs Newcastle United

"...ManUtd is a little bit like Ch1nese hurdler Liu Xiang. We are always a tad slow off the block but we always catch up midway and then power through to the finish to win the gold....."

- JayWalk, 16 Aug 2008

Welcome one and all to another new season of the English Premier League. After a break of so many weeks, I find it rather hard to get this first outlook entry of the season out of the way. In fact, I have been staring at the screen for 2 days already and all I had was just 2 crummy sentences.

I guess I just need to summon the last reserves of my strength and bulldoze it through. Once I get the momentum going, it will be business as usual.

This season sees Fergie not making any changes to the present squad. There were talks of bringing in Berbatov and Henry but I don't really see them happening with the 31 Aug 2008 transfer deadline looming in just a fortnight.

So the good thing is that we will have another year of the same squad to gel better with each other rather than to have to adapt to new additions. The down side however, is that everyone is a year older. For the young, there will be stronger and faster, while the older in the likes of Giggs, Ferdinand, Neville and Scholes, there will be a tad slower and weaker.

Fortunately, for ManUtd, the age spread of the entire squad is pretty wide which means that continuity has always been in the cards. This in contrast with Chelsea whose squad average age is unfavourably high and Arsenal whose squad average age is on the opposite polar end of the spectrum.

JayWalk The Talk: Problem with ManUtd today is that despite a summer's break, you don't get a full squad at the start of the season. Ronaldo is recovering from surgery, Saha, Park, Foster, Hargreaves are all out due to injury. Nani has a two-game suspension to serve while Anderson is playing in the Olympics.

That would leave Rooney to partner Tevez up front, assuming the former has recovered from the virus together with Carrick who will be taking charge of midfield hopefully.

The dynamic defence duo of Vidic and Ferdinand will hold fort but Fergie will have to decide where to put Neville, Evra, O'Shea or Brown.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at things, Keegan's side is not faring any better, expect the absence of Owen, Viduka, Barton, Faye, Martins, Amoebi and Carroll. What that means is that there is a lot of vacancies for new signings to make their debut. Players like Gutierrez, Coloccini, Bassong and Guthrie will be running unto the pitch in the black and white stripes for the first time. Let's see how they fare against the current champions.

Also, we look forward to see old boy Alan Smith making a return to face us at Old Trafford.

JayWalk The Walk: ManUtd is a little bit like Ch1nese hurdler Liu Xiang. We are always a tad slow off the block but we always catch up midway and then power through to the finish to win the gold.

Newcastle has never won at Old Trafford when it comes to the EPL and the last victory over us was way back in 2001. Do we still remember the 6-0 thumping last season? Oh yes we do!

Bookies are making ManUtd give a 1.5-ball handicap and a 2.05 decimal odds to beat it. In English, it means that ManUtd will win the game but not so sure if the margin is going to be 2 goals or more.

Past records has always shown ManUtd to be slow off the blocks and I think ManUtd probably win this 1-0 or 2-1 and hence lose the handicap despite bagging the 3 points.

Disclaimer: The above views are purely my own two-cents' worth. In other words, I cannot and will not guarantee that my predictions are accurate. If you want to bet on the game, do so at your own risk. Also, please bet responsibly and within your means regardless of how "sure thing" that game may appear to be. As the old saying goes, "The Ball Is Round". Good luck.