Can Dembele, Dejagah and Dzeko Propel Team "D" Up the League?

Throughout the series so far, teams have tended to line up with either a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 system, so team D is certainly a first, with a 4-5-1 system seeming like the best option given the availability of players under this “D” category. Let’s have a look.

Goalkeeper: De Gea (Man Utd)

Defenders: Debuchy (Newcastle Utd), Michael Dawson (Spurs), Ben Davies (Swansea City), Demichelis (Man City)

Midfielders: Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur), David Luiz (Chelsea), De Guzman (Swansea City), Downing (West Ham Utd), Dejagah (Fulham)

Forwards: Dzeko (Man City)

Squad Players/Reserves: Dummet (Newcastle), Delph (Aston Villa), Demel, Diame & Diarra (West Ham), Curtis Davies (Hull City), Dann, Delaney & Dikgacoi (Crystal Palace) Do Prado (Southampton), Duff (Fulham), Deulofeu (Everton)

As with team “C”, David de Gea is really the only available choice in the goalkeeping position and I am not going to complain, despite Manchester United’s poor form this season, de Gea has certainly now established himself as number one at Old Trafford and at still only 23 is becoming a very capable goalkeeper.

In the full back positions, we have the highly rated Debuchy of Newcastle and the equally highly rated Ben Davies of Swansea. In the centre we have the steady Michael Dawson and perhaps the most controversial choice in this team, Demichelis of Man City. Others may opt for Demel or Curtis Davies but I stick by my choice.

Now then, the 5 midfielders in this 4-5-1. Dembele would probably walk into at least 18 of the Premier League midfield units, so is a strong choice here. Perhaps the same could be said of David Luiz, although some might prefer to play him as a defender. Stewart Downing on his day (although he does seem to be having fewer of them) can be terrific and can supply a steady stream of crosses into the box. De Guzman is also creative and gets from box to box well, while Dejagah has been one of the few bright lights for struggling Fulham this season. Dejagah is also possibly the only Iranian international to be playing regular Premier League football.

The lone striker then is Edin Dzeko. I would imagine that Dzeko has one of the best Premier League strike rates (goals per game time) in recent years. He has 38 goals in 98 league appearances for Man City with many of those appearances being as a late substitute. One goal in every 2.5 matches is relatively decent in normal circumstances but taking his game time into account, it’s nothing short of prolific. Dzeko is probably the only out and out striker in the team “D” squad with perhaps only Deulofeu offering any challenge for the position.

I think that this team pretty much picks itself, what do you think?

Can the "B" Team Raise its Game to Compete at Premier League Level?

If you have been following this series, you will know how it works. We select a single letter from the alphabet (in this case “B”) and try to pick a first 11 and hopefully some squad members too, selected entirely from players whose surnames begin with that letter and who currently ply their trade in the English Premier League.

Team B turns out to be surprisingly strong, let’s take a look.

Goalkeeper – Begovic (Stoke City)

Defenders – Baines (Everton), Wes Brown (Sunderland), Bacuna (Aston Villa), Bardsley (Sunderland)

Midfield – Ben Arfa, Gareth Barry, Ross Barkley, Chris Brunt (West Brom)

Forwards – Benteke (Aston Villa), Bony (Swansea City)

Subs and squad players – Boruc (Southampton), Buttner (Man United), Bruce (Hull City), Bennett (Norwich), Briggs (Fulham), Baker (Aston Villa), Britton (Swansea), Bentaleb (Spurs), Bannan (Crystal Palace), Bent (Fulham), Bellamy (Cardiff City), Berahino (West Brom), Demba Ba (Chelsea), Borini (Sunderland), Bendtner (Arsenal)

Perhaps the most noticeable thing about team B is the strength on the bench, particularly in forward positions. The manager could effectively start with a different strike force every week and still be a threat.

This is an all-round solid team rather than being particularly spectacular, although the strength and power of Benteke and Bony is likely to cause any defence some problems. Midfield has a nice blend of experience, hard graft, vision and skill, although the 4 starters shouldn't have too much trouble holding down their positions.

So, what do you think? How do you think the A Team would fair against this B Team?

Battle of the Managers - Pellegrini, Pardew, Poyet, Pochettino and Pulis

Have you heard the one about the Englishman, Welshman, Chilean, Argentine and Uruguayan? We don’t have a punch line for it yet but each of them are making their own headlines in the English Premier League this season.

It’s probably fair to say that Manuel Pellegrini has the biggest job – at least in terms of expectation levels – with a Manchester City team that underwhelmed in the league last season (after being triumphant the year before) and totally flopping in the Champions League. Phase one of Pellegrini’s plan has already been accomplished with City finally reaching the knock-out phase of the Champions League. However, in the Premier League, there is a little more work to be done. At the Etihad Stadium, they have looked every inch title contenders and are scoring goals galore but on their travels they have won just 2 of 8 games.

Tony Pulis is both the newest manager to join the Premier League battle this season and perhaps the most experienced. He led Stoke City to promotion from the Championship in 2008 and turned the Potters into a team that were really difficult to beat, especially at home. 5 seasons later and Stoke were still in the top flight and had enjoyed a season of European football but Pulis and the club parted ways at the end of the 2012/2013 season. He has now taken on the unenviable task of trying to keep Crystal Palace in the Premier League after an abysmal start to the season under previous boss Ian Holloway. Pulis is no stranger to a relegation dogfight and if anyone can get those red and blue football scarves waving again, it’s probably him.

Many people predicted doom and gloom for Alan Pardew and Newcastle United this season but they currently sit just 4 points behind Liverpool in second place. It seems that Pardew doesn’t really have an average season at St James’ Park, it’s either really impressive or awful! Last season was pretty dire, so the Magpies seem to be running to form again this year with a really decent start. There are probably eruptions (Joe Kinnear?) waiting to happen though and a bad run could soon bring them all to the surface again.

Has Gus Poyet walked into a job that is going to prove to be beyond him? Steve Bruce, Martin O’ Neill and Paulo Di Canio have all flirted with relegation at the Stadium of Light in recent seasons and Poyet has inherited a really difficult situation at Sunderland, with a squad that isn’t really his. Just 2 wins in his first 8 league games in charge and the Black Cats are now rooted to the bottom of the league. Whereas Crystal Palace were probably simply hoping to stay up this season, for Sunderland fans, after money was spent in the summer, expectations were and still are much higher. A tough task for Mr Poyet!

Although plenty of money has been spent both during their ascent to the Premier League and their current 2 year stay, how many people genuinely thought there would be quite so much progress at Southampton FC? Many people felt that Nigel Adkins was hard-done by when sacked midway through their first season back in the top flight, but while there might still be some sympathy and appreciation for the great job he did, most Saints fans are now more than happy with their new man, Mauricio Pochettino. They are playing exciting attacking football, they are genuinely competing (on the pitch at least) with the big clubs and are perhaps now being seen as European hopefuls rather than relegation contenders.

Premier League Football Alphabet - The "K" Team

After the relatively successful experiment last time out of compiling a functional team of current premier league football players whose last names begin with the letter “J”, I thought I would try it again with the letter “K”. Off the top of my head, I was struggling but I think I found enough players to probably form a better team than team “J”.

Think of the past and names such as Keegan, Kennedy, Klinsmann, Keane, King, Kanu and Kuyt have all graced the top flight of English football, but what of the current “K” team?

How they line up:

Goalkeeper – Krul (Newcastle United)

Defenders – Koscielny (Arsenal), Kompany (Man City), Kolorov (Man City), Kaboul (Spurs)

Midfield – Kasami (Fulham), Kagawa (Man Utd), Karagounis (Fulham), Kacaniklic (Fulham)

Forwards – Kone (Everton), Kozak (Aston Villa)

Subs: Kane, Kim, Ki, Kebe

There wasn't much in the way of available substitutes for team “J” but the “K” team has strength in depth for starters.

This defensive unit is truly impressive although one of those centre backs is going to have fill in at right back in order to play a flat back four. You could play a 3 at the back and push Kolorov into midfield so there is flexibility too.

The midfield is perhaps a little but Fulham heavy – so perhaps Kebe (Crystal Palace) in for Karagounis (since he is getting on a bit) might work a bit better. An in form (his Borussia Dortmund days) Kagawa adds a touch of class to a team that is full of seasoned internationals but is perhaps erring on the side of solid rather than spectacular.

The front two perhaps indicate that the long, aerial ball might better suit this team but you could probably swap out the currently injured Kone for Tottenham’s Harry Kane if you wanted a bit more guile.

I personally thing that this “K” team could certainly hold its own in the Premier League with plenty of 1-0 victories and draws away from home. Put them head to head against team “J” and there is only one winner – what do you think?

Premier League Football Alphabet 2013/2014 - C for Cardiff City, Chelsea and Crystal Palace

This is it football fans, the premier league season is (at the time of writing) less than 16 hours away. Liverpool, minus the still suspended Luis Suarez will entertain Stoke City in the day’s early kick off. However, our football alphabet is still at the letter C, so unless Coutinho or Crouch light up the opening fixture, let’s concentrate on Chelsea, Cardiff and Crystal Palace and their chances for the coming season.

Chelsea - Many people have Chelsea as favourites for the title this season and we certainly wouldn’t disagree with them – not unless there are dramatic developments before the close of the transfer window. Despite a very uncomfortable season at Stamford Bridge last time out, with both Roberto Di Matteo and Rafa Benitez departing, they still finished a very comfortable 3^rd in the table and won the Europa League.

At times, they played some outstanding football, with the likes of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar lighting up the midfield with silky skills. Now add the likes of Andre Schurrle, Marco van Ginkel, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku to the mix and an already impressive outfit looks even stronger. John Terry, Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres are also still holding the fort and the blend of youth and experience looks special. Speaking of special – one Jose Mourinho has returned as manager, to the club where he had so much success  and this combination of great players and great manager might just make Chelsea the Champions come May 2014.

Cardiff City - Not the blues but the reds have joined their Welsh rivals in the Premier League and on the surface at least it would appear that a season of struggle for survival could be ahead. Swansea managed to prove everybody wrong when they came up and stayed up but the Bluebirds (or is it the Dragons) may need to splash the cash a bit more to give themselves a fighting chance. They have been trying though – Andreas Cornelius has been brought in from FC Copenhagen to score goals but the English Premier League is...“leagues” away from the Danish Superliga. Steven Caulker from Spurs was a good bit of business and one would suspect that Cardiff will need lots of clean sheets to give themselves a chance. Craig Bellamy won’t look out of place back at this level but he is now in the twilight of his career so fans will have fingers crossed for 2 or 3 big signings before the end of August – or January if push comes to shove.

Crystal Palace - Like Cardiff, the newly promoted Eagles could be in for a tough time. Zaha has gone to Man United, Glenn Murray is injured, Chamakh has yet to prove he can do the business at this level and manager Ian Holloway lost out to Fulham for the signing of Darren Bent. The positives are that it will be 11 v 11 once out on the pitch but unless some serious business is done before the window closes, Crystal Palace unfortunately look like a Championship squad in a division that may be beyond them

We are all for the underdogs here at Sporting Voices though, so we wish the best of luck to Cardiff City and Crystal Palace in the Premier league. We don’t think Chelsea will be needing much of that luck but wish them all the best regardless.