Gunning for glory

Arsenal have sights set on another Premier League title

Dear Readers,

Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on whether you like to read my columns or not) I have been quiet for a while, but I wish to end that drought of articles now to write about the Premiership title race.

Watching the Liverpool-Arsenal match the other day, it struck me that the Premier League trophy will stay at Highbury this season.

Although the Gunners were denied three points by a rare Emile Heskey goal in injury time Wednesday, they just seemed like a class apart.

Their passing was phenomenal, their running off the ball always incisive and the communication between the players flawless.

I have to admit that I am and have been a Liverpool fan all my life, and had predicted that they would win the championship (needless to say that was a bad guess), but right now there is only one team that looks like they can win it all.

Mailbag

Pedro Pinto will answer questions from CNNSI.com users in his mailbag periodically. If you'd like to submit a question, please enter it below.

Your name: Your E-mail Address: Your Hometown: Enter Your Question:

Why do I say this? Let's look at the other contenders.

Manchester United

You can never count out the Red Devils with all the quality they have in their squad, but I get the feeling that Sir Alex Ferguson would still like to win the Champions League ahead of the league title. The final is at Old Trafford and it would mean a lot to him and the club to be present at their home ground when the decider is played in May. I think they will finish second.

Newcastle United

What a season the Magpies are having, huh? Not only did they manage to make it past the first group phase of the Champions League, they have been able to rebound from an early season slump at home and claim a place at the top of the table. Sir Bobby Robson is one of my favorite managers, and once again he is proving his credentials, blending experience and youth into a successful mix at St. James's Park.

With the addition of Jonathan Woodgate they will be a better side, but I feel they are still a year or two away from seriously challenging for the title.

Chelsea

I have really enjoyed watching Chelsea play and I think Claudio Ranieri has been able to turn a group of talented individuals into a talented group. That is sometimes hard to do. Actually, the Blues have had good players for several seasons now, but they lacked a man with the leadership skills to convince these stars that team success is more important than personal satisfaction. At 37 years-young Gianfranco Zola is still effective, and with Eidur Gudjohnsen continuing to develop as a striker, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's slump has virtually gone unnoticed. I expect them to make the Champions League.

Liverpool

At the expense of Liverpool, probably. This could have been a glorious season for the Reds, but Gerard Houllier has failed to maximize the potential of his players and the team will pay the price by having to play UEFA Cup football next year. I just can't see Liverpool getting into a groove this year because Houllier keeps leaving out several key players who could make a difference consistantly.

It is clear to me that Emile Heskey is not a world-class striker, so why does he play him instead of Milan Baros or El Hadji Diouf (who has been used as a right winger). Djimi Traore is far from being an option right now and I failed to understand why he was playing instead of Jon Arne Riise for an extended period of time. And Vladimir Smicer should be off-loaded, because he certainly hasn't proved anything at the club. Thankfully, Houllier has seen recently that Bruno Cheyrou is a better choice and I hope the French midfielder gets more minutes to develop and understand the English game.

So that leaves Arsenal as my favorite to win the title again. The only "if" or "but" will concern its priorities close to the end of the season. If it is close to winning the Premiership and the Champions League, which competition will it chose to concentrate on? A lack of focus could cause a derailment at the climax of the season, but I think Arsene Wenger is intelligent and experienced enough to steer his side down the right path.

So what do you think? Do you agree with me, or am I delirious? I await your comments and concerns.

Take care.

Pedro Pinto is an anchor for World Sport, the international sports show that airs on CNN International.

 

Related information

Stories

UK: Venables considering future as Leeds coach Previous Pedro Pinto Columns

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video