New Season

My predictions for the Premiership:

This year again, only the Big Four can win the title. Man City's squad seems top-heavy with strikers & they will need to massively improve on their away form from last season. They will get some good results but i can't see them being consistent enough. Arsenal have talent & the promise of youngsters like Wilshere for the future. Their midfield looks too lightweight to me, they need someone in the Viera mould who can boss the midfield. Liverpool will up at the top again this year, but they lack adequate cover for Torres. Which leaves the usual suspects: Man U & Chelsea. Man U are bound to miss Ronaldo's goals & assists, though they will hardly be struggling for goals with Rooney, Berbatov & Owen. Chelsea can grind out the title, but it will be close, by not more than 5 points.

WTA & ATP

Kim Clijsters' first tournament since her comeback ended with a QF loss in Cincinnati to world no. 1 Safina, a great effort. Clijsters looks like a sure bet to return to the top five & be a Slam contender again. If only her fellow Belgian Justine Henin is now tempted to come out of retirement, it would be fantastic for the womens' game.

Andy Muray has a chance today to overtake Nadal as world no. 2. Rafa lost in the Montreal QFs to del Potro, Murray plays Tsonga (who beat Federer in the quarters) in the semi, if AM wins he'll be the new world no. 2.

It's All Over Now

Liverpool's chances of the Premiership were surely finished by the 2-0 defeat at Boro yesterday. Man U still have to play them & Arsenal, & maybe Man City could pull off a shock in the derby game. But it would take one of the biggest chokes in sporting history for Fergie's team to blow it now. Benitez's rant (about officials supposedly favouring Fergie & Utd) seems to have backfired spectacularly. Apart from the fortunate win over Chelsea, their league form since his outburst has been mediocre. So now, for another season, Liverpool have all their eggs in the Champions League basket. Another team who have lost the plot in the league, with their only chance of silverware in the cup competitions, is Arsenal. Early in the season they beat Everton 3-0, & no-one could imagine they would finish below Everton in the league. But after five consecutive league draws, the Gunners are now only two points ahead of them.
I expect Arsenal, Chelsea & Liverpool will all hold their fist leg leads & progress to the Champions League QFs. Man U battered Inter in the first half of the 1st leg & Inter did well to get a scoreless draw. Surely United, with so many match winners in Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov etc will join their Premiership counterparts in the next round.But Mourinho has pulled off upsets in the UCL, & at Old Trafford, before...

Six Nations

I had expected the title would be decided by the final round of matches. But now (assuming Ireland defeat the Scots) it will be an Irish, not a Welsh, Grand Slam on the line. It is surely no coincidence that Brian O'Driscoll has rediscovered his best form. He scored a try & drop goal yesterday, & made a great burst for his try in the upset win over the French. Ireland famously have done the Grand Slam only once (1948). France though still have an outside chance of the title after their win over Wales on Friday. Ireland must be favourites, but it could all come down to points difference, & Wales, who have home advantage in the last game against the Irish, can spoil the Irish party..