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SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2015 SPORTS Premier League excitement begins LONDON: England’s Premier League is ed to contest the title, however, none of ther forward. By the end of the season Other than bringing in Asmir Begovic Their total of 83 goals was 31 more undoubtedly one of the most exciting in them have managed to win it for two Rooney should have overtaken Bobby from Stoke to replace Petr Cech as sec- than Liverpool, which explains why world football but as it embarks on its years in a row since Manchester United Charlton’s records as record scorer for ond-choice goalkeeper, Mourinho’s only Brendan Rodgers made forwards his pri- 24th season on Aug. 8 is it also becom- completed a hat-trick in 2009 under Alex England and United. notable signing has been Colombia ority and signed Christian Benteke from ing one of the most predictable? Ferguson. Since the Scot retired in 2013, He will be more interested in whether striker Radamel Falcao, who failed to live Aston Villa, Hoffenheim’s Brazil striker Last term only Newcastle United and the Old Trafford club have not been in United have regained the title from up to his reputation at United last sea- Roberto Firmino and Danny Ings from Everton, both of whom dropped down serious contention to add to their record Chelsea, who led the table from the son. relegated Burnley. the table, moved more than four places 20 championships, finishing seventh third match of last season and finished He impressed Chelsea’s captain John Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger has felt less either way, while two of the three pro- and fourth. eight points clear of the previous sea- Terry when scoring a hat-trick against need to strengthen a squad that moted clubs went straight back down. They have spent vast amounts of son’s champions Manchester City. the Lond club for Atletico Madrid in the retained the FA Cup and returned to the Clubs outside the top six will aim to money in that time, with only mixed On the day in May that Jose 2012 UEFA Super Cup final and, like top three, although experienced former avoid relegation which will be more success, and during the close season Mourinho’s side made sure they could United, they have now taken him on Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech will important than ever with a lucrative Louis Van Gaal has continued to revamp not be caught, television pundit and for- loan from Monaco, while hoping for a doubtless save them plenty of points. three-year domestic television deal, his squad. mer United defender Gary Neville told better return. Newcomers Watford, Bournemouth worth over five billion pounds ($7.77 bil- Germany captain Bastian viewers, “the rest are absolutely miles City scored 10 goals more than and Norwich City will inevitably be lion), strting in 12 months’ time. Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich and behind this Chelsea team”. United, City, Chelsea last season and hope to tipped as relegation fodder but Villa, Overseas TV rights will add half as much Southampton’s Frenchman Morgan Arsenal and Liverpool will all believe outscore them again after paying a fee Sunderland and Leicester City, all heavily again, making the struggle to stay up Schneiderlin will improve the midfield they have reduced the gap after a trans- that could rise to 49 million pounds involved in the scrap to avoid the drop intense. options and allow the Dutchman to use fer window in which the champions ($76.16 million) for England’s Raheem last term, cannot expect much more While the usual suspects are expect- Wayne Rooney in his best position, fur- have so far been comparatively quiet. Sterling. than mere survival. —Reuters Five questions ahead of the Community Shield LONDON: Premier League champions d’Or, is no longer on the same level as Chelsea face FA Cup winners Arsenal in the Hazard, leaving only Barcelona legend Community Shield today. Here AFP Sports Lionel Messi as a more prodigious talent looks at five questions to ponder in the tra- than the 24-year-old Belgium playmaker. ditional curtain raiser to the English season: And with the Champions League high on Chelsea’s agenda this season and the IS COSTA FIT FOR PURPOSE? Euro 2016 finals looming next year, the Although the Spain striker played a scene is set for Hazard to illuminate the huge role in Chelsea’s title triumph with 20 sport’s grandest stages and cement his rep- goals in 26 appearances, Diego Costa’s utation as a true great. debut season with the Blues was marred by the recurring hamstring injury that forced WENGER’S STRIKING DILEMMA him to the sidelines on several occasions. Theo Walcott repaid Wenger’s faith with The 26-year-old still hasn’t completely the crucial opening goal in Arsenal’s FA Cup recovered from the problem, missing final rout of Aston Villa last season and the Chelsea’s pre-season friendly against England winger hopes his manager still Barcelona as a precaution. believes he can shoulder the burden of And, while manager Jose Mourinho leading the Gunners’ attack. insists Costa is fit enough to withstand Despite his lack of strength and aerial another gruelling campaign, the Blues boss ability Walcott has long craved the sole was also quick to snap up Colombian for- central striker’s berth and Wenger finally ward Radamel Falcao, on loan from seems to believe the 26-year-old is a wor- Monaco, to act as back-up to the injury- thy alternative to the inconsistent Olivier prone star. Giroud. Walcott is certainly doing all he can to prove he should be selected ahead of WILL CECH PAY DIVIDENDS? Giroud, scoring the winner after starting up Despite Mourinho’s best efforts to keep front in the recent Emirates Cup friendly Petr Cech from signing for Arsenal, the against Wolfsburg, and then committing intervention of Chelsea owner Roman his long-term future to the club by signing Petr Cech celebrates in this file photo. Abramovich, who wanted to reward the 33- a new four-year contract on Friday. year-old Czech goalkeeper for his loyal service, has gifted Arsene Wenger a solu- DUEL FOR SUPREMACY tion to a problem that had plagued his While the result of the Community Cech arrival adds team for several years. Shield will be long forgotten by the time After watching the likes of Wojciech the major trophies are handed out in May, Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski commit it still presents a chance for Mourinho and costly errors while between the posts, the Wenger to set the tone for another year £10 million fee for Cech must have seemed duelling for supremacy. like the bargain of the century to Wenger, Both ended last season with silverware, to Arsenal’s style who finally has a world-class keeper, and an but it was the Chelsea manager who had underrated dressing room leader, to bolster the upper hand as he won the Premier LONDON: Arsenal have again been cautious the confidence of a sometimes shaky League and the League Cup, while Wenger spenders in the transfer market but by recruiting defence. had to settle for the FA Cup, and also Petr Cech, one of the Premier League’s best goal- extended his unbeaten run against the keepers, they have added some defensive sub- CAN HAZARD JOIN THE GREATS? Frenchman to 13 matches. Wenger profess- stance to compliment their attacking style. After an outstanding season as the cre- es not to care about that barren streak, but Back-to-back FA Cup victories ended a nine- ative fulcrum of Chelsea’s attack, Eden his barely-disguised disdain for Mourinho’s year silverware drought, but Arsenal have not Hazard has established himself as the sec- provocative personality boiled over last been relevant during the punishing grind of a ond best player in the world according to year when he pushed the Portuguese 38-game Premier League title race for a number Mourinho. coach after a touchline row and he would of years. In Mourinho’s view, even Cristiano dearly love to start the new season by The north London club have addressed a Ronaldo, who won the 2014 FIFA Ballon stealing a march on his old rival.—AFP number of issues which have held them back since the trophy-laden early years of manager Arsene Wenger’s reign came to an end in 2005. Top transfers Until the arrival of Cech from rivals Chelsea last month, however, one glaring concern LONDON: List of major Premier League transfers ahead of the new season which starts on Aug. 8 (esti- remained unresolved. Wenger, often maligned mated cost in millions of dollars): for a perceived reluctance to splash the cash, Player From To Fee had invested heavily in Mesut Ozil and Alexis Raheem Sterling Liverpool Man City 76 Sanchez in previous close-seasons to make Christian Benteke Aston Villa Liverpool 50 Arsenal one of the most dazzling attacking sides Roberto Firmino Hoffenheim Liverpool 44 in Europe. Memphis Depay PSV Eindhoven Man United 38 Their inability, however, to replace former Morgan Schneiderlin Southampton Man United 38 keeper Jens Lehmann adequately following his Arsene Wenger Georginio Wijnaldum PSV Eindhoven Newcastle United 22 departure in 2008 had prevented them laying Bastian Schweinsteiger Bayern Munich Man United 21 of him. At 33, he is still in his goalkeeping prime Upon signing for the club Cech said: “Last the foundations from which to build a title-chal- Aleksandar Mitrovic Anderlecht Newcastle United 20 and will assume an on and off-field leadership season it was a great season (for Arsenal), but lenging side.