SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2015 SPORTS 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 , 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- and 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 has continued to revamp not be caught, television pundit and for- loan from , 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, ’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. Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski, Matteo Darmian Torino Man United 19 role the club has missed sorely in recent sea- there was something missing, just a little last Wojciech Szczesny and David Ospina have filled Southampton Liverpool 19 sons. jump over the hurdle.” Cech has all the attributes A. Madrid Tottenham Hotspur 16 the void with limited success but they lacked “The Arsenal fans thought it was Christmas to be the man to carry Arsenal over that final Dimitri Payet Marseille West Ham 16 presence and were guilty of high-profile errors (when Cech signed),” Arsenal’s goalkeeping hurdle. As the footballing adage goes-a great Petr Cech Chelsea Arsenal 16 which undermined Arsenal’s title desires. great Bob Wilson said. “Just a ridiculous decision attack wins you matches, a great defence wins Yohan Cabaye PSG Crystal Palace 15 Cech, however, the most successful goal- (from Chelsea), to allow him to go.” you trophies. —Reuters Lorient Aston Villa 13 keeper in Chelsea history, arrives with an Jordy Clasie Feyenoord Southampton 13 Fabian Delph Aston Villa Man City 13 undoubted presence having secured his status as one of Europe’s premier stoppers for over a Recent Community Shield winners decade. The 114-cap Czech international possesses a LONDON: Recent winners of the English Community Shield ahead of today’s Wembley showdown between Premier wealth of experience and a winning mentality League champions Chelsea and FA Cup holders Arsenal: having won four Premier League titles, four FA 2014: Arsenal 2004: Arsenal Cup’s, three League Cup’s and the Champions 2013: Manchester United 2003: Manchester United League and Europa League during 11 seasons at 2012: Manchester City 2002: Arsenal Stamford Bridge. 2011: Manchester United 2001: Liverpool In front of him, Arsenal are an ever-improv- 2010: Manchester United 2000: Chelsea ing defensive unit, the third stingiest in last sea- 2009: Chelsea 1999: Arsenal son’s Premier League, but without a goalkeep- 2008: Manchester United 1998: Arsenal ing bedrock they were susceptible to conceding 2007: Manchester United 1997: Manchester United foolish goals. 2006: Liverpool 1996: Manchester United Cech’s arrival will certainly boost the confi- 2005: Chelsea 1995: Everton dence of those stationed immediately in front Bournemouth ready to mix with heavyweights

LONDON: True to their humble roots Bournemouth reaching the promised land is being saved for a rainy to boost their survival chances. have resisted the temptation to mark their new- day. Distin’s signing may prove to be highly astute. The likes of former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder found Premier League status with a splurge of The knowledge the Frenchman will be able to impart Etienne Capoue, Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami and spending, sticking to their principles as they prepare on his new defensive colleagues could prove invalu- Austria defender Sebastian Prodl have added experi- to mix it with the big boys. able. However, it could be an entirely different story if ence to the Watford ranks. The south-coast club, about to embark on the he himself is called upon regularly to lead by exam- Norwich, who bounced straight back via the play- first top-flight campaign in their 116-year history, ple. His final months at Everton were demonstrative offs after being relegated from the Premier League in took the Championship by storm last season, scoring of a rapidly waning ability. 2014, already boast plenty of top-flight experience in 98 goals as they won the title. Since the Premier League’s inception in 1992 only the likes of keeper John Ruddy, winger Nathan Manager Eddie Howe’s attack-minded 4-4-2 sys- twice- in 2001-02 and 2011-12 — have all three pro- Redmond and striker Cameron Jerome. tem could be vulnerable against the heavyweights of moted teams avoided the drop. Watford and Alex Neil, who becomes the Premier League’s the top flight, but Bournemouth will surely earn Norwich City are the other two promoted sides hop- youngest manager at 34, led Norwich to promotion friends with their playing style. ing to consolidate their rise. following his arrival from Scottish side Hamilton Whether or not they can earn enough points is Watford will contest their third season in the Academical at the start of the year. “I’m really looking another matter, but Howe will keep faith with largely Premier League, having finished bottom in both the forward to it,” Neil told TalkSport. “Like my squad, I’m the same group of players who excelled last season. 1999-2000 and 2006-07 campaigns. not daunted by it and we are looking forward to the Experienced defender Sylvain Distin has joined Spaniard Quique Sanchez Flores has replaced challenge. “You want to try and compete at the high- and midfielder Christian Atsu arrived on loan from Slavisa Jokanovic as manager, while player recruit- est level. I’ve just managed to get there quicker than Raheem Sterling Chelsea, but the 120 million pounds cash boost for ment has been high at Vicarage Road in an attempt anticipated.” —Reuters