North London hopes for Premier League 2011-12

Published: August 11, 2011

Nightmare life for yearning fans

ARSENAL with STEVE BARNETT

A BALL hasn’t even been kicked yet and already the fans are feeling the frustrations. Getting a player’s name on the back of your  shirt is proving a nightmare as supporters try and work out who is staying and who is going.

And once again, Arsene Wenger is holding the purse strings tight. But is life at the Emirates really all that bad?

Player To Watch: Gervinho
The summer signing has already won over the fans with his promise of pace and power.

Breakthrough Season: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Having reportedly cost up to £15m from Southampton, big things are expected from the striker. But also keep an eye on Ryo Miyaichi, who was granted a work permit this week and has been promised first-team football.

How it Could All Go Right: Time to Buy
Wenger signs one or two much-needed defenders, the youngsters in the squad all rise to the challenge and key players like Robin van Persie remain injury-free.

How it Could All Go Wrong: The Nightmare Scenario
Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri leave, Wenger doesn’t replace them or buy any defenders. Meanwhile van Persie, Theo Walcott and Thomas Vermaelen continue to struggle with injuries.

Owes the Fans: The Woe of Walcott
Plenty of fans have already given up on Theo. The talent and passion is there – he just needs to stay off the treatment table long enough prove it.

Uneasy calm before the storm

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR with DAN CARRIER

IT has been a quiet summer, with just Brad Friedel coming in to offer competition for Heurelho Gomes so far.

More worryingly, players Harry Redknapp doesn’t fancy are still drawing wages.

The attitudes of David Bentley, Jermaine Jenas, Wilson Palacios, Robbie Keane, and Sebastien Bassong could make the atmosphere at the training ground tense to say the least.

Player to Watch: Sandro
The midfielder’s second season at White Hart Lane could give us a new hero. He was immense in the spring.

Breakthrough Season: Kyle Walker
The defender shone at Aston Villa last season. If he gels with Aaron Lennon, we’ll have the fastest right flank in the country.

How it Could All Go Right: Luck with Injuries
We need to keep our best players fit. Last year we missed Tom Huddlestone for a long stretch. Our strikers also need to find their scoring boots. Jermain Defoe should be our Greavsie – but he has to stay on his feet, stop wandering off-side, and work harder for his team-mates.

How it Could All Go Wrong: Luka May Well Hold the Key
If Chelsea put up the required capital for Modric – or he gets the hump and is a shadow of the player he was last term – we will miss his creativity and could struggle. Of course, if the investment made by rivals Manchester City and Liverpool pays dividends, it might not matter how well we do.

Owes the Fans: Look Beyond Luka
It’s easy to say Modric, but how much of the rumours about him wanting to go are actually true? He has acted with decency and always puts in a shift. Gomes must
 cut out the nonsense, and, as for Roman Pavlyuchenko – he needs to work much harder to
fulfil his own hype.