Let me start off by admitting that I am a die-hard Manchester United fan, but I will try and keep my analysis of our bitter cross-town rivals as objective as possible.

Ever since Sheikh Mansour’s takeover at Eastlands, money has been pumped into Manchester City at an ungodly rate. World-class players from every major league in Europe have been bought with the intent of propelling the club to domestic and European glory. Admittedly, the takeover has made quite an impact on the club’s success. City finished tenth in the League in 2008, the first season of Mansour’s reign, and have progressed each year until this past season, when they qualified for Champions League play for the first time in their history. You can read Brian Connell’s article for a more in-depth analysis of the transfers City have made since 2008. However my goal is to shed light on the scores of rumors that have surrounded the club regarding their plans this coming summer.

Of all the Premier League clubs, City has easily been the one linked to the most players this summer. They are reportedly in the race to sign Sergio Aguero, Alexis Sanchez, Javier Pastore, Gary Cahill, Gervinho and Jan Vertonghen, amongst several others. Now, there’s no telling if some of these are legitimate pursuits or whether they’re linked simply because they’re City and that’s what City does, but the mere fact that all of these big names are being mentioned highlights the problem with their squad structure. City already boasts the largest first-team squad in the Premier League, with a plethora of excellent players struggling to get playing time. If even half of these rumored transfers end up making their way to Eastlands, this problem will be grossly exacerbated. Even more worrying for City fans is the fact that not many current City players have been rumored to leave Eastlands thus far (only Jerome Boateng and possibly Carlos Tevez come to mind, currently.)

The problem is that the club simply has too much money to burn, and burning is exactly what they’re doing to that money. Rather than develop their existing squad, Mansour and Mancini simply want to keep adding to it. Whether they genuinely believe that they’re strengthening their squad or if they simply want to snap up players before their League rivals can get their signatures, it is clearly a problem. They are not really taking into account their squad’s weaknesses with these transfers, either, but rather simply trying to sign as many big names as possible.

Look at Chelsea, for example. Like City, they too have a billionaire sugar daddy in Roman Abramovich. The West London outfit, however, seem to be much more focused and direct in terms of who they’re going after this summer. Chelsea have been linked with the likes of Neymar, Romelu Lukaku, Luka Modric, Wesley Sneijder, Javier Pastore and Christian Eriksen. They seem to be looking to address two positions for the most part: striker and center-midfielder, both positions where their squad needs a facelift. Torres needs a strike partner that will complement his strengths, while there has been a creative void in the heart of Chelsea’s midfield for quite some time. Their transfer strategy is much more likely than City’s to bring them success in the coming season, and I can say I’ll be genuinely afraid of the strength of Chelsea’s squad.

In short, Manchester City need to buckle down and assess their game-plan in the transfer market before they completely go out of control with spending. From my perspective on the red half of Manchester, however, I can’t say I’d be too displeased if they continued in their wayward direction.

Photo by EmerandSam

With the Premier League season wrapped up for the summer and no big tournaments to speak of this summer (other than perhaps the Copa America) all football fans will be watching the transfer market with keen interest. This summer in particular will be an interesting one for Manchester United fans like myself. It is already a foregone conclusion that Sir Alex will be spending big on players this term, and plenty of big names are being linked with Old Trafford.

But just where and for whom should United be spending their cash? I will try and answer that for all of you by going through and analyzing the Red Devils’ squad.

Goalkeeper (Need – High):

With the departure of Edwin Van Der Sar, there is a void in United’s goal that desperately needs to be filled. Fergie brought in Danish keeper Anders Lindegaard during the January transfer window, but although the young Dane performed satisfactorily in the few matches we’ve seen him play in a United shirt, a more experienced keeper from a more reputable league is needed. Atletico Madrid’s David de Gea will most likely be that keeper. A deal between De Gea and United is rumored to be all but done, and the official announcement is set to be made in July when the transfer window officially opens. Barring any shock developments, De Gea will be United’s #1 in the coming season.

Defense (Need – Low):

It’s safe to say that United’s back four is the best in the Premier League, and arguably in the world. Nemanja Vidic, United’s captain and centerback, won Player of the Year honors for the past season and rightly so. Patrice Evra is a stalwart at the left back position and provides a great threat when United are on attack, playing almost as a winger. At right back, the ever-improving Da Silva twins’ only true competition is each other. With their strength and speed, they are tough to beat in one-on-one situations, and they both provide decent crosses from the touch line. That leaves us with Rio Ferdinand. When 100% match-fit, Rio is easily one of the best in the world at his position. The problem, however, is that he’s not always match-fit, with back problems limiting him at times. He’s strung together a good number of games this season, though, and looks to have at least a couple more years playing at his high level. With youngsters Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans both available on the bench in case Ferdinand has more injury problems — as well as new signing Phil Jones on hand, United have no need to sign any new defenders this summer.

Midfield (Need – High):

Here is where most of the cash will be splashed this summer. Rumors have been swirling about all sorts of top players being linked with moves to Old Trafford. Perhaps the least of their problems in midfield is at the right wing position, where both Nani and Antonio Valencia can perform excellently. The heart of the midfield, however, is where United’s needs are highest. With the departure of legend Paul Scholes, Darren Fletcher, Anderson and Michael Carrick are currently United’s only three viable options at center-mid. Although neither Fletcher nor Carrick’s talent can be doubted, Fletcher is more useful as a defensive-minded midfielder while Carrick’s United career is riddled with inconsistency.

United need a creative midfielder who can control the flow of the game with his skills both on and off the ball. Wesley Sneijder and Luka Modric are the two players most often linked with Old Trafford. Both players have proven to be highly skilled at the center-mid position and either would be welcomed by the Old Trafford faithful. Both also will come with hefty price tags, and we should expect the bulk of our money to be allocated towards a center-midfielder this summer.

Finally, left wing is also a position that Sir Alex may want to look at this summer. United’s one true left winger is Ryan Giggs, the best in the business in his prime and still an excellent player in his age, but we’ll have to face the fact that Giggsy will be retiring within the next couple of seasons, and his speed is not what is used to be. Although Nani, Valencia and sometimes even Ji Sung Park can fill in at left wing, it is not their natural positions. A true left winger with pace and crossing ability is something that United could definitely use. Aston Villa’s Ashley Young seems to be this left winger. The England international boasts terrific speed and dead ball ability, and is able to cut in from the left wing and attack the opponent’s defense on his stronger right foot (similar to Franck Ribery). Young has been linked with both United and Liverpool, but Old Trafford is looking like it will be the 25 year-old.

Forwards (Need – Medium):

United’s attacking lineup may or may not need some complementary players this summer. Their 3 main options at forward are as follows: Dimitar Berbatov (last season’s leading goal-scorer in the Premier League), Javier Hernandez (surely the most sensational transfer in United’s recent history, netting 20 goals in all competitions in his first season) and Wayne Rooney (no introduction needed.)

Generally, Rooney and Hernandez start the game and Berbatov usually makes an appearance midway through the second half. The problem with this scheme is that a player like Berbatov, who is arguably the most technically gifted player on the squad, is not happy being resigned to a bench role (a complaint recently brought to light during the Champions’ League final.) In my humble opinion, Berbatov has all the right to complain, considering his goals carried United for a fair bit of the season. If Berbatov were to leave United this summer (and it’s anyone’s guess right now whether or not that will happen) it would leave United with only one viable striking option on the bench: Michael Owen, who is unfortunately well past his prime and can’t truly be relied upon as a week-in and week-out substitute.

Regardless of whether Berbatov leaves or not, United should bring back both Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda from loan and perhaps sign another young, inexpensive striker. The priority, however, has to be the midfield.

Delap: Stoke City's Wild Card

Stoke City vs Chelsea FC at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent, 3pm local time. Conditions: pitch good, weather fine.

Line-ups

Chelsea: Cech, A Cole, Terry, Ivanovic, Bosingwa, Ballack, Malouda, Kalou, Mikel, Lampard, Drogba

Stoke City: Sorenson (Simonsen), Faye, Collins, Huth, Higginbotham, Delap, Shawcross, Etherington, Whelan, Kitson (Tuncay), Beattie (Fuller)

1st Half

Stoke, playing five at the back, begin marking the ball closely.

12′ Beattie stretchered off (ankle); Ricardo Fuller on.

18′ Shawcross booked (studs high on A Cole).

Stoke are stalling Chelsea’s flowing potential rather effectively.

Stoke had no players away last week for the international break, giving them time to work specifically on the Chelsea match plan. Seems to be working.

Stoke defending the ball well with two & three players, Shawcross a real nuisance to Lampard in the middle.

32′ GOAL Stoke! Faye on a free header from a quite poor, floated cross from Wilkinson on the right flank, Faye unmarked, Cech in nomans land. Clever stuff — Pulis — running Faye up & into the box.

34′ A Cole gets behind the defense, good save Sorenson.

Stoke’s concentration still good.

36′ Sorenson down (hip); Simonsen on.

[Should be about 10 minutes added.]

Chelsea posting a man on Rory Delap’s throw-in is forcing him to float it high & ineffective as compared to the flat & direct trajectory which worries defenses.

8 minutes are added.

48′ GOAL Chelsea! Drogba takes a firm pass from Lampard, turning Faye on his hip and fires left footed from 15 yards across Simonsen’s left. Clever, well-weighted ball from Lampard.

2nd Half

Anelka on for Kalou.

Chelsea press, Stoke keeping up the pressure on the ball.

65′ Tuncay on for Kitson; Essien on for Ballack

Chelsea mix up the positioning; Lampard attacking, Anelka wide right side, Essien holding.

78′ Drogba set piece tests Simonsen low on his near post. Smart choice.

Mike Dean has been restrained today, though fouling has been negligible.

83′ Balletti on for Mikel.

Malouda seems to have been hiding for 85 minutes.

86′ Brilliant glancing headed through pass by Drogba at the top of the box. No one near.

5 minutes added.

96′ GOAL Chelsea! Malouda comes out from hiding: left foot through the hands of Simonsen. Coolly in the box from a Bosingwa throw-in from Essien to Anelka to Malouda. Chelsea’s desire is evident.

Stoke would have earned their point, today. But no.

Stoke City 1:2 Chelsea

photo: File Image | AFP

Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009 — Netherlands 1: 0 Scotland today at Hampden Park (here’s the minute-by-minute report).

As George Burley said, Scotland deserved at least something from the match at home in which they threatened the woodwork serially. The difficult loss ends Scotland’s chance of qualifying for South Africa’s pageant next summer.

I saw Wesley Sneijder in ice making his way to the club-house. Today he was replaced in the 77th minute by Rafeal van der Vaart.

Inter needn’t worry overmuch about his ice-taped right ankle. Reportedly in Eschede last week, he was stretchered off after scoring in what became the Netherlands’ 3-nil thrashing of Japan. X-rays proved the knock was not as bad as it looked and not severe enough to keep him out of the Dutch side today in Glasgow.

If anyone has a feed from today’s match, I’m sure many will enjoy this one in which Scotland will have felt the urgent need for a result, albeit without the inspirational James McFadden.

At Inter now, Mourinho was looking for a trequartista, but Sneijder brings also a discerning nose for goal. A distance dangerman tends to pull the opposing center-backs out, which creates room behind. It’s a cascading effect.

Now we add Diego Milito & Samuel Eto’o the mix, and Inter’s attack explodes with potential … much as we saw in the Milan Derby where two of the four goals came on the end of very fast passing triangles around the box.

This is nothing against the departing Ibra — all class — whom we wish well at Barça.

Inter’s canny additions are promising for a club not in need of an overhaul.

photo: Yiorgos Karahalis | Reuters

Dutch international right back, Johnny Heitinga, has accepted a transfer from Atletico Madrid to Everton, completing a physical just under the transfer window deadline which closed at 5pm yesterday.

It’s a loss for Atleti and a serious loss for the Champions League competition (Everton competes in the Europa League but Heitinga is cup-tied for even that). I was looking forward to the rebels — “Los Colchoneros” (“the Mattress-Makers”) — of Madrid making a strong showing this year. Perhaps not.

Heitinga — a product of Ajax — is one of the quality right backs who’s lithe movement reminds a little of Cafu in his nimbler days. A skilled handler of the ball who gives firm ball on the ground and who is capable of launching stinging balls early across the 18 from wide space. He is clever, unpredictable, not easily read and not prone to tendency. He’ll set you up going outside then, later in the match, kill you driving inside. Unlike Ashley Cole, for example, Heitinga is the kind of wide back who keeps his wide opponents busy in their own end.

Moyes brings in Heitinga to replace Joleon Lescott who was snatched by Mark Hughes & Manchester City near the deadline. Lescott is a strong player, but this is at least a fair swap for the Toffees if Johnny can stay fit.

Heitinga rejoins his old teammate, Steven Pienaar, alongside whom he played at Ajax for five years. Said Heitinga, “I am looking forward to linking up with him again because he is a good player.”

Apparently, Heitinga was on a high salary in Madrid which Everton could not match (yet he now supercedes Mikel Arteta as Everton highest paid player). Nor can Everton offer Champions League competition this year. Even with these deficiencies in the bargain, a fine Dutch footballer feels the pull of the Premiership and the aura of living in Liverpool & environs.

My guess is Heitinga will take Tony Hibbert’s position wide-right; in which case it is unclear who among Baines, Yobo or Jagielka and others are best suited to partner Sylvain Distin in the middle of the back. It’s the kind of signing the effects of which will ripple through a side having its difficulties not a few months after just tasting the Wembley stage of an FA Cup Final.

Promoted side Associazione Sportivo Bari are not too attractive. But you could have said that about Hull, or Stoke, for that matter. In each case, the Premiership club became more attractive with exposure.

Despite the horror fashion-mistake of the kit, Bari took two points from Inter last week. Not only that, they defended mightily — with order and togetherness. And they looked capable of snatching all the points on the counter.

We’ll do well to expect this team to fight for its Serie A place this season — catenaccio spoken here. They are probably tired of bouncing back & forth from Serie A to B. And the new American ownership (yes, they are a cliche’ from Texas!) might be able to shepherd their growth investment in soccer to a new plateau. [I know nothing about them save the rumor that they want to bring over American players. Since there are none, their intent is obviously sinister.]

Here’s a little bit about AS Bari for those of us to whom the southern Apulia region club is news. AS Bari looks like it serves as Juventus’ farm club by the looks of their players-on-loan list. They’ve added, as promoted sides do; there’s nothing spectacular about that. Yet they have a rare commodity: a Belgian Keeper, a Belgian Keeper who will win for Bari precious points in the table because he is a penalty-stopping specialist with exceptional reflexes and good feet. By the looks of him against Inter, he’s positionally & fundamentally sound as well as passionate.

He is Jean-François Gillet, Bari’s Captain and a heavily-capped international (280) in the land of beer & cheese. Why he stays at Bari is anybody’s guess, but he says he loves his club. We have no choice but to take him at his word.

Whom to watch for at AS Bari …

Barreto (Paulo Vitor Barreto de Souza) is a Brazilian striker on loan from Udinese, originally via Treviso.

Andrea Ranocchia is a promising Italy U-21 defender on loan from Genoa (Arezzo co-owns his contract). It is believed Juventus manager, Ciro Ferarra, admires him and Ranocchia is expected to move over to the Turin club next year.

Additions …

Iago Falque (loan from Juventus) is a Spanish 19-year old who is compared to Cesc Fabregas who a year ago transferred to Juve having come up through the Barça youth system.

Massimo Donati (just transferred from Celtic) has signed a 4-year deal with Bari. Massimo enjoyed his time at Celtic but sought to return to Italy for family reasons. You just saw Donati’s extraordinary extra-time consolation goal for Celtic against Arsenal in the very same Champions League match we are still discussing which featured Eduardo’s penalty area dive and subsequent 2-match Champions League ban by UEFA.

(Sergio Bernardo) Almiron (on loan from Juventus) is the Argentine product of Newell’s Old Boys who comes to Bari on loan from Juve. He appears to have been loaned all over Serie A since coming to Italy in 2001. Not much to crow about.

If you want to follow an underdog this season, track AS Bari. And if you are serious about following AS Bari, I know of no better than the lively feed of Eros & Vincenzo over at Bari.TheOffside.com.

Inter earned three (and perhaps all four) of their strikes, yet more could not have gone wrong in one half of play for the feisty AC Milan defensive midfielder as he returns from long-term injury to snatch back his position from the interloping Galaxy star, a certain D Beckham.

You can understand Gattuso’s frustration as it progressed through its stages to the final red mist which early took the rossoneri down to ten men. Inter went up one-nil around the half hour on a pristine Barça-esque piece of triangulation capped by a Thiago Motta finish (he’s a fresh, suitable & welcome transfer from Genoa).

Gattuso, having required an ankle-strapping on the sideline beneath the the half-hour, would soon find himself the only one in red & black stripes to chase Inter’s Samuel Eto’o the 50 yards into the box to haul the Cameroonian international down with an ever-so-slight tug on the neck as Eto’o cleverly crossed in front to shield the ball at full pace. This, upon a pin-point 50-yard ball from Inter’s Brazilian right back, Douglas Maicon, who alertly air-mailed the rossoneri’s quixotic press.

Diego Milito (another welcome transfer to Inter from Genoa) would place the ensuing spot kick firmly center of the roof of the net. Storari had nothing to do.

The opera commences at minute-37, AC Milan in the hole two-nil. Rino calls it quits, hobbling off and asking for a substitution. [I’m touched to see Zanetti with sincere concern ask Gattuso “what’s the matter?” to which he replies “mi caviglia (my ankle).”] But Gattuso must wait. Leonardo is slow to effectuate the swap. Seedorf laconically pulls up his socks & warms up on the sideline in his yellow pinney. Rino finds himself back in the fray and makes an overweening (if only just late) tackle on Inter’s new trequartista, Wesley Sneijder, at the center circle.

You can see where Gattuso’s head is: he holds the Captains armband in his left hand as he makes the lunge. ‘Get me OFF the f@#%ing pitch. Now!’ He is — for all practical purposes — already soaping up his goatee in the San Siro showers.

Meltdown. Second yellow, a Red Card. In fact, Rino should have gotten the straight Red as last man when he bundled Eto’o; but Mr Rizzoli’s mercy and his capacity for nuance on the big day are not to be underestimated. Within minutes, Gattuso has enabled the referee to make up for his initial mistake — which was merely one of achromatopsia.

Gattuso’s expletives as he leaves the pitch are directed at Leonardo.

Dejan Stankovic would cap the scoring late with a lovely inside-out swerving dagger into the upper side netting from distance, leaving Storari to flap. We’ve seen this kind of thing from Wesley Sneider, himself, in his Ajax days; and you can see how Inter’s new signings have both direct and indirect influence on Inter’s new multifaceted attack which, before, could look singularly monochrome as spearheaded by the efficient Swede who’s moped off to Barça. You could say Inter have added with canny insight and this would not be the half of it.

An embarrassed Mr Berlusconi left Mr Galliani at half time to stew in both of their juices [I eyed that choice vacant seat at the San Siro with some relish from my distant position in Messi-chusetts]. This left Leonardo holding his chin & looking pensive while a lacrimose Berlusconi was surely throwing San Pellegrino fizziwaters against the bullet-proof retainer in the back seat of his Bentley.

Huntelaar, the new Dutch signing, came on and achieved little with little support. Ronaldinho touched the ball seldom. Seedorf gave the ball away cheaply. I was hoping Super-Pippo would come on and get a tumbling out-of-control glancing deflection in the 5-yard box, but I knew the truth: AC Milan is moribund. Gattuso’s bad day issued from his passion and over-compensation for his side’s pedestrian effort on the biggest day of the season in Milan. With Kaka’s Iberian migration, the rossoneri need to refresh closer to the extent Moratti & Mourinho have done together across town.

If Inter’s performance is any indication — with Wesley Sneijder having just barely got off his aeroplane — they will pull further away in Serie A and make their presence felt in the Champions League over the next few seasons.