Premier League Half-Season Review

Well , almost 19 games are up in the Premier League and we are now in the busy Christmas period where games come in thick and fast. Well, this season has been suprising. It could even be an understatement. Some has been expected and some unexpected. Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal were always expected to be there or thereabouts when Christmas comes. But , there have been a few shocks.

.Chelsea under Carlo Ancelotti, have enjoyed a good start. A man with so much of experience has brought a new dimension to the squad and his new diamond formation in midfield has had a few guessing. Even though Chelsea's form has been brilliant both domestically( a minor abberation in the League Cup) and in Europe, the recent slump of 1 win in 5 Premier League games and the approaching African Cup of Nations( they lose Drogba, Kalou,Essien ,Mikel) has Ancelotti in shifty feet. Chelsea are not looking comfortable.

.Manchester United have lost more games than they would have wanted to . A makeshift defence in the past one or two months has been the main problem , and ,Fulham were the most recent to take advantage of it .However, the midfield doesn look settled . With Carrick and Fletcher playing defense, United rely too much on Giggs and Valencia. Obertan looks a good signing though. Upfront, Ronaldo hasn been replaced and how United replace his goals will go a long way in determining their season. Rooney cant do everything on his own. Berbatov oozes class but doesn work hard. The gamble of signing Owen is still out for the jury,nothwithstanding a Champions League hat-trick and Derby winner against City.

.Arsenal have had a mixed season so far. They have blighted by injuries , none more than van Persie. His loss is monumental and how Arsenal cope up with his absence is going to be crucial. Wenger must realize that this is his best chance to win the title in such an open title race. Arsenal's season will be decided by consistency , as they have already shown that they can outscore opponents for fun.

. Aston Villa and Tottenham are slowly emerging strong contenders for the Champions League spots. I am more impressed by Villa , with their brilliant manager and British squad. If they can avoid the slump they experienced towards last season , Villa could be in the big league soon. Tottenham have been exciting to watch , but poor defeats have exposed chinks in the armour. Tottenham should be there or thereabouts in the fight for Champions League spots come end of the season.

.Now, the biggest story of the season is the circus at Manchester City and now the new ringmaster is Roberto Mancini. Signing Tevez, Adebayor,Barry,Santacruz, Toure , they did send out a statement but their performances on the pitch haven matched it . They looked like a team without direction , and it will be interesting to see what Mancini can make of this motley crew.

.Well ,coming to Liverpool, their season is already in shambles. Out of the title race and the Champions League , they need to do serious damage control .. They are involved in a serious dogfight for the top 4 places and unless Benitez and the owners make some smart moves (chances of that happening are nil), Liverpool could go into meltdown and lose key players like Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun.

"watch this space for dedicated entries on Arsenal , Liverpool, Man United and Chelsea"

Coming to the rest of the league . Fulham have been impressive as usual . Birmingham have been punching above their weight and both might be in contentions for Europa League spots come end of the season. Sunderland, Stoke and Blackburn are in no-mans land and will try to move upwards as much as possible.

Stunningly , one 7 points seperate Wolves at 13th to Portsmouth at the bottom . Wolves,Burnley,Wigan, Bolton,West Ham, Portsmouth are in a serious relegation battle already and could make for an awesome season for us neutrals.

"watch this space for more articles on the Premier League"