Transfer season: who will emerge the biggest winner in three-cornered ‘fight’?

THE transfer season has opened with a bang as Real Madrid looks to have claimed Kaka’s signature, with Chelsea launching a late and desperate bid.

Meanwhile, Manchester City has ‘stolen’ Gareth Barry from right under the noses of Liverpool, even though the Citizens are not even playing in the new Europa League, much less the Champions League football the England midfielder had previously said he craves.

The scene seems set for a three-corner battle among the cash-rich clubs Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid in the transfer market, making the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool look like paupers.

New Real president Florentino Perez is keen to revive his infamous Galacticos project at the Bernabeu, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso in his crosshairs.

On the other hand, City are continuing their rebuilding, following last season’s influx of oil money from the Middle East. On top of Robinho and Barry, the club is hoping to persuade Carlos Tevez to defect to the blue side of Manchester, along with Everton’s Joleon Lescott.

And meantime in London, Roman Abramovich has once again loosened his purse strings for Carlo Ancelotti, in an attempt to revitalise his ageing squad to clinch the Champions League trophy that he so covets.

It will be an interesting three months of transfer activity ahead, as big money gets thrown around carelessly by these three clubs. The question is – which of these three will come up tops by the end August?

Are Chelsea’s title hopes dashed?

CHELSEA slipped further off the race towards the Premiership title this season with this morning’s 0-0 draw against Everton.

The Blues are still third in the league table right now, but are now six points off leaders Manchester United, who still have a game in hand.

Chelsea have to win all their remaining games, while hoping that United lose at least two games, and Liverpool to lose at least once, provided the Blues improve their goal difference dramatically in their upcoming games.

The London club now have five games left to play, with the London derby with Arsenal on 10 May one to note, especially after how the Gunners managed a 4-4 draw with Liverpool at Anfield yesterday morning.

Despite the magic touch of Dutch guru Guus Hiddink, are Chelsea’s title hopes dashed this season?

Was Rafa being arrogant?

A WAR of words have re-emerged again as Sir Alex Ferguson and Sam Allardyce accused Rafa Benitez of being arrogant.

After Fernando Torres scored Liverpool’s second goal against Blackburn last weekend, the Liverpool manager was caught on television making a gesture that may seem to some to mean “We are done, they are finished”.

The YouTube video above shows the gesture in question.

Fergie also added fuel to the fire by recounting Rafa’s “small club mentality” quote on Everton, just before United were scheduled to take on the Merseyside club in the FA Cup semi-final, which they lost.

Here is what Rafa told Sky Sports after the goalless draw against Everton in 2007:

When you play against the smaller teams at Anfield you know the game will be narrow and compact and at times we were a little bit nervous. We are really disappointed. You could see one team that wanted to win. It was difficult because they were defending. They had a chance in the second half after our mistake but Pepe made a good save but apart from that we controlled everything. We had three strikers and Pennant and Riise saw a lot of the ball but they had nine men all the time behind the ball.

He stood by his comments this January, after his side drew 1-1 against Everton in the FA Cup:

I am really pleased with my team. We deserved to win. To play like that against a team with 10 players behind the ball is not easy but we worked hard, created chances and reacted very positively after the disappointment of the other night.

Is there some truth indeed in the accusations hurled at the Spaniard?

Is Berbatov really worth £30.75m?

HE TOOK the run-up in his usual languid style and hit it weakly down the middle, as Tim Howard’s flailing legs managed to block Dimitar Berbatov’s first penalty kick.

In the end, that – along with Rio Ferdinand’s saved spot-kick – proved decisive as Everton marched derservedly into the FA Cup final.

While much have been (and can be) said about Alex Ferguson’s decision to field a much-weakened team, the spotlight now falls squarely on the Bulgarian, who moved to Manchester United early this season in a controversial £30.75m transfer deadline deal.

Berbatov arrived at Old Trafford with much fanfare, as a deadly striker whose silky skills made him such a hit with Tottenham Hotspur. The 28-year-old was supposed to add a different dimension to United’s attack, a touch of class to complement the hardworking Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez.

Brilliance he has shown, but in sporadic bursts in a season where United are chasing every available title on offer. Indeed, 13 goals in 37 games is hardly a hallmark of a player who costs that much, especially when you compare that with his 27 goals last season with Spurs.

Say what you want about the goalscoring opportunities being shared about a posse of United players, but when a player is brought in, he is generally supposed to improve the team. In Berbatov’s case, his hold-up play and vision is supposed to boost United’s strike force.

But take a look at the statistics – United have scored 10 lesser goals in the Premiership at this stage of the competition this season as compared to last, with Berbatov playing 27 of these games.

Is Berbatov really worth £30.75m?

Q&A with Letter of the Weekend winner Charles Cheng

When and why did you start supporting Everton?

I started supporting Everton sometime in the early 80s because of their name – Everton sound like ever turning or changing – I liked it.

It didn’t hurt that they were winning the odd old Division 1 title, FA Cup and Cup Winner’s Cup (old UEFA cup). I still remember how a limping Man United side (Gordan McQueen can even standup), with Norman Whiteside scoring the winner, spoilt our very own triple dreams (Div 1 title, Cup Winner’s Cup and FA Cup runner up).

Who is your favourite player and why?

Neville Southall would be my all-time Everton favourite because he was very good and breathtaking keeper. Also, I read somewhere that he used to cycle to the training ground, while the rest drove – that shows his humbleness and hardworking nature.

Would Keane have made a difference?

RAFA Benitez will no doubt face more pressure than he already is, after Liverpool’s 1-0 extra-time loss to arch-rivals Everton in the FA Cup this morning.

The Reds boss has been under fire for his seemingly erratic behaviour in January – from his unsolicited rant about Alex Ferguson and Manchester United, to his very-public contract dispute with the club, to the Robbie Keane issue.

While the Irishman’s tenure at Anfield could be considered a flop by some, his absence would be more keenly (no pun intended) felt in the coming games, with captain Steven Gerrard limping off the field after just 16 minutes into the Merseyside tie.

THE POSTMAN LIM SAY HENG says: The question on most fans’ lips now would be – would Keane have made a difference after Gerrard limped off?

And the Postman Personality of the Month award goes to…

WELCOME to the first Postman Personality of the Month, where The Postman highlights a sports personality who has consistently hogged the headlines over the past month.

And in the first month of 2009, there have been many – Tevez’s contract wrangle has made him a mainstay in the headlines, while Kaka has kept many Milan and Manchester City fans at the edge of their seats for the better half of the month.

But it is Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez who has been dominating the sports pages this month with his wild comments, leading some fans to wonder if the Spaniard has lost it after a fine start to the season.

Let us recap Rafa’s month of madness:

Did Terry deserve the red?

CHELSEA captain John Terry was sent off against Everton early this morning as the Blues stuttered to a goalless draw at Goodison Park.

Terry was shown a straight red card by referee Philip Dowd in the 35th minute when the England captain slid in and caught Leon Osman’s leg as both went for a loose ball.

THE POSTMAN LIM SAY HENG SAYS: It was bound to happen sometime, with Terry’s tough tackling and his reputation for being a hard-man.

But looking at the replays closely, the centreback certainly didn’t deserve the straight red. Sure, the challenge was very late and his boot was high, but clearly he was trying to go for the ball and misjudged the bounce.

The challenge certainly had no malicious intent, and it certainly wasn’t too-footed, and a yellow card would have sufficed, although I am now very interested in how Chelsea will cope without their captain in this crucial period – that is if he doesn’t get his red card rescinded again.

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