With the start of the new EPL season just around the corner, people are beginning to speculate on which teams will move up and down, who will be relegated, and who the team to beat is. These discussions occur everywhere, starting with the game’s biggest pundits, all the way down to the pubs around the world.
While we shouldn’t be naive enough to think that the players themselves don’t have these types of discussions, is something along the lines of this really something that you should talk to the press about? Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher seems to think so:
‘United may be the champions but Chelsea are really the ones you have to use as your yardstick,’ he said. ‘With Petr Cech being back at his peak there is no better keeper and John Terry in front of him is going to give Chelsea a real chance again. ‘The team which finishes above Chelsea will win it this season. ‘United are a great side and have strengthened again. Carlos Tevez would make a big difference to their chances. Hopefully, they won’t get him,’ Carragher quipped.
Now, that being said, all of these are valid points. While Manchester United was the better side last year, the argument could be (and has been) made that Chelsea were not at 100% season, and because of this, they lost the title. That’s not what this is about though.
My question is, why is Jamie Carragher not out saying that the team to beat is his own, Liverpool?
To me, this sends a bad message before the first whistle has even blown. I for one, being a Manchester United fan, would be appalled if Rio Ferdinand told the press that Chelsea were the team to beat in the upcoming season. It may be true, but it shows a lack of confidence in your own side, and it could possibly carry onto the pitch. After seeing Liverpool spend tons of money on players like Fernando Torres to upgrade its squad in hopes of winning the Premiership, for Jamie Carragher to say this is both shocking and questionable. Surely Rafa and company can’t be too happy about this. If Steven Gerrard were asked the same question, do you think his response would be Chelsea? I’m not so sure it would be.
So what say you Liverpool fans? How do you feel about Jamie Carragher’s comments?
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