The Final Sub

                              footballtransfers.com The concept of buying titles began filtering the European football landscape when Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich first bought Chelsea in 2003. It was evident that a new financial power was on the scene when The Blues began competing for the top players and became a viable option for the best talents and coaches. A disruption to the duopoly between Manchester United and Arsenal ensued. Although the Gunners went on to attain immortality that season-- winning the league without a single defeat, Chelsea went on to kick-start a period of colossal success that saw them win every trophy on offer both home and abroad. Currently, the English game is reeling off the imperial dominance of another team bankrolled by oil-rich owners with deep pockets. Manchester City have now won the treble, the domestic treble and six Premier League titles in the last sev...

                                    uk.sport.yahoo.com Last season, Gary O'Neill was drafted in to coordinate the Cherries attempt to retain Premier League status at the end of the season, having been written off by manager Scott Parker after a harsh drubbing at Anfield in a 9-0 defeat. O'Neill, relatively unknown at the time, emerged as the permanent manager eventually and kept the Cherries up well before the final day. It was not a straightforward ride, but his team did beat Everton heavily twice within days of a week in January and potentially had the opportunity to confirm the relegation of the Toffees on the final day at Goodison Park. In the end, he was sacked in a brutal move by the club's new owners. A year on, we are back in August. Only this time, O'Neill starts the season in the dugout, albeit, just days to the commencement of the new season—a scarcely ideal situation. Howeve...

                                        gettyviagoal.com The new season begins at Stamford Bridge with a new home team manager in a new home team dugout. Mauricio Pochettino has gone about changing the culture at the West London club, and even the Bridge will have to make adjustments! After the horrible season endured last year following the takeover of the club by Todd Boehly and his entourage, there can be nothing better than having a chance to breathe some fresh air at the very least. From a 12th place finish last term, granted that there is no room for further regression, there is quite a high ceiling for achievement to make it quite a better season. But, Pochettino is not thinking about that, apparently. The standards have got to go right back to the roof whence they've fallen; although, even he appreciates that it is a systematic process.  Key to that process is a p...