Dream Debuts 2008/09 – Starting Eleven
THE Premiership got underway yesterday with over 50 new players making their first appearances in the league. Three promoted sides had their first taste of the league and many imports from other club made their debuts. Here’s a look at some of the players who made an impression…
Boaz Myhill
Hull City’s goalkeeper would have been worried about how his league debut was going to go when he conceded a goal after just 9 minutes to Fulham. The goalkeeper was faultless with the Fulham opener and was lucky enough to be allowed to sit back and watch the rest of the game as the West Londoners created very little as soon as the Tigers took the lead. His debut was ideal thanks to the fact he had a very quiet game and wasn’t required to do anything else other then routine work.
Andrea Dossena
Liverpool faced a tricky looking game away to Sunderland but came away with a 1-0 win thanks to a familiar source. Despite Torres’s heroics, Liverpool were still required to be aware defensively as the Stadium of Light was rocking on opening day for the second season in a row and one of the men responsible was one of Liverpool’s debutants Andrea Dossena who worked well alongside Carragher, Agger and Hyypia to ensure the reds left for Merseyside with three points.
Fernando Coloccini
The Argentine defender joined on Friday and having had half a training session with his new team mates was thrust into the action for his new side against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The former Deportivo man looked a little off the pace in the early going but soon found his rhythm and was in the right place at the right time to nullify the threat of Wayne Rooney for 90 minutes as Newcastle picked up a surprise point against the Champions.
Jose Bosingwa
Bosingwa was rarely threatened defensively in his first game of the season as Portsmouth offered very little at Stamford Bridge in their opening game but it was the full backs attacking play that caught the eye. Right from the start he was an effective part of the new fluid Chelsea system and was involved in a couple of the goals to round off a thoroughly successful debut.
Fabrice Muamba
Arsene Wenger rated Muamba as a top player but sold him originally to Birmingham as he had a dearth of central midfielders. With an impressive performance in his debut for Bolton, how the Frenchman could help out his counterpart at the Emirates at this very moment. Admittedly Muamba will face tougher inspections than from Stoke’s midfield he was a powerful runner from deep but also protected the back four as well as Wanderers cruised to a 3-1 win.
Deco
Many thought that the Portuguese midfielder might not be able to cut it in the Premier League due to his stature but he proved in his first game that he has what it takes to be a success in the English top flight. Deco was given a free role behind the strikeforce and alongside Ballack and Lampard, and proved to be a great success in creating two goals and scoring one of his own in a man of the match performance.
Geovanni
The Brazilian former Barcelona midfielder was a free transfer from Manchester City but showed signs of the season he was once one of the hottest prospects In Europe with a tremendous goal and several great touches in Hull’s debut win. Playing in the heart of midfield the long range strike which got his side back in the game against Fulham proved to be enough to turn the game on the day and will hopefully be exactly the kind of quality the tigers need to stay in the league.
Samir Nasri
The French midfielder went a long way to proving he has the quality to provide Arsenal with a spark this season with an early goal and a man of the match performance at the Emirates. The winger looks bright and lively on the left hand side of the pitch and with a high level of energy and some nice touches in midfield he looks to have settled into his new team straight away.
Jonas Guttirez
The midfielder joined from Mallorca and has been Newcastle’s only main signing of the summer but proved his worth in the opening game of the season with Manchester United. From a wide position he worked well going forward and backwards and provided Newcastle with some much needed energy as they battled to a 1-1 draw with the Champions. He provided a driving force from midfield which is exactly what the Geordies will need if they are to have a good season.
Johan Elmander
Question marks were raised when Bolton decided to spend £11m on a player who is relatively unproven at the top level but he proved on his debut that he knows his way to goal with a well taken header in the first half rout of Stoke. In a Bolton attack which looked more lively than usual in their opening match of he season his movement provided plenty of options for midfield and if he can weigh in with some more important strikes throughout the season, Megson will have been proven correct to buy him.
Amr Zaki
The Egyptian striker is little known outside his country but has come to Europe off the back of a great recommendation which Steve Bruce was happy to trust. Back in his homeland he has an excellent goal scoring record but domestically and internationally and he proved on his debut with a goal as a substitue that he is capable of providing Bruce’s side with something different.
Manager: Luis Felipe Scolari
One of the most talked about moves of the summer in amongst the managerial mayhem was the appointment of the World Cup winner Luis Scolari to title chasing Chelsea. Much like his predecessor and unlike the ‘special one’, Scolari has seemed very down to earth but has reinvigorated that squad throughout pre season. The way his team played from the start against a poor Portsmouth side was devastating and the way in which they dispatched their opponents was terrific. Their attacking play looked fluid and they looked relatively untroubled at the back which will give them tremendous confidence.
Hull City’s goalkeeper would have been worried about how his league debut was going to go when he conceded a goal after just 9 minutes to Fulham. The goalkeeper was faultless with the Fulham opener and was lucky enough to be allowed to sit back and watch the rest of the game as the West Londoners created very little as soon as the Tigers took the lead. His debut was ideal thanks to the fact he had a very quiet game and wasn’t required to do anything else other then routine work.
Andrea Dossena
Liverpool faced a tricky looking game away to Sunderland but came away with a 1-0 win thanks to a familiar source. Despite Torres’s heroics, Liverpool were still required to be aware defensively as the Stadium of Light was rocking on opening day for the second season in a row and one of the men responsible was one of Liverpool’s debutants Andrea Dossena who worked well alongside Carragher, Agger and Hyypia to ensure the reds left for Merseyside with three points.
Fernando Coloccini
The Argentine defender joined on Friday and having had half a training session with his new team mates was thrust into the action for his new side against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The former Deportivo man looked a little off the pace in the early going but soon found his rhythm and was in the right place at the right time to nullify the threat of Wayne Rooney for 90 minutes as Newcastle picked up a surprise point against the Champions.
Jose Bosingwa
Bosingwa was rarely threatened defensively in his first game of the season as Portsmouth offered very little at Stamford Bridge in their opening game but it was the full backs attacking play that caught the eye. Right from the start he was an effective part of the new fluid Chelsea system and was involved in a couple of the goals to round off a thoroughly successful debut.
Fabrice Muamba
Arsene Wenger rated Muamba as a top player but sold him originally to Birmingham as he had a dearth of central midfielders. With an impressive performance in his debut for Bolton, how the Frenchman could help out his counterpart at the Emirates at this very moment. Admittedly Muamba will face tougher inspections than from Stoke’s midfield he was a powerful runner from deep but also protected the back four as well as Wanderers cruised to a 3-1 win.
Deco
Many thought that the Portuguese midfielder might not be able to cut it in the Premier League due to his stature but he proved in his first game that he has what it takes to be a success in the English top flight. Deco was given a free role behind the strikeforce and alongside Ballack and Lampard, and proved to be a great success in creating two goals and scoring one of his own in a man of the match performance.
Geovanni
The Brazilian former Barcelona midfielder was a free transfer from Manchester City but showed signs of the season he was once one of the hottest prospects In Europe with a tremendous goal and several great touches in Hull’s debut win. Playing in the heart of midfield the long range strike which got his side back in the game against Fulham proved to be enough to turn the game on the day and will hopefully be exactly the kind of quality the tigers need to stay in the league.
Samir Nasri
The French midfielder went a long way to proving he has the quality to provide Arsenal with a spark this season with an early goal and a man of the match performance at the Emirates. The winger looks bright and lively on the left hand side of the pitch and with a high level of energy and some nice touches in midfield he looks to have settled into his new team straight away.
Jonas Guttirez
The midfielder joined from Mallorca and has been Newcastle’s only main signing of the summer but proved his worth in the opening game of the season with Manchester United. From a wide position he worked well going forward and backwards and provided Newcastle with some much needed energy as they battled to a 1-1 draw with the Champions. He provided a driving force from midfield which is exactly what the Geordies will need if they are to have a good season.
Johan Elmander
Question marks were raised when Bolton decided to spend £11m on a player who is relatively unproven at the top level but he proved on his debut that he knows his way to goal with a well taken header in the first half rout of Stoke. In a Bolton attack which looked more lively than usual in their opening match of he season his movement provided plenty of options for midfield and if he can weigh in with some more important strikes throughout the season, Megson will have been proven correct to buy him.
Amr Zaki
The Egyptian striker is little known outside his country but has come to Europe off the back of a great recommendation which Steve Bruce was happy to trust. Back in his homeland he has an excellent goal scoring record but domestically and internationally and he proved on his debut with a goal as a substitue that he is capable of providing Bruce’s side with something different.
Manager: Luis Felipe Scolari
One of the most talked about moves of the summer in amongst the managerial mayhem was the appointment of the World Cup winner Luis Scolari to title chasing Chelsea. Much like his predecessor and unlike the ‘special one’, Scolari has seemed very down to earth but has reinvigorated that squad throughout pre season. The way his team played from the start against a poor Portsmouth side was devastating and the way in which they dispatched their opponents was terrific. Their attacking play looked fluid and they looked relatively untroubled at the back which will give them tremendous confidence.