TSBV Feature: Premier League preview (Part 4)

With less than 24 hours to go before the season finally kicks off, we wrap up our Premier League Preview by examining how Swansea City, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion, Wigan Athletic and Wolves will do this season.

News: Roberto Mancini Pre Match Conference vs Swansea

In his pre match conference ahead of the first game of the new season, Roberto Mancini has spoken about transfer targets and Carlos Tevez.

When asked about an update on Samir Nasri, he said:

"I don't know the situation at the moment. But, the start of our season is on Monday and we have yet to complete our team and I hope we can do this very quickly because we need new players."

"I think the club are still trying to work on this (signing Nasri). It is not easy but we hope we complete our team very quickly. The first game (of the Premier League) is really important, and we play three games before the transfer window ends"

With regards to Carlos Tevez, Mancini again insisted that Carlos Tevez could possibly stay a Manchester City player, something which he will be happy with: "It is 2 weeks until the end of the market. I think it's difficult for him to leave"

"I don't know if he will stay but at the moment, there isn't a team who wants to take him."

However, Mancini said that he is unlikely to feature on Monday night due to not being match fit: "Carlos is here and is maybe not ready to play because he has worked only for four days"

"He has worked very well and is here. I think for Monday it is difficult, but for the next game he will be available"

Mancini also refused to speak about the captaincy, and whether Tevez would keep hold of it: "At the moment this is not important. It is important that Carlos is here and working with the team. Afterwards we will decide this"

TSBV Feature: Premier League preview (Part 3)

With 10 clubs having been previewed, we look at the last 10 teams with only 3 days left to go before the start of the season. Today, we'll preview the chances of Newcastle United, Norwich City, Queens Park Rangers, Stoke City and Sunderland

TSBV Feature: Premier League preview (Part 2)

After previewing the seasons ahead for Arsenal, Villa, Blackburn, Bolton and Chelsea, here is Part 2 of TSBVs Premier League Review. In this part, we will discuss how we feel Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United will do in the 2011-12 season.

TSBV Feature: Premier League preview (Part 1)

As we mentioned yesterday, one feature we are introducing for our readers is our very own preview of the upcoming Premier League preview. We will analyse the chances of each team this season through telling you our opinion on the strengths, weaknesses and predicted positions of these teams. Part 1 includes Arsenal, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers and Chelsea.

TSBV Exclusive: Mario Balotelli; Trouble causer or simply misunderstood?

One of Mario's controversial moments last season

Ever since his £22.5 million move from Inter Milan last summer, Mario Balotelli has kept himself in the spotlight almost consistently, and usually for his wrongdoings. Red cards for violent behaviour against the likes of West Brom and Dynamo Kiev and bust ups with his manager and colleagues has led to many City fans contemplating whether he was worth splashing the cash. His off the field behaviour has also grabbed many headlines in the past year, with reportedly throwing darts at youth players and his car already being impounded a staggering 27 times since he arrived from the fashion capital of the world.

However, this contemplation is usually squashed by many optimists, as they realise the 20 year old Italian clearly has the talent and the heart (remember his donation to a homeless man outside a casino?) to become the best in the world if he put his head down. It's just a case of hoping he does this sooner, rather than later. So, is he a trouble causer or just simply misunderstood?

His recent comments about life in Manchester are sure not to help matters to prove he is simply misunderstood, with Balotelli saying that he is basically homesick and wants to go back home, even though he is happy at the club at the moment. Many people clearly misunderstood his comments, with many papers stating that "Mario wants to leave Manchester City" and that he is no longer interested in staying in Manchester. However, I believe that this helps to fuel the arguments that he is a misunderstood player. It is obviously not going to be easy for him to settle into a new country at only 20 years of age, and it doesn't help when everyone in the country slags you off constantly.

Of course he has created a lot of trouble for Manchester City last season, and some of his performances were questionable to say the least, but he has to be given a chance to bed himself in. If you delve deeper into the situation, he is just like any young person his age. He wants to have a good time, the only problem being is that he is always in the media spotlight. As much he likes this type of lifestyle, he might have to sacrifice it if he truly wants to become the world's greatest.

He is also misunderstood as a footballer, and perhaps even a bit controversial. He is a metaphor for why we love football, and always will be able to keep journalists in a job single handedly! Nowadays we seem to expect footballers to be very well behaved both on and off the pitch and be a role model to young children who love football. In an ideal world, we'd love this to be the case, but the fact is, it can't. Players like Mario Balotelli are freshening up the game, and his character just personifies what Manchester City are all about at the moment; we are different, and we are exciting.

I have no doubting Mario's abilities and as a footballer, I can see him being one of the greatest strikers in the world in a few years time, and it can only help that he has a father figure in Roberto Mancini keeping him in check.