Rivals' Views, Preseason Edition: Arsenal and Manchester United

There have been plenty of articles here on Bleacher Report which have been done as part of a series. Here's another one!

Rivals' Views features what fans think of their rivals' chances in the league along with their own teams'. The top writers from Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool will be giving their opinions about Arsenal and their respective teams and how they see the season shaping up.

For the first edition of Rivals' Views, I posed a few questions to our very own, Salaar Shamsi (who, if you don't already know, is a Manchester United supporter) about Arsenal and Manchester United and how he thinks the two teams will perform this season.

1. What do you think about Arsenal’s transfer activity this summer?

I think Arsene Wenger's done well to lure the likes of Samir Nasri and Aaron Ramsey to the Emirates Stadium, I'm not so sure about Amaury Bischoff though, considering Arsenal will have to pay upto 5.5m pounds for the Portuguese midfielder.

Both Nasri and Ramsey have shown they are extremely talented and are valuable additions to the Gunners especially after the departures of Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb and Giberto Silva.

2. How do you think the club will perform this season?

Personally, I think Wenger has taken Arsenal into a grooming phase. They are young side which is why their fans need to patient because they will need time to settle in and find their feet.

I think Arsenal's performance this season will depend on what kind of start they get, they need to hit the ground running but Arsenal's real worry like last season is a dip in form after December, they might need reinforcements in January to ensure they stay in the title race.

3. If Arsenal sign an “experienced midfielder”, do you think that we will have a squad complete enough to challenge for the title?

I think Arsenal have a good squad overall but I'm not too sure if the likes of Abou Diaby, Denilson, Alexandre Song or Carlos Vela are fully prepared for the big stage.

Tomas Rosicky is good player, they will need him fit. I think if Arsenal do sign somebody like Barcelona's Xavi who can sit in midfield and isn't afraid to be part of the attack then it wouldn't do them any harm.

4. Who do you think people should look out for this season from Arsenal’s current crop?

Obviously, Cesc Fabregas will be the centre of attention but if I was to pick two players to watch for this season, then I'd go with Samir Nasri, who is an absolutely brilliant player and he's proved it with Marseille. The quicker he adapts to English football, the better for the Gunners.

Secondly, I'd like to think Theo Walcott, is somebody to keep an eye on. He's a massive talent and I'm expecting something big from him this season.

5. Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo will be affected by the close season’s transfer saga?

Well, Cristiano Ronaldo is used to having fans frustrated with him and booing him but he can win them over like he did after his whole controversy with Rooney at the World Cup. He's matured over the last few seasons and I don't think it will be too much of an issue once he gets fit because United supporters would eagerly want him to play and he would be keen to get back onto the pitch.

6. The first few fixtures in the Premier League are always important. With Manchester United’s current injury situation, do you think that your team will make a good start?

Yes, United have been hampered by injuries with Ronaldo out for three months and Rooney out for up to three weeks (maybe). They might miss Owen Hargreaves, Micheal Carrick and Gary Neville through injuries and Anderson who is at the Olympics but they have enough experience (Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, etc.) and quality in the likes of Carlos Tevez and Co. to overcome this tough phase.

They've made new additions in the form of the Silva twins, who've now got their work permits, Darren Fletcher and Park Ji-Sung will be ready to step up and youngsters like Lee Martin, Tom Cleverley, Darren Gibson and Frazier Campbell are knocking on the door for an opportunity.

United might need to buy a striker but even if they don't it wouldn't be a massive blow to their hope of retaining the title.

7. Finally, how do you think Manchester United will perform this season?

I still think United are favourites. There could be early problems like last season but winning the Champions League ensured that the confidence at the club is very high. Having said that, I believe it's too early to eliminate any team from the title race which is why Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool will be in the running.

Many thanks to Salaar for taking the time out to answer those questions. A few interesting thoughts did emanate from that little question-answer session.

In the next part of Rivals' Views, I will be featuring yet another top writer from Bleacher Report, Alan McGuinness, and his thoughts about Arsenal and Chelsea.