The English football season got underway on Friday 11th August at 19:45pm, London UK. Capricorn was rising, with the Moon in Uttara Bhadrapada – a nakshatra which puts the 2017-18 Season under Saturn’s control. Saturn in the 11th suggests team spirit and depth of squad will play a big part in the title’s destination, which in today's climate also means big money. Sun with a weak Mars opposite the ascendant shows hot-heads and rough tackles – with a zero-tolerance policy from referees already in evidence. Surprisingly for such a Saturnine signature, the opening game was a see-saw 4-3 victory, with as many mistakes as plusses for the purists. Weaker teams can close the gap this season with good team bonding and cohesion, while the giants have to be on it every game: never underestimate the opposition.
It would take an analysis of all the team charts answer the question fairly, but the manager is the most influential character at any club. Both Manchester sides have Saturnian bosses; Jose Mourinho has Sun, Moon and Saturn in Capricorn (and Jupiter in Aquarius), while Pep Guardiola is another Capricorn Sun with Saturn rising in Aries. Both men are also in Saturn dasha. Pep’s natal Saturn is particularly weak by sign and Shadbala score, and he has struggled to hit the heights of his early career since entering Saturn's jurisdiction in 2014 (shortly after he left Barcelona). He is a huge talent, with a virtually unlimited budget at City - bookies' favourites - but under present conditions he will have to work twice as hard to assert his influence and live up to his super-coach status.
Premiership 2017/18 August 11th 2017, 19:45pm, London.
Jose’s Saturn on the other hand is strong, but he is in his diffcult Mars dasha for the whole of the 2017-18 season. Mars in Cancer - opposite Saturn - has passion and tenacity, but it is moody and lacks stamina - Jose's pattern is to bring instant success to a club, only for his overbearing style to wear away his relationship with players and staff after three seasons maximum - he overcompensates for his fallen Mars. He is not in a comfortable place, but may repeat his quick results record at Manchester United, who look like strong contenders this year.
Pep Guardiola 18/1/1971, 12:30pm, Manresa, Spain.
Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, also entered Saturn mahadasha in March 2017, which puts him in tune with the current season’s signature. While his natal Saturn is adequately strong, Klopp made his managerial name surfing the wave of his exalted Jupiter period. Jupiter makes Hamsa Yoga, in an overall very powerful chart, and this along with Venus rising accounts for his passion and popularity – but now Klopp must adjust to Saturn. It will be a great effort if he can do it.
Jose Mourihno, 26/1/1963, 07:00am, Lisbon, Portugal.
Arsenal, as usual, promise much though have not truly delivered for a long time. Arsene Wenger has been in otherworldly Ketu dasha since 2011, which although strong from channelling his exalted Mercury, is not the best platform for football's cut-and-thrust. This period also encompassed his Sade-Sati, which ends in late October 2017, though he does not enter Venus mahadasha until April 2018, at the end of the current season. This may come too late for his team to mount a sustained challenge, though Arsenal will be good to watch, as always.
Jurgen Klopp June 16th 1967, 07:28am, Stuttgart, Germany
The season also coincides with Mercury retrograde, which generally spices up the transfer window (ending September 1st). A ringing endorsement or pledge of undying loyalty gets withdrawn or forgotten when Mercury goes backwards, and all clubs will find delays and difficulties getting their business closed in time. There may be some inspired deals struck, but expect surprises by the end of August, particularly with the Solar eclipse coinciding with Mercury's station. The next Mercury retro comes December 3rd-23rd, around the time of the first managerial casualties - teams at the bottom of the league at Christmas rarely survive.
Arsene Wenger, October 22nd 1949, 11:00am, Strasbourg, France.
Who wins it? According to Western rules, the favourite and/or home team in any contest is shown by the ascendant and its lord, though whether one can extrapolate this rule to a whole season is moot [Pedant's Corner: "So-and-so is in the ascendancy" has become a sports commentator's cliche, when they really mean the ascendant]. Manchester City are favourites, shown in the opening day chart by Saturn retrograde and sandhi in the 11th, and this placement may also say something about reigning Champions Chelsea*, who have had a difficult pre-Season. This is not an outstandingly strong favourite's signature, especially ruled by a debilitated Mars: a straight one-off contest chart would be hard to call, since the challenger is ruled by Moon in Pisces, helpfully aspected by its lord Jupiter. It may be a season of mistakes and who loses the title rather than who wins.
*No timed data for Antonio Conte.
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