A few thoughts from the last week in Football (April 6-11)

What is going on with the FA? I know I am not the only person that is left scratching his head on a regular basis with decisions that come out from the FA, be it to do with the scheduling of the FA Cup Semi Finals, or their fining managers for speaking their minds and fining them when they don't turn up, but the department that deals with sending off appeals need to have a real look at themselves.


I will be the first to admit that Manchester United got a soft penalty against QPR, but I could also understand why the referee gave it (I know Ashley Young was offside before he was 'fouled' but I will address both of those issues a bit later) and he was obligated to send off Shaun Derry in that situation.


However, the television cameras made it clear that Derry was more than harshly done by, yet the FA, in all their wisdom, decided not to overturn that, which led me to believe that they will back decisions on the field regardless of how obviously wrong they are.


To make the FA look even more foolish, they decided they couldn't lay out any more punishment to Mario Balotelli for a potential leg breaking challenge on Alex Song, because at least one of the four officials would have seen it- what are they thinking?


Basically as long as one of the officials sees an incident, no matter how WRONG they see it, the FA will back them to the hilt, but an obvious disgusting challenge is fine by them... The sooner someone who knows something about football gets in there and clears out the old boys club, the better.


What to do with 'divers'? I think there is a real problem in consistency as to what to do with players that have dived as some referees are happy to book them, while others don't even give them a telling off.


In the Liverpool-Aston Villa game, we saw Luis Suarez and Samir Carruthers booked for diving, yet there was little consistency in this game alone. The first thing to say is that the tackle on Carruthers was a penalty, yet he was booked... Earlier in the game, Suarez went down in the box theatrically and was not given a penalty nor booked, although he did get one later on.


It wasn't just in that game as we also saw Ashley Young going down easily at Old Trafford which resulted in QPR being reduced to ten men and losing the game 2-0.


It is hard for the referees when players are trying to 'cheat' or 'fool' them, but the FA must surely have the power to hand out retrospective punishments as a way of preventing this becoming too common. We have so many cameras at games that they could get a panel to go through the tapes on Monday morning and quickly hand out suspensions.


The first offence could lead to a one game suspension, the second a three game ban and so on and so on. I would use ex-professionals in the panel, not the men in suits I discussed in the first topic, and you see how quickly players will stop throwing themselves to the ground.


Once the suspensions build, the fines start coming from the club, and the managers will start demanding players stay on their feet... One way or another, there has to be some retrospective action to stop the pressure being on referees to make these decisions on one view, and also to stop this disease in the game.


Officials making some horrendous mistakes: We have seen some really crazy decisions over the last few days, notably in games involving Wigan against Chelsea and Manchester United.


You always hear the talk about bringing technology into the game when there are any incorrect decisions, but Roberto Martinez was spot on in saying that it has nothing to do with technology and everything to do with missing obvious decisions.


How Chelsea got away with not one, but two offside decisions in their win against Wigan was embarrassing on the linesman. It was no surprise to me when I heard tonight that that linesman has tendered his resignation and will not be officiating at this level again.


The first one was one of the worst decisions I have seen this season as Branislav Ivanovic was offside along with two other Chelsea players, with the linesman standing level with play and looking dead straight at them.


On Sunday we then saw another linesman miss Ashley Young being at least two yards offside that led to a Manchester United penalty and a sending off for QPR- that was a terrible decision as the linesman was again up with play and the angle of Young's run made it completely obvious that he was off.


And then we had the hat-trick of linesmen making mistakes in the Wigan-Manchester United game, although he was at least kind enough to make cock ups for both sides. Wigan should have had a one goal lead in the first half, but the linesman saw a barely minimal foul on David De Gea, but then he missed a clear as day penalty in the second half when one of the Wigan players clear handled the ball in the box.


Too many of those decisions should have been seen without the game needing to be stopped and checked on a television monitor, and it is time these people are held accountable for decisions that can make, or break, a team's season.


The relegation battle is becoming more and more fascinating: Even though Wigan were given the benefit of the doubt with some decisions in the second half of the game with United, they did deserve the three points that has taken them out of the relegation zone.


With QPR also winning on Wednesday evening, Wolves are definitely getting relegated and they could be gone by April 22nd when they entertain Manchester City at Molineux.


The wins for Wigan and QPR also means Blackburn Rovers 3 points from the safety positions and now have a worse goal difference than both the Latics and Rangers. That goal they conceded in the last minute to ten man Liverpool on Tuesday night could be a mortal wound from which they cannot recover, especially if they lose at Swansea on Saturday.


Bolton also were moved back into the relegation zone, although they do have one extra game to play and are only 2 points from safety. The Trotters play Aston Villa in that game in hand and Villa are only 6 points from safety so that game could be really important to them.


All of this means we could be in for a fascinating last month of the season.


Not the time to panic for Manchester United fans: Why do so many United fans predict so much doom and gloom so quickly? Yes, the team is not of vintage class, but they are still 5 points clear of Manchester City with 5 games left to play this season, and I would have happily have taken this position at this stage.


It was a disappointing result at Wigan, no doubt about that, but they were always going to suffer a bit of a let down in one of their games, and I made it clear in my preview of that game that Wigan were being under-estimated.


The title is still in United's hands as three wins at home from their final 5 games will really put the pressure on City to keep winning, and United would just need to avoid defeat at City or win at Sunderland to confirm the title. Let me put it this way, I would not want to swap positions with City right now!


The key for United is to win their next two games at Old Trafford and then head to the Etihad Stadium with at least a 5 point advantage and keeping the pressure on City.


And if you want some history to keep the faith, how about looking at the end of the 1995/96 season? United overtook a club that seemingly had the title within their grasp, but lost on April 13th at a club struggling to avoid relegation to leave themselves just 6 points clear of their rivals. They then won their final 3 League games to secure the title, while Newcastle faltered down the stretch.


Hopefully Newcastle United can keep the Champions League chase alive: I am purely talking from a selfish point of view, but it would be nice if Newcastle United can maintain their form and a push for a Champions League spot as a security blanket for United's title charge.


That is because Newcastle are entertaining City on the penultimate weekend of the season and I want that game to mean a lot for the home side.


This is a scenario that is not out of the reckoning with Newcastle now level with Tottenham Hotspur in terms of points.


I think Arsenal are going to be the third team into the Champions League behind the Manchester clubs, while both Spurs and Newcastle have a tough couple of games ahead of them and I think this race is going down to the wire.

Chelsea's draw at Fulham makes me think it is going to be tough for them to get above both Newcastle and Spurs, particularly considering they have games at Arsenal and Liverpool left this season as well as the Champions League Semi Finals.


The next couple of weeks before the end of the month is going to clear up the Champions League spots a little bit more, but it won't surprise me if it is decided on the final day of the season.

A few thoughts from the last week in Football (March 31-April 2)

Fans leaving games early: Now this is a little bit of rant, but why do fans leave early from football matches?


I don't even really understand it when your team is losing by a couple of goals as you should really support your team to the bitter end.


However, I really don't understand fans that leave with ten minutes left to play when their team is clearly the one going in search of goals- that was the case at Manchester City this weekend as the team trailed 1-3 to Sunderland.


Now surely those fans don't get home that much quicker than someone who stayed until the end that it makes it worth leaving early? And I really don't understand how foolish they must feel when they get to the car, turn on the radio and hear that the side have got back to 3-3.


I have noticed it a few times at Old Trafford in the past, most notably in the 4-3 win over Manchester City when a number of fans got up after Bellamy had made it 3-3 and decided to leave the ground. How many times do United need to score game changing late goals before people realise it is best to sit (or stand) and support the team until the final whistle before they decide not to leave early?


And like I say, I don't think they manage to get that much closer to home if they wait ten minutes and watch the end of the game... I just don't understand why people do it and I don't think I ever will if I am honest with you.




Players fighting with their team mates: What was in the water on Saturday afternoon that saw three different teams have players that got into their team mates faces while still on the pitch?

At the Etihad Stadium, we had Mario Balotelli and Alexander Korolov arguing over who should take a free-kick, having to be separated by Vincent Kompany, while manager Roberto Mancini looked on and just shook his head.


Mancini had already spoken about not trusting Balotelli and the team need to get their unity back as soon as possible if the are going to keep the title race going.


That wasn't the only issue this weekend, we also had Roger Johnson and Wayne Hennessy getting in each others faces at Molineux and Ben Foster and Peter Odemwingie at Goodison Park.


The Johnson-Hennessy issue just shows that the Wolves' squad harmony is fractured and they will do well to survive in the Premier League now (more on that below), while the Odemwingie-Foster coming together seemed to come out of nowhere really.


You barely see events like this, in public, in the course of a season, so for it to happen three times on the same day was bizarre to say the least.




The relegation battle just got a lost tastier: Who would have thunk that Wigan would beat Stoke City, Bolton would win at Wolves and QPR would beat Arsenal to really tighten up the relegation dogfight.


I think the Wolves loss to Bolton at home has all but consigned them life in the Championship next season as they have a really poor goal difference too so are essentially 7 points from safety with just 7 games left to play this season.


I am going to make my prediction below as to how I think each team will do in their remaining games, and I will include Aston Villa in that, and see which three teams I think will go down;


Wolves: Stoke (a) 0 points, Arsenal (h) 0 points, Sunderland (a) 1 point, Manchester City (h) 0 points, Swansea (a) 0 points, Everton (h) 3 points and Wigan (a) 0 points; Total Points, 26 points


Wigan Athletic: Chelsea (a) 0 points, Manchester United (h) 0 points, Arsenal (a) 0 points, Fulham (a) 0 points, Newcastle United (h) 1 point, Blackburn Rovers (a) 1 point and Wolves (h) 3 points; Total Points, 33 points


QPR: Manchester United (a) 0 points, Swansea (h) 1 point, West Brom (a) 1 point, Tottenham Hotspur (h) 0 points, Chelsea (a) 0 points, Stoke City (h) 3 points and Manchester City (a) 0 points; Total Points, 33 points


Blackburn Rovers: West Brom (a) 1 point, Liverpool (h) 3 points, Swansea (a) 0 points, Norwich City (h) 3 points, Tottenham Hotspur (a) 0 points, Wigan Athletic (h) 1 point and Chelsea (a) 0 points; Total Points, 36 points


Bolton Wanderers: Fulham (h) 3 points, Newcastle United (a) 0 points, Tottenham Hotspur (h) 0 points, Swansea (h) 1 point, Aston Villa (a) 1 point, Sunderland (a) 1 point, West Brom (h) 3 points and Stoke City (a) 0 points; Total Points, 38 points


Aston Villa: Liverpool (a) 0 points, Stoke City (h) 1 point, Manchester United (a) 0 points, Sunderland (h) 1 point, Bolton Wanderers (h) 1 point, West Brom (a) 0 points, Tottenham Hotspur (h) 0 points and Norwich City (a) 0 points; Total Points, 36 points




From the remaining games to be played this season, I just think the three relegated teams will come from the bottom four clubs unless the pick up some surprise results if they are escape relegation. I think Wolves are gone because they seem to have lost their belief and they are conceding far too many goals. They couldn't afford to lose to Bolton at home over the weekend (I even thought a draw was not going to be good enough) and they look doomed with some really tough games in front of them.


Both QPR and Wigan Athletic have given themselves opportunities, but they will have to find a big win somewhere. I think Wigan have done really well to get to this position, but their next three games are brutal and they will need a surprise result from one of those to give themselves an opportunity to survive, while they could get something from a Fulham side that may have nothing significant to play for (although I would predict a home win in that one right now).


QPR have at least three games where I think they can get more than I have given them, against Swansea, at West Brom and against Spurs at home, and that is where their survival could be built.


Whatever happens, it is going to be fascinating viewing.




The Premier League title race: Monday night could be the absolute pivotal moment of the season as Manchester United opened up a 5 point lead over Manchester City with just 21 points left to play for.


It was a big result at Blackburn Rovers, the game that looked the most difficult on paper from the ones left before the trip the Etihad Stadium for the Manchester Derby, but United did enough to secure the points. Now they have the opportunity to move 8 points clear in the table before City play again at Arsenal.


The pressure is really beginning to tell on City and the players are in-fighting and disharmony is reigning supreme and it does look like United's title to lose now.


Also, anyone know whether Roberto Mancini will be paying out to the journalists he offered a bet that United would draw at Ewood Park tonight?




Champions League positions: Arsenal looked like they had picked up the momentum for a top 4 finish at just the right time, but the defeat at QPR on Saturday will have been a huge shock to the system.


It is tight in the race for the top 4, with both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur on 58 points and being tracked by Chelsea and Newcastle United on 53 points. I did start thinking that Arsenal were going to finish in these positions, but their home games against Manchester City and an improving Chelsea side will be key to their success.


Tottenham will have felt better by winning on Sunday and I think they may just have turned a corner after a terrible set of results, and that could see Harry Redknapp succeed in his aims to finish in the Champions League berths.


We have two games coming up in a stretch of 5 days for each of these sides, and results in those games will make things a little clearer in what could be a tight race to the end of the season for these 4 sides.




Things are going to get a little darker at Upton Park: Sam Allardyce and the West Ham fans have not been seeing eye to eye in recent weeks, and the 2-4 home loss to Reading on Saturday may just be the final straw if promotion is not achieved this season.


There are only 6 games left this season and they find themselves 4 points behind Reading in the final automatic promotion spot with too many draws ruining their chances. The fans are unhappy that the team seem to play a more direct approach under Allardyce and the lack of results is increasing the tension.


Easter weekend is always a big time for the different Leagues in England and this year will prove no different in the Championship. All of the clubs will be playing twice in the space of 4 days as the race for promotion to the Premier League hots up.


West Ham need to stick together if they are to achieve their aims, but things are fast loosening at the seams as their season unravels, and it could already be too late for them if the top 2 don't falter now.

A few thoughts from the last week in Football (March 17-28)

I have been extremely busy at work during the last month and that has meant I have not been able to do many recaps due to time constraints and making sure all the picks were out in time.

It has been a busy time in the world of football as we get to 'squeaky bum time' meaning games are coming thick and fast, but I have found a slight window to put down a few thoughts on some of the issues that have arisen in the last couple of weeks.



The reaction to the Fabrice Muamba incident: This is something that united the football world as everyone hoped the best for the young midfielder, but more recently it has become a source of contention- not what happened to the player, but the reaction of people throughout the country.


The first thing we have to point out is the advances of social networking in the last ten years which has allowed people to put to their everyday thoughts down instantly. Therefore, any news can quickly expand and we can also see uprisings down to planned meetings on such sites, for example what happened in Egypt.


My position on Muamba is that when I initially heard what had happened, I was shocked... Not because of his age, but because it is a shock when a professional sports athlete would suddenly just collapse. It was the exact same reaction I had when I heard Daniel Jarque of Espanyol died after a training session in August 2009 and when Antonio Puerta of Sevilla died on the pitch in August 2007.


The issue I had was the number of one minute applauses held up and down the country at football matches in the days following Muamba's collapse... I could understand this a LOT more if he had passed away, but I found it a little distasteful considering he was still fighting for his life. The last time I checked, an applause was unlikely to be helpful and it just seemed really out of place because...  well because Muamba was still alive.


I could understand his former clubs at Birmingham and Arsenal holding some sort of event to let Muamba's family know he wasn't forgotten as there were players that likely had played with him, and I could understand Spurs fans wanting to do something as they were sadly witnesses to the event, while Bolton was a given.


BUT I didn't understand the need to hold an applause at Chelsea v Leicester the day after Muamba collapsed, or at Blackburn v Sunderland on Tuesday evening.


It just seems to me that people want to show their grief at something like this as a barometer as to how decent a human being they are- if you didn't shed a tear or applaud or offer your thoughts at every moment in the following days while Muamba was fighting for his life and you were disregarded as being heartless and out of order.


The last couple of days we have seen people attack the Red Issue cover, which took a satirical dig at the people who have been OTT with their response to this whole issue- the ones that seem to revel in showing how upset they are over events they have no control of.


The people who seem to have the loudest voices offering their disgust at the cover also, unsurprisingly, seem to be the people that wanted to put their grief on their sleeves in the most prominent manner.


I just don't remember the reaction of these same people to Antonio Puerta when he actually DIED on the pitch as they have had for Fabrice Muamba who is, gladly, making a recovery from his unfortunate events.


The question I have left is in what situations will a one minute applause NOT be applicable from now on? A dangerous precedent has been set in my opinion, and one that has nothing to do with people's actual feelings on the matter, making much more reasonable requests for a minute's applause/silence just part of a national grieving day.




FA Cup Semi Final Dilemma: We are coming up to the 23rd anniversary since the Hillsborough Disaster and the FA have been left in a tough spot as to what they can do with the FA Cup Semi Finals that are due to take place that day.


Liverpool, understandably, have always requested not to play on April 15th and that is the date for the second Semi Final this season. The problem for the FA is that the other Semi Final involves Chelsea, a team that are likely to be playing a Champions League Semi Final on Tuesday following this weekend.


Now what to do? The first thing is they could talk to Liverpool and ask them their feelings of playing on April 15th considering they are meeting Everton, a local rival but one that was also affected by the events in 1989. It is no exaggeration to say families can be split down the middle in that City with their support for either Everton or Liverpool, so it could be the ultimate way to pay respects to those that lost their lives 23 years ago as the two famous clubs come together.


However, that is a question for Liverpool and they have every right to say they do not wish to play on that date regardless of the opposition.


Therefore, the FA have only two real options in my opinion for the Semi Finals. Both involves keeping the Sunday clear for Chelsea as well as they deserve to be given the best opportunity to win the Champions League and need the rest between this game and the Semi Final of the other competition.


The first is simply to move the Liverpool-Everton game to take place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff... This stadium is closer to Liverpool than Wembley and this game could take place as the early game on Saturday 14th April, with Chelsea meeting Spurs at Wembley in the evening.


However, I think the FA are adamant in playing both Semi Finals at Wembley and the only reasonable idea seems to be Chelsea-Spurs meeting on Friday evening and leaving the Liverpool-Everton game on the Saturday. Some will argue that it is impossible for the police to ensure crowd safety for the Chelsea game if everyone has been on the drink during the day, but there have been night games between the teams in the past and the police have had night games at Wembley in the past.


It seems the most logical way to avoid any issues for Chelsea and Liverpool as both clubs will be keeping a close eye on this game. The London Semi Final makes sense to be played on a Friday night as most fans will be close enough to attend and it keeps the April 15th free for both Chelsea and Liverpool for their respective reasons.




Patrick Vieira is clearly still in touch with Garry Cook: That is the only logical reason I have for the comments coming out of the 'Manchester City legend'  (he was there for 18 months at the end of his career) regarding Manchester United.


Last week he described the current League leaders as 'desperate' and was promptly put in his place by Sir Alex Ferguson later that week.


He clearly hasn't learned that he was looking like a tool (much like Garry Cook didn't recognise that until it was too late) and today has made comments about how Manchester City 'deserve' to win the League and Manchester United get all the decisions at Old Trafford.


Vieira states City deserve to win the League because they have played the best football, but clearly didn't receive the news that it was announced last week that 16 of the 20 top flight managers had nominated Tottenham as playing the best football this season.


I'm guessing the former Arsenal midfielder also missed the tape of Newcastle United being awarded a ridiculous penalty at Old Trafford earlier this season that cost Manchester United two points.


Granted it was a penalty on Monday night for the challenge on Fulham's Danny Murphy, but that has evened up the bad decision earlier this season, while Vieira also tried to hide the 'bitterness' that was brewing by suggesting all the big clubs get these decisions and that is what City are striving for.


I just think Vieira has not forgiven United were thwarting his dreams on more than one occasion during his time at Highbury, but surely someone needs to have a word that the team need to keep the focus on the field during this City run that has seen them drop to second in the League table rather than giving Sir Alex Ferguson more 'ammunition', which he already has 'plenty of'.




The relegation picture got a little murkier: Am I the only one that used to love it when the press would release their predictions as to who will win the League and who will go down based on how they thought the final fixtures would go?


I am going to release something like that on the blog in the coming days, before the weekend games, but what I do know is that last weeks results from the Premier League have made it a little tighter at the bottom of the League with all 5 teams still involved.


The biggest loser was Wolves who find themselves 4 points behind Bolton in the final position of safety (5 if you include their horrible goal difference), but a win for Wigan at Liverpool is a huge boost for their chances while Bolton beating Blackburn has dragged the latter back towards the trapdoor.


Momentum is a big thing at this stage and I think Bolton are leading that front, while Wigan and QPR have an awful set of fixtures to come. I would say Wolves will be all but down if they fail to beat Bolton this weekend at home because they have no momentum and nothing positive happening for them right now.


Blackburn had been playing better of late but the loss last week would have hurt them and it is getting tougher down the bottom. Aston Villa may want to be a little careful in thinking they are fine as there are only 8 points between them and QPR in 18th and they too have an awful set of fixtures to come and looked a little lost at times in their loss to Arsenal.




What is it with those Manchester City fans crying at Swansea and Stoke City?: I have a couple of theories: Either they had heard such a funny joke that it had brought tears to their eyes, or they have been following City for around two seasons.


I mean seriously, crying because the team is second in the table and still in control of their own destiny? (Win every game left and City are Champions as it stands).


This is a team that has gone 34 years without a trophy before winning the FA Cup last season, a team that was playing in the League One Play Offs just a few short years ago and one that has had more bad times than good for a generation.


Crying? I mean come on... It has been rightly ridiculed in a number of quarters, so much so that one of the so called 'fans' came on a radio show to claim he was just 'tired and frustrated'. Those 'fans' need to get a grip- it hasn't all be Sheikhs and financial fortunes at City in recent years and they haven't lost anything just yet.