Premier League 2012-13 Preview

The London Olympics have come and gone and we are now just days away from the beginning of the Premier League football season, the start of nine months of ups and downs, excitement and disappointment and the ultimate roller-coaster for the fans of the individual clubs.

Speaking about the Olympics, I have been a little perturbed by the number of articles that have been written in the media comparing the 'good aspects' of the Games with all the 'bad aspects' of football- personally I think that is a little harsh as there isn't the same sort of pressure on the athletes of the Games outside of their sport as there is on footballers who have every aspect of their lives dissected for public consumption.

The bottom line is that people want to know everything about these footballers, while many of the athletes at the Olympic Games are 'forgotten' in the four year periods between Games, while I also heard an excellent point on the radio explaining how so few are willing to put up someone like Justin Gatlin and compare him with a Paul Scholes and actually show football in a positive light.

Others have bemoaned the behaviour of the football fan at matches- yes, some do take it too far in what they believe is 'banter', while some of the cruder chants are not necessary, but people invest a lot of time and money in their clubs and frustration can boil over which will lead to exclamations laced with some profanity.

I don't think as many people invest that same kind of interest in any of the events at the Olympics, so the crowds generated at such events are vastly different compared with a regular season football match.

Issues about behaviour on the field have been there for some time, but that will only be weeded out by bringing it in at youth level and gradually changing things, so complaining about it seems a little pointless to me.

All in all, I can't wait for the new season and a chance to watch all the drama unfolding over the next few months and below I will break down the Premier League into sections and look at all the contenders in this new season.

Winner and Champions League Places

Manchester City: The reigning Premier League Champions are the favourites to retain their title in the coming season and I do think they are the team to beat in the coming season.

It is a surprise that they haven't invested too much in the playing squad this Summer with Jack Rodwell the only major incoming signing, but I do believe the UEFA Financial Fair Play Rules may just have them a little worried. However, the fact they have Carlos Tevez back for the full season (barring any refusals to warm up as a substitute in the coming months) is a big boost to an already very productive forward line, while the spine of the side looks very good from Joe Hart through Vincent Kompany through Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero.

There has to be a slight concern of the understudy, Stefan Savic, to the first choice centre halves, but the attacking options at Roberto Mancini's disposal looks set to fire them to another title, while I also believe they have the best midfield in the League which will allow them to dictate more matches than their rivals can at this moment.

Manchester United: It was a heartbreaking end to the 2011-12 season for Manchester United as they suffered a kick in the teeth that they have delivered to so many others in the last 20 years. The League should never have slipped from their grasp after taking an 8 point lead in the title race with just 6 games to play, and it is clear that this is the priority this season.

Shinki Kagawa is the big Summer signing (as I write this), but there remains a lot of off-field turmoil as the fans continue to make their feelings about the owners very clear. The lack of investment remains in the middle of the park remains a real issue and they have to hope that both Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs do not show their age as 'father time' can quickly catch up with you.

However, they still look good enough to compete in the Premier League with the personnel they have, and Nemanja Vidic's return is huge considering it was goal difference that cost them the title last season. 

'If Robin Van Persie can be signed from Arsenal, Manchester United may have enough in them to take the title back from their 'noisy neighbours' with the potential for extra goals and their leader in defence back in action'- this is what I wrote before it was announced that United had agreed a deal with Arsenal, and I now believe United can nick the title back as long as Rooney and Van Persie are compatible and not the second coming of the Didier Drogba-Fernando Torres issues.

My full views on Manchester United can be found here

Chelsea: After winning the Champions League in dramatic fashion, Chelsea have been on a spending spree this Summer, bringing in the likes of Eden Hazard (who was much sought after), Marko Marin and Oscar as Roberto Di Matteo looks to freshen up what was an ageing squad.

It will take time for some of these players to settle into the pace of the Premier League and there could be an issue of consistency in their play, although the younger legs will see a changing of the guard in the first team.

Even with those new signings bringing excitement to Stamford Bridge, it has to be a little concerning that Di Matteo has made it clear that he will not change tact from the 'negative' tactics he used to win the Champions League and the FA Cup- it took a lot of luck to do so last season and we have seen previously, Rafa Benitez being a notable example, that it doesn't work over a 38 game League season.

Losing Didier Drogba is also a big blow to this side, particularly if Fernando Torres cannot turn back the clock to his 2009 form and I still have a few issues about a defence that doesn't have a lot of depth if injuries take their toll.

Getting back into a top four spot will be the priority for the Blues this season and I think that is the best they can hope for as I still think there is a significant gap between themselves and the top two sides.

Arsenal: The Gunners finished 19 points behind the top two teams last season and they remain a side that is always liable to losing some of their better players as they become disillusioned with the lack of silverware picked up over the last few seasons.

There continues to be rumours surrounding the future of Robin Van Persie, a player that has made it clear he will not be extending his time at the Emirates Stadium and one that could be on his way to Old Trafford before the transfer window closes.

The Dutchman was so influential last season in terms of the goals he was getting and I don't think Lukas Podolski or Olivier Giroud have the same consistency in front of goal that Van Persie displayed last season.

If Van Persie leaves the club, Arsenal's place in the top four could be under significant threat from their local rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Barcelona also continue to sniff around Alex Song, who would be another major loss for Arsene Wenger, while Jack Wilshire is not due back until October at the earliest having missed all of last season.

A few of the issues at the Emirates Stadium were covered by the form of Van Persie last season, and I think they could have trouble holding onto a top four place if their talisman is sold in this transfer window, something which is probably playing a big part in them playing hard ball with potential suitors.

All of the Arsenal write-up was written before the Robin Van Persie sale to Manchester United had been confirmed and I think the Gunners are now in for a tough season in holding on to a top four spot.

Tottenham Hotspur: It was a surprising turn of events that saw Harry Redknapp removed as manager of Tottenham Hotspur in the off-season and he was replaced by Andre Villa-Boas who is looking to restore his damaged reputation following his time as manager of Chelsea last season.

Spurs look to have retained the services of Luka Modric after he once again asked to leave the club, the second Summer in succession he has done so, although the loss of Emmanuel Adebayor (returned to Manchester City after his loan) and failure to sign a striker leaves them looking a little light up front as far as I am concerned.

The defence has been improved with the signing of Jan Vertonghen, but they do look a weaker side than last season because of the forward situation and I am sure that is an area they will look to rectify before the transfer window is slammed shut.

Tottenham will not be in the Champions League thanks to Chelsea winning that competition last season, but they will think they can push Arsenal if the latter loses Robin Van Persie. Spurs will need to find another option up front if they are to push enough to stay in the top four this season and get a chance to get back into the Champions League.

Luka Modric has been sold to Real Madrid since I wrote this and he will be a big loss- there is a lot of pressure on Gylfi Sigurdsson to make a seamless entry into this midfield and the team do look a notch or two weaker than last season in the attacking areas of the pitch.

European Places

Liverpool: Despite winning the Carling Cup and reaching the Final of the FA Cup, it was largely a disappointing season for Liverpool that had made large investments over the previous six months in order to get into the coveted Champions League places.

The poor second half of the season cost Kenny Dalglish his job and it was later admitted that even winning the FA Cup would not have been enough to prevent that from happening. Now they hand the reigns over to Brendan Rodgers who enjoyed success at Swansea, but who is now going to have to prove himself all over again.

It is clear that the players are going to have to work in a new system, one that has seen Andy Carroll shopped around the League as the 35 million pound man looks surplus to requirements after going through a tough period on Merseyside.

Fabio Borini and Joe Allen, two players Rodgers is familiar with, have been brought into the club, but there hasn't been the same level of investment as last Summer (although they continue to be linked with a number of players in the press). Lucas has returned from a major injury, but a European place looks the limit of their potential this season as they get used to a new voice in the dressing room.

A Cup run would show they are going the right way, but more consistency in their League form is what the owners demand this season.

Everton: I was very surprised to see David Moyes was overlooked for the Tottenham Hotspur job in the Summer and it looks like there is a glass ceiling above him as the 'bigger clubs' feel he is inexperienced at the highest level, but yet no one is willing to give him a chance to prove himself.

Moyes led Everton to a top 7 finish last season and that is something I feel they can achieve again and perhaps even finish above their local rivals Liverpool. They surprisingly let Tim Cahill go in the Summer, although he isn't the same player from a couple of years ago, and the permanent signing of Steven Pienaar looks an upgrade.

Steven Naismith has been brought in from the now defunct Rangers and he should blend well with his former partner in Scotland, Nikica Jelavic, who has made a big impact in English football since joining Everton in January.

The sale of Jack Rodwell for 15 million pounds to Manchester City may mean Moyes is going to reinvest in the playing squad, but the team will need to steer clear of injuries if they are to make a concerted effort to move up from 7th that they finished last season and I think finishing above Liverpool would be seen as a successful season.

David Moyes will be looking to win his first piece of silverware since taking over as manager here.

Newcastle United: It was a great season for Newcastle United last year, one that fell a little short of getting the team into a Champions League spot and I am a little unsure they are going to be able to repeat their form to finish as high again this season.

Things just seemed to click for Newcastle last season with the signings of Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse providing a number of goals (it seems that as soon as Ba stopped scoring, Cisse was signed and took over). However, both have now been exposed to the Premier League managers and may find it difficult to repeat their individual successes, which in turn may affect the success of the whole team.

Alan Pardew has not brought in a lot of new faces to the club and I think their surprise element is gone and may see them slip down a few places from the 5th placed finish from last season. They still have enough good players to finish in the top half of the table, but they over-achieved last year and a Cup run may be their best chance of getting back into Europe.

A Top Half Finish?

Fulham: Martin Jol had a decent first season in charge of Fulham and he would have continued to make a lot of friends with his brand of attacking football. He has done well so far in keeping hold of Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele, two players that have been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United respectively, and they pose plenty of problems for other sides in the League along with Bryan Ruiz and new signing Hugo Rodallega.

They couldn't conclude a deal for Pavel Pogrebnyak, who has since signed with Reading, but they remain a solid looking eleven that could match their finish of 9th from last season as long as they can keep the team together before the transfer window closes and steer clear of injuries.

Much will also depend on their form at Craven Cottage where they regularly give the 'bigger' sides plenty of problems, especially considering their 10 losses on their travels last season and Fulham have annually struggled for wins away from home.

Still, in this Premier League, I like Fulham's chances for a top half finish.

Stoke City: I have noticed that a lot of people are tipping Stoke City to be the surprise struggling team this season, with some going so far as predicting relegation for the Potters, but I am not of that belief.

They have some downward indicators flashing considering their poor end to last season, but I believe that was down to an extended run in all of the Cup competitions that caught up with a relatively thin squad.

Stoke remain a real tough prospect at the Brittania Stadium, where they lost just 4 games last season, and they also picked up 3 more wins away from home than they had in the previous season.

Tony Pulis has a solid XI that he sends out for matches and has goals in the team through Peter Crouch and Jon Walters and I think they could be pushing for a top half finish without the distractions of Europe this season.

He will hope Matthew Etherington can return to form after a disappointing 2011-12 season, but I think there is too much in this team and too many other sides that I don't rate as highly and so they may just do enough to push into their highest Premier League finish since returning to the top flight.

Queens Park Rangers: Queens Park Rangers may have survived by the skin of their teeth last season, but there were enough signs to think they are going to have a stress-free season this time around, while the added investment in the club can only push them up the table.

Mark Hughes is a good manager in my opinion and he guided QPR to safety with some big wins down the stretch, including against Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and the signings he has made look good on paper.

Rob Green will take over between the sticks, while Andy Johnson should help in getting some more goals along with Bobby Zamora and Djibril Cisse. Ji Sung Park and Fabio come in from Manchester United and there is a more 'Premier League feel' to the squad this season.

If QPR can take their form from the end of last season into this, with the added quality in the side, they may just be able to push for a top half finish, far removed from the relegation battle from last season.

Relative Safety

Aston Villa: Paul Lambert took over from Alex McLeish this Summer and he seems to have brought in a much more positive vibe to the club. The Aston Villa fans were never happy with the appointment of McLeish and he didn't endear himself to the faithful with his perceived negative tactics.

Lambert has already made it clear that he wants to get the best out of Charles N'Zogbia and Stephen Ireland, two attack minded players, and that has been received positively from the Villa fans. Darren Bent is back after missing much of last season with an injury and he should have more chances to score goals with support coming from the midfield.

Ron Vlaar has been signed to strengthen the defence, but I expect better from Villa mainly down to the good work Lambert did with his Norwich City team and I think he can get the best out of a squad that under-achieved last season when flirting with a relegation battle.

There is a potential for them to finish in the top half, but I expect them to be much improved from last season and should be far from any relegation issues.

Sunderland: Martin O'Neill inspired Sunderland to a comfortable League position after they had been tumbling down the table in the final days of the Steve Bruce era. While I don't think they will be involved in a relegation battle, they will do well to finish higher than last seasons 13th place after a lack of investment in the playing staff over the Summer.

Nicklas Bendtner was only on-loan last season and they haven't been able to get a permanent deal in place so the Black Cats look a little short up-front and may struggle to get goals on a consistent basis.

However, they look solid enough to ensure they are relatively safe in the League again this season without messing around with a relegation battle, although O'Neill is almost certainly looking to bring in a couple of new faces before the transfer window closes.

Norwich City: There is always a danger in how a club reacts when a new manager takes over from a successful one that has moved on, but I believe the appointment of Chris Hughton at Carrow Road will ensure they don't suffer a 'second season syndrome' in the Premier League and can extend their stay.

Hughton did really well at Birmingham City last season considering all the off-field turmoil that affected his time at St Andrews, and he also was doing a pretty good job at Newcastle United before he was sacked in favour of Alan Pardew.

That was a harsh decision and I think Hughton is capable of proving himself at this level- Norwich struggled at times with their defensive performances, but Hughton has proven himself as being a manager that focuses on keeping things tight at the back and that may make the difference in keeping them up this season.

Norwich have held on to Grant Holt and all of their key players from last season, while signings like Robert Snodgrass and Steven Whittaker can have a positive impact. They will probably drop a couple of positions from last season as teams will be a little more familiar with their personnel, but I think they will be solid enough under Hughton to avoid a relegation scrap.

Relegation Contenders

Reading: A great statistic I have read is only one of the last six Championship winners have gone back down immediately from the Premier League and I, like a lot of others, feel Reading are the best equipped of the new boys to avoid the drop in this season.

Brian McDermott is a decent manager and has shown in Cup competitions that he can mix it with the Premier League managers he is to face this season, while they look to have the most solid squad of the new boys and with one key component- they have the ability to get goals.

Pavel Pogrebnyak ws signed from under the noses of Fulham and he showed his keen eye for goal in six months at Craven Cottage last season, while Adam Le Fondre has scored plenty of goals in the lower Leagues and will look to continue that in the top flight.

Adrian Mariappa can prove why so many Premier League teams wanted to sign the centre half over the last 12 months and the Royals may even be able to surprise many by finishing higher up the table. I have listed them in my 'relegation candidates', but they may surpass these expectations with minimal fuss.

Wigan Athletic: The biggest piece of business Wigan Athletic may have done in the Summer is keeping Roberto Martinez as manager of the club after he was heavily linked with the vacant Liverpool job.

Martinez really impressed me with the foresight to go against the Premier League grain and set his team up in a 3-4-3 fluid system that got the best out of his personnel at the end of last season and he once again somehow guided them free of relegation certainty.

At this moment they have held on to Victor Moses, which could be key to their chances of survival, but there remains an issue with their strikers as I just don't feel comfortable in relying on Franco Di Santo to fire them to safety. Hugo Rodallega has moved on to Fulham so that is an area of concern, especially as Di Santo was top scorer with just 7 goals last season.

It is likely that Martinez continues with the 3-4-3 formation that has worked so well with the players he has and I think they are going to find at least three teams that are not as good and survive yet another season in the Premier League.

However, the lack of goals may mean another season fighting against relegation for much of it.

West Ham United: I haven't been overly impressed with the signings made at Upton Park so far this Summer, but I think Sam Allardyce has the experience to guide them to safety this season, although they could be sitting right above the drop zone come May.

Jussi Jaaskelainan is a solid Premier League goalkeeper and should form the basis of a much more reserved West Ham team- this season the fans are unlikely to badger Allardyce with 'boring' accusations as survival is the key.

The pressure will be on Modibo Maiga to provide the goals after he was signed for a little under 5 million pounds from Sochaux, especially now the bid to buy/loan Andy Carroll from Liverpool has fallen through. Carlton Cole and Ricardo Vaz Te will also be asked to chip in.

There is a solid looking feel to the West Ham team, although slightly underwhelming in terms of creativity and attacking options, but the experience of Allardyce may just be enough to see them maintain their position in the top flight.

West Brom: A lot of people look for a surprise relegation candidate at this time of the season and I think West Brom may just be that team. They have lost inspirational manager Roy Hodgson, a man who levelled the team out after they looked doomed to relegation around 18 months ago, and new manager Steve Clarke is taking on his first job as the Number 1 rather than the Number 2.

They haven't lost any key players from last season and have added Ben Foster in a permanent deal from Birmingham City, but this was a side that wasn't going anywhere when Hodgson took charge and they may not respond to the new voice in the dressing room.

If the Baggies get off to a bad start, it might make life difficult for Clarke and there have been previous instances when a first-time manager doesn't have the same respect from the players as an established one. If things start going downhill, West Brom may be dragged into a relegation scrap, one that may not end well.

Swansea: One team that may not survive 'second season syndrome' in the Premier League is Swansea who have lost an influential manager in Brendan Rodgers and replaced him with Michael Laudrup, a manager that has no previous experience in England.

Joe Allen has already left Swansea to join his former manager at Anfield, while both Gylfi Sigurdsson and Steven Caulker have left having spent time on-loan here last season.

Their style of football surprised many teams last season, but they are unlikely to change that under Laudrup and that could lead to their downfall with more teams being able to cater to what Swansea are going to do (unlike Norwich City who have brought in a manager who should be able to help with their defensive issues from last season and may have a different feel to the rest of the League compared with how they played in 2011-12).

Swansea just look a little weaker this season in defence and midfield and I am not sure they are going to have enough in them to find three teams to finish below them.

Southampton: Southampton replicated Norwich City by moving up from League One and the Championship in consecutive seasons to return to the top flight, but I fear that is where the similarity may end.

Even though I have the Saints at the bottom of my Premier League preview, I have been impressed with the job Nigel Adkins has done in his short time as the manager, while signings like Steven Davis, Nathanial Clyne and Jay Rodriguez look good on paper.

Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert will be looked at for the goals, but I have a feeling the latter may have a hard time now that teams have faced Grant Holt for a season and he is a very similar player in his style and ability.

If those two strikers hit it off, Southampton may just survive, but they have a horrible beginning to the season and that may put some negative energy into the team that may extend into the season.

There are enough teams with question marks to think that Southampton have a chance of survival in this Premier League, but I have to put someone in this position and I think there are rumours that the owners are looking for a way to remove Adkins in favour of a foreign manager and these can create issues that send a club the wrong way.

All of the above are just my thoughts on the teams competing in the Premier League this season and where they could potentially finish. As everyone will have seen while watching football, injuries can affect these final positions, but these are just my personal opinions and I am sure there will be at least three or four teams that surprise me massively.

Let's just hope for a fabulous season.

A few thoughts from the last week in Football (April 28-May 2)

Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United: Where else can I possibly start this week than with the Manchester Derby which has given Manchester City the edge in the title race with two games left to play.


It wasn't a classic match, but City were the deserving winners in the way the game developed and now know they will be the winners of the Premier League if they win their final two games.


Personally I think the whole destiny of the title will rest on the game at St James' Park this week when City travel to face Newcastle United- if they win there, I can't see them slipping up nor United winning their last two games 10-0 apiece...




Now, rant time: Why were there so many people criticising Sir Alex Ferguson's tactics after the game and claiming that was the reason United lost? I was surprised with the personnel he used, but not the general game plan of soaking up the City attacks and making it difficult for the home team to actually create anything.


Watch the first 45 minutes of that game and you can count on one hand the couple of real chances City created until they scored- to be honest, they didn't create a lot in the second half until United were forced forward and they may have added to their total through Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy as the game was winding down.


The idea of picking Chris Smalling was to aid with the size and it was one mistake that cost United the game with his marking of Vincent Kompany that led to the goal.




The second part of my rant is regarding the Glazer family's ownership of United and the lack of funds they have provided which has left United in their current guise- a central midfielder has been needed for a number of seasons now and it is telling that they have not purchased one since signing Anderson in 2007.


I know there are plenty out there that seem to like Michael Carrick, but he is one player that I believe is only at the club because they cannot afford to buy a direct replacement that they need in the central area of the pitch.


Why do I not rate Carrick as a player? The reason is I have never seen a centre midfielder (not a good one at any rate) that shrinks under pressure and is so quick to 'pass the buck' to another player when the going gets tough.


It is the easiest thing in the World to demand the ball when your team is winning by a couple of goals, but where does Carrick go when the team needs impetus? Too many times I have seen him disappear in games where United need to get the ball moving (watch the Everton game after it gets back to 4-4 as a prime example of this recently), and too many times he moves into positions where he doesn't demand the ball.


I saw Toni Kroos playing for Bayern Munich at Real Madrid in the second leg of their Semi Final and he was demanding the ball well into extra time- Kroos is a 22 year old and he has shown more bottle in that one game than Carrick has, well, EVER.


I also think Carrick's best seasons at United came when he could get away with his habit of quickly 'passing the buck'- that was when Cristiano Ronaldo was still at the club.


I believe my concerns could easily have been in Sir Alex's thoughts when he brought Paul Scholes back from retirement as he is another player that isn't 'fearful' of having the ball when the team really needs him to do something with it.


Other players that can thank the Glazer regime and do not deserve to be at the club are Ji-Sung Park, Anderson and Michael Owen, while I think the likes of Ryan Giggs and Scholes, while absolute legends, would surely not have such key roles if money was available to strengthen the squad.




Where do Sky get their commentators from?: Anyone else have the misfortune of listening to Niall Quinn on Monday night?


Now I know he is a former City player and Sky seem to be in love with the beanpole, but some of his biased commentary was going a little too far.


A couple of great suggestions from the twat- Aguero kicks the ball off for a goal kick, and Quinn suggests 'some refs would have given a corner'... Last time I checked, giving a corner was objective, not a subjective decision like a penalty.


There was an occasion that Joe Hart clearly tipped a ball out for a corner and made the point of laughing about it with the referee when he tried to claim he hadn't- Quinn needs a second replay of the incident and even then cannot just say, 'yes, it is a corner', arguing that is 'may have been touched out'.


I know not everyone liked Andy Gray, but the Sky coverage has really struggled to replace his clear enthusiasm for the game and so far the likes of 'monotone' Alan Smith and Quinn have failed to come close, while the new Scottish fella they have talks more nonsense (Modric scored from almost 50 yards out according to him yesterday) than anything else.




Newcastle's win over Chelsea good for Manchester United: The Champions League places look set to be going to Manchester United, Manchester City and then two of either Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.


The last three teams are separated by just one point as we reach the final two games of the season, although the edge has to go to the two North London clubs who have the easier fixtures on paper.


Sir Alex Ferguson must have been very pleased to have seen Newcastle win at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night as any other result would likely have left the Magpies out of chances to get onto the top table of European football and they may just have put in a demoralised performance against Manchester City on Sunday.


Now this takes on a different feel as Newcastle have plenty to play for themselves and know that any kind of result will give them some chance of getting into the Champions League, although Tottenham's win at Bolton yesterday means they are likely going to need the three points from this one.


Whatever, that bodes well for United fans that they will get a real effort from the home side and may a reignition of their Premier League title chase.




Looks like Bolton Wanderers v QPR for the final relegation place: Results over the past week makes me believe that there is only one place in the relegation zone that needs to be sorted out and that is going to come down to these two teams as to who fills it.


Blackburn Rovers' timid defeat at White Hart Lane leaves them 3 points from safety, with a vastly inferior goal difference, and now with just 6 points left. They play Wigan Athletic on Monday night and it is conceivable that they are all but relegated by then with Bolton hosting West Brom and QPR hosting Stoke City.


I think Wigan need one more point to ensure they are OK, and with Wolves at home and Blackburn away on slate, I think they get it, which leaves Bolton and QPR.


Bolton definitely have the better fixtures on paper, but they will need to be a lot more solid defensively than they were against Tottenham- however with West Brom at home and Stoke away to play, Bolton will feel 4 points should be enough to see them through.


That is all because QPR have to go to Manchester City on the last day of the season and I don't have much hope for them there as City will need the win no matter what happens this weekend. Right now, I would rather be in Bolton's shoes, but they can't afford a loss to West Brom this weekend.




Congratulations to Reading and Southampton: As I said, I feel two sides are already pretty much relegated in the Premier League and their two replacements can enjoy a Summer off after a hard 46 game season in the Championship.


I have seen a fair bit of both of these sides and I think they will be a welcome addition to the top flight, both being former Premier League clubs anyway.


Both teams work hard and play some good football and I think both will feel they can compete in the Premier League.


The hard work will begin for Brian McDermott and Nigel Adkins now, so I hope they find time to enjoy the successful seasons they negotiated.

A few thoughts from the last week in Football (April 21-22)

Title race is back on: I watched with disbelief and disappointment as Manchester United threw away a 4-2 lead against Everton with less than 8 minutes remaining at Old Trafford to drop 2 more points in the the title race and once again give Manchester City a real boost in the arm.


That means there are just 3 points between the teams with 3 games left to play, the first of which is the big Manchester Derby next Monday night.


It is very strange to see United playing in this manner once they had opened up an 8 point lead in the title race, but I think Sir Alex Ferguson will make sure he is all over his players for the next few days and make sure they are ready for the big game at City.


However, I still favour United to win the title as I do think they have the 'easier' matches on paper- I would expect United to beat Swansea at home (but then I was sure they would get the win over Everton) and then win at a Sunderland side that is struggling for goals.


On the other hand, City have a really difficult game at Newcastle United, especially with the latter fighting for a Champions League place and then face relegation threatened QPR that may still need the points- what are the chances of Mark Hughes getting his revenge on Sheikh Mansour and his cronies by preventing them winning the title on the final day of the season?


Sky couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome though, as they have a chance to over-hype the game- there is no doubt this is one of the biggest end of season clashes I can remember in a long time.


While it isn't quite the Liverpool-Arsenal game from the end of the 1989 season, it is obviously a match that can have a huge bearing on where the title is going to end up.




Wolves are gone, Bolton Wanderers are in big trouble: Wolves couldn't delay the inevitable any longer on Sunday as their relegation was confirmed from the Premier League, while the results at the weekend have made it that much more difficult for Bolton Wanderers who could only pick up a 1-1 draw against Swansea at the Reebok Stadium.


With QPR and Blackburn Rovers both winning, Bolton are now 4 points behind the teams in the safety zone, although they still have 5 games to play this season. However, it is the points that matter at this stage rather than the games in hand, and Bolton need to find a win in one of their next two games at Aston Villa or Sunderland.


It still looks really tight down the bottom though- Aston Villa are only 6 points clear of Bolton so a defeat for them tomorrow night will really up the pressure on Alex McLeish and for a young team that is suffering from a number of injuries.


There are some big matches yet to be played in the final weeks of the season, with none looking bigger than the Blackburn Rovers-Wigan Athletic game in two weeks time.




Harry Redknapp for England(!): Why are so many people quick to protect Harry Redknapp and blame Tottenham's lack of form on his links with the England job rather than poor management? As I have said all season, the team had a lack of depth not because Redknapp was not backed in the market, but because the manager continues to stock-pile midfield players without adding strength to his forward line nor his defence.


The other factor people continue to overlook is the lack of a 'plan B' for when things are not going right for the team, all factors that are highlighted in International tournaments when games come thick and fast.


He has also allowed Gareth Bale to play without fear of retribution if he fails to perform, letting the winger get away with thinking he can drift wherever he wants on the football field, usually to a lack of effect.


Bale's own constant self-comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo has been tolerated when someone should really be sitting him down and warning him how far he is from that consistent performances the former Manchester United play provides- the fact Bale is allowed to constantly talk about potential moves to Barcelona or Real Madrid (he wouldn't get near either team in my honest opinion) is another issue that could potentially divide a dressing room.


All of these questions should be left at the door of Redknapp, but far too many are blinded by achievements which, while good, are vastly over-rated.




So Roy Hodgson has as many wins at Anfield in 2012 as Kenny Dalglish: I know Liverpool are going to be playing their second Cup Final of the season next month against Chelsea in the FA Cup, but surely this has to be considered a season when the club has regressed.


Alan Hansen said recently that Liverpool had become a 'Cup team' and I think he has pigeon-holed his former club in the exactly correct way.


The Reds are 8th in the Premier League table, but there has to be a real fear that they will not even finish in the top half of the table, a far cry from the expectations of a battle to finish in the Champions League places and a lot of the blame has to fall at Kenny Dalglish's door, although you wouldn't hear a bad word said about the manager from the fans.


To think they are now 37 points behind the leaders Manchester United and only 23 ahead of the Wolves team that props up the rest of the table should put it all into perspective for how bad a season this has actually been for Liverpool.




How did Sergio Aguero not win an award in the Player of the Year categories he was nominated in?: I had Sergio Aguero as an absolute shoo-in to win the Young Player of the Year award as I thought the main award would go to Robin Van Persie, but I am more than a little surprised that he didn't get it.


Kyle Walker was given the Young Player of the Year award and, while I recognise he has had a very good season, I think it's a little disgraceful that Aguero was not given it, despite powering Manchester City's title race with his goals in the absence of Carlos Tevez.


So many times we have seen a foreign import come into the Premier League and really struggle, but 22 League goals later and I think Aguero has proven he can more than handle what the League brings.


I would have also had the Argentine in the Team of the Year (he missed out on that to Van Persie and Wayne Rooney), but I could understand that a little more considering the goals of the two players that did make the team.




My Team of the Year in the Premier League: So we got the Team of the Year in the Premier League earlier this week and I have to say I don't think there was much wrong with the team at all.


I think the only changes I would have made would be to bring in Jose Enrique for Leighton Baines at left back, and Clint Dempsey for Scott Parker (but I really don't rate Parker as highly as others do)

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.