Weekend Review (August 17-19)

The first weekend of the Premier League is always too soon to make snap judgements for what is going to happen for the next nine months- I mean the top three contenders for the Premier League title all won, the three promoted sides from last season all lost.

That doesn't mean anything in the long run, but there were still a few things that caught my eye from a long weekend of football and these are below.


Sergio Aguero staying fit could bridge the gap to Manchester United: As a Manchester United fan, I would be the first to tell you that Robin Van Persie's decision to move to Old Trafford rather than Manchester City was a major reason for the title coming back to Manchester United last season.

Van Persie's goals were critical and United managed to score 20 goals more than City over the course of the Premier League season and that definitely made the difference between the teams and is a real reason for such a gap at the end of the season between the two top sides.

Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez have both left Manchester City over the last year, while they have signed Stevan Jovetic and Alvaro Negredo have been brought in to help the team get back to scoring ways, but it may be most critical for them to keep Sergio Aguero fit.

Aguero started 22 games last season and was a substitute for a further 8 games, while scoring 12 goals for City, but he had been suffering with a knock during the course of the year and he has the goalscoring knack that could make a big difference in the title race this time around.

I also think City will be boosted by the more attacking mentality that Manuel Pellegrini will employ compared with Roberto Mancini- with the talent they have in forward positions, I think they will score a fair few more than the 66 goals they managed last season and may just make the difference in bridging the 11 point gap between themselves and United.


Arsenal fans booing ridiculous: It is very much a feature of the new world that instance success is all that fans want to see and social networking makes it easier for everyone to voice their opinions.

While reading Twitter is down to each individual, Arsenal fans have a tendency to bring their negative vibes to the Emirates Stadium. It isn't the first time the team have been booed off at home, but that isn't the only reason I find it quite ridiculous.

They boo their OWN players when they may be under-performing... Did anyone else find it quite ironic the cheers and claps Emmanuel Eboue got during a pre-season friendly against Galatasaray, yet this was the same player they would ridicule and boo while he played FOR Arsenal.

Theo Walcott has received the same 'adulation' during his poor runs of form, and it just feels ridiculous that one game into a season they are already on the players backs. Granted there are frustrations in what has been a quiet summer on the transfer front, and the result against Villa was a poor one, but it seems to be a far quicker negative reaction in this stadium than any other.

I don't know whether that is simply down to the fact that the new stadium has only been built in the last few years and the increased attendance from the Highbury days has allowed more 'Soccer Am' watching fans turn up, but the booing comes far too quickly at that stadium.


Promoted sides all lose but some positive signs: I said above that it is too quick to make snap judgements after one game of the season, but I do think all three promoted sides will take some positives from their opening Premier League game.

Cardiff City struggled at West Ham United, but Upton Park is one of the tougher places to play in the Premier League and I think the team will be looking to their home form to provide the real foundation for survival. They will certainly feel better now that the tension of the first game is out of the way, although the next game against Manchester City may give them another rude awakening of the challenges that lie ahead.

While Cardiff have fewer positives, both Crystal Palace and Hull City will feel they showed enough to think they can snare some points this season. Hull were outclassed for the first half at Chelsea, but the second half performance suggests they have made some astute signings, particularly Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore from Tottenham Hotspur.

Steve Bruce has experience and I think Hull City will surprise some if they take their second half performance on. Crystal Palace also played well in their game against Spurs, although I do wonder if they have enough goals in the side to survive in the top flight.

Over the last twenty years, all three promoted sides being immediately relegated is almost unheard of and even two of the sides going down would be a surprise. With that in mind, and with the performances on the opening weekend, all three promoted clubs will still have a real belief in what they are trying to achieve this season.


Wigan and the two relegated clubs won't have an easy ride in the Championship: When all three relegated clubs from the Premier League made winning starts in their opening game in the Championship, the general feeling was that all three would have a strong shout for promotion.

The one that most were excited about were Wigan after they won 0-4 at Barnsley, but one point from their next two games shows how tough the Championship is- I wasn't convinced by the appointment of Owen Coyle who had to be sacked by Bolton Wanderers last season as he struggled to make the adjustment to the Championship.

All 3 of the relegated sides are no longer the 'underdog', but a team with a target on their back as others will raise their game against opponents that were Premier League clubs up until May. Wigan have the additional pressure of playing in Europe and being the FA Cup holders which makes them a bigger scalp, although Queens Park Rangers financial clout puts a huge target on them too.

Being immediately promoted following relegation is not an easy task in a competitive Division like this one and all three will have a long, tough season ahead with a lots of ups and downs to reach their goal.


Spurs without Bale could still be a top four club: I have been impressed with the way Tottenham Hotspur have invested in the squad with the imminent departure of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid- they are getting a lot of money for their Welsh winger, but there does seem to be more of a feel of a team being put together and a good one at that.

The latest news that Willian may not be moving to White Hart Lane is a blow to what had looked a very strong summer of business, but I like the signings they have made and there is every chance they could be a top four club even in the absence of his talisman.

The big question may be who Arsenal sign to strengthen their squad to decide which of the North London teams finish in the final coveted Champions League place, but at the moment, players like Roberto Soldado and Paulinho can make a difference for Spurs.

Spurs do look a little short in defensive areas, so staying healthy will be key to their chances of negotiating what is a tough nine months of football, but there are some really positive signs. Andre Villas-Boas has to find the right blend at White Hart Lane where Spurs dropped too many points against teams they would be expecting to beat as they certainly look capable of picking up plenty on their travels and I like the business being done in this part of North London.

Recapping the Weekend Football (March 2-4)

A huge win for Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur to keep the gap to only two points from Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title: Where else can I begin with the fantastic result, if not performance, that United produced from White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon.


I felt Tottenham were the better team in the game right up until the point they conceded to go 0-2 down, but they didn't really create too much in the absence of Gareth Bale and Rafael Van der Vaart.


United did ride their luck a little too as the referee could easily have awarded Tottenham the opening goal when Emmanuel Adebayor was penalised for handballing before putting the ball in the net. That incident did spark some debate as to whether it was a legal goal or not, but I am of the belief that the striker didn't deliberately handball and the goal should have stood... The bottom line is if United were not awarded the goal in a similar manner when playing, I would be furious with the referee so I have to accept it both ways.


David De Gea also made a magnificent save at 0-1 from a deflected effort and I like the way the Spaniard is beginning to fit into the team after a tough start.


The result could be pivotal this season as United have now negotiated their toughest part of the remaining schedule and I do think there is a chance that they could be leading the table by the time the second Manchester Derby rolls around on April 30th. Manchester City have some tough tests before that game, while United should really be looking to drop no more than 2 more points in the next 8 games.


Football can be funny though, but my expectations have increased with momentum seemingly on the side of the Champions.


Liverpool need to buy a centre forward in the Summer market: All the positives from winning the Carling Cup were forgotten on Saturday afternoon as Liverpool failed to capitalise on the chances they created against Arsenal before being sucker punched with minutes left on the clock.


That leaves the club 10 points behind Arsenal and very unlikely to reach their aims of making it back into the Champions League next season.


Kenny Dalglish has already spent a vast sum of money at the club and he cannot afford to make another 'Andy Carroll-esque' mistake in the Summer as the club clearly need a centre forward that can score 20 goals a season.


Luis Suarez looks like a player that can be a real handful, but his finishing is hit or miss, while I truly do not rate Carroll a bit. The side have created plenty of opportunities at Anfield all season, but failure to find the net with any consistency has cost them.


There are still too many average players in the squad, but buying someone who can score goals consistently would have covered a number of deficiencies this season and will give them an extra step of turning a number of draws at Anfield into wins.


As I was growing up, Liverpool always seemed to bring through strikers who could do this, from the likes of Ian Rush through to Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen... What they would give for someone of that ilk to be found to spearhead their attack in the future?


Andre-Villa Boas Sacking: I was a little surprised that Chelsea decided to pull the trigger on removing Andre-Villa Boas before they were knocked out of the Champions League and the FA Cup. I think Chelsea are being run in a terrible way with the owner getting his hands far too dirty and it is ridiculous that they decided to pay Porto 13 million for AVB's services only to remove him nine months later.


The players at the club consider themselves untouchable, certainly those who have allegedly played their part in getting the Portuguese man sacked, and that is never going to see a club progress in the correct manner.


You just don't imagine Manchester United being run in this manner, so the Chelsea team need a strong manager to take over and clear some of the 'characters' from the dressing room that are causing more problems than solutions as they get older.


We have seen players being tolerated when they are performing, but the ones at Chelsea are not good enough or doing well enough to be allowed to get away with this as it seems they are now responsible for the third manager in a row being fired.


Who comes in next will be very interesting- I personally am very surprised that Abramovich doesn't go all out and offer Guus Hiddink all he wants to bring him back to Stamford Bridge considering the success he has had in his first stint here and the fact that the players seem to respect him. I don't think Jose Mourinho will come back after his experiences when he was at the club, while Pep Guardiola is another unlikely candidate.


Rafa Benitez would make sense considering his record in the Champions League, the one competition Abramovich wants to win, but this is fast becoming one of the worst jobs to take with the lack of time being given to managers.


Wigan are in deep trouble: I was disappointed to see Wigan lose so comfortably to Swansea at home at the weekend and I think they are in big trouble now despite only being 2 points from safety.


The bottom line is the team does not score enough goals and can't stop conceding, not really the best combination when it comes to trying to survive in the Premier League. Dave Whelan made it clear in public on a radio phone-in that he was not satisfied with the level of performance from the side and the pressure is definitely on the side to earn some positive results and pull themselves out of trouble.


This pressure will only increase if they do not pick up at least 6 points from their next 4 League games at Norwich City, at home against West Brom, at Liverpool and at home against Stoke City. The reason is they then face the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle United and the ever improving Fulham in April with a serious chance of them being cut off from the safety positions come May.


I like Roberto Martinez, but I just don't see them having a miraculous escape this season if they don't start picking up points beginning on Saturday at Carrow Road.


March Update: - 2.1 Units

February Final: + 11.54 Units

January Final: + 0.28 Units

A few thoughts from the last week in Football (February 1-7)

Due to the work load in the early part of the New Year, I have not been able to get too many of my own thoughts down in recent weeks, although it does seem a little easier now there is no Grand Slam tennis, the American Football season is over and there is a slight lull in the amount of football to be played this week as the Champions League and Europa League begin next week.

There have been some real issues over the last week that have caught my eye and I will get to them now:

Kenny Dalglish's latest comments are just ridiculous: Over the last week, we have seen Fabio Capello being roundly criticised in the media for his comments about the FA stripping John Terry of the England Captain role after his trial for alleged racial abuse was pushed back to July, after the Euro 2012 tournament was to be concluded.


Capello told Italian TV that he did not agree with the decision and that Terry should only have been punished if he had been found guilty and not beforehand, something I have to disagree with myself.


We all saw how the Pittsburgh Steelers dealt with Ben Roethlisberger's indiscretions a couple of years ago, even though there was nothing that he was charged with by the police at the time, so I think the FA have made the correct decision to not have Terry representing the country in a European tournament.


So while Capello has been ridiculed in places, while others have asked for him to be removed as manager of the national team, Kenny Dalglish told Sky Sports that 'Suarez should never have been banned in the first place', comments that have not provoked the outrage that Capello's did.


Now I don't know how Dalglish can continue to undermine the FA's decision without being punished, and I really don't understand why he is not being criticised heavily for a foolish defence of a player that has been found guilty of racial statements.


I understand managers want to protect their players, but to continually bring up the issue with these crass remarks shows little class, remorse or regret at the way things have been handled.


These kind of remarks make it easier for the morons out there to make their own ridiculous gestures and statements, as we have seen at the Liverpool-Oldham game in the FA Cup, as well as another being caught in the recent game between Liverpool and Manchester United making monkey gestures at Patrice Evra... The manager has shown little or no intention to let this issue go, and some of the supporters are taking it as their cue to act out their racial tendencies, believing there will be no repercussions.


Talking about morons, what was with the Chelsea fans booing Rio Ferdinand? I could not believe for the life of me that Rio Ferdinand was booed throughout the game at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and it makes me really worry about the mentality of some people that are allowed into football grounds...


You see I am of the opinion that the people booing Ferdinand are in one of two camps: Either they are too stupid to realise it was ANTON Ferdinand of QPR that made the allegations against John Terry and not RIO Ferdinand of Manchester United, OR they are knowingly booing a player whose brother was supposedly racially abused by another player?


Personally, I don't particularly care the which of those two reasons the Chelsea fans decided they fall into, either way they sounded like a bunch of morons... It goes to show how far some people leave their morals at the gates when they go to 'support' their football team and I personally think it's a disgrace.


The fella arrested at Old Trafford for alleged racist comments during the game with Stoke City: I hope this guy is banned from coming back to a Manchester United game as it is something I have never encountered in all my years of watching our boys play.


United fans have always been proud of being Reds, and that is the only colour we have ever cared about, so anything else is not welcome at Old Trafford.


The 3-3 draw between Chelsea and Manchester United was a fitting tribute to the Busby Babes: The anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster was on Monday and it was a fitting game of football played between Chelsea and Manchester United on Sunday, one that would have made Sir Matt very proud I'm sure.


Over the years, we have always heard the rubbish about 'Fergie Time' due to the number of late goals we get, but this game on Sunday showed WHY United have done so- they just don't know when they are beaten!


It was sloppiness (and a tremendous finish from Juan Mata) that left United in a huge hole after 50 minutes, but the game was dominated by the Reds and they deserved a lot more than the 1 point they earned, although it felt like more than that at the end of the game.


It could have been a lot better for the team if Gary Cahill had perhaps received his marching orders in the first half for a mis-timed tackle on Danny Welbeck, while Sir Alex was understandably upset over the lack of decisions made by the Assistant Referee in the first half.


However, all of that should not distract from a fabulous game of football, a game in which both sides played their part.


It will be more than just a miracle if Wigan can maintain their position in the Premier League this season: I really like Dave Whelan and I think Roberto Martinez is a very good young manager, but I think this is going to be a step too far for them to save Wigan this season from the drop back to the Championship.


The problem is that the other sides in the bottom 6 places all seem capable of picking up points, even from games against sides in the upper end of the table, and that is the clear difference between those teams and Wigan.


They must consider the 1-1 draw with Everton at home as 2 points dropped after taking the lead with less than 15 minutes left on the clock, and this weekend is perhaps the biggest game they will face as they visit Bolton Wanderers... Lose that one, and I think the Funeral March will begin playing on their Premier League future.


I can't praise Alan Pardew and Newcastle United enough: I have said this before, but I remain totally impressed with the job Alan Pardew has done this season as Newcastle United remain in the hunt for a VERY surprising Champions League berth.


I really thought they may have a tough second season back in the Premier League, but Demba Ba has been an inspired signing, while the rest of the team have bought into the work ethic that has made them so tough to get the better of.


I still think getting into Europe through their League place would be an amazing achievement for the side; It still will be tough for them to finish above Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool for the 4th Champions League spot, but Pardew has to be in consideration for the 'Manager of the Year' award.


The only negative I can give the team is their lack of a real Cup run after this club has been starved of silverware for so long, but I have nothing but praise for their performances.

Things we Learned from the Weekend Football (October 1-2)

It was a very interesting weekend for me as Saturday looked to have killed me and left me in a big hole this month, mainly thanks to some sorry officiating and bad luck with injuries. However, the outlook looks much brighter as much of the damage was saved thanks to a strong Sunday when all 3 picks came in, including the biggest pick I made this week.

Below is a few of my thoughts from the weekend as we get ready for a 2 week break from the Premier League:

1) Jack Rodwell's sending off was rightly rescinded, now what happens to Martin Atkinson?: The decision made by Martin Atkinson essentially helped my 'overs' pick fall down, but it was the shocking nature and terrible decision making that was in question.


Everton learned earlier that Jack Rodwell will not be suspended as the FA, rightly, decided to reverse the decision.


All of this means something has to be done about Martin Atkinson, the most card happy referee in the Premier League. He has to be demoted, in my opinion, as he should not be put forward to referee top flight games when he cannot make the simple decisions- if the tackle was made 30 yards from him, I would be more forgiving, but he cocked up from all of 2 feet and that is unacceptable.


Jack Rodwell was going to miss 3 games, I think that suspension should be given to Martin Atkinson and then he should be forced to referee Championship games until he can prove he is good enough not to put his dirty rubber stamp on a Premier League game again.


2) Manchester United have real defensive concerns: The Basel game made it clear that United were having a few problems at the back, but Norwich became the latest team to expose these weaknesses. I am less entitled to blame the defence as I feel they are given little to no protection from the midfield, allowing teams to break with 4-5 players breaking on the back 4.


Nemanja Vidic has been the biggest loss as his experience and leadership quality really would help the younger members of the back 5, and United will be desperate to the get the Captain back in the team ahead of the next 3 Premier League games at Liverpool, at home against Manchester City and at Everton.


3) I have said it before, but Arsenal are going nowhere with that defence: I said after Arsenal made their transfers in August that I didn't believe Arsene Wenger had improved his squad that much and they were panic buys from a manager under pressure.


Arsenal are conceding far too many goals to earn a top 4 place this season, with the 2 goals conceded at Tottenham meaning they have conceded 14 goals in 3 away games since drawing at Newcastle, and the Gunners are well off the pace compared with Liverpool, Spurs and the top 3 from last season.


Bacary Sagna is the latest injury at the back when he unfortunately broke his leg on Sunday, Thomas Vermaelan is a long term absentee, and I see problems for Wenger.


They are coming up to an extremely soft section of the schedule in the next few weeks, facing Sunderland, Stoke, West Brom, Fulham and trips to Norwich and Wigan, with only a trip to Chelsea being a big test.


I would expect Arsenal to start moving up the table, but defensively they need to improve.


4) Wigan and Bolton are both in a bit of bother: Both of these sides look like they are going to be in for a real scrap for their Premier League lives judging from their early season form.


Bolton had ended the season with a really bad run of form and they have lost 11 of 12 games in the Premier League, while Wigan continue to look like a side struggling to score goals.


Wigan had much more of the possession against Villa on Saturday, yet lost without causing too many problems, and it looks like a long season for both of these sides.

Things we Learned from the Weekend Football (September 24-25)

I could not have had a worse month if I had tried, with almost every pick falling at the most inopportune time.

Heavy losses in the football have only been saved by a solid start from the College Picks I have made, but let's not beat around the bush here, I cannot wait for this month to end and hope the changing weather will also bring a change of fortunes.

Recap of the weekend football:

1) If I feel my luck is bad, it still seems much better than Fernando Torres': Fernando Torres has been in the media spotlight ever since moving to Chelsea, but the Spaniard just can't seem to get a break at the moment.


After scoring just 1 goal in his first 24 games for the Blues, it looked like his form could be returning with a very nice finish at Old Trafford last weekend, only to remove all the positives from that performance by enduring one of the worst misses in the Premier League history.

This weekend was very similar as Torres looked to put that miss behind him with another nice finish to open the scoring against Swansea, but once again lady luck deserted him and he was sent off for a rash challenge before the half time whistle had even sounded.


He now will miss 3 Premier League games, but I think the Chelsea faithful may just get to see the best of Torres in the coming months.


2) QPR are a top forward away from really going places: This sounds a little funny, but I think QPR would be more than safe in the Premier League if they had a top quality forward in their team.


They created plenty of opportunities in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa but Jay Bothroyd does not cut it for me at this level and that could pose problems in the short term before a potential remedy can be brought in during the January transfer window.


The new signings have instilled creativity in the middle of the park, while they look a little more solid defensively and that all bodes well for their future in the top flight.


3) Injuries piling up for Wigan does not bode well for their future: Wigan once again played some nice stuff going forward in their 1-2 home loss to Tottenham at the weekend, but defensively they were shocking in the first half and I feel the loss of Charles N'Zogbia and Hugo Rodallega leaves them a little short of quality in the final third too.


Injuries and suspensions are stretching a small squad and it might be a bigger achievement than last season for Roberto Martinez if he keeps Wigan up.


They don't have the most taxing of fixtures over the next 6 weeks, and we should know a lot more about them at the end of that run.


4) Alan Pardew is going a far better job at Newcastle than expected: I have to admit I am very surprised with how well Newcastle have started this season considering their lack of options up front and losing key personnel during the last 6 months and I have to say the credit must be given to Alan Pardew, someone who has not really been taken in by the Toon Army.


The team are up to 4th in the table, remain unbeaten on the season and have been strong defensively- bigger tests await for the team, but it is more than a respectable start and keeps the fans off the backs of the unwanted owner of the club.

Things Learned from the Weekend Football (August 13-15)

It was so good to have something fun to watch on Saturday afternoons as the Premier League returned to action- it has been a long couple of months without football and I am just glad it is all back up and running.

So what have I learned from this weekend's football:

1) Manchester United still need to improve away from home: This might sound funny considering United won at the weekend, but they looked like they were a little short of ideas in the 2nd half after dominating the opening 35 minutes of the game.


After only winning 5 of 19 away from home last season, it was good to see United start with a win, but I still think we will learn a lot more about them in their next two trips to Bolton and Stoke.




2) Sergio Aguero could be a real difference maker for Manchester City: The Argentinian could not have asked for a better debut for his new club after scoring 2 goals and setting up yet another in the 4-0 win over Swansea.


For a long period it looked like City were really missing Carlos Tevez as they struggled to create real openings, but the arrival of Sergio Aguero midway through the second half changed the whole attacking philosophy of the side and he looks like a player that can make a real difference.


If City sign Samir Nasri too, they could be a real danger this season.


3) Liverpool are going to find things tougher with the new expectations of them: A lot of Liverpool fans came into the new season with huge expectations of their side, but I think the team may still struggle when they are expected to win games without the freedom of being so far behind in terms of points as they were since Kenny Dalglish came back to the club.


They did play well in the first half against Sunderland but couldn't put their opponents away yet this was a game they would most likely have won in the second half of last season when the pressure was off the side.


There are still some big issues in defensive positions for the team and I still think a top 4 finish would represent a good season for this side.




4) Wigan are in for another relegation scrap: I can't help but think this side is going to struggle again this season as they have lost some creative talents like Tom Cleverley and Charles N'Zogbia and they don't strike me as a team that will score enough goals to make survival a straightforward task.


Roberto Martinez has kept doing a very good job in tough circumstances at the DW Stadium, but the next two weeks already look big for the Latics as they visit Swansea and then entertain Norwich.




5) Referee's inconsistencies need to be rectified: I am sympathetic as to how tough the job referees have, but the inconsistencies that blight their performances need to be resolved quickly as it infuriates managers and fans alike.


We have had the early bookings for 'diving', a policy that disappears as the weeks go by and more and more players get away with it, while it seemed unbelievable that Kieron Richardson was not sent off for tripping Luis Suarez when he was through on goal.


Mike Jones was the ref during the West Brom-United game and he had a poor performance in terms of consistency. He booked Ashley Young for an accidental trip that had Sir Alex Ferguson confused, but then allowed James Morrison to get away with an identical challenge just minutes later that had Fergie shaking his head- that kind of inconsistency is so frustrating.


Jones also allowed West Brom to resort to tactics I haven't seen since the early 90's when Leeds and Wimbledon decided to pummel Peter Schemeichel, but surely David De Gea should have got more protection from some of the second half challenges he received. Would Stoke have been allowed to get away with the robust challenges? I think not- inconsistency!!