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Manchester United - potential summer targets

2011-04-19T17:52:00.011-07:00

Had an amazing season last year as he contributed heavily in getting Holland to the World Cup Final and was an outstanding player in Inter Milan’s treble winning side. Sneijder was supposedly interested in joining United last summer but United weren't willing to pay the asking price. It's obvious United could do with a playmaker like Sneijder but could well be put off by the price tag and the high wages he's sure to demand. Would eat up most (if not all) of the transfer budget. Definitely the majority of fans would love to see him arrive and there are rumours he'd be very interested in joining United.

Scott Parker

This is one I've only heard of in recent days. He's got a bit of the Roy Keane about him. He's very determined, a leader and a box to box midfielder. He can shoot, tackle, pass and he's got a never say die attitude. Not exactly a playmaker and he's never going to spray balls out to the flanks like Scholes but that shouldn't take away from the fact that the boy is indeed talented. If West Ham went down he'd surely be cheap and he shouldn't be too expensive if they stayed up. Signing him could spare some of the transfer budget to spend elsewhere.

Javier Pastore

Javier Pastore is a player who has been heavily linked with United in recent weeks. Undoubtedly a talented playmaker with plenty of years in him as he's only 21. Supposedly Lionel Messi has urged Guardiola to make a bid as he rates him highly. He's quick, strong, has a great first touch, can pick a pass, can dribble with the ball and can shoot. However there are fears that if Fergie went for him that he wouldn't adapt to the English game and could end up being another Veron. Could be looking at £30 - 45m for him which would be quite expensive.

Luka Modric

Has adapted to the English game superbly. A real creative skillful playmaker. Harry Redknapp would without doubt look for a huge sum as he rates Luka very highly. He's at a good age and in my opinion would walk straight in to Sir Alex's first choice XI. Exactly the type of player United fans tell you the team need. Great on the ball and a creative presence. Spurs would not want to sell except for a large sum.

Kaka

Is finding life tough at Madrid currently with Ozil shining in a similar position. He cost Madrid one huge sum and hasn't really lived up to the price tag. Kaka has often spoken of his admiration for Ryan Giggs in the past and I'm sure he'd like the opportunity to play with him. However England wouldn't exactly be his dream move. Fergie admires him but the fee could be astronomical and no one would be surprised if he stayed with Madrid or went back to Milan and showed everyone his world class talents.

Christian Eriksen

The Dane was outstanding against England in the recent international and made a lot of people outside Holland and Denmark take notice. He's two footed, can spot a pass and rarely concedes possession. A real attacking creative influence. As he's still a teenager he's bound to improve. Ajax would not want to sell but a decent offer would be accepted. If the boy was English you'd be expected to pay around £30m for him but he's not and the fee would be much less than that. The only flaw I can spot is a lack of experience. However he has stated he'd like to stay on at Ajax for a few more years and get more experience before moving onto a bigger club.

Jack Rodwell

United have been heavily linked with the youngster over the past couple of seasons. Can play centre mid or centre back. Looks most comfortable at centre mid for the moment. Most United fans would be disappointed if he was the marquee signing this summer but the lad does have great potential. He can pass and works hard. Always seems to have a good game no matter who the opposition. He is capable of moments of quality as United themselves discovered in the past.

Arjen Robben

Heavily linked with United many times throughout the years. Has often been a thorn in Uniteds side including in the Champions League last season. He's extremely quick, creative, a great dribbler and has an eye for goal. He strikes me as the type of player Ryan Giggs was as a teenager. Bayern would look for an astronnomical fee and theres no guarantee Arjen would be interested as hes turned United down in the past.

Ashley Young

He can play on either wing or behind a striker. Looks most comfortable in the left wing in my opinion where he can cut in on his right foot. He can score as well as create. Apparently United have shown a genuine interest in the lad. He'd be a great option on the wing. Villa are trying to tie him down to a new contract but word on the street is United have shown an interest and he will hold out until the summer to see will a big team come in for him. United could well be that big team.

Alex Chamberlain

The often talked about but very little known about youngster has been strongly linked in the last few months to United and Arsenal. Every week I see a paper claiming Sir Alex or Wenger has won the battle to sign him. I must admit I haven't seen him often in action myself but from what I have seen he does appear to be a talented player. But I'd need to see him more often to tell if he's a United player or not. He's young, full of pace, tricky and has a decent goal return for the Saints. Has a rumoured price tag of around £10m.

Hugo Lloris

The young Lyon stopper has some of the best reflexes I've ever seen. He saves many shots he has no right to save. He rarely makes mistakes and even though he's only 24 he has a lot of experience at the top level with Lyon over the last few years. He even recently spoke of his admiration for United so the odds are he would be interested. Being so young and so talented means his fee is bound to be large for a gk.

Shay Given

I know. The odds of this happening are non-existent but still I thought I'd give him a mention. He was sometimes linked with a move to United while at Newcastle. He was outstanding for City last season and was outstanding for Newcastle year after year before joining City. His kicking is decent, he makes good decisions, very very rarely makes a mistake and his reflexes are phenomenal. I've spoken to some United fans who have said he could replace Edwin and do a decent job but they don't want him. Why? Because they don't want United to buy from City, they don't want a City reject and City would never sell. He's a top keeper who should be playing at the top level and who'll surely be leaving City this summer but he won't end up at United.

Igor Akinfeev

Was strongly linked United throughout last season. He's a keeper who makes everything he does look easy. He's only 24 but has plenty of experience. he has performed admirably against United in the past and has to be seen as a main contender if United are to as expected sign a keeper this summer. He wouldn't be overly expensive but wouldn't exactly be on the cheap either.

Maarten Stekelenburg

Has supposedly been recommended by fellow Dutchman Van Der Sar. He is decent with his feet as are most keepers who have played for Ajax and he is currently the Dutch number one. Arsenal are rumoured to be interested too. René Meulensteen has according to reports claimed that Stekelenburg is top of Uniteds wanted list. While he is very good on his day one thing that will go against him is the fact he has suffered from a lack of form in the past on more than one occasion. Wouldn't be overly expensive with his contract running down and Ajax low on funds. Definitely a contender.

Manuel Neuer

Very strongly linked with United as being one of the main contenders to replace Edwin. He has an excellent command of his area, his distribution is top class, he's strong and has great reflexes. He's only 24 but is the Schalke captain so he shouldn't be fazed by the big time. Will not be bought on the cheap but it shouldn't be an overly large fee for a keeper either.

David de Gea

The young Spanish keeper has been linked heavily with United in recent times. He's quick, has good reflexes, decent with his feet, good in the air and has plenty of years left in him. The only problem is he may be a little inexperienced. His rise to prominence has been meteoric. There are rumours he has a buy-out clause in the region of £17m.

Rene Adler

Supposedly a Utd fan with a buy-out clause that says if United (only United) come in with around £20m they will let him go. He's at a good age at 26 with a good bit of experience. He's good at one on ones and has great positioning. He's brave and determined and has good reflexes.

By @millzerr

Manchester United - Who will leave in the summer?

2011-03-12T12:41:00.002-08:00

By @millzerr

It has become blatantly obvious to even the most stubborn United fan, that a summer rebuild is necessary. The recent defeats to Wolves, Chelsea and Liverpool have highlighted this issue to the nth degree. The only questions that remain is who'll be in and out this summer and what positions need rebuilding.

OUTS

Edwin Van Der Sar GK-

Rumour has it United have been/ are trying to persuade Edwin to stay on, considering his excellent form this season, despite the hat trick goal he gifted Kuyt last weekend. In all likelihood he will retire.

Tomasz Kuszczak GK-

He wants to be Uniteds number one. It appears that Fergie sees him as a number two at best. It seems Lindegaard is ahead of him in the pecking order. When Edwin goes we expect another keeper to come in either as number one or as a challenger to Lindegaard. Tomasz will want game time and will probably leave.

Gary Neville RB-

Has already retired mid season. Won't be as dramatic a miss as Edwin. Neville has been in and out of the team for years and has been past his best. Saying that he was a great talent and a leader. One of the clubs best ever full backs

Owen Hargreaves CM-

Seems likely to retire. Been very unfortunate with injuries. He's exactly what United could do with it in the middle of the park.

Paul Scholes CM-

Rumour has it he's 50/50 over whether to play on. He has been amazing at times this season but on some other occasions has shown his age. Will only want to stay on if guaranteed a large number of games and if he feels he can still largely contribute.

Michael Owen FW -

Has been unfortunate with the timing of his injuries. Each time he seems to get injured is when he seems likely to make a contribution to the side. Probably won't get a new contract.

Diouf FW-

Currently on loan at Blackburn. He's different to the other strikers United have. He's decent in the air, quick and a good finisher. Unlikely to get much game time. Could be loaned out again or sold.

Welbeck and Cleverly seem likely to return and be squad players for now or go out on loan again. Macheda will probably stay on especially if Owen leaves but no one would be surprised to see the game hungry striker leave permanently.

Where to strengthen?

United are likely to be operating on a tight budget. Not much money can be made by those leaving except maybe on wages. An optimistic transfer budget would be £50m. That's with plenty of departures.

Michael Carrick, after a month or so of fine form earlier this season, seems to be back on the decline that he was on before that small patch of good form. Paul Scholes does not have the legs to be in a two man central midfield anymore. According to the many rumours going around at the moment, Hargreaves is likely to retire. A central midfield man should definitely be on Uniteds agenda. However United won't overpay and would rather stick with their young talent i.e. Gibson, Morrison, Anderson than overpay in an inflated market. Likelihood to go for a new central midfielder - 70%.

With Edwin likely to retire and the possible departure of Tomasz Kuszczak a goalkeeper is very likely to be on Fergies list. Whether that keeper will be a first or second choice keeper is one you must ask Sir Alex. But I assume a somewhat experienced keeper who has plenty of years left in them will be signed as a first choice if possible. Likelihood to go for a new keeper - 85%.

A winger could also be on the list. United love wingers with tricks, pace, crossing ability and the ability to grab a few goals. Giggs has had a good season but is 37 and surely will be gone by the time 40 hits....probably. Valencia has been out most of the season and has been badly missed. Bebe has only shown minor sparks of creativity but he mainly looks a liability. Park was in good form this season but has now missed a lot of games with injuries and international duty. Sir Alex is sure to be happy that he has retired from international duty now. Nani has had a great season. Obertan whilst being much more impressive than Bebe hasn't been that impressive at all. WIth Cleverly and Welbeck to return too, a wide man might not be on the agenda especially if Valencia stays fit. Likelihood to go for a new wideman - 50%.

A striker could be on the agenda. Seems unlikely with Rooney, Berbatov, Hernandez available and the likely return of Welbeck and Macheda. Even Owen and Diouf could return. However I think it is fair to say Uniteds 4-5-1 only really suits Wayne striker wise. Berbatov hasn't looked comfortable up front on his own. It wouldn't suit the others' games. It might suit Diouf somewhat but he could be on the way out. Wayne has been out of form so it's to assume Fergie has at least considered the idea of looking for a backup to Wayne in the 4-5-1. Likelihood to go for a new striker - 30%.

More to come, from @millzerr - stay tuned!

Chelsea vs Manchester United - The big one

2011-02-28T15:35:00.003-08:00

By @millzerr

This is the game I've found the most difficulty in previewing in a long long time. It's hard to know which Chelsea will come out , one beaming confidence or the inconsistent team we've seen in recent months. It's difficult to predict the formations and the line-ups. One thing's for sure Chelsea, will be more motivated for this game than they have been for any other game this season. That may seem like a bold statement to some but I genuinely believe that to be the case.

United will not take this game lightly and I'm sure if United were offered a point now they'd very much consider it. This is the case despite Chelsea's poor form. One must remember the world stars they have at their disposal. Chelsea did do the double last season and have kept most of the players who majorly contributed to that success. It's even fair to say their current best XI is (on paper at least) better than last seasons' best XI. So a point wouldn't be the end of the world for United but it would certainly dent Chelsea's Champions League qualification hopes and end their title dreams.

Chelsea are currently 15 points behind United. Early this season Chelsea seemed unbeatable, unstoppable and they were well clear at the top. Everyone assumed the title was wrapped up. You could see it in the eyes of opposition teams coming out, that they were already beaten. Chelsea oozed confidence and petrified some of the opposition. But times have changed.

United meanwhile have been more efficient than electrifying. They have certainly entertained on occasion at home but away from they've been poor. So with United's poor away form and the fact they have won none and lost five of their last eight matches at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, a draw wouldn't be a terrible result.

The Aging vs The Ageless

Fans and critics alike, were slating United before this season even began. Condemning Fergie for not opening his chequebook to replace Van Der Sar and in particular Giggs and Scholes. This year they're too old and will play even less, I mean that's how aging works in football right? Well usually yes. But they defy the odds. Scholes was amazing at the start of the season. He was unplayable. He's not playing as well now but he still makes a huge difference and contributes heavily. Giggs has been a huge creative force changing many games and has been performing very well whenever called upon this season. His mere presence gets the rest of the team playing to a higher level. United cruised past Wigan at the weekend but it could have been a different story had it not been for the heroics of Van Der Sar. Personally I can't see United replacing him as there's none better. He's now challenging Schmeichel for the title of best goalkeeper United have had. All three of the elder statesmen have been instrumental this season.

Chelsea's aging stars ages seemed to slip under the radar early this season. Everyone was talking of United's aging team and ignoring the fact that Chelsea had so many 30 and overs. It was understandable really, I mean Chelsea were dismantling teams. Drogba made a ridiculous claim that he was fit for the first time in years, or so he claimed and you couldn't deny this because he was out of this world. But suddenly they seemed to implode. Why? I cannot really say. Was it the sudden departure of the like-able coach Ray Wilkins, player unrest, age catching up them, who knows? My best guess it's a combination of most of the above. Chelsea are one of the best teams in the world but personally I don't think they are as good as some of the teams who faced them early in the season thought they were. The opposition gave up coming onto the pitch. Now they now they can take points from Chelsea. One thing is for sure very few of their aging stars have performed consistently this season. Anelka, Drogba, Terry all come to mind. They all seem to be in and out of from, going from the amazing to the shocking. Maybe age is catching up with them.

Team News

Ryan Giggs and Michael Owen could return from respective hamstring and groin injuries.

Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans are not expected to be fit until the weekend at the earliest. Valencia won't be risked for another two weeks or so. Anderson and Park are few weeks away too. No word on the injury plagued Owen Hargreaves.

Fit-again defender Yury Zhirkov could make his first league appearance since November after coming on as a substitute in the last two cup games. Alex (knee), Benayoun (Achilles) are both out.

Tactics

I expect a 4-5-1 from United. If Giggs is fit he'll be on the left with Rooney (most likely) up front on his own. I expect O'Shea's experience will mean he'll be selected ahead of Rafael at RB especially with the inexperienced Smalling likely to be beside O'Shea. Could Hernandez start up front on his own? Yes he certainly could. His pace, movement and finishing could cause major problems to the Chelsea defence. I expect Wayne to be up on his own as long as Ryan is fit though. Waynes poor form and Hernandez's excellent form mean Hernandez has a good chance. Berbatov is likely to be to be left out of a big game again. The slowly improving Gibson could play ahead of Scholes or maybe even ahead of Carrick ,who has been extremely poor in the last two games giving away possession on numerous occasions. Fletcher will play along with two from Scholes, Carrick and Gibson. Nani will be on the right.

I expect Drogba to be left out to make sure the midfield isn't over run. The on form Anelka and improving Torres will be up front. Anelka can't be dropped on current form and he's more versatile than his competition. Torres will get the nod to try and get Vidic off his guard. Essien, Lampard and Malouda will all be in the midfield with Malouda likely to be on the left. Ramires and Mikel will battle for the last midfield position. The quick attacking Bosingwa or the tough Ivanovic - who is a serious threat from set pieces - will be up against Giggs.

Expect Giggs to drift in and out from the wing leaving room for Evra to penetrate the Chelsea defence on the wing. Nani will have a huge part to play against a motivated Ashley Cole. Nani vs Cole is one of many major battles that will take place in this game. Can Cole keep him pinned back in his own half? Or is Nani going to get the better of one of the left backs in the world? Smalling vs Anelka and Vidic vs Torres the other major battles. Torres will keep Vidic on his feet and the deep Anelka will be a new type of challenge for Smalling. United will be cautious but will pass and probe. Chelsea I expect to be very direct. I expect Chelsea to try and power their way to victory.

Stats

Chelsea have won two, drawn two and lost two of their last six Premier League matches at home.

The Red Devils have failed to score in five of their last seven Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge and scored only once on each of the other two encounters.

Torres has scored three goals in his last four Premier league games against United.

United have scored the most headed goals in the Premier League (14) while The Blues have conceded the joint-fewest (4).

United have the best attack with 61 goals while Chelsea have the best defence conceding just 22.

Referee Martin Atkinson has given the most penalties (10) and dished out the most red cards (9) in the league this season.

There have been 48 yellow cards and one red in the last seven league meetings between Chelsea and United and average of seven cards per game.

Prediction - Chances will be at a premium. But I'm going to stick my neck out and say if Giggs plays United may just sneak out winners. His mere presence gets the rest of the team playing well. If Giggs isn't fit I see a draw. Saying all that if Chelsea score first it will be very difficult for United to get anything. It'll be possible, but difficult.

The Magic of the FA Cup - Manchester United FC vs Crawley Town FC - Red Devils vs Red Devils.

2011-02-17T23:43:00.002-08:00

By @Millzerr

The biggest game of the Red Devils', of Crawley Town, history awaits. The minnows' nickname is the same as United's - the Red Devils - but that is where similarities between the clubs end. United hold the record for the highest amount of FA Cup wins with an impressive 11. They've won the trophy in 1909, 1948, 1963, 1977, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999 and most recently in 2004. Crawley Town however have never made it this far in the FA Cup before. 93 League spaces separate the teams.

It's hard to know what team Sir Alex will put out for this game. I'd be very surprised if he picked a team full of youngsters. I'd be even more surprised if he put out his best XI, especially with the Champions League game fast approaching. I assume we'll see a mix and match with players like Darron Gibson, Gabriel Obertan, Javier Hernandez and Wes Brown all likely to be in the mix to play. No matter what team United put out, you'd expect them to be too much for Crawley.
Many United fans have claimed, that the team have been cursed in the FA Cup, since they pulled out in the 1999/2000 season. Other fans claim the FA Cup has lost its magic and the players - and even the manager - are only interested in winning the Premier League and Champions League these days. Sure, United have had some bad luck in the FA Cup since then - The FA Cup final defeats to Chelsea and to Arsenal in particular come to mind - but they also won the trophy in 2004. Hardly a curse. It's hard to argue with the other point. The players, the backroom staff, even the fans would all prefer Premier League or Champions League glory. However I can guarantee you, that all involved would love to win the cup. Wayne Rooney especially comes to mind. He has yet to win the FA Cup but he does have many other medals for all the other trophies available. He has said many times how he'd love to complete his collection. If you think the FA Cup has lost its magic, then the Crawley Town story might just change your mind.

Crawley have had many problems in the last few years. Players and staff had to take 50% pay cuts and the club have been in administration on more than one occasion. Thankfully the club are supposedly very secure at the moment. They are second in the Blue Square Premier, sitting three points behind the leaders, with four games in hand. When Crawley Town beat Torquay in the FA Cup they became the first non-league club to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup in 17 years. Players and supporters thought it couldn't get much better. Then dreams came through when they were drawn to play one of the biggest clubs in the world in Manchester United. A great glamour tie, that should remind us all, of the magic of the cup. We all seen the looks on the faces of all the people associated with Crawley, when the draw was made. Such unbelievable joy.
So is this game a foregone conclusion? Most probably yes. Don't forget in 2005, non league Exeter held United 0-0 at Old Trafford in the third round and in 2006 non league Burton Albion held United at home to a 0-0 draw in the cup as well. Crawley striker Matt Tubbs has an impressive goal scoring record for the club. He has 25 goals from 27 Blue Square Premier League games, he is a former Bolton trainee and is reportedly attracting attention from Peterborough, Southampton and Leeds United. The 26-year old has scored three times on Crawleys amazing FA Cup run, including the winner against Torquay United in the fourth round. So he is undoubtedly their star man and a player to watch out for in the game.

Prediction : The Red Devils - the Manchester United ones - to win comfortably with Gibson and Hernandez on target if they play

4-4-2 or 4-5-1: Decision time for Sir Alex

2011-02-10T19:58:00.003-08:00

By @millzerr

With the Manchester derby fast approaching Sir Alex Ferguson has a big decision to make. Should he go with the 4-4-2 system, which he has more or less applied at home all season in the league or should he go with his tried and tested 4-5-1, which seems to be applied against all the big guns.

It's worth noting that United have taken 37 points from 39 in the league this season. A very impressive record. Its also worth noting that United have played with a 4-4-2 system in the majority of those games; the exception being the Arsenal game, where the trusted big game 4-5-1 formation was utilised.

The absence of Valencia, for most of the season through injury and the absence of Park, who was in the great form before he went away for international duty weeks ago, has caused selection problems. It leaves few players able to play on the wing. Nani who has had his best season in a United shirt so far but can still be infuriating at times, Ryan Giggs who can still leave defenders with twisted blood but he's not able to play twice a week anymore, Obertan who has made strides this season but still is not good enough to deputise for Valencia and Bebe who has talent but he's nowhere near ready for the first team yet. Of course Rooney can do a job on the left too, but whenever he's been asked to do it this season, he's been poor and has looked very frustrated.
Park could be back for the City game, depending on the length of rest the manager gives him after international duty. He was in great form before he left and he is a big game player, so he could get the nod. Nani will start on the wing and either Giggs who has been in superb creative form or Park who has the legs and was in good goal scoring form before he left or the misfiring Rooney will be on the other wing.

One problem United have is the majority of their central midfield players, are more suited to a 4-5-1 than a 4-4-2. Paul Scholes, the best midfielder of his generation, doesn't have the legs he used to, if he did he could play in the middle on his own and no one would get near him. He still has a passing range unrivalled by any other player and still has a goal in him when needed. Paul needs willing runners around him to make for his inability to get around the pitch.
Anderson is a wonderful talent, he has it all but doesn't show it often enough. Considering how good his work rate, technique and dribbling ability is it's amazing he doesn't score more goals. He needs to take control of games more often.
Carrick has two good feet, can tackle, has a great passing range and a decent shot on him. He needs to get about the pitch more and like Anderson, he really needs to start taking games by the scruff of the neck.

Fletcher is a big game, box to box, workaholic. He works really hard and puts good pressure on the opposition when they have the ball, has a very good passing range, which he needs to show more often. Not as creative as the three mentioned above but still grabs goals. Will start if fit.
Gibson has an amazing eye for goal, he can smash them with either foot, if he started every league game for United I'd expect him to grab 10-15 goals, but even with all that he lags behind the other four. He doesn't look for the ball enough, his final ball is usually off target, never seems confident with the ball unless he's shooting. He's quick and has a great passing range, a range we never see anymore. He sometimes leaves big gaps in the middle.

Against most of the Premier League teams, despite the fact the central midfielders are more suited to a 4-5-1 than a 4-4-2, a 4-4-2 will more than suffice. The United midfield is still too strong. But two central midfielders against the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea would run a high risk of the midfield being overran. For the United central midfield to really showcase their talents, especially against the big boys, they generally need two partners in there. City will probably play with Tevez up front on his own and three holding midfielders. If United play a 4-4-2 ,City would outnumber United in the middle and possibly take control of the midfield. If the United players were in the same form, they were in at this stage last season, it would be a simple decision for Sir Alex. Berbatov would be dropped and Rooney would lead the 4-5-1 formation, but times have changed.

Berbatov has been in the form of his United career this season. He has more goals this season already than he scored in the entirety of either of his previous seasons with United. He's not too far from getting the same amount of goals this season (he's on 20) as he did in his previous two seasons combined (26). Whereas Wayne Rooney is probably having his worst season for United and he's having it immediately after having his best season for the club. Wayne had an amazing season last year, whether he was partnering Berbatov up front or spearheading the United attack on his own in the 4-5-1 formation. He has few goals from open play this season, but perhaps surprisingly he is high up in the assists chart, which shows despite his sporadic dispays, his talent still shines through at times.

I think its fair to assume that Van Der Sar, Vidic, Evra, Nani and Rooney are shoe ins to play. Rafael and John O'Shea will battle it out at RB with Rafael quite likely to get the nod. Evans and Smalling will battle it out to partner Vidic as Rio is out. The big game player Fletcher will play if he's fit. That leaves 3 spaces and who gets theses spaces will depend on the formation Sir Alex picks.

The greatest manager in the history of the game couldn't dare drop the Bulgarian in the goal scoring form of his life, could he? He could and its 50-50 whether he will or not. Rooney will play. Whether he plays up front on his own, up front with Berbatov or out on the left to accommodate Berbatov in the 4-5-1 formation remains to be seen. The problem of playing Berbatov up front and Rooney on the left is that, Berbatov has struggled up front on his own and Rooney has underperformed on the left, but at least this way United should win the midfield battle. With Rooney and Berbatov up front United have goals about them but could be vulnerable and outnumbered in the middle. With Rooney upfront on his own, the problem is, where do the goals come from if Rooney continues to misfire. There's a number of things to take into account, but which formation and what personnel we see on Saturday, is a tough one to work out. I don't even know what I'd do, so I haven't a clue about Sir Alex will do. Winning this game would put a big gap between United and City, and could give United the confidence to go on and capture the title. Sir Alex has a big decision to make.
Prediction: If the game finishes 11 vs 11 then I expect United to just about sneak it.

Probable Lineup

If 4-4-2
Van Der Sar
Rafael Smalling/Evans Vidic Evra
Nani Fletcher Carrick/Anderson/Scholes Giggs/Park
Berbatov Rooney

If 4-5-1

Van Der Sar
Rafael Smalling/Evans Vidic Evra
Fletcher (2 from)Carrick/Anderson/Scholes
Nani Giggs/Park/Rooney
Berbatov/Rooney

England impress in friendly win vs Denmark

2011-02-09T18:51:00.003-08:00

By @MattKenny_LFC

England came from behind to beat Denmark 2-1 in an exciting game in Copenhagen.
Daniel Agger opened the scoring for the home side after six minutes but England hit back three minutes later through Darren Bent before substitute Ashley Young scored the winner 20 minutes from time.

The win is England’s first in three games but the performance and resilience of his team will be most pleasing to boss Fabio Capello who brought Jack Wilshere into the starting eleven for the first time.

England started Wilshere alongside captain for the night Frank Lampard and the Arsenal midfielder experienced a frantic opening five minutes on his first start for his country.
Wilshere’s club teammate Bendtner was put through one-on-one twice in the opening stages after sloppy play from England in defence, only for the forward to spurn both opportunities.
Fabio Capello’s side could have taken the lead just seconds later after Rooney capitalised on a Sorensen mistake, only for his shot to be cleared off the line. England were punished for their poor start minutes later when Denmark starlet Christian Eriksen delivered a tantalising cross from the right, which was expertly headed into the corner of the net by Liverpool defender Daniel Agger.

The exciting start continued as England hit straight back with a goal from Darren Bent. Theo Walcott got the best of Poulsen on the right wing before squaring to Bent, who had the simplest of tasks to tap in and equalise from 2 yards out.

The new midfield partnership of Wilshere and Lampard looked promising when in possession but neither appeared willing to sit in front of the defence when the ball was lost, which allowed the Danes space to run at England.

The crossing ability of Eriksen was beginning to cause the England back four all sorts of problems, with Denmark looking to profit from Bendtner knockdowns on a number of occasions as the home side dominated play in the opening half hour.
Playing on the counter attack appeared to suit England though and with just their third attack of the game they came close to a second goal as Aston Villa hitman Bent missed from a Milner cross.

The pace of the game was surprisingly quick for an international friendly as both sides created numerous chances in an encounter that wouldn’t look out of place in the Premier League. Amid the chaos it was the two country’s great hopes, Christian Eriksen and Jack Wilshere, which stood out, with both showing magnificent confidence and technique at such young ages.
Creator nearly turned into goalscorer on the half hour mark as the impressive Eriksen cut in from the right before rattling the post with a powerful left foot drive.
It was all too easy for the Danes and they again came close to taking the lead as Dennis Rommedahl burst past Ashley Cole only for Joe Hart to produce a great reflex save from the former Charlton winger.

England thought they had taken an undeserved lead on 41 minutes when captain Frank Lampard flicked in a Theo Walcott drive only for the offside flank to deny the Chelsea midfielder a goal.

Wilshere’s match lasted just 45 minutes as Capello made a triple substitution at half-time with Scott Parker, Ashley Young and Gareth Barry replacing Lampard, Rooney and Wilshere. Parker was winning just his fourth cap for his country, becoming the first player to win each of his first four caps whilst playing for a different club side.

The first chance of the second half fell to Darren Bent but his effort was well saved by Tomas Sorensen. The Stoke keeper could have been excused had he been feeling rusty, after playing just a handful of games this season, but he reacted well as Bent connected with a Young cross.
Bent missed yet another chance minutes later as England looked to take the lead for the first time. The £24m man made a great run and was found by an in-form Milner only for his shot to sail comfortably wide.

Despite the missed chances, Bent appeared to be a lot more comfortable than in previous international appearances and he was linking up well with Aston Villa teammate Ashley Young in a new-look England attack.

Denmark’s best chance of the second half came from Rommedahl who linked up brilliantly with Eriksen before seeing his shot stopped by Joe Hart. But it was England who scored the third goal of the game with 20 minutes left when Glen Johnson robbed the home side of possession and burst forward before laying the ball off to Ashley Young, who controlled well and coolly slotted past Sorensen to make it 2-1.

Denmark continued to dominate possession but created few opportunities as England held on for a confidence boosting win.

Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool - Match Review

2011-02-06T12:45:00.004-08:00

By @MattKenny_LFC

Fernando Torres’ debut ended in defeat as former-club Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Raul Meireles scored the only goal of the game to give the Anfield side a well earned three points and the bragging rights after Monday’s deadline day drama.

Torres had the best chance of the early exchanges after former teammate Maxi Rodriguez appeared to forget what team the Spaniard was on and played him through on goal but the resulting shot sailed over the bar.

The home side had the majority of the possession in the first half but struggled to break down an organised Liverpool side that were more than willing to sit back in their new 3-4-2-1 formation.
The Reds appeared to be getting the better of the £50m man with Lucas easily dispossessing Torres before Agger became the first LFC player to foul the Spaniard, much to the delight of the travelling supporters.

The ex-Red nearly got his revenge minutes later though. Lucas was dispossessed on the halfway line and Torres was sent through one-on-one with Reina but just as the Chelsea striker’s magic moment appeared to have arrived, Jamie Carragher slid in with a last ditch tackle to deny his former teammate.

Liverpool’s best chance came on the half hour mark when Steven Gerrard squared to Maxi Rodriguez, but the Argentine continued his nightmare half by inexplicably hitting the bar from all of three yards.

Chelsea’s three pronged attack were struggling to make an impact as Liverpool’s packed defence neutralised the threat of Torres, Drogba and Anelka during a relatively comfortable first 45 minutes for the visitors.

The tension appeared to be getting to the Chelsea backline when Ivanovic and Cech clashed after confusion over a Martin Kelly in what was a frustrating first half for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
It was a slow start to the second half with neither team creating many chances. Liverpool came close through a long range shot from Glen Johnson whilst Chelsea were limited to set piece opportunities.

Kenny Dalglish’s team appeared to be growing in confidence as they committed more men forward and a foray forward by Johnson resulted in a dangerous freekick for the vistors but Raul Meireles’ cross was easily caught by Cech.

The Portuguese midfielder was on target on 69 minutes though as Liverpool scored the opening goal. Gerrard crossed from the right and after Cech completely missed the ball Meireles was there to score his 4th goal in 5 games.

As the jubilant Reds fans celebrated, the camera panned to a solemn-looking Torres, who had been subbed for Kalou, who may have been regretting his move as he sat on the bench during what was meant to be his dream debut.

The goal did little to change the complexion of the game however, as Chelsea continued to dominate possession without really threatening Pepe Reina’s goal. Carlo Ancelotti decided to bring on David Luiz for his debut as his team desperately searched for an equalizer.

It was Liverpool who came closest to scoring though when Dirk Kuyt slid through substitute Fabio Aurelio who cleverly cut inside John Terry before seeing his effort comfortably saved by Petr Cech.

Fans would have expected a late rally from the home side but Chelsea continued to huff and puff with little result as they struggled to break down a resilient Liverpool side.

There was a late penalty appeal for the champions when Glen Johnson brought down Branislav Ivanovic in the area but their pleas were ignored as Liverpool held on for a famous win at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool now move up to 6th and Chelsea lie 10 points behind leaders Man United.

Chelsea vs Liverpool - an LFC prediction

2011-02-05T16:47:00.007-08:00

By @malbennett29

I don't mean to presume that this match is any more important for Liverpool than the next one, but there is always something titanic about matches with Chelsea. Something almost gargantuan and monolithic, the matches sometimes frighten me. The intensity and the ability to shock in terms of the result has always been my favourite part of this fixture.

With Fernando Torres leaving Liverpool for Chelsea, there was always going to be a massive point to make. Liverpool is the club that made him, he grew in stature at this club, he was absorbed into it's history. Now he is a Chelsea player and we would do well to remember how to contain his explosive pace and powerful shooting.

Many Liverpool fans will be bitter and enraged by seeing him in a blue shirt, I'm sure Chelsea fans will have a new grin on their faces over the whole transfer saga. I believe that all the Liverpool fans need to think of is a buoyant Suarez and Carroll, grinning wildly and clearly awed by the prospect of playing for Liverpool.

With Carragher's injury, it looks likely he may be a late substitution for Skrtel. I predict that Kenny will go for a 4-3-2-1. Probably, Reina: Kelly, Skrtle, Agger, Johnson: Lucas, Maxi, Gerrard: Kuyt, Meireles: Suarez. This allows a decently packed midfield with the ability to break away and charge the wings whilst getting men in the box, vital for any trip to Stamford Bridge.
I would be very surprised if Ancelotti didn't start Torres alongside Drogba, with a Lampard, Malouda, Ramires, Essien diamond and a back four of Cole, Terry, Ivanovic, Ferreira. This will allow a certain degree of wing play against Liverpool's fullbacks.

With Liverpool's resurgence and Chelsea's unpredictability this makes for a very tasty game. The added spice of a 'grudge' match with seemingly every Liverpool fan and player against Torres, just makes a boiling match even more fever pitch.

So I'll give this game a 10 out of 10 rating for it's attraction and go for a 3-2 scoreline, with Liverpool to win of course!

Torres to torment his old club

2011-02-04T13:06:00.004-08:00

Chelsea will host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, which is always a big occasion, but after all the transfer deadline day drama, a little extra spice has been added to the fixture.

British record signing Fernando Torres believes that it is his destiny to score against his former club on Sunday, and who would bet against him scoring on his debut, just as he did for Liverpool against the Blues on his Premier League debut?

Carlo Ancelotti has no fresh injury concerns to contend with, so his only main job is to work out how best to fit Torres into the Chelsea setup as the Blues’ other new signing David Luiz cannot play until his paperwork is completed.

Despite Liverpool’s recent reprise under Kenny Dalglish, the bookmakers have Chelsea as 8/13 favourites to win this game, with good reason as the Stamford Bridge club have come into some form of their own and have scored 10 goals in their last three Premier League fixtures.

The Reds’ new highly rated striker Luis Suarez is expected to start on Sunday after scoring on his debut against Stoke in the week, so the likes of John Terry will definitely have to keep an eye out for the tricky Uruguayan. Also, Liverpool midfielder Raul Meireles has been in good form of late and has been finding the net, often in emphatic style and is another who could possibly pose a threat on Sunday.

It has been a long time since I was confident in any big fixture as Chelsea suffered what Ancelotti described as a “bad moment” for some months, but I believe the intensity surrounding this fixture will buoy the west London club at home, so I’m predicting a 2-0 win. Hopefully Torres will find the score sheet and perhaps even Nicolas Anelka, another former Liverpool striker, who was incredible against Sunderland in midweek and could potentially star in a ‘tip of the diamond’ role.

By @theshedender

For more Chelsea news visit theshedender.com

How Liverpool can topple Chelsea

2011-02-03T23:06:00.002-08:00

3 wins in 3 matches have raised spirits on Merseyside but the real test is on Sunday afternoon, at Stamford Bridge.

John Terry recently said "don't fear us at your peril" but it is this attitude that may prove to be Chelsea's downfall. After a rotten run of form, last year's EPL Champions have been in much better form, but as Tuesday victory showed, defensively the Blues are still shaky.

Petr Cech was in stunning form vs Sunderland but for the Black Cats to score 2 against one of the most miserly defences, you have to ask questions.

The addition of Luis Suarez to the Liverpool attack will stand them in good stead but he will have to build on his brief, albeit goalscoring, debut. John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic will be tricky opponents for the Uruguayan, but if he can get beyond Chelsea's captain he won't be caught. The improving fortunes of Raul Meireles and Steven Gerrard offer great hope to Liverpool, forging a solid attacking midfield. They will find it difficult to get past Essien if he is played in a defensively role, however.

If Chelsea do indeed start the match with three strikers, Drogba, Anelka and the ex-Anfield favourite Fernando Torres it will leave the Champions somewhat exposed. If Dalglish adopts a five-at-the-back formation with Martin Kelly and Glen Johnson as wing-backs and three centre-backs they should be able to stifle Chelsea's advances. Lucas and Gerrard will have to be aware of Anelka dropping deep to retain possession, a tactic that was very effective vs Sunderland.

Liverpool must play that flat back three, with Kelly and Johnson as wing-backs. Allow the resurgent Raul Meireles to get forward as much as he did vs Stoke and also hope for a little bit of Suarez magic. The key, however, is to stifle that possible Chelsea attack. If Liverpool can restrict the Champions space to thread cross-field passes, they could knick the win.

Will the good run of form continue? Or will it be a Bridge too far for Dalglish's men?

Cheers

Soccer.tel

Is life after Torres really that bad?

2011-01-29T21:43:00.007-08:00

By @malbennett29

Waves of euphoria were rippling across the Mersey yesterday as Luis Suarez was one step closer to joining Liverpool FC. That soon turned sour after some rather surprising and unexpected news.
Torres has handed in a transfer request.

A what? A WHAT?!

The poor timing of the request is utterly baffling. Just as we are about to embark on a half season of strong recovery, growth on and off the field, Torres hands the club a recession. Ill advised or selfish, we can't know just yet the motivation around this request, but one thing is for certain, he has shot himself in the foot.

Let's consider his options.

- He may go to Chelsea and play up front with Drogba, who is out of contract this season, and other stars who may be getting the chop, according to some sources. That would leave him at another club who are rebuilding. The days of Abramovich fuelled excess are coming to an end, he is tightening his belt and buying clever. Risky move.

- He may go abroad. We know that Barcelona would be interested in him. To play alongside his good friend David Villa would be a dream move to him. An opportunity to play for the best team in the world shouldn't be dismissed.

- He may stay. Was his request bungled? I doubt it. Liverpool may be able to hang onto his services but Torres is looking at what lies over the other side of the cliff. If Liverpool keep his services, will it be like that of Ronaldo at Manchester United? Respectfully waiting a season before departing for a lot of money on the back of success? Or will it end up like Tevez at Manchester City? Holding the club to ransom for more wages, more influence and more headlines? Either way, it's inevitable that he gets what's he wants. Player power indeed.

Let's think of the positives, shall we? We have a proven goalscorer on the horizon. Do we really need to break out the handkerchiefs and wave off the departing Torres in floods of tears and much gnashing of the teeth? Sure we will miss his goals even though they haven't been flowing this season. We will miss his commitment, even though that has wavered dramatically this season. I think, most of all, we will miss his presence. That is an unquantifiable spirit that money can't buy.

The warnings are there for Torres, if he leaves. He will fall into the categories of those strikers who left for a 'bigger club', like Rush, Keegan and Owen. Fresh in the memory is Owen's treachery, leaving purely for money and then playing for our rivals. Keegan left and found no success at Hamburg, his departure also paved way for the greatest Liverpool player of all time, Dalglish. And Rush, who struggled to score at his most prolific best against the tightest of defences in Serie A. These three players should act as a warning to Torres. Barely anyone finds more success away from Liverpool. We are the be all and end all of football spirit. We may not win many competitions but we win enough games to challenge as one of the best teams in the world. We may have fallen from that dizzy perch but we will be back there soon.

Torres can leave, he may find success, but I think one thing he has lost is every bit of respect from his millions of strong, working class supporters who do not forgive disloyalty easily.

So go Fernando, we wish you well but do not think for an instant that we will miss you, there is always another Owen, Rush, Keegan or indeed Torres on the horizon to score goals for the most prestigious club in England.
You'll Never Walk Alone Torres, but at the same time we won't be walking with you.

Why Chelsea and Liverpool will leave empty-handed

2011-01-27T20:58:00.003-08:00

Two clubs with considerable riches are held to ransom.

Both Chelsea and Liverpool seem to have been provided with substantial funds during this transfer window, but yet no new players have arrived. The difficulties of negotiation are always enhanced by the short timeline of the month of January. Aston Villa have flexed their financial muscle capturing Darren Bent, and Manchester City have secured the prolific Edin Dzeko. But why have Chelsea and Liverpool so far failed to secure their targets? Expectation.

Ajax fully expect Liverpool, with their new-found financial capabilities, to cough up a considerable offer for Luis Suarez. Not meeting their demands could leave them without a January transfer window signing with seemingly no other targets in their sights - Ryan Babel's departure makes the lack of incoming talent even more troubling. A little message for NESV and Damien Comolli - don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Chelsea's transfer dealings have been equally fruitless. Negotiations with Benfica for defender David Luiz have been on and off more times than I can even keep track of. Rumoured bids for Godin and Aguero have been denied by Chelsea but after today's bold move for Fernando Torres, you never quite know what will happen next.

Villa and City played the transfer market perfectly this month, tempting two top quality strikers (arguably the best players at their respective clubs) to join. If you're going to delve into the frustrating, inflated and rushed January transfer market, you should do so with a deadline that isn't the final few days of the window.

Soccer.tel

Why Hodgson was wrong for Liverpool Football Club

2011-01-25T10:49:00.003-08:00

By LFC supporter - @malbennett29

Many media critics and journalists had nothing but scorn for the way Liverpool had been playing this season. Heaping on the pressure that threatened to envelop the beleaguered Roy Hodgson. The fans drew on this criticism of the players and instead turned it onto the manager, threatening to bring him down no matter what.

Often, in the media, the attention was focused on the detrimental effect the fans and the players were having upon Hodgson. To an extent I agree with this assessment by the media but not necessarily the purpose. We as fans only wanted to express ourselves and begin the process of recovery that Hick & Gillett had so disastrously prompted. With some of the most powerful protests seen in football taking place on the terraces, the internet and the streets, it would only be a matter of time that change would be granted.

Football is obviously a fickle monster, it generates its own heroes and villains, its own romances and divorces and its own fairytale endings and abrupt nightmare finishes. What Hodgson failed to take into consideration was the maelstrom he was placing himself in. Not only had the fans taken three years of lies and misdirection from Hicks & Gillett, they had seen their hopes of challenging for the title diminish as soon as it had been nurtured into life by Benitez. Half of the fans mourned Benitez and expected less glory, the other half rejoiced and expected a man to fire LFC to better success.

How wrong were those fans?

His press conferences immediately defied belief. Calling Northampton ‘formidable’, chastising the protests against the previous owners and shuffling away from Alex Ferguson when confronted with condemnations of Torres’ professionalism. That’s how Hodgson alienated the fans, by not being a backbone for the fans, he should have been enraged to hear such comments about one of his players, he should have spat into the microphone and demanded a personal apology from Ferguson. Although very good friends, there are still times when one will overstep the mark.

The media didn’t cover itself in glory either. Continuing to back Hodgson just because he was an English manager is so typical of the Premier League and the British press. I cant believe the blame that Benitez got for the narrow, negative and frankly negligible way that Hodgson played. He himself spoke of how ‘this wasn’t [his] team of players’. Consistently backed by the likes of Andy Gray, Patrick Barclay and Henry Winter, Hodgson became a bit of a clown, stumbling from press conference to press conference, always with a failing quote, a sound bite that took chunks out of his career. Yet, still he was backed by establishment, loathe to turn on anyone who would be named a Manager of the Season.

Hodgson’s formations were, well archaic and frankly depressing. A standard 4-4-2 for basically every match, away from home we sat so deep we basically filled our own goalmouth. Torres was so isolated due to the midfield having no creators, they sat on the wings, Meireles and Cole, and Gerrard got his way by playing in centre midfield, even though he is far less effective there. This just created a midfield that sat and absorbed wave upon wave of attack. The wings were taken up with creative midfielders who should have been supporting Gerrard and Torres.

Results such as the defeat to Blackpool at home, the loss at Ewood Park and the shambles at Old Trafford, all serve to indicate a man who was at the end of a relatively successful career. He was using methods that had revolutionised the football world in the eighties and nineties. He simply couldn’t compete with the high intensity of formations such as the ultra wide 4-5-1 or the passing narrowness of 4-3-3.

In the end, Hodgson demonstrated a fatal flaw. He assumed he knew the club and its supporters, their dreams and their hopes, their style of football and the level of football we would stomach. However, he couldn’t have been more further from the truth.

This is Liverpool Football Club and we didn’t win 18 titles and 5 European cups by playing four central midfielders at home to Blackpool.

Ancelotti gets the boot (by an old lady)

2011-01-22T18:01:00.009-08:00

Slightly misleading headline, but funny nonetheless.

Soccer.tel

Liverpool vs Everton - the Merseyside derby

2011-01-15T11:50:00.004-08:00

By @malbennett29

Liverpool take on Everton at Anfield tomorrow for the 214th Merseyside Derby, or as we say round here, The Derby.

Taking on a massive significance as Kenny Dalglish makes his emotional and romantic return to Anfield, this derby is destined to be high profile. Everton are in better form than Liverpool, holding possession better but facing a striker crisis. However, is this the moment Liverpool finally bounce back? Dalglish has a terrific record against Everton, losing only 3 of 20 meetings.

I feel if Dalglish keeps the team that he has been playing then we should be able to see a few goals. The midfield is the key as Everton should be missing Pienaar through a transfer pending and Cahill is away at the Asian Cup, Liverpool will miss Joe Cole through injury and Gerrard through suspension. Whoever wins this will go above the other, the bragging rights are up for grabs and the inevitable pressure on the manager will increase with Moyes starting to lose face with the fans.

Crucial battles will be Skrtel/Beckford. Since moving to the Premier League, Beckford has failed to sparkle and Everton fans are often left exasperated, he does find himself in decent spaces and this will push Skrtel who isn't having the best season. I see Beckford pulling Skrtel all over the pitch.

Agger/Saha. I don't see any problem here unless Agger has to cover for Skrtel and this let's Saha link up with Beckford. However, Agger can handle the off pace Saha.

Torres/Distin. This is very interesting, I can see Torres getting crushed by Distin but I also believe in Torres' ability to recognise who the weaker centre back is and go for Jagielka instead.

Johnson/Kelly/Bilyaletdinov. If Johnson plays right back I can only see trouble as Bilyaletdinov will tie him in knots. However, if Dalglish settles with the team of the past two games then I have every confidence that Kelly will easily contain the quite straight runs of Bilyaletdinov.

Arteta/Lucas/Meireles. This is where most of the battling will be. In a stilted midfield lacking in creativity, you will be able to see the absence of Gerrard and Pienaar. Both Lucas and Meireles need to stifle Arteta as he will look to be the creative mind for Everton.

My prediction, 1-0. Liverpool, I see a stronger midfield with Jovanovic on the left and Maxi on the right Meireles pushing forward supporting Ngog and Torres. This 4-1-4-1 formation of Liverpool's will stretch Moyes' 4-4-2 as wide men pushing inwards will force the Everton wide midfielders to track back and help out the defence. However, you can never truly predict a derby as they always throw up surprises.

Red and yellow cards are inevitable, goals are not.

Stopping the rot in the Kop

2011-01-11T14:08:00.005-08:00

By @malbennett29

Life as a Liverpool Football Club supporter is often filled with drama, from Istanbul to a 4-0 home win against Real Madrid to a High Court battle for the very soul of the club, (don’t make me go there again, the palpitations are still trying to settle!)

One thing was supposed to be for certain, the certainty of a new era at Anfield. The era of the mumbling man, the shoe gazer, the shuffling gentleman who would ‘put an arm’ around the players. Roy Hodgson was the man that all ‘experts’ hailed as the firm and steady hand that would wrestle the tiller from the grasp of the tactically European ethos that had enveloped Melwood.

As a fan, I was bitterly disappointed that, as a club, we had gone in the direction of a ‘safety net’ manager, someone who would settle down the dust filled moments, soothe aching egos and partake in the nodding-dog act that the boardroom so desperately wanted. I wanted dynamism, brevity of negativity, depth of passion and a sincere, winning mentality. What I got was archaic formations, mediocre home games, appalling away performances and a misinterpretation of the very fabric of Liverpool FC.

Roy should never have been given this job. In his own words, this was his “reward for 35 years in football”. What, exactly, he had done in those 35 years to warrant one of the biggest jobs in world football, is completely underwhelming. The job was obviously too big for him as he lurched from one poor post match interview to the other. Northampton a formidable side? No rebuff to Sir Alex Ferguson on Torres’ perceived “cheating”? Blaming the fans for negative performances and singling out the protests of fans, against the debt accrual of the previous owners, for criticism? The more I think about his time at the club the more I’m reminded of an embarrassed senior citizen who utters something deeply un-p.c. and is forever trying to scratch himself out the hole, unable to fully come to terms with quite how the world has moved on.

Then a strange thing happened. Somebody wanted to buy us, someone saw into the vision of the wounded Phoenix licking its wounds, ready to rise from the ashes of the shackles placed upon the greatest English football team ever. Fenway Sports Group are sincere and have a belief that mirrors our own, they are echoing the sentiments that so many fans shout from the terraces.

The decisions made by FSG so far have been considered, reverential and, dare I say it? modern! The inclusion of a Director of Football is something many fans would have resisted, but I have to say it is both refreshing and reassuring. Too many times we have been burnt at the hands of the transfer market. Damien Comolli seems adroit at bringing in talent and his handling of the Hodgson situation seems quietly impressive. Reluctant to change, but changes when the need is recognised.

As a fan I feel content yet excited by the explosion of Dalglish onto the scene. His immediate impact upon the psyche of the players was evident to see in probably the happiest 1-0 defeat of my life. We played well as a team, great defending and good going forward. You could see the passion return, like a body being coloured back into life. The formation seemed odd to me and belied the rigid structure instilled by Hodgson. A 4-5-1 that sometimes progressed to a 4-1-4-1 was at best hard at the back and at worst stilted in midfield. I do firmly believe, though, that Dalglish will reinvigorate an attacking mindset. His return is like that of The Lord of The Rings, in the shade for many years, away from the club before coming back as the overseer of the youth, but the Coronation of the King is now complete. I can sleep with the belief that my team now has a fire in the belly and suddenly hope abounds across the Fields of Anfield Road.

Premier League - Manchester United in control

2011-01-08T11:51:00.003-08:00

Well, it seems a record 19^th title is ours to lose; two points clear at the top with games in hand on all our closest rivals, and still unbeaten 19 games in.

Old Trafford is a fortress where United have accumulated 31 out of a possible 33 points and scored 29 goals in the process yet there remain doubters.

Opinion is spilt as to whether this Man United team is yet to get out of second gear so far, and when the traditional post Christmas ‘Red Surge’ comes will race to the title, or, whether they don't have higher gears and are not a great United team. Much of the doubt is clouded by the general fixation with our No.10.

Wayne Rooney’s prolific 34 goals carried United last season as he stepped up to fill the rather large void left by Cristiano’s departure. Wazza has struggled so far this season, and it seems many outside commentators still believe we need Wayne to reach these heights again if we are to be successful, but in all other areas this team is superior to last seasons.

Nani, given a prolonged spell on his favoured right flank has had a wonderful 2010 and developed into a world-class talent who consistently delivers; he has averaged at least a goal or an assist a game in this Premier League season. Dimitar Berbatov has finally turned his undoubted talent into a tangible yield and has a league best 14 goals so far-without taking penalties.

The astute acquisition of Hernandez offers us a genuine game-changing impact from the bench and provides the vital competition for places that all championship-winning sides need. The continued development of Anderson and Rafael Da Silva mean we have addressed last year’s problems in central midfield and at right back and the Brazilian duo will only get better with big-game experience.

Also, Rio is winning his fitness battle to once again forge the league’s best central defensive pairing with Vidic, providing us with a solid enough foundation to allow Fergie to forgo a midfield sitter in most games.

The away form is a concern. Two wins from nine has to improve and will do so as soon as we cease conceding late goals. Sir Alex knows better than anyone that turning draws into wins late on is habitual and will be disciplining his players about the virtues of concentration and desire until the final whistle.

Tough trips to The Emirates, White Hart Lane, and Stamford Bridge await but with our recent record against the Gunners and Spurs, and Chelsea’s current abject form Fergie will be confident of staying at the top. And, if Rooney does find form again the trophy may be home quite soon.

StrettyNews.com
Your source for Manchester United news

Spurs - Redknapp was spot-on.

2011-01-05T20:10:00.011-08:00

At the start of the season when Harry Redknapp said Tottenham could challenge for the title I scoffed at the idea. Without signing a top striker it looked like even repeating a top four finish could be a struggle. One thing I didn’t count on was the arrival of Rafael van der Vaart. The Dutchman is an exceptional player, a steal at £8 million, and elevates us to a higher class. He will be a contender for player of the season alongside Gareth Bale and Luka Modrić.

Chelsea are in an unexpected rut, Arsenal are typically inconsistent, Manchester City have proven that all the money in the world can’t buy a harmonious dressing room and despite half a season unbeaten Manchester United are nothing to fear. How it will finish is very difficult to call. At the moment Manchester United are top and Chelsea are fifth, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the opposite was true come the end of the season. Whoever wins the title will be the weakest Champions for a long time.

The victory over European Champions Inter proves Spurs can match anyone and its hard to imagine there ever being a better chance to win the league. The most important thing is that we achieve Champions League qualification again. Anything else is a bonus.

Jack McInroy - @yids
You’ll Win Nothing With Yids
www.youllwinnothingwithyids.com

Chelsea - from free-scoring to free-falling

2011-01-05T19:25:00.007-08:00

The first half of the 2010/11 Premier League season has been a tale of boom and bust for defending champions Chelsea, which has seen the Stamford Bridge faithful experience both jubilation and despair.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side couldn’t have had a better start to the season after winning their opening games against West Brom at home and Wigan away, both with a 6-0 scoreline. The Blues continued to wow fans and experts alike as they marched onto victories against Stoke, West Ham and Blackpool.

But all the while, Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United, warned that people should not get carried away with the hype surrounding Ancelotti’s free-scoring side and suggested that they may come unstuck against a better quality of opponent. Also, Chelsea were hit with their first major negative of the season when the talismanic Frank Lampard limped off against Stoke with an injury.

So, the red-faced Scot must have been pretty pleased with himself when Chelsea lost their first high-profile encounter against Manchester City at Eastlands, when the Citizens took advantage of Ramires’ loose ball and Carlos Tevez netted what proved to be the winner in a 1-0 game.

The Blues quickly brushed off the defeat as they cruised to an impressive 2-0 Marseille in the Champions League, having already beaten minnows MSK Zilina earlier that September. But then came the time for their next big encounter, which was against London rivals Arsenal at the Bridge. Ancelotti’s side went into the game high on confidence as they have mostly had the upper hand on their no-so-noisy neighbours over the past few years, especially when the Gunners’ nemesis Didier Drogba is involved. And sure enough the Ivorian was on the scoresheet once again as well as Brazilian defender Alex, who hit a thunderbolt of a free kick to make the game 2-0.

The Stamford Bridge faithful were on a high, but there was some bad news as Alex had injured himself whilst taking the free kick and would miss Chelsea’s next two Premier League games.

Next up for the west Londoners was Aston Villa at Villa Park, something of a bogey ground for the defending champions and despite failing to win the game, the 0-0 scoreline was better than the result of last season’s fixture there. Chelsea then went on to win 2-0 against Mick McCarthy’s Wolves at Stamford Bridge 2-0 and beat Blackburn 2-1, with a late Branislav Ivanovic header.

By this time the media had only good things to say about the Blues, who were looking increasingly likely to retain their Premier League crown, especially as the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal were faltering, but then came a November to forget for Ancelotti’s men.

A trip to Anfield against struggling Liverpool and their under-fire manager Roy Hodgson became the beginning of what was to become the worst run of form that Chelsea had suffered for over 10 years. A Fernando Torres brace felled the Blues, who regained a little composure with a 1-0 win over Fulham (Michael Essien scored the winner, but later received a straight red card) in the following fixture, but nobody would have predicted what was to come.

The Chelsea board sent shockwaves through the club a Ray Wilkins was dismissed from his position as assistant manager following the west London derby and a section of fans still bemoan the decision and believe it was a contributing factor of Chelsea’s decline thereafter.

An embarrassing 3-0 loss at home to goal-shy Sunderland ensued mid-November, which coincided with a defensive injury crisis that saw both John Terry and Alex miss out. The latter was to have surgery delayed to try allay defensive worries in the next two fixtures, but to no avail as Chelsea were defeated at St Andrews and drew at St James’ Park.

December was not much better for Chelsea despite comfortably clinching a place in the second round of the Champions League. The west Londoners suffered a late goal against Everton at home to be denied three points, failed to convert an injury-time penalty at White Hart Lane to earn three points and we’re soundly beaten by Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates.

But Chelsea did manage to record an overdue win when Florent Malouda scored his eighth goal of the season, his first since the Wolves game in October, to beat Bolton 1-0. The return of Frank Lampard also gave the fans a boost as he played the second half at White Hart Lane and has started every Premier League fixture since.

2011 has arrived, but the Chelsea players have yet to live up to their New Year’s resolutions as the club have dropped a further four points in a 3-3 draw against Villa and a 1-0 loss against Wolves at the Molineux, and subsequently many believe that the Blues are now out of the title race.

At time of writing I’m not feeling very optimistic as I have just witnessed my team losing to the bottom side of the Premier League, which has led to a lot of speculation over Carlo Ancelotti’s future at the club as many believe it may prove to be the final straw and Roman Abramovich will wield his axe on the Italian. I guess we will find out more on that in the near future.

But regardless of who the manager is, I feel that the squad could do with some strengthening and would hope that problems with goal-scoring and creativity will be addressed. I’m not asking for a star, but to spend some money wisely for much-need fresh blood.

However, I hate to be a pessimist (prefer to be described as a realist anyway) but I think that the title may be beyond us and with Manchester City and Tottenham improving, it is more important that we secure a position in the top four as well as making a push for the UEFA Champions League. I think we’ll manage the former and predict a third place finish for Chelsea.

By @theshedender - http://theshedender.com/

Arsenal the Brave, Arsenal the Strong.

2011-01-03T16:34:00.006-08:00

Hello Chaps,

Take one look down the midweek fixture list and you'll quickly spot the standout tie: Arsenal playing host to Manchester City.

Last season, in the last three corresponding fixtures (two league and one Carling Cup) Arsenal conceded 7 goals and only scored 2. Manchester City won one of the league matches and knocked Arsenal out of the Carling Cup. The third fixture? A dour 0-0 draw at the Emirates.

On last season's evidence, the Citizens hold the advantage.

This season, however, things have changed.

Arsenal's match at Eastlands in October ushered in a season of Arsenal-physicality (a complete oxymoron in seasons past). City were bullied through finesse, and in Arsenal's recent match against Chelsea, Arsenal were labeled one thing that they haven't been in years: strong.

There were mentions several years ago that the modern Arsenal would soon be a force. Perhaps this is why Arsene has been in a job for so long without a trophy: the lure of future dominance. I still feel as though in a few years time, the likes of Nasri, Wilshere, Walcott, Ramsey and even the young captain Fabregas will have further developed into more mature, experienced and, most importantly, strong players.

This year, with the defeat of Chelsea, is a start.

City are having a decent season themselves, with massive wins against Villa and Liverpool, and have scored 3 or more on 8 occasions so far this season, they lie in second place and are looking good. This will be no easy match for the Gunners.

If Arsenal take this match to City and manage to take all three points, it is not a sign of Arsenal's completed growth. Rather, it's a symbol of a continued development for the Gunners. If City take the points, it might be back to the drawing board again in terms of title aspirations this season, but it means little to Arsenal's extended future.

Whilst the likes of Manchester United and (particularly) Chelsea are ageing, Arsenal are maturing and it would be no surprise to see the Gunners dominating English football in several years.

For now, Arsenal must focus on City. Wednesday could be another key moment in the development of Arsene's young side, and at the Emirates, we see Arsenal taking all three points.

Cheers,

Soccer.tel

Oh Yes, It's Our Mid-Season Review

2011-01-01T21:24:00.012-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, it is that time of year. That's right, it's our "year-so-far" review blog!

Here are the Soccer.tel ratings out of 10 for each team so far this season, and where we expect each squad will finish off. Let us know if you agree (and if not, what your end-of-year table will look like!)

Let's get stuck in, going down the table from 1st to 20th.

1) Manchester United

First off, let's get this straight: Manchester United have not been playing well. But the very fact that they are still top of the table (with at least one game in hand to the other teams occupying the top four) is a testament to the longevity of Sir Alex and his veteran players. Berbatov has come into his own, but Rooney has been a major, major disappointment thus far. We expect to see Manchester United within the top 2 at the end of the season, but are sitting on the proverbial fence when it comes to their title aspirations. However, at this point, it's United's title to lose.

"So Far" Season Rating: 8.5

2) Manchester City

Well, what can you say? Balotelli is a see-saw signing, scoring hat-tricks one day and stropping off the field the next, Mancini seems to be hanging onto his dressing room by a thread, and who knows which players may pack up and leave in January? However, when all’s said and done, whether you point to their games in hand or not, Manchester City are in second place in the New Year. This is no small achievement and one that must be applauded and respected. The games-in-hand may come back to haunt City, but if Tottenham’s European exploits continue to tire their squad in the following league matches, City have every chance of finishing in the Top-4.

"So Far" Season Rating: 9.0

3) Arsenal

So far, this has been a topsy-turvy season for Arsenal. Quite literally, one week their title aspirations are written off and the next they are being touted as strong contenders. In the end, Arsenal are most definitely going to be up there with United and Chelsea. In order to do that however, they’re going to need to find some modicum of consistency. The Gunners last two gameweeks have summed up their season: A brilliant win against Champions Chelsea, then a dour 2-2 draw with Wigan (although credit must be given to the Latics for fighting back to tie the match). Arsenal are genuine title contenders, but with their consistency, we see them finishing in third-place.

"So Far" Season Rating: 7.5

4) Tottenham

Tottenham are holding onto their Champions League spot by the skin of their teeth. It seems that, whilst Spurs’ Champions League experience has been astonishing so far, it causes a fairly significant dip in form in their following Premier League matches. Van der Vaart has been a truly inspired signing and Bale is growing in talent (and stature) every day. In the end though, Tottenham’s Champions League exploits may prove too much for Redknapp’s side, and City may well usurp their top-4 place.

"So Far" Season Rating: 8

5) Chelsea

One of the stories of the season. Chelsea were cruising to the title mere weeks ago. They were five-points clear and many were claiming that the Stamford Bridge outfit would have the title wrapped up by this very new-year. How times change. Chelsea had an apocalyptic dip in form, leaving them without a win in 7 games: their worst run of form since well before the Abramovich era. However, recently the spine of their team has returned, with Essien, Terry, Lampard and Drogba all coming back from injury. Luckily for Chelsea, they have stayed within touching distance of the top (barely) and the worst may be over for the Blues. We still see them as major title challengers. Expect Carlo and co. to turn it around and return to their clinical ways. Top two finish for us.

"So Far" Season Rating: 5.5

6) Sunderland

If you offered Steve Bruce the chance to end the season right now, he would undoubtedly take your arm off without a second’s hesitation. Welbeck has been a pleasant surprise for the Black Cats and Asamoah Gyan has finally begun firing on all cylinders. We don’t expect Sunderland’s form to dip too much either, as star striker Darren Bent has hardly been prolific yet. If Bent hits a good run of scoring, who knows what Sunderland could achieve? If some of the top clubs qualify for the Europa League through cup-competitions, then the Europa League may well beckon for Sunderland.

"So Far" Season Rating: 9

7) Bolton

Who would have thought that Bolton would have finished 2010 only 5 points behind Chelsea? We had an inkling that Bolton would have been pushing for a Europa League place, but it would seem that Owen Coyle has done it again. Harangued for leaving Burnley last year, Coyle appears a vindicated man. Yes, they have lost their last two matches, but they were away to Chelsea and Liverpool and there is little shame in losing points at Stamford Bridge and Anfield (Keep in mind that Bolton would have leapfrogged Chelsea if they’d have won at Stamford Bridge). So far, it has been a tremendous season for Bolton, and whilst they may dip slightly, expect to see them challenging for Europe.

"So Far" Season Rating: 9

8) Stoke

Tony Pulis is a top manager, and he looks set to maintain his record of never being relegated (from any league with any team). Stoke City have a little bit more guile to them this year with more substance than the old-guard of Rory Delap’s arms. Pulis’ inspiration of his team at half-time with Stoke trailing Villa was one of the moments of the season and we see Stoke comfortably settling in amongst the top ten.

"So Far" Season Rating: 8

9) Liverpool

Really, where do you start? After the initial optimism of the signing of Joe Cole and preservation of Hodgson’s star assets Gerrard and Torres, it just got worse and worse for the Anfield faithful. Fast-forward a few months and Liverpool are 16 points away from league leaders Manchester United after only 19 games and endured their worst start to a season in over 50 years. The calls for Roy to be shown the door are growing by the decibel, and it is difficult to see Hodgson surviving the season, if not next summer. I do feel for Hodgson though, as this is largely a Benitez-inherited side. After Roy’s attack on the Kop, his days seem numbered. Who knows where this side will end up? Certainly not in the top-four, and with Bolton and Sunderland hitting top-form, Europe is looking less and less likely for the Reds.

"So Far" Season Rating: 2

10) Blackpool

We here at Soccer.tel genuinely believe that this Blackpool side is much more than a cheery story: this side is important for football itself. Ian Holloway and his lads epitomize a lot that is good about this game of ours: they intend to win every match they play (no matter the opposition), they spend within their means, and when they lose, they get on with it instead of moaning. A win at Anfield is seen as the highlight so far, and with just about every football fan in the world behind them, they are edging closer and closer to guaranteed top-flight football next season. Here here!

"So Far" Season Rating: 9.5

11) Blackburn

Its been a strange one so far for Blackburn. The sacking of Sam Allardyce was an abysmal decision, and the fact that Kean is retaining the position of manager until the end of the season is mystifying. Surely, Allardyce would have been a better choice to finish off the year? Regardless, Blackburn haven’t been too poor, and Ewood park is still a tricky place to visit. We see them finishing mid-table as this is still largely Allardyce’s side: Kean won’t tinker too much.

"So Far" Season Rating: 7

12) Newcastle

Newcastle is another case of strange ownership. Why did Chris Hughton deserve to be sacked mid-season? He had propelled Newcastle straight back to the Premier League, and was returning stability to the club. Mike Ashley seems on a different planet when it comes to managerial appointments. Pardew is a decent manager, but is hardly the “big-name” that Ashley craved to fulfill the role. Pardew to be sacked within two years. In actual football terms, Newcastle have been exactly what the Toon needed: not struggling to avoid relegation, but not lifting expectations to fever pitch just yet. Andy Carroll has been a big lift for them and a season in the Championship may have been exactly what he needed. In perspective, Newcastle are a newly promoted club and should be perfectly happy with a mid-table finish.

"So Far" Season Rating: 8

13) Everton

Everton’s usual slow start to the season has turned into a slow first half of the season. There were mentions last year that Moyes had taken this side as far as he could, and that may well prove to be correct. They’ve picked up some decent points so far, but tend to struggle against the “smaller” clubs. Everton to survive the drop comfortably, but at the moment, they are perilously close to the bottom in terms of points.

"So Far" Season Rating: 6

14) West Brom

West Brom started the season ever so well and Roberto Di Matteo has done a fantastic job at the club. Albion used to have an aura of that of a “yo-yo” club bounding between the Premier League and Championship. For a while, it seemed as though Odemwingie and co. had put that label to bed once and for all. Recently, however, results have started to go against them and the one thing their players must do is keep their heads up. One might recall Hull’s tremendous start a few seasons back, only to continue with a truly horrible run of form that lasted almost a year and a half. If West Brom maintain their moral: they’ll be fine. West Brom to stay up.

“So Far” Season Rating: 6.5

15) West Ham

If this blog was written two weeks ago, you’d have to scroll down a wee bit longer to get to the West Ham section. Luckily for the Hammers, their recent form has been much better and the “Ultimatum” handed to Avram Grant seems to have spurred the team forward. Rooted to the bottom of the Premier League only days ago, West Ham have no leapt into fifteenth yet lay precariously close to the drop-zone. Only time will tell whether or not this recent turn in form will continue, but it is certain that the Hammers will be fighting out a relegation battle for the remainder of the season. Eight points from four games is a good start, but we still see the Hammers going down.

“So Far” Season Rating: 4

16) Aston Villa

From the beginning, this has been a poor, poor season for Villa. Martin O’Neill’s departure shook the club beyond measure, and now they seem entrenched in a relegation battle. Heavy losses to Newcastle and Manchester City have only lessened their resolve, and unless something gives, Villa might find themselves in trouble. Regardless of this, there is enough quality in the squad to stay up and we think they’ll do just that.

“So Far” Season Rating: 3

17) Wigan

Wigan are consistently inconsistent, no doubt about it. For example, early on in the season, Chelsea hammered the Latics 0-6 at Wigan, only for Martinez’ side to beat Tottenham at White Hart Lane in the very next league match. If they could somehow maintain some kind of consistency, they might be able to fend off relegation. Recent results, namely victory against Wolves and an admirable draw with Arsenal suggests that the Latics have it in them. However, we see Wigan falling at the final hurdle and finishing in the bottom three.

“So Far” Season Rating: 4

18) Fulham

Fulham have drawn exactly half of their matches so far this season. This wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, except that they haven’t been winning the other 50%. This poor form leaves Hughes side at the brink of the relegation zone. The nature of their results suggests that they are capable of picking up points though, and if Lady Luck were on their side, they would be more than comfortable in terms of relegation. On this evidence then, expect Fulham to stay up.

“So Far” Season Rating: 5

19) Birmingham

Similar to Fulham, Birmingham have been lacking in the old Luck Department. Regardless, only winning three out of 10 home matches leaves them smack in the middle of the relegation zone. Last season’s form would advocate for Birmingham’s quality, and St. Andrews is still an extremely tricky place to visit. Based simply on the quality within the squad and of Alex McLeish, Birmingham to stay up. Just.

“So Far” Season Rating: 3

20) Wolves

Wolverhampton, I’m afraid, have the look of a relegated club. There is plenty of doom and gloom surrounding the sqaud, and this comes part and parcel with sticking rooted to the bottom of the Premier League. There is, however some evidence in result results that they may just have enough to escape the drop (namely a recent 1-0 victory at Anfield). In the end though, we see Wolves dropping down to the Championship.

“So Far” Season Rating: 3

Let’s not forget that this season is far, far from over. Please keep in mind, that there are a mere 7 points separating 9^th and 20^th place, so a few wins strung together can do wonders to a teams table placement. One thing is for certain, however: this is promising to be one of the tightest, most hotly contested seasons in recent history.

Stay tuned chaps, we’ll keep you posted.

A Happy New Year to you all, may all of your free-kicks deflect in and your opposition’s chances “not quite” cross the line.

Cheers,

Soccer.tel

Arsenal vs Chelsea - where Chelsea went wrong

2010-12-27T18:27:00.011-08:00

For months now, Chelsea have been desperate for the return of their talisman Frank Lampard, but what impact did he have vs Arsenal?

Here's a comparison of Frank Lampard and Cesc Fabregas' passing in Monday night's match. Compelling viewing, it really is.

by Guardian Chalkboards
Analysis of the defensive mentality of the struggling Chelsea side leaves plenty to be desired. Much of Chelsea's play is well within their own half, which may be a result of having to contend with Fabregas and co. Regardless of their opponent, Chelsea should be able to control more of the possession higher up the pitch. Far too many long balls in the direction of Drogba and Kalou with no one like Anelka to hold up the ball.

by Guardian Chalkboards
Chelsea were pinned back by the attack-minded Gunners, which was either a tactical decision or the result of difficult opponents - probably a mix of the two.

But what's the answer? It was a nearly full strength Chelsea team that was quite outplayed on Monday night, and the title is beginning to drift away. Onwards and upwards for Arsene's Arsenal, though.

Advantage, Manchester United.

2010-12-13T18:47:00.003-08:00

Arsenal's passing

by Guardian Chalkboards

As you can see Arsenal completed far more passes than Manchester United and even looking at the distribution you could easily mistake Arsenal for the winning team. As they say possession is 9/10ths of the law. Manchester United's staunch defending helped them hold on and will stand them in good stead this season.

Here's Man Utd's passing, hardly dominant with a high percentage of misplaced passes. Arsenal should have been more ruthless, but Vidic and Ferdinand protected Edwin van der Sar's goal brilliantly.

by Guardian Chalkboards

Perfection for Pardew, but what changed in a week?

2010-12-11T15:46:00.004-08:00

Brilliant start for Alan Pardew at Newcastle, strong 3-1 win over Liverpool, but what was different about how have they changed their 'Toon' in a week?

Here's the distribution of passes:

by Guardian Chalkboards

As you can see - more incomplete passes, but 2 assists against what you would assume to be a stronger team. Liverpool must be ruing Steven Gerrard's absence.

What was the difference? This week Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton bossed the midfield, last week they didn't play vs West Brom. You can't underestimate the impact of those lads. What an impact. Onwards and upwards for Newcastle, riding the high of Alan Pardew's arrival, for the moment at least.

Cheers

The best and the worst of CL Matchday 6 - Part One

2010-12-07T15:06:00.006-08:00

Not a fan of the bicycle kick, the overhead kick or whatever you want to call it? Have a look at this beauty from Eran Zahavi for Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Lyon. Brilliant.

Also, an entertaining goalkeeping howler from FC Twente's 40 year-old Champions League debutant Sander Boschker. Blame the pitch? Let's do that. (Turn the volume off..)

El Clasico - Mourinho vs Pep

2010-11-29T21:09:00.006-08:00

Barcelona were brilliant against Real Madrid and well deserving of the win. It really was men vs boys. Expect a fiery encounter when the two La Liga giants meet again, sadly we have to wait until April...

What's the Spanish for 'drubbing'? In case you missed it:

In case you missed it, Mourinho 's not-so-subtle plan

2010-11-28T15:53:00.002-08:00

Apologies for the Dutch commentary, (if you speak Dutch then we welcome your translation) but I believe they said something about Xabi Alonso's "poker-face" after being sent off. Very unprofessional from Real Madrid.

What do you think?

Soccer.tel

Top 10 - FIFA Goal of the Year

2010-11-19T14:50:00.001-08:00

Here's the top 10 goals of the year, which one do you think is the best? Let us know on Twitter! @soccerDotTel

Why Ian Holloway shouldn't be fined

2010-11-12T20:57:00.006-08:00

A little under a year ago Mick McCarthy was fined for fielding a weakened side vs Manchester United. In this week's match at Aston Villa, Ian Holloway changed 10 players in his Blackpool line-up, but should his punishment be the same? We explore why he shouldn't be treated equally.

If the League does indeed fine Holloway, he has threatened to quit his position at the Seasiders, a move that would arguably put Blackpool's season in jeopardy. But why should he be fined?
A manager chooses his team, whether he has one eye on another fixture in the future is besides the point. Who's to say which players comprise the 'best line-up' from a certain team - surely that is within the jurisdiction of the managerial responsibilities and of no concern to the Premier League. As the man himself said:

"I'm the manager and I manage the players how I want". Fair play to you, Mr. Holloway.

The changes to Blackpool's squad consisted of some their record summer signings, so hardly a weakened side. If the League do indeed insist on giving Holloway a fine, you would really have to question the merits of those who run the game - a slap on the wrist would suffice. Any punishment would set a dangerous precedent, how many changes between matchweek's would be permitted? 2, 3... 5?

To be consistent with punishments handed out to Wolves, Ian Holloway should be fined but just because it's been done before doesn't make it right.

Let the manager's manage, and let the Premier League organize fixtures such that clubs don't need to make wholesale changes every match.

Soccer.tel

Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea - Torres on top form

2010-11-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

Soccer.tel back again,

Huge result at home to Chelsea for Liverpool. Fernando Torres back on top form, and a subdued Chelsea looked a shadow of their former selves but they're still top of the League - the lead is only two points over an unbeaten Manchester United.

Ancelotti: "See that? We're still top."

That's two losses to two of the ''bigger'' clubs in the Prem, first Man City and now Liverpool. No need to panic but Chelsea will be looking for a vast improvement in mid-week vs Fulham and hopefully the return of the influential Michael Essien. Nevertheless, onwards and upwards for Roy Hodgson's men

Cheers

The English Contingent - Part One

2010-11-02T22:49:00.000-07:00

After Spurs stunning win at home to Champions League holders Inter Milan, you'd be crazy not to sit up and take notice.

Let's take a look at the English Contingent's chance of progress to the next round.

Tottenham Hotspur

Harry Redknapp side have really begun to flourish in their debut Champions League outing. Opening the group stages with two goals inside the first 20 mins against Werder, they were soon knocked down to size in a 2-2 draw. 'Welcome to the big league' was the common phrase. Victory at home to FC Twente was a confidence booster, even though the influential van der Vaart got himself suspended for the visit to Milan to face Inter. Against last year's Champions Spurs recovered admirably from the 3-0 deficit inside 15 minutes - mostly thanks to Gareth Bale. Sitting on 4 points after 3 games was reasonable in such a tricky group, but given today's outstanding performance the young Welshman may have lined up Spurs quite nicely to progress. A 3-1 win over last year's Champs is a massive feat, a night to remember at White Hart Lane.

Prediction: On to the next stage for 'Arry's lads but probably behind Inter.

Manchester United

Despite highly publicized off-field issues (ahem, Rooney) Manchester United have been fairly solid so far in the Champions League. Stymied by Rangers and a narrow wins over Valencia and Bursaspor left Man U on 7 points after 3 games. Steady improvements lead to today's efficient performance away at Bursaspor with Sir Alex's squad grabbing their biggest Champions League victory of the season despite a few absences namely Rio Ferdinand. Man Utd now sit pretty atop Group C needing only a point in their next two matches in order to qualify for the next round. No problem. Get everyone fit and they'll cruise thru in top spot with ease.

Prediction: Top of Group C without conceding. Cruise control

Cheers

Soccer.tel

Part two coming soon. Arsenal will see if they can grab their first win in the Ukraine ever vs Shakhtar and Chelsea host Spartak Moscow on some real turf

Potential FIFA Goal of the year

2010-11-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

In case you missed this simply incredible goal...

Mattie Burrows' stunning late winner against Portadown has been shortlisted for the FIFA Goal of the Year award.

Liverpool vs. Chelsea- What Liverpool need to do to get a result.

2010-11-01T20:18:00.001-07:00

Soccer.tel here,

Wondering which match to watch this weekend?

Sunderland hosting Stoke should be a good'n and Fulham entertaining Villa will probably provide a few sparks.

All said and done though, if you can help it, don't miss Liverpool vs. Chelsea at Anfield. These two sides have been entrenched in a growing rivalry in recent years and regardless of their contrasting table positions they will usually provide a cracking game.

It was not long ago that these two clubs were exchanging blows in the Champions League, typically taking turns in knocking each other out.

Well, this Sunday is a big moment for both clubs. Chelsea will be looking to maintain a domineering lead at the top, while Liverpool will look to continue their recent progress and continue to climb the Premier League ladder. Many believe that Liverpool's match against Bolton will provide a catalyst for their season, and so it would prove, as a result against the Blues could leave the Anfield outfit as high as 7th place.

But is that really very likely?

Current form suggests that Chelsea should run away with 3 points at Anfield, but is there more to the Reds than we think?

There is no doubt that the determination, passion and drive is there. You can see the relief and elation on the faces of the players when they score a goal. And in terms of atmosphere, this is Anfield we're talking about. Make no mistake, Liverpool will want to win this match very, very much.

Liverpool have found themselves wanting in the points department all season, but have their performances really warranted their recent dwelling in the relegation zone? From what I've seen so far this season, Liverpool have created bags of chances and tucked away very few of them. Liverpool will no doubt need to put on their shooting boots against the Blues.

by Guardian Chalkboards

This is a Chalkboard from the last time these two met at Anfield. One thing, for me, notably stands out: Liverpool- 1 shot on target/Chelsea- 8 shots on target. Only getting 1 shot on target at home (and subsequently allowing the opposition 8 times more shots on target) is unacceptable, and is something Liverpool need to remedy if they are to get a result against Chelsea this Sunday.

Another thing that Liverpool simply must manage this weekend is the fluidity of Chelsea's play. The great thing about this Chelsea squad is that they can adapt to whatever you throw at them. If you're a physical team, they'll be physical too. If you play football, they'll play football right back. Chelsea's default however, is a fluid, quick passing play that they don't get enough credit for. Yes, Arsenal are the paradigm of beautiful football, but this Chelsea squad isn't that far off and Liverpool will need to break up their play.

by Guardian Chalkboards

This Chalkboard is taken from the two clubs latest Premier League matches. Both were away and show both Steven Gerrard and Michael Essien's passing. Firstly, it's clear that Chelsea play a more passing game. Secondly, it's notable how few of Essien's passes actually failed to reach its intended target. Liverpool will need to apply great pressure to the man with the ball and work to read the movement of the players receiving passes to cut this off.

If Liverpool begin to hit the target more, and are able to cut off Chelsea's passing rhythm, then there's nothing to stop the Reds from nicking a vital win here.

Of course, against the defending Champions and form team in the country, this may not prove to be so easy.

That's all for now,

Soccer.tel

Has the tide turned?

2010-10-31T11:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome back,

FT: Bolton 0-1 Liverpool

Brilliant result for Roy Hodgson, after the toe-poke of Maxi Rodriguez Liverpool can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Far from convincing, but Liverpool now sit only 3 points from a European spot but let's not get carried away. Lacking clinical finishing, the build-up play was an improvement. Still voices of discontent from Liverpool fans, but for the moment positivity reigns supreme.

Anfield plays host to Champions Chelsea next weekend in what will be a fiery encounter. Hodgson said to judge him after 10 games, and it's hard not be disappointed. 12 points from a possible 30 isn't good enough.

Cheers for now,

Soccer.tel

Matchweek Ten - what did we learn

2010-10-31T00:13:00.000-07:00

Part one of our look at the Premier League after we passed the 'quarter-of-the-way-there' mark in the season. What did we learn?

Blackburn 1-2 Chelsea - Another three points in the bag but not quite the dominance Blues fans had become accustomed to. Tough place to go, Ewood Park (or whatever they plan to call it post-takeover), so
it's one of those results that could define the season.

Arsenal 1-0 West Ham - knicked the result at home to West Ham and keep pace, albeit 5 points behind, with Chelsea. Plenty of time left in the season.

Man Utd 2-0 Spurs - gifted the second goal by Spurs keeper Gomes, hard not to foresee late drama that sealed the 2-0 win. Very controversial but they keep the Champions Chelsea within touching distance.

Everton 1-0 Stoke - At least one Merseyside club is on the up, Everton have turned things around. Yakubu breaking his goalscoring drought is promising as well.

Fulham 2-0 Wigan - A Dempsey double handed Fulham to their first win in seven matches as they eased past Wigan. Onwards and upwards for Mark Hughes' Cottagers.

Wolves 2-1 Man City - A very disappointing result for Roberto Mancini's Man City who now sit 8 points adrift in the title race, not an insurmountable deficit but pretty close to it.

With Wolves facing Man Utd and Arsenal in the next two weeks, Chelsea will be keeping a close tab on Mick McCarthy's lads hoping they can do the Champions a few favours.

Cheers for now

Soccer.tel

Rooney's calling the shots, apparently

2010-10-23T00:10:00.000-07:00

The age-old adage of no player is bigger than his club has been well and truly dispelled this week - Wayne Rooney in recent months has gone from hero to villain and back to what he hopes is a bright future. If you took at a glance at what some of the top soccer pundits have said about young Wayne this week, you'll see how many people he has alienated with his true feelings toward his club.

Shameful, disgraceful and money-grabbing to name but a few of the words directed towards the talented Rooney (and those were the nicer ones). But it was his recent decision to perform a complete U-turn on his future at Man Utd, the club he said seemed to have no ambition, which has actually left some fans lost for words.

All of a sudden he’s pictured with Sir Alex Ferguson with everything appearing to be rosy in the garden, as they say.

Wayne: So all I have to do is complain? And then I get a new contract? ‘av it!

Rooney’s staying put, but what's really going on?

A five-year deal done and dusted, out of no-where. Tied down until 2015, or so it may seem. Rooney’s value would have been greatly reduced in recent months, regardless of the week’s past events. One goal from a penalty, in fact, all season is quite poor. Dismal at the World Cup, and he was ready to leave citing a lack of ambition. So what changed in the eyes of Manchester United? We explore what prompted this change of tune.

Option A) Man Utd want to add value until January

Offering a new bumper contract until the transfer window gives the impression that Rooney is highly prized by the Old Trafford club. Is this a rouse to raise his market value perhaps. You don’t just give an unhappy, outspoken, out-of-form player a huge new contract for no reason, or at least you shouldn’t. Can’t help but feel that Rooney may still be on his way out if the right deal came along.

Option B) United realized the error of their ways

Blind to their ‘lacking ambition’, Rooney has enlightened Sir Alex, David Gill and everyone at Manchester United how to run a successful football club. A bit tongue and cheek but you can see our point. On face value it seems that Rooney’s public discontent as to the ambition of his club has been vilified by this new contract. It had nothing to do with money, at all.

Option C) Man Utd and Sir Alex will spend big in the transfer window

May as well give him the reigns at Man U, because Rooney wants more big name players at his club - Ask and you shall receive, right? By giving him a new contract after his outburst is like saying: yes you were right, we have had little ambition but we’ll sort that out. Oh and Wayne, would you like a cherry on top of that?

Let’s hope this situation isn’t indicative of a worrying power-shift. Difficult to see a change in the Man Utd spending patterns, but they must have promised him something like that, right? We have to remember, ambition was cited as his only qualm with his employers.

Regardless of what’s going on behind closed doors, it remains to be seen if his reputation with the fans can be healed. Well yes it can, by scoring some goals. To be perfectly honest, for the sake of the Premier League, England and most of all Man United it would be great to see Rooney get out of this slump. But if he doesn’t perform in the next few months Sir Alex and co might be keen to cash in. For the moment, however, it’s all smiles again at Old Trafford.

Cheers for now,

Soccer.tel

Ian Holloway: Big Enough.

2010-10-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

"I'm not a big enough person for them to even bother listening to me."

The "Them" that Ian Holloway is talking about, are the people that are "running" football these days.

Blackpool are the archetypal case and point of how a football club should be run. The team works hard, plays good attacking football against even the strongest opposition and, most importantly, they spend within their means. When Blackpool hit the proverbial "jackpot" winning the Championship playoffs against Cardiff, Ian Holloway found himself in a bit of a pickle: to spend or not to spend?

Blackpool immediately refurbished their tiny stadium, yet, monetarily, there were limited transfers coming in. Holloway's tinkering in the loan market worked a treat, and the lack of wages that Blackpool could offer players was replaced by the simple lure and attraction of the Premier League.

But now, Holloway is getting a first-hand taste of the riches and greed that riddle the Premier League.

Let's get this straight: Manchester United are almost powerless when it comes to the sale of their prize asset.

Option A: United sell Rooney in January. It will be unlikely that they'll be able to sell him for a good price as this is the only outcome where United can actually make some cash from the sale. Buyers will recognize this and bid low.

Option B: Wayne Rooney waits until the summer and buys out the remaining year of his contract for a wee 5 million pounds. United, in this case, would be left with a striker who has no intention to play or perform all season long until the summer. United receive the 5 million, but that is an astronomically low sum for one of the world's best strikers. Whichever club Rooney ends up at will probably reimburse him the 5 million pounds.

Option C: Wayne Rooney waits approximately 18 months and leaves Manchester United for absolutely nothing. This does nothing to benefit United, England, or even potential buyers. Rooney will fall out of form and be starved of playing time in the first team.

When Holloway sees a player of 24 years of age with the future of a club like Manchester United in his hands, he sees the epitome of the Premier League.

He sees Wayne Rooney, a player that has been raised, educated, protected and groomed for years at Manchester United, suddenly decide to leave. This leaves Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world, left at the mercy of his decision.

The good news for Holloway is that if he takes a look at the club that he runs, he sees a club and team that epitomize all that is good about this little game of ours.

Holloway has himself a team of rambunctious, passionate and hard-working players, that are all playing for one another. He has a squad of players that don't make a fuss if they're left out for a week. He doesn't have players complaining and refusing to sign contracts because they believe they're worth over 100,000 pounds a week. He has players that were all bought within the means of the club, not simply for short-term gain.

For me, this gives Holloway as much authority as any Mourinho, Ferguson or Mancini. For me, those that "run" football as Holloway says, should stand up and take notice of Holloway and his Blackpool team.

Stand up and follow suit I say. Bravo, Mr. Holloway.

Q&A - What now for Wayne Rooney?

2010-10-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome back! Here's our latest Q&A blog, many thanks for all the questions

Jay via email: What will Man United do without Rooney?

Amazing situation, it really is. After his acrimonious departure from Goodison Park six years ago, it seemed like Old Trafford would be Wayne Rooney's home for a long time, but what no soccer fan could foresee is what has happened in the last year or so.

Speculation regarding his private life is beside the point, purely on a sporting basis, Roo has been far from his best. After his injury in March, he has seemed a tad off-sorts, struggling to find his form at the World Cup, and starting the 10/11 EPL season off very poorly. We won't get into the numbers regarding Man Utd's win percentage with/without him in the team. When he plays, United win more games. End of story.

So will he be missed? Definitely. Is he replaceable on the basis of his current form? Absolutely. As many Manchester United fans have mentioned, if Rooney doesn't want to play for them then he should leave. This difficult situation is not going to resolve itself anytime soon with at least 2 months of transfer speculation ahead of us.

Where will he go? Man City, Barcelona and Real Madrid seem most likely. But his value will be greatly reduced by the fact that he is Champions League cup-tied. So City is the only likely option. Let's leave the speculation for another day, shall we?

More to follow,

That's all for now!

Soccer.tel

Soccer.tel Q&A

2010-10-11T00:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome back! Here's our first of many 'Q&A' sessions

@JohnColf asks how can a mid season break be implemented for the EPL when there is a break every 3 weeks for an international break?

To be honest John, this is a difficult subject that has left the FA and the Premier League scratching their heads. No real easy answer for this one. Virtually impossibly given the EPL season ends on the 22nd of May this year, any break would obviously extend this too far. Perhaps starting the season earlier? Perhaps on the same date as the NPower Championship and the Football League, although traditionally not the 'done thing'.

The number of international friendlies being played is also causing many headaches to managers who want to keep their players close. Essentially with the season so packed, the only solution is either start earlier, or have less experience-building international friendlies. Players having 50+ games a season need that break, and everyone would benefit from it.

Raj by email: Can anyone stop Chelsea this season?

Raj, Man United and Arsenal seem to be lagging behind with Man City really the only team showing willing so far this season. Champions Chelsea have been quite outstanding, brushing aside Arsenal after the hiccup at Eastlands vs Man City. You can't help but question Arsenal's title aspirations and Man Utd, after their dismal draw at Sunderland following on from the draw at Bolton, seem lost.

But certainly, Man City have kept Chelsea within touching distance - a 4 point lead is not insurmountable by any stretch of the imagination. Injury worries for Arsenal and Wayne Rooney's dry run in front of goal have left Sir Alex looking elsewhere for a goalscoring threat. So we shall see if 'The Boy Wonder' can ignite his season. Don't doubt the lad. Recent defensive injuries to John Terry and Alex might keep Carlo Ancelotti awake at night. Paper thin at the back at the moment. But if Drogba, Malouda, Anelka, etc and especially the formidable Michael Essien stay fit, then the EPL could be theirs for the taking.

Will they cruise this season? As long as Chelsea play like they did vs Arsenal, and not how they did vs Man City, then yes - watch this space.

________

We had more questions so we'll get to those soon, but drop us a line on our Twitter in the meantime: @SoccerDotTel

Cheers

Misery on Merseyside

2010-10-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well...not that long ago Everton were pushing for European qualification and one of the stronger teams in the Premier League. While we're at it, cast your mind back 5 years when Liverpool were in the Champions League Final vs AC Milan. Now Liverpool get beaten by relative minnows Blackpool, and neighbours Everton celebrate their first win of the season, after seven matches.

My how things change.

Beyond the turmoil in the backroom at Liverpool and Everton's unlucky start to the season, we examine the talent on the pitch and what's been putting a frown on the Liverpudlian local's faces.

Liverpool

Where do we start? New manager, crippling debt, but still a core of decent players. Purely looking at the starting line-up vs Blackpool you can see there is huge quality, but sadly lacking in confidence. The likes of Gerrard, Cole, Reina, Meireles, Torres, Kuyt should not be playing this poorly, end of story. Being knocked out of the Carling Cup by Northampton was pitiful to say the least. Especially taking a glance at the last 3 matches at Anfield (two draws and one loss) it's no wonder the Kop End was half full - perhaps more aptly, half-empty - in the closing stages. Roy Hodgson has the nucleus of a good squad and realistically won't be going anywhere until the financial future of one of England's top clubs can be secured. What sets Liverpool apart is the fantastic support they have so when you see that dwindling, you realise just how serious it all really is.

Everton

Would not have expected Everton to be anywhere near the bottom of the Premier League table when the season began. If you take a look at Everton's results thus far, they paint a different picture than their league position would indicate. With the exception of the win away at Birmingham, which was brilliant for them, every match of the Toffees 10/11 season had been settled by a single goal or a tight draw. Poor David Moyes must have been left scratching his head. Onwards and upwards hopefully.

To the future...

Not to get carried away, but just take a look at the next match for these two struggling clubs - it's the Merseyside Derby. Could be one of the most crucial matches in recent history for these clubs. You won't want to miss this one, that's for sure.

Let us know what you think, will Hodgson show us what his Liverpool team can do, or will the fans be left shaking their heads, again?

@Soccer.tel

European Emotions

2010-10-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

Valencia 0- 1 Man Utd

Tottenham 4-1 FC Twente

FC Utrecht 0-0 Liverpool

Chelsea 2-0 Marseille

Man City 1-1 Juventus

Partizan Belgrade 1-3 Arsenal

Another week of fairly irrelevant European matches? Not quite. For some, like Tottenham and Liverpool, this week was entirely important (albeit for different reasons). Let’s break down how the English teams will feel after their midweek matchups.

Manchester United

The Positives: First off, let’s get one thing straight: winning away to Valencia, the leaders of La Liga, is mightily impressive. Hernandez scoring the winner will be good for the lad too, and this result sees United sitting pretty at the top of Group C, tied for points with Scotland’s Rangers.

The Negatives: Let’s get another thing straight: United were very, very poor. Valencia had the majority of possession, Carrick was giving the ball away far too much, and even with the reintroduction of Rio Ferdinand, United still suffered from moments of fragility at the back. Berbatov was feeding off scraps and United desperately missed the influence of Paul Scholes. If Valencia had put their shooting boots on that morning, or had simply created a few more chances, United would have been in trouble I’m afraid.

Sentence most likely to be heard by a fan at the match: “How on Earth have we just done that- Chicharitooo!”

Tottenham

The Positives: Other than the fact that Spurs ended their 48 year wait for top European competition at White Hart Lane with a first Champions League Victory? …I heard that the pies at White Hart Lane were particularly tasty?

The Negatives: Not sure one Spurs fan could care less, but they had to ride their luck. Twente pressed extremely well from the outset and if Spurs hadn’t received several favourable refereeing decisions, the result may have been different. Van der Vaart scored, but was also red carded which means he will miss Spurs next match against Inter Milan.

Sentence most likely to be heard by a fan at the match: “That lad Van der Vaart is playing brilliantly, maybe he’ll score anoth… That lad Van der Vaart is a numpty!”

Liverpool

The Positives: Liverpool kept a clean sheet at a hostile and potentially tricky away tie. This match will have also helped Torres gain fitness.

The Negatives: Liverpool didn’t score at a hostile, yet potentially winnable away tie. They had no width, got very few crosses into the opponents box and applied very little pressure to Utrecht. Liverpool, like Tottenham had to ride their luck and rely once more on the heroics of Pepe Reina. This match is also a symbol of Liverpool’s recent misfortunes. It seems only yesterday Liverpool were thrashing Madrid in Spain. Now, a 0-0 with FC Utrecht is seen as admirable for them.

Sentence most likely to be heard by a fan at the match: “Just what on earth has happened to our club in the last year”

Chelsea

The Positives: No new injuries, a decent result, and Drogba served out his suspension without any hiccups. Chelsea’s youngsters have been getting a decent run of games, and the likes of Kakuta and McEachran will have relished the experience.

The Negatives: Whilst the blues were as clinical as ever in the first half, they let Marseille back into the match by taking their foot off of the pedal towards the end. Perhaps the blues had one eye on their weekend meeting with Arsenal, but if Marseille were as clinical as they can be, Chelsea would have been punished.

Sentence most likely to be heard by a fan at the match: “That McEachran looks a prospect: Super Frankie who?”

Manchester City

The Positives: They didn’t lose against one of the top Italian sides. Adam Johnson looks to be increasing in confidence and this will have been a good experience for what seems at times a disjointed and mismatched side. City had plenty of possession, but Juventus defended resolutely. Make no mistake: this was a good result for City.

The Negatives: Joe Hart looked shaky in goal, and was beaten several times from distance. If it wasn’t for his goal-post, Juventus would have walked this one. If he’s not careful, Shay Given will be knocking on the door.

Sentence most likely to be heard by a fan at the match: “And exactly which one of our 63 strikers are we keeping happy this evening?”

Arsenal

The Positives: Lukasz Fabianski was solid, and that is exactly what Arsenal need right now. Without a top, confident keeper, Arsenal won’t be winning anything this year, so to see Fabianski playing well must be a relief for the gunners. Wilshere looks a genuine prospect for both Arsenal and England, and his assist to Arshavin was top-class.

The Negatives: More missed penalties for Arsenal. This is not an urgent issue, but one that Arsene will want to have sorted out soon. Arsenal have won both of their matches and are sitting pretty at the top of Group H and are looking a decent punt to win their group.

Sentence most likely to be heard by a fan at the match: “Shay Given? Pah! Mark Schwarzer? Never! We’ve got ourselves Lukasz, the shot-stopper extraordinaire!”

Matchweek Six - what did we learn

2010-09-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

Quite the weekend in the EPL wasn't it? We take a look at who had a good week, who didn't, and a glance at what's ahead.

It was a good weekend for...

Man City

A recent foe for the 09/10 Champions Chelsea, Manchester City ruined the Blues' 100% record in Saturday's early kickoff. Full value for the win, Roberto Mancini's Italian Serie A influenced (defensive) tactics were arguably unattractive but there are no doubters of City's effectiveness. Any team that can stifle Chelsea's attacking prowess and midfield talents must be doing something right. Man City keep up the early season pace.

West Brom

Don't suppose many people would have bet on WBA winning at the Emirates, but they largely outclassed the free-scoring Gunners. Wonderful to watch, end-to-end counter attacking soccer and without the on-form Samir Nasri, the scoreline could have been rather embarrassing for Arsenal. Mon dieu, Arsene.

West Ham

Avram Grant's struggling Hammers finally got their first win and to get it in the London derby against Spurs was even more impressive. Despite their win, Grant's days must surely be numbered - 4 points from 6 games is quite poor.

Aston Villa

Under the guidance of new manager Gerard Houllier Villa grabbed their first win, needless to say playing quite a bit better than their 6-0 loss to Newcastle early in the season. Oh and remember Emile Heskey? Scoring in his first start since March, Monsieur Houllier will definitely keep his ex-Liverpool star in his first XI.

It was a bad weekend for...

Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United

The early pacesetters slipped up this weekend. Chelsea were defensively outplayed at Eastlands, Arsenal had an off-day at home to West Brom while Man Utd couldn't get past Bolton. Mancini must be affording himself a wry smile.

Liverpool

Just goes from bad to worse for Roy Hodgson and Liverpool doesn't it. Knocked out of the Carling Cup in midweek by minnows Northampton in true 'cupset' fashion, many saw Sunderland at Anfield as an opportunity for a win. Not only did they miss out on a home win, but post match protests were cause for concern. A club so rich in history is in the the midst of an ownership crisis and on-field struggles offer little hope.

What's to come...

Amongst next weekend's fixtures, we have Chelsea vs Arsenal. Probably this season's two most on-form clubs face off at Stamford Bridge - you'd be mad to miss this one. But before that, Champions League midweek action with Man United, Arsenal and Spurs all in action.

Champions League fixtures here: Soccer.tel - Champions League

Cheers for now, and keep up-to-date with the latest soccer news on our Twitter @SoccerDotTel

Chelsea - Carlo's dilemma

2010-09-20T21:07:00.001-07:00

Wow, we've been swept along in the EPL excitement for a few weeks, but we're back!

Unbeaten, goals are flowing, but what lies ahead for last year's Champions, this year's early pacesetters, Chelsea.

A perfect start to the 10/11 EPL season, a goal difference of +20 and a huge 4 point lead after only 5 games. Chelsea fans would have been forgiven for being a little apprehensive after the 3-1 Community Shield defeat to Manchester United, but the Blues have responded outstandingly. One goal conceded, 21 goals scored in 5 matches - Chelsea are on top form. Here's the dilemma. We take stock of a successful season this far, and analyzing what lies ahead for Carlo's lads.

It's been great season so far for...

Florent Malouda - the lightning quick left winger has been in breathtaking form this season, if he stays fit he'll stand a great chance of winning Player of the Season

Michael Essien - as Carlo said, having Essien back and fit is like signing a new player. The Bison is bossing the midfield. 'Nuff said.

Didier Drogba - some say he's the best all-round striker in the biz. He can defend, attack, pass, shoot and all with that cheeky arrogance of his. Could be another 30+ goal season

Salomon Kalou - bears the brunt of much criticism but he's done quite well this season, quite impressive. Still misses a few sitters though doesn't he?

Nicolas Anelka - Le Sulk is deadly in front of goal, keep him happy and he'll keep the fans happy. A high scoring campaign ahead.

It's been a slow start for...

Frank Lampard - he never seemed quite right from the start of the season, but he looks like he'll be back in time for the crucial matches ahead.

John Terry - Also, seems to be struggling with injuries but he's still bleeding blue. Been in decent form though.

Worryingly, for Ancelotti, the backbone of the English component of the Chelsea lineup (Terry + Lampard) haven't been in great form. Niggling injuries have hampered their playing time, but not the dominant Chelsea performances. The question remains, as to whether Carlo should put JT and Lampard right back in the team. John Terry certainly will be put back in the centre-back spot allowing the indomitable Ivanovic to return at right-back. Doubts still remain as to the position of Frank Lampard.

The midfield has created, and scored for that matter, quite a few goals without him. Lately, Ancelotti has preferred Essien, Mikel, Ramires/Benayoun, and Malouda. Where would Frank fit back in? Probably in the Ramires spot or Mikel. Essien does play with a lot more freedom when he plays alongside Mikel though. That leaves summer signings Ramires and Benayoun on the bench, potentially.

Tough one to call, but as they say: 'If it ain't broken, don't fix it'. Carlo should keep the same team that has been on form so far, and then see where 'Super Frank' fits around that.

-Soccer.tel

England - Euro qualifiers begin

2010-08-29T17:53:00.001-07:00

The wounds of a poor World Cup performance are slowly beginning to heal, and the focus has shifted for the England team to Euro 2012 qualification.

For the Bulgaria match, Fabio Capello has selected:

GK: Scott Carson, Ben Foster, Joe Hart

Def: Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Michael Dawson, Kieran Gibbs, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, Matthew Upson

Mid: Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Steven Gerrard, Adam Johnson, James Milner, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Young

For: Darren Bent, Carlton Cole, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney

First off what's missing - Aaron Lennon, Joe Cole, Gabby Agbonlahor and arguably the in-form Andy Carroll. As well, the defence is looking a bit thin isn't it? No regular centre-back fit and available.

So as we mentioned in our previous look at the England team, we discussed the possibilities of a 4-2-3-1 formation. This is exactly what Fabio Capello started with in the Hungary friendly.

As you will note, Frank Lampard and John Terry aren't fit, so what should Coach Capello do?

Line-up for Bulgaria match:

Joe Hart

Glen Johnson - Michael Dawson - Phil Jagielka - Ashley Cole

Gareth Barry - Steven Gerrard

Theo Walcott - Ashley Young - Adam Johnson

Wayne Rooney

Let us know what you think

What would your line-up be? @SoccerDotTel

Cheers for now

Soccer.tel

The nitty gritty

2010-08-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

Enough of the 6-0 thrashings, the Premier League settled down to some sort of normality this weekend. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United continue to set the pace. Here's our glance at the matches from Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday's matches:

Blackburn 1-2 Arsenal

The Gunners showed the grit and determination needed to beat teams like Blackburn. Walcott continued his rich vein of form (let's hope this continues for England). Aging Arsene Wenger gave a wry smile as his team kept pace with Man Utd and the only 100% team, Chelsea.

Blackpool 2-2 Fulham

Saying 1 point is better than none to the Seasiders will be met with a grumble. Blackpool have started their Premier League debut season with a fantastic attitude. Although their style was punished against Arsenal, a more refined performance at home against Fulham was nearly rewarded. Luke Varney's go-ahead goal sent Bloomfield road into raptures, only for Dickson Etuhu to have the last laugh. Entertaining match, with plenty more to come from Ian Holloway's lads.

Chelsea 2-0 Stoke

3 games, 3 wins, 3 clean sheets and 14 goals scored for the 09/10 Champions. Carlo Ancelotti would have expected the 100% record when he saw the fixture list a few months ago, but even the 'easy' matches can be tricky. Efficiency was the name of the game for the Blues, and an energetic Stoke made it an interesting test. Goals from on-form stars Malouda and Drogba, sealed the three points. So far, so good.

Manchester United 3-0 West Ham

Wayne Rooney finally broke his goal drought, scoring his first goal since March - albeit from a penalty. Great strikes from Nani and Dimitar Berbatov will have pleased Sir Alex, after last week's dismal Fulham draw. Real question is: How long before West Ham get a point? And more importantly how long will Avram keep his job? Onwards and upwards for United.

Tottenham 0-1 Wigan

Countless chances for Spurs to wrap this match up, Defoe especially. Champions League hangover perhaps or underestimating a team most had labelled as 'the worst in the league'. Rodallega knicked a great goal with 10 mins to play capitalising on a counter-attack. Gritty performance from Wigan, but you really have to worry about Spurs. After drawing Inter Milan in the Champions League, they can't have performances like that. 'Arry's lads will step it up.

Wolves 1-1 Newcastle

Molineux is always a tough place for visitors and it was no different for the Magpies. Wolves took the lead early on thru a wonderful Ebanks-Blake strike, but it was the hugely impressive Andy Carroll that headed Newcastle to the draw. He could be England's new ''Heskey'' but he might actually score...shame he's still needed in the U21 squad. Newcastle have made a great start to the season, 5th place after three matches. Impressive.

Sunday's matches:

Aston Villa 1-0 Everton

After bowing out of the Europa League in midweek, Villa produced a determined performance at home to Everton. A man-of-the-match worthy contribution from Brad Friedel protected the solitary goal scored by Luke Young. Pretty gutsy performance, but it wasn't pretty was it? Everton were a bit unlucky

Bolton 2-2 Birmingham

Birmingham were 2-0, a man up after Jussi Jaaskelainen saw his 4th red card in his EPL career, and somehow managed to let this one slip. Credit to Bolton, wonderful comeback, but Alex McLeish will left scratching his head. It was a truly outstanding equalising free kick from Robbie Blake - a fitting way to tie the match. These are the kind of results that, come May, will be looked upon as a crucial error.

Liverpool 1-0 West Brom

A classic Fernando Torres finish was the difference at Anfield. Three points is three points, but Roy Hodgson will hardly be thrilled with the performance. West Brom were certainly up for this one, and clearly Roberto Di Matteo's team are far from a walk-over. Anfield will be demanding more, and there should be one or two new faces before the end of the transfer window.

Sunderland 1-0 Man City

Late, late drama at the Stadium of Light. Carlos Tevez will be left ruing one of the more astonishing misses that you will ever see, but credit to Sunderland for a dominant second half showing. Man City need to win games like this if they are going to challenge for the title, so Roberto Mancini will be furious.

Now time for the international break, we'll be previewing and reviewing all of the Euro 2012 action

Our EPL coverage will resume in 2 weeks!

Cheers for now

Soccer.tel

Men from the boys

2010-08-27T20:10:00.000-07:00

With a couple of exceptions, the Premier League top 4 is looking fairly realistic - Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City and Arsenal the early pace-setters. Coming up to the end of August, 25-man squad deadline and transfer window loom ever closer, but for now we preview Match-week 3 in the EPL.

Blackburn vs Arsenal

Rovers home form last season was quite outstanding, making Ewood Park a formidable venue. They put you under pressure, keep opponents back foot and avoid silly fouls. Basics, but still very important. If Arsenal are going to challenge this season they have to go to places like Ewood Park and win. Last weekend's rout over a Blackpool team who were very open and tried to take Arsenal on at their own game. Blackburn won't do that. It will be an extremely difficult game for Arsene Wenger's men but if they can keep tight defensively then their attack will do the talking

Prediction: 1-2

Blackpool vs Fulham

The Seasiders finally get to show the Premier League a sea of tangerine in their own backyard - Bloomfield Road. Against Arsenal, they were punished for some rather bold defending and Ian Holloway will have addressed that in training. Should be a tightly fought match against a resilient Fulham.

Prediction: 1-1

Chelsea vs Stoke

The Premier League fixture gods were rather kind to the Champions, as they now face Stoke at Stamford Bridge. Still riding high on confidence after two 6-0 thrashings, Chelsea really are a joy to watch. Stoke's physicality will be met with equal force, and if anything, last year's Champions will do it more attractively. Stoke were unfortunate not to get more from their first few games, but if they are hopeful of a result against Carlo's Chelsea, they will be sorely disappointed. Expect more magic from Malouda.

Prediction: 3-0

Manchester United vs West Ham

In Saturday's late fixture, Sir Alex will be hoping the Old Trafford faithful will inspire his team, especially after last week's pitiful last 10 minutes at Fulham. Can't afford to give Chelsea any more ground in the EPL title race. Avram Grant's team look low on confidence and he needs the likes of Rob Green, Matthew Upson, Scott Parker and Carlton Cole to stand up and be counted.

Prediction: 2-0

Tottenham vs Wigan

Buoyed by their Champions League group stage qualification (although perhaps not their tough group) Spurs will certainly be up for it. Wigan's defending looked quite 'Pub League' against Chelsea and Roberto Martinez will have let them know how poor they were. They say there are no easy games in the Premier League, but this match has easy written all over it.

Prediction: 4-0

Wolves vs Newcastle

The Magpies stunned the Premier League an outstanding 6-0 win over Aston Villa last week, but Wolves will be much more of a challenge. Newcastle look the most likely of the promoted clubs to stay up, but it's early days. Mick McCarthy's team are looking more and more like a proper Premier League side. Impressive home form will make the difference against Chris Hughton's lads.

Prediction: 2-1

Cheers for now

Soccer.tel

Europe beckons

2010-08-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome back!

As Peter Crouch stated: "We want Real Madrid and Inter" after progressing to the Champions League group stage draw, Spurs won't be afraid of anyone. Tottenham Hotspur did in fact draw last year's European Champions Inter Milan, a potentially thrilling fixture. Werder Bremen and Dutch Champions FC Twente complete what is arguably, pardon the age-old cliche: ''the group of death". All the best with that one. But 'Arry, not to worry, Ozil has left Bremen and the influential (didn't think anyone would ever say that...) Steve McLaren has left FC Twente - there is still hope.

With Wembley playing host to the Champions League Final next year, the best English clubs will be even more desperate to be there in May 2011. Let's hope we see at least one club from the quartet of English teams make the Champions League last four - none progressed that far last season.

Tottenham may face a stern test in Group A, but Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United will all be relieved and confident with the Group draw.

First off, Man Utd drawing Rangers, Sir Alex facing old friend Walter Smith. Should be fantastic ties, but really can't see the Scottish Champions making it past the group stage. Finishing off the group are Valencia and Bursaspor. Valencia, without Villa and Silva, aren't as formidable as they once were. Plain sailing for the Premier League 09/10 runners-up.

Chelsea couldn't have asked for a better draw, realistically - French Champions Marseille, MSK Zilina (ahem, Slovakian Champions) and Spartak Moscow make up the Blues Champions League group. Not terribly challenging, progression should be expected. Is this Chelsea's year? Perhaps, but old-foes, namely Barcelona and also Jose Mourinho threaten disappointment, but as they say, anything is possible.

Arsenal were also gifted a rather generous draw - Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga and Partizan Belgrade. Arsene Wenger will be wary of potentially tricky away fixtures, but will once again be quietly confident as he should be. In the knockout stages? Outsiders, sorry Gunners fans. You'll be out-Gunned.

As one would expect, Jose Mourinho's debut Real Madrid season will be made even more glamourous after being placed in Group G alongside AC Milan, Ajax and Auxerre. No fewer than 20 European titles between them. Some classics will, needless to say, transpire from this group.

Here are all the Champions League groups A-H (bolded - our predicted qualifiers)

Group A- Inter Milan, Werder Bremen, Tottenham, FC Twente

Group B- Lyon, Benfica, Schalke, Hapoel Tel-Aviv

Group C - Manchester United, Valencia, Rangers, Bursaspor

Group D - Barcelona, Panathinaikos, FC Copenhagen, Rubin Kazan

Group E - Bayern Munich, AS Roma, Basel, CFR Cluj

Group F - Chelsea, Marseille, Spartak Moscow, Zilina

Group G - Real Madrid, AC Milan, Ajax, Auxerre

Group H - Arsenal, Braga, Shakhtar Donetsk, Partizan Belgrade

Cheers for now

Soccer.tel

Goals galore, again

2010-08-23T17:51:00.000-07:00

After Chelsea's 6-0 demolition of Wigan and Arsenal's thrashing of Blackpool by the same scoreline, few would have expected another 6-0 match the following day. Newcastle did just that. Man Utd were left ruing missed chances and Man City asserted their title credentials.

Newcastle 6-0 Aston Villa

Another EPL hat-trick, this time by Andy Carroll gave the Toon Army half of their six-goal haul. Pretty appalling defensively, Villa were hard to watch. A far-cry from their opening day victory over West Ham. Plenty of work to be done. Newcastle were quite clinical, one can only hope this is the springboard to more wins.

Fulham 2-2 Man Utd

Spurred on by the veteran Paul Scholes with a trademark finish - Man Utd certainly dominated proceedings early on. Hard to predict what would happen in the last 10 minutes. Hangeland, unlucky to turn a corner past his own 'keeper to make it 2-1 for Man Utd. He certainly made amends soon after, but not before even more drama. In typical Red Devils fashion, controversy tarnished this match. In a strange sort of retribution for penalties not given Fulham's way, Nani's miss in the 84' was ever so sweet amongst the home fans. Sir Alex wasn't best pleased to say the least. And to top it off, Hangeland scored the tying goal barely minutes later. Two points dropped.

Man City 3-0 Liverpool

It must be said, this one had draw written all over it. But an impressive performance at Eastlands gave credence to Man City's title aspirations. City's dominance is highlighted by the 65% possession they experienced. And perhaps a little shockingly, given the influx of new talent, over half the starting line-up was English. Good news Fabio, good news. City now sit at 4 pts alongside (amongst others) Man Utd and Arsenal - all of 3 of which have had some impressive performances thus far.

Pretty entertaining weekend, wouldn't you agree?

Cheers for now

Soccer.tel

That's more like it.

2010-08-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

Praying for a little bit more from the soccer gods paid off on Saturday. A highly entertaining day in the Premier League - but who had a good day, who didn't, and what did we learn?

It was a good day for...

Chelsea - another astonishing scoreline for the 09/10 Champions. 6-0 against the Premier League punching bags, Wigan. Anelka and Kalou bagged two each, with Malouda and Benayoun (his first for the club) rounding off the scoring. Perhaps six goals was a little flattering, but the Blues are in great form. Definitely the team to beat thus far.

Arsenal - The Gunners took just 12 mins to assert their authority over Blackpool, who were still in dreamland after last weekend's great result. Arsenal certainly seem to be playing well of late, once Blackpool were reduced to 10 men, it was game-over

Theo Walcott - a spectacular Man of the Match performance for the young lad. Immensely talented, he showed Fabio Capello why he should be on the right wing for England. A well deserved hat-trick. More of that please, Theo

Gareth Bale - 2 goals for the Welsh wizard, one of which will live long in the memory. A fantastic volley well worth watching over and over. Early shout for goal of the season.

It was a bad day for...

Blackpool - back to reality, thrashed 6-0 at the Emirates. Let's hope they can regroup ahead of their next match. Plucky, but need to get some more point on the board. Must..get...to...40!

Wigan - demolished 6-0 by Chelsea, at home. Roberto Martinez' team impressed for the first 30 mins, but for all their good build-up play no goals were scored. And if you give Chelsea an inch, they'll take a mile. Lesson learned.

Jon Walters and Stoke City - A short range header from Walters hit Crouch's lanky frame - looks like it hits his arm and it looks like the whole ball is over the line. Been here before...TV replays anyone. Sepp Blatter are you watching?

Ian Evatt - hardly a household name, but he brought down Chamakh in the box to give away a penalty, a red card and end Blackpool afternoon. Poor bloke.

Saturday's Results:

Arsenal 6-0 Blackpool

Birmingham 2-1 Blackburn

Everton 1-1 Wolves

Stoke 1-2 Tottenham

West Brom 1-0 Sunderland

West Ham 1-3 Bolton

Wigan 0-6 Chelsea

Back in the swing of things

2010-08-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome back!

Ah, that feels a bit better doesn't it. A month of post-World Cup depression was quickly dispelled last weekend with a fairly entertaining series of EPL action. But as we mentioned in our post-match analysis, there is a definite hunger for more. So what do the soccer gods have in store for us this weekend?

Arsenal vs Blackpool

The Seasiders may have gotten off to an incredible start last weekend, but one has to remember quite how lackluster the Wigan team was. Arsene Wenger's talented Gunners will be a different story. With Robin van Persie expected back up front and Captain Fabregas back in action, Blackpool might find themselves in a spot of bother. Prediction: A comfortable 2-0

Birmingham vs Blackburn

After salvaging a 2-2 from being 2-0 down at Sunderland last week, team spirit will be running high at St. Andrews. Blackburn tend to struggle away from home and also David Dunn isn't fit. Hard to see anything but a home win. Prediction: 2-1 for Birmingham

Everton vs Wolves

The Toffees looked quite hapless in front of goal last weekend, but playing at Goodison Park will really help the confidence. Wolves after a good win last weekend over Stoke are starting to look like a proper Premier League side. As long as Captain Phil Neville is fit, then Everton shouldn't have a problem taking care of Wolves. Prediction: 2-0

Stoke vs Tottenham

The hugely talented Kenwyne Jones looks set to start after a painful looking challenge last weekend against Wolves. He will be crucial to Stoke's chances in this match. Tottenham looked poor defensively against Young Boys in the Champions League qualifier mid-week, and Stoke will certainly test them. Prediction: 1-1

West Brom vs Sunderland

Thrashed by an impressive Chelsea performance last week, 6-0, the Baggies look set to struggle this season. Roberto Di Matteo has his work cut out for him. Home field advantage will help. Should be a decent match. Prediction: 1-1

West Ham vs Bolton

A shambolic 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa in their opening match has set the tone for the Hammers. Avram Grant is ''ready for a relegation scrap" - not exactly inspiring much confidence. Bolton struggle away from home and you've got to fancy West Ham knicking a sneaky result. Prediction: 1-0 for the Hammers

Wigan vs Chelsea

Wigan were extremely poor against Blackpool and if things don't improve quickly, Roberto Martinez might not be in charge for long. Chelsea, high on confidence after the 6-0 demolition of West Brom, will be too strong for Wigan. Should be a fairly straight-forward win for the Champions. Prediction: 2-0 for the Blues

Cheers for now

Soccer.tel

Brilliant Barca, or a Real renaissance?

2010-08-17T17:41:00.000-07:00

Hola amigos, welcome back.

A rivalry so intense you can barely whisper the opposition's name amongst locals without fear. More history than even the most loyal fan can recite.

Barcelona and Real Madrid, are two clubs vying for domestic and European glory once again. Amongst their squads you can find the vast majority of the spectacular Spanish team that were victorious this year in South Africa but what does this season hold for Spain's biggest clubs?

Jose Mourinho, after leading Inter Milan to Champions League glory has taken over at the Bernabeu. It seems there is little left of vintage Real Madrid, after Raul's recent move to Schalke and Guti's departure to Besiktas. Both players spent their whole careers in Madrid and have been ushered out, perhaps rightly so, by Mourinho. Interestingly, with Raul's foot barely out of the door, Cristiano Ronaldo was handed the famous #7 shirt - Jose boldly flexing his managerial muscle. The Portuguese 'Special One' has brought in Di Maria, Spanish duo Canales and Pedro Leon as well as the German talisman Sami Khedira. Reuniting with Ricardo Carvalho will also help shore up the Real defence. But it was the protracted transfer of Mezut Ozil that signaled changing of the guard in the Spanish capital. The attacking talents of his summer acquisitions, combined with Ronaldo's incredible flair ensure that Mourinho's team will have no problems in front of goal. Anyone with question marks over the Spanish defence, just have a look at Jose's tactical style last year - uncompromising.

Barcelona, full of flair, have a lineup straight out of a 'dream team'. Last year's La Liga Champions may be looking towards Mourinho's Madrid as a threat in this coming season but Pep Guardiola should be confident ahead of the coming season. Arguably the majority of the 'star' Spanish players line-up for the Catalan giants with Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta and Villa all playing crucial roles this season. Add in the talents of Ibrahimovic and Messi, and you have quite the team. Villa was a pre-World Cup purchase but as he showed for Spain, many games are settled by a single goal - he was invaluable. And if coach Guardiola can get Messi back to his scintillating form that he, ahem, showed before the World Cup, then it will a truly wonderful attacking team. Given the midfield combo of Iniesta-Xavi will complete roughly 99.9% of passes attempted, there won't be a shortage of possession within the Barca team.

Yet again it promises to be an exciting season, the debut season for Jose Mourinho will be fascinating to watch as the Real fans are, to put it lightly, demanding. The domestic title is an absolute minimum for the Madrid faithful. Meanwhile Pep Guardiola has to push to retain the La Liga title, as well as progress further in Europe. Expect much from these talented sides, and to the rest of Europe - you have been warned.

Cheers for now

Soccer.tel

A hunger for more.

2010-08-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

It was a very good weekend of football wasn't it?

I recall only a few days ago looking through the fixture list for the opening day and noticing a few crackers in the mix. Chelsea/West Brom aside, almost all of the matches seemed evenly balanced and entirely difficult to predict: a perfect recipe for a Premier League opening weekend.

We had Tottenham vs. Manchester City: a match that, last season, propelled 'Spurs into the Champions League, leaving City amongst the mere mortals in the Europa league (not to mention almost costing Roberto Mancini his job). This weekends fixture did not disappoint either, yet instead of deciding the fate of the two teams, it instead delivered the potential final word in England's goalkeeping woes. Spurs seemed eager to demonstrate that money cannot buy results and swarmed the City final third in search of an opener. The likes of Gareth Bale, Peter Crouch, Aaron Lennon and Roman Pavlyuchenko however, found themselves wanting against the brilliance of England's now undisputed number 1, Joe Hart.

We had Blackpool, a fresh, optimistic and enthusiastic side playing the sluggish and downtrodden Wigan. This game was not a mismatch in terms of skill, (both sides are relative favourites for the drop) but when it came to the opposing attitudes of the sides, Blackpool's vibrant excitement simply to be in the Premier League overwhelmed Wigan and its growing sense of impending doom.

Let's not forget, we also had the simple matter of Liverpool vs. Arsenal at Anfield. This is, of course, a match drenched in history and it only took 45 minutes for the sparks to fly. Joe Cole's sending off will have marred the result for Liverpool fans, yet it must be noted that Cole look short of ideas and perhaps out of his depth up to the moment he received a straight red card. Arsene Wenger got his tactics spot on and although Liverpool looked slightly the better side, Arsenal received a well-deserved point. Two red cards, controversy, passion and the odd goalkeeping blunder spell a fairly typical match between the two top sides.

All of the matches this weekend had the definite potential to become classic examples of all that is good about the Premier League. There was controversy, drama and some wonderful goals, but this weekend, to me, fell slightly short of my expectations. I suppose the months of imagining a plethora of 4-4 draws and 6-5 narrow victories mightn't have helped, but this season still has yet to really kick-off and my word, I couldn't be more excited to see what twists the year will take.

That's all for now folks,

Soccer.tel

EPL 2010/11 - and so it begins

2010-08-13T09:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome back!

The new English Premier League season begins tomorrow, with Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea hoping to defend their title after finishing one point ahead of Manchester United last season.

The opening weekend is highlighted by a clash between Liverpool and Arsenal, while eyes will also be on Tottenham vs Manchester City - two teams with top-four hopes.

From the promoted clubs, Blackpool play their first top-flight game, while Newcastle and West Brom hope to mark their return with three points.

Predictions:

Tottenham 2 - 1 Man City

Man City may struggle to find the solidarity as a team right away, ''too many cooks'' perhaps? Tottenham secured Champions League qualification in their last meeting - Man City will be looking for revenge.

Key match-up -> Michael Dawson and Carlos Tevez - dependable defender vs powerful striker

Aston Villa 1 - 0 West Ham

The Hammers won once away from home in the Premier League, but this record should improve under Avram Grant. Manager-less Villa will be looking to steady the ship early on in the season. Amazing that it was only a few months ago that it was West Ham in trouble, but after Martin O'Neill's departure Villa seem in turmoil.

Key match-up -> Stiliyan Petrov and Scott Parker - midfield dynamo vs talented tackler

Blackburn 1 - 1 Everton

Everton look good ahead of the coming season. Mikel Arteta has been signed to a long-term deal, and David Moyes is beginning his ninth season in charge. Sam Allardyce's Blackburn will be a stern test for the Toffees. Predicting a feisty match, full of tackling and perhaps a few cards.

Key match-up: Phil Jones and Louis Saha - youthful talent vs aging consistency

Bolton 1 - 1 Fulham

Fulham may find the season more difficult without Hodgson, but the nucleus of the team still remains the same. Might be tough for Mark Hughes to get settled. Not really thinking this will be 'one to remember'.

Key match-up -> Zat Knight and Bobby Zamora - solid centreback vs lethal forward

Chelsea 2 - 0 West Brom

Chelsea have too much quality to end this game with anything other than three points. Carlo Ancelotti's team lost 3-1 against rivals Man Utd in the Community Shield last weekend, and pre-season form has been poor. Can't see the Blues struggling at home, and they will look to send a message to the rest of the Prem. Roberto Di Matteo should get a warm welcome upon his return to the bridge.

Key match-up -> Didier Drogba (if he's fit) and Gabriel Tamas - daunting vs daunted.

Sunderland 1 - 0 Birmingham

The Black Cats have sold Kenwyne Jones to Stoke, while bringing in Danny Welbeck on loan from Manchester United. Good move in our opinion. Birmingham had a terrific run of form last season, going 12 Premier League games without defeat as Alex McLeish's side finished ninth in the table. But looking at the Blues squad, where the goals are going to come from?

Key match-up -> Titus Bramble and Nikola Zigic - defensive liability vs towering target-man

Wigan 2 - 1 Blackpool

Blackpool were fantastic in the Championship last season, but with few players interested in joining the Seasiders their stay might be short-lived. It's going to take a lot of grit to survive in the EPL, time will tell if they can do it. Wigan should take this opening fixture by a single goal

Key match-up -> James McCarthy and Charlie Adam. Passing precision vs midfield maestro

Wolves vs Stoke

Mick McCarthy has brought in Stephen Hunt and Steven Fletcher - hopeful Wolves can improve on the 09/10 15th-placed finish. Stoke are now into their third season as a EPL club. Recent arrival Kenwyne Jones and Ricardo Fuller could prove crucial for Stoke. Local derbies are never easy to predict, should be a tight match but by no means a classic.

Key match-up -> Steven Fletcher and Ryan Shawcross. Record signing vs England hopeful

Cheers

Follow all the action @SoccerDotTel

A new look England impresses at Wembley

2010-08-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Back in business, as England improve on home soil

Half expecting a somewhat negative atmosphere for the friendly against Hungary, the England squad for the most part received a warm welcome. Only 8 of the squad returned to action post-World Cup disappointment, due a mix of injuries and cuts.

Captain fantastic Steven Gerrard scored twice in four second-half minutes as England came from behind to defeat Hungary. Fabio revamped the line-up, and as we predicted in yesterday's blog, changed the formation. 4-2-3-1 was the choice.

England: Hart, Glen Johnson, Jagielka, Terry (Dawson 46), Ashley Cole (Gibbs 46), Barry, Lampard (Zamora 46), Walcott (Young 46), Gerrard (Wilshere 82), Adam Johnson, Rooney (Milner 66).

Roughly the same team we had suggested, and it was largely much more effective than the England that barely showed up in South Africa. England did score 2 after reverting to 4-4-2, but the lively opening spell certainly gives Capello food for thought.

Positives:
- Steven Gerrard was fantastic, back to his best without a doubt.
- Kieran Gibbs played well at left back once Ashley Cole went off, clearly a signal that the Chelsea man hasn't got his spot guaranteed.
- The formation suited the midfield, especially with some great attacking play from Lampard and Gerrard
- England started with crisp pace and looked full of energy - a far cry from the Germany match.

Negatives:
- Ashley Cole looks a bit out of sorts
- Wayne Rooney seems to be off form these days (the booing didn't help) and his sarcastic applause when subbed was just sad.
- England actually looked better without Rooney on the field
- Theo Walcott needs to really impress at Arsenal if he's going to make this team

All in all, a good performance but England fans will be looking to see more from Capello's men once the Euro qualifiers begin in September.

Not long til the English Premier League starts, opening fixtures this weekend!

Cheers for now

Let us know what you think @SoccerDotTel

England - Looking to the future

2010-08-10T23:18:00.000-07:00

After a fantastic qualifying campaign, most England fans didn't expect the early exit in South Africa. But it is what it is, and without blaming the players too much, it's hard not to.

Fabio Capello is one of the most accomplished managers in the game, so it's tough to place the burden on him, even if he did 'have trouble motivating the lads'. So if it was the player's fault, should the influential Italian perform a renaissance on the Three Lions team? He already has, but we outline who would be in our Euro 2012 squad.

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, Ben Foster (when he's fit), and one other, probably Green

This is pretty tough for Capello, after Paul Robinson's surprising international retirement, the pressure is really on the young lads. If both Joe Hart and Ben Foster get first team EPL action this season, guarding the ol' onion bag may become one of England's strongest positions.

Defenders: Ashley Cole, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand (once he's fit), Michael Dawson, Kieran Gibbs (if he establishes himself at Arsenal), Ledley King (fitness dependent), Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson

At top form, and fitness, England's defence should be solid. If Capello plays John Terry in his favoured Centre-back spot next to Ashley Cole things should be better than in South Africa. Michael Dawson seems keen to take on Rio for the other spot in the centre, and fair play to him. Probably Glen Johnson is the best option at right-back.

Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Steven Gerrard, Adam Johnson, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Ashley Young, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere (again if he establishes himself), Jack Rodwell, Aaron Lennon

Pace and downright attacking play is what was lacking in South Africa. Really stretching the width of the pitch is where England can be at their best. Some youthful exuberance may prove foolish, but heck, it's worth a go!

Forwards: Gabriel Agbonlahor, Wayne Rooney, Bobby Zamora, Jermain Defoe

This essentially picks itself. Its a mystery how Agbonlahor hasn't cracked this team before, very talented. Remains to be seen how Zamora handles Fulham without Hodgson's guiding hand.

Next to suggest a formation. Fabio, no more 4-4-2, it didn't work, did it. 4-2-3-1 might work:

Joe Hart

Glen Johnson - Michael Dawson - John Terry - Ashley Cole

Gareth Barry - Steven Gerrard

Theo Walcott - Frank Lampard - Ashley Young

Wayne Rooney

Cheers for now, let us know what you think @SoccerDotTel

First blood to the Red Devils

2010-08-08T23:33:00.000-07:00

Final Score: Man Utd 3-1 Chelsea

A disappointing start to the competitive season for Chelsea after putting up a measly fight against Man Utd. Carlo Ancelotti's team ended the 09/10 campaign as EPL and FA Cup champions - inflicting home and away league defeats on Manchester United as well as winning the Community Shield. But it was Sir Alex who has taken first blood in the 10/11 season.

Sure Scholes had a great game, and Van der Sar saved all but one of the barrage of Chelsea shots, but the Blues lost this one. Poor defending from the sluggish John Terry against competitive debutant Javier Hernandez, highlighted the worrying situation. Despite, 'Chicarito's' rather amusing goal, his movement was too much for Terry to handle in the second half. We must say, it doesn't bode well for the opening game of the season.

Also Ashley Cole, is quite unnerving to say the least - at fault for the first two goals and completely undone by Valencia. Transfer speculation all summer and personal problems have left him looking very distracted. Not often have Chelsea had even the slightest concern in the left-back position, but now Carlo will be left scratching his head.

Insert Ramires in midfield, get Didier Drogba fitter and Michael Essien sharper and Chelsea will be as formidable as ever. But the Champions of England, Chelsea looked a shadow of their former selves it remains to be seen if they can bounce back from 4 straight pre-season defeats to get their EPL title defence off to a flying start. No-one said it would be easy, so things can only get better for the Blues.

@SoccerDotTel

FA Community Shield

2010-08-08T01:53:00.001-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen: it is here. Whether or not you’ve managed to finally get over your World Cup fever (Post-traumatic stress if you’re English; elation and hangover if you’re Spanish) the English Premier League season is upon us.

Tomorrow, two greats of English football face each other in the proverbial curtain-raiser of the season. The Community Shield is nothing more than a glorified friendly, but for Chelsea and Manchester United, it can still lift a team’s early momentum whilst dealing a formidable blow to the other’s confidence.

Chelsea, based on last season’s form, might just edge ahead of United as favorites for victory at Wembley, but pre-season results may suggest otherwise. United have impressed against the League of Ireland XI and the MLS All-Stars scoring 12 and conceding only 3 in their two matches. Chelsea on the other hand, have lost their last three pre-season matches shipping 7 goals and only scoring 3 in games against Ajax, Frankfurt and Hamburg.

The Charity Shield, though, is a whole different proposition to pre-season friendlies. It is a match that is meant to gauge the preparedness of the two best clubs in the country. It is Wembley. It is Manchester United’s revenge. It is Chelsea’s push to continue their dominance. It is the Crème de la Crème, the best of the best. It is two of the biggest clubs in England locking horns, each hoping to draw first blood in a duel that is likely to last until 4:00 on the 22^nd of May when the final game of the season kicks off. It is the FA Community Shield. It is English football, and Ladies and Gentlemen, it is here.