Blackpool may have difficulty in shaking off the 'jokers' tag, but could it play to their advantage?

This may come to be a familiar sight throughout the coming months as Ian Holloway prepares for his first PL campaign as a manager

Blackpool is best known for its pleasure beach, arcades, and thousands of bald-headed, sunburnt British tourists that flock to the seaside each year. You wouldn’t automatically associate Blackpool with football, and you certainly wouldn’t have predicted this time last year that they had a realistic chance of reaching the play-offs, let alone actually gaining promotion to the Premier League. A relegation battle would have been a more customary suggestion, with a low to mid-table finish the ultimate objection. But Ian Holloway built a team combining youthful exuberance and a die-hard work ethic, and throughout the duration of the 2009/10 season, Holloway and his men slowly but surely began to prove everybody wrong. Now, they are on the verge of embarking on their first ever Premier League journey.

William Hill have Blackpool at 4/5 to finish bottom of the PL this season, whilst their odds to stay in the division are 11/4. On paper, Blackpool are sure-fire favourites to go straight back down, but it’s a label that could well work in their favour. Ian Holloway is a very stubborn manager, and a very stubborn man. He’s arguably one of the most honest men in the game, and whilst he’s voiced his concerns over the strength and depth of his squad in recent days, he also insisted that people shouldn’t write them off. As we witnessed last season, Blackpool defeated the odds and the opinion of most football fans across the country, to reach a remarkable achievement in the club’s recent history. Who’s to say they can’t overachieve once more?

Naturally teams find it very difficult to adjust to life in the Premier League, with the odd exception. In Reading’s first season in the top flight they performed admirably and above all expectations to reach an astounding 8th position in the league. Unfortunately for them, relegation loomed the very next season and they were back in the Championship. Stoke City are another team who have risen to the occasion of playing against the Manchester United’s and Chelsea’s of this world, and to this day remain very sturdy opposition in England’s top flight. Blackpool aren’t expected to be as successful as those two clubs in their first season, and they’d be foolish to aim any higher than surviving their first PL season. Indeed, I’m sure that is all Ian Holloway has his sights set on, but he knows he needs to add a number of new names to his rather small first team squad.

It’s very clear that Holloway’s personality and football character has somewhat rubbed off on his players over the last 12 months or so. Indeed, the team’s work rate is reminiscent of the way Holloway likes to work, although it would be unfair to dismiss his style of play on the field. Make no bones about it, Holloway likes his teams to play football on the deck, contrary to regular opinion of football league sides, the majority of which prefer a more direct, long-ball approach. Holloway is not that kind of manager. When asked on Sky Sports News whether he would have to abandon that style of play from time to time in the Premier League, Holloway replied, “you mean stop playing football on the deck and start hoofing it up in the air? If that’s what you mean by abandon”. It was a typical Holloway response, and one that suggests he is determined to keep moulding his side into the product that he prefers, rather than the one that would have the best chance of succeeding in the top flight.

West Brom are another of the promoted sides along with Newcastle United, and they are a side who also prefer to play their football on the grass. However, that style of play may well have flattered many in the Championship, but when it has come down to Premier League football, The Albion have been lacking something extra to keep them in the division. As a result, they have come to be known as the ‘yo-yo’ team of English football. For Blackpool to work as a unit in the Premier League, and to avoid any potential embarrassment at the hands of the bigger teams, they’ll need to show more fight and determination than West Brom have in previous seasons. However, I don’t think that will be a problem, as Ian Holloway has always been a stickler for work-rate and a winning attitude.

The one thing that may work in Blackpool’s favour is the ‘new boy’s’ tag. Few of the current Premier League sides know too much about Blackpool, and whilst they’ll all do their research before taking on the division’s newest side, Blackpool’s x-factor could be the fact that they are an unknown entity. They will also have excellent support, despite possessing the smallest stadium in the league, and no doubt the fans will get right behind their team when Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti turn up at Bloomfield Road. Opposition sides can expect a hostile, unwelcoming atmosphere, and this may be something that unnerves and unsettles visiting sides. Blackpool would love that to be the case, but there is no hiding the fact that they have to sign 5 or 6 decent players to have any chance of staying alive in the PL. As we know against teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, if you don’t have a well-organised, efficient defensive line, you’ll have problems, as Wigan found out to their embarrassment against Spurs at White Hart Lane last season as they went on to lose a record 9-1. Wigan are far from being Premier League new boys now, having gained promotion back in the 2004/05 season. That probably further highlights the importance of being solid at the back, something that I know Blackpool are in the process of addressing with the potential signing of Dekel Keinan from Israeli giants Maccabi Haifa.

If Ian Holloway didn’t know it already, Blackpool’s pre-season campaign has alerted him to the problems his side may face if they enter the season without adding to their squad.  Holloway has also been struck with the news that Billy Clarke is likely to miss the entire season with damaged cruciate ligaments. 22-year old Clarke is highly rated in the Blackpool ranks and he may prove to be a big miss for them come April and May next year.

I’m sure that if Ian Holloway had a fully-fit, stronger squad, he’d be showing far more confidence in Blackpool’s ability to defeat the odds in the Premier League this season, but there are a couple of things that could work in their favour. To survive their first season in the PL, they’ll need a great deal of effort, a whole lot of luck, and a committed, understanding fanbase behind them. Good luck to them!

Can Manchester City win the League or is it a case of too many cooks?

Yaya Toure is one of Roberto Mancini's superstar signings this summer

I’m certainly not the first person to start a discussion as to whether Manchester City will be good enough to challenge for the Premier League title this season, nor will I be the last. Until it is mathematically impossible, and until either Chelsea or Manchester United lift their 4th or 12th respective trophies, people won’t stop debating. Even then attentions will turn to the 2011/2012 season and whether City can strengthen their squad and push for honours again. Since the high-profile takeover of the club in 2007, the days of questioning City’s credentials as a Premier League club are long gone, and mid-table expectancies are a distant memory. The talk has now switched to top four, Champions League, and champions of England. Last season City came ever so close to breaching the once unbreachable ‘big four’, that thanks to Liverpool no longer exists. It’s now the ‘big three and whoever else is good enough to join them’, but unfortunately for City, last season belonged to Tottenham, and it will be Harry Redknapp’s side that will have the chance to compete with Barcelona and Inter Milan in Europe’s biggest competition.

Whilst it’s extremely possible that Manchester City can go one better this season, I’m still unconvinced that they are potential challengers to Chelsea and their Manchester rivals. Of course, every Manchester City fan and follower will tell you that they have as good a chance as anyone. That’s what they’d like to believe. However, life is divided into two types of people; The idealists and the realists. I have the feeling that every one of those City fans falls into the idealist bracket, and the reality is they are still not a team capable of putting together a serious march to the summit of the Premier League. Indeed, it is a fantastic time for Manchester City and their fans. It’s a very exciting period in their history as a football club and they have every right to be ambitious, optimistic, and idealistic. I’m not here to be an ideal. I’m here to be real.

City’s spending this season has been typically outlandish. Yaya Toure, Jerome Boateng, David Silva and now Aleksandr Kolarov have arrived at Eastlands in big money deals, and you wouldn’t bet on them stopping there. James Milner and Landon Donovan are two other potential signings that could add to the sizeable roster City already have on their books. Those are some fantastic names I’ve just mentioned, and some superb footballers. They arrive at the club with huge reputations to live up to, and face the challenge of integrating into a side that isn’t all too familiar with each other. There’s my problem. The Premier League consists of 38 matches, each of which nowadays is a solid obstacle to defeat. 38 matches is a lot of time for a team to be found out, and for weaknesses to start showing. 38 matches divides the teams from the individuals, and at this stage of their rapid progression as a football club, Manchester City are not yet a fully functional, well-oiled unit. They are a squad made up a number of individual stars, who on their own terms are good enough to play for anyone. Football isn’t an individual sport. It’s not tennis, it’s not golf. It’s a team game. Yes, it may all sound very cliché, but so be it. These are the facts.

You may argue that a 5th-place finish last season was a fantastic effort from a side I’m branding as not yet a team. Nevertheless, you would expect 5th place as a minimum for a team consisting of the likes of Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Robinho and the rest. To better a 5th-place finish is a monumental task, one which City fans shouldn’t take for granted. I may well be very wrong come the end of the season, but analysing City’s situation at this stage, I would say I won’t be. It takes time for foreign players to adjust to the ‘English way’, and to adapt to the infamous pace of the Premier League. It takes double the time to settle into a team that has not played a great deal of games together, especially when 4 or 5 players arrive at the same time. In a 38-game season, you cannot afford to miss out on 6 or 7 games through the need to gel and bond as a team, especially when your priorities lie at the top. Pre-season friendlies are designed to give the players a chance to do exactly that, but with City bringing in a player a week at the moment, it isn’t an easy task. Having seen the highlights of their first friendly of the campaign against Sporting Lisbon in New York, it is evident that a lot of work needs to be done, and whilst I understand that pre-season friendlies are a useful tool to scrape all the rust off and get the mistakes out of the way, time is ticking before the Premier League season kicks off, and the pressure is on Roberto Mancini and his troops to make sure they are in the best possible frame, both physically and tactically, to make their much expected challenge for the title.

Having assessed what may prove to be the downfall of Manchester City this season, I cannot escape what has to be the catalyst for what they hope to be is their best ever Premier League season. That catalyst would be the strength-in-depth that they clearly possess, a tool that comes to be very useful in football today. With so many matches in a season, particularly with increased European and cup participation, to have 3 or 4 players who can play in every position is a real luxury, and whilst some teams may struggle with that aspect of their dynamics, City have the guarantee that they’re progress won’t be slowed by injuries and suspensions. At least, it is their’s to throw away. If used correctly and at the right times, then silverware is a very realistic objective. If neglected and if Roberto Mancini sees no benefit in using his whole quota of players, Champions League possibilities could slip away.

Shay Given and Joe Hart are two top-class goalkeepers who should enjoy a hefty tussle for the number 1 jersey throughout the next 12 months or so. Micah Richards, Nedum Onuoha, Pablo Zabaleta and Jerome Boateng should keep each other occupied in the full-back slots, whilst Wayne Bridge will have to fight off new signing Kolarov for the left-back berth. Vincent Kompany, Kolo Toure, Joleon Lescott and Dedryck Boyata are all contenders to play at the heart of the defence, meaning that Mancini has at least 10 defensive options at his disposal. The Italian also has his fair share of options on the wings with Silva, Bellamy, Wright-Phillips and Adam Johnson in the mix, plus youngster Vladimir Weiss who may well find himself loaned out of Eastlands for a second consecutive season.

With the arrival of Yaya Toure, Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry will be kept on their toes, whilst Stephen Ireland, Michael Johnson and Patrick Vieira will be used in a more box-to-box role. Up-front, the City fans have the joy of watching Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and Jo ply their trade, leaving Roque Santa Cruz to twiddle his thumbs and ultimately look for another club. His injury-corrupted career has done him no favours in the scheme of things at City.

So, there’s a lot to choose from for Mancini, who will have his work cut out to keep everyone happy at City. Still, he’d rather that than have a small group of unmotivated players on his hands, and how he deals with a first team squad containing more than 35 players will be the key to any success City will have this season.

What do we think folks? Are they living in dream land or is it plausible to say they’ll be the new name engraved on the Premier League trophy in May 2011?

Hodgson adds Scottish star to summer spending

Roy Hodgson has backed up the signing of England international Joe Cole by bringing in 18-year old Rangers centre-half Danny Wilson. The deal to sign the Scottish starlet is reported to be an initial £2mill with future incentives taking the total sum up to £5mill.

It has been a fantastic 10 months for Wilson, who made his debut for Rangers in the League Cup against Dundee United in October 2009. He also became Rangers’ youngest ever European representative when he started a game against Unirea Urziceni in the Champions League at the age of 17 years and 312 days.

That was just the start of things for Wilson, who in a superb debut season went on to win the Scottish Football Writer’s Young Player of the Year, Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year and Rangers’ Supporters Young Player of the Year awards. Such accolades clearly alerted the attentions of the big guns such as Liverpool, who showed interest in the versatile defender when Rafael Benitez was still in charge. Despite Benitez’s departure, the Reds continued their interest in Wilson and will now make him their 2nd British signing of the summer subject to a medical.

Roy Hodgson - The perfect man for the job or a cheap way out?

Is there a single country Roy Hodgson hasn’t managed in? Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, England, Denmark, Norway, Finland and the United Arab Emirates. It’s fair to say that he’s clocked up his share of air miles throughout his 34-year managerial career, but what the Liverpool faithful really want to see is a mounting number of trophies in the cabinets at the Anfield museum. Is Roy Hodgson the man to deliver?

Lets be realistic about this. He has been appointed as Liverpool manager because of his achievements with Fulham FC, particularly in the last couple of years. A 7th-place finish in the 2008/09 season was rewarded with a place in the newly-named Europa League, although with their first qualifier coming as early as July 30th last year, it seemed to be more of a burden than a reward. However, despite playing an extraordinary amount of games, and finishing the season in mid-May, Hodgson managed to guide the Cottagers to the final of the Europa League, where they narrowly lost out to a strong Atletico Madrid side. At the same time, he had the motivation and tactical prowess to ensure that Fulham did not sacrifice their Premier League campaign for a long run in Europe. A 12th-place finish represented an outstanding all-round season for the boys from West London.

However, having arguably never been the boss of a club with the same expectations and history as Liverpool FC, it is unclear as to whether he will be up to the task. At Inter Milan, Hodgson was brought in to oversee a rebuilding process, and led the Italian giants to the UEFA Cup final and 3rd place in his 2nd and last season with the club. This particular achievement, coupled with his time at Fulham, leads me to believe that the Liverpool job could not have gone to a more apt individual.

Many people will disagree with my point of view, which is fine, but I’d insist one thing. Don’t be sceptical. Before Hodgson’s arrival, Fulham were a very mediocre outfit. Arguably, they still are, with very few big-name or big-reputation players. They are a side made up of grafters and battlers, and perhaps not the best technicians on the planet, with the odd exception of course. Danny Murphy and Zoltan Gera would have something to say about that. Nevertheless, with the financial backing of Mohamed Al-Fayed, Fulham would say that they were the Premier League’s big underachievers. Hodgson arrived with Fulham in the mire and more than half an eye on the drop. His job was very similar to what was expected of him at Inter Milan, and he delivered the goods once again. After a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Roy Keane’s Sunderland, Hodgson was left to contemplate what was a likely relegation, and was almost reduced to tears in his post-match press conference. However, after winning their first away fixture in 34 attempts against Reading, Fulham went on to win 3 of their remaining 4 games to retain their Premier League survival. The rest, they say, is history.

Whilst Liverpool are far from being relegation candidates, and whilst expectations are far higher than those of Fulham’s back in 2007, they are a club slipping down the Premier League ladder, both in terms of finance and in terms of their on-the-pitch performances. Due to this, the expectations have dropped slightly, and the main focus now is to make sure that the slide is halted and the big money-spenders of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur don’t shove the Reds completely off the radar indefinitely.

Despite all the obvious optimism I have shown since his appointment was confirmed, I am still fully aware that the quality of players Liverpool have at their disposal is not good enough to mount a title challenge or even a bid to break back in to the ‘big four’. There are too many players at the club who lack the quality to compete with the two Manchester clubs and the clubs in the capital. A lot of money, which Liverpool don’t have, needs to be spent, and needs to be spent fast in order to build a squad which does look capable of getting back in amongst the big boys.

Hodgson’s record in the transfer market is pretty impressive. Upon joining Fulham, he strengthened their squad with a number of players, including Brede Hangeland, who proved to be influential in their eventual survival, and I’m hoping he can do the same for Liverpool on a different level. The chances are he’ll be given a relatively poultry transfer budget, and I just hope that he can spot the odd bargain or two and get rid of the dead wood in the ranks. Money gained from player sales could be very important in relation to who he brings in this summer. Lets just hope he doesn’t take Bobby Zamora with him. That’s the last thing we need.

I backed Rafa at the start of his tenure on Merseyside, and he delivered for a time. So now I’m going to back Roy, and until he proves me wrong, I will continue to do just that. The important thing that Liverpool fans need to understand is that it will take a bit of time for Hodgson to get Liverpool back on track in the Premier League and in Europe, and I’ll be praying that if Tom Hicks and George Gillett fail to sell the club soon, they give him sufficient time to work his magic with a very weak team.

Liverpool get their man: Hodgson to be announced as new boss this week

Liverpool sure know how to draw out a deal. As if the impending transfer of Serbian international Milan Jovanovic hasn’t gone on long enough, we’ve now had to endure the deal to bring Roy Hodgson to Anfield for the best part of 2 months. It’s been on, it’s been off, it’s been confirmed, it’s been denied. But now, with great pride and satisfaction, I can confirm that Roy Hodgson will be named as Rafael Benitez’s successor this week, or even by the end of today according to Liverpool FC.

Hodgson completed a wonderful three years at Craven Cottage by guiding Fulham into the Europa League final last season, ahead of European giants Juventus, reigning champions Shakhtar Donetsk and German champions Wolfsburg. He also established Fulham as a mighty tough Premier League side, finishing a record 7th place in the 2008/09 season before securing a mid-table slot last campaign, a superb effort considering the amount of games they had to play both domestically and in the continent.

The 62-year old topped a shortlist that also involved ex-Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini, Galatasaray’s Frank Rijkaard and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish, whose job it was, along with Managing Director Christian Purslow, to hunt down and appoint the right man for the job. Dalglish is now involved in the youth development side of the club, but was a strong favourite to be put in charge, prior to Hodgson’s arrival.

Mike Kelly, goalkeeping coach and Hodgson’s no.2 at Fulham, is expected to join up with the man who has managed the likes of Inter Milan, Bristol City and United Arab Emirates in his very successful career.

So, what do we think Liverpool fans? Is this the right move for the club? Is Roy Hodgson the man to take Liverpool back into the Champions League and get them challenging for honours again? Let me know what you think.

2010/2011 Premier League fixtures announced

The fixtures for the 2010/2011 Premier League season have been announced this morning much to the excitement and anticipation of football fans all across the country. The main focus of attention was who newly promoted Blackpool would draw in their first Premier League match for 39 years. As it goes, it wasn’t that spectacular, as Wigan Athletic have been drawn as the first side to visit Bloomfield Road, the smallest stadium in the League.

Manchester United open their campaign against Championship winners Newcastle United at Old Trafford, whilst Premier League champions Chelsea take on the 3rd of the promoted teams, West Brom at Stamford Bridge. Wolves and Stoke will battle out the first Midlands derby of the season, whilst Aston Villa host West Ham and Birmingham travel to Sunderland in the other matches involving Midlands clubs.

Europa League finalists Fulham welcome Bolton to Craven Cottage, but doubts still remain over whether Roy Hodgson will be the man to lead them out on August 14th, after reports claimed he is in talks with Liverpool over the hotseat at Anfield. Bolton’s Lancashire rivals Blackburn host Everton on the first day, with the Champions League’s newest team Tottenham Hotspur welcoming Manchester City to White Hart Lane.

The most sumptuous tie of the opening round comes at Anfield, where Liverpool will entertain Arsenal.

Other dates to look out for:
Arsenal v Blackpool – Sat, 21st August
Man City v Liverpool – Sat, 21st August
Man Utd v Liverpool – Sat, 18th August
Chelsea v Blackpool – Sat, 18th August
Man City v Chelsea – Sat, 25th August
Chelsea v Arsenal – Sat, 2nd October
Everton v Liverpool – Sat, 16th October
Man City v Arsenal – Sat, 23rd October
Aston Villa v Birmingham – Sat, 30th October
Liverpool v Chelsea – Sat, 6th November
Man City v Man Utd – Wed, 10th November
Arsenal v Tottenham – Sat, 20th November
Tottenham v Liverpool – Sat, 27th November
Blackpool v Man Utd – Sat, 4th December
Man Utd v Arsenal – Sat, 11th December
Chelsea v Man Utd – Sat, 18th December
Arsenal v Chelsea – Sun, 26th December
Blackpool v Liverpool – Sun, 26th December
Arsenal v Man City – Tue, 4th January
Liverpool v Everton – Sat, 15th January
Tottenham v Man Utd – Sat, 15th January
Birmingham v Aston Villa – Sat, 15th January
Chelsea v Liverpool – Sat, 5th February
Man Utd v Man City – Sat, 12th February
Tottenham v Arsenal – Sat, 26th February
Liverpool v Man Utd – Sat, 5th March
Blackpool v Chelsea – Sat, 5th March
Chelsea v Man City – Sat, 19th March
Liverpool v Man City – Sat, 9th April
Blackpool v Arsenal – Sat, 9th April
Arsenal v Liverpool – Sat, 16th April
Man City v Tottenham – Sat, 16th April
Arsenal v Man Utd – Sat, 30th April
Man Utd v Chelsea – Sat, 7th May
Liverpool v Tottenham – Sat, 14th May
Man Utd v Blackpool – Sun, 22nd May

Liverpool face tough start to new Premier League campaign

Liverpool have drawn the short straw has far as the start of the 2010/11 Premier League season is concerned. Many felt that on the back of such a disastrous season last term, a good start to the new campaign was essential.

Now, that will prove difficult as Liverpool open the new season with a clash with Arsenal at Anfield, before making the trip to Eastlands to take on Roberto Mancini’s title hopefuls Manchester City on August 21st. Following ties against two of the Premier League’s Midlands clubs, West Brom (H) and Birmingham (A), the Reds then return to Manchester to take on Sir Alex Ferguson and his men, the fixture that all Liverpool fans will be looking out for. Keep the date September 18th free in your diary.

The two Merseyside derbys are scheduled for October 16th at Goodison Park and January 15th at Anfield and Liverpool end their season with a tough visit to Aston Villa May 22nd.

Arsenal slip up as Chelsea & United cash in

It was at this very ground last year where Arsenal’s title challenge seemed to stall and peter out, not in the least down to ‘that’ injury to Eduardo. Over a year on and Arsene Wenger’s face tells the story as he sees his side concede an injury time equalizer at St. Andrews. Kevin Phillips was the man, hitting his 250th career league goal, and sending the Blues fans into raptures as they celebrate a truly remarkable year in the top flight.
Whilst Arsene and his boys were dropping points in the Midlands, Messrs. Ferguson and Ancelotti were enjoying their respective sides rip apart Bolton and Villa, the latter challengers for that 4th Champions League spot which has seemed so unbreakable in recent years.

A Wayne Rooneyless Manchester United faced a potentially tricky trip, albeit short trip, to the Reebok Stadium where Owen Coyle had turned his Wanderers side into a resilient, competitive outfit. Bolton have played United’s nemesis in recent years, but with so much at stake for the visitors, they weren’t going to let their Lancashire rivals spoil the party. Jlloyd Samuel gave the Red Devils a helping left foot as he calmly, coolly, and collectively placed the ball into Jussi Jaaskelainen’s bottom right corner to give the visitors a lead. Rooney would have been proud. Dimitar Berbatov doubled the lead after Darren Fletcher’s shot was pushed out by the Finland number 1, and shortly afterwards made it 3-0, before Darren Gibson rounded off the victory with a smart finish late on.

Meanwhile, Frank Lampard was enjoying himself at Stamford Bridge, as he scored 4 in a 7-1 demolition of Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa. Florent Malouda (2), and Salomon Kalou also got themselves on the scoresheet, with John Carew netting Villa’s solitary goal.

So with such strong messages sent out by United and Chelsea, and with Arsenal dropping points at St. Andrews, the title race takes another turn. For me, and as much as it pains me to say it, United have taken another step towards lifting the trophy for a record 19th time, thus leapfrogging Liverpool as the most successful top division team in history. Even without Wayne Rooney, and missing Rio Ferdinand at the back, United look a side who are unbeatable, and their fantastic record against the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea in recent times means that they surely have to be favourites. Chelsea have certainly got themselves back in the mix after so many people had written them off at Ewood Park a week or so ago. 12 goals in their last 2 games is impressive reading, but they still have some tough obstacles to come and I can’t see them finishing above United at the end of the season.

Of course, next weekend is the ‘big one’. Chelsea go to Old Trafford in a match that they will feel is a must win if they are to gain advantage over United in the race for the title. They then face tough trips to Spurs and Liverpool plus home games against Stoke, Wigan, and Bolton, which they will feel is 9 points in the bag. With United still in the Champions League, there could be grounds to argue that fatigue may play a part, and the distraction of winning Europe’s most illustrious competition is also possible. Also, looking at United’s run-in, the job is far from done. Other than that oh-so-important fixture against Chelsea, Ferguson’s side face visits from Spurs and Stoke, as well as trips to Blackburn, Sunderland, and The City of Manchester Stadium, where Roberto Mancini’s boys will be playing for a Champions League spot. It’s anybody’s guess.

I may be being a little too conclusive in writing Arsenal out of the race, but I just feel they lack conviction when it comes down to the last few matches of the season. They don’t seem to possess that extra ‘oomph’ that will get them over the line ahead of Manchester United and Chelsea. Their run-in includes a trip to London rivals Spurs, as well as home matches against Fulham and Manchester City, and if they are to bring home the glory to the supporters who haven’t witnessed such a thing since 2005, you have to feel that they need to win all 6 of their final games.

I hope United don’t win the trophy, and similarly I hope Arsenal do, but the realist inside me says that won’t be the case, and it’ll be Giggs and co. celebrating yet another Premier League title come 9th May.

Premier League round up - Saturday 16th January

Another eventful weekend in the Barclays Premier League has produced goals, red cards, disappointment, joy and the odd goal on debut.

The highest scoring game of the day came at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea hammered Steve Bruce's Sunderland 7-2. Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard both claimed two goals, while Florent Malouda, Ashley Cole, and Michael Ballack chipped in as well. Boudewijn Zenden and Darren Bent found the net for the Black Cats but in vain. This result comes as somewhat as a surprise, as Sunderland have been flying rather high in the Premier League this year. Steve Bruce's sides are usually quite well organised, so this is a super result for Ancelotti's boys.

Elsewhere both sides were reduced to ten men in Wigan's 2-0 win over Wolves at Molineux. Richard Stearman was the first to be dismissed just before half time, but from the resulting penalty Hugo Rodallega missed, meaning Stearman's error didn't cost Wolves too much. However, just 15 minutes after half time James McCarthy notched his first goal for the Latics, before Hendry Thomas was dismissed for the away side. Even with ten men Wigan pressed on and managed to seal the game through Charles N'Zogbia in the 73rd minute.

Tottenham Hotspur will be disappointed with their afternoon, especially as it was at home. Hull City were the ecstatic visitors to the Lane as they managed to claim an all important point from Harry's team. Manchester United won convincingly at Old Trafford over Burnley, now under the control of Brian Laws, but it took until the 64th minute for the Red Devils to open the scoring. Dimitar Berbatov doing just that before Wayne Rooney doubled United's advantage 5 minutes later. United capped off the win in the final minutes as debutant Mame Biram Diouf netted. Diouf has been touted as a real star for the future, and this goal will certainly help those claims.

Finally, Liverpool's woes continued as they conceeded another late goal to drop two points at the Britannia Stadium against Stoke. Sotirios Kyrgiakos opened the scoring on 57 minutes, but a late Robert Huth goal clinched a vital point for Stoke.

Coyle's move to Bolton described as "sideways move" by Burnley

Owen Coyle, one of the brightest young Managers in English Football at the moment, guilty of making one of the most stupid Managerial moves ever, or a sly career move that will pay dividends in the end?

Coyle's move a few miles south from Burnley to Bolton has really got people stumped. Burnley are currently 14th in the Premier Division, and while they're far from clear of the drop, you'd definitely back them to stay up, especially against Bolton. Bolton are 18th following the departure of the much unloved Gary Megson, and I think it's safe to say they will be in the relegation mixer come the 36th, 37th, and 38th games of the season. So why, oh why did you make that move Owen?

Money can't be an issue, as neither Bolton nor Burnley have that much. You could argue that Bolton's budget is slightly bigger than Burnley's, but not so much as to attract a Manager from a very similar Club.

Burnley have some of the most passionate supporters in England, and I'd know as one of my friends is a Burnley fan through and through. They love their team, and were delighted with the job Coyle was doing. There were very few people who believed Burnley would avoid the drop in their first Premier League season, and I'm not too sure many of their own supporters believed that would happen either. So 14th after 20 games is more than decent.

Bolton's style over the years has been very direct. Sam Allardyce got them hitting target men, most notably Kevin Davies and pretty much feeding off the scraps he left. They'd be made up of big, strong players who wouldn't be afraid to go through you with a 'take no prisoners' attitude. Burnley aren't quite like that. They play more, and probably better passing Football, as is Owen Coyle's style. So can we expect a change in strategy from Bolton now? I should think so, but that will have to start straight away by investing players in the January transfer window that fit that system. Bolton don't possess too many Footballers that would please the purists.

It confuses me as to why Coyle would want to leave Burnley in the middle of such a progressing, successful project there. For a start he got them into the Premier League against most odds, and with a pretty limited squad and budget. Now he's more than holding his own in that League. I mean, Burnley have beaten Manchester United at Turf Moor, and have only lost once at home all season. That's a remarkable record for a newly promoted team. Surely he'd want to finish off that project by ensuring Burnley finish in a respectable position, which would probably class as anything above the drop zone. I could understand if he'd left at the end of the season after achieving Premier League status for another year, but half way through staggers me.

The only reason I can think of for his sudden move is that Bolton still holds a place in his heart from his playing days. Coyle spent two of his twenty-three playing years at Bolton, and made 54 appearances. Even that doesn't seem credible. It wasn't a long stint at the club, but it must have been special to him if that is the reason he wanted to move. Lee Dixon suggested on BBC's Football Focus that Coyle may feel he has a better chance of staying in the Premier League with Bolton, but their League position and recent results don't suggest that to be the case.

Burnley Operations Director Brendan Flood revealed his dismay at Coyle's decision.

"They have got a bank debt of £44m, we have got none. They do not have a history of spending a lot of money over the last few years. I think they can say a lot of attractive things to tempt Owen in, but whether they deliver on those, I think history will tell."

Chairman Barry Kilby admitted that the move was a "sideways step" for Owen, and one that didn't represent any great ambition.

So no one quite knows why Owen Coyle has made the move to South Lancashire, but time will tell as to whether it was the correct one.

Vieira to join City - Mancini spots a bargain

Patrick Vieira is all set to become Roberto Mancini's first signing at Manchester City, providing the French International passess a medical at the club. Vieira is currently out of favour under Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan, and has decided that to prolong his career, a move to England is required.

For Vieira, the choice is a simple one. He wants to play for his country again, and the only way he can do that is by playing on a regular basis.

"I set an objective for myself. I want to go to the World Cup. The important thing for me is to go to Manchester City and to show the coach (Roberto Mancini) I'm the same player as when he was in charge of Inter."

Vieira's always been a very loyal Footballer. He served Arsene Wenger and Arsenal remarkably well, and I don't think anyone can argue that he is sorely missed by all Gunners' supporters. I'm sure he'll receive a standing ovation whenever he returns to the club with City, and I'm also sure that the signing of Vieira will be a big boost to the fortunes of Manchester City, when it comes to winning trophies.

He may be 33 years old, but Vieira is still a top class player. He was a fantastic servant to the Premier League, and a real winner. Getting him on the cheap is certainly a great piece of business from Mancini and the directors at City, although with Vieira being out in the dark at San Siro, it was a good time to make an enquiry.