Tamim leads Bangla fightback

Tamim Iqbal celebrates a superb hundred 4th day at Lords

So, we're through 4 days of Test Cricket at Lords and whilst England took the honours on the first day, there's no doubt that Bangladesh have overshadowed the hosts on days 2, 3 and 4. Jonathan Trott's 175* lit up the home of Cricket on Thursday, an innings that displayed remarkable resilience and positivity (a word that hasn't often been associated with a Trott innings) before he fell for a first-class best of 226 on Friday morning.

The South African-born Warwickshire batsman has had his doubters over the past 7 or 8 months, stemming from a disappointing tour of his home country after introducing himself to English fans with a match-winning 119 at the Oval against the old enemy. A Test series best of 69 and average of a smidge over 27 didn't do justice to the ability and technique that Trott undoubtedly possesses, and his place as an England 5-day player was under close scrutiny. He didn't fair much better in Bangladesh either, making a turgid, stodgy 64 in the Mirpur Test practically summing up the way he'd been playing. Prodding and nurdling was becoming the accustomed way for Trott, and there didn't seem to be a place in the side for such a player, particularly with Paul Collingwood aka 'brigadier block' in fine form and giving the selectors no reason to replace him. However, as is usually the case with England's selectors, they kept faith in an out-of-form batsman, and on this occasion it paid off.

Trott's 226 was one of the finer Test innings' that Lords had witnessed, and whilst there will always be those people who say 'it was only Bangladesh', the old adage of 'you can only score runs against the bowlers you play against' certainly comes into play here. 20 immaculate boundaries in nearly 6 hours at the crease underlines the mental capacity that Trott contains, and he's made himself a certainty for the Tests against Pakistan later this Summer.

Despite such a superb display of batsmanship however, I'm afraid the plaudits for this particular game will have to go to Tamim Iqbal, a left-hander in the mould of Chris Gayle, or closer to home Virender Sehwag. A first-innings 55 was nothing compared to his second stint of the match as he clobbered England's bowlers to all parts of the most famous ground in Cricket. James Anderson, a world-class swing bowler of great experience and expertise, was made to look distinctly second-rate against the quick hands and supernatural timing of Bangladesh's most exciting talent. In a team full of youngsters, Tamim has done remarkably well to stand out from the crowd, and his maturity and apparent disrespect for some of the best bowlers make him a priceless fortune that Bangladesh would be foolish to waste.

Having been asked to follow on after an under-par 282 in their first knock, Bangla hit back with an uncompromising 328-5 at the close of play on day four, with an England victory far from in the bag. Imrul Kayes showed great patience in his knock of 75, one half of a 185-run opening stand for the tourists, almost double their first innings effort. Junaid Siddique has also made it a match to remember with scores of 58 and 66* as he continues to resurrect an International career that didn't exactly set the world alight in its early stages. A contribution of 46 from Jahurul Islam has consolidated Bangladesh's position in the match, and gives them an excellent chance of saving a game they should have been well out of this time yesterday.

Ballack only has himself to blame

I’m not a huge believer in fate and things ‘meaning to turn out the way they do’, but I do believe in the common saying ‘what goes around comes around’. It’s not by any kind of divine intervention, or some force from above, but things usually come around to bite you in the backside, and whilst it’s all very sad that our beloved Michael Ballack will miss out on what is probably his last chance of playing in a World Cup finals, he had it coming to him sooner or later.

Kevin Prince Boateng’s badly-timed (or well-timed, depending on where you come from) tackle on Germany’s skipper has got the ageing Chelsea star in a bit of a huff, so much so that he claims he’s contemplating legal action against Boateng, who incidentally will potentially be facing up against the Germs in South Africa in a matter of weeks. There’s also the possibility that his half-brother, and Manchester City target Jerome Boateng will be involved in that game too. It’s all very complicated. The fact is, Ghana’s very own KP has the facts all right, and as far as I’m concerned, Bollock hasn’t got a leg to stand on. Literally.

Here’s what Boateng had to say about the incident:

"There is my foul on the one hand, and his slap on the other, and I think that violent conduct is far worse than a foul. Ballack really does surprise me. He complains for weeks when (Lukas) Podolski slaps him and yet he does it himself… What kind of behaviour is that? When I hear that, I can see that he has two different ways of seeing things. Can his captain slap whomever he wants? That was clearly violent conduct. If I had done that, I would have been banned for two years. That is why I left the Germany setup to represent Ghana."

Pretty fair stuff from Boateng there. The point clearly being that you can’t moan and winge about something and then go and do exactly the same to someone else. What goes around comes around Michael. See you in South Africa! Oh no.. That’s right. We won’t.

Barcelona sign David Villa, so what now for Cesc?

Barcelona have completed the signing of Valencia and Spain striker David Villa in a deal said to be around £34.2m. Since the 2009/10 La Liga season concluded with Barcelona lifting their 20th League title, speculation increased by the day as to the future of Valencia’s most prized asset, and whilst the rest of the world are talking about whether Cesc Fabregas will make the move back to the club he started off at, Barca have quietly gone about the business of securing the 28-year old on a four-year deal.

The arrival of Villa could well spell the end of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s career at Camp Nou just 12 months after it began. The big Swede could only manage 16 League goals this term, and compared to the 47 scored by Lionel Messi, Ibrahimovic looks distinctly 2nd rate. Villa hit 28 in all competitions for 3rd-placed Valencia, and with El Guaje a national favourite as well, there seems little room for the big frame of Zlatan to fit into the Barcelona team. Roberto Mancini has hinted at a reunion with Zlatan in the near future, after the Italian managed him for two years at Inter Milan. Barcelona have not denied that they would stop Ibrahimovic leaving either.

Not only could the signing of Villa open the door for Zlatan to leave, but it could mean that Barca are unable to bring Fabregas to the club as well. Whilst the Catalan giants have more than most when it comes to money, they certainly don’t have a bottomless pocket, and another 40 million Euros may prove a bridge too far for Joan Laporta. However, with Laporta giving up his President’s seat in the very near future, he’s determined to secure Fabregas as one of his signings, rather than leave it to the man who is expected to take over from Laporta, Sandro Rosell. A number of figures have been suggested for the transfer of Fabregas, with 40 million Euros being the most likely. Perhaps selling Zlatan should be more of a priority than it currently is, in order to raise the necessary funds to bring the Spanish wonderkid to Camp Nou.

Capello faces tough call on final 23

Adam Johnson has had a superb first season at Eastlands, but does he merit a place in Fabio's final squad?

The countdown is on until the World Cup finals in South Africa, and together with the customary excitement and expectation of every England supporter comes Fabio Capello’s final squad announcement before the big kickoff, and there are still a few unanswered questions.

The main talking points would be the inclusion of Jamie Carragher and Adam Johnson in England’s provision 30-man squad. Whilst the former has called an end to his International exile, Johnson has experienced his first senior team call up, something the Manchester City winger will be looking to make more of a habit of in the future. Johnson’s fantastic run of form has earned him a well deserved opportunity in the National side, and it can’t be argued that his move to Eastlands has been the catalyst for this bright talent’s enigmatic displays.

A big money move from Championship underachievers Middlesbrough may have put too much pressure on the 22-year old, but he’s thrived under the expectation of such a hefty price tag. His efforts for ‘boro (big rivals to his hometown club Sunderland) didn’t go unnoticed amongst the Premier League’s big names, and City beat both Chelsea and Arsenal to his signature, which says a lot about the nature of the Premier League these days. However, Johnson is determined to prove his worth to City, and a dip into South African waters this summer will doubtless do just that. It may also pencil him in for a regular England place for the European Championship qualifiers that come later this year.

As for Carragher, he was cast aside under Steve McClaren, and decided to hang up his boots on the national side. His performances for Liverpool this season have been unusually uncharacteristic, and he will be the first to admit that he wouldn’t place himself amongst the forerunners to start England’s first game of the tournament on June 12. Nevertheless, Capello clearly has faith and confidence in him, and judging on the form of Matthew Upson and John Terry in recent months, you could do worse than Carra.

Perhaps the pace of some of the tournament’s hitmen – the likes of Messi, Robinho and Torres – may leave Carragher vulnerable to exposure, but when it comes to committment and experience, there’s few the fit the category as accurately as he does. Terry’s also had his problems with pace recently, and Upson is no Usain Bolt himself. Rio Ferdinand’s regular injury worries may also cast a doubt over his fitness, which could mean either Michael Dawson or Ledley King will be lining up to take on USA in Rustenburg.

With the revelation that is Johnson rapidly appearing on the scene, Joe Cole may be fearing for his place, particularly as his matchtime adds up to nowhere near as much as his left-sided counterpart. Cole’s been a fantastic player for England in the past, but right from his first day in office, Capello has stated that in order to get into the England team, you have to be playing day in, day out, something that Cole has been unable to do. However, with Cole’s skill and trickery, and the experience of major competitions with both England and Chelsea, he should be on the plane along with Johnson.

Another problem area for me is in attack. Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch, and Jermain Defoe are shoe-ins, which leaves a battle between Emile Heskey and Darren Bent for the final striker’s slot. Heskey’s International goalscoring record leaves plenty to be desired, but Capello is a big fan of his muscular presence in attack, and believes he is a perfect foil for Rooney. However, you cannot ignore a man who has ended up as the Premier League’s 3rd top scorer, and that for a club that finished 13th in the table. Surely one giant is enough, and Crouch’s goalscoring ability is far greater than Heskey’s. Goalscorers are what you need to win trophies, and Bent possesses just that skill. So for me, it’s Bent ahead of Heskey.

Finally, does Theo Walcott go or doesn’t he? Everybody has their doubts about Walcott, and this season has been somewhat disappointing for the so-called ‘wonderkid’. He has his moments of magic, there’s no doubt about that, and perhaps that could prove the difference in a tight quarter-final match against a France, or a Brazil. But is that enough? Defensive prowess – Poor. Work rate – average. Influence – Inconsistent. It would be a gamble, and I think there are better options out there. However, I have a feeling he’ll get the nod over Shaun Wright-Phillips, and it’s probable that he’ll be making his 2nd World Cup squad at the age of just 21.

Pietersen the key as England head for semis

Kevin Pietersen has regained his form at the perfect time for England

Since he burst onto the International scene back in November 2004, Kevin Pietersen has gathered a reputation of being England's best thing since sliced bread. Now, 5 and a half years on, Pietersen is relighting the fire that saw him smash a triplet of hundreds against the country of his birth in his first high profile International series.

As the England team seemingly embarks on an exciting new era under ex-Zimbabwean Test and ODI batsman Andy Flower, Pietersen is determined to remain the linchpin of the top order. An impressive start to the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean has got the 29-year old smiling again, after 9 months of battling injury and form. During that short period of time, pundits spoke about the 'Pietersen of old'. The Pietersen who used to stride arrogantly to the crease and swat away anything the bowlers threw up for him. The Pietersen who would look so imposing and confident in his upright stance and domineering aura. That Pietersen was lost for a while under a blanket of self-doubt and confusion, but now he's back.

England's latest win in Barbados, coming against a powerful South African lineup, epitomises the transition that is taking part in the camp. From being a timid, lacklustre Twenty20 outfit, Flower has transformed his team into an aggressive, fearless unit, in no small part down to the inclusion of Craig Kieswetter, Michael Lumb, and Michael Yardy. Kieswetter and Lumb have provided firepower at the top of the order, signified by 2 of the highest powerplay scores for any side in this tournament. Whilst neither have gone on to make a substantial contribution, Lumb has often got the innings off to a flyer, and a tournament strike-rate of 152.17 is reflective of that. Kieswetter has been a touch more sedate, but a workmanlike 41 against SA proved to be crucial, in a partnership worth 94 with Pietersen.

As for Yardy, he's added a subtle balance to the side, and despite being an opening bat for Sussex (where he is also captain), he's found a new birth at number 8 for the national side. However, it's been his bowling that has been the real talking point amongst fans of this unorthodox left-hander. His first over of the victory against Pakistan was smacked for 12, and needless to say Collingwood had seen enough. That was until a few overs later when he brought Yardy back on, faith that was repaid with a fantastic spell of 3-0-7-2 (final figures of 4-0-19-2). It says a lot about Yardy's temperament for him to produce such a spell under pressure.

Despite the new faces in the England ranks, the fundamentals of the team have remained. Pietersen at 3, captain Collingwood in the middle order - able to switch gears with ease - Eoin Morgan and Luke Wright at 5 and 6 giving England much firepower in the final overs. The one grey area for me would be the inclusion of Tim Bresnan in the side. Batting at 7, Bresnan looks out of his depth, and wickets aren't a formality with the big Yorkshireman. Perhaps there would be room for James Anderson in the team, with Yardy, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann all pushed up one in the order. 

Nevertheless, this is an impressive England outfit, and a far cry from the team of the past. The likes of Ian Bell, Ed Joyce and the retired Michael Vaughan seem in a different class from the exciting, youthful exuberance that the 2010 England side portray. New Zealand are England's next obstacle in the World Twenty20, and a win would see them top the group with a 100% record. England's quest to win a first global tournament is well on its way, and who would bet against them this time?

One hit wonders or in for the long term?

As Tottenham Hotspur players allow the events of Wednesday night to slowly sink in, the ears of thousands of North Londoners will still be ringing from one of the greatest nights in the club’s history. However, as the reality of Champions League football hits home, I’m asking the question; can Spurs cement a place in Europe’s elite, or will this season’s forage into the big time remain a one-off wonder for Harry Redknapp and his men?

People talk about the difficulty of defending the title, and whilst Manchester United have made a bit of a habit of doing just that in recent years, Chelsea are on the verge of crashing the party that would see the Red half of Manchester lift their 4th consecutive Premier League title and overtake Liverpool as the top flight’s most successful club. Now, the task that confronts Tottenham is of similar difficulty. Not only do the majority of Tottenham fans expect to be watching the likes of Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lane for years to come, but the expectation will go beyond that should Spurs perform admirably in next season’s competition, and retain their illustrious fourth place position.

As the ‘big four’ becomes the big three, Tottenham are drooling over the prospect of attracting superstar performers to the Lane with the millions of pounds of prize money they will gain from the Champions League. ‘arry has promised the Spurs faithful that money will be spent in the summer to enhance Tottenham’s credentials and ensure that the club will once again challenge for a fourth place spot. Getting through the group stage of the Champions League must also be a big priority of Redknapp’s.

However, Liverpool have shown this season that the weight of expectation can have adverse effects on a club’s fortunes, and from being title challengers at the beginning of the season, the Anfield club has been fortunate to qualify for Europa League football next term. The difference between Liverpool and Spurs, however, is money. Liverpool have none, Tottenham will have a lot. Whilst bringing in top players and handing the likes of Gareth Bale and Ledley King new contracts shan’t be a problem, the inexperience of defending major  achievements may prove a little too strong for Tottenham, who’s last appearance in the European Cup was way back in 1962. Since then there’s been the odd flirtation with the old UEFA Cup, and a sporadic Cup Winner’s Cup, but nothing of the magnitude or reputation of Europe’s big daddy.

In Harry Redknapp (named Premier League Manager of the season), Spurs have a manager that can take them places. Winning the Champions League is far from realistic at this stage, and Spurs need to look at the big picture. Beating Real Madrid or AC Milan is certainly out of Tottenham’s reach, but Redknapp will doubtless look to build a squad which is capable of challenging those teams, and going further than just the group stage of the competition. For me, Redknapp is the best manager England have never had, and if I was a Spurs fan I’d be mighty proud of his achievements. If there’s one man you’d want to lead you in your first Champions League campaign in over 40 years, it’s ‘arry.

Fulham take the plaudits after remarkable season

Thousands of people have written thousands of articles on Fulham’s 2009/10 quest past the gloss and glamour of Europe’s elite, and it was only a matter of time before someone put their own account here on the WDKF site, so here it is.

Before the start of the season, the regular Fulham fan would have settled for progression to the 2nd round of the Europa League – European Champions Cup’s younger brother – and expectations would not have exceeded that by much. A mid-table position in the Premier League was a given considering the stature of their manager and the moderate array of talent that the Fulham squad possesses. A mediocre team with a vastly experience manager and decent financial backing. That’s Fulham for you. At least, it was.

In the space of 10 months, since playing their first game of the season way back in late July away at FK Vetra of Lithuania in the Europa League 3rd round qualifier, Fulham have wriggled their way from the back of the country’s mind, right to the forefront, so much so that their wonderful story isn’t far off outshining the race for the title. The rather predictable Manchester United vs Chelsea battle for the summit seems somewhat insignificant in the face of such an unlikely story, but don’t tell United or Chelsea fans that.

‘It’s what dreams are made of’ is the old adage, and although I’m not one for clichés and soppy fairytales within Football, even I have been fixed to this truly unique conquest. As far as I’m concerned, Roy Hodgson is a miracle maker, and a manager I could see lifting any trophy around the world. Including the World Cup. Future England manager? Fabio Capello’s successor? Who knows. But if I was Trevor Brooking and co. at the Football Association, he’d be first on my shortlist of candidates.

As a fan of Liverpool, and with that a viewer of the stupendous decline of the Anfield club over the last 12 months, I’m constantly on the lookout for possible candidates to take over from Rafael Benitez at the end of this disastrous season, and with Hodgson not entirely committed to Fulham, Liverpool may be on the phone to the Cottage sooner rather than later.

Switzerland, Inter Milan (X2), Udinese, UAE, Blackburn, and Finland are just a few of the clubs the 62-year old has been in charge of, and his CV doesn’t stop there. UEFA Cup winner 96/97 with Inter, Swedish Cup winner on two occasions with Malmo FF, as well as two Championship medals, a Danish Cup and League title with Copenhagen, a now a Europa League final with Fulham. It doesn’t get much more impressive than that, and although some may argue that the stature of most of the clubs he has managed isn’t very impressive, you can’t ignore a man who has so much silverware locked up in his cabinets.

His style of play is another notable achievement to add to the list. Fulham are a side who have always looked to play on the floor, but have never really achieved too much with it – perhaps like today’s Wigan Athletic. Tigana came and failed, Coleman lasted a decent time without winning anything, and Sanchez barely had time to blink before he was out. But in Hodgson, Fulham have found a man who has continued and enhanced an attractive style of football, but actually turned it into a winning formula as well, and that is priceless in football.

Some people who may not have followed Fulham all the way through this season, or even at all, may not understand the enormity of the task they’ve achieved. As if creeping past the likes of AS Roma, CSKA Sofia, and Basel in the group stage wasn’t enough, they then went on to beat competition holders Shakhtar Donestsk (3-2 ag), and Serie A giants Juventus (thanks to an unbelievable 5-4 aggregate win, having been 4-1 down after 4 minutes at the Cottage), before overcoming German sides Wolfsburg and Hamburg over the two legs. A date with Atletico Madrid is the prize, an encounter that is sure to water the mouths of numerous Fulham supporters.

Perhaps the exit of Liverpool on the same night as Fulham’s triumph has been a good thing for the Europa League. I don’t know about anybody else, but I would have made Liverpool favourites for the match, and that’s not being biased. It would have been a great shame for Fulham to go all that way and then fall at the final hurdle. But for me, Fulham have to be favourites for the final against Atletico, who’s dreadful League campaign has been forgotten thanks to 2 Cup finals, including the Copa del Rey. There’s no doubt that I’ll be rooting for Hodgson and his men on 12th May, if only to alert the attentions of the Directors at Anfield to the managerial ability of Hodgson, if they haven’t already noticed.

A 3-2 win at home to West Ham today still isn’t enough for Fulham to qualify for next season’s Europa League, but should they emerge victorious a week’s time, they’ll be competing for bigger honours alongside the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid. What a season. One that this generation of Fulham fans will never ever forget.

The Drug Debate

There’s never a good time for a footballer to be found guilty of taking drugs, but the latest controversy surrounding ex-Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu has come at a rather interesting time for me. Whilst studying A-level Physical Education, one of the things that I have been required to do is debate about the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs), and whether or not they should be legalised or indeed remain completely unacceptable.

Despite the fact that Sibutramine (the drug Mutu has been found guilty of taking) isn’t an obvious choice for a professional athlete to use, it is still against the law. In 2004, Mutu was found guilty of taking a much more recognised drug, cocaine, and was slapped with a 7 month ban. On that occasion, his current employers Chelsea sacked him with immediate effect, but the story is a little different this time. Italian giants Fiorentina have vowed to stand by the Romanian International and he will not have his contract terminated. Mutu is due to return in October, having already served 2 months of the ban.

So, should PEDs be legalised?

The argument for the use of illegal substances is fairly straight forward and understandable. One may say that the use of drugs increases the entertainment factor of sport, as athletes are able to perform well above their ability; Breaking world records, running quicker times, playing better football, and making bigger tackles are all things that truthfully we would all love to see. PEDs enable these goals to be achieved, and make sport a much more exciting prospect. That is, if everybody used them.

In the case of Usain Bolt, he’s a unique sprinter. There has never been anyone as quick as him, and possibly never will be. When Bolt lines up for a 100m race, you don’t give any of the other athletes a hope in hell. The use of PEDs would level out the playing field and bring competition much closer together. Bolt wouldn’t be a consistent, predictable winner, and there’s the potential for much closer, more watchable races.

Whilst a lot of athletes who take PEDs are caught, there a lot of others who get away with it. Random drugs testing makes it very hard for athletes to escape punishment, but for the number that do, they can enjoy a career full of success and personal achievement. Those arguing for the use of PEDs may say that due to this fact, every athlete should have a right to use any drug they want to enhance their performance, instead of wasting time training for major events, only to be beaten to the post by someone who may be on drugs. The introduction of drugs would stop this happening, and again, would level out the playing field entirely.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a drug which increases the number of red blood cells in your body, and therefore helps the flow of blood around the body and increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood. This, of course, aids performance. EPO is a banned substance. Altitude training is a method used by a lot of athletes, particularly long-distance runners, before major events, and this too increases the number of red blood cells in your body. Altitude training is legal.

So, what’s the difference? They both increase one’s number of red blood cells, and they both carry the same health risks; nausea, increased heart rate/blood pressure. Yet one is illegal and one is legal. Does that make sense?

Whilst the arguments for the use of PEDs is extremely valid, there are of course counter-arguments that so far have stood firmer in society and sport.

Any form of drug taking is seen as cheating. It’s illegal in society, and illegal in sport and any one who is caught taking drugs receives a vast amount of negative press. What people may not understand is the pressures and expectation that sport brings with it today, from the media, supporters, and significant others. It’s enormous, and some athletes are unable to deal with that pressure without breaking the rules. However, that is no excuse.

Drug taking is against the original Olympic Ideal; to play fairly, to the best of one’s ability, with the value of taking part being regarded as more important than winning. That Olympic Ideal still stands today of course, yet is constantly broken by drug-taking athletes.

One may argue that drug taking completely defeats the object of being a professional sportsperson. The idea of working towards a goal goes completely out of the window, and there must be very little satisfaction in gaining success with the knowledge that you worked very little to get there. Perhaps athletes don’t care about those values, and just want to win at whatever cost. The Lombardian ethic has perhaps influenced a lot of drug taking in recent times.

Finally, drugs bring with them extreme health risks, including a dangerous rise in heart rate, blood pressure, and somatic anxiety as well as physical risks and even death in some cases. Surely for the benefit of sport and for youngsters growing up with aspirations to become professional athletes, it is the responsibility of athletes to resist the temptation to take PEDs and uphold the values of sport and the Olympics.

It’s a tricky topic to comprehend, and one that will go on forever. People will always take drugs no matter what, and perhaps it is inevitable that one day, PEDs will become legalised and sport will become no more than a selection of the world’s most dedicated drug users coming together to run, jump, and compete against each other.

Terry sees red as Chelsea show signs of cracking

You wouldn’t have said this 3 days ago, but the aesthetically calm and professional Chelsea seem to be displaying significant signs of wilting under the pressure of another title race, which looks like it will go right down to the last sinew of the season.

John Terry’s red card against London rivals Tottenham at the weekend is not only representative of a man who has completely lost the plot since allegations over his private life surfaced, but may also be a warning of things to come for the Blues. An atypically off the boil performance from Carlo Ancelotti’s men, together with a vital late Paul Scholes header at the City of Manchester Stadium, has meant the title race is firmly back to a 2-horse battle, with United now the ones neighing strongest, and boy can Chelsea hear it.

With United now only a point adrift in second place, results against Stoke (H), Liverpool (A) and Wigan (H) now look imperative for Chelsea. Fergie’s Devils have the task of overcoming Spurs at Old Trafford, Sunderland (A), before ending the season with what could be the deciding fixture against Stoke at the Theatre of Dreams. If I was to choose, I’d favour towards Chelsea’s run in, but if the inconsistent Liverpool can take 2 or even 3 points off a side they’ve struggled to dispatch in recent times, United will feel it’s their’s to lose.

Terry’s drop in form hasn’t cost his side too much in the scheme of things, but they say one moment can turn a season, and who’d bet against it being ‘that’ match? England fans should be worried with the World Cup less than 50 days away. The man, who 6 months ago was playing reasonably well, with no real alarms, and captaining Fabio Capello’s England to WC qualification, has suddenly thrust himself into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, and at completely the wrong time. Doubts over Rio Ferdinand’s fitness add a touch more anxiety to the mixture and Terry now has a job on his hands to prove his worth to the National side.

Michael Dawson has had an outstanding season for Champions League-chasing Tottenham and unluckily for Terry, it’s been timed to perfection – reminiscent of his brave defending at WHL. A World Cup year is a nervous year for everyone involved in and around the National setup, and Terry will know that his place is far from certain. Clearly, he’ll be on the plane to South Africa and there’s no doubting that’s the correct decision. However, starting XI come June 12 in Rustenberg? Debatable. It could all depend on the final few games of the season, one of which Terry will miss.

Could Capello be so ruthless and brave to leave him out of his first team? Can he possibly base his decision on Chelsea’s end of season success? You’d say no, but the Italian has shown in the past he’s not afraid to make a brave decision or two, particularly against Terry. Nervous times ahead for Mr. Controversial.

Caption Game

A pretty simple one here. Gary Neville and Paul Scholes kissing after the Manc derby. Who's got the best entry?

Adebayor turns back on National team

Emmanuel Adebayor, the Manchester City forward, has made the courageous decision to hang up his International boots after failing to get over the traumatic events that rocked the Togo National team back in January.

Whilst Adebayor and his teammates were travelling to the African Nations Cup in Angola earlier this year, their team bus was attacked by a group of armed men who injured numerous players and officials and took the lives of 3 of the passengers, including the driver of the bus.

In a statement on the Manchester City website, Adebayor said:

 “Following the tragic events during January’s African Cup of Nations, in which two of my fellow countrymen were killed by terrorists in Angola, I have made the very difficult decision to retire from international football. I have weighed up my feelings in the weeks and months since the attack, and I am still haunted by the events which I witnessed on that horrible afternoon on the Togo team bus. We were just footballers going to play a football match and represent our country, yet we were attacked by people who wanted to kill us all. It is a moment I will never forget and one I never want to experience again.”

One has to respect Adebayor’s decision, which is clearly a direct result of the attack. For a world class talent like Adebayor to quit the International scene displays the difficulty that he has had getting over what he witnessed that day, and the memories are obviously too horrific for Adebayor to step back on a Togo National team bus again.

Spurs slip up to hand Pompey final date

Frederic Piquionne celebrates breaking the deadlock at Wembley

Goals from Frederic Piquionne and Kevin-Prince Boateng have seen Portsmouth progress to the FA Cup final after battling their way past an unfortunate Tottenham Hotspur side at Wembley.

In a game hyped as being a walkover for Harry Redknapp’s men, cash-strapped Portsmouth were more than their equals with numerous chances throughout the 90 minutes. Piquionne was the wasteful culprit the majority of the time, but Spurs ‘keeper Gomes was also on top form. Spurs had more than their fair share of chances too, with Peter Crouch and Tom Huddlestone coming closest.

With neither side able to break the stalemate in normal time, it took just 8 minutes of extra time for on-loan Lyon striker Piquionne to put Avram Grant’s side ahead. An untimely slip on the much talked about Wembley surface from Spurs’ skipper Michael Dawson presented Piquionne with the easiest of his chances, and for once Gomes was left helpless. In a last throw of the dice, Redknapp brought on Eidur Gudjohnsen, no stranger to Wembley occasions after his days with Chelsea. Gudjohnsen had little impact, and in a last attempt to push forward and find a last gasp equalizer, gaps were left wide open in the Tottenham defence, and Aruna Dindane was allowed to burst through only to be brought down in the penalty area by Wilson Palacios, who received a yellow card as a result of the challenge. Perhaps in a different scenario and with a less sympathetic referee, the colour may have been a different one. Kevin-Prince Boateng confidently stepped up against his old side, and dispatched the spot kick to Gomes’ right side. Game over.

These were two teams bristling with similarities on the field, with Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar all turning out against their former side, and with the aforementioned Boateng amongst the Portsmouth ranks, there was plenty of reason for niceties to be shared, both pre-match, and after the final whistle. Despite such obvious on-field comparisons, the two sides could be no different off the pitch, and nobody is ignorant to Pompey’s trials and tribulations behind the scenes this season. People talk about the romance of the FA Cup in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounds, but no one can doubt that a little bit of that old adage rubbed off on the boys in blue today.

With Chelsea awaiting the winners of this tie in the final on the 15th May, it was written in the script somewhere, deep inside, that Avram Grant would be reunited with the club where he introduced himself to English football. Now, can he go one step further and produce the greatest cup story of recent times by leading relegated, depleted Portsmouth to FA Cup glory?

FA Cup semi-final preview

Injuries is the word of the day as Aston Villa, Chelsea, Portsmouth and Tottenham gear up for their respective FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley this weekend. Spurs are sweating on the fitness of influential centre-half Michael Dawson for their match with Portsmouth, while Martin O’Neill will have to make late calls on midfielder James Milner and central defender Richard Dunne for the re-run of Villa’s 7-1 drubbing at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago.

Despite that result, Martin O’Neill insists his men are ready to set the record straight against Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who are on course to do the double having taken a 2 point lead over Manchester United at the top of the Premier League. “Those players will want to make sure they don’t end up getting another result like that”, O’Neill told Soccernet.com. “It won’t be 7-1, that’s for sure, it’s going to be a close game”.

Villa have had a superb season under O’Neill but there is speculation that he will leave at the end of the season, with bigger names calling. Having narrowly lost out to Manchester United in the Carling Cup final back in February, O’Neill will be eager for victory this time. If Villa are to overcome the League leaders then Richard Dunne will need to be fit, as will Milner, and they’ll need every ounce of Emile Heskey to stay on his feet against Terry and co. Stopping Drogba and limiting Lampard will also be key, and the running of Ashley Young on the left side may play an influential role.

As for Chelsea, Ancelotti’s season can go either way. If they do end up as League Champions, as well as win the FA Cup, he’ll be deemed a huge success. However, if United pip them to the post and Villa complete their revenge mission on Saturday afternoon, questions over his future will inevitably be asked. It’s a thin line managing Chelsea these days, and Ancelotti will know just what is expected of him.

Daniel Sturridge is Chelsea’s leading goalscorer in this year’s competition, but he most probably won’t start. There is also doubt over who will start in goal, with Chelsea’s Cup ‘keeper Hilario struggling with a groin strain, with Branislav Ivanovic likely to return to the side after shaking off a knee injury.

Prepare for a close game between two counter-attacking sides, with perhaps extra time and penalties to follow.

George’s prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Chelsea – Chelsea to win on penalties

Tottenham go into their match with Portsmouth as strong favourites, but with nothing for Pompey to play for in the League they’ll be determined to go all the way in the Cup. Harry Redknapp has also stated that his side will be going all out to win the FA Cup, with their chances of finishing in 4th place not at all a certainty.

Spurs will be without Aaron Lennon, Vedran Corluka, Tom Huddlestone, Ledley King, Jermaine Jenas and Jonathan Woodgate for the tie, and there are also doubts over Michael Dawson’s fitness. 20-year old midfielder Jake Livermore is in line for a start, but not in his usual position. With Woodgate and King both out, and with Dawson unlikely to start, Livermore may be forced to partner Sebastien Bassong in the heart of the defence. Younes Kaboul and Kyle Walker will play no part either, as they are both cup-tied.

Avram Grant has no fresh injury worries ahead of Sunday’s game, with the only problems remaining off the field with new contract rows brewing. Grant will be fully focussed on on-the-field matters however, and one has to feel that if his side are to come away with a win, Aruna Dindane and Frederic Piquionne will be key. Experienced goalkeeper David James knows a thing or two about Cup ties as well, so a good performance from him is a necessity.

Spurs will look for the aerial prowess of former Pompey man Peter Crouch, while Jermain Defoe will look to reignite his early season spark. For me, it will only go one way, and that’s the way of Redknapp’s men. Ideally, they’d look for an early goal and not let Portsmouth settle in the game. Avram Grant will want a solid start, to not concede, and try and hit Spurs on the counter with the pace of the likes of Belhadj and Dindane.

George’s prediction: Tottenham 2-0 Portsmouth

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All English final beckons as Fulham & Liverpool storm through to Semis

Zoltan Gera, Roy Hodgson and Mark Schwarzer share a smile as Fulham see off Wolfsburg in Germany

Forget about the Champions League, it’s the Europa League that is bringing the most success to English clubs this season, with both Fulham and Liverpool through to the Semi finals of the competition after respective wins over Wolfsburg and Benfica.

With no English Semi-finalist in the more illustrious of the two competitions for 7 years, Hodgson’s Fulham and Benitez’s underachieving Liverpool have done the nation proud, and now lie just two matches away from an all English final in Hamburg at the end of the season.

Fulham’s route through has been spectacular, with victories over holders Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus, the latter having been 4-1 down on aggregate at one stage. As for Liverpool, their journey through has been a little more straight forward with wins over Unirea Urziceni and Lille before seeing off the tough challenge of Portuguese League leaders Benfica.

Fulham can now look forward to a Semi-final against Hamburg, who have their sights set on reaching the final staged on their home turf. Liverpool are up against Atletico Madrid who saw off Spanish counterparts Valencia on away goals to secure a reunion with Fernando Torres.

Both English clubs will face away ties first before the second legs at home, played on the 29th of April.

Wolfsburg (1) 0-1 (3) Fulham
Fulham travelled to Germany in a rather precarious position having won the first leg at the Cottage by 2 goals to 1. Despite getting a much desired victory, Wolfsburg’s away goal, courtesy of a late Alexander Madlung header in the 89th minute, had made them slight favourites. However, the night couldn’t have started much better for Hodgson’s men, as the in-form Bobby Zamora further stated his claims for an England World Cup spot with a brilliantly taken goal after just 22 seconds.

Despite having a goal disallowed in the first half, and hitting the post, Wolfsburg were unable to break Fulham’s resistence and Zamora’s goal proved to be the decider.

Liverpool (5) 4-1 (3) Benfica
It was a similar story at Anfield as Liverpool looked to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg against a Benfica side unbeaten in 27 games in all competitions. Benfica clinched the first leg after coming from behind, with two Oscar Cardozo penalties in the second half. Liverpool would be without Ryan Babel and Emiliano Insua, both banned after the first match in Lisbon.

Liverpool started nervously but slowly grew into the game, and Dirk Kuyt gave them the lead after 28 minutes with a header from point-blank range. There was slight controversy as the linesman on the far side put his flag up to indicate Kuyt was offside, before the referee over-ruled him and awarded the goal. Just 6 minutes later and Lucas Leiva doubled Liverpool’s advantage and put them ahead on aggregate with a superbly taken goal. Gerrard’s through ball was met by a perfectly timed run by the Brazilian who rounded ‘keeper Cesar to slot home in front of the Benfica fans.

15 minutes after half time and it was 3 for the Reds, as an out of soughts Fernando Torres finished off a wonderful counter-attacking move to seemingly put the game beyond doubt. An Oscar Cardozo free kick added a sense of tension to the occasion but that didn’t last long as Torres completed the scoring with a sumptuous chip over the onrushing substitute ‘keeper Moreira.

It was a thoroughly satisfying night for English football, and fans of Fulham and Liverpool can now look forward to mouth-watering Semi-final ties against strong opposition.

Eddie Howe: Miracle Man

Eddie Howe - Bright face, bright future

Some people say that the Chelsea job is the hardest in Football. Some claim that Fabio Capello has the toughest role of any manager in the world. Clearly those people have never been in Eddie Howe’s position, or have any idea of what the AFC Bournemouth boss has achieved in the last 12 months.

Last year I wrote a piece on the trials and tribulations of Bournemouth Football Club in an attempt to raise awareness for the then struggling League 2 outfit, and educate people on what going into administration may mean for a lower league club. I like to think that to some extent I achieved exactly that, but in no means am I taking any credit for the unbelievable turnaround that has taken place at the Fitness First Stadium over the last 2 years.

Eddie Howe’s playing career was unfortunately cut short due to a knee injury that he failed to recover from, but he was immediately offered the role of player/coach by former manager Kevin Bond (now sitting alongside Harry Redknapp in the Tottenham Hotspur dugout). Despite losing his job at the same time Bond was sacked, Bond’s successor Jimmy Quinn reinstalled Howe as assistant manager, before he was appointed caretaker manager, and then manager after Quinn’s dismissal. At the start of the 2009/10 season, Howe won 8 out of the first 9 games, a club record, and as a result gained interest from Championship side Peterborough United. Howe turned down the move to Cambridgeshire, much to the joy of the Cherries’ fans.

However, forget being offered the manager’s position at a Championship club. The greatest achievement of Eddie Howe’s short, blossoming managerial career has undoubtedly been the remarkable rise from the doldrums of the Football League over the last 24 months or so. Before the 2008/09 season even started, Bournemouth were handed a huge disadvantage, one which many people thought was impossible to overcome. The Football League docked Bournemouth 17 points for entering administration and failing to follow the league’s insolvency rules. Kevin Bond and Jimmy Quinn came and went within 5 months, and it was down to the blonde bombshell Howe to lift his beloved Bournemouth out of the mire.

Despite not being able to purchase any new players during the 2009 January transfer window due to an enforced transfer embargo, and having to deal with the smallest squad in the Football League, Howe pulled off the greatest of great escapes and managed to preserve Bournemouth’s status as a Football League club. One may wonder if it could get any better for the south coast side after this, and the answer would be yes.

Bournemouth currently occupy 3rd place in League 2, 11 points behind league leaders Rochdale, but firmly in amongst the forerunners for the 2nd and 3rd automatic promotion slots. An amazing achievement considering the diabolic financial events of the previous season, made all the more remarkable by the size of the squad. For the majority of Bournemouth’s games this season Howe has been forced to name 42-year-old assistant manager Jason Tindall and schoolboy Jayden Stockley on the bench. The severity of the matter was made even more farcical during a recent away trip to promotion hopefuls Shrewsbury Town. With Jeff Goulding the only pro on the bench, and with Jason Tindall unable to play much of a part in the game due to a lack of match fitness, Bournemouth had to call upon Stockley to make a contribution. However, the teenager turned up at the ground 20 minutes after kick off having been driven all the way from Bournemouth, and didn’t even have his match shirt with him. Shrewsbury went on to win the game 1-0.

Words can’t do Eddie Howe justice, but they can go some way to explaining the miraculous job he’s done for Bournemouth. Should they gain promotion to League 1, there’s no doubt that bigger opportunities will come calling for one of England’s most promising managers. Having already turned down Peterborough United, all eyes will be on the local hero to see whether he’ll stay loyal to his hometown club, or seek bigger fortunes elsewhere. And who could blame him if he did. You can’t argue that he deserves it.

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.

Get out while you can, Gianfranco

Gianfranco Zola - A man under pressure

The majority of West Ham United fans would have been a little sceptical when a former Chelsea star was appointed as their new manager back in September 2008. But as Gianfranco Zola’s tenure seems to be coming to a rather abrupt end, the overriding emotion of the Hammers’ faithful is sympathy.

Zola is regarded as one of the nicest men in football, even described as “too nice” by some. Managing a football club takes nerves of steel, a strong mind, and the ability to shake off any criticism thrown at you. To this day, Zola has displayed remarkable positivity, even amongst a couple of shambolic years behind the scenes in East London. On the day he put pen-to-paper with the club, BBC news confirmed that the team’s main sponsor, XL Leisure Group, had been placed into administration. The next day West Ham cancelled all links with the company. Then, earlier this year, former Birmingham City owners David’s Gold and Sullivan completed a 50% takeover of the club, giving them overall operational and commercial control. Just two months after that takeover, and West Ham’s first foreign manager finds himself on the brink of leaving the club.

As is the case with most takeovers, the new owners often look to replace the existing manager with someone they believe can take the club to the next level. Call me naive, but I had a feeling that this one would be different. It seemed to me that things at West Ham were finally settling down, and Zola could now concentrate on all things football, rather than be distracted by off-the-field circumstances. How wrong was I.

For me, Zola is an icon and a true footballing legend. He could do things with a football that you wouldn’t think possible, and on his best of days he was unplayable. As a man, he’d seldom be seen without that famous horse-like face disguised with the widest of smiles, and because of this I feel a duty and an obligation to defend him. Despite having the lowest win % in West Ham’s history, he’s a manager with potential for success. Clearly he’s by no means the finished product and there’s still a lot we’ve yet to see from Zola, but it’s there, I’m sure.

Experience is something that people in football rave about, and nothing seems to be more precious. 629 appearances, 193 goals, and 21 years of being a professional footballer. You can’t argue with that. So what makes Messrs. Gold and Sullivan believe they have more ground to pick the West Ham team than someone with 629 times more footballing pedigree than the two combined?

Football is a business of course, and when owners feel their club are not performing to their expectations, they’re obviously going to feel the need to intervene, despite probably knowing as much about tactics and team selection as my nan. It’s at times like these when you know a manager hasn’t got long left, and it’s time for Zola to hand in his resignation before he gets the boot. Zola has far too much pride and dignity to let himself be sacked by these two cretins who will only end up digging West Ham United into too big a hole to climb out of. The inevitability of these situations seems too ridiculous to comprehend, and Zola would be better off looking for employment elsewhere.

It’s true that West Ham have been performing well below expectations this season, and with the quality of players they have at their disposal you wouldn’t have bet against them pushing for a Europa League spot. Matthew Upson, Carlton Cole, Scott Parker, and Robert Green have all played for England, with Upson, Cole, and Green pushing for a place in Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad. Valon Behrami is a full international for Switzerland, and Guillermo Franco has played 20 times for Mexico. And there’s more. But can you blame the Hammers for being a little off colour with the constant facades off the field being such an obvious distraction? And can you blame Zola for not getting the best out of his players?

There has been speculation that Zola will walk out of West Ham following his team’s match against Stoke City today, regardless of the score. I hope he does, and I hope he goes on to show Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Gold just what they’ll be missing.

Are you Liverpool in disguise?

Expectation. Hope. Excitement… Disappointment. Reality check. Unrest. Am I talking about Manchester City, or Liverpool? Take your pick – They seem to be the same thing.

The cloud of expectation that looms over the City of Manchester Stadium is rather too quickly brewing into something resembling a storm-cloud, and there doesn’t seem to be a solution for it. Roberto Mancini arrived in the city boasting two of the world’s richest clubs with the task of guiding the blue side of Manchester into the top four as they seek to become Premier League champions within the space of 24 months. His mission was clear. No one said it would be easy, but it was clear. Now, he’s fast learning that being the manager of a club with Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and half of Robinho on its books is not as illustrious as it may seem.

Rafael Benitez has a much easier job on his hands. Or so it seemed. His mission? Keep the indispensible Fernando Torres at the club, continue to build a team that is capable of winning their first top flight title in over 20 years, and make sure fortress Anfield remains exactly that. 1 down, 2 to go. Liverpool’s demise has been as quick as City’s rise to the top of the money lists, and the fans on Merseyside are seeking change. Rafa has served Liverpool loyally and successfully over the course of 5 years, and he is a person and a manager who will be fondly remembered by all Liverpool fans. Forget his cautious approach and reluctance to kill a game off when we’re 1-0 up. Forget Albert Riera’s outburst that Rafa has no communication skills at all. And forget his often straight-batted comments under interview. He won the Champions League in his first year and brought Fernando Torres into our lives. That’s enough for me. For now.

This season has been nothing short of a disaster for Rafa, something that Mancini can sympathise with. Whilst his record as Manchester City manager is not in the slightest bit disastrous – 10 wins in 19 games – it’s not spectacular, and as far as Mr. Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is concerned, it’s not good enough. The highlight of his brief City career is undoubtedly a superb performance and result at the City of Manchester Stadium against the old enemy. Perhaps the forgiving, sympathetic portion of Blues fans will settle for that, but finishing in the Europa League spots is not what Mancini heard in his mission briefing. The same goes for Rafa. There’s one option, and one option only; Champions League football.

Not only are the two clubs similar in ambition, but they’re similar in strategy too. Those of you who watched the dour display of what was called football just over a month ago, you’ll have seen how both teams cancelled each other out and how a lack of ambition cost vital points for both parties. A lack of confidence, lack of morale, and general group disconnectivity led to one of the dullest 0-0 draws you’ll witness in the Premier League. It resembled more of a relegation scrap than a match between two sides boasting world-class players, fighting it out to play in Europe’s most prized competition. It is exactly this which looks like forcing Roberto Mancini and Rafael Benitez out of their respective clubs, sooner rather than later.

With the money in the pocket of the Arab owners, there is no margin for error for Manchester City. Neither is there time for the brave (or stupid) man that accepts the challenge of the City hotseat, and boy is it hot. It seems these days, it’s one slip up and you’re out. Mourinho, Hiddink, Ancelotti, even Guardiola. Those are names you’ve heard, and will hear in the future as to Mancini’s successor. They’re mission? Win the Premier League, and secure Champions League football for the next decade. Good luck.

With a lack of money at Anfield, there is more margin for error and a lot more time – especially when the clueless American owners can’t afford to sack the manager. For the next man to take on the Liverpool job, it will be a fantastic challenge to take Britain’s most successful club back to the top of the Premier League and winning trophies again. Mourinho, Klinsmann, Hiddink, and Martin O’Neill. The usual suspects. They’re mission? Fill that trophy cabinet and bring back the good days to Merseyside. Bring it on.

Ramsey injury sparks debate

Aaron Ramsey lies in agony after breaking his leg against Stoke

Arsenal FC have confirmed that 19-year-old Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey will miss the remainder of the season after fracturing his right fibula and tibia in the Premier League match at Stoke last night.

The injury, which brought back horrible memories of Eduardo’s career-threatening injury at Birmingham two years ago, was caused as a result of Ryan Shawcross’ challenge – an incident that resulted in Shawcross receiving a straight red card. The defender, who was later confirmed in Fabio Capello’s England squad for the friendly against Egypt on Wednesday, left the field in tears at the horror of the injury.

Ramsey is the 3rd Arsenal player to be on the receiving end of dangerous tackles in the last 5 years. Abou Diaby broke his ankle against Sunderland in 2005, before Eduardo’s horrendous leg break in early 2008. It’s something that Arsene Wenger believes is not a coincidence.

"I’m not very happy with the tackle. We know what we are expecting, a battle everywhere, but we have now lost three players on horrendous tackles and I refuse to believe it is always coincidence."

Wenger’s words, understandably said with anger and sadness, has sparked a debate over team’s over-aggressive approach to playing Arsenal. Cesc Fabregas felt that incidents like this have no place in football.

"In five years I’ve seen three of them. Abou (Diaby), Eduardo, and now Aaron. What can I say. It’s difficult. You could say we are not protected enough. We are victims… There are things that are a little too much but three times in five years is a little bit too much."

So are Arsenal victims of their own gameplan? Many pundits have suggested that the pace in which Arsenal play their football is one of the reasons that three horrifying injuries have occurred in a short space of time. People like Martin Taylor (the Birmingham defender responsible for breaking Eduardo’s leg) and Ryan Shawcross are certainly not as quick as their Arsenal counterparts, and this may play a role in the timing of their challenges.

Certainly there was no malice on Shawcross’ part. Tony Pulis claimed that Shawcross “left the field crying his eyes out”, and the pictures clearly prove that. He was distraught, and highly apologetic after the match, and I’m sure will be visiting Aaron Ramsey in hospital in the near future.

Wenger surely has a point though. This can’t be coincidence. It’s been suggested that the only way to stop Arsenal playing their enterprising style of football is to be ultra-physical against them, as they can’t handle a battle. Now this isn’t to say that professional players go out there to deliberately injure fellow professionals, but when a team partakes in a more aggressive style against the Gunners, the risk that someone is going to get seriously hurt is obviously higher. It’s just very unfortunate that Aaron Ramsey has become a victim of such play.

Could referees offer Arsenal more protection? I’m not sure there’s much they can do, apart from send players off for bad challenges, and make sure that they diffuse any potentially dangerous situations. Football is a competitive game, and things like this are always going to happen. Arsenal receive as much protection from officials as any other club in the League, so I’m not sure that Cesc Fabregas has any ground for argument.

It’s obviously a horrible feeling for the players at Arsenal, who have had to witness at least 2 horrendous injuries in recent times. The reaction of both sets of players underlined how much events like this effect players, and one only hopes that it doesn’t happen to them.

Many say that Eduardo’s injury was the turning point in Arsenal’s season back in 2008. They were top of the table, 5 points clear of Manchester United and 3 points at St. Andrews would have made them sure fire favourites to run away with the title. However, the injury to the Croatian international, who is still feeling his way back into the Arsenal first team, had a massive effect on his teammates. William Gallas was resigned to sitting on the pitch at the end of the 2-2 draw, almost in tears, and ended up losing the captaincy over his actions that day. Arsenal never regained their composure, and ended up finishing 3rd, 4 points behind the eventual winners Manchester United.

It seems the experience of the final few months of that season played an important part in last night’s 3-1 victory. For a few minutes after Ramsey was carried off the pitch on a stretcher, very few tackles were made, and there was a certain lull in the game. However, in the last 7 or 8 minutes, Arsenal stepped up a gear and managed to find two goals to put them firmly back in the title race. A Fabregas penalty, and Thomas Vermaelen’s 8th goal of the season sealed a precious 3 points for Arsene Wenger, and gave Arsenal something positive to take to the bedside of Welsh football’s next big thing.

From all of us here at WDKF, we wish Aaron Ramsey a very speedy recovery to full fitness, and we wish to see him back in action as soon as possible.

Point deductions & transfer embargos make existence hopeless

Who should the finger of blame be pointed at?

Going into administration is the one thing that owners of Football clubs fear the most. Loss of massive amounts of money, the folding of a professional Football club, and a tarnished reputation that will never be regained. The current financial climate gives Football little hope, emphasising further the pointlessness and lack of sensitivity that the FA show towards clubs at the bottom of the money leagues.

Portsmouth FC and Crystal Palace FC have felt the full force of the FA’s lack of remorse in the situation. Let me put the question to you. How is a Football club, already at the bottom of the Premier League table fighting for survival, supposed to pay off their debts when any slim chance of retaining Premier League status, and thus a substantial sum of money, is whisked away from them by the governing body?

Now this hasn’t happened to Portsmouth yet, but it seems 99% likely that they will go into administration and be deducted the customary 10 points which would ultimately and indefinitely sink them into the Championship next season, unless of course they fold completely and their existence is banished. The scenario is still realistic.
With no chance of survival, and no chance of gaining any money from the Premier League for survival, Portsmouth would have no means of paying off their debt and little chance of retaining their status as a professional Football club. It bewilders me how the Premier League can implement such costly punishments to clubs who are already at the pit of survival, and not offer any support for that club in their battle against ceasing. Surely the last action you would take is to deduct points from that club?

The only way for clubs like Portsmouth to pay off their debt is if they are given the opportunity to retain their Premier League status, which at this stage of the season is still realistic, yet a challenging task. Come the end of the season, should Pompey be relegated, then points can be deducted from the next campaign. At least then, the FA have given Portsmouth a realistic chance to earn some money to pay towards debts.
The situation at Selhurst Park is slightly different to that at Fratton Park. Crystal Palace were riding high in the Championship, sitting just outside the play-off positions before they were sanctioned with a 10 point deduction. Palace now find themselves fighting the drop, and lie in 21st place, a point off safety. How can that be justified?

Palace may well have been promoted this season, meaning they’d receive an influx of money from the FA for their performance in the Championship and for competing in the Premier League the following season. This would mean that the majority of, or perhaps even all, of their debts would be paid off and Palace could concentrate on matters Football. It seems extremely irrational and illogical to strip Palace of any hope they had of reaching the top division in England.

The Football Association should be an organisation which helps Football clubs in times like these, instead of punishing them for matters off the field. As well as point deductions, transfer embargos are sometimes used, although not that often anymore. An inability to draft in new players means that clubs are stuck with players who may not be good enough to keep them in their division, thus costing them more money. If allowed to bring in a few players during the transfer windows, whether on loans or on transfers with money borrowed from the bank, then clubs may have more of a chance of surviving in their division, and therefore claiming a bit of extra cash which would be used to pay back the banks. Should the clubs not stay up despite all that, then punishments can be issued accordingly.

Is that not logical?

There have been developments today on the South Coast with Portsmouth appealing to the Premier League for permission to sell players outside of the transfer window. However, it is understood that the appeal will have to be passed not only by the Premier League, but by the FA and FIFA as well. Portsmouth are desperate to raise £4m to pay this month’s wages, and resolve more cash-flow issues.

Should Portsmouth be allowed to do this, or will this be unfair to other clubs in the Premier League and the rest of Europe?

For me, Pompey need all the help they can get, and if that’s being allowed to sell outside of transfer windows, then so be it. Nobody likes to see Football clubs go under, so help is needed for clubs like Portsmouth to get themselves out of trouble.