Can We Play You Every Week?

Why Charlie Adam Is Not Good Enough For Liverpool

2011-07-08T10:40:00.000+01:00

By Harrison Page. Follow him on Twitter @mrharrisonpage

25-year-old signs for undisclosed fee.
Adam 'delighted' to be at Anfield.

New Liverpool signing Charlie Adam will be hoping to
make an impact at Anfield.

Scottish international midfielder Charlie Adam has finally completed his long awaited move to Liverpool for an undisclosed fee, but why has a club with aspirations of European qualification even considered to sign such a mediocre player?

The former Blackpool captain has certainly played an instrumental role in the meteoric rise of the Seasiders’ notoriety over the past two seasons, scoring 16 goals on the way to Championship Play-Off Final success in 2010 and 12 goals in the Tangerines’ subsequent debut season in the Premier League. This success however conjures up the notion of ‘a big fish in a small pond’ and in my opinion, Adam will struggle to have the same impact in the ocean of class he’ll face at Anfield.

Harrison Page believes Charlie Adam's move to Liverpool
will mirror that of Steve Sidwell's unimpressive stint at Chelsea.

It’s not too difficult to stand tall amongst the likes of Elliot Grandin, Keith Southern and Gary Taylor-Fletcher, but when the former Rangers midfielder will have to exert his presence over Portuguese international Raul Meireles, £20million man Jordan Henderson and a certain Mr Gerrard, one finds it difficult for him to be able to do so.

Liverpool’s acquisition of Charlie Adam reminds me of Steve Sidwell signing for Chelsea after a similarly two productive seasons with, no disrespect, a Premier League minnow. On arriving at Stamford Bridge, Sidwell claimed he was not simply there to make up the numbers and believed that his own game would improve through training with experienced internationals such as Frank Lampard and Michael Essien. However, regardless of whether the former England U21 international’s footballing aptitude improved during his time in West London or not, the fact that he was no longer ‘a big fish in a small pond’ demonstrated that he was simply not good enough for a club of Chelsea’s stature and consequently made just 15 fleeting appearances.

Charlie Adam scored 12 goals in the Premier League last season, an impressive figure for a midfielder, until you mention that eight of those were in fact penalties. Yes, he provided a number of assists, but many of those were from corners and I’m sure that Kenny Dalglish hasn’t signed him for his set pieces alone. So what does the 25-year-old actually offer a club like Liverpool? Well, in my mind, very little.

Adam scored 12 goals in the
Premier League last season, but
8 were in fact penalties.

At Blackpool Adam was the talisman, the driving force behind every attacking move, the captain, a leader. At Liverpool however, Adam will be cast aside in the shadows by the players around him. His whole game is based around his influence over less technically gifted players and being the spearhead for a side like Blackpool to galvanise around. At Liverpool however, Adam’s unique selling point simply is not required, for the Anfield club already have their talismen, in the form of Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez.

Charlie Adam is certainly a talented individual, but what he thrives on is being that ‘big fish in a small pond’ and it was this primary attribute of influence that set him apart at Blackpool. A player of Adam’s mould needs a team to be built around him in order for him to flourish and at Liverpool, that simply is not going to happen. Of course he deserves the opportunity of playing in the Premier League again this season after his exploits over the past 12 months, but unfortunately he is not the calibre of player Kenny Dalglish should be looking for to get Liverpool back into Europe where they undoubtedly belong. Adam can undoubtedly be a talisman for sides in mid-table, but at the top-end of the league, I simply can’t see it.

What are your thoughts on Charlie Adam moving to Liverpool? Do you think he will prove Harrison Page wrong and be a success at Anfield or will he simply be Steve Sidwell Mark II? Share your views and opinions in the comments box below.

Andre Villas-Boas Appointed New Chelsea Manager

2011-06-23T19:27:00.000+01:00

By Harrison Page @mrharrisonpage

Villas-Boas handed three-year contract.
Ex-Porto man dubbed the 'new Mourinho'.

Chelsea fans will be hoping that new manager Andre
Villas-Boas will be able to point their club to success.

Former Porto boss Andre Villas-Boas has been appointed as the new Chelsea manager, signing a three-year deal with the Premier League club.

Speculation about the 33 year-olds appointment has been rife over the last few weeks and it is no surprise that the man labelled as the ‘new Jose Mourinho’ has been chosen by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to lead the West London club next season.

Villas-Boas’ credentials are certainly there for all to see. The man from Portugal won the treble with his Porto side last season – the Portuguese League, Cup and UEFA Europa League – recording the highest number of points attained by a team in a 30-game Portuguese league season and becoming the youngest manager ever to win a European competition in the process. The previous season also saw Villas-Boas guide bottom-side Academia de Coimbra to a respectable 11^th position after his appointment in late October 2009.

Villas-Boas has been described as the new
Jose Mourinho, who won the Premier League
in his first season at Stamford Bridge.

His achievements in Portugal almost mirror that of former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and it is no wonder that comparisons are already being made with his Portuguese compatriot. Similarly to Mourinho, Villas-Boas spent time with ex-Barcelona and Porto manager Sir Bobby Robson, and it was this tutelage which laid the foundations for his achievements so far. The Mourinho comparisons do not end there however, as Villas-Boas has worked under the current Real Madrid boss at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan, earning great respect and adulation for the depth and detail of his opposition reports and preparation.

At the tender age of just 33 Villas-Boas’ achievements really are quite something and it is this, along with his uncanny coaching upbringing to Mourinho, which has led him to be appointed as the new manager of Chelsea. The greatest success in the Abramovich era was under the tenure of Jose Mourinho and undoubtedly he will be expected to produce results on par with the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’. Former Chelsea boss Avram Grant has already come out to warn Villas-Boas of the pressures of the Stamford Bridge hot-seat, stating the Chelsea owner wants success ‘as quick as you can’.

The similarities between Mourinho and Villas-Boas are too similar to ignore, and the former Porto boss – who received his UEFA C coaching licence at just 17 years of age – will have to become used to the constant comparisons, especially as he will now be working under the spotlight of the British media. In terms of playing style however, the two are quite different. Villas-Boas likes his team to be more fluid and collective in terms of attack, with his focus much more on the team than the individual, or, in the case of Mourinho, himself. In the press conference following Porto’s Europa League win last season, Villas-Boas praised Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola for his team’s style of play and almost apologised for winning the final in such a scrappy fashion. This is what separates the two men. Where Mourinho will do anything to win, Villas-Boas wants to win beautifully.

Porto striker Falcao is linked with a move to West London
in order to be reunited with former manager Villas-Boas

Talk to Arsene Wenger and he will be able to tell you just how difficult that is in the Premier League. Although Barcelona make it look easy in Spain and in the Champions League, they are a team up there with the very greatest in the history of the beautiful game. Arsenal, and Chelsea, are not. The likes of Porto stars Joao Moutinho and Falcao are highly adept to such a style of football, but when such a question is placed upon Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel, Yossi Benayoun and the aging Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda, their ability to play Villas-Boas’ vision of a Barcelona-esque manner is certainly up for debate. Undoubtedly the new Chelsea boss will be given access to Mr Abramovich’s bulging chequebook, and in my view he will certainly need to use it in order to bring in some much-needed creativity, flair and pace in order for his side to perform in his preferred way.

The credentials of Andre Villas-Boas are there for everyone to witness and admire, yet the comparisons with Mourinho are somewhat short in regards to the achievements of ‘The Special One’. Villas-Boas will be given every opportunity to make a success of himself at Chelsea, with his Porto pedigree demonstrating that he can guide his new club to some much craved silverware. The newest member of the Stamford Bridge managerial merry-go-round will have to do so quickly though if he is to live up to his ‘new Mourinho’ billing, with ‘The Special One’ winning the Premier League in only his first season as Chelsea manager.

What are your thoughts on the appointment of Andre Villas-Boas as the new Chelsea manager? Do you think he will be a success at Stamford Bridge and what players do you think he will sign with Roman Abramovich’s cash? Share your views and opinions in the comments box below.

Season Review - Liverpool. Part Two.

2011-06-12T20:12:00.000+01:00

Continuing our series of articles reviewing the past season's fortunes of teams from across the footballing world, here's the second and final part of Guest Writer Bradley Elvin's Season Review on his team Liverpool.

By Bradley Elvin

Dalglish brought in strikers Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez to
replace the Chelsea-bound Fernando Torres.

It seemed like the takeover by NESV and the appointment of Kenny Dalglish came just in time for Liverpool, as by this time the January transfer window was among us.

With only slight improvements on the pitch with tough away games against Everton and in the F.A. Cup Manchester United ending in a 2-2 draw and 1-0 defeat respectively, Liverpool were out of another competition. However massive changes to the squad soon followed, with Paul Konchesky moving on loan to Nottingham Forest until the end of the season. But the transfer that got everybody talking, after months of speculation, was the sale of superstar striker Fernando Torres. After a illustrious Liverpool career which saw him reach 50 goals faster than any player before him in a Liverpool shirt including Rush, Fowler and Anthony Le Tallec he moved to rivals Chelsea and after some hard negotiation Chelsea had to fork out 50 million pounds, a record fee for an English club to pay.

Chelsea paid a record £50 million fee for Spanish
World Cup winning striker Fernando Torres.

However this left little time for Liverpool to find a much needed replacement for Torres, however like London buses you wait for 1 great striker and 2 come at once. Liverpool splashed out a club record £35 million on in form target man Andy Carroll from Newcastle United, somewhat of a risk giving his lack of experience for such a fee and the fact he was being asked to wear the famous number 9 shirt. Liverpool also splashed out a further 22 million pounds on Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez from Ajax, a player known for his controversial hand-ball that broke the hearts of the Ghanaian nation in the 2010 World Cup.

However big changes to the squad didn’t bring big changes to results, with Liverpool again losing to Blackpool and getting knocked out of the Europa League at the hands of Portuguese outfit Braga. But this certainly wasn’t going to dishearten the current mood at Anfield, there was a return of a legend and 2 new class strikers to replace 1 fading forward, and the expenditure worked out about even for Liverpool for the 3 deals. Not only was Dalglish bringing in expensive talent, but constant injuries and a lack of depth saw Liverpool bring through youngsters such as Jay Spearing, Jack Robinson and John Flanagan, players who certainly have great futures ahead of them.

Dirt Kuyt celebrates his hat-trick against rivals
Manchester United at Anfield.

By the latter stages of the season there was little to play for, with Liverpool out of every competition and very much looking to the future. This meant time for the new strikers to settle and to give Dalglish time to see what the squad he inherited could do. With little pressure on them, Liverpool were able to play some fantastic free flowing attacking football at times, beating Manchester United at Anfield 3-1 in the process, with new sensation Luis Suarez dismantling United’s defence to set up Dirk Kuyt’s close range hat trick. Again a Manchester club felt the wraith of Dalglish’s revitalised Reds with a fantastic 3-0 win this time against City. It was Carroll’s turn to take the glory with a quality double, with the ever present Dirk Kuyt finishing the scoring, with all the goals coming in the 1^st half.

It wasn’t all coming up roses however; a shocking display at Upton Park against bottom of the league West Ham with the Hammers winning 3-1 was certainly a wakeup call that Dalglish still has work to do with the squad over the summer. The last highlight of the season was with a superb 5-2 victory over an in form and usually resilient Fulham at Craven Cottage, Suarez again running the show, but it was Maxi Rodriguez who seemed to finally find his feet under Dalglish who scored a hat-trick in this game. It was certainly a performance which left Liverpool supporters lying awake at night wondering what next season can bring with these new breed of superstars. Undoubtedly Liverpool can no longer be accused of being a “2 man team”.

Raul Meireles scoring Liverpool's goal of the season
against Wolves, in the opinion of Guest Writer
Bradley Elvin.

So what was an extremely eventful season for The Reds with new owners, managers and strikers along the way, ended with the Liverpool supporters chomping at the bit for summer transfers and the new season to begin.

Player of the season: Raul Meireles.

Goal of the season: Raul Meireles against Wolves.

Surprise of the season: Lucas Leiva’s consistent performances which cemented his place as a first team regular.

If you share our passion for football and would like to share your views with a worldwide audience, Can We Play You Every Week? offers you the chance to write either a single or series of articles on a subject of your choice as a guest writer.

If you're interested in becoming a guest writer, or simply would like some more information, send us an email at harrisonpage@hotmail.co.uk or alternatively Tweet us @canweplayblog

Season Review - Liverpool. Part One.

2011-06-11T13:58:00.002+01:00

In the third instalment of our series of articles reviewing the past season's fortunes of teams from across the footballing world, Guest Writer Bradley Elvin gives thoughts on his team's performance in 2010/11.

By Bradley Elvin

Roy Hodgson's time as Liverpool manager was certainly not uneventful.

What was certainly an eventful season for The Reds if not a successful one, started off with boardroom turmoil.

With former co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks finally looking to sell after much demand from fans, after false promises of a new stadium, they certainly weren’t making it easy for new investors by holding out for every penny. Matters had to be settled in court with Liverpool appointing emergency chairman Martin Broughton (British Airways) and chief executive Christian Purslow to help settle matters with the current owners. Liverpool were in need of strikers so they brought in Martin Broughton as he used to have thousands of them. Yes, the club I love was certainly the brunt of all the football related jokes at the start of the season. Liverpool brought in vastly experienced Coach Roy Hodgson to help steady the ship rather than appoint a more exuberant manager the fans would have wanted.

Hodgson's free transfer acquisition of Joe Cole was seen
as the answer to Liverpool's lack of creativity, but the
former England international failed to make an impact.

However turmoil off the pitch was reflected by poor performances on it. Liverpool under Hodgson made their worst start to a league season for nearly half a century. Poor signings like Christian Poulsen and Paul Konchesky certainly did not look good for Hodgson. He did however get out of favour Chelsea playmaker Joe Cole on a free transfer; however he never really got going in a Liverpool shirt and constant injuries made it hard for Cole to settle into the side. Also deadline day signing of Porto’s Raul Meireles proved to be a great acquisition, perhaps the only saving grace of a poor stint at Liverpool for Hodgson.

There was more bad news when new signing Cole was sent off on his debut against Arsenal in a heated 1-1 draw which saw the in-form David N'Gog find the net from an acute angle, however a rare mistake from ‘keeper Pepe Reina handed Arsenal a point. Hodgson, apart from in the Europa League against lesser opposition, couldn’t buy a win. More poor performances and results followed soon after, losing at home to the likes of Wolves, Blackpool and even League One side Northampton Town in the Carling Cup were starting to turn the usually faithful Liverpool support against Hodgson.

New Liverpool owner John Henry aimed to bring some
much needed financial stability to the club.

A good 2-0 home win against champions Chelsea did help calm the nerves of relegation worries, with a usually uninterested Fernando Torres turning up and bagging a brilliant brace. However Liverpool were unable to really build on that and talks of Torres’ exit were soon brought up again. When boardroom court matters were finally resolved and Martin Broughton managed to get rid of cowboys Hicks and Gillett, Liverpool football club were delighted to see the back of Americans. With much interest and speculation on whom the new investors would be, Liverpool believed they finally brought the right people to the club with the NESV sports group run by John Henry (yes, more Americans) and again Liverpool were the brunt of jokes by this time.

Of course fans were somewhat and understandably edgy at more Americans taking over, but Henry’s work with Baseball outfit the Boston Red Sox speaks for itself, so at least Liverpool were getting an American with experience of transforming a struggling sports team and bringing them back to winning ways.

Kenny Dalglish was appointed to turn the tide on
Liverpool's poor first half of the season under Hodgson.

Of course with new owners, speculation of Hodgson’s early Anfield exit grew bigger and with the new owners’ first game at Anfield being a Merseyside derby against bitter rivals Everton it really was do or die time for Hodgson’s reds from the fans and owners points of view. Having witnessed a lacklustre 2-0 away defeat to their bitter rivals amongst a string of poor results, Liverpool decided enough was enough and parted company with Roy Hodgson after just 6 months in charge. Liverpool fans had for months been singing from the terraces for the legendary Kenny Dalglish to return as manager and throughout Hodgson’s time at Liverpool Kenny never ruled himself out of taking over. So when all the manager and boardroom fiascos had settled there really was only one candidate to takeover a desperate Liverpool. Yes King Kenny was back!

Make sure to check back tomorrow for the second and final part of Bradley Elvin's Liverpool Season Review.

Season Review - Newcastle United. Part Two.

2011-06-10T12:54:00.000+01:00

Continuing our new series of articles reviewing the past season's fortunes of teams from across the footballing world, here's the second and final part of Guest Writer Tom Galley's Season Review on his team Newcastle United.

By Tom Galley @tgalley91

Andy Carroll's January transfer to Liverpool did not result in the predicted
negative repercussions on Newcastle's aim of Premier League survival.

January marked a difficult month for the club. A brilliant start saw the Magpies win compellingly against West Ham 5-0, a game in which Leon Best managed to become another Newcastle player to score a hat-trick in the league this season. However, a cup upset at the hands of Stevenage in the FA Cup 3rd round and conceding stoppage time equalisers when in leading positions against Sunderland and Tottenham, left a sour taste in the mouths of players and fans alike.

However, it was the end of the month and closing of the transfer window that rocked the club most. With Chelsea pursuing their chase for Liverpool frontman Fernando Torres, Liverpool were looking for a replacement and they had shortlisted Andy Carroll to be their man and were adamant in their chase for the England prospect. So much so, that after receiving £50 million from Chelsea for Torres, they were willing to pay £35 million for Carroll, an offer that just seemed too good for the board at Newcastle to turn down. So with all this movement going on so late in the transfer window, this didn’t leave any time for Newcastle to find a replacement for their number 9 striker, leaving them to finish the season with their current playing squad.

Cheik Tiote celebrates his stunning equaliser
in Newcastle's 4-4 draw with Arsenal.

A Newcastle United squad without Andy Carroll seemed like they were going to lack goals and confidence up front to try and successfully survive in their first season back in the Premier League. Yet, when Arsenal visited St James Park in February 2011, it was a match that would go down in the history books. Arsenal had taken an early lead in which they were 3-0 up within 10 minutes, a lead which became 4-0 by half time. However, the turning point of the match happened about 15 minutes into the second half, when Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby received a straight red for raising his hand to Joey Barton. Newcastle players and fans inside the stadium saw this as a chance to stage one of the most remarkable comebacks football has ever seen. Two Joey Barton penalties either side of a Leon Best strike had brought Newcastle back to 4-3 with less than 4 minutes to go. Then up stood Cheik Tioté, who had been Newcastle’s star player for most of the season, to volley the ball into the corner of the net and complete the comeback. 4-4!

The Toon Army will be hoping that the money from the
Andy Carroll transfer will be used to bring in new players.

St James Park had witnessed two great games during the season that would remain classics in Geordie folklore, and although without a great home record by Newcastle’s standards, their Premier League safety was guaranteed with a home victory over Birmingham, three games before the season ending.

So, with the end of the season and survival guaranteed, optimism is even higher for next season. With Alan Pardew reportedly having the vast majority of the Andy Carroll transfer money available to him, he has a lot at his disposal to build his legacy at St James Park and try to establish Newcastle as a consistent top half club and potential contenders for Europe, something that arguably the Toon Army deserves.

If you're interested in becoming a guest writer, or simply would like some more information, send us an email at harrisonpage@hotmail.co.uk or alternatively Tweet us @canweplayblog

Season Review - Newcastle United. Part One.

2011-06-09T12:44:00.000+01:00

In the second instalment of a new series of articles reviewing the past season's fortunes of teams from across the footballing world, Guest Writer Tom Galley gives his thoughts on his team's performance in 2010/11.

By Tom Galley @tgalley91

Chris Hughton made a promising start with Newcastle United on
their return to the Premier League.

The start of a new Barclays Premier League season was filled with optimism amongst Newcastle fans. A return to the Premier League on the first attempt was beyond what many pundits were expecting of a team that has drama written all over it. And yet, they went on to win the Championship convincingly and earn their place back amongst the elite in English football.

With a relatively small playing squad going into this season, manager Chris Hughton was only able to complete the signings of Cheik Tioté, James Perch and Dan Gosling on permanent deals whilst sorting out a season-long loan for the exciting talent of French international Hatem Ben Arfa.

Andy Carroll was living up to his 'new Shearer' billing,
scoring a hat-trick in only the second league
game of the season.

An opening day loss to champions Manchester United was followed by a 6-0 thrashing at home to Aston Villa where local lad Andy Carroll managed to bag hat-trick and a 2-0 home loss to Blackpool which signalled the inconsistent season that was to be for Newcastle United. An away win at Everton and a home loss to Stoke City supported this, before an impressive away win at Arsenal where Andy Carroll, once again, managed to be the star performer and get the only goal of the game.

However, one highlight that will surely stay in the memories of those in the Toon Army will be their unforgettable victory over arch rivals Sunderland at St James Park, where they came out on top in a 5-1 win. Captain Kevin Nolan grabbed the headlines and the match ball when he managed to become the second Newcastle player to score a hat-trick this season. Chris Hughton was easily winning over any critics that he may have had as to whether he could manage at the top level and a new contract was surely on the horizon for the Irishman.

Newcastle United, however, is a club that in the past, have played to their own downfalls and appeared in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, and in December 2010, they didn’t disappoint. Two days after a disappointing 3-1 defeat at West Brom, with the club sitting a comfortable 11th in the table, owner Mike Ashley saw fit that Chris Hughton was no longer the man to lead his club and decided to hire Alan Pardew to replace him. This left the footballing world shocked at the news as many had felt Chris Hughton had done a great job with what was available to him. Fans were shocked and the playing staff were left in a blur of confusion as to why their manager, with whom a great bond and team spirit had been created, was now out of the club and jobless. The task of repairing the spirit inside the dressing room was left to former West Ham and Southampton manager Alan Pardew, who signed a 5-year deal. Many journalists were citing his appointment as Mike Ashley bringing in his ‘cockney mates’ as it was reported that Mike Ashley and Alan Pardew were often seen together in a London casino.

Hughton's replacement, Alan Pardew, proved to be initially
unpopular amongst the Newcastle faithful.

Roy Hodgson’s Liverpool were the first team to challenge Newcastle under Pardew and it was the perfect start. Newcastle’s main trio of Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton and Andy Carroll grabbing a goal each which saw them win 3-1 at St James Park using a formation and tactics that were present in Hughton’s regime. Nonetheless, Pardew’s enthusiasm and vision for success was soon to be proven as he managed to tie down the impressive Cheik Tioté on a new 5 and a half year deal and complete a permanent deal for Hatem Ben Arfa from Marseille, who unfortunately suffered a double leg break in only his 5th appearance for the club which was to rule him out for the whole season.

Make sure to check back tomorrow for the second and final part of Tom Galley's Newcastle United Season Review.

Season Review - Tottenham Hotspur. Part Two.

2011-06-08T10:59:00.000+01:00

Continuing our new series of articles reviewing the past season's fortunes of teams from across the footballing world, here's the second and final part of Guest Writer Lewis Buckler's Season Review on his team Tottenham Hotspur.

By Lewis Buckler @YidoBuckler

Luka Modric continues to be a key part of the Tottenham side.

The league campaign didn’t really have the same glitz and glamour as the wonderful run in the Champions League Tottenham endured.

The highlight has to be coming from 2-0 down away against Arsenal to win 3-2, the 1^st win at the Emirates Stadium and the 1^st win away at Arsenal since 1993. It looked bleak when Nasri and Chamakh had put Arsenal 2-0 up within 20 minutes and they threatened to run riot. A half time switch from Redknapp changed things. Spurs were full of energy and running when an early Bale goal got them back in it. Fabregas conceded a needless penalty, confidently buried by the dutch master Van Der Vaart. Game on. The key moment came when Bale was cynically scythed down just inside the Arsenal half. The free-kick was swung in, Younes Kaboul, of all people, got up highest to glance a header into the far corner. Pure elation from the 3,000 Spurs fans inside the Emirates. This victory was probably sweeter for William Gallas more so than anybody else in the Tottenham line-up, especially as he was controversially made captain for this match.

Younes Kaboul celebrates his winner against Arsenal.

Eventually, Tottenham finished with 8 defeats in the league, the same as Arsenal and actually less than Chelsea and Manchester City, both of whom eventually finished above Spurs. The downfall of this side was the lack of a potent goal scorer and too many draws, especially at home. There were other bright spots in this season, including a 2-0 win at Anfield in May against an in-form Liverpool side. This result, coupled with the away win at Arsenal, could suggest the tide is turning after such a long run without an away win against any of the ‘SKY4’ teams. This was the stand out result in what was ultimately a poor 2^nd half of the season.

Up until Christmas, Harry Redknapp’s claim that his team could win the title didn’t seem that far-fetched after all. The Champions League though, despite the brilliant run, ended up being more of a hindrance to Spurs than a help. The squad seemed to lose form in the league matches during the latter stages of the Champions League which cost them the chance to return to the competition next season. I saw a different side to Tottenham at times this season, signs of a mature Tottenham. I’m used to the naïve Tottenham who would go out all guns blazing and get ripped to shreds at the back. On many away days we played a controlled, intelligent game and came away with victories. This was our most successful season away from home in the Premier League, picking up 26 points. Only Manchester City (28) and Arsenal (31) picked up more.

Harry Redknapp believes Spurs are capable of pushing
for the Premier League title.

It is hard to sum up whether the season for Tottenham could be deemed as a success or a failure. High points and low points aplenty, the aim for most fans would have been to finish in the top 4 and establish the side amongst Europe’s elite. But 5^thposition and a run which defied the odds in the Champions League will be difficult for Tottenham to top in coming seasons. It is important that the club can keep the nucleus of the squad together for any chance of future success. Selling the likes of Modric, Bale & Van Der Vaart would obviously weaken this team and hence weaken any chance of at least competing for the Premier League title in coming seasons. Keeping these players at the club whilst fine tuning the squad with the quality that is needed to take us up that one more level alongside the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea could see Tottenham challenge for the title in the next season or two. It is a pivotal transfer window for the future of the club. I will keep believing though. Some of the stats provided show we really are not that far away from the likes of Manchester Utd and Chelsea. The gap is closing.

The future is bright, the future is lilywhite.

Up the Spurs!

If you share our passion for football and would like to share your views with a worldwide audience,

Can We Play You Every Week? offers you the chance to write either a single or series of articles on a subject of your choice as a guest writer.

If you're interested in becoming a guest writer, or simply would like some more information, send us an email at harrisonpage@hotmail.co.uk or alternatively Tweet us @canweplayblog

Season Review - Tottenham Hotspur. Part One.

2011-06-06T19:09:00.000+01:00

In the first instalment of a new series of articles reviewing the past season's fortunes of teams from across the footballing world, Guest Writer Lewis Buckler gives his thoughts on his team's performance in 2010/11.

By Lewis Buckler @YidoBuckler

Rafael Van der Vaart proved to be a revelation for Spurs
this season.

Highs and Lows. Ups and Downs. What seems like a permanent rollercoaster ride. Welcome to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

I’m not sure too many teams could outplay the European champions, beat the Serie A winners AC Milan away from home and yet manage to lose vital points home and away against the ‘poorer’ teams in the Premier League. But this was the problem for Tottenham this season. Was it a success? In many ways yes, but ultimately Spurs flattered to deceive in the Premier League and failed to at least maintain a place in the top 4, thus missing out on joining Europe’s elite for a second successive season.

1 Point against West Ham. 1 Point against Wigan. 1 point against Blackpool. Two of those sides ended up getting relegated. In the 6 games against said opposition, Tottenham managed just 2 goals, both against Blackpool, in the last minute of each game. This is obviously not good enough for a team wanting to challenge for titles and major trophies. In comparison, Manchester City won all 6 matches against those 3 opponents and scored a hatful of goals to go with it. It could be seen that ultimately, these poor results have cost the lilywhites their place in the top 4 come the end of the season.

Gareth Bale scored a memorable hat-trick at the
San Siro in the Champions League against Inter Milan.

It’s not all doom and gloom though. The 4^th place finish the season before brought back European football to White Hart Lane and boy did we witness some of those famous ‘glory glory nights’! Lets not forget though the opening game; 3-0 down against Young Boys on their artificial pitch in the playoff after 30 minutes. Things did not look rosy at all. A great Bassong header and a wonderful finish from Pavlyuchenko brought it back to 3-2 however, then the business was finished off in style in North London a week later. A 4-0 drubbing, including a Peter Crouch hat-trick, the catalyst for Spurs to go from strength to strength.

The group stage started with an encouraging 2-2 draw away at Werder Bremen, before FC Twente were blown away by a brilliant 2^nd half performance on English soil. Up next was the ‘big one’ in Milan, European Champions Internazionale. Thirty minutes in. Four goals & a man down. This could have turned into one of Tottenham’s most humiliating European nights ever. Until Gareth Bale intervened. Three brilliantly executed 2^nd half goals made the scoreline more than respectable in a game that looked all over after just 10 minutes. The return game at White Hart Lane was just as spectacular. An early Van der Vaart goal, racing onto a brilliantly executed through ball from Modric set the tone. Spurs, with Bale shining again, tore into the Milanese. They could not handle the pace and tempo. Eto’o briefly managed to put some nerves into the Tottenham faithful, but in the last minute Bale again showed his quality in setting up the clinching goal. Tottenham 3-1 Inter Milan. A true ‘glory-glory’ night.

The remainder of the group stage was pretty unspectacular. An under-strength Bremen team were dispatched 3-0 to clinch qualification to the knock-out stages and a thrilling 3-3 draw away at FC Twente confirmed Tottenham’s place as group winners. The reward? 7-time European champions, AC Milan.

Brazilian 'keeper Heurelho Gomes made a high-profile
mistake in Spurs' Champions League Quarter-Final
tie against Real Madrid.

The return to the San Siro proved to be much more successful. Tottenham played a composed and clever tactical game against the Italians. Sandro in particular impressed in shackling the attacking quartet of Milan. Gomes made two fantastic saves. Flamini assaulted Corluka. Gattuso went mental (standard) and then, Aaron Lennon skipped past Mario Yepes, raced towards goal and slotted the ball to Peter Crouch. AC Milan 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur. The result was labelled one of the best in Tottenham’s rich history. Milan were not dispatched with the same style that their neighbours were in the group stage, but this victory was just as impressive.

It all went a bit sour though in the quarter-finals pretty early on. A trip to Madrid was always going to be a tough ask. Conceded a sloppy goal within minutes and then having Peter Crouch sent off didn’t help. After holding out for an hour with 10 men, Adebayor silenced the Spurs fans that travelled to the Spanish capital and made it 2-0. Di Maria made it 3 not long after with a great finish and then Ronaldo topped off the win late on. It was all but over before the return leg in London. Madrid eventually won that game to inflict only the 3^rd home defeat in Tottenham’s European history on a night to forget for Heurelho Gomes.

Make sure to check back tomorrow for the second and final part of Lewis Buckler's Tottenham Hotspur Season Review.

These Swiss Don't Roll Over

2011-06-05T14:19:00.000+01:00

By Harrison Page

Euro 2012 Qualifiers

England 2 Lampard 37, Young 51

Switzerland 2 Barnetta 32, 35

Second half substitute Ashley Young made all the difference for England.

England missed the chance to go three points clear at the top of Group G in the Euro 2012 Qualifiers after coming from behind to earn only a draw with Switzerland at Wembley.

In front of a sell-out crowd in North London, Fabio Capello’s side looked lacklustre in attack without the suspended Wayne Rooney and failed to ever get going against a Swiss team who have so far only beaten Wales in the European Championship Qualifiers.

In what was the final competitive match of the season, the England players seemed to have their minds firmly set on their summer holidays rather than the game in hand. The first half an hour was dominated by the Swiss, who despite failing to really threaten Joe Hart’s goal, were nullifying England’s intentions to press into the Switzerland half.

Tranquillo Barnetta scored a brace
for Switzerland.

On 32 minutes, the realisation that this was in fact a competitive international and not the end of season runabout it was being treated as by many a England player, was underlined by Tranquillo Barnetta. His sumptuously curled delivery from a free-kick outside the area bypassed everyone including England ‘keeper Joe Hart to see the Swiss move into a deserved 1-0 lead. Rio Ferdinand, presumably still lightheaded after his club side's footballing lesson from Barcelona on the very same Wembley pitch a week ago, mistimed his jump in an attempt to head the set-piece away leaving Hart helpless to react and England a goal behind.

Three minutes later, Switzerland were 2-0 up. It was double trouble from Barnetta as once again the winger scored from a set-piece, leaving Joe Hart with the job of simply picking the ball out from the back of the England net. With everyone except Barnetta seemingly expecting another cross into the box, the Swiss international fired a shot through a conveniently created hole in the wall, courtesy of the side-stepping James Milner, to double his side’s lead at the near post. It was another mistake from a dead-ball situation and the Three Lions looked to be losing their grip on the top spot in Group G.

Two minutes later however, England were offered a reprieve after Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere was brought down in the box after the first real piece of attacking intent from Fabio Capello’s men. Frank Lampard stepped up and scored the resulting penalty, albeit fortuitously under the body of Swiss ‘keeper Diego Benaglio.

Frank Lampard scores a penalty to give England
a lifeline at the break.

England went in at half-time to a resounding rendition of jeers from the Wembley crowd. The formation was clearly not working with James Milner and Theo Walcott failing to create a single clear opportunity for Darren Bent. The start of the second half saw Lampard replaced by Ashley Young and England immediately looked a completely different outfit thanks to the instinctive attacking nature of Aston Villa pair Bent and Young.

Just six minutes after the break, England were level thanks to their half-time substitute. A clipped ball in from Milner on the left was chested down by Leighton Baines into the path of Ashley Young who curled the ball beyond the Swiss ‘keeper and into the far corner of the net. Minutes later Bent’s primary asset was finally utilised by the Three Lions’ midfield, as Jack Wilshere played a lovely ball behind the Swiss back four, but Benaglio was quick off his line to deny the onrushing England striker.

Darren Bent almost sealed what would have been an extraordinary comeback with 20 minutes to go, but uncharacteristically side-footed his finish over the bar after the impressive Ashley Young had his shot saved by Benaglio.

All in all, it was a disappointing result for Fabio Capello’s team, albeit for their two-goal comeback and missing regulars Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard through suspension and injury respectively. Undoubtedly calls for a winter break will come back into question as John Terry complained of England being tired in their last match of the season, but the fact of the matter is the Three Lions will have to perform to a much higher standard if they wish to qualify for next year’s European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.

United’s Second String Stroll to Champions League Final with 4-1 Win over Schalke

2011-05-05T11:43:00.000+01:00

A considerably weakened Manchester United side romped home to a 4-1 victory over German side Schalke 04 in their Champions League Semi-Final Second-Leg encounter at Old Trafford last night, setting up a clash with Spanish giants Barcelona in the Final at Wembley later this month.

In a match in which the outcome had virtually already been established through United’s 2-0 First-Leg victory in Germany last week, Sir Alex Ferguson made nine changes to the side that won at the Veltkins Arena. Although the United boss admitted to being slightly anxious about taking such a risk in what was still a Champions League Semi-Final encounter, his nerves were to be proved unfounded as his team easily overcame what must be the weakest Semi-Final opponents in the history of the competition.

Antonio Valencia celebrating his
goal against Schalke last night.

United scored with their first real effort on goal after 26 minutes through Antonio Valencia, who latched on to an alluring ball from Darron Gibson before finishing calmly past the onrushing Schalke ‘keeper Manuel Neuer. The Red Devils doubled their lead just five minutes later when Gibson turned from provider to scorer. The Republic of Ireland international fired a shot at Neuer from just inside the area, with the German number one demonstrating after last week’s heroics that he is human after all, fumbling the shot and allowing the ball to cross the line at his near post.

Four minutes later it was Schalke who responded with arguably the goal of the game from Spanish midfielder Jose Manuel Jurado. Picking up the ball from a ricochet off a United defender, he rifled home a shot past United ‘keeper Edwin van der Sar in the top corner of the net, sending the visiting Schalke fans into raptures. However, the muted celebration from the Spaniard said it all; the goal was all too little, too late from the German side who despite having the majority of the possession at Old Trafford, failed to truly test the United goal.

United have the prospect of
facing the seemingly
unstoppable Lionel Messi
in the final at Wembley.

The second half was a fairly uneventful affair; with both sides realising the outcome of the game had long before been decided. On 72 minutes, Manchester United restored their two-goal lead on the night thanks to another mistake by Neuer. United’s impressive Brazilian midfielder Anderson was rewarded for his persistence after his initial shot following a ball from Nani was blocked by Schalke defender Atsuto Uchida, before turning and striking a left-footed shot through the hands of Neuer and into the Schalke net. Four minutes later the rout was complete, with Anderson again on the score sheet. Dimitar Berbatov was set free on the right-hand side before powering into the area and sliding the ball unselfishly to Anderson who passed the ball home from just inside the six-yard box.

Schalke did have a goal ruled out for off-side in the closing stages – a correct decision it has to be said – but the German side lacked the quality to ever really cause a threat to United and over the two-legs, the Red Devils’ 6-1 aggregate victory was justly deserved.

Manchester United will now face an undoubtedly tougher challenge in the shape of Barcelona in the Champions League Final at Wembley on May 28; in what will be a rematch of the 2009 Final in which Pep Guardiola’s side eased to a 2-0 win. The match will mark 43 years since United won their first European Cup at the old Wembley stadium and Sir Alex Ferguson’s side may just need that sense of destiny in order to overcome a Barcelona team described as one of the best in the history of the game.

Norwich Hammer Ipswich in East Anglian Derby

2011-04-22T13:43:00.000+01:00

Norwich City sent a strong message to their promotion rivals last night as they hit five past local rivals Ipswich Town.

In a game in which the Blues hoped to earn revenge for their 4-1 humiliation in the reverse fixture at Carrow Road earlier in the season it was Norwich who came out on top, gaining a valuable three points and subsequently moving back up to second in the Championship table.

Andrew Surman sets Norwich on their way with the
first goal in a 5-1 rout at Portman Road.

With a fantastic atmosphere inside Portman Road, complete with the equally fantastic glittered costumed Suffolk samba band, the home side looked to snatch an early lead when Jason Scotland fired a shot towards goal after just eight minutes, but the low drive was saved comfortably by Norwich ‘keeper John Ruddy at his near post. Five minutes later however, it was the visitors who were in front. A low cross from the left hand side by the impressive Wes Hoolahan was tipped straight into the path of Andrew Surman by Town stopper Aaron Lee-Barrett, with the Canaries midfielder driving the ball home into an empty net.

With Ipswich trying to press but all too often lacking any vision or creativity in the final third, it was Norwich who doubled their lead in the 24^th minute. A corner from David Fox into the six yard box evaded three Town players, as well as goalkeeper Lee-Barrett, before striking Ipswich defender Gareth McAuley and rebounding into the Ipswich net. For all of the Blues possession, it was Norwich celebrating a two goal lead courtesy of two horror shows from the Ipswich back line.

Ipswich defender Gareth McAuley stands helpless
as he diverts the ball into his own net to make
the score 2-0.

With both sides continuing to create few clear opportunities in front of goal, the half-time whistle blew with the visitors in front and the Canaries supporters celebrating the prospect of their team’s first league double against the Tractor Boys since the 2003/04 season.

The start of the second half saw a change for Paul Jewell’s side, with the hugely ineffective Jason Scotland replaced by Andy Drury. The substitution certainly seemed to spring a new life into the home side, with Town’s creator-in-chief Jimmy Bullard firing a volley just wide on 47 minutes. Ipswich continued to dominate possession in their opponents half and had a number of opportunities to reduce the deficit, but the Blues’ efforts were repeatedly too far out to cause the Norwich ‘keeper any real problems.

For all of the Tractor Boys domination in the second period, it was the Canaries that scored the game’s third goal in the 73^rd minute. City striker Grant Holt held off Town defender Damien Delaney before crossing in low at the by-line to Simeon Jackson who finished well at the Ipswich near post. It was a bitter pill to take for the Blues who had looked a different side in the second half and certainly could have got something from the game if their pressure had indeed created a goal.

Ipswich's Jimmy Bullard to
manage to pull one back for
Paul Jewell's side.

Town managed to pull a goal back in the 78^th minute thanks to a thunderous 25 yard strike from Jimmy Bullard – ironically the goal of the game despite the Londoner being on the losing side – picking up the ball up from David Norris before unleashing a shot into the top corner of the net. Town’s goal was all too late to spark a comeback however and Norwich reinstated their three goal lead just two minutes later. With Ipswich caught short at the back, Russell Martin found himself on his own at the far post and fired the ball through a ghostly Lee-Barrett to make the score 4-1.

Clearly unhappy with simply matching the score line from earlier in the season at Carrow Road, City substitute Daniel Pacheco lashed home a rebound from close-range after Simeon Jackson hit the bar as the Canaries sprinted three-on-one towards the Ipswich goal. Pacheco’s first goal for his loan club signalled a record 5-1 win, the Norfolk’s side biggest ever victory over their East Anglian rivals.

The 27,000 Town supporters left Portman Road dejected, losing at home to Norwich for the first time in three seasons and ending their already slim chances of reaching the Play-Offs. Paul Lambert’s men on the other hand are now safe in the knowledge that they will at the very least finish in the top six this year and could even go one better and win automatic promotion to the Premier League.

What are your views and opinions on Norwich City's resounding win over Ipswich Town and how do you rate their promotion chances this season? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

There’s Nothing Quite Like Derby Day

2011-04-21T15:30:00.000+01:00

Every year when the forthcoming season’s fixtures are released, the two matches that you first go looking for are those against your local rivals. In terms of the league, they may not be the most important fixtures when it comes to hunting at the top for promotion and the play-offs, or indeed scrapping at the bottom to avoid the dreaded phrase of relegation, but for pure excitement, nerves, passion and exhilaration, there’s nothing quite like derby day.

Norwich City striker Grant Holt
scored a hat-trick last time out
against Ipswich Town.

Many of you will have seen last night’s thrilling North London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at White Hart Lane. It was a game that had just about everything, as you can read about in the match report below, and epitomised the very essence of a contest between two bitter rivals. The work rate and commitment of both sides was there for all to see and the atmosphere inside the stadium was incredible, it was certainly a real feast for the neutral football fan. However, when it is your own team that it is participating in a derby, as it will be for me tonight, you will be hoping for a match far less strenuous on your blood pressure.

In just a few hours time my team, Ipswich Town, will take on local rivals Norwich City in the so-called ‘Old Farm’ derby. It will be the 97^th time the two sides will have faced each other and the game at Portman Road is set to be a cracker. But tonight I am not really interested in the quality of the game. I am not really interested in the goals. I am not really interested in anything to tell you the truth. The one thing that I am only interested in is the result, and that is a positive result in Ipswich Town’s favour.

Ipswich Town youngster Josh
Carson will be looking to keep up his
good run of form against local
rivals Norwich tonight.

For years fans all over the world boast that their team’s derby is the greatest in the world. El Classico between Barcelona and Real Madrid, the Milan derby between Inter and AC, the Old Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers. Yes, undoubtedly all of these are fantastic rivalries and produce some fantastic matches for neutral supporters to observe, but the only derby that really matters is the one that consists of your local team.

A local derby is unrivalled in the football calendar and victory in such a match rewards you with the delight of bragging rights for the next six months. Yes tonight’s ‘Old Farm’ derby may not be the most glamorous in the world of football, but it does not matter. For the supporters of Ipswich Town and Norwich City, tonight is their cup final, just as last night was the cup final for the fans of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. There truly is nothing quite like derby day.

What are your views and opinions on tonight's game between Ipswich Town and Norwich City? Share your thoughts on that and great football rivalries in the comments box below.

North London Thriller as Spurs Come From Behind to Draw with Rivals Arsenal

2011-04-21T10:43:00.000+01:00

A true spectacle of English football was served up at White Hart Lane last night, where Tottenham Hotspur came from behind twice to earn a 3-3 draw against North London rivals Arsenal.

A derby game held at night and under the lights always adds to the atmosphere and occasion, and players form both sides certainly lived up to the expectation of the excitement that a match played between two great rivals should display.

The visitors got off to the best possible start after just five minutes, with Theo Walcott timing his run to perfection to latch on to a ball from Cesc Fabregas, before calmly slotting the ball past Spurs ‘keeper Heurelho Gomes and into the corner of the net. With the Arsenal fans celebrating their side’s perfect start and subsequently closing the gap on title rivals Manchester United to just four points, Tottenham immediately drew the scores level. Spurs’ Croatian international full back Vedran Corluka passed a low ball into the area to Rafael van der Vaart who rifled home a shot past Wojciech Szczesny at his near post. With two goals after just seven minutes, the White Hart lane crowd knew they were in for a cracker.

The pace of Arsenal winger Theo Walcott was often
too much for the Spurs defence to handle.

Five minutes later, it was this time the Spurs supporters whose celebrations would be short-lived. Samir Nasri picked the ball up from Abou Diaby 20 yards out from goal and fired past Gomes, albeit with a slight deflection off Tottenham defender Michael Dawson. Arsenal winger Theo Walcott looked dangerous throughout and after being inches away from making it 3-1 on the half-hour mark, he was influential as the Gunners finally got a two-goal lead five minutes before half time. Walcott looped in a delightful cross to the unmarked Robin van Persie, whose initial headed effort was saved excellently by Gomes, but the Spurs ‘keeper could do little as the Dutch striker smashed in the rebound from close range.

The goal scoring action was not yet over however, with Spurs’ midfielder Tom Huddlestone pulling one back just before the half-time break. After a Tottenham corner was only partially cleared by Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, Huddlestone displayed fantastic technique to score what was to be the goal of the game, drilling a 20-yard rocket hard and low into the Arsenal net before Szczesny could even move. It was a lifeline for Spurs, who at 3-2 had every chance of earning some valuable points from the match in the second half.

Rafael van der Vaart scoring from the
penalty spot to level the scores at 3-3.

With Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp forced into a double substitution at the start of the second period due to injuries picked up by Gareth Bale and Vedran Corluka, it was Bale’s replacement Aaron Lennon who was handed the task of injecting some much needed pace into the Spurs attack. Just as Walcott had done to the Tottenham back line in the first half, Lennon’s pace was causing problems for Arsenal’s defensive counterparts and it was the 24-year-old who won the penalty that led to his side’s second equaliser of the night in the 70^th minute.

With Lennon rushing onto a through ball, he was brought down by Arsenal ‘keeper Szczesny just inside the box, the Gunner’s stopper having no complaints about the decision. Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart stepped up and slotted home the resulting penalty to Szczesny’s left, with the goalkeeper diving the wrong way.

It was a deserved equaliser for Harry Redknapp’s side, who could have gone one better if it had not been for Szczesny’s fantastic point-blank save from Luka Modric late on. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will no doubt be disappointed that his team threw away a two-goal lead and a valuable three points in the Premier League title race, where as Redknapp will be undoubtedly delighted by the character shown by his Tottenham side to come twice from behind and take a point to close the gap on their rivals for fourth place – Manchester City – to just two points with six games remaining.

What are your views and opinions on Tottenham's comeback against Arsenal last night and how do you think it will affect both teams' chances in the title race and in the race for the top four? Please share your thoughts in the comments box below.

England Dominant in 2-0 Win over Wales

2011-03-26T19:35:00.000+00:00

England climb to the top of Group G in the Euro 2012 Qualifiers after easing to a 2-0 victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff this evening.

In a match that was billed as a compelling and competitive fixture between two British neighbours, it was the Welsh side who failed to follow the script, looking at times out of their depth against an England team brimming with Premier League talent.

The Three Lions got off to the best possible start after just seven minutes. Ashley Young, who has won the most penalties in the Premier League this season with five, was clumsily brought down in the box by his Aston Villa team-mate James Collins, leaving Frank Lampard to dispatch the subsequent penalty past Wales ‘keeper Wayne Hennessey. The Dragons’ task was made even more difficult a further seven minutes later when England full-back Glen Johnson played a lovely ball to the lively Young on the right-wing, who’s cracking delivery was slotted home by Darren Bent, scoring his third goal in as many games on the international stage.

Aaron Ramsey became Wales'
youngest ever captain in tonight's
game against England.

Wales were clearly missing the power and pace of Spurs’ winger Gareth Bale and were all too often short of the quality needed to get at a spirited England team. Garry Speed’s side went into the half-time break without even managing a shot on target and England were looking extremely good value for their 2-0 lead.

Wales certainly had more possession in the second half but it was England that so nearly added to their lead in the 47^th minute. A poor clearance from Hennessey found Ashley Young whose tantalising cross was just too high for the onrushing Wayne Rooney at the far post. The Welsh sides’ best chance arguably came just after the hour mark, when Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey controlled well from a Steve Morrison pass before turning neatly to create space for a shot at goal, but he couldn’t muster a goal to celebrate becoming Wales’ youngest ever captain as he fired his shot high over the bar.

The Dragon’s had a short period of dominance in the second half, winning four corners in quick succession, but the deliveries from Craig Bellamy and Joe Ledley were poor and easily dealt with by England stopper Joe Hart. Stewart Downing went close to adding to England’s tally in the 90^th minute when he cut inside and lashed a shot inches wide of Hennessey’s right-hand post, but in the end a two goal advantage was enough to see Fabio Capello’s men earn a valuable three points in Group G.

Aston Villa's Ashley Young continued his impressive
run of form at international level.

Wales’ hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012 now look all but gone as they remain bottom of the group and yet to even gain a point. The Dragon’s technical inferiority was there for all to see as the likes of Championship players Steve Morrison and Andy King failed to step-up to the levels of England’s Champions League stars. The performance of Jack Wilshere in the heart of the Three Lions’ midfield was once again a joy to behold, with the Arsenal youngster seemingly already establishing himself as a key player in Capello’s side despite being the tender age of nineteen.

As England come away from Cardiff with a well-earned 2-0 win, no doubt Fabio Capello will be looking to some of the squad’s fringe players such as Matt Jarvis and Kyle Walker to show what they can do in the friendly against Ghana at Wembley this Tuesday night.

What are your views and opinions on England’s victory in Wales tonight? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

England U21s Hammer Denmark 4-0

2011-03-25T16:52:00.000+00:00

Stuart Pearce’s England U21 side thumped four past Denmark to no reply in an international friendly in Viborg yesterday evening.

Danny Welbeck, Scott Sinclair, Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Henderson were all on target as England finished the game with an impressive score line against a spirited Danish side. Although the result was synonymous with the Young Lion’s ranking as the number one U21 side in the world right now, the performance was at times questionable with Denmark particularly dominant in the first half.

The game started off with a sour note as Manchester City defender Micah Richards was stretchered off after just five minutes with a hamstring problem. It was big blow for the U21 captain and no doubt his club boss Roberto Mancini will be hoping that his injury is not too serious.

On-loan Bolton striker scored
Daniel Sturridge scored England's
third goal of the game.

Although Danish ‘keeper Jonas Lossl had little to deal with in the first period, it was England who went into the break in front, courtesy of a cracking goal from on-loan Sunderland striker Danny Welbeck, whose first touch was exquisite before riffling a shot into the roof of the net before Lossl could even move.

England certainly performed better after the break, and two goals in four minutes put the continually dangerous looking Danes to bed. Swansea City’s Scott Sinclair scored England’s second goal of the game in the 58^th minute after latching on quickly to a rebound after the impressive Daniel Sturridge had his shot saved by Lossl. Bolton loanee Sturridge finally got the goal his performance deserved moments later when he cut inside and lashed the ball home from just inside the area. A much improved second half performance from the Young Lions’ was rounded off in the 72^nd minute, when Sunderland academy graduate Jordan Henderson finished well after a superb ball from right-back Kyle Naughton.

The score line certainly flattered Pearce’s men, but four goals against a strong Danish side should certainly be congratulated. No doubt Fabio Capello will be hoping that his Senior side exert the goal-scoring prowess of the U21s in their Euro 2012 qualifier with Wales at the Millennium Stadium tomorrow. Meanwhile Pearce’s team continue their Under 21 Championship Finals preparation with a friendly against Iceland at Preston’s Deepdale stadium on Monday night.

Matt Jarvis – a 'breath of fresh air’? Absolutely.

2011-03-22T20:46:00.000+00:00

Guest writer CHRIS TEALE casts his verdict on the inclusion of Wolves' winger Matt Jarvis in Fabio Capello's England squad for next week's matches against Wales and Ghana.

Fabio Capello has come in for much criticism over the past twelve months, particularly after the World Cup fiasco and his very public U-turn over the captaincy. However, his latest England squad for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales and the subsequent friendly against Ghana should be unconditionally applauded. In particular, his call-up of Wolves' winger Matt Jarvis deserves a massive amount of credit.

This selection more than any other demonstrates Capello's willingness to select players who are in form for their Premier League clubs, regardless of how fashionable those clubs are perceived to be. Jarvis has consistently been Wolves' best player this season, and absolutely deserves his chance to be the first Wolves player to be capped by England since Steve Bull in 1990. One of Capello's predecessors, Sven-Goran Eriksson, tried to pick players that were in form regardless of the club they played for. However, selections like those of the 31-year olds Chris Powell in 2001 from Charlton Athletic and Alan Thompson from Celtic in 2004 were by no means long-term selections building for the future. Capello's selection of Jarvis, who will hopefully earn experience on the pitch at some point, is clearly a selection with the future in mind, as well as the present.

Wolves' boss Mick McCarthy described
Jarvis' selection in the England squad
as a "breath of fresh air".

Jarvis' story as a professional footballer is one of hard work, coming through adversity and learning the game in the lower divisions of English football. Jarvis was released by Millwall as a teenager before then being snapped up by Gillingham. Jarvis made his debut in the-then Division One (Championship) in 2003 as a 17-year old, and made over 100 appearances over four years as Gillingham were relegated to League One in 2005. Jarvis continued to impress at the heart of Gillingham's team for the next couple of years, before Wolves made an undisclosed offer for the 21-year old winger as they looked to push for promotion in the Championship. From then on, he has held down a regular spot in the Wolves first team, and has at the time of writing scored four goals in the Premier League this season.

If Jarvis plays against either Wales or Ghana, something that looks very likely given that only Aaron Lennon and Ashley Young are the other recognised wingers in the squad, he will be rewarded for a career of hard work and determination. Small wonder, then, that Wolves manager Mick McCarthy sees him as a "breath of fresh air" in the England squad, and it must now be apparent that it is not just players from the top Premier League teams that can earn a call-up to the England squad.

If you are interested in writing an article for Can We Play You Every Week, then please send an email to: harrisonpage@hotmail.co.uk

The Football League Awards 2011

2011-03-21T16:49:00.000+00:00

The 2011 edition of the Football League Awards was held at a glittering ceremony in London last night, and Can We Play You Every Week casts its eyes over the winners from the Championship, League One and League Two.

The biggest prize of the night was undoubtedly the award for the Championship Player of the Year. From a shortlist that certainly raised eyebrows for the omissions of leading scorer Danny Graham and Jay Bothroyd, who received an England call-up last November, it was Queen Park Rangers’ Adel Taarabt who deservedly took home the trophy over fellow nominees Grant Holt and Scott Sinclair. I was fortunate enough to see Taarabt play earlier in the season and he is by far the most talented individual I have witnessed in the division. His contribution to Rangers’ position at the top of the table is unquestionable, with the attacking midfielder either scoring or assisting almost half of his team’s goals this season. Although the Moroccan international had a fairly mixed degree of success at former club Tottenham Hotspur, he has more than demonstrated his credentials in the Championship this season and I for one am looking forward to him plying his trade in the Premier League next term.

Peterborough forward Craig Mackail-Smith
won the League One Player of the Year Award.

In League One, Peterborough striker Craig Mackail-Smith beat Glenn Murray and Bradley Wright-Phillips to the Player of the Year Award. Mackail-Smith has scored an impressive 22 league goals this season and has managed 91 goals in 199 appearances during his five seasons with Posh, a record that understandably has put him firmly on the radar of clubs in the higher divisions, with Championship promotion hopefuls Norwich City the most recent team to have had an offer rejected for 27 year old forward.

The winner of the League Two Player of the Year Award was Bury’s Ryan Lowe, who won the prize ahead of Gareth Ainsworth and Adam Le Fondre. Lowe is currently the Football League’s highest scorer with 23 goals in 37 appearances. Lowe was also Bury’s leading scorer last term and has this season broken a 53 year old club record by scoring in 10 consecutive league games.

Ipswich Town striker Connor
Wickham won the Football League
Young Player of the Year Award.

The Football League Young Player of the Year trophy is always one of great celebration, as it not only is awarded to a player who has performed well over the duration of the season, but also points to the recipient being a rising star in the game, with former notable winners including Gareth Bale, Michael Kightly and Fabian Delph. This year’s winner was Ipswich Town striker Connor Wickham, who beat Henri Lansbury and Will Buckley to the award. The 17 year old looks set to have a bright future in the game and has impressed under new Tractor Boys’ boss Paul Jewell, scoring six league goals and earning his first cap for the England U21s. Wickham was last night also presented with his second award of the evening, the Championship Apprentice of the Year, which awards the most successful under-18 of the season.

Champions League Quarter-Final Draw

2011-03-18T23:07:00.001+00:00

Former England international Gary Lineker served up a set of cracking ties as he performed the draw for the Champions League quarter-finals in Switzerland this morning.

The highlight of the draw was when Tottenham Hotspur, a team in which Lineker himself previously played for, were drawn against Spanish giants Real Madrid in what will sure be a thrilling contest. It seems as though Spurs just don’t do easy draws in what is their inaugural season in the Champions League. After dispatching seven-time European Cup winners AC Milan in the previous round, the team from North London will now face the competition’s all-time record-holders, who have not only won the European Cup nine times, but are also coached by Jose Mourinho, a manager who has won the Champions League twice in six years with two different teams and as recently as last season with former club Inter Milan.

Inter Milan striker Goran Pandev celebrates scoring an
88th minute winner against Bayern Munich that saw
his side progress through to the quarter-finals.

In the remainder of the draw, Mourinho’s former club Inter will face Schalke after beating last year’s beaten finalists Bayern Munich and Spanish side Valencia respectively. 2009 Champions League winners Barcelona have a tricky draw against Shakhtar Donetsk, with the Ukrainians unbeaten at home in 31 months in all competitions. The fourth and final quarter-final sees a re-run of the 2008 Champions League final as three-time European Cup winners Manchester United face fellow Premier League side Chelsea.

This morning’s quarter-final draw was followed by the draw for the semi-finals and Lineker again did not fail to disappoint. The winners of the match between Manchester United and Chelsea will face either Inter Milan or Schalke, while the winners of the game between Real Madrid and Tottenham will play either Barcelona or Shakhtar Donetsk, setting up a possible El Classico in the Champions League semi-finals.

The first legs of the quarter-final ties will be played on the 5^th and 6^th of April, with full reviews of all the games right here on Can We Play You Every Week.

Britain Bow Out of Europa League

2011-03-18T14:22:00.001+00:00

The passports of players at Liverpool, Manchester City and Rangers can all be locked away ‘til next season as all three British sides went out at the last-16 stage of the Europa League last night.

In a fortnight that has seen three British clubs – Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – progress through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, their compatriots could not do the same in the Europa League and now have to turn their attentions to other competitions in the hope of silverware this year, or in the case of Liverpool, wait until next season for the chance to win a trophy.

We start off at Eastlands were Manchester City faced a strong Dynamo Kiev side with a 2-0 advantage from the first-leg. City boss Roberto Mancini put out a strong side that included the likes of Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli and David Silva and the Blues looked dangerous against a Kiev team that had clearly come to Manchester with a game plan to sit back and protect their two goal aggregate lead. It was certainly going to be a tough ask for City to progress in the competition and their task was made even more difficult when fiery Italian striker Mario Balotelli was sent off for a challenge on Kiev defender Goran Popov, a challenge that made the tackle made by his City team-mate Nigel De Jong in the World Cup Final look like child’s play. Although Balotelli’s athleticism to raise his foot to such a height was impressive, it was a horrendous tackle and the Macedonian Popov was lucky not to be seriously injured.

Manchester City's Aleksandar Kolarov celebrates his
goal against Dynamo Kiev at Eastlands.

Following a short interval for the kung-fu antics, Manchester City’s dominance of the footballing kind was rewarded six minutes before half-time when Aleksandar Kolarov fired in a low drive past the unsighted Oleksandr Shovkovskiy, a goal which give Mancini’s men a glimmer of hope at the break despite the prospect of having to play the entirety of the second half with just ten men. City continued to press after the restart and with twenty minutes to go brought on Edin Dzeko and Adam Johnson in the hope of taking the tie to extra time, but in the end Kiev’s one man advantage paid dividends and their one goal advantage was enough to see them progress to the quarter-finals. No doubt City fans will be wondering what would have happened if Balotelli would have kept his feet on the ground and the Blues played the entire game with their full contingent of eleven players, but unfortunately their previously impressive Europa League run is behind them and they will now have to turn their attentions to the FA Cup semi-final against inter-city rivals United to realistically keep this season’s dream of silverware alive.

Andy Carroll made his first start for
Liverpool against Braga.

A 0-0 draw at Anfield was enough to see Portuguese side Braga through to the quarter-finals after a 1-0 aggregate win over Liverpool. Reds boss Kenny Dalglish blamed his side’s lack of creativity as they struggled to break down a well organised Braga outfit. Dalglish commented after the game “you need to be really strong creatively if you are going to break down a very organised side” and a Liverpool team without injured captain Steven Gerrard and the ineligible Luis Suarez looked lacklustre in attack. Although the game saw Andy Carroll make his first start in a Red’s shirt, the big striker looked short of match fitness and Dalglish will know his side will have to perform much better in order to qualify for the Europa League next season.

Rangers, the last remaining Scottish team in Europe, lost 1-0 at home to PSV Eindhoven in front of over 35,000 fans at Ibrox. A 13^th minute goal from Jeremain Lens was enough to see the Dutch side through to the quarter-finals in a game of poor quality that only managed four shots on target. The Glasgow side had a second half penalty appeal turned down after the referee – and amazingly the extra official behind the goal – failed to spot a hand ball on the goal line by Canadian international Atiba Hutchinson following a shot by Rangers midfielder Maurice Edu, but in the end it was PSV’s dominance over the two legs that sees them deservedly progress in the competition.

Manchester United ease past Arsenal to reach FA Cup Semi-Finals

2011-03-12T21:37:00.000+00:00

A strong performance from Manchester United sees them through to the Semi-Finals of the FA Cup after a 2-0 win against Arsenal.

A weakened United side without regulars Darren Fletcher, Dimitar Berbatov and Nani were simply too strong for an Arsenal team who were all too often wasteful in front of goal.

United’s Brazilian brothers Fabio and Rafael, both playing in more advanced positions than their usual roles at full back, looked lively throughout and it was Fabio who opened the scoring after 27 minutes. A cross from Wayne Rooney was headed towards goal by Javier Hernandez and the young Brazilian positioned himself well to net the rebound after Arsenal ‘keeper Manuel Almunia initially saved from Hernandez.

Arsenal certainly had their fair share of opportunities with Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri in particular all going close but their efforts were consistently rebuffed by an almost impenetrable looking Edwin van der Sar.

Fabio Da Silva stretches to score Manchester United's
first goal against Arsenal.

United’s second goal came just four minutes after the restart and this time it was Fabio’s twin-brother Rafael’s turn to get involved, with the youngster’s pass finding Hernandez who again had a shot blocked before eventually being headed in by Wayne Rooney. The England striker looked back to this best playing apart in both goals and linking up well with strike-partner Hernandez.

Arsene Wenger’s side looked for more attacking options in the second half with Marouane Chamakh coming on to replace Denilson and the Moroccan international almost halfed the deficit with a header that, unfortunately for Arsenal, fell straight into the arms of van der Sar.

The game was stopped in the 80^th minute for Gunners’ defender Johan Djourou to receive lengthy treatment for what seemed a nasty looking shoulder injury following a collision with team-mate Bacary Sagna, after Almunia again saved well from Hernandez to prevent his side going 3-0 down.

Eight minutes of stoppage time was added to the end of the second half due to the injury suffered by Djourou, but it was still not enough for Arsenal to grab even a consolation goal as the North London side crashed out of their third competition in as many weeks. Manchester United on the other hand will now look forward to tomorrow’s FA Cup Semi-Final draw as they learn who they will face out of Bolton Wanderers, Stoke City or West Ham United and their inter-city rivals Manchester City or Reading.

Manchester City’s Europa League hopes in doubt after 2-0 defeat to Dynamo Kiev

2011-03-11T12:35:00.000+00:00

Manchester City face an uphill struggle to progress to the Europa League quarter-finals after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine last night.

In freezing conditions in the Ukrainian capital, Roberto Mancini’s men failed to ever real get going and too often lacked enough quality with their final ball to really test experienced Kiev ‘keeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy.

Dynamo Kiev went in front in the 25^th minute through a deft finish from former AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko after a well worked cross from lively winger Andriy Yarmolenko, who at only 21 years of age looks a real prospect for the future.

Andriy Shevchenko looked impressive throughout
and scored Dynamo Kiev's first goal against City.

Manchester City offered little threat to the Kiev goal in the first half, with the only real moment of excitement from the City strike force coming at the start of the second half. Mario Balotelli, who seems unable to distance himself from any sort of controversy, came out late for the kick-off and the Blues had to start the second period with only ten men as first team coach David Platt was sent running back to the changing room to find the missing Balotelli. The Italian was soon back on the pitch with his team mates a minute later but was replaced by Carlos Tevez just twelve minutes in as he continued to rub his eyes and struggle with some sort of injury, although whether that injury was physical or mental is up for debate.

Balotelli’s replacement Tevez certainly offered City more of an attacking threat as they looked to earn a crucial away goal, with Yaya Toure, David Silva and Joleon Lescott all going close to making the score level. For all of the visitors’ increased pressure in the second half, it was Kiev who scored the second goal of the game. Andriy Shevchenko was again involved and it was his cross that was inadvertently headed on by City defender Vincent Kompany to Oleh Gusev who chested the ball down well before firing in an unstoppable shot past Joe Hart.

The Ukrainians now take an impressive 2-0 lead to Eastlands and Manchester City will need to put in an impressive performance to beat a Dinamo Kiev side that look solid at the back and possess an impressive attacking threat in the shape of Andriy Shevchenko, who last night looked almost back to his AC Milan best.

Resilient Spurs battle through to Champions League Quarter-Finals

2011-03-10T10:59:00.000+00:00

A hard-fought 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane was enough to see Tottenham Hotspur progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in their history after a 1-0 aggregate win over AC Milan.

For much of this season, it has been Spurs’ attacking prowess that has caught the eye and too much of the headlines, but last night’s clean-sheet against Serie A leaders Milan demonstrated that their often criticised back line can stand up against the very best and grind out a result when needed.

Spurs' midfielder Sandro showing the determination
that won him the man of the match award.

Facing a mouth-watering front three of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexandre Pato and Robinho, Tottenham’s centre back pairing of William Gallas and Michael Dawson stood up well to the almost continuous Milan attacks in the first half, with Gallas in particular positioning himself brilliantly to clear a deflected shot from Robinho off the line after a mistake by Spurs ‘keeper Heurelho Gomes.

Harry Redknapp’s side certainly improved after the break, with Rafael van der Vaart going close from a curling free-kick and the ever-industrious Sandro chasing and harrying the Milan players in the centre of the park. Although Tottenham failed to score for only the third time in 2011, their performance was enough to see them deservedly through to the Champions League quarter-finals, a feat never achieved before by an English manager.

Spurs’ boss Redknapp described his team’s progression as an “impossible dream”, adding “Two years ago if you would have said that we would have made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, I would have thought you were crazy.”

Tottenham’s transformation under Redknapp has been not short of remarkable and two clean-sheets against seven-time European Cup winners AC Milan certainly demonstrate that Spurs’ often beleaguered back four is most certainly up to the challenge.

Weekend Round-up

2011-03-07T11:11:00.000+00:00

A round-up of all the weekend’s action from the top four divisions in English football.

Dirt Kuyt scored a hat-trick for Liverpool against Manchester United
Premier League

The big story of the weekend was at Anfield where Dirk Kuyt, who had previously failed to score against Manchester United in every appearance he has made against them, bagged himself a hat-trick as Liverpool defeated the Red Devils
3-1. Second placed Arsenal lost the chance to close in on United at the top of the table after their goalless draw with Sunderland at the Emirates. Birmingham suffered a nasty hangover from last Sunday’s Carling Cup final victory losing 3-1 to local rivals West Brom. A missed penalty from Ashley Young cost his Aston Villa side dearly as they lost 3-2 away at Bolton. At Craven Cottage a controversial late penalty scored by Bobby Zamora on his return from injury saw Fulham beat Blackburn 3-2. Manchester City beat Wigan 1-0 thanks to a howler by Wigan ‘keeper Ali Al Habsi which leaves the Latics at the bottom of the table. Newcastle failed to rectify the fact they haven’t won a home game kicking off at 3.00 pm on a Saturday since August 2008 by losing to Everton 2-1. A resurgent West Ham moved out of the drop zone after an impressive 3-0 home victory against Stoke. Six goals were seen at Molineux, including two fantastic strikes from Jermain Defoe, as Wolves drew 3-3 with Tottenham. Tonight sees Ian Holloway’s Blackpool welcome Chelsea in what will sure be an entertaining game at Bloomfield Road.

Championship

Jimmy Bullard scored two goals from outside the area
as his Ipswich side beat Cardiff 2-0
Jay Rodriguez scored his third goal in as many games as Burnley beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Turf Moor. Two wondrous strikes from on-loan midfielder Jimmy Bullard saw my team Ipswich win 2-0 against Cardiff in the Welsh capital. An impressive performance from Bristol City saw them win 4-1 away at Coventry. Derby drew 0-0 with Barnsley to end their run of five straight home defeats at Pride Park. A brace apiece from Max Gradel and Jonny Howson helped Leeds come back from 2-1 down to beat Doncaster 5-2 at Elland Road. A missed penalty from Wes Hoolahan cost Norwich a crucial three points against bottom side Preston as the game finished 1-1. Hull’s 1-0 win away at Nottingham Forest sees promotion chasing Forest go four games without a win. A rare goal from Hermann Hreidarsson saw Portsmouth earn their sixth straight victory with a 1-0 win at home to struggling Sheffield United. Queens Park Rangers extended their lead at the top of the Championship to eight points with a late 1-0 win over Leicester. Two goals from Leroy Lita were not enough to prevent his Middlesbrough side losing 5-2 to Reading at the Madejski Stadium. There was a shock at Glandford Park as Scunthorpe beat second placed Swansea thanks to a Joe Garner penalty. Watford continued their good run of form with a 1-0 win at home to Millwall.

League One

George Boyd scored a brace for Peterborough against Exeter
Bournemouth continued their impressive run of form with a 3-0 home win against Oldham. A cracking game at the Withdean saw league leaders Brighton claim all three points after a 93rd minute winner from Liam Bridcutt saw the Seagulls beat Carlisle 4-3. Dagenham and Redbridge grabbed a 1-0 win in the relegation six-pointer at home to Bristol Rovers. Charlton ended their run of four straight defeats by securing a 1-1 draw with Tranmere at The Valley. Southampton demonstrated their play-off credentials with a 2-0 win away at Colchester. A brace from Andy Monkhouse helped Hartlepool to a 3-0 home win against Brentford. Leyton Orient bounced back from their midweek defeat to Arsenal in the FA Cup with a 2-0 win at home against Notts County. A double from George Boyd helped free scoring Peterborough beat Exeter 3-0 at London Road. MK Dons thumped four past Rochdale to no reply as the Dale fell to their first defeat in 2011. An impressive performance from Plymouth saw them defeat Sheffield Wednesday 4-2 as they look to move out of the bottom four after their recent 10 point deduction for entering administration. The 0-0 draw between Swindon and Walsall did little to ease either side’s relegation worries. 19th placed Yeovil earned a valuable point against high-flying Huddersfield as they drew 1-1.

League Two

Crewe striker Clayton Donaldson scored a hat-trick against Burton
Chesterfield opened up an 11 point lead at the top of League Two as they won 3-0 away at Cheltenham. A hat-trick from striker Clayton Donaldson helped Crewe hammer Burton 4-1 at the Alexandra Stadium. New boss Peter Jackson was unable to prevent his Bradford side losing 2-0 away at Gillingham. A brace from Steven Schumacher and a record 9th consecutive league goal for Ryan Lowe saw Bury win 3-0 at Hereford. Mid-table sides Lincoln and Accrington Stanley played out an uninspiring 0-0 draw at Sincil Bank. Morecambe earned a valuable three points with a 2-1 win at home to play-off chasing Southend. A late winner from Jon Taylor saw Shrewsbury take all three points from Northampton in a 3-2 win at Sixfields. Port Vale are now just three points off the automatic promotion spots after a 2-1 home win against Macclesfield. Barnet still lie second from bottom after their 0-0 draw away at Rotherham. A 94th minute winner from Greg Tansey saw bottom placed Stockport earn their first win in three games as they beat Oxford 2-1 at Edgeley Park. Torquay are now just four points off the play-offs after a 2-0 win at home to Stevenage. Wycombe drop to third in the table after a 2-2 home draw with Aldershot.

Weekend Preview

2011-03-05T09:15:00.000+00:00

In a new regular feature, I’ll be casting my eye over the weekend’s fixtures and picking out the biggest games in the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two.

Premier League
Liverpool v Manchester United
Sun 6th March, 1.30 pm

Undoubtedly the fixture of the weekend sees ref-ranting Sir Alex Ferguson take his troops to Anfield for a clash against King Kenny’s re-born Liverpool side. It’s a big game for both teams, with Liverpool attempting to chase down Spurs in 5th place and United looked to demonstrate some bouncebackability after their midweek defeat at the hands of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Although the Red Devils have issues at the back, with Nemanja Vidic suspended and Rio Ferdinand still sidelined with injury, I think they’ll still have enough to beat a Liverpool side, albeit revived under the management of Kenny Dalglish, lacking in quality to challenge those in the top four.
Prediction: 1-2

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Leicester City
Sat 5th March, 3.00 pm

When these two sides played earlier in the season at the Walkers Stadium it was Queens Park Rangers who came out on top in a fairly comfortable 2-0 victory, however I doubt the Londoners will have such an easy ride this time around. Leicester look a shade of the relegation threatened side Rangers played in September and under new boss Sven-Goran Eriksson have found themselves knocking on the door of the play-offs. With a host of Premier League loanees on both sides, it will certainly be an entertaining game at Loftus Road.
Prediction: 2-2

League One
Sheffield Wednesday v Plymouth Argyle
Sat 5th March, 3.00pm

A real fall from grace for two teams relegated from the Championship last season sees 16th placed Wednesday take on bottom side Plymouth Argyle. The Devonshire club have this week entered administration and find themselves eight points from safety after a ten-point deduction. Argyle, who beat play-off chasing Colchester last Saturday, will certainly be looking to make amends for their off-field troubles and take all three points from a Wednesday side that have been so far unconvincing under new boss Gary Megson.
Prediction: 1-2

League Two
Torquay United v Stevenage
Sat 5th March, 3.00 pm

11th placed Torquay take on 10th placed Stevenage at Plainmoor in what is an important game for both sides’ play-off ambitions. The Gulls will be looking for three points after a run of four games without a win against a Stevenage side unbeaten in their last five league games.
Prediction: 1-2

We're Just as Bad as the Rest of Them

2011-03-04T20:32:00.000+00:00

‘Fix’, ‘cheats’, ‘disgrace’ and ‘an utter shambles’ were just some of the words and phrases used by the British media to describe the FIFA 2018/2022 World Cup bidding process last December. Three months on however, after a request by the BBC under the freedom of information act, it has been learned that England’s very own bid team were not as distant as they liked to portray from the secret deals and agreements it was vilifying late last year.

Secret emails between the British Foreign Office and embassy officials in Qatar made it quite clear that the England bid team wished to establish a voting alliance between the England 2018 bid and Qatar’s 2022 bid through the help of the Duke of York’s relationship with the Qatari royal family. This comes from the same England bid team that accused Spain and Portugal of breaking FIFA rules by forming a similar voting alliance with the Middle Eastern nation.

Now I am not writing to clear the name of FIFA, in fact far from it; any individual that watched the now infamous Panorama programme televised on the 29th November of last year or read Andrew Jennings’ fantastic book, Foul! The Secret World of FIFA, will know quite categorically just how corrupt, racist and despicable that institution in Zurich really is. My purpose here is to question the double standards of the England bid team.

Yes I can understand their frustration in losing out to two Blue Square Premier nations when it comes to football, and that statement really doesn’t do justice to the teams in that division, but why go out and accuse your fellow FIFA members of secret voting agreements and corruption when they too were going about the exact same thing themselves.

At first I was proud of our bid team in leading the way in calling for reform in the FIFA establishment, but now I sit here saddened, as I realise that we’re just as bad as the rest of them.