Liquid Football

Pastures new

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:55:00 +0000

Wow. I've been away a year and blogger still haven't decided to improve their back end!

Just a short note to say that those who are still subscribed to this blog, i'll be writing over on footballnewsblog.co.uk from now on. It's really starting to move places with some quality editorial (where I'll be hanging out obviously :-D) as well as up to date and comprehensive football news.

As I have officially stopped writing on this blog now for real, I'd like to say thanks to all those who've commented, read and offered support to me during my awesome time writing here. And to those of you who keep emailing me for link exchanges, in the words of Edmund Blackadder, 'Please, please, please, please... stop.'

Liquid Football Blog Tournament Weekend 6 - Match Report + Highlights!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:00:00 +0000

Who Ate All The Pies 1-3 Eyefootball Eyecatchers

Scorers:
Gerrard 23' (EE)
Martins 28' (EE)
Van Persie 55' (EE)
Ribery 87' (WAATP)

Man of the Match:
Gerrard (EE)

Eyefootball Eyecatchers ripped apart Who Ate All The Pies with one of the performances of the tournament so far. WAATP had to be thankful for the woodwork and excellent 'keeping on several occasions, as EE racked up 17 shots on goal. They took the lead when Martins clipped shot hit the post, only for captain Gerrard to bury the loose ball home emphatically off the bar. EE went 2 up shortly after, Martins brilliantly breaking the offside trap before rounding Reina. 10 minutes into the second half, it was all but over when Van Persie's header made it 3-0. Ribery grabbed a late consolation for WAATP, but after this result, EE look set for the playoffs, while WAATP will need a minor miracle if they are to make it following their 3rd straight defeat.

Footballocks's Eleven 2-1 101 Great Goals

Scorers:
Ibrahimovic 21' 63' (FBE)
Gerrard 72' (101)

Man of the Match:
Gerrard (101)

In an evenly fought contest of 2 clubs with serious play-off aspirations, Footballocks's Eleven battled hard and emerged victorious against 101 Great Goals, who were unlucky to come away pointless. Both teams started off brightly, but it was FBXI who grabbed the lead after Ibrahimovic shrugged off Terry's challenge before coolly slotting home. That lead was extended by the Swedish giant come the second half following an incisive breakaway by fellow forward Fernando Torres. 101GG continued to press, and got their reward with 20 minutes left when Gerrard latched onto Toure's superb through ball, before hitting it past Buffon. They continued to push for an equaliser, and Gerrard almost grabbed his second from long range in the final minutes, but Buffon was on hand to push his shot around the post.

Arseblog 2-0 Fantasy Football Guru

Scorers:
Totti 84' (ARS)
Villa 90'+ (ARS)

Man of the Match:
Buffon (ARS)

Some truly world class goalkeeping from Arseblog's Gianluigi Buffon was one of the key factors in their 2-0 triumph over Fantasy Football Guru; their 4th straight win. After a drab goalless first half, FFG came out all guns blazing, and proceeded to batter and slice open the Arseblog defence time after time. However, the Italian goalie made several top notch saves to keep his side in it, much to the frustration of Kaka' and Trezeguet. Arseblog dealt the sucker punch and a lesson in taking chances when Totti superbly volleyed home Ronaldo's flick-on with 5 minutes to go. And they got their 2nd in stoppage time, after Ronaldo pirouetted into the box, slammed a shot off Canizares, and Villa was on hand to tap home the loose ball.

Liquid Football 2-2 Touchline Sniffers

Scorers:
Henry 21' (LFC)
Kaka' 52' (TS)
Gerrard (OG) 58' (TS)
Ronaldo 90'+ (LFC)

Man of the Match:
Ronaldo (LFC)

An equaliser deep into injury time from Cristiano Ronaldo salvaged a draw for Liquid FC, in a game which they really should have won. Things were looking good for the tournament hosts when Henry rose highest to head home Ronaldo's corner, and then continued to look comfortable in possession. But come the second half, Touchline Sniffers discovered a 15 minute purple patch that changed the course of the game. They equalised when Kaka' pounced on Buffon's poor clearance to score from 25 yards into an open net, and then dramatically turned the game upside down when Torres' header came off Buffon, and Gerrard's attempted clearance could only find his own net. Liquid FC pressed for an leveler, and duly got it at the death when Ronaldo turned his marker in the box before shooting low past Buffon.

Caught Offside 0-1 SquadGod Academical

Scorers:
Ibrahimovic 40' (SGA)

Man of the Match:
Ibrahimovic (SGA)

A solitary Ibrahimovic strike was enough to give SquadGod Academical victory over Caught Offside. In a game which was controlled by good defending and thus few chances, the odd goal was always going to settle the match, one which the Swede supplied 5 minutes before half time. Some good work on the right led to Berbatov being free in the area, and his well-timed pass found the on rushing goalscorer to slot home. SGA could have doubled their lead shortly after, Berbatov inexplicably hitting the post when it would have been easier to score. CO had a chance to equalise at the death, but Drogba's header from 6 yards out went flying over the bar.

Diary? Who needs a diary?

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:38:00 +0000

Me. Apparently. After all due to my lack of foresight I will be unable to watch what will surely be one of the most defining and grandioso weekends in the English football calendar.

Instead of sitting down at Bert's Bar with a pint in one hand and semi-willing girlfriend in the other, eagerly anticipating Super-Uber-Duper-Gluber-Juper Sunday (or whatever Sky calls it these days), I will be rolling eggs down hills, and listening to my grandmother regale of many an Easter gone by. I find it hard to imagine greater hells.

That last sentence was perhaps a tad strong. I find it incredible easy to imagine greater hells. One such occassion being when I forgot that the Champions League Final was on the same night that I was meant to be judging some sodding school talent contest. This was made all the more worse that it was THAT final between Milan and Liverpool.

So, in order that I (and you dear reader) might avoid precious family meet-ups and meaningless social events with some sort of "illness" or "prior engagement", I've compiled a list of 8 dates that you absolutely cannot miss. If you take your football seriously, write these down in your diary. Now.

Sunday 23rd March - Chelsea v Arsenal / Man Utd v Liverpool
Grand Slam Sunday. Chelsea could turn the table on its head by leapfrogging Arsenal and potentially Man Utd in the space of a few hours.

Saturday 5th April - Arsenal v Liverpool
The 2nd of 3 back-to-back meetings between the two sides. So much at stake for both sides in the league as well as the previous game will make this a cracking encounter.

Tuesday 8th April - Liverpool v Arsenal
The key second leg should set up a tie with Chelsea for a place in the Champions League Final.

Sunday 13th April - Man Utd v Arsenal
Arsenal's final real test in the league. This could either seal their death, or seal the EPL title. The same scenario applies for the Red Devils...

Saturday 26th April - Chelsea v Man Utd
...except that this will be their final test. You can almost guarantee that the outcome of this game will have a seismic bearing on the outcome of the league.

Tuesday 29th / Wednesday 30th April - Man Utd v Barcelona
A speculative fixture, but if both teams progress against their quarter-final opponents as expected, mouths will water at the prospect of Europe's 2 most attractive football teams go head to head for a place in the CL final.

17th May - Portsmouth / West Brom v Barnsley / Cardiff
A chance to see one of the Big Four NOT lift the coveted FA Cup... and an opportunity for a Championship side to grab glory in a competition that has been full of upsets.

21st May - Chelsea v Barcelona
If the bookies are to be trusted, these two rivals will face each other again in Europe's premier soccer competition, but this time for the trophy itself. It could also be Liverpool v Man Utd, Chelsea v Roma, or perhaps Shalke v Fenerbahce. Any way, it'll be a cracking contest.

I think the main message here is keep every weekend free and most midweeks off. The run-in is going to be one of the greatest of all time.

20 days off...

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:56:00 +0000

Hey (Liquid) Football Fans!

For those of you that subscribe or visit this blog regularly, you'll have noticed that I've written squat in the past week, mainly due to the fact that I'm writing essays, doing mid-term tests and revising left, right and centre (along with the occassional 7 hour session of Football Manager 2008, but who in the right mind could blame me?)

So just to let you know that until my final exams are over, posting will be paused. But, fear not, for on the 17th of March, Liquid Footy will be back up and running in no time. More than can be said for Eduardo anyway...

I leave you with what is, in my opinion, the quote of the weekend from spouter of wisdom, Steve Bruce:

"Some would say it is not even a yellow card." - Bruce's reaction to Martin Taylor's tackle which snapped Eduardo's fibula like a twig and dislocated his ankle.

The Future of Liquid Football

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:25:00 +0000

Late last year I set up this blog for 2 reasons:

1. For fun.
2. To have (eventually) an authoritative, respected blog with a large, responsive community, to build on as a possible platform into the journalism profession.

As I have only been able to blog part-time, reason 1 has taken serious priority over reason 2. The key challenge for me right now is to level things out a bit.

In the next few months, I have a action plan ready and waiting to try and achieve my second goal sooner. Below are some of the targets I'll be looking to hit:

1. More posts, with a regular frequency and regular topics, and perhaps other writers.
2. A better networking strategy.
3. Better time management.
4. Movement from the blogger platform to wordpress, to allow more freedom with my blog's design and interactivity.

One thing that I've started doing is writing for a couple of other footy websites. The first is Eyefootball, a relatively new website bringing up to the minute news from around the footballing world in an easily digestable and navigatable format. Secondly, I put up my first post today on Left Back, a blog similar to Liquid Football in the sense that it's more opinion than news orientated, but with a greater readership. Both are definitely worth a look.

For regular readers of Liquid Football who might be afraid that I'll stop this blog and jump ship (however few of you that may be), then let me assure you that there's no need to panic. I remain as dedicated to turning my baby into a fully-fledged and respectable blog as I did on day 1.

If you have any comments, suggestions or questions about the future of Liquid Football (I'm all ears), then please drop me a line in the comments section below, or email me at andrewglover87[AT]hotmail[DOT]com.

Top 10 Greatest Debuts in Football

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:03:00 +0000

New Celtic winger Barry Robson scored a fine free-kick at the weekend on his debut for the Glasgow side, made all the more remarkable by the fact it was literally his first touch of the ball.

There have been a few other memorable debuts of late, Such as Defoe scoring in his first game with Pompey, Benjani leading Man City to a famous win in the Manchester derby, and Rolando Bianchi getting sent off within 5 minutes of his return to Lazio.

So what other introductions around the football world have managed to catch the eye? We've had a quick ruffle through our encyclopedias, newspapers and googles to come up with this top 10 list for your perusal (click the links to check out video highlights):

10. Alan Shearer, Southampton vs Arsenal, 9th April 1988

This would have been higher on the list if it was Shearer's actual debut, and not just his first full debut (he came on as a substitute against Chelsea 2 weeks earlier). Just 17 years old, he repaid Saints manager Chris Nicholl's faith by scoring a hat-trick against the Gunners. This feat broke the record for the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the English top-flight, one previously held by a certain Jimmy Greaves.

9. Hans Gillhaus, Aberdeen vs Dunfermline, 19th November 1989

The Dutch striker cost the Dons £650,000 when he joined in 1989, and was soon to be selected for the Holland 1990 World Cup squad. It took him just 12 minutes to score his first goal for Aberdeen with a spectacular overhead kick, and all but 2 minutes later grabbed his second, this time with a more traditional header. He's now living life as the Chief Scout for Chelsea.

8. Michael Mols, Rangers vs FC Haka, 28th July 1999

In this Champions League qualifying leg, the Dutchman from Utrecht simply stole the show in a 4-1 victory. Not only did he score 2, but managed to run the game by dropping back to link up with play from the midfield. £4 million was a steal for the talent that Mols was, but one serious knee injury later, and the striker was never quite the same player ever again.

7. Fabrizio Ravanelli, Middlesbrough vs Liverpool, 17th August 1996

The White Feather is one of the few players to make a huge impact on his debut, but still not be able guide his side to victory. Despite an excellent hat-trick against Liverpool, Middlesbrough were only able to manage a 3-3 draw with the Merseyside club. Unfortunately, the Premier League's top wage earner was unable to score enough goals in the remainder of the season to prevent relegation.

6. Alexandre Pato, AC Milan vs Napoli, 13th January 2008

In football, significance of the event is sometimes as important as the event itself. This was true in the case of Pato's debut last month for AC Milan in Serie A. Due to the Rossoneri paying £15 million for an unproven 17-year-old, one that potentially could become the greatest player on the planet, there was huge hype and build-up leading to his first start. But did he justify it. A lively, buzzing performance, full of tricks and performance, was rounded off with a cooly taken goal in a 5-2 victory.

5. Alvaro Recoba, Inter Milan vs Brescia, 31st August 1997

When you're making your first appearance for a club alongside a certain Ronaldo, it's going to take something special to create an impression. So which would you choose? A stunning 30 yard equaliser into the top corner, or a last-gasp free-kick to win your team the game? In Alvaro Recoba's case, he chose both, scoring 2 superb goals to give Inter a 2-1 win over Brescia en route to 2nd in Serie A. Ronaldo didn't even have a sniff.

4. Zinedine Zidane, France vs Czech Republic, 17th August 1994

If Zidane's international career ended with a bang, then it began with a cataclysmic explosion. Trailing 2-0 in a friendly with the newly formed Czech Republic, a relatively unknown, lanky midfielder takes to the field intent on turning the match around. Beating 3 defenders before lashing the ball home from 25 yards was a good start, and his bullet header to equalise wasn't a bad finish either. This was one of Zidane's best ever performances for his national team, heralding in a new era for the greatest player of our generation.

3. Tony Cottee, West Ham vs Spurs, 1st January 1983 / Everton vs Newcastle, 27th August 1988

3rd on our list is man who had 2 memorable introductions, nevermind just the one. Aged just 17, a sprightly young Cottee stuck one past West Ham's London rivals in a 1-0 victory. After smashing the British transfer record fee with a £2.3 million move to Everton 5 years later, he was up to his old debuting tricks again, bagging a hat-trick as Newcastle were demolished 4-0 on the opening day of the 88/89 season.

2. Jimmy Greaves, Various vs Various, Several dates

Goalscoring legend Greaves must have laughed in the face of defences and pressure whenever he played his first game for a new club. Not content with scoring on just one of his debuts, he decided to do it 6 times (incidentally the same amount of times he scored a hat-trick for England and finished top-scorer over a season). The teams included Chelsea, AC Milan, Spurs and West Ham, as well as the England U21 and Senior sides.

1. Wayne Rooney, Manchester United vs Fenerbahce, 28th September 2004

Coming off the back of an impressive Euro 2004, everyone was waiting to see how Wayne Rooney would fare in his 1st game for Manchester United since his £31 million signing a month earlier. Against Fenerbahce in the Champions League with a packed Old Trafford looking on, the young striker was about to be thrown into the footballing deep end. But instead of sinking, he delivered one of the greatest debut performances you are ever likely to see.

He got his 1st goal after 17 minutes when he coolly slipped the ball over Rustu in goal following Van Nistelrooy's through ball. His second came soon after, when he dummied a shot to go past one defender, before rifling the ball home from 20 yards out. Rooney completed his hat-trick 9 minutes into the second half with a sublime free-kick that gave the 'keeper no chance.

To score a hat-trick is one thing. To score a hat-trick on your debut in the Champions League with the whole world watching, is something special.

Honorable Mention - Jonathan Woodgate, Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao, 22nd September 2005

Of course, you don't have to perform well in order to have a memorable debut. Take poor old Johnny Woodgate for example. After being out injured for an entire season, he finally had his chance to show the Bernabeu his defensive skills against Athletic Bilbao. Instead he proceeded to score a diving header into his own net, and then get sent off for picking up 2 yellow cards. This performance may have contributed somewhat to Woodgate being voted the Worst Signing of the 21st Century by Marca.com.

Do you agree with this list? Who would have been your Number One? Have I missed anyone out? I'd like to hear your comments below.

The Best Goals of 2007... Well, Some Of Them

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:07:00 +0000

First of all, sorry for the drop in frequency of posts recently (many a test and assignment to be done), such is life of the part-time blogger!

In the mean time, I stumbled upon this nice mix of some of the best goals of 2007 on youtube. It's by no means a definitive list, but enjoyable nonetheless with a few crackers if you missed any.

Liquid Football Blog Tournament Weekend 5 - Match Report + Highlights!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:17:00 +0000

Liquid FC 1-2 101 Great Goals

Scorers:
Alves (OG) 62' (101)
Rooney 78' (101)
Grosso 81' (LFC)

Man of the Match:
Terry (LFC)

A tight encounter dominated by tight defences saw 101 Great Goals pick up a much needed win to get their play-off aspirations back on track, and put a dent in Liquid FC's. After a goalless 1st half, it was a comical goal which gave 101GG the lead. Gerrard's long range strike was diverted onto the post by Cannavaro, before Alves' attempted clearance smacked off his own goalie and into the net. Soon their lead was doubled when Ribery dragged in 3 defenders, leaving Rooney free in the middle to smash home his centred pass. Grosso pulled one back after some fine wing play with Ronaldo, but it was too little too late for LFC.

Who Ate All The Pies 1-2 Fantasy Football Guru

Scorers:
Gerrard 10' (FFG)
Villa 30' (WAATP)
Trezeguet 40' (FFG)

Man of the Match:
Fabregas (FFG)

Fantasy Football Guru secured their 1st points of the season thanks to a well-deserved 2-1 win over Who Ate All The Pies. FFG got off to the perfect start when Gerrard's thunderous 25 yard free kick sailed over the wall and past the outstrecthed Reina. However, WAATP rallied and equalised on the half hour mark, when Villa reacted quickest to a loose-ball in the penalty box following Fabregas' blocked shot. But, FFG got the winning goal only 10 minutes later. Fabregas played a delightful ball to Trezeguet in the box, who turned sharply and finished neatly for his 1st goal of the season.

SquadGod Academical 0-1 Eyefootball Eyecatchers

Scorers:
Gerrard 83' (EE)

Man of the Match:
Gerrard (EE)

Captain Steven Gerrard scored a late winner for Eyefootball Eyecatchers to send them 2 point clear at the top of the table. The game looked certain for a stalemate before Gerrard found himself in the right place at the right time; nodding into an empty net after Van Persie's free-kick had rebounded off the bar. SquadGod Academical missed several good chances, with Berbatov guilty on numerous occassions of failing to score. But despite their greater possession, they were unable to find a way past Buffon, and relinquished their spot at the top of the table.

Footballocks's Eleven 0-1 Arseblog

Scorers:
Totti 39' (ARS)

Red Cards:
Ronaldo 87' (FBE)

Man of the Match:
Samuel (ARS)

Resilient defending plus an excellent goal from Totti gave Arseblog their 3rd straight win of the season, and Footballocks's Eleven their 1st defeat. Despite dominating for large periods of the game, FBE couldn't find a way past the sturdy back 3 of Agger, Samuel and Dunne. Arseblog's counter-attacking tactics paid off after 39 minutes when they scored the game's only goal. Totti passed to Villa, who then returned the ball to the Italian with a fine through ball, which was expertly finished with a fine chip. Cristiano Ronaldo of FBE was shown the tournament's first red card for a reckless lunge on Arseblog's Ronaldo, compounding their misery further.

Caught Offside 0-0 Touchline Sniffers

Man of the Match:
Terry (TS)

Wayward shooting and a lack of any sort of penetration was the story of this goalless, scrappy match. No team could grab hold of the game, as Caught Offside's final pass kept letting them down, and Touchline Sniffers were seemingly unable to get the ball out of their own half. The match was summed up when, in the dying seconds, TS had 4 shots inside the box in quick succession, all of which were blocked, saved, or blazed high over.

Liquid Football Blog Tournament Weekend 4 - Match Report + Highlights!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:05:00 +0000

Who Ate All The Pies 2-4 Footballocks's Eleven

Scorers:
Kaka' 2' (WAATP)
Ibrahimovic 17' 39' 79' (FBE)
Torres 35' (FBE)
Villa 71' (WAATP)

Man of the Match:
Ibrahimovic (FBE)

Superior finishing was the difference between the 2 sides as Footballocks's Eleven ran out 4-2 winners in a thrilling encounter. Who Ate All The Pies took the lead after just 2 minutes when Kaka' ghosted past the defence to slot home. However, FBXI hit back when Ibrahimovic headed home, and then Torres' superb run gave them the lead. They were soon 3-1 up when, just before half time, Messi's fine cross evaded Reina in goal, leaving Ibrahimovic free to bullet home. Villa got one back for WAATP after 70 minutes, but all hopes of a comeback were quashed when Ibrahimovic completed his hat-trick after finishing from a tight angle.

Touchline Sniffers 2-3 Eyefootball Eyecatchers

Scorers:
Ronaldo 21' (TS)
Martins 25' (EE)
Ronaldinho 51' (EE)
Juninho 53' (TS)
Gerrard 67' (EE)

Man of the Match:
Ronaldinho (EE)

An absorbing encounter saw Eyefootball Eyecatchers walk away with the 3 points, despite Touchline Sniffers' dominance. TS took the lead through Ronaldo after a goal mouth scramble, only for Obafemi Martins of EE to equalise 4 minutes later. Into the second half, man-of-the-match Ronaldinho scored a magnificent half-volley to give EE the lead, only for TS to draw even when Juninho scored a superb diving header. But, it was EE who would score the decisive goal, when captain Steven Gerrard nodded in from a corner. Juninho almost equalised yet again for TS, but his free kick crashed agonisingly against the post.

101 Great Goals 1-2 SquadGod Academical

Scorers:
Rooney 49' (101)
Ibrahimovic 69' 85' (SGA)

Man of the Match:
Rooney (101)

Ibrahimovic scored 5 minutes from time to round off an excellent fight back in this top of the table clash. After a goalless 1st half, the 2nd began with a bang. Ribery of 101 Great Goals burst down the right flank, before swinging in a perfect cross which Rooney thundered past Buffon. SquadGod Academical responded well, and got a deserved equaliser in the 69th minute. Berbatov's 20 yard shot was too much to handle for Buffon, who parried the ball to Ibrahimovic for an easy goal. And it was Ibrahimovic on hand again to complete victory, after his low drive was placed perfectly past the 'keeper. Rooney had a great chance to equalise at the death for 101GG, but his header was cleared off the line.

Caught Offside 1-2 Arseblog

Scorers:
Kaka' 44' (CO)
Totti 57' (ARS)
Ronaldo 64' (ARS)

Man of the Match:
Ronaldo (ARS)

Arseblog continued their recent revival with a 2-1 victory against Caught Offside. The first half was one which was dominated by CO, as Arseblog never even had a shot on goal. Their possession paid off on the stroke of half-time, when Ronaldinho's corner was headed in by Kaka'. But the second half was a very different story, and one which Arseblog took full control of. They got their equaliser when the ball broke to Totti inside the box, and he cooly nutmegged Buffon from an angle. The winner came soon after in the 64th minute, when Ronaldo (the fat one) rose highest to head home Fabregas's corner.

Liquid FC 1-0 Fantasy Football Guru

Scorers:
Henry 1' (LFC)

Man of the Match:
Cannavaro (LFC)

A superb Henry goal after just 1 minute was enough to give Liquid FC victory, and subject Fantasy Football Guru to their 4th straight loss in the tournament. The Frenchman controlled Gerrard's freekick perfectly on his chest, before swivelling on the spot and volleying the ball past Canizares from just outside the box. Liquid FC's defence coped expertly against the threat of FFG's Kaka' and Trezeguet, restricting them to shots outside the box. Henry hit the post and had the ball in the net again, but it was ruled out for offside. In the end however, his solitary strike remained the difference between the 2 sides.

Premier League To Play Matches Abroad! One Slight Problem Though...

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:56:00 +0000

Here's the jist from BBC:

An additional round of Premier League fixtures, extending the season to 39 games, from January 2011

Four clubs to travel to one of five host cities, with two games taking place in each venue over a weekend

Cities would bid for the right to become a host, not for individual matches

Points earned from the games would count towards the final Premier League table

In this 'special' 39th game, lets say that Man Utd are drawn against Derby, and Arsenal have to face Man City. I can imagine that Derby, Arsenal and Man City will be peeved that they have to play significantly harder matches than Man Utd. It's a big impact pyschologically, and potentially points wise too.

The SPL received worldwide criticism after introducing the split in 2000. I see no reason why the EPL won't suffer the same fate.

In the end, it's all about the greedy fat cats at the Premier League wanting to get richer and bigger at the expense of the fans and integrity of English football.

Are you opposed to the propositions, or do you see it as an excellent opportunity for the EPL to grow? I'd like to hear your comments below.

England's New Away Kit - Awful

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:21:00 +0000

Bring it on is an apt tagline. Perhaps, it is a challenge laid down to other countries to create a worse kit.

Seriously, have Umbro lost all concept of design? A bland red, with clumsily organised symbols, is made worse by the utterly crap blue trim at the top. It's like they had some material left over from making Birmingham's kit and had to stick it on somewhere.

Nike's takeover of Umbro has unfortunately not extended to kit creation. If I was an England fan, I'd be overjoyed that we didn't qualify for Euro 2008. That way, I wouldn't have to suffer the humiliation of wearing a kit that belonged in the Ryman League.

Champions League Final vs. Superbowl

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:18:00 +0000

As a fan of the original code, I'd never given much thought to watching our American counterparts' version of football. Until last night.

It was with low expectations that I began to watch the 42nd Superbowl, brought on by the British prejudice that American football is just a poor man's rugby, and the football fan's opinion that rugby is for fat kids who can't play soccer.

I was pleasantly surprised. At points I was glued to the TV, fascinated by every little detail of action. My interest was rewarded when the Giants pulled off an incredible victory in the final minute of action; a thrilling end to a thrilling encounter.

I then asked myself, was that game more enjoyable than it's European equivalent, the Champion's League final? A very good American football match, or a mediocre yet prestigious football final? Comparing the 2 matches I managed to find 5 reasons why it was... and 5 why it wasn't.

5 reasons why the Superbowl was better:

1. Awesome Ending
The Giants, 14-10 down with 2 minutes to go, have to find a touchdown soon if they want to snatch the Superbowl. Eli Manning, the Giants quarterback, shrugs off 3 defenders and delivers a perfect 32 yard pass to Tyree. Shortly after with just 59 seconds on the clock, Giants get the touchdown they need to secure victory. Enthralling.

2. Tough Players
A man can have 4 players on pile on top of him, and then still be able to get up and celebrate hanging onto the ball. In the Champion's League, if you lean on a player they'll fall over grasping their leg crying for the stretcher. Wimps.

3. Referees Can Referee
One pet hate of soccer fans is that the man in the middle can bugger up even the most basic of decisions. American football combat this by having several refs who can spot even the most minor of infringements. Letting the coaches challenge decisions also makes the game fairer.

4. Unpredictability
The Patriots were expected to walk it this year. They didn't, which added to the occassion. Compare that with last year's Champions League, when favourites AC Milan ran out 2-1 victors over Liverpool.

5. Single Moment of Genius
In the Champion's League Final, there was plenty of decent play, attacking football and chances for both sides. But the moment that defined the final was a poor attempt by Liverpool's defence to play Inzaghi offside. The Superbowl however had that terrific catch from Tyree which set up New York's final touchdown. A moment that will be played over and over again in the year to come.

5 reasons why the Champions League Final was better:

1. A Match Doesn't Last 4 Hours
I lost count of the amount of times that there was a break in play due to a time-out or change from 'offense' to 'defense'. And for some reason, there's a 2 minute stop each time the ball goes out of play. Talk about stop-start.

2. There's No Nonsense at Half-Time
The good thing about soccer, is that half-time lasts 15 minutes, and gives pundits and fans alike the chance to analyise and discuss the first half's action. The bad thing about the Superbowl is that half-time lasts twice as long, and is filled by some unnecessary concert consisting of an ageing, has-been rock band.

3. Better Trophy

Bigger = better.

4. The Match Ends When It's Supposed To.
Not one second before, causing even more palaver and time delays (sorry, but it was 3am in the UK, well past my bed time).

5. World Champions?
Winning the Champions League means that you are European champions, and rightly so considering you have to defeat the best teams from around Europe. Winning the Superbowl however means you are World champions, somewhat strangely when you've only played teams from North America.

Did anyone else watch both the Superbowl and last year's Champions League Final? Which one did you prefer to watch? Do you have any other reasons in mind why one football is better than the other? Feel free to leave your comments below:

Who Ate All The Pies - 20 MVPs of the Premier League

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:18:00 +0000

Ollie over at Who Ate All The Pies has put together a list of what he feels to be the 20 most valuable players of the EPL - one from each side.

There are the usual suspects such as Ronaldo and Fabregas, along with some well-deserved mentions for Bullard and Pogatetz, the unsung heroes of the EPL. It's a decent enough list which I largely agree with... however there are some exceptions:

Blackburn Rovers
Ollie's Choice - Brad Friedel
My Choice - David Bentley

While WAATP make a good case for Friedel, I have to say that I've been very impressed with a few Rovers players this season. Samba and Santa Cruz have adapted and performed admirably in their first season, but Bentley has risen above them all. His quick wing play, devastating crosses (the most in the Premier League) and ability to score from 30 yards + gets him my vote for MVP.

Derby County
Ollie's Choice - Darren Moore
My Choice - Kenny Miller

I may be biased because I'm Scottish, but Derby have only ever looked like scoring when Miller is on the ball. He's scored over a quarter of the Ram's goals this season, has the energy of a cheetah on Red Bull, and is one of the most underrated strikers in Britain. As for Darren Moore, I've lost count of the times I've seen forwards flummox and wrong-foot the big guy before he concedes yet another goal.

Liverpool
Ollie's Choice - Fernando Torres
My Choice - Yossi Benayoun

It would be hard to argue against Torres. Liverpool needed a regular goalscorer and he has risen to the challenge superbly. It's just a shame the rest of the squad decided to start playing crap at the same time. In spite of this, it must be said that Yossi Benayoun has at times carried the Anfield side. A shrewd signing by Benitez, he is the embodiment of consistency, excellent decision-making, and a goal scoring midfielder. If it wasn't for him, Liverpool would have been much further down the table.

Newcastle United
Ollie's Choice - Charles N'Zogbia
My Choice - Shay Given

N'Zogbia started well, but to be honest he has been nothing but rubbish the past few months. Disjointed play with a tendancy to fade away in matches is not in keeping with his undoubted natural talent. Shay Given is one of the best 'keepers in the EPL, and has kept United in so many games this season. Without him, relegation could be a very real prospect.

Liquid Football Blog Tournament Weekend 3 - Match Report + Highlights!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:52:00 +0000

101 Great Goals 0-1 Arseblog

Scorers:
Ronaldo 31' (ARS)

Man of the Match:
Fabregas (ARS)

A solitary Ronaldo goal and some resolute defending from bottom club Arseblog saw them pull off a shock 1-0 victory over league leaders 101 Great Goals. The Gunners started off the better side, and their pressure paid off after just 15 minutes. Totti robbed Toure of the ball on the right flank, and after turning him inside out, delivered a well-timed pass for Ronaldo, who kept his cool to slot home. 101 Great Goals wasted great chances when Riquelme and Ronaldinho shot wide in quick succession. Rooney spurned a great chance late on after hitting the post, but Arseblog's back 3 held out for an excellent victory.

SquadGod Academical 5-0 Liquid FC

Scorers:
Berbatov 21' 37' 45'+ (SGA)
Ronaldo 74' (SGA)
Ibrahimovic 81' (SGA)

Man of the Match:
Berbatov (SGA)

Dimitar Berbatov scored the first hat-trick of the tournament in SquadGod Academical's 5-0 annihilation of Liquid FC. He grabbed his 1st after a scramble in the box and got his 2nd when he headed in Gerrard's corner. The hat-trick was completed in first half injury time when he stretched to turn in Ibrahimovic's headed shot. After half-time, SGA continued their dominance, and when Ronaldo ran from his own half before beating 3 defenders and driving the ball home, there was no way back for LFC. The rout was completed on 81 minutes, when Ibrahimovic weaved his way through a static defence before sliding it under the unlucky Buffon (may we never speak of this result ever again).

Who Ate All The Pies 2-1 Touchline Sniffers

Scorers:
Kaka' 32' (TS)
Villa 55' (WAATP)
Fabregas 84' (WAATP)

Man of the Match:
Fabregas (WAATP)

A late goal from Fabregas gave Who Ate All The Pies their first win of the season, as they beat Touchline Sniffers 2-1 in a relentless encounter. TS had the better of the first half, going ahead on 32 minutes when Kaka' steered home after Reina parried Torres's shot. However in the second half WAATP came out all guns blazing, and grabbed the equaliser when Villa brilliantly turned in Ronaldo's driven cross. There was pressure from both sides before Fabregas toe-poked home with just 5 minutes left.

Caught Offside 0-2 Eyefootball Eyecatchers

Scorers:
Alves (OG) 45'+ (EE)
Van Persie (P) 68' (EE)

Man of the Match:
Buffon (CO)

An excellent all round performance from Eyefootball Eyecatchers gave them a deserved 2-0 win against Caught Offside. CO never really got a look in, as EE's defence restricted them to shots from outside the box. Eyefootball's dominance in midfield and up front paid off on the stroke of half time. Steven Gerrard's header was saved by Buffon, but the ball parried off the unfortunate Alves and in for an own goal. The Eyecatchers completed their win in the second half when Van Persie dispatched a penalty after being scythed down in the box.

Footballocks's Eleven 1-0 Fantasy Football Guru

Scorers:
Ibrahimovic 65' (FBE)

Man of the Match:
Ibrahimovic (FBE)

It was a war of attrition in this tight and often scrappy affair. The game failed to flow, and shots on goal came only from scrambles in the box or from long distance. This was true of the only goal of the game, when Fantasy Football Guru failed to clear a Ronaldo corner, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on hand to drill home for Footballocks's Eleven. Cristiano Ronaldo of FFG had a superb dipping shot saved by Buffon as they went in search of an equaliser, but it was not to be.

Capello Drops Beckham - The Right Call

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:28:00 +0000

Poor David Beckham. Under most managers, he would have been given his 100th cap against Switzerland in what many see as a meaningless friendly. It would be a fitting tribute to a man who has provided quality, determination and flashes of brilliance to England's national team.

Unfortunately for the LA Galaxy man, Fabio Capello is not most managers.

But surely Beckham deserves to be given this honour. Fair enough, if it was a competitive match, one would be looking to have their strongest squad available. But a friendly? At least stick him on the bench.

The above viewpoint would likely have been that of Steve McLaren, or any other English manager who could relate to Beckham's contribution to their country. Again, Capello is no such man.

In an almost brutal, machine-like manner, the Italian has removed any chance of Beckham playing for England again, purely on the basis that (in his opinion) the right winger isn't good enough.

But it is the truth that if Capello is to stick to his guns and drive his adopted country forward to the depths of international tournaments, he must pick his squad on quality and form, nothing else.

Professionalism is the key here. If he bowed to the media build-up about 'Centurion Beckham', it would only undermine his leadership and authority.

The only person this negatively affects is Beckham. On the positive side, it sends out a strong clear message to England players that they'll need to be playing at the top of their game, otherwise they face the chop. Complacency is eradicated, respect is in place, and consistently good performances will arrive.

This was Capello's first big decision as England manager. He got it spot on.

Spurs' New Defence - Can They Propel Tottenham Into The Top Half?

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:54:00 +0000

Tottenham's defence committed 3 errors on Sunday to gift Man Utd a 3-1 victory; it's seemingly become the norm these days for Spurs fans to watch in agony as Dawson fluffs yet another header, or as Lee Young-Pyo gets turned inside out once more by a winger.

Their back line has been guilty of some incredible faux-pas's this season, one of the main reasons Martin Jol lost his job. There's no point in having Keane, Berbatov and Lennon up front if Sir-Flap-A-Lot is between the sticks.

Juande Ramos has clearly seen the need to improve the rear of his lopsided team, and has set about beefing it up with introducing a new 'keeper, an attacking full-back, and a no-nonsene defender with plenty of experience.

Couple this with the return of Ledley King and the soon to be fit Bale, Tottenham may just have one of the best defences in the Premiership. Or will they? Let's take a closer look:

Strengths

Assuming that Hutton will sign, the back 4 will have a lot to offer up front, never mind guarding the goal. Bale and Hutton are both excellent at bombing forward on the flanks, often passing their midfield partners to create chances for the strikers.

Hutton has strength, pace and at times brilliant dribling skills, while Bale has the speed and dead-ball expertise to trouble any goalkeeper in the world. Not to mention the fact that Ledley King isn't afraid of scoring from set plays either.

Defensively, King and Woodgate are solid, doing the basic things right with hardly any silly slip-ups. You don't get signed by Real Madrid if you can't play (...well, unless your name's Thomas Gravesen). Alan Hutton has also proved he's no pushover at the back, and will run all day to help out both his fellow defenders and attackers.

Radek Cerny is a good shot-stopper (like Robinson) and seems to have an air of confidence about him which reassures the players in front of him (unlike Robinson).

Weaknesses

The big bleedin' obvious one here is can they all play a few games in a row without crocking themselves in some way? King and Woodgate are both the personification of injury-prone, while young Gareth Bale is currently nursing a broken bone. If they can't all keep fit, that means one of their other 'defenders' will have to come in, which I'm sure will be music to the ears of strikers across the EPL.

Also, have any of them played with each other yet? Not really no. Woodgate and Hutton are brand new, Bale won't have had a decent run with King or Cerny yet, and even those 2 have just started together. Defences need time to gel, to form an understanding, and throwing some decent players together could have the opposite effect intended.

Plus, Cerny's a bit crap really isn't he?

Overall

If they can keep themselves fit enough to gel together and create some synergy, they'll have one of the best defences in the Premier League. Will they stop enough goals however to close the 10 point gap between them and 10th-placed Pompey? Feel free to leave your comments below.

Juventus To Sign Sissoko and Mellberg... Why?

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:13:00 +0000

Momo Sissoko of Liverpool and Olof 'The Hairy' Mellberg of Aston Villa have agreed or are certain to agree moves to Juventus by the end of the season, BBC reports here and here.

So before I go on, let me get this straight. An unused Liverpool substitute who hasn't had the best of performances this season, and a solid but unspectacular defender signing for an Italian giant, currently sitting 3rd in Serie A.

Does anyone else find this slightly odd?

No disrespect to either player. Mellberg's solid defending is one of the reasons that Villa are 5th, and Sissoko has on occasion put in a decent performance.

But one has to think that a club the size of Juventus, with Champions League and Serie A ambitions, would be looking at players of a higher stature. Then again, they did sign professional footballer impersonator Jean-Alain Boumsong, and he isn't exactly doing too bad.

Let's take a look a why Juve should sign each player, why they'd be mad to do so, and who the Bianconeri should be looking to buy instead.

Momo Sissoko

Sign the contract:
Last season, Sissoko played some superb games in the middle of the park for Liverpool. He has composure, accurate tidy passing and makes good choices when under pressure. The Malian has played numerous times in Europe alongside Steven Gerrard, earning a man of the match award against Barcelona en route to the Champions League final.

However, a certain Mascherano came along, usurping the role of holding midfielder, effectively putting an end to Sissoko's tenure on Merseyside. But at 23, he has time left in his career to develop and make an impact.

Tear up the contract:
If Juve want to be challenging for any sort of silverware, they need to be signing world-class, proven midfielders. Not a flash-in-the-pan like Sissoko. He has been disappointing this season to say the least, and has failed to rise to the challenge of fighting for his place.

Anyone remember Liam Miller? A young midfielder at Celtic who was dictating games, doing the dirty work and making his side tick. Plonk him in a bigger team (i.e. Man Utd), and soon Mr. Neat and Tidy was being shipped off to Sunderland. I can't help but feel Sissoko will follow a similar path.

Why not try these?:
Gilberto Silva (Arsenal) - He's still first choice for Brazil, and would probably jump at the chance for regular 1st team action.
Xavi (Barcelona) - Hefty price tag, but Xavi is a class act. One of the most underrated footballers in Europe.
Claude Makalele (Chelsea) - He's getting on a bit, but has the qualities of Sissoko and then some. Chelsea now have Essien holding so it wouldn't take much persuasion (rubles) to free him.
Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen) - Another excellent player who is often overlooked. Has played solidly for Bremen the past season, will Juve take another shot at signing him?

Olof Mellberg

Sign the contract:
The Swede has been at Aston Villa for as long as I can remember. A solid, resolute and no-nonsense defender, his consistency over the years for club and country speaks volumes for his professionalism. And for a grand price of £0.00, it's not a bad deal economically on Juventus's part.

Mellberg has also been known to bring comedy to the football field, most notably this own goal (although it probably wasn't his fault).

Tear up the contract:
Juve have the 3rd best defence in the league, do they really need an ageing defender who's never found a club better than Villa for 7 years?

His style of play will probably not mix well with Serie A. In England, the rule generally speaking is, 'if you get the ball, it doesn't matter how much of the man you get'. In Italy, any sort of physical challenge, legal or not, is likely to end in a free-kick for the opposing team. Unfortunately for Mellberg, getting physical is the basis for his game.

Why not try these?:
Samuel Kuffour (Livorno) - despite being around for ages, Kuffour has a few years left in him yet, and has experience of Italian football with Roma and Livorno.
Luisao (Benfica) - Strong, hungry and unbeatable in the air, £9 million is definitely worth it (compare it to 2 Marlon Kings... or 1/2 a Darren Bent).
Rafael Marquez (Barcelona) - A proven, continental defender who can command games from the back. With Milito and Puyol able to form a decent partnership, Barcelona could be willing to let him leave, but will the Italians turn recent speculation into a solid offer?

What do you think? Is The Old Lady making a couple of shrewd signings? Or will they fail to adapt, warm the bench, and then eventually get shipped out to a Championship side? Leave your comments below.

Fantasy Football - The Best Point For Pound Players... And The Worst

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:20:00 +0000

In the world of fantasy football, we'd all love to have the likes of Ronaldo, Fabregas, Drogba and Torres in our teams. But there's always that nasty transfer budget lurking around the next corner, waiting to pounce and tell you that you only have enough money left for Titus Bramble.

Because of this, we've compiled a list of the players who have the most points per million pounds, and so FF fans everywhere can become more economical, and realise that it's not really worth splashing out £15m on a certain Wayne Rooney (he made it to 196th on our list).

Points Per Million Pounds (PMP) were calcuted from the comprehensive Fantasy Football site, Squad God. It takes into account detailed stats such as shots on target and interceptions, as well as goals and clean sheets.

Economical Players

Player PMP
1. Martin Laursen 64.7
2. Sulley Muntari 50
3. Gael Clichy 47.4
4. Robert Green 39.5
5. Roque Santa Cruz 39.3
6. Vedran Corluka 38.2
7. Christopher Samba 37.3
8. Paul Scharner 37.2
9. Titus Bramble 37 (No, this is not a mistake)
10. George McCartney 36.4

And just for the hell of it, here are 10 players you should really stay clear of:

False Economy Players

1. Marc Edworthy -0.8
2. Fitz Hall -0.4
3. Radek Cerny -0.4
4. Colin Doyle -0.4
5. Moritz Volz -0.2
6. Shola Ameobi 0
7. Gary Neville 0 (will he ever be not injured?)
8. Julian Faubert 0
9. Valeri Bojinov 0
10. Jimmy Bullard 0

Why Cristiano Ronaldo is NOT the greatest player in the world

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:11:00 +0000

OK, so here's the argument for Ronaldo being the creme de la creme of footballers all over the world:

Kudos to 101 Great Goals.

Pretty convincing, but here's few reasons why Portugal's pretty boy isn't a patch on some of the other talent around Europe.

1. Overhyped
Ronaldo turns out a decent performance against Newcastle, and the entire press begins waxing lyrical about how he could be the best player of all time. 4 words: Calm the hell down.

Sure, he scored a hat-trick and performed a few tricks, but it was by far a great hat-trick. His second was class, but the first bobbled over the keeper and the third took a deflection. If Rooney had a bit more luck he would have easily had a hat-trick also.

And in case anyone else hadn't noticed, playing well against Newcastle ain't that hard these days.

2. Diving
How can he be a role model when everytime he gets tapped in or just outside the box he falls quicker than Northern Rock's shares? What really takes the biscuit is the way Ronaldo gives the ref the big puppy dog eyes as if about to burst into tears.

A good player has the tricks and skills to create and score goals. A great player is a true role model to others in the game in every field. Does Ronaldo have honesty and integrity? It's most certainly up for debate.

3. Big Games
There's no denying the outstanding record of scoring 16 goals in 18 Premier League outings, but where is he when the big clubs come calling? Last season, he was practically invisible against AC Milan in the Champions League. He failed to perform at his usual high standards for Portugal against France in the World Cup, and against Greece in Euro 2004. And this season, he barely made a difference in the game against Liverpool on the so called 'Grand Slam Sunday'.

Good against lesser teams, but a great player would perform when the heat is on.

4. Humility
Racing against Bugatti Supercars? Diamond Earrings? ORANGE boots? You tell me that the man does not openly believe that he is the best thing ever to grace this Earth.

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating slightly, but it would still be nice for him to show some humility once in a while. Some of United colleagues are excellent examples of men with talent but plenty of modesty also (Giggs and Scholes come to mind).

5. Other Competition
So what players possess the skill of Ronaldo but the qualities above also? Well, Kaka', Ronaldinho, Rooney, Fabregas... just to name a few.

While these players may not have the tricks and skills to match the man with the world's fastest feet, they possess the qualities such as maturity, humility, integrity and the ability to carry a team that the Great Cristiano Ronaldo does not yet have.

And let's not forget the lesson in football Kaka' gave CR7 and his Man Utd teammates last year in the San Siro:

Case closed.

Premier League Managers Mid-Term Report Card - Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:25:00 +0000

Following up on Part I of our Managerial Report Card, we take a look at how well the coaches from Manchester City to Wigan Athletic have performed thus far.

Manchester City – Sven-Goran Eriksson
Position: 7th, but equal on points with 4th placed Liverpool, and have been 3rd for much of the season.
Use of Resources: Sven has spent a lot on unknown foreigners, but it has paid off for him, and in style, with Elano and Petrov being particularly effective.
Strengths: As with most Eriksson teams, Man City are solid down the middle, and have a committed defence. The Swede also has a very keen eye for a good overseas player.
Suggested Improvements: Sometimes, City have lacked the ability to deliver a killer blow to turn a draw into a victory.
Predicted Position: They should crawl out of their current slump in form and finish a strong 5th.
Overall Grade: A

Manchester United – Alex Ferguson
Position: 1st.
Use of Resources: Top of the table and playing some truly liquid football, you have to say that Fergie has got the most out of his squad.
Strengths: Building truly great teams time and time again. Clubs like Newcastle should follow Man Utd’s example of sticking with a manager.
Suggested Improvements: Very hard to pick out any, one criticism could be that would he have done so well without the millions available to him?
Predicted Position: 1st. Barring any slip-ups or Arsenal continuing strongly.
Overall Grade: A

Middlesbrough – Gareth Southgate
Position: 14th, but only 1 point from safety such is the tightness of the bottom half.
Use of Resources: He doesn’t have one of the strongest sides in the Premier League, so 14th is about where they should be.
Strengths: Getting results against teams near or below them.
Suggested Improvements: Boro need some consistency. One day they’ll be defeating Arsenal, the next they’ll be losing 3-0 to Brimingham.
Predicted Position: I can’t see Boro’ improving by the end of the season. 15th.
Overall Grade: C

Newcastle United – Sam Allardyce
Position: 11th, and 6 points behind West Ham in 10th.
Use of Resources: Sam used the money available to him, but was unable to get the best out of quality players such as Owen, Viduka, Smith and Barton.
Strengths: Allardyce was known for building strong teams with a good work ethic, but unfortunately this was not on display at Newcastle.
Suggested Improvements: Try to get your team to play with some cohesion and passion, and maybe you won’t get sacked after 8 months.
Predicted Position: 12th. I see Spurs leapfrogging them in the new year.
Overall Grade: F

Portsmouth – Harry Redknapp
Position: 9th, but with better home form should be higher.
Use of Resources: Hazza has assembled a strong, physical side that’s hard to break down. They should be scoring more though.
Strengths: Defence and outmuscling more technical sides.
Suggested Improvements: Getting a goal at home once in a while wouldn’t hurt.
Predicted Position: They’ll snap out of poor home form to overtake Blackburn by the end of the season. 8th.
Overall Grade: B+

Reading – Steve Coppell
Position: 13th. Relatively successful considering other teams who have suffered bad 2nd season syndrome.
Use of Resources: Has a weak squad compared to the rest of the EPL, so Coppell has done well to keep them this high.
Strengths: Steve is an excellent tactician, and is able to form a tightly-knit team.
Suggested Improvements: A lack of ambition, perhaps? He told his players last year not to go for a European place to avoid distraction this term.
Predicted Position: There’s no sign of Reading moving too much up or down, so they should stay around 13th.
Overall Grade: B-

Sunderland – Roy Keane
Position: 18th. After a solid start, life in the Premier League appears to have caught up with Keano’s side.
Use of Resources: With what is essentially a championship squad, anything above the relegation zone would be an achievement.
Strengths: Keane appears to have instilled a never-say-die attitude into Sunderland, with them scoring a few goals deep into injury time.
Suggested Improvements: Then again, the reason they have to score last minute goals is due to them conceding silly ones in the 1st place. There’s no point in having an £8 million ‘keeper if you can’t defend in the first place.
Predicted Position: Unless they start cutting out the mistakes, I can’t see them staying up. 19th.
Overall Grade: C

Tottenham Hotspur – Juande Ramos
Position: 12th. After a horror start to the season, Ramos has begun to turn the London club around.
Use of Resources: Given that people were talking about Spurs possibly beating Arsenal into 4th this season, 12th is slightly off expectations. But Ramos must be given time.
Strengths: Have a frightful attack consisting of the free-scoring Berbatov and Keane.
Suggested Improvements: However, they also have a frightfully awful defence. You don’t get into Europe by shipping 19 goals in 12 games.
Predicted Position: 10th. A squad of their quality should break into the top half of the table. Spurs also tend to be solid come the final few games.
Overall Grade: B-

West Ham United – Alan Curbishley
Position: 10th. Good away form but poor results at home equals mid-table.
Use of Resources: West Ham’s side is weaker than the teams above them, but stronger than the ones below, so 10th is about right.
Strengths: Playing away from home, and managing to resurrect his side from the dire position they were in last season.
Suggested Improvements: Just, get some points at home Curbs.
Predicted Position: I see them slipping down a place with Tottenham taking their place. 11th.
Overall Grade: B

Wigan Athletic – Steve Bruce
Position: 17th. Precariously above the relegation zone, but Steve Bruce will be happy if they’re there come May.
Use of Resources: Bruce has actually done a decent job with the squad he’s got. Wins over Spurs, Newcastle and Sunderland, as well as draws with Man City and Liverpool have propelled the Latics into safety... for now.
Strengths: Bruce’s team has a habit of grinding out results, an essential trait when in a relegation dogfight.
Suggested Improvements: With the team that Bruce has, it would be unfair to criticise given their recent run of relatively good results.
Predicted Position: 17th. If they keep up this good run, they’ll stay up.
Overall Grade: B+

Liquid Football’s Predicted Final League Table

1. Manchester United A
2. Arsenal A+
3. Chelsea B+
4. Liverpool C-
5. Manchester City A
6. Aston Villa B+
7. Everton A-
8. Portsmouth B+
9. Blackburn Rovers B-
10. Tottenham Hotspur B-
11. West Ham United B
12. Newcastle United F
13. Reading B-
14. Birmingham City B-
15. Middlesbrough C
16. Fulham ?
17. Wigan Athletic B+
18. Bolton Wanderers C+
19. Sunderland C
20. Derby County C

What do you think of the grades I’ve given out? Too harsh, too lenient, or spot on? And what about the final league table? Leave your comments below.

Liquid Football Blog Tournament Weekend 2 - Match Reports + Highlights!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:06:00 +0000

101 Great Goals 3-2 Caught Offside

Scorers:
Drogba 3' (CO)
Villa 6' (CO)
Sergio Ramos OG 29' (101)
Ronaldinho 45'+ (101)
Riquelme 75'

Man of the Match:
Drogba (CO)

A thrilling top of the table clash ended with a 3-2 win to 101 Great Goals over Caught Offside, and included a sensational comeback. CO started the match in a lightning quick fashion, going 2 goals up after 6 minutes. First, a brilliant run from Man of the Match Drogba saw him breeze past 4 players before tucking it away past the stranded Buffon. And then the 2nd came when David Villa's low shot somehow squirmed under the Italian 'keeper before agonisingly rolling over the line. However, 101 GG weren't about to lie down, and got one back after Sergio Ramos headed into his own net while under pressure from Riquelme. They then equalised on the stroke of halftime when Ronaldinho rose highest to nod home Robert Carlos's corner. And the fightback was complete when Gerrard's inswinging corner was bulleted past Buffon by Riquelme, sending the home fans wild.

Who Ate All The Pies 2-2 Liquid Football

Scorers:
Villa 2' (WAATP)
Ribery 9' 33' (LFC)
Ronaldo 64' (WAATP)

Man of the Match:
Ribery (LFC)

It ended 2-2 in this thoroughly exciting match, with the match swinging back and forth between the 2 sides. WAATP took the lead in only the 2nd minute, when David Villa raced onto Ronaldo's pass, before nutmegging Buffon. Liquid FC responded minutes later though, when the outstanding Ribery nipped in front of his marker to slot home Henry's cross box pass. The Frenchman then grabbed his second with one of the goals of the tournament thus far. He picked up the ball from a throw in and ran to the edge of the box, before sending 2 defenders the wrong way and placing the ball perfectly past the outstretched Reina. However, WAATP showed excellent character after the break to level the scores with a fantastic free-flowing counter attack. A series of one-touch passes found Ronaldo free in the box, who slotted home coolly past Buffon. Henry thought he had won the game for Liquid FC at the death, but his goal was ruled out for offside.

Arseblog 1-3 Touchline Sniffers

Scorers:
Torres 15' (TS)
Juninho 26' (TS)
Villa 65' (AB)
Agger OG 80' (TS)

Man of the Match:
Juninho (TS)

In the battle of the 3-4-3 formations, the Touchline Sniffers came out on top with a 3-1 triumph over Arseblog. TS got off to a perfect start, when Torres headed in Juninho's corner after 15 minutes. And then just 10 minutes later, the brazilian playmaker grabbed one of his own from a fine free kick. After half-time, Arseblog came out fighting, and got their reward after 65 minutes. David Villa dragged the entire defence out to the left, leaving Totti free in the middle to tap in the Spaniard's pass. But then their hard work was undone when Walter Samuel's goal line clearance horrifically and comically smacked off team mate Agger and into his own net.

Eyefootball Eyecatchers 2-1 Fantasy Football Guru

Scorers:
Van Persie 8' (EE)
Martins 19' (EE)
Fabregas 87' (FFG)

Man of the Match:
Van Persie (EE)

Eyefootball Eyecatchers grounded out a 2-1 victory over Fantasy Football Guru in a scrappy affair which FFG will feel they should have at least drawn. They were left with an uphill task after going 2 goals down inside 20 minutes. Makalele's parried shot found Van Persie free to poke the ball into an empty net for Eyecatchers' first, before Martins headed home the second from a corner. FFG were being reduced to taking shots from distance, Steven Gerrard going closest, before Fabregas pulled one back at the death from the Englishman's corner.

Footballocks's Eleven 0-0 SquadGod Academical

Man of the Match:
Kaka (SGA)

A tight yet entertaining 0-0 draw was played out between these 2 teams. The best chance of the game fell to Ibrahimovic of Footballocks's Eleven, when his first shot cannoned off the post and his second rebounded off the floored Buffon. Both sides were deserving of a point, with SquadGod Academical enjoying more possession, but having less shots on goal.

Premier League Managers Mid-Term Report Card - Part I

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:15:00 +0000

So, we’re exactly half-way through the Premier League season, and it has been a tight and thoroughly exciting affair.

We’ve seen the maturing of young stars such as Fabregas and the return of old ones like Shevchenko. Man Utd stuttered and then blossomed to lead the way, with the impressive Arsenal just behind, while others like Newcastle and Tottenham have greatly underachieved. Some great games have been played (4-4 draw between Chelsea and Villa springs to mind), and some dour ones too (Fulham vs Newcastle anybody?).

But what about the managers? Have they used their resources available to their best ability? How well have they spent in the transfer market? And do they have the steel and nerve essential to survive and thrive in one of the world’s hardest leagues? Here is Part I of Liquid Football’s mid-term Premier League report card:

Arsenal – Arsene Wenger
Position: 1st place pretty much since the beginning of the season. No room for improvement here.
Use of Resources: Wenger has some fantastic talent at his disposal, and given how they all work together to create wonderful synergy and free-flowing football is testament to the Frenchman’s ability to get the most out of his players.
Strengths: Getting the most out of his team, sticking by his players and giving youngsters a chance. French youngsters but still.
Suggested Improvements: Arsene needs to cut out the hypocrisy and 2-facedness . Saying that the English national team needs an English coach before praising Capello’s appointment seems slightly odd.
Predicted Position: 2nd at the very least.
Overall Grade: A+

Aston Villa – Martin O’Neill
Position: A respectable 7th, Villa’s form will see them challenging for a UEFA cup place.
Use of Resources: O’Neill has a solid squad, and manages to utilise them into a tight unit that is hard to break down. Seems to get the best out of his ex-Celtic underlings.
Strengths: Signing relatively quality players such as Carson, Bouma and Carew on the cheap, as well as slowly building a team over time rather than rushing into the market with chequebooks blazing. Deadpan humour during interviews makes him a favourite with the press too.
Suggested Improvements: On the other hand however, O’Neill perhaps needs to be more ambitious in the transfer market more often. If Lerner is willing to pay, this may be the chance to push Villa forward to more successful territory. Then again, look what happened to Leeds...
Predicted Position: With Everton decimated for the African Cup of Nations, they should leapfrog them for a UEFA cup spot and 6th.
Overall Grade: B+

Birmingham City – Alex McLeish
Position: 16th, although under the form of McLeish they could have been about 14th. Good considering staying up is the main priority.
Use of Resources: McLeish has adapted quickly to his new surroundings and has been able to get the Blues playing some solid stuff. However, the recent defeat to Huddersfield in the FA Cup leaves a nasty stain on this report.
Strengths: From his time with Scotland, McLeish’s ability to take a group of players, gel them and have them playing attractive football is evident. Whether or not he can replicate that with Birmingham remains to be seen.
Suggested Improvements: McLeish left hastily his national team when the opportunity for more money arose, so can his loyalty be questioned?
Predicted Position: Lower mid-table, I’ll take a stab at 14th.
Overall Grade: B-

Blackburn Rovers – Mark Hughes
Position: A good start to the season saw them rise high, but form has dipped and so has their position to 9th. But still in touching distance of UEFA places.
Use of Resources: The front pairing of Santa Cruz and McCarthy has worked a dream from Hughes, and Sparky has managed to use his team’s physical side to good effect.
Strengths: Tells it how it is, you get the feeling that his no-nonsense attitude transfers well to his players. Has managed to turn Bentley into one of the brightest young talents in the Premier League.
Suggested Improvements: He really needs to learn the offside rule. Now. It’s not hard Sparky. If he touches the ball he’s active. If he doesn’t he’s not. Stop moaning.
Predicted Position: Pompey’s home form should return, so I don’t see them reaching any higher than their current position of 9th.
Overall Grade: B-

Bolton Wanderers – Gary Megson
Position: 14th
Use of Resources: Megson has done brilliantly to take a down-hearted, underperforming and frankly rubbish team out of the relegation zone. The question is, will Bolton be able to stay out of danger?
Strengths: Motivating and organising. Wanderers appear to have a bit of get up and go about them, and even managed to hold Bayern Munich to a 2-2 draw in Germany. No mean feat.
Suggested Improvements: When they lose Anelka (sorry, if), they’ll have a serious hole up front. Megson needs to get a quality striker in, and fast.
Predicted Position: Bolton have stuttered recently after the honeymoon period, and I can only see them going down come the business end of the season. 18th.
Overall Grade: C+

Chelsea – Avram Grant
Position: 3rd. Has admirably steadied the Stamford Ship after Jose’s departure, and has set his sights on the top 2.
Use of Resources: With the talent available to him at Chelsea, Grant has done well, but should really be aiming to be top. Room for improvement.
Strengths: Contrary to his dour expression and exterior, ‘The Normal One’ has rejuvenated Chelsea with some free-flowing attacking football as well as being solid at the back. Seems to also excel at silencing critics who gave him no hope before he was given a chance (I’ll hold my hands up here).
Suggested Improvements: Needs to tell his players to calm down when decisions go against them. The behaviour of some of his squad has at times been unacceptable and unprofessional. Results against other members of the big 4 have let him down also.
Predicted Position: They’ll be 3rd at least, but at the most as well barring a massive slip up from Arsenal or Man Utd.
Overall Grade: B+

Derby County – Paul Jewell
Position: 20th. Rock bottom and not getting out fast enough. Hardly Jewell’s fault considering he’s only been in the job for a month.
Use of Resources: To be honest, the quality of Derby’s players is not enough to survive in the Premier League. Therefore, Jewell can be forgiven for not improving results of late.
Strengths: Very good when it comes to relegation scraps, saving Wigan and Bradford from the drop previously. He has made some positive signings already this month (Robert, Savage and perhaps Carroll) but time will tell if this is enough to save them.
Suggested Improvements: Derby need to stop conceding last minute goals, get a central defensive partnership who can defend, and some passing skills wouldn’t go amiss.
Predicted Position: Sorry Paul, I can’t see your team reaching 10 points by the end of the season, let alone making up 10 points.
Overall Grade: C

Everton – David Moyes
Position: 6th. Just goes to show what can happen when you stick with a manager.
Use of Resources: Defensively, Moyes has done very well to create a solid unit comprising of players not many other teams would bother to sign. The same goes for his midfield, but up front only Yakubu really takes the eye.
Strengths: Building a team over time, and making it clear what he wants from each man. Has an eye for a good youngster/signing.
Suggested Improvements: Find players that are good but not African! Everton won’t possess the same quality without Yobo, Yakubu and Pienaar.
Predicted Position: I see them slipping down a place to Aston Villa. 7th.
Overall Grade: A-

Fulham – Roy Hodgson
Position: 19th, although more Sanchez’s fault really.
Use of Resources: Hard to tell, given that he’s only been in charge for 2 games.
Strengths: Again hard to tell. From past experience it’s clear that he can make a solid unit from pretty much any side.
Suggested Improvements: Again from looking at his previous clubs, attacking and scoring goals doesn’t appear to be Hodgson’s forte.
Predicted Position: 16th. Hodgson’s vast experience with all sorts of footballing situations should guide Fulham to safety.
Overall Grade: ?

Liverpool – Rafael Benitez
Position: 4th
Use of Resources: Not too sharp. With the amount that Rafa spent over the summer and the huge squad available to him, Liverpool should be higher than 5th. Full stop.
Strengths: Playing well in Europe suits Benitez’s continental style of play, and the Spanish signings that he’s made seem to play well under him.
Suggested Improvements: A bit more bite and consistency needed, and less spats with the owners would probably help inter-club relationships... and the odds that he’ll be still be manager come the end of the season.
Predicted Position: Liverpool will overtake Man City, but may not find the consistency required to get past Chelsea. 4th.
Overall Grade: C-

What do you think of the grades I’ve given out? Too harsh, too lenient, or spot on? Leave your comments below.

A-Goal Celebreation Explained... Finally

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:07:00 +0000

BBC lifts the lid on the A Goal celebration (about bloody time too). Apparently it's to do with raising awareness of an initiative, called 'A-Star', to create job opportunities for kids and youngsters through sport and activities.

And nothing to do with standing for awful (in Bramble's case).

Liquid Football Blog Tournament Weekend 1 - Match Reports + Highlights!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:18:00 +0000

Touchline Sniffers 0-3 101 Great Goals

Scorers:
Gerrard 21' (101)
Ronaldinho 29' 79' (101)

Man of the Match:
Gerrard (101)

An imperious midfield display by Steven Gerrard helped 101 Great Goals to a convincing 3-0 victory over the Touchline Sniffers in the opening match of the league season. He got the ball rolling in the 21st minute with a superb 25 yard free kick that left Buffon flailing. Soon, the Touchline Sniffers found themselves 2-0 down 8 minutes later, when Ronaldinho was felled by Buffon. It was a controversial decision, as the Italian appeared to get some of the ball. However the Brazilian playmaker made the most of his good fortune, sending Buffon the wrong way from the spot. The Touchline Sniffers struggled to get back into the game, and all hopes of a comeback were ended in the 79th minute. Riquelme, attempting to dribble out of his own box, lost out to a tackle from Rooney, and from the loose ball Ronaldinho smashed home his side's 3rd.

Who Ate All The Pies 1-4 Caught Offside

Scorers:
Villa 15' (WAATP)
Ronaldinho 49' 55' (CO)
Drogba 59' 80' (CO)

Man of the Match:
Ronaldinho (CO)

2 spectacular Ronaldinho free kicks and 2 Drogba headers sealed a 4-1 victory for Caught Offside over Who Ate All The Pies. It was the team in Green and Black who took the lead, when Ronaldo burst into the box, found David Villa, who then slotted home coolly. WAATP continued to dominate the rest of the 1st half, and looked on course to take victory. However at the start of the 2nd half, 3 goals in 10 minutes secured a remarkable comeback, and Drogba put the icing on the cake with a late headed goal.

Footballocks's Eleven 1-0 Eyefootball Eyecatchers

Scorers:
Torres 32' (FB)

Man of the Match:
Torres 32' (FB)

Footballocks's Eleven ran out 1-0 winners over Eyefootball Eyecatchers which in truth was a game of a excitement that belied its scoreline. Fernando Torres was in particularly menacing form, and his effort and skill were rewarded after 32 minutes. A Ronaldo corner found the Spaniard unmarked in the middle for him to power a header past Buffon. The Eyecatchers never really got going while Footballocks tried to press home their advantage, amassing 17 shots in total. But in the end, just the 1 goal was enough to secure victory.

SquadGod Academical 1-0 Fantasy Football Guru

Scorers:
Ronaldo 90'+ (SGA)

Man of the Match:
Ronaldo (SGA)

A dramatic injury-time winner from Cristiano Ronaldo gave SquadGod Academical a 1-0 victory over Fantasy Football Guru. The Portuguese winger picked up the ball on the half-way line, powered past and outdragged Cesc Fabregas, before drilling a shot past Canizares. The game itself was a tight affair with few real chances, with Trezeguet of FFG often finding himself isolated up front. Robinho was brought on as a substitute to try and find a winner, but he couldn't before Ronaldo's late goal.

Liquid FC 3-0 Arseblog

Scorers:
Kaka' 60' (LFC)
Ribery 61' (LFC)
Henry 90'+ (LFC)

Man of the Match:
Grosso (LFC)

After dominating the 1st half, Arseblog went down 3-0 to Liquid FC after some poor defensive lapses cost them dear. On 60 minutes Walter Samuel attempted to take the ball past Kaka', only to end up being tackled by the Brazilian before watching the ball being stroked into the back of his own net. Then from the kick off, Sneijder lost the ball to the impressive Ribery, who ran the length of the pitch before striking it low past Buffon. Arseblog had lost all fight by this point, and Liquid FC sealed victory in injury time when Henry met Grosso's fine cross and powered his header home.

The African Exodus... Who Will Suffer?

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Glover) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:07:00 +0000

The African Cup of Nations kicks off in a couple of weeks’ time, sparking a mass evacuation of some of England’s top Premier League talent. So which club will be worst affected by the ‘most poorly timed competition of the year’? We assess each leaving player’s value using our own 5 star rating system, and what the total effect will be on each Premier League club.

5 Star Rating:

5 stars – Vital to the team. Irreplaceable.
4 stars– First team player. Has an able deputy.
3 stars – Bench player. Usually brought on during a game.
2 stars – Bench player. Not used very often.
1 star – Not in the squad. Won’t be missed at all.

The Teams:

Arsenal

Emmanuel Eboue – 4 stars
Kolo Toure – 5 stars
Alexandre Song – 2 stars
--------------------------------
Total – 11 stars

Arsenal have solid back up in the form of Rosicky for Eboue, who looked off form against Burnley, however Toure will be sorely missed. Senderos is a solid back up, but does not have the same defensive qualities as the Ivorian. As a whole they should still be able to function as a free-flowing attacking machine.

Birmingham City

Richard Kingson – 2 stars
Radhi Jaidi – 3 stars
Mehdi Nafti – 4 stars
--------------------------------
Total – 9 stars

Birmingham will only seriously miss Nafti out their 3 Africans, having put in some good performances for City this season. However, they should have enough midfield cover to cope with his loss.

Blackburn Rovers

Aaron Mokoena – 3 stars
---------------------------------
Total – 3 stars

Only one gone for Blackburn, they should be able to cope fine with their current 1st team.

Bolton Wanderers

Abdoulaye Meite – 4 stars
El Hadji Diouf – 5 stars
----------------------------------
Total – 9 stars

Only 2 players gone for Bolton, but 2 massive players at that. Meite has been a rock in front of the back 4 for the Wanderer’s so their already fragile defence will be even more exposed. And with the absence of arguable their most creative player in Diouf, they could be in real trouble upfront as well.

Chelsea

Michael Essien – 5 stars
Didier Drogba – 5 stars
Salomon Kalou – 4 stars
Jon Obi Mikel – 4 stars
-------------------------------
Total – 18 stars

Chelsea could be in trouble. The best striker in the Premier league, his back up, arguably the best defensive midfielder in England and a talented young midfielder have all jetted off, leaving huge gaps of world class quality throughout the team. It appears as if the African Cup of Nations has come at just the wrong time for Chelsea’s title push.

Everton

Joseph Yobo – 4 stars
Yakubu Aiyegbeni – 5 stars
Victor Anichebe – 3 stars
Steven Pienaar – 4 stars
-----------------------------------
Total – 16 stars

Everton will be in a similar boat to Chelsea, missing 3 1st team players, notably their best defender in Yobo, their best striker in Yakubu, and one of their more dynamic midfielders in Pienaar. Expect Everton to suffer a dip in their otherwise excellent form.

Fulham

Diomansy Kamara – 3 stars
-----------------------------------
Total – 3 stars

Fulham should be fine with David Healy and Hammeur Bouazza up front.

Liverpool

Momo Sissoko – 2 stars
-------------------------------
Total – 2 stars

If anything, the Malian’s departure will allow space on the bench for someone with greater quality.

Middlesbrough

Mohamed Shawky – 1 star
Mido – 1 star
----------------------------------
Total – 2 stars

In Boro’s case, what ain’t used... ain’t missed.

Newcastle United

Obafemi Martins – 5 stars
Geremi – 4 stars
Habib Beye – 4 stars
Abdoulaye Faye – 2 stars
----------------------------------
Total – 15 stars

What Big Sam would not have wanted. His captain and top striker to be absent for 3 weeks while the club plummets down the Premier League table faster than it takes for St. James’ Park to exit. Can Owen step up to the plate in his striking partner’s absence?

Portsmouth

Sulley Muntari – 4 stars
Nwankwo Kanu – 3 stars
John Utaka – 4 stars
Papa Bouba Diop – 4 stars
Djimi Traore – 1 star
----------------------------------
Total – 16 stars

Take away 3 of your most powerful and forceful midfielders, and you’ll be left with not much physical element to your side. Pompey thrive on this, and so could for once get out muscled in the middle of the park, perhaps costing them control of games.

Reading

Emerse Fae – 2 stars
Andre Bikey – 2 stars
Ibrahima Sonko – 4 stars
--------------------------------
Total – 8 stars

In truth, the Royals will only miss Sonko, and he’ll be adequately replaced during his tenure away. Don’t expect much change at Reading.

Sunderland

Dickson Etuhu – 4 stars
------------------------------
Total – 4 stars

Roy Keane could have done with the Nigerian’s solid performances in the middle for Sunderland during this crucial winter period, but with the Irishman looking to strengthen across his whole team this January, he will hope to find an ideal replacement.

Tottenham Hotspur

Didier Zokora – 3 stars
Hossam Ghaly – (-1) stars
-------------------------------
Total – 2 points

Zokora faded out of the picture for a few games under new boss Ramos, but was drafted in for the last 2 and performed admirably. However the marauding Tom Huddlestone should provide ample foil. As for Ghaly, he gets negative stars, as the team would probably train better anyway without his petulant attitude.

West Ham United

John Pantsil – 2 stars
Henri Camara – 2 stars
-----------------------------
Total – 4 stars

Neither player has made any sort of impact at Upton park this season, so don’t expect Alan ‘Curbs’ Curbishley to be seeing them off at Heathrow airport with a bunch of flowers and a ‘Come Home Soon’ card.

The End Result?

Arsenal’s slight weakness at the back could see Manchester Utd leapfrog them. Chelsea should be caught by Liverpool due to the loss of Drogba and Essien, while Everton may slip down the table with Villa and Blackburn leapfrogging them before the end of the tournament arrives.

Pompey’s lack of goals at home won’t be helped by a decimated midfield, and Bolton could sneak into the relegation zone without 2 of their key players. As for Sam Allardyce and Newcastle, expect the odds to be slashed on him being handed his P45 come February.

What do you think will happen to the teams suffering from their African-born players? Will they drop or stand firm? And do you agree or disagree with the ratings given above? Feel free to leave your comments below.