Re-inventing the Weale

The curse of second season syndrome for Everton’s strikers

2013-03-12T13:14:00.001+00:00

Everton have always been seen as a team with a lot of potential but never enough funds to go to the next level. They have always had to make do and credit to David Moyes he has always done that finding bargain players to improve his squad. However one problem that Everton have had in recent years is scoring goals, this season is no different … the problem they always seem to have are their strikers consistently bagging goals.

In the January transfer window of last year Everton signed Nikica Jelavic from Rangers for a fee of £5 million pounds, the Croatian was an instant hit with the Goodison faithful as he made finishing look easy, often only taking one touch to put the ball in the net. By the end of the season Jelavic had netted 9 times in the league and twice in the FA cup firing him to the top of Everton’s goal scorer chart and all in only the final four months of the season.

With such a good start to his Everton career fans were drooling at the thought of the amount of goals he could score in a full season. However as we move in to March Everton are wondering what has happened to the formerly clinical Croat. Jelavic has only managed a disappointing seven goals this season and has suffered a major crisis of confidence as he has continuously fluffed chances and squandered opportunities which many would of expected him to put away if they were given to him in the form he was in last year.

This is not unusual at Everton though it is not the first time the club has watched a striker who was prolific seemingly lose all of their goal scoring prowess in the space of a summer break. Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni arrived at Everton in 2007 and he like Jelavic was an instant hit at the club with 15 league goals in his first season. He became Everton’s talisman and hopes were pinned on his goal scoring to fire the side towards European football in the following season however the Nigerian failed to deliver and only managed 4 league goals for the team in the 08/09 season before being loaned out to Leicester City.

Yakubu is not the only other frustrating case the Goodison crowds have seen there was Andy Johnson before him scoring 11 goals in his first season but then only managing 6 in the next, and even further back James Beattie who fired 10 goals in his first season but then only followed up with 2 in the next season.

So it would seem it’s not just Jelavic who has suffered to fulfil his goal scoring potential in a second season in the blue colours of Everton. There has been an air of uncertainty surrounding the club lately as fans wonder if Moyes will still be in charge next season, whether Fellaini will still be playing for them and even wondering whether the club is for sale, which was confirmed yesterday.

The one thing that Everton fans must be wishing for is that between now and the end of the season David Moyes can find a way to inspire confidence back in Nikica Jelavic and hope that he can find his scoring boots. Everton have stuttered in the league as of late and also suffered an emphatic defeat as Wigan knocked them out of the FA cup and this is in no mainly due to them failing to find goals.

If Jelavic can turn his season around, find some confidence and break the second season curse Everton fans must be hoping that they can steal in ahead of their rivals to secure European football.

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What are you getting at Jose

2013-03-06T12:22:00.000+00:00

You have just watched your team beat Manchester United at Old Trafford to go through to the quarter finals of the Champions league in a tough game in a very hostile environment. Most managers would have been ecstatic in the post match conference heaping praise on the team for winning in such a tough encounter, not Jose Mourinho though.

"The best team lost but ... that's football" those were the words selected by Mourinho for his opening statement in a very conservative and reserved conference. It's also a sentence which has raised a lot of eye brows as people scratch their heads trying to work out whether Mourinho honestly felt United were the better team and he is the definition of sporting or is there an underlying agenda in his words.

'The Special one'
photo attributed to apasciuto
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apasciuto/4862849741/

The game was what everyone expected with excitement at both ends and also goals for both sides, the big talking point was Nani's dubious sending off. He was told to leave the field after an aerial clash with Madrid right-back Alvaro Arbeloa, a decision which ultimately changed the game as United struggled to cope with the overwhelming attack of Madrid with ten men.

The key here and the catalyst for the Spanish teams brilliant period of play was the introduction of Luka Modric for Arbeloa an attacking choice made by Mourinho but one that made a difference as the Croat found space in between the lines and created numerous opportunities. The English giants struggled to pin down Modric as he continuously found space and the former Spurs midfielder fired Madrid level with a stunning strike.

In the next ten minutes after the equaliser the crowd at Old Trafford were treated to some breath-taking build up play as the Spanish team played by far their best spell of the game which not only saw them go ahead through Cristiano Ronaldo but also offered chances for them to further extend their lead, if not for some very good United defending.

But in a game which was very even in the first half and to be fair to United very even in the second until Nani's sending off it seems odd that Mourinho would claim that United were the better team in the game as it could be argued that Real were just as good.

Not only did Mourinho praise United as the best team in the game he also went on to speak about Sir Alex Ferguson and how he is the best manager in the world and how Old Trafford is one of the best grounds in the world to play at.

So Why is Jose Mourinho announcing to the media that the he felt his team were not as good as their opponents just minutes after securing a victory and continually heaping praise on the club he has just beaten ... I think the only person that could offer a definitive answer is the man himself. Is he just a true sportsman with the utmost respect for his opponents or his he after something else.

One idea why he could be so ready to give Manchester United such great praise could be that he has already spoken to someone at United and he believes that he is being lined up to take over the reigns from the great Scotsman. Could the Portuguese 'special one' really be waiting in the wings for the call to take over at the most decorated English football club in the modern era, if he his that may go some way to explaining why he has tried to keep his interviews so sweet.

Maybe we will find out in a year or two's time when Sir Alex finally decides enough is enough but until then Mourinho must enjoy his sides success and he will strive to provide Real Madrid with their first champions league trophy in ten years, whilst United continue their siege of the Premier League crown.

Manchester City star in Mission impossible 2 the sequel

2013-03-01T12:56:00.000+00:00

The 2011-2012 Premier league season had one of the most thrilling climaxes to a league campaign in the 20 year history of the Premiership as Manchester City snatched the title out of their neighbours and fierce rivals Manchester United’s grasp with virtually the last kick of the season.

As Aguero buried his last minute strike against QPR in injury time on the 13^th May last year one half of Manchester erupted in jubilation and elation whilst the other half sulked and looked back on a campaign full of what ifs.

Last year at this point Manchester United began a run of 6 wins in a row which saw them take a commanding 8 point lead over their ‘noisy neighbours’ City who faltered throughout March with a loss and two draws. This left them with a mountain to climb to win the title but somehow they managed it and were crowned league champions for the first time in 44 years.

This year however as City look to go for back-to-back titles they are already way out of the race at this point giving away a massive 12 point deficit to United. Manchester United have looked imperious grinding out results despite not playing well and looking every bit the nailed on champions whilst Manchester City have looked a bit shaky coming into the new year drawing twice to QPR and Liverpool respectively and suffering a shock loss to Southampton on the 9^th February.

Following a lengthy break from the league for international fixtures and their FA cup victory over Leeds, City looked to be back to their best with a very impressive 2-0 win over Chelsea. Now at this point it may be crazy to be saying City could do it again as they lie 12 points behind United, this time round it’s going to take a monumental effort for them to close the gap.

Manchester United look to have the confidence and a determination to keep the title firmly in their grips this year but with the distraction of a potential Champions League run ahead of them if they can get past Real Madrid all it would take would be a couple of stuttering results from them and they would be feeling the pressure.

In terms of the run in to the end of the season neither team has a particularly easy run but the key dates are the Manchester derby on the 6^th April which was the fixture where City evened up the race last year, as well as that though United play Arsenal away and Chelsea at home consecutively at the end of April which could be potential banana skins. City’s most difficult game other than the derby is in the form of Tottenham away on the 21^st April.

This year the title race looks a formality but if last year taught us anything it’s never write Manchester City off in the most exciting league in the world as anything could happen between now and May the 19^th. ^.Last Year City completed what seemed like the impossible on the final day of the season but I’m not sure how many people could cope if history repeated itself this time round.

Come the end of the season who knows what will happen but the question is will the sun set red on the title for the 20th time or will the blue moon be able to rise once again.

Let me know what you think below in the comments box!

The United Philosophy: Win whatever it takes

2013-02-05T12:41:00.000+00:00

I read an interesting fact today on-line that got me thinking about this year’s United team , the fact read ‘Manchester United have earned more points this season than they have ever done in Premier League history after 25 games (62).’

'Sir Alex knows how to win games'
Photo courtesy of Andrea Sartorati
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomjoad/5481682698/

Now this fact seems quite remarkable when you look at some of the squads Sir Alex Ferguson has had under his command since the inception of the Premier League in comparison to this season’s squad of players.

Yes they still have mega stars in the likes of Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie but on paper their overall squad doesn’t boast the huge well known talents of yesteryear. Player’s like Beckham, Cantona, Ince, Bruce, Yorke, Cole, Ronaldo the list is endless all very talented players and key components of the teams they played in. They were also often seen in headlines for both football and off-the-pitch reasons something that enhanced their profiles and gave them more publicity.

When you look at the squad this season Manchester United don’t really have many players in the side that are headline material other than for footballing reasons. Most of their players are very much unsung and go under the radar, Carrick, Kagawa, Vidic, Rafael all players that go about their business quietly but effectively. The blend of young talent bolstered by the experienced talent in the form of Ferdinand, Evra, Giggs and Scholes is the perfect mix for the champions elect. They are not a side full of egos they are collectively a unit of talented players who have had it instilled in them what it takes to win.

This is the genius that Alex Ferguson possesses he has created a team of players, not just a squad of egos. I think on paper this Manchester United team is nowhere near as good as some of their past teams but that’s not the point. Yes they have looked vulnerable this year, they have not beaten teams with the ease they are expected to, they have often gone behind in games but somehow they always manage to come back to win.

Surely that is a clear sign of a team that is stronger than ever as a unit and it’s a well known cliché, that champions always find a way to win even when not playing at their best, and this cliché is one that epitomises this season for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men.

Now nine points clear of Man City and consistently winning games at all costs, United are the clear favourites to regain their crown but look what happened last year. It’s not impossible for City but this season it just seems like Man United just have something about them that say’s determinedly that they are not going to let it slip this year.

The anti climax that was January transfer windows deadline day 2013

2013-02-01T15:01:00.000+00:00

Deadline day the day that every football fan looks forward to at the end of both the summer and winter windows. Ruining productivity all over the country as people sit in front of Twitter or Sky Sports all day in the hope they see their team can pull off a coup on the last day of the window. The final day of the windows have become one of the biggest events in the footballing calendar over the last few seasons.

The January transfer window always gives optimism to fans of clubs that their side may be making a key signing at the midway stage of season that could really make a difference to their standing at the end of the season.

In total in the last five winter windows between 2008 and 2012 £702 million has been spent by Premier league clubs with the £200 million in 2009 and £225 million in 2011 particular highlights.

This shows that teams aren't afraid to splash out money as long as they think the player is right, this year however although there were no huge money transfers Premier league sides still spent double last year’s total.

2013 may have been a disappointing year for many optimistic fans as the usual early window excitement of rumours came to nothing on the last day of the window with only QPR really spending big money on Chris Samba. Arsenal’s signing of Nacho Monreal from Malaga was the only transfer that nobody saw coming most other deals were done early on in the window.

Although there were rumours flying about Everton, Spurs and Norwich being in pursuit of strikers in the form of Alvaro Negredo, Leandro and Gary Hooper respectively, none of these came to fruition though and the window closed with more of a whimper than a slam. The usual big spenders such as Man City and Chelsea were nowhere to be seen with neither team making any significant signings.

The biggest move on deadline day was one that cost nothing, David Beckham arrived at PSG then told the press he was donating his entire wage to a children’s charity a class gesture may I add, but whether Beckham will play many games at PSG remains to be seen but the move has surely done what it was meant to and that’s gain maximum publicity for both PSG and brand Beckham.

One of the most fascinating stories of the last day of transfers was Peter Odemwingie who burnt all bridges with West Brom by turning up at QPR and giving interviews as if he was a QPR player without even having a fee agreed between the clubs. The move didn’t go through and now Odemwingie must return to West Brom to face his boss’s and his team mates that he previously said goodbye to yesterday.

Overall I think deadline day will be seen as a bit of an anti-climax for the neutral this year as there were no real surprises out of left field as most business was completed rather sensibly earlier in the window.

We've come to expect crazy moves on deadline day ever since 2011 but maybe these expectations are just unfeasible as clubs just aren't prepared to spend huge money on players who may be more of a let-down than a season changer, see Andy Carroll and Fernando Torres for example.

The truth is it’s difficult for a signing to come in to the team in January and make an immediate impact they need time to settle into the club there are exceptions to this of course such as Papiss Cisse last year at Newcastle but I think that the summer window is the right place for all the big money moves. The main thing this January window has taught me is that fans shouldn't be expecting massive moves on deadline day because it only sets up for disappointment.

Common Sense prevails Hazard to only serve 3 match ban

2013-02-01T12:24:00.004+00:00

Amidst all the deadline day transfer madness and expectations there was a bit of news that filtered through that shows that English Football hasn't gone completely mad.

Eden Hazard was sent off in unforgettable circumstances in the capital one cup semi-final against Swansea at the Liberty Stadium for kicking a ball boy who tried to prevent him getting the ball. As most people already know the incident was crazy, 17 year old ball boy and son of one of Swansea’s board members worth £42 million, Charlie Morgan lay on the ball to try to stop Hazard getting the ball in doing so wasting time. Hazard tried to kick the ball from underneath Morgan and in doing so caught the ballboy in the side with his kick. This left the ball boy looking like he was in a lot more pain than you’d expect and also Hazard with a red card.

Immediate discussions rumoured a police charge for Hazard and a lengthy ban from the game, thankfully the news came that there would be no police charges and both parties had apologised to each other.

Despite there being no police interaction the FA still wanted to investigate the incident to decide whether Hazard deserved a lengthier punishment than the compulsory three match ban for violent conduct.

Photo courtesy of Ben Sutherland -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bensutherland/8066832174/

The news was broke yesterday though that even with the FA originally claiming the three match ban was ‘clearly insufficient’ Chelsea have successfully managed to put forward a case to an independent panel and argue that the three games is punishment enough.

Not only is this good for Chelsea as they will have their star Belgian winger back on the 9^th February to face Wigan but it’s also good for the game. The last thing anyone involved in this incident needed was for the affair to be continuously dragged on for no good reason other than to make a point.

Hazard’s actions were wrong but so too were those of the ball boy, and I think the fact that both apologies were accepted showed that everyone involved was prepared to forget it and move on.

It appeared momentarily that the FA were not prepared to do the same but the sentencing of a three match ban remaining just at that is a victory for common sense in modern day football.

Is Olivier Giroud really a £12 million 'flop'

2013-01-29T12:35:00.004+00:00

Arsenal are having an indifferent season this year with very inconsistent form in the league, at times they look like world beaters whilst at other times they look like a mediocre team heading for a relegation scrap.

Long gone are the glory days of Arsenal seven years since they last won a trophy and it's been a while since they even challenged. Wenger is trying to rebuild a team that can challenge for the league and he has some good young players with potential however they have become a club that has had to sell their best players to buy new players in recent times. This frustrating process has led to some very discontent Arsenal fans who are becoming impatient with the lack of success at the club. Many fans are still scorned by the transfer of their captain and talismanic striker Robin Van Persie to rivals Manchester United who this season has carried on where he left off with the Gunners scoring for fun at United.

Giroud leading the line against Sunderland
Image:http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronmacphotos/7810895894/

This brings me on to the man who has had to carry the weight of being Van Persie's replacement on his shoulders, Olivier Giroud signed from last years Ligue 1 winning side Montpellier for a fee believed to be around 12 million pounds. He looked like a good prospect and a welcome addition at the club previously scoring 21 goals as he led his side to the league title in France. Of course at this point Van Persie was still at the club and everything looked rosy for the Gunners, that was until the Dutchman departed for United.

Giroud was immediately lumbered with the expectation of being in the same class as Van Persie and fans expected him to bag the same amount of goals as RVP as well as creating chances for those around him in the same way his predecessor did. However coming to play in a more physical league like the Premiership Giroud was always going to need time to adapt and learn the English game.

He struggled for the first couple of months with very inconsistent performances missing some easy chances but at the same time he also showed some ability in flashes, in particular against West Ham in October where he scored his first premiership goal and also set up Theo Walcott to score in the teams 3-1 win. He was constantly being compared to Van Persie in his first two months at the club though and despite showing some talent fans bemoaned his inconsistency and a minority of Arsenal fans and fans of other teams in the league rather unfairly labelled the Frenchman 'a flop' without giving him time to prove himself.

Following a good run in the side over the Christmas period Giroud has started to improve dramatically on his early season form and his first touch, passing, movement and finishing have all improved as he has learnt more about the English game. He is slowly starting to show Arsenal fans what he can produce scoring a brace in their 7-3 win over Newcastle at the end of December he scored another two goals against West Ham in a 5-1 victory on the 23rd January and most recently scoring another brace in a man of the match performance against Brighton in the FA cup 4th round.

I think that Giroud is obviously a very talented striker who has just taken time to adapt to Arsenal's playing style as well as having to learn to deal with the physicality of the Premiership. He was just unfortunate that he arrived at the club as one of Arsenals greatest strikers of the modern era departed. The comparisons and expectations of him were unfair and I think that fans that labelled him a flop are actually more upset with the club for the lack of success and allowing their biggest asset RVP to go and they took those frustrations out on the Frenchman.

It is understandable that fans are sick of being told to be patient as Wenger tries to build a team as every time he seems to be getting somewhere he loses one of his key players like Fabregas, Nasri or Van Persie and he has to try and find replacements and start again.

Fans can't expect immediate success that the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea have experienced as they simply don't have the funds to keep up with them and that is the harsh reality of the Premier league. The club obviously backs Wenger though who is trying to create something on a stable base without putting the club at financial risk which is admirable in this modern era.

Arsene Wenger has highlighted Olivier Giroud to have some quality's that Arsenal legend Alan Smith also possessed, he may be some way off that standard, but in my opinion Arsenal have good a striker who is very good technically and he can finish chances well. He proved this with his stunning first goal against Brighton over the weekend. Arsenal fans can surely take comfort in the fact that he is beginning to improve and they will be hoping that this upward curve can continue for the striker and with patience they will hope to be rewarded with 20+ goals a season from Giroud as he leads the Gunners line.

How Oldham took down Liverpool in the FA cup

2013-01-28T17:34:00.003+00:00

As most of you know there were shocks a plenty in the FA cup 4th round this past weekend with Aston Villa, QPR, Tottenham and Liverpool all going out to lower league opposition, perhaps the biggest shock was Premier league Norwich losing to Non League Luton.

Liverpool played in the last tie of the weekend at League one Oldham Athletic who they beat 5-1 last year in the competition on their run to the final. This time around though things were a lot different and the Premier league team didn't get it all their own way.

They went down to a battling Oldham side who from the outset put their physical presence about and made it clear to the Liverpool team that they were in for a rough day. Eventually they ran out 3-2 winners and were rewarded with a 5th round home tie against more Premier league Merseyside opposition in Everton.

The win was nothing more than Oldham deserved as they took their chances well and throughout the game just looked like they wanted it more. One shortcoming in particular that Liverpool had was the balance of the team and Brendan Rodgers tactics and that's what I want to focus on in this article.

I think Rodgers got it all wrong yesterday and it really cost Liverpool, he dramtically underestimated Oldham and I don't think he gave them enough respect, he set the Reds up to walk all over them up front and blow them away which left the team light in midfield which in turn exposed the back four in particular Coates and Robinson.

Having Sterling, Borini, Suarez and Sturridg on the pitch all at the same time although it may have looked good and exciting on paper it was actually a huge mistake. I think one of Sterling or Borini should of started on the bench to allow either Shelvey or Lucas to start in the midfield and sure it up. The main problem was that every time a Liverpool move broke down Oldham were managing to completely by pass Allen and Henderson who were often bystanders and this created space in between the Liverpool midfield and defence allowing Oldham strikers Simpson and Smith to worry the centre backs.

Frankly the decision to go with an extra attacker over the much more solide midfield option was what cost Liverpool the game as they were just not prepared for the physicality that Oldham subjected them to. The League one side played with a much higher tempo and harried and hassled any Liverpool possession and by putting themselves about like that they managed to create chances. Take nothing away from Oldham they finished their chances brilliantly when they came but it's simply not good enough for a Premiership side to be conceding goals in the fashion Liverpool did especially the second which Brad Jones fumbled horribly.

Although the loss can not be completely blamed on Rodgers tactics as some Liverpool players just didn't look up to the task especially Coates who looked way out of his depth. I think this game could of been a much simpler task had Rodgers opted for Carragher to partner Skrtel and if he had kept an extra midfielder in the side.

When it came to it at 3-1 down Liverpool just never looked likely to trouble Oldham that significantly to overturn the two goal deficit with far too many players under performing whilst Oldham put their bodies on the line for everything. Their defence in particular played spectacularly well along with striker Matt Smith who scored twice and was a danger all game for the Liverpool defence.

What's done is done though and it could be a replay at Anfield had Gerrard's strike been an inch lower rather than pinging the bar but those are the margins between victory and avoiding defeat. Oldham thoroughly deserved there win and Liverpool fans can only say good luck to the league one side as they take on Merseyside rivals Everton in the next round of the cup.

Football gone mad, Hazards of being a ball boy

2013-01-24T11:10:00.001+00:00

So last night we saw Swansea city reach their first ever major cup final after beating Chelsea 2-0 over the two legs they will now go on to face Bradford City at Wembley in February. However the achievement of these two teams is not what the football world is talking about, last nights game saw one of the most remarkable incidents I have ever seen in football.

Chelsea's Eden Hazard was sent off in the match for kicking a ball boy off the field of play, sounds bad doesn't it? But when it is written in black and white like that it does sound a lot worse, but I think there's a bit more to this and the whole incident has become a bit of a storm in a tea cup.

First of all I'm not condoning what Hazard did no player should ever be kicking any where near a ball boy and in doing so he deserved his red card, but talk of a lengthy ban and initially even police investigations is ludicrous.

The situation here is that with ten minutes to go in a cup semi-final and with Chelsea still needing two goals,when Hazard has gone to pick the ball up to get on with the game as quickly as possible, the ball boy has interfered and tried to stop Hazard getting the ball even at one point lying on it.

This is a high pressure situation and people do stupid things in the heat of the moment, Eden Hazard kicking through the ball boy to try and retrieve the ball was one of them, but he would never of needed to do that if the ball boy hadn't initially decided he was going to do something stupid by trying to waste time.

If the ball boy had of done his job properly and given the ball back as soon as possible or even left it for Hazard to retrieve we would not be talking about this crazy situation. Both player and ball boy are in the wrong here and this whole fiasco has distracted from what is a great victory for Swansea.

The scenes that followed afterwards with the ball boy rolling around looking like he was about to take his last breath were bizarre and it just highlights the responsibilities of these players on the pitch. The ball boys play acting is something we see all too often by players on the pitch and you can't deny that the ball boy probably played up to the fact Hazard kicked him by making it look a lot worse. This is something he may have seen on the pitch most weekends and has decided to emulate to see what happens I'm not saying he wasn't hurt by the kick maybe he was but it can't have been as painful as he made it look.

I'm glad that both player and ball boy apologised to each other and both apologies have been accepted. Now let that be the end of it give Hazard his compulsory one match ban and get on with it, but in this crazy world of football everyone knows that there probably won't be a quick resolution to this and Hazard could be facing more serious repercussions.

Now I just want to take a minute to look at something that happened in 1995 Man United's most enigmatic of strikers Eric Cantona lashed out at a Crystal palace fan at Selhurst park after being sent off and lunged at him with a crazy kung-fu style kick. For this Cantona recieved an 8 month ban from football and 120 hours community service, now that was violent conduct, that was insane and Cantona deserved everything he got.

The end of last season QPR's Joey Barton picked up a lengthy ban for violent conduct after being sent off against Man City for catching Carlos Tevez with a swinging arm, that was the initial offence he got his lengthy ban for what happened next, on the way off the pitch he attacked Man City's Sergio Aguero, tried to headbutt Vincent Kompany and also tried to fight Mario Balotelli. That was violent conduct and Barton deserved the fine and the 12 match ban he received because again that was insane.

The reason for Hazard's red card was also violent conduct but what Hazard did was no where near the scale of what Cantona or Barton did so talks of a lengthy ban for the Belgian and an FA investigation is frankly mad. For the sake of football and in the name of sensible judgement just get on with it give him a one match ban maybe a fine and don't drag the matter out any more than it needs to be.

Hazard was wrong for kicking through the ball boy, the ball boy was wrong for trying to time waste and lying on the ball, both players have said sorry, both apologies have been accepted and that should be it let that be the end of it and get on with what everyone wants to see the actual football.

Congratulations to Swansea city on what is a tremendous victory, they can go forward to Wembley now to face Bradford on what should be one of the greatest days in the club's 101 year history, that is what everyone should be talking about not a stupid incident between a player and a ball boy.

Bayern Munich rumoured to be lining up a £40 million bid for Suarez

2013-01-23T19:08:00.001+00:00

With the Internet rife with rumours that Bayern Munich are preparing a £40 million pound bid for Liverpool's star striker alarm bells will be ringing in the ears of most reds fans.

Luis Suarez has been in scintillating form this year scoring 20 goals in 30 games, and creating many chances for his team mates with spectacular creativity and direct attacking runs. His form has been the highlight of Liverpool's season so far and although he is not without controversy as we all know, he has become Liverpool's star man and he is indispensable to the team.

It is rumoured that Pep Guardiola who will be arriving at Bayern in the summer is bringing his own list of transfer targets and it is believed that Luis Suarez is target number one on that list.

Suarez arrived at Anfield as a direct replacement for former Liverpool hero Fernando Torres and he has lived up to the expectations of him at the club scoring goals and exciting the fans in the same way that Torres did. He has become one of the Premier league's most lethal strikers in the form he is in at the moment and while Torres continues to struggle at Chelsea the Uruguayan continues to improve with each game.

With Sturridge arriving at the club and linking up well with Suarez in his first three matches Liverpool fans are more excited than ever about their new look strike force of Suarez and Sturridge otherwise known as the new S.A.S. This is why I think losing Suarez whether it's for £40 million or not would be a big mistake for Liverpool.

Brendan Rodgers is building an exciting young side with a lot of potential and it is clear he is putting that team together with the partnership between Sturridge and Suarez as one of the main focal points. If he were to leave it would be a huge step in the wrong direction, not only would they lose someone of great ability and talent, who is in great form but it would also put a huge hole in Rodger's plans for the club.

If the club allowed the Uruguayan to even speak to Bayern it would be a mistake as a lot of the players around him would lose confidence in the ambition of the club and the direction that they are trying to go in. A team of Liverpool's history and ambition have to be able to keep hold of their best players.

Although £40 million is a lot I don't think you could find a player in the world to replace him that does what Suarez does in the exciting manner that he brings to the team, he is one of a kind and the fans will be desperate to see the rumours squashed as soon as possible.

Suarez is part of a growing squad who are full of potential and are beginning to play with more confidence as each game passes and I don't think it will be long until they are really challenging the top four in the league once again. He is not without his bad points and the controversy that seems to shadow him but it's his ability and desire on the pitch that makes Suarez the special player he is and if he were to leave in the summer it would be a major setback for Brendan Rodger's plans for Liverpool.

Phillipe Coutinho what can he bring to Anfield

2013-01-21T13:08:00.000+00:00

First of all I'd like to start this article by addressing Wesley Sneijders transfer to Galatasaray, my verdict is that it's a dodged bullet for Liverpool. Yes he would have brought experience and creativity to Liverpool's midfield but with his high wage, his large ego and his sometimes lazy attitude I don't think he was a player that fits in to Brendan Rodgers vision for the Reds.

This brings me on to Coutinho the young Brazilian who is currently at Inter has been linked with Liverpool for the last couple of weeks and it is believed that an £8 million deal for the midfielder is close. Coutinho is a player that very much fits the new policy at Anfield of youth and value for money and at the age of 20 he is a player who can grow into the future of Liverpool.

It's clear that the Brazilian has some talent but he is still a work in progress, he is an exciting tricky midfielder who can bring some extra creative flair to the Liverpool team. Many people have been questioning why Rodgers is looking to bring in another midfielder when they already have Gerrard, Lucas, Allen, Shelvey and Henderson but I think Coutinho is a completely different player to those already at the club.

The young midfielder is much more of a flair player he has tricks in abundance and he can go on long mazy runs taking on players and has the ability to create all sorts of chances with a moment of magic. This type of player that can get the crowd out of their seats and excited he is the type of player which will compliment the industriousness of Lucas, Henderson and Allen and the power of Gerrard and Shelvey very well.

He may be the final piece to the puzzle with Sturridge coming in and making a bright start scoring three in his first three along with the continued good form of Suarez and the impressive Sterling Liverpool are beginning to assemble an exciting attack and Coutinho can only add positives to that.

He has shown glimpses of brilliance here and there for Inter and whilst at loan at Espanyol creating chances for his team-mates. These flashes of magic lead me to believe that if the deal is at the rumoured fee of £8 million it will be a very good signing. At that price for the age he is there is a lot of value in that if he does reach his full potential he could become one of the best young creative midfielders in the Premiership.

There are a lot of ifs there and it is a bit of a gamble as who knows if he will reach his full potential and succeed in the more physical Premier league but for now most Liverpool fans should be excited that one of the brightest young Brazilian talents in Europe may be on the way to Anfield.

Turmoil on the toon

2013-01-20T13:47:00.000+00:00

One win in ten, Their captain wants to go back home to South America, Their star striker has left for Chelsea and with a long injury list, it's fair to say Newcastle are in trouble and going in the wrong direction fast.

Worrying times for Pardew and Newcastle

Pardew needs to change something and quickly as Newcastle's home defeat yesterday to Reading emphasised that they are a team in a relegation battle. Despite being one-nil up Newcastle struggled to create enough chances to put the game to bed and Reading for the second week running showed spirit, desire and belief to turn a loss into a win. These quality's that Reading have shown in the last two weeks are something that are evidently lacking from the Magpies.

They are a team severely lacking in confidence and if something doesn't change soon it could be a return to the Championship for the Toon Army. Losing out on the signing of Loic Remy to QPR was a big blow to Newcastle as that is the key area for them they needed someone to replace the goals that have been lost with Ba moving to Chelsea. Who knows why he chose the team at the bottom of the league it may of been the money but whatever the reason it's cost Newcastle dearly as they are still left struggling to find somebody to put the ball in the net.

With teams around them like Reading and Southampton getting positive results the pressure is on Newcastle. They need some serious investment between now and deadline day or come the end of the season they could be looking back on a season of regrets and what ifs.

What if Ba hadn't of left? What if we got Remy? What if Cabaye, Ben Arfa and Tiote hadn't got injured for so long? The answer to all these questions is there should never have to be what ifs, it's been evident at St James Park for a while that they have a good first team, but they're threadbare squad needs investment and that is something Pardew should have identified and that is his responsibility.

The simple fact is that the players that have had to come in to try and plug the gaps because of injuries to key players just aren't good enough for a team with the expectations of Newcastle. I think what they do in the transfer window between now and deadline day will have a massive bearing their premiership status at the end of the season.

Pardew needs to instill some belief and confidence in his side and with some investment if he can get them fired up I think they can save their season but who knows come May those odds of 3/1 on them being relegated could be a lot shorter.

Little reminders of home

2013-01-19T13:04:00.004+00:00

Don't get me wrong I love living in Liverpool and the independence that comes with it but sometimes when you get little reminders of home I still kind of wish I was back in Telford.

Today my dad sent me some pictures of the scenery and my dog when they went out for a walk in the snow and it looks like so much fun. That's what I miss most here I think just the big open fields and little country walks that you don't get in a city but I know there'll be plenty of time for those things once I finish my degree.

It was nice to get some pictures of home and besides my dog seemed to love the snow, which is good considering last time I was home there were times he was scared to even leave the house.

Pep Guardiola: Destination Munich

2013-01-16T20:01:00.001+00:00

It has been announced that Bayern Munich will be managed by Pep Guardiola he has signed a three year deal at the German club which will see him take over in the summer.

Now we all know the deal with Pep, great young manager with a lot of potential, managed one of the most formidable Barcelona team in recent years and won pretty much everything there was to win with them in the four years at the helm.

Eventually he felt it was time to move on and took a years sabbatical, so what happened next was everything to be expected, rumours flying left, right and centre about Pep's next destination, expected location was the premiership. Whether it be Old Trafford to succeed Sir Alex, The Etihad to take City to the next level the Emirates to revolutionise the Gunners or to Stamford Bridge to lead European champions Chelsea everybody thought the Premier league was going to get a Premier manager in Guardiola.

However now we have found out it is not to be and Bayern Munich last seasons beaten Champions league finalists have secured the Spaniard we can look at the reasons why Guardiola would prefer a move to Germany rather than England.

Bayern are Germany's most successful club and have a global following in my opinion there is no reason why they can't be considered as big as if not bigger than any team in the Premier league, they have reached the Champions league final twice in the last three seasons although losing in the final it has only been by narrow margins against Chelsea last year in particular.

They are a very stable club with an amazing stadium in the Allainz arena, a good youth system which has produced some very talented youngsters like Müller, Badstuber and Kroos in recent years as well as Schweinsteiger and Lahm amongst others in the past. They play attractive football and they have good finances, what have they not got going for them?

The competition and the spotlight, Bayern Munich are a great team but they have often not had has much spotlight or attention as teams in England get as the Bundesliga is just not seen as an exciting league in comparison to La Liga or the Premiership this has often been because there hasn't been enough consistent competition and one team usually being Bayern Munich have dominated.

However that is beginning to change as the Bundesliga's reputation grows and young teams like Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke have grown into strong teams, with Dortmund winning the league the last two seasons under another talented young manager Jurgen Klopp, Bayern Munich's domination of German football has loosened and now they have some consistent competition which should bring out the best in them and also create more excitement about Bundesliga.

What better time for Guardiola to come to Germany with what could be the next golden generation of German football teams on the horizon the challenge of taking over at such a prestigious club must be a truly exciting one for the Spaniard.

Their playing style and philosophy will suit Pep as like Barcelona they like to play fluid passing football, maybe not so much Tiki-Taka though more total football as they go from back to front very quickly and strike from the wings. He may also get more of a chance in Germany their media there is not so aggressively cynical, he will be given a lot of time to do things his way, whereas in England perhaps if he had of come to Chelsea or somewhere else if he was not an instant success there would be questions about his ability.

Guardiola is a talented young manager with many many more years to go in his career, he has a good vision and if he can implement that onto the Bayern team in the same way he did at Barcelona the Spaniard will do no less than succeed and become a Munich legend.

It's likely that one day Guardiola will end up in the Premiership one day but who knows when or even where but for now let's just embrace that one of the most talented young managers in European football is coming back to the beautiful game.

Price of football row Linesman axed after speaking out

2013-01-15T17:26:00.001+00:00

Linesman John brooks who was assistant during Man City's emphatic 2-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday has been dropped from tonight's FA cup replay between West Brom and QPR.

The assistant was captured on camera and heard during the post-match handshakes telling Joleon Lescott to go see the City fans who had paid £62 at the cheapest to see their team play. This all comes during a heated uproar at the moment about the price of football in England as some Man City fans decided to boycott the game.

Brooks told Lescott "They've payed 62 quid over there go and see them."

Image taken from Twitter

The Professional game match officials said that the decision had been taken to give brooks the night off as they felt the publicity and attention could unsettle him.

The decision to drop the official from his role in tonight's game at The Hawthorns will only add fuel to the fire as the absence of Brooks will only lead to more publicity. Brooks did nothing wrong he just wanted the multi-million pound players on the pitch to go and acknowledge the fans who support them for whom it is a huge expense these days to continue to support them.

Not only did the City fans have to pay £62 for a ticket they would also have had to make the long and expensive journey down from Manchester and then consider food and match day memorabilia the day would of cost in excess of £100 per person. This extortionate price is absolutely ridiculous to watch 22 professional footballers who are paid thousands or pounds a week for just 90 minutes.

This is what has got fans so wound up about the price of going to watch live football in England these days as not only are they watching their clubs in many cases lose their traditions to multi million pound takeovers as well as stadium moves in the case of Arsenal, they are also having to bear the brunt of a huge increase in ticket prices which is making watching live football impossible for many. Working class fans of football are literally being priced out of supporting their teams and it appears it wont be long until something has got to give as fans become more and more frustrated.

Brooks will have been adopted as a hero for standing up for fans in the fight against rising ticket prices in football and now dropping him from tonight's fixture appears as if they are trying to silence any protests against the prices. This will only bring more reaction and outcry and I don't think that football fans will appreciate this decision being made.

Michael Johnson: A hot prospect that faded amongst the riches

2013-01-15T13:45:00.002+00:00

It was reported by the Guardian today that Man city have finally lost patience with 24 year old midfielder Michael Johnson and decided to release him for his £40,000 a week contract at Eastlands.

Many casual fans and kids under the age of 10 will probably be saying who is he? Most people will have completely forgot Johnson was even at City, as he completely missed out on the revolution of the Blue side of Manchester as he was constantly pushed back in the pecking order by new multi-million signings whilst he struggled with niggling injuries.

However not so long ago the dynamic midfielder was tipped as one of England's rising young talents. He made his city debut in October 2006 as a fresh faced 18 year old in a 4-0 loss to Wigan, Johnson's introduction was one of the few highlights of that performance as his combatitive style and his creative ability highlighted him as a potential talent. He didn't start again until he played in a 2-0 win over Middlesborough in March but after that he didn't look back from there as he enjoyed a continued run in the team making 7 consectutive first team appearances season putting in good performances and impressing a lot of people however a hamstring injury ended his season prematurely.

He returned to the City side in the 2007-2008 season makin 23 appearances along with a couple of appearances for the England u21 side. However despite the teenagers bright start to his career at City he suffered an abdominal injury over the Christmas period of 2007 which would leave hime needing a double hernia operation and this injury really proved to be the catalyst of the players downfall.

He came back into the team after recovering to end the 07-08 season and made a bright start to the following season but a reoccurence of his abdominal problems put him out of action for nearly a year, which meant he only managed 3 appearances for the first team that season. Since then he has appeared only once more in a Carling Cup tie in 2009 against Scunthorpe scoring a goal but he later suffered a serious knee injury which again ended his season and ultimately it would seem his Manchester City career.

By the time Johnson had any sort of fitness back the City team had been overhauled with Multi-Million pounds investment and the former mid-table side were now title challengers. Johnson was now behind players such as Gareth Barry, Nigel De Jong, Yaya Toure, James Milner, David Silva amongst others and Johnson has never been seen again in the City squad.

So a young talent who has been very unlucky with injuries has lost his status as a squad member at Eastlands but it would seem that his injury problems were not the only reason he has been cut loose. Still at the age of 24 Johnson has still got some considerable playing time left in him but the Guardian has also published a photograph of Johnson now. He is no longer a fresh faced hot shot prospect on city's books he looks more like someone you'd expect to find down your local chippy.

Picture taken from Twitter

Johnson's fitness is not the only thing that has cost him, his attitude has been questioned by managers Roberto Mancini and predecessor Mark Hughes who both felt he didn't have the temperment to play football at a top class professional level. He has two drink driving offences to his name both coming in the space of three months in early 2012 which left him with a 3 year driving ban and a £5,500 fine. These offences add more weight to the claims by his managers about his attitude as it was often said he preferred a night out rather than to be in training.

It's a sad decline for a player who was once sounded out as England's next big thing but it would seem it may have been too much too young for the guy, as sitting around not playing football but still being paid £40 grand plus a week would prove difficult for most people not to get carried away and waste it. It would seem that he lost his way and chose to waste his money on food and nights out and the lack of fitness has certainly not helped as he has put on the pounds.

City have finally lost patience with the midfielder and his lack of fitness and desire to get back into the game and they have thrown him by the wayside to take an unused wage off their bills. They can't be blamed for this as it only makes sense, if he's not fit enough to even challenge for a place in their squads then what's the point in having him.

I only hope as a fan of Johnson and a keen admirer of him when he first broke into the premiership that this can provide him with the shock he needs to turn his life around and get back into the game. He is still young and no one can deny that he has talent he just needs to prove that he's got the fitness, the attitude and the desire to go with it.

There is still plenty of opportunitys for him if he could get fit and stay fit I don't see why clubs wouldn't want him if he could prove he was on the right track because he is obviously a player with something or else he wouldn't of been held onto at City for so long.

It's just a matter of waiting to see if Johnson wants it, if he does then we could see him back on the football pitch again soon, and I hope so too.

Back to business

2013-01-15T12:49:00.001+00:00

Finally after an Christmas period of hiatus from blogging I've got back round to blogging again, fresh from becoming a trainee journalist and rest after a busy christmas for me I'm full of ideas and ready to go!

Is Arsene Wenger running out of time at Arsenal?

2012-12-05T19:07:00.002+00:00

Arsene Wenger has been manager of Arsenal since 1996 and over the years he has won many trophies including the league three times and the FA cup four times. In guiding his team to these triumphs he has also won a lot of respect from fellow coaches, pundits and players alike with the way he has built his sides up and nurtured young talents.

Although Arsenal haven’t won a trophy in seven years Wenger has always been given the benefit of the doubt as fans accepted he was building a new generation Arsenal squad following the departures and retirements of key players such as Henry, Pires, Vieira, Gilberto Silba and Bergkamp.

Fans began to become frustrated when Wenger allowed their captain and most influential player Fabregas to leave for Barcelona in 2011, Fabregas wanted the move just as much as Barcelona wanted him though so fans stuck by Wenger.

However this year Wenger allowed the same thing to happen again letting their captain and talismanic striker Robin Van Persie to leave for premier league rivals Manchester United, this was the last straw and disillusioned fans started to turn against ‘Le Professeur.’

It’s obvious that Arsenal have become a selling club and they just can’t keep up financially with the likes of Chelsea, Man city and United, but surely that’s not Arsene’s fault? … No, but Arsene has never had the financial fire power but this is why he has had such an impressive managerial career. He has an innate ability to pick out rough gems and nurture them into world beaters in recent years though he seems to have lost that magic touch.

Arsenal’s recipe for success has always been integrating young talents into teams with experience and leaders at its core. This has always been key as the experienced players helped the youngsters grow into their potential, this team Wenger currently has at his disposal though doesn’t really have a Vieria, a Fabregas, an Henry or a Van Persie, a talisman for the youngsters to learn from and this may be the reason for some poor performances this year.

They lie tenth in the premiership with only five wins from fifteen games. Although they have qualified for the Champion’s League knock-out rounds confidence is low at the club following disappointing losses to Swansea and Olympiakos, Wenger needs to find something in his team and inspire them to turn this season around.

Life has become tough in London for the Frenchman and if he can’t get his side back on track it may be the end of Arsenal’s longest serving and most successful manager as fans become increasingly more frustrated with his tactics and team selections.

Darren Bent becoming lost in the wilderness?

2012-11-29T22:13:00.002+00:00

Darren Bent is a player that has paid his dues at several clubs varying in levels but he’s never been too far away from the top flight with stints at Ipswich, Charlton, Tottenham and a particularly prolific spell at Sunderland scoring 32 goals in 58 appearances between 2009 and January 2011.

This form led then Aston villa manager Gerard Houllier to bid £18 million for the striker to bolster their own attacking options in the January transfer window which was rejected this upset Bent who wanted to consider the move. This led to him submitting a transfer request and when Villa returned with an improved offer that could rise to £24 million, Sunderland had no choice but to let him go.

After moving to the club Bent scored 9 goals in 16 appearances for Villa to end the season as Villa’s joint top scorer this filled Villa fans with optimism that he would pay back the huge Sum invested in him. In the following season Bent again finished as the clubs top scorer despite missing the last three months of the season with ruptured ligaments after he suffered an awkward fall against Wigan. This injury also meant Darren Bent would miss out on selection for Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2012 squad.

Following a tough season Aston Villa sacked Alex McLeish after just one season and in came former Norwich man Paul Lambert. Stiliyan Petrov the club captain was unfortunately diagnosed with leukaemia which means he is unable to take part in this season which left the team without a captain.

Darren Bent was chosen by Paul Lambert to take over the captaincy in an interim capacity, however he only held this role for a month until Dutchman Ron Vlaar was appointed captain for the 2-0 win over Swansea in September. Bent then lost his starting place to new signing Christian Benteke who impressed in a midweek cup draw against Man City.

Since then the Belgian has taken a firm grasp of the starting spot as Bent has fallen further out of favour with Lambert. He has been omitted from the last two match squads against both Arsenal and Reading which has led to questions about the player’s future at the club. Bent apparently even tried to leave the ground on Wednesday night after finding out he wasn’t in the squad.

Bent’s temperament has been questioned in the past and his work rate and dedication have also been issues that have been questioned and this may be the problem here, but it can’t be denied that Bent is a talent that can only improve a side.

Despite the forward being left out, Paul Lambert states that he has ‘no problem whatsoever’ with the player and he says he does have a future at the club. Speculation continues to grow however that Bent is unhappy and will seek football elsewhere, if he is continually left out. There have been rumours of a cut price deal or loan with an option to but to Liverpool which would certainly be something for Brendan Rodgers to think about who has striking problems of his own.

Bent is a player that has proved himself to be a good quality goal scorer and an obvious talent and he should be entering the peak of his career moving into his late twenty’s early thirties but without the first team football he craves he will struggle to gain any sort of form.

The arrival of Christian Benteke at the club has obviously unsettled the strikers position at the club and it now seems that he has become out of favour with Lambert but only people on the inside of the club may know why the two’s relationship has deteriorated to this point. At this point he may be forced to look elsewhere for first team football.

What's happened at the Hawthorns?

2012-11-27T17:21:00.000+00:00

West Bromwich Albion for years known as the yo-yo club of the football leagues as season after season they swapped back and forth between premier league and championship football, as they never really managed to get a stable position in the top flight.

However that all seems to be in the past now, in 2011 under the stewardship of Roberto Di Matteo they established a more fluid style that saw them play attractive football but they struggled in defence. In February of 2011 Di Matteo was sacked after a poor run of form, in came Roy Hodgson after a tough time at Anfield. Hodgson welcomed the opportunity to take on the challenge of stopping the rot at the Hawthorns and stabilising The Baggies premier league status, he did that and they finished 11^th. The 2011-2012 season Hodgson went one better and guided the club to 10^th place their best finish in the top flight since 1981.

Hodgson had the club going in the right direction as they solidified themselves as a mid table premier league side, but before the end of the 2012 season Hodgson was approached by the FA to take the vacant England position. This came as a surprise as he was selected over the bookies and pretty much everyone’s favourite Harry Redknapp but it was nothing less than Hodgson deserved for years of good work in the game. Hodgson can’t be begrudged for taking the role on as it was the opportunity of a life time for him, but this left the baggies managerless and unsure of who to turn to.

A month later though Steve Clarke former assistant manager to both Jose Mourinho and Kenny Dalglish at Chelsea and Liverpool respectively took the reigns of the midlands club. At first this was met as a bit of a shock as the Scotsman Clarke had never held a permanent position as a full time manager before, however he soon proved that he had learnt a thing or two under the special one at Chelsea and Dalglish at Liverpool.

Clarke has been impressive in his first few months at the helm of the club, combining a new style of fluid counter-attacking football with the organisational and defensive strengths Hodgson installed in the side and the end product has been a huge surprise to everyone.

With just over three months gone the Baggies sit in third spot in the league taking 26 points from their 13 games played including impressive wins over Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton and Sunderland. This is West Brom’s best start to a top flight season in over 60 years and a lot of this season’s success has to be put down to the way Steve Clarke has managed the team.

Clarke made some shrewd signings over the summer to strengthen the squad and he also held on to players he needed to keep. He secured the permanent signature from Birmingham of Ben Foster who had been on loan at the club the previous season, Foster at one point was being touted as one of the country’s best and it seems that since joining West Brom he is regaining the form that earnt him that label.

West Brom also managed to get Romelu Lukaku on loan the big Belgian striker who Chelsea signed as a hot prospect from Anderlecht has shown a lot of potential for West Brom as he has hit four goals in his 11 matches and he has always proved to be a handful for the opposition defence.

One of the more understated signings Clarke made was that of Claudio Yacob an Argentine midfielder, who signed from Racing Club in Spain, when signed he was somewhat of an unknown quantity but the Scotsman obviously saw something in him and he has repaid that faith greatly. He made his debut against Liverpool and earnt man of the match against the reds and since he has put in quality performances, he is the transitional lynch pin in the team and his presence has often proved to be the catalyst for West Brom to switch quickly from defence to attack.

However it’s not just the man’s shrewd signings that have transformed West Brom into the team they are today, his man management skills have also been very impressive as he has instilled previously missing confidence in strikers Shane Long, Peter Odemwingie and midfielder Zoltan Gera who have all inspired impressive wins this season.

Add to his man management skills his tactical astuteness and the counter attacking philosophy he has brought to the side West Brom look more hungry and ruthless than ever before and they have really been the surprise package so far this season.

Now the question on everyone’s lips is how far can West Brom really go under Clarke? Everybody is expecting this bubble to burst but what if it doesn't and this run continues, only time will tell but for now West Brom fans will be ecstatic with the start they have made and they will be hoping it continues for as long as possible.

Chelsea Vs Liverpool 11/11/12 A preview

2012-11-10T16:11:00.002+00:00

Chelsea host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on sunday in what is sure to be a tense and fiery affair. The clubs met four times last year with Liverpool doing the double in the league and knocking Chelsea out of the League cup however Liverpool were denied a clean sweep as Chelsea beat the Reds in May to secure FA cup glory with a 2-1 victory. So overall Liverpool maybe got the better of Chelsea last year but suffered ultimately losing the one they really wanted in the cup final.

However a lot has changed since last year Liverpool have a new manager and a new passing philosophy, whereas Chelsea still have the same manager but his philosophy has changed dramatically with the introduction of new attacking personnel to make them a force to be reckoned with up front.

These changes are what will make this fixture all the more interesting this season as Chelsea look to take revenge against Liverpool in the league. Chelsea have seen the introduction of Eden Hazard and Oscar two bright talents who have gelled almost instantly with Juan Mata to form one of the most formidable attacking forces in the country. However despite their new found attacking fluiditiy they have been exposed to be much more open and a bit more vulnerable at the back as shown in the two recent fixtures with Manchester United and Liverpool will be hoping that they can take advantage of this.

Liverpool have not been firing on all cylinders though as only Suarez has been finding the net with any consistency as others have stuggled to find the net and convert chances when it's mattered and they are currently in the bottom half of the table because of this. They will be hoping that this sunday they can turn this around and get their season back on track. Rodgers will be expected to bring Suarez and Gerrard back into the starting line up after resting them for the trip to Russia in midweek and the Reds will be hoping that they can inspire their team to provide a good result to go with a good performance.

This fixture also allows Fernando Torres the chance to kickstart his season against his former club where he enjoyed so much success, the £50 million pound man has struggled at Chelsea since his big money move in January of 2011. He has not yet managed to re-produce the scintillating form he had at Anfield and has often cut a forlorn figure lacking confidence on the pitch. He now has a chance this year as Chelsea's leading striker to try and get some form together and he will be hoping he can start this and score tomorrow when Liverpool come to the capital.

The man brought in to replace him however Luis suarez has become a talisman at the club just as Torres once was and he has been Liverpool's main source of goals this year scoring 10 in 15 appearances, his best goal to game ratio at this stage of the season in his time at the club. He scored one of the best goals you'll see all season last week against Newcastle and fans of the Uruguayan will be hoping he can continue his good form tomorrow.

Form is very much on Chelsea's side but this is Chelsea Liverpool and form can not be relied upon. Liverpool should be back to full strength as they welcome back Pepe Reina and former blue Glen Johnson following injuries which have kept the pair out out for the last two weeks. Chelsea welcom back John Terry following his four game suspension following the racism row with Anton Ferdinand.

I feel that this will be an open game with some very attractive football with the great passing style of both teams on display here. Liverpool will be hoping that they can change the story of their season so far and they will be able to convert the chances that their neat passing play creates. On the other hand Chelsea will be hoping that their forwards can continue to score so freely whilst the reinstatement of John Terry will hopefully keep it tight at the back.

Overall I think whoever scores first will go onto to win and I'm gonna stick my neck out and go with my heart and say 2-1 Liverpool.

Liverpool 's reliance on Suarez a concern

2012-11-09T21:06:00.001+00:00

Liverpool fans started the season with hopeful optimism that a new era under Brendan Rodgers would see the return of the glory days to Anfield. However nearly a quarter of the way into the season each game is becoming a more and more familiar frustrating affair for the Reds.
The easy on the eye passing football that Rodgers made so succesful at Swansea is there for all to see in the Liverpool side however it is the end result that is becoming the problem as week after week a good performance doesn't get the result as too many chances are spurned and Liverpools weak firepower is exposed.

They currently lie 12th in league with just 11 points from ten games which isn't good enough for a team of Liverpools high standards and tradition. They were knocked out of the tournament they won last year, the league cup by Rodgers former side Swansea and they currently hold second spot in a tight Europa league group.

So far not so good for the new era under Brendan Rodgers, one of the problems - strength in depth. Liverpool continue to play good football under the new passing philosophy but they have struggled to match the performance with a good result. Rodgers has managed to integrate some of Anfields brightest talents into the first team, with youngsters like Suso, Raheem Sterling Adam Morgan and Samid Yesil and Andre Wisdom joining Jonjo Shelvey and Jon flanagan as names regularly on the team sheet that weren't given the chance under Kenny Dalglish. However these youngsters coming through although they are talented and bring a new dimension to the team, they can't be expected to provide cover and goals as instantly as Rodgers needs them to.

Liverpool are currently far too reliant on Luis Suarez who has had by far his best start to the season in a Liverpool shirt scoring 10 goals in 15 games however it has not been without incident as many would expect from the Uruguayan. The striker has been accused by many as going down to easily to win decisions something which he has done on occasion and this type of thing can't be defended. However due to this he has suffered a backlash from fans and other players around the country which has put added pressure on referees in situations that involve Suarez, this has led to an issue that when he does get fouled referee's are reluctant to give him the decision as his reputation now preceeds him as he is becoming one of the most hated men in English football.

This is a problem as there have been occasions where Suarez has lacked some protection from the ref's such as Huth's stamp on him when Stoke came to Anfield. This is worrying for Rodgers as Suarez could be at risk to injury under a particularly heavy challenge and when you look at the attacking options available beyond Suarez there is nobody really that you can look at and say he will get you anywher near the same amount of goals as Suarez would.

Fabio Borini a summer acquisition from Roma is the next best striker in the side but he is out of action with a foot injury for some time, which leaves Samid Yesil and Adam Morgan the next best options for Rodgers. Two players who are both prolific at youth level but somewhat of an unknown quantity at senior level and they can't be expected to carry the teams goal threat.

Combine the thought of losing Suarez with the fact that the supporting midfielders are also struggling to provide any goals the importance of Suarez to the Liverpool side is massive. The stats say it all and without Suarez's goals this year Liverpool would currently be bottom of the league.

This is an issue highlighted in the last week or so as Liverpool rested Suarez for the midweek game against Swansea last week ahead of a tough league fixture against Newcastle leaving Yesil to lead the line. The German looked bright but failed to find the net against the Welsh side, the difference in class was shown as Suarez came on for the teenager and scored although by this point Liverpool were already 2-0 down and went on to lose 3-1.

Suarez showed his brilliance against Newcastle scoring one of the goals of the goals of the month and maybe even the season but again Liverpool failed to capitalize on chances and they drew 1-1. The return of european football saw the Reds take a long journey to Russia to face Anzhi, a match which Rodgers chose to rest Suarez knowing that Liverpool face a tough fixture three days later against a strong Chelsea side. This time Adam Morgan was given the chance to lead the line but again it was the same outcome despite looking bright in stages Liverpool fell to a 1-0 defeat.

Some Liverpool fans will be looking at Rodgers and the clubs heirarchy and blaming the transfer policy as on the last day of the Summer transfer window Liverpool let Andy Carroll the £35 million pound man from Newcastle leave on loan to West ham, without finding a replacement. Liverpools loss was very much West ham's gain as the big striker has made a good start to life in London putting in some very positive performances. The big Striker's physicality and ability is something that the merseyside club lack up front.

Liverpool have been linked with a number of names to bolster their front line in the last few weeks and Liverpool fans will be hoping Luis Suarez can stay fit until the January transfer window comes round when the club can get some reinforcements in to improve the depth in the squad.

Thunder apparel the highlight of my new clothes hunt

2012-11-09T15:39:00.000+00:00

After a very long time of being a poor student pay day finally came around and I decided my money would be best spent put towards updating my wardrobe which has been lacking in new items for a while now.

So after deciding I couldn't find anything I like in the usual high-street shops like topman, H&M and river island I turned my attention to the online universe and more specifically the independent clothes stores.

A couple of Hours and a packet of chocolate bourbons passed and searching for stuff that I liked became more and more tedious, I nearly had enough and gave up until I came across www.thunderapparel.co.uk I'd finally found what I wanted.

Offering good quality, well styled clothing at a good price, thunder apparel really appealed to me, being a student I can't afford to break the bank on expensive designer pieces but I'm more than happy to spend a reasonable £15 on a nice t-shirt or two.

Their range of Unisex T-shirts immediately caught my eye I liked their thunder wolves branding and the simple design combined with a good price I couldn't resist splashing out on a couple of items from their store.

This long sleeve Thunder wolves hunting crew top being one of them.

The delivery was fast and the item quality is great and I would definitely be going back to thunder apparel again soon.

Check them out!

Song of the day - Fun. Some nights

2012-11-09T15:14:00.002+00:00

Have some Friday fun with the band FUN.

This song although it is already 5 months old I've only just got round to hearing it in the last couple of weeks but I'm glad I've finally heard it (better late than never).

Fun. seem to have a knack for writing a catch pop tune and they've followed up 'We are young' with another. Some Nights is one of those songs that will be stuck in your head for days on end with a piercing march like drum beat and guitar riffs that carry the sombre lyrics of loneliness and self-depreciation on an optimistic wave of popsounds.

The only down side of this song is the use of auto-tune towards the end, auto-tune that frankly isn't needed as highlighted in acoustic performances, Nate Reuss has a unique tone and clearly doesn't need any help with his vocals.

All in all a great catchy Pop song from the American 3-piece and one that would make a good soundtrack to anyone's Friday.

Everton vs Liverpool a preview to the derby

2012-10-23T18:44:00.002+01:00

This Sunday Sees Everton host Liverpool at Goodison Park in this seasons first installment of the Merseyside derby.

The derby although most people already know this, is traditionally a fiery affair with the teams being seperated by less than a mile in the shape of Stanley Park. Although it has in the past been given the 'friendly derby' tag, most games do not go without incident, the merseyside derby has seen more red cards than any other fixture since the beginning of the Premiership era.

Liverpool go into this game off the back of a solid win against Reading keeping a clean sheet and also seeing 17 year old starlet Raheem Sterling notch his first premier league goal with a smart finish. Although this victory saw more positives for Brendan Rodgers side Liverpools form has been indifferent this season and leaves them down in 12th in the league taking only nine points from eight games, which is no where near good enough for a team with the expectations and traditions of Liverpool. It has often been a case of all style and substance for the reds as they have often lost out on the three points this season by failing to convert chances despite good performances.

Everton on the other hand made a great start to the season with a win over Man United and a solid result against Aston Villa followed by two wins and a draw from their four fixtures in September. However squad depth has always been a problem David Moyes has had to deal with at Goodison and again the fragility of his team is being shown as injuries to key first team players has exposed Evertons weaker back up players. They have drawn their last two games away to both Wigan and QPR, two fixtures Everton would have expected to win. Despite the recent drop in form though Everton hold 4th place in the league with 15 points from their first eight games.

So coming into this weekend it seems to be a fairly even encounter between two sides however the merseyside derby is no ordinary fixture and anything could happen.

Looking at the likely teams ahead of the game it could be a fixture that is won in the midfield area, and with the players that Everton could be missing it appears the advantage would be with Liverpool.

Everton are already missing Darren Gibson through injury and Fellaini will have to undergo a late fitness test to make the kick off come half one, following a knee injury picked up whilst on international duty with Belgium. However if the afro-haired talisman can be fit it would be a big boost to Everton.

David Moyes has a back up plan in the shape of experienced midfielder Thomas 'the hammer' Hitzlperger who was brought in on a free last week but again he is struggling to be at full fitness and could only make a cameo in the game.

The blues weakened midfield was shown up against a battling QPR side last weekend as Osman and Neville struggled to win the ball and create any real possession for the toffees. Everton's performance on the whole seemed disjointed agains the London side without Fellaini in the middle.

They also weren't helped by the harsh sending off of Steven Pienaar meanin he will also miss the derby. The South-african midfielder has been one half of the premiership's most devestating left sided combination this season. He and left back Leighton Baines have provided the most goals for Everton this season with some brilliant link up play and accurate deliveries to the box and that partnership will be a big miss for the blues.

Liverpool are not without their own problems however facing somewhat of a striker crisis after failing to get a replacement in for out of favour Andy Carroll on deadline day and losing Fabio Borini to injury, leaving Luis Suarez as a lone striker for the reds.

Suarez is one of the most frustrating players to watch in the game of football for every act of genius he comes up with there's an act of stupidity to cancel it out. Despite his obvious talent he is something of a controversial character already well documented so I won't go to much into that, but another problem with the Uruguayan is his conversion rate. He doesn't score half as many goals as he should do, he uses his trickery and skill to get into great positions but quite often fails to put the ball in the net.

Liverpool fans me included will be hoping that come sunday Suarez manages to keep himself out of trouble and has his scoring boots on because on his day he can be unplayable.

Should it be Osman and Neville that face the reds on sunday it could be expected that Gerrard, Allen and either one of Shelvey or Sahin, will be the much more mobile of the central midfielders and they should be able to use their speed and technical ability to create great chances for the reds.

Overall I think it will be a close game and if Everton can get Fellaini's name on the starting line-up then it will be even tighter, but I'm going to stick my neck out and say I think it will be 2-1 Liverpool.