English Football Blog - Soccer News And Comment

Setanta Sports Goes Bust

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:06:00 +0000

The most ridiculous piece of football news this week concerns the sports television channel Setanta. The supposed rival channel to Sky has gone under with millions of pounds outstanding. They could not even meet the latest payment that was due to the clubs. This is a clear breach of contract by Setanta Sports. The matches they had exclusive broadcast rights for will now be sold to the highest bidder. That is a polite way of saying they will be snapped up by Sky.

Opinion on the failed channel was mixed to say the least. One criticism was the Premiership games often lacked variety with one team in particular screened regularly. Any non subscribers who were considering signing up must be heaving a huge sigh of relief. Getting your money back in this scenario can sometimes be a struggle.

Presumably this means the return of Sky’s Prem Plus package. Why they cannot just keep all the games in one package is beyond belief. If a customer subscribes to Sky sports, they should not have to fork out to see some more live Premiership football. It is just a ploy to squeeze some more money out of the loyal customer base. In the present economic climate these tactics are not welcome.

The reasons for the demise of Setanta Sports are not clear although they had obviously bitten off more than they could chew. Whether you like them or not Sky are an established giant when it comes to sport on television. Now that Setanta has come and gone there is only one real solution for sports on television.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Good Riddance To The Winker

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:57:00 +0000

It was always a possibility that Cristiano Ronaldo would eventually get his way and move to Real Madrid. He is one of the best players in the World but his behaviour does not always match his skills. This goes back to the World Cup when he played a part in getting his club team mate Wayne Rooney sent off. That game between England and Portugal showed the global television audience exactly what Ronaldo is like.

Many felt that Sir Alex Ferguson should have washed his hands of him back then. However, he did nothing of the sort and instead he remained loyal to Ronaldo. He has developed into quite a player although it could be said that is not necessarily a good thing. He has behaved like a spoilt child at times in the last year throwing his toys out of the pram when he did not get his move to Madrid. Although he pledged loyalty to United, it was not convincing. It was more a case of delaying the inevitable.

This year he has looked disinterested and brilliant often in the same game. In the Premiership, he has thrown tantrums when being substituted. After the Champions League final, his criticism of Fergie’s tactics was very disrespectful. The time was right for Manchester United to get rid and get the best possible price for him. The £80 million transfer is a World record and allows replacements to be brought in.

Ronaldo is the latest in a long line of great players that have left the club. The manager is an expert at rebuilding teams when key players depart. When next season gets underway Manchester United will still be a good bet for the title even without the winker.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

The Rich Man's Toy

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:57:00 +0000

At the start of the season, not many people would have tipped Newcastle United for relegation. The fact they now find themselves in the Championship is due to a catalogue of errors. Numerous mistakes have been made during the course of the season by the owner Mike Ashley.

The reason for the sacking of Sam Allardyce was reported to be the type of football the team was producing. This is a valid point but Allardyce would not have delivered relegation had he remained in charge. The hierarchy decided to bring back Toon legend Kevin Keegan. This raised an eyebrow or two in some quarters but it was considered a safe appointment. Keegan would have the backing of the fans and would get the team playing attractive and attacking football.

For some strange reason Ashley then decided to bring in a director of football. Club chairmen do not seem to learn that in English football the director of football role rarely succeeds. This scenario just creates conflict between the manager and the director. The manager should be solely responsible for deciding which players should be bought or sold.

The appointment was cheeky cockney Dennis Wise a man with no connection to the North East which made matters worse. Furthermore it is believed that Keegan and Wise did not really get along beforehand. The rest is history as Keegan walked away after issuing an ultimatum that was not met.

The next manger to be given the job was former Wimbledon boss Joe Kinnear who had been out of the game for some time. Ill health put paid to his stint and that is where the crucial error was made. An experienced manger should have been appointed immediately but instead Ashley left Chris Hughton in charge.

The last throw of the dice was appointing Alan Shearer with only a handful of games remaining. Shearer is worshipped by the supporters but had an impossible task to keep them up. Money has been thrown around like confetti in recent years on a host of poor signings. Average players have been given very generous contracts and have simply not earned those wages.

If the club is to make an instant return to the Premiership then a massive clear out is required. Under performing players who are on contracts of £50,000 a week or more, need to be moved out of the club. You need a fair amount of fighting spirit to get out of the Championship and that is one quality the current squad does not have in abundance.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Dream Champions League Final

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:26:00 +0000

The purists and any neutral football supporters will be eagerly anticipating the final game of the Champions League between Manchester United and Barcelona. European football’s governing body UEFA will also be looking forward to the occasion. There is talk that the official who refereed the Chelsea v Barcelona semi-final match was under orders not to allow an all English final.

Tom Henning Ovrebo made numerous ridiculous decisions during the match for both sides. The most controversial incidents involved at least three clear penalties for Chelsea which he turned down. This happens all the time in football but three clear penalties for the same team in one match is highly unusual. This is why there is a growing suspicion that someone got to the referee.

It is claimed that Ovrebo was an inexperienced official having only refereed 10 Champions League matches previously. If they have any commonsense UEFA will ensure he does not get a chance to officiate in any more. That is assuming they do not want to reward him for his services.

Both semi-finals were shrouded in controversy because of poor refereeing decisions. A strong referee with sufficient experience needs to be appointed for the final. Considering the competition involves the cream of European football the main talking points should be about the game itself rather than the standard of officiating.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Player Of The Year Farce

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:56:00 +0000

The PFA player of the year award usually goes to the season’s outstanding footballer. This year the accolade has been given to Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs. To say this was a controversial award is something of an understatement. Giggs is an outstanding professional and has been a great servant to his club and football in general. He would be deserving of a lifetime achievement award for such a long and successful career.

Having said that to award him the player of the year is ridiculous simply because he has only started 12 games this season. He has been chosen ahead of several of his fellow professionals who would have been more worthy of the award. Last year’s winner Cristiano Ronaldo is not everyone’s cup of tea and maybe this was a snub to him because of the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch. It is fair to say that Giggs is a model professional and the exact opposite of Ronaldo which may have been reflected in the vote.

The full list of nominees was Edwin Van Der Sar, Ryan Giggs, Nemanja Vidic. Rio Ferdinand, Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard. This season Giggs has been out performed by every single nominee. The fact the list included five Manchester United players also raised a few eyebrows. If he had not missed games through injury, the award would probably have gone to Gerrard. Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has had yet another free scoring season and was also unlucky not to feature.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Eight Goal Thrillers

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:44:00 +0000

Premiership title challengers Liverpool seem to be developing a habit of participating in eight goal thrillers. The recent Champions League semi-final 2nd leg against Chelsea finished in a 4-4 draw and has been labelled as one of the best games of recent years.

The Premiership fixture between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield came very close for sheer entertainment. This match also finished all square at 4-4 with plenty of incident and drama which is what makes the Premiership so popular. Games like this are great for the neutral but not the two managers concerned. Benitez in particular will be pulling his hair out at some of the defending his team produced.

There is a move to bring Kenny Dalglish back to the club in some capacity but with the number of goals Liverpool have conceded recently they would be better off hiring former defender Alan Hansen to coach the defence. The television audiences must love watching Liverpool play as there always seems to be an abundance of goals scored and conceded.

A season that promised so much for Liverpool now looks as though it will finish with no trophy. They must hope Manchester United drops points in the remaining fixtures to have any realistic chance of the title.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Dominating The European Champions League

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:02:00 +0000

As we reach the final stages of the Champions League the question of English dominance once again, rears its head. No doubt UEFA president Michel Platini will be distinctly unimpressed to see three English teams in the semi-finals. The Premier League is the richest league in the world right now so it is hard to see anything other than the continuation of the trends of the last few seasons.

Life has not always been rosy for English clubs. In the past, we had the ridiculous European ban after the Heysel disaster. This was a classic example of both FIFA and UEFA flexing their muscles in an attempt to unfairly punish the country that gave football to the world.

Football tends to run in cycles so the current period of dominance by the Premier Leagues big four will not last forever. Instead of complaining about English clubs, it is up to the other major teams in Europe to improve their own standards and challenge that dominance.

Spanish giants Barcelona with Messi, Eto’o and Henry are an awesome team and are the only club that stands in the way of an English winner in the final. If not then the Champions League trophy will once again be lifted by an English club. You can just imagine Platini applauding through gritted teeth with his fake smile.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Controversial New England Shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:06:00 +0000

There was much controversy surrounding the new England shirt in terms of the design and the way it was launched. As long as David Beckham is still around then the FA will maximise any opportunity to cash in.

One criticism levelled at football clubs is how often the replica shirts are changed. Most shirts last for two years although some have been used for just one season. The England replica shirts follow suit in much the same way. In recent years, the England shirts have not changed a great deal and at times it has been difficult to distinguish between new and old such was the similarity.

This latest shirt has a retro feel to it having been modelled on the kits of yesteryear. It is basic in design and comes with a collar but the combination works well. This change of direction is welcome and at least gives the fans a reason to purchase a shirt that is unique and different from the previous one.

The shirt does look similar to a white polo shirt at first glance and the manufacturers Umbro had to come up with something different for the polo type leisure shirt design to ensure the two were not identical.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Three Big Wins For Liverpool

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Liverpool’s season has been re-ignited thanks to three stunning results against Real Madrid, Manchester United and Aston Villa. These were not just bog standard victories either on each occasion the opposition was soundly thrashed with goals galore.

Both Man Utd and Real are among the cream of European club football so those two wins in particular were quite stunning and will have made the rest of Europe sit up and take notice. Not many teams will be overly confident about facing Liverpool in what remains of the current Champions League.

If Liverpool had not dropped so many points at home then they would probably be out in front. In their defence, they will point to the absences of Gerrard and Torres which may have cost points. Both men are world class players and they rely heavily on them.

The premiership appeared all but over a few days ago although it is true that Man United still has the advantage. They have a crucial game in hand and have plenty of experience having been in this position a few times over the years. Recent results will put some pressure on Fergie and his players if nothing else and ensure that the title race is not a foregone conclusion.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

The Hiddink Effect

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:39:00 +0000

Guus Hiddink has had an instant impact on the Chelsea squad after winning his first five games in charge. The appointment has probably come too late in the season to enable the blues to mount a serious premiership title challenge but it bodes well for next season if the Dutchman is still in charge.

There was talk of Frank Rijkaard being brought in as manager at the end of the season but surely the job will now be offered to Hiddink on a long term basis. Hiddink is exactly the kind of high profile and experienced manager to finally lay the ghost of Mourinho. He also possesses enough quality to battle it out with Sir Alex Ferguson at Man United.

Phil Scolari was surprisingly ineffective when it came to the tactical side of the game and this was particularly exposed during the matches against the big three teams. Hiddink instantly recognized the importance of getting the best out of Didier Drogba which is something Scolari failed to do. He has also not been afraid to play with two up front and the partnership of Anelka and Drogba rivals any in the premiership.

Chelsea resembles a team once again and appears to be back to their best with both John Terry and Frank Lampard looking re-invigorated. The premiership title may no longer be a realistic target but not many will bet against them going all the way to the Champions League final once more.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Unhealthy Situation At Eastlands

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:17:00 +0000

It came as no surprise to hear that Craig Bellamy had made his feelings known to his team mate Robinho. The exchange centred on what Bellamy considered a lack of effort. Love him or hate him Bellamy is guaranteed to make things interesting. The next pre season tour should be interesting if he packs his golf clubs.

There is no disputing the quality of Brazilian superstar Robinho but his conduct off the field leaves a lot to be desired. Robinho openly flouts club rules and escapes punishment seemingly because of who he is. This is rumoured to be causing bad feeling among other elements of the first team squad which is no surprise.

Long term this situation is unhealthy and cannot continue. Successful teams are a collection of players. One great player does not bring success by himself. The new Man City owners should encourage the manager to treat all players the same way regardless of who they are.

Team spirit is a massive factor for any great football team. If the club is to start winning trophies, then harmony needs to be restored. Superstars are often like spoilt children and can be difficult to manage. Mark Hughes finds himself in an awkward position trying to find a balance between maintaining discipline and not upsetting the best player.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Scolari Not So Special

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:49:00 +0000

When it comes to sacking the manager there are some football clubs which do not mess about. Chelsea has a ruthless streak and will act if things are not going according to plan. Mourinho was extremely successful on the trophy front but became too big a personality for the owners. Avram Grant was always a dead man walking after succeeding Jose and he was ruthlessly axed after coming close to Champions League success.

Abramovich wanted attractive football but you suspect he would now gladly settle for the sort of success Mourinho delivered. At the start of the season Chelsea looked like red hot favourites for the title but, injuries to key players have not helped their cause. Drogba has always been a big player and the managers fall out with him and also Alex did not help matters.

Scolari looked to be a good appointment on paper but he has looked out of his depth in recent weeks. The premiership is all about high tempo and intense football and it was looking as though Scolari could not cope. He has had success on the international front but club football is a different kettle of fish.

From what we have seen of Scolari this season England probably had a narrow escape when he changed his mind after accepting the job. If he cannot get to grips with English club football, the pressure of leading the national team would be too much. This was probably the reason for his change of heart.

Making the change now gives the new man a chance to get the challenge for trophies back on track. There will be an impressive short list of high profile managers vying to be the new Chelsea manager. Among them will be Frank Rijkaard, Guus Hiddink and Sven Goran Eriksson.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Transfer Deadline Day News

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:55:00 +0000

To say the country is suffering from the effects of the global recession, several clubs still managed to spend a few million on players. The big news was the return to White Hart Lane of former striker Robbie Keane. The talk is Liverpool agreed to take a huge loss on the player by allowing him to move back to Spurs for only £12 million. It is not a good time right now to be writing off £8 million. Keane did not set the world on fire at Anfield but the rotation policy employed by Benitez was probably not the way to get the best out of him.

The fact that Spurs have gone for several former players actually makes sound business sense. Transfer fees are paid in instalments so all of these deals will have had a significant amount of money outstanding on them. The only surprise is that more clubs have not followed suit. Harry Redknapp has a much stronger squad at his disposal and any relegation worries should be eased.

At Stamford Bridge their old boss Jose Mourinho did Chelsea a favour by allowing Ricardo Quaresma to join them on loan. How times have changed in the last year for the club. It does make you wonder whether they have one eye on a new stadium as an alternative to re-developing the existing one.

Arsenal brought their own transfer saga to an end when they eventually managed to sign Andrei Arshavin. They have been desperate for new blood all season and some would argue it is too little too late to have any real impact on their title chances this season. In fact Arsenal will have their work cut out to finish in the top four with the emergence of Aston Villa this season.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Premiership Trophy Bound For Old Trafford

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:01:00 +0000

Just when we were enjoying the prospect of a good old fashioned ding dong in the premiership title race Manchester United have slipped into the top gear. Ever since old Rafa said his piece about Fergie it seems to have fired up the Old Trafford boss because his team looks the most likely champions. In comparison, the men from Anfield are fading fast.

Benitez has had his own problems with multiple operations for kidney stones and that has certainly not helped Liverpool. Whether they can continue to challenge or not remains to be seen. The league table does not lie and when you look at the number of points Liverpool has dropped it does not look well. They have simply drawn far too many games for a team that is going for the title

When you compare squads from all the title challengers then Man United look the most formidable. They have had their share of injury problems but it has not hindered their progress. Liverpool has plenty of quality themselves but sometimes you wonder why Benitez makes so many changes to his side. This is a source of frustration for even the most loyal supporter.

It is also a tale of two strikers. Manchester United has Dimitar Berbatov up front while Liverpool signed Robbie Keane for around £20 million. Berbatov made an instant impression and has looked like a great signing. In contrast Keane has not established himself. The transfer fee that Liverpool paid for Keane did raise some eyebrows at the time and he has not justified it yet. When you pay so much for a top striker then you really need to see a return of some description.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

FA Cup Coverage On TV

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 13:20:00 +0000

For years, we have been used to watching FA Cup football on the BBC so it is very strange now it is on ITV. Of course, Setanta has it as well but this is not much good to the many that refuse to subscribe to yet another TV channel. FA Cup football is traditional and it is only right it remains on terrestrial television.

The coverage of FA Cup football was always highly polished when it was in the hands of the Beeb. Regardless of what people thought of the individual commentators and presenters they all did a thoroughly professional job. In comparison, the ITV coverage has at times seemed a little rusty. This is to be expected and will fade over time.

It does seem odd watching the opening credits and instead of the good old Match of the Day theme tune we have the ITV version which does not have the same impact.

The main problem with the ITV coverage is the amount of advertisements you have to put up with. This was demonstrated perfectly on the 5th round draw programme. The ad breaks ruined ITV’s coverage of Formula 1 especially with that painful, monotonous Sony clip that drove us crazy. Advertising keeps these channels in business but sometimes they should remember what it is we are actually tuning in for.

The BBC does not escape criticism after all they receive an obscene amount of money every year via the TV licence fee. In return, the viewers expect them to be able to secure major sporting events like the FA Cup. Sadly it seems as time goes on the BBC becomes less keen to do this.

It remains to be seen whether the BBC is serious about cup football when the rights are up for renewal. The ITV channel has dabbled in previous years most notably with their premiership coverage. It would not be that much of a surprise if the FA Cup coverage swapped hands again next time.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Man City In A Hurry

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:12:00 +0000

Thanks to their new owners Manchester City are probably the richest football club in the world at present. Many teams face an uncertain future thanks to the economic downturn but City is flexing the financial muscle. The fact they have attempted to sign the world’s best player is a statement of intent. If they do not secure the services of Kaka then they will simply move on to the next target.

The signing of Robinho was a stunner especially when you consider Chelsea looked like his preferred destination. That signing looks like being the first of many as the Abu Dhabi group try spending their way to success on the pitch. Money does not always guarantee success. The two Brazilians are as skillful as you like but they may not relish a muddy pitch in late November. They will also need high calibre players who are prepared to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in.

This is a curious way of building a team that has provoked some criticism. Managers like the late Brian Clough used to build teams from the back but Man City’s owners just like Roman Abramovich do not see things quite the same way. People with huge resources do not usually want to hang around and these guys want success in a hurry.

Arsenal seems to be fading this season and Aston Villa is on the verge of establishing themselves in the top four. A strong challenge from Manchester City in future will certainly spice things up where the title race is concerned. Money will probably have a massive impact at Eastlands because world class players want to be competing in the Champions League and winning trophies.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Benitez Speaks His Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 12:08:00 +0000

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez did not sidestep any issues at his recent press conference. He gave Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson both barrels in an extraordinary attack. Fergie has been in the game for so long that many people are reluctant to cross swords with him but Benitez was not having any of it. They may not say so in public but privately there will be plenty of managers who agree with what Rafa had to say.

It has been compared to the outburst by Kevin Keegan when he was Newcastle United manager all those years ago. On that occasion, Fergie’s notorious mind games clearly got the better of Keegan and he duly cracked. This was different though because Rafa was cool, calm and collected and spoke at length about his grievances with Ferguson. In particular, about how he complains about everything and is rarely punished.

Ferguson is a legend in managerial terms but he does appear to do more than his fair share of complaining. Having a dig at the referee before the match is a subtle way of applying pressure to the official. All managers have their moments where referees and linesmen are concerned but the recent complaint about the Manchester United fixtures was ridiculous. The idea it had been done deliberately to harm their premiership title bid was just plain daft.

Jamie Carragher recently spoke about the possibility of psychological warfare from their title rivals. He correctly predicted it would signal how seriously teams are now taking Liverpool. Now the half way point of the season has past we can expect things to get very interesting both on and off the pitch. Fergie is not slow in coming forward if he has got something to say. With Chelsea looking unconvincing and Arsenal constantly up and down it may yet prove to be a battle between Liverpool and Man Utd for the premiership title.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

FA Cup Time Again

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:41:00 +0000

It is that time of the year again with Christmas out of the way it is time for the FA Cup third round. No disrespect to the clubs that contest the qualifying rounds as well as the 1st and 2nd rounds but the 3rd round of the cup is when football supporters really start to take this competition seriously. All the big premiership clubs will feature and you can guarantee that some will not be in the hat when the draw is made for the next round.

It will be interesting to see how seriously premiership managers take this years competition. In the past, they have decided to field weakened sides and have ended up coming unstuck. Sending out the reserves is fine if they get a result but the opposition can sometimes use it to their advantage and claim it is a lack of respect towards them. In those scenarios, most neutral fans have little sympathy for the premiership teams.

The big clubs take the domestic cup competitions less seriously than in previous years. It has now become a golden opportunity for the rest of football. Clubs in the premiership and the championship now have a genuine chance of going all the way to the new Wembley stadium. There is also the possibility of qualifying for European football via the UEFA Cup for the eventual FA Cup winners which is a prize not to be sniffed at.

Last years winners Portsmouth start their campaign with a home tie against championship side Bristol City. Chelsea is the bookmaker’s favourites to win the cup closely followed by both Man Utd and Arsenal.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Ince Failure Down To Inexperience

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:05:00 +0000

Paul Ince became the latest premiership managerial casualty after being sacked by Blackburn Rovers. Football is a result based business and no one can deny Rovers have had a terrible run in that department. Relegation is something that puts the fear of god into premiership chairmen so it is no real surprise they have acted in this way.

By parting company with Ince at this stage of the season Rovers will allow the new manager ample time to mount a recovery. There is no doubt they have sufficient quality in their squad on paper at least. It is just a case of motivation and getting the best out of those players.

Former Bolton manager Sam Allardyce has emerged as the early front runner for the job. After working miracles at Bolton for many years, he should be a popular and successful appointment. He has plenty of premiership experience and knows how to handle the big name players.

It was not too long ago that Ince was being hailed as one of the brightest young managers in English football. He may yet prove to be a good boss in time but that is a commodity rarely given to managers in the premiership. When he got the job at Blackburn there was a feeling the appointment had come too soon for him as he was still inexperienced in managerial terms.

He will not be out of work for very long after successful spells at both Macclesfield and MK Dons. The next port of call for Ince will probably be a championship club and that will enable him to further develop as a manager. In hindsight the jump from Milton Keynes to Blackburn Rovers was too much for a boss with limited experience.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Liverpool In Pole Position

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:19:00 +0000

As the premiership season approaches, the halfway point Liverpool is in an excellent position at the top of the table. The other title contenders such as Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal have been striving to keep up. They have all had problems with injuries and results have suffered as a result.

Their results have been impressive especially when you consider the lack of a goal scoring contribution from Robbie Keane. The £20 million fee they agreed to pay Tottenham now looks to be over the top. There are even rumours that new Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is keen to take Keane back to White Hart Lane.

Fernando Torres has also had his season interrupted by several niggling injuries yet Liverpool continues on regardless. As always their best player Steven Gerrard continues to drive them on from midfield chipping in with vital goals. But it is the management of Rafa Benitez where improvement is more noticeable.

In the past Benitez came under fire for constantly tinkering with his team. Regardless of how well the team played he would change personnel for the next game. This did not go down well with fans or players and the lack of a settled side was not conducive to a serious premiership title challenge. This season he has been less inclined to do this and results have improved as a result.

The busy Christmas period will offer some clues whether Liverpool can remain in top spot. They have not won the title since 1990 under the guidance of former boss and Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish. In recent years, it has all been Man Utd or Chelsea as main contenders so a sustained challenge from Liverpool will make things interesting.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Keane Resigns As Sunderland Manager

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:50:00 +0000

The resignation of Sunderland boss Roy Keane has caused much debate. After some poor results there was speculation on whether he would keep his job. The fact that he has resigned might come as something of a surprise. He has said he cannot take Sunderland any further and you have to admire his honesty.

When he was first appointed as their manager Sunderland was in the doldrums and at the bottom of the championship. Keane worked a miracle in his first season managing to achieve automatic promotion. This was a great achievement considering the league position.

After winning promotion, he then managed to keep Sunderland in the premiership. This is the main objective for any team promoted from the championship. Some would say that Keane had tremendous financial backing regarding the transfer of players. In total, he is believed to have spent the best part of £80 million. Many believe that due to the injection of capital Sunderland has paid over the odds for some players in recent years.

There have been many former Manchester United players who have tried their hand at management with mixed results. Because he was such a high profile player, it is easy to forget that this was his first managerial job. As a manager, he was not even on the radar prior to his appointment at Sunderland.

There has been talk about his volatile managerial style but this got results in his first two seasons at the club. It is thought this may not be to the liking of some of the foreign stars he has signed. His departure at least gives the club plenty of time to appoint a new manager. And his successor will have ample time to ensure Sunderland remain in the premiership.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Sweet And Sour Gerrard

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:10:00 +0000

There is no doubt that Steven Gerrard is one of the best players in England and is the heartbeat of the Liverpool team. He has been an integral part of the success Liverpool has enjoyed in recent years. For all Gerrard's skills with the ball, there is a darker side which is beginning to make him unpopular among some football fans.

It does not matter whether you call it diving or simulation as it is known among foreign players. It is still a dishonest way to play football that borders on cheating. The frustrating thing is Gerrard is so good he does not need to resort to these measures.

Since the formation of the premiership, there have been many examples of foreign players employing the same sort of tactics in a bid to con the referee and win penalties. On these occasions the players have been made aware in no uncertain terms what the media and the average football supporter thinks of such behaviour.

Because of the fact that Gerrard is an established England international and plays for a big club like Liverpool, his antics are swept under the carpet. All players want to win but to take things to the extent where a player is prepared to dive or act like he has been hit by a hail of gunfire is not good for himself, his team or football.

His manager Rafa Benitez has recently called for him to stop trying to be Roy of the rovers in every match he plays. It is thought that he was referring to this part of his game. Out of loyalty for his player Benitez was careful how his comments were worded.

Gerrard is the Liverpool captain and arguably the best midfielder in England. He will be a permanent fixture in the England midfield for years to come and millions of youngsters look up to him. He should be mindful of this fact and set a good example at all times in the way he plays his football.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

A Good Year

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:58:00 +0000

Fabio Capello gave England fans an early Christmas present with an impressive 2-1 win against the Germans with defenders Matthew Upson and John Terry the unlikely goalscorers.

As the Germany match approached it was hard to see any chance of a positive result with England missing several of their better players. Big names absentees included Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard

There are some players in particular whose injuries always seem to coincide with England games especially if they are considered non competitive or meaningless. You can guarantee that the missing stars will be fully recovered on come the next round of premiership matches.

The pleasing thing about this performance was the players who came in as replacements all did a job. Those who were ruled out through injury were not really missed on the night. It could be argued that a performance from some of the fringe players was long overdue and several of them delivered just that.

Capello called it a perfect end to a perfect year and it was a performance of note coupled with a good result. There is no doubt that under Capello the team has improved considerably and progressed during his first year in charge.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Capello Right To Axe Beckham

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 06:36:00 +0000

Fabio Capello has made the correct decision leaving David Beckham out of the latest England squad. Beckham has had a lengthy and rewarding international career but the time has come to step aside and leave with dignity. It seems that this is the last thing on Beckham’s mind as he desperately tries to prolong his international career.

It is thought that one of the reasons Beckham is so keen to continue playing is a desire to break the record for the most appearances by an England player. The current record is 125 caps held by former goalkeeper Peter Shilton. In recent England matches, we have witnessed the pitiful sight of Beckham appearing as a substitute for the final few minutes seemingly just to chalk up yet another cap.

Another reason is likely to be the various business interests which depend on Beckham continuing to play at a high level of professional soccer. The player’s money making exploits are often referred to as Brand Beckham. This should have no bearing whatsoever on whether a player is chosen to represent his country.

Representing your country is arguably the highest accolade that players can receive and England caps should not be handed out for the sake of breaking personal milestones. It is widely accepted in football circles that Beckham is no longer the player he was and playing for LA Galaxy in the American MLS competition does not help matters.

Because of the amount of air travel involved in flying from the United States to join up with the England squad, there will always be concerns over his fitness levels. The transfer to LA Galaxy was considered to be more about the glamour of Los Angeles rather than the football aspect. A short term loan move to AC Milan for fitness reasons shows how desperate he has become.

During his career clubs have been keen to cash in on the name of David Beckham and some would say England and the Football Association welcome his continued involvement for that reason. The argument for his inclusion is the positive influence he has on the rest of the squad but if this is true then he could always be groomed as a coach.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.

Arsenal Not Tough Enough

noreply@blogger.com (Admin) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:48:00 +0000

When they are on form Arsenal play some of the most attractive football you are ever likely to see and there seems to be a conveyor belt at the emirates producing some of the best young players in Europe year in year out. But as entertaining as they are to watch there are times when Arsene Wenger's players go missing.

Throwing away a 4-2 lead against Spurs in the recent North London derby was criminal especially when you consider how many times they squandered possession in the final few minutes. They did not even have to put the ball into row z but just keep hold of the thing even if that meant taking it into the corner.

There are times when Arsenal are found wanting against the more physical sides and a classic example of this was games against Bolton Wanderers under Sam Allardyce. When the going got tough you felt the flair players went missing or did not have the stomach for a battle.

Contrast this with the Arsenal teams of old and the epic battles against Manchester United with players like Patrick Viera and Martin Keown standing up to be counted. That is exactly the kind of player who Arsenal are lacking right now. Some people think that Viera was never really replaced and it is surely time for Wenger to enter the transfer market in January to remedy this.

They say that you do not win anything with kids and as far as the premiership goes that is still very much the case regardless of how good those young players are. Arsenal are probably two good signings away from being serious title challengers with a central defender and a midfielder the obvious areas that need strengthening.

The Complete Football Betting System For Use On Betfair.