Focused Football!

Dark Clauds For Ranieri

2009-05-20T02:08:00.000-07:00

UNLESS YOU'RE A Hull City fan, one win since the 24th March is simply not acceptable. Unfortunately for Claudio Ranieri, managing an Italian giant rather than a mediocre English side meant there would be ramifications to Juventus' dismal performances. So it is that the ex-Chelsea boss, loved by the English and mistreated in London, once again finds himself in the job centre searching for the next best thing.

An under-performing AS Roma is the last time Ranieri claimed victory and since, a loss to Genoa and six consecutive draws. Team brawls in the dressing room and on-pitch have rocked a season that started so promising. At one stage, the closest competitors to Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan, but now are battling with Fiorentina for 3rd spot.

The Turin club also vanished from the Champions League hastily in the New Year after Chelsea comfortably pushed past the lacklustre Italians. With two games remaining in Serie A, the Juve board have taken this swift act in an aim to hold on to that elusive European place.

A statement from Juventus said, ‘’Ciro Ferrara is the new Juventus coach. Juventus would like to communicate that they have sacked Claudio Ranieri. From today, the first team will be handed over, and guided by Ciro Ferrara. Juventus would like to thank Claudio Ranieri for the work he has done in these two years. We would like to wish new coach Ciro Ferrara well for immediate success.”

Ferrara takes over as a Juventus legend and there is only one job to be done.

United Push Past Liverpool To Earn Third Consecutive Title!

2009-05-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

AFTER A GOALESS draw at home to Arsenal on Saturday, Manchester United earned their 11th Premier League trophy. We take a look back at some of the season’s pivotal points that shaped into another Sir Alex victory.

Golden Balls Heads 2018 Mission

2009-05-19T05:23:00.000-07:00

THE MOST RECOGNISABLE face in Great Britain, Europe and possibly the world is at the forefront of England’s bid to host footballs prestigious event. No, not Gary Glitter.

Ex-England skipper David Beckham is once again leading his country onto the playing field to battle some of the sports elite competitors, who brag excellent facilities and high-capacity stadiums.

According to bookies, England has been labelled as favourites to host the showpiece, ahead of Australia, the USA, a joint Spain-Portugal bid, Russia, and many other potential candidates.

After the disappointment of failing to land the 2006 event, which of course was granted to archrivals Germany, England has pulled out all the stops, with many big names clubbing together to make sure of success this time around. Those backing the cause include, FA president Prince William, Prime-Minister Gordon Brown and the hero’s of 1966 including Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Geoff Hurst.

Speaking after the opening scenes, 34-year-old Beckham said, ‘’To have the World Cup in your own country is the dream of any player. I know first-hand the passion of our fans and they would provide an incredible atmosphere at every game. There is no bigger support than our fans. We're renowned for getting excited by big events and I don't think any other country can compete with us for that.’’

FIFA will make their final decision in December next year and if the World Cup does arrive back to the land of hope and glory, a mere six years after the 2012 Olympics, it could be Britain’s greatest sporting decade.

Lions Roar Past Heartbroken Leeds

2009-05-15T02:40:00.000-07:00

NEARLY 37,000 LEEDS FANS were left devastated on Thursday night as Millwall crept past the Elland Road faithful with a 2-1 aggregate score line. Kenny Jackets’ side will now face the winner of Scunthorpe v. MK Dons next week at Wembley.

Lion’s keeper David Ford was the hero early on after a double save from Beckford and Delph as Leeds rallied. Jermaine Beckford had another chance to open the score, but missed from the spot after Sodje was dubiously pulled back in the box.
It wasn’t until the 53rd minute that The Peacock’s had something to celebrate, as Luciano Becchio poked home between two defenders, to send the home fans into raptures.
As Leeds pushed for a second they were caught on the break and substitute Grabben pulled it back for Abdou to slot in a 74th minute equalisier. With time running out, Leeds pressed hard but despite six minutes stoppage time, it was Millwall that proceeded to the play-off final.

Prior to the match, the Lions fans were warned against causing trouble at Elland Road after the scenes that erupted from the first encounter at The Den. To their credit, there was no repeat of the opening leg fiasco and Jacket was undoubtedly proud of his player’s achievements.
He said, ‘’to overcome Leeds, who are a very good team, over two legs is a very good achievement.
It was one of the best atmospheres here tonight that I've been involved in and when their goal went in there was some momentum there and we came back from that very well.
I've got to say the Leeds crowd was magnificent. Walking back myself, they were first class, congratulating us and although it's no consolation they were a credit to their club."

Millwall fans are already optimistic on the clubs future prospects and the more expectant of them will be relishing a recurrence of the early nineties glory days. A side including a young Teddy Sheringham, was competing in top-flight football and both board and fans will be looking for a similar feat, nearly 20 years on.

The Tale of Two Uniteds

2009-05-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

THE RED HALF of Manchester gave an enormous sigh of relief last night as Michael Carrick’s 20-yard effort overcame a resilient Wigan Athletic. Now just one point is all that stands between Sir Alex Ferguson and a third successive Premier League title and 11^th in total.

This coming Saturday the Reds play host to an Arsenal side lacking any leadership, defensive cohesion or attacking fluidity. A 4-1 home thrashing at the hands of Chelsea last weekend and a knockout blow in the Champions League would surely give justification to an almost certain United victory in just under 48 hours time. Or would it?

Think back to a time when Hiddink, Benitez and Abramovich were not making the back page headlines. The battle for top dog was contested solely between Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, (except that 01/02 season that Houllier guided Liverpool to 2^nd). Amidst the fog horns and war signals, a rivalry formed. A rivalry that, post Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira, has failed to ignite in the last couple of years. Instead the press captured the Mourinho vs. Ferguson antics and of late, the spat between Sir Alex and Rafa. This rivalry not only shaped an intriguing decade of contests but also captured the player’s emotions and will to triumph.

That same emotion - although dormant - is not lost. The true question is not, ‘’Can Manchester United snatch another league title under Alex Ferguson?’’, but ‘’Can Arsene Wenger install that much needed belief into a lacklustre side and take the game to their rivals?’’

If the first question’s answer is YES, then Ferguson can roll into Hull last day of the season and field a reserve side – both eyes firmly fixed on a date with Barcelona. If the positive answer arrives from the latter question, then all will not be lost for the Scousers who will be cheering London for the next few days.

Not so great in Toon-Ville

It is the foot of the table, however, that is providing more twists and turns than the Thames River. It has taken two Messiah’s, one hospitalisation and one baldy, to scrape the Magpies out of the bottom three, but for how long?

After a turbulent battle against Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough on Monday, Newcastle claimed all three points after two super substitutes from Alan Shearer. Obi Martins and Peter Lovenkrands came off the bench to give Shearer his first win as boss and creep past Hull City on goal difference. The job is not done yet and the former England star admitted that all the hard work was yet to come.

From Southgate’s point of view it’s an uphill battle now, as his side remains three points off the chase. He quite rightly put that whoever lost the collision on Monday would be doomed and it looks just that. After a heartbraking game Southgate said, ''We've conceded goals at a crucial time but they got the fortune that it dropped to them in the box. We can analyse what we've done but I'm proud of what the players have given tonight.''

Nice guys don’t win and unfortunately for Gareth and Chairmen, Steve Gibson, the pair will be rueing that old saying in the Championship next year.

With West Brom somehow sliding into the picture, it’s up to all teams in that relegation battle to stay on their guard. Let’s have a look on what’s to come in the final two fixtures at the bottom.

Sunderland 36 Points

Remaining Fixtures - Portsmouth (A) and Chelsea (H)

Newcastle 34 Points

Remaining Fixtures – Fulham (H) and Aston Villa (A)

Hull City 34 Points

Remaining Fixtures – Bolton (A) and Manchester United (H)

Middlesbrough 31 Points

Remaining Fixtures – Aston Villa (H) and West Ham (A)

West Brom 31 Points

Remaining Fixtures – Liverpool (H) and Blackburn Rovers (A)

CATALAN'S CLAW INTO FINAL AFTER USING ALL NINE LIVES!

2009-05-08T02:29:00.000-07:00

SPANISH GIANTS BARCELONA superseded the English National team on Wednesday as perhaps the most over-hyped squad of all time. Despite their attacking freedom that has been shredding La Liga outfits apart, including a 6-2 thrashing of Real Madrid, Barca struggled to create chances against a rapidly improving Chelsea side.

The Spanish supremo's including Messi, Eto'o, Alves and Iniesta mustered up just one effort before the stoppage time equaliser that shattered 40,000 dreams. In fact it was Norwegian referee, Tom Henning, that gifted Barcelona their last-minute life-line, after a string of poor decisions that left Chelsea stars Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack outraged at the final whistle.

The 42-year-old turned down four penalty appeals and at least two were blatant, leaving the Stamford Bridge faithful in an unforgiving mood. Controversy was the word on most West Londoner's lips and after Henning signaled the end of the match, he was rallied with a protesting Ivorian and devastated German. Despite his aggression, Drogba has since revoked his accusations and apologized for the scenes that erupted. He said, ''While it is clear that some of the events last night were regrettable, they occurred only because of the high emotions and frustrations which arose from the disappointment of a controversial defeat in such an important game.''

Both players and staff at Chelsea F.C have backed Drogba's abuse and have accused UEFA of selecting an inexperienced official for a match of such high magnitude. However, whatever the circumstances, Roman Abramovich's dream of grasping the elusive Champions League trophy will have to wait for at least another 12 months and traipsing across the turf, post-match, he was the loneliest billionaire in London.

Zola's Blowing Bubbles at Upton Park

2009-03-20T02:03:00.000-07:00

THANKS TO ELIJAH WOODS’ performance in the 2005 football hooligan movie Green Street, ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’ has become one of the most recognised club anthems in English football, behind that of Liverpool’s’ ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone.’

Unlike the words uttered by thousands of Hammers on match day, West Ham’s dreams are not about to fade and die. Gianfranco Zola has built a fortress at the Boleyn Ground and together with Steve Clark; the pair have turned a mid-table team into one capable of a top eight finish. Even European football is still on the cards, if they can maintain their current strong league position of 7th.

How can they make it back to Europe?

West Ham's bid for European football is definitely a reality as the Irons occupy the position needed for an outside chance of UEFA cup positioning. There are, however, a few factors that could contribute to West Ham failing in their conquest:

1. Premier League Positioning: West Ham occupy 7th spot in the division behind Aston Villa and Everton (5th and 6th respectively), but other teams ARE knocking on the door to disrupt the Hammers European dreams. Wigan, Fulham, Manchester City and Tottenham stand between the East London club and Europe, so as many points as possible in the closing stages is a must to avoid a slip down the table.

2. National Cups: Unlikely…I repeat VERY unlikely that this year’s F.A cup will have a bearing on European positioning. With Manchester United winning the Carling Cup and the FA Cup almost certain to go to a top 4 side, there is no European place on offer. Unless, Everton suffer a massive dip in form and slide uncontrollably, but still manage to win England’s oldest football trophy. As I said, unlikely.

3. 08/09 UEFA Cup: If Manchester City defy their Premier League form and produce a win here, they will indeed steal 7th spot from the league and gain a place for the 09/10 tournament. Can Mark Hughes destroy Zola’s aspirations?

Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clark

The Chelsea legend is now in the frame to make his mark at West Ham. Despite strong ties with the West London club and seven years as a player there, the 42 year old Italian has seemingly given West Ham the flair and desire to compete in both English and European football. The most avid Blues fan will attempt to convince you that he is simply biding his time for a job offer in the summer, that is if Hiddink gives his word of leaving the London club.

Steve Clark also spent several years at Chelsea as an assistant under both Mourinho and Grant. In the summer after Grant’s dismissal, Clark was linked with a move to Everton as David Moyes right-hand man. This proved to be just speculation but on 11th September, Steve handed in his resignation in the hope of joining Zola at West Ham.

The pair have gone about their business superbly and pushed the Hammers a step further than under the reign of Alan Curbishley.

West Ham’s Form

After 29 games the Irons sit on 40 points and despite the goalless draw against bottom of the league West Brom on Monday, have sported their best form in recent time. Having only lost twice in the league since the New Year, (one being the 1-0 defeat to Manchester United), West Ham have impressed with their attacking displays. The passion displayed has impressed fans and pundits alike and the troubles and turmoil of the Tevez affair is now lodged firmly in the past.

The Squad

Swiss international, Valon Behrami, had been West Ham’s player of the year, but news of his six month injury could put a massive dent in their target for short-term success. In fact injuries in general have hardly been light at Upton Park, as Matthew Upson became the latest casualty against West Brom. The good news is that he’s likely to be back for the weekend match against Blackburn.

West Ham are also missing key striker Dean Ashton, who won’t be back until at least the summer break. The sale of Bellamy in January has given way for Carlton Cole to make an impact and the striker has bagged 11 goals so far this season. All in all, Zola has done a magnificent job with the squad given the circumstances.

Conclusion of the season

The seasons climax could be crucial for West Ham as they look to improve on last year’s 10th spot. This weekend they face relegation battling Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park before taking on Sunderland a week later. Whether West Ham posses the fire-power to maintain their recent good form will be concluded in the coming weeks, but even if they don’t make it back to Europe, supporters should take solace in the fact that they finally have a manager that can take them places in the future.

Neilly There: Has Aston Villa's time run out?

2009-03-17T07:03:00.000-07:00

IT WAS ONLY weeks ago that Aston Villa were in the ascendant seat to break into the ”Big four” party and gate-crash the European giants. Every member of the team has had input into the goal tally and seven players have scored four or more.

With only nine games left in the season and tough away fixtures to come, reluctantly and perhaps unjustly, the Villains look set for a scrap for 5th place with Everton, having sacrificed their UEFA Cup campaign precisely to avoid the current slump.

The weekend’s activities saw Arsenal claw back into the final Champions League place after a resounding victory over relegation-fighting Blackburn. A 4-0 whitewash and a goal for new-boy Arshavin gave the Emirates crowd plenty to smile about and a day later that smile turned into a grin. A Tottenham victory at Villa Park pushed Arsenal level with Aston Villa on points and ahead on goal difference.

This defeat for O’Neill’s side is their 5th straight League match without a victory and the only point achieved has been against struggling Stoke City. Even this match was a huge disappointment for the Midlands side who led 2-0 before the final minutes, until Stoke hit back to pull level in the closing seconds. Defeated by CSKA Moscow 3-1 on aggregate also halted a promising cup run which was ended abruptly by the Russian side.

So what has dented a Villa team’s fantastic opportunity to secure 4th spot in the League? With Liverpool and Manchester United in their next two games, Villa must recapture the sparkling form that once gripped the nation or risk the crumbling of foundations secured with their earlier efforts. Loss of form is the obvious answer but not the only one. Here are the possible reasons behind this drop in standards:

Squad Fitness

As we hit the last nine games of the season, are Aston Villa experiencing difficulties in fitness? The Villains got off to a brilliant start winning five of their six matches and never looked back. Maintaining their blistering form enabled them to keep up the pressure on league leaders Manchester United and only a month ago were five points behind the chase. That gap has now stretched to 13 and doesn’t look like closing.

Perhaps the problem facing Villa at the moment is a lack of strong depth in the squad. With the likes of Agbonlahor, Young, Carew and Barry starting to feel the effects of an extraordinary league run, as well as cup ties, O’Neill needs players in the squad that can come in and carry the team to the finishing post. Only Heskey was captured in the recent transfer window and although the probable reason was O’Neill’s unwillingness to tamper with the squad harmony, the effects are now for all to see.

Pressure and Gabriel

The pressure of late exacted on The Villains has been phenomenal, especially towards the English stars. With Everton the last team to break the top four boundaries, Villa have been under huge pressure. Until now, that pressure appeared to have had no effect on the stability or performance of the team, but has it finally taken its toll? The final third of Premier League fixtures usually makes or breaks a team’s fortunes and the only way to perform at the top of your game is to block out all unwanted factors. Even the Villa fans have begun to burden their team with unbearable pressure.

During the defeat to Tottenham, supporters could be heard booing Gabriel Agbonlahor for his recent performances. The speed demon has netted 11 goals this season but only two since mid-December. With it, Aston Villa haven’t won since the 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on 7th February. Yesterday, Martin O’Neill openly criticised the Villa fans, stunned out how the clubs top scorer has been treated of late. The partnership with Heskey was dubbed as a dream come true but so far it has yet to materialise.

Uncertainty of squad

European success or Premier League positioning. What were Villa’s aims heading into 2009? When drawn with perhaps one the toughest opponents in the last 16 of the UEFA cup, the tie should have been quite a contest. The Russian opponents of CSKA Moscow would be a serious challenge to Villa’s cup aspirations. The opening leg resulted in a 1-1 draw at Villa Park, but still there was light at the end of the tunnel. Travelling to Moscow is not the hardest task that you could potentially be given. Still, the million dollar question remained of how O’Neill would deal with the threat that CSKA provided. The answer to which, I should expect, no-one would have guessed.

The three time Russian champions took full advantage of O’Neill’s eight changes to the starting eleven and carved out an easy 2-0 victory, with it, securing progress to the last 16. A hammer blow if you were a Villa fan seated at the Luzhniki Stadium, but for O’Neill the defeat would give them the edge in the league over an Arsenal side still in the hunt for European glory. The defeat, however, had an impact on Villa’s next fixtures and although Whelan’s injury time equaliser for Stoke was hardly just, Aston Villa haven’t produced a point since.

The seasons climax

So for the remainder of the season, what is to come for Villa’s strugglers? Well first and foremost the Villains need wins to keep the heat up on the London side. As I mentioned earlier though, with the forthcoming fixtures away to both Liverpool and United, victory looks uncertain. In three weeks time when O’Neill’s side meet a resurgent Everton at Villa Park, the teams could well have switched Premier League positions. The Toffees’ are sat only four points off the pace and could well make an unforeseen appearance in the season’s late showdown. David Moyes’s side travel to the southern coast to play Pompey next Saturday, before taking on Steve Bruce’s Wigan Athletic a week later. Both are winnable games that could give them the edge on a Villa side struggling for confidence.

Arsenal are also unlikely to drop many points in the run-in to the end of the season. With the return of many first-team players and fielding one of the strongest attacking options any Premiership team has to offer, the world is at their feet. It’s a fantastic time for Arsenal to make an appearance this season, with the Champions League Quarter final draw later this week.

The battle for 4th spot in the league looks likely to go the distance but who will win the war and stay strong to pick up the pieces. There’s only way to find out.

Life after Curbs: Charlton Athletic’s road to rock bottom

2009-03-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

AFTER 15 YEARS of heartache, success and drama, Charlton Athletic Chairmen Richard Murray announced to a stadium of Addick fans in 2006 that legendary boss Alan Curbishley would be leaving his post at the end of the season.

The announcement, made on the April 29th before a Premier League fixture, stunned thousands of supporters crammed into The Valley and shocked Athletic players who were none the wiser. As many expected, Charlton crumbled to a 2-0 home defeat against European place chasing Blackburn Rovers.

Nearly three years on, four managers later and in excess of £20 million worth of debt, The Addicks are situated rock bottom of The Championship and 12 points adrift of safety. The HSBC building society has also recently withdrawn their overdraft facility, but Murray has quelled reports that the club face going into administration.

Curbs and Effect

So what has happened to the club that survived the Premiership drama for five years before internally combusting? Well, let’s start with Curbishley. His reason for stepping down from the post was because of the belief that he had achieved all he could at the club. In the time period of his notice, Alan had been linked with the England job and was even interviewed by the F.A before their decision to appoint Steve McLaren as boss.

Curbishley’s departure from the club after 15 years was always to have a negative effect in the dressing room but surely not as deep a one to push the stable team into a steep relegation battle in the following season. When Sir Alex Ferguson retires from football after more than 20 years in the job, Manchester United wouldn’t be expected to drop their standards of football - that is if they employ a manager with a proven track record that can handle the pressure of Premier League football.

Life after Curbs

Iain Dowie was appointed after a great record with Crystal Palace. Of course, the disappointment of relegation was overwhelming for both Dowie and Palace, but with it they were given the chance to start again and rebuild during the summer for a promotion push. However, despite relegation, Dowie had impressed as a manager and rumours circulated that Palace Chairmen Simon Jordon had been approached by a number of top flight clubs wishing to attract Dowie. In fact the only approach made was from Milan Mandaric of Portsmouth.

In his Charlton reign he was given more money than any other manager, in order to buy success for the club, but to their dismay couldn’t keep the team away from the relegation zone. A disastrous start to the season spelled trouble at The Valley and after only 12 games in charge was dismissed, leaving Charlton manager less and in the relegation zone.

Les Reid was drafted in temporarily but suffered the same fate as Dowie. Unable to inspire a sorrowful team he was replaced by ex-West Ham boss Alan Pardew. Appointed on Christmas Eve to a Charlton team on 12 points and a -20 goal difference, Pardew was unable to steer Charlton clear of relegation from the Premier League.

Many football enthusiasts expected a rebound for the Addicts, especially after the signings of Luke Varney and Chris Iwelumo. However, Charlton were unable to mount a serious title challenge and ended the season in lowly 11th.

The road to League 1

Therefore, the 08/09 season would be a test to both Charlton’s and Pardew’s resolve and after opening victories against Swansea and Reading, Charlton fans sensed hope for the first time since he took charge.

The winning start failed to continue and during the winter spell of matches, Charlton suffered 17 matches without a win. Expectedly Pardew was drafted out of The Valley equation and Parkinson took over from an assistant manager position to try and halt the slump.

So with 37 games played, Charlton sit 24th in The Championship and 10 points from 23rd placed Southampton. For the remaining nine fixtures, is there hope of a miracle revival?

Unfortunately for The Addicks - four wins look unlikely - let alone achieving enough points to secure safety. For Charlton fans they must walk the same route that so many top flight teams have faced. Over the years the likes of Wimbledon, Leeds United, Leicester City and Bradford have all descended from the Premier League but then continued a downward spiral to the lower leagues.

The problem clubs such as these face, is the unwritten law of the ‘one year chance.’ This notion has two effects on recently relegated clubs.

Firstly, the board give the current manager one year to improve the clubs standing. Promotion in that year is priority number one, in order to avoid as much debt problems as can be helped - but also to satisfy fans that have been used to the entertainment that Premier League football comes with.

Secondly, the club’s top players give the team one year to improve on their position - again promotion - before they leave to highest bidder.

Some teams are able to build during the summer and push for re-promotion the following season. Birmingham City and Reading are currently proving this in the Championship, seated 2nd and 3rd respectively.

However, when managerial changes and player departures rock clubs, there is only one way that the team will head. Moral, motivation and inspiration are all key factors for a healthy team and unfortunately for Charlton, they lack all three.

League 1 is their fate. Whether the spiral continues after that has yet to be seen.

Three's Company: Who's destined for the Premier League drop?

2009-03-12T14:24:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER TURBULENT Premier League season is slowly grinding to a halt and although the Manchester United vs. Liverpool match is the highlight of the forthcoming weekend, the relegation battle should certainly not be overlooked.

The title race is definitely the phrase on people’s mouths and should Liverpool grab the opportunity to pull back precious points on the quintuple hopefuls, then the closing weeks will surely have most fans on the edge of their seats. However, if by this time next week United’s lead at the top has been extended over Benitez’s squad, it will be another dismal end to a promising season for the Reds. Chelsea would then become the only force in front of Ferguson’s charge, and we all know how they’ve looked against Sir Alex since Mourinho left the manager post.

So what do we have to look forward to at that point? How about one of the most hotly contested relegation scraps in some time? Going into the weekend games at least 10 clubs sit squarely in the Premier League drop picture.

But who are the chosen few that have the best chance of falling off the Premier League cliff? Whilst that picture won’t be clear for another month, the seven clubs below are a good start to any relegation debate.

Newcastle United

So back to the relegation battle. Is it possible that Newcastle United could be relegated from England’s top division? Surely not. They have a great squad and one that should be challenging for honours further up the table. Aside from Manchester United and possibly Chelsea, some of the talent in their line-up is quality enough to fit into most of the division’s first eleven. But is that the problem. Are there too many egos’ corrupting the club? A strike-force of Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins should strike fear into the eyes of the opposition, but a combined total of 14 league goals between them has limited Newcastle’s ambitions. Owen has again been riddled with injuries and the cursed striker can’t find his way into Capello’s England squad either. This hasn’t helped his confidence.

However, the main problem is the leaky defence. For the remaining 10 fixtures, they need to shut up tight and move forward starting from the back. The performance in the defeat to Manchester United was a vast improvement from their previous outings and the passion and confidence needs to stay. The key is adapting to a dogged style – effectively to fight for their lives. This weekend is big for the Toon Army against fellow relegation battlers, Hull City.

Hull City

Hull began life in the Premier League superbly. Their performances were top notch and everyone was raving over Phil Brown and Giovanni’s stunning strikes. Since hitting the 26 mark in league points, results have been hard to come by. The injury-time winner against Fulham was absolutely crucial and has pushed a bit of day-light between themselves and the chasing pack.

Five points though, is in no way safe. Apparently achieving around 40 points keeps a team safe. Brown will be looking at this weekend’s fixture as a stepping stone to that mark and future games at home to Portsmouth and away to Middlesbrough could give them that sacred safety. In times of trouble stick together and battle to the death. That’s all they can do and I would certainly prefer Hull’s position to that of Portsmouth.

Portsmouth

An F.A cup victory and a tremendous start in the league. Six months ago, Portsmouth fans were in heaven. Harry Redknapp was hailed a hero and a squad boasting players of Jermaine Defoe’s credentials was looking to challenge for a European finish. Then, Ramos was sacked from Tottenham and a day later Harry was named as the new manager. A kick in the shin for the summer transfers that arrived at the Southern coast eager to experience the Houdini magic.

Since November they have mustered up a grand total of…six points. Hardly relegation surviving form. The victory over Manchester City was a real surprise from a team lacking any form of bite. Still, there are some key games for Paul Hart’s team in the coming weeks including Middlesbrough, Hull City and West Bromwich Albion. Tony Adams sacking could be said as harsh, but was he really inspiring an already lacklustre team? Unfortunately in today’s game a few bad results could mean the end of your reign. However, the change has not achieved much in the way of results and last year’s success is now a distant memory.

West Bromwich Albion

Bottom of the league and going nowhere fast – looks like doom and gloom for the desperate West Brom. Six points off safety is not the end of the world, but it is when the performances of late have been simply dire. Their last win was back on the 17th of January and to be honest one hasn’t looked like coming since. The dogged display so needed in the relegation battle is not there and instead West Brom have adopted a ‘’roll over and be beaten’’ strategy.

I can’t see where the performances will spring from and the only possible saviour is that they have four or five games against teams around them in the league. These simply have to be wins. None the less West Brom achieved the seemingly impossible a few years ago under Bryan Robson. Bottom at Christmas and without a hope; they were able to scrape out by the skin of the teeth. I am expecting no such repeat though this time around.

Stoke City

Stoke City have built a name for themselves, however, not one I’m sure they would agree with. ‘’One man army’’ is what many football fans have dubbed them but in truth Stoke are far from that. Rory Delap has obviously been the pinnacle of their attacking play with his long range throw-ins, but there always has to be players in the team to finish off the moves.

The strike-force of Fuller and Beattie have notched up 12 between them and crucial goals they have been. However, it’s the defensive play that deserves the most credit and one man in particular has saved Stoke on various occasions. If it were not for Thomas Sorensen, the club would be in serious jeopardy right about now. Countless times the Dane has rescued his side including both 0-0 draws against Liverpool. Stoke are in a precarious position, one point off relegation and the battling team need to continue clutching results. A couple of good results including the draw against Aston Villa and the win against Bolton will have given them an air of confidence and this must be kept in order to avoid the drop.

Middlesbrough

Regardless of what anyone says, Gareth Southgate has done a tremendous job at The Riverside. With little resources, he has bought well and to keep Stuart Downing was a huge success. However, despite this his side lie 19th in the league and face a battle for survival. A 4-0 drubbing to Tottenham and an F.A cup loss to Everton were their last outings but there is potential for a fight back, especially with the 2-0 defeat of Liverpool in recent history.

12 years ago Middlesbrough were descending to the second flight of English football and star man Juninho was in tears. Over a decade later, will the Premier League be waving farewell to Boro once more? The next five games are crucial. To stay up, you need to beat teams around you and that is exactly what Southgate’s squad must do. Portsmouth, Stoke and Hull are very winnable matches and should these results go Middlesbrough’s way, they will be nearly there.

Blackburn Rovers

The final team with a feasible chance of hitting the relegation zone. The turning point of the current season being the change in management. Paul Ince will one day be back in top flight management, but it was simply too early for him to take on a team in serious change. Mark Hughes achieved wonders in his time at the club and Ince’s job would always be difficult. Since his departure, Allardyce has begun to install his method of play into the side.

The win at Fulham was massive and it has pushed Rovers into safety territory. Unfortunate not for a penalty at Old Trafford, Blackburn stormed on, beating Hull and taking a point from in-form Everton. Out of the relegation candidates, they have hit the best form. Another favourable advantage for them is playing West Brom at home on the final day of the season. If the league goes down to the wire, that’s the team everyone would want to play on current form.

Prediction

So after all the talk of the possible relegation sufferers, who has the best chance of hitting rock bottom? Well my favourites are:

West Brom – Not enough spite about them. Struggling with performances and bottom of the league. No one wants to be there.

Stoke City – Another of the promotion boys I’m expecting to go. The team have been grinding out results of late but in reality the quality is not there.

Portsmouth – I don’t like to admit it but Portsmouth’s chance of survival look slim. Despite a win against Manchester City, they have struggled to find any consistency and results are hard to come by.

F.A cup preview...

2009-03-06T08:09:00.001-08:00

WHETHER THE F.A CUP has lost its glamour and respect over the last few years has yet to be seen, but with the Quarter Finals of this prestigious event looming, spectators and supporters alike will be screaming for an upset.

The weekend’s activities begin with a double header of viewing. Championship side Coventry will be up for the challenge against Chelsea’s billionaires in the earlier kick-off on Saturday afternoon. Having already defeated Premier League strugglers Blackburn in the last round, will have given Chris Coleman’s side a huge boost and this cup test will come as a welcome relief from the league. Effectively rooted to a mid-table finish, Coventry’s only aspirations this season will arrive from the F.A cup. However a more favourable draw could have been handy for the Sky Blues who shouldn’t expect much from the visiting Londoners. Gus Hiddink has pulled his lacklustre side back into the title race (if only just) and a single goal against Juventus has given them the edge in their Champions league tie. Leapfrogging Liverpool in the league and now only seven points behind leaders Manchester United, Chelsea are back on track and challenging on three fronts. I wouldn’t expect the Dutchman to produce his strongest team for his trip to the midlands, however, surely with the main focus on the trip to Turin.

Fulham vs. Manchester United. An all Premiership clash and one that COULD go right down to the wire. Fulham have been great at home but poor away (luckily the tie is at home then). The mid-week loss to Hull was a surprising result, given the two team’s recent form and one that the squad will want to bounce back from, quickly. Hodgson has done at remarkable job at Craven Cottage and with limited resources too. The board received a lot of slack when he was appointed and his hiring was a surprise to most. However, he kept the London side up and has taken them to the top 10 of the Premiership. Manchester United on the other hand are in sensational form and how they didn’t score against Inter Milan in anyone’s guess. Top of the league and aiming for an amazing quintuple, United are playing well and getting the right results. A top defence and creative midfield has made their season and the early poor form is well and truly in the past. Like Chelsea, I can’t see the strongest of teams played in this tie, with Fergusons mind surely set on the return visit of Milan.

Turn the clock back 12 years. The F.A cup final is competed between Middlesbrough and Chelsea. 90 minutes later and Chelsea have secured a 2-0 victory sealing Middlesbrough’s fate, with no cup success and relegation from the top flight. Back to present time – could history be repeated? Middlesbrough are having a seemingly decent cup run, but remain in relegation worry. Knocking out in-form West Ham in the previous round, Gareth Southgate’s side have a genuine chance of reaching the semi’s – if only a trip to Goodison wasn’t standing in their way. The Toffee’s take up 6^th place in the league and sit only four points off Arsenal. A conundrum and a half for David Moyes. Should he focus on cup success or on knocking Arsenal out of the final European spot? This all Premier League clash should be quite a contest and I would expect a few younger players to be given a chance. A narrow win either way.

The last Quarter Final tie to be discussed is between Arsenal and Burnley. Injuries have dominated the news from The Emirates, especially in the attacking department. Fabregas, Adebayor and Rosicky are all definitely out, while doubts remain over Eduardo. The only positive is the return of Theo Walcott. Arsene Wenger admitted recently that Arsenal’s goal scoring problems will need to be put to an end if they are to overhaul Villa in the league. The Villains remain six points ahead with 10 games remaining, so expect the battle to be fierce. Championship side Burnley on the other hand are in a rich vein of form and are just outside of the play-off positions. The team has improved as the season has progressed losing only one in eight. Taking points off league giants Wolverhampton and Birmingham has boosted their promotion bid and maybe the F.A cup tie can provide some light before the following hectic weeks.

F.A Cup predictions:

1- Coventry vs. Chelsea -3

Chelsea should take the win here and progress at Coventry’s expense. Maybe a consolation goal for the Sky Blues but nothing more.

0- Fulham vs. Manchester United -2

United’s form will continue this weekend and even with a weakened starting eleven, they should overcome Fulham and maintain their quintuple hopes.

2- Arsenal vs. Burnley -1

Arsenals slump has to end sometime. They won in mid-week comfortably against West Brom but Burnley will tougher.

1- Everton vs. Middlesbrough -1

A tricky tie but I’m going with a draw. Neither side will field their strongest team. I expect a game with few chances.