Archive for December, 2010
The match which stands out for me is Blackpool's trip to Eastlands, given that I believe Ian Holloway's 'no fear' approach could see them take at least a point. Manchester City will be the overwhelming favourites to win the game and keep the pace at the top of the Premier League table, but I can certainly see Roberto Mancini's side slipping up. ...
While the rest of us were having a relaxing Christmas, Arsenal and Chelsea will have been building up to a huge Premier League clash tonight at the Emirates.
They both need a win desperately - and after the comfortable wins for Manchester United and Manchester City yesterday, a draw is no good at all.
On balance, though, I think Chelsea need the victory more.
Wayne Rooney had a good three months, Thomas Vermaelen a good six. And, like most Frenchmen, the player who takes the award hardly excelled during the month of June in South Africa.
Match of the weekend: Newcastle United v Manchester City
Newcastle normally save their best performances for games they're not expected to win while City are still under pressure thanks to their major internal problems.
The Carlos Tevez situation hasn't gone away, whatever club management says, as these issues don't suddenly resolve themselves after a nice chat. ...
If the rumours about Avram Grant are true - that he will be sacked if he doesn't win one of the next two games, not that he is the reincarnation of Dangermouse baddie Baron Greenback - I think they're being generous.
Grant should have gone way before this. It was an experiment by the board - his only managerial experience outside Israel was one season with a Chelsea team so good it could manage itself, and getting Portsmouth relegated, financial trouble or otherwise. ...
Well, that was all very predictable. Given the strictures and seedings, this was a Champions League draw we could all have come up with without the need for pots or balls or Michel Platini, who is on official business watching Inter in the Club World Cup.
As expected Manchester United and Chelsea have got away with ties as soft as the competition rules allowed, against Marseille and Copenhagen respectively. ...
I've gone all geeky this week and done some number crunching, hoping to discover whether managerial changes have a generally positive or negative effect.
I'll tell you now, the results are deeply inconclusive, but hey ho, I've done the work, so here you are:
Since summer 2007, there have been 24 mid-season managerial changes and only nine during the close season. ...
Blimey, times flies in parts of Lancashire.
On November 26th, Anuradha Desai, the chairman of Venky's, the Indian poultry company that had just taken control of Blackburn Rovers, said of the manager he had just inherited: "We want results and Sam (Allardyce) has taken up the challenge. He deserves a chance. ...
Arsene Wenger believes Europa League holders Atletico Madrid could see their defence come crashing to a halt when they play Bayer Leverkusen.
Atletico travel to the group leaders knowing they must better the result of Aris Saloniki - who are at home to Rosenborg - to reach the last 32.
"This Europa League has had some interesting matches this season, and I have taken pleasure from watching it," the Arsenal manager said. ...