Manchester City faced league leaders Arsenal at the Etihad in the early kick-off on Saturday hoping to prove to their critics that they were still in the title race. Meanwhile Arsenal were attempting to open up a five point lead at the top of the table.
The home side got off to a good start with Aguero putting them ahead after only a quarter of an hour. Arsenal responded quickly; Theo Walcott scored his first goal of the season to level the game at 1-1. The parity didn't last long however, Negredo getting on the score sheet for the seventh time in the league this year.
Laurent Koscielny had to be replaced by Thomas Vermaelen due to injury but Arsenal managed to see out the remainder of the first half without conceding another goal, going in at half time 2-1 behind.
City suffered a set back early in the second period when Sergio Aguero was forced to leave the game with injury. Jesus Navas came on to replace him and Man City got an almost immediate goal, Fernandinho scoring to put the Citizens 3-1 up.
Theo Walcott scored his and Arsenal's second to bring them back into contention but Manuel Pellegrini will have demanded a quick response and it's exactly what he got; David Silva restored their two goal cushion and looked to have finished off the game.
And they did finish off the game with two minutes of normal time left. Fernandinho scored his second goal of the game to put Man City 5-2 up and move them to two points behind the gunners, but the scoring still wasn't over.
Metesacker scored in the third minute of added time before Yaya Toure scored a penalty in the ninety-fifth minute to wrap up a 6-3 victory for Man City, closing the gap at the top of the league.
Monday 16 December 2013
Sunday 8 December 2013
Premier League Week 15 Review
It's been an interesting weekend in the Premier League. Today I'm going to take a look back at some of the headlines from the nine completed games.
Chelsea travelled to the Britannia to face Stoke City expecting a fairly easy three points, but they were in for a surprise. Schurrle got the visitors in their way but Stoke fought back and drew level then took the lead thanks to goals from Crouch and Ireland respectively. Shurrle scored his and Chelsea's second to tie the game. However Assaidi completed a memorable day for himself and Stoke scoring his first Premier League goal in the ninetieth minute to beat title contenders Chelsea 3-2.
In the early kick-off on Saturday, Manchester United hosted Newcastle, the home side hoping to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat to Everton last time out. Newcastle upset the current Champions, winning 1-0, with a goal from their in form French midfielder Yohan Cabaye. The win leaves the Magpies above Manchester United with the Red Devils languishing in ninth.
Another title contender, Manchester City, dropped points in a horrible weekend for the sides at the top. A stunning goal from Osvaldo cancelled out Aguero's opener leaving City disappointed not to capitalise on their title opposition's misfortune.
Liverpool were the only side in the top four to win, moving back up to second with a 4-1 win over West Ham. They closed Arsenal's lead to five points after the Gunners drew 1-1 with Everton.
We've reached the Christmas period now so the games are coming thick and fast, I know I can't wait!
Chelsea travelled to the Britannia to face Stoke City expecting a fairly easy three points, but they were in for a surprise. Schurrle got the visitors in their way but Stoke fought back and drew level then took the lead thanks to goals from Crouch and Ireland respectively. Shurrle scored his and Chelsea's second to tie the game. However Assaidi completed a memorable day for himself and Stoke scoring his first Premier League goal in the ninetieth minute to beat title contenders Chelsea 3-2.
In the early kick-off on Saturday, Manchester United hosted Newcastle, the home side hoping to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat to Everton last time out. Newcastle upset the current Champions, winning 1-0, with a goal from their in form French midfielder Yohan Cabaye. The win leaves the Magpies above Manchester United with the Red Devils languishing in ninth.
Another title contender, Manchester City, dropped points in a horrible weekend for the sides at the top. A stunning goal from Osvaldo cancelled out Aguero's opener leaving City disappointed not to capitalise on their title opposition's misfortune.
Liverpool were the only side in the top four to win, moving back up to second with a 4-1 win over West Ham. They closed Arsenal's lead to five points after the Gunners drew 1-1 with Everton.
We've reached the Christmas period now so the games are coming thick and fast, I know I can't wait!
Monday 2 December 2013
Hull City Stun Liverpool
It's now December and Christmas is fast approaching. Hull City fans are getting into the festive mood earlier than some after a fantastic 3-1 win over Premier League big guns Liverpool, for the first time in a competitive match.
The home side started strong putting a lot of pressure on Liverpool, bossing the midfield and forcing some mistakes from the Red's defence. Their bright start paid off when, after 20 minutes, Tottenham loanee Jake Livermore's shot took a deflection off Martin Skrtel and ended up looping past Mignolet and into the Liverpool goal, sending the Black and Amber army of Hull fans into raptures.
After the early setback Liverpool picked up the pace a bit. Whilst still not reaching anywhere near their best, they managed to score an equaliser. Steven Gerrard curling a beautiful free kick into the bottom corner. Alan McGregor, the Hull City goalkeeper, didn't stand a chance.
That's the way it stayed until half time: Hull City still putting a lot of pressure on the visitors and Liverpool struggling to create any chances. Hull City had the best chances in the first half but couldn't make any more of them count.
At the start of the second period, Liverpool brought on Coutinho to replace the disappointing Sterling, hoping to get a foothold in the game and take the three points. The Tigers defended resolutely and limited Liverpool to very few chances. Suarez barely had a shot all game.
The home side's best chances were coming on the break and they took the lead again when David Meyler powered a low shot into the bottom corner of the net with only twenty minutes left to play. His first goal of the season. The away team tried desperately to draw themselves back level but Hull City scrapped to stay in front.
Then Hull City scored again. On another break away Tom Huddlestone poked the ball towards goal however it was spinning wide until Skrtel headed it past the stranded Mignolet and into the back of the net. The goal sealed the victory for Hull City who had been the better side all match and deserved to win, if only for their grit and determination.
The result moves Hull back up into the top half, seven points above the relegation zone but leaves Liverpool seven points behind Arsenal at the top of the table.
The home side started strong putting a lot of pressure on Liverpool, bossing the midfield and forcing some mistakes from the Red's defence. Their bright start paid off when, after 20 minutes, Tottenham loanee Jake Livermore's shot took a deflection off Martin Skrtel and ended up looping past Mignolet and into the Liverpool goal, sending the Black and Amber army of Hull fans into raptures.
After the early setback Liverpool picked up the pace a bit. Whilst still not reaching anywhere near their best, they managed to score an equaliser. Steven Gerrard curling a beautiful free kick into the bottom corner. Alan McGregor, the Hull City goalkeeper, didn't stand a chance.
That's the way it stayed until half time: Hull City still putting a lot of pressure on the visitors and Liverpool struggling to create any chances. Hull City had the best chances in the first half but couldn't make any more of them count.
At the start of the second period, Liverpool brought on Coutinho to replace the disappointing Sterling, hoping to get a foothold in the game and take the three points. The Tigers defended resolutely and limited Liverpool to very few chances. Suarez barely had a shot all game.
The home side's best chances were coming on the break and they took the lead again when David Meyler powered a low shot into the bottom corner of the net with only twenty minutes left to play. His first goal of the season. The away team tried desperately to draw themselves back level but Hull City scrapped to stay in front.
Then Hull City scored again. On another break away Tom Huddlestone poked the ball towards goal however it was spinning wide until Skrtel headed it past the stranded Mignolet and into the back of the net. The goal sealed the victory for Hull City who had been the better side all match and deserved to win, if only for their grit and determination.
The result moves Hull back up into the top half, seven points above the relegation zone but leaves Liverpool seven points behind Arsenal at the top of the table.
Monday 25 November 2013
Thrilling Merseyside Derby Ends All Square
City rivals Liverpool and Everton came head to head in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park with both sides playing great football and scoring goals. The Reds were looking to close the gap on Arsenal at the top of the table, meanwhile Everton were hoping to climb back into the top four.
The game burst into life right from the off. Both teams were packed with attacking talent but it was Liverpool who drew first blood. Luis Suarez flicked on a corner to Philippe Coutinho who fired home with only five minutes on the clock.
Their lead didn't last for long though. Kevin Mirallas levelled for the Toffees just three minutes later, Leighton Baines delivering a dangerous free kick which Skrtel struggled to deal with and Mirallas tucked away the equaliser.
Liverpool got their noses back in front again with 20 minutes gone. Suarez, who assisted the first goal, scored a fantastic free kick, managing to curl a low effort through a gap in the Everton wall and past Tim Howard to put Liverpool 2-1 up.
It stayed that way throughout the rest of the first half with the only other talking point coming when Everton's goal scorer Mirallas committed a horrific foul on Suarez which deserved a red card but he managed to escape with only a booking.
Lukaku had a number of great chances which were all fantastically saved by Simon Mignolet. With 20 minutes left of the match Lukaku finally got his breakthrough. And just ten minutes later he scored again to put the home side in front for the first time all match.
They couldn't hold on though, Sturridge being subbed on for Liverpool and scoring his ninth goal of the season. The result keeps Liverpool within reach of Arsenal who still lead the way and Everton are still just outside the top four, in sixth.
The game burst into life right from the off. Both teams were packed with attacking talent but it was Liverpool who drew first blood. Luis Suarez flicked on a corner to Philippe Coutinho who fired home with only five minutes on the clock.
Their lead didn't last for long though. Kevin Mirallas levelled for the Toffees just three minutes later, Leighton Baines delivering a dangerous free kick which Skrtel struggled to deal with and Mirallas tucked away the equaliser.
Liverpool got their noses back in front again with 20 minutes gone. Suarez, who assisted the first goal, scored a fantastic free kick, managing to curl a low effort through a gap in the Everton wall and past Tim Howard to put Liverpool 2-1 up.
It stayed that way throughout the rest of the first half with the only other talking point coming when Everton's goal scorer Mirallas committed a horrific foul on Suarez which deserved a red card but he managed to escape with only a booking.
Lukaku had a number of great chances which were all fantastically saved by Simon Mignolet. With 20 minutes left of the match Lukaku finally got his breakthrough. And just ten minutes later he scored again to put the home side in front for the first time all match.
They couldn't hold on though, Sturridge being subbed on for Liverpool and scoring his ninth goal of the season. The result keeps Liverpool within reach of Arsenal who still lead the way and Everton are still just outside the top four, in sixth.
Monday 18 November 2013
World Cup Qualifiers - The Playoffs
There was no Premier League football this weekend so I'll take a look back at all the action from the first legs of the World Cup qualifiers. Ibrahimovic faced up against Ronaldo in Portugal, Ukraine took on France, Greece were drawn against Romania and Iceland were playing Croatia.
Portugal 1-0 Sweden
This clash meant only one of the two European superstars, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, could make it to the Brazil World Cup. Portugal had the majority of the possession but Sweden defended resolutely throughout the main part of the game. The Swedish centre back pairing of Antonsson and Nilsson were very busy, dealing with what seemed like hundreds of crosses. In the 82nd minute Portugal finally made their breakthrough. Ronaldo heading home from close range to earn the home side a 1-0 lead going into the second leg in Sweden.
Ukraine 2-0 France
The joint hosts of the most recent European Championships, Ukraine, will take a surprise two goal advantage to France after a first leg which saw both teams have a man sent off. Zozulya got the home team's first and Yarmolenko added a penalty in the 83rd minute. France had Laurent Koscielny sent off late on which won't help them in their quest to overcome the two-goal deficit.
Greece 3-1 Romania
Shock qualifiers Romania were brought back down to earth with a bump at the hands of Greece. Mitroglou thrust Greece into the lead after just fifteen minutes before two quick-fire goals: first Stancu pulled Romania level then, just one minute later, Salpingidis restored the Greeks' lead. Mitroglou scored again to seal the victory before Romania had a man sent off for two yellow cards.
Iceland 0-0 Croatia
Iceland managed to hold Croatia to a goal-less draw despite having Skulason sent off at the start of the second half. The draw keeps both teams' World Cup dreams alive heading into the second leg in Croatia.
That's my recap of the World Cup qualifiers; we've almost found out the final four teams on the plane to Brazil in 2014. There is still plenty of drama to be expected from the second leg of each match on Tuesday and I know I can't wait!
Portugal 1-0 Sweden
This clash meant only one of the two European superstars, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, could make it to the Brazil World Cup. Portugal had the majority of the possession but Sweden defended resolutely throughout the main part of the game. The Swedish centre back pairing of Antonsson and Nilsson were very busy, dealing with what seemed like hundreds of crosses. In the 82nd minute Portugal finally made their breakthrough. Ronaldo heading home from close range to earn the home side a 1-0 lead going into the second leg in Sweden.
Ukraine 2-0 France
The joint hosts of the most recent European Championships, Ukraine, will take a surprise two goal advantage to France after a first leg which saw both teams have a man sent off. Zozulya got the home team's first and Yarmolenko added a penalty in the 83rd minute. France had Laurent Koscielny sent off late on which won't help them in their quest to overcome the two-goal deficit.
Greece 3-1 Romania
Shock qualifiers Romania were brought back down to earth with a bump at the hands of Greece. Mitroglou thrust Greece into the lead after just fifteen minutes before two quick-fire goals: first Stancu pulled Romania level then, just one minute later, Salpingidis restored the Greeks' lead. Mitroglou scored again to seal the victory before Romania had a man sent off for two yellow cards.
Iceland 0-0 Croatia
Iceland managed to hold Croatia to a goal-less draw despite having Skulason sent off at the start of the second half. The draw keeps both teams' World Cup dreams alive heading into the second leg in Croatia.
That's my recap of the World Cup qualifiers; we've almost found out the final four teams on the plane to Brazil in 2014. There is still plenty of drama to be expected from the second leg of each match on Tuesday and I know I can't wait!
Sunday 10 November 2013
Van Persie helps United beat former club Arsenal
Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham all dropped points this weekend meaning that a win for either Manchester United or Arsenal would be massive in the race for the Premier League. Arsenal were looking to climb five points clear at the top of the table whereas three points for Man United would lift them above rivals City and back into title contention.
Neither side settled down particularly quickly with everyone understandably nervous. The crowd were loud from the off, hoping to roar their team to victory. The Red Devils got off to the better start, Robin Van Persie expertly heading home from a corner to take the lead against his former club.
The rest of the first half was fairly scrappy and the only real moment of note was the injury to Nemanja Vidic, having to leave the field with a knock to the head, replaced by Tom Cleverly.
In the second half, Arsenal pressed forward and put the reigning champions under a lot of pressure. They produced some fantastic chances but just couldn't find the breakthrough. They made all of the running but a resolute Manchester United defence held on for a brilliant win at Old Trafford.
The result leaves Arsenal top, but Liverpool and Southampton close in on them, moving to two and three points behind them respectively. Man United on the other hand move up to fifth and are right back in it at the top.
Neither side settled down particularly quickly with everyone understandably nervous. The crowd were loud from the off, hoping to roar their team to victory. The Red Devils got off to the better start, Robin Van Persie expertly heading home from a corner to take the lead against his former club.
The rest of the first half was fairly scrappy and the only real moment of note was the injury to Nemanja Vidic, having to leave the field with a knock to the head, replaced by Tom Cleverly.
In the second half, Arsenal pressed forward and put the reigning champions under a lot of pressure. They produced some fantastic chances but just couldn't find the breakthrough. They made all of the running but a resolute Manchester United defence held on for a brilliant win at Old Trafford.
The result leaves Arsenal top, but Liverpool and Southampton close in on them, moving to two and three points behind them respectively. Man United on the other hand move up to fifth and are right back in it at the top.
Sunday 3 November 2013
Can Arsenal Win the League?
Arsenal are currently sitting top of the Barclays Premier League table after 10 rounds of matches, five points clear of the three nearest teams: Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham. The question that all the fans and pundits are asking at the moment is can they win the league. Here are my thoughts.
Arsenal have a very good starting line-up with a number of high quality players and a good mix of Premier League experience and youthful energy. With an attack packed full of talent and a strong defence, the Gunners could be title challengers come May. Ozil seems to have added the creative spark that they have been missing in seasons gone by, Ramsey is playing out of his skin at the moment and Giroud can't seem to stop scoring. The main issue that I find with their squad is the distinct lack of depth, especially up front. If Olivier Giroud gets injured then the only other out and out striker available is Nicklas Bendtner, and let's be honest he won't be giving opposition defences nightmares any time soon.
They showed that they could be taken seriously this weekend, beating second placed, free scoring, Liverpool at home comfortably. Other than Liverpool and Tottenham however, Arsene Wenger's men haven't had a really challenging game so far this season. Aston Villa, Fulham, Sunderland, Stoke, Swansea, West Brom, Norwich and Crystal Palace are all respectable teams but none of them will be making a push for the title in the foreseeable future. The best team that they have played so far were Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and they were beaten 2-1. Their next three fixtures are Dortmund away, Manchester United away and Southampton at home, all of whom are good sides and will be a good test of the Gunners' title credentials.
All things considered I think that Arsenal will definitely be up at the top of the table at the end of the year, challenging for the title. They certainly have the capabilities to win the league this year but they may come unstuck through the rest of the season by injuries. The league is closer than recent memory this year and I can't wait for the conclusion.
Arsenal have a very good starting line-up with a number of high quality players and a good mix of Premier League experience and youthful energy. With an attack packed full of talent and a strong defence, the Gunners could be title challengers come May. Ozil seems to have added the creative spark that they have been missing in seasons gone by, Ramsey is playing out of his skin at the moment and Giroud can't seem to stop scoring. The main issue that I find with their squad is the distinct lack of depth, especially up front. If Olivier Giroud gets injured then the only other out and out striker available is Nicklas Bendtner, and let's be honest he won't be giving opposition defences nightmares any time soon.
They showed that they could be taken seriously this weekend, beating second placed, free scoring, Liverpool at home comfortably. Other than Liverpool and Tottenham however, Arsene Wenger's men haven't had a really challenging game so far this season. Aston Villa, Fulham, Sunderland, Stoke, Swansea, West Brom, Norwich and Crystal Palace are all respectable teams but none of them will be making a push for the title in the foreseeable future. The best team that they have played so far were Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and they were beaten 2-1. Their next three fixtures are Dortmund away, Manchester United away and Southampton at home, all of whom are good sides and will be a good test of the Gunners' title credentials.
All things considered I think that Arsenal will definitely be up at the top of the table at the end of the year, challenging for the title. They certainly have the capabilities to win the league this year but they may come unstuck through the rest of the season by injuries. The league is closer than recent memory this year and I can't wait for the conclusion.
Some Other Sports For a Change
This week I'm going to have a look at some other sports, just to mix it up a little bit. There are lots of exciting things going on all over the world and I am going to cover a few of them in this week's post.
Baseball
The baseball World Series came to a thrilling conclusion last week with the Boston Red Sox beating the St Louis Cardinals in six games. The competition, despite its name, is entered by teams from America and Canada and is only called the 'world' series because it was formerly sponsored by the newspaper of the same name. The Red Sox used their home-field advantage to clinch a 4-2 victory and their third title in ten years.
Tennis
The tennis season is coming to a close and the best eight players on the circuit are gathering together in London for the World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena. Andy Murray qualified for the tournament but had to pull out due to an injury, leaving Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Del Potro, Ferrer, Wawrinka, Berdych and Gasquet to compete for the last tournament of the year.
American Football
We're now passed the halfway stage in the season and the divisions are starting to take shape in the race for the Super Bowl. The Chiefs, Broncos, Saints and Seahawks all continued their fine start to the year, moving to 8-0, 7-1, 6-1 and 7-1 respectively. The 49ers beat the Jaguars at Wembley to keep their post-season dreams alive and to send the Jags into their bye week on a dismal 0-8.
Basketball
Last week saw the NBA tip-off and the Miami Heat awarded their championship rings. Heat have had a surprisingly poor start to the year, on 1-2 from three games. Five teams are still unbeaten after three rounds of matches and LeBron and co. are going to have to dig in and turn their fortunes around to have a shot at another title.
That's all for my brief recap of some other sports. They've been great fun to watch so far and should continue to provide plenty of drama for the rest of the year.
Baseball
The baseball World Series came to a thrilling conclusion last week with the Boston Red Sox beating the St Louis Cardinals in six games. The competition, despite its name, is entered by teams from America and Canada and is only called the 'world' series because it was formerly sponsored by the newspaper of the same name. The Red Sox used their home-field advantage to clinch a 4-2 victory and their third title in ten years.
Tennis
The tennis season is coming to a close and the best eight players on the circuit are gathering together in London for the World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena. Andy Murray qualified for the tournament but had to pull out due to an injury, leaving Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Del Potro, Ferrer, Wawrinka, Berdych and Gasquet to compete for the last tournament of the year.
American Football
We're now passed the halfway stage in the season and the divisions are starting to take shape in the race for the Super Bowl. The Chiefs, Broncos, Saints and Seahawks all continued their fine start to the year, moving to 8-0, 7-1, 6-1 and 7-1 respectively. The 49ers beat the Jaguars at Wembley to keep their post-season dreams alive and to send the Jags into their bye week on a dismal 0-8.
Basketball
Last week saw the NBA tip-off and the Miami Heat awarded their championship rings. Heat have had a surprisingly poor start to the year, on 1-2 from three games. Five teams are still unbeaten after three rounds of matches and LeBron and co. are going to have to dig in and turn their fortunes around to have a shot at another title.
That's all for my brief recap of some other sports. They've been great fun to watch so far and should continue to provide plenty of drama for the rest of the year.
Tuesday 29 October 2013
Mourinho's Men March On
In what was dubbed by many as 'El Cashico', Premier League giants Manchester City and Chelsea locked horns at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Demichelis was handed his Premier League debut for City in the absence of club captain Vincent Kompany and had a hard day's work, trying to keep Fernando Torres quiet.
Torres had a fantastic game, working hard, chasing down every ball that came his way and playing some excellent football. It didn't start off in that manner however, after controlling a lofted pass and with only Joe Hart standing between him and the opening goal, the Chelsea striker sent his rushed volley arrowing over the bar.
Normally his head would have dropped at that point and he would have lost concentration, but not this time. With half an hour on the clock, the Spaniard made a powerful run down the right side of the field, breezing past Clichy before handing it to Andre Schurrle on a plate who bagged his first goal for the blues from very close range. Shortly after the goal Torres showed another flash of his brilliance from his time at Liverpool, unleashing a ferocious shot that beat Joe Hart but ricocheted off the corner of the goal where the post meets the crossbar.
It stayed 1-0 until half time when the two sides left the pitch to face very different team talks. Manuel Pellegrini will have been demanding a lot more from his side. Despite making most of the running in the first half, they lacked the cutting edge to make it count.
His words had an almost instant affect. Just four minutes into the second period and the away side were level. Sergio Aguero beat the Chelsea offside trap and ran through one on one with Petr Cech, firing an unstoppable shot into the top corner that left the Home keeper frozen to the spot. It was Aguero's fifth goal in three games.
The second half was much more open than the first, the two teams taking turns to press down the field and attempt to create the winning goal, before inevitably surrendering possession to the opposition.
It was Chelsea who found the break through, late on in the ninety regulation minutes. Willian fired a long, hopeful ball down the field and caused a major mix up when both Joe Hart and Nastasic went to deal with it. Nastasic ended up lobbing the ball over his own keeper and sending Torres through on goal, who duly slotted home the winning goal from a tight angle.
The goal sent the whole crowd into raptures, with Jose Mourinho jumping into the stands to celebrate alongside the shocked Chelsea supporters. The result moves Chelsea back up into second above Liverpool only on goal difference, but leaves Manchester City in the surprisingly low position of seventh, below Southampton.
Torres had a fantastic game, working hard, chasing down every ball that came his way and playing some excellent football. It didn't start off in that manner however, after controlling a lofted pass and with only Joe Hart standing between him and the opening goal, the Chelsea striker sent his rushed volley arrowing over the bar.
Normally his head would have dropped at that point and he would have lost concentration, but not this time. With half an hour on the clock, the Spaniard made a powerful run down the right side of the field, breezing past Clichy before handing it to Andre Schurrle on a plate who bagged his first goal for the blues from very close range. Shortly after the goal Torres showed another flash of his brilliance from his time at Liverpool, unleashing a ferocious shot that beat Joe Hart but ricocheted off the corner of the goal where the post meets the crossbar.
It stayed 1-0 until half time when the two sides left the pitch to face very different team talks. Manuel Pellegrini will have been demanding a lot more from his side. Despite making most of the running in the first half, they lacked the cutting edge to make it count.
His words had an almost instant affect. Just four minutes into the second period and the away side were level. Sergio Aguero beat the Chelsea offside trap and ran through one on one with Petr Cech, firing an unstoppable shot into the top corner that left the Home keeper frozen to the spot. It was Aguero's fifth goal in three games.
The second half was much more open than the first, the two teams taking turns to press down the field and attempt to create the winning goal, before inevitably surrendering possession to the opposition.
It was Chelsea who found the break through, late on in the ninety regulation minutes. Willian fired a long, hopeful ball down the field and caused a major mix up when both Joe Hart and Nastasic went to deal with it. Nastasic ended up lobbing the ball over his own keeper and sending Torres through on goal, who duly slotted home the winning goal from a tight angle.
The goal sent the whole crowd into raptures, with Jose Mourinho jumping into the stands to celebrate alongside the shocked Chelsea supporters. The result moves Chelsea back up into second above Liverpool only on goal difference, but leaves Manchester City in the surprisingly low position of seventh, below Southampton.
Monday 21 October 2013
Arsenal Gun Down Norwich
After seeing Liverpool drop points at St James' Park earlier in the day, Arsenal had the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Barclay's Premier League at home to Norwich. Arsene Wenger's men will have been keen to get back to winning ways; they were held to a one-all draw last week by West Bromwich Albion.
The Gunners were quick to find their rhythm and went ahead after twenty minutes. It was one of the best goals you'll see all year. Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla exchanged passes before a succession of stunning flicks from first Giroud, then Wilshere and finally Giroud sent Wilshere through on goal and the Arsenal number 10 slotted home the opener.
Later on in the first half Flamini and Tettey were involved in a nasty clash of heads from which Flamini came off the worse and, unfortunately for Arsenal, had to be substituted. His replacement Aaron Ramsey seemed to have a point to prove and added an extra spark to an already magnificent Arsenal attack.
It didn't take long in the second half for the London side to double their advantage. Olivier Giroud put a delightful ball into the box and Mesut Ozil rose highest to head home past a stranded John Ruddy in the Norwich goal.
The visitors did grab a goal back but it was just a tiny blip on an otherwise outstanding Arsenal display. Howson getting the goal for the Canaries.
Ramsey continued his impressive substitute appearance with a goal. He sent the Norwich defenders sprawling all over the place before calmly slotting home Arsenal's third goal and effectively killing off the match. Ozil added a fourth late on in the game to put the icing on the cake as far as Wenger is concerned.
The result leaves Arsenal two points clear in first place with eight games played; they should be over the moon with their start to the season, unbeaten in the last seven and top of the table. Norwich fans will have a rather different opinion on the current standings; they're sitting third bottom with only seven points.
The Gunners were quick to find their rhythm and went ahead after twenty minutes. It was one of the best goals you'll see all year. Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla exchanged passes before a succession of stunning flicks from first Giroud, then Wilshere and finally Giroud sent Wilshere through on goal and the Arsenal number 10 slotted home the opener.
Later on in the first half Flamini and Tettey were involved in a nasty clash of heads from which Flamini came off the worse and, unfortunately for Arsenal, had to be substituted. His replacement Aaron Ramsey seemed to have a point to prove and added an extra spark to an already magnificent Arsenal attack.
It didn't take long in the second half for the London side to double their advantage. Olivier Giroud put a delightful ball into the box and Mesut Ozil rose highest to head home past a stranded John Ruddy in the Norwich goal.
The visitors did grab a goal back but it was just a tiny blip on an otherwise outstanding Arsenal display. Howson getting the goal for the Canaries.
Ramsey continued his impressive substitute appearance with a goal. He sent the Norwich defenders sprawling all over the place before calmly slotting home Arsenal's third goal and effectively killing off the match. Ozil added a fourth late on in the game to put the icing on the cake as far as Wenger is concerned.
The result leaves Arsenal two points clear in first place with eight games played; they should be over the moon with their start to the season, unbeaten in the last seven and top of the table. Norwich fans will have a rather different opinion on the current standings; they're sitting third bottom with only seven points.
Monday 14 October 2013
Football League Review
With no Premier League football taking place this week due to the international break, it seems like the perfect opportunity to catch up with all the goings on in the Football League. They're celebrating their 150th anniversary this year and it has been as exciting as ever so far.
Championship
Burnley are on top after 11 games in the second tier of English football. Danny Ings and Sam Vokes have been on fire, both are in double figures in all competitions already. Relegated QPR are sitting in second but they have a game in hand over the Lancashire side. Leicester, Nottingham Forrest, Watford and Blackpool currently occupy the four play-off places with Reading and Bournemouth just outside. At the other end, Barnsley remain rooted to the bottom but Yeovil and Sheffield Wednesday are not too far ahead of them, making up the numbers in the bottom three.
League 1
Leyton Orient are still leading the way in League 1. In the whole of English football only they and QPR have their unbeaten record still intact. Peterborough and Wolves are hot on Orient's heels but as of yet no one has been able to steal top spot. Bradford have had a fantastic season, after winning the League 2 play-offs last year, they now sit comfortably in fourth place. Sheffield United have started badly in last place with Bristol City just above them who are winless so far this season. Coventry, who started with minus ten points, are now on positive ten after a strong start to life playing in Northampton and would be in fifth without the deduction.
League 2
The fourth tier has been by far the closest so far with the top seven teams separated by just four points. Chesterfield are in first with 23 points but their nearest challengers are Fleetwood who are only one point behind them. Newly promoted Mansfield have surprised everyone and sit in the final play-off place after eleven games. Winless Accrington are bottom of the entire Football League, they have only picked up three points so far. Last year's play-off finalists Northampton are in 23rd and Torquay and Bury are just outside the relegation zone.
The Football League has been thrilling so far this year and we aren't even half way through yet! BBC's 'The Football League Show' is definitely worth a watch every Saturday. I think that more people should watch the lower leagues of English football because it can provide so much excitement and tension every week.
Championship
Burnley are on top after 11 games in the second tier of English football. Danny Ings and Sam Vokes have been on fire, both are in double figures in all competitions already. Relegated QPR are sitting in second but they have a game in hand over the Lancashire side. Leicester, Nottingham Forrest, Watford and Blackpool currently occupy the four play-off places with Reading and Bournemouth just outside. At the other end, Barnsley remain rooted to the bottom but Yeovil and Sheffield Wednesday are not too far ahead of them, making up the numbers in the bottom three.
League 1
Leyton Orient are still leading the way in League 1. In the whole of English football only they and QPR have their unbeaten record still intact. Peterborough and Wolves are hot on Orient's heels but as of yet no one has been able to steal top spot. Bradford have had a fantastic season, after winning the League 2 play-offs last year, they now sit comfortably in fourth place. Sheffield United have started badly in last place with Bristol City just above them who are winless so far this season. Coventry, who started with minus ten points, are now on positive ten after a strong start to life playing in Northampton and would be in fifth without the deduction.
League 2
The fourth tier has been by far the closest so far with the top seven teams separated by just four points. Chesterfield are in first with 23 points but their nearest challengers are Fleetwood who are only one point behind them. Newly promoted Mansfield have surprised everyone and sit in the final play-off place after eleven games. Winless Accrington are bottom of the entire Football League, they have only picked up three points so far. Last year's play-off finalists Northampton are in 23rd and Torquay and Bury are just outside the relegation zone.
The Football League has been thrilling so far this year and we aren't even half way through yet! BBC's 'The Football League Show' is definitely worth a watch every Saturday. I think that more people should watch the lower leagues of English football because it can provide so much excitement and tension every week.
Wednesday 9 October 2013
European Review
We're now two months into the season so it seems like a good time to catch up with the four major leagues around Europe, in Spain, France, Italy and Germany. There has been a lot of exciting football going on in the rest of the continent so there'll be plenty to talk about.
Serie A
Roma, Napoli and Juventus are leading the pack going into October. All three are looking strong and could provide a very interesting and tense title race come the end of the season. Hellas Verona are up in fifth, just a point behind Italian giants Inter Milan, however it will be a massive surprise if they stay that high. Another shock is the superstar-packed AC Milan sitting in the lowly position of 12th with only eight points. Down at the bottom, Sassuolo are struggling to adjust to life in the top flight, currently in last place. Bologna and Sampdoria complete the bottom three.
Bundesliga
It's been same old, same old in the Bundesliga so far; Dortmund were top up until this weekend but Bayern have taken over, recovering from a couple of draws early on. They are the only unbeaten side left in the German top flight after eight rounds of fixtures. Leverkusen are up in third right on Dortmund's tails and Hertha Berlin are having a much better year than last time around, in sixth. Eintracht Braunschweig, Freiburg and Nuremberg make up the bottom three but it could all still change.
La Liga
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are leading the way in Spain, boasting impressive 100% records. Real Madrid are their closest challengers but haven't clicked so far this season with new signing Gareth Bale still struggling with injury. Champions League participants Real Sociedad are down in 15th after a poor start to the season and Almeria, Rayo Vallecano and Osasuna are the three teams in danger of relegation at the moment. Atletico Madrid really have been firing on all cylinders with striker Diego Costa the top scorer above Messi and Ronaldo.
Ligue Un
Big spenders Monaco and PSG are on top form going into the international break, both unbeaten so far. Marseille, Montpellier, Saint Etienne and Lille are chasing the leaders down but Lyon and Bordeaux are a surprisingly long way off the pace, in 14th and 15th respectively. Ajaccio, Valenciennes, Lorient and Sochaux are in trouble after eight games but there is still a long time left in the season. As you would expect, Monaco's Falcao is leading the goal scoring charts but Cavani and Ibrahimovic are a few goals behind.
That's all from my European round-up. I hope you've enjoyed it. Let me know your opinions on these leagues and I would love to hear from anybody who follows any other European leagues.
Serie A
Roma, Napoli and Juventus are leading the pack going into October. All three are looking strong and could provide a very interesting and tense title race come the end of the season. Hellas Verona are up in fifth, just a point behind Italian giants Inter Milan, however it will be a massive surprise if they stay that high. Another shock is the superstar-packed AC Milan sitting in the lowly position of 12th with only eight points. Down at the bottom, Sassuolo are struggling to adjust to life in the top flight, currently in last place. Bologna and Sampdoria complete the bottom three.
Bundesliga
It's been same old, same old in the Bundesliga so far; Dortmund were top up until this weekend but Bayern have taken over, recovering from a couple of draws early on. They are the only unbeaten side left in the German top flight after eight rounds of fixtures. Leverkusen are up in third right on Dortmund's tails and Hertha Berlin are having a much better year than last time around, in sixth. Eintracht Braunschweig, Freiburg and Nuremberg make up the bottom three but it could all still change.
La Liga
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are leading the way in Spain, boasting impressive 100% records. Real Madrid are their closest challengers but haven't clicked so far this season with new signing Gareth Bale still struggling with injury. Champions League participants Real Sociedad are down in 15th after a poor start to the season and Almeria, Rayo Vallecano and Osasuna are the three teams in danger of relegation at the moment. Atletico Madrid really have been firing on all cylinders with striker Diego Costa the top scorer above Messi and Ronaldo.
Ligue Un
Big spenders Monaco and PSG are on top form going into the international break, both unbeaten so far. Marseille, Montpellier, Saint Etienne and Lille are chasing the leaders down but Lyon and Bordeaux are a surprisingly long way off the pace, in 14th and 15th respectively. Ajaccio, Valenciennes, Lorient and Sochaux are in trouble after eight games but there is still a long time left in the season. As you would expect, Monaco's Falcao is leading the goal scoring charts but Cavani and Ibrahimovic are a few goals behind.
That's all from my European round-up. I hope you've enjoyed it. Let me know your opinions on these leagues and I would love to hear from anybody who follows any other European leagues.
Thursday 3 October 2013
Premier League Week 6
After another thrilling weekend in the Premier League I take a look back at the results and how they've led to one of the best starts to a season in recent memory.
Aston Villa 3-2 Manchester City
A fantastic win for Villa against very difficult opposition. Having twice gone behind, the Birmingham side showed the sort of fighting spirit that could keep them up and scored two goals in three minutes to grab an amazing win against Man City. City haven't got off to the best of starts, with ten points from six games leaving them in seventh, joint on points with Hull City.
Manchester United 1-2 West Bromwich Albion
A commanding performance from the Baggies helped them take full points from Old Trafford for the first time since 1978. Goals from Morgan Amalfitano and Saido Berahino were enough to overcome the champions. Wayne Rooney scored a free kick for United but it was nothing more than a consolation and West Brom held on to win. After a surprisingly poor start to the season United now sit in 12th with West Brom above them in 10th.
Sunderland 1-3 Liverpool
Suarez made a massive impact with his return from a lengthy suspension, scoring two goals and helping Liverpool to capitalise on both Manchester clubs slipping up. Sturridge was influential as well, setting up both Suarez goals and taking one for himself. The result leaves Sunderland still stranded at the bottom of the table with fans hoping that caretaker manager Kevin Ball can turn their fortunes around. Liverpool are sitting in second and looking good after six games.
Swansea City 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal continued their fantastic start to the season in Wales in the Saturday late kick off against Swansea. Aaron Ramsey scored yet another goal for the Gunners and got the assist for Serge Gnabry to score his first league goal for Arsenal, the teenager making only his third league appearance for the North London outfit. Ben Davies scored for Swansea but they couldn't stop Arsenal going top of the league. The signing of Mesut Ozil seems to have really lifted the spirits inside the Arsenal camp; they have a 100% record since he joined.
Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Chelsea
Spurs missed out on a chance to go top of the league, held to a draw against London rivals Chelsea. Sigurdsson put the home side into the lead in the first half but his goal was cancelled out by John Terry. Fernando Torres was sent off late on for a second yellow card but could be facing a four match ban after raising his hands and grabbing Vertonghen's face. Both Spurs and Chelsea should be relatively pleased with the outcome as it leaves them well placed going into October, hot on Arsenal's and Liverpool's tails.
Everton 3-2 Newcastle United
Everton and Newcastle treated us all to a real treat of a match on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football. Everton went into half time three goals to the good, thanks in no small part to Romelu Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea, who scored two and assisted the other. Newcastle fought back in the second half however and a stunning goal from Cabaye gave them hope of a comeback. Loic Remy scored their second in the 90th minute and had a chance for an equaliser in injury time but Everton held on to win and move up to fifth in the table.
Hull City 1-0 West Ham United
A Robbie Brady penalty helped the Tigers to a third consecutive win in all competitions. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce disputed the decision to award the penalty but Brady tucked it away calmly to score his third goal of the season. The Hammers felt that they should have had a penalty of their own late on in the game but the referee deemed Livermore not to have handled under pressure in the Hull box. The three points have lifted Hull to eighth in the table, higher than the reigning champions Manchester United.
Fulham 1-2 Cardiff City
Cardiff earned their second win of the season against a Fulham side who lost Scott Parker early on through injury. Jordan Mutch scored his first ever goal for the Bluebirds in the 90th minute to secure the victory and send Cardiff one place above Manchester United. As for Fulham, the Cottagers sit in 18th in the table with only four points to their name.
Southampton 2-0 Crystal Palace
Two quick fire goals at the start of the second half were enough to ensure a comfortable three points for Southampton which take them to sixth in the table after six games. Lambert and Osvaldo scored the goals for the Saints, Osvaldo's first in the Premier League. Crystal Palace now sit in 19th with just one win, against bottom club Sunderland.
Stoke City 0-1 Norwich City
The Canaries got their second win of the season thanks to a Howson goal from outside the area. Both clubs are now joint on points and goal difference in 14th after indifferent starts to the campaign. Norwich have a tough couple of games coming up, at home to Chelsea before a trip down South to leaders Arsenal. Stoke on the other hand face Fulham and West Brom, both games that they will be looking to take points from.
That's all for this week's Premier League drama. In a week in which the normalities of the Premier League have been flipped on their heads, who can really predict what will happen next week? I'm already looking forward to next week's madness!
Aston Villa 3-2 Manchester City
A fantastic win for Villa against very difficult opposition. Having twice gone behind, the Birmingham side showed the sort of fighting spirit that could keep them up and scored two goals in three minutes to grab an amazing win against Man City. City haven't got off to the best of starts, with ten points from six games leaving them in seventh, joint on points with Hull City.
Manchester United 1-2 West Bromwich Albion
A commanding performance from the Baggies helped them take full points from Old Trafford for the first time since 1978. Goals from Morgan Amalfitano and Saido Berahino were enough to overcome the champions. Wayne Rooney scored a free kick for United but it was nothing more than a consolation and West Brom held on to win. After a surprisingly poor start to the season United now sit in 12th with West Brom above them in 10th.
Sunderland 1-3 Liverpool
Suarez made a massive impact with his return from a lengthy suspension, scoring two goals and helping Liverpool to capitalise on both Manchester clubs slipping up. Sturridge was influential as well, setting up both Suarez goals and taking one for himself. The result leaves Sunderland still stranded at the bottom of the table with fans hoping that caretaker manager Kevin Ball can turn their fortunes around. Liverpool are sitting in second and looking good after six games.
Swansea City 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal continued their fantastic start to the season in Wales in the Saturday late kick off against Swansea. Aaron Ramsey scored yet another goal for the Gunners and got the assist for Serge Gnabry to score his first league goal for Arsenal, the teenager making only his third league appearance for the North London outfit. Ben Davies scored for Swansea but they couldn't stop Arsenal going top of the league. The signing of Mesut Ozil seems to have really lifted the spirits inside the Arsenal camp; they have a 100% record since he joined.
Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Chelsea
Spurs missed out on a chance to go top of the league, held to a draw against London rivals Chelsea. Sigurdsson put the home side into the lead in the first half but his goal was cancelled out by John Terry. Fernando Torres was sent off late on for a second yellow card but could be facing a four match ban after raising his hands and grabbing Vertonghen's face. Both Spurs and Chelsea should be relatively pleased with the outcome as it leaves them well placed going into October, hot on Arsenal's and Liverpool's tails.
Everton 3-2 Newcastle United
Everton and Newcastle treated us all to a real treat of a match on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football. Everton went into half time three goals to the good, thanks in no small part to Romelu Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea, who scored two and assisted the other. Newcastle fought back in the second half however and a stunning goal from Cabaye gave them hope of a comeback. Loic Remy scored their second in the 90th minute and had a chance for an equaliser in injury time but Everton held on to win and move up to fifth in the table.
Hull City 1-0 West Ham United
A Robbie Brady penalty helped the Tigers to a third consecutive win in all competitions. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce disputed the decision to award the penalty but Brady tucked it away calmly to score his third goal of the season. The Hammers felt that they should have had a penalty of their own late on in the game but the referee deemed Livermore not to have handled under pressure in the Hull box. The three points have lifted Hull to eighth in the table, higher than the reigning champions Manchester United.
Fulham 1-2 Cardiff City
Cardiff earned their second win of the season against a Fulham side who lost Scott Parker early on through injury. Jordan Mutch scored his first ever goal for the Bluebirds in the 90th minute to secure the victory and send Cardiff one place above Manchester United. As for Fulham, the Cottagers sit in 18th in the table with only four points to their name.
Southampton 2-0 Crystal Palace
Two quick fire goals at the start of the second half were enough to ensure a comfortable three points for Southampton which take them to sixth in the table after six games. Lambert and Osvaldo scored the goals for the Saints, Osvaldo's first in the Premier League. Crystal Palace now sit in 19th with just one win, against bottom club Sunderland.
Stoke City 0-1 Norwich City
The Canaries got their second win of the season thanks to a Howson goal from outside the area. Both clubs are now joint on points and goal difference in 14th after indifferent starts to the campaign. Norwich have a tough couple of games coming up, at home to Chelsea before a trip down South to leaders Arsenal. Stoke on the other hand face Fulham and West Brom, both games that they will be looking to take points from.
That's all for this week's Premier League drama. In a week in which the normalities of the Premier League have been flipped on their heads, who can really predict what will happen next week? I'm already looking forward to next week's madness!
Monday 23 September 2013
Derby Blues for David Moyes
The first real test of the season for Manchester City saw deadly local rivals Manchester United pay a visit to the Etihad Stadium. This was an eagerly anticipated matchup that pitted the two title favourites against each other in a fixture that helped decide the title last year... and the year before.
It was a nervous start with both sides desperately not wanting to concede early on. Man City settled the quicker though and had their counterparts under pressure within 15 minutes. They made their dominance pay after good work on the left from Nasri played Kolarov in down the wing, his cross perfectly picked out Sergio Aguero who finished with a stunning volley to put the Citizens in the lead.
David Moyes would have wanted an immediate response from his side but it didn't come. City continued to press forward and kept the current champions quiet for the majority of the first half. Just before the break Manchester City doubled their lead. Nasri swung in a corner and Alvaro Negredo's header was flicked over the line by Yaya Toure.
In the second half Man City picked up where they left off. Negredo picked out his strike partner Sergio Aguero who calmly tucked away his second of the game. United's only chances were coming on the break but were rarely a threat to Man City's strong defence.
Any chances the visitors may have had of a comeback were killed off just a few minutes later when Samir Nasri superbly volleyed home from Jesus Navas' cross. The goal summed up City's dominance and was well deserved.
United scored a late goal thanks to a Wayne Rooney free kick, however it was nothing more than a consolation. It was a case of too little too late for the Red Devils as the home side cruised to the finish for a comfortable three points and Manuel Pelegrini's first derby win as City manager.
It's obviously too early to say that this result will determine the destination of this year's Premier League trophy but it could have a massive impact on the next couple of games and may well prove pivotal come crunch time.
Monday 16 September 2013
Champions League Preview - Part 2
Time for part two of the Champions League preview, here are groups E to H.
Group E
Chelsea - Schalke - Basel - Steaua Bucuresti
This should be a routine group stage for Chelsea after their shock exit last year. Schalke and Basel will both have a chance however. Schalke beat Arsenal to top the group last time around and Basel have caused Manchester United problems in the past. Steaua shouldn't be a threat to any of the other three. They are champions of Romania but won't come close to qualification.
Group F
Arsenal - Marseille - Borussia Dortmund - Napoli
Group F is undoubtedly this years group of death. Last year's finalists Borussia Dortmund will be confident of making it through the group but it will be difficult for them as they come up against Arsenal, Marseille and Napoli who will all feel they have a chance of going through. This will be a close group with a couple of shock results and some entertaining matches. It should be exciting.
Group G
Porto - Atletico Madrid - Zenit St Petersburg - Austria Wien
Another close group, all four teams will hope to make it through. Madrid might struggle a bit having lost a number of their star players in the summer but David Villa seems to be a great signing and has been playing really well. Porto are another strong team and Zenit have been making a few big name signings. It could be an interesting group.
Group H
Barcelona - AC Milan - Ajax - Celtic
Group H reunites two teams who were in the same group last year. Barcelona and Celtic faced off in Group G and Celtic pulled off a shock win, beating the Catalan giants in Glasgow. Barcelona met Milan in the round of sixteen and dispatched them reasonably comfortably en route to a semi final exit. Ajax and Celtic should both struggle but you never know when it comes to the Champions League.
Teams in the Round of 16
I think that the following 16 teams will make it through to the next round. I have also predicted how far I think they will go.
Manchester United (QF)
Shakhtar Donetsk (16)
Real Madrid (SF)
Juventus (QF)
PSG (16)
Benfica (16)
Bayern Munich (SF)
Manchester City (16)
Chelsea (QF)
Basel (16)
Borussia Dortmund (Final)
Arsenal (16)
Atletico Madrid (16)
Porto (16)
Barcelona (Winners)
AC Milan (QF)
This all obviously depends on the draw but just from the groups this is what I think will happen. I would love for Dortmund to win it this year but unfortunately I think that Barcelona will have too much quality.
Group E
Chelsea - Schalke - Basel - Steaua Bucuresti
This should be a routine group stage for Chelsea after their shock exit last year. Schalke and Basel will both have a chance however. Schalke beat Arsenal to top the group last time around and Basel have caused Manchester United problems in the past. Steaua shouldn't be a threat to any of the other three. They are champions of Romania but won't come close to qualification.
Group F
Arsenal - Marseille - Borussia Dortmund - Napoli
Group F is undoubtedly this years group of death. Last year's finalists Borussia Dortmund will be confident of making it through the group but it will be difficult for them as they come up against Arsenal, Marseille and Napoli who will all feel they have a chance of going through. This will be a close group with a couple of shock results and some entertaining matches. It should be exciting.
Group G
Porto - Atletico Madrid - Zenit St Petersburg - Austria Wien
Another close group, all four teams will hope to make it through. Madrid might struggle a bit having lost a number of their star players in the summer but David Villa seems to be a great signing and has been playing really well. Porto are another strong team and Zenit have been making a few big name signings. It could be an interesting group.
Group H
Barcelona - AC Milan - Ajax - Celtic
Group H reunites two teams who were in the same group last year. Barcelona and Celtic faced off in Group G and Celtic pulled off a shock win, beating the Catalan giants in Glasgow. Barcelona met Milan in the round of sixteen and dispatched them reasonably comfortably en route to a semi final exit. Ajax and Celtic should both struggle but you never know when it comes to the Champions League.
Teams in the Round of 16
I think that the following 16 teams will make it through to the next round. I have also predicted how far I think they will go.
Manchester United (QF)
Shakhtar Donetsk (16)
Real Madrid (SF)
Juventus (QF)
PSG (16)
Benfica (16)
Bayern Munich (SF)
Manchester City (16)
Chelsea (QF)
Basel (16)
Borussia Dortmund (Final)
Arsenal (16)
Atletico Madrid (16)
Porto (16)
Barcelona (Winners)
AC Milan (QF)
This all obviously depends on the draw but just from the groups this is what I think will happen. I would love for Dortmund to win it this year but unfortunately I think that Barcelona will have too much quality.
Tuesday 10 September 2013
Champions League Preview - Part 1
The Champions League group stage draw took place last week in Monaco and it threw up some very interesting match-ups and renewed some old rivalries. Over the next two weeks I will look over the groups and give my opinion on who will do well and who will fall short.
Group A
Manchester United - Shakhtar Donetsk - Bayer Leverkusen - Real Sociedad
Manchester United will undoubtedly enter this group as the hot favourites to progress but it might not be that straightforward. Shakhtar will provide a tough challenge and Leverkusen can also be tricky to beat. Those two will feel that they are fighting for second place in the group, but one good result and they could end up putting some pressure on first place. Sociedad are an unknown value in European football, this only their second appearance in the competition.
Group B
Real Madrid - Juventus - Galatasaray - FC Copenhagen
This looks to be a tough group with three strong teams who will be battling to go through. Real Madrid should be comfortably top of the four but both Juventus and Galatasaray will feel that they can get through after Dortmund proved that Madrid can be beaten last year. Copenhagen will have a tough time getting any points at all from this group, however they may have a chance of stealing a point at home.
Group C
Benfica - PSG - Olympiacos - Anderlecht
This group could be quite open and all four teams will go into it feeling that they have a chance of qualification. PSG have spent big over the last couple of years and will hope that summer signing Edison Cavani fires them into the next round. Benfica should also make it through but it could be close.
Group D
Bayern Munich - CSKA Moscow - Manchester City - Viktoria Plzen
Munich should top this group with ease having already won the Super Cup and starting reasonably strongly in the Bundesliga. Manchester City will hope to make it third time lucky having fallen short in the group stages for the last two years. CSKA will prove a test but one which the Citizens should pass. Plzen will have a tough time in the group but may pick up the odd point.
That's the end of this half of my preview. Make sure to come back next week for part two, in which I'll look at the remaining four groups. This year promises plenty of excitement and it will be interesting to see how the Spanish contingent respond to Germany's bid for superiority last year.
Group A
Manchester United - Shakhtar Donetsk - Bayer Leverkusen - Real Sociedad
Manchester United will undoubtedly enter this group as the hot favourites to progress but it might not be that straightforward. Shakhtar will provide a tough challenge and Leverkusen can also be tricky to beat. Those two will feel that they are fighting for second place in the group, but one good result and they could end up putting some pressure on first place. Sociedad are an unknown value in European football, this only their second appearance in the competition.
Group B
Real Madrid - Juventus - Galatasaray - FC Copenhagen
This looks to be a tough group with three strong teams who will be battling to go through. Real Madrid should be comfortably top of the four but both Juventus and Galatasaray will feel that they can get through after Dortmund proved that Madrid can be beaten last year. Copenhagen will have a tough time getting any points at all from this group, however they may have a chance of stealing a point at home.
Group C
Benfica - PSG - Olympiacos - Anderlecht
This group could be quite open and all four teams will go into it feeling that they have a chance of qualification. PSG have spent big over the last couple of years and will hope that summer signing Edison Cavani fires them into the next round. Benfica should also make it through but it could be close.
Group D
Bayern Munich - CSKA Moscow - Manchester City - Viktoria Plzen
Munich should top this group with ease having already won the Super Cup and starting reasonably strongly in the Bundesliga. Manchester City will hope to make it third time lucky having fallen short in the group stages for the last two years. CSKA will prove a test but one which the Citizens should pass. Plzen will have a tough time in the group but may pick up the odd point.
That's the end of this half of my preview. Make sure to come back next week for part two, in which I'll look at the remaining four groups. This year promises plenty of excitement and it will be interesting to see how the Spanish contingent respond to Germany's bid for superiority last year.
Tuesday 3 September 2013
Liverpool Leap to the Top of the Table
Chelsea were leading the way going into this weekend having played an extra game but with both Manchester United and Liverpool hot on their heels, Jose Mourinho will have been keeping a keen eye on this 'clash of the titans' at Anfield.
Liverpool leapt into action and Daniel Sturridge grabbed his third goal in three league games; Steven Gerrard's floated corner was flicked on by Agger and Sturridge was in the right place at the right time to flick the ball between two United defenders to put Liverpool into the lead on his 24th birthday.
United responded well but Liverpool kept up their high tempo style of play, leaving the away side frustrated going into the half time break. The game threatened to boil over at that point with the already booked Robin Van Persie sharing some choice words with a number of the Liverpool players.
Manchester United came out stronger in what was a frantic and scrappy second half but couldn't create many chances. Mignolet was required to make his first real save in the 76th minute, pushing away Nani's shot.
The home team were strong in defence however and kept the Red Devils quiet for most of the game. The one good chance that United did have was wasted when Van Persie fired his shot wide after Hernandez had played the Dutchman through on goal.
In the end Liverpool held on to earn themselves the three points and go top of the table. It is the first time in over 15 years that The Reds have won their opening three games and they are looking like a good bet for the top four this year. Of course it is still early but this result could be decisive if these two end up near each other come the end of the season.
Sunday 25 August 2013
Tigers Roar Into Action
The Tigers picked up their first three points of the season with a hard fought win over Norwich. Robbie Brady's 22nd minute penalty was enough to seal the victory for Hull despite having to play the last hour of the match with ten men after Yannick Sagbo was dismissed for an attempted head butt.
The visitors got off to a strong start and should have taken the lead but new signing Leroy Fer headed wide and shortly afterwards Nathan Redmond, another new signing, forced a good save with a shot from the edge of the box.
Hull took the lead half way through the first half when Sagbo was felled by Michael Turner in the area. Brady stepped up and coolly slotted away The Tigers' first goal of the season.
Yannick Sagbo went from hero to villain when, half an hour into the game, he lost his temper and attempted to head butt Norwich's Russell Martin. Referee Mike Jones showed no hesitation in producing the red card and sending the striker for an early bath only thirty minutes into his home debut.
Norwich had the lions share of possession from this point onwards but Hull defended resolutely and sometimes desperately to hold on for the three points. Norwich had few chances after the sending off but the ones that they did have were kept out by Alan McGregor who had a fantastic game and should have earned the man of the match award.
Ricky Van Wolfswinkel had The Canaries' best chance but his header was saved in spectacular style by McGregor.
Steve Bruce said at the start of the season that Hull would need ten wins to stay up so in his eyes this will be one down, nine to go. Chris Hughton was dismayed by the penalty decision but should have his side fired up and ready to go for next week's game against Southampton.
Thursday 22 August 2013
Premier League - Back With A Bang
The Premier League kicked off last weekend and it's like it has never been away. There were shocks, great goals and thrilling games with loads of stories as a result.
Arsenal 1-3 Aston Villa
Villa started their season with a surprise 3-1 win over Arsenal. After a shaky year last time around this win is just the boost they need to push forward and start their rise back up to the higher positions that they were used to. This is Arsenal's first opening day defeat in 20 years. Obviously they have only played one game but it still is a worrying sign of things to come. The Gunners face London rivals Fulham next weekend and the outcome of that could set the tone for the season. Villa have Liverpool up next in the third game of a very tough start to the season. They should be very happy no matter what the outcome of that match having got three unexpected points against Arsenal.
Liverpool 1-0 Stoke City
A thrilling game worthy of being the first of the year. Sturridge scored the first goal of the season and it was enough to earn them three points against Stoke who had Mark Hughes in charge for the first time. The Reds relied heavily on new keeper Simon Mignolet to seal the win, fortunately for them he got the job done with a late penalty save. Liverpool will be happy with a good win to start off what they will hope is going to be a successful season and Stoke will take confidence from their strong performance, despite not getting anything from the game.
Norwich City 2-2 Everton
A gripping encounter at Carrow Road ended with the points shared. Roberto Martinez took charge of The Toffees for the first time and his style is already starting to show. Everton played neat, stylish football but there were signs of the poor defending that cost Wigan dearly last year. Norwich should come away pleased with the result. Their new signing, Ricky Van Wolfswinkel, is off the mark and showed why The Canaries paid £8.5 million.
Swansea City 1-4 Manchester United
The reigning champions got off to a flying start, with a comfortable win over The Swans. Robin Van Persie picked up where he left off at the end of last season, scoring a brace, and Danny Wellbeck scored the other two. There was one positive note for Swansea to take from the game; Wilfried Bony scored a debut goal but it was nothing more than a consolation.
Manchester City 4-0 Newcastle United
Man City leapt to the top of the table after beating Newcastle 4-0 in the first Monday Night Football match of the season. Four different players got on the score sheet for The Citizens who successfully proved that they won't miss Carlos Tevez. Man City started two of their new signings, Navas and Paulinho, and Negredo was subbed on in the 80th minute but Jovetic didn't even make the bench. Newcastle were unable to play Loic Remy due to an injury.
Chelsea 2-0 Hull City
Mourinho's return to Chelsea was successful with a comfortable opening day win against promoted side Hull. Chelsea bossed the first half an hour and looked like they would go on to score six or seven. Hull got themselves back in the game however and looked much better in the second half. That should give them a lot of confidence going into next week’s match against Norwich. Chelsea have Manchester United up next. It will be the first real test of their title credentials.
West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Southampton
Southampton clinched victory thanks to Ricky Lambert’s last minute penalty. The striker scoring just a few days after getting a goal on his England debut. The penalty was the only action in a scrappy match but it was all The Saints needed to grab the three points. Anelka earned his first start for Albion but couldn’t provide the breakthrough they were looking for. Good start for Southampton, not so good for The Baggies.
Sunderland 0-1 Fulham
Fulham kicked off the season with three points. Pajtim Kasami scored a header in the 53rd minute and it was enough to see off Sunderland. The home side created some good openings but failed to convert any of them, Ji Dong Wong headed wide in the final minute to seal their fate. There were plenty of new signings on show at The Stadium Of Light however the day had a sour end for Fulham’s new goalkeeper, Maarten Stekelenburg, who went off injured after a collision with another new player, Sunderland’s Jozy Altidore.
West Ham United 2-0 Cardiff City
The Hammers got off to a great start beating newly promoted Cardiff 2-0. Kevin Nolan and Joe Cole were the scorers in an impressive win. West Ham’s strike force seemed to be firing on all cylinders despite the lack of Andy Carroll; Cole, Maiga and Jarvis played well and created some brilliant chances. In the end, it came down to the quality of finishing to decide the result and Nicky Maynard firing a shot over the bar from six yards out was not a good sign.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Palace had the smallest losing margin of the three promoted sides but rarely threatened. Tottenham cruised to victory thanks to new signing Roberto Soldado’s penalty and looked very comfortable all match, even without Bale in the team. They were unlucky not to score more but should ultimately be pleased with the result. Palace will have to play a lot better if they want to compete with some of the bigger teams in the division.
In a midweek match, rearranged due to Chelsea’s involvement in the Super Cup, Chelsea beat Aston Villa 2-1 to go top of the table however there were some questionable decisions in Paul Lambert’s opinion.
So, the first week has drawn to a close, plenty of goals, red cards and excitement, and it’s only just getting started. There were European matches in midweek to tide us over until another installment of the best league in the world this weekend.
Arsenal 1-3 Aston Villa
Villa started their season with a surprise 3-1 win over Arsenal. After a shaky year last time around this win is just the boost they need to push forward and start their rise back up to the higher positions that they were used to. This is Arsenal's first opening day defeat in 20 years. Obviously they have only played one game but it still is a worrying sign of things to come. The Gunners face London rivals Fulham next weekend and the outcome of that could set the tone for the season. Villa have Liverpool up next in the third game of a very tough start to the season. They should be very happy no matter what the outcome of that match having got three unexpected points against Arsenal.
Liverpool 1-0 Stoke City
A thrilling game worthy of being the first of the year. Sturridge scored the first goal of the season and it was enough to earn them three points against Stoke who had Mark Hughes in charge for the first time. The Reds relied heavily on new keeper Simon Mignolet to seal the win, fortunately for them he got the job done with a late penalty save. Liverpool will be happy with a good win to start off what they will hope is going to be a successful season and Stoke will take confidence from their strong performance, despite not getting anything from the game.
Norwich City 2-2 Everton
A gripping encounter at Carrow Road ended with the points shared. Roberto Martinez took charge of The Toffees for the first time and his style is already starting to show. Everton played neat, stylish football but there were signs of the poor defending that cost Wigan dearly last year. Norwich should come away pleased with the result. Their new signing, Ricky Van Wolfswinkel, is off the mark and showed why The Canaries paid £8.5 million.
Swansea City 1-4 Manchester United
The reigning champions got off to a flying start, with a comfortable win over The Swans. Robin Van Persie picked up where he left off at the end of last season, scoring a brace, and Danny Wellbeck scored the other two. There was one positive note for Swansea to take from the game; Wilfried Bony scored a debut goal but it was nothing more than a consolation.
Manchester City 4-0 Newcastle United
Man City leapt to the top of the table after beating Newcastle 4-0 in the first Monday Night Football match of the season. Four different players got on the score sheet for The Citizens who successfully proved that they won't miss Carlos Tevez. Man City started two of their new signings, Navas and Paulinho, and Negredo was subbed on in the 80th minute but Jovetic didn't even make the bench. Newcastle were unable to play Loic Remy due to an injury.
Chelsea 2-0 Hull City
Mourinho's return to Chelsea was successful with a comfortable opening day win against promoted side Hull. Chelsea bossed the first half an hour and looked like they would go on to score six or seven. Hull got themselves back in the game however and looked much better in the second half. That should give them a lot of confidence going into next week’s match against Norwich. Chelsea have Manchester United up next. It will be the first real test of their title credentials.
West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Southampton
Southampton clinched victory thanks to Ricky Lambert’s last minute penalty. The striker scoring just a few days after getting a goal on his England debut. The penalty was the only action in a scrappy match but it was all The Saints needed to grab the three points. Anelka earned his first start for Albion but couldn’t provide the breakthrough they were looking for. Good start for Southampton, not so good for The Baggies.
Sunderland 0-1 Fulham
Fulham kicked off the season with three points. Pajtim Kasami scored a header in the 53rd minute and it was enough to see off Sunderland. The home side created some good openings but failed to convert any of them, Ji Dong Wong headed wide in the final minute to seal their fate. There were plenty of new signings on show at The Stadium Of Light however the day had a sour end for Fulham’s new goalkeeper, Maarten Stekelenburg, who went off injured after a collision with another new player, Sunderland’s Jozy Altidore.
West Ham United 2-0 Cardiff City
The Hammers got off to a great start beating newly promoted Cardiff 2-0. Kevin Nolan and Joe Cole were the scorers in an impressive win. West Ham’s strike force seemed to be firing on all cylinders despite the lack of Andy Carroll; Cole, Maiga and Jarvis played well and created some brilliant chances. In the end, it came down to the quality of finishing to decide the result and Nicky Maynard firing a shot over the bar from six yards out was not a good sign.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Palace had the smallest losing margin of the three promoted sides but rarely threatened. Tottenham cruised to victory thanks to new signing Roberto Soldado’s penalty and looked very comfortable all match, even without Bale in the team. They were unlucky not to score more but should ultimately be pleased with the result. Palace will have to play a lot better if they want to compete with some of the bigger teams in the division.
In a midweek match, rearranged due to Chelsea’s involvement in the Super Cup, Chelsea beat Aston Villa 2-1 to go top of the table however there were some questionable decisions in Paul Lambert’s opinion.
So, the first week has drawn to a close, plenty of goals, red cards and excitement, and it’s only just getting started. There were European matches in midweek to tide us over until another installment of the best league in the world this weekend.
Saturday 17 August 2013
Football League
The Football League is now back in full flow and I thought that I'd take this chance to have a look at what's been going on so far.
New boys get good start.
Newport County's return to the Football League has been a mixed bag so far, after a brilliant start and a fantastic upset in the Capital One Cup they lost 3-1 to last season's defeated play-off finalists Northampton. Two good wins will fill the club with confidence and help them relax into League 2. Championship first-timers Yeovil also got off to a good start with a shock win over Millwall on the opening day and a midweek cup win over Southend. They too lost their second league match, an unlucky 1-0 defeat at the hands of Birmingham. Mansfield have fared less well with just one point from two league matches and a first round exit from the cup.
Favourites show why.
Watford have been quick to recapture their form of last season that took them to the play-off final, with three wins from three, the latest of which a 6-1 thrashing of newly promoted Bournemouth. Wigan won their opening match 4-0, laying down their claim for automatic promotion. They have only played one match this season however, as they enter the Capital One Cup in the third round and faced Manchester United in the Charity Shield instead of playing a second league match. Peterborough and Wolves have both made strong starts to life in League 1 where they will be looking to make an immediate return to the Championship. Wolves however suffered a shock cup defeat to Morecambe.
Cup shocks.
6 Championship teams were knocked out of the first round of the League Cup by lower league opposition. Blackburn were defeated by Carlisle, Blackpool by Preston and Ipswich by Stevenage. Newport County beat Championship play-off contenders Brighton and Accrington beat Middlesbrough.
Coventry upset fans.
Coventry played their first home match in Northampton's Sixfields stadium provoking anger and disappointment from their supporters. Only 2,000 people witnessed their thrilling 5-4 victory against Bristol City. Many fans boycotted the match but the Sky Blues will need all the support they can get to overturn the -10 points that they started the season on.
Big hitters.
In the Championship, Watford scored 6 in their rout of newly promoted Bournemouth, carrying on where they left off last year. Troy Deeney grabbed a hat trick taking his total to four goals in two games and showing that the Hornets don't miss Vydra. Leyton Orient are also finding goals easy to come by with 8 so far this year. 5-1 and 3-0 wins have seen them start this year strongly.
There is more exciting Football League action this weekend as well as the return of the Premier League. It will be a rollercoaster this year for sure so buckle up and enjoy the ride.
New boys get good start.
Newport County's return to the Football League has been a mixed bag so far, after a brilliant start and a fantastic upset in the Capital One Cup they lost 3-1 to last season's defeated play-off finalists Northampton. Two good wins will fill the club with confidence and help them relax into League 2. Championship first-timers Yeovil also got off to a good start with a shock win over Millwall on the opening day and a midweek cup win over Southend. They too lost their second league match, an unlucky 1-0 defeat at the hands of Birmingham. Mansfield have fared less well with just one point from two league matches and a first round exit from the cup.
Favourites show why.
Watford have been quick to recapture their form of last season that took them to the play-off final, with three wins from three, the latest of which a 6-1 thrashing of newly promoted Bournemouth. Wigan won their opening match 4-0, laying down their claim for automatic promotion. They have only played one match this season however, as they enter the Capital One Cup in the third round and faced Manchester United in the Charity Shield instead of playing a second league match. Peterborough and Wolves have both made strong starts to life in League 1 where they will be looking to make an immediate return to the Championship. Wolves however suffered a shock cup defeat to Morecambe.
Cup shocks.
6 Championship teams were knocked out of the first round of the League Cup by lower league opposition. Blackburn were defeated by Carlisle, Blackpool by Preston and Ipswich by Stevenage. Newport County beat Championship play-off contenders Brighton and Accrington beat Middlesbrough.
Coventry upset fans.
Coventry played their first home match in Northampton's Sixfields stadium provoking anger and disappointment from their supporters. Only 2,000 people witnessed their thrilling 5-4 victory against Bristol City. Many fans boycotted the match but the Sky Blues will need all the support they can get to overturn the -10 points that they started the season on.
Big hitters.
In the Championship, Watford scored 6 in their rout of newly promoted Bournemouth, carrying on where they left off last year. Troy Deeney grabbed a hat trick taking his total to four goals in two games and showing that the Hornets don't miss Vydra. Leyton Orient are also finding goals easy to come by with 8 so far this year. 5-1 and 3-0 wins have seen them start this year strongly.
There is more exciting Football League action this weekend as well as the return of the Premier League. It will be a rollercoaster this year for sure so buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Thursday 8 August 2013
Why I Love Football
Football is a massive part of my life and I've followed it for as long as I can remember. Most people I know would say I'm obsessed!
I am a lifelong Hull City fan and have been to see over fifty matches at the KC Stadium. Hull were promoted to the top flight of English football last season for only the second time in their history and I can't wait to watch my team rubbing shoulders with the best in England.
Football means the world to me and I don't know what I would do without it. For me it's more than just a game or a hobby. For me it's a passion, a way of life.
The latest season is about to kick off and I'm going to see my first match of the season and I'm really excited. I love live football, the atmosphere, everything, it's the most incredible experience.
I've seen a lot of football matches in not many years meaning that I've witnessed lots of memorable victories and promotions.
One of the best matches that I've ever seen is the Play-off final at Wembley between Hull and Bristol City in 2008. It sealed our promotion to the Premier League for the first time in our 104 year history and the atmosphere was electric for the whole 90 minutes.
I was also lucky enough to see the first match in the Premiership. We beat Fulham 2-1 and it was an amazing day out. Of course I thoroughly enjoyed being at the Cardiff match at the end of last season as well, although it was really nerve wracking!
Let me know about your best football related memories and why you love football.
Sunday 4 August 2013
It's Here At Last
The Football League has kicked off and the new Premier League season is almost upon us, everyone is making their predictions. The fans of all clubs will be hoping for great things but I think all fans will join together in hoping that Liverpool never have to wear their away or third shirts! (Have you seen them?) Here is my alternative look at the new season.
More Televised Matches
With Sky showing more matches than ever before and BT entering the market, there will be no shortage of live football. This will mean that every week we will be able to enjoy Premier League, Football League, and European matches. Sky's coverage is always top quality and BT seem to have pumped a lot of money into making this work. It will be interested to see who comes out on top.
New Teams
With Cardiff joining neighbours Swansea and the rest of the top flight for the first time it will provide a brand new derby. The three promoted teams will find it tough but everyone has a chance of doing well in such an open division. Yeovil town have reached the Championship for the first time and Bournemouth for the second. Also for the first time since 1988 Newport County will be playing in the Football League.
125 Years of the Football League
It's the 125th anniversary of the Football League this year so expect celebrations, fireworks and excitement. Sky Bet have taken over from Npower as the official sponsor for the new year, increasing Sky's dominance within football. On the opening weekend there will be some special fixtures featuring the original founder members of the Football League.
New Managers
It's been a managerial merry-go-round this summer, with Ferguson, Mancini, Benitez and Moyes all leaving their posts, their replacements will have a lot of pressure to cope with. Mourinho has returned to Chelsea and should slot back in nicely, however Pellegrini at Man City and Moyes at Man United have a bit more uncertainty surrounding them.
New Players
As always there have been plenty of comings and goings during the transfer window. Man City have spent more money than most countries have in the bank in signing Fernandinho, Negredo and Jovetic. Chelsea have brought in Schurrle and Liverpool have brought in Mignolet. All of these will hope to influence the destination of the title at the end of the season.
No matter what happens in the coming season, it will definitely be exciting and there will be many twists, turns and surprises throughout the year. With two weeks to go everyone will be getting nervous. The shirts are ironed, the grass is trimmed and the players are ready. Let's get this show on the road!
Let me know what you are looking forward to in the new season in the comments below.
More Televised Matches
With Sky showing more matches than ever before and BT entering the market, there will be no shortage of live football. This will mean that every week we will be able to enjoy Premier League, Football League, and European matches. Sky's coverage is always top quality and BT seem to have pumped a lot of money into making this work. It will be interested to see who comes out on top.
New Teams
With Cardiff joining neighbours Swansea and the rest of the top flight for the first time it will provide a brand new derby. The three promoted teams will find it tough but everyone has a chance of doing well in such an open division. Yeovil town have reached the Championship for the first time and Bournemouth for the second. Also for the first time since 1988 Newport County will be playing in the Football League.
125 Years of the Football League
It's the 125th anniversary of the Football League this year so expect celebrations, fireworks and excitement. Sky Bet have taken over from Npower as the official sponsor for the new year, increasing Sky's dominance within football. On the opening weekend there will be some special fixtures featuring the original founder members of the Football League.
New Managers
It's been a managerial merry-go-round this summer, with Ferguson, Mancini, Benitez and Moyes all leaving their posts, their replacements will have a lot of pressure to cope with. Mourinho has returned to Chelsea and should slot back in nicely, however Pellegrini at Man City and Moyes at Man United have a bit more uncertainty surrounding them.
New Players
As always there have been plenty of comings and goings during the transfer window. Man City have spent more money than most countries have in the bank in signing Fernandinho, Negredo and Jovetic. Chelsea have brought in Schurrle and Liverpool have brought in Mignolet. All of these will hope to influence the destination of the title at the end of the season.
No matter what happens in the coming season, it will definitely be exciting and there will be many twists, turns and surprises throughout the year. With two weeks to go everyone will be getting nervous. The shirts are ironed, the grass is trimmed and the players are ready. Let's get this show on the road!
Let me know what you are looking forward to in the new season in the comments below.
Monday 22 July 2013
Premier League Preview
With less than 30 days to go until the start of the new Premier League season, the tension is beginning to build. All over the country, fans are looking forward to another year of footballing excitement. Each with their own opinions, each hoping that their team can stay up, maybe challenge for Europe, maybe even win the league! Who knows?
To whet your appetite in anticipation of the new season, here's my team-by-team guide to the upcoming instalment of unrelenting action.
Arsenal
After scraping into the final Champions' League spot last season, Arsenal will have a tough battle this year to get any higher, and with Liverpool looking strong, The Gunners might well struggle to make the top four. As usual Wenger has been away from the media spotlight throughout this transfer window so far, with only one signing. As of yet, nothing has come of the major rumours linking Higuain with the London club and any further action now looks unlikely.
Verdict: 7th
Aston Villa
Tying up Christian Benteke on a new four year deal has put Villa in a good position leading up to the 2013/14 season. The big Belgian will be pivotal if Villa want to stay in the top flight for the 23rd consecutive season. It will be an uphill struggle but with their fans and owners behind them, they might just stay up. However it seems highly unlikely.
Verdict: 18th
Cardiff City
After a storming season in the Championship last year Cardiff will enter the top flight for the first time full of confidence. They become only the second ever Welsh team in the Premier League and will be looking forward to continuing their fierce rivalry with Swansea. Malky Mackay has been doing his best to bolster his squad and The Bluebirds will have to fight all season long. Even then it will be close.
Verdict: 19th
Chelsea
New manager, new players and a new start this year at Stamford Bridge. Jose Mourinho has made some fantastic signings and The Blues are looking strong after three years without a title. With Schurrle and Van Ginkel adding creative flair Chelsea will be a major threat to the two Manchester teams and I think that they could bring the title back down to London.
Verdict: 1st
Crystal Palace
After what many would perceive as a fortunate playoff win against Watford, Palace are back in the Premier League after being absent for eight years. Ian Holloway will have a tough job on his hands keeping them up there and I think it's just a step too far for them. A year of experience in the Premier League will do all of the squad a world of good and will mean that, if they get promoted again in the short term, then their chances of survival will be greatly improved.
Verdict: 20th
Everton
The Toffees have made a couple of strong signings with a lot of top flight experience between them. In Arouna Kone they have got a goal scoring machine, and Antolin Alcaraz will bring defensive stability. This year could be their chance to get into the Champions League with question marks surrounding both Manchester United and Arsenal.
Verdict: 6th
Fulham
Fulham have been playing some attractive attacking football under Martin Jol, taking five points from the top six teams. Ending the season in 12th The Cottagers have established themselves as a Premier League club and will look to move into the top half. With Stekelenburg between the sticks and Berbatov on fire at the other end Fulham could be a surprise package this season.
Verdict: 9th
Hull City
Hull are back in the top flight of English football for only their third season after clinching promotion with a dramatic 2-2 draw with Cardiff on the final day of last season. Steve Bruce is an experienced Premiership manager and I think that he has the knowledge to guide The Tigers to safety. He has already signed two strong defenders and Danny Graham, a proven goal scorer at this level.
Verdict: 16th
Liverpool
Brendon Rodgers and Liverpool will be hoping to end their recent slump. Champions League qualification is, without a doubt, the main aim of this season. Even with the hindrance of their horrid new away and third shirts from Warrior, I think The Reds can reach the top four but only if Coutinho continues on his scoring streak and Mignolet recreates his fantastic form in goal from last year.
Verdict: 4th
Manchester City
Manchester City couldn't retain their league title last season which unfortunately led to the departure of manager Roberto Mancini. Pellegrini takes over the reins with a clear objective from the board, win the league. With new signings Navas, Negredo and Jovetic The Citizens will run it close but they just don't have the cutting edge to win it, in my opinion.
Verdict: 2nd
Manchester United
This will be the first Premier League season in history which won't feature Ferguson in charge of United. It will be interesting to see how Moyes copes in such a big role after ten years at Everton. They have had a mixed start to pre-season but they should get more consistent when the league starts. I think that they will soon return to being all conquering, but it will take a few years.
Verdict: 3rd
Newcastle United
Two years ago Newcastle were the only team that people were talking about, beating Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton. Their fortunes took a turn for the worst last season however, with the club narrowly avoiding relegation. If Cisse can return to his goal scoring ways then Newcastle will be comfortably safe.
Verdict: 15th
Norwich City
Norwich are becoming Premier League regulars with a couple of mid table finishes. Wolfswinkel will be a key signing and will hopefully fill the Grant Holt shaped hole in The Canaries' front line. If it all comes together for them then they could do quite well this year.
Verdict: 10th
Southampton
Their free-flowing, attacking style of football has pleased many however the dismissal of manager Nigel Adkins came as a big surprise. If Ricky Lambert can continue where he left off, scoring for fun, then The Saints will finish in mid table.
Verdict: 12th
Stoke City
Over the years Stoke have acquired some haters thanks to their robust and physical style. It has been working for them though, helping them to consistently reach mid table. This year will be no different, however I have predicted a slightly lower finish purely due to the quality of some of the other teams in the league.
Verdict: 14th
Sunderland
The Black Cats had a shaky season last year, just managing to steer clear of relegation. I have a feeling that they will struggle again this year but I think they still have the quality to stay up.
Verdict:17th
Swansea City
Swansea will be playing in Europe next season after winning the Capitol One Cup. It will be a fantastic experience for all their fans however it might tire the squad and their league form may well suffer. Everyone has fallen in love with The Swans' beautiful, passing football and I think they'll do well again.
Verdict: 8th
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs will again be looking to better their London rivals Arsenal and this year I think they can do it, providing they can hold onto Bale. Tottenham have a great combination of passing football and solid defending however their strikers sometimes fail to provide the goals.
Verdict: 5th
West Bromwich Albion
West Brom surprised everyone last year and showed that Newcastle's high finish the season before could be repeated by others. I think a similar fate lies in store for The Baggies, slipping back down into mid table obscurity, however I don't think that they'll have the same relegation battle.
Verdict: 11th
West Ham United
West Ham finished the highest of the three promoted clubs last season, in a shockingly high 10th. They won't do quite as well this year but it will still be a successful season as long as they stay comfortably clear of relegation.
Verdict: 13th
Table
1 Chelsea
2 Manchester City
3 Manchester United
4 Liverpool
5 Tottenham Hotspur
6 Everton
7 Arsenal
8 Swansea City
9 Fulham
10 Norwich City
11 West Bromwich Albion
12 Southampton
13 West Ham United
14 Stoke City
15 Newcastle United
16 Hull City
17 Sunderland
18 Aston Villa
19 Cardiff City
20 Crystal Palace
I hope that's given you a taster of what's to come in the new season. There will, without a doubt, be plenty of upsets and a fair share of controversy and I will no doubt turn out to be completely wrong. But that just adds to the excitement!
Good Buy or Goodbye?
It’s that time of year again. Superstar signings and bemused fans. Who will move where and for how much? For the last two years, all the talk has been about Fernando Torres after he joined Chelsea from Liverpool for a massive £50 million. He has since gone on to score 15 goals in 85 appearances meaning he averages out at £3.3 million per goal. He is, undoubtedly, the definition of a bad signing. But what makes a bad signing and, more importantly, what makes a good one?
All too often fans are heard slating their club’s signings, “They paid how much?” arguably the most common question each July. In this article I will be analysing what makes a great transfer and keeps fans happy.
Proven track record
Fans want to know that their team’s new signing will perform well, right from their debut and repay their price tag quickly. If the player has already played well, maybe he scored 23 goals last season in the Bundesliga, then supporters will see him as a good addition to the team. However, a slow start and fans will get on his back and demand a new striker.
Top-level experience
A young energetic player from the lower reaches of the English leagues might occasionally come good in the top flight, however most fans would rather see a more experienced player with a couple of successful seasons in the Premier League under his belt. It will be interesting to see the impact Wilfried Zaha has on the Premiership as he is very much an unknown quantity.
So, applying this logic, who are the best and worst signings so far this season?
Andre Schurrle
With 18 goals in 65 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen over two seasons (11 last season) Schurrle comes to Chelsea as one of the hottest attacking midfielders in Germany. Along with some fantastic performances for the national team yielding 7 goals, the playmaker has been on fire in the Bundesliga after completing a £6.5 million move from Mainz to Leverkusen two years ago. He should fit in nicely with Chelsea’s attacking and free-flowing style of football and will presumably slot into a forward role in a 4-3-3 formation.
Jesus Navas
Navas has joined the long list of high quality wingers at Manchester City. He will have to battle for a place in the first team with the likes of David Silva, Samir Nasri and Scott Sinclair. Navas swapped Sevilla for Manchester in a deal meaning that one of the best wingers in the world, involved in Spain’s record breaking European Championship triumph, is at Manuel Pellegrini’s disposal in his bid to reclaim the Barclay’s Premiership title for The Citizens.
Simon Mignolet
Liverpool have snapped up one of the best goalkeepers in the Premiership from last season in Mignolet, in a deal thought to be worth around £10 million. He will, however, face stiff competition for a starting position next season from Pepe Reina, the club’s current number one keeper. Mignolet could play a pivotal role in The Reds’ push for Champions League football and I’m sure he will relish the challenge.
Paulinho
A number of Brazilians have joined Premier League clubs over the last five years with varied results: Jo and Robinho both struggled to settle in at Manchester City, whilst Giovanni Dos Santos and Heurelho Gomes never quite reached the expected level of performance at Tottenham. There have however been some success stories: despite a number of fans criticising his defending, no one can say that David Luiz hasn’t played well for Chelsea. Spurs fans will hope that Paulinho settles quickly and soon reaches the high levels that he attained whilst in Brazil.
The best of the rest
Everton have signed Arouna Kone who, after a brilliant start to life in the Premier League last season with Wigan, could be the man to end The Toffees recent struggle in front of goal.
Dutch international goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has joined Fulham as a replacement and possibly even an upgrade on Mark Schwarzer. Stekelenburg put in some fantastic performances during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa which really made people start to take notice of him.
The move from West Brom to sign Nicolas Anelka is an interesting one. Many would say he is well past his prime and hasn’t performed consistently for years but I think that he may just fill the Romelu Lukaku shaped hole up front for The Baggies.
Hull City have bolstered their defensive options with the signings of duo Curtis Davies and Maynor Figueroa who might just help The Tigers retain their Premier League status for a second season.
So, only time will tell who will live up to their price tag and who will fall short. Get in touch and tell me what your thoughts are.
All too often fans are heard slating their club’s signings, “They paid how much?” arguably the most common question each July. In this article I will be analysing what makes a great transfer and keeps fans happy.
Proven track record
Fans want to know that their team’s new signing will perform well, right from their debut and repay their price tag quickly. If the player has already played well, maybe he scored 23 goals last season in the Bundesliga, then supporters will see him as a good addition to the team. However, a slow start and fans will get on his back and demand a new striker.
Top-level experience
A young energetic player from the lower reaches of the English leagues might occasionally come good in the top flight, however most fans would rather see a more experienced player with a couple of successful seasons in the Premier League under his belt. It will be interesting to see the impact Wilfried Zaha has on the Premiership as he is very much an unknown quantity.
So, applying this logic, who are the best and worst signings so far this season?
Andre Schurrle
With 18 goals in 65 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen over two seasons (11 last season) Schurrle comes to Chelsea as one of the hottest attacking midfielders in Germany. Along with some fantastic performances for the national team yielding 7 goals, the playmaker has been on fire in the Bundesliga after completing a £6.5 million move from Mainz to Leverkusen two years ago. He should fit in nicely with Chelsea’s attacking and free-flowing style of football and will presumably slot into a forward role in a 4-3-3 formation.
Jesus Navas
Navas has joined the long list of high quality wingers at Manchester City. He will have to battle for a place in the first team with the likes of David Silva, Samir Nasri and Scott Sinclair. Navas swapped Sevilla for Manchester in a deal meaning that one of the best wingers in the world, involved in Spain’s record breaking European Championship triumph, is at Manuel Pellegrini’s disposal in his bid to reclaim the Barclay’s Premiership title for The Citizens.
Simon Mignolet
Liverpool have snapped up one of the best goalkeepers in the Premiership from last season in Mignolet, in a deal thought to be worth around £10 million. He will, however, face stiff competition for a starting position next season from Pepe Reina, the club’s current number one keeper. Mignolet could play a pivotal role in The Reds’ push for Champions League football and I’m sure he will relish the challenge.
Paulinho
A number of Brazilians have joined Premier League clubs over the last five years with varied results: Jo and Robinho both struggled to settle in at Manchester City, whilst Giovanni Dos Santos and Heurelho Gomes never quite reached the expected level of performance at Tottenham. There have however been some success stories: despite a number of fans criticising his defending, no one can say that David Luiz hasn’t played well for Chelsea. Spurs fans will hope that Paulinho settles quickly and soon reaches the high levels that he attained whilst in Brazil.
The best of the rest
Everton have signed Arouna Kone who, after a brilliant start to life in the Premier League last season with Wigan, could be the man to end The Toffees recent struggle in front of goal.
Dutch international goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has joined Fulham as a replacement and possibly even an upgrade on Mark Schwarzer. Stekelenburg put in some fantastic performances during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa which really made people start to take notice of him.
The move from West Brom to sign Nicolas Anelka is an interesting one. Many would say he is well past his prime and hasn’t performed consistently for years but I think that he may just fill the Romelu Lukaku shaped hole up front for The Baggies.
Hull City have bolstered their defensive options with the signings of duo Curtis Davies and Maynor Figueroa who might just help The Tigers retain their Premier League status for a second season.
So, only time will tell who will live up to their price tag and who will fall short. Get in touch and tell me what your thoughts are.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)