Phil Brown and Paul Hart: Squeaky Bum Time

It is a massive few weeks for Hull City and Portsmouth, and maybe even more so for Phil Brown and Paul Hart. With both teams struggling for any kind of form or goal threat it feels as if we are not too far away from the first managerial scalp of the season. I imagine Alan Curbishley is eagerly watching the results of these two.

Hull City: Phil Brown

They literally exploded in to the Barclays Premier League last season.  In their first 18 games they won 7 times including away at Arsenal, Spurs and Newcastle (while also taking a point at Anfield). They seemed well placed to see out the season in style and manager Phil Brown was being talked about as a genius and breath of fresh air - there was even talk of Brown being a future England manager in waiting. What a difference a few months make.

From the debacle of away at Manchester City on Boxing Day and his half-time team talk to trying to convince Alvaro Negredo that Humberside was the new Madrid his team just look poor. Michael Turner seems a big loss for them and they are shipping goals for fun. A game at Anfield has demolition written all over it and I fully expect Hull to get thumped again. The challenge for Brown is to get his troops in order for the games against Wigan, Fulham, Burnley, Stoke and a massive match at home against Portsmouth. If they continue to ship goals then Brown will be packing his bags - he even now has the public show of support from his Chairman (usually the first nail in the coffin).

Portsmouth: Paul Hart

FA Cup winners in 2007/2008. A complete shambles 2009/2010.

Paul Hart did a solid job keeping the side up last term, but the sheer volume of change and gulf in talent between the players who came in on the last day of transfer day against Distin, Crouch, Defoe, Kranjcar and co means he now needs to perform a miracle. I am sure that the win away at Carlisle in the Carling Cup did them good but they need to string a few results together in the league. If they stay up then Paul Hart deserves a medal. They have got a good run of fixtures against Wolves, Spurs, Hull, Wigan and Blackburn but think they might get ripped to pieces by Everton on Saturday. Time will tell but they need points, and they need them quickly to save Hart's job - mind you if he goes who would take it on?!

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Yes he will

Michael Owen makes the Beautifulgame's prediction come true

I love football.

What a game, and time will tell if my prediction was correct and if that goal will kick-start Owen's career at Old Trafford. Money on Owen getting a seat on the plane to South Africa?

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Will Owen teach City a lesson?

Forget the performance away at Burnley.

Forget the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

I think Manchester United are about to kick-start their season. They got the result against Arsenal. They played some great stuff at Spurs and think the performance in the UEFA Champions League was just as good, a seemingly scrappy 1-0 win in Turkey should not be under-estimated.

And so to the most anticipated Manchester derby in decades.

If you want to prove that you have arrived in the Barclays Premier League and you want to be considered a real threat to any of the top 4 then you have to perform against United. Manchester City get that chance on Sunday and it will be fascinating to see how they get on.

City have been very impressive so far. Grinding out 1-0 wins, demolishing Arsenal and actually looking like a team but Mark Hughes will see this Sunday as a real watershed moment. Beating Arsenal at home is one thing, beating United on a previous encounter is another but beating United at Old Trafford when you actually seem to be about to break-through? Now that is a different story..

The loss of Adebayor is a massive blow to City and will mean they will lose that get-out ball from midfield which seemed to be working so well in the Arsenal match. I think it will be a fascinating match on so many levels and if City can get a result they will really be galvanised and thats before getting Robinho back and fit. They will approach the game full of confidence with an attack based on pure pace with Bellamy, Wright-Phillips and probably Petrov.

However, Spurs were flying till they got found out against United and I am sure that although Sir Alex Ferguson is expecting a tougher test - he will also be expecting the same result from his charges. On the day I think Manchester United will be too strong and with no Santa Cruz to replace Adebayor I do not think they can play their system. They usually take a while to hit their straps but not only do I expect United to beat City - I believe that they will look to make a statement and put City in their place.

I even believe this could be the match that will also kick-start Michael Owen’s Old Trafford career. It will be his first big match at Old Trafford and I would not be surprised to see United’s new number seven making the difference on Sunday.  

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United to teach City a lesson?

Owen could make the difference on Sunday

Forget the performance away at Burnley.

Forget the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

I think Manchester United are about to kick-start their season. They got the result against Arsenal. They played some great stuff at Spurs and think the performance in the UEFA Champions League was just as good, a seemingly scrappy 1-0 win in Turkey should not be under-estimated.

And so to the most anticipated Manchester derby in decades.

If you want to prove that you have arrived in the Barclays Premier League and you want to be considered a real threat to any of the top 4 then you have to perform against United. Manchester City get that chance on Sunday and it will be fascinating to see how they get on.

City have been very impressive so far. Grinding out 1-0 wins, demolishing Arsenal and actually looking like a team but Mark Hughes will see this Sunday as a real watershed moment. Beating Arsenal at home is one thing, beating United on a previous encounter is another but beating United at Old Trafford when you actually seem to be about to break-through? Now that is a different story..

The loss of Adebayor is a massive blow to City and will mean they will lose that get-out ball from midfield which seemed to be working so well in the Arsenal match. I think it will be a fascinating match on so many levels and if City can get a result they will really be galvanised and thats before getting Robinho back and fit. They will approach the game full of confidence with an attack based on pure pace with Bellamy, Wright-Phillips and probably Petrov.

However, Spurs were flying till they got found out against United and I am sure that although Sir Alex Ferguson is expecting a tougher test - he will also be expecting the same result from his charges. On the day I think Manchester United will be too strong and with no Santa Cruz to replace Adebayor I do not think they can play their system. They usually take a while to hit their straps but not only do I expect United to beat City - I believe that they will look to make a statement and put City in their place.

I even believe this could be the match that will also kick-start Michael Owen’s Old Trafford career. It will be his first big match at Old Trafford and I would not be surprised to see United’s new number seven making the difference on Sunday.  

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Thanks Emile : Now let's give Carlton a chance

Last night at about 8:07PM I was able to begin to wipe from my mind the memory of the last time I saw Croatia play at Wembley on that dark, wet and miserable night back in 2007 when England were eliminated from qualification for UEFA Euro 2008. As Frank Lampard stepped up to convert the penalty it felt like it was going to be a great night. The team playing well, keeping the ball, creating chances and scoring goals - but there was one element which I was getting a bit stuck on. Good old Emile Heskey.

Before the game I was fully bought in to starting Heskey over Defoe. Sure Defoe has been on fire for Spurs so far this season, but the England team look so much more balanced and get the best from Rooney and Gerrard when there is a big guy who can hold the ball up. However, the two chances that Heskey missed in the first half are ones that I am confident Harry Redknapp's wife could of scored - and if we have designs on winning the FIFA World Cup then we need two strikers who can offer a goal threat.

He is great at doing his job, has pretty good movement and makes Rooney play well - but I think that now we have the luxury of secured qualification Fabio Capello should turn to Carlton Cole. We know Heskey can do the job well. However, could Cole offer the complete package that as well as the hard graft and link play delivers an eye for goal?

It stunned me to find this from the Daily Mail;

Cole is easily the best option to replace Heskey.

I believe that he should start, and finish, both of the remaining competitive FIFA 2010 World Cup Qualifiers. There are 9 months for the team to be developed and refined and you could argue that with a fully fit crop of players only the right midfield and partner for Rooney are the ones that do not pick themselves (assuming David James is fit and playing well). Lennon deserves a run in the team - and he should get that after his MoM last night - but if we do not give Carlton Cole the minutes on the pitch we will never know and then what happens if Heskey gets injured in the first match?

Come on Carlton, don't let me down

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Why has Platini got it in for the English Premier League?

We all know that there is previous between England and France. It started a long time ago and still seems to rumble on. With Michel Platini's surge to power at UEFA it seems as though each season there is something new to talk about that demonstrates his passion against the success of the Barclays Premier League.

Right now it is the amazing decision against Chelsea that will stop them buying any new players till 2011. The punishment was dealt out by FIFA after the club was found guilty of getting a young winger, Gael Kakuta to break his contract with Lens in 2007.

Since achieving UEFA Presidency in 2007 Platini has tried to launch, and shared an official opinion on a number of new ideas and innovations to the game. However, to me it seems that often these are born out of Platini trying to fight the dominance of the English game in Europe.

The vast TV Rights money, huge transfer fees, foreign ownership and clubs mounting debts has created an aura of negativity across Europe against the Barclays Premier League, and the Chelsea ruling seems to be the latest battle. I am sure that this kind of thing has gone on in football for decades and all the top teams from all the top leagues must be guilty of it. I am not saying that I agree with it, and think it is very harsh to punish the young player as well as the club, it is just that it always seems that English teams suffer most.

I grew up watching Italian, Spanish and English football and Eduardo's 8.0 against Celtic looked like a cruncher compared to other examples I have seen throughout European football. Yet it is Arsenal who suffer the ban. It would not surprise me if the paper talk is proved right and Manchester United are the next team to suffer the same kind of ruling as Chelsea, then probably Manchester City. With these two incidents the authorities have set the precedent, and they now have to enforce them each time - I can't wait to see what happens the next time there is a dodgy penalty award against Arsenal.

Platini has recently backed the 6+5 idea (six home international players and five foreign players) to be introduced in top flight team in Europe. Platini has also backed caps on wages and transfer spending - and all foreign ownership of clubs. He has stated that he wants to cut the number of Italian, Spanish and English teams in the UEFA Champions League to a maximum of three instead of four and has also talked about banning clubs from European competition based on the debts of the clubs. All are valid ideas, but it seems that English clubs will get hit the hardest.

Too much money, not enough home-grown talent, clubs built on debt and foreign ownership, money taking over the game, players running clubs. These are Platini's view of the English game and he seems set to try and disrupt it.

I love the Barclay's Premier League, and it is so great because of the big business it has become and I have enjoyed English clubs having success in Europe (and the benefits this seems to be having on the national side) and hope that an English team can lift the UEFA Champions League trophy in Madrid in May and see Platini grit his teeth and applaud.

Sod it, I even wouldn't mind if it's Chelsea.

#end

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The underrated players of the Barclays Premier League

 

The Barclays Premier league has some of the most recognised and superstar names of the modern game. Rooney, Torres, Robinho, Drogba, Terry to name but a few.

It is often these players that get the adoration of the press, often lifted up on high after a match winning performance or a goal out of nothing.

The thing that I always found as a amateur player was a brilliant performance can often go unrecognised if it was just a case of performing your role perfectly. The guy who broke up play to create the chance is forgotton for the man who tucked it away from the edge of the box. This pattern is true throughout the game with most of the big teams having players who are crucial to their team, but who often miss out on the adoration of the media and most fans.

I am not saying forget the guy who scores the goal, but just to take a step back when thinking about your favourite players.

Here are a few names I think don't get the credit they deserve;

Darren Fletcher, Manchester United

An excellent footballer who is now in pole position to be the leader of United's midfield. He was the player they missed most in the UEFA Champions League final to break up Barcelona and turn defence into attack. He is an intelligent player who takes up some great positions, he runs all day, can pick a pass and is also cabable of big goals. I expect him to grow into a permanent fixture for United over the next couple of years and hopefully step more into people's attention.

Jussi Jääskeläinen, Bolton wanderers

A goalkeeper always left out of the 'best in the league' debate. A consistent performer (he has been at Bolton for 12 years), great shot-stopper and a player that if it were not for the team he plays for would be right up there and considered one of the greats. A goalkeeper is a harsh position - all glory or despair - but for his consistency over such a long period of time should be commended.

Gareth Barry, Manchester City

A strange choice maybe considering he is an established England international and has recently made a multi-million pound move to Manchester City. However, the fact that Barry moved for the same price as Michael Turner from Hull City is a joke. He would have added to any of the top four teams and provides great balance to a side, especially one looking to attack. Reliable, able to set the pace of a game and comfortable with the ball at his feet - and a great penalty taker. I think Rafa might end up regretting this one.

Phil Neville, Everton

Okay, so I am shooting myself in the foot here (think Romania in UEFA Euro 2000),  but it should be acknowledged that Phil Neville made his debut for Manchester United 19 years ago, has 59 England caps and is still captain of a top Barclays Premier League team. Disciplined, professional and a great leader for the Toffees.

Bobby Zamora, Fulham FC

This is not a pure sign of loyalty to Brighton & Hove Albion (Zamora scored 76 goals in 126 appearances) but Zamora is a player in my opinion. Okay, he does not bang the goals in but his strength and hold up play can make the difference. At West Ham United he showed glimpses of his ability (playoffs 2004/2005 season;) and Fulham could really benefit from sticking by him this summer. He is strong, and when confident a brilliant finisher, I expect more people to be talking about him come the end of the season

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