Managers Under Pressure

This week has seen two clubs in the Premier League lose their Managers. Dick Advocaat removed himself from the top job spot at Sunderland before Brendan Rodgers was sacked by Liverpool. The Sunderland situation has been a long time coming while, although calls for Rodgers head have been ongoing for over a year, it was still a bit of a shock when it finally happened. Add to that the pressure now on Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and it really has been a case of Managers making the headlines in the first part of this season.

So, with these three clubs in mind, what next. Which direction should they go when looking for a new manager? What changes should they have made, or should make going forward?

Premier League Predictions (September 26th, 27th and 28th)

Despite the shock loss last weekend against West Ham, Manchester City enter this weekends games still top of the Premier League. Chelsea had a good result but the aftermath of the game with Arsenal saw their striker Diego Costa retrospectively punished for his part in a scuffle which saw Gabriel sent off last weekend. Gabriel successfully challenged his ban while Costa is now missing this weekend.
At the bottom of the league pressure is now fully on Dick Advocaat at Sunderland and only recently appointed Steve McLaren at Newcastle. My pick for the first guy to go, Tim Sherwood, is also not in a comfortable position right now. How will the weekend shape up?

Premier League Preview (Week 6)

The first round of Champions League and Europa League games are in the books and, with the exception of Chelsea and Tottenham, not many of the Premier League sides have much to be happy about.
It is back to the bread and butter of the domestic league and, with Manchester City four points clear, fans will hope there is to be no European hang over. Chelsea fans, on the other hand, will hope their side can continue the momentum picked up from Wednesday.
So how will everything play out this weekend?


SATURDAY:


Chelsea v Arsenal:

It is a big rivalry there is no doubt, both between the clubs and managers, but this time it is fourth from top against fourth from bottom. Chelsea have stunk up the Premier League so far this season but midweek there was a glimpse of the Chelsea from last season. If they can use that as a springboard they could certainly get the result they need against Arsenal.
For Arsenal, Wenger has already got one over his rival with the Charity Shield win at the start of the season.
It will certainly be an interesting game, possibly not for the right reasons, but when Mourinho clashes with anyone, nevermind Wenger, it is very rarely without controversy.

Prediction: 2-1.


Aston Villa v West Brom:

A bitterly disappointed Tim Sherwood addressed the media last weekend after his side gave away a two goal lead. There are certainly no easy games in the Premier League but I am sure West Brom at home would not have been his first choice for the next fixture. At home, to rivals managed by Tony Pulis is going to end in either loud cheers or the first whispers of ‘Sherwood Out’.

Prediction: 1-1.


Bournemouth v Sunderland:

If Tim Sherwood thought he was under the pressure then spare a thought for Dick Advocaat. The Sunderland boss just cannot get any momentum going this season and they are now finding themselves in real danger already, yes they have scored goals, but at the other end they are leaking worse than the Titanic.
Bournemouth were expected to be struggling this season, and they may very well still find themselves there at the seasons end, but games like this are ones they need to win. The key to their survival will be won or lost in their home games against teams who are around them.

Prediction: 2-0.


Newcastle v Watford:

I must admit that Watford are surprising me so far this season. Lost just the one t Manchester City and find themselves a good four points clear of the relegation zone with only five games played. Newcastle, on the other hand, have been just as expected, terrible.
Newcastle are rightly bottom of the league and will do good to get a win against Watford in this game.

Prediction: 0-0.


Stoke v Leicester:

Leicester, like Watford, have surprised me so far this season. Currently second in the League it seems Claudio Ranieri has moved the side on from Pearson. The problem is that it is a high bar to continue for the duration of the season and at some point that bubble will have to burst.
Stoke are in the opposite position to Leicester, without a win in five games. Whereas Leicester are not going to finish second in the League, Stoke will not be relegated and both, most likely will find themselves in a comfortable mid table position. At some point Leicester have to drop points and Stoke have to pick them up, why not now.

Predition: 3-1.


Swansea v Everton:

The Toffeemen are in Wales for this weekends round of Premier League fixtures, and it isn’t usually a happy hunting ground. Both are in positions I would expect them to occupy come the seasons end but both also have the potential do go above and punch into the Europa League places. I do not think there will be much to choose between the sides throughout the season and the same goes for this match.

Prediction: 2-2.


Manchester City v West Ham:

It wasn’t the greatest of starts to this seasons European adventure but Pellegrini needs to get Tuesday night out of the minds of the players and focus on the League. Five wins from five with no goals conceded must surely be considered a decent start but you are only as strong as your last match. City’s last match was high on effort but low on the finished product.
Under Slaven Bilic West Ham have also had a decent start and have already beat Arsenal on their home turf. Currently in fifth position the carrot is there for them with a possible top four position available for them, but they have to at least score against City, something no other English side has done since the 17th May.

Prediction: 4-0.


SUNDAY:

Tottenham v Crystal Palace:

Tottenham Hotspur’s current position of 12th in the league doesn’t really tell the whole story. Since the opening day defeat, to Manchester United, Spurs have remained undefeated. A draw against Leicester now looks like a half decent result but now, including the midweek Europa League game, Spurs are two wins from two.
Palace have had a week to reflect on their 1-0 loss to Manchester City and will look to make Tottenham fight just as hard for anything they get. Last season the result was a 0-0 draw and I really cannot see it being anything but a tight game again, one goal will win it if any are scored.

Prediction: 0-0. 


Liverpool v Norwich:

If at first you don’t succeed then try, try, try again. Brendan Rodgers is now in his fourth season at Liverpool and things do seem to be going backwards. Throwing away the title challenge was the only highlight in what has seen Rodgers become the first Liverpool Manager since the 1950's to not win a trophy after three seasons in charge. There needs to be a statement made against Norwich, a side newly promoted, or it will become another ‘could have been’ season for Rodgers.
As for Norwich this is not a make or break game for them. Like others in their situation they have to concentrate on beating those around them with any points picked up at these away days being a bonus.

Prediction: 3-1.


Southampton v Manchester United:

This should have been a return of Luke Shaw to Southampton, after not being included in last seasons 2-1 victory for United at Saint Mary’s. A double leg break will see the young defender heading to another surgery rather than a much anticipated return.
This season United are doing better than they were last season at this point and Southampton are doing a little worse. That said I think that United do have a lack of options up front. Yes the new signing, teenager Martial, scored last weekend but questions are still going to be asked of that other guy, Rooney.

Prediction: 2-2.


So what does that mean for the tables? Saturdays results see Manchester City extend their lead at the top of the league to seven points, although United could get closer after their game on Sunday.
At the bottom of the league Sunderland and Newcastle are still right in it while a win for Stoke gets them moving in the right direction but not out of the bottom three just yet.
Sundays games see United move into second place while Liverpool rockets up the league to a somewhat more tolerable 7th.


Jason is a Freelance Soccer Writer. You can follow him on Twitter @PACityboy and www.facebook.com/jasonbardwell1979

Premier League Predictions (Week 5)

What a boring weekend last weekend was with the English Premier League on a break. Of course I have to mention that Wayne Rooney became England’s all time leading goalscorer, overtaking another Manchester United legend, Sir Bobby Charlton. Although both players did have played similar amount of games in England colors (106 for Charlton and 107 for Rooney) I must argue with Rooney being Englands most prolific striker, with just a single goal in an actual tournament. But that is International and we are here for Premier League and this weekends matchups.
Big games this weekend historically get no bigger than United hosting Liverpool in the late game on Saturday while, in truth, the big game happens earlier on in the day as Chelsea try to leave Everton with points. Jose Mourinho hasn’t had a great start to the defense of his sides title defense and another defeat could see real questions start to be asked of the ‘Sulky’ One.

Premier League Predictions (Week 4)

What an interesting weekend last weekend was for the English Premier League. Chelsea got their first win of the season, along with their second red card of the season! That moves them up to mid-table before they host Palace this weekend.
Meanwhile Manchester City continued their winning run against a recent bogey team, Everton and Arsenal against Liverpool bored us to tears. I de believe in last weeks predictions I predicted a boring 0-0 draw? Think I said it was ‘boring boring Arsenal taking on Liver-blah’.
At the bottom Sunderland are again struggling with talk the fresh flowered Dick Advocaat thinking of walking away. Southampton and Tottenham are also unexpected sides in the bottom half after three games, both looking for their first wins and pressure growing on both Managers.

Premier League Predictions (August 22nd, 23rd and 24th)

The new English Premier League is fully underway and surprisingly we find Chelsea in the bottom four and not the top. Again, Mourinho tries to paper over the cracks in his post match analysis. The opening weekend it was the fault of the medical staff, and this past week the result was just fake. I wonder what his excuse will be for any issues this weekend? Too much glare off Tony Pulis’s glasses?
The season still does have a long way to go, and it would be a foolish person who rules Chelsea out of the title chase at this early stage but, it is fair to say, they haven’t had the best of starts, the worst since 1998. That could all change this weekend but it will not be easy, away to West Brom.
They are not the only title hopefuls who have found it tough going early on though, Arsenal, after winning the Community Shield, lost their home opener to West Ham before just scraping a 2-1 win last weekend. Tottenham also find themselves in a similar situation to Chelsea with no wins from the opening two games.
So how will the fixtures play out this weekend? Let me have a go.

Premier League Predictions: Week 2

The first weekend of the new English Premier League is in the books and already there have been surprises along with some familiar themes from last season. One of the biggest surprises of the opening weekend was the defeat, at the Emirates, of title dreamers Arsenal.
Meanwhile the familiarities come at Stamford Bridge whose Goalkeeper rightfully being sent off was construed by the Special One as being against Chelsea from day one, although he did mention he wasn’t complaining that officials were against Chelsea from day one, just mentioning it.
This weekend his side travel to the Etihad where they will face title rivals Manchester City. So how will the fixtures play out? Let me have a go.

I'm Forever Blowing Fuses! Joey Barton A Hammer?

It could have been an all so different story for Joey Barton. Touted as a potential England star of the future the Liverpudlian is now 32, a free agent, with just the single senior National team cap to his name. Now on the verge of a shock return to the Premier League with West Ham United what is the potential fall out from this move?

Community Shield Preview: Arsenal v Chelsea

The Premier League kicks off in just over a weeks time and it really couldn’t come soon enough for most of you I’m sure. That means this weekend we will see the traditional curtain raiser, the FA Community Shield. It has a little more importance than the friendly games which have gone before this pre season, but still gives bragging rights to the victor.

Premier League Predictions (Part 4 Of 4)

I missed out on doing this last year but figured I would go ahead and rekindle my Nostradamus type qualities for this season. Over the next four days I will take a look at each Premier League side, look at their positions last season along with how their summer has either strengthened or weakened them for this campaign.

Yesterday I looked at Newcastle, Norwich, Southampton, Stoke and Sunderland. Today, in the final day I will look at the last five. Today it’s the turn of Swansea, Tottenham, Watford, West Brom and West Ham.

Premier League Predictions (Part 3 of 4)

I missed out on doing this last year but figured I would go ahead and rekindle my Nostradamus type qualities for this season. Over the next four days I will take a look at each Premier League side, look at their positions last season along with how their summer has either strengthened or weakened them for this campaign.

Yesterday I looked at Everton, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester City and United. Today it’s the turn of Newcastle, Norwich, Southampton, Stoke and Sunderland.

Premier League Predictions (Part 2 Of 4)

I missed out on doing this last year but figured I would go ahead and rekindle my Nostradamus type qualities for this season. Over the next four days I will take a look at each Premier League side, look at their positions last season along with how their summer has either strengthened or weakened them for this campaign.

Premier League Predictions (Part 1 of 4)

I missed out on doing this last year but figured I would go ahead and rekindle my Nostradamus type qualities for this season. Over the next four days I will take a look at each Premier League side, look at their positions last season along with how their summer has either strengthened or weakened them for this campaign.

Lionesses Are One Game Away

England and Manchester City captain, Steph Houghton has said that the Lionesses reaching the Semi Final of the Women’s World Cup is the biggest game in England women’s football history. While I agree with Houghton I would like to go further and say it is the biggest game in England’s football history, period. Certainly it is the furthest either the senior sides have reached for a quarter of a century when the Men’s side were eliminated from the same position in 1990 in Italy.

Pennsylvania And The World Cup

Soccer in the USA has been steadily growing for many years now. The MLS is in its 20th season and the men’s National side has performed well in the last two World Cups. But the countries association with what the rest of the world calls football goes a lot further than that, not hurt by the fact that an American led investigation into FIFA which has its members scurrying away to a dark corner.

Untouchables: Footballs Dirty Not So Secret Secret

You may know them as being the title of that one soccer game you own, others may know more. Recently, however, the name FIFA, or the ‘Federation Internationale de Football Association’, has been plastered all across the worlds media for arrests of top officials amid allegations of corruption.
Founded in 1904 the intent was to oversee International competition of the worlds most beautiful game. Starting off with good intentions and eight nations it now finds itself 110 years old, with a member base of over 200 countries, and episode after episode of embarrassment. If you go to their website you will see their mission statement is still ‘For the game. For the world’. On recent, and frankly, all too familiar events and allegations, I would argue it would be more honest if it instead read, ‘Forget the game. Own the world!’

Tell Them About The Dunney, Mummy!

With all the retirements coming at the end of the season much was made, and rightly so, of Rio Ferdinand's decision to retire. However it would be wrong of me not to mention another defender, from QPR, who spent a lot of time in Manchester who also announced his retirement this weekend.

FA Cup Final; Gunners v Villains

The Premiership season ended last weekend, saying goodbye to Burnley, QPR and Hull City and hello next season to Bournemouth, Watford and Norwich City. A side which, up until the last few games of the season, were in that dreaded relegation battle now find themselves in a cup final, and that’s the beauty of the sport. The FA Cup will be contested this season between the relegation survivors, Aston Villa and the defending champions, Arsenal.

End Of Season: Sky Bet Championship

The Premiership title has been won by Chelsea this past Sunday but fans of teams at the bottom of the league still have a couple of weeks to see their sides fate. In the lower Leagues though the regular season has come to a close with relegated and automatically promoted sides sorted. Only the final position of promotion in each division is yet to be decided. Starting this past Sunday with the Vanarama Conference, and taking a League each day, I will sum up the ups and downs and look forward to the playoffs. Today I look at the SkyBet Championship.

End Of Season: Sky Bet League One.

The Premiership title has been won by Chelsea this past Sunday but fans of teams at the bottom of the league still have a couple of weeks to see their sides fate. In the lower Leagues though the regular season has come to a close with relegated and automatically promoted sides sorted. Only the final position of promotion in each division is yet to be decided. Starting Sunday with the Vanarama Conference, and taking a League each day, I will sum up the ups and downs and look forward to the playoffs. Today I look at the SkyBet League One.

End Of Season: Sky Bet League 2.

The Premiership title has been won by Chelsea today but fans of teams at the bottom of the league still have a couple of weeks to see their sides fate. In the lower Leagues though the regular season has come to a close with relegated and automatically promoted sides sorted. Only the final position of promotion in each division is yet to be decided. Starting yesterday with the Vanarama Conference, and taking a League each day, I will sum up the ups and downs and look forward to the playoffs. Today I look at the SkyBet League Two.

End Of The Season: Vanarama Conference Playoffs.

The Premiership title has been won by Chelsea today but fans of teams at the bottom of the league still have a couple of weeks to see their sides fate. In the lower Leagues though the regular season has come to a close with relegated and automatically promoted sides sorted. Only the final position of promotion in each division is yet to be decided. Starting today with the Vanarama Conference, and taking a League each day, I will sum up the ups and downs and look forward to the playoffs.

Best Team In The Land?? That's A Matter Of Opinion.

There will always be fan banter back and forth about whose club is bigger. Fans have their own opinions as to what makes them a big club. Some fans look at domestic trophies won, others look at European cups or Leagues their side have won. Attendances also have to be figured in when thinking about big clubs as big clubs can only be big with big support.
I will look at all these things and award sides points from 10 down to 1 on each category. First up is all top flight games since 1888. There are two categories for this section, most total points and average points per game.

FA Cup Semi Finals: Has The FA Cup Lost The Love?

It was last year when, then Aston Villa manager, Paul Lambert speaking before an FA Cup game said the competition was a distraction and if managers were more honest, would rather not participate in. Well, luckily for Lambert, his side went out of the competition at the third round and can concentrate on trying to stay in the Premiership.

Hillsborough: 26 Years On.

The beautiful game has been proven over the years to bridge gaps, bring people together and give hope where politically there may not be. The game was an FA Cup Final in which Liverpool would take on City rivals Everton and it was played on the 20th May 1989.
                                                           

FA Cup Quarter Final Replay: Blackburn v Liverpool

Last season there was the infamous Steven Gerrard slip which saw the title shout slip away from the grasp of the Merseysiders with only a few games left. This season the back to back defeats to top four challengers Manchester United and a whooping by Arsenal has seen their title challenge gone for this season. At the moment a top four finish wasn’t likely until Manchester City were upset at Palace on Monday night.

Harry Dowd: Manchester City FA Cup Winner Dies Aged 76.

It was December 9th 1961 and Manchester City were beaten 4-1 by Blackburn Rovers in their Division One game in the penultimate season of Les McDowall‘s reign as City boss. With that result Manchester City joined Manchester United and Chelsea in the bottom three — yes I did check I was holding that particular table right side up.

Manchester City: Team In Decline?

After last nights dismal performance it is becoming taking as granted that Manchester City will not be retaining the title this season. Sure, as Jesus Navas said before the game, Chelsea will drop points, but you have to secure your own in order for that to count.

Premier League Preview: Aston Villa v QPR

Yesterday we saw a decent English manager mastermind the downfall of the current Champions. Later today we will get to see two others, go head to head as each try to secure their sides safety in the Premiership. Both Tim Sherwood and Chris Ramsey spent time together while they were both at Tottenham but friendships will have to be on hold for ninety minutes.

Monday Night Football: Palace v City

Crystal Palace host Manchester City later today to finish the weekends Premiership fixture list. For the visitors, and current champions, the weekend did not yield the greatest results. Dropping from second to fourth before they have even kicked a ball means that their challenge for back to back titles could very well have quickly turned into a battle for a top three, and automatic Champions League, finish.

Premier League: Relegation Threatened Sides.

With seven or so games left we have conceivably half the Premiership still in danger of relegation. Everton are currently eleventh but only eleven points ahead of eighteenth placed Burnley. Crystal Palace take on Manchester City on Monday while all eyes of fans down in that part of the table probably looking on with more interest to Tuesdays game between Aston Villa and QPR.
So let’s have a look at the bottom half and I’ll let you know who I think will be safe and who has a lot more to worry about as the season winds down.