Happy New Year

I'm just getting in early to wish all the readers, that's Longy, Biopunk and Gobshyte and maybe someone else? a very Happy New Year :)
Hopefully we'll all get something to remember this coming year.

As far as football is concerned I'll settle for mid table obscurity and a cup for West Ham, and for England to safely make it through to Euro 2012.
I'm dreaming of Liverpool and Tottenham getting relegated but that is very unlikely to happen so I'll be happy just for Holloway's Blackpool to stay up.
I still like Man U more than the other title contenders so hopefully they will manage another title to put them in front of Liverpool, and I'd love to see an English team win the Champions league (even Tottenham!!).

Happy New Year all :)

Predictions (Week 19 - New Year Double Bill)

Another double up week to start 2011.
A few crackers in amongst the dross, West Ham have another save our season match against Wolves although with only 5 points separating the bottom 10 it's still too early to call, Man U might have a tough game against the totally unpredictable West Brom and Arsenal go to Birmingham who won't roll over.
Next weeks big game is Arsenal v Man City which could go any way?
Chelsea should beat a piss poor Villa side, and then go to Wolves and if they kidnap the ref's blind dog (as they did against Bolton) they might get something but I'm predicting a shock :)

01/01/11
West Brom v Man Utd 0-1
Liverpool v Bolton 1-1
Man City v Blackpool 4-1
Stoke v Everton 1-1
Sunderland v Blackburn 2-1
Tottenham v Fulham 3-1
West Ham v Wolves 2-1
Birmingham v Arsenal 1-2
02/01/11
Chelsea v Aston Villa 3-0
Wigan v Newcastle 1-2
04/01/11
Blackpool v Birmingham 2-1
Fulham v West Brom 1-1
Man Utd v Stoke 2-0
05/01/11
Arsenal v Man City 1-1
Aston Villa v Sunderland 0-0
Newcastle v West Ham 1-2
Wolves v Chelsea 1-0
Blackburn v Liverpool 2-0
Bolton v Wigan 3-1
Everton v Tottenham 2-1

Managers

2 More bite the dust today, Brian Laws at Burnley and Baby Ferguson at Preston which wasn't really a surprise.
As for the Premier League it's anyone's guess who'll be next for the sack? Hughton and Allardyce were not really expected but Avram Grant seems to be hanging on when most thought he would go.
Current betting odds - Avram Grant 1/2, Roy Hodgson 5/2, Carlo Ancelotti 8/1, Mick McCarthy 9/1, Roberto Mancini 10/1, Gerard Houllier 16/1, Roberto Martinez 16/1, Alan Pardew 16/1, David Moyes 20/1, Ian Holloway 25/1, Alex McLeish 25/1, Mark Hughes 28/1.

I would say Hodgson and Houllier have the most to fear, Roy Hodgson must be worried as new owners have come in since his appointment which usually means a change of manager and so far he really hasn't got them playing even as good as last year, also his signings haven't been performing Joe Cole looked like a masterstroke but injuries and suspensions mean he hasn't really looked the part, and signing Konchesky smacked of desperation.
Houllier has somehow made what looked like a really good Villa team look really bad? maybe O'Neill saw this coming and that's why he suddenly left.
Avram Grant's win and 2 draws from his 3 game trial might be enough to save him but his decision to leave Cole on the bench after his best game in a year must have worried a few people upstairs.
Of the rest Ancelotti must be a possible for the sack as it seems Abramovich is looking for a change? Chelsea desperately need some new players to replace the quality that left in the summer and it seemed the purse strings were tightened before the season began, if money is made available next week we'll have a clearer view if Ancelotti is the man to carry on.

Avi Cohen RIP

Sad news that former Liverpool and Rangers player Avi Cohen died today after a motorbike crash last week.
I just read that he only played 24 times for Liverpool but I remember him well for some reason, his son Tamir plays for Bolton.

Current Form

The current form table makes interesting reading if your a Chelsea fan :)

Top 6 - W D L GD PTS
1 Man United 4 2 0 +11 14
2 Tottenham 4 2 0 +5 14
3 Man City 4 1 1 +7 13
4 Arsenal 4 0 2 +4 12
5 Stoke 3 2 1 +6 11
6 Bolton 3 1 2 +5 10
Bottom 6
15 Everton 1 3 2 -3 6
16 Wolves 2 0 4 -4 6
17 Newcastle 1 2 3 -6 5
18 A Villa 1 1 4 -7 4
19 Fulham 0 3 3 -6 3
20 Chelsea 0 3 3 -6 3

Merry Christmas

Just like to wish any readers who come here a very merry Christmas :)

Benitez

I really don't like the guy but in a month of crazy manager sackings this one is up there with Hughton and Allardyce.
He's just won the World club championship which according to the title is the absolute highest you can possibly achieve in club football, and his reward ... the sack!!
OK Inter aren't looking like the team that Mourinho managed to Champions league victory last season, but as we all know Mourinho is a little bit special and he was going to be a hard act to follow ask Avram Grant and whoever took over at Porto.
Inter have made it to the next round of the champions league and although 13 points behind AC Milan have 2 games in hand which is roughly where they were before the special one arrived.
I'm sure Benitez would have improved given the chance so it seems a strange decision to dump him so early?
Benitez to West Ham? probably not but I'd put aside my dislike of him for a regular top 7 finish and a Champions league :)

Rumour

According to a mate who claims to know such things, it's a done deal that we'll be paying Emmanuel Adebayor 100k a week to come on loan from Man City to hopefully fire us clear of relegation?
I personally can't see it happening even though Adebeyor seems to have fallen out of favour with Mancini who has prefered Balotelli and even Jo in his place recently.
Roque Santa Claus seems a more likely pick?
Still undecided weather I like Adebayor as at times he has looked absolutely brilliant but seems a moody player and seems not to try if things aren't going his way.
Would I like to see him in a Hammers shirt? ..... Yes

Predictions (Week 18 - Xmas Double Bill)

As I'm not sure I'm gonna have time (or hopefully be sober enough) for this over the next week, here's a bumper Christmas predictions list.
Two games each for all the teams (weather permitting) over 4 days.
For the purposes of the Lee v Longy challenge this is all one week, so hopefully some high scores.

The big game of the first set sees Chelsea go to Arsenal, will Drogba be fit enough to knock Arsenal around as he usually does? I've gone for a narrow Arse win but with Lampard back Chelsea might start playing again.
Avram Grant probably has his best chance of that one win in Three at Fulham although if we suffer a heavy defeat I don't think he'll be there at the start of the new year.
Newcastle v City probably the pick of the other games, the geordies might be on song and give Mancini more headaches, although I'm tempted to put money on Barton getting sent off against his old team.
Next weeks games don't look too exciting although I've got a feeling Man U and Arsenal might struggle against their opponents.
We shall see :)

26/12/10
Fulham v West Ham 1-2
Blackburn v Stoke 2-1
Blackpool v Liverpool 2-1
Bolton v West Brom 2-1
Everton v Birmingham 1-0
Man Utd v Sunderland 2-0
Newcastle v Man City 2-1
Wolves v Wigan 2-1
Aston Villa v Tottenham 1-1
27/12/10
Arsenal v Chelsea 2-1
28/12/10
Man City v Aston Villa 3-1
Stoke v Fulham 1-1
Sunderland v Blackpool 2-2
Tottenham v Newcastle 3-2
West Brom v Blackburn 1-1
West Ham v Everton 0-0
Birmingham v Man Utd 1-1
29/12/10
Chelsea v Bolton 3-1
Wigan v Arsenal 2-1
Liverpool v Wolves 2-0

Holly Vs FIFA

Ian Holloway turns his venom on Platini, Blatter and the other corrupt bastards of FIFA .... brilliant stuff - The Link

It's Snow Good

Well it's 2.30pm and one premier league game is underway Sunderland v Bolton, of the other five it looks like Blackburn v West Ham is the only survivor.
I'm surprised that the Arsenal game is off, I thought they had a heated pitch and all manner of protection?
Here in Southend there hadn't been a flake of snow up until an hour ago, now there is about 3 inches!!
I see that the Southend game is off, but down to a frozen pitch which I can vouch for as I went out this morning and despite no snow my car was white with frost and I couldn't open the doors or boot as they were frozen solid.
It looks like the league show will also be short tonight as at the moment only 8 games are still on, 7 in the championship and the Exeter game from Div 3 or 1 or whatever.
Oooh just seen the Hammers team, Rob Green is injured for the first time in 3 years and back up Marek Stech is also missing so a debut for Belgian Rude Boffin (great name) with under 18 goalie Jake Larkins on the bench? this could be interesting.

Predictions (Week 17)

The last round of games before Christmas and featuring the big one (well it would have been if Chelsea hadn't suddenly decided to play like West Ham).
Man Utd haven't won at Stamford bridge since 2002 and will never have a better chance although I still believe that Chelsea will rediscover their form soon and what better game to do it.
West Ham go to managerless Blackburn with the axe hanging over Avram.
Nothing exciting in the other games except maybe Blackpool v Spurs which should produce a bundle of goals as Tottenham can't defend and Blackpool play in a similar style.

Sunderland v Bolton 1-1
Arsenal v Stoke 2-0
Birmingham v Newcastle 1-1
Blackburn v West Ham 0-0
Wigan v Aston Villa 1-1
Liverpool v Fulham 2-0
West Brom v Wolves 3-1
Blackpool v Tottenham 3-4
Chelsea v Man Utd 0-5
Man City v Everton 2-1

Allardyce

We must be in silly season, the second manager in a week sacked for doing a pretty good job.
Allardyce seems to be unlucky as this is the second time in the last few years that new owners have come into the club he was managing and decided they didn't like him, the other one was Ashley so no surprise I suppose, but this one came out of the blue.
Blackburn are doing reasonably well given the lack of money at Big Sam's disposal although he was promised funds in January (they didn't tell him he wouldn't be there in January obviously).

Meanwhile Avram Grant who most of us wouldn't have been surprised to see sacked has been given a stay of execution at least till we're out of the Carling Cup which means late January at the earliest by which time we could be in really deep shit in the league?
Although I did say to a workmate at the time of the Sunderland cup game that I'd take a cup win over staying up, and in a weird sort of way a cup win means a lot more as we haven't had much trophy success over the years but always bounce back every time we get relegated :)

Pardew

It's hard for me to criticise Pardew as I was gutted when he was sacked by West Ham and I really like the guy, but is he better than Chris Hughton?
Ashley said he wanted someone with more experience but Pardew's record is not a whole lot better than Hughton, one good season in the prem with West Ham followed by an average few months before his sacking, after that he took Charlton down although they were on their way before he got there, he did reasonably well in the lower divisions with Reading and Southampton but Hughton leading Newcastle to the Championship last season must put him at least level as far as achievements are concerned.
Signing a 5½ year deal seems like a good bit of business by Pardew as he'll be in for a good payout when Ashley sacks him after 5½ weeks :)

Predictions (Week 16)

After last weeks decent predictions this weeks games throw up some real hard ones to call, the big game is Monday with Arsenal going to Man Utd and on Sunday Chelsea go to White Hart Lane.
If Man Utd can click as they've threatened to do most of the season it could be a bad day for Arsenal, but apart from the Blackburn game they have struggled to put the ball in the net so who knows.
Chelsea who were robbed by the blind ref midweek usually win against the Spuds but even I have been impressed by the way Bale and co keep coming back in games so this one could go either way.
West Ham v City? should be a City win but there is always hope we can turn it on once in a while as the other Manc lot found out last week.
Here's this weeks predictions -

Aston Villa v West Brom 1-1
Everton v Wigan 2-0
Fulham v Sunderland 1-1
Stoke v Blackpool 2-2
West Ham v Man City 2-1
Newcastle v Liverpool 0-2
Bolton v Blackburn 2-1
Wolves v Birmingham 2-1
Tottenham v Chelsea 2-2
Man Utd v Arsenal 3-1

Great Football Quotes

Who said footballers are thick? you've gotta love them if these attributed comments are real :)

Ade Akinbiyi - I was watching the Blackburn game on TV on Sunday when it flashed on the screen that George (Ndah) had scored in the first minute at Birmingham. My first reaction was to ring him up. Then I remembered he was out there playing.

Alan Shearer - I’ve never wanted to leave. I’m here for the rest of my life, and hopefully after that as well.

Alan Shearer - One accusation you can’t throw at me is that I’ve always done my best.

Barry Venison - I always used to put my right boot on first, and then obviously my right sock.

David Beckham - Interviewer: Would it be fair to describe you as a volatile player? Beckham: Well, I can play in the centre, on the right and occasionally on the left side.

David Beckham - My parents have been there for me, ever since I was about 7.

David Beckham - I definitely want Brooklyn to be christened, but I don’t know into what religion yet.

David Beckham - Alex Ferguson is the best manager I’ve ever had at this level. Well, he’s the only manager I’ve actually had at this level. But he’s the best manager I’ve ever had.

Gary Lineker - There’s no in between you’re either good or bad. We were in between.

Graeme Le Saux - The opening ceremony was good, although I missed it.

Ian Rush - I couldn’t settle in Italy it was like living in a foreign country.

Ian Wright - Without being too harsh on David Beckham, he cost us the match.

Ian Wright - It took a lot of bottle for Tony (Adams) to own up.

Johnny Giles - I’d rather play in front of a full house than an empty crowd.

Jonathan Woodgate - Leeds is a great club and its been my home for years, even though I live in Middlesbrough.

Lee Hendrie - I took a whack on my left ankle, but something told me it was my right.

Les Ferdinand - I was surprised, but I always say nothing surprises me in football.

Mark Draper - I’d like to play for an Italian club, like Barcelona.

Mark Viduka - I would not be bothered if we lost every game as long as we won the league.

Mitchell Thomas - All that remains is for a few dots and commas to be crossed.

Neville Southall - If you don’t believe you can win, there is no point in getting out of bed at the end of the day.

Paul Gascoigne - I’ve had 14 bookings this season 8 of which were my fault, but 7 of which were disputable.

Paul Gascoigne - It was a big relief off my shoulder.

Peter Shilton - You’ve got to believe that you’re going to win, and I believe well win the World Cup until the final whistle blows and were knocked out.

Phil Neville - The Brazilians were South America, and the Ukrainians will be more European.

Richard Rufus - It was like the ref had a brand new yellow card and wanted to see if it worked.

Robbie Earle - If you’re 0 0 down, there’s no one better to get you back on terms than Ian Wright.

Ronaldo - We lost because we didn’t win.

Ronnie Whelan - He’s put on weight and I’ve lost it, and vice versa.

Stan Collymore - I faxed a transfer request to the club at the beginning of the week, but let me state that I don’t want to leave Leicester.

Steve Lomas - Germany are a very difficult team to play...they had 11 internationals out there today.

Stuart Pearce - I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel.

Thierry Henry - Sometimes in football you have to score goals.

Ugo Ehiogu - Im as happy as I can be but I have been happier.

Vinny Jones - Winning doesn’t really matter as long as you win.

No No No No

They have got to be fucking joking, how can this cunt who spends half the season suspended or in jail help us out?
Would be a good first move for Pardew shipping out the most unpopular player in English football, but not us please.

Chris Hughton

Proving finally that Mike Ashley knows as much about football as my missus, the sacking of Chris Hughton shows the guy is living in a dream world where Newcastle are one the biggest clubs in the world and should win every game, the fact he hasn't got Abramovich or Sheikh Mansour's billions seems to have passed him by.
Last seasons record of 30 wins, 12 draws and only 4 defeats was outstanding especially for a club that started the season in "crisis" and expectations were very low, Hughton deserved better after turning round the team that had been so bad the previous season.
But since taking over at the start of last season it has been obvious that Hughtons face didn't really fit with Ashley and he only got the job because he was already there and none of the so called world class managers would touch the job without considerable financial back up.
This season despite a few defeats they have probably punched above their weight to be mid table, a win and a draw against Chelsea is a pretty good return for a newly promoted team and recent wins at Arsenal and the 5-1 thrashing of local rivals Sunderland should have given Hughton a safe job for the next couple of seasons and if their new striker Ben Arfa hadn't got injured it could have been even better.

Newcastle have said that they are "looking for someone with more managerial experience"? anyone with the required managerial experience wouldn't touch this club with a barge pole after this would they?

Contenders -
Martin Jol has just left Ajax so is the current favourite but is his record any better? Tottenham fans might have an opinion on that, as far as I know he hasn't won a league title with any team even Ajax who finished behind Steve McClaren's Twente last season.
Martin O'Neill is in the frame but again his record isn't top class, titles at Celtic are good but that is Scottish football where as long as you beat Rangers you're probably going to win the league, Aston Villa really should have qualified for the Champions league under O'Neill but they never managed it and his record at Leicester is good for a small team in that they won a cup but the league form was patchy.
Alan Pardew again has a reasonable record of getting teams to punch above their weight with Reading, West Ham and Southampton but nothing much in the way of trophies.
I see Peter Beardsley has taken the 30 pieces of silver to take the job on a temporary basis, I would have thought a Newcastle legend like him might have told Ashley where to stick it.

The FIFA World Club Cup

The 7th FIFA World Club Cup competition kicks off this week.
As it's organised by FIFA I expect the winners have already been decided, and I confidently predict it will be Inter.
This competition replaced the old Intercontinental cup which used to be played between the winners of the European cup and the South American cup, since 2000 it was extended to include clubs from other football playing continents although so far the winners have only come from Europe or South America.
The first tournament in 2000 was mainly famous for Man Utd pulling out of the FA cup to play in it, Man Utd didn't do themselves justice and were knocked out leaving 2 Brazilian teams in the final with Corinthians the winners.
The competition didn't come back until 2005 in a shortened form which was handy for Liverpool as they had just won the European "champions?" league, they got to the final but lost to Sao Paulo of Brazil.
2006 saw another Brazilian win with Internacional beating Barcelona, 2007 was the first European win for AC Milan over Boca Juniors, 2008 was the first English win for Man Utd over Quito of Ecuador, and last year Barcelona beat Estudiantes of Argentina.
This years teams are the big 2 of Internacional (Inter) of Brazil and Internazionale (Inter Milan) of Italy (which is why I predicted an Inter win).
Making up the numbers are Pachuca (Mexico), Seongnam (South Korea), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Hekari United (Papua New Guinea) and hosts Al-Wahda (UAE).

Predictions (Week 15)

Doesn't time fly 3am Saturday morning already, which means my weekly bad prediction post is a day late.
I could blame the depression over England's latest shafting but it's more to do with spending my non working hours .. working, trying to get my kitchen finished before Christmas :) started it about 2 years ago but lack of dosh meant it's been half finished since then .... anyway here's this weeks lot.
Lee
Arsenal v Fulham 2-1
Birmingham v Tottenham 1-1
Blackburn v Wolves 2-1
Blackpool v Man Utd 0-3 (Supposed to be postponed but just in case it isn't)
Chelsea v Everton 1-1
Man City v Bolton 2-1
Wigan v Stoke 0-0
Sunderland v West Ham 0-1
West Brom v Newcastle 2-2
Liverpool v Aston Villa 1-2

Longy's predictions
# Arsenal v Fulham 3 0
# Birmingham v Tottenham 1 1
# Blackburn v Wolves 2 0
# Chelsea v Everton 1 1
# Man City v Bolton 2 1
# Wigan v Stoke City 0 2
# West Brom v Newcastle 2 1
# Sunderland v West Ham 3 0
# Liverpool v Aston Villa 1 2

.. and this weeks celebrity predictor nicked from the Beeb website is David Cameron
Arsenal v Fulham 2-1
Birmingham v Tottenham 0-1
Blackburn v Wolves 0-1
Blackpool v Man Utd 1-0
Chelsea v Everton 2-1
Man City v Bolton 2-0
Wigan v Stoke 2-1
Sunderland v West Ham 1-0
West Brom v Newcastle 1-1
Liverpool v Aston Villa 0-6

I can probably handle losing to Longy but not this tosspot so I'm hoping for an improvement :)
I thought I was taking a chance with the Liverpool and Chelsea results but it seems I wasn't alone.

Sad Day

It reminded me of the Eurovision song contest, doesn't matter how good our bid was we were never going to win because they hate us, Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea had more chance of winning.
Blatter probably has a cupboard full of Rolexes so one more was hardly likely to sway him.

World Cup 2018

About 3 hours to go and my fingers are crossed.
We have the stadiums, the history, the easy travel links from all over the world and look on paper the outstanding candidate, but as we all know the decision probably won't take any of that into account.
I predict we won't get it but I'm hoping this prediction lives up to my recent record :)

The Things That Dreams Are Made Of

West Ham 4 Man Utd 0

A result that Hammer fan's probably dreamed of but considering that display at Anfield 10 days ago thought didn't have an earthly of happening.
I was listening to it on the radio at work waiting for someone to poke me from my dream but it was reality.
Looking at the Hammers starting eleven I feared the worst, Scott Parker and Piquionne only on the bench, Ben Haim, Kovac and Dead Snake all starting it didn't look good only 4 players you would consider first teamers if everyone was fit.
Man Utd as expected also shuffled their team but all eleven were well known with Giggs, Anderson, Fletcher and Hernandez all regulars and the rest have all played recently.
Avram Grant finally pulled off a master stroke bringing in ocassional right back American Jonathan Spector to play in Parker's position, obviously Man U didn't think he was worth marking as he ran right through the Man U midfield and defence on several ocassions and then capped it off with 2 goals.
Carlton Cole who has been a shadow of last years player then banged in 2 more in the second half, and Victor Obinna showed the form he threatened to show earlier in the season by setting up all four goals.

The Petrovic sacking last week does seem to have had the right effect so far so hopefully we can take this new found confidence on to the league starting at Sunderland on Sunday, we have already won there this season in the Carling Cup so now the expectations are higher.