Isn't A Perfect Start Great?

  So the football season is well and truly back, with talk of what the season is going to bring already hot topic of conversation for fans of all clubs, from the Premier League right down to the Evo-stik League and further. Teams all around the country having their expectations evaluated by supporters and journalists, right from the first whistle and with only a handful of games played already two teams in Coventry (Andy Thorn) and Chesterfield (John Sheridan) have decided to make a change in manager. Why so soon? As both teams have not made what could be classed at dreadful starts in there respected divisions, but when does the start of a season end and turn into the main bulk of the season? After five games played? Or following a couple of months into a campaign? I find it tough to work out. On the opposite side of the coin my two supported teams in Everton and Chester football club are enjoying fantastic starts to the season and if they can both win their next league game, for Everton it will equal their best ever start (after 3 games played) to a Premier League for 19 seasons and for Chester as the reformed club it would be the best start in the new clubs short 3 year history (after 5 games played).

Does this put unnecessary pressure on clubs by discussing such form, in many column inches in the papers and on a continual loop on sports news channels so soon? For Everton they ended up finishing 17^th in the 1993/94 campaign. So that good start could be considered vital in keeping their top flight status on that occasion. At Chester there is talk already from some players that they can win the league according to the local press. Is that a dangerous topic? Will it give players more belief that they are capable or if form dips and points are dropped then does it turn to pressure? It must just all be down to individual opinion like my view on this discussion. Pressure is already building at some of the Premier League teams after booing at Aston Villa versus Everton and Tottenham fans unhappy after a draw with West Bromwich Albion. Even a radio fan phone in programme where one Liverpool fan claiming they will be going down to the Championship, honestly to me as much as I love the game with this sort of talk, it does get ridiculous. Managers need time to get their ideas across and get the squad they feel can compete. At least these teams are competing in the top division and all being well with the stupid money at the top end of the game will not be going bust, which is something I have witnessed with my local team. So stop all the moaning and get behind your team at this early stage of the season.

Is there one last opportunity for Michael Owen?

After being released by Manchester United at the end of the season, one of England’s most prolific strikers over the last 15 years for club and country has to decide on his next move. Will he retire? I don’t think so, it could only be because of the injury problems that have hampered his career, but I don’t think he is finished yet or at least I truly wish so as at 32 he has a good couple of years at the top level. So where could he possibly go? Ever since his 1^st senior goal for Liverpool on 6^th May 1996 Michael Owen has scored goals with great consistency virtually every season of his career. He has proved he is one of the most clinical finishers of a football in and around the box and if fit, there are many clubs in the Premier League that would be foolish to overlook him with this in mind. 

Firstly let’s look at the clubs that will almost certainly overlook the England striker this summer. Most of the top six from the final table of this season (2011-12) will look elsewhere. Starting with Manchester City and Chelsea as I think these two could well spend big in the July transfer window and would not be interested in him. The owners are more interested in the best of the current and upcoming talent from all over Europe and further afield. Arsenal have already made a new signing up top by adding Lukas Podolski, but also Arsene Wenger has a policy of only one year contracts for players in their thirties. Tottenham are believed to be looking at bring Emmanuel Adebayor back to the club on a permanent basis. Newcastle will with a bit of luck have Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse leading their front line but are the only club that I think could take a chance on Owen. If they can hold on to those two, Michael could be a great option to have as I feel Newcastle have nothing of real quality after that in a goal scorer, although would he want to go back?

 I consider there to be a long list of clubs, including most of the other 14 top flight teams which would be stronger with an in shape Michael Owen, but would they all suit him. The first obvious place would be Everton. Not just because he was a boyhood supporter of the club and the fact that I am also a supporter, but because Everton have found goals hard to come by over the years with an average of 48.7 goals in the 20 years of the Premier League. Nikica Jelavic has proved he can score in the Premiership since his January 2012 move and will now have the pressure to continue that next season. The other strikers at the club have not proved the same level of finishing and ability as Nikica, but Owen has the track record that could help Everton have another player that chips in with goals from the front line and crucially important goals.

Should Liverpool and newly appointed boss Brendan Rodgers take a gamble on him? It would be an unlikely destination as they have Luiz Suarez and Andy Carroll in attack, but could be a great choice to throw on with 20-25 minutes to go. Liverpool need a lift, but would the return be the same as when Robbie Fowler made a comeback to Anfield in January 2006. 

There are the mid table teams in Fulham, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich and Stoke City who have got a quantity of forward options that have proved they can perform at the top level in the Premier League, but Owen could provide them with a real quality striker, if they chose to take a chance on him. All of these teams possess a striker who is tall and strong and wants to be a ball winning and Owen may perhaps be that player who plays off the last man, feeding off any flick on or loose ball.  Swansea and Wigan Athletic like to play quick and attractive football on the floor if possible, with the Swans having Danny Graham scoring more than ten goals for them, but the Latics failing to have anyone score with any sort of regularity during the campaign. Michael could be a genuine hit at either of these clubs and would be fulfilling the prospect to be playing much more first team football. Following on from this are Aston Villa and Sunderland who also lack real options in attack, with Villa scoring less than a goal per game (0.98) and the Black Cats just more than a goal a game (1.18), to move up the league this would have to improve and also they have fewer shots per game averaging near eleven for both teams. Compare this to the top three who have at least 150 shots more this past season and in turn scored more goals. This means finding a striker that has a knack of scoring goals for teams outside the top 6-8 more crucial and Owen may possibly be that striker. Queens Park Rangers again would benefit from a Michael Owen but with the club being able to spend some money and many options currently in the forward department, it would not be a smart move to go to Loftus Road. The three promoted teams all require a proven goal scorer in the premiership, which right now everyone lacks and an England international in their squad would be a very good call to aid in the heightened aim of all promoted teams, to survive because of the sadly pressured thirst for finance to even just hold on to players.

On a personal level it would be great to see Michael Owen pull on an Everton jersey, and the other team it would be a joy at is my local team of Chester Football Club, where Michael presented the end of season awards recently. Realistically that is a long shot, but could he even move to a team in Europe or is Real Madrid the only foreign team on his football C.V. Any other potential options I would love to hear from people on where they think he may go.

He may have lost a yard of pace but around the box and with a yard of space he can still be a threat at the top level as this video and many others prove. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuLOVwMpmXA

England and Euro 2012, Who will go?

Roy Hodgson’s appointment as England manager on the 1^st May 2012 was a surprise to many football people, who felt Harry Redknapp was the man to succeed Fabio Capello. I personally think Hodgson is a very good choice for the job as he does boast a wealth of knowledge from around Europe and further afield, and has managed international teams in the past, so has already felt the transition from club management to the international coaching role. The first time he will be under the spotlight will be for the friendly matches against Norway away on 26^th May and at home to Belgium on the 2^nd June. Although he may well be judged before he has even taken charge of his country against Norway, as he announces his squad for Euro 2012 on Wednesday 16^th May 2012, but has until 29^th May to make any last alterations.

 So who will make the 23 man squad to go to Poland and Ukraine in June? I have compiled a list of players I think will be and others who in my opinion deserve some serious consideration.

Goalkeepers

The first choice and maybe easiest to pick is Joe Hart. He has had another fantastic season with Manchester City making key saves when called upon in games he may not have had much to do and is easily in my view the first choice keeper for England. After that there are a few possibilities for the other two places, the first being Paul Robinson of Blackburn if he came out of retirement (which there has been talk), has been one of their better players this season and with being the captain of the team, would be an experienced choice with 41 caps. Another option for one of the keeper’s jerseys is John Ruddy of Norwich who in my view has been brilliant in goal for them this season. Making a number of top draw saves and proving his early promise that prompted Everton to pay £250,000 in 2005 has not been completely unjustified as he looks a good solid keeper. I would not begrudge him making the squad and maybe his international debut in the warm up games before the Euro’s. Sadly one keeper who does not want to be included is Ben Foster who I think has been great for West Bromwich Albion this season with 10 clean sheets to his name. Who else is there? Is Rob Green at West Ham going to be called up again as a back up to Hart? Or does Roy look down the route of youth and take a young 3^rd choice keeper with him? Maybe Ben Amos (22) of Manchester United, Jack Butland (19) of Birmingham City or Luke Steele (21) who has at least got regular first team experience in the Championship with Middlesbrough this season.

Defenders

Ok so I think Hodgson will choose eight players for the defensive options where there are a number of potential choices. Manchester City pair of Micah Richards  and Joleon Lescott will be given some serious consideration as they have both been solid again and featured regularly for Mancini’s men this season. From the red half of Manchester, United have the experienced Rio Ferdinand. The 33 year old has never been to a European Championships for various reasons making this his last opportunity to be involved which could be decided by his fitness. Also there is the youthful Phil Jones who has proved he has the ability to be a top player and has enormous energy and drive with and without the ball with his running. At Chelsea there are three players who could be included in defence, John Terry who has been at the heart of England’s central defence for a number of years and even though there are those who would question his inclusion in the squad for off the pitch reasons he has been one of the most committed defensive players to wear the England shirt. Ashley Cole has been very good for the blues this campaign and has been first choice left back for a number of years for England and will be going in my view. The third possibility is Gary Cahill, who is a good defender as he proved at Bolton and also has an eye for goal, but consistency is the key and he has not had that at Chelsea since his move. Tottenham have two candidates who could be considered, but I think it would have been three if Michael Dawson had been fit and played all season. Ledley King is a superb central defender and has been solid for Spurs over the last 6-7 years but sadly with his knee problem preventing him from playing more than a game a week will sadly reduce his chances. Spurs other option is the exciting Kyle Walker. The attacking full-back has played in all but one Premiership game for Tottenham and would be a great choice to go to the Euro’s. Another player who is currently first choice right back, is Glen Johnson of Liverpool and has a good chance of being on the Plane, even though his season has not been great domestically. Everton offer a couple of options with central defender Phil Jagielka who has proved his ability at international level with an impressive performance against Spain in the friendly in November of last year. Leighton Baines has proved a good understudy to Ashley Cole at left back and has shown this with another good season with the Blues.

Midfielders

Again, I think eight players will go from midfield and there are a number of options to choose from, with Manchester United offering Michael Carrick in the centre of the park and Ashley Young out wide, both showing good form for the Red Devils. Would a return for Paul Scholes be a foolish shout? Stephen Gerrard is a certainty for me to be selected in the squad to provide the midfield backbone, while Stuart Downing has not proved enough at Liverpool this season that he can attack defenders enough and put in decent crosses. At Manchester City Gareth Barry would be a fair choice to be in the squad as he has performed well this season and with the doubt over Scott Parker it increases this likelihood, while Adam Johnson for me has the same problem as Downing in lacking the desire and ability to provide decent crosses from wide areas. I have also been disappointed with James Milner this season; he has the ability but has been in the shadows in the title winning squad for City. But he can play on either flank and has an outside chance to go. Will this be the last major tournament for Frank Lampard at Chelsea? With central midfield options a little light it looks probable he will be selected. Scott Parker has to go if he can prove his fitness ahead of the European Championships and Spurs other candidate is Aaron Lennon, who shows in patches the pace he can provide but as with many of the wide players England have crossing ability is questionable. Arsenal have Theo Walcott who for me does not have enough skill to get around players, he is just pure pace in behind a defence and would a call up for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain be wide of the mark, who is raw but has impressed for the Gunners when used this season.

Strikers

The big debate will be who is going to lead the line for England this summer. Wayne Rooney will be selected even though he is suspended for the opening to games, so it will be who will get the other places to get England off to the best possible start. Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe has proved at club level he has the ability to score goals, with his England record of 15 goals in 46 International appearances is a reasonably good safe bet to go. Danny Welbeck is a player who has shown in the last couple of years for Manchester United that he could be a fantastic player, but is he to inexperienced to be considered a starter in the opening two games in Poland and Ukraine? Another forward option is Daniel Sturridge of Chelsea. He has played much more this season and proved he can play in a team that has Torres, Drogba and Mata wanting the forward positions.  Darren Bent is being talked about for the Euro’s but I’m not convinced he should go, with missing a chunk of the season and no real form to show ahead of the tournament. Of the big men and that ‘plan B’ for England it’s between Peter Crouch of Stoke who has an impressive record for England and Andy Carroll of Liverpool who did show in the last few games of the season for the Reds that desire, work rate and threat in and around the box, but is it enough to warrant a place? If form and goals are features Hodgson will consider, does Grant Holt of Norwich get a look in? One other candidate which would be a long shot is Michael Owen, who is still one of the best finishers for me and if England need a goal with 20-30 minutes to go he is someone who will take a chance if presented, but if Bent doesn’t go with no form then the same should apply to Michael.

My Squad

Keepers – Hart, Robinson, Ruddy

Defenders – A. Cole, Terry, Jones, Walker, Baines, G. Johnson, Richards, Cahill

Midfielders – Parker (if fit), A. Young, Gerrard, Barry, Lampard, Lennon, Carrick, Oxlade-Chamberlain

Strikers – Rooney, Defoe, Crouch, Welbeck

Any other suggestions for squads or players are welcome.

Record Attendance helps see Blues to League Title

A 1-1 draw at home with Northwich Victoria has seen my local team Chester F.C be crowned champions of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League. Congratulations to manager Neil Young, the players and backroom staff for such a great achievement.
 It was a day of great joy for the crowd at the Exacta Stadium which has set a new record for a league game at this level with 5,009 present (around 200-300 from Northwich) which is a wonderful advert for watching lower league. The Blues have now achieved their 2nd successive promotion in the two years since the club reformed after the folding of Chester City Football Club.

From turning up at the ground at 1.30pm where there were long queue's of people waiting to get in to the ground at all the turnstiles for the home fans was fantastic to see. Something that I had not seen at this ground for a number of years. The atmosphere around the ground inside and out before the game, was one of hope that Chester would get the minimum point needed to get across the finishing line to win the league with games to spare. Instead of the pressure of needing a result and in the end an element of luck to claim the title the year before.

 The game itself was tight as 1st versus 2nd in the league went head to head. Both teams didnt create much in the first half, with Chester looking a little nervy when in possession of the ball. Lots of long balls up to the front two of Wilde and Williams and not recieving much joy and much frustration for the home fans, as it was the Northwich players who settled the better on the near perfect surface to play football on and the two centre halves of Northwich were dealing with any ball put forward by a Chester player, 0-0 at half time and half way to getting that all important minimum point. The 2nd half began badly for Chester as they fell behind to a goal from a free kick conceded near the halfway line. A number of the home fans didn't agree that it was a free kick and as at the top level of football the referee got a hammering for it. A "cheat" and "you havn't got a clue" were just a couple of the views that were sadly aimed towards the referee. When to be honest Chester's defending of it was of much more concern as they failed to deal with the first ball in to the box which was won by Dom Collins, his header hit the post and and Kyle Armstrong was quickest to react to give Northwich the lead 2 minutes

 Northwich players celebrate goal

in to the 2nd half. This I hoped would have been the wake up call needed to get a reaction from the players, but the game fell in to the same pattern as the first with Chester playing long balls and Northwich passing the ball better on the ground but not getting much in and around the box. Chester had the best joy from dead ball situations, with George Horan having a header cleared off the line around the hour mark, sadly that was the only real chance of note up to that point. Even though they had managed to net 92 league goals so far this season, it was hard to see where Neil Young's side were going to fashion an equaliser from as Northwich looked very content with Chester's style of play. But as happens with teams at the top of the league luck began to go our way as Northwich centerback Ian Kearney recieved his 2nd yellow card for a foul on Simm in the 78th minute. This forced Northwich back and reduced there attacking treat meaning Chester's players could push out with the ball much more freely and force Northwich nearer their own penalty area. Then the moment that sent the Chester fans wild, fullback Matty McGinn had been pushed up on to the left of midfield at this point and was allowed to run with the ball towards the left edge of the Northwich box, where he cut inside and it looked like he was

Chester celebrate McGinn equaliser

shaping to shoot with his right foot, when he readjused his body to send an unstoppable left footed shot, which I could see perfectly from my angle in the West Stand, into the far corner of the net, no chance for the Northwich keeper, 1-1. Chester had a chance to win it in the last few minutes but the keeper made a good save. 5 minutes of injury time seemed like so much longer, but huge cheers were greeted at the final whistle as the minimum point was gained to comfirm Chester F.C as Champions. A point was a fair result and now

Pic 1.

the club can start the process of planning for next season. It must also be mentioned how nice it was to see the Northwich supporters stay behind and congratulate my teams achievement aswell, a pleasing moment which proves football at this level is not all bad. It was also great to be able to go to a game where hard challenges were made by players and there was no rolling around and moaning about it, they just got up and got on with it. The link at the end of this proves there can be some quality and exciting moments further down the league ladder.

Pic 2.

Even though there was an annoucement to stay off the pitch at the end of the game, picture 1 & 2 prove that was never going to happen as fans from all stands run on to celebrate just after the full time whistle.
Youtube link to Chester's championship winning equaliser.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-vUwQZe_10



Chester players do a lap of the pitch after the game

So who will be the next manager to play Russian Roulette with Abramovich?

  So Cheslea are in the headlines yet again and it's involving the search for a new manager after Andre Villas-Boas was sacked after defeat to West Brom on Saturday 3rd March 2012. Roman Abramovich is now looking to employ his 7th full time manager (for how long) since taking control of the club in 2003. Former player Roberto Di Matteo is in charge until the end of the season and has refused to answer questions on wanting the job on a longer basis. One question I have is why would he or any other top manager (Benitez included) want a job at the club? Where there is a high risk of not even surviving a season. What exactly is Abramovich looking for? He has hired a number of different types of manager, during his time.

Ancelotti June 2009 - May 2011

He has employed some of the most experienced manager's in the World game such as Carlo Ancelotti who has won some of the top prizes in Europoean football as a player and a manager. Luiz Felipe Scolari who took Brazil to World Cup triumph in 2002. These included with Avram Grant's reign as manager emass less than five years between them.Also they do pose an average win percentage of 61%, which would seem a very respectable statistic. 

Mourinho June 2004 - Sept 2007

  Abramovich has also tried the younger more on the up and modern type of manager that may play a more attractive style of football, this includes Jose Mourinho with 2 Premierleague titles, 2 League Cup's, F.A Cup, Community Shield and an overall win percentage of 67% to his name. But after challenging Abramovich to sack him, the Russian did so, bringing the most successful period in Chelsea's footballing history to an end. should Daniel Sturrige get the sack (just a thought) as a player after failing to take a couple of decent opportunities against West Brom, Villas Boas could do nothing about that but I have not heard him come out and claim he could and even should have done better with either situation. Maybe Villas-Boas would still be in a job this week? 

  So on to the man himself Andre Villas-Boas and his 8-9 month spell in charge, I have a lot of sympathy for him as I feel he as other managers was not given a fair chance to implement his way of thinking and tactics at the club. This is especially hard where you have an owner who wants to try and buy success (yes this did work briefly under Mourinho) but it is much harder to get the European Cup (eg Man City), especially when the one thing Cheslea are certainly not at the moment, a team. I mean it has taken a while for players to come out and shoulder some of the blame (1), because at the end of the day, Villas-Boas only purchased 3 players who have been used regularly in his squads (Mata, Meireles - summer, Cahill -Jan), the others have either played bit parts or been sent out on loan straight after signing. So many of the current squad are on there way to the latter of their careers or have been there, far to long under the Abramovich era.

Scolari June 2008 -Feb 2009

 Former player Tony Cascarino claimed "If it's player power that was a problem that definitely comes down to the manager," he told BBC Radio 5 live. He also said "He has to make that dressing room work and it was clearly not the case." This is made much harder to achieve when players have a bigger friendship with the owner of the club ahead of the manager, as Scolari suggests "Some things are known, like the relations with the owner, who has the relationship with some players before the coach," This cannot be a healthy way for the club to function. I felt Villas-Boas could have been good for the players that were around his age as they may well have had similar interests and modern ideas about the game(just an idea). Overall what Abramovich is trying to do in football is impossible if he wants continued success. He should be pleased that they are still (as things stand) in the Champions League and competing in the F.A Cup and in the challenge for those coverted top four places in the league, something they have done in the most part every year for the last 8-10 seasons at least. If Abramovich could at least keep someone for a good length of time they could be going through the cycles of success that the likes of Arsene Wenger has at Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and in a different phase David Moyes at Everton (please feel free to add others you think of) instead of giving managers massive payouts because they didnt achieve the desired success he craves which some of it I think is impossible to have all the time.

(1) http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea

Who Next for England?

    So Capello has stepped down as England head coach, his major salary has been defended by Football Association Chairman David Bernstein and has four months to find a replacement. But who??  The smart money is on Harry Redknapp, as he is who everybody(except Spurs fans) want to take charge of England. If he does where does this leave Tottenham Hotspur, as he has transformed them over the last couple of years in to a team that can truely mix it with the top teams in the Premier League. How could he leave a team where he has the squad assembled to really push for a title challenge, no Spurs team has looked like doing this in a long long time.
  Could the England manager's job be taken on a part-time basis? If it were Harry then short term the obvious answer most people would give is yes. As it is just friendlies ahead of the European Championsips and the season in its most exciting phase so to disrupt the pattern for Spurs could have an effect. Thinking beyond the Euro's, could it still be done part-time? What does the England job really consist of that requires it to be full time? (any ideas). Is there not a chance if hypothetically speaking it was Harry Redknapp, he could build a trusted unit of scouts to help with his watching of games and collation of who is in form, who is not and what the future is looking like. There are some great people out there not in management who may be ideal, one example is Alan Curbishley who has a wealth of experience of the English game in to the modern era. This would give Redknapp the freedom to continue the work he has built at Spurs.
 Yes it is just a theory but everybody has got ideas on what might work, but who else is there that could do the job? any suggestions welcome.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16988862

What world does Balotelli's agent live on?

  Reading and hearing all the talk surrounding the Mario Balotelli stamping incident on Scott Parker on Sunday 22nd January, it was a interesting to hear people say that they did not think it was a diliberate stamp on Parker. I watched it live and re-wound it a number of times and every time I come to the same decision... regardless of wether he meant to inflict meaningful injury and connect with Parker the intent was there. The F.A. were correct to ban him.
 What makes it worse is the comments of Balotelli's agent Mino Raiola. "He didn't do anything on purpose, he was clearly pushed and was out of balance and put down his feet" (source - BBC Sport) This person has a funny grasp on the laws of balance. He went on to say "That's also clear in the slow-motion replays." Yes it is clear in the slow motion replay's, that Balotelli went to stamp out at Parker. Such crazy claims. The best way for Balotelli to not "feel persecuted" as Raiola says, is to actually try and concentrate on using the footballing talent that he has and putting it to good use on the pitch and cutting out the negative offerings that have been displayed so far. Then maybe there is a chance the headlines and words written about him will be more about his ability. The sad thing is people may just wonder when the next negative talking point will take place.

Another Piece of Crazy History

  On Tuesday 17th January it was announced that 3 brothers from the same team had been signed for Chelsea. Historic yes, but it seems crazy that 5 figure sums have been spent on each of the brothers and they are not anywhere near close to finishing school.
 Will they ever make into Chelsea's 1st team?? im going to take a gamble and say no. Plus how can it be suggested that boys of 12 and 13 can be unsettled at a football club. What is there to be uncertain about. This all came to light due to Luton Town loosing in the playoffs last summer. How much of an influence did they have on that? Zero. I could understand them wanting to move if they were 1st team players and had some agreement in their contract about promotion. Sadly even at such a young age money is what talks.
Good luck to them at Cheslea and there possible future in football.

What a fitting Return

I suppose it is right that my first post is about someone who, when they first signed for Arsenal had what many people would say was a poor start (no goals in his 1st eight games). It was the perfect little story that was written by Thierry Henry on Monday 9th January 2012, as one of the best forward players to grace the English game finished a chance as he always did in his Arsenal career, with ease, calm and precision. Making it all look so simple, to book Arsenal's place in round 4 of the F.A Cup.
 He genuinely deserved that moment, as returning to clubs on the back of a successful first spell can go wrong.

Will the rest of his short stay back in the Premier league with Arsenal be a success, we shall see.