We may not have played the best football, but we still managed to finish top of the pile in Group D despite many people saying we would not finish above France. It also means avoiding Spain in the quarters, but that doesn't mean it gets any easier as Italy cannot be underestimated...more on that later!
Before the tournament some fans and media were criticising the appointment of Hodgson and being very negative about our chances, implying second place would be our best hope. Yet we have gone and won the group! So can we defy the odds further and get all the way to the final!? On paper the answer would have to be no, but football isn't played on paper...so I for one will keep on believing!
With all the negativity surrounding England's chances, it was a pleasant surprise to see England have a real go at France in the opening group game. There were still one or two worrying signs at the back, but on the whole we played well. Roy Hodgson took a gamble by starting Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. As an Arsenal fan I was delighted to see him get a chance and it was also a bold statement from Hodgson that he is willing to take chances.
I was sat in the hotel bar in Greece watching the game and the jubliant fans leapt up as Lescott headed us in front....just at the point I had gone to the bar to get a round in! We continued to play better than expected but were hit back by Samir Nasri's equaliser. It was a nervy end to the game but we defied expectations to take a point off the group favourites.
The second game against Sweden was topsy turvy. Andy Carroll put us ahead, but when Sweden turned it around to lead 2-1 many people were no doubt thinking 'same old England'. But we refused to give up and Theo Walcott's great strike gave us renewed hope before Danny Welbeck's excellent finish meant all three points were going to England.
Going into the final game against co-hosts Ukraine, we were still expected to finish runners-up to France. It looked like it may be going that way, or we could even be going out, as Ukraine started on the front foot. Ukraine looked far more dangerous than us, but luckily they seemed unable to finish their chances so we somehow stayed in the game.
Far too much pressure had been piled on Wayne Rooney before the game so it was no surprise to see him miss a sitter of a header. But Rooney made amends with a simple finish from Steven Gerrard's deflected cross. Shortly afterwards, Sweden took the lead against France, and suddenly the chance of finishing as group winners looked like a possibility.
John Terry, who had an excellent game, denied the hosts an equaliser, although the goal-line technology debate once again raised it's ugly head as many felt it had crossed the line. I think it actually did, but England fans won't complain.
We didn't play great for the rest of the game and never really hit top gear but a 1-0 win, coupled with a 2-0 defeat for France (which included a contender for goal of the tournament from Zlatan Ibrahimovic) meant we defied expectations to finish as group winners. So Hodgson has already done more than some were expecting...but I bet he still gets unfairly criticised, probably even before the Italy game. I think we need to get behind the boys as they'll need all the support they can get behind them to help give them as much chance as possible of winning the quarter final clash.
Many people were pleased to see us avoid a quarter final with Spain despite the fact they have yet to hit top gear in this tournament and haven't been at their best. Italy could prove an easier opponent, but I fear people are underestimating them. Italy's off the field problems were highlighted before the tournaments and few gave them hope, but they have looked dangerous at times and we certainly can't take them lightly.
It is all set to be a great tie. We shouldn't underestimate Italy and we definitely have to improve our own game to give ourselves a chance. But we also shouldn't play with fear. We should have belief that we can actually pull a result out the bag and reach the last four. It is not impossible for us and I hope all England fans will join me and keep believing this could be our year...you never know!
COME ON ENGLAND!
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Monday, 14 May 2012
Arsenal 2011/12 season review: Captain Vantastic needed more support in inconsistent season
Although there were some positives in our season and Robin Van Persie was simply superb, inconsistency and injury problems ultimately saw the season end without silverware. Although Arsene Wenger has done a tremendous job since taking charge of the club, seven years without a trophy is not good enough. Some people want him to go, others want him to stay. Personally, I think he should stay, changing managers doesn’t guarantee success and people need to remember what a good job he has done. No manager can win things every year and trophy droughts do happen, it’s part and parcel of the game.
We were just too inconsistent this year. We put together some good runs but then undid them with some poor results. The first few months, including the 8-2 defeat by Manchester United, were largely a disaster. But the way we turned things around and clawed our way back to take 3rd place was a great achievement. Turning things around like that was a big positive, but to end the season without a trophy again was hard to take. We need to be a lot more consistent and learn how to kill games off sometimes.
We had great games like beating Chelsea 5-3 at Stamford Bridge, winning 1-0 against champions Manchester City with a dominant display. When we came back from 2-0 down against Tottenham to win 5-2 that was a tremendous show of character. Winning 2-1 at Liverpool despite being on the back foot for large spells showed a lot of grit and determination. The second leg against AC Milan in the Champions League was excellent, but a little too late after the game had been all but ended with a poor first leg. We seem to do so much right, but at the same time too much wrong, we need to be a lot more consistent.
Manchester City and Manchester United also had blips in their season, but did far better at recovering from them and thus finished 19 points ahead of us. To finish that far behind the top two is unacceptable and we must improve. Several people thought we’d not even finish in the top four this season especially after the first half of the campaign, so to finish 3rd is testament to Wenger and the squad. But, while it was a good achievement, it isn’t enough and we should be challenging for honours a lot better than we have been in recent years.
After such a mixed season, how have the players faired and what needs to be done?
Van Persie had a sensational season and it was great to see him able to play more games this year and showcase his true potential. But there were not enough other players scoring goals to take the pressure off him. Although I’d love to see a few more players bought in, the most important piece of business Wenger can do is to get Van Persie to sign a new deal. I’d rather keep Van Persie and only sign a few more than sign loads and lose him.
Gervinho looked good taking people on but in terms of his end product he simply did not score enough goals and was not worth the money we paid. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looks a superb talent for the future and played well when he was used. But we definitely lacked a natural goalscorer to play alongside Van Persie. So when the news of Lukas Podolski’s signing was announced, I was delighted. If he can produce the goods in England as he has in Germany we have a great player on our hands. But the Premier League is totally different so it is hard to tell yet whether or not he will be a big hit…but I am hopeful! If Van Persie stays, their pairing could help us put together a more serious title challenge.
If we lose Van Persie, however, I fear he will be very hard to replace and it will have a big effect on the overall team morale, which is not the way you want to start a season. It is not the same as when we lost Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri as Van Persie is an even better player, but if he did leave it could create a similar situation and we cannot afford a poor start to the next campaign. But until anything is announced all the talk surrounding Van Persie is merely speculation and I am hopeful he will stay….just hope I am right!
In the midfield area, Alex Song had a largely excellent campaign and Mikel Arteta seems to have slotted in quickly, with Yossi Benayoun putting in some good displays. Having Jack Wilshere unavailable all season didn’t help but that is no excuse. Despite all the individual talent, we sometimes lacked the composure to kill games off. Our football is often great to watch but sometimes we try to play too many passes instead of just putting the ball in the net.
At the other end of the pitch, Wojciech Szczesny put in several good performances and kept us in more games than he should have had too. Personally, I would like to see us buy a new second choice goalkeeper for in case Szczesny gets injured as I am not convinced by Lukasz Fabianski. The defence has been plagued by injury this season and many players have been forced to play out of position and this has been where our season has been affected most.
Laurent Koscielny is progressing well considering a few years ago he was playing in the French second division. But, despite some positives, the defence on the whole was not good. Injuries didn’t help, especially to the likes of Thomas Vermaelen and Bacary Sagna. But that cannot be used as the sole excuse. I am unsure what to make of Per Mertesacker following his first season and Andre Santos seems a bit suspect at the back. But we are definitely still lacking some solidarity at the back and need to add more depth in that department.
The foundations of a great squad are there, but I’d like to see Wenger buy a new second-choice goalkeeper, another defender and possibly one more midfielder. It may also be worth bringing in an extra back-up striker to cover for injuries as Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho simply do not score enough goals and Park seems unlikely to get enough game time to prove himself.
It is really hard to say whether or not we will be competing more seriously for honours next season. If we make a few additions we have the potential to be right up there with the two Manchester clubs, but we have to start strong. There is no reason why that can’t happen, providing we keep Van Persie, but whether we do is another question. Next year could be a big year, but whatever happens I’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
Although there were some positives in our season and Robin Van Persie was simply superb, inconsistency and injury problems ultimately saw the season end without silverware. Although Arsene Wenger has done a tremendous job since taking charge of the club, seven years without a trophy is not good enough. Some people want him to go, others want him to stay. Personally, I think he should stay, changing managers doesn’t guarantee success and people need to remember what a good job he has done. No manager can win things every year and trophy droughts do happen, it’s part and parcel of the game.
We were just too inconsistent this year. We put together some good runs but then undid them with some poor results. The first few months, including the 8-2 defeat by Manchester United, were largely a disaster. But the way we turned things around and clawed our way back to take 3rd place was a great achievement. Turning things around like that was a big positive, but to end the season without a trophy again was hard to take. We need to be a lot more consistent and learn how to kill games off sometimes.
We had great games like beating Chelsea 5-3 at Stamford Bridge, winning 1-0 against champions Manchester City with a dominant display. When we came back from 2-0 down against Tottenham to win 5-2 that was a tremendous show of character. Winning 2-1 at Liverpool despite being on the back foot for large spells showed a lot of grit and determination. The second leg against AC Milan in the Champions League was excellent, but a little too late after the game had been all but ended with a poor first leg. We seem to do so much right, but at the same time too much wrong, we need to be a lot more consistent.
Manchester City and Manchester United also had blips in their season, but did far better at recovering from them and thus finished 19 points ahead of us. To finish that far behind the top two is unacceptable and we must improve. Several people thought we’d not even finish in the top four this season especially after the first half of the campaign, so to finish 3rd is testament to Wenger and the squad. But, while it was a good achievement, it isn’t enough and we should be challenging for honours a lot better than we have been in recent years.
After such a mixed season, how have the players faired and what needs to be done?
Van Persie had a sensational season and it was great to see him able to play more games this year and showcase his true potential. But there were not enough other players scoring goals to take the pressure off him. Although I’d love to see a few more players bought in, the most important piece of business Wenger can do is to get Van Persie to sign a new deal. I’d rather keep Van Persie and only sign a few more than sign loads and lose him.
Gervinho looked good taking people on but in terms of his end product he simply did not score enough goals and was not worth the money we paid. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looks a superb talent for the future and played well when he was used. But we definitely lacked a natural goalscorer to play alongside Van Persie. So when the news of Lukas Podolski’s signing was announced, I was delighted. If he can produce the goods in England as he has in Germany we have a great player on our hands. But the Premier League is totally different so it is hard to tell yet whether or not he will be a big hit…but I am hopeful! If Van Persie stays, their pairing could help us put together a more serious title challenge.
If we lose Van Persie, however, I fear he will be very hard to replace and it will have a big effect on the overall team morale, which is not the way you want to start a season. It is not the same as when we lost Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri as Van Persie is an even better player, but if he did leave it could create a similar situation and we cannot afford a poor start to the next campaign. But until anything is announced all the talk surrounding Van Persie is merely speculation and I am hopeful he will stay….just hope I am right!
In the midfield area, Alex Song had a largely excellent campaign and Mikel Arteta seems to have slotted in quickly, with Yossi Benayoun putting in some good displays. Having Jack Wilshere unavailable all season didn’t help but that is no excuse. Despite all the individual talent, we sometimes lacked the composure to kill games off. Our football is often great to watch but sometimes we try to play too many passes instead of just putting the ball in the net.
At the other end of the pitch, Wojciech Szczesny put in several good performances and kept us in more games than he should have had too. Personally, I would like to see us buy a new second choice goalkeeper for in case Szczesny gets injured as I am not convinced by Lukasz Fabianski. The defence has been plagued by injury this season and many players have been forced to play out of position and this has been where our season has been affected most.
Laurent Koscielny is progressing well considering a few years ago he was playing in the French second division. But, despite some positives, the defence on the whole was not good. Injuries didn’t help, especially to the likes of Thomas Vermaelen and Bacary Sagna. But that cannot be used as the sole excuse. I am unsure what to make of Per Mertesacker following his first season and Andre Santos seems a bit suspect at the back. But we are definitely still lacking some solidarity at the back and need to add more depth in that department.
The foundations of a great squad are there, but I’d like to see Wenger buy a new second-choice goalkeeper, another defender and possibly one more midfielder. It may also be worth bringing in an extra back-up striker to cover for injuries as Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho simply do not score enough goals and Park seems unlikely to get enough game time to prove himself.
It is really hard to say whether or not we will be competing more seriously for honours next season. If we make a few additions we have the potential to be right up there with the two Manchester clubs, but we have to start strong. There is no reason why that can’t happen, providing we keep Van Persie, but whether we do is another question. Next year could be a big year, but whatever happens I’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Tevez's time is running out, but don't judge him yet!
Refusing to play for your club is a disgrace and the recent actions of Carlos Tevez have been heavily criticised by top figures in the game and many football fans. But, while nobody can condone what is thought to have gone on, could the situation in fact be a misunderstanding?
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is adamant Tevez will not play for the club again, but the player himself has denied allegations that he refused to come off the bench to play in the recent Champions League clash against Bayern Munich. The language barrier issue should not be forgotten as neither Mancini nor Tevez have a fantastic grasp of English, so maybe the situation has been blown out of proportion.
In previous seasons Tevez had been praised for his talent on the field, but has he overstepped the mark this time and lost the respect of the fans?
Many have vented their frustrations at what has gone on with a player, who last season captained the club and was held in high regard. There has clearly been some kind of misunderstanding and maybe Mancini should not have spoken publicly on the matter – neither party is blameless here. Perhaps City fans and those of other clubs should reserve judgement as the facts behind the dispute are not yet 100% clear.
If Tevez did indeed refuse to play, then it is an absolute disgrace. Footballers are paid ridiculously high wages and need to accept that competition for places is part and parcel of the game. Players obviously want to be out there on the pitch but, when their colleagues are in top form, they can’t take their place for granted and must accept it when they are left out.
Tevez wanted to leave the club for family reasons according to a statement he released over the summer. The striker looked set to join Corinthians but the Brazilian club pulled out because they could not finalise the deal before the end of the international transfer window. He must have known he wouldn’t be playing as regularly as in previous seasons. But that does not excuse any player from refusing to go out onto the pitch and do their job! It is also difficult for Tevez to be far away from his family, but that does not excuse this kind of behaviour.
If and when the full story comes out, it is likely that people will still believe Tevez to be in the wrong. Even if it is a misunderstanding, Mancini clearly felt Tevez had behaved wrongly and the striker needs to seriously consider his attitude. But I still believe we should reserve judgement on the former West Ham and Manchester United star for now.
The Argentina international has released an apology to City fans and insists he was ready to play against Munich and never refused to go onto the pitch. But the club have suspended Tevez for the maximum of two weeks while they investigate the dispute and the player’s alleged conduct.
Mancini has stood his ground and rightly took serious action by the fact Tevez seems unlikely to play for the club again. But he should really have dealt with the situation internally and not blabbed it to the media. That part was unfair on Tevez. Yes, he has acted wrongly and deserves to be punished but it should be dealt with privately and not in the public domain.
On the other hand, the club have worked hard to try and solve past issues with him. Although his game time has been limited, he has still had some opportunities to play since realising he wasn’t moving and he should focus on winning his place back. But his alleged actions will make this difficult and could even scupper a future move if other clubs don’t want to risk a repeat of the recent fiasco.
Whatever happens, this event is likely to have a monumental effect on Tevez’s career and he is going to have to work his socks off to get it back on track!
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is adamant Tevez will not play for the club again, but the player himself has denied allegations that he refused to come off the bench to play in the recent Champions League clash against Bayern Munich. The language barrier issue should not be forgotten as neither Mancini nor Tevez have a fantastic grasp of English, so maybe the situation has been blown out of proportion.
In previous seasons Tevez had been praised for his talent on the field, but has he overstepped the mark this time and lost the respect of the fans?
Many have vented their frustrations at what has gone on with a player, who last season captained the club and was held in high regard. There has clearly been some kind of misunderstanding and maybe Mancini should not have spoken publicly on the matter – neither party is blameless here. Perhaps City fans and those of other clubs should reserve judgement as the facts behind the dispute are not yet 100% clear.
If Tevez did indeed refuse to play, then it is an absolute disgrace. Footballers are paid ridiculously high wages and need to accept that competition for places is part and parcel of the game. Players obviously want to be out there on the pitch but, when their colleagues are in top form, they can’t take their place for granted and must accept it when they are left out.
Tevez wanted to leave the club for family reasons according to a statement he released over the summer. The striker looked set to join Corinthians but the Brazilian club pulled out because they could not finalise the deal before the end of the international transfer window. He must have known he wouldn’t be playing as regularly as in previous seasons. But that does not excuse any player from refusing to go out onto the pitch and do their job! It is also difficult for Tevez to be far away from his family, but that does not excuse this kind of behaviour.
If and when the full story comes out, it is likely that people will still believe Tevez to be in the wrong. Even if it is a misunderstanding, Mancini clearly felt Tevez had behaved wrongly and the striker needs to seriously consider his attitude. But I still believe we should reserve judgement on the former West Ham and Manchester United star for now.
The Argentina international has released an apology to City fans and insists he was ready to play against Munich and never refused to go onto the pitch. But the club have suspended Tevez for the maximum of two weeks while they investigate the dispute and the player’s alleged conduct.
Mancini has stood his ground and rightly took serious action by the fact Tevez seems unlikely to play for the club again. But he should really have dealt with the situation internally and not blabbed it to the media. That part was unfair on Tevez. Yes, he has acted wrongly and deserves to be punished but it should be dealt with privately and not in the public domain.
On the other hand, the club have worked hard to try and solve past issues with him. Although his game time has been limited, he has still had some opportunities to play since realising he wasn’t moving and he should focus on winning his place back. But his alleged actions will make this difficult and could even scupper a future move if other clubs don’t want to risk a repeat of the recent fiasco.
Whatever happens, this event is likely to have a monumental effect on Tevez’s career and he is going to have to work his socks off to get it back on track!
Saturday, 13 August 2011
It’s Gunner be a long season, but let’s try and enjoy it!
The opening day of the new Premier League season has come to a close and I have been left with a familiar feeling of frustration following the goalless draw at St James Park.
But let’s start with the positives. We defended solidly and Thomas Vermaelen and Lauren Koscielny deserve credit for that. I thought Kieran Gibbs also had a good game at left-back and is a good ready-made replacement for Gael Clichy. But there was something lacking in the final third as we failed to find the killer goal. Gervinho looked lively on his debut and was certainly not afraid to take people on, although sometimes he did take a touch too many. However, his debut was tarnished by a silly red card in the second half. After watching it back, I think Gervinho acted a bit stupidly and maybe the red card was deserved. However, Joey Barton really should have followed him off for an early bath for grabbing his throat. But enough on Barton, I could go on forever ranting about him!
For all the frustrations thrown up in the game, a goalless draw at Newcastle is a decent result. Some would have expected Arsenal to claim all three points, but the Magpies are a tough nut to crack on their own patch as the Gunners, along with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, found out last season.
Also, when you consider that two major players – Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri – are set to leave Arsenal before the end of the transfer window, the starting XI that took to the field against Newcastle didn’t look too bad. Wenger does need to make one or two additions to add some much needed depth to the squad, but the current crop of players are capable of achieving something.
The summer has focused far too much on the futures of Fabregas and Nasri. Yes, it is very frustrating for Arsenal fans like myself to see two key players about to leave and no big replacements coming in as of yet. But people seem to forget what an incredible talent Jack Wilshere is and Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song are decent midfielders too. The key area to strengthen is of course centre-back, although Vermaelen and Koscielny did well against Newcastle which can only give us hope.
I’m not saying we are going to cause a big shock and definitely win the Premier League title, but I think those who have already written off any chance of us finishing in the top four are making very dangerous statements. All the Arsenal fans need to focus their energy on getting behind the team and cheering them on this season instead of giving off any negative vibes.
Some Arsenal fans have said they want Wenger out. While I can totally understand their frustrations of six trophyless seasons, I genuinely believe that Wenger needs to stay. It hasn’t exactly gone our way in recent seasons, but people also seem to have quickly forgotten all the great things Wenger did in the earlier part of his reign with the Gunners.
I cannot deny that this is going to be one hell of a tough season for us and August alone is going to be a huge test of our title credentials. But if we can collect at least four points from the next two league games against Liverpool and Manchester United, you never know what might happen. Having two games against Udinese sandwiched in between them is not ideal, but we just have to make the best of the situation.
I think people have also been too quick to write us off and we will be there or there abouts again this season…let’s just hope it ends with a trophy!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
But let’s start with the positives. We defended solidly and Thomas Vermaelen and Lauren Koscielny deserve credit for that. I thought Kieran Gibbs also had a good game at left-back and is a good ready-made replacement for Gael Clichy. But there was something lacking in the final third as we failed to find the killer goal. Gervinho looked lively on his debut and was certainly not afraid to take people on, although sometimes he did take a touch too many. However, his debut was tarnished by a silly red card in the second half. After watching it back, I think Gervinho acted a bit stupidly and maybe the red card was deserved. However, Joey Barton really should have followed him off for an early bath for grabbing his throat. But enough on Barton, I could go on forever ranting about him!
For all the frustrations thrown up in the game, a goalless draw at Newcastle is a decent result. Some would have expected Arsenal to claim all three points, but the Magpies are a tough nut to crack on their own patch as the Gunners, along with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, found out last season.
Also, when you consider that two major players – Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri – are set to leave Arsenal before the end of the transfer window, the starting XI that took to the field against Newcastle didn’t look too bad. Wenger does need to make one or two additions to add some much needed depth to the squad, but the current crop of players are capable of achieving something.
The summer has focused far too much on the futures of Fabregas and Nasri. Yes, it is very frustrating for Arsenal fans like myself to see two key players about to leave and no big replacements coming in as of yet. But people seem to forget what an incredible talent Jack Wilshere is and Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song are decent midfielders too. The key area to strengthen is of course centre-back, although Vermaelen and Koscielny did well against Newcastle which can only give us hope.
I’m not saying we are going to cause a big shock and definitely win the Premier League title, but I think those who have already written off any chance of us finishing in the top four are making very dangerous statements. All the Arsenal fans need to focus their energy on getting behind the team and cheering them on this season instead of giving off any negative vibes.
Some Arsenal fans have said they want Wenger out. While I can totally understand their frustrations of six trophyless seasons, I genuinely believe that Wenger needs to stay. It hasn’t exactly gone our way in recent seasons, but people also seem to have quickly forgotten all the great things Wenger did in the earlier part of his reign with the Gunners.
I cannot deny that this is going to be one hell of a tough season for us and August alone is going to be a huge test of our title credentials. But if we can collect at least four points from the next two league games against Liverpool and Manchester United, you never know what might happen. Having two games against Udinese sandwiched in between them is not ideal, but we just have to make the best of the situation.
I think people have also been too quick to write us off and we will be there or there abouts again this season…let’s just hope it ends with a trophy!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
Saturday, 28 May 2011
THE FOUR FINALS – PART III
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF FINAL
With so much at stake, this has all the makings of a cracking game and one that is likely to be filled with high drama. Swansea and Reading will do battle as they look to earn a place in the Premier League in a match worth approximately £90 million to the winners.
Many neutral fans appear to be backing Reading and seem to be against having a Welsh team in the Premier League. But I do not mind either way and believe whoever plays the best football on the day deserves promotion. Swansea have never been in the Premier League so it would be a breath of fresh air if they do come up, but, Reading have had a terrific second half of the season and would be a good addition to the top flight.
Swansea will be in confident mood having already beaten Reading twice this season – both games ended 1-0 in favour of the Welsh side. The two clean sheets are proof of how strong their defence has been this season as the Swans conceded just 42 goals during the regular season.
Brendan Rodgers has done a magnificent job since taking over at the Liberty Stadium last summer, leading the club to a third-place finish in the Championship. Rodgers lasted just over six months as manager of Reading, but has proved his credentials with a magnificent first season with Swansea. The signing of Scott Sinclair, who scored in the win at Madejski Stadium, was an excellent piece of business by Rodgers. The forward has been one of the stand-out performers in the Championship, and will certainly be one to watch in the final.
But, while everything is looking good for Swansea, Reading certainly cannot be underestimated. The Royals were 12th in mid-February, so it is even more remarkable that manager Brian McDermott managed to lead them into the top six. After a goalless draw in the first leg of their play-off semi-final against Cardiff, they were seen by many as underdogs as the second leg was away from home. Reading romped to a 3-0 success in Wales to show that they are a force to be reckoned with, especially with Shane Long up front and the excellent set-piece delivery of Ian Harte. The duo have netted 38 goals between them this season (two of Harte’s came during his time at Carlisle) and they will be key to Reading’s chances in this clash.
PREDICTION
It is yet another hard game to call and there is unlikely to be more than one goal between the sides at Wembley. I correctly predicted Swansea and Reading to win their semi-finals and I am going to stick with my gut instinct of the Welsh club coming out on top in the play-off final. I am predicting Scott Sinclair to be among the goal-scorers as Swansea record a narrow 2-1 win.
With so much at stake, this has all the makings of a cracking game and one that is likely to be filled with high drama. Swansea and Reading will do battle as they look to earn a place in the Premier League in a match worth approximately £90 million to the winners.
Many neutral fans appear to be backing Reading and seem to be against having a Welsh team in the Premier League. But I do not mind either way and believe whoever plays the best football on the day deserves promotion. Swansea have never been in the Premier League so it would be a breath of fresh air if they do come up, but, Reading have had a terrific second half of the season and would be a good addition to the top flight.
Swansea will be in confident mood having already beaten Reading twice this season – both games ended 1-0 in favour of the Welsh side. The two clean sheets are proof of how strong their defence has been this season as the Swans conceded just 42 goals during the regular season.
Brendan Rodgers has done a magnificent job since taking over at the Liberty Stadium last summer, leading the club to a third-place finish in the Championship. Rodgers lasted just over six months as manager of Reading, but has proved his credentials with a magnificent first season with Swansea. The signing of Scott Sinclair, who scored in the win at Madejski Stadium, was an excellent piece of business by Rodgers. The forward has been one of the stand-out performers in the Championship, and will certainly be one to watch in the final.
But, while everything is looking good for Swansea, Reading certainly cannot be underestimated. The Royals were 12th in mid-February, so it is even more remarkable that manager Brian McDermott managed to lead them into the top six. After a goalless draw in the first leg of their play-off semi-final against Cardiff, they were seen by many as underdogs as the second leg was away from home. Reading romped to a 3-0 success in Wales to show that they are a force to be reckoned with, especially with Shane Long up front and the excellent set-piece delivery of Ian Harte. The duo have netted 38 goals between them this season (two of Harte’s came during his time at Carlisle) and they will be key to Reading’s chances in this clash.
PREDICTION
It is yet another hard game to call and there is unlikely to be more than one goal between the sides at Wembley. I correctly predicted Swansea and Reading to win their semi-finals and I am going to stick with my gut instinct of the Welsh club coming out on top in the play-off final. I am predicting Scott Sinclair to be among the goal-scorers as Swansea record a narrow 2-1 win.
THE FOUR FINALS – PART II
The Champions League final is obviously the big tie of the weekend, but try telling that to fans of Swansea, Reading, Huddersfield, Peterborough, Torquay and Stevenage. The six English sides are all competing for promotion at different levels but, no matter how good their previous form has been in the 2010/11 campaign, it all comes down to a one-off game and who is better on the day.
LEAGUE TWO PLAY-OFF FINAL
Both of my semi-final predictions were wrong as neither Shrewsbury or Accrington made it through to the final. Instead Stevenage will do battle with Torquay at Old Trafford for the right to earn promotion into League One.
The two clubs have made excellent progress this season as it was not too long ago that the duo were Conference rivals. But Torquay earned promotion into the Football League via the play-offs in 2009 before Stevenage won the 2010 title.
Stevenage, who claimed a 3-0 aggregate victory over Accrington, are seeking back-to-back promotions after defying expectations in League Two this season. Whatever the outcome in the final, Stevenage can look back at a fine first season in the Football League. But it will not be easy for Graham Westley’s men, who failed to win or score in the two meetings between the two sides this season.
Torquay have continued to make great progress under Paul Buckle and claimed a 2-0 aggregate victory over Shrewsbury in the semi-finals. The future of Buckle remains uncertain as he has been heavily linked to the post at Bristol Rovers, but hopefully that will not distract the players from the game. Buckle will be going all out for the win regardless of the speculation about his future and the tie looks very evenly balanced.
PREDICTION
If Torquay win, could it ensure Buckle stays at Plainmoor for the chance to manage in League One? Regardless of what the future holds for Buckle I believe the Gulls will claim a narrow 2-1 victory, although the crunch clash at Old Trafford could require extra time.
LEAGUE ONE PLAY-OFF FINAL
There is very little to separate Huddersfield and Peterborough as the League One season reaches its climax at Old Trafford. A lot of the build-up has centred on Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson, who began his playing career under the guidance of his father Sir Alex at Old Trafford, but in a one-off game anything can happen.
Huddersfield go into the game in fine form and are unbeaten for a club record of 27 league games, including the two play-off draws against Bournemouth. The Terriers beat Peterborough in this season’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and claimed a draw in the home league fixture, but Posh came out on top at London Road and this is likely to be another nail biting encounter.
Huddersfield battled hard to try and achieve automatic promotion before Southampton cemented second place in the final two games of the season. The Yorkshire side’s excellent unbeaten run deserves to earn them a place in the Championship and manager Lee Clark has done an excellent job in his second full season in charge.
The Terriers would more than deserve victory in the final after finishing eight points clear of their opponents in the regular season. But their defence is going to have to be on top form against Peterborough, the top scoring league club in the country with 106 goals.
Free-scoring Peterborough are likely to get a goal or two at Old Trafford, so how their defence handles Huddersfield’s attack could prove to be the key in this tie. This game seems to be written in the stars for Posh, with the manager being in his spiritual home and a star striker looking to go out with a bang.
Craig Mackail-Smith grabbed his 34th goal of the season in the second leg of the semi-final win over MK Dons. The Scotland international has been heavily linked with a move away from London Road, with Norwich among the club’s interested in his services. If this does prove to be his last game for Posh, Mackail-Smith will want to ensure he goes out on a high and two goals would see him reach 100 for the club.
But all these statistics and stories will go out the window when the game kicks off and it will all be about one game of football.
PREDICTION
After correctly predicting the two semi-final winners, I am going to stick with my original prediction of Huddersfield winning the final. It will be a close encounter, but I think Huddersfield will win 3-2.
LEAGUE TWO PLAY-OFF FINAL
Both of my semi-final predictions were wrong as neither Shrewsbury or Accrington made it through to the final. Instead Stevenage will do battle with Torquay at Old Trafford for the right to earn promotion into League One.
The two clubs have made excellent progress this season as it was not too long ago that the duo were Conference rivals. But Torquay earned promotion into the Football League via the play-offs in 2009 before Stevenage won the 2010 title.
Stevenage, who claimed a 3-0 aggregate victory over Accrington, are seeking back-to-back promotions after defying expectations in League Two this season. Whatever the outcome in the final, Stevenage can look back at a fine first season in the Football League. But it will not be easy for Graham Westley’s men, who failed to win or score in the two meetings between the two sides this season.
Torquay have continued to make great progress under Paul Buckle and claimed a 2-0 aggregate victory over Shrewsbury in the semi-finals. The future of Buckle remains uncertain as he has been heavily linked to the post at Bristol Rovers, but hopefully that will not distract the players from the game. Buckle will be going all out for the win regardless of the speculation about his future and the tie looks very evenly balanced.
PREDICTION
If Torquay win, could it ensure Buckle stays at Plainmoor for the chance to manage in League One? Regardless of what the future holds for Buckle I believe the Gulls will claim a narrow 2-1 victory, although the crunch clash at Old Trafford could require extra time.
LEAGUE ONE PLAY-OFF FINAL
There is very little to separate Huddersfield and Peterborough as the League One season reaches its climax at Old Trafford. A lot of the build-up has centred on Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson, who began his playing career under the guidance of his father Sir Alex at Old Trafford, but in a one-off game anything can happen.
Huddersfield go into the game in fine form and are unbeaten for a club record of 27 league games, including the two play-off draws against Bournemouth. The Terriers beat Peterborough in this season’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and claimed a draw in the home league fixture, but Posh came out on top at London Road and this is likely to be another nail biting encounter.
Huddersfield battled hard to try and achieve automatic promotion before Southampton cemented second place in the final two games of the season. The Yorkshire side’s excellent unbeaten run deserves to earn them a place in the Championship and manager Lee Clark has done an excellent job in his second full season in charge.
The Terriers would more than deserve victory in the final after finishing eight points clear of their opponents in the regular season. But their defence is going to have to be on top form against Peterborough, the top scoring league club in the country with 106 goals.
Free-scoring Peterborough are likely to get a goal or two at Old Trafford, so how their defence handles Huddersfield’s attack could prove to be the key in this tie. This game seems to be written in the stars for Posh, with the manager being in his spiritual home and a star striker looking to go out with a bang.
Craig Mackail-Smith grabbed his 34th goal of the season in the second leg of the semi-final win over MK Dons. The Scotland international has been heavily linked with a move away from London Road, with Norwich among the club’s interested in his services. If this does prove to be his last game for Posh, Mackail-Smith will want to ensure he goes out on a high and two goals would see him reach 100 for the club.
But all these statistics and stories will go out the window when the game kicks off and it will all be about one game of football.
PREDICTION
After correctly predicting the two semi-final winners, I am going to stick with my original prediction of Huddersfield winning the final. It will be a close encounter, but I think Huddersfield will win 3-2.
THE FOUR FINALS – PART I
With four big Finals looming and four massive prizes at stake, there is no margin for error in what is a big footballing weekend. All four ties are bigger than each other in their own way, but the mouth-watering tie that most people are eagerly awaiting is the Champions League final at Wembley.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
One of the best attacking sides of all time, Barcelona, will be looking to repeat the success of 2009 by again overcoming a tough encounter with English Champions Manchester United.
United have not been at their best this season but still managed to win the Premier League by 9 points, and at the same time secure a record-breaking 19th league title. But Sir Alex Ferguson’s men will need to improve their luck in London, having won just one of their league games in the capital this season. United lost away to Arsenal and Chelsea and could only manage a draw on their trips to Tottenham and Fulham. The only league victory in London saw United forced to come from two goals down to beat West Ham 4-2, so the omens in that respect are not good.
But even against arguably the best attacking side in the world Manchester United can never be written off. Not only do they possess quality players such as Javier Hernandez, Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic, but their winning mentality and never say die attitude has helped them achieve so much success and gives them a great chance at Wembley. Dutch legend Edwin van der Sar will also be playing in his final game for United before retirement, and a victory would be a fitting end to the career of a goalkeeping great.
It doesn’t get much tougher than a game against Barcelona, a squad filled with immense talent and a side that we are all running out of superlatives to describe…yes they really are that good! The Spanish giants also possess one of the greatest footballing talents of our generation in Lionel Messi, who can change a game in the blink of an eye, so United will not be able to take their eye of the ball for a second if they are to have a chance in this one. The style of football played by Barcelona is simply a joy to watch and they will certainly be difficult to stop. But if the world class Vidic and the rest of the Manchester United defence can stay strong, the Spanish side can be beaten.
It is such a hard game to call. It could go all the way to penalties or Barcelona could run away with it by netting some quickfire goals. The first goal is likely to prove key and if United can get an early goal they would be confident of defending the lead. But they will have to be very careful because an early Barcelona goal could see the Catalan side run riot and go on a goalscoring spree. It will certainly be a dramatic contest and both sides would be worthy holders of the title ‘best team in Europe’.
PREDICTION
There are likely to be plenty goals on show and I think Gerard Pique can come back to haunt his former club by getting himself on the scoresheet in a narrow 3-2 victory for Barcelona at Wembley.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
One of the best attacking sides of all time, Barcelona, will be looking to repeat the success of 2009 by again overcoming a tough encounter with English Champions Manchester United.
United have not been at their best this season but still managed to win the Premier League by 9 points, and at the same time secure a record-breaking 19th league title. But Sir Alex Ferguson’s men will need to improve their luck in London, having won just one of their league games in the capital this season. United lost away to Arsenal and Chelsea and could only manage a draw on their trips to Tottenham and Fulham. The only league victory in London saw United forced to come from two goals down to beat West Ham 4-2, so the omens in that respect are not good.
But even against arguably the best attacking side in the world Manchester United can never be written off. Not only do they possess quality players such as Javier Hernandez, Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic, but their winning mentality and never say die attitude has helped them achieve so much success and gives them a great chance at Wembley. Dutch legend Edwin van der Sar will also be playing in his final game for United before retirement, and a victory would be a fitting end to the career of a goalkeeping great.
It doesn’t get much tougher than a game against Barcelona, a squad filled with immense talent and a side that we are all running out of superlatives to describe…yes they really are that good! The Spanish giants also possess one of the greatest footballing talents of our generation in Lionel Messi, who can change a game in the blink of an eye, so United will not be able to take their eye of the ball for a second if they are to have a chance in this one. The style of football played by Barcelona is simply a joy to watch and they will certainly be difficult to stop. But if the world class Vidic and the rest of the Manchester United defence can stay strong, the Spanish side can be beaten.
It is such a hard game to call. It could go all the way to penalties or Barcelona could run away with it by netting some quickfire goals. The first goal is likely to prove key and if United can get an early goal they would be confident of defending the lead. But they will have to be very careful because an early Barcelona goal could see the Catalan side run riot and go on a goalscoring spree. It will certainly be a dramatic contest and both sides would be worthy holders of the title ‘best team in Europe’.
PREDICTION
There are likely to be plenty goals on show and I think Gerard Pique can come back to haunt his former club by getting himself on the scoresheet in a narrow 3-2 victory for Barcelona at Wembley.
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