Appreciating the lower leagues

Being a fan of a Premier League side does not mean you have to ignore the thrills and spills of the lower reaches of English football. Sometimes people only think about the top flight and forget completely about the other teams, but the football can still be entertaining and it certainly deserves more appreciation.

CHAMPIONSHIP
Having seen Blackpool light up the Premier League by showing no fear, and with a manager full of fantastic quips, it is always exciting to see who will win promotion to the top flight next. Adel Taarabt and QPR have stolen several of the headlines, but there have been so many more success stories in what is proving to be a very tight division. Scott Sinclair has been one of the signings of the season and showed his sheer ability with one of the goals of the year in the 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest.

Grant Holt continues to bang in the goals for Norwich, Leicester are shining under Sven Goran Eriksson and Leeds never cease to amaze me. The fall from grace since their relegation from the top flight cannot be ignored, but the volume of goals they score is proof that they are well and truly back on track. Few would bet against Leeds being back in the big time next season, but it is going to be a tough race.

While Preston, Scunthorpe and Sheffield United look doomed down at the bottom, the chances of any of them staying up cannot be ruled out. United are really struggling for goals, but everything could change if they have a good April as the excitement continues.

LEAGUE ONE
Brighton are running away with it and will certainly deserve their place in the Championship. Gus Poyet has done a fantastic job with the Seagulls, but the likes of Peterborough, Southampton, Huddersfield and Bournemouth have also caught the eye.

Bournemouth, in particular, are a team I have the utmost respect for and I really hope they can clinch promotion. With limited resources former manager Eddie Howe did a tremendous job to get the Cherries back into League One and close to a second successive promotion. I was surprised, at first, when he left for Burnley as I had thought it was disloyal. But as I considered it some more I decided I actually respected his decision. Sometimes managers moving on can bug people and often looks disloyal but on this one occasion I'd probably back him even if the timing was a bit unfair on the club. It could have cost them promotion but Lee Bradbury has come in and done well and their promotion hopes are still very much alive.

The sacking of Craig Short at Notts County irritated me as it was very harsh, while the departure of Paul Trollope at Bristol Rovers also seemed a bit premature. Trollope's replacement Dave Penney barely lasted any time and the club has really gone downhill in the space of 12 months (and I'm not just saying that because I favour City over Rovers!)

Finally, to all the Carlisle fans I know, I hope they beat Brentford to lift the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. At the start of the tournament I backed Carlisle to win it and hopefully, for once, I'll actually get a prediction right.

LEAGUE TWO
Where better to start then my current home town - Lincoln. The Imps have definitely shown big signs of improvement under Steve Tilson. But every time it looks as if they have turned a corner, City come crashing back down to earth with a defeat. When I saw Lincoln beat Southend in March there were various positives to come out of the game, but a few weeks later they were thumped 6-0 by Rotherham at Sincil Bank...what on earth is going on!? Lincoln do rely a bit too much on Ashley Grimes and Delroy Facey's injury hasn't helped, but they can't hide behind excuses. Lincoln just need to push on and believe they still have something to play for and then, more importantly, rebuild for next season.

Chesterfield fans were sceptical about leaving Saltergate but, with the title edging ever closer at the B2net stadium, they will not be complaining now. Stevenage and Oxford have proved once again that teams coming up from the Conference can more than hold their own in League Two, while this could finally be Bury and Shrewsbury's year for promotion. Vale also looked set for promotion until Micky Adams' departure for Sheffield United started their horrible decline.

Down at the bottom it is equally as interesting as teams continue to fight for their Football League status. Avoiding relegation is important for any side but staying in the Football League has a huge financial affect on the club and its players. For Stockport, Barnet and Burton these are very worrying times and other teams could easily be sucked into the relegation battle. Stockport and Barnet are firm favourites to go down but anything can happen in football. Personally I hope Martin Allen can keep Barnet up and that Hereford will go down with Stockport...but I don't get to choose.

PREMIER LEAGUE VS FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The Premier League is always full of excitement and my love of Arsenal will never die. The Gunners are in my blood and I get a huge buzz from every goal they score.

But I would urge all Premier League fans to not forget the lower leagues. A lot of great things happen in the second, third and fourth divisions of English football...just give it a chance.

Are Arsenal Gunner complete the job against Barcelona?

As I sat watching the first leg of the Champions League tie between Arsenal and Barcelona, a mix of emotions went through my mind. On one hand I felt happy at the way we were playing but, on the other hand, I knew that Barcelona can punish any team in a split second and put a tie out of reach.

After Van Persie's effort was saved by Valdes and David Villa netted the opener after 26 minutes, pessimistic thoughts of "oh no, here we go again!" started to enter my head. Part of me still kept believing we could pull it off but, with the worry of our defence falling apart as it has done in periods of other games this season, I accepted the score could yet get worse.

But to my delight Arsenal showed no fear and, rather than imploding, continued to get in the faces of the Spanish giants. Jack Wilshere was excellent in midfield and Laurent Koscielny put in arguably his best performance by far in an Arsenal shirt. But, despite all of this, we were not converting any of the chances that came our way and I knew Barcelona could soon get a second goal and make all our efforts count for nothing.

Arsenal are often breathtaking to watch but, at times, we can be so frustrating. Not converting chances, failing to kill games off, and daft lapses in concentration.

But then 12 minutes from time we were right back in the tie. Van Persie's thunderbolt had me celebrating wildly around the living room but, while I still believed we could do it, there was still a slight worry we might do something silly.

Barcelona had been less of a threat in the second half, but the importance of a second goal would give us a huge lift ahead of the second leg...and then it came. Arshavin's cool finish gave us victory in the first leg and, while I struggled to contain my joy at the result, I accept the job is only half done and we have to put in another consistent performance if we are to have any chance of progressing into the next round.

Barcelona remain strong favourites and are likely to come out all guns blazing. Home advantage will also be key for the Spanish side, but if we can learn from past mistakes and make the most of our 2-1 advantage there is no reason why we cannot hold on to progress. It is hard to predict what the second leg will hold as Barcelona are such an amazing team, but we just have to keep believing. You just never know!!

Happy New Year...well not for everybody!

While many people spent New Year's Day celebrating and looking forward to the future, George Burley and Mark Stimson were left reflecting on the mistakes that cost them their jobs. I still stand by what I have said previously that managers are often sacked too quickly these days as people's expectations spiral out off control. But in the cases of Burley and Stimson it is a lot tougher to find much sympathy with the situations the duo found themselves in.

Stimson and Burley
When former Gillingham manager Stimson took over at Barnet back in June, it was always going to be a tough ask. Many expected the Bees to be in and around the relegation places this season but, after winning just five of his 26 games in charge at Underhill, Stimson's time was well and truly up. Bottom of the table and in danger of dropping out of the Football League is a disastrous situation for the London club and, while I feel a little bit sorry for Stimson, it was the right decision. The timing of sacking someone on New Year's Day is harsh but the club needs to change results...and quickly!

Stimson was not alone in losing his job on New Year's Day as Burley was shown the door by Crystal Palace following the 3-0 defeat at rivals Millwall. The former Ipswich, Derby, Hearts and Southampton boss, also only arrived at his post in June following the club's takeover by the CPFC 2010 consortium. The Eagles needed a 2-2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday to avoid relegation from the Championship on the final day of last season and the 2010/11 campaign is looking no better with the club struggling in the relegation zone. Although the club isn't too far from safety, I believe a fresh face could be exactly what is needed to turn Palace's fortunes back around. Sacking managers seems to becoming a trend in the Championship following the departures of Darren Ferguson and Brian Laws, from Preston and Burnley respectively, at the end of December.

More out the door...
Sackings continued in early 2011 with no fewer than three further dismissals being announced on Tuesday January 4. Although one or two of the sackings in 2010 beggared belief, the early 2011 casualties didn't come as much of a surprise as changes desperately needed to be made at the clubs in question. League One bottom club Walsall sacked Chris Hutchings, while Phil Parkinson was shown the door by Charlton despite the Addicks being up in 5th place. The latter's departure may have filled some Charlton fans with relief though as some feel his time should have been up a long time ago. I also believe Parkinson needed to move on and I have no doubt that they will find someone better to replace him.

Stockport's dismissal of Paul Simpson also came as little surprise with the club down in 21st place in League Two. Three wins in 19 games simply isn't good enough, but I do feel a bit sorry for Simpson. Simpson only arrived at the club last summer following the Hatters' relegation from League One. The club was in a mess and the 2010/11 season was always going to be a struggle and nobody expected miracles straightaway. But Stockport's form just hasn't improved quite enough to save Simpson his job.

It's a cruel world...
Football management is a cruel world and the recent spate of sackings highlight how it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep a football club's board and fans happy. Expectations continue to increase with every season that passes.

Maybe one or two of the managers sacked in 2010 should have been given more time, but the recent casualties were rightly shown the door. But for every door that is shut another opens for someone else, so fans can look on the bright side and get ready for a brighter 2011.

The race for Premier League football

All English clubs aspire to one day reach the Premier League, but with the Championship getting more and more competitive each season, the task of achieving that goal has become increasingly tougher.

Teams that get relegated from the Premier League - most recently Burnley, Portsmouth and Hull - are often considered among the favourites to gain instant promotion back into the top flight. But even the teams that came up from League One – Leeds, Norwich and Millwall – cannot be written off as serious top-six contenders as the 2010/11 campaign continues to be filled with excitement.

You could arguably make a case for the majority of the teams in the Championship regarding promotion. I initially predicted QPR, Cardiff and Swansea to go up and, although I’m going to stick to my guns on that one, there are several other teams worth considering.

MY PROMOTION CONTENDERS

QPR – Leaders QPR have suffered back-to-back league defeats to Watford and Leeds, but that is unlikely to stop them from being in the mix for promotion at the end of the season. Before the recent 3-1 home defeat by Watford, the London club had gone 19 league games without defeat and if they can recapture that kind of form they will be hard to stop. With the experience of Neil Warnock and the sheer genius of Adel Taarabt, along with plenty more talent in the squad, this should be their year!

CARDIFF – The Welsh club came within 90 minutes of securing Premier League football last season, but a 3-2 defeat by Blackpool left them stuck in the Championship. The Bluebirds will be hoping this is their final season in England’s second tier but, after four league games without a win, they need to recover quickly to get their promotion bid back on track. With the talented attacking trio of Jay Bothroyd, Craig Bellamy and Michael Chopra in their ranks, I believe the goals will soon be flowing again and Dave Jones’ side are definitely still serious title challengers.

SWANSEA – The Swans had one of the best defensive records in the Championship last season, but their lack of goals ultimately cost them as they missed out on a place in the 2009/10 play-offs by just one point. After losing two managers in as many seasons the Welsh club could maybe be forgiven for sliding down the table and taking time to rebuild. But under new manager Brendan Rogers, who was appointed in July 2010, the Swans continue to pose a big threat and lie up in fourth place. Summer signing Scott Sinclair has been a revelation at the Liberty Stadium this season and the prospect of two Welsh clubs being in the Premier League next season cannot be ruled out.

LEEDS – Usually when a team earns promotion the remit for the following campaign is simply to avoid relegation or possibly achieve a mid-table finish. But second-placed Leeds must be considered serious contenders for promotion this season. The division itself is getting more and more competitive each year, so no team can really be ignored, but there seems to be something extra special about Leeds. Simon Grayson’s men have lost six of their 22 league games this season and are coping remarkably well without the services of star striker Jermaine Beckford, who moved to Everton over the summer. Luciano Becchio, Jonny Howson, Robert Snodgrass and Kasper Schmeichel are just four examples of the wealth of talent in the United squad and the Yorkshire side will push the likes of QPR, Cardiff and Swansea all the way this season.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST – After reaching the play-off semi final last season, Forest have yet to really hit top gear and currently lie 8^th in the table. Forest are the only side to remain unbeaten at home in the Championship this season, while Lewis McGugan has been one of their best performers with several great goals to his name already in 2010.  But the Reds need more of their big name players to step up to the plate on a regular basis if they are to be considered serious promotion contenders. Billy Davies’ men are just four points off the play-off places and I believe they will recapture their best form soon as they continue to fight for a place in the Premier League.

A FEW MORE…

Fifth-placed Norwich have enjoyed an impressive first-half to the season and are likely to be in and around the play-off places at the end of the campain. Derby and Coventry have surprised many people and are performing remarkably well, but whether the duo can maintain their good form for the entire campaign is a different matter.

AND NOT FORGETTING…

Burnley will be looking for an instant return to the Championship, but may just fall short this campaign due to their struggling away form. Despite not having much depth in their squad, Portsmouth could yet find themselves in the mix having shown much better form in recent weeks. I’d love to see my hometown club Bristol City gain promotion but, although the play-offs are still possible for the Robins, a top-half finish is a more realistic goal.  Several other sides including Reading, Doncaster, Leicester and Millwall, all have a chance to still make their case for promotion. But with only three teams going up, many of the sides are going to have to get used to the second tier of English football for a little while longer.

IT’S NOT OVER JUST YET…

There are only five points between seventh-placed Reading and Sheffield United, who are down in 20^th, so nothing can be taken for granted. There is still plenty to play for and it will be exciting to see which three teams will join the Premier League next season.

Whoever gets promoted cannot be taken lightly!  Blackpool have already shown this year that teams coming up into the top flight should not be underestimated!

How quickly can Chelsea recover from the Blues?

Champions Chelsea started the season at a blistering pace, scoring 17 goals in their first four Premier League games and conceding just one in the process. Even the 1-0 defeat at Manchester City in September seemed like just a mere blip as Chelsea attempted to retain the title.

Unfortunately for Chelsea, although great news for Arsenal and Manchester United supporters, the final two months of 2010 saw Carlo Ancelotti’s men go through an unusually sticky patch. The 1-1 draw at Tottenham was the Blues’ third consecutive league draw and meant they slumped down to fourth and missed out on the chance to return to the top of the table. The usually reliable Didier Drogba, who came off the bench to net the equaliser, missed a late penalty at White Hart lane to ensure that the Chelsea have taken just six points from their last seven league games.

The last victory came with a 1-0 triumph over Fulham on November 10 but, shortly after, assistant manager Ray Wilkins was surprisingly sacked and Chelsea’s season began to take a downward spiral. Chelsea face title rivals Manchester United and Arsenal in their next two games and, if they don’t halt their slump soon, their hopes of retaining the Premier League trophy could rapidly fade away.

Chelsea can never be underestimated and they will no doubt bounce back. A point off the top of the table in December is certainly not a crisis, but these are certainly worrying times for Ancelotti’s men. As an avid Gooner, I hope Chelsea's blip continues long into the season, but we cannot let our guard down and can never rule them out of the title race regardless of how the next few weeks unfold. Key duo John Terry and Frank Lampard have recently returned to action, so you can expect Chelsea to up their game and get back to their best in the near future!

Chelsea will need to go all out for a win against Manchester United in their next league encounter and home advantage could prove decisive at Stamford Bridge. History is on the Blues' side ahead of the game at Arsenal on December 27 but the Gunners will be out to prove that they should be treated as serious title challengers for the rest of the season.

A great fortnight of Premier League action is to be expected and whoever is top of the pile at the start of 2011 will have a strong foothold on the title.  But nothing can ever be taken for granted in the top flight of English football as Chelsea have found out in recent weeks.

I believe Chelsea will recover from their dip in form…but let’s hope it’s not for another few weeks!

Are football managers given enough time?

Hughton may not be the biggest name in football management, but his sacking by Newcastle is an absolute disgrace.

A 3-1 defeat at West Brom and the recent 5-1 drubbing by Bolton were unacceptable, but when you put it in the context of the Magpies’ season as a whole it is definitely not a reason for him to be given the boot.

When Newcastle dropped down into the Championship, the future looked bleak for the club. But Hughton lifted the spirits of the players and guided them to the Championship title. Expectations of teams coming up from the Championship are not usually very high but, after a defeat at Manchester United, Hughton guided the team to a 6-0 home win over Aston Villa.

Although some of the later results have been very poor, victory at Arsenal and a 1-1 draw with champions Chelsea, are proof of Hughton’s credentials. The fans seem to have a lot of respect for the 51-year-old and many have already started venting their anger at the decision.

But Hughton’s job has been under scrutiny of late despite the fact that Newcastle sit 11^th in the Premier League.  When you consider how the last few years have been for the club that is a remarkable achievement. In October, Newcastle thumped bitter rivals Sunderland 5-1 before claiming a win at Arsenal, what more could Hughton have done?! Sacking the manager will only deflate the players.  Are the board really looking at the best long-term interests of the club?

Managers are sacked too quickly these days as people’s expectations spiral out of control. Just look at Notts County – Craig Short was sacked back in October after less than five months in charge at Meadow Lane.  Although the league position wasn’t great, County were also not too far of the play-off positions. For a side that had just earned promotion into League One surely beating the drop or a mid-table finish is a realistic expectation, not another instant promotion. That takes time….but unfortunately that is hard to come by in football these days.

I firmly believe the player’s must sometimes take more of the blame than the manager, but you don’t see them getting contracts cancelled after a few defeats. Football is just becoming more and more crazy.  Hughton should not be too downbeat…the sacking is not a reflection of his ability, but more about a football club’s board being fickle. I just hope he gets another chance soon!

Are we Gunner win the 2010/11 Premier League title?

People often question whether Arsenal have the strength in depth to win the Premier League title again.

After we threw away a two goal lead against bitter rivals Spurs and then lost to Braga things didn’t look good.  It looked like it could be another season that started so promising but ultimately ended without a trophy.  But after back-to-back league wins against Aston Villa and Fulham, along with some moments of magic from Samir Nasri, my beloved Arsenal now sit proudly at the top of the table.

Several of the neutral fans have big doubts as to whether we can keep up the pace at the top, but the answer should become a lot clearer by the end of 2010. We have to start improving our results against our other title rivals, but maybe the trip to face Manchester United at Old Trafford a week on Monday is coming at the perfect time for us.

United have yet to lose in the league this season and Arsenal have not tasted victory in any of their last three games at Old Trafford. But we will travel to the Theatre of Dreams knowing a win would see us sitting at the top of the table regardless of how Chelsea get on against Spurs. It is going to be a difficult encounter but, if we can show a little extra belief and be less wasteful up front, a three-point haul is well within reach.

The visit of Chelsea is also looming later in December, so it is going to be a massive few weeks for the club and a true test of our title credentials. I wouldn’t like to predict how many points we can amass from these two key games, but one thing the Gunners can guarantee is drama…lets just hope it’s at the right end!