If you could pick one player from the last twenty five years to represent your team in the present day, who would it be?
Here we make a few suggestions by picking one favourite from each of the top six teams, see if you agree and, if not, then let us know in the comments who you would pick.
The only condition we make is that the player in question must have been bought, not brought up through the ranks, so there will be no Steven Gerrard or John Terry, for example. (more…)
Manchester United lie second in the Premier League, but eight points off Manchester City who, at present, are running away with it.
City, even with a couple of injuries to senior players don’t appear to have anybody who could be said to be letting the side down and Eliaquim Managala and Fabian Delph, when called upon, have performed admirably. The same cannot be said about some of the other teams.
United, for example, persisted with Henrikh Mkhitaryan for about two games more than they should have done. He “went missing” as JosĂ© Mourinho would say, in a couple of games before being dropped and was guilty of losing possession almost every time he had it! (more…)
As we write this, the top six includes Arsenal, something which may not be the case by the time the final whistle is blown at Turf Moor tomorrow.
Whilst no realistically-minded football follower would expect Burnley to finish the season above Arsenal, the possibility cannot be discounted.
But, for the purpose of this exercise, we have to assume that Arsenal will regain their spot among the elite. (more…)
This week sees four of the top six playing on Saturday with the other two getting under way the following day. We have to admit, whilst not being lovers of the monopolising of the top six places by these teams, interest is better maintained when they play over two days and Sunday is certainly more interesting.
In the “what-used-to-be-normal” kick-off time of 3:00pm on Saturday are the following two games:
Manchester United 
v Brighton & Hove Albion 
There should be a backlash from United in this one following their dismal second half performance in Switzerland. They need to remember that a game of football consists of two halves and it is just as important to turn out for the second as it is for the first! (more…)
Wednesday night went off with a bit of a whimper in the Champion’s League. Over in Azerbaijan, Chelsea did what was expected of them by comfortably beating Qarabag by four goals to nil.
This stroll in the park meant that Antonio Conte could spend the overnight flight home plotting Liverpool’s downfall in the weekend’s “big” game.
This exercise probably only required about five minutes as the tactics are relatively straightforward. Providing you can stop Liverpool scoring at your end, they will likely allow you to score some at their end!
So he had a good sleep for the rest of the flight dreaming, no doubt, of reaching the Champion’s League final and beating Juventus to collect the trophy. Dream on, Antonio! (more…)
Another good night was had in Europe on Tuesday by the majority of the English clubs. Manchester City clawed their way to a 1-0 victory over Feyenoord which confirms their winning of the group, Tottenham continued to display their new found maturity, particularly in European competition, by winning in Dortmund and Liverpool, well, they continue to be just Liverpool!
The plucky little scousers managed to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory having suffered a second-half collapse similar to that of AC Milan in the Ataturk Stadium back in 2005.
So Tottenham have won their group if they can take a point from their final game and Liverpool will guarantee qualification with a point from their final game. (more…)
Tomorrow night sees the return to Champion’s League action of Manchester United and Chelsea. What is required and how will they approach their games?
Basel 
v Manchester United 
This is a game from which Manchester United only require one point, that would be enough to guarantee qualification to the knockout stages.
It is, however, a dangerous game playing for a draw and Mourinho is well known for setting up his teams, particularly in European away games, not to lose. (more…)
Sevilla 
v Liverpool 
Liverpool go to Spain needing at least a point from the game. That would keep them top of the group by a point. Sevilla would remain in second providing Spartak Moscow don’t beat Maribor. If that happens then the Moscow club would be second on goal difference.
A loss for Liverpool, whilst not terminal, is certainly a major spanner in the works. That result would see Sevilla go top and, again assuming a Moscow victory, would see Spartak join the Merseysiders on eight points, remaining behind only on goal difference.
Then everything would be about the final games and Liverpool’s qualification would hang in the balance. (more…)
Readers of our article from Friday will notice that the title of this piece isn’t; “If only hindsight were foresight”. In fact, we were only ever 50% of the way there as we were correct in half of the top six team’s results.
How, you may wonder, could we be half right about five games? Actually, it wasn’t so much about the games as the teams. We were let down, as the North-West usually is, by London, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham all failing to provide the desired results, whereas Manchester City, United and Liverpool were true to OUR word. (more…)
Just having them available again after such a long time out will be a boost to the other squad members.
Paul Pogba
United started the season very well and were neck-and-neck with City after five games. They started to slide when Pogba was injured against Basel in the Champion’s League group game.
We always find it amazing that great players can be so good without being noticed so much and that it is only when they are injured or out of the team for some other reason that we realise how important they are! (more…)
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 