1939: Chelsea triumph owes more to M

by : Alex Wolstenholme

A first League title in 50 years is on its way to Stamford Bridge after a season where the Blues have been head and shoulders above the rest of the Premiership in their consistency, drive and ability to come up with results week after week.

The easy accusation is to say that Chelsea have brought the title with Abramovich’s millions and that suspicion will linger in the years to come.

But there are a couple of points to make.

Firstly Chelsea under Mourinho have actually moved away from buying big name, big money players. In the summer they offloaded the likes of Crespo and Veron, while Hasselbaink and Desailly were quietly allowed to exit stage left.

Other players such as Babayaro, Melchiot and Gronkjaer were also allowed to go so the scenario hasn’t been that of an Italian style hoarding of players to prevent them playing elsewhere.

Secondly, in their place Mourinho did not go for Ronaldinho, Shevchenko or Roberto Carlos despite the newspaper speculation. His purchases came from Porto, Marseille, PSV Eindhoven and Benfica.

Although the headline figure of around ₤90 million spent in the summer is a lot that is also slightly misleading.

Carvalho, Ferreira and Drogba in particular cost more to Chelsea than they would have to anyone else because the Abramovich factor pushed the price up and Porto in particular wanted to get as much money from Chelsea as possible after Mourinho had swapped Portugal for England.

Carvalho for instance cost around ₤20 million but if Chelsea hadn’t been in the running would probably have departed Porto for half that amount. Mourinho knew how much he would improve his side and Chelsea paid whatever it took.

Of course that is the luxury that Chelsea have because the usual rules of value for money don’t necessarily apply but Mourinho has shown a preference for team players rather than big names that is refreshing.

Equally the planning that Chelsea put in to find the right man to replace Claudio Ranieri has been rewarded.

Forget the talk at last year’s Champions League final that Chelsea were waiting to choose between Mourinho and Didier Deschamps. The Portuguese had been headhunted for the post and again was not massively well known at the time despite his antics when Porto defeated Manchester United in the Champions League.

It would have been easy for Chelsea to pluck a big-name off the managerial list such as Hitzfeld, Capello or Lippi but whoever was in charge of getting the new manager knew that it needed someone hungry and capable of building something that would last.

Chelsea’s success is an extension of the kind of pragmatism that saw FC Porto win the Champions League under Mourinho and Greece win Euro 2004, which to me is wholly a good thing.

English football may have been branded as the most exciting in the World since the advent of the Premiership but both clubs and the national team have been found wanting too often at the highest level.

Chelsea may not play the kind of football (yet) that we have seen from Manchester United and Arsenal during their best spells in the Premiership but their third goal on Saturday was their 100th in all competitions and coupled with the solidity of their defensive unit has made them so difficult to beat.

Chelsea’s way of playing is simply placing the emphasis on different kinds of skills and can be great to watch when it is done properly rather than simply copied by inferior coaches with inferior players.

The England players in the Chelsea camp will benefit massively on the international stage from the things they have learned this season.

Also worth noting is that Chelsea have an excellent disciplinary record and have not been involved in any of the kind of on-pitch petulance that has occasionally marred Manchester United and Arsenal’s recent achievements.

That is to Mourinho’s great credit whatever methods he may have used to deflect the attention away from the players and allow them to focus on the task in hand.

1942: Chelsea the champions - have f

by : Henry Knight

England has its brand new, blue champions as Chelsea have officially been crowned after an extended coronation. Roman Abramovich has invested millions to achieve this, but although his cash was vital, there have been more important aspects of this success.

Jose Mourinho, the Napoleon Bonaparte of football, has created one of the strongest team spirits and work ethics this country has ever seen, in his side, quicker than most managers take to settle on a system of play. That work ethic is one of the fantastic virtues of Chelsea Football club; in their willingness to fight for one another, to fight for victory and to fight for their fans, every single player has given 100% for every single minute of the season.

Chelsea are the best team in England and have been the best representatives of an English club in Europe since 1999, recording at least one legendary European night and an unstoppable momentum in the League. Any young fan who wants to find an idol in football merely has to look in the direction of Stamford Bridge in order to peruse a catalogue of suitors:-

John Terry has raised his technique and ability up to the same level as his magnificent determination and leadership skills, an achievement that has seen him become the first central defender to win the P.F.A. Player of the year award for over a decade and cement an England spot.

Frank Lampard has proven that sheer ability is only 50% of what is necessary to be a world class footballer, the other half being sheer hard work and determination. He has scored great goals and vital goals and become “the best midfielder in the world” according to Carols Alberto, the Brazilian World Cup winner. Terry and Lampard have forged the towering duo in the spine of this great Chelsea team.

Joe Cole has gone from young pretender to a genuine top player, finally fulfilling his immense potential. How fabulous it has been, this season, to finally talk about young English players making waves at the very pinnacle of club football. But Chelsea have foreign class as well;

Arjen Robben has performed mercurial wonders on the pitch and proved an inspiration for maintaining his sides work ethic despite having an ability so unique that he barely needs to strive to succeed.

Damian Duff, William Gallas, Paulo Ferreira and Claude Makalele have also been key performers providing solidity, spirit, ability and
indefatigueable consistency.

Breaking up the monotony of Arsenal and Manchester United’s league domination, is something that the premiership has needed more than anything in recent years; two mighty gladiators which would have continued for another decade at least, had it not been for Chelsea’s mega investments of cash and work ethic. Chelsea have done it convincingly and look to create a dynasty of their own.

Mourinho could very well prove to be one of the catalysts, along with Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, in making English football a much better, more technical and less tactically nave footballing culture. Mourinho’s systems have already been copied by other managers in the Premier League to great effect, notably Everton who look likely to achieve a seemingly impossible 4th place.

Mourinho’s Chelsea are very continental with their efficiency meaning the raise their level to whatever is necessary to win, never over exerting themselves and preferring to play on the counter attack, but they have, at times won games with almost total football; utilising the breathtaking directness and fabulous verve of their wide men Damien Duff, Joe Cole and particularly Arjen Robben, coupled with the
intelligence, beauty and skill of Eidur Gudjohnsen and Frank Lampard as well as the sheer power and world class aerial ability of Didier Drogba.

Defending as a team is one of the key maxims of Jose Mourinho, who just because his team has more quality than those at the wrong end of the table, doesn’t allow them to work less; it is not often that you find such runaway championship winning teams that can’t be accuse of getting blas when playing lesser opposition. Petr Cech has proven himself to be world class in goal keeping concentration at a maximum and pulling off vital and brilliant saves as part of a truly great defense; great because they have gone a Record time without conceding, great because they are closing in on Manchester United’s record amount of clean sheets (24), great because they are closing in on Liverpool’s record amount of goals conceded (16) and record goals scored to goals conceded ratio (5:1).

Cold hard cash has been the crux of people’s issues with modern football and the oxygen of Roman Abramovich’s ‘Chelsea Project’ and it may be sad to the majority of football lovers, just how obvious footballing success is intrinsically linked with how much money is spent but the paradoxical beauty of Chelsea, the biggest highlighters of money for prizes, is that Chelsea are probably the only club in football that exists purely for prestige not profit.

Peter Kenyon has his plans for weaning Chelsea off of Roman’s milk and making them the biggest, self sufficient, club in the world. Indeed Chelsea’s new shirt sponsorship deal is reportedly the biggest in Premiership history and their shirt designer deal with Adidas will reportedly be the second biggest.

Roman Abramovich had a dream, and boy is it coming true for the blues; great champions, great players, great manager and a true model for anyone looking for idols.

1960: Relegation: Southampton V Norw

by : Colin Illingworth

The bottom two clubs meet at St Mary’s today in what both sides will view as a massive ‘must-win’ game. Both teams have had contrasting results in recent weeks but three points today is the holy grail as they bid for a vital push up the table as the season reaches its pulsating climax.

Norwich travel to the south-coast on a high after coming back from the dead in recent weeks, picking up 10 points from a possible twelve. However they are still searching for their first away win of the season and Nigel Worthington’s Canaries will not get a better chance then today against the demoralised Saints.

Redknapp’s men looked to have turned the corner after Christmas with Harry leading the club to wins over Liverpool and led them to their first away win of the season against Middlesbrough. Since that game though Southampton have failed to pick up one solitary point and last Sunday’s embarrassing 4-1 thrashing by south-coast rivals Portsmouth will have hurt them deeply, especially hot on the heels of blowing a two goal lead against Aston Villa in the previous game.

If Norwich can continue their amazing recent run of form then they will put themselves five points ahead of the Saints at the bottom, possibly lifting themselves out of the bottom three and give them real belief going into the final two fixtures. Victory for the Saints will pull them right back into the thick of it and convince the fans that all is not lost just yet. They too could be out of the bottom three if they win, with West Brom playing Arsenal on Monday and next Saturday’s opponents Crystal Palace playing at St James’s Park.

If Southampton have any pride in the team and the shirt they will come out like wounded animals following Sunday’s drubbing at the hands of Pompey. It is imperative to them to claim three points today with a trip to Selhurst Park and a home game against Manchester United left to play.

Norwich have the easiest run in on paper with Birmingham and Fulham left to play and who would bet against them picking up the points necessary to beat the drop after the results they’ve produced recently?

The Saints though have lost the lowest amount of home games out of the bottom four clubs but they have conceded the second biggest total of 25 (with Portsmouth), behind Norwich on 32. However Norwich have only bagged 10 goals on the travels so will the defensive qualities of Saints come out on top or will Dean Ashton repay another slice of £3m pie that Delia Smith served up?

The Canaries were top dogs in the preceding clash at Carrow Road in November with Damien Francis on target twice in a 2-1 win for the East Anglian club and could complete only their third ever double over the Saints in their history. Southampton beat the Carrow Road side at St Mary’s on route to the FA Cup final in 2003 with a 2-0 victory but they haven’t beaten them on home soil since February 1993 when they triumphed 3-0. However Norwich have only recorded one away over them in the past 17 years, 11 years ago in a 1-0 win with Chris Sutton grabbing the all important goal.

Peter Crouch and Henri Camara are doubts for the Saints so Dexter Blackstock and Brett Omerod have been recalled from their loan outings. The pacey Darren Huckerby is rated 50-50 for Norwich who will bring Graham Stuart back into the fold.

As former Saints boss Gordon Strachan says: “This is squeaky bum time!” It will be an edge of the seat type of game, with every Canary and Saints fan in the world living every kick of the ball. The pressure on both sets of players will be immense and one stupid mistake could have devastating consequences for the club.

Norwich have the bit between their teeth while the Saints have got their tail in between their legs. But who will prove to be top dogs tonight and be allowed to sleep on their master’s couch? After all the twists and turns of this fascinating and enthralling relegation battle, I’m not stupid enough to lay my neck on the line and predict a winner. I will be listening on with baited breath to find out what else can happen in this blockbuster of a basement battle.

1958: Man Utd: Keane is the short-cu

by : Fred Tarow

Reports last week again circulated of Alex Ferguson re-iterating his desire to see Roy Keane replace him as the manager at Old Trafford when the Scot finally retires. Keane's suitability to the job and management in general, is a subject that provokes a wide spectrum of opinions, from those who believe that he displays all of the traits required to be successful in the piranha tank of football management to those that feel he is too volatile to cope with the pressures of the job. However, despite Ferguson's comments, Manchester United should not and cannot install the Mayfield native as Ferguson's successor.

Manchester United Football Club is at a particularly critical point in time. For close to a decade they were unquestionably the England's premier outfit. In recent years Arsenal jostled with United for domestic honours, while this season Chelsea have swept aside the perennially warring due to announce themselves as the Premiership's new dominant force. Although Fergie is still loathe to admit it, publicly at least, United are widely seen as a team in decline. They are at the same stage that the once mighty Liverpool were in the early 90's. A club trying desperately not to fall hopelessly behind the country's elite. Liverpool's managerial appointments post-Kenny Dalglish were critical. They opted for sentimentality over common-sense in the shape of the largely untried Graeme Souness and novice Roy Evans. They never really recovered and currently Rafael Benitez is trying to haul The 'Pool out of that no-man's land occupied by them, Spurs, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Charlton etc. With the wrong appointment, Manchester United could well find themselves in the same position.

Yet many, including Ferguson, see Keane as the next boss at Old Trafford citing his apoplectic desire for victory at all costs. This is liberal use of the truth. There are countless occasions where Keane has run through the proverbial brick wall to drag the carcass of his lifeless team to three points. However the United captain is a selfish individual with a dangerously frail temperament; a man prone to spontaneous and pre-meditated combustion. Rewind to Old Trafford April 21st 2001. It's the closing minutes of a Manchester derby that is delicately poised at 1-1. Roy Keane, however, is more concerned with avenging a four year grudge against Alf Inge Haaland than helping his side to the three points. A scything x-rated challenge, one Keane knew he would see red for, ended his interest in that particular game and incurred a three game ban. Not quite the actions of the victory hungry warrior that his fans like to wax lyrical about.

Fast forward to Saipan and May 2002. Keane turns his back on his country because of the alleged unprofessional set up in the Irish camp. Ireland couldn't win the World Cup under these conditions Keane protested. Probably, but their chances were reduced heavily when the country's star player and captain spat his dummy and walked. It has been well documented that Keane may well have had a point, but his reputation as a man consumed by a desire to win even in the most adverse circumstances was severely compromised by his actions off the coast of Japan.

Keane scarcely concealed his disdain for then Irish manager Mick McCarthy, even prior to the inevitable bust up. Where as Alex Ferguson has always had Keane's unwavering loyalty McCarthy was never afforded any respect, due to Keane's perception of him as little more than a buffoon. When Keane-the-manager includes amongst his playing staff, individuals whose ability pale considerably compared to his, what sort of contempt will those players be held in by the Irishman? Glenn Hoddle, a divinely gifted footballer, is frequently accused of belittling players who cannot perform the miraculous feats that he, in his prime, could. It has made the former England boss about as popular as a fart in a space-suit. For all of his alleged tactical knowledge, Hoddle is now managing Wolves, mainly because most Premiership chairmen feel that he does not possess the man management skills to succeed at the top level. Roy Keane could find himself in a similar predicament.

Keane is also no stranger to blasting the Manchester United squad publicly. This would be a risky tactic for any manager to employ with any frequency. It is one thing for a fellow player to do this; because by criticising the playing squad for, say, lack of effort, he as the team's captain is implicating himself as one of the guilty party. However it is quite another for a manager to do likewise; should Keane-the-manager use this tactic on a regular basis, then he faces losing a dressing room that will believe him to be doing nothing more than abrogating blame. There is a reason that the likes of Ferguson and Wenger blame everything from the fixture list to the colour of their team's jerseys for defeat instead of publicly humiliating their playing staff.

Ultimately though, opinions about Keane's potential to be a successful manager, such as the ones expressed here are at best educated guessing because he is untried in the field of management. But that in itself is the most compelling reason why Manchester United cannot appoint him when Ferguson retires. While there are no guarantees when hiring a manager, United will need to play the percentages game and appoint an experienced and proven man to minimise the chances of them becoming the next Liverpool. Quite simply, if for no other reason than his inexperience, Roy Keane is too big a risk.

1961: Squarefootball diary: March

by : Stephen Orford

SQUAREFOOTBALL DIARY

THE BEST OF MARCH

It is all happening on March 1, with FA Cup fifth round replays and the imprisonment of wayward wingers.

“An average Arsenal side would have lost tonight.” says Arsene Wenger after his average Arsenal side battled through to a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory over Sheffield United. The teams draw their replay 0-0 after extra time, with Arsenal ending the match piling on the pressure with a bizarre front three of Jeremie Aliadiere, Ashley Cole and Kolo Toure.

Alan Quinn and John Harley both had spot-kicks saved by much maligned Gunners ‘keeper Manuel Almunia, and the Spaniard was unlucky to have another save from Phil Jagielka chalked off when he was adjudged to have moved off his line too early. Despite the defeat, Blades manager Neil Warnock appears to have had one of the better nights of his life. Perhaps he should get out more; “This was like the old times back at Bramall Lane. It was a great night for us. It was just a great game and fantastic to be involved in it.” he says, enjoying defeat just a little too much, perhaps.

Southampton finally end the cup run of Brentford, with a 3-1 victory. The Saints fall behind early on through Eddie Hutchinson’s early strike, but hit back with a brace from bean-pole striker Peter Crouch and another goal for Kevin Phillips. This enjoyment of losing seems also to have spread to Bees manager Martin Allen; “It was a cracking night. All you can ask is that the players give everything they've got. And we played with passion and with quality. We competed for every ball, every pass and every challenge.” he says. Yeah, but you lost, Martin.

“I'm just pleased we survived it.” says Southampton boss Harry Redknapp, glancing nervously around corners looking for Rupert Lowe.

In the big Lancashire derby Blackburn Rovers overcome Burnley 2-1 with a late Morten Gamst Pedersen thunderbolt. They had taken the lead through a deflected Tugay effort, only for Burnley to spectacularly equalise through Micah Hyde. Rovers boss Mark Hughes is already worried about the imposing prospect of a quarter final with Leicester City; “We'll have to perform a little better if we're to progress further.” he says.

Burnley manager Steve Cotterill‘s assessment is slightly more cryptic; “They had the ball but it wasn't hurting us and it was a bitter blow.” he comments, talking in riddles.

Jermaine Pennant follows in the footsteps of England legend Tony Adams by becoming the latest player associated with Arsenal to be thrown in the slammer. The winger, on-loan at Birmingham City, is sentenced to three months imprisonment after pleading guilty to driving while disqualified and under the influence of alcohol. Birmingham insist they will stand by their man; “We hope he accepts his punishment and learns from his mistake. On his release we'll give him all the help and support he needs to turn his life around.” says Blues managing director Karen Brady.

Players champion Gordon Taylor also leaps to the player’s aid; “Jermaine is going to have to come to terms with himself but he can expect support from the PFA. We try to educate players against the dangers of drink, particularly when combined with driving.” he comments. At no point does Taylor mention that he used to play for Blackburn Rovers.

A day later Tottenham ease into the quarter finals of the FA Cup with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. The game was score-less at half time but second half strikes from Noe Pamarot, Robbie Keane and Mido earn Spurs a trip to Newcastle in the last eight.

“It was a professional sort of performance.” says Tottenham boss Martin Jol, keeping up his reputation as a notoriously difficult man to please. Captain for the night, Robbie Keane, seems to agree; “It wasn't the best display but it's all about the result.” he adds.

Former Forest player David Prutton will miss most of the rest of the season after picking up a ten match ban for his outrageous antics in Southampton’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Saturday (February 26). “It's a massive disappointment because all I want to do is play football.” says Prutton, who perhaps should have thought about that before he tore into referee Alan Wiley for merely applying the laws of the game. “I regretted it as soon as I did it, when I was sitting in the dressing room afterwards.” he promises. Close David, but no cigar.

Even Saints manager Harry Redknapp finds it impossible to feel hard done by as a result of the ruling, and dismisses the prospect of an appeal; "There's nothing we can do and there's no point in appealing. He had no grounds for arguing and is sorry for the way he reacted.” says Harry, sounding like a political leader who has just heard of yet another of his ministers exposing themselves in public.

Others get off more lightly, as it is revealed that Jose Mourinho will face no FA charges following his gestures toward the Liverpool fans at the Carling Cup final. The Chelsea boss claimed he was aiming his wrath at the English press, rather than the fans, but has been reminded about his 'responsibilities to the game'. Aswell as inciting opposition fans Mourinho’s 'responsibilities' presumably include insulting opposition managers (Frank Rijkaard), making veiled threats to referees (Anders Frisk) and, if we are really fortunate, refusing to say anything at all as he did following his team’s Champions League loss in Barcelona.

1959: Conference: Four left to battl

by : Hugh Larkin

Now there are just four teams left searching for the elusive place in the Football League. The logjam behind Barnet has finally been cleared and left the inevitable hard luck stories- Exeter City couldn’t quite make it despite their FA Cup heroics and Accrington and Halifax must wait at least another year to come back; Crawley’s brilliant first season fell just short and Morecambe couldn’t find the single goal on the final day that would have given them a play off shot.

One way or another all four of the play off teams are deserving cases but Barnet’s excellent campaign has left them chasing a single place for most of the season.

Hereford United

Last season the Bulls fought Chester City to a standstill in a two-horse race. Having just lost out on automatic promotion they then endured the curse of the play offs, eliminated at the semi-final stage despite holding a huge points advantage over the other contenders. Graham Turner is still at the heart of the Hereford effort and they’re hoping to put the disappointment of 2004 behind them; this time finishing second by only a point may relieve some of the pressure compared to last year.

Carlisle United

The club have been through more crises in the past decade than most, but the last 18 months have been dramatic even by their standards. Last season the team almost battled back from an impossible position to save their League status. They embarked on the Conference task with real impetus but suffered the traumatic flooding of Brunton Park and have eventually done well to regroup to finish third.

Aldershot Town

The model for AFC Wimbledon , and for all the other sides that fall out of the Football League. The Shots lost their status due to events off the pitch but after the original club were defunct a band of determined people kept the cause of professional football alive. The Shots also missed out in the play offs last season, only on the dreaded penalty shootout with Shrewsbury Town n the final. Manager Terry Brown feels the experience will be to their advantage this year

Stevenage Borough

The standard bearers for those who want to see a new team in the Football League. Stevenage should have had the prize before now but were denied by the League’s ground regulations when they were Conference champions. Not the most popular side in the division because of their hard-nosed approach but the club have targeted League status and Graeme Westley’s team did what they had to do on the last Saturday to force a play off berth.

The semis are two-legged affairs and Hereford take on Stevenage while Carlisle and Aldershot go head-to-head. There was little in either game between the Bulls and Boro in the regular season with both teams winning away from home. Both teams have strikers with 22 goals for the season in Adam Stansfield and Anthony Elding respectively and their performances could be the key.

Carlisle had the edge in the meetings with Aldershot, recording a thumping 5-0 over the Shots. However, that was in the early season when the Cumbrians were in blistering form; a better guide might be the 1-1 result over Christmas. Despite both teams finishing on 73 points, Carlisle have scored more and conceded less which must make them slight favourites. The Final is on May 14th at Stoke and whoever gets there, past history suggests a very tight, tense affair.

1957: Man Utd: Why a Glazer takeover

by : Antony Melvin

It can stand restating; the Manchester United board implicitly believe that the current proposal put forward by the Glazer family is not in the interests of the company. But a point that has not been made with any conviction is the wider damage that would be made to English football.

The Manchester United board’s comments, in the sixth paragraph of the yesterday’s stock exchange release were instructive:

“Given the Board’s concerns about the potential impact of the proposal on the Company, the Board has informed Glazer that it cannot provide a recommendation to shareholders to accept any offer made on the basis of the current proposal. Whilst recognising that the price under Glazer’s proposal is fair, the Board’s unanimous view is that they could not support Glazer’s proposal (were it to become a formal offer) as being in the best interests of the Company.”

This stance may yet stop this takeover because many bankers run shy of supporting a bid that would be just about hostile. But the club is now ‘in play’ and it is surely only a matter of time before someone with slightly deeper pockets than Glazer comes along in any event.

Various arguments can be made to support the various corporate structures of football clubs – the two main ones being ownership by rich backers or stock exchange listing. But the only reasonable structure for such an emotional company is a members club like the one in place at FC Barcelona. Nottingham Forest were the last major English football club to foolishly abandon this structure, which prevails in many major sports in England, but many clubs in the lower professional leagues are now turning into supporters’ trusts which are fundamentally similar.

As a result of their structure, Manchester United have always been liable to have their club subject to the kind of debilitating interference that a takeover brings. But there are reasons why this particular bid has the potential to take more money out of football that the ITV Digital debacle.

Firstly there is the debt associated with the bid. To merely cover the interest payments, around £25m of profit will need to be allocated per year, and even more if the main debt capital is repaid. Unless the Glazer camp has a magic revenue bullet that no-one else has ever conceived of, this will wipe out Manchester United in the transfer market for the foreseeable future. Many clubs throughout the pyramid rely on the trickle down effect that transfers at the top of the market have on all clubs. Manchester United are one of the main sources of this trickle down. You can’t take £25m out of football every season without everyone noticing.

Secondly one of the widely reported financial targets for Glazer is the Premier League collective TV deal. A successful Glazer takeover would see swift legal attempts to extricate Manchester United from the collective agreement. There is no debate as to whether a TV deal without Manchester United would lower the average take of the other 19 clubs from Sky, so if this maneuver worked every Premiership club would lose money. Clearly the Premier League would fight any break away, but legal action is expensive and soaks up management time – and even if the current deal were saved, any future deal would be out of the question.

Thirdly, once Manchester United are either stripped of transfer activity or from the collective TV deal the value of TV coverage for the overseas market will fall. Hate them or loathe them Manchester United are the biggest draw that English football has for an international audience, and if they are hamstrung interest and revenue will wane.

Sooner or later a Glazer takeover would significantly reduce the revenues of all English clubs. So football fans at large enjoying the schadenfreude of the discomfort of Manchester United fans should consider the implications for their club.

1956: Champions League: A solution t

by : Hugh Larkin

After spending half the season locked in argument with Jose Mourinho and Chelsea, UEFA- or more likely the FA- find themselves in desperate need of help from the ‘Special One’. If his Chelsea side can head off Liverpool’s unlikely assault on the Champions League it will save the Nyon boys from a decidedly embarrassing situation.

There’s hardly a competition in the world- in any sport at any level- that believes it’s a good idea to prevent a team, or individual, from defending a title. Except when we come to football of course; just as FIFA are forcing Brazil to qualify for Germany 2006, so UEFA don’t allow the winners of Europe’s premier tournament an automatic right to defend their crown.

FIFA will get off the hook because of Brazil’s excellence- but imagine the outcry if a nation that has appeared in the last three World Cup Finals weren’t in attendance. Rafa Benitez on the other hand, seems determined to cause UEFA maximum discomfort, and the response of the governing body has been to pass a buck faster than an American grifter.

If the Reds do win the Cup, UEFA will leave it to the FA to decide whether to select Liverpool or Everton (probably) in 4th place. Helpfully, UEFA’s spokesman advised that they feel the League position ought to be the determining factor, leaving the English governing body with the possible task of excluding Europe’s champions.

That attitude shouldn’t be a surprise. UEFA, and the G-14 lobby that they usually cave in to, are hostile to knockout competition because the results of such methods are unpredictable; in the accepted euphemism they don’t reward excellence. For ‘excellence’, read the teams with the biggest squads and therefore most to gain over the longer distance.

And the precedents on this situation aren’t good for Everton fans. Real Madrid fell into just this position after becoming champions of Europe in 2002 and Real Zaragoza were bumped into the UEFA Cup to make way for them. However, this isn’t Spain where Real wield massive influence; it’s inconceivable that with so much at stake Everton (or Bolton) would take their exclusion lying down. The sound of lawyers sharpening their calculators can already be heard and this case would surely end up as far as the Court of Arbitration on Sport.

UEFA could use some common sense here and allow Liverpool into the qualification round stages. The numbers for the group stages are obviously fixed and Liverpool’s inclusion as an extra would certainly upset somebody- but surely the Anfield side could be invited into the qualifiers without too much trouble. Even if this unbalanced the numbers an extra preliminary could be added, providing a bonanza tie for a club from Moldova, Armenia, the Faroes etc. The chosen team would hardly complain about the extra tie.

The problem with this is that the solution would involve admitting an error in the first place, which UEFA would certainly be loath to do. The Nyon approach will be to sit back and bet on Chelsea to dig them out of the hole, then let it all ride again on Milan if the Londoners fail. If Milan are beaten then it’s yet another fine mess UEFA has got us into.

1955: Champions League: Away goals r

by : Laurence Parker-Brown

“There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damned lies and statistics.” -Benjamin Disraeli

Fans of my work (yes, both of them!) will notice that the driving principle of this article will be the same as the masterpiece that was Charlton: The Importance of Being Anonymous. This is honestly not due to any plateau of initiative but rather an attempt to strengthen the case for how perception influences events. In European games the concept of away goals dominates the insights of TV pundits and indeed perhaps how we view the game. However using a dash of statistics we shall see that away goals are rarely used to distinguish teams thus their importance may be in changing attitudes rather than outcomes.

Amongst claiming that any foreign goalkeeper should be tested, particularly with crosses, the second wonderful insight afforded by Messrs Townsend and McCoist is that the English team must hope for an away goal. This Holy Grail for European crusades is often seen as the vital difference between success and failure.

However when you examine recent years the results demonstrate the infrequency of ties decided by away goals. Including all the pre-qualifying rounds during the year 2000-2001 only three ties out of forty-six were resolved by the away goals rule (a tiny 6.52%). There are slightly higher figures for 2001-2002 (8.70%), 2002-2003 (15.22%) and 2003-2004 (7.41%) but nonetheless these are still relatively low. Across the four years seasons examined only 18 of 192 ties used the away goals rule which works out at 9.38%. Thus one way of appreciating this stat is to imagine that if the Liverpool and Chelsea semis were played out ten times only once would an away goal win the tie.

However that the away goal is rarely invoked is not to say that it is not important. The extent to which teams covet and fear the away goal is open to debate but it would appear that clubs, like the media, do see them as important. Consider when Arsenal lost in Munich, Wenger talked about the away goal as reason for hope. He may have believed that, it did make a subsequent two nil win sufficient, but he may also have realised that such a comment might galvanise his disappointed team and encourage the fans. The point here is this, even though away goals are not often the deciding factor they certainly appear to have a major psychological influence on proceedings.

For instance commentators frequently infer that away goals are crucial and when one occurs the instant reaction is to mention how many the opposition now need to see them through. The terminology and subsequent chains of thought planted in viewers heads push the metaphor of the tie being in fine balance with each way goal tipping the scales. Furthermore perhaps the away goals rule has created a culture whereby people place too much emphasis on when goals are scored as if playing in Europe involves strategic decisions with regards to which venue a team would rather score at and how many they desire.

Instead when you think about it knock-out ties are just like any two games with normal rules. For instance if you win both or draw one then win one then logically you must go through. Further if you lose then a draw is never enough in the next game. Away goals (rather like Golden or Silver goals) can become paramount in public thought but their rareness suggests that it is their perception altering qualities rather than their tie deciding influence which is worth studying. Even if coaches and players have the wisdom to be neutral about away goals, which is possible but not necessarily true, the atmosphere in the ground can change thereby influencing the way the team plays. Indeed if a team considers the away goal as being important it is liable to go through confidence swings during the game which might prove an unnecessary distraction.

Perhaps then the wisest thing managers can do is breed the confidence in their players not to be swayed by the permutations arising from away goals and instead concentrate on the two games. Should this stance become mainstream the wise fan and pundit may have to learn that away goals have more influence in their chat-rooms and post-match discussions than on the pitch.

1952: Everton: Moyes shows Ferguson

by : Alex Wolstenholme

Watching David Moyes go toe-to-toe with Sir Alex Ferguson on the Goodison Park touchline last week was like watching the Manchester United manager having an argument with a younger version of himself.

The two men have a lot in common, not least their nationality. Both men had average playing careers and have worked their way up the managerial ladder before landing a job at one of the top club’s in the country.

Ferguson has always been well aware of what Manchester United means as a club to its core supporters, those who followed the team home and away in the 70’s and 80’s and who still do today despite the fact that they are often pushed onto the margins.

Moyes, when he took over at Everton didn’t come out with the usual generic spiel about a big club fallen on hard times etc etc. He knew from his own knowledge of the game and its environs that Everton were the ‘peoples club’ on Merseyside and that they stand for something different but equally as important as their Stanley Park neighbours.

After last week’s win over United Moyes again captured perfectly what the win to supporters who were ‘singing in the streets’ after the kind of old-fashioned blood and thunder clash that still lights up the Premiership from time to time.

After the achievement of finishing seventh in his first season, Moyes has learned from his own mistakes following last year’s poor campaign. Perhaps falling into the trap of looking to emulate the more detached, foreign-style coach that is in vogue in the English game he admitted losing touch with his players somewhat.

Like the Old Trafford boss, Moyes seems to be at his best as someone who is close to his players and who at times on the touchline is indistinguishable from them, kicking every ball from the first minute to the last, not sitting in the stands for the first half scribbling notes and talking on a mobile phone to the bench,

Similar to Fergie’s fostering of an ‘us and them’ style spirit from his Manchester United players, Moyes also seems to have used the departure of Wayne Rooney to reignite an enviable team spirit at Goodison.

He also came up with a 4-5-1 system that suited perfectly the players he had at his disposal and has been aware enough to change it around in recent games, knowing that other sides had become used to playing against his team. Whereas other sides have jumped on the 4-5-1 bandwagon in recent months, Everton played it because it suited the players they have rather than trying to fit the players into it.

In the transfer market the jury is still out on James Beattie but no-one argued with the purchase at the time and it may be next season when we see the best of him while Mikel Arteta looks to be an even better version of Thomas Gravesen than Gravesen himself and has given the Blues a different option in terms of their attacking play.

Players such as Marcus Bent and Tim Cahill have proved to be some of the bargains of the season and it will be no surprise to see Moyes look for another couple of gems from the lower divisions in the summer even if he has a hefty war-chest at his disposal.

It will be interesting to see whether, if Sir Alex Ferguson does have a say in his successor whether he would recommend Moyes but there aren’t many bigger jobs than Everton around and with Champions League football now looking like a probability the man himself will be more than happy to stick around and earn his place in Goodison Park folklore.

1933: Premiership: Is the trend towa

by : Simon Cole

The Premiership’s reputation has soared over recent years as a league in which anyone can beat anyone, with the game played at lightning pace with endless action.

But this is now coming under threat, with the increasing popularity of playing with just one man up-front. Everton have steamrolled to fourth in the table thanks to the success of their 4-5-1 formation, and this has caused more and more teams to follow suit.

Bolton have also thrived off this tactic. Both of these sides use their physical presence – particularly against the ‘bigger’ clubs – to unsettle the opposition, almost in an attempt to bulldoze their way through defences. It isn’t pretty, but the fact that both Everton and Bolton are fighting for Champions’ League football next season speaks volumes for the formation.

This has laid the foundations for other teams outside the Premiership’s top four to follow suite in an attempt to improve their fortunes. David Moyes and Sam Allardyce have this season become the masters of the one-nil, as did George Graham in the “boring boring Arsenal” days. But too many teams trying the same, could ruin the entertainment value of the Premiership.

We are now seeing far more long ball football in English footballs top flight, with Blackburn, Fulham and Portsmouth (to name just a few) now employing the lone striker. For relegation haunted sides such as Crystal Palace and Norwich, this is understandable. They know they cannot outplay most teams, so they need to scrap for points.

But when a large chunk of the division is playing long-ball, lone-striker football, it takes a massive chunk of glamour from the game. This is not lost on many opposing managers either. Liverpool’s Rafa Benitez, Martin Jol of Spurs and Aston Villa’s David O’Leary are managers who have been critical of their opponents physical style this season. But a few choice words will merely encourage Moyes, Allardyce and Co. People are only complaining because the tactic is working.

But the main criticism with this new style of play is the hypocrisy of it all. Pundits and British managers alike have publicly stated displeasure at the lack of British managers in the Premiership. Yet Scotsman Moyes, Welshman Mark Hughes and Englishmen Sam Allardyce and Steve Bruce all play the most boring brand of football in the division.

This is stark contrast to Arsene Wenger’s flair-filled Arsenal team, Rafa Benitez, who has transformed Liverpool from the dull-days of Gerrard Houllier to an attractive passing team, and of course Jose Mourinho of Chelsea. Yes, Chelsea have received high criticism for being ‘boring’, but look at their goals return and the number of times they have scored four this season. They are an attractive team who know when to turn to an unattractive style in order to get results.

Mourinho is a flexible man with a flexible team, who can change styles of play to suite each individual match scenario. Then you have the one-dimensional pairing of Allardyce and Moyes. One tactic, one ploy, no plan B. If Everton’s long high balls aren’t working, they throw on Duncan Ferguson to try and ‘outfox’ opponents with longer and higher balls. But as Moyes and Allardyce will both tell you, if it gets their teams points, they don’t really mind what others think.

While one or two teams plying their trade through direct football gives hope to many of the ‘lesser’ clubs in the Premiership, it also encourages a growth in the less than exciting tactics. Each individual case can be backed up by the success of the tactic, as many managers aren’t out to entertain. However, if it continues to spread and becomes the norm for Premiership managers to play 4-5-1, many overseas viewers who love the pace and intensity of the English Premiership, may well switch off.

1954: Chelsea vs Liverpool: Advantag

by : Henry Knight

There were two shocks on the night; the first being Frank Lampard’s battery actually running out and the second being the ‘revelation’, courtesy of Steven Gerrard’s post match interview, that Liverpool were actually trying to attack during the match. It was an admission that fooled any observer, as Liverpool had one Milan Baros header that required a world class Petr Cech save and one good passing move resulting in an impossible angle from which Djibril Cisse shot over.

Makelele was defensively immense and bossed Steven Gerrard, just as Roy Keane had earlier this season for Manchester United; although along with the rest of the players on the park, bar Xabi Alonso, his general distribution was appalling. Liverpool defended with great team organisation and another sparkling performance from Jamie Carragher highlighted the team’s desire.

This game was classic Chelsea v Liverpool for this season; Liverpool defended so well again that it required magic or luck from Chelsea to break them and unlike the teams three previous meetings Chelsea were obliged with neither.

From Chelsea’s perspective, they might be disappointed not to take a lead to Anfield, but they will be delighted that they kept a clean sheet and happy in the knowledge that Xabi Alonso, by far Liverpool’s most creative/dangerous player, will not be present. Of course Eidur Gudjohnsen will know exactly why Alonso won’t be present, as his dive caused one of only two mistakes from referee Alain Sars who was otherwise excellent; the other mistake was his booking for Joe Cole after Djimi Traore also dived, again and again, to make Cole’s boot look like a butcher’s cleaver.

Chelsea players will be thinking ‘what might have been’ as Lampard, Joe Cole and Didier Drogba all missed easy chances to open the scoring, which would have forced Liverpool to break rank and drive forward, leaving them exposed on the counter attack, Chelsea’s favourite form of play. As it is, Chelsea have a massive advantage; if they score an away goal Liverpool have to win, something they will struggle to do without Alonso and with Chelsea being, arguably, the best team in the world on the counter attack.

Rafael Benitez has proven to be a master technician, out thinking Fabio Capello and Arsene Wenger and neutralizing Jose Mourinho 4 times now. He has a dilemma for the Home leg at Anfield; he will know that Chelsea will want to play counter attacking football and he will not want to oblige them. It would not be surprising if he maintained the same tactics as he displayed at Stamford Bridge and hoped for some luck going forward, however, if the luck doesn’t come he will either crash and burn or get a winning result and be praised as a legend for ever more on Merseyside.

Steven Gerrard has too much pressure from all those surrounding Liverpool, including his manager, to perform miracles. He displayed this when up against the classy Makalele and showed why all those that call him ‘the best midfielder in the world’ are currently so wide of the mark. He was given his much coveted free role by Benitez because he hasn’t the discipline or mental aptitude to stick to one role, however he doesn’t have the creative flair or close control skills of players like Aimar or Gudjohnsen and therefore cannot trouble defences as much as is necessary in that role. It is a huge credit to Steven Gerrard that he does so well in his non-role and a sign that he has the ability to become the best midfielder in the world; his passing, shooting, pace and stamina are all world class, but only when his role is defined and he is comfortable in it, will he become the best.

Jose Mourinho will already know what he wants his team to do, but it is very ironic that he is counting on Liverpool arrogance to be a psychological boon for Chelsea. Nevertheless, there is an air of mystery around Liverpool which may lead those superstitious people into thinking some prophecy of a Liverpool win is very likely, however it is far more likely that Chelsea will throw a cold bucket of defeat and realization onto all those that truly believe it. The ridiculous media rhetoric about Liverpool’s past greatness and Anfield’s atmosphere will obviously be of really no relevance to the players, Chelsea and Liverpool have both been to more intimidating and much bigger stadiums in their European Campaigns and will not have any fears or hopes placed on past ghosts.

So finally; the sensible bets will be on Chelsea and a repeat of their 2-1 away win against Manchester United in the 2nd leg of the League Cup Semi Final and the first goal will be the most important.

1953: Chelsea vs Liverpool: Benitez

by : Bill Urban

I’m by no means certain of an exact Spanish translation of the word “cagey,” but whatever it is, surely this would be a proper description of Rafael Benitez’s efforts in Europe in general this season, and specifically in the semifinal first leg at Stamford Bridge. In a similar fashion to their performance in Turin against Juventus in the previous round, Liverpool packed the midfield with players, kept their defensive shape, and for the most part kept Didier Drogba out of Jerzy Dudek’s airspace, controlling the pace and tempo of much of the proceedings.

In short, Benitez’s Liverpool did to Chelsea what Chelsea have done to everyone else they have played this season. Liverpool don’t have the power and pace to hit players on the counter like Drogba, Damien Duff, Arjen Robben, and lately Joe Cole, and on set pieces, Liverpool are demonstrably inferior to Chelsea, a situation which may come back to haunt them in the second leg next week. But what Benitez clearly understood before this match was that one of the major reasons that Chelsea have been so successful this season, particularly in the Premier League, is that Premiership sides, particularly those playing at home, feel compelled to push players into attack. The home supporters, and tradition, demand it. And Chelsea are so dangerous on the counter, finding space behind the opposition back four with such precise passing, that even when the opposition does not come forward, Chelsea are still capable of getting in behind and creating trouble.

But Benitez came to Stamford Bridge with the intention of controlling the match, and the way he chose to accomplish this whenever possible was to deny Chelsea their preferred methods of attack, long passes in behind the defenders or sharp, one-touch passing moves down the centre of the park.

Drogba and Frank Lampard both missed palpable chances to put Chelsea in front in the first half. But for the most part, Benitez’s plan to make Chelsea uncomfortable worked quite well, and without two sharp saves by Petr Cech, from John Arne-Riise and a header by Milan Baros, Chelsea might have been carrying the weight of an away goal deficit to Anfield next Tuesday. This is what Benitez and Jose Mourinho both understand, that in European football, chances and commitment to attack are always in shorter supply the more the match means.

On a typical Premiership scale, this sort of tactical approach makes for very poor entertainment value. But the chess match between Benitez and Mourinho was a very absorbing and tense one, and certainly more of the same can be expected in the second-leg next week. The pre-match maneuvering has already started, with The Special One declaring his satisfaction with the 0-0 result, and certainly one can expect Chelsea feeling very confident about the second leg if Liverpool come out to attack with the same force that they showed against Olimpiacos, Leverkusen, and Juventus at home in the Champions League. A Liverpool FC committed to the attack would fit into Mourinho’s preferred counter-attacking tactics perfectly.

But he’s cagey, is Rafa.

It would be no real surprise to see both sides come out playing some variation of 4-5-1 again next Tuesday. Liverpool will be lacking the suspended Xabi Alonso, and Damian Duff’s fitness will still be a question mark for Chelsea. The possibility of a return for Didi Hamann may very well push Benitez into adopting a 4-5-1 system again for the second leg, rather than the more adventurous 4-4-2 that everyone including Mourinho seems to be expecting.

In short, Rafa has been good for a fair few surprises during Liverpool’s 2004-05 European campaign. Expecting otherwise next Tuesday would be foolish in the extreme. The question is not which of the sides has more of the better players, but which of the two managers hits on the best way to use the players that he’s got. One wonders what the Cagey One and the Special One will have in store for each other next Tuesday...

1944: Man City: Pearce has a glimmer

by : Hugh Larkin

A combination of the outcome in the cup competitions and the levelling out of standards in the Premiership below the top three, has opened up an unlikely possibility of UEFA Cup football for Manchester City and their caretaker manager Stuart Pearce. With three games to play City are only four points away from 7th place which should deliver European football for the team holding that position.

Outside the elite, the next 10 teams all appear able to beat each other on any given day and this has kept a whole pack of teams in a relatively close bunch. At this stage of the season all the squads have taken something of a battering and only Bolton have really been able to make decisive move in the final third of the campaign.

Both Middlesbrough and Tottenham Hotspur have failed to take an authoritative hold on that last European berth. Spurs defeat to Arsenal removed the game in hand for Martin Jol’s team and has left the door open to Stuart Pearce’s unheralded squad to force the issue. Although City are behind, they play both Middlesbrough and Aston Villa in their last three games and so could put serious pressure on their rivals. Their other game is against a Portsmouth side who have just about made their Premiership status secure for the season.

Spurs also have to play Villa and Middlesbrough, opening up the prospect that the other contenders could take points off each other. If City could string together three wins to end the campaign there would be a chance that would be good enough to accelerate them into the vital 7th spot. If that were to occur surely Pearce would be granted the manager’s job on a permanent basis.

While most of the teams above them have been performing moderately, both City and Aston Villa have quietly put together unbeaten runs at a crucial time that could threaten their supposed superiors at the Riverside and White Hart Lane- though it’s something of an indictment of standards in the Premiership that teams who have lost more games then they have won are still so close to a place in Europe.

City are benefiting as a team with nothing to lose. The squad ensured their status for next season a long time ago and with a new manager to impress there has been none of the end of season apathy that can afflict teams becalmed in mid-table with a few games to go. There was never the slightest chance that Pearce would take any matches easily and his massive enthusiasm has been communicated to his players.

The odds are still against European soccer at the City of Manchester Stadium next year- only nine points is likely to be good enough and even then City might find themselves pipped at the post. Nevertheless, it’s amazing that there’s even a glimmer of hope and if Manchester City can beat Portsmouth this weekend, the other clubs are going to face the full force of Pearce’s hugely competitive presence.

1948: The Players Left Out by the PF

by : Paul Grech

End of season awards never fail to divide opinions. Whilst John Terry undoubtedly deserved to be named the PFA Player of the Year, the final shortlist from which he was chosen did include a couple of debatable choices. So much that here at the squarefootball offices we’ve drawn up our own shortlist of players who should have figured in the list presented by the PFA.

Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)

Anyone who has seen enough of Liverpool this season to see through the media’s hyperbole on Steven Gerrard will confirm that their best player – and the one truly deserving to be on the PFA’s shortlist – has been Jamie Carragher. A regular under Gerard Houllier, he retained his place when Benitez took over. However, the Spanish manager quickly realised that Carrager wasn’t a full back and pushed him into a more central position where he immediately looked at ease.

A tough, uncompromising defender who has been compared to Tommy Smith, Carragher is much more intelligent than many credit him to be. On the pitch he gives everything, embodying the fans’ commitment to the club. Off it, he is a studious examiner of tactics who is always looking at ways to improve. In Benitez, he has found the ideal mentor and his performances bear ample testimony.

Tim Cahill (Everton)

There have been plenty of unheralded stars in Everton’s season. Thomas Gravesen would have been a contender for the PFA award if he hadn’t opted to join a minor Spanish outfit called Real Madrid. His former midfield partner, Lee Carsley, along with Nigel Martyn and Marcus Bent have been nothing short of outstanding. But the undoubted star of this Everton team has been Tim Cahill.

Most fans were decidedly under whelmed when Moyes signed the midfielder from Milwall in an attempt to convince Wayne Rooeny to remain at Goodison.

Cahill, however, soon started to prove his manager had been right to take the plunge. An intelligent, attacking outlet for a team with a decidedly defensive outlook, Cahill made his mark with a series of important goals. His talent for breaking into the box at exactly the right moment has marked him out as the most effective midfielder after Frank Lampard. If not the Player of the Year, then certainly the Bargain of the Year.

Shaun Wright Phillips (Manchester City)

Manchester City fans won’t mind if Shaun Wright Phillips is overlooked in these end of season awards. Not because they begrudge him any honour that come his way but rather as they consider that being out of the spotlight will diminish the possibility of him attracting the attention of a bigger club.

If injury hadn’t intervened at a crucial stage of the season, stories about Wright Phillips moving would be emerging at the same regularity of the ‘Gerrard to Chelsea’ reports. Even so, it is unlikely that many managers will have forgotten his displays in the opening half of the campaign where a rapidly maturing Wright Phillips caused havoc with his speed.

Ledley King (Tottenham)

English football is currently so blessed with talented central defenders that Sven Goran Eriksson might be tempted to put out an England team made up exclusively of them. In fact, he’s already given it a go with the abortive attempt at utilising Ledley King in a holding role in midfield.

That King wasn’t actually that bad bears testament to the talent of a player who has grown visibly in front of the eyes of the White Hart Lane faithful. Not only has he replaced the player ‘whose name shall not be mentioned’ at the centre of their defence but also in their hearts. A born leader, his commanding displays have been the focal point of Spurs’ season that has often been blighted by inconsistency from other areas.

Gabriel Heinze (Manchester United)

Heinze’s career at Old Trafford didn’t start in the best way possible. Playing for Argentina in the Olympics won out against starting pre-season with his new club, and Alex Ferguson certainly wasn’t happy with the player’s choice.

A series of classy displays once he got to wear the red shirt, however, soon proved that the wait had been worthwhile. Unlike many foreign players coming into the Premiership, the Argentine left-back immediately adapted to the pace of the English game. Indeed, he seems to revel in the frantic pace and physical nature of football in England.

Ferguson’s reputation in the transfer market has taken a number of hits in recent years. Eric Djemba Djemba, Kleberson and Juan Sebastian Veron, for instance, all failed miserably despite the hefty transfer fees paid out. Yet, in Heinze – a relative unknown before joining United - he has pulled off the yet another masterstroke and rehabilitates, at least partially, his status.

Arjen Robben (Chelsea)

Now that Chelsea’s season is reaching its successful climax, it is easy to forget the pivotal role that Robben’s introduction had in changing the team’s fortune. True, they set off on a blistering series of wins, yet there was little conviction in their style of play. Mourinho’s players were winning but they were hardly convincing.

Once a fully rehabilitated Robben started to find his feet, they seemed to step up a gear. A sublime technique allied with the unnerving capacity to think at high speed which distinguishes world-class players from the rest was clearly too much for the Premiership defences. Further injury worries robbed him of the chance to receive the plaudits that he so fully deserves. History, however, will show that Robben was the player who really kick-started Chelsea’s season.

1946: Celtic: The ugly success of Cr

by : Kilian Murphy

It is becoming obvious that Craig Bellamy’s move to Celtic has been a roaring success. His goal tally has been excellent, and his pace and strength have proved too much for the weak defences he has been pitted against to handle. His considerable footballing merits have been sorely missed at Newcastle – Bellamy’s brash presence would have at least insured their campaign would not have petered out so pathetically.

Bellamy certainly believes that his absence has cost Newcastle dear – and has wasted no time in letting his former team mates know this. Following their 4-1 humiliation in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United, Alan Shearer was reportedly bombarded with nasty, gloating text messages from the Welsh striker. He reportedly told Shearer that he was past it and his legs had gone.

This is staggeringly unpleasant behaviour – even for Bellamy, a man who taunts opposition at smaller clubs about their inferior wage packet. What makes it even harder to take is that he is correct in his observations about Shearer. At this stage in their respective careers, Bellamy does provide a more potent threat than the former England captain.

This, perhaps, is what is most ugly about Bellamy’s success. He flourishes because of his unpleasant characteristics, rather than in spite of them. His arrogance and selfishness have helped to fashion him into a devastatingly combative footballer. Bellamy does not improve as a result of lessons learnt from previous displays of stupidity. Rather, he uses the resulting negative reaction to fuel even more energetic footballing performances.

Of course, Bellamy is not the only bad boy in British football. This season, the game has had more than its fair share of bad apples. But, with most of the other loose cannons, there has been a sense that their footballing success has either flourished or floundered on their willingness to learn from their mistakes.

Kieron Dyer’s behaviour at the start of the season – when he staged a one-man strike against manager Bobby Robson – was as appalling as anything Bellamy has done in his time. However, his subsequent good form was borne out of a genuine remorse for his stupidity, and a lung-bursting desire to win the fans back again with his footballing performances. Bellamy does not use good football to silence his critics. He uses his excellent performances as a platform from which he can sneer, deride and taunt those that have “wronged” him.

Jermaine Pennant’s career may be young, but he has already built up a catalogue of foolish acts, culminating in a recent prison sentence for drink driving. However, his delightfully inventive performance against Everton at the weekend bore the hallmarks of a once-reckless youth imbued with a new maturity. His prison sentence seems to have given him a new freshness – lessons have been learnt, and he is now doing his best to stay out of trouble and let his football do the talking.

Duncan Ferguson has a long track record as a wild, angry individual. Yet still, there was something delightfully uplifting about his recent goals against Manchester United and Birmingham. Ferguson has shown good professionalism and patience this season – warming the bench for long stretches, while James Beattie has spurned countless chances. There was a genuine warmth and strength of feeling between Ferguson and the Everton supporters has he ran over to embrace them after Saturday’s late equaliser. No matter what your feelings are about Ferguson The Man – it is hard to envisage him delighting in Everton’s downfall, should he move on at some point.

Martin O’Neill – the epitome of a decent, caring manager and human being – is eager to extend his working relationship with Bellamy. Who can blame him? He is under pressure to get the better of Rangers each season, and having the Welshman in the team gives them a head start. However, it is undeniably saddening to see an individual as selfish and undeserving as Bellamy being praised to the skies by this old footballing gentleman. One also suspects that his kindness towards Bellamy will bite him in the ass later – if an offer from a large Premiership comes in, Celtic will learn (as Newcastle have) about Bellamy’s selfish streak. Who knows, perhaps a year from now, Bellamy will be sending Chris Sutton vicious texts, after a lacklustre Old Firm defeat?

1941: PFA Young Player of the Year h

by : Antony Melvin

In 2005 the young player of the year nominations were dominated by big money signings. Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, Arjen Robben (Chelsea) and Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur) were all big money signings. By contrast the home grown talents of Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City) and Stuart Downing (Middlesbrough) are merely potential big money sales.

The 2005 PFA Young Player of the Year was Wayne Rooney.

PFA Young Player of the Year 1974 - 2005

1974 Kevin Beattie Ipswich Town
1975 Mervyn Day West Ham United
1976 Peter Barnes Manchester City
1977 Andy Gray Aston Villa
1978 Tony Woodcock Nottingham Forest
1979 Cyrille Regis West Bromwich Albion
1980 Glenn Hoddle Tottenham Hotspur
1981 Gary Shaw Aston Villa
1982 Steve Moran Southampton
1983 Ian Rush Liverpool
1984 Paul Walsh Luton Town
1985 Mark Hughes Manchester United
1986 Tony Cottee West Ham United
1987 Tony Adams Arsenal
1988 Paul Gascoigne Newcastle United
1989 Paul Merson Arsenal
1990 Matthew Le Tissier Southampton
1991 Lee Sharpe Manchester United
1992 Ryan Giggs Manchester United
1993 Ryan Giggs Manchester United
1994 Andrew Cole Newcastle United
1995 Robbie Fowler Liverpool
1996 Robbie Fowler Liverpool
1997 David Beckham Manchester United
1998 Michael Owen Liverpool
1999 Nicolas Anelka Arsenal
2000 Harry Kewell Leeds United
2001 Steven Gerrard Liverpool
2002 Craig Bellamy Newcastle United
2003 Jermaine Jenas Newcastle United
2004 Scott Parker Chelsea
2005 Wayne Rooney Manchester United

Winners by club

6 Manchester United 5 Liverpool 4 Newcastle United 3 Arsenal 2 Aston Villa, Southampton, West Ham United 1 Chelsea, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Luton Town, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion

Winners by club location

7 London, Manchester 5 Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3 Birmingham/Black Country 2 Southampton 1 Ipswich, Leeds, Luton, Nottingham

1951: Champions League: Chelsea vs L

by : Antony Melvin

Objective. Achieved. Steven Gerrard admitted that Liverpool were more than happy with a point and that they came to try to ‘nick a goal’ – footballer speak for playing for a 0-0. That Chelsea played through the centre all night played into their hands – and Liverpool should play in the same way in six days time to book a trip to Istanbul.

Jerzy Dudek 6/10

Almost a Dudek moment late on when he slipped as the ball trickled towards goal – but otherwise a reliable performance.

Steve Finnan 6/10

Another steady performance from a player that finally seems settled in the side. Played very defensively – which is no real indictment.

Sami Hyypia 7/10

Widely tipped to be replaced in the summer Hyypia showed again why he is so good in English conditions. Ran himself to a stand still and was rarely exposed by the tricky Chelsea forward line.

Djimi Traore 6/10

Better. Traore has so many detractors that it may be too late to save his Anfield career and his unseemly habit of rolling around injured is irritating – but he has pace, power and touch. He could yet turn into, say, Mikael Silvestre. Best get rid then.

Jamie Carragher 8/10

Man of the match for all but the one-eyed. He outfought Drogba and hustled, harried and hassled whichever of the multi-talented, expensive Chelsea forwards he was up against. A captain’s performance – whether Gerrard goes or stays there is no doubt who should wear the armband.

John Arne Riise 6/10

Had an interesting tussle with Glen Johnson, generally outwitting him – but not always. Played with intent – but within himself.

Steven Gerrard 5/10

It is a struggle to conceive of a less apt way to play your potential employers. Wasteful in possession and rarely getting forward – if Biscan had played like this he would have been subbed at half-time.

Xabi Alonso 7/10

Late booking was inevitable as he noticeably tired in the final quarter, when even his passing started to desert him. Until his legs went he was the best midfielder on the pitch.

Igor Biscan 7/10

For an hour Biscan proved he was a good Houllier purchase, but as he faded, fortunately so did Chelsea. Brilliant in the anonymous water carrier role that allows Alonso and Gerrard the freedom to attempt the Hollywood stuff.

Replaced by the ineffective Kewell on 86 minutes

Luis Garcia 8/10

Carragher may have shaded the man of the match but Garcia was brilliant. Constantly offering an outlet on the right, he tackled back, hustled and harried and still offered a threat late on when most of the Liverpool team were exhausted. His work rate ensured that the defence got some necessary breathers that stopped the match turning into a Chelsea siege.

Replaced by Smicer in injury time

Milan Baros 6/10

As Baros’s Anfield career starts to peter out he may look at tonight as another great opportunity missed. Time and space to run at slower opponents and yet he rarely upset them. Why is he so much more effective in a Czech shirt?

Replaced by Cisse after 65 minutes.

1950: Champions League: Chelsea vs L

by : Antony Melvin

This article has been removed at the writer's request.There is no doubt that Chelsea are starting to look lacklustre. Deprived of their brilliant wingers, Chelsea played through the middle and into Liverpool’s hands. Plan A was through the middle, B aim it at Drogba and C get Robben on – but nothing appeared to go right. 0-0 is not a bad result though.

Petr Cech 7/10

It is rare that keepers are even nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award and tonight Cech showed his ability. Liverpool only had a couple of real chances but Cech looked like he would remain unbeaten if Chelsea had played until the weekend.

Glen Johnson 6/10

There are times when Johnson shows that Gary Neville’s tenure at right-back for England is about to end. And then an experienced pro like Riise (who is little older) demonstrates that Johnson may have the ability but a steady-eddie like Neville is usually preferable.

John Terry 7/10

Looked frustrated by the end and well he should, demonstrated why he is so well regarded and better delivery from a set piece in the return leg will surely give him a good chance of improving on his 4 headed Champions League goals.

Ricardo Carvalho 6/10

At times he is sublime, but tonight he was unemployed for large periods. Offers little out of defence and

William Gallas 6/10

Against the willing Luis Garcia this was a potential banana skin for the clearly unhappy Gallas. Like Steven Gerrard he may have been playing against future team-mates tonight.

Tiago 5/10

Subdued night for the Portuguese as Mourinho kept thing simple through the centre. With little width on offer Tiago was constantly left with no out let ball and started to drift into Makelele’s territory.

Replaced by Robben on the hour.

Claude Makelele 7/10

Fortunate to escape a booking after illegally stopping a Liverpool break on half way late on, but he was his usual combative, effective self. Played the game he was asked to.

Frank Lampard 6/10

Clearly riled by missing the best chance of the night Lampard was simply by-passed in the second half. His shots and crosses and even his drive went missing. Is the non-stop football he has been playing for almost 2 years finally catching up with him?

Joe Cole 6/10

Without the two wing wizards Chelsea were always going to look to Cole for inspiration and on two occasions he nearly provided it. Setting up Lampard for what should have been a goal and after an hour when he waltzed into the area only to get blinded by glory when he could have squared for a Gudjohnsen tap-in. Disappointing night ended with a booking.

Eidur Gudjohnsen 7/10

The usual clever game by Gudjohnsen, he was the man constantly switching positions to make things difficult for the Liverpool midfield and later on to adapt the team shape for each substitution. Absolutely essential to the way Chelsea play.

Didier Drogba 6/10

Wasteful in front of goal, Drogba struggled against two rugged centre-halves. Nearly set-up Kezman late on, nearly scored earlier, nearly a good night. Replaced by Mateja Kezman after 78 minutes.

1945: Premiership: Manchester United

by : Bill Urban

A few quick clicks, a snap, the faint drift of oil on the breeze, perhaps a gentle wheeze of air through the nostrils, one eye open, one eye closed...

Sir Alex Ferguson, cocked and locked, ready to win his Manchester United side a few penalties.

The above images are frankly much more interesting ones than the latest installments in the berserk conspiracy theory/mind games emanating from Ferguson’s Old Trafford offices. In the aftermath of the 2-1 victory over the completely-imploded Newcastle United side, Ferguson claimed that a United player “has to be shot” for him to be awarded a penalty.

Never mind that referring to gunfire in the context of a sporting contest, metaphorical or not, is beyond irresponsible; so much of the sport’s hackneyed cliches are couched in military imagery that Sir Alex can be forgiven this moment of impropriety. But coming from the man and the club that have benefitted from a fair few controversial penalty decisions within Old Trafford confines, the latest claim from Ferguson that everyone is out to get him and United rings more than a bit hollow.

The crux of Ferguson’s complaint seems to be that, since the Arsenal/Man Utd match last October, when Wayne Rooney was a) hacked to the Old Trafford turf by Sol Campbell, if you are of the United persuasion, or b) clearly cheating by diving in the box to win a penalty, if you are a supporter of any other football club, United have been denied clear penalties by match officials in reprisal.

“It is getting ridiculous now,” Ferguson said. “I am not sure if they are instructed, but it is looking sinister to me.”

More sinister than a manager desperate to avoid a season without winning a trophy after years of success, perhaps? To what depths might a man under the pressure of managing the self-proclaimed Biggest Club in the World sink to avoid such an ignominious fate?

Well, certainly, he might concoct ludicrous conspiracy theories for a start.

The challenge by Andy O’Brien on Alan Smith was one of those that draws different opinions from different supporters; the best description of it is something along the lines of “Another ref might have given a penalty there.”

Sir Alex was correct to be concerned about Smith not drawing a penalty. But because this did not happen, the Referee’s Association is in cahoots against All Things United? Pull the other one, Sir Alex...

Which leaves as the only other option the even more tired theory that Ferguson’s complaint is part of another mysterious, pseudo-psychological mind game with the intent of rattling Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, and Match Official Rob Styles, before the FA Cup Final. But if this was Sir Alex’s intent, it might all be wasted effort; if memory serves, Rob Styles has already been more than generous in awarding penalties to United in previous matches. Beg pardon, for shame, surely Styles would do nothing untoward in the FA Cup Final, regardless of whatever pressure might be brought to bear? Would he?

As the news of Sir Alex’s latest tirade settled in, the surprising emotion I found myself experiencing was neither disgust nor anger, two of the generally most prominent feelings with Sir Alex up to his latest tricks. Indeed, the strangest thought occurred to me: Sir Alex is not confident about his team.

Do I feel sorry for Sir Alex? Surely not. Yet the inescapable conclusion is that there is more than a little air of desperation about the latest conspiracy accusations passing Sir Alex’s lips.

Unlike past attempts at supposed “mind games” from the United manager, his team is in a very real crisis of poor form and changing room indecision, coupled with uncertainty over the club’s future, and perhaps his own continuing employment as manager.

The accusations of referee bias might not in fact be “mind games;” perhaps Sir Alex is worried about the FA Cup Final and keeping his job.

Given his club’s poor run of recent form, difficulty in scoring goals, and unrest on and off the pitch, perhaps he has every right to be...

1943: Champions League: Chelsea vs L

by : Stephen Orford

The Premiership is certain of a representative in the Champions League final as Chelsea prepare to entertain Liverpool in the first leg of their semi-final tie on Wednesday (April 27).

Chelsea are on the brink of their first Premiership crown in 50 years, and only the second in their history, and go into the tie as strong favourites to make it to Istanbul on May 25. However, though their league form has been hopelessly erratic this season, the Reds’ performances in Europe have convinced many that they are in with more than just a puncher’s chance of causing an upset.

League-leading Chelsea are boosted by the news that Arjen Robben may make his first start since breaking a foot at Blackburn in early February. The Dutch flyer, who could face a meeting with old club PSV Eindhoven in the final, came through an appearance as a substitute against Fulham on Saturday (April 23) without any further problems, and will offer boss Jose Mourinho yet more attacking options.

It is at the back where Chelsea may find problems. Full-backs Paulo Ferreira and Wayne Bridge continue to be absent through injury, forcing Mourinho to call on Robert Huth and William Gallas in those positions in recent times. Huth’s displays in particular have been less than convincing, and this could be one area which Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez could look to exploit.

Benitez has problems of his own, however, with Milan Baros struggling to recover in time from the knee injury which forced him out of the miserable defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday. With Fernando Morientes again cup-tied Baros’s absence would leave Djibril Cisse as the only recognised striker available in the Liverpool squad. Cisse has not completed 90 minutes of football since returning from the shocking injury he endured against Blackburn Rovers early in the season, and may not be ready to step into the line-up from the start. This could lead to the deployment of Luis Garcia in a more advanced attacking role, with perhaps Steven Gerrard handed the job of offering support from midfield.

That midfield has been improved greatly in recent weeks by the return to fitness of Xabi Alonso, and his partnership with Gerrard could be a devastating one if and when it finally clicks into gear. It will be difficult for them to achieve that here, however, with Claude Makalele and Frank Lampard providing just about as tough an opposition as there is in any European engine room in modern football. With greater width in the form of Robben and Damien Duff, the Chelsea central midfield pairing seem to have greater options than their Liverpool counterparts, and Lampard in particular could enjoy several opportunities to get forward and support an attack led by the expensive, but unconvincing Didier Drogba.

The teams have faced each other on three occasions already this season, with the Blues coming out on top every time. Joe Cole, who faces a fight for his place should Robben return, scored goals both at home and away to secure 1-0 wins for his side in the Premiership, while the two sides played out an altogether more interesting Carling Cup final in February, with Mourinho’s men winning 3-2.

Two away goals, even in defeat, would do Liverpool very nicely on the night but it is likely to be a more cagey affair than was seen in Cardiff. Facing Liverpool for the first time since he famously ‘shushed’ their fans on his way to lifting the Carling Cup, Mourinho is shrewd enough to realise that while they may be unspectacular in the league, Liverpool have enough of a threat on the counter attack to make it an awkward evening for his troops.

History is with Liverpool, as the four-time European champions enter their first semi-final in the competition since 1985. Chelsea have never been beyond the semi-final stage, but have now done so twice in successive years after losing out to Monaco a year ago under Claudio Ranieri’s charge.

Were this a league game there would be little brain work required at prediction time. Chelsea have proved peerless in the Premiership, while Liverpool have struggled to convince at any point during another troubled season at Anfield domestically. However, their fairy tale European run of 2005 seems to go on and on, and there is every prospect that, should they register an away goal in either a draw or a narrow defeat, they could set up another famous European night at Anfield in the second leg.

Verdict; Chelsea 2 Liverpool 1

Stephen Orford

1947: UEFA Cup, the new poisoned cha

by : Kieran McHugh

With silly season still some months away, and talk of a title race a distant memory, idle thinkers have rounded recently on the UEFA Cup. Is it worth the plinth it stands on, and can qualification for the competition actually hinder a club’s growth?

Arguments in support of this can broadly be viewed as comparisons with the Champions League. Revenues received by clubs competing in the Champions League far outstrip those that can be gained from entry to the UEFA Cup. The prestige of winning the trophy compares so unfavourably to that of winning the Champions League as to be seen almost as a different sport. Players will, in almost every instance, choose to play for a club that can boast regular appearances in the Champions League, if they are able. These are not a subject for much debate.

However, they are not really arguments that show qualification for the UEFA Cup to be harmful. More, they support another theory. That qualification for the Champions League is better than gaining entry to the UEFA Cup. Indisputable.

The real question is whether not qualifying for the UEFA Cup is better than qualifying for it. To be frank, this notion is an outright fallacy. Not least because it pre-supposes that clubs can make a choice of which games they will win and lose to finish in a desired position in the Premiership. If this were the case, I don’t think many would find themselves in the relegation berths come the season’s end.

In football, if you are not moving forwards, you are going backwards. Just look at the recent travails of clubs at the bottom of the Premiership. Register a win and safety is within grasp. A defeat, and disaster looms. UEFA Cup qualification gained from attaining a higher league position than others means quite simply, that you are winning more league games than your immediate rivals.

Quite apart from the effect that second tier European football might or might not have on a club’s squad in a season following UEFA qualification, the effect of not qualifying lies in what can happen when league points are not picked up regularly. Managers are sacked, players become unsettled and fans stop attending matches. Are we to suppose that these are conducive to long term stability and growth? A UEFA Cup berth is a tangible reward for a solid season of league football.

Charlton in recent times provide a useful example of why challenging for a UEFA Cup place is worthwhile for all clubs in and around 7th spot. After great starts to the season, and with relegation not a consideration, the Addicks have singularly failed to push on for the European spot their football has often deserved. The players have perhaps quit 8 or 10 games from the end of the season. This can become a habit. If you’re not going forwards, you’re going backwards. If they find themselves within striking distance of a Champions League berth next season, will the players again quit 8 games early? What if they don’t make such a good start to the season? Will they still quit early and find themselves in a relegation fight they are ill equipped for?

Sure, the Champions League has become all consuming and taken some of the lustre from the UEFA Cup, but ask Alan Curbishley whether he’d take it, and he’d tell you he would, for one simple reason. He’d have been winning more games than he’d have lost. This is the reality behind qualification for the UEFA cup, not the money or prestige. Progress is the key, and is inseparable currently from qualification for the UEFA Cup.

1949: Spurs: Where’s the magic in th

by : Adam Graham

This article has been removed at the writer's request.

1929: SPL: Does anyone like 'the spl

by : Kenneth Angove

A couple of friends from down south recently accompanied me to Motherwell’s last game before the SPL split into two. “It should be a decent game” I explained, “there’s a place in the top six up for grabs.”

I was hoping for a decent game more to entertain my companions then for my own benefit, because as I’m sure anyone who has friends who are more accustomed to the ostentatious glamour of the premiership will know there is need to constantly talk up the Scottish game.

As it happens the game wasn’t the best; the first half was a rather dire affair with both sides opting to punt the ball up the park rather than make any attempt at playing it out of defence. The second half was a bit livelier and as news filtered through that Inverness Caledonian were three nil up, only requiring one more to overtake Motherwell into sixth the crowd stated to pick up also. In the end Motherwell equalised and secured their place in the top six. However once I started to explain the logistics of the split I found that my attempts at talking up the Scottish game had been utterly futile and lost all credibility.

“So Inverness can’t get any higher up the table now?” asked one.

“Nope that’s it for them” I replied. There was a pause while he digested this, here it comes I thought all my talk of Terry Butcher and Tony Mowbray doing great things with limited resources bringing through good young players who play exciting football undone in one foul swoop.

“But what if they finish with more points than whoever’s in sixth”

In my mind’s eye I suddenly had an image of the SPL epitomised as a kind of jester caricature.

“Err…yeah they still can’t finish any higher then seventh” I mumbled.

“Well that’s just bloody stupid”

It was at this point that I decided to concede and admit defeat; my names Kenneth Angove and I follow Scottish Football.

With out going into a blow-by-blow account of how Scottish Football once again became affable in the eyes of my two friends. I explained how what he mentioned earlier had happened two seasons ago when not only did Hibs in seventh on 51 points finish above Dundee in sixth on 44 points and Dunfermline in fifth on 46 points but so did Aberdeen in eighth on 49 points.

I also explained the inevitably of imbalances in the number of games each side must play; Aberdeen are to play 18 at home and 20 away and Inverness Caledonian Thistle will play 20 at home and 18 away adding to this is the fact that the team who wins the league won’t have played exactly the same fixtures as the team who finishes second.

Granted it can be argued that the financial incentive is there with the club who finishes sixth getting more money and also the added possibility of a full house against the old firm but other than that any pretence spun by the SPL that the split makes the league more exciting is quickly dispelled by an objective examination of the facts. I don’t think I could sum it up any better than one of my companions did it’s “just bloody stupid.”

1938: Liverpool: How would Benitez s

by : Simon Cole

Steven Gerrard to Chelsea? It’s the season’s favourite ‘Will he?-Wont he?’ storyline for all of the newspapers. Nobody really knows the answer except Gerrard himself. But by now Rafa Benitez will surely be prepared for the worse: any top manager would be.

If he does leave for pastures new, Benitez will have at least £30million at his disposal. And having taken on a mediocre squad from predecessor Gerrard Houllier, he will be keen to use most of it. Here is how he may choose to spend the money, should it come his way, as well as other transfer activity which may well take place at Anfield this summer:

Goalkeepers – It could be argues that in Chris Kirkland, Jerzy Dudek and Scott Carson Liverpool already have three Premiership class ‘keepers.But with Kirkland constantly injured and Dudek seemingly unable to rid himself of the errors that have tarnished a once-fine reputation, Benitez may well be looking for an experienced stopper to fill a gap until Carson is ready to be a regular. Don’t be surprised to see one of – or both – Dudek and Kirkland offloaded in the summer to raise funds for an experienced number 1. Real Madrid’s back-up ‘keeper Cesar has been linked, and Benitez’s contacts in Spain make this move a real possibility.

Defenders – All season, Jamie Carragher has been an immovable force in the middle of Liverpool’s defence. However, this summer could be the time to find the perfect partner for him. Sami Hyypia has been superb in recent weeks but isn’t getting any younger and lacks pace. With Carragher not being the quickest - although no slouch – genuine pace is needed in Liverpool’s rearguard. Mauriccio Pellegrino doesn’t look at all comfortable in the Premiership and is also running out of years in the game. What is needed is someone dominant in the air, with some pace about them. Birmingham’s Matthew Upson has been strongly linked and looks a likely candidate. An unsettled William Gallas at Chelsea would also be worth a try.

Midfielders – Liverpool’s activity in this department depends massively on whether or not Gerrard leaves. If he does, don’t be surprised by a big-money bid for Shaun Wright-Phillips at Man City. In terms of replacing Gerrard, Ruben Baraja at Benitez’s old club Valencia looks a likely bet, as does Michael Essien, who starred in Lyon’s charge to the Champions’ League quarter-finals. Gerrard or no Gerrard, genuine pace and flair is needed in the Liverpool midfield. With funds possibly raised through the likes of Salif Diao and Harry Kewell, Valencia may one again be hunting ground for Benitez, with recent reports linking him with Kily Gonzalez and Pablo Aimar. Benitez has also expressed his desire to plough into the English market, and a surpise move for Middlesbrough’s starlet Stuart Downing shouldn’t be rules out. Kevin Nolan of Bolton has also been linked, and could be the type of midfielder Benitez focuses on if Gerrard stays: someone who wouldn’t expect to be in the side every week, but could play an influential part when involved.

Forwards – A combination of terrible luck with injuries and the sudden departure of Michael Owen – which Benitez barely had time to react to – has caused Liverpool many problems this season. A fully fit Djibril Cisse and Fernando Morientes will make a huge difference to Liverpool’s fortunes in front of goal next season, but more depth is also needed. Milan Baros looks to be on his way out of Anfield in the summer, Neil Mellor – despite a few vital goals – isn’t quite good enough to cut it at the top level, while French youngsters Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Anthony Le Tallec haven’t shone as many fans would have hoped. Andy Johnson of Crystal Palace has been linked, but Liverpool need more proven quality. Talk of a Michael Owen return makes perfect sense, but he is no quitter and is sure to give it at least one more season at Real Madrid. One name I’m surprised hasn’t been mentioned is Yakubu of Portsmouth. He scores more than his fair share of goals in a side that is – at best – a mid-table team.

All of the transfer speculation around Anfield is about Steven Gerrard at the moment, but once this issue is resolved, expect plenty more from the rumour-mill. Rafael Benitez has already made an strong impression on Liverpool fans, but he will be the first to admit this team is not his and can still improve a great deal. Whether Gerrard stays or goes, the time between May and August is going to have Liverpool fans on the edge of their seats in anticipation of major transfer activity.

1915: England: ‘Problem’ left side c

by : Simon Cole

The much publicised lack of a left-sided midfielder is the favourite reason we are fed for England’s failure to bridge the gap between being a good team and being a great team. Yet this has only become a problem position because we have made it one.

Sven Goran Eriksson has experienced mixed fortunes since taking over as manager of England five years ago. The undoubted highlight was the 5-1 hammering of the Germans, but the country’s failure to get past the quarter-finals in a major competition can only be seen as an underachievement. But people who think it is a left winger standing between England and a major trophy are hugely mistaken.

In the long term this “problem” looks after itself. Middlesbrough’s left winger Stuart Downing can be no more than a year away from being ready for regular international football. Joe Cole put a good case forward to make the position his own, but still cut inside to often, killing the momentum of numerous attacks.

But the problem isn’t one that Sven inherited from Kevin Keegan, but one he has created himself. The first thing you should do as a manager – particularly at international level – is to pick a formation to suite the players you have available. Unfortunately Sven picked a formation, and has used a ‘pick and mix’ method to try and play someone on the left of midfield. This has included playing some of his most influential players – including Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard – out of position and the team has suffered.

Though it was much criticised, Sven’s diamond midfield wasn’t totally unsuccessful and accommodated the fact that England lacked out and out wingers. Even David Beckham on the right hand side likes to drift inside, so this formation was far more suitable than a flat midfield four. The main weakness was the lack of numbers, with Paul Scholes almost as a third striker. But Scholes’ retirement from the international scene has opened the door for this formation to return – just with a little tweaking.

With Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen up front (and Jermain Defoe next in the pecking order), there isn’t a real need for out and out wingers, as David Beckham’s crossing ability is wasted on strikers lacking in height so much. The perfect solution would be a 4-1-3-2 formation. A central midfield trio of Beckham, Gerard and Lampard would be comparable to any midfield in the world. And when defensive duties call, it would also allow Beckham to drift wide right and Lampard to drift left. This would not hinder Lampard’s game as he plays to the left of central midfield for Chelsea. This would also allow more room for full-backs Gary Neville and Ashley Cole more freedom to join the attack.

This would allow Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard – three of the best midfielders in the world – to play infield together in their preferred positions. This just leaves the holding role, where Nicky Butt is the perfect foil for the attacking instincts of these three.

Butt is far from spectacular, but that is not an issue. That can be left to Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard. In Butt, England have a man who has never let the team down and does the simple things well; breaking up attacks and giving the ball to the more creative players. Recently Lampard and Gerrard have played together in central midfield in a 4-4-2, but this means that one of them always has to curb their attacking instincts to cover the defence. Butt would ensure that their attacking flair doesn’t go to waste and that an already exceptional defence gets sufficient support.

Endless media coverage is given to Sven Goran Eriksson’s left-sided problem, yet most managers in the world would happily take on his squad of players. Particularly as this “problem” is being created by Eriksson himself.

1940: Charlton: The Importance of Be

by : Laurence Parker-Brown

“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” - Oscar Wilde

At the start of each season certain pundits predict Charlton will be relegation candidates. When they routinely confound this viewpoint by achieving security, often including a flirtation with European places, they are then given disproportionately unfavourable coverage. Whilst an initial reaction is that The Addicks’ marginalisation merits a similar Wildean quip the reverse is true. It is actually to Charlton’s benefit and fortune that that they are allowed to prosper in relative disinterest.

Perception in life, indeed football, is a fascinating thing worth intellectual discussion above and beyond the items in which it manifests itself. Consider the famous optical illusion of two identical lines but whereby one has concave triangles at its edges whilst the other has convex triangles at either end. Though the lines are the same we the viewer are persuaded to believe that the outward stretching tangents make the line with convexity appear longer. This principle can be seen to act as a metaphor for how exposure and received wisdom can alter how we think about a club.

Charlton have a strong squad with many disciplined players and have enjoyed extremely creditable league places over recent years. Tottenham have faired no better in the last few seasons but are perceived differently due to factors like their more illustrious history and their more famous faces. Whilst Charlton fans might on one hand feel their manager, players and club deserve greater credit let us instead concentrate on why this aids their cause.

Firstly the relative overlooking helps with away fixtures. When clubs like Aston Villa or particularly Newcastle (possessors of delusions of grandeur if ever there was one) play Charlton their fans expect convincing home wins. When this is initially frustrated the atmosphere can change and soon the crowd may become restless and encourage their own players to be tentative for fear of making mistakes and triggering boos.

Secondly Charlton’s playing squad is allowed a peaceful existence free from trappings that can derail other teams. More recognised names like Fowler, Robbie Keane or Angel have their dips in form highlighted in the papers but down at the Valley their players are not as liable to such confidence sapping criticism. Furthermore there is less tabloid intrigue regarding a scandal thus Charlton are never likely to become embroiled in damaging revelations.

Curbishley has picked up some cracking performers but still they rarely fill column inches in the press or dominate chat-room discussions. Perhaps if Kiely, Hreidarsson, Holland or Rommedahl were at more topically mentioned clubs then the wider community would perceive them differently. Though confidence may be buoyed by the occasional flattery there are many advantages to being ignored. For instance rival fans rarely clamour for their own clubs to snap up these reliable professionals instead preferring to demand other, often less talented, signings.

Look at Bryan Hughes, a versatile and proven midfielder that is arguably as anonymous as it is possible to be in the top flight. That he is rarely talked limits his liability to be poached and further it prevents other teams having a full idea of how best to nullify his game. Instead he, very much summing up his club Charlton, are blessed with a nations oblivion to their outstanding success.

1919: UEFA Cup: Is qualification rea

by : Daniel Kelly

With a UEFA Cup spot guaranteed as far down as 7th in the Premiership, the climax of the 2004/5 season looks set to centred around the race for Europe. Everton, Bolton, and Liverpool are all eying the Champions League and Spurs, Charlton, Villa and Middlesbrough are in with a chance of a UEFA cup spot with just a few games to go.

Whilst no one can doubt the importance of Champions League qualification and the vast sums of revenue brought in, not to mention the increase in club profile the UEFA Cup is a markedly different story. The financial incentives of qualifying for the UEFA Cup are relatively insignificant, with only a run to the later stages of the competition guaranteeing any significant sum of revenue. When Liverpool won the UEFA Cup a few years back figures of around £10 million were raised, including prize money, TV appearances and extra gate income. For most of these clubs, however, winning the trophy is unlikely, with Middlesbrough and Newcastle falling at the last 16 and Quarter Finals respectively. For these two clubs their UEFA Cup qualification earned them a few million pounds, nothing more.

The cost of competing in Europe has also to be weighed up. Middlesbrough and Newcastle have both suffered domestically from the extra burden of midweek UEFA Cup football, particularly in the games immediately after European competition. Indeed with the 4th Champions League spot wide open this year, it could be argued that Middlesbrough in particular might well have stood a chance of qualifying if not for their UEFA Cup exertions. Squad depth is essential for European competition, with the ability to rotate players a must to avoid player burnout. Middlesbrough in particular have suffered this season from this very factor, falling away after a great start to the season. It must also be remembered that each place dropped in the league costs around £1 million, counter balancing any prize money earned.

I’d also like to examine the argument that European qualification brings in better players to the club. Do the best players in the world really decide that a chance to be playing in the UEFA Cup, pitting their wits against the players in the second tier of European football, is really an attraction? Surely playing in the Premiership is a bigger draw? On the back of last season’s UEFA cup qualification Middlesbrough went out and signed Mark Viduka from relegated Leeds and an out of contract Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank. Newcastle brought in free agent Patrick Kluivert on a one year trial basis. None of these signings were made possible only by UEFA Cup qualification, and in Kluivert’s case it was clear Newcastle considered him a risk.

To conclude UEFA Cup qualification is perhaps only suited to the clubs with bigger squads, and does not provide enough extra revenue to furnish the sides with the extra players necessary. To this end Liverpool, Bolton and Spurs look to be in best shape in terms of squad size, with Charlton and Everton (I’ll exclude Villa as they are rumoured to be investing heavily this summer anyway) likely to suffer most from potential European exertions. For the latter clubs, and to a lesser extent even the former it must be considered whether a run to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup is worth the domestic price it may exact. A few years ago Ipswich had a terrific run in the league and qualified for the UEFA Cup. They were relegated the next season.

1935: Man Utd: Ferguson and Keane –

by : Kilian Murphy

Alex Ferguson’s desire for Roy Keane to succeed him as Manchester United manager is another worrying example of his unswerving loyalty to his captain. Keane may well become a great manager – he certainly has many of the attributes of a great leader - but Manchester United is too big a club for an unproven coach to start his career from. Keane must learn his trade at a smaller club, and should only get the United job on the basis of managerial achievements gleaned elsewhere – not solely on his achievements as a player. Bryan Robson’s disastrous spell at Middlesborough bears testament to the fact that great Manchester captains don’t necessarily make management material.

Ferguson’s relationship with Keane has been the bedrock of United’s greatest recent successes, but there is evidence to suggest that it is taking a worrying turn. Ferguson has admitted that the unsuccessful 4-5-1 formation has been employed to preserve Keane’s playing career for a few extra years. However, while the extra bodies in midfield may spare the captain’s tiring legs, they are crippling the team’s attacking instincts. The 4-5-1 system does not benefit anyone other than the captain. Keane is still capable of excelling in a team laid out in a more attacking fashion – and the team, as a whole, would certainly benefit from it. The lack of protection may cause him to retire sooner – but Ferguson’s priority should be to get the best out of his group of players as a whole. Instead, he is weakening his team to extend his working relationship with one individual.

Results do not suggest Ferguson’s current tactic of choice is a beneficial one. Manchester United have scored once in their last five Premiership games, and have won only one of these. They lie 15 points behind Chelsea in the Premiership, and their new defensive formation was also largely responsible for their feeble Champion’s League exit to AC Milan. Preserving the career of one individual may be a shrewd move if United were doing it to continue a successful period – all it is currently preserving is an embarrassing run of poor results.

The frustration of Keane’s fellow players is there for all to see. A player’s meeting was called, and Brian McClair (the reserve team coach) was instructed to take the players’ complaints about the team’s negative tactics to the manager. Ferguson reacted furiously – and the one player to take his side was (surprise!) Roy Keane.

This dressing-room bust-up was followed by a public slamming of his fellow players’ work ethic from Keane. But United always respond in style when Roy has a go at them in the press, right? Wrong. Sure, United managed to destroy a shambolic Newcastle in the FA Cup, but this was followed by a dreary 1-0 defeat at Everton. The frustration of Keane’s team mates was there for all to see – Scholes petulantly kicking at Kilbane, Gary Neville angrily lashing the ball into the stands (and both receiving red cards for their trouble). If temperamental young starlets like Rooney or Ronaldo had behaved in this fashion, we may have been able to put it down to inexperience and youthful mischief. But the fact two experienced, accomplished professionals behaved in such a way gives us an insight into a deeply unhappy dressing room. Keane’s public criticisms may have carried weight when he was doing the work of three men in midfield. Now that his team-mates have been shackled by a tactic which benefits Keane and Keane only, it does not appear that they are overly happy about it.

Alex Ferguson is a great manager, who has shown in the past that he can bounce back when his critics write him off. Keane is still a fine footballer, whose positional sense and unfailingly accurate passing make him a worthy addition to any side. Individually, these two men have the attributes to mastermind a Manchester United revival. But put together, their relationship is starting to bring out the worst in each other.

1934: Manchester United: The perfect

by : Chris Sherrard

Not much will change, then. If Roy Keane replaces Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager that is. How will the players even know there has been a switch?

The Irishman has been a boss on the pitch for United for the last ten years. So if he does eventually make the move and become the manager at Old Trafford, as Ferguson suggests, then the players could be forgiven for thinking it’s business as usual.

But will it really be? Should Keane be handed the top job in club football before even tipping his toes in the water at any substantially lower level?

Probably not, in my opinion. Great player, sure. Top notch inspiration and driving force, without a doubt. But not ready for a massive job like the United one so soon. It’s a known fact that few truly great players become top class managers. And while Keane’s personality traits would lead many to believe, including me, that he will one day make an excellent manager, he needs to display that ability in a less pressurised environment first.

It is far from out of the question that Ferguson’s advice will be heeded and Keane will be installed as his replacement. But the first option, in those circumstances, would be for Fergie to hang around in an advisory capacity to mentor the Irishman through his first season or two in management. I know that proved a mistake when Sir Matt Busby performed a similar role in the 1970s but there is a genuine bond between Ferguson and Keane which makes them a considerable united force.

If the United board decide to cast their search for Ferguson’s successor that little bit wider then a number of proven managers come into the equation.

Certainly, through the Irish connection at Old Trafford, the name of Martin O’Neill wouldn’t be far from the head of any shortlist of candidates. You get the sense that this is the job he is waiting for. He has turned down big jobs in the past and his love for Celtic is incredibly strong. But nobody can tell me that if Manchester United knocked on his door he’d turn them away. No chance at all.

And that is why O’Neill is considered in many circles as a strong favourite to be the next Manchester United manager. There are others who would fit the bill required of a club of United’s standing. One stood on a touchline arguing the toss with Ferguson not one week ago. I refer, of course, to David Moyes the Everton boss, whose standing in club football has continued to rise and rise during his time at Goodison Park and this season must have done a lot for his reputation inside the Old Trafford board room.

United have a proud history of Scottish managers and Moyes would fit the bill as one of the new generation. With time on his side, too, he could devote the best years of his career – just like Fergie – to bossing Manchester United.

Having had the success he has had down the years at Old Trafford, Ferguson has clearly proved a great teacher and inspiration to his former player. A list of who would come into the picture when he eventually decides to quit. Many are managing at the top level or have enjoyed some success in the past and they – including Gordon Strachan, Steve Bruce, Bryan Robson, Alex McLeish and Mark Hughes – would get recommendations from Fergie if needed. But none of those have done enough so far in management to suggest they have the abilities needed to boss one of the biggest clubs in the world.

That is why, if it were me deciding who to replace Sir Alex Ferguson, I would plump for Martin O’Neill. And why not make Roy Keane his assistant? He could pass on his inside knowledge of the club to O’Neill and O’Neill could, in turn, show his fellow Irishman a thing or two about the management game.

That would be the Dream Team for Manchester United, in my view. It may be installed this summer, maybe next. Only time will tell when Fergie’s reign will end.

1937: Liverpool: Midfield crisis on

by : Simon Cole

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has enough on his plate as he approaches the end of his first season in charge. He faces two massive tests in finishing fourth to qualify for next year’s Champions’ League, and trying to win that very trophy against all of the odds.

Right now Benitez probably doesn’t have the time of day to think about the players he will have available for next season. But despite his immaculate composure, something must be ticking in the back of his mind about how short he could be on midfield options next year, regardless of whether rumours of a Steven Gerrard exit are true.

Clearly if Gerrard were to depart, it would be a massive blow. But this would be one of many midfield problems Benitez could have to live with in the summer. As if replacing your home-grown, crowd-favourite captain isn’t hard enough, Benitez could be left with a midfield with very little depth.

Igor Biscan – despite being one of Gerrard Houllier’s most criticised signings – has been a revelation at times this season, particularly in crunch European games. However, he is yet to have been offered a new contract by Liverpool and has himself admitted his future may lie elsewhere. It seems somewhat of a mystery why he hasn’t been offered a new deal, as he has shown on numerous occasions that he is a more than adequate back-up player. But if you’re not in your manager’s plans, then why stay around when you can go somewhere that you are wanted?

Perhaps of bigger concern to Benitez will be the future of the vastly experienced Dietmar Hamann. He has been one of Liverpool’s most consistent performers for the past five years, and a true unsung hero sat in front of the back-four, allowing Gerrard and Xabi Alonso the freedom to attack. Yet Hamann has still not managed to agree terms on a new deal.

There is little doubt that Liverpool want him to stay, but as he approaches the twilight of his career, Hamann is pondering finishing his playing days back home in Germany. This would seem like a particularly attractive option if Liverpool weren’t to qualify for next year’s Champions’ League. Not only could they not offer him the glamour of one last stint in Europe’s premier club competition, but the financial implications could lessen the amount in Liverpool’s offer for one last pay-day.

Hamann has played in a World Cup Final and won numerous medals at club level, and even if you ignore his playing ability, his role could be essential to the future of the club. Young midfielders such as John Welsh and Darren Potter – who have impressed in the Carling Cup for Liverpool this year – could learn a lot from the most senior player currently in the Anfield ranks.

Their lack of experience probably means that the pair aren’t ready to play a full season in the Liverpool first team, but with the help of Hamann, they could learn enough to help them make the step up to the big stage.

Some of the other midfielders also on Liverpool’s books have uncertain futures. Senegal international Salif Diao has spent the second half of the season on loan at Birmingham and looks certain to be offloaded in the summer. Meanwhile, the staff at Anfield also seem to have finally lost patience with Australian winger Harry Kewell.

Kewell has hardly impressed since his £5m move from Leeds two-years ago. And Benitez has been publicly critical of the number of games Kewell has managed to play, at times even hinting that he may have been exaggerating injuries. If Gerrard, Biscan, Hamann, Diao and Kewell do all depart this summer, it leaves Xabi Alonso as the only experienced central midfielder at Liverpool’s disposal.

This isn’t a bad way to start building a midfield though. Since returning from injury, Alonso has shown he is genuinely class and his passing ability is second to none. But he is going to need some quality team mates to work with.

Once Benitez has faced the on-field battles that remain this season, he will face the biggest test of all. Making sure he has a midfield for next season. Whether he will have £30million to spend wisely remains to be seen, but we will learn a lot this summer about Rafael Benitez and it will be very interesting to see who Liverpool line up with in midfield for the opening game of next season.

1930: PFA Player of the Year: Histor

by : Antony Melvin

The PFA Player of the Year for 2005 was picked on Sunday 24 April from a shortlist of six players. Three of the dominant Chelsea team - Frank Lampard, John Terry and Petr Cech; the Liverpool captain - Steven Gerrard; the surprise package from Crystal Palace - Andy Johnson; and the inevitable Arsenal goal machine Thierry Henry.

The 2005 winner was John Terry the Chelsea captain.

WINNERS 1974 to 2005

1974 Norman Hunter Leeds United 1975 Colin Todd Derby County 1976 Pat Jennings Tottenham Hotspur 1977 Andy Gray Aston Villa 1978 Peter Shilton Nottingham Forest 1979 Liam Brady Arsenal 1980 Terry McDermott Liverpool 1981 John Wark Ipswich Town 1982 Kevin Keegan Southampton 1983 Kenny Dalglish Liverpool 1984 Ian Rush Liverpool 1985 Peter Reid Everton 1986 Gary Lineker Everton 1987 Clive Allen Tottenham Hotspur 1988 John Barnes Liverpool 1989 Mark Hughes Manchester United 1990 David Platt Aston Villa 1991 Mark Hughes Manchester United 1992 Gary Pallister Manchester United 1993 Paul McGrath Aston Villa 1994 Eric Cantona Manchester United 1995 Alan Shearer Blackburn Rovers 1996 Les Ferdinand Newcastle United 1997 Alan Shearer Newcastle United 1998 Dennis Bergkamp Arsenal 1999 David Ginola Tottenham Hotspur 2000 Roy Keane Manchester United 2001 Teddy Sheringham Manchester United 2002 Ruud van Nistelrooy Manchester United 2003 Thierry Henry Arsenal 2004 Thierry Henry Arsenal 2005 John Terry Chelsea

WINNERS BY CLUB

7 Manchester United 4 Arsenal, Liverpool 3 Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa 2 Newcastle United, Everton 1 Blackburn Rovers, Derby County, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Chelsea

WINNERS BY CLUB LOCATION

8 London 7 Manchester 6 Liverpool 3 Birmingham 2 Newcastle 1 Blackburn, Derby, Ipswich, Leeds, Nottingham, Southampton

MULTIPLE WINNERS

2 Thierry Henry, Mark Hughes, Alan Shearer (the only winner awarded whilst at 2 different clubs)

WINNERS BY POSITION

17 forwards 6 midfield 4 defenders 3 wingers 2 goalkeepers

WINNERS WHO HAD BEEN SOLD BECAUSE THEY WERE 'PAST THEIR BEST'

Kevin Keegan, Southampton 1982 Paul McGrath, Aston Villa 1993

WINNERS NOT WITH THE TEAM THEY ARE MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH

Kevin Keegan - Southampton Gary Lineker - Everton Alan Shearer - Blackburn Rovers Paul McGrath - Aston Villa Teddy Sheringham - Manchester United

1936: Premiership preview: Portsmout

by : Colin Illingworth

Portsmouth v Southampton Sunday April 24 12pm KO

This has been the fixture most Saints fans have been dreading yet somewhat perversely looking forward to. A trip to their fierce rivals Portsmouth at Fratton Park knowing that defeat today, of all days, could put a substantial nail in their Premiership coffin, and step one foot closer to Championship football.

For Pompey fans it will mean the world to them to put one over their south coast adversaries particularly after everything that’s gone on this season with Redknapp, Smith and Quashie all jumping ship for St Mary’s. There are not many certain things in this life but you can guarantee that those three, and former Pompey star Peter Crouch, will receive a reception hotter than last night’s curry. Not that any of the other Saints stars will get off scot-free either as every touch by a Southampton player will be treated with the same level of distain.

As things stand Southampton are bottom of the Premiership, two points from safety and fully 7 points behind today’s opponents. Wins for Crystal Palace and Norwich yesterday mean that defeat for Pompey will reignite relegation fears for both Portsmouth and Fulham; both of whom will be 5 points from relegation.

And with the way that West Brom, Palace and Norwich are defying the critics by continually taking points from seemingly no-win situations Redknapp must believe that this is a game that he must-win.

For Portsmouth the game is vital and not purely because of who they are up against. They are not entirely out of the relegation reckoning yet but three points will certainly secure their safety. Their emphatic 4-2 win over Charlton on Alain Perrin’s debut handed the Fratton Park faithful a lifeline following a disastrous run of form. Another point against Birmingham and a battling defeat against Liverpool has given the fans renewed hope that they will be playing in the Premiership again next season.

Previous meetings have all gone with home advantage. Including the FA Cup and League Cup clashes, the Saints have won four of the last five meetings with Portsmouth’s only victory coming in a 1-0 win at Fratton Park last season thanks to Yakubu. And if home advantage is going to be a major factor then Southampton are in deep trouble especially when you throw their poor away record in the mix. Just one win all season on the road and four draws the Saints have the worst away record in the Premiership and Harry Houdini will have to pull another rabbit out of the hat to get a result.

Their last encounter was Harry’s first meeting with the team he walked out on in the FA Cup which the Saints won 2-1 in controversial fashion. Pompey may have a new manager at the helm but I’m sure he will know that the players, and fans, are fired up for revenge.

Portsmouth’s remaining fixtures see them travelling to Stuart Pearce’s Manchester City, entertaining Champions League hopefuls Bolton, before visiting the Hawthorns for what could be a crucial last day decider against West Brom.

Meanwhile Southampton are to face two huge six pointers which will either make or break their season home to Norwich and away to Crystal Palace, before playing hosts to Manchester United.

For Saints fans even if they do win they still know that Portsmouth could play a huge part in their season as they play West Brom on the very last day with the Saints are at home to Manchester United. If they’re still fighting with the Baggies for survival come then you wouldn’t expect them to do you any favours would you?!

But lets not look too far ahead as every manager will tell you “lets take each game as it comes”. Every south coast derby is important but because of the club’s position, stage of the season, and what’s at stake the magnitude of this fixture has trebled tenfold.

Victory today will be the sweetest three points either side have collected all season.

All of the ingredients needed for a memorable game are here but there have been so many twists and turns in the Premiership this season that I am not going to put my reputation on the line this time, particularly as every other south coast derby that I’ve covered I have always picked the loser.

Defeat for Pompey could see them anxiously looking over their shoulder for the next three games. Defeat for the Saints though is simply unthinkable!

It might not be pretty but it will be the most engrossing and important game for the south coast clubs this season.

1932: SPL Preview: Rangers vs Celtic

by : Chris Williamson

Rangers’ Marvin Andrews has defied the odds to declare himself fit for the crucial Old Firm showdown at Ibrox on Sunday. The Trinidad and Tobago centre-back has not played a first-team game since limping out of a 2-0 victory over Dundee on March 13 with cruciate ligament damage. Andrews was assessed by the club’s physios and doctors and advised to undergo an operation, only for the player to steadfastly maintain that his faith in God’s healing powers would ensure that he could continue without going under the knife. The 29 year-old, who has become something of a cult hero in Govan, was given 45 minutes in a reserve game against Hibernian a week after suffering the injury, but was then ordered to rest while he gave more thought to the possibility of surgery. However, Andrews has never been swayed and amazed manager Alex McLeish by coming through a full week’s training without a reaction, the upshot being that the Gers boss is now seriously considering selecting the big stopper for the visit of Celtic.

The dilemma facing McLeish is huge. Rangers suffer from a lack of quality centre-backs, and many fans have voiced their concerns about the ability of Robert Malcolm to cope with the likes of John Hartson and Craig Bellamy. The Georgian Zurab Khizanishvili is the only other realistic option in the middle of the defence, but his performance at Parkhead during January’s Scottish Cup tie, which Celtic won 2-1, did little to convince Bluenoses of his suitability for the role. Although Andrews was equally poor that day, he was magnificent in Rangers’ two home wins over Celtic last Novemeber, and equally impressive during the 2-0 league win at Parkhead in mid-February. Though fairly limited with regards to his ability on the ground, Andrews’ aerial prowess and strength are second to none, and these attributes are essential to combating the set-piece and long-ball threats posed by Celtic. His whole-hearted but fair manner is loved by team-mates and fans alike, but McLeish may still consider that the player’s career and livelihood is not worth risking for the sake of one game of football. Albeit this is a very important game of football…

To stand any chance of winning the title Rangers must emerge from this match with a victory. Two points behind Celtic, they cannot afford to rely on their rivals dropping points elsewhere along the way to the finish line and need the psychological boost of having their noses out in front. Celtic responded well after defeat in February’s encounter and have actually looked the stronger of the two sides since then. Rangers, rather than capitalise on their win in the east end, have dropped points to Inverness Caley and Dundee United and have laboured to victory against the likes of Motherwell and Dunfermline. Though Celtic are beatable, as John Robertson’s Hearts proved three weeks ago, they demonstrated considerable strength of character to return from two goals down to defeat Aberdeen last week. Some commentators have suggested that such mental strength is lacking at Ibrox, a view that is strongly refuted by Alex McLeish. Time will tell.

Andrews for Malcolm would be McLeish’s only possible change from the side which took a 1-0 victory from Dunfermline last week, whilst Martin O’Neill could make a number of alterations. Chris Sutton and Didier Agathe both made substitute appearances last weekend, and could be in line for recalls to the starting eleven, though Agathe may be somewhat rusty, having only played 144 minutes of first-team football since the end of November. The Bhoys are also sweating on the fitness of defensive trio Stepahne Henchoz, Joos Valgaeren and Ulrik Laursen, and if none are available, Sutton may be asked to joined Stan Varga and Bobo Balde in the back three.

As ever, this should be an enthralling encounter, though how much football will actually be played is open to conjecture. The atmosphere will be highly charge, and the pace of the game frenetic, with key moments as likely to be attributed to nervy errors as they are to flashes of individual brilliance. A draw would suit Celtic and leave the destiny of the SPL trophy in their own hands, a state of affairs which Rangers fans can not countenance. Let battle commence!

1931: PFA Player of the Year: Petr C

by : Antony Melvin

Of course Petr Cech won’t win the player of the season award. If you look back at the previous winners there are some really conspicuous absentees.

No Peter Schmeichel despite winning everything but the World Cup and being widely acclaimed as the best. No David Seaman despite years as undisputed English number one. No Ray Clemence despite his record in 1978/9 of conceding just 16 goals in a 42 game season for Liverpool. No Bruce Grobelaar despite being brilliant and entertaining and foreign – when these traits were rare, and when these traits generally guaranteed the vote for an outfield player. No Neville Southall – the bedrock of Wales and Everton through the 1980’s.

And certainly none of the modern talents – Brad Friedel, Antti Niemi or Shay Given.

In short no goalkeepers at all for a generation.

Peter Shilton was the last goalkeeper winner way back in 1978, as part of the incomparable Brian Clough’s Forest team, long before his record number of caps and over 1000 league appearances. The only other goalkeeper to win was Pat Jennings in 1976 as a Spurs player.

So almost thirty years since a goalkeeper last won it why will this season be any different. Well it may not be – but that doesn’t make it right. Cech has had the kind of first season that players dream of and is now within touching distance (which is ordinarily a long way for Cech) of smashing Ray Clemence’s 26 year record. With 4 games left Cech has conceded just 13 league goals – despite starting every match. Which perhaps displays something of how great a record this is.

One of Brian Clough’s many truisms was that a football team needs a decent goalkeeper and a decent goalscorer – the rest can be filled in. Petr Cech would be the unanimous choice of goalkeeper from a Premiership with a number of quality glovesmen.

If Manchester United or Arsenal had had Cech how much closer would the title race have been? Cech may not be credited with winning the title for Chelsea but the difference between a good keeper and a great one can be as much as 10 points per season – so Cech’s quality has certainly eased Chelsea nerves for the run-in, and perhaps even handed them the crown.

Of course the winner will probably be one of the other five – who as outfield players can make mistakes and also make up for them. For the keeper every mistake is ridiculed and replayed endlessly on TV. For Cech there has hardly been a mistake worthy of the name. The most damning criticism of his season is that perhaps he could have stretched a little further for Thierry Henry’s quick free-kick. But that is really the extent of this near-perfect season for the big Czech.

Petr Cech could have done no more than he has; it is scarcely credible that a goalkeeper in the world could have matched him this season. If he is overlooked then it will be because another set of outfield footballers have chosen an outfield player over a keeper they must wake up in a sweat thinking about. Player of the year? Certainly. Will he get enough votes? Unlikely.

1928: Premiership: Best relegation b

by : Simon Cole

“The team that’s bottom at Christmas always gets relegated.” The myth that’s actually a proven statistic? Maybe not for long.

When Bryan Robson took over a West Bromwich Albion team rooted to the foot of the table, he publicly stated he believed his new side could survive. Deep down though, he surely couldn’t have believed that with five matches remaining, his team would be a point clear of the drop-zone with a game in hand.

But the neutral supporters across the country can be grateful that this became reality. With the Premiership title race all but sealed, the football adoring public can brace themselves for the most exciting relegation battles we have seen for years.

Premiership veterans Southampton are battling it out with last year’s promoted teams – West Brom, Norwich and Crystal Palace – to stay in the top flight. The best factor about this battle though, is not just that any of the four teams can still survive. But they could finish in any order. Just a glance at the foot of the table with less than a month to go says it all:

Team	Pld	W	L	D	GD	Pts
WEST BROM	33	5	14	14	-21	29
SOUTHAMPTON	34	5	12	17	-18	28
CRYSTAL PALACE	34	6	09	19	-22	27
NORWICH CITY	34	5	12	17	-30	27

On the face of it, West Brom are in pole position to escape relegation. But when you’re at the bottom end of the table, a game in hand counts for far less than when you’re at the top. Moat managers prefer to have the points on the board to having to play the game, but Robson’s team are already one in front on that score. Their dramatic improvement under the former England captain has now made them bookies’ favourites for survival. But bookies do get it wrong.

Due to the table, and their consistency since Christmas, West Brom do look like very likely candidates. They are the only one out of the four teams who seem to have managed any kind of run of form. But their lack of an out-and-out goalscorer could cost them dear. Zoltan Gera has contributed with some vital goals from midfield, but they cannot rely on this too much.

Crystal Palace and Norwich on the other hand have two excellent English strikers in Andy Johnson and Dean Ashton. While many have been from the penalty spot, Johnson has continued to notch up the goals this season, while Ashton has been in superb form in recent games, most noticeably in Norwich’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United.

If Norwich could perform every week in the manner in which they have in recent victories over Man United and Newcastle, they would almost certainly survive. But by only showing glimpses of this form, they remain routed to the bottom of the table. Last Saturday’s crunch game against Crystal Palace showed that there are two Norwich teams.

The one that outplayed their opponents and strolled into a 3-1 lead. And the one that showed very little resilience as Palace battled back to earn a 3-3 draw. This, following a clean sheet against Man United, emphasised their lack of consistency.

It also showed why Crystal Palace have struggled so much. Their three goals scored showed the attacking capability that they have. It also showed the defensive frailties that continue to haunt them. Only Norwich have conceded more league goals in the Premiership this season.

Perhaps the hardest team in the relegation fight to figure out are Southampton. Sometimes – like in their hard earned 1-1 draw at Bolton on Tuesday – they look like they would fight any cause, and stand a good chance of being successful. They show determination and grit and pull out all of the stops to pick up points.

It’s the odd undeserved point here and there that could be the vital factor in Southampton’s survival bid. But while sometimes they look like a spirited side who will scrap until they survive, on other occasions they will be beaten without a wimper. They have allowed too many teams to cruise past them this season. Aston Villa made reversing a two-goal deficit to record a win at St Mary’s look easy. The Saints didn’t seem to put up any fight.

It is literally a situation where the bottom four teams could finish in any order. They all seem to balance out their strengths with some obvious weaknesses. But it looks like the bottom end of the table will be the most exciting come the last day of the season. Only a fool would predict what order they will finish in. So I’m going to have a go…

17 West Brom
18 Southampton
19 Norwich
20 Crystal Palace

1927: SPL Preview: Motherwell vs Abe

by : Chris Williamson

Of the top six SPL clubs, Motherwell appear to have the least to play for. The Steelmen trail fifth placed Hearts by five points, have no chance of lifting themselves into the UEFA Cup spot, and due to the nature of the split are guaranteed to pick up the cash for a sixth spot finish at least. So, presumably, Aberdeen will be licking their lips at the prospect of a visit to Fir Park and picking up an easy three points against an apathetic ’Well side? Not a chance. Terry Butcher’s squad has been decimated by injuries over the past week, but the former England and Rangers skipper will ensure that anyone wearing an amber shirt will continue to pull their weight from now until the season’s close.

Currently sitting on 43 points, Motherwell’s primary target is to surpass last season’s closing tally of 46. There is no doubt that Butcher will remain unsatisfied until his troops pick up the four points required and, as all their remaining opponents have either UEFA Cup qualification or championship aspirations, Motherwell could easily upset someone’s applecart along the way.

Of course, Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood knows this to be the case and will be desperate for his side to avenge the 3-1 defeat inflicted upon them by the Steelmen just two weeks ago. The Dons will remain in fourth place whatever happens tomorrow, but a win in Lanarkshire, combined with a Hearts triumph in the Edinburgh derby, would leave them only one point behind Hibs. The downside to a Hearts win, as far as Aberdeen are concerned, is that the Jambos would drag themselves back into real contention for third place, thereby putting even greater pressure on the Dons in their quest for European qualification.

As mentioned, Motherwell have been severely weakened by injury ahead of tomorrow’s match. Former Celtic midfielder Kevin McBride has been ruled out until Christmas after sustaining ligament damage during an encounter with Inverness ten days ago. Less seriously, Marc Fitzpatrick will miss the Aberdeen game with a dead leg, and Jim Paterson is also absent with a back injury. Recent signing Gerry Britton has pulled a calf muscle but should return to action by the end of the season. Butcher will also be missing young striker David Clarkson, through suspension, for tomorrow’s game.

The good news for ’Well is that Aussie striker Scott McDonald could be recalled to the squad after a spell out through injury, whilst Martyn Corrigan has also returned to training.

Aberdeen have been delighted by centre-back Russell Anderson’s speedy recovery from a facial injury, and the club captain may be in line for an immediate recall to the starting eleven. Their only other injury victims are Mikko Paatelainen and former Motherwell forward Derek Adams.

This season’s previous encounter between these two sides at Fir Park ended in a goalless draw, but Aberdeen will be aware that a repeat of that scoreline would do nothing to help their cause. Calderwood will no doubt have been pleased by his side’s first half performance against Celtic last weekend, when they raced into a 2-0 lead, and if they can demonstrate the same type of effort tomorrow for the full 90 minutes, the odds are that the Dons’ Euro dreams will remain intact.

1921: SPL: All to play for as SPL en

by : Chris Williamson

This season’s Scottish Premier League, though perhaps devoid of genuine quality, has at least provided fans of most clubs with a prolonged interest which, in previous years, may have disintegrated by this stage of the campaign. Granted, the SPL trophy will, as ever, be in the cabinet at either Ibrox or Celtic Park, but the race for third place (and the vital UEFA Cup spot), between Hibs, Aberdeen and Hearts, could go right to the wire, whilst, at the opposite end of the table, four clubs are embroiled in the fight against relegation.

Four rearranged fixtures were fulfilled last mid-week, the results of which were of great significance to all eight teams involved. Inverness Caledonian Thistle went into their match against Motherwell on Tuesday night knowing that only a win would suffice if they were to stand any chance of claiming the all-important sixth spot prior to the league split (which will come into effect after this weekend’s matches). And win they did, thanks to a solitary strike from Graham Bayne, leaving them three points behind their opponents, though the Steelmen have a slightly better, but not insurmountable, goal difference (zero, as opposed to Caley’s -4). Motherwell play host to Kilmarnock this weekend, while Dundee are the visitors to the Caledonian Stadium. The financial implications of obtaining a top-six finish for both clubs can not be understated, and fans and board members alike are sure to be gnawing on their fingernails during their respective clubs’ next 90 minutes.

Hibs’ 2-1 victory in last night’s Edinburgh derby has put a massive dent in Hearts’ bid for a UEFA Cup spot whilst simultaneously strengthening their own. The Leith side have consolidated third place, stretching their advantage over Aberdeen to four points, and moving eight ahead of their capital-city rivals. However, it would be foolish to write Hearts off just yet -- it was only eleven days ago that John Robertson’s troops left Celtic Park with a victory under their belt, and Hibs are sure to drop points somewhere along the path to the finish line. Needless to say, Aberdeen will be doing all in their power to ensure that neither of the Edinburgh clubs represent Scotland in European competition next year.

Dundee United moved themselves off bottom-spot with a surprise 1-0 victory over Rangers at Ibrox on Tuesday. The homes side created a glut of scoring opportunities but failed to convert any, with Nacho Novo, Dado Prso and Shota Arveladze all guilty of passing up good chances on the night. The defeat left the door open for Celtic to regain the upper hand in the title race, which they duly took with a 4-0 win at Livingston last night. That result puts Celtic two points clear, but the final Old Firm match, for which the Gers have home advantage on April 24, may prove to be the title decider. Rangers have looked slightly erratic since their last Old Firm victory in February, but, as Hearts proved, Celtic are by no means unbeatable, and could yet falter during the run-in. As with the 2002/03 season, the destination of the SPL trophy may not be decided until the final day.

As for Livi, the defeat leaves them on 24 points, one adrift of Dundee United. Dunfermline and Dundee, with 27 and 31 points respectively, are by no means clear of danger, and, post-split, these four sides are sure to be taking points from one another.

With six rounds of the championship to go, Nostradamus himself would be hard pushed to predict the various outcomes. And that’s just how the fans would want it.

1926: SPL Preview: Hibernian vs Hear

by : Chris Williamson

Coming a mere ten days after the latest in a long line of hotly-contested Edinburgh derbies, this Saturday’s clash between Hibs and Hearts could be the most important in years. For only the second time since their promotion back to the top-flight in 1999, Hibs have the opportunity to claim local bragging rights by ending the league campaign ahead of their capital-city rivals. But even more importantly, a Hibees win would effectively scupper Hearts’ dreams of competing in European competition next season whilst strengthening their own.

Hibs currently occupy third place in the SPL table with 56 points, eight clear of Hearts who lie in fifth. In truth, there is nothing between the clubs -- in their previous three meetings this season, the record stands at one win each and a draw. The form-guide reveals that the clubs have picked up the same number of points over their last ten games, each having won four, drawn one and lost five. And both sides have been dogged by inconsistency over recent weeks -- Hearts beat Celtic 2-0 at Parkhead, before dropping all three points at relegation candidates Dundee United, whilst Hibs’ victory over Hearts on April 13 was followed by a 0-3 defeat at home to bottom club Livingston. Added to the importance of the occasion at both a local and national level, these factors combine to make Saturday’s game especially intriguing, and the result difficult to predict.

Hearts’ last win at Easter Road was in November 2002 when late goals from Kevin McKenna and Phil Stamp secured a 2-1 win. If they are to stand any chance of repeating that feat, boss John Robertson will need former Hibee Paul Hartley to be on top of his game. A Player of the Year nominee who won his first Scotland cap in last month’s World Cup Qualifier against Italy, 28 year-old Hartley provides the creative spark in the Hearts midfield, and should return to the side after missing last week’s game against Dundee United.

Lee Miller will provide the main goal threat for the Jambos. The powerful striker has scored seven league goals since joining Hearts on loan from Bristol City at the turn of the year, prompting the club to do everything possible to make the move a permanent one. Miller opened the scoring on his Edinburgh derby debut earlier this month, but his experience of the occasion was soured by a Hibs fight-back and eventual 2-1 victory.

Mark Burchill has declared himself fully fit after a head injury limited him to a place on the bench last weekend. However, Hearts will have to do without the injured quartet of Jason Thompson, Kevin McKenna, Jamie McAllister, and Marius Kizys. There are also doubts over right-back Robbie Neilson who will take a late fitness test after missing two games with a viral infection. Robertson is taking no chances and has called youngsters Gary Tierney and Craig Sives into the squad as cover.

Ian Murray, the Hibs captain will miss the game through suspension, but boss Tony Mowbray has no fresh injury concerns. Midfielder Dean Shiels hobbled off after half an hour of last week’s encounter with Livingston, but should be OK for tomorrow’s game. Derek Riordan and Garry O’Connor, who have provided 30 league goals between them this campaign, look set to continue their partnership up-front.

Hibs would not be unhappy with taking just a point from this game, but will certainly not set out for anything less than three. Hearts, on the other hand, know that a win is imperative, and both sides, for differing reasons, will be hoping that fourth-placed Aberdeen drop points at Motherwell. Anything can, and usually does, happen in the Edinburgh derby, and if Hearts can snatch a win tomorrow, the battle for the UEFA Cup spot is sure to go right to the wire.

1925: PFA Player of the Year: Lampar

by : Colin Illingworth

Terry’s been part of a stubborn defence but so have Cech and the more talented Carvalho. Does Terry bring anything to that already formidable melting pot that Bruno N’Gotty wouldn’t? Indeed you could argue N’Gotty has had a better season by marshalling a vastly cheaper unit and pushing a smaller club towards the league summit. Here let us consider that there actually exists a pressing similarity between Terry and Steve Bruce. Uncompromising centre halves, not the quickest, but determined, committed and capable of timely goals from set pieces. Both were captains of their club and though not the most skilful they brought vital qualities to the unit. One was constantly overlooked by England, the other will probably sweep the board for player recognition this year. A key difference is surely that Terry has the press championing him. Had Bruce played in the south perhaps someone else would be known as England’s best uncapped player?

Whilst the criteria appears to be widely assumed (factors such as goals, appearances, assists, passes completed etc) without a stated aim the awards are too vague. For instance these are statisticians call ’noisy samples’, distorted by the heterogeneous ability of the team a player will find themselves in. The benefit of playing for a big London club is never sensibly discounted - put Terry in the Norwich defence and he would fare less favourably in the inevitably harsher light. Whilst Terry is decent there is serious doubt that a manager like Worthington would want him as his ideal draft pick. Why pick Terry when Campbell and Ferdinand are both quicker and possessing better distribution. Would Worthington hypothetically pick a defender anyway? Brian Clough argued the most crucial positions are goalkeeper and striker thus his most probable choices might be Cech, Van Nistlerooy or Henry. Instead he might prioritise the midfield area and get Vieira or Gerrard to invigorate the whole team - this philosophy identifies why some think Keane should be the winner every year.

Picturing the value added of putting each candidate into a struggling team is not the perfect way of appraising players but at least it promotes more enlightened thinking about each case. Thus we must question what being the ‘best’ player that year means. For instance what is more important consistent attainment or potential for the outstanding. For the philosophical precedent to this debate consider that John Stuart Mill countered that the composer Hayden’s life was more enjoyable that the persistent but constantly average pleasure that an oyster would experience floating in eternity. On this approach Mill would probably vote for the sublime Ronaldo ahead of the mundane Terry.

Also consider that elsewhere on this site is the claim that Henry should win because he is the best individual. Whatever the merits of that belief surely it is rendered irrelevant since individualism misses the point in a team sport. Henry is talented but he as a man has never won a game of football in his life, that achievement can only ever be made by a team. Hence in this context the most important characteristic must be what a player brings to the collective whole of the club not what their individualism can aesthetically merit on its own. It is for this reason why ball juggling champions are rarely good players.

Judging the merits of so many players over so many games and amongst a literally and metaphorically uneven playing field demonstrates how difficult it is to be convincing. That every year this is done without a coherent definition throws the whole process into emptiness. Thus when faced with an aim so difficult to fully achieve most writers simply avoid a good answer and just plump for simplicity and unoriginal commentary. Thus as the saying goes in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king. Hence this years myopic constituent will elect Terry its premier.
If Frank Lampard doesn’t win the PFA Player of the Year award then it will be the biggest miscarriage of justice the game has ever witnessed.

First name on the team sheet for club and country Lampard is undoubtedly the most improved and most consistent player in recent years. In fact Real Madrid and England colleague Michael Owen has publicly stated that the former Hammer is the most improved player he has ever seen. And who are we to argue with the England striker?

Since his £11 million move to West London in 2001 Lampard has been the English driving force amongst the Stamford Bridge foreign superstars. And where some players may have felt daunted and overawed by playing alongside the likes of Zola, in previous seasons, and Champions League winner Claude Makelele, Frank has relished it and pushed himself to a new level year on year.

The former West Ham midfielder has developed so much in the last four years that he is almost unrecognisable as the player some Hammers’ dubbed ‘the crab’ for his persistence in continually passing the ball sideways. Now when Frank gets hold of the ball anywhere in the opposition’s half his first thought is to move onto goal, whether it be by pinging a ball out to the wing, playing an intricate defence splitting pass or by letting fly with a thunderbolt. Lampard is a managers’ dream. When he lines up for a strike from outside of the area you’re screaming at him to shoot because you expect him to score. You certainly don’t expect him to miss the target anyway.

If you look at all of the great sides down the years and they have all possessed an attacking midfielder capable of bursting into the box and grabbing priceless goals. Arsenal have had Pires and Ljunberg and Manchester United have called on the likes of Scholes and Cantona to help out their strike force. Lampard is on par, if not better, than all of those aforementioned stars because the England international can do it all. His range of passing is immense, he can shoot from distance, pass, tackle, defend, attack and score with both feet. The turn and volley wonder goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League was sublime and you would never have guessed that he is predominately right footed from watching that.

The 26-year-old has played 55 games this season and holds the record for the number of consecutive appearances for an outfield player in the Premiership with 141. He has scored 9 Premiership goals to date and credited with 13 assists. Four Champions League goals, two Carling Cup strikes and 3 goals for England have not gone unnoticed either.

Another major advantage Lampard has over his contenders for the crown is the fact that he is not injury prone. While Gerrard and Henry have missed a number of games with injury this season Lampard is seemingly oblivious to picking up serious or niggling injuries.

Some people baulked at the amount of money Ranieri paid out for Lampard at the time but £11 million now looks like a snip. He could walk into any team in the world and wouldn’t look out of place. I wonder how much he is worth now? Not that it matters because Roman has the money to fend off any interested parties and Jose is unlikely to get rid off his talented talisman.

He is instrumental in everything that Chelsea produce on the park and is simply irreplaceable.

As my colleague Chris Sherrard said, Henry has done nothing wrong from last season’s amazing campaign, and he’s right as the Arsenal striker has had another awesome year and is the most consistent striker in the league, but he is not this year’s best player.

Lampard has done everything right this season as he mixes it with the cream of Europe domestically and internationally. He already has one cup winners medal in the bag, the Premiership is just day’s away from being delivered and he’s only three games away from lifting the Champions League. Lampard has been by far and away the most consistent performer in the Premiership and when the pressure has been on he has never shirked his duties. He rolls up his sleeves and rallies the troops like a true midfield general that he is.

Chelsea colleague John Terry has been a major influence on the Blues and in any other year he would probably walk away with the trophy but for sheer determination, and level of improvement, Frank deserves this accolade.

Andy Johnson is a worthy contender for single handidly giving Crystal Palace a chance of retaining their Premiership status, and Cech has been an outstanding goalkeeper but Lampard has been head and shoulders above everybody in England for the past nine months and it would be a tragedy if he failed to improve on last season’s runners up position to Henry.

If there is any justice in the world then Frank Lampard’s name will be crowned the PFA Player of the Year and he will finally be recognised as a truly world-class player that he is.

1924: PFA Player of the year: John T

by : Laurence Parker-Brown

Many sections of the media have argued that Terry’s coronation as player of the season is inevitable. Such an orthodoxy in opinion about a contentious concept is symptomatic of how narrow-minded and predictable the London-centric press can be. Terry winning this years honours is a clear self-fulfilling prophecy as his reputation has been routinely inflated throughout the season and no-one dares question the moral majority of the crowd.

Most people believe he deserves it but in a few years Terry will join the list of players for whom hindsight has rendered their recognition inexplicable. In many ways the outcome is irrelevant because the debate is so limited. The challenge of sensibly and fairly analysing players seasons is such a theoretical and practical obstacle that those currently selected are crowned by an unsuitable process.

The complicated analysis needed to assess each professional is so vast that the media deliberately adopt an expedient narrowing of the field. Indeed previous years’ curious conclusions suggest that most tabloid columnists have as much vision as Dick Rowe, the genius that turned down the Beatles.

Consider Ginola in 99: Great dribbler of course but his was a selfish pleasure for its own sake combined with oblivion to his team-mates - a far less commendable weapon than Beckham‘s early deliveries that year. Look at Zola (97) and Pires (2002) they weren’t even the best players in their respective clubs. A common link is that they played in the capital and couldn’t tackle but the press eulogised them as flair players.

Giggs has never won the full honour despite protecting his full back better than any other winger whilst simultaneously being the most devastating wide man in Europe for a decade. This demonstrates that constant oversights are made.

The concept of being the most laudable player amongst hundreds is a nebulous one and the arbitrators attempting it are so fundamentally incapable. Football is appreciated by so many but articulated by so few. There is a fundamental regional bias in this country’s knowledge of the game and Britain loves a proverbial ‘bandwagon‘.

The lucky recipient being built up at the moment is Chelsea’s answer to Beckenbauer, the not-so-silky-skilled thug of the people, John Terry. That he has been so disproportionately commended compared with the relevant ambivalence shown towards men like Cahill, Hierro, A.Johnson, Gera, and Kiely shows the discussion to be at best shallow and at worst irredeemably blinkered.

Pragmatism is a key ingredient for those cooking up the award (very probably sentimentality will benefit Shearer next year just as it did Sheringham, 2001) and here Terry‘s status is key. With him in the team people can concentrate on his unique status as being English and home grown. Without him Chelsea would be open to criticism for their credit-card style of squad assembly and for hindering the causes of England hopefuls like Johnson and Parker.

Chelsea’s most exciting player is surely Robben whilst Makelele is the most important to their system. If the player awards must go to a player from the highest placed London club (as it often does) then those two are worthier recipients. Instead they will be marginalized by the polls just as Eric Arthur Blair’s Snowball was forgotten by Napoleon et al.

1923: PFA Player of the Year: Steven

by : Stephen Orford

Let us consider two players that were substitutes against Crystal Palace – Rooney and Ronaldo. Whilst the initial absence of the undoubted ability contributed to the draw are we to believe that Manchester United cannot win games without two of the youngest players in the squad. Most importantly let us bear in mind that both (and in particularly Ronaldo due to his over-zealous national team) are asked to play pressure games twice a week at such a tender age. I for one would hope that people could look at the bigger picture – if you want these players to develop into world beaters under the guidance of the best manager in British history, a man that made sure Giggs wasn’t ruined by burn out under the burden of media and fan pressure to play every minute of every game.

Thankfully the manager is willing to make brave decisions in order to safeguard their careers. I’d much rather that young players are nurtured than risk their progress with too much pressure and too many games. Look at Liverpool where so many of their home grown players show signs of persistent injuries so early in their careers (Owen, Gerrard and now Mellor) than would be more typically found in players many years their senior.

This leads onto the second issue being banded about. Namely team selection and the baffling confidence in which some people feel that they can criticise from the outside. My Dad always used to say to me when I was younger: “As with all these things you never truly know what going on behind the scenes.” Wise words indeed. My worry is that it is all too easy to forget that United (as with so many other teams or bodies) must necessarily keep certain things private in order to be successful.

Whilst we can all picture a personal idea of how they would like the team to look the only person with the most complete picture on elements like form in training, fitness and mental state is Sir Alex. Whilst we hope our favourite player could play every week, and may be disappointed when they don’t, who is to say that they didn’t inform Sir Alex that they have been suffering personal problems and couldn’t face a competitive game at the moment?! My point here is this: Whilst we can argue to our hearts content what we want to see our opinion is clouded by the very real problem that we don’t know everything that the management do.

The problem with the admittedly excellent football management games is that we now all too easily assume we could pick the team according to form and by dragging those lovely yellow direction arrows across the pitch. The truth is however that Sir Alex Ferguson must consider a complicated mix of characters, personalities, egos and traits of men that we really don’t know all that much about.

Now for the great ‘tactics’ debate. From tabloids to compact broadsheets to children in the playground (iPods for goalposts) there is the cringeworthy claim that x is amazing/useless with tactics. Let me quote an article in Red Issue that so innocently and frighteningly declared:

“For all Ferguson’s obvious qualities, the one thing he’s never shown any proficiency for is tactics.”

To me this sentence is so awful that it could be used to teach English a la pink elephants drinking shampoo or what have you. It’s a sentence in the sense that it starts with a capital letter, has a number of words in it and ends with a full stop but other than that none of it makes sense. For instance why is it that Sir Alex has only one weakness (?!) – I’d hasten to suggest that he’d never make a ballerina, nor an interior decorator?! But no, no this is a man of one weakness, namely an aspect of the sport he has made a living out of and indeed triumphed at.

When so many people talk about tactics in football they often do so clumsily and as such that it exists as one distinct item that can either be understood or not. I find that all too often the phrase ‘tactics’ is left without definition and thus with its vagueness becomes redundant. What does anyone mean when they talk about tactics?! – I can’t speak for everyone but to me it’s a term that acts as an umbrella for all the variations in play that might take place during a game. A broader definition would incorporate the acknowledgement that certain tactics (such as pressing all over the pitch) need preparatory work and thus tactics start on the training pitch. With such a definition tactics are all the concepts (from pre-season to weights, to training sessions, formations, set pieces, instructions on tempo, width, positions, how high a defensive line is and even in choosing a captain) that teams use to get results.

Is it fair or indeed sensible to suggest that Sir Alex Ferguson, in all his years, knows nothing about any of these concepts?! I take it as an amazing front that anyone might choose to make such a wild accusation about a man that has won so much and created so many exciting teams but fair enough it’s a free country.

I’ll leave this section of my piece with a little thought that has always given me reassurance about Sir Alex. If indeed Ferguson is a genius, a fantastic manager then surely he makes decisions that you or I or Joe Bloggs would not (for instance you wouldn’t expect Mozart and Shed Seven to make too many similar compositions). Thus if so many people would do it differently doesn’t that say more about them and why they, unlike Sir Alex Ferguson, don’t manage Manchester United.

So, finally, let us consider Europe. You could write a whole book dedicated to analysing Sir Alex Ferguson and Europe so to summarise this epic competition in a few paragraphs would fail to do anyone justice. Suffice to say that some supporters are bitterly disappointed with the Milan defeats and some go further in citing previous years failure to win the trophy as evidence of an inability at the highest level. Well let us consider that ‘failure’ for United is not winning it every year, a failure that every other club in Europe also makes, is so clearly unrealistic that it is almost perplexing why people are upset when it doesn’t happen.

The truth is that the Champions League is the most prestigious and difficult trophy there is to win. To be fair who has won it more than once in recent years?! – there is only Madrid and they have been bank rolled by their own government, a situation that would be neither healthy nor suitable. In recent years the mighty Munich and Deportivo have meekly failed to get out of the group stages, Ferguson’s crime is to only win it once (whilst playing some of the most breath-taking football ever seen in Europe). To dissect Ferguson’s record in Europe into artificial ‘bad’ spells (such as removing the fantastic record in the group stages and the 98-99 season) is so unfair that it becomes trivial. On balance United have acquitted themselves admirably in the Champions League and are rightly regarded as one of the leading lights in Europe. No team is capable of dominating Europe so to bemoan United’s inability to do so is to deny the inevitable.

Thus I believe in attempting to praise Sir Alex Ferguson whilst offering specified areas with which you are unhappy with is an unhelpful way of looking at things. Firstly because it doesn’t really make sense – what would they want – Fergie to manage the team most of the time and for them to come in using the benefit of hindsight as a roving time travelling managerial consultant?! Are they offering their services as a replacement?!

Sir Alex Ferguson has achieved so much and proven himself so regularly that I do think some of the accusations levelled at him are insulting. To say that he doesn’t understand tactics is absurd. The fact is that so many people care about United so much so this doesn’t’ mean it’s a problem or that debate isn’t positive. Rather I believe that when you really think about it the fans should be getting behind the manager and cheering the team onto more success. Because, mark my words, there will come a time when Sir Alex will be replaced – and United will have much bigger concerns than not winning another treble as they do at present.

With all the speculation constantly surrounding the future of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, it is refreshing to see the England man in the headlines for other reasons this past week. Gerrard is one of six Premiership players nominated by his peers for the PFA Player Of The Year Award for season 2004/05 after yet another year of stirring, inspiring performances in red.

If Gerrard were an athlete in any number of American sports he would be a certainty to carry off the Most Valuable Player honours this season. Few players are as important to their clubs as Gerrard is to Rafa Benitez‘s side. He is the very fulcrum of the team, acting as ball winner, playmaker, inspirational leader and go-to man at times of crisis.

It is these qualities which seem set to convince Chelsea to shell out whatever extortionate price is put on the head of Gerrard by Liverpool come season’s end. Many observers remain convinced that he is irreplaceable and totally indispensable to the Anfield outfit. They argue that should the star leave the club in the summer, any lingering hopes of a return to former glories in the red half of Merseyside will finally be extinguished.

This view maybe slightly simplistic, but anyone who has witnessed Gerrard’s heroics this season and last will realise just how big his contribution to Liverpool really is. Perhaps the defining ‘Gerrard moment’ of this campaign came in the opening phase of the Champions League at Anfield. Liverpool trailed Olympiakos 1-0 at half-time in their final group game and, needing to win by two clear goals to progress to the last 16, hauled themselves into a 2-1 lead late in the game. With only minutes remaining, Gerrard struck an unstoppable, perfectly executed pile-driver past the helpless Greek goalkeeper, sending the Anfield faithful into a state of delirium.

That goal was one of only 10 in all competitions from Gerrard this season, but when he registers his name on the score sheet he always seems to do so at absolutely the right time for his team. Witness his perfectly placed side-foot in the most crucial Merseyside derby in recent years, as his side went on to secure an essential 2-1 win. With players dropping out with injury all around him, and with Milan Baros having exited the fray after a moment of Savage-esque madness, Gerrard pulled his team up by their collective boot-laces, helping them hold on for what could yet prove to be a decisive three points in the race for the Champions League next season.

That Liverpool have even the remotest possibility of qualifying for the competition that they have taken by storm this season is due in no small part to the all-action performances of Gerrard. His ability to dominate a football game is possibly unrivalled by any midfielder in the Premiership at present. With the excellent Xabi Alonso having spent half the season on the treatment table with a broken ankle, Gerrard has had little help in the vital midfield battles which often decide the outcome of Premiership matches. Yet still he has helped keep his side’s league placing respectable, if hardly dazzling. It beggars belief what could be achieved by the Liverpool-born talisman were he afforded the considerable talents of Alonso alongside him for longer periods of the season.

In between his club exploits, Gerrard has also made ten appearances for England this season and is one of the first names on coach Sven Goran Eriksson’s team-sheet. His presence is enough to force the magnificent Frank Lampard into an awkward looking left-sided midfield role most of the time, as Eriksson struggles to accommodate two immensely talented footballers. Were the two to team-up at Stamford Bridge next season the prospect would be a terrifying one for the rest of the Premiership.

Gerrard has also contributed three goals to the England cause this season, most recently a strike against Azerbaijan which set the team on the road to an important 2-0 victory at St.James’ Park. If, as expected, England qualify for next summer’s World Cup finals in Germany, the 24 year-old star will be one of the main weapons in Eriksson’s armoury, regardless of where he is playing his club football.

Liverpool currently lie fifth in the Premiership table, one place and three points off that all-important Champions League qualification spot that could yet have a major bearing on Gerrard’s Anfield future. Without him this season, particularly when the alarm bells were ringing at Anfield against Olympiakos and Everton, Liverpool would surely have struggled to achieve even the modest amount that they have so far this season.

Steven Gerrard may not have picked up the Premiership medals that look destined to be won by some of his rivals for this award such as Lampard, John Terry or Petr Cech, and he may not have scored the goals that mark out the contributions of Thierry Henry or Andy Johnson. He may not even be technically the best player in this illustrious list, but few would argue with the idea that he is the most valuable.

1922: Man Utd: Sympathy for the Devi

by : Laurence Parker-Brown

So many people are starting to question the legacy and merits of Sir Alex Ferguson that surely the time has come for a sensible case for the defence. After United’s home game against Blackburn I picked up copies f the readily available fanzine spectaculars that are Red Issue, United We Stand and Red News. Within these loving odes to the club I was genuinely shocked with some of the criticism being levelled at Sir Alex Ferguson.

Almost all the articles of dissent began with the bizarre caveat that they indeed do admire Sir Alex, are eternally grateful for his continued, unprecedented success but that from such a position it would not be theoretically, nor practically unsound as to offer specific criticism. To me this seems like unnecessary patter (surely only a fool would argue with Ferguson’s record) and only serves to prepare for the soon to be unleashed scathing but ultimately inarticulate accusations.

Warning your audience that you might be willing to buck a trend is not needed, after all this isn’t Russia – you’re free to say as you please and surely the raison d’etre of a fanzine is to put across your point for everyone else to consider. I’m not at all against people having their say, a football team is nothing without its fans and they should be entirely free to praise, criticise and opine as they see fit (indeed I would personally argue that anyone that wishes for homogenised views within a club is missing the point). However I feel it is important to bring some balance to the debate and I will argue against some of Ferguson’s alleged oversights. I shall take four of the topical grievances; the resting of players (especially Palace away), complaints about team line-ups, tactics and Europe and argue that if you look closer that much of the complaining lacks substance.

I have heard the opinion that resting players is a fallacy, that it serves no purpose and that it has ruined United’s chances of winning the league. Tragically one of the bye products of the arguing-for-idiots culture that is prevalent in modern Britain is that any spurious argument can be proven by the inclusion of one specific case in point. I’m cringing with the GCSE geography format of: ‘There exists a problem with resting players because we did that against Palace and we didn’t win ergo it doesn’t work. Dubious argument is irrefutably correct because of an isolated “case study” – congratulations, one tick gained and you’ll go on to get an A grade! Jesus, given that Mickey Mouse logic you could prove that United should play Nick Culkin in goal for the last thirty seconds every time they play Arsenal away and we’ll be bound to win 2-1 again! Such a lopsided assertion that you shouldn’t rest players can be contradicted by considering any of the many times United rested players and still won.

Besides its far too simplistic to look at the Palace match as some sort of one-shot game to borrow the Game Theory parlance. Sir Alex has taken charge of over a thousand United games – clearly you could identify a plethora of potential changes that could be made to each of these encounters (funny that we only consider the ones were points are dropped) that would hypothetically swing the result towards or way from United’s favour. It misses the point to be too specific in this case because any one game takes place in the context of a season and under the circumstances that the manager builds. Clearly a vague argument is an unsound one but crucially that doesn’t mean that every specific criticism is a sound one.

Anyway before my prose gets too bogged down in logical scenarios let us consider that there may actually be a point behind resting players. Sir Alex Ferguson isn’t having a laugh when he picks a team and he certainly didn’t aim to drop two vital points but did so as part of a calculated decision (amongst literally hundreds of thousands he has made during his remarkable tenure). To ask the rhetorical question: why do we rest players? (if we are to suppose that this is the only reason that selections ever change – of more later). In part let us be so courteous as to bow to some of Sir Alex’s immense experience that perhaps it isn’t sensible to exhaust your players.

1920: Chelsea: Jose Mourinho - happy

by : Simon Cole

There is no middle-ground with Chelsea’s flamboyant Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho; you either love him or hate him. But which ever it is, you have to applaud the way in which he succeeds with his clever games.

While Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson try and win the psychological battle with each other to spur on their Arsenal and Man United sides respectively, Mourinho is busy winning the most important psychological battle of all: the war with the media.

Every time Chelsea have a big game coming up, the tabloids focus their attention to one sole figure: the Chelsea boss. This allows the players – particularly those in the celebrity spotlight such as Frank Lampard and John Terry – to go about their on-pitch duties without an ounce of pressure on their shoulders.

Compare this to the headlines you see in advance of an important Arsenal or Man United game, and you will see something completely different. Thierry Henry doesn’t perform in the big games, Rudd Van Nistelrooy has stopped scoring goals, Ashley Cole is meeting Chelsea representatives. Suddenly the spotlight is on the players and they have to perform.

But this isn’t the media taking one path for Chelsea and another for the rest. This is a very deliberate ploy by Mourinho, so that all of the pressure and attention is on him. No pressure on his players gives them the freedom to perform. These better performances give Mourinho the perfect answers to the journalists on his back. Like his methods or deplore them, they work superbly.

In just the past week we have seen this work in full flow. Defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions’ League followed a disappointing draw against Birmingham City. When Liverpool’s last two league games with Manchester City and Tottenham only earned them a point, the media was immediately on the backs of the team. Were they blowing their chances of Champions’ League football next season?

But down in London, where Chelsea had achieved the same statistics, what were the headlines? No surprises that they revolved around Mourinho. It was all echoes still flying around about the Ashley Cole ‘tapping up’ affair, and the alleged ‘ear-piece’ being used by the fitness coach in order to keep in contact with Mourinho, who was serving a touchline ban during their 4-2 first leg victory against Munich at Stamford Bridge.

And don’t be surprised if this was another clever ploy from the Portuguese manager. From the first whistle of the second leg, all eyes were on the Chelsea bench, as once again their players enjoyed the freedom of not being in the spotlight. Despite a late rally, they went through to the next round comfortably, thanks to the media focus.

Cameramen already had their eyes peeled for methods of communication between Mourinho – who was still banned – and the Chelsea bench, when Mourinho distracted attention from the pitch even further by leaving his seat in the stands, and taking a taxi to a venue to watch the game on TV.

This didn’t bring any reaction from the Chelsea players. Were they unaware of what was going on? Or did they just know that Mourinho would be taking care of the pressure, while they took care of the on-pitch business? Only the staff at Chelsea know the answer to these questions, but nobody would be surprised if this was another moment from the Mourinho school of psychology.

In time, the media will no doubt find their way around Jose Mourinho, but when it comes to the psychological battles, he has been a breath of fresh air to English football. Anyone who gains the kind of attention Mourinho achieves can only benefit the game. While Ferguson and Wenger continue to bicker at each other, Mourinho is very publicly winning all of the psychological games… And the Premiership.

1912: Sunderland: McCarthy will need

by : Chris Sherrard

Well they are almost there, now. A draw on Sunday, coupled with the defeat of Wigan at the JJB a couple of weeks back, mean Mick McCarthy’s Sunderland will, probably, be playing back in the Premiership again next season. But they’ll need plenty of work done to the squad if it is not to be a short-lived return.

McCarthy has built a team good enough to get out of the Championship. But the bar has been raised in the Premiership over the last few seasons. The gulf between the top two tiers of English football has widened considerably. To such an extent, in fact, that I’d say only three or four of the current Sunderland starting line-up will be good enough for the step up in standard.

But if any of the Black Cats were worrying about that, they needn’t. McCarthy knows exactly what he is doing. He is no nave, rookie manager. He will be fully aware who of his current panel could cut it in the Premiership. He will know the areas he must strengthen, rebuild or leave alone.

He will know that he has got two very good, reliable goalkeepers. Thomas Myhre and Mart Poom are as good as much of the top flight’s current crop of keepers. Whichever ends up as the club’s first choice after injuries have levelled things out will be a sturdy stopper.

And in left-sided duo George McCartney and Julio Arca they have definitely got two players good enough to cut it in the Premiership. They have got pace, skill and ability in abundance and both are approaching the perfect age to make their mark in the top flight. I’d back them to be a big success. And McCarthy is sure to as well.

But in other areas he will need to be a very busy man over the summer months. For example, Sunderland need a handful of good quality midfielders to replace the current crop who are nowhere near good enough as it stands. A look down their panel for that area belies a lack of quality which is much needed when coming up against the likes of Gerrard, Lampard and Vieira in the top flight. Could Jeff Whitley or Dean Whitehead cut it in that company?

Sadly not. So Big Mick will need to rack up quite a phone bill trying to attract some experienced faces to the North East.

But that won’t be all that hard a task. All he’ll need to do is bring prospective signings to the magnificent Stadium of Light or the club’s state-of-the-art training ground to prove how big a club we are dealing with here. All he needs to do is let them hear the supporters in full flight. They are a passionate bunch in these parts. They are desperate for a great team to match their support.

They have got a great manager now, in my opinion. And Mick McCarthy will have plenty of contacts in the game through all his years of playing and coaching. He will need to draw on those, at home and abroad, to scour the sport for players good enough to keep Sunderland up when they line out in the Premiership next season.

The case studies are all around if inspiration is needed. Look at the three promoted teams from last season’s Championship. They are all skirting around the bottom of the table as we approach the business end of the season. All three could, very well, be heading right back to from where they so recently came. And those teams all spent a bit of money in pursuit of their dream of establishing themselves as a top flight force.

But Mick McCarthy is a canny character. He is well aware of his current side’s limitations. He is quite aware of the financial restrictions that will most likely be in place this summer. All he needs to do now is find a way of getting round those two hurdles and keep Sunderland up once they eventually make promotion.

But they are a battling bunch at the Stadium of Light. You’ll see, soon enough.

1918: Arsenal: Could Wayne Bridge si

by : Alex Kay

Whether they met in secret or they didn’t, whether Arsenal won’t pay Ashley Cole enough or not, it seems almost inevitable now that England’s left back is destined to make the move across London and join Chelsea this summer. Cole has now admitted that his future is uncertain, and with Chelsea going from strength to strength, it will be difficult for Cole to resist the lure of Jose Mourinho. The move will surely make Cole less than popular with the Arsenal faithful, but just like Sol Campbell, Cole will deal with it, and go onto bigger and better things.

Cole’s expected arrival at Stamford Bridge plunges into uncertainty the future of Cole’s England understudy Wayne Bridge. After two seasons in London, Bridge has been fairly successful, though injuries have kept him quiet for a latter part of this season. Mourinho seems to like Bridge, though his pursuit of Cole suggests that he is looking for someone better (Chelsea have also been linked with Kaladze from AC Milan). Whilst Bridge would still get the occasional game if Cole were to join due to the sheer quantity of games for teams involved in European competition and Ashley Cole’s somewhat questionable temperament, it is more likely that 2005/06 could see the ex Southampton man warming the bench a lot, and replacing Damien Duff on the left wing with ten minutes to go when Chelsea are defending a lead.

This sort of role cannot be satisfactory for an international who has shown that he is capable at the top level. Despite wanting to cling on to a successful club in the form of Chelsea, it is more likely that Bridge will move on to play regular first team football. So where will he go? Will he follow other Chelsea rejects (Melchiot, Forssell, Gronkjaer) to Birmingham, or fill the left back gap at Champions League semi-final opponents Liverpool? Either of these are plausible, as is joining an Everton, Middlesbrough or Aston Villa. For Bridge though, the best move is the most obvious move – to fill Cole’s place at Arsenal.

Although Gael Clichy has put in some admirable performances this season, Arsene Wenger will be more than aware of Bridge’s experience and Premiership pedigree, as well as the added bonus of replacing one of his few English players with a fellow countryman. Wenger will loathe losing Cole, but perhaps insisting on taking Bridge in part-exchange will soften the blow a little; after all, it was not so long ago that critics were not so sure which of the two they thought was the better left back. Maybe Wenger could have the last laugh after all.

1914: Man Utd: Fergie Keaner than ev

by : Simon Cole

For the first time in recent years, Manchester United are set to go successive years without being crowned English champions. But Sir Alex Ferguson’s main worry about his troops returning to title winning form won’t be matching Arsenal and Chelsea’s flair; it will be replacing the irreplaceable.

Roy Keane has been the heartbeat of Alex Ferguson’s team ever since joining from Nottingham Forest. And while he doesn’t have the engine to produce his best form week-in week-out anymore, he is still the driving force behind Manchester United.

This was emphasised beautifully in Man United’s previous two outings. In their Premiership clash with Norwich, United never got out of first gear and were punished by a much hungrier, sharper Norwich team. The Canaries’ 2-0 victory was more than deserved, and it was less than coincidental that Keane wasn’t in the Man United team. He was rested – something that would never have been necessary for a younger Keane.

Indeed after the game, Keane lambasted the team’s performance as ‘unacceptable’ and questioned the commitment of the players. Such a lack of commitment wouldn’t have been tolerated with Keane on the pitch. But that is why he will be so hard for Ferguson to replace: with Keane the player comes Keane the person.

He is like a manager on the pitch. Spurring on his players when needs be, calming them down when things could boil over. How Wayne Rooney could have done with some of Keane’s marshalling before he needlessly gave away the free-kick that led directly to Norwich taking the lead. And how would the United captain have responded to Rooney showboating and losing possession, allowing Norwich to go up the other end and double their lead? The answer is simple: he wouldn’t have stood for it. He is the disciplinarian on the pitch.

This was emphasised when Keane returned and orchestrated a complete reversal in United’s fortunes, helping steer them to an easy 4-1 win over Newcastle in the FA Cup on Sunday. United looked a different team as Rooney, Christiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes shone and Ruud Van Nistelrooy rediscovered his scoring touch. But there’s little doubt who held the key to this performance.

Keane never looked troubled sitting in front of United’s back four. His sheer dominance and composure allowed the attacking flair of Rooney, Ronaldo and Scholes do what they do best: create chances. And with Van Nistelrooy on the end of them, there was only ever going to be one result. Keane’s almost unnoticed donkey work was the catalyst for a superb Man United performance. And the form of United’s attacking players showed they can match the Henrys, Robbens and Duffs at Arsenal and Chelsea. They just need to find a new ‘Keano’: someone who can outplay Patrick Vieira and Frank Lampard.

Here are some of the players Alex Ferguson has tried – or might try – to use to fill the void Keane will soon be leaving:

Eric Djemba-Djemba – The young Cameroon midfielder came to Manchester Untied from France with high hopes of being the long-term replacement for Keane. While he tried to match him in the ‘kicking people’ department of the game, he lacked the skill, discipline and class to be a United player. He is now a fringe player at Aston Villa.

Kleberson – Signed as a regular from the 2002 World Cup winning Brazil side, Ferguson will have been hoping he had a similar impact to Gilberto Silva at Arsenal. Kleberson fell well short of this, and has to go down as one of Ferguson’s most disappointing signings ever.

Jermaine Jenas – One of the Newcastle midfielders who can actually behave himself, Jenas has been linked with a big-money move to both United and Arsenal. Shown on a couple of occasions he can hold his own at international level and has performed consistently ever since being thrown in at the Premiership deep end as a teenager. If he can fulfil his potential, he is an incredible prospect.

Steven Gerrard – Alex Ferguson himself has said Gerrard is the ‘perfect’ man to replace Keane when he hangs up his boots. Perfect in every sense but one: he is a life-long Liverpool fan and it is massively unlikely he would ever commit the ultimate sin for a Merseyside man, and head to Old Trafford.

The struggle to replace Keane will have been bugging Ferguson for some time. He must by now, surely have realised that he can’t replace Keane the player and Keane the person with just one signing. He needs to find a player to replace him, and nurture a current Man United player to provide that incredible on-field presence.

For a club with Man United’s reputation, stature and following, attracting a world-class all-round midfielder shouldn’t be a problem. But as the days of Keane’s career tick by, he must be coming growingly concerned about how to replace Keane the person.

1916: Bolton: Allardyce - Wise Beyon

by : Laurence Parker-Brown

A major problem with the popular assessments of Premiership managers is the misleading propensity towards pigeon-holing. Messrs Allardyce, Curbishley and Dowie appear to have been widely bestowed the pub philosophers merit award for progressive coaching by being associated with different preparation techniques. These Franklinian advances distance them from the old school for whom (we are told) the principles are five-a-sides, card schools and a suspicion of foreigners. That we, the public, sometimes buy into myths says as much about us as the alleged caricatures we might envisage. Thus let us enrich the commonly clichd debate with at least an attempt at analysis.

Given that only their players and staff have sufficient proxy to a manager to assess their methods let us ignore the lazy guesswork that is so often banded about. This author is not so nave as to believe coaching approaches have no influence (this would be theoretically and statistically unlikely) but appreciates that profiling managers’ input from the terraces is about as helpful as us reviewing the work of MI6. (Whether they are good, bad or indifferent we cannot found our opinions on the necessary facts because of the inherent informational asymmetry). So, in this piece the core concept discussed will be the wisdom in making comments to the media and the model to be scrutinised will be ‘Big Sam’ Allardyce.

A crucial assumption made is that information is power and thus disseminating everything a manager knows and thinks would be unwise. As we shall see not every coach holds this to be valid but this shall be viewed as a weakness of theirs rather than as a fault in the article. A) Because otherwise the argument will fall apart and B) card games would be completely different if all the cards can be seen. So, a manager has at his disposal a wealth of information but must be selective in how he uses it (telling your opponents a striker has a drink problem would not be in their best interests). Thus when O’Leary decided to assure the Villa supporters that investment is imminent he simultaneously diminished the value for money that injection might bring demonstrating the restraint that Billy Bunter made famous. To borrow his narrow vernacular perhaps he’ll offer his youth/honesty/willingness to learn from experience to explain this self-defeating utterance.

Hence it has been alluded to that there exist a plethora of underlying considerations and motives behind the rhetoric a manager uses. For instance the post match sound-bite often acts to detract from a more pressing issue. When faced with a red card for Cantona in pre-season Sir Alex Ferguson criticised Ibrox’s hostility thereby replacing the potential headline. Indeed Mourinho’s diva like utterances are not merely due to his vanity but because his sideshow deflects attention and pressure away from his players.

Within this domain stand Allardyce’s virtues. Whilst his robust figure and debatably gruff delivery demonstrates that his is not the language of Keats the function of his interviews dominate his style such that Le Corbusier would surely be proud. When asked about a transfer (a probable transfer target) Allardyce lists Diouf’s faults and stakes the claim for not making the deal permanent. Thus even should he indeed want Diouf (a player that adds to the squad) he is conscious that his caginess makes Liverpool’s bargaining power weaker. Indeed given that Bolton are not overtly courting Diouf Liverpool suffer by having no bidder to start escalating a sale price. Thus if Bolton do sign Senegal’s finest they will do so economically.

Obvious stuff? Consider all the indications suggested Arsenal would offload Pennant given the dreadful PR of his latest criminal conviction and his periphery to the first team. This dilemma became more favourable to Arsenal when Bruce initiated talk of deal and an expensive one at that. Whilst the Blues fans will be pleased with the acquisition could Birmingham have saved money by not gleefully shown their hand? However, perhaps their decisiveness sealed the deal before it could be hijacked?

Thus beyond one case lets observe the bigger picture: Birmingham and Bolton both possess a number of experienced Premiership players. Whilst Bolton look for free transfers or loan deals the Blues have paid considerably more for their signings. Whilst this alone is insufficient to categorically explain different league positions you can demonstrate one is more prudent than the other and hence is paving a stronger future. Here Allardyce’s subtlety in speech saves his club a fortune and (along with other qualities) significantly contributes to Bolton’s success story.

1913: PFA Player of the Year: Andy J

by : Hugh Larkin

At least the professionals can view Andy Johnson’s contribution to Crystal Palace’s season with a bit more detachment than some of the journalists who are denigrating the forward at the moment. By voting him in to their six nominations for Player of the Year they’ve given the lie to the view that Johnson is just guilty of too much simulation- the handy euphemism the football authorities have given the media to hide behind.

Johnson apparently is guilty of winning too many penalties. So is this because referees are hugely incompetent and easily conned, or might it be because Andy Johnson spends an awful lot of his time running at defenders in the penalty area? If you have pace to burn, a determined attitude and are faced with defenders who don’t follow the cardinal rule of staying on their feet, a more than average number of pens might well be your reward.

As the season has progressed the attitude toward Johnson appears to have undergone a subtle change. Up to Christmas he seems to have been heaped with praise for his one-man campaign to keep Palace in the Premiership- although, of course the Palace 4-5-1 system needs everyone else to do their job if the team are to make full use of Johnson’s gifts.

So you come into the Premiership in a team that basically shouldn’t be there (not because they don’t deserve it but because they outstripped their own timetable by arriving so quickly), work your socks off all season, create huge problems for defences, embarrass teams and players with a far bigger reputation, and get rewarded by being singled out as a cheat by members of the press. And to top it all the England manager decides that you’re a natural right-winger.

Johnson must be wondering what’s happened. The attack on him should be seen as part of the media bias towards the elite clubs which permeates so much football coverage these days. It used to be referees that were accused of favouring the big sides but some of the journos appear to have thrown themselves into cheerleading for the big boys because of their supposed aesthetic approach to football, while teams like Bolton, Blackburn and Palace get in the way of the beautiful game.

Their attack on Johnson might carry more weight if the same opprobrium went on Christiano Ronaldo, Robert Pires, Michael Owen and the like, who have all been known to fall easily in their time. The simple facts are these- Palace don’t have many strengths so they play to their big one and if it results in pens, then highly paid defenders just need to defend smarter- and when the elite clubs need it they play for penalties as well, it’s just that they don’t often have to. In a jam though, as Wayne Rooney showed against Arsenal, they’ll hit the deck with the best of them if opponents are daft enough to stick out their legs.

At least his fellow professionals know where the plaudits should go. Andy Johnson won’t be voted Player of the Year, even by his colleagues, but he’ll have the respect of all the other Premiership players even if he drives some of them mad at weekends. Awards routinely go to those operating at the highest level and possibly that’s how it should be, but Andy Johnson deserves his honourable mention as the heartbeat of an underdog team that refuses to lie down and accept their allotted place in the Premiership scheme of things

1911: Newcastle United: Time for the

by : Chris Sherrard

Last season Newcastle United’s players finished fifth in the Premiership table, reached the semi-final of the UEFA Cup and avoided punching each other’s lights out in front of 52,000 paying supporters. And Sir Bobby Robson – a lifelong United fan – got the boot for falling so short in the eyes of Chairman Freddy Shepherd.

Fast-forward twelve months and the club have just been humiliated at home and abroad in cup competitions – 4-1 against both a modest Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United – and languish in the bottom half of the league table with little in the way of ideas, inspiration or hope of finishing anywhere above tenth.

What is more, the club has once again been dragged through the mud as one after another their players saw fit to either challenge their manager’s authority, reject the chance to play for the team or throw punches indiscriminately at each other in front of shocked and despondent supporters.

To say it has been a bad season on Tyneside is being kind to the word ‘bad’. It has been as awful a season as could have been imaginable at St James Park. Only a relegation fight – of which they are not all that many points clear of – would have been a more depressing campaign. This was not how it was meant to be, is it?

Newcastle sides are supposed to be up there challenging for the league title and, at the very worst, securing themselves for another assault on Europe the following year. They still have Alan Shearer knocking in the goals. They still have superb Shay Given trying to keep them out at the other end. So what is it?

Well those two are about all United have at the minute. In the way of consistent class, I mean. Of course they have got plenty of high-paid, high-profile young stars of English football. They’ve got those types of players coming out of the club’s every pore.

What they are missing, though, are players who can bring both quality and commitment to the Newcastle cause. Most of the current squad have got one of those commodities. Few have both.

Think about it, the criticism which is most fairly levelled at Kieron Dyer’s door over the years has been his lack of interest. No doubts he can do it when he wants to. But only on fleeting occasions during his time in the North East has he hit the heights he has promised.

But, for once, I am not going to pick on Dyer as a root of United’s troubles. For, while he should be kicking on to another level at this point of his career, there are others who should be led to the Tyneside hangman’s noose a good deal quicker.

So stand up Nicky Butt, Patrick Kluivert, Laurent Robert, Lee Bowyer, Jermaine Jenas and quite a few of your team-mates. Do you really care about Newcastle United? Have you got any sympathy for those loyal supporters who turn up week-in, week-out without fail to watch you limber about half-heartedly. Do you care that those fans will be still around decades after you’ve retired on a fat salary, financially safe for life? Does it matter to you that those fans who you go out and represent have not tasted success for so long now because they have been constantly blighted by players like you?

And, even if you have little regard for the Tyneside public, could you not have tried that little bit extra for your skipper? Look at his face every time the team loses because you lot have swanned about pretending to be footballers yet again. He wants to bring a trophy to St James Park. Not for himself, but for those supporters who have been there through the good and, mainly, bad times. He cares. But you don’t.

And that is why Graeme Souness needs to start again in the summer. He will be afforded time and some money when he returns to the drawing board so often frequented by perplexed Newcastle managers in the close season. He needs to strip the club of parasites like those named above. And Craig Bellamy.

He needs to buy players who have got some idea of what it will take to win trophies for Newcastle United. Good pros who won’t be out on the town, win, lose or draw, on a Saturday night. Players who will care for the club and their fans. Players who have got both ability and commitment. Because that is the only way forward for Newcastle United out of the pit of depression their fans must now be in.

Souness must know what needs to be done. It needs to be a busy summer on Tyneside – to show the long-suffering fans that they really do matter. For without the fans what would the club be, anyway?