Euro 2012 Preview: Group B

After having a look at, on paper, the least interesting group in my last post, it is time to dig into a juicier collection of teams. This group involves 4 of the top 6 ranked teams in the tournament according to FIFA. To have this footballing extravaganza at such an early stage is astonishing.

Group B – The Group of Death

Holland, Denmark, Germany and Portugal.

Given the honour of the cliché in tournament football, this group will give us some mouth-watering encounters. To have such games so early on is truly a treat.

Holland – 4 (FIFA ranking)

Manager – Bert van Marwijk (Holland)

Captain – Mark van Bommel (AC Milan)

Star Player – Wesley Sneijder (Internazionale)

Let’s all hope that their first appearance at an international tournament since the World Cup Final is a bit prettier than that eventful night in Johannesburg. The likes of Van Basten, Cruyff and Bergkamp would not have been pleased by that performance. Their qualification campaign, however, was brilliantly ruthless with them winning nine out of ten matches, losing their final game to Sweden having already qualified.

Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong are the foils to the attacking talent that Holland are blessed with. Sneijder has had a disappointing season in Italy but still has the ability to turn on the magic and win a game. Up front the Dutch have a plethora of talent. Van Persie at first sight is the obvious danger but Huntelaar is the real threat. He has scored an astonishing 31 goals in 50 games for Schalke this season. He is the one to watch.

Prediction: 2nd

Denmark – 10 (FIFA ranking)

Manager – Morten Olsen (Denmark)

Captain – Daniel Agger (Liverpool)

Star Player – Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal)

The Danes have been given the least chance by the bookies (at 100/1) of winning the tournament. This is more due to the opposition they face in the group rather than the team itself. Denmark have a rich history in the tournament having won it in 1992 and come third 8 years before that. However, they have not progressed past the quarter-final since then and have only gone further than the group stage once.

The current Danish team has quite a few recognisable names: Jacobson, Agger, Lindegaard, Rommedahl and Poulson have all plied their trade on these shores, with mixed success.  One name that has been frustrating Arsenal (and Sunderland) fans since 2005 is Bendtner. I am the first to proclaim my annoyance for him but at international level he appears to ‘step it up’. He has scored 18 goals in 47 games (and netted the Danes’ consolation goal against Brazil on 26th May). Another to watch out for is Christian Eriksen, the Ajax sensation, who has already made 21 appearances for Denmark having just turned 20.

Prediction: 3rd/4th

Germany – 2 (FIFA ranking)

Manager – Joachim Löw (Germany)

Captain – Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)

Star Player – Lukas Podolski (FC Koln/Arsenal)

The Germans have won the European Championships three times, the latest of which was on English soil in 1996. In typically efficient fashion they did not drop a point in qualifying for this summer’s football festivities in a group that included Turkey, Austria and the up-and-coming Belgium. Their previous competitive campaign, the 2010 World Cup, announced them magnificently onto the main stage. This included the infamous 4-1 thrashing of the Three Lions and a 4-0 domination of Argentina, eventually coming third (by beating Uruguay).

Lahm and seven other players will be looking to forget the night in Munich against the (blue) English knights and win some silverware after an unusually barren season for Bayern. England fans will be hoping the penalty shootout defeat will be a sign of things to come. Mario Gomez is the man who is being labeled as ‘the’ German threat. However, my belief is that he will have a mediocre tournament and be outshone by Podolski. The soon-to-be Arsenal man has an explosive left foot and raw pace that will trouble defences. Despite their recent 5-3 defeat to Switzerland, they are my tip to be the winners this summer.

Prediction: 1st

Portugal – 5 (FIFA ranking)

Manager – Paulo Bento (Portugal)

Captain – Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

Star Player – Nani (Manchester United)

Spain’s recent international victories have relegated Portugal to the title of perennial ‘under-achievers’ of world football. They came closest when hosting the Euros in 2004, losing to shock winners, Greece, in the final. Their 7-0 drubbing of North Korea, giants of the international game, at the World Cup, gave false hope to Portuguese fans as they lost to Spain in the round of 16. Qualification was far from plain sailing. They came second to fellow group B member, Denmark, and were forced to overcome Bosnia and Herzegovina, 6-2, in the play-offs.

Cristiano Ronaldo has, once again, had a magnificent season. Scoring 60 goals in 55 games and taking his Real Madrid record to 146 in 144 games overall for Los Blancos. Will he be tired after a long season? Maybe. Will he perform this summer? Maybe. We will have to wait and see. His former teammate, Nani, has also had a terrific season in Manchester. His pace and power will be a great asset for Portugal but he is notoriously hit-and-miss, an inconsistency that prevents him from becoming a truly great player. At the back, with the likes of Pepe, Coentrão and Rolando, there will be much gallivanting of defenders. This could get messy.

Prediction: 3rd/4th

I think Portugal will not perform as well as they should/could and are reliant on a certain Cristiano. When they faced Denmark each team won at home and I think there will be a draw in Ukraine. If I were to give it either way I would go with the Danes. To be honest, any of the four teams could progress to the knock-out stages. Germany and Holland are rightly favourites for the tournament. All I hope is that this is better than the last ‘group of death’ Portugal were in (at the World Cup), which was a huge disappointment.

Result Predictions (earliest to the left)

Holland: WLW

Denmark: LDL

Germany: WWW

Portugal:  LDL

Final Standings

	W	D	L	Points
Germany	3	0	0	9
Holland	2	0	1	6
Denmark	0	1	2	1
Portugal	0	1	2	1

So Germany progress as winners in my eyes and will face (if my predictions go to plan) the Czech Republic. Holland come a close second and face stiffer opposition in Russia. Once out of the group, those that do end up advancing will be sailing with the wind. My bold(ish) prediction: the winner will come from this group. Really putting my neck on the line there, hey?

Disagree? Will Hélder Postiga rise from the ashes and become leading scorer in the tournament? Or will Denmark win all three games with ease, they have Charlton legend Dennis Rommedahl after all? Feel free to comment, rate and like.

Euro 2012 Preview: Group A

Welcome to my first post on the upcoming European Championships in Poland and Ukraine. With the squads slowly being announced in recent weeks there have been shocks and surprises in equal measure. I think (and, I guess, hope) I am going to continue the controversy with my predictions for this summer’s tournament. In this post, the first group is going to be assessed.

Group A – The Group of Tumbleweed

Poland, Greece, Russia and Czech Republic.

This one does not exactly set the pulses racing. Unlike the group that follows it, I cannot see many ‘classic’ Euro matches here.

Poland – 65 (FIFA ranking)

Manager – Franciszek Smuda (Poland)

Captain – Jakub Błaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund)

Star Player – Wojciech Szczęsny (Arsenal)

Błaszczykowski and Smuda: two names that strike fear into the opposition. Well, maybe not. In fact I have to admit, I could only name three players in the 26-man provisional squad announced on 2nd May (Schezney, Fabianski and Lewandowski). This is rather embarrassing for a supposedly fanatic football fan and so I will try to redeem myself through research and perseverance.

One thing that needed no research was their qualifying campaign: as hosts they are automatic attendants. Fortunately for the Poles, they have landed in a group which they have a (slim) chance of progressing from, with it possessing no real giants. Their star player may have to watch from the bench bizarrely as Smuda seems to prefer his deputy at Arsenal, Fabianski, in between the sticks. I can’t seem them scoring enough goals to make safe passage through to the knock-out rounds. This isn’t going to be pretty.

Prediction: 4th

Greece – 14 (FIFA ranking)

Manager – Fernando Santos (Portugal)

Captain – Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos)

Star Player – Theofanis Gekas (Samsunspor)

Let’s just hope the Greeks’ Euro 2012 campaign performs better than its austerity measures (I had to get some economic reference in there, I know, hilarious). Greek football fans will be hoping the riots in Athens transfer to a fighting spirit on the pitch. The Greeks are not known for their flair and this reputation has no danger of being tarnished this summer. They did finish top of their group (above Croatia), unbeaten, but only managed to score more than two goals once (at home against Malta). This does not bode well for them in a group that screams ‘just defend’.

The captain, Karagounis, used to be the team’s best player but at the age of 35 (and 115 caps) his influence is waning. The former Portsmouth man, Gekas, 32, is not exactly ripe either but 2012 has been a good year, he has scored 8 goals in 11 games. His record at international level is respectable as well: 21 goals in 56 games. They’re not going to be fun to watch though.

Prediction: 3rd

Russia – 11 (FIFA ranking)

Manager – Dick Advocaat (Holland)

Captain – Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal)

Star Player – Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala)

They progressed through qualifying with relative ease, the Republic of Ireland coming two points behind in second. Euro 2012 comes after an exodus of players from Western Europe back to their homeland. Pavlyuchenko, Zhirkov and Arshavin have all returned to Russia in order rediscover the form that enticed Premiership teams to recruit them. This follows their failure to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, a reverse of the wound they inflicted on England for Euro 2008.

Arshavin has endured the worst spell of his career. He announced himself in England when he scored 4 goals against Liverpool at Anfield. Sadly that first season form was only seen sporadically and he returned to Zenit in order to play first team football. His strike partner is yet to be decided. This is where the Russians have some real strength and power. They possess three excellent strikers in Pavlyuchenko, Pogrebnyak and Kerzhakov: any of which will do well. The star player, Yuri Zhirkov, has had a steady season and on his day can make a real difference. Sadly, his day does not come enough.

Prediction: 1st

Czech Republic – 26 (FIFA ranking)

Manager – Michal Bílek (Czech Republic)

Captain – Tomáš Rosický (Arsenal)

Star Player –Milan Baroš (Galatasaray)

The Czechs are looking forward to their return to international tournaments since Euro 2008 having not qualified for the World Cup. They have a surprisingly good record in the Euros: they came second in Euro ’96 (the first tournament they qualified for) and third in Euro 2004. They lost out to Spain for the top spot in Group I but managed to defeat Montenegro 3-0 on aggregate to reach Poland and Ukraine.

Their prowess is at the extremities of the pitch. While Rosický commands the midfield the Czechs’ strengths are in goal and upfront. Between the sticks they have the hero of the Nou Camp and Allianz Arena, Petr Cech. He has had a fantastic season which he will hope to continue at the Euros. The attacking duo of the experienced Baroš and exciting Necid have the ability to cause defences’ serious problems.

Prediction: 2nd

Although this group does not tickle the footballing taste buds, it is still intriguing.  The teams are all at a similar level and that makes the final standings very unpredictable. If Poland overcome Greece in their opening game then they could get up a head of steam and make a run for the knock-out stages.

Result Predictions (earliest to the left)

Poland: DLL

Greece: DDL

Russia: DWW

Czech Republic: DDW

Final Standings

	W	D	L	Points
Russia	2	1	0	7
Czech Republic	1	2	0	5
Greece	0	2	1	2
Poland	0	1	2	1

So there are my predictions. Therefore Russia will progress as winners and face the runner-up of Group B and the Czech Republic will enjoy an encounter with the winner of Group B. Looking at this group, it may be the end of the road for the two Eastern European teams but let’s just slow down, lots of football is to be played before we get there.

Comments from Facebook

An Everton fan:

”Great post. I’m loving the blog, but can you completely write off Poland? Lewandowski netted 30 this season, Pisczek is really highly rated and Fabianski’s not in the squad. In an easy group I think they could beat Greece and Czech Republic and draw with Russia. Just a few thoughts but again great blog, you’re a solid football writer.”

Cheers! I think that you might be right. Having seen the crazy results in the international friendlies, anything can happen. Their opposition is poor, as you say, and they definitely have a chance of progressing: if Lewandowski finally makes a real impact for his country, there is certainly hope. You raise some extremely valid points and I may well end up eating my words. Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it!

Disagree? Think this is the group to watch? Is Samaras going to demolish the opposition defences’? Feel free to comment, rate and like.

Champions League Final Prediction

The finale to the season has arrived. After the appetiser of the Championship play-off final between West Ham United and Blackpool the main course will be served up by our efficient German friends. The tabloid writers will have been rubbing their hands with glee after the semi-final. The stupidity of Terry, the blue fortress in Barcelona, Torres merely scoring, Messi missing a penalty, Mourinho’s failed prediction of a meeting with Barca in the final and German penalty proficiency. The final itself is a dream, more xenophobic and potentially racist headlines will sadly emerge in the English press, ‘England v Germany: WWIII’ or something of the like. Aside from that, it is going to be an enthralling game (or a tense, cagey and goalless affair). To even think about predicting the outcome, some statistics and facts must be ingested. Let the Stat Attack begin.

The Venue: The Allianz Arena (capacity, 69 901)

The Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Suspended Players: Terry, Ramires, Raul Meireles and Ivanovic (Chelsea), Badstuber, Gustavo and Alaba (Bayern Munich)

Goals Scored/Goals Conceded: Chelsea, 24/11, Bayern Munich 25/10

Top Goal Scorers: 5, Didier Drogba (Chelsea, 550 minutes), 12, Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich, 883 minutes)

Top Assist Providers: 4, Fernando Torres (Chelsea, 599 minutes), 5, Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich, 934 minutes)

Last Encounter: 6-5 Chelsea, 2005 Champions League Quarter-Final. Chelsea won 4-2 at Stamford Bridge, then Bayern Munich won 3-2 at the Allianz Arena.

The Previous Encounter in Munich

The Route to the Final

	Chelsea	Bayern Munich
Group Stage	W3 D2 L1	W4 D1 L1
Round of 16	Napoli 5-4	Basel 7-1
Quarter-Final	Benfica 3-1	Marseille 4-0
Semi-Final	Barcelona 3-2	Real Madrid 3-3 (3-1 pens)

So those are the stats out-of-the-way. Now for the my opinion on the two teams. I’ll start with the English team.

Chelsea: Likely Line-up

Cech

Bosingwa     Cahill     Luiz     Cole

Lampard (c)     Mikel

Sturridge     Mata     Kalou

Drogba

I still remember their last encounter with the giants of German football. The first leg saw a memorable victory at the Bridge while the second leg was a less open affair. Joe Cole had the ball in the corner in the last few minutes and to my astonishment crossed the ball in for Didier Drogba to head home and make it 2-1 to the Blues. Two late goals dented what would have been an incredible result but the Londoners still progressed. The Ivorian will wish to make an equally explosive impact once again, against the same team but a different Munich stadium (in 2005 it was the Olympic Stadium). That season the Blues won the league for the second year in a row: this year they finished in 6th. They will want to add the Champions League trophy to the FA Cup they won two weeks ago. Despite what RDM says, if he wins this weekend then he must be named as manager on a permanent basis. Not even Roman is that irrational, surely?

Torres, Lampard and Ramires celebrate at the Nou Camp

Chelsea’s two central defenders will be key. Mario Gomez is the second top-goal scorer in the tournament behind Lionel Messi and is the Bavarians’ biggest threat. Equally, Robben and Ribery on the wings will have to be nullified. The tracking back of the two wingers (Sturridge, Mata or Kalou) will be vital to this. Di Matteo may decide to play Lampard further forward, put Essien holding and deploy Mata on the wing as Sturridge does not offer much protection against Ribery. Much has been made of both Chelsea’s suspensions and weakness: what about their strengths? Mata and Drogba are serious threats and have had fantastic seasons. This will not be like the Nou Camp, Chelsea will have chances and they have the ability to take them. Frank Lampard is tailor-made for nights like this and has a great chance of coming up with a goal (deflected or otherwise). I will talk about Bayern’s weaknesses later on, but they are not exactly impenetrable.

Bayern Munich: Likely Line-up

Neuer

Lahm (c)     Boateng     Tymoschuk     Contento

Schweinsteiger     Kroos

Robben     Muller     Ribery

Gomez

Bayern Munich have had a mixed season. They came second to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga by 8 points. This would be considered a good year for most teams, but for Bayern this is not good enough. The 5-2 thrashing, once again at the hands of Dortmund, in the German Cup final on Saturday was very poor. This has given their confidence a real beating and Chelsea will hope this transfers into their performance. Their path to the final has not been as much of a rollercoaster as their opponents but it has not exactly been smooth. It looked like they might bow out in the round of 16 as they lost away to Basel. They recovered in emphatic style with a 7-0 victory in the reverse leg, Gomez scoring 4 goals. Later in the semi-final round with Real Madrid, they, like Chelsea, were the underdog. A late goal from, guess who, Gomez gave the Germans a first leg lead. Despite losing the second leg with a reverse score line of the first, penalties decided the match.

Bayern after beating Madrid on penalties

Much is being made of Chelsea’s suspensions; one headline read ‘Chelsea Reserves vs Bayern Munich’. Is a German International starter who has played in every Champions League match this year, not a miss? Badstuber. Is an extremely talented player that can play anywhere in midfield or at left-back with 19 caps for Austria at the age of 19, not a miss? Alaba. Is a defensive-minded midfield player who breaks up play with consummate ease, not a miss? Gustavo. These three players are huge for the Germans and means Tymoschuk, a midfielder, may have to fill in at the centre of the defence. Contento may be brought in to replace Alaba or Lahm will swap flanks and Rafinha will slot in on the right. Boateng is not consistent either and is liable to switch off at times. Further forward Muller will come in for Gustavo, the young forward is an attacking threat but will reduce Bayern’s ability to keep possession. However, Robben, Ribery and Gomez will be a handful. Gomez has now scored 41 goals this season. Despite his size he is not especially comfortable when faced with a physical tussle so Cahill and Luiz must take the game to him.

Overall, this is hopefully going to be an amazing spectacle. Bayern Munich go in as favourites but, as we have seen this year, that means nothing. I would like to think the majority of England (and the UK) is behind the Blues, apart from a section of North London, and they stand a good chance of upsetting the odds, once again. This is a tough one. Firstly, Drogba and Robben will score. In terms of the result, it could easily go to extra time and penalties. My (courageous) Prediction:

Chelsea 2  1 Bayern Munich

Result: Chelsea 1  1 Bayern Munich (Chelsea win 4-3 on penalties)

Disagree with my prediction? Think Chelsea will actually win by at least five? Feel free to comment, like and rate.

My England Euro 2012 Squad

On 16th May 2012, Roy Hodgson announces his first England squad and the players he will be taking to Poland and Ukraine. There are lots of decisions and phone calls to be made (to a certain John and Rio in particular). This is the 23-man squad I would take to Euro 2012 and the starting line-up (with and without Rooney).

Goalkeepers

Joe Hart (Manchester City) – Not the hardest decision. Along with Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney the first name on the team sheet. He has enjoyed a fantastic season and for you betting addicts he’s 1/100, to make the squad, so probably not the greatest bet. Definite.

Robert Green (West Ham United) – Unlike former days, England no longer possess great depth between the sticks. The Hammers man’s last appearance was ‘that game’ against the USA. It shall not be mentioned again. No Alternative.

John Ruddy (Norwich City) – There really is a dearth of domestic goalkeeping talent. The Canaries stopper has had a fantastic season but without any international experience he is a gamble. Hopefully he won’t be needed. Unused.

Defenders

Ashley Cole (Chelsea) – Back to his best this season. Cole has been a rock in the Blues’ defence and will make his 100th cap in the final (when we get there). He has always performed well in an England shirt and was one of the few to come back from South Africa with their reputation still in tact. Established.

Leighton Baines (Everton) – I have always felt sorry for the Lancashire man. If he had not happened to have the world’s best (ever?) left-back in front of him he would have accumulated far more than his 7 England caps. He possesses all the traits needed for an international defender and, if needed, will slot in seamlessly. Unlucky.

Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) – PFA Young Player of the Season. He broke through this year, brushing off the challenge of the departed Hutton and Corluka to make the position his own. He is a doubt with an ankle problem but Redknapp assured journalists that ‘he’ll be OK for the Euros’. Breakthrough.

Micah Richards (Manchester City) – Left out by Capello, brought in by Pearce. Will he be so lucky with Hogdson? He should be, he’s had a fantastic season which ended with a Premier League medal. Still questions marks over his positioning but does enough to beat Glen Johnson. Nervous.

Gary Cahill (Chelsea) – Before his transfer to West London I was unsure. Was he really international standard? His performances against Barcelona quashed these doubts and he will, deservedly, take his place on the plane to North Eastern Europe. Assured.

Joleon Lescott (Manchester City) – Always thought the former Everton and Wolves man was over-rated. This season he has turned this around. With Kompany he formed an immense partnership which was how City won the title. Revelation.

John Terry (Chelsea) – He’s in. Once again he has answered his critics with aplomb. Apart from his idiotic showing at the Nou Camp he has performed magnificently (in football terms) and rediscovered some of the form that won him the PFA Player of the Year in 2004/05. Controversial.

Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United) – 6 months ago he would not have been included. Without his usual partner, Vidic, Ferdinand has returned from injury and played solidly. His experience gives him the edge. His rift with Terry might mean one of the two misses out though. Come-back.

Midfielders

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) – Pulled his team back from the brink, although not so successfully this time. With his club in ruins, that may be overdoing it, he has still played out of his skin. His form coinciding perfectly with the Euros. Vice-captain.

Frank Lampard (Chelsea) – Never understood how he has so many critics. Once again he enjoyed an impressive season scoring 11 goals in the league. Along with Wayne Rooney, was England’s best player at Euro 2004, the last tournament the Three Lions played well in, and can still make a difference. Relentless.

Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur) – Has had another fantastic year after winning the PFA Player of the Season in 2011. He is what England need, someone to sit and break-up play. He is a more dynamic Gareth Barry and that is what the team needs. Captain.

Paul Scholes (Manchester United) – When Ferguson brought him back in January I saw desperation. Coming third in the Player of the Season poll having only played half a season shows what a player he is. Technically still in retirement but has appeared open to the call he refused in 2010. Resurrected. (If he rejects the call, Gareth Barry.)

Ashley Young (Manchester United) – Ignoring the horrendous diving, he is the creative spark that England have been lacking. He can operate either on the wing or in the hole behind the striker. Flair.

Adam Johnson (Manchester City) – For some reason, Mancini has never fancied the former Middlesbrough man. That may be down to the fact Nasri and Silva are in his position. Cutting in from the right onto his left-foot with pace, he can be a real threat. Underused.

James Milner (Manchester City) – Offers something different on the wing. While I think his best work is done in the centre he can do a decent job out on the right with his commendable crossing ability. His work-rate will be vital against more-skilled teams like Spain and Germany. Hard-working.

Theo Walcott (Arsenal) – If he’s fit. Whilst his distribution is still poor the pace he is blessed with strikes fear into opposition defenders. Thrown on for the last 15 minutes he could inflict some damage. Inconsistent.

Strikers

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) – The man suspended for the first two games will be vital to the progression of the team through the tournament. If he plays like he did in his last Euro Championship (2004) we are in for a treat. That was the tournament that really announced him on the world stage. Pivotal.

Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) – Caused controversy in his first appearance (after picking England over Ghana). He formed a deadly partnership with Rooney in his first full season for the Red Devils. He would form part of my Plan B. Fresh.

Danny Sturridge (Chelsea) – Whilst his form petered off as Di Matteo did not use him, he had a terrific first-half of the season. He has raw pace, flair and trickery. Sturridge can offer something different off the bench. Unpredictable.

Peter Crouch (Stoke City) – His goal against Manchester City should be enough to get him in the squad. Phoaw. The former (list every English club) would form part of my Plan C and is a useful man on the bench. His record speaks for itself: 42 caps, 22 goals. Beanpole.

Plan A

     Hart

Walker        Ferdinand/Cahill       Lescott/Terry        Cole

       Parker (c)       Lampard

Johnson        Gerrard (vc)       Young

Rooney

(Welbeck in group stage)

4-2-3-1 is the way to go. The problem of the centre defence is whether Ferdinand and Terry can play with each other. The next dilemma is which side. My first choice would be Terry and Ferdinand, then Terry and Lescott, then Ferdinand and Lescott and finally Cahill Lescott. The problem is that, as seen against Germany, Terry plays on the left-side of defence, but so does Lescott. Can Terry play on the right?

Plan B (for lesser teams/Plan A not working)

   Hart

Walker        Ferdinand/Cahill       Lescott/Terry        Cole

Sturridge       Scholes       Gerrard (c)       Young

Welbeck       Rooney (vc)

Four-Four-F%*&$ing-Two, to quote Mike Basset. Hopefully Rooney and Welbeck will work their magic and unlock the defence. Sturridge adds a bit more attacking flair to the line-up: the wingers push forward ahead of the two central midfielders. More attacking and supposedly more goals.

Plan C (if all else fails, lump the big lad up front)

     Hart

Walker        Ferdinand/Cahill       Lescott/Terry        Cole

       Parker (c)      Lampard (vc)

Milner        Rooney      Young

Crouch

Pretty self-explanatory. By having Milner and Young on the wings there should be quality crosses coming in. Lampard making runs from deep while Rooney and Crouch occupy the box.

So there’s my squad and line-up. What do you reckon? Should Holt or Lennon get a look-in? Let me know, comment, rate and like.

Final Day in the Premier League

Here we are again. The final day of the top flight of English football. What a season it has been. It was, in fact, just named the best season in the 20 year life of the Premier League. It has had twists and turns, snakes (Suarez) and ladders (Crouch), and goals, goals and more goals (an average of 2.79 a game). Vincent Kompany won Player of the Season and Alan Pardew won Manager of the Season, no complaints there. With the final round of games to be played, everything and anything is up-for-grabs: the title, the Champions League places, mid-table mediocrity and the final place on Charon‘s boat (a reference to Virgil, he is the ferryman of Hades, a first for football analysis) to the Championship. Every game is vital, every goal is pivotal and every point is essential. Oh, and treasure every ‘Unbelievable Jeff’ because there is a barren, Kamara-less summer ahead. So, my final Premier League predictions for the season.

Predictions

Chelsea vs Blackburn Rovers

Terry and Yakubu

The Blues have enjoyed the definition of a rollercoaster season. It started with the high of the youthful Mourinho prodigy, Andres Villas-Boas. After a promising start it soon headed downhill and Roberto Di Matteo was put at the helm. The loss to Liverpool on Tuesday means they have nothing to gain and will have both eyes on Munich.

Blackburn are looking towards their push for promotion next season which will be hindered by the flood of exits that I predict in the summer. One of those may be Yakubu. Only Andy Johnson in 2004-05 has ever scored more Premier League goals for a relegated side than Yakubu’s 16 this season. The fact they have already been relegated means this match bears the least significance with both teams having no real incentive to win.

My Prediction: Chelsea 2  1 Blackburn Rovers

Result: Chelsea 2  1 Blackburn

Everton vs Newcastle United

Simpson and Coleman

The Toffees have enjoyed a fantastic season under the stewardship of the consistently remarkable David Moyes. They currently sit in 7th and will hope to keep their Merseyside neighbours from overtaking them. As long as they match Liverpool’s result they will have bragging rights for the summer.

The Magpies are guaranteed a spot in the Europa League as they enjoy a four-point gap over Chelsea. Third place is still up for grabs if results go their way. So they will want to finish the job and earn a place in the Champions League (for now). Cisse will be wanting to continue his explosive form while his Senegalese colleague Ba will be looking to score and end his drought.

My Prediction: Everton 1  2 Newcastle

Result: Everton 3  1 Newcastle

Manchester City vs Queen’s Park Rangers

Bothroyd celebrating against City

Their first Premier League title is within touching distance. Mancini’s ‘it’s all over’ has worked perfectly with United slipping up and the Sky Blues pressing on. Yaya Toure seems to be their talisman in the last few weeks and the Ivorian will hope to make the difference. All they need to do is match United’s result. Easy? We’ll see.

The R’s are only two points above the abyss and need just one point to survive (as they have a far superior goal difference to Bolton). This is a very tough task for a team that have scored 24 but conceded 25 at Loftus Road. Discipline has been a real problem in West London and that is what they require to keep City out.

My Prediction: Manchester City 3  1 Queen’s Park Rangers

Result: Manchester City 3  2 Queen’s Park Rangers

Norwich City vs Aston Villa

N’Zogbia and Hoolahan

The Canaries have been steered magnificently by Paul Lambert. Holt, Hoolahan and Morrison have been revelations and there have been calls for the captain (Holt) to be named in Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2012 squad. While these are slightly half-hearted their season has been anything but. They will want to finish their return to the top-level on a high.

The Villains are safe, but only just. It has been a torrid time Alex McLeish and he will want to halt further calls for his head. Even a win may not be enough, only time will tell. They have only scored 17 goals away from home and Carrow Road is a very hard to place to go.

My Prediction: Norwich City 2  0 Aston Villa

Result: Norwich City 2  0 Aston Villa

Stoke City vs Bolton Wanderers

Riley and Pennant

The Potters have had another steady season and can firmly claim to be a Premier League team. A win could take them into the top ten but this is as long as four other teams perform poorly. This is a case of jockeying for irrelevant places in mid-table. They cannot go down and will probably not go up.

The Wanderers are wobbling on the edge of the cliff. Two points adrift of QPR and safety, a win is the only result that can save them. Their season has been far from smooth, with the tragic collapse of Muamba and his subsequent uplifting recovery. Premier League survival is essential and possible.

My Prediction: Stoke City 1  1 Bolton Wanderers

Result: Stoke City 2  2 Bolton Wanderers

Sunderland vs Manchester United

Park takes a tumble with Larsson

The Black Cats were resurrected by Martin O’Neill in December and have found themselves in 11th place with a game to go. They will want to leap-frog West Brom into 10th place which will only happen with a win. They are the only team to have a goal difference of zero but whether this will be the case at the end of the game, I’m not sure.

The Red Devils are level on points with their ‘noisy neighbours’ but with a far inferior goal difference. With City facing the colander-like team that is QPR, only a win will give United any chance of lifting the title for the 20th time. Mancini still seems to think it is United’s title to lose, really Roberto, really?

My Prediction: Sunderland 1  2 Manchester United

Result: Sunderland 0  1 Manchester United

Swansea vs Liverpool

Williams and Carroll

The Swans have enjoyed a brilliant season. Brendan Rogers was unlucky to not be awarded Manager of the Season and will want to show the panel they were wrong to overlook him. Equal on points with fellow promotees, Norwich, a place in the top half would be a marvelous achievement.

The Reds bounced back from a disappointing defeat in the FA Cup Final by demolishing the same team, Chelsea, at home. Whilst this will not heal their gaping wounds it gave the Anfield crowd something to shout about. Carroll is looking to mount a late (and farcical) challenge for Euro 2012 and will want to score, again (haven’t been able to say that many times this season).

My Prediction: Swansea 2  2 Liverpool

Result: Swansea 1  0 Liverpool

Tottenham Hotspur vs Fulham

Defoe and co celebrate against Fulham

The Lilywhites are sitting precariously in fourth place, a point above Newcastle. After Harry’s disappointment at missing the England job, which also seemed to ruin Spurs’ season, the season must finish with a flourish. Fourth place is crucial for next season, and I’m sure there will be many a Bayern fan in North London next Saturday.

The Cottagers are perched in 9th place without the danger of dropping places. They are level on points with Liverpool, only goal difference is separating them. Dempsey has had a tremendous (I am running out of superlatives) term and may look to move on this summer. Therefore he will want to perform in what may be his last performance for Fulham.

My Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2  1 Fulham

Result: Tottenham Hotspur 2  0 Fulham

West Bromwich Albion vs Arsenal

Vermaelen puts a header wide against WBA

The Baggies are losing their manager to the Three Lions this summer and the reception for Roy Hodgson will be immense. His first full season in charge has seen a stable and encouraging term with the traditional yo-yo club 12 points above the drop. The players will want to mark their manager’s last game with a win.

The Gunners have yet to secure third spot despite once enjoying a 10-point gap over their North London rivals. This has been eroded and even Newcastle may be able to sneak ahead of them if they slip up. This is very possible and I can see Arsenal slacking off to the detriment of their Champions League future.

My Prediction: West Bromwich Albion 2  2 Arsenal

Result: West Bromwich Albion 2  3 Arsenal

Wigan Athletic vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

O’Hara and Watson

The Lattics are looking at another season in the Premier League. The victory at Blackburn on Monday was crucial and secured their top-flight status. Roberto Martinez’s decision to switch to a 3-4-3 formation has paid dividends and the Wigan fans will not have to endure a nail-biting final day like last season.

Wolves prop up the table with a meager 25 points. Remember when they were top of the table after three games all the way back in September? Well those times are gone. The re-building process has already begun with the appointment of Stale Solbakken. The players are just playing for pride (and a move away this summer).

My Prediction: Wigan Athletic 2  1 Wolves

Results: Wigan Athletic 3  2 Wolves

Lawro Challenge. (3 points for a perfect prediction and one for a correct prediction of the winning team.)

Lawro 14  11 afootballenthusiast

So that’s it. Another fantastic season of Premier League football is over. Don’t worry though, there is still plenty of football to come. More posts will follow as Euro 2012 is just around the corner. Watch this space!

FA Cup Final Prediction

Chelsea vs Liverpool (k.o. 17:15)

Coverage: ITV1, BBC Radio 5 Live

Suarez and Sturridge

So, the second major trophy of the season is up for grabs this weekend. The first obviously being the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy which was won by Chesterfield in March. Chelsea and Liverpool will walk out at Wembley to contest the most prestigious domestic trophy in world football. Does the FA Cup really matter, I hear you ask? Yes it does, I strongly retort. How can playing in one of the best stadiums in the world be insignificant? How can winning a trophy first competed for in 1872 be trivial? How can being victorious in a cup sponsored in the past by British institutions such as AXA and Budweiser be inconsequential? Well, I guess if you are chasing fourth place or in a Champions League final, maybe.

Chelsea

Chelsea celebrating against Spurs

Ever since Roberto Di Matteo took over Chelsea on 4th March 2012 it has appeared a different club. Since then the Blues have only lost two matches and won 11 matches. Those two losses came to league leaders Manchester City and Papiss Cisse whose two unbelievable goals for Newcastle toppled Di Matteo’s unbeaten home record. This run has included the memorable night at the Nou Camp which put them through to the Champions League final. That amazing night also saw Fernando Torres score and break his scoring duck. This was followed by a hat-trick in Chelsea’s stomping 6-1 win against QPR. I read in the Metro, during the analysis of the Cup Final, that ‘in-form Torres’ will want to make an impact against his former club. I would not go that far, a one-on-one on the break and three, although good, goals against a team struggling for survival. We’ve all said this many times so far this season, so lets not get carried away just yet.

Drogba: He likes Wembley

Chelsea will feel confident and go into the game as favourites, an idea that seemed fantastical just a month ago. Going through the team, Petr Cech has had a strong end to the season and was rewarded with the New York Blues’ Player of the Season. Whilst I do not agree with that award, he has had a fantastic season. There are many players who will look to make an impact this weekend. Terry, Ivanovic, Ramires and Meireles will be playing in their only final of the season as they are suspended for the Champions League final. Apart from Terry, the others, especially Ramires, whose goal at the Nou Camp epitomised his fantastic season, deserve to play on 19th May. UEFA have been typically slow to react and stated that the earliest change to the rule will occur in 2014. Sorry, back to the FA Cup. I will be surprised if RDM does not go with Drogba up front. His form at Wembley and in finals is phenomenal and he will terrify the Liverpool defenders. They will also hope for some of the luck they gained against Spurs in the previous round. Chelsea have a real chance of ending their season on a huge high.

Liverpool

Suarez and Carroll celebrating against Everton

This season has not been a very good one for the red half of Merseyside. Whilst their former manager has hit the heights of being named Fabio Capello’s successor, their campaign has been heading in the opposite direction. Roy Hodgson’s successor, Kenny Dalglish, has somehow kept his job despite having a worst record than the England manager. Just as Torres has been a cloud over Chelsea, Carroll has been a cumulonimbus over Liverpool. He too has seen an upturn in his form, scoring the vital header to progress through to the final. The return of Steven Gerrard has also been a massive boost. I doubted the inspirational captain would be back to his best, but once again he has dragged Liverpool from the gutter. I can easily see him scoring and imposing himself on the game.

Steven Gerrard

Having stepped into the huge gap his Spaniard colleague left, Paul Jones will be watching from the bench. Pepe Reina will return to the starting line-up after suspension and replace the Australian who played in the semi-final. One of Liverpool’s most consistent performers over the last six or seven seasons along with the Scouser spine of the team (Carragher and Gerrard) he will be a huge help. However, the King of the Scousers, Jamie Carragher, is reaching the twilight years of his career and starting to look out of his depth. Whilst his seeming lack of awareness for the fact that shirt-pulling is a foul was once a joke, he has had to resort to it more and more. His abysmal lack of pace is being highlighted every week (that he plays) and Kenny must be looking to who is going to replace the Liverpool legend. Coates has looked both promising and fallible so far in his short career: Kenny will have to make his mind up whether he is ready for top flight English football. That is a question for another day though.

The game will be cagey. The game will be tight. The game will be tense. The battle between power and guile, speed and strength, Red and Blue will be fascinating. So prediction time. Liverpool are in a dire run of form and were helped on their way to the final by a fixture list made up of only home games. Chelsea took a hit with their loss to Newcastle and may be drained after three weeks of drama, concentration and elation. It will be close but I give Chelsea the edge, just, with Drogba to score. My Prediction:

Chelsea 2  1 Liverpool

Result: Chelsea 2  1 Liverpool

Disagree? Are Liverpool going to overcome the Pensioners with a Carroll hat-trick? Feel free to comment, rate and like.

David picks Roy over Harry

On the 1st May 2012, Roy Hodgson was named England manager. This came as a shock to fans, players and journalists alike. This is the first time a man with international experience has been appointed as England manager. Already the columnists of the country have dismissed him, like a spoilt child, as their favourite, Harry Redknapp, has been ignored. Is he the right man, or are David Bernstein and the FA board making another mistake?

Domestic Experience

The Quiet Man: One way in which Roy Hodgson has been described over the years. He may not be the loudest but there are not many more experienced than him. Hodgson enjoyed a modest playing career making appearances for Crystal Palace and Gravesend & Northfleet among others. Management was where his talents were going to be utilised. He started in 1976 with Halmstad in Sweden, a country he obviously enjoyed as he went on to manage three more Swedish clubs in the following 15 years. Sandwiched in between was a short 4 month stint at Bristol Rovers: one of five English clubs he would go on to manage. At his last Swedish club, Malmo, he won the Swedish League twice. Neuchâtel Xamax was his next destination in 1990, and after he had a go at international management, the big boys came calling. Inter Milan was Hodgson first break into the ‘big leagues’ and he earned a UEFA Cup runner’s up medal with them in 1997. He left for Blackburn Rovers, only to return to Inter a year later. Short reigns at Grasshoppers, FC Copenhagen and Udinese followed but were not very successful. After another international break he returned to club football with Viking in Norway and after another break made the best move of his long career.

Hodgson: while at Fulham

He took over at Fulham in December 2007 and did not look back. He built a solid team and turned Craven Cottage into, not a fortress, but a strong house surrounded by a medium-sized moat. Hodgson spent 3 (almost) glorious years in West London bringing in Mark Schwarzer, Andy Johnson and Brede Hangeland, the spine of the team to this day (when fit). His finest hour came when guiding Fulham to the Europa League Final in 2010, defeating Juventus (remember Dempsey’s chip?), Hamburg, Wolfsburg and Shaktar Donesk on the way. Unfortunately the fairytale did not have a happy ending and Diego Forlan broke White and English hearts in extra time after drawing 1-1. This was enough for him to deservedly be awarded the LMA Manger of the Year. Next stop: Liverpool. In June 2010, having been linked with the England job, he moved north. With Kenny Dalglish looming menacingly over his shoulder he performed poorly and was replaced by the King in January. Although Kenny has actually done worse in his tenure, but has not got the sack, I wonder why? West Bromwich Albion were his saviours and he has managed to stabilise the yo-yo club, turning them into a Premier League team.

International Experience

Hodgson: While with Switzerland

This is where Hodgson really has the edge. He dipped his toe into international football first with Switzerland whom he managed from 1992 to 1995. In this time he guided them to the 1994 World Cup and Euro 96, the first time the Suisse had participated in the finals of these tournaments. They were also ranked 3rd during his reign, the highest they have ever been (they are now ranked 18). His return to the international scene came almost ten years later in 2002 when he took over the great footballing nation that is the United Arab Emirates. Hodgson has been quoted as saying:

That was a period when I didn’t know where my career was going.

I think we can all agree with that. He does, however, also say he learnt a lot from the experience. Finland were the next nation to have Hodgson services. At the same time England were struggling and eventually failing to reach Euro 2008, the boy from Croydon was mounting a charge with his Finns. They only just missed out, coming 4th with a very respectable 24 points (one more than England). He also managed to attain Finland’s highest ever ranking, 33rd. Hodgson called time on his tenure just under two years after he took the job.

The Man

He is not known for his charisma but he commands great respect. That is essential when managing England and the baggage that comes along with it. The ability to turn around teams with essentially the same personnel is crucial as well. At Fulham and West Bromwich Albion he transformed teams struggling for survival into credible top flight teams without bringing in a large volume of players. Fulham have pushed on from the foundations Hodgson set and are now on par with teams such as Liverpool and Everton. Another (irrelevant) side to the man is that he is an avid reader:

I’ve got quite a voracious appetite. I’ve read nearly all of those who have won the Nobel Prize.  I had a period where I read a lot of Czech literature, the likes of Milan Kundera and Ivan Klima. I like German writers, too, such as Hermann Hesse.

Aside from his intellectual exploits, he is blessed with many talents required for international management. One is his great ability to adapt, shown by his mastering of five languages (English, Norwegian, Swedish, German and Italian, as well as a bit of Danish, French and Finnish.) It is this capability to adjust to his surroundings that will put him in good stead for the national job.

Verdict

Fans and journalists are already undermining him and his calls for support are not a good start. I know Harry Redknapp was the favourite and just about everyone’s choice, but Hodgson is an excellent manager who should not be written off. One thing, very much in his advantage, is his experience. Redknapp has managed six teams (if you count Portsmouth twice), all in England and none on the international stage. Hodgson has travelled Europe and managed three national teams. This experience will be vital in the upcoming summer and the summers to come. I have long-championed Hogdson’s cause: he is a good manager and should be given the time and respect he deserves.

My Verdict: Right Decision