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"The SPL title race is threatening to get interesting again". Not my words but those of chief optimist Ewan Murray. "A Celtic win at home to St Mirren tomorrow will leave them just four adrift of Rangers, who go to Kilmarnock on Sunday," continue Ewan. "Suffice to say, plenty of people had written Celtic off when they drew at home to Hibernian and at Kilmarnock last month. This weekend, the odds are strongly in favour of wins for both Old Firm clubs; Rangers may look to have the more tricky game, but Kenny Shiels' overall record as the Kilmarnock manager is poor. On the horizon for Celtic is a tasty-looking Europa League clash with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening."
The Premier League's great entertainer, Mario Balotelli, has been passed fit to play against Liverpool at the weekend after shrugging off a fever with lovable inscouciance.
If you're going to Swansea tomorrow, fancy giving Barry Bannan a lift? The Villa midfielder and dangerous fool has been banned from driving for 18 months today after admitting four offences - including driving with excess alcohol - following a motorway crash last month. Here's more from PA:
The 21-year-old Scotland international, from Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, was also fined �4,500 at Nottingham Magistrates' Court.
Bannan crashed his Range Rover Sport on the southbound carriageway of the M1 near Watnall, at around 5.30am on October 23.
He was charged with drink driving, failing to stop after a road accident, driving without due care and attention and driving on a provisional licence.
The court heard that the footballer was almost twice the legal limit.
Meanwhile, in other Villa-related news, there is a well-intended but not entirely accurate point from TheManFromNantucket below the line, arguing that McLeish can at least be credited with "utterly transforming Agbonlahor". Rather than undergo a transformation, Agonlahor has rediscovered the form he showed before G�rard Houllier cramped his style. So McLeish deserves praise for not being G�rard Houllier.
"How about a mention for A-League club Brisbane Roar and their shot at breaking the Australian all codes record with 36 unbeaten matches,": simpers Matt Webb. "They play some very attractive possession football and it is a pity more don't watch the improving A-League." Does that unbeaten record include a defeat in the biggest match that they played in that period, a la Huddersfield?
After their miserable, supine showing at Spurs on Monday night, Aston Villa may make changes for tomorrow's trip to Swansea. Or maybe they're not: why would anyone expect Alex McLeish to suddenly start doing something different to what he he has always done? That appointment remains a mysterious one. Has anyone yet figured out what Villa were thinking? Their first-choice was Roberto Martinez: he turned them down so they then went for McLeish?! Where's the logic: they are two managers who advocate entirely different styles of football! The only thing they have in common is that their teams tend to spend most of their times neart the bottom of the league ...
Anyway, here's Villa provision squad for tomorrow, featuring Jermain JHenas, who was ineligible to face Spurs and has yet to start a game for Villa. Petrov will undrgo a late fitness test.
Provisional squad: Given, Guzan, Hutton, Cuellar, Collins, Dunne, Clark, Warnock, Beye, Herd, Delph, Bannan, Jenas, Petrov, Ireland, Albrighton, Bent, Heskey, Agbonlahor, N'Zogbia, Weimann.
Here's a pub quiz question that that came up at my clairvoyant's local last week: What do Liam Brady, Steve McManaman, Glenn Hoddle, Gerry Hitchens, John Charles, Charlie Mitten and Scott Murray have in common? Why, they're all in today's Joy of Six.
Hibs have confirmed the appointment of Pat Fenlon, who thus leaves Bohemians, where he did a superb job the season before last with no money whatsoever. A manager to watch, to be sure.
Let's do some predictions. How about these?
Stoke City 1-1 Blackburn
Bolton 0-1 Everton
Chelsea 2-1 Wolves
Man Utd 1-1 Newcastle
Norwich 2-2 QPR
Sunderland A-A Wigan (match abandoned due to pitch being wrong size)
West Brom 0-2 Tottenham
Arsenal 3-1 Fulham
Swansea 2-0 Aston Villa
Liverpool 1-2 Man City
Good morning. Sorry, forgot to say that earlier! Blame absent-mindedness rather than a bad upbringing. Actually, what the hell: blame foreigners.
"I'm off to see Andre Villas-Boas," sings top scribe Jamie Jackon perhaps to the tune of the ditty that Dorothy sang as she anticipated her rendezvous with the Wizard of Oz. "It will be interesting to see his demeanourt, etc. Apparently some Chelsea fans think he'll be gone soon. One fan I met this this morning said 'he's lost the plot'." Rather than losing the plot, I'd say he's searching for one: he arrived intending to play the way he did at Porto but has gradually realised that he doesn't have the players to do that ... and has not figured out what these players can do. Not enough, maye well tbe the answer.
Manchester United injury news: Anderson has knee bother that will keep him out until February. Hardly a terminal blow to United's title chances but it make it more important that Michael Carrick keeps up his good current form.
Perhaps you're going to Marseille for the French Classico? If you are, you may pass OM striker on the way. After a spectacular Roy Keane/Mick McCarthy style bust-up with Didier Deschamps yesterday, he won't be in action when PSG come to town. Of coruse, the comparison to Roy Keane refers only to the alleged levels or rage involved in yesterday dressing-room dressing down, as reported today by L'Equipe, it most certainly does not refer to Gignac's ability nor his influence on the team: he would probably only have been a sub anyway. Nevertheles, what is significant about his row with the manager is that none of the other players sought to break it up and none of the club officials (so far) have spoken out in defence of the manager, which they normally do, chief whip-style, when there is such a clash. All of which shows how precarious Deschamps position is at Marseille. Lose tomorrow and he could be out: would losing his job in such circumstances prevent a revival of those Deschamps to Chelsea rumours even if AVB bombs against Wolves?
PSG are barely in better shape. Manager Antoine Kombourar� is working amind constant speculation that he is to be replaced any day now (possibly by Carlo Ancelotti) and, although they are top of the table, the team's performances have been lacklustre. So it's a high-stakes game and no mistake. And another incredible atmosphere. Which leads to this question: what is the best atmosphere you have eever experienced at a match? Off the top of my head I'm saying that the wildest and most joyous one I can remember was at the bucket that was the old Lansdowne Road, when Ireland beat Holland 1-0 in 2001 to effectively qualify for the World Cup.
So, let's see what Europe beyond England has to offer us this weekend. Germany is the best place to start, as the latest edition of the Ruhr rumble promises lots of fun. Dortmund and Schalke have been going at each other since 1925 and with each year the prospect of defeat gets more and more unpalatable for them. The sides currently side second and fourth in the Bundesliga and are seperated by just one point and if you thought the Dortmund fans were briliant at the Emirates on Wednesday, you'll love the atmosphere in their place tomorrow. Schalke will be hoping for a repeat of this sort of madness. Any of you going to the game?
Preamble:
Well, what a packed week it's been. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday ... yes, we've had the whole gamut of days so only a true malcontent could complain about being shortchanged on that front. In aother sense, howeveer, certain owners of English football clubs may be feeling mightily let down: it seems forking out a billion pounds or thereabouts is no guarantee of going as far in the Champions League as Apoel Nicosia. Or even Arsenal.
To bear fruit investment must, of course, be wise. Chelsea's current woes are primarily because their investment in youth - which was supposed to replace the Terry, Lampard & Drogba generation - was misguided, from Michael Mancienne and Michael Wood and even John Mikel Obi, the players simply haven't been good enough, leaving the old stagers to carry on until they crumble, which they are currently doing, simultaneously dragging down and being dragged down by late reinforcements who have so far been unable to salvage the side because they are too green, discombobulated or inadequate. It's a fine mess and the Andre Villas-Boas did not cause it, but nor does he appear to be resolving it. He should be given time. Then again, maybe he shouldn't: Premier League managers are at the very pinnacle of their profession and owners who pay them extraordinary salaries are entitled to demand extraordinary achievements. Beating Wolves at home hardly counts as that, but it is certainly an important next step for Villas-Boas.
Roberto Mancini, meanwhile, has a more dicey assignment, as he has to try to take City owners' minds of their likely Champions Leagsue elimination by beating Liverpool at Anfield. Newcastle, meanwhile, will be striving to stave off the fall that many consider inevitable and that means beating manchester United. Elsewhere, there will be a proper battle between Blackburn and Stoke, both of whom are desperate for points and will be going for them with their curious blend of all-action directness and lots of fannying about between plays: expect anything up to 39 minutes of actual play at the Britannia.
Those are just some of the choice fixtures that we'll be looking forward to here today (and we haven't yet mentioned the Championship and leagues beyond England, where some potential belters await). We'll also be bringing you any news, views and blues that our intrepid band of journos encounter while attending press conference today and pummelling the powers-that-be for info, insights and maybe a bit of looose change. Please feel free to donate any or all of those things.
Preamble:
Well, what a packed week it's been. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday ... yes, we've had the whole gamut of days so only a true malcontent could complain about being shortchanged on that front. In aother sense, howeveer, certain owners of English football clubs may be feeling mightily let down: it seems forking out a billion pounds or thereabouts is no guarantee of going as far in the Champions League as Apoel Nicosia. Or even Arsenal.
To bear fruit investment must, of course, be wise. Chelsea's current woes are primarily because their investment in youth - which was supposed to replace the Terry, Lampard & Drogba generation - was misguided, from Michael Mancienne and Michael Wood and even John Mikel Obi, the players simply haven't been good enough, leaving the old stagers to carry on until they crumble, which they are currently doing, simultaneously dragging down and being dragged down by late reinforcements who have so far been unable to salvage the side because they are too green, discombobulated or inadequate. It's a fine mess and the Andre Villas-Boas did not cause it, but nor does he appear to be resolving it. He should be given time. Then again, maybe he shouldn't: Premier League managers are at the very pinnacle of their profession and owners who pay them extraordinary salaries are entitled to demand extraordinary achievements. Beating Wolves at home hardly counts as that, but it is certainly an important next step for Villas-Boas.
Roberto Mancini, meanwhile, has a more dicey assignment, as he has to try to take City owners' minds of their likely Champions Leagsue elimination by beating Liverpool at Anfield. Newcastle, meanwhile, will be striving to stave off the fall that many consider inevitable and that means beating manchester United. Elsewhere, there will be a proper battle between Blackburn and Stoke, both of whom are desperate for points and will be going for them with their curious blend of all-action directness and lots of fannying about between plays: expect anything up to 39 minutes of actual play at the Britannia.
Those are just some of the choice fixtures that we'll be looking forward to here today (and we haven't yet mentioned the Championship and leagues beyond England, where some potential belters await). We'll also be bringing you any news, views and blues that our intrepid band of journos encounter while attending press conference today and pummelling the powers-that-be for info, insights and maybe a bit of looose change. Please feel free to donate any or all of those things.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/nov/25/football-live-blog-25-november
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