Many a wise man in football circles have taken out a subscription to the theory that consistency often plays a pivotal role in the achievement of success. One such passionate subscriber, Professor Alan Nevill of the University of Wolverhampton, even took the trouble to publish an academic study on the subject. World Cup runner-up and [...]

Tottenham Hotspur Vs Wigan Athletic Few would forget the quite unbelievable scene last season at White Hart Lane when Wigan Athletic visited the Lilywhites in North London and found themselves at the wrong end of a 9-1 score-line. With Wigan’s terrible start to this campaign, the worst since the inception of the Premier League back [...]

Two weeks have passed since Bebé was announced as Manchester United’s latest signing of the summer but the decision to invest £7m in the unknown Portuguese striker got even more intriguing this week when he was overlooked for selection for a reserve game against Manchester City. Bebé arrived in England amidst unsubstantiated reports that he had once turned out in the Homeless World Cup, but United’s coaching staff decided that he was not yet ready even for a place on the second string’s bench for the game in Hyde on Tuesday night.

As my last few blogs have been a little critical to say the least, I have decided to balance my karma with an article offering encouragement. The team on the receiving end are not a side I have much love for personally but one which, like most other fans, I do admire. That team is Arsenal, who make that dreaded trip up the M6 to Ewood Park tomorrow, where Ryan Nelson and chums will be waiting to kick seven shades of shit out of them, as per usual.

Not two years ago, on the 26th October 2008 to be precise, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool stood at polar opposites of the Barclays Premier League. Liverpool had just ended Chelsea’s 86 match unbeaten home record with a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge whilst taking the number one spot and, according to the BBC, “demonstrating their growing title credentials”. Spurs, meanwhile, sat in 20th place without a win, and so decided to swap the hapless Juande Ramos for Harry Redknapp. One look at the situation today suggests that was a very smart move indeed.

Manchester City’s victory over Liverpool was, in the end, convincing. Whilst it is a patently obvious statement that an early goal settled them – it would do any team in the world – the game turned when Gareth Barry calmly passed the ball into the net. Before that Liverpool had actually started brightly, buoyed by [...]

After scanning the under 21 squad list for the upcoming fixtures against Portugal and Lithuania, I realised that we have a fantastic group of young players. Look at them: Wiltshire! Smalling! Albrighton! Rodwell! Carroll! All these youngsters have shone in the Premier League for their respective clubs, so why can’t they make the step up [...]

Neglected. Overlooked. Surplus to requirements. Out of form and out of favour.

Whichever spin you put on it, it was a disappointingly heartbreaking World Cup Summer for Theo Walcott, Adam Johnson and Joe Hart. Oft muted as the future of whatever fleeting hopes of glory we may still hold for our national teams prospects, they were each expected to at least be picked for Fabio’s World Cup squad, and even likelier to play a major role for England lighting up the tournament with their immense talent and skill.

After two weekends, both the Blue and Red halves of Liverpool will not be impressed with their immediate openings to the season.

Hovering above the bottom three places in the league table and having scored only one goal each, the tactics boards will be worked upon this week.

The Premiership season may only be 2 games old, but the trophy is already destined for Stamford Bridge. Back-to-back 6-0 wins for Carlo’s boys has laid down an ominous marker for the rest of the campaign. Didier Drogba looks in top form, Lampard continues to do what we wish he would for England and Florent Malouda finally looks like a player who is happy in English football. This all spells bad news for Chelsea’s title rivals.