Manchester United vs Blackburn: Preview

After the effective, if not inspiring, performance of the second string in the Carling Cup earlier in the week, normal service resumes this weekend as United face Blackburn in the Premier League.

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Rovers enjoyed a relatively safe passage into the quarter finals of that competition that none of the big guns tend to take very seriously the League Cup themselves on Tuesday night although Saturday should prove a much tougher hurdle for Sam Allardyce and his swine flu-hit charges to negotiate.

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With Ferguson guaranteed to reshuffle the pack following the victory over Barnsley, expect atleast eight or nine changes from the team that started at Oakwell. Edwin van der Sar will certainly replace Ben Foster in goal and you would expect that John O’Shea and Patrice Evra will slot back in to the two full-back positions.

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Having served his one-match suspension in the Carling Cup, Nemanja Vidic could return to the side although a calf problem renders him a doubt. The much maligned Rio Ferdinand is also struggling with a calf injury so don’t be surprised to see either Jonny Evans or Wes Brown featuring from the start.

In midfield Owen Hargreaves, Park Ji-Sung and Darren Fletcher remain on the sidelines while Ryan Giggs is reportedly struggling with a knee injury. That could see both Nani and Antonio Valencia starting on either flank with Anderson and Michael Carrick forming a central midfield partnership. Gabriel Obertan gave a good account of himself against Mark Robins’ Tykes on Tuesday although a place on the bench looks like the most he can hope for at this very early stage of his United career.

Up top, one would anticipate that Ferguson will opt for the familiar partnership of Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney although Michael Owen will also be in with a shout having took his goal superbly well the other night and generally looked sharp in the limited cameo role he played against Liverpool.

Speaking to the media, Ferguson explained that he is anticipating a difficult encounter with Blackburn, praising the role of Allardyce in picking up the pieces when Mark Hughes departed Ewood Park back in June 2008.

"I saw them recently against Burnley and they played really well in that game," he said.

"They have always been difficult to beat at Blackburn and I think Sam has built a different team from Mark Hughes' Blackburn.

"Quite a few decent players have left like David Bentley and Stephen Warnock and Sam has had to pick up the thread of what was left and replacing players of that quality was not easy."

Blackburn are likely to be without Christopher Samba and Jason Roberts who are both suffering from the effects of swine flu and Ferguson moved to insist that United have so far been unaffected by the pandemic.

"It's an interesting thing. Flu does happen. Whatever you call it, you had Asian flu a couple of years ago with players missing games," he added.

"Fortunately so far we have been okay."

Sir Alex may have called for caution ahead of Saturday’s meeting at Old Trafford although anything but a resounding three points would surely fan the flames of the critics even further.

While Sunderland recently caused something of a stir when they deservedly left the Theatre of Dreams with a point, Rovers have only won once in the Premier League at the home of the champions, back in September 2005.

You would hope that the lads will be ready to prove a point following events at Anfield last weekend and with Blackburn’s dismal recent away record in England’s top flight (nine away defeats on the trot), United should be looking to dominate this one from the off.

Prediction: 2-0 United

Liverpool vs Manchester United: Preview

Could there really be a better time to beat Liverpool? If there is, I’d like to know the scenario. The struggles of our bitter rivals have certainly been well documented over the past few days as they endure their worst sequence of results for some 22 years.

Victory for United at Anfield on Sunday would signify Liverpool’s fifth straight defeat and would open up the gap between the two sides to 10 points in the Premier League. Furthermore, despite the recent vote of confidence, a negative result for the Merseysiders could quite plausibly call a halt to Rafael Benitez’s reign at the club.

Talk about significance. Some may say the less said about it the better as Liverpool, and Benitez in particular, have something of an uncanny knack of escaping even the stickiest of situations.
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Sir Alex couldn’t have played it any better in midweek as a potentially tricky trip to Moscow was made decidedly easy as that disciplined 4-5-1 system we have become accustomed to seeing for away fixtures in Europe once again prevailed. Giggs, Rooney and Fletcher were even afforded the evening off and everything, more or less, went according to plan.

The big team news from a United perspective is centred around Wayne Rooney. We were led to believe he would be fighting fit for Anfield on Sunday although Ferguson has now revealed that he is facing an uphill struggle to make it.

Edwin van der Sar will undoubtedly continue in goal with a back four of John O’Shea, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra in front of him. Darren Fletcher remains a doubt so the midfield could shape up with Antonio Valencia and Nani on either flank and Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick forming a partnership in the middle.

Beach balls may be banned from entering Anfield on Sunday but Michael Owen certainly isn’t and, depending on Rooney’s fitness, he could be set for a key role against his former employers. Dimitar Berbatov should definitely start and an Owen goal? Well you couldn’t even begin to script it, could you?

In his Friday press conference, Ferguson discussed his belief that form goes out of the window in games like these.

"Manchester United and Liverpool games, as I have said many times, are without question massive games. That will never change," the United boss said.

"We are going in in decent form, there is good confidence in our play, but it is a derby game and anything can happen in derby games.

"Going to Anfield at any time is a hard game."

Despite the history between Ferguson and Benitez, the Scot was quick to point out that he would rather focus on United rather than the predicament currently being faced by his opposite number.

"I'm not interested in Liverpool," the 67-year-old added.

"I'm only concerned about what we do on Sunday."

Benitez, meanwhile, has hinted that victory against United could "change everything" in terms of his precarious situation at Liverpool.

"I am really relaxed in terms on my position because I know how we are working on the pitch every day" the former Valencia manager said.

"I'm sure that once we win the first game, everything will change.

"This game against United could be the right opportunity for us because it's a massive game against our rivals and the fans will be behind the team from the first minute until the last. We can change everything."

So this is it. A huge game for us and surely a defining game for Liverpool and Benitez’s tenure. It would be foolish to completely write off Carragher and co although the severity of a backlash will surely hinge on the wellbeing of Gerrard and Torres.

Having stretched our unbeaten run to 11 games on the spin following victory in Moscow in midweek, confidence should be sky-high within the United camp. A win on Sunday will surely send Liverpool’s title aspirations up in smoke, indeed if their hopes haven’t disintegrated already.

Prediction: 1-1

Manchester United vs Sunderland: Preview

A former United stalwart returns to Old Trafford this weekend (along with a few other familiar faces), bringing along with him a Sunderland team that have endured something of a yoyo start to the season. Yes Steve Bruce skippered the Reds to three Premier League titles once upon a time but he will be desperately hoping to outwit his former mentor in the opposing dugout come Saturday.

To get the ball rolling, the Black Cats haven’t won at the Theatre of Dreams in some 41 years. With eight wins on the bounce for the Reds heading into the game, anything but victory would surely be deemed a disappointing result.

Following the hard fought triumph over an aesthetically pleasing Wolfsburg on Wednesday, three points at home in the Premier League is certainly a must in order to keep things ticking over. Sunderland, on the other hand, were 5-2 winners against Wolves in their last outing, a deceptively flattering scoreline as I’m sure those who witnessed the encounter will testify.

The main bits of team news from a United perspective refers to opposite ends of the pitch. After putting in a steady shift without covering himself in glory against the German champions, Tomasz Kuszczak will have to settle for a place on the bench as Ben Foster resumes as Edwin van der Sar’s Premier League deputy. Michael Owen's latest injury, meanwhile, will keep him out of action for the forthcoming round of international fixtures next weekend.

At the back you would envisage little change with Ferdinand and Vidic at centre-back and Patrice Evra and John O’Shea on either side of them.

Ryan Giggs’ cameo on Wednesday evening brought about his 150th career goal for United and the landmarks are coming around thick and fast as a strike against Sunderland will see him notch up his 100th Premier League goal. Your guess is as good as mine as to who Fergie may decide to play on Saturday (you've probably a better chance of predicting the lottery results in fairness) but given the current rotation policy and that we should be afforded plenty of space, expect Scholes and Fletcher to possibly start with Nani and Valencia on the flanks as Park remains doubtful with a virus.

That leaves Rooney and Berbatov to head up the attack, a partnership that is showing signs of flourishing and should come to life against the frailties of a Sunderland defence that is hardly up there with the best in the league.

The big decision Steve Bruce will have to make is whether to sit back and soak up pressure or attack United from the off and hope for the best. Whatever tact the one-time United captain decides to go with, Darren Bent will undoubtedly start having scored eight in his last nine Premier League starts.

Speaking to the media, Ferguson explained that he is hardly relishing the task of picking his team with so many players fighting fit and on top of their games at the moment.

"We've a strong squad. The problem with having everyone fit is picking the right team," he is quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

"Our two central midfielders - Michael Carrick and Anderson - were fantastic against Wolfsburg, and I thought Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes were outstanding at Stoke. It is giving me a real headache."

The United boss went on to praise the managerial work of his former player and that he expects Sunderland to achieve big things with Bruce at the helm.

"He's had experience of the other side, from down there scrapping at Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Huddersfield, Birmingham, and the job he did at Wigan in his second spell there last time was fantastic, almost getting them into a European place,” Ferguson added.

"Now he's had the chance to spend some money and he's looking good. Steve's galvanised the club already, and you can see something great happening there. Hopefully not against us on Saturday."

On the other side of the fence, Bruce paid tribute to Ryan Giggs, a player he labels one of the greatest to have graced the Premier League.

"He started in 1993 and where are we now, 2009? Jesus. And to play at the level he has been doing, he has to be the greatest ever player to have played in the Premier League” he is quoted as saying by the Telegraph.

"Not just because of his longevity but because he is playing for Manchester United and still getting man of the match awards.

"For me he is their best player, at his age as well."

Saturday’s match will be the 13th time that Bruce has gone head-to-head with Sir Alex with the Scot possessing a record of ten wins and two draws to date. The former Birmingham City manager may fancy his chances more than ever before considering the form of Darren Bent but the likes of Vidic and Ferdinand haven’t been in opposition before now.

Anything but a comprehensive result will clearly be frowned upon and bar an absolutely unbelievable Sunderland performance a woefully poor United showing, a comfortable victory should prove the final outcome and put further pressure on Chelsea needing to gain a positive result against Liverpool the day after.

Prediction: 2-0

Stoke City vs Manchester United: Preview

Having edged into the fourth round of the Carling Cup, albeit with an ultimately monotonous performance, the Premier League returns for United on Saturday and a somewhat tricky trip to the Britannia Stadium awaits.

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Stoke have started the season in a pretty decent fashion having picked up seven points already and been extremely unfortunate not to have come away with something more last weekend against Bolton and previously against Chelsea too.

You would expect that will give them legitimate confidence that they are capable of getting something against us and expect nothing short of a hard-fought and closely contested encounter.

The corresponding fixture last season was a noticeably tight and tense affair, certainly from a United perspective, as a late winner from a certain Argentine striker claimed all three points against the resilient Potters on Boxing Day.

Ferguson rung the changes on Wednesday evening and expect similarly wholesale changes as the league focus returns. The major confirmed team news is that Ben Foster, who hardly covered himself in glory with his display in the Manchester derby, will continue to deputise for Edwin van der Sar.

The back-four almost inevitably picks itself, with Patrice Evra and John O’Shea returning at full-back while Rio Ferdinand should line-up alongside Nemanja Vidic.

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I don’t expect Sir Alex to deviate too much from the midfield that played against City although if anyone was to drop out, I would expect it to be Anderson and Park for Scholes and Nani respectively.

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That should see Ryan Giggs keep his place in the starting eleven and after having run rings around Micah Richards

on Sunday, it was revealed this week that Giggs had created more goalscoring opportunities than any other player in the Premier League with 24.

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It’s little statistical titbit’s like that that help give an indication of just how important the Welshman has been to the United cause thus far this season, even at 35-years-old.

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It’s fair to say that going away to someone like Stoke may bring about a change in formation, although with the opposition most likely lining up in a 4-5-1 formation themselves, you would think it would be a wise move to avoid the temptation of going like for like and adopting the 4-4-2 system that has served us so well with Rooney and Berbatov lining up in attack.

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As well as confirming that Foster would indeed be starting on Saturday, Ferguson moved to provide some good news regarding the recovery of a somewhat forgotten midfield man, Owen Hargreaves, who has been out of action for the last nine months as he recovers from double knee surgery.

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"Hargreaves is back now and I hope the boy gets a break and continues his rehab without any further mishaps," the

United manager said.

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"It's been a long time for the lad. Normally, when a player has been out for that length of time, he has been helped by doing his rehab with the other players.

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"But the fact he did it on his own in America, under the guidance of Dr Steadman, is not easy.

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"He has shown the determination and resilience to see it through, though, and he is now back with us.
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"I feel that maybe it will still take us four weeks to get him into the rhythm of training again and get to the point of

match-play, but hopefully he is on the way back."
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Stoke boss Tony Pulis, meanwhile, spoke of the departures of Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer, praising the likes of Scholes and Giggs for the way they continue to defy the odds with such assured performances.
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"Clubs do not get over losing players like Ronaldo and Tevez quickly," he said.
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"It is very difficult whether you are Manchester United or Stoke to lose a player who has been scoring so freely and creating goals for his team-mates.
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"The greatest thing for Alex is how well players like Scholes and Giggs are doing. It is pretty amazing they are not just still going but going strong as well.

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"It is amazing. When Giggs finishes playing he will be seen as one of the greats of the game, I am sure."

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While the Potters will no doubt have their tremendous support behind them whatever scenario they are faced with during the 90 minutes (plus stoppages!), on paper we certainly have enough quality and we are a side in form with six successive wins.

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Stoke will certainly battle for everything and, in terms of physicality, they may just have the edge. Foster will need to have all his wits about him as Pulis I’m sure will be desperate for every conceivable set-piece (including the Delap throw) to be arrowed in and around his six-yard-box. One would suspect it will prove to be the ultimate test for the England goalkeeper following on from events in Manchester on Sunday. Let's just hope he gets through unscathed.

Prediction: 1-0 United

The Karim of the Crop?

With Carlos Tevez’ future still hanging in the balance we’ve seen the names of a couple of big-name strikers bandied about who are being mooted as potential replacements for the Argentine.

Over the next month or so I’ll be providing you with regular transfer rumour updates as the merry-go-round that is the summer window in European football gets into full swing.

So without further ado for my first report of the summer I present to you a player that certainly knows how to find the back of the net. If the title and picture wasn’t already a giveaway, it is ofcourse Lyon and France hit man Karim Benzema.

He’s been labelled one of the hottest prospects in European football for a couple of years now and it’s not too difficult to see why. This season alone the Frenchman has mustered up 17 goals in 36 league outings for Lyon and he’s also bagged five goals in eight Champions League appearances too.

Although it was in the Champions League last season where we all witnessed a firsthand account of exactly what Benzema is all about. Not only did he prove a handful for messers Ferdinand and Vidic at the Stade Gerland, Benzema also scored a stunning goal and you couldn’t help but admire his undoubted talents right there and then. So what’s Fergie waiting for?

Well the first stumbling block for me would be Lyon’s reluctance to sell their prized asset unless an extortionate amount of money is put on the table. With Juninho Pernambucano’s impending departure, why would Lyon even contemplate allowing their other star man to leave? Surely that would prove crippling not only to their prospects for next season but also to the faith of their supporters who have already had to endure a frustrating season as it is.

At 21-years-old Benzema has a whole career at the highest level ahead of him. With 23 caps to his name already, he is clearly no stranger to the international scene and my only fear would be his ability to adapt from a decidedly weaker French league. Although while young Karim does appear to have all the hunger and maturity needed to succeed in England, will Ferguson really be willing to stump up the £30 odd million required to get his man? Lose both Ronaldo and Tevez and he may not have the luxury of choice.

In all fairness I just think it’s going to be one season too early for Benzema to leave Ligue 1. With the likes of ourselves and Bareclona clearly at the front of the queue for his signature, the bigwigs at Lyon will know that with a World Cup only just around the corner, the potential is there to squeeze out a few million more if all goes well for France in South Africa. Saying that if Lyon fail to qualify for the Champions League proper they would be hard pressed to convince their main man that Stade Gerland is the place the be. Without the safety net of Europe’s premier club competition, rebuffing decent bids for his services would become an almost impossible task.

With all things considered, would Benzema really be content at potentially having to sit on the bench at various stages this season especially with it being a World Cup year? Ferguson will undoubtedly put faith in Berbatov for another season at least and with Rooney and Ronaldo available as potential striking options too, Benzema surely wouldn’t be a nailed on starter with every conceivable game.

There’s no arguing the fact that Benzema would be a terrific signing at Old Trafford as he would add pace, fluidity and a potency that was considerably lacking during the current campaign. But while I can’t see this move happening during the current transfer window, Fergie may not want to drag his feet for too long as Barcelona will be waiting to pounce as they search for an apt replacement for the ageing Thierry Henry. My biggest fear is that Benzema rather perfectly fits the bill.

Transfer Likelihood: 4/10

Chelsea launch bid for Kaka

It's turning into the proverbial bidding war now if reports are to be believed. Apparently Chelsea, under new manager Carlo Ancelotti have bid in excess of £70 million for the darling of Milan.

That would smash to pieces any current world transfer record (which coincidentally stands at £44 million I believe) but will the allure of Ancelotti be enough to dissuade Kaka from joining Madrid?

In fairness until Kaka actually speaks out on all this speculation it shouldn't really be taken with much more than a pinch of salt but the summer wouldn't be the same without the transfer merry-go-round now would it? So until he does confirm where his future lies, let the speculation continue I say!

Benitez makes his move in record deal!

Sorry Liverpool fans, Rafa hasn't signed Silva or David Villa just yet but Birmingham City have dipped into the transfer market by announcing the record signing of Christian Benitez for a fee believed to be in the region of £9 million.

If you're an avid Football Manager fan you may just recognise this name but for those of you who haven't a clue, Benitez is a 23-year-old Ecuadorian international striker and has scored 31 goals in 58 games in the Mexican Primera Division.

Birmingham's official website goes as far as claiming they have signed 'one of the hottest prospects in world football.' Yeah, we'll see...

Soccerlens Podcast: Wrapping up the season, Ancelotti’s long road ahead, and Downing to Liverpool!

On the 15th episode of the Soccerlens Podcast, Stephen Darwin is joined by WhoAteAllThePies founder Ollie Irish, Chris Toy from Studs Up and Soccerlens’ very own Russell Wall to discuss the big four, Tottenham and transfer speculation.

The show will be debating whether Carlo Ancelotti will survive for atleast a season at Chelsea, Manchester United’s campaign beyond that defeat to Barcelona and Chris and Ollie urge Liverpool to make a move for Stewart Downing.

Download link (mp3, 40mb, 43 mins)

The Premier League 2008/09 Season Review (Part Two)

January

Ah January. The month when the transfer window reopens, excitement grows and anticipation builds. It was certainly made all the more interesting with Man City’s millions as the club fervently pursued AC Milan’s Kaka, the Brazilian eventually opting to shun ADUG’s pile of money or just bottle it as some may say. With the biggest names in world football linked with a possible move to Eastlands, Mark Hughes finally plunged into the market to announce the signing of proverbial world beater...Wayne Bridge.

Charles Insomnia, I mean N’Zogbia, became so riled at Joe Kinnear’s misinterpretation of his name that he eventually decided to jump ship and join Steve Bruce’s Wigan and amongst some of the other big-name January February signings, Arsenal finally managed to land Andrei Arshavin while Robbie Keane rejoined Spurs.

Back to matters on the pitch and Liverpool would lose their grip on the title as they failed to win a league match in the New Year allowing Manchester United to gain a three point lead at the top. Following United’s 5-0 victory over West Brom, Edwin van der Sar broke Petr Cech’s shut-out record with 11 successive clean sheets – a run he would extend to an extraordinary 14 matches.

January would also see Harry Redknapp proclaim his wife is better than Darren Bent, Cristiano Ronaldo winning the World Player of the Year award and a certain Rafa Benitez went on a rant too.

February

February would signal the end of ‘Big Phil’ Scolari’s reign at Chelsea. Gene Hackman’s body double just couldn’t cut it in the Premier League and was quickly replaced by one of Roman Abramovich’s Russian mates.

While Liverpool continued to stutter in the title race it was full steam ahead for Manchester United and Ryan Giggs continued his quite remarkable record of having scored in every season of the Premier League since its 1992 inception.

After months of rehabilitation and recovery, February also brought about the emotional return of Arsenal striker Eduardo, 51 weeks after that Martin Taylor horror tackle. On the international stage David Beckham picked up his record equalling 108th England cap with the national side being taught a footballing lesson by Euro 2008 winners Spain in the process.

March

At the beginning of March Manchester United picked up their second piece silverware (or third depending on how you look at it) with the Carling Cup and all the talk was centred around a truly unprecedented quintuple charge. Although in an efficient performance of real potency, Liverpool upset the applecart at Old Trafford and crushed United 4-1 to reignite their title aspirations.

Aston Villa’s flailing hopes of grabbing that precious fourth Champions League spot were dealt another hammer blow by Tottenham to make it seven without a win and a settlement in the Carlos Tevez affair was finally reached.

In Europe the English clubs were undoubtedly starting to get right up Platini’s nose as Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United all progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals.

Elsewhere in March Wayne Rooney decided to pick a fight with one of Tim Cahill’s age-old adversaries and there was the alleged Fabregas/Horton spitting spat too.

April

In a considerably eventful month of April Alan Shearer dominated the headlines as he returned to Newcastle as manager to replace Joe Kinnear with all April fools conspiracies eventually put to bed.

A star was born in Federico Macheda, the young Italian announcing himself to the world with a cameo performance against Aston Villa to grab all three-points for the champions and put them back on the title trail.

Speaking about United that Carlos Tevez does get about a bit doesn’t he. The Argentine striker found himself splashed all over the back pages once again as question marks over his future at Old Trafford began to surface. While in one of the games of the Premier League season Andrei Arshavin grabbed four goals as Arsenal and Liverpool played out a thriller at Anfield. Woeful defending or not, this match proved exactly why we adore this league so much.

A much maligned PFA Player of the Year award was handed to Ryan Giggs and a valiant Manchester City bowed out of the UEFA Cup at the quarter-final stage. In the Champions League Chelsea came out on top against Liverpool while Arsenal and Manchester United booked their place in the semi-finals.

May

And so it came down to the final month of the season. The battle to avoid the drop just as intense as the media furore surrounding Susan Boyle and relegation still loomed large for some seven clubs.

Although before we discuss the last day of the Premier League campaign let’s give it up for Steven Gerrard who picked up the Football Writers Player of the Year while Joey Barton set himself up for a fundamentally bleak future in football with his latest display of hot-headedness.

On the penultimate weekend of the season Manchester United could celebrate their 18th top flight title despite only drawing with Arsenal so it all boiled down to relegation issues on ‘Survival Sunday’. While West Brom were already down much was made of Sir Alex Ferguson fielding a weakened team against Hull but the kids did alright and it would be Middlesbrough and Newcastle who would go down without as much as a whimper.

In the Champions League there was controversy all over the place at Stamford Bridge and Manchester United brushed Arsenal aside to meet Barcelona in the ultimate final in Rome. Although it was not to be for Ferguson’s side and the Catalans, inspired by the brilliance of Iniesta and Xavi proved too strong for United at the Stadio Olympico.

The FA Cup would pit Chelsea against Everton with the Merseyside club appearing in their first FA Cup final in some 14 years. In the sweltering heat of Wembley Stadium despite Louis Saha’s record-breaking 25th second strike, Chelsea asserted their supremacy on the match and Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard ensured the trophy would be heading to West London.

The Premier League 2008/09 Season Review (Part One)

So that’s it. The curtain has fallen on another season in English football and what a season it has been too! We’ve seen Manchester United look as though they would win every conceivable trophy and yet their season ends with ultimate disappointment. Liverpool’s recent form was the stuff of champions but in a campaign that looked to be promising so much, they ended up winning nothing.

In one of the most intriguing relegation battles ever witnessed it was heartache for West Brom and Middlesbrough and Alan Shearer failed to create the fairytale dreamed up in Geordie land as trips to Scunthorpe and Peterborough await the three relegated clubs.

To summarise it’s fair to say that over the past ten months we’ve witnessed both the exceptionally good and the terribly bad but there’s certainly never been a dull moment in England’s top flight. So as the Premier League wave’s goodbye to leave us in a state of depression, here’s a look back at some of the highlights of the season in England.

August

After a summer full of transfer speculation, Ronaldo stayed while Robbie Keane swapped White Hart Lane for Anfield. Throughout August it had looked rather ominous that Gareth Barry would be joining Keane at Liverpool, although in true Didier Drogba, Steven Gerrard, Cristiano Ronaldo or Kyle Lafferty fashion, the deal eventually fell flat on its face.

Meanwhile there was actually some football played in August too would you believe with Chelsea on top of the pile at the end of the month and looking every bit potential Premier League winners under Luiz Felipe Scolari.

After a steady if not overly impressive start to the defence of their title, Manchester United lost out to Zenit St. Petersburg in the European Super Cup in Monaco and Stoke revealed their secret weapon for the season - and no I’m not referring to the signing of Dave Kitson.

September

The transfer window should always close on 31st August right? Well Richard Scudamore obviously forgot to slam it shut when he went to bed that Monday night and look what managed to sneak in the following day.

The footballing world was in a state of shock as Man City suddenly became mega rich and it was party time for their fans as Robinho signed for the club, yes that’s Manchester City Rob, not Chelsea, for £32 million. Elsewhere, well just next door in fact, Sir Alex did his fair share of last minute window shopping too as sulky or silky striker Dimitar Berbatov eventually got his ‘dream’ move.

Alan Curbishley and Kevin Keegan were the first manager’s to walk away from the Premier League with Gianfranco Zola (along with Steve Clarke) stepping in at West Ham and Joe Kinnear arriving at Newcastle with a for sale sign visibly on display outside St James’ Park.

There was plenty of clowning around at Sunderland with Roy Keane at the forefront while Tottenham were sliding into disarray. Further north Manchester United were six points off the pace down in the deepest, darkest doldrums of...eleventh place and Hull pulled off a truly remarkable feat by beating Arsenal at the Emirates.

October

When Harry met Sally Levy and consequently left Pompey things finally started to look up for Spurs. Bentley scored this goal and Zaki scored that goal, a marvellous strike that would incidentally induce the Wigan man into many Fantasy teams across the country.

October also saw the now rather infamous Joe Kinnear rant. As if you need reminding, the then Newcastle boss swore at a group of assembled journalists an amazing 52 times! F*** me, indeed!

Back to matters on the pitch and Liverpool were looking every bit serious title challengers with four straight wins. Among them was a victory over Chelsea that brought to an end the Blues 86 game unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge. Benitez clearly meant business.

November

November instigated all that chat about Arsenal’s young guns and how they may just go on to achieve world domination...well sort of. Although a 3-0 victory over an experienced Wigan side in the Carling Cup certainly made everyone stand up and take notice.

Manchester United would lose ground in their pursuit of the title by slipping up at Arsenal although it wasn’t so rosy for the Gunners a couple of weeks later as Aston Villa showed their credentials for a top four finish with a surprise 2-0 victory at the Emirates.

Elsewhere remember I mentioned Scudamore’s window antics earlier? Well it’s lucky FA headquarters isn’t based in Merseyside or the transfer situation could have got a whole lot worse as yet another Liverpool player’s home was burgled.

Oh and have I mentioned Heurelho Gomes yet? Well another gift-wrapped Gomes gaffe afforded Fulham a win against Spurs at Craven Cottage, bringing an end to Harry Redknapp’s honeymoon period at the club.

December

You wouldn’t believe what the talk of this month was! Well rather than lauding fantastic strikes or enthralling finales the press seemed to be more concerned with a certain Roy Keane and his facial hair to be exact.

And Keane was to be in the headlines once again later in the month as he resigned from beleaguered Sunderland with Paul Ince not far behind him in the queue at the doll office. Ricky Sbragia and Sam Allardyce would be announced as their respective replacements charged with the job of staving off the threat of relegation.

December should be a time for festive cheer although try telling that to Andy Griffin and Ricardo Fuller. Yet despite probably not being on each other’s Christmas card list on this occasion, who knows, they may just exchange a present or two next year.

How can I possibly move onto January without mentioning that half-time team talk. Was Brown inspired? Outrageous? Outright stupid? I’ll let you decide on that one.

In other news Manchester United travelled to Japan to compete for the FIFA World Club Cup, a tournament they would end up winning by beating Ecuadorian’s Liga de Quito (yeah them) 1-0 in the final. Question marks surrounded United’s ability to cope with the ensuing fixture pile-up and Cesc Fabregas took his place on the long-term casualty list at Arsenal.

A tale of two trebles: Manchester United v Barcelona

By winning the Champions League on Wednesday evening Pep Guardiola could stand (be chucked in the air) safe in the knowledge that he had become the first manager in Spain to have won a treble that comprised of a league and European Cup double.

Even though they failed to retain the Champions League it’s still been a truly magnificent season for Manchester United too and while it may be considered something of a ‘poor man’s treble’, a treble they have won nonetheless.

So Barcelona are the kings of Europe for this season at least but can it really be said that they have had the better of campaigns? I’ll leave that for you to decide.

Domestically Superior

While Barcelona have been an irresistible force in La Liga this season, breaking records left, right and centre, Manchester United have gone about their business somewhat more quietly but just as effectively in the Premier League.

An overall points tally of 90 put pay to Liverpool’s impressive title charge and is a total that they have only surpassed once before in a 38 game season back in 1999/2000. Lest we forget it has been a draining season that has seen United exceed 65 games and as well as going off to Japan to win the World Club Championships, Ferguson’s side also won the Carling Cup and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup too.

Of course you can’t argue with Barcelona’s supremacy in Spain this season having comprehensively charged towards the league title, staving off the once prominent threat of Real Madrid along the way. Add the Copa Del Ray and of course the Champions League to the reckoning and when you bear in mind that this has been achieved with a pretty minute squad as well, it makes Barca’s achievements this season all the more remarkable.

Results against Rivals

It’s always a good idea to look at a club’s results against their closest and often bitter rivals as a decent benchmark for comparison and against the current top four teams in Spain, Barcelona have pretty much wiped the floor with the lot of them. Back in September Guardiola’s side smashed Atletico Madrid 6-1 and a couple of months later they travelled to a decent Sevilla outfit and beat them 3-0.

Despite narrowly losing to Atletico in the return meeting at Vicente Calderon, Barca brushed Sevilla aside at the Nou Camp and need I even mention their two meetings with Real Madrid? Well for those of you who may need reminding, a late surge in the first El Classico of the campaign saw the Catalans triumph 2-0 and in a performance of real zest and potency, Barca made a mockery of their fierce rivals by humiliating them at the Bernabeu 6-2.

In contrast Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez masterminded a double winning feat over Manchester United, embarrassing them in the process with a resounding 4-1 win at Old Trafford. While Sir Alex Ferguson’s team rallied to take Chelsea apart in January, a defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates in November didn’t bode well. Add to that a further couple of draws against both the aforementioned London clubs and Ferguson was left with just five points from a possible 18 against his closest adversaries for the title.

Defensive credibility

Despite their less than impressive showing the other night, I don’t think this one’s even a contest and while most of you would probably be forced to agree with me, the statistics do go some way to question my judgement. Yes while on paper Barcelona possess a somewhat weaker defensive unit than United, the La Liga champions have only conceded 34 league goals this season and can boast the best defensive record in Spain.

Although compare that to United and you begin to realise exactly why Sir Alex Ferguson has such a fervent case for defence. In England’s top flight United have conceded a mere 24 goals while on average in the Champions League they afforded their opposition just over half a goal every game since they began the ultimately unsuccessful defence of their crown back in September.

Let’s face it, no game in the Premier League is easy these days which demonstrates just how impressive Edwin van der Sar’s domestic clean-sheet record of 21 hours without conceding proved to be.

In Ferdinand and Vidic United have arguably the strongest centre-back partnership in the game at present although even young Jonny Evans has proved a more than capable replacement at numerous stages during the season. The form of Rafael and John O’Shea at right-back has forced Gary Neville out of the reckoning for the most part and while cutting a figure of inconsistency at times, Patrice Evra has been an ever-present at left-back.

Attacking style and flair

Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola are clearly blessed with an embarrassment of riches when you look at their respective starting elevens. Littered with some of the finest footballers in the modern game, just a brief look at some of the attacking options both teams have almost brings you to salivation.

Barcelona have this extraordinary three pronged strike force of Messi, Henry and Eto’o while United look to Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov and Tevez as their primary attacking threat. But just listen to this. The Catalans, with that fearsome threesome at the forefront, have conjured up an astonishing 104 goals in La Liga this season with the aforementioned trio contributing 71 towards that tally alone.

While Manchester United are a fluid and at times breathtaking counter-attacking side, that fascinating front four I mentioned earlier have only mustered up 44 Premier League goals between them. Of course that’s not catastrophic by any stretch of the imagination but it doesn’t even come close to matching what Messi, Henry and Eto’o have achieved as a unit.

It would be easy to argue that the Premier League is a far tougher environment than La Liga and United have often opted for a far less attacking but effective outlook throughout the season but in my opinion you can’t take anything away from that Barcelona front line. As long as Guus Hiddink isn’t in sight, it’s pretty unstoppable.

Messi vs Ronaldo

It has been a fundamentally decent season for both Messi and Ronaldo and separating them is a difficult task but when you look at his goals and influence on the Champions League Final, the little Argentine takes it for me.

Yes while Ronaldo finished as the second top scorer in the Premier League and at times single handedly carried United to the Final of Europe’s premier club competition in Rome it was Messi who stole the show when it mattered most.

Messi’s performance was simply sublime the other night. A menace if you like as he glided past challenge after challenge, contributing a goal to his team’s cause too. Despite a surprising look of desire and determination, Ronaldo just couldn’t get his side back into the game, however hard he was trying.

Throughout the season Messi has been the main focal point for Barcelona and with 38 goals, the World Player of the Year crown surely awaits.

O’Shea deserves his place in the spotlight

Before Sir Alex hands over his team-sheet to UEFA officials on Wednesday evening, you can’t be quite sure on the exact eleven that will take to the field in Rome. Will Carlos Tevez be afforded his United swansong? Will Rio win his fitness battle? Will Giggs or Scholes be given the nod? These are all realistic questions that will remain unanswered for a few a days at least.

Although one man that already knows he’s definitely going to be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Messi, Eto’o and Xavi is John O’Shea and boy does he deserve it.

Prior to this season (and on rarities during the current campaign too) I had always struggled to understand just how the Irishman warranted so much playing time in a Manchester United shirt. Defensively I would habitually worry whenever O’Shea faced up to anyone who could dribble even slightly better than the big man himself. Going forward he would frequently be caught in possession, misplace passes left, right and centre and at times he would be guilty of outright rupturing our attacking flow. How my opinion has categorically changed over the past eight months.

If there’s a player deserving of a starting berth on Wednesday night then O’Shea is a nailed on certainty. In a season where we’ve had so many problems at right-back, he has more than capably filled in and excelled in a position that, to be fair, probably isn’t even his strongest.

While Ronaldo makes a career of chucking his toys out of the pram, O’Shea is the perfect example of a player that simply gets his head down and concentrates solely on giving his all for the club. No he won’t offer spectacular 40-yard blockbusters or raking cross-field passes but what John O’Shea will guarantee you is 100% effort in every game, whoever the opposition, whatever the circumstance. You may be surprised to hear this stat but in 2009 I’ll have you know that the Irish international appeared in more matches than any other player at the club, missing just two games. So is he here just for the medals? You bet your life he’s not.

I may have given the impression that I don’t see the Waterford-born star of versatility as a goal scoring threat. Yet who needs to be deadly in front of goal as when you’ve hit the winner against Liverpool, you’ve pretty much earned cult status at the club. Fast forward a couple of years and O’Shea is at it again as he’s in the right place at the right time to hammer home another crucial winning goal against Arsenal. Did I really say he wasn’t a goal scoring threat?

Whilst the 28-year-old may not be the most technically gifted player of his generation, O’Shea is a valuable member of this magnificent United squad – and who would have predicted that a few years back!? I wouldn’t be surprised if he smashed home the winner in the Champions League final. It would certainly be a fitting way to mark a really impressive season for the lad.

Soccerlens Podcast - Survival Sunday, Manchester United’s banner season, Wenger’s future at Arsenal and more

On episode twelve of the Soccerlens Podcast, Stephen Darwin is joined by the founder of EPL Talk, Chris Harris to discuss the final day of the Premier League and of course that intriguing relegation scrap.

The show will be looking specifically at Manchester United and their unprecedented success, Newcastle’s woeful season, the future for Wenger and Arsenal, the remarkable work of Roy Hodgson at Fulham and Chris also offers his tips for the drop.

Download link (mp3, 28mb, 30 mins)

In a (Premier) League of their own: The top five signings of the season!

A top five list comprising of the signings of the season that includes just one player from the big four? I must be barmy right? But in all honesty there hasn’t been that many truly remarkable signings across the board during a Premier League campaign that has certainly been one of the best ever.

But even with the introduction of world class players to the Premier League mix, there were still a couple that deserve to be noticed for their ability to make an impact for their new club. Some made the switch from one Premier League club to another — while others made the jump from an entirely different league where the playing style was significantly different from that of the rough and tumble in England.

Although I’m not too hard pressed to come up with five and while you will be sure to contest them, here they are for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

5. Wilson Palacios

I’ve got nothing but praise for Palacios especially when you consider that he has been playing superbly well for Tottenham during a season in which his younger brother had been held in captivity before being brutally murdered. I don’t think I would have coped to be honest.

I ridicule anyone that calls this a sympathy vote because the Honduran has been a tremendous acquisition at White Hart Lane, protecting the back four and affording the likes of Modric and Lennon the freedom to probe forward.

The industrious former Wigan star has made that holding midfield berth his own at Spurs and at £14 million, Harry Redknapp will surely do a lot worse than that in the market.

4. Marouane Fellaini

The Belgian may deserve to be on this list purely for sporting such an impressive afro but Marouane Fellaini has proved there is so much more in his locker than just his excessively big hair.

It had seemed that David Moyes was taking something of a gamble when he made the decision to land this relatively unknown 20-year-old from Standard Liege for a club record £15 million.

Although fast-forward eight months and Fellaini’s signing appears a master stroke as his debut season with the Toffees has yielded an impressive eight league goals, relinquishing some of the pressure from a certain Australian in the process. A striking presence too (no I’m not referring to his barnet again), Fellaini has often more than capably helped cover in the centre forward position too.

3. Andrei Arshavin

He was being tracked by every manager and his dog (yes even Roy Keane was probably interested) after his successful campaign at that tournament that England failed to qualify for. I forget the name now. Fortunately for Arsenal fans, their trusty French leader realised the former Zenit man’s potential and eventually stumped up the £15 million odd required in January.

Arshavin has revitalised the Gunners since moving to the Emirates and we can only begin to ponder how different their season may have been had he signed during the summer months.

They say the Premier League and English football can be the toughest environment for a foreign import to adapt to. Well obviously no-one told Arshavin as made a mockery of that statement with his six goals and ten assists in just eleven domestic matches.

2. Abdoulaye Faye

You’ll no doubt look at this selection with an element of surprise and I’m sure many quarters would be pushing for another Stoke player to make the list. One James Beattie ofcourse.

And yes while Beattie has clearly been a huge catalyst in propelling Stoke up the table since January, the contributions of Abdoulaye Faye from the off have arguably been of much greater significance.

Having started all but two league games this season the Senegalese international has been a commanding presence at the back for City in easing any pre-Premier League relegation fears. He was recently voted the club’s Player of the Year by supporters and his team-mates and he has also aptly stood in and captained the side on many occasions. Not bad for a debut season eh.

1. Mark Schwarzer

In all fairness, this Aussi stopper was probably gearing up for a season of fighting against relegation when he first opted to join Roy Hodgon’s revolution at Craven Cottage.

Yet after a terrific season by all standards and estimations, Fulham have found themselves flirting with the European places and Schwarzer has undoubtedly played a massive part.

Often unbeatable between the sticks this season, the former Middlesbrough goalkeeper can proudly state that he has started every game in the league for the Cottagers, with Fulham conceding less than anyone else outside of the top three (even Arsenal). Take a bow Mr Schwarzer as you are my undisputed (well we’ll see!) Premier League signing of the season.