It seems that the Championship Playoff finals are often won by the team who is playing best at the end of the season. Last year, Ian Holloway masterminded a Blackpool offensive (cough) juggernaut to promotion behind Charlie Adam and against a Cardiff side who’ve developed the nasty reputation of being playoff chokers. This year, the popular picks from pundits have gone to anyone but the Bluebirds. But is there really a trend to which clubs are most successful come playoff time?

Examining table below, we can draw several assumptions. Firstly, it’s bad luck to finish fourth in the table after the regular season (another reason Cardiff City fans are cursing). Not once has a team who finished fourth won through to English football’s Big Dance.

Secondly, it’s easy to see that when a club finishes higher in the table (as in Watford, Derby County and Hull City from 2006-08), recent league form usually plays less of a part their playoff success – the two worst-performed teams over the last ten league games over the past ten years both achieved playoff success from third place. This means that the club was either safely in the playoffs or had dropped by dint of poor form from the automatic promotion places. In all three cases however, their pursuers failed to take advantage of poor form (cf. Watford 2006 and Derby County in 2007).

Also, it’s important to realise that Goal Difference counts. Every promoted club – excepting a strange mid-noughties phenomenon involving West Ham, Watford and Derby County – had a much superior goal differential to their opponents. Given before last season’s first-half scorefest, the prior 6 Playoff Finals had ended 1-0, the ability to balance defence with attack is crucial.

So how does this year’s championship reflect these trends?

At this stage it would be easy to discount Nottingham Forest as they’ve taken the least points from their last ten league matches of any club who finishing sixth over the past decade. Their collapse – lasting from mid-February to early April – should have effectively put paid to their chances. This is also reflected in their poor goal difference. However as these are finals and – as the quote goes – “You’ve got to be in it to win it”, they can’t be considered definite first-round “outs” just because a decade of stats (not a big sample) says they should be.

Reading‘s form appears irresistible. While Swansea City have won less often, they’ve done so with greater winning margins. This could be put down to facing weaker opposition or their attacking style of play. That their stats match up quite well with Watford’s and Derby County’s is also encouraging for fans of Cyril the Swan and his men. With Cardiff’s reputation as big-game bottlers perhaps overstated but disturbing reports of late-season drinking apparently close to the mark, perhaps it’s easier to discount the Bluebirds (my favourite Football Manager team) against the Shane Long-led Royals.

Fearless Playoff Predictions: Reading over Cardiff City, Swansea City over Nottingham Forest, Dave Jones to get sacked and then Reading to steamroll back into the Premiership, leaving Cyril the Swan distraught, tired and emotional.

For more analysis and opinion, shoot across to Matthew Wood‘s blog, Balanced Sports.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

In FIFA 10, EA Sports’ widely popular football game, the weekly salary of Wayne Rooney is set at £110,000 in Manager Mode. That is how rich a virtual edition of Wayne Rooney is.

Clubs like Burnley, Blackpool, Hoffenheim, Hercules have recently entered their respective country’s premier championship and impressed all neutrals.

It is widely known now that Blackpool manager Ian Holloway had been given a strict salary cap of £10,000 per week per player by ex-chairman Karl Oyston. How does he motivate Marlon Harewood to score more goals than Carlos Tevez when he knows that the Apache earns more in a month than Harewood earns in two years.

Karl Oyston resigned with immediate effect’ after the Tangerines opening day thrashing of Wigan Athletic. He said he was disillusioned by the lack of ethics in the Premier League. And rightly so. It is amazing that the most average player in a Liverpool Jersey (let’s say Raul Meireles) probably earns the same as the best player at Hoffenheim – and the German League is financially very healthy as compared to the mess Liverpool find themselves in.

The team sitting pretty atop the La Liga table has a similar story to the Reds. The mountain of debt Valencia are said to be under has forced the club to (among other things) delay payments of salaries of their players in the past by a few weeks. Few weeks! I’m sorry mister Mata, but will it be okay if you survive on just a measly 5-figure sum this month?

Footballers earn more than they deserve. Their salaries and transfer fees are resulting in fans having to shell out up to 50 quid at some stadias to see their favorite team assemble a bunch of their favorite players in their starting XI.

How different would life be if footballers were poor? We don’t have to look far to find some. In countries ranked below the top 100 in the FIFA world rankings, many football players don’t know of any other green than the pitch they play on. Their lives are fueled by their passion for the game.

Alfredo Esteves – I know his name does have the makings of a star – is the captain of the Timor-Leste National Football team. His greatest moments as a footballer are:

• Scoring a goal for his country against Cambodia in 2008.
• Playing alongside the likes of Luis Figo, Ronaldo (the one that can use hair gel) and his Brazilian namesake in a charity game for the Figo All Stars.

I know most of us will give an arm and a leg – well maybe not our legs, we’ll need them – to share the same “greatest moments” as Alfredo. But Esteves wasn’t even paid the £10,000 the highest earning Seasider makes, for his appearance in that friendly. He wasn’t paid to say anything. He simply loves the game.

For Ashley Cole, the “best decision of his career” was joining Chelsea from Arsenal in 2006. In fact he went on to say that Gunners fans don’t know what they are missing out on if they aren’t supporting Chelsea. Shows how much class money can buy you.

Manchester United’s latest recruit Bébé was playing purely for the love of the game not more than a month back. But the media circus surrounding his arrival has made him realize the worth of the £7.5 million that has been reportedly spent on him. There were a lot of reports about how United lost out on signing him for free in May. For a man who would be happy to get €7.5 to feed himself just a year ago, reading a million reports on what his transfer fees is worth – Roughly 150,000 Bébé replica shirts – can be quite overwhelming! But that sum comes after the talent.

His raw footballing skills will be honed by Manchester United’s coaching staff. Behind all the headlines his story has attracted, Bébé remains a poor footballer at the core of things. And it was his inspiring performances at the Homeless World Cup, where he played not for money, but for his country that got him a United jersey.

Maybe most footballers that come from poor nations don’t understand what the power of a 40-yard-90th-minute-winner is. At that moment they surge all the power in their body to the tip of the foot and unleash an unstoppable drive. They definitely aren’t thinking of their swiss bank accounts. If we were to see that footballer everywhere, we wouldn’t have to spend $1.99 to watch the highlights of our favorite teams’ Champions League Match.

Will we ever see a time when a footballer with the talent of Messi play his entire club life for a club like Swansea because that’s his club? So what if it isn’t in the Premier League. I dream so.

Until then, bring in the beers.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The transfer deadline has now passed after a mad dash for players on Tuesday night.

Here we will discuss the top big money deals, bargains and coups of the summer in the Premier League in a top 10 countdown.

The countdown will conclude with some notable exclusions that may surprise you and 10 of the most debatable deals concluded this window.

10. Moussa Dembele – AZ Alkmaar to Fulham – £5m

After snubbing a move to mid-table rivals Birmingham City, Fulham snapped up the Belgian international. The forward has received much praise in his time in Holland and at 23, already has 28 international caps under his belt notching 5 goals. Bobby Zamora has not really had a consistent strike partner as of yet but Dembele could well compliment the big man’s hold up play and ship in with a few goals to help the Cottagers push for Europe once more.

He may need to add more goals to his game as players with far greater goalscoring records have joined from Eredivisie and failed. He will be looking to avoid the records of the likes of Mateja Kezman and Afonso Alves.

9. Steven Fletcher – Burnley to Wolves – £6m

In an otherwise bleak season at Turf Moor last season there was one man who constantly stood out. Fletcher, who signed from Hibernian in 2009, shipped in with 8 goals last term which is no mean feat at a club who struggled desperately for goals in the Premier League. Decent pace, work rate, finishing and aerial ability are attributes that the Wolves faithful should look forward to seeing this season.

If the England born striker can create a decent partnership with Kevin Doyle then Wolves should see themselves as a Premier League team once more this time next season and with a debut goal to his name, Fletcher will look to be a big hit at Molineux this season. At just 23, the Midlands club should have the striker tied down for his best years at the club.

8. Kenwyne Jones – Sunderland to Stoke City – £8m

Kenwyne Jones is a big, strong, Trinidadian striker who will fit into the Stoke set-up with no problems whatsoever. After starting his career in England at Southampton the 25 year old has already had a short loan spell at the Britannia Stadium in 2005. The athletic front-man is seen as somewhat of a coup for Stoke and despite his £8m price tag it was a surprise that Steve Bruce decided to let him leave Sunderland.

With a great work rate and decent header, Jones will certainly look to benefit from Stoke’s no-nonsense, direct style and a few goal from Rory Delap throw-ins would not come as a shock.

7. Ben Foster – Manchester United to Birmingham City – £6m

Foster seems to have been a promising goalkeeper for about 5 years but will be looking to become more than that at St. Andrews this season. Birmingham needed to fill the considerably large hole left by Joe Hart’s return to Manchester City and they may have come as close as possible with this signing.

A superb shot-stopper and England international has been replaced by another although Foster will definitely need to look at cutting out some silly errors in his game, notably in the Manchester derby last term. Nevertheless a very decent signing for the Blues and one that may represent good value for money at what is a cheap £6m these days.

6. Ramires – Benfica to Chelsea – £17m

Somewhat of an unknown entity who has received rave reviews in both his native Brazil and Portugal, where he has been playing for Benfica. Anyone who receives such reviews in Brazil must be worth raving about and Ramires was one of a small group kept in the Brazil squad post World Cup by new manager Mano Menezes.

The midfielder spent just one season at Benfica but was hugely impressive after signing from Cruzeiro in 2009. The 23 year has as many Brazil caps as million pounds that Chelsea spent on him at 17 and is a hard working and extremely energetic holding man in the elk of Gilberto Silva.

Ancelotti may be looking for him to push John Obi Mikel for a starting berth as the Nigerian has failed to set the Premier League alight at Chelsea thus far.

5. Stephen Ireland – Manchester City to Aston Villa – Free (part exchange)

The 2008/09 City player of the year has joined the Midlands club as part of the deal to take James Milner to Eastlands. The unmistakable bald headed Irishman is creative mastermind and will be looking to unlock defences at Villa Park this season. A creative central midfielder is something that Villa have lacked for a while and Ireland impressed just about everyone in the Premier League two season ago with some admirable performances.

Great runs from midfield and exceptional team play are qualities that the 24 year old has to boast about. Ireland will be looking to forget his birthday debut for the club in the 6-0 defeat to Newcastle as swiftly as possible and emulate the form that inspired so many with City.

4. Raul Meireles – Porto to Liverpool – £11.5m

Meireles is a highly cultured and experienced Portugese international. A real string puller in the centre of midfield and a great bit of business by new manager Hodgson to help fill a Javier Mascherano shaped hole. The 27 year old shone for his country at the World Cup overshadowing the likes of Ronaldo, putting in a particularly inspired performance against North Korea.

It is slightly surprising that Porto have let him leave after 6 years at the club netting 15 times. The price is fairly decent for Liverpool in today’s current climate and look out for a decent partnership developing with captain fantastic Steven Gerrard.

3. James Milner – Aston Villa to Manchester City – £16m + Stephen Ireland

Tireless, consistent and English. Milner is a breath of fresh air in the Premier League and a superb season for Villa saw him pick up the PFA Young Player of the Year award. After cementing an England place in the World Cup the 24 year old may be there for quite some time. After breaking through into the Leeds first team at just 16 it was obvious that the boy had talent.

An extraordinary work ethic has seen him become a manager’s dream and with a huge transfer fee on his head he will need to perform this season of which I feel there is no doubt. Mancini may have signed him for his home grown status but his versatility may prove invaluable at City this season.

2. Marouane Chamakh – Bordeaux to Arsenal – Free

It was a tough decision for the top summer signing this season between two quite remarkable free transfers. Moroccan forward Marouane Chamakh has an impressive recent goalscoring record and may be just the player that Arsenal have been missing. It is only in the last two seasons at Bordeaux that Chamakh really stood out as a top European striker and the player seemed committed to a move to Arsenal from a year ago.

Arsenal failed in a bid to sign the 26 year old last summer but it is obvious that the move was very appealing to the striker who reiterated his desire to leave for the Emirates Stadium in January. The lanky target man is a direct, if somewhat belated, replacement for Emmanuel Adebayor who left to join the City revolution last term.

Chamakh’s arrival may see Nicklas Bendtner’s chances at the club restricted which is something that won’t leave a lot of Arsenal fans having sleepless nights.

1. Joe Cole – Chelsea to Liverpool – Free

My signing of the summer has to be Joe Cole in a move that has seen many Chelsea fans still wondering why at Stamford Bridge. After a couple of torrid seasons at Chelsea with injuries Cole is now closing in on full fitness and will no doubt have the Anfield crowd in the palm of his hand this season.

With qualities that suggest he is both a top quality wide man and advanced playmaker, the 28 year old will be looking to link up with England team mate Steven Gerrard to bring the good old days back to Liverpool. Rather indifferent starts to his Liverpool career have seen him sent off on his debut and miss a penalty in his next game although he did impress against Tabzonspor in Europa qualifying.

The England international is no doubt still hurting after being constantly overlooked by Fabio Capello in the World Cup and will be looking to prove himself which can only benefit the scouse club.

Rafael van der Vaart’s transfer was not confirmed at the time of publishing this article.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

England

Mascherano Wants Milan Move

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson stated at a press conference today that midfielder Javier Mascherano has indicated to him that he wants to leave the club, but he also stated that just because the Argentina captain wants to leave doesn’t mean that he’ll be allowed to.
Sky Sports

Analysis: Can’t fault either for their stance, really. From all that’s been said before, Mascherano would prefer a move elsewhere for the sake of his family, and you can’t fault him for that. All the same though, he’s contracted to Liverpool, and if they want to keep him, they can, even if he wants to leave (like with Edin Dzeko & VfL Wolfsburg, for example). That being said, I do think he will leave before the summer’s over, and hopefully it’s an amicable split.

Liverpool Line Up Salcido

The Sun says that Liverpool are set to make a 3m bid for PSV star Carlos Salcido in the next few days.

Analysis: Emiliano Insua’s move to Fiorentina looks to be on the rocks due to his wage demands, so Liverpool could yet hold on to him. However, it’s still a wise move to pursue Salcido even if Insua stays, as Roy Hodgson would do well to have some quality experience to help take the pressure off of the youngster.

Black Star Set For Black Cats Return

After spending last season on loan at Sunderland, Lyon center back John Mensah looks set to spend another season at the Stadium of Light. The Ghana international’s loan spell last season was hampered by injuries, but he did make 14 starts and had 16 total appearances for Steve Bruce. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: With the priority that Steve Bruce has placed on strengthening the defense this season, there’s no excuse for Sunderland to concede nearly as many as they did last season. If they do, the next step might be for Bruce to come out of retirement.

Bolton Sign Alonso

Bolton have signed Real Madrid left back Marcos Alonso for an undisclosed fee. The 19-year-old, who has penned a three-year deal with Bolton, made one appearance for Real Madrid’s first team last season. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Bolton have certainly got a good one for the future. As Coyle said, you don’t get through at Real without some talent, and he’s definitely got the bloodlines, with his father and grandfather both having long and successful careers as footballers.

Sol Sets Sights On St. James’

Sol Campbell was set to have a medical at Newcastle today. The veteran center back had also held talks with Celtic and Sunderland, but he looks set to complete a free transfer move to St. James‘ Park as soon as tomorrow. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: Steven Taylor’s injury made adding a new center back a must for Chris Hughton, so this is a perfect fit, especially with Campbell settling down in the north-east.

Newcastle Eye Ben Arfa

According to the Sun, Newcastle are interested in Marseille winger Hatem Ben Arfa and could soon make a bid for the 23-year-old.

Analysis: A move to somewhere that he could start on a regular basis would do Ben Arfa well, as he needs to make a positive impression on new France coach Laurent Blanc, with many places up for grabs and Euro 2012 qualifiers on the horizon.

Ipswich Close On Fulop

Ipswich are close to landing Sunderland goalkeeper Martin Fulop in a 1.5m deal. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: To be on the safe side, it would be a lot better to have David James or a similarly suitable #1a already signed up before shipping Fulop off, despite how clear it is that he’s not in their plans for now and when Craig Gordon returns. But Steve Bruce must be confident that someone else will be signed, sealed, and delivered in the next few days, otherwise they wouldn’t be pushing this deal through quickly.

Burnley Sign Grant

Burnley have signed Sheffield Wednesday keeper Lee Grant for an undisclosed fee. Bristol City made a late run at Grant, but he’s opted for a reunion with former Derby boss Brian Laws and has penned a three-year deal with the Clarets. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Brian Jensen started all 38 of Burnley’s Premier League matches last season, and he just signed a new two-year deal in June, but Grant hasn’t been brought in to be his understudy, that’s for sure.

Italy

Juve Close On Krasic?

According to Russian media sources, Juventus have agreed a fee between 15-17m for CSKA Moscow star Milos Krasic. The Serbian attacker could join Juve before CSKA’s derby clash with Spartak Moscow this weekend. (Goal.com)

Analysis: Despite being one of the better attacking sides in Serie A last season, Juve lacked the kind of creative influence that would’ve helped offset at least some of their defensive inefficiencies, as Diego didn’t exactly have the kind of impact that he wasn’t expected to and the strikeforce had issues producing. However, the addition of Krasic should help provide the oomph that Juve need in order to at least avoid having to go the hard way through to the Europa League proper as they have to this season.

Spain

Osasuna After Almunia

Osasuna are interested in Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia, according to the Daily Mail.

Analysis: Arsenal look set to sign a new keeper sometime soon, whether it’s Mark Schwarzer (experienced, inexpensive), Cagliari’s Frederico Marchetti (who is being allowed to leave), or someone else, so Almunia’s days seem to be numbered.

Osasuna have already signed a goalkeeper this summer in Asier Riesgo, and former Manchester United keeper Ricardo started 36 of their 38 league matches last season, so they’re not short on options as it stands, but keeper is one area where you can never have enough quality depth.

Espanyol Eying Maxi?

Also according to the Daily Mail, Espanyol are in talks with the agent of Liverpool winger Maxi Rodriguez over a potential move.

Analysis: Even if he isn’t set to start every time out for Liverpool this season, I don’t see them letting him go. With last season’s experience under his belt, he has the chance to be an integral part of the side this season, even if it’s just as a super sub.

Scotland

Hoops Land Hooper

Celtic have signed Scunthorpe United striker Gary Hooper for 2.4m. The 22-year-old scored 19 league goals in 35 appearances for Scunthorpe last season and had a total of 50 goals and 14 assists in 95 total appearances in his two seasons at the club. (ESPN Soccernet)

Analysis: Bolstering the attack was a must for Celtic ahead of the new season, and though a move for the likes of Robbie Keane was out of their budget, they’re certainly not settling with the signing of Hooper. If he produces like he has over the last few seasons, it won’t take long for him to be a hit at Parkhead.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

England

Manchester Move For Ibrahimovic?

The agent of Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to meet next week with officials from Manchester United and Manchester City. (Goal.com)

Analysis: It’d seem that the only way United would be able to work a deal out for him is if he significantly dropped his wage demands or if United went well above their current wage structure, neither of which I see happening. One can never say never, otherwise they wouldn’t be meeting with his agent, but I’d have to say that he’s bound for City or AC Milan.

United Target Not For Sale

Udinese president Giampaolo Pozzo says that winger Alexis Sanchez, who is a target of Manchester United and Roma, is not for sale this summer. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Sanchez made a big step from his first season at Udinese to his second, and he’ll be a big part of Udinese’s hopes to get back into Europe after last season’s surprising 15th place finish. If he continues his progress, I fully expect him to make a move next summer.

Fulham Want Fair Fee For Schwarzer

Arsenal have offered £2m for Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer, but that’s not going to cut it, as the Cottagers are looking for £4m for the experienced shot-stopper. (The Sun)

Analysis: 4m for a 37-year-old keeper might be considered a bit much, but given how long he’s been one of the best in the business, his importance to Fulham, and the fact that he still has plenty left in the tank, 4m isn’t really that much at all.

‘Pool Eye Park

According to the Sun, Liverpool are set to make a £6m bid for Monaco and South Korea star Park Chu-Young.

Analysis: Now, his numbers at Monaco might not blow you away, but there’s no doubt that he has the talent to be the next Korean success in the Premier League.

Birmingham Back For Babel

The Daily Star reports that Birmingham have rekindled their interest in Liverpool’s Ryan Babel, with an £8m bid set to be made soon.

Analysis: Roy Hodgson is still very much evaluating who he wants to keep and who he doesn’t, so he might yet decide that Babel still has a future at Liverpool. But with no guarantees as to how much Babel will figure into his plans, the need to raise funds for strengthening the squad, and an all-too-willing buyer in Birmingham, perhaps there will be less bumps in the road with this move this time around.

Fresh Sunderland Bid For Valdez

Sunderland have made a second bid for Borussia Dortmund striker Nelson Valdez. The 26-year-old, who started four of Paraguay‘s five World Cup games, is also receiving interest from PSV Eindhoven, among others. (The Mirror)

Analysis: If there is a Paraguayan striker that plays for Borussia Dortmund that Sunderland should be after, it’s Lucas Barrios, but he might be out of their price range.

Keinan Set For Blackpool

Israeli defender Dekel Keinan is set to undergo a medical ahead of signing a two-year deal with Blackpool. The 26-year-old recently had a trial with the newly promoted club, and he‘s set to become their first new acquisition of the summer. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: We’ll see how prominently he figures into Ian Holloway’s plans, but he has a great deal of experience on club and international level, including experience in Israel’s 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign and in the Champions League last season with Maccabi Haifa, which will prove valuable.

Italy

Milan Target Podolski

AC Milan executive Adriano Galliani says that the club could move for German forward Lukas Podolski, but it‘ll happen only if Klaas-Jan Huntelaar leaves the club this summer. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: Considering Podolski’s propensity for profligacy on the club level in recent seasons, perhaps AC Milan might as well keep Huntelaar instead of giving Cologne a friendly cash injection.

Cavani Set For Napoli

Napoli have reportedly reached an agreement for Palermo striker Edinson Cavani. Napoli will take the Uruguayan on loan for the upcoming season and then pay €16m next summer to make the deal permanent. (Goal.com)

Analysis: Well, there are certainly no excuses for Napoli not making a serious push for a Champions League place (at the very least) and going deep in the Europa League. Defensively, they should be solid once again, but with one of the most dangerous front lines in Serie A, with Cavani, Lavezzi, and Quagliarella, we should see a lot fewer 0-0 and 1-1 draws (11 of those last season).

Germany

Bayern In For Van Der Wiel

Bayern Munich have made an approach for Ajax right back Gregory Van der Wiel, who‘s coming off of an impressive World Cup showing in the Netherlands‘ run to the final. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: This will only serve to increase speculation about the future of Philipp Lahm, who stands a good chance of leaving Bayern this summer, with Manchester United once again interested in him.

Surprise Contender For Campbell?

Newly promoted Bundesliga side St. Pauli have offered defender Sol Campbell a one-year deal worth €90k (£75k) per week. (Transfer Market Web)

Analysis: Well, I don’t see this one as being too likely to come to anything, though it’s certainly worth it to take a shot. Not a bad offer monetarily at all, and it wouldn’t tie him to the club even if they immediately go back down, but I imagine he wouldn’t want to jump into a relegation battle at this point in his career.

Wolfsburg Loan Cicero

Wolfsburg have signed Brazilian midfielder Cicero on loan. Cicero spent the last two seasons at Hertha Berlin, starting 61 games and scoring 10 goals and assisting on nine more. (ESPN Soccernet)

Analysis: Another solid signing for Wolfsburg. Cicero has been a quality performer in the Bundesliga over the last couple of seasons, and he was one of the bright spots in a dismal campaign for Hertha Berlin last season. He should step in and be an impact player from the outset for Wolfsburg.

Scotland

Rangers Swoop In For Eagles

Rangers have made an approach for Burnley winger Chris Eagles. The former Manchester United starlet scored two goals and assisted on three more in 20 Premier League starts last season. (Sky Sports)

Analysis: With Eagles out of contract next summer and not a sure thing to remain at Burnley past the end of that deal, it’s best to cash in now and at least get something back for him. And with Burnley back in the Championship after a Premier League season in which Eagles yo-yoed in and out of the starting lineup, the timing isn‘t bad.

USA

Henry Seals MLS Move

Thierry Henry has officially completed his move to Major League Soccer, as the New York Red Bulls have confirmed that they’ve signed the veteran striker to a multi-year deal. (ESPN Soccernet)

Analysis: Isn’t it only fitting that, given his longtime ties to Arsenal, that he’ll be making his debut in a friendly against Tottenham?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Congratulations then to Chelsea, who have emerged as rightful Champions, with 27 wins, 86 points, and 103 goals in the bank. For a long time this looked like the competition no-one wanted to win, but once Jose Mourinho had robbed his former side of a shot at Champions League glory, the west-Londoners revved their domestic engine with impressive gusto.

Along the way, Chelsea were able to afford six defeats. Manchester United, in second place, suffered seven. It is often said of English football that on the day any team can beat any other, and never has that been more true than this season.

Some attributed this concertining of quality to the weakening of the top sides: Chelsea were another year older, whilst United had lost Ronaldo, Tevez, and the attacking zest that had brought them three consecutive titles. Others pointed to a new swarm of threats to the former ‘Big Four’: the likes of City, Villa, and Spurs, who would ultimately usurp a despondent Liverpool by snaring the fourth Champions League spot.

In actuality, the mish-mash of results probably stems from a bit of both. This was an ultra-competitive division, with battles being fought over four key areas.

The Race For The Title

Before the season began, many pundits were tipping Liverpool for the title. As it happened, they weren’t even involved in the battle – their opening day defeat at Spurs was indicative of how their season would progress. Instead a three way fight emerged: United and Chelsea took turns at setting the pace, while the persistent Arsenal nibbled at their heels.

The latter’s challenge eventually fell away – by the final day they required a win to secure third spot and automatic Champions League qualification. Nevertheless, this season represented progress for Arsenal. They offset the loss of Kolo Toure by bringing in Thomas Vermaelen, and the Belgian was voted in to the PFA Team of the Season in his first year here. In midfield, Alex Song emerged as a top-class holding midfielder, whilst Cesc Fabregas overcame several injuries to have his most productive season to date, ending the year with 19 goals.

Yet despite these improvements it was the same defensive frailties that have troubled them for the last five years that saw them fall short. Crucial late goals conceded at Birmingham and Wigan meant that for all their promise, Arsenal found their level. The title chase became a two-horse race.

Back in the summer, Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson controversially decided not to spend the £80m received from the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo. I say ‘decided’: Karim Benzema elected to join Real Madrid whilst Bayern Munich deliberately priced Franck Ribery out of the market. Ferguson wasn’t too worried: he had Wayne Rooney. With Ronaldo out of the limelight, the British bulldog came to the fore with an accolade-laden campaign.

When you look at United’s scoring charts, it’s no surprise to see Rooney way out in front with 34 goals. The cracks become clearer when you look at the man in second place: the cryptically named ‘OG’. Yes, that’s right: remarkably, United’s second top goalscorer has been the opposition. The likes of Berbatov and Owen have failed to sufficiently replace the departing Latin pair, and a succession of injuries to Rio Ferdinand have left United occasionally vulnerable at the back too.

In the end, they were edged out by a Chelsea side whose resolve was strengthened by a clarity of focus: having gone out of the Champions League, they recovered from a minor blip to show some outstanding form in the run-in. Florent Malouda is a player transformed, whilst Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba have been extraordinarily prolific.

For Drogba to end as the Golden Boot winner in a season where he spent six weeks away at the African Cup of Nations is a testament to both his form and fitness. Carlo Ancelotti has claimed the biggest domestic prize on offer in his first English season – a feat which matches his esteemed predecessor, Jose Mourinho. If he can go on to win the FA Cup Final and complete a domestic double, he’ll surpass his old rival.

The Battle For Fourth

The FA Cup is traditionally regarded as the second biggest domestic prize available. However, in his post-match press conference after their final day win against Fulham, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger suggested that after the league title itself, the biggest prize on offer is Champions League qualification. For once, Tottenham fans will agree with him.

Whilst I’d like to wait until Spurs overcome the hurdle of a qualifying round before rubber-stamping their position as a Champions League outfit, finishing fourth is undoubtedly a magnificent achievement, and a remarkable two-year turnaround for a team that Juande Ramos seemed to be dragging towards the relegation zone. Promisingly for English hopes at the World Cup, their success is built on a native spine: the likes of Dawson, King, Huddlestone, Defoe, Lennon and Crouch could all feature in tomorrow’s provisional squad.

Spurs’ success comes at the expense of Manchester City – and that’s one cost they can ill afford. Smelling blood from an ailing Liverpool, they ruthlessly sacked Mark Hughes to appoint Roberto Mancini, but the Italian has failed to deliver them to the promised land of the Champions League. There will now be yet another overhaul of their squad: whilst the likes of Tevez and Given have proven to be sterling signings, there are still question marks over big money buys like Joleon Lescott and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill is reportedly considering whether or not he has the energy for another go at fourth spot, and one can understand why he might be tiring after his agitated touchline antics. Of more serious concern, however, is the fact that the rivals around them will have superior resources in seasons to come. The improving form of young talents like Milner, Young and Agbonlahor may not be enough to withstand the threat from moneybags City and a resurgent Liverpool.

Of course, a Liverpool resurgence would require a degree of change. This has been a disastrous season for them, in which the high hopes of the previous year crumbled as the team suffered 19 defeats in all competitions. With a potential buyout on the cards and the futures of Benitez, Gerrard and Torres all unclear, this has been a campaign to forget for the Merseysiders. The one saving grace is that they managed to stay just above rivals Everton, whose injury problems prevented them from challenging quite as significantly as they otherwise might have done.

Mid-table Melee

The position of mid-table side in the Premier League is an odd one. It is not something you aim for: the teams who make up this pack are often forced to start the season with survival as their main goal. Anything higher than 17th represents a progressive increase in pride and prize money. That’s not to downplay the achievements of the teams who make up this group: in fact, the managers of these sides often deserve most acclaim. Operating on limited resources they navigate their sides clear of the drop and steer them not just to safety, but to a degree of success and continued stability.

Birmingham and Blackburn will both be proud of their top-half finishes, and managers Alec McCleish and Sam Allardyce will both point to their solid back-lines as the cornerstone of their progress. McCleish in particular has achieved wonders with a newly promoted team and a backfour made up of signings from the Championship and the once-retired Steven Carr.

Stoke added some flair with the likes of Tuncay Sanli, but it was their direct physical approach that assured their continued comfort in the Premier League. The Britannia has become a fortress, and the only real threat to Stoke’s continued success is the squad’s internal bickering.

Fulham’s league place would undoubtedly be higher were they not the oustanding British performer in Europe. Roy Hodgson’s men have faced 19 Europa League fixtures – half a Premier League in itself – so one wonders what they might have achieved had their resources been less stretched. Bobby Zamora’s form and a stirring victory over Manchester United will live long in the memory.

The most disappointed of this group will be Sunderland. They spent hefty swathes of cash in the summer, and whilst the likes of Lorik Cana, Lee Cattermole and Darren Bent have all impressed individually, a rotten mid-season run saw the Mackems flirting with relegation. Perhaps next season Steve Bruce will look to place more faith in an impressive youth system, with Martyn Waghorn returning from a loan spell at Leicester and Jordan Henderson continuing his development in to an all-round midfield maestro.

Fighting The Drop

Every year, three sides face the ignominy of relegation. Owen Coyle jumped ship from Burnley to join Bolton, who he rightly judged to have a better chance of staying up. The canny loan signings of Jack Wilshere and Vladimir Weiss have helped instigate a new style of football for The Wanderers. Burnley, meanwhile, appointed Brian Laws for his points p/pound spent ratio at Sheffield Wednesday. The move has shown that statistics mean little in football, as the Clarets have slunk disappointingly back to the Championship.

Mick McCarthy has had a far happier time in the Premier League with Wolves than he did with Sunderland – a mid-season switch to 4-5-1 providing the defensive stability the midlanders needed to survive. Wigan have paid the price for their adventurous style of play, with crushing defeats by the likes of Chelsea and Spurs, but have also won admirers for their flair and fair play. Left-back Maynor Figueroa probably scored the goal of the season – a 55 yard wonder strike at the Britannia.

With the exception of Burnley, the bottom four are all notable for being hampered by financial problems. West Ham escaped relegation, but only just. The buyout by Gold and Sullivan didn’t precipitate the cash injection many hoped for, and instead the new owners set about undermining Italian manager Gianfranco Zola. In the end, however, their scattergun approach to signing strikers paid off, as veteran Brazilian forward Ilan popped up with some crucial late strikes to secure survival. Mido, who took a wage of just £1,000 p/week to play for the Hammers, looked expensive at the price.

I wonder how Phil Brown feels about Hull’s relegation. Still technically the manager, he’s had to watch from his gardening leave, secateurs in hand, as the exotically-titled ‘management consultant’ Iain Dowie takes the team he built down. Brown, by all accounts, had lost the dressing room, but it doesn’t look as if Dowie’s particular brand of consultancy did much to win them over. The trapdoor to the Championship, and with it more financial difficulties, awaits.

And finally, Portsmouth. What a nightmarish struggle of a campaign they’ve had. A succession of broken promises and increasingly elusive owners saw them become the first Premier League club to enter administration. In the same situation, one suspects any other club would have imploded, but such was the courage and determination shown by the Pompey players, unlikely hero Avram Grant, and their extraordinary supporters that Portsmouth have staggered to the end of the season with both their club and dignity intact. If there was a trophy for effort in the face of adversity, then Portsmouth would deserve it. In fact, just call it ‘the FA Cup’.

And there we have it. Another Premier League year done and dusted, and much like in the general election, although it was close, the numbers show that the Blues edged the Reds. If the balance of power continues to shift to the Premier League’s new order of Champions League-chasers, however, things could get very interesting. Roll on 2010/11.

Soccerlens 09/10 Review:

Bundesliga Review
Europa League Review
Serie A Review
La Liga Review
Champions League Review

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Burnley 1-6 Manchester City
English Premier League
3 April 2010

Manchester City dominated from the start and crushed Burnley 6-1 on Saturday.

City would start off strong with three goals in the first seven minutes. It started off with an Adebayor goal in the 4th minute, Bellamy goal in the 5th minute, and a Tevez goal in the 7th minute.

The Burnley defense was shaky and never receovered from the bad start. City would make it 5-0 by halftime with two more goals, one from Vieira in the 20th minute and another from Adebayor in the 45th minute.

The final would come from Kompany in the 58th minute to make it 6-0. There was little consolation for Burnley who got one back in the 71st minute with a Fletcher goal.

The win puts City into 4th place while Burnley remains in the relegation zone.

Burnley 1-6 Manchester City Video Highlights

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Arsenal 3-1 Burnley
English Premier League
6 March 2010

Arsenal had lots of missed chances on Saturday but still got a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners took the lead in the first half as Nasri sent a great lob pass to Fabregas, who was making a run in the box. Fabregas received the pass and beat the goalkeeper to make it 1-0. The first half would end at that scoreline.

The second half started off poor for the home side as Burnley would level the match in the 50th minute. As Arsenal tried to clear, a header was sent back in by Burnley and David Nugent timed his run perfectly to get on a breakaway. He scored with a good finish and it was a tied match.

Arsenal continued to attack and would get two more goals. The match winner came ten minutes later as Theo Walcott dribbled past a defender and shot from the edge of the box to make it 2-1. It was a great finish from Walcott who utilized his quickness against the Burnley defense throughout the match. Arsenal had numerous chances throughout the match and it could have easily been 5-1 or 6-1 if they would have converted even half of them. The final goal came from Andrey Arshavin in stoppage time as he scored from inside the box with a great shot just inside the near post.

The win puts Arsenal in second place (behind Chelsea on goal difference) but Man United still have a match this afternoon. They are still very much alive in the EPL title race and will play the second leg in the UEFA Champions League against FC Porto on Tuesday.

Arsenal 3-1 Video Highlights

Fabregas 34′ (1-0)

Nugent 50′ (1-1)

Walcott 60′ (2-1)

Arshavin 90′ (3-1)

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Arsenal v Burnley
English Premier League
Emirates Stadium – London, England
6 March 2010 – 15:00 GMT

Arsenal hosts Burnley in the English Premier League on Saturday, March 6, 2010 with a chance to move onto first or second place in the table with a win.

Arsenal v Burnley Preview

The Gunners can move up in the table and possibly to first with a win while Burnley is still looking for their first win on the road. Arsenal is 11-1-2 at the Emirates while Burnley has a terrible 0-1-13 record on the road. Arsenal is tied for the league high in goals scored with 66 while Burnley has the worst defense in the league as they’ve conceded 57 goals.

This is a match-up of one of the best (if not the best) attacking teams in the Premiership versus the worst defensive team. Injuries will be a concern for Arsenal will be without Sol Campbell, William Gallas, and Robin Van Persie are unavailale. There is good news on the injury front of the Gunners as Andrey Arshavin, Denilson, and Abou Diaby will be returning from injury. Burnley are without Chris McCann and Steve Caldwell but do have Graham Alexander returning from a calf injury.

The two teams played to a 1-1 draw in December but Saturday’s match will a different outcome. Arsenal will have most of its top players available and Burnley struggle to defend on the road. A draw or win is possible by Burnley it would definitely one of the more shocking results of the season. Arsenal has struggled against the top clubs but generally performed well against the teams in the lower half of the table.

Form Guide in last 10 EPL Matches

Burnley: LDLLLLWLLL

Arsenal: WDWWDLLWWW

Arsenal v Burnley Prediction

Arsenal will have no trouble and win 4-0.

Watch Arsenal v Burnley Live Online

You can watch Arsenal v Burnley live online as well as dozens of other Premier League and European football games. Read our live Premier League football page for more details.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

England

No Remy Move For Arsenal

Arsenal are passing on making a move for Nice forward Loic Remy due to the French club’s staying firm over a £13m price tag for the highly-touted 23-year-old. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: On one hand, you say ‘sure, why not?’, because with such a tight title race, a Champions League run, and a rash of injuries to the forward line to think about, the need is there. But it might just be better to save that £13m for the summer and roll with a soon-to-be-fit Nicklas Bendtner, unless someone like Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is somehow available on loan.

Birmingham Close On Boselli?

Birmingham City are said to be close to a club-record move for Estudiantes striker Mauro Boselli. The 24-year-old could be set to arrive for £11m, which would surpass the 9m spent on summer signing Cristian Benitez. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Birmingham have swung and missed with their pursuit of Premier League strikers so far, so why not try a target abroad, and a good one at that. Doesn’t seem likely that the deal will happen, but given Boselli’s scoring exploits, it is only a matter of time before he lands somewhere in Europe.

Sunderland In Benjani Talks

Sunderland are in talks with the representatives of Manchester City striker Benjani. (The Sun)

Analysis: Another last-minute January transfer in the cards for Benjani? Can’t say the Premier League would be as nice as they were the last time.

Wilshere Joins Bolton

Bolton have signed Arsenal starlet Jack Wilshere on loan for the remainder of the season. (Daily Mail)

Analysis: With Wilshere and Vladimir Weiss in the fold for the next few months, Bolton supporters should be feeling a lot more chipper than they have been for much of the season. Safe to say that there’s never been a better time to watch Bolton play, even if they’re in the midst of a battle for survival.

Hammers Eye McDonald

West Ham have made an inquiry to Celtic regarding striker Scott McDonald, who’s currently a target for Middlesbrough and has also been linked with Wigan this month. (The Mirror)

Analysis: West Ham are close to landing Benni McCarthy from Blackburn, but they were in the market for multiple forwards and are still in need after losing out on Eidur Gudjohnsen. Celtic Lite, or Boro, rather, have made a £3.5m offer for McDonald, so West Ham need to act quickly if they are serious about him.

O’Hara Returns To Pompey

Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara is back at Portsmouth for a second loan stint, and he’s set to spend the remainder of the season at Fratton Park. (ESPN Soccernet)

Analysis: Well, about time there was some good news for Portsmouth. And there’s never a bad time to mention Danielle Lloyd either. I wonder how she likes it on the south coast?

Burnley Sign Fox

Burnley have completed the signing of Celtic left back Danny Fox for an undisclosed fee. (Football 365)

Analysis: After only leaving the Championship this past summer, I’m sure he doesn’t want to go back that quickly, so it’s safe to safe he’ll be playing his tail off.

Boro Loan Naughton

Middlesbrough have signed Tottenham defender Kyle Naughton on loan for the remainder of the season. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Seeing as how opportunities would’ve been (and ended up being) minimal for Naughton this season, I think it’d have been wise for Tottenham to have immediately loaned him back to Sheffield United as was the case with teammate Kyle Walker. Now, Naughton could have a role in keeping the club who developed him from having a chance to return to the Premier League.

Italy

Fiorentina Eye Rocchi And Tavano

Fiorentina are on the prowl for a new striker, and two of the names on the top of their list are Lazio star Tommaso Rocchi (Transfer Market Web) and Livorno’s Francesco Tavano (Transfer Market Web).

Analysis: Adrian Mutu’s failed drug test could have Fiorentina in a real bind, but even if he escapes a lengthy ban, it’s smart to land some cover either way.

Portugal

Porto Capture Kleber

Porto have signed Brazilian striker Kleber from Cruzeiro for a fee of 5.5 million euros, and they have also loaned out striker Ernesto Farias as part of the deal. (Goal.com)

Analysis: Porto have plenty of depth up front, but only summer signing Falcao is scoring consistently. So, there’s plenty of opportunity for Kleber to have an ample part over the last few months of the season.

Mendes Close To Sporting Switch

Sporting Lisbon have agreed a fee with Rangers for midfielder Pedro Mendes. (The Mirror)

Analysis: Unfortunate that a lengthy injury absence proved to be a difference maker in his chances for regular opportunities this season, but nonetheless it’s the right move.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News