Ever since I saw the scoreline for Sunderland’s win against Norwich yesterday, the above title has been ringing around in my head. There’s always the uplifting effect that a new manager has on the club and yes, many of the mid-table clubs in the Premier League haven’t fared too well of late, but Sunderland’s sustained success in the last couple of months is heartening.

And then, this morning I saw the following ‘league table’ from Opta – looking at the Premier League since December 11:

As they say, the league table doesn’t lie. Sunderland have been best ‘form’ team since Martin O’Neill took charge. It’s certainly worth celebrating (and maybe even a cringe-worthy headline or two).

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

You’ll find the latest Premier League Transfers (January 2012) listed here. Archives for older transfer seasons are at the end of this page. For the latest transfer rumours and confirmed transfers for other leagues, see our football transfer lists page.

If you find a transfer not listed here let us know and we’ll add it.

Last Updated: 1 February 2012

Arsenal

In: Thierry Henry (loan, New York Red Bulls); Thomas Eisfeld (£600,000, Borussia Dortmund)

Out: Luke Freeman (undisclosed, Stevenage); Vito Mannone (loan, Hull City); Daniel Boateng (loan, Swindon Town); Gavin Hoyte (loan, AFC Wimbledon); Paulo Botelho (loan, Levante); Emmanuel Frimpong (loan, Wolverhampton Wanderers); Sanchez Watt (loan, Crawley Town); Wellington (loan, CD Alcoyano); Sead Hajrovic (loan, Barnet); Rhys Murphy (loan, Preston North End); Ryo Miyachi (loan, Bolton Wanderers)

Aston Villa

In: Enda Stevens (undisclosed, Shamrock Rovers); Robbie Keane (loan, Los Angeles Galaxy)

Out: Nathan Delfouneso (loan, Leicester City); Shane Lowry (undisclosed, Millwall); Fabian Delph (loan, Leeds United); Elliot Parish (undisclosed, Cardiff City)

Blackburn Rovers

In: Anthony Modeste (Bordeaux, loan), Bruno Ribeiro (Grêmio Barueri, free); Marcus Olsson (free, Halmstads BK); Bradley Orr (undisclosed, Queens Park Rangers)

Out: Jason Roberts (undisclosed, Reading); Keith Andrews (free, West Bromwich Albion); Ryan Nelsen (free, Tottenham)

Bolton Wanderers

In: Tim Ream (£2.5m, New York Red Bulls); Ryo Miyachi (Arsenal, loan); Marvin Sordell (£3m, Watford)

Out: Gary Cahill (£7m, Chelsea); Jack Sampson (loan, Southend United)

Chelsea

In: Gary Cahill (£7m, Bolton Wanderers); Kevin de Bruyne (£6.7m, Genk), Patrick Bamford (£1.5m, Nottingham Forest)

Out: Nicolas Anelka (undisclosed, Shanghai Shenhua); Alex (£4.5m, Paris Saint-Germain); Rhys Taylor (loan, Rotherham); Sam Walker (loan, Yeovil); Ben Gordon (loan, Kilmarnock); Patrick van Aanholt (loan, Vitesse Arnhem); Josh McEachran (loan, Swansea City); Gaël Kakuta (loan, Dijon)

Everton

In: Darron Gibson (£500,000, Manchester United); Landon Donovan (loan, Los Angeles Galaxy); Nikica Jelavic (£6m, Rangers); Steven Pienaar (loan, Tottenham)

Out: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (£5m, Spartak Moscow); Aristote Nsiala (loan, Accrington Stanley); James Wallace (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Louis Saha (free, Tottenham)

Fulham

In: Jack Grimmer (£200,000, Aberdeen); Pavel Pogrebnyak (£3m, VfB Stuttgart); Ryan Williams (undisclosed, Portsmouth)

Out: Alex Kacaniklic (loan, Watford); Bobby Zamora (£6m, Queens Park Rangers)

Liverpool

In: Jordan Ibe (£500,000, Wycombe Wanderers); Danny Ward (undisclosed, Wrexham)

Out: Danny Wilson (loan, Blackpool); Martin Hansen (undisclosed, Viborg FF)

Manchester City

In: David Pizarro (loan, AS Roma)

Out: Nedum Onuoha (£3m, Queens Park Rangers); Ben Mee (undisclosed, Burnley); Kieran Trippier (undisclosed, Burnley); Harry Bunn (loan, Preston North End); Alex Nimely (loan, Coventry City); Chris Chantler (loan, Carlisle United); Wayne Bridge (loan, Sunderland), Frederic Veseli (undisclosed, Manchester United)

Manchester United

In: Frederic Veseli (undisclosed, Manchester City)

Out: Darron Gibson (£500,000, Everton); Daniel Drinkwater (undisclosed, Leicester City); Mame Biram Diouf (£1.5m, Hannover 96); Joshua King (loan, Hull City); Féderico Macheda (loan, Queens Park Rangers); Ravel Morrison (£650,000, West Ham United); Oliver Norwood (loan, Coventry City); Scott Wootton (loan, Nottingham Forest)

Newcastle United

In: Papiss Demba Cissé (£10m, SC Freiburg)

Out: Alan Smith (loan, MK Dons); Philip Airey (loan, Gateshead); James Tavernier (loan, MK Dons)

Norwich City

In: Jonny Howson (£2m, Leeds United); Ryan Bennett (undisclosed, Peterborough United)

Out: George Francomb (loan, Hibernian); Oli Johnson (loan, Oxford); Korey Smith (loan, Barnsley); Chris Martin (loan, Crystal Palace)

Queens Park Rangers

In: Nedum Onuoha (£3m, Manchester City); Taye Taiwo (loan, AC Milan); Féderico Macheda (loan, Manchester United); Samba Diakité (loan, AS Nancy Lorraine); Djibril Cisse (£4m, Lazio); Bobby Zamora (£6m, Fulham)

Out: Matt Connolly (loan, Reading), Bradley Orr (undisclosed, Blackburn Rovers)

Stoke City

In:

Out: Danny Pugh (undisclosed, Leeds United); Florent Cuvelier (loan, Walsall); Ben Marshall (loan, Sheffield Wednesday); Tom Soares (loan, Hibernian); Ryan Brunt (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Matthew Lund (loan, Bristol Rovers); Michael Tonge (loan, Barnsley); Danny Higginbotham (loan, Nottingham Forest); Ben Marshall (undisclosed, Leicester City)

Sunderland

In: Wayne Bridge (loan, Manchester City); Sotiris Kyrgiakos (loan, VfL Wolfsburg)

Out: Trevor Carson (loan, Hull City); Louis Laing (loan, Wycombe Wanderers); Blair Adams (loan, Northampton Town); John Egan (loan, Crystal Palace); Billy Knott (loan, AFC Wimbledon); Jordan Cook (loan, Carlisle United); Ryan Noble (loan, Derby County); Nyron Nosworthy (loan, Watford)

Swansea City

In: Darnel Situ (£250,000, Lens); Josh McEachran (loan, Chelsea); Gylfi Sigurdsson (loan, Hoffenheim); Curtis Obeng (undisclosed, Wrexham)

Out: Vangelis Moras (loan, Cesena); Lee Lucas (loan, Burton Albion)

Tottenham

In: Iago Falqué (undisclosed, Juventus); Ryan Nelsen (free, Blackburn Rovers); Louis Saha (free, Everton)

Out: David Button (loan, Doncaster Rovers); Dean Parrett (loan, Yeovil Town); Andros Townsend (loan, Leeds United); Iago Falqué (loan, Southampton); Harry Kane (loan, Millwall); John Bostock (loan, Sheffield Wednesday); Tom Carroll (loan, Derby County): Sebastien Bassong (loan, Wolverhampton Wanderers); Vedran Corluka (loan, Bayer Leverkusen); Roman Pavlyuchenko (£8m, Lokomotiv Moscow); Steven Pienaar (loan, Everton); Adam Smith (loan, Leeds United)

West Bromwich Albion

In: Scott Allan (£300,000, Dundee United); Keith Andrews (free, Blackburn Rovers); Liam Ridgewell (undisclosed, Birmingham City)

Out: Roman Bednar (free, Blackpool); James Hurst (loan, Chesterfield); Romaine Sawyers (loan, Shrewsbury Town); Lateef Elford-Alliyu (loan, Tranmere Rovers); Chris Wood (loan, Bristol City); Gonzalo Jara (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion); Joe Mattock (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion)

Wigan Athletic

In: Jean Beausejour (undisclosed, Birmingham City)

Out: Daniel Redmond (loan, Hamilton Academical); Nouha Dicko (loan, Blackpool); Jordan Mustoe (loan, Barnet)

Wolverhampton Wanderers

In: Eggert Jonsson (£250,000, Hearts); Emmanuel Frimpong (loan, Arsenal); Sebastien Bassong (loan, Tottenham)

Out: David Davis (loan, Chesterfield); Sam Winnall (loan, Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Jamie Reckord (loan, Scunthorpe United); Sam Vokes (loan, Brighton & Hove Albion); Adlène Guedioura (loan, Nottingham Forest); Matt Doherty (loan, Hibernian); Andy Keogh (undisclosed, Millwall)

Premier League Transfer Archives:

Summer 2006
January 2007
Summer 2007
January 2008
Summer 2008
January 2009
Summer 2009
January 2010
Summer 2010
January 2011
Summer 2011

For the latest transfer rumours and transfer lists for other leagues, see our transfer news section.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

With Tottenham tied on points with Manchester United and City hitting a bump in form, the title race is becoming more wide open, and in turn it leaves three teams – three of the original Big Four, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea – fighting it out for the fourth place. Here’s a look at the best betting odds for the weekend’s top games:

Liverpool v Stoke

Liverpool turn their attentions back to the Premier League this weekend after their 1-0 FA Cup win over City at the Etihad and are 1.44 with Betfred to take care of Stoke.

The Reds go into the clash boosted by the news that skipper Steven Gerrard has signed a new long-term deal which is likely to see him end his playing career at Anfield.

His return to action has been a terrific boost for the side following Luis Suarez’s controversial ban, and he is beginning to hit top form.

Liverpool, who now sit in sixth spot in the table, are looking to to maintain their push to finish in the top four and that mean’s that Kenny Dalglish is likely to put out his strongest starting X1 for this game.

The stats are certainly good as far as Liverpool are concerned, as Stoke have never won in 48 top-flight visits to Anfield (39 defeats, nine draws).

Liverpool have also lost just once in 19 games at home since Dalglish took over it’s hard to see the Potters posing any real threat.

The last time the two sides met at the Britannia it was Suarez that inspired Liverpool to a convincing League Cup win.

In his absence, Andy Carroll will be expected to finally start delivering the goods and he is a 6 shot with Paddy Power to net the opener.

That looks a decent price, and the big man is certainly due a goal.

In the correct score market,  Liverpool to win 2-0 makes plenty of appeal at the 6.5 on offer with Paddy Power.

Chelsea v Sunderland: Another upset at the Bridge?

A couple of months ago Chelsea would have been expected to comfortably beat Sunderland, but the arrival of Martin O’Neill has seen the Black Cats turn around their season and they look value at 6.5 in the draw/no bet market with bet365 in their game at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

Since O’Neill took over the Black Cats they have looked a different outfit and have won five out of seven games

They were 18th when O’Neill selected his first Sunderland side and they are now 10th and looking solid. having at one time looking to be relegation material they are now looking pretty certain of a top half finish.

The stats reveal that the Blues have won 13 of their last 14 games against Sunderland, and that’s presumably the reason why bookies make them 1.4 shots for another victory.

But Chelsea have only won four of their last nine home games across all competitions and  will be without Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba due to Africa Cup Nations commitments.

Sunderland showed when beating Man City 1-0 recently that they are not a side to be taken lightly anymore, and have the ability to grind out results.

That makes them look terrific value at 6.5 in the draw/no bet market given that they are as short as 8 in the outright betting.

Can Bolton hand Manchester United a third league defeat in a row?

Following their terrific performance to knock City out of the FA Cup it’s back to Premier League business this weekend for Manchester United who are a top priced 1.16 to beat Bolton at Old Trafford.

The performance put in by the Red Devils to beat City 3-2 at the Etihad would have delighted Sir Alex, and if they turn up in the same frame of mind for this one then three points look assured.

United have won 12 of their last 14 meetings with the Trotters and thrashed them 5-0 at the Reebok earlier in the season.

They have also won their last 8 league home games against Owen Coyle’s men and it really should be a matter of how many they put past them to register another victory.

OK, Bolton have managed to secure 7 out of the last 12 available and United come into this following back to back defeats in the league.

However it’s more than 10 years since Sir Alex’s team lost three league games in a row, and I can’t see that happening here.

I think that they will win this with a bit to spare, and fancy Rooney to net the opener and fire them to a wide margin victory.

He is a top priced 3.75 with bet365 to score first, and that looks a big price given his current form and the fact that he is as short as 3 with several firms.

I fancy United to win 3-0, which is is a 7.5 shot with bet365 and Paddy Power.

Henry could start for Arsenal away to Swansea

Arsenal face tough away trip to Swansea on Sunday knowing that a win will get them back into the Premier league top four, and they are 1.8 shots with bet365 to emerge victorious.

The Gunners trail fourth-placed Chelsea by one point after losing 2-1 to Fulham in their last league start, but regained some confidence with a 1-0 win over Leeds in the FA Cup thanks to a goal from Thierry Henry.

Whether the on-loan Frenchman will make his first league start for the club in five years remains to be seen as Arsene Wenger can confirmed that Robin van Persie will be making the coach trip down to Wales.

The flying Dutchman has scored 17 of Arsenal’s 36 goals this season and since he has been rested Arsenal have looked to be lacking badly in front of goal.

But given that Swansea have a good home record and only one side – Manchester United – have managed to secure three points on their own patch this season he will surely be in the starting X1.

He is a 4 shot with bet365, Boylesports and Paddy Power to net the opener, and If anyone is going to break the deadlock for the Gunners it will surely be him once again.

bet365 also go 1.91 about him scoring anytime and that also looks worth a punt.

It definitely won’t be easy for the Gunners, but I think they will edge it 2-1 and that scoreline can be backed at  and 8.5 with bet365.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

With Remembrance Sunday having just occurred a few days ago, we reflect on the men who gave their lives to their countries as well as giving their all on the football pitch. Their bravery on the field of play has been superseded by their courage and character on the field of battle even though some of them had little to no military education.

Here we commemorate and honour football’s top 20 war heroes in this list:

1. Bert Trautmann

The list starts with a goalkeeper as this shot-stopper enjoyed a very interesting career in England, particularly since he was WW II German soldier and he played there immediately after the Second World War. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1941 and he quickly gained promotion, firstly as corporal and then as sergeant of his unit. He earned 5 army badges for his superb work to the Germanic cause. However he was imprisoned by the British for his role against them in the war and he most of his sentence in Cheshire.

On his release, he farmed and played football part-time before eventually turning professional with St. Helens for a season. He then transferred to Manchester City in 1949, where he got a very mixed welcome  due to his role in the war. However 15 years later after leaving the Citizens, he etched his name into their history books as one of their finest ‘keepers ever.

He won both the FA Cup and FWA for Player of the year in 1956 on his way to making more than 500 appearances for the Manchester club. He also enjoyed spells in charge of Stockport County, Liberia and Pakistan before retiring from all footballing activities in 1983.

2. Alexander “Sandy” Turnbull

This Scottish striker etched his name into the hearts of the fans of both Manchester clubs in the early 20th century with his goalscoring skill. Having netted 143 goals in 230 Football League appearances, he had a sensational goal to game ratio.

Having won the FA Cup with Manchester City, he crossed the metropolis to join arch-rivals Manchester United where he enjoyed a golden period of success winning two First Division titles, but notably scoring the winner in the 1909 FA Cup final. However his career was cut short by the First World War as his last game came against Sheffield Wednesday in 1915.

He was also later found guilty of match-fixing and received a life-long football ban before joining the armed forces. Having risen to the ranks of Lance Sergeant in the Eight Battalion of the East Surrey regiment in the British Amry, he was killed on 3rd May 1917 in a battle in Arras, France. He was 32 but as a result of his heroic effort overseas, his ban was rescinded in 1919 after the war ended.

3. Eddie Latheron

Affectionately nicknamed ”Pinkie” on the terraces due his red hair and pale complexion, Latheron is remembered as a legend to Blackburn Rovers and a martyr for his country. The inside forward scored 94 goals in 258 appearances for his hometown club and it was this, coupled with his unselfish play that made him a firm fan favourite among the Lancashire faithful. The one-club man helped the Rovers conquer England twice during the 1911-12 and 1913-14 seasons as those First Division titles are his only silverware.

However the outbreak of the war in 1914 compelled him to enlist and within a week after his final game for Blackburn, he was a gunner on the front for the Royal Field Artillery. At 29 years of age, he was killed on 14th October 1917 at the Battle of Passenchendaele. Such is his legendary status, a group of Belgian Blackburn Rovers fans commemorated the striker on the 90th anniversary of his death at his grave located nears Ypres.

4. Vivian Woodward

Woodward was the Lionel Messi of his day when organised soccer began to gain prominence in Britain. Spells with Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea proved fruitful as he yielded 93 goals in 238 appearances. Having also appeared for the English nation side, it was his participation with the Great Britain team in the 1908 and 1912 which garnered him great fame. He captained the team to the gold medal on each occasion.

Woodward enlisted in the army and missed a huge portion of Chelsea’s 1914-15 season. However he was given special leave to attend his team’s FA Cup final but unfortunately Sheffield United beat the Pensioners 3-0 on the day. Having returned to the front for a second spell, his leg was badly injured by a stray grenade in 1916 and thus had to return home for the final time, with his footballing careers also in tatters. Despite being maimed, Vivian lived on until he was 74 years of age in 1954 and he will always be remembered as one of the pioneers of the beautiful game.

5. Walter Tull

Tull was the inaugural man who broke so much new ground up until his premature death in 1918 at the age of 29. The second ever mixed-heritage football player to ply his trade professionally in the English First Division, after signing with Tottenham Hotspur. However he has a short and unhappy time there as racial abuse seriously affected him and thus he moved to Northampton Town for a ”substantial fee.” In 3 years, he accumulated 110 games with the Cobblers, scoring 9 goals in that time-span.

When war broke out in 1914, he was the first Northampton player to enlist in the armed forces. Despite even more racial problems in the British army, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant, the first mixed-race men to do so. Having heroically fought through the Battle of the Somme, he met his end on 25th March 1918. He was gunned down in the Pas-de-Calais but his body was never recovered from that gruesome scene. Tull was recognised for his outstanding efforts to his country as he was posthumously awarded the military cross for his bravery on the front.

6. Fritz Walter

For anyone who thinks football’s a waste of time, tell them it saved this man’s life. Walter was enjoying a brilliant career with Kaiserslautern in the Bundesliga before having been conscripted to join the Nazi forces in 1942, where the forward was to fight for Germany.

However near the end of the war, he ended up being a POW after being captured by Hungarian soldiers. He wowed the guards with his exceptional skill but the time then came for him to be moved to another camp in the Soviet Union, where life expectancy was just 5 years and the guards would be more brutal.

However a football-loving Hungarian guard intervened at the last second and saved his life by aiding him in getting him out of the transfer to the Union and thus being fortuitously released from prison.

On his return to football, he restarted his career with Kaiserslautern and he retired from them in 1959 having scored a mind-boggling 380 goals in 411 appearances. Walter also won the German championship twice with his hometown club.  He also captained West Germany to their first World Cup victory in 1954, ironically over Hungary, the same nation where the guards came from who let him free.

7. Harry Goslin

A folklore legend for Bolton Wanderers, Goslin was also a sensational patriot to his country when he gave his life to the Allies during the Second World War. On turning professional in 1930, he joined the northern club for just £25 and he enjoyed nine years with the club scoring 23 goals in 306 appearances despite playing as a defender all his life. Before war broke out in 1939, he announced Bolton’s entire team would be joining the army.

When it did, Goslin led his team-mates in the fight against the Germans and their allies.  Within three years, his leadership qualities on the pitch transferred onto the battle field as he became sergeant in 1942. He also played a pivotal role in the withdrawal of troops from Dunkirk in that same year. However while traversing through Italy, he was seriously wounded by a mortar explosion under a tree. He bravely battled to live on four days after suffering the injury but lost his life on 18th December 1943.

8. Fred Griffiths

This Welsh goalkeeper enjoyed a long and varied career having been on the books of 12 clubs as well as earning 2 caps for his country. Having the honour of playing for big London clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, he was renowned for being a reliable man to have between the sticks but unfortunately this never translated into any major trophies.

After his retirement, he spent his time training local teams near his home in Presteigne, Wales. And despite being one year above the conscription age, (41 was the conscription age at the time) he felt compelled to fight for his country’s future when he enlisted with the British army in 1915.

He became sergeant within his rank, the 15th Battalion of Sherwood Foresters, before dying at the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917 at the age of 44.

9. Lev Yashin

Widely regarded as the best goalkeeper all-time, Yashin made his name Dynamo Moscow and the old Soviet Union during a trophy-laden 20 year career with each team. At just 12 years of age, in 1941, he began helping the Soviet Union in the only way he could in the war effort. Too young to fight on the front, the teenager went to work in the factories manufacturing arms, vehicle parts and more.

Yashin was finally able to begin his professional footballing career as a 21-year-old with Dynamo Msocow in 1950. With them he won the Soviet Top League 5 times and the Soviet Cup 3 times. He also helped him national team to continental glory by winning the 1964 European Championship with them as well capturing gold at the Olympics.

He made 324 appearances at club level, 78 at international level and was known as the ”Black Spider” around the world due to his amazing ability to save virtually goal-bound shots. His death came prematurely in 1990 when during relatively simple surgery on his knee went wrong and he passed away due to complications.

10. Ferenc Puskas

The Real Madrid and Hungary legend was remembered as a goalscoring phenomenon during his footballing career. However due to Hungarian law, he was conscripted to join their army and although never participating in infantry work, he rose through the ranks to become major. It was a combination of his rank and his footballing prowess while playing in the armed forces that earned him his lifelong nickname ”The Galloping Major.”

Puskas is revered around the world for scoring an incredible 157 goals in just 182 appearances for Los Blancos, where he additionally won 4 Pichichi awards during his Spanish stay. And he also netted 84 strikes in 85 games for the Hungarian national team in a truly remarkable playing career.

Having taken various coaching positions ranging from North America, Asia, Europe and even Australia, he briefly coached his nation during a four game spell. Puskas died on 17th November 2006 at the age of 79.

11. Ted Drake

The diminutive English striker’s playing career began with Southampton but blossomed with Arsenal during his 14 years in football. Scoring a handsome sum of 47 goals in 71 games for the Saints, he captured the eye of the Londoners, who signed the forward in 1934. He scored 124 goals in 167 games while at Highbury, with his finest game coming against Aston Villa. Drake netted 7 times in that single match, which is a record that still stands today in England’s top flight.

As well as winning two First Division titles with the north London side, he added a FA Cup medal to his collection. After periods in management at the helm of Hendon and Reading, he took charge of Chelsea Football club and guided them to their first ever championship in 1956. The end of his time at Arsenal was severely disrupted due to his participation with the Royal Air Force which restricted him to a handful of games during the war years. His playing career was prematurely ended in 1945 due to a spinal injury.

12. Stan Mortenson

Although this particular striker managed to only garner one trophy in his 21 year career, he was the man who led his country during a very difficult post-war era as well as being ridiculously lucky to have been able to play the game once you learn his story. Before he became the prolific striker that he is famous for, he began his wartime efforts in 1939 as a wireless operator.

Mortenson was involved in a disastrous air crash that same year when every single passenger onboard was killed except Stan. However even despite the injuries he sustained, he managed to carve himself a career out of professional football in the post-war era. Stints at Southport, Bath City and Lancaster City followed a golden spell that he enjoyed with Blackpool.

He scored 197 goals in 317 games for the side in a 14 year period (the first four of those being slightly disrupted by war commitments.) He also netted a remarkable 23 goals in 25 appearance for England as he helped put a smile back on his nation’s face after a long, depressing war.

13. Willie Thornton

Considered to be one of the greatest Scottish players of all time, Thornton was a prolific striker for Rangers during his 18 year career at the club, which book-ended his involvement in World War II. Debuting for the Glaswegian giants in 1936 at just 16 years of age, the striker enjoyed adulation from fans for his lethal touch in front of goal.  However his fledgling career was brought to a temporary end in 1939 due to outbreak of the war.

He joined the Scottish Horse regiment and as a result of his “acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire,” he was awarded a Military Medal for helping to defeat Germany on the battlefield. By the time of his retirement in 1954, he was well-known throughout Britain and he finished his career with 138 goals in a mere 219 appearances. He then became a manager of Dundee United and Partick Thistle for 5 and 9 years respectively where he had modest success.

14. Wilf Mannion

”The Golden Boy” as he was known as in his native Middlesbrough due to his streak of blond hair, endured a mixed time on Teeside but nothing negative can be said about his commitment to the British cause during the Second World War.  The inside forward played more than 350 times for Boro, scoring 99 times in his long career there but went on strike and retired in a bid to finally leave the club.

Although the reasons for his discontent are unknown, his dedication while playing was second to none, as he was with England, netting 11 times in his 26 appearances for his nation. He joined the war effort in 1940 and he was a key solider in the Siege of Sicily that occurred in 1943. Shortly after that he was allowed to return home and continue his footballing career. After the war, he joined Hull City and Cambridge United and perhaps his finest moment was being a member of the English squad for the 1950 World Cup in a career particularly special due to it’s amazing 24 year longevity.

15. Frank Buckley

Buckley took a more unusual route as he created a unique career in the game. Having joined the army as a teenager, he left by the time he was 20 in order to forge a football life for himself. He played for Manchester United, Manchester City and Aston Villa before the outbreak of World War I. He was commander of the Football Battalion for a large of the war and thanks to his previous stint in the armed forces, he rose through the ranks rapidly and eventually became a major.

However he was badly injured in the Battle of the Somme and returned to restart his football career. With the war finished, he managed many football clubs including Leeds United where he introduced the legendary Jack Charlton to his first taste of professional action. Overall, he spent nearly 50 years in his long and distinguished life in football.

16. William Angus

The word hero was conjured up exactly for this incredible man. With his footballing career cut short due to the declaration of war in Europe in 1914, Angus wasted no time in signing up and he was immediately mobilised out to the action. Before his war efforts, he played once for Celtic but left them for lack of first team opportunities. He was the captain Wilshaw Thistle when war was announced and within weeks, he had joined the 8th Royal Scots regiment.

His finest hour came a year after joining when he saw a comrade lying in a trench within the range of their enemies. Angus fearlessly went to save his fellow soldier and received 40 wounds for his courageous act, losing his left eye and part of his foot being his most serious injuries. Two months later as he was recovering, he was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award possible for a British solider.

17. Bernard Vann

Another man who was equally brave in the face of danger, Vann was also a recipient of the prestigious Victoria Cross for his valiant accomplishments while defending his nation. His football career was all over by 1907 at the tender age of 20 but he made appearances for Burton United and Derby County in his brief time on the football field. He then ordained to become a minister from the famous-named Jesus College but his chaplaincy was cut short due to be called upon for the war effort.

Having become a Lieutenant General, he earned his Victoria Cross by leading his subordinate troops into the face of death as his leadership qualities shone through impeccably. Rushing up to the line of fire, he surprised several German soldiers and disarmed three of them as he led his regiment on a crucial advance on enemy territory. However Vann missed the end of the war by a mere 4 weeks as he was shot by a sniper rifle in France on 3rd October 1918.

18. Billy Gerrish

William ”Billy” Gerrish was yet another tragic story which began on the football field and ended when he was fighting the front. An extremely promising young striker for Aston Villa, he scored on his debut against Arsenal and added to that with an even more impressive achievement by claiming a hat-trick against Chelsea. In his first season with the club, he helped them to win the First Division.

However he failed to live up to his full potential when World War I broke out and he was to join the British army. Having enlisted in the Footballers Battaltion Middlesex regiment, he lasted less than two years abroad. He was killed on 8th August 1916. In all, there were 40 other Aston Villa players who died as a result of their participation in that war, one of the highest of all the clubs in Britain.

19. Charlie Buchan

This beanpole striker was another goalscoring phenomenon who had his magnificent career due to his country’s involvement in keeping the peace abroad. Despite missing a fair chunk of his 14 years on the books at Sunderland, he racked up an impressive 209 goals in 370 appearances with the Black Cats.

He enlisted in the war effort as soon as it began in 1914 and by the time of Britain’s victory in 1918, he had been promoted to second lieutenant in the Sherwood Foresters regiment. He was also a recipient of the Military Medal. On his return to football, he rejoined Sunderland until 1925 when he transferred to Arsenal.

With them, he was equally prolific, scoring 49 times during the 102 games that he donned the famous red shirt. He wrote one of the first football manual’s, was a distinguished journalist and commentated on matches for the BBC for the remainder of his life up until his peaceful death in 1960.

20. Nikita Simonyan

This legendary Russian football man was too young to actively take part in World War II. However when the soldiers rolled into his town, he helped ease the pressure and stress of war life by organising football matches. The military personnel thoroughly enjoyed these breaks from the endless killings and Simonyan then realised football would become a focal point for the remainder of his life.

He has become one of the most successful Russian footballers of all-time by winning the golden boot in the Soviet Top League on three occasions.  He won the Soviet Top League seven times in total as a player and manager of clubs as well as on the victorious side of the Soviet Cup six times. His career reached its pinnacle when he was part of the Soviet Union team which won the 1956 Olympic gold medal in football. And just earlier this year, his efforts of nullifying tension between Russians and Armenians were rewarded by the President of Armenia during a ceremony.

You can contribute to this list in the comments below or by emailing us. If you like this list, you will find more football lists here.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Halloween may have come and gone, but Wigan Athletic’s form remains scary. After the Latics’ 3-1 away loss to fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers, the losing streak has stretched to eight Premier League games. With a potentially brutal Christmas period (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United), Wigan will certainly be hoping for early gifts against Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland this November.

Roberto Martinez’s men didn’t fail to perform against Wolves. As a matter of fact, they produced some gilt-edged opportunities. However, the inability to convert them was nothing short of embarrassing. Enter Mr. Hugo Rodallega. Continuously, and somewhat inexplicably, linked with a move to Arsenal, the Colombian fluffed two great chances. The first chance resulted in a rather languid strike straight at Wolves ‘keeper Wayne Hennessey. However, it was Rodallega’s second miss that had Wigan fans resembling The Scream. After perfecting ball control, Rodallega only had the goalkeeper to beat. Nevertheless, he also succeeded in beating the post. Quite rightly, Roberto Martinez was left to rue his side’s missed chances.

It is widely perceived, when a team is withering in the dark depths of the Premier League standings, fortune is not in favour. Having said that, it took Wolves little time to punish Rodallega’s inaccuracy. A combination of Hennessey’s big boot and Kevin Doyle’s dexterous wing-play concluded in an emphatic finish from Jamie O’Hara. Most certainly, a what-could-have-been story if only Rodallega had scored 30-40 seconds before Wigan conceded.

Credit must be given where credit is due. Wigan Athletic earned it, rallying after going a goal behind. Stephen Hunt illegally halted a buccaneering run from Emmerson Boyce, which, consequently, resulted in a penalty being awarded to the Latics. Nevertheless, Ben Watson wasn’t one to ease the Wigan fans’ blood pressure. It was rather more to relief than joy that the midfielder was able to dispatch an easy rebound after his initial poor penalty was saved. Half-time and the teams could not be separated.

By full-time, Wolves were the victors. Wigan produced as many chances as their relegation-battling counterparts, but too many efforts were spurned. David Edwards and Stephen Ward took the plaudits and, more importantly, gave Wolves an unassailable 3-1 lead. A fantastic win for Wolves and Mick McCarthy, especially after some recent public unrest.

Clearly, Wigan’s problems don’t all lie in attack. So far this season, the Latics’ defence has looked susceptible to any threat posed. Arguably, Wigan succumbed to three soft goals. Yet, without the brilliance of Ali Al-Habsi, Wolves may have scored more. Shockingly, it may have been a scoreline, which Wigan Warriors fans are more familiar with.

Unfortunately, another defeat comes with a question mark over Roberto Martinez’s head. The manager has shown loyalty to Wigan, but, obviously, there is no room for sentiment. A string of successive losses has left some Wigan fans joking about relegation already. Nervous laughter ensues.

You can follow the author on Twitter: OliverRhodes1

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The big clubs of England play the minnows this weekend with odds largely in favor of the giants formerly known as the ‘top 4′. Here’s a look at the betting situation heading into the Matchday 11 of the English Premier League.

Arsenal v West Brom

Arsenal are on a roll and the bookmakers have taken no chances by chalking them up at a top price of 1.44 to a best price to beat West Brom at the Emirates and continue their rise up the table.

However if form is anything to go by then they have got it right as the Gunners are now unbeaten in last six matches in all competitions and come into this following an unbelievable 5-3 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend.

That win made it three wins on the bounce in the Premiership and took them into seventh place in the table – just three points off a top four position.

Robin van Persie made it 28 goals in his last 27 league games with a brilliant hat-trick against Chelsea, and there is no reason not to stick with him repeating the dose again.

The Dutchman is a standout 4.33 with bet365 to net the opener, and that has to be worth a punt given that he is generally a 3.75 shot. The 1.73 on offer with bet365 and Boylesports also looks a great bet.

Another interesting wager is when the first goal is scored that really catches my eye.

There have been four goals scored in the opening 10 minutes of the last four league meetings between Arsenal and West Brom, and the Baggies have scored more goals in the opening 15 minutes (five) than any other Premier League team this term.

Paddy Power go 1.91 that a goal is score in the first 22 minutes, and the stat suggests that’s a decent play.

Blackburn v Chelsea

It seems incredible that Chelsea’s visit to Ewood Park to take on Blackburn Rovers has become a must win game if they are to keep tabs on the league leaders.

But that’s the case as the Blues have now lost their last two in the Premiership and find themselves sitting in fourth place, but more worryingly nine points behind table toppers Manchester City.

However this represents a golden opportunity for them to get things back on track, and they are a top priced 1.5 with Boylesports to bag a vital 3 points.

That stats are certainly good for Chelsea as they have lost just two of the last 18 against Rovers (W13 D3 L2), and their opponents have been woeful this season and won just once.

Another plus is that Anelka has a terrific scoring record against Blackburn.

He has scored 12 goals in 16 league Premier League games (five in six appearances for Chelsea) and that makes him plenty of appeal at 6.5 with bet365 to net the opener.

Given that Blackburn have failed to score in eight of the last 10 Premier League games against Chelsea and have now failed to keep clean sheet in 13 Premier League games it should really be a case of how many the Blues manage to put past them.

I think fancy this could end up 3-0 or 4-0 for Andres Villas-Boas men.

The first score can be backed at 10 with bet365 and Boylesports, while the latter is a whopping 23 with Boylesports.

Backing both should hopefully pay handsome dividends.

Manchester United v Sunderland

Manchester United are a top priced 1.25 to beat former old boy Steve Bruce’s Sunderland at Old Trafford, and if the form book is anything to go by then they should stroll to victory against the Black Cats.

Since losing 6-1 to City in the Manchester derby Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have won their last three in all competitions – keeping a clean sheet on each occasion.

The stats are certainly good for them in this clash as since losing to Sunderland in 1997, United have won 13 and lost none of the subsequent 18 Premier League matches between the two.

The visitors have also failed to score in seven of their last nine Premier League games against the Reds, and I don’t need to tell you how good United’s record is at home.

It really should be a case of another three points in the bag for Sir Alex’s young guns and they are a top priced 1.25 for victory.

That’s plenty short enough from a punting perspective, but the 1.73 about them in the HT/FT market with bet365 does make plenty of appeal.

I like the look of Hernandez in the first goal scorer market, and he can be backed at a standout 5 with bet365.

You can also get even money (2) with bet365 and Paddy Power about United winning and keeping a clean sheet, and that certainly appeals as a bit of value compared to their outright odds to win.

Liverpool v Swansea

Liverpool are a top priced 1.36 to beat Swansea at Anfield this weekend and it would take a brave man to bet against them given their current run of form.

The Reds are now unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions (five in the league) and were dominant in their 2-0 victory away to West Brom at the Hawthorns last weekend where they spurned plenty of chances in front of goal and could have scored by a much wider margin.

Although Luis Suarez did not get on the score sheet in that game he was once again outstanding and instrumental in the win for Dalglish’s men.

The Uruguayan had a hand in both goals in a game, being chopped down for the penalty slotted away by Charlie Adams and then setting up Andy Carroll for the second.

He was ultra sharp once again and looked a real threat whenever he was on the ball, and the Swansea defence is set to be terrorised if he is in the same form.

Not surprisingly he heads the betting in the first goal scorer market, but at 4 with bet365, Betfred and Paddy Power he looks a fair price and worth a punt given that Swansea are yet to win on the road this season and have taken just one point out of a possible 15.

Indeed it’s hard not to see him netting in what should be a comfortable success for the Reds, so the 1.73 on offer with Betfred and Boylesports about him scoring any time in the 90 minutes looks good for those who like to play at odds-on.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

All eyes will be on Anfield this Saturday lunchtime when arch rivals Liverpool and Manchester United clash in what Sir Alex Ferguson has labelled the “biggest club game in the world”.

Liverpool v Manchester United Betting

The United boss believes the square off eclipses matches between Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.

There is certainly no love lost between these two sides but it’s the reigning Champions who have to be the bet at general price of 2.5 to emerge victorious in what promises to be a titanic battle.

Ferguson’s young guns may have dropped their first points of the season when drawing away Stoke when last seen in premiership action, but before that they had been banging in goals for fun with wide margin victories over Spurs, Arsenal, Bolton and Chelsea.

They have played Liverpool 14 times in the last six seasons and have won on eight occasions. The only worrying stat is that if you take out the games at Old Trafford then you are left with two wins, a draw and four losses..

However the home side are about as easy to predict as the weather, and United are the strongest side, playing the best football and most importantly have the the most desire to win. They are unbeaten in 11 league and cup games so far this season – scoring 34 goals in the process – and unlike their opponents don’t rely or one or two players to bag goals.

However one surprising stat is that their talisman Wayne Rooney has failed to score in his last six visits to Anfield. That has surely got to change, and this is the ideal stage for him make the right sort of headlines following his sending off for England.

You can get 5.5 with Victor Chandler netting the opener and his 10th of the season. That looks fair value in my book.

Given that there has been at least one red card shown in six of the last 10 meetings between the two sides the 3.2 on offer with Paddy Power about another sending off could also looks worth a punt.

Chelsea v Everton Betting

Chelsea’s record against Everton is not the best, but they are unlikely to come unstuck against the Toffees in their clash at Stamford Bridge now that they are finding top gear.

The bookies make the Blues 1.36 shots to win, but the game is likely to be tighter than the odds suggest as they have won only one of their last nine Premier League meetings with David Moyes’ side -  drawing six of the remaining eight encounters.

However Andres Villa-Boas side have won nine and lost none of their last 10 Premier League games at The Bridge and come into the game on the back of crushing wins over Swansea and Bolton.

At home the Londoners will be without Fernando Torres, who is serving the second instalment of his three-match ban, but in Didier Drogba have a striker who simply loves scoring against Everton.

He has netted in seven of his last nine PL matches against them, and that makes the standout 5 on offer with bet365 about him bagging the opener look a real bit of value. Victor Chandler go 2.05 him scoring anytime during the 90 minutes and that looks a cracking punt.

Arsenal v Sunderland Betting

Arsenal have a good record against Sunderland and with Robin van Persie on fire should have little difficulty of bagging three points and landing odds of 1.5 at the Emirates. They have won seven and drawn three of their 10 home Premier League matches against Steve Bruce’s men and the Black Cats have failed to score in their last three visit to the Emirates. However don’t expect a goal fest as there have only been 8 goals in the last seven Premiership games between the two sides.

The key to a gunner victory clearly lies with van Persie who has scored 21 goals in 24 Premier League games in 2011 and three in home appearances against Sunderland. The flying Dutchman a top priced 4.33 with bet365 and that surely has to be value given his current hot streak.

Given that Sunderland are not exactly a goal scoring outfit and Arsenal have managed to keep clean sheets in 9 of their last 13 games at the Emirates the 2.4 on offer with bet365 about the Gunners winning to nil also makes plenty of appeal in the punting department.

Manchester City v Aston Villa Betting

Manchester City are a top priced 1.36 to beat the Aston Villa s and it’s impossible to envisage anything but another victory for the Citizens as they bid to keep tabs on neighbours United.

Roberto Manicini’s men have won six and drawn once so far this season and have enough firepower up front to tear apart any defence – with or without Carlos Tevez.

They are also very solid at the back and had little difficulty in thrashing Blackburn 4-0 at Ewood Park when last seen in premiership action.

However rather than take the 1.36 about the win a better bet could be backing the second half to produce the most goals. City have scored more goals in the second half in 8 of their 11 games this season and you can get 2.1 with Stan James that the most goals come in the last 45 minutes. That has to be value.

For more betting odds, see the Soccerlens football betting page.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Earlier this month Roker Report (Sunderland blog) editor Simon Walsh asked us if we’d like to do a Q&A on Sunderland – and here it is. We talk about Sunderland’s transfer policy, footballing identity (or lack thereof) as well as whether Sunderland will be in a relegation battle this season.

Q: Stoke are known for a physical game and strong set pieces, Arsenal for possession football. Do you consider Sunderland to have a similar identity, and if so what?

Footballing identities are partially self-created, aren’t they? Arsenal have a very varied history in how they’ve played football over the last few decades, so yes, under Wenger they have focused on possession and technical superiority, but even that has evolved over the last 15 years from a mix of mental, physical and technical quality to not being very good in all three areas.

Sunderland don’t seem to have a similar identity, and that’s probably down to two reasons:

1. You need a single manager playing a certain way (or consecutive managers maintaining the same philosophy) over a long period of time.

2. Almost every team looks to play either possession football, play on the counter attack or play a strong physical game (Chelsea used to be up there before Stoke but they’ve been trying to change for the last two years). Not every club is ‘labelled’ as playing a certain way.

Q: Taking money out of it, how competitive do you think Sunderland can hope to be in the transfer market? Which clubs do you consider their natural competitors for signings?

If you take money out of it, then geography comes into play. Does Sunderland’s geographic location hamper their attempt to attract quality players?

I don’t think it’s a major issue with a fish bowl like Newcastle, where they have gone out and recruited young, technical continental footballers and while they’re probably not going to be at Newcastle for life, they might help them push forward for the next 2-3 years, and they can then easily ‘renew’ their supply line.

So it shouldn’t really be an issue for Sunderland either. Competing against London and Manchester is probably a tough ask but competing against, say, the Ligue 1 or Eredivisie clubs where the money isn’t as good as in the Premier League.

It’s all about what type of players you target. As well as what they earn. At the end of it you can’t really take money out of it, can you?

Q: From your vantage point, what would you consider to be the iconic or most memorable Sunderland moment during your time watching football?

I’d love to point out something that would resonate with hardcore Sunderland fans but sadly the best I can think of is Sunderland’s romp to the Championship title under Roy Keane. Then again, they haven’t gone back down since then, so it’s not a bad memory, is it?

Q: Niall Quinn claims that Sunderland have dropped their ‘yo-yo club’ tag. Do you agree with that and consider Sunderland now an established main stay of the Premier League, or is it a club you would still not be surprised to see involved in a relegation battle?

Their recent form has been very worrying, everyone knows that, so the big question is if there are three other teams worse than them in the Premier League this season. They have the players to survive, although they could have done with a bit more quality (funny considering how many players Bruce has brought in).

Looking at the league table you’d think the side that’s doing the worst in terms of pre-season expectations are Arsenal (just above Sunderland) at the moment but if either team has to change things around, they’ll need to start winning games and that has to come with a change of mentality around the club (and not necessarily a change in manager).

So yes and no – Sunderland have been going steady in the Premier League for the last few years but given how they’ve performed recently (in the last six months really, since those heady days of a top 10 spot midway through last season) I would not be surprised if they’re in a relegation battle.

Q: I think all clubs like to pride themselves on quality of their support. Comparitively speaking, and as a neutral observer, how would you rate the Sunderland fans?

Everyone thinks they have the prettiest wife at home (really not an Arsenal fan, honest!). In reality Sunderland fans are no better and no worse than the fans of most other football clubs. Good honest people who pay a lot of money to watch their team and are usually lifelong fans as it’s in their DNA to support the club.

It’s interesting how one of the key things Niall Quinn used to talk about when he came in was how Sunderland needs a more active fanbase, and yet there hasn’t been much change in that area. Whether he’ll have more success drumming up international partnerships for Sunderland is up for debate.

Having said that, it’s not only up to the fans but also up to the club on how they treat existing fans and attract new ones. Sunderland perhaps need to re-evaluate their on-pitch and off-pitch strategies and understand how they can grow their fanbase without needing to ‘win’ trophies – because if you’re going to base success on spending money, the fans will stop coming as soon as the money stops flowing, and that’s never good for long-term prospects (unless you like the new Chelsea fans).

Visit Roker Report for the all the latest news, stats and analysis on all things Sunderland AFC. Currently featuring an interview with football journalist / author / Sunderland fan Jonathan Wilson.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manager Kenny Dalglish unleashed his 100 million worth signings against Sunderland, still Liverpool were only able to earn a single point from the game. After an impressive first half of dictating the play, Liverpool somehow completely turned off in the second one. The woeful defensive concerns remain the same however they should have finished off Sunderland, instead yet another shabby start to the new season has left the fans disappointed.

So, What went wrong for Liverpool?

Henderson over Kuyt:

Dirk Kuyt had started every single competitive match under Dalglish but this time Kenny opted to hand the 20 million signing an unenviable start against his former team, however he could not deliver. Henderson did a lot of running with energy but nothing eye catching. Arguably he was the weakest link in Liverpool’s attack even in their first half domination. Kuyt’s experience and untiring work rate at the right could have provided them with more firepower to see off Sunderland, instead he was introduced when the team were not interested in “pass and move”.

Meireles over Aquilani:

Why was Aquilani not included in the squad? A question asked by many but perhaps would be answered by none. When you substitute the best player “Suarez” you need to bring in someone who’s creative enough to make the difference. Although Meireles isn’t bad and was the only attacking option left on the bench still he didn’t take part in a single pre-season match with the new look Liverpool squad due to injury. Given 15 minutes but was nowhere to be found near the ball. The decision to include Meireles who played mere one half for Portugal during the week and omit in-form Aquilani who by far was their best player of the pre-season did not make much sense.

Flanagan over Kelly:

If Martin Kelly was fit enough to be on the bench then he was certainly fit enough to play as well. Right from the start of second half Flanagan was looking shaky. Beaten easily more than a few times and was losing his confidence. His blunder was punished by Larsson when he scored a stunning equalizer in the 57th minute. Kelly was not introduced even then and in all fairness Liverpool could have easily ended up on the losing side as well when Sunderland piled up pressure at the later stages of the game.

“Long Balls” over “Pass and Move”

Last season, whenever Suarez was not on the field, Liverpool normally played long balls towards big Andy Carroll. Here, we saw dazzling eye catching moves in the first half but after conceding, Liverpool again looked more interested in launching long balls to Carroll who was handled well by Wes Brown instead of playing much effective pass and move game. Brilliant crosses are more productive with Carroll’s presence but Long balls are a major hindrance as seen that they were not able to threaten Sunderland in the second half.

Next up for Liverpool is the visit to the Emirates Stadium where they have never won. Arsenal might not have Fabregas and Nasri, still Liverpool need to step up immensely after dropping points at Anfield.

If you like this article, yo can follow myself and Soccerlens on Twitter: Farjad07 and Soccerlens.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It’s been a strange summer. Given that last season saw the Premier League’s top teams treat first place like a hot potato, and given that Manchester United’s relatively turgid trudge over the finishing line ahead of a resurgent but technically limited Chelsea, a cautious-bordering-on-paranoid Manchester City and Arsenal’s theatre de l’absurd, one might have expected the world’s richest league to have buzzed with transfer activity.

Alas, the great yawn that is Barcelona’s yearly pursuit of Cesc Fabregas began in earnest way back in May and is still far from over. Like a besotted celebrity mistress, the Catalan club’s desperate overtures – to a player who would certainly count amongst their best subsitutes were he to finally nod a cheeky Hispanic acquiescience – have been systematic, repetitive and very, very public. It has made for excrutiatingly dull reading for neutrals but there simply hasn’t been much else to supplant it.

We could discuss the finer points of FIFA’s new financial fair play regulations and their effect on the spending habits of England’s richest clubs but that’d all be a bit boring for a Premier League season preview, so, in an effort to cut straight to the chase, here is my prediction for the Premier League table with a special focus on The Top Six:

1. Chelsea – No new playmaker to light up last year’s dull-as-dishwater midfield, but a return to the grinding, mechanical victories under Mourinho allied to the subtle and full integration of stars like David Luiz and Ramires.

2. Manchester United – A very close second, but David de Gea cannot be expected to replace Edwin van der Sar, nor can Tom Cleverley replace the vision of Paul Scholes. Ashley Young doesn’t seem to add much to an already strong front line.

3. Manchester City – The squad could compete for the title were Mancini to allow them just a little more freedom going forward. As it stands, they are now consistent enough to displace Arsenal, as they proved last season.

4. Liverpool – I’m basing this on the assumption that Kenny Dalglish is smart enough to know that Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing are great options for Fulham at home, less so for Chelsea away, where they’ll need their Lucases and Meireleses.

5. Arsenal – Didn’t sign any of the players they needed. Even if they keep Cesc, it’s hard to see them mounting a serious title challenge once those frosty December nights in Stoke kick in. A good bet to win one of the cups, though.

6. Tottenham - Fantastic team, not such a great squad. Little was done in the transfer window to boost the depth of the squad. Expect them either to fall away late on or have an inconsistent start.

7. Fulham - Martin Jol has a solid record of turning OK sides into decent ones. Expect the same this time around, though it’ll be a bumpy ride.

8. Stoke - Their consistency, physicality and inhospitable home ground are unchanged under Tony Pulis. They have the right ingredients to finish near the top of the mediocrity once again.

9. Everton – Expect the usual ‘David Moyes has taken them as far as he can’ comments around December, before the usual resurgence before the end of the season hoists them within touching distance of Europe before one or two other teams get their act together and they have to settle for top-half respect.

10. West Brom – Peter Odemwingie not leaving the club is already fantastic news and should ensure a full season (mostly) free of the stress which accompanied Roberto di Matteo’s reign.

11. Bolton – The usual dourness. Fabrice Muamba finally breaking into the England squad and the occasional superman performance from Kevin Davies will be about the most exciting things to happen here.

12. Sunderland – Expect the freebies from United to blend inconspicuously into an infuriatingly inconsistent side. Never a worry for relegation, but will never quite mount a challenge for Europe either.

13. QPR – The three promoted sides all play open, attractive football. QPR look the most likely to adapt to a more robust attitude when the situation requires it and should do quite well.

14. Newcastle – The usual ups and downs. The Alan Pardew era should be one of relative financial restraint, meaning less broken dreams, but perhaps less fun along the way too.

15. Blackburn – Just about strong enough to avoid a last-day battle like last season, but they will teeter.

16. Aston Villa - The loss of their star player, Young, and their star performer, Downing, has not ben offset by investment in a mediocre squad. They could really struggle, with the quality of youngsters like Marc Albrighton being enough to keep them up.

17. Wigan – They’ve lost Charles N’Zogbia and Tom Cleverly, but with Ali Al-Habsi and Hugo Rodallega remaining at either end of the field, they should have just enough to carry on in the Premiership for another year.

18. Wolves – Lucky to have stayed up last year, this time around they will probably be just edged out.

19. Swansea - It’s a fantastic achievement for them to even be here – there will be some great highs but ultimately we can expect another Blackpool here.

20. Norwich – As above, although relegation for a club which has the taste of Premier League football still relatively fresh on its lips might hurt more than for their Welsh companions from the Championship.

Analyzing The Top Six

• 1. Can Arsenal Survive In The Top Four?
• 2. Can Chelsea Topple Manchester United?
• 3. Liverpool Plot Return To Champions League
• 4. Manchester City can’t stop Manchester United or Chelsea
• 5. Are Manchester United Good Enough For The 20th League Title?
• 6. Another Disappointing Season For Tottenham?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News