The Pieman's Blog for Friday, 30 January

This is probably the best Manchester United squad of all time. They have won the World Club championship and are still in four other competitions. They defend their European Champions League title against Inter-Milan in the knock-out stages next month; they are two points clear in the defence of the Premier League; United are in the Carling Cup final and in the fifth round of the FA Cup. We marvel at their attack and mid-field but it is the United defence that catches the eye at present. 11 PL matches without conceding a goal. Wow! That is a Premier League record and means it’s been 1032 minutes since United conceded a goal!

Meanwhile Liverpool draw again - their 9th PL draw of the season and five of those have been at Anfield. This time it’s away at Wigan. Manager Rafa Benitez is too cautious. He wants to get out and smell the Pukka Pies a bit more! The Robbie Keane saga is sad and drawn out. Time for the little Irishman to move or be moved on. He can play, that is for sure but there are clearly problems at Liverpool.

Chelsea are making hard work of it in 3rd spot but their 2 nil home win over struggling Middlesbrough puts them back on course. It’s only their 4th win from the last 10 matches. They are not as good as they were and just as Liverpool rely on Steven Gerrard so Chelsea need Frank Lampard. He has now scored 6 times in the last 8 goals and his set piece crosses like Gerrard are match winners as well.

Aston Villa and their talented team are a revelation this season. Their captain Gareth Barry has been a terrific player for some time but they have produced the counter attacking pace of Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor. Now he has added Emile Heskey.
This could be the best transfer deadline signing, at least at £3.5 million it should prove to be the best value for money. Villa have a smaller squad than the so-called big four but they have not had to make many changes to their starting line-up. However, since John Carew was injured Villa have not had a real target man. This increases their chances of finishing in the top four and securing a place in next season's European Champions League.
Villa are now five points ahead of Arsenal. The gap would be bigger if Arsenal had not scored no less than six times in stoppage time this season. Arsenal have had several key injuries this season but have been a pale version of what we expect from manager Arsene Wenger. However, do not discount them from fourth spot just yet. Villa have been the team of the season. Martin O'Neill is an outstanding manager. But Villa fans who talk about being Champions this season: Get real! They’re a long way behind Manchester United.

A word about Everton. They are doing so well without a recognised striker at present. Tim Cahill has been outstanding and leaps to headers like a salmon. West Ham unbeaten in six matches - our Premier League matches - are improving all the while under manager Gianfranco Zola. Attractive to watch but Zola will be relieved to get past the transfer deadline without losing any more players.

Carlton Cole has scored 5 goals in five games for the Hammers, the first West Ham player to do so since Tony Cottee 23 years ago.

At the bottom Portsmouth are sliding into real trouble as are Newcastle. Under Tony Adams as manager Portsmouth have played 20, won 4, drawn 7 lost 9. November 30th was their last Premier League win! Newcastle since Christmas have played 7, won 0, lost 5, drawn 2 and now have lost Michael Owen (6 weeks) and Joey Barton(10) through injuries. It’s looking bad.

In the Championship Reading beat leaders Wolves while Birmingham scraped home 1-nil. Wolves and Reading occupy the two automatic promotion places with Birmingham third. There is a long way to go but I fancy the current top two to make it.

Did they really say this?
"It's not easy, that's why it is difficult." ANDY GRAY
"It is a lot harder when you are 4-1 down then when you are 4-1 up." KEVIN KEEGAN
"Alonso missed a Champions League game when his wife was giving birth to his girlfriend." JASON CUNDY
"Harry Redknapp has had an up and down season on and off the pitch but he's had a fantastic season." ALAN HANSEN
"Well. Statistics are there to be broken." SKY SPORTS NEWS
"And of course, this afternoon it's the second half of the Arsenal/Liverpool trilogy" TALKSPORT
"He wants to go back to France and you can't get nearer to France than Plymouth." PAUL WALKER

Listen to my new song with the Piegirls and let me know what you think. My new show with Tom Ross is up and running. Let’s have your emails and texts. My next show will be with you on Friday, February 6. Fair play mate!

The Pieman's Blog for Tuesday, 20 January

Spurs were lucky to overcome plucky Championship team Burnley in the second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final. Spurs were fortunate to be 4-1 from the first leg in London. Brilliant Burnley led 3 nil in the return at Turf Moor against an out of form and sorts Spurs to take the tie into extra time. If there had been no more scoring in that extra half hour then Burnley would have reached the final on the away goals rule. But fair play to Spurs, they scored twice in the very last two minutes and will now play Manchester United in the Carling Cup final on Sunday March 1. United suffered four more injuries in overcoming another Championship club Derby County and are now missing nine top players. United are still firing for four trophies - the Carling Cup; they head the Premier League as defending Champions, are in the knock-out stages in the defence of their European Champions League title and ironically meet Spurs in the FA Cup fourth round at Old Trafford. Spurs manager says that because his club face serious relegation threats and because they are now in the Carling Cup final this FA Cup tie is secondary in their priorities which suggests he will rest some players. It’s a certain home win for United who are unbeaten at Old Trafford this season.

Manchester City make the lottery look redundant. They could stock the nation with Pukka Pies for a year except that the real Pieman couldn't make them quick enough! £100 million package for Kaka (still waiting), £18 million for Nigel de Jong, defensive mid-fielder from Hamburg (train arriving) and £14 million on 29 year old Craig Bellamy from West Ham (train at the platform). The Arab owner is seriously wedged up. Fair play mate. He needs to be. City manager Mark Hughes wants 27 year old striker Roque Santa Cruz from his old club Blackburn, for whom Hughes paid just £3.5 million two years ago to Bayern Munich for the Paraguayan international. Now big Sam Allardyce wants £40 million for Cruz. Manchester City appear to think that the credit crunch is a new biscuit while Big Sam obviously believes that Rover(s) likes lots of biscuits! It’s all gone potty, folks. Britain and most of the world face recession and Premier League football plays the banking game. Maybe they should buy one…

Rafa has got the hump. First of all with Sir Alex Ferguson and referees and now with his own bosses over transfer and wage policies that the Liverpool manager wants to control. Senor Benitez clearly thinks he is in a powerful position to take on his governors. It’s a dangerous game for a manager who has not won the Premier League and may not do so this season. Like Phil Scolari (who says, “If I am sacked I work somewhere else”), Benitez obviously believes or knows that he would get a job somewhere else as well. And fair play mate, they both probably would!

Harry Redknapp went critical publically with his striker Darren Bent from missing an easy chance to score what would have been the winning goal for Spurs against Portsmouth, the club Harry left for White Hart Lane. Harry fumed: "Bent didn't only have part of the net to aim for but the entire net - and he puts it wide. Unbelievable. Even my missus Sandra could have scored that one! I was so frustrated. If the ball goes in it’s goodnight Portsmouth and Spurs have three points in the bag" .....staggering stuff. It was a terrible miss by Bent but managers rarely blast their own player in public, choosing instead to blame the referee and sometimes his assistants. Harry was right. It was a shocker by Darren Bent but the Sky TV pundits made Portsmouth's keeper David James man of the match.

Spurs are out of the bottom three but only on goal difference. Indeed, the bottom five clubs, Spurs, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Stoke and West Bromwich all have 21 points. Spurs have the best goal difference and in descending order the goal difference (difference between goals scored by the team and goals conceded) Spurs are minus 6; Blackburn -11; Middlesborough -15; Stoke -16 and West Brom minus 17. West Brom's 3 consecutive home wins has put them back in range while Portsmouth (24 points); Bolton(23); Newcastle(23) and Sunderland (also 23 points)are being dragged into the relegation mire. What a season throughout the Premier League!
With 21/22 games played (depending which team at this stage) and 38 in all the Pieman's predictions are as follows: Manchester United as Champions(consistent from day one by the Pieman); Liverpool to finish second (instead of Chelsea who may be third now) and fourth spot between the most improved team of the season Aston Villa and the most disappointing Arsenal. I think Arsenal might just take that fourth spot.

Relegation? Much more difficult but I will now go for Stoke, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth. What do you think?
The Premier League is providing a lot of late goals this season - particularly winners. This recent weekend for instance Manchester United went top of the Premier League for the first time this season with a 90th minute goal by Dimitar Berbatov; Frank Lampard gave Chelsea a home win over stubborn Stoke with a 90th minute winner as well. Arsenal clinched their 3-1 win at Hull with late goals from Nasri (82 minutes) and Bendtner (86); and Gareth Barry's 80th minute penalty secured the win for ten man Aston Villa at Sunderland. Heck, you daren’t nip out for a pie or whatever in case you miss a goal near the end these days!

Good words and bad words.......good words for West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola who has come in this season, improved results and looks like losing some of his players because West Ham have money problems. Zola continues to be a good person and accommodating to all. Top man!

Bad word for the over the two foot off the ground tackles. Ashley Young (an unlikely one from Aston Villa) and Didier Digard (Middlesbrough) got red cards. It’s very dangerous and could cause career ending injuries. That certainly was not the case here but the principle is there. Both players get an automatic three matches suspension.

Liverpool blew their chance of regaining the lead in the Premier League when Everton's Tim Cahill skilfully equalised in the closing minutes at Anfield. One-one after Liverpool's captain and regular hero Steven Gerrard had put them ahead. Instead, the champions Manchester United stay top on superior goal difference and with a game in hand. That will be at home to Fulham. Liverpool, like Manchester United, are unbeaten at home in the PL but unlike Utd have drawn five of their 11 home matches. United have drawn just one. Liverpool play Everton again at home in the weekend's FA Cup but it’s the Premier League that the club and its fans have as the priority. Liverpool have not won the League for 19 years. There is still a long way to go but for a variety of reasons the Pieman cannot see them going anywhere else than Old Trafford!


What were they saying?
"He is the kind of player you only miss when he is not playing." GRAHAM TAYLOR
"Queen of the South know they've got their tails in front." MURDO MACLEOD
"He was running quicker than his legs could go." STEVE McCLAREN
"I'm always a little bit disappointed sometimes." GRAHAM TAYLOR(again!)
"Somehow his legs couldn't keep up with his body." GLENN ROEDER
"Relieved...anxious...flushed…all and superlatives come out." STEVE BRUCE
and finally..........
"And Andrew Surman wears his sleeve on his heart for Southampton." DAVE MERRINGTON

Fair play to them!

The Pieman's Blog for Monday, 12 January

The Champions Manchester United will retain their Premier League title. The Pieman has been telling everyone who has been listening since the start of the season. And come on, fair play mate, the Pieman has never wavered. I never got on this Chelsea bandwagon like the London based media. I have had my doubts about Luiz Felipe Scolari. Not about his achievements as a World Cup winner, although I would fancy my chances of managing Brazil.

No, I worried about his lack of managing any European, let alone British CLUB. I worried about his lack of English and now I worry about all the noises coming along the grapevine about what is going on. The owner Roman Abramovich stays away and was missing from Chelsea's worst defeat since the mess in Monaco five years ago. Big players are chasing and looking like shadows and even their great goalie Petr Cech doesn’t look so invincible. Their away record to be fair has been good up to Old Trafford but their home record has been very disappointing. Chelsea will not win the title this season.

Liverpool have it all to do. Rafa Benitez had this prepared attack on Sir Alex Ferguson waiting to erupt. Fergie, he said, intimitated referees and got away with it unpunished etc. Rafa was I thought out of character with time and the timing was bad, Stoke held Liverpool to a nil-nil draw (same scoreline as at Anfield earlier this season!) and now if United win their two games in hand the Champions will be back on top. Fergie's reply off the pitch: Benitez is angry and letting it out! Listen to the Pieman, folks: Fergie is the master of the mind-games. He has been at it a long time and he has won so many trophies including lots of Premier League titles that he’s in a position of strength.

Meanwhile United definitely have the best squad. They will be surprised, though, at how many points their rivals squandered while United were absent in Japan winning the World Club Championship. United have so many wonderful players throught the team and on the bench and Sir Alex has been developing more classy youngsters than his opponents.

And a quick mention of Aston Villa who continue to win matches based on the counter tack with the fantastic speed of Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor. They have used less players in their first team than the other top teams but they do have a smaller squad in terms of quality among the leading clubs. Their shrewd manager Martin O'Neill has Randy Lerner's money to spend and he will want a top striker such as Emile Heskey. What has happened to John Carew, fined for overstaying a visit to a lap-dancing club and off with a back injury? The venue was the Rocket Club. The Pieman, like Carew, has only been in the bar area! Villa's problem this season would be to lose key players like the two mentioned and the classy Gareth Barry.

Arsenal can't score many at present but they are still fifth and within striking distance (well, one win) of Villa and that fourth European Champions League spot come the end of this season.
Certainly they are healthier than their great North London rival Spurs who despite “Harry Houdini” Harry Redknapp taking them off the bottom are still in the relegation zone because they keep conceding late goals from set-pieces. Everyone tells the Pieman they will finish in the top half. I don't think so.

A volley for Fulham and Portsmouth. Their home matches were called off on Saturday because of frozen pitches. Madness. These Premier League clubs receive millions and yet these two have not got under-soil heating. Disgraceful. At the very least they could have afforded a thousand hot pukka pies to melt the ice!

Great to see David Beckham make his debut for AC Milan against Roma. At 33, Golden Balls has still got it. He has played for three huge clubs now including the biggest Manchester United and Real Madrid. When he joined LA Galaxy everyone wrote him off for England because the MSL in USA is considered mickey mouse by the rest of the football world! Now he is loaned to AC Milan I hope the England manager Fabio sees Becks play well and puts him in the England squad. Fair play David mate, you are still a star!

Finally......the things they say:
"There hasn't been a lot of quality but it's been a high quality game." STEVE CLARIDGE
"It was as clear as night is day." Commentator ALAN GREEN
"I'll bet there are eight teams in the last sixteen who won't win the competition." ANDY GRAY
"It sounds, in many people's eyes, silly." GRAHAM TAYLOR
"You can't change a team overnight in a couple of days.” MARTIN O'NEILL

"Berbatov can see things with the outside of his foot." ALVIN MARTIN
"I'm getting beyond the future now." SIR ALEX FERGUSON
"Steven Gerrard makes runs into the box better than anyone, so does Frank Lampard." JAMIE REDKNAPP
"There will be more football later but first highlights of the Scottish League Cup final." GARY NEWBON

......There will be more next week folks. Listen to my new radio show - The Pieman and his mate Tom - on this website now. There is a barney or two! Never mind Sir Alex and Rafa, you wouldn't think the Pieman and Tom were really mates!

The Pieman's Blog for 5 January

The Pieman loves the FA Cup. It can be a great leveller when little clubs can play giant killers and shocks always occur in the third round. This season’s was no exception. It was a case of the big boys sometimes having to say fair play mate.
So why does it happen? Terrible pitches, the big boys' field weaken teams or the small clubs, who even struggle at times in their own leagues, rise to the occasion and play above their ability. Sometimes the bad weather often experienced at this time of the year can play a part. In other words there are a variety of reasons including another important one-luck!
Anyway it all makes for good Cup stories and the Pieman, along with the rest of the nation, had a good chuckle at some of the results.......

The headline of course was the new richest club in the world, Manchester City losing at home to the Championship strugglers Nottingham Forest 3-0. Forest have just sacked their manager and their first goal was scored by a man called Tyson. Knock-out blow and all that (ha!ha! got it?). It leaves City’s manager Mark Hughes under huge pressure because his team are in the relegation region. Hughes is pointing fingers at his players’ performances and rightly so. Some of his big-name defenders are awful at present and one of the better players up front, Shaun Wright-Phillips, is now injured. The cheque book is coming out and they will be spending but what quality will Hughes really get at this time of year apart from signing Chelsea’s talented full back Wayne Bridge. The manager needs a Pukka pie or two to steady the ship. Meanwhile Forest’s new manager Billy Davies took control after the match...and who did Forest get in the next round draw? Derby County away, the club who sacked Billy Davies a year ago! I had to chuckle. It’s like a panto!

The fourth round draw produced a classic, and it was first out of the bag. Liverpool against their deadly local rivals Everton at Anfield. I had another chuckle! Fair play mate, what a ding-dong that will be. Pass the pies!
What about Chelsea? I had to chuckle again when League One Southend United scored a stoppage time goal at Stamford Bridge to hold the mighty home side to a 1-1 draw. Oh my goodness, and Chelsea fielded a strong side. The winners of the replay at Roots Hall will be at home to Ipswich. Good stuff!

The only giant-killing non-league act was by Torquay United who popped Championship side Blackpool out of the Cup with a one nil home win. Managerless Blackpool were without several players for different reasons but even so it was a terrific result and the South Devon team, having won the sand-castle battle, are now at home to another Championship team Coventry. Bring on the pasties and cream teas!

Kettering Town’s reward to beating another non-league team Eastwood is a home tie with Premier League Fulham. That game is bound to be on the telly. Come of you Poppies! It’s not a million miles away from Pukka Pies HQ in Leicester. Will they put Harrods in their place? (got it? Harrods owner is also the owner of Harrods, hey, it’s not so funny when you have to explain it!!)

Manchester United against Spurs is a repeat of last year except that Spurs are now managed by Harry Redknapp who last season was the boss of FA Cup winners Portsmouth who beat Manchester United on the way. Yet another of those quirky stories that the FA Cup throws up.
League one Hartlepool knocked Premier League Stoke City out of the Cup and are rewarded with another home tie in the fourth round against another Premier League team, West Ham United.

Who will win the FA Cup? Depends on pairings and a little luck. These are one-off knock-out games and any club can have a great day or an off day. For the Pieman it is Manchester United or Aston Villa. What do you think?

Have a listen to my current show with my new mate Tom Ross. We do not agree on a lot of football topics but hey that’s what football is all about. Fair play mate, it’s all about opinions. Please let’s have yours. Send us an email or text. The details are on the website.

Our new record is almost ready for release. It’s a knockout and very catchy. It’s by the Piegirls with some help from the Pieman. More details soon.
Join me on the show folks. It’s football, so fair play mate...

The Pieman's Blog for 30 December

Bizarre. Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller is sent off for slapping his team-mate Andy Griffin. You could not invent it, could you? Hardly fair play, mate for boshing one of your own! Stoke, now in the relegation zone, lose 2-1 at West Ham. I bet the coach journey home was worth witnessing.........

Bizarre. Hull City manager Phil Brown decides with his team 4 nil down at Manchester City to hold his half-time team talk on the pitch in front of the 4000 travelling Hull Fans. Hardly fair play, Phil mate, even if the team had played badly, for a host of reasons. These players have over-achieved for Brown until then. One very bad day at the office and he treats them like school kids and humiliates them in front of their own fans. Never been done before in the Premier League and should never be done again! The dressing room is the only place to sort it out. Brown's reasons, including trying to appease his supporters, were not good enough. It’s a bad gimmick, however he sees it. I hope it does not rebound on him and the club in the next few games. That coach journey home would have been interesting as well!

Liverpool, without their star striker Fernando Torres for the moment, continue to lead the Premier League. They extended their lead to three points with a crushing 5-1 win at Newcastle. It would have been more but for a great display of goalkeeping by Ireland's Shay Given. Liverpool's best player Steven Gerrard scored twice in another awesome display.

Chelsea let slip a 2-1 lead at Fulham by conceding a last minute goal and so passed on two points. I know Chelsea have injuries but there is something not quite right with manager Phil Scolari and this Chelsea season. Fair play though to Frank Lampard for another fine display and another two goals.

Liverpool may prove me wrong but I still fancy Manchester United to just retain the Premier League title - providing they can keep winning during their punishing January schedule. They have the best squad and the strongest set of attacking forwards.

Arsenal hiccupped their way back into fourth spot. They have injury problems as well but everyone is urging manager Arsene Wenger to get extra players in January. If they don't finish in the top four they will miss out on the European Champions League for the first time in 11 years. That will make the natives even more restless. Much may depend on who cash-rich Aston Villa add - much talk about striker Emile Heskey who is also wanted by Liverpool. 

It’s all making life difficult for Portsmouth manager Tony Adams whose side are in danger of sinking fast - now just one win above the drop zone. Fair play mate, Harry Redknapp is a difficult act to follow, there are several injuries and the best players are being sold or appear to be preparing to be sold as Portsmouth hit money problems. But Tony knew the score when he took the job. Now he has to prove he can be a successful number one. The jury is out!

West Brom are hanging in there. They beat Spurs two nil at home but are still bottom! However, they have closed the gap to two points and have given themselves a chance. Spurs can thank goal difference for currently keeping them out of the drop zone but it is so tight down there that nothing can be taken. There will be a surprise or two come May!

Manchester City grabbed a late, late point at Blackburn. Boxing Day also produced a late 2-2 thriller between Aston Villa and Arsenal. Yes, as we turn into the New Year it’s going to continue to be a great season in the Premier League.

I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year. My next blog will have some of the funnies of 2008 and my predictions for what 2009 will bring....hey, and we haven't even mentioned England manager Fabio Capello......what a start he has had as England manager.

Stay with the Pieman as we reveal some exciting new plans.........

The Pieman's Blog for 22 December

Happy Christmas everyone. Get plenty of pie and football down you!

Big Sam Allardyce started celebrating early! He takes the Blackburn job after Paul Ince got the tin tack. Rovers had gone 11 games without a win. Wham, bam, thank you Sam as they smash Stoke City with three first half goals... Meanwhile oil rich, cash rich Manchester City are in a bit of bother. The new Arab owner, one of the world's most seriously wedged up men, will not be happy that City are in the bottom three and lost at the bottom club West Bromwich Albion who had not won since October.

City were awful and played like a crusty stale pie, urgh! I cannot think of anything worse... so let’s hope Mark Hughes can get some Pukka Pies type signings in and change the results. He will need to if he wants to keep the manager's job. I rate Hughes but the game is about results. The latest manager to lose his job by the way is Gary McAllister after Leeds lost their fifth successive match at the weekend. He had been in the job 11 months. McAllister will be 44 on Christmas Day. Leeds chairman Ken Bates looks like Father Christmas but the only card in his sack was Gary's P45! In fairness, Leeds are 15 points behind the League One leaders Leicester and five points outside the play-off positions............

One serious candidate for the Sunderland job is caretaker boss Rick Spragia . He has been in charge for three matches since Roy Keane quit. Sunderland had an honourable 1 nil defeat before enjoying successive four goal victories - the latest being 4-1 at Hull.... The Pieman says fair play mate! Give Ricky the job until the end of this season and then access it.
Joe Kinnear has lifted Newcastle to 12th spot. Joe has got the manager's job until the end of the season. Maybe longer if owner Mike Ashley does not find a seller. Joe has done an excellent job but I doubt if he holds onto Michael Owen for longer than the summer.......

Arsene Wenger went Christmas crackers after top referee Howard Webb sent off the Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor for two yellows in the 1-1 draw with leaders Liverpool. I thought, watching Sky Sports, that the first caution was correct; the second not so. The first called by the linesman Darren Cann (involved in the same player's red card in the 2007 Carling Cup final), the second by Webb who does not have slow-motion replay and gave what he saw. Arsenal played better after being down to 10 men. Liverpool were too cautious, and manager Rafa Benitez (issuing mobile phone orders to his staff from his homeside sofa as he recovers from a kidney stones operation) had goalscorer and biggest threat Robbie Keane substituted in the 82nd minute. Staggering against 10 men. From Arsenal's point of view a decent, battling point in the circumstances but the injury to their skipper and midfield star Cese Fabregas is a big blow for the next three weeks. Arsenal, without a trophy for three years, will not win the Premier League this season while Liverpool are drawing too many matches.

The dark horses are Aston Villa. The Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson tipped Martin O'Neill’s team as the only club likely to break into the top four other than the normal Big Four. They are now 3rd after winning at West Ham. They host Arsenal on Boxing Day and are a real threat to the Gunners for the 4th spot. Villa have some great young players, regularly praised in this blog, but what's happening in the striking department. O'Neill has the money backing from American billionaire owner Randy Lerner to spend next month and he will.

Meanwhile Manchester United, double champions in the Premier League and the European Champions League, have added the World Club championship. Now they are back in the UK to try and make up points with their two games in hand over the others. Most good judges are convinced that the Premier League title in May will go to either Chelsea or Manchester United. I believe that United's attacking strength will edge it for them. Didier Drogba is terrific and Nicholas Anelka is the League's top scorer. But after that and allowing for injuries….? Frank Lampard and Joe Cole are class. But United's Wayne Rooney, Christiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, Dimitar Berbatov and Ryan Giggs plus the likes of Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Paul Scholes,Anderson, Nani and so on.....The Reds to pip the Blues........

Have a wonderful Christmas. I wish you everything you wish your team.
My next blog will be next Tuesday after the Xmas football.
Fair play mate is the name of the game!

The Pieman's Blog for 16 December

Poor old Paul Ince. He might have even been sacked by the time you read this. I hope he gets longer but I don't expect so. It’s not a Father Christmas sack the Blackburn Board probably have in mind. It’s the p45 version. Oh dear! It’s almost enough to put you off your pie (only joking, but it’s no joke for Mincey!). Paul Ince, a fine player, had cut his teeth on management in the lower leagues with Macclesfield and MK Dons. The boy done well but it wasn't quite that easy at Blackburn where Paul Ince signed a three year contract to be manager. But probs straight away.

Star winger David Bentley was sold to Spurs and top goalie Brad Friedal was allowed to join Aston Villa. The previous manager Mark Hughes had probably taken the modern Blackburn as far as they can realistically go post Jack Walker. Ince, now six months into his tenure, has seen his team suffer their sixth successive defeat in the Premier League where they are five points adrift from safety. His Board were all present at the three nil away defeat at Wigan and one report had them locked into a lengthy after-match discussion. Once the media start the speculation and you keep losing and the chairman refuses to comment (nearly as bad as a vote of confidence only more honest most of the time!) you are on the slippery slope to exit doors. The chairman attended his son's wedding the day after the Wigan game - one wedding and a funeral? We will see before the weekend's tricky match with Stoke City.........

Wayne Rooney was headlines after an alleged stamp on Danish midfielder Kasper Risgard in last week's European Champions League 2-2 match with Aalborg. Risgard claimed Rooney jumped on his chest and left him with bruises. UEFA watched the TV evidence and stated no charges. Rooney's manager Sir Alex Ferguson refused to comment except to accuse the Press of causing UEFA to need to look at it! The TV replays looked bad but everyone now needs to get on with it. But Rooney has to be careful. He is a great player but he does chance it at times................

Why can Chelsea set up a Premier League record of 11 successive away wins but keep drawing or losing at home? They have only won 3 of their 9 Premier League home matches. That does mean they have dropped 14 points at home. This from a club previously unbeaten in the Premier League at home for 4 years! It’s enough to give their manager Luiz Felipe Scolari a massive headache. As it is, he spent Saturday night in hospital with kidney stone problems. Very painful........... must be catching because 24 hours later the Liverpool manager Rafa Benitz is taken to hospital with exactly the same complaint, and Rafa had a minor operation on Monday. Heard the painful one about the Brazilian and the Spaniard? We wish them both a speedy recovery...

Rafa has got a home result problem as well. Liverpool lead the Premier League by just a point from Chelsea but they have drawn 4 of their 9 home games. Three of those were goalless against Stoke, Fulham and West Ham while last weekend they drew 2-2 with Hull after being 2 nil down before Captain Marvel Steven Gerrard scored both goals...again! The reason I do not think Liverpool will be champions is that they rely too much on Steven Gerrard and the injured Fernando Torres. Alright, I know they beat Manchester United without them but that is the exception not the rule.........

Why did Rafa not bring on £20.3 million substitute Robbie Keane? I know he can't score at present but he is class and the goals will come…instead Rafa uses three other subs…Nabil El Zhar, Ryan Babel and Lucas Leiva to no avail. Potty, or whatever that is in Spanish?....

Newcastle out of the bottom three at last after their 3 nil win at Pompey. Manager Joe Kinnear ( till the end of the season at least!) wants to keep captain Michael Owen who has been offered a new contract. Will he accept it or walk elsewhere at the end of the season...?
Aston Villa up to fourth spot after their 4-2 home win over Bolton. Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young are simply brilliant. Both are showing consistent England class. Gabby drives a white £180,000 Lamborghini (he thinks credit crunch is a new biscuit!) and now wears lime-green boots! He is playing so well he can wear whatever colour boots he wants!
Pieman tears for Danny Wilson, a top manager who has been shown the door by League One Hartlepool after 6 matches without a win (aka Paul Ince). Danny got them promoted two years ago and they have slipped all the way to mid-table!....

Finally some quotes from the legendary manager:

Bill Shankly: "I was the best manager in Britain because I was never devious or cheated anyone. I'd break my wife's legs if I played against her but I'd never cheat her!"

Ron Atkinson: "It's bloody tough being a legend!"

Brian Clough: "I could manage England part-time and still walk the dog."

Jamaica coach Rene Simoes: "We are the Cinderellas of the World Cup. Our mission is to postpone midnight for as long as possible."

Ken Brown, when manager of Norwich: "With our luck, one of our players must be bonking a witch!"

Brian Horton, when Manchester City manager: "Right now if I robbed a bank I would be mugged on the way out!"

… and finally Ron Atkinson again: "Women should be in the kitchen, the discotheque and the boutique, but not in football."

That was in 1989. Big Ron has been in enough trouble since then..........

More on my blog very soon.

Have fun and play fair,

The Pieman