Five things we learned from the Premier League this weekend

1) King Kenny's reign needs to become full-time

Sunday in west London was all about two world class strikers: one who failed to live up to his £50million price-tag, and the other, stood on the sideline, proving the doubters wrong. I have to admit, initially I was one of those doubters, but it seems Kenny Dalglish is far from out of his depth in current-day Premier League management. Yesterday's 1-0 win over Chelsea showed Dalglish to be both a brilliant tactician and, as Jamie Carragher will protest, a wonderful man-manager.

Yesterday's victory means it is now four straight wins for Dalglish since taking over from Roy Hodgson, with his team's triumph at Stamford Bridge the most impressive of the lot. Liverpool not only beat Chelsea at Fortress Bridge; they did in such a fashion that the hosts could of played till next Sunday and they still wouldn't have scored.

The 5-4-1 Dalglish employed was a masterstroke. A central defensive three of Skrtel, Agger and Carragher smothered Chelsea's attacking options. And the wing-backs, Johnson and Kelly, provided width and crossing chances constantly. Many frowned when it was announced that Dirk Kuyt would be the lone striker, but as has been common with Dalglish's Liverpool, the midfield trident: Gerrard, Meireles and Maxi, poured forward at every opportunity, supporting the tireless striker. It was Meireles who struck the killer blow mid-way through the second half; a man re-born under the King, he has now scored 4 goals in as many games.

This tactical balance and fluidity has come from a man many claimed - including myself - to be past his best. A man football had forgot. But the formation, not really seen to any effect since Germany won Euro 96 with a back five, was a product of careful consideration and know-how: two qualities time can't diminish. But on a day when Liverpool were meant to be rueing the loss of their star striker they instead benefited from the wisdom of their greatest ever player. Surely, his appointment as manager full-time can't be too far away?


2) If Leon Best and Nile Ranger can induce such panic, Arsenal need to start worrying

Only in the Premier League could a team lose a 4-0 half-time lead and still end up one point closer to the top of the table; but such were events at St James' Park on Saturday. It was a truly wonderful advert for England's top division. As both Alan Shearer and L'Equipe contested: "the best game I've ever seen." But surely, when all's said and done, Arsenal's title challenge is now over.

It would be fantastic to see a team so full of attacking intent win the Premier League, but Arsenal's persistent mental frailties mean, unfortunately, that it is never likely to happen. These traits were on full show on Saturday as the visitors stormed to a four-goal lead and then, having lost Abou Diaby, capitulated in memorable fashion. Barcelona, who face Arsenal in the Champions League this month, must be licking their lips.

That this memorable draw should come so soon after the close of yet another quiet transfer window for the Gunners was somewhat ironic. The need for a top goalkeeper and world-class centre half were made abundantly clear to Wenger over January, but yet again, he decided to keep the club's cheque book firmly in his back pocket. So focused is the Frenchman on the club's future, he seeems to have forgotten the present altogether.


3) West Brom have shot themselves in the foot

The surprise departure of Roberto Di Matteo on Saturday evening was probably the most shocking managerial change this season. Admittedly, a baron spell of results: seven losses in nine, is not the most ideal of records for a club looking to avoid relegation. But the powers-that-be at the Hawthorns seem to have forgotten all the good work the Italian instigated at the start of the season.

Wins over Arsenal and Everton, as well as a superb draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford had many lauding Di Matteo and his gung-ho attacking style. Having won the Championship last season, fans' and pundits' alike presumed the world was Di Matteo's oyster. But a dip in form at the beginning of November has seen the east Midlands club slide down the league: culminating in Di Matteo being placed on gardening leave. "If this run continues much longer, achieving our goal of retaining our Premier League status will become increasingly difficult," read a club statement. "That is why we felt compelled to act now."

Changing managers' halfway through the season is always a gamble, but with West Brom two points outside of the relegation zone and - in this most open of campaigns - more than capable of staying there, you can't help but feel the Baggies have shot themselves in the foot.


4) Manchester United's frailties are finally laid bare

The worst unbeaten side in history? That they've gone this far without losing is unbelievable, but finally Sir Alex's side have lost. And to the team bottom of the league with that. It always seemed unlikely that a team containing an underperforming Wayne Rooney and an underwhelming midfield four would remain unbeaten for the entire season, but that it should come to an end in the Midlands was quite appropriate. They really should have lost to a quick-footed Aston Villa side in November. And continued to struggle against West Brom on New Year's Day. Other games at Tottenham and Blackpool also saw the Red Devils looking vulnerable.

They didn't lose those games, and such resilience is to be admired. However, in United teams gone by that never-say-die attitude characterised a team that was as strong in will as it was talent; in this team it felt more precarious. Like a teenager who keeps passing his exams without any revision. Eventually he's going to fail.


5) The romance may have gone from football, but it's still bloody good

In a week full of newspaper coloumns dedicated to player loyalties, £50million transfers and youths burning polyester shirts, it seemed nice to get back to the actual playing of football. It started at the Britannia and ended at the Bridge, but the weekend of 5th/6th February will go down in English top-flight football history.

A total of 42 goals were scored and 7 penalties were successfully taken. Both record-breaking figures. Both the sort of statisitcs that make our European cousins green with envy; as Corriere Dello Sport said in this morning's paper: "This would never happen in Italy." It was a truly fantastic weekend, one where Everton's 5-3 win over Blackpool wasn't even the best game; where Wigan 4-3 Blackburn was dismissed towards the end of Match of the Day. It may never happen again, so let's savour it when it does.


Motty

In memory of Gary Neville

If you could, you would.

Over the past 20 years as a professional, he's been called many things: A "sock-sucker" by Carlos Tevez, a "busy c**t" by Jaap Stam and "a not very nice man" by various Liverpool fans. But whether you love him or loathe him, Gary Neville deserves to be remembered as one of the best full-backs in his family.

Having become the captain and linchpin of Manchester United's all-conquering youth side of 1991, Neville found himself commander of a ship including the likes of: Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Robbie Savage. A year later, he made his first senior appearance as a wispy-'tached 17-year-old. And last night, as a wispy-'tached 35-year-old, he called time on a career spanning 602 Utd appearances, 85 England caps and 957 jibes against Scousers. "Obviously I am disappointed that my playing days are at an end, however it comes to us all and it's knowing when that time is, and for me, that time is now," droned Neville, acknowledging the fact that referees could no longer sympathetically overlook blatant red-card offences such as the ones against West Brom and Stoke this season.

Neville deserves credit for the abrupt announcement of his retirement. He could have quite happily sat in the reserves, not playing, but picking up a healthy pay-packet for the rest of the season. This, however, is not the Neville way. Never a man motivated by fame or money, the only bling this player has pursued is medals. And plenty of them. Eight Premier League titles, three FA cups, one Champions League, three Charity Shields and one World Club Cup. Not to mention five appearances in the Premier League Team of the Season, and one appearance in the Premier League Team of the Decade.  

An argument constantly used by the Neville-haters is that he was an average player in a decent team. And although it is the case that whilst at Utd he was never the best full-back at the club (Paul Parker, Denis Irwin, Patrice Evra), his commitment, loyalty and general desire to play for the Red Devils have made him one of the Premier League's most consistent defenders, and arguably, one of England's finest.

With the announcement of his retirement comes the question of what to do next? A coaching job at Utd has always been in the pipeline, but it seems Sky - who have vowed to become more PC after accusations of bigotry - have become hell-bent on employing a man who has enthusiastically displayed his hatred for all things Scouse. "Obviously there is a bit of speculation about who replaces Andy Gray and Richard Keys but it is not my agenda," quipped Sir Alex this morning, "But of course, we want him to stay here when he finishes playing but we'll see. I don't know what he'd be like as a pundit." Of course, the other obvious option would be to lend a helping hand in leading popular uprisings in the Arab world. But we'll see.

So how to sum up a twenty year career at the country's most successful football club? Perhaps two quotes from some of football's most respected voices will suffice.

"Neville was the best English right-back, certainly. If you look at his record, he has won absolutely everything. And with the number of games he has played, he is without doubt the best." - Arsene Wenger

"If you were to pick a Premier League Team of the Decade, the full-back positions would both go to Denis Irwin. Nailed on." - Alan Hansen

This then, perhaps, sums up Gary Neville. To some, he is the best full-back of a generation. To others, an odious little man who was average at best. But I guess they'll never take the medals away.

Motty



European January Transfer Round Up

Milan's "brief" entry into the January Market.

With well over £200 Million being spent throughout the January transfer window in Britain, it’s no surprise that our European counterparts have spent much less. However, some significant deals have been done, and here’s Get the Mott and Buckett’s round up.

In Spain, three years after paying €20 million for Simao Sabrosa, the Athelteico Madrid winger was Besiktas bound for a reunion with fellow countrymen Hugo Almedia and Ricardo Quaresma. All for less than a quarter paid by Los Rojiblancos in 2007. But the Red and White men of Madrid managed to add to their squad with the signings of former Real Madrid and Osasuna winger Junafran, and Elias, the Corinthian’s playmaker.  

On the other side of the city, Real did little other than temporarily tease former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy with the prospect of a return, before eventually securing the services of City forward Emanual Adebayor until the end of the season. Runaway league leaders Barce’ did little also. They didn’t need to. A cut price €3 Million for Ibrahim Affelay enough to see the Dutchman part company with PSV and conclude the Champion elect’s spending.

Elsewhere, small fees were paid for Sunderland failure Paulo Da Silva by Zaragoza, and Brazilian hit man Jonas Goncalves, switched from Gremio to Valencia. Tottenham let former-Barce’ wonder kid Giovani dos Santos return to Spain via a loan deal to Racing Santander. With Newcaslte following suit by sending Xisco to Deportivo.  Sevilla also dipped a toe in the market by securing the signings of highly-regarded Gary Medel from Boca, and Swiss midfielder Ivan Rakitic from Schalke.

The most active team in La Liga was the newly enriched Malaga. Sheikh Abdullah toed the line of rich new chairmen at “small clubs” by attempting to sign David Beckham and Ronaldinho before eventually settling for six lower-key signatures, but don’t let Julio Baptista or Martin Demichelis hear you say that.

A grand total of €28 Million was spent throughout January in Spain, unbelievably, three times that of the year before.

Over the Med in Italy, things were a little busier.

Much busier in fact at Bari, Genoa, and Sampdoria: who between them brought in a staggering twenty-five new players. Highlights including former Fulham loanee Stephano Okaka, once again on loan from Roma, joining Bari. Genoa ending Argentine, Mauro Boselli’s, baron spell at Wigan, and Sampdoria acquiring Manchester United youngster Federico Macheda on loan until the end of the season. Former Middlesbrough striker, Massimo Maccarone also joined Sampdoria from Palermo.

Over in Milan spending was clearly divided in the San Siro.  Now five points clear at the top of the table, AC played their cards to close to their chest, much like Barce’ at the top of La Liga. The exciting signing of Antonio Cassano for a nominal fee, enough to please the fans, alongside the free signature of Mark van Bommel from Bayern. 34 year old centre half Nicola Legrottaglie also signed for the Rossoneri on a free from Juve’ until the end of the season.

Currently ten points behind their biggest rivals, Inter brought in five new faces throughout January. Sampdoria’s Giampaolo Pazzini at €12 Million, plus Ludovic Biabiany, the most high profile of any move in Italy, and with 36 in 75 for his former club, perhaps the biggest hope for Internazionale.  The most expensive of their acquisitions, the buy-out of Genoa’s 50% share of Andrea Ranocchia, the highly rated centre half, for €15 Million.

Away from the region of Lombardy, Juventus acquired World-Cup winning journeyman Luca Toni from Genoa on a free, and convinced Cagliari to part company with Alessandro Matri, the one in three strike rate to cost them €15.5 Million at the end of the season. All of which paved the way for the Brazilian Amauri to join Parma on loan.

More active than La Liga, but no Premier League.

Closer to home and the most exciting move in Deutschland, for Get the Mott and Buckett anyway, was undeniably that of Rohan Ricketts. Having parted company with Moldovan club, FC Dacia Chişinău, Ricketts spent three months prior to Christmas touring the Fatherland looking for a contract. Eventually, the former Arsenal, Spurs, and Toronto forward found one at SV Wilhelmshaven, the team currently lying 12^th in the northern section of Germany’s fourth tier.

A few divisions up, and the biggest fee paid was that for Hoffenheim’s Luiz Gustavo, a tidy €17 Million from Bayern’s chequebook. €6.8 Million of which went on Liverpool’s Ryan Babel.

By far the busiest club was Wolfsburg. Funded by the £27 Million sale of Edin Dzeko, in total they acquired six new players, including Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrick Helmes for €5 Million and Stoke City’s Sanli Tuncay for around the same fee.

A grand total of €57 Million was spent throughout the Budesliga this January, roughly the same amount Chelsea spent on one player, but almost three and a half times what was spent this time last year.

Closer to home, and France’s Ligue1 activity was minimal to say the least. Stephane Sessegnon and Jean Makoun both left for the Premier League, from PSG and Lyon respectively. But nothing was done by either club to replace their losses, and neither did Marseille or Lille see fit to step into the market.

Away from the “big clubs”, Monaco were the biggest movers and shakers, bringing Mahamadou Diarra back to France, alongside five other arrivals. Sitting in 19^th, Les Rouge et Blanc  will be hoping the former Real Madrid man will be able to drag them up the table as we enter the business end of the season, or la fin d'affaires de la saison, if you will.  

Of all European nations, the least interested in January business. Trust the French.

Buckett.

Crawley Town F.C: Britain's most unlikeable club?

When comedian Mark Watson pulled Crawley Town out of that famous velvet bag on Sunday afternoon, the FA Cup seemed to have produced its ultimate romance tie: Manchester United vs Crawley Town. Non-league nobodies against Premier League superstars. It was the draw that, on the face it, would reignite the public interest in the cup. A tie harking back to the glory days of a once great competition. Except, it's not quite the romantic tie some people might have you believe.

Having become only the sixth non-league side in the history of the FA Cup to reach the 5th round - and the first since Kidderminster in 1993 - you'd be forgiven for eulogising over their achievement. However, for fans well-versed in the nuances of non-league football, it's become incredibly fashionable to dislike Crawley Town.

But first, a bit of background knowledge. Formed in 1896, the Red Devils were notable in the football league by their absence; never having stepped foot amongst the 92 best clubs in the land. They were regulars in the Southern Premier League for decades, and only as recently as 2004 made it into the Conference National. In 2005 they were bought by the SA Group, and made the decision to go full-time for the first time in the club's history, leading to a mass exodus of players who couldn't afford to leave their 'proper' jobs. With a lack of playing staff, Crawley went on a mad last-day-of-the-January-Transfer-Window-style hiring of players. A year later, when the SA Group decided to up sticks and leave, Crawley were left with a huge mountain of debt which they couldn't sustain. In August of 2006, Crawley Town announced they were to fold, and were within an hour of liquidation until a last minute deal was produced to save the club.

Fast forward to 2010, and current chairman Bruce Winfield announced that the club had resolved all its debts, and, in a more shocking revelation, had persuaded some foreign investors to pump money in to the club. A local businessman made good, taking over his local club, and persuading foreign businessman to invest: what's to dislike I hear you ask?

In the summer transfer window of 2010, Crawley Town spent more money on players than all of the teams in League Two combined: Just over £1million. With former creditors at the club receiving 10p in every £1 they invested before going into administration, these new anonymous backers seem to have no consideration for the local investors of the previous regime; flinging their money around at a whim. And these anonymous backers? Well, as it suggests, no one really knows. Based in Hong Kong, the two gentleman involved are listed as 'a banker' and 'in the restaurant business', but as yet remain nameless. But having only been to the club once, and already investing over £1million, you can't help but feel there may be something slightly strange going on.

Of course, jealousy from other fans has something to do with Crawley's lack of popularity. It's always been the case that the richest teams win the competitions, but when a club becomes nouveau riche, resentment from other fans seems to ramp up a notch. But for all the feelings of a siege mentality at Crawley, surely an investment from anonymous Asian backers is unsustainable? It's been seen countless times before: a struggling club is suddenly given a huge cash injection, and before you know it, living above their means, they get relegated down the divisions (Southampton, Leeds, Portsmouth, etc.)

Of course, Boston Utd were once such club. And one facet of their demise was the current Crawley manager, Steve Evans. Managing the club from 1998-2002, Evans was investigated by the FA for 'contractual irregularities' towards the end of his reign. It thus transpired that Evans was keeping two separate books at the club: one for what the club was actually paying the players. And another for what the club were declaring they payed the players. Needless to say, he was found guilty by the FA, and banned from the game for 20 months. He later appeared in court charged with fraud, for which he was, again, found guilty and given a year's suspended sentence and a fine of £10,000. The controversy has continued at Crawley, where last year he was sent from the dugout numerous times over the season, and subsequently given a ten game ban.

Manchester Utd vs Crawley Town, romantic? There's more romance in a Premier League players' orgy.

 

Motty



A footballing cold war, "the wrong snow", and German prudence. Premier League Transfer Round Up.

A transfer window of nuclear proportions.

So, another January transfer window has come and gone. The Christmas day of the football fanatic, 31^st January, is once again, a whole year away. According to Chancellor Osborne and his liberal pals, spending on the high streets of Britain this Yule-tide was reduced due to the bad weather, “the wrong snow” they said. The icy December conditions reportedly cost Tesco £50 Million in the week prior to Christmas, fast forward four weeks and Fernando Torres was a much quicker affair.

However, naturally it was a much slower start.

Edin Dzeko’s move from Wolfsburg to Manchester City had long been expected and went through only a week after the window opened. Having signed for Wolfsburg for a fee of only €4 million 2 years ago, the turnaround relates to something like a 700% profit for the German club after City handed over £27 Million for the striker. The second highest fee paid by the new City regime,  behind Robinho, and the Citizens will certainly be hoping the Bosnian has more influence than the Brazilian.  

And then, it all went quiet. A lot of murmuring, and I think Steve Sidwell went somewhere (Fulham, Undisclosed Fee). Steven Pienaar picked Spurs over Chelsea, and David Bentley and Wayne Bridge found new homes if only temporarily (Bentley to Birmingham and Bridge to West Ham), but not too much to be said.

Then, as if by magic it all came to life, and Darren Bent, not for the first time, provided us all with a shock .Reportedly unhappy at his new role in the Sunderland set up, Bent however appeared to be returning to something of his best form for a club on the up. But a bid from the languishing Villa was too much too resist. Rejected by numerous England managers, Harry Redknapp and at times this season, Steve Bruce, Bent perhaps saw the recognition he feels he deserves through the £24 Million Houiller was willing to part with. A price baulked at by fans and pundits alike at the time, but having scored 82 Premier League goals since 2005, a record now only surpassed by Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney, Bent could be the steal of the decade. If not, certainly of this transfer window.

Meanwhile, activity was beginning to pick up elsewhere. Liverpool, as well as Villa, were reportedly interested in Blackpool’s Charlie Adam. Only for any advances to be rejected as “derisory” by Tangerines boss Holloway. Liverpool and Spurs would both return late in the day, only to fail once again, even if Adam himself thought “I’m sorted” at 11.50pm on deadline day. Two centre forwards meanwhile had managed to find a way out of their clubs and found loan deals elsewhere (Adebayor to Real Madrid, and Roque Santa Cruz back to Blackburn).  Demba Ba arrived at the Boleyn ground, via a failed medical at Stoke, and deals were appearing to be done.  

But no one could have expected what was about to happen next. If the lack of spending prior to Christmas was due to the British snowfall then what was about to happen was the result of a footballing Cold-war; America v Russia, Liverpool v Chelsea.  With a North Eastern hit man thrown in for good measure.

Torres to Chelsea, Carroll to Liverpool.  Two British record transfer fees paid in the space of one day, a total of £85 Million spent in one evening.  And the best of it? With 72 hours left of the window, no one had any idea.  

Both transfers are seen as a gamble. Everyone knows Torres scores when he plays, but how often can Abramovich expect to see him pull on a Chelsea shirt? Since 2007, Dider Drogba has only made two more appearances for Chelsea than Torres has for Liverpool, so the Russian will be hoping his new signing can make the same sort of impact, starting next Sunday at the Bridge against his former club.

At £35 Million, Andy Carroll has become the most expensive player in British history. All this after only six months top flight football, one England cap, and 17 Championship goals last season. Peter Whittingham, Nicky Maynard, Gary Hooper, Charlie Adam and Michael Chopra all scored more.  So why have Liverpool paid so much? Back in November, rumours surfaced that Arsenal were interested in the Geordie for around £15 Million, then a few weeks later, naturally, Harry Redknapp got involved quoting around £10 Million more than the ever-prudent Wenger. But with less than 24 hours before the close of business, in an already inflated market, John W. Henry wrote a cheque much larger than anticipated by anyone. However, at 22, Carroll is widely considered the brightest young English talent out there. A potential saviour for Capello’s England and now a potential saviour, alongside teammate Luis Suarez, for Dalglish’s Liverpool.  But with more court appearances than England appearances, there is no doubt the Merseyside club has taken a gamble on a white man who once braided his hair.

All in all, a very busy January, at least towards the end.

As well as Torres, Chelsea finally landed Brazilian defender David Luiz at the second attempt, taking their deadline day spending past the £70 Million mark. In the same breath Liverpool loaned outcast Paul Konchesky to Championship side Forest, ending a very unhappy season for the full back.  Steve McClaren replaced Edin Dzeko with Stoke’s Sanli Tuncay for around £5 Million, and Blackburn failed with attempts to sign David Beckham and Ronaldinho, unsurprisingly.  But they did manage to bring in Ruben Rochina from Barce’, and Mauro Formica from Argentina’s Newell’s Old Boys, to play alongside loan signing Jermaine Jones (from Schalke). Perhaps there’s more to Steve Kean than first met the eye, after all he has shipped out El Hadji Diouf.  Elsewhere, the Bent deal encouraged Steve Bruce to complete the signings of PSG midfielder Stephane Sessegnon and Suli Muntari on loan from Rubin Kazan, while Houiller brought in Jean Makoun and Michael Bradley from the continent.

At close of play, over £225 Million was spent in the British transfer window. So much for another winter of discontent.

Buckett