Looks like that Liverpool will yet again remain Top 3 / Top 4 material in the EPL, and will probably end up fighting for that final Champions League spot at the end of the season. They started out brightly, especially with new star Fernando Torres being prolific in his goalscoring exploits. (I really REALLY regret not keeping him as an untouchable in my YFF team – got’im, then sold’im when he was injured, now I can’t afford ‘im … boo hoo. )
And the off-the-field soap dramas happening at Anfield … OK, just because the manager and some of the players are Spanish doesn’t mean the Yank owner has to equate Liverpool with a Spanish soap opera.
West Ham themselves have seen their share of soap dramas and problems towards the end of last season but they do have a solid English manager in Alan Curbishley, who I think is able to eventually mold the Hammers into a credible team in the future. Here’s hoping my man Dean Ashton (one of my 3 forwards that I have selected in my fantasy team this week) will get his name in the scoresheet. Ashton’s back, baby!
27 Jan 0100 Villa vs. Blackburn(Delayed)
30 Jan 0330 Arsenal vs. Newcastle United
31 Jan 0330 West Ham United vs. Liverpool
02 Feb 2040 Manchester City vs. Arsenal
02 Feb 2255 Tottenham Hotspur vs. Man United
03 Feb 0130 Blackburn vs. Everton (Delayed)
03 Feb 2125 Newcastle United vs. Middlesbrough
03 Feb 2355 Fulham vs. Aston Villa
STAR SPORTS (Channel 813)
02 Feb 2255 Portsmouth vs. Chelsea
03 Feb 0110 Liverpool vs. Sunderland
United’s former goal keeper Peter Schmeichel enjoyed eight glory-laden years with the Reds. We caught up with the Great Dane at a feelfootball.com coaching event in Manchester to discuss if the current crop has what it takes…
What have you made of United’s performances so far this season?
It’s starting to smell of big times again. I know we lost against Bolton but defeats give you a reality check and United know they need to keep working hard. Traditionally United are a stronger team come the latter part of the season and I think things look good. My main concern is when the big players are absent. I don’t believe we can play without Wayne Rooney or Nemanja Vidic. They are too important for us. Carlos Tevez is a great signing and one year down the line he and Wayne will be perfect together. But I still believe we need another striker. For me, Vidic has been the key to the defence. And he’s made Rio [Ferdinand] into a top class player. I thought Rio was a very good player before, but since Vidic has arrived they’ve got a settled partnership and Rio has developed brilliantly, just like Vidic.
It’s boo hoo for Chelski fans, as Astro ain’t gonna telecast them live this week. The Blues are gonna be served on a lukewarm plate of DELAYED.
Other stories, Man City vs West Ham again? Me thinks Elano might get the hang of it and SCORE AGAIN.
ESPN (Channel 812)
19 Jan 2255 Reading vs. Manchester United
20 Jan 0130 Birmingham City vs. Chelsea (Delayed)
20 Jan 2125 Wigan Athletic vs. Everton
20 Jan 2355 Manchester City vs. West Ham United 22 Jan 0354 Liverpool vs. Aston Villa
STAR SPORTS (Channel 813)
19 Jan 2255 Fulham vs. Arsenal 20 Jan 0110 Newcastle United vs. Bolton Wanderers
… is becoming the latest lame excuse reason a football manager is getting sacked these days. But then again, it’s hard to complain now that the EPL is becoming more akin to a globally televised reality show. Team not entertaining enough? Rewrite the script to add more sex and slapstick humor! Or, sack the manager and hire someone that can bring attractive, attacking football!
Consider the managers who have been dismissed for not turning up the style for the respective teams they have managed:
Jose Mourinho. Chelsea’s charasmatic Portuguese was dismissed (or quit?) DESPITE helping Chelsea win a trophy every season he’s been in charge.
Martin Jol. Apparently the owners got Juande Ramos to replace him because he can bring attacking football to an unmotivated Tottenham team.
Sam Allardyce. Latest manager to be fired because of the apparently ugly football that he crafted so effectively in Bolton did not translate well to Newcastle’s credibility as a top EPL team.
The irony? Hiring Capello as England manager! This is the man known for his boring, defensive football, which recently resulted in his firing from Real Madrid — despite winning La Liga! Will he transform England to a World Cup winning team? If so, will this set a trend for teams to deviate to “dour yet effective” football — resulting in a chain of managerial firings across the Premier League?
While Ferguson is reportedly stunned by Toon traumas, he has no qualms in piling on their misery. If you did not manage to catch the Red Devils 6-0 drubbing of Newcastle, check out the highlight clip below! I would have preferred the actual commentary instead of the Red Devils track playin in the background, but the video quality is pretty good. Includes the Tevez pacifier celebration
What a walk in the park for Manchester United. While we celebrate the glorious football played at Old Trafford, check out this humorous comment from the comments page of Yahoo’s Fantasy Football Blog:
To celebrate thehorrific defending by NUF, Tevez pulls a pacifier from his shorts and puts it in his mouth. I know he just had a baby and all, but the pacifier was IN HIS SHORTS. Um, yeah…
12 Jan 2008 2255 Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur [Anelka's Chelski Debut!]
13 Jan 2008 0130 Arsenal vs. Birmingham (Delayed)
13 Jan 2008 2125 Sunderland vs. Portsmouth
13 Jan 2008 2355 Bolton Wanderers vs. Blackburn
STAR SPORTS (Channel 813)
12 Jan 2255 Middlesbrough vs. Liverpool
13 Jan 0110 Manchester United vs. Newcastle United (Rooney run riot)
Chelski are now officially back on track and are ready to breakup the two horse race for the English Premier League title. 6 points adrift of the leaders Arsenal, they are capable of reducing the deficit if they can win their January games against mediocre opponents Tottenham, Birmingham and Reading.
On the YFF front, Anelka’s the Big Dog is a must-have and he’s not too pricey at 16.09. But with Agbonlahor and Torres already part of a power-packed strikeforce, I may pass him on for a more balanced squad.
Meanwhile, Manchester United has a question at rightback: with Wes Brown suspended against Newcastle, will the eveready benchwarmer John O’Shea make his mark, or will Captain Gary Neville make his first team return (after scoring in the reserves in midweek)?
![[Official ShenaniganZ EPL Fantasy Football League]](http://l.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/i/uk/sp/euro78.jpg "PENTAGRAM")
Looks like that Liverpool will yet again remain Top 3 / Top 4 material in the EPL, and will probably end up fighting for that final Champions League spot at the end of the season. They started out brightly, especially with new star Fernando Torres being prolific in his goalscoring exploits. (I really REALLY regret not keeping him as an untouchable in my YFF team – got’im, then sold’im when he was injured, now I can’t afford ‘im … boo hoo. )
West Ham themselves have seen their share of soap dramas and problems towards the end of last season but they do have a solid English manager in Alan Curbishley, who I think is able to eventually mold the Hammers into a credible team in the future. Here’s hoping my man Dean Ashton (one of my 3 forwards that I have selected in my fantasy team this week) will get his name in the scoresheet. Ashton’s back, baby!
