Why Christmas brings no cheer to players and clubs in the Premier League

Even Jesus Christ can’t seem to get Premier League players and managers a break

The snow’s falling down, kids are enjoying their holidays, offices take an extended break and homes swell with festive cheer and celebration as Europe looks forward to Christmas and the impending New Year. Footballers too get a break, to put their feet up a bit and get some rest and relaxation while also getting time to spend with family and friends. After all, when the rest of the world’s celebrating, why shouldn’t they?

However, Diego Costa, Filipe Luis, Alexis Sanchez, Angel di Maria and the rest of the players in England’s top flight – are not sharing the same sentiments as they find themselves embroiled in the yearly rigmarole that is the ‘bonus’ fixture pile-up that the Premier League is associated with usually at this point in the season.

Unlike during their time in Spain in the last few years, the above quartet is not going to be enjoying a winter break this time around. A cluster of games are the presents that the league throws up to its teams, and their players and managers, who must curse their luck when they look at what their pals in the other leagues are up to.

It’s been a long-running debate on whether the Football Association (FA) should cease with this annual fixture congestion in keeping with what Spain, Germany, Italy and the rest of Europe’s top leagues do in order to aid English teams in the long run.

So far though, it hasn’t cut any slack with the powers to be as profit, viewership and cash, continue to ensure that players will be in their team strips four times in a span of 10 days between December 26 and January 5.

The rest of Europe

In contrast, the winter break is on after this weekend’s round of matches in the other leagues. The La Liga will resume on January 3rd, the Serie A on January 5th and the Ligue 1 on January 7th. That’s 14 days off for those teams at the minimum. The Bundesliga is even better, and reopens only on January 30th, resulting in a month of rest and recuperation for the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

Of course, Germany has only 18 teams and as a result has 40 matches lesser in its calendar, due to which they can afford a whole month off. But the other three big leagues have the same number of teams as the Premier League and get 14 days off. Ironically, despite that, the La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Premier League all conclude on the weekend of May 23/24; Serie A closes a week later.

So, the situation in England is great for television, great for some sections of fans who do enjoy the added football during the holidays, but how about the players and what effect does it have in the longer run, say for teams in the UEFA Champions League?

English teams in the Champions League knockout rounds

One trend that has been observed on an almost annual basis is that teams from the other leagues seem to almost fare better in the Champions League than those from England. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund seem to be able to find another gear as the competition moves into March and April.

Last year Manchester City, the eventual champions, were eliminated in the first knockout round by Barcelona, Arsenal likewise by Bayern Munich. Chelsea got to the semi-finals before being beaten by Atletico Madrid.

Last year’s Chelsea are in fact a classic case; they were going well in the Premier League and looking likely for a title run until their resources got stretched with a deep run in Europe. Manchester City benefited from having a deeper squad as well as bowing out early, allowing them to fully concentrate on the league.

This explains how they became champions last year despite being top of the table for a mere 14 days. And Liverpool had no distractions from the get go, a challenge they could not cope with this year, not being able to get past the group stage even.

The top three teams in England over the past five seasons (based on how they finished that season)

Looking at how the top English teams (in reference to order of finish that season) have gone in Europe in the last five years, it doesn’t make for good reading.

Of the eventual champions, Manchester United went the furthest in 2010-11 finishing runners-up to Barcelona. No runner-up has gone beyond the quarter-finals and likewise for the third-best team. The top Spanish and German teams are however, constantly making the quarters and the semis in Europe’s premier club competition.

Last year, it was an all-Spanish affair in the final and the year before that, an all-German one. Each of the top three Spanish teams last year made the quarter-finals while two German teams did. Chelsea were England’s only representative.

You might say that those stats merely state the obvious, which is that the Premier League isn’t ‘the best in the world’ as those ‘pundits’ would have you believe and that the players in Spain and Germany are so much better than the ones in England. While that isn’t entirely a faulty line of debate, all players, including the very best ones, need their rest and time to recuperate and when viewed in that context a 14-day period of no competitive action is gold dust.

Chelsea may be amongst the best in Europe this term, but the lack of time off could hurt them when they take on Europe’s big boys.

World Cup exertions

Like those layers of cake that you get around Christmas when you step into feasts, certain footballers this year had to deal with the exertions of playing at the quadrennial showpiece before returning to their clubs.

It wasn’t for no reason that players such as Eden Hazard, Robin van Persie and Pablo Zabaleta took some time to get going this season. Also, players associated with the Brazil team, the World Cup hosts, seem to suffering from a serious dip in form after their underwhelming campaign that ended in a humiliating exit at the hands of eventual winners Germany.

Fernandinho is a prime example of a player whose form has dipped this year over last season, while Oscar and Willian looked to be carrying a hangover for some time as well.
What would really irk the players is that even during such years, there is no exception made by the FA.

Is there any respite?

The fact that the Premier League is an extremely profitable money-spinning offering now probably means that the end to this hectic schedule is nowhere in sight in the near future. When Premier Leagues can charge upto £600 for children to become mascots, you know that its money over anything else.

Also, the fact that as a product it is being lapped up by audiences outside of England who are in fact the main drivers of television revenue probably means that the Christmas festivities for the players will continue to remain on the pitch.

Louis van Gaal is the latest manager to criticize the Christmas scheduling

As Louis van Gaal said recently critiquing this, "I am not happy - but I cannot change it - because I don't think it is good for the players that they play within two days of a (previous) match - two matches in two days.”

"In December it shall be like that. We also have family. I have a wife and kids, and grandchildren, and I cannot see them this Christmas. But I want to work in the Premier League, so I have to adapt, and I shall adapt. But I don't think it is good. It is not good for the players, nor for the family."

Perhaps it’s about time ‘the best league in the world’ lent a caring ear to its primary stakeholders in order to further the interests of its clubs in the long run and not just its coffers.

Of Michael Carrick and his importance to Manchester United

Michael Carrick’s return has been a huge boost for Manchester United

Manchester United were 10th with 13 points after 10 games in the first week of November, having just lost 1-0 away at champions Manchester City.

The doubts were beginning to creep in about the big-name manager who was appointed in the summer as well as the big-money signings that had joined the squad. Much the same as last year, but with a different manager – that seemed to be the feeling amongst sections of fans.

Today, the Red Devils have climbed back into UEFA Champions League reckoning, sitting in third place having put together a run of six consecutive victories. While they have not been extremely dominant, there has been an efficiency about United that has seen them take the chances offered and make the most of some good fortune along the way.

The manager and the players themselves have been keen to point that out during the run.
But while David de Gea’s saves, Robin van Persie’s return to form and the good showings of Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia as wingbacks dominate discussions, the return of another key element of this United side has been overlooked.

“Michael is one of those unassuming, quiet guys, who just goes about his job and never gives the ball away. But his range of passing can win you games. He has great potential and is a real Manchester United player.” – Sir Alex Ferguson

United’s win streak has coincided with Michael Carrick’s return to the starting line-up. The English midfielder made his way into the starting 11 against Crystal Palace at home on November 8 after recovering from injury, and his influence has been subtly stirring if not loudly obvious.

You may not see him running himself into the ground, hit stinging shots on goal or put in crunching tackles that send the pulse racing. But his intelligence and efficient operation in United’s midfield and defence have laid the foundation for the team’s improved showing of late.

You might say that they still look very susceptible to conceding goals every time they take the field. That’s true, they are still very much a work in progress, but Carrick’s return has brought about a measure of control to United’s play and possession, something that Louis van Gaal absolutely needs to get his project off the ground.

In midfield

In both positions that he’s played so far – holding midfielder and central defender – Carrick has excelled and played a key role in delivering results for his side.

His reading of the game is right up there with the best and the way he nips in to intercept the ball has been a feature in United’s play during this winning run. Van Gaal brought in Daley Blind from Ajax to play in that role and while the Dutchman didn’t perform badly, Carrick has one-upped him so far.

Carrick’s stats since his return from injury

Blind would constantly patrol the area in front of the back four looking to protect his defenders, and he did an admirable job. The team, however, would often lose shape every time he vacated his spot to go help his teammates out. Carrick on the other hand is protecting his defenders while keeping the team’s shape intact with his economic movement and expert anticipation.

Moreover, his vastly larger passing range allows him to play with commensurate ease with the ball at his feet even under pressure.

We got glimpses of that this past weekend in United’s win over Liverpool. There were numerous occasions when Carrick was put under pressure by the Liverpool players either while retrieving an under-hit pass or playing it out of defence, yet he managed to make the right decisions and was ice-cool throughout the game.

In defence

The passing, anticipation and interceptions have been vital ingredients to his exemplary performance in the heart of defence as well. Crucially though, Carrick ensures Van Gaal’s side can now play their way out from the back, something that the Dutchman has been keen on since he arrived.

We saw that at the World Cup too with Netherlands; amongst Van Gaal’s back three of Ron Vlaar, Bruno Martins Indi and Stefan De Vrij, Vlaar was the enforcer, while De Vrij and Martins Indi in particular would look for the out-ball. He has Chris Smalling in Vlaar’s role now, a no-nonsense defender, and Carrick does the Martins Indi work.

The sense of calm that Carrick has brought in is something that was missing earlier when United used to almost play in a state of chaos, the stunning 3-5 reversal away at Leicester being a prime example.

The side was overloaded with a whole host of gifted attacking players in Wayne Rooney, Van Persie, Angel di Maria and Ander Herrera who were a little too forward-looking all the time, and their matches often resembled basketball games – up one end then down the other.

Daley Blind was left with too many holes to plug by himself, and that’s the primary reason why United were opened up so easily.

Against Southampton last Monday, Van Gaal decided to take out young Paddy McNair 42 minutes into the match as he was being given a torrid time, and chose to push Carrick into his role instead of bringing in another centre-back. That allowed United to play out from the back with Carrick pinging balls to the midfield and forwards.

With Carrick playing at the back, the defence no longer blindly hacks balls away at the first sign of trouble; there’s a sense of assuredness about them now.

Fluidity in play

To underestimate Carrick’s influence and dismiss his contributions as passé would be the equivalent of dissing Xavi and claiming that he played just an infinitesimal part in the great Barcelona team under Pep Guardiola.

Carrick is a guy who has been showered with praise by two of the best midfielders of the last decade in Xavi and United’s very own Paul Scholes. He is one of those players who is highly spoken of amongst his teammates at Old Trafford, even if the fans consider him nothing but a mediocre spoke in this team.

He creates time for himself on the ball and makes retention of the football a top priority, even if it involves a square pass to the keeper. We all saw how leaky United’s ‘run and gun’ style early on proved.

Efficiency and intelligence are underrated in today’s football. A cerebral player like Carrick going about his work with a sense of languidness may be construed as showing little effort to some, but in truth his composed nature is a result of him having a high football IQ and being able to mentally see a play far ahead of his peers.

He is sure to hold his place down even when Blind returns, as Manchester United are going to need his high-level performances throughout the rest of the season to sustain their campaign for a top-four finish. Carrick is the glue to holding it together for the United side at the moment.

MANCHESTER UNITED: 2012-13 SEASON REVIEW

2011-12 saw Manchester United lose their league title to cross-town rivals Manchester City on goal difference. In one of the most dramatic endings ever to a Premier League season, United had completed a 1-0 win away at Sunderland and on the verge of celebration when news trickled in of Sergio Aguero’s 94^th minute winner at the Etihad. Sir Alex Ferguson promised to the footballing world that his side would never ever lose the title again in such circumstances.

In the season promo, Ferguson addressed the fans asking them to gear up for the new season and assured three things –

1. “A possible heart attack”

2. “Incredible excitement till the last minutes of the game”

3. “We’re going to win the Championship back”

And his team delivered on all 3!

TRANSFER MARKET

The first battle in the war to reclaim the title came in the transfer market where United went out and bought goals in the form of a £24 million deal that saw Robin Van Persie trade London for Manchester, the red of Arsenal for the red of United. Ferguson and Edwin Van der Sar’s convincing and the “little boy” inside him eventually saw Van Persie reach Old Trafford.

Shinji Kagawa was signed from Borussia Dortmund, the Japanese attacking midfielder had been a mainstay of the Dortmund side for a few years. Alexander Buttner came in from Vitesse Arnhem as the back-up left back and youngsters midfielder Nick Powell and striker Angelo Henriquez were signed from Crewe Alexandra and Universidad de Chile respectively.

For all the talk about RvP, it was Brazilian sensation Lucas Moura and Belgian starlet Eden Hazard that United went after early and were engrossed in for much of the transfer window. They were to lose both battles after Moura signed for PSG and Hazard went to Chelsea. It wasn't until late July that the Van Persie rumors actually picked up pace. 

Dimitar Berbatov ended his troubled stay at Old Trafford with a move to Fulham, veteran Park Ji Sung also moved to London with QPR. French midfielder Paul Pogba though was the one that got away from United when he left on a free transfer to Juventus citing lack of playing opportunities under Ferguson.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester United clinched the title when they beat Aston Villa 3-0 at home courtesy of Robin Van Persie’s 2^nd hat-trick of the season on April 22. Van Persie continued from where he left off last season; the Dutchman was simply irrepressible early on ensuring Man United got off the blocks quickly. Defensive frailties made for a somewhat tentative start but once that came together, the Red Devils went on a fantastic run where they lost just 1 game in 6 months between October and March effectively sealing the title.

Man United won 25 of their first 30 games, leaving room for some leisure in the final stretch. 

One of the features of United’s campaign that was truly remarkable this season was the number of points that they salvaged from losing positions – a league best 29 points followed by Tottenham who were second best with 23. Though Van Persie bagged 26 goals, United were in no way a one man team - the league champions had 20 different goal-scorers this season, a new record. United full backs Patrice Evra and Rafael also had vastly improved seasons. Evra was back to his attacking best, though still defensively suspect, and Rafael's game too improved vastly. It helped United account for the failings of its wingers.

UEFA Champions League

Pitted with Galatasaray, SC Braga and CFR Cluj, a 100% return in their first 4 games saw United clinch qualification early. In the round of 16, Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United went face to face with Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid. After coming away from the Bernabeu with a 1-1 draw, there was to be heartbreak for United in the home leg. Leading 1-0 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate, Nani was shown a straight red by Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir for an innocuous looking challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa, an incident that turned the game on its head and saw Real overturn the deficit to win 2-1 on the night and progress. The tie also coincided with Van Persie’s drought period of the season and he missed 2 very good chances at the Bernabeu that could very well have killed the tie after the 1^st leg.

FA Cup and Carling Cup

Chelsea beat Man United 1-0 in a 5^th round replay thanks to a spectacular goal from Demba Ba. The Blues had earned a rematch after fighting back to draw 2-2 in the original fixture at Old Trafford. The result concluded the most disappointing week of the season for United after they went out of the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid just a few days earlier.

League Cup duty was handed over to the backup players. After getting past Newcastle, it was Chelsea once again that ended their campaign in yet another cup competition. United went down 4-3 after extra time in a thoroughly entertaining game at Stamford Bridge.

TOP PERFORMERS

Robin Van Persie

The Dutchman’s arrival at Old Trafford transformed the club. His goals aside, his presence lifted the morale of the entire team getting them to raise their levels as well. Ferguson even compared his impact to that of Eric Cantona when he arrived on the scene in 1994. 30 goals for the season, 26 of them in the league which gave him the Golden Boot and 15 assists to boot meant Man United after a really long time had a superstar in their ranks especially as Wayne Rooney’s star had been on the wane in recent seasons.

Michael Carrick

Underrated and under-appreciated when United play well, admonished when they do badly, Michael Carrick had one of his best seasons ever at Old Trafford. He had a hand in all things good that the club did as he dictated the tempo of the games from his deep lying midfield role. Criticized in recent seasons for merely passing the ball sideways and not releasing the ball quick enough, Carrick did precisely all of those as his forward passing was a joy to watch. The spike in Carrick’s form can be attributed to the presence of Van Persie and the huge goal threat that he carried.

David De Gea/Rio Ferdinand

Close one, but David De Gea and Rio Ferdinand both deserve a share of the honors  This was a break-out season for De Gea, panned for not being physically up to it for the Premier League, the Spaniard had a wonderful season between the sticks. He was always a superb shot-stopper and made countless saves to help United through some turbulent patches in games. He also improved at set pieces and has cut out the errors firmly grasping the No.1 keeper’s role; easily the best keeper of the season in the league. He had a shots to save ratio of 77% and made just 1 error leading to goal.

Rio Ferdinand provided a measure of calmness and solidity at the back for United. With Nemanja Vidic hampered by injury, Rio along with Jonny Evans were the first choice centre-backs for much of the season. Ferdinand has lost the electric pace which he possessed when younger, but his reading of the game is second to none. In the big match situations, he stood up to the test for United. A key reason why Ferguson likes to keep him in the line-up is because he’s a ball-playing defender. His ability to initiate attacks form defence with the cross-ball up field to the wingers or to the forward are exemplary and were on full display this season. Evans too had a fantastic season but Rio made 28 appearances over Evans’ 23.

WORST PERFORMERS

The Wingers – Nani, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia

The biggest disappointments were United’s 3 wingers. Ranging from average to absolutely abysmal, this was one of the worst showings ever in that department. The 3 of them put together accounted for just 2 goals and 14 assists. The quantitative stats aside, they also displayed a visible lack of creativity and failed to provide any significant cutting edge. Rafael’s and Patrice Evra’s increased contributions as overlapping full-backs bear testimony to this.

NEW SIGNING WHO SHONE THE BRIGHTEST

Robin Van Persie – By a country mile!

NEW SIGNING WHOSE BEST IS YET TO COME

Shinji Kagawa – The Japanese international featured prominently early on before suffering an injury that kept him out for a major part of the season. Once he returned, he put in some sensational performances towards the end that showed glimpses of his exceptional talent. Jürgen Klopp in a recent interview said he was sad at how Kagawa had been only a bit-part player this season playing out of position on the left. Kagawa likes to play in the hole behind the main striker and that’s where he is at his best, creating and scoring goals. Ferguson lavished praise on Kagawa saying that he would form a key cog of the team in years to come and the departure of Wayne Rooney, if it does happen, may just leave the canvas open for Kagawa to leave his mark.

AND THE CURTAINS FELL ON

Paul Scholes

Typically passed by under the radar thanks to Sir Alex’s retirement, the Ginger Prince said farewell for a second time, this time you reckon for good. After coming out of retirement to answer the club’s SOS last season, Scholes felt comfortable in moving on this season convinced that the next batch of players are ready to take over. A superb professional who never admired the limelight, but one of the most loved and respected players around by both fans and peers.

Sir Alex Ferguson

He finally said goodbye. As ‘#ThankYouSirAlex’ did the rounds on Twitter following the announcement of his retirement, Manchester United and football fans alike were grappling with the magnanimity of the situation. A 26 year reign drew to a close in a way that only Fergie could conjure up – a 20^th league title snatched back from rivals Man City and a final masterstroke in the signing of Van Persie in the summer that handed his side the advantage.

If Cantona’s arrival heralded the beginning of the Ferguson’s era of dominance, Van Persie marked the final chapter.

VERDICT

The 2012-13 batch was definitely a whole lot better than the team that won the league in 2010-11, however this was one of Ferguson’s more functional rather than flamboyant teams. It was a team centred around the passing ability of Michael Carrick and the brilliance up front of Van Persie. As such it was well suited to the daily rigors of the Premier League and they managed to grind out results on a consistent basis.

Ferguson, 26 years in the job knew the formula to success in the league and managed to produce just that by adding some quality to a very industrious team. David Moyes will have to improve the squad with some fresh influx of world-class talent along with a clear out of players who have received more than their fair share of opportunities to build on this, especially for if greater success is to be achieved in Europe.

Roberto Mancini's contribution to his demise at Manchester City

 

A full page ad in the Manchester Evening News thanked the fans of Manchester City for 3 amazing years in the job. Bearing the words '3 Unforgettable years, you will always be in my heart' the show of gratitude was put out by the now former City manager Roberto Mancini. After having been shown the door by the City owners, the Italian took to the papers to thank the fans in an ad that featured a photo of him along with the 3 trophies that he won in his time – FA Cup, Premier League and Community Shield – in front of him. It was a nice touch from a manager who has always been known to wear his heart on his sleeve.

Mancini was well-liked by the fans, even on the day of the FA Cup final, numerous banners were seen around Wembley expressing their support for the manager. This was amidst growing rumors that a deal had already been struck with Manuel Pellegrini to take over next term. City would go on to lose to Wigan Athletic in that final and a couple of days later, Mancini would go on to lose his job. The FA Cup final disappointment to many may have been the final nail in the coffin for Roberto, but contrary to that belief the Italian had dug himself a deep pit out of which there was no getting out.

The official line post Mancini’s sacking talked about the Italian’s failure to “meet objectives” as the reason for his exit. A 3^rd place finish in his first season along with the capture of the FA Cup, League Champions the next with that dramatic last gasp winner from Sergio Aguero and 2^nd this season will tell you that the results on the pitch have been anything but underwhelming. Mancini though paid the price for a bucket full of other factors that came to be a constant during his tenure at the Etihad.

SQUAD MANAGEMENT & DISCIPLINE

‘Confrontational’ would be one word that could best be used to describe some of the fiery Italian’s ways during his stint. Numerous incidents, most notably the highly publicized ones with Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli showed the Italian’s man management skills in poor light. He would come out and openly slander his players in the media and was never reluctant to engage in fisticuffs with his charges. There have also been reports of a fallout with Micah Richards, Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure.

The Italian failed to instill a healthy team culture at the club and towards the end of his reign, it was apparent that he had lost the faith of the dressing room.  So much so, that after City’s game against Reading last Tuesday, 2 City players joked that they could not celebrate the event of Mancini’s dismissal as they had a game coming up against the Royals. Obviously, the Italian’s departure has brought about some joy in sections of the City squad. Balotelli came out to say that he was the least bit shocked that his former manager got the boot.

The tussles didn't end with just the players, the Italian would often come out and pan the management like the innumerable number of times he’s pinned the blame on City’s lackluster title defence on the work that was done in the summer transfer window. The saga of how the signings he desired didn't come to fruition became a constant thread of admonishment for Mancini.

FAILED TO GET THE BEST OUT OF HIS PLAYERS

The lack of a strong team unity in a group with some very headstrong personalities meant that City came to resemble Real Madrid, a team with a lot of talented individuals who failed to bring it together collectively. When each of these players hit their strides, the team played well, but they failed to do it on a consistent and regular basis.

Last season, City should have been out of sight with the Premier League title instead of putting their fans through the nerve-wracking tension that came their way during the final day fracas. The Sky Blues had a much better team than their city rivals and started off the season brilliantly only to stutter towards the end and hand Manchester United the advantage which they in turn ended up surrendering. And this year, the less said about their abysmal title challenge, the better.

The fact is that Man City are a team that’s been put together with plenty of heavy investment – player fees alone have totaled in excess of £200 million – as a result of which they will play well and will always be up there in the Top 3, but it is the coaching that has made the difference between just 1 Premier League title and possibly 3. Just imagine for a moment, Manchester City in the hands of Jose Mourinho, Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger. With the kind of squad at their disposal, the title may have been well sewn up with daylight in between them and the chasing pack.

Sadly, Mancini hasn't been able to create that sizable gap between City and the other contenders that with the resources available could and should have been done.

EUROPEAN STRUGGLES

Finally, their woes in the UEFA Champions League were always going to come back to haunt Mancini. Two years in a row they have failed to get out of the Group stage. Of some consideration is the fact that on both occasions they were pitted in the Group of Death, but to not even register a single win is something that a club of the magnitude of Manchester City simply could not accept. And, this wasn't a first; even when at Inter Milan, Mancini received his fair share of criticism as Inter suffered early exits many a time.

Ultimately, by the time that Roberto Mancini received his P45, it was evident that he had lost the confidence of the dressing room as well as that of the Man City hierarchy. Pellegrini, widely tipped to be the next manager has made it clear that he would not shy away from putting his foot down to quell squad indiscipline.

A failure to address precisely that, sometimes contributing to it even, and the inability to build on City’s success from last year and push them further ahead of their rivals coupled with their continued struggles in European competition made for a heady concoction, one that ultimately forced the powers to be at City to  wield the axe and opt for a fresh brew next season.

FA Cup Champions Wigan in need of another Houdini act

 

 QPR and Reading are down.

The trap door underneath Wigan Athletic to send them down to the Championship is creaking ready to give way and complete the relegation honours for the season.

Tonight, Roberto Martinez and his Latics travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal and will be in search of a priceless win that will push the battle for relegation into the final day of the season. The result from tonight's Premier League game in London could either drop them or prop them up to live to fight another day.

Wigan, newly crowned FA Cup champions, will be on a high after their giant killing act of Manchester City at Wembley saw them lift the FA Cup this past Saturday. A thoroughly deserved win it was for Martinez and his charges, but they have had no time to celebrate with just 2 days between the Cup final and tonight's game. A loss to Arsenal will seal Wigan's fate and consign them to playing in the Championship next season.

Currently lying 18th in the table, Wigan find themselves 4 points behind 17th placed Sunderland. Aston Villa are 16th a point ahead of Sunderland. These 3 clubs are the primary candidates to endure the drop as they sit perilously close to that 18th place. Five other teams - Stoke City, Southampton, Fulham, Norwich City and Newcastle United - are just inches ahead and will be looking behind their backs. A loss for Wigan tonight will see all these clubs breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Roberto Martinez is one of the finest young managers in the game at present. His standing has now significantly gone up even higher after he led Wigan to FA Cup honours over the weekend. For all the praise showered at him, him and his club have a habit of leaving it late in the season. They spend too much time in the relegation zone year after year. Yet, somehow they have endured and ensured their continuation in England's top flight for 8 consecutive seasons pulling off one Houdini act after another. However, one just gets the feeling that they may have left it too late this time around.

Last year they were pretty much in similar troubled waters before managing to pull themselves out of it. They spent much of last season in the relegation zone, often at the very bottom. Then came the usual March turnaround that we have come to expect from the Latics. Wigan won 7 of their last 9 games to keep themselves afloat in the Premier League. Teams that fell to them included Liverpool, Stoke City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle United. One of their 2 losses was a controversial 2-1 defeat against Chelsea, where both of Chelsea's goals were clearly offside.

The Gunners succumbed to a 2-1 defeat when Wigan came calling towards the end of last season. Martinez will take no time to remind his players of what they pulled off last time around. Arsene Wenger and his side have their own troubles as they will look to leapfrog North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the race for the UEFA Champions League spots. A Wigan win will take them to 38 points, 1 behind Sunderland and 2 behind Villa. And it will leave us with the prospect of some final day drama as Roberto Martinez's Wigan welcome Paul Lambert's Aston Villa to the DW in a tantalizing clash for survival. A straight shootout!

Can they do it again? Can Wigan upset Arsenal again to push it to the final day? Can they perform the Great Escape yet again?

The answer will be revealed when the final whistle goes at the Emirates tonight.

Wayne's World - Season 9 (Final Season?)

“He’s asked for a transfer ... We’re not going to let him go.”

Old Trafford bore witness to Sir Alex Ferguson's last home game in charge of Manchester United. It also witnessed a final parting shot from the retiring manager on a subject that has brought about much discussion  in the past week. After United's typical late goal to beat Swansea 2-1 in a dead-rubber, after a stirring farewell speech from 'the Gaffer', after the trophy presentation, after the lap of honour (for a final time), the inevitable question on the future of Wayne Mark Rooney was posed to United's manager of 26 years.

A 'FRESH START'
Ferguson confirmed that Rooney had indeed asked for a transfer stating that he was looking for a fresh start. The request was turned down and Sir Alex made it clear that the England forward's future at Manchester United was no longer his decision. The Scot has made the right decision by leaving this matter on the tray of incoming manager David Moyes. The decision is one that will affect United next season and should rightly be made by the man who will be in charge come July 1. The last thing any new manager wants is to be handicapped by any transfer moves made in advance by his/her predecessor.

For a long time now, it has been quite clear to the watching public that Wayne Rooney is not having one of his best seasons since joining United. He has been substituted more often than normal and perhaps the defining moment came when Sir Alex  went into his side's biggest European night of the season with Wayne on the bench for United's 2nd leg affair in the UEFA Champions League against Real Madrid at home. Sure, he has scored 13 goals in all competitions and set up another 13 which is not a bad showing in any regard.
But even the staunchest Rooney and United supporter would agree that it's not just been the same with Wayne the last year and a half.

David Moyes who will take over the reins from Ferguson already knows his first big action item as he will decide whether to give the thumbs-up or thumbs-down to Rooney's departure from the League champions. But, contrary to what many believe, this decision has nothing to do with so called vengeance on the part of Ferguson or for that matter the frostiness in the relationship between manager and player; not even the stormy past that Rooney has had with Moyes. The call is one that will be made on purely footballing reasons and United may be best served in selling their long-running talisman.

A SLUGGISH SEASON
Sluggishness is one word you would associate with Rooney's play this season. The player has regressed from the lofty standards that he set from a couple of seasons back. He no longer impacts a game like he used to. Here is a player that used to take the game by the scruff of the neck and lead United's charge. It was not too long ago, that a half-fit Rooney took started a crucial 2nd leg Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich after injuring himself in the first. The 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons saw Rooney at his brilliant best, scoring goals and being involved in everything good that United put up. But, it has not been like that of late. The numerous substitutions late in games where United have been chasing a goal speaks volumes. It would have been unthinkable a few years back when Wayne was playing at a really high level.

Wayne Rooney in a not too distant past was ranked amongst the best in the world. But Rooney's progress has stalled over the last few seasons and while he is still a very good player, that 'greatness' from his play has been conspicuous in its absence. The lack of sharpness has been apparent; easy scoring chances scuffed, dispossessed easily by opposition players and also the match fitness issues. Plenty of reports emanated from Old Trafford this year on Ferguson's growing displeasure with the striker's attitude and commitment in training which led to his match fitness being in question. One must remember that Rooney has been playing for over a decade now, starting off as a 17-yr old and perhaps his exertions in the Premier League and Europe have slowed him down over the years. Rooney himself admitted to so much in his recent biography last year -"Physically I've taken a bit of a battering over the years. When I get up in the morning after a game, I struggle to walk for the first half an hour. I ache a bit.”

THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS

What has also not helped is the arrivals of Robin Van Persie and Shinji Kagawa in the summer. Van Persie continued his hot shooting from last season and took no time in establishing himself as the premier striker in the squad. Rooney was the obvious choice to partner the Dutchman, playing just off the striker. The duo worked well initially and were one of the driving forces behind United's early season charge before Rooney's form slackened off. Kagawa had an injury ridden first half and as a result took time to settle into the team. He too loves playing in the hole just behind the main striker and when he returned to fitness towards the end of the season, the Japanese international put in some brilliant performances in that role. In this situation, Manchester United and Alex Ferguson faced a conundrum on how best to accommodate these 3 players.

Even if this situation had not come to a head, United would have had a major decision to make the coming summer regarding the future of Javier Hernandez. One of either Hernandez or Rooney would have to be sold. The Mexican international has a staggering goal scoring record for his national side with 30 goals in 45 appearances. He is one of the best finishers around and has even scored a goal more than Rooney having made one less appearance (17 goals in 35 games). And for large parts of the season, the Mexican has been a bit part player making only 6 starts, the same number as Anderson and Paul Scholes. Given the lesser time spent on the pitch, mostly as a sub, that is a remarkable return. In the big picture, the Mexican is too good a player to not be starting games and at 24, he is beginning to peak and will only get better. The Rooney situation may just have simplified the issue for United.

If Rooney is to be sold, 'Chicharito' could very well lead the line for United next season, with the trio of Van Persie, Kagawa and either of Antonio Valencia or Wilfried Zaha behind him. Moyes has been known to play a 4-2-3-1 formation and could employ Michael Carrick and Phil Jones in midfield to go with the above forward line. Danny Welbeck, who has shown good improvement this season will be a good sub to bring on off the bench.

THE SEASON FINALE
The game at the Hawthornes next weekend could very well be the last time we see Wayne Rooney in a United shirt. With him having handed in a second transfer request in nearly 4 years, it seems the Englishman's focus lies on a move away.

Some sections of fans booed Rooney as he came up to collect his winner's medal. Football fans tend to be hypocritical and blessed with a short memory; this was a fine example of that and really something that Rooney does not deserve. Footballers after all are professionals, and if he feels that a change of scene could help revive his glory days, then he is entitled for it. The backlash on Twitter and the general muck that has been hurled at him for having requested a transfer is just a whole lot of balderdash.

Let's not forget that this is Wayne Rooney we're talking about. England's biggest star after David Beckham, a true talisman at Manchester United. For a large part of his 9-year tenure so far with the Red Devils, he has come to epitomize the club with his performances and more importantly his commitment and dedication in games. Dimitar Berbatov, a very skilled player in his own right, invited the wrath of United fans because they used to witness Rooney work his socks off every game. The overhead kick against Manchester City and the hat-trick at Aston Villa in the 2010-11 season are to recall just some of the magical moments that he has delivered that have etched him into United folklore.

But, as with many things in life, there comes a time when a player's career approaches a cross-roads and hard decisions need to be made. If that decision means Rooney plying his trade elsewhere next season, so be it. Manchester United should thank Wayne Rooney for his contributions to the club's success for he has been a fantastic player for them. They would also do well to ensure that the process is not a long, drawn out one and one that is completed smoothly so that both parties can move on and concentrate on things to come. Rooney would go for no less than 25 million Euros and the sum can be used to rebuild the squad.

2012-13 could well be the final season of Wayne's World at Manchester United.

Could Suarez's bite on Ivanovic have been an act with an Ulterior motive?

The number 10 has assumed special significance around Merseyside in the last 1 week. That is precisely the number of games that Liverpool are going to have to do without Luis Suarez, their star man. If things work out a certain way, the Anfield club may very well have to do without their Uruguayan striker for the rest of the club’s future.

The moment the FA announced the 10-game ban for Luis Suarez’s attempt to bite off a sizable chunk of Branislav Ivanovic’s arm when Liverpool hosted Chelsea, reactions have been split down the middle on the duration of the ban. Personally, 10 games is harsh in my opinion, because we are not dealing with a situation that could have involved a career threatening injury. A 6 game ban would have been just about right.

Many have questioned the maturity levels of a player who has had his fair share of tribulations on the football field. An attempt to sink his teeth into a fellow professional footballer has brought about widespread condemnation from former players, his manager and football fans alike. What could potentially trigger such an act of petty violence in the mind of a 26-year old lethal striker?

How about a move away from Liverpool?

Yes, you heard that right! What if the entire episode was a planned act of insolence aimed at ensuring that Luis Suarez would no longer be at Anfield come next season?

Plenty would gawk at that theory stating that footballers and their powerful agents while definitely seeking out better contracts would never resort to such an act to get a transfer done. But, a friend of mine and me were discussing the incident and he seemed to suggest that there was more to it than meets the eye. So before you shoot it down, here are a few reasons to consider exactly why such a conspiracy theory may very well be in place:

• Liverpool are not going to be in the UEFA Champions League next season. That is a huge blow for a player of Suarez’s calibre. At 26, he is in the prime of his career and he would definitely like the chance to play against the best in the continent.
• The Uruguayan on 7th August, 2012 signed a new long-term contract with the club and as it is with long term contracts slaps a huge transfer fee on the players’ head.
• A few clubs, notably Juventus and Bayern Munich showed an interest in signing Suarez and Liverpool swiftly declined to do business. The new contract was part of the effort to keep hold of their gem.
• ‘Pere’ Guardiola. Yes, he is related to the famous Barcelona player and manager. He also happens to be one of the most powerful football agents around and a certain Luis Suarez is part of his clientele.
• As you know, ‘Pep’ will be taking over as manager of Bayern Munich from next season onwards. Mario Gomez has already seen the ‘For Sale’ sign hung around his neck; the reason is that Guardiola is not an admirer of the German forward.
• The 2 strikers who Guardiola has his eye on as replacements are – Luis Suarez and Robert Lewandowski of Borussia Dortmund.
• Punishments for such offences are generally no less than 3 games and range anywhere between 4-10 games, essentially meaning that Suarez would play no further part this season and would also sit out the initial few games of next season.
• The player in question is usually shipped out either on loan or permanently as was the case with Joey Barton because the ban is applicable only in the particular country.
• It also reduces the demands that Liverpool can make, in terms of transfer fees, with potential suitors.
• Suarez is incredibly well loved by the Anfield faithful. In spite of the many controversies surrounding him, the fans have been very supportive of the striker and even after the Ivanovic incident backed him to comeback stronger than ever.
• Former Liverpool players have come out and made a case for him to be sold at any cost in order to cut the club’s growing losses in the PR space thanks to him.
• The PR pressure forces’ Liverpool’s hand and Suarez departs on good terms with fans believing that it was the controversies that saw him leave.
• It’s a win-win for all as the player gets his desired move without so much as making a transfer request or publicly stating his desire to leave which would alienate the fans. Liverpool get the money which they can use to invest in the club.
• This has happened before. When Suarez bit into the shoulder of Otman Bakkal while playing for Ajax, he received a 7-match ban from the ban which was used to his advantage to secure a big money move to Liverpool.

What all of this does, is smoothen out the path to Suarez’s exit. It appears somewhat hard to digest that someone with a history like Suarez’s would not know the consequences of such an act. The bite was apparently in response to some ‘pushy’ treatment that he received from the Serbian. However, if one were to note, the bite does somewhat come totally out of the blue and not in retaliation. A pre-meditated look about it, it bears.

Of course, I could be totally wrong and perhaps it is just a figment of my imagination!

Only time and Luis Suarez himself can tell.

The race to be London's finest

The Barclays Premier League Champions for 2012-13 have already been crowned, Manchester United crossed that off the list of things to look forward to. The relegation battle too has already taken two casualties in QPR and Reading and Roberto Martinez's Wigan Athletic are in a trench war to avoid being the third. We are into the last 4 games (5 for some teams) of the season and it is the battle for the UEFA Champions League spots that is really hotting up.

Three teams from the capital - Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur from North London and the West Londoners Chelsea - are in the running to take 3rd and 4th spots in the league table. As it stands, it's Arsenal who are 3rd on 63 points followed by Chelsea with 62 and Tottenham with 61 points; that's as close as it gets. Although, one has to remember that the Blues and Tottenham have a game in hand which incidentally sees them play each other.

For Arsenal and Tottenham, all of their efforts and energy are solely directed at claiming that crucial Champions League spot. Chelsea are still involved in the Europa League; they beat FC Basel 2-1 away in Switzerland in the 1st leg of their semi-final tie on Thursday night. So while Arsene Wenger and Andre Villas-Boas (AVB) have one and only one competition to contend with, their opposite number Rafa Benitez has to juggle with rotating his squad of players in the best way possible as we near the end.

THE RUN-IN
Chelsea and Tottenham play each other at Stamford Bridge on the 8th of May. That game is a potential 6-pointer and could be very crucial in determining where both teams end up in the final scheme of things. For Chelsea, it comes 3 days after a trip to Old Trafford to face champions United, though there is always the likelihood of Ferguson giving his youngsters a chance with the title wrapped up. Outside of that huge fixture, Tottenham do appear to have a more tricky schedule as they play Wigan, Southampton, Stoke and Sunderland - 4 teams battling to avoid the drop. The end of the season is not the time to be playing such teams as with their backs against the wall they can cause an upset here or there.

Arsenal seem to have a clearer route to the last game with just Wigan, of the relegation teams featuring in the mix. Chelsea face a trip to Villa in their penultimate game before finishing off at home against Everton, who depending on how things go could still be in with an outside shot of making the Top 4 come the final day.

FORM GUIDE
Since the turn of the 30 game mark, all 3 teams have been unbeaten. Chelsea and Tottenham have identical records with 2 wins and a draw each in their 3 games while Arsenal have registered 3 wins and a draw having played a game more. And traditionally, the Gunners are known to finish their season strongly while Spurs will be keen to outdo their North London rivals. There are no concerns with regards to player availability for either team, especially for Tottenham after both Gareth Bale and Jermaine Defoe made impressive comebacks against Manchester City last weekend.

THE RAFA FACTOR
One person who could have a major say in Chelsea's fate is their manager (ok..interim) Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard already knows that he is not going to be in-charge next year. Having vented out his frustrations previously, Benitez will be keen to ensure that his 'interim' tenure here has some silver lining to it. And that silver lining that he's looking for could well be the Europa League trophy. Yes, the Europa League trophy and not Champions League qualification, because quite simply he's not going to be here next season and he could afford to not care less about whether Chelsea make Europe's premier competition or not. Even more so if you look at the flak that he's had to take (often undeserved) from the Chelsea fans.

So, he will look to guide the Blues to the Europa League glory, which makes for a nice addition on his CV. He's already a manager whose exploits in continental cup competitions are quite admirable and this could easily help him land a good job elsewhere when he does leave West London. In that eventuality, Chelsea's league campaign could well stutter with Rafa opting to play his best side in Europe.

WILL MERSEYSIDE HAVE A SAY?

Any slip-up on the part of these teams could leave Everton in with a chance of stealing one of those places. The Toffees are currently 5 points behind Tottenham having played an extra game and as such face a mammoth task if they are to somehow catapult themselves into the London dogfight. They do play Chelsea on the final day at Stamford Bridge and if the race goes all the way down to the wire, that game could very well prove decisive. Even if not furthering their own chances, they could well throw a spanner in the works for Roman Abramovich's Chelsea.

WHO WILL BE LONDON'S FINEST?

For Spurs, it represents an opportunity to overcome the disappointment of last season where their 4th place finish was rendered void by Chelsea clinching the Champions League. That saw them getting bumped down to the Europa League. Also, them making the grade would go some way in their efforts to keep hold of Gareth Bale.

Arsenal traditionally finish strong and another 3rd place finish, even 4th for that matter, will be a huge improvement from where they stood earlier. Champions League football is always a big draw when it comes to attracting the best players, and Arsenal need major additions to their squad next year.

Champions League winners, to being eliminated in the group stage to Europa League champions potentially, it has been a chaotic season for Chelsea. A revamp of the team has been undertaken with a new brand of attacking football with a lot of flair on display this season. Transition times are always rocky, but Chelsea have managed to stay in the fight. The youngsters who've joined in have had a good first season and will be primed to have a second crack at Europe next year. They will need to finish strongly to ensure that opportunity and avoid missing out on Champions League football.