The invasion game the hoarding way

The evolving game usually attracted much attention when tactics changed specifically at Fifa World Cups when millions of viewers got the opportunity to spend some time watching other countries they never saw or heard of playing football. 

For most of all we know, this sport is essentially an invasion game. The longevity of that truth depends on the horizons of your imagination. By default or by design, graphic illustrations of this fact is borne by most of the English Premier League teams as well as Real Madrid.

There is however another phenomenon, known to all but not given rightful attention as the modern game. On a good day, especially during the good old Arsenal days, we saw plenty of it. Harry Redknapp made it a Spurs trademark during his colourful White Hart Lane career. Swansea are exciting people with it but it is the monopoly of Barcelona. We are in the advent of the hording game; the 'catch me if you can' display.

It can be argued that while hording the ball, the intention is to ultimately invade the opposition goal. That becomes as true as institution of a domestic marriage. Couples do not necessarily marry for conjugal rights, though it is the ritual end game.

As for football, like many ball sports, the opposition gets outmaneuvered by precise technical and witty tactical ingenuity surpassing efforts of highly trained secret agents. More so, the game outside England if you discount recent strides the latest transformation made. Even then, it is attributed to foreigners.

Carrying the ball forward and thumping it in 'route one' fashion have been the norm, and seldom with later developments that convinced us that the art of elimination was the answer to everything. In the process, brutal force and sometimes mere determination and team spirit carried the day.

Football needed peeling off this inept syndrome and replace it with a formula that could sustain the two pronged outcome, to produce the results game after game, year after year and for seasons while entertaining the fans. That became the cornerstone of the Spanish's European (twice) and Fifa World Cup success. It took Barca from glory to glory perennially.

Granted, like the pressing of Arrigho Sacchi a few decades ago, it may see its better days, but it will not be anytime soon. Countering the passing game for now, will be a better passing game.

Interceptions in midfield will become better and screening will fade away to give way to winning the ball up field. That is very much physically taxing and tactically not unsustainable. The deliberate short passing game in one channel in order to attract traffic into that channel and then suddenly playing very long and wide to the weaker channel may the next big thing.

This need the Gareth Bales and Aaron Lennons, because they are the players you will need to pick up with that long ball on either channel. Like many systems we toy around with nowadays, these things existed, but occurred unintentionally and much less attention was given to their development as winning strategies.

The need of technically superior players is greatly appreciated the world over and with much better preparation and understanding, the game will continue to be studied and improved until it comes full circle. This is true of how Stoke City resembled Wimbledon sometime back, though is a polished way. They now play the ball on the deck.They have players to do it, but when you are still lulled by the deft skills of the big men, they hit teams with that one ball, kicked or thrown in.

Just how deceptive these guys are, one has to look at their recent victory over Liverpool. When getting into crossing positions, all and sundry would have put their tools on the chopping board for a delivery of a high cross. As an element of surprise, a low ball was met by Kenwyne Jones at the near post for that stylish back heel finish.

Essentially, the sophistication of the game as we know it today has been caused by the intrinsic details that have turned out to be the difference between victors and victims. Small things make the big things happen. Get the details right and everything will fall into place. 

Let's Take A Very Serious Look At The English Premiership.

The direction of the Backlays English Premier League is a hard one to predict for an ordinary fan. For fortune tellers, it is the easiest. Unfortunately, coaches do not predict, we study the game. While you fret and curse as Arsenal lose or Manchester draw, it is no surprise if one is more objective. Through away your supporters tag and follow me only for this moment. 

If walk into a new job today, say you have to coach, one thing for you to know and for players to digest, is that good teams win home and away. This must be over emphasised at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson has hammered on this point time and again, but players forget these things as soon as Chelsea walk into the stadium. This must be followed by training meant to unlock a defeatist mentality of saying Anfield is home ground and then Blackpool come to teach a lesson. Never learn that way.

Arsenal have been a personal favourite for a long time until they passed their sell-by-date. I stuck with them a year extra and wasted my energies. Arsene Wenger is one to know that the championship hopefuls must beat fellow contenders. Those handshakes after the weekend fixture were meant to say 'well done champions, we will be contenders once more next year.' Honestly, if you are not beating the team that want your title, you are in the wrong league.

Good performance with results boosts morale and is a message greater than any known therapy. Teams beating fellow contenders sends shivers down the spines of smaller teams. These smaller teams lay down a red carpet for great performers. They will also fight to beat their peers for you. The next time Chelsea play the next league match, that team will leave it to the Blues' ability. Drogba's troops will have to exercise their will to win. When it comes to Arsenal, teams will accept bribes and go on to win the match nonetheless. This is all the Emirates' fault.

Things do not get worse for Arsenal. Nigel De Jong has broken a bone. His crunching tackle revives sad and unsightly memories the Gunners are now familiar with. Very hard tackles which usually turn to be bad terrifies them to death. Any small teams will have their knees knocking against each other. Remember Viny Jones of Wimbledon FC of the 1980s, who went on to create a very controvential movie of the 'Hard Men Of Soccer'? His 'take no prisoners tackles' are something we must never witness in football, but the competence of the referees these days is horrendous, because De Jong was unpunished for breaking a leg.

Small teams like Stoke City have been accused by the Professor-turned -nutter of rough and tough tackles. Like Wimbledon FC of old, they are usually driven by nothing but team spirit. Their budgets are tiny and their salaries shameful. All they to do is played for each other and hope for bigger contracts by impressing the likes of Wenger, and of course, it goes horribly wrong more often than not. This is regardless of a poor paying habit of the Gunners. Of course they are aware Manchester City and Roman Abramovic are watching.

Talking of Manchester City, the premiership teams are creating a monster they might fail to destroy in the next decade. The Man City victory over Chelsea last week may engrave an air of arrogance and intimidation in their character that they will go around bullying smaller teams to the detriment of the traditional big 4. As soon as City find their rhythm, they will be uncontainable. They are getting that scarce confidence at an alarming rate. A charismatic coach in the mould of Jose Mourinho and Frank Rikjaard will be necessary to elevate them to another energy level shell for better bonding. City are the best talent with man-like character and well paid such that their second position on the log will set them to believe they are worth a second look by the rest of the Premiership.

Before we forget the traditional top 4 issue, Liverpool are gone and walking alone. Even in alphabetical order, they have never sunk that deep. They are fading with lighting speed as evidenced by their relegation zone position. Actually because we do not know much about Albert Einstein's relativity theories, so let's keep it within footballing terms. They sink only just slower that Tottenham Hotspur are claiming the number 4 slot. Spurs are accelerating at a fast paced progression while being hammered left, right and centre by both the injuries to key personnel and inexperience in dealing with Champions League pressure. Under any standards, they would be justified to lay back and relax, and start counting their achievements of having reached the FA final last season, their UEFA Champions League progress and a decent start to the current campaign. 

Keeping heads cool under those conditions needs a cool coach. There is no better guy that Harry Redknapp. Arry is a very practical Manager with a rare ability to use the players' strengths to rub off onto each other's confidence. He is quite conservative when it comes to buying and his salaries are not crazy. It is one area he does better than Wenger. Before we leave Wenger, he has some work to do. The Gunners keep checking the fixtures list and medical records of other teams to see who is likely to kick them. That focus loss cost them the consistency of a good team. They are remanufacturing themselves into a substandard product. That, however, becomes the difference between the boys and men, i.e. themselves and Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.

The Premiership story cannot conclude without mention of the big story of Stoke City. Small minds think it is a fluke they are 7th. They are the best team in the league by far and I said it before, if you remember. They are a team with a potential to retrieve tha ball from anyone earlier than any team in the Premiership. They had to sort out the details of  dealing with the balls they win. Their biggest fault was surrendering it with the same consistency, following by lack of support for Kenwyne Jones when the ball landed forward. Stoke took leaps and bounds addressing that and are being rewarded by the points they pick. If they do not regress, Arsenal may find themselves on 6th position in May 2011.    

Manchester United are hoping to welcome Owen Hargreaves from injury. The great English midfielder arrived from Germany amid media revs and as the man Man U needed to cement their authority as the kings of English football, a few seasons back. Solid as he is, he has spent almost his entire stay since then with the doctors and surgeons than with Sir Alex. How the long lay-off will help United will be seen the day he finally arrives. How much impact he will have playing against footballers who have been on the pitch since he arrived in England is yet another issue. All we can do, is wish him and Man U the best.

Other players in dire need of our prayers are Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres. RVP had a long spell out last season and the Gunners felt they had no better excuse for letting the championship go than blame his injury. Justified but still very few will remember that. van Persie is a sharp shooter who scores less than one thinks he should. He appears dangerous and scores great goals. His scoring rate is far lower than a man in his class. However, he is so valuable and his presence is something Wenger will do with and now. Personally, I would trade him at the soonest possible window, not because of the injuries, but to protect the Gunner machine. His presence at this point will dwarf the growth and confidence of youngsters finding their feet at the Emirates, the way Thierry Henry did with Emmanuel Adebayour. Talking of these two, Henry went away a little too late while Adebayour went a little too early for Arsenal to harvest their full potential.

With Torres, Liverpool are regretting not sell this top marks man. He has been a victim of injuries largely due to the way The Reds play. It is no longer his style. Torres does not win the ball neither does he track down and fetch the ball. He is a pure finisher. Unfortunately, all the teams that wanted his signature were not ideal for him. Torres is a Barcelona type of player. There is a class of midfielders and fellow strikers to do all the donkey work before they can lay it along the goal-line for him to tap in. As for now, both parties will go on, one of them both injured and frustrated, and the other frustrated and broke, and looking for a buyer.

Theo Walcott is one player injuries will have to excuse. His red-hot the beginning of this season will suffer the break, and finding the rhythm to be in sync with players who are consistently playing will draw him miles back. I genuinely wish him well and now. Arsenal would really do with his scoring and the threat of his speed. If he could have a consistent comeback, the Gunners may have a shout next season, provided they get Itumeleng Khune as their goalkeeper. Fabianski is a good goalie and may actually prove the goalie Wenger needs, not matter how much he mistrust him. At the end of the day, it is too early to say, as you would like me to believe. I will agree with you for now, but believe you me, teams must make hay while the sun shines and it is almost getting cloudy.

Let's Take A Very Serious Look At The English Premiership.

The direction of the Backlays English Premier League is a hard one to predict for an ordinary fan. For fortune tellers, it is the easiest. Unfortunately, coaches do not predict, we study the game. While you fret and curse as Arsenal lose or Manchester draw, it is no surprise if one is more objective. Through away your supporters tag and follow me only for this moment. 

If walk into a new job today, say you have to coach, one thing for you to know and for players to digest, is that good teams win home and away. This must be over emphasised at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson has hammered on this point time and again, but players forget these things as soon as Chelsea walk into the stadium. This must be followed by training meant to unlock a defeatist mentality of saying Anfield is home ground and then Blackpool come to teach a lesson. Never learn that way.

Arsenal have been a personal favourite for a long time until they passed their sell-by-date. I stuck with them a year extra and wasted my energies. Arsene Wenger is one to know that the championship hopefuls must beat fellow contenders. Those handshakes after the weekend fixture were meant to say 'well done champions, we will be contenders once more next year.' Honestly, if you are not beating the team that want your title, you are in the wrong league.

Good performance with results boosts morale and is a message greater than any known therapy. Teams beating fellow contenders sends shivers down the spines of smaller teams. These smaller teams lay down a red carpet for great performers. They will also fight to beat their peers for you. The next time Chelsea play the next league match, that team will leave it to the Blues' ability. Drogba's troops will have to exercise their will to win. When it comes to Arsenal, teams will accept bribes and go on to win the match nonetheless. This is all the Emirates' fault.

Things do not get worse for Arsenal. Nigel De Jong has broken a bone. His crunching tackle revives sad and unsightly memories the Gunners are now familiar with. Very hard tackles which usually turn to be bad terrifies them to death. Any small teams will have their knees knocking against each other. Remember Viny Jones of Wimbledon FC of the 1980s, who went on to create a very controvential movie of the 'Hard Men Of Soccer'? His 'take no prisoners tackles' are something we must never witness in football, but the competence of the referees these days is horrendous, because De Jong was unpunished for breaking a leg.

Small teams like Stoke City have been accused by the Professor-turned -nutter of rough and tough tackles. Like Wimbledon FC of old, they are usually driven by nothing but team spirit. Their budgets are tiny and their salaries shameful. All they to do is played for each other and hope for bigger contracts by impressing the likes of Wenger, and of course, it goes horribly wrong more often than not. This is regardless of a poor paying habit of the Gunners. Of course they are aware Manchester City and Roman Abramovic are watching.

Talking of Manchester City, the premiership teams are creating a monster they might fail to destroy in the next decade. The Man City victory over Chelsea last week may engrave an air of arrogance and intimidation in their character that they will go around bullying smaller teams to the detriment of the traditional big 4. As soon as City find their rhythm, they will be uncontainable. They are getting that scarce confidence at an alarming rate. A charismatic coach in the mould of Jose Mourinho and Frank Rikjaard will be necessary to elevate them to another energy level shell for better bonding. City are the best talent with man-like character and well paid such that their second position on the log will set them to believe they are worth a second look by the rest of the Premiership.

Before we forget the traditional top 4 issue, Liverpool are gone and walking alone. Even in alphabetical order, they have never sunk that deep. They are fading with lighting speed as evidenced by their relegation zone position. Actually because we do not know much about Albert Einstein's relativity theories, so let's keep it within footballing terms. They sink only just slower that Tottenham Hotspur are claiming the number 4 slot. Spurs are accelerating at a fast paced progression while being hammered left, right and centre by both the injuries to key personnel and inexperience in dealing with Champions League pressure. Under any standards, they would be justified to lay back and relax, and start counting their achievements of having reached the FA final last season, their UEFA Champions League progress and a decent start to the current campaign. 

Keeping heads cool under those conditions needs a cool coach. There is no better guy that Harry Redknapp. Arry is a very practical Manager with a rare ability to use the players' strengths to rub off onto each other's confidence. He is quite conservative when it comes to buying and his salaries are not crazy. It is one area he does better than Wenger. Before we leave Wenger, he has some work to do. The Gunners keep checking the fixtures list and medical records of other teams to see who is likely to kick them. That focus loss cost them the consistency of a good team. They are remanufacturing themselves into a substandard product. That, however, becomes the difference between the boys and men, i.e. themselves and Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.

The Premiership story cannot conclude without mention of the big story of Stoke City. Small minds think it is a fluke they are 7th. They are the best team in the league by far and I said it before, if you remember. They are a team with a potential to retrieve tha ball from anyone earlier than any team in the Premiership. They had to sort out the details of  dealing with the balls they win. Their biggest fault was surrendering it with the same consistency, following by lack of support for Kenwyne Jones when the ball landed forward. Stoke took leaps and bounds addressing that and are being rewarded by the points they pick. If they do not regress, Arsenal may find themselves on 6th position in May 2011.    

Manchester United are hoping to welcome Owen Hargreaves from injury. The great English midfielder arrived from Germany amid media revs and as the man Man U needed to cement their authority as the kings of English football, a few seasons back. Solid as he is, he has spent almost his entire stay since then with the doctors and surgeons than with Sir Alex. How the long lay-off will help United will be seen the day he finally arrives. How much impact he will have playing against footballers who have been on the pitch since he arrived in England is yet another issue. All we can do, is wish him and Man U the best.

Other players in dire need of our prayers are Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres. RVP had a long spell out last season and the Gunners felt they had no better excuse for letting the championship go than blame his injury. Justified but still very few will remember that. van Persie is a sharp shooter who scores less than one thinks he should. He appears dangerous and scores great goals. His scoring rate is far lower than a man in his class. However, he is so valuable and his presence is something Wenger will do with and now. Personally, I would trade him at the soonest possible window, not because of the injuries, but to protect the Gunner machine. His presence at this point will dwarf the growth and confidence of youngsters finding their feet at the Emirates, the way Thierry Henry did with Emmanuel Adebayour. Talking of these two, Henry went away a little too late while Adebayour went a little too early for Arsenal to harvest their full potential.

With Torres, Liverpool are regretting not sell this top marks man. He has been a victim of injuries largely due to the way The Reds play. It is no longer his style. Torres does not win the ball neither does he track down and fetch the ball. He is a pure finisher. Unfortunately, all the teams that wanted his signature were not ideal for him. Torres is a Barcelona type of player. There is a class of midfielders and fellow strikers to do all the donkey work before they can lay it along the goal-line for him to tap in. As for now, both parties will go on, one of them both injured and frustrated, and the other frustrated and broke, and looking for a buyer.

Theo Walcott is one player injuries will have to excuse. His red-hot the beginning of this season will suffer the break, and finding the rhythm to be in sync with players who are consistently playing will draw him miles back. I genuinely wish him well and now. Arsenal would really do with his scoring and the threat of his speed. If he could have a consistent comeback, the Gunners may have a shout next season, provided they get Itumeleng Khune as their goalkeeper. Fabianski is a good goalie and may actually prove the goalie Wenger needs, not matter how much he mistrust him. At the end of the day, it is too early to say, as you would like me to believe. I will agree with you for now, but believe you me, teams must make hay while the sun shines and it is almost getting cloudy.

Let's Take A Very Serious Look At The English Premiership.

The direction of the Backlays English Premier League is a hard one to predict for an ordinary fan. For fortune tellers, it is the easiest. Unfortunately, coaches do not predict, we study the game. While you fret and curse as Arsenal lose or Manchester draw, it is no surprise if one is more objective. Through away your supporters tag and follow me only for this moment. 

If walk into a new job today, say you have to coach, one thing for you to know and for players to digest, is that good teams win home and away. This must be over emphasised at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson has hammered on this point time and again, but players forget these things as soon as Chelsea walk into the stadium. This must be followed by training meant to unlock a defeatist mentality of saying Anfield is home ground and then Blackpool come to teach a lesson. Never learn that way.

Arsenal have been a personal favourite for a long time until they passed their sell-by-date. I stuck with them a year extra and wasted my energies. Arsene Wenger is one to know that the championship hopefuls must beat fellow contenders. Those handshakes after the weekend fixture were meant to say 'well done champions, we will be contenders once more next year.' Honestly, if you are not beating the team that want your title, you are in the wrong league.

Good performance with results boosts morale and is a message greater than any known therapy. Teams beating fellow contenders sends shivers down the spines of smaller teams. These smaller teams lay down a red carpet for great performers. They will also fight to beat their peers for you. The next time Chelsea play the next league match, that team will leave it to the Blues' ability. Drogba's troops will have to exercise their will to win. When it comes to Arsenal, teams will accept bribes and go on to win the match nonetheless. This is all the Emirates' fault.

Things do not get worse for Arsenal. Nigel De Jong has broken a bone. His crunching tackle revives sad and unsightly memories the Gunners are now familiar with. Very hard tackles which usually turn to be bad terrifies them to death. Any small teams will have their knees knocking against each other. Remember Viny Jones of Wimbledon FC of the 1980s, who went on to create a very controvential movie of the 'Hard Men Of Soccer'? His 'take no prisoners tackles' are something we must never witness in football, but the competence of the referees these days is horrendous, because De Jong was unpunished for breaking a leg.

Small teams like Stoke City have been accused by the Professor-turned -nutter of rough and tough tackles. Like Wimbledon FC of old, they are usually driven by nothing but team spirit. Their budgets are tiny and their salaries shameful. All they to do is played for each other and hope for bigger contracts by impressing the likes of Wenger, and of course, it goes horribly wrong more often than not. This is regardless of a poor paying habit of the Gunners. Of course they are aware Manchester City and Roman Abramovic are watching.

Talking of Manchester City, the premiership teams are creating a monster they might fail to destroy in the next decade. The Man City victory over Chelsea last week may engrave an air of arrogance and intimidation in their character that they will go around bullying smaller teams to the detriment of the traditional big 4. As soon as City find their rhythm, they will be uncontainable. They are getting that scarce confidence at an alarming rate. A charismatic coach in the mould of Jose Mourinho and Frank Rikjaard will be necessary to elevate them to another energy level shell for better bonding. City are the best talent with man-like character and well paid such that their second position on the log will set them to believe they are worth a second look by the rest of the Premiership.

Before we forget the traditional top 4 issue, Liverpool are gone and walking alone. Even in alphabetical order, they have never sunk that deep. They are fading with lighting speed as evidenced by their relegation zone position. Actually because we do not know much about Albert Einstein's relativity theories, so let's keep it within footballing terms. They sink only just slower that Tottenham Hotspur are claiming the number 4 slot. Spurs are accelerating at a fast paced progression while being hammered left, right and centre by both the injuries to key personnel and inexperience in dealing with Champions League pressure. Under any standards, they would be justified to lay back and relax, and start counting their achievements of having reached the FA final last season, their UEFA Champions League progress and a decent start to the current campaign. 

Keeping heads cool under those conditions needs a cool coach. There is no better guy that Harry Redknapp. Arry is a very practical Manager with a rare ability to use the players' strengths to rub off onto each other's confidence. He is quite conservative when it comes to buying and his salaries are not crazy. It is one area he does better than Wenger. Before we leave Wenger, he has some work to do. The Gunners keep checking the fixtures list and medical records of other teams to see who is likely to kick them. That focus loss cost them the consistency of a good team. They are remanufacturing themselves into a substandard product. That, however, becomes the difference between the boys and men, i.e. themselves and Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.

The Premiership story cannot conclude without mention of the big story of Stoke City. Small minds think it is a fluke they are 7th. They are the best team in the league by far and I said it before, if you remember. They are a team with a potential to retrieve tha ball from anyone earlier than any team in the Premiership. They had to sort out the details of  dealing with the balls they win. Their biggest fault was surrendering it with the same consistency, following by lack of support for Kenwyne Jones when the ball landed forward. Stoke took leaps and bounds addressing that and are being rewarded by the points they pick. If they do not regress, Arsenal may find themselves on 6th position in May 2011.    

Manchester United are hoping to welcome Owen Hargreaves from injury. The great English midfielder arrived from Germany amid media revs and as the man Man U needed to cement their authority as the kings of English football, a few seasons back. Solid as he is, he has spent almost his entire stay since then with the doctors and surgeons than with Sir Alex. How the long lay-off will help United will be seen the day he finally arrives. How much impact he will have playing against footballers who have been on the pitch since he arrived in England is yet another issue. All we can do, is wish him and Man U the best.

Other players in dire need of our prayers are Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres. RVP had a long spell out last season and the Gunners felt they had no better excuse for letting the championship go than blame his injury. Justified but still very few will remember that. van Persie is a sharp shooter who scores less than one thinks he should. He appears dangerous and scores great goals. His scoring rate is far lower than a man in his class. However, he is so valuable and his presence is something Wenger will do with and now. Personally, I would trade him at the soonest possible window, not because of the injuries, but to protect the Gunner machine. His presence at this point will dwarf the growth and confidence of youngsters finding their feet at the Emirates, the way Thierry Henry did with Emmanuel Adebayour. Talking of these two, Henry went away a little too late while Adebayour went a little too early for Arsenal to harvest their full potential.

With Torres, Liverpool are regretting not sell this top marks man. He has been a victim of injuries largely due to the way The Reds play. It is no longer his style. Torres does not win the ball neither does he track down and fetch the ball. He is a pure finisher. Unfortunately, all the teams that wanted his signature were not ideal for him. Torres is a Barcelona type of player. There is a class of midfielders and fellow strikers to do all the donkey work before they can lay it along the goal-line for him to tap in. As for now, both parties will go on, one of them both injured and frustrated, and the other frustrated and broke, and looking for a buyer.

Theo Walcott is one player injuries will have to excuse. His red-hot the beginning of this season will suffer the break, and finding the rhythm to be in sync with players who are consistently playing will draw him miles back. I genuinely wish him well and now. Arsenal would really do with his scoring and the threat of his speed. If he could have a consistent comeback, the Gunners may have a shout next season, provided they get Itumeleng Khune as their goalkeeper. Fabianski is a good goalie and may actually prove the goalie Wenger needs, not matter how much he mistrust him. At the end of the day, it is too early to say, as you would like me to believe. I will agree with you for now, but believe you me, teams must make hay while the sun shines and it is almost getting cloudy.

Let's Take A Very Serious Look At The English Premiership.

The direction of the Backlays English Premier League is a hard one to predict for an ordinary fan. For fortune tellers, it is the easiest. Unfortunately, coaches do not predict, we study the game. While you fret and curse as Arsenal lose or Manchester draw, it is no surprise if one is more objective. Through away your supporters tag and follow me only for this moment. 

If walk into a new job today, say you have to coach, one thing for you to know and for players to digest, is that good teams win home and away. This must be over emphasised at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson has hammered on this point time and again, but players forget these things as soon as Chelsea walk into the stadium. This must be followed by training meant to unlock a defeatist mentality of saying Anfield is home ground and then Blackpool come to teach a lesson. Never learn that way.

Arsenal have been a personal favourite for a long time until they passed their sell-by-date. I stuck with them a year extra and wasted my energies. Arsene Wenger is one to know that the championship hopefuls must beat fellow contenders. Those handshakes after the weekend fixture were meant to say 'well done champions, we will be contenders once more next year.' Honestly, if you are not beating the team that want your title, you are in the wrong league.

Good performance with results boosts morale and is a message greater than any known therapy. Teams beating fellow contenders sends shivers down the spines of smaller teams. These smaller teams lay down a red carpet for great performers. They will also fight to beat their peers for you. The next time Chelsea play the next league match, that team will leave it to the Blues' ability. Drogba's troops will have to exercise their will to win. When it comes to Arsenal, teams will accept bribes and go on to win the match nonetheless. This is all the Emirates' fault.

Things do not get worse for Arsenal. Nigel De Jong has broken a bone. His crunching tackle revives sad and unsightly memories the Gunners are now familiar with. Very hard tackles which usually turn to be bad terrifies them to death. Any small teams will have their knees knocking against each other. Remember Viny Jones of Wimbledon FC of the 1980s, who went on to create a very controvential movie of the 'Hard Men Of Soccer'? His 'take no prisoners tackles' are something we must never witness in football, but the competence of the referees these days is horrendous, because De Jong was unpunished for breaking a leg.

Small teams like Stoke City have been accused by the Professor-turned -nutter of rough and tough tackles. Like Wimbledon FC of old, they are usually driven by nothing but team spirit. Their budgets are tiny and their salaries shameful. All they to do is played for each other and hope for bigger contracts by impressing the likes of Wenger, and of course, it goes horribly wrong more often than not. This is regardless of a poor paying habit of the Gunners. Of course they are aware Manchester City and Roman Abramovic are watching.

Talking of Manchester City, the premiership teams are creating a monster they might fail to destroy in the next decade. The Man City victory over Chelsea last week may engrave an air of arrogance and intimidation in their character that they will go around bullying smaller teams to the detriment of the traditional big 4. As soon as City find their rhythm, they will be uncontainable. They are getting that scarce confidence at an alarming rate. A charismatic coach in the mould of Jose Mourinho and Frank Rikjaard will be necessary to elevate them to another energy level shell for better bonding. City are the best talent with man-like character and well paid such that their second position on the log will set them to believe they are worth a second look by the rest of the Premiership.

Before we forget the traditional top 4 issue, Liverpool are gone and walking alone. Even in alphabetical order, they have never sunk that deep. They are fading with lighting speed as evidenced by their relegation zone position. Actually because we do not know much about Albert Einstein's relativity theories, so let's keep it within footballing terms. They sink only just slower that Tottenham Hotspur are claiming the number 4 slot. Spurs are accelerating at a fast paced progression while being hammered left, right and centre by both the injuries to key personnel and inexperience in dealing with Champions League pressure. Under any standards, they would be justified to lay back and relax, and start counting their achievements of having reached the FA final last season, their UEFA Champions League progress and a decent start to the current campaign. 

Keeping heads cool under those conditions needs a cool coach. There is no better guy that Harry Redknapp. Arry is a very practical Manager with a rare ability to use the players' strengths to rub off onto each other's confidence. He is quite conservative when it comes to buying and his salaries are not crazy. It is one area he does better than Wenger. Before we leave Wenger, he has some work to do. The Gunners keep checking the fixtures list and medical records of other teams to see who is likely to kick them. That focus loss cost them the consistency of a good team. They are remanufacturing themselves into a substandard product. That, however, becomes the difference between the boys and men, i.e. themselves and Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.

The Premiership story cannot conclude without mention of the big story of Stoke City. Small minds think it is a fluke they are 7th. They are the best team in the league by far and I said it before, if you remember. They are a team with a potential to retrieve tha ball from anyone earlier than any team in the Premiership. They had to sort out the details of  dealing with the balls they win. Their biggest fault was surrendering it with the same consistency, following by lack of support for Kenwyne Jones when the ball landed forward. Stoke took leaps and bounds addressing that and are being rewarded by the points they pick. If they do not regress, Arsenal may find themselves on 6th position in May 2011.    

Manchester United are hoping to welcome Owen Hargreaves from injury. The great English midfielder arrived from Germany amid media revs and as the man Man U needed to cement their authority as the kings of English football, a few seasons back. Solid as he is, he has spent almost his entire stay since then with the doctors and surgeons than with Sir Alex. How the long lay-off will help United will be seen the day he finally arrives. How much impact he will have playing against footballers who have been on the pitch since he arrived in England is yet another issue. All we can do, is wish him and Man U the best.

Other players in dire need of our prayers are Robin van Persie and Fernando Torres. RVP had a long spell out last season and the Gunners felt they had no better excuse for letting the championship go than blame his injury. Justified but still very few will remember that. van Persie is a sharp shooter who scores less than one thinks he should. He appears dangerous and scores great goals. His scoring rate is far lower than a man in his class. However, he is so valuable and his presence is something Wenger will do with and now. Personally, I would trade him at the soonest possible window, not because of the injuries, but to protect the Gunner machine. His presence at this point will dwarf the growth and confidence of youngsters finding their feet at the Emirates, the way Thierry Henry did with Emmanuel Adebayour. Talking of these two, Henry went away a little too late while Adebayour went a little too early for Arsenal to harvest their full potential.

With Torres, Liverpool are regretting not sell this top marks man. He has been a victim of injuries largely due to the way The Reds play. It is no longer his style. Torres does not win the ball neither does he track down and fetch the ball. He is a pure finisher. Unfortunately, all the teams that wanted his signature were not ideal for him. Torres is a Barcelona type of player. There is a class of midfielders and fellow strikers to do all the donkey work before they can lay it along the goal-line for him to tap in. As for now, both parties will go on, one of them both injured and frustrated, and the other frustrated and broke, and looking for a buyer.

Theo Walcott is one player injuries will have to excuse. His red-hot the beginning of this season will suffer the break, and finding the rhythm to be in sync with players who are consistently playing will draw him miles back. I genuinely wish him well and now. Arsenal would really do with his scoring and the threat of his speed. If he could have a consistent comeback, the Gunners may have a shout next season, provided they get Itumeleng Khune as their goalkeeper. Fabianski is a good goalie and may actually prove the goalie Wenger needs, not matter how much he mistrust him. At the end of the day, it is too early to say, as you would like me to believe. I will agree with you for now, but believe you me, teams must make hay while the sun shines and it is almost getting cloudy.

Stoke City Beat Newcastle United at St James Park

Newcastle United hosted Stoke City at St James Park, losing 1-2 1 after a big fight. There were not many scoring chances in a typical half when Stoke are involved. The only clear one that came was a penalty when Huth needlessly brought down a non-threatening Andy Carroll for a penalty. Kevin Nolan took it and scored in the 42nd minute. Stoke started playing more wing play threatening to pull one back before the break.

Newcastle did not wait for Stoke to come at them. They pushed forward reasonably well to bring more life into the match. Both teams resumed the second half with more purposeful and attacking football. Carroll was playing in a much better way than I expect. I always saw him as a slower and awkward player but he has proven to be sleek and polished when he needs it.

Kenwyne Jones had a 60th minute chance to level the score after he directed his trademark header against near post which rebounded out to Fuller, but he blasted the shot off the mark. The cross-bar came against Jones' header 5 minutes later to deny unlucky Stoke a deserved goal.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man! Jones, who is quickly becoming my favourite English Premier League player, headed in a headed Huth cross from a free-kick for the equalising goal in the 67th minute. That's the fourth straight game in which Jones has scored for Stoke. The Magpies' favourite son, Shola Ameobi replaced Tioti in a bid to turn the tables on the stubborn Stoke.

Delap was there with his trademark long throws for Stoke, with Huth and Shawcross doing their bit. With 5 minutes left, Stoke collected  maximum points with an own goal from Perch. They were tidier and cleaner in their tackles. Newcastle almost stole a point from Stoke in injury time, when a fast break on the left wing resulted in a cross that Nolan side footed off-target. The entertaining encounter came to a pulsating end with very valuable 3 points for the Potters.

Elsewhere, Wolverhampton lost 1-2 at home to Aston Villa in a match in which veteran Emile Heskey scored a late winner. Matt Jarvis had scored to cancel out an earlier strike by Stewart Downing .

Which one was the result of the weekend for you?

Stoke City Beat Newcastle United at St James Park

Newcastle United hosted Stoke City at St James Park, losing 1-2 1 after a big fight. There were not many scoring chances in a typical half when Stoke are involved. The only clear one that came was a penalty when Huth needlessly brought down a non-threatening Andy Carroll for a penalty. Kevin Nolan took it and scored in the 42nd minute. Stoke started playing more wing play threatening to pull one back before the break.

Newcastle did not wait for Stoke to come at them. They pushed forward reasonably well to bring more life into the match. Both teams resumed the second half with more purposeful and attacking football. Carroll was playing in a much better way than I expect. I always saw him as a slower and awkward player but he has proven to be sleek and polished when he needs it.

Kenwyne Jones had a 60th minute chance to level the score after he directed his trademark header against near post which rebounded out to Fuller, but he blasted the shot off the mark. The cross-bar came against Jones' header 5 minutes later to deny unlucky Stoke a deserved goal.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man! Jones, who is quickly becoming my favourite English Premier League player, headed in a headed Huth cross from a free-kick for the equalising goal in the 67th minute. That's the fourth straight game in which Jones has scored for Stoke. The Magpies' favourite son, Shola Ameobi replaced Tioti in a bid to turn the tables on the stubborn Stoke.

Delap was there with his trademark long throws for Stoke, with Huth and Shawcross doing their bit. With 5 minutes left, Stoke collected  maximum points with an own goal from Perch. They were tidier and cleaner in their tackles. Newcastle almost stole a point from Stoke in injury time, when a fast break on the left wing resulted in a cross that Nolan side footed off-target. The entertaining encounter came to a pulsating end with very valuable 3 points for the Potters.

Elsewhere, Wolverhampton lost 1-2 at home to Aston Villa in a match in which veteran Emile Heskey scored a late winner. Matt Jarvis had scored to cancel out an earlier strike by Stewart Downing .

Which one was the result of the weekend for you?

Stoke City Beat Newcastle United at St James Park

Newcastle United hosted Stoke City at St James Park, losing 1-2 1 after a big fight. There were not many scoring chances in a typical half when Stoke are involved. The only clear one that came was a penalty when Huth needlessly brought down a non-threatening Andy Carroll for a penalty. Kevin Nolan took it and scored in the 42nd minute. Stoke started playing more wing play threatening to pull one back before the break.

Newcastle did not wait for Stoke to come at them. They pushed forward reasonably well to bring more life into the match. Both teams resumed the second half with more purposeful and attacking football. Carroll was playing in a much better way than I expect. I always saw him as a slower and awkward player but he has proven to be sleek and polished when he needs it.

Kenwyne Jones had a 60th minute chance to level the score after he directed his trademark header against near post which rebounded out to Fuller, but he blasted the shot off the mark. The cross-bar came against Jones' header 5 minutes later to deny unlucky Stoke a deserved goal.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man! Jones, who is quickly becoming my favourite English Premier League player, headed in a headed Huth cross from a free-kick for the equalising goal in the 67th minute. That's the fourth straight game in which Jones has scored for Stoke. The Magpies' favourite son, Shola Ameobi replaced Tioti in a bid to turn the tables on the stubborn Stoke.

Delap was there with his trademark long throws for Stoke, with Huth and Shawcross doing their bit. With 5 minutes left, Stoke collected  maximum points with an own goal from Perch. They were tidier and cleaner in their tackles. Newcastle almost stole a point from Stoke in injury time, when a fast break on the left wing resulted in a cross that Nolan side footed off-target. The entertaining encounter came to a pulsating end with very valuable 3 points for the Potters.

Elsewhere, Wolverhampton lost 1-2 at home to Aston Villa in a match in which veteran Emile Heskey scored a late winner. Matt Jarvis had scored to cancel out an earlier strike by Stewart Downing .

Which one was the result of the weekend for you?

Stoke City Beat Newcastle United at St James Park

Newcastle United hosted Stoke City at St James Park, losing 1-2 1 after a big fight. There were not many scoring chances in a typical half when Stoke are involved. The only clear one that came was a penalty when Huth needlessly brought down a non-threatening Andy Carroll for a penalty. Kevin Nolan took it and scored in the 42nd minute. Stoke started playing more wing play threatening to pull one back before the break.

Newcastle did not wait for Stoke to come at them. They pushed forward reasonably well to bring more life into the match. Both teams resumed the second half with more purposeful and attacking football. Carroll was playing in a much better way than I expect. I always saw him as a slower and awkward player but he has proven to be sleek and polished when he needs it.

Kenwyne Jones had a 60th minute chance to level the score after he directed his trademark header against near post which rebounded out to Fuller, but he blasted the shot off the mark. The cross-bar came against Jones' header 5 minutes later to deny unlucky Stoke a deserved goal.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man! Jones, who is quickly becoming my favourite English Premier League player, headed in a headed Huth cross from a free-kick for the equalising goal in the 67th minute. That's the fourth straight game in which Jones has scored for Stoke. The Magpies' favourite son, Shola Ameobi replaced Tioti in a bid to turn the tables on the stubborn Stoke.

Delap was there with his trademark long throws for Stoke, with Huth and Shawcross doing their bit. With 5 minutes left, Stoke collected  maximum points with an own goal from Perch. They were tidier and cleaner in their tackles. Newcastle almost stole a point from Stoke in injury time, when a fast break on the left wing resulted in a cross that Nolan side footed off-target. The entertaining encounter came to a pulsating end with very valuable 3 points for the Potters.

Elsewhere, Wolverhampton lost 1-2 at home to Aston Villa in a match in which veteran Emile Heskey scored a late winner. Matt Jarvis had scored to cancel out an earlier strike by Stewart Downing .

Which one was the result of the weekend for you?

Aston Villa Almost Steal Points From Stoke City.

Stoke City beat Aston Villa by a 2-1 margin. They started the match well, with a lot of discipline and organisation in defence. The midfield department was very committed to winning balls but seemed addicted to the futile route one football. This broke down at the progression of the match.

Aston Villa finally settled towards the closing stages of the first half, keeping possession well and scoring an amazing diving header from Dunn Collins from a lovely cross from the right. Ashley Young could have converted a simple header just before the half-time whistle from the cross flighted from the left wing.

Stoke City were however their worst enemies, winning the ball and giving it away with the same urgency. This is definitely their weakest point and is the source of their careless tackle as a result of extreme frustration. They spend all day labouring for ball and they fail keep it for 3 seconds, after which they began to toil again. 

It took them 79 minutes to string more than 3 passes together actually touching the ball 13 times and that move resulted in the equaliser from a header from the dreadlocked Jones. Both goalkeepers had outstanding saves while better finishing could have seen more goals.

I personally think that Stoke have a defeatist attitude that kills their potentially good attacks. They are not keen to be patient and build up from the back and trust each other. Their kick and run style keep all players chasing the ball and occasionally, they would string a maximum of 3 passes.

While they stole points with virtually the last kick of the match from Robert Huth, they were always on the back foot. Tactically, they are organised in defence, but their movement forward is not organised at all. They will break a lot of legs this season if they do not slow down things and take control of their own attacks.

 Villa lived to rue the chances that may settled this thing in the first half. Will former Liverpool boss, Gerard Houllier turn Villa around?

Aston Villa Almost Steal Points From Stoke City.

Stoke City beat Aston Villa by a 2-1 margin. They started the match well, with a lot of discipline and organisation in defence. The midfield department was very committed to winning balls but seemed addicted to the futile route one football. This broke down at the progression of the match.

Aston Villa finally settled towards the closing stages of the first half, keeping possession well and scoring an amazing diving header from Dunn Collins from a lovely cross from the right. Ashley Young could have converted a simple header just before the half-time whistle from the cross flighted from the left wing.

Stoke City were however their worst enemies, winning the ball and giving it away with the same urgency. This is definitely their weakest point and is the source of their careless tackle as a result of extreme frustration. They spend all day labouring for ball and they fail keep it for 3 seconds, after which they began to toil again. 

It took them 79 minutes to string more than 3 passes together actually touching the ball 13 times and that move resulted in the equaliser from a header from the dreadlocked Jones. Both goalkeepers had outstanding saves while better finishing could have seen more goals.

I personally think that Stoke have a defeatist attitude that kills their potentially good attacks. They are not keen to be patient and build up from the back and trust each other. Their kick and run style keep all players chasing the ball and occasionally, they would string a maximum of 3 passes.

While they stole points with virtually the last kick of the match from Robert Huth, they were always on the back foot. Tactically, they are organised in defence, but their movement forward is not organised at all. They will break a lot of legs this season if they do not slow down things and take control of their own attacks.

 Villa lived to rue the chances that may settled this thing in the first half. Will former Liverpool boss, Gerard Houllier turn Villa around?

Aston Villa Almost Steal Points From Stoke City.

Stoke City beat Aston Villa by a 2-1 margin. They started the match well, with a lot of discipline and organisation in defence. The midfield department was very committed to winning balls but seemed addicted to the futile route one football. This broke down at the progression of the match.

Aston Villa finally settled towards the closing stages of the first half, keeping possession well and scoring an amazing diving header from Dunn Collins from a lovely cross from the right. Ashley Young could have converted a simple header just before the half-time whistle from the cross flighted from the left wing.

Stoke City were however their worst enemies, winning the ball and giving it away with the same urgency. This is definitely their weakest point and is the source of their careless tackle as a result of extreme frustration. They spend all day labouring for ball and they fail keep it for 3 seconds, after which they began to toil again. 

It took them 79 minutes to string more than 3 passes together actually touching the ball 13 times and that move resulted in the equaliser from a header from the dreadlocked Jones. Both goalkeepers had outstanding saves while better finishing could have seen more goals.

I personally think that Stoke have a defeatist attitude that kills their potentially good attacks. They are not keen to be patient and build up from the back and trust each other. Their kick and run style keep all players chasing the ball and occasionally, they would string a maximum of 3 passes.

While they stole points with virtually the last kick of the match from Robert Huth, they were always on the back foot. Tactically, they are organised in defence, but their movement forward is not organised at all. They will break a lot of legs this season if they do not slow down things and take control of their own attacks.

 Villa lived to rue the chances that may settled this thing in the first half. Will former Liverpool boss, Gerard Houllier turn Villa around?

Aston Villa Almost Steal Points From Stoke City.

Stoke City beat Aston Villa by a 2-1 margin. They started the match well, with a lot of discipline and organisation in defence. The midfield department was very committed to winning balls but seemed addicted to the futile route one football. This broke down at the progression of the match.

Aston Villa finally settled towards the closing stages of the first half, keeping possession well and scoring an amazing diving header from Dunn Collins from a lovely cross from the right. Ashley Young could have converted a simple header just before the half-time whistle from the cross flighted from the left wing.

Stoke City were however their worst enemies, winning the ball and giving it away with the same urgency. This is definitely their weakest point and is the source of their careless tackle as a result of extreme frustration. They spend all day labouring for ball and they fail keep it for 3 seconds, after which they began to toil again. 

It took them 79 minutes to string more than 3 passes together actually touching the ball 13 times and that move resulted in the equaliser from a header from the dreadlocked Jones. Both goalkeepers had outstanding saves while better finishing could have seen more goals.

I personally think that Stoke have a defeatist attitude that kills their potentially good attacks. They are not keen to be patient and build up from the back and trust each other. Their kick and run style keep all players chasing the ball and occasionally, they would string a maximum of 3 passes.

While they stole points with virtually the last kick of the match from Robert Huth, they were always on the back foot. Tactically, they are organised in defence, but their movement forward is not organised at all. They will break a lot of legs this season if they do not slow down things and take control of their own attacks.

 Villa lived to rue the chances that may settled this thing in the first half. Will former Liverpool boss, Gerard Houllier turn Villa around?