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As part of the annual Football League Awards hosted in March, this year containing 17 categories ranging from PFA Player in the Community Award, contested by Portsmouth’s Joel Ward, Noel Hunt of Reading and Millwall’s Tamika Mkandawire, to Best Matchday Programme, the three-man shortlist for the npower Championship Player of the Year Award has been put together.

Last year’s winner, Adel Taarabt, who was crowned on the back of Kevin Nolan’s 2010 successes and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake’s triumphant 2009, thanked voters – last year compromised of firstly fans voting online and then narrowed down to the top three and eventual winner by a select panel of judges: “I am really happy to be named the top player in the npower Championship. I had a difficult time at Spurs and going to QPR was a risk for me, but things have gone very well and hopefully, I will be back in the Premier League next season.”

With the winner being announced in March, Q.P.R’s fate was not yet confirmed: however, as Taarabt was wishing, Q.P.R won promotion, finishing as Champions, and the talented Moroccan is part of Mark Hughes’ plans to avoid relegation, having been inconsistently used by Neil Warnock prior to his dismissal.

This year, all three nominees will have similar expectations to those of Adel Taarabt. Shortlisted for the prestigious award, is: Cardiff City’s Peter Whittingham, Southampton’s Rickie Lambert and his Saints teammate Adam Lallana.

Cardiff City play in their second domestic cup final in four years on Sunday, having lost to Portsmouth in the F.A Cup Final in 2008: coincidentally the year in which Rickie Lambert finished top scorer in the competition. They take on Liverpool in the Carling Cup Final and the nomination of their hugely talented midfielder for the Award is a credit to their campaign. In Malky Mackay’s first season in charge of The Bluebirds, Cardiff have reached the Carling Cup Final and are still chasing promotion from where they currently sit at 5^th, six points off of automatic promotion with 14 games left.

The achievements of Southampton under an ever-positive Nigel Adkins are equally admirable: coming up in second from the npower League One, Southampton quietly went about their summer transfer dealings, overshadowed by pseudo-rivals Brighton capturing League One’s top scorer Craig Mackail-Smith and Valencia’s Vicente, yet quickly established themselves at the top of the pack. To date, Southampton are yet to be positioned anywhere but the top two and led the pack for the majority of the campaign. Nominees, Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana, will be hoping their strong performances can continue and ensure Premier League status next season.

However, who will win the npower Championship Player of the Year Award 2012?

Rickie Lambert

In League One, Rickie Lambert had all the plaudits: they were as plentiful and as vast as his goal-scoring portfolio. However, when Southampton made the step back up into the second tier of English football, many suddenly left the Scouser’s side. The Southampton faithful didn’t, though, and after many a lazy comparison to Grant Holt, Saints fans were left wondering if they were the only ones knowing just how good Rickie Lambert was, as he seemingly continued to go unnoticed in the Championship.

Yet, Rickie Lambert’s recognition, all the more valued as it is coming from opposition managers rather than the previous system of fan votes, which was easy to rig, is full confirmation – if currently being the league’s top scorer with sixteen and second in the assists chart with nine wasn’t – that Southampton’s no.7 has made the step up.

What is much-covered in the media is Rickie Lambert’s transition from a chunky League One target man to a much trimmer “Saints fit” centre forward: however, this understates just how talented Rickie Lambert is technically as well as physically. His hold-up play is noted, his ability to drop off his man and play the quick one-two is not; his aerial ability is credited, but his wing play and succulent deliveries are not; and whilst his free-kick’s and penalties are often lauded, his creativity and vision is not. At 6’2, Rickie Lambert is the not so subtle underdog.

 theseventytwo rating: 19^th best player in the league

Peter Whittingham

Unlike last year, the voting system is open to only the votes of the 24 managers in the Championship. The three-man shortlist is a reflection of the most voted for players in each manager’s five-man submittal. Peter Whittingham’s inclusion in the final cut for the trophy pays homage to a season in which he has helped his team towards a League Cup Final, contributing with two goals, one of which became the decisive third penalty in a 3-1 semi-final penalty shootout win against Crystal Palace.

However, it is in the league where Whittingham, who made his debut for Cardiff City in 2007, since becoming a permanent fixture for The Bluebirds under Dave Jones and then Malky Mackay, has made the biggest impact: the midfielder has featured in all of Cardiff’s 32 league games so far this season and his return of nine goals means that the former England -21 international leads the scoring charts for Cardiff - along with Kenny Miller - a feat he carried out until the end of the season during the 09/10 campaign, securing the Championship Golden Boot with 22 goals. Add to that that Whittingham has the most assists in the league, and the case for Cardiff creator is strong.

The npower Championship Player of the Year Award isn’t the only gong the Cardiff City hit man is up for either: due to his audacious attempt from 25-yards, caught on the volley, the free-scoring midfield maestro finds himself up against Darren Ambrose, Peter Leven, Kári Árnason and Paul Coutts for the Mitre Goal of the Year, something Barnsley ‘keeper Luke Steele wouldn’t begrudge him.

theseventytwo rating: 4^th best player in the league

Adam Lallana

“For me he is the best player in the league,” said Nigel Adkins, “Lallana oozes class; it’s as simple as that.” For anyone that has seen this prodigious talent twist and turn opposition defenders inside out, his ability in undoubted: his feinting hips and dipping shoulders left John Paintsil on his bum when Saints suffered their first defeat of the season at the King Power Stadium. Now, as the final fourteen games approach, Adam Lallana has hit his brilliant best once more.

His performance against Derby, his second faultless home display on the trot, was scintillating. In the early stages of the season, David Connolly had provided the class on par with Lallana to enable an unstoppable partnership to form, but his dip in performances has seen the aging Irishman feature less, as competition for attacking places increases and on Saturday, it was January Japanese signing Tadanari Lee that made Adam Lallana spark even brighter once more. The relationship was telepathic and the one touch passing between the two was the catalyst for Southampton’s third goal, which was beautifully finished on the volley from Adam Lallana himself.

With five assists, Southampton’s 5^th highest assister, and eight goals, Adam Lallana has proved himself as one of many sources of goals in a freely-attacking Saints side. However, the 23-year old one-club man is all about the team, “It’s obviously nice to get recognised but we just want to achieve promotion now because that’s our main goal for the season. If we get promoted then it’ll be brilliant.” Saints fans will be hoping the momentum gathered between now and the final run-in will be gathered at pace and such an award could only spur on their best player.

theseventytwo rating: the best in the league

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

If it wasn’t for Andre Villas-Boas’ failure to make an immediate impact at Chelsea, something that he undoubtedly intended to do given his insistence that “there is no calling this a year of transition,” earlier in the season, despite evidently being in a year of transition - something that has become painstakingly obvious to the rest of the world who hadn’t already realised it was underway, thanks to Villas-Boas all but admitting the transition by stating, “we have a three-year project to change, not only the team but, the culture and structure of the club” - Arsenal’s season would be dead right now. Luckily for Arsene Wenger, they still have the much-coveted “trophy” of fourth place to cling on to. 

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s season has taken a rather different path to Chelsea’s, yet both teams are still going into the last thirteen games on level points (43) and the same goal difference (13). The only thing that currently keeps Arsenal in the top four over Chelsea, a position Arsene Wenger has never finished below during his Arsenal career, is the 22-goal Robin van Persie, rather than a 2-goal Fernando Torres.

Chelsea’s defence has been marginally tighter than Arsenal’s (I emphasize marginally) and whilst both teams have suffered defensively this season, with Chelsea’s Mourinho-instilled focus on strong foundations at the back finally all but fading out as Villas-Boas adopts a risk-taking and attacking defence, and Arsenal’s back four providing all but stability or consistency, with a total of eleven plays being used across the back, if The Blues were going to pip The Gunners to fourth place, it would be won at the back.

However, news that John Terry - who was set to be risked by the Portuguese boss against Napoli, a clear indication of just how important Terry is to Chelsea, despite not being quite the player he was a few years ago - is out for two months, could scupper Villas-Boas’ chances of Chelsea finishing in a Champions League spot and mount further pressure on the 34-year old.

John Terry suffered a blow to his knee in a collision with the goalpost in Chelsea’s F.A. Cup victory over Championship Portsmouth on January 7^th: an injury he played through for two more games. Since then, The Blues have failed to keep a clean sheet and have slipped from 4^th place and just four points off of 3^rd and six clear of seventh, to 5^th place, where 3^rd seems unreachable at 10 points away and 7^th placed Liverpool have closed the gap by two.

The reading doesn’t get much better for Chelsea fans as not only are Chelsea without a clean sheet in a Terry-less side so far this season, but in addition, last season Chelsea kept just one of their 15 clean sheets without Terry, in a season in which the centre-back missed 5 games. Last campaign, Chelsea kept a clean sheet with Terry 42% of the time and without him, just 20% of the time. This season, Chelsea have kept a clean sheet 27% of the time in which John Terry has played and without him, it currently stands at 0%.

Chelsea’s defensive woes are further encapsulated by the fact that they’ve only won two of their last ten games, one of them against relegation zone dwellers Wolves. And whilst they may’ve only lost two, both were bottom half at the time and their six draws have been score draws five times, with their only goalless draw coming against Norwich, a game fans would’ve hoped Chelsea would’ve won. Their 3-0 lead against Manchester United could’ve galvanised Chelsea’s season, but even that was carelessly thrown away, to add to their other two score draws that saw Chelsea lead.

Chelsea fans may take some hope from January signing Gary Cahill: however, the centre-back is stepping into the shoes of a Chelsea hero in an extremely frail Chelsea team that, simply put, is lacking leadership, belief and confidence. He’s stepped out of the fire, in the form of Bolton, who have only kept one clean sheet since the opening fixture, and into the fire at Chelsea.

So, can Chelsea turn to last season’s Player of the Year Petr Cech for help? Seemingly not. This season, you could make a claim for Petr Cech being the worst shot stopper in the league, although much blame should be put down to a defence lacking in organisation, something further hindered with the absence of Terry: this season, Cech’s saves-to-shots ratio in the Premier League is 65% and therefore the worst in the league.

Turn to Arsenal and in a season in which the Premier League’s top four has been more hotly-contested than Miss Universe and saw The Gunners seventeenth after an embarrassing 8-2 defeat at the hands of a ruthless Manchester United, their current position of fourth place is rather admirable. Yet, the past ten days has seen The Gunners lose everything they were fighting for but fourth place, crashing out of the F.A. Cup in a 2-0 defeat to Sunderland and their Champions League adventure all but over after a 4-0 first leg loss at the San Siro.

Yet, news that Laurent Koscielny should be back for Arsenal’s next Premier League game – the North London derby with Tottenham – has given a cloudy Arsenal week a much-welcomed silver lining. With Bacary Sagna firing on all cylinders again and Thomas Vermaelen at the heart of defence with the Frenchman, Arsenal fans have the right to celebrate.

The ever-changing back line, eluded to in the opening of this article, has finally mustered up some strength and stability: a blend of leadership, provided by Vermaelen, experience, courtesy of Sagna and ability, supplied in heaps from the much-improved Kosclieny, may well prove to secure fourth place in a season where defence has been far from Arsenal’s strong point.

It would be careless to rule out Newcastle or Liverpool sneaking in and snatching the last Champions League spot, especially with the momentum Liverpool are gathering and the focus Alan Pardew has on the league campaign: but, ultimately, if Arsenal or Chelsea do indeed finish fourth,  the fight will be settled in defence.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

The social network site, home to 300 million users, created in 2006, has allowed a closeness to the footballing world never experienced before: at least, not with such synchronicity. The quick, instant and concise characteristics of Twitter quickly attracted the attention of businesses, and football clubs rapidly followed, with many branching out to a global audience to promote themselves during recessionary times through this free method of communication, marketing and, most importantly and most valued, interaction.

The growth Twitter has experienced is undoubtedly down to, in large, the intimacy it provides the everyday person with its less everyday users, such as Piers Morgan, Rihanna and Rio Ferdinand: in its market, it is unrivalled on this selling point.

It has blessed the world of football kindly, too. In recent times, we’ve had: the overnight phenomenon that is @AnfieldCat, which has, since its creation in the immediate aftermath of a cat stopping play at Anfield during Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Tottenham, racked up over 60,000 followers; the ability to get instant access to England player’s views over the next England manager and captain, in such tweets as “Gutted capello has quit. Good guy and top coach. Got to be english to replace him. Harry redknapp for me (sp.)” and “For everyone asking i would love to be england captain. But thats upto new manager to decide. Gerrard is perfect choice for me (sp),” both from Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney; and lastly, but only indirectly strictly football related, are the parody accounts created on Twitter, which amass thousands of followers, look on the lighter side of what is sometimes a grim game and provide endless topical humour on the footballing world.

However, for all its positives, Twitter has a vile side when it comes to the relationships forged between the followers and the following: Manchester United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson slammed the social network site back in May, saying, “I don’t understand it…I don’t know why anybody can be bothered with …It is a waste of time,” having seen then Red Devils midfielder Darron Gibson axe his account having received numerous abusive Tweets from users of the site. Since May 2011, his views haven’t swayed too much, yet Rio Ferdinand’s following as well as Wayne Rooney’s, has since doubled: “I don’t know how to do these things….I’m not into that kind of stuff.”

Unfortunately, however, Darron Gibson wasn’t to be the first and last footballer to have to quit Twitter thanks to abuse. Although Newcastle striker Demba Ba wasn’t the direct recipient of racist Tweets, Peter Copeland, a 29-year old unemployed man living with his parents, still posted racist remarks concerning the Senegalese international: “With the number of darkies in your f**king team, you should be called the Coon Army.” Fortunately, for Ba’s 75,507 followers (myself included), Copeland’s case was adjourned for sentencing under breach of the Malicious Communications Act and the former West Ham striker has kept his Twitter account.

Yet, for Micah Richards, after three months of continual racist abuse, he did feel the need to close his account: “I did enjoy Twitter and the banter with the fans, but I didn’t like the abuse you get on it. Sometimes you want to retaliate, but you have to be the bigger man and not.” It’s a sentiment wisely expressed by a player that hasn’t always been the wisest and highlighted just how intimate Twitter can be: following a string of offensive Tweets in May 2011, Wayne Rooney threatened a respondent, seemingly unable to be “the bigger man,” but Rooney insists it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously.

It’s a sad case that racism is still so prevalent in society, let alone football: however, when there have been numerous cases of racism in football itself, such as the on-going John Terry case and the Evra-Suarez saga, it is hardly surprising that the same behaviour is being replicated by so-called fans of the game. But, that is no excuse for such behaviour: so surely, some sort of moderation should be put in place to prevent such Tweets from ever being posted?

Take the recent Twitter abuse inflicted on Southampton’s January signing Billy Sharp for example: whilst Sharp was playing for Saints in their 1-1 away draw to West Ham on Valentine’s Day, a user who has since closed his account, like Copeland did, tweeted despicable and hateful comments directly to Billy Sharp. On October 29^th 2011, Luey Jacob Sharp, Billy’s two-day year old son passed away due to Gastroschisis. @ChrisDRFCBoyd used this sad fact to taunt the Southampton striker with taunting jibes and sick comments. Surely moderation to prevent such comments from ever reaching users should be in place?

However, moderation takes time and, sadly, time is money and that is the selling point of Twitter: it is a free to use social networking site, valued by businesses for the service it provides in which companies can efficiently and instantaneously interact with the public and the same is said for footballers and their employees. Thisisfutbol editor, Harry Cloke says that for his website, Twitter is “pretty vital. In terms of creating a sense of community, creating discussion and controlling traffic it’s essential.”

The free promotion it provides has seen numerous football clubs rapidly take advantage to increase their social media presence and since it went big, English clubs have quickly dominated the scene with Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United coming in at #5, #4 & #3 respectively, in the most followed clubs according to Facebook and Twitter: however, Real Madrid and Barcelona, in second and first place, is a harsh reminder that La Liga threatens to overshadow the Premier League.

So if moderation seems like an implausible possibility, surely Twitter can use a form of word filter, such as the ones utilised on forums, to prevent such offensive Tweets from being published?

Only time will tell. However, to challenge a concept favoured by one of Twitter’s more liberal users, Joey Barton, who’s love of freedom is clear in his posts, describing The F.A. as an “Orwellian institution,” when they requested he didn’t offer his predictions for Premier League games on Twitter, and stating he’d “gladly go to jail for a month, in the name of free speech,” I leave you with this:

Twitter allows the quick and easy access to a public domain in which freedom of speech is allowed: however, how long will it be before that freedom will inhibit others in their numbers, like it already has done to Micah Richards?

Is it time for football to give Twitter the red card, or is it too much of a crowd pleaser?

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

The Saints are now unbeaten in five, conceding just two during that spell and keeping three clean sheets: the most recent came against Nigel Clough’s Derby County side in an emphatic 4-0 win in which January signing Tadanari Lee scored his first goal for the club, with a thunderous effort from just inside the box.

The blip is well and truly over:  it concerned a few Saints fans, as Southampton went nine games with only two wins and their impenetrable home record came to an end, first stumbling to Blackpool in a 2-2 draw and then losing to Bristol City in the last game of 2011. However, a timely return of form has steadied the ship and Southampton are back at the top of the table: even if it is only till Tuesday, when one of West Ham’s two games in hand present a chance for The Hammers to return to the top. Still, independent of the games in hand for other sides, Saints will remain in the automatic promotion places, where they have been all season.

With a reinforced squad, thanks to some astute January signings in the form of free transfer Tadanari Lee, a Japanese international from Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Spanish winger Iago Falque on loan from Tottenham and 10-goal Billy Sharp from Doncaster Rovers, and construction of the new Football Development & Support Centre at the Staplewood training ground underway, as the club continue to pride themselves on high quality graduates such as Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott, the South Coast club looks destined for the Premier League.

MayCauseOffence’s Jordan Florit looks at the top five reasons why Southampton F.C. will be in the Premier League next season:

Nigel Adkins and Andy Crosby

By Brighton, Portsmouth and most recently West Ham fans, Nigel Adkins is detested. His ever positive demeanour and his extensive use of clichés and metaphors can frustrate opposition fans and is confused for pseudo-arrogance: however, the management duo is far from arrogant. For them, preparation is key and a painfully long process, but one well worth undergoing.

For all the importance of Nigel Adkins’ tactical nous, it would be worthless without Andy Crosby’s clever set plays and his ability on the training ground to get players “Saints fit,” and both have been invaluable in the set up at St. Mary’s: along with Dean Wilkins, Andy Crosby runs the fitness programme at Staplewood, and Adkins has commended it for the turnaround Rickie Lambert has experienced in his fitness and expects the same to happen for Billy Sharp. For the value of Crosby’s set plays, which Adkins describes as “massively important,” look no further than the weekend’s result in which two of Southampton’s four goals came from set plays.

Adam Lallana

Considered by TheSeventyTwo as the best player in the Championship, Adam Lallana’s form will be pivotal in determining whether Southampton F.C. finish in the automatic promotion places or not. Utilising one of his most used catchphrases, Nigel Adkins summed up Lallana’s influence on Saints post-match, describing him as a player who “oozes class, it’s as simple as that.”

Saints fans cheekily sing that he overshadows Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, but whilst Southampton fans do so with a tongue firmly placed in cheek, to say he is this generation’s Matthew Le Tissier to the Southampton faithful, is no understatement. His boisterous flair, his jinking turns and twists and his measured confidence is what makes Saints tick and his good health will be vital in Southampton’s 14-game run in until the end of the season.

At current, Lallana has five assists and is therefore Southampton’s fifth highest assister and yesterday’s volleyed goal, a scintillating finish, which saw the talented attacking midfielder finish the moved he started on the half-way line with a one-two with Tadanari Lee, was his eighth goal of the season.

Rickie Lambert

Southampton’s current #7, a shirt never really done justice at St. Mary’s since Matthew Le Tissier until now, has made the step up to the Championship effortlessly and for all that doubted whether he would, his name at the top of the scoring charts in England’s second tier is proof enough that he has done so. With sixteen goals to his name and twenty in all competitions, Rickie Lambert has been Southampton’s Grant Holt if Saints are set to “do a Norwich.”

However, that lazy comparison to Grant Holt, Lambert’s former striking partner from his days at Rochdale, is wide of the mark. Hopefully, Rickie Lambert, who turned thirty last week, will get his chance to shine in the Premier League: until then, he can only continue to prove himself as the best striker outside of the top flight, a sentiment expressed by the masses on Twitter in response to Crawley Town’s Steve Evans claiming Tyrone Barnett is the best striker in the Football League.

Goals all over the park

With an average of 1.81 goals scored per game, the best goal difference in the league by six at +26 and the most goals scored in the league with 58, Southampton F.C are rather flush with goals. Add to that impressive goal-scoring display of facts, top goal-scorer Rickie Lambert hasn’t scored in the league for four games now, yet Southampton have still scored seven picking up eight points, beating Burnley and Derby and drawing to then top-of-the table West Ham and unbeaten at home Birmingham.

Although £1.8m Billy Sharp is yet to score for Southampton (properly, anyway), his teammates have produced goals from all over the park: Saints have 14 different goal-scorers, two players in double figures (three including Sharp) and a further two with more than five. Southampton’s knack for goal-scoring is undoubtedly aided by the fact that seemingly any player can create a goal at Saints: out of the top fifteen assisters in the league, four are Southampton players, whilst overall the South Coast side have 12 assisters, five of which have at least five assists to their name. Frazer Richardson and Rickie Lambert both have nine assists, whilst Danny Fox’s weekend hat-trick of assists takes his total to eight.

Competition for places

“We’ve got such a good squad here. The gaffer could change the whole team and we’ve still got a team that can play exactly how we always play.” Building a team in League One that would be ready for the Championship and doing the same this season in preparation from the Premier League has led to the scenario that Aaron Martin describes here. Undoubtedly, the financial backing the club has, has allowed Southampton to build such a competitive squad and as the last fourteen games approach, it is this competition that will give Southampton an edge in the race for promotion.

For Danny Fox, there is Dan Harding; for Billy Sharp there is David Connolly; for Morgan Schneiderlin there is Dean Hammond and for Guly Do Prado there is Steve de Ridder. For many teams, balancing such a strong squad with individual player happiness is a tough gig: however, as highlighted by Jason Puncheon, Nigel Adkins has developed a togetherness among the team and a shared attitude is at play: “Promotion is not just going to be about what 11 players can do but about what 19 or 20 can do. And wherever you look at this club, there are at least 19 or 20 players good enough to play. So no-one has a divine right to be in the team. You have to be there on merit.”

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

FCI haven’t played since January 21st now and the eagerness to play has been evident throughout many of the first team players. Matt Lakeman, who has rejoined FCI on a permanent basis alongside older brother Ryan Lakeman, told manager Jordan Florit, through a text message, that he “really wants to play,” before adding that, “playing footy is about the only thing [he] looks forward to all week.” Ryan Breen and Jim Neave added similar sentiments more akin to Jim Neave, stating that they were “buzzing” to be back to playing football. 

At current, FCI sit in 1st place, with a seven-point cushion on second placed FC Waterside A, and today’s opposition are closer to the bottom than the top, sitting in the bottom half of the table at 5th place. Romsey Saints haven’t won since November 19th now and that result saw them smash 5 past Cosham, with just a one-goal reply from the opposition: furthermore, Romsey Saints enjoy their best football away from home, with just one win coming at the Hunts Farm ground that plays host to today’s game.

FCI’s management team have been buoyed by the permanent signings of Matt Lakeman, who spent preseason with Indie before joining Winchester, and Ryan Lakeman who has featured for FCI on a number of occasions but has previously been otherwise engaged with Winchester City likewise. Both additions, who have featured infrequently up until now, will be valued additions for the second half of the season in which Jamie Ross will miss the majority of as he settles in in his new house in Kent.

February 18th 2012                     FCI 1-1 Romsey Saints

 FC Independence (4-3-3): N. Hussey, Broadway, Hannides, M.Florit, Redhead, J.Florit, M.Lakeman, J.Hussey, Ely, Saribiyik, Neave Subs: B.Redhead, Goddard,

Attendance: 7

FCI 1-1 Romsey Saints

FCI’s unbeaten run stretched into it’s seventeenth game today, with a 1-1 draw at Hunts Farm. Although it is now two games without a win, Florit’s men will take heart from the performance in which seven first team players were missing and the back four, which performed admirably, limiting the opposition to shooting from distance, was rather makeshift.

FCI were patched up with the Redheads, with Paul Redhead, FCI’s second choice shot stopper, slotting in comfortably at right-back and his older brother, Ben, coming off the bench to turn home a Jordan Florit cross to send FCI into the lead just before the break. Both performed to a high standard, with Paul Redhead part of a strong defensive unit and up the other end, talismanic Ben led the line well, feeding Jack Hussey and J.Florit into the channels well.

The game started brightly for FCI, with Jack Hussey particularly shining throughout the first forty-five: however, much of FCI’s initial spark fizzled out within the first fifteen minutes and Romsey were allowed to dictate the play through the middle, on a boggy pitch suiting their five man midfield in which the play was slowed down and channeled to their solo striker. 

Jack Hussey continued to trouble the opposition’s defence, whilst his older brother kept the back tight, and feeding off of Jim Neave and later Ben Redhead, much of FCI’s play, when not centred, was through the left flank of Hussey’s. His best chance was typical of his performance: latching on to a long ball forward, Hussey chased down the ball, pacing past the defender and was only stopped by the oncoming ‘keeper, who collided with Hussey just inside the box.

However, it was a family affair that brought the goal about: with a ball-playing defence in possession of the ball, Mike Florit played it across the back line to stand in centre back and captain Hannides, who continued the horizontal passing to Paul Red head, who fed J.Florit, who then battled past his marker, knocked it past the oncoming defender and burst into the final third of the pitch with time spare to get the right side of the ball to turn in a cross on his stronger left foot, which Ben Redhead guided home, just before the half-time whistle. 1-0 FCI.

The second half was a constant reminder that the game wasn’t won yet: having come off at the 20-minute mark, Matt Lakeman replaced Mitat Saribiyik at half-time and shortly after, J.Hussey made way for Jim Neave to return to the play. The second half was much more creative and chances were spurred by both sides, with Nathan Hussey making the odd routine save from afar. 

However, with 10 minutes left, a free-kick was conceded by Mitat Saribiyik, who had returned to the action five minutes previous, replacing the in-form Scott Ely, and following a failure to clear their lines, FCI conceded the equaliser to a well struck bending shot from outside the box.

With two subs left to be made, the goal changed things and FCI headed towards the final whistle with the current eleven, having to leave Ely and Hussey on the bench. The equaliser had given FCI a second wind: however, a foul, deemed inside the box by the majority, but “bottled” by the ref, stopped J.Florit from going through clean on goal. As he latched on to a through ball, he lobbed the defender with his first touch, but was prevented from bursting into the box by the left-back who hugged Florit to the spot. A free-kick was earned and a yellow card given much to the bemusement of Mike Florit and Paul Redhead, and the free-kick nearly provided the winning goal, with Ben Redhead nearly grabbing his second. One last chance presented itself with Jordan Florit striking a long free-kick goalbound: the keeper was unable to deal with it and his parry was close to conversion by Paul Redhead, who’s acrobatic effort was cleared off the line. FT 1-1.

The man of the match goes to Dan Broadway, for his terrific performance at left-back, despite having the squits. Unfortunately, he is unavailable for next week’s cup clash with Division One’s MVC. Mikey Hannides gets a special mention for his admirable performance at centre-back in which he remained composed and handled himself superbly.

In a stinging attack on an Arsenal side that is not, according to World Cup and European Championships winner Emmanuel Petit, “the team that I knew,” the former Gunners midfielder, who won the Premier League and F.A. Cup double with the 97-98 Arsenal side, which included free-scoring Dennis Bergkamp, an ever present Patrick Vieira and a young Nicolas Anelka, stated that Arsene Wenger should “send out a strong signal” and “say to Arshavin and Rosicky: ‘Gentlemen, thank you, but goodbye.’”

The midfielder’s criticism comes in the wake of Arsenal’s hammering at the hands of an impressively potent AC Milan side, which scored with its first four shots on target, but enjoyed less of the possession than Arsenal’s spineless eleven on the night. According to a poll on The Telegraph’s website, 52.85% of the fans believe that it is too late for Arsene Wenger to build another trophy winning Arsenal side: but, considering The Gunners haven’t won a major trophy in seven years, the difference in opinion is barely noticeable with the remaining 47.15% of voters still believing the Frenchman can mould another winning side.

In a strong core eleven in the form of Wojciech Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Kocielny, Kieran Gibbs, Alex Song, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott, Arsenal have a side capable of a top four finish: however, with depth lacking, Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie both within 18 months of contract expiry and a few names failing repeatedly to step up and provide what Arsene Wenger promised of them, a top four finish, something Arsene Wenger has always delivered, isn’t the guarantee it used to be, leaving Gunners fans on tenterhooks.

Theo Walcott is one name that is being more and more strongly linked with a move away from The Emirates with each passing week, as is Tomas Rosicky and Andrei Arshavin, only helped further by the scathing condemnation of Emmanuel Petit: however, with van Persie into the last 16 months of his contract and turning 29 this summer, should Wenger be looking to offload the Dutchman and secure the future of Theo Walcott, who the Frenchman believes is destined to one day play as a centre forward?

On explaining the difference between Theo Walcott and Arsenal’s other Southampton Academy product, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wenger stated “Oxlade-Chamberlain could be a central midfielder one day and Walcott a central striker.” Although selling a striker responsible for 46% of Arsenal’s Premier League goals this season and 28 goals in all competitions, a mammoth 22 goals ahead of their second top scorer in Theo Walcott, who before the Swansea game last month hadn’t scored since October 29^th’s 5-3 victory over Chelsea, seems ridiculous on face value, Arsenal’s ability to keep hold of van Persie is suffering a major blow with every missed opportunity of success. Selling him, on top of expected announced profits of £55m last year, aided by the sales of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas, would provide the war chest for Wenger to build a trophy winning side that 47.15% of fans still believe he can.

Despite the criticism Theo Walcott gets week-in-week-out, slating him if he plays poorly or condemning him to inconsistency even if he plays well, I cannot help but think that if he leaves, it will be on to better things than Arsenal and a move up rather than down. With a strong core, and seven years of trophy chastity anyway, the best bet for Arsene Wenger achieving success, before his contract expires in 2014, would be to cash in on Robin van Persie before his contract expires, play Walcott in the centre forward role, before his career is ruined and judged to have not delivered by the age of 22, and play the exciting and skilful Chamberlain one side of him and the unorthodox Gervinho the other.

The selling of Gael Clichy, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, have not been adequately replaced and with the money there, just a reluctance to spend from an ever-stringent Arsene Wenger, it is not too late for the Frenchman to turn the fortunes around at Arsenal. His targets are very clear in Lukas Podolski, Mario Gotze and Eden Hazard: the execution of these transfers is all that is needed now.

The departures of several other players may well be on the cards and most will be welcomed: however, for all his goals and brilliance, a selling of Robin van Persie, when the chances of him staying beyond his contract are slim anyway, would provide not only the money to reinvest, but the removal of a reliance on him that has become so prevalent this season in the absence of other key players from last year.

For Arsenal fans, it is a case of the same questions, just a different season: however, there are foundations for a title-winning side in their ranks. All that is needed now is a decisive summer transfer window and a change in mentality at the club. Look forward not back; pass forward and not sideways and buy for success now and not in the future that never comes.

A culture change must arise, a mentality where winning becomes the precedent. For too long, Wenger has been investing in youth, when the current bunch of youth-turned-first-teamers isn’t delivering. Success breeds success and Arsene Wenger is seven years dry of it and only two away from never seeing it again. A clear out may well be needed, but not an overhaul and certainly not another failed transition from the old to the young: what Arsenal need is experience, players with an experience of success itself and, most importantly, readiness.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Going into the game at the San Siro, bar Arsene Wenger’s pre-match excuse that suggested that AC Milan may’ve relayed the wings of the pitch to stunt Arsenal’s ability to express themselves with width and not because it had already endured thirty-five games this season and not because the Frenchman is still trying to flog the dead horse that is Theo Walcott as the real deal either, the stats were casting the tie in a positive light for The Gunners.

Against the traditionally defensive and slow-moving Italian set-ups, which may’ve been expected when The Gunners took on an aging AC Milan side, Arsenal have a strong track record: over two-legged clashes, Arsene Wenger’s side have never been sent home by Italian sides and furthermore, English clubs as a whole have been responsible for eliminating AC Milan in the past three Champions League knock-out stages. Having beaten Arsenal 4-0 on Wednesday night, that trend looks unlikely to continue, at least not for another round or two if at all: but, what did we learn from Arsenal’s humiliation?

Wenger keeps buckling under pressure

Always buying for the future and always investing in youth, that is what has come to be expected from Arsene Wenger: however, on a night where the latest kid on the block looked ready to play, physically and mentally, Arsene Wenger bottled it. Despite his emphasis on youth, the Frenchman went for experience over excitement, safety over skill and, ultimately, sideways passing over speedy direct wing play. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain started on the bench, whilst Aaron Ramsey, fresh from striking his fourth deadly goal, started in his place.

The early travesty that was Arsenal’s start to the season saw Arsene Wenger quite literally lose it: his head in his hands, his hands grasping at his wet hair, was symbolic of The Gunners’ start to the campaign and a highly accurate depiction of what some people believed to be the start of the demise of Arsene Wenger. The season finally looked like it was taking shape for The Gunners during January, despite an underwhelming transfer window, and they overtook Chelsea to push into the top four as February hit its halfway point.  However, although Alex Chamberlain’s introduction has had quite an impact on Arsenal’s performances, faced with AC Milan at the San Siro, Wenger buckled under pressure once more and went with experience over youth, irrelevant of talent, in an Arsenal season so far defined by rash and random decisions by the Frenchman.

Whilst on the topic of Age and Experience……………

On the day that it was announced that the average age of retirement had risen to 65, it was the side with even more experience than the one Arsene Wenger fielded in the belief that it had more experience than what was probably the better choice of a starting line-up, including Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, that won and won convincingly: in fact, it was so convincing, it was Arsenal’s worst ever Champions League proper defeat.

AC Milan’s side is in fact the oldest on average, at 30-years old, out of the top 500 clubs in the best 33 leagues of Europe (the Premier League’s oldest average team is Stoke at 29.08-years old): however, the eleven Massimiliano Allegri sent out to do battle with Arsenal, which included 34-year old Mark Van Bommel, 35-year old Clarence Seedorf, although he only last 12-minutes, and 34-year old Christian Abbiati, was one with countless trophies between it, numerous successful internationals and bundles of experience. It was a case of age versus amateurs, but most importantly, a team with a winning mentality versus a team without a title in seven-years.

It’s not how much – It’s what you do with it

This is nothing to do with Kevin Price Boateng’s rampant sex-life, which often hinders his playing time and apparently is part of the reason why he’s often laying down at work too – on the treatment table – according to his model girlfriend Melissa Satta; it is the hard fact that, whilst Arsenal left the field of play having had possession 57% of the time (I purposely avoided the use of the word “enjoy”), AC Milan were the most productive with it, scoring with their first four shots on target.

During the group stages of the Champions League, despite being the first English team to qualify for the last sixteen, Arsenal had the second least amount of shots at 56: only Greek side Apoel Nicosia, coincidentally the second oldest side in Europe, had fewer with 36. It’s no surprise that both sides were completely out-attacked last night then: whilst Arsenal lost 4-0, recording only half the attempts at goal that AC Milan did, Apoel had only one shot all game, compared to Lyon’s 16 – the same amount of shots that Arsenal’s victors had.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic can cut it against English opposition

He was voted the best player in Italy recently by his fellow professionals: however, there was still some doubt, now eradicated, over his ability to deliver against English opposition. He once nearly ended up playing his football in England, for Southampton F.C., before his move to Juventus: yet, it wasn’t to be and playing time for Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona and A.C. Milan was yet to convince the harshest of critics that the big Swede could make an impact against English sides.

However, Wednesday night, constantly proving troublesome for Arsenal’s back four, Ibrahimovic assisted the second and scored the last, in an impressive display that saw the towering ponytail donning striker become the first since Arsenal’s Marouane Chamakh to score in five consecutive Champions League games. His assist saw him exert a quick burst of pace past his man, rolling his foot over the ball as he burst into the box, before poking in a cross for ex-Manchester City Brazilian Robinho to nod in from close range.  His goal, celebrated Balotelli-esque, was a well struck penalty to the ‘keepers’ right, which Wojciech Szczesny, or Sir Chesney if you are Clive Tyldesley, was a well-earned cap to a stellar performance.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

As I sat and stood in interchanging fashion, rather like a Russian Kozachok dancer, in row E, seat 24, of the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand and looked up to my left to see the rather large and, unlike our own, perfectly working and crystal clear screen showing the game and match entertainment, in between self-promoting adverts and the worthy cause of Richard House Children’s Hospice, I was made aware, once again, that West Ham still consider themselves “The Academy of Football,” as they advertised membership to “The Academy.”

Whilst three of the starting eleven for West Ham on Tuesday, in their top of the table 1-1 draw with Southampton, were graduates of “the Academy” (Mark Noble – captain and scorer on the night; Jack Collison – substituted after 21 minutes, having seen teammate Matty Taylor sent off for violent conduct; and James Tomkins – freely chucking his elbows into the ribs of Dean Hammond like some kind of Inbetweeners dance tribute act,) the football was far from what West Ham had become traditionally associated with. But, according to Sam Allardyce, it’s ok because “all this team did before was lose” before him.

From where I was positioned, busy practising my own traditions of standing, sitting and kicking out – something that wasn’t considered dancing when I tried to re-enact it in a nightclub the same night, but is in Eastern Europe – when the Southampton faithful, myself excitingly and appreciatively included, began to sing “you used to play football” to the group of fans situated in the corner of the East Stand, it seemed well-received.

Of course, it is a chant that no football fan ever wants to hear about their club, but the fans were accepting of the fact that Sam Allardyce has changed that style West Ham have strived to maintain (instilling it as an ethos in the academy so it can grow through and into the first team) and duly clapped our satirical efforts that took the shape of a reply to their “we’ve only got ten men” chorus.

Lost in the tribalism that is the away stand, deindividualised by anthemic chanting and the quick dissemination of one man’s opinion into a whole stand’s worth, I quickly found myself shouting “hoof” regularly and singing a line that reassured any doubters over how many teams called Bolton Wanderers there were. Yet, for all the mocking that can be served in a 90-minute spell, to opposition fans that, in majority, agree with you anyway, West Ham are still at the top of the table with sixteen games left to play.

Unlike Big Sam, I can understand fans’ criticism of their style of play, described by one as “sterile 1-0 wins.”  Anyone that knows football would’ve expected such route one directedness to be witnessed at The Boleyn Ground when Allardyce took over: it was a style that, until recently, had become synonymous with the Reebok Stadium dwellers, Bolton Wanderers; Zat Knight even called for Owen Coyle to revert to such tactics.

However, being the disinterested and often tired football fan I am by the time The Football League Show starts, I hadn’t seen West Ham’s football first-hand all season – bar their John Carew headed appearance at St. Mary’s earlier in this campaign – and thus, I hadn’t fully engaged on a wholehearted opinion on West Ham’s football this season, and still haven’t.

Yet, the Sam stereotype was something further enforced by the pre-game entertainment in which a montage of five recent Hammers goals were shown: three were penalties  - two of them being described by the BBC as “controversial”; another was struck home by Winston Reid whilst David Forde laid motionless on the floor, having been floored by Julien Faubert, a goal that Millwall manager Kenny Jackett felt shouldn’t have stood; and the last of the five-goal highlights was a headed effort by Carlton Cole following a lofted ball into the box from deep.

Whilst the football isn’t pretty and the results, although victorious 56.67% of the time, aren’t always attractive, I can’t help admiring the relentless waves of attack that The Hammers led with in the opening stages, irrelevant of how direct they were or were not. They were like salmon swimming up water: they leaped up strong and regularly in attack and defence to head the ball clear and nod it down to runners gliding through the channels to meet the waiting balls and like salmon they didn’t give up when the tide was against them, like it was once Matty Taylor had been sent off.

When watching Southampton this season, despite the fact we’re the league’s top scorers, I have been hit with twinges of frustration when the neat, slick football isn’t paying off and a quick switch to something more direct isn’t adopted: it pangs me. We’re second and I can’t complain with that position, but having led the race for four months, not winning it or finishing second would pain me and if there is one thing we can learn from a team that aren’t admired for their style of play this season, it is their grit and determination to get the ball forward relentlessly.

I’d dislike for us to resort to that method as the norm for the rest of the season, but lately the goals are not being scored as frequent as they were for the first four months of the season – 2.2 per game – and they’re currently only coming at a rate of 0.9 goals per game and the ability to switch from the pretty to the necessary when needed, in order to get a result, could be the factor that ensures us back-to-back promotions.

West Ham “used to play football” as the chant went, but not playing it is serving them well at the moment: whilst some may like to believe we are Brazil or Barcelona, we’re not and sometimes the brutality of the game is as effective as the beauty.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

After most game weeks, the performance given by Wayne Rooney would’ve been more than enough to seal his place in the team of the week: in a fiercely contested derby match between the red half of Manchester and the red half of Merseyside, it was the former Evertonian that fired United to glory with a three-minute quick fire salvo that saw the England striker finish a Ryan Giggs cross, with a smart half-volley into the roof of the net and an Antonio Valencia through ball.

However, as was the performance of one England manager candidate’s team and the performance of another candidate for the same job’s team nearly matching that, Wayne Rooney didn’t make the cut and instead, the team is dominated by Tottenham, West Brom and Everton players: two of the players represent good value for money from the January transfer window.

Tim Howard

Keeping a clean sheet against Chelsea could be seen as an easier task nowadays, especially considering Fernando Torres plays upfront week-in-week-out and Didier Drogba was on Africa Cup of Nations duty: however, their top scorer, Frank Lampard, was starting again and midweek visits from Russian owner Roman Abramovich, cranked up the pressure for The Blues to get a result. Unluckily, for Andre Villas-Boas, Everton hit two goals without reply and it is now three games since Chelsea’s last clean sheet and their ‘keeper has the worst shots to saves ratio in the Premier League. Contrastingly, Tim Howard kept his net empty, made three vital saves to deny Chelsea a way back into the game and has now kept as many clean sheets as Petr Cech, with six.

Joleon Lescott

As part of the best defence in the Premier League so far this season, conceding only nineteen goals, thirteen of them coming away from home, Joleon Lescott has been a mainstay at the heart of the Manchester City back-four for most of this season, missing only 374 minutes of football up to the 25^th game of the season. Yesterday’s 1-0 away win against Aston Villa came in Lescott’s 8^th clean sheet performance for Manchester City and was earned through his 62^nd minute goal from close range. His man of the match performance is enough to earn himself a place in this week’s team of the week.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto

Mr. “I don’t like football – it is just a job” is probably enjoying his football this season: the Tottenham left-back, signed for just £3.5m, had scored just two goals before this season, and only one for Tottenham: however, this weekend, saw him double his tally after his second goal in a month started off Spurs’ demolition of Newcastle United. Unlike his previous two long-range screamers, this strike was neatly put away from 10-yards as the French-born Cameroonian international latched on to an Emmanuel Adebayor cross. His performance contributed to Tottenham’s second clean sheet of the week and earns him a place in the best XI.

Jonas Olsson

As well as Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham hitting five past Newcastle United, fellow England candidate Roy Hodgson, saw his West Brom side smash Wolves for five, subsequently costing Mick McCarthy his job. In amongst the goals was defender Jonas Olsson: having scored the goal to put West Brom back into the lead over their Black Country rivals, the scorer turned provider just over ten minutes later, to help Peter Odemwingie towards his hat-trick. Although the 6’6 Swede didn’t keep a clean sheet, a goal and assist in a performance that saw him hail his boss as the “best coach in England,” was enough to earn him his place in the XI.

Gary Caldwell

In a fairly abysmal Wigan defence, this is one man that can hold his head fairly high: missing just two games all season and having only been subbed once, the Scot has become an ever-present in the Latics’ defence since signing from Celtic in 2010. In a rare win, in fact only their fourth, for Wigan, the defender earned the man of the match award for the away side and his goal and strong defensive display at the back capped and signified a resilient Wigan performance that will be needed if they are indeed, “ready to fight” as Roberto Martinez has stated.

Steven N’Zonzi

N’Zonzi, even with the return of sharp-shooting Yakubu, was Blackburn’s best performer in their Saturday 3-2 victory over Q.P.R: getting on the end of a clever Junior Holiett ball, following a mazy run through the Rangers’ defence, the Frenchman scored his first goal of the season, rifling in from just inside the box. Just eight minutes beforehand, N’Zonzi had set up the returning Yakubu to open the scoring fifteen minutes into the game. If Blackburn are to stay up, the performances of the aforementioned trio will be largely responsible.

Steven Pienaar

Returning to Everton a year after leaving for Tottenham Hotspur, where he has been criminally underused (just 17 minutes this season, with 14 of them against Everton), Steven Pienaar, according to club captain Phil Neville, is “back doing what he does best at a club he enjoys playing at.” His two performances have been described by the captain as man-of-the-match worthy, and the 2-0 victory over Chelsea was “driven by the classy Pienaar,” according to BBC’s Owen Phillips, with him scoring the first and linking up well with Leighton Baines throughout the game, until he left the pitch on 74-minutes to a standing ovation.

James McArthur

The Wigan midfielder is enjoying a purple patch at the moment: game time was fairly limited for the 24-year old Scot, but the New Year has brought a new lease of life in the first team and the 5’10 central midfielder has now scored two goals in three games and his strike fifteen minutes from time, getting on the end of a parried Victor Moses shot, won Wigan their first game in twelve. Their last was a 2-1 victory over West Brom in early December.

Louis Saha

Along with Steven Pienaar, it seems the players swapping allegiances between North London and the blue half of Merseyside, are wholly benefiting: before joining Harry Redknapp’s freely attacking Spurs side, Saha had only scored once all season, but with his first start for Tottenham, the former Manchester United striker has already doubled his Everton tally, with two deft finishes against the first side he played for in England. His brace, wholly assisted by Emmanuel Adebayor, has seen an instant partnership flair up, which will further hinder Jermaine Defoe’s playing time.

Peter Odemwingie

Back in December, the Nigerian said he was losing sleep over his goal drought: at the time, he hadn’t scored for eight games, stretching back into October, and even then he’d only scored two all season. It was far from the performances of last year in which he scored 15 times and summer interest from Arsenal and Wigan saw West Brom slap an £8m price tag on him. West Brom fans will be hoping his weekend hat-trick will mark a turn in form for the 30-year old forward.

Emmanuel Adebayor

At the beginning of the season I read Tottenham fans’ views that stated Adebayor would offer nothing different to Peter Crouch and that he wouldn’t improve the team: one fan said their two marquee signings, Adebayor and Parker, didn’t match up to Aguero and Silva and unless Chelsea challenged it would be a two horse race between the Manchester sides with Spurs scrapping for the remains with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. However, Redknapp has taken Spurs from strength to strength and they are only five points off of second, eight from the top and ten points clear of fourth. The Togolese striker has either scored or assisted 45% of Tottenham’s goal this season and his unselfish play at the weekend saw him assist four, before rounding off the scoring with a goal of his own. He is now the Premier League’s seventh top scorer, Tottenham’s top, and only David Silva has more assists: 12 to his 11.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

There was a point where this whole kerfuffle was becoming slightly tedious: Liverpool were literally turning their terrace chant into an all-abiding ethos, ensuring Luis Suarez would “never walk alone,” and the majority of everyone else was sternly on the side of Patrice Evra. An eight-match ban was given and the tedium truly set in, as a meek game of ping pong got underway with Liverpool stating they fully support Luis Suarez, Manchester United opposing such a stance, Luis Suarez offering some sort of pseudo-apology and Manchester United taking offence to such a half-hearted attempt.  Luis Suarez’s return was hopefully going to break the tedium, draw a line under the set of events, as requested by Sir Alex Ferguson in his pre-game programmes notes at the weekend, and the rivalry between the two clubs could get back to purely football rather than two men seemingly both swathed in ignorance.

However, that was not to be: the lack of a handshake – something dodged, quite admirably in hindsight, by the F.A. in Q.P.R’s F.A. Cup tie against Chelsea – was enough to force football to take the back seat for the day and the next episode in the never-ending series of the Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez affair to take centre stage once more. Despite Kenny Dalglish’s feeble avoidance of the matter and Sir Alex Ferguson’s neutral stance in his post-match interview, although he did describe the Uruguayan as a “disgrace,” neither man has come out of the game with much dignity: but who will come out of the saga the worse for wear?

Before I start, I am not taking the side of Luis Suarez nor am I of Patrice Evra, I feel that both have acted sanctimoniously and ignorantly, whilst causing much dispute over the game as a whole.

The Uruguayan has made racist remarks - that is irrefutable: however, Luis Suarez is not a racist and that is where a case can be made for him; not one that excuses his insensitive behaviour throughout the saga, though. The  F.A. commission found Luis Suarez to have made comments deemed racist and thus the eight-game ban: yet, the commission doesn’t believe he is a racist and it is here that inconsistency arises that may allow Suarez to feel wholeheartedly aggrieved by the matter, especially considering Patrice Evra’s despicable behaviour in the weekend’s game and Suarez’s belief that Patrice Evra hasn’t been wholly truthful throughout.

As well as the Uruguayan firmly believing that the Frenchman has engineered what is true (although Evra did admit referring to the former as “South American,” which could be deemed “offensive if taken as an implied slight against a regional identity” or with a sneer, but went unpunished), the way in which there has been no consistency in the handling of race-related issues that have sadly arisen during this season, could further aggravate Suarez.

Firstly, as briefly highlighted above, Patrice Evra wasn’t punished for his part in the exchanges – no matter how small; secondly, John Terry’s alleged slur, whilst causing just as much controversy and hindrance to the season, has again been treated differently, this time being handed over to the CPS, which will deal with the matter fully after Euro 2012; and lastly, Peter Copeland, who pleaded guilty to breaching the Malicious Communications Act by tweeting racist comments on social networking site Twitter, such as referring to Newcastle United as the “Coon Army,” in an unwitty observation of “the number of darkies” in Pardew’s side was punished, on the Chairman of the Bench’s advice, with just “medium level community order,” after the excuse of Copeland’s defence that, “he never intended his comments to reach a worldwide audience.”

The handshake was a chance to dispel the saga, weirdly appease Sepp Blatter and hopefully draw a line under the matter: however, it didn’t happen as Luis Suarez deftly avoided Patrice Evra’s hand and his further brattish behaviour on the sound of the half-time whistle did much to distract how he handled himself with dignity as he walked off the pitch at the end of each half, despite the actions of those around him, in particular Patrice Evra, whose full-time celebrations in front of the Uruguayan were tasteless and pious. How Luis Suarez fares from this prolonged saga will much depend on his media portrayal: but for him, he remains “disappointed because everything is not that it seems.”

Patrice Evra’s actions, though, were equally idiotic: had he simply let Luis Suarez pass, he could’ve held his head high, knowing he had offered his hand and that he had done no wrong. However, in grabbing his arm and acting hostile in doing so, and continuing to do so throughout the game – best exemplified in his and Rio Ferdinand’s combined efforts to clatter the Uruguayan - Evra has only aggravated the scenario further.  

Some believe that Patrice Evra has conducted himself well: he was racially abused, he hasn’t received a direct and respectful apology and he still offered his hand to the man who insulted him: yet, regrettably so, there are more dimensions to both characters than simply one. Patrice Evra has acted petulantly once again in his career and it will divert attention away from the most important matter, as will Suarez’s actions. He has, on Sunday, issued an apology for not shaking his hand on Liverpool’s official site: “I should have shaken Patrice Evra’s hand before the game and I want to apologise for my actions,” but has it come too late?

If the saga regarding Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez is concerned only with racism, as portrayed from the viewpoint of the Frenchman, Suarez is in the wrong: but, if it’s taken from the stance of the Uruguayan, and is concerned with manipulating truth into a case the F.A. will mandatorily and immediately react to, to make example of, to gain an advantage over an opponent you have a grudge against, it is Patrice Evra who could be deemed disgraceful. Saturday’s events could be orchestrated to suit either party’s argument: but who will come out of the saga the worse for wear?
 

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit 

The Premier League was rather flush with fixtures on Saturday, in a schedule that is ever more so controlled by television companies and viewing figures. Eight fixtures were played in total, providing the staple diet for any Premier League fan: there were two six-pointers; Arsenal could break into the top four if they could grab a result against an impressive at home Sunderland side and Manchester United took on fierce rivals Liverpool, in a match that had its own recurring subplots.

Ed Sheeran and Luis Suarez have more in common than you may think

Fresh with confidence from defeating their bitter foes in the F.A Cup, thanks to a Dirk Kuyt goal, Liverpool this time faced Manchester United away and in the Premier League. For United, it was all about keeping pace with their inner-city rivals at the top of the table and for Liverpool it was an opportunity to beat Manchester United twice in two weeks and extend their unbeaten run to four.  

However, although United got the three points with Wayne Rooney scoring a quick-fire brace, the main attraction was the Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez affair: it was the first time the two had faced each other since the fateful day in October in which the former accused the latter of racial abuse resulting in an eight-match ban and similar to Wayne Bridge and John Terry and Anton Ferdinand and John Terry, there was no handshake. Unlike those two John Terry centred examples, however, it was the villain who refused the handshake and not the victim leading me to think that Ed Sheeran, who sings the line, “I know I can’t heal things with a handshake” has more in common with Luis Suarez than I thought, as does Patrice Evra with Sepp Blatter, who feels a handshake can.
Feed the Yak and He will Score

We knew that already right? We did, but it may well prove to be what keeps Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League for next season: during his three-game ban, Blackburn Rovers amassed just a solitary point and furthermore, they struggled to capitalise on the chances they did create, proving wasteful without the Yak.

However, reintroduce the Yak after his three-game, and Blackburn hit three goals just like they did in the last game he featured in and just like in the previous 60 games Blackburn have scored three in, they went on to win with Yakubu getting the decisive goal in a 3-2 victory over fellow relegation candidates Queens Park Rangers. Yakubu is now the fifth highest scorer in the Premier League with thirteen goals in a side that has only found the back of the net 39 times, leaving the Nigerian responsible for 33% of their goals. Luckily for Rovers, Yakubu is the most potent striker in the Premier League with a 39% conversion rate.

Chelsea slip to 5^th, whilst Capello is linked to the job and Roman’s lurking

Everton’s January really has paid dividends much quicker than anyone could have realistically expected. At one point, it looked as if no transfer activity would take place: however, four signings were made, two on loan and two permanently, and three of them have already returned the favour of a new lease of life, either assisting or hitting the back of the net, going much of the way to ease Everton’s scoring worries that existed for much of the first half of the season.

On Saturday, without Jelavic even featuring, the man signed to “score goals, goals and more goals,” Everton took ten shots, had a 70% shot accuracy and converted their chances twice, with one of their January signings scoring in the form of Steven Pienaar as well as Argentine Denis Stracqualursi. Meanwhile, Chelsea, who are now without a win in four games and have only won two of their last ten, slip to fifth place as Arsenal secured a last minute victory over Sunderland thanks to a Thierry Henry volley, in a week in which Fabio Capello is linked with the club and Roman Abramovich visits the training ground twice.

Norwich Head up the table inflicting only Swansea’s second home defeat

Before Norwich City, Swansea’s fellow Championship promotion achievers, the only defeat inflicted on the Swans at Liberty Stadium was handed out by reigning champions Manchester United. That loss, only their fourth league defeat since the beginning of last season, was only by one goal and it didn’t deter Swansea from their free-flowing passing game that is built on from the back.

Norwich defeated Swansea by three goals to two, but before that game, Swansea had only conceded seven goals at home in 12 games - 0.58 goals conceded per game – and furthermore, only Arsenal, 2, had scored more than one goal at the Liberty Stadium. However, considering Norwich City’s aerial prowess this season – they are the most prolific PL side in the air with 14 of their 37 goals coming from headers – and Swansea’s averagely short stature, was it that surprising that Norwich got all three points? Norwich are now up to eighth, leaving Swansea in 11^th place and just nine points off of relegation: yet, their home form should be enough to ensure Premier League survival.
Harry Redknapp isn’t distracted by England talk as Spurs smash home for five

At 4/11 to manage England for Euro 2012, 5/4 to become the permanent manager of the Three Lions and Harry Redknapp himself describing the post as the “ultimate job,” you’d be entitled to doubt how stable some feel at White Hart Lane now, despite Redknapp’s insistence that he “can’t take [his] eye off the ball at Tottenham at the moment,” declaring that he, “owes it to [Tottenham] to continue to keep completely focused on the job.”

However, if there is any worry that Redknapp might leave his Spurs post permanently, it certainly wasn’t a distraction on Saturday: The Guardian’s Scott Murray expected a “home capitulation to Newcastle at the weekend,” but it was Newcastle who would leave capitulated, as Tottenham ran rampant on home turf, clocking up 18 shots on target, nine of which were on target and five of the on-target strikes finding the back of the net. With a 63% of the possession and over twice as many shots, Spurs never took their foot off the pedal, but it was an impressive first half performance that saw them four goals to the good come half-time that won them the match. Emmanuel Adebayor was particularly delectable, notching up four assists and scoring the game’s only other goal, whilst new signing Louis Saha scored two goals for the first time in a year.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

FC Independence’s last game failed to reap the three points each of their last eight games had done so. With 15 minutes left it seemed that FCI’s 100% record would continue into it’s ninth game: however, with two straight reds and a calamitous keeping display - a rarity of Hussey’s season - FCI’s three points game just the one as Waterside B - assisted by the man in the middle - executed a ten minute hit and hope attack at the FCI goal. FCI’s unbeaten run remains, though, and Florit and Goddard went into today’s game confident of preserving their 100% home record, which has so far returned five wins, twenty-two goals and only six conceded.

Our scheduled opposition for Saturday 4th February, Testwood, we’ve previously met twice and defeated both times, with FCI hitting 4 goals on each occasion and Testwood replying with one and two respectively, come into the top half clash on the back of a 0-0 draw with Hedge End Blues. However, their away form - this being their second successive trip on the road - is impressive and they are so far holding the only 100% record away from home, having conceded just one. With FCI holding an 100% home record, the only guarantee was that something had to give for either side.

FCI were plush with strong performers: Paul Redhead returned to first team action, as does Wesley Regular, Lejay Giles-Pilgrim and the recovered Arthur Goddard, who had been injured with some kind of “I can run but can’t kick” muscle impediment. Scott Ely was hoping to continue his record of a goal per game in 2012, as was J.Florit with assists.

However, as with today’s Cup fixture, last week’s game fell victim to the weather and is rescheduled for March.

FCI’s cup run has been somewhat patchy and not due to on the pitch performances. With the league providing the main objective for Independence and a successful run of shows looking set to see that target reached, the Cup has become, for FCI, a test of their true strength and a benchmark for next season’s expectations, with most opponents coming from the higher tiers: however, weather and postponements means that the Cup hasn’t featured in FCI’s fixture list since October 8th.

The first round saw FCI overcome fellow Division Three opponents in the form of Testwood: Lejay Giles-Pilgrim scored two goals in that away encounter and Mikey Hannides and Jim Neave, with a sublime outside of the box finish, adding one each to complete a 4-2 victory. That earned the cup debutantes a place in the second round against higher opposition. Victory, based in Portsmouth, had bettered Goddard, both Florits and Breen’s old side Lighthouse in the first round in a 2-1 win to face FCI, but it was the home side to advance to the quarter finals, scoring five goals with no reply. Jack Hussey’s purple patch was well underway and he smashed his third and fourth goal of the season in only his second start; Ryan Lakeman also fired home a brace and Lejay Giles-Pilgrim continued his 100% scoring record in the Cup: however, it was Mikey Hannides who took the Man of the Match award, deputising at centre-back alongside Jamie Ross. 

With the other three quarter-final ties already played, FCI’s result will be the last in to the hat for the draw for the semi-final in which four teams will be competing for the chance to play at Totton’s Testwood Stadium. If FCI can beat Division One’s MVC Kings, who beat rivals MVC to reach the last eight, one of three Division One teams await them in the semi-final.

Tuesday’s kick-about is currently expected to go ahead and high numbers are expected.

If there is a pet hate I have in football and that I hold in as high a regard as I do my distaste for people that make a scene out of reserved seating on a train, bus passengers that sit on the outer chair when the inner is free and my apparent hate of public transport etiquette offenders, it is the dislike I have for footballing hypochondriacs.

As a Southampton F.C fan growing up during the Lowe era and witnessing, what seemed like, as many managers as wins and subsequent chairman changes, I was used to being on tenterhooks – that’s another pet hate of mine: people that say “tender hooks” – and thus a tinge of hypochondria was permitted. However, things have changed: the ownership has changed, our management is stable and the only way was up. I became accustomed to stability, consistency and fluctuations in results, no matter how often Nigel Adkins told reporters that the “table would change,” had little effect on us.

Brighton won the n-Power League One after we failed to “keep up”, much to the banter infused amusement of our adopted secondary blue few, and, sneaking up in second place, we slowly established a respectable first team during the summer transfer window for the forthcoming Championship return. “Going about our business quietly” and sticking to a strict wage budget and hierarchy, stringently adhered to by Nigel Adkins and enforced in a totalitarian manner by Nicola Cortese, a team built in League One for the Championship, was reinforced for a similar effect in the second tier.

Some said doing business with us was impossible. It wasn’t, it was fair and it was realistic. For all his faults - I’m informed there are many - Cortese runs a tight ship and most importantly, our ship isn’t sinking and it is efficiently manned.

Given a finish of 7^th- 14^th at the beginning of the season, I would have been sufficiently satisfied: it sticks to our five-year plan installed when Markus Liebherr took us over, it would allow a season of stability back in the second tier of English football and as long as we finished above Portsmouth, it would be considered successful by the majority. However, among the minority is Nicola Cortese and, as most have learned, if it isn’t the way of Nic, it don’t stick.

Since his close friend and former employer Markus Liebherr took over Southampton F.C  following their 2008/09 relegation season from the Championship, Nicola Cortese, club chairman, has insisted that under his leadership, we’ll always finish in the top half of any league and he’ll fund such high expectations accordingly so. So far, so good: yet, when the New Year passes and Southampton F.C are top of the Championship, with many touting them as capable of “doing a Norwich”, and then come February we’re still playing our game in the automatic promotion positions, merely a top half finish doesn’t quite satisfy the footballing palette of Southampton fans.

Cortese himself, somewhat out of character, or at least his portrayed character, gave an interview to The Sun in which he stated that he wants us promoted and he wants us promoted as Champions. It came very early on in the season and it was considered by some as quite an unnecessary burden to place on Southampton manager Nigel Adkins. But, he strived under it and until now, since going top, we hadn’t surrendered the pole position.

As often heard, every club has its rough patch and luckily for us – or unfortunately, depending on your stance on the matter – Sam Allardyce’s West Ham had theirs as we were having ours. It masked a shoddy spell, at least on the table as we continued to sit on the summit: however, had West Ham’s ship not rocked, I can’t help but thinking it would’ve forced us, or at least encouraged us, to try and steady the ship before it started to sink.

Now, don’t be mistaken, I don’t think we’re sinking yet - that would be a display of hypochondria – however, I do feel that a two-game period is upon us where we have to pick up maximum points to calm a bucking horse. We’d been majestically galloping through the months, sitting pretty atop of the table all along: yet, the road’s become rather rocky and the horse’s hooves are showing signs of deterioration. The new shoes have been purchased and fitted in Billy Sharp, among the other January signings: however, they need to be broken into and the horse needs to proudly strut once more.

Okay, enough with the equestrian metaphors: I feel like I might stirrup mild bemusement.

West Ham have seemingly recaptured their early season form, along with assembling an army of strikers in the process, and are picking up the points in a steady and high-returning manner once more: Southampton haven’t. We slumped together - whilst Middlesbrough continued to remain draw specialists at home stunting their potential - but we haven’t recovered together and with only two wins in our past ten games, we face a doubleheader of Claret and Blue.

Burnley travel to St. Mary’s on Saturday and then Southampton, hopefully in what can still be considered as a top two clash, like it did back at St. Mary’s where a Jos Hooiveld header was enough to snatch all three points, are hosted by current league leaders West Ham on Tuesday night.

A chance is presenting itself to Southampton: a chance to quickly mount the horse of success once more and canter off into the sunshine before Sam Allardyce can spit out his gum, stamp it into the ground as if it were a cigarette butt and make chase for us with a trailer of endless strikers in tow.

As is the nature of the Championship this season and most, the top is tight, and if it was Sir Alex Ferguson entwined with such a scenario, he’d describe it as “squeaky bum time.” Maximum points would see us return to the top of the pack. Two losses could see us slip to the lower half of the play-off positions and would see us with only two wins in twelve. It is all speculation, but it’s a rather spectacular scenario to speculate on.

I don’t believe in hypochondria, but I do believe things should be repaired as they suffer and not fixed once broken and that is what is key here: Southampton are not broken, far from it, but they have suffered and repairing it could not be timelier than this following week. With no further interest in either cups and a setting that provides a better chance than any to seal a return to the Premier League, which Nicola Cortese deems as inevitable, the time is now and this two-game period, whilst not season defining, is critical.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

If there is a pet hate I have in football and that I hold in as high a regard as I do my distaste for people that make a scene out of reserved seating on a train, bus passengers that sit on the outer chair when the inner is free and my apparent hate of public transport etiquette offenders, it is the dislike I have for footballing hypochondriacs.

As a Southampton F.C fan growing up during the Lowe era and witnessing, what seemed like, as many managers as wins and subsequent chairman changes, I was used to being on tenterhooks – that’s another pet hate of mine: people that say “tender hooks” – and thus a tinge of hypochondria was permitted. However, things have changed: the ownership has changed, our management is stable and the only way was up. I became accustomed to stability, consistency and fluctuations in results, no matter how often Nigel Adkins told reporters that the “table would change,” had little effect on us.

Brighton won the n-Power League One after we failed to “keep up”, much to the banter infused amusement of our adopted secondary blue few, and, sneaking up in second place, we slowly established a respectable first team during the summer transfer window for the forthcoming Championship return. “Going about our business quietly” and sticking to a strict wage budget and hierarchy, stringently adhered to by Nigel Adkins and enforced in a totalitarian manner by Nicola Cortese, a team built in League One for the Championship, was reinforced for a similar effect in the second tier.

Some said doing business with us was impossible. It wasn’t, it was fair and it was realistic. For all his faults - I’m informed there are many - Cortese runs a tight ship and most importantly, our ship isn’t sinking and it is efficiently manned.

Given a finish of 7^th- 14^th at the beginning of the season, I would have been sufficiently satisfied: it sticks to our five-year plan installed when Markus Liebherr took us over, it would allow a season of stability back in the second tier of English football and as long as we finished above Portsmouth, it would be considered successful by the majority. However, among the minority is Nicola Cortese and, as most have learned, if it isn’t the way of Nic, it don’t stick.

Since his close friend and former employer Markus Liebherr took over Southampton F.C  following their 2008/09 relegation season from the Championship, Nicola Cortese, club chairman, has insisted that under his leadership, we’ll always finish in the top half of any league and he’ll fund such high expectations accordingly so. So far, so good: yet, when the New Year passes and Southampton F.C are top of the Championship, with many touting them as capable of “doing a Norwich”, and then come February we’re still playing our game in the automatic promotion positions, merely a top half finish doesn’t quite satisfy the footballing palette of Southampton fans.

Cortese himself, somewhat out of character, or at least his portrayed character, gave an interview to The Sun in which he stated that he wants us promoted and he wants us promoted as Champions. It came very early on in the season and it was considered by some as quite an unnecessary burden to place on Southampton manager Nigel Adkins. But, he strived under it and until now, since going top, we hadn’t surrendered the pole position.

As often heard, every club has its rough patch and luckily for us – or unfortunately, depending on your stance on the matter – Sam Allardyce’s West Ham had theirs as we were having ours. It masked a shoddy spell, at least on the table as we continued to sit on the summit: however, had West Ham’s ship not rocked, I can’t help but thinking it would’ve forced us, or at least encouraged us, to try and steady the ship before it started to sink.

Now, don’t be mistaken, I don’t think we’re sinking yet - that would be a display of hypochondria – however, I do feel that a two-game period is upon us where we have to pick up maximum points to calm a bucking horse. We’d been majestically galloping through the months, sitting pretty atop of the table all along: yet, the road’s become rather rocky and the horse’s hooves are showing signs of deterioration. The new shoes have been purchased and fitted in Billy Sharp, among the other January signings: however, they need to be broken into and the horse needs to proudly strut once more.

Okay, enough with the equestrian metaphors: I feel like I might stirrup mild bemusement.

West Ham have seemingly recaptured their early season form, along with assembling an army of strikers in the process, and are picking up the points in a steady and high-returning manner once more: Southampton haven’t. We slumped together - whilst Middlesbrough continued to remain draw specialists at home stunting their potential - but we haven’t recovered together and with only two wins in our past ten games, we face a doubleheader of Claret and Blue.

Burnley travel to St. Mary’s on Saturday and then Southampton, hopefully in what can still be considered as a top two clash, like it did back at St. Mary’s where a Jos Hooiveld header was enough to snatch all three points, are hosted by current league leaders West Ham on Tuesday night.

A chance is presenting itself to Southampton: a chance to quickly mount the horse of success once more and canter off into the sunshine before Sam Allardyce can spit out his gum, stamp it into the ground as if it were a cigarette butt and make chase for us with a trailer of endless strikers in tow.

As is the nature of the Championship this season and most, the top is tight, and if it was Sir Alex Ferguson entwined with such a scenario, he’d describe it as “squeaky bum time.” Maximum points would see us return to the top of the pack. Two losses could see us slip to the lower half of the play-off positions and would see us with only two wins in twelve. It is all speculation, but it’s a rather spectacular scenario to speculate on.

I don’t believe in hypochondria, but I do believe things should be repaired as they suffer and not fixed once broken and that is what is key here: Southampton are not broken, far from it, but they have suffered and repairing it could not be timelier than this following week. With no further interest in either cups and a setting that provides a better chance than any to seal a return to the Premier League, which Nicola Cortese deems as inevitable, the time is now and this two-game period, whilst not season defining, is critical.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Irrelevant of the score line, I was sufficiently bored by the Liverpool versus Tottenham game come half-time to already discount analysing the game in one way or another. I’d hoped for Luis Suarez to start and stir up a talking point in one way or another and an entertaining as ever post-match dissection by Harry Redknapp. But, with neither featuring from the first whistle, all hopes of entertainment in a footballing capacity were void. Predictably, Spurs looked rather lacking in penetration without Rafael Van Der Vaart unlocking defences at will, and typical of Liverpool at home this season, a game of few or no goals looked on the cards. It was very much shaping up to be a game of “he who dares wins,” but neither looked brave enough to take the gamble and when they did, the sole purpose of the opposition was the exact opposite.

However, where Carroll had so far failed to make an impact and Bale was yet to produce something worth £140m there was a much smaller creature willing to risk life and limb to provide a splash of amusement to the proceedings. No, Aaron Lennon hadn’t passed a late fitness test and was eagerly waiting to shift a slow-starting Jake Livermore: a cat, as the eleventh minute passed, made its way on to the pitch where it was met with a rapturous reception from The Kop, which simultaneously broke into anthemic chanting of, “a cat, a cat, a cat, a cat, a cat.”

It had managed to: take the attraction off of Fabio Capello, who was adorned by a hundred or so cameramen; alleviate the attention from Luis Suarez, who, despite being on the bench, was receiving more of the flashes than the playing squad were; and it managed to trend worldwide on Twitter under the trend, “that cat.” Andy Warhol’s prediction, no less philosophical than Plato, “everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes” hadn’t escaped the cat and with the second half underway, the cat was still more trendy than any of the twenty-two players on the pitch and was only dislodged from his throne, when Gareth Bale lept, rather like a cat in fact, to the floor as Daniel Agger came chomping in. Play-acting was the call and Gareth Bale was the tweet. The cat’s fifteen minutes of Twitter fame was over.

Or was it?

Well no: the cat shall forever live on as some fast acting person quickly made up an @AnfieldCat Twitter, which, at the time of writing, has already amassed 5000 followers: however, I imagine that account’s success will last as long as the cat’s debut did.

After a rather stressful seven days in the footballing world, which had amalgamated into a weekend of penalties, a continual grey cloud of racism and then the American version of something similar, which before Sunday night, I didn’t realise how many people were experts in, light relief in the form of a streaking cat was appreciated and with my own cat currently in animal hospital, with fears of him being put down prevalent over the weekend, it brought a welcome smile to my face.

In tribute to the Anfield Cat is my blog and in further appreciation, here are a few of his furry friends:

The Camp Nou Cats

This cat, typical of the Spanish, showed our English feline friend how to move: looking a lot trimmer than our tabby, the gato elegantly pounced along the turf, not breaking stride to hurdle the advertising hoarding and disappear back off into the stands. That was only at the weekend and it wasn’t the first: in 2010, between Barcelona and Real Sociedad another cat bounded down the left flank, exploiting the space Dani Alves had left, before exiting the pitch with a majestic leap into the stands.

The 3-minute Santa Fe Dog 

Back in October 2011, in a cup game between Independiente Santa Fe and Botafogo, a sandy-coloured dog burst on to the pitch and proceeded to dodge match officials and jink and jerk in between home and away players alike. In a stereotyped Latin scenario, a man took to the pitch with a red plastic bag and attempted to play matador in order to coax the trespassing dog from the field of play: however, the four-legged fiend, having lulled the stadium into a false sense of security, got to the edge of the pitch before changing his mind and sprinting back on for more exercise. Eventually, having suitably allowed the home side to recover, having been run ragged for near-on seventy minutes, reflected in the 4-0 score line, the pitch invader left of his own accord. His ability to stop, stand and stare apparently was the inspiration for Mario Balotelli………..

The Deportivo Pereira Owl 

Last February, Luis Moreno decided it was ok to kick an already injured owl off a football pitch, as it led still on the side of the pitch, having already been hit by the ball. The owl, considered as a club mascot by the home team, had wandered on to the pitch and unfortunately chose the wrong time to join the action: the ball was within the owl’s close proximity and fell victim to firstly the ball and secondly the boot of the callous Panama defender. Now, the player, having received threats and fines, has left the club and now plays for Tauro. The owl sadly died in relation to the incident.

The game finished 0-0 proving my time was better spent writing this.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/
For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit 

Liverpool created a monster and nobody wanted to see Luis Suarez anymore: however, in a fully cyclical kind of way, his return is as timely as a man with his finger delicately tapping his watch whilst ferociously chewing gum and looking at a man bewildered with the power his electronic board holds; this man is Sir Alex Ferguson.

As well as it being appropriate that he returns now, what with him having served his eight-match ban for racist abuse/ignorance of meaning and connotation/poor use of inter-linguistics – circle as you see fit or feel politically, socially or morally inclined to do so – towards Patrice Evra, it is also well-timed because we haven’t had racism and football instigating atmospheric pressure inside a teacup for a whole twenty-four hours.

The weekend served us well with its regular reminders that the modern game is fast becoming typical of the slap head fan of the 1970s donning a Shearling sheepskin jacket looking rather like English Frank, condemning all gays, blacks, women and children out of the game.

Firstly, Rio Ferdinand made the mistake of playing centre-back for Manchester United in a game against a club involved in a Crown Prosecution case, in the form of its team captain – although no longer the England captain, unless you’re Fabio Capello and then he’s still not the England captain in the physical form but possibly in spirit – John Terry. His punishment for such a crime, of course by means of being the brother of an alleged victim of racist abuse, was a chorus of boos from the Chelsea crowd. Yet, in true captain material, Ferdinand revealed it was “like fuel” to him, inspiring his side to emphatically come back from three goals down to Juan Mata ft. 10 other alleged footballers FC. Unfortunately, Rio doesn’t want to be England captain.

If that wasn’t enough race-related football news for you, a 29-year old football fan by the name of Peter Copeland, who looks a bit like Mike Ashley if the Toon owner had a beard and a bit more hair, pleaded guilty to breaching the Malicious Communications Act by tweeting racist comments on social networking site Twitter. His punishment for referring to Newcastle United as the “Coon Army,” in an unwitty observation of “the number of darkies” in Pardew’s side is likely to be punished, on the Chairman of the Bench’s advice, with just “medium level community order,” after the excuse of Copeland’s defence was that, “he never intended his comments to reach a worldwide audience.” We can expect the same for John Terry then, right?

In what I have been assured was not, in any way, a race-fuelled hate act, Emmanuel Frimpong has been ruled out until at least the beginning of next season, just five games in to his loan spell at Wolves. With twenty-four minutes on the clock, two of the four classical elements combined in a strictly nonracist way, to ensure Frimpong was Frimponged: the earth provided the passive force and the wind provided the active force, resulting in the on-loan Arsenal midfielder damaging his anterior cruciate ligament. In failing to understand the numerical measure of, “on the scale of 1 to 10,” Mick McCarthy summed up the likelihood of a serious injury, before scans confirmed it, with: “On a scale of one to 10 I have got no idea.” Typically, Mick was correct and had no idea.

Like I said, in a fully cyclical kind of way, Luis Suarez’s return is timely.

“Whatever I said, whatever I did, I didn’t mean it,” sung Luis Suarez as he returned back for good: well he didn’t but it would’ve been better than his half-hearted apology back in January and Patrice Evra would take that. How much Suarez has actually been missed is unclear: whilst the win ratios are acutely indifferent, separated by just 1% in the Suarezless Liverpool side’s favour at 55.55%, this is much down to the return of Steven Gerrard, which coincided with Suarez’s ban starting, and the partnership the captain has struck with Andy Carroll. Gerrard’s ability to being Carroll into the game has made the #9 look likely to finally settle into his own at Liverpool; in the Uruguayan’s absence. At the time of writing, Bellamy had leapfrogged Luis Suarez as Liverpool’s top scorer with six goals, whilst the former Ajax star sat in the seat Gerrard did for the best part of a year, in a straight swap for the Reds captain.

With two domestic cups still left to fight for, the feisty Uruguayan will be essential to Liverpool’s success this season: a fifth round tie at Anfield against the Championship’s own Uruguayan led outfit, Brighton and Hove Albion is on the horizon and a week later, on the 26^th of February, the Carling Cup Final awaits Suarez and his team.

Whether his impact is felt in terms of goals and assists will only be determined between now and the end of the season: however, for many Liverpool fans, it is a welcome boost to a side feeling the benefits of the return of their captain, the doggedness of Craig Bellamy and the long-awaited form of Andy Carroll.

Whatever is thought of him off the pitch, Suarez will prove his worth on it.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/
For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit 

Liverpool created a monster and nobody wanted to see Luis Suarez anymore: however, in a fully cyclical kind of way, his return is as timely as a man with his finger delicately tapping his watch whilst ferociously chewing gum and looking at a man bewildered with the power his electronic board holds; this man is Sir Alex Ferguson.

As well as it being appropriate that he returns now, what with him having served his eight-match ban for racist abuse/ignorance of meaning and connotation/poor use of inter-linguistics – circle as you see fit or feel politically, socially or morally inclined to do so – towards Patrice Evra, it is also well-timed because we haven’t had racism and football instigating atmospheric pressure inside a teacup for a whole twenty-four hours.

The weekend served us well with its regular reminders that the modern game is fast becoming typical of the slap head fan of the 1970s donning a Shearling sheepskin jacket looking rather like English Frank, condemning all gays, blacks, women and children out of the game.

Firstly, Rio Ferdinand made the mistake of playing centre-back for Manchester United in a game against a club involved in a Crown Prosecution case, in the form of its team captain – although no longer the England captain, unless you’re Fabio Capello and then he’s still not the England captain in the physical form but possibly in spirit – John Terry. His punishment for such a crime, of course by means of being the brother of an alleged victim of racist abuse, was a chorus of boos from the Chelsea crowd. Yet, in true captain material, Ferdinand revealed it was “like fuel” to him, inspiring his side to emphatically come back from three goals down to Juan Mata ft. 10 other alleged footballers FC. Unfortunately, Rio doesn’t want to be England captain.

If that wasn’t enough race-related football news for you, a 29-year old football fan by the name of Peter Copeland, who looks a bit like Mike Ashley if the Toon owner had a beard and a bit more hair, pleaded guilty to breaching the Malicious Communications Act by tweeting racist comments on social networking site Twitter. His punishment for referring to Newcastle United as the “Coon Army,” in an unwitty observation of “the number of darkies” in Pardew’s side is likely to be punished, on the Chairman of the Bench’s advice, with just “medium level community order,” after the excuse of Copeland’s defence was that, “he never intended his comments to reach a worldwide audience.” We can expect the same for John Terry then, right?

In what I have been assured was not, in any way, a race-fuelled hate act, Emmanuel Frimpong has been ruled out until at least the beginning of next season, just five games in to his loan spell at Wolves. With twenty-four minutes on the clock, two of the four classical elements combined in a strictly nonracist way, to ensure Frimpong was Frimponged: the earth provided the passive force and the wind provided the active force, resulting in the on-loan Arsenal midfielder damaging his anterior cruciate ligament. In failing to understand the numerical measure of, “on the scale of 1 to 10,” Mick McCarthy summed up the likelihood of a serious injury, before scans confirmed it, with: “On a scale of one to 10 I have got no idea.” Typically, Mick was correct and had no idea.

Like I said, in a fully cyclical kind of way, Luis Suarez’s return is timely.

“Whatever I said, whatever I did, I didn’t mean it,” sung Luis Suarez as he returned back for good: well he didn’t but it would’ve been better than his half-hearted apology back in January and Patrice Evra would take that. How much Suarez has actually been missed is unclear: whilst the win ratios are acutely indifferent, separated by just 1% in the Suarezless Liverpool side’s favour at 55.55%, this is much down to the return of Steven Gerrard, which coincided with Suarez’s ban starting, and the partnership the captain has struck with Andy Carroll. Gerrard’s ability to being Carroll into the game has made the #9 look likely to finally settle into his own at Liverpool; in the Uruguayan’s absence. At the time of writing, Bellamy had leapfrogged Luis Suarez as Liverpool’s top scorer with six goals, whilst the former Ajax star sat in the seat Gerrard did for the best part of a year, in a straight swap for the Reds captain.

With two domestic cups still left to fight for, the feisty Uruguayan will be essential to Liverpool’s success this season: a fifth round tie at Anfield against the Championship’s own Uruguayan led outfit, Brighton and Hove Albion is on the horizon and a week later, on the 26^th of February, the Carling Cup Final awaits Suarez and his team.

Whether his impact is felt in terms of goals and assists will only be determined between now and the end of the season: however, for many Liverpool fans, it is a welcome boost to a side feeling the benefits of the return of their captain, the doggedness of Craig Bellamy and the long-awaited form of Andy Carroll.

Whatever is thought of him off the pitch, Suarez will prove his worth on it.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/
For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit 

“John Terry: it never ends for that man.” That was one England fan’s viewpoint on the latest episode in the current miniseries of the John Terry debacle that typifies the fiascos that have ghosted his career.  The quote appears somewhat sympathetic to the dethroned ex-England skipper, but it is not: it’s a polite euphemism - highlighting his knack for being in the wrong place or saying/doing the wrong thing at the wrong time - which the Chelsea captain doesn’t deserve.

 If he did, which I don’t think he does, deserve any co-operation and support from footballing’s governing bodies, he didn’t get it: typical of the F.A., inconsistency and inefficiency was on display again. While Luis Suarez received an eight-match ban for his racist abuse of Patrice Evra, John Terry had his case passed onto the Crown Prosecution Service: but why? How can two similar acts be treated vastly different?

Secondly, the F.A have now, unintentionally I am assured, cast a moody and delicate backlight to England’s preparation for and participation in the European Championships 2012 by removing John Terry as the captain of The Three Lions as a result of his case not being heard until after the competition. It was inevitable and necessary to remove Terry from his position, but it could have been better dealt with considering the F.A’s initial tacit support for the centre-back, with him making the squad for November’s friendlies with European and World Champions Spain, and Sweden days later in which John Terry captained the side having been an unused substitute in the 1-0 win over Spain.

If, like Rodney Hinds suggests in The Guardian, Luis Suarez’s ban had restored English football’s credibility, then the management of the John Terry case and the sub story of England’s captaincy has partly undone that, as the rest of Europe look on and yet again wonder why we place such importance on it: a sentiment echoed by Fabio Capello.

However, we do and a new captain must be instated and the decision must be carefully considered: but who stands a chance of wearing the elastic strapping round their bicep, providing a vocal presence and leading by example?

Steven Gerrard – The Obvious Choice

The Liverpool captain is a natural leader: he leads by example on the pitch and has been an ever-present in the England squad under four different managers since his debut in 2000 under Kevin Keegan, whilst in the Premier League, he captains Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool side.

Having captained England in their last major tournament, South Africa’s World Cup 2010, and leading The Three Lions out for the beginning of their qualifying campaign for this summer’s European Championship, Gerrard is the obvious choice.

However, he’s often been overlooked for senior positions within the England hierarchy: but with Rio Ferdinand ruling himself out of the captaincy, Steven Gerrard has become the obvious choice pitted against an out of favour Frank Lampard as the most experienced players in the England camp.

Ultimately, some may see the Liverpool captain as a regressive step for England as there is no guarantee that he will start this summer. Whilst, he unquestionably has the drive, commitment and direction to make a sufficient captain, it would be a temporary solution to a long term problem: at 31 and with England undergoing a transition, with numerous talented youngsters on the verge of regular starting positions, it is unlikely that the scouser will be in the 2014 World Cup team and the captaincy could be better appointed to a player that will be in the foundations of the side over the next decade. However, with Capello set to leave after the Euros, a new manager will have the ability to state a new captain anyway and no one would begrudge him so: Gerrard is the obvious choice this summer.

Joe Hart – The Choice of Potential

With Joe Hart in the side, England are unbeaten: yet, frustratingly for most England fans, the 24-year old shot stopper didn’t play in South Africa. Since then he has grasped his chance with both gloved hands, building on the three substitute appearances he had prior to the World Cup.

With his 6’5 figure filling the England goal, The Three Lions are yet to lose and he was one of only two players to feature in every game of 2011, guaranteeing himself, bar injury, the #1 jersey for Poland & Ukraine. Furthermore he is the only player to go 14 games unbeaten for England since ’96. In 9 starts in 2011, Hart conceded just six times: his goalkeeping exploits surely warrants responsibility and inspiration from the back can only channel positivity forward to the front.

In giving the captaincy to someone young, yet established, that will be in the team for years to come, yet already with experience and someone likeable and professional, yet as talented and determined on the pitch, is forward thinking; and with Gerrard, Ferdinand, Lampard and Cole all expected to be in the Euro squad, the presence and voice of experience will still be felt and heard.

He is assured a place in an England side that has few guaranteed starters nowadays and so far, the media has been kind to Hart – something England captains are rarely benefactors of. Whilst some outdated sceptics would err on the side of caution giving the captaincy to a ‘keeper, Joe Hart has the longevity needed for stability and is the choice of potential.

Wayne Rooney – The Choice of Naivety

Picking Wayne Rooney would prove: England never learns from history, at least in footballing terms; the same mistakes will be made again and that football still rates practical authority (authority through status), over theoretical authority (authority through expertise).  Appointing Wayne Rooney as captain would not surprise me: appointing him as captain would be typical of England and would fail to address the problems we have had with captains since David Beckham led the nation with pride, passion and professionalism on and off the pitch.

However, as always with the English footballing fraternity of fans, a methodology of working in extremes is at play: for every fan that would deem it wise and a curb on Rooney’s behaviour if he was appointed, there is another that declares he is not even worthy of a place in the England side and should be cast aside with the other players considered dead weight – Gerrard, Lampard and Cole - by fans with clearly no appreciation of skill and talent and a lack of realisation that chemistry is built over time with consistency – something England have lacked.

The case with Rooney is that his talent is tarnished by his petulance and responsibility cannot fall into dirty hands. Yet, there is still time for Rooney to change as a player, like Joey Barton has done, and now performs his role as captain for Q.P.R. expertly.

As it stands, Rooney is our most talented striker and when he is at his best, he competes with the finest players in the world for individual talent: appointing him captain could be the unnecessary burden that could tip him over the edge on a more frequent basis than he is already inclined to do. It could, however, curtail his petulance. The ban has already effectively ruled him out of candidacy: however, Rooney remains the choice of naivety.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

You wouldn’t have put money on it: or maybe, if you’re my cousin, you would have placed a £2.00 bet, with odds of 50/1, on a 3-3 draw. The final score was hardly ideal for either side: however, Manchester United haven’t cracked Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the past ten years and when Chelsea went three goals to the good with forty minutes left to play, to take a solitary point was unthinkable. Yet it happened.

It was the first time in Chelsea’s Premier League history that they’d let a three goal lead slip, exactly a year to the day after Arsenal had let a four goal lead slip to this season’s surprise package Newcastle United. Yet, in an unexpected sort of way, the result wasn’t as surprising as one may’ve thought: this season, Premier League fixtures between last season’s top four have reaped an average of 5.25 goals per game.

Three factors were at play to ensure that Manchester United will push Manchester City all the way in the fight for the title:

Persistence and Determination

Ultimately, what Rio Ferdinand described as a “Man Utd never say die attitude” display, is what was needed to compete in a hotly contested duel in which The Red Devils eventually came out as the dominant side in a game with no winner.

Dominating possession and converting their chances was the gilded difference between a Manchester United side that looked dead as the third goal was headed in by Brazilian centre-back David Luiz, and a Chelsea side that, on paper, looked as weak as they had done in such a clash with Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Ashley Cole all out together for the first time in 4 years.

For Sir Alex Ferguson, it was a game that “epitomises what English football’s about,” and it went to prove that, despite failing to win, Manchester United will fight City all the way for the Premier League title.

At three goals down, with debatably two own goals scored – although the second was accredited to David Luiz, and with Chelsea’s fans providing another unwanted sub-story to the game, with a chorus of boos akin to the treatment Patrice Evra received at Anfield, United’s season was near the potential point of no return.

If, like the form book would’ve led one to believe, and Chelsea had gone on to win the game, it would’ve been Manchester United’s third loss to a top seven side, in all competitions, in 2012 alone. Furthermore, with Manchester City convincingly beating Fulham 3-0 yesterday, the gap between the top two would’ve remained at three points.

Some were expecting a repeat of the 6-1 defeat Manchester City had inflicted on United last year.

David de Gea

“When you make a mistake at United, it is highlighted and can be exaggerated a little bit,” commented Sir Alex Ferguson on the criticism received by his Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea prior to the game and at three down, the hate brigade was well and truly in full swing. However, in palming shots away and punching balls out of the box, despite the score line, the Spanish ‘keeper proved his critics wrong.

For many, and wrongly so, de Gea is considered the chink in United’s armour and, in the extremist’s view, including Piers Morgan, the worst goalkeeper in the Premier League: however, the statistics would beg to differ and in the aftermath of the game, the Spaniard’s saves-to-shots ratio was 77% and the fourth best in the league, whereas Petr Cech’s stood at 65%, pitting him as the worst in the league. Whilst I don’t believe either are anywhere near the worst in the league, de Gea outshone Petr Cech with his emphatic save to stop a tremendous effort from fellow countryman Juan Mata.

The blend of experience and youth

Although the game was tainted by the continuous drone of boos for Rio Ferdinand, something Andre Villas-Boas seemed to palm off as a “normal situation in the Premier League,” which would confirm Ollie Holt’s views of a “resurgence of racist attitudes in the English game,” it did prove there is still life in the old dog yet, literally.

Thirty-eight year old Ryan Giggs was at the heart of everything creative for Manchester United, producing six goal-scoring opportunities for the visiting side, which was more than any other player on the pitch with Mata and Malouda coming closest with four each. Paul Scholes, 37, came on with the deficit still at two and with the two most experienced players on the pitch making up half of United’s midfield four; a comeback was mounted.

The value of experience, absent in the Chelsea side with the aforementioned four all missing, continued to shine through for United: Carrick, 30, pulled the strings in midfield, coming in as their top passer with 76, 23 more than Chelsea’s highest passer Raul Meireles, and Rio Ferdinand, 33, was the most accurate distributor on the pitch with an 89% pass completion rate.

With experience bossing the midfield, ably assisted by the unfazed Rio Ferdinand, it was left to the youth upfront to convert Manchester United’s chances. With a 69% success rate of shots to shots on target and a 33% goal ratio from shots on target, both better than Chelsea’s return, Danny Welbeck, Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez ensured Manchester United could fight back from a steep deficit to earn a point.  The former earned the penalty that saw Rooney score and the lattermost completed the comeback, having seen Rooney score the second. It was typical of Hernandez to score the equaliser, with 10 of his 21 Premier League goals coming in the last ten minutes and 11 of them coming from within the six-yard box.

**************************

Chelsea have now drawn their last three games, picking up three from an available nine, leaving them sitting in 4^th, six, and possibly nine if Tottenham beat Liverpool, points off of 3^rd place. Had they won all three, they’d currently be level with Tottenham.

A Premier League title now looks out of the question for Andre Villas-Boas’s Chelsea.

However, one positive from a game which will definitely go down as two points lost, was David Luiz. Today’s performance saw him win 100% of his aerial battles and 87.5% of his ground battles, whilst winning every challenge he made. Although he was debatably at fault for Manchester United’s equaliser, he’s becoming more disciplined as the season goes on and AVB can only hope for a stronger defensive display from next season’s Chelsea than the one he has witnessed this season. Cahill will go some way to ensuring that.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/
For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit 

Nikica Jelavic has more than just his position as a striker in common with Jordan Rhodes, Salomon Kalou, Nicky Maynard, Ricardo Vaz Te and even Carlos Tevez: he was linked with West Ham during the January Transfer Window. However, unlike Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard, who signed for The Hammers on deadline day, Jelavic didn’t join the current Championship table toppers and headed to Premier League club Everton, for a fee of £5m. For Everton, it completed a successful transfer window, which saw Steven Pienaar re-join his former employers much like Landon Donovan – both on loan – and Darron Gibson sign a four-and-a-half-year deal, as well.

The signing marked the first over £1m for Everton since signing Jonny Heitinga for £6.2m in the 2009 summer transfer window, which was the last of many expensive signings Everton made since Wayne Rooney’s departure in 2004. His move made The Toffees £25m in and David Moyes went on to smash Everton’s transfer record 4 times in as many years, spending over £40m on James Beattie, Andrew Johnson, Aiyegbeni Yakubu and Marouane Fellaini. Moyes’ ability to spend led to Champions League qualification in 2005, and UEFA Cup runs in the 07/08 season and 08/09 season, as well as an F.A. Cup Final appearance in 2009, finishing runners up to Chelsea. Last year’s finish of 7^th didn’t look like it could be replicated this season, with many players hinting at a small playing team and no money to bolster it; however, an impressive January, on and off the pitch, has the ability to push Everton up the league and firing them in said direction will be Nikica Jelavic.

1. “I will do my best to score many goals”
   
   When you buy a striker the minimum you would expect from them is goals: it is their job; it is what they’re paid to do and it is what wins games. So, when Jelavic announced that he will “score many goals” Everton fans breathed a sigh of relief in unison; but, when he added further weight to the burden on his back to fire Everton to a respectable Premier League finish, by declaring that he will score “goals, goals and more goals,” in an extravagant exclamation of his finishing ability, Everton fans would be forgiven for taking his promise with a pinch of salt. 
   
   Presuming that goals – whilst also presuming Jelavic has a firm grasp on the English language – means at least two, we can expect that, by stating he will score, “goals, goals and more goals”, Everton will see their new Croatian striker score at least 6 goals. That’s excellent news considering their current top scorer this season is their left-back, Leighton Baines, with four. Seriously, however, Jelavic knows where the goal is, joining Everton on the back of a goals to game ratio of 0.65 goals per game throughout his entire Rangers career. Everton fans will be hoping Jelavic’s talk is symptomatic of his walk.
   
   

   

    
   
   
2. Another International Player
   
   Everton’s squad, a squad that club chief executive Robert Elstone had to defend, stating that “this is not an ageing, threadbare squad, portrayed by some as amongst the weakest in the Premier League” is indeed, not the weakest in the Premier League; in fact, if clubs were to be ranked by the number of active internationals in their first team, Everton would have the 20^th strongest side in Europe and the 8^th strongest in England’s top flight. However, there are the obvious arguments against this measure, as Celtic prove by ranking in as the 4^th strongest side in Europe. Yet, a quick glance at Everton’s side shows that the standard and quality at which their international players are amongst and up against, gives weight to the argument that Everton’s team – made up by 50% of active international players – is a strong one and the four signings made in January only boost this figure from 50% to 57%.
   
   Whilst Jelavic’s international goal-scoring record isn’t quite as prolific as his exploits in Britain – but still more fruitful than Emile Heskey’s, as well as every regular Everton striker so far this season – he’s part of a promising Croatian side that could cause an upset in Euro 2012, having beaten Turkey 3-0 over two legs in the play offs and joins countrymen Luka Modric, Nico Kranjcar and Ivan Klasnic in the Premier League. It’s something that pleases David Moyes too: “he will also want to play for Croatia in the European Championship so hopefully that will keep his form good, keep him hungry to score and play well.” 
   
   

   

    
   
   
3. “It is a big thing for me, a step forward”
   
   His ambition matches his stature; a height of 6’2 sees him befitting of the Everton striker of late, with Victor Anichebe, Apostolos Vellios and Denis Stracqualursi all coming in at six feet three inches. However, his ambition could keep him, one inch shorter than his contemporaries, head and shoulders above them: “the Premier League is something on a higher level and I hope it will be good for me. I don’t think I will need time to settle.” For many players making the move across the border, it is often one that comes with much scepticism; the standards of the SPL is a hot topic season after season and many football fans deem the Premier League far superior and the step up is sometimes too much, but Jelavic recognises this: “The Scottish Premier League is not as high a level as here in England but I think it will help a lot as it is not so much a big difference.”
   
   Undoubtedly, fans will be hoping his ability on the pitch is as prominent as his ambition and David Moyes’, a former SPL player, was well-placed to make the decision. Ultimately though, the value of Jelavic to Everton and the astuteness of the signing will become prevalent as Jelavic advances through the years he is contracted to: “In the four and a half years of my contract, I have time to learn.” Hopefully, he’ll adjust as quickly as he feels he will; score as regularly as he’s promised and satisfy the ambition he declares so strongly. For Everton’s sake he knows he has to, “I know [David Moyes] expects a lot from me and I can promise to do my best and score lots of goals.”

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/
For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit 

A 10^th place finish last season, on face value, was an improvement for Sunderland: it marked the third successive season that The Black Cats had climbed up the Premier League end of season standings, having finished 13^th in the 2009/10 campaign and 16^th the season before.

With their Premier League status well and truly consolidated and going into their fifth consecutive season in the English top flight with a whole host of new signings, a top half finish was expected and when, thirteen games into the season, Sunderland were within two points of the relegation zone, former Sunderland defender told BBC Radio 5 live that “everybody’s expectations were for the top 10 this season and we are nowhere near that.”

However, considering that Sunderland had lost Darren Bent, Danny Welbeck and Asamoah Gyan up front, as well as the continued injury-inflicted absence of Frazier Campbell, and furthermore, Jordan Henderson departing for Liverpool having had a barnstorming second season in the first team, contributing with three goals, five assists and appearing in 13 clean sheet results, was a top half finish as elementary as some would have led us to believe?

Well maybe not, yet Steve Bruce’s return was simply not good enough: his win ratio had become pitiful, averaging at 30% over his entire Sunderland stint, but dropping severely to just half of that figure at 15% for the 2011/12 season, with just two wins in Sunderland’s first 13 games. Falling within two points of the relegation zone was enough for Ellis Short, club owner and chairman, to change the manager at The Stadium of Light and Steve Bruce was sacked having lost to the club he left Sunderland for just over two years ago: Wigan Athletic.    

Martin O’Neill was instantly made the odds-on favourite to replace the former Wigan manager and three days later the ex-Villa boss was at the helm of his childhood English club and the passion was immediately displayed, galvanising a wallowing Sunderland side that imminently climbed the league in an impressive run of results, including the 1-0 win over league leaders Manchester City.

O’Neill’s return to management, little over a year after leaving Aston Villa, has been as romantic as it has rewarding and as seductive as it has been successful: they’ve dropped just seven points in the Premier League since the Northern Irish boss took charge in Wearside and then, they’ve only been dropped to the top four’s Tottenham and Chelsea and David Moyes’ Everton. Furthermore, his success with fellow countryman James McClean, signed by Bruce in the summer transfer window for £350k, has been pivotal in Sunderland’s turnaround.

The synergy of the Northern Irish manager and his compatriot has instigated Sunderland’s turnaround, which at current places them in 8^th place on 30 points – about as high as they could be expected to ever be right now, considering the gap to 7^th stands at seven points. McClean, aged 22, has already repaid his boss for breaking him into the first team with a goal and two assists, as well as his part in three clean sheets. However, Martin O’Neill expects much more of the like to come from the former Northern Ireland u-21 international: “He has come in and given us a big lift. He has brought enthusiasm and freshness to the team, as well as a lot of ability down the left-hand side.” His performances, particularly in January, having broken in to the starting line-up in the latter half of December, very timely for the Black Cats, “at the very worst, he has made sure that there is no need to rush out and bring someone in to play in that position,” before establishing that he’s well and truly holding his own destiny: “He has a place in the side now and he can go on and make it his own.”

However, whilst McClean is rightly starting in O’Neill’s prudent line-ups, set up to exploit the oppositions’ weaknesses, fully utilising Stephane Sessegnon in the hole, with the Beninese having hit three goals in three games, as well as laying on a further two, the arrival of Wayne Bridge may have a knock on effect on McClean’s playing time. At current, former Manchester United player Kieran Richardson is performing well at left-back, his secondary position: before Wes Brown was side-lined for a suspected eight-weeks, along with the aforementioned and John O’Shea, The Black Cats had three out of four of their back line from Manchester United and it was proving a strong and formidable line in front of Belgian international, although it was a trio often interrupted by the presence of Phil Bardsley. Now, the presence of Wayne Bridge may provide stiff competition for Kieran Richardson’s left-back slot, which would consequentially pressure McClean for the left-midfield slot.

Most importantly, Martin O’Neill has addressed the defence in the January transfer window shrewdly, signing two defenders of age and Premier League experience in the previously mentioned Manchester City left-back and ex-Liverpool centre back Sotirios Kyrgakios.

December was Martin O’Neill’s second month in charge and it served him well: three wins, most importantly around teams surrounding his side when he took over, a draw and only one loss, to then 3^rd place Tottenham, won the Northern Irish manager his 8^th Manager of the Month award; that places O’Neill behind only Arsene Wenger (11) and Sir Alex Ferguson (26). It had been 14 years since he first won the award, back at Leicester, and since then, he has received the award at all three of the Premier League clubs he has managed.

January served him equally well: three wins, including a triumphant 1-0 win over Manchester City and an emphatic 4-1 hammering of the team that cost Steve Bruce his job, and just one loss to Chelsea.

Sunderland’s turnaround, inspired by their Northern Irish synergic relationship between O’Neill and McClean, is currently as efficiently mounted as could be realistically expected: if O’Neill had won every game he had since taking over, Sunderland would only be one place the better, as is the chasm between the top seven and the rest of the league.

For Sunderland, the goal between now and the end of the season must be to maintain their current position. Last year should serve as a lesson: at the end of January The Black Cats were 6^th and slipped to 10^th with their firepower gone. This time round, Martin O’Neill must capitalise on breaking in to the top ten and satisfy beginning of the season expectations that looked dead before he entered the building.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Harry Redknapp was hot, adjusting his tie and easing the collar that choked his rather saggy neck as it overhung onto his lapel that was trying to present a man as dignifying, despite the fact any dignity he had left was wiped out when his defence of tax evasion was practically illiteracy. Whilst this was all very believable – and becomes more logical when one notices how infrequent Roman Pavlyuchenko is in Spurs’ match day squads having heard Harry tell the courts he can’t “write [and] couldn’t even fill a team sheet in” – it is somewhat disputable considering he writes a column for The Sun. That’s another thing that was hot in the January Transfer Window: the sun.

Not as hot as Harry Redknapp was Roberto Mancini: up until January – ignoring their failure to qualify from the group stages of the Champions League – Manchester City were as hot as Harry Redknapp writing his column for The Sun on the sun; however, since then, they’ve slumped back into a metaphorical armchair from their once proud straight back posture and have begun to go stale. Ivory Coast’s illustrious AFCON campaign so far, which has resulted in three victories, five goals and three clean sheets, isn’t helping matters.

But, which club was hot and which club was not, when it came to the main attraction of the January Transfer Window 2012: signings?

Hot

Everton

When club chief executive Robert Elstone released a blog detailing the club’s finance to a depth in which he felt “no other Premier League club has done before,” the prospect of January transfers any more exciting than £600k Darron Gibson quickly evaporated like beads of sweat on Sir Alex Ferguson’s red forehead when he sees his side score another winning goal in the 567^th minute of injury time.

Yet, when Diniyar Bilyaletdinov left Everton for Spartak Moscow, for what the BBC reported as £5m on January 29^th, it looked as if Everton might be able to buy having sold. With two days left until the Transfer Window slammed shut, consequentially leaving glass shards all over the floor for Wayne Bridge to come along and sweep up as part of his new role as housemaid at The Stadium of Light, The Toffees had to move fast. With the pace of Louis Saha, oh what? He went to Tottenham on a free transfer? Okay, with the pace of Royston Drenthe, Everton sweetened up Tottenham with aforementioned French goal machine – if 2000/01 was yesterday – making financial space on their wage budget for ex-Everton winger Steven Pienaar, leaving White Lane through the door still swinging from Saha’s arrival and entering through the equally moving entrance at Goodison Park. Then, Everton robbed Rangers and the SPL of their top scorer Nikica Jelavic for a fee of £5.5m. Suddenly, further compounded by their 1-0 victory of Roberto Mancini’s Toure-less Manchester City, Everton look better positioned to equal last year’s finish of 7^th.

Not

Tottenham Hotspurs

Not content with picking on Manchester United as the side that didn’t even reach lukewarm in January – it would be unfair, Fergie isn’t keen on the window of rash decisions – and deciding that Manchester City’s lack of spending is counterbalanced by their superfluous spending of previous windows, I have settled with Tottenham Hotspurs as my team of 0 degrees for transfer activity.

Whilst it would be unfair to simply categorise Spurs as the men with the chilly willies purely because they spent not a single penny on transfer fees – neither of the top three did – the nature of their signings, further highlighted by the transfer activity out of the club, are rather lacklustre.

In Louis Saha, a man who has scored a grand total of 8 goals in 18 months of football, and Ryan Nelsen, the only New Zealander to kick a ball in the Premier League this season and then only in the one appearance he’s been subject to, Harry Redknapp has fully lived up to expectations of being a top quality wheeler-dealer and provider of excitement in the Window, has he not?

No, he hasn’t.

His January activity has seen Spurs sign two players on free transfers with an average age of 33.5-years old: it sounds a bit like the January window you’d expect of a spotty teenager with poor financial control of his Football Manager career. Further mystifying, is the related transfer activity elsewhere at White Hart Lane: in Ryan Nelsen, they’ve signed a defender who is 34 and has only made one appearance this season in a team in the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Vedran Corluka and Sebastien Bassong, also defenders, leave on loan to the Bundesliga and Wolves respectively. Louis Saha is expected to become the cover for the dead on certain departure of Roman Pavlychenko and that could be seen as a justification; however, when Spurs can already boast Emmanuel Adebayor Jermaine Defoe, Cameron Lancaster and have chosen to loan out Harry Kane, it’s hard to find justification for the signing of a striker that spends the majority of the time injured and has only scored one goal this season. As his arrival will undoubtedly stunt Lancaster’s playing time in the first team, a counterintuitive practice as Lancaster will need as much of it as he can get as a young blossoming striker, I can only presume Harry’s signed Saha for the ease of spelling: three letters.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Harry Redknapp was hot, adjusting his tie and easing the collar that choked his rather saggy neck as it overhung onto his lapel that was trying to present a man as dignifying, despite the fact any dignity he had left was wiped out when his defence of tax evasion was practically illiteracy. Whilst this was all very believable – and becomes more logical when one notices how infrequent Roman Pavlyuchenko is in Spurs’ match day squads having heard Harry tell the courts he can’t “write [and] couldn’t even fill a team sheet in” – it is somewhat disputable considering he writes a column for The Sun. That’s another thing that was hot in the January Transfer Window: the sun.

Not as hot as Harry Redknapp was Roberto Mancini: up until January – ignoring their failure to qualify from the group stages of the Champions League – Manchester City were as hot as Harry Redknapp writing his column for The Sun on the sun; however, since then, they’ve slumped back into a metaphorical armchair from their once proud straight back posture and have begun to go stale. Ivory Coast’s illustrious AFCON campaign so far, which has resulted in three victories, five goals and three clean sheets, isn’t helping matters.

But, which club was hot and which club was not, when it came to the main attraction of the January Transfer Window 2012: signings?

Hot

Everton

When club chief executive Robert Elstone released a blog detailing the club’s finance to a depth in which he felt “no other Premier League club has done before,” the prospect of January transfers any more exciting than £600k Darron Gibson quickly evaporated like beads of sweat on Sir Alex Ferguson’s red forehead when he sees his side score another winning goal in the 567^th minute of injury time.

Yet, when Diniyar Bilyaletdinov left Everton for Spartak Moscow, for what the BBC reported as £5m on January 29^th, it looked as if Everton might be able to buy having sold. With two days left until the Transfer Window slammed shut, consequentially leaving glass shards all over the floor for Wayne Bridge to come along and sweep up as part of his new role as housemaid at The Stadium of Light, The Toffees had to move fast. With the pace of Louis Saha, oh what? He went to Tottenham on a free transfer? Okay, with the pace of Royston Drenthe, Everton sweetened up Tottenham with aforementioned French goal machine – if 2000/01 was yesterday – making financial space on their wage budget for ex-Everton winger Steven Pienaar, leaving White Lane through the door still swinging from Saha’s arrival and entering through the equally moving entrance at Goodison Park. Then, Everton robbed Rangers and the SPL of their top scorer Nikica Jelavic for a fee of £5.5m. Suddenly, further compounded by their 1-0 victory of Roberto Mancini’s Toure-less Manchester City, Everton look better positioned to equal last year’s finish of 7^th.

Not

Tottenham Hotspurs

Not content with picking on Manchester United as the side that didn’t even reach lukewarm in January – it would be unfair, Fergie isn’t keen on the window of rash decisions – and deciding that Manchester City’s lack of spending is counterbalanced by their superfluous spending of previous windows, I have settled with Tottenham Hotspurs as my team of 0 degrees for transfer activity.

Whilst it would be unfair to simply categorise Spurs as the men with the chilly willies purely because they spent not a single penny on transfer fees – neither of the top three did – the nature of their signings, further highlighted by the transfer activity out of the club, are rather lacklustre.

In Louis Saha, a man who has scored a grand total of 8 goals in 18 months of football, and Ryan Nelsen, the only New Zealander to kick a ball in the Premier League this season and then only in the one appearance he’s been subject to, Harry Redknapp has fully lived up to expectations of being a top quality wheeler-dealer and provider of excitement in the Window, has he not?

No, he hasn’t.

His January activity has seen Spurs sign two players on free transfers with an average age of 33.5-years old: it sounds a bit like the January window you’d expect of a spotty teenager with poor financial control of his Football Manager career. Further mystifying, is the related transfer activity elsewhere at White Hart Lane: in Ryan Nelsen, they’ve signed a defender who is 34 and has only made one appearance this season in a team in the relegation zone. Meanwhile, Vedran Corluka and Sebastien Bassong, also defenders, leave on loan to the Bundesliga and Wolves respectively. Louis Saha is expected to become the cover for the dead on certain departure of Roman Pavlychenko and that could be seen as a justification; however, when Spurs can already boast Emmanuel Adebayor Jermaine Defoe, Cameron Lancaster and have chosen to loan out Harry Kane, it’s hard to find justification for the signing of a striker that spends the majority of the time injured and has only scored one goal this season. As his arrival will undoubtedly stunt Lancaster’s playing time in the first team, a counterintuitive practice as Lancaster will need as much of it as he can get as a young blossoming striker, I can only presume Harry’s signed Saha for the ease of spelling: three letters.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

For much of January, a lot of talking was done and little business; so, it was no different from most windows, granted, but in relative context, there had been far more speculation than realisation compared to last year’s window, which saw a total of £225m spent. At current, just 13% of last year’s total expenditure has been matched, leading some to rashly proclaim UEFA’s financial fair play is taking effect; however, with football, in the majority, ignorant to the financial crisis Europe has been in for the last few windows, spending still didn’t stop or decline.

In fact, last year, the volume of transfers occurring was up 16.6% from 2009 at an average of 10 transfers per club, across the 500 clubs surveyed by the CIES Football Observatory. Undeniably, the new money in Russian football is rather warping this figure, with five of the current top seven clubs in Russia’s Premier League, the fortunate beneficiaries of the plutocrats of their country. This window has been no different: Spartak Moscow, owned by oil billionaire Leonid Fedun, have purchased Everton’s left winger Diniyar “Bily” Bilyaletdinov; and, Balázs Dzsudzsák has made the move from big spenders Anzhi, owned by billionaire Suleyman Kerimov, to Dynamo Moscow, owned by VTB Bank, Russia’s largest bank, on a four-year deal.

1. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov

   Bily will significantly value his move, that came as deadline day ushered closer, with Moyes stating that, “it just didn’t quite work and obviously we’ve decided to sell,” and a move home should ensure Bily can confirm his place in Russia’s 23-man Euro 2012 squad. His two-and-a-half-year stint in England will be best remembered for his goal against Manchester United in a 3-1 over the Red Devils in which he cut inside with the outside of his left boot in a first touch that allowed him to shoot on site, which swerved beautifully into the bottom left-hand corner of Edwin Van Der Sar’s goal. The strike won Everton’s goal of the season.

   The left-midfielder scored nine goals in 77 appearances for The Toffees and joins a side that are currently 4^th in the Champions Group of the Russian Premier League, which continues on the 5^th of March, when Spartak face Rubin Kazan. For Bilyaletdinov, an opportunity to revive a career that was already going stale at 26, following just 523 minutes of football for Everton so far this season: that’s just 24% of the total amount of playing time the Russian could’ve enjoyed. The Lokomotiv youth product will be hoping Spartak treat him well.

   

2. Ryo Miyaichi

   Signed by Arsenal in 2010 having impressed on trial after reaching All Japan High School Soccer Tournament, which was televised across Japan, Miyaichi has been riding the crest of a wave that is Japan’s footballing revolution, which is predicted for big things by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who signed the rapid winger: “In [Japan] they have an aptitude to have a team attitude and a hardworking attitude and I think once they get the education they will produce good players.”

   Much like Jack Wilshere’s loan to Bolton Wanderers exactly two January windows ago, which reaped him 14 appearances and a goal, Miyaichi, as well as Arsenal, will be hoping this loan move until the end of the season will prove his worth in the Premier League – a competition he is yet to play his part in. With Theo Walcott, Gervinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Andrei Arshavin all providing competition on the wing, the Japanese 19-year old will be eager to perform for Bolton in order to impress Arsenal.

   

3. Thomas Eisfeld

   Arsenal didn’t sign who many on ThisisFutbol would’ve preferred: Mario Gotze. However, they signed the next best thing, or the 6^th best thing according to Clark Whitney, Goal.com’s German Football Edtior. That’s the 6^th best thing at Borussia Dortmund, by the way; not the 6^th best attacking midfielder who can also play on either wing or up front and not even the 6^thbest attacking midfielder under 5’11, from Germany and playing in the Bundesliga. He is, though, the perfect Arsenal signing: if perfect means predictable and you’re happy with a Europa League spot at best.

   At £400k he is cheap and thus Arsenal fans can’t rue Wenger spending big with very little to show for it. Yet, his cheap price comes for a reason: an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the latter half of 2009 haltered his progress and at 19-years old, he is yet to feature for any of the German youth sides whilst his Dortmund contemparies, Moritz Leitner and Mario Gotze represent club and country at full-level. Ultimately though, he is talented. Holding down a 0.5 goal per game ratio for Dortmund’s u-19 side, Eisfeld is their second highest goal scorer with six in twelve. A move to Arsenal sees Eisfeld join a side with the best rate of youth development, judged by their 38.5% composition of club-trained players and leave behind a club where his career could’ve stagnated, seeing a potential talent go to waste.
   
    

   

4. Nedum Onuoha

   The move may have been inevitable for more than one reason: at a club which boasts: Micah Richards and Zabaleta at right back; Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure at centre back; Aleksandar Kolorov at left back and even Stefan Savic is preferred over you, you’re game time is going to be limited. Add to that, your chief executive accidently e-mails your mother, who is also your agent, a message in which her cancer is distastefully discussed and you have a perfect recipe for a move away. A move that reunites Nedum Onuoha with Mark Hughes, who managed him at Manchester City.

   With 15 A* GCSES and 5 A-Levels at A-grade, you could say Nedum Onuoha is a bright signing. Furthermore, you can add “astute” to the list of adjectives that could be used to describe this capture for Queens Park Rangers. With Mark Hughes at the helm, Q.P.R have moved quickly to secure the players needed to ensure promotion and build for an establishment of Premier League credentials. In buying players that have working experience with the manager, Q.P.R are setting themselves up well. Having just 10 minutes of PL football under his belt this season, a move was essential for this 25-year old.
   
   

   

     

5. Wayne Bridge

   Now, I refuse to jump on a bandwagon and rip into Wayne Bridge and not just because he is from the same postcode as me. In Wayne Bridge, you have a player who was England’s second choice left back: fact. However, you then had England’s second best left back at the same club as England’s best left back and, understandly, game time for Wayne Bridge dried up. Then, Manchester City, who haphazardly bought many a player in three consecutive seasons, bought Wayne Bridge as well as two other left backs. As much as you can criticise the wage bill he brings home, you cannot criticise a player that turns up to training every day, scores the highest on fitness tests time and time again at Manchester City and patiently awaits a chance to leave for a club he wants to.

   For Wayne Bridge, Martin O’Neill could not be a better manager to aid the resurrection of a career that has become the butt of retirement jokes and lambasted as “mercenary.” His spell at West Ham wasn’t the best, but West Ham was far from ideal in management or performance last season. In joining Sunderland, Bridge has no excuses for poor performances: the management and performances of late are nothing short of superb.

   

   Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/
   For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit 

Senegal’s striker saturated 23-man squad for Equatorial Guinea and Gabon’s Africa Cup of Nations was destined for greatness and it could’ve served Newcastle United well – breaking in a Demba synergy partnership: The Toon have the strike force of a re-emerging nation, from a continent predicted to win the World Cup soon rather than later – and that still might be the case – but Senegal’s performances certainly wouldn’t have befitted that prediction of Brazilian legend Pele.

The Demba duo form a potent strike force that is the beacon of a fledging Senegal side inspired by youth, vibrancy and most importantly, attack: yet the fledging side failed and flopped, proving the Teranga Lions are yet to restore their roar - despite all three of their main strikers being linked with, or in fact completing big money moves this window -  Copper Bullets can kill, monetary bonuses from the President’s son can inspire Nzalang to qualify past the group stages and political unrest and a successive revolution can unite 23 men to the extent of 4-points greater than a side with a £30m strike force.

Ba left Tyneside on his most productive run of form: 15 goals in his last 15 appearances for The Magpies and a December that earned the former fellow Bundesliga striker the Premier League’s Player of the Month Award. His parting gift was an assist and a goal for Newcastle that earned them their first three points of 2012 at the first attempt and their 4^th, 5^th and 6^th point out of the past nine. His returning gift is a partnership that has previously only lived on the international stage and could prove to be the formidable catalyst for the maintenance of Newcastle’s impressive season so far. However, for Cisse and Ba, the Africa Cup of Nations was as dry as the savannahs and summed up neatly, as pointless.

In the absence of Demba Ba, who signed for The Toon on a free transfer having activated a clause in his West Ham contract, Newcastle won one of their two Premier League games and did the same in the F.A. Cup, going out to second-tier Brighton and Hove Albion, despite Pardew stating that he was willing to rest players in the league for the benefit of the cup: “I just think it is the second biggest competition we can win, the biggest is the league and the chances of us winning that with the funds we have against some of the top clubs makes if very very difficult,” before justifying his ambition for the Budweiser sponsored cup, “the Cup levels the playing field and gives us an opportunity of winning a trophy and getting into Europe. If players from whatever country, cannot grasp that, then it is my job that they do.”

Yet, his Senegalese strike force, which combined only has one game’s worth of experience in the competition, now won’t get the opportunity to understand this most historic cup competition. The pointless absence of Demba Ba must now be made up for in the closing months if Newcastle are to qualify for Europe.

Without him, Newcastle stagnated: in their two Premier League games – the 1-0 victory against a Q.P.R side in the acquaintance of a new manager cannot mask Newcastle’s lack of penetration – Alan Pardew’s men have looked disorganised and disorientated in lacking the 6’2 Ba leading the front line and Cheick Tiote underpinning the midfield. In his absence, Newcastle recorded 24 shots in the Premier League, scoring just three. With Ba present – using the 2-game period prior to his departure, which recorded the same amount of points – The Toon’s shot conversion rate doubled and more to 27%.

The problem, when lacking Ba, isn’t a lack of chances created – in fact that went up without Ba, probably due to a dependency of goals now absent, by 60% – it is a lack of potency: Demba Ba possesses the best shot conversion rate in the Premier League 31% - and when he’s wearing the #19 shirt, he drags United’s potency up with him.

Yet, Demba Ba’s international duty was pointless in more way than one: as well as failing to accumulate a single point in Equatorial Guinea, something which even Sudan managed to do after a 36-year wait since their last, Senegal failed to see either of Newcastle United’s strikers score. Senegal scored a goal a game – unfortunately they conceded two per game, too – yet, N’Doye and Fenerbahce’s new signing Moussa Sow, were the scorers of the three, with the former getting two. Demba Papiss Cisse failed to score. Demba Ba failed to score.

Although between the two of them they failed to hit the back of the net, they were limited by playing time, inevitable considering the team was top heavy: out of a possible 270 minutes they duet could’ve played together, they completed just 81 minutes on the pitch together. Ba was a starter in each and every game, Papiss started just one and came on as a substitute in the other two games and their third high profile striker, Moussa Sow, made just one start too; however, he was able to capitalise in his share of game time and scored off the bench in their penultimate game. Their time together was further impeded when, in the last game, Ba was replaced by his Toon teammate.

Sow has completed a four-and-a-half-year move to Fenerbahce for £8.4m and last season’s top scorer of Ligue 1, in a Lille side boasting Eden Hazard and Joe Cole in support of the Senegalese, alluded to the possibility that Arsenal and Liverpool, stating that, “there were many clubs interested,” but the Turkish side was “the club [he] really wanted.” One thing that is clear is that he left on bad terms, “I could have stayed [but] when I read that the president said “he was greedy” it hurts.”

But my immediate concern, however, will be for Papiss as he will be a direct influence of the betterment of the English game and Demba Ba’s highest praise of Cisse has inspired great belief into his countryman. Describing his new strike partner as a “proper goal-scorer” in what I can only imagine is an audacious attack at Javier Hernandez who finds it difficult to score from more than 6-yards, or perhaps even a cheeky dig at Nwankwo Kanu who ran onto and scored from a throw-in back to the ‘keeper shortly into his stint at Arsenal, Ba insisted that “[he and Cisse] are going to do everything for [Newcastle] and forget about what has happened [at the AFCON].”

The question is, will Cisse feature in Wednesday’s clash against Blackburn in which Alan Pardew will be hoping to regain the momentum lost after two straight defeats. In their absence, Newcastle oversaw Blackburn 2-1 in the F.A Cup; however, since then, the clinical edge has been lost and The Toon will be hoping the Demba synergy will burst into life that was void in Equatorial Guinea.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

He’s slightly renowned for his controversy: he’s a man that can fall to the ground admirably – if it was a re-enactment of a battle scene from the Somme and not an Ivorian footballer putting his hand to Barton’s head – and plead he was punched in order to see the aforementioned sent off; yet, when he stands within centre metres of another footballer and moves his forehead forwards, he’s aggrieved that play-acting has got him sent off.

However, his controversy can be as unwanted and ugly as it is welcomed and warranted. Football is just a game and therefore, for argument’s sake, I can overlook his double standards on the pitch, when he is addressing other’s double standards off the pitch.

Take the F.A. for example: a weekend or two ago, Joey Barton tweeted his predictions for the weekend’s football games and a letter from The F.A. shortly followed, which provoked this response from my favourite well-read Scouse, who holds the Nineteen Eighty-Four author in high regard: “hopefully [the F.A.] stop trying to be an Orwellian organisation and get to grips with the change that’s happening in the world around them.” The last eight words of that stinging tweet are specifically poignant.

The F.A. had written to Barton, in what the Q.P.R. midfielder described as his, “weekly warning letter from FA headquarters, this time regarding tweeting about predicting the weekends’ Manchester double.” The F.A. issued a reply to Barton’s tweets: “He can treat our correspondence as he wishes. We’re not going to give any legs to his thoughts. He’s entitled to have an opinion,” making it perfectly clear the F.A. remains an organisation swathed in double standards and contradictions, in stating Joey Barton is entitled to his opinion, despite writing a letter to him over him having an opinion.

Yet, people like, or at least with the mentality of, Barton are what The F.A. needs: straight talkers.

On January 30^th, BBC Three televised a documentary entitled Britain’s Gay Footballers, presented by Amal Fashanu; however, since Amal’s uncle, Justin Fashanu, there have been no gay footballers in Britain. At least, there are no openly gay footballers in Britain. There are only two openly gay professional footballers in the entire world and when the man’s game is portrayed in the manner it is, it is hardly surprising.

Justin Fashanu was the last openly gay footballer in Britain and he ultimately paid the price: he came out in 1990 and within 8 years, having been accused of sexual assault, unfounded, he was dead. He took his own life. He couldn’t take the pressure, the abuse and the attitudes he had to face on a daily basis.

Now, The F.A. are launching a four-year scheme to increase the participation of homosexual footballers at grassroots levels, to break the taboo, remove the discrimination and provide the support necessary for gay footballers.

Joey Barton believes the 11 gay footballers in the Premier League, alluded to by Max Clifford who said he’s enforced injunctions on behalf of players scared of their sexuality becoming publicly known, have not come out because, “certain managers will discriminate,” echoing the sentiment expressed by Brian Clough, who managed Justin Fashanu: ““Where do you go if you want a loaf of bread?’ I asked [Fashanu]. ‘A baker’s, I suppose.’ ‘Where do you go if you want a leg of lamb?’ ‘A butcher’s.’ ‘So why do you keep going to that bloody poofs’ club?’”

A lot can be said of that quotation alone: “bloody poofs’ club” displays a clear disdain for homosexuality, through the use of the expletive “bloody” and the use of “poof” a slang word, is defined as an offensive known used to describe an effeminate or homosexual man. Yet, in the 21^st century, why is such homophobia – defined as the irrational fear and hatred of those who love and sexually desire those of the same sex – prevalent?

Well, as blogger Rob Casey implies in his January 19^th piece, it comes down from the top and right the way through to the bottom, when he says that FIFA are, “clearly in tune with the average football fan: In the 1970s.”

Yet, what more is to be expected of FIFA?

Unlike general society, which has an active thought control process – what Orwell would call Newspeak – enforced by the government and more commonly known as PC, football seemingly delicately avoids the wrath of PC with a deft touch, clever feint and swift step-over.

Whilst there is a precedent set for equal rights and respect in wider society, the precedent for behaviour in football is set by its president Sepp Blatter, and in this case, it is neatly summed up with this quote, “[homosexual fans] should refrain from any sexual activities [in Qatar – the hosts of the 2022 World Cup.]”

Of this topic, the president - also infamous for suggesting female footballers should wear snugger clothing, “Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball - they could, for example, have tighter shorts,” choosing to mark females with the definite article “the,” – went on to state that “there shall not be any discrimination against any human beings, being on this side or that side, left or right or whatever.”

His failure to directly address homosexuals, instead circling the issue, “this side or that side, left or right or whatever” purely emphasizes the taboo nature of the topic: the president can’t even muster the respect to recognise gay fans and his separation of fans, “left or right” reeking of segregation, is only further strengthened in its ignorance with his uttering of “whatever” a word famed for its careless connotations. Much like Sepp Blatter.

Now, it is a chance for two of football’s most influential organisations of the British game to galvanise in adversity and empower those who need it.

The F.A., often lambasted for its wrongdoings, rather than praised for its achievements, are on to something: they have the ability to break the third taboo of a unholy trinity that is astutely recognized by Former basketball star turned gay rights campaigner John Amaechi: “Football is clearly not that comfortable with women in board rooms. They’re clearly not that comfortable with black people in management positions. And so, when it comes to gay people, that just blows their mind.”

Well, despite the best attempts of Paul Jewell, Richard Keys and Andy Gray, the taboo of women’s place in football is successfully being tackled; thanks to the successes of Charlton manager Chris Powell, black people wishing to manage can be inspired to do so with an appropriate role model; and now, with the help of FIFA – an organisation in desperate need of improving it’ image – The F.A. can satisfy the ethos of the PFA’s latest campaign, raising awareness of homophobia, “we are all winners – football is committed to tackling homophobia.”

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Frustratingly, if you’re a football fan, a football player or involved in football in any way at any level, you can expect to be sniggered at and have your intelligence questioned: the game is seen as the game of idiots, and it is no surprise considering what some players get up to and the level of intellect they display on and off the pitch.

When asked if he was volatile, David Beckham chose to reply with, “well, I can play in the centre, on the right and occasionally on the left side,” in a sheer display of ignorance over temper and flexibility; David O’Leary accurately described his childhood as so, “I was a young lad when I was growing up,” clearing up any concerns that O’Leary may have been a real life Benjamin Button; and a former England manager proved everyone wrong, concerning England not learning from the past, “ If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing.” Take a bow, Terry Venables. Hardly inspiring, is it?

Then, you have the scenarios that happen off the pitch, away from the interviewer and in the private lives of these seemingly unintelligent human beings: the same man who stated that, “Argentina are the second best team in the world, and there’s no higher praise than that,” ruled himself out for a month by getting his toe stuck in a bath tap (he then went on to manage Newcastle and England, to name a couple – yes, Kevin Keegan); Real Madrid right-back Sergio Ramos dropped the Copa Del Rey under the tour bus, as it weaved the roads of Madrid; and of course, our Premier League madcap maverick Mario Balotelli has done many a stupid thing off the pitch, including driving into a women’s prison out of curiosity.

When Oliver Holt, Mirror journalist, met Mark Hughes in 2008, then managing Blackburn Rovers, the now Q.P.R. boss made his viewpoint clear on the cause of idiocy among footballers: “They get too much way too soon,” he explained, citing the loss of hierarchy at a football club that sees respect for the first team, absent through the ranks. He puts this down to one simple thing: youth players no longer clean the boots of the first team – for him, this taught respect and reinforced the hierarchy.

However, there are footballers that should be highlighted for their achievements off the pitch, shown to the aspiring youngsters as an ideal role model and written about in the media; yet, graduate footballers are in the minority. Socrates, who died late last year, was a doctor of medicine and philosophy; Oliver Bierhoff, between scoring a goal every other game for Germany, gained a degree in Economics, as did Arsene Wenger and Steve Coppell; and Frank Lampard left the prestigious Brentwood School with 11 GCSEs including an A in Latin. There are others, but they’re either few and far between, or an interest is just not shown in educated footballers and it goes unreported.

Now in its 10^th year, The Premier League Reading Stars scheme is underway for 2012 and Theo Walcott, Mark Schwarzer and Joey Barton are 3 of 20 Premier League footballers getting involved with the project, which aims to promote reading among children and families. Since it started, 11 Premier League footballers have acted as their club’s Reading Star and as part of their duty, they nominate their favourite children’s book and adult book, thus composing a 20 to 40-book shortlist for their local area, which is then supplied, free of cost, to their adopted local library.

The scheme, in partnership with the Football Foundation, the Premier League and the National Literacy Trust, which has the objectives of bringing literacy into the home, supporting the acquisition of literacy skills and using literacy as a lever for social mobility and social justice, has now gone online to widen its scope and now has aims to reach 30,000 more young people across the U.K, by the means of the podcasts they have. The podcasts, each roughly 5 minutes long, see the Premier League footballers involved read segments of books that are part of the scheme and an interactive quiz follows, engaging the children at home, with their heroes, through the means of literacy. It is a project well worth the investment, and to date, over 16,000 children and parents have participated.

Amongst the wide range of books chosen, varying from Meg and Mog to The Da Vinci Code to Operation Mincemeat to The Cat in the Hat, picked from the likes of Mike Williamson, Chris Smalling, David Fox and Owen Hargreaves, were some particular titles and authors that cropped up more than others. Roald Dahl occurred 7 times, picked by Tim Cahill and John O’Shea among others, JK Rowling saw three of her Harry Potter titles listed, amusingly Theo Walcott chose it as his adult’s book, and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho was favoured by Owen Hargreaves and Stuart Holden.

In a clever, yet somewhat grandiose, move, Theo Walcott and Mark Schwarzer found some common ground: they both grasped the opportunity for some self-promotion. Whilst Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone was the chosen bedtime reading for Theo Walcott, he recommended his own book, TJ and the Hat-trick, for the, marginally, younger audience. Similarly, Mark Schwarzer tipped Megs and the Vootball Kids in the direction of the kids, co-written by Schwarzer and Neil Montagnana-Wallace, and chose Destined to Live penned by Ruth Greuner for the adults.

Joey Barton, often credited - and I don’t know if it is in genuine irony or not – as an avid reader of Philosophy, due to his insightful Tweets that he pulls out in adverse moments, didn’t choose a predictable Wittgenstein, Plato or Nietzsche book as his favourite adult material, instead plumping for Dracula, authored by Bram Stoker. However, never fear, our favourite well-read Scouse still holds the Animal Farm author close to his heart, tweeting “hopefully [the F.A.] stop trying to be an Orwellian organisation and get to grips with the change that’s happening in the world around them,” in response to what the Q.P.R. midfielder described as his, “weekly warning letter from FA headquarters, this time regarding tweeting about predicting the weekends Manchester double.”

The F.A. issued a reply to Barton’s tweets: “He can treat our correspondence as he wishes. We’re not going to give any legs to his thoughts. He’s entitled to have an opinion,” making it perfectly clear the F.A. remains an organisation swathed in double standards and contradictions, in stating Joey Barton is entitled to his opinion, despite writing a letter to him over him having an opinion.

Let’s not allow it to distract from the real issue though: children reading books with their heroes; and I’m not talking about Josh McEachran reading Diego Maradona’s autobiography.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/
For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit 

Transfers

Whilst most of the world’s industries continue to struggle in the aftermath of one recession, at the same time as riding through the current financial crisis which threatens to send the world into another one, European football ignores Katie Price’s - more accurately her corporate sponsor’s - concerns for the economy, her glee at “China’s latest GDP figures” and her solution to it all and continues to spend, spend, spend.

Amidst the Eurozone crisis, the volume of transfers occurring is up 16.6% from 2009 at an average of 10 transfers per club, across the 500 clubs surveyed by the CIES Football Observatory. Undoubtedly, the new money in Russian football is somewhat distorting of this figure, with five of the current top seven clubs in Russia’s top flight, the fortunate beneficiaries of the plutocrats of their country.

The recent spending of newly owned Anzhi Makhachkala, which has seen, most notably, Roberto Carlos and Samuel Eto’o join the side, has aided a perceived improvement of the Russian League: since 2009, there has been a 17% increase in the amount of active internationals plying their trade in the Russian Premier League from 11.6% to 28.6% and this isn’t down to an improvement of Russian youth players into fully fledged internationals, nor an increased development of club-trained players.

The increase in the quality of the league has come at the expense of youth development: using the same time frame as above – 2009-2011 – the percentage of club-trained players playing in the Russian top flight has fallen sharply from 20.2% to 12.2%. Whilst the Russian Premier League can claim to be the host of more international players than France’s Ligue 1, La Liga and Serie A, it has cost them a long term future of Russian product and will thus continue to rely on a succession of short-termism philosophies from owners willing to spend a fast buck.

The Demographic Study 2012, compiled by the CIES Football Observatory, which surveyed the 500 clubs in the top-flight of 33 European countries, showed that, on average, over 2011 each club made 10 transfers and 11.1 including promotions up the ranks and into the first team. However, proving that going with the flow doesn’t mean all shall go swimmingly, FC Barcelona, who won La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, made only two purchases in 2011: Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas.

Furthermore, Spain’s position as the highest of Europe’s top 5 leagues when it comes to club-trained players making up La Liga’s roster, 24.7%, is reinforced by Barcelona: in promoting Thiago Alcantara, Fontas and Dos Santos, Barcelona’s club-trained make up was 42.9%, 4.2% higher than England’s most club-trained friendly side, Arsenal, at 38.7%. Yet, Barcelona aren’t even the most prolific at player development in La Liga; Real Sociedad has a figure of 62.5%, Athletic Bilbao at 54.2% and Santander’s is at 44%. Meanwhile, much like the Premier League’s Wigan Athletic, Getafe does not have a single player that was trained at the club for three years between the ages of 15 and 21.

Height

In his Dispatches article for World Soccer, Brazil’s correspondent Tim Vickery, recalled that, “Brazilian coaches have argued over recent years that the physical evolution of the game demands six-foot midfielders and makes extended passing moves outdated.” Brazilian coaches are observant of the European game, it seems, and so they should be after Barcelona so comprehensively beat the best the country can offer.

For the second successive calendar year, player heights in the European top flights is at an average of 182cm, or, for an easy comparison to Ramalho and co.’s deduction, 5’11. Hats off to the coaches in Brazil. Germany, a current powerhouse of world football, has the tallest average height in European football at 6’ and their tallest side, Werder Bremen has an average height of 6’1. The tallest side in Europe is Volyn Lutsk at 6’2 and they finished 11^th out of 16 in the 2010/11 season. It would be fair to say, they are Ukraine’s answer to Stoke. Talking of Stoke, they are the oldest average side in the Premier League and the 8^th eldest in Europe at 29.08-years old.

However, yet again Barcelona are bucking the trend; along with having the most actively international side with 81% of their first team having represented their country in 2011, they are doing so with Europe’s smallest collective side, with the Barca boys coming in at an average height of 5’9. Their smallest player is expectantly Leo Messi at just 5’6^1/2 and their tallest is Gerard Pique at 6’4. The blueprint that Barcelona set is seemingly not just their tiki-taka football; as well as the fluid, attacking possession football they play, Barca are proving that small, technically gifted players can outplay the big boys, quite literally. Manchester City’s creative hub comes in the form of Silva, Aguero and Nasri, and before Carlos Tevez departed he was the spearhead to a diminutive attacking trio. Swansea’s height hasn’t come with a detrimental effect either; Britton and Allen dictate their midfield at 5’6 tall each, Wayne Routledge paces up and down the flank at 5’7 and Nathan Dyer bombs down the other 2 inches shorter, at 5’5.

Brazilians

In my last article, I explained and justified my adamant view that Neymar must immigrate to be a great and for Diego, it remains the “objective” and “the dream” for every Brazilian to “play in Europe, in the Champions League, at a big club.” The trend shows that is the considered view of many Brazilians with 528 playing in Europe; however, that figure is down 7% from 2010 and is explained, in part, by the new money in Brazil that can bring the old boys home and keep the new ones in. Yet, the money isn’t bringing success, “Brazilian football has never been so rich in money and poor in quality,” said Brazilian sportswriter Benjamin Back, in the wake of Santos’ humiliating defeat to FC Barcelona in the FIFA Club World Cup final, which may also explain the decrease: Brazil aren’t producing on the scale they were.

However, the ones in Europe excel and, understandably, 73% of the top 15 clubs in Europe – based on the percentage of active internationals a club has – have at least one Brazilian on their books. The only exceptions are Celtic – an anomaly on the list due to their vast amount of Home Nations players – West Brom, Manchester City and Zenit. Only 2 Brazilians were in the top 20 for the Ballon d’Or: Neymar and Dani Alves. With Neymar at Santos, this leaves only one Brazilian in the top 20 players in Europe, and he plays in a team that many consider the greatest ever: Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona. In the past, and as recently as 2005, 3 Brazilians were in the FIFPro World XI, never mind the Ballon d’Or shortlist. It suggests, and it is a view I hold, that the quality in Brazilian football is declining and for the players that do have the potential to be world class, their interests lie outside of their homeland.

Again, Barcelona buck the trend; in Adriano they have a useful back-up to Abidal and Alves and a player who popped up with two goals in the FIFA Club World Cup to finish joint top scorer with his teammate, Messi. In Dani Alves, they have the only Brazilian in Europe to make the top 20 for the Ballon d’Or, and a right back who has twice been in the FIFPro World XI. Their two other Brazilians, Henrique and Kerrison, 25 and 23, aren’t as effective and both are currently back in Brazil on loan.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

He’s not yet 20, he’s yet to make 100 domestic appearances for his club and he’s yet to make a considerable impact outside of his homeland; however, his wages are paid for, mostly, by his country’s bank and Post Office, he rakes in £150,000 in wages per week and he’s already accumulated the same amount of individual honours as his age in years, 19, including: the Brazilian Golden Boot, Player of the Copa Santander Libertadores and the South American Footballer of the Year Award.  

But, unless he leaves Santos, Neymar can never be considered great.

In his defence is one Brazilian which, it seems, in his old age, is tarnishing his reputation in the face of a situation which challenges his right to ever claim he is the greatest their ever was: Pele.

More so than ever before in my life, I developed an admiration for those greats that came before me in witnessing a frail Muhammad Ali at his 70^th birthday celebrations and how his career and legacy had affected so many; and whilst there are comparisons to be drawn between the similarly aged and talented Ali and Pele in their respective fields, the parallels run no further than their performances in their chosen arenas.

Ali, formerly Cassius Clay, is a poignant, modest figure; Pele, formerly, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, cuts a character deluded in bitterness and his comments have sparked a whirlwind of to-and-fro statements on the topic of football’s greatest player.

Pele, talking like he does indeed occupy football’s throne, “although we cannot talk of him as an heir because each player is different, Neymar has the ability to be better than me,” and of course in Brazil, Pele is O Rei, the King stated, rather unjustifiably, that Neymar is currently the best player in the world, “For me the two [Lionel Messi & Neymar] are technically very good, but Neymar is more complete because he shoots with both feet, and dribbles from both sides.”

However, the comparison not only subtly addresses one man’s delirium, but it also addresses a socio-economic gulf - which must and will be addressed by Brazil 2014 and Rio 2016 – in which Neymar cannot flourish into his full potential whilst on the South American continent.

The FIFA Club World Cup Final between Barcelona and Santos saw today’s Pele and Maradona go head-to-head, and judging by the score line, 4-0, the scorers, Messi – 2 & Neymar – 0 and the loser’s attempt at masking what was a wakeup call for Brazilian football, long living off of a success-rich history, “what matters is we got here going through many battles and challenges and got to be the second best team in the world,” the only greats here, were, as usual, Lionel Messi & Barcelona.

Yet, the conclusion reached from the visionary, exceptionally talented & deft touch possessing Neymar, couldn’t have been further from the truth: winning the Copa Libertadores did not come easily to Santos, in a competition that Brazil, along with Argentina, had dominated in the past 10 years, with 4 cup final wins.

However, Santos were the only Brazilian side to make it as far as the last 16 and their success, which ensured them a place in the Club World Cup, ultimately proved a distracting fate as their league form was to suffer as Ramalho prepared for an inevitable Cup final with Barcelona.

Now, with the hammering of Santos displaying the gap in quality between, essentially, South America and Europe, or at least their finest, it seems that for Neymar to ever be considered great, he must leave.

For the few harsh and most demanding of critics, Lionel Messi still has to deliver internationally: his club form is not replicated at international level and a look at the players surrounding him when he is in the blue and white of Argentina is enough to show you why.

In the blue and red stripes, Lionel Messi is surrounded by seven fellow Ballon d’Or 2011 shortlisted players; however, in the blue and white stripes, he is surrounded by just one – Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.

A condemning critique would be to assess the player on individual brilliance and not the players accompanying him too, but that doesn’t account for the dropping standards in South American football and, in fact, it would mask it; for the Ballon d’Or, as aforementioned, only two Argentines were shortlisted, only two Uruguayans and only two Brazilians: the sum total of South America’s three most currently threatening sides, 6, was beaten by Spain alone.

At current, Neymar is tied down to a contract with Santos until 2015 and if his value to Brazilian football was ever in doubt, the fact that the nation’s bank and postal service are the majority payers of the wage his contract demands, is enough to convince the most sceptical observer: imagine if Wayne Rooney’s wage was being paid for by The Bank of England.

Whilst one former Santos player, a product of their youth system, Diego, now at Atletico Madrid on loan from parent club Wolfsburg, insists that Neymar is, “playing in the right team and in the right country right now,” he admits that for every Brazilian, “the chance to play in Europe, in the Champions League, at a big club, with the best players in the world, is still the dream.”

It is a dream that, for Neymar, must become a reality: “an objective,” says Diego.

The benefits of hosting the World Cup and then the Olympics two years later, will not be felt, footballing wise, whilst Neymar still dazzles opposition defenders and humiliates goalkeepers; it will not be instantaneous but it will materialise and it will, naturally, produce a wave of talent that Brazil are now better positioned, financially, than ever to capitalise on.

For Neymar, a move to Europe is inescapable and it is purely a question of when; however, with Messi only 24-years of age and already in possession of three Ballon d’Ors and five La Liga titles, if Neymar is ever to be considered great, he must move to Europe and move to Europe now.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Believe it or not, Arsenal were the best performers in the Premier League last year. According to statistical analysis, composed and interpreted by Opta Sports Data and CIES Football Observatory, Arsenal were the only side in the top 5 European leagues – England, France, Spain, Italy and Germany - that were the top performers in their division, but didn’t finish as the Champions.

Assessed on five factors - Open Play Shot (shots and attempted shots), Chance Creation (assists and key passes), Take Ons (dribbling and crosses), Distribution (passes) and Recovery (interception and tackles) – Arsenal came out best in the English Premier League and were the proud owners of three of Europe’s best players, according to the same organisations: Robin Van Persie, Cesc Fabregas and Andrei Arshavin. The latter certainly isn’t replicating the same calibre of performances that reaped him such a high value last season, afforded by the figures; but then again, neither are Arsenal.  

Due to such strong performances last season and a maintained balance in relative squad quality – one player out of the Top 60 left, Fabregas, but was replaced with another, Gervinho – Arsenal were predicted to perform to a standard that “may claim a European place” but with a “high probability of performing better than expected,” according to the CIES Football Observatory, which is composed of five highly-skilled statisticians, including two doctors of sciences.

However, Arsenal sit in 5^th place and are as close to a top four finish as they are to 8^th placed Stoke, who were predicted to perform to a degree that “may claim a European place.” As January draws to a close, a mid-season evaluation shows that two teams are leading their respective divisions as expected – PSG and Bayern Munich – and out of their fifteen top three predictions, the Observatory have ten correct.

The three expectant title winners that are so far failing to sit at the summit are: Barcelona, Chelsea and Inter Milan. The defence for two of the, so far, incorrect hypothesises – Inter & Chelsea - are cited as due to, “frequent manager changes symptomatic of the lack of a clear strategic vision and have had a negative impact on results.” Furthermore, to lend weight to Andre Villas-Boas’ school of thinking, regarding Frank Lampard, the Observatory offer a second explanation, “The ageing of several key players may also explain the current decrease in performance.” This somewhat ignores the fact that Lampard is Chelsea’s top goal-scorer in all competitions; however, it does ring true of a lacklustre Didier Drogba, who has only scored three all season.

The teams, along with Arsenal, considered to possess a “high probability of performing better than expected,” were: Wigan Athletic, FSV Mainz 05, FC Nurnberg, SSC Napoli, FC Parma, Athletic Club Bilbao, RCD Mallorca, Montpellier HSC and FC Lorient.  Montpellier are certainly performing better than expected, sitting 2^nd to PSG, expectantly leading the pack, as are Parma. The Italian side were categorized as one star, meaning that they “may only avoid relegation.” However, they’re currently positioned 12^th in Serie A, 7 places above their predicted finish. Contrastingly, Wigan Athletic haven’t realised their potential to perform better than expected and are instead doing what was expected, occupying the bottom of the Premier League. Secondly, neither have Napoli; despite performing admirably in the Champions League, the Italian side are two positions lower than expected in Serie A.

Special mention must go to Wolves, who somehow managed to convince statistical analysts that they “may claim a European place” this season, on the back of a 17^th place finish that only spared them relegation by a point and only one summer reinforcement that’s made an impact on the starting XI: relegated Birmingham’s Roger Johnson. CIES Football Observatory states Wolves are 8 positions below expectations; instead, Sunderland occupy 10^th place.

Meanwhile, whilst Arsenal fans boo an oncoming substitute that was one of only two available Arsenal players that are considered as in the 60 top European league footballers, based on last season’s performances, Norwich City sneak up the Premier League and into 9^th place without a single one of those 60 players, but a squad full of inspiring stars that have come up from the Championship and League One.

Condemned to relegation – in fact, predicted to finish rock-bottom – at the beginning of the season, Paul Lambert’s Norwich City are the most overachieving club in the Premier League. Lambert was “frustrated” earlier in the January window, unable to attract players that he wished to sign, stating that Norwich, “can’t do the wages.” However, he has since brought in Leeds United’s Jonny Howson and will be hoping to maintain the impressive first half to the season, which has seen his hit man, Grant Holt, attracting other top flight teams, less than 2 years since he was playing for The Canaries in League One.

Newcastle’s early season rampage took everyone by surprise and despite their form dipping somewhat in November, they came back stronger in December with Demba Ba scoring his way to the Player of the Month Award and January started even better with a 3-0 demolition job on Manchester United; however, no one would’ve predicted the finish CIES did either. According to their pre-season predictions, Newcastle would’ve done well to escape relegation and their pencilled in, best hope, finish was 15^th place. Yet, Newcastle are 6^th and have recently signed Papiss Demba Cisse, who will partner Demba Ba up front when the pair return from the Africa Cup of Nations, where they have been representing Senegal together.

Lastly, in a season where the return of Thierry Henry and Paul Scholes has been criticised and seen as a step backwards due to their age, Andre Villas-Boas has rotated Chelsea’s captain because he too is aging and Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson have had their future questioned due to the amount of time they’ve been at their respective clubs, I wish to end with a toast to the golden oldies and a tipple to experience.

At the beginning of the season, Stoke were in the two-star category, meaning that they “may claim a European place.” At the moment, they are 8^th place, 5 points off of European qualification through league finishing and are in the last 32 of the Europa League, where they will face Valencia over two legs for the right to make the last 16. They’re doing this, despite being the 8^th oldest team in the 33 top flights of football across Europe – 29.08-years.

Even better than that, though, is the performance of Levante UD this season, who are the 7^th oldest team at 29.13-years. Unlike Stoke, they’re not performing as expected; they are performing better than they were expected, without even being considered as a team with the ability to do so. Last season, Levante finished 14^th, but only 2 points off of relegation and this season, the Observatory gave the Spanish side a one star rating and predicted a finishing position of 19^th, which would see them relegated to the second tier of Spanish football. However, they are fourth in La Liga only behind the El Clasico giants and Valencia; and this is undoubtedly partly down to their impressive home form that has only seen them lose once and concede five, akin to the form Stoke frequently enjoy at the fortress Britannia.

Most impressively though, are the oldest side in Europe: AC Milan. At an average age of 30-years old, AC Milan are proving that you are as old as they feel, teaching the whippersnappers of Serie A a thing or two: they sit in 2^nd place, only a point off of league leaders Juventus who are unbeaten all season. Milan have only lost once at home, have only conceded five there too and against the rule of the older you are the less you play, they are still in all competitions, including the Champions League in which they take on Arsenal for a place in the next round.

Some things never change and others do: Arsenal haven’t met expectations, Norwich are overachieving and experience counts at home.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

When Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain left my dear Southampton F.C I was of mixed opinion: whilst I tried to believe all that said £15m (£12m+£3m) was a great deal for the club, considering he was yet to kick a ball outside of the third tier of English football, and I wrestled with the view that we had kept our prized asset in the form of 23-year old Adam Lallana, I couldn’t help but feel disgruntled that Arsenal had taken another one of our own.

Watching him feature sporadically for Arsenal – 43 minutes of Premier League football before the Manchester United game – did nothing to aid my annoyance either; however, his age, the Wenger factor and his incredible displays for the England u-21 side, including a hat-trick against Iceland a month after coming off the bench to contribute with as many assists against Israel, did much to remedy my grievance.

As Wenger had alluded to, “In 2012, at the beginning of the year, [Alex] will play games,” it seems that the next 12 months, for Arsenal – if not England too, or maybe even Great Britain – will indeed be the year of the Ox: in Gervinho’s absence, on international duty with the Ivory Coast, and Thierry Henry side-lined, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain made his first start at home to Manchester United, with a performance deemed by most as man-of-the-match worthy.

Having made his debut back in August, in the 8-2 drubbing at Old Trafford, the Southampton academy product saw his game time limited to the League Cup and the Champions League, scoring in both; however, as Arsenal continued to fail to provide adequate support for Robin Van Persie and a depletion in the striking ranks taking its toll, Arsene Wenger delivered on his promise and Chamberlain played 73 minutes of the 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

Yet, for many – including Robin Van Persie, who was seen to mouth “no” in disbelief - 73 minutes wasn’t enough: his withdrawal, with just less than 20 minutes left, was met with a chorus of boos as the electronic board was raised by Mike Dean’s fourth official to indicate Arshavin was to replace the u-21 international, and a refrain of cheers and applause in recognition of a stellar display as the 18-year old made his way off the pitch.

The substitution was lamented by all, understandably so, because for much of the game Chamberlain was the only impetus to Arsenal’s attacks, creating more goal-scoring opportunities than any other player on the pitch, 4, with one being converted by Robin Van Persie, which was the equaliser for Arsenal, after a precise and intelligently executed counter attack. His replacement, Arshavin, was at fault for the winner: failing to stop Valencia from advancing up the pitch, the Russian could only look on as the United winger provided the assist for Welbeck’s goal 9 minutes from time.

It was only the third time in Premier League history that Manchester United had done the double on Arsenal and the result meant that The Gunners were on fewer points after 22 games for the first time since the 1995/96 season; yet, for many Arsenal fans, they felt Alex Oxlade Chamberlain’s presence until the final whistle would’ve made the difference and his performance was neatly summed up by thisisfutbol editor Harry Cloke, “Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. What a player! Already looking like the player Theo should have become.”

Piers Morgan was deservedly mocked by Twitter newcomer Gary Linekar, “I’m new to this tweeting but already I bow to your superior footballing knowledge!”, for his superfluous reaction to Arsene Wenger’s decision to remove the winger, “That substitution may cost us the League, a Champions League place, £20 million and the departure of Van Persie.”

Yet, amidst most of the drivel that Piers Morgan spouts on all things football, or at least all things Arsenal, this particular tweet, although perhaps rather rash and condemning may well prove to be the measure of Chamberlain’s weight in gold this season.

But, is this what it has come down to: an 18-year old burdened with the task of ensuring Arsenal’s run of successive top four finishes since Arsene Wenger took over continues?

“He is ready to play,” said Arsene Wenger in December, “Alex is just missing that experience at the top level,” he added, “you have to throw him a few games.” With the opportunity naturally arising, and Henry’s injury further clearing the path for his breakthrough, the time for Chamberlain is now: after Aston Villa in the fourth round of the F.A. Cup, The Gunners are hosted by 17^th placed Bolton, who have only won two of their eleven home fixtures, and then welcome relegation zone occupiers, Blackburn Rovers, to The Emirates. Performances akin to the one on display at the weekend will surely secure the youngster’s starting XI slot for the remainder of the season.

At a maximum of £15m, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain’s purchase, which, at the time, just provided the accelerant for all that feel English players are overpriced, could prove to be a shrewd one: if Wenger does choose to hand a starting spot to the stocky yet speedy winger and as a result, achieves his 15^th successive top four finish, the £20m Arsenal will receive in prize money will pay back the fee that brought him to The Emirates in the first place.

Before Manchester United secured their second victory of the season over Arsenal, Wayne Rooney told the BBC that he, “certainly wouldn’t write Arsenal off,” stating that, “they’re capable of going on a big run.” Yet, having defeated The Gunners, Rooney’s title rivals are 5 points off of 4^th place and 8 off of League leaders Manchester City.

Is it too late for Alex Oxlade Chamberlain to save Arsenal’s season?

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/

For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

As Swansea continue to light up the Premier League with their fresh approach, considering they are a newly promoted team and thus expected to play more defensively to avoid a “Derby”, there is a number of parallels to be drawn between the South Wales side and the South coast side, Southampton.

As emphasised in yesterday’s article, Swansea’s passing style has been credited as their flagship trait as they continue to excite and entertain in the Premier League: Leon Britton is the dictator in the midfield and as the most accurate passer in the world – 93.5% - pings balls around the park, where his team-mates then keep hold of it at a tremendous rate: so far this season, Swansea have averaged a possession of 59% per game, higher than two of the top four, Manchester United and Tottenham, and only bettered by the other two, Chelsea and Manchester City.

Meanwhile, Southampton follow in Swansea’s footsteps in the Championship and are currently in an automatic promotion place, branding themselves on home-grown English talent, with 50% of their academy players earmarked to contribute to the future first team, where they’ll fall into a side that are replicating the slick passing game, tight defensive home record and possession with penetration approach, which has so far returned an average of 1.92 goals per game and the same amount of points. The last team to average a higher goal to game ratio was Newcastle in 09/10 and they went on to win the league by 11 clear points.

But who are Southampton’s Sinclair, Britton, Dyer and Graham?

Adam Lallana

On the South coast, when Alex Oxlade Chamberlain left Southampton for £15m, many Saints fans were quietly confident that, in Adam Lallana, they had kept their best asset for at least one more season. Tied down to a four-and-a-half-year contract last January, Adam Lallana continued to flourish under Nigel Adkins in the same rich vein of form he came into under Alan Pardew. During Southampton’s first season in League One, the #20 scored 20 goals from midfield in 52 games, and last season, despite playing only just over half a campaign’s worth of games, the midfielder continued to prove his goal-to-game efficiency with 10 goals in a total of 32 games. Yet, under Adkins, Lallana has blossomed in a side where possession is key and a brand of football is being built. Lallana, who only laid on three goals under Pardew, is ever increasingly turning provider with 1.06 assists for every goal he scores, since Adkins entered the building.
Jack Cork

Considering the prices thrown around this window and some of the purchases made in the summer – Matthew Mills to Leicester for £5m and the £20m fee that it took to take Cork’s fellow England u-21 central midfielder Jordan Henderson to Liverpool – the £750k it took to sign Jack Cork from Chelsea was a bargain. Price aside, the competition for his signature was hot enough to make it a steal and apparently, since joining Saints, a number of clubs, including Premier League suitors, have been scouting the midfielder who was part of Stuart Pearce’s England U-21 side that competed in the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship in Denmark. Enjoying his second stint at Southampton, this time on a permanent deal, Cork has featured heavily in a midfield department that boasts former Colchester captain Dean Hammond and the French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, who has represented France at all but full international level, including captaining the u-18s. His command of the ball and forte for short passing complements his French counterpart, known for his long range passes, in a midfield department which is the hub of everything creative at St. Mary’s.

Rickie Lambert

Leading the goal-scoring charts with 15 to his name so far this season, Rickie Lambert is on course to better last season’s top scorer Danny Graham, who hit 24 goals in 45 appearances. Southampton’s target man was questioned by some at the beginning of the season over his credentials to make the step up to the Championship; however, the man who is cheekily sung about on the terraces, “when he gets the ball he takes the piss, he wears the shirt of Matt Le Tiss,” has carried his form over from League One, where he had finished top scorer twice in three seasons, having hit 81 goals in 136 games, to the Championship, where he’s leading Ross McCormack and Darius Henderson by 3 goals. Under Alan Pardew, Rickie Lambert was the spearhead for a direct and attacking, yet lacking a Plan B, Southampton side in which he was responsible for 35% of Saints’ goals in a side that was only outscored by the Champions, Norwich, now playing in the top flight after back-to-back promotions. Yet under Adkins, Lambert has undergone a transition and one that took some time; however, by his own accord, he’s now in the “best shape of [his] life,” and the striker is much a part of the passing, patient build up play as his team-mates and their dependency, as accused by some, has not only dropped by 0.5%, but has been proven as mythical, with Saints securing 2 wins on the bounce, scoring 5 in the process, whilst Lambert serves his three-match ban for a straight red he received against Brighton.
James Ward-Prowse

The England u-17 international, who is described as a, “tidy player with strong leadership skills,” on the official club site, hasn’t even featured for the first team in a league game yet; however, he has made an appearance in each of the League and F.A. Cup and scored a goal in the latter in a 2-1 win over Coventry, in an 18-man side including a string of home-grown talents. Part of the Southampton youth side that is through to the FA Youth Cup fifth round, having beaten Bolton 2-1 in the fourth round and Sheffield United 7-0 in the third round, Ward-Prowse has made 10 starts and has scored twice for Southampton u-18s, who sit second in the Under 18 Premier Academy League Group A. They’re currently on a run of 8 consecutive wins and their past 6 league games have returned 6 clean sheets; whilst up the other end, Saints have fired 13 goals past opposition defences. With Ward-Prowse, among a few others, receiving call ups to the first team, you can expect this young talent to feature more for Saints over the 12 months.

With just over a week left in the January transfer window and Nigel Adkins hinting at more players coming in through the door, “our endeavour is to bring another striker into the football club,” Southampton F.C look to capitalise on an impressive first half back in the Championship, following their 2-year absence. With an automatic promotion spot to their name and a strong squad becoming stronger as players join and return from injury, it may well not be too long before Southampton can test their credentials as the next Swansea.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/

For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Swansea is a Championship team no more: in fact, they’re sitting in the top half of the Premier League; they’re unbeaten at home since November, that being their only loss at the Liberty Stadium all season; they’ve conceded fewer goals at home than all but Manchester City in the Premier League and all with much of the team that secured them promotion via the play-offs from the n-Power Championship. Now, thanks to their brand of passing football, rightly continuing to earn comparisons with the tiki-taka masters of FC Barcelona, they’re on the brink of providing England internationals at senior level for the first time in their history – and all during the club’s centenary year.

Their pretty play, built on possession throughout each third, was their philosophy in the Championship and now their approach is paying dividends in the top flight, too. So much so that as many of four of their players will feel they have a right to be considered for England’s next international: the rearranged friendly with the Netherlands, now taking place on February 29^th. With all four of the players having spent the majority of their playing time in the Football League –one had only ever featured in the Championship and another has now played for Swansea in League 2, League 1, the Championship and the Premier League – Brendan Rodgers has shown how heavy investment is not needed to compete in the Premier League and his resolute in sticking to morals and values is about to see 4 players plying their trade in the second tier of English football this time last season, potentially receive England call-ups.

Scott Sinclair

This 22-year old is happy on both wings and having signed from Chelsea on a three-year contract for £500k in 2010, Swansea City have seen their purchase amount to a bargain: with a hat-trick in the n-Power Championship Play-off Final in a 4-2 win over Reading, Sinclair had already paid back all the money he’ll ever earn at the Liberty Stadium; however, he’s continued to perform in the Premier League and is currently Swansea’s second highest goal scorer with 6 league goals. That’s 5 more than Louis Saha, 4 more than Fernando Torres, 3 more than Theo Walcott, 2 more than Aaron Lennon and 1 more than Luis Suarez.

Leon Britton

At the heart of Swansea’s midfield, with the equally tireless Joe Allen, is Leon Britton – a man that has played for Swansea in every tier of the Football League. A goal in the top flight would see Britton as the first player to score in every division of the Football League for Swansea. The metronome of Swansea’s side, has ensured that their “possession with penetration” football has continued against the likes of Arsenal: whilst in the Championship, Swansea made 214 more passes per game than the league’s average of 312 at 526, which was 98 passes higher than Arsenal’s average and led to an average possession rate of 61% and a pass accuracy 7% higher than that in the Premier League at 83%. Britton is quintessential of this: so far this season, his pass success rate is 93.5%, which makes him 0.5% more accurate than Barcelona’s passing maestro, Xavi Hernandez. At current, there is no better passer in the world.

Nathan Dyer

Before this season, the pocket-sized winger, who is the shortest player in the Premier League at 5ft 5’, in a team containing 4 players under 5ft 8’, had never played outside the Championship. The 24-year old is a product of the famed and highly successful, especially in recent years, Southampton Academy. In 2005, he was part of the Southampton youth side to make the final of the F.A. Youth Cup, in a team containing; Theo Walcott, Leon Best and Gareth Bale of the Premier League and Martin Cranie, David McGoldrick and Adam Lallana, of the Championship. Expect the lattermost to join the first trio in the Premier League sooner rather than later. Harry Redknapp was the manager who gave a 17-year old Nathan Dyer his debut and echoing the thoughts of Adebayor, who openly told the BBC that the difference between his current boss and his City boss is that Harry, “knows how to speak to players,” Dyer told Swansea’s official club site, “he makes you feel on top of the world. He’ll give you great confidence and belief, which is really important for young players.” Now, out of the three Saints produced wingers in the Premier League, Dyer is probably ranked 2^nd in between Bale in 1^st and Walcott in 3^rd, after a talksport poll revealed 68% of fans would want Dyer over Walcott at the European Championships 2012.

Danny Graham

In the figure of the 6ft 1’ Danny Graham, Swansea have a talismanic forward that allows the Swans to fluctuate between a 4-5-1 formation and a more European 4-3-3 with Sinclair and Dyer playing as advanced wingers off of last season’s Championship top goal scorer. Last season, Graham was firing on all cylinders for one of Swansea’s Championship opposition, Watford: in 45 Championship appearances, the former Middlesbrough striker netted 24 goals and laid on a further 9 assists. Out of the top seven scorers in the Championship for the 10/11 campaign, 6 made the move up to the Premier League through promotion or transfers and Danny Graham has been the most successful through the transition, scoring 7 goals. His fine strike against Arsenal, finishing acutely from a tight angle, was described as “a wonderful finish,” by his manager Brendan Rogers and ensured Swansea would take all three points from their fixture against Arsenal at the Liberty Stadium.

Whilst all remains fine and dandy for Swansea, finding negatives proves tough; however, this time last season, similarly styled Blackpool, also in their debut season, were 11^th, but come the end of the season, the Seasiders were relegated from the Premier League. Swansea can outdo Blackpool and survive in the Premier League providing they maintain their home form and keep these players at the peak of performance. If Swansea survive and survive comfortably, not only would it be a toast to the management of Rodgers but a toast to the quality of football the football league can offer: at its best, international standard.

Come back tomorrow for the players that are destined to follow in the footsteps of Swansea’s on song stars.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/

For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

When Alan Pardew, but ultimately Mike Ashley who holds the strings to the purse, failed to replace the likes of Andy Carroll, Jose Enrique, Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton, to the tune of what they amassed in departing – just over £40m – some fans hadn’t quite factored in what Yohan Cabaye, a continually improving Cheick Tiote, Demba Ba and an out of position Ryan Taylor could offer an Alan Pardew team that isn’t afraid of gung-ho attacks against the most unlikely of opponents. However, it is that attitude and those players who saw Newcastle rise as high as a point off of second placed Manchester United after 9 games and now see Newcastle in 6^th place and only 4 points off of Champions League football, after a winning start to 2012 with victories over Manchester United, 3-0, and a 1-0 win against Mark Hughes’ Q.P.R.

Now, with January already into its second half and transfers starting to take effect, the reinvestment of the Andy Carroll signing alone is almost complete: joining the summer signings of Demba Ba, Yohan Cabaye and Davide Santon, amongst others, is Senegalese striker Papiss Demba Cisse. Signing for £10m, from Bundesliga side Freiburg, Cisse not only joins on a five-and-a-half-year contract, but he signs a contract that sees him form a deadly duo his international strike partner Demba Ba. Alone, Ba is currently in his richest vein of form for the Tyneside club: with 15 goals in his last 15 appearances for The Maypies, the former fellow Bundesliga striker won the Premier League’s Player of the Month Award for December and left his club for the Africa Cup of Nations will one goal in three in a 3-0 demolition of Manchester United, which also saw him earn the free-kick for Yohan Cabaye’s goal.

Together, they form a strike force that is the beacon of a fledging Senegal side inspired by youth, vibrancy and most importantly, attack. For Senegal, since 2008, a transition has been underway: an embarrassing performance in that edition of the biennial tournament, the nation’s 11^th and last appearance, and a failure to qualify for the World Cup 2010, forced the Fifa-appointed Normalisation Committee, then running Senegalese football, to fire Lamine Ndiaye. It had been a tough 10 month stint for the former Senegalese international: Henri Kasperczak resigned halfway through their, what BBC’s African football correspondent Piers Edwards described as, “disastrous” Cup display, and Ndiaye was left to finish the job in Ghana and then attempt to regroup a team among footballing unrest - 30 Senegalese football federation members stepped down after Senegal’s appalling performance in Ghana – in time for their World Cup qualifying campaign, despite not being able to fully assess the players available to him due to the difficulties imposed due to the running of Senegal’s footballing federation.

It was to be a year until Senegal appointed a new manager and it was as if 2008 and the past regime had been erased from the memory and most importantly, from the mind-set of the squad. The Senegal Football Federation, still run by the Normalisation Committee, had managed a spell of civil unrest at Senegal’s international performances, which led to rioting in the country’s capital Dakar, well. The current manager, Amara Traore, was hired for the Teranga Lions and a transition of the old – the likes of Henri Camara, the last Senegalese to score at an Africa Cup of Nations – to the new, was finally complete with the naming of Senegal’s striker saturated 23-man squad for Equatorial Guinea and Gabon’s Africa Cup of Nations: only six remained from the last competition they participated in.

Now, thanks to the patience of Alan Pardew - ultimately Derek Llambias and Lee Charnley, whose refusal to pay £14m in the summer sees Cisse join 9 goals to the better but £4m cheaper, without detrimental effect to The Toon – Newcastle have the strike force of a re-emerging nation, from a continent predicted to win the World Cup soon rather than later.

Between them, they’ve netted 11 goals in 23 appearances for Senegal, with the new arrival responsible for seven of them in 12 games. Internationally, a like-for-like comparison sees the £10m-man more potent with 0.58 goals per game (gpg); furthermore, at the same level of domestic play, the Bundesliga, when they’re not supplementing each other’s performance, the new purchase remains as consistent as he is internationally with a figure of 0.58gpg, as does Demba Ba with a gpg figure of 0.37. Signing Cisse may prove to be a coup bigger than Ba’s: a hard concept to imagine considering Ba’s return this season, of 15 goals in 19. Cisse joins on the back of a half season that has seen him bag 9 times in 15 games.

The capture of Papiss Demba Cisse is an astute one; he is a scorer in his own right, as the stats show, and an apt partner for his countryman, Demba Ba. Furthermore, he is the strike partner Newcastle’s #19 wanted, “I spoke to Demba about Papiss, and he cannot wait to join up with his team-mate in Newcastle,” said Alan Pardew, Newcastle’s manager. Although Pardew stated that Papiss has been on his wish list for quite some time, “Ever since Andy Carroll left, Papiss was my first choice,” the timing of the acquisition could not have come at a better stage amid the rumours surrounding Demba Ba, his alleged transfer release clause and supposed interest from other Premier League clubs.

Yet, I am willing to hedge my bets: Papiss Demba Cisse is not a replacement for Ba, not even a contingency plan for an irresistible offer; he is a statement of intent. As they grow as the beacon of Senegalese football, they’ll grow as the beacon on Newcastle’s football. The parallels are there: the focus on youth, teamwork & work rate and an emphasis on attack. Now it is for us to watch the pair materialise into something great, for club and country.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

“I’m very proud of the time that I’ve spent with the Galaxy and it might continue.” These words, tentatively chosen and teasing in delivery, weren’t an admission that David Beckham has indeed had his head in the clouds for the past 5 years, it was the Peckham-born star saying, “I could stay, but I’d rather move and just in case no one wants me, I’ll make sure I don’t offend.” It turns out he chose to stay.

Yet, having flirted so dangerously with Paris St. Germain without getting in bed with the rich temptress, with PSG’s president stating they were, “a little disappointed,” being told by Warnock that he, “can’t see where Beckham is going to get into [QPR’s] team,” and, until today, stalling on contract negotiations at L.A Galaxy, the former England captain’s future was as uncertain as he is over the meaning of volatile: “Well, I can play in the centre, on the right and occasionally on the left side,” he replied when quizzed on his volatility.

One thing that is certain is that Beckham is one of roughly 250-300 players formally asked by the F.A if they are willing to play for Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympic Games. However, his usefulness in the GB squad, likely to contain Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and S. Fletcher, will be determined by his footballing activity between now and then. Initial stalling between the MLS club and David Beckham may’ve arisen, undoubtedly further hindered by David flaunting his services at every major European club, due to the clash between the MLS season and the Olympic Games; however, it has emerged that the MLS Cup champions are willing to grant Beckham special dispensation for his Olympic dream, if it means tying him down to a further stint at the Los Angeles club. Indeed, this made David sign the dotted line; probably being shown where to sign I imagine.

Central to his decision to remain in America was his family; speaking in October, he stated, “I love it here and there is a real chance I will stay, especially if my family are happy.” Three months later and David Beckham has decided not to uproot his family that has grown and settled during his spell stateside. However, the MLS isn’t the only possible provider of future football for David Beckham, despite the fact that he is to remain in America for the foreseeable future.

In cricket, every year since 2008, India plays host to some of the greatest cricketers on the planet in the Indian Premier League. The Twenty20 tournament is contested by 10 franchises, similar to the concept David Beckham is growing familiar with and one he may grow even closer to if he chooses to purchase his own MLS franchise upon retirement. The franchises build their teams through player drafts and auctions prior to the competition and for 94 games of an ever-changing formatted tournament, the best – or at least the most famous – cricketers go head-to-head for the Indian Premier League. Now, it looks as if India is going to offer a similar prestigious league for its footballing counterparts.

Following the same starting steps as cricket, the first seven “icon” players for the eight-week, six-team league have been snapped up. One of the first icon players in the IPL’s opening season was Rahul Dravid, nicknamed “the wall” due to the style of play he adopts in which he plays the shot along the floor back to the bowler - $1m was the price paid to have this player in a T20 team. The “icon” players for India’s first franchised football league are: Robert Pires, Fabio Cannavaro, Fernando Morientes, Robbie Fowler, Hernan Crespo, Maniche and Jay-Jay Okocha.

The former Arsenal midfielder has indicated how the league will take a similar financial approach to the IPL, which sees the players paid a one-off fee at the beginning of the tournament, rather than a wage: “”If my club president likes me it could be 790,000 euros,” said Pires, “It’s a lot of money. I’m not going to complain about that, am I?”

The tournament, which embarks on its maiden season February 25^th, looks set to make a similar start to the competition that preceded the IPL – the ICL. The ICL started by contracting a number of high-profile players towards the end of their careers, such as Brian Lara and Inzamam, to take part in a tournament with alike concepts. However, a year later, the much better funded IPL was created, which was able to attract better players by offering higher fees. Judging by the allotment of “icons” for the first football IPL, the project may take a similar path.

The company behind the idea, Celebrity Management Group, have specified that “every team will have $2.5m to spend in the first year.” With the average Premier League footballer earning £96,862.50 per month before bonuses and the unlikelihood that the IPL would ever be able to source such players due to club commitments and contracts anyway, it seems that the league’s main priority will be fundamentally improving the standards of Indian football, “[each team] will have a maximum of four foreigners and a compulsory six under-21 Indian players in their squad,” but attracting the necessary interest in such a project by headlining it with these “icon” players.

With little on offer when it comes to a high standard of football in India and a massive market eager to see a good quality of football in their country – 10 Barclay’s Premier League games are shown in India per game week – there is scope for the idea to really blossom; if managed correctly.

One player that would really signal a statement of intent for the project and a player that has already proven to be one of the most powerful marketing tools in the world is David Beckham. Although his involvement will not come around for the inaugural season, providing it goes well, Beckham could realistically be the jewel of the crown in a future edition of the novel, yet potentially lucrative (the cricket IPL is the second highest paying league in the world), venture.

Beckham has stated that he will, “know when to finish, but that’s not yet,” and with top European clubs obviously still willing to have him in their team, a couple of years may still be left in the former Galactico and Manchester United golden boy yet. He has stated his intention to remain in the MLS when his playing career is over, “I have the right to own an MLS franchise, which I will action immediately after I have stopped playing,” and with his family keeping him in America meanwhile, what better way of advertising his own venture, when he eventually takes up the option, and keeping his family happy too, than an eight-week lucrative stint in an Indian franchised league?

For David Beckham, this is surely the perfect final destination: a league that will appreciate the promotion his presence will bring, much like it did for the MLS; a league that offers franchises an 8-week 6-team competition, the perfect start for Beckham’s future personally owned franchise; and a league that, at essentially a cost of $2.5m to enter (in the form of the wage cap) offers Beckham a relatively cheap source of advertisement to a country that is one of the globe’s highest viewers of football, for the franchise that he will own.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/

For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Last week’s win, the first of, hopefully, many doubles, saw FC Independence extend their lead at the top of the table by two points to nine. With six league games left of FCI’s inaugural season, the Black and Blues went into their away clash with Waterside B on 24 points after eight wins on the bounce and a win today would all but ensure the league title goes to the newly-formed side.

Last season’s Division 3 winners, who currently sit second from bottom in Division 2, won the title last season with 27 points in a campaign that saw 15 games played in total. FCI will play 14 in total and a win today would see them equal last season’s Champion’s points total. 

Making his debut today for FC Independence was Ryan Williams. The 18 year-old is a diminutive forward much in his namesake’s mould, Lakeman. The young striker has a thunderous shot and eye for goal and is known to manager Jordan Florit from his time at Sky Blues. In the 2007/08 season Williams scored 60 goals in less than half that amount in games. 

January 21st 2012                     FCI 3-3 Waterside B

 FC Independence (4-5-1): N. Hussey, Broadway, Lewis, Breen, M.Florit, J.Florit, M.Lakeman, Hannides, Ely, R.Lakeman, Neave Subs: Saribiyik, J.Hussey, Williams, Goddard

Attendance: 15

FCI 3-3 Waterside B

FCI went to Clayfields Sports Centre knowing that in Waterside B, they had their bogey team. When Waterside B then went 1-0 up through a deflected shot which was fumbled by Nathan Hussey, it had already began to feel like FCI had become unstuck. 1-0.

An array of chances fell FCI’s way with Mikey Hannides and Jim Neave unable to capitalise on the balls that fell their way inside the opponent’s box. Waterside battled and scrapped their way through the first half and with the flow of the game being dictated by the opposition, FCI were unable to gather momentum and much of the first half was end-to-end.

Scott Ely was a commanding presence in midfield, and often switching wings with Jordan Florit, he was able to offer something different on every attack; however, it was his drop into centre midfield that led to FCI’s equaliser. Providing a source of possession and penetration, Ely was able to split the play wide in the midfield and Jordan Florit was released down the right wing; having beaten his man and cut inside the box, a pass was fired across the keeper’s six yard box and it was only his loose hand that stopped the ball from reaching Ryan Williams to score a quick fire debut goal; however, the ball fell to Ely’s feet who smashed home the equaliser. 1-1.

HT.

The second half failed to deliver what the opening stages promised: good football, a different display to the first and all three points for FCI. Waterside B would’ve been the happier team at the interval: their fans felt they were on top and against the top side they had nothing to lose; especially as they’d only gained a solitary point all season.

However, FCI were the team of the second half - for much of it - and a break away attack, initiated much like FCI’s first goal, saw Florit released down the right flank. Instead of cutting in onto his stronger left foot, Florit put trust into a hopeless right and swung in a cross. In a grouped moment of disbelief, the ball stayed on the pitch, went the way it was meant to and met the head of Ryan Williams, in a combination that saw a 3 year hiatus in partnership reunited. 2-1 FCI.

The pressure was somewhat lifted off of the combined shoulders of the FCI players and with a lead, something FCI have always managed to go on to win from, confidence was portrayed in the play. Adopting the left wing role, Jack Hussey beat his man with a series of deft jinks and settled on a run destined for the box, having cut on to his right foot. J.Hussey approached the box, shaped himself up for the shot and applied a neat and controlled finish into the keeper’s near post. 3-1 FCI.

(Had consistency been displayed in the referee’s performance and a full 45-minutes were played in both halves, FCI would’ve gone on to win. But, i’m not bitter.)

In what can only be described as an amalgamation of Robert Green’s off-days, Vincent Kompany’s misfortune and the eloquence of Joey Barton, FCI’s day went from content to catastrophe in the space of fifteen minutes. At 3-1 up with 1 sixth of the game left, a win was expected; 4 red cards, 2 more goals and mystifying justifications were not.

Firstly, as Waterside moved the ball out to the wing and attempted to advance down the left, Mitat Saribiyik came in with a one footed challenge to which the player had limited grievance; however, the Waterside faithful screamed libelous calls of “two-footed challenge, ref,” and the naive official duly got out his card, which even Mancini wouldn’t be able to claim wasn’t red, and showed the Turk the red card. For a split second, I readjusted the team in my head and was confident of a win; however, a second red was lifted and confusion ensued. An expletive was used and, despite the same offence being punished with a yellow card for another player in the first half, Matt Lakeman was given a straight red and FCI were down to 9 men.

FCI crumbled, Waterside A capitalised and the referee continued his calamitous display. Two quickfire goals were struck for Waterside and the scores were level. Nathan Hussey by his own admission hadn’t had the best of games and is expected to check in at the nearest chapel sooner rather than later, to apologise, much like Robert Green did.

With the scores level and 5 minutes left to be played - 10 if the full 45 minutes were to be respected - in two sending offs which can only be described as a pity act in acceptance that he had got everything wrong for the previous 85 minutes, the referee attempted to restore the balance. Two Waterside players were dismissed in straight reds, which in any other game would’ve probably gone unpunished for the first and a yellow for the second, in a thinly veiled attempt to prevent the FCI players feeling aggrieved with the loss; however, he blew the whistle almost immediately after the second dismissal and the horror show was over. 3-3.

Jordan Florit described the game as, “a let down,” and expressed his emotions in one word, “gutted.” He has, however, insisted he “is not bitter.”

The first half of the Championship is well and truly over: the January transfer window is entering what Southampton boss Nigel Adkins calls the, “critical stage,” meaning the last two weeks, and a team that were 14/1 for the title at the beginning of the season are at the top, whilst the two favourites, relegated West Ham and Birmingham, sit in 2^nd place and 7^th place respectively.  Meanwhile, free-spending Leicester, who paid a total of £13m during the summer transfer period on the likes of Jermaine Beckford, Matthew Mills and Kasper Schmeichel, amongst others, sit in 15^th; closer to the relegation zone than the automatic spots they were expected to challenge for. However, with 20 games remaining for the majority of the Championship’s teams and 9 of them within 7 points of the play-offs, a bit of mid-season investment is an idea flirting provocatively with many Championship managers.

Southampton F.C had the best 2011 out of every team in the seventy-two of the football league: despite missing out on the n-Power League One title to fellow south coast side Brighton, The Saints came up in 2^nd place and made a barnstorming start to their first season back in the Championship, following relegation and administration in the 2008/09 camp gain. Over their 50 league games in 2011, the club, which was saved by the late Swiss billionaire Markus Liebherr in 2009, achieved a points per game average of 2.16 with a win ratio of 66%.

Undoubtedly, their remarkable home form, which only failed to produce an entire calendar year of unbeaten league games at St. Mary’s Stadium at the last hurdle against Bristol City, aided their healthy return. Now, their enthusiastic but level-headed manager wishes to capitalise on a first half of the season that delivered, by his own accord, over the odds: “we wanted to be in the top ten come the turn of the year to give ourselves the chance to go on and win the race.” Sitting pretty, with their football, at the top of the league, but not safely – West Ham are level on points with them – Nigel Adkins has stated his intentions to strengthen during the window to ensure he gets, “this great football club back where it belongs.”

The south coast club, who strengthened astutely from the team that secured them promotion from League One, by signing Burnley’s Danny Fox, Chelsea’s Jack Cork, Belgian winger Steve de Ridder and Celtic’s Jos Hooiveld, have already moved quickly this January to make sure the necessary signings are made by the time the deadline door slams shut. Jos Hooiveld, initially on loan, joined the club permanently in December and since the January window opened, Saints have signed Japanese international Tadanari Lee and secured a loan deal for Tottenham’s Iago Falque, which sees Spurs’ new signing join on loan until the end of the season. However, Saints fans can expect more action this window: “Our endeavour is to bring another striker into the football club,” Radio Solent was told by the Southampton manager, and with interest clearly being shown in Celtic’s Gary Hooper, two bids have already been turned down, Southampton’s intentions to return to the Premier League in back-to-back promotions are clear.

If “endeavour” is the current buzz word at St. Mary’s, with the manager having used it multiple times in recent weeks: “our endeavour is to keep winning games of football,”; “our endeavour is to give ourselves that opportunity from where we stand now,”; “our endeavour is always to try and break the opposition down,”; “our endeavour is to get him back and up to speed as quickly as possible,”; “our endeavour is to ensure we give the young lads the opportunity to come through the system,”; and, “our endeavour will be to enhance the squad we have got,” then Sam Allardyce’s buzz word is “buy.”

Since coming down from the Premier League, not only have The Hammers been able to hold on to England internationals Robert Green and Carlton Cole, who have 18 England caps between them, but they’ve been able to bring in a whole host of Premier League players on free transfers, loans and buys. Among the odd ludicrous rumour (Carlos Tevez and Frank Lampard in the Championship, really?), West Ham have assembled an impressive side under the no-nonsense leadership of Sam Allardyce. Matty Taylor and David Bentley were brought in to bolster the wings, however the latter has since departed; Kevin Nolan, Henri Lansbury and Papa Bouba Diop were signed to add to the already impressive midfield engine of Mark Noble and Jack Collison; John Carew added the necessary height upfront for any Sam Allardyce side and Guy Demel and George McCartney further strengthened a defence that has the blossoming James Tomkins at the heart of it.

With a plateau in performances preventing West Ham from capitalising on Southampton’s below-par December, Sam Allardyce feels that their worst run is behind them and he’s assured he can keep pace with the league leaders: “I’m very confident because Matt Taylor and Guy Demel are close to getting back.” George John has already signed on loan for The Hammers and Allardyce has confirmed their January business isn’t over yet, “we’re still looking for at least one player in the transfer window,” said the former Bolton, Newcastle and Blackburn boss. However, one player they won’t be signing is Huddersfield’s Jordan Rhodes, “That’s something we have tried to do but it’s not a situation where it looks like Huddersfield want to lose their player - we have given up on that.”

Between now and midnight on January 31^st, Nigel Adkins and Big Sam will have their clubs continuously linked with a stream of available, suitable and sometimes outrageous players. Allardyce has already had to rubbish rumours that he is interested in Kevin Davies, whilst Southampton continue to, “try and do [their] talking in quiet.” But with the two sides neck and neck with 20 games left and Cardiff and Middlesbrough not too far behind, will one take the gamble and spend big on a player between now and the deadline to ensure Premier league status next season?  

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/

For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

On the pitch, Carlos Tevez is a talent that epitomises all that is good among his generation of Argentines: he is determined, he is skilful and he is a match-winner. However, the only winning he has been doing of late involves rounds of golf in his homeland. It is well documented how Carlos Tevez went from Manchester City’s hero, who added even more credibility to his cult status by sharing the fans’ detest for United, to a player equally disliked across the country, irrelevant of club or creed. It seems that the only fans that would welcome Carlitos back are the Hammers’: that probably remains the case, only for his goal that saved them from relegation from the Premier League.

Whilst Roberto Mancini waves cards - I’ll refrain from calling it a red card as my ability to mind read exactly what colour the Italian was waving is null – Carlos Tevez’s agent/advisor/drain on resources attempts to further benefit from the Argentine’s footballing talent by securing him a move to another top European football club. Yet the temperamental striker may well have shot himself in the foot during his career to date to an extent which will hinder City’s ability to shift the want-away striker.

“Every time he opens his mouth, it’s a different reason for him wanting to leave Man. City. He is a disgrace to football. He epitomises what the man in the street thinks is wrong with modern footballers.” It’s not a resounding advertisement for the striker’s footballing ability nor his personality; however, it is the truth and Graeme Souness’ account of the Carlos Tevez saga is one that is as damning as other antics committed by Carlitos.

If there are comparisons to be made between David Bentley and Carlos Tevez, they lie in respect to their attitudes: citing a “60-game season” and wishing to avoid hitting a “brick wall” something Bentley has never done and couldn’t do – he doesn’t play enough – the former England international pulled out of representing Stuart Pearce’s England U-21s in the European Championships 2007 to avoid a mid-season burnout in the 2007/08 Premier League campaign. Similarly, 4 years earlier and aged 19, Carlitos refused to represent his country at the 2003 FIFA World Championships: in the same way Bentley didn’t want playing for his country to come at the cost of playing for his club the following season, Tevez didn’t want to participate in the Youth Championships at the cost of playing for Boca Juniors as they continued their league campaign.

With Tevez, no matter who he is playing for, his family and Boca Juniors come first: “I want to play for Boca again one day. Boca is different from everywhere else because of how I feel about the club.” As for his family, they are the defining factor in Tevez’s absence from Manchester City, “I live for my daughters; everything I do, I do for them. It is great being [in Argentina] but it is going to be even more difficult to go back now,” and speaking in July, it seemed his Manchester City future was already destined to end prematurely, “It’s great now, enjoying spending time with my family but it will be tough to go back. Being back [in Argentina] means I can cuddle my daughters. It’s a difficult situation when I’m not here.” As much as you can criticise that he is not honouring a signed contract that sees him earn £198,000 a week, Tevez is putting his family ahead of his career and any future employee will have to accept this. At this rate, Carlos Tevez will be realising his dream of one day returning to Boca Juniors, much sooner than he would’ve envisaged.

Yet, refusing to represent his country in the FIFA Youth Championships is not the only occasion concerning Tevez not wishing to participate for a team he is obliged to do so: if Manchester City fully assessed Carlos’ history, they would’ve seen that he has treated 90 minutes like a necessity to life and without it he cannot function at a club for much longer; however, the key player status that comes with playing 90 minutes week-in-week-out, brings with it a considerable amount of pressure and attention and that is something else that Tevez cannot handle, as well as playing the supporting role.

“The press are making my life unbearable, I can’t breathe; it’s impossible for me to play; I’ve got to go,” said a Boca Juniors Tevez, before his move to Corinthians that ended due to him not getting enough attention, despite making the Team of the Year and the Player of the Year Award to boot. From Corinthians he played for West Ham United, whilst under third party ownership, and having promised to keep The Hammers in the Premier League, one vow he has stuck to in life, he then left for Manchester United where 51 starts in 63 appearances was not enough to keep the fast-becoming journeyman in the Red half of Manchester United. His most recent history needs no explanation and like I stated in the introduction, the one club that reserves any love for Carlitos is West Ham: the one place he’s delivered on a promise.

For any club that signs Carlos Tevez, two things must be borne into mind: firstly, his family will forever hold the noose on any contract he signs and as his family grows this will only strengthen; secondly, since third party ownership is so sincerely frowned upon, any purchasing club must own Carlos Tevez wholly and to best benefit from this, a short term contract is likely to be the safest option for any club willing to invest in this human time bomb.

As a five-year contract – 30 months remaining – whittles down, Manchester City will become more eager to offload what is a fairly sought after, yet elastically valued, player: the question is, how will City sell this player without letting him go cheaply and who will buy him?

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Back in the summer, Everton made the headlines for a failure to spend yet again: in fact, since signing Jonny Heitinga for £6.2m in the 2009 summer transfer window, Everton are yet to spend over £1.5m in combined transfer fees. Well, that was the case until they signed Manchester United’s Darron Gibson on January 13^th, conveniently hours before Everton’s official site released a blog written by their chief executive Robert Elstone, detailing the club’s finances in the five seasons preceding the 2011/12 campaign.

Yet, their transfer activity so far this season, which consists of James McFadden and Marcus Hahnemann on free transfers, Denis Stracqualursi, Royston Drenthe and Landon Donovan on loan and their only bought player, the aforementioned Darron Gibson, is far flung from the Everton we saw in the second half of last decade. When Wayne Rooney left Everton for Manchester United for £25m in 2004, Moyes went on to smash Everton’s transfer record 4 times in 4 years and spend over £40m on James Beattie, Andrew Johnson, Yakubu and Fellaini. Moyes’ ability to spend led to Champions League qualification in 2005, and UEFA Cup runs in the 07/08 season and 08/09 season, as well as an F.A. Cup Final appearance in 2009, finishing runners up to Chelsea.

However, a deadline day sale of Mikel Arteta to Arsenal for £10m and a series of comments from players and David Moyes alike, which suggested there still wasn’t money to spend, resulted in protests from a section of Everton fans not happy with the club’s progress under Bill Kenwright, nor the money available for new signings. The unrest began during preseason and having heard a telling interview from Sylvain Distin to BBC Radio Merseyside, where he stated that they have “a small squad” that is wary of injuries being able to threaten their campaign and if so they’ll “have to deal with it,” a phrase again echoed by Tim Cahill, questions started being fired from fans at the powers who be at Goodison Park, prompting last week’s in-depth blog on their finances.

With Everton’s borrowing having risen from £22m to £45m from 2006-2011, an increase of 104.5%, and player wages increasing by £20m over the same 5-year period, despite an actual 4% drop in the proportion of revenue spent on player wages, it is clear that money for investment in the playing squad isn’t going to be readily available any time soon unless Everton adopt a sell to buy approach; one made difficult by the fact Everton have the third highest average squad age in the Premier League, something Elstone denies in his blog: “this is not an ageing, threadbare squad.”  Therefore, possible ways of raising finance, but ultimately staying competitive, must be sourced.

1.      The Asian Market

The Asian market is something Everton have flirted with before, on and off the pitch, and it was only a series of serious injuries that prevented it from being a successful venture when it came to the playing side of their relationship with Asia. After relative success in the 2002 World Cup, Everton secured a loan deal for Chinese international Li Tie, and having played 31 of Everton’s Premier League games in a season in which they finished 7^th, David Moyes chose to sign the defensive midfielder permanently. He signed for an undisclosed fee, thought to be in the range of £500k-£1.5m; however, much of this fee was paid for through sponsorship. Kejian, a Chinese Telecommunications company, teamed up with ACIG Media and construction firm Xing He to help finance the transfer, leaving Everton to pay little, if any, of the amount paid for his services. In return, then chief executive at Everton, Michael Dunford said that, “there will be young players coming across to Everton on a regular basis, and some of our Academy coaching staff will be visiting China to assist with their youth development programme. The companies involved want to see more Chinese players come over to this country [to play.]” From deals such as these, China get to see their best players compete on the best stage of domestic football in the world and in return, not only do Everton get much of the fee paid for by sponsors, they gain recognition and revenue from the market they attract, thus fan base they develop, in Asia too. This is due to the interest the player brings with him from his home country.

The potential income from young growing markets, such as the footballing one in Asia, is one that will be pivotal in the success of clubs in the future. The move for Li Tie also saw Everton benefit financially off the pitch: from 2002-2004, the same company which helped buy the midfielder, Kejian, became the shirt sponsors of Everton in a deal worth £1m-a-year to The Toffees and as an advertising slot to the 93 million people who watch the Premier League in China every week, for Kejian. With the Asian market for players growing stronger with each year, as proven by the rising numbers playing in the top European leagues such as  Keisuke Honda of CSKA Moscow, Shinji Kagawa at Borussia Dortmund and Yuto Nagatomo at Inter Milan, a dip back into the market may well strengthen the playing side as much as it would the financial. Southampton F.C have already moved into the Asian market this window, signing Japanese international Tadanari Lee and West Ham look to follow suit with a move for his Japanese strike partner Ryoichi Maeda. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who signed 19-year old Japanese forward Ryo Miyaichi last year, said of the Asian market, “Two aspects of the development of the game; one will come from the States, the second big part I’m convinced will be Asia,” said the former boss of Japanese side Nagoya Grampus Eight, “In these two countries and continents they have an aptitude to have a team attitude and a hardworking attitude and I think once they get the education they will produce good players.”

2.      The American Market

Secondly, as alluded to by Wenger in the above quote, is the potential of the market for growth, as well as that of players, in the United States. With the quality of football continuously improving in America, more and more players are making the move out and at a young age, rather than in and during their twilight years. Clint Dempsey, Maurice Edu and Jermaine Jones are all enjoying successful careers as Americans in the top flights of Europe; however, at Everton there is a small contingent of Yanks in Tim Howard, Marcus Hahnemann and the loan return of Landon Donovan and other MLS players have had their names linked with moves to the Premier League this window: Break Shea, who is currently training at Arsenal, has been linked with a permanent move to The Emirates and Bolton are lining up Tim Ream as a replacement for Gary Cahill.

With soccer growing more popular with each passing campaign - undoubtedly aided by David Beckham’s multi-million pound move to LA Galaxy in 2007 and the constant stream of ex-Premier League players such as Robbie Keane, Juan Pablo Angel and Abel Xavier - attracting a fan base in the United States of America could bode well for Everton’s bank balance. The relationship they already have with the captain of the country’s national football team should stand them in good stead and with Tim Howard an evergreen in the Everton team over the past five years, attracting players shouldn’t be a problem. The financial benefits of operating in the American market for football has already been highlighted by Barcelona: in 2005, former Barcelona vice-president Soriano, held talks with MLS officials, including Arsenal’s CEO, Ivan Gazidis about the possibility of franchising Barcelona in the MLS for brand and marketing purposes. Despite a deal being signed that ensured Barcelona would tour the MLS for commercial benefit, the proposal to have a Barcelona franchise in the MLS didn’t gather weight. However, Soriano believes that one day European teams will be operating in foreign leagues: “Nowadays we have no idea whether within 20 years there will be a Manchester United vs Arsenal match played in the Chinese junior league.”

3.      Continue to harvest the Football League

In Tim Cahill, Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka, Everton have three staple players that learned their trade in the Championship and then were bought by David Moyes to improve as players at Goodison Park. Tim Cahill was snapped up for a nominal - considering his talents would see him on the 50-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or just two years later - fee of £1.5m. Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka both enjoyed a season of top-flight football, following promotions with their respective clubs – Wigan and Sheffield United – before David Moyes signed them for £4m and £5m each. Since signing for Everton, both players have represented England at full international level. With the Football League still providing players that earn it the title bargain basement, continuing to plunder the lower-leagued clubs for their best talent, is one way Everton can invest, but invest cheaply.

It doesn’t even have to be the Championship though: Chris Smalling made the jump from the 7^th tier of the English footballing pyramid to the top in one leap when he signed for Fulham in 2008 and Paul Lambert has proved players in League One can play for a team in the top 10 of the Premier League, with back to back promotions from the third tier of English football. Grant Holt, who has now played in League One, the Championship and the Premier League in three consecutive seasons, has scored 7 Premier League goals this season and Anthony Pilkington, who was playing in League One last season, has scored 5.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/

For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

If it’s true that some things never change – a leopard doesn’t change its spots, Big Sam will always ferociously chew gum, Mark Hughes doesn’t lack ambition – then it is no surprise that Sir Alex Ferguson was playing mind games after all and bad things will always come in three.

When, on Sunday morning, Paul Scholes was named among the substitutes for the Manchester derby in the third round of the F.A Cup, much was made of it in the wake of the final whistle: “It took all the attention off City’s home record and the bookmakers’ odds and switched all the attention to Paul Scholes and Manchester United,” said former Red Devil Nicky Butt, before eluding to the talent Ferguson possesses in the mind game department, “It was a great little bit of psychology.” However, some sections of the footballing world were questioning why everything Sir Alex Ferguson says or does has to be interpreted as part of an elaborate game of wit and mental strength. For a short while my head had been turned and I began to see Ferguson for what he was: just a manager. It was a silly mistake to doubt the psychological capabilities of Sir Alex though: “I don’t know how we managed it,” said Ferguson, commenting on how they kept Scholes’ return quiet, “we registered him on the Friday, and thought somehow it would get out. But we didn’t let any of the players know, simply because of the impact value.” There you have it: he was playing mind games. “We were going away from home in a very difficult FA Cup tie against City. We had 5,000 fans at that end of the ground and as soon as they knew his name was on the team sheet they were fantastic, there was a great response.”

Another thing that hasn’t changed this season is all things coming in triple headers and football has, yet again, caused controversy with great debate, threefold. To begin with, there was the first of three race rows; secondly, football lost three legends of the game; and lastly, since the New Year, three refereeing decisions have sparked considerable discussion unparalleled this season. Luis Suarez, John Terry and a Liverpool “fan” were the culprits in the race row and have all managed to be dealt with in three separate ways: the Uruguayan was punished with an 8-game ban by the F.A, John Terry’s case was handed to the Crown Prosecution Service and the Liverpool fan responsible for the racist remarks to Oldham’s Tom Adeyemi was arrested. Three cases, similar in nature, dealt with in three different ways due to subjectivity.

Back in 2011, during the last week of November, football lost one of its greats: Gary Speed. His death came on the back of his appearance on the BBC’s Saturday football show, Football Focus and a successful year, which, posthumously, saw his side announced as the best climbers in the FIFA International rankings from 116^th to 48^th, collecting the most points of any international side in 2011 – 330. Socrates, the Brazilian playmaker who achieved huge playing success in the early 80s, as well as qualifying a doctor, died a week later and within a month of this early passing the former Everton and Liverpool defender, Gary Ablett died aged 46.

With unwanted negatives clouding what has been a brilliant season on-the-pitch in England, the New Year ensured the controversy would continue at the first possible opportunity: with City facing United in the F.A Cup third round, the 12 minute mark brought what may go on to be the most talked about sending off of the season and a constant benchmark comparison for every single sliding challenge to be made between now and May. As Luis Nani burst down the left wing for Manchester United, Kompany came charging across from centre-back and with two feet lunged off the ground, scissor-legged the ball away from the Portuguese, as he hurdled the oncoming boots of the Belgian. Foy gave the Manchester City captain a straight red and immediate debate began over the referee’s interpretation of the rules and whether his decision was justifiable.

As with any event concerning Manchester United and officials, the result and general consensus has been tarnished; however, according to Nigel Reo-Coker, opinion is divided because of the subjectivity in football: “I don’t really think there are clear enough guidelines to know how you can tackle in the modern game.  Even the powers-that-be don’t really know the true rules about tackling themselves. If you speak to people, 50% will say [Kompany’s] is a sending off and 50% will say it’s not. I thought it might have been a sending-off but others disagree.” One man that felt it was not a sending off is Graham Poll, “The red card was harsh and unnecessary — refs are advised to avoid controversy and not to go looking for trouble. Chris Foy managed neither on Sunday.” It takes three yellow cards for Poll to send someone off anyway, so we can that with a pinch of salt.

However, if his justification is to be taken and strictly applied across the board, then surely Glen Johnson’s two-footed challenge on Joleon Lescott was a sending off, yet a foul wasn’t even given: “Vincent Kompany should not have dived in, but he was in control of his body movement, unlike Frank Lampard for Chelsea against Wolves, which resulted in a yellow card but was a much more serious offence.” When Glen Johnson made his two-footed challenge, which Dalglish claims wasn’t a challenge, he wasn’t in control: his eyes were closed and that isn’t being in control. “Glen’s tackle is not a problem for us because there was no one directly in front of him. He hasn’t come in from behind, so I don’t see the problem,” the Liverpool manager said. “There’s always an interpretation of what the tackle is but I would have thought that, if it’s a tackle, then there has got to be a challenge. If I’m sliding in to clear the ball and there’s no challenge, then it’s not a tackle, is it?”

Dalglish’s point lies in the difference between Kompany’s starting and finishing point and Johnson’s: Kompany comes out of a centre-back position, diagonally running towards Nani and lunges towards him. If Nani didn’t hurdle the oncoming challenge, Kompany’s finishing point would’ve been the ankles of Nani. On the other hand, Glen Johnson sprints forward out of right-back and, with a two-footed flight path, intercepts a Lescott-destined pass: his finishing point in no way affects Lescott who was standing to the right of Johnson’s path. However, according to Poll, a lack of control displayed by Johnson should mean that he is sent off.

Yet, the subjective nature continues to create debate and stir controversy, as will this post. Rio Ferdinand believes there is no argument: “I don’t understand why this debate is still going on,” said the United and England centre-back, “It’s stated clearly in the rule book, we get told before the season when all the referees go around the different clubs: a two-footed tackle is a red card. It’s as simple as that - It baffles me that there’s any argument or debate around the issue.” Yet that isn’t the case: whether it is a one-footed or two-footed challenge, for a red card, serious foul play must occur, meaning “with excessive force” and “endangering the opponent’s safety.” Yet, both of those conditions are subjective and that is where the debate and argument is allowed to flourish. Either way, the referees will be scrutinised for their decisions whether they get them right or wrong. On Sky Sport’s Soccer Saturday, Matthew Le Tissier said of Chris Foy, “he’s  not one of our best referees, he’s been involved with some high profile mistakes,” whilst Charlie Nicholas said that Lee Mason was, “lucky it was a centre half [that Johnson came in on], a winger would’ve had his leg snapped.” The argument will go on and unfortunately, without standardising the rules and objectifying the necessary conditions, players will continue to see red amidst the mist of subjectivity.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Whilst others read Harry Pearson’s blog on The Guardian, entitled “Why Sir Alex Ferguson’s rejects are tickled pink to be leaving” and leapt to the dramatic measures of screaming libel, lies and lexically superfluous, I took it how it was meant to be taken, with a tongue firmly placed in cheek, and proceeded to read the comments. The article itself, sarcastically suggested that if Wayne Rooney had upset Sir Alex Ferguson, it wasn’t the worst thing he could’ve done, because after all, it hadn’t served Jaap Stam, Paul Ince or David Beckham unwell. Labelling him as “another Paul Gascoigne” however, is probably enough punishment in itself: although it is a humbling testament to any player’s ability, condemning one to a life of alcohol abuse, drug abuse and unfortunate and untimely appearances in Police cordoned areas is somewhat damning in its sentencing.

Among anguished, and most likely Red Devil written, comments in reply to a wholly antagonistic article, was an intriguing point: “[Ferguson] can be extremely benign, accommodating and tolerant of players who regularly call round to drive Cathy [Lady Ferguson] to Tescos, and then help her carry her bags to the car and back into the house: plus doing the gardening during the close season of course. Volunteering to do the windows can put five years on your career: O’Shea, Brown, Gibson and Fletcher spring to mind.” Clearly the comment was just as jocular as Pearson’s; however, behind the whimsical flippancy and facetious mockery was a point worth considering.

As we’ve been reminded by those who strike a profile of pseudo-knowledge, those that predict 10 future talents and become Arsene Wenger when one makes a sub appearance in the second round of the Carling Cup – take a bow Luke Freeman, I hear you secured your dream move to Stevenage – Manchester United have been rebuilt “time and time again under Ferguson and are undergoing another rebuilding process. I accept that they are, but hearing it from the same pundit that informed me that, at 3-0, Manchester United will, “go on to really hurt [City] they’ve been the best at it over the past 10-15 years,” just for City to all but stage a season-ending comeback, was rather patronising. For a second I felt like I had been completely let down, like realising Father Christmas wasn’t real after all, but then I remembered the same pundit said Vincent Kompany’s challenge wasn’t a red card and any perceived expertise he may have held in my view had evaporated quicker than Rooney could wave two fingers in front of Chris Hoy.

In Manchester United’s current first team, there are 9 players that have been there for five or more years and they started the season with just eight of those ever-presents. At the beginning of the season, in his interview with Gordon Burns, Ferguson stressed the importance of, “building a team to last five or six years,” further emphasizing that, “they have a better understanding and become friends together,” by doing so. However, a portion of these 9 players, notably part of a transition, have missed varying sized segments of the season through injury and the players coming through, who will form, what Ferguson calls, “the nucleus of the modern Manchester United,” have equally been hindered with injury. “We knew Welbeck and Tom Cleverley were going to be fantastic players,” Said Ferguson, unaware that one would suffer from a length injury that he is yet to return from, “Chris Smalling and Phil Jones were in the Under-21s together. They have learned together and that has been a really big part of the modern Manchester United.” Yet the modern Manchester United find themselves up against a challenge that the Old United didn’t: Manchester City.

With the modern Manchester United struggling, but don’t suggest they are to a Devil, Paul Scholes was finally bullied back into playing again by Fergie and most likely Ravel Morrison, who last year pleaded guilty to two charges of witness intimidation. Suddenly, the “Giggs-Scholes-Beckham era” became the present; an anchor was chucked before oncoming waves, such as the triple header of an in-form Arsenal, a determined Chelsea and a galvanised Liverpool, which makes up 3 of their next 5 fixtures, crashed into the fast porous ship. For once, those “volunteers” may well have been the exact remedy Sir Alex Ferguson needed for Manchester’s winter blues.

Irrespective of Manchester United’s form – at the time of writing – which averages out as 2.25 points per game, enough to win 8 of the last 10 Premier League titles, they are facing a challenge previously never on offer, in the form of Manchester City and a new presence of Tottenham, which threatens to red-face Ferguson more than he already is naturally. In previous struggles for the Premier League title with Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, Fergie has had a reliable contingent to depend on when faced with adversity; players such as: Darren Fletcher, John O’Shea, Wes Brown, Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre. These are the players that when Manchester United have had to dig deep, Sir Alex Ferguson can rely on, be it: John O’Shea easing the pressure on other players slotting in across the defence and midfield or captaining the F.A Cup side, or Darren Fletcher going from a bit part player to one sorely missed now he is indefinitely unavailable. However, over the past 4 years all of the above have either left, retired or out until further notice. Players that were as capable as playing as they were providing a physical embodiment of Ferguson on the pitch, creating a resounding presence and link between manager and squad are gone. With Vidic out for the rest of the season, along with Fletcher, and Ferdinand, by Ferguson’s own admission, not up to standards this season, it is a presence sorely missed.

John O’Shea, Wes Brown and the like, may not have been the best performers ever to grace Old Trafford, but their service was invaluable and, in unpredicted hardship for Manchester United in the shape of injuries and misfortune, players of their ilk are needed more than ever. The sentiment expressed by the poster on the original article of Pearson’s may have excessively assessed and depicted the scenarios of the said players’ careers; however, right now Sir Alex Ferguson could do with some “volunteers.”

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/

For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

Whilst the Premier League gives up faith on the current crop of multi-million pound stars that are unable to find the back of the net, tie up a midfield that boasts international wingers and ball-hungry strikers or manage a team suitably financed by a Malaysian air tycoon: the fans are understandably double-checking their screens amidst a quiet warbling of Rocky Horror’s lyrics, “Let’s do the Time Warp Again.”

At the end of the 2010/11 campaign, football fans across England were understandably right to expect they had seen the last of opposition players flying high up into the air after a Paul Scholes “tackle” and no longer have to be subjected to Mark Hughes bemoaning a lack of ambition wherever he goes, despite spending £17.5m on players like Roque Santa Cruz. The thought of Thierry Henry returning to the Premier League wasn’t even in Richard Dunne’s wildest dreams.

So, when Sir Alex Ferguson managed to finally convince his most favourite ginger to come out of retirement 6 months after he had announced it was the “right time for me to stop playing,” hung-over football fans waking up late Sunday morning to watch Manchester United win 3-2, but walk away like the defeated team, were understandably confused when they saw Paul Scholes named on the bench. Despite the fact that Fergie didn’t want Scholes to retire in the first place and had always offered him the chance to re-join the playing squad, amateur psychologist Nicky Butt informed the world that bringing him back, “was a smart move by the manager,” considering the timing because, “It took all the attention off [City’s] home record and the bookmakers’ odds and switched all the attention to Paul Scholes and Manchester United.” Ignoring the fact that not everything Sir Alex Ferguson does is some kind of mental game of labyrinth, Butt concluded that, “It was a great little bit of psychology.”

If heart palpitations hadn’t been induced by the last-minute surprise return of Paul Scholes, no way eluded to in the English media as early as November, or the clever link-up play he performed with James Milner, then Tuesday night’s love in with Thierry Henry featuring players of lesser ability, probably evoked at least the smallest of emotionally nostalgic twinges of the heart. Having told fans, modestly, that he wasn’t “coming here to be a hero,” instead sympathetically “coming [back] to help,” Henry came off of where he intended to sit for 6 weeks, “ I’m going to be a bench player,” and scored the winning goal, playing up to the magic of the F.A Cup. Having done so, Thierry Henry reacted in a way only previously expected of Paulo Di Canio this season: he rose his arms above his head, showered himself in ecstasy and felt the stupor us mere mortals can only ever dream of experiencing, “Now I know how people feel when they score for the club they support.”

If the strong stench of nostalgia hadn’t quite engulfed your immediate vicinity, then Sunday is a footballing treat: Mark Hughes returns to football management half a season after explaining that he had left Craven Cottage because, he is, “a young, ambitious manager,” who wishes to, “move on to further [his] experiences.” The manager, no stranger to splashing the cash, has shown his ambition already, by supposedly listing Didier Drogba, Darren Bent, Wayne Bridge and Alex among his transfer targets; whether QPR quite possess the same ambition to appeal to such players remains to be seen. Since leaving Blackburn Rovers for Manchester City, where he signed Wayne Bridge – a player he had spent time with during his playing days at Southampton F.C - as well as Shaun Wright-Phillips, Mark Hughes has lived off of expensive foreigners, so should find himself at home QPR.

Although a clash of egos may now ensue at QPR, what with Mark Hughes, Joey Barton and Adel Taarabt now all likely to be on and around the pitch – I can’t see Hughes playing Derry and Mackie over Adel Taarabt and Shaun Wright-Phillips – what he can bring to Rangers is astute signings and mid-table security; albeit among the odd woeful purchase. With the ex-Wales manager, for every Jo he buys, he also brings in a Christopher Samba, a Nigel De Jong and a Vincent Kompany. Among the high-profile names on Mark Hughes’ media-constructed transfer list, is in fact Christopher Samba, the man he bought at Blackburn Rovers for £500k.

Meanwhile, in the world of the fast-becoming Nostalgia League sponsored by Barclay’s, whilst Paul Scholes took to the pitch for Luis Nani with half an hour left on the clock, watching on from the punditry box was Roy Keane; however, more poignant was the presence of David Beckham, who at one year Scholes’ minor, must’ve been bouncing Romeo on his knee thinking he could surely do a job still, too. Even Owen Hargreaves jogged about for a bit.

With Manchester United highly unlikely to provide a route back into English football to David – that really would be admitting defeat if resigning Paul Scholes didn’t – and Beckham surely scarred by the idea of moving to Loftus Road after Warnock stated that he, “personally can’t see where Beckham is going to get in the team at the moment,” (probably where you insisted on playing Derry or Mackie) there seems few options left for England’s footballing Braveheart. However, the wheeler-dealer that isn’t Harry Redknapp – he swears if you call him that – may well provide him with a bus ticket for the O.A.P coach to the Nostalgia League: “Could David play for us? It’s a difficult one, I wouldn’t know about the financial side of all of that. The chairman was dealing with his club last time. But as a fella, to have him around the place every day was brilliant. “

Redknapp, in the same interview, raised an extremely valid point, “People keep saying the players today are better than what they were. Well we keep bringing back 37-year-olds so I don’t know about that. It can’t quite be right,” using his poetic license to full flexibility as he referenced the 36-year old David Beckham, the 33-year old Thierry Henry and the 31-year old Robbie Keane in the same breath as the accurately aged Paul Scholes. Personally, I am enjoying the mini-revival of players in the Premier League that I used to collect as little Panini stickers as a child and it was only today that I was revelling in the memory of a Jay Jay Okocha brace against Aston Villa in the Carling Cup Semi-final, whilst watching Manchester City v Liverpool in their same fixture for 2012.

At the rate at which transfers are moving along at the moment, it may just go down as the January bargain window of 2012. So, as Scholes makes his return, Henry makes his and Keane joins Aston Villa on loan, which other aging former Premier League stars are out there and could still do a job this season?

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

This January may lead to a bit more activity than the last one, with clubs scurrying about frantically to secure quick, or short term, cover for their African stars, who have now departed for the biennial Africa Cup of Nations tournament that has only one saving grace to the Premier League: Egypt, Cameroon and Nigeria have for the first time in recent history, failed to qualify for the tournament in which current champions Egypt are in fact the most successful side with 7 titles.

Had these three heavyweights of Africa qualified, responsible for 13 of the 27 titles to date, instead of the Premier League missing out on 10 first-teamers, it would’ve been expecting more towards a figure of 23, including most notably: Arsenal’s Alex Song, West Brom’s Peter Odemwingie, Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel and Sunderland’s Ahmed Elmohamady. The Gunners will, undoubtedly, be grateful they won’t be missing their peroxide Blond Cameroonian anchor man and Harry Redknapp will be equally glad that the mid-week provider and goal scorer, Song’s fellow countryman Benoit Assou-Ekotto, will be staying in London this January.

However, no fewer than 10 Premier League African internationals will be absent throughout January, possibly into February too, and eight of them represent teams in the top seven. Depending on your opinion, six of them would still consider their team as in the title race. During the last Africa Cup of Nations in 2010, which saw Egypt win their third consecutive title, the Premier League saw 15 players depart for Angola and 7 of them were playing for teams in the European spots. Most affected during the tournament dates, whilst being involved in the title race, were Chelsea, losing four players: Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel. The loss of their top scorer and midfield lynchpin particularly proved costly and Chelsea slipped from their top spot in the Premier League to third place. On return, Didier Drogba fired Chelsea back to the top of the league, beating Manchester United by one point and finishing top scorer with 29 goals.

This time round, the team at the top can equally be expected to suffer: Manchester City lose Ivorian pair and brothers, Kolo and Yaya Toure and have entered 2012 on shaky ground. Since Christmas, in all competitions, Manchester City have: played 5; won 2; drew 2 and lost 1. Their two losses in their five game run of form coincide with the absence of the Toures. So far this season, Yaya Toure has the highest average amount of passes per 90 minutes - 79.4 and his brother, Kolo, has a 90% pass completion rate. The lack of fluidity such passing brings was evident in Wednesday night’s clash with Liverpool and the absence of the Ivorian pair was worsened when Kolo Toure’s centre-back partner, Vincent Kompany received a 4-game ban for his challenge on Manchester United’s Luis Nani and David Silva limped off at half-time.

With Kompany and Kolo Toure both unavailable for at least the next three games, the centre-back partnership is expected to be aptly filled by the £28m duo of Joleon Lescott and Savic, who between them cost more than the £22m double act of Kompany and K.Toure. Lescott’s transition into the starting line-up should be a smooth one with the England international having played the first 1170 minutes of Premier League football at City anyway and having started all but 4 of City’s 20 PL games this season. Stefan Savic’s inclusion may be seen as a weakness: the Serbian youngster has only played 190 minutes this season and his game against Liverpool highlighted his rashness. The gap Yaya Toure leaves is easier to be filled; however, his class and ability is unlikely to be matched in his absence and the Italian boss, Roberto Mancini, may go back to his nation’s defensive philosophy and adopt the displays of last season with Manchester United and Tottenham edging closer and closer and unaffected by the tournament.

Newcastle and Arsenal both lose two men each in Demba Ba and Cheick Tiote and Yao Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh: however, the losses of them have already been suitably dealt with, in terms of Arsenal, or unlikely to threaten the title race, in terms of Newcastle. Whilst the Gunners have Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andrei Arshavin and Thierry Henry all able to fill the void left by Arsenal’s losses, Alan Pardew won’t find covering Tiote and, especially, Ba as easy. December was arguably Demba’s best month among many good ones and he was rightly the recipient of the Player of the Month award: Ba has scored 15 of Newcastle’s 29 Premier League goals, also meaning he has scored 15 in his last 15 appearances for Newcastle and he has scored 22 goals in 26 appearances in the top flight of English football. Tiote’s ability in midfield has been pivotal to Newcastle’s past 18 months and this season’s impressive start, and in a testament to his talent, he had himself linked with a move to Manchester United.

Down the wrong end of the league, Mark Hughes will have to wait to see what Adel Taarabt has to offer: we can all tell him how incredible he can be with the ball at his feet but limited playing time under Warnock where a clash of considerably sized egos had occurred, saw game time limited in the first half of the season and his captaincy stripped and given to Joey Barton. Wigan will lose Mohamed Diame in the middle of the park; however, that is merely another hole in a slowly sinking ship. Without any correlation, when Wigan lost Richard Kingson to the Africa Cup of Nations in 2010, Wigan’s form actually improved and climbed two positions, where they then remained until after his return.

With Manchester United and Tottenham only three points off of Manchester City and both unaffected by the Africa Cup of Nations, January may well become vital in deciding the title. Sir Alex Ferguson has already expressed a sentiment that, despite having the funds, he is yet to be persuaded that buying is the solution to anyone suggesting his boat is rocking and whilst his boat is in fact wobbling somewhat, Harry Redknapp might just pull off a bit of VDV-esque magic once more, to capitalise on a stubborn Ferguson and a depleted, as depleted as an Oil magnate’s company can be, Manchester City.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

I am well aware that money and football seem to be two entities that when together combust ferociously, exploding to magnitudes constantly higher than the one before it and capable of sparking even bigger and bigger with gentle encouragement from the other; however, every time I see an article linking Porto’s Hulk to another top European football team, I always run a double take on the figure he is quoted at costing for any potential suitor. He’s valued at £83.5m, a ludicrous amount for what is, when you strip down the image, the shirt sales and the potential fan base he brings, just a man in a kit who tribally kisses a badge his heart has no real allegiance to, whilst producing animalistic fist pumps in the sky.

In 1893, 119-years ago, a man from Leith in Scotland, aged 24, became the first player in Britain to cost a three-figure sum. Plying his trade as a striker for West Bromwich Albion, having enjoyed spells in his homeland with Hibernian and Celtic, Willie Groves was said to have been poached illegally by Aston Villa. The Villains were fined £25 by The F.A and were forced to pay £100 as the transfer fee for the Scotland international, who had made his professional debut at 16.

Fast forward 100 years, and the British transfer record had multiplied by 55,000: in 1991, and again in 1992 when Paul Gascoigne was bought by Lazio, a fee of £5.5m was paid and broke the previous record of £4.25m – a fee which took Spur’s Chris Waddle across the channel to Marseille. The £5.5m British transfer record was for the services of Aston Villa’s David Platt, now Manchester City’s first team coach, and saw him become the second Englishman to make a record breaking move from England to Italy.

That was in 1993 and back then £5.5m got you arguably England’s greatest player at the time: a 25-year old Paul Gascoigne. Nowadays, that same figure would get you half of a £10m Peter Crouch (potentially still taller than Gazza), the left leg of a £22m Jordan Henderson (potentially more capable of walking in a straight line than Gazza), or the whole of David N’Gog (potentially the lovechild of Gazza and Ali Dia).

Of course, it is all relative; however, it only takes one to look at the monumental fluctuations in price for similarly aged, talented and desired players to see that the correlations between time and price paid has its own peaks and troughs, affected similarly by its own externalities such as the economy, the ownership of the involved parties and the reputation of the player. In an article I wrote in August, I discussed how Wenger quite cleverly, yet almost certainly unknowingly, bought an XI for less than £50m and only had to sell three of them to make his money back and more.

?What went fairly unnoticed with The Invincibles, is how much investment it took to put together such a perfect eleven that struck a fine balance between creativity, fluidity and responsibility. In their 49-game unbeaten run, the most used XI was: Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole, Pires, Gilberto, Ljungberg, Vieira, Henry and Bergkamp. The Invincibles were the second only team to go an entire season unbeaten in the English top flight and it cost a mere £44.1m to bring them together. Yet, last January, the same amount of money wouldn’t have been able to buy you 5-goal Fernando and would’ve only allowed you to sign Jean Makoun with the change from Andy Carroll. From the Invincibles, the transfers out of Kolo Toure, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry, returned £52.85m: £11.7m more than it cost to assemble the XI in the first place.

Undoubtedly, the image, the experience and the maturity that the team of Invincibles accumulated when they were at Arsenal, was reflected in the price that they then left them for. However, with this example, probably unique in its characteristics, it is hard to justify why managers would ever spend so much on instant success, when it only takes a few years of patience and some astute signings to build something beautiful.

But football is becoming a game void of patience, void of its virtues and void of its morals. The Beautiful Game, set up to give, “Success to football, irrespective of class or creed” reeks of a game that is more suited to the ethos, “Success to football, regardless of expense and means.” Moments like Thierry Henry’s goal and subsequent celebration, on his homecoming against Leeds, summed up what is The Beautiful Game. What isn’t as beautiful is the urgency that some fans display for success and the money made out of it.

Supposedly, Chelsea are pursuing 25-year-old hit man Hulk, as are PSG and Russian cash-splashers Anzhi Makhachkala. However, an £83.5m buy-out clause is likely to stall any negotiations. To me, that fee is truly outrageous, wholly unnecessary and frankly disgusting. Yet, the Brazilian’s agent insists that, “Hulk is not motivated by money, but by sporting ambition, love and affection.” I’m sure Hulk’s agent is equally motivated by Shetland Ponies, fields of Daisies and world peace.

Nevertheless, the £80m transfer of Ronaldo to Real Madrid, currently the World transfer record, proves that fees like these certainly aren’t beyond the realms of possibility and are almost certain to feature in newspaper headlines across the world in the future.

However, who will be the first £100m transfer? Would you pay that amount for Hulk? And, do any players in the world command such a fee?

Leave your views in the comments section below.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/

For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

If, on October 23^rd 2011, you had a heavy blow to the head and all knowledge of Premier League campaigns were simultaneously erased from your memory, you may have stood aloof at your television/betting slip/friend in the pub and sanctimoniously proclaimed that this year the Barclay’s Premier League was a one-horse race. However, a one-horse race, by definition, is one in which only one of the competitors has a real chance of winning and, of course, “you can’t write off Manchester United,” says Newcastle defender Danny Simpson.

Yet, Danny Simpson’s comments came the morning after his side had torn apart a lacklustre Manchester United side at St. James’ Park, meaning that, having failed to pick up any points in their past two Premier League games, Tottenham are only three points behind them with a game in hand. Maybe it isn’t a one-horse race, not even one of those two-horse races you often see in La Liga nowadays, but maybe, this year, the Premier League is a three-horse race. Imagine that: three beautiful stallions, magnificently crowned with the majestic Fergie, devilishly good-looking Mancini and rather plump Harry, galloping powerfully towards their destiny, pulling away from the string of inferior horses playing host to their jockeys in the form of Arsene Wenger, Kenny Dalglish and Andre Villas-Boas.

It might just be though, that the most experienced jockey of them all, Sir Alex Ferguson, is riding a dead horse: last week, Alan Pardew threatened to go gung-ho from the first whistle, “Looking at Manchester United’s recent games, teams that have sat back have got thumped,” said the Toon boss, “They’ve got such talent in their ranks, they’re going to cause you problems but we have a striker in form and a central midfield pairing that I think is as good as theirs,” he added, in the faintest of praise for a midfield partnership that is far outshining one that has been bolstered with the return of a 37-year old that retired over 6 months ago. It worked too; Newcastle United went out, flooded the wings with overlapping run after overlapping run and forced three goals out of a dismal Man. United side that couldn’t reply.

Having lost their first away game in 11, Sir Alex’s Manchester United had to travel to The Etihad to face Premier League leaders, and perfect home form holders, Manchester City. Instead of stoking a fire, much like pundits across the ITV suggested he was probably doing on a personal level with his players in the dressing room and Mancini eluded to by describing them as “angry,” he said absolutely nothing and thus gave out the most vocal of mind game messages according to professional psychologist Nicky Butt: “[bringing back Scholes] took all the attention off their home record and the bookmakers’ odds and switched all the attention to Paul Scholes and Manchester United. It was a great little bit of psychology.” For all the brilliance of Ferguson’s psychological mind games, it wasn’t quite as anatomically bright: a massive 4 minutes and 12 seconds after coming on for Nani, Paul Scholes set up Manchester City’s 2^nd goal by providing James Milner with the ball on a plate to cross for Sergio Aguero. Nicky Butt obviously avoided mentioning this to try and leapfrog his former Manchester United team mate in a bid to become his new favourite ginger.

However, winner of the best mind game of them all regarding the race at the top of the Premier League goes to Roberto Mancini for his comments before that fateful F.A Cup tie that made that second-half restoration and assault on Manchester United’s pride all the more prevalent. He did something Harry Redknapp hasn’t done directly all season: “I think in this moment, City, United and Tottenham can win this title.”

Now, despite winning, Manchester United will be licking their wounds after a “careless” second-half display, which saw the chance to really hurt Manchester City and meanwhile galvanise their own season, disappear into the heavy Mancunian mist – and with it came a Kolarov and Aguero goal. Tottenham have a January ahead of them that they will feel is favourable to their title hopes and like I said on Monday 12^th December, this month will be the most vital stage of Spur’s season.

The Premier League has shown time and time again that the team who run away with it the quickest isn’t always the team that wins the race and no more valid an example can be found than Kevin Keegan and Newcastle United in the 1995/96 campaign, which saw them 12 points clear at the top in February, but eventually fall behind eventual winners Manchester United. However, the “we’ll score more than you,” philosophy that was on display at St. James’ Park under Keegan, isn’t quite the same mentality instilled at The Etihad under Mancini. Much more relevant to City’s current campaign is Chelsea’s title winning season of 2005/06. The first half of their season saw them pick up 45 points from 48 in a team based on strong foundations in defence, but their steady ship rocked and an eventual 18-point lead in March was cut to just seven late on in the season. Manchester City have gone in to 2012 as consistent as they have been all season, but with a lead of just 3 points rather than the lofty ones of the two above examples, a bit of looking of the shoulder behaviour wouldn’t be unwise.

Roberto Mancini is aware that Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham are not to be underestimated and his focus on them, equally as strong as his focus on a “dangerous” United, is prudent. Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United does have the durability factor, but as they are showing this season, they are vulnerable and potentially the weakest Manchester United side the Scotsman has had to manage in the past decade. As much as they could stick it out and push City until the final day, they could drift away in a fashion never expected of a United side. If they do this, premature celebrations would be foolish: calmly and unassumingly waiting is Tottenham Hotspurs, technically creative and quietly threatening.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit