The FC 100: Loves Talking Football.

Chelsea meet Tottenham at Wembley today as Juande Ramos and Avram Grant look to earn their first trophy for their respective clubs.
Chelsea are most people’s favourites, however Ramos has a terrific record in cup finals having won the last two UEFA Cups with Sevilla, while Grant has yet to experience that level of pressure in a cup final.
The big debate surrounds whether or not John Terry will start the game. As club captain it would be expected that he would, however Avram Grant has done nothing to quell the rumours of Alex patnering Carvalho at the back for the Blues.
For Spurs, Ledley King is desperate to be fit however his lack of match practise may count against him.
Spurs’ defence is the big question-mark on their chances of winning the cup with Didier Drogba having scored in cup finals against Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal.
Despite all this the game is likely to be an entertaining one. Spurs play with a reckless abandon at times, while Chelsea are used to winning and the likes of Anelka and Cole are in great form going into the game. Likewise Keane and Jenas for Spurs, who I just fancy to nick it, possibly in extra-time.

Prediction: Spurs 3 Chelsea 2

Jonathan Woodgate has joined Tottenham from Middlesbrough for a fee of £7 million tonight. Woodgate will form a new partnership with Ledley King at the back for Ramos’s team. Michael Dawson will fill in for whichever of the two is injured on any given day. The prospective signing of Gilberto should, by rights, mean the end of Paschal Chimbonda’s Spurs days, however Kevin Keegan has stated he is not interested in signing the French right-back who recently expressed an interest in a move up North because “it’s all about the money”. Quite.

Mohammed Sissoko should be having a glass of water with Juve’s top honchos as we speak having completed a medical at the Italian giants today. Juventus will part with between £8-9 million for the Mali International who is currently on duty at the African Nations. Liverpool fans will be praying that Juve don’t discover he hasn’t been able to see properly for the last year or so since getting a kick in the face and temporary blindness in one eye….or at least with the number of stray passes, we assume he’s still suffering from the effects.

Continue reading ‘It’s looking like King Woody for Spurs’

Congratulations to Spurs who thoroughly dismantled Arsenal tonight, winning by five goals to one in a one-sided game. Had Spurs not withdrawn Keane and Berbatov just past the hour mark as well as Lennon later on, the game could have ended in further embarassment for Arsene Wenger’s men.

Spurs chased and harried and tackled like their lives depended on it. A mystery surrounds Gilberto Silva’s form for Arsenal. While the Brazilian can point to a lack of opportunities this season as an underlying reason for his dip in form - the fact remains that he was one of the best midfielders in the Premiership last year. Tonight he looked like he didn’t care and his poor tackling was at fault for two of the five goals.

The Carling Cup can be proud tonight, the celebrations of the Spurs players and the dejection of the Arsenal players showed how much the competition meant. A final awaits in Wembley for Spurs. Meanwhile, tonight’s game is one of many this season that have put the FA Cup to shame. The Carling Cup has brought up some cracking cup ties again this season and tonight’s game was no exception. While the FA Cup has brought many shocks this season, a game like tonight shows there’s no substitute for class….and the Carling Cup is beginning to outshine its illustrious neighbour….

Don’t you just love Christmas?

 This weekend’s action kicks off at 12.45 with a traditional cracker: Arsenal V Spurs.
Spurs have shown promising signs recently of becoming a football team again, they’ll need to keep their discipline though because as we saw during the week, playing against a ten-man Arsenal team can be tough, playing with ten of your own is just suicide.
Spurs welcome back captain Robbie Keane which means Jermaine Defoe will be back in the familiar surroundings of the dugout. Didier Zakora starts a 3-game ban, Steed Malbranque doesn’t. Where’s the justice in that?

  Cesc Fabregas should have seen red for his nasty foul on Ashley Cole in last week’s game against Chelsea. He didn’t though and unfortunately for Spurs, he’ll take his place in the team. Van Persie is also fit to start and should be amongst the goals as he’s been a bit quiet since his return without looking 100 percent match-fit.

This game is generally very entertaining and with both teams looking to kick-start a successful Christmas campaign, fingers crossed we’ll see a few goals. Prediction: Score Draw.

 (Cannavaro V Zambrotta. We’re backing the lad with the muscles - Cannavaro)

Sunday sees El Classico: Real Madrid V Barcelona. Messi is out for Barcelona so we won’t be treated to a repeat of his famous hat-trick last year. Speculation is also rife that Ronaldinho won’t start. However, to be honest, he probably will. Giovanni dos Santos has been in top form but ‘Diny has to be included as he has a good record in the Classico encounters in his time there. Thierry Henry, if passed fit, renews rivalry with Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Expect lots of hugs and pats on the ass and both of them to get on the score sheet. Samuel Eto’o may be the preferred choice after the Cameroon hit-man has exploded back onto the scene since recovering from injury, grabbing a brace in last weeks 3-0 win over Valencia.

As with Spurs-Arsenal, this one is always worth a look. Not simply because of the players involved (although it’s a little exciting to see them all on one pitch), also because of the fact that the fans simply hate each other. And the players have been known to get a little testy too. With Real Madrid currently on top, Barca need the win. A win for Madrid would leave Raul and co sitting pretty, seven points clear of their rivals, a far cry from last year when they trailed for most of the early season. Kick-off is at 6p (GMT).

(Kaka miserably fails to bring sexy back)

 Onto Serie A now where the Milan derby also takes place this weekend. Possibly not one to stimulate as much in recent years as the players are probably doped up and betting on each other while the referee has presumably got himself a nice brown envelope to spend as he sees fit once everything goes to plan.

Hopefully all that rubbish is a thing of the past though and 83,500 screaming fans will certainly get the pulses racing. Not to mention the volatile characters on both teams. Ok on Inter’s team. Ibrahimovic is expected to return after being rested midweek. Inter are, technically, the home team and they start the game a massive 22 points clear of their fierce rivals. AC Milan’s home form has been particularly bad this season although technically they are the away team so you never know…..

AC need the win despite the fact that Inter are already too far ahead. Defeat and te pressure on Carlo Ancelotti will increase and Jose Mourinho may find himself back in a job. Kick-off there is at 2pm (GMT).

And finally we leave you with a picture or two we just stumbled upon. Happy Christmas.

(Francesco Totti’s wife. Yes but is he happy though…….yes, yes I think he is)

After Everton’s last-minute winner over West Ham last week, Arsenal and Spurs joined the Merseyside club in progressing to the semi-finals last night.

Spurs took an early lead through Jermaine Defoe who was substituted soon after following Didier Zakora’s straight red card.

Zakora’s dismissal was harsh and Defoe was furious with the decision, expressing his anger by berating the fourth official as he left the pitch.

Steed Malbranque was the beneficiary of Zakora’s straight red. Had Steve Bennett not shown the red card on that occasion he almost certainly would have minutes later as Malbranque committed a far worse foul close to the left-hand touchline.

Continue reading ‘Carling Cup Quarter Finals. Reaction and Preview.’

Juande Ramos has stepped down as manager of Sevilla tonight. Spurs and Martin Jol parted company yesterday. You do the math…..

Martin Jol has resigned as manager of Tottenham tonight according to reports. Martin Tyler announced that he had been made aware that Jol resigned before the game at home to Sevilla, which Spurs lost by two goals to one. Jol, who has been in charge since 2004, was a popular figure amongst fans and the media and will be sorely missed in the Premiership. Though ITV4 claimed the resignation was offered before the game, football websites are reporting it was tendered after the game with the truth likely to be revealed later tonight. After the final whistle, having seen his Spurs team lose for the second time in four days, Jol shook hands with the Getafe coaching staff before disappearing down the tunnel with the Spurs fans’ boos ringing in his ears.
Clive Allen is expected to be named as stand-in coach for Sunday’s game with Spurs, while Sevilla coach Juan Ramos will be heavily linked with the vacant position, with some reports linking Leeds’ no.2 Gus Poyet as a potential assistant to the Sevilla coach, should he take charge.

Jol on his way out after yet another defeat?

Newcastle pushed Martin Jol closer to the exit door at Spurs as they carved out a deserved 3 – 1 win at St. James’s Park  The gap between the supposed “top 4” and the best of the rest in the Barclay’s Premier League was clearly in evidence tonight at St. James’s Park. The meeting of Spurs and Newcastle had ‘cracker’ written all over it. Spurs, misfiring of late needed to push on to escape from the slump which saw them in 18^th spot before tonight’s game. Newcastle haven’t been firing on all cylinders and tonight was a chance for both teams put out their mission statement for the rest of the season. 

Spurs were the team tipped to break the stranglehold of the top 4 at the beginning of the season and displays from the tail-end of last season seemed to enforce that. Even some displays this season have been promising but frailties at the back seem to keep costing them. Ironically, somewhat like Newcastle in recent years. The opening was promising from both teams but Newcastle seemed to grasp the game and settle in that bit quicker than Martin Jol’s men.  

Chances were few and far between for Keane and Bent and their most meaningful chance in the first 20mins saw Keane’s deft chip over Given cleared by the Newcastle back-line. An infuriated Shay Given charged to the half-way line to confront referee Alan Bennett for allowing a quick free-kick which produced the chance after Bale had signalled for attention from the bench. Bale went off soon after and with him spurs most creative outlet. 

 The strength of Faye and Martins was causing problems for Spurs all evening and Faye got on the end of numerous throw-ins from Geremi on the left wing. The inability of the Totenham back-line in general and Kaboul in particular to recognise the recurring threat was symptomatic of the defensive vulnerability Jol’s team suffer from. Spurs played some great stuff when they got going with Malbranque supplying some elaborate touches and linking up well with Keane but Newcastle typified the Allardyce approach and refused to let them play.  

The game went stale towards the end of the first half until an apparently harmless long ball from Newcastle’s Spanish left-back, Enrique, caught Michael Dawson in all sorts of trouble and allowed Martins to smash past Cerny for the opener. Dawson had been looking shaky all evening and, to be fair, all season and seemed unable to control anything that came near him. It was only a matter of time before he cost Spurs a goal. 

Within five minutes of the restart a set-piece cost Spurs dearly. A near-post corner from Emre was met by the head of Cacapa who duly opened his Newcastle account and surprise surprise, Dawson was marking him. Apparently Berbatov had to be asked three times by Jol to warm up and made his appearance on the sideline just after the goal. Wearing a sullen look and not particularly trying, Berbatov observed another lacklustre performance from his team-mates on his haunches.  

Newcastle grew in stature as the half wore on and the spirit and desire was as obvious in the Newcastle side as it was lacking in the Totenham eleven. But Spurs were handed a life-line in the 57^th minute as Keane responded quickest to a Bent header which came back off the post and slotted home from the most minimal of distances.

A captain’s goal to galvanise a team? Not quite. Berbatov made an appearance immediately after the goal in place of Malbranque and any advantage Spurs had secured from the goal seemed to ebb away before Martin Jol’s disbelieving eyes. Off the pace and lacking any sort of drive, the Berb was the wrong player to bring on to claw back a result against a spirited side.     

Newcastle appeared the more comfortable on the ball and at the back as Spurs gave away possession frequently and began to look frustrated. Spurs began to grow into the game and a nervous Newcastle looked vulnerable for the first time in the game. A glimpse of what Berbatov can do when he’s in the mood was seen as he controlled a ball over the top and slipped a sublime pass through for Bent to blast high and wide. The introduction of Joey Barton for his Newcastle debut was greeted by loud applause from the home crowd as Emre made way.  

Within two minutes the Spurs revival was over as James Milner capped a fine performance with a goal. Just inside the box he mis-kicked a failed clearance but took the second chance with aplomb and drove the half-volley to the keeper’s left. 

Two teams with top 4 aspirations and European dreams showed exactly how far they are away from realising their ambitions tonight as they battled and fought but there was a surprising lack of class and quality. 

 The draw for the group stage of the Uefa Cup has been made and makes for interesting reading for the Premiership clubs involved. It also makes for part horrific, part ecstatic reading for Aberdeen fans who have been handed by far the toughest group. Bolton will travel to the Allianz Arena to take on the mighty Bayern Munich but will still fancy their chances of qualifying alongside the Germans in second place. Spurs will face Anderlecht who they beat in the 1984 final on penalties. Getafe and Hapoel Tel-Aviv will also provide stern opposition for Martin Jol’s beleagured team. Everton also have a couple of tricky games to contend with but should be reasonably confident of qualifying from a group that includes Blackburn’s conquerors Larissa, AZ Alkmaar and Nurnberg.

Click here to see all the groups in full……

Continue reading ‘UEFA CUP DRAW’

(”son of a b****”) 

One of those brilliant nights where you go down to the pub on your own, braving the pitying looks from the locals who regard you with the kind of face that screams ‘you’re in your twenties and yet you still have no-one to watch a game of football with in the pub you sad bastard’. Still, the last laugh is on them. As they ‘chatted’ about whether they had milk in the fridge or did they feed the dog that day, Spurs and Villa served up a feast that any dog would’ve devoured without a second thought. Dunno where I was going with that one, moving on…. Continue reading ‘Spurs 4 Aston Villa 4′