Welbeck Answers The Critics

Arsene Wenger would have been rubbing his hands with glee tonight, as Danny Welbeck slipped nicely into his new role as an actual goal-scorer. Often pushed onto the flanks, and eventually out the door, at Old Trafford, the 23-year-old has a knack of producing when it really counts (ignoring his encounter with Neuer last season). Sweden and Italy have both felt his wrath at major tournaments, and he has ensured England go forward with one foot already in France and Euro 2016.

Wayne Rooney and Raheem Sterling dove-tailed beautifully at times with the new Arsenal man, and the duo of finishes he provided were clinical. No longer can it be claimed that he is no finisher. Welbeck perhaps struggled with his fringe role alongside Wayne Rooney for Man United, and the crumbling of United's general dominance alongside the remaining high expectations. England as a national side have probably never been lower in terms of expectation, despite a potentially fearsome attack. The defence creaked, but Welbeck was razor sharp on the counter.

Ten goals in 28 games is no shame at international level, and there is no reason why the Englishman should not perhaps even double that total for Arsenal this season, given the embarrassment of riches in that particular midfield. Man United have chosen to go down the foreign route at a high cost to their own coffers, yet Welbeck will be hungry to prove they had a good thing under their nose the whole time. It is not inconceivable that his goals could secure a Champions League spot for Arsenal at his former club's expense, and Wenger will know he has got a bargain, if you can call a £16m purchase that.

Roy Hodgson will also be thrilled at Welbeck's upturn in fortunes. With Theo Walcott's eventual return to fitness, a big portion of England's attack will be able to strike up a new understanding, and with Welbeck's past alongside Rooney in addition to the Sterling/Sturridge/Lambert trio at Liverpool, the scope for huge fluidity in the England attack is arguably greater than ever.

As far as the English defence goes, Gary Cahill gave the kind of all-action performance that used to be John Terry's staple, particularly for one heroic clearance that stopped a certain goal. However, Phil Jones must do more to nail down what could be his place for the next ten years and beyond. The dearth of options must be used to his own advantage, and his undoubted potential needs to be tapped into over the next year or two. He could even be a captain for both club and country, such are the good traits he possesses. Inspiration can be taken from his ex-club-mate at the other end of the pitch.

Deadline Day Fun!

By far and away the biggest transfer deadline day story; Harry Redknapp, in navigating his way through a path of journalists, did not wind his window down. On the subject of his own wheeler-dealing (hopefully he's not reading this), Fabio Borini is rumoured to be on his way to Loftus Road for a reported £10m from Liverpool. Injury prone? Check. High wages? Check. Over 30? Not by a long shot. The 23-year-old is a good prospect who could yet make it in England, judging by his part in another Houdini act last season at Sunderland. However, with QPR's general dealing remaining exclusively to big names, it remains to be seen whether they will be suited to a relegation battle. Big-money additions, Leroy Fer and Jordan Mutch, are both highly regarded, but both suffered the drop last season. Fer in particular received mixed reviews from Norwich fans on his ability to track back and work hard.

One player who is more than willing to put in the donkey work for the greater good is Danny Welbeck. News of an imminent loan move to Arsenal is being greeted with some howls of derision by some Arsenal fans, who after seeing their club spend an unheard of £40m on Alexis Sanchez, are frustrated at an apparent signing that they feel to be beneath them. How dare they resort to signing a fourth-choice Man United reserve? In reality, it should not be that simple. Welbeck has always had the utmost potential, and has been unfairly regarded as an unsexy English clogger. He has an excellent burst of pace, and possesses the kind of explosive attributes that the always silky-smooth Arsenal attack misses in the absence of Theo Walcott (not that Welbeck would ever catch Walcott in a 100m race). Adding that to Sanchez, Sanogo, and Podolski (with Giroud and Walcott still to return), Arsene Wenger would be happy with his options, given the formidable array of attacking midfielders they possess. Big names and big money do not always equal success.

Having said that, Man United's summer spending is beginning to resemble a child blindly (no pun intended) swinging at a bountiful pinata. Luke Shaw, Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera, and now Falcao, must be leaving David Moyes seething with jealousy, despite the glee he must at least somewhat be feeling at Louis Van Gaal's underwhelming results to date. The Dutchman's selection headaches will be reaching migraine proportions when he jots the names down on paper, but at least Tom Cleverley looks to be one name he can rub off the list of mediocrity, as he seems to be close to a move to Aston Villa.

As a Newcastle fan, what began as an exciting summer sprinkled with actual signings rather than know-nothing directors of football, has fizzled out into one that still requires further reinforcements, particularly at the back. Mike Williamson has performed admirably at times, but should not be a first-choice any higher than the relegation battlers. Steven Taylor's career at the top level has passed him by, and captain Coloccini is beginning to show his lack of pace as he approaches his mid-30s. Alan Pardew is past his sell-by-date and working for an owner who doesn't care about the club beyond its useful function as a cash cow. The only progress from last season will be in a downward direction unless serious changes happen at both board and dug-out level.

With three hours to go at the time of writing, there is still the chance of Wenger ensnaring Messi, as the Barca galactico is taking part in a charity match that the Frenchman is attending. In Wenger We Trust. Until he doesn't spend a trillion billion pounds on a striker that is. Happy deadline day!

Can The Moyes Era Gather Some Momentum?

For the first time since 2007, Man United have failed to score in back-to-back league games. It is a fact that will not have gone unnoticed amongs the traditionalists in the Stretford End. The main question being - would this have happened with Fergie in charge?

A quick look at the history books, not very far back, would give David Moyes a bit of relief. As recently as Fergie's penultimate home match in charge, Chelsea took all three points from Old Trafford, and that was with an unwanted manager, not with the 'Special One', who many believe will take the power back from the recent Manchester duopoly.

The Liverpool record is even less of a concern. Before last season, Fergie went four league visits to Anfield without success. Anyone suggesting Moyes is under any serious pressure to start winning games is under pressure themselves to attract readers, although victory tomorrow, and a first home goal or three, against Crystal Palace will do a lot to ensure the Scot sleeps that bit easier as he eases his feet under the table.

What most concerns many United fans is Moyes' lack of European experience, with his only taste of Champions League action coming in Everton's qualifier defeat to Villarreal in 2005. His first true 'acid' test will come on Tuesday night, with Bayer Leverkusen visiting in the first round of action. Victory, and a convincing one, against Palace, will ensure the challenge is greeted with firm optimism by most of the naysayers.

Robin Van Persie, the much-adored top scorer of last season will be hoping to pick up where he left off against Swansea, while Marouane Fellani will finally make his long-awaited debut. Although the big Belgian does not provide the midfield wizardry so craved at Old Trafford, he does perhaps bring a bullying threat from set-pieces, and more bite to the midfield - which could give the flair players more chance to shine. Michael Carrick's eye for a pass should not be underestimated, and Shinji Kagawa's criminally under-used craft could be a route to victory, particularly against the weaker sides who come to park the bus.

Fortunately for the neutral, Ian Holloway seldom parks the bus, even against the big boys. It is a high-risk strategy which did not bear fruit over a full season at Blackpool, but very occasionally paid off in thrilling style, such as in the 2-1 win over an admittedly ailing Liverpool. Tomorrow lunchtime will provide some clue as to whether he has curbed his enthusiasm - yet as is often repeated, to invite pressure against the big boys is often merely an exercise in keeping the scoreline respectable.

FA Cup analysis

The problem a lot of sports journalists must face is the pressure of knowing everything that’s happening all the time. When it comes to reporting on action, this undoubtedly leads to commenting on matches that you haven’t seen, relying on second-hand accounts. In this piece, there will be no stooping to that level, as praise the Lord I had a Saturday off from my part-time job for the first time in many weeks.

My FA Cup odyssey began with the visit of Newcastle to Brighton’s American Express Community Stadium. After last year’s round four upset thanks to a Mike Williamson own-goal, the travelling support was understandably nervous. Myself being a Newcastle fan, I too approached this match from my armchair with a certain trepidation.

Needless to say, the match did nothing to lift my Toon-related spirits. Brighton were first to every ball, and didn’t even play their best football. Two-nil was a scoreline that flattered Newcastle, and Pardew was spot on when he hinted that many of his side shouldn’t have been on the pitch. Of course, Shola Ameobi sorted that one out for himself by getting sent off – rather unlucky to be shown red of course.

As for Pardew’s immediate future, one can only hope that the board show patience. Here is the side that could have been pieced together from those absent at the weekend. Krul, Simpson, Taylor, Collocini, Taylor, Ben Arfa, Tiote, Cabaye, Jonas, Cisse, Vuckic (not even mentioning the departed Ba). When you add Sylvan Marveaux into that mix, who was restricted to appearing from the bench after a hectic Christmas period, you can plainly see that Pardew had very little to work with. Of course, that doesn’t excuse the lack of motivation on display, but after such a dispiriting run of late, confidence is not easy to come by.

To lift the spirits I decided to check in on Demba Ba’s new club Chelsea, and their trip to Southampton. The match took a similar narrative to the recent Capital One Cup victory over Leeds, where a 1-0 deficit turned to a 5-1 tonking quite quickly. The likes of Hazard, Mata, Oscar, and Lampard, look tailor made for Ba to continue his incredible goalscoring achievements since coming to England, and his two goals got him off to the ideal start at his new club. Southampton weren’t exactly awful, but Chelsea in that mood will give anybody a game.

I get the sense that Rafa Benitez is slowly winning over his new fanbase. Far from strangling his team’s attacking style, what is now emerging is controlled aggression. A solid base to work from, with Luiz further up the pitch to limit his mistakes, is leading to success, bar the fluke defeat at home to QPR.  With such an array of attacking talent, even the most defensive tacticians around would succeed, as the individual flair on show is second to none. With Ba now perhaps overthrowing the meek and inconsistent Torres as Chelsea’s focal point, we may see an even more ruthless Chelsea as the season wears on. I for one would love to see them make a concerted effort to at least make the top two. Don’t rule out a surprise title challenge.

To complete the trio of viewing, West Ham hosted Man United. In the happiest of homecomings, JC twice assisted another JC as two goal-bound headers threatened to end Man United’s league and cup double dreams at the first hurdle. Sam Allardyce’s side were their usual mischevious selves, as they caused many problems to the ailing United defence.

Then Robin Van Persie happened.

A wonderful pass from Ryan Giggs found Van Persie with a bit of space, and in the blink of an eye, another late show from the Red Devils had come to pass. Even the ITV commentary team seemed lost for words as the inevitable dagger to West Ham hearts was drawn. I am no fan of Manchester United, but their powers of recovery are outstanding, and they play brilliant football.

I have always been one to advocate the leakiest of defences, as long as enough goals are scored to paper over the cracks, as it makes for fantastic viewing. That’s why I would make an awful manager, as I would not have the same deadly frontline as Sir Alex does. No wonder he refuses to quit – he must be having the time of his life.

Premier League Mid-term Report

With 19 or 20 games under the belt of most Premier League teams, now is a good time to give them their mid-term report. I was tempted to do in this in some sort of red squiggly pen, but the internet has enough unreadable things on it already.

Arsenal – Like most recent seasons, the Gunners and Arsene Wenger have regularly seemed on the verge of crisis, yet remain fifth in the table, only three points behind their similarly crisis-friendly North London rivals Spurs. Santi Cazorla has lit up their season at times, while Theo Walcott’s demands for game time in a striking role have been accepted, with the 23-year-old ending his year with a stunning hat-trick against Newcastle. Overall, it’s the same old story – steamrolling (mostly) the smaller teams, while being punished for defensive flaws by the top sides. Grade – B

Aston Villa - Paul Lambert’s arrival from Norwich was heralded as a brave step forward from the dour McLeish era, with many fans and pundits predicting a return to the top 10 for the Villains. However, with few big names remaining, the squad has become an uncomfortable mix of unproven foreigners and youngsters, who lack in confidence at times, despite possessing undoubted ability, as shown in the 3-1 win at Liverpool. Darren Bent has been frozen out as Lambert looks to create a team that works for each other – Bent being seen as a bit of a goal-hanger. With three heavy defeats to end the year however – 15 goals conceded to none scored – fans may begin to question the manager’s methods as they end the year perilously close to the relegation places. Grade – D

Chelsea  - Starting the season as European Champions yet trying to make up for a disappointing sixth place last time out? Just a wee bit of pressure for Roberto Di Matteo to start the season with – pressure that eventually told as a damaging 3-0 defeat to Juventus all but sealed the Blues’ Champions League fate and the end of his own managerial tenure. Cue all out Chelsea chaos as Abramovich chose the fan-splitting Rafa Benitez as his replacement. Two straight 0-0 home draws didn’t exactly help the Spaniard’s cause, but four straight wins to round the year off, including a 8-0 thrashing of Aston Villa have raised hopes of a top two, or even a title challenge. Grade – B

Everton – There is a valid argument to state that had Nikica Jelavic been at Everton from the start of last season then Everton would’ve been top 4 certainties. This season is the acid test for that – but for a few too many draws they would be a lot higher than sixth. Some excellent performances, including an early victory over Man United, have led Everton into a higher position than they usually are at this time of year. A repeat of their customary New Year surge up the table will see Champions League football at Goodison Park next season. Grade – B plus

Fulham – Martin Jol led Fulham to ninth place last season. It is a position he would bite your hand off for now. A string of bad results have seen Fulham drop down the table to the fringes of the relegation battle, despite the marquee signing of Berbatov and a thumping opening 5-0 victory over Norwich. Demotion would be a huge surprise, even now, but a return to winning ways in 2013 is imperative. Grade – C

Liverpool – Anfield seems a much happier place these days, yet if the season ended today sitting in ninth place, Liverpool would have gone backwards from last year. Results do not tell the whole story – many games have been dominated with a lack of cutting edge – but the team does seem upwardly mobile, and Rodgers has Liverpool playing his brand of football. With more firepower to help out Luis Suarez in January the Reds can expect to return to Europe next year. Grade – B

Manchester City – After the heady days of last season’s title win, the last few months has seen the Mancini bubble deflated somewhat. An early European exit may yet work in their favour in the coming months, but little of last year’s attacking verve has been shown – Balotelli being in the doghouse has certainly not helped matters. Like most title challengers, they have perfected the knack of winning while playing badly, but that cannot last forever. They can kiss goodbye to their title unless things improve, but they should secure a return to the Champions League with minimum fuss. Grade – B minus

Manchester United – For sheer entertainment, the Red Devils deserve their title back. The signing of Robin Van Persie was an absolute masterstroke, as it diverted attention away from United’s suspect defence. Or at least they hoped. To be seven points clear, blowing teams away upfront and STILL have such focus on defensive errors is testament to the unreliable David De Gea and his back line. If they sort that out, while retaining their attacking flair, the title will be sewn up by Easter. Grade – A minus

Newcastle – Eight defeats in ten games tells its own story – the Magpies are in a spot of bother. Key players such as Jonas, Cisse, Tiote Krul, and Collocini have all dipped below their potential, and with a tiny squad there is no one to replace them. Two stirring performances, including three goals each at Old Trafford and The Emirates earnt plenty of praise, but a combination of eleven goals conceded led them to no points. With January strengthening they should rise to mid-table, but the possible exit of Ba and a tight-fisted owner could hamper matters. Grade – D

QPR – Simply put, the Mark Hughes era was a disaster. Brought in to recover a poor start from Warnock, survival was only ensured on the last day of the season. Add that to the worst ever start to a Premier League season, and new manager Harry Redknapp has an impossible job, even by his standards. Eight points from safety, and with severe attitude problems throughout the squad - if I had a mortgage I would it all on the Loftus Road lads to take the drop. Grade – E

Reading – The Royals were the surprise package during their last stay in the top flight, finishing ninth in their first season. This season the gulf in class has been more apparent, despite the signing of Pavel Pogrebnyak. Five points is what seperates Reading from safety, and sadly for them, they will be heading straight back down again, despite some good performances. Grade – D.

Southampton – Nigel Adkins and his Saints look to have the best chance of the current bottom three of getting out of trouble. Some early stirring performances, particularly against Man United, gave them no reward, and having dropped 17 points from winning positions this year they might struggle to keep their heads up before long. As Blackpool will tell you, good football means nothing without points. Grade – C minus

Stoke – The Potteries are an unlikely holder of the Premier League’s last unbeaten home record – but really, it’s not too much of a surprise, considering the trouble visiting teams all have at the Britannia Stadium. The only problem is the away form which has brought them only one win. Critics are beginning to take note however of a slightly more expansive style than previous years. A top 10 finish could be on the cards, maybe even a European push if their away form picks up. Grade – B

Sunderland -  Martin O’Neill has found life a bit tougher on Wearside this season – since Gyan’s unceremonious departure goals have been hard to come by. Steven Fletcher has carried the mantle solo, and some dispiriting home performances led some to question the Lisburn man’s position as manager. Improved December performances have left the new year looking slightly rosier, but the likes of Adam Johnson need to pull their weight a bit more. Grade – C minus

Swansea – From the outside looking in, it seems like not much has changed at Swansea. Brendan Rodgers made way for Michael Laudrup, but Swansea still inhabit a comfortable mid table position, playing some nice football. Michu, arriving for £2m from Rayo Vallecano, has scored an impressive 13 goals, and Swans fans will have no complaints with how things are going. They may even look at Brendan Rogers and Liverpool and think of his departure as no big loss. Grade – B

Tottenham Hotspur – This is a team that suffered major upheaval over the summer, losing their beloved playmaker in Modric, and their beloved manager in Redknapp. Andre Villas Boas has not been universally accepted, and a tentative start didn’t help his cause. Fourth place to end the year is not to be sniffed at though, and increased fluidity in performances has been evident of late, including a wonderful win at Old Trafford. The future looks bright for White Hart Lane. Grade – B

West Brom  - Steve Clarke took charge aiming to buck the trend of great coaches who can’t make the step to the top job. After only five months, it’s fair to say that trend has been well and truly bucked. Some fantastic performances, particularly at home, led to fanciful talk of a European finish. A top ten finish is more likely, but even that would be an excellent return for a team many tipped to go down at the start of the season. Grade – A minus

West Ham – Sam Allardyce can consider his critics answered after West Ham’s opening half to the season. They’ve done all the usual things a Big Sam team does, and with Kevin Nolan as the captain they will never lie down and accept a defeat. Relegation is not even on the agenda at Upton Park, and nor should it be as they aim to move into the Olympic Stadium before long – not a home for Championship football! Grade – B

Wigan – Some things never change. One of those things is Wigan. Like every season, they go long periods of time without a win and pull one out of the bag when you least expect it. They look like staying afloat again this season, but the phrase ‘running to stand still’ can never have been so apt, as the Latics are among the bigger spenders in the division – certainly the bottom half. Grade - C

Where to start...

You know there is controversy when Match Of The Day interrupts their broadcast to break some news. This news was that Chelsea had reported match referee Mark Clattenburg for alleged racial comments towards two of their players.

In addition, the wrongful (in my opinion) sending-off of Torres and questionable Hernandez winner were probably enough to make the back pages on their own.

What many won't know is that Clattenburg was once sacked from his job by the Professional Game Match Officials. He had allegedly sent threatening emails to business associates, and was said to have debts totalling £175,000.

It is difficult to make a comment without knowing precisely what was said at Stamford Bridge during Chelsea's 3-2 defeat to Man United. However, one would have hoped that Clattenburg would be a bit more careful, given his history. He has clearly put himself in a position of vulnerability and he will not want to read the sport sections of newspapers for the time being.


Back to the more football-related matters, and Chelsea's first defeat of the league season came in a predictably see-saw fashion. Two awesome attacking forces came together on Sunday, and in the end United's posed the greater punch. Eleven versus 11 may have given us a different outcome, but that's football. I would expect both to be key contenders for the title come May.

In an equally anticipated Merseyside derby, Luis Suarez predictably stole the headlines (and even more predictably not just for his football). His swan dive in front of David Moyes was a bit over the top for a goal that he didn't even score himself. He should've saved it for Liverpool's second goal - although Leighton Baines was probably relieved to see attention diverted away from his unlucky deflection.

Another poor referee's decision left the score at 2-2 - Suarez's last-gasp finish should definitely have stood. As it stands, Everton can still claim to be Mersey top dogs, but Liverpool are on the way up. A thin squad will be stretched to the limit for Brendan Rodgers - an improvement on last season's league position would represent a real achievement.

The alternative Sunday paper..

There's only one place to start dissecting yesterday's action, and that place is Old Trafford, where Tottenham grabbed their first league win at the home of Man United for 23 years. It's fair to say that Andre Villas-Boas' reign as Spurs manager, having begun to gather momentum since those awkward opening encounters, has just slipped into a high gear. It's only one match, but the mental effect of claiming such a prized scalp can only benefit all concerned.

A key criticism of AVB's ill-fated period in charge of Chelsea was his poor record against the league's bigger sides. He certainly never managed an away win against any of the superpowers. Yesterday's 3-2 win puts that issue to bed. Admittedly, the ease with which the likes of Lennon and Bale waltzed through the United defence is not befitting of a club aiming to win back their title from the noisy neighbours. Still, the counter-attacking verve shown by Spurs in that first-half was well-deserving of all three points.

The main cause for concern in Sir Alex's post-match post-mortem would be the holes that his defence left - in particular Rio Ferdinand, whose inability to keep pace with Gareth Bale for the second goal will have given his boss food for thought ahead of the January transfer window. Many scoffed at the millions spent on Robin Van Persie when reinforcements were so desperately needed further back. Having said that, a midfield containing the ageing trio of Scholes, Giggs and Carrick is hardly likely to provide the most energetic or solid cover.

To add a touch of comedy to proceeedings, Sir Alex then had the gall to complain about the amount of time added on at the end of the game. Apparently four minutes wasn't enough. We all have a good laugh about 'Fergie time' but he verges on self-parody with this comment.

I quote, "It denies you a proper chance to win a football match." Where to start!? Well first of all, Spurs seemed to be able to win the match just fine. Also, one can't help but notice the liberal use of the word 'win'. Did he really think his team would score two goals in the time he claims that should have been added on? I suppose the man has been spoilt with late comebacks of that nature. I also suppose that he was merely deflecting criticism away from his side's sub-par performance. But hey, the man gives good soundbites - who am I to ignore them.

Moving on then, and the Brendan Rogers era is also looking much brighter this morning, after Liverpool's 5-2 win at Norwich, featuring a hat-trick from their main man Luis Suarez - a few other players even decided to pitch in at last. They also could potentially have had a sixth goal - if only someone other than the Uruguayan had been on the recieving end of that Leon Barnett challenge.

Edin Dzeko rescued Man City from dropping more points at Fulham, while boss Mancini attempted to paper over the gaping cracks in their title defence by claiming that the decisions are going against his side.

The one team where everything seems rosy in the garden (well maybe not John Terry) is Chelsea. A 2-1 win over Arsenal sent them three points clear, which is a hell of a lot at this early stage of the season. They benefited from some wayward shooting from Arsenal's Oliver Giroud - although it wasn't quite as easy as some were claiming, considering the widening angle and defender in his way.

As for Newcastle - Demba Ba again salvaged a point for his side with another two goals. The rest of Pardew's side better start turning up soon though, or this year's European sojourn will not be repeated next year. It's ok though - Pardew has eight years to get it right.

I wouldn't bet against Everton being this year's surprise package - but is it that much of a surprise? Three more points for them, and they climb to second.

See you tomorrow!

Is English Football More Focused On Entertainment Than Ever Before?

This season has seen an unprecedented level of high-scoring ‘big’ matches in such a short space of time. This borne out by the fact that the average amount of goals per game is 2.97, compared to 2.59 this time last year.

We have witnessed Man United’s 8-2 humiliation of Arsenal at Old Trafford, and then the Red Devils got a taste of their own medicine as the ‘noisy neighbours’ of Man City thumped them 6-1.

Already we had probably experienced more excitement for one season than is medically advisable. Chelsea and Arsenal then took it upon themselves to set the football pulse racing even higher.

A 5-3 victory for Arsenal at Stamford Bridge is probably not what most blood-thirsty pundits were hoping for. This was supposed to be the season Arsenal were imploding beyond control – when Wenger’s faith in youth, or perhaps more importantly entertainment, finally came apart at the seams.

Instead, Chelsea, so long robbed of their creative freedom by Mourinho (although who are we to argue with his record), were now giving as good as they got in terms of passing, movement, and shots on target. They got egg on their face, but Andre Villas-Boas has the right idea. He must know that his side will become more fluid, and more able to carry out his orders in time. Let’s hope he gets that time.

This season is perhaps one where the “playing not to lose” mentality has gone out the window. Unless you are Alex McLeish or Tony Pulis.

Three Premier League clubs once managed by Sam Allardyce are now playing football that is rather more pleasing on the eyes. Newcastle are doing it with great success; Bolton and Blackburn less so. Even their current relegation neighbours Wigan are playing attractive, but not effective football.

Even another glance towards the top sides shows us that they strive to win with flair. Barcelona’s much-applauded philosophy probably finally hit home with their 3-1 demolition of Man United in the Champions League final.

Admittedly, Sir Alex’s boys probably took it too far, and quite naively too against a savvy Manchester City side. They reverted to type with a ground out 1-0 win at Everton, but I have a feeling Fergie will not be dissuaded from creating another young and pacy title-winning side.

Even the promoted sides have hit the ground running through a commitment to fan-pleasing tactics. Swansea and Norwich in particular have both impressed me greatly – the Canaries very unlucky not to beat Liverpool at Anfield last month.

I can only hope that chairmen don’t get nervous after an eight-game winless run and sack the men that helped put a big smile on my face. Would they really rather the likes of Gary Megson?