Liverpool Roll the Dice

Back in January, few would have predicted Liverpool would be the Premier League's biggest spending team at the year's halfway point. Then again, few would have predicted Kenny Dalglish being the one to spend the money. Andy Carroll, Luis Suarez, and Jordan Henderson have all arrived for a combined total of more than £70m in the past six months, and there are murmurings of discontent from those who fear the money is being wasted on players who are simply not world-class.

I can understand this view, and as a Newcastle fan I would particularly like to mention that I don't think Andy Carroll is worth any more than £20m. But then, a big part of what Kenny Dalgish and co are gambling on is potential. Should these signings go on to be masterstrokes, they will either have helped Liverpool to the higher echelons of European football once again, or be poached for similar fees to which they initally cost. Should they all flop, which is already looking extremely unlikely in the case of Suarez in particular, they are at least young enough to rebild their careers elsewhere, and young enough to still attract large sums of money.

I think what Liverpool are doing is much more admirable than the lazy cherry-picking that Chelsea have resorted to do in recent times, with Fernando Torres at £50m looking increasingly like the move of a desperate man in Abramovich. While Chelsea-esque amounts of money are being spent, each signing has still to prove themselves as top-class footballers to an extent, and they do not turn up at Anfield with trophies already in the bag. Success is there for the taking, and faith is there to be repaid. Many footbll fans have reacted with derision to Kenny Dalglish's extraordinary faith in British (and Urugayan) youth. Imagine the motivation that gives him and his players. All he has to say to them is - "Go out there and prove them all wrong. Prove we were right to break the bank to get you."

As for Liverpool's actual chances next year, I think they stand an excellent chance of returning to the top 4. Their failure to reach the Europa League could well be a massive blessing in disguise, and I think this alone will see them leapfrog Spurs back into 5th. There are still question marks over the whole current top 4 to an extent, and should Carroll and Suarez continue their blossoming partnership I think the Anfield boys will be well-placed to take advantage of any slip-ups.

Barca Expose United's Limitations.

In typical English football fan fashion, most critics mistakenly thought last night's Wembley final would be a titanic battle, with the cream of English football slugging it out with the cream of Spanish football. In reality, this was the cream of English football versus the cream of European football. In otherwards, United were not on an even playing field, they were trying to reach a higher plain. One that not even a Mourinho-helmed Real Madrid side containing the most expensive player in the world could reach. That Madrid side is probably better than Man United, and it is arguably only down to Barcelona that they themselves are not celebrating the La Liga/Champions League double.

Last night's match was eerily similar (if you can compare the two sports), to one of those Andy Murray v Federer match-ups from a year or two ago. You just knew that if Federer turned up, he would prevail. Murray played badly in none of those meetings, and Man United didn't play badly last night. Of course, they didn't play well enough to come close to Barca's majesty. Rooney provided glimpses of his ability, with that equaliser in particular proving he is not far behind Messi in terms of big-game nous. Yet there is currently no team in the world, or at least Europe, who doesn't become affected by a kind of shellshock when faced with Barcelona's intricate passing ability.

Sir Alex Ferguson probably did everything he could. In hindsight, perhaps Berbatov would've been a better option up front, as at his best he provides a target man of sorts. While Hernandez and Rooney both gave their all, and both had their moments, neither were able to hold onto the ball long enough to give the likes of Giggs and Valencia something to feed off. The midfield were often reduced to relying on the rather mixed deliverty of Michael Carrick, and while Hernandez often is a key outlight playing off the shoulder of the last man, his exuberance worked against him, as many promising positions were wasted by his inability to stay onside. This is the sort of thing that comes with experience, and while a lot of Barca's key players remain in their early 20s, they have all achieved so much, with much more surely still to come.

In terms of where to go from here, I don't think there is the need for any ripping apart of Fergie's current squad. Giggs and Scholes are nearing the end, and Van Der Sar has just reached the end. We all knew this before last night's match, and we now know that surely reinforcements are needed if Man United are to stand a chance of bridging the gap. A destroyer in the midfield is needed. If Hargreaves wasn't cursed by injury, he would have been the ideal solution, so it is impossible to blame Ferguson too much for this. However, the need for a true creative force in the centre is proving impossible to ignore. Paul Scholes has remained at an astonishingly high level for his age, but his goals and assists are beginning to dry up, and someone of the calibre of Modric is surely a must when Fergie gets the chequebook out in the summer.

Having said all this, there is no-one out there of the calibre of Messi, Pedro, Xavi, Iniesta, or Villa. This quintet will keep Barcelona at the top for the forseeable future, should they remain injury-free. But that doesn't mean Sir Alex will stop trying, and this writer suspects he probably sees ending Barca's dominance as his greatest challenge. I for one hope he succeeds, and while United are hardly paupers, it is refreshing to see them reach a Champions League final AND win the league by nine points, while spending a fraction of their City rivals, and their Chelsea rivals. Give me a strong team ethic over a billion-pound dream team anyday.

Unfortunately for all us Premier League supporting folk, Barca have got the dream team, without spending millions. Are you reading this, English board members? Youth investment is what got Barca where they are today, and while it is too late to stop the dominance of their current squad, a good academy may stand the best chance of emulating them. One would like to believe so anyway.

Can Judd Trump Higgins?

Snooker, like golf, is one of those sports where careers can seemingly last forever. The actual physical strain on your body is limited. Which makes it all the more exciting when a new kid on the block emerges. To continue the golf comparison, when Tiger Woods won his first major tournament, he was only 21. Fourteen years later, he still has a long career ahead of him. Rory Mcllroy is in a similar world-at-his-feet position as Tiger Woods, albeit without a major at this point. His time will come.


But with that early digression aside, today is all about Judd Trump. Only two weeks older than myself, for him to be battling it out with the legend that is John Higgins on such a stage is already an impressive feat. Currently ranked number 9, he has by no means fluked his way to such an occasion. Let's take a look at his path to the World Snooker Championship final.


Even in round 1, Trump proved his mettle, taking down the defending champion Neil Robertson 10-8. That no doubt sent a warning shot to the rest of the field, and his form has carried on since. Graeme Dott was another notable victim in the quarter-finals, as the 2006 champion was thrashed 13-5. It looked like Ding Junhui was a step too far for Trump at many stages during their epic semi-final, yet he prevailed 17-15.

Now, as the second youngest ever World Championship finalist (the youngest being Steven Hendry in 1990) he faces the Scotch might of John Higgins. A three-time winner, and currently in ominous form, he represents the stiffest test yet for the Bristol sensation. Then again, Judd Trump's run of form cannot be seen as a complete surprise. At the start of April he won his first title, beating Mark Selby 10-8 in the China Open final. In many ways this was a statement of intent, and he has carried on this fiery run of form to the final frontier.


Often sporting a cheeky grin, and what can only be described as an 'interesting' haircut, Trump represents the new generation of snooker up against the old. I grew up watching Higgins, O'Sullivan, Hendry, Dott, and so forth; is Trump about to add his name to the glittering list of World Champions? Should he do so, at such a young age, he has the potential to be fighting for titles over the next 15 years.

Where would United be without Fergie?

It's fair to say that the current Manchester United side will not go down in history as a "great" side. Well above average yes, but any team that contains Michael Carrick and Darron Gibson as first-team regulars, as many Red-nosed friends of mine will testify, is surely no match for the Busby Babes, or the 1999 treble winners?

I suppose it all depends on how you measure greatness. Based solely on star names, or flashy tricks, Man United boast the weakest bunch of the top 4. But all it takes is one great manager to elevate a side to more than the sum of it's parts. In the case of the Red Devils, the equation gets more and more impressive each year. Since the turn of the century they have managed to survive departures of Ronaldo, Beckham, Van Nistelrooy and Tevez. All world-class players that a lesser manager would've struggled to replace. Look at Arsene Wenger. Shorn of all his title-winning legends, his trophyless sequence stretches ever longer.

Of course, any side with the likes of Rooney, Nani, Hernandez, Berbatov, Ferdinand and Vidic can hardly be seen as weak in the wider context of the Premier League. Rooney in particular would stroll into most sides in the world. However, unlike many coaches, Alex Ferguson does not seem to care about stockpiling the best players in the world and letting them battle it out. Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid, I am looking at you. The team ethic and spirit is more important to Fergie.

This season alone, Man United stand on the verge of a Premiership and Champions League double that would rank, for me, as his best achievement. That night in Barcelona, Clive Tyldesley's go-to moment when conjuring up a dramatic memory, was indeed impressive. Yet at that time in Europe, there was no stand-out team. A midfield of Giggs, Keane, Scholes, and Beckham, supplying chances to Cole and Yorke was always going to be in contention. Two of that midfield, 12 years older, are still regulars in the United side. That takes supreme fitness and dedication of their own of course, but they have no right to be achieving the things they have this season. For Ferguson to have stuck by them (although Scholes' future looks in doubt after the red mist of Wembley) shows fantastic belief in even the empty shells of players he put on the map.

Should the expected United-Barca final transpire, and should United prevail, they would have beaten the unquestionably best side in the world at this point, and nullified the best player of a generation, and many before, in Lionel Messi. Few would blame Sir Alex if he decided he had achieved everything possible in management. One thing is for sure, the day he hangs up his hairdryer will be a sad one for football, and particularly Man United, as they would surely not sit top of the league right now without him.

Blackpool latest in a long line of heartbreak?

Are Blackpool about to join the long list of newly promoted clubs who announce themselves with a bang, before eventually slipping out of the Premier League, never to return? As I will find out, the dreaded second season syndrome has turned into the second HALF of season syndrome! Oh the joys of a tighter league..

Ipswich Town – from 5^th one season to 18^th the next. In 2000-01, the temporarily red-hot Marcus Stewart scored 18 goals, leading the Tractor Boys to Europe. Not only this, but Ipswich were only 4 points off 2^nd place, amassing an incredible 66 points. George Burley was named Manager of The Year. The following season, relegation was the punishment for such a stunning introduction. A start of 1 win in 18 games really killed the club’s hopes, and the club has never seriously threatened a return to the country’s top division.

Reading – from 8^th one season to 18^th the next. Reading almost exactly mirrored Ipswich’s unfortunate situation. They share the blue strip, although Reading were unable to match their Uefa Cup ambitions, falling a missed penalty short on the last day of the 2006-07 season. However, even without the distraction of Europe, Reading proved ill-prepared for the harsh realities of 2007-08. Their attractive attacking style was nullified somewhat, as teams managed to work them out, and 36 points was not enough to spare their top-flight status, as they dropped into the Championship on goal difference. Since then, Reading have never really managed to form a serious promotion push.

Hull City – from 3^rd at the end of October 2008 to 17^th in May 2009. 19^th the season after. Hull took the league by storm, with Phil Brown’s antics initially delighting the media and fans alike. After winning 3-0 at West Brom they had amassed 20 points from their first 10 games, only kept off the top of the pile by goal difference. The long slide from that point ensured Hull only just avoided the drop that year. 2008-09 was viewed by many as a depressingly inevitable relegation season for Hull, and so it proved. Jimmy Bullard was bought in an attempt to arrest this slump, but his intermittent injuries were befitting of the stop-start nature of the Tigers’ form. After returning to the second tier, they have done well to halt this freefall, and are currently relatively stable in mid-table.

Burnley – Not quite as dramatic a fall from grace as was by Hull, but impressive nonetheless. The Clarets started off with an invincible home record, remaining in the top 10 well into the autumn. However, results began to slide, Owen Coyle made the controversial decision to switch to Bolton, and Brian Laws proved out of his depth, as Burnley’s top flight party was cut short even sooner than their predecessors.

Blackpool – 4^th in September, 9^th in January, 15^th in March… 18^th or worse in May perhaps?

Oh Arsenal..

Another year, another Arsenal side that supposedly flatters to deceive. Or perhaps next year the media will not pile so much expectation on a side that always punches above its weight. This is a side that lacks a truly dominant central defender, a commanding goalkeeper, and a tough-tackling midfielder, yet Arsene Wenger manages to paper over these cracks, and get closer each year to delivering major silverware. While Man United will take some stopping, Arsenal are best placed to do just that.

There are many valid reasons why Arsenal have not splashed out, and brought in another tough Viera-esque midfielder. One important issue is that the whole world is aware of this problem. What is Wenger supposed to do…beg Milan to let Gattuso go? The age-old problem of having an obvious position to address in the transfer market is that clubs can smell desperation a mile off. It is why Newcastle will struggle to buy a quality striker this summer (or at least what Mike Ashley will claim). And it is why Arsenal will continue to toil in their attempts to buy proven warriors in their key positions. Unless you are Man City – where money is no object, you can always be priced out of the market. Perhaps the Gunners’ best hope is to wait on Nigel de Jong inevitably becoming unsettled at Eastlands and slapping in a cheeky £10m bid.

Having said all that, this current Arsenal side remind me of an impressively assembled Football Manager team, which goes close in all competitions, but somehow contrives to lose the biggest matches in winnable circumstances. I’ve been there so many times – getting to a cup final against opposition such as Birmingham, playing them off the park, and getting beaten by a sucker punch goal. The problem here is not mentality – simply attitude. What I would suggest is getting the likes of Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Ray Parlour and Patrick Viera in as coaching staff. Perhaps even David Seaman? Well I’m done telling Wenger how to manage.

Deadline Day Doom for Toon!

January 31st 2011 was a day to forget for Newcastle fans. After weeks of assurances from manager Alan Pardew that Andy Carroll would be sold, the shock news was confirmed that a £35m bid from Liverpool had been accepted. For a club that thrives on their figurehead strikers, this was a bitter blow for the club, and one that puts their Premier League status in more jeopardy than the table would suggest.

Let's get one thing straight. £35m is an extortionate amount of money for a player that has not yet proven he can consistently score over the course of an entire Premier League season. Had he remained fit in the last few weeks, Carroll would surely have added to his 11 goals so far this season, but as things stand, Liverpool have paid far too much. Despite this, it will not cheer Newcastle fans up one jot. If they had an owner who cared about the club, they would be hailing it as a great opportunity to strengthen in the summer. However, Mike Ashley does not have a good reputation when it comes to reinvesting transfer funds.

Let's cast our mind back to August 2008. James Milner was sold for £12m. Who do Newcastle currently have filling the gap he left on the right wing, two and a half years later? That's right - Joey Barton, a central midfielder. The club's only other right-winger, Wayne Routledge, has just been loaned back to QPR. Shoddy planning or what? That Milner deal was also done on deadline day, meaning no replacement could be found. The following January the club was put up for sale, giving an easy excuse not to invest.

With Carroll's £35m for now being held back, with the January transfer window closed, there will be huge pressure on Ashley to spend nearly all of it. I don't think anyone expects one single big-name striker to fill the void, and as a Newcastle fan, I would not want that either. A left-back is also sorely needed. Competition on either wing is a must, and at least 2 strikers must be bought. If all these things are done, then the Andy Carroll deal can be considered a success. However, that is a big if. The club must meanwhile attempt to survive without their main source of goals. The season so far can be seen as a solid effort, and boy will they need the points, as it is turning into something of an emergency landing...