20 Myths of the Premier League - Fact or Fiction.

AFC Bournemouth - EDDIE HOWE FOR ENGLAND

I personally am a big fan of Eddie Howe. A young, enthusiastic, English manager who has done great things at the seaside club with very limited resources. If the FA MUST hire an Englishman, Howe is my pick. But if the manager of a side 13th in the Premier League table is the man for the job, we as Englishman need to re-evaluate our expectations. Don't hire an Englishman just for the sake of it.

Verdict - FICTION

Arsenal - THE INVINCIBLES ARE THE BEST ENGLISH TEAM OF ALL TIME

I have actually compiled an entire article on this point recently which was published by Clickon Sports. So if you want more details feel free to find it either on this site or on Clickon (Re-named as 'The Versed') . But to make it short and sweet for the sake of busting the myth. Did the 03/04 Arsenal side reach a record points total? No. In fact when Premier League champions are concerned, five sets of champions recorded more points. Goals, they scored loads right? Nope. In the last decade, eight of the ten champions of England scored more then the Invincibles. But they did go unbeaten right? Yes, in the league, but they actually lost their biggest game of the season to Chelsea in Europe. But going unbeaten is an incredible achievement. Fact, but do the maths - you can go unbeaten in the Premier League season and still get relegated. Please go an read my piece I wrote on this, I can't stress that point enough!

VERDICT - FICTION

Brighton & Hove Albion - A GOOD DAY OUT 

I was struggling to find something to say about Brighton, they have only returned to the first tier of England this season after a long hiatus. Their fans are nothing to shout about, but yet are also nothing to be embarrassed about. The try to play decent football, but also are known to try and grind out a result. So what what can I say? You know you'd love an away day at Brighton. A lovely sea-side town, one of the warmer places to go in England. And when it comes to the football, your side always have the possibility of bringing home three points from the Amex. No one really hates Brighton, because how can you hate them?

VERDICT - FACT

Burnley - THE GINGER JOSE MOURINHO 

Dyche's nickname isn't quite as memorable as 'the special one' but it's perhaps as complimentary. Burnley are a side who, time after time, upset expectations. I can speak for everyone who wrote the claret and blues off this season (I predicted them to finish dead last!) But Sean Dyche's side currently find themselves in 7th place, and been flirting with the top 6 for much of the campaign so far. Where as last season they were virtually unmatched at home, this time around their away record is exemplary. There is always something with the side from Turf Moor, they find a way to scratch and claw themselves to where they want to be. Not quite total football, but football none the less. masterminded by the ginger Jose Mourinho.

VERDICT - FACT 

Chelsea - "I'VE BEEN A FAN SINCE THE 90'S"

Any fan of the blues that claims to have been a fan before the Russian money came in. Ask them one simple question. "Who is Jesper Gronkjer?" If they can not tell you that Gronkjer scored the winner in the last game of the 2002/2003 Premier League season. The goal which secured Champions League football and secured that Roman Abramovic invested his fortune in Chelsea instead of going across London to Spurs. If they can not answer this question, the were likely, not chanting blue is the colour before 2003.

Verdict - FICTION

Crystal Palace - THE BEST FANS IN THE COUNTRY 

Crystal Palace fans, like most fans in England, will claim to be the best in the country. But unlike most, they make a real go of it. Claret and blue flares burning, flags waving, and songs singing throughout most games at Selhurst Park. And they have earned a reputation for being extremely supportive to their side. Maybe not the popular or obvious choice, but the case is very much there for Palace fans. However, the fact is, the noise coming from Selhurst is significantly lower at times of turmoil then it is when things are looking up. Where as this is the case for most sides, I personally do not believe the 'best fans in the country' would let their support drop off when their club is struggling for form. A bit harsh yes, but this is my article so I'm going with it.

VERDICT - FICTION

Everton - THE OTHER SIDE FROM MERSEYSIDE

Do the Toffee's have the rich history of Liverpool? No. Do they have the current attacking power of Liverpool? No. Do they have the world wide support of Liverpool? No. But to call Everton the 'other side from Merseyside' would be a disservice. Particularly in the 1980's, Everton were as good as any side in Europe - winning one FA Cup, one European Cup Winners Cup, and two English league titles. However the Heysel Stadium disaster, which lead to a ban of English clubs from European competitions saw Everton lose their chance to compete for more top prices across the continent. And much of the title winning side moved on as a result. A history worth shouting about, which could have been so much more if it wasn't for outside events.   

VERDICT - FICTION

Huddersfield town - THEY'RE JUST HERE TO ENJOY THE RIDE

The Terriers just seem happy to be here. The fans, the players, even the manager and the board. I think it's fair to say that very few people would expect Huddersfield to still be a Premier League side in 5 years time. This is no dig on the Yorkshire side, they simply are not a big enough side to compete with the riches of the biggest league in the world. The only other Premier League sides of a similar size to Huddersfield are Brighton and Bournemouth, both of which have a financial backing that simply is absent for the Premier League first timers. It will be fun while it lasts no doubt however to anyone involved with the club.

VERDICT - FACT

Leicester City - CRISPS

Now this one really did make me laugh, but how can it not be crisps! Their best player of all time? Arguably Gary Lineker. As his Twitter bio will tell you - "Still flogging spuds." In reference to his glistering career as a representative for Walkers crisps.  Speaking of Walkers crisps, the famous old ground, Filbert Street, was replaced in 2002. And in it's place we got, the Walkers stadium. Crisps through and through.

VERDICT - FACT

Liverpool - THE HISTORY CHANNEL 

Now this one hurts (I'm a Liverpool fan if you are new to this site!) Liverpool football club have, without a doubt, the most storied and successful history in English football. 18 League titles. 5 European Cups. 7 FA Cups. And 8 League Cups. An incredible tally. But then, you realise there has only been one trophy won by the reds in the last decade (A league cup in 2011.) And even more painful reading for Liverpool fans, they haven't won the league title in the last 28 years. 1990. And yet Liverpool fans claim to be following one of the biggest sides in Europe. In terms of prestige, no doubt, Liverpool are up there with Barcelona and Real Madrid. But how can a claim be made for Liverpool to be one of the world's biggest sides, without a league title in 28 years?

VERDICT - FACT 

Manchester City - OIL MONEY HAS BOUGHT SUCCESS

Can you really argue with this? Manchester City were a mid table side, dwarfed in size by their cross city rivals United as recently as the mid 2000's. When one of Sheikh Mansour's investment companies acquired City the amount of money that was being thrown around was unheard of, even by fellow Premier League side Chelsea, the most recent team to benefit from foreign money. Although I would argue that 'Pep has bought the title' in this most recent season is a floored argument, you can not say with any confidence what so ever that City would not have won two Premier League titles in the past five years if it wasn't for Mansour's cheque book.

VERDICT - FACT

Manchester United - THEIR FANS DON'T LIVE IN MANCHESTER  

No matter how much I'd love to claim that the 20 times champions of England have no Manchester based fans, they do sell out Old Trafford every week. They are, at the end of the day, one of the most well supported sides on the planet. So the fact that you always see someone representing the red devils when you go on holiday is not exactly surprising. A pretty staggering statistic is that, out of every ten adults ON THE PLANET, there is on average of between one or two United fans amongst the bunch. Now United's clear use of signings from certain countries to indulge their foreign fans *cough cough* Kagawa *cough cough* is a story for another time, and although United do have a huge amount of fans outside of Manchester, this is down to their immense support more then their lack of Manchester based support.

VERDICT - FICTION

Newcastle United - THE BIGGEST CLUB IN ENGLAND 

Try and have a conversation about the current state of Newcastle United with a Newcastle fan right now. It's almost a certainty that you will hear your fair share of shouting and swearing. And this frustration is built from the incredible last of success lately for a club the size of Newcastle. Now during the 90's, the Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish era, Newcastle were a very good side. Kind of the way Spurs are a very good side now. But did they win anything? You know the answer to that. In fact, they haven't won a trophy since 1955. Maybe it's time those expectations are lowered a tad.

VERDICT - FICTION 

Southampton - LIVERPOOL'S OUT OF TOWN ACADEMY 

Since 2014 the Saints have sold a grand total of 6 first team players to the red half of Merseyside. Most recently Virgin Van Dijk for a Liverpool record £75 million. Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne and Rickie Lambert have also made the switch in the last four years. It's not all doom and gloom for Southampton however, as they have received over £170 million in transfer fees from these players and aren't massively worse off in their league position. But calling Southampton Liverpool's out of town academy? It's easy to see why!

VERDICT - FACT 

Stoke City - A COLD TUESDAY NIGHT AT STOKE

No one looks forward to an away day at Stoke. The generic statement thrown around by fans since Stoke joined the English Premier League. Under Tony Pulis the Potters were a hard to beat, well drilled, tough tackling side that loved a good old long throw. When Pulis was replaced with Mark Hughes the crunching tackles were replaced with tricky wingers, the Welshman trying to change the ideology of Stoke. 'Stoke-alona' however didn't last long, and now not only are this Stoke side not hard to beat at home, the style Hughes tried to implement never really saw the light of day.

VERDICT - FICTION

Swansea City - THE WELSH BARCELONA

When Swansea City were promoted to the Premier League in 2012, they brought with them a certain style of football, which drew the attention of many fans. A slick, passing style, seemingly implemented by the manager Brendan Rodgers. I say it was brought in by Rodgers as when he left to Liverpool, he took the style with him. Now, it wasn't an immediate change in style, under Michael Laudrup the Welsh club did win the League cup in 2013. But over time, the Spanish like tika-taka football has been replaced with a style much more expecting from a side battling relegation.

VERDICT - FICTION 

Tottenham Hotspur - HARRY KANE WILL BREAK THE PREMIER LEAGUE SCORING RECORD

At the time of writing this Harry Kane has scored 99 Premier League goals. Alan Shearer, the record holder, ended his career with 260. That leaves Spurs' Kane with 161 goals to hit before he ties the great Shearer. Now Kane is 24, Shearer retired at 35 so lets assume Kane does the same. That's potentially 11 Premier League seasons left in his career. That would mean Kane would have to score an average of 15 goals a season for those 11 years to beat the record. This isn't impossible, the Englishman has scored 20+ Premier League goals for the past four seasons. But to keep that sort of form up for the rest of his career? That is one tough ask. And we haven't even factored in the possibility that some of the world's biggest clubs are after the Englishman. Say... Real Madrid? Virtually any time away from the top tier of English football would make this an impossible task. Sorry Spurs fans, you'll have to win a real trophy!

VERDICT - FICTION

Watford - MANAGERS JOB IS A 12 MONTH GIG

The fact is Watford have not had a manager last over a year in charge since 2012. Eight managers since then have taken charge of the Hornets to varying levels of success. It does make you wonder who is in charge of the hiring and firing at Watford with especially the last three gaffers - Quique Sanchez Flores, Walter Mazzarri and Marco Silva. All relieved of their day to day duties despite not doing a poor job at all. Their must have been a bet placed somewhere by the Watford board. 'Most managers hired and fired in ten years.'

VERDICT - FACT

West Bromwich Albion - YO YO CLUB

This one is simply just facts. Between 2002 and 2010, West Brom fans watched four promotions to the Premier League and three relegations back down to the Championship/Division one. To their credit, since 2010 West Brom have retained their Premier League status, in an attempt to shake their reputation as the yo-yo club of English football. But they aren't quite there yet.

VERDICT - FACT

West Ham United - THE WEST HAM WAY

The West Ham way. An idea that West Ham United fans demand a certain quality of football to be played by their team. With managerial appointments of recent times seemingly beating this idea into the ground, modern football fans are all too familiar with a very different West Ham way. (100%, I stole this one from Paddy Power.) The West Ham way - Win a trophy every 35 years, sign players you don't actually own, sign players who are never fit, BUBBLES.

VERDICT - FICTION

Premier League Predictions - 2017/2018 Season.

With less then two weeks to wait until the start of the 2017/2018 Premier League season, the 20 top flight sides are well underway preparing their squads for the coming 12 months. We have seen huge contrasts across the division so far in terms of transfer activity. Both Manchester clubs have been splashing the cash like there is no tomorrow, and last season's runners up Spurs are yet to make a move. Lower down the table we have seen the likes of Bournemouth bring in a number of top class Premier League players to help their climb up the table, we have also seen however Championship winners Newcastle spend very little, keeping their squad very similar to the one which gained them promotion in May. So I'm going to throw my hat into the ring today, and give my main predictions for the upcoming campaign.

Let's start from the bottom.

20th - Burnley

Turf Moor was a fortress at times last season for Sean Dyche's men, for the first half of the campaign Burnley had one of the best home records in the league but as 2016 turned into 2017 that form appeared to abandon Burnley. Being placed in mid table coming into January, they ended the season in a relegation battle and just managed to scrape survival, reaching just 40 points. I can see Burnley carrying that same poor form into the upcoming season, and the loss of star defender Michael Keane could be a big part of that. The £30 million Burnley received from Everton for Keane is yet to be reinvested in the squad, so now they have an England international shaped hole in their defence and no one what so ever so fill it. Last season Burnley's defence is what kept them up, conceding the least goals out of every side in the bottom half of the table, in stark contrast however they struggled to find the back of the net. The only three sides to score less then Burnley last season all got relegated, and with their star defender no longer at the club, this weak attack will be even more exposed. Now I have little doubt that if Burnley go down, Dyche will find a way to bring them back up, that's just what he does. But their squad simply isn't improving, and I feel like this will be one step too far for the clarets.

19th - Huddersfield

This one pains me to say just a little bit, because towards the back end of last season, I was seriously rooting for Huddersfield to get promoted, and doing it through the drama of the play offs was an incredible story. But despite bringing in as many players as just about anyone in the league so far, (Including Tom Ince from Derby, giving Paul Ince's son another chance to prove he can live up to his family name) I just can't see them staying up any longer then a year. The style of football Huddersfield play is one which certainly drawers the eye, and when you notice their manager David Wagner was the manager of Borussia Dortmund's second team, and was an understudy to Jurgen Klopp during his time there, it is easy to see why. But in a similar vein to Blackpool in the 2010-2011 season, I feel their style of football will gain many plaudits, but will ultimately lead to their relegation. they quite simply aren't strong enough to play an entire season in the way they do, with the players they have, and survive! I feel like this is the prediction I am least confident about, maybe that's me being optimistic as I hope Huddersfield do retain a place in the top flight for years to come, but we'll just have to wait and see.

18th - Swansea

Much like Burnley who I have previously mentioned, Swansea spent the back end of last season in a fight for their lives, but managed to survive in no small part to new manager Paul Clement. The Englishman came in while the Welsh side were in free fall and he managed to get them organised, and keep them afloat. One man who had a huge part to play in the survival was Icelandic play maker Gylfi Sigurdsson who, at the time of writing this, is still a Swansea city player. But that is where I believe the problem lays, with the future of their best player. A £50 million price tag has been slapped onto Sigurdsson, one which has scared of a few potential suitors, but reports suggest Everton have matched the price tag and that the deal will be completed 'within days' as confirmed by Clement himself. This move could have drastic consequences for Swansea, an average squad, probably not strong enough for the Premier League has been being held up by one truly top drawer player. A top drawer player who, in a side which finished 15th with 41 points last time around managed 10 league goals and provided 13 league assists last season, Sigurdsson played a part in HALF of Swansea's top flight goals during the campaign, and without him I can't see a way the Welsh side survive. Even with the £50 million coming in, the climate of this transfer window, and the amount of time remaining in it means it will be harder then ever for Paul Clement to bring in a replacement for his star man. They've become almost a staple of the Premier League throughout this decade, but I feel like this season will be their last for now.

What about a place in mid table obscurity? Mid table in the Premier League is a strange place, for example Southampton ended last season in 8th with 46 points, a tally which was closer to 18th placed Hull then it was to 7th place Everton. It's not really a place anyone wants to be, but at least it's better then being in a relegation scrap! And if you can solidify a place in mid table obscurity for a number of seasons, it gives the club a foundation on which to build and push up the table. So let's have a look at a few of the top contenders.

11th - Leicester City

So that thing I just said about growing? That is both true and very very not true about Leicester. On one hand, they finished 12th last season, so 11th is one place higher, therefore growth right? Well if the 2015/2016 season didn't happen, and there wasn't a time when Leicester were the champions of England anyway. So you can either consider this as the continuation of the bubble bursting for Leicester fans, or an attempt to reach the heights of last year, is your glass half empty or half full, that sort of scenario. If I may be serious for a moment, I feel a place in mid table next season will be a good thing for Leicester. Despite the underwhelming defence of their title last time out, their run in the Champions League meant that the fans had their heads well and truly in the clouds. Finishing in mid table again will hopefully ground the fans, the players and the club into realising where they fit in regards to the Premier League. It sounds like I'm being overly negative so far, I am from Leicester and have sat in a pub, watching City in the Champions League, there is no doubt that the success has done a huge amount of good for the club and the city itself. And I do feel like this season can be a stepping stone towards big things again for the club in the long run. The signing of highly rated defender Harry Maguire from Hull could be the first step towards building a younger, more versatile defence after Huth and Morgan were found out last season. And despite the signing not being completed as of yet, Kelechi Iheanacho is set to complete his move from Manchester City, a move with bags of promise. With 12 Premier League goals to his name despite very few starts, and 6 goals in his only 10 international caps, he has shown he knows where the goal is. Maybe Iheanacho could be the answer to the question, who should partner Jamie Vardy? And with Mahrez reportedly on his way out, the Nigerian striker could fill in with the missing goals. I'm not saying they'll go on the win the league again, but don't expect to see the foxes in a relegation dog fight any time soon.

10th - West Ham United

Now West Ham have had a year to settle in to their new home in the London Stadium, there really is no excuse for West Ham anymore, and despite this I still see the London club finishing mid table. There is no doubt the Hammers have had one of the most successful transfer windows so far by their standards. Bringing in Joe hart on loan, Pablo Zabaleta on a free, Javier Hernandez from Bayer Laverkusen for £15 million, a bargain in the current climate. And finally, a club record signing, £20 million, potentially rising to £25 million for Austrian maverick Marko Arnautovic. So why won't West Ham be able to push up the table? First of all there is the factor that their first three league games will all be played away from home. Due to the World Athletics Championships taking place at the London Stadium, West Ham will start their campaign on the road, which at any other point of the season might not be too bad. But with every other team wanting to start the season of strong in front of their home fans, it could be a very tough beginning to the season for West Ham. Then, a complete opposite argument. Once West Ham return home, I can't see it getting any better, purely because no matter what happens, West Ham can't seem to adjust to their new home. The lack of atmosphere seems to drain energy from the side, and no amount of new signings can change that. So I can see their season starting off poorly, losing away from home, and then getting worse when they return. I'm not saying it will stay like this, they simply will have too good of a side to be involved in a relegation battle come 2018, and I do believe they will eventually learn to win games at home, leading to a finish which could have been a lot worse, mid table once again.

9th- Bournemouth

Eddie Howe and his side just seem to go from strength to strength at the moment. The smallest club in the league by quite some distance managed to chalk up a very impressive 9th place finish last season, and I'm backing them to match it this time around. For a club the size of Bournemouth, 9th is not only a respectable finish, but a very impressive one. The owners have proven they are not shy about backing the club, and the additions of Asmir Begovic and youngster Nathan Ake, both coming in from Champions Chelsea prove that the sea side club are trying to breed a winning mentality into the side. Also proven goal scorer Jermain Defoe has joined on a free from Sunderland, and with the World Cup in 2018 to earn a spot in, Defoe will be out to prove he still has it in the coming campaign. With everything pointing towards Bournemouth improving again in the coming campaign, why have I got them remaining in 9th position. Simple, the glass ceiling. Maybe they could reach 8th at a push, battling it out with Southampton for the crown of 'best of the rest' but the top 7 of English football right now is effectively a league of it's own, as I mentioned earlier, more points separated 7th from 8th, then separated 8th from 18th, the gap is huge. The only way, seemingly, to break into that group seems to be massive spending! That is how Manchester City joined the party almost a decade ago, and Everton have been steadily spending big to stay on the fringes, still on the outside looking in. Bournemouth, despite being heavily backed by their owners, simply aren't a big enough club to push on any higher. It does happen, Leicester defied the odds and broke their way in, but it was short and sweet as they failed to keep up with the spending power of the top 7. And this is why I can't see Bournemouth finishing any higher next season, not because they won't impress, because I'm certain they will, but because to get any higher, the league would have to change course dramatically.

Not quite Europe's elite -

6th - Arsenal

What's that saying about London busses? You wait forever for one and then two come along at once. For 20 straight years Arsenal finished in the top four of the Premier League, last season Liverpool beat them to the post on the last day of the season and this time around I think they'll go one better (Well technically one worse) and I think they'll drop another place into 6th. Now Arsenal fans, calm down. Yes you signed Lacazette, a huge signing, a world class striker, something you haven't had since RVP. But what's even worse, is this wasn't your biggest problem. With the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil, Oliver Giroud, Arsenal have never struggled to score goals. Now yes, Lacazette is a better natural striker then anyone on that list, but to spend a club record amount on a player who shouldn't have been their top priority, that is cause for concern. For years it's been obvious that a leader, a strong midfielder, has been what Arsenal needs, and with their defence looking more and more frail by the day, they needed serious back up in front of Cech. Other then Lacazette they have signed one player, Kolasinac, a full back on a free from Schalke. Now the young defender has shown potential, but he certainly isn't the answer. They will still have far too strong of a team to fall any lower in the table, and with a month left of the season they could still bring in reinforcements but everyone they're being linked (Including Monaco winger Thomas Lamar) with fall into the same category as Lacazette, world class, but not what they REALLY need. Plus there's the fact Alexis looks all but certain to be on his way out, which much really suck for Arsenal as he is potentially the best player in the league, and if he goes to, like the rumours suggest, Manchester City then that would feel like a real kick in the teeth. Truth be told I feel like it will be more of the same at Arsenal, a group of incredibly talented attackers, made to look stupid by a mediocre back line, and a manager who is scared of change. If they hold onto Sanchez, they might challenge for a top four place, but without him, I can't see them getting close.

5th - Spurs

So I know writing this that I am potentially going to be made to look REALLY stupid in a years time, when Spurs have, once again, impressed and have challenged for the title against the odds for the third successive season. But if there is a year where the growth of Spurs will suffer, it is surely this year. At this point in the summer, Spurs have had the worst transfer window out of anyone in the league. They have brought in exactly no one, have been linked with virtually no one, and have lost a member of their first team in Kyle Walker, to title rivals Manchester City. Last season Spurs relied on their consistent side, when a member of that side was out with either an injury or suspension, they struggled to fill the hole. When Harry Kane was out last season, Spurs really seemed to struggle in front of goal, with Jansen failing to step up to the plate, Spurs struggled to pick up points. Kane missed 10 games in all competitions between September and November of last season, Spurs only won four of those outings. These stats surely would have made it obvious that, coming into this campaign, strength in depth would be essential? But no, no additions have been made to the squad, and they could face the same problems they did last season. Despite this however, they still finished second, so why have I placed them in 5th? Well not only do I feel every side around them seems to be improving where as Spurs are making no positive transfers, but they will play their home games next season, at the home of English football, Wembley stadium. Now I go more in detail into this factor in an article I wrote in April, titled 'Spurs to Wembley - is this a good move for anyone?' but to use the highlights, in the 10 years since the opening of the new Wembley, Spurs have won only 2 of their 10 matches there, and after building their success from the last two years off of the back of an incredible home record, which has seen them lose one home game in two years in the league, playing the next season at Wembley, could be a game changer for Spurs. Even if they where to lose just three of their home wins from last season, Spurs would drop into the position I have placed them in today, it is that tight at the top. Like I said, I wouldn't be surprised if they proved me wrong, and once again spent the season fighting at the top of the table, but we'll have to wait and see.

A place among Europe's elite -

4th - Manchester United

Now placing Manchester United down in fourth is very much going against popular belief at the moment. Many people are saying that Jose's men will be up at the top, challenging for the title. They're certainly spending the money to back up those claims as well, £75 million on Lukaku and £40 million on Matic speaks volumes. And as last season went on, record signing Paul Pogba was starting to find his form. Everything is pointing towards a huge improvement on last seasons league performance. But I just feel like something is still missing, I can't quite put my finger on what, but something is missing. I feel like the addition of Lukaku won't be enough to move away from the stagnant, boring style of play we saw from them last season. The Belgian is coming in to try and fill Zlatan's boots, which I don't believe he will be able to. he isn't the finished article, and although on his day, Lukaku is capable of greatness, I don't feel like he will be able to win a game from nothing in the style of the Swedish striker. If Romelu isn't getting the service, he struggles, plain and simple. At times last season Ibrahimovic was feeding off of scraps, and like you need from any world class striker, managed to produce the good from them. Not to say Lukaku wont succeed for the red devils, I'm sure he'll still fire in the goals like he has been for Everton in previous seasons. I just feel like everyone is expecting the big front man to hit the ground running because of his huge price tag, last season we saw where that left Pogba. And not to mention, they still look very questionable at the back. Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have proven that they can't be trusted to anchor a defence for an entire campaign, and with new signing Victor Lindelof struggling in pre season so far, it could be another tough defensive season for United. Then there is the elephant in the room with United... no not Ronaldo coming from Real Madrid, but David De Gea going the other way. Now it looks like for the time being that the deal has gone quite, but you never know with Madrid, their spending has been lose for Los Blancos standards, and I wouldn't out money for them coming back in for the Spanish number one before the end of the window. I feel like the slow, boring style of player United portrayed last season was a way to mask weakness at both ends of the field, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more of the same in the coming campaign. If Lukaku fires, Pogba finds his form, they hold onto De Gea and Jose manages to craft a strong defence, then there is no reason they can;t challenge for the title. But until I can see it in action, in the Premier League, I don't see them at the top.

3rd - Liverpool

The five time champions of Europe secured a place in the coming season's Champions League on the last day of last season, and I can see them pushing on and going one place better this time around. The main criticism of Klopp's side last time out was the lack of a plan b, how it seemed that if they weren't firing on all front, that the opposition could find a way through their weak defence. Towards the back end of the season they seemed to find that plan b, winning more games that they would have lost or drawn earlier in the campaign. The front line Liverpool posses is one that would strike fear into any opposition. Coutinho, Mane and Firmino leading the line throughout last season fired in the goals, as despite not have any one attacker featuring in the race for the golden boot, Liverpool finished as the 4th highest scorers in the league. The only problem with this line up was Countinho playing out wide left. The Brazilian has always been a more natural number 10, and despite him settling in on the left with relative ease, you could always see he wasn't quite at his best. In the final two games of the season Philipe moved back into his favoured position and scored three, as well as assisting two in two of his best performances of the season. This was just a glimpse of what could be a full time arrangement this season, with the addition of Mo Salah, to fill the second wide position. The frightening pace of Salah and Mane down the flanks could prove to be very fruitful for their side. With Daniel Sturridge and new signing from Chelsea, Dominic Solanke, looking very sharp in pre season, Liverpool's attack has strength in numbers as well. However with Barcelona sniffing around Coutinho, there is the potential that the star man could be pinched before the season gets under way. Klopp has sternly said that he is not for sale, but with a rumoured £100 million offer in the pipeline, we'll have to wait and see. Liverpool have however failed to address their other major weakness, their defence. As it stands, full back Andrew Robertson is Liverpool's only new addition to their back line, a talented young full back who in the future could answer Liverpool's on going left back problem. But the Scot's signature isn't the final piece to the puzzle. The potential signing of Virgil Van Dijk could be however. Now the controversy surrounding this deal is extreme, Liverpool had been accused of 'tapping up' the Dutchman, a deal between the player and the club appeared to be agreed, before the accusations killed to move. Since then Van Dijk has gone on strike, stating he wishes to leave current club Southampton. The defender was not taken on the clubs pre season trip to France, and has been training alone, it is clear he wants out. Now it appears to be a matter of time before Liverpool come in with an offer, rumoured to be in the range of £60 million, to convince The Saints to part ways with their want away captain. Should this deal go ahead I feel Liverpool will have everything they need to push a potential title challenge, overall however having to fight on four fronts, with a squad considerably smaller then that of the other potential title challengers, it all points towards them falling short. However, 3rd will still show signs of progression, and with potential challenges in Europe and in the cup competitions, Liverpool could continue to impress as they grow.

2nd - Chelsea

And runners up next season will be the current champions of England, Chelsea. Any other year I'd say Chelsea were a certainty to retain their title, they have invested well all over the pitch, they have a manager who knows how he wants his team to play, the fans are optimistic and the players know they're a part of something great. A club record £60 million was spent on Spanish striker Morata, who looks set to become Chelsea's new first choice striker. German centre back Rudiger could turn out to be one of the signings of the summer, the solid defender starred for Germany in the Conflagrations Cup cup this summer, and his £30 million move looks like a bargain when compared to some of the other signings floating around. And then we get to Tiemoue Bakayoko, the French midfielder anchored the Monaco midfield on route to their Ligue 1 win last season, and impressed on route to the Champions League semi finals. he was one of Chelsea's primary targets when the window opened, and slotting in along side Kante could form one of the best central midfield pairings in the country. And it appears the champions aren't even close to done, with rumours linking them to long time target Alex Sandro of Juventus, their defence could get even stronger. There is however a bit of uncertainty towards the top of the pitch with Chelsea. Diego Costa has been told he will play no part in the coming season, leaving the striker in limbo, with no club effectively. Eden hazard is the latest player to be linked with Barcelona, the Catalan giants of course coming into money with the sale of Neymar to PSG all but completed, and with speculation Conte isn't entirely sold on Hazard, the Belgian winger could be out the door. But in reality that is it, there is nothing else to say. All in all Chelsea look very strong from back to front, and they should been seen as one of the favourites to win the title. So why don't I have them as my predicted winners? Well...

Champions of England -

1st - Manchester City

Because I feel like this will be the year Pep gets it right and the year this Manchester City side finally click into gear. The problem last season was obvious, the players just weren't right to fit the style of play their Spanish manager wanted, so this summer, they have spent big. £50 million on Kyle walker, and £52 million on Benjamin Mendy, two attacking, natural wing backs, a huge part of Pep's style that simply didn't exist at the Etihad last season. Brazilian Ederson has been brought in between the sticks, he could be the answer to City's goal keeping dilemma, a capable keeper with the ability to play out from the back. Manchester City had perhaps the biggest and strongest squad in the league already, but they're even improving on strength in depth this summer. Bernado Silva is the latest player to come to England from Monaco, and the Portuguese midfielder has been turning heads during his time in France. Very good on the ball with an eye for a pass, he also can chip in with a goal too, putting him along side Kevin De Bruyne in the ranks of goal scoring midfielders at City. Not to forget the incredible roster of talent already at Pep's disposal. Gabriel Jesus showed everyone just how good he was during his brief stint last season, scoring goals, providing assists, and asking a huge question of the manager. Jesus or Aguero. The Argentinian is no doubt on the the best strikers on the planet, and if he can stay fit for the entire season, he will no doubt be in the running for the golden boot. Then you have the solid midfield pairing of Yaya Toure, and Fernandinho. (Not Fernando, he's off to Turkey) These two are capable of not only protecting the defence, which as times can be CIty's weak link, bit they are both capable on the ball, both at creating chances and taking them. So City look set, from back to front they can put out arguably the strongest team in the league. And in terms of depth no other side can stand with them, the question now is if the side can buy into Pep's philosophy and produce the goods. History shows that once a Guardiola side gets going, they're hard to stop, and I really can see this year being the year for the blue half of Manchester. The title race this season I think will be very tight, which is a concept Pep won't be used to, but if he is the manager everyone seems to think he is, then he should be able to adapt, and thrive under the pressure. They had the manager, they had the players, now they need to go and win the silverware.

So there we have it, my main predictions for the upcoming Premier League season. Now I could be drastically wrong on a few of these (Just waiting for Spurs to make me look stupid) but I feel whatever happens, we could be in for one hell of a season. The top 6 is ridiculously hard to call, with so many world class talents, managers getting to grips with their teams and money being spent like it;s going out of style. Then at the other end we have plenty of teams set to be for a dog fight to maintain their place in the top flight. I for one can't wait, the opening weekend can't come close enough.

England Is Blue Again - Chelsea Are Champions.

The former Italian national team manager Antonio Conte came to England last summer to take over Chelsea, following their worst season in well over a decade and a tenth place finish. Less than 12 months later the London club are lifting the famous Premier League trophy again after a great season, a "great season" which could be a "fantastic season" should Chelsea complete the domestic double by beating Arsenal in the FA Cup final, says the Italian manager.

The Blues became champions on Friday 12th May after a 1-0 away win against West Brom, making them the first champions the be crowned on a Friday. They secured the title with two games to spare, after closest challengers Spurs lost to West Ham at the London Stadium earlier in the week. The goal scored by young Belgian Michy Batshuayi, the striker has been on the fridges at Stanford Bridge for most of the season but his goal that secured a 6th league title for Chelsea will be one that puts his name history.

It's been a very successful season season for Conte's men, one which did not get off to the best of starts. Following a relatively convincing opening to the campaign, Chelsea failed to register a win in the month of September, losing games to both Arsenal and Liverpool comfortably, as well as a draw to Swansea. However it was the loss to the former which lead to, in the eyes of many, the change in direction for the London club which has taken them to the title. Chelsea then went on a 13 game win streak, not conceding a goal in the first 6, and registered a 4-0 win against former manager Jose Mourinho's Manchester United, and a 3-0 win against now former champions Leicester City in the process. In total Chelsea have since lost just three times in 26 league games following their defeat to Arsenal, going from 6th in the table to holding a commanding lead at the top and a ten point lead over rivals Spurs with two games to play.

The stars of Chelsea, who last season struggle to find any form have this season flourished. With Diego Costa and Eden Hazard both hitting double figures in terms of goals this campaign, scoring 20 and 15 respectively. Winger Pedro has found a new role throughout the season at wing back, but that hasn't hindered the former Barcelona player one bit, with the Spanish native reaching both 8 goals and assists, being involved in more goals then anyone outside of Costa and Hazard for the champions. The switch to a three centre back system following their defeat to Arsenal is one which truly allowed the Chelsea back line to flourish. David Luiz and Gary Cahill both came under criticism early in the season, especially the Brazilian with many people wondering what caused Chelsea to re-sign him from PSG. However when full back Cesar Azpilicueta moved inside and joined centre of defence, all three men upped their performances, which lead to the 6 match clean sheet run which really kick started the season. One signing however that really shocked was Marcus Alonso. The Spaniard, who failed to nail down a place in the Bolton side all those years ago joined Chelsea and slid perfectly into the left wing back position and has consistently put in quality displays down that left side. Alonso registers 3rd for the club in terms of tackles won and aerial battles won, the man bought in from Italy also finished as the clubs 5th top goal scorer, contributing 6 league goals so far.

The man I'm yet to comment on however is the PFA Player of the Year, becoming only the second man in history to win back to back Premier League titles at two different clubs, with the other being Aussie stopper Mark Schwarzer, N'golo Kante. The Frenchman has been the anchor in Chelsea's midfield that has allowed their attacking players the freedom they need. After an 'un-sung hero' season at Leicester last year, Kante has been at the forefront this time around, as everyone has been able to see what an incredible job he does. Chelsea have a history of brilliant holding midfielders, with Claude Makelele inventing the 'Makelele' role, and being closely followed by fan favourite Michael Essien. Kante is the latest in this list and perhaps the quickest to get the credit that all of the great players playing this role deserved. Kante registered first in both tackles and interceptions for the champions, underlining just how effective he has been for Conte's side. And, unlike last season, Kante's impressive performances were acknowledged by his peers, being awarded the PFA Player of the Year award, and rightly so.

Congratulations to Chelsea and everyone who is involved in the club for a very successful league campaign. As I previously mentioned the champions will now be chasing the domestic double, with an FA Final against Arsenal on May 29th. It is fitting that the fixture that really turned Chelsea's season around will also close the season. They will next season return to the Champions League after a rare absence during this campaign, and we'll be able to see if Conte's side can translate their domestic success across the continent.

Hooliganism - Why do English football fans continue to embarrass themselves?

During the 2016 European Championships in France the one thing more embarrassing for England than the performances on the pitch was the actions of the travelling fans off of it. Violent out bursts occurred frequently during the tournament with dozens of arrests made particularly after the opening game vs Russia. Similar scenes took place this week when England's solitary side left in the Champions League, Leicester City, travelled to Madrid.

Four thousand plus fans of the English champions followed their side to the Spanish capital to witness their sides incredible run in Europe's elite competition but it appears that the game was the last thing on the minds of many of the fans. A minority of the group managed to embarrass themselves with an extremely inappropriate rendition of 'German bombers' less than 24 hours after the Dortmund team bus was attacked before their first-leg tie against Monaco. As well as screaming 'You Spanish b******s Gibraltar is ours' at the top of their lungs. All of this appears satire when compared to the fights breaking out with Spanish riot police, with many videos appearing on social media of beer bottles and other dangerous objects being thrown in the direction of the police who were drastically outnumbered by the English fans.

Eight Leicester fans were arrested for public disorder and vandalism a police spokesperson confirmed and have since been given a four month suspended sentence following their actions. A group of 70 hooligans gathered in the Plaza Mayor, a common spot for travelling fans in Madrid, and when the police approached, these 'fans' started attacking the Spaniards seemingly unprovoked, one video capturing a member of the group throwing a concrete cafe table in the direction of the riot police, he like many others appeared to be strongly under the influence. All of the fans held by police had been drinking heavily the court heard. Three officers and two Leicester fans were treated for cuts and bruises on the ground but luckily no one was taken to hospital.

What is perhaps worse than the actions of the fans is the image that is being portrayed to the rest of the world. English fans in the future will complain when they can't travel to follow their team without interruption of the authorities but it is all down to a reputation built up by a group of idiots who continue to give English football fans a bad name. The incredible lack of respect shown by the Leicester fans to the locals in Madrid is far too similar to that of the England fans in France during last years competition. Their are idiots in every walk of life and it is always a minority of people, much like it is here. But what it is doing is painting every English fan as a hooligan, as a threat and as a person you do not want visiting your country. Due to the actions of a select few idiots English fans can no longer travel in numbers to anywhere in Europe without being under the constant watchful eye of the local authorities and rightfully so to maintain peace and safety for the local people.

The difference between the Leicester fans and the Monaco/Dortmund fans on Tuesday night is laughable. During a time of peril and with numbers of fans stranded and people scared for their lives the fans on the German and French clubs came together to show the world they were not afraid, they stood united and helped each other out in every way they could. Commendable. Where as the Leicester fans spent the same evening chanting racial slurs at the locals, inappropriate comments regarding the war and Gibraltar as well as of course engaging in a drunken fight with the local police which lead to the trip being cut short for a select group of these 'fans' that due to the amount of alcohol consumed might not even be able to remember their stupid actions. Embarrassing.

I would like to stress that these actions were carried out by a minority of the Leicester fans in Madrid. Not every fan of the English champions wants to travel abroad simply to start fights and to give English fans a bad name. The select few that do however travel with this intentions might not have the same attitude towards it when their actions lead to the abroad 'away day' experience being drastically changed due to increasing numbers of these incidents taking place when English hooligans travel abroad.

The actions that took place the night before the game will be what's remembered in a years time. And with the home side beating Leicester 1-0 it could be seen as justice for the locals who were caught up in the horrendous scenes in the city centre.

Champions League Quarter Final Predictions: Who will progress to the final four?

Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Dortmund, Monaco, Leicester City, Bayern Munich and Juventus. The quarter finals of the 2016/2017 Champion League season sees a lot of the same sides we're accustomed to seeing at this stage, as well as one or two shocks. I am going to go over each of the four ties and predict this seasons final four!

Game one: Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid.

Between these two sides are 16 European cups. They have competed in 24 finals. And have won 3 of the last 4 competitions. This is what the Champions League is all about, two heavyweights from different countries colliding to see who is the better side! In 2014 Real Madrid completed La Decima, and knocked out Bayern Munich 4-0 on aggregate on their way to the final so the German side will be out for revenge! The German champions are currently flying in Europe after a 10-2 aggregate humiliation of Arsenal in the round of 16. Bayern are also currently 13 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and look set to walk to another title. Where as Real only have a two point cushion over Barcelona in their battle to reclaim the league title. This could give the German side a huge advantage going into the tie against Real Madrid, as they have the opportunity to rest certain key players during league games, knowing the title is all but secured! On the other hand, Madrid can't afford to drop many points if they want to win the title, and therefore must play their strongest side week in, week out to ensure that fact. During these matches anything could happen, injuries, key players could become fatigued or struggle to maintain full fitness then it comes time to face Real Madrid. In terms of pure star power this tie will attract more intrigue then almost any other, and rightfully so. Two of Europe's elite, only one winner. I think that, on Tuesday 18th April, Real's goal to become the first team in the Champions League era to retain the European cup will come to an end. Bayern Munich will get their revenge for 2014 and progress to the semi-finals.

Game two: Barcelona vs Juventus.

For the first time since the 2015 Champions League final these two sides face off in the tie which will challenge Bayern vs Madrid for the biggest attraction of the quarter finals. Since Paul Pogba's exit in the summer, Juventus has found a new talisman in the form of Argentine Paulo Dybala, and has got the eyes of the entire world on him! The young attacker has adopted a more creative role in the side with club record signing Gonzalo Higuain occupying the position of top scorer and he has taken to it like second nature. The comparisons drawn between him and national team mate Lionel Messi has been more evident then ever this season and compliments don't come much bigger then that for a young attacker! As for Barcelona, they must still be in shock after their incredible comeback to knock out PSG in the round of 16. Sergi Roberto's late late volley ensured that the 5 time champions stayed in the competition and despite a lot of controversy coming from the referee's decision making during the game at the Nou Camp, it will go down as one of the great comebacks in European football history. With Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez leading the line Barcelona can beat any side in world football, and with the added grit and determination coming from their incredible comeback last time out I can see history repeating itself and Barcelona proving to be too good for their Italian opposition.

Game three: Dortmund vs Monaco.

The highest scoring team in Europe's top five divisions against the highest scoring team in this years Champions league. This year is likely to be the best opportunity either of these teams will have for the foreseeable future to achieve European glory with a lot of the bigger European sides sniffing around at their top players. Monaco came through an incredible round of 16 tie against Manchester City, coming back from a 5-3 deficit after the first leg to win 3-1 at home and to seal their place in the quarter final. Kilian Mbappe scored a brace in the second leg against Man City and has stood out as one of the most promising young players in Europe this season, a repeat performance from him could be a big factor in Monaco reaching the Semi-finals. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored an incredible 34 goals in 37 games in all competitions this season and with 7 in 6 champions league games so far he will be a definite factor in the tie! 19 year old Ousmane Dembele has shot to provenance this year and will challenge Mbappe as the most impressive youngster in this seasons competition, whichever one of the two live up to expectations the most could push their side towards the next round. In the battle between two of the hottest attacks in Europe it is game with guaranteed goals, when 180 minutes plus of football has passed I think Monaco will be the solo French side in the semi-finals.

Game four: Atletico Madrid vs Leicester City. 

Diego Simeone might be one of the most unlucky managers in the world, but he is almost certainly one of the best! His Atletico side have twice in the last three years been within seconds of winning the Champions League only to have it snatched away from them at the death, this year they won't be taking any chances. Antoine Griezmann is the latest in a long line of Atleti strikers who are considered one of the best in the world, and with over 20 goals this season he is backing up his third place finish in 2016's Ballon D'or. The Frenchman is rumoured to be on his way to England in the coming transfer window so this really could be his last chance to make up for his penalty miss in last seasons final. Leicester City continue to cause shock after shock and their appearance in this stage of the competition is worth plaudits in itself. Craig Shakespeare seems to have rediscovered the form Claudio Ranieri dragged out of the foxes on their way to the Premier League title last season and by knocking out Sevilla in the round of 16 the English champions have shown they can compete with the biggest and brightest. Whatever your opinion on Leicester City with all that has been going on this season in the midlands you have to applaud their performance in Europe this season, however despite avoiding the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the draw again I feel Atletico could be the worst draw Leicester could have gotten. You can say with certainty that Simeone will set up his side to counter Leicester's style of play where as many of Europe's elite may have just attempted to play their own game, which in turn plays right into Leicester's hands. And with how much success the Madrid club seem to have in games such as this one, Leicester could be out of their depth at last. I think that it will be Atletico representing Madrid in this years final four of the Champions League.

Prediction for the Semi-Finals of the 2016/2017 Champions League;
Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Monaco, Atletico Madrid.

The Magic of the Cup - FA Cup 2017 so far.

The FA Cup, the oldest cup competition in Professional football, the competition where the phrase 'giant killing' was really put into practice and this year, after a few years in the wilderness, it's back with a bang! With the biggest sides in the country using this competition to field weaker sides and for youngsters to gain experience the importance of this competition has dwindled, with the prize money for winning the competition being nothing compared to a respectable finish in the top flight of English football. With last season's FA Cup winners Manchester United pocketing south of £2million, and Aston Villa who placed last in the Premier League receiving over £62million, the long, drawn out cup run was treated as a non priority by a lot of sides, this year however you would have to think otherwise. 

With Chelsea beating the holders Man United 1-0 at Stanford Bridge tonight the semi finals were set, Chelsea vs Spurs, and Manchester City vs Arsenal. Four of the big teams in the country and four of the bookies favourites before a ball was kicked but it has not been as clean cut as it seems. 

This Year's FA Cup has seen history made, in the form of Sutton United and Lincoln Town. For the first time in over a century two non-league sides made their way to the FA Cup fifth round, beating championship sides Leeds and Brighton. It would take 12 time FA Cup winners Arsenal to knock out Sutton in a much more even match then many would expect, the heart of the non-league side shown throughout. For Lincoln however, the incredible run continued! A late, late goal secured a 1-0 win away from home against Burnley, a side with the third best home record in the premier league. Lincoln became the first non-league side in English football since 1914 to reach the quarter finals of the FA Cup and one game away from a Wembley Semi Final! However, much like Sutton the round before, Lincoln fell to Arsenal but the Lincoln players have written their names into the history books. 

It wasn't just teams from outside the football league causing upsets throughout this years FA Cup, there have been more than anyone would expect. During the fourth round we saw Wolves outplay Liverpool at Anfield and pick up a 2-1 against the reds. Oxford shocked high flying championship side Newcastle with a comfortable 3-0 at home. We also saw Premier League sides Hull and Watford fall to Championship outfit Fulham, and League one's representative in this stage of the cup Millwall. The Fifth round was a lot more run of the mill with the majority of the bigger sides advancing, however Millwall once again gained the scalp of high profile opposition, in the form of Premier League Champions Leicester City! The 1-0 home win saw them progress to the quarter finals for a date with cross city rivals Spurs, where sadly the the League one side. the home team proved far too good on the day and strolled to a 6-0 win! 

Between the final four sides in the competition they scored 14 goals in their quarter final ties and conceded none, showing their class to progress to the semi-finals at the home of football, Wembley stadium. Chelsea have local rivals Spurs on route to the final and a chance to complete a potential domestic double with the London club flying high at the top of the league and with Kante in their midfield it will feel like having an extra man on the pitch for the blues. Where as Spurs will have to handle a second consecutive derby in the FA Cup, and with Harry Kane currently nursing a potentially re-injured ankle it could be a tough ask Pochettino's men. Arsenal seemingly have nothing left to play for this campaign, and in what could be Wenger's last they'll want to end the season with some silverware. Their opponents however are still chasing European glory, leading 5-3 from the first leg of their round of 16 tie against Monaco making the FA Cup play second priority. However, City, along side Chelsea, are perhaps the only side in the Premier League with a squad strong enough to make wholesale changes without losing out in terms of ability. Also, you know Pep will be desperate to remember his first season in charge of the Citizans as a trophy winning one. 

This is what the FA Cup is all about, giant killing throughout from surprise outfits, but the trophy comes down to some of the best the country has to offer. There's a reason the tournament has lasted well over 140 years ago, nothing can replace the magic of the cup. 

Semi Final predictions: 

Chelsea 2-1 Spurs 

Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City. 

Final Prediction:

 

Chelsea 2-2 Manchester City (Manchester City to win on penalties) 

What Just Happened? - Leicester City 3-1 Liverpool But why BOTH sets of players should be ashamed of themselves.

On Monday 27th Febuary at the King Power stadium, Leicester City welcomed Liverpool in their first game in the post Ranieri era, and they put on their best performance of the season. A Danny Drinkwater wonder strike, in between a brace from Jamie Vardy put the reds away 3 goals to 1, with Coutinho scoring a late consolation goal. Jurgen Klopp's men played right into the hands of the Premier League champions, with an almost disrespectful approach shown by Liverpool, they played such a high line allowing Jamie Vardy and Leicester City to play the brand of football we haven't seen since they lifted the trophy last many, which asks the question. Why haven't we seen it?

The Leicester City players showed something on Monday night we haven't seen from them in months, effort. A side which seemingly was heading for relegation turned up to the KP with a caretaker manager in charge and after two days in the job the football world watched his side make a complete turn around and play a style of football which has brought them so much success in the past. That sort of turn around doesn't happen, what we saw was the players putting in a shift, making an effort, showing the passion and dedication that won them the title under Claudio. With this sort of performance under their belts you have to wonder how they got into this position. Simple. The players downed tools under their previous boss, the man who lead an average Leicester side to success, and they forced him out when things weren't gong their way. At the start of this years Premier League season teams had seemingly 'found out' Leicester City, and could now counter their style. Not giving Vardy the space to run into the channels, not pressing high to give Drinkwater the option to clip the ball in behind, and testing the back line of Morgan and Huth in a very different way to last season. This change in approach was made more apparent by the lose of N'Golo Kante, the Frenchman who is set to perhaps be named as the signing of the season two seasons in a row, without his legs in midfield Leicester struggled to play at the pace they did last season, and without his protection, the back line was put under fire in a way they weren't last season. As the opposition found a way to counter Leicester City, Claudio Ranieri tried to enforce a new style of football within his team. The signings of more forward thinking players and by throwing more men forward, Claudio tried to make his team play in a way similar to the other top sides in the league. However as history has told us, it didn't work. Leicester simply did not have the players to fit the system, or the quality to make it work. Leicester, despite success in Europe against teams which had not seem their original style of play, started to plummet down the table to the point that, before Monday, they fell into the relegation zone.

What the Leicester City players have to be ashamed for is that they simply had no intention of making Claudio's tactics work. They didn't receive instant success, and all of a sudden the players who had received such plaudits last season, the players who worked their bodies into the ground under Ranieri, turned their back on the man that brought them the greatest year of their careers. These where all just rumours, until a story broke and was plastered across the entire country of a meeting being held between the Leicester squad and their owners regarding the future of their manager. What's worse is this meeting took place in Seville, hours before their Champions league last 16 clash with Sevilla, which saw Leicester put it a commendable performance and walk away win an away goal in a 2-1 defeat. What hurts even more is that potentially, the Leicester players knew their bosses future before he did, as once the team landed and made their wait to a hotel next to the airport. Claudio Ranieri was sacked. And then, on the following Monday, after two days under Craig Shakespeare, the Leicester players started running again, showing heart again. Jamie Vardy completed more sprints then he has all season, and after not scoring a league goal in 2017, the champions scored three. As a football fan it hurts me to see player power abused to this extent, to cost such a well respected man his job. I personally hope Claudio Ranieri retires now, so he can retire as champion, and no one, not even a group of overexposed players can take that away from him.

There was two sides to this match however, the other being the worst performance from Liverpool I have witnessed in recent memory. In the first half Wes Morgan made a good interception from a Sadio Mane ball across the bow and in the second half Coutinho slotted the ball into the bottom left corner. These are the only two examples of Liverpool attempting to play progressive football, despite having over 60% possession throughout the game. What looked like a lack of desire from a fans point of view, the Liverpool players seemed to expect the Leicester players to just roll over for them and hand over the three points. Liverpool were second to every ball, lost every header, out thought and out played for 90 minutes. Liverpool made this Leicester side look world class, Christan Fuchs, the Leicester left back who has really been found out this season made his way down the Liverpool right earl in the second half, unchallenged, turn Clyne with ease and whipped in a cross onto Vardy's head for the third goal, again completely unchallenged. The same in the channels during the first has was embarrassing to watch, Jamie Vardy may have not scored in closing in on 10 Premier League games but everyone knows his game, one ball in down his right hand side, one touch, bottom corner. The defensive display for Liverpool was nothing short of laughable, and when you take into account the Liverpool defence on Monday night, you can see why! Left to right, James Milner. He's undoubtedly had a good season in his new role, but he is still a midfielder, a right sided midfielder at that. Lucas. Again a midfielder, the Brazilian has never had the legs needed to keep up with fast attackers so why is he playing at centre back? Joel Matip. The only exception, a well rounded defender but on his own there was nothing he could do! And Nathaniel Clyne. Who has really struggled defensively this season, much like Glen Johnson before him.

With the defence as open as it was Liverpool never had the chance to do anything in this game, and when they did a lack of desire and an arrogance on display resulted in one of the world performances of the season. Coutinho as usual, looked by far and away Liverpool's star man, and Origi off the bench at least was a handful, but I can't think of a single other outfield player who can take anything positive away form this game. The pressure is know heavily being piled onto Jurgen Klopp, the German is started to come under criticism which his way with words can't cover up. Is it a poor team selection? Are the owner, FSG not backing Klopp in the way Liverpool need them to? Are the players simply not up to standard? A lot of questions are being asked right now, and they need to be answered soon if Liverpool are to have any chance of qualifying for the Champions League.

So it was a rare game to say the least. How often can both sides come off as an embarrassment. In all honesty, I can't wait to see just how Leicester progress throughout the rest of the season, will they continue to be found out with a system that, although tried and tested, is common knowledge now. And can the self proclaimed 'normal one' rescue Liverpool's season before it is just another wasted year?

Leicester City - A quick point

I find it very strange that a number of top Leicester City players have today written tributes to their now former manager Claudio Ranieri. The same day that almost every sports media outlet in the country reported on the several meetings held between the Leicester board and players, one of which taking place hours apart from their 2-1 defeat and commendable performance against Sevilla. The few players who have the power within the club to force the hand of the board to make this announcement are the ones who today, two days after the decision was made, have finally shown respect to the man who showed nothing but passion and gave his all to the cause, a man whos image is plastered across the city of Leicester, a man who has been shown zero respect after having his future promised to him by the club only a fortnight ago. These tribute are an insult in my opinion when it is blatantly obvious was really has gone on.I'm sure these few individuals were perfectly happy to sign their new bumper contracts and take the free sports cars that came with the success of last season, the same success masterminded by the same man who has been so unceremoniously forced out of a club he clearly loves. Embarrassing. I really hope I'm wrong, because if not I weep for modern football. The beautiful game is becoming more and more corporate and their is seemingly no place for passion, for loyalty, for the love of the game. Nothing else matters in the eyes of the men who have the power.

Heavy Metal Football - What needs to change with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool?

This is a disclaimer before I get too ahead of myself. Jurgen Klopp is one of the world's best managers in my opinion, and I feel his football philosophy will guide Liverpool Football Club to great things in the future. This is in no way me stating that Klopp has failed in his first 12 months as Liverpool manager, it is also not a call for his head. With two cup finals, one semi final and currently in the race for the Premier League title, Liverpool have came on leaps and bounds since his appointment in October 2015. However with no silverware to show for his time in charge just how far has Jurgen's Liverpool actually came and what is left to do before we can start realistically talking about a Liverpool title challenge?

Heavy metal football. The phrase used to describe the German manager's style of play, an incredibly fast paced, high intensity game which when done effectively can force the opposition into submission. Just look at performances against the likes of current league leaders Chelsea at Stanford Bridge and the champions Leicester City at Anfield earlier in the season. Last season Klopp's new brand of football was also showing results, a crushing victory against Manchester City at The Etihad and the Europa League semi-final victory against Villarreal were perhaps some of the best by any English side in any competition. But inconsistency has plagued Liverpool during Klopp's era, much like it did during the previous regime under Brendan Rodgers. Defeats against the likes of Swansea, Burnley and the recent EFL Cup semi-final against Southampton more than demonstrate the clubs inability to produce the performances required of them week in, week out. The side built by the Northern Irishman is still strongly represented in the current team and this is where I feel the problem lies.

On the 25th January 2017, Southampton turned over Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield, to progress to the EFL Cup final at Wembley, just two weeks after beating them by the same result at St Mary's. These two loses came during the worst run of the season so far for the reds, which has seen then pick up just one win in the last seven games. That win being against league two side Plymouth Argyle in an FA Cup 3rd round reply after failing to score at Anfield, drawing 0-0 despite being over 60 places between the teams in the football league. This recent run of bad form has seen Jurgen Klopp's team fall from 2nd in the Premier  League and battling for the title to 4th place and only hanging onto a Champions League place by a thread. Also an almost expected date at Wembley for the EFL cup final has slipped through the clubs fingers despite them being huge favourites in their Semi-final against Southampton. One win in seven in not title winning form, or even challenging form and it could have cost Liverpool the chance to really make the 2016-17 season one to remember, but what has gone wrong? Sadio Mane's departure for the African Cup Of Nations directly correlates with the start of this poor run of form. Now i'm not saying was the only reason for Liverpool's success was the form of the Senegalese international, but more what the winger represents. Mane is the soul attacking player signed by Jurgen Klopp, and therefore the one attacking player signed under the ideology of  'heavy metal football'. The rest of the Red's front line, Roberto Firmino, Philipe Coutinho and Adam Lallana in particular, despite all being more then capable of fitting the German's system, where all signed by Brendan Rodgers and signed simply to fit his style of play, a much more slow based passing game based around dominating possession of the ball. These three players have been stand out performers for Liverpool this season, but without Mane neither of them have been able to carry the side over the last seven games due to again, neither of them fitting the style of 'heavy metal football'. Technically, Liverpool have one of the best front lines in the country, but without Mane running tirelessly to track the ball down and create goals Klopp's Liverpool have looked worn out and out of ideas.

After twelve months in charge and three transfer windows there is really no excuse for Mane being the one player signed by the German capable of playing football the way he wants. With the Dutchman Gini Wijnaldum being the only other non defender signed by Klopp to have appeared this season, the squad at the former Dortmund manager's disposal is extremely thin and a large percentage of the players available to him are either unproven teenagers or players signed during the reign of Rodgers which Klopp does not feel would suit his system. The likes of Emre Can who, despite finding his way into the team more in recent weeks, Jurgen Klopp does not seem to fully back Can to make the team work the way he wants. In the EFL cup semi-final against Southampton, centre back Joel Matip was the only starting outfield player signed during Klopp's time in charge with the rest being signed by Brendan Rodgers or a manager before to fit an almost opposite style of football.

If history has told us nothing else, it has told us that for a completely different style of play to work for a team, usually additions must be made to make the system fit. An example being Pep's current Manchester City team, his 'Tiki Taka' style of play was forced upon City and despite early success, without additions made to fit the style (Claudio Bravo has been a disaster) the Spaniard's side are now struggling domestically to earn even a top four place. Proof of how additions can make a change in style work can be seen with Premier League champions Leicester City. Claudio Ranieri wanted to play a counter attacking style of football, so he signed French midfielder Kante to sit in front of the back four, break up opposition attacks and launch counter attacks. These tactics lead to the most incredible Premier League season in recent memory with the surprise winners shocking world football. But since Kante's sale to Chelsea the champions have struggled significantly showing just how important he was in winning them the title.

Last season, despite Klopp taking over, Liverpool struggled domestically and finished outside of any European places. He was let off with the excuse 'it's still Rodger's team' but since then nothing has changed, and despite a few additions including Sadio Mane and Joel Matip, you could argue it is still a similar team built by Brendan Rodgers but with a new set of ideas which despite proving to be much more effective when done correctly, the current side appears to struggle to maintain Klopp's style for as long as is required to truly challenge at the top of the table. I'm not saying the failure to sign players which fit the mould of 'heavy metal football' is entirely the German's fault, i'm sure if he was given the money and the opportunity by the board Jurgen Klopp would have brought in the necessary signings to both fit his team and provide back up when needed but he is not completely absent of blame. Jurgen has been un-moving in his support of his team and he should be, but even if he doesn't openly admit it, he hopefully sees that his team needs a lot of work and that has never been as evident as it is right now.

Heavy metal football. The style implemented by Jurgen Klopp with the hope of leading Liverpool back to where they were, at the top of world football. As 2016 drew to a close it seemed as if a winning formula had been found and the newest Liverpool manager's methods were sure to lead them to success. However the loss of Mane to the ACON and the failure to recruit reinforcements has perhaps seen Liverpool's season end before it had even really begun. I believe in the coming years this high intensity football will lead to great success for the five -time champions of Europe, hopefully the curse of modern day football managers won't cause Jurgen's time with Liverpool to end before he can achieve what we all know he is capable of.