How did we manage that?  Ireland’s victory on Wednesday was nothing short of a miracle, but it’s about time a bit of good fortune came our way.  We can also take plenty of positives from the game, especially the team’s performance in the second half.  McGeady walked off with the Man Of The Match accolade but it must have been a close run decision between him and Kevin Doyle, who continues to improve at both club and International level, and has to be Ireland’s number one striker at present.  Keane’s two goals might taint the views of those who were not watching lat night, but it truly was a great performance from Doyle. 

Perhaps a bit aware of this himself, Doyle has come out and let the Italian camp know what the Irish intentions are, saying “They had their manager there last night, so I am glad we didn’t play too well in front of him — we don’t want him too worried about us. We want them to be pretty cocky and confident and not take us too seriously”, and if Lippi switched off after the first half, there is no doubt that this ploy will prove successful.  Whatever the Italians think about us, we have a definite chance of automatic qualification now and not being one to get too carried away, I have already booked my flights to South Africa (just don’t tell the boss).

2009 may only be a few days old, but already we have witnessed some fine sporting achievements, most notably Phil Taylor’s demolition of the field in the PDC Championship.  Taylor finished the final with a three dart average of 110.94, breaking his own record for a World Final.  It was a spectacular display from ‘the Power’ and with the 48 year old getting better every year, it really does look ominous for his fellow professionals.  Many pundits are now claiming Taylor to be the greatest sportsman of all time, but a look back at last year’s sporting accomplishments might throw up a few other names that could also claim this title..

Woods or no Woods, Padraig Harrington’s displays last year elevated him to one of the game’s all-time greats and earned him both the US and European player of the year accolades.  Losing out on the Order of Merit to Robert Karlsson was the only small blip on Harrington’s 2008 and to be honest it does not really matter in the greater scale of things (ask Colin Montgomerie).  Retaining his Open Championship would have been enough alone to make this list but going on to win the PGA a matter of weeks later, means that Harrington gets the first mention in this review.  After pulling off shot of the year to claim the Open Championship, Harrington displayed a different quality to his game by winning the PGA despite not playing his best golf.  He showed that he has the mental game which only the true greats possess, and will no doubt look forward to Tiger’s return so he can put to bed any thoughts that his recent success is in some part due to the fact that Woods is still recovering from surgery on his knee.  With Rory McIlroy recently breaking into the top 50 in the world, Graeme McDowell playing the golf of his life and Darren Clarke still showing glimpses of the form we know he is capable of, 2009 promises to be a great year for Irish golf.

The future also looks bright for Irish boxing as Ireland managed to pick up 3 medals during last years Olympic Games.  Darren Sutherland and Paddy Barnes both picked up bronze medals, while Kenny Egan picked up a silver medal, as the trio proved that some funding and a basic infrastructure can go a long way in achieving sporting results.  Irish results aside, the Olympics were dominated by two individuals, Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps.  Phelps went home with 8 gold medals (along with 7 World Records) from 8 events, and has many saying that he is the greatest swimmer of all time.  Bolt’s performance, on the other hand, ‘only’ produced 3 gold medals but it was the manner in which he won them that puts his achievements slightly above Phelp’s.  Bolt smashed the 100m world record, and did so celebrating for the last 10m of the race, before going on to break the 200m record while bringing home that gold.  His third gold (and third world record) came in the 4 x 100m relay and if there were more events based around sprinting there is little doubt that his gold tally would have been bigger.  It’s also worth remembering that Bolt is still somewhat of a rookie when it comes to the 100m, having broke the World Record in June in only his 5th 100m race on the senior circuit, so as far as World Records go, we certainly have not seen the last of this man.

Munster’s performance in the Heineken Cup Final is also well worth a mention.  A 16-13 score line might not seem the most flattering, but the heart and determination that was shown on the pitch is something rarely seen in sport.  60,000 Munster fans witnessed their pack put on an awesome display and with Alan Quinlan producing turnovers galore and Ronan O’Gara showing how a number 10 should play, this victory will perhaps be even sweeter than that in 2006 for the Munster collective.

On the horse racing side of things, Aidan O’Brien’s 23 Group One victories is a definite highlight and a better performance at the Breeder’s Cup would have seen him break the current record of 25 in one year.  Zarkava and Master Minded both produced stunning performances, with the later producing one of the finest runs of all time over 2 miles in winning the Champion Chase.  Victories in the Hennessy Gold Cup and the Cheltenham Gold Cup would probably give Denman the nudge over the others if one were to pick a ‘horse of the year’, and with talk of Denman running in both the Gold Cup and the Grand National this year, 2009 could be the year when we see Denman be proclaimed as one of horse racing’s all-time greats.

Last Summer also saw Euro ‘08 take place, where Spain justified their pre-tournament favourites title, beating Germany in the final through a Torres goal.  On the domestic side of things, Bohemians walked away with the league, while across the water Man Utd claimed the Premier League as well as beating Chelsea in the Champions League Final.  Christiano Ronaldo had a fine year, earning him both European and World player of the year awards, but has failed to produce the same quality this season amidst a flurry of transfer speculation.  Spurs won the FA Cup and are all set to do the same this year, with Harry Redknapp looking to follow his Carling Cup victory last season with Pompey, with an even bigger trophy with his new club.

Tennis saw the rise of Nadal, who has now taken over from Roger Federer as World Number 1.  Last year’s Wimbledon final between the pair was probably the greatest in history and set up a rivalry which is sure to draw comparisons between that of Borg and McEnroe in the late 70’s and 80’s.  The UK may finally have the major winner that they have desperately been seeking of late in the shape of Andy Murray, who in a great year has risen to World Number 4 and made the final of the US Open.

We also saw a fine year for GAA fans, with Tyrone putting a stop to a Kerry side that many predicted would be unbeatable.  One team that did prove unbeatable was Kilkenny, who were simply incredible as they strolled to another All Ireland title, their third in a row.  It’s almost impossible to look past them to win again this year, but the football should be more competitive, with several teams having chances.

Formula 1 also saw the rise of a new star in the form of Lewis Hamilton, who at 23 years of age became the youngest champion in Formula 1 history, albeit in somewhat controversial style, with many claiming that Glock let him by.  Be this true or not, it was still a fine season for the Englishman, and is sure to be the first of many world titles.  Another World Champion of note is boxer Joe Calzaghe, who maintained his unbeaten status and has probably established himself as the finest pound-for-pound boxer to ever emerge from the U.K.

So all in all 2008 was a fine year for sports fans everywhere, and although I have probably left out many events of note, this writer is aware of his limited writing skills and his power to bore easily, so shall stop here in the hope that at least one person finished it.  Feel free to leave any people/events you feel I may have left out (I have been assured that our problem with people posting has been fixed), just remember not to swear!  Here’s to another year like ‘08…

With the Big Four all failing to win for the second time in a matter of weeks this weekend, have we perhaps seen the last of the monopoly that has been associated with the Champions League places in recent years? 

One man who will certainly be hoping that this is the case is Aston Villa manager, Martin O’Neill, who has seen his side break into the top four of late, mostly due to stunning displays from young duo Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor.  The England U21 Internationals have been in flying for of late, managing three assists and five goals between them in the last two matches alone.

Although O’Neill can claim some praise for his side’s current fourth place status, it is mainly due to the drop in form of the ‘Big Four’, with Chelsea’s current home form perhaps the most extreme example of this.  The once inpenatratable Stamford Bridge has heralded just three victories in nine attempts, with Chelsea dropping fourteen points along the way.  This fact has certainly not gone unnoticed by the fans, with Chelsea being booed off last weekend after their 1-1 draw with West Ham.  Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari even admitted that this behaviour was justified, telling reporters ”If I think about the competition and the games that we lost points here, I agree with the fans but they need to understand the players try to do their best”, before going on about how it is an injustice that his side have yet to be given a penalty this season (a Drogba/games played/dives taken stat might shed some light on the reason for this-he has been injured most of the season).  

Scolari’s blushes have been saved somewhat by both Liverpool’s and Arsenal’s poor form of late, and to a lesser extent, that of Manchester United’s.  All four sides are seemingly no longer the forces they used to be and the fact that Chelsea’s biggest cheer of the night was reserved for West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola might offer some insight as to why - the sides simply don’t have the quality players of old (and those few that are playing are underachieving ).  Manchester United fans can also relate to this fact, with Giggs and Scholes both coming on last weekend in the hope of salvaging a win.  Arsenal’s young guns underachieving coupled with Wenger’s apparent reluctance to buy any new players, has seen their title aspirations vanish and with Liverpool so reliant on Gerrard and Torres playing (let alone performing) together, the January transfer window has never looked so vital to one team breaking away from the pack. But with all four now somewhat hindered by the current economic crisis, perhaps this will be the year when the monopoly is finally broken and an Aston Villa or an Everton (or maybe even a Hull) gets a crack at the big boys in the Champions League in 09/10, and who can argue that this is a bad thing?

If we are to believe Italian newspapers today, Ronaldo may be soon leaving Old Trafford for Inter Milan in the not too distant future.  According to the Corriere dello Sport, Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has told the Italian club that Ronaldo still wants to leave Manchester United and that he is interested in a move to the San Siro.  First impressions of the story will leave many readers dubious as to whether there is any truth in the story, but if there is even a hint of honesty in the rumours, then they should be taken seriously as Mendes is also Jose Mourinho’s agent, and you don’t have to be a genius to work out the connection there. 

If Ronaldo does make the move to Inter, he will join fellow Portuguese international Ricardo Quaresma in Mourinho’s new set up and with reports that Inter president Massimo Moratti already has the financial backing for the move (ironically alleged to be from Pirelli, who also funded a move for the other Ronaldo), United fans may be waving goodbye to their top scorer come January.

Ronaldo is not the only name doing the rounds in the papers recently, and with the transfer window opening in a few weeks, there are sure to be many more to come.  Those of note recently include Daniel Agger, who apparently is off to AC Milan, with Gabrile Heinze set to be the man to replace him.  If the Daily Mirror is to be believed (and we have no reason not to) then either Man City or Chelsea are set to sign David Villa in January, but I think we have heard that one before.  If it is City who sign Villa, at least he won’t be the only new arrival at the City of Machester Stadium, as there are currently whispers of Kaka, Messi, Ronaldo, Tevez, Eto’o, Santa Cruz, Grosso and Buffon all joining the club, and with the Abu Dhabi United Group not short of a few pence, you can be pretty sure that at least one of these names will be playing alongside Robinho and star player Stephen Ireland (that’s a whole different debate) come January.  Spurs are also rumoured to be solving their current keeper issue by signing Ireland international, Shay Given, from Newcastle, with Given apparently a big fan of new manager Harry Redknap.

It should be interesting to see how all of these rumours pan out, and how many more come to surface before January.  I have not even touched on the manager situation, which is currently being dominated by Roy Keane’s struggle at Sunderland, but there is plenty of time for that another day…

Last week, once again, saw sporting fans everywhere being treated, as we had a host of high quality events keeping us entertained.  With so much to discuss, it is perhaps better to let the sporting heroes themselves sum up their week, in their own words, as only they can.  We shall start with one of our own, a certain Mr. Roy Keane…

“I wouldn’t trust some of these people to walk my dog.”

Roy Keane showing his love of the ever insightful TV pundit.

“They must be pretty desperate if they are scraping the barrel for me.”

Rory Delap on the state of Ireland’s Olympic team after it was suggested he could represent Ireland in the javelin in 2012.

“Adams was a Gunner
He’ll never be a scummer
Redknapp did a runner
We’re the Adams family.
Do-do-do-do (clap clap)…”

Pompey fans show their support for new manager Tony Adams.

“I don’t actually like people. I’m a loner and if I had my way I’d just walk my dogs every day, never talk to anyone and then die.”

Tony Adams giving some love back to the people.

“I don’t think the rumours have affected my players. When I reported to meet the team I think they were more disappointed than anyone I hadn’t resigned.”

Roy Keane highlights his teams’ joy that last weeks rumours of him walking away, were indeed just rumours.

“What’s the big deal? The manager has not picked him - he has not picked lots of players. I am amazed by the publicity he seems to be getting. My God.”

Roy Keane, again, this time commenting on the much publicised omission of Andy Reid from the Ireland squad.

“At 9.25 it was past his bedtime”

Arsene Wenger explaining why he substituted Jack Wilshire after Arsenal’s young guns again put on an impressive display in the Carling Cup.

“If you can’t pass the ball properly, a bowl of pasta ain’t going to make that much difference.”

Harry Redknap telling it how it is.

“We will put in a report. I don’t talk to referees. It’s like complaining to your mother-in-law about your wife - it doesn’t get you too far”

Ulster coach, Matt Williams, after his teams defeat by Harlequins.

I shall leave you with my favourite and a fine example of remorse…

“I should have punched him harder.”

No, its not Roy Jones Jr. after his fight with Joe Calzaghe, it is in fact a certain Eric Cantona commenting on his incident at Crystal Palace a few years back.  Classic.

It’s widely accepted that ‘football is a funny aul game’ and although this notion can be attributed to many circumstances, none are perhaps as interesting as ‘New Manager Syndrome’…

We all know the story by now, results are getting bad, fans are getting angry, players heads are dropping and it’s all one mans fault - the manager.  Be this true or not, sacking the manager historically does have its merits, even if they are short lived.  There is really no solid reason (bar players trying to impress their new boss) why a new manager should improve a team so drastically, especially if he is merely inheriting the same set of players as his predecessor, yet results have shown this to be the case.  It is a mystical force that possesses unparalled qualities that can be even more powerful than the ‘ex-player returning to his old club and scoring syndrome’, another illness which has haunted the Premiership over the years.

As ever, the Premier League has given us some fine examples of NMS this season, with the appointment of Harry Redknap at Tottenham being the latest example.  Victories over Liverpool and Bolton as well as an epic 4-4 draw with Arsenal would indicate that the revival is well under way since Redknap’s arrival but a quick look at Tottenham’s past highlights that for some teams, NMS is easily cured…

The 93/94 season saw Ossie Ardiles become manager, only to be sacked the following season and replaced by Gerry Francis, who in turn is then replaced in the 97/98 season by Christain Gross.  Another season without a trophy saw George Graham’s appointment, which brought with it the League Cup, only for Graham to then be replaced the following April by Glenn Hoddle.  Hoddle actually managed a few seasons before being replaced by Jacques Santini in 04/05, only for him to quit after 13 matches.  Martin Jol then takes over for a few seasons and is then replaced by Juande Ramos in 07/08, where they win the League Cup and a new legacy is forecast (and in the process Martin Jol’s new team also get a dose of NMS, but thats beside the point) , with talk of them even breaking into the top 4.  Spurs then get off to the worst start in Premier League history and Ramos is sacked, being replaced by Harry Redknap, who has started well but only time will tell how long this will last. 

Tottenham’s case may be an exaggerated one, but with players like David Bentley stating that they ‘feel like superman’ after Spurs last game, maybe this case of NMS will be here to stay - after all, history has shown that superman is rarely wrong.

Another team hoping for an extended case of NMS is Newcastle, who after two wins and two draws in their last five games (including a fine victory over Aston Villa), are starting to produce form that could see them challenge for a European place as opposed to a relegation spot come May.  Blackburn are also showing some symptoms of NMS, but will probably be hoping that the winter might see the illness spread a bit, especially to their home form.

Teams can take some solace, however, from the likes of Sunderland a few years back, whose dose of NMS saw them recover from last to first and then onto safety in the Premiership, but then they did have the rarest strain of NMS, a new manger who himself is new to management, and quite a severe case at that in the shape of Roy Keane.

No team wants it, as it generally means you are in dire straights, but one thing is for sure, if you do catch it, make sure you stop drinking fluids and get very little rest, because just like the chicken pocks, once it goes, it’s very rare someone catches it again…

The Premier League takes a well deserved break this week, with players concentrating on international duties and the small matter of World Cup qualification.  As disappointing as this is for the fans, it is a perfect opportunity to see how the season has been progressing, and which players have been making a name for themselves in the process.  (teams listed in current league position)

1. Chelsea - Current Price: Evens.  Star player so far: Frank Lampard.

Chelsea have been the real class act so far and their place at the top of the table is well justified.  Memories of the special one are fading fast as Phil Scholari’s style of play is proving just as effective and perhaps even more entertaining than was witnessed during Morinho’s reign.  Their last performance against a much improved Villa side illustrated just how good they are as they destroyed Villa in a display which Martin O’Neill himself described as ‘just brilliant’.  Bearing in mind that this was also a ‘weakened’ side (no Drogba, no Carvalho), it really is looking ominous for the chasing pack.

2. Liverpool - Current Price: 6/1.  Star player so far: Jamie Carragher.

The fact that it is proving difficult to choose a star player for Liverpool sums up their season so far.  Although they are currently level with Chelsea on points, their inconsistent performances are going to prove a massive hindrance to any genuine push for the title.  A victory over Man Utd was followed by a 0-0 draw at home to newly promoted Stoke City, which was then followed by an impressive 2-0 victory over Everton.  As for their 3-2 victory over Man City, the fact that they came back from 2-0 down is commendable, but the fact that they went 2-0 down so early clearly is not.  So far both Gerrard and Torres have been very hit and miss, with the later also being closely associated with new signing, Robbie Keane.  Carragher aside, these are probably going to be Liverpool’s most important players, and although recent games have seen some improvement, it really is time for Liverpool’s stars to step up, and if they do there is no reason why they can not find themselves in a similar position to now come May.

3. Hull City - Current relegation price: 11/8.  Star player so far:  Deiberson Geovanni.

Yes that is a 3 beside their name.  It’s been a dream start for Hull City and despite a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Wigan, the Tigers can hold their heads high as consecutive victories away from home over Arsenal and Spurs have shown that they are a team to be taken seriously.  Star Man Deiberson Geovanni has already banged in two contenders for goal of the season and has improved on the bright start to the season he showed last year for City.  His performances will be key to Hull’s survival, and realistically this would be all that the club will be aiming for.

 4. Arsenal - Current Price: 10/1.  Star player so far:  Emmanuel Adebayor.

Much like Liverpool, the Gunners’ start to the season has been a bit of a mixed bag.  With perhaps the easiest start on paper out of the big 4, many Arsenal fans will be disappointed with their current tally of 13 points from a possible 21.  Defeats to Fulham and most notably Hull, have cast a shadow over some otherwise good performances and with rising star, Theo Walcott, starting to show some of the skills that have been talked about for so long, as well as Robin Van Persie’s return to form; the rest of the season should be more positive from a fan’s perspective.  This may not be their year, but if their 6-0 thrashing of Sheffield Utd by a team barely out of nappies is anything to go by, their time to shine is not too far away.

5. Aston Villa - Current Price: 150/1.  Star player so far:  John Carew.

Although it’s John Carew’s name up there it really could be one of many from Villa’s squad this year as they have firmly established themselves as ‘best of the rest’ front-runners, and they thoroughly deserve it.  They have played great team football and have thrown in some exceptional individual performances to boot.  England U21 stars Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor have been outstanding and it really should not be too long before we see the duo playing together in the first team.  Manager Martin O’Neil commands not only the respect of his team, but also of his peers, and he has shown that he is as gracious in defeat as he is in victory and with his guidance, there is no reason why Villa should not be in the same position at the end of the season.

 6. West Ham Utd - Current Price: Name It.  Star player so far:  Carlton Cole.

The Hammers have enjoyed a good start to the season but news that their owner has been hit quite badly by the current economic crisis may see their season take a turn for the worse, especially if they are forced to sell their high-profile players.  The likes of Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy, Robert Green and rising star Mark Noble would generate interest from many Premiership clubs and provide new manager, Gianfranco Zola, with the extra funds he needs to improve his squad.  Zola already has €38m at his disposal, but with the likes of Manchester City having billions in reserve, if they are to challenge for a place in Europe, this figure really has to grow.  On the brighter side of things for West Ham fans, Carlton Cole has shown that he is more than capable of filling in for Ashton and Bellamy and if new signing, David Di Michele, can play to his potential, Zola would be able to work on improving his defense, which seems to be where the Hammers are suffering most from their recent departures.

7. Portsmouth - Current Price:  300/1.  Star player so far:  Jermaine Defoe.

Harry Redknap’s impressive transfer skills have once again been highlighted this season as the Defoe/Crouch partnership is probably the most feared in the Premiership at the moment.  Defoe’s return of six goals is not only the best in the league, but his two assists and all round good play have seen his England career been revived.  The same can be said for Crouch, who seems to be relishing the opportunity of playing regular first-team football and if his volley last weekend is anything to go by, his best is still yet to come.  It’s not all rosy for Pompey fans though, as keeper, David James, seems to be back to his old tricks and despite having a fine defense in front of him, Portsmouth do look like they are going to concede goals unless James can find the form we saw in the previous  two seasons.

8. Manchester Utd -  Current price:  2/1.   Star player so far:  Rio Ferdinand.

With perhaps the most difficult start to the season on paper of any Premiership team, the fact that Man Utd are currently in 8th place should not worry their fans too much, especially as they have a game in hand over every team currently ahead of them in the table.  New signing, Dimitar Berbatov, is only finding his feet in the last couple of games and Ronaldo was also missing for the first few games of the season.  Add this to the fact that Man Utd have also had no Carrick or Hargreaves and their current position actually looks quite good.  Fringe players like Darren Fletcher and Oliveira Anderson have stepped up and will perhaps cause Alex Ferguson a few headaches when these players return from injury.  With Giggs still playing great football and Rooney almost back to his best, it really is hard to see them not challenging for the top spot come next May.

9. West Bromwich Albion - Current relegation price:  13/8.  Star player so far:  Scott Carson.

Currently in a position that most fans would gladly take at the end of the season, and with a victory over Fulham and a point away to Bolton already under their belt, the Albion are no longer looking like certainties to go down.  Victories over West Ham and Middlesbrough might look better on paper, but taking points off teams who shall probably be involved in the fight at the bottom come the end of the season may prove very important.  Scott Carson has proved his quality already, averaging 3 saves per game so far, and it’s a fairly safe assumption that he will have plenty of opportunities to keep this ratio intact…

10. Blackburn - Current price:  Name it.  Star player so far:  Roque Santa Cruz.

Many pundits were wondering how Blackburn would cope with the departure of Mark Hughes and David Bentley, and the answer is quite simple - not very well at all.  Injuries to goalkeeper, Paul Robinson, and midfielders Stephen Reid and David Dunn probably have not helped the cause either, and placed a lot of pressure on Santa Cruz to carry the team in their absence.  Bearing in mind that Benedict McCarthy is also out until October at the earliest, the immediate future does look bleak for Blackburn, but with newly appointed Paul Ince hungry for success, it’s surely just a matter of time before they start seriously challenging again for a European spot.

11. Manchester City - Current price:  150/1.  Star player so far: Shaun Wright-Phillips. 

A new owner with billions in the bank and new signings (including the most expensive in history) meant that Man City were the biggest gamble early in the season.  Although they have been impressive at times, defeats to Wigan and more recently to Liverpool (after being 2-0 up) have really dented their challenge for breaking into the top four.  January shall tell us just how committed the new owner is to the cause and whether Mark Hughes can handle the pressure of assembling the wonder squad that the new regime is expecting.  The new signings have been very good and seem to have inspired existing members of the squad, none more so than Stephen Ireland, whose performances have probably upstaged those of the €40m man, Robinho.  If they can make a few good signings in January it will be interesting to see if they can claw back whatever points they shall trail the big 4 by, but it is more realistic to say that it will probably be next season before they can make a proper charge for a Champions League place.

12. Middlesbrough - Current relegation price:  8/1.  Star player so far:  Answers on a postcard.

An opening day victory against Spurs probably gave Boro fans a false sense of hope for the season ahead, but 3 straight defeats in September soon quashed any false hope that remained.  Some hope can be taken from the fact they have a 100% success rate at home but 9 points from a possible 21 is not a great return and if they are to challenge for a top-half finish, they really have to work on their away form.  A lot of pressure lies on the shoulders of Stuart Downing and perhaps some action in the January transfer window will ease the strain on the England international and allow him to produce the form that he is capable of.

13. Wigan Athletic - Current relegation price:  6/1.  Star player so far:  Amr Zaki.

It’s been a mixed bag for Wigan so far and they are probably a bit better than their current position suggests.  New striker Amr Zaki has been a revelation since arriving at the club and comparisons have already started to be made between himself and a certain Alan Shearer.  Strike partner Emile Heskey is also in good form and finds himself in the England squad once again.  Antonio Valencia has also started to showcase his talents in midfield, but it seems to be the usually good Wigan defense that is perhaps letting them down, with a few weak goals causing them to drop points.  Saying that, they have had some good results, with their 5-0 thrashing of Hull a fine example of what they are capable of.

14. Sunderland.  Current relegation price: 6/1.  Star player so far:  Steed Malbranque.

When Malbranque made his move from Spurs to Sunderland, it’s pretty safe to say that not even he could have thought that after 7 games his new team would be 6 places ahead of his old, and if for some strange reason this thought did cross his mind surely 14th was not the position that would have jumped to mind, but here we are.  It’s also pretty safe to say that manager Roy Keane will not be happy with his team’s current position and he has even gone on the offensive against some of Sunderland’s more ‘negative’ fans.  Their performances have been quite good though and they are winning the games that they are ’supposed’ to, which is all a supporter can really ask for in their team.  If they keep playing as they are they should improve on their current position by the end of the season.

15. Everton.  Current price:  500/1.  Star player so far:  Mikel Arteta.

A full ten places behind their finishing position of last season, Everton fans are not happy.  Conceding fifteen goals in seven games is probably the main reason for their current position in the league as they have actually managed to score two or more in five of these.  An injury to Tim Cahill didn’t help matters either but with Arteta and Yakubu playing well; Everton really should be in the top half of the table.  New signing, Marouane Fellaini, also looks like a quality player, and if he can settle in with Arteta and Cahill, then Everton’s midfield will be one of the most feared in the Premiership.  Reports that David Moyes is ready to sign a new contract will also come as good news to Toffee fans and if they can get their defense in order they should be pushing for a European place at the end of the season.

16. Bolton - Current relegation price:  2/1.  Star player so far:  Kevin Davies.

Exactly where they finished up last season and chances are exactly where they will end up come the end of the season.  It’s fairly safe to say that any Bolton fan would happily take this position if it was handed to them now and any improvement in the immediate future is really hard to see.  Unless there is a massive cash injection into the club, it really is hard to see Bolton not battling for survival come May, and even if they do survive, chances are they will find themselves in the same situation in the 09/10 season.

17. Fulham. - Current relegation price:  3/1.  Star player so far:  Ehhhh…

Arsenal aside, Fulham have had a relatively easy start to the season and yet they still find themselves near the bottom of the table.  It may be argued that because they have a game in hand on every team except from Man Utd, that their current position is a flawed one, but it can also be argued that going by their current stats, they are more likely to lose this game anyway so it doesn’t really matter.  Like Bolton, they shall merely be trying to survive, and like Bolton, they shall be attempting this by playing bland football that anyone bar their fans could not really care about.

18. Newcastle.  Current relegation price:  7/2.  Star player so far:  Michael Owen.

Probably the most talked about team so far this season (for all the wrong reasons), Newcastle fans have grown so dismayed with the current state of their club, that many are boycotting games.  Indeed, there were pictures of one fan burning his season ticket outside the ground in recent weeks.  Owner Mike Ashley has stopped attending home games as he fears for his safety and it’s safe to say that Denis Wise has similar feelings about walking into St James’ Gate on a match day.  As for the players on the pitch, none have really shone, and considering the wealth of talent that is in the squad, it really is quite hard to believe that they are in the relegation zone.  Granted they have been hit quite badly with injuries (most notably Viduka, Martins, Barton and Smith), but they should still be at worst a mid-table team.  Reports of a return to the manager’s post for Kevin Keegan will please fans but without the proper backing not even King Kev can save Newcastle and if they find themselves in this position at the end of the season, they may never fully recover.

19. Stoke City.  Current relegation price:  1/7.  Star player so far:  Liam Lawrence.

A victory over Aston Villa and a draw in Anfield prove that Stoke are no pushovers and despite being hot favourites to go down, clubs will find it hard work to take maximum points from the Potters.  An injury to midfielder, Liam Lawrence, has come as a blow to Stoke, as he has shown that he is more than capable of reproducing his form of last season in the Premiership.  Everyone has already written them off, especially bookmakers, but people are always saying that football is a funny aul game, and you never know…

20. Tottenham.  Current relegation price:  6/1.  Star player so far:  Yea right.

Holey Moley.  It’s rare that such words are used here, but it the fact that Spurs are last is quite frankly ridiculous, especially as they were fancied by many to come fifth.  ‘Improvements’ to the squad over the summer have seen the arrival of David Bentley and Luka Modric, but these have been dwarfed by the impact that losing Berbatov and Keane has had on the club.  Derby were proclaimed as the worst Premiership club of all time last year, but even their total after seven games was better than Spurs’ current tally of two. To quote Yazz, ‘The only way is up’.

So that basically sums up the standings as they are.  Opinions are welcome and just to further add to the fire here is my team of the season so far, which I am sure many will disagree with….

                                          Jose Reina

Jose Bosingwa    Rio Ferdinand   Jamie Carragher   Ashley Cole

Shaun Wright-Phillips    Frank Lampard   Mikel Arteta  Theo Walcott

                    Amr Zaki                   Jermaine Defoe 

Best team ever….

Team Europe had their final practice today, with captain Nick Faldo using the lead pairings that he unwittingly flashed to the entire world yesterday.  It was either the greatest bluff in all of history or another in a series of blunders (I am speaking of Darren Clarkes ommission here) from the record breaking Englishman-only time will tell, but something tells me it shall be the later.  With the teams due to be announced in a few hours we shall not have long to wait to find out and as soon as they are we shall post them here.  In the meantime why not have a look at the stats of the players involved over the weekend, they make interesting reading..

[world rankings in brackets]

USA: (Won-Lost-Halved)
[2] P.Mickelson Overall:(9-8-3) , Fourballs(4-4-1), Foursomes(2-2-2), Singles (3-2-0).
[9] J.Furyk Overall: (4-10-2) , Fourballs(0-5-1), Foursomes (1-4-0), Singles(3-1-1).
[10] S.Cink Overall: (3-5-4), Fourballs(1-0-3), Foursomes (1-3-1), Singles(1-2-0).
[23] J.Leonard Overall: (0-3-5), Fourballs(0-1-2), Foursomes(0-2-1), Singles (0-0-2).
[57] C.Campbell Overall: (1-3-2), Fourballs(0-2-0), Foursomes(0-0-2), Singles (1-1-0).
[17] K.Perry Overall: (0-2-0), Fourballs (0-0-0), Foursomes(0-1-0), Singles (0-1-0).
6xRookies: Weekley [35], Holmes [56], Stricker [8], Mahan [36], Kim [11] and Curtis [32].

USA total: 22-31-16

Europe:
[12] L.Westwood Overall: (14-8-3) , Fourballs(6-3-1), Foursomes (6-2-2), Singles (2-3-0)
[5] S.Garcia Overall: (14-4-2) , Fourballs (5-1-2), Foursomes (8-0-0), Singles (1-3-0).
[4] P.Harrington Overall: (7-8-2), Fourballs (2-4-0), Foursomes (2-3-2), Singles (3-1-0).
[19] M.A.Jimenez Overall: (2-5-2), Fourballs(2-0-1), Foursomes (0-3-1), Singles (0-2-0).
[38] P.Casey Overall: (3-1-2), Fourballs (1-0-2), Foursomes (1-0-0), Singles(1-1-0).
[22] R.Karlsson Overall: (0-1-2), Fourballs (0-0-2), Foursomes (0-0-0), Singles (0-1-0).
[6] H.Stenson Overall: (1-1-1), Fourballs (0-1-0), Foursomes (0-0-1), Singles (1-0-0).
[28] I.Poulter Overall: (1-1-0), Fourballs (0-1-0), Foursomes (0-0-0), Singles (1-0-0).
4xRookies: Hansen [43], McDowell [30], Rose [14] and Wilson [48].

Europe total:  42-29-14

These win-lose-draw stats show us that not only do Europe have more experience in the event, but also a much better record.  Home advantage will obviously be a factor to consider before placing your bets but it really is hard to look past a European victory.  I know that I have a history of getting things wrong on here and with so many pundits tipping up a US victory, history will probably repeat itself but I am predicting a European victory, with Graeme McDowell sinking the winning putt from 40 feet (you never know) .  With 6 rookies on the US team the above stats could be slightly misleading but if you look at each teams combined world rankings you will see that the US grand total is 296, compared to Europe’s total of 269,  making Europe 27 times better at golf by my calculations.  Whatever happens it promises to be a great weekend for golf fans everywhere and even if golf is not your thing, it’s always good to see the US getting beat at something they consider themselves to be the best at.

The fixtures are in and sticking to my great world ranking theory the results should be as follows:

Friday’s foursomes: (BST times)
1305 Phil Mickelson & Anthony Kim v Padraig Harrington & Robert Karlsson - USA
1320 Justin Leonard & Hunter Mahan v Henrik Stenson & Paul Casey - Europe
1335 Stewart Cink & Chad Campbell v Justin Rose & Ian Poulter - Europe
1350 Kenny Perry & Jim Furyk v Lee Westwood & Sergio Garcia - Europe

So it’s a 3-1 victory to team Europe. I’ll definately take that.

The Ryder Cup is merely days away and after all of the talk over the past week about both captain’s picks (especially Faldo’s), it will be nice to actually sit down and see some balls being hit.  As current holders, a tie will suffice for Europe to keep the trophy, and to celebrate this fact Hacketts will refund all losing single outright bets* on the Ryder Cup if the match ends in a tie.  This offer applies to all pre-tournament bets and is just our way of showing support for our golfing heroes.  We also have a host of other markets available for the tournament, which promises to be one of the closest battles in years, so what are you waiting for, get stuck in!

Remember, Eur always onto a winner with Hacketts!

*Max Refund €300

Andy Murray produced the game of his life last night as he beat Rafael Nadal in 4 sets to progress into the final of the US Open, where he will face defending champion Roger Federer.  Murray enters his first Grand Slam final as a big underdog and with all of the added Media attention that his victory over the World Number 1 has attracted, it will be a big test of the 21 year olds character but if he manages to hold it together I think he can beat Federer, and beat him well. 

Remember, Murray is 2-1 to the good head-to-head against Federer and will be fully aware of this fact himself (and vice versa).  If the wind keeps blowing, we should see plenty of oppertunities for breaking and this will definately favour Murray, who has been returning the ball brilliantly all week.  With the confidence gained from beating Nadal and the support of the crowd, the 7/4 available for him here is far too good to pass up.  Whatever happens it promises to be a cracking final, and we can only hope that it lives up to the epic battle we witnessed at Wimbledon earlier this year.  I am going to go all out and say 3-0 Murray, I know it sounds crazy but sure if your gonna be wrong you may as well be very wrong.