Last week I had 6 correct results, including one exact score (West Ham 2-1 Stoke)

Aston Villa 2 - 0 West Brom

Villa are on the make at the moment, and while bottom-of-the-table West Brom will be up for this local derby, I see Villa being too good, even though they will possibly miss the influencial Garath Barry through injury.

Arsenal 1 - 1 Bolton

Arsenal are missing several key players for this clash with Bolton, who have fallen back a bit after a good run. The boys from Wanderers always make life hard for Arsenal though, and I can see them getting a point at the captain-less Gooners.

Everton 1 - 0 Hull City

Everton are an odd team at the moment. Ever since all their strikers got injured, they can't stop winning. Hull had a poor end to 2008 and will be looking to start the new year in positive fashion, but Everton haven't conceded in four games, and will edge this one, I suspect.

Fulham 2 - 0 Blackburn

Fulham are the form team in the premiership at the moment, and while Blackburn have found a new lease of life under Big Sam, transfer speculation dogs the club, both in and out, and you get the feeling that they won't have their minds quite on the job, as well as doubting themselves after losing a clear two-goal lead in the last five minutes to Man City last time out in the league.

Middlesbro 1 - 1 Sunderland

Both teams have been inconsistant lately, and if this game were at sunderland were at home, I would pick them to edge it. Stewart Downing is a consumate professional, but we shall see with this game what the real situation is regarding his possible move to Tottenham. Boro might be denying anyone will leave, but player power is huge these days.

Newcastle 2 - 1 West Ham

After a wobble under Zola, West Ham have had a good run of results lately, but Newcastle are also building slowly under Joe Kinnear, and expect brawn to win out over style this time around. And of course I also expect to see streams of geordies leaving after about 65 minutes because their team isn't winning 8-0...

Portsmouth 1 - 1 Man City

Pompey haven't done well in the transfer market so far, losing Lassana Diarra and Jermaine Defoe, but Peter Crouch is their star forward at the moment, and their other targeted player, Glen Johnson, has just signed a new 4 and a half year contract committing himself to the club. Man City will be smarting from defeat against Forrest in the Cup, but they're missing Steven Ireland and Shaun Wright-Phillips, meaning disgruntled Elano and Petrov may play - not a great sign for the sky-blues, who have been poor away from home all season.

Stoke City 0 - 2 Liverpool

Stoke may throw up a suprise against the league leaders, but I don't really expect it. Liverpool appear to have gotten over their mental block of 0-0 draws, and have the chance to go 6 points clear of second placed Chelsea with a win at the Potters, and with a returning Fernando Torres being gifted a goal by captain Gerrard in the FA Cup, he'll be hungry for more.

Wigan 2 - 1 Tottenham

Brand-new strike partnership of Defoe and Pavlyuchenko has the potential to be excellent for Spurs, but they've only had a few days training together, and any partnership takes time to click. Expect Bentley to be nowhere to be seen this time out, but Wigan, through the occasionally magnificent Antonio Valencia may well be able to exploit Spurs' left-back weakness. Also, I never predict Spurs to win, because it tends to curse them.

Man Utd 1 - 0 Chelsea

A huge match, this. If Chelsea win, you feel United will have a very difficult job on their hands to make up ground. It's a match that can really only end with one winner though - Liverpool. Scolari's team are showing a few cracks at the moment, and ignoring his players pleas, along with the bizarre assertion that in his entire squad, only the injured Florent Malouda can play on the left wing despite including one of the best left wingers England has seen in a long time in Joe Cole, you get the feeling that United will edge this, though it could still go either way.

Man Utd 2 - 0 Wigan

Technically not "week", since it's been longer than a week since the last one, but this time, player of the week goes to Tottenham's Russian striker, Roman Pavlyuchenko.

Much maligned since his move to English football in the summer after excellent performances at Euro2008, Pavlyunchenko has struggled to fit into the Premiership. But in cup competitions he's doing much better, with 7 goals in five games, and he continued his excellent cup form this week, with a man-of-the-match winning performance against Wigan in the FA Cup, including two goals, and lead the way with another goal and two assists against Giant-killing Burnley in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.

Considering Jermaine Defoe was introduced back to the White Hart Lane faithful at that very same match, Pavlyuchenko's run of form couldn't have come at a better time, with Harry Redknapp hoping to form a very promising partnership between the two.

One of the most unexpected stories in Europe thus far this season. No one could have predicted a team from a German village with a population of just 3000 would be top of the Bundesliga near the half-way point of the season.

First, the back story. TSG Hoffenheim (1899 Hoffenheim) is a German football club based in Hoffenheim, a suburb of Sinsheim, Baden-Württemberg.Five years ago Hoffenheim were in Germany's fifth division and they have climbed the tables at a rapid pace.

They have played a lovely brand of football this campaign and have shown the football world that you do not need money to create a good team (Man City take note). They are currently top of the Bundesliga (due to their one more win than Bayern Munich) and have scored a staggering 42 goals in 17 matches.

So, is fairy tale story a fluke or do TSG belong at the top of one of Europe's most prestigious leagues? I believe they can remain top three through this season and I think they will only improve in the coming years. They also have an experienced manager in Ralph Rangnick who previously was the manager at Schalke 04 and Stuttgart and knows what it takes to stay at the top. Through a great scouting program and youth system along with great coaching, the very young squad has the potential to not only be one of the top in the Bundesliga this season but remain their for years to come.

Looking back on 2008, there have been some real stand-out performances by many players. But to get into a team of the year requires a consistant level of quality throughout the majority of the year, or failing that, truly brilliant play for a reasonable portion of it. Consistancy is generally the key. I also have a soft spot for players from clubs other than the "big four". With that in mind, here is my Premiership team of 2008:

Goalkeeper: Shay Given (Newcastle)
While the likes of Pepe Reina, Edwin Van der Sar and Petr Cech are probably obvious candidates for this role, the fact that Given plays behind an awful defence works strongly in his favour. His consistently outstanding performances are the only thing that keep Newcastle afloat sometimes, and he fully deserves this accolade in my opinion, although many would not consider him for the role.

Left Back: Joleon Lescott (Everton)
The premiership is not blessed with an abundance of talented left-backs. Titans of the calibur of Benoit Assou-Ecoutto, Danny Collins and Jonas Olsson hardly give the free-scoring Evertonian a run for his money. Lescott is well worth a run in the England team in my view, though this may be jeopardised by Wayne Bridge’s move to first-team football with Man City, after playing understudy to Ashley Cole for so long.

Center Back: Martin Laursen (Aston Villa)
A controversial choice probably, but Villa’s revival in 2008 has been based on a very solid defence. Laursen has been the rock of the whole team, and deserves enormous credit, especially after the departure of Olof Mellberg to Juventus in the summer.

Center Back: Nemanja Vidic (Man United)
A more regular choice, United’s Serbian colossus was overshadowed by Rio Ferdinand for the first part of the year, but this season has been a more consistant performer, and even started to score a few goals. Once he cuts the occasional catastrophic errors out of his game, Vidic could be one of the best in the world.

Right Back: Jose Bosingwa (Chelsea)
Bosingwa’s arrival at Chelsea in the summer was regarded in some minds (including mine, I will admit) as just another cash-splash by Abramovic in order to get some familiar faces for Big Phil Scolari. But his consistant performances and overall skills both defensive and attacking have been extremely impressive, and he fully deserves this spot as the only summer signing in the team, with few other contenders really pushing him.

Center Midfield: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
What can be said about Stevie G that hasn’t been said countless times before. The word “talismanic” is used far too often, but it’s certainly applicable to Liverpool’s captain. Countless excellent performances and vital goals make Gerrard stand above many brilliant candidates for this role, including Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick and Jimmy Bullard.

Center Midfield: Garath Barry (Aston Villa)
Barry has been another of Villa’s key players this year, and hanging on to him is vital for Martin O’Neill’s side, despite very heavy interest from Liverpool, where he would link up with England team-mate Gerrard in a scarily good partnership. Barry has cemented his place in England’s team this year, and though he has benefitted from injuries to Carrick, Hargreaves, Lampard and Gerrard, it will take a lot to displace him from Fabio Capello’s team sheet now.

Left Wing: Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
One on the best revelations of the year. Many frowned when Ashley Young was poached from Watford in January 2007 for almost £10million, and for a while it seemed like they might be right, but teaming particularly with Gabriel Agbonlahor has given the Villa winger a new lease of life, and I only see 2009 being an even better year for the youthful maestro.

Right Wing: Christiano Ronaldo (Man United)
Let’s get things straight from the very beginning – I can’t stand Ronaldo. He’s arrogant, irritating and really far too good for anyone else to stomach. But you can’t deny the facts – he recently won the prestigious Ballon D’Or, and looks very likely to win Fifa’s player of the year also. 40 goals in a season for United is seriously impressive, and though he could certainly do with an attitude readjustment, no one would manage a decent argument to chose any other player here.

Striker: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)
Again no arguments here, I suspect. Torres would pretty much walk into any team in the world, his pace, finishing, instinct and skill are second to none on his day. Injury has crippled his season so far, but once those problems are behind him, he will be back to his deadly best, and should be the little bit extra needed for Liverpool if they are to secure their first league title in almost 20 years.

Striker: Dimitar Berbatov (Spurs/Man United)
Since moving to United, Berbatov has had a tough time settling in, and, if rumours are to be believed, was almost single-handedly responsible for Spurs’ slide into collective apathy in August, but the first half of his year was explosive enough to persuade United to pay a whopping £30million for him. Along with his former strike partner Robbie Keane, he has failed to impress so far at such a big club, but it won’t be long, I suspect, before he regains his confidence, and confidence is absolutely key to his game.


Bench: Pepe Reina (Liverpool), Rio Ferdinand (Man United), John Terry (Chelsea), Mikel Arteta (Everton), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Nicholas Anelka (Chelsea)
Any of these players could well have made the first team, but there are only 11 spaces, and that inevitably means excellent players have to give way to other, even better ones.

Manager: Phil Brown (Hull)
It’s been a great year for some managers, and an awful one for others. Sir Alex lead his team to Champion’s League victory, Fabio Capello has turned England from a laughable excuse for a team into a... slightly less laughable excuse for a team, but Hull’s Phil Brown has shone above the rest. 1st of January 2008 saw Hull in mid-table in the Championship, but a superb year has seen them complete a meteoric rise to 8th in the Premiership, and for quite a while they were in 3rd!

Robben's goal against Villareal:



Toure Yaya's goal against Mallorca



Henry's goal versus Mallorca


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In 2008 there were notable performances such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Emmanuel Adebayor, and David Villa (among others). So at the beginning of 2009 I wanted to pick 10 players who I thought would be top performers in the coming year. I tried to stay away from established players like Messi, Ronaldo, Kaka etc. so here they are:

Andrei Arshavin (Zenit Saint Petersburg)

The versatile Russian lead Zenit Saint Petersburg to a Uefa Cup win and stared in Russia's Euro tournament in 2008. Look for Arshavin to join a top team early in 2009 and then showcase his skills. His favored position is as a second striker but he can play in an attacking midfield or wing role.

Abou Diaby (Arsenal)

The 22 year old french player has been compared to Patrick Viera for the better part of his career. With Fabregas out for most of the remainder of the season, it opens up a opportunity for Diaby who has undeniable skill.

Rafael (Manchester United)

Having already impressed in previous performances this season, the 18 year old Brazilian is sure to play an important role for Man United in the coming year. His attacking runs down the flanks are dangerous and he has shown a level head in his defensive game.

Robinho (Manchester City)

Moments of brilliance have given city fans goosebumps but the Brazilian ace is still getting used to the English game and I think he has much more to give. With potential signings coming to bolster his backup he is sure to impress.

Sergio Leonel Aguero (Athletico Madrid)

With three years experience in La Liga now, Aguero has improved every year and this one will be no different. The 20 year old Argentine is key to Athletico's La Liga and Champions League title hopes.

Klass Jan Huntelaar (Real Madrid)

The former Ajax striker couldn't stop scoring in the Dutch league but now that he is in La Liga, he definitely has something to prove. The 25 year old has speed, strength, and dynamism and has been frequently compared to Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow)

The "Russian Ronaldinho" is what he has been called. You might remember him for his tearing runs up the wing for Russia in Euro. Zhirkov is rumored to be Scolari's target for Chelsea's next signing and I for one will look forward to seeing him in the Premier league.

Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa)

The English International has pace in abundance and has put it to use for Aston Villa. He is the striker to watch this season in the Premier League and I believe he can end the season with over twenty goals.

David Silva (Valencia)

With David Villa rumored to be leaving for a different club it falls to Silva to take up the mantel. He is just back from a long injury and has to prove that his impressive Euro performance wasn't a fluke.

Karim Benzema (Lyon)

Yet another striker rumored to be moving in January, Benzema has accomplished all he can in Ligue 1. A disappointing Euro put doubts in his supporter's minds so he will have to perform well in whatever team he ends up in.

The following statistics are taken from Forbes 2008 list of top-earning footballers.

1. David Beckham
US $48.9 million

Known for his signature free kicks Beckham stays atop the earning list. He made sure he benefited from LA Galaxy Jersey and Ticket sales in his contract. He also has deals with Armani and Sharpie.

2. Ronaldinho
US $32.6 million

The cheerful Brazilian is still second after a season wrought with injuries. His Nike campaign, where he introduced his first signature boot, was viewed by over 22 million people.

3. Thierry Henry
US $25.1 million

Part of the Gillette campaign along with Roger Federer and Tiger Woods, Henry is slowly regaining his form in Spain.

4. Ronaldo
US $21.2 million

The fading Brazilian star still is one of the top earners. This all-time leading World Cup scorer's contract with AC Milan ended in July and he's been practicing with Brazil's Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro.

5. Cristiano Ronaldo
US $18.5 million

The top goal scorer in the 07/08 season. Ronaldo is about to match his Beckham-like fame off the pitch by making him the highest-paid player in the Premier League with a new contract worth over $275,000 per week. He recently figured in a Nike ad.

6. Kaka
US $ 17.7 million

Last year's World and European Player of the Year was rewarded by AC Milan with a contract extension worth $14 million a year.

7. Fabio Cannavaro
US $17.5 million

A close seventh behind Kaka, the Real Madrid star donned new Sting sunglasses as part of an 18-month deal signed in January 2007.

8. Andriy Shevchenko
US $17.5 million

He had signed a club record four-year contract of £30 million to join Chelsea in the 2006-07 season. He reportedly has two boutiques of Armani in his native Kiev.

9. Steven Gerrard
US $17.1 million

Liverpool's star over the last few years, Gerrard has really cemented himself in the top players in the World.

10. John Terry
US $17 million

The Chelsea and England captain is one of the best center backs in the world. In 2007 the defender back had signed a five-year, nearly $250,000-per-week contract. Terry added to his royal purse when he became the face of King of Shaves and helped launch the skin care company's first TV commercial.

Robinho

It was tough to chose a player of the week this week, for two gameweeks in the Premiership were played, yet none of the other major leagues had any fixtures. Robinho collected a healthy tally of 3 goals and 2 assists in games against Hull and Blackburn, including an equaliser against Rovers in the 93rd minute. Danny Sturridge may have been the catalyst for City's recovery, but most other players, in Robinho's position, would certainly have panicked, while his cool finish alone kept them out of the relegation zone - a factor which could be absolutely key going into the January transfer window, attracting new players. 

Honourable mentions:

Newcastle's defence has to be one of the worst in the country nowadays, when it comes up against a quality attack... with that in mind, they may have conceded seven goals in two games, but runner up as player of the week this week is Shay Given. They could well have lost against Liverpool 10 or 11-1, without Shay.

Honourable mention for services to Joga Bonito goes to Ricardo Fuller, because if Andy Griffin was my captain, I'd want to slap him too.

Robinho's goal against Hull City:



Lampard's goal against Fulham:




Gerrard's goal against Newcastle:



Keane's goal against Bolton:



Caciedo's goal against Hull:

It seems that we can't go a week without a Man United player not making football headlines for the wrong reasons. In previous weeks Evra was finally suspended for four games because of a fight that broke out between him and a Chelsea ground's keeper, Rooney was almost suspended for a stomp on Aalborg's Kasper Risgard during a Champions League clash at Old Trafford, not to mention all of Ronaldo's antics so far.

The latest happenings from the Man United game on Boxing Day versus Stoke annoyed me even further and I am shocked, and disappointed that the FA haven't done anything about it yet. Rooney's blatant attempt at throwing an elbow at Stoke's Abdoulaye Fayequick, as well as Ronaldo's retaliatory kick at Stoke’s Andy Wilkinson are inexcusable. Before I jump for Ronaldo's throat again and rage at his petulance let us look at it from his side.

Remember that Andy Wilkinson ended up getting two yellow cards for two of many tackles on Cristiano Ronaldo. This has been a disturbing trend of late, with teams seeming intent on tackling star players every time they touch the ball (Messi against Real Madrid is a classic example).



Is this type of treatment an excuse for Ronaldo's actions? No, probably not, but there is something wrong with team's tactics this season.

Even with this treatment, Ronaldo and Rooney's actions are unforgivable. The FA have to discipline these actions regardless of the player, if lesser players had done the same thing the FA would not hesitate to suspend them. But they seem intent on turning a blind eye when it is league stars acting like children, spoiled children to be exact.

Well, during this Christmas break I will attempt to name the best performers of each of the Premier League teams so far this season.


Chelsea: Nicolas Anelka

Few players have transformed in the way Anelka has this season. He is playing some of the best football of his career and leads the Premiership in goals. Honorable mention must also go to Jose Bosingwa who has given every team Chelsea has played heart attacks with his forward runs.


Hull: Michael Turner

In a team who have had many outstanding performers this year center back Michael Turner has been part of a back line that has been solid throughout the season. You add this to his three goals this season and you have a very important part of your team.


Stoke City: Rory Delap

In a season where a throw-in has been the biggest news in Stoke City the thrower, obviously has to be their most effective performer. His huge throws, along with Stoke's multitude of giants have earned them seven goals this season and teams are now more willing to give Stoke corners rather than throw-ins.


Manchester City: Robinho

Could it be anyone else? Arguably Stephen Ireland could be but, when Robinho has been healthy this year he has been an integral part of their wins. He is second in scoring in the Premier League and has been worth every penny of the £32.5million he was bought for.


Manchester United: Darren Fletcher

In a team full of stars, Darren Fletcher has carved himself a niche on Man United. Earning a starting spot due to an injury to Owen Hargreaves, he showed Sir Alex that he should be starting by playing a series of efficient games. He was at one point their top goal scorer but now stands third behind Rooney and Ronaldo. If it weren't for his goals in the first two games of the season Man United would have dropped 5 points lower in the table.


Arsenal: Robin van Persie

While he can be temperamental (like in his needless dismissal at Stoke City), van Persie has shown that he can be one of the best in the world. His calm finishes and clutch performances (two goals versus Chelsea and one versus Liverpool) have been important to Arsenal staying in the race for the title.


West Ham United: Matthew Upson

The Hammers have had problems scoring this season, but, thanks to Upson, they have managed to keep the goals out of their own net as well which has lead to a respectable thirteenth spot on the table at this point of the season. Matthew Upson's play has drawn the interest of England boss Capello.


Liverpool: Xabi Alonso


The central midfielders passing ability has been the perfect fit to Steven Gerrard's more direct play. Alonso has shown Benitez that he should start and his deflected strike against Chelsea is one of the most important goals of the season for Liverpool.


Aston Villa: Gabriel Agbonlahor

Agbonlahor's play this year has been outstanding and has earned him a starting spot on England's squad. His partnership with Ashley Young has been scintillating and he stands at third in scoring.


Blackburn Rovers: Brett Emerton

This is not a hard decision as the Rovers have not produced many good performers this season thus far. The Australian international has thrived since being put back on the right wing after David Bentley's departure.


Bolton Wanderers: Matthew Taylor

With five goals this campaign (all of which came in victories for his side), Taylor has produced some magnificent strikes from the left wing.


Everton: Phil Jagielka

Has been an integral part of Everton's consistent performances this season, Jagielka has entered the running to be considered by Capello. With defenders like Ferdinand, Terry, and Carragher in contention as well just shows how well he is playing.


Fulham: Mark Schwarzer

A key part of one of the four top defensive records in the Premier League, Schwarzer's arrival to Fulham has been a positive move. Schwarzer's eight clean sheets so far is an impressive feat.


Middlesbrough: Gary O'Neil

Gary O'Neil has been one of the only bright spots in another inconsistent start by Boro. Since moving from right back into the center of midfield he has played with a high energy level.


Newcastle United: Fabricio Coloccini

Coloccini has been stalwart this season since coming from Villareal. He can take much of the credit for the clean sheets in three of the last six matches, including a draw with Chelsea.


Portsmouth: Peter Crouch

I never thought I would have said this but Crouch has been important to Portsmouth this year. Without his eight goals and four assists who knows where Portsmouth would be in the rankings.


Sunderland: Djibril Cisse

The Frenchman is back in England and he is scoring again. With only a handful of starts he has made the most of the time he has been given scoring eight goals in this campaign.


Tottenham Hotspur: Darren Bent

With the departure of Robbie Keane and Berbatov someone had to step up and Bent has. Scoring seven goals so far he is the Spur's top performer.

West Bromwich Albion: Jonathan Greening

Apologies, but very little time to write up the predictions this week, so I'm just gonna post the scores I expect, with no explanation. Last week I managed 6 correct results, but no exact scores.

Newcastle 1 - 2 Liverpool

Arsenal 2 - 1 Portsmouth

Each week, I will endeavor to post predictions for the Premiership. Sometimes these can be a bit hit and miss, so hopefully I won't be too embarassed  by getting them all wrong.

Stoke City 0 - 2 Man Utd

United may be tired from their Japanese escapade, but they're still far too good for a Stoke side who gave Sam Allerdyce a dream start against a previously mis-firing Blackburn last time out. Don't necessarily expect a rout, because United will probably still be a bit jet-lagged, but they still wont have many problems.

Chelsea 3 - 0 West Brom

Another no-brainer really, 10-man Chelsea may have been held by Everton, but even without John Terry, 11-man Chelsea are far too good for the Brummies. The only question is, how much will they win by?

Portsmouth 2 - 1 West Ham

A tough game to call. Usually, this would be fairly simple, but Pompey have been inconsistant lately, and West Ham unlucky to lose to Villa, after holding Chelsea. I still believe that Fortress Fratton Park will be a deciding factor, with West Ham struggling to score lately.

Spurs 1 - 1 Fulham

Another tough match to call really. Spurs have had a massive revival under Harry Redknapp, but have lost momentum lately, and look in danger of slipping back into the relegation zone, with none of their strikers on form. They welcome back Jenas after the defeat to Newcastle however, so should be better. Fulham meanwhile are doing excellently of late, but were reliant on a Gomes blunder last time these two teams met, and this match being at White Hart Lane will tip the balance. I might have predicted a Spurs victory, but I don't want to curse my team, so a draw it is.

Liverpool 2 - 1 Bolton

Liverpool could have been well clear at the top of the table by now, if they hadn't failed to win at home in the league since they comprehensively beat West Brom at the beginning of November, one win in five (against a Blackburn side at the nadir of their form) is not champion material, and yet they are still top of the table, and they will be determined the turn their form around against a resurgent Bolton, for whom Johan Elmander has been a revelation.

Man City 2 - 1 Hull City

City are a club in crisis? Well, maybe, but in comparison to their early-season form, Hull have dropped off the pace significantly lately, and were thrashed by Sunderland last time out. This prediction is based on the belief that Robinho will be fit, since he thrives at Eastlands, where the dodgy defence is less of a problem for Hughes' side.

Middlesborough 0 - 0 Everton

Quite possibly the least-anticipated game of the day, I predict a dull draw. Everton's injury crisis is so bad that they played with a single striker - TIM CAHILL - upfront against Spurs, although they did win. Their defence is solid again after early-season wobbles, as demonstrated against Chelsea last week, and Boro only occasionally show the skill needed to break it down. Two inconsistant clubs though, so if they both play to their potential, it could be a lot different.

Sunderland 2 - 2 Blackburn

Two teams in the middle of a resurgance. Sunderland have looked a different club since the sacking of Roy Keane, and the hilariously named Ricky Sbragia seems to have got them ticking again. In Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse they have a potentially explosive forward partnership, and they really fulfilled their potential against Hull. Blackburn enjoyed an easy win over Stoke, thanks to some truly woeful defending, but that kind of confidence is what they need, and Big Sam will have but the fear of god into them, with the transfer window looming, and his eye no doubt looming over the likes of Keith Alexander and Danny Simpson, neither of whom are Premiership quality.

Wigan 1 - 2 Newcastle

With Wigan flying high and Newcastle in free-fall, no one would have betted on this result until a few weeks ago. Amr Zaki's injury really stalled Wigan's progress, and since his return he's failed to re-find his form, while Newcastle are fighting much harder under the man's manager, Joe Kinnear. Even Vinnie Jones was intimidated by Old Joe at Wimbledon. It'll probably be scrappy and uncomfortable, but I can see the Magpies sneaking it like they did against Spurs last week.

Aston Villa 2 - 1 Arsenal

Were Arsenal in crisis or weren't they? Everyone thought so, but big recent victories and a new captain may have changed minds. But they'll miss Fabregas, leaving Gael Clichy the likely captain for the next four months, and Adebayor will be suspended after his red card for a couple of stamps on Alvaro Arbeloa, leaving Arsenal bereft of almost any physicality. Villa aren't a team that will exploit that weakness as much as most, but expect Barry to boss the midfield, and with Ashley Young and Agbonlahor on great scoring form, Villa should prevail. It would be somewhat ironic to predict anything else after my first blog post, anyway.

Arguably, the over-performers of the season so far have been Hull. But with victory on Boxing day against Arsenal, Aston Villa would open up a six point gap over the Gooners and, even if Man United win their two games in hand, Villa would still only be 4 points behind the Champions, and firmly ensconced in a Champion's League spot. Whether they can beat Arsenal is another matter, but it's entirely possible, with the Gooners missing their almost talismanic captain, Fabregas, out for four months with a knee injury.

The Good

A quick look at Villa's lineup for their most recent game, against West Ham, where they one by an admittedly lucky goal, but dominated, shows us why they're so impressive.

Friedel, Cuellar (Reo-Coker 58), Davies, Laursen, Luke Young, Petrov, Milner, Sidwell, Barry, Ashley Young, Agbonlahor.
Subs Not Used: Guzan, Harewood, Delfouneso, Knight, Shorey, Gardner.

With the exception of Friedel, Guzan, Laursen, Petrov and Cuellar, they are all English, and most importantly, with the exception of Garath Barry, still young, most likely short of their prime. I have for a long time been an exponent of putting Agbonlahor and Ashley Young in the international side, and if recent signs are anything to go by, Fabio Capello may be starting to agree with me. The advantage of this combination, as opposed to, say, Joe Cole and Owen, or Lennon and Dean Ashton (when he returns from injury) is that the Villa duo play together week-in week-out and have a great understanding, along with a proven goal-scoring record. Agbonlahor has already scored 9 goals in 18 league games this season, after 11 goals in the entire campaign last time out.

The Bad

Villa's main problem is lack of strength in depth. This is what separates most clubs in the Premiership from the Big Four, and was demonstrated painfully against Hamburg in the UEFA Cup. There were extenuating circumstances, as Villa had already qualified, but they were comprehensively outplayed by Martin Jol's Germans, with few players coming out with credit, save their newest youngster, Nathan Delfouneso, who will hopefully get a run-out in the Premiership soon, maybe against West Brom on January 10th.

Beyond the first team, therefore, Villa lack the ability to keep up with the big boys, which means they cannot afford many injuries at all. The transfer window looms, but Villa are unlikely to have vast funds to splash on strengthening their squad, though offloading the ineffectual Marlon Harewood might do some good, possibly in a swap deal with his former club, West Ham, for Craig Bellamy. Bellamy is probably the most over-rated player in the Premiership at the moment, but he's certainly better than Harewood, and would fit in well with Villa's style, as well as adding a bit more experience to an undeniably young team. West Ham are likely to cash in on Bellamy while they can, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Bellamy move, as long as they can find a replacement.

The Ugly

The fixture list is piling up for Villa. They're lucky to not have suffered the same fate as Fulham and Wigan at the hands of Man United in having their match cancelled, but they've qualified for the last 32 of the UEFA Cup, which will include a long trip to Moscow to play CSKA. Neither leg of that tie will be easy games, and Villa have not proved themselves in Europe yet.

In a blog called Joga Bonito, people might be wondering why, exactly, we're talking about Aston Villa - hardly a glamorous club. On their day, however, the pace they have front creates some beautiful flowing movement, and with Carew still injured, they have little other choice - route one simply doesn't work when your only striker is 5'11" and is not renowned for his strength.

If Villa can stay consistent, and avoid injuries, once they get Carew back fit and on form, they can be a formidable proposition. All they really need is a good run of consistent form and they could well snatch a Champion's League spot. Over the new year they have a very favourable run of fixtures, after Arsenal, they face Hull, West Brom, Sunderland, Pompey, Wigan and Blackburn, six teams they could well beat, and will be looking for at least 12 points from.

Of course, if they do reach the Champion's League, it's hard to see them standing up there with teams like Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid...

Rooney's goal against LDU Quito:



Kaka's goal against Udinese:



Higuain's goal against Valencia:

Ninteen year-old Brasilian, Alexandre Pato takes our first "Player of the Week" prize.

The teenager lead AC Milan in a 5-1 rout of Udinese, scoring twice and setting up compatriot, Kaka for one of his two goals.

First Goal:


Second Goal:

This year's race for first place is different then many of the previous years in the English Premiership. It is wide open and there are a number of teams in the running. Unfortunately for fans of Joga Bonito this is due to poor (some would say bloody awful) form, rather than the fast, scintillating football we have come to expect from the EPL as fans!

The play of the "top four" (Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea, and Liverpool) has been shocking and they all seem intent on racing to see who can give their opponents the most chances to take the lead rather than racing for first place!

Arsenal:

The Gunners have lost an unbelievable 5 times this season already - which is as many as Manchester United lost all of last season. Wenger has been in the paper on a regular basis for the wrong reasons. However, they have beat Man U and Chelsea already this year and in a convincing fashion might I add.

What is wrong?:

They lost Hleb and Flamini during the summer and, even though Wenger played that down that is a huge loss to an extremely young squad. Their most experienced campaigner, Gallas, has been inconsistent on the field and has lead to a shaky back line.

Liverpool:

Liverpool had an impressive start to this year's campaign. They too beat Man U and Chelsea early in the season and hadn't lost until November. This has been blunted by three successive home draws to Fulham, West Ham and Hull. Even with these poor results they have moved up a place from 2nd to 1st in the Premier League.

What is wrong?:

They have lost too many points at home. Torres who was a prolific home performer last year has been out for much of the season which is a major problem. Also Keane hasn't performed the way they had hoped him to.

Manchester United:

With a draw to Newcastle at the beginning of the season it seemed to foreshadow what was to come. Since then the current Champions of Europe have paled in comparison to last year; Losing to Arsenal, dropping two points late to Chelsea and a recent, unconvincing win at lowly Sunderland (thanks to a 90th minute goal by Vidic) leave all of us scratching our chins.

What is wrong?:

Well the only difference in last year's and this year's squad is that they have no Carlos Queiroz. It is known that Carlos was responsible to a lot of Man U's defensive tactics but I could not have foreseen this effect. Ferdinand and Vidic have looked shaky at times this season though so maybe there is a correlation.

Ronaldo has been a shadow of his former self this year. I didn't expect him to top or even equal what he did last year but I expected better then what he has produced so far. Blame it on what you want, he is not playing well at all!

Chelsea:

Chelski had a bright start to their season even without their number one striker choice (Drogba). Thanks to an in-form Anelka they have won many games that maybe they shouldn't have. A poor home form is the most worrying stat to Scolari.

What is wrong?:

But you have to remember the injuries to Carvalho, Drogba, and Essien. The core of last season's team. Lampard's form has been mediocre at best and with the injuries they do not have the depth on the bench that I am sure Scolari would like!


As a fan of Joga Bonito (Beautiful Football) I am not happy with the Premier League this season. Especially the top four teams. Luckily there are other teams in the EPL stepping up (Hull, and Aston Villa are both playing brilliant football). I will continue watching in hopes that they start clicking and I am looking forward to see what they do in the January Transfer window but for now, I shall continue enjoying the brilliant football in La Liga.