Have Sunderland really improved under O'Neill?

Failure to beat the 10 men of Norwich last weekend has ensured Martin O’Neill’s Sunderland really are in a relegation fight.

A combination of dull football, lack of goals and without a win since the 19^th January is far from the recipe for success. When you throw into the mix season ending injuries to both Steven Fletcher and captain Lee Cattermole, survival really is in doubt.

O’Neill’s appointment in December 2011 was the catalyst behind an incredible rise from 17^th to the top half of the Premier League. The feat was made all the more impressive given the fact it was achieved in just two short months. However since then the club have struggled and have won just seven of their last 38 Premier League games. Meaning should the season have started at the time of Sunderland’s decline, they would have been relegated.

Home matches against Manchester United and Everton are sandwiched with trips Chelsea and local rivals Newcastle, a daunting fixture list for any side! After these four games Sunderland, in all likelihood will find themselves below the dreaded relegation line, which beggars the question, have they really improved under O’Neill?

The sales of Darren Bent and Jordan Henderson severely hampered former manager Steve Bruce. And although numerous faces came through the Stadium of Light doors, not many commanded a high transfer fee. Despite a poor start to the season, Bruce deserved more time, with the high turnover of players always ensuring developing his side that season would take time.

It took Sunderland 18 months to really replace Bent

The people’s choice was then appointed in the form of the O’Neill, who supported the club as a boy. In the short-term it worked, Sunderland were never in any danger of going down.

However this was the season Sunderland were supposed to kick-on, which evidently they haven’t. Big name and money signings arrived in the form of Adam Johnson and Fletcher, meaning expectation levels at The Stadium of Light were high. Whilst Fletcher has done the business for the Black Cats, scoring a third of the clubs Premier League goals, his fellow capture hasn't done so well.

Johnson promised much and given frequent game time, many expected him to flourish at Sunderland. Yet inconsistency has blighted his season, a theme common amongst young British wingers.

O’Neill has struggled to address Sunderland’s real problems in the three transfer window’s available to him. The sale of Michael Turner to Norwich was strange. Turner is a solid if not spectacular Premier League centre half. Yet the injury prone Wes Brown is yet to feature this season, whilst the likes of Carlos Cuellar and Titus Bramble have proven to be inconsistent at best. 

Turner has helped Norwich keep nine Premier League clean sheets

The lack of a real creative playmaker has heavily exposed how unimaginative the Sunderland midfield is. Stephane Sessengon has the ability to be this, however similar to Johnson, a real lack of consistency has blighted his season. Having seen Sunderland a few times this season, I can assure you they aren’t the most pleasing on the eye. It’s not that they play long football, but their inability to string a succession of passes together is all too obvious. 

With just eight games remaining, Sunderland are only four points clear of Wigan in 18th, who also have a game in hand of the Mackems!

You only need to read O’Neill’s CV to see he’s a very good manager. However for some reason it’s not working at Sunderland at the moment. Neil Warnock once said it was harder to manage a club you supported and maybe that’s proving the case for O’Neill. 

New Zealand vs England 1st T20

England have the luxury of calling upon their fully fit T20 captain Stuart Broad who was forced to sit out the shorter side of the game in England’s previous tour of India. The Nottinghamshire bowler wasn’t at his best during the test series in India, however a hat-trick in Tuesday’s warm-up victory over a New Zealand XI. It is worth nothing that the test squad only has four representatives in the T20 squad.

Broad's return increases England's bowling options

Having settled his differences with the New Zealand cricketing board, the world-class Ross Taylor comes back into the squad. Their batting line up is full of match winners, in the form of Brendan McCullum, James Franklin, Martin Guptill and of course Taylor, however their bowlers are inferior to their opponents, and without Tim Southee, they could struggle.

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Are AC Milan a serious contender for a Champions League spot?

A dreadful start to the campaign saw AC Milan languishing in the lower regions of the Serie A table for the majority of the opening half of the 2012-13 season, however their recent upsurge in form has seen them climb to fifth in the league, and they sit just six points adrift of the all-important third Champions League qualification spot.

'The Pharaoh' has been in amazing form for AC Milan all season

The Rossoneri lost five of their opening eight games; however a sequence of just one defeat in their 10 league matches has ensured the pressure of head coach Massimiliano Allegri has been relieved, for the time being at least! The turning point in AC’s season came about when the side trailed Napoli by two goals, before a Stephan El Shaawary double rescued a point. That unlikely point was then back upped by a solid victory against the Champions Juventus the following week, thanks a Robinho penalty. 

To read the rest of the piece go to: http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2013/02/are-ac-milan-serious-contenders-for-a-champions-league-spot/#.UQvwyYdEj_A.twitter

Alessio Cerci: From bad boy to wing wizard

Having made his debut for Roma at the age of just 16, much was expected from Alessio Cerci, however as of yet he has failed to deliver.

However, could 2013 be the year Cerci fulfills his undoubted potential? A good first half of the season has culminated in Cerci putting in two goal scoring performances that have landed Torino six points since the start of the year.

To read the rest go to: http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2013/01/alessio-cerci-from-bad-boy-to-torinos-wing-wizard/

Why AVB has it harder at Spurs then the media favourite Redknapp ever did

Last weekend saw Harry Redknapp face his former employees for the first time since his questionable sacking in the summer. Under Redknapp Tottenham had their best four years of Premier League football, peaking at Champions League qualification in 2010, however if Andre Vilas-Boas was to bring Europe’s elite competition back to White Hart Lane, then it’d surpass Redknapp’s achievement.

Not for one second am I suggesting ‘Arry’ didn’t do an amazing job at Spurs, that isn’t in question. When he took charge back in 2008 the club were adrift at the bottom of the league after picking up just two points from eight games and in 24 months were facing the likes of Inter Milan and Werder Bremen in the Champions League.

AVB's Spurs rescued a late point against Manchester United on Sunday

What am I saying is everything was in piece for Redknapp to succeed at Tottenham. He had the core of a very good squad in the form of Luka Modric, Michael Dawson, Aaron Lennon and the then underused Gareth Bale. During his tenure the transfer windows were all about who he was going to add, with none of the departures against Redknapp’s wishes. In Andre Vilas-Boas’s first transfer window he lost two world-class players in Modric and Rafael Van Der Vaart.

Vilas-Boas hardly arrived at White Hart Lane with a glowing CV in English football following his dismissal from Chelsea just seven monthsinto a five year deal. For me he arrived at Chelsea at the wrong time, and his timing at Tottenham was even worse if anything. Whoever followed Redknapp was always going to be under extreme pressure. Not many saw the former Portsmouth manager’s dismissal coming, leaving fans and pundits alike confused.

And following just two points from their opening three games, including 1-1 home draws with the likes of Norwich and West Brom, the White Hart Lane faithful were growing restless very early on. However much to his credit, Vilas-Boas has turned it around! Spurs sit fourth in the Premier League and even have a better points return from the same fixtures as last year.

The pressure was heavily on Vilas-Boas following their 1-1 draw with Norwich

One thing Redknapp has always had is he is loved by the media. AVB can’t say the same. Ridiculed for his job at Chelsea, and not given the respect he deserved for his amazing season with Porto. Going into the game at Old Trafford, a tabloid printed a piece suggesting there was ‘choas’ at White Hart Lane, with all the star players not liking the new manager in charge. Subsequently Tottenham went to Old Trafford and stunned the hosts winning 3-2, something Spurs haven’t done since Gary Lineker and go back in 1991. The majority of the players at the end of the game hugged their manager, and clearly want to play for the ‘gaffer’ as Gareth Bale said at the end of the game.

Despite having a return of just 0.25 points per match from their first eight games, Spurs were never going to be relegated the year ‘Arry’ took over, they had too much quality, meaning there was only one direction for them, up! Champions League qualification the very next year however was beyond their expectations, but they didn’t have to fight off the sort of quality that exists currently in the Premier League.

You could easily suggest that eight teams can realistically challenge for Champions League football, whilst only six could in the 09/10 season. The two that missed out on the top four where Manchester City and Liverpool. City weren’t the machine they are now; whilst Liverpool were on the start of their heavy slide which saw them slip from 2^nd the previous season to 6^th and even lower since.

With both Manchester clubs seeming to have a stranglehold on the top two, realistically there is only two spots left, and with Chelsea favourites for third, meaning it’s likely if Vilas-Boas is to qualify for the Champions League, he’ll have to do something no Spurs manager has done in Premier League history, finish above their London rivals Arsenal!

Tactically Redknapp has always been questioned, and there are signs that Vilas-Boas has already answered a few questions that were asked last year. Tottenham struggled when playing both Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermaine Defoe in a 4-4-2 last season, with Redknapp often leaving Defoe on the bench, often hinting the two couldn’t play together. Yet Spurs’ recent fun of good form (seven wins in nine over Christmas), started when AVB changed from 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-2, with Defoe in particular in fantastic form this season.

Having conceded a ridiculous amount of late goals in the earlier stages of the season, Tottenham appear to have stopped that rot and are defensively much stronger than at any previous point so far, meaning they’ve given themselves a very good platform to qualify for the Champions League for only the second time, and if they are to do so, I wonder if AVB will get the credit that Redknapp did for the same achievement? 

Bradford on verge of Capital One cup final!

Bradford City stunned Aston Villa to take a stranglehold in their Capital One Cup semi-final, following the 3-1 victory at Valley Parade this evening.

Carl McHugh's 88th minute header ensured Bradford go to Villa Park with a two goal buffer and give them the ultimate chance of producing the unlikeliest of cup finalists.

Nekhi Wells gave Bradford the early goal a shock usually requires and as Villa missed a host of chances, the League Two side punished them as Rory McArdle's header made it 2-0. Andi Weimann pulled Villa back in the match; however the Bantams two goal lead was restored via McHugh.

A place in the final isn't guaranteed for Bradford, however Paul Lambert will be furious that his side appear to have blown an amazing opportunity for a date at Wembley.

As for Bradford, Phil Parkinson who was given the boot by both Hull and Charlton has masterminded an incredible achievement, and whatever happens in the return leg, this run will go down as one of the finest in living memory.

Parkinson has guided Bradford to 8th in League Two

Aston Villa actually came out the quicker, and with Charles N'Zogbia consistently finding space, an early goal for the Villains looked inevitable; however the usually reliable Christian Benteke couldn't convert two very presentable chances that fell his way.

Despite their slow start, very much against the run of play, Bradford opened the scoring through Wells.

Joe Bennett conceded the cheapest of corners, and despite dealing with the original dead ball, Zavon Hines was first to the cleared header, and his shot was deflected perfectly into the path of Bradford's leading goalscorer who beat Shay Given with an assured finish.

Wells gave Bradford the ideal platform 

Bradford nearly doubled their lead from another corner and Hanson was only denied by Fabian Delph's clearance off the line.

The League Two's greatest threat came from down the right, with the former West Ham winger Zavon Hines giving Bennett a torrid time. And one of his many deliveries nearly brought about a second goal, however Hanson headed into the ground over.

N'Zogbia was behind every good Villa did, and he created another chance for the Premier League side, but Gabriel Agbonlahor shot straight at Duke from in and around the penalty spot.

Villa again started the half the quicker, but a poor touch from Ciaran Clark meant the centre half couldn't get a shot away despite the freedom of the six-yard box.

On another evening Benteke could've had a hat-trick, however Duke produced his best save of the evening following a diving header from the Belgian international. 

Darren Bent arrived around the hour mark and was guilty of not leveling the tie, following a shocking miss! For the first time in the game Duke was at fault following a poor spillage from a N'Zogbia shot, and with the goal gaping, Bent headed over from all of two yards.

Incredibly Bradford scored a second through McArdle. Captain Gary Jones's corner was cleared back to him, and his delivery was perfect for the McArdle to show the £24million Bent how to head home!

Hanson who won pretty much ever header that was put in the penalty box from open play almost made it 3-0, but his effort clipped the bar and went out for a goal kick.

With time running out, Villa were in desperate need of a lifeline, and the in-form Weimann gave them exactly that! Benteke's knock down from a long ball was perfect for the Austrian who beat Duke to the ball before slotting it home to give Villa the goal they merited.

Amazingly the scoring hadn't ended, and McHugh scored Bradford's third of the evening, heading superbly home from another pinpoint Jones set piece.

The third goal stunned Lambert's side, and even when four minutes of extra time were signaled, Villa didn't look like reducing the arrears and for the majority of the overtime the ball was in the Villa half.

Few gave Bradford a chance of eliminating another Premier League side given the two legged factor, however come the return leg at Villa Park, the League Two side may even be slight favourites.