Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Hull City, Saturday 15th October, Kick-off: 5.30pm

Sports Saturday with Ben Holt, 2-6pm, Juice 107.2, www.juicebrighton.com

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Build up to the game begins at 4.30pm, featuring interviews with Gus Poyet, Scotland striker Craig Mackail-Smith and full back Inigo Calderon.

 

Despite earning just a point from their previous four league matches, Brighton are still sat in the play-off positions, five points behind leaders Southampton. The last month has seen Albion's defensive frailties highlighted somewhat, with nine goals conceded in the last three games, and the international break will have been welcomed by many connected with the club.

Two weeks off to reflect and regroup; to analyse why their brilliant start has been halted.

That brilliant start featured impressive league wins at Cardiff, Pompey and Bristol City, as well as home victories against Doncaster and Peterborough. The summer signings were gelling; Buckley, Mackail-Smith and Hoskins all playing well and scoring important goals (when fit), and even Premiership sides were being truly tested in Carling Cup visits to the Amex.

Firstly, a memorable night in August, when Steve Bruce's Sunderland were deservedly put to the sword thanks to an extra-time winner from Mackail-Smith, and then a month later, a thrilling third round tie with Liverpool. A superb second half performance earned Albion plenty of admirers, if not the victory, and Craig Noone's energetic and skilful display earned himself a red shirt with his hero's name on the back.

Since that night, Brighton have played three – Leeds, Palace and Ipswich, and have only managed a point. Gus Poyet certainly wouldn't make excuses; his attitude has always been to fearlessly blame his own rather than external factors. He described the Ipswich match as “Premiership players against League One players” - the kind of honesty that a lot of managers would avoid.

It's far from a disaster. It's a blip. Only the most irrational Albion supporters would have expected a repeat of last season's performance. This is the Championship, and the fact that only Middlesbrough are unbeaten after ten games, suggests that even the very best sides in the division will at some stage struggle.

What is important now for Albion is to get their confidence back. The home defeat to Palace hurt a lot, and the 3-1 loss to Ipswich didn't help to ease the pain. They can consider themselves lucky to remain in such a positive position in the table, but a couple more defeats will see them closer to the wrong end.

Poyet's attitude is if it ain't broke, don't fix it. For six or seven matches, he hasn't felt the need to make many changes. Now perhaps is the time for Gus to move people around and take a look at other players, “When you have a bad run of results, you have a chance [to get in the team]”. Former Spanish international Vicente may now get a run in the side to show his class on a regular basis. He's a certainty to make his first home start against Hull City on Saturday evening, and Poyet will hope that his new star player will set the standard for the rest.

In contrast to Albion, Hull are in excellent form, with fourteen points from a possible eighteen launching them up the table into sixth, a place below the Seagulls. Craig Mackail-Smith will offer advice to his defensive team-mates about Hull striker Aaron McClean, who he knows well from their days together at London Road, whilst Robert Koren and Nicky Barmby offer Premiership and international experience.

Another tough game; they're all tough, but if Albion want to get back on track, now is the time to do it. A win could see them rise as high as 3^rd, a defeat – possibly mid table.

Portsmouth vs Brighton & Hove Albion, Saturday 13th August, Kick-Off: 3pm

Sports Saturday with Ben Holt, 2-6pm, Juice 107.2, www.juicebrighton.com

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Build up to the game begins at 2pm, featuring interviews with Gus Poyet and midfielder Gary Dicker. From 3pm we'll have regular updates from Fratton Park from our Sports Reporter Loz, as well as all the latest from the Premiership and Championship.

 

Last Saturday's season opener against Doncaster Rovers was the perfect way to start life at the Amex. Over 20,000 people at Falmer enjoyed a thrilling last gasp win for Albion, as new signing Will Buckley became an instant fans favourite with two late goals to seal their first three points of the season.

Gus Poyet's team showed many qualities which would suggest they are well suited to life in the Championship: strength in depth, fighting spirit, patience; but even the most biased Seagulls supporter would struggle to argue that luck didn't play a huge part in Saturday's win. Rovers bossed the first half, and when Lewis Dunk's untidy challenge ended striker Billy Sharp's afternoon, Sean O'Driscoll's side lost momentum and couldn't find the form which gave them a deserved first half lead.

Things got worse for Donny when then lost another striker to injury, with James Hayter stretchered off after an accidental clash with Inigo Calderon. With all three substitutions made, Rovers went down to ten men, and Albion were able to grab a stoppage time winner.

But credit to Albion for making use of the good fortune that came their way. It might be a sign of things to come for the Seagulls; with the attacking strength on the bench, there are always options for Poyet if a goal is needed. It'll be interesting to see if they turn out to be the Championship's comeback kings this season.

The two players that arguably changed the game on Saturday both started the match on the bench. Whilst Will Buckley grabbed the headlines with his two goals, Craig Noone was equally effective, and provided the perfect through ball for Buckley's winner in the 98^th minute. Both men started Tuesday night's Carling Cup win over Gillingham, and with Buckley on the left and Noone on the right, the Gills defence were given a torrid time.

They compliment each other well, with Buckley's pace and strength, and Noone's trickery and vision; similar at times to watching Bale and Lennon at Spurs. With Kazenga Lua Lua a doubt for Saturday's trip to Fratton Park, we might get another opportunity to see what damage they can do, this time to the Pompey defence.

Whilst Albion have enjoyed two wins so far this season, Portsmouth haven't had the best of starts. They salvaged a point at Middlesbrough last weekend thanks to a last gasp Luke Varney equaliser, but then got outplayed by League Two Barnet as they were knocked out of the Carling Cup.

Despite Pompey's poor start, Steve Cotterill has plenty of experience and ability in his depleted squad, and Albion will need to show as much fighting spirit on Saturday afternoon as they did seven days earlier at the Amex.

Brighton & Hove Albion XI vs. Doncaster Rovers (6th August):

Ankergren, Greer (c), Dunk, Painter, Calderon, Bridcutt, Dicker, Sparrow (Buckley 75), Lua Lua (Noone 46), Barnes, Mackail-Smith; SUBS NOT USED: Brezovan, Vincelot, Navarro

Injury doubts:

Lua Lua - Hamstring

Hoskins - Hip

Championship 2011/12 Top Six Prediction...

Only an idiot would predict what's going to happen in the Championship this season.

With that in mind, here are my predictions for the Championship this season:

Champions: West Ham

With the players that the Hammers had last season, it was nothing short of a travesty that they ended rock bottom of the Premiership table. Under different circumstances, with a different manager and different chairmen, they would have finished comfortably mid-table. Ultimately, if things aren't right upstairs, it becomes harder to succeed on the pitch. You get the feeling that with Sam Allardyce in charge, there will be better communication at the club, and in Allardyce, they've got an experienced and tactically astute manager. He'll be keen to build a team, and grind out results where necessary.

They've also got some decent players; who stays and who goes is another matter, but you'd expect their squad to be strong at the end of August. They possess several talented young stars: James Tomkins and Jack Collison should be playing Premiership football, whilst Zavon Hines, Freddie Sears and Junior Stanislas have all got bright futures. Throw in the experience of Rob Green, new signing Abdoulaye Faye, and possibly Scott Parker (surely someone will snap him up though?), and it's a side far too good for the Championship.

And Kevin Nolan will be the league's best player this season.

STAR PLAYER: Kevin Nolan

ODDS TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIP: 4/1 Favourites

2^nd Place: Leicester

Only high expectations can stop Sven's Leicester City from getting back to the top tier this season. They've been busy this summer – nine additions to the squad, and they're not done yet, with the former England boss still targeting a striker. With Premiership experience from the likes of Michael Johnson (on loan from Man City), David Nugent (England's most prolific goalscorer – a goal a game!) and Paul Konchesky, you'd have to rate their chances of promotion pretty highly.

STAR PLAYER: Andy King

ODDS TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIP: 4/1 Favourites

Play-offs:

Nottingham Forest

Forest always seem to come close, and this year I fancy them to come close once again. They decided to part company will Billy Davies, and have brought in Steve McClaren to do what Davies couldn't. I think it's a shrewd decision from the chairman Nigel Doughty – the side needed freshening up, and the experience of McClaren could prove invaluable. He's still a man looking to rebuild his reputation, and I think he'll be able to get the best out of his players.

The former England and Middlesbrough boss is frustrated with the lack of signings over the summer, but there's still plenty of class, especially with the addition of Andy Reid, George Boateng, and Jonathan Greening. And if Lewis McGugan continues his form from last season, McClaren could have a successful first season as Forest manager.

STAR PLAYER: Lewis McGugan

ODDS TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIP: 14/1

Blackpool

The great entertainers of last year's Premiership season: it may have been an ultimately unsuccessful campaign, but Ian Holloway gained many admirers for his side's attacking style of play, and I don't see that changing this season. The loss of Charlie Adam to Liverpool was inevitable after a brilliant season, but his replacement Barry Ferguson brings plenty of experience and quality. Holloway has also signed Kevin Phillips from Birmingham, and you feel that Blackpool's style of play will suit the former Sunderland striker. I wouldn't be surprised to see him scoring 20+ goals, and that will go a long way in helping the Seasiders back to the top tier.

STAR PLAYER: Matt Phillips

ODDS TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIP: 16/1

Burnley

At just 33 years of age, Burnley boss Eddie Howe has impressed many in his short managerial career. Taking his old side Bournemouth from League Two to the summit of League One earned him many admirers, including the Clarets, who hired him in January of this year to replace Brian Laws. Last season's 8^th placed finish was satisfactory, but it was hard to judge Howe's efforts, as it was very much an inherited squad. He has a small squad of players to work with, but with the addition of two or three players, I believe the former Cherries boss can add to his already glowing reputation.

STAR PLAYER: Keith Treacy

ODDS TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIP: 25/1

Brighton

I predict this as much in hope as I do in expectation. It's a fantastic time to be involved with the club: glorious new stadium, record transfers, top manager, great style of football etc. So the place is buzzing, and so it should be. Last season, the Seagulls beat two Championship sides on their FA Cup run, showing that they are more than capable of competing at this level. However, this is set to be one of toughest Championship seasons ever, with so many big clubs looking for a top 6 place. Brighton have a lot of quality in the attacking areas, and if Gus can get the best out of the likes of Kazenga Lua Lua and Craig Mackail-Smith, they could do a Norwich with back-to-back promotions.

STAR PLAYER: Kazenga Lua Lua

ODDS TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIP: 18/1

Who'll get the goals?? 

If Shane Long stays in the league, he'll be up there on the top scorers list. Nicky Maynard will hit the back of the net for whoever he's playing for this season, whilst Brighton's record signing Craig Mackail-Smith scored 35 times in League One for Peterborough last season, and will want to prove himself at a higher level.

There's also a lot of former Premiership players around this season, and you'd expect the West Ham strikers to do well: Carlton Cole, Frederic Piquionne and Kevin Nolan should score plenty. Cardiff have got goals in them as well, with Robbie Earnshaw returning to his old club, and Ipswich's new striker Michael Chopra is always a threat.

THREE UP, THREE DOWN...

THREE UP: West Ham, Leicester, Forest

THREE DOWN: Coventry, Barnsley, Doncaster 

 

If we needed any more proof that Capello shouldn't be England manager...

Yesterday evening I uttered six words that I never thought I'd say:

“What a relief Montenegro only drew”

It really is a sorry state of affairs when the mighty English national team are struggling to top a group that features four other nations who have rarely, if ever, shocked the world of football with their quality.

Fair play to Montenegro. They've proved that they should certainly be taken seriously as a footballing nation; they started out as the lowest ranked team in Group G, and then in the space of a few matches became the 24^th best country at football, according to the people at FIFA. And FIFA don't get things wrong.

Wins against Wales, Bulgaria, and Switzerland, as well as a goalless draw against England at Wembley in October, have put Montenegro joint top of Group G, with only inferior goal difference preventing them topping the group. Three points last night in the return match against the Bulgarians would have put Zlatko Kranjcar's side into pole position to grab the automatic qualification for Euro 2012. However, Ivelin Popov cancelled out Radomir Djalovic's second half strike, and they were left to rue a missed opportunity.

Meanwhile, 1102 miles away, Fabio Capello was reflecting on two more dropped points at Wembley Stadium, after a lacklustre performance from his England side. It was the 2-2 draw against an impressive Swiss team that generously presented Montenegro the chance to top the group. But whilst it was a spirited performance from the visitors, once again it was shown that Capello and England are wrong for each other.

We all rejoiced when the seemingly stubborn Italian altered England's playing style for the 2-0 win against Wales. From the rigid and lifeless 4-4-2 formation, suddenly we were watching exciting, free flowing football with Rooney, Young and Bent as a three man attack. Naively, people (myself included) assumed that this could be the start of something beautiful, forgetting that the team we had just beaten were Wales. And not just any Wales team – a Wales team without the PFA Player of the Year, Gareth Bale.

Two and a bit months on, and our new lethal 4-4-3 formation was mercilessly unleashed upon the Swiss. Except, this time round, we were playing a pretty good side, and Wayne Rooney was suspended and getting his hair done. And for some bizarre reason, Capello opted to leave Ashley Young, one of the major plus points of the Wales match, on the bench, as James Milner started on the left. Arsenal's Theo Walcott was placed on the right, and Darren Bent kept his place to play through the middle.

After 35 minutes, England were 2-0 down, and Wembley was shocked into near silence, aside from the jubilant section of Swiss red that coated a large section of the stadium. It was two poor goals to concede as well; inept defending for the first, as Rio Ferdinand misjudged a Tranquillo Barnetta free kick, and then James Milner decided to leap out of a well placed two man wall, as the same Swiss midfielder curled another free kick past the despairing dive of Joe Hart.

It was two individual mistakes that embarrassed England, but in fairness, Switzerland weren't fortunate to have a two goal lead. The midfield trio of Parker, Wilshere and Lampard were struggling to get a foothold in the game, whilst Milner and the increasingly frustrating and frustrated Theo Walcott rarely threatened, leaving Darren Bent isolated.

England did manage to pull a goal back before half time, after the ever impressive Jack Wilshere was fouled in the area by fellow Gunner Johan Djorou, and Frank Lampard converted the penalty. The scoreline flattered England slightly, and at the interval Ashley Young was finally introduced, immediately impacting on the game with a neat finish to level the match. It was a better second half performance from the English, with the lively Young proving that Capello was wrong to leave him out of the side.

The most memorable moment of the match came in the 70^th minute, when Darren Bent was unable to convert a gilt-edged chance after the Swiss keeper Benaglio could only parry Ashley Young's effort to the striker. With the goal gaping, Bent fired the ball high over the crossbar, proving that he certainly isn't an England number nine. Replays of the opportunity made it all the more unforgivable, especially a particularly cruel camera angle which showed how much of the goal was available to the former Sunderland and Spurs forward. That miss kept the scoreline at 2-2, and that's the way it finished in North London.

So what did we learn? Well, 4-3-3 worked against Wales, but didn't really work against the superior Switzerland. Imagine what might have happened if England were playing Brazil or Spain – it doesn't bear thinking about! But formations aside, this still isn't a happy group of players, and it won't be happy until Capello leaves after the next tournament. With the players available to the Italian, it is fairly astonishing that England have failed to beat both Switzerland and Montenegro at Wembley Stadium.

Bad decisions and poor man-management skills are further damaging Capello's reputation, and although England will almost certainly qualify for next year's tournament, once they get there, they're in serious danger of getting embarrassed by better teams.

Football is run by people who don't understand passion...

Sometimes its frustrates me that football is run by people that don’t seem to understand the game. They don’t understand the passion that it evokes, and how important it is to both players and spectators. Season after season, I witness moments on the football pitch where bad decisions are made, and whether or not those decisions end up being pivotal, it annoys me that they could have been prevented.

One such moment that certainly wasn’t pivotal, occurred on Sunday afternoon in the match at the Reebok Stadium. Bolton’s Tamir Cohen was brought on for the final five minutes against Arsenal, and from a corner in the final minute, he headed home the winning goal. In honour of his late father Avi Cohen (a former Liverpool player) who was killed in a motorcycle accident, he took his shirt off to reveal a t-shirt with a picture of his father.

A poignant moment. However, referee Mike Jones was forced to caution the Israeli as removing your shirt is a bookable offence. I don’t blame the referee; I’m sure failure to show the yellow card would have resulted in Jones getting suitably punished for not following the guidelines.

In this instance, Cohen’s booking was irrelevant. Bolton won the game, and it was a fitting tribute to Avi Cohen. But what if there were different circumstances? What if it was a cup final, with thirty minutes remaining, and Cohen had already been booked? Referees can’t be sentimental, and surely it should make no difference what the scenario is. Therefore, he would have been sent off for displaying a genuine moment of emotion. Even if a player takes their shirt off for no real purpose other than to express passion, why is it deemed an offence worthy of a yellow card?

FIFA don’t know.

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct: "A player who removes his jersey when celebrating a goal must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour."

Yes we know that, but why?

FIFA don’t know.

Baring the torso? Potentially revealing something offensive underneath? Time-wasting? Inciting the crowd?! They all seem very unlikely and utterly ridiculous. Yet this is a rule which could play a major role in a game of football.

Here’s poor Eric Hassli, striker for the world famous Vancouver Whitecaps, getting a second yellow card for removing his shirt after scoring a penalty. (Hilariously, he has an identical shirt underneath to try and get away with it!)

There are some rules in football which I disagree with, but can sort-of understand why they exist. If you jump into the crowd to celebrate a goal, fans could possibly get crushed as they rush down to celebrate with the goalscorer. Therefore you deserve to get booked for risking the safety of the fans.

But I don’t believe there is any risk involved with removing ones shirt. It’s a moment of passion, and I can only assume that the people who make the rules don’t know what that is. They certainly don’t know what it’s like to score a goal.

I’m just glad that Tamir Cohen's had the opportunity to pay tribute to his father. And it only cost him a yellow card.   

The closest relegation battle in years - but who will survive?!

The top of the Premiership table appears to be fading towards a predictable conclusion; and whilst it is naïve to assume anything this season, it looks as though Arsenal’s frailties and Chelsea’s terrible mid-season spell have gifted an underwhelming Manchester United side their 19th league title.

If the finale to the title race turns out to be slightly anti-climactic, the battle to stay in the Premier League will more than makes up for it. I can’t remember so many teams fighting for their lives at this stage in the season - it is truly remarkable to see eight teams still in trouble with just seven games to go. Mick McCarthy got it spot on responding to a question regarding a sufficient points total for survival, “I just keep cracking on and hope we end up with more points than three other teams at least”.

Since the 1995/1996 season when the number of clubs competing in the Premiership was reduced to twenty, only Sunderland (1996/97), Bolton (1997/98), and West Ham (2002/03) have suffered relegation despite reaching 40 points. Considering all twenty teams this season have already reached the 30 points mark, 2010/11 may be another rare season where 40 points isn’t enough to survive.

So as we approach the run-in, let’s take a look at the sides still in danger, and whether they have what it takes to get enough points to stay in the division:

Wigan, current position: 20th, played - 31, points - 31

Momentum: The Latics have enjoyed a couple of decent results; first of all beating fellow strugglers Birmingham City with a last minute Maynor Figueroa strike, and then earning a point against Spurs on Saturday. Their next three matches are away from home, so understandably they’re everyone’s favourites to go down.

THAT player: Charles N’Zogbia - Wigan’s player of the season last year, and hard to argue against him winning it this time around. The Frenchman will need to be in top form to inspire his side for the remainder of the campaign.

Goals: Or lack there of. The league’s lowest scorers, and top scoring Hugo Rodallega has only managed 7.

Verdict: Relegated. The four points earned against Birminham and Spurs were vital, but with five of their remaining seven matches away from home, I can’t see Martinez masterminding a revival.

Wolves, current position: 19th, played - 31, points - 32

Momentum: Mick McCarthy’s side have generally played well all season, but have been unable to convert good performances into good results. But the last few weeks have seen them earn valuable points against Spurs, Blackpool, West Brom, and most recently, neighbours Aston Villa. Saturday’s defeat at Newcastle was a setback, and the loss of Kevin Doyle to injury is a massive blow, but their final seven games are against sides from seventh downwards, so if they can re-discover their good form, survival is a very real possibility.

THAT player: Jamie O’Hara - a really wise loan signing, and has already made an impact. Wears his heart on his sleeve and works incredibly hard for the team.

Goals: Mick McCarthy must be cursing his luck with Doyle ruled out for the remainder of the season, but the likes of Steven Fletcher and Sylvan Ebanks Blake will get goals, whilst Matt Jarvis will be on a high after his call up to the England squad.

Verdict: Safe, just. Mick McCarthy’s side have started to show a winning mentality which has been missing all season, and there’s enough talent in the team to win games.

West Ham, current position: 18th, played - 31, points - 32

Momentum: What a strange season it has been, especially at Upton Park. Back in January, it was reported that West Ham’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal was Avram Grant’s last in charge. And then suddenly, he had the full backing of the board. Only those involved really know what was going on, but since that day, the Hammers have only lost two league matches, beating Blackpool, Stoke, and Liverpool along the way. The return of Thomas Hitzlsperger, and the signing of Senegalese striker Demba Ba have added an unexpected sense of optimism around the club. The manner of the defeat to Man United on Saturday was disappointing, but with crucial games against Wigan, Aston Villa and Blackburn still to come, there’s plenty for the Hammers to be hopeful about.

THAT player: Scott Parker should be an England regular in my opinion. He brings so much to the West Ham team, and without his passion and ability, they’d be relegated already.

Goals: Demba Ba has been a revelation - such a handful for defences, and his goals have been key to their current resurgence. Elsewhere, the likes of Cole, Piquionne, Hitzlsperger and Parker will all contribute with the odd goal.

Verdict: Safe. Why? Two words: Scott Parker.

Blackpool, current position: 17th, played - 31, points - 33

Momentum: As Ian Holloway’s side welcomed the new year, the Seasiders were in the top half of the Premiership, having experienced a wonderful first half of the season. Four months later, and Blackpool are in freefall, having gained just eight points from fourteen matches in 2011. If the league table started from January 1st, they would be rock bottom. Having said that, the recent 3-1 win against Spurs proves that this team are fearless and capable of getting results. The question is, can they find their 2010 form?

THAT player: Charlie Adam, who else? According to reports, he was minutes away from heading to Tottenham. Blackpool fans can thank their lucky stars that the move fell through, and he stayed in the north west. He seems to be key to everything good that the Tangerines do.

Goals: Once again, if Adam stays fit, he will get crucial goals - penalties, free-kicks, tap-ins, and if he can add a few more to his current tally of nine league goals, they’ve got a great chance of surviving. Unfair not to mention DJ Campbell, who’s also scored nine, and when he returns from suspension, Blackpool’s attack will be more potent.

Verdict: Safe, just. With their remaining fixtures, the home matches against Wigan, Newcastle and Stoke stand out as season defining contests.

Aston Villa, current position: 16th, played - 31, points - 34

Momentum: The Aston Villa fans have made it clear how they feel about Gerard Houllier. The Frenchman has shot himself in the foot on a number of occasions: first, carelessly indulging in his past, stating he would rather lose to Liverpool than any other club, and then, somewhat bizarrely leaving out key players as his side surrendered to Manchester City in the FA Cup. Since that 3-0 defeat at Eastlands, the Villains have lost at Bolton, and more painfully were beaten by neighbours West Brom at Villa Park. Chief Executive Paul Faulkner has backed the under fire boss, and now the Villa faithful must do the same.

THAT Player: Ashley Young. Villa boast several young talented English players, and none more talented than their versatile midfielder. He’s attracted attention from the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United, and therefore his final role as a Villa player could be to inspire his side to the two or three wins they require for safety.

Goals: Darren Bent. He’s scored five times since joining Villa, and with talent from wide and behind him, he’ll get plenty of chances.

Verdict: Safe. Is the phrase, “too good to go down”, a kiss of death? With the players they’ve got, they should be in the top ten.   

Birmingham, current position: 15th, played - 30, points - 34

Momentum: Winning the Carling Cup will give Blues fans many happy memories of that day at Wembley, but the bigger picture is that it may have dented their chances of survival. Since the final on February 27th, they’ve suffered defeats to fellow strugglers West Brom and Wigan, and lifting that trophy must seem a distant memory. The win against Bolton on Saturday was crucial, and with struggling Sunderland visiting St Andrews, and a trip to Ewood Park in the coming weeks, McCleish’s side need to continue the momentum.

THAT player: Craig Gardner - Local lad and Blues fan, represents what Alex McCleish demands from his players. His passion, but more importantly, his ability, could prove to be crucial.

Goals: Only Wigan have scored less this season, with Nikola Zigic and Cameron Jerome failing to have the desired effect.

Verdict: Relegated. Lack of goals being the determining factor.

Blackburn, current position: 14th, played - 31, points - 34

Momentum: The award for Strangest Decision of the Season goes to the Blackburn Rovers chicken loving owners, who thought getting rid of Sam Allardyce would be a good idea. They replaced the vastly experienced Allardyce with the vastly inexperienced Steve Kean, and that decision could come back to haunt them come May. Winless since January 23rd, Rovers are in big trouble unless they start winning.

THAT player: Chris Samba - inspirational captain and defender, and is the second highest scoring defender in the league with four goals (behind Robert Huth). He may need a few more goals to keep his side in the league.

Goals: Rovers don’t have a prolific scorer, which could be a big problem for Steve Kean. However, they do have players capable of scoring - the young Canadian David Hoilett looks a good prospect.

Verdict: Relegated. They’ll need at least two wins from their remaining games, and I can’t see them getting that.

West Brom, current position: 13th, played - 31, points - 36 

Momentum: Roberto Di Matteo may consider himself a tad unlucky to have been sacked, but Roy Hodgson has steadied the ship somewhat, and is still unbeaten as Baggies manager. The win against Liverpool on Saturday was Hodgson’s first home victory as boss, and the side looks more defensively sound. This unbeaten run will only boost confidence within the camp as they head towards the business end of the season.

THAT player: Peter Odemwingie has scored almost a quarter of West Brom’s goals this season, and if he can get a few more, it’ll go a long way in keeping them in the league.

Goals: Aside from the Nigerian, the Baggies do have plenty of players capable of scoring, even if the stats suggest otherwise. No-one apart from Odemwingie has managed more than four league goals this season, but James Morrison and Chris Brunt will get on the score-sheet.

Verdict: Safe. They’ve got a tricky run-in, with Chelsea and Spurs around the corner, but Roy Hodgson will keep it tight at the back and earn enough points to keep them up.

PREDICTION:

13th West Brom
14th West Ham
15th Aston Villa
16th Wolves
17th Blackpool
18th Birmingham
19th Blackburn
20th Wigan

How to beat Barcelona...

Last night, Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League by a far superior Barcelona side. There’s no shame in that; I don’t think anyone will succeed in overcoming the Catalan giants in this year’s tournament. They aren’t perfect though - Arsenal scored six times in the four encounters between the two, and possibly should have scored more. If you attack them, you might score, but by doing that you’re leaving yourself open at the back and they’ll probably score more than you.

Jose Mourinho proved with his Inter side last season that Barcelona are beatable, but that was courtesy of one of the finest defensive displays ever witnessed in the Champions League. To beat them by attacking them is another thing. It’s an almighty task for any opponent, and you could argue that succeeding against them is as psychological as it is technical. You need: a) patience, b) concentration, and c) most importantly, luck. In the second leg at the Nou Camp, Arsenal managed, at most, one out of three.

It must be incredibly frustrating chasing shadows as most teams do when facing Guardiola’s side - mentally exhausting, and I have sympathy with Arsenal’s attack, who failed to manage one shot on goal last night. Once they managed to get the ball off them, they couldn’t find space; they were surrounded by blue and red, and on the rare occasion that space became available, they couldn’t take advantage.

So how do you beat Barcelona?

1) Pace

Arsenal looked most dangerous when running at the Barcelona defence. I thought Wilshere and Nasri were excellent - Nasri made several dashes down the left, and one of those led to the corner from which Busquets headed into his own net. For me, this highlighted how much they missed Walcott last night. He has his critics - decision making perhaps isn’t his forte, but his lethal pace frightens the life out of defences. Barcelona play so high up the pitch, so there is a vast area of space to run into if they give the ball away (see Bendtner goal last season).

2) Set Pieces

Barcelona don’t do set pieces. When they get a corner, they normally play it short, or look for a pass to start another 200 pass move. So inevitably, defending corners makes them uncomfortable. They aren’t a big side, so any crosses into the box can be a problem, as seen by the panic which resulted in a clumsy own goal last night. Nikola Zigic is a pretty hopeless player, but Barcelona would have been scared stiff of him if he was in an Arsenal shirt last night.

3) Don’t play them at their own game

They have the three most technically gifted players in world football: Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi. The speed in which they can find space, control the ball with the perfect touch, and then play it to a team-mate is incredible. Arsenal are excellent at this type of football; the best in the Premier League, but they struggled to string together three passes in a row last night. Off the ball, Barcelona are as good as they are with the ball. They don’t worry about the player who is free, they just make sure the ball doesn’t get to him. This makes it even more important to play to their weaknesses - pace, width and height.

4) Have a full strength first eleven  

There isn’t much a manager can do to guarantee the fitness of his first choice eleven. It’s a long season, and if you want to compete in all competitions, you will get injuries. Arsenal certainly would have been a greater threat to Barcelona had Walcott been available, and a fully fit Cesc Fabregas may have influenced the game as he would have hoped. Whether Arsenal would have beaten them is another matter, but there are enough frailties in Barcelona’s defence to suggest that they are far from invincible.

5) Get lucky

Arsenal had their share of luck over the two legs: Messi had a perfectly good goal ruled out for offside in the first leg, and at the Nou Camp, the same player may have felt hard done by when the referee didn’t give a penalty for a blatant foul. Whether it was inside the box is debatable, but it was one of many decisions that referee Massimo Busacca got horribly wrong. The major piece of luck that Arsenal did not receive, was the crazy second yellow card shown to Dutch striker Robin Van Persie for kicking the ball away after the whistle was blown. Whether he heard the whistle or not is irrelevant; how the referee deemed it as time-wasting is baffling. It’s not like he kicked the ball into row Z, and it wasn’t the 89th minute, so wasting time at this point in the game wouldn’t have been in Van Persie’s mind. However, common sense didn’t prevail, and the Dutchman was sent off, making Arsenal’s task near impossible. If he had stayed on the pitch, would he have converted the chance that Nicklas Bendtner missed? Possibly. It would have been a win coated with fortune for the Gunners, but injustice in football is common, and in most cases, required, to beat the mighty Barcelona.

Mighty - yes. Perfect - no. They have weaknesses, and if you try to exploit those flaws; run at them and get some high crosses into the box, they are beatable. However, you’ve also got to hope that they have an off day and you get the rub of the green. Possible. Unlikely, but possible.

Ronaldo wasn’t the luckiest, but he definitely was one of the best

Every lover of football has a hero from when they first started watching the great game. I, amongst many others my age, was extremely fortunate to witness the skill, strength, and speed of the Brazilian legend Ronaldo whilst I was growing up. He must have inspired millions of children all over the world to start playing football, and there must be thousands of current professionals who owe a debt of gratitude to Il Fenomeno for educating them on how to play the game properly.

Today, Ronaldo announced his decision to retire from professional football at the age of 34. He had been plying his trade at Brazilian side Corinthians, and was expected to retire at the end of the season, but defeat in the Copa Libertadores (the South American Champions League) has led him to quit the game prematurely. However, his move away from Europe and AC Milan in 2008 was effectively an unspoken retirement. His lack of fitness meant he could no longer perform at the highest level, and the injury he sustained at Milan when jumping for a cross against Livorno was the beginning of the end.

In that match in 2008, Ronaldo ruptured his kneecap ligament, and it was not the first time he had suffered such an injury. On several other occasions earlier in his career, during his time at Inter Milan, and Real Madrid, he was sidelined because of his knees. These injuries have led many to query whether his spells out of football define his career with the question: “what if?”. But as someone who has always admired the many qualities of the Brazilian, I believe that his ability to return from injury on many occasions, at different clubs, in different leagues, and still perform to an incredible standard, make him the most talented footballer of the last twenty years.

He played for four of the greatest and most famous clubs in world football: Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and AC Milan, and left his mark on all. My favourite memories of him were whilst he was playing at the Nou Camp at the beginning of his career. Whilst it was only a short spell, some of the goals he scored were beyond belief. At Barca, he scored 47 times in just 49 appearances, and the majority of them were great goals.

He had the knack of getting on the end of a through ball even if the defender had several yards on him; his speed and strength made him resemble a steam train, barging his way through defences. And then when he found himself one on one with the keeper, it was impossible to guess what he would do. Such was his speed, the goalkeeper barely had time to react to a first time strike, and if he chose to round the keeper, his quick feet left his opponent wrong footed and on their backside, watching the ball being rolled into an empty net.

There were headers, penalties, tap-ins, the occasional 25 yard screamer, and he didn’t mind using his left or right foot; both were effective during his glittering spell at Barcelona. That’s not to suggest that when he left the club he didn’t continue in that vein; Inter Milan and Real Madrid benefited greatly from his goals and performances. It’s true that injuries did spoil his time in Milan and Madrid, but the stats confirm his greatness throughout: 59 goals in 99 appearances for Inter, and 104 in 177 for Real, which of course included that famous hat-trick in the quarter final of the Champions League against Manchester United, where the Old Trafford faithful stood and applauded the Brazilian’s performance.

If that wasn’t enough, his CV also boasts 15 World Cup goals, which no other player in history can match: those goals helping his country to lift the trophy on two occasions. Throw in some awards: three time World Player of the Year (only matched by Zinedine Zidane), two time European Player of the Year, the 1998 World Cup Golden Ball, the 2002 World Cup Golden Shoe, and us Brits recognised his qualities as well, awarding him the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.

The fact that he achieved so much despite his injuries, highlight what a phenomenon he really was. Of course people will ask the question, “What if?”, but Ronaldo should not be looked back on by questioning what he could have achieved. He was unlucky with injuries, and quite possibly made bad decisions when choosing clubs, but judge him by what he did on the pitch, which was sensational. At the end of Messi’s career, will people question his greatness if he fails to win a World Cup with Argentina? There seems to be a criteria that has to be matched in order for a footballer to be given legendary status, but like all professions, an element of luck aids great success. Ronaldo wasn’t the luckiest, but he definitely was one of the best - a legend. 

Brighton vs. Hartlepool, Saturday 12th February, Kick-off: 3pm

Sports Saturday with Ben Holt, 2-6pm, Juice 107.2, www.juicebrighton.com
 
Build up to the game begins at 2pm, featuring interviews with manager Gus Poyet, and midfielder Gary Dicker, and from 3pm we'll have regular updates from the Withdean and around the country. Plus, the chance to win an Brighton & Hove Albion home shirt.
 

February is the month where Albion will see who their real promotion rivals are. It’s not particularly clear at the moment - as soon as a team look to be the one to challenge, they concede a last minute goal and drop points (see Bournemouth and Southampton last Saturday).

So who are the main title and promotion contenders?

The in-form team at the moment is Lee Clark’s Huddersfield, with a finely balanced squad including plenty of goalscorers - Jordan Rhodes, Gary Roberts, Anthony Pilkington, and returning striker Danny Cadamarteri, all on the score-sheet recently. An excellent run seeing them earn 17 points from a possible 21 has placed them in 3rd position, a point behind Bournemouth with a game in hand. We may find out in the next couple of weeks if they are the team to challenge Albion, as their next two games are against fellow promotion hopefuls Oldham and Bournemouth.

Southampton are still second favourites with the bookies, but despite all the talent they’ve got, last Saturday’s 4-4 thriller at London Road will be a worry for Nigel Adkins. The Saints led by two goals twice, but were pegged back by the Posh and dropped two vital points. Since thrashing Oldham 6-0 last month, they’ve only managed five points from a possible twelve. They host Carlisle on Saturday; a must-win for Adkin’s side.

Charlton have done well since bringing in Chris Powell; they’ve won three and drawn one, and still have a couple of games in hand over the teams around them. Bradley Wright-Phillips is a perfect signing for them, as he’s shown already with two goals in as many games, and with experienced players such as Johnnie Jackson and Christian Dailly, they’ve got a great chance of getting automatic promotion. Their last three matches have seen three wins and three clean sheets, but on Saturday they face Peterborough, who have scored nine in two matches.

As for Bournemouth, how costly will conceding that Dean Cox equaliser last Saturday prove to be? The Cherries are being written off for a top two finish because of the number of games they’ve played, but credit where credit is due, if the Cherries had avoided a last minute Orient equaliser on Saturday, Lee Bradbury would have taken 13 points from 5 games as manager. With trips to strugglers Walsall and Bristol Rovers coming next, it’s a great opportunity to keep the pressure on Albion. But anything other than 6 points from those two games, and a play-off spot will surely be their best chance of gaining promotion.

For Brighton & Hove Albion, it’s very simple: keep doing what they’ve been doing and the wonderful new stadium at Falmer will be hosting Championship football next season. A win against Hartlepool on Saturday would almost guarantee top-spot for another week. It’s a remarkable achievement to think that they’ve been top since September, but they don’t want to surrender their spot at the summit. Maintaining 1st place is somewhat out of Gus Poyet’s hands; if Bournemouth win all their remaining games in February, they will go top, but having played four more than Albion. The important thing is for Brighton to ignore the teams around them and the league table, and instead focus on themselves. The pressure is on the rivals to keep getting results, and that is not a pressure which Gus Poyet envies. 

Last 5 matches:
Brighton:
W (2-4 Bristol Rovers away)
D (0-0 Leyton Orient away)
W (0-1 Watford away)
W (2-0 Colchester home)
L (1-0 Bournemouth away)

Hartlepool:
W (1-0 Colchester home)
L (4-0 Oldham away)
D (1-1 Notts County home)
L (4-0 Peterborough away)
D (0-0 Bristol Rovers away) 

Albion's starting line-up vs. Bristol Rovers (last game):
Ankergren, Greer, El-Abd, Calderon, Painter, Bennett, Dicker, Bridcutt, Barnes, Murray (Sandaza), Wood (Noone); Subs not used: Brezovan, Elphick, Taricco, Battipiedi, Holroyd 

Bristol Rovers vs. Brighton, Saturday 5th February, Kick-Off: 3pm

 Sports Saturday with Ben Holt, 2-6pm, Juice 107.2, www.juicebrighton.com
 
Build up to the game begins at 2pm, featuring interviews with assistant manager Mauricio Taricco, and defender Marcos Painter, and from 3pm we'll have regular updates from the Memorial Stadium and around the country. Plus, the chance to win a football signed by the Albion team.


In my last blog, I suggested that February is possibly more important to the chasing pack than it is to Brighton. That’s not to say that having a good month isn’t thoroughly important to Gus Poyet’s team, but Bournemouth, currently in second place, have seven matches in February compared to Brighton’s five. Therefore, Lee Bradbury’s side will finish the month having played four more than the current league leaders. The fixture list has taken control, and Brighton’s league position come March is somewhat out of their hands; if the Cherries have a perfect month, they will be top of the table at the end of it. The question is, can Bournemouth, and the other chasers, take advantage of the extra games and put Albion under serious pressure?

Midweek results suggest they can indeed. A rather flat performance against Leyton Orient which Gus Poyet labelled as “the worst game we have been involved with this season” was disappointing enough. But to see Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Southampton, Oldham, MK Dons, Peterborough and Charlton all winning, would have added insult to injury. In fairness, a point at Leyton Orient (unbeaten at Brisbane Road in the league since September) isn’t a bad point. And it’s very rare to see a fixture list where none of the top 8 are facing each other. But those results mean that Albion have a lead of just a point at the top of the table.

Saturday brings Brighton another opportunity to show why they deserve to be top, as they travel to the Memorial Stadium to face Dave Penney’s struggling Bristol Rovers. The Pirates have had a torrid week, suffering a 6-1 mauling at bottom side Walsall last weekend, and then a 2-1 defeat at home to MK Dons on Wednesday. On paper, this is a hugely winnable game for Albion, but playing the league leaders could encourage the Rovers players to raise their game. In their defeat midweek, they conceded a goal after just 45 seconds; I’m sure Gus Poyet would love an early goal on Saturday to settle any nerves.

Failure to beat the Bristol side could see Albion losing top-spot for the first time in over four months. Bournemouth host Leyton Orient, who are unbeaten since their 5-0 defeat at the Withdean on New Years Day, and can boast some impressive wins against Norwich and Swansea in the FA Cup. So it’s by no means a foregone conclusion that the Cherries win earn a home win, but Gus will be looking to avoid any possibility of going second, by getting all three points.

Last 5 matches:
Brighton:
D (0-0 Leyton Orient away)
W (0-1 Watford away)
W (2-0 Colchester home)
L (1-0 Bournemouth away)
W (3-1 Peterborough home)


Bristol Rovers:
L (1-2 MK Dons home)
L (6-1 Walsall away)
W (3-1 Swindon home)
D (0-0 Hartlepool home)
L (4-0 Carlisle away)


Albion's starting line-up vs. Leyton Orient (last game):
Ankergren, Greer, El-Abd, Calderon, Painter, Bennett, Sparrow (Noone 57), Dicker, Bridcutt, Barnes, Murray (Wood 58); Subs not used: Brezovan, Elphick, Battipiedi, Holroyd, Sandaza

Welcome to February - Can Albion's rivals use their extra fixtures to catch up?

Welcome to February. What a relief to have made it through January without losing anyone. Off the pitch, it was an incredibly nervous time for Albion - constant rumours about Elliott Bennett, Glenn Murray, and Inigo Calderon moving to various Championship clubs. But these rumours didn’t seem to have any impact on the pitch, as the Seagulls glided through January with only the Cherries preventing a 100% record for 2011 so far.

February will finish with Albion having several games in hand over rivals. Southampton and Huddersfield have six games this month, and Bournemouth have seven compared to Albion’s five. So it’s a big opportunity for the sides below to take advantage, and really put pressure on Gus Poyet’s team to perform in a crucial March.

THIS IS HOW THE LEAGUE ONE TABLE LOOKS NOW:

                                       PLAYED         PTS    
BRIGHTON                           25            49       
BOURNEMOUTH                 27            46       
HUDDERSFIELD                  26            43       
SOUTHAMPTON                  25            41
OLDHAM                               26            40   
MK DONS                              27            40       
PETERBOROUGH                25            39

THIS IS HOW THE TABLE WILL LOOK ON FEB 28th BASED ON CURRENT FORM, LIKELY RESULTS, AND IF NO TEAM HAS A BRILLIANT RUN:       
 
                                       PLAYED    PTS  

BRIGHTON                     30            60
BOURNEMOUTH          34             59
SOUTHAMPTON            31            53
HUDDERSFIELD            32            53
PETERBOROUGH          32            52
OLDHAM                         33            51
MK DONS                        34            51

Of course, it is ridiculous to predict what is going to happen, because there have been so many crazy results this season. But if Albion get to March with 60 points, top of the table with 4 games in hand over Bournemouth, Gus Poyet will be extremely happy.

For Albion to lose their great position, it will take either a huge collapse, or one or two of their rivals having brilliant runs. So far this season, no team apart from Albion have shown the form to suggest they will be in the Championship next season.

If none of their rivals have a run of form in February, Albion can be quietly confident of competing in the second tier of English football next season.      

Brighton vs. Colchester United, Tuesday 25th January, Kick-off: 7.45

You can follow us on Twitter now: @sports_saturday.
Sports Saturday with Ben Holt, 2-6pm, Juice 107.2, www.juicebrighton.com


As far as defeats go, Saturday’s result at Dean Court wasn’t a terrible one. Most Albion fans have accepted that their side weren’t at their best, and Bournemouth, buoyed by Lee Bradbury’s first home game in charge, were impressive. It’s always disappointing to lose, but with Southampton also suffering a surprise defeat at Prenton Park (check out Dale Jennings goal for Tranmere if you get a chance), the League One table is still looking favourable for the Seagulls.

Tuesday night’s match against Colchester United is an opportunity to right the wrongs from Saturday, and with most of Albion’s challengers not in action, a win would see Gus Poyet’s team extend their lead at the top to six points.

John Ward’s Colchester have been rather inconsistent lately, unable to match the excellent run of results they managed at the end of October into early November. Since earning ten points from a possible twelve back in the autumn, the U’s have failed to get back to back wins, but the victory at home to Bournemouth and Saturday’s goalless draw at Huddersfield will give them confidence against the league leaders.

However, Brighton’s home form has been imperious: undefeated, with eight wins from twelve. Since the turn of the year, Albion have scored eleven in their three home matches, and the strikers have been responsible for nine of those goals. A lot of eyebrows were raised over the decision to relegate top scorer Glenn Murray to the bench for Saturday’s game, but Poyet has insisted there is no need for fans to worry about Murray’s future. It will be interesting to see the role he plays on Tuesday night. 

Last 5 matches:
Brighton:
L (1-0 Bournemouth)
W (3-1 Peterborough)
W (3-1 Portsmouth)
W (1-2 Exeter)
W (5-0 Leyton Orient)

Colchester:
D (0-0 Huddersfield)
W (2-1 Bournemouth)
L (4-0 Swansea)
L (4-2 Leyton Orient)
D (3-3 Charlton)


Albion's starting line-up vs. Bournemouth (last game):
Ankergren, Greer, El-Abd, Calderon, Painter, Bennett, Sparrow (Dicker 66), Bridcutt (Murray 67), Noone (Kishishev 66), Barnes, Wood; Subs not used: Brezovan, Elphick, Hart, Holroyd

Bournemouth vs. Brighton, Saturday 22nd January, Kick-off: 3pm

Sports Saturday with Ben Holt, 2-6pm, Juice 107.2, www.juicebrighton.com
 
Build up to the game begins at 2pm, featuring interviews with Gus Poyet and keeper Casper Ankergren, and from 3pm we'll have regular updates from Dean Court and around the country. Plus, the chance to win 2 tickets for Tuesday night's match at the Withdean: Albion vs Colchester.
 
Albion’s 3-1 home win over Darren Ferguson’s Peterborough last Saturday continued their push for automatic promotion, putting them four points clear at the top of League One. However, it wasn’t plain sailing for the Seagulls; Gus Poyet’s team survived a couple of late scares to secure their fourth win on the trot. It was Ferguson Junior’s first game of his second spell in charge of the Posh, making it a difficult game for Albion to prepare for, not knowing what to expect from their opposition.

It’s a similar scenario this weekend, as they travel to Dean Court, where Bournemouth have just appointed veteran striker Lee Bradbury as caretaker manager, after Eddie Howe and his assistant Jason Tindall announced their move to Championship side Burnley. It will be Bradbury’s second match in charge of the Cherries, after starting life as boss with a goalless draw at Spotland on Tuesday night.

It promises to be an intriguing match; Bournemouth’s league position is mainly down to their excellent home form, winning 9 out of 12, and scoring 31 goals, but Brighton have only conceded 9 goals in 11 away matches.

There is also an element of revenge in this match, as Albion were denied all three points in the reverse fixture back in October, when Tommy Elphick was ruled to have handled the ball inside the box, resulting in a penalty for the Cherries. Marc Pugh slotted it home, and Kazenga Lua Lua’s brilliant strike was cancelled out.

However, Gus Poyet insists that October’s controversy will have no bearing on the way his team approach the match; “if it was something between the two clubs or the players I would be worried, but because it was all about the referee, I think that it’s just history”.

Last 5 Matches:
Brighton:
W (3-1 Peterborough)
W (3-1 Portsmouth)
W (1-2 Exeter)
W (5-0 Leyton Orient)
D (1-1 Charlton)

Bournemouth:
D (0-0 Rochdale)
L (2-1 Colchester)
W (3-0 Plymouth)
W (3-1 Brentford)
W (1-2 Swindon)

Albion’s starting line up vs. Peterborough (last game):
Ankergren, Greer, El-Abd, Calderon, Painter, Bennett, Sparrow (Kishishev 73), Bridcutt, Noone (Dicker 58), Murray (Barnes 79), Wood; Subs not used: Brezovan, Elphick, Holroyd, Sandaza

Arrogance in sport, and why Mr Balotelli really winds me up...

Arrogance can be charming. If someone is truly great at something, it can make them more memorable, and ambitious understudies and onlookers will stand up and take note. They want to be recognised for what they can do, and what they have achieved. It can be inspirational. And we all love to be inspired.

There have been some wonderful sporting figures who have exuded confidence and charisma, to the extent that they can be accused of being arrogant. This self-assuredness can be communicated in two forms: through words, and through actions. The former is a more blatant expression of egotism; if you are in the public eye, your words are read and heard to be analysed and examined.

Different sports breed different levels of arrogance in it’s performers. Generally, this is down to the traditions and popularity of the sport, the intensity in which it is conducted, and of course, money. Compare football with cricket: two very different sports with very different types of athlete. Sportsmanship in cricket is traditionally very important, and arrogance is often frowned upon, whereas footballers can, relatively speaking, get away with murder. 

In the fourth test of the Ashes, Australia captain Ricky Ponting was fined 40% of his match fee for arguing with umpire Aleem Dar about a decision to not give England’s Kevin Pietersen out. It is against the rules to “argue or enter into a prolonged discussion with the umpire about his decision”; rules and traditions are there to be followed and respected. But Ponting’s punishment was not so much the financial loss, but rather the shame of going against the traditional good will of the game. Cricketers should never be bad losers.

In contrast, footballers are always seen “discussing” incidents with the match officials, and very often the disagreements turn aggressive. Punishment for improper conduct is often a fine, and occasionally a ban, but this rarely prevents a similar incident happening the following week. Because of their salary, footballers have no need to worry about either the fine, or the potential “shame”. Rightly or wrongly, it is expected that they will react angrily about a decision going against them. Footballers have the freedom to do as they wish, and very often get away with just a slap on the wrist.

It is perhaps this freedom which allows many footballers to be as outspoken as they like; they consider themselves to be bigger than the sport they participate in. Earning big bucks at the age of 17 or 18 can’t be good for the development of a young sportsman, and it is important that the individual is managed very carefully. It is difficult to be critical of a teenage millionaire whose actions are often irresponsible and naive, because I can never be put into their shoes, but when you compare two talented young footballers who have approached success in very different ways, it cannot be argued which of the two is the better role model.

Lionel Messi is currently the world’s greatest footballer, and the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch is highly commendable. He must constantly get reminded that he is the best, yet he still manages to appear modest and deflect any personal attention onto his team-mates. When asked about being nominated for the Ballon d’Or once again, he responded, “I would love to get it, but I believe the World Cup will have a big sway in the final decision. What I wish for most is for the Ballon d’Or to remain in our changing room.” Millions of kids will watch him play and hear him speak, and as a result will want to be like him. He realises his responsibility as a role model, and embraces it.

But a lot of footballers don’t appear to understand their importance in popular culture, or perhaps they do understand it, and choose to abuse their power. Manchester City’s new Italian striker Mario Balotelli recently claimed that the aforementioned Messi is the only player in the world to be superior to him. He also claimed to not know who Jack Wilshere was, after the Arsenal and England midfielder was named second to Balotelli as the best young player in Europe. His comments showed an incredible lack of respect, and they were completely unnecessary.

If his words weren’t enough, his actions have added to his reputation. His reaction to being subbed against West Ham was unbelievable, ignoring his manager and marching furiously down the tunnel. He has also been photographed clashing with team-mates in training, and is happy to criticise others during matches if they aren’t performing to his high standards.

His reputation as a “bad-boy” won’t help him; in fact, we have already seen an example this season of it possibly hindering him. In the match against West Brom, he was sent off somewhat harshly after a tangle with Youssouf Mulumbu, which led to a three match ban. It was a decision that was possibly influenced by the image that the Italian has created for himself.

It is clear that Balotelli is a gifted footballer; he looks capable of being a top player, but he is nowhere near the finished article yet. His actions and words on and off the pitch are unacceptable and disrespectful, regardless of his ability. If you think you are that good, then show us, don’t tell us. I think it is really important that players understand the role that they play off the pitch. Kids look up to these guys; they buy stickers with their faces on them, and try to emulate them in everything they do. That’s worrying if they’re idolising certain individuals. 

Perhaps I’m being harsh on Mario Balotelli for singling him out; he’s certainly not the sole offender, but he has absolutely no right to come out and say the things he’s said. As a footballer, he has the luxury of being able to say and do what he likes (to an extent), and a fine is hardly going to curb his attitude. It is down to those around him to guide and advise him to concentrate on his job, because one day, he might just be the best in the world at it.

Brighton vs. Peterborough, Saturday 15th January 2010, Kick-off: 3pm

Build up to the game begins at 2pm on Sports Saturday with Ben Holt, followed by half time and full time reports, as well as regular updates from the Withdean and around the country - Juice 107.2, www.juicebrighton.com

The terrific FA Cup win against Pompey last weekend showed that Albion are capable of competing with Championship sides. Their reward for the 3-1 win is a trip to Vicarage Road in the 4th round, to face another Championship side; high flying, free scoring Watford.

But forget about that for now, it’s back to business in League One for the Seagulls, as Gus Poyet’s men look to continue their good run of form against fellow promotion hopefuls, Peterborough.

At the end of October, Albion secured the three points in the reverse fixture at London Road, with a convincing 3-0 win - Ashley Barnes with a birthday double, and Spanish full back Inigo Calderon completing an amazing October with his third goal of the month.

Halfway through January, and Albion still sit at the top of the table, but with other teams ready to pounce should they slip up. Nigel Adkin’s Southampton are looking the most likely to threaten Brighton’s three and a half month stay at the top - the Saints put six past Oldham on Tuesday night.

Whilst other clubs in League One (and elsewhere) continue to trade, sack and/or re-hire managers, it will be great for Albion fans that Gus Poyet seems to be staying put. One club caught up in the managerial merry-go-round is Saturday’s opponents, Peterborough, who have just named Darren Ferguson as manager, 14 months after leaving the club by mutual consent. Fergie Jr will be hoping for a better display than his predecessor Gary Johnson witnessed back in the autumn.

The Facts:
BRIGHTON
Unbeaten at home this season (7 wins in 11)
Scored 23, Conceded 8 at the Withdean
Since defeat at Huddersfield on December 11th, strikers Glenn Murray, Ashley Barnes, Chris Wood and Fran Sandaza have contributed 11 goals in 4 matches.

PETERBOROUGH
Unbeaten in the league since the 4-1 defeat to Southampton on November 20th.
Lost half of their away games in the league.
Scored 13, Conceded 18 away from home

Top Goalscorers:
Craig Mackail-Smith (P’Boro) - 11 goals
Glenn Murray (Brighton) - 11 goals
Ashley Barnes (Brighton) - 9 goals
 

No Premiership players made the 2010 FIFA World Team of the Year - Luckily, I'd rather have the best league in the world

2010 was a bad year for English football; no English side reached the last four of the Champions league, our national team were embarrassed in South Africa, and the FIFA Team of the Year included no English or Premier League players. The 2009 team featured FIVE players from the Premiership: John Terry, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Steven Gerrard, and Fernando Torres. For 2010, FIFA picked the majority of the Barcelona team (six players), plus a small selection of talent from Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

FIFA/FIFPRO WORLD XI 2010: Casillas (Real Madrid), Maicon (Inter), Puyol (Barcelona), Lucio (Inter), Pique (Barcelona), Sneijder (Inter), Xavi (Barcelona), Iniesta (Barcelona), Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Messi (Barcelona), Villa (Barcelona).

It’s hardly surprising though that no Premiership players made it, and to be honest I can’t really argue with the choices. Rio Ferdinand complained on Twitter about his team-mate not getting included, “Where was Rooney after last seasons performances and goals?”. Unfortunately for Rooney, injury and poor form prevented him from getting a place in the dream team. And who from the Premiership deserved to get in the team? The usual suspects are Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, and Cesc Fabregas, but none of these players were injury free, and/or consistently excellent. Also, as can be seen from the final list, it helps if you play for a brilliant team. And no Premiership team were brilliant last year.

Messi won the FIFA Balon D’Or (the FIFA World Player of the Year and Balon D‘Or have merged) - and quite rightly. The only reason it was ever a doubt that he would win, was because he isn’t Spanish. But it’s not his fault his national team was managed by the debt-ridden, former cocaine addict El Diego. If Messi was part of the World Cup winning Spain side, he’d be a shoo-in for the prize. Not that Iniesta or Xavi were anything other than wonderful, but the effect that the little Argentinean has had on football makes him a deserved winner of anything.

I also think it’s good that a player who didn’t lift the World Cup has won it. Normally a World Cup winner gets the World Player of the Year title - even defender Fabio Cannavaro won it after captaining Italy to victory. I’d like to see a player from a smaller footballing nation win it one day; maybe a Gareth Bale or Samuel Eto’o (the Cameroon international won Bronze in the 2005 World Player of the Year). I suppose the extra exposure of performing for your country boosts your chances of winning, and it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see Wales or Cameroon make a big impact in a World Cup. Although the fact that Messi won the award, despite his country’s failures in South Africa, suggests if you’re good enough, your club form is what matters.

Back to the World Team of Year, and will any Premiership players make the grade in 2011? That depends on three things:

1) Can they stay fit all year?
2) Can they be consistently excellent all year?
3) Can their team achieve great things?

If an English team wins the Champions League, we’ll be guaranteed of at least a couple of Premiership players making the team. But I think Barcelona will win it (unless Jose can thwart their rivals), and I can’t imagine Messi, Xavi and Iniesta losing their place, whilst Ronaldo has now scored more goals than appearances for Real Madrid (48 in 47), which is insane.

So there’s not much room for the likes of Rooney, Drogba and Fabregas, and Torres isn’t doing too much to suggest he deserves a place in the Liverpool XI, never mind the World XI. Plus, he plays for Liverpool. Defensively, the centre back pairing at Manchester United will surely be strongly considered if they stay fit, whilst Ashley Cole is always a good bet. And can Gareth Bale improve on his 2010?  If he does, he could sneak in.

The 2010 World Team of the Year suggests that the Premier League cannot boast to have the best players in the world. I don’t think our league lacks talent, it’s just the Spanish national side are quite possibly the best national team ever, and it so happens that most of their squad also play for Barcelona, who are quite possibly the best domestic team ever. Man United are currently the best team in England, but who in their midfield or attack would get into the Barcelona side? In my opinion, no-one.

But the Spanish league is a two-horse race, whilst this Premiership season is proving to be one of the most exciting ever, with five sides in the hunt. Nine points separate 1st placed United and 5th placed Chelsea. In La Liga, 13 points separate 1st placed Barcelona and 3rd place Villarreal. I prefer a league where there are no guarantees. Barcelona and Real Madrid have won 31 from a total of 36 league games between them. The two top sides in the Premiership, the Manchester clubs, have won just 24 from 42 league games between them. Expect the unexpected.

The Team of the Year is a good indicator of the best players in the world, but not the best league in the world; which is, without question, the Premier League.