In a game that could prove defining in their respective seasons Bolton and Blackburn go head-to-head in an epic relegation six pointer at Ewood Park.

Steve Kean is under huge pressure to turn his side’s campaign on it’s head and lift them out of the bottom three. It’s been reported that this game will determine Kean’s future at Ewood Park with the clubs owners supposedly weighing whether to sack their second manager in the space of the year after defeat to West Brom on Saturday. The coach turned manager has been walking the tightrope ever since he replaced Sam Allardyce last December and is now on the brink of losing his job after collecting just 32 points from the 37 games he’s taken charge of. Performances haven’t exactly been terrible this season with Rovers usually losing by the odd goal and rarely finding themselves on the end of a hiding. However in a results driven business playing well whilst losing games isn’t going to keep you in the top flight and Kean is likely to pay the price for that. His cause hasn’t been helped this season with injuries decimating his back four and he goes into the game against Bolton without five first team defenders. That means the onus will once again be placed on Yakubu to score the goals necessary to ensure all three points. The Nigerian hasn’t scored in the last couple of games since scoring four against Swansea but he is sure find the net coming up against the Trotters brittle rearguard.

Bolton have endured an awful season to date slumping to the foot of the table after losing 13 of their 16 games this season. The manner in which they lost at Fulham on Saturday will have annoyed Owen Coyle who continues to shoulder the burden of his side’s spiritless performances. The Scot admitted that their current position is ‘absolutely killing him’ and losing to Rovers could just tip him over the edge. Defeat would certainly enhance the prospect of relegation considering West Brom are the only team in the history of the Premier League to beat the drop despite being bottom at Christmas. That same fate is unlikely to befall Bolton if they continue to play like they did at the weekend with the Cottagers easing to a 2-0 success. The lack of cohesion in defence and midfield along with a disturbing bluntness in attack made it another difficult afternoon for Coyle and co. The former Burnley boss needs his brood of experienced players to stand up and be counted with captain Kevin Davies, Gary Cahill, Nigel Reo Coker and Jussi Jaaskelainen all proven top-flight performers. Starting at Blackburn on Tuesday night would be the best Christmas present they could give their manager.

Blackburn 19th : 10 points

Team News: Blackburn have been crippled with injuries over the last few months and news that Scott Dann will be out for six-weeks with a groin injury will hit them hard. He joins Ryan Nelsen, Gael Givet, Martin Olsson, Junior Hoilett and Michel Salgado on the sidelines.

Key Player: Yakubu

The Nigerian has been a revelation since his switch from Everton in the summer giving Blackburn a goal scoring edge up front. Yakubu has made a career out of scoring goals and his habit of finding the net on a regular basis will be key to Rovers pulling away from danger going into the New Year.

Bolton 20th : 9 points

Team News: Bolton have David Wheater back from suspension but are still without seven key players. Gretar Steinsson and Chris Eagles could earn recalls after their bright displays at Fulham.

Key Player: Kevin Davies

If there was ever a time Bolton needed their inspirational skipper to step up then it is now. Davies has been a virtual bystander in the past couple of weeks as the Trotters continue to flounder with age seemingly catching up on the 34-year-old. Boss Owen Coyle needs Davies to start exerting more influence in games if they are to stand a chance of pulling away from danger.

PREDICTION

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

With so much riding on this game it’s likely both sides will sacrifice all defensive tactics and go out to win the game. Bolton have won only twice on their travels this season whilst Blackburn have lost six of their eight home games. For me the latter is the more likely of the two records to be broken on Tuesday night.

Score: 1-0

[ad_pod id=’writer-2′ align=’right’]

Arsene Wenger has stated that Arsenal have only themselves to blame after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Wolves at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

Gervinho opened the scoring for the home side after only eight minutes, but Mick McCarthy’s men stood firm and equalised before the break through in-form striker Steven Fletcher.

Despite Nenad Milijas being sent off late in the fixture, The Gunners could not find the winner and the spoils were shared, much to Wenger’s frustration.

“A second goal would have killed the game off,” the French coach told Sky Sports.

“But I believe it was a question of us not making a mistake until half-time, and not to let them back in the game if they have something to hang on to.

“If they had to come out a bit more, it would have been a different story. That is where we still lack a bit of maturity, because look at how we lost the ball just before the corner.

“And how we played them on, I think we can only blame ourselves because we have not done well on that.

“We had a bit of bad luck with one or two decisions going against us, and their goalkeeper had an outstanding game. We gave absolutely everything to win the game and I believe it’s important to keep the spirit,” he concluded.

The draw means that Arsenal remain in fifth place, and Wenger’s men wrap up 2011 by hosting QPR on Saturday.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

By Gareth McKnight

[ad_pod id=’writer-1′ align=’right’]

Everybody loves a cheeky backheel and the finest examples stay long in the memory. There was Zola’s magical flick against Norwich in 2002 and Kanu’s delightful finish against Middlesboro in 1999. Now Daniel Sturridge’s gem of a backheel against Sunderland earlier in the season has joined these classics.

There are a surprising variety of ways to score a backheel as this top 10 shows, none more unique than Laurent Robert’s effort for Newcastle, but despite this variety, all the goals are united by a deftness of touch and speed of thought.

While 9 times out of 10 a player is likely to get a rollicking from his manager for “Mickey Mouse football”, the moments when it comes off are priceless.

Now, the general standard of backheeled goals is pretty darn high so selecting a top ten is inevitably going result in a few classics going unheralded. The most notable absentees are Lee Sharpe’s flick against Barcelona in 1995 and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s finish against Italy in Euro 2004. But hopefully the final 10 will blow your socks off. Enjoy.

10. Thierry Henry (Arsenal Vs Charlton)

Standing with his back to goal and a man up his backside, Henry stabs it with the heel straight into the bottom corner. As with most of these efforts the keeper has absolutely no chance.

[youtube xKOHq4za9bM]

9. Gianfranco Zola (Chelsea vs Norwich)

One of the finest imports of continental flair, Zola showed everyone what the phrase really meant with this delightful finish at the near post. Also some classic congratulatory player bum slapping in the video too.

[youtube 1Z4DAaQe7Q4]

8. Kanu (Arsenal Vs Middlesboro)

Nwankwo Kanu has always had good feet for a big man, never better than this stunning finish against Boro. This is the most classic type of backheeled goal which in no way detracts from how difficult it is to get right.

[youtube w4Fk2v49NBg]

7. Coridon (PSG Vs Porto)

In at number 7 because it’s slightly untidy, this acrobatic effort really is perfectly executed playground stuff that shouldn’t really be attempted in the Champions League, still I’m sure he was glad he went for it.

[youtube 7heyW6vmnYI]

[divider]

Continued on Page TWO

[divider]

6. Roberto Mancini (Lazio Vs Parma)

Before the Man City manager became a huge scarf he did actually play football. Here he does everything exactly right, catching the ball perfectly and sending it straight into the top corner.(Very disappointing effort from the man on the front post though).

[youtube iW5WvVcMYCY]

5. Rafael Van der Vaart (Ajax Vs Feyenoord)

This is a stunning way to react when the ball’s played in behind you, the automatic reaction to throw yourself headlong past the ball and catch it with your feet isn’t particularly logical but it sure is effective.

[youtube aKiJLvOlXpQ]

4. Daniel Sturridge (Sunderland Vs Chelsea)

This certainly didn’t seem like the easiest way to get the ball in the net but it was definitely original and has the ever enjoyable bonus of the defender ending up in the net. A fantastically deft finish.

[youtube 9kmSxRHL3EM]

[divider]

Continued on Page THREE

[divider]

3. Amantino (Roma Vs Lazio)

This video has everything, fantastic goal in the local derby, classic dance anthem soundtrack and commentators going crazy, what could be better?

[youtube shoM-n4ec5o]

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

2. Laurent Robert (Newcastle Vs Fulham)

It’s hard to explain what the hell Laurent Robert is doing when he attempts this as there is no way this is the easiest way to hit the ball. Nonetheless he manages to put it away in breathtaking fashion. Not one to try in the playground.

[youtube sOiubzg_2_s]

1. Matty Burrows (Glentoran Vs Portadown)

Definitely from the Mickey Mouse school of finishing Burrows seriously risked looking like a prat with this effort but it came off and 5 million views later it’s still wowing people. Entirely intentional and inch perfect, it’s your textbook backheel lob. Very special.

[youtube KzAZTdyOXcA]

[divider]

Compiled by Phil Wroe

[divider]

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

[divider]

Just what is going on in North London? Arsenal are becoming almost the ultimate ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ team, producing week-by-week results and performances that swing uncontrollably between the sublime and the ridiculous.

Over the course of the last two weeks, Arsene Wenger’s men have produced two of the most lifeless displays in recent memory, as AC Milan and then Sunderland taught them two harsh lessons in football, only to follow up with a thrilling 5-2 derby victory over Tottenham. Players who failed to turn up during the Champions League tie became world-beaters and Arsenal suddenly looked like the team we all know they can be.

It’s this frustrating trend, which has soured the relationship between manager and fans to a level that has rarely been witnessed in the red half of North London. However, Wenger is not really the man who should be shouldering all of the blame, with the likes of Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott producing vastly differing displays from week to week.

Arsenal fans have been rather spoilt in recent years when it comes to the quality of the football witnessed along with the rewards it has reaped, and this has only served to pressure Wenger’s current crop of talented, yet inconsistent players. The ability is undoubtedly there with the vast majority of the current squad, it’s just the knack of producing these displays each week, which remains the issue. With the fans becoming increasingly frustrated, the air of anxiety around the ground has risen, and even the slightest trigger for abuse often serves as enough for a set of fans who feel they are witnessing an all too frequent set events.

[ad_pod id=’dfp-mpu’ align=’right’]

Theo Walcott has been severely abused by many Gunners fans this term, who have become frustrated by his hit-or-miss style. The England international has showed glimpses of his true ability all season linking up well with captain and goal-scoring hero Robin van Persie. But for every goal, assist or incisive run there will almost always be two or three mistakes, which seem to live far longer in the memory.

Yes, Wenger has a key role to play in motivating his players for each tie, but some of his stars look to be beyond motivation, as they drift aimlessly around the pitch, left in the wake of their more committed opponents. However, the next week this changes, as was the case with Rosicky who looked a totally different player against Spurs than he has on many occasions this season, creating space, and dictating many of the Gunners attacks. It’s these players who must be keeping Wenger awake at night, as any contemplating of selling can quickly be rebuffed by one good performance which shows just how talented said stars can really be.

As well as frustrating the manager, their level of displays must surely be effecting each individuals own perception of their abilities. Not many players in the Arsenal camp, who when looking back on the week, can pat themselves on the back, with the exception of van Persie. The inability to turn it on when their manager and team-mates are most in need is something that must surely be playing on their mind, and even if they no longer want to be at the club only performances of a high enough grade will be enough to gather interest for a move away.

It’s getting to the point now where some members of Wenger’s squad must ‘put up or shut up’ to keep their place in the squad. If this trend continues, the Frenchman will have to react severely, as missing out on Champions League football could lead to the likes of van Persie departing for pastures new. For everyone involved at the club this is an unthinkable state of affairs.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Have your say, follow @Alex_Hams on Twitter

[ffcvideo file=”tfcbep4″ type=”mp4″ image_type=”jpg”]

Swindon Town may be sitting pretty at the top of League Two with only ten games remaining but on Saturday they face another crucial clash in their quest for promotion as they travel to Gresty Road to take on in-form Crewe Alexandra.

The two sides last met on the first day of season when the Robins emerged victorious thanks to goals from Callum Kennedy, Oliver Risser and Aden Flint. However it will be a different contest tomorrow due to the changes in personal for both sides since August.

Both teams go into this game on the back of impressive results after Crewe beat Gillingham away 3-4 with an injury time winner coming from young sensation Max Clayton. While Swindon will be rightly full of confidence following a massive 1-0 home win over Cheltenham with in-form forward Paul Benson netting the only goal of the game after Cheltenham had earlier missed a penalty.

Swindon has been boosted by the return of Defender Aden Flint who has missed the last few months following a groin injury. Captain Paul Caddis is still not fit though, with the defender still nursing an ankle injury however he is expected to play a part in Tuesday’s top of the table clash against Torquay United at the County Ground.

New signing Lee Holmes is set to make his debut after completing his loan from Southampton in time. The 24-year-old winger had previously been on loan at Oxford and coincidently got both assists for the U’s against Swindon only a few weeks ago. Crewe have defender Carl Martin injured and fellow defender James Tunnicliffe has returned to parent club Wycombe after having an operation on a shoulder injury.

Both teams still have something to fight for as it gets toward the business end of the season with Swindon sitting quite comfortably at the top of League 2 and having aspirations of going on and winning the title which could result in a sweet double with the JPT final coming up against Npower League 1 side Chesterfield next Sunday at Wembley.

While our opponents Crewe still have ambitions of making the play-offs and they know beating Swindon would be a massive boost especially with fellow play-off chasers Oxford and Rotherham facing each other at the Kassam stadium.

The Alex manager Steve Davis has highlighted Robin’s striker Paul Benson as the main threat to his side and believes if they can keep him out of the game they have a massive chance of coming away with all three points. It could prove to be a very tight encounter with Crewe currently on an unbeaten run of six matches while Swindon have the best defence in the entire league so goals could be at a minimum. Both sides are in need of points to continue their respective fine seasons but hopefully it will be Swindon that prevails tomorrow to further increase our chances of becoming League Two Champions come May.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

By Swindon Town blogger Peter Huggins

[ad_pod id=’writer-2′ align=’right’]

They say there is no such thing as bad publicity but it’s hard to agree when football constantly finds itself decorating the back pages for all the wrong reasons. On occasion the detrimental coverage is inescapable and unwarranted but more often than not, certain individuals are only too willing to provide the nation’s press with all the ammunition they need.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish arguably tops of the list of such guilty parties with a bullish and uncouth attitude towards journalists that creates an uncomfortable and graceless viewing experience. He has seemingly failed to realise the importance of a symbiotic relationship with the media, instead creating an ‘us against them’ mentality – that has worn thin even with Millwall fans – and kept the Anfield club firmly in the tabloid firing line.

I have previously voiced my opinion regarding why I think post-match interviews should be scrapped, seeing as how they only offer an opportunity to create headlines that detract attention away from events on the pitch. The players and staff that descend down the tunnel are running purely on adrenaline, having endured a gruelling physical and psychological workout. The last thing they want to do is wander into the clutches of a swarm of reporters, desperate to probe and force a reaction with a flurry of difficult questions.

Players can only find the strength to summon answers from the traditional catalogue of football clichés whilst managers are understandably highly-strung and incredibly emotional. This is where Kenny perhaps trips himself up as his unyielding allegiance to the club will see him jump to its defence at the first sign of criticism. His commitment, whilst commendable, means he’s often guilty of ‘tunnel vision’, failing to consider both sides of an argument and instead firing off a string of abrupt and defiant retorts.

[ad_pod id=’dfp-mpu’ align=’right’]

His recent interview in the wake of Liverpool’s last gasp victory at Ewood Park acts as the perfect case in point. Dalglish is clearly irritable the moment Sky’s Andy Burton begins speaking, almost waiting to undermine the questions that come his way. Having been prompted to give his reasons why he thought his side could win the game Dalglish questioned why he had to explain himself, seemingly forgetting the popular question-answer format of a typical interview.

Dalglish continues to look agitated throughout, pushing his tongue firmly in his cheek as he refuses to comment on the game’s key discussion topics. After just two minutes Dalglish attempts to cut short the interview by pushing past Burton but finds his path blocked by the cameraman and has to make a hasty retreat. He deflects a question about the upcoming derby in the FA Cup semi-final and manages to sneak in a childish insult before making his exit. An all-together embarrassing series of events in which he could have simply conveyed his joy at grabbing an important 3 points and praised the match-winner Andy Carroll, who he failed to mention even once.

Dalglish is incredibly fortunate to have the unyielding admiration of the Liverpool support, especially as his antics have seen neutral fans develop somewhat of a distaste for the club. His comments only serve to invite unnecessary pressure that comes naturally to a club of Liverpool’s stature and has perhaps helped contribute to a number of unconvincing performances at home this season.

Of course Dalglish is not the only culprit, with almost every other manager in the Premier League being accountable for their fair share of rants, rudeness and walkouts. However, with Dalglish it feels like this is the default setting rather than a rare spectacle and his insolent approach may start to grate should results in the league continue to suffer. Liverpool need only look at Newcastle and their employment of Keegan/Shearer to remind themselves that such fairytale appointments aren’t always what’s best for the club.

Away from the pressure and stress of football management, Dalglish is often reported as a mild-mannered and charming individual. His press conferences for Liverpool TV are in stark contrast to those we see on mainstream platforms, which begs the question why Dalglish acts the way he does the moment a Sky microphone is thrust towards him. If Liverpool are to be allowed the time to re-establish themselves at the top of the table then it’s vital that Dalglish doesn’t allow the club’s vision to be repeatedly blinded by the media spotlight.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I’ll be deliberating who’s more likely to score in the FA Cup final, Carroll or Torres?

The award season is now upon us and as we look at the nominees for both the PFA player and young player of the year awards the debate is raging on twitter and forums at the selected few. While the general bone of contention is why no Newcastle players have made the list, given the season they have had, or how Daniel Sturridge was anywhere near the list especially when the likes of Phil Jones are surprisingly overlooked, considering his impressive start to his career at United. As always the nominations have split opinion and once again have supporters questioning the whole voting process in general.

I wonder how many of those chosen will make the PFA team of the year – in my view the hardest selection given the huge array of talent that have plied their trade in this Premier League season. I decided to have a go and why it was not easy; I think this line-up best represents what has so far been a fantastic Premier League year for football. I have opted for a 4-4-2 formation, as well as adding honourable mentions for those who were close to make to starting XI.

Click on David Silva to unveil the Premier League’s best XI for the 2011/12 season

[divider]

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[divider]

[ad_pod id=’dfp-mpu’ align=’right’]

Real Madrid have been credited with an interest in Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, and are weighing up a move for him in the transfer window, according to Mirror Football.

The Santiago Bernabeu side have won the Primera Division this term for the first time in four years, and Jose Mourinho is eager to strengthen his squad in the summer in light of a Barcelona backlash.

With Los Blancos also monitoring Robin van Persie’s contract situation, a move for combative midfielder Song is now on the cards too.

The battler has been one of the standout players in the Gunners revival this term, especially given injuries to Jack Wilshere and the sale of Cesc Fabregas.

Arsenal are thought to be reluctant to sell Song, and are eyeing a central midfield partnership between him and transfer target Yann M’Vila for next term.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

By Gareth McKnight

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

When the final whistle blew at the end of last season, few fans could’ve predicted how the following two months would go.

Admittedly, most of us expected a frustrating summer in regards to the usual let downs on the transfer front.

That followed by the same old explanations, but few predicted that we’d be discussing the possibility of a new owner come the start of July.

Unfortunately, this has only served to bring more frustration, as it is now three weeks since we were politely informed by the official site that there were people interested in investing into the future of Leeds.

There are only so many times anyone can get their hopes up over a rumour on Twitter or from somebody supposedly ‘In the know’, those days are now long gone, with almost anyone claiming to have any kind of information immediately dismissed as a wind up merchant.

Because of this there is a good chance that amongst all the fiction we may have missed the facts, with some rumours actually making sense when you give them more than a seconds thought.

The one in particular that I believe could actually have something in it, is that Leeds are currently going through the ‘due dilligence’ process. What this would mean is that the saga could well be coming to a close, as this process would not take place unless a deal looked to be agreed.

Another point worth remembering is that with major negotiations like the ones we hope have taken place at Leeds, there would be extremely strict rules regarding the confidentiality of the deal, so no news really could be good news.

Hopefully the end is in sight for us all, something really does have to give and it is clear that the fans are expecting something positive to come from the talks that have taken place. Most, it seems, would settle for literally anybody other than Ken Bates, and after seven years of lies who could honestly blame us?

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

In regards to the positive work Bates has done at Leeds, I am, as others are, in fact grateful to him for at least turning us into a profitable (if only via player sales) and seemingly well run club. Whilst I dont quite agree that he ‘saved us twice’ I do believe that it is completely in his interests to sell Leeds United this summer.

Ken, if you sell up, I’m more than happy to shake hands, call it quits and maybe even wave you off into the sunset. Maybe.

[ad_pod id=’writer-1′ align=’right’]

Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko must be enjoying his summer. Following helping guide his team to Premier League success after a 44 year wait, the Bosnian international then enjoyed a long holiday as his country failed to qualify for Euro 2012, and now he finds himself with a new Missus!

Bosnian model and actress Amra Silajdzic is Dzeko’s new girlfriend and both were spotted rubbing shoulders with Angelina Jolie at a Sarajevo film festival last week.

Having cost City £27 million in 2011, Dzeko began to fall out of favour at the Etihad towards the end of last season, and has since been linked to Bayern Munich and AC Milan, two popular European destinations, either of which will no doubt keep Silajdzic happy.

The new couple’s appearance in Sarajevo last week saw them covering the Bosnian tabloids, as Dzeko is the main man in national football and Silajdzic just as big a celebrity.

Click below to see Amra Silajdzic in action –  it’s fair to say we think he’s done alright for himself!