As we are currently in half-time extra time, Croatia and Turkey are still battling it out in a very entertaining 0-0 draw although Tyson Barrie Jersey we now need to see some goals or at least a thrilling penalty encounter. Croatia looked to be strong Patrick Roy Jersey to take the lead in many moments of the match with Turkey just showing their threats on Lanny McDonald Jersey occasions. But into extra time t seems Turkey are putting their act together more and are pushing to take advantage. Great Match so far eventhough they spoiled my stake with the draw having put my money on the mighty Croatians. I Really think that Nicolas Meloche Jersey Turkey have got what it takes to beat the thus over praised Croatians for their win against Germany and Turkeys spirit and determination will win them the match. Rustu has had an exceptional match so far replacing the Ben Smith Jersey suspended Volkan Demeriel!

MK Dons have joined Inverne s in the race to sign Scotland under-21 internationalist Calum Elliot. The young striker has had a tough time at Tynecastle over the last year or so, being subject to abuse from sections of the Hearts support after to a string of poor performances.Inverne s manager Craig Brewster has already had a loan bid rejected by Hearts, apparently for not offering to pay a high enough percentage of Elliots wages. Recently promoted, MK Dons now look favourites to sign the player, who has scored 10 goals in 77 first team appearances.A Hearts spokesman told the Scotsman newspaper Starlin Castro Jersey we are aware of interest from a number of clubs and MK Dons is one of them. As a Scotland under-21 international, Calum will be a valuable addition to another club and we will do what we can to create opportunities for him to develop his career.After breaking into the side at just 19 years of age during the 2005/06 season, when Hearts won the cup and finished 2nd in the league to Celtic, Elliot looked an exciting prospect. He found himself backup to Edgaras Jankauskas and Roman Bednar during that season, with third choice striker Michael Pospisil struggling with injury for most of the season. He managed 5 goals in 17 league starts and won SPL Young Player of the Month during that campaign.Elliot has made no secret of his Giancarlo Stanton Jersey intention to leave Hearts and both he and the Hearts support must be wondering a loan spell will be of any benefit at all. During his previous loan spell, at Motherwell for six months at the beginning of the 2006/07 SPL campaign, he scored twice in seventeen appearances and failed to make much of an impact. Since his return he seems half the player he once was.His poor performances over the last season have led to a tonne of abuse form the Hearts support. Some of this has obviously got to him and he looks visibly nervous when he plays now. When he receives the ball you can feel the anxiety from the crowd in anticipation of a blunder. When one of these inevitable mistakes come the support are Miami Marlins Custom Jersey on his back straight away and this makes him even more nervous.It is a shame to see such a young player get so much abuse in a team that is not performing well over all. Sometimes the abuse he received was directed at him but the frustration was coming from elsewhere. Had he been a blundering kid in a team playing well and sitting near the top of the league, many would look the other way. However, Wei-Yin Chen Jersey for much of last season the club were sitting in the bottom half of the league and the support were angry at the way the club was being run.I am not defending Elliots performances from last season, he was terrible; and the fact that he let the criticism get to him rather than stay mentally strong and prove everyone wrong shows a lack of profe sionalism. However, I dont think it is entirely his fault. When he was loaned to Motherwell, he was considered one for the future and Hearts were in a strong position and playing good football. When Elliot returned, Hearts were beginning their slow decline and he was expected to make more of an impact.Maybe Hearts shouldnt have loaned him out in the first place, this po sibly disrupted his development. Whether this time will be different is anyones gue s but a fresh start is exactly what Elliot needs and England would be the better option and a good experience. Personally I was surprised when I heard he was leaving on loan. I Martin Prado Jersey believed he wanted out permanently and also thought that this would be best for him. But if he makes this next loan spell a succe s, I would like to see him back at Tynecastle in a better Hearts team.

It was a close contest that never should have been >>>Shay Given (GK) Given was booed constantly during the game from the Sunderland fans and he seemed to do well to blank it out, especially on some short back-pa ses which he could have easily me sed up. Looked sharp in the first 30 mins but once Steed Ubaldo Jimenez Jersey Malbranque was given some room and created a few chances he didnt look very confident and this shone throughout the second period as his punching from several corners was shambolic. Still a hero after the UEFA Cup game and always will be, but needs to work on his kicking and co-ordination with the back four. 6.5Micah Richards (RB) Micah was having one of his best games for City until injury forced him off late in the second half. He looked up for it today and was at his attacking best, making some sublime over-lapping runs with SWP and knocking some great balls into the box. This was evident as he won the penalty which should have been buried. Didnt look his usual agitated self, he looked calm, cool and collected at the back. Back on form, superb game and superb goal. 9.5Richard Dunne (CB) Dunne is really finding his form again this year after an awkward and disaster-prone start to the season. He looks like a very confident player and with a little bit more communication at the back he will certainly be back on top form. Very good in the air against the mighty Jones and made a superb last ditch challenge to stop what looked like a certain goal from Andy Reid in the last ten minutes. Another outstanding game from the skipper who has been faultle s recently Adam Jones Jersey . 8.5Nedum Onouha (CB) Nedum is without a doubt England quality and Capello should surely now realise this. He has been stunning recently and looks a rejuvinated player since he was given the chance to shine after one of Dunnes red cards before Christmas. Physically very strong and again delivered an astonishing performance today against the power of Jones and the pace of Ci s . Dealt with balls into the box effectively and gave strikers ample time on the ball before taking the ball right back off them! Looks very a sured and confident and should welcome an extended run in the team. Keep it up! 8.5Pablo Zabaleta (LB) I must say, I knew he was a versatile player, but LB?! Come on Sparky, are you that concerned about Garrido and Ball? Unbelievable! I always prefer Zaba when he has an attacking role but he did well today having probably never played in that position before! His pa sing was inch perfect (most of the time) and when he had to play it with his left foot he did rather well. He supported Robinho in a fair amount of attacks and held the line at the back. Would like to see him CM though for the next game. Quiet but very effective. Ever so dependable.7.5SWP (RM) Notsure whether it was me but he looked very tired before the end? He bamboozled the defenders with his magical skills and looked very confident on the ball in the first half but dropped in and out of the game during the second period. Very wasteful when in po se sion in my opinion. Numerous times late on in the game he ran and ran and ran where he should have played an easy ball into the Jesus Sucre Jersey feet of Bellamy who was a pair of fresh legs. Well supported by Richards 6Vincent Kompany (CM) A very, very, very brave man opting to play with a serious toe injury. In my opinion we should have rested him. However he was eager and to play and his hunger shone on the pitch. Like Zabaleta, there were no BIG moments for him but he tackled well and it was nice to see him have a shot every now and again. One of the best signings this season, just what City needed. Strong both physically and mentally. Provided good support when Sunderland attacked and cleared the lines when a simple boot out was needed. Taken off late on in the game to a good ovation. Once his toe has healed he will be another star figure. 7.5Nigel de Jong (CM) Sat very nicely infront of the back four. He never stops moving and he never stops tackling! Even when there is no chance of him winning the ball he will always try. A very committed player who plays a clever game with Kompany, having previously played alongside him for Hamburg. Today he was on fire, slide tackle here, slide tackle there, header here, header there. For a small bloke he gets up very well in the air. Nice to see him use his voice today too and get people around Jeremy Hellickson Jersey him doing what he wants, such as off the ball running e.t.c. Very confident and very agile, super game, at ease with the pace of the game and the standard of football on show. A future captain for sure. 9.5Robinho (LM) I really dont know what to say. Has absolutely no confidence at all. Out of the eleven players on the pitch he had the least confidence, so god knows why he wanted to take the penalty? He is in need of a desperate rest, so may I suggest starting him from the bench for away games? His penalty just oozed woe. I knew he would mi s it, and whats with the stutter? That put himself off more than the keeper? He saw the keeper lean to the right so he put it.to the right?! Didnt have a positive impact on proceedings, would have prefered to see Garrido bomb it up and down the left wing, at least he would give 110% and fight for his place? I think we should sell him, Id take Drogba? His pa sing looked out of sync, as if no-one around him knew what he was planning, so he just rolled it back to the defenders and ended up in our half? 5.5Elano (AM) Again, another superb performance, one of his best for a very long time. His pa sing was simply sublime and his silky skills were stunning to see! (I think I used too many words beginning with s in that sentence!) Created many chances but not sure why he gave Robbie the ball for the penalty instead of having the confidence to step up and score like he did on Thursday. He tracked back very well and defended valiently when nece sary. Linked defence to attack and always wanted to get the ball. Gave 125% today and fully deserves to play a few more Caleb Joseph Jersey games. Whether it is on the left hand side instead of Robinho remains to be seen but his work ethic and tackling today were astonishing. 9Valeri Bojinov (ST) This match was the first time he had started a first XI game for 19 months and you never would have gue sed that. Despite not being fully fit (hence why he came off at the end) he offered something different. He had agre sion and desire. He held the ball up very well, not quite as well as the Welsh legend Ched Evans, but I will let him off! He also has a wiked shot! The freekick he took would

It was announced a week and a half ago and is about 2 months away(Feb 24) but I thought it would still be worth having Brett Anderson Jersey a look at the UEFA Champions League round of 16 and where Arsenal stand.Chelsea v JuventusVillarreal v PanathinaikosSporting Lisbon v Bayern MunichAtletico Madrid v FC PortoLyon v BarcelonaReal Madrid v LiverpoolArsenal v AS Roma Inter Milan v Manchester UnitedLooking at the draw you would have to say Jurickson Profar Jersey Arsenal got it easier than others but it is a tough competition and no opponent is easy thats why it is the best club competition.AS Roma have been patchy in periods especially early on in the season but have come into a good patch of form while Arsenal have continuely been inconsistent Matt Chapman Jersey which makes for an interesting encounter even though it maybe months away.Arsenal should be coming into a more consistent period with the return of star players Eduardo and Theo Walcott and po sibly Tomas Rosicky.The return of at least two of these three players would be a real boost to a young and at times lost Arsenal team Jose Canseco Jersey creating some of the cla sic mentality and style that Wenger has produced so often over the past 10+ years.Without two of these players I see Arsenal really struggling with experience not really there I think the Italian team may just be that little bit too strong for the Gunners.But as I said this is a long way away the Transfer Window opens soon which is really a window of opportunity for Wenger to grab some players to strengthen the languishing Marcus Semien Jersey team of current.

After a long, hard season of incredible highs, our two late results gained against Aston Villa springing to mind, and crushing lows,like losing at Chelsea having led with three minutes to go, this could finally be the weekend when Stokes goal for the season is achieved. The goal of course, being confirming our Premier League survival. With West Ham visiting the Britannia Stadium, a win for Stoke, combined with lo ses for Newcastle and Middlesbrough against formidable opposition in Liverpool and Manchester United respectively, would mean that it would be mathematically impo sible for the Potters to go down with three games to spare, got that? With most predicting certain relegation for Tony Puliss side this season, and the optimistic few daring not to hope for more than a fight right to the wire, this would signal a great achievement to the club. Even if survival isnt confirmed this weekend, it looks like being only a matter of time until it is, with Stoke eight points clear of the relegation zone with just twelve to play for, and looking forward to a run-in easier than most clubs in the bottom half of the table.Paddy should have waitedhis powers over-rated When the Hammers and the Potters last met, it was aday that we can look back on as the darkest of our season. After an excellent Christian Fischer Men Jersey first half performance by Stoke produced a 1-0 half-time lead,West Ham pulled themselves back into the game, Carlton Cole scoring an excellent equaliser early in the second half. What followed was probably the only incident in my Stoke supporting life with has made me ashamed to call myself a Stokie, with Ricardo Fuller and his captain Andy Griffin, thankfully now replaced in the role by the indomitable Abdoulaye Faye, arguing in the centre-circle, Fuller slapping Griffin acro s Mario Kempe Men Jersey the face and rightly being dismi sed for it. West Ham went on to win the game 2-1, and, still mired in the bottom three, celebrations like the one that may be on the cards this weekend seemed a long, long way away. The one thing you need when fighting relegation is unity in the squad, and happily since that day it has been spot on, which I feel is a large part of the reason behind our ascent of the Premier League table.A sorry sight Another thing we learned on that day, is that West Ham are a cla sy side, capable of producing some excellent attacking football. Under the guidance of the charismatic Italian Gianfranco Zola, they too are an upwardly mobile team, pulling themselves out of dire straights both on and off the field to push on up the table. They are still very much in the running for seventh place and the final Europa League spot, so will be determined to pi s on Stokes celebratory bonfire, and be the first side to come to the Potteries (discounting visitors to Port Vale) and win in 2009. Like so many of the teams who have come to Stoke this season however, I think theres a real chance for us to get under West Hams skin and pull through for a tenth home win in the Premier League this season.Receding hairline or no receding hairline, Zola has always been a ladies favourite The most significant piece of team news for Stoke Niklas Hjalmarsson Women Jersey in the run up to the match concerns free-scoring forward James Beattie, who, despite being said to be out for the rest of the season, appears to be shaking off his thigh muscle injury and is rated as 50/50 to feature, which is excellent news for Stoke fans fearing another outing for the blunt strikeforce which we saw in the lo s at Fulham last week, with Richard Cre swell, who I feel enough has been said about already, playing. Meanwhile, Stoke will almost certainly be without first-choice full-back pairing Andy Wilkinson and Danny Higginbotham once again, as both struggle with back injuries, meaning Stephen Kelly and Danny Pugh are likely to continue to deputise. It seems that back injuries are spreading like swine flu in the Stoke camp, as Senegalese midfielder Amdy Faye will mi s out once again with his, while his international teammate SalifDiao will again be sidelined with a groin problem. Long-term absentee Mamady Sidibe also remains absent with his knee ligament injury. Former West Ham man Darcy Kuemper Jersey Matthew Etherington should continue on the left-wing for Stoke, just days after once again speaking out about how his move away from the bright lights of the capital has helped him overcome the gambling problem that once saw the Hammers board have to advance him several hundred thousand pounds worth of wages so he could pay off his creditors.Despite losing a leg somewhere between East London and the West Midlands, Etherington has been an immediate hit at Stoke There are few clubs at present who could claim to have an injury list as long as Stokes, but the Hammers are one of them, as they will be without three of their most important players in striker Carlton Cole and midfielders Scott Parker and Valon Behrami, who all remain sidelined, as do Dean Ashton, Danny Gabbidon and Jack Collison, who have ankle, groin and knee trouble respectively. Welsh international defender James Collins has also emerged as a doubt for the game, after suffering a calf muscle strain.Key Battles:Ricardo Fuller v James TomkinsEarlier in the season, while on loan at Derby, twenty year old Tomkins played against Stoke at the Britannia Stadium in a League Cup match which the Rams unexpectedly won 1-0. That night Tomkins was fantastic, winning everything in the air and making some tidy challenges too, while Fuller was dreadful, struggling to make an impact against a middling Championship standard side. A reversal in fortunes for Saturdays game would help Stokes cause a great deal. Stephen Kelly v Luis Boa MorteWith Andy Wilkinson looking like mi sing another game for Stoke, Kelly will probably play and will be looking to improve on his performance with a decent run in the side. The Irish international, who is currently on loan from Birmingham and is either close to signing a permanent deal at Stoke or not wanted by Pulis, depending on who you believe, has been mediocre so far in his time at the Jeremy Roenick Kids Jersey Britannia Stadium. He will be keen to boost his chances of earning the permanent move he has said he would be happy to make by keeping veteran, but still tricky, Portugeuse winger Luis The Dead Snake Boa Morte quiet. Liam Lawrence v Herita IlungaIn Stokes lasthome game, right-winger Lawrence enjoyed the last laugh against a Congolese defender,finally breaching the Blackburn defence marshaled by Christopher Samba fifteen minutes from time. He will come up against another in Ilunga on Saturady, the left-backfresh from agreeing to join West Hampermanentlyafter impre sing on loan from Toulouse. Lawrence has been steadily improving recently after finally regainingfitne s, and will hopefully continue tohave a positive effect on Stok

Derby County 3 0 Sheffield WednesdayDerby grabbed themselves the perfect tonic to get rid of their Dikembe Mutombo Jersey Cardiff hangover with an comprehensive victory over Sheffield Wednesday.The Rams started brightly, they had lots of po se sion and were in complete control of the game. The first chance of the game fell to Rob Hulse, centre half Shaun Barker received a great ball from Lee Croft and delivered a pinpoint cro s which Hulse headed just over. Derbys second chance resulted in their first goal, Jake Livermore lifted a ball in for Paul Dickov who spotted an unmarked Croft at the back post, the lofted cro s found the winger who powered the ball in off the underside of the bar.Lee Croft scored his first Derby goalThe second half began with Derby really pre sing the visitors; however early on Leon Clarke had the best chance of the half. Stephen Bywaters throw out hit Dean Moxeys heel and fell to Michael Gray, his square ball found Clarke who blazed over from 10 yards. Derby made the Owls pay for their poor finishing with a fantastic counter attack that ended up with their second goal. Lee Croft was released by Paul Dickov and his pa s found Jay McEveley in the box to score past Lee Grant. Derby were dominant in the game now and chances kept on coming, Croft Ben McLemore Jersey narrowly mi sed from 30 yards and Livermore couldnt put the finishing touch to Ben Pringles pa s. In injury time Derby put the icing on the cake with a third goal, a long ball from Bywater found Hulse goal side Chris Paul Jersey of his marker and bearing down on Lee Grant. As Hulse was about to get his shot away Lewis Buxton clumsily challenged him which resulted in referee Chris Foy awarding the Rams a penalty. Hulse got up and scored the penalty to give the Rams a 3-0 victory.Coach Gary Crosby spoke to the media after the game and was pleased with what he had seen, we wanted a good response, and we got one. It takes a hell of a lot of courage to go out in front of 30,000 people and keep on running and trying, and thats what our players did. We said to the players before the match that they needed to show a response from the Cardiff game and give them credit, Kenyon Martin Jr. Jersey thats exactly what they did. From the first whistle we were positive and showed great courage and character. It helps that we are going into a two-week break on a high. Its come at the right time because it gives us a chance to get a few of the injured players fit.Jay McEveley happy with the resultGoal scoring centre half Jay McEveley was delighted with his goal and the teams performance, speaking to the clubsofficial website he said: It was a great feeling (to score), I managed to keep up with the play and Crofty pulled it back perfect for me. I decided to blast it because I didnt want the gaffer having a go at me for placing it in case I mi sed! It was also terrific to get a clean sheet as well, that always helps and it was a great performance.It has been a tough week for Nigel Cloughs men, after ending their four game losing streak against Bristol City last weekend the Rams were brought back down to earth in Cardiff, but victory against the Owls has boosted confidence within the squad and the supporters. While no-one expects Derby to be challenging for promotion this season it is important to the fans that the team remain competitive. Up next after the international break is an East Midlands derby against Leicester City at the Walkers Stadium, Derby will be hoping to turn around their dismal away form by Clint Capela Jersey getting one over on their local rivals.

Im sure all of you are aware of the name, Gael Kakuta. Not for his skills on the field but for all the antics off it. Chelseas young forward was caught up in one of the biggest football Jordan Clarkson Jersey stories of last season. Chelsea and Kakuta were deemed to broken FIFA rules regarding the Frenchmans transfer from Lens in 2007.On 3 September 2009, it was announced by the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber, that Kakuta would be banned for four months and be fined 780,000 due to a breach of contract with his old club Lens in order to sign for Chelsea in the summer of 2007. Chelsea were also banned from signing any players in the next two transfer windows due to their involvement in inducing the player to break his contract at Lens, meaning they would have been unable to buy or sell players until January 2011. Further to this they received a 130,000 fine, payable to RC Lens.The club stated that they would mount the strongest appeal po sible and described the behavior of FIFA as extraordinarily arbitrary decision. Chelsea believed the sanctions are without precedent to this level and totally disproportionate to the alleged offense and the financial penalty imposed.Chelsea appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, who subsequently lifted the sanctions on the club and the player after ruling that Kakuta did not have a valid contract with Lens, and therefore could not have breached it Karl Malone Jersey . Chelseas transfer ban was suspended later in the same year, and was lifted in February 2010.After overcoming that, Kakuta will be looking to make the headlines for the right reasons this season. The highly rated 19 year old is looking to make the breakthrough into the Chelsea first Derrick Favors Jersey team this campaign after being on the periphery for so long at the Blues.With Joe Cole leaving the club, manager Carlo Ancelotti may feel the time is right to blood the youngster. Football pundits note that Kakuta became Chelseas youngest player to play in the Champions League. He made his debut against APOEL last season, receiving plaudits from Ancelotti for his performance. He has been capped by France at Under 17, 18 and 19 level and comparisons have been made between Kakuta and Chelsea team-mate Flourent Malouda.The feeling amongst the Chelsea coaching staff is that Kakuta has a bright future at the club and with Chelsea looking to hold onto the title they won last season, it maybe the perfect season for the youngster to shine.Chelsea is becoming a club that is beginning to be seriously considering injecting young legs in the first team next season. With the high profile departures of Michael Ballack, Joe Cole, Juliano Belletti and Deco, there is enough evidence to suggest that this is the way Chelsea are going to approach the season. A lot fans have always said that Chelsea doesnt know how to develop the young players, and the only Rudy Gobert Jersey way they know how to win titles is to spend, spend, spend. But I have gut feeling that now is the time that Chelsea will show the world what they have all been waiting for. After the recent disappointment of prestigious young talent Miroslav Stoch, people again started to cast doubts over Chelseas youth policy. But lets be frank friends, Kakuta is an exceptional talent and people who say he hasnt got the physique which is required to sustain in the Premier League will soon realise how wrong they were.Last season Chelseas youth academy won the F.A.Youth Cup after almost 5 decades. That was a pretty accurate sign of how their Tony Bradley Jersey youth academy has developed over the last few years and a sign of what is to come. This is the season Gael Kakuta will step forward and show the Chelsea fans what all the fu s has been about.

Brilliant, Genius, Mastermind, Legend.All words used to describe Arsene Wenger in 2004 when 38 games Matt Murray Men Jersey of pure brilliance were played out and not one was lost.Awful, Crazy, Mental, Bad Loser.All words used to describe Arsene Wenger in 2011 after 34 games of complete averagene s. At times in 2011 they looked like a team capable on emulating the great invisibles of 2004, song performing like the great Vieira, Fabregas the midfield genius, Wilshere the best midfielder in the league. All overshadowed by the unbelievable Samir Evgeni Malkin Men Jersey Nasri who had critics falling at his feet. So what happened? How can a season go so badly wrong? Ill tell you how. The date was Feburary 05 2011 at St James park or should I say sportsdirect@stjames park The time was 15:26 and Mr Wengers side were 4-0 ahead and in cruise control however by 16:37 it was 4-4 thanks to two penalties a comedy of errors and a piece of Chike Tiote brilliance. Arsenal were dejected broken and lost. They turned to their inspirational leader in the Jared Mccann Jersey dugout only to find him throwing Chad Ruhwedel Men Jersey a hu sy fit and shouting like a little girl who had lost her Barbie. Then it only got worse after about 9 million defensive and goalkeeper errors arsenal were out of all four competitions and Arsenal fans had finally lost faith in their manager. Just by looking at reactions of others like Kenny Daglish who in the kindest way po sible told Mr Wenger to go away and Harry Redknapp who just laughed at himI have been an Arsenal fan for as long as I could speak. And Chad Ruhwedel Kids Jersey seeing my team fail year after year is not a nice thing. I think its time Mr Wenger takes a more back-seat role at the club and let someone with more respect lead the line

In a testament to Brandon Copeland Jersey how dull and insular Scottish Football can truly be another scandal has reached its natural zenith in Caledonia. The tediously named Ref-Gate fur ore has been gently simmering for the past few months with Celtic and Neil Lennon in particular stoking the flames to over boiling point.The end result is todays announcement that Scotlands first grade officials intend to strike in response to the Avalanche of flack they have received in recent times. They cite a concern for public safety (a recognized hazard of the profe sion in Glasgow) as their main fear but it is more a riposte to the concerted campaign from Glasgows east-end.Dougie McDonaldThe perfect storm first started to rumble in the aftermath a Celtic vs Dundee United game in October. The referee in charge was Dougie McDonald and he was found to have lied about a penalty decision explanation to the Celtic coach, Neil Lennon. The details are fairly tedious but the up-shot was Celtic were given ammunition for their long held Jake Matthews Jersey conspiracy theories that the referees/establishment are a cabal of Protestant/British/New World Order/Extra-Terrestrial lizards who deliberately hamper the clubs pretensions of world domination.To further bolster their cries of foul-play questionable decisions against Celtic against Hearts and Rangers cemented their resolve. The fix was in and the at last the conspiracy mongers had their smoking gun. Players, managers and politicians have since rushed in Keith Smith Jersey to seize the opportunity to bathe in the limelight and garner favour from the fickle, fans.Neil Lennon was first to point the finger in a brilliant exercise in tactical, distraction. His team had been largely outplayed against stronger outfits such as Rangers, Braga and FC Utrecht. His protestations were a chance to deflect attention from his teams obvious limitations his striker Gary Hooper was next when he claimed that Celtic were consistently persecuted by greater forces in the game.This left only the bastions of integrity i.e. politicians to step in with their opinions. First was SNP sports spokesman Pete Wishart who called for referees to be forced to declare which Michael Vick Jersey team they support. Thankfully this was shot down in flames by all and sundry. His ill-advised foray into unwelcome lands was treated with normal scorn.This left former Defence secretary John Reid to further stoke the flames. Now considering Reid was part of the government that invaded another country on the premise of a lie his opinions could be treated with caution in regards to integrity. However as Celtic Chief Executive it was his role to placate and cajole the fans at this weeks AGM. He didnt disappoint calling for wholesale KhaDarel Hodge Jersey changes in the referee system north of the border and McDonalds immediate resignation.This in turn has culminated in the proposed Industrial action by the referees, frankly an embarra sment to the Scottish game. Hopefully it will all blow over until the next Gate scandal. Linesman-gate, Ibrox-gate, Boozegate 2? Take your pick. Lets just hope the journalists have the imagination to name any scandal with more than the tiresome suffix.Watergate which started it all

SATURDAYQPR v TottenhamHarry gets a visit from his former employers in the first game of the weekend as Spurs travel acro s London to Loftus Road. I was tempted to fill this match preview with typical Arry clichs to mark the occasion but Im not sure I could do him justice. My IQ just isnt low enough. There is a growing feeling that both bo ses are starting to put their respective stamps on their teams. The win at Chelsea must surely have given the Rangers squad a huge boost. They still have a mountain to climb in terms of escaping the drop but never underestimate what some confidence and belief can do to players. This QPR squad in particular is dripping with confidence players and if they can gain some momentum under Redknapp they will start to scare plenty of teams above them. They will have their work cut out this weekend though against a Spurs side who have found a level of consistency which a Chelsea team managed by Villas-Boas never achieved. There is now little doubt that he can get the best out of his current crop (something Redknapp was lauded for, and rightly so for the most part), his next challenge will be adding to Jim McMahon Jersey his squad and developing his system. I would be surprised if we dont see a new striker bought in January, especially with Adebayor now mi sing for most of the month. QPR will need new faces at both ends of the pitch, although captain Ryan Nelsen will be available after postponing his move to Toronto FC, where he will become Player/Manager. As stre sful as management will be, he has been playing centre-half for QPR this season so if anything he will be over-prepared. This sets up to be an entertaining game. QPR will have their moments, Spurs will have goals.Prediction: QPR 1-3 TottenhamAston Villa v SouthamptonIm not sure what stage of the season standard three-point gamesofficiallybecome six-pointers but if we are past that point then this game certainly qualifies. Southampton have found their stride of late having looked like early season relegation fodder. Fair dues to Nigel Adkins, he has stuck by his principles and is starting to reap the rewards and his team are now at least competitive in every game. Gaston riskiest transfer of the summer Ramirez has found his Premier League legs and has been at the heart of the Saints recent revival and while they will never resemble the AC Milan team of the late 80s to early 90s( look them up kids, they conceded about 4 goals in 6 years), they are defending better as a team. Villa stopped Tashaun Gipson Jersey the rot at Swansea last week and were only denied by a late Danny Graham equaliser as up to then they enjoyed about as much festive cheer as Ebeneezer Scrooge opening his presents to find nothing but Comet vouchers. Maybe The Muppets can make that version for next year. Gonzo and Kermit might do a better job of defending than some of the recent Villa performances and the early promise of the Lambert era is starting to fade. His young players will have to start repaying the faith he has shown sooner rather than later. This could be a game where the Villa youngsters get plenty of time and to expre s themselves and space to operate, but Count von Count might needed to calculate their goals against.Prediction: Aston Villa 2-2 SouthamptonEverton v SwanseaThis has the potential to be one of the match-ups of the weekend. Both teams like to control the flow andpo se sionof a game, using Leon Osman and Britton respectively. Osman has had another fine season for Everton, his composure and distribution in midfield has been a joy to behold and many of the same compliments can be directed at Britton. Both teams use their Leon as a pivot to start and continue attacks. While other players such as Fellaini and Michu have grabbed the headlines, I felt it important to acknowledge the engine room of each team. Swansea continue to enjoy an excellent season on all fronts, combining attractive football with a steady stream of positive results. Arlington Hambright Jersey When you consider they lost their manager, backroom staff and four of their best players; Sinclair, Allen, Caulker and Neil Taylor through injury, their achievements are made even more remarkable. One of the few setbacks of the season however came against Everton. The Swans were soundly beaten that day and it is hard to see them turning around the form here in the midst of their heavy cup fixture list. Everton created a host of chances in the reverse fixture and this could be an afternoon when Nikica Jelavic finds his scoring boots. Plenty of nice pa sing on both sides, but Everton may just have the ability to mix it up more when it matters.Prediction: Everton 2-0 SwanseaFulham v WiganJust when you thought you couldnt love Dimitar Berbatov any more than you already do, he goes and lifts his shirt up to reveal a witty me sage to end all me sages. Berbatov may well be one of the few modern day footballers who displays a modicum of self-awarene s. He is fully aware of how he is perceived and is at the stage of his career where he is playing up to his role as laconic genius. Whilst some will continue to brand him lazy and arrogant, I prefer to enjoy what is easily one of the most gifted players to ever stroll about a Premier League pitch. He ran the show then Fulham beat Wigan earlier in the season and could easily do so again. Wigan have so far signed Roger Espinoza and Angelo Henriquez who together with Jordi Gomez, Franco Di Santo and Ivan Ramis will Breshad Perriman Jersey form a Mariachi band. Any money raised from the band with go towards funds to buy actual players. Fulham have signed young Dutch striker Chris David, which got me thinking of other footballers with a forename as a surname. I could only think of Gareth Barry and Im not sure England midfielders can really be counted as footballers. Hard to see Wigan keeping a clean sheet in any game, this will be no different.Prediction: Fulham 3-1 WiganNorwich v NewcastleTwo teams falling faster than Felix Baumgartner meet at Carrow Road in what would normally be a certainty to be last game screened on Match of the Day, but wait until you see whats coming later. Chris Hughton gets a chance to twist the knife into the club that dismi sed him and while Hughton seems far too humble to publicly admit to any Josh Woods Jersey feelings of revenge, I am sure he will enjoy a quiet smile to himself if he manages to pull off a result here. He will never have a better chance. The Magpies have more wounded bodies than a scene from Platoon and also have to cope with the departure of Cheick Tiote to the African Cup of Nations. Demba Ba has also moved on to Chelsea tofulfilhis lifelong dream of having more money than God. Although the lo s of Ba is untimely, it may finally give Papi s Ci se a chance to resume a more central role which he was so devastatingly effective in during the second half of last season. Newcastle h