Player / team of the season

THERE is no doubting his contribution to the game over the years, but that Ryan Giggs walked away with the PFA Footballer of the Year award smacks of sentimentality. Even more puzzling, is how a player can win such a prestigious award after starting only 12 games for his club.

There are a few players out there who have every right to be slightly annoyed at being overlooked, namely Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Nemanja Vidic. The PFA Team of the Year was also an eyebrow-raiser, with the likes of Patrice Evra and Nicholas Anelka among the selected players.

In a season where there have been very few stand-out performers, my selection below will no doubt provoke widespread debate as well….hopefully anyway.

(4-4-1-1) Manager: David Moyes

Given; Johnson, Vidic, Jagielka, Cole; Lennon, Lampard, Ireland, Gerrard; Cahill; Torres

Top brass know sweet FA

IS it really asking too much for the clueless buffoons running the national game to put the people who make it what it is, the fans, first just once? Of course it is. That is why both Chelsea and Everton have been awarded a paltry 25,000 tickets apiece for the FA Cup Final at Wembley on May 30.

That’s right, 25,000. Now, I’m no Carol Vorderman, but by my reckoning, in a stadium that holds 90,000, that leaves 40,000 tickets to go to…who exactly? Chelsea have 27,000 season-ticket holders, so straight away, 2,000 supporters will miss out, not to mention the fans who can’t actually afford to go every week, but still frequent Stamford Bridge as often as possible, whilst for Everton, who’s average gate is around the 40,000 mark, the game represents the club’s biggest match since they lifted the trophy in 1995; again, there will be at least 15,000 unhappy scousers.

And to think, the FA have announced that this year they will be clamping down on ticket touts. See, that’s what happens when you hand tickets out to any Tom, Dick and Harry with a briefcase in his hand. They get greedy, and because they don’t have any interest in the outcome of the game, they sell their tickets….to the touts.

Everton go weak at the knees

ALEX FERGUSON has inevitably come in for some stick following his decision to rest a number of key players in yesterday’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Everton. Let’s get one thing straight though. The United side which ended the game was a weakened side to the one which beat Porto last week. However, it was not weak; far from it, in fact. With Ferdinand and Vidic at the back, Anderson and Scholes in midfield, and Berbatov and Tevez up front, that side was more than capable of getting a result.

How about giving Everton a bit of credit instead? David Moyes has worked wonders at Goodison on a shoestring, and no team deserves its moment in the spotlight more. We constantly hear the top four harping on about injury problems, but try playing with an attacking midfielder (Tim Cahill) as a lone front man for two months, which is what Everton had to do.

Elsewhere in the side, Phil Jagielka has blossomed into one of the country’s most promising centre backs, whilst Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar have exceeded all expectations. With talented youngsters such as Jack Rodwell following the likes of Leon Osman and James Vaughan into the first team, the future certainly looks bright.

After eliminating both Liverpool and Aston Villa, as well as United, on their way to Wembley, the toffee men have certainly done it the hard way, and a victory over Chelsea on May 30 would surely give the club the belief that they can break into the top four next season.

Lamps still shining brightly

ANOTHER man of the match performance from Frank Lampard in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the weekend, following his brace in the Champions League epic with Liverpool last Tuesday, but why should we be surprised?

Lampard continues to dominate games, and there is so much more to him than just scoring goals from midfield. He won every 50/50 at Wembley, before setting up Didier Drogba’s winner, and Cesc Fabregas will seldom have such an ineffective afternoon.

Lampard is the heartbeat of this Chelsea side; when he plays well, they usually win, and as the weeks go by, the fact he is not even on the shortlist for the PFA Footballer of the Year award seems all the more scandalous.

Home is where the heart is

WHEN the season begins, newly promoted teams have one aim, and one aim only; survival. The easiest way for them to achieve that is by picking up as many points as possible at home.

Teams such as West Brom, Hull City and Stoke City know that they are not going to win many games away from home. True, Hull did manage to buck the trend at the start of the season, but that was very unusual, and since January, they have reverted to type.

All the plaudits, therefore, should go to Tony Pulis and his Stoke side that have picked up 32 of their 37 points at the Britannia Stadium. The atmosphere and noise levels inside the ground can be intimidating for the opposition, and it is no coincidence that many teams have struggled there this season.

Many neutral observers have criticised Stoke’s style of play, but why? If Liverpool or Chelsea win a game 1-0 courtesy of a scrappy goal they are praised for winning ugly. Stoke have mastered the art of grinding out results, and for that, they should be credited. That is why they will be playing Premiership football again next season.

Big Sam may have the last laugh

THERE is only one man who knows whether or not Rafael Benitez intended to disrespect Sam Allardyce and Blackburn Rovers, and that’s Benitez himself. The jury is out on that one and, quite frankly, the incident has been blown out of all proportion.

However, if the Liverpool manager was being arrogant, you wonder why. Out of the FA Cup, out of the Champions League, and with an uphill struggle to win the Premiership, Rafa could be about to finish a third season in a row without a trophy.

If Manchester United manage to hang on and clinch the title, the biggest party of all could well be taking place in Blackburn.

Let the games commence

TWO mouth-watering Champions League semi-final’s take place next week, and both games look set to go to the wire.

Chelsea must score in Barcelona, but after putting three past Liverpool at Anfield, that is certainly not beyond them, particularly with Didier Drogba in such scintillating form. The problem for Guus Hiddink’s men will be keeping them out at the other end, and the loss of Ashley Cole for the first leg is a blow.

In the all-English clash, both United and Arsenal will have added incentive to reach Rome after losing in the FA Cup semi-final’s, but the fact the holders are still fighting for the Premiership might just swing the tie in Arsenal’s favour.

With the second leg to be played at the Emirates, Arsenal will certainly fancy their chances, and having not won a trophy since 2005, Arsene Wenger’s side know that the time has come to deliver.

Fergie reaching for the port

IT'S no big secret that Alex Ferguson is partial to a drop of the strong stuff. However, if Mrs Ferguson has noticed the drinks cabinet is being emptied of its contents fairly rapidly of late, she need look no further than the performances of her husband’s side as for the reasons why.

Ever since the 4-1 capitulation at home to Liverpool, United have been on the slide. The 2-0 defeat at Fulham a week later did nothing to restore confidence, and while last weekend’s 3-2 victory over Aston Villa will be remembered for 17-year-old, Federico Macheda’s late winner, the truth is, Villa were mightily unfortunate to leave Old Trafford empty handed.

This recent poor run of form culminated in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw at home to Porto in the Champions League, in which, again, United were lucky to come away with anything. Though injuries and suspensions to key players have certainly played their part in the recent slump, there are too many big players not performing, and at the business end of the season, that is what will worry Fergie most of all.

Cristiano Ronaldo has barely got going this season, and, at times, doesn’t even look interested, whilst Dimitar Berbatov, as Tommy Docherty recently claimed, “would get injured on A Question of Sport." It really is a mystery as to why Carlos Tevez doesn’t feature more regularly, and if he continues to find himself on the bench, who could blame him if he decides to seek a new challenge in the summer?

Ironically, for a club renowned and celebrated for its attacking culture, the champions’ most consistent performer has been a defender, Nemaja Vidic. United head to Porto next week facing the unenviable task of becoming the first English team to beat the Portuguese champions in their own backyard; on current form, you would have to say it looks unlikely.

Alon-so out of order

CAST your minds back to the 2004-05 Champions League semi-final first leg between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. The game had very little in the way of excitement, and ended goalless; fairly typical of a Mourinho / Benitez encounter.

The main talking point, however, came when Blues’ striker Eidur Gudjohnsen went down, under a seemingly innocuous ‘challenge’ from Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso. Replays showed no contact had been made; Alonso was shown a yellow card, and subsequently missed the decisive return leg at Anfield.

This, quite rightly, infuriated the Merseysiders, and ever since, Alonso and his teammates have taken great pleasure in castigating Gudjohnsen for his behaviour; Steven Gerrard even dedicated a few pages of his autobiography to the incident.

So, the last person you would expect to see trying to get an opposing player booked during a Champions League semi-final first leg would be Xabi Alonso. How wrong can you be? Anybody with a half-decent pair of eyes could see that when Chelsea captain John Terry challenged Reds’ keeper Pepe Reina for a 50/50 that was there to be won, there was no malice whatsoever intended.

However, when the camera panned to Alonso, he was insinuating to Didier Drogba that Terry had led with an elbow, and doing his utmost to get the Blues’ leader booked. The result: Terry does get booked, and…you guessed it…misses the return leg.

Shame on you, Xabi.

Shear desperation

Alan Shearer Tribute: The Best Goals

IT seems the entire Geordie nation have been granted their wish, with the news that Alan Shearer is set to take over as manager of Newcastle until the end of the season. Ultimately, the move smacks of deperation; Shearer has no managerial experience whatsoever, and judging by his punditry on Match of the Day, little tactical nous.

However, in the short-term, the appointment just might work. The Toon find themselves in an ominous position; residing in the relegation zone with eight games remaining, and with games still to play against the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.

What they need, is somebody who can come in and galvanise the whole place with immediate effect. Somebody who can get the players to go the extra yard, and give the long-suffering supporters a ray of hope.

Shearer, it seems, is that man. Moreover, if it all goes pear-shaped, well…anybody got Kevin Keegan’s number?

Sour taste of Becks’ record

David Beckham EngLand Vs Greece 2002 93rd Minute Free-Kick

YOU may, or may not, have noticed, but David Beckham this week surpassed Bobby Moore’s all-time appearance record for the national side. His half time introduction against Slovakia took his tally to 109, one ahead of Moore.

Now, Beckham doesn’t float everyone’s boat. Some see him more as a model / actor / celebrity, than a footballer, and there may be an element of truth in that somewhere. However, he has just broken the record for the amount of games played in an England shirt. You don’t break such records, without having the dedication, application, hunger and desire that he unquestionably possesses.

Most of the people claiming Beckham’s achievement is inferior to Moore’s because Moore won all of his caps by playing from the start, whereas Beckham, latterly anyway, has come off the bench, fail to acknowledge the fact that many of Moore’s caps were won in friendlies, whilst Beckham has played considerably more competitive fixtures.

Because of the lifestyle he chooses to lead, Beckham is an easy target. Yet, give credit where it’s due, he has been a great servant to the national side.

If Beckham boards the plane to South Africa next summer, he will set a new record - the first player to appear in four World Cup finals' for England. Sadly, his detractors will probably find a flaw in that as well.

Is Lennon the right man?

Much has been made of Aaron Lennon’s current rich vein of form. His club manager at Tottenham, Harry Redknapp, has been full of praise for the young winger, whilst at international level, Fabio Capello preferred him to David Beckham in the recent games against Slovakia and Ukraine.

I get the impression, however, that I must be missing something. True, Lennon has a turn of pace that would frighten any left-back in the world; and, for Spurs at least, he chips in with his fair share of goals. Beyond that, though, what else is there?

His final ball into the box is only consistent in its inconsistency, whilst the ability to beat a man with a trick, instead of his pace, remains elusive. On the positive side, he is young, and will improve. However, Shaun Wright-Phillips is playing well for Manchester City , and shouldn’t be discarded.

One player sure to be cursing himself right now is David Bentley. Before his ill-fated move to White Hart Lane, he had one hand firmly planted on the coveted no. 7 shirt. Now, he struggles to make the Spurs bench. On his day, Bentley is a fantastic player, and his ability to play as a central midfielder, as well as a wide player, would make him more valuable to Capello than either of the aforementioned.

His mistake, was believing his own hype; for if he was playing regularly at Ewood Park right now, his place in South Africa next summer next summer would surely be a formality.

Sinners, not Saints

THE news that Southampton have gone into administration should strike fear into the heart of every football supporter in the country. A club that, as recently as five years ago, was plying its trade in the glitz and glamour-fuelled world of the Premiership, now finds itself on the brink of ruin.

This shouldn’t be allowed to happen to a club that has played home to footballing icons such as Matt Le Tissier, Alan Shearer and Kevin Keegan. Rupert Lowe and his cronies have a lot to answer for, and supporters will inevitably ask where the money raised from the sales of Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale and Kenwyne Jones has gone? Once the pride of the South Coast , Saints fans can now only look on in disbelief, as bitter rivals Pourtsmouth, for so many years, the annoying little relative, lift the FA Cup and entertain the likes of AC Milan in Europe .

As we have seen with Leeds in the past, no club, no matter how big its history or fan base, is immune to financial capitulation. When Southampton were relegated from the top-tier of English football, their fans believed it was just a temporary arrangement. Today, however, they have even more pressing issues on their minds; because when the 2009/10 season kicks off, they may no longer have a team to support.