The Most Beautiful Game give you all of Tuesday 27th January’s Premier League Match Previews below

Sunderland vs Fulham

West Brom vs Manchester United

Tottenham vs Stoke

Portsmouth vs Aston Villa

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Zenit St Petersburg have agreed a fee with London Club Arsenal, for Russian Playmaker Andrei Arshavin. The two clubs had been in talks in the past few days and it was looking as if they could not come to an agreement for the fee of Arshavin. However Arsenal have managed to increase there bid over the past few hours, and Zenit have responded positively caliming the fee was ’real market value of the player’.

The fee is rumoured to be around 17 Million pounds, and as we showed you previously Arshavin has “illegaly” agreed personal terms with the Gunners, meaning he is sure to officially sign for the club by tomorrow although Arshavin will have to agree an amount which is a lot less than he had previously wanted. 

The news comes from Zenit St Petersburg’s official site and they quote’

“The fundamental understanding over the transfer of the player has been achieved between the clubs,” 

“At the moment the basic obstacle in realising the transaction is Andrei Arshavin’s personal requirements.”

 

UPDATE: Wenger has denied this saying Arsenal are no closer to signing Arshavin

When the new comers came at the beginning of the season, expectations were low despite people’s belief in their potential. Unfortunately for West Brom and Stoke the side affects are beginning to kick in as they find themselves sprawling at the bottom of the table with Middlesbrough, all on the same points. Are these the three teams that will be leaving us come the end of the season? Or will there be more twists and turns in the league? 5 teams are currently in a deadlock – all on 21 points, however Blackburn have a game in hand and so can rescue their position in mid table if they grab a win. With the new appointment Allardyce they are beginning to look like the Blackburn we knew under Hughes. On the other hand Tottenham have surprisingly struggled this season, they are lingering on the borderline of the relegation zone.  One slip from Redknap’s team and a team that was hoping for fourth, may well be fighting for the play offs in the Championship next season . West Brom have found it hard since returning to the top flight. In the past few games credit must be given where credit is due and West Brom seem to have upped the anti, despite being the bookie’s favourites to go down. The Baggies will need to continue this recent run of good form to even have a chance of staying up. Stoke have been rather hot and cold this season with one good performance here and a poor one there. It is hard to predict at this stage whether or not Stoke can stay up, but if they do not sign anyone this Transfer Market they may well be in a lot of trouble.  Middlesbrough are also in the bottom 3 but personally I believe they have got the physicality and morale to rise a few needed places and stay safe.  

  Roy Keane became manager of Sunderland whilst they were at the bottom of the Championship he turned them around and his team ended up Championship champions. However Sunderland are becoming poorer and poorer as the season goes on and rightfully Keane was sacked. Sunderland do seem to have new fight in them under caretaker manager, but they are  only 2 points above the relegation zone they could easily fall down and out. West Brom have improved since playing in the Premier League and new signings and old faces coming off the bench has bolstered the team, but Tony Mowbray may have left it too late.  As they say ‘expect the unexpected’ – anything can happen in the wonderful world of the Premier League. 
 
 

Now to the all important top 4, where teams battle it out every year for that Champions League position and the ever prestigious title. Year after year the result has been the same, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal have constantly finished in he top four. However this year things have not stayed constant, Aston Villa have creeped into fourth place leaving Arsenal in fifth. We are only half way through the season but Arsenal fans will have to hope that their team can pick up their performances, because the Gunners cannot afford to miss out on a Champions League place. Looking at the top Man United look to be back on form and are currently in a strong position to take the title again. Chelsea had a bright start to the season but have recently slipped and some fans are even questioning Scolari’s managerial abilities. Finally Liverpool have had one of the best starts to a season for a while, and all neutrals will be hoping that they can take it to the wire with Manchester United and Chelsea.  

We can never tell in football what the future beholds, will records be broken? Will dreams come true? Will targets be bought and will teams fight on?  
 

“There are scientists who will tell you that spirit, because it can’t be measured, doesn’t exist. Bollocks. It does exist”

Article by TCornish

As you would expect, the January transfer window has been full of the usual chaotic mixture of ridiculous transfer rumours, bargain basement buys and a few clubs trying to splash the cash. Before we get on to the signings that have already taken place, here are a few that could yet be going through:

• The Paraguayan forward Roque Santa Cruz has been linked with Man. City for some time now, and Hughes has indicated that he is not giving up just yet, or at least, the City sheikhs ordered him to indicate so. Santa Cruz has certainly not had as good a campaign as last year, but should find far more ammunition at City, with the likes of Wright-Phillips, Robinho, and Ireland pinging in the crosses.
• A surprising rumour has linked Michael Owen with Villa Park. After signing Heskey, it is hardly ridiculous that Martin O’Neill considers Owen the ideal partner. Just look at Portsmouth with Crouch and Defoe for how successful a big man-little man partnership can be. More dubious, however, is whether Agbbonlahor and Carew will content themselves with the bench.
• Hearts captain and defender Christophe Berra may be making his way south to Sunderland in the remainder of the window. Sunderland’s squad certainly doesn’t seem to lack depth, but Berra may well make his way into the first team should he move.
• While not the most ground-breaking transfer, Celtic have been linked with City’s Welsh wonderkid Ched Evans. Samaras, who used to play for City, has apparently urged the club to buy him. Evans may have a big future, but with the amount of money City now have, it may not lie there.

• Andrei Arshavin is still being linked with Arsenal. No one can deny that Arsenal really need a few big players if they are to finish in the top four this season, and Arshavin should fit well into Arsenal’s style of football. Could be the biggest transfer in January if completed.

Let me straightaway nail my colours to the mask, I am what best could be described as old-fashioned romantic when it comes to watching the modern Premiership.  I hanker for the days when the game was played at a slower less frenetic pace, when players had more time on the ball and the midfield schemer (as they were referred to in those days) had time on the ball so they could demonstrate their full range of passing to their appreciative fans.  The game could be absorbed in those days more through the naked eye because the pace was so different.  In some ways we need the modern forensic technology to really appreciate some of the moves and passes that go on.  Now where is this all leading you may ask?  Well, we all know the Premiership thrives on the cut and thrust, high tempo and pacey exploits that all the players personify and, as a result, my question arises do we really appreciate the modernplaymaker?  We all know strikers earn their money in relative terms because they provide the end product, the icing on the cake, the coup de grace, the virtuoso performance, but for this scribe, the playmaker is the player I invariable go to see.  Where would all the great strikers be without the playmaker?

When I was younger, I used to savour seeing Johnny Haynes orchestrate the Fulham football team with his imperious passing skills, the like of which I have never seen surpassed.  He not only had telepathic powers in terms of being able to see what movement was occurring on his blind side, but also invariably managed to hit the necessary reverse pass to find the player.  Johnny Haynes was the life blood of the team, the midfield general.  His sublime range of passes with the vision and skill to thread a ball through the eye of a needle to create the striker/forward/ or full back, yes the full backs got forward even in those days, when a goal scoring opportunity was legion.

The question arises does the game still possess the players with the capabilities of playing the true playmaker role or does the need to close down with the combative qualities that goes with it take precedence over the skilfulplaymaker?   Well, in my opinion, the game has still got these gifted masters, but they need to demonstrate they can also do the hard graft as well, whereas I’d have to admit the old playmakers didn’t really have to win the ball they were just given it to distribute.  Of course, when I was growing up, we had Glen Hoddle who was a wonderful passer.  Like Johnny Haynes, he could pass with either foot, with the inside or outside as well and had the x-ray vision to open up defences with a blink of an eye.  He wasn’t a great tackler or great one for tracking back.  The modern midfielder can’t be afforded such luxuries – the game has moved on.  So who are the great modern passers? My own particular favourite is Xavier Alonso.  He has the passing ability of some of those old masters.  He has the range and variety in his passing to still open up the modern defences.  I hope Liverpool resist the temptation to play Mascherano , the more combative option, because the game is well served by the imperious passing ability of Alonso. Deco, Lampard and Fabregas are very fine passers of a football, they too have the vision to pick the right option. Huddlestone, the out of favour Tottenham midfielder, is also a gifted passer.   It is just a shame his fitness and other all-round aspects of his game are found wanting at the moment – let’s hope his time will come.  Carrick and Scholes are Man Utd’s  passing exponents.  The great attributes these passers have in their locker and what separates them from the run of the mill midfield players is their ability to play the right weighted pass, which is a extremely difficult skill in itself.  This is all about instinct and natural ability – a priceless commodity in a playmaker.

 I cannot finish without mentioning Mr Beckham; I know it is very difficult for supporters to be objective about David Beckham footballing skills.  It seems you either hate him or love him but surely they can be no argument about his ability not only to strike a football, but to pass it.  And perhaps it’s a good controversial note to finish on.  So the next time you watch a football match whether it be in a park game or Premiership match, pick out the playmaker – a very underestimated integral part of any team.

Let me say from the off that I am one of those individuals, a growing band I believe, who is extremely disappointed with the standard of refereeing and assistant refereeing that currently prevails in our leagues.  It is one thing knowing the rules, and another one applying them and having the football understanding to put them to good effect.  I have always felt, as in other sports, that football officials need to have played at a high level to give them this understanding.  It’s not going to happen in football because the players are so well rewarded.  However, I digress, the whole point of this article is not based on de-crying refereeing, we all recognise that they do a very difficult job, but my whole argument is based on an acknowledgement that it’s simply too difficult to call offsides correctly.  It’s just too difficult to watch a players movement and watch the ball being passed and get the synchronisation right to make the correct offside decision 100% of the time.  Right now I believe the percentage rate to be about 75% – 85%, and that’s being generous to referees.  Now with all the money and support in the game, do you really believe that this is an acceptable level of achievement bearing in mind the huge importance some of these decisions could have on the result of some matches – farcical is word that springs to mind – you couldn’t make it up could you?

How many poor offside calls must there be before the F.A. says enough is enough. We just must bring in video technology.  Very important games often hinge on these decisions, and it seems ridiculous that there is a reluctance, at present, even an acceptance, that wrong decisions will be made when in every other sport they are having to seek help from the electronic eye.  Can this technology spoil the game?  I don’t believe so.  What would happen with the introduction of the electronic eye is that the assistant referee would still use his flag to indicate an offside decision in the normal way, but play would continue, which would add to the excitement of the game.  If a goal is scored the assistant upstairs watching from the screen would indicate whether the goal was legitimate or not.  If a goal did not result from the lineman’s offside ruling then the game would go on providing the defending side was in possession. If a corner or throw in is awarded to the offensive side as a result of an offside decision being delayed, the assistant video referee would point this out to the referee via the referee’s earpiece. A free kick or goal kick would be awarded to the defending side.  For all goals scored regardless of how, video evidence would be used only for possible offside decisions or goal – line decisions (did the ball cross the line?)  Now you think how this could add to the excitement bringing the goalkeeper more into the game, resulting in more goal scoring opportunities.  This would also prevent the games being squeezed to the middle third of the pitch with defences reluctant to play too high a line, resulting in a more free flowing spacious game.  This is not tinkering, this is a practical application of technology to advance decision making.  Even those purists amongst you have to admit there’s too much controversy revolving around offsides and goal line incidences.

I always believe that one has to look at the worst case scenario when it comes down to decision making.  Imagine the World Cup final being decided by a goal that was offside or conversely a goal disallowed in the last minute to win the match that was wrongly given offside.  In 2009 how can we condone this practice when we have the technology to put it right?  It’s time for this tomfoolery to end. It would have helped having this technology in 1966 to prove Geoff Hurst’s goal was a legitimate one.  They didn’t have the equipment then, they do now!!  The authorities must get a grip and for once make a decision that will help the beautiful game move on.