Predictions time!!

It has been far to long since I last done some predictions but I have decided to make a comeback! It has been a brilliant season so far and I think it is only going to get better!




Burnley 0 - 3 Man City - The Clarets were utterly awful on Monday night at West Brom and I think Sean Dyche would have given his side a damn good rollicking because all over the pitch they were just abysmal. City on the other hand just got over the line at Selhurst Park with Yaya Toure grabbing himself a brace, I think Burnley will perform better than they did last time out but I can only see a win for Pep's side. I think the quality of the City side will be far to strong and they will pick them off easily.



Swansea 2 - 1 Crystal Palace - The Swans got a well deserved point at Everton and if it wasn't for a late goal from Seamus Coleman then Bob Bradley's side could've stolen all three. They played alot better than they have been recently. Crystal Palace are in freefall, their record in 2016 is appalling and they are in real danger of being dragged into a relegation scrap. They are a team that cannot defend which is a massive problem. I predict a very tight game but I am going to go for a Swans win.



Liverpool 2 - 0 Sunderland - Liverpool are a good side and I really do think they are going to be up there at the end of the season, Coutinho, Mane, Firmino are playing some really good football at the moment. Sunderland got a massive win over Hull last time out but my fear for them is what if Jermaine Defoe gets injured? Victor Anichebe is in good form but he isn't the man who is going to score enough to keep them up and the less said about the defence the better. I think Liverpool will have to much quality for Sunderland in this one.



Leicester 2 - 1 Middlesbrough  - Leicester made it through to the knockout stages by finishing top of their group in the Champions League but now they must concentrate on getting their league form back on track because they have been pretty woeful so far this season, it is quite amazing how much they are missing Kante. Boro were pretty good last weekend when they lost to Chelsea, they do play some really nice football at times but I just think they lack a real top class striker. I am going for The Foxes to just edge this but I expect the visitors to make it a really tight game.



Hull 1 - 2 West Brom - I can only see Hull going in one direction because they were awful last weekend, I bet some of their fans wished the floodlights would've stayed off rather than have to watch their team get outplayed all over the pitch. West Brom thumped Burnley on Monday and they played some good stuff. I just can't see Hull winning this one.



Chelsea 3 - 1 Spurs - Spurs were pretty poor last time out but somehow came from 2 - 1 down in the last minute to get the three points but were helped by some dodgy defending. The game in midweek against Monaco was a must win for them to have a chance of getting through but he rested very key players. I don't think I have to mention on how bad Moussa Sissoko is, £30 million? REALLY? Why keep players rested in a competition so you can play them in a big game in order to try and get in the very competition that you are going to rest them in? Let's get one thing clear, Spurs AREN'T going to win the league because they are not good enough. I think the way Chelsea are playing at the moment is unstoppable and I can only see one outcome.



Waford 1 - 1 Stoke - The Potters would have been very disappointed with the defeat at home to Bournemouth and as for Watford they are a good side and I think this game could be a good one but I am going for a draw.



Arsenal 3 - 0 Bournemouth -  Arsenal weren't great at home to Spurs, neither were they great at Old Trafford but they didn't get beat. They are unbeaten in 18 games and while the football hasn't been fantastic over the past couple of weeks, it is still an impressive run. I do think they will come away with all three points here. There is no denying that Santi Cazorla and Hector Bellerin are massive misses but I just think they will have to much for The Cherries. I really like Eddie Howe and the way his team play football and they will cause problems but a home win for me.


Southampton 2 - 2 Everton - I think this game could be the game of the weekend, both sides are good going forward so I see plenty of goals. Both of these sides aren't in great form, The Saints were pretty poor in midweek and will look to bounce back. As for Everton they haven't won since beating West Ham at the end of last month.



Man United 2 - 0 West Ham - I am still not convinced by United, they may have dominated last week against Arsenal but didn't really create much and just don't look like they can break teams down. They were better in midweek so it should give them some confidence. West Ham were so close to getting at least a point at Tottenham last time out but once again, the defending left a lot to be desired. They have to start picking up points because they could be dragged into a relegation scrap. I think United will just about get over the line.

My trip to the London Stadium

Hello people! It has been far too long since I did one of these but I thought I would treat you all, lucky you eh?


The reason I have decided to write a new blog is because I went to the West Ham VS Southampton game yesterday at the London Stadium because basically my Stepdad is a season ticket holder and had a spare ticket so I thought why not go for a day out? So the day started at Ashford International where we got the 12.16 train to Stratford International with some of his West Ham friends. I must admit it was rather weird getting off at Stratford because I am so used to getting off at St Pancras to go and watch The Arsenal. The walk to the ground is very quick and as soon as you exit the station you can see the stadium and I must admit it is a lovely arena. The walk up to the ground has a very Wembley feel to it because there is a long walkway but as we were early there were hardly anyone about which was quite nice because I could have a proper look about. I was very impressed with the whole layout of the place and I could see why West Ham wanted to move there but one thing that I did like was if you're a season ticket holder then you get this little voucher so you get a programme for free.


Next stop, the pub, which was about a 5 minute walk away from the ground but you have to go down this dodgy looking path right by the river, to be honest it looked like it could be a scene from a Green Street film. So we get to the pub which has been converted from a non used warehouse, apparently the company that purchased it before the Olympics only paid £300k so whoever you are, I bet you're loving life right now. The pub was feeling up nicely and every so often, you would get this loud "IROOOONNS" and let me tell you, there is something very intimidating about West Ham fans. The only disappointing about the pub was the burgers, now I am not expecting a Michelin star bit of meat but what I do expect it to be is cooked properly. A son of one of the people I was with had to take his back because it was under cooked but when he got it back it was a freshly cooked one. I had a bit of a heavy night the night before so I was beginning to get hungry so decided to brave the burger stand. I am going to let you guess how much it cost.........£7 for a burger with a bit of cheese, it was like being at The Emirates!


The time is getting on so we all decided to leave the pub and head to the ground and I must admit it was very much looking forward to watching game of football as a complete neutral. We walked up the stairs and we could the loud from the Southampton fans and then the West Ham fans would start singing back. We got through the turnstiles and headed to our seats and I was very impressed with my view, on the halfway line in the lower tier. So the players head out onto the pitch and there is a loud rendition of " I am forever blowing bubbles" and I got to say it's a special song to hear in the flesh. The game kicks off and it's a great atmosphere with both fans in full voice and the sun is shining, what a perfect day to watch football just think there are people out there that would rather watch Antiques Roadshow. As first halves go it was pretty scrappy but Southampton looked the better of the two but West Ham just couldn't get going and 5 minutes from the break there was a goal but it was inevitable that it was the away side, Charlie Austin scored a lovely goal and there was immediate frustration from the home fans.


The halftime whistle blew and there was a few boos from the home faithful, so there is only one thing to do during the break and that is to get a drink. At Arsenal, you can queue up for almost the entire 15 minutes and by the time you get served, you have to down it because it's nearly the second half but there was no queuing for drinks which was very nice because watching that rubbish for 45 minutes is thirsty work. It's amazing how we all become football managers when our teams are not playing very well but you could sense the frustration. We find our seats for the second half and hope that West Ham can turn it around because although I am not a fan, it would be nice to see them at least score. Southampton's second goal was a comedy of errors as West Ham gave the ball away cheaply which allowed Dusan Tadic to take it around Adrian to send the away end into raptures again. The home fans were furious now, the boos were louder and West Ham looked all over the place. My Stepdad text me straightaway saying " if they score again then I am off" which I couldn't blame him for because it was awful. There was 10 minutes to go and I got another text saying " I am going in a minute, are you coming?" Now I am not a fan of leaving early because I believe if you can't stay in one place for 2 hours or so then don't bother going however this wasn't my team and I had seen enough. We left in the 85 minutes and the amount of people walking towards the station was unbelievable, we got about 100 yards from the ground and we heard another roar and it sounded a little to loud to be an away goal but then it dawned on me that there probably isn't enough West Ham fans left to make a noise and low and behold it was 3 nil to Southampton.


We headed to the station and the whole place was so flat, the fans looked so dejected and just fed up with what they have been witnessing recently. We got on the train and headed back home, if I am honest, I had a great day of watching football and just being a neutral and I am hoping to be going back but as an away fan in December.


Well that was my day at West Ham, if you do get the chance to go to the new stadium then definitely go because it's a lovely ground.

I will be back soon! Cheers  

Predictions!

The Week Review

Hello and happy Friday to you all, it's a pretty dark and dreary day here and it kind of sums up how I am feeling about football at the moment. The Champions League and Europa League second legs were in action and it was a mixed week for the English clubs, Man City got through to the Quarter Finals of the Champions League for the first time after a dull nil nil draw on Tuesday night against Kiev and Arsenal were beaten by MSN at the Nou Camp. Liverpool are through to the last 8 of the Europa League after a 1 - 1 draw last night at Old Trafford but it was the first leg that saw them get past their arch rivals.



So on Tuesday night, Manchester City were at home at home to Dynamo Kiev and were well in control from the first after they one in Ukraine by 3 goals to 1. I thought City would win this game very easily and I wasn't going to have a bet until I saw a certain Bookmaker offer 10/1 for City to win to new customers, that was far a fantastic offer and one I thought would certainly win me some money. One thing I can say about the game is it was probably one of the most dullest games I have ever witnessed and I will never get that time back. The only real moments of an excitement was when Vincent Kompany went off injured yet again for Man City and it looks like he will be out for about a month. The injury to their captain was just the start as Nicolas Otamendi also went off injured just a few minutes later but he is hoping he will be fit for the Manchester derby on Sunday. The game was very dull and Man City looked like a team who wasn't interested in scoring anymore goals and as for Kiev, well they were utterly dreadful and I did feel a bit sorry for their fans because their players just had no desire to have a go at City or create anything. Man City face PSG in the next round and that for sure will be a much bigger challenge for them but it should be a very good game because both sides are very dangerous going forward. A little mention about Jesus Navas, who was so poor on Tuesday night, he sort of reminded me of a racing pigeon, who keeps flying into lamp-posts.



Onto Wednesday where Arsenal faced Mission Impossible at the Nou Camp, it did seem very daunting especially the form that the Gunners were in. The team was a little surprise with Alex Iwobi starting instead of the inconsistent Theo Walcott but to be fair to the young lad, he has impressed recently and I think he deserved his place. The one thing that left me scratching my head was that Mathieu Flamini was in the starting 11 instead of Francis Coquelin. I thought Arsenal started off quite well but they kept giving the ball away and against a team of superstars, you are only going to get punished. The first goal in the opening 20 minutes when Arsenal lost the ball and Luis Suarez found Neymar who calmly slotted the ball past David Ospina. I did fear the worse because we are in poor form and don't look winning at the moment but I will give the boys credit, they played some nice football and had a couple of chances. Alex Iwobi caused a lot of problems for the Barcelona defence and was a little bit unlucky not to win a penalty when he was slightly clipped by Javier Mascherano, there wasn't much contact but with penalties that have been given recently then it was definitely worth a shout. Arsenal looked a lot better in the second half and got their equalizer with an absolute worldie from Elneny who curled the ball into the top corner past Ter Stegen after some good player from Alexis Sanchez. The Gunners all of a sudden looked like they were going to take the game to the Catalan side and applied a lot of pressure but just under 20 minutes later, Luis Suarez scored a beautiful volley into the top corner from a Dani Alves cross. I thought Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi were superb and both a little unlucky to be subbed off to be honest, Oliver Giroud and Theo Walcott replaced them and it was the latter who really frustrated me. Theo Walcott had a good chance but his first touch let him down yet again and he went to wide and it was an easy save in the end. The game was wrapped up 2 minutes from time and it was Lionel Messi who finally got his goal and it was a lovely dink over the helpless Ospina. I didn't expect much from the Nou Camp but I did want a performance from the players and to be fair to them, they didn't let themselves down but it was the first leg that cost Arsenal. Barcelona face fellow La Liga side Athletico Madrid in the next round, as for Arsenal it was another night of what could have been but hopefully they can take heart from the performance and put in a shift at Goodison Park on Saturday.  




Last night it was the Europa League where Tottenham had the task of trying to overturn the 3 - 0 that they suffered in Dortmund but you could tell by the team selection that their priorities lie elsewhere. Dortmund after brilliant to watch and they have a superstar in Patrick Emerick Aubameyang who grabbed another two goals which takes him to 34 goals this season. Spurs did have a go but I don't think they will be to fussed about going out if they go on and win the Premier League. Manchester United faced Liverpool at Old Trafford where they tried to comeback from their first leg defeat at Anfield. I don't really understand Louis Van Gaal at times and his team selections, I mean why would you play Juan Mata out wide and Jesse Lingard in the middle? Anthony Martial won a penalty on the half hour when he was brought down by Nathaniel Clyne and it was Martial who calmly slotted the ball to give United a lifeline. I think if Man United would have got to half time in front then the game might have been different but just before the break it was Philippe Coutinho who scored a wonderful chip to send the away section into raptures. The second half was a pretty dead rubber because the home side never really threatened to get back into the game. Liverpool face Borussia Dortmund in the next round, a match that Klopp didn't really want but it should be a cracker and the atmosphere should be amazing at both grounds, just imagine both set of fans singing You'll Never Walk Alone at the same time.


Right that is it for now, I will be back with a Vlog later to give my predictions.

Laters   

Weekend Review

Hello you lovely! Here's my weekend review!

Video is here attached!

Europa League!

Last night was the first time I have ever looked forward to the Europa League, Spurs travelled to Germany to face the tournament favourites Borussia Dortmund. Liverpool and Manchester United faced off the first time in Europe at Anfield.



Dortmund 3 - 0 Tottenham -

Let's start with the early kick off in Germany, where Spurs had the daunting task of trying to get a result against a very good Dortmund side. The Germans started off on the front foot and dominated much of the first half and if it wasn't for some good goalkeeping by Hugo Lloris and an offside goal, it could've been an even more of a difficult game for Spurs. Mauricio Pochettino made a lot of changes and while some will say that he has done a brilliant job this season and has the right to pick a weakened team, I disagree because what's the point of getting to this stage of the competition and just essentially giving up? I know Spurs are in the title race and they want to win their first league title in many years but they play Aston Villa on Sunday and to be honest, if they don't beat them then Spurs don't deserve to win anything this season. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang caused allsorts of problems for the Tottenham back four and it felt like a matter of time before he finally got his goal and it came on the half hour mark with a lovely header into the bottom corner. The second half, Spurs were a little unlucky not to win a penalty after Son Hueng-min went down from a tackle from Hummels but the referee waved it away. Marco Reus made 2 nil just after the hour mark when blasted the ball into the roof of the net which left Spurs a massive mountain to climb. He also grabbed the third with a superb volley after a lovely move from Dortmund, Spurs tried to get an away goal by bringing on Harry Kane but it was too late. I think Spurs will get a goal next week but I just cannot see them not conceding one against a Dortmund who are a class act and if they go on and win it then it wouldn't surprise me.





Liverpool 2 - 0 Man United -

Liverpool took control of this last 16 tie as they breezed past a very abject Manchester United last night. This was the first ever meeting between these two English giants and the atmosphere was amazing and the rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone by the Liverpool fans before kick off was breath-taking. Man United nearly went ahead in the first 30 seconds when Memphis crossed the ball towards Marcus Rashford but he didn't seem ready for it. Liverpool pretty much controlled the game from then on and won a very soft penalty when Depay brought down Nathaniel Clyne in the 20 minute. Daniel Sturridge made no mistake as he stroked the ball past David De Gea, although the keeper did get a hand to it. Manchester United were truly awful last night and they only created one chance and if it wasn't for De Gea, this game would have been about 5 - 0.  I had a lot of sympathy for Marcus Rashford, who is an 18 year old with so much potential but too ask a kid to lead the line in a game of this magnitude is nothing short of inept from a manager who again has shown he is not up to the job. Another person who was shambolic last night was Marouane Felliani who was lucky to stay on the pitch after appearing to elbow Emre Can at the end of the game but the referee didn't see it.  He was all over the place and was completely and utterly hopeless. I don't want to appear that I am picking on Man United but they used to have players who had passion and fight and I don't see it from a single one of the current crop. I have said it numerous times this season, Louis Van Gaal has got rid of so many players and spent an awful lot on bringing players in but how many of these players are better than the ones he let go? You cannot let Hernandez, Van Persie and Welbeck go and not bring in a recognized centre forward. This is by no means a dig at Anthony Martial, who I think is a massive talent but once again last night, he got zero service so he couldn't get into the game. Louis Van Gaal came out at full time with the excuses of the penalty was soft and the second goal was offside but it was atrocious defending from Michael Carrick which allowed Firmino to ping it past De Gea. It was like the United team had never met before and just rocked up to Anfield and not even taking into account that they were playing against their arch rivals which means everything to the fans. I have seen a lot on social media regarding certain chants that were coming from the away end, sadly a few idiots will ruin it for everyone else, I have a lot of Man United friends who don't like Liverpool but would never sing songs regarding Hillsborough or any other horrific tragedy. There are idiots at every club and if you're one of these people that sing nasty songs whether it's racial or mocking dead people and you ever happen to read this then do us all a favour.....stay at home and let real football fans enjoy the game,  


Hopefully going to be recording the first ever Weekly Strike Podcast very soon so keep your eye's and ears peeled!

Laters!

Goals, Cards and Drama!

Well that was a very entertaining weekend of football, so much happened at the top and at the bottom of the league. There is so much to go over including a flurry of red cards given out, dodgy decisions and much more! As always I am going to go over all the games from the Premier League and give my honest opinion on all that unfolded!


Tottenham 2 - 2 Arsenal - The early kick off on Saturday afternoon is the perfect place to start, this game was billed as the biggest North London Derby in recent times and it definitely lived up to all the hype. The first half hour was very cagey with Spurs just about on top but didn't really create much apart from a chance which fell to Erik Lamela who shinned the ball towards goal but it was a smart save from David Ospina. The first half was looking like it was going to end goalless but 5 minutes from the break, Aaron Ramsey put the Gunners ahead with a lovely back heel after some lovely play from Danny Welbeck who found Hector Bellerin on the edge of the box and then he put in a good ball into the Welshmen who produced a wonderful goal. The only other real talking point was Francis Coquelin's booking for a handball. The Second half was end to end and I was very surprised a goal didn't come sooner than it did. The game was changed completely when Coquelin stupidly lunged in on Harry Kane and got himself sent off and really put his team up against it. Spurs really began to turn the screw with a flurry of chances including a very tight call where the ball almost went over the line. It was a matter of time before they did get the equalizer and it came from an unlikely source, Toby Alderweireld, who smashed the ball past Ospina with a good finish. Spurs were beginning to dominate and 2 minutes later, Harry Kane produced an absolute worldie of a goal by curling the ball from the edge of the area and it hit the inside of the post, sending the home side into raptures. Arsenal had to regroup and to be fair they showed a lot of heart and passion, something that had been questioned over the last week. Erik Dier was lucky not to have been sent off for two silly tackles and I still don't know why the referee failed to send him off. Arsenal got their goal from a lovely pass by Bellerin to Sanchez who looked very good and deserved his goal and they could have nicked it in injury time if it wasn't for some very good defending by Kevin Wimmer. it was a cracking game of football and nobody really deserved to lose but Spurs will be annoyed that they couldn't hold on against 10 men.




Chelsea 1 - 1 Stoke - If Chelsea had a small hope of being in the top 4, it's probably over now as dropped 2 points. I think Chelsea had one eye on their Champions League second leg tie against PSG, where they will want to overturn a 2-1 score line. Chelsea took the lead from a scorcher of a goal by Traore but they didn't look very good and I had a feeling that they would let Stoke get back into the game and 5 minutes from time, The Potters got their goal from Diouf and on the whole they did deserve the point. Chelsea have a massive game in Tuesday night and another tricky one this weekend where they travel to Everton in the FA Cup.



Man City 4 - 0 Aston Villa - It took a while for City to get going as they looked off the pace and it wasn't a surprise that it was goalless at the break. I will give Villa a bit of credit as they showed a lot of heart but they just have no confidence and all their hard work was undone just 3 minutes into the second half as they quickly conceded 2 in the space of 2 minutes. Villa just gave up and they were just walking around, I feel sorry for the Villa fans as they are seeing their team show no fight. It was soon 3 nil on 60 minutes where Man city looked like they were in a training match and the 4th City goal just about summed up why Villa are going down. I do have some sympathy for Remi Garde because his players have given up and I don't think he will be there next season.



Everton 2 - 3 West Ham - A very good game of football from two very good footballing sides but once again for Everton it's another defeat at home. They started very well and got the opening goal from Lukaku who bullied Reece Oxford with his sheer pace and power. Kevin Mirallas had a day to forget as he was booked for a stupid dive and then 10 minutes from half time, he dives into a tackle and gets himself sent off. Everton doubled their and gave them some breathing space with some lovely link up play between Lukaku and Aaron Lennon, with the latter sliding the ball past Adrian, then Lukaku missed a penalty which would have sealed the points. The game was looking like it was going to end in a home win but 12 minutes from time, West Ham showed some real heart and got a goal back from Antonio, a man who can't stop scoring goals. Sakho made it 2 - 2 for his first goal since September and The Hammers looked like a different side and were going for the win and it came on 90 minutes and it was that man Payet with the finish. West Ham are brilliant to watch and are hard to play against.


Southampton 1 - 1 Sunderland - Sunderland were unlucky not to come away with points, they played some very nice football and I do think they will stay up because they have a manager who knows how to avoid the drop. They took the lead with just 5 minutes to go from a goal from Jermaine Defoe, The Saints were down to 10 men after Jose Fonte was sent off for denying a goal scoring chance just 7 minutes before, The home side did a very late goal from Virgil Van Dijk who powered the ball past Vito Mannone but Sunderland have looked a lot better recently.



Newcastle 1 - 3 Bournemouth - Newcastle are in massive trouble and I really don't see them getting out of the relegation zone. It was another pitiful display and the fans were on the players back very early on. There was no heart, passion or desire from the Toon and Steve McLaren is under massive pressure and I don't see him being there for much longer. Bournemouth were immense from the first whistle and deserved the points. I think Eddie Howe's side are safe now but as for Newcastle, it's looking very grim at the moment.



Swansea 1 - 0 Norwich - Two wins in a week for Swansea which means they are probably safe from the drop now, although they made hard work of it. It was a massive game because both sides are down there but the Swans got over the line with a Sigurdsson goal on the hour mark. Norwich look in trouble, they simply can't stop conceding goals and they aren't scoring many either which is a problem. It's going to be down to them, Newcastle and Sunderland who fills the two relegation spots.



Watford 0 -1 Leicester - The dream is looking like it's going to be a reality for Leicester, they weren't at their best at Vicarage Road but they got the result which puts them 5 points clear with 9 games to go. Riyad Mahrez has been class this season and must be a contender for player of the year, he took his goal superbly even though he had a bit of frustrating game. Watford are a good side but they have stopped scoring goals at home, now without a home goal in three.



Crystal Palace 1 - 2 Liverpool - Liverpool hadn't won at Selhurst for many years and it looked like it was going to continue when Joe Ledley put the home side ahead just after the break. James Milner's sending off made the job even harder for Jurgen Klopp's side but they levelled the game when Alex McCarthy slipped when clearing the ball which fell to the feet of Roberto Firmino who calmly slotted home. It looked like it was going to end in a point each but there was controversy when Damien Delaney slid in on Christian Benteke, who went down under minimal contact. The referee didn't give it but his assistant raised his flag and the Palace players were fuming. I thought it was a dive and Benteke made the most of it but he slotted the ball home in the last kick off the game.




West Brom 1 - 0 Man United - Man United are funny side, they get two wins under their belt against Arsenal and Watford but then produce a display which was pretty awful. Juan Mata's daft red card pretty much summed up their day. Rondon was a menace for the Baggies and deserved his goal. West Brom are safe from the drop now and played some nice football, United could have done with a win but now they have a big game in the FA Cup against the in form West Ham.


Hope you all had a good weekend, be back soon!

Predictions!

Well what a massive weekend of football this is, the top of the table is up for grabs and the relegation zone is changing all the time. Today is the biggest North London Derby in history and whoever wins this, must be serious contenders to win the title in May and as an Arsenal fan, I am not overly looking forward to it.




Tottenham 2 - 2 Arsenal - This game is always massive and the rivalry gets bigger and more volatile every year but this one is the biggest one in history. There is so much at stake for both clubs. Tottenham will want to bounce back from the defeat at West Ham where they looked like rabbits in the headlights and just couldn't handle the occasion. They will be bang up for this and they have a chance to go 5 points clear and I don't see them doing the usual Spurs thing and falling apart. Arsenal have been truly woeful this past week, the performance against Swansea was an absolute disgrace and the fans will demand a better display. I have gone for the draw because all form goes out of the window and also because I simply don't have it in me to go against my team, even though I am dreading it because if Spurs play like they have been then it could be a long and horrible day for every Gooner. There is no Petr Cech and no Koscielny who are massive blows but it's time for other players to step up and show why they are playing for Arsenal. A truly massive game between two sides who don't like each other.





Man City 5 - 0 Aston Villa  - Man City have fallen of the cliff in the Premier League in terms of results, 3 defeats in a row and looking shocking all over the pitch but luckily they have Aston Villa at home so this is the perfect way to gain some confidence. Aston Villa are woeful and I don't see them getting another win this season and this season the players have simply not been good enough. If City don't win this then they don't deserve to be in the top 4.




Everton 3 - 2 West Ham - This one could be a cracker with both sides who play very good football, I see a lot of goals and the only reason why I have done Everton to win is because they are at home. The Hammers were superb against Spurs and even they could sneak into the Champions League spots.


Watford 1 - 1 Leicester - This is a really difficult game to call, I have been really impressed with Watford and they were unlucky to lose at Old Trafford where they had the better chances and matched United in every department but were kind of robbed by a dive by Anthony Martial. I love watching The Foxes play, they have some superb players and I think it would be fantastic if they did go on to win the League. These are the games that make or break you and I think Watford will set up to frustrate the league leaders and hit them on the break.



Crystal Palace 1 - 2 Liverpool - I was very impressed with Liverpool in midweek, they outplayed Man City and deserved the points. They have a massive game in the Europa League against Man United so they may have one eye on that. Palace will be desperate for a win because I think some of their fans have forgotten what it feels like.


West Brom 1 - 1 Man United - Man United have hit a bit of form but I wouldn't be shocked if it all goes wrong again and it nearly did against Watford where they got a little bit lucky. The Baggies got a well deserved point at Leicester and will want to build on that.


Short and sweet for today as I have a slight hangover so even typing hurts!

Have a good one!

Monday Funday!

Good afternoon, I hope you all had a good weekend which was filled with football and beer! I hadn't done an accumulator for a while so I thought I am going to have a punt, so I backed Northampton Town who have won 10 league games in a row and are running away with League 2 by 10 points. They were playing away at Hartlepool who are 3rd from bottom and I thought this is a banker away win, well how wrong was I? The game finished nil nil with Hartlepool putting in a top performance to thwart the league leaders. This result kind of set up how the rest of the weekend would go, anyway let's go through all the big talking points from The Premier League!



West Ham 1 - 0 Sunderland - West Ham got the win from a good finish from Michail Antonio but they far from bossed the game, The Black Cats will feel they should have at least got a point because they had some very good chances from Jermaine Defoe and Jack Rodwell, the latter could have had an hat trick. Sunderland only needed a point to leap frog Newcastle and Norwich to get out of the relegation zone but now they sit below both of them and having played a game more. West Ham moved up to 5th for a day but they are a really good side and they play Spurs on Wednesday in a game that could be a corker, as for Big Sam's men they are in trouble and will be desperate for a win on Tuesday when they host Crystal Palace while The Hammers are at home to Spurs.


Southampton 1 - 2 Chelsea - There is no doubt that Chelsea have improved since Guus Hiddink arrived, The Blues started off second best at St Mary's and deserved to be a goal down at the break through a typical Shane Long finish. Southampton had seemed to forget what conceding feels like but keeper Frazer Forster will be disappointed he let Cesc Fabregas misdirected cross go past him. Chelsea were much better in the second half and probably deserved the points which was won by a bullet header from Branislav Ivanovic which Forster got a hand too but couldn't keep it out. Chelsea move up to 11th and will look for glory in the FA Cup and Champions League because I don't see them getting anywhere the European spots.



Leicester 1 - 0 Norwich - The dream goes on for Claudio Ranieri's men as they snatched a very late winner against a Norwich side who defended very well but they just couldn't hang on for a point that would have been very much needed. I really think Leicester are going to win the title, they bounced back from the Arsenal defeat very well, even though it wasn't a great performance but if don't play well and still win games, that's a sign of Champions. Norwich are in trouble and host Chelsea on Tuesday night which isn't ideal but they need a win badly. The Foxes host West Brom and a win will put them even further clear.


West Brom 3 - 2 Crystal Palace - The Baggies got a much needed win which moved them up to 13th and above Crystal Palace. West Brom started the game fast out of the blocks and were 3 nil up in the first half hour from goals by Craig Gardner, Craig Dawson and Saido Berahino. Palace got a goal back straight after the break from Connor Wickham and he scored again with 10 minutes to go which made for a nervy ending for the home faithful. I think on the whole, West Brom did JUST enough to deserve it but they cannot keep giving away cheap goals. As for Palace they need to start winning games because they haven't won in the league since they did at Stoke which was way back in December.



Manchester United 3 - 2 Arsenal - Arsenal headed into this game as favourites at Old Trafford for the first time in the Premier League era. They started off quite well and had a massive chance which fell to Nacho Monreal but it was well saved by David De Gea. Marcus Rashford had a debut to remember as he scored 2 goals in 3 minutes thanks to some woeful defending but he took his chances very well and although I wasn't overly happy, it was good to see a young English player showing no fear. Danny Welbeck pulled one back from a dangerous Mesut Ozil free kick which is now his 17th assist of the season. The second half was very entertaining, very end to end but Ander Herrera's shot which was going miles wide, hit Laurent Koscielny and flew past Petr Cech. Mesut Ozil hit back almost straight away but Arsenal looked out of ideas and just couldn't grab an equalizer. Marcus Rashford came off to a standing ovation which he thoroughly deserved because he was brilliant and he has a very bright future. Man United host Watford and The Gunners are at home to Swansea in what is a must win game.




Tottenham 2 - 1 Swansea - It's exciting times at White Hart Lane, they are looking a very good side and showed great bounce back ability after Swansea took a surprise lead. The home fans were getting a little edgy with time beginning to run out but Nacer Chadli scored with 20 minutes and you felt once they get one, then they are going to push for a winner and it duly arrived but it was Danny Rose who popped up with the goal. Tottenham are title contenders and they will take some stopping but they do have a massive week coming with two London Derbies, starting with a trip to West Ham which always a feisty one but it could be a cracker because both sides play good football. Spurs then face Arsenal in which is probably biggest North London Derby in history and one that could decide where the title goes. Swansea are just 3 points above the relegation zone and need a win but they travel to The Emirates on Wednesday which will be a tough one but they did win there last season.



Capital One Cup Final

Manchester City 1 - 1 Liverpool ( City won 1-3 on Pens)

Liverpool will be disappointed that they didn't win this one because they some good chances but the big question is, why didn't Daniel Sturridge take a penalty? I thought it was a very strange one because he is clearly one of their big players so surely big moments like this is what he lives for. Willy Caballero was the hero for City in the shootout after saving from Lallana, Coutinho and Lucas. these two sides meet again on Wednesday night and I think the Reds will want revenge and they have already beaten City in the League.


Thanks for reading, will be back tomorrow

Predictions!

Greetings Strikers, Welcome to another Strike, I have a feeling this weekend is going to be a very interesting one. There are teams who are desperate for a win to pull away from the Relegation zone and other teams who fighting for the title. Let's crack on with my predictions!



West Ham 3 - 0 Sunderland - Big Sam returns to Upton Park with Sunderland who are in desperate need of the points as they languish 19th in the league and below their arch rivals Newcastle. I can't see anything other than a routine victory for The Hammers as they have been in fine form recently. They have a real star in Dimitri Payet and I think he could have a field day against a side who simply cannot defend. It's been a funny season and anyone can beat anyone but I just don't see The Black Cats getting anything.



Stoke City 2 - 0 Aston Villa - I think it's safe to say that Aston Villa are doomed to relegation and I feel a bit sorry for Remi Garde because his players have just given up it seems. Normally when a side goes down, teams come in for their better players but I really don't see of any of the players from Villa getting snapped up. Stoke were very impressive last time out but that was their first win in quite a while. I don't see anything other than a home win here.



Southampton 1 - 1 Chelsea - There is no doubt that Chelsea have improved under Guus Hiddink, not exactly hard though is it? I can see this one being a very tight one as The Saints just don't seem to concede goals and they scoring plenty. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a home win but Chelsea look a bit better and will probably take a point.



Leicester 2 - 1 Norwich - How The Foxes react from their last gasp defeat to Arsenal is going to be very interesting, if they really are going to go on to win the league then you must have a positive reaction to set backs. If this was at Carrow Road then I would be tempted to do Norwich but The Canaries just don't know how to defend so it's a home win but I think it will be a close one.


Watford 2 - 0 Bournemouth - I have been really impressed with Watford this year and they are good at home, they are also well away from the drop. I really like Bournemouth and I hope they stay up but they don't have a plan B, they play some lovely football at times but they are quite easy to play against and I think Watford will win this one easily.



West Brom 1 - 2 Crystal Palace - Crystal Palace are a real strange team, they can look world class one week and clueless the next. I was very impressed with their win at White Hart Lane last week and I think they play with more freedom away from home. West Brom are probably safe but the fans aren't happy at all with the teams performances recently. I think The Eagles will win this one and I think Adebayor might just score here.



Man United 1 - 2 Arsenal - I am not just putting Arsenal to win just because I am a fan, I think after the defeat in the week to Barcelona, the players will want to make amends and what better way to do that and beat United at Old Trafford. Man United have won twice week already, one in the FA Cup against the mighty Shrewsbury and in The Europa League against Midtjylland. I do think some United fans got a little carried away by the performance of Memphis, yes he was good but can he do it against the big boys? United have a lot of injuries and I just don't see then being able to cope with Arsenal. If The Gunners do get the 3 points then the title charge is really on but Arsenal haven't beaten United in the League away in a quite a while but I do think Sunday could be the day.



Spurs 3 - 0 Swansea - This is probably the banker of the weekend, Tottenham are a really good side and they are genuine title contenders this year. Swansea are in real trouble of being sucked into a relegation battle and I think they should write this game off and just look onto next week.




Manchester City 2 - 2 Liverpool - So the first bit of Silverware of the season, I can see this one being a belter with plenty of goals. City were awesome in Kiev on Wednesday and are probably favourites to win this but I just have a feeling Liverpool will edge this in Extra Time. Both of these teams have plenty of goals in them but both are also very poor at the back. I am backing Danny Sturridge to scroe the winner.


Have a good weekend and I will be back Monday for a full round up of all the major talking points!

Talking Points

Hello there and welcome to another Strike, got quite a lot to talk about this week as it was quite an eventful weekend of football. There was plenty of goals and drama but also there was a couple of incidents involving "fans" throwing objects onto the pitch.


So let's start with the incident at full time at The Madejski Stadium where Reading defeated West Brom by 3 goals to 1. Chris Brunt goes over to the away section to applaud the fans and to give his shirt to a young fan but then some mindless scumbag decided to throw a coin and it hit Brunt just below the eye which drew blood. I don't understand what could go through a man or a woman's mind to get a coin out of their pocket and lob it at someone, do they not understand how dangerous that is? I know footballers earn an obscene amount of money but nobody deserves that and what makes it even more disgraceful is that it was thrown by a West Brom fan. Another incident was at Stamford Bridge where a very small section of Chelsea fans pelted the Man City players with objects when they scored the equalizer, I just hope that everyone involved gets a life ban from football because there is a difference between being passionate about your club and showing your displeasure for a bad performance or conceding a goal but throwing objects is beyond wrong. If I saw a fellow fan doing it, I am getting them out, if you're the sort of person who doesn't have half a brain cell and think it is ok to lob coins at a player then please do every other true football fan a favour and just stay at home.


On a brighter note, what about West Ham eh? They were absolutely fantastic yesterday in their 5-1 victory at Ewood Park against a Blackburn side who did put up a decent fight but their class shone through in the end. I think they could go all the way to the final, they have a very good squad and Dimitri Payet is just out of this world, his free kick would've made David Beckham proud and he must be in with a shout for player of the year. The Hammers will face either Shrewsbury or Man United in the quarter finals and will definitely fancy their chances of getting to Wembley.


Tonight it is the final FA Cup game of the weekend, Shrewsbury host Manchester United at The New Meadow and surely this will be a routine victory for Louis Van Gaal's men. The FA Cup is United's only real chance of silverware this season and I don't think LVG can afford another disappointing night. It's going to be interesting who starts for United but I think they have to pick the strongest possible side to go out and get the result. If United lose this then there has to be serious questions asked, not just about the manager but the team as a whole. I think they will edge it but they can't take the Shrews lightly because although their league is form isn't brilliant, a win against the mighty United would do their confidence a world of good/


Cheers for reading! Back soon!

Oh Danny Boy.

Afternoon all, I hope we are all well on this pretty cold Thursday afternoon. I was going to talk about the upcoming Europa League games involving English sides but something has come to my attention and I feel I need to have a view on it.


I read a little piece in The Times from the delightful Danny Mills who used "that" penalty from the other night where Lionel Messi passed his to Luis Suarez in order for him to complete his hat trick to remind everyone that he doesn't like Robert Pires. That was genius apparently from Barcelona but when Robert Pires and Thierry Henry messed it up all them years ago,  all of a sudden they are cheats and disrespectful to the opponents. Mr Mills clearly has an issue with Robert Pires because he said a while ago that Pires was the player who "brought diving into the English game and a habit of throwing himself to the ground."


I personally think the penalty from the Barca lads was a bit distasteful because they were 4-1 up and I thought to myself if Messi wanted his teammate to score then why not just let him take it in the first place? I do think it was a bit harsh but Messi is out of this world and if there is a player who I don't mind getting away with it then it would probably be him.


I don't disagree at all with Mills that Pires brought diving into the English game and I am not talking from an Arsenal fan but a football fan. It's like he is jealous of Pires, is it because he is better looking, played for a better team or just the fact Robert Pires was a million times the player Mills was? Who knows! I do find it quite strange that we, well I mean the media will constantly blame foreigners for diving or pretty much anything else because of course English players would never fall over and cheat or do anything. I mean you would never see the great Steven Gerrard fall over an invisible leg at Bramall Lane in order to win his side a penalty in the last minute would you? Neither would you see Wayne Rooney win penalties by just diving over numerous times.

I don't like diving and I think if a player just falls over when there no contact whatsoever then there should be some sort of punishment. I was at The Emirates a couple of seasons ago and Santi Cazorla won a penalty against West Brom and from where I was sat it looked like there was contact but there wasn't. I held my hands up once I saw it that it was a dive and it wasn't penalty. It just annoys me that when an English player goes down it's "clever play" to win a penalty. If you take Jamie Vardy's penalty against Arsenal last Sunday, I can totally see why the ref pointed to the spot because there was contact BUT on the replay it was Vardy who made contact with Nacho Monreal. I am not accusing Jamie Vardy of cheating because I am a massive fan of his but I don't think it was a penalty in the slightest.

I didn't like Danny Mills as a player,  I thought he was bang average footballer who run about kicking players up in the air and I don't really like his pundit skills either. I was meant to have a little piece on him but I got a little bit worked up.


I will be back tomorrow!

Cheers!

Goals, Walk outs and much more!

Well that was rather a good weekend of football wasn't it? This Premier League season is getting more unbelievable every weekend and it's getting even harder to try and have an accumulator because everyone is beating everyone. This season is so competitive and all the so called lesser sides are no longer worried about the big sides.


Let's start at The Etihad on Saturday afternoon, where I can honestly say that  I was stunned by what I saw. I was expecting a very good game of football with plenty of goals and drama and it didn't disappoint. Leicester started on the front foot and were ahead within 3 minutes when Robert Huth got the better of his marker and knocked the ball past Joe Hart. The Foxes were relentless and could have got a couple more before the break with Vardy and Okazaki going close. Man City looked all over the place and Yaya Toure was a bystander. The Second half started and it wasn't long before Leicester were looking to double their lead, Riyhad Mahrez scored a wonder goal which left Hart flat footed and sent the away stand into raptures. City just couldn't handle the pace of Leicester and it got even worse when Huth scored his 2nd with looping header and there was just a stunned silence from the home fans who couldn't believe what was going on. Sergio Aguero did get a goal back with a couple of minutes to go but it was all in vain as The Foxes went on to go 6 points clear of the top. A couple of weeks ago when Claudio Ranieri's side lost to Spurs in the FA Cup, I was a bit disappointed because I didn't believe they would still be there now. There is no doubt that they are title contenders and they deserve it because they are just brilliant to watch and the fact their squad cost £22 million compared to City's £220 million. Another fact for you, you can buy 125 Riyad Mahrez's for the price of one Raheem Sterling.



Another side who are in great form and find them second in the table is Tottenham, who finally broke through a stubborn Watford defence and a determined Gomes who was in fine form for The Hornets. Spurs dominated the game and could have won the game by a much bigger margin if it wasn't for some outstanding goalkeeping. Delle Ali came on and changed the game and provided an assist for Kieran Trippier who scored his first goal for the club. Spurs are a very good side and they have to be taken seriously this year. They have a massive game on Sunday away at Man City and will go there thinking they can get a result. Liverpool blew a 2 goal lead at home to Anfield but the main talking point is the scores of home fans leaving in the 77th minute as a protest about ticket prices. I think prices for tickets in this country is a disgrace and football clubs these days seem to treat their fans like customers rather than supporters. I went to Munich back in November for a Champions League tie between Bayern Munich and Arsenal and the cost of a ticket was very low compared to what English fans pay. Liverpool scored two good goals from the impressive Fiminho and Adam Lallana but unfortunately their keeper Simon Mignolet was a fault for Sunderland's free kick. While it was a good hit from Adam Johnson, the keeper should have kept it out. The comeback was complete with a clever finish from Jermaine Defoe which keeps Sunderland's survival hopes alive.


What has happened to Stoke at the moment? They have had a really poor couple of games with Man United and then Everton putting three past them. They have spent an awful lot of money on Gianneli Imbula who I must be honest, not heard much about but apparently he looks good on YouTube.....just like Gervinho did and what a success he was at Arsenal. Stoke are missing Ryan Shawcross, there is no doubt about it but Everton were superb on Saturday but they are frustrating. The squad they have should be in the top four but they are just so inconsistent this season.


Sunday was Bournemouth at home to Arsenal and Chelsea hosting Man United. The early kick off wasn't a thriller but Arsenal did JUST enough to beat a very spirited Bournemouth side. There was a bit of controversy early on when Mathieu Flamini lunged two footed in a tackle with Dan Gosling. There is no doubt that it was a dangerous challenge and he should have gone for it. Some Arsenal fans weren't to happy to see Flamini in the starting 11 with Francis Coquelin on the bench. Another talking point was the challenge by Oliver Giroud on Adam Smith, it was naughty and was very lucky not to have been at least booked for it. It wasn't a great performance from The North London side but they did score two very good goals. The first was a lovely volley from Mesut Ozil who smashed it into the net after a nice knock down from Giroud. Arsenal's second came just 90 seconds later when Alex Oxlade - Chamberlain slide the ball past Artur Boruc to score his first goal in 16 months.


Chelsea hosted Man United and it was a pretty fiery game with a lot of tackles flying in but not much quality. Man United took the lead with a sumptuous strike from Jesse Lingard who is impressing me more and more every time I see him. The game looked like it was going to end with the points going to Manchester but an absolute shocking performance from Memphis Depay who is just not good enough for the Premier League, his mistake lead to a very late equalizer for Chelsea. The game was dampened by the horrific injury to Kurt Zouma who tore his ACL which means his season is over and his dreams of the Euro's also look to be over. he is a very good defender and has been one of Chelsea's better players so hopefully he will comeback stronger.




Right that will do for now, I will be back later in the week. Have a Good one

 

Midweek Guff.

Good afternoon and welcome to a midweek Strike, there were some absolute cracking games over the past couple of nights, We had everything from world class goals to phenomenal goalkeeping. So Let's start at The King Power where Leicester are looking more and more like Champions every week, they are just fantastic and Jamie Vardy is having the season of his life. 4 years ago, he was playing for Fleetwood and who would have thought he would be the leading goal scorer in the Premier League. I am still waiting for the wheels to fall off and for The Foxes to start dropping points but it just isn't happening, they just keep getting stronger. I think it is a bit unfair to call them a two man side because they do have some unsung heroes like Danny Drinkwater and N'golo Kante who have been just as consistent. When Claudio Ranieri took over, I was expecting a season of struggle but he has got to be a contender for manager of the year and who could argue if he did. Leicester do have a couple of real hard away days coming up, starting with a trip to The Etihad on Saturday lunchtime and I think they can get a result up there because Man City aren't exactly in brilliant form and Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy will definitely believe they cause a lot of problems for whoever is at the back for City. Next week they travel to The Emirates where anything could happen, earlier on the season Arsenal romped to 5-2 to win over The Foxes but this game is going to be a very close one to call. Arsenal aren't in great form at the moment and it could be a nervy one but if Leicester could get 4 points from these two games then I don't see anyone else winning the title.


On Tuesday night, you saw the most stupidest red card given to Aston Villa's Jordon Ayew for a silly elbow, I am still struggling to understand what was going through his mind. He has since said sorry but it has gone now and Villa are in more trouble, I mean I do feel sorry for the Villa fans because they are a passionate fan base but how can they continue to support the team when certain players make silly decisions like that and cost the team a result. Villa weren't terrible and had a couple of chances but when you're struggling for results and you lose a man then it makes it very difficult. West Ham on the other hand are looking brilliant at the moment and they could get a Europa League place or even better because this season is so wide open. I am a massive fan of Payet and he makes The Hammers tick and I think in the summer, there maybe some interest from other clubs.




Arsenal's season has hit a bit of a snag at the moment, no goals in three games and not looking as good as they were a few weeks ago. I know a lot of Gooners will blame the manager for not splashing the cash in the transfer windows but one of the players they did buy was Petr Cech who is probably the reason why Arsenal are in a title race this season. As an Arsenal fan, I have been critical of Wenger in the past and I do think that maybe it is time for him to step down but and there is a big BUT, who do you get in to replace him? Pep Guardiola was linked with the job let's get one thing straight here, Pep only goes for the jobs where he has copious amounts of money to spend and has players where he can literally sit back and not do an awful lot. I am not saying that Arsenal don't have some fantastic players because they do like Ozil, Sanchez, Cech and some bright young talent such Bellerin, Iwobi and Campbell. I am not denying he isn't a good manager because he record speaks for itself but I would love to see him at a club where money is a bit tighter and the players aren't as special as to what he is used to.



In other news, Gary Neville is under massive pressure at Valencia after they were smashed 7 nil by Barcelona in the Cup. I have a little bit of sympathy for Neville because he has inherited a lot of problems and I don't think it is all his fault. I saw on Twitter last night that some people are glad he is struggling and I don't really understand it to be honest. As a player, Gary Neville was a bit on the rough and definitely not one of my favourite players but as a pundit I think he is brilliant and the way he used to talk about certain things was very good. I think maybe the job is too big for him but I do still think he could be a successful manager somewhere. Valencia have a must win game against Real Betis over the weekend and if they don't pick up points there then I think he could be out of a job. I do think managers get a very rough deal these days, I know they pick the players and formation and implement their own philosophy but once the players cross that white line then the manager is pretty helpless. Look at Chelsea, the players under Jose Mourinho were terrible and they made it very obvious that they didn't want to play for him which is very wrong. If a player has a run of bad games where he makes mistakes or doesn't perform then he gets dropped for a game but if a manager has winless streak of 6 games then he is under scrutiny which is a bit unfair if you ask me.


Well that shall do for now! Have a nice afternoon.

Goals, Cards and Drama!

Hello you lovely lot and welcome to a Monday night Strike, well what a weekend of football that was! So much to talk about from the thriller on Saturday where Norwich and Liverpool played out a goal fest, Man United just cannot score at home, Dele Alli's wonder goal and a fiery game at The Emirates.


Late Lallana adds to the Drama

On Saturday morning when I saw that Norwich were playing Liverpool, it didn't fill me with much hope of a goal fest, how wrong was I?! Liverpool got an early goal from Firmino and should have made it two when James Milner was one on one with the keeper but he took too long and it could have bit Liverpool on the backside. Norwich to their credit fought back and got back into the game with a clever back heeled finished by Mbobkani and then Steven Naismith scored his first goal for his new club. The second half started with an early penalty to The Canaries after some awful defending from Alberto Moreno who I really have no idea what he was doing. So 3-1 to Norwich was a shock but the last half hour was complete madness. Jordon Henderson got one back with a cracking finish and then a few minutes Firmino scored another one to make it 3-3! Norwich didn't help themselves and the goal that put Liverpool back in front was simple awful defending from Jonny Howson who tried to knock it back to his keeper but there was nowhere near enough pace on it and James Milner made up for his earlier miss with a cool finish and this mental game was 3-4 to The Reds. With the game heading into injury time, surely there couldn't be anymore drama? The 4th official indicated there would be 5 minutes of time added on which frustrated Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and when Sebastian Bassong piledrived the ball into the bottom corner it only annoyed the German more. So 4-4 with 1 minute to go of injury time, surely now this game would be a draw and both sides would have earned a very hard fought point but no, Adam Lallana reacted quickest to head tennis in the Norwich penalty area and hit the ball on the half volley into the top corner which lead to some incredible scenes with Klopp celebrating like a madman and losing his glasses. What an unbelievable game of football where the standard was pretty average and the defending was just plain awful.



Saints down sinner Van Gaal

Man United went into this weekend on a high after beating Liverpool last week and so a home game against side who aren't in exactly great form should be a relatively easy one. However this one didn't go to a plan at all and it is now 11 home games in a row that Man United have failed to score a goal in the first half. That stat is shocking because this is United, a Premier League giant who used to rip teams apart and a lot of the time, won the game before a ball was kicked. This Man United side are beyond poor and they just don't look like beating anyone with ease and the fans aren't silly, they want a team who hits teams with pace and skill but Marouane Felliani has all the skill of an ostrich on Rollerblades and he is truly woeful and should have been sent off for a blatant elbow. Louis Van Gaal is under massive pressure now and there are reports that Ed Woodward has spoken to some of the key players to find out what they need in this transfer window. Would you trust LVG with anymore money? He has spent over £250 million and are now worse than when David Moyes was there. They head to Derby in the Cup this weekend and if they get knocked out then I really think it could be the final nail in the coffin.


Dele Alli

A quick mention to the Spurs midfielder who for me scored probably the goal of the season against Crystal Palace which reminded me of Gazza in Euro 96, an absolute corker of a volley. He has a very bright future and he has to go to the Euro's because he is young and will have no fear. Spurs are looking very good this year and they title contenders because at the moment, it is so tight at the top.


Arsenal's Chelsea jinx continues

Arsenal will never get a better chance to beat a Chelsea side who despite have improved under Guus Hiddink are still way down the table and are beatable. I am going to try my best not to lose my rag over Diego Costa's antics. I don't blame Mark Clattenburg for showing Per Mertesacker off because it was stupid lunge and from where the ref was, it looked like he had taken him clean out but when you have the advantage of replays then you will see there was no contact between the Germans legs and the Strikers foot. I am not going to lie and say I am not biased about my club and football is an emotional game so when I saw the dive, I was enraged. I just can't work out why he went down when he wasn't touched, he could have gone to have a one on one with Petr Cech but he decided to fall over and roll about 6 times. Hate is a very strong word but it is very fitting for Diego Costa, there is another word I could use but I will leave that to imagination. I felt for Oliver Giroud when was hooked off because he hadn't done anything wrong and the Arsenal fans were gobsmacked. I can see why Wenger done it but when your one nil down and have a golden chance to grab an equalizer, Mathieu Flamini isn't really the man you want it to fall too. It was a massive blow to lose because a win really would have made us big favourites for the title but I am sure there will be other bumps in the road.



Well that is it for now! I will be back on Wednesday!

TEAM OF THE YEAR SO FAR!!!

Hello you lovely lot and welcome to a brand new Strike, it has been a while but I am back! There have been some surprises this year in terms of players who have really impressed this season. My team of the year is not biased at all.

So let's crack on with my team!


Petr Cech - This choice was a very difficult as Hugo Lloris has been sensational this season but I couldn't ignore this man because he is the reason that Arsenal are flying high in the league at the moment. A lot was made of Arsenal not signing an outfield player in the summer but I think this was probably signing of the summer. There was another Keeper who has been brilliant this year and that is Jack Butland, who for me will be a massive star in the future.


Hector Bellerin - Again not a biased choice, for me he is the best right back in the league at the moment. He is brilliant going forward, good at defending and his pace is unbelievable. This was the easiest position to choose for me.


Toby Alderweireld - There is no doubt this boy can defend and he is class. Spurs have been brilliant this year and he is one of the reasons why they have been so hard to beat. I was a massive fan of his when he was at Southampton and he has made the step up and will be one of the Defenders in Europe for a long time.



Chris Smalling - While I haven't been impressed with Man United in the slightest, Smalling has been sensational at the back in a very average team. There is no doubt he should be in the starting 11 for England at the Euro's in the summer. The only positive thing that LVG has done is bring the best out of Chris Smalling.



Aaron Cresswell - He has been absolutely brilliant for The Hammers this year, he has a lot of pace and is dangerous going forward but is also a very good defender. I think he could be in with a shout of getting a call up for the summer. A real talent and deserves a chance in my opinion.




Riyad Mahrez - I have really enjoyed watching Leicester this season and this man has been class. It took him a while to settle into the Premier League after a quieter first season but he has been just incredible and I do wonder if he will be still at The King Power in the Summer.



Mesut Ozil -  He is just class, the way he can see a pass when it seems it is impossible but he could pass a ball through a cheese grater without touching the sides. One of the best midfielders in Europe at the moment. He is a joy to watch and as an Arsenal fan, I feel very lucky to have him.




Deli Alli - The boy came with a lot of promise from MK Dons but he is class, the way he runs with the ball and the confidence is staggering from a kid so young, has a massive England future and I think he should be one of the first picks for France.



Kevin De Bruyne - It never really worked out for him at Chelsea for whatever reason and I had my doubts when Man City paid a shed load of money but he hasn't disappointed. Very good on the ball and has an eye for goal. There were a couple of players who could been picked instead like Payet from West Ham, who has been simply brilliant but KDB just about gets the nod.



Romelu Lukaku - This man is a beast and he cannot stop scoring goals and I can't imagine any defender who looks forward to playing against him. He scores goals and creates all sorts of problems for defenders. Massive player with a huge future.


Odion Ighalo - Maybe a surprise but his record speaks for himself, scores goals and the step up from Championship to Premier league hasn't fazed him at all. I have been very impressed with Watford and he has been key as has Troy Deeney.


So there you go, that is my team of the year so far! I am sure it will all change by the time May comes but I would love to see this squad play together.