Did I miss the public announcement declaring football was in a state of turmoil? It seems that with each new day someone is trying to implement a new rule change or tweak the structure of our beautiful game. From where I’m standing football is still without doubt the most compelling, exciting and above all entertaining sport on the planet. So why are we continually seeking to improve it?

The latest topic to kick up a storm is the prolonged debate surrounding goal-line technology. Clint Hill’s header clearly crossed the line in QPR’s 2-1 defeat against Bolton prompting manager Mark Hughes and subsequently the FA to voice their view that the technology should be introduced “as soon as possible”.

Frank Lampard’s ‘goal’ against Germany in the 2010 World Cup is still an open wound amongst many England fans, but let us not forget that there are many who believe Geoff Hurst’s strike in the 1966 World Cup Final should not have stood. We’re often witness to the increasingly common cliché that ‘these things even themselves out over the course of the season’. Is this true? Football is one of those games that exists solely in the present in the eyes of the fans, which is why many of you reading this will be disagreeing wholeheartedly.

On Monday night fans swamped Twitter to condemn Michael Oliver’s decision not to award Fulham a penalty in the dying moments of their defeat at Old Trafford. The age old belief that you never get a penalty at Fergie’s house was dug back up and yet just a few months prior in November, Newcastle were gifted an incredibly dubious penalty in their 1-1 draw with the champions. Perhaps there’s a case to suggest that every team suffers an equal form of ‘injustice’ over the course of their campaign.

Football is a game that is built and essentially thrives on emotion, which is why most of the calls for drastic changes emerge from post-match interviews. A manager, coach or player will often mask their own faults by attributing their failure to win the game to something out of their control, i.e. a refereeing decision. However, the idea that these isolated incidents are the sole reason for determining a result is ludicrous as there is no way of predicting how the game would have evolved as a result of a decision going the other way.

Uefa president Michel Platini remains defiant that he will not allow the sport to mutate into what he calls ‘playstation football’ and has instead implemented two further assistants in Champions League games. Perhaps it is too early to accurately gauge the success of the scheme but I am yet to see these extra officials make a significant impact on the referee’s performance or on the game itself. They just seem to get in the way, highlighted in yesterday’s fixture between Benfica and Chelsea whereby the linesman signalled the ball had gone out of play and yet the extra official remained muted despite being right on top of the incident. It all looks a bit ridiculous, with their batons (that would be better used to restore order at corners), and furthermore this puzzling decision appears to have resulted from a reluctance to make a more logical if rather more drastic decision regarding goal-line technology.

Moving away from the technology argument, another key change that is soon to make its way into English football is the Elite Player Performance Plan, which will have a significant and widely detrimental impact on the football league. The idea has been born out of the belief that the country is failing to produce enough ‘stars of the future’ and yet the academies of Southampton and Crystal Palace continue to flourish, having produced a number of young players who have made their mark in the first team in recent years. Why should the ‘minnows’ be punished because the elite teams in this country are apparently struggling to reap any rewards from their ineffective academies? This is an extreme ‘by an means necessary’ measure that the FA have introduced in their blind pursuit for international glory.

In my previous article a point was raised regarding the introduction of sin bins, the idea being that they would reduce the number of futile dismissals and allow situations to be more easily diffused. Aside from the concern that you are effectively sending someone off for a small timeframe, there is a worry that this would instigate the ‘Americanisation’ of the sport, creating a snowball effect that would see football lose its identity. How long before the media-inspired Super Sunday mutates into a garish version of Superbowl with extravagant halftime shows and a bombardment of expensive adverts?

For a few years now, a number of high-profile managers have called for the introduction of a winter break, claiming that the Christmas period is too hectic. However this set of relentless games is one of the reasons the English top-flight is such a wonderful, engaging spectacle and justifies the reasons clubs have such a large squad. Last week Dalglish claimed his players were too tired after a spell of three games in a week, but this was clearly a poor attempt to disguise their own dismal performance and certainly wont serve them well if they are to return to the European competitions next season. Remember if we do have a fortnight breather in January we’re all likely to be dragged down to the sales and that’s a living hell even a footballers wallet shouldn’t have to endure.

One change that I do hold in high regard is the imminent introduction of the Financial Fair Play procedures, whereby teams will effectively be forced to operate within their means. With an alarming number of clubs slipping into administration, the new regulations should inspire those in charge to act responsibly and ensure a brighter future in the game.

Whilst there are plenty of strong arguments for a number of these adjustments in football, I get the feeling that with any new major change you are simply exchanging old problems for a bunch of new ones. This past week we’ve had a 7-3 scoreline, three 90th minute strikes in Premier League alone and an amazing show of support for a player fighting for his life. Football isn’t on the decline, we just need to allow ourselves to enjoy it more.

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Come and find me on Twitter @theunusedsub where I’ve already fled the beer garden to reserve my seat in the pub for the Barca v Milan clash

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Roberto Mancini will offload up to eight of his current squad this summer in a bid to bring new faces to the Etihad Stadium, according to Mirror Football.

The Citizens are on the verge of lifting the Premier League title, and just need a win over QPR on Sunday to lift their first top-flight crown since 1968.

However, with the likes of Eden Hazard, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Robin van Persie in the big-spending club’s crosshairs, Mancini may be forced to sell to abide by Financial Fair Play regulations.

Some of the biggest departures will be out-of-form striker Edin Dzeko, reserve midfielder Nigel De Jong and temperamental winger Adam Johnson.

The newspaper indicate that defensive duo Kolo Youre and Stefan Savic may well also leave the club, whilst there is uncertainty over Aleksandar Kolarov’s future.

Added to this are three players out on loan who will be sold permanently – Emmanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz and Wayne Bridge.

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By Gareth McKnight

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After watching Match of the Day 2 the other week, something struck me, something troubling – just why were the pundits so bad? On the sofa we had Alan Shearer, a person incapable of threading together a single coherent sentence and Robbie Savage, an excitable male hairdresser simply using his footballing pulpit as an excuse to partake in little more than that most dreaded of football dressing room clichés – ‘banter’. This was most certainly the C-team that had been sent out, which makes me wonder, just why is the standard of punditry on our big shiny boxes so poor?

On RTE, Irish viewers are regularly served up a mixture of lively debate, unfounded opinions and controversial judgements. On the whole, then, the exact opposite of what we have been treated to over here in England for quite some time. Graeme Souness, a regular on RTE, stated earlier in the week that he’d never be invited back on Sky if he actually said what he thought half the time and that the boundary lines between RTE and Sky are huge.

The main problem appears to be the reluctance of former players to speak out against players they may have played against, or have shared a dressing room with in the past. Alan Shearer, the king of the mundane pundits if ever there was one, often pipes up with pearls of wisdom such as ‘he’ll be disappointed that he’s let a goal in there’ and ‘it’s hit the woodwork, but he couldn’t have struck that any better’. What? I’m sorry, but, what? What does that even mean? What have I gained from listening to that?

Shearer is now the bane of my existence. I let out a huge exasperated sigh whenever I see him on the Match of the Day sofa. He’s a pointless individual that lacks the rudimentary knowledge to actually say anything worthy or of note. His presence ensures it’s going to be an arduous watch. The thought of simply sitting there with the programme on mute has often crossed my mind.

He sums up the unprepared state of mind that most pundits go on Match of the Day with these days. He seems to think punditry is basically talking us through with what happens on the screen. The whole point of having an ex-pro in your employ is that they have garnered a degree of expertise over the years; knowledge passed down to them from both their coaches and managers, which in theory should be reflected in their ability to dissect incidents in minute detail. In short, their main role is to tell us what we can’t see on the screen as laymen’s of the footballing fraternity.

This is clearly a concept well beyond Shearer’s capabilities. Rarely do we see him talking us through patterns of play or highlighting a player’s movements. The shocking thing, though, is that he is far from being alone in that respect, he’s simply the worst of a rotten bunch.

Can anyone forget the now famed example of his, ahem, ‘knowledge’ at work, after Hatem Ben Arfa’s impressive debut for his beloved Newcastle? Shearer confidently opined in reference to Ben Arfa that ‘no one really knows a great deal about him’.

This is Hatem Ben Arfa. A player that has been capped 8 times by France and has played for the country at every level right up to the senior side. A player that has played Champions League football on a regular basis for Lyon. A player that cost his next club Marseille £11m. If I know that, Alan, then why don’t you?

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Even just a cursory glance at his Wikipedia page would have increased his knowledge of Ben Arfa tenfold. It was an astounding display of both arrogance and ignorance in one fail swoop – quite the feat.

My main gripe though, is the sheer laziness of it all. After all, we can assume, they are paid handsomely by the BBC for their so called ‘expertise’. This is now their full-time job. They are paid to talk about football, yet appear to know nothing about it and simply cannot be bothered do even the bare minimum amount of research that such a prestigious position should require.

Over at ITV we have Andy Townsend, a man more interested in making friends it would seem than actually saying anything worth listening to. With Gareth Southgate, you get the feeling he knows what he’s talking about and would like to expand on it in more detail, but simply can’t due to time constraints – after all, Corrie is on afterwards and ITV have got to squeeze in another advert beforehand.

The lack of preparation from the pundits may be galling, but the assumption that this sub-standard fare is both palatable and insightful is close to insulting. When did we start demanding so little from our experts?

Switch over to Sky for their cricket coverage and it’s quite simply fantastic. The contrasts are stark. They don’t appeal to the lowest common denominator. If you don’t understand what they’re talking about, then tough, you’ll have to listen and learn. They impart wisdom; your knowledge of the game grows. Sadly, with concerns to football coverage, right across the board, it’s absolutely rubbish.

Gary Neville has made an excellent start at Sky so far. The change has been refreshing. While he may not quite stick the boot in as far as he should do on occasion, quite possibly through fear of upsetting someone, he at least isn’t afraid to criticise.

Replacing Andy Gray with a younger face was a wise move. Gray had long since stopped trying and had merely turned into a pantomime caricature of his younger self.

Jamie Redknapp or ‘top,top’ as most refer to him as now is a nice enough fellow. He dresses smartly and he obviously takes the job seriously enough, but he can often be found talking in circles, contradicting himself and then running out of breath and collapsing in a heap. Must have something to do with the incredibly tight trousers he wears. Whenever Souness is put next to him, besides looking scared stiff, Redknapp just looks woefully out of his depth.

On Match of the Day, Lee Dixon is decent on occasion, but appears to have fallen into a malaise recently. Mark Lawrenson is way past his sell-by-date and Alan Hansen, when he can be bothered at least, can still offer up a few kernels of constructive critique. However, during the World Cup, his disdain with which he treated the so called ‘lesser’ fixtures bordered on a dereliction of duty. He was there for the final, free booze and a nice tan, nothing more than that.

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Match of the Day should be held to a higher standard. It used to be the pinnacle of televised punditry. Looking around the studio at last weekend’s offering, those days have never seemed quite so far away.

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The manager at any club is often seen as the most pivotal role at a football club yet Chelsea’s recent Champions League success has brought questions over a coach’s influence. Indeed both times the Blues have reached the major European final they have been guided by a relatively unproven manager, but that does not mean that the manager is insignificant in the success achieved by a club.

Roberto Di Matteo had minimal experience at the top level before being handed the job as interim-manager at Chelsea but managed to restore harmony to a squad in a state of discord. He returned the senior players to their key positions in the first team, something that Andre Villas-Boas had originally been brought in to change. He outstripped all expectations, securing the west London outfit their first ever Champions League title. It was not too dissimilar from the outlook that Avram Grant was introduced into. Chelsea arguably performed at their best when the pressure was not on them.

It is believed that the restoration of the power wielded by John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba within the team was the key to Chelsea’s win in Munich. While it is true that these players who had become disruptive at being forced into the background, allowing them to assert themselves on the squad once again was not the only reason that the Blues ended as winners.

Di Matteo may have taken a backwards step as he reinstated the old guard but it was wholly necessary given his remit to return the team to winning ways. He ensured morale became positive by seemingly handing power back to the senior players. It was exemplary man management. In order to get the best out of the club’s key players he needed to make them pivotal in taking the club forward. The players showed their appreciation with some fantastic performances, turning a potentially awful campaign into a double-winning season.

Jose Mourinho’s fantastic managerial career is the perfect example of the influence that a head coach can have at a club. He recently became the first manager to win domestic league titles in four different countries, but perhaps most impressively each came within just two years of taking the position. He took a suffering Porto to the top in his first full season and then brought Chelsea their first League championship in 50 years with his debut campaign. That was followed by two Scudettos in two years with Inter, his second and final season being a treble winning campaign. Most recently, at the end of his second year at Real Madrid, he overthrew Pep Guardiola’s magnificent Barcelona side to win La Liga. His impact wherever he goes shows that there is more to the game then just putting players on a pitch and at just 49-years-old you would not bet against him achieving even further success.

The manager gets a complete overview of the whole game from the touchline and can analyse the occurrences and develop ways to defeat the opponents. This is one of the key reasons that player-managers have become so rare. It is difficult to judge your team’s performance and formulate solid tactical ideas whilst under the additional pressure of playing. Mourinho again is the perfect example of live tactical alterations and tweaks as he scribbles down notes furiously which he then sends on to the field of play. Sam Allardyce also frequently watches the first half of a game from the stands so he can get a top-down view of the action and infer what changes are needed for the second half. It is such meticulous attention to detail that determines the success of a manager.

Ultimately he is the man that determines the direction of the club. He is first to receive the blame when times are bad, but equally the centre of the praise in contrasting situations. They determine the style of play and sometimes even the philosophy of the club. Arsene Wenger has instilled a belief in Arsenal’s youth system that is admirable and though he has not won a trophy in over 7 years, the club and its fans remain committed to the ideal. Sir Alex Ferguson has also built countless teams at Manchester United that has seen him lift 27 trophies whilst spending an unbelievable 25 years at Old Trafford. Such a bounty would never have been achieved without Ferguson.

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The quick-to-sack nature of past Premier League seasons is gone as clubs realise the necessity of having a strong figurehead to guide the team. While Chelsea’s Champions League triumph may have been largely down to the players, it was Di Matteo’s man management that restored faith in the team and led their late charge to glory. Get the right man for the job, and any team can go anywhere.

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The languid, elegant striker with the balletic touch looks set to be heading towards the exit door at Old Trafford this summer, with both and manager suggesting he is best served finding a new club, but has the Bulgarian been a success or a failure during his time at Manchester United?

The short answer is a bit of both – Berbatov has failed to live up to expectations and to an extent, he hasn’t really justified the £30.75m fee forked out for him, but his goalscoring record is pretty good and he’s won two league titles in his four-year stay, which isn’t a shabby haul by anyone’s standards.

Berbatov sounded like a man resigned to his fate when he stated last week: “I love this club, but I am not going to be useful to anyone if I am not playing. I want to play, I want to help, but for unknown reasons it’s not going to happen. So it’s better for everyone if we say goodbye. If not, I am professional and I will keep doing everything I can to help my team and my teammates, whenever I have the opportunity to do so.”

Originally bought to add an extra attacking dimension to the at times breathtaking triumvirate of Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney, Berbatov sometimes acted as a brake to their more blistering attacks when he was supposed to be the side’s focal point and furthest forward outlet. With Rooney and Tevez both best playing off a front-man and Ronaldo given something of a free role, Berbatov was supposed to act as the tip of the attack, but far too often, he found himself frustrated and went in search of the ball – the sight of seeing him pick the ball up inside his own half was not only frustrating, it was needless.

His record in Europe was also extremely patchy – scoring just five goals in 26 appearances (11 as a substitute) and four of those came in his first season back in 2008-9. At one point, he went a three-year period and a stunning 21 games without a goal in Europe. Despite being the club’s top goalscorer in 2010-11, he was left out of the squad for the Champions League final against Barcelona in favour of Michael Owen, a part-time footballer backed to make more of an impression off the bench – that in itself rather sums up his time at Old Trafford.

Only at Manchester United would the league’s top goalscorer the season before struggle to make an impression the following campaign, and he made just 12 league appearances last year as he fell behind Danny Welbeck in the pecking order. Interestingly, though, he still managed to score seven times in the league in just five starts.

He also earned the tag as something of a flat-track bully, much like Jermain Defoe has during his time at Tottenham, filling his boots when the going was good. In 2010-11, when he managed his best goalscoring season in a red shirt with 20 league goals, he bagged hat-tricks against both Blackburn and Liverpool while hitting five against Blackburn; this means that he scored just nine goals in the remaining 29 league games, which is about par when looking at his form over the previous two seasons. Most Premier League bosses would much prefer having a striker that scores once or twice every few weeks as opposed to a player that only deals in bunches and spells of good form and Berbatov lacked that crucial consistency needed for a top-level side.

Of course, that hat-trick against Liverpool perfectly encapsulates his United career, brilliant on occasion, but far too often lacking at the highest level – the caveat of which being that Hodgson’s side were fifth from bottom at the time of the fixture, which fits in just nicely with the flat-track bully theory.

In 26 league appearances against Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City, he struck just five times, which includes his hat-trick against the Merseyside outfit. The truly telling statistic, though, is that he was left out altogether or forced to sit on the bench twiddling his thumbs a staggering further 41 times against the very same opposition. He was always something of a square peg in a round hole.

The fact that he is the most expensive player ever signed by Sir Alex Ferguson and that over the last 18 months he has completely lost the trust of his manager would suggest that he was more of a failure than a success – that horror miss in the FA Cup semi-final back in 2010 at Wembley against bitter rivals Manchester City quite possibly proving to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Ordinarily, statistics such as 48 league goals from 82 starts and 24 substitute appearances are the sort that any striker would be applauded for, but he has not started against a top six club for 14 months now – which just further reinforces the school of thought that he’s not quite cut out for when when the going gets tough against top quality opposition.

His partnership with Rooney never really captured the imagination either – much like his Old Trafford career in general, it flickered into life from time to time, promising much but delivering very little. In Berbatov’s first season at the club, he and Rooney only set up one another to score on two separate occasions, which when you account for the fact that they scored 34 goals between them that year, tells its own story of an unfulfilled partnership.

Berbatov was signed to provide an alternative to the destructive and clinical directness of the rest of Ferguson’s side; a composed force to unlock the tightest of defences, but it’s just not quite worked out for him. The club’s fans are known to be appreciative of an enigma’s talents, Eric Cantona serving as a prime example, but the Bulgarian always remained a hugely divisive figure at the club, splitting the supporters right down the middle. Some castigated him for a perceived lack of effort, while Berbatov rather understandably maintained that his job wasn’t to run around like a headless chicken.

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It would seem a tad churlish to label Berbatov a ‘flop’, but things certainly haven’t gone according to plan and he has by and large failed to live up to expectations. The crux of the problem was that he was signed to fulfill a role he was never capable of performing consistently, he was never going to be the club’s answer to Alan Shearer or Michael Owen, a pure goalscorer, more a creative fulcrum to supplement the team’s existing talents and if you judge him with that solely in mind, history will prove kinder to him.

Success is often termed and quantified by something tangible, like silverware, and in that regard Berbatov has been a success at Old Trafford. However, upon closer inspection, setting aside all sentiment and personal stylistic preferences, in pure footballing terms, Berbatov’s four-year spell at Manchester United will go down as a failure. It may seem like a Trevor Brooking-style cop-out, sitting on the fence in such a fashion, but it seems the only fair way of judging his undoubted talent.

You can follow me on Twitter @JamesMcManus1

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Stoke have confirmed that Robert Huth has been taken to hospital with a suspected case of meningitis.

The German centre back complained of feeling unwell on Monday after a mystery virus, and has been taken in for further tests to determine the severity of the illness.

Tony Pulis has confirmed the news but is hopeful that the player will not be sidelined for too long.

“The club can confirm that Robert Huth has suspected meningitis and that they are awaiting the outcome of further tests,” the Welsh boss told the club’s official website.

“It’s a major concern so close to the start of the new season because Huthy is such an important figure for us.

“It takes a lot to knock Huthy back, but he was clearly not well, so we have sent him to hospital and will hopefully have the results of the tests on him tomorrow. We’re just hoping he will be OK and it’s not too serious,” he concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

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The delight of a last gasp Play-Off Final victory lasted for around a week for Hammers fans, until the realisation of what was to come sunk in. The required work in the transfer market, the improvement of certain individuals and the relationship between manager and fans had to be the aims ahead for everyone related to the club this summer.

A squad that at times showed a real lack of qualityand desire in the Championship, not being helped by expectation levels at UptonPark every week clearly wouldn’t be strong enough to survive. As we all know,West Ham will never do things the easy way and as much as the board and players may tell you otherwise, the supporters rather enjoyed their tour of the Football League, picking up some very rare away wins and having a manager that actuallyknew what he was doing, but a different attitude will be needed this season.

The summer so far 

Joint chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan have backed boss Sam Allardyce this summer, as they have in the previous two transfer windows, without going over-board on wages and big money deals. Constant speculation seems to follow the Hammers around with plenty of ‘Big Sam’ type players being linked with the club. A fairly low-key transfer saga broke about Andy Carroll earlier this month, but with a deal dead, more realistic targets are always being bounded about. Cheap arrivals such as Jussi Jaaskelainen and Mohamed Diame have brought out the shrewd side of the Hammers’ exaggerated big money mentality and French European Championships midfielder Alou Diarra has added to an extremely talented midfield.

Mali striker Modibo Maiga also joined from French club Sochaux for around £4.7million, but the centre forward position is still up for grabs. The latest signing, James Collins from Aston Villa returns to Upton Park for a second stint and I would say the fans are pleased with the business done so far this summer, even if they feel more is needed.

On the pitch it has been a woeful pre-season. Defeats to the likes of Oxford and Ipswich with full strength teams fielded, disappointing tours of Germany and Portugal haven’t really given the fans or players much confidence but as they say, you can’t read too much into pre season results.

Transfers out

Pablo Barrera (Cruz Azul) Undisclosed

Ravel Morrison (Birmingham City) Loan

Frank Nouble (released)

Freddie Sears (Colchester) Free

Rob Green (QPR) Free

Abdoulaye Faye (released)

Papa Bouba Diop (released)

Julien Faubert (released)

Marek Stech (released)

In

James Collins (Aston Villa) £2million

Mohamed Diame (Wigan Athletic) Free

Alou Diarra (Olympique Marseille) £3million

Stephen Henderson (Portsmouth) Undisclosed

Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton Wanderers) Free

George McCartney (Sunderland) Free

Modibo Maiga (FC Sochaux-Montbeliard) £4.5million

Raphael Spiegel (Grasshopper Club Zurich) Undisclosed

What can we expect?

Any promoted clubs main aim should always be to stay up and West Ham are no different. However, there is a real feeling of long term ambition running through the club at the moment, with the Olympic Stadium, decent transfer budgets and a spirit in the camp that was missing when Avram Grant sent us down.

Allardyce has his critics, but he has to, and will be given time to achieve something special at the club as he did with Bolton Wanderers all those years ago. In a strange way, West Ham could be a lot more exciting going forward this season compared to last as not many teams will see West Ham as their ‘cup final’, as they did in the Championship and so wont just stick 10 men behind the ball and play for the draw.

Fair enough, at times West Ham simply weren’t good enough to break teams down, but with a bit more creativity, who knows this time out. I fully expect West Ham to be fighting relegation, but there are certainly three squads in the league with less quality than the Hammers and so although it may be nail-biting, you can expect some better quality football than the media will have you believe and a few shock results along the way.

One to watch

Future England captain James Tomkins was a rock last season for West Ham and really came out of his shell to lead the team from the back. After a disrupted pre season after deservedly earning a Team GB call up, Tomkins will be thrown straight in against Aston Villa on Saturday to mark Darren Bent out of the game.

Last seasons Player of the Year at Upton Park, as well as featuring in the Championship Team of the Season, Tomkins showed his class and glimpses of a young Rio Ferdinand when he broke through in East London were evident. A stylish, yet tough centre back who is brilliant in the air will give any striker in this league a tough game. Some fans would argue that Ricardo Vaz Te or Mark Noble would be West Ham’s one to watch, but after dismissing a move to Newcastle in January to stay at his beloved club, the sky is the limit for James Tomkins and he will earn many admirers during this campaign.

Breakthrough year for…

Being a newly promoted club, it isn’t ideal to throw youngsters straight into the side and West Ham don’t currently posses another Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick who are thought of as being the next big thing, so this was a tough one.

One youngster who may get a chance however, is pacey winger Rob Hall. A few successful loan spells last year resulted in him being in and around the squad at the end of last season and during the summer. Not many people outside of the club will know much about him, but his trickery and direct approach are a breath of fresh air in Big Sam’s team. It may take another loan spell to keep his first team fitness up, but everyone is expecting big things of Hall in the near future. Surely not another Freddie Sears.

Predictions

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Like I said I fully expect West Ham to be in the relegation mix, but am confident they have enough to avoid the bottom three. Experience will be key and that is something the Hammers are not short of, on and off the pitch that stands them in good stead compared to the likes of Reading, Southampton and Norwich.

I also expect the likes of Swansea and Wigan to be in and around the bottom six, so games between the sides in this mini-league could prove decisive. Defensively, West Ham need to improve, but I feel they will. Scoring goals is going to be the hard part. Depending on how unknown quantity Maiga gets on, the Hammers have very little in reserve with Carlton Cole simply not good enough and Nicky Maynard unable to play in Big Sam’s 4-5-1 system.

Prediction: One or two more signings before September and although it will still be tough, I think West Ham will stay up. 16th

Odds

via SkyBet

West Ham to finish in the top half – 11/2

Premier League top goalscorer – Modibo Maiga – 66/1

The Hammers to finish bottom – 7/1

West Ham to be the top London club this season come May – 400/1

A solid season is all we ask for, just survival. For all West Ham news and views, follow me on Twitter: @Brad_Pinard

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Howlers, we’re all prone to a wiffy performance or two. There’s nothing worse than realising you’ve forgotten your shooting boots or your touch has let you down once again. There are times when it’s even a struggle to move around the pitch without tripping over your own feet. If you’re lucky this lasts at most, for 90 minutes, the endless ridicule from your mates is painful but at least it’ll all be forgotten about in the morning.

However, there are some players, who claim to be professionals no less, who suffer this humiliation from the day they arrive in the Premier League to the moment they’re ushered out the door. They’re usually the subjects of a big money transfer, drafted in from foreign shores with the expectations of an entire city instantly weighing down on their shoulders. Yet, despite a big reputation they struggle to adapt and whether it’s the unfamiliar food, weather, language, traditions or style of football, some players just aren’t suited to the Premier League.

Click on Rebrov and Shevchenko below to reveal my Top TEN

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Dimitar Berbatov has stated that he has lost respect for Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson after leaving the club.

The Bulgarian forward was frozen out at Old Trafford, finding himself on the Red Devils’ bench for the bulk of last season with only a few chances to play.

As such the temperamental attacker sealed a move to Fulham in the transfer window, and has come out criticising his former manager.

“I don’t think I deserved such treatment at United – not playing [regularly] in the last year,” Berbatov told The Telegraph.

“I went more than 10, probably 15, times to ask the coach if they need me, and every time I was told that I’m an important player and should not leave, but then again I was not in the team.

“Maybe I should have gone when he [Ferguson] left me out of the squad for the Champions League final. I know he’s the boss, but he has lost, to some extent, my respect because of the way he treated me.

“I’ll have no problems playing against United as this already happened in my career, but there’s no point to look back again. I said goodbye to the people who deserve it, but I couldn’t say goodbye to Ferguson,” he concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Connor Wickham is still in Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill’s thoughts despite having failed to make a senior appearance in the 2012/2013 season.

With injuries and Premier League fixtures coming thick and fast, the England under 21 international will be hopeful of playing a part in Sunderland’s league cup clash with MK Dons tonight.

The 19 year old netted twice against Newcastle United under 21s and was an unused substitute in the Black Cats 1-1 draw with West Ham.

O’Neill said to the Northern Echo, “He scored two goals for the reserves and had to be there in the right position to score them. Goals will give any centre forward a bit of a confidence and that is something he needs. All centre forwards do.”

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Still only September the Ulsterman’s squad could hardly be more stretched for the Tusday night fixture, Seb Larsson and Fraizer Campbell will miss out after picking up injuries on Saturday, while those who missed the tie at Upton Park are still unavailable. Titus Bramble will be rested ahead of Saturday’s league match with Wigan, while Danny Rose cannot play due to the terms of his season long loan deal from Tottenham.