‘The Beautiful Game: A Football Blog’

Dave McArdle

Manager Madness

Another day and another sacking in the Premier League. QPR this morning unsurprisingly confirmed the termination of Mark Hughes’ contract “with immediate effect”. The expensively assembled QPR side, bankrolled by Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, lie at the foot of the table as they have only been able to muster a meagre 4 points from 12 games played this season. The rumour mill is in overdrive today as to who will replace Hughes, with Harry Redknapp the overwhelming favourite to fill the role. Redknapp is said to be in advanced talks with the QPR board and could be confirmed as their manager in the coming hours. And so Sparky follows Robbie down to the Job Centre with his managerial career in tatters. Will he drop down the leagues to find employment again or will he drift, like so many others, into the managerial wilderness? We will have to wait and see. However, I would not bet against Harry Redknapp – as he has done so often in the past – instilling confidence in these QPR players and going on a run which sees them comfortably avoid relegation. Given the talent and the resources at his disposal, along with a board that will surely back him in the January transfer window, this job could be a very good fit for Harry and - assuming Redknapp takes the job and holds on to it for a couple of seasons – QPR could now finally be a club that is going places.

The other club which has been in the headlines this week is Chelsea. The managerial merry-go-round continues at Stamford Bridge as Rafa Benitez is the man Roman Abramovich has chosen to take the club forward and kick-start their stuttering season. Benitez’s first assignment could hardly be any more difficult – Chelsea face Man City at Stamford Bridge this Sunday in an intriguing game that could go some way to deciding where the title will end up in May. Rafa’s reign may well succeed or fail based on his relationship with Fernando Torres. If Benitez can return his fellow Spaniard to playing at somewhere near the level he did at Anfield, then Chelsea could have a real say in the title race this season. If not, Benitez may well find himself out of a job again in the summer.

Premier League Preview

Sunderland v West Brom (Saturday 12:45 -Live on Sky Sports 2)

Martin O’Neill will be looking for only his third league victory of the season at home to in-form West Brom. O’Neill will be able to call upon Craig Gardner after he served a one-game suspension last time out. Steve Clarke will have Gareth McAuley and Romelu Lukaku available once more after they missed the win over Chelsea last weekend. Youssouf Mulumbu and Ben Foster remain out for the Baggies.

Everton v Norwich (Saturday 3pm)

Everton will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat to Reading last week as they host Norwich at Goodison Park. Marouane Fellaini will miss out for the hosts after picking up a fifth booking of the season while Tony Hibbert and Kevin Mirallas could feature. Darron Gibson and Phil Neville remain sidelined for the Toffees. Defender Michael Turner is described as “touch and go” for the Canaries while Chris Hughton will be hoping that John Ruddy and Russell Martin will be fit enough to feature.

Man Utd v QPR (Saturday 3pm – Live on Setanta Sports 1)

QPR will go to Old Trafford on Saturday without Mark Hughes and still searching for their first victory of the season. Sir Alex Ferguson will be demanding a return to winning ways for his side after their toothless performance against Norwich last time out. Wayne Rooney is fit again for the hosts following a bout of tonsillitis and Chris Smalling is once more available for selection - but the game comes too soon for Jonny Evans. QPR can welcome back Stephane M’Bia after suspension but Manchester United loanee Fabio is ineligible to face his parent club. Andy Johnson is on the long-term injury list for the R’s.

Wigan v Reading (Saturday 3pm)

Wigan will be looking to arrest a run of form that has seen them lose their last two as they host a Reading side who will be buoyed by their first win of the season last time out. Roberto Martinez is faced with his worst injury crisis since taking over the Latics with Ben Watson (broken leg) and captain Gary Caldwell (hamstring) the latest additions to an injury list which already includes Antolin Alcaraz, James McArthur, Albert Crusat, Ryo Miyaichi and Franco Di Santo. Reading welcome back Jimmy Kebe and Alex McCarthy but the game will come too soon for Jem Karacan and Danny Guthrie.

Stoke City v Fulham (Saturday 3pm)

Martin Jol’s Fulham travel to the Brittania to face a Stoke side that have not lost at home since February. The Cottagers will be looking for an unlikely victory which would help them push towards the European spots. Tony Pulis will have Dean Whitehead available again after suspension. Full-back Andy Wilkinson is a doubt while Michael Owen, Rory Delap and Marc Wilson remain sidelined for the Potters. Martin Jol will be without several of his first team regulars as Alex Kacaniklic, Bryan Ruiz, Brede Hangeland, Simon Davies and Karim Frei are all expected to miss out. However, Mahamadou Diarra and Chris Baird are back in contention for the Cottagers.

Aston Villa v Arsenal (Saturday 5:30 – Live on ESPN)

Aston Villa will be looking for a result to drag themselves out of the relegation places as they welcome the Gunners to Villa Park. Paul Lambert will have to once more do without the services of Joe Bennett, Chris Herd, Richard Dunne, Charles N’Zogbia and Darren Bent. Arsene Wenger can welcome Kieran Gibbs and Gervinho back to the fold but Abou Diaby, Tomas Rosicky, Andre Santos and Theo Walcott will miss out for the Gunners.

Swansea v Liverpool (Sunday 1:30 – Live on Sky Sports 1)

Brendan Rodgers returns to former club Swansea in Sunday’s lunchtime kick-off looking to extend Liverpool’s unbeaten run to eight. Michael Laudrup has doubts over the fitness of Ki Sung-Yeung, Kyle Bartley and Chico while Michel Vorm, Neil Taylor, Andrea Orlandi and Leroy Lita will definitely miss out. Brendan Rodgers has no new injury concerns – Lucas is back in training but the game is expected to come too soon for him to feature – and he will continue to be without Martin Kelly and Fabio Borini.

Southampton v Newcastle (Sunday 3pm)

Southampton will be hoping to build on a priceless victory over QPR last time out as they welcome Newcastle to St.Mary’s. Nigel Adkins has very few injury concerns as only Frazer Richardson and Richard Chaplow are unavailable for the Saints. Alan Pardew, on the other hand, has plenty of worries on the injury front – Shola Ameobi and Papiss Cisse are doubts for the Toon while Johan Cabaye, Hatem Ben Arfa, Ryan Taylor, Dan Gosling and Haris Vuckic are certain to miss out.

Chelsea v Man City (Sunday 4pm – Live on Sky Sports 1)

Rafa Benitez takes charge of Chelsea for the first time as they welcome league leaders Manchester City to Stamford Bridge in Sunday’s big game. Chelsea will be looking for a victory which would see them cut the gap on City to just one point. Benitez will be without stalwarts John Terry and Frank Lampard for his first game in charge while it will be fascinating to see if he returns Fernando Torres – the man he signed for Liverpool – to the starting line-up. Roberto Mancini will have to do without Micah Richards while Vincent Kompany, Gael Clichy, Jack Rodwell and Mario Balotelli will all hope to shake off knocks in order to be available for selection.

Tottenham v West Ham (Sunday 4pm)

Spurs welcome West Ham to White Hart Lane hoping for a victory which would help to erase the memories of their 5-2 mauling against North-London rivals Arsenal last time out. Andre Villas-Boas should have Moussa Dembele and former Hammer Scott Parker available as they make their comebacks from injury while Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor begins a three-game suspension after his red card against Arsenal. Sam Allardyce will have to do without record signing Matt Jarvis while there is a doubt over the fitness of Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun.

Fantasy Football

After a set of tips last weekend that are best forgotten, I will once more try to provide some pointers to those of you who, like me, have an unquenchable thirst for fantasy football. I was stung last week by Robin Van Persie who produced his first 2-pointer of the season at Carrow Road. But when you fall, you gotta get back up and I’m backing RVP again this week by handing him the armband – surely at home to a managerless QPR Van Persie has to produce? I certainly hope so! If Van Persie is the overwhelming favourite for the armband in Gameweek 13, there are some other contenders in the mix also: Nikica Jelavic (at home to Norwich), Wayne Rooney (home to QPR), Steven Fletcher (home to west Brom), Jermain Defoe (home to West Ham) and the league’s leading marksman Luis Suarez (away to Swansea) all look like viable captaincy alternatives to the Dutchman.

Only one of my three clean sheet picks worked out last time but I’ll try again. This week, I have chosen Everton at home to Norwich (Leighton Baines owners will be hoping for returns at both ends of the pitch), Man United at home to QPR (Rafael looks the main contender for attacking points and a clean sheet here) and Stoke at home to Fulham (Stoke are extremely strong at the Brittania and Geoff Cameron is a relatively inexpensive route into the Potters defence).

In relation to transfers, I have decided to bank my transfer so I can do two free transfers next week but in terms of targets for the next few games, Sunderland look appealing. In the next four gameweeks they face West Brom (H), QPR (H), Norwich (A) followed by double Gameweek 16 home games against Chelsea and Reading. And so, a punt on striker Steven Fletcher or a member of the Sunderland defence (Simon Mignolet or Carlos Cuellar look good options) could be a profitable transfer for the weeks ahead. Also worth considering for transfers in are Manchester United who, even in spite of the Gameweek 16 clash with Man City, have very strong fixtures in the next few weeks: QPR (H), West Ham (H), Reading (A), Man City (A), Sunderland (H), Swansea (A). And so, a punt on Rafael, Antonio Valencia, Wayne Rooney or RVP could well deliver lots of points over the next few weeks. Tottenham also could be considered – with four home games (against West Ham, Liverpool, Swansea and Stoke) in the next six, Spurs could be set to deliver some big hauls. Gareth Bale is the obvious choice here but Jermain Defoe is an alternative (Adebayor will sit out the next 3 games with suspension) while Jan Verthongen offers the potential for both clean sheets and attacking returns.

Have a great weekend folks and I’ll be back on Monday with a look at the CCFL as well as the weekend’s action.

You can follow Dave McArdle on Twitter @DaveMidlands103

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