Logan Holmes's Blog

Posted by Logan Holmes

Christmas and New Year is a busy period for the footballers of the Premier League. They play four games in that holiday fortnight, something that foreign players and managers are not used to. On the Continent most Leagues have a mid-season break but in England the tradition is to play right through the holiday period.

Older players and supporters will remember that it used to be even tougher with teams playing on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The fixture list used to include a double-header of games with teams playing each other, home and away, on those two days. However, the Christmas Day games were scrapped in the late 1950s. These fixtures often threw up very unexpected or high-scoring results.

Chelsea and Aston Villa got into the holiday spirit with their 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day. That's the type of exciting game that spectators want to see - with eight goals and three red cards, Chelsea coming back from two goals down and Villa equalising with a last minute penalty. Tottenham and Reading followed suit in their ten goal thriller on Saturday.

While players and officials may favour a break at this time, the fans want to see their team playing. Even allowing for supporters being away on holiday or other family commitments, most clubs show record attendances during the holiday period. Fans support football at this time and want to go to matches while they are on holiday from work and have time to enjoy their football

Posted by Logan Holmes

Christmas – the season of Goodwill but obviously not on the football pitch where a record number of red cards were shown in the Boxing Day games. Across the four divisions in England nineteen players were sent off for a variety of offences.

Over the past month in the Premier League, a number of players have been dismissed for two footed tackles, including Robbie Keane and Didier Zokora of Tottenham. Chelsea’s Ricardo Carvalho was sent off for a similar two footed lunge in the match against Aston Villa. Two other players were sent off in that game Villa’s Zat Knight for a professional foul and Chelsea’s Ashley Cole for a late handball which gave Villa a penalty from which they levelled the score at 4-4, Villa’s second game in London this season with that scoreline, following their earlier draw at Tottenham.

Reading’s Brynjar Gunnarsson was also sent off for a two-footed tackle on West Ham United’s Hayden Mullins at Upton Park. Reading played over half the game with ten men but earned a point in a 1-1 draw.

Authorities Support Referees

It is only right that referees take stern action against these dangerous tackles. To date no-one has been seriously injured from such a tackle but a player could see his career threatened if it results in a broken leg or ankle. Clubs have appealed against the dismissals but the authorities have correctly backed the referees and rejected the appeals.

The next step that needs to be taken is for the authorities to take action retrospectively where a referee may have missed a serious and dangerous foul tackle. The players involved in such incidences should not get off but should know that that their misdemeanours will be punished.

Posted by Logan Holmes

That's what I thought along with thousands of other media articles.

It was a crucial game but Liverpool ensured qualification for the latter stages of the Champions League with a comfortable victory in Marseille. The game was practically over inside eleven minutes - Steven Gerrard scoring the first on four minutes from the rebound after his penalty had been saved - a penalty he had won - and then Fernando Torres scored a superb second seven minutes later. A Dirk Kuyt goal immediately after the interval ensured no comeback and the match was sealed in injury time when Ryan Babel scored.

What Makes a Successful Team?

• they win 'must win' games - only a win guaranteeded Liverpool's qualification
• they regularly respond to adversity - Liverpool have done that on numerous occasions over the years - their 5 - 4 UEFA Cup Final victory in 2001, the Champions League Final victory over AC Milan in 2005, coming from three goals down to win on penalties, the FA Cup 3rd Round comeback to defeat Crystal Palace on their way to winning a Final against West Ham United in 2006 where they were two goals behind and then still a goal down in injury before equalising and winning on penalties.
• the players back up their media comments with actions - Torres' support for Benitez wasn't idle talk - he backed with a performance and vital goal against Marseille.
• they have players who will rise to the occasion - Gerrard has done it for Liverpool on so many occasions - as captain and inspirational leader, he leads from the front and sets an example for others to follow.

So Rafa Benitez has strengthened his position when it comes to persuading the American owners that they should release funds for signings in the new year.

Posted by Logan Holmes

A new football manager is expected to bring an immediate turn around in the club’s fortunes. When a team is struggling, directors invariably look to a new manager to bring an end to a poor series of results and on many occasions there is an immediate improvement. Players who had fully supported the previous boss suddenly put in that extra effort to impress their new coach and such collective endeavour brings an instant improvement in fortune and results.

Alex McLeish

On Sunday, Alex McLeish took his Birmingham City team to play Tottenham Hotspur who had benefited from the introduction of a new coach a few weeks earlier. Under Juande Ramos, Spurs were undefeated in six games and were looking to continue that run against Birmingham who had lost their last four games.

McLeish saw his team win a five goal thriller, coming from a goal behind to win with a late spectacular thirty five yard strike from Sebastian Larsson in added time. McLeish’s new team showed the endeavour and effort that had previously been missing.

Steve Bruce

At Wigan Athletic, Steve Bruce’s team were a goal down after a minute of his home debut as manager. However, they showed the fighting qualities Bruce will be demanding by coming back with a first half equaliser and earned a point against Manchester City.

Paul Jewell

Derby County’s new manager, Paul Jewell, was the unluckiest coach as his team conceded a last minute goal to lose to fellow strugglers, Sunderland.

Gary Megson

The new manager syndrome didn’t help Gary Megson or Bolton at Liverpool where they lost by four goals but Avram Grant had no worries with Chelsea defeating West Ham United by the only goal at Stamford Bridge.

Posted by Logan Holmes

Tottenham Hotspur's Paul Robinson has retained his England goalkeeping position for the crucial international against Israel at Wembley. Steve McLaren, the England manager, has made a brave but correct decision to stay with Robinson who has been unopposed as England's 'Number 1' since replacing David James in the World Cup qualifying games in 2004.

Robinson had a disappointing World Cup, not due to mistakes but he looked nervous when facing crosses and then his problems increased with an unfortunate blunder against Croatia. As he went to kick the ball clear from a back pass, it bobbled under his foot , presenting the home team with their second and decisive goal.

The younger players have failed to mount a challenge for the goalkeeping position and with Robinson's form being inconistent, McLaren was tempted to recall Portsmouth's David James who had an excellent season last year. However, James is ten years Robinson's senior and he has earned his 'Calamity' nickname following a number of high profile blunders for both club and country throughout his career.

With the pressure on England to defeat Israel to improve their disappointing European Championship qualifying position, the manager has shown faith in Robinson.

Robinson will be under the spotlight at Wembley but he has shown remarkable composure in the past and won't let England down. Paul Robinson is the best England goalkeeper and no other goalkeeper has shown that he deserves to take the position from him.