High flying Tottenham will be hoping to make it six Premier League wins in a row against lowly Bolton at White Hart Lane on Saturday and close the gap on second placed Manchester United.

Spurs have been in blistering form since losing their opening two games of the season winning eight of their last nine league games and rising to third in the table ahead of North London rivals Arsenal. Harry Redknapp’s side have been simply brilliant over the last month sweeping all that dare to step in their way as they home in on a title challenge with Manchester City. With a game in hand and sitting only two points behind the Champions it seems that Spurs should now be considered real candidates to challenge for the Premier League crown going into a relatively easy festive period. Games against Bolton, Stoke, Sunderland, Swansea and Norwich are all forthcoming in December and whilst they aren’t exactly easy fixtures the mood Redknapp’s side are in at the moment should see them come away victorious in all four. Their last two wins against West Brom and Aston Villa have seen Emmanuel Adebayor get back on the goals trail after a six game drought with his last strike coming in mid-September. The on loan Manchester City striker has proved to be a shrewd signing by Redknapp with his strength in the final third making him the perfect Spurs target man. His link up with Rafael Van Der Vaart and Gareth Bale has proved to be a key aspect of their recent winning streak. He won the game against Villa with two goals before scoring another double last weekend to put West Brom to the sword. More of the same will be expected to push Bolton further into the relegation mire.

The Trotters have suffered an awful start to the season winning just three of their 13 games which has seen them slide down the table and into the drop zone. It was thought Owen Coyle’s side had turned a corner after beating Stoke 5-0 at home earlier in November but two defeats in a row since then has seen the confidence levels rapidly decrease once again. It’s been a hard start to the season for Bolton and although they have played a majority of last season’s top six in their opening 13 games it’s defeats at the hands of teams like Norwich and Swansea that have alarmed supporters. At this stage last season there was talk of European qualification with the Trotters riding high under Coyle in the top half of the table but 12 months on and it’s a totally different story. Their form at home is becoming a major worry with that win against the Potters their only success in seven attempts at the Reebok. It was the same old story last time out against Everton with sub-standard defending and a glut of missed chances costing the Trotters the chance to edge themselves away from trouble. Both of the Toffee’s goals could have been avoided but that lack of concentration and cohesion at the back is proving to be damaging. They’ve kept only two clean sheets in the league this season and if they continue to defend like they are then it’s going to be a very tough winter. Coyle needs his experienced players like captain Kevin Davies, Gary Cahill, Nigel Reo-Coker and Jussi Jaaskelainen to stand up and be counted in the dressing room and on the field if Bolton are to fight their way out of this slump.

Tottenham – 3rd

Last Five: Won 3-1 v West Brom, Won 2-0 v Aston Villa (A), Won 3-1 v Fulham (A), Won 3-1 v QPR (H), Won 2-1 v Blackburn (A)

Potential Starting X11: 24. B. Friedel 28. K. Walker 26. L. King [C] 4. Y. Kaboul 32. B. Assou Ekotto 7. A. Lennon 14. L. Modric 8. S. Parker 3. G. Bale 18. J. Defoe 10. E. Adebayor*

Injury News: Redknapp will be missing Rafael Van Der Vaart who has a hamstring injury with the Dutchman joining William Gallas, Michael Dawson and Tom Huddlestone in the treatment room.

Key Player: Emmanuel Adebayor

Four goals in a week and two match winning performances up front underline the role of importance Adebayor holds in Tottenham’s attack. The on loan striker has filled Redknapp’s requirement for a target man with aplomb since his temporary move from Manchester City and he scored twice in each of the last to games against Aston Villa and Fulham. Will be expected to continue his hot streak against Bolton on Saturday.

Match Fact: Tottenham enjoy the visits of Bolton having remained unbeaten against them at White Hart Lane in 11 Premier League meetings. Spurs have won eight times in North London since they first contested a top flight fixture way back in 1997.

Bolton – 18th

Last Five: Lost 2-0 v Everton (H), Lost 2-1 v West Brom (A), Won 5-0 v Stoke (H), Lost 3-1 v Swansea (A), Lost 2-0 v Sunderland (H)

Potential Starting X11: 22. J. Jaaskelainen 2. G. Steinsson 5. G. Cahill 12. Z. Knight 4. P. Robinson 7. C. Eagles* 6. F. Muamba 19. N. Reo Coker 19. M. Davies 17. I. Klasnic 14. K. Davies [C]

Injury News: Bolton are without youngster Joe Riley who joins six other first team players on the sidelines for the trip to North London on Saturday.

Key Player: Gary Cahill

With Bolton currently stranded deep in the relegation mire and looking genuine candidates for the drop this season the Trotters need their biggest names to step up and perform. Cahill is one of those names who needs to start performing on a consistent basis and his defensive abilities will come into play on Sunday. Cutting out the threat of Adebayor and Defoe will be a hugely difficult task but one that the England international is more than capable of handling.

Match Fact: The prospect of facing Tottenham at White Hart will leave Bolton quaking in their boots due to the fact they’ve won only two out of 11 in North London with last victory in the capital coming on 23rd October 2004. Interestingly they beat Spurs on their own patch a year earlier on 1st November 2003.

Last Time at White Hart Lane

Premier League 5 February 2011

Tottenham 2-1 Bolton

Van Der Vaart, 6 (Pen) Kranjcar, 90

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Sturridge, 55

Attendance: 36,197

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

PREDICTION

Tottenham are hot at the moment and are brushing teams aside like they aren’t there with their devastating mix of pace, power and elegance. Adebayor has finally started to score again whilst Scott Parker and Bale are looking unstoppable in midfield at the moment and those two should rule over Bolton this weekend. The Trotters have won twice on the road this season but will surely end up on the end of a beating at White Hart Lane. Coyle’s men need to get back to basics and start defending as a unit although thats easier said than done against a Spurs side who have their eyes set Manchester City at the top.

Score: 3-0

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As much as us football fans try our best to deny it, the Premier League and other major leagues around Europe have become distinctly money motivated. The foreign ownership has become concerning and the sustainability of our beloved clubs could be under threat.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp brought up the issue of foreign ownership this week and he made an alarming statement regarding the next 20 years of the Premier League:

“We’re getting more and more foreign owners into the country now,” Redknapp said. “I don’t know where it’s all going to be in 20 years time but I can see us playing Premier League games all round the world on a regular basis.

“If you’re from China or you’re from India or Russia and you own a club, you’re going to want to take your club back to where you come from. I think it’ll almost be a world Premier League.”

Redknapp is right; a power struggle could well hit our shores over the next decade or so with more and more nationalities investing in the Premier League there is a higher risk that we could be on the move. Ten of the 20 top flight clubs in England are majority owned by a foreign investor and that is set to increase in the future with clubs such as Everton, Wigan and Bolton Wanderers all looking at the prospect of a big money take over.

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The possible foreign fixture has been mentioned before but was met with a negative reaction by the majority in English football; hopefully the FA took that as a sign. But it seems that the money could talk and in Redknapp’s opinion, is now the deciding factor in most decisions made in football.

When it was rumoured a few years ago, the main incentive for the FA was that it would promote the Premier League all around the world and television rights would increase with more people in places such as India, USA and Australia taking more of an interest in the English game. However, when you see images of pre-season tours or the World Club Cup around the world, there are thousands of fans wearing Manchester United, Chelsea or Barcelona shirts, obviously showing an understanding of how big the European game is.

So the Premier League does not need much promotion around the world, which is the main non-financial reason to take the likes of Wigan, Bolton and Fulham to India or America so what is the point?

The NFL in the USA has come to London on more than one occasion now and English fans have flocked to Wembley to see the stars, but that is a one of game in each season, not a full fixture list which was initially announced for the Premier League. Not many supporters of English teams would want to see their home game take place in Dhaka or New York so why should we agree to it?

Soccer is becoming more acceptable in America as the likes of David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan have shown that it can be competitive, but surely the Premier League would make it look extremely amateurish? Sending our teams over there or to India or Russia may enhance the interest in our league but could heavily damage the reputation of local teams in comparison and give mildly interested supporters a reality check.

So foreign ownership could become more powerful than first expected in the Premier League and with a group of them already failed in a bid to scrap relegation from the top flight for their clubs it appears that the selfish attitudes of all concerned could be damaging if they gain any more power than they currently have. Something has got to be done to prevent our precious game becoming infested with greedy people who are looking to make a quick buck rather than please the most important people of all – the fans.

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Would you want to see your team play abroad or even have a foreign owner – let me know below or on Twitter: @Brad_Pinard

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Roberto Mancini has admitted that if Manchester City want to add any new faces to their squad come January, they must first sell a number of their fringe players.

The Etihad stadium outfit sit two points clear at the top of the Premier League, and many have anticipated that the big-spending side will look to sign new players in the new year to bolster their title ambitions.

Despite Mancini having a number of transfer targets in mind, he has stated that some players will need to leave first to free up space and funds.

“We need to sell two or three players and then we’ll see,” Mancini told The Guardian.

“We want to sell first and after that we may have time to buy someone if it’s possible. But it’s not easy. There are players that could be good for us but every time we want to buy a player their clubs ask for lots of money,” he stated.

Mancini spoke of potential transfer targets, such as ambitious moves for Lionel Messi or Daniele De Rossi, but these are unlikely to come to fruition.

“I asked the owner [Sheikh Mansour] for Lionel Messi but it’s not possible.

“I also don’t think De Rossi will happen, because he was born in Rome and it’s unlikely that he’ll leave the city,” he concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

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To become a footballer is probably near the top of every young boys dream whilst growing up. Only a lucky few make it leaving the rest of us to dream what may have been, and worship and support the chosen ones who represent our beloved clubs. In today’s world of ‘business football’, the financial rewards are ridiculously huge to the players. Of those chosen few however, there are always a select minority who take this dream profession for granted, especially as the rewards have increased tenfold over the last decade or so. They have zero (or very little) interest in playing the beautiful game and would rather languish on the substitute’s bench, collecting their cash and enjoying the status, rather than seeking to play the game we all love.

Please click on Mr. Owen below to see the list in full.

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Patrick Vieria has stated that he feels that Premier League referees are singling out Manchester City players for punishment, and believes his side are getting short shrift from the officials.

The former France midfielder is now a football development executive at the Etihad Stadium outfit, and has complained about the standard of refereeing.

“It felt like that anything that City will do will be amplified and we get punished, compared to the other teams and the other players” Vieria stated to Mirror Football.

“I don’t want to think about it because I don’t want to say everyone is against City or anything like that.

“But when you look at the last few decisions, you are asking yourself if something is wrong here, if people don’t want us to win the league,” he continued.

Vieria was also quick to point out Frank Lampard’s tackle on Adam Hammill and Peter Crouch’s eye gouging of Jonas Olsson both were punished not as severely as Vincent Kompany’s red card against Manchester United.

“Lampard’s tackle looked dangerous compared to Vincent’s. Crouch, when he put his finger in the eye of another player, looked bad as well.

“We try our best to win the league, we accept our punishment. But when you look what is happening to the other ones, that makes us as a football club really frustrated.

“It seems like if you have one referee you get one decision but if you have a different referee the decision may also be different.

“It’s difficult to understand some decisions compared to the decisions we had. I think this is what brings the confusion. The confusion is dangerous for our game.

“Players are saying that they don’t know what the rules mean and if they are likely to be sent off or not.

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“Confusion is really dangerous, especially for the referee and the refereeing body. I believe that they’re making the referee’s job more and more difficult.

“A good referee is someone who referees with his personality and with common sense, to make the decision he thinks is right at the moment, not because he’s afraid of the consequences,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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Fernando Torres’ move to Chelsea caused much annimosity at Anfield, as the Spaniard went from being a club hero to a villain in the flash of an eye.

Glancing through player transfers over the last fifteen years, it is clear that Torres is not the first to endure the wrath of a particular set of fans after claiming love for his club, however, this season has seen a particular rise in players risking the wrath of their supporters by asking for high profile transfers to clubs with bigger ambitions or simply to sides providing a higher wage packet.

Ambition is not a bad thing in football, but some of the players on this list may have wished they hadn’t chosen their local rivals as a destination on leaving their previous employers.

Honourable, or rather dis-honourable mentions must go out to Gareth Barry, Nick Barmby, Javier Mascherano and Darren Bent, but each member of this top 10 have found a way to rub their club’s supporters up the wrong way.

Click on the image of a young Wayne Rooney scoring for Everton to see the Top TEN

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Amidst some dirty tactics from Burnley (kick Vicente), and some dodgey officiating (they were allowed get away with it), there was something that annoyed me far more at Turf Moor; Casper the friendly ghost upfront. In my previous blog I pleaded for Gus to play Craig Mackail-Smith and Sam Vokes up top together, two strikers, that was what we needed. Well the truth, we only played with one at Burnley. CMS was hardly involved in the game and I for one was gutted. Even when Vicente was breaking forward from midfield I waited for CMS to dart into space and outpace the centre back… But it didn’t happen; CMS just didn’t look interested, no run, no movement, no spark.

Don’t get me wrong, CMS isn’t lazy. Not even I am that stupid. But I think it has now got to the stage that the club need to reassess the whole situation and ask themselves ‘is this working?’ Back at Leicester away I laughed in a man’s face when he screamed that CMS was ‘a complete waste of money’. Unfortunately I am starting to agree with him.

However, I refuse to apologise for laughing in his face, not only because it was a ridiculous comment to make at the time but mainly because I am as stubborn as anything! In the man’s defence CMS had just managed to spoon the ball over the bar from about a yard out. That takes some doing! But of course, at the time, CMS was ‘just going through a blip’ and he was ‘a quality striker’ and would soon find his way out of it. This is by no means an attack on CMS, I just simply feel it hasn’t worked out. I am also aware that lots of people reading this blog will say ‘yeah but he works hard’ and quite frankly that is a ridiculous argument.

If Gus wanted someone that worked hard he could have signed a Golden Retriever to close down the opposition back four! That’s not the striker Gus wanted, Gus wanted a goal scorer, we need a goal scorer. And, as I said before, for CMS it hasn’t worked out. He is by no means a bad striker, far from it; I just don’t think the club and player match. Gus has a very specific style of play, one that in my eyes he isn’t willing to adapt to fit in CMS. As much as I hate to say it, my mind is slowly starting to see CMS’s name along the same lines as those with Carroll and Torres.

The big question for Gus is what does he do? Does he cut his losses and get rid of CMS at the end of this season? Surely he must still hold some value. Or, does he give him another season and hope it works out? For me, it’s time for him to go. From what I have seen of CMS I can’t envisage him being our 20+ man next season and I am genuinely gutted for him that it hasn’t worked out, especially considering all the interest we fought off to sign him.

All this said, I can’t bring myself to have any sort of anger or resentment towards CMS, his hard working ethic and honest approach to the game is refreshing for any fan to see. He reminds me of a classier Gary Hart and originally seemed as if he would become a real favourite of mine. If he is to leave, which I think is best for player and club; I wish him all the best and hope he finds the success he deserves elsewhere. But, for the time being, I think Gus should get on the phone to Germany and start perusing the whereabouts of a certain Dirk Lehman.

In Gus we trust.

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If you haven’t had enough of my over opinionated, Brighton related, verbal diarrhoea then please follow me on Twitter – @GeoMart92

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The thing about obituaries is that it is better to publish them after the subject has died. Two weeks ago, Manchester United were the champions in all but name. T-shirts had been printed to celebrate their 20th title, a United-supporting bookmakers had paid out on them, endless articles were being written about Roberto Mancini’s future, and the season was fizzling out, as City blew their unassailable five-point lead (eight if you write for a tabloid, ten if you’re Mark Lawrenson on Football Focus. Five if you like to deal in facts). There were rumours that when the two teams met on 30th April, City players would have to form a guard of honour for the United team. At the very least, United could clinch the title at their neighbour’s ground.

Not any more. United have wobbled twice over the past fortnight, and a door has opened. The lead is down to three points, and if City win the Manchester Derby next week, they will go top of the table. As will be mentioned later, that is only half the story, but it certainly a surprising turn of events.

Elsewhere, Everton’s wholly unexpected comeback against United on Sunday was the greatest news Sky Sports have ever had. Their spring blue riband event, stupidly positioned on a Monday night, had seemingly turned into a damp squib. Now, it’s all systems go. Advertising space will be at a premium, the dollars will roll in, the hype machine has had new batteries put in, and will have seriously overheated by this time next week.

And already Sky have hyped the game beyond comprehension. Think the last days of Rome, couple that with a World Cup Final, mix with the Rumble in the Jungle, add a dash of the last day of the Ryder Cup and garnish with a selection of the greatest penalty shoot outs. Magic Mega Manchester Mash-up Monday is only days away. Or Mancini Meltdown Monday if City lose their nerve, or he waves an imaginary yellow card. New montages are being prepared as we speak, moody images of both managers aligned to a bombastic soundtrack, as two gladiators go to war, to the death, winner takes all, there can be no prisoners, it’s the clash of the titans, the biggest game in Premiership history, the dawning of a new era, it’s a……sorry about that.

A hundred players will be wheeled out to vomit forth endless banalities about the upcoming match. The buzzwords will be experience, pressure, and history. The United players have been gagged (but not the ex-players, sadly), the focus is intense. The announcement of the match referee is headline news. Desperate attempts are made via social media sites to get Yaya Toure banned because he may have raised two fingers at some opposition fans 80 yards away. Either way, I’ve bought some Immodium (Plus), and picked up my beta blockers. It’s going to be a nervy week, and a nerve-shredding night.

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In reality, not THAT much has changed. City are 2/1 for the league now, having been 12/1 just a couple of weeks ago. A couple of weeks before that, they were 1/2. United are still favourites, and rightly so. Whilst many a City fan may now proclaim that the title is now in City’s hands, it is also in United’s, so it’s a pointless cliché. If City should win next Monday, they then have to do it all again, beating Newcastle away, unless United slip up against Swansea or Sunderland, which despite the last fortnight, seems unlikely. City may well have to win two cup finals, and then meet a team fighting for its premiership life, led by their ex-manager, on the last day of the season. At least United will play two teams with little to play for, their summer holidays already booked, their minds already on that lovely beach in Antigua.

Normally, it would be correct to talk now about swings in momentum, in confidence, and balances of power. We were assured that United had the experience, had been there and done it, and would cruise over the finishing line. That’s what I thought too. But there have already been too many swings to know what lies ahead. It only takes a mis-timed tackle or a bad refereeing decision to cause another seismic swing. It becomes harder to call when you consider City’s lengthy troubles away from home, and the fact that even as United accumulated win after win, their performances were distinctly average (at times). Who is in better form now? It’s a grey area.

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Now it is down to the managers as much as the players. Mancini surely knows that a win is vital, and must stick with his two free-scoring Argentineans up front. But then again, a draw leaves a slim chance of title glory, a loss none at all. As for Ferguson, he’d probably be happy with a draw, leaving the title in United’s hands with a good cushion, but can you set up a team to get a draw? He’s unlikely to do that. And for the losers, the ultimate punishment – a Sky interviewer acting like a moron and asking the worst questions possible. Andy Burton thinks nothing of asking Carlos Tevez if he has dived when replays showed he had his ankle stamped on. A Sky interviewer feels no shame in trying to make Terry Connor cry. Geoff Shreeves thinks it’s acceptable to tell Ivanovic live on air he will miss the Champions League final. The stakes are high on Monday – the chance to avoid these buffoons.

Thankfully Chelsea have dug deep in the Camp Nou and out-hyped anything Monday could bring. The attention will rightly be theirs for a good couple of days. Sometimes the hype is justified, sometimes the game gives you amazing nights like Chelsea fans experienced this week. They too were written off, a team on their last legs months ago. Now they could win two trophies. A funny old game indeed. On Monday the game might well be a dour one, the hype more about the consequences of the result rather than the quality of match expected. Either way, the atmosphere will be electric, the footballing world watching on. Let’s hope it at least partly lives up to the billing.

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QPR midfielder Joey Barton has stated that his men will be motivated to beat Manchester City on the last day of the season, and that his former club should not celebrate lifting the Premier League title just yet.

Roberto Mancini’s men just need to beat relegation-threatened Rangers to lift their first top-flight crown since 1968, but the Loftus Road outfit need a point to ensure they avoid the drop.

Barton has warned City that they will face a motivated team, who they should not underestimate.

“I can’t wait for the game – I can’t wait to go to Man City,” he told Mirror Football.

“They expect us to turn up and them to probably stuff us and go on and win the league.

“If that is their attitude, they will get a reality check. It’s 11 men against 11 men, there is a lot of pressure out there – I can’t wait for it.

“We have one game to go and we are masters of our own destiny,” he concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Manchester United and Manchester City are ready to open a bidding war for Newcastle hitman Papiss Cisse, according to Mirror Football.

The Senegal international has been a revelation in Tyneside since moving to the club in January, scoring 13 goals in 14 appearances, along with a number of eye-catching long range efforts.

The African forward joined Alan Pardew’s men from Freiburg for £10 million during the last transfer window, however with Newcastle missing out on Champions League qualification it is believed that some of the side’s stars could be lured away by the top four sides.

The daily newspaper indicate that United in particular are keen on Cisse’s signature, but City will also enter the bidding should any progress be made.

Newcastle will be keen to hang on to their star players, and will not want to lose Cisse after just signing him in January.

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By Gareth McKnight

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