EPL Game Week 12

I read that in Taipei, it is now popular for terminally ill people to celebrate their own funeral in advance. Stranger things are happening everyday. Rafa Benitez may have literally just arranged that when Fulham thumped Liverpool 3-1. I told you that Fulham with Roy Hodgson alongside is a good team. I told you I was only biased to pick the Reds to win. Maybe it was injury but I was shocked to watch Philipp Degen playing alongside Sotiros Kyrgiakos, a totally unfamiliar sight.

At least Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger would offer stability. Jamie Carragher was again tackling people on the wrong side - Carragher/opponent/ball. Though each time he got the ball, it appeared like infringement as he has become a wee bit slower. The final nail came when once again Rafa took off Yossi Benayoun who is their most creative player.

You don't do that unless you are replacing him with Megan Fox to distract your opponents just like how she did it to the Decepticons in Transformers. To make matter worse, they are now the walking wounded with Gerard and Torres picking up injuries. I was also right that Pool don't do draws anymore, they either win or lose. This loss cancels all the good work and took the gloss from the M U win.

The season could be over as I don't remember a team losing so many games and yet have clinched the title before unless they go on to break a new record. I think Benitez was just thinking ahead - of that mid week game v Lyon which they absolutely must win but did not. Fans pay for tickets and for cable TV subscription fees so besides these, a soccer team must always field their best XI. You cannot think that well, I am going to be the boss someday, so for now I had better relax my brain more in case of injury then my future is dashed. If you have to do it strategically, it is surely not under such dire circumstances. Winning at Fulham would have been a perfect booster. If they sack Benitez they may end up paying more so maybe he'll be around for a bit longer.

Meantime, there are definitely Man U fans among us as I was asked "what about Peter Schmeichel the best goalie", "Gary Pallister the best defender", "Ryan Giggs the best winger" and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer" - the best striker? Because there were too many names to mention, there is a lack of space and time and more so because my intention was geared towards the World Cup and internationals. I shall have to deal with the EPL, Europa and club soccer in due course. Schmeichel was without peers in the EPL.

He'll come out to cut the corners with his straddling 1.90m frame and spread himself like a giant octopus running out fully extended in a one-on-one. During his tenure he was the best in EPL and Europe but there was no big noise at international level as the Danish team wasn't like the one during Simonsen and Elkjaer's time. Gary Pallister bought from Middlesborough has a formidable partnership with current Sunderland manager Steve Bruce at the heart of Man U's defence but I wouldn't name him the best but he was the best looking defender at the time. Solskjaer was a good striker indeed giving Man U many important goals but I remembered the baby face assasin's best games were coming on as a substitute. Ryan Giggs was truly the EPL's and Europe's best during those halcyon days.

He is actually English but chosen to represent Wales (his mum's Welsh), otherwise, he could have a much bigger impact in international soccer. There are too many too add - Andy Cole bought from Newcastle was the second best top scorer in ten years of EPL just after Alan Shearer. How about one of my all-time favourites Bryan Robson, captain Marvel? Always committed and full-blooded. Alex Stepney, Norman Whiteside, the talented pretender to Best's crown. Fabulous wingers Steve Coppell, Gordon Hill? Midfielders Lou Macari, Sammy McCilroy, Paul Ince, strikers Stuart Pearce, Frank Stapleton? Defender Paul McGrath? The list can go on and on...

Game Week 12

Villa v Bolton

I correctly predicted a draw when Everton hosted Villa at Goodison Park last week, just that the score was different. Bolton was unfortunate to be trounced by a Chelsea side in Championship form. At Villa Park, Grabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young will run rings around Bolton and John Carew will add the physical threat. 2-1 as Villa continue their push.

Blackburn v Portsmouth

Blackburn has been on the receiving end of late. A few of their players including David Dunn was suspected to be down with the H1N1 and have not featured. I thought Chelsea players might have caught it too but Chelsea seemed unaffected and Drogba even scored a brace v Atletico Madrid. Now maybe Man Utd may have caught it after then won 2-0 at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Portsmouth turned on the style for the first time soundly thrashing Wigan 4-0. Is that the beginning of their revival? But Blackburn is at home. 1-1. Paul Robinson banished from England and recalled has been in outstanding form for Blackburn between the posts.

This was that same goalie who as a 19 year-old and deputising for Nigel Martyn for Leeds v Barcelona played an amazing game of his life including at least three world class saves from none other than Brazilian maestro Rivaldo and was touted as the next great goalie and then when Croatia beat England 2-0 where he was so unfortunate that Gary Neville's backpass hit a piece of turf sticking up like a sore thumb, bounced and trickled into goal as he was to kick it and he became the villain. Remember that classic Steve McClaren era where he was holding an umbrella on a rainy night in the returned leg when England lost 2-3 at home and went out? That was probably due to a lack of competition for places at goal which caused his decline but he's bouncing back. Sometimes, the ball's wicked bounce in life can cause us misery too. So what do we do? Yeah baby, bounce back!

Manchester City v Burnley.

Mark Hughes' Abu Dhabi City was not convincing against Birmingham and had keeper Shay Given to thank for his man of the match performance in a drab 0-0 draw. At home at the spanking arena at the City of Manchester Stadium, the Sky Blue must turn on the style. The claret and blue of Burnley did well to win 2-0 v Hull who is currently struggling. Paraguayan Roque Santa Cruz featured but couldn't score. Play Adebayor who will score and Craig Bellamy too. 2-0.

Tottenham v Sunderland

Spurs was soundly spanked by Arsenal. Their promising start to the season has fizzled. They need to rekindle the fire and belief to challenge for honours. Sunderland has been suprisingly good but they let go of their lead and allowed a lifeline back to the Hammers. No easy meat for Spurs. 3-2 to the Cockerels though. Hey, this is White Hart Lane, London! Show some respect.

Wolves v Arsenal

Wolves were magnificent coming from 2-0 down to hold Stoke 2-2. But that was Stoke and now even at home at the Molineux to face Arsenal who has been playing with guns ablazing, again the hunters will be hunted, this time more cold-blooded. They have to surely hunt in packs to deny the Gunners who are purring at the moment. Arsenal has just given Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar a 4-1 lesson at the Emirates with a brace from captin Cesc Fabregas who is going to be a big big player for Arsenal in the EPL, Europe and the World Cup for Spain, a goal from Diaby and another fom Samir Nasri returninig fro injury. 0-3 to Arsenal because Arsenal easily bags 3-4 goals each time. If this team plays to potential, they can achieve anything! Arsenal can be so good they are scary and look at their young age to realize what they can do in the near future. Rafa Benitez, look how it's done here.

Hull v Stoke

I love the underdogs and Hull has that fighting spirit but they are in the doldrums for now and in a precarious position. Stoke will continue to do well but Wolves showed it it can be done last week. It'll be close, 1-2 to Stoke as Hull has lost confidence. Was it due to Marlon King who was on loan to Hull from Wigan? He should not be playing for Hull, he should be playing for Hell.

West Ham v Everton

Gianfranco Zola was a delightful player and a very nice man and is a good match for the Hammers as theri manager as they play lovely football and has always been a hotbed for supplying future England stars. They are stuck in the rut but made a solid comeback against Sunderland. Everton could not breakdown Villa and shared the spoils. They are missing Arteta sorely. A draw is on the cards is very likely: 2-2.

Wigan v Fulham

Wigan was surprisingly lame and were appropriately thumped 0-4 by bottom-placed Portsmouth while Fulham was magnificent winning 3-1 at Craven Cottage. Chairman Dave Whelan sacked Marlon King for molesting and assaulting a lady in a pub who rejected his advances breaking her nose. Hey this guy earns 40,000 pounds a week! I'll be happy as a lark if a lady breaks my nose every week for that kind of money! He's going to jail and I think he'll never be back to the game. Wigan must have been in shock and should recover by now to welcome Fulham who will soon find out that playing Liverpool is actually easier than others. A high scoring 3-3. Everyone wants to play Liverpool now.

Chelsea v Manchester United

Wow! This kind of game can be either a drab game or a no-holds-barred entralling one. Two teams that could be having H1N1 having played Blackburn in the last couple of weeks. Man Utd were 3-1 down to CSKA Moscow before recovering to 3-3 with goals from Paul Scholes and an own goal from Valencia's shot. Scholes is aging but he was once mentioned by Zinedine Zidane to be the most difficult opponent that he has ever played against. Scholes is a very intelligent player who never gave an opponent the chance to get near him. Now that really says something about the bloke. Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge, like a well-oiled machine with Drogba firing on all cylinders with Lampard scoring and a Red Devils' defence leaking goals like the November rain in Singapore and Manchester rain throughout the year.

Don't go near the red side's dressing room if I were you as Sir Alex's hair dryer treatment will be out in full blast flooding the floor or you may get hit by a flying boot. Many believe that Man U is missing Ronaldo but I beg to differ. Man U built their game around Ronaldo when he was there playing to his and their strength while Wayne Rooney was the world best decoy for Ronaldo that's what made them ticked. Both sides benefitted. Now both Man U and Ronaldo are doing ok but suffering as they adjust themselves. This is liken to a landlord and tenant both doing well otherwise until one party started thinking they are better off with something else or any business partnership for that matter. The grass is always greener on the other side. The moment they split, things took a different course. You don't appreciate what you have until you lose it. Like Forrest Gump would say: Life's like a box of chocolate, you never know what you gonna get. 2-1 to Chelski. Bosingwa is out so Beletti or Ferreira would play?

Liverpool v Birmingham

Give the man (Rafa) a break. It's not easy spending more than 200 million pounds plus selling quite many players to come to this stage where you win one big game and lose the next one. If you work it out and if things do not improve Liverpool will end the season with 19 wins and 19 losses. So what to do? Bring Dalglish back? Dalglish is already back playing an ambassodorial role at Anfield. He won the double with Pool and won again with unfashionable Blackburn which means he knew a thing or two how to do it but the last time he dabbled with soccer was in 2000. Bring back Jose Mourinho? The Reds are simply too predictable even with Gerard and Torres together in the side.

The gap between the first XI and the bench is too big. Chelsea doesn't look too different with one or two key players missing and in fact, quite often you won't even notice it. If Benitez loses the confidence of the dressing room, it will be over. Liverpool players don't look too happy and are not enjoying the game. Man City couldn't breakdown Birmingham. Can Pool do it? 2-0 to the Reds based on current trend of win one lose one. They are due a victory. They didn't become bad overnight. They are just not used to going for upright victory. Now even when Rafa is doing the right stuffs he is not getting the results. When he spits now and a chicken walking past eats his saliva, the chicken dies but hopefully all bad things like the good things must come to an end. You may never walk alone but sometimes in life, you can be lonely in a crowd.