Weekend Football Hit By Bad Weather

Weather disrupts saturday's football fixture list

Many Football League matches have been postponed this weekend due to the bad weather conditions across the country. As of now all Premier League games still go ahead. Only one game in League 2 has survived with Plymouth playing Southend. Frozen pitches have been given as the reason for all of the following games:  

Championship:

Doncaster vs. Reading

Portsmouth vs. Hull

League One:

Bournemouth vs. Exeter

Bury vs. Hartlepool

Charlton vs. Rochdale

Colchester vs. Sheffield United

Notts County vs. Stevenage

Oldham vs. Leyton Orient

Preston vs. Brentford

Scunthorpe vs. Walsall

League Two:

Aldershot vs. Bristol Rovers

Bradford vs. Crawley

Cheltenham vs. AFC Wimbledon

Crewe vs. Accrington

Gillingham vs. Hereford

Morecambe vs. Dagenham & Redbridge

Northampton vs. Macclesfield

Oxford vs. Barnet

Rotherham vs Torquay

Shrewsbury vs. Port Vale

Swindon vs. Burton

What Next For Leeds United?

Grayson 'sheds a tear' at his sacking 

On Wednesday Leeds United announced that Simon Grayson had been sacked as manager. 

There had been rumours for the last few months that Grayson (right) was on the way out. Leeds currently sit 10th in the Championship and are only 4 points of the play-offs. So the position is set up for the incoming manager to propel Leeds into those play-off places. However with the transfer window having just closed the new man will have to work with what he has got. In this respect I do not understand Ken Bates' decision as if he knew he was to sack Grayson then earlier would have been better.

Grayson admits that he 'shed a tear' as he left Elland Road on Wednesday. After a run of poor performances his fate was sealed after a a dismal display and 4-1 defeat on Tuesday night against quickly improving Birmingham City. However now the attention turns to who the next manager will be. Leeds have reported that they have been inundated with credible applications for the job. SkyBet has Huddersfield's Lee Clark as the 8/11 with ex-QPR manager Neil Warnock  at 4-1. Warnock or 'Mr Promotion' has a track record with getting teams promoted which is what Ken Bates wants however the question would be whether the fans want him. Interestingly he does top the poll on the Yorkshire Evening Post. Also Warnock and Bates would clash due to the meeting of two very strong personalities and so feel it would not work.

Lee Clark would be a good choice. The young manager has done a terrific job at Huddersfield and has been unlucky not to be promoted in last two seasons.  Again this year they are very much in the promotion hunt with the in-form and surely future Premier League bound Jordan Rhodes the key man. I think that Clark will go if he is offered the job and would be a good appointment.

Gordon Strachan is the name that came to my mind when this job came up. He is out of work since his sacking by Middlesborough in October 2010. He is experienced and a former Leeds player. He is second on the YEP poll. SkyBet have him at 16-1 which would seem a decent bet.

Obviously many ex-Chelsea players such as Gus Poyet, Roberto Di Matteo, Gianfranco Zola and Dennis Wise have been linked however I do not think any of them will get the job.

Is Jones a serious contender?

Billy Davies who I think would be a great appointment and should not be ruled out. Steve Bruce is 10-1 and Davies 16-1 on SkyBet. Those also linked are ex-Cardiff City manager  Dave Jones, MK Dons' Karl Robinson, Alan Shearer and a return for David O'Leary. So many names heavily linked with the job including that of Neil Redfearn the current care-taker manager. However the funniest and most bizarre is that of Vinnie Jones (left) at which the price is 50-1.

Is Lambert Leeds bound?

The most interesting development is that of Norwich's Paul Lambert (right). The Norwich boss' odds have been slashed from 50-1 to 8-1 on SkyBet. This is very most interesting. To think that Lambert would leave Norwich after all his work is unthinkable. To leave a team who look like surviving in the Premier League and having a great year to take over a Championship club. I know the club is Leeds United and therefore a big job in football but with no money or financial clout I would surprised if Lambert arrived at Elland Road. To be fair they appointed Grayson from Championship Blackpool back in 2008 when Leeds were in League One. But this is completely different situation.

This is a difficult decision for Bates and one which wont be decided until at least next week. So who do you think it should be?

Djokovic Looking Unstoppable For 2012

As Novak Djokovic wins the first Men's Grand Slam of this tennis year, I am going to take a look at the leading contenders for the remaining Men's Grand Slams and give my predictions.

More glory for Djokovic?

Firstly who else to start with but the World Number One and the man of the moment Novak Djokovic (right) who is without doubt the one to beat. Over the last year he has established himself as the undoubted number one. His record of 70 wins out of 76 matches in 2011 says it all. He has also brought this form into 2012 with an unbeaten start. After being the world number three for a few years and really taking a back seat as he struggled to break the dominance of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, 2011 was his break-through year. He won the Australian Open in 2008 however did not build on it however this did give him the confidence to know he was capable of wining Grand Slams. He has been improving from 2007 when he reached the US Open final. The potential was there and his breakthrough in 2011 is testament to the two greats of Nadal and Federer to keep him at number three for so long. Although I think that these two have made him a greater player as he knew the level that he needed to get to to compete. Also his progression in 2010 where he reached the quarters at Australian and French Opens, the semis at Wimbledon and then the final at the US Open showed a clear progression that set up the 2011 success. This jump is something that Andy Murray has failed to yet achieve.

SkyBet make Djokovic 8-1 to win the remaining three Grand Slams titles in 2012. They also make him 9/4 to win two of the three. This is an interesting bet and the one I would look at if I were to have a flutter. On current form he is unstoppable and he has already proven he can win at Wimbledon and at the US Open. My fear for the clean sweep is that of the French Open (Roland Garros) as this is his weakness. That is why 8-1 is not a good price and should be more around 16-1. Beating the likes of Nadal at the Australian Open is an incredible achievement however it will take an exceptional performance to beat him on 'his' surface that of clay at Roland Garros. Nadal dominance at Roland Garros is sensational. He also holds a 9-2 winning advantage over Djokovic on clay, although that 2 for Djokovic have come the last two times they have played.

More French Open success for Nadal ?

Rafael Nadal (left) is facing therefore a huge fight in order to regain the World Number One spot. Djokovic would seem to have the advantage over Nadal on hard-court surfaces with an 11-5 advantage. The feeling is that Djokovic has the edge over Nadal and last weekend's result will not have helped Nadal. To play so well and for it still not to be enough will be hard for the Spaniard to take. Djokovic has now won the last seven encounters, all were finals and twice on clay. However the French Open is Nadal's tournament and one clay surface that I can not see him being beaten on at the moment. If fit for the French Open then I think his dominance will continue. SkyBet go even money on this being the case. I am confident, that if fit, Nadal will be at the latter stages of all the Grand Slams this year and would not be surprised to see Nadal/Djokovic the final at every Grand Slam.

Does he still believe?

Roger Federer - The great man is entering the final few years of his tennis career however is still the best player to watch. The effortlessness in which it seems he plays is incredible. He makes the game look so easy and elegant compared with many other players where strength and power is the order of the day. Even though Federer (right) has both of these qualities he is majestic in his approach and that is why he is the greatest player I have ever seen. It is his style that allows him to play year after year as he does not get the injuries of the other, e.g Nadal style gives him knee trouble.

However he has not won a Grand Slam since 2010 but it would be wonderful for him to win Wimbledon this year however I do not think it will happen. The question is does Federer still believe he can win? I think he does and that is why he had continued to play. I hope he has at least one more Grand Slam in him and hope that that is Wimbledon. Although it is a sign of the times when SkyBet go 2/5 that he will not win a single Grand Slam this year. This a man who dominated men's tennis for years and has won 16 Grand Slams. At the US Open last year Federer was on the cusp of winning before Djokovic antics. He for me would present a greater challenge to him then Nadal does. I think a real test for Djokovic would be a French Open final against Nadal and a Wimbledon one against Federer. Two matches that would be incredible to watch. That is my wish for 2012.

Will 2012 be his year?

Finally Andy Murray (right), he has threatened for years however not quite made it. With new coach Ivan Lendl his game will improve however not to the standard it needs to for success this year I feel. I do not think he will win any of the Grand Slams despite his recent display against Djokovic I just feel he does not have the mental toughness to win a tournament. Could you ever imagine Murray doing what Djokovic did last week? The answer is no. That is why SkyBet offer of 1/4 that he will not win a Grand Slam in 2012. However a positive for Murray is that this is what many said about Djokovic a few year ago and look at him now. So there is hope, however I can not see him making a genuine impression this year.

So I predict that all Men's Grand Slams will be won by one of the top three this year. However ones to watch are young Bernard Tomic who I think will have a big year and Juan Martin Del Potro. A few years ago he looked terrific however injury has hampered him however he may be a surprise player this year and maybe one to watch out for at the US Open later this year.

Also this year there is the Olympics and so another aim for the top players. Will be an interesting tournament with the final at Wimbledon. My tip is Roger Federer however this could be a shock result as the players may still be tired from Wimbledon only finishing 3 weeks earlier. 

Predictions: French Open- Rafael Nadal

                    Wimbledon- Novak Djokovic (but would love it to be Roger Federer)

                    US Open- Novak Djokovic

                    Olympics- Roger Federer 

Ones to watch: Bernard Tomic and Juan Martin Del Potro

It is looking like a terrific year of tennis is in store and one many can not wait to unfold. 

Djokovic Wins Epic Australian Open Final

World number one Novak Djokovic (right) has retained his Australian Open title after winning one of the greatest tennis matches of all time. He overcame the world number two Rafael Nadal 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 in a match lasting a staggering 5 hours and 53 minutes.

At the end Djokovic fell to the floor in exhaustion while Nadal was left to wonder what could have been. 

Djokovic describes this as his greatest triumph.

"This one I think comes out on the top because just the fact that we played almost six hours is incredible, incredible," he said. "I think it's probably the longest finals in the history of all Grand Slams, and just to hear that fact is making me cry, really. I'm very proud just to be part of this history."

Nadal gave it his all however it was ultimately not enough to overcome the powerful Serbian. The array of shots and rallies by both players was sublime. The number of time that Djokovic found the line was unreal and this forced Nadal to possibly go for shots he did not want to. Having said this Nadal also played some magnificent shots. The quality of the tennis remained high throughout the match despite the tiring of both players. Djokovic found himself 4-2 down in the fifth set and it looked that he would suffer due to the effort he had put into the tournament in previous rounds. Djokovic had come through another five-set clash against Andy Murray in the semi-final only two days before. In that match he was showing signs of physical tiredness however had enough to win the match. He also overcame injury problems against David Ferrer in the quarter-final. This is why pundits were tipping Nadal to have edge in the Final. The resolve shown by Djokovic to comeback in that final set is a testament to the mental and physical toughness the man. That to against a player like Nadal who has shown over the years his own never say die attitude which has won him 10 Grand Slam titles.

After the match Djokovic describes the his feeling during the match :

"It's just incredible effort. You're in pain, you're suffer(ing). You're trying to activate your legs. You're going through so much suffering your toes are bleeding. Everything is just outrageous, but you're still enjoying that pain."

Nadal described it as one of the toughest matches of his career, and that is saying something after his epic win over Federer in 2008 at Wimbledon. He congratulated Djokovic however the disappointment was clear to see after the effort he had put into the near 6-hour match. It is difficult to say that Djokovic deserved to win as had Nadal won the plaudits would have been just as much.

Djokovic becomes the eleventh man in the very prestigious list of player to win three grand slams in the row. Other players on the list include the great Fred Perry and Jimmy Connors along with his current tennis rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

Djokovic had an incredible 2011. He won 70 out of the 76 matches he played winning ten titles including three out of the four grand slams. It was this record the propelled him to World Number One. His achievement is even greater as he has two of the greatest tennis players ever playing on the tour at the same time. He is definitely the man to beat in 2012.

Madrid draw Barcelona in Champions League Semi-Final

Real Madrid have drawn Barcelona to set up a blockbuster Champions League Semi-final clash. 

Jose Mourinho (right) has taken a lot of stick from the fans, the press and many Real Madrid legends over the style in which his Madrid side plays.

The 'special one'

However I do believe that they are being very harsh. Earlier in the season he watched as his Madrid side were dismantled 5-0 by Barcelona, so to me it is fairly obvious that he is not going to play the same way or even attempt to take them on that their own game. Barcelona are without doubt man for man the best team in the world. However as Mourinho has shown in the last two encounters he is capable of tactically beating them. It isn't pretty but it is attritional. The closing down and breaking up of attacks stops Barcelona playing. This tactic takes an enormous amount of concentration of which he instils into his sides. People say it is boring however it is actually a wonderful watch to see the two styles collide. He knows that Barcelona are the better team however his ability to frustrate them is second to none. He did it with Inter Milan last year and I can see him doing it again this year. It will be a thrilling two legs. Having already played them twice it will be interesting to see if he persists with similar tactics.

Mourinho is known for surprises. The first game showed that. Playing Pepe in front of the back four in which he would break up attacks and then drive forward caught Barcelona by surprise. He, Pepe, was outstanding in the league game. A game in which Madrid had the chances to win. He wasn't so influential in the Copa Del Rey Final however the counter-attacking style did prevail.

The Champions League promises to be fascinating and I do think the winner of that tie will win the tournament at Wembley. You may not like it but you have to appreciate it. It gets results. Would Arsenal fans swap the pretty football for trophies? He is without doubt the best manager in the world at this moment in time.

There is no other manager in the world I would want if my team had to win a one off match.

Arsenal's Woes Continue

Another trophyless season has now been confirmed for Arsenal. Sundays defeat to Bolton was the was final nail in the coffin. The slim hope that Arsenal had of challenging Manchester United for the title is gone. This is now the sixth season without a trophy and the Aresnal fans are more restless then ever. Arsene Wenger's (below right) stubbornness over his policy of not spending money is again damaging the team. 

For years now Arsenal have been lacking a title-winning spine to the team. A world class goalkeeper has been needed, why he did not sign Shay Given years ago no one will ever know. He has persisted with the likes of Almunia and Fabianski who will not win you leagues or cups. They are liabilities. This year Schenzy has had some very impressive performances and is me for is the best goalkeeper at the club but he is still error-prone.

Time for Wenger to spend

The centre of defence has been weak since the likes of Tony Adams retired. Thomas Vermaelen has been impressive however his injuries have affected Arsenal. Without him the defence is weak. Lorient Koscielny and Sebastian Squillaci are in their first seasons but have not impressed. Arsenal are noted as weak from set pieces. Teams such as Bolton and Stoke have always troubled Arsenal in recent years due to their physicality. Wenger always complains however his successful sides would not have had a problem. At the back he had Sol Campbell, Martin Keown and Adams. They were always very strong and gave the team real backbone. 

They also had the likes of Patrick Vieira and Ray Parlour to boss the midfield. These were hard players who could easily hold their own. Vieira is the one who they have missed very much. They have never replaced him. Diaby and Song are just not in the same league.

Players such as Ljungberg and Pires have not been replaced. These were great players at the height of their careers. Both were skilful players who the likes of Tomas Rosicky are no where near up to their standard. Andrey Arshavin and Samir Nasri have their moments and Theo Walcott is a shadow of the player he should be.

Another area where Aresne has seems to have changed tactic in up front. In the beginning he had Nicolas Anelka an unknown at the time that took the league by storm. When he was sold to Real Madrid he was deemed an almost impossible player to replace. The pace, power and clinical finish. However suddenly in comes another reasonably unknown called Thierry Henry. He proved better then Anelka and is one of the greatest Premier League forwards of all time. Another element to the success was that of the masterful Dennis Bergkamp. Now neither have been properly replaced. Robin Van Persie is a great player however his injuries have prevented him from maintaining his form for an entire season. Wenger seems to have gone against his electric frontman tactic which for me is an error. Nicklas Bendtner should not be at the club, the Barcelona game proved that. For me he has the player to fulfill the void and that is Walcott. Why has he never put Walcottt up the middle? He is wasted out wide. When I first saw Walcott, I saw him as a potential Henry for England. His performances for the U21, especially his two goals against Germany were world class. He only came on in the 77th minute. Where has this player gone?

His potential is not being fulfilled and he is rotting on the wing and at Arsenal. Walcott needs to leave Arsenal to both play every week and be put through the middle. He is now a shadow of that player he was and now seems is scared to shoot.

Arsenal have good players but not great. They lack leaders throughout the team. Until this is rectified no trophy will be coming Arsenal's way. The Carling Cup was a prime example of this. This was a defining moment in the season. Too many weak links and no winning mentality has cost them. Arsenal never grind out results like Chelsea or United do. Arsenal's football is fantastic but has no cutting edge. They try to play Barcelona style however don't have the Lionel Messi and David Villa at the end of it. I honestly believe Wenger's time is coming to an end. In the last few weeks he is losing the plot, the comments to Kenny Daglish after the Liverpool game proved that. Arsenal need a new approach; either a new man like Jose Mourinho who will maybe not give the style but will provide trophies or a Pep Guardiola to continue the style but add the end product. Alternatively Wenger needs to cull the weak links and failures and spend, which I cant see happening.

Ins-Golakeeper, centre half, dominating centre midfield like Yaya Toure and clinical forward.

Outs- Bendtner, Rosicky, Denilson, Almunia, and thats just for starts.

Harry's Challenge

Big test for Harry's men tonight

Tonight Harry Redknapp's (right) Tottenham side takes on Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid in what will be a pulsating tie. Tottenham have performed very well so far in the tournament and have produced epic performances against both AC and Inter Milan. Granted AC Milan are not as strong as maybe the name gives the illusion of but still the performances were of real class. Tottenham deserve to be in the quarter finals and this is their chance for a memorable tie.

Real Madrid are very tough opponents however have been stuttering in La Liga and are once again in the shadow of their rivals Barcelona. For Real and Jose Mourinho the Champions League is their only real hope. Their weekend defeat possibly shows that they were concentrating on this game. However they are beatable, as Sporting Gijon proved, and Tottenham can do it. Tonight's result is key. At the Bernabeu Jose will be hoping for a 2-0 victory (which is 11-2 with Skybet). This will be a very good result for them. No away goals and nice lead. Whereas Tottenham would take a draw and an away goal that could prove vital.

Tottenham will have to be resilience and tough. I imagine they will play a similar way to the way they played at the San Siro, counterattacking when possible. With Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale this is a very dangerous outlet and one which Real will be fearful of. Also Rafael Van der Vart going back to his old club will be looking to prove a point. He has had a fantastic season and has proved to be a terrific capture by Redknapp. He is creative and very dangerous around the box. Real will know of his capabilities all too well. Peter Crouch will have his part to play and will do so with his usual style. If Jermaine Defoe is on he must take his chances, he wont get many if any. For me his is too inconsistent and at this level you have to be clinical.

One of Madrid's danger men- Ronaldo is a real threat

Madrid threat will come from Cristiano Ronaldo if he is in fact fit, which I doubt. He is their main man and goalscorer. If Ronaldo is not on top form then I can see Tottenham being able to contain them. Emmanuel Adebayor and Mesut Ozil both top players but can see Tottenham containing them. Real Madrid have many stars however if they will turn on the style tonight we will have to wait and see. If they do then Tottenham will have to be at their best to avoid a drubbing.

I expect a close encounter in which the score will finish 1-1 (8-1 Skybet).