It is normally England that are desperately hoping one of their star players are fit for a major tournament. Whether it be David Beckham, Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney, there has always been something to worry about.

This year though, those over at http://euro2012onlinebetting.com/spain note how it is reining European Champions Spain that are sweating on the fitness of their star striker David Villa. The Barcelona man has been out for a while now and it is touch and go whether he will make it to Poland and Ukraine.

Speaking about the situation, Spanish Football Federation president Angel Maria Villar has said that he is desperate for the former Valencia man to prove his fitness.

He said: “I want David Villa to go to Poland and Ukraine. I do not know if he will be able to attend, but hopefully he will be with the team at the Euros.”

“I do not know who will go to the tournament. Vicente del Bosque has not told me anything.
He will inform me a minute before telling a news conference to the media!”

It will certainly be interesting to see whether Villa makes the squad. Even if he does, is he going to be at his best? Spain of course have plenty of other talent, but is it worth the risk with Villa?

The short answer is that yes, it probably is. Most over at http://euro2012onlinebetting.com/spain will probably agree too. Villa is a world class striker and if he did make the squad, you wouldn’t bet against him grabbing a crucial goal or two.

Spain are already without Carlos Puyol of course, so they could really do without another senior player missing out. When it comes to the pressure of major tournaments, you need as many experienced players as possible. Especially when they have the talent of Villa.

Spain name their squad on the 29^th May 2012 and their first game of the tournament is a mouth watering contest against Italy.

This list might very well create some controversy (hopefully positive) and that is fine. Choosing this list is much like choosing who England should take to Euro 2012, everyone will have an opinion and this opinion can be debated down at the pub until closing time. But I do want to set a list of ground rules for my Premier League MVP XI.

First I shall define what I consider an MVP (Most Valuable Player) to mean. There is a difference between most outstanding and most valuable. Most outstanding is simply the best, the player who has just excelled over all others this season. While most valuable are those players who are needed. Those players whom if they did not play week in and week out their respective team would not have as successful a season if they were not in the lineup. A player who can qualify as most outstanding could also qualify as being most valuable.

Secondly to qualify for this list the player must have been playing for the entire season (sorry to Paul Scholes and Lucas Leiva) and could not have joined or left their team during the January transfer window (sorry here to Samba, Cisse and Sigurdsson). It is okay if they had left their team for the Africa Cup of Nations, because they are still playing regular football.

And finally I have setup my team in a 4-4-2 formation just because it is easy to evenly distribute the players. Although I have chosen the top four defenders and midfielders regardless of where they play on the pitch. I have also allowed for seven subs including a goalkeeper, 2 defenders, 2 midfielders and 2 strikers. With teams being able to have more than one player on my MVP list (and they do).

GOALKEEPER

Tim Krul (Newcastle United)

Who had Newcastle battling for a Champions League position? Anybody? Who in Newcastle had Newcastle battling for a Champions League position? Anybody? Well shouldn’t this wonderful resurgence show how the Magpies needed Tim Krul in net this season? Alan Pardew made a very gutsy choice in picking the Dutchman to be in goal this season over the established Steve Harper and it has paid off and for that Tim Krul get my choice at the most valuable goalkeeper this season.

DEFENDERS

Vincent Kompany (Manchester City)

Can a person be more valuable when they lead their team to their first Premier League title in 44 years? Can a person be more valuable when they are handed the armband after a controversial captain, and then just go out and lead by example? Can a person be more valuable by their absence? As in Kompany’s suspension this season, right around the time when Manchester City started to struggle? Can a person be more valuable when in the biggest game of their season against their crosstown rivals they score the winning goal? Nobody really had any idea of how valuable Vincent Kompany was going to be for City when he was brought in, but he is certainly deserving of this list.

Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)

John Terry has not been his usual self this season in the Premier League. Now whether that is just the physical demands of getting older and losing a step or due to injury reasons the Chelsea captain has not looked in the form he has in the past. Plus with David Luiz and Gary Cahill not ready yet to hold the back line for Chelsea is has given Ivanovic a chance to really show his worth in the Chelsea’s central defense. He might not have the offensive skills, nor might he get all the glory, but this is about being valuable not being the best or most talented.

Leighton Baines (Everton)

Another season on the blue side of the Mersey and again another typical Everton season. Not a lot of money spent, top ten in the Premier League and no trophies. So why is Leighton Baines on this list? I have put him here because of the work that puts into Everton holding the back line and helping to keep Everton competitive. Not only does he hold the back line but he scores as well, notching four goals this season. Baines has been a constant for Everton, and even more so this season with the lackluster performance from Tim Cahill. Baines should be taken to the Euro’s this summer and he should be looked at as a strong summer signing for teams looking to improve their back line, Arsenal perhaps?

Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur)

I have always thought that Spurs are always fantastic to watch offensively but just dreadful at times defending. Watching Walker this season though has shown me that Spurs can in fact be a top defending team. I feel that he should be the backbone (along with Michael Dawson and Younes Kaboul) that Harry Redknapp builds from going forward. Sure things could become a little more boring some nights at White Hart Lane, but there could also be more Champions League nights in the future if they learn to defend against the powerhouse teams in Europe.

MIDFIELDERS

Clint Dempsey (Fulham)

Hopefully now people will realize how strong of a force Clint Dempsey can be in the Premier League. 17 league goals this season put him behind only Aguero, Rooney and Van Persie, and make the American the top scoring midfielder this season. I’m not sure why Dempsey seems to be going a bit unnoticed outside of South London, but Dempsey is a rare breed. An American who wants to play in the Premier League rather than toil in MLS (such as Landon Donovan and Brian McBride) because he seems to want to further his skills and become an elite Premier League player, despite being American. Regardless, no chance are Fulham in the top ten this season without Dempsey

Leon Britton (Swansea)

Anyone think I am a fool for this selection? Anyone have Swansea being as competitive as they have been this season? Anyone actually watched what Leon Britton does during a game for Swansea? Britton just sits in the middle of the pitch and makes pass after pass after pass pushing Swansea forward and creating chances. Sure Britton has only 3 yellow cards to show for this season in the league but being an MVP is not about scoring goals, it is about being vital to your teams success. And that is what Leon Britton has done this season for Swansea and not getting the recognition I feel he deserves.

Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle United)

Probably the player on this list who came from nowhere this season and had no expectations surrounding them after coming in from Lille. But Cabaye could easily be Alan Pardew’s strongest summertime signing. He just continues to impress and adapt to the Premier League and has been a box to box force for Newcastle. Cabaye has also helped Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse become legitimate goalscoring threats every game, and being an MVP means you should help make the players around you better.

Yaya Toure (Manchester City)

Probably the best example I can use in terms of defining what an MVP means. In no way is Toure the most skilled player on Man City, but he is extremely valuable in terms of how City need him in their lineup. He is the bull in that midfield, the link between the defense and the forwards and from what I see, the heart and soul of the team. This really became clear when he left for the Africa Cup of Nations. When watching City you could see that they just were not the same team without Toure, and then upon his return they kicked it back into gear looking like the team at the start of the season. That is what an MVP should do. And of course scoring two goals against Newcastle United when asked to play a little bit forward does hurt either.

FORWARDS

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

Not your typical Wayne Rooney season. No controversy, no suspensions (in the Premier League), no injuries, no real headaches. Because of that is seems as though the press have chosen not to focus on the striker and his 27 goals this season. Sure things are more glamorous and exciting when negative press can be written about Rooney rather than positive, but should more not be written about this season? I mean twenty-seven goals.

Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)

I saved the easiest for last. Van Persie this season embodied how a person can be the Most Outstanding and Most Valuable to their team. Do you feel Arsenal even get a whiff of the Champions League without the season he has had?

SUBSTITUTES

Michel Vorm (Swansea), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United), Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur), Demba Ba (Newcastle United), Grant Holt (Norwich City)

Again this is a personal list, and yes there are some people who will certainly feel that I’ve left some players off this list (such as Joe Hart) but please remember again. This list is to show who has been the most valuable this season, not the best.

Over the past seven years Arsenal’s defensive inadequacies have been there for all to see. The same amount of time the team has failed to win a trophy. It’s also no coincidence it’s seven years since Patrick Viera left the club too.

Arsenal fans must feel like they are caught in a very long version of Ground Hog Day. The team have forgotten how to defend.

No other top-flight side has committed so many defensive bloopers in that period of time. Conceding 8 goals at Old Trafford takes some beating, although the pathetic mistake to gift Birmingham the Carling Cup comes a close second. In fact, there are way too many to mention, so lets concentrate how the team can end the Catch 22 situation they find themselves in.

With the news that Pat Rice will be standing down as assistant manager after 48 years with the club could quite possibly be the catalyst for change at The Emirates.

Arsenal need a strong character who will challenge Wenger, a man to get them defending as a team. A man who is strong enough to tell the players off for their indiscipline’s. It’s all well and good playing attacking football but if you can’t defend it’s a waste of time and effort.

I believe in Steve Bould The Gunners have their man. An old school defender who played under George Graham. Back then Arsenal had the tightest defense in Europe. It wasn’t pretty but that side knew how to hold onto a lead, something the current team have absolutely no idea how too.

Bould, 49, has been working with the youth academy since 2001. He led the club’s youngsters to the FA Youth Cup in 2009 and to the Premier Academy League title in 2008 and 2009.

With Bould on board, the managerial team can at least inject some much needed discipline to an Arsenal team who pride themselves on scoring goals and not keeping clean sheets. Only time will tell but lack of school boy errors will be an indication if things have changed.

The Japanese International has been linked with a move to a London club in recent reports.

He has also said he would love to play in England.

So which club in London would he move to? I know he won’t choose the other North London club. Chelsea have already signed Marin, I wouldn’t rule them out though.

A move to Arsenal would fit Shinji, because of his style of play. I have seen a lot of matches where he Stared for Dortmund.

He is a very clever player who tries things that other players don’t.

Since Nasri and Cesc left we have lacked that bit of imagination in our midfield that Shinji Could bring.

He has Also been Heavily linked with a move to Man U. So Arsenal would really need to show some serious intent to land his signature.

The whole Yann M’vila Saga has got to me really. I hope that the deal goes through but I’ve got a bad feeling this is only just another Mata saga.

Let’s hope for the best Gunners

Don’t Forget To Follow Me On Twitter For The Latest News@MaQTheGunner

Two days ago “A reliable source” source @YouAreMyArsenal reported that Arsenal were close to securing the signature of Yann M’vila and that the deal was to be confirmed possibly after the final game of the season.

Yann had Expressed his desire to work with a French manager, So this lead to people claiming he wanted to join Arsenal.

London based French Journalist @LaurensJulien Reported that a four-year £60k-a-week deal was 99% done, with Arsenal paying Rennes €22m for his services, An Arsenal Record.

Every Gooner hoped that this deal would be Confirmed Soon.

But Now it seems like we need to hope for the best But Expect the very Worst.

Reports that the deal is yet to be completed, along with Arsenal denying that a deal is in place, isn’t helping calm my nerves ONE BIT.

There’s always hope, Arsenal denied a deal was in place to bring in Podolski. But I can’t help but have a bad feeling about this.

All we can do is hope, Some Reports also claim that he wants t move to Arsenal even if we don’t qualify for the Champions League. Let’s get him before a another team with more intent and more resources joins the race. I don’t want a repeat of the Mata saga, No Arsenal Fan Does.

Don’t Forget To Follow Me On Twitter @MaQtheGunner

• New study demonstrates player fatigue is distorting European football
• Clear performance deficit suffered by teams playing after only two days’ recovery
• Domestic title and European qualification outcomes affected
• Study author, Raymond Verheijen, calls for mandatory three-day gap between matches

‘If Atletico Madrid beat Atletic de Bilbao in the Europa League Final tonight, their ‘success’ could end up costing them a place in next season’s Champions League,’ contends  international football coach, Raymond Verheijen unveiling a new 27,000 match study he has undertaken into the effects of player fatigue.

‘Equally, the fact that Spurs are still well placed to qualify for the Champions League is absolutely down to Harry Redknapp’s refusal to play his first team in the Europa League,’ he continues.

The new study, which incorporates top tier league, Champions League and Europa League matches across seven countries and ten seasons, offers emphatic proof that teams playing every three days are substantially disadvantaged by player fatigue, and for the first time quantifies this disadvantage across a season.

Verheijen contends that if Atletico Madrid had not played in the Europa League this season, they would have accumulated six more points and been placed fourth, rather than fifth, in La Liga with one more match to play. Spurs would probably have dropped points and now been out of the running for automatic qualification.

To restore fair play, its author, Raymond Verheijen, is calling upon national leagues, associations and international federations to make a three-day gap between matches mandatory in all fixture scheduling.

Across the study, teams playing after just two days’ recovery against teams who had enjoyed at least a three-day gap were found to be 39% less likely to win at home and 42% less likely to win away.

Where both teams had just two days’ rest, the away team suffered more, showing a 26% reduced likelihood of victory.

In terms of league points lost, teams playing on the Saturday following a Wednesday night Champions League fixture were found to reap 0.55 points less than average, and teams playing on Sunday following a Thursday night Europa League match were 0.41 points per game worse off.

This season, Celtic have fared 0.94 pts per game worse after Europa League fixtures than in other weeks. In the 2010/11 season, Stuttgart’s form after their elimination from the Europa League improved by 1.08 pts per game, and they rose from bottom of the table to finish 12^th.

The study also focused upon 71,251 goals and when they were scored during games. In parallel with winning less and losing more after just two recovery days, teams scored 0.52 fewer goals per game, scored 0.3 goals less in the final third and conceded 0.45 more goals than average in the final half hour.

Verheijen, world football’s foremost authority on player periodisation, has witnessed the effects of insufficient recovery throughout his career, in terms of both performance and player injury rates. The study now underlines what he knew to be true, that full recovery is not possible in just two days.

‘The results are clear,’ comments Verheijen, ‘on the basis of this evidence, I don’t see how the game’s authorities can continue to ask teams to play twice in three days. It is simply not fair play.’

He contends, however, that this need not create issues for football’s governing bodies. ‘There is a lot of debate at the moment about player fatigue and injuries due to too many fixtures. The problem is not the number of fixtures, but the scheduling. The differences in performance between teams after a three and a six-day gap are almost imperceptible. In Portugal, for example, where the FA offers clubs involved in Europe the chance to play on Friday or Monday to allow full recovery, this effect does not exist.’

Verheijen continues, ‘only two days recovery does not automatically mean a bad result, but most bad results can be explained by only two recovery days.’

‘Look at the Premiership teams’ attempts to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League this season. The eight worst results all came after two-day gaps: Manchester City’s away defeats to both Bayern Munich and Napoli, Manchester United’s home draws against Basel and Benfica, Chelsea’s away draw with Genk and defeat to Leverkusen and Arsenal’s draws with Dortmund and Marseille.’

The outspoken Verheijen has worked alongside Guus Hiddink, Dick Advocaat and Frank Rijkaard at the last three World Cups and three European Championships, as a consultant for Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona, Zenit St. Petersburg and Feyenoord, and until recently worked alongside Gary Speed to elevate Wales into FIFA ranking’s top 50 nations.

Last year, Verheijen joined forces with Guus Hiddink to launch the World Football Academy, an institute dedicated to bringing the world’s best coaches and professionals to the doorstep of  football people at all levels of the game.

For full details of the study, visit:  www.worldfootballacademy.com

Say what you want about Roy Hodgson’s England appointment, the cultured manager certainly likes his target men.

In my view, this will suit England perfectly with Wayne Rooney’s badly-judged sending-off in the qualifiers opening the door for Peter Crouch, who has consistently impressed as an England player under any manager.

Hodgson attempted to sign the Stoke City striker when at Fulham in 2009 as a replacement for Bobby Zamora but difficulties involving Premier League Chairman Sir David Richards got in the way.
Some may say that Andy Carroll, Darren Bent, Grant Holt and Kevin Davies may protest about the inclusion of Crouch but I can’t see past the gangly striker. You could argue that Hodgson still has a admiration for Crouch as the striker turns 31.

He scores more than a goal every two games for England and was the second highest top goal scorer in the 2006/2007 Champions League season.

Although he has attracted criticism and derision for joining up with a Stoke City team that rely on set-pieces and throw-in’s to get their goals, Crouch remains a top-class striker. His wonder strike against Manchester City was a telling that his technique and eye for the spectacular is still very much part of his game. He can adapt.

I can see him being a hit at the Euro’s as there is little pressure on England to win the tournament, as most level-headed Englishman accept the fact that the Spanish and the Germans are the likeliest candidates to win.

Roy brings in players from exile and doesn’t turn his nose up at quality players.

Crouch can do the business for England in Poland and Ukraine this summer.
Come on England!

Ho Hum, another home game another poor showing at Anfield.

It seems as though that can be written every week after a Liverpool home game, and that really upsets me. Liverpool are a club with a great history and a great tradition and since 2005 I do not get the same feeling about the club anymore. The last few season of course have been mired with poor ownership and some questionable transfer signings that have left the team with an uphill climb back to respectability.

New ownership (especially when replacing a terrible outgoing one) always comes with new hope and new optimism. Businessmen who are eager to succeed, choose the Premier League as their new outlet to help fatten their wallets and further their business acumen give supporters hope. Hope that new players will be brought in, big names who will be cheered at The Kop and whose jerseys will be worn around the streets at Anfield. This hope really got started last season in January when Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez were signed for a considerable amount of money.

There were strong showings leading up to the end of the 2010-11 season where Liverpool finished strong and Luis Suarez was looking as though he would be a great replacement for outgoing Fernando Torres. And then all the summer signings to hopefully step up Liverpool’s push for a Top 4 finish. Who could have predicted that at the beginning of May Liverpool would be 8th in the table and over 30 points behind Manchester City?

Who also could have predicted that the opening match of the season, a 1-1 draw with Sunderland at Anfield, would be the common occurrence at home this season? Just five wins at home and numerous dropped points makes Anfield seem like just another ground. Shouldn’t Anfield strike fear into opposing players the way Old Trafford and The Nou Camp do? Shouldn’t home games against teams such as Wigan, Norwich, Blackburn and Fulham be a pretty sure 3 points?

Of course there are positives this season, such as a Carling Cup trophy, and the very important FA Cup final against Chelsea. As a Liverpool fan, this is a very important FA Cup final. It is a final that will pretty much define whether this season is a boom or a bust.

Supporters of any sport have short memories and if Liverpool do win the FA Cup and pull of the double those same supporters will forgo all the struggles at home this season. It can just be chalked up to a rebuilding season. There are teams this season (Arsenal, Spurs, potentially Man City and Chelsea) who will come away from this season with nothing. Granted winning the Carling and FA Cups is an unusual double, but it not as though Liverpool are not familiar with an odd trophy filled season.

Hopefully fans remember the 2000-01 season where Liverpool did the unusual treble, with a Carling an FA and the UEFA Cup. At the time Liverpool still had not won a League title in 10 seasons, but these three trophies brought hope. Liverpool had young players named Gerrard, Carragher and Owen who still were yet to discover their full potential. It would be wonderful for an FA Cup win against Chelsea for young players named Carroll, Henderson and Coates to discover their full potential.

A lot of questions will be asked this summer regardless of the result against Chelsea at Wembley. What does ownership make of this season? Where does Liverpool go in the future in terms of building their squad? What players will be brought in and sold in the transfer window this summer? What is Kenny Dalglish’s future at Anfield?

The difference between and win and a loss though make these questions either easy or difficult to answer.

Arsenal have reportedly completed a deal to bring the Belgian International to The Emirates.

“Agent_ITK also got Podolski to Arsenal & Bendtner to Sunderland moves spot on, months before deals
were confirmed. #ReliablyInformed”

“Arsenal have agreed a deal in principle with Ajax for defender Jan Vertonghen, according to very reliable sources. (via @MickTheGooner )”

“Just waiting for confirmation of Arsenal signing Jan Vertonghen from Ajax, fee agreed #AFC”-(via @Fourth_Official)

Seems like things are changing at the Emirates!

These reports plus the Confirmation of the Podolski Deal, shows that we have learned our lessons and we are tired of just participating!

The 2012-2013 Season belongs to Us Gooners.

This is Going to be a long, long Summer. Luckily we have the Euros to Entertain us.

I can’t wait to watch Poldi tear up defenses in the league. Will we also sign M’vila?, Or Eden? I never know what to except from Arsenal these days! Hopefully these reports are true we sign Vertonghen, and Eriksen.;-)

The glory days are almost back Gooners!I’ve Got a good feeling about Next Season!

Come On You Gooners!!!

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At least 27 people, including nine children, were injured after four separate bombs exploded in Ukraine on Apr. 27, just six weeks ahead of the European Soccer Championships (Euro 2012). The bombs rocked the city of Dnipropetrovsk in the eastern section of the country which is to co-host Euro 2012 along with Poland.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said there will be a firm response to the bombings, but the nation faces a tough challenge ahead of the soccer tournament that is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors between June 8 and July 1. Twenty-five of the injured people were taken to hospital while police were searching the through the city for more possible bombs.

Dnipropetrovsk is the third-largest city in Ukraine, but isn’t one of the host venues for the Euro 2012 tournament. However, it’s listed on the route for the trophy tour that’s scheduled to take place there on May 21. It’s located about 60 miles from the host city of Donetsk, which is scheduled to hold its first games on June 11. Police and security officials will now have a very tough job ahead of them as Ukraine prepares to host its first major international sporting event.

The city of Dnipropetrovsk is the hometown of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who is the leader of the 2004 Orange Revolution and a fierce opponent of President Yanukovych. Tymoshenko is currently in prison serving a controversial seven-year sentence for abuse of power and this has strained the relations between Ukraine and the European Union. The 51-year-old Tymoshenko went on a hunger strike on Apr. 20 and claimed she was beaten while in prison.

Television footage from Russia showed people crowded around a tram stop after one of the explosions. Residents were helping the wounded and were seen making temporary tourniquets out pant belts. Other victims could be seen lying on the blood-splattered pavement. A regional police spokesperson said one of the bombs went off when the tram started to leave the stop. Fortunately there were no people waiting at the stop, but people inside the tram were injured by the exploding windows.

Police said the first explosion took place inside of a garbage can near a movie theater in the city center at about 11:50 am. Another blast rocked the city approximately 40 minutes later and then a third bomb exploded just 15 minutes after that on a busy downtown street. The fourth and last explosion took place at 1:00 pm and police said they all took place in the same area of the city, close to the Dnieper River.

Ukrainian prosecutors quickly launched an investigation fearing the bombings could have been acts of terrorism. However, no information was given regarding possible perpetrators. Police said nobody had claimed responsibility for the attacks and there have been no threats or demands. A similar incident took place in the country in January 2011 and it was linked to an extortion racket. A government official said the country is on high alert while police investigate and residents were told to be on the lookout for any suspicious objects.

While the explosions shook Dnipropetrovsk, security forces were going through anti-terrorist drills at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium, which will host the July 1 Euro 2012 Final. UEFA, Europe’s governing soccer body, said it’s confident that Ukraine will be able to provide top-class security for the event, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said this incident has to be treated very seriously.

After Wolves were related against Manchester City it would be easy for the team to just fold and give in the rest of their games this season. But the players however have a lot still to play for, that is their own personal Premiership survival.

Take their most recent game against Swansea (and what a game). Being down 3-0 and 4-1 it would have been easy to just give in to Swansea and lose because points are not relevant anymore. But Wolves do have strong players that are of Premier League quality, who may not prefer playing in the Championship next year and would like to still visit Anfield or Old Trafford, or potentially even play there. Wolves have players that have really impressed me over the last two seasons, players that if given the right opportunity could become reliable on the right team next season.

Matt Jarvis was one of the key players in the game against Swansea, scoring two big goals. He has been a regular the last two season in midfield at Molineux and shown that he has the potential to continue on next season in the top flight and maybe (if given a chance) earn himself some caps for England in the future as he is only 26.

Take Wayne Hennessey. He really has proven that he can handle the demands of playing goal next season, and might be a very attractive signing to a team with an aging goalkeeper (Spurs perhaps?) providing he stays healthy.

Steven Fletcher is a striker who may not seem very attractive to most teams but take a look at his number this season. Fletcher has 11 goals in 31 League games, which puts him on the same level as Frank Lampard and Luis Suarez. Fletcher may not do everything technically perfect, or have great touch but does that really matter if you are able to score goals?

This is not just a situation that Wolves players have to deal with. Players on teams still in the relegation battle need to impress down the final two weeks of the season. They need to show bosses who may lose players in the summer transfer window that they can be appetizing targets.

Blackburn’s Junior Holiett is already having his name mentioned in rumours about him signing with another team next year. It may be in Italy, but Holiett does not want to falter at the end of the season, have Blackburn relegated which could lower his stock value to a top team. Paul Robinson and Yakubu are two players with Premier League experience who might look like good inexpensive signings to fill a hole in net or at striker. Or even young Grant Hanley who scored the winner at Old Trafford on Boxing Day. He could be a very strong defender for a young team next season.

QPR, Bolton, Wigan and Aston Villa all still have not guaranteed promotion and while the players have a battle to keep their teams up, they also need to pay attention to their individual performances. A poor showing could result in a wage cut come time for their next contract if they are playing in the Championship, while a strong showing could mean a nice wage increase.

Bolton Wanderers 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park this week has handed Owen Coyle’s side a Premier League lifeline whilst also ensuring that the Villa boss, Alex McLeish,will have a few sleepless nights over the next couple of weeks as his team become inexorably dragged into the relegation fight.

Wolves became the first of three teams relegated last weekend which leaves two more places in the table for the other teams to fight to avoid and currently, it is Blackburn in 19th with 31 points from 35 games and Bolton in 18th on 33 points from 34 games who occupy them. Just above them and currently “safe” on 34 points from 35 games is Wigan in 17th place and QPR in 16th on the same number of points. Villa are two points better off on 36 points also from 35 games.

As it stands, Bolton possibly have the slightest advantage over the others by having a game in hand, which is at home to out of sorts Tottenham Hotspur next Wednesday.
The other teams all have three games to play, Blackburn look to have the toughest schedule with trips to Spurs and Chelsea together with a crunch game at home to Wigan and it is this run which would explain why Steve Kean’s side is the 1/6 favourite of the five to be playing in the Championship next season.
Wigan’s destiny is in their own hands still and two wins from their final three matches should see them safe but they will have their work cut out to beat in form Newcastle at the DW Stadium this weekend but the game at Blackburn and final game at home to Wolves will surely dictate the fate of Roberto Martinez’s men and they are 3/1 to go down, which suggests the experts think they’ll survive.
Favourites to join Blackburn are QPR who play Chelsea this weekend in the West London Derby before facing Stoke in their final home game of the season. You’d have to think Mark Hughes’ side would need to get the points on the board before the final game of the season which is away to Manchester City! The R’s are 11/8 to make a quick return to the Championship after only winning promotion 12 months ago.

Bolton are 6/4 to go down and it has to be thought that with the game in hand together with a home game against West Brom, they will accrue the required points to stay up and even trips to Sunderland and Stoke provide opportunities to gain a result, which leaves just Villa as the team who could end up in the bottom three and they play West Brom away, Tottenham at home and Norwich away in their final three matches. All tough but ones which should see them pick up at least two points which would be enough but it may not be enough to see Alex McLeish resume Pre Season training come July and the search for the new Aston villa boss could be the first bit of Summer business for the club’s American Owners, just 12 months after poaching the Scot from local rivals Birmingham.

Relegation prediction: Wolves, Blackburn and Queens Park Rangers