Paul Parker (UK) Blog

Chelsea too strong for United

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:57:30 -0800

Match of the weekend: Chelsea v Manchester United

It's the big one and I have to listen to my head, not my heart, when predicting the outcome. Chelsea are simply too strong for United at the moment and I expect them, with home advantage, to take all three points at Stamford Bridge.

Didier Drogba is one of the best strikers in the world and he is in the kind of form to exploit United's current defensive frailties. ...

London calling for title

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:10:10 -0800

With just under a third of the season gone, it looks like the Premier League title could be heading down south to London.

Arsenal have played the best-looking football so far and I would love to say they were my favourites to win the league, but that label has to go to Chelsea.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have lost two away games, one deservedly at Wigan and one unluckily at Aston Villa, but they have been the most consistent. ...

Focus on football, Rio

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:58:59 -0800

Match of the weekend: Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur

This is a real test of Tottenham's ambitions. They have a bigger squad than Arsenal and more strength in depth, but lack individuals with the quality of Andrei Arshavin or Cesc Fabregas. Arsenal have started the season well, but they have frailties in defence and you worry about their durability. They will always outplay teams while still giving them a chance. ...

Refereeing decisions no excuse

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:57:54 -0800

Alex Ferguson was wrong to again drag the referee into post-match discussions following Manchester United's defeat to Liverpool.

The United boss suggested that Andre Mariner was too inexperienced to handle a game of that magnitude, but how else is a referee supposed to become experienced if they don't officiate those kinds of games?

Mariner didn't have a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, and the only decision he might have got wrong was when he ...

Room for optimism at Anfield

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:06:45 -0800

Match of the weekend: Liverpool v Manchester United

Liverpool versus Manchester United is the biggest game of the season for both teams, and this time there are even more reasons to get excited. You have to go back to 1953 for the last time Liverpool lost five on the bounce, and a defeat on Sunday would increase the pressure of Rafa Benitez to almost unbearable levels. ...

Time running out for Benitez

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:13:47 -0800

The appearance of that rogue beach ball aside, there was little out of the ordinary at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Without Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, not to mention Javier Mascherano for the majority of the game, Liverpool were as poor as expected and defeat came as no surprise.

That's four out of nine lost so far this season with a game against Manchester United to come on Sunday. ...

Sunderland can capitalise on Liverpool woe

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:29:09 -0800

Match of the weekend: Portsmouth v Tottenham

Actually, this one is more event of the weekend than match of the weekend, considering the likelihood of Spurs winning all three points at Fratton Park. Nevertheless Harry Redknapp's return to his former stomping ground is sure to make this one a must-watch game. Harry is set to receive a white-hot reception from his former fans after having twice left them, the second time when the club was in deep trouble. ...

Too early to write off Rio

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:41:32 -0800

It was unsurprising to see Rio Ferdinand struggling during England's defeat to Ukraine, but calls for his head are premature.

The Manchester United defender was horribly at fault when he failed to deal with a long ball early on in England's penultimate World Cup qualifier, leading to the incident which led to Robert Green's sending off and Andriy Shevchenko's missed penalty. ...

Momentum and continuity are key

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:09:01 -0800

They may have already qualified for next summer's World Cup finals in South Africa, but England must still go out and give their all in the final two World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Belarus.

So far England have done fantastically well to put together an impressive string of results, but they cannot think that their job is over, even though qualification has already been assured. ...

Records can be broken

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:13:27 -0800

Liverpool's defeat to Chelsea at the weekend has prompted talk that their title bid has ended already.

But it is far too early to dismiss their hopes as easily as that. Things can change quickly in football, and all it will take is a couple of results to go their way and they will be right back in contention.

We've all heard that the last team to win the title after having lost three of their first eight games was Manchester United over 40 years ago. ...