The big freeze and the dismal failure of England’s 2018 World Cup bid will not stop the Premier League from rolling on. Its game week 16, time to forget the disappointment, put the heating on and enjoy another weekend of Football.

Spurs enjoyed a much needed rest midweek and will be hoping to capitalise on any signs of a Birmingham hangover following their Carling Cup exploits. Both sides are on a good run and Harry Redknapp will be desperate to keep the pressure on the teams above them. The Blues have a fantastic home record but I have a feeling Tottenham are going to leave with all three points.

Birmingham will be relieved to see that Rafael Van der Vaart is once again doubtful, but Jermain Defoe(8.6), Aaron Lennon(7.5) and Luka Modric(7.2) are looking good, and they will need to be on their game if they are to breach a Birmingham back line that boasts some impressive points tallies. Ben Foster(5.0) 71 points, Liam Ridgewell(5.8) 65 points and Roger Johnson(5.2) 56 points, are in the top five points scorers so far this season in their positions. “If you score two we will score three” seems to be Spurs attitude, so there will be chances at the other end too. Cameron Jerome(5.7) and Nikola Zigic(5.3) are the cheaper alternatives in a match that promises goals.

Man Utd have been on the receiving end of a fair amount of criticism this season, yet they are undefeated and top of the Premier League table. United are off to the seaside Saturday evening and a certain Wane Rooney(11.5) will be desperate to get back in the goals after failing to get on the score sheet during the massacre of Blackburn Rovers last week. A special mention this week for Rooney’s team mate Nani(9.3) for reaching the 100 points mark this season.

Game week 16 concludes with a slightly rejuvenated Liverpool hosting a Villa side that are on the slide. The Reds are still missing inspirational Captain Steven Gerrard but the usually ineffective Lucas has added some steel to Liverpools midfield. The Brazilian is available for a mere 4.5 million and could be a shrewd acquisition in Gerrards absence. Jamie Carragher is facing three months on the sidelines after dislocating his shoulder against Tottenham. It could mean a recall for Sotirios Kyrgiakos(5.1) and the Greek will be hoping to recapture his early season form.

Villa rallied well in the second half against Arsenal but they are struggling without Marc Albrighton, skipper Stiliyan Petrov and punch-line Emile Heskey. Robert Pires(5.0) who has a wealth of experience and young Ciaran Clark(4.5) could prove to be important players for Gerard Houllier in the run up to Christmas.

That’s your lot for this week. If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ the code you need to join is 13413-5300

Well this season is just getting harder and harder to predict. Having just absorbed last week’s action Game Week 15 is here and no doubt will throw up plenty more surprises.

The Premier League weekend kicks off Saturday lunchtime at Villa Park. Two wounded team’s line up looking to bounce back from disappointing results. The majority of Villa’s midfield is currently residing in the treatment room. Step forward Barry Bannan and Stephen Ireland, Bannan (4.5) has performed well so far and Ireland (5.9) is eager to get his Aston Villa career up and running. Arsenal are still sitting pretty in third, despite apparently being in crisis, it’s a crisis that 17 other Premier League sides would be delighted to find themselves in. Robin Van Persie (9.5) will be looking to get his season up and running this weekend. Cesc Fabregas will be out for two weeks after picking up a hamstring injury against Braga. But Arsenal still have a wealth of talent to call upon in the absence of their inspirational skipper.

West Ham host Wigan in the basement battle of the weekend. It’s a must win game, both teams will be hoping their match winners will see them through a nervy encounter. Carlton Cole (5.8) has voiced his frustration at the lack of quality balls into the box. Now would be the ideal time to give the Hammers front man the service he craves. Wigan will miss star striker Hugo Rodellega (Suspension) but have the continually impressive Charles N’Zogbia (5.7).

Top of the table Chelsea are struggling too and face a long trip to St James Park this game week. The last time Chelsea lost two league games on the bounce everything was in black and white. They visit a Newcastle side who can’t quite decide whether to score five or concede five every week. My head say’s it all adds up to a dull no score draw But my heart is saying goals so get Andy Carroll (6.1) in your starting XI, John Terry is still absent from the Blues back line and the boy Carroll is guaranteed to give any defence a rough ride.

Sundays late game see’s Tottenham host Liverpool. Spurs cruised past Werder Bremen and into the last 16 of the Champions league Wednesday night. There can be no excuse of tiredness come Sunday, Harry Redknapp’s side had time to stop and feed the ducks on their midweek walk in the park. Jermain Defoe (8.6) is fit again and looks desperate to make up for lost time. If you have the funds available snap him up, he’ll be back in the goals sooner rather than later. Rafael Van Der Vaart (8.5) looks certain to feature after missing out in midweek. Liverpool are starting to turn the corner, but their form on the road is horrendous and they look likely to head home empty handed.

Final mention goes to Johan Elmander (6.3), Kevin Davies (6.5) and Chung-Yong Lee (5.3), I tipped them to be in the points last week and they didn’t disappoint. A home tie against Blackpool this weekend almost guarantees another return from them and hopefully, they will again keep my final shreds of credibility intact for a little while longer.

That’s your lot for this week. If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ the code you need to join is 13413-5300

It’s been a busy week in the Premier League and the fun just doesn’t stop. Game Week 13 is here already and we have another full fixture programme to look forward to.

It’s at the foot of the table where the excitement and the points are to be had this weekend. The bottom three are all at home and these fixtures would have been double underlined in red as winnable at the start of the season.

West Ham play host to the still free scoring Blackpool. Piquionne and Parker did the business Wednesday and will be looking for a repeat performance on Saturday. If recent form is anything to go by it will be a goal fest at Upton Park.
Wolves – who, if points were awarded for pride and guts would be top of the league – entertain an in form Bolton. Mick McCarthy’s men need to shut down not only Kevin Davies but also Johan Elmander. The big Swede has finally worked out the difference between a set of goal posts and the side of a barn, the reward for this realisation is 62 points for the Trotters front man. Wolves will be relying on the likes of Matthew Jarvis (5.3), Stephen Hunt (5.3), Kevin Doyle (5.1) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (5.0) to breach Wanderers stubborn back line. Wolves will edge a narrow victory here.

Wigan are in desperate need of a win, so far their season’s star performers have been Hugo Rodallega (5.8) and Charles N’Zogbia (5.5). Another big performance from this pair is required against West Brom. All things good for the Latic’s seem to come from these two, take a gamble and give them a run out this game week.

Stoke are hovering above the drop zone and Welcome a rejuvenated Liverpool side. Stoke at home are always a difficult prospect. Big Robert Huth is a mountain at the back and a genuine goal threat going forward, a 4.9 million price tag has returned 37 points so far. Striker Ricardo Fuller weighed in with 9 points in the last game week and is available for a mere 4.8 million.

Manchester City will be looking for a positive reaction after a dishwater dull Manchester derby. Chelsea are beginning to pull away at the top and the Eastland’s outfit cannot afford to lose anymore ground. Birmingham could well find themselves on the wrong side of a City backlash. Blues keeper Ben Foster (4.9) could be in for a busy afternoon.

Last special mention this week to Blackburn stopper Paul Robinson – sitting 4^th overall in the goalkeeper table having so far amassed 49 points – is yours to buy for 4.6 million. An absolute bargain if you’re looking to generate some cash to strengthen other areas of your squad.

If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/  the code you need to join is 13413-5300

Barely have you had chance to draw breath and it’s time to do it all again. There’s a full midweek programme of Premier League fixtures, game week 12 is upon us already, and it’s going to be tricky selection wise as several managers may opt to shuffle their packs.

Tie of the week has to be the Manchester derby. The Blue half of Manchester have Carlos Tevez back and the Reds back line can expect a torrid time at the hands of the annoyingly persistent Argentinean. United may still be picking up points but they are struggling and will be looking for big performances from the experienced Scholes and Fletcher. It would also be a good time for Hernandez and Berbatov to rediscover their earlier form.

Chelsea and Tottenham will be looking to bounce back from disappointing weekend results. Spurs play host to Sunderland on Tuesday, and the form is with Tottenham, the Black Cats have only won once at the Lane in 26 years. Van Der Vaart is struggling with a hamstring injury, but I think Harry will risk him. Three points here are vital for Spurs’ push for the top four, Redknapp will go all out for victory on Tuesday night so it’s time to give your Tottenham forwards a run out.

I fear Fulham could pay for Liverpool’s victory on Sunday. Chelsea need to bounce back with a win and will simply overpower Fulham at the bridge. Drogba will be all guns blazing after warming the bench at Anfield for a long 45 minutes. This could be the week to rest any Fulham defenders you have in your squad.

Aston Villa’s treatment room is full of strikers right now, which equals opportunity for one young striker and if you feel like taking a gamble then Nathan Delfouneso, who could have had a hat-trick on Saturday, will be looking to make amends at home to Blackpool on Wednesday. It could also be a good time to give two more of Villa’s youngsters a chance, midfielders Marc Albrighton and Barry Bannan are turning heads for all the right reasons and both are available for under 5 million. There are always goals where Blackpool are concerned, honours may well end up even in this one but it will be entertaining.

There are two ties this week which, in all honesty, could go either way. Wolves host Arsenal and Newcastle host Blackburn. Wolves were outstanding in defeat at Old Trafford and have been impressive all season. Arsenal, being Arsenal could stroll this one or make a complete three course meal out of it. I’m going to go for the latter. Robin Van Persie made an appearance on Sunday and I’m backing him to be the difference in what will be a tight encounter.

It would be no surprise if Newcastle followed up a win at the emirates with a defeat at home to Blackburn. Nothing would give big Sam more pleasure than a victory against his former club. Newcastle should win, which is why I’m going to back Blackburn and Jason Roberts who found his shooting boots, well shin pads, against Wigan.

West Ham vs West Brom is another fixture that could throw up a few goals. Scott Parker at 5.4 million and Frederic Piquionne available for 5.1 million are well worth considering. The Hammers won’t stay bottom of the table for long and this home tie with the Albion could be the turning point of their season.

I’ve gone striker crazy in my suggestions this week, but I sense goals in game week 12 and goals mean points. Hopefully I’ve given you plenty to think about as you tinker with your attack.

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Phew!! Well what can I say? If it hadn’t been for the antics of Nani and the reliable consistency of Charlie Adam, last week’s effort would have been disastrous. This could end up being a cryptic tips column where doing the exact opposite will prove the most rewarding! I have always been taught to hold your hands up and admit when you are wrong, well my arms are aching having been raised apologetically all week.

My quest for redemption begins at the back where there is a definite bargain to be had. Jose Bosingwa is fit again and available for 5.6 million. He may not have forced his way back into the Chelsea starting eleven yet, but he will, and if you have space to add to your squad I recommend you snap him up before his value increases.

There are more defensive bargains available. Liverpool’s Sotirios Kyrgiakos may play havoc with most spellcheckers but is a snip at 5.1 million. The Greek is proving to be a rock at the back for the Reds and a threat going forward at set pieces.

White Hart Lane’s current hot topic is marauding down the left wing, but if you cast your eye to the opposite flank you will see that Alan Hutton has slotted in very well at right back. He is a rampaging attack minded full back and is excellent value at 4.8 million.

Now that I’ve mentioned it I can’t ignore it. Gareth Bale has the World at his feet after having had Maicon on toast, and remarkably the Welsh wonder is currently available for 6.7 million. How the likes of Man Utd, Barcelona, Inter Milan et al must wish that Fantasy League transfer fees translated directly into the real world.

If you don’t feel like hopping on board the Bale bandwagon then for the same price you can pick up Fulham’s goal getting midfielder Clint Dempsey, or for an extra million you can opt for Arsenal’s Samir Nasri. Both are locked on 47 points and are both are bang in form.

Last week’s big tip Emile Heskey won’t be kicking any balls for a while, no, he hasn’t rediscovered his World Cup form, the big striker has picked up a knee injury. I’d look to Blackpool’s front line to fill the gap, Luke Varney and Gary Taylor-Fletcher, 4.6 and 4.5 million respectively, are performing well and confidence will be high after picking up their first home win of the Season.

I can’t leave without mentioning Newcastle, after a barnstorming derby win against Sunderland Messrs. Nolan, Barton, Carroll and Ameobi will be looking to capitalise on Arsenals disappointing showing in the Champions League. The exciting thing about Newcastle this season is their total unpredictability, Sunday’s lunchtime clash at the Emirates could be a high scoring classic.

If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/  the code you need to join is 13413-5300

In a worrying development for Ian Holloway and Blackpool, club captain Charlie Adam will take his club to a Premier League arbitration court next week over unpaid bonuses. Adam is set to take the club to court over unpaid payments after the Seasiders avoided relegation from the Championship. While Adam of course is right to ask for the money he is owed, you have to doubt his timing.

Blackpool have had an excellent start to the season, and in many ways it has been completely unexpected, but their success has been built on the momentum and togetherness that has been created under the charismatic Ian Holloway.

Looking at Blackpool from an outsiders perspective the one thing that is noticeable is how all the players seem to singing from the same hymn sheet.  You have to feel that Adam’s lack of patience could really damage their bid for survival.

Why didn’t he wait for till the end of the season to make his demands? There wouldn’t have been a fall in the legitimacy of his claim and while there still might have been unrest in the camp, it wouldn’t have been made public.

But Seasiders boss Ian Holloway is adamant that the situation won’t damage his sides chances of survival, and has been quick to distance himself from the whole situation. He said: “If there’s a problem then that’s none of my business.

“That’s between the club and one of the players and it’ll be sorted out by arbitration by the sounds of it. If Charlie feels that way and the chairman feels that way and there’s a dispute, then someone else has to sort it out and I’m just glad it’s not me.”

But Holloway will be concerned by the fact that should Adam win his case, he could look to have his deal cancelled for breach of contract. That would be a massive blow for the club, not only because they would be losing arguably their best player, but they would be losing him for nothing, a big financial blow considering he has 22-months left on his current deal.

While the whole situation demonstrates that player-power is becoming a real problem in Premier League football, I would urge the Blackpool hierarchy to sort it out before the court date, because it has the potential to be very damaging for the club both on and off the field.

Hello and welcome to EPL Talk’s new weekly Fantasy League tips column. If you are constantly experiencing selection problems ahead of the weekends fixtures this is the column for you (hopefully!). Every week I will do my best to not only pick out the weeks potential points grabbers but also suggest who might benefit from a weekend of bench warming.

Kicking off in controversial style, my first tip is Emile Heskey. The Villa front man may have all the grace of a concussed Bambi on ice but he is shining once again under the guidance of Gerrard Houllier. It’s the second City derby this weekend and I can see a resurgent Heskey being more than a handful for the Birmingham back four.

Looking for someone to Partner big Emile upfront? Look no further than Man Utd’s part owl goal machine Javier Hernandez, the rubber necked Mexican grabbed two at the weekend and came off the bench midweek to help overcome Wolves in the Carling Cup. Come Saturday he’ll find himself up against a Spurs side that, when it comes to keeping clean sheets, are about as successful as “Chicharito’s” absent team mate Wayne Rooney. There are points to be had at Old Trafford and Nani will be looking to get in on the action too. The winger’s toes are beginning to twinkle as brightly as his winking predecessor, seeing him currently sit second overall in the midfield rankings.

Be sure to bolster your engine room with Blackpool’s star man Charlie Adam. Like a pair of Day-Glo hot pants The Tangerine’s are far from fashionable but they certainly catch the eye and Adam is reaping the benefits of Blackpool’s free flowing approach. They host West Brom this weekend in what promises to be an open game. Having notched up a respectable 46 points so far this season, the Baggies Chris Brunt is well worth a look too.

If you’re in the market for a bargain then you may want to cast your eye over Sunderland’s Ahmed Elmohamady (I’d never heard of him either). The Egyptian has so far accumulated 44 points and looks a snip at 5 million. Another potential steal available at the Stadium of Light is goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. The stopper has 35 points on the board and is available for a cool 4.1 million.

It’s not just about who to add it’s also about who to axe. If you have any West Ham players in your squad now is the time to give them a rest. On the back of a Carling cup tie that went to extra time the last place you want to visit is the Emirates Stadium. The Hammers defensive unit will be coughing up lungs and seeing double after 90 minutes of chasing Arsenal shadows.

Finally Manchester City’s barrel-chested nuisance Carlos Tevez is very doubtful for their trip to Wolves with a thigh injury. I’d follow Mancini’s lead and reward wee Carlos with a weekend off.

If you feel like joining in the fun then you can join the EPL Talk League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/  the code you need to join is 13413-5300

Ian Holloway this week was in fine form as he hit out at Wayne Rooney for “bullying” Sir Alex Ferguson.  It’s just the latest in a long line of Holloway rants that have made him so popular amongst the media. Let’s take a look at some of Ollie’s best ever quotes.

Holloway describing an ‘ugly’ win for his QPR side at Chesterfield: “To put it in gentleman’s terms if you’ve been out for a night and you’re looking for a young lady and you pull one, some weeks they’re good looking and some weeks they’re not the best. Our performance today would have been not the best looking bird but at least we got her in the taxi. She wasn’t the best looking lady we ended up taking home but she was very pleasant and very nice, so thanks very much, let’s have a coffee.”

On Paul Furlong, his veteran striker at QPR: “Paul Furlong is my vintage Rolls Royce and he cost me nothing. We polish him, look after him, and I have him fine tuned by my mechanics. We take good care of him because we have to drive him every day, not just save him for weddings.”

On a disappointing display by a linesman: “It was lucky that the linesman wasn’t stood in front of me as I would have poked him with a stick to make sure he was awake.”

On his move to Blackpool: “I love Blackpool. We’re very similar. We both look better in the dark.”

On a Blackpool performance which was a game of two half’s: “In the first-half we were like the Dog and Duck, in the second-half we were like Real Madrid. We can’t go on like that. At full-time I was at them like an irritated Jack Russell.”

On Cristiano Ronaldo: “He’s six foot something, fit as a flea, good looking – he’s got to have something wrong with him. Hopefully he’s hung like a hamster – That would make us all feel better. Having said that, me missus has got a pet hamster at home, and his c***’s massive.”

On David Beckham getting a possible knighthood:  “Sir David Beckham? You’re having a laugh. He’s just a good footballer with a famous bird. Can you imagine if Posh was called Lady Beckham? We’d never hear the end of it!”

On Video Technology in football: “Why haven’t they got cameras? The officials can speak to each other easily enough now. Why aren’t we using laptops that are linked up and can give a decision in five seconds? A chimpanzee could do it – with not much training. We might as well go back to being cavemen, grab our girl by the hair, drag her into the cave whether she wants to come in or not because we may as well live in that age. We’ve come forward, haven’t we?”

On scraping a win: “If you’re a burglar, it’s no good poncing about outside somebody’s house, looking good with your swag bag ready. Just get in there, burgle them and come out. I don’t advocate that obviously, it’s just an analogy.

And Probably The Best Start to a press conference ever…

They say the sign of a good side is winning when you’re not playing well. If that is the case then Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City could be a real challenger for the Premier League this season after grinding out another result, this time a one goal advantage as City won 3-2 at Premier League new-boys Blackpool.

It’s not the first time this season that City have demonstrated their title credentials by winning a game that in truth they probably didn’t deserve to. Ian Holloway’s side were much then a match for City, but goals from Carlos Tevez and David Silva were eventually enough to see off the spirited Seasiders.

City’s goalscorers demonstrate just how much quality Mancini has at his disposal. In my opinion there would be no manager in the Premier League that wouldn’t trade his squad with that of the Italians.

The strength in depth that City have is unbelievable, and while there may be other teams have stronger starting line-ups, Mancini really does that many options from the bench which really give City a chance of winning the Premier League this season.

City’s key man is Tevez, if he got injured Mancini would look for Emanuel Adebayor or Silva to step in to his shoes. If you look at Manchester United or Chelsea, they simply don’t have anywhere near as much depth to their squads.

I don’t know if City will go on to win the league, but I certainly feel that this season will bring some form of success. I think success for them will represent a title challenge, which in turn could bring help bring the long term success that wealthy owner Sheikh Mansour desperately craves.

Not only will a title challenge give the club a Champions League spot, which would be crucial in their bid to attract the big name signings, but it would also act a real boost to the clubs general demeanor. While there is a real sense of positivity around the club, there is now a need to push for the big honours to keep the momentum going.

But the immediate sings are looking very good for Mancini and with key players like Mario Balotelli still to come back from injury things could only get better for the blue half of Manchester. However the big tests are still ahead for Mancini’s men starting with the visit of Arsenal next weekend.

While most of the stories surrounding Blackpool’s shock win at Anfield will be angled at Liverpool’s disastrous performance, I feel the need to praise Ian Holloway’s Tangerines who continued their roller-coaster start to the season.

It’s now three wins away from Bloomfield Road for Holloway’s side, and for a team that many expected to be the whipping boys of the league, their start is nothing short of sensational.

Yes there have been times where Blackpool have looked woefully underequipped. Drubbings at Arsenal and Blackpool were a cruel awakening to the harsh realities of the Premier League.

But in both of these games Holloway stuck to his principles. The likeable boss has always insisted his side would look to attack and entertain, well seven games in they have done just that. Their open ways may have caught them out on both of their visits to the London big-guns, but you have to admire Holloway’s insistence on entertainment.

Attacking football will always bring vulnerability, but it will also bring goals, which in turn can bring unexpected results and more importantly points. It’s now three away wins from five games for Blackpool, a feat that many would have declared impossible before the start of the season.

Holloway admits the defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea may have benefited his side today: “I wanted us to play like that at Chelsea and Arsenal – we learnt from those losses, our game is all about keeping the ball and we stuck at it.”

“It was like a tidal wave coming at us at the end, so I’m just delighted to scrape the win, I’m so proud of the club. Our lads say we are OK away from home but now we need to sort out our home form.”

You have to admire Holloway for keeping his feet on the ground after such a marvellous win and acknowledging that there is still plenty of work to be done. But if Blackpool can keep chipping away at the magic 40 point target like they are, I see no reason why the Seasiders won’t be featuring on EPL Talk this time next year.