Four of the top five battle it out with each other this week while Man City travel to bottom of the table West Ham. Arsenal could end gameweek 17 in fourth position, having started it Top of the table. Chances are it will be as you were. It has been such an unpredictable season that this has to be the weekend where the top five match each other and pick up a point a piece.

Having written off the Premier Leagues big hitters I’m looking further down the table for points this week. Fulham need to take three points off an in form Sunderland on Saturday. Midfielder Clint Dempsey(6.8) leads the way with 69 points this season. Man mountain Brede Hangeland(5.6) has also performed well picking up 53 points.

Sunderland are flying at the moment, due to the form of Ghanaian goal machine Asamoah Gyan(7.1), Jordan Henderson(5.5) and Nedum Onuoha(5.3). The Black Cats good run can also be attributed to the return of stopper Craig Gordon(4.5), the Scot has amassed 21 points in five games keeping two clean sheets along the way.

In gameweek 14 I said that Stoke’s Matthew Etherington(5.8) was worth a gamble. The winger has notched 27 points in his last three games, his good run is sure to continue against a Blackpool side that has conceded 29 goals in 16 games.

Alan Pardew’s first task as Newcastle boss is to address their inconsistent home form. Next up at St James Park is Liverpool in Saturday’s late game. Steven Gerrard(11.2) could feature, Fernando Torres(11.9) finally looks interested, Joe Cole(8.3) is nearing full fitness and most surprising of all Ryan Babel(6.7) played 90 minutes and scored a goal. The Magpies will be hoping that Kevin Nolan(6.1) will return from injury and that Andy Carroll(6.2) can add to his fantastic tally of 94 points.

Everton find themselves stuck in no man’s land. Right now their season could go one of two ways – An assault on the top eight, or a scrap in the bottom six. David Moyes men need to follow on from their point at Stamford Bridge with victory at home to Wigan. Centre Back Phil Jagielka(5.8) has reached a half century of points for the season, Tim Cahill(9.1) is doing for the Toffees what Steven Gerrard so often does for rivals Liverpool and Jermaine Beckford(5.1) may just be getting the knack of top flight Football. The Latics welcome back Hugo Rodallega from suspension, but I feel Roberto Martinez men will leave Goodison Park empty handed.

Last mention goes to Blackburn’s Chris Samba(5.1), one of those defenders who is imposing at the back and a genuine goal threat from set plays. Rovers have responded well after having their bottoms well and truly spanked by Man Utd and big Chris is an integral part of a normally(Old Trafford annihilation apart) tight defence.

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

So the Londoner is off to Merseyside.

In what has been a stale post-World Cup transfer cycle, where hearsay reigns supreme over any actual movement, this week saw the first eyebrow-raising move: Joe Cole to Liverpool.

Eyebrow-raising because all summer it seemed that most of the major English power players were in for Cole EXCEPT Liverpool. London clubs Arsenal and Champions League newbies Tottenham were most heavily favored to land the English playmaker. Even Manchester United entertained the thought momentarily. But Liverpool?

To be fair, this is an astute piece of business by new manager Roy Hodgson:

A) it replaces a very effective but neglected Yossi Benayoun

B) does not further sink Liverpool’s financial ship as it is a free transfer, and on wages will only cost them £18.4 million over 4 years

C) gives Liverpool some attacking flair

D) it is a major English signing for Liverpool which always placates the fans

Liverpool come out winners in every aspect of the argument.  At 28, Cole can still resurrect a career that was supposed to be the dawn of that “golden generation” of English playmakers.  When first being introduced to the English game in the late 1990s, Joe Cole was a prodigy: An Englishman with true technical ability, able to pull off ankle-breaking shifts in direction while remaining steadfastly English in determination and work rate.

It is sad that we have still not seen the very best of Joe Cole post-West Ham.  At Chelsea, he forced his way into Jose Mourinho’s and his successors’ plans, but was always first to look up at the substiutions board when raised.  He never got remotely close to Lampard or Terry reputation, who are first on the team sheet each and every week.

Yet, it wouldn’t be a far-fetched notion to state that a large majority of English football fans keep a special place in their hearts for Joe Cole. This is because they know how few and far between Joe Coles come in England that are actually English. I am not English, but from the get-go I was always drawn to Cole because he was so unlike your standard, direct English player. The masses marvel at his raw, unparallelled technical ability, but sadly for Joe and for England, it is just that that we have always talked about: his ability.

Now, at 28, this is Cole’s chance to prove himself.  To prove that the golden child of West Ham and all of that unbridled potential can be unleashed on the English and European stage. But Liverpool might not be the place for that.

I get it.  At Liverpool, Joe Cole will be second on the team sheet behind captain Steven Gerrard.  He will no doubt be a regular fixture in Hodgson’s starting XI and will be a focal point in attack.  But with Fernando Torres still highly uncommitted about his Liverpool future, and midfield monster Javier Mascherano apparently itching to flee Merseyside, does this move make much sense for Cole?

No one can deny Liverpool’s stature as one of the world’s biggest clubs.  They have earned with tremendous success both domestically (18 titles) and in Europe (5 European Cups).

But let’s be honest.  This is a club on the wane.  Although they are a smaller club, it would have made more sense for Cole to go to Tottenham and reunite with old Hammers manager Harry Redknapp.  He would have an instant impact on sealing Spurs’ advancement to this season’s Champions League group stages, rather than helping Gerrard and company secure passage to the Europa League group stages.

And certainly at Tottenham, Redknapp would start an international-class player like Joe Cole at every opportunity.  So playing time would have been no factor.  The best players belong on the biggest stage, and if Joe Cole wants to get back to being one of the biggest names in English football, he should be playing in the Champions League.  Simple as that.

If Arsenal were serious in their overtures, the way they play their football at Ashburton Grove would have suited Cole perfectly.  His place in the starting line-up may not have been as concrete at Arsenal, but surely Cole would have proven himself worthy after pre-season and coming through early matches unscathed.  There, he would have a title-chasing, Champions League club to play for.  Sure it would kill Chelsea fans to see their old hero line in Arsenal or Spurs colors, but in today’s day and age these things are hardly insurmountable for fans.

Going back to Liverpool’s fragile state as a club.  The Premier League is getting crowded as competition grows fiercer each season.  With Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and a good Aston Villa side in the title and European places mix (not to mention David Moyes’ Everton), who is to say that Liverpool will be battling for anything next season other than mid-table?  If they lose Mascherano and/or Torres, it is not inconceivable to see them failing to qualify for the Europa League next season.

While few can argue the merits of signing Cole from Liverpool’s perspective, arguing in favor of it from Cole’s is a more difficult task. 

Joe Cole needs to be starting day in, day out for a team in the Champions League with Premier League title aspirations.  That is best scenario for Joe, and the best scenario for the English national team in 2012.

What do you think about Cole’s move?  Leave your comments below.

I am fully aware that I am late to the why-England-were-eliminated-party here, but as I’ve pored over the litany of explanations on the web, I’ve found that there is an unfair discrepancy of player blame vs. manager blame.

Sure, the England stars appeared lackadaisical and short on ideas, but these are the same players that excel for their clubs under different systems than England’s, so blaming them can only go so far.

Somehow, Capello has failed to get the most out of his players, and that rests with the manager.

1.) Formation Was it written somewhere in his contract that Capello must employ the traditional English 4-4-2 in order to manage the national team?

As has been exhaustively written, Steven Gerrard is a waste playing in an unorthodox left-side midfielder position. When England was steamrolling through a relatively easy qualifying group, everything was rosy. But forcing arguably your country’s best midfielder out of position simply to conform to an outdated formation is naive at best, criminal at worst.

Rather than marginalize Gerrard’s talents, Capello should have built a system that showcases his abilities. Gerrard’s unique (at least for the English team) versatility has always been his downfall for the national team, yet one would think that since the FA shells out £6 million a year on the Italian “genius”, he would be able to figure out one simple notion: cater your formation to your best players, not the opposite and marginalize them.

It amazes me that fans and blog-writers can figure out that the system employed in South Africa should have seen Gerrard somewhere in the middle, yet Capello only did so when his God-send Gareth Barry was out injured (more on that later). The sad part is there are a multitude of ways in which to do execute this:

Standard formation for top Premier League teams, replacing outdated 4-4-2 formation.

The above is just one example formation that Capello should have used in this tournament, but shockingly this was never fully implemented on a large scale by Capello nor his predecessor Sven-Goran Eriksson. In it, Lampard and Gerrard are utilized in formations for which they excel at club level (yes I know Gerrard had an off season this last campaign, but that could be attributed to injury and Rafa Benitez using him where? You guessed it, on the flank).

This is the primary system that Chelsea employed in the glory years of Mourinho, and the formation that Carlo Ancelotti reverted too after testing a midfield diamond. Manchester United has used it to great effect, with Sir Alex Ferguson realizing he lacked a second world-class striker to complement Rooney. Rooney went on to score 34 goals this past year for United, so it is hardly inconceivable that he would shine under such a system for England.

Because Capello was convinced that a Lampard-Gerrard central midfield pairing would not work (which barely anyone contests), Gareth Barry was always going to be in the starting XI as a holding player screening the back four. So why not allow both Lampard AND Gerrard to operate in their familiar positions?

For Lampard, the above system puts him right where he operates for Chelsea, allowing him freedom to attack the box with Barry behind, and positions Gerrard closer to Rooney where he needs to be because those two are the best England have on the ball. Gerrard could serve as a second striker in most attacking situations knowing that Lampard would carry out more defensive duties to help Barry if necessary.

Perhaps I am naive (also not inconceivable!), but does this not seem a formation that would get the best out of all the players on the field? It puts Joe Cole, Aaron Lennon, Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney in comfortable positions that mirror their club responsibilities

2.) Personnel

Heskey, Heskey, Heskey. I still am not convinced starting the big battering ram was a wise choice, and it would be hard to continue to argue such after this tournament. Short tournament campaigns like the World Cup require goals to win, and Heskey simply wastes a spot.

It is shocking to me that Capello would take a nomad footballer in the doldrums of his career and put him in the biggest show on Earth. Does he seriously think Emile Heskey is good enough to make his squad, let alone configure how he would use Wayne Rooney, England’s great hope, based on Heskey? It is complete crap. No one can sit there and look me in the face and say that Peter Crouch could not do as well as Heskey in opening up space for Rooney. Crouch provides more options than Heskey. He drops deep to open up space, he can play as a target man late in matches, and, oh wait, he actually scores goals (21 goals in 38 England matches to be exact)!

But Capello’s worst personnel decision was leaving Joe Cole to rot on the bench. England have almost no technically gifted footballers other than Cole, and Capello’s asinine decision to start an inexperienced (yet promising) James Milner over Joe Cole is indefensible. Why start yet another strong, direct type of player when pretty much the whole team is comprised of such guys? Cole brings much needed guile, style and creativity that, like John Terry famously pointed out, is one of few Englishmen that can actually open up defenses. Cole was the player of the 2006 World Cup for England, and was completely misjudged and misused by a stubborn and incorrect Fabio Capello.

3.) Man Management

While Sven-Goran Eriksson gave England the Baden-Baden WAG fiasco, Capello gave England boredom and a misplaced authoritarianism. Capello must have forgotten he is no longer a club coach, and while his attempts at Mussolini-esque autocratic rule throughout qualifying (where he sees the players once every so often) were met with enthusiasm by the British press, such attempts failed him once he had England for over a month where personalities can clash.

Granted, John Terry’s attempted “coup” was ill-advised, but it underscored the feelings of many England players at his managerial style. It highlighted that there was a major chasm between players and management, and perhaps severe lack of communication. The blame must rest with the manager for not having the full faith and confidence of the players. There was a lack of unity in the team, and while the players should never go blameless for such disharmony, the manager should be pointed at for not getting his messages across.

At the end of the day, the aforementioned three reasons are enough for Capello to be fired by the FA. He didn’t do his job. In fact, he did worse than the much-maligned Eriksson, who took his team to the quarterfinals in every major competition.

Capello comes off as a stubborn disciplinarian whose tactical acumen (at least at international level) was grossly overrated. While the players could have and should have played with more confidence and clarity, much of England’s failure was down to poor planning and poor managerial execution of solid game plans. In the Germany match, Capello played into their hands. He should have matched their formation with a similar one like above, and should have had Gerrard in a central role (where he excelled against the USA) throughout the tournament.

In the high-stakes world of international tournaments, if you underachieve as Capello has (especially at his exorbitant salary), you should get the sack. Perhaps it is time for England to go back to an English manager.

It is almost as if the FA concede that England are not good enough to win a World Cup without a foreign, tactical “genius.” Well, a Swede and an Italian have gotten them nowhere. Maybe it’s time to go back to square one.

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As England approach their last chance to qualify for the round of sixteen, the avoidance of certain embarrassment and arguably this generation’s most important make or break match, John Terry and the England squad have voiced their concerns over a beer with Fabio Capello resulting in the request to include Joe Cole (among other things) in the starting line up on Wednesday v Slovenia.

Also discussed in the last ditch effort meeting on Capello’s birthday to save England’s World Cup were the hopes that Captain Steven Gerrard would be played in a central role more closer to and slightly behind striker Wayne Rooney who would play up front alone without a natural strike partner. A change is being called for largely because of the Heskey/Rooney combination that worked so well in qualification has all but vanished in it’s relevance.

As opposed to focusing this blog on Terry’s natural and outspoken leadership qualities, do the England players who’ve taken ownership over their eventual fate in fact have a pretty decent idea for Capello to mull over? You better believe they do.

For England to progress through and win the group and likely avoid Germany in the next round, they’ll need nothing less than 3 points, surely a few goals and most definitely a clean sheet to assure they beat the US in a tie breaker situation if in fact the US is able to beat Algeria. Since the England back line hasn’t been leaking goals thus far, the weight of expectations will certainly fall on the forward moving players supported by England’s full backs Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson. 

It’s obvious that England doesn’t possess the quality to achieve a famous victory with the same starting eleven that were on the pitch Friday v Algeria. So where and with whom are the changes needed?

Joe Cole has the ability to add the spark to England’s attack they so desperately and obviously need. Dubbed the England player with the best technique by Wayne Rooney, Cole’s ability to create space for himself and others, to pirouette and take on defenders down England’s right flank and his experience in international matches could be the change England need to unlock Slovenia’s defense.

He’s played for England before in the 2006 World Cup where he scored one of the goals of the tournament and although Cole has battled injury and been second pick to Florent Malouda at Chelsea this past season, he more than deserves his chance for England after watching Aaron Lennon and Shaun Wright-Phillips falter in the last two matches.

Joe Cole’s inclusion to England’s starting eleven on Wednesday may be a harder sell than some would like to believe because of Capello’s obsession with the aformentioned Lennon and Wright-Phillips, two players who are essentially the same in build, pace and ineffectiveness in providing meaningful crosses into the opposition’s box. Yet Capello, in a bold stance of blind loyalty stuck with the two of them in both of England’s first two games with bemused results while Cole languished on the bench wondering if he could have made the difference.

More questions will need to be answered before England’s starting eleven are announced on Wednesday. The inclusion of Cole may add a different dimension to England’s attacking woes, but one player does not a World Cup winning side make. If Steven Gerrard and the England players get their way, Gerrard will move more central and fall in line slightly behind Rooney linking up with the striker while Frank Lampard occupies his normal central midfield role. It’s assumed Gareth Barry will hold while Joe Cole attacks from the right which still leaves the left side of midfield open with a few options to consider.

Will Capello again risk James Milner and grant the Aston Villa man another shot on the left, a spot he was awarded with in England’s opener v the US with terrible results, or will he opt for Shaun Wright-Phillips ability (or inability) to run at defenders, a feat he’s not entirely proved effective at thus far? While Theo Walcott vacations and wonders what his fate could have been had he impressed Capello enough to earn a spot, Joe Cole coupled with the absence of Walcott remains England’s only other attacking option in midfield that hasn’t already failed.

Capello also has a massive choice to make at the back due to Jamie Carragher’s suspension in yet another new partner for John Terry in central defense. The spot will likely fall to Michael Dawson who was solid for Tottenham this year but untested at the international level, or West Ham’s Matthew Upson, another untested defensive option.

Regardless of Capello’s decision, I just want to see England play with a little heart. Whatever mindless thoughts of anxiety, boredom or second guessing of Capello’s decisions have clouded the England player’s judgement, it’s time to man up, shed the frivolous thoughts and focus on playing good football or go home. I want to see England play with pace and power, I want to see them attack with purpose. I want Joe Cole to start and Gerrard to play behind Rooney, surely England’s most dangerous attacking option.

Lastly, I’ve not given up on England yet, I want them to win and advance on to the next round. I want them to build on the three points they must have on Wednesday and prove to the naysayers and doubters that they can shed this false idea that they’re not good enough. A tag that surely must inspire the boys to at least have a go and forget their abysmal display from Friday. But also a tag that will stick with them at least on an international level for the rest of their careers if they don’t play with a little passion on Wednesday.

It was often said through out much of the last ten years that England’s midfield was its strongest point. With Beckham in his pomp and Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard ably assisted by a constant rotation of players wedged in to the left midfield position, it often felt a little hollow. In the big games, they disappeared too easily. Until Capello arrived, it was constantly suggested that Gerrard and Lampard couldn’t play together and to some degree it was correct. Yet, great players should be able to fit in to any system, regardless of their natural instincts.

For South Africa 2010, things are very different. Of course, Beckham has no chance to play in the World Cup, which is unfortunate. Gerrard has had his worst season since becoming a first team regular at Liverpool as Liverpool huffed and puffed their way through dull performance after dull performance. Even the ever consistent Lampard had his struggles at the beginning of the season as he tried to familiarise himself with Ancellotti’s diamond formation but has been rampant over the last few weeks.

Add to that the major worries that Capello has on England’s right side. Walcott out of form and in and out of the side, Shaun Wright-Phillips struggling and Aaron Lennon just returning to the Spurs squad. Of course, James Milner could easily slip into that position, but he’s been excellent playing through the middle for Villa this season and the managers quandary becomes apparent. The left side also is far from decided, with Joe Cole, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and Ashley Young all having a claim on the position too.

Choices, choices choices but who to take. In 2006, Eriksson chose 9 midfielders in his squad of 23 and in 2002 took 7 midfielders. I’ve already picked 12 out of 23, which means I may have reflectively bump someone from the back line, but I’m going for 7 midfielders to join the squad.Gerrard, Lampard and Barry are all shoe-ins for me, no question. The question is who to add to that trio.

Crucially, James Milner has to be in, simply because he has been consistently outstanding this season. His ability to play on either wing, through the middle and even at right back cannot be overlooked. Sometimes a player who is so adaptable can sometimes be overlooked, but Milner’s case for inclusion is too strong. England’s record cap holder at Under 21 level has now progressed to becoming a valuable member of the squad. He has to be on the plane to South Africa.

That leaves several players scrapping for just 3 places, so best to rule a few out immediately. Adam Johnson, despite some rather unusual clamour for him to be included may find this is a tournament too early for him. He’s not really settled in to the Manchester City side, but is playing regularly but it would be a massive risk to take him as an international novice. Look at Theo Walcott in 2006, he never got a sniff of the first team and it probably cost England that they didn’t take Defoe or Bent instead. A bold move that backfired spectacularly.

Ashley Young is another one who is simply too widely inconsistent to be chosen along with Stewart Downing. Both Villa wing men can be devastating on their day but I don’t feel either can match the 3 wide players that I’ve chosen. Young is also easily got at, defenders can easily wind him up and he retreats into his shell too easily when things go against him. His distribution is so inconsistent as to be astounding, yes he may have pace by the bucket-load but invariably wastes great opportunities.

Downing, for all the clamour for a natural left footer, also flatters to deceive. I have constantly been amazed at the amount of hype this lad has had burdening him for so long because I can’t see what all the fuss is about. I’m assured by Middlesbrough fans he is a fantastic player, but I’ve never seen him have a great game, unlike some of his England rivals. So sorry, no place for him either.

The three I’ve plumped for may be classed as risks, but in the circumstances, all 3 can give us something the other contenders can’t. First up, Theo Walcott. The night he scored a hat trick against Croatia saw him jump in estimation, both in England and abroad. He has certainly continued to improve but still can’t force himself to become a regular at Arsenal. That’s no disrespect towards the lad, but he has been in devastating form for Arsenal when in form this year.

The other two may be the biggest risks of the lot, Joe Cole and Aaron Lennon. Both players have at times shown ability and skill that set them apart and both have benefited from the tutelage of Harry Redknapp. Lennon was highly regarded when he joined Spurs but he would be the first to admit that he’d slightly lost his way a little before Redknapp became manager. Until his injury, Lennon was playing the best football of his career and gave Spurs a thrust down the right flank that they’ve missed since December.

With him only just returning to fitness, Lennon could be a major risk but it could also be a bonus to take such devastating pace that has effectively had a four month break. Cole meanwhile has had similar struggles with injury and has the additional stress of his contract expiring in the summer. He is certain to be sure of plenty of suitors regardless of whether he stays at Chelsea or not. Cole has had a tough season but his grit is extremely underrated. Cole is a fighter, he digs in and he gives 100%, England can ask for nothing less.

So that’s my 7 midfielders for South Africa. Gerrard, Lampard, Barry, Milner, Walcott, Lennon and Cole. With my choice of Ledley King too, it gives us cover in midfield if really required, but I feel those 7 can cover all eventualities. It’s got experience, pace, adaptability and skill. What do you think? Please let me know below:

Sergio Aguero is one of the many high-profile transfer prospects on the market this summer

The World Cup will dominate the world’s football focus this summer but that doesn’t mean the usual wheeling and dealing of the transfer market won’t be in full force. Last summer saw the high profile departure of Christiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid and Emmanuel Adebayor trading in the red of Arsenal for the blue of Manchester City. At this point in the season transfer rumors come thick and fast with many “stories” turning out to be little more than speculation. Here’s a roundup of some of the rumors for some of the biggest stars in the world and where they may end up within the Premier League.

A quick disclaimer, some of these rumors are a little old or slightly ludicrous but the main point of this post is to generate discussion.

Franck Ribéry: The Bayern Munich midfielder has been linked with a move away from the Bundesliga for years now so these rumors are nothing new. This time Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid are interested in the Frenchman. Ribéry, who is currently dealing with a public relations crisis due to being asked to testify in relation to a Paris prostitution ring, has promised to make a decision on his future by April 24. Chelsea seems to be the least likely of the three clubs for Ribéry to end up in and can the Blues really handle another player enveloped in a sex scandal?

Gianluigi Buffon: The Juventus keeper’s possible departure has been in the news for a few weeks now but his likely destination appears to be Manchester. There was a post yesterday discussing where the best fit for Buffon would be so I won’t rehash old material but Buffon in the EPL is an interesting proposition indeed.

Cesc Fabregas: The Arsenal captain is sidelined for the rest of the season following his Champion’s League clash with Barcelona at the Emirates back in March. Rumors have been swirling ever since that game about Fabregas’ possible return to Barcelona, his boyhood club. Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood told ESPN Soccernet last week that Barcelona made assurances they would not try to sign the Spanish striker during the summer but Barcelona claims they made no such assurances. Over the past few days Real Madrid, who are always looking to compete with Barcelona over big-name talent, have rumored to be interested in Fabregas as well.

Sergio Aguero: The Athletico Madrid striker has expressed interest in a move to Chelsea during the off-season. No reports have confirmed that Chelsea has recipricated interest in Aguero but the Argentine has been a hotly sought after commodity for the past few seasons so one must think there is some interest at Stamford Bridge.

Joe Cole: The Chelsea/England midfielder has been linked with a move to Manchester City for  a four-year, £40 million contract, making him the highest payed player in the Premiership.  Manchester United has also shown interest but if City’s offer is as high as reported United will stand no shot in a bidding war.

Landon Donovan: The American forward has impressed the English public with an impressive loan stint at Everton over the winter. The Toffees attempted to extend his loan deal to the end of the season by Donovan was recalled by the L.A. Galaxy. Rumors swirled back in March about the possibility of Chelsea making a £10 million offer but that relies heavily on the future of Joe Cole.

Craig Bellamy: Never one to mince words, whether it be about John Terry or his views on his colleagues, the Manchester City forward may not be with the club next season due to reported clashes with Roberto Mancini. No word yet on his possible destination but The Independent is reporting City is having difficulty convincing Bellamy to stay.

Kevin Doyle: This is slightly less glamorous than some of the other rumors but Everton is reportedly interested in the young striker from Wolves. It will probably take a bid of £10 million or more by the Toffees to lure to Irish International.

There will always be the rush for some the higher-payed players for the relegated sides. Players such as Jimmy Bullard, Jozy Altidore, Steven Fletcher and David James may become available during the off-season. There are also clubs in desperate need of improvement, like a goalkeeper for Arsenal, a second striker for Manchester United and every position for Liverpool. There will be plenty of twists and turns once the EPL season wraps up next month. So have fun in the comments section discussing where you think these players should go, rumors I have may have missed or who your favorite club should be pursuing.

Authors note: As this is the first of many in an ongoing series I’ll attempt to keep some form of continuity throughout the end of the season but am sure to change aspects of the column to fit mine and readers needs. It’ll be difficult deciding what defines a week as various Premier League teams are spread thin through other obligations including European competitions and domestic Cups. That said, there will be times where a team will play a random Tuesday or Wednesday night fixture or their game in hand. In those circumstances, I’ll group that match into the following weekend’s fixtures. This may result in one team and subsequently those players getting two chances at winning Premier League Footballer of the Week – I’m sure once they get wind of this fascinating development they’ll sit down chuffed and thank their lucky stars.  

Also, for this first entry I chose not to include the Carling Cup 2nd leg semi that featured both Manchester clubs because it was in fact a league cup tie or Manchester United’s (and more specifically, Wayne Rooney’s) demolition of Hull City this past Saturday. Rooney’s four goal haul v Hull City was an incredible performance but was covered this week on EPL Talk and can be seen here.

So, on to Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s fixtures. There were some good games and some bad, some average and some boring. Here at the mother-ship we were able to view five of the eight matches plus one thrilling Carling Cup tie. Quite exhausted from the football and realizing how much more difficult this column is going to be, I want to first recognize some solid performances before I name my first ever Premier League Footballer of the Week.

Honorable Mention

Joe Cole, Chelsea- Joe Cole was at his pirouetting best for Chelsea as they dominated a very good Birmingham City team who had finally lost after going 12 unbeaten. Cole skinned Lee Bowyer in the 5th minute, impressively bombing down Chelsea’s right flank to place a floated ball square on the head of Flourent Malouda for Chelsea’s first goal. Cole forced Joe Hart into a few routine saves in the first half, but his pace, ball control and footwork were paramount in a dominate Chelsea attack.

Ashley Young, Aston Villa- This 0-0 draw could have been the match of the round as both sides attacked and played their respected brands of positive football as we knew they would. They “went for it”, and the match reflected both sides willingness to do just that. By the second half, the game had opened up to numerous Arsenal counter attacks with Villa continually using the pace in their squad (Downing, Agbonlahor, and Young himself) to bolster their forward movement. Ashley Young came close for Villa with a free kick that missed by the smallest of margins. Young’s dribbling skills were on display as time after time he challenged Arsenal’s Gael Clichey (who was just back from injury) down the right flank. The battle resulted in Villa coming closest to the breakthrough after a fine ball from Young to the back post after beating Clichey that the cautious Stewart Downing failed to commit to. A point each, but Young impressive.

Premier League Footballer of the Week -

Luka Modric, Tottenham Hotspur- The Croatian midfielder who started on the left side of midfield was clever, creative and quite possibly the best on the field for either side. David Bentley was also a surprise for Spurs as he looks to regain the promise he showed in what seems so long ago at Blackburn Rovers. The 2-0 scoreline will suit Harry Redknapp just fine, but the goals could have been more. In the opening 10 minutes, Spurs moved down the left side to create 2 decent attempts on the Fulham goal. The game had a good pace about it as the first half progressed with meaningful balls constantly served into Fulham’s penalty area.

The breakthrough came when Modric single handily and skillfully served the ball on a platter to Peter Crouch by nipping in on Bjorn Helge Riise as the ball looked set to roll out of bounds for a goal kick. Modric didn’t give up and flicked the ball over Riise, then volleyed it to Crouch for a tap in. A nifty piece of skill for the Croatian who was bright and back at his best after breaking his leg earlier in the season.

Modric also impressed late in the first half when he dribbled past Aaron Hughes and curled a shot that beat Mark Schwarzer in Fulham’s goal, but couldn’t beat the post. Modric completed the game with a solid performance rarely giving away possession. He was the best midfielder in a Spurs side whose midfield controlled the game.

When Modric is on good form, which is almost always, he could walk into any team in the Premiership. He’s a manager’s dream and one of the best examples of a creative midfielder in today’s game. He’s got a broad passing range and the vision, skill and technique to go along with it. If Modric can stay fit, he’s Spurs best chance of staying in that fourth spot and we should all look forward to seeing him compete in the Champions League next season.

With Joe Cole out of contract at Chelsea in the summer, there’s no surprise in there being a few Premiership Clubs ‘poking their noses’ into the status of the current situation regarding the player at the moment.

Negotiations are currently under way between Joe Cole and Chelsea, with Cole wanting around £50,000 extra on top of the £80,000 a week he is currently on. However, Chelsea are rumoured to be only willing to add a £20,000 increase.

Therefore, it is no wonder Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham are eyeing up the winger, who was out of football for 9 months earlier this season with a knee injury. With negotiations currently stalled, and neither side willing to back down, it looks as if things are about to get interesting.

City, United and Spurs are long-term admirers. But the Eastlands club, who failed in an audacious bid to land Chelsea and England captain John Terry last summer, are more confident that they can fulfil Cole’s current wage demands. With Cole being out of contract in the summer, City wouldn’t have to pay any compensation to Chelsea, meaning Cole wouldbe the big earner. And in the current economic climate it seems both United and Tottenham will find it ­impossible to match a City offer that would include a £5m signing on fee and wages of about £150,000 a week.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made two approaches to West Ham in a bid to prise the player from their academy before Cole made his senior debut. Fergie openly rated Cole the most naturally gifted English player of his generation.

Harry Redknapp, the Hammers boss approached by Fergie back in the late 90s, turned down the Old Trafford overtures. Since then Redknapp has never disguised his admiration for Cole who he once claimed was the most skilful player he had ever come across.

He would relish having Cole in his squad again. Sources close to Cole claim he’s unlikely to back down in talks with Chelsea and is well aware he retains a position of strength in negotiations. He could potentially sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club if Chelsea laboured in negotiations and allowed him to reach the final months of his current deal.

They are unlikely to be impressed by City’s interest following the war of words that erupted after they tried to lure away Terry from the club by going public about their ­interest in the England captain.

When the final whistle went and those West Ham fans who’d spent most of Saturdays game against Chelsea abusing former old boys, Frank Lampard and John Terry, had disappeared to the pubs around and about, I bet they never thought they’d ever see either player back at Upton Park that soon. Obviously they were unaware that both players have agreed in principle to play for West Ham in a testimonial match for the Hammers’ academy director, Tony Carr as a celebration of his 36 years working for West Ham.

Now the West Ham fans have to swallow their pride after Saturday and think about how their actions toward those two former players reflects on Tony Carr’s night. Here’s a guy who’s given years of service to West Ham United and brought through countless players since he took over the role as Director Of Youth Development in 1973.There’s no doubt if Chelsea had played anywhere that weekend, they’d have got a lot of stick, especially Lampard and Terry and the chants weren’t that bad in the context of some of the things that are sung at football matches.

Yet, Lampard hasn’t helped himself before, with some comments about how his time was at West Ham, that he didn’t enjoy it as well, his family was badly treated by the club, he also said in a Chelsea supporters meeting he’d love to score the goal that sent West Ham down as well as the allegation that when he broke his leg playing for West Ham, some fans were cheering. I’d hate to think that was true, in fact I find it very hard to believe that West Ham fans would do that at all.So the abuse he got on Saturday was to be expected really.

People forget that Lampard has a history of slating West Ham whenever he seems to be interviewed but to say Lampard had a tough week last week would be an understatement, with the anniversary of his mothers death, an on air argument with a sad little shock jock and then the gauntlet of abuse he ran at Upton Park.

West Ham fans didn’t sing anything about his mother, but they did about the rant with the DJ and splitting up with his girlfriend, Terry got the same about his mother’s shopping indiscretion. That’s what happens at football matches, away players get rude songs sang at them, always have done, always will do. Some of the criticism the West Ham fans have received seems to be rather calculated in my opinion and I don;t think the stick they got was any worse than they would have received at Arsenal, Tottenham and Fulham.

I’m sure the majority of  West Ham fans that attend Tony Carr’s testimonial remember it’s a celebration of someone that has brought through the calibre of  Joe Cole, Lampard, Carrick, The Ferdinand brothers, Glen Johnson, Mark Noble,Tony Cottee, Paul Ince and the latest batch of Collinson, Tomkins, Sears and Stanislas. Let’s hope the minority don’t spoil a celebration of a man who would bleed claret and blue if you cut him, a more humble and proud Hammers fan you’d be hard pressed to find. Save all your singing for the next time you play Chelsea and give them the stick you feel they deserve, just don’t overstep the mark or spoil Tony Carr’s night.

I’ve wondered for a long time what it is that managers see in Stewart Downing, particularly England managers. Since his first call up in February 2005, Downing has been pretty much been a regular in the England squad, but why? I don’t understand how one player can have gained 22 caps without ever making an impact in any of those games. People criticise the manner in which David Beckham has accrued caps in recent years to tie him level with Bobby Moore but at least he has made an impact for his country at some stage of his career. In his ten minute cameo appearances, David Beckham provides more goal scoring opportunities than Stewart Downing could ever dream of.

For his club, Downing is undeniably a good player but as soon as he puts on an England shirt he seems to lose the ability to take on full backs and get crosses into the box. There is a reason though why Tottenham wanted to buy him. At Premiership level, he scores and creates goals on a regular basis and has one of the best deliveries in the league. Although his form in front of goal hasn’t been as good this season, he is still a class operator down the flanks and can give the best full backs in the world a torrid ninety minutes. He must be exceptional in training as well, why else would Fabio Capello openly say that he has been most impressed by the winger?

Downing has all the natural attributes to be a top player but let’s face it, he only gets into the England squad because he is left footed. It is well publicised that England have always struggled in that position and a naturally left footed winger is hard to come by. But that doesn’t justify continuously playing someone in that position who has had numerous opportunities and never really impressed. Not when Ashley Young is looking on from the bench, or worse, watching at home on his television having been overlooked yet again. From Young’s point of view he must be wondering what more he has to do to get a game for his country.

Granted, Downing had a decent game against Germany last November but one performance in twenty two is just not acceptable. Not when Andorran and Macedonian full backs are marking him out of a game. If Downing was right footed, he wouldn’t get a sniff. He would find himself in the wilderness with the likes of David Bentley. If Downing replicated his ‘Boro form for England then by all means he should be considered but after four years now, each time he has played for England it has become increasingly clear that he just isn’t up to the job. This has been shown up by the manager’s choice to not play him in crucial competitive matches as he is too inconsistent compared to someone like Joe Cole who can be relied upon. But surely his consistent inclusion in the squad is only giving him the false perception that he is producing the standard of performance that is required.

Capello has stated that he only picks players who are playing regularly and more importantly playing well so this would explain why Downing is constantly selected but I for one think it’s time to leave him out for a while. There are other options that haven’t been explored and the only thing that Downing has proved in my opinion is that he is not the answer.