The Last Word - Sports Blog (Sean Simara)

Its July 11 2010, were in the Soccer City stadium, Johannesburg. England and Spain still tied 0-0 in the World Cup final. With minutes left David Silva breaks down the left wing and whips in a dangerous ball into the penalty area. Fernando Torres controls the ball and brings it down with his right hand, and drills a right footed shot past a diving England keeper. John Terry and Ashley Cole protest the clear injustice to the Argentine referee but it falls on deaf ears. England’s World Cup dream gone. This scene could happen this summer, however it could also be rectified with the simply use of video technology in football. Were in the year 2010 but still football does not want to catch up with modern day times. Technology has come on leaps and as every football fan knows the game has become faster, there is more skill in the game and its now big money business. However one goal line decision or close call offside could cost your club dearly. The debate for whether football needs technol...

As 2009 comes to an end the top four currently has a new member. Spurs sit proudly in a Champions League spot; Redknapp has turned them around into true top four contenders. 2010 will be exciting for any football fan. We have the African Cup of Nations, the football league plus the added bonus of the World Cup!! Watch manager will be first to get the sack in 2010? Who will come up or go down? I have put my predictions for all the major honours for 2010 lets see is they come true. Premiership Top 6 Manchester United Chelsea Arsenal Spurs Man City Aston Villa Relegated Wigan Bolton Portsmouth Championship Newcastle United West Brom Nottingham Forest (Play Offs) Relegated Scunthorpe Sheffield Wednesday Peterborough League 1 Leeds Charlton Millwall (Play Offs) Relegated Oldham Tranmere Stockport Wycombe League 2 Bournemouth Rochdale Dagenham & Redbridge Rotherham (Play Offs) Relegated Grimsby Darlington Carling Cup - Manchester United FA Cup - Spurs Champions League - Real Madr...

It is coming up to the busiest part of the football season, but also the most exciting. This is when your team can change their season for good or bad the festive period has been known for making or breaking a season. Chelsea sit top of the tree, but are looking venerable at set pieces an area where they use to be so strong. Against Everton the Blues and especially keeper, Petr Cech looked like an accident waiting to happen. They looked like a pub team on a Sunday morning with some shocking defending. However it turned out to be a point gained as Manchester United lost at home to Aston Villa. This was Villa’s first win at Old Trafford since 1983, Gabby Agbonlahor, who got the winner, was not even born yet!! United’s defensive problems have eased with the return of Vidic and Brown. But United may have to dip into the £80 million kitty left from Ronaldo’s transfer. Maybe David Villa or David Silva from Valencia? The race for fourth place is heating up. Villa, Spurs, Manchester City and L...

As Arsenal crashed out of the Carling Cup last night they find themselves looking at maybe another trophy-less season. Ok I know were only in December, but already 11pts behind Chelsea, out of the Carling Cup and van Persie is out for 5 months. Its looking like another grim season for the Arsenal. Now there is no doubt they do play the most exciting, flamboyant, easy on the eye football in England. Similar to Barcelona but the difference is, Barcelona actually win things! Wenger must know break from tradition and go into the transfer market and spend big. He must also learn how to lose. His actions after the Manchester City game, by not shaking hands with Mark Hughes was childish. They may well have some of the best youth players coming up the ranks and can impress against Championship sides in front of a packed Emirates. But many of them have been in the first team for over 3 years now. These ’kids’ that use to run riot in the Carling Cup should have progressed to top quality first t...

Liverpool are currently 11pts behind leaders Chelsea going into the international break. They have lost 5 games in the league already this season, and only have one win in their past nine games. This win was against Manchester United, however their on the brink of elimination from the Champions League and with Manchester City and Everton to play in the next few weeks the gap could become wider. They have the same current form as Championship basement team Peterborough who axed their manager this week. Liverpool do have a fantastic history, but their present is what really matters. They have never won the Premier League at look to be slipping even further away this season. They did make progress last year finishing 2nd. But here are my personal reasons to why they will not win the Premiership. Benitez has always favoured the Champions League over the Premiership. They should not have let Alonso go; as they did they should have replaced him with a player of equal quality. When Torres and...

Brazil, Holland, England, Italy, Germany, Chile and Ghana have all already booked their place in South Africa 2010. The greatest football competition in the world brings together all the best footballers together in one place. It is the highlight for any footballer in their career. Argentina’s last minute winner on Saturday night against Peru has nearly put them through. In the hammering rain the former world champions were 30 seconds away from elimination. Then Martin Palermo snatched the winner for Maradona‘s men. Wednesday night the travel to Uruguay in a winner-takes-all match. Portugal are another team with their World Cup future in their own hands. A win at home over Malta will see them through. With all the top nations from around the world looking like they will somehow get through, the excitement builds up. I feel the top countries being at the tournament will make the competition better. There will be no ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’ that whether a team would have won if so and so were the...

The Premiership is only in early October but its looks like its shaping up to be an interesting and one of the most memorable yet. Chelsea tops the going to in the international break. The Blues only lost one game (Wigan away), and Ancelotti has finally fashioned a way to make Drogba and Anelka click, playing as a pair up front. Something that the past two managers didn’t do. Manchester United’s start sees them only losing one game as well. Burnley shocked them but I feel they are still missing a certain Portuguese winger. Note that Madrid lost their first game of the season when Ronaldo was out injured. His ability to produce a match winning moment I feel will cost United. Spurs and Man City find themselves where their fans love, in the top four. For Tottenham being above Arsenal means everything to the fans. Their derby at the end of the month will be a real test for both. It will answer a lot questions, are Spurs finally catching up to their longest rivals? I feel Arsenal are doing ...