The Last Word - Sports Blog (Sean Simara)

As were reaching the half way point to the season here I look at the London clubs and how there doing so far with a fun grading system. Based on how the team is performing matching up to season expectations.  Premier League Chelsea - A*   Still undefeated in the league, Jose has got his side doing the business already. They look like they could win the league by February at this rate. West Ham C+   Running along nicely, at the start of the season Big Sam was favourite to be sacked, he has put together his new look side which sees players like Downing shining and 'fan fav' Nolan out the team which has gone down very well. Arsenal  D-  The Gunners finds themselves way off the pace in the title race, Sanchez is doing well but Ozil is out injured and the team have forgotten how to defend. Wenger has to put his hand into them deep Puma pockets again in January or he could miss out on top 4. Tottenham D -   They still seem to find new ways to be avera...

A look at the English sides in Champions League action this week. Real Madrid v Liverpool  Out of form Liverpool head to Madrid which was always going to be the toughest game of the group. They were given a footballing master class at Anfield by the current European Champions as they won 3-0. Madrid are on a 11 game winning streak in all competitions and I only see that continuing. Liverpool are struggling, Mario Balotelli hasn't lived up to the hype, while Gerrard is struggling this season and it looks like he will be rested, or in other words 'dropped'. There is a clear over reliance on Raheem Sterling, if you keep him quite you keep Liverpool quite. They still can't defend, which cost them their first ever Premier League title. I see Real Madrid winning this 4-0 with Ronaldo scoring the first. Arsenal v Anderlecht  Arsenal could practically seal their place in the knock-out stages of the Champions League with a win here. The Gooners snatched victory against Anderlech...

 Once again QPR are making more headlines, but not for their performance on Sunday against Liverpool it's the off the antics that have put Rangers in the lime light. It was a better display against Liverpool but they showed naivety in somehow still losing the game in the 95th minute with a cruel own goal. The defeat leaves them bottom of the table, however all the talk is about a player who was not even in the squad and the manager.   Harry Redknapp has used Adel Taarabt as a scapegoat to deflect the blame off himself on Rangers poor start. He has also used a load of excuses already this season ranging from, blaming pre-season (going to the wrong place) to players not being fit even though were in mid October and not having enough strikers. QPR have changed their tactics and formation through-out the season and he still does not know his best side but somehow that's not his fault.  Redknapp has chosen to lash out on the Moroccan claiming that he is 3 stone overweight, ...

   After the International break, the Premier League returns this weekend with a couple of key games near the foot of the table to look at. Bottom side QPR play Liverpool on Sunday, in what’s a must not lose game for Harry Redknapp , before we went into the break QPR lost at West Ham 2-0 in a poor performance which brought out more negative reaction from fans & even the chairman venting his frustration on Twitter.  The fact is QPR fans can see similar signs to a couple of years ago when they went down, under Redknapp but it was the time Mark Hughes stayed in the job which cost them. He was sacked in late November which didn’t leave Rangers with enough time to really get out of trouble.  So were in mid October now and Redknapp’s excuses have gone from ‘No Strikers’, to 'no players are fit’ also he had another classic, ‘they should not have gone to Ireland and Germany for pre-season’. QPR also have what seem to be the most first teams coaches in the league. Th...

 Another busy weekend in the Premier League with some cracking goals flying in, so what did we learn? It's Chelsea's title to lose. Jose has got 'his' team, they look strong at home and on their travels he will have a tactic in place to do the business, be it parking the bus or flowing attack. Also you may as well give Costa the golden boot now. Man City still concede a lot of silly goals which this time could let them down. Frank Lampard still has it.  Arsenal, if they were serious about winning the title they have to beat Spurs at home simple as that. Liverpool are finding life without Suarez bailing them out tough to deal with, it will be a scrap between a few teams for the top 4.  Southampton have once again found a few gems in Pelle and Tadic Charlie Austin can score in the Premier League, his fine technique and finish at St Mary's shows that. Manchester United still look sloppy at the back, and the stick Rooney is getting f...

England Squad Goalkeepers : Fraser Forster (Southampton), Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Hart (Manchester City) Defenders : Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Everton) Midfielders : Jack Colback (Newcastle United), Fabian Delph (Aston Villa), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal) Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) Forwards: Rickie Lambert (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A quick view on the England team, off the back of a desperate World Cup Roy Hodgson has selected some fresh faces to his England side for the upcoming games against Norway and Switzerland. We now no longe...

Manchester United After what was the worst season at Old Trafford in Premier League history Moyes is no longer. In steps Louis Van Gaal a proven big name and winner for a big club. Moyes was not out of his depth but it seemed the players never at any point looked like they were playing for him. So what does LVG have to do? First is get back into the top four, however the United squad has been ripped apart and there's a number of players he does not rate. The 3-5-2 formation is what he wants to go with, Mata, Rooney and RVP will all fit into that, but do United have a defence or midfield for that formation? Key Man- Juan Mata , United desperately lack a creative midfielder so playing him in his best position behind the striker is a start. He has had an impressive pre season so he should have a much better season. Newcastle United The Toon simple stopped playing after January and if they didn't have such a good start they would have been in almighty trouble. Pardew was on...