Leicester - Hull

The Foxes occupy shameful 22nd place (third from the bottom) and after a run of embarrassing results, Paolo Sousa got fired. The thing is, the team is almost the same from previous season (finished 5^th and lost after play-off penalties against Cardiff), but team was paying prices to Sousa’s attempts to implement his defensive philosophy of football that was working perfectly at his time at Swansea. Also, some of his management decisions didn’t help, like to leave top goal scorer and club’s mascot, Matty Fryatt, on the bench. It’s not a new boss syndrome, in the first game without Sousa players showed a new face and played like without the weight on the shoulders (Scunthorpe at home 3-1). I’m not a keen of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s admirer, but his arriving just confirms club’s ambition that his owner is repeating these days – Premier League. Erikson has already signed two very good players, extra talented Kyle Naughton from Spurs (should even start the game) and Villa’s defender Curtis Davies. Striker Dany N`Guessan is only missing.

Hull are facing a rough times in the second tier. And while at home things don’t look so bad (haven’t conceded a goal in all five games, scored just two tough), their record on the road again looks shameful. In previous season in Premier they finished without a win (6 draws and 12 scored goals in 19 games) and not too much have been changed. One win (very lucky one at Norwich) and four defeats with goal difference 3-13! I predicted at the start that lot will depend from Jimmy Bullard (key of their key players). He has an injury and will face a late fitness test for today’s game, but even when he was fit didn’t look too much interested for the game. Their ambition is return to Premiership, but that doesn’t sound likely for the near future.

Leicester will start climbing on the table (in fact, started already), they possess more than decent amount of quality and will finish somewhere in top eight – I’d say. Sousa’s era has been finished and players are eager to show their full potential. Opponent is very good for that purpose. Home win.

Bet: Leicester -0.5
Odd: 1.90 Pinnacle
Stake: 8/10
 
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Blackburn Rovers - Aston Villa

Rovers are in a winless run of eleven competitive games. Unofficially, Sam Allardyce got two more games to improve the things. First of them comes tonight against Villa and progress to Wembley could erase all the errors. First problem is Big Sam almost lost all support from the fans and players as well. His 4-5-1 formation, even at home, hasn’t brought too much good. Fans think team shouldn’t look such defensive at home, while even players don’t seem too much interested to change something. In my opinion there’s much bigger chance to Allardyce face the exit door after few more failures than to improve anything. Next obstacle for improvement is injury list that consist some very important players. Midfielder Grella and forward Roberts are ruled out, while striker Benni McCarthy and defender Givet remain doubtful. Also, key striker El-Hadji Diouf is absent through the suspension. This will be the second game this week, while third at Sunday when they’ll host Fulham is probably most imported. On all of this should be added bad mutual score against Villa, Rovers won just once in last eight games (draw also once and lost other six).

 

Aston Villa is in much better position than tonight’s opponent. They bounced back after two consecutive defeats in Premier (Arsenal away 0-3 and Liverpool at home 0-1) with a win against Blackburn in FA Cup (3-1 at Villa Park). That win should also bring some psychological advantage for tonight’s clash. Despite it is a Carling Cup, progress will bring a ticket to Wembley and unique chance for winning some trophy. In Premier League Villa look secure. With M.City, Tottenham and maybe even Liverpool, Champions League will remain just as dream. But, place for Uefa League is reachable, looks not so hard to achieve and they have a space to focus on this competition. This should mean the best team at Ewood tonight as O’Neill has confirmed. James Milner and Luke Young are both expected to recover from injury and both are set to be named in the squad. Only concern is defender Curtis Davies who remains on the sidelines due a lack of match fitness after recovering from a dislocated shoulder. Goalie Brad Guzan likely to continue his run of cup appearances in place of regular number one Brad Friedel.

 

Tonight, much more will depend from Villa than from Blackburn. Final at Wembley will surely be the guarantor for Rovers’ full motivation and effort. Problem for them is this also applies to the lads on the other side of the pitch. In my opinion visitors are favorites here, but the fact re-match will be played at their own ground makes from a scoring draw decent result. Considering all that I wrote, see dnb as a very good option for this game. Clear away win, however, remains as a gamble (2.47 at Pinnacle).

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Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni has edged closer to a move to West Ham after refusing to play for the German side's reserves.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United and Liverpool are battling it out for Real Sociedad winger Antoine Griezmann.(Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies will consider his future at the club in January over a contract row.(Daily Mirror) 
Sheffield United are handing a trial to French striker Vincent Pericard, who is a free agent. (Daily Mirror) 
Leeds are targeting Oldham winger Chris Taylor and are offering defender Alan Sheehan in exchange.(Daily Mirror) 
Notts County are hoping to pip Sheffield United and Coventry to the loan signing of Birmingham winger Gary McSheffrey.(Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Portsmouth players will demand answers from new owner Sulaiman Al Fahim after they were not paid their wages this month.(The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Liverpool defender Fabio Aurelio has revealed how manager Rafael Benitez erupted with fury like never before after their Champions League defeat to Fiorentina on Tuesday. (The Guardian) 
Middlesbrough defender David Wheater has conceded the Championship club, who were relegated from the Premier League in May, are struggling with the physical nature of life in English football's second tier and are also finding it hard to cope with 'flying elbows.'(Daily Mirror) 
Brighton defender Jim McNulty has been welcomed back to the squad after spending eight months on the sidelines following the removal of a kidney. (Daily Star)
www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United are the latest club to track Bolton defender Gary Cahill. Chelsea, Juventus and AC Milan are also interested in the 23-year-old.(The Sun)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is keen on Atletico Madrid forward Keko, who has been likened to Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham and Arsenal are two of the clubs willing to offer midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker a way out of Aston Villa following his bust up with manager Martin O'Neill. (Daily Star)
Hull boss Phil Brown is desperate to land Sol Campbell in the January transfer window, following the former Arsenal defender's decision to leave Notts County last week.(Daily Mirror) 
Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda, who plays for Dutch club VVV Venlo, is wanted by Everton.(Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa are deciding whether to make a January bid for midfielder Milan Jovanovic, whose contract with Standard Liege expires next summer.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies is set to land a new contract, despite being out for five months with a shoulder injury.(The Sun) 
Liverpool's American owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, say they are ready to water down their control in the club. (Various) 
Birmingham City chairman David Gold is set to lose his job at the club if Carson Yeung completes his takeover.(The Sun) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce says Anton Ferdinand still has a future at the club, despite the defender being dropped for the victory over Wolves at the weekend. (Daily Star) 
Hull midfielder Jimmy Bullard says he is fit and ready for action after recovering from knee ligament surgery earlier this year. (The Sun)
Manager Fabio Capello wants to make sure England's 2018 World Cup bid does not come under scrutiny by refusing to treat the qualifiers against the Ukraine and Belarus as practice matches.(Daily Express) 
Manchester United striker Michael Owen says he is determined to be part of England's World Cup campaign in South Africa next year. (The Times)

AND FINALLY

Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez has explained his reasons for not celebrating his goals against West Ham on Monday, saying that "part of me will always be a Hammer". However, following the treatment he received at Old Trafford recently, the Argentine says he will not extend the same courtesy if he scores against his former club Manchester United. (Daily Mail)
www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has cast doubt on his future at the Gunners by telling a Spanish radio station he does not know where he will be playing next season. (Daily Mail)
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is attempting to sign Everton striker James Vaughan on loan. (Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth look to have won the race to sign former Sheffield United striker Danny Webber, who is a free agent. (Daily Mail) 
Former Celtic and Manchester United midfielder Liam Miller is set to join Hibernian this week. (Scottish Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Scotland manager George Burley says he will not quit his job, despite his side's failure to qualify for the World Cup. (Daily Mail) 
Hong Kong billionaire Carson Yeung's proposed takeover of Birmingham City has been delayed until 5 October. (Daily Star) 
Aston Villa may be without defender Curtis Davies until the new year following surgery to cure a shoulder injury. (Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Bok of the net! (Daily Mirror), 3 Lions in Africa (Daily Mirror), Get de beers in (The Sun), Ooh-aah Africa! (The Sun), We can win it (Daily Express), Watch out world (Daily Star), World class (Daily Mail) and Job done (The Independent) are some of the newspaper headlines after Fabio Capello's England side secured World Cup qualification on Wednesday night.
www.bbc.co.uk