Black Cats coach aims to get the Blues
Sunderland boss O’neill looking to keep up his team’s positive momentum against Chelsea
Chelsea hosts Sunderland in an intriguing Premier League clash on Saturday. The last time we talked about Sunderland was early December, when it was down near the relegation zone and had just fired manager Steve Bruce. In stepped his replacement Martin O’neill two days later, and the turnaround has been remarkable. The Black Cats have four wins and a draw in their last five matches, and are now in the upper half of the table. O’neill was even named Premier League manager of the month for December.
An inconsistent Chelsea side will be a very good test for Sunderland, and a lot of people are saying this game could go either way, with the Blues being far from unbeatable at home this season. One thing we could see in this match is plenty of scoring, as these teams have combined for 35 goals in their last seven meetings.
Chelsea will be without strikers Didier Drogba and Saloman Kalou, who have left for the Africa Cup of Nations. That means it is time for Fernando Torres to finally step up.
Good news for Chelsea is that inspirational midfielder Michael Essien is nearing fitness. He played this week for the reserves, his first action since he tore up his knee last summer.
Derby Day
The Milan derby is Sunday, and it’s a critical match, with AC Milan sitting level with Juventus in top spot in Serie A. Improving Inter meanwhile are up to fifth spot, following a crushing 5-0 win over Parma last weekend to kick off the New Year. Inter have recorded shutouts in four of their last five matches, thanks in part to the return from injury of star Brazilian fullback Maicon.
They also have forward Diego Forlan and midfielder Wesley Sneijder about to return from injury, which means coach Claudio Ranieri will have to figure out how to fit these players into what has become a settled and successful squad.
It also makes one wonder why Inter have been bidding for disgruntled Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez. Some have suggested it’s to drive up the price, making it harder for AC Milan to sign Tevez. Of course it’s also a bit of a question mark why Milan are gunning for Tevez, as they already have the best attack in the league. If anything, they need to shore up their aging midfield.
Do You Feel a Draft?
I’m filing today’s column from Kansas City, following the Major League Soccer Superdraft, where Whitecaps FC had the No. 2 pick. This is my second Superdraft, and it’s just as exciting as the first time.
It was pretty clear going in who the top two picks would be, it was just a question of order. Montreal Impact selected versatile andrew wenger first overall, with Vancouver then taking Jamaican forward Darren Mattocks.
Mattocks has unbelievable speed, and the intelligence to make good runs, which would bring a new dimension to out attack. He also had a tremendous scoring record at the University of Akron.
We also picked up versatile fullback Chris Estridge with our second round selection. It will be interesting to see how these two young players do at training camp.
Socks Appeal
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is reportedly clamping down on the way his players have started abusing their socks! A growing trend at the club, and indeed around the Premiership, is for players to cut the feet out of their team-issue socks, and instead wear tennis socks during matches. They cover up their handiwork with a mass of tape. Apparently they feel that the tennis socks give them better traction within their boots compared with the thicker socks they are supposed to wear.
I have trouble believing that Redknapp would get too worked up over all this, as he is known more for his laid back style. But I can certainly imagine some referees, league officials, and kit sponsors not being too happy about it.
Bob Lenarduzzi is President of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. For information on Whitecaps FC summer camps visit www.whitecapsfc.com/ camps or call 778-330-1354.