Tadpoles To Watch - Centre Backs

Mamadou Sakho

FactFile:            

Full Name:            Mamadou Sakho

Date of Birth:        February 13, 1990 (age 19)

Height:                  6ft 2in

Club:                     PSG

Position:               Centre-Back

Overview:

Tall, weighty and powerful, Mamadou Sakho was born to be a centre-back. Except he wasn’t. Originally a striker, Sakho was moved to defence owing to PSG’s youth side having surplus attackers… and he shone.

Naturally suited to defending due to his physique, Sakho soon showed that his stature was not the only thing that made him a quality defender. He seemed to have natural instincts and abilites that were ideal for the role. Fantastic in the air, Sakho dominates the back-line, and his commanding presence fits perfectly with his commanding attitude. A born leader, his communication and organisational skills did not go unnoticed by manager Paul Le Guen, and he gave the young centre-back the opportunity of a lifetime when he made the starlet captain on his debut. This made Sakho, four months shy of 18, the youngest captain in Ligue Un history.

He has since played 25 league games for PSG, and doubtless that number would be far greater if it weren’t for a troublesome groin that has plagued his fledgling career. Touted by many as the next Lilian Thuram, Footie Frog isn’t surprised by the comparison, as Sakho plays in a very similar way. He is slightly quicker than the French legend, but his aerial prowess and his reputation for tough, no-nonsense marking make him a smililarly feared prospect, despite his age. He must work on his basic game, however, as his technical ability with the ball is not the greatest. Several times he has been exposed for lacking the ability with the ball – the passing skills necessary of a top class defender – but these will come with time and with matches.

Already an accomplished defender, if that weak groin doesn’t ruin Mamadou Sakho’s career the captaincy of ‘Les Bleus’ could be next on his list.

Tadpoles To Watch - Right Back 2 ...

Apologies for the absence of a ‘Tadpoles to Watch’ last week… to make up for it Footie Frog has two for you this week! Continuing where we left off on the right hand side of defence, and Footie Frog’s reserve selection is…

 

Kyle Naughton

FactFile:           

Full Name:            Kyle Naughton

Date of Birth:        November 11, 1988 (age 20)

Height:                  5ft 9in

Club:                     Sheffield United

Position:                Right Back

Overview:

Aha! Not who you thought this time, eh? Expecting Rafael Da Silva perhaps? Well that would be too obvious – contradicting the ‘Tadpoles’ rules!

For England fans this is better news than another Brazilian wonderkid… as Kyle Naughton could well be a future international right-back.

Currently plying his trade with the Blades in the Coca Cola Championship, Naughton has had a year to remember so far. Loaned to Gretna in early 2008 to gain experience, Naughton played regularly but, despite some impressive performances, suffered the agony of administration and relegation with the Scottish club. This may have been a harsh introduction into the world of

 football, but his baptism of fire obviously served him well. Returning to Sheffield United he put in two sterling performances as a substitute in the Carling Cup, before making his debut in the league against Watford. Far from nervous, he showed his full capabilities – making surging supportive runs down the flanks and defending solidly and sensibly. He picked up the ‘Man of the Match’ award, and has not looked back since, making nearly 40 appearances in all competitions for the steel city so far this term. 

Fast, strong, technically sound, and with a composure belying his years, Naughton has attracted many an admiring glance from the Premier League, but as of yet the only admirer to act has been Stuart Pearce. The England u21s boss was quick to hand Naughton his debut against Czech Republic in November, and now that Naughton has had a taste, he will be fighting for his place in the European u21 Championships this summer.

As for his club career, Footie Frog will bet that Naughton is playing in the Premier League next year… 

...only time will tell if it is with the Blades or not.

Weekend Spotlight - Heroes and Villains

It’s amazing what confidence can do in football. A few weeks ago, Manchester United were untouchable, laughing as they saw the reflection of Liverpool stumbling behind them against teams like Middesbrough. Now everything is very different. The calm, quiet confidence exuded by Sir Alex and his side has vanished.  An edgy, nervous atmosphere is now hovering over Old Trafford. You only have to look at the petulance of the Red Devils (yes, finally the nickname was apt!) on Saturday to notice that all is not well in the camp of the champs. 

(Telegraph image)

 

Scholes’ sending off was certainly the catalyst for Fulham, but his dejected plodding from the field was not followed by the attitude expected of champions, but of teenagers – snapping, arguing, and paranoia. Ronaldo was unsurprisingly a culprit, acting out his oft-cast part as pantomime villain superbly, stomping around the pitch close to tears, attempting to huff, puff and gesticulate United back into the contest. The Craven Cottage faithful lapped it up, praying on the fraying emotional state of the Portuguese winger with jeers and ironic cheers. In my opinion, of all those that were sent off in this heated encounter, Ronaldo was the one that most deserved the red. Lucky to escape any punishment for continual displays of dissent towards the referee, (including requesting the official to come to him!) he was eventually booked for a reckless lunge at Murphy – a card that quite easily could have been a different colour. 

(Daily Mirror image)

Somehow he stayed on the pitch and lives to fight another day. Rooney, however, was not to be so lucky. His appearance was meant to be as a saviour, and he began by taking the game to Fulham with some fine attacking play. But whether it was the resolute Fulham defending – including an amazing match-winning double save by Mark Schwarzer, saving point-blank from Park before blocking Rooney’s rebound – or whether it was the inept performance of some of his teammates, he too succumbed to the red mist. First he hauled Kamara to the floor to prevent a counter, and later he aggressively hurled the ball back towards the point of a free kick, the combination earning him an early bath.  Did he take this like a man and accept his punishment graciously? Well, if by graciously you mean shouting, storming off, and punching corner flag for good measure, then yes, yes he did…

Both he and Scholes will now join Vidic on the list of suspensions for the game against Aston Villa, who themselves were demolished 5-0 by Liverpool on Sunday as the Reds closed the gap down to a point (though United have a game in hand.)

All the furore surrounding the discipline of United actually detracts from what was a very good Fulham performance, and Roy Hodgson’s men look odds on to kick on and chase a *shudders at the name* Europa League place. Good effort from Johnson up front, Murphy played with experience and class, Dempsey was always a threat going forward, whilst Hangeland and Schwarzer were rocks at the back. And we can’t not mention that goal can we?! A wonderful improvised finish from Gera, it deserved to win any match...

United have some serious soul-searching to do now. A long hard look in the clichéd mirror is expected, as they have not merely deviated from the path, but sat themselves down, hugged their knees and gently started rocking. They look worried, and they should be. Their recent performances - particularly at the back, where Rio is a shadow of the fine defender we are used to - suggest they could easily let the title slip away. Liverpool obviously need United to drop points, but with matches against in-form Arsenal and Spurs (the latter of whom defeated title-pretenders Chelsea at the weekend,) and a Manchester derby still to come, the odds are not stacked against this happening. Fergie and the United faithful will look at the two-week international break and breathe a huge sigh of relief. 

I can see Sir Alex plotting as I write this. Sat in a large, dark chair, smirking ominously in the gloom, a glass of whiskey in one hand, menacingly stroking Darren Fletcher with the other – the perfect Bond villain. 

 

Expect large dollar-sign bags to be on Slovak and Ukrainian desks as a ‘generous anonymous donation for marking Stevie G a little more aggressively than usual. And if the English lose in the process, well, there’s more cash where that came from…

Premier League Preview - Leap Frogging!

This weekend sees a host of interesting matches played out as everyone looks at the place above them with jealous emerald eyes, desperate to leap frog: Liverpool and Man United, Villa and Arsenal… and the entire bottom half of the table in their plight!

Once again this weekend, the emphasis is on survival. Newcastle United move from drawing their ‘must–win’ game against Hull, to attempting to gain anything from their ‘must-not-lose’ game against Arsenal tomorrow. Though everyone would rather be at home when facing one of the big clubs, the Toon have actually struggled to record victories on home soil this season and pressure will be high at St. James’ tomorrow. To make things worse for Newcastle, Arsene Wenger’s men have been in scintillating form of late in the league, putting themselves firmly back in the frame for fourth spot and confidence is running high. Arsenal will be looking to Eboue and Arshavin to repeat last week’s displays, but Eduardo and Fabregas are unlikely to feature. As for the Magpies, they welcome back Nolan from suspension (enabling the woeful Geremi to move back to the bench) and Habib Beye is also in contention after over 3 months out with an ankle problem. Footie Frog is doubtful, however, that this will bring much optimism to the depressed Geordie faithful, with only a couple of shots on target in an appalling display against Hull last weekend, Newcastle need to start putting in some performances – and, essentially, start scoring. On the large St. James’ pitch, Arsenal’s creative, flowing football could tear Newcastle apart. Watch out for Van Persie and Arshavin. The words field and day spring to mind.

Middlesbrough are another side to have a titanic (yes, in both senses) relegation clash – their second in a week in fact. After last weekend’s last minute draw against Portsmouth, ‘Boro make the trip to the Britannia Stadium to take on a Stoke side also eager to pull away from the mire. Unfortunately for Southgate’s men in recent weeks they haven’t looked like being able to pull away themselves. Everything about them looks like a club in decline – a manager lacking nouse (and cash), a squad lacking depth, a first team lacking goals, and a stadium lacking fans. The stats aren’t in their favour either – with Stoke only having lost to Man U at home in since the turn of the year, James Beattie having scored more goals against Boro than any other club, and Boro not having scored away from home in the last 7 games. Footie Frog can’t see anything but Southgate’s men lacking three points come the final whistle. Home win.

A team that has recently pushed themselves up and seemingly out of danger is Tottenham. Spurs are now sitting pretty in 11^th and trying to look up, rather than down the table for the first time this season. It may be too little with the squad they have, but it is certainly not too late, as the Spurs fans have seen their gloomy mood change after some decent performances of late. This could all come to an end tomorrow however, as Guus Hiddink’s Chelsea visit the Lane keen to remind Man United they are ready should Fergie’s men slip up again. The London derby is one of the weekend’s more glamorous ties, and with Lennon and Modric on song for Spurs, and Essien and Drogba purring for Chelsea, this one is particularly tricky to call. Footie Frog just thinks that Chelsea will nick this one. A draw could be on the cards if Spurs play to their best, but defensive frailties mean that the Blues could just bully and squeeze out a victory. Away win.

‘Can we play you every week?’ Is sure to be the cry at Craven Cottage tomorrow, as Fulham incur the wrath of a United team embarrassed and scorned by Benitez’s men at Old Trafford. The fact is, they do. This is the third meeting between these two in the last month, and history shows that the scoreline is worsening from the Cottagers point of view. The Red Devils have won 3-0 in the League, 4-0 in the FA Cup, and will surely be out to get 5 tomorrow to prove a point… Footie Frog doubts whether they will get that many as Fulham are never a push over at home, but an away win should definitely be on the cards. Rumour has it Benitez has just bought a little white and black flag and will wave it to his heart’s content. Like I said, rumour.

West Ham United are looking over their shoulders now at the likes of Tottenham, knowing that they must continue to grind out results to remain in their current position of 7^th, the last spot of qualification for the now-ridiculously-titled-UEFA EUROPA League. The Hammers make the trip up to the north-west to take on Blackburn. Both sides struggle for consistency at the moment (West Ham throughout their entire Premier existence) and so this one is close to call. Blackburn don’t win matches, and West Ham can’t score. Draw.

Portsmouth host Everton in a match that back in August was a whitewash. Since that 3-0 win for Pompey, they have struggled to find 3 points anywhere, leaving them hovering above the relegation zone, whilst the Toffees are chasing Villa and Arsenal for 4^th place. No Pennant for Pompey, Cahill doubtful for Everton, many goals unlikely. The ones that come should come the way of the Euro hopefuls. Away win.

Footie Frog looks at West Brom versus Bolton and winces at the footballing irony. Gary Megson twice got West Brom promoted to the Premier League, but this time heads to the Hawthorns wanting the three points that will mean his Bolton side can pull away from the bottom of the table. Meaning, of course, that Tony Mowbray’s men would not get the win in this ‘must-win’ game, and could be even further adrift at the foot of the table. The Baggies will be buoyed by both their performance last week against West Ham, and the fact that Bolton’s in-form midfielder Mark Davies is out of action for 6 weeks. Bolton also haven’t won away in their last 6 matches. With the limited creativity of the Trotters, and the lack of goals in the Baggies, this could be a Boing Boing Boring Draw.

Sunday...

Sunday hosts the most exciting clash of the weekend, as Liverpool welcome Aston Villa to Anfield in a match that means everything to both sides. Rafa will put down his Fulham flag on Saturday night and be planning the tactics to either keep up with United or close the gap still further (depending on Hodgeson’s men). Martin O’Neill will, amusingly, be doing exactly the same thing, as he keeps his fingers crossed that Newcastle can get something out of Arsenal at St. James’. He will also be trying to stop the rot, as Villa’s poor form of late has cost them that precious fourth spot – causing even their own fans to turn on the team. The Reds have to be favourites after some scintillating performances have earned them some stunning victories recently, demolishing 2 of the best clubs in the world in Madrid and Man United repectively, putting 4 goals past each of them. When you consider, too, the goal-shy nature of Villa’s attack recently, and the 14 match hoodoo the Villains have against the Reds, you have to agree with Footie Frog that there should be little option other than a home win.

Sunday’s other games should also provide two home wins. Hull travel to Wigan without Turner, Gardener, and captain Ashbee, just a week after the Latics produced one of their most impressive performances in a while, earning their first victory in 8 games. A narrow win for Wigan, who are still struggling to find goals, but should have more creativity than the Tigers. Man City won’t welcome a match so soon after been taken to the limit in the UEFA Cup by Aalborg on Thursday night, and they particularly wouldn’t want to play a team like Sunderland. They will be given a test at Eastlands by a physical front two, but the Black Cats have been struggling recently, and have missed Ferdinand at the back. City’s strength in depth should pull them through.

Weekend Spotlight - Pedersen's Shame

Anyone the watched ’Match of the Day’ at the weekend will have, no doubt, been appauled and amused in equal measure at Morten Gamst (or ‘Gannet’ – Gary Linekar comedy DVD out soon) Pedersen’s wonderful tumble againt Arsenal.
It’s one of those videos that Footie Frog cannot help but watch over and over in a vain attempt to find anything that justifies the actions. There is nothing. Check out the video below…





All I will say is that nearly 116,000 You Tube views in 4 days is impressive. Gary’s joke was not. I was lying about the DVD.

Tadpoles To Watch - Right Backs

Goalkeepers covered, now we move on to the defence. We’ll start at the right hand side, and Footie Frog’s first choice selection is…

Davide Santon

FactFile:           

Full Name:            Davide Santon

Date of Birth:        January 2, 1991 (age 18)

Height:                  6ft 2in

Club:                     Internazionale

Position:                Right Back

 

Overview:

 

I can hear the groans now – an obvious choice, I know, but this term Footie Frog has been so impressed by the performances of this much vaunted full-back that he could not be left out.

Somewhat thrown in at the deep end in January, Santon made his debut for Inter against Roma in the Coppa Italia, a match that the Nerazzuri won 2-1, and a game in which Santon proved that he was not out of his depth by any stretch of the imagination. Seemingly a favourite of ‘The Special One’ Jose Mourinho who frequently praises the adaptability, versatility and personality of the young right back, Santon has since been a regular selection.

When you consider how impressive this is as a feat at such a young age, take a moment to consider the importance of the matches in which he has taken part. Roughly two weeks after his Serie A debut, Santon was starting in one of the biggest games in European football – the Milan derby – and he performed admirably. This was then followed by his selection for the vital Champions League ‘Round of Sixteen’ match against Manchester United, coming up against wing magician Cristiano Ronaldo, and dealing with him like a veteran, prompting praise from the Portuguese and critis alike.

A player who loves to bomb forward and support the winger, he is solid and reliable at the back, with a grace and agility unusual for a player of such height

Already drawing favourable comparisons with Italian legend Paolo Maldini from such quarters as the Azzurri manager Lippi, this is one of those players for whom it’s not a question of whether his star will continue to rise, but how far…

 

Premier League Preview - Home Run

Saturday sees a host of meaningful matches (well for those at the bottom at least) and Footie Frog thinks it could be a clean sweep of home results... cop out? Or does he just know..?

Crunch-time in the race for the title. Or at least that’s what this weekend might have been had Liverpool not thrown their chances away against the likes of Middlesbrough. Though seemingly everyone at the respective clubs will tell you different, the cold, harsh reality is that Saturday’s 12-45 clash between Manchester United and Liverpool doesn’t actually matter that much.
Why? Because (and let’s be honest) this is United’s season. It seems to be written that they will win it all. Even if the Reds can pull off what would be an amazing win at Old Trafford on Saturday (which they might, still buzzing after spectacularly bursting Madrid’s bubble in midweek) it shouldn’t affect anything too much. All it will do is pacify the critics hungry for the blood Benitez, and feed unrealistic title expectations to the Scouse masses by the spoonful. United are still top, will still have a game in hand, still have a far better squad, and (crucially) are still less likely to throw away their chances against weaker opposition.
Wayne Rooney summed everything up perfectly on Thursday, saying to Sky Sports News - "I think we're in pole position anyway, but we can certainly end Liverpool's chances of winning the league if we win, so we're looking forward to it."

United want to pile the dirt on top of the coffin that is the Reds title-hopes, and Footie Frog can’t see it going any other way, despite the ‘Pool’s confidence boosting victory over the lacklustre Spanish giants on Tuesday. United have dropped a mere 2 points at home all season – and they were in the opening day draw with Newcastle. It won’t be an easy victory for United, but their class in attack should overcome the uncharacteristically inconsistent Reds defence. Home win.

A match that has also been much-hyped but that will actually matter hugely to both sides, is the game between Hull and Newcastle. Many Toon fans were ecstatic after the aforementioned draw against Old Trafford at the start of the season, and though many were wearing slightly rose-tinted glasses, hopes were high for a decent campaign. Similarly Hull City had a terrific start to the season, notching some impressive scalps and putting in some perfect performances. Both sides now go into this match after consistently poor results, and fans are left to wonder where it all went wrong.
Footie Frog is pretty sure that at the start of the season the Tigers fans would have taken their points total at this time, but Newcastle fans are (understandably) panicking. In what has to be described as one of the biggest matches of their Premier League history, the Toon travel to Hull, with several of their recent absentees back. The big news for the Magpies is that captain and talisman Michael Owen returns after a 6 week absence, and he should partner Obafemi Martins up front. Duff and Butt could also start for the side whose predicament has been made even more precarious by Blackburn’s unlikely victory at the Craven Cottage on Wednesday.
With matches against Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa in their last ten games, victories against the likes of Hull will be essential. Footie Frog has a horrible feeling that the Premier League could be without Newcastle United next season, and a loss in this match could be the catalyst. The pressure has already got to the ill Kinnear, and his team could now follow suit. Home win.

Staying with the theme of relegation… (Oh, and the North East!) There is a massive ‘six-pointer’ at the Riverside on Saturday, as Middlesbrough welcome Portsmouth. Both sides are fairly even, and have picked up a few points in the last month, but both Boro and Pompey find themselves deep in the relegation mire in 19th and 18th respectively. A draw will do neither of these sides any good, but with so much at stake, it is probably the most likely result. This match could either be an attacking free-for-all or a cagey stalemate, with both hoping to nick a goal from a set-play or counter. Footie Frog thinks the latter.

After that ‘theme’ of the weekend - discovered by yours truly – here is another… the two sides just below Aston Villa’s fourth spot are both playing sides just above the drop-zone, as a fit-and-in-form Arsenal welcome a rejuvenated Blackburn side to the Emirates, and Everton entertain Stoke.
Both games are incredibly difficult to predict because, once again, so much is at stake for all the sides. Though Blackburn thought they could take a breath after beating Fulham on Wednesday, they will be straight back to holding it in fear come Saturday. Arsenal are starting to look good again, and with Eduardo and Walcott added to their ranks (whether Adebayor, Fabregas and Silvestre are to play any part is still unknown) their pace and movement could trouble a slow Rovers defence that has had problems with concentration this season. Home win again. Footie Frog is gunning for a fourth home win in the Everton game too, as the Toffees always seem to respond well to pressure and have looked good this term. Whilst Stoke have managed to get a few points in recent matches, and James Beattie has been more than impressive of late, Footie Frog just thinks that the big Everton defence will be able to deal with Stoke’s route one tactics all day, and it is rare that the Britannia boys have a plan B.

Sunderland fans are so busy smiling at the plight of their local rivals right now, it doesn’t seem to matter what happens to their own side. As confident (or oblivious) as Spurs fans are in regards to retaining their Premier League status, a few bad results and they could (both) find themselves pulled slowly back into trouble. A Wigan side that has struggled since the turn of the year shouldn’t cause too many problems – particularly in attack. Hugo Rodallega has thus far been somewhat uninspiring, not proving to be the boost that Zaki was (or that Bruce wanted!) That little something extra up front gives Sunderland the edge in this one: another home win.

Finally there is the match that all the neutrals have been waiting for. Yes that’s right, Bolton host Fulham. It will be fast flowing action, with goals galore and neither side deserving to lose. Well, sort of. Ok, not really. What’s more likely is that Fulham’s woeful away team will turn up and be outmuscled and outfought. Although Fulham have lost their last two matches at home, maybe they have decided they are now an ‘away team’. Footie Frog will go with form, and of late Bolton have looked the more impressive of the two. A final home win prediction for Saturday.

Tadpoles To Watch - Goalkeepers

Still on Goalkeepers then, Footie Frog’s second and third selections are…

SERGIO ROMERO

FactFile:           

Full Name:            Sergio German Romero

Date of Birth:        February 22, 1989 (age 22)

Height:                  6ft 4in

Club:                     AZ Alkmaar

Position:               Goalkeeper

 

Overview:

 

It would seem that Sergio is the name to have to be a successful young goalkeeper at the moment, and Sergio Romero is as promising a stopper as his namesake Asenjo.

The Argentinian is incredibly agile and has built a reputation of having strong wrists and incredible reflexes, pulling off key saves at important times. At only 22, a wonderful future lies ahead of him - particularly when you consider that he has already made the daunting move to Europe after only 5 first-class matches for Racing Club in his homeland. A move to Alkmaar surprised many, but it has turned out to be one of the best decisions the ‘keeper could have made.

Impressing in his first few matches for the Dutch club last season, he has been an ever-present in AZ’s 25 matches in the Eredivisie this term. His spectacular performances have helped his team to the summit, and AZ are now sitting pretty, eleven points clear of FC Twente at the top of the league. Oh and did Footie Frog forget to mention that Romero has kept 18 clean sheets in his 25 matches? Sorry! The phenomenal talent has of course gone and got himself injured since Footie Frog started paying attention (again similar to Asenjo – hope the ‘Tadpole’ feature isn’t jinxing these stars!) Even his injury shows his determination to win however, his broken hand the result of punching the changing room wall after a cup defeat last week!

A regular for the Argentina u20 side, he also made an impact on their Olympic campaign too, replacing Ustari, and performing admirably as they took the gold. Footie Frog expects a proper debut to be not too far away…

 

STEVE MANDANDA

FactFile:           

Full Name:               Steve Mandanda

Date of Birth:           March 28, 1985 (age 23)

Height:                     6ft 1in

Club:                        Olympique de Marseille

Position:                  Goalkeeper

 

Overview:

Ok, so Footie Frog has already broken his ‘no players over 21 years old’ rule for his ‘Tadpoles to Watch’ feature, but he doesn’t care. Goalkeepers are an exception – they play ‘til they’re 40!! However, just because the age limit has been increased doesn’t mean it was any easier to be selected – the quality rule is still there, and Mandanda has that in abundance.

A commanding presence in the box, the powerful, decisive and somewhat acrobatic ‘keeper made his full football debut at the age of 20 for Le Havre (famed for being a hotbed of young talent) and impressed, failing to concede for his first 3 matches. He was then firm first choice ‘keeper, and played two full seasons. After nearly 70 matches for them, making many key saves as they pushed for promotion. His performances earned admiring glances from many clubs, and after an unsuccessful trial for Aston Villa, he signed for Ligue Un giants Olympique de Marseille.

He was signed as back-up to Cedric Carrasso, but was thrown in at the deep end when Carrasso injured his knee, making him unavailable for 6 months. This may have phased many young goalkeepers, but Mandanda thrived, participating (admirably) in league, Champions League and UEFA Cup matches – a world away from the previous seaon in Ligue 2.

He has received much praise since he pulled on the l’OM jersey, and has played over 50 matches so far. He has also been installed as the first-choice goalkeeper for the France national side on their road to qualification to the 2010 World Cup, playing 6 matches so far. Many more are on the cards, and as one of the hottest goalkeeping properties on the market at the minute, a high-profile move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs could be on the cards come July.

 

Premier League Preview - Fixture Madness! (Part Three)

Tonight sees seven Premier League matches take place, as most of the Premier League gets a nice ten-day rest before the hectic end-of-season run in. Most of the big boys played last night - Chelsea’s Drogba came up trumps, as Footie Frog said he had to, as they beat Pompey 0-1. Bendtner shockingly played well - bagging a brace in Arsenal’s 1-3 defeat of table-proppers West Brom. And what do you know – Liverpool can score without Torres, Gerrard or Kuyt getting one! N’Gog stepped up to the mark in a 2-0 home win against Sunderland.

With those guys out of the way, it makes tonight’s matches even more interesting. The pressure is on both Aston Villa and Manchester United to find the win they need to retain their excellent positions so far this year. A trip to Eastlands to take on Man City does not make life easier for Martin O’Neill’s side, and the City boss has stoked the fires a little for tonight’s match - "Maybe a bit of anxiety is creeping in because of where they are in the league," The Sun quotes Hughes as saying. People seem to forget however, that Hughes is without Robinho and Bellamy for tonight’s clash, and though the Villains ended up with a draw against Stoke, their performance was still of a high standard. This seems to Footie Frog to be deflective tactics from Hughes, who saw his side go down 1-0 to West Ham last weekend, in another wonderful underperformance. Home advantage might help them this time out, but goals could be hard to come by for City, so Villa could just sneak it. Away win.

As for Man Utd, Footie Frog’s talk of pressure was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. There should be no worries in the Red Devils’ camp ahead of tonight’s match at St. James’ Park, with Newcastle performing miserably ever since a surprising point in the reverse fixture on opening day of the season. With the Toon struggling on a -10 goal difference, and Man Utd sitting pretty with a spectacular +35, it would take some vivid imagination from even the most heavily tattooed, rose-tinted-NHS-specs wearing Geordie to see anything but a comprehensive win for Fergie’s men.

With Van der Sar (who has not conceded in his last 17 games) and Rooney back for United, and a whole host of absentees for the Toon (including Butt, Owen, Guthrie, Barton, Nolan, Duff, Beye and Xisco) it should be further into the relegation mire for Newcastle. Watch out for Smith’s return against his old club, and a kid with an amazing goalscoring habit called Nile Ranger could be on the bench for the Magpies… Still, a comfortable away win.

Elsewhere, it will be long-balls galore at the Britannia stadium tonight, as Stoke welcome Bolton. Legend says that when Doppelgangers meet in life one of them must be destroyed to restore a balance. This is the case with these two sides. Both physical, aggressive sides, that use set-play or target-man based tactics to get their result, Pulis copied the plan word-for-word that Allardyce used for Bolton’s survival all those years ago. Both sides are desperately scrapping for points to keep their bacon safe, and both got decent results last weekend against Villa and Newcastle respectively. It will be interesting to see whether either can give the other a taste of their own medicine tonight, but for the good of the league one of them has to go down… Footie Frog thinks draw.

Another relegation threatened team, Blackburn (amusingly managed by the aforementioned Allardyce – yes that’s Bolton, Newcastle AND now the Rovers on whom he has worked his charms) entertain surprising high-fliers Everton at Ewood. In another game that will be more substance than style, this one will all depend on who can nick that goal. Though Rovers haven’t been dreadful of late, and Everton’s squad is thin, Footie Frog is backing the Toffees to add to the misery of the Blackburn faithful.

A second game in Lancashire, sees the ‘Battle of the W’s’. West Ham make the tiring trip to Wigan to play in front of a handful of people that presumed the Warriors were playing, only to leave when they realise they got the wrong sport. The only thing more depressing than Wigan’s attendance this season, has been their recent form, with no wins in seven. Oh,  and the football on show tonight could leave many groaning (no, not at near misses – in pain). Wigan do welcome back Valencia and Mido, so should be more creative in attack – and let’s be honest, West Ham won last week, so they have to lose this week. That’s how it works with the Hammers. Home win, just.

Tottenham. Middlesbrough. Ever thought you’d see those two words in the same sentence without a ‘Downing’ in there somewhere? Well, tonight you get that chance as Boro head to White Hart Lane to take on the Carling Cup nearly-men. Spurs have to put the defeat behind them as quickly as possible, or a relegation-inducing slump could be on the cards – we all saw what happened last season, and they won the damn thing! A massive win for the Smoggies at the weekend against Liverpool will give them a lift going into this one, and if Downing can give the same performance as he did then, you can cross out the first line of this little preview. Defoe, King, Woodgate and Pavlyuchenko all out for Spurs, no injury worries for Boro, chances are Southgate’s men could sneak a win here. With home advantage for Spurs though, a draw is more likely.

The final match tonight is one that Phil Brown will be dreading. No one likes going to Craven Cottage, and the time is not right for Hull City to have to visit Fulham. The Cottagers are terrific at home, and with only one win in eighteen matches now for the Tigers, the pressure is certainly on to turn tings around. After Geovanni’s grumps last weekend, it will be interesting to see whether Phil Brown’s stance softens slightly when it comes to the reality of not selecting his best player. Hmm… best friends now methinks. It could go one of two ways for both Hull and Geo – the Brazilian could prove his critics wrong, and start putting in the performances like those at the beginning of the season and keep the Tigers up… or he could fade away, Hull will get relegated, and he will secure a nice move to somewhere sunny to flatter to deceive once again. Footie Frog hopes the former, but thinks the latter. Comfortable home win.