Everton must beat Blackburn to keep top four dream alive

Blackburn/Everton, 8pm, Sky Sports 2, Free Bets, Best Odds

It was said that there was no way Everton could finish in the top four this season, especially without Yakubu and Mikel Arteta but the Toffees have taken advantage of Aston Villa and Arsenal’s recent stumbles and closed the gap. However last night’s unforeseen twist - Arsenal actually winning a game - has heaped pressure on David Moyes’ side who surely now need to win at Ewood Park to keep their hopes of Champions League qualification alive:

Worrying signs for Everton

» Everton haven’t tasted victory in any of their last four meetings with Blackburn, winning just one of the last seven.

» The Toffees have triumphed on just one of their last six visits to Ewood Park and haven’t even managed to score in the last two.

» The two sides have met twice already this season with struggling Blackburn winning on both occasions. Everton were therefore responsible for 33% of Paul Ince’s wins as Rovers manager.

Posted: March 4th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 2 Comments

Five reasons why Tony Adams should feel very hard done by

Portsmouth sack luckless Adams after a home loss to Liverpool

Every Monday, chickendinner reveals five interesting stats about the weekend’s football. However, after the news broke last night that Tony Adams had been sacked by Portsmouth, this week we are instead providing five reasons to sympathise with the former Arsenal captain:

1. Adams was only given sixteen games in charge of Portsmouth this season, which was one game less than former Blackburn boss Paul Ince had.

2. Despite the criticisms of Portsmouth’s defence under Adams, they lost by three goals just twice in his 22 games this season. In comparison, Harry Redknapp lost four of his 13 games by three or more and all three of their heaviest defeats this season came under the stewardship of the Spurs’ boss.

3. Adams lost five of his first twelve Premier League games before being forced to sell Jermain Defoe. That again compares well with his predecessor, who lost seven of his last twelve as manager.

Posted: February 9th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Are Blackburn really going to welcome Graeme Souness back with open arms?

Former boss is the 11/10 favourite to return with Ladbrokes

Paul Ince has today become the sixth Premier League manager to leave their post this season, in the process saving what was in danger of being a chronically slow news day. Here are the leading contenders to replace the Guv’nor at Ewood Park:

Graeme Souness (best price: 5/2 with Paddy Power)
Souness took the club back into the Premier League and won the League Cup during his first spell as manager between 2000 and 2004 and starts as the early favourite to regain the position after newspaper reports over the last few days linked him to the post. He walked out of the club four years ago for Newcastle after a winless start which left Rovers in the relegation zone and at the time it was rumoured that Souness had jumped before he was pushed.

Sam Allardyce (best price: 3/1 general)
In case you haven’t read a newspaper since January, Sam Allardyce is pretty interested in finding himself a job and having previously overachieved without spending much money at Bolton, he is a strong candidate. However, Blackburn opted for Ince over more experienced candidates like Allardyce and Steve McClaren in the summer so Big Sam may bear a grudge.

Alan Curbishley (best price: 10/1 with Paddy Power)

Posted: December 16th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Paul Ince now just 1/33 to be the next manager sacked

Blackburn could start the search for a new boss any minute now

Sky Bet price Paul Ince at just 1/33 to be the next Premier League manager to leave their post after reports suggesting he will be axed later today.

The news will be a terrible blow to fans of teams like Stoke, Newcastle, West Ham and Sunderland who were banking on Blackburn and West Brom as relegation certainties, leaving them with just one spot to fill.

UPDATE: Paul Ince has now been sacked - stay tuned for our story profiling the leading contenders to replace him

Posted: December 16th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

It looks like forty points won’t be enough to survive this year

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. Eighteen Premier League teams are currently on course to score forty points this season, which is supposedly enough to keep you up. This will be a concern to West Ham, who in 2002-03 became the only team ever to be relegated with over 40 points in the 20 team Premier League.

2. Last week chickendinner revealed that Blackburn have half as many points now as they did at this stage last season. However Paul Ince’s predecessor Mark Hughes has experienced just as much of a decline at Manchester City. They have eighteen points compared to 33 points after seventeen games last year and are fourth-bottom compared to fourth-top twelve months ago.

Posted: December 15th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

A stat on each of the Premier League’s 3pm kick-offs

Liverpool could open up a four-point margin at the top

Aston Villa v Bolton
Martin O’Neill’s side have only won this fixture in one of the last five seasons. Villa have won just three of eight home games this season while Bolton have won three successive away league games, and four of their last five.

Liverpool v Hull
This game comes three days shy of the year anniversary of Liverpool’s last home league loss and the table-toppers haven’t conceded in four league games at Anfield but have drawn the last two 0-0. Hull have lost just one away game this season and are unbeaten in four matches.

Manchester City v Everton

Posted: December 12th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment