Last Tuesday saw Sheffield United return to the recognizable position of second place in League One, with a 4-1 victory over struggling Chesterfield under the floodlights at Bramall Lane.

The Blades came into the game fresh from having the weekend off, while Chesterfield secured victory in the glorious sunshine at Wembley against League Two high flyers Swindon. The Blades made only one change from the thumping 5-2 victory at Notts County the week before, with Marcus Williams coming in for Harry Maguire; sidelined due to a virus. Chesterfield made several changes as the energy sapping Wembley surface took its toll on some of their players.

The game started with misplaced passes from both teams, with no one being able to take advantage in the midfield and really control the game, and it was difficult to see which team had the weekend off. The first real quality in the game came from the right, with Lowton surging forward from right back, laying the ball in to Williamson, with the latter holding the ball up before lifting the ball back to Lowton, who had continued his run, and after chesting the ball down superbly, hit a fierce full volley, forcing goalkeeper Lee to make a near save at the near post. This followed with a spell of possession and a smattering of chances for the visitors, with Bowtry and Thompson both going close.

But the deadlock was broken by the Blades several minutes before half time. Quinn laid the ball back to Williams down the left, with the full back crossing first time into the box, with Evans cleverly placing the ball to the unmarked Williamson, who fired home a full volley from eight yards out. The United faithful would have been excused for thinking the Blades would now go into half time with the advantage, but that only lasted 5 minutes before the Spireites were level. A poor clearance saw the ball headed back into the United half, with the ball being played to Franck Moussa, who advanced unchallenged before unleashing a shot from the edge of the box past Simonsen.

The game went in to the break all-level, with the momentum surely to be with Chesterfield after scoring just before half time. But it was the home team who came out all guns blazing and were rewarded with a penalty on 47 minutes. McDonald playing in Evans, who, after letting the ball run, was fouled by Mendy on the edge of the box, with the referee showing no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Ched dispatched the penalty in clinical fashion, with United surely demoralising their opponents so soon after half time. United then made it three ten minutes later, with a simple free-kick at the side of the box rolled to Evans, who lost his marker and side-footed home from ten yards out.

The Blades were now clearly in control, with Chesterfield looking exhausted from their trip to London. The rout was complete only three minutes later, with Evans completing a second half hat trick with quite possibly the best of the bunch. A ball that looked like it would reach Evans at his feet with back to goal was dummied by the Welshman, and turning his marker who was way too close, ran the ball into the box and smashed the ball home from a tight angle to make it thirty for the season.

United then went into the weekend game again in third, as an early Wednesday kick off saw them leapfrog them back in second with a 2-0 win over Preston at Hillsborough. But by the time the 3 o’clock kick off’s were classified, United were back in the automatic promotion places, thanks again to Ched Evans. A scrappy game at Hartlepool on a shocking pitch saw United snatch victory with a late penalty. Evans receiving the ball in the box, was blatantly pulled over by the Hartlepool defence, giving the referee little option other than to point to the spot. Evans then stepped up to take the penalty, and in such a great run of form, it was hardly surprising to see him send the keeper the wrong way, and send United back to second.

Two great wins now gives momentum back to the Blades after a string of somewhat negative results with draws against Tranmere and Colchester. It seems that defences are struggling for ideas in how to contain United’s attacking options, most notably Ched. It is this kind of form that has seen the Blades become the highest scorers in the entire Football League, and third highest in Europe behind Real Madrid and Barcelona. I am not for one moment putting United in the same league as these teams, but the achievement should not go unnoticed, with huge praise going to manager Danny Wilson, who has turned the Blades into an attacking force, a far cry from the goal shy team of the Championship last year.

Wilson now has practically a full strength squad to pick from for the run in, which will be vital. All round passing and keeping possession has improved tenfold since McDonald had been back, whilst the clean sheet against Hartlepool will have delighted the boss. And with United in a rich vein of scoring form, it is difficult to see which teams are going to trouble United.

I did predict that the visit to MK Dons at the end of April would be a potential banana skin, but they themselves have seemed to fall away in recent weeks, and can largely consider themselves out of the race for an automatic spot. By then, United will be hoping that the Dons will have safely secured a playoff spot, and will have one eye on keeping key players fresh for whoever they come up against.

Meanwhile, to more immediate concerns, United will be eager to win at the weekend as Wednesday face a crunch match away at Huddersfield, with a draw suiting the Blades superbly. Even a Huddersfield win would be gratefully received, as a United win would see the gap widen to five points.

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But as we have learnt from this season in League One, nothing seems to go to plan, and there will be no counting eggs from the United manager, who will expect nothing less than victory against Bournemouth this weekend.

By Sheffield United blogger Will Ollett. You can follow him on Twitter for more Sheffield United discussion. 

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We all thought we must have seen it all when Michael Thomas last gasp winner secured the title for Arsenal back in 1989; however scenes at the Etihad Stadium have simply gazumped that as two goals in injury time saw Manchester City take the points with a 3-2 win that sees them land their first Premier League title, in what will be arguably the first of many for the Citizens.

It was simply a dramatic afternoon and even before the 4th official put his board up to show 5 minutes of injury time it appeared they had handed their great rivals a 20th League title, as City appeared to have run out of huff and puff after 90mins of being camped pretty much in Queens Park Rangers’ half. Manchester United thought they had won it as the seconds were running out at the Stadium of Light and the players were all on the pitch waiting, until news filtered through from the Etihad of Sergio Aguero’s last gasp strike.

Roberto Mancini, the players and the fans were clearly emotional at the final whistle and rightly so after a gruelling 38 games that has seen them lift the trophy on what has proved to be goal difference. Sir Alex Ferguson was very gracious at the end of United’s game against Sunderland and wanted to offer his congratulations to their great rivals on their title success. Mancini felt that the best team in England had deservedly won the Premier League this year and believes that there will be one hell of a party in the Blue side of Manchester tonight.

How are Manchester City fans feeling at this moment – HAVE YOUR SAY!

 Arsenal fans were pleasantly surprised with the singing of German Lukas Podolski from Koln before the 2011/12 season had even finished. Uncharacteristic of Arsene Wenger, the hope was that it was the start of a few signings, all of which were to be undertaken as soon as possible. The need to cement a strong squad together before the start of the season was something that escaped the Gunners last summer, and was for many, their downfall in a horrific to start to last season.

Hopes were dashed though, as no other additions were made to the Arsenal squad by the start of June, as players across the continent flocked to play for their respective countries in Poland and Ukraine for Euro 2012. Arsene Wenger will no doubt now be watching closely to see who impresses at the tournament, having already been linked to a few names. We look through some of the talent Wenger is said to be interested, and why.

-Olivier Giroud (Centre Forward, Montpellier. £12-£15million)

The Montpellier front man recently announced he would not be deciding on his future until after the European championships. Having scored 21 goals in Ligue 1, Arsene Wenger will be interested in signing a prolific striker to complement new signing Lukas Podolski and Robin Van Persie should he renew his contract. With the French in the same group as England, Ukraine and Sweden, Wenger will be able to see how capable Giroud is against the likes of John Terry and Joleon Lescott as well as two other tough, physical opponents. At 33/1 to be top scorer, Giroud will look to impress when he does feature, as it is likely he will play second fiddle to Karim Benzema.

-Yann M’Villa (Defensive Midfielder, Rennes, £18-£20million)

Subject to significant speculation from both Arsenal and Barcelona, it is no surprise that Rennes have upped the asking price for their 21 year old holding midfielder to as high as £20million. Playing in the same French team as Olivier Giroud, Wenger will be examining the performances of M’Villa closely. With the marauding forward of Alex Song costing Arsenal at times last season, it will be no surprise that Wenger looks to M’Villa to provide defensive stability. The physical 21 year old is not afraid to get stuck in, and will be eager to return to fitness and impress having sprained his ankle in a warm up game against Serbia.

-Alan Dzagoev (Attacking Midfielder, CSKA Moscow, undisclosed)

The Russian attacking midfielder is said to be a replacement for fellow countryman Andrei Arshavin, who Zenit are looking to sign permanently having impressed on a loan spell. The 21 year old has been dubbed by Arshavin himself as one of Russia’s best young players, and a move to North London from CSKA Moscow will excel his career. Wenger will be looking for a creative player in midfield as last season saw Arshavin feature below standard, and Yossi Benayoun has returned to Chelsea on loan. Having already scored 2 goals in an opening Group A game against Czech Republic, Dzagoev will be hoping his form in front of goal continues to catch Wenger’s eye and bring a move to the Emirates.

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Whether or not these players will be wearing an Arsenal shirt come August remains to be seen. But Arsene Wenger can use the European Championships to scout some of the finest and most promising footballing talent the continent has to offer. If Arsenal are to clearout the underperformers, the introduction of these three would be the kind of quality players’ fans will be eager to replace them with.

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The Premier League has proposed a rule, which has been agreed to by clubs, which will have the effect of freezing out hostile shareholders like Arsenal’s Alisher Usmanov, reports The Telegraph.

Coupled with his business partner Farhad Moshiri the duo own a combined stake of 29.72 per cent in the club through their investment vehicle,  ‘Red and White Securities’.

This puts them close to the 30% threshold that under current Premier League regulations would grant them the rights and responsibilities of club directors, allowing Usmaov access to all ‘material transactions’ such as records of transfer dealings as well as wage and agent expenses.

The Russian’s lawyers were set to argue that their client needed to view these records in order to maintain achieve satisfaction over their correctness. However, Arsenal can now deny Usmanov access to their data following the rule change that has been voted in by Premier League clubs.

A source with an understanding of the situation told The Telegraph: “The rule left clubs open to the possibility of a hostile shareholder who is not on the board getting access to the books.

“Now if you are not on the board but have between 30 and 50 per cent of a club you don’t need to sign off on material-transaction reports.”

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Red and White Securities refused to comment but it remains to be seen whether the new regulation will effect Usmanov’s investment strategy within the club. If he chooses to withdraw then it is likely that share price will fall, enabling supporters of the club and the Arsenal Supporters Trust to purchase shares at a more reasonable price.

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Sitting in the opulent green countryside of East Staffordshire, unused and unspoilt, is St. George’s Park, the nucleus of the future of English Football. With an interminable list of state-of-the-art facilities available, the centre of excellence is set to provide a springboard to take the state of the nation’s most popular sport and launch it into eventual triumph. David Sheepshanks, joint acting Chairman of the FA has described the Centre as the “Mecca” of English Football; certainly an assured statement from the man who gave the green light for FA funding. However, after yet another mediocre performance from the national team this summer and with the rapid decline of national talent plying its trade in the Premier League, this may be the perfect time to have invested £105 million into renovating Football in this country.

“The backcloth to the quest for sporting excellence” as is so astutely phrased in the official website of St George’s Park, is certainly a valid description of the Centre. 11 outdoor pitchers along with 1 indoor pitch that is an exact replica of the dimensions of Wembley, an indoor running track as well as a sports hall for Futsal, Hydrotherapy suites, Seminar rooms, Strength and Conditioning gyms, Biomechanics and screening areas, individual Goalkeeping Areas along with many other facilities make the Burton Centre for excellence not only a revolutionary residence but a reference point for other nations to admire.

Sheepshanks adhered to the fact that recent English campaigns have been incredibly average and that we need to begin chasing the likes of Spain and Germany who, for the first time, are in a whole different class to England. To achieve a level playing field with the world’s greatest, a technical director is set to be appointed, who will oversee the activities at the Centre of Excellence from grass roots to senior national team. When asked about this forthcoming appointment, Sheepshanks stated,

“The appointment is almost as important (as building St George’s Park) when you consider the job of the future development of the game,”

He continued, “I think it will be someone who is very forward-thinking and committed to the long-term success of English football. Trevor Brooking has said we need to develop more technically-adept players but also more responsible, thinking players who are decision-makers.”

“He is absolutely right and the ethos of St George’s Park will be to focus on those skills, but also to encourage a sense of personal ownership and responsibility for career development.”

The factors for building the centre have a somewhat substantial emphasis on allowing players the capability to path their own futures rather than be spoon-fed. Taking personal ownership of a career would allow a player to flourish in his desired method, whilst also finding their own identities on the pitch that they are personally satisfied with. Too long have coaches in this country attempted to feed the long ball system to young talent, who adhere to the tactic for a number of years because they have not learnt otherwise. The centre is planning to eradicate these methods through player personal ownership, giving a somewhat free reign on how footballers play.

The centre will also be an arena where new English coaches will be trained, with Sheepshanks admitting that through the centre’s prominence, there need never be a foreign manager coaching the national team again. The reason for Roy Hodgson’s projected 4-year tenure may be to allow the team to gain experience with an English coach; step one in the building blocks of future English national team managers, who will have all proceeded through St George’s Park.

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It has to be considered an exciting taste of the future when the Centre of Football opens its gates to respective parties. However, this is a long term venture and the felt effects of the St George’s may not be realised for a number of years yet. However, it is a real step forward in the future of the land where the beautiful game was created and just as its namesake did, St George’s Park will go down in English history with legendary status.

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Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has stated that he has signed a new six-year contract to win six more Premier League titles.

The Belgian defender led the Etihad Stadium outfit to their first top-flight crown in 44 years last term, and has recently extended his stay with Roberto Mancini’s men.

However, Kompany’s ambition has not yet relinquished, as he looks for a period of success for Manchester City.

“I have signed a six-year deal, so there are six titles possible within those years, so you know what? I want to get them all,” he told reporters, published in The Daily Mail.

“It probably won’t happen, but we will see in six years’ time. I will try everything for that.

“We have a competition on our hands, it’s clear. You can clearly see all the other teams have reacted to what happened last season and come out stronger.

“But I think we’ll come out stronger too because we’re one season further down the line in terms of playing together. That lack of familiarity was always our problem.

“I have heard comments from other people but what did our manager say for the last six games of last season? That we’d lost the title.

“Mind games, mind games. It’s like I said last year: If you win you’re right, if you lose you’re always wrong, so I can’t focus on that at the moment.

“All I can focus on is really what’s important now is getting our team to full-strength, like we were last season. And, regardless of the opposition, we need to better ourselves.

“For me, I would find it a shame next season if we didn’t manage to improve again.

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“For the four seasons I’ve been at this club we’ve finished 10th, fifth, third and now first,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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Following a summer of upheaval at Nottingham Forest, the season is finally about to kick off.

New owners and eight new players have left fans itching for the season to start, anticipating a great ride.

The fresh approach from the Al-Hasawi family, and their willingless to spend money has been welcomed. They key point being though, they’ve spent money in the right places, largely thanks to the shrewd appointment of Sean O’Driscoll as boss, who is reluctant to splash the cash to an unimaginable extent.

With the money available, it would’ve been easy for Forest to spend unwisely, plucking for Premier League players who quite frankly, haven’t got the inner desire to perform for the club. The new arrivals have been solid Championship players, and individuals who have played at a higher level, and yet to prove themselves.

Simon Cox being a prime example. Performing admirably at Swindon Town, knocking in goals on a weekly basis, he was a recognised name. Having moved to West Brom, he didn’t really establish himself as a striker in the league, meaning the opportunity to prove himself at the highest level escaped him. Cox has something to prove, and is reaching what should be the peak of his career.

Cox needs Forest as much as Forest need a 20 goal contribution from him, and that should show in his performances.

The two biggest signings of them all, Jamaal Lascelles and Adlene Guedioura. Lascelles represented more than just a young player signing on for 4 years. With reported interest from Spurs and Arsenal, it showed he has a wise head on those young shoulders.

Many individuals may have attempted to turn Lascelles head, but he stayed stubborn and stuck by Forest. An indication  of where he thinks the club is heading, and he wants to be a part of it.

Adlene Guedioura. Forest supporters can’t say his name without wanting to pinch themselves, in shock that the permenant deal has been completed this summer. To say fans were excited, wouldn’t be doing the emotion everyone felt justice.

Dan Harding, Danny Collins, Daniel Ayala, Sam Hutchinson, Simon Gillett the other names to arrive at the club. Not headline names, but men that get the job done, and get it done efficiently. O’Driscoll wanted to buy good characters. The fact they are very good players too, make it a recipe for success.

Forest could’ve done what fellow East Midlands team, Leicester City did, when they first caught sight of money. Signings that got the headlines, and were a disruptive influence on the dressing room. In August 2011, when Leicester took a 2-0 lead at the City Ground, things were looking fairly bleak for The Reds. One event turned the game. The event could’ve been prevented, but so could the disastrous collapse of the Leicester team afterwards.

Kasper Schmeichel got sent off. John Paintsil had a strop. The small amount of spirit there was, was rapidly torn apart. Forest went on to score twice, and Leicester were left investigating their failures. If they analysed well enough, they would’ve realised the failures that occured on the day could be put down to one one thing.. The summer transfer market.

Leicester are still catching up and recovering from their Sven summer spending spree, attempting to put a new look on their side.

Forest have avoided that.

They have a side for the here and now. They have players young enough to gel into a promotion chasing squad. They don’t have any bad eggs. Players with something to prove, that believe in O’Driscoll’s methods, who enjoy his style of management.

Last season the mood was doom and gloom throughout. From around 15 games in, the feeling spreading was that everyone wanted the season to end. Players looked unhappy, and that reflected in their performances. Fans were resigned.

Now we have happy players. A happy manager, delighted with the squad he has at his disposal, with money to spend for additions if necessary. The feel good factor around the club now, spreading from the mood of our new owners on Twitter, down to the fans, can’t be matched by any team in the league.

Promotion a possibility?

No Nottingham Forest fan should expect promotion this season. If you do, kindly drop your season ticket in the River Trent and turn around.

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A gentle flirt with the playoffs should be the aim. Anything more would be a welcome bonus.

If every fan remains patient,  and singing from the same hymn sheet, our club will be a joy to watch.

@will_forest to get in touch via Twitter.

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Swindon Town defeated Stoke City 4-3 in the Capital One Cup after extra time at the Britannia Stadium. A 119th minute winner from hat-trick hero James Collins saw the League One side progress into the third round. Swindon had previously knocked out Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Robins started the game positively in the sparsely filled stadium. As Swindon played the ball around well, chances were created and in the 26th minute Collins capitalised on a mistake by Stoke City keeper Sorensen. Swindon kept up the pressure after the goal and in the 39th minute De Vita collected a wonderful cross field pass from Robins captain Alan McCormack, who darted past his marker and his shot hit the woodwork. This momentum continued and just a minute or so later Swindon had a corner from the left, in which De Vita’s cross was met by a brilliant header from James Collins, for his second of the night. This sent the travelling fans into raptures. A brilliant first half display was finished off by another De Vita strike hitting the same post.

At half-time I rang my friend and was very concerned that if Stoke were to play high balls and if they brought on Peter Crouch then we could be in serious trouble. I had been at the Leeds 2 -2 Swindon League Cup game some 9 years ago and it had all the hallmarks of a repeat occurrence.

Stoke started better after the break, strong half-time words from their manager must have done the trick. They started using long high balls to a great effect. Swindon’s back line was in trouble and this was exposed in the 63rd when Trinidad & Tobago star Kenwyne Jones headed home Shotton’s cross from the right. This was Swindon Towns first goal that they had conceded all season.

The Robins had little chances during the period after Stokes first goal but had soaked up all of the pressure brought onto them by the Premier League side. A triple substitution in the 78th minute by Tony Pulis saw Crouch, Ness and Walters on for Shotton, Jones and Jerome.

Following the substitutions Stoke City looked to utilise high balls especially with Crouch on the field. In the 85th Minute a hopeful ball up field saw the ball fall for Walters who slotted the ball home past Swindon keeper Wes Foderingham. The sense of relief from the Stoke fans was apparent and the disbelief from Swindon fans that their side had failed to hold on to a comfortable 2-0 lead was clear to see..

Deep into the four minutes of added on time, Stoke had chances to snatch victory, with Peter Crouch and Jermaine Pennant both going close. As the final whistle went and extra-time loomed, Swindon Town could be proud of their performance thus far.

Extra time started and within five minutes both sides had chances to make the scoreline 3-2. Devera got in the way of Walters at the back post whilst at the other end Williams dragged a shot wide from close range. Soon after this McEveley had to be replaced by Nathan Thompson after a head-to-head collision with Potters striker Walters. After chances from Cameron, Crouch and Upson coming to nothing it seemed the first half of extra-time wouldn’t end with a goal. This was until the last action of the half were a corner from Matt Ritchie saw Aden Flint, rise above everybody at the back post to nod in Swindon’s third goal.

After 115 minutes, Swindon Town, of League One were in front at The Britannia Stadium 3-2, where just 48 hours previously, Arsenal, three times Premier League winners had failed to scored a single goal.

With less than ten minutes remaining of the 2nd half of extra-time, Swindon Town players were looking very fatigued, they had given there all for over 110 minutes, but a simple cross from the right saw Peter Crouch comfortably rise above the Robins defenders to simply nod home there equaliser.

With two minutes to go Williams skipped clear of the Stoke back-line but his shot was straight at Sorensen. On the next attack, Swindon Town’s Miller shot from inside the area, Sorensen palmed this away, then Williams headed the ball across goal for James Collins to score his hat-trick. This sent the away fans into raptures. The relief, excitement and joy of every single Robins fans was very clear.

Some two days later and I still have a beaming smile on my face, I can honestly say that this was the best match I have ever been to. Performance wise and the way in which we won was absolutely amazing. I ended up being on BBC Radio Wiltshire after the game but I cannot really remember what they asked me, the adrenaline running through me was unbelievable.

Match Statistics…

Stoke Swindon

52% Possession 48%

17 Shots 25

8 (On Target) 15

7 Corners 11

13 Fouls 12

Now Burnley…

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Last night the draw for the Capital One Cup Third Round took place and Swindon will now face Burnley at The County Ground. The last time that these teams met was on 17h April 1996 when the teams played out a 0-0 draw. A notable former Swindon Town player will be making his return to The County Ground for the visitors in the form of Charlie Austin. The 23 year old, signed for Swindon Town in 2009 from Non-League Poole Town. Austin played 54 times for The Robins where he netted on 31 occasions. Austin joined Burnley in 2011 where he has netted 18 goals from 48 appearances.

Preston…

Swindon Town play Preston North End on Sunday for the first time since 1986. The 2 sides have met on 26 previous occasions whereby Swindon have only won 7 matches. Back in 1935, 24,480 fans saw Preston defeat Swindon in the highest attended match between the teams, somewhat suggests that this will not be beaten when they meet at Deepdale.

You can follow me on Twitter for even more Swindon Town discussion.

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The world of football transfers can be fascinating. For an extended period of the year, fans dedicate multiple hours each day trawling the internet or waiting for that yellow banner on Sky Sports News, in an attempt to discover just who their club are in negotiations to sign.

Many moves down the years have collapsed, frustrating managers, supporters and players, and while some of these issues ultimately benefit all those involved, there are a fair few cases of the ‘one that got away’. Whether it be wage demands, stubborn chairmen or a sudden sense of realisation, a number of promising moves have broken down, which would surely have changed the landscape of British football as we know it

This list looks at 15 transfers that never quite came to fruition for various reasons.

Click on Kaka below to get the ball rolling

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West Brom striker Shane Long has vowed not to celebrate if he scores against his old club Reading this weekend.

Long faces Reading for the first time since leaving the Madejski Stadium for the Baggies in the summer of 2011. The Republic of Ireland international enjoyed his time with the Royals and, although he wants to get the better of them this weekend, out of respect for his former employers he will not celebrate if he finds the net. He told Sky Sports:

“I still have a lot of friends there at the club, not just the players but the manager, staff and higher up. I made a lot of friends in my time there and it will be strange playing against the blue and whites. I’ll still be doing my job, trying to get the winner and hopefully get West Brom the three points. It’s about business as usual. I won’t celebrate out of respect if I do score.”

Long is keen to help West Brom get back to winning ways after last weekend’s defeat at Fulham stalled their impressive start to the campaign.

“You have bad days, like we did on Saturday, and it’s about how you react to those days that counts. We’ve now got a point to prove and we’re all looking forward to the weekend.”

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West Brom and Reading meet at The Hawthorns on Saturday.