We'll miss you Gylfi!

Well now that Sky Sports is calming down a bit from its day of “twist and turns” (sure), the transfer deadline is upon us and teams can no longer make any more permanent signings. The football league sides can still sign free agents and make short term loan signings, but any permanent signings in these hard economical times are all complete until January. When it comes to the Championship, teams are often on a strict budget and new signings are very common, but who were the biggest winners and losers in this window?

Winners:

Cardiff City:

Craig Bellamy. That is without a doubt THE Championship signing of the summer and arguably one of the top signings in English football all together. Put on top of that the fact they’ve kept hold of Peter Wittingham, who may be signing a new contract soon, and Michael Chopra who disappointed some fans by announcing his intention to leave the club. Regardless of that, Cardiff City have the strongest attack in the Championship and they can only build on their good start to the season which has seen them gain 10 points from four games. Jason Koumas has also returned for his second spell on loan at the Bluebirds along with Manchester United youngster Danny Drinkwater, Hull City’s Seyi Olofinjana and Wolves striker Andy Keogh. Under new ownership, the future looks a little brighter for the Welsh outfit, after last season’s protests against Peter Ridsdale.

Middlesbrough:

Or team SPL as many people are calling them now, ‘Boro made the big signing of Kris Boyd this summer and excellent Steve Gibson has certainly took a gamble and shown his support to Gordon Strachan. Brad Jones is out and to be honest I think ‘Boro got a good deal from Liverpool as I always thought that he was a terrible goal keeper, they may not have brought in a replacement yet but I would expect a loan signing or free transfer to come in soon. Nicky Bailey is another honourable mention as well as Matt Kilgallon, who has come on loan from local rivals Sunderland. You could argue that they’ve not exactly taken the league by storm in the first four games, but as Sir Bobby Robson once said “there’s no point in looking at the table until November”. The defeat to Barnsley was a bit of a shock, but I’ve been to Barnsley before and they always make it hard for the opposition, despite many labelling them for relegation this season I think they may stay up. The fact for ‘Boro is that the team will still be growing relationships with each other and the side has fantastic depth that will benefit them greatly through the winter.

Losers:

Hull City:

I was quite shocked to hear that Nigel Pearson was admitted to hospital after complaining about a tight chest, but luckily the Hull manager is set to return. Pearson had hoped that a number of top earners would move on and although a number were sent out on loan and a few released/sold, there still remains a lot of players damaging an already tricky financial situation at Hull. Most notably is Jimmy Bullard, who wasn’t played in pre-season in order to ensure that he would remain fit in the prospect of a sale or loan move. Robert Koren and Jay Simpson are decent signings, but the club still has a lot of top earners that they were hopeful to get rid of and if Jay Simpson doesn’t start smashing in the goals then the club could really struggle to bounce back at the first time of asking.

Reading:

If you’re a Reading fan you’ll probably know why your club was one of the big losers this transfer window and that reason is Gylfi Sigurdsson. It appears that my article regarding the 5 players to watch this season has been a kiss of death for these guys, particularly Nicky Maynard who is out for 4 months (which all but ended my bet for him to finish top goal scorer this season!). Sigurdsson has made the move to Germany for a reported £4.25m, as he will wear the colours of Hoffenheim next season. I know it’s quite a bit of money for a Championship side, but this guy got 21 goals for Reading last season and he is a midfielder. At only 20 years old he still has a lot of progress to make and it would seem that Reading have lost the main cog in their system. On deadline day the ageing Ian Harte and Zurab Khizanishvilli (took me a while to spell that one) have came in, and although they’ll provide much needed support in the full back positions, Reading have lost their top player and it’s a shame that one of the Championship’s top players has left this season.

Derby County:

The board at Derby should be ashamed. They’ve promised to fund the squad for every transfer window and rarely does there appear to be any sort of ambitious investment from them. The reason they are in the losers section is the fact that Derby County have one of the loyalist, if not THE loyalist, fan base in the country and if you were to put teams in the top league based on their fans then Derby would be up there every season. Luke Varney is off the wage bill, but the squad hasn’t exactly been strengthened to challenge in the league too much. Supporters of the Rams will be hopeful that loan signing Alberto Bueno comes good, but truth be told this is another transfer window of what could have been for Derby, the squad really does need quite a lot of fresh talent. As I write this Rob Hulse may also be on his way out to QPR and Derby fans will be disappointed to see him leave.

It's that time again!

I remember when the January transfer window first came to football. Forgive me if I can’t remember the exact year but I remember FIFA decided that it was a good idea to help all the small clubs hold onto their top players for larger parts of a season. Nobody could have predicted the level of insanity and inflated pricing that it would have brought, but now January is a special time for football fans; almost like Christmas in the footballing world. Especially the last two days where we see all the panic buys, prompting many of us to ask why managers didn’t use the previous 30 days available to them – but that would be silly wouldn’t it? Just about every team in the Championship could arguably do with strengthening in the first month of the year and it will be interesting to see who is welcomed to the league and who we will be saying goodbye to:

Barnsley:

Mark Robbins has done a fine job so far but his biggest desire will most likely be a striker and Billy Sharp has been one of the names thrown around. Sheffield United may well want return him from his loan at Doncaster so they can cash in, but expect Yorkshire rivals to try all they can told hold onto their top player this season. Barnsley have agreed to extend the loan deals of Stoke players Ryan Shotton and Carl Dickinson so Robbins will be delighted that have those players as options. As far as departures, no major players have been rumoured to be leaving the club so watch this space.

Blackpool:

How much ambition does the Blackpool board have? Playoff contenders Blackpool have surprised many this season but they still have a lot of work to do. They’ve already supposedly failed to sign Roman Torres and there’s been and Holloway has admitted that players will only be coming in if they have the right character. No offers have come in for their players yet, but few would be surprised if some clubs tested the Seasider’s resolve on in form midfielder Charlie Adam; a player who has been a joy to watch all season.

Bristol City:

Not to look too much into anyones personal life but does anyone else think there was a heated Christmas affair at the Johnson household? Lee Johnson, son of Robbins manager Gary Johnson, has left the club for the injury struck Derby, on an original one-month loan deal; guess it wasn’t a Merry Christmas for all of us. The club is currently in a defensive crisis, so City fans should expect Christian Ribeiro to return to the club from his loan spell at Stockport. Targets have been discussed this week, but Johnson will no doubt be disappointed to learn that he must fund himself this month by selling players first.

Cardiff City:

Peter Ridsdale will become the most unpopular chairman in the country for a second time if he is lying about the club’s potential administration possibility, but Cardiff do need to strengthen their team if they want to keep up with those around them. Fabian Delph is thought to be high on Dave Jones’ list, as a midfielder appears to be the priority for this month. Villa don’t seem keen on loaning out young star Delph but there is no doubt that Cardiff will enquire and if they can bag the player in on loan it could allow another player to come in at the same time as Jones has been promisd £3 million to spend. Bristol Rovers star Chris Lines has also been touted, a player who’s contract is up at the end of the season; the right bid may be too good to turn down as Rovers will not want to risk losing him for nothing. An unusually quiet window in terms of rumours for Joe Ledley may be explained by new kid on the block Adam Matthews, who is courting interest from big teams such as Manchester United and Arsenal. Let’s see if the Bluebirds can hold on.

Coventry City:

It’s common practice for English clubs to raid the Irish leagues these days, and Coventry have moved quickly to snap up Gary Deegan. Richard Woods and Chris Hussey have made their loan moves permanent, business Chris Coleman is delighted with and their is a move in the pipe line for league one stand out Carl Baker who has impressed many this season. It certainly appears as if Coleman is doing all he can to fight off the relegation threat to the club and we may even expect more new arrivals at the Ricoh arena. Coleman will not be happy however to hear that Sunderland have an eye on goalkeeper Kieran Westwood and the club must do everything in their power to keep one of the leagues top goalkeepers.

Crystal Palace:

Will any money be spent? No. Palace have struggled to find the green stuff this season and a team that was already quite inexperienced may get even more so by the end of the window. Palace are even in danger of losing their manager Neil Warnock as he eyes up the chance to manage league counterparts Sheffield Wednesday. You must have been living under a rock if you haven’t heard the name Victor Moses linked with just about every club above Palace in the country and Palace have certainly shown they aren’t going to be pushed over despite their monetary problems as they’ve set an asking price of £5 million. Expect more stories about players going out this month as opposed to players coming in.

Derby County:

Derby need new faces fast. They’ve been hit so badly with injuries that Nigel Clough has struggled to get a consistent team together that understands how they play. An ambitious side that would be appealing to any player really, a striker is top of their list. Michael Symes, James Vaughan and Fredrik Stoor are all on Clough’s radar as the Rams look to get someone quality up front. Danny Buijs of Ado Den Haag was keen on a move to the club but this may have fallen through due to his clubs reluctance to loan him out. Recently fit again Kris Commons is attracting interest from the Premiership, Wolves have their eye on the talented midfielder.

Doncaster Rovers:

There’s not much coming out of Donny at the moment. Billy Sharp has recently won PFA player of the month and the Keepmoat outfit will be hoping that Sheffield United don’t exercise their option to recall the front man. A rumoured move for Daniel Cousin seems unlikely, especially considering that QPR are in advanced talks with the player. Martin Woods has been making some eye catching performances this season and the club will be trying to fend off the likes of Cardiff and Middlesbrough this month so they can hold onto him.

Ipswich Town:

Roy Keane has already spent quite a lot of money as manager of Ipswich and results on the pitch have not reflected this. Giovanni Dos Santos is wanted by the tractor boys once again and may well be one of a few signings coming in this month unless players move out. Tamas Priskin has been a flop since his £1.7m move and may well be heading towards the exit door this month and could well pave the way for Derby striker Rob Hulse.

Leicester City:

If Nigel Pearson had plans at the start season for this transfer window then he may well want to throw them out of the window and reassess. City are another admirer of Chris Lines and will be part of a bidding war for him. A bizarre move for Edgar Davids may materialise as well, chairman Milan Mandaric has spoken of his admiration of the former Dutch international recently; paying his wages may be another issue though (maybe he has another with all that tax dodging he’s been up to). Top scorer Matt Fryatt has been watched by Wigan recently and Pearson will not fancy losing him.

Middlesbrough:

Kris Boyd would be a huge capture for the troubled North East side and Boro are certainly considering that avenue due to Rangers current financial difficulties. Signs would suggest that Strachan is keen to utilise his knowledge of the Scottish leagues, as his former players Gary Caldwell and Scott McDonald have both been suggested as Boro arrivals. In any case expect many arrivals for the short-handed side as Didier Digard prepares to depart the Riverside.

Newcastle United:

Chris Hughton has got money available to him and Jermaine Beckford seems more and more likely to join the Geordies after recently handing in another transfer request. A defender is also a desire for the Toon, but don’t expect Matthew Killgallon to move to the North East, the defender has now committed to Sheffield United until the end of the season. Former Ballon D’or nominee (that’s right) Geremi made a little unannounced detour on his way to Angola to meet up with potential new club Ankaragucu. Although they haven’t actually agreed anything with Newcastle the Turkish side still decided to throw the confetti and a party for the player; talk about confidence!

Nottingham Forrest:

Could anyone really play their way into this in form side? Forrest fans will be hoping that Billy Davies can make some signings as to maintain their promotion push and former England international Nicky Shorey is their first priority. It’s been highly reported for a while that the club has an interest in Tottenham’s Gareth Bale but this may be quite unlikely as it is unknown what Harry Redknapp wants to do with the player. Swindon’s Charlie Austin could be a more likely transfer although this is a light rumour as of now. There has been little interest from any clubs so far in Forrest players.

Peterborough United:

Another non-league player comes in (surprise Posh fans!) Josh Simpson. Aldershot’s Marvin Morgan has been attracting interest, although this may seem unlikely now the club has captured Reuben Reid from West Brom. Izale McLeod is the subject of interest from the Posh, but they face interest from Scottish Premier League side Hearts. The traditional round of Joe Lewis leaving rumours have begun already, particularly after Barry Fry told Harry Redknapp he had first option on the player – Redknapp later telling everyone. Good one Barry.

Plymouth Argyle:

So far for Plymouth its been more a case of who’s leaving this month. However, the green army could be tempted to bring back out of favour Hull player Peter Halmosi. It is a bit unknown who new boss Paul Mariner is after, as the club have seen defenders Kirsztan Timar and Marcel Seip both leave already and Steven MacLean is more than likely on his way out too. Tough times on the south coast.

Preston North End:

Darren Ferguson returns to the Championship almost instantly and has taken the reigns at the famous outfit of Preston North End. If you’ve read Daniel Cragg’s post on this site then I don’t need to tell you that there isn’t a lot of money for Preston, but changes need to be made. Neil Collins has joined on a permanent deal already but due to Ferguson’s arrival being so recent its hard to tell who he wants to bring in at this time. Sorry Preston fans!

Queens Park Rangers:

Signings galore for the London outfit? You wouldn’t be wrong. The team has already apparently agreed a deal for Daniel Cousin who will join up after the African Cup Of Nations and the club also has apparently made an enquiry about the well-travelled Amdy Faye. Markus Jonsson of AIK in Sweden is also hoping for a move to England and QPR may well be his outlet to fulfil that ambition. Adel Taarabt may return to Tottenham unfortunately for QPR, but the player has his heart set on staying with Rangers.

Reading:

Gunnar Thorvaldsson has become another member of the ever-growing Icelandic contingent at Reading but apart from that there are few players being linked with the club due to their lack of a manager. Reading have managed to hold onto Simon Church after he signed a new deal with the club and they also harbour an ambition that Gylfi Sigurdsson can continue his impressive displays with Reading as opposed to someone else.

Scunthorpe United:

Craig Dawson of Rochdale is a player Nigel Adkins would dearly love at his disposal, but Rochdale seem adamant he is going nowhere. Scunthorpe seem to see Rochdale as somewhat of a market stall this January if you believe their interest in striker Chris O’Grady. Michael Raynes seems a very likely arrival for the Irons, the Stockport defenders contract is up in the summer and his club are likely to want to make some sort of profit on him. George Friend has been recalled by Wolves, meaning the Irons only have one left back at the club, so that position is likely to be Adkins priority.

Sheffield United:

Due to Matthew Killgallons apparent commitment to the club, Kevin Blackwell is unlikely to have the money he thought he would this window. Richard Creswell has come in from Stoke already but former loanee Greg Halford will not be returning to the club as he wants to battle for his place at Wolves. As mentioned above, Marcel Seip has joined on loan for the rest of the season and it may not be the end of the dealings for a heavily injury struck squad.

Sheffield Wednesday:

The club is looking to the future, as ten Australian players are currently on trial with the club. Tom Soares has extended his loan deal but the most prominent potential transfer for Wednesday at the moment is their managerial position. As mentioned above, Neil Warnock is interested in the job and is the bookies favourite to get the job.

Swansea City:

Could Paulo Sousa, the manager, leave Swansea this January? Burnley have an eye on the talented Portuguese gaffer but the Swans want to hold on. Lee Trundle has extended his loan deal at the club, much to the fans delight and the club may be in the market for another striker to solve their goal shyness. Kevin Phillips, Vincent Pericard and Tamas Priskin have all been linked with the club, so watch this space. The club will also be doing everything they can to hold onto Andrea Orlandi as a few scouts have been watching him over the past few weeks.

Watford:

Your guess is as good as mine? Probably nothing will be happening this month as Malky Mackay wants to keep all his players, particularly Scott Roach and the threat of administration means there will be few arrivals for the hornets.

West Bromwich Albion:

Ishmael Miller is almost back from injury and will feel like a new signing upon his return and it remains to be seen whether or not the club can meet Crystal Palace’s valuation of Victor Moses. Gabriel Tamas has joined on loan from Auxerre and brings a wealth of experience with him. Marcus Haber may also be on his way in, while Robert Koren is expected to be shipped out of the Hawthorns as the Albion have a wealth of depth at their disposal.

Nolan Is The Cream Of The Championship Crop

Unless your team was unfortunate enough to be struck by bad weather (particularly Barnsley), you may realise we are now at the halfway point of the Championship season. 23 games gone and all of sudden ambitions become a bit clearer for clubs. The championship can be one of the most exciting leagues in the world and this season has been no exception – providing plenty of thrills along the way. Amidst the alcohol (and hangovers) of the festive period, why don’t we take a look back at some of the main talking points of the season so far and I will give my opinion on a few categories I feel have been worthy of being labelled the best so far this season.

The Toon Army Answer Their Critics:

Many people predicted Newcastle would struggle this season and few predicted the level of success they have achieved so far. A team that fell out of the Premiership with no fight what so ever has unified this season and sent the famous black and white stripes back to the top of the league. Many considered Newcastle to face even more pressure due to the stature of the club and were labelled ‘one of the big scalps’. But the players have responded well and despite the fact the off field troubles still continue, they find themselves sitting comfortably at the top of the table. The Geordies should be warned however that the work is far from done yet and as the Championship is one of the most open leagues in the world today.

Peter Whittingham Fires His Way To The Top:

In a league where usually a great goal poacher can gain you success, three of the top five goal scorers are midfielders. Cardiff’s Peter Whittingham finds himself at the top on 12 goals for the season, the former Aston Villa youngster has been in great form this season and one of the reasons why Cardiff find themselves in a serious bid for promotion. He is joined up there by fellow team mate Michael Chopra and both have helped make Cardiff a free scoring entertaining team. The two will be expected to keep up their efforts and Cardiff fans will be hopeful that Whittingham will continue to be allowed his freer role.

The Tractor Boys Going Backwards:

Roy Keane spent a considerable amount of money compared to his managerial peers in this league and so far Ipswich have struggled dearly. Instead of a promotion bid the club will probably have to focus their attention on a relegation battle as the club struggles in a number of areas this season particularly when it comes to a reliable goal scorer. The last few games have shown a bit of hope for the club and I still believe they will be safe, Keane is still finding the right formula and it is great to see how much confidence the board have put in him – something rare in this day and age.

Swansea Flying High – But How?

Not saying they’re not playing well but its rare to see a team with a goals for and against record like theirs. Swansea currently have the second worst goal scoring record in the league yet have found themselves in the playoff contention for much of the season. Paulo Souasa has made Swansea’s defence stern and hard to break down something, which isn’t often mentioned, but brilliant in it’s own right. The multinational side will be hoping to continue to churn out results for the club and promotion is very realistic target for the Welsh side.

Fortress Aston Gate Breached:

Bristol City almost managed to go a whole year without losing a single home league game until Sheffield United scored a last minute winner after Bristol City thought they’d held on to their record only seconds earlier when they equalised. Take nothing away from Gary Johnson however, the manager of City has been superb and I for one think it would be great to see a team from Bristol in the top flight once again. The club are sitting in 12th place as things stand so their season could really go either way. Fans of the club would be happy if their home form in 2010 mirrored that of the previous year.

The Madjeski Ruins Crumble:

On an alternative note, Reading’s home form has been woeful and something of a phenomenon. I couldn’t even tell you how many games it is since they last won at home, but it is definitely a confidence issue with the players, as the club has relied on it’s home form to pick up the points this season. The club should be optimistic that 2010 can bring a fresh start at their home ground – all it will take is one win for players to get their confidence back.

Rival Supporters Green With Envy At Forrest:

Nottingham Forrest are rolling back the years and are currently 15 games unbeaten. Billy Davies is once again proving he is a manager with confidence in this league and that certainly reflects on his players. The club is certainly stating its ambition and recently loaned in former England international Nicky Shorey, showing that the club is serious about bringing in players to help their promotion push. It’s quite funny really; a manager gains success with local rivals Derby County, has a disagreement with their board, leaves and then goes on to become successful with Forrest. Where have I heard that before?

My Awards So Far:

Best Goal Of The Season So Far: Nicky Maynard – QPR V Bristol City

Yes its fresh in the memory (from this weekend) but don’t let that take anything away from Maynard’s goal. City may have ended up losing this game, but Maynard’s strike was a superb individual effort – controlling the ball with two fabulous touches before volleying the shot past a helpless Cerny in the QPR goal. If you haven’t already seen it I suggest you do, it’s as good a goal I think you will ever see!

Best Decision Of The Season So Far: Barnsley Hiring Mark Robins

I remember hearing a few Barnsley fans who were unhappy at the club hiring Robins’ from Rotherham, but he is one fantastic manager. When he took over the club was at the foot of the Championship, yet Robins’ has helped the club up the league and gained the respect of the Yorkshire outfit’s fans. Fantastic wins against West Brom, Blackpool and Cardiff have steered the club into more control and Robins’ must take plenty of the credit for that. As a Newcastle fan I went to our game against them at Oakwell and it is clear to see how confident he has got his team playing and every player gives 110%.

Worst Decision Of The Season So Far: Plymouth V Barnsley Replay

This was a tough decision and Barnsley are involved once again. If you are a regular reader you may have read my post slamming Peterborough’s decision to part ways with Darren Ferguson but the Plymouth V Barnsley game at home park was a whole different story which raises all sorts of questions regarding common sense in football. Barnsley were 4-1 up in the 2nd half but weather conditions got so bad (in the referee’s opinion) that the game was called off after 58 minutes. Barnsley were understandably upset at the decision, particularly when football league rules state that the game must be replayed from the start at a later date. The conditions did look bad, but do you really need to restart the game from 0-0 when Barnsley were dominating? If anything the game should restart from 58 minutes at 4-1 – Plymouth is not exactly the easiest place to get to. Barnsley fans were promised that their tickets for the replay would be free, but travel costs alone are quite expensive on that particular journey – I’m sure the tykes would gladfully of taken the three points!

Best Signing Of The Season So Far: Doncaster Rover’s Loan Of Billy Sharp

Many football fans have a keen fondness for Sharp, particularly because he has fired their own team to victory numerous times on their football manager game. The young front man struggled in his time at Sheffield United, but a loan move to local Doncaster has seen the player rekindle the form he showed at Scunthope United and he seems to be enjoying his football more than ever. Who knows, maybe he felt too much pressure at United but Doncaster has put him back on the map. Donny will be hoping that the Blades don’t decide to recall the striker earlier to cash in on his good form as he has been their key player this season.

Worst Signing Of The Season So Far: Ipswich Town’s Signing Of Tamas Priskin For £1.7m

In this league £1.7m is a lot of money. It seems even more when its a striker who has got you one goal all season. Priskin may be the stem of all Keane’s problems as his price tag would suggest that the Irishman was intending to base a team around Priskin and he has been less than impressive so far. Priskin is probably lacking a lot of confidence at the moment and Keane should keep the faith with him, Brendan Rodgers proved at Watford that the big Czech hitman can get you the goals if you implement him in the correct way.

Best Game Of The Season So Far: Nottingham Forrest 3-2 Derby County

It’s a big derby that hasn’t got the recognition it really deserves considering both sides have fallen from grace slightly. Last Season Derby beat Forrest 3-2 in this fixture, so Forrest were obviously keen to prove a point and took a commanding 3-0 lead at half time. Nigel Clough obviously got his players fired up at the break and a fortuitous own goal followed by a Jake Livermore strike meant that there was everything to play for in this thrilling local encounter. Forrest held out and took home the bragging rights. I bet Derby will be determined to get one over on their rivals when the sides meet at Pride Park in 2010.

Best Manager Of The Season So Far: Billy Davies – Nottingham Forrest

As mentioned above, Forrest are having a great season and much of that can be credited to their fantastic manager Davies. It could have been easy (especially as a born and bred Geordie) to give this award to Chris Hughton at Newcastle United, but Davies has guided his team up the table without the resources Hughton possesses. 15 games unbeaten is a fantastic achievement for any club and Forrest can only go from strength to strength. Davies never really got a chance with Derby in the Premiership; he will be hoping he can get this opportunity with Forrest.

The One To Look Out For: Tom Cleverly – Watford

He may be on loan from Manchester United, but this lad can strike fear into any defence. Many clubs have their eyes on the young red devil – his performances for Watford have not gone unnoticed and the 20 year old has been a star for the Hornets. A clever player on the ball who shows bags of confidence, he is a player who improves with every game he plays and any young Englishman that puts the effort in on the pitch is bound to be coveted by a number of league sides.

Best Player Of The Season So Far: Kevin Nolan - Newcastle United

A player that never really did anything for the Toon in the premiership has exploded into life this season and has been one of the driving forces behind Newcastle’s surge to the top of the table. The former Bolton captain has put a number of defences to the sword and Newcastle will be confident that if they can keep their star midfield man in the transfer window then they will bounce back to the Premier league at the first time of asking.

So there you have it. But remember, that’s only my opinion. Do you agree? If not why don’t you leave a comment and let us know here at Championship talk! Hope you all had a great Christmas and heres to hoping that you and your football team has a great new year!

The 5^th round of the FA Cup gets underway this Saturday and Sunday and the question is will there be any upsets or will it be business as usual?

Watford v Chelsea – Vicarage Road

Just last week I would have said there was no chance of Watford pulling an upset but I’m not sure. With Chelsea playing poor football and Scolari being sacked just 4 days before the match how will Chelsea react? Will they come out and have a hangover or will they take any anger over their managers dismissal out on Watford? The talent gulf is clear between the two clubs but that doesn’t always guarantee a victory. Watford does have the home pitch advantage which will help boost them. However, I still think Chelsea will squeak by Watford 2-1 but it won’t be pretty.

Derby County v Manchester United Episode III  “Revenge of the Rams?”- Pride Park

This will be the third time Derby and United have faced off this year, with Derby taking the first leg of the Carling Cup 1-0 and United taking the tie and second leg 4-2. I give Derby a 15% chance of springing the upset on United. Derby are playing good football right now, Rob Hulse and Kris Commons are on hot streaks and Commons has showed he not intimidated by United. Pride Park will be a sell out and the Rams fans will be loud and in full support of Derby. However United are full of talent and if they play like they can, Derby wont stand a chance. I think Derby will do well but I expect United to take this 3-2.

Swansea City v Fulham – Liberty Stadium

This is a battle of two teams who are performing above expectations in their respective leagues. Swansea City is showing it can handle life in the Championship with no problems while Fulham are having a good year after barely escaping relegation last season. Swansea isn’t afraid of any team and they will be playing at home which will help Fulham dispatched non-league Kettering Town while Swansea struggled to beat non-league Histon. I think Fulham will take this tie but it depends on which Swansea team shows up that will determine the score, my guess 3-1 Fulham.

Blackburn Rovers v Coventry City – Ewood Park

I sense an upset here, Blackburn are not playing well at all while Chris Coleman has Coventry doing well in the Championship. Blackburn struggled to get past fellow BPL team Sunderland while Coventry likewise had issues with BSP Torquay. I think out of all the ties this one has the best chance for an upset. Coleman has Coventry believing they can win and Blackburn are having a bad season. My guess 2-1 Coventry.

Sheffield United v Hull City – Bramell Lane

The surprise package of the BPL travels to a solid Sheffield United squad. While United are playing well and on track for the CCC playoffs, Hull are having a magical season in the BPL. They are not afraid of anyone which has contributed to their success. Hull takes this 1-0 in typical Hull fashion.

Arsenal v Cardiff City 4^th Round replay – Emirates Stadium

Cardiff did well to hold Arsenal in the first match but I think Arsenal will show their class in the replay of the tie. The talented youngsters Wenger has at his disposal is frightening. Arsenal to advance 4-2.

Sadly I see this weekend as a continuation of business as usual for the FA Cup. Other then Coventry springing an upset on Blackburn I think it will be a clean sweep for the BPL Clubs. I hope and would love to be proven wrong and of course Lets Go Ewe Rams!!

The magic of the FA Cup was on display during the replay of the Derby-Nottingham Forest cup tie. This was more then just your average Derby match, the rivalry between these two clubs is fierce and the fact that one club has the opportunity to knock the other out of the oldest cup competition makes it even more intense. There are so many underlying stories of this tie that add to it: Kris Commons a former Forest player returns to the City Ground against his old club, Derby have not won at the City Ground since October 1971, Nigel Clough, the son of legendary Forest and Derby manager Brian Clough is on the Derby touchline and former Derby Manager Billy Davies is on the Forest Touchline. If that wasn’t enough, the first leg ended 1-1 at Pride Park after a scrappy match with tempers flaring.

The match started out nightmarish for Derby as they went down 1-0 in under one minute when Chris Cohen took his own short corner and put the ball into the top corner leaving Derby Keeper Stephen Bywater unable to save. It went from bad to worse if you were a Derby fan when Bywater brought down Nathan Tyson for a penalty. Stephen Bywater was luck to not see red since he stopped a goal scoring opportunity, Tyson then stepped up and put the ball into the top right corner. Derby were now down 2-0 and only 14 minutes had passed. It looked as if Forest would get the best of their rivals and bragging rights would be theirs but with a cup tie things were about to change. Derby refused to give up and on 27 minutes, Rob Hulse headed in a cross from Gary Teale to give Derby a lifeline, it was now 2-1 to Forest. No changes were made when both teams came out for the second half and Derby came out on fire, Paul Green equalized on 59 minutes heading it home from Teale who had his second assist of the match. Game on! The moment that made this tie was yet to come and showed why the magic of the FA Cup was alive in this tie. Derby winger Kris Commons was jeered every time he touched the ball by the Forest faithful who considered him a traitor for signing with Derby over the summer. He didn’t let that bother him and was shooting all match long, in the 73 minute that persistence would pay off. He blasted a shot that deflected off Forest defender Wes Morgan. Derby fans went wild, they had come from 2-0 down to take a 3-2 lead. Derby held on for the win and a home tie against Manchester United in the 5^th round.

This tie had everything a football fan could hope for, drama in both legs of the tie, two clubs and fans who don’t like each other and never will, underlying stories and dramatic winners. This tie showed that while both teams may not play in the BPL that doesn’t mean you can’t have a good cup tie. The FA Cup magic was on full display during this tie and showed how magical it truly can be.

It will be an all Premiership final once again in the Carling Cup, Derby and Burnley were beaten in the two leg tie but battled all the way. Derby came into the second leg of the tie with a slim 1-0 advantage but were beaten 4-2 and 4-3 on aggregate. Manchester United dominated the second leg storming to a 3-0 lead thanks to goals by Nani, O’Shea, and Tevez. Giles Barnes hit back in the 80th minute with penalty but Ronaldo sealed Derby’s fate with a penalty in the 89th minute. Barnes however never gave up and scored in extra time. It wasnt enough for Derby but for Derby fans it was good to see Barnes back playing after his lengthy absence due to a knee injury.

Burnley faced an uphill battle against Spurs after going down 4-1 in the first leg. That deficit didnt seem to matter as Burnley took a 3-0 lead in normal time to knot the tie at 4-4. In extra time Burnley hearts were broken as Spurs scored two goals to take the tie 6-4 on aggregate. Burnley battled all through the tie, dominating Spurs most of the match. It was only in extra time did Spurs finally get the winner to progress to thier second consecutive Carling Cup Final.

Two Championship sides remain in the hunt for the Carling Cup, Derby County thanks to an injury time penalty winner via Nathan Ellington over Stoke and Burnley 3-0 winners over Arsenal. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are the other two clubs in the draw. The draw for the two legged semi-final will be held on Saturday December 6th on Sky Sports. Will Derby and Burnley face one another or will they have to overcome Premiership opposition for a shot at the Carling Cup and a spot in the UEFA Cup? We will find out on Saturday and the path to the Carling Cup will become somewhat clearer.

Three Championship teams remain in the hunt for the Carling Cup and there will be no all Championship ties for the quarter-finals. The fixtures will be played on December 2, and at 2:45 pm eastern time. Here are the opponents for the three remaining Championship clubs:

Stoke City v Derby County – Britannia Stadium

Burnley v Arsenal – Turf Moor

Watford v Tottenham – Vicarage Road Stadium

Manchester United v Blackburn – Old Trafford

This season Derby County fans launched a site for all who are Rams fans and those who are not that covered each Derby match home and away. The site http://match.therams.co.uk/ is free to register on and provides commentary as well as fan banter throughout the match. For Rams fans who are unable to attend Derby matches for whatever reason, this is a great resource to keep up with the Rams as they push for an immediate return to the BPL.

If other Championship clubs have sites like this, email me and I’ll be glad to get them out for any fans who may not know of them. I know as an American, its hard to get Championship matches and I am sure it is the same way for anyone not in the UK. So let me know if there are sites like this one so you can enjoy your clubs season.

The Carling Cup returns on Tuesday and four Championship sides are still in the mix for the Cup.Here are the fixtures for Round Four of the Carling Cup.

Derby County v Leeds United – Pride Park Stadium 2:45 pm est

Swansea City v Watford – Liberty Stadium 2:45 pm est

Manchester United v QPR – Old Trafford 3:00 pm est

November 12:

Chelsea v Burnley – Stamford Bridge 2:45 pm est

Round Five will be played the week of December 1st. When the draw is announced I’ll post who and where the remaining Championship Clubs will be playing.