Timing is an all-important quality in sport, just as it is in the art of clock-making.Carlos Tevez's hat-trick on Monday night, coming on the back of the Argentina forward being voted December's player of the month, took his goal tally for the season to 15.
The accusation levelled at Tevez when his advisors were haggling for a new contract at Old Trafford was that he didn't score enough goals to warrant a £25 million price tag. Maybe that was true to an extent although his tenacious industry combined with his unselfishness in front of goal made Tevez a valuable team player. Now that the scarred/scarfed assassin has 10 goals in seven matches his absence in the red half of Manchester is being sorely felt. Bet365 make Tevez a 9-4 shot to outscore Wayne Rooney (the United man currently leads 14-12 in Premier League goals).
When the combined talents of Tevez and Ronaldo left Old Trafford last summer United lost an awful lot in the way of forward line firepower. Fans are increasingly beginning to question why Sir Alex Ferguson isn't investing the fortune he acquired for Ronaldo on strengthening his goal-shy squad.
Despite denials from Ferguson, the cynics are beginning to suspect the profit being generated by the club is being siphoned off to meet crippling interest payments. The last interest statement at United was so big the Glazers heard a drum roll before they opened it.
When the world's biggest club was in desperate need of an equaliser against Birmingham on a freezing Saturday evening to keep their title ambitions alive they turned to a little-known Senegal striker making his debut. Mame Biram Diouf, who donned the No. 32 shirt, formerly worn by Carlos Tevez, may turn out to be a wonderful player but at this stage of his career his effectiveness cannot be compared to that of Tevez.
United also had Michael Owen on the bench however Fergie opted not to call on his fading predatory instincts, raising doubts about his United and England future. With the inconsistent Dimitar Berbatov likely in need of an operation United fans are crying out for a world-class striker to be added to their squad during the January transfer window.
It's ironic that the two teams that have been England's most successful in the top flight over the last four decades - Liverpool and United – are both owned by Americans and both saddled with a startling amount of debt.
Liverpool are in a far worse state than United. Co-owner Tom Hicks's claim that his club will "spend big" in the summer rings hollow. Hicks says Liverpool's debt is manageable although £200 million strikes as tough to manage as Rafa Benitez's misfiring team.
Hicks said: "January is a poor quality market. The summer window will be big." Hicks Jr said much the same thing but using earthier language.
The summer transfer window may well be busy for Liverpool in terms of a fire sale. In order to have a fire sale you need the fire first and the smoke signals are emanating from Anfield. The club lie five points behind fourth-placed high flyers Manchester City, a club unlikely to consider January a bad time to lure, tempt, prise and cherry pick the world's most sought after players.
Benitez has admitted that should Liverpool fail to cement a top-four finish they would almost certainly have to cash in on their two prize assets – Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. The vultures are circling and at the transfer prices and wage levels those two players would command City would be one of the few clubs able to accommodate their demands, them and Portsmouth.
When you consider the shrewdest judges of them all, the bookies, Liverpool are as big as 2-1 (bet365) to finish in the top four with City a 5-6 chance suggesting that the writing is on the wall. Chelsea (1-50), Man United (1-20) and Arsenal (1-7) are considered nailed-on certainties to occupy their usual slots among the top four. Spurs are also available at 2-1 with Villa, who lost momentum over the Christmas, 4-1 shots.
If the writing is on the wall at Liverpool then Portsmouth are the club considered the most likely to go to the wall. Following former Birmingham owner David Sullivan's comments that it is "probably odds on" that one Premier League club will collapse this year, Paddy Power has installed the South coast club at just 1-5 to be the first to go. Having not paid their players on several occasions this season Portsmouth have endured a torrid time on and off the field following two messy takeovers and a chairman spotted as frequently as Lord Lucan.
In terms of a midweek punt I'll be having a small bet on the Championship's in-form team beating the Premier League's men of the moment. Nottingham Forest are 7-2 to beat Birmingham over 90 minutes in their FA Cup third round replay and 15-8 to qualify for the next round, both prices are with Ladbrokes. I'll be backing both with small stakes.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
What a lot of tripe.