Ince staying with Blackpool.

Thomas Ince has declared he is staying with Blackpool after the 6-0 win over Ipswich . He said in an interview "Of course I'll be staying, I have to put tremendous faith back into Blackpool." 

"A year ago I was playing reserve team football, and the gaffer and chairman brought me here. It took me a while to find my feet but, from January onwards, I've enjoyed my football.

"Getting the goal at Wembley really lifted me and I knew I had to take that consistency on. The first three games have gone well for me and I have to keep doing that.

"My faith is in Blackpool. These players and this club allow me to express myself."

Tom Ince celebrating after scoring against Ipswich. 

He has also had a big influence from his farther Paul Ince, who him self being a footballer at international levels, advised to him to stay put with Blackpool. In an interview Ince said one of his biggest influences is his father. Thomas Ince has already scored more goals in his career, "I always say to my dad, I’ve scored more goals than you already in my career’ – but it’s not about my dad, it is about me and being my own man." but he also added they are not completely  the same "In fact, I'm the opposite to him in many ways. He has this stern look and has an opinion about most things, where as I am a lot quieter, much more laid back. 'While he was a midfield enforcer, I was always much more interested in taking the ball past players, rather than off them. My idol has always been Ryan Giggs, and it is weird to think he lodged with us for six months when he started out at united."

Thomas Ince with has dad at a Blackpool friendly. 

It looks like young Tom Ince is staying for the rest of the season, his is a fantastic player and has served Blackpool tremendously so far and we can only hope the future star can carry on doing so. 

Bristol City vs Cardiff City Match Report

Match Report: Bristol City vs Cardiff City

Bristol City Team:                                                         Cardiff City Team:
1. Tom Heaton                                                                  1. David Marshall
3. Mark Wilson                                                                 2. Kevin McNaughton
4. Liam Fontaine                                                               3. Andrew Taylor 
6. Louis Carey                                                                   5. Mark Hudson
17. Greg Cunningham                                                       12. Matthew Connolly
27. Albert Adomah (Davies 84)                                          7. Peter Whittingham
14. Cole Skuse                                                                  8. Don Cowie
15. Stephen Pearson                                                         14. Tommy Smith (Velikonja 75)
11. Martyn Woolford                                                        17. Aron Gunnarson (Mason 46)
18. Ryan Taylor (Elliot 74)                                                18. Jordan Mutch (Ralls 80)
9. Jon Stead (Baldock 64)                                                 22. Heider Helguson



Bristol City started the game much brighter than Cardiff creating opportunities all over the pitch, and when Mark Hudson headed a Bristol cross on to the crossbar you knew things were going to get tough. Peter Whittingham had a chance to put Cardiff a goal up with a 25 yard strike that was saved by ex goalkeeper Tom Heaton and as Bristol kept the tempo high and Adomah blazed the ball round the post after about 25 mins, Eventually Bristol broke the deadlock with Stephen Pearson scoring from inside the box in the 33rd minute.   
15 minutes later Jon Stead held off a challange from debutant Matthew Connolly before freeing Martyn Woolford who calmly stroked the ball past keeper David Marshall.

After the half time break Malky Mackay decided to substitute midfielder Aron Gunnarson for exiting young striker Joe Mason which proved to be a fantastic change with the player turning in Hudson's header before Heaton could get to the ball, 7 minutes Jon Stead was replaced by Sam Baldock and almost instantly got a goal,cutting in from the Cardiff left but his shot grazed the side netting and resulted in a goal kick, and as Cardiff went up the other end of the pitch they had there best chance of a equaliser Don Cowie found Smith free on the left who squared the ball for Peter Whittingham who spun the ball just wide off the goal, The miss proved costly as when Woolford set up Baldock for a dream debut goal he could only smack the post but Woolford was there to finish the rebound. With only 11 minutes left Cardiff brought on Velikonja and ralls to replace Mutch and Smith and this helped change the course of the game as Ralls played a ball through for Mason who crossed for Kevin McNaughton his shot was poor but fell straight to Helguson who was never going to miss from a couple of yards out, Cardiff started pressing for a dramatic equaliser but when Greg Cunningham cut out a pass and slipped a ball through between Hudson and McNaughton, Sam Baldock had the easiest of chances and made no mistake killing off the game. The final whistle blew and Bristol City had won the Sevenside derby 4-2    

Match Stats:
                       Bristol:                       Cardiff:
Possession         55%                            45%
Shots On             6                                  8
Shots Off            7                                  6
Corners               5                                  6
Fouls                  10                                  7

Bolton vs Nottingham Forest: Match Report. 

Bolton kicked off their third game in the Championship at home to Nottingham Forest, a challenging team who finished with 50pts last season. 

Bolton Wanderers                                   Nottingham Forest

01- Bogdan.                                             01- Camp.

02- Mears(Yellow Card).                         03- Harding.

04- Mills.                                                  05- Collins.

12- Knight(Yellow Card).                         15- Halford.

18- Ricketts.                                             18- Moloney(Yellow Card).

07- Eagles.                                                04- Gillett.

08- Andrews.                                            07- Guedioura(Yellow Card- Hutchinson-81").

16- M.Davies.                                           10- McGuan(Greening-90").

27- Lee.                                                    11- Reid(Yellow Card).             

14- K.Davies(Yellow Card).                     19- Cox.

19- Sordell(Afobe-68")                             23- Blackstock.

Sordell fires home Bolton's second.

Both teams started lively-both creating plenty of chances. Nottingham Forest just had the edge. The first save of the night came from Adam Bogdan, 7 minutes into the game and a low shot from Lewis McGugan sprung Bogdan into action. However, just 8 minutes later it was McGugan again with a cracking shot from 20yards that sailed in, with Bogdan being well beaten- a brilliant goal which was a wake up call for the Wanderers. Bolton now were creating more chances, Sordell's header being deflected wide. Plus Eagles's and K.Davies's link up work, which should of resulted in a corner to The Trotters, however the Referee, Whitestone had other idea's. Still not quite sold on him, he and his linesman missed points during the game-resulting in both sets of fans aggravated at some stage of the game. The score-board leveled in the 39" when a header from Kevin Davies beaten the keeper, but was denied by the post, Eagles sharply followed up with a blast of a shot firing past the keeper. At this part of the game, Bolton were on top, winning most challenges and dominating in possession. We had one last chance to take the lead before half-time, a cross from Eagles's was met by the head of Sordell, a great opportunity but Camp tipped over the crossbar. The half-time score was 1-1, a much better end to the half than it was at the start. 

Andy Reid celebrates a Nottingham Forest equaliser. 

A dream start to the second half a Bolton fan could say, 48 minutes in and Forest defender Halford was put under great pressure by Skipper Kevin Davies, Halford made a meal of it, practically gifting the ball to Davies, he then layed onto Sordell who slammed the ball into the bottom right corner. Marvin's first Bolton Wanderers league goal- a brilliant goal which came from nothing. A second chance came to Sordell in the 51" minute, yet another superb cross by Eagles's which was again met by the head of Sordell, but this time it was scooped over the bar. Things stopped going Bolton's way in the 57" minute, when a long ball flew over our Midfield, leaving Matt Mills under severe pressure, Mills didn't react well to this- his direction from his header went wrong, which lead Reid in on goal. Reid's shot was pinged in from the post, another great goal from the away team. After this goal there was limited chances for Bolton to nick it, a chance came to M.Davies, his diving headed effort went just wide, and then a corner from Chung Yong-Lee met K.Davies who fired over the cross-bar. The end result was 2-2, a fair result definitely, both teams had chances to take the lead in the second half, but couldn't deliver when needed. 

MATCH STATS-

Possession- Bolton: 44% Nottingham Forest: 56%. 

Shots- Bolton: 15 Nottingham Forest: 13.

Shots on Target: Bolton: 7 Nottingham Forest: 6.

Corners: Bolton: 8 Nottingham Forest: 7.

Fouls: Bolton: 16 Nottingham Forest: 14. 

Bolton's next game is in the Capital One Cup, away to Crawley Town. Location: Broadfield Stadium. Date: 28th August. Kick Off: 19:45. Tickets are available on the Official Bolton Wanderers website. 

Thanks for reading, feedback is great. The Bolton Blogger. 

Bolton 2-0 Derby; Match Report

Davies and Eagles Seal Whites Win. 

Bolton Wanderers played their second game in the new Championship season against Derby last night, our first game back at The Reebok Stadium. After a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Burnley, everybody knew Bolton had to step up their quality. The Bolton team which started the match was: Bogdan, Mears, Mills, Knight, Ricketts, Eagles, M.Davies, Andrews, Chungy, K.Davies and Sordell.  

K.Davies celebrating with players after his goal.

The first half showed a Wanderers improvement from Burnley, however we still lacked something. Despite this, we still had various chances to take the lead, as did Derby. A chance came to Eagles in the 5th minute, after Chungy's wide strike Eagles used his own pace to race past the Derby defence, however he sliced it into the side-netting. Derby's Conor Sammon looked a force, he held up the ball well and could be a handful for some defenders this season. A massive penalty shout came for the Wanderers in the 12th minute, Mark Davies was brought down by James O'Connor after powering through from a great ball by Chungy. Despite chances being made in the first half, the Referee Pawson blew his whistle and the score remained 0-0. 

Chris Eagles in action with Gareth Roberts. 

No changes were made at half-time for Bolton. Owen Coyle must have had an inspiring chat in the interval as the Wanderers were a different side in the second half, much more quick and re-boosted. A chance came again to Chris Eagles in the 52nd minute, his deflected shot blasted past the Derby defence was nervously pushed over by Fielding. Sordell was substituted for young starlet Benik Afobe, who has looked sharp during pre-season. Afobe showed his talent in the 65th minute, Kevin Davies chipped a ball over the Derby defence, it landed in Afobe's path however the keeper denied Benik's efforts. More chances came for both teams, with Bolton looking more likely to land one in the net. That perfect chance was well taken in the 75th minute, Super Kevin Davies striked home for The Trotters, proving all critics he can deliver, a superb volley from The Skipper. This boosted Bolton even more, Derby were looking desperate and wasting passes and chances, Bolton definitely looked the more comfortable and composed side. Soon after K.Davies goal, Chris Eagles's battled through the Derby defence and smashed home the second, the three points were in the bag for The Whites now, a brilliant second half sealed Bolton the win. The Bolton team which finished the game was: Bogdan, Mears, Knight(yellow), Mills(yellow), Ricketts, Eagles, Andrews, M.Davies(yellow), Chungy, K.Davies, Afobe. 

Well, Bolton's first Championship three points is now on the board, Derby were the better team in the first-half, however couldn't collaborate on their chances, which cost them the game. Our next game is on Friday 24th, we face Notts Forest at home, kick-off: 19:45. Let's get some more points on the board. Come on you white men. Thanks for reading. 

The Bolton Blogger. 

Match Report: Everton 1-0 Manchester United

Well which is more surprising; Manchester United losing their first opening game since 2008 or Everton, who  are perennial slow starters hitting the ground running?

It is clear that the arrival of Robin Van Persie gained most of the attention but the former Arsenal man found himself on the bench for the opening game at goodison.With the spotlight on Manchester United and their makeshift back four it came as a surprise to many that United became unstuck going forward. With injuries to Evans, Smalling, Jones and Ferdinand, Michael Carrick was forced to partner Vidic at Centre Back and Antonio Valencia was stationed in the right back position. But the front 4 of Rooney, Welbeck, Kagawa and Nani seemed to struggle when it came to creating chances which left many wondering why Van Persie was still on the bench at the start of the second half. The main positives to take from a United point of view was the abilty of Shinji Kagawa settling very quickly and the performance of David De Gea will fill the fans with confidence ,about if their goalkeeper was really up to the task, after a mixed start at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Everton, had no trouble creating chances due to the aerial threat of Jelavic and Man of the Match Fellaini. David De Gea found himself the busiest of the two keepers but silenced many critics with a splendid first half performance keeping his side in the game. It was inevitable that if Everton were going to break the deadlock it would be from a set piece and questions were asked about the way United set up during corners, especially criticizing the decision that Carrick would have the job to mark Fellaini, whilst Vidic picked up Jagielka. This strange decision on United's behalf was one that would ultimately result in the Everton goal. It was also a positive sign from an Everton point of view that Phil Jagielka put in a performance he wont better all season, which on any other day could of snagged him the Man of the Match award.

Everton started the brighter of the two sides with the crowd proving to be the 12th man giving the extra momentum in every attack.

Due to Everton's bright start David De Gea was put to the test and prevailed proving to be the best player in the first half, arguably single handedly keeping United in the fixture.

However,  he was run a close second by Fellaini, playing just behind striker Nikica Jelavic, who was the dominant force in United's penalty area.

The Belgium international had already headed over Leighton Baines' corner before he collected a throw-in and turned into the penalty area, holding off Carrick, to hit the post from the narrowest of angles.

Fellaini later turned provider using his physical presence to allow him to chest one into the path of Steven Pienaar and Leon Osman on separate occasions to bring the best out of David De Gea.

De Gea later denied Jelavic, tipped over a long-range Pienaar header and flung himself to his left to save the South Africa midfielder's low shot before preventing Baines' deflected free-kick sneaking into the top corner.

It was not completely one sided as United mustered up chances of their own but were neither as good or as frequent as the hosts.

Danny Welbeck, who could find himself replace by Robin Van Persie, failed to conjure up any clear goal scoring chances partnered with a rather below average performance from Wayne Rooney, none of his attempts causing Howard much trouble throughout.

Fellaini's ravaging of the United defence continued after the interval as his header across goal was smashed against the crossbar by Leon Osman with De Gea, for once, beaten.

With Everton again hitting the woodwork their players and fans knew they were on the front foot and the game was theirs for the taking.

The big Belgian was finally rewarded for his outstanding display with a goal in the 57th minute when former Red Devil Gibson swung over a corner and he left Carrick sprawling on the turf to power home a header. The struggling Michael Carrick was at the centre of the discussion of why Vidic wasn't marking Evertons biggest aerial threat.

The Introduction of Robin Van Persie followed in the 68th minute and he looked promising with the few touches he had, with his highlight being a perfectly weighted nutmeg pass which found it's way to Shinji Kagawa who was unfortunately smothered by Tim Howard causing the ball to ricochet out for a goal kick.

One clear cut chance was really created from United and it was more luck than judgement that the ball fell to the feet of Tom Cleverly inside the box. The Olympian squandered a golden opportunity to level it up with a remarkable goal line clearance from Phil Jagielka resulting in more frustration for the away supporters.

Continuing into the latter stages of the game United dominated possession but couldn't break down the Evertonian back line as they parked the bus in search of an opening day victory.

Full Time Score: Everton 1-0 Manchester United 

Stephan Dobbie and Blackpool

We all know Swansea's Stephen Dobbie is open for offers but what excatly is happening with him?

 

On loan to blackpool:

Well Stephan Dobbie first joined Blackpool in 2010 on loan for the season. He had 19 appearances and in them he scored 5 goals. Dobbie was also was there and played in the 2010 play off finals. Then on the 22nd March Blackpool re-signed the Swansea's Stephan Dobbie on loan where he appeared in the championship play off final. 

Stephan Dobbie for Blackpool VS Nottingham Forest

What's happening now:

It is said that Blackpool have now agreed on a £300,000 transfer but Swansea have dismissed the claim. A Swansea spokesman said "there's a lot of interest from a number of clubs regarding Stephan, However nothing has been agreed with any of them." The main interest has come from Blackpool, Bristol city and Celtic and there's minor interest from a few other clubs. Blackpool are the most likely to sign him having done so on loan twice in the past and being a fan favourte makes him likely to come with Blackpool already having made an offer. Stephan Dobbie although liking Blackpool said he is determined to prove his worth to the new Swansea manager and said he was not given a fair chance under Rodgers last season.

But nobody knowswhere he is going and not going to and we can only wait to find out where he is going.

Interview with James Tarkowski

Its always a privilege for a journalist to interview a footballer, whether they be playing at Non-League level or on the biggest stages of them all, its a brilliant opportunity to ask players questions about their career and more.

So I caught up with Oldham Athletic defender James Tarkowski and talked all things football, about his partnership with Jean-Yves M'Voto, the greatest player he has ever come up against, footballing inspirations and more.

Josh: Towards the end of last season, you really worked your into the starting 11 at Oldham and established yourself as a first-team regular, what do you put that down to?

James: It was a mixture of a few things really, one was working hard in training to keep myself in good condition. Also playing well for the reserves and then abit of luck with other player in my positions getting injuries or suspensions.

Josh: Since breaking into the first-team, you have formed a terrific partnership with Jean-Yves M’Voto, what is it like playing alongside such a strong defender in the air, does it help your performance?

James: Playing with Jean you can have the confidence that he is going to win all his headers and defend well, that helps me concentrate on my own game more. He also brings some experience even though he isn’t that old, he has played a lot of league games at this level.

Josh: What was it like to finally make your debut in January 2011 against Brentford, was it a relief to finally get some action on the pitch after a lot of hard work?

James: It came as a big surprise for me to be honest, all of a sudden I was thrown into a men’s game which I had little experience in and I had to grow up quick if I wanted to stay at that level.

Josh: You’ve now made 25 appearances for Latics, are you hoping to get even more game time this season?

James: I hope to play every game this season, obviously there’s certain factors which will affect that such as fitness, suspensions and performances. But I just want to do my best for the club and myself.

Josh: With the season just around the corner, what do you personally feel is the realistic target that Latics can achieve this season?

James: We just want to put ourselves in a good position come the last 10 games of the season and give ourselves a chance of fighting for promotion. Everybody knows our budget isn’t massive but the manager has brought in some very good players into a good squad, you never know what can happen.

Josh: You started the friendly victory against Man City, what was it like to be up against some of the greatest players in the world?

James: A great experience I won’t forget, to play against players of there ability showed how talented and gifted people are at the top of their game.

Josh: What is it like to play under Paul Dickov, what sort of managerial style does he posses do you think?

James: The minimum he wants from his players is to give everything you have on the pitch and listen to instructions given to us. And if we do that week in week out, we will have a good chance.

Josh: How was you feeling when you netted your first goal on the final day of last season?

James: It was a special moment in my career, I’d been close a few times but to finally score a professional goal finished my season on a very high note.

Josh: Who in your opinion is the greatest player you have come up against?

James: I must say Samir Nasri, his ability to keep the ball under pressure is something I had never been faced with before. Composure and footwork was world-class.

Josh: What do you make of the signings that Oldham have made, can they make a huge impact this season?

James: We’ve brought in Premier League experience with Lee Croft and Jonathan Grounds, then some young lads like myself trying to make a name for themselves in the game. All have fitted in well and there’s great morale around the team.

Josh: In pre-season Oldham seem to be playing some super football, is playing entertaining football something Latics are trying to do this season?

James: Our main aim is to win games, but if we can entertain fans with good passing and movement with goals at the end, then all the better.

Josh: Your still only young, but what do you hope to have achieved in football, come the end of your career?

James: To play at the highest level possible, where that is for me I’m yet to know, but I will work hard and hopefully it will pay off for me.

Josh: From the stands, Dean Furman looks quite a vocal guy on the pitch, is he a good leader?

James: He’s a good leader in a couple of ways. Not only is he vocal, he sets good examples on and off the pitch. One of the most dedicated players I’ve worked with and will give you his everything every time we train or play.

Josh: Growing up, who was your footballing inspiration or role model?

James: I grew up a United fan, so with the likes of Beckham and Scholes, I had to admire their ability and hope that one day I could play at the same level as them.

Josh: Even though its far away, what do you see yourself doing after your career?

James: Not too sure If I’m honest, never really thought about it. I’ll see where my football career goes then I will plan from then on. I would love to do the coaching side one day but it’s not something I’ve planned yet.

Josh: Ronaldo or Messi?

James: Ronaldo, he played for United.

Josh: Chocolate or Sweets?

James: Sweets for me.

Josh: Left-footed players or Right-footed players?

James: I’ll stay loyal and go with right.

Josh: Olympics or Paralympics?

James: Both, I have a cousin with no lower limbs who played Wheel-chair tennis at a very high level.

Josh: League 1 or Premier League?

James: For now League 1, in the future Premier League.

RVP is now a 'Red Devil', in more than 1 way!

Robin van Persie’s decision to join Manchester United will surely mystify not just Arsenal supporters, but football supporters in general. Why would he join a team who didn’t even win a trophy last season ahead one of the best club sides in the world in Barcelona, or moneybags PSG, or league champions Manchester City or Juventus? The answer is not simple, but one reason may be the power-pull of Manchester United. They may not have won the Premier League last season, but they have a sort-of power-pull that means the majority of the world would say they would either want to play for Barcelona, with Messi and co, or Manchester United. As a footballer you want to play for the club that everyone else wants to play for. Van Persie wanted to stay in England, which put Barcelona out of the question, leaving Manchester United as the option if you want to be adored worldwide. Van Persie obviously preferred playing for a popular team than earning £200,000 sitting on the bench at Manchester City. That is the trouble now. Players either want to earn bags of money, or be adored worldwide.

Manchester City 3-2 Southampton: Match report

Southampton, a team oozing with pride and confidence after back to back promotions with manager Nigel Adkins has seen them reach top flight football once again, but this trial may have come so far so soon. They take on the champions, Manchester City, at their own ground, the Etihad. It would be a suprise not to see City triumph here, but does fate have another card it wishes to play? Manager Roberto Mancini has been frustrated with the new policy denying him from making further additions to the team, but a settled side may deem formidable as players improve their rapport with one another.

Having written his name into the history books at the end of last season, Aguero started the new campaign with a moment that he will hope will not last so long in his memory.

The Argentine forward appeared to twist his knee under the sliding challenge of right-back Nathaniel Clyne – who cleanly won the ball – and, after one attempt to get back to his feet, left the Etihad Stadium on a stretcher.


Almost unnoticed amidst the worries of Aguero, Southampton had settled into the game nicely, with Ward-Prowse rushing forward with confidence from central midfield and Joleon Lescott under scrutiny for a tackle on Rodriguez in the City box.

Soon after Dzeko had replaced Aguero, Nasri flicked David Silva's pass into the path of Tevez, who spun past centre-back Jos Hooiveld into the box and was tripped by the Dutch defender's outstretched leg, leaving Howard Webb no choice but to point to the spot.

With Aguero withdrawn and other regular takers Mario Balotelli and James Milner on the bench, Silva had the chance to send City in front but his penalty was poorly struck and Kelvin Davis saved to his left.

Southampton found breaks forward more difficult to come by as the half wore on but defended resolutely, keeping Dzeko away from crosses aimed by full-backs Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy.

Southampton were five minutes away from reaching the break with the deadlock intact when Nasri, allowed too much time and space in the visitors' half, picked out Tevez with a chipped pass that the Argentine scurried on to – just staying in line with Jose Fonte – and rifled past Kelvin Davis at the near post.

Southampton did make it to the break trailing by only a goal but the game was almost put to bed shortly after the restart. Nasri, perhaps only second to Tevez in influence exerted in the first half, fought off Clyne on the left-hand side before directing a low cross into the path of Dzeko, but the Bosnian failed to get proper contact on the ball from point blank range.

Adkins had seen enough, calling Lambert to the touchline in one of two moves that would turn the game on its head, but the striker was still waiting to replace Rodriguez when Silva passed up another golden opportunity. Tevez sped down the right and forced Kelvin Davis to parry his powerful cross before the Spaniard volleyed on to the crossbar after Nasri had controlled the rebound.

It took Lambert less time to find his range and make his mark on the top flight. Guiding a Southampton attack forward, the 30-year-old superbly steered home a precise shot from the edge of the box after Lescott had blocked his attempted through ball back into his path.

The Saints' second-half possession had hovered around the 20 per cent mark and from that point it seemed that preserving their point at all costs would be the order of the day but, once again, Adkins found a way to inspire his team from the bench.
 

Steven Davis was brought into the fray this time and when Rodwell's poor pass sparked a counter-attack, the former Rangers midfielder took advantage of Adam Lallana's lay-off to find the bottom corner with another fine finish.

The story, with City trailing 2-1, seemed a familiar one and it was to take a familiar next step. This time, it did not take as long for the man who gave the fans inside the Etihad Stadium back in May a shred of hope to find an equaliser. Vincent Kompany returned Nasri's corner to the penalty area with a low shot and after Toure had scrapped for the ball it fell for Dzeko to slam home.

Substitute Balotelli failed to convert a sublime low cross from Nasri as City searched for another dramatic third goal before Dzeko glanced a header narrowly wide.

Once Dzeko had equalised, a winner seemed almost inevitable and City found it with 10 minutes still to play. Clichy's cross from the left was poorly dealt with by his opposite number Danny Fox, with Nasri making no mistake after the defender had headed the ball directly into his path.

Fonte had one chance to grab a point as Southampton pressed for a late leveller but City held out to register their first points of the new campaign. 

A promising game from the visitors as they gave city a real fight and more than likely frightened the home fans when they took the lead. But of course, this was the champions they were playing and City quickly rallied their men and began piling on the pressure once again, giving them another late drama come-back.

A good result for newly promoted Southampton and the champions scraped their first win of the campaign to defend their title as 'The champions of England.

First Impressions At Southampton

Southampton FC are back in the Premier League

This season, for the first time in seven long years, sees Southampton back in the Barclays Premier League. Back to back promotions have helped the Saints get to the top level of English football and under the watchful eye of Nicola Cortese and the late Markus Liebherr have beaten their so called "5 Year Plan", which was to get to the Premier League within 5 seasons. But will they storm the top division like Stoke, Norwich and Swansea have in past seasons or will they replicate Derby and flop straight back down to the npower Championship?

The Squad

Jay Rodriguez has signed from Burnley

Southampton have made some good signings to add to their Championship runners-up, including Burnley's top scoring Jay Rodriguez and solid Crystal Palace full back Nathaniel Clyne. They also have Premier League experience in the team with Danny Fox, Jason Puncheon and another new signing, Steve Davis, as well as goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, albeit a woeful season for the former Sunderland keeper. 



Adam Lallana is a key player for the side with plenty of assists and goals from the 23 year old midfielder and Rickie Lambert's goalscoring prowess will only help his side after getting 27 goals last year in the Championship. Jose Fonte and Jos Hooiveld will need to say strong at the back for the Saints if they want to stay in the top division. Morgan Schneiderlin will be one to watch out for this season as the young Frenchman was a big factor in Southampton's promotion. 


Nathaniel Clyne

As always, Southampton's academy have produced some future stars, this year with James Ward-Prowse, Luke Shaw, Jack Stephens and Callum Chambers, with the first two in the squad for the game against Manchester City. 

My Prediction



Steve Davis

I think that Southampton will have a decent season and after a good result against Manchester City (3-2) but will ultimately lead to no real achievements apart from evading the void that is relegation. The Saints have a better squad than Reading, with the possible exception of Pogrebnyak who I rate highly, but not quite as good as West Ham's, so ultimately I think we will come 16th.

For the rest of the league, I think Manchester City will win the league and Reading, Wigan and QPR will get relegated.

Match Report: Reading 1-1 Stoke

Adam Le Fondre helped salvage a point for the royals after a battling 1-1 display at the Madejski Stadium, after Michael Kightly gave Stoke the lead.

Reading 1-1 Stoke
Le Fondre     Kightly
(88 pen)        (34)

Reading were on top for the first 20 minutes without creating any clear cut chances. Stoke eventually got themselves into the game and took the lead when Adam Federici spilt a miss-hit shot from Michael Kightly. Reading let their nerves get the better of them and Stoke almost doubled the lead with Jonathan Walters near  post header going just wide.

The second half began with Stoke unsurprisingly on the front foot however unable to double their lead. The introduction of new signing Garath McCleary got the royals going with his speed and trickery causing problems for the Stoke defence. After with standing a heavy storm of Reading pressure, Stoke were on edge and as McCleary ran through the defence he was blatantly brought down by Stoke midfielder Dean Whitehead, after already being booked he received his marching orders. Adam Le Fondre produced an ice cool finish to give the royals a deserved equaliser. Ian Harte came close to grabbing all 3 points for Reading however hit his free-kick agonizingly over the bar.

It finished 1-1 with both teams deserving the point and McDermott can only be encouraged by what he saw in the last 20 minutes of the game.

Man of the match: Adam Le Fondre

Next fixture: Chelsea vs Reading, 22nd August

Norwich City Pre Season Review, 2012/13 Squad & Predictions.

Review

Norwich City's pre season friendlies have been a good warm up for the lads ready for the Premier League season. There has been a mixture of results, with two wins, three draws and unfortunately two losses against German opposition.

The Canaries started the friendlies off with a 3-2 loss at the hands of Hertha Berlin, with both goals coming from City striker James Vaughan. Ready to make up for the loss, Norwich travelled to Scotland for a match against SPL champions Celtic, where City and Celtic have a close relationship between both fans and players (The Norwich-Celtic Family.) Norwich finished the match victorious with a late strike from Grant Holt making it 1-0. Next up was the Championship side, Peterborough United. The Canaries netted twice through Steve Morison and James Vaughan, making the score 2-0.

Ajax traveled from Holland to face Norwich at Carrow Road, City netted first through a brilliantly taken free kick from Anthony Pilkington, only for the Dutch team to equalise with a long range drive from Danish midfielder Lasse Schöne. The match finished 1-1, with Ajax controlling most of the possession.

Next was two goalless draws away at both MK Dons and Hull City, Norwich opting to try out some of their younger members of the reserve squad. Bundesliga side, Borussia Mönchengladbach was the last team for Norwich to face before their Premier League campaign started, finishing 2-0 to the Germans, City had a good amount of possession, but unfortunately, they couldn't score against younger 'keeper Ter Stegen.

2012/13 Squad

1. John Ruddy (GK) 2. Russell Martin (DEF) 3. Steven Whittaker (DEF) 4. Bradley Johnson (MID) 6. Michael Turner (DEF) 7. Robert Snodgrass (MID) 8. Jonny Howson (MID) 9. Grant Holt (ATT) 10. Simeon Jackson (ATT) 11. Andrew Surman (MID) 12. Anthony Pilkington (MID) 13. Declan Rudd (GK) 14. Wes Hoolahan (MID) 15. David Fox (MID) 16. Steve Morison (ATT) 17. Elliott Bennett (MID) 19. James Vaughan (ATT) 20. Leon Barnett (DEF) 21. Jacob Butterfield (MID) 22. Elliott Ward (DEF) 23. Marc Tierney (DEF) 24. Ryan Bennett (DEF) 25. Chris Martin (ATT) 26. Simon Lappin (MID) 31. Jed Steer (GK) No number - Tom Adeyemi (MID) George Francomb (DEF) Javier Garrido (DEF) Korey Smith (MID)

Transfers In/Out

In: S Whittaker - Rangers (free) J Butterfield - Barnsley (free) R Snodgrass - Leeds United (undisclosed) M Turner - Sunderland (undisclosed) J Garrido - Lazio (loan)
Out: Z Whitbread (released) A Wilbraham (released) J Dawkin (released) M Ball (released) A Drury - Leeds United (free) A Crofts - Brighton & Hove Albion (undisclosed)

Verdict and Predictions

Norwich have played well under new manager Chris Hughton, and have shown a lot of attacking promise, with an equal amount of defending. New signings have been brought in the tighten up the defence and midfield and Snodgrass has been bought in to liven up the attack. I think Norwich will have a comfortable season ahead, finishing mid table, but competition will be tough, with teams like QPR investing money into world class players. James Vaughan has shown a lot of form during pre season, scoring three times, so he would be someone to watch out for. John Ruddy now has a season of Premier League action under his belt, and now he's made his England debut, he will be hoping to keep his place in the squad. Robert Snodgrass has shown a lot of promise, with exciting runs, teaming up well in midfield with ex-Leeds team mate Jonny Howson. Young Goalkeeper Jed Steer has shown future promise during training sessions, so I'm hoping he'll play a part in City's cup run this year.

     

James Vaughan

John Ruddy

Robert Snodgrass

OTBC! - www.twitter.com/studdyy

Season Preview: Reading FC

Here we are 2 days away from the new season back in the Premier League, the excitement and anticipation building. The media certainly seem to think we are doomed for bottom spot, which us reading fans rather prefer. We like to do things 'under the radar'. However the optimism within the club is extremely high with the signings we have brought, may be just may be we can surprise a few. Personally I see us fighting to avoid the drop realistically, however the last time we entered the Premier League we were 1 point of Europe.

Media Prediction: 20th, Reading's signings have added very little quality to the squad and are certainly head back down to the championship.

My Prediction: 17th, The media are talking a load of rubbish our signings have been top drawer and have added a lot of quality along with team spirit which will really drive us forwards this season.

Predicted Top Goalscorer: Pavel Pogrebnyak, The big Russian targetman certainly knows where the goal is in the Premier League, can he produce at Reading? we will have to wait and see.

Player to watch: Danny Guthrie, fantastic passer of the ball and has been our best player in pre season by far, he may be what we need to keep us in the Premier League.

Rising Star: Jordan Obita, he may not play any key role this season, however next season onwards he can be a real hit, a pacy skillful winger who can frighten defences with his trickery.

I think us Reading fans are in for one hell of a rollercoaster ride this season, we have a brilliant manager with an excellent team bond and some quality players out on pitch, who knows what we may achieve?

URZZZZZ