Thursday, March 18, 2010

Julian Speroni best keeper in the Football league

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni performed heroics to single-handedly earn a vital point for the Eagles against Barnsley at the weekend.

The Argentinean won huge praise for his performance at Oakwell on Saturday from Palace manager Paul Hart and in my opinion he is the finest stopper in the Football League and up there with the best of them in the Premier League.

Speroni joined the Eagles prior to Palace’s Premier League season in 2004/05 under Ian Dowie but after a series of blunders as number 1 was dropped and replaced by Gabor Kiraly.

But since the Hungarian’s departure from Selhurst Park Speroni has stepped up and become easily one of Palace’s best and most consistent players in recent years. He has won back-to-back player of the year awards to firmly cement himself in the hearts of Palace fans.

While many players’ form dips and troughs under different managers Speroni has continued to be at the top of his game under four different managers.

There is no question that the 31-year-old will provide a crucial role in the upcoming weeks as the Eagles battle for survival. I feel that Speroni is the player that will make the difference between Palace beating the drop come May.

Palace’s goal difference of minus one may be sniffed at by teams occupying the top spots in the league such as Newcastle who boast plus 40. But I find Speroni’s record impressive because of the lack of defensive quality he has in front of him.

The Eagles have suffered since Paddy McCarthy’s shoulder injury and Jose Fonte left for Southampton in January with Matt Lawrence or Clint Hill, both preferred full backs, stepping in alongside Claude Davies.

Both Hill and Lawrence are defenders that I would consider a risk and wouldn’t put too much faith in if they were defending in front of me, especially compared to Newcastle’s solid centre half partnership of Fabricio Coloccini and Stephen Taylor.

However it is no coincidence that Palace’s goal difference looks distinct fully healthier than the teams in the bottom half bar Watford who have England under 21 international keeper Scott Loach.

Loach was reportedly chased by Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp in January and I feel that Speroni is on par if not better than the Watford number one.

While the Crystal Palace January transfer window itinerary focused around the departure of Victor Moses there were many Palace fans hoping that the race to sign the Nigerian born winger would over shadow the signings of other players.

And I feel that no other member of the squad was more important to hold onto than Speroni, who left Dundee to join the Eagles when the Scottish side were suffering financially. The attention on Moses proved a blessing in disguise without a club coming within a sniff Speroni.

Monday, March 15, 2010

David Beckham ruled out of World Cup

The dreaded pre-World Cup injury has hit the England team with David Beckham set to miss out on his fourth World Cup after tearing his achilles while playing for AC Milan.

The former England captain led his nation in their last World Cup outing against Portugal in the quarter-final in Germany 2006 but limped off injured just after half time.

Beckham left the field tearfully as it looked as if he was making his last appearance for England in a World Cup. Well, unfortunately, his intuition proved right as it is almost certain he will miss out in South Africa come June. Torn achilles tendons usually take upto eight months to fully heal posing further questions over Beckham's remaining career.

With many England fans fearing that Wayne Rooney would be struck down with injury prior to this summer’s World Cup Beckham has become the first of the England stars to be ruled out.

While all the talk surrounded Rooney, currently in blistering form for Manchester United, and fans praying he wouldn't get injured it turned out to be one of England's most experienced members of the talented and gifted list that suffered.

Beckham was not a certainty to start in the World Cup but he was sure to feature in some way and I feel that the England squad will miss the 34-year-old midfielder hugely.

There is no question that the team especially Peter Crouch will miss his golden ball delivery but with his future playing career also in question you have to feel for Beckham, capped 115 times for his country.

The injury brings to an the end an eventful week for Beckham who played at his boyhood club Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday in an emotional reunion with the Old Trafford crowd.

Beckham was tearful again on Sunday as he discovered he would miss the World Cup and had reportedly already been consoled by England boss Fabio Capello hours after the incident.

In my eyes, Beckham is - or should I say was - England’s first choice right winger ahead of Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Theo Walcott in a four-four-two system. And the experience he brought with him into the dressing room having been involved in many highs and lows for England would have been invaluable.

There is no question that this is sad news for England fans – you only have to look at the contributions he has made over the years and the way he has responded from media and public criticism - most noticeably after his red card in France 1998 - to realise that.

But Beckham can take away with him one of the greatest individual contributions a player has made to their country. The moment that rekindled every England fan's fondness when he curled home a free kick in the dying minutes against Greece to help England qualify for the 2002 World Cup.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Neil Warnock joins QPR from Crystal Palace

Warnock's way out to be respected not criticised

Neil Warnock‘s departure as Crystal Palace manager on Monday night confirmed many Eagles fans fears as the Yorkshire man joined Queens Park Rangers.

The switch to the west London rivals ended speculation over Warnock’s future who has set his sights at being a Premier League manager once again.

The 61-year-old has claimed to only have a couple years of management left in him and sees QPR as being a club more capable of giving him his dream of becoming a top-flight manager again rather than Palace.

And I have to admit I agree with him. They are clearly more financially stable and appear to have a better set up in terms of looking ahead to the future while the Eagles are currently concentrating on finding a buyer, a new manager and escaping relegation.

While QPR are just one place above Palace many will question Warnock’s decision but I feel he has made the right one – for Neil Warnock.

Is it a selfish decision, well yes, but it had to be. His position as manager of Crystal Palace could not be guaranteed if a new buyer was found and the temptation of managing at Loftus Road was simply too good to resist.

I doubt that many fans will blame Warnock’s choice especially after it was made clear that he wasn’t just going to walk out on the Selhurst Park club. Warnock was keen to make sure Palace received compensation for his move, he said: “”There is no way I am going to walk out. If they can agree compensation then that's different.”

After agreeing a compensation deal the following breaking news was inevitable. As an Eagles fan who Warnock took some time to win round I am now convinced he is a descent manager and one that is sure to become QPR’s longest serving manager in recent seasons.

But I fear some fans will, wrongly, envy Warnock and blame him for walking out when the club needs him the most. But with an online poll on a dedicated fans website voting 45 per cent in favour of not blaming him while just over 10 per cent will boo him when he returns to south east London as QPR boss on the 10th April as they ‘passionately dislike him’.

There is no doubt we need a manager like Neil Warnock the most now as we battle for survival but his exit is not the same as Steve Bruce or Ian Dowie who left under bad terms with the Palace faithful.

I feel Warnock’s move is more similar to that of former Palace striker Andy Johnson who simply had to leave for the benefit of his own career. But only time will truly tell if his choice is the right one.