Don Robbie

Are Premier League referees getting worse When VAR was introduced, I think we were all expecting an end to some of the shambolic decision making we’d seen from Premier League referees over the years. VAR was supposed to provide clarity, help referees and make the game easier to understand and follow for everyone involved. Personally, I have no problem with waiting if we get to the right decision in the end. But since its introduction, it has become clear that there is a very human element to VAR. This weekend has thrown referees straight back into the hot seat after Kevin Friend’s shocking decision to award Liverpool a game-changing penalty in their 3-1 win against Crystal Palace. He decided on second viewing after being told to look at the incident again by video assistant referee Craig Pawson. It was an incorrect decision, with the replay clearly showing that the ball was gone and that Diogo Jota moved directly into Palace keeper Vicente Guaita’s path. It wasn’t the only poor decisio...

What players should the big six look to offload this January? By Jonny Bray There are a lot of players who are currently struggling for game time at one of the traditional 'big six' sides. From exciting academy prospects to £30 million signings, there are a wide variety of reasons why those players are struggling to break into the first team at their current clubs. But this January is an opportunity to break free and finally show what they can do when given a chance. Jesse Lingard After his performances for West Ham last season, a lot of fans and pundits were expecting big things from Jesse Lingard this season. Sadly, the attacking midfielder decided to stay at Old Trafford, limiting his first-team opportunities. Crucially, he's also wasted another year of his professional career on the bench at a club with no plan for him in the long term. He may not even be welcome back at West Ham now after their outstanding season, so where Lingard would end up is a mystery. But anythin...

What side could Arsenal have put out for the North London Derby if it went ahead? By Tom Masters Arsenal were due to be finalising their preparations ahead of an important north London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but despite playing a Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool on Thursday evening, their request for the game to be postponed was granted by the Premier League.  The match against Liverpool finished 0-0, with Granit Xhaka getting sent off for a clumsy challenge and Cedric Soares being replaced early on with an injury.    However, Arsenal felt they did not have the squad available to take on Spurs in such an important match and submitted a request for it to be postponed, with Martin Odegaard testing positive for Covid.    But could Arsenal have played the game? We have a look at the players available for the Gunners and a possible XI Mikel Arteta could have selected.    Goalkeeper: Aaron Ramsdale    Absolutely no problem ...

Best FA Cup games of all time By Charlie Bennett Each year, the FA Cup provides epic moments that go down in football folklore and, as it celebrates its 150 th   birthday, now is a good time to reflect on some of the best.  From Steven Gerrard’s rocket to Ryan Giggs’ chest hair, here are five matches we can never forget.  Liverpool 3-3 West Ham, 2006  You need to do something pretty special to have a final named after you and this six-goal thriller will forever be known as the Stevie G final.  West Ham were 3-2 up as the game headed into injury time and left-back Paul Konchesky looked set to be the hero, with his fluke appearing decisive.  That’s until Steven Gerrard, who had already bagged one goal, scored one of the greatest FA Cup goals of all time with a rasping shot from 30 yards that flew into the bottom corner.  Liverpool took it extra time and then inevitably won the penalty shoot-out, with Pepe Reina saving three spot-kicks.  Gerrard hois...

The best Boxing Days in Premier League history By Oli Dickson Jefford Boxing Day is always a special day for football fans. With most teams in action, it’s the perfect day to head out and watch your team or stay at home and enjoy it on TV while you plough through Christmas Day leftovers. Unfortunately, there will be less Premier League action this year, with Liverpool v Leeds, Wolves v Watford and Burnley v Everton all postponed and potentially more games to follow as Covid once again wreaks havoc with the fixture list. However, it will be a special day for those whose teams are playing and there is the potential for some classic encounters with many memorable Boxing Day contests throwing up classics in the past.  Here are some of the best Boxing Days ever in the Premier League. 1999: Coventry stun Arsenal Arsenal were Premier League giants at this point but were put to the sword by Coventry who won 3-2 in the final few days before the millennium Gary McAllister put the Sky Blues i...

Who were the breakout footballers of 2021 By Jonny Bray A new group of young players have made a massive impact in every major league over the last 12 months. But who have been the breakout footballers of 2021? Whoever it is, they would have had to have made a significant impact considering the tough competition. The next generation certainly aren’t waiting their turn, and players born after 2000 are now stepping into the limelight as the world’s best. Emile Smith Rowe Emile Smith Rowe would have been very low on people’s lists of the most exciting young English talents at the start of this season. That couldn’t be further from the case now, with the Arsenal midfielder quickly becoming one of the most highly-rated players in the Premier League. He’s already tripled his goals tally for the previous campaign in four fewer appearances and has built a reputation as one of the most skilful dribblers in Europe. He may have broken into the team last season, but he was very much in Bukayo Saka...

Premier League Preview By Jonny Bray Covid-19 is back with a bang, and it’s wreaking havoc on the Premier League fixture calendar. At the time of writing this, just five of the weekend’s ten Premier League fixtures are taking place as the country looks set to start 2022 the way it started 2021. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of action across the division, with Sunday afternoon looking particularly mouth-watering on paper. So here’s the Premier League preview for this weekend, Covid-19 permitting. Aston Villa v Burnley Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa side have been in outstanding form since he arrived from Rangers. The former England international has four wins from his six games as boss, with the two defeats coming up against Manchester City and Liverpool. They’ll now take on Burnley, who have been having a difficult season so far. Their last game was postponed, with Watford’s squad depleted after several positive Covid-19 cases. To make matters worse for Sean Dyche’s side, t...

Who is the Premier League's signing of the season By Jonny Bray Despite the effects of Covid-19, Premier League clubs spent as big as ever last summer in an attempt to push themselves on to the next level. Some of those signings have failed, but others have lit up the league. And with the halfway point of the season approaching quickly, it's time to discuss who could be considered the Premier League's signing of the season. Conor Gallagher Conor Gallagher has laid down his claim to be part of the England squad that travels to Qatar next year. The midfielder is on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea and like Ruben Loftus-Cheek before him, he's excelled in south London. His pressing game, bravery on the ball and sharpness in front of goal have suited Patrick Vieira's style of play perfectly, and he's been Palace's player of the season so far. His tally of six goals and three assists reflect that and make him one of the league's most productive players in a...

The biggest Premier League games of the 2021 festive period  By Oli Dickson Jefford It’s a hectic, dramatic, often decisive, part of the Premier League season. While most of us will be tucking into obscene amounts of food and drink over the Christmas holidays, Premier League players will have to resist temptation to remain fit and sharp for a manic part of the domestic football calendar. With the festive football season fast approaching, here are some of the crunch clashes to watch out for in between opening presents and eating yet another mince pie.   15th December: Arsenal vs West Ham Two teams well in the hunt for European football face off at the Emirates in an intriguing clash on the 15th of December. After a dreadful start to the season which saw many call for Mikel Arteta to be sacked, Arsenal have looked rejuvenated since- though recent losses to Man Utd and Liverpool have added a little pressure. Meanwhile, David Moyes continues to do an incredible job a...

  By Charlie Bennett The   Premier   League   campaign is almost a third of the way through and with Christmas now less than a month away, we are heading for a crucial period at both the top and bottom. Round 13 sees Manchester United head to Chelsea on Sunday in the game of the week, while there are plenty storylines up and down the   league .  So, with that in mind, let’s check out the talking points.  Howe has no time to lose  Eddie Howe has barely had time to sip a Brown Ale but he’s already under pressure to deliver results at Newcastle.  Norwich’s upturn in form has left the Magpies bottom of the table and they are now five points adrift of safety.   January, it seems, can’t come soon enough, when Howe will have access to the bottomless pit of cash Newcastle now have at their disposal. But there are seven games between now and then and if they fall much further behind in their battle to stay up, some of their leading targets may be...