At the risk of sounding like a whiney big girl's blouse, I have to say that if and when QPR do take the drop, a fair string of abysmal recent refereeing decisions will be at least partly to blame (albeit the team can certainly take the lion's share of the credit, for playing like a bunch of can't-be-bothered second-rate part-timers far too often).
They are, though I'm quite pleased for the fans who have lived in Utds shadow for a long time. In my opinion buying the league didn't start with Chelsea though.
good grief no - Sunderland were known as the Bank of England club when they won the league in 1950 after breaking the transfer record fee twice in quick succession - then got relegated after being caught paying over the wage limits.
The difference is that Liverpool have won the League Cup and are in the FA Cup Final, with Hodgson they went out in the early rounds, so they are better with Dalglish.
Blackburn are the team everyone looks at in the Premiership era, people don't seem to look down on Chelsea in quite the same way, nor will they at Man City either, I suppose because the at least have the level of support and general size of club to be up in the top half of the table anyway (though I guess it'll depend on how much money the owners continue to pump into the club, with the fair play rules coming in they shouldn't be able to make it quite so lop-sided in City's favour).
Ok. I know this is hopelessly optimistic, but, hey, what's the alternative? It might be that Hodgson can use his usual 'do it this way' method to good effect. We don't have the luxury of picking a side dominated by one or two teams (Spain) or by players that have grown up together (Germany) so there's no chance of that innate understanding that livened up the 2010 World Cup. And, yes, the semis are probably going to be about it. But, given time, and a free rein with selection, I do think that Hodgson's meticulous control can get the best out of so-so players - see Fulham, Internazionale and West Brom.
His career win ratio is 42%, is that good enough for the England Manager? At least the football plated under KD is better to watch although not there yet.
Terry Vernables' was 44 odd (47 with England) and he was more than good enough... Good football to watch too. He won a Liga and a Cup final as opposed to Uncle Woy's couple of Swedish Championships...
