Premier League, Avram Grant

The Premier League returns tomorrow but in all the Champions League mayhem I failed to mention that there were 2 midweek results. Hull will be breathing considerably easier after their 3-2 win over Everton, but will have Everton to thank for that rather than themselves. Hull stormed ahead in the first half after a shocking 45mins from the Toffees, at which Moyes remarked afterwards that it was one of the worst performances he had seen since joining the club. Everton are getting dragged into it, no question about that now. They've only won 4 of their 13 games in the league so it seems that last years' elusive European place is once again taking it's toll on a club with a small squad (and injury problems to boot). Everton started slowly last season if I recall, but after the turn of the year really started to motor and ended up in an impressive 5th place and an FA Cup final. I think they're already too far behind to hope for something similar and right now, they're a long way behind the progress of Spurs and Man City. As for Hull this result keeps the wolves away from Phil Brown's door for another week, but they go to Eastlands tomorrow, the scene of last seasons almighty of fuck ups and the now infamous 'sit down' at half time. Fulham also won in the week, comfortably beating a currently manager-less Blackburn 3-0. Not much to add other than I'm a bit pissed off that I got rid of Dempsey from my fantasy league - the Texan bagged a brace. Poo.

Looking forward to tomorrow's action, the game of the day is probably the late kick off between Villa and Spurs. Both teams have had good starts to the season and are vying for that 4th place which would mean Champions League football next year. Villa have some really good players - Young, Milner, Agbonglahor, Dunne, Freidel - and being at home they'll be expected to take the initiative. I'm still a bit worried about them in central midfield and I think that is probably why they won't quite have enough to get 4th at the end of the season. Petrov is coming back from injury and is a very good player but I don't think Sidwell is particularly good, Reo Coker neither, and Delph seems to have fallen out of favour. They are all decent players but they probably lack the quality that you see in their competitors - Barry, Modric, De Jong, Krancjar. O'Neil is doing a great job there and is probably in charge of the best young English talent in the division, I'm sure he'll be there or there abouts when Fergie decides to knock it on the head at Utd. As for Spurs, I said last week that I thought that of all of the chasing pack they were probably the best suited to make a charge for 4th. Well, I didn't see anything in that 9-1 win that will change my mind. In midfield they have some sick footballers and will soon have the wonderful Modric back in their ranks. Huddlestone looks like he might become the great central midfielder that all us Arsenal fans hoped he wouldn't, Lennon is tearing things up everytime he plays, and here on Nov 27th 2009 I will say they'll get 4th place. Their concerns continue to be in defence where their ever rotating centre back pearings keep getting injured or getting 'Ledleyd' as I like to put it. I don't think Assou-Ekotto is a great player and Corluka is a slow bastard, clearly a centre back shunted out to right back where he doesn't want to be. If they can tighten things up defensivley then I think they could have a great season, but tomorrow I'll go for the draw, 2-2. Other games, it'll be interesting to see how Wigan respond to their mauling with a game at home to the world beating Sunderland side, and Blackburn v Stoke will be a pretty game I'm sure.

Pompey host Utd tomorrow in what will be Avram Grant's first game in charge after agreeing to take the reins yesterday. In a strange turn of events, Paul Hart is now apparently 'considering' an offer to move upstairs in place of Grant, after turning down his old role as head of youth development. I'm sure Grant will be happy to be back in football management but when he looks at the job on his hands he might wish he stayed in Israel. He did a good job at Chelsea stabalising things after Mourinho left and was the width of the post away from winning the Champions League for the Blues. It was never going to last of course, Chelsea wanted to get a real world class big name in there to handle the big egos, unfortunatley no-one told Scolari he had to leave his ego at home. On top of the Champions League final, he got to the Carling Cup final and lost in extra time, took the league battle down to the last day with Man Utd (despite being some distance behind when he took over), and signed current mainstays Anelka and Ivanovic while he was at the club. A lot of ticks in a lot of boxes if you ask me, good luck Avram, you're gonna need it. Take her easy.