Its been a busy week in the transfer market this week. Avram Grant has been repaced and then not replaced depending on which websites you read, more on that in a sec. But first transfer news.

Birmingham were on the verge of signing Robbie Keane but couldn't agree terms. This is a shame because Keane would be a fantastic signing for Birmingham. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have worked out all that great since he took the decision to join Liverpool then was sold back. Since he left it's just not worked for some reason.

Steven Piennar picked Spurs over Chelsea which is very interesting. When i think about it i can understand why. Spurs have a very good first team and squad. Chelsea have a great first team but not much else and are in very real danger of not finishing in the top 4 this season and long term unless Chelsea spend a good chunk of money will only get weaker as their older squad get older. There is that and the fact Spurs play good football and he is likely going to be closer to the first team more often.

Don't get me wrong i think Chelsea will finish above spurs this season and in the top 4  but they have just gone through a very poor run of form. Chelsea won their last game at home against Blackburn which in recent seasons this result would never have been in doubt. Their next 2 league games are Bolton and Sunderland away. Both clubs have been having a gerat season and these are 2 very tough games. Win both and they will be high on confidence again and right back in the race. Spurs have equally tough trips to Newcastle and Blackburn so the next 2 league games could make a massive difference in who gets the top 4 places.

Bolton have bought David Wheater from Boro, this i think is a fantastic deal for Bolton as Wheater has been a quality centreback. He hasn't quite reached the heights he hit in his first season but this move will likely do him good.

So There have been lots of rumours and rumblings from "Insiders" that Grant had been sacked and Martin O'Neill was taking over regardless of the result of the game against Arsenal. The match came and went, Commentators were wondering if him giving away his West Ham scarf meant he was gone. But no he is still manager and has now been backed by the West Ham board. I find the tretment of Grant shocking in the same way Man City employed Mancini before Hughes had been sacked i think West Ham were trying to do the same. That was until O'Neill and apparently allerdyce told them they would beed 4-6 players in January.

Hypocracy ruled this week with first Holloway complaining about Villa making a low bid for Charlie Adam then making a low bid and complaining about the valuation of 2 Peterbrough players. The Steve Bruce complains that Villa have tapped up Darren bent and Bent has shown no loyalty. This coming from a manager who walked out on both Crystal Palace and Wigan in the space of 6 months. And was also apparently contacting Darren Bent via his agent before speaking to Spurs when they signed him. It's not uncommon though and its pretty much every club that complains about others talking about their players to unsettle them but are all too quick to talk about someone else's players.

Darren Bent as mentioned above moved to Aston villa for a fee reported to be somewhere between 18 and 24 million. Bent will get goals when on form but he does get transferred for a lot of money. An impressive stat is that since 2005 he has 81 goals in the Premier league which is only bettered by Rooney and Drogba with 82. Sunderland have replaced Bent with Ricardo Fuller, I don't think he will get anywhere near the goals bent did and they would have been better spending a bit more and getting someone of a bit better quality. One great thing as a Man United fan is that Danny Welbeck will get loads of football before he season ends.

Anyway here are my predictions for this week.

Saturday 22^nd January
Wolves  1 - 2  Liverpool
Arsenal  3 - 1  Wigan
Blackpool  1 - 0  Sunderland
Everton  2 - 0  West Ham
Fulham  1 - 0  Stoke City
Man Utd  3 - 1  Birmingham
Newcastle  1 - 2  Tottenham
Aston Villa  1 - 2  Man City

Sunday 23^rd  January
Blackburn  1 - 0  WBA

Monday 24^th January
Bolton  1 - 3  Chelsea

Tuesday 25^th January
Blackpool  1 - 2  Man Utd
Wigan  1 - 2  Aston Villa

Wednesday 26^th January
Liverpool  2 - 1  Fulham


By Steve Jarvis   aka Mystic Jarv