Half Term Report Card (Part 2)

Sunderland

Roy Keane showed some ambition in the transfer market when he bought the likes of Cisse, Chimbonda, Malbranque and Anton Ferdinand. Yet spending huge amounts of money did not guarantee a smooth sailing in the mid table. With an awful away form continuing from last season, Keane saw his team faltering at home too. A relegation scrap was all but certain and Keane took the responsibility and resigned. His assistant, replacing him temporarily, had a good couple of games with comfortable victories but that was what is called the honeymoon period. Currently sitting at 15th, future does not look to bright for the Stadium of Light(love the name!) outfit. A decent run until the end of the season is too much to ask for from the inconsistent black cats, hence a relegation is more likely this season.

Verdict: Relegation

Newcastle United

Joe Kinnear has done wonders at Newcastle since taking over the troubled club. He's getting results and more importantly the confidence is back in the team which looked doomed a couple of months back. The form and most importantly fitness of Michael Owen is a crucial factor for Kinnear to keep them away from relegation scrap and if the current form is anything to go by, they will stay clear comfortably. Still as I said before, with the bottom half of the table so tight, a couple of games can change it all around.

Verdict: 12th

Manchester City

The cliche 'Money can't buy success' goes around a lot in football. And Sparky is learning it the hard way. Inconsistency coupled with an abysmal away form has seen them in the bottom half of the table. The only positive for the richest club in the world has been the forms of Robinho and Ireland. Defensively City still remain fragile, but the January acquisition of Bridge should add some steel. There could be a lot more ins and outs in the blue half of Manchester before the window closes shut on Feb 2nd. There is still a lot to play for and a good second half of the season could see City in reckoning for European places, but much will depend on the wheelings and dealings of the current transfer window.

Verdict : 10th

Portsmouth

We've seen this so many times in the past. A manager takes a below average team and over achieves with them year after after, then as he leaves, the club goes back to where it belonged. It happened with Bolton a season back, Blackburn at the start of this season and now the same with Pompey. The on field woes coupled with financial mini crisis has let to the fear of a mass exodus of the most talented of Pompey players. Diarra left for Real before the window even opened. The futures of Defoe, Glen Johnson, Kranjcar, Distin are far from certain. And if most of them leave, it could spell big trouble at Fratton Park. Relegation scrap is most likely.

Verdict: 16th

Bolton Wanderers

With a difficult start to the season, Bolton looked in trouble but Gary Megson has pulled it together somewhat and collected a lot of points of late, especially away from home. They've been rising steadily in the league table and currently top the bottom half of the table. Mid table is what Gary should be content with, but a European place is not out of question. A good run of form and a bad one for those above can see them push for UEFA cup spot. But thats too many ifs and buts right? Right!

Verdict: 11th

still more to follow...