Thanks for reading and commenting. Barney has signed off. In his absence, why not read this piece about Sam Allardyce’s revolutionary time at Bolton, which features various photos of Big Sam through the years, including this one:
WallyFister asks:
Why are English clubs continuing to fail in Europe? Would it be beneficial to keep sacking managers? Or should the media take some of the blame for a skewed focus on the Premier League and the soap opera that surrounds that?
Therealdanlewis asks:
Who do you see finishing in the top four and bottom three at the end of the season?
Guardian staff Chelsea, City, Arsenal, Man Utd. Leicester, Burnley, QPR. Sorry. Boring. I blame the system.
vickramindie asks:
If Manchester United fail to finish in the top four and fail to win the FA Cup do you think Ryan Giggs is their manager next season?
Guardian staff
DanteDanger asks:
Can you do your I to XI of “most tactically astute players in the league”? Or maybe the “headless chicken XI would be more fun... I’d say :
De Gea: for his distribution and general awareness at breaking up play
LB - Kolarov: Solid defensively, tactically disciplined and, although a little slow is versatile
CB - Terry: Excellent reader of the game and able to bring the ball out of defence
CB - Can: Can play in a range of positions in different formations, reads the game and tackles cleanly
RB - Ivanovic : Rarely gets caught out, breaks forward and yet never looks out of positionCM - Matic: Plays the modern CM role to a tee, balances breaking up play with breaking forward
CM - Toure: able to dictate play from deep, break forward to support the attack and has the athleticism to cover a range of positions in Centre Mid
CM - Henderson: Not just the “moral compass” of a team, also someone who has developed his tactical sense of doing what the team needs well and is able to manage his attacking instincts and sacrifice his desire to get forward for the teamRF - Welback: seems to understand the game v. well, even if his touch and technique let him down. He knows how to pressurise the defence, makes excellent runs off the ball and can play an Out and out striker role well, or provide full back support / channel running while out wide
CF - Sterling: Can play upfront, out wide or withdrawn through the middle, while he relies on his pace, he has more than that to his game. knows when to drag players out wide to create space for others, is comfortable dropping deep and, despite his youth, has shown a real maturity in playing a range of positions in different formations
LF - David Silva: Much more than just a flare player - finds space where others fail to look through reading of opposition defenders games, is able to bring others into the game and is a creative outlet for the team, always willing and able to relieve pressure
Guardian staff Henderson in the moral compass role. Intersting choice. Still think England could have won Euro 96 if they'd had a top class moral compass in that team. Archbishop Desmond Tutu in for Gareth Southgate, Dalai Lama for Gascoigne - you've got a world beating eleve.
Christopher Lewis asks:
As a Chelsea fan, I’m struggling to remember (apart from Swansea home and away) games where we’ve actually played “well”. Arsenal and Tottenham are the biggest teams we’ve beaten this season, and it’s hard to see how we’ll progress against a Madrid or Bayern. Do you think Chelsea will be able to transform this unusually poor form against the larger teams, for the latter stages of the Champions League?
Guardian staff I think Chelsea played well on sunday against Spurs. but I know what you mean. The tinsel has been shaken off and this team looks very funcitional, gristly and well organised, but not one to trade blows with the very best. Chelsea are a great thing in the Premeir League, because they keep everyone to a certain standard. Here is a team that's organised and tough and hard to beat as anyone in Europe. It's just a shame no one has been able to push them further yet.
Nathan Kilgore asks:
Will Stan Collymore now get a segment on the Guardian as your understudy as he’s been relieved of his duties on BT?
Guardian staff I like Stan Collymore. He may be a bit emotional, but he always does his research, loves the game, doesn't bring the I'm-a-pro-look-at-my-works-and-tremble arrogance with him and really knows what he's talking about. He's a good broadcaster. Would be a shame if they get rid of him and keep some of the other under-prepared, winging it ex-pro bores.
biggerridgers asks:
Do you reckon the battle for fourth is a straight shoot-out between Liverpool and United now? Or is there any chance Spurs and/or Southampton could make a charge, or that Arsenal could find themselves still scrapping for it by the end of the season?
Guardian staff I think it's a two-team race between Liverpool and Man Utd. Southampton are running out of gas. Spurs are being Spurs. It's a shame as both have been great at times and i really hope Spurs stick with Pochettino whatever happens. For the same reason I kind of hope Brendan Rodgers gets Liverpool back into fourth, just because he's a man with a plan (or lots of them), big dreams, boudnless energy and all the rest of it and at times those attacking combinations are lovely to watch.
snuffy asks:
What is your best long-shot prediction for the Premier League? The one that will make us say, “that man is a genius!” Please.
Guardian staff There are no longshot predictions. Eveything in elite level football is strictly callibrated according to income. Surprise is impossible, or at least any extended run of unexpected success is impossible as money simply won't allow it. See, for example, Southampton losing to Lvierpool last week because they coulnd't convert their chances. This was against a tean that spent £25m buying their two best finishers in the summer, one of whom stayed on the bench last Sunday. If you look at it like that there was nothing surprising or unpredictable in Southampton being unable to score or Liverpool winning the game. It was won in the boardroom last summer, and propelled on its way by the inherent and very easily quantified bias, whereby money equals success almost entirely without exception. The days of teams being built, of managers being allowed to coach and polish and overcome those kind of hurdles, or where the differences in means were much smaller will never come again. From 1970 to 1981 seven different teams won the league title. It seems safe to say nothing like that will ever happen again.
So, anyway, no not really. But I'll have a think.
MrGarethE asks:
After the intervention of the fourth official, acting as peace keeper in a drunken fight at a wedding by pinning Steve Bruce back, what do you think would be the most entertaining battle of the head coaches? No one would dare ruck with Nigel Pearson but I can see a few others going toe to toe.
Guardian staff I actually think the official made it all look worse last night. All Steve Bruce was doing was walking slowly towards another man, who was walking off. It looked bad with loads of people hanging off him and getting in his way, holding him back like a bunch of terrified Liliputians, but really nothing actually happened. Also feel a bit sorry for Gus Poyet. Who cares if somebody kicks a bucket full of sports drinks anyway.
Hardest manager? Manuel Pellegrini. You wouldn't get within 30 paces of him.
ValenciaSkyBlue asks:
How many points do you think Chelsea will drop between now and the end of the season?
Guardian staff It doesn't really matter does it? no one else actually wants to win the league. The chance has been there - in all comps before the League Cup final Chelse had won twice in eight games. And still they're in effect eight points clear in the league. Mourinho has won league titles either by a distanace or on the final day. He is too good and his team is too strong-willed to let this one go.
DennisFranz asks:
A lot of big games tonight, but how do you see Newcastle v United going? Tough game for us, but Rooney is back among the goals.
Guardian staff I think Man Utd will keep on winning and finish third if Rooney plays in attack. Not only is he not a great midfielder, he's their best central striker right now in this league against these teams. It's intellectual perversity to play him anywhere else.
Donnacha ‘big Wenger’ Egan asks:
I’m a big Wenger and finishing in the top four is great but we’re not building upon it even though we’ve started to spend money. It looks like we’re going to go out at the last-16 stage of the Champions League for the fourth time in a row, this time to Monaco, a team who we really should be beating and there’s been no Premier League title challenge. Do you think Wenger is still the man to bring Arsenal success both in Europe and domestically? If not what manager could?
Guardian staff I'm a big Wenger too. I dress up in the padded coat and wear stilts and just walk around my living room looking pained, head brushing the ceiling.
But seriously though.... I used to think the Wenger out lobby as a little premature, a little entitled and ungrateful. I'm starting to change my mind. Years of fine achievement staying in the top four. But things have changed now. Something else may soon be required. Given Wenger's selflessness and dedication to the club i still think he will recognise when that time comes, and if the right, younger alternative is available will make his own call.
ID4702058 asks:
With the prevalence of high-profile refereeing “issues” around the box impacting upon the league of late, would you like to see indirect free-kicks awarded in a wider-range of scenarios? For me, it would reduce the all/nothing element in many cases - but perhaps that’s the sort of “scandal” the sport is hooked on?
Guardian staff I've already suggested the best thing to do is simply to stop talking about referees and "decisions". It has a retarding effect. Maybe referees should be pixelated, or even airbushed out completely on TV. Their names should be kept secret. There are many things that are genuinely "in crisis" in english sport and indeed in the world generally. Debatable issues of footballing judgement and interpretation hammed up in slow motion are not one of them.
Updated
Karan Sood asks:
With Steven Gerrard nearing return, what will Brendan Rodgers do with him? That alone is a “three-points question” for Liverpool.
Guardian staff He's leaving. They're playing well. He's 34 years old. the obvious answer is to leave the team as it is. It's a big test for Rodgers, also for Liverpool's fans I guess. Looks pretty straightforward to me though.
yigman asks:
Gabby Agbonglahor was played in front of Christian Benteke allowing him to use his pace to run on to flick-ons; sub Jack Grealish was played in a free role when he came on which revitalised Villa’s attack and creative talents such as Sinclair and Gil were rested so should be fresh for the FA Cup tie this weekend. Is there a teeny, tiny chance that Tactics Time actually knows what he is doing?
Guardian staff Sherwood has some very clear tactics. He played a certain way at Spurs, straight lines, width and speed in midifeld, big striker, close down aggressively, get it forward quickly, shout a lot on the touchline. It's just people don't like those kind of tactics, or see them as basic or retrograde or not "funky" enough. Plus possibly it becomes easy to counter them over time. Having said that I thought Nzogbia playing at the tip of a diamond was quite innovative. Perhaps Sherwood is dismissed too easily by some. Probably it's a bit of snobbery because he's a bold, loud, straight up English bloke.
trinder19 asks:
Barnaby, look into your crystal ball and tell me who will be managing the Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Leicester City, Newcastle United and Everton next season. Newcastle aside, it looks to me as though there is just as much chance of there being a new manager as there is the current manager staying.
Guardian staff Van Gaal, Guardiola, Klopp, Heskey, Beardsley, Martinez.
That's my fun lineup anyway.
Beyond that probably exactly the same people who are managing them right now.
Jjustabouthopeful asks:
Is there any manager who could take Steve Bruce in a fight?
Guardian staff I don't believe Steve Bruce would ever actually have a proper fight. He looks the kind of bloke who might get you in a headlock somewhere private, maybe a pub carvery car park, and speak to you soothingly for 20 minutes or so until you calm down, apologise, agree with him, shake hands and go back inside, where he introduces you to his wife and calls you, "a friend of mine" and sends you off on your way with stern look.
Aside from that, Sean Dyche seems quite extreme.
Ashwath Ravisankar asks:
Should Louis van Gaal’s tactics be criticised for United’s boring play or should he be judged next season? His Ajax team played attractively by the way.
Guardian staff Van Gaal's Ajax were great to watch while they were winning the Champions League. I can't speak to what they were like when he'd only been in charge for eight months. My opinion is, if United were to get rid of Van Gaal, a manager you simply have to give time, then they've bascially wasted a year. Let him do his thing, make his mistakes, find his sytem. If they do make it inot the Champions League, I'd judge him on next season and how he does there after a proper pre-season and summer trnafser window. We are a uniquely fretful, short-termist football culture. A few good results from here and all this will look very different by the end of the season. But then I have a weakness generally for arrogant scholarly central Europeans.
Howiee asks:
Walcott seemed to be in good shape then why he is not being played?
Guardian staff I think he's not starting for tactical reasons, as David Hytner pointed out last week. Wenger lieks to play with two wide players, and so far this season one of those has always been Alexis Sanchez. Sanchez is a genuinely attacking wide player, so on the other side Wenger likes a little more muscle and heft and defensive protection. Enter: Danny Welbeck. Yes, sorry Danny. I know. You wanted to be centre forward. But you're good at this.
Beyond that I have no idea what effect Walcott's contract running down has on thigns but certainly last time around he was in and out for a while during those negotiations. He won't be happy though.
Barney is online and checking his mail:
Guardian staff Hello. Welcome to the web chat. I'm going to start rummaging around in my post bag now.
Barney will be online from 12.30pm GMT to answer your questions
In the meantime, here are last night’s results, tonight’s fixtures:and some of our previews:
Aston Villa 2-1 West Brom
Tim Sherwood clenched his fists, looked to the heavens and started to dance around on the pitch in celebration. It was the last of three minutes of injury time and Christian Benteke, the coolest man in the stadium, had just nonchalantly rolled in the goal that breathes fresh life into Aston Villa’s season.
Hull 1-1 Sunderland
Gus Poyet lost his head but his Sunderland side gained a point in their Premier League survival quest after a second-half fightback in a tempestuous affair against relegation rivals, Hull City.
Southampton 1-0 Crystal Palace
This was just the tonic Southampton needed to halt a steady decline. With 10 minutes remaining their malaise of late looked set to continue but Sadio Mané’s determination and deft touch secured a first win at home since New Year’s Day for Ronald Koeman’s side, whose top-four ambitions appear renewed.
Manchester City v Leicester 19:45
Newcastle United v Manchester United 19:45 (BT Sport)
QPR v Arsenal 19:45
Stoke City v Everton 19:45
Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City 19:45
West Ham United v Chelsea 19:45
Liverpool v Burnley 20:00
Brendan Rodgers feared sack before Liverpool’s resurgence
Brendan Rodgers believes he would have lost his job as Liverpool’s manager without the “radical” change that has transformed the club’s Premier League season.
Louis van Gaal backs backpass as means of attack
Louis van Gaal understands why Manchester United fans booed Jonny Evans for passing the ball back to David de Gea during Saturday’s win over Sunderland though the manager says his defender deserved the benefit of the doubt.
Roberto Martínez will not take Bill Kenwright’s support for granted
Roberto Martínez has denied feeling under pressure at Everton but said he does not take for granted the support of the chairman Bill Kenwright. Everton travel to Stoke City tonight 11 points behind Mark Hughes’s side and only six points clear of the relegation zone having won once in 11 Premier League fixtures.
Manuel Pellegrini digs in his heels at Manchester City
The Manchester City manager needs to get back on track against Leicester on Wednesday after back-to-back defeats that threaten to sabotage the season
Drop your questions into the comments section below
I think they're underachieving because the Premier League doesn't make anything. Players, managers, methods are all bought in from elsewhere. It's just a loud, well-produced stage set. What was the last really excellent thing English football produced all of its own? Man Utd in the 90s? When the league produces teams and managers and players again it's teams will start to beat teams in other leagues who can still do that.