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Well what has been hope more than anything else came to fruition last saturday against Hull. After what seems an age the Skyblues are out of the relegation zone all be it only by a point. The confidence and belief though that this will bring to the players along with notching our first away win of the season could be vital as we near the end of the season. The game that is probably going to define ultimately how the season is going to end is that of the BristolCity game. Now that we are ahead of City, the importance has somewhat shifted away from needing a win to making sure we don’t lose.

However this may not be the case come monday as the Peterborough game on Saturday is definitely not a foregone conclusion that we are going to win. Peterborough showed against Leicester that they can be a good side but they seem to be extremely inconsistent so perhaps the omens are good for Saturday in that they rarely get 2 decent results in a row. For Coventry we just have to hope that the players don’t take their foot off the gas and instead keep playing with all the heart and passion they have shown over the course of this season. If they do we should be celebrating another confidence boosting win on Saturday which will set us up perfectly for the Bristol game and beyond.

One player who has been a massive disappointment since his arrival at the club has been Freddy Eastwood. A lot has been said about Freddy since his arrival almost 4 years ago now. He arrived at Coventry from Wolves where again he was a disappointment and management there seemed to have issues with his commitment to the game. The majority of Coventry fans though have always backed him including myself however looking back I really can’t see why. He was brought to the club as a goal scorer and never really delivered. Many backed him because of his work rate when he first arrived but as the years have passed that has declined considerably to the point where Thorn has not been able to play him this season because of his lack of fitness.

Despite publicly stating this many city fans still wanted to see Eastwood brought back into the team but I was completely behind thorn in his decision not to include him in the squad. If a player cannot be bothered to keep fit for what millions of football fans around the world would consider to be a dream job then they don’t deserve to be paid let alone played. His attitude was clearly the issue rather than a lack of ability as it was plain to see that he had quality within him he just didn’t show it on enough occasions. Personally I think he has wasted his talent and Freddy only has one person to blame and that is himself. He now finds himself back at Southend the club where he made a name for himself and despite being a disappointment for Coventry I still find myself wishing him well. At 28 he still has a few years of playing left in him and if he really decides he wants to he could be a real star for Southend again but whether he will be remains to be seen.

Freddy is now a thing of the past for us Coventry fans so let’s hope we can find someone else who can come in and hopefully do a better job than Freddy did. With money being tight we may have to hope that Cody McDonald is that player. He clearly has the potential and could be a big player for us. After his goal at Hull, McDonald could be the key to us staying up. He has had a very quiet season for various reasons including injury and trying to adapt to life in the championship but he really has looked sharp and very lively in the last few games. He looks as if he has an eye for goal and his work rate is second to none. I think we are now starting to see why Andy Thorn brought him to the club and lets hope that he keeps improving and getting us those all important goals to keep us up.

PUSB!!

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At FootballFanCast.com this week we are looking at legends of the game. One thing that springs to mind when I think of legends in football is celebrations. Celebrations might be becoming ridiculous with choreographed moves, somersaults and props. But there are still some iconic celebrations over the years that stick in my memory.

I don’t think the Adebayor or Neville ‘rub it in your face’ celebrations are iconic, they were just controversial. And moments like when Gascoigne had water squirted in his face or when Robbie Fowler sniffed the line were funny but not iconic. I’m not thinking of the pointless ‘baby dummy’ of Tevez ot the Zoro mask of Fulham’s Sava are iconic either.

For me, iconic does not mean funny or controversial. No, instead, an iconic celebration can be created through longevity, or through significance. They might not always be controversial but they are memorable, and more often than not, away fans love to hate them.

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Click on Lee Sharpe below to see the Top TEN iconic celebrations

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Gareth Bale has quickly become one of the most spoken about players recently, causing Tottenham Hotspur to feel, understandably, apprehensive. It is solely regarding his performances recently and not any off field antics that normally see players thrust into the attention of the media. A European audience awoke to the realisation of Bale after he dismantled Inter Milan, who looked comfortable until Bale announced himself with a superb hat-trick and made them gasp in amazement at this prospect before them, before superbly setting up two goals last night. It has also alerted other clubs to the capability that Bale has shown and could add to whoever could lure him away. What I’d like to weigh up is would Bale be sagacious in making a big money switch or should he bide his time and stay at Spurs for the foreseeable future?

The twenty-one year old still has a vast amount of experience to gain from modern football and the pressures that come with it, he is relatively new to his current level of performances and will have to exert himself in order to maintain or even enhance that. This level of expectation can weigh heavy upon players and cause them to lose confidence when they don’t reproduce previous feats of amazement. This strength of mentality will be tested in Bale, with the likes of Harry Redknapp and those supporting Bale at Spurs being central to his remaining a consistently exulted player.

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The attention from different clubs will give Bale a sense of confidence that will enhance his play if it’s directed in a positive manner and again Spurs must ensure against the arrogance it may manifest. In warding away the approaches of interested parties, Spurs will show how highly regarded Bale is and what they intend to achieve. Staying at Spurs would also be advisable due to it being the foundation on which he has built his reputation and prowess upon, it has given him the necessary recourse to come from adversity and improve in the wake of this to the player we now see before us. It would seem injudicious to cut these ties loose from Bale’s point of view, with examples of players moving to bigger clubs and whilst being good enough they fail to reproduce their previous form for many a reason.

Being twenty-one has the advantage of time having not yet elapsed in a significant manner and therefore there is ample opportunity for Bale to pursue another direction if required, but whilst Spurs are looking to build upon previous success the horizon looks bright for Bale. The uplifting news for Spurs fans comes from Bale himself stating: “I don’t look at what the media write. At the moment my only focus is on playing for Tottenham and working in training.” If Redknapp can keep this focus intact and convince Bale that he shouldn’t be looking at any Italian grass, or any other grass than White Hart Lane for that matter, then a content relationship will move forward.

When previous reports over the rise of Bale documenting his settling in period, they stipulated that it took him a while to adjust to the rigours and demands of coming to terms with a daunting new environment. Now why would Bale wish to disrupt this at present? My feeling is that he won’t and he’ll remain a Spurs player for a few more seasons yet to come, with the reasons outlined above being why. This experience and direction, rather than an abrupt change, will put him in good stead for the possibilities that he may decide to make into actualities when he is mature enough to do so.

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According to L’Equipe, Liverpool are interested in signing Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina at the end of the season.

What’s the story?

Liverpool are not exactly strangers to signing players from Southampton. Indeed, it has been an extremely common occurrence in recent years.

Virgil van Dijk was the latest player to switch between the clubs, with the Netherlands international moving to Liverpool for £75m during the January transfer window.

According to L’Equipe, Liverpool want to raid the Saints once again; this time for central midfielder Lemina, who has impressed during his first season in England.

Southampton are expected to fight tooth and nail to keep hold of the player that they only signed from Juventus last summer, but Liverpool have consistently shown that they know it takes to raid St Mary’s, and the situation appears to have cropped up once again.

How good is Lemina?

There is no doubt that the midfielder has made a positive impression in the Premier League since making the move from Juventus.

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It is rarely easy for a foreign player to settle in England, but the 24-year-old has shown that he more than has what it takes to operate at this level of football.

Indeed, the Gabon international has already made 22 appearances for Southampton – 20 of which have been in the Premier League, where he has managed one goal.

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Mauricio Pellegrino’s side have not exactly been flying this term, but Lemina has consistently put in strong performances alongside another big talent Oriol Romeu in the middle of midfield.

Liverpool appear to be losing Emre Can at the end of the season, and Lemina, who is valued at £13.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, would bring energy and quality to a key area of the field.

It is worth remembering that Naby Keita will also make the move to Anfield this summer, but the Reds are short of numbers, and would surely not have to break the bank to sign Southampton’s highly-rated midfielder ahead of the new campaign.

The January transfer window has never been the ideal time to buy players, but it does give Premier League clubs an important opportunity to offload some deadwood before the campaign’s final run in.

That’s something Arsene Wenger should bear in mind – his Arsenal squad, although clearly blessed with talent throughout, is tremendously imbalanced and the fat can certainly be trimmed off a select few departments.

Thus, here’s a list of FIVE players the Gunners could look to move on when the transfer window reopens. Some aren’t getting enough game time, others would add some serious cash to Arsenal’s transfer kitty and a few are simply surplus to requirements.

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON ARSENE WENGER TO REVEAL ALL

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FRANCIS COQUELIN

Once tipped for greatness as a youngster in Arsenal’s academy, Francis Coquelin is now 23 years of age and arguably further away from the Gunners first team than ever before.

Indeed, the Frenchman has only ever made 21 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, whilst loan spells with Lorient in 2010/11 and Freiburg in 2013/14 were hardly inspiring. For the latter, he managed just 16 league outings.

So far this season, the defensive midfielder has made just one appearance – drafted in as an emergency left-back during Arsenal’s Capital One Cup tie with Southampton, which ended in a 2-1 defeat. Here’s the highlights:

//www.youtube.com/embed/f7qDnwseHZg?rel=0

Injuries have certainly taken their toll on Coquelin throughout the years, but at this point, it’s abundantly clear that Wenger simply doesn’t fancy him.

Despite being one of a rare few genuine holding midfielders on the Emirates roster, he’s not even being considered as an alternative to Mikel Arteta or Mathieu Flamini, whilst youngster Hector Bellerin appears to have overtaken him in the pecking order at No.2.

It’s time for the Gunners to cash in on Coquelin or at least send him out on loan. QPR were reportedly eying a temporary deal on deadline day:

And Harry Redknapp could reignite his interest in January if Rangers’ midfield injury crisis, that’s already seen Joey Barton, Sandro and Jordan Mutch sidelined for extended periods this season, continues.

JOEL CAMPBELL (on loan)

Joel Campbell received rave reviews during the World Cup, as the brightest spark in a Costa Rica side that surpassed expectations by reaching the quarter-finals. Here’s a look at the South American highlights:

//www.youtube.com/embed/w8ACcND8cOU?rel=0

And that followed an impressive loan spell with Olympiacos last season, where the young forward netted this stunner against Manchester United in the Champions League.

//www.youtube.com/embed/ATcwmXJYbDU?rel=0

So as Arsenal resisted the advances of a number of top European clubs during the off-season…

…many assumed the 22 year-old would be given a significant role in the first team squad this year.

But he’s thus far made just two appearances for his parent club – a Capital One Cup outing and a substitute stint in the league, consisting of just 16 minutes.

Campbell looks like a real prospect that clubs in the Premier League and yonder would love to get their hands on. Wenger needs to secure a loan move for the forward in January, before his development begins to stifle.

LUKAS PODOLSKI

If there’s one player almost certain to leave the Emirates in January, it’s unquestionably Lukas Podolski, with the German international recently revealing he’s been left frustrated by a lack of playing time:

Podolski has proved a decent acquisition for Arsenal, netting 19 times in 56 Premier League appearances since moving to north London in summer 2012. Here’s a look at some of his goals:

//www.youtube.com/embed/xfB7id7N_g0?rel=0

His experience is important too, having claimed 118 caps for Germany, featured in the World Cup-winning side during the summer and previously plied his trade with Bayern Munich.

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But the winger-forward is now 29 years of age and has managed just 37 minutes in the Premier League this term from three substitute outings.

Arsene Wenger clearly doesn’t favour him as a candidate for the lone front-man role and starting opportunities out wide will be equally hard to come by, following the Gunners’ summer swoop for Alexis Sanchez.

A few clubs have been linked with the German in recent weeks but common consensus views a move to Inter Milan as the likeliest scenario:

NACHO MONREAL

Admittedly, the last thing Arsenal need right now is further reductions to their defensive depth – clearly Arsene Wenger is light on bodies at the back and should be recruiting for that department, not making cuts, when the transfer window reopens.

But second-choice left-back Nacho Monreal has hardly hit the heights expected since the Gunners paid Malaga around £8.5million for his services back in January 2013 – in fact, he’s often the north London side’s biggest liability in defence.

Never comfortable with the power and pace of the Premier League, it’s probably time Arsenal cut Monreal loose, having never truly replicated the attacking performance of his impressive debut against Stoke City eighteen months ago:

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//www.youtube.com/embed/SqalemDf0Hw?rel=0

The Emirates fanbase don’t seem too fond of him either.

But squad depth and potential suitors are both major issues. Resultantly, it’s more than likely that Monreal will remain with the Gunners until at least next summer.

SANTI CAZORLA

Arsenal’s midfield is overloaded with offensive players – in truth, probably a couple too many.

And although Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere have their Arsenal careers firmly cemented for the foreseeable future, Santi Cazorla may not be so lucky.

That’s certainly not a dig at the Spain international’s quality. Cazorla’s technical assets verge upon world class and his ambidextrous feet make him capable of taking up virtually any role across the middle of the park.

But now 29 years of age and having never truly replicated the form in his debut season, that saw him amass twelve goals and twelve assists in the Premier League and claim Arsenal’s Player of the Year award, he’s quickly becoming expendable at the Emirates. Here’s his highlights from 2012/13:

//www.youtube.com/embed/SqalemDf0Hw?rel=0

Cazrola rejected speculation regarding a move back to La Liga during the summer as he was linked to Atletico Madrid:

But could change his mind in January considering he’s no longer a guaranteed starter for the Gunners.

Another week, another defeat for Sheffield Wednesday and even from South Africa I can hear the sharpening of steel as Wednesdayites prepare to drop the guillotine on Dave Jones.

We have to look at our situation.

We’ve lost five games on the trot, conceded 12 goals in those five alone, and only managed to find the back of the net twice, it leaves a sour taste in the mouth doesn’t it?

I hate losing. I hate other fans being able to take the piss out of my team because of our poor form and I hate having to laugh it off and tell them “We’re getting there.” So yes, I understand why people would want Jones to leave, I get their qualms with our current situation.

However, looking at the bigger picture, what comes next?

If DJ gets the boot, who’s going to come in, kiss our wounds better and tell us everything is going to be alright. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I can’t think of a more proven manager who could come in and do a job.

Naturally Jones himself has dismissed all talk of him being fired, he was always going to do that. He told the media that he hadn’t become a bad manager overnight and mused about having to hit rock bottom in order to find out what the good times are.

The fact is though, we’ve thought that we’ve hit rock bottom before. In my short lifetime my team have gone from League Cup winners, FA Cup semi-finalists and Premier League regulars to League One strugglers, now we’re somewhere in between. Yet somehow it’s difficult to overlook a 4-1 defeat AT HOME at the hands of Watford. They aren’t half the club that we are, they don’t deserve to score four at Hillsborough.

Anyway, I’m procrastinating. Who can do the job? What needs to be done in order to turn things around at S6?

I’ll tell you one thing, DJ’s spell in charge of Wednesday won’t be forgotten by any respecting Wednesdayites. This season may have been tough, but Jones took us from a distinctly mid-table League One side and turned us into promotion candidates. That’s not easily done, and I for one thank him for it.

Regardless of what happens in the next few days, and I do have a bad feeling that we’ll be in the hunt for a new manager, Jones played a role in giving Wednesdayites some of their best memories in years. Hell, for youngsters their best Wednesday memories ever.

Something has to be done, that’s not up for debate. Whether the players need a kick up the arse, whether Jones needs to rethink his plan or whether Milan needs to pull the trigger I don’t know, but I want to smile again.

Despite the shite that’s happening on the field, the club needs us. I know it sucks watching Wednesday lose, but it’d suck a whole lot more not watching them at all. We need to rally behind the boys, and Jones, and hope that things improve. Make some noise and let them know that we’re there.

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Next month I’m heading home for the first time since I moved to Cape Town last year. I don’t care if we’re propping up The Championship when I get back, I’ll be at Hillsborough when we face Charlton and I’ll be singing my lungs out. Hopefully, you’ll be there with me.

Come on Wednesday!

Can We Kick It? @YesWeCrann

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Harry Kane’s talent has been clear to see at Tottenham Hotspur over the last few years, but now the striker is proving his quality on the international stage.

The 24-year-old is currently leading the race for the Golden Boot at the World Cup in Russia.

Kane has scored five goals for England so far in the tournament, including a hat-trick in the nation’s shock 6-1 victory over Panama – the country’s highest ever World Cup triumph.

Last season for Spurs, Kane missed out on the Premier League Golden Boot by a whisker, but he still finished the campaign with 30 goals.

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In all competitions, the hitman struck the back of the net 41 times and claimed five assists.

At the World Cup, Manchester United and Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku is not behind on four strikes, while Cristiano Ronaldo has also found the back of the net four times for Portugal.

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The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had the chance to draw level with Kane during Monday night’s Group B clash with Iran, but he had a penalty saved in the 53rd minute of the 1-1 draw.

Instantly, Tottenham fans took to Twitter to brag about Kane’s goalscoring antics, with some even suggesting that the England star is better than the five-time Champions League winner.

According to reports in The Mirror, Southampton are ready to sack manager Mauricio Pellegrino whether they stay in the Premier League or are relegated to the Championship at the end of the season.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Mirror says that Saints have already started drawing up a shortlist of replacements for the Argentine, who has won just five of his 29 top flight matches in charge this term.

The Mirror says that Pellegrino has fallen way short of the target he was set after replacing Claude Puel last summer, with the south coast outfit in real danger of being relegated rather than challenging for a European spot via the league.

The report adds that Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic and Ostersund chief Graham Potter are two potential replacements for the 46-year-old.

How badly has Pellegrino done this season?

He hasn’t done well at all and Southampton fans have wanted him to be sacked for a number of months now, and especially after the goalless draw against Stoke City on Saturday.

The former Liverpool defender has taken a club that finished eighth last term to one that faces a real battle to survive this, with the south coast outfit failing to beat relegation rivals Swansea City, Crystal Palace, Stoke, Huddersfield Town and Newcastle United at St Mary’s this season.

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Saints are also without a home win since they beat Everton 4-1 back in November, and they only have three matches left on their own patch throughout the rest of the campaign – two of those are against Chelsea and Manchester City.

Should he go in the summer?

To be honest, it is a surprise that he is still at St Mary’s now, although The Mirror reports that Les Reed doesn’t want to get rid of him and make a panic appointment.

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That could be a decision he lives to regret though, with Saints showing little signs that they have the quality to beat the drop.

Whatever happens, it is clear for many to see that Pellegrino is out of his depth, and the two parties must go their separate ways at the end of the campaign.

Southampton fans will have mixed emotions about the latest report however, and while the majority will be happy that he is set to go in the summer, they could be in the Championship by then.

After a transfer deadline day which could be best described as underwhelming, Leeds could well benefit from a few new faces to improve the mood at Elland Road.

Even with the transfer window closed there are options available, with the free agent list heavily populated for now. A host of experienced players and stars who have endured difficult spells are looking for new homes, with the Whites potentially in a position to benefit.

Here are six freebies for Leeds to consider…

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CLICK ON CHRIS EAGLES TO REVEAL THE SIX

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Joseph Yobo

Released by Fenerbahce at the end of last season after a brief spell with Norwich, Yobo was a shock decent performer at the World Cup. The big Nigerian is physically imposing and has bags of experience, making him a potentially top class Championship player.

His wages may be an issue, but Leeds could gamble on him.

Tomasz Kuszczak

The former Manchester United stopper has been starring for Brighton in recent seasons, but his spell on the South Coast came to an end over the summer. Marco Silvestri is a new arrival, but the Pole could be used to keep the Italian on his toes given his vast experience in England.

Chris Eagles

After falling out with Dougie Freedman the ex-Manchester United youth star found himself released a few months ago and in search of a new club. With pace and trickery in his armoury, the winger could be a wise addition for Leeds, who with big club status could tempt him to Elland Road.

Jermaine Pennant

Pennant has been searching for a new club for much of 2014 after being released by Stoke, and he may well be a good signing for Leeds. The 31-year-old has had a troubled past, yet his talent has been shown in the Premier League and in Spain.

He may prove to be a unsalvageable now, but Leeds could attempt to get something from him with a short-term deal.

Jack Collison

Injuries curtailed the once promising Welshman’s progress and he has never really recovered from them to regain full fitness. West Ham lost patience with him over the summer, and a switch to the Championship could be a good option.

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He spent some time at Wigan recently, where he showed glimpses of his talent.

Matt Etherington

Once a Stoke and West Ham hero, at 33 Etherington no longer has the pace that made him a handful for defenders in the top tier, but his technical abilities are still evident.

One last push for another stint in the Premier League may tempt the veteran to Leeds, who could benefit from his know-how.

Chris Hughton has confirmed that Russell Martin is still not fit enough for first team action with Norwich.

The defender is still suffering from an injury to his back that he sustained in Norwich’s draw with Aston Villa, so Steven Whittaker will continue deputising for him.

The Canaries face Manchester United this weekend.

Though Hughton admits Martin is still out, he is not experiencing many injury issues.

He said: “Russell Martin, who missed the last couple of games, is still not available, but apart from that we’re OK. We thought Russ was going to be okay for the last game, but it’s one that has dragged on a little bit. We’re expecting him to train on Monday and Tuesday and continue to progress.”

He has also confirmed that as well as Steven Whittaker, who took part in Scotland’s international fixtures against Luxembourg, Wes Hoolahan and John Ruddy have also come back from duty for their national teams unscathed. He said: “The three lads that were away on international duty – John Ruddy, Steven Whittaker, and Wes Hoolahan are all fine.”

Chris Hughton has made it clear that he wants his team to stay away from the bottom three of the Premier League table.

He said: “It gives us a little bit of comfort that we’re not in the bottom three. But although we’re picking up points and playing well, we have some very tough games coming up where – unless you’re on top of your game – it can be difficult. But we’re delighted that we’ve kept away from that bottom three and it’s our responsibility to continue to do that.”

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Norwich will be hoping for a different result from that of the same fixture last season, where Manchester United beat them 1-2 with Ryan Giggs scoring the winner in injury time.

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