When my editor mentioned the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) press conference (which was held on Wednesday) earlier in the week, we both figured it'd be a straight-forward affair with perhaps one or two hints towards the future of the national squad and some clarification on whether the axed Lions would get a second chance to redeem themselves.

RADDY'S PHONE ANALOGY

But I surely wouldn't have guessed that we'd all be given a lesson in mobile phone shopping.

National coach Raddy Avramovic gave the attending media a piece of his mind on buying phones, with his little analogy when asked about rumours that local football hero Fandi Ahmad might become his assistant coach.

"I think this reminds me of something," Avramovic said. "If you go to a Sony shop and you ask...agent of Sony which mobile phone he will recommend you, I don't think he will recommend you Samsung or Motorola."

His quote, reported in The New Paper on Thursday, left many people wondering what he was implying.

I think Avramovic was using that analogy to describe his lack of options in football. Either that, or he really dislikes Sony Ericsson phones.

Come on, Sony Ericssons are perfectly fine. I quite like my old, trusty K800i. The Samsung I carried proved to be a bit too delicate for a car door, and my current Motorola Milestone seems to annoy me a lot more than the brochure said it would.

Mobile phones should be communication devices first, and lifestyle devices second.

Ask anyone who has had his or her phone die on her in a critical moment without another phone in sight, whether he or she, with hindsight, would've given up all the apps and other fluffy stuff just for a few extra bars of battery life.

Chances are, they would. If not, it wasn't critical enough a moment.

Avramovic, what's wrong with a "Sony Ericsson" (local option) that works? (Of course, having a Samsung phone that can fake an incoming call may be somewhat interesting.

There's also the little problem of conflicting statements from the FAS.

Earlier in the week, The New Paper carried an article that quoted a source saying Avramovic had offered to quit after December's Suzuki Cup debacle.

At Wednesday's press conference, the Lion's coach, however, said he did not. At the same time, he also accused the media of telling lies.

A short distance away, after the same conference, FAS general secretary Winston Lee was saying that Avramovic had, indeed, offered to quit after the Suzuki Cup.

I'm trying to imagine a split screen of both making their statements being played side-by-side, one after the other.

At least Arsenal's Denilson had the option to defend himself by saying that his critical comments about teammate Cesc Fabregas were 'misquoted' by Brazilian television. I don't think that's much of an option here in FAS' case.

THE QUESTIONS REMAIN...

Did Avramovic offer to quit, or did he not? And if he did, why did he say he did not and that the media had reported lies? Or was it subject to the interpretation of what he had told FAS himself after the Suzuki Cup?

More details will no doubt surface in coming days regarding this divisive affair.

If Avramovic did not offer his head, why did the FAS general secretary say he did? Was it just to placate the public after the uproar over what had happened?

And as for the phones...is Avramovic really implying that our local football talent pool has too little options for his liking?

Or does he really not want to buy a Sony Ericsson phone?

I've watched several North London derbies in the company of fellow Gooners at various locations, celebrated the joy of vanquishing Manchester United and suffered the agony of defeat to those Tottenham Spuds over at White Hart Lane.

But I'll never have the opportunity to sit in at an actual Arsenal match in my childhood and experience the roar of an entire stadium as the Highbury crowd screams its collective lungs out, mainly because I didn't know of Arsenal in my childhood and Highbury is about to become...flats. That, and London isn't exactly the cheapest of places for a holiday.

WHEN I WAS A WEE LITTLE LAD...

No, the team of my childhood wasn't the Arsenal. It was the Lions, the Singapore national team and in particular, the team of old that I'm sure many of us fondly remember. Because live matches were a novelty, even on television, I used to listen to the live commentary on the radio.

On some occasions, I'd even hide myself under the blanket and imagine that I was at the National Stadium (which, like Highbury, is no longer around).

It may not seem like much now, but to a 10-year-old kid with an active imagination and lots of love for his national football team, it was pretty epic. Games against teams from Kedah, Selangor and Pahang were often the topic of choice on the school bus.
 
Watching the Lions at Kallang and experiencing our very own Kallang Wave was the reward for doing well in school. Any kid who kicked a football around during Physical Education classes talked about wanting to grow up to become like Fandi Ahmad or Nazri Nasir (and not Wayne Rooney or Leo Messi).

GOODBYE OLD HEROES, HELLO NEW ONES

That love affair ended when Singapore left the Malaysian League after Singapore's 1994 Malaysia Cup win. Two years earlier, the English Premier League as we know it now, had just taken off in England, and its influence slowly but surely, spread around the globe.

No longer were my classmates talking about Fandi and the Lions. They had new heroes  - Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham and Eric Cantona, to name a few. And it was no longer Singapore versus Malaysia. It was Liverpool versus Manchester United. Blackburn versus Leeds. Arsenal versus Tottenham.

Today, ask any teenager on the streets, and most likely he or she will be able to name at least several of the clubs in the EPL. If asked about Etoile FC, there's a pretty good chance that it'd be identified as the French word for 'star' before being associated with the latest S-League champions.

Many will know of the Lions, but not because of their successes on the pitch a few years back. Rather, they'll be known because of the reports of smoking, partying, getting kicked out of the December Suzuki Cup and their reported $400,000-a-year coach.

Support for the S-League would be even harder to find, with many Singaporeans not even sure which club represents their home district. And while it is the 'top tier' of Singapore football, the fact that the teams have changed numerous times over the seasons and the lack of a promotion/relegation system make the S-League something only punters ever seem to get excited about.

REINVENTING THE LOST PLOT?

In discussion with my colleagues and friends, several suggestions about how to improve Singapore football came up.

Some feel that Singapore, as a smaller country, cannot sustain the 12 teams of the S-League. We simply don't have the fan base to support them.

London, with its estimated population of 7.7 million, has 14 professional teams (remember that this is the birthplace of the Beautiful Game), and only 10 see an average attendance of 10,000 or more. And these are teams like Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham, with histories dating back a hundred years or more.

A regional super league, an idea that has been floated around before, might be the solution. The best Asean teams competing against each other might bring out national pride usually seen only in international competitions, as well as attract some bigger names (you know...old EPL stars past their prime).

Another suggestion would be to have a promotion/relegation system for the top tier of Singapore football. Promoted teams from a lower division could be given cash bonuses to help them secure some better players, and relegation would offer teams something to fear should they not perform.

While we're at it, isn't it counter-productive to have the Young Lions competing at the league level? I know the idea is to showcase the 'best' young talents, but wouldn't it be better to keep them as an Under-23 team that competes in international competitions, while letting the players develop their individual club careers?

At the end of the day, changes are required from not only the clubs, but the Football Association of Singapore. Advertisers and sponsors, too, need to look at long-term benefits instead of short-term gains.

Communities will need to feel that there is something to look forward to when their district club faces a rival, and the result will have to matter enough to warrant more than a passing glance in the newspaper.

With the establishment of foreign football on our local channels, it may be wise not to seek to fight against the EPL, Serie A and La Liga.

Instead, build up local football as just part of the culture - watch a local match on Friday (instead of so many weekday matches throughout), and then cheer your favourite EPL team over the weekend.

Should a local club get an affiliation with a bigger, well-known European giant, even better.

When the magic of the old Malaysia Cup/League days can be rediscovered, and local football once again captures the minds of imaginative little children, perhaps we can then dare to dream about another goal.

Goal 2022 perhaps?

Update (Jan 18, 2011):

There have been some really good responses from the social media universe regarding what some readers thought were the best days of Singapore football and the current situation with the national squad.

From The Straits Times' Facebook page:

"Late 80s early 90s... those days were the best...!! hear the kallang roar...!! the atmosphere at kallang whereby all of us stomp our foot and doing the wave was beyond words..." - Siti Nor'aini Abdul Samat

"Malaysia Cup is the best time,where you see all S'pore united together and cheering for Singapore!" - Melvin Phua

"The good old days of Singapore football. The days when as a teenager my friends and I would emulate the goals scored by Fandi and Abbas during recess. Then after school still in our stinking uniforms we would all head down to the National stadium to catch our local heroes." - Farhan Rasheed

From The Straits Times' Twitter page:

"Seriously? Sack the entire team? So where do we get the young players to replace the team? Who is going to be the leader of the team? You need some older guys to lead the youngsters, take Manchester United and Arsenal for example, mix of young and old. So if the Lions want to roar again, include some old guys like Duric to lead the team" - @elendparade

Manchester United sit pretty atop the table. Their next door neighbours City find themselves in unfamiliar territory at second. Arsenal will probably feel they deserved to be at No. 2, but their blank against the rich brats of Manchester mean they stay third.

Losses for both the Tottenham Spuds and the old folks at Chelsea mean that they're stuck at fourth and fifth, while Liverpool celebrate the end of the 12 days of Christmas at 12th position.

Both Carlo Ancelotti and Roy Hodgson must privately fear the axe any moment now, regardless of what they say to the press, and Aston Villa's Gerrard Houllier and West Ham's Avram Grant will do well to work on their resumes for their next job application.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE LIONS...

For under-performing teams, Chelsea and Liverpool players should be thankful they haven't gone the way of the Singapore Lions. Thrown out of the national team after their AFF Suzuki Cup fracas, the (ex-)Lions are probably anxiously waiting to hear if there is any salvation for their international careers.

You don't hear anyone replacing the entire Liverpool squad. Of course, it's slightly different given that Liverpool would have to dish out a flurry of (very expensive) compensation payments, but at the end of the day, Hodgson will have to take responsibility for the team's performance. Ancelotti may have won the Premier League last season, but he too, will know his head is on the chopping block.

It takes two hands to clap, and the fact that only the players of the Singapore team have suffered the consequences - not the coach or management team - has shocked fans and ex-footballers alike. On The Straits Times' Facebook page and on Twitter, readers have been calling for the management to face similar punishments.

Imagine waking up tomorrow and finding out that Roman Abramovich has fired the entire Chelsea squad but kept the manager and the coaching team. How ridiculous would that be?

It's something only the guys at the Onion News Network could come up with. (On a personal note, I'd find that hilarious because it'd have the same effect on me as Tottenham getting relegated.)

A LITTLE SUGGESTION

The Football Association of Singapore should take a look at how most European clubs and nations handle crises of this magnitude - a new manager who will take a long, hard look at the team, axe those who don't meet his standards and find new ones to complement his style.

It may not be a perfect solution, but I think it's better than dropping all the players. How would new players perform on the pitch, with the fear hanging over their heads that a string of poor performances could see them ditched and cast aside?

I'm not an athlete, but I imagine the feeling would be similar to trying play hopscotch over a pit of lava filled with lava-immune tiger sharks.

As for Chelsea, Liverpool, Villa and West Ham, the players themselves will also have to bear responsibility for the clubs' current forms. With transfer season upon us, it is inevitable that any change in manager will also come with the movement of players. Those who have failed to meet expectations may find themselves further down the pecking order, and in need of a new club in due time.

And while the FA Cup weekend may offer some reprieve for the under-fire managers, a poor performance against the teams from the lower leagues might just be the nudge some club owners need, to finally pull the trigger.

Like I said earlier, what a dramatic start to 2011 it has been for those under fire.

Arsenal, who had a glorious chance to sandwich themselves between the two Manchester rivals, decided that they didn't want to get involved and graciously had one of their defenders score an own goal so they'd be stuck at third. Obviously, eight changes to a team that beat Chelsea was a little overboard. Arsene Wenger may have defended his tinkering, but well, three's a crowd right?

Chelsea have managed to finally, finally stop losing and Carlo Ancelotti can look forward to building on it after an earlier loss to Arsenal. At the same time, Ancelotti can hope that he will not be replaced by his long-lost brother and good friend of the big boss, Guus Hiddink.

Roy Hodgson, on the other hand, looks increasingly likely to join Sam Allardyce in the unemployed section. Another home loss, this time to a team that hasn't won away since late March, left poor Woy feeling the wrath of the Kop, and while he says he's 'getting used to it', the feeling is that another poor result against Bolton would spell the end of a pretty short reign in Liverpool's history.

LOOKING BACK

I wonder if fans could have imagined this situation a decade ago.

Arsenal and Manchester United have been at this for a while, with Wenger and Alex Ferguson battling for top honours every season. While both teams seem to have cemented their Big Four status throughout the decade, Ferguson's trophy cabinet is considerably larger than Wenger's.

Sir Alex has weathered the coming of the new rich kids on the block fairly well, and along the way he's even seen the largest transfer ever made when Cristiano Ronaldo decided to jump ship to Spain.

That being said, Arsenal's football is usually a joy to behold (usually) and Wenger's tight handling of finances has left the Gunners one of the few remaining teams (and the only team in the Big Four) without foreign owners.

The Gunners can also boast having some of the most exciting players of the decade - the ever crafty Thierry Henry, his sidekick Robert Pires, the Dutch diva Robin Van Persie, the Spanish marvel Cesc Fabregas and that Russian munchkin Andrei Arshavin. But there was that Orlando Bloom impersonator Pascal Cygan...

Chelsea started the decade around the Europa League spots, but then found themselves a new sugar daddy in Roman Ambramovich. After that, they were blessed with The Special One, Jose Mourinho, who made Chelsea into the force they are today.

Unfortunately, the Chelsea squad isn't wine, and it does not get better with age. Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and John Terry aren't getting any younger. It'll take a pretty spectacular turnaround for Chelsea to retain the title this season, but they're still in a better place than the last of the Big Four.

Liverpool's decade has seen them at great highs (winning the Champions League against AC Milan) and great lows (losing the Champions League to AC Milan). They've nurtured some really impressive players, including Steven Gerrard, though one gets the feeling that they've never actually filled the void left by Xavi Alonso's departure to Real Madrid.

Having started the decade as regular title challengers, they twice finished fifth before last season's dismal showing meant that they would not see Champions League football. The club has also changed hands twice, and were on the brink of bankruptcy before their purchase by New England Sports Ventures.

BIG 4 CHALLENGERS

The decade has also seen the emergence of challengers to the Big Four, the most obvious being the rich kids on the other side of Manchester. City started the decade playing in what is now the Championship, the second-tier in English football.

They'll end the decade sharing the summit of the EPL with the Red Devils, which is a fantastic achievement, though granted, it is one bought with enough money to lift most countries in Africa out of poverty.

Tottenham spent the early part of the decade in mid-table wilderness, having suffered the humility of their captain Sol Campbell crossing over to their much-hated rivals at Arsenal. But their fortunes have seen a revival of sorts, starting with the season they almost knocked Arsenal out of the top four. They suffered a blip towards the end of the decade, with their worst start to a season in 2008/09, but with Harry 'Houdini' Redknapp at the helm, Spurs have ended the decade strongly.

They achieved their first ever victory against Arsenal at White Hart Lane in 11 years in April this year, followed by forcing humility down Arsenal's throat when the Gunners' ex-captain William Gallas signed for Tottenham on a free transfer. They capped the year with another victory against the Gunners, this time at the Emirates, with Gallas as their skipper.

WORLD AND LOCAL REWIND

The rest of the football world has had an equally interesting last decade. France managed to move from being World Champions to 'the guys with the chicken mascot who lost to South Africa'.

Greece proved to be the Rialto of the footballing world, with their one hit-wonder at Euro 2004.

Germany saw the rise of a mystic mollusc with unrivalled powers.

Italy finally added that fourth star to their jersey. England managed to avoid adding any stars to their jerseys.

Spain fulfilled their potential by doing the Euro/World Cup double. Africa introduced the world to vuvuzelas.

There have also been some tragic moments in football, like the terrorist attack on the Togo national team at the beginning of this year, which left three people dead and seven wounded.

Then there was the Serie A scandal in 2006, which saw Juventus fall from champions to demotion. The scandal also implicated many of the Italian giants, including AC Milan, Inter Milan and Lazio, and saw the departure of many big names from The Old Lady. The fact that the Italian national squad won the World Cup that year still amuses me even now, especially coupled with the infamous Zinedine Zidane headbutt.

Football fans here have also seen an increase in the cost of watching the beautiful game, the most recent example being the pocket-burning cost of subscribing to the 2010 World Cup, compared with 2006. On a side note, the world's first official Fifa merchandise store at Changi's Terminal 3 had to close. I guess we spent our football budget paying to watch the World Cup, so we didn't have any leftover to buy Fifa merchandise.

On the local scene...no one ever mentions Goal 2010 anymore. With the recent fracas involving the Lions staying up and that Tampines Rovers guy Aliff Shafaein, who asked fans to pay his fines, it'll take a fair bit to get Singapore fans back to the days of the Malaysia Cup. Having some foreign teams taking part in the S-League might raise the awareness of local football, but a regional league could be the nudge that Singapore needs to bring its football to the next level.

LOOKING AHEAD

The next decade will bring with it its share of uncertainty:

Will Man City actually win something? Can Liverpool salvage their reputation?  Will Barcelona and Real Madrid let someone else into their two-horse race? When will Ferguson retire? Will Leeds United ever make it back to the top flight of English football? Only time will tell.

There's also the question of video technology's role in football, whether Fandi Ahmad's kids will play for Singapore or South Africa, and if Singapore will ever qualify for the World Cup (Goal 2022 maybe? We're used to the heat, we can manage in Qatar and we love air-con too!).

One thing is certain, though. Football's dominance as a sport, and a football fan's love for it, won't change. Barring a zombie apocalypse, or some other end-of-world event, of course.

Also, congratulations, Malaysia, on winning the AFF Suzuki Cup. Congratulations, too, on your extra public holiday today on New Year's Eve. I recall Singapore winning the same Cup (then called the Tiger Cup) a few years ago.

Don't remember the holiday, though.

So instead, let's have a look at some of the big names in the football scene, and possible items on their wishlist this Christmas.

Arsenal:

The Gunners will face off against Chelsea after Christmas, but surely the prolonged absence of Thomas Vermaelen was news Arsene Wenger wished he didn't have to hear. How he would wish for Arsenal-type injury woes to plague his rivals instead, keeping in mind that little matter of a Champions League match-up with Barcelona. I'm sure he'd also like a certain French keeper and a real-life player editor to solve those injury problems that pop up ever so often.

Chelsea:

If Chelsea needed something right now, it'd be a glass of courage from the wizard of Oz. They need a win against the Gunners to get back on track, and with Manchester United looking to extend their lead at the top, nothing fewer than three points will suffice for the men in blue. Some would also be hoping for their wizard, Jose Mourinho, to return.

Man United:

United's stunning success in recent years (I'd like to call it something else, but it is what it is) and Alex Ferguson go hand-in-hand. Some might wonder what the club will be like once the good Sir steps down, but others would probably want to give him the gift of immortality. Sir Alex himself would probably wish for a swift end to South Korea's Asian Cup, so that he can keep Park Ji Sung around for what is increasingly looking like a critical and tight race to the finish.

Liverpool:

For Liverpool, a 'Big Four' squad that hasn't actually won the EPL title, there could be no better wish for this year than actually staying in the top four and retasting Champions League football. They have a realistic chance of winning the Europa League trophy, but I'm sure some fans have already seen their Christmas wish partially fulfilled - Rafa Benitez's sacking at Inter Milan means that the extremely unlikely scenario that the Spaniard will return to the Reds is still within the realm of possibility. Roy Hodgson won't too happy to hear that, though.

Man City:

For a team that has spent that much, Manchester City have fallen short of expectations, especially when compared with their slightly more illustrious neighbours. Surely, most of us remember the promise of a new superpower when City stunned the footballing world by capturing Robinho's signature. Then that troll-worthy declaration of intent to sign Kaka. And securing both Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure from Arsenal. But for all the millions City's cash-rich owners have spent, they've failed to win a single piece of silverware. Their recent 2-1 defeat by Everton further ruined their dreams of topping the table, even if it were to be only for a brief moment.

Tottenham:

For the Spurs, there probably is no better gift than doing the double over their North London rivals. Well, they'll probably be dreaming of winning the Champions League, but that might prove a little trickier. Spurs will also want to keep their star players, including the impressive Gareth Bale, from the claws of the more prestigious clubs.

Newcastle:

Newcastle fans I've talked to, want one thing from Christmas, apart from not getting relegated. They want owner Mike Ashley out. The sacking of Chris Hughton, who brought them out of the Championship and into a mid-table position, was the latest in a long list of decisions that have left Newcastle supporters and players scratching their heads. Alan Pardew's first game in charge might have been a morale-boosting 3-1 win, but only a change in overall management can give the club the stability it needs.

West Ham:

Let's face it. They need a miracle. Hammers fans are probably preparing themselves for the worst. Having escaped relegation several times in seasons past, it looks like their luck has run out.

The rest:

Clubs in England are begging for a winter break. While everyone else in Europe is enjoying the Christmas holidays with their families, the English Premier League (EPL) clubs are preparing themselves for a gruelling four games in 10-days, a vital stage of the season which usually determines who plays Champions League football and who plays Championship football next season. Chelsea, for example, play Arsenal on Monday followed by a home match against Bolton two days later, something which no title challenger would feel is fair.

Perhaps the snow will intervene.

AND OUTSIDE THE EPL...

Inter Milan:

Yes, Rafa Benitez is no Jose Mourinho, but be realistic Inter, you're not getting the Special One back for Christmas. You had your treble. It's someone else's turn. The Italian Super Cup and the Club World Cup may not be the most fantastic of trophies, but they're still silverware you can put into your pretty little trophy cabinet, yes? Not to mention the rumoured $4 million Benitez is getting paid for the termination...

Barcelona:

The Catalan giants have pretty much everything a football club would want. A good coach, a fantastic batch of players, competing well in competitions. At this point in time, the only thing on their wishlist would probably be...more money. As their acceptance of shirt sponsorship for the first time ever showed, Barca's fantastic football has come at a pretty hefty cost, and at the end of the day, they have to balance the books. If they don't have more money, how are they supposed to buy the other thing on their wishlist - Cesc Fabregas?

Real Madrid:

They have the Special One. They have lots of money. They have a whole list of star players. What more could they want? Well, for a start, money can't buy everything, as we've seen with Manchester City. What Real can probably hope for, is an Arsenal-esque injury crisis to hit their Catalan rivals Barcelona. That, and Cesc Fabregas.

Do you have something to add to your club's wishlist this festive season?

Arsenal tried last week but failed miserably,
Perhaps this time the Red Devils won't be so lucky...

Let's face it, Chelsea's performances of late haven't been great. 3-0 to Sunderland, 1-0 to Birmingham, draws with Newcastle, Everton and Spurs. It's been over a month since the Blues last won a game, and if this form continues, they might as well just hand over the trophy to someone else now.

Man Utd, on the other hand, have had a pretty decent run, except for that little blip against West Ham in the Carling Cup. Yes, some will argue that Park Ji Sung's goal against my beloved Arsenal was 'lucky', but well, the ball is round, and a lucky goal is still a goal, and I'm pretty sure Chelsea won't complain if Lady Luck shines upon the team in blue this Sunday.

Chelsea need a win. Man Utd want a win. Arsenal are probably split between a draw and a Chelsea win, and Man City will continue to dream that they'll be able to buy the EPL title.

Frank Lampard is expected to start for the Blues, and if he gets a sniff of the goal, you can be sure he'll take it. Didier Drogba is probably still rueing his missed penalty against Tottenham, and he'll be looking to make amends at Stamford Bridge.

Man Utd, being the only unbeaten team in the EPL this season, will want to solidify their hold on the top spot before losing Park to South Korea for the 2011 Asian Cup. They will also be mindful of last season's race to the finish, when a seemingly different Chelsea team slammed eight goals against Wigan to claim the title on the last day, making Man Utd's 4-0 win against Stoke almost useless.

I'm expecting a pretty good match at the Bridge this weekend, but I think a combination of home support and Carlo Ancelotti wanting to remain employed will result in a victory for Chelsea. A solid win might also be the lift the team need to take into the next match against Arsenal. Which may not be a good thing...

SPEAKING OF THE GUNNERS

The Arsenal face Stoke City this weekend, another test of the Gunners' physical aspect of the game. Arsene Wenger may have blamed the pitch at Old Trafford, but I'm sure deep down he knows the Arsenal squad still needs some tinkering (buy a new keeper PLEASE).

With the firepower Arsenal possess, including French player of the year Samir Nasri, they will look to find the potency that they lacked at Old Trafford, but they really need to find another strategy besides 'score more goals than opposing team'.

I remember watching Rory Delap rocket those throw-ins deep within enemy territory, and if the Arsenal defence doesn't stay alert, this match could be quite a tricky one for Arsene Wenger's Red/White Army. A win here would see the Gunners top the table again, at least until the Chelsea-Man Utd match on Sunday.

AND HELLO WOY!

The ever amusing Liverpool (not a compliment, by the way) will be looking to claim all three points when Roy Hodgson's former team Fulham visit Anfield.

Having played a shadow side against FC Utrecht in the Europa League, the Reds should be fresh and ready for the Londoners, though it remains to seen if their captain Steven Gerrard will be fit for the match.

Fulham will want to put that boring draw with Sunderland behind them, and take some badly needed points off Hodgson's team. It's still early to be speculating about relegation (unless we're talking about West Ham, sorry Hammers), but no one wants to stay in that zone come Christmas.

I'm going with a Liverpool win, because Fulham... well. The Cottagers have had two wins since the start of the season, which gives them something else in common with fellow London club West Ham.

With Fernando Torres spearheading the Reds' attack, I think the Fulham defence will be looking to minimise the damage and preserve some morale before next week's clash with the Hammers.

AND THE REST...

Blackpool deserve special mention as they've been performing above expectation thus far.

They're halfway to the magical 40-point 'safe' mark, and if they keep their form up they'll be one of the over-performers of the season. I think they'll give the Tottenham Spuds a good fight this weekend, and I believe they'll get at least a draw out of the match.

Disclaimer: I'm not a Literature student, so don't please slam my attempt at poetry and prose. *insert random smiley face here*.

Seriously though - Liverpool fans aside - how many of you actually expected the usually under-performing Reds to whoop Aston Villa by three goals?

And for the other team in Merseyside to hold Chelsea without Mikel Arteta. Carlo Ancelotti said it right after his team's 1-0 defeat in the Champions League at Marseille - Chelsea do look afraid to play football.

That certainly does not bode well for the Blues' weekend visit to White Hart Lane against Tottenham, who - despite my love for Arsenal - played that somewhat eye-catching 3-3 draw with FC Twente midweek. The Spuds have been enjoying their first foray into Champions League football, and they'll be looking to claim another scalp this Sunday (Dec 12).

Chelsea's recent form suggests a likely Tottenham victory, but it goes against my conscience to predict anything more than a draw at White Hart Lane. This really has less to do with my allegience in the Premier League, and more to do with the fact that another bad result for Chelsea could spell the beginning of the end to the Blues' title charge and Ancelotti's reign.

With their backs almost to the wall, I can see Chelsea banding together to put up a fight.

AND THEN THERE'S THIS...

Of course, the Chelsea-Tottenham game pales in comparison to the big one - Monday's late showdown between Manchester United and Arsenal. To be fair, Arsenal have a pretty effective strategy in place. If Man Utd score one goal, Arsenal will aim to score at least two; if they score two, the Gunners will try to score three.

The problem with that, as those of you who watched the match with Partizan will know, is that Arsenal get nervous when they're not scoring. The moment Partizan's equaliser hit the back of the net, I wondered, briefly, if this would be the season when the Gunners failed to progress past the group stages of the Champions League.

It took goals from Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri before a very relieved Arsenal finally sealed their place in the Champions League knockout stage. Regardless of who Robin van Persie hopes to face, I don't doubt that there will be a collective groan if Real Madrid or Barcelona are drawn against the Gunners in the last 16.

I've mentioned Arsenal's keeper issues before, and it really doesn't help that their key defender last season will be out of action until at least the New Year. Thomas Vermaelen was a sparkling find last season, scoring goals even strikers would be proud of and defending the goal like a mama grizzly infused with the spirit of an enraged knight.

His fellow centrebacks, Sebastien Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny, seem to have a little bit of a problem communicating at times. Yes, they both speak French, but language isn't everything in a relationship, right?

Vermaelen's return will be a welcomed boost for Arsenal's title challenge, but that challenge will only exist if the Gunners get through December unscathed. To do that, they will need to convert their passing game into precision strikes on Man Utd's goal.

They'll also need to avoid any more serious injuries, like Kieran Gibbs getting crocked for three weeks.

It's still too early to call this a title-decider, but a good result here could be the push needed to keep the momentum going, something which any team chasing the Premier League title would want, going into the tough Christmas period.

SPEAKING OF THAT...

Liverpool, who have graciously decided to allow everyone else a chance at winning the EPL title (which they've never actually won), have a little road trip on Saturday (Dec 11), to St James' Park, a match which no doubt will focus on the Magpie's new manager Alan Pardew and the untimely execution of his predecessor.

Pardew, known to my non-football-fan friends as 'that guy who looks like (CNN's) Anderson Cooper', stepped in to fill the shoes of the popular Chris Hughton, known to my football-fan friends as 'the guy who dragged Newcastle out of the worst mess they've been in in years'.

Hughton's departure after the Magpies lost 3-1 at West Brom, is another sad reminder of the power struggles behind the scenes at a football club, which is a scenario that claimed the scalp of Martin O'Neill after he walked out on Villa earlier this year.

Pardew himself admitted that he'd received texts questioning his sanity over his acceptance of a job that has seen six managers in three and a half years, a feat rivalled only by Japan and its five Prime Ministers in four years. The match against the Reds will be a good chance for him to win over some fans, and maybe some brownie points with his new boss.

I'll go with a Newcastle win, if only because Liverpool are an erratic lot.

FINALLY...

Come on Hammers, strike a blow for the beautiful game and prove that money isn't everything in football. Let Man City on Saturday night forever know the fear of bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air...

It's been an interesting week in football.

Arsenal have once again proved how to win without a keeper - score more goals than the opposition, banging in four against Aston Villa's two.

Liverpool somehow managed to lose to Tottenham, with the Spuds snatching victory in the final minutes, something Harry Redknapp's boys seem to have perfected of late.

Barcelona proved why Jose Mourinho still has a huge task ahead when they trounced Real Madrid like a frenzied panda mauling a crippled kitten.

The unbeaten Manchester United found themselves staring at four West Ham goals and finding no reply in the League Cup to a team sitting at the bottom of the Premier League table. (Also, a team who taught Elijah Wood to find meaning in life after he had destroyed the One Ring).

And Birmingham supporters showed the world how much they dislike Aston Villa, while at the same time giving other teams a reason to dislike St Andrew's, something even their manager called a 'return to the dark ages'.

The League Cup, often overlooked for its more prestigious brother the FA Cup and the European Champions League, now seems ready to offer an unexpected champion.

Three of the remaining four teams - Ipswich, Birmingham and West Ham - weren't on most people's list at the beginning of the tournament.

The fourth, my beloved Arsenal... Well, let's just say that year after year, not many seem to take the Young Gunners too seriously.

Don't get me wrong, they play some fabulously football in the typical Arsenal spirit - a flurry of passes that sometimes end in a fabulous goal - but there's always that nagging suspicion that some big, mean, team of monsters (think Didier Drogba) will come out of the draw and swallow them whole.

So yes, this year's League Cup will have an unexpected winner, much like the winning bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups (which went to Russia and Qatar).

While much of England cries foul over the loss of their bid to the land of the tiger-fighting prime ministers, let's turn our attention to this week's Barclays Premier League matches. There are several interesting matchups, and I'm going to try to predict the scores for each. A word of warning, though. I am no Paul the Octopus (or TNP pundit, for that matter), and I don't make predictions for my Gunners.

Arsenal's 10 outfield players and one guy standing around the goal post will face-off against Fulham and one of Arsene Wenger's failed goalkeeping targets, Mark Schwarzer. Arsenal play fantastic football, again, but a lot depends on whether they can convert that into goals. From a Gooner's perspective, I'm hoping Schwarzer's still a little hungover from Australia's deflating boot from the 2022 World Cup bid.

Birmingham host Tottenham, with Brum having held Chelsea in their last match, while the Spuds turned the tables on Liverpool and made them the roasted turkeys. Both teams would be looking to maintain the good form, though the Blues did play that mid-week League Cup match against Villa. I'm expecting a 2-2 draw.

Speaking of Villa, they line up against the recently roasted Liverpool on Monday, looking to get back to winning ways after defeats to Arsenal and Brum. Liverpool haven't been great this season, even without a mid-week game, and Anfield isn't an invincible fortress. Perhaps the relief at qualifying for the next round of the Europa League will spur them on, though I think Villa will edge this 2-1.

One of the surprise teams to have won this season at Anfield, Blackpool will line up against Manchester United, who themselves will be looking to rebound after the hammering they suffered at the hands of West Ham. Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney left Blackburn Rovers ravaged last week, and a similar performance could see Blackpool suffer a repeat of August's 6-0 mauling at the Emirates. Expect a 1-3 Man Utd victory. (Update: The match has been postponed due to the shivering cold that has hit Europe).

Another disappointed Aussie, Tim Cahill, and the Everton squad travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea. The Toffees face a difficult task, with Mikel Arteta suspended in that crushing 4-1 defeat against West Brom. Chelsea, however, will see the return of John Terry after a nerve injury, as well as Michael Essien, who finished serving a three-match ban. The Blues will be hungry to return to the top spot that Man Utd currently occupy, and I can see Chelsea taking this 2-0. 

Cheers to another interesting week in the beautiful game.

Qatar, or 'some tiny Gulf state somewhere in the Middle East', will be hosting the 2022 World Cup, causing many Americans, Japanese, Koreans and Australians to cry foul and millions of others to go 'Qatar what?'.

Some, like US President Barack Obama, see the choosing of Qatar as a 'wrong decision' on Fifa's part.

Others, like some of my colleagues, were just hoping for a World Cup in the same time zone. I can relate to that, having watched my first World Cup in 1994. It was held in the US, and I remember my mum prodding me a fair bit so I wouldn't miss the school bus.

Over on the Straits Times' Facebook fan page, one reader joked about the heat, while another compared it to the International Olympic Committee choosing Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Games. Some wondered if it had anything to do with oil in the Gulf. Another, not unexpectedly, went 'Where's Qatar?'.

But first, I'd like to address President Obama. Mr Obama, while I appreciate the epic job you've been doing in the White House (apparently unlike slightly more than half your country), I don't think Fifa made the wrong choice in choosing Qatar over the US. You had your chance in 1994, wait a little longer before you force me to watch the matches at unearthly hours again!

Also, to US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati, who said the defeat was a setback in moving the sport forward, I have a suggestion for moving the sport forward. Start by renaming your Federation the US Football Federation, and your league the Major League Football. Unless, of course, you're somehow going to get Fifa (Federation Internationale de Football Association) to rename itself Fisa, which I think would be slightly harder.

Of all the countries in the bid, I personally feel for Australia, which was eliminated in the first round, having secured only one vote. Imagine that. One vote! The whole vote-buying scandal involving Oceania Football Confederation president Reynald Temarii probably didn't do much to help their case, either.

Speaking of the scandal, some in England were busy speculating that they lost out to Russia's bid for 2018 because the English tabloids did a sting operation that led to the whole saga being exposed in the news.

Come on, England. We all know the only two reasons you want to host the World Cup again is so your national coach doesn't somehow manage to NOT QUALIFY for the finals, and so you can finally add another star to your jersey.

Let me just highlight some slight changes from the last time you won - There are 32 teams competing in each World Cup final, up from the 16 in 1966. Also, you actually have to beat both halves of Germany... (this coming from an England fan).

Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Russia is fairly established in the football scene, having talent ranging from the infinite pockets of Roman Abramovich to the magical powers of the moody munchkin Andrei Arshavin. Considering that they also have a president that does chin-ups on national TV and a prime minister who fights off tigers, I'd safely say that the Russian football team will be quite a sight in 2018.

Qatar, on the other hand, have about seven years before they get the achievement for being the only hosts who have never qualified for a World Cup finals. Contrary to some of the comments I've heard today, Qatar does have a football team. Yes, they are 113 on Fifa's ranking. Yes, Singapore held their U-23 team to a 0-0 draw at the recently concluded Asian Games in Guangzhou. But yes, they have won some regional cups in the past.

When someone mentions Middle East and football, most football fans will immediately remember the 8-0 thrashing Germany (yes England, the two halves of Germany you'd probably have to beat) dished out to Saudi Arabia at the 2002 World Cup. Or perhaps the 4-0 smacking Saudi Arabia received at the hands of the Ukranians in 2006.

But, let's be fair. Many supposed 'minor' teams have managed to upset some bigger names in the World Cup too. Senegal beat France in its first ever appearance at a World Cup final. South Africa beat France in June. New Zealand held Italy to a draw and remained unbeaten during their 2010 appearance.

With their winning 2022 World Cup bid, all eyes will be on the Qatar when it hosts the 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals (the Asian equivalent of the Euros). A good showing then could be the springboard to greater things. Who knows. I, for one, am happy having two first-time hosts for 2018 and 2022.

Once again, I saw a lead squandered and three solid points chalked off. To add insult to injury, a poor refereeing decision and two late goals now see the Gunners needing to win their last match against Partizan Belgrade to advance to the next round of the Champions League.

The woeful week started last weekend with the comeback win by Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League.

Fortunately for my television and my remote, I did not catch the matches in the comfort of my own home, and therefore did not having another remote-flinging incident, which could have made those two defeats costlier than they already are.

The results got me thinking, however, as I looked back on my conversations with my fellow Arsenal fans. I'm sure some of you are familiar with the game Football Manager, a simulation on the PC and Mac that allows you to take charge of your favourite football club and run it the way you think it should be run.

It has been hailed as quite realistic, to the point where your Board of Directors actually stabs you in the back by accepting a huge bid from Real Madrid for your star player.

One of the first things I do, whenever I start a game as Arsenal manager in the game's 2009, 2010 and 2011 edition, is to buy a new goalkeeper. My most recent pick has been Hugo Lloris from Lyon, who, quite handily, has aided my fantasy Arsenal side in maintaining a form last seen in the real world, in 2004.

And I'm not the only one. Many Arsenal fans who play Football Manager would do the same thing, albeit with different 'keepers.

So at times, I wonder why Monsieur Wenger continues to keep faith with our two keepers. Clearly, both Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski are not maintaining the form needed in a team challenging for top honours. And it's not a recent issue - fans and pundits alike have been begging Arsene Wenger to acquire a new 'keeper for several years now.

It's all fine and good when the Arsenal are scoring - letting in three goals isn't going to hurt when your strikers are banging in six - but without a trusted man between the posts, it's only a matter of time before one bad game turns into a string of bad results.

And with Robert Pires staring back at the Gunners in a Villa shirt, it may be another case of a familiar face coming back to haunt us.

The only consolation last weekend, perhaps, was Chelsea's slip-up against Birmingham, keeping them within touching distance at the top of the table (Arsenal now trail leaders Chelsea by two points after 14 games so far in the EPL).

So come on Arsenal, get back to your winning ways at Villa Park, and please, please, please, either buy a new 'keeper come January, or use a real life FMRTE (Football Manager Real-Time Editor) to edit Fabianski's stats.

And while we're at it, Happy Thanksgiving. To Liverpool's American owners, I believe there's one more turkey that needs to be roasted.

The resurgent Reds should have no excuse, too, having not played a midweek game, unlike those Tottenham turkeys.

Game previews:
Arsenal gunning for top spot
Wenger surprised at Houllier's return