Every week, Sportsnet.ca will chat with soccer commentator James Sharman about the big stories and issues in the Premier League, and preview the weekend’s games.
Tottenham faces Chelsea in the Capital One Cup final on Sunday. Does the League Cup matter in the big picture?
It would be too easy to dump on this tournament, so I’ll just say that with so many games these days an additional Cup competition is unnecessary. However, for Spurs it is important as it is a route into Europe for next season, and with the battle for European spots so tight in the Premier League this year confirming their berth in next year’s Europa League at such an early date would be handy.
On the flip side, if Chelsea wins then because they’ll be in the Champions League next season their Europa League berth will go to an additional Premier League club, which might well end up being Tottenham. European football is so important for top clubs, so yes, the League Cup does still matter in the big picture. For Jose Mourinho’s ego it is important too, as it was this Cup that set Chelsea on its way to a brilliant run in his first stint. He still suggests that because he took the tournament seriously that other big clubs did too.
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What did you make of Jose Mourinho’s criticism last week of the standard of officiating in England?
I do understand Jose’s grumpiness last week. Martin Atkinson was dreadful and Chelsea were denied one stone-wall penalty and Ashley Barnes should also have seen red. I should add that Nemanja Matic also had his three match ban reduced to two even though his understandable reaction to the Barnes challenge was as violent as you often see on a soccer pitch, so why Chelsea are still complaining about that I don’t know. I have to be honest, I don’t think reffing is any worse now than its ever been. The difference is there are more cameras, more replays, more games on tv, and a social media platform that is superb in sensationalizing absolutely everything. I feel sorry for refs, they don’t stand a chance, and for the life of me I don’t know why anyone would want that job.
Should Ashley Barnes have been suspended retroactively by the league for his tackle on Nemanja Matic?
Yes! Absolutely, it was a leg breaker. The rule needs to change. Just because the referee saw the challenge, doesn’t mean he saw it properly, and in this case he definitely did not. Retroactive punishment should be used far more often with regards dangerous or violent play.
Manchester United hosts Sunderland on Saturday. Louis van Gaal has deployed Wayne Rooney in a number of different roles this season with mixed results. How would you use Rooney?
Up front. Yes, he can do a job in midfield because he works tirelessly, can pass well and will die for his team, but he is a striker! Perhaps he will drop deeper as he gets older, but recently he is being punished to accommodate the massive mistake that is Radamel Falcao. Surely with RVP sidelined we will see Rooney remain in attack, if not then we can begin seriously discussing whether Louis van Gaal has actually lost his marbles. If Rooney remains as a third or fourth choice striker I’m interested in how Roy Hodgson uses him, as there are some in-form English strikers that are currently playing up front week in and week out for their clubs.
Manchester City visits Liverpool on Sunday. How worried should Manuel Pellegrini be about his future as Blues manager?
Very. It’s unfair of course, as Pellegrini is an excellent manager and the Premier League is lucky to have him, but he just seems a little understated for a team that wants to take on the world. In order for City to establish themselves as true “noisy neighbours” to the rest of Europe, ownership would have to wrestle Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp or Diego Simeone from their respective clubs. Failure to land a trophy this season might be all it takes to see Pellegrini leave City. That would be sad, as the fans seem to really like and respect him, but I’m sure they’d welcome a brash ego to the club.