Too good to go down?

By Chris O'Keefe

Crystal Palace's performance at Anfield yesterday gives them plenty of hope for the season ahead. Their manager has every reason to be confident of staying in the top flight this year.

However, what of the other two new boys and their rivals for relegation?

Norwich City are on a bad run of form at the moment and now find themselves bottom of the table after a 4-0 drubbing at Charlton. The Canaries are still to win a game and that is a damming statistic. In such a competitive league Norwich have to start winning otherwise their fate could be sealed as early as February or March.

Their biggest problem is in the forward line. After Darren Huckerby their striking options look bare and manager Nigel Worthington knows it.

He said: "I just want somebody who scores a goal. Somebody who when that ball comes into the box, it's a goal."

West Bromwich Albion are another side who are struggling but they have taken action try and avoid relegation by bringing Bryan Robson. He was supposed to be the saviour because of his experience in relegation battles. However Paul McCarthy writing in 'The People' has an interesting angle.

He said: "Why not get in someone with experience of success rather than failure."

The reactions of their fans were mixed and any confidence was quickly erased with a 2-1 loss at home to Middlesborough today that leaves them in the bottom three.

It's not just the new boys who are vulnerable. Blackburn are second bottom with just one win all season. Mark Hughes may be wishing he'd stayed with Wales now. Steve Wigley is also in a precarious position. Beaten 5-2 at Watford in the League Cup. They managed to finally pick up a win against Portsmouth after 11 attempts.

As for Palace their stomach for a battle and the energy they play with game after game gives them and Iain Dowie a more than sporting chance of survival. Considering they were in the bottom six of Division One this time last year, it would be possibly one of the greatest achievements in recent years.

Emlyn Hughes 1947-2004 - A legend leaves us

Former England and Liverpool captain Emlyn Hughes has died from a brain tumour at the age of 57.

Hughes won 62 caps for England and won five league championship medals, two European Cup winner's medals and two FA Cup winner's medals in his time at Anfield. He also won the League Cup with Wolves in 1980.

As a teenager he started his playing career at Blackpool. However he only played 31 games for the club as he was soon catching the attention of one of the bigger club.

The great Bill Shankly was a great admirer of the 19-year-old midfielder and so Liverpool paid a then massive #65,000 for him in 1967.

Such was the esteem Shankly held him in it was reported that after the transfer was complete, Shankly said to a policeman: "Don't you know who is in this car? There sits the future captain of England!"

As usual Shankly was right as he captained his country 23 times. Many remember Hughes as one of the most inspirational signings Bill Shankly made as Liverpool manager and his pivotal role in the success of the 70's team. Others will remember him one of the faces from 'A Question of Sport'.

Liverpool Chief Executive Rick Parry said: "Our deepest sympathies go out to wife Barbara, children Emma and Emlyn junior, and the rest of the family at this sad time."

There wil be a minute's silence at Liverpool's Carling Cup tie against Middlesborough tomorrow night.

New Site For Politics

There is now a new site where you read all the latest politcal stories.

Sportsweek will remain at this site to report on the top sport stories. However Politik Online is now available to bring you up to date with all the latest in national and international politics.

Go to http://newpolitik.blogspot.com

It could only happen... In America

By Chris O'Keefe

I feel responsible for the election of George W. Bush.

You see on Tuesday night I was watching the coverage of the election and as it was unfolding, it was close but with John Kerry seemingly in control of Pennsylvania and insiders from Bush's camp saying they were planning for the eventuality that they would lose Ohio, I knew the electoral sums were looking good.

I also knew that people were queuing outside and I assumed that was a good thing as I was told they were likely to vote Kerry. So I allowed myself to go to sleep for a couple of hours.

7.30am: In the two hours and 30 minutes I was asleep, it seems Bush was in an unassailable lead in Ohio. By now my optimism has completely evaporated. I close my eyes for a couple of hours and them lot across the pond have elected (legitimately this time I might add) the one who led them war on false information, let their Public Enemy No.1 go in Afghanistan and he has the worst job loss deficit numbers of any President probably since the depression. That's just a sample of what he's done.

What shocks me is that he won the popular vote. Yet in our country and all over the world they can't stand. In fact when people in other countries were asked who they would elect, they said Kerry. Some nations backed him by 90 per cent. So how did so many Americans think different?

I looked at the map and the area voting for Bush were states with strong religious ties. I'm sure you've got a idea who I mean. The preachers who look to heal through faith, anti-abortion's, opposed to gay marriage.

Quite ironic that America's enemy is a group linked with religious extremism when his fan base is to put it mildly a group that believes firmly in religion and believes it has a prime place in the running of the country.

There has also been a notion that the US population shouldn't change their Commander in Chief in a time of war. Yet as a person living in the western world I feel less safe now than I did in 2000. A time when Clinton was in his eighth year in office, Bush was a mere footnote in American history at this point.

So lets look at his performance in this "War on Terror."

He failed to take notice of intelligence and security briefings warning America was at risk to an attack on its own soil. He then allowed members of the Bin Laden family to leave America without asking a question of any of them on their exit.

When he invaded Afghanistan, he failed to catch Osama Bin Laden, including letting him escape when British special forces were in touching distance.

Bush then proceeds to invade Iraq saying they have Weapons of Mass Destruction which have still to be found and the Iraq Survey Group say there are no weapons. Added to this US, UK and troops from other countries are being killed every day.

So how American voters gave such an irresponsible group of people a second term of office, I cannot explain. Not that I would suggest to the Democratic Party how to get back into the White House, but approaching a certain Hilary Clinton would be a good start.

The power of nightmares, politically speaking

By Chris O'Keefe

The 'Sunday Telegraph' published a story which said Prime Minister Tony Blair was telling his close aides to prepare for a snap election.

The Sunday morning political shows have been filled with experts suggesting reasons why. Some suggest its to take advantage of a decent enough showing in the polls or that it will money on campaigning.

Here's my one into the hat. What if it's happening to beat the terrorists? Is Blair worried terrorists will strike on the eve of the election just as Madrid last year.

Further more if it is to beat the terrorists is he trying to protect the population or also looking to avoid taking on water like the Spanish government who were voted out. He may be worried about electoral backlash.

At this point I would like say this is not an accusation. Just a thought upon reading the story.

What a season!!

Thinking to myself yesterday after results come in. This is definitely an open season in the Premiership and how different it was to last year and how refreshing to see clubs outside the usual suspects.

From a personal perspective it wasn't quite the same as I watched Liverpool throw away an early lead through poor defending. By the way if you desperately need a scapegoat then I nominate Josemi.

However Blackburn deserve a lot of credit for their tenacity and effort yesterday as they pressed their opposition right to the last. Especially considering their 4-0 drubbing coming into last night's game.

In fact yesterday was a moral victory for all the teams written off by many before a ball was kicked.

Southampton showed great courage to come back from a goal down and almost snatch a win against Arsenal. Manager Steve Wigley still has to deal with being the first Saints boss to go their first nine games without a win, but so near so far.

Middlesborough also deserve credit as they climb to fourth in the league with a 2-0 win at Charlton. Steve McLaren has created a very good side with talent throughout the team and may look forward to life in the top six.

Finally Everton who stayed third and may be kicking themselves for failing to beat Aston Villa which may have seen them close the gap on Arsenal. Who'd have thought that Everton would go from 17th place in May last season to third.

Obviously, there is a long way to go this season, but things are certainly warming up in the league and good for the game.