SA vs Norway

Bafana Bafana will take on Norway in the 2009 Nelson Mandela Challenge at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on March 28.

With 2010 and the Confederations Cup around the corner, would you pay to watch a fixture like this as a bit of warm up to these major fixtures? How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to one of these friendlies?

MON's Chelsea Shock

Martin O'Neill never envisaged dramatic changes at Chelsea as he disconsolately trudged off the Stamford Bridge pitch in October 2008.

Villa were well beaten by Big Phil Scolari's highly-polished Blues side that day.

Yet four months later there was a major upheaval in west London as Scolari was replaced by Guus Hiddink.

MON said: "The really interesting thing for me is that Chelsea are the only side who have really outplayed us this season.

"That doesn't seem that long ago - yet they have had a change of manager in that time.

"Who would have thought that would have happened.

"Chelsea played excellently on that particular day and you would never would have foreseen the problems they have encountered.

"To now be two points ahead of them is great testament to our side.

"In reality, I don't think they have been as bad as people have made them out to be. I think it is a perception thing.

"They have won trophies over the past few years and now it feels like they have slipped up a little bit and allowed teams to get much closer to them.

"I think Villa striving to get up that table is the only real change though."

Source: http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk

C'mon Villa from your number 1 SA fan....

Sports Trader premiership picks

Aston Villa and Chelsea go head to head this weekend in a fixture that could ultimately make or break the Championship runs for both these sides. If either side loses today, they'll effectively lose any real chance of staying in touch with Manchester United.

Sports Trader makes its picks for the weekends and picking three high profile draws in the top 6.

Saturday fixtures:
Aston Villa v Chelsea Villa Park - Draw
Arsenal v Sunderland - Draw
Stoke v Portsmouth - Stoke win
Bolton v West Ham - West Ham win
Middlesbrough v Wigan - Middlesbrough win
Man Utd v Blackburn - Manchester United win

As you can see we're hedging our bets here... We think Villa and Chelsea will draw as will Arsenal and Sunderland.

Man Utd should carry on their winning ways against Blackburn.

Sunday 22 February
Fulham v West Brom - Fulham win
Liverpool v Man City - Draw
Newcastle v Everton - Everton win

Liverpool and Man City.... hhhhmmmmm we're probably not making too many fans with our negative views around Liverpool but they've had some scares in the last few games with last gasp goals. No Gerrard today, so we're going for the draw.

Everton should carry on their winning ways at Newcastle.

Monday 23 February
Hull v Tottenham - Draw

Another draw on the cards here.

Happy hunting....

Sports Trader picks

The English Premiership is really starting to get exciting and some big name fixtures on the cards:

Sports Trader makes its picks for the weekends fixtures.

Saturday 21 February
Aston Villa v Chelsea - Draw
Stoke v Portsmouth - Stoke win
Arsenal v Sunderland - Arsenal win
Bolton v West Ham - West Ham win
Middlesbrough v Wigan - Middlesbrough win
Man Utd v Blackburn - Manchester United win

The Aston Villa vs Chelsea fixture is the pick of the Saturday fixtures. We're calling a draw here which might irritate the Chelsea fans but we think it's a fair call.

Sunday 22 February
Fulham v West Brom - Draw
Liverpool v Man City - Draw
Newcastle v Everton - Everton win

Man City have the capacity to surprise and we think they are going to surprise Liverpool at Anfield this weekend.

Everton are on hot form and they should be able to put one over Newcastle.

Monday 23 February
Hull v Tottenham - Tottenham win

Tottenham are back in the game and should be able to beat Hull even away from home...

Geez Everton

Everton are looking like a late season threat to the Top 5 and won't be offering any easy points. They've beaten Aston Villa 3-1 in the FA Cup and having beaten Liverpool in the previous round, they've sent a clear warning to anybody expecting points off them...

Have to hand it to them - they've done well....

FA Cup predictions

The next round of the FA Cup is here this weekend and things are starting to look interesting.

Sports Trader makes its predictions for the round.

Some real fun and games on the Sunday fixtures and we're picking Everton to upset the Aston Villa apple-cart and Derby to blow Manchester United out the water.

Saturday fixtures
Sheffield United v Hull City - Hull win
Watford v Chelsea - Chelsea win
West Ham United v Middlesbrough - Middlesbrough win
Swansea v Fulham - Fulham win
Blackburn Rovers v Coventry - Blackburn win

The West Ham vs. Middlesbrough fixture looks like a bogey for punters. We've picked Middlesbrough for the win but we're worried that West Ham may swing a surprise.

Sunday 15 February fixtures
Everton v Aston Villa - Everton win
Derby v Manchester United - Derby win

As a Villa fan our heart is saying they'll do it but the head stays with Everton and their home ground advantage.

Monday 16 February fixtures
Arsenal v Cardiff - Arsenal win

Fun and games - good luck punters!

Martin O'Neill : We're Explosive

Martin O'Neill comments after his Aston Villa side beat Blackburn 2-0 to move above Chelsea and stay firmly in the championship race:

Source: Aston Villa website:

Martin O'Neill accepts that an explosive counter-attacking style is a major reason for Villa's terrific record on the road.

And the Villa boss was quick to point out that it was a similar story for Manchester United in the early years of Sir Alex Ferguson's reign.

He said: "The teams we are playing sense a danger with us around and I think they set up in a fashion which helps us.

"The onus is on the home team to come out and attack and we seem to be getting a little bit more room.

"We have been able to exploit that.

"Speed on the counter attack is one of our main attributes - absolutely.

"While we haven't got it off to a fine art, we are certainly explosive and very, very dangerous.

"We have respect but no fear and we travel with optimism in every game.

"In the early years of Manchester United eking out championships, their game was built on counter-attacking, no question about that.

"They looked like they were hemmed into their own penalty area and then they broke with such speed and ferocity and they had players who could finish the moves off - that's the most important thing.

"They based their game on that."