Pitch invasions - a disease or a symptom?

The imprisonment of Paul Mitchell, the 27-year-old Birmingham City supporter who vaulted the hoardings to punch Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish in Saturday’s Second City derby, was inevitable.

The father-of-one pleaded guilty to the sucker punch that shocked the country, with his lawyer reporting that his client “cannot explain what came over him yesterday morning”, before he was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison and given a 10-year football banning order.

Players and stewards apprehend Paul Mitchell as Jack Grealish recovers

Football fans across the UK might be struggling to explain what has come over the national game after a trio of ugly pitch invasions threatened to eclipse the weekend’s fixtures. Like most disastrous weekends, it got started on Friday night, when Rangers captain James Tavernier was confronted by a fan at Hibernian’s Easter Road. This continued a spate of foul incidents in Scottish football, including sectarian abuse of Kilmarnock manager Steve Clark by Rangers fans, and glass bottles descending on Scott Sinclair from the Easter Road stands.

While the recent incidents north of the border have a sectarian dimension that makes them particularly unsavoury, crowd trouble even surfaced in the perfumed realm of the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. An Arsenal fan ran onto the pitch after the home side’s second goal and shoved Manchester United defender Chris Smalling, before attempting to join the Arsenal players’ celebrations.

David Cotterill called for armed police to protect players

The trio of one-man pitch invasions provoked a storm of conjecture from pundits and columnists. This ranged from well-judged appeals to protect players through appropriate stewarding and deterrent punishments, to David Cotterill’s ludicrous proposal to introduce armed police at football grounds. 

The Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive, Gordon Taylor, deserves some credit for speaking out quickly and suggesting that ground closures and points deductions could be considered for clubs that prove unable to control their fans. His claim that “we’ve been down this road before and we don’t want to go there again”, however, hints at a misdiagnosis of the issue afflicting British football.

Taylor’s comments suggest that the incidents that took place over the weekend mark a return to the hooliganism that plagued grounds across the 1970s and 1980s. While the violence in both eras is repugnant, there is marked difference between the senseless actions from a few modern-day individuals and the organised, Firm-based hooliganism that stalked city centres and stadia before the Premier League era.

Disturbances have traditionally been between fans

What made the weekend’s misdeeds so startling was that the aggression was directed towards professionals on the field of play, rather than other supporters. While this isn’t an entirely new phenomenon (witness the 2012 attack on Chris Kirkland), it represents a shift from the carnage previously wreaked on an almost-weekly basis by established firms such as The Subway Army, The Headhunters and The Soul Crew.     

In a reflection of modern society, the weekend’s incidents were the sole actions of three disorganised and socially disconnected attention-seekers, rather than participants in any sort of community – even a criminal one. It’s not hard to spot Paul Mitchell’s desperation for 15 seconds of infamy as he waves his arms to stir up applause while being dragged off the turf at St Andrews.

The Arsenal pitch invader, meanwhile, wears a Stone Island jacket – that universal marker of aggro – despite grinning manically and seeming more concerned with hugging his team’s players than inflicting any serious damage on Smalling. His hooligan clobber seems an affectation, a costume to distract from the more serious business of celebrity-worship.

Stone Island gear: hooligan dress-up costume?

The same blend of vanity and spite was present on Twitter, where a Birmingham City supporter used the liberating power of social media to taunt Jack Grealish over the death of his infant brother. The supporter – who made no effort to disguise his identity – has since been banned from attending fixtures at St Andrews.

This grim abuse on social media, coupled with the naff hooligan clobber sported by the weekend’s pitch invaders, reveals a section of men desperate to apply outmoded masculine aggression in a society that has (thankfully) moved on.

It’s telling that Paul Mitchell was wearing a hat inspired by Peaky Blinders, the Brummie mafia serial that is a staple on the BBC and Netflix. The overblown Boardwalk Empire rip-off has enjoyed great success as a retro wish-fulfilment showreel for the Strongbow Dark Fruits crowd: slick hairdos, sharp suits and easy women interspersed with shoot-and-stab set pieces.

Retro wish-fulfilment: Peaky Blinders

It’s little surprise that these lurid 1920s images hold some appeal to the young men of modern Britain, often faced with an environment of meaningless service-industry labour, crippling debt and a cultural landscape increasingly focused on hedonistic individualism.   

The same, self-interested society is reflected in the incidents across the weekend, with the perpetrators blundering into crude assertions of their warped masculinity, striving for a few moments of attention as they lash out at more talented, better-adjusted versions of themselves. While fines, banning orders and jail terms may deter some football fans from similarly thuggish behaviour, the vain anger among disconnected young men is something that British society urgently needs to examine and remedy.   

Karanka Suffers Mentor Mourinho's Fate as Third Season Syndrome Bites

As they slumped to a deflating, demoralising 2-0 defeat at home to Manchester City, Aitor Karanka’s Middlesbrough side had finally come full circle. Just over two years after a famous, fully deserved FA Cup win at the Etihad marked the high point of the Basque manager’s reign, Boro crashed out of the cup against the same team, by the same scoreline. Four days later, Karanka is out of a job.

Sunday’s loss at the Riverside felt heavier, more comprehensive than the eventual two-goal margin suggested, with Boro bamboozled by the swashbuckling speed and skill of City’s Leroy Sane, David Silva and Raheem Sterling. On home soil, Boro mustered just 31% possession. Their beleaguered goalkeeper, Brad Guzan, was named man of the match. Top scorer this season with just seven goals, Alvaro Negredo replaced injured January signing Rudy Gestede in the first half, only to turn in another study in isolation as Boro’s sole striker.

Aitor Karanka left Middlesbrough on Thursday

Such anaemic attacking performances had become the norm under Karanka, with Middlesbrough’s failure to score in each of their last four league fixtures contributing to the club’s slide to 19^th in the Premier League table. Boro still boast the fifth-meanest defence in the top flight, even in spite of a winless run stretching back to before Christmas, but the side’s lack of menace in attack eventually convinced Steve Gibson that Karanka was no longer the right manager to stave off relegation to the Championship.

While Gibson will have thought long and hard over the decision to replace Karanka, there is a certain inevitability to the former Real Madrid assistant manager’s departure in his third full season on Teesside. Indeed, Karanka’s reign at Middlesbrough has clear echoes of the problems his friend and mentor, Jose Mourinho encountered in his third seasons at Real and in his two spells at Chelsea. Although played out on different stages, the narrative arc of promising beginning, glorious middle and fractious ending can be seen in each of these three-act tenures.

Mentor: Karanka was assistant to Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid

Taking over from Tony Mowbray at 16^th-placed Boro in the November of 2013, Karanka tightened up the defence and steered the side to the safety of 12^th place in Championship table at the end of the season. He began to impose a physical, but nonetheless possession-based playing style on the team, too, exemplified by the January signings of towering centre back Daniel Ayala and portly playmaker Lee Tomlin.

It wasn’t until Karanka’s side had their first pre-season under their belt, however, that the side really started to sparkle. Of the Spanish Armada signed in the summer of 2014, only Kike Garcia would shine on Teesside, but Karanka’s other signings proved astute at Boro romped to 4^th place in the Championship. Adam Clayton added bite to the midfield alongside the craft of Grant Leadbitter, while Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford was a revelation. A lightweight but wonderfully deft forward, the 21-year-old Bamford scored 17 league goals and had a hand in many more on his way to Championship Player of the Year. Boro’s lack of Premiership guile would be cruelly exposed in a 2-0 play-off final defeat to Norwich City, but Karanka’s first full season had brought the good times back to the Riverside.

Patrick Bamford led Boro to the play offs in Karanka's first season

Mourinho’s first-season successes at Chelsea are well-documented, with a league title in 2004-05 and a third-place finish in 2013-14, but he also made a promising start with Karanka as his assistant manager at Real Madrid in 2010-11. Succeeding Manuel Pellegrini, Mourinho led Los Merengues to victory in the Copa del Rey, ending a three-year trophy drought in the process, although a 5-0 league hammering to Barcelona revealed the gap still to be bridged between the two sides.     

The similarities between Karanka and Mourinho’s second seasons are similarly striking, with notable triumphs for the two managers in Madrid and Middlesbrough alike, as well as in West London. In Karanka’s second full season, his Boro side went a step further than his first campaign, claiming automatic promotion as runners-up in the Championship. The defence, in the Mourinho mould, was nigh-on impregnable as Ben Gibson emerged as a perfect partner for Ayala in the back line. There were memorable moments, too, with a 3-0 win at Brighton in December a particular a highlight, as Boro ended their hosts’ unbeaten record in some style.  

Boro achieved promotion in Aitor Karanka's second season

However, it could be said that even as he steered his team to promotion, Karanka’s faults were already beginning to emerge. With Bamford and Tomlin both trying their luck in the Premier League, goals, flair and creativity were at a premium, as Boro managed to score five fewer goals than the previous campaign but still finish higher in the table. Indeed, no side in the Championship’s top six scored fewer than Middlesbrough that season.

The manager’s signings began to become increasingly erratic, too, with puzzling continental prospects (Julian de Sart and Kike Sola, anyone?) linking up with grizzled Championship veterans such as Jordan Rhodes and David Nugent. Only Gaston Ramirez, brought in on loan from Southampton in January, was an unqualified success in adding seven goals from midfield.

Underwhelming: Kike Sola failed to make an impact on Teesside

Most troublingly, there were signs of underlying unrest on the training ground and in boardroom, with Karanka storming out of training to“consider his future” and leaving Steve Agnew to manage the team away to Charlton Athletic.

While Karanka did return to win promotion with Middlesbrough, Jose Mourinho’s second seasons have been similarly successful, although often tinged with the same grinding pragmatism. Despite winning titles in both of his second seasons at Chelsea, it is worth noting that in both of his second seasons at Stamford Bridge, his side have been “Champions elect” by Christmas before slowing down considerably on the final straight. The Frank Lampard-inspired 2005-06 vintage saw their lead over Manchester United cut by half in an awful March, while the Hazard-Costa axis of 2013-14 had a similar late-season wobble punctuated by draws and scrappy victories, as the January addition of Juan Cuadrado curtailed the fine form of Willian and Oscar.

In Mourinho’s defence (no pun intended), his second season at Real Madrid was more or less faultless: a La Liga title won with record totals in points and goals, and denied a place in the Champions League final only by the iron law of Bayern Munich winning a penalty shoot-out.

Mourinho, Ronaldo and co romped to the La Liga title in 2011-12

If the Real Madrid exception proves the rule, it’s now possible examine the point where Karanka and Mourinho’s teams really fall apart: the third season.

In Karanka’s case, it is more excusable, with Middlesbrough moving up to the Premier League and lacking the resources of the league’s biggest spenders. Even discounting Boro’s relative lack of financial muscle in the top division, however, the Spanish coach has made some unusual signings and transfers throughout this campaign. From summer’s sale of rangy winger Albert Adomah to Aston Villa, to the recent reticence to play Ayala since his return from injury, Karanka has made a number of odd calls.

Influential: but Albert Adomah was sold after promotion

Perhaps the most egregious omissions are those of Bamford, who re-signed on a permanent deal in January, and Ramirez. While Negredo remains a dangerous finisher in the penalty box, he has recently been starved of service, with only the erratic Adama Traore and the static Cristhian Stuani for support. Asked about Bamford’s absence recently, Karanka only commented that he needed “18 fighters” for matchdays, which makes the initial decision to purchase the talented, but rather laconic forward hard to explain.

Similarly to his mentor, Karanka also found himself at odds with the club’s ownership in his third season. He recently bemoaned the lack of investment in the squad, despite Gibson sanctioning January moves for Bamford and Gestede, who cost £5.5 million and £7 million respectively.

In the third season of Mourinho’s first spell at Chelsea, the problem was more with who the Stamford Bridge hierarchy did bring in, rather than who they failed to. Andriy Shevchenko, a personal favourite of Roman Abramovich, rocked up about three years past his devastating peak, while young stars Salomon Kalou and John Obi Mikel largely flattered to deceive. Khalid Boulahrouz, meanwhile, didn’t even manage to deceive.

Frosty: Mourinho struggled to get the best out of Andriy Shevchenko

Mourinho added an FA Cup in 2006-07 but Chelsea lost out to Manchester United in a tight title race, unable to keep pace with the firepower of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. By September, he had departed in the wake of a 1-1 Champions League draw with Rosenborg in front of a half-full Stamford Bridge.

At Real Madrid, Aitor Karanka looked on as his mentor’s third season unravelled into trophyless catastrophe, with the infamous eye-poke on Tito Vilanova a particularly embarrassing nadir for club and manager alike. Even Real's own players felt the Portuguese’s ire in his final season at the Bernabeu, with Pepe slammed in the press and replaced in central defence by a 19-year-old Raphael Varane after he dared to question the wisdom of dropping club legend Iker Casillas.

John Terry was scapegoated in similar fashion after Chelsea made a poor start to their title defence in 2015-16, with Mourinho slipping into a deep paranoia in towards the end of his second spell at Stamford Bridge, accusing his squad of “betraying” him before eventually departing in December. Referees, opposition managers and club physio Eva Carneiro were all blamed for defeats, with Mourinho keen to look anywhere except the mirror when apportioning blame.

Departed: but Karanka's replacement can still keep Boro up 

While the symptoms of third season syndrome have brought the same managerial morbidity to Aitor Karanka as suffered by his mentor Mourinho, Middlesbrough do at least have a chance of retaining their place in the Premier League. Sitting just three points behind 17^th-placed Crystal Palace, and with a superior goal difference to most of their relegation rivals, whoever takes charge of Boro for the remaining 11 games of the season will feel confident of securing survival after reviewing the fixture list. Home games against Burnley, Sunderland and a comfortably mid-table Southampton look eminently winnable, as do trips to Swansea and Hull.

If the shackles that seemed to grip the side in the last months of Karanka’s tenure can be loosened, Boro might be able to start planning dreaming of how to avoid their own third season syndrome in the top flight.  

Coupe de la Ligue finalists Lyon offer glimpse of the future

As the Lyon players celebrated what turned out to be the winning goal over Paris Saint Germain in Sunday's Ligue 1 clash, it was startling to see goalscorer Jordan Ferri in the middle of the ruck, visibly appealing to his teammates for calm. The 22-year-old midfielder, whose curling shot had just put Lyon ahead after 31 minutes refused to get excited, perhaps already turning his mind to repelling the PSG attacks which inevitably followed. Lyon eventually held out for the win, and Ferri's stoicism neatly embodies the careful rebuilding project underway at Lyon, as Les Gones look to regain their dominance in French football.

Not getting carried away: Lyon's Jordan Ferri

Not armed with the staggering wealth of PSG or AS Monaco, Lyon owner Jean-Michel Aulas has recently sought to develop Lyon into a self-sustaining club which can once again claim domestic titles and compete in the latter stages of the Champions League, as l'OL did in the early 2000s. Central to this business plan is the opening of the club's eye catching new 58,000-seat stadium in the Decines suburb of the city, which will generate considerably more in match-day revenue than the current Stade de Gerland. The new Stade des Lumieres, which is set to host a number of matches in the next European Championships, is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2016.  

On the pitch, meanwhile, expensive foreign imports in the mould of Juninho, Lisandro Lopez and Michel Bastos have been eschewed in favour of graduates of a youth system which has already produced the likes of Karim Benzema and Loic Remy. Current manager Remi Garde, best known to English fans for an unspectacular spell at Arsenal in the early Wenger years, is beginning to enjoy success in blending Lyon's youngsters with established French internationals such as Yoann Gourcuff and Bafetimbi Gomis. After recovering from a poor start to the league season, Lyon currently sit fifth in Ligue 1's table, and can also look forward to meeting PSG again in Saturday's Coupe de la Ligue final.

Remi Garde's young squad are improving quickly

Garde's side have lost just three times in their last 18 league games, and although the chances of bridging the nine-point gap to third-placed Lille in the last Champions League place look slim with just five league games remaining, Lyon's good form bodes well for next season. Similarly encouraging are the performances of Lyon's next generation, with the likes of Clement Grenier, Maxime Gonalons and the aforementioned Ferri particularly impressive in a well-balanced midfield unit. Grenier, who was the subject of Newcastle's customary "couldn't quite get it over the line" interest in January, provides the creativity and precision set-pieces, whereas club captain Gonalons is an athletic enforcer who is equally comfortable sitting in front of the defence or pressing higher up the pitch. Ferri, meanwhile, is a diminutive but tenacious hustler with an eye for the spectacular.

In attack, 22-year-old striker Alexandre Lacazette has added composure to his searing pace in order to score 14 goals so far this season, drawing interest from the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. Perhaps Lyon's most promising youngster, however, is at the other end of the pitch in the shape of 23-year-old goalkeeper Anthony Lopes. Lopes, who was born in France but has received call-ups for the Portuguese national team, made a string of fine saves in the narrow Europa League defeat to Juventus, as well as Sunday's win over PSG. It is equally impressive, meanwhile, that Lopes recalls former Lyon 'keeper Hugo Lloris in his ability to command the penalty area and sweep up any loose balls behind the defence.

Young goalkeeper Anthony Lopes impressed against Juventus

Lopes and his defence can expect to be tested when they face PSG in Paris' Stade de France this Saturday, particularly if PSG's talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic recovers from a thigh injury in time to participate in the Coupe de la Ligue final. Ibrahimovic, who was absent in the recent defeats at Lyon and Chelsea, adds an extra dimension to PSG's already potent attack and has already claimed 40 goals in all competitions this season. Garde's Lyon, however, will look to attack in the hope that PSG's exit from the Champions League, coupled with Sunday's shock defeat at the Stade de Gerland, will have dented the French champions' previously unshakable confidence.

However this young Lyon team fare in Saturday's final, it is clear that Garde and Aulas are gradually building a team of home-grown players which may soon be able compete with the star-studded lineups of PSG and Monaco. Moreover, Lyon's new stadium reflects Aulas' desire to create a stable and sustainable football club where a successful team can be constructed in time. While the foreign owners of PSG and Monaco continue to marginalise their own young players in favour of talent brought into Ligue 1 by eye-watering transfer fees and wages, Lyon fans will be confident that their club's patient model of business may pay dividends in the long run.        

More than Peerless Pirlo for England to Fear

With less than ninety days remaining until England begin their World Cup campaign against Italy in Manaus, Roy Hodgson is likely to have been encouraged by the performances of Liverpool's six English players on Sunday afternoon, as they dismantled Manchester United at Old Trafford. England captain Steven Gerrard converted two penalties, and youngsters such as Jon Flanagan and Raheem Sterling turned in assured performances in English football's bitterest derby.

Optimistic: Roy Hodgson 

However, Hodgson's optimism may have been dampened later that evening if the former Inter Milan manager took the time to look over results in Italy's Serie A. Along with Parma claiming an Antonio Cassano-inspired win over AC Milan, the most notable result came at Genoa's Stadio Luigi Ferraris, where Andrea Pirlo's 89th minute free-kick secured a 1-0 victory for Juventus over I Rossoblu. The win saw Juve go 14 points clear at the top of the table, and extend an unbeaten run which stretches back to October.

Pirlo, who so tormented England in their exit from Euro 2012, has been instrumental in Juventus' formidable domestic form. The 34-year-old playmaker has defied his advancing years to feature in 21 league games already this season, supplying four goals and four assists as Juve chase a third consecutive Scudetto. Pirlo remains equally important for Cesare Prandelli's national team, featuring in each of Italy's last three friendlies, and was shortlisted for the Golden Ball in last summer's Confederations Cup.

Pirlo may return to haunt England in Brazil

Hodgson will be particularly wary of Pirlo's ability to dictate the pace of play when England face the Azzurri in the sapping heat and humidity of Manaus, where June temperatures hover around 30 Celsius. Even in milder temperatures, Pirlo's sharp movement and deft first touch make him hard to close down, as James Milner and Scott Parker learned in 2012. What little pace Pirlo possessed in his youth has gone, but the veteran midfielder's game has never relied on athleticism, and his eye for a pass remains as keen as ever. The former AC Milan star remains a menace from dead ball situations, too, with all of his goals this season coming from direct free-kicks.

Five days after their opening clash with Italy, England's second game in Group D will see them take on Uruguay in Sao Paulo. While Luis Suarez's goalscoring exploits are well known to fans of the Premier League, his strike partner Edinson Cavani is also a serious threat to England's backline. Cavani, who has already plundered 21 goals in 33 games for Paris St Germain this season, is a tireless runner who will be content to play second fiddle to Suarez. Uruguay manager Oscar Tabarez called Cavani "the perfect son-in-law", and the forward's honest work rate makes him a perfect foil for the more flamboyant talents of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Suarez at club and international level respectively.

Uruguay's Diego Godin has excelled for Atletico Madrid

Uruguay's defence, meanwhile, will be marshalled by 28-year-old centre back Diego Godin, who is enjoying an excellent season at Atletico Madrid. As well as a place in the Champions League quarter-finals, Atletico have the meanest defence in La Liga, and Godin has the pace necessary to cover for aging Uruguay captain Diego Lugano, who has been in indifferent form since joining West Bromwich Albion last summer.

Costa Rica, who England face on 24 June, appear the least threatening team in Group D, but England should guard against any complacency in their final group game. Joel Campbell, the striker on loan from Arsenal to Olympiakos, scored against Manchester United in the Champions League, and has the pace and flair to cause problems for England's defence. Bryan Ruiz, the mercurial Fulham forward currently on loan to PSV Eindhoven, is also finding form back in the Eredivisie, with three goals in his first eight games.

Keylor Navas makes another save

As anyone who witnessed England's demoralising 0-0 draw with Algeria in the 2010 World Cup will attest, even draws against lowly opposition can feel like a defeat, and Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas could be the man to ensure a stalemate. Nobody has made more saves in La Liga this season than Navas, who plies his trade at Levante and has been linked to both Arsenal and Liverpool. He was particularly impressive against Barcelona in January, as Levante held the reigning Spanish champions to a 1-1 draw.

Considering the talents of these individuals, then, it may be best for Roy Hodgson and his squad to temper their optimism ahead of the World Cup. While Liverpool's youngsters, along with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Luke Shaw may inspire whispers of a golden generation, England supporters should realise that qualification from Group D will be an impressive feat in itself.                

Leyton Orient's Slump Continues as Bristol City Claim Vital Away Win

Leyton Orient's hunt for automatic promotion to the Championship suffered another setback on Tuesday night, as relegation-threatened Bristol City romped to a 3-1 away win at Brisbane Road. The defeat makes it three consecutive losses for Russell Slade's O's, who looked shorn of confidence by a combination of injuries and poor form.

Orient goalkeeper Shwan Jalal, who recently joined on loan from Bournemouth, looked particularly suspect but was given little protection by his defenders. Jalal, signed as a replacement for recalled Hull City loanee Eldin Jakupovic and the injured Orient duo of Jamie Jones and Ben Alnwick, was beaten at his near post for Sam Baldock's third-minute opener and failed to convince thereafter.

Shwan Jalal endured a difficult evening

The Orient fans in attendance could be forgiven for missing Jakupovic, who kept three clean sheets in four games for the East London outfit, as Jalal repeatedly proved unable to command his area on set pieces, which yielded Bristol City's second and third goals. In between, Kevin Lisbie tucked home after Dean Cox's shot had been parried to make it 2-1 on the stroke of half time, but Orient seldom threatened to grab an equaliser before Aden Flint's header settled the contest 15 minutes from time.

Indeed, Russell Slade will be concerned by Orient's inability to create chances, despite enjoying the bulk of possession against City. Moses Odubajo and Dean Cox frequently looked isolated on the wings of Orient's 4-4-2, with full backs Scott Cuthbert and Gary Sawyer rarely overlapping to offer an outlet. Central midfielders Marvin Bartley and Romain Vincelot, meanwhile, were more focussed on stifling the creativity of City's Wade Elliott instead of breaking forward to support the strikers.

Moses Odubajo was left isolated on the right wing

Perhaps Orient's brightest spark in the defeat was the performance of striker Chris Dagnall, recently signed from Barnsley, who held the ball up well and brought others into play. However, his inclusion in the side meant that Orient's 17-goal top scorer David Mooney was left on the bench until the 64th minute, when he replaced Dagnall. While Orient sit third in the League One table and have produced some fine football this season, their rigid 4-4-2 system dictates that one of Mooney, Dagnall or Lisbie will have to begin matches as a substitute. As such, it is worth wondering whether the money spent on Dagnall may have been better used to recruit a central midfielder who can add creativity to the endeavour of Bartley and Vincelot.

Aden Flint was left unmarked for Bristol City's third goal

The most pressing issue for Orient, however, is cutting elementary mistakes out of their game as the business end of the season beckons. Against City, passes were regularly played across the backline, and City's strike duo of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Tyrone Barnett could have profited from a number of mis-hit backpasses, had their finishing been better. The O's will also need to improve their handling of opposition set-pieces, as Barnett and Flint scored headed goals from a corner and following a free-kick respectively. The third goal was particularly farcical, as the hulking Flint was able to stroll between Orient centre-backs Nathan Clarke and Mathieu Baudry to divert Greg Cunningham's cross past the stranded Jalal.

Bristol City played with a physicality and tenacity which corresponds more with their Championship wage bill than their lowly position in the League One table, with Baldock and Elliott particularly impressive. On this evidence, they have more than enough talent to avoid the drop. Orient, meanwhile, face a tough trip to fourth-placed Preston North End before three straight home games. With Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford ahead in the table and both with a game in hand, Russell Slade's men will be desperate to arrest their slide in order to avoid the lottery of the play-offs.            

Addicks Ecstatic as Powell Inspires Promotion

Carl Jenkinson has not set the world alight since joining Arsenal last June. The young right back, eligible for both England and Finland, has featured in just eight league games and is yet to score. However, he deserves a great deal of credit for powering one club to an almost perfect season.

The sale of Jenkinson has funded an overhaul of the playing staff.

Jenkinson’s former employers, Charlton Athletic, invested the one million pounds received from the Gunners for the defender to completely overhaul the squad and secure an impressive automatic promotion. Eighteen new – albeit mostly free – players arrived at the Valley in the summer, with the ranks swelled by another ten loanees over the course of the season. Competing against more wealthy sides such as Huddersfield Town, Bournemouth and the two Sheffield clubs, manager Chris Powell has galvanised a mix of lower-league journeymen and academy products into a record-breaking outfit. Promotion was secured at Carlisle with an astonishing fifteenth away win of the season, surpassing anything in the South London club’s history.

Powell, a figure already popular amongst the fans from his playing days, has enhanced his reputation even further, despite a shaky start to his managerial career. After taking over from Phil Parkinson last January, Powell presided over four successive wins followed by an eleven match winless streak, leaving the Addicks mired in mid-table. However, the recently-appointed chairman Michael Slater saw fit to give the former England left-back chance to build his own squad, and the board’s faith has been repaid.

Perhaps the most important factor in Charlton’s promotion is the club’s shrewd moves in the summer transfer window. High earners such as Jose Semedo, Miguel Angel Llera and Therry Racon were offloaded and replaced by young, hungry talent. Ben Hamer, signed on a free transfer from Reading, has been a revelation in goal while centre back Michael Morrisson has recovered his best form after an indifferent spell at Sheffield Wednesday. Danny Green, meanwhile, has added guile on the right wing after being plucked from the relative obscurity of Dagenham and Redbridge. Perhaps the most surprising success story, however, is that of French forward Yann Kermorgant. An expensive flop under Nigel Pearson at Leicester City, Powell clearly saw enough from the 28-year-old during his spell as a coach at the King Power Stadium to offer the out-of-contract striker a new club. Ten league goals and a complementary partnership with the pacy Bradley Wright-Phillips have followed, and Kermorgant’s career has been resuscitated.

These additions have been supplemented by a number of effective loanees, with Hogan Ephraim and Dany N’Guessan both offering an injection of pace on the wings. Those players retained from Parkinson’s squad, meanwhile, have been rejuvenated under Powell. Johnnie Jackson, promoted to captain, has blossomed into an accomplished box-to-box midfielder, chipping in with thirteen league goals, including a decisive free-kick against Sheffield United. Up front, Wright-Phillips has shaken off his persistent injury problems to top the scoring charts with 22 goals.

Loan signings such as Hogan Ephraim have boosted the Addicks' promotion campaing

Despite a slight slump in March, the Addicks achieved promotion from League One after three long seasons with three games to spare. The obligatory pitch invasion occurred, with Powell and his squad embraced by travelling fans on the Brunton Park turf. So the next time Carl Jenkinson reluctantly cheers on Bacary Sagna from his heated seat on the Arsenal substitutes’ bench, he might find comfort in knowing he played a major part in a team in red and white’s recent triumph.  

Giroud's Goals Fire Montpellier into Title Contention

If only the French had a snappy phrase for ‘newly rich’. Although the French league continues to receive scant recognition in the British press, Paris Saint Germain has perhaps been the continental club most frequently mentioned by our nation’s sportswriters in the past few months. Not a day passes without the Parisians being linked to yet another wantaway Premier League star, with the immense wealth of the club’s Qatari owners firing the imaginations of agents and journalists alike.

Paris Saint Germain's Javier Pastore

The wealth pumped into the capital city club by the Qatari Investment Authority has been translated into progress on the field, with PSG enjoying a three point cushion at the summit of Ligue Un. Expensive summer signings such as Javier Pastore and Kevin Gameiro have gelled quickly, alongside talented academy products such as Mamadou Sakho. January has brought further additions, with Carlo Ancelotti able to tempt former Chelsea defender Alex and Brazilian-born Italy international Thiago Motta to France, at a combined cost of around twenty million euros. Perhaps more importantly in terms of revenue, Ancelotti’s side have established a ten point advantage over fourth-placed rivals Olympique Lyonnais, meaning qualification to the Champions League seems all but certain.

The Parisians’ quest for a first league title since the 1993-1994 season, however, may hinge on their home fixture with second-placed Montpellier, scheduled for February 19^th. Rene Girard’s team have been the league’s surprise package this season, and will head to the Parc des Princes as the division’s highest scorers. The southern outfit’s startling title challenge has been spearheaded by the forward play of Olivier Giroud, who already has fifteen league goals to his name. The powerful forward, who has attracted interested from Newcastle United and Arsenal of late, has also been rewarded for his fine form with a debut for Laurent Blanc’s new-look national team. While Giroud’s incisive finishing has taken many of the plaudits, Montpellier’s squad is built upon hard work rather than raw talent, with Cameroonian full-back Henri Bedimo exemplifying the team’s energetic style. Joris Marveaux, brother of Newcastle’s Sylvain, meanwhile, adds class and composure to the midfield.

Giroud has been talismanic for Montpellier

With the traditional powerhouses of Lyon and Marseille slugging it out for fourth place, the only other realistic title challenger is Lille, the reigning champions. Rudi Garcia’s men started this season slowly, possibly reeling from the departure of the influential Yohan Cabaye, but have been boosted by the fine form of Eden Hazard and Joe Cole. Former PSG goalkeeper Mickael Landreau, meanwhile, has continued his renaissance between the posts. The club’s decision to sell prolific striker Moussa Sow to Fenerbahce in the January, however, may prove costly at the end of the season.

With Les Dogues waiting in the wings, both PSG and Montpellier will be relishing the chance to register a knockout blow when they meet at the Parc de Princes, with the home side’s recent acquisitions consolidating their position as pre-match favourites. However, Girard’s unfancied, inexpensive squad will venture north without fear, in search of a historic win. Just don’t expect to hear about it in Britain if they pull it off.