BIRMINGHAM CITY TO PLAY ARSENAL IN CARLING CUP FINAL

You never quite know in football but Arsenal will be such hot favourites to beat Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final at Wembley.There is such a gulf in class between the squads and the Blues are struggling to score goals from their strikers.But Alex McLeish,proving to be a very good manager,has created at wonderful team spirit in his club that may well keep them in the Premier League for next season.Wednesday night was a thriller.They were one nil down aqt home to West Ham at half time( 3-1 on aggregate) thanks to a Carlton Cole cracker.But as often happens these days West Ham played decent in one half and poor in the other,in this case the second.Birmingham,boyant with their niosy supporters behind them,bounced back to score three times.But once again it was mid-fielders and a defender scoring.However the huge half time substitute Nikola Zigic unsettled the West Ham defence particularly Matthew Upson and the match changed.Zigic is limited,should be much better with his size and often looks unlikely to score but made a difference in this outcome.I sat in the directors box behind two empty West Ham seats that should have been filled by two from three of owners David Sullivan,David Gold and vice-chairman Karren Brady.They did a big job for Birmingham and its a pity that they could not make last night for whatever reasons.Maybe they would say nolw they are pleased they did not attend.

I WAS WRONG ABOUT AVRAM GRANT

Along with many other media commentators I got it wrong in these blogs about Avram Grant.I had him sacked and Martin O'Neill as the new West Ham boss.But either O'Neill said no or the West Ham owners were right when they said Grant's position was always going to stay the same.Then I saw that O'Neil was signing...yes,yes...then I realised it was the Middlesborough player..oh dear,apologies Avram..but will Avram keep them in the Premier League and will he get them to Wembley? Probably not but lets see about the latter later this week.I could be eating humble pie again as well as my favourite Pukka Pies!

MANCHESTER UNITED WIN THRILLER

Blackpool 2 Manchester United 3.What a great match.2-0 to Blackpool at half-time.They were denied a penalty soon afterwards..and then strong United powered back in the second.Two great substituations by the master manager plus two more goals for Berbitov and United not only keep their unbeaten Premier League record this season but they head the table by five points.Blackpool?I had them down as dead certs for relegation but their fearless and attacking attitude has made them formidable opponents.Credit madcap manager Ian Holloway.He has been a star so far this season!

ARSENAL IN CARLING CUP FINAL

Arsenal were always expected to win their home leg of the Carling Cup semi-final with Championship strugglers Ipswich.The tractor boys did well to secure a 1-0 win at Portman Road in the first leg..and held out for a long period until well into the second half before losing 3-0(3-1 on aggregate).Its been five long years since Arsene Wenger won a trophy.You would expect his talented team to beat either West Ham or Birmingham,wouldn't you? Especially at Wembley.The two poor opponents meet in Birmingham on Wednesday.Poor in form,rich in support but fighting for their Premier League lives.They could both get relegated.Birmingham lack a striker.

ASTON VILLA BACK ON TRACK

Gerard Houllier at last has Aston Villa moving out of trouble in the Premier League.£24 million spent on Darren Bent immediately paid off with the new striker scoring the only goal in the home win over Manchester City at the weekend.....and last season's stars Gabby Agbonlahor and Ashley Young scored the goals in Tuesday's 2-1 win at Wigan.I am pleased for the Frenchman.

AVRAM GRANT TO BE SACKED AT WEST HAM.MARTIN O'NEILL LOOKS THE NEW MANAGER

Football is a results business.West Ham are bottom of the Premier League,only two points adrift but under Avram Grant they don't really look like staying up.David Sullivan,David Gold and Karren Brady usually support their manager.When they arrived at Birmingham they did replace Terry Cooper as manager with Barry Fry fairly quickly.But Fry,then Trevor Francis and lastly Steve Bruce all had six years each.Quite a spell these days and Bruce left.They put up with relegation and waited and got promotion.The same appplies to current manager Alex McLeish..Now having replaced Gianfranco Zola,(who like Cooper at Birmingham,was there when they arrived) with Grant they are poised to recruit Martin O'Neill.The talks are dragging on....Martin walked out on Aston Villa six days before the season started in August.He did not see eye to eye with owner Randy Lerner over transfers and players wages.Heck what is the scene at West Ham in comparison to that? The top jobs at present do not seem available to the talented Irishman.Lets stay tuned.It should be interesting!

FOOTBALL LEGEND NAT LOFTHOUSE DIES AT 85

Sad to see that great England and Bolton legend Nat Lofthouse has died aged 85.He played under my old boss,the late Billy Wright,for England.Billy brought me to ATV as a presenter in 1971.He used to talk about those great days,some of which I remember as a kid.Nat scored and was known as the Lion of Vienna in a famous 3-2 England win over a then great Austria side.He was battered from pillar to post,even unconscious at one point.Youngsters today don't obviously recall these great players,may not have heard of them and didn't realise how tough the game was then.Little protection from referees.Billy was wing-half and centre-half.Played for Wolves for 21 years and 105 times for England...yet was never booked.Nat Lofthouse spent all his career with one club,too.Bolton and I saw him there until the last few years.What an ambassador,what a legend!

REFEREE MIKE DEAN MAKES ERROR

Last week at the Leicester-Manchester City FA Cup tie I congratulated referee Mike Dean afterwards for having a good game and not even dishing out a yellow card.But at Spurs he should not in my opinion have given Manchester United's Raphael a second yellow card.First one yes,second no!United's point points them back on top through goal difference with Manchester City,who have played two games more,in second spot.United still unbeaten in the Barclays Premier League but keep drawing away from home!

CRAIG LEVEIN SCOUTING IN MIDLANDS

Sat next to Scotland manager Craig Levein at the Birmingham-Aston Villa match.I knew Craig in his days as Leicester City manager.Craig took in West Bromwich Albion-Blackpool the previous day.It was good to spend some time with him again.The Blues-Villa match was ok and 1-1 was a fair result.Birmingham goalie Ben Foster currently has the same builder as myself,Geoff Beck.When working at Ben's house the day after his mistake at West Ham in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg they decided not to mention it.After an hour Ben said"Ok lets get it over with"..Geoff said" I wanted to make you a cup of tea but I thought you might drop it!"..Foster took it well and the building works are continuing!

SHOULD YOU EVER GO BACK?I DON'T THINK SO BUT ASK KENNY DALGLIGH

Don't judge a manager of two games but I do not think you can go back in life-particularly if you have been successful there.Kenny Dalglish was a brilliant player and a fine manager at both Liverpool and Blackburn.I understand why he want to return to Liverpool but I will be pleasantly surprised if it works out as well as he and their supporters hope.When you have been successful once it is difficult to return to a high profile job and even harder when the goal-posts have moved.Its a far different Liverpool then Kenny left.Don't jump to conclusions over the first two results.No time for the first one and it was Manchester United away ( I thought in real time it was a penalty by the way) and the second away to the surprise package Blackpool.Others may do that.It will take a long time to rebuild Liverpool and if Kenny thinks he can do the trick with the present squad then he will have to prove a lot of people wrong!

ARSENAL-BIRMINGHAM CITY FOR CARLING CUP FINAL

Arsenal and Birmingham both trail their League Cup semi-finals by a single goal after their away defeats.But I expect both to win their second legs at home.Then they would meet in the Carling Cup final at Wembley.Birmingham's Ben Foster made a rare mistake at Upton Park to give the Hammers a 2-1 scoreline.But the Blues are extremely difficult to beat at home.They don't score many goals but although West Ham notched a couple there earlier this season I expect Alex McLeish to be successful.Arsene Wenger's team whatever it is will be too strong for the Championship team Ipswich at the Emeriates.A 1-nil deficit is not asking much to turn around.Wenger has not won a trophy for five long years and the Carling Cup would be a start.

TRANSFERS--YOUR CLUB GOT ANY-ONE REALLY GOOD APART FROM DZEKO?

January is often panic time.Manchester City have splashed out on Edin Dzeko.But have your club bought value for money? Have they made a sound or desperate investment.Will the new signings make any real difference?The Daily Telegraph highlighted two that did..Eric Cantona to Leeds and helped them beat Man Utd to title in 1992 and Henrik Larsson January 07 to help Man Utd win the title after four years......three that didn't Rodney Marsh in 1972 for Man City who went from first to fourth;Andrew Cole for Man Utd in 1995 and Tino Asprilla in 1996.Newcastle were first and 9 points clear when he signed on February 10.They finished 2nd four points adrift and Asprilla scored 3 goals from 14 games.....

EDIN DZEKO IS A BIG LAD

Took my first look at Edin Dzeko after his £27 million transfer to Manchester City.The Bosnian is a tall lad.He was on the Manchester City table in the Leicester City boardroom before Sunday's FA Cup tie.Brian Marwood told me they are very excitied about his signing who had scored 12 goals in 24 games for Steve McClaren's Wolfsburg this season.City have scored just 33 in 22 Premier League games this season and just 1 in five against Arsenal,Chelsea,Spurs and Manchester United.Dzeko will move them up a gear..and maybe a place!In the extreme unlikelyhood that he does not hit form I asked if Sven would be able to borrow him on loan for Leicester in the play-offs.Brian is a good lad with a very nice smile which is all I got!

BLACKBURN NOT CHICKEN ABOUT RONALDINHO

Ronaldinho really worth £6.2 million in the Premier League?Forgive me if I laugh at the new owners of Blackburn if they think this player will solve their problems.Managers are the key signings for clubs.They were potty to sack Big Sam,I don't think his assistant is the right choice at present and there are others players with grit,stamina and determination that I would have picked before this Brazilian wonder.Sure he has skills but he is a luxury and that is not what Blackburn need or are all about at present.

DAVID BECKHAM STILL IN DEMAND!

David Beckham is 35 but he is still fit,still a great crosser of the ball and still commercially very attractive.That is why so many clubs want to sign him on loan even for only two months.LA Galaxy may not allow it but if they do I would fancy Spurs to get his services.Harry would love it!

MANCHESTER UNITED LOOK CHAMPIONS EVEN IF THEY DON'T ALWAYS LOOK IT!

Sir Alex Ferguson is right to argue that his Manchester United is one of five teams who might win the Premier League this season.Its that tight and that changeable.But deep down the sport's best manager must know he has a great chance.The side is unbeaten,albiet with a lot of draws,has not yet hit their top form,has a better squad than many realise,are top with a game in hand going into tonight's home match with Stoke,has Dimitar Berbatov in goalscoring form and there is the Sir Alex factor.Every-one is getting excited by Manchester City and Arsenal.Stand by me,it will be United.

ROY HODGSON MUST WIN OVER FANS AS WELL AS WIN MATCHES!

Managers are in the results game which is why we are witnessing the regular round of sackings.But Roy Hodgson has also managed to upset the Liverpool fans and that is risky on three grounds...one the results are poor,two you don't upset the Kop and three the American Sports Owners are more into what their fans think that the other sports owners.Roy,the managers manager of the season,last term,knows time is the current enemy!

CHELSEA STRUGGLING LIKE CRAZY

Chelsea have real problems in terms of what is expected from them.Its going pear shaped for the double team and their coach Carlo Ancelotti knows the skids will be under him if they lose at bottom vclub Wolves this Wednesday.They may be anyway judging by the previous form on Chelsea's owner.Their 3-3 home draw with Aston Villa sums it all up.That would not have happened last season.In fact Chelsea won 7-1.This result may have eased the pressure on Villa'a boss Gerard Houllier particularly if Villa beat Sunderland this Wednesday.Ah how things can change so quickly.

LEICESTER CITY CLIMBING UNDER SVEN - GORAN ERIKSSON

My team Leicester are now just two points off the play-off positions in the Championship.Under Sven-Goran Eriksson and with both his contacts and the money from the new Thai owners don't bet against the Foxes making the play-offs.And then who knows? This Sunday Sven's Leicester host his old club Manchester City in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.One of my twin sons Laurence is an outside broadcast cameraman and will be part of ESPN's team covering this match live.I tried to bring him up properly but he supports Birmingham City!