Grand Slam fans' view
Thursday 20 March 2008 15:41, UK
We asked Sky Sports' Rob Lee, Eddie Hemmings, Tubes and Stuart Barnes for their thoughts on Sunday.
Grand Slam Sunday could not only decide the destination of the Premier League title, but it will also divide a footballing nation on Sky Sports. Champions Manchester United play host to bitter rivals Liverpool (1.00pm) before Chelsea and Arsenal lock horns in a London derby (4.00pm), all of it live on Sky Sports 1. Before fans started falling out, we trawled the Sky Sports corridors to find four men for whom it means more than most. In the Manchester United corner we found Golf Night frontman Rob Lee up against long-time Liverpool fan and the voice of rugby league, Eddie Hemmings. Representing Chelsea is Soccer AM's man with the questions, Tubes, while a rugby union legend, Stuart Barnes, was more than happy to argue Arsenal's case.Here's what our Grand Slam fans had to say...
Man Utd v Liverpool - Rob Lee & Eddie Hemmings
Tell us about your love affair with your club. Where did it all begin?
ROB LEE: When I was a youngster, way before I started playing golf, the sport that I played was football and basically I idolised George Best. I thought Best was the bee's knees. Much like modern kids love Ronaldo, I thought he was just a genius and because I followed him, I started to follow United. I was six or seven and it has been a long road since then. When I was at primary school I supported them but it wasn't a popular choice; all the rest were Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, so I wasn't in the majority then. It is just one of those things. EDDIE HEMMINGS: Like all youngsters of my age, back in 1958 I originally fell in love with Man United and Sir Bobby Charlton because of Munich. But then in 1962 my father, who was a Liverpool fan, started to take me to Anfield and I saw the light! I have been a fan of them ever since and in the halcyon days of the 1970's I was fortunate enough to follow them all over Europe as a reporter. I'd had a little bit of an initiation working for Radio Merseyside, but at 18 or 19 I got a job as a young reporter on the Liverpool Weekly News and although it was not quite as good as working with Stevo, it really was a dream job. In fact, my first task was to do a weekly column with Ian St John - who was my boyhood hero - which I did open-mouthed and starry-eyed! But Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Emlyn Hughes, Kenny Dalglish, Terry McDermott, I worked with all the great names and I knew them all.Bringing it forward somewhat, how do you think this season has gone at your club?
ROB: So far it has gone pretty well actually. Two of the summer buys, Nani and Anderson, have been brilliant. They have just slotted right in and to be honest, squad-wise, we look really good. I am really happy with the way it has worked out, once Carlos Tevez bedded in, and the only slight hitch has been that Louis Saha has been injured nearly all the time and has never had a good run in the team. I know we got knocked out of the FA Cup but I am certainly not despondent. I am very much on the up.
EDDIE: I've got to be honest and say it's been hugely disappointing, because Rafa Benitez was given a lot of money. I know they have had success in the Champions League, but the real prize for all Liverpool fans is the Premier League, without a doubt. I just wish Benitez wouldn't tinker so much. I know he's got 30-odd millionaires on the books and he's got to keep them all happy, but to my mind you keep your back-four solid and you play your best striker, week-in, week-out. It's as simple as that.
Who have been the stars for your side and by the same token, is there anyone who has disappointed you?
ROB: Ronaldo has been the obvious star with 33 goals - that is phenomenal. I know they say he is a winger but he comes inside and runs on to it like a centre-forward. He has been absolutely brilliant but the defenders have been outstanding too: Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and even Wes Brown has slotted in because Gary Neville has been out all that time. They have been excellent and Edwin van der Sar is very reliable. Once you don't let many goals in you have a great chance, then chuck in that midfield and forward line and you should be able to do something. As far as I can see there are no disappointments at all. It is very difficult to pick someone who has not performed well, I can't find one. Louis Saha hasn't played much, so you can't expect too much from him because a striker needs games and he is not getting them. EDDIE: It's obvious but Torres is really coming into his own at the back end of the season. He is really looking a class act now that he's getting a proper run in the first team. I know everyone is talking about Cristiano Ronaldo being the leading scorer but the way he's going, it could be Torres, believe me. Of course Steven Gerrard has been outstanding and is the heartbeat of the team and I am also a huge fan of Jamie Carragher, probably because I'm a Scouser and I love the local lads. Harry Kewell has flopped again and in all honesty, has been a huge disappointment from the minute he walked through the door.What would the best results be for you on Grand Slam Sunday?
ROB: For me it would obviously be a win against Liverpool and the other two to draw. Arsenal and Chelsea will both go into their match thinking they have to win it because if they both drop two points it is a real killer for both. I think that will be a very aggressive game as the draw does nothing for either team. They draw, we win - the perfect results, but you know what football is like, it is hard to predict. EDDIE: Of course a win at Old Trafford would be ideal but the fact we haven't managed that since 2004 sums up just what's wrong with Liverpool at the moment. I do think a win for Chelsea would make it a really exciting finale to the season as well. I would love it to be Liverpool in a three-way race with United and Arsenal for the title, but sadly I think that's gone for this season. So that other team will have to be Chelsea.If you can't win the title, then who would you rather took it?
ROB: Good question... Portsmouth? If there was a 'none of the above' box for Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea I would tick it. Of the three, you have to admire Chelsea because they lost Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant came in - a no-name really - and yet they have continued to churn out the results. It is impressive that they are still there. Liverpool have now discovered that if you play your key players in their settled positions then they perform well most weeks, but it is too late. But I guess of the three, I would rather Arsenal won it.
EDDIE: Let's keep it in the north and have Man United! I know that will stick in the throat of every Liverpool fan, but I wouldn't mind that at all. I really admire Arsenal and thoroughly enjoyed their Champions League games against AC Milan - I thought they were simply outstanding in the 2-0 win. I don't mind Chelsea compared to some people, but would watch Arsenal first out of the two. But I am a great lover of characters and thought Jose Mourinho was sensational - he always gave me a great laugh.
Will you be watching on Sunday? If so, where?
ROB: I will be at home watching it. If I can sort it right I will go into our spare room, the kiddies' play room, and have a blissful couple of hours in front of the television screen... if I can orchestrate it correctly! It is Easter Sunday, Lent is over, so I will enjoy a nice glass of red wine while I am watching too! EDDIE: We've got a lot of live Super League on Sky Sports over the Easter weekend, but luckily I shall be at home watching on telly. My 85-year-old dad will be with us if he can remember to get up, remember it's on, and remember to come round and watch it. My late mother-in-law was an Evertonian which used to make for some great fights - in the nicest possible way - but now the whole family are Reds. I'm sure we'll all be watching.OK, it's prediction time: what will the results be?
ROB: Manchester United will beat Liverpool 2-1 with Wayne Rooney - he always seems to play well and score against Liverpool and Everton - and Carlos Tevez on the scoresheet. In the other game I would guess the shortest odds will be for a low-scoring draw, so I will take 1-1 between Chelsea and Arsenal. EDDIE: I'll go for Liverpool to roll back the years and win 2-1, with Torres scoring both and a Liverpool player getting an own goal for United. But even if that happens, I don't think it will be enough to get us back into the title race, sadly. As for the other one, I hope Chelsea win to really spice it up for the run-in, so I'll say 1-0. I love the Premier League and would like nothing better than seeing three sides fighting it out - apart from Liverpool winning it of course!Chelsea v Arsenal - Tubes and Stuart Barnes
Tell us about your love affair with your club. Where did it all begin?
TUBES: It was never a case of who I would choose to support because I never had a choice. When I was three minutes old I was given a toy Stamford the Lion mascot, so that was that! My dad was brought up right next to Chelsea so he has always supported them too. In fact he was the first person to ever have his wedding reception on the Chelsea pitch, which is my claim to fame. My earliest Chelsea memory was leaving a game at half-time because it was too cold. I was three and it was 10-below freezing and raining, but my dad wanted to take me to the game and he thought by giving me a Wagon Wheel and a Bovril he'd shut me up! But by the age of seven I was a regular. STUART BARNES: I've supported Arsenal since before I could speak. I was one of these fortunate children whose father taught him to say Arsenal before he could walk. From the age of two, two-and-a-half, I could say Arsenal before I could say red wine, father or mother. I have been an Arsenal fan for 40-odd years.Bringing it forward somewhat, how do you think this season has gone at your club?
TUBES: I think it's just been very bizarre. After Jose Mourinho left everyone thought it would just be a transitional season. But the players have really stuck together and we're still up there fighting for the Premier League and we've got a very good chance in the Champions League as well.
STUART: With our dismantling of AC Milan, Arsenal have shown that for the big-match occasion we are the best team in Europe. Unfortunately because of that, some of the younger lads have taken their eye off the prize a bit, but while a lot of people think Manchester United and Chelsea have been handed a chance in the league, I would imagine that this weekend Chelsea shouldn't be too much of a problem because Arsenal will have their game heads on.
Who have been the stars for your side and by the same token, is there anyone who has disappointed you?
TUBES: That's a pretty tough one, but I think Ricardo Carvalho has been the nuts. He really has been consistently brilliant over the season, especially during the period when we had a lot of key players missing. I'd say John Terry as well because although he has been injured for a fair part of the season he has come back in there and really got the troops together. And Joe Cole has just been class as well. I wouldn't want to label anyone a disappointment but I guess Andriy Shevchenko hasn't performed as well as we know he can this season, but a lot of it is down to injuries I think. STUART: I don't think anyone has really been a disappointment; it has been a very good season. Maybe Jens Lehmann and his attitude when he lost his place, but that's about it. Obviously Cesc Fabregas has shone in the big games but Arsenal's surprise player has been Mathieu Flamini. He has taken Gilberto, a World Cup-winning Brazilian, out of the team and has been fantastic. Look at that AC Milan game: Fabregas got all of the kudos but the hard-working job that Flamini did alongside him really made it easier for him. He would be my forgotten hero.What would the best results be for you on Grand Slam Sunday?
TUBES: Simple. A Chelsea win having seen Liverpool beat Manchester United at Old Trafford. STUART: Obviously I hate to say it, but Liverpool to beat Manchester United. I don't like Liverpool winning too much but we will let them beat United because clearly in the quarter-finals of the Champions League they are on their way out. The North West derby goes to the away team and I honestly think, joshing aside, that Arsenal will win at Stamford Bridge. And we need it too because Manchester United aren't a exactly bad team! So I think we had better stop messing around, dropping points and start winning. I think Stamford Bridge will bring the best out of Arsenal and Liverpool are on form, so who knows? United lose and it is all back in the melting pot.If you can't win the title, then who would you rather took it?
TUBES: I'd prefer to Arsenal to win it and although plenty of Chelsea fans would disgaree, I'll stand by that. If Arsenal win it will just even things up a bit I think, rather than Chelsea and Man Utd winning it all the time.
STUART: Blimey! Chelsea, Liverpool or Man United? I was actually thinking Bristol City but we'll have to wait another year for them. Definitely not Chelsea! That is 100 per cent. Not Liverpool! Urgh... I hate to say this - is this the equivalent of swearing on air like Danny Cipriani? - but I will have to say Manchester United.
