Fitba AM // news

groups e-h. the last eight places

1 Fiorentina 12

2 Lyon 10

3 Liverpool 7

4 Debrecen 0

This one's all sealed up and we all know how disappointing Liverpool have been this season. The fight is for top spot and Lyon could come from behind to steal it on the last night as they welcome Debrecen while Fiorentina are on the road to Anfield. La Viola could have eight players out and like United last night, it could be a struggle for three points. Lyon haven't been on sparkling form themselves, losing to Lille at the weekend means this one's hard to call.

1 Barcelona 8

2 Inter Milan 6

3 Rubin Kazan 6

4 Dynamo Kiev 5

All eyes will be on Group F tonight as all four sides can make it through to the knockout stages. Barca must be favourites having points on the board and facing Dynamo the side with least points. The stipulations involving this match are quite complicated. Looking at the table, a draw would appear to favour Inter and if it finishes 0-0 or 1-1 they would go through. However, any draw higher than 1-1 would ensure Rubin upset the odds. I hate to bring up facts from last year which carry little weight when considering recent form etc. but Inter haven't won at home in the CL for over a year, and coupled with losing to Juve this weekend maybe they'll find themselves dropping to the Europa League just like their Italian counterparts.

1 Sevilla 10

2 Unirea Urziceni 8

3 VfB Stuttgart 6

4 Rangers 2

Sevilla are in the driving seat tonight having already qualified. Nobody would've expected Unirea to have made quite as big a splash but Petrescu's men will need a draw away from home to seal up second place. Stuttgart will have the experience to win at home but they will miss Hitzlsperger and Kuzmanovic as well as a few others, and this could allow Unirea to edge this and what a great story it would be if they managed it.

1 Arsenal 13

2 Olympiakos 7

3 Standard Liege 4

4 AZ Alkmaar 3

Liege can still go through but they'll have to get a result and ensure Olympiakos do the same at the Emirates. Arsenal have comfortably got top spot and so could rest important players, so we can't rule Liege out just yet. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw and AZ will be close to full strength so I would give the Belgian side just a small chance of getting through, but a draw would at least achieve a Europa League place.

-Of the less fancied teams tonight, Unirea are the most likely to get a spot in the knockout rounds. Rubin Kazan have managed to put the cat among the pigeons in Group F but it could be a step to far, while Olympiakos could have an easier night than expected at the Emirates to knock Standard Liege out. With so many matches deciding places tonight I can tell it's going to be another cracker.

--Richard McFarland

Posted at 11:36, 9th December 2009

champions league groups a-d. the story so far...

Group A

1 Bordeaux 5 13

2 Juventus 5 8

3 Bayern Munich 5 7

4 Maccabi Haifa 5 0

It's rare that a French team should impress us so much in Europe but Bordeaux have done that, beating both Juve and Bayern they have earned the right to put their feet up and watch two European titans battle it out for second place. The Italians are favourites not through any amazing form but because Bayern are without key players Ribery, Klose and Toni. So if Juve can guard against the wide men they should be able to close this out and make it to the next round. Regardless, neither have hit good form in the domestic league this season so I believe they can't be written off in making a splash in the latter stages.

1 Man Utd 5 10

2 Wolfsburg 5 7

3 CSKA Moscow 5 7

4 Besiktas 5 4

Everyone knows United are missing a whole defence but they don't need to win to go through but to win the group. Avoiding the likes of Barca will be an aim of Fergie, but they can't be hamstrung by that as the sole aim. With the key Christmas period coming up more squad rotation wouldn't be a bad idea, and besides, Wolfsburg have to get a win. Moscow are in the driving seat and will take on a toothless Besiktas so I'm sure a lot of news will be communicated from stadium to stadium before we know who goes through with United.

1 Real Madrid 5 10

2 AC Milan 5 8

3 Marseille 5 7

4 FC Zurich 5 3

AC take on Zurich in the final gameweek and it won't be an easy task as the Swiss side nicked a one-nil win at the San Siro. Marseille can't be ruled out either. Real will be wary of the French who are adept at scoring plenty at home but were on the receiving end of a three-nil thumping at the Bernabeu, so this could be one of the most interesting matches tomorrow night. Real are in the driving seat and I think AC could nip through also, a shame for Marseille who really shook this group up.

1 Chelsea 5 13

2 FC Porto 5 9

3 Atletico Madrid 5 3

4 Apoel Nicosia 5 2

Chelsea's good form hasn't been limited to the Premier League and they've walked a challenging group. The biggest disappointment have been Athletico and thats not just been a European phenomenon, they have been the Liverpool of La Liga - reaching a high point of 13th this weekend. So the race is for the Europa League. Apoel have the unenviable task of taking on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and even with a second XI for the Blues I'd expect them to win. Athletico can make third their own and I think they can beat Porto.

-Arguably we will see only one major team not getting through due to Bordeaux having great results against Juve and Bayern. Many would have expected more from Athletico but they were an early casualty, while in Group C Marseille could have an outside chance of knocking another big side into the Europa League tomorrow night. We'll just have to watch and see...

--Richard McFarland

Posted at 11:43, 7th December 2009

near the end of the road to south africa

Fitba AM // 15.11.09 // A Slow Week in Sport...

By Wednesday evening we'll know who will contest the football World Cup in South Africa. We preview all of Saturdays footie action as well as more autumn internationals news in the world of rugby.

Our main focus will be on the hard-hitting issue of mental health and the world of sport after some big stories in the past week.

Tune in on Sunday at 11.15am!

Posted at 15:06, 14th November 2009

fitba am gets its big break

The lads from Fitba AM went down to Kelvin Hall again today and managed to meet a few of the stars. With a media pass they gained access to the post-match press conference involving the successful John Higgins who clinched a place in the quarter finals after seeing off the world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan. Higgins claimed that at 4-3 down he didn't think he had a chance of winning the game. When O'Sullivan missed a golden opportunity on an easy red, Higgins managed to level the match and then made a break of 94 to seal the deciding frame.

Fitba AM have managed to interview three top 16 ranked players over the past few days including the young Northern Irish star Mark Allen who is keen to see youngsters get involved in the sport. Allen believes the student ticket initiative which offers tickets at £5 is a great chance for young people to find a way into the sport.

Tune in on Sunday for the full interviews.

Posted at 18:37, 7th October 2009

fitba am at the snooker

Fitba AM are delighted to announce they'll be at the Grand Prix Snooker next week. Stay tuned for all the latest!

Posted at 23:56, 29th September 2009

league cup action tonight both south and north

Our latest predictions are available on facebook, just follow the link on this page and join fitba am on facebook. We preview the fixtures in the league cups today.

Posted at 18:10, 22nd September 2009

another crucial week of sporting action

With the football season in full flow after Champions and Europa League action this midweek the boys won't be short of talking points on Sunday. Aside from this we'll be giving our view into the Adebayor debacle and the controversy at F1 Renault team as well as asking your thoughts on Uefa's additional officials which debut at the Europa League tonight. Richie will be hoping to catch up with Greg's great start in the football predictions and big matches like the Manchester derby could make all the difference.

Posted at 15:08, 17th September 2009

predictions

Fitba AM // 13.09.09 // Kick Off

With the first show this Sunday, Greg and Richie are proud to present our predictions for this weekend's action. Here are our thoughts on Saturday's games (plus predictions for the season as a whole):

EPL

Blackburn vs Wolves

Greg: I think Wolves will struggle to survive in the premiership and their up and down form so far doesn't do much to prove me wrong. Conversely this Blackburn side has all the hallmarks of a Big Sam team: physical, strong, organised and well-drilled at set-plays. They may only have one point so far, but Allardyce is building a decent mid-table outfit here and one that is more than capable of beating the teams in the bottom half of the table. Prediction: 2-0

Richie: I agree with Greg. Wolves will be missing to many important players and will be blunt in attack while Blackburn have a number of players im midfield such as Dunn and Pedersen who can chip in with goals even if Benni McCarthy misses this one. They also welcome back Diouf, Nelsen and Emerton - all seasoned professionals used to the rigours of Premier League football and they will thwart a Wolves attack without Iwelumo and possibly Ebanks-Blake. Prediction: 2-0

Liverpool vs Burnley

Greg: This is a fixture of stark contrasts: after their best challenge in recent memory Liverpool were widely tipped (myself included) to win the league this year while Burnley, as a small and newly promoted team were tipped for relegation. Liverpool have been very disappointing so far while Burnley have been brilliant and pulled off the first major shock when they beat the champions. Finally Liverpool are in financial turmoil while Burnely are one of the most financially secure teams in the land. However with Gerrard grabbing two for England midweek he may be back to his best after Benitez questioned his form and Liverpool will win this, but maybe not by as much as they would hope. Prediction: 2-1

Richie: Liverpool will be keen to kickstart their league campaign after a few false starts and I think they'll do it after the international break. They will once again struggle without Xabi Alonso (now of Real Madrid) and with Aquilani still not fit but Gerrard has found form and so they should be able to push on and comfortably win. On the other hand Burnley will be travelling to Anfield, renowned for being a tricky place to get anything and I'm sure Owen Coyle won't have planned to pick up many points this weekend. Prediction: 3-0

Man City vs Arsenal

Greg: The team that spends £200m and MIGHT break into the top 4 vs the team that rarely splashes the cash yet still sneaks into teh top 4. Both have started well and Arsenal were unlucky to lose against Man Utd. However with Arshavin injured I can't see this Arsenal team hurting Man City and the home team are strong going forward. Prediction: 1-0

Richie: I'm not sure what to make of Arsenal this season. I expected them to struggle a lot more than they have done so far but I think when they suffer a few injuries the inexperience of their squad will be exposed once again. Man City have quality all over the pitch but once again lack a meaty ballwinner in the middle so it really could be a revealing match. Tevez will be missing for City and Robinho is a doubt while Arsenal will be without Arshavin, Walcott and Nasri so a lot of the flair will be missing on both sides. I'm torn between going for City to nick it or a 1-1 draw. Adebayor could make the difference as he'll be hard to handle as he faces his old side so I think I'll go for City but only just. Prediction: 2-1

Portsmouth vs Bolton

Greg: Not nil-nil but null-nu...oh wait sorry, I know what I'm talking about. Sadly though the old timer is right: this isn't going to be a classic. However I think Bolton are serious relegation contenders this season and once again I'm tipping the home team. Prediction: 1-0

Richie: Early contender to be on MOTD last on Saturday night without a ball being kicked in anger. Portsmouth are falling apart at the seams and don't just lack quality in some areas but just lack players! I'm gonna go for Bolton to nick it with a scrappy Kevin Davies tap in, maybe off his shin or something. Prediction: 0-1

Stoke vs Chelsea

Greg: Sorry Richie, but Man Utd have a real battle on their hands to keep Chelsea at bay this season. I tipped Liverpool (and it's far too early to change that) but from what I have seen so far Chelsea are looking fantastic. The age of the squad means that this could be their best chance to grab a league and Champions League double, and they will simply have too much for a good Stoke team. Should make for a good match this one. Prediction: 1-3

Richie: I think Chelsea will thrive once a siege mentality develops at the Bridge in the face of the transfer embargo. For so many seasons Chelsea have struggled to kick on despite having the obvious advantage of unrivalled buying power in the EPL but the Kakuta saga and Man City taking over as the rich boys Chelsea can shake a few monkeys off their back and go on a run of professional wins. I expect Ancelotti to have spent the international break wisely and they'll come away with the three points. Prediction: 0-3

Sunderland vs Hull

Greg: Who would have thought Sunderland would splash the cash so much? Well they have, and Steve Bruce is doing a good job at building a secure mid-table team. However Hull could struggle this season, but I still just fancy them to stay up (and only just). Prediction: 1-1

Richie: Unlike Greg I think Hull will be lucky if they stay up for another season. After promising so much in the first half of last season they had relegation form from then until the end of last season. I expect Steve Bruce to give Sunderland more direction this season and they should win this one. Prediction: 2-1

Wigan vs West Ham

Greg: With survival the all-important factor in the premiership, I fancy Wigan to struggle and Martinez is my tip to be the first manager out the door. They've had a rocky start, but new players have been brought in so it's all about how they gel into a team over the next few weeks. West Ham are a far more settled side and have a manager with real potential in Zola. Prediction: 0-2

Richie: Wigan need to put the shock and disappointment of being knocked out of the league cup by Blackpool by picking up some points at home on Saturday. I think Rodallega is central to success for Wigan this season and they could be reliant on him to nick a point against the more settled West Ham side. Prediction: 1-1

Tottenham vs Man Utd

Greg: Once again Man Utd have started a bit shakily and people are lining up to dismiss them. They have a habit of poor starts and then getting into top gear by Christmas and only a fool dismisses Man Utd. Spurs have had their best start in years, but is it another false dawn? Harry's reputation as the "wheeler-dealer" unfairly ignores his great man-management skills and he has a knack of getting the best out of players. This has the makings of a great fixture but I just fancy Man Utd to sneak it in a high scoring affair. Prediction: 2-3

Richie: I think if this match had been before the international break Spurs would be in with a real chance of causing an upset but not any more. Sir Alex mentioned that part of last seasons success was due to the international breaks which allowed himself and the senior players who have retired from international football to plan for the next Premier League match. Spurs are looking very dangerous recently and have made a great signing in the form of Kranjcar and the last few times Lennon's faced Evra he's given him the runaround. Regardless I believe United will hold firm. Prediction: 1-3

SPL

Celtic vs Dundee Utd

Greg: In my opinion Dundee Utd are the best team in Scotland outwith the Old Firm and have one of the finest managers. On their day they are capable of beating both Celtic and Rangers and Danny Cadamarteri has rightly won the player of the month award. Celtic showed a strength I wasn't sure they had when they saw out their last win against Hibs with only 10 men. I fancy Dundee Utd to take something from this game. Prediction: 1-1

Richie: This will be a real test for Celtic as I'm sure manager of the month Mowbray will have an eye on the Europa League in midweek. Check that for alliteration! I think Dundee United will make it onto the score sheet but I'm not sure they'll match the Hoops. Prediction: 2-1

Hearts vs Kilmarnock

Greg: Two teams that have struggled so far and this is unlikely to change for either of them. Laszlo has been whining lately that he has no money, and his recent behaviour (such as asking his players for career advice) is in danger of over-shadowing a good season last year. Laszlo needs to take a look at the opposition dugout and JJ: no money, cuts every year and yet he still manages to keep Kilmarnock in the top flight. Maybe not for long though. Prediction: 0-0

Richie: Hearts will welcome a few key players back and they could well make the difference on Saturday. Killie as usual lack the va va voom to turn losses into draws and draws into wins. Prediction: 2-0

Motherwell vs Rangers

Greg: This young Motherwell team has looked fantastic so far, as always the real test for a club like this will be when injuries and suspensions start to kick in, and how will such a young side cope with a long hard season? Rangers have started well and have a 100% record, the win against Hearts, although early in the season, will prove to be a big moment in the title race. Rangers will maintain their fine start. Prediction: 0-4

Richie: I like Motherwell. Largely because Northern Irish stalwart Stephen Craigan leads the defence. Rangers could have new signing Jeremy Rothen to show off at Fir Park before starting a new Champions League proper in midweek. Prediction: 0-2

St Mirren vs St Johnstone

Greg: Both have got off to decent starts and there really isn't much to seperate these two sides. St Johnstone are playing some really good football this year but I think the top-flight experience St Mirren have will just help them edge it. Prediction: 2-1

Richie: I'm going for St Johnstone mostly beacuse I would like to see the newly promoted side take a crucial three points on the road to one of the SPLs perennial strugglers. Prediction: 0-1

And here are the predictions for who will be collecting medals this year and who will be facing the drop. We at Fitba AM realise we're a little late so we promise these are the same predictions we would have made before the season kicked off.

Premiership

Greg: Winners: Liverpool (runners up: Chelsea) Richie: Chelsea (runners up: Man United) Greg: Relegated: Bolton, Wigan and Wolves Richie: Hull, Wolves and Wigan

FA Cup

Greg: Winners: Man Utd Richie: Liverpool

League Cup

Greg: Winners: Spurs Richie: Man United

SPL

Greg: Winners: Rangers (runners up: Celtic) Richie: Celtic (runners up: Rangers) Greg: Relegated: Hamilton Richie: Hamilton

Scottish Cup

Greg: Winners: Dundee Utd Richie: Rangers

League Cup

Greg: Winners: Celtic Richie: Rangers

Champions League

Greg: Winners: Chelsea Richie: Chelsea

Europa League

Greg: Winners: Far too difficult to call, still have the CL teams to drop in but for now i'll say Villarreal

Richie: Arsenal

Posted at 14:36, 11th September 2009

fitba am unleashes its pin-ups of the season

fitba am starts with a bang as its main graphic is released today in a collage style piece of art featuring presenters Gregor Chalmers as Henk ten Cate and Richard McFarland as little-known Feyenoord player Rinus Israel. Can you name the rest?

Posted at 19:44, 2nd September 2009