Premier League Predictions - 1st/2nd January 2013

Tuesday

West Brom 2-1 Fulham

Man City 3-0 Stoke

Swansea 3-1 Aston Villa

Tottenham 3-0 Reading

West Ham 1-1 Norwich

Wigan 1-3 Man Utd

Southampton 1-2 Arsenal

Wednesday

Chelsea 3-0 QPR

Liverpool 2-1 Sunderland

Newcastle 1-2 Everton

twitter - @ConorJPorter

Premier League Predictions - 29/30th December 2012

Saturday

Sunderland 1-3 Tottenham

Aston Villa 2-2 Wigan

Fulham 1-1 Swansea

Man Utd 4-1 West Brom

Norwich 0-2 Man City

Reading 0-2 West Ham

Stoke 2-1 Southampton

Arsenal 3-2 Newcastle

Sunday

Everton 2-3 Chelsea

QPR 2-1 Liverpool

twitter - @ConorJPorter

NFL Predictions - 30th December 2012

I'm doing predictions on Christmas Day? It's a Christmas miracle! 

It's the last game of the regular season, one which can decide if you go to the play-offs. It's go hard or go home time!

Sunday

Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals - Ravens win
Carolina Panthers vs New Orleans Saints - Saints win
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans - Titans win
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons - Falcons win
Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Giants - Giants win
New York Jets vs Buffalo Bills - Bills win
Houston Texans vs Indianapolis Colts - Texans win
Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers - Steelers win
Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions - Bears win
Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings - Vikings win
Miami Dolphins vs New England Patriots - Patriots win
Arizona Cardinals vs San Francisco 49ers - 49ers win
St Louis Rams vs Seattle Seahawks - Seahawks win
Oakland Raiders vs San Diego Chargers - Chargers win
Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos - Broncos win
Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins - Redskins win

Last week I improved on the previous week's score by achieving 12/16! Fingers crossed I can end the season by getting 16/16.

The Chiefs still look bound to get the first pick of the draft but the Jaguars will earn it if they lose to the Titans and the Chiefs win against the Broncos.

The Vikings, Bears, Giants, Cowboys and Redskins could still earn or lose their place in the play-offs so the final day of the season is bound to be a cracker! 

Happy Christmas everyone!

twitter - @ConorJPorter

Ponder helps Vikings hunt down play-off spot - Vikings 23-6 Texans

Minnesota Vikings are still in the play-off picture as they achieve a 23-6 win against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. 

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder, threw for 174 yards with one touchdown.

Texans quarterback threw for four more yards, but he and the rest of the Texans were unable to score a touchdown.

Texans kicker Shayne Graham started off the scoring with a 51 yard field goal. Ponder responded with a three yard pass to Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph.

In the second quarter, Vikings kicker Blair Walsh added six points to the Vikings score with a 41 yard and a staggering 56 yard field goal, which gave Walsh the record of most 50+ yard field goals in a single season. 

This gave the Vikings a 13-3 lead at half time.

Walsh added another three points to the Vikings lead with a 39 yard field goal. Graham responded with another three points for the Texans with a 33 yard field goal. 

This would be the Texans last score of the day making it the first time they had failed to score a touchdown in a game since 2006. 

Vikings running back Toby Gerhart scored the only rushing touchdown of the day with a three yard run in the fourth quarter, making the final score 23-6 to the Vikings.

In the battle of the defences, the Vikings came out on top with four sacks compared to the one sack from the Texans. The Vikings also had two forced fumbles compared to the one achieved by the Texans. 

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson had a quiet game, as he only achieved 86 yards after 25 attempts. This means he will have to earn 208 yards against the Green Bay Packers next week if he is to break Eric Dickerson's single season rushing yards record. 

The Vikings control their play-off fate as they are currently sitting in the sixth seed in the NFC. If they win, they'll be in the play-offs but if they lose, they have to hope the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants also lose their respective games to keep the play-off spot.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder

twitter - @ConorJPorter

Premier League Predictions - 26th December 2012

Boxing Day

Everton 2-0 Wigan
Fulham 2-0 Southampton
Man Utd 3-1 Newcastle 
Norwich 1-3 Chelsea
QPR 2-1 West Brom
Reading 1-2 Swansea
Sunderland 1-3 Man City
Aston Villa 1-2 Tottenham
Stoke 2-2 Liverpool

twitter - @ConorJPorter 

Premier League Predictions - 22nd & 23rd December 2012

Saturday

Wigan 1-3 Arsenal
Man City 4-0 Reading 
Newcastle 1-1 QPR
Southampton 2-1 Sunderland
Tottenham 2-0 Stoke
West Brom 1-1 Norwich
West Ham 2-1 Everton
Liverpool 2-2 Fulham

Sunday

Swansea 2-3 Man Utd
Chelsea 2-2 Aston Villa

Didn't do predictions for the Premier League last week because of university assignments. Sorry!

twitter - @ConorJPorter

NFL Predictions - 22nd & 23rd December 2012

Sorry about the absence of match reports and predictions. I have been finishing off my assignments for university but now they're all handed in, we're back in full swing!

Saturday

Atlanta Falcons vs Detroit Lions - Falcons win

Sunday

Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins - Dolphins win
Cincinnati Bengals vs Pittsburgh Steelers - Bengals win
Washington Redskins vs Philadelphia Eagles - Redskins win
Tennessee Titans vs Green Bay Packers - Packers win
St Louis Rams vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Bucs win 
Oakland Raiders vs Carolina Panthers - Panthers win
New Orleans Saints vs Dallas Cowboys - Cowboys win
New England Patriots vs Jacksonvile Jaguars - Patriots win
Minnesota Vikings vs Houston Texans - Texans win
Indinapolis Colts vs Kansas City Chiefs - Colts win
San Diego Chargers vs New York Jets - Chargers win
Cleveland Browns vs Denver Broncos - Broncos win
New York Giants vs Baltimore Ravens - Ravens win
Chicago Bears vs Arizona Cardinals - Cardinals win
San Fransico 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks - Seahawks win

Last week I got 11/16 correct, so I'm getting better at this thing!

This week was pretty difficult to predict the scores. With the end of the regular season near by, teams will start to think where they would like to be in the 2013 NFL draft. 

I think the Chiefs will get the first overall pick but the Jets or the Cardinals could trade up to sort out their QB problems. Heinsman Trophy winner, Johnny Manziel, would be a great fit for any one of those three teams if he decides to enter the draft. The Cotton Bowl on January 4th will decide his fate. It's definitely worth a watch.

twitter - @ConorJPorter

NFL Predictions - 13/16/17th December 2012

Thursday:
Cincinnati Bengals vs Philadelphia Eagles - Bengals win

Sunday:
Denver Broncos vs Baltimore Ravens - Broncos win
Washington Redskins vs Cleveland Browns - Redskins win
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints - Bucs win
New York Giants vs Atlanta Falcons - Falcons win
Minnesota Vikings vs St Louis Rams - Vikings win
Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears - Packers win
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Miami Dolphins - Dolphins win
Indianapolis Colts vs Houston Texans - Texans win
Carolina Panthers vs San Diego Chargers - Panthers win
Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals - Lions win
Seattle Seahawks vs Buffalo Bills - Seahawks win
Kansas City Chiefs vs Oakland Raiders - Raiders win
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Dallas Cowboys - Steelers win
San Fransico 49ers vs New England Patriots - Patriots win

Monday:
New York Jets vs Tennessee Titans - Jets win

Last week, I got 9/15 results correct (I missed last week's Thursday night game). Hopefully, I can get even more right this week!

twitter - @ConorJPorter

Peterson & Vikings Defence skin the Bears in a 21-14 victory

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and their defence gave the Vikings a vital win for their play-off push against the Chicago Bears, with a 21-14 victory at the Metrodome.

 

Peterson gave the Vikings a great start on the very first play of the game with a 51 yard run from the Vikings own 20 yard line. He finished it off later on in the drive with a touchdown.

 

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler tried to respond to this on the next drive but failed to do so, as his pass was picked off by Vikings cornerback Josh Robinson. Robinson then ran the ball to the end zone but was ruled out at the five yard line.

 

Peterson added another touchdown to the Vikings score on the resulting drive, with a simple but effective one yard run into the end zone. Vikings were 14-0 up by the end of the first quarter.

 

Cutler was able to find one of his own players this time around, as he completed a 23 yard touchdown pass to Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, giving the Bears their first points of the game.

 

This made the half time score 14-7 to the Vikings.

 

Vikings safety Harrison Smith earned his second ‘pick six’ of the season in the third quarter, with a 56 yard interception from a Cutler pass.

 

Cutler was only sacked twice on the day, but a hard helmet-to-helmet hit by Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen during one of these sacks resulted in Cutler leaving the field later on in the fourth quarter. He finished the day with 260 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

 

Bears backup quarterback Jason Campbell stepped in for the remaining of the game. During this time, he completed a 16 yard touchdown pass to Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall making the score 21-14.

 

To try and get back into the game, the Bears went for the onside kick on kick off, but this was recovered by Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph, which allowed them to win the game.

 

Peterson finished the day with another 100+ rushing yard game, tallying up 154 yards with two touchdowns in 31 attempts.

 

However, Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder failed to perform again as he threw for only 91 yards and one interception, his longest pass being for only 16 yards.

 

Next up for the Vikings is an away game at the Edward Jones Dome against the St Louis Rams. With two final games against the Houston Texans and the Green Bay Packers after this one, this is a must win game if the Vikings want to gather some momentum in their play-off push.

 

It would be wise that Ponder starts to perform as well as Peterson will not be able to carry the team to the play-offs on his own. The absence of Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin is clearly hitting him hard.

Adrian Peterson celebrating

twitter - @ConorJPorter

NFL Predictions 9/10 December 2012

Sunday:

Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Panthers – Falcons win

Tennessee Titans vs Indianapolis Colts – Colts win

St Louis Rams vs Buffalo Bills – Rams win

San Diego Chargers vs Pittsburgh Steelers – Steelers win

Philadelphia Eagles vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Bucs win

New York Jets vs Jacksonville Jaguars – Jets win

Kansas City Chiefs vs Cleveland Browns – Chiefs win

Dallas Cowboys vs Cincinnati Bengals – Bengals win

Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings – Vikings win

Baltimore Ravens vs Washington Redskins – Redskins win

Miami Dolphins vs San Francisco 49ers – 49ers win

Arizona Cardinals vs Seattle Seahawks – Seahawks win

New Orleans Saints vs New York Giants – Giants win

Detroit Lions vs Green Bay Packers – Packers win

Monday:

Houston Texans vs New England Patriots – Texans win

 

Bit late on in the season to start doing NFL predictions but better late than never :).

 

twitter - @ConorJPorter

Premier League Predictions 8/9/10 December 2012

Saturday:

Arsenal 1-2 West Brom

Aston Villa 1-1 Stoke

Southampton 2-1 Reading

Sunderland 1-3 Chelsea

Swansea 3-0 Norwich

Wigan 1-2 QPR

 

Sunday:

Man City 4-2 Man Utd

Everton 1-1 Tottenham

West Ham 1-0 Liverpool

 

Monday:

Fulham 3-1 Newcastle

 

twitter - @ConorJPorter

Premier League Predictions 1/2/3 December 2012

Saturday

West Ham 1-2 Chelsea

Arsenal 2-1 Swansea

Fulham 2-1 Tottenham

Man City 2-2 Everton

Liverpool 2-0 Southampton

QPR 1-1 Aston Villa

West Brom 2-0 Stoke

Reading 2-3 Man Utd

Sunday

Norwich 1-1 Sunderland

Monday

Newcastle 1-1 Wigan

Six correct results with four perfect scores in my midweek predictions (27/28 November). Fingers crossed I get even more right this weekend!!

Premier League Predictions - 27/28 November 2012

Tuesday:
Sunderland 1-2 QPR
Aston Villa 1-0 Reading 

Wednesday:
Chelsea 3-3 Fulham
Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Southampton 2-0 Norwich
Stoke 2-1 Newcastle
Swansea 1-1 West Brom
Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool
Man Utd 3-0 West Ham
Wigan 0-2 Man City

Championship Predictions - 24 November 2012

Barnsley 0-2 Cardiff

Blackburn 1-1 Millwall

Blackpool 2-1 Watford

Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Bolton

Charlton 1-1 Huddersfield

Hull 2-1 Burnley

Ipswich 1-1 Peterborough

Leeds 1-2 Crystal Palace

Middlesbrough 2-0 Bristol City

Sheff Wed 0-1 Leicester

Wolves 2-2 Forest

Derby 2-1 Birmingham

Premier League Predictions - 24/25 November 2012

Saturday

Sunderland 1-2 West Brom

Everton 2-1 Norwich

Man Utd 4-0 QPR

Stoke 2-2 Fulham

Wigan 1-1 Reading

Aston Villa 1-3 Arsenal

Sunday

Swansea 2-2 Liverpool

Southampton 2-1 Newcastle

Chelsea 2-1 Man City

Tottenham 1-0 West Ham

Peterson soars but Vikings lose against Seahawks

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson had his best game since 2008, but the Vikings failed to prosper with him against the Seahawks as they lost 30-20 at the CenturyLink Field last Sunday.

One of the main focuses of this game was the matchup between the two best rushers in the NFL, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. Peterson won this competition by earning 182 yards and two touchdowns, compared to Lynch’s 127 yards and one touchdown.

Peterson started the day off well, as he went 74 yards on the second play of the game, only to be tackled at the 1-yard line by Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner.

He finished with 144 rushing yards at halftime, the most yards he has ever achieved in the first half of a game in his career. Six of those rushes went for more than 10 yards.

Despite the great first half start, Peterson was only handed the ball five times in the second half for 38 yards.

Even though the Vikings posted up the yards, they trailed at half time 20-17 because of Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson.

During the game, Wilson threw a touchdown pass of 11 yards to Ex-Vikings and current Seahawks wide receiver, Sidney Rice, and two touchdown passes of six and 11 yards to Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate.

Tate made a mockery of the Vikings defence on his second touchdown, weaving in and out of the Vikings defence before eventually jumping over Vikings cornerback Josh Robinson to score.

Wilson finished 16 of 24 with 173 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with eight different receivers. Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder however, finished 11 of 22 with only 63 yards and one interception.

Ponder was also sacked four times by the Seahawks defence, compared to Wilson who was only sacked once.

The Seahawks won the game with a final score of 30-20.

Next up for the Vikings is a home game against the Detroit Lions. Earlier in the season, the Vikings defeated the Lions, 20-13. The Vikings will want to win this game in order to go into their BYE week with a winning streak for the tough second half of the season that lies ahead of them.

Golden Tate leaps over Josh Robinson to score

twitter - @ConorJPorter

Interview with Mickey Thomas - The change of relationship between footballers and journalists

The relationship between footballers and journalists has become more distant, according to ex-footballer Mickey Thomas, because footballers “don’t want the publicity” and they have become more “professional.”

During the 1970s and 1980s, journalists would have good relationships with footballers. They would travel with each other to matches, go out together for meals and drinking after games and there would be a lot of trust with one another.

Sadly, this relationship and trust between journalist and footballer no longer exists in the modern era because players no longer want to be in the public eye.

Ex-Wrexham and Manchester United footballer Mickey Thomas said: “There’s no relationship between a journalist and a player because they [the players] don’t want the publicity.”

“Everyone gets stick, everyone gets praise but some players don’t like that,” he added: “They should be able to accept it. They think they’re exempt from criticism which really disappoints me.”

When a player receives this unwanted criticism, it could spell disaster for the journalist who produced the article.

Thomas said: “You say one thing wrong about a footballer, he won’t speak to you ever again [and] he’ll put you to one side.”

30 to 40 years ago though, this relationship between footballer and journalist was a lot different.

“They used to come on the plane with you and come out drinking,” Thomas said: “Now, that’s been put to one side as it’s gone more professional.”

Thomas went on and offered advice for aspiring journalist wishing to report about football.

“Try and get more stories that are true. Then you’ll earn respect and confidence from players.”

“If you start off by getting a sensational story, you’ll never get anywhere in the football world. You have to earn respect from football clubs. You do that and you’ve got a chance,” he added.

“It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s a long road and you’ve got to work at it.”

Twitter - @ConorJPorter

Why Yohan Blake will win gold in the 100m at London 2012

Another article taking a tangent off the theme of football but it's another sport which I enjoy writing about. Enjoy.


This summers Olympics is bound to be a spectacular one. One which will bring out the best of sport from people across the globe. The men's 100m sprint final is one of the most watched events in any Olympics. It's an event that lasts just under 10 seconds, but it can change the course of history forever. This was proven back in 2008 in Beijing, when Jamaican Usain Bolt broke the World and Olympic records by running the men's 100m final in 9.69 seconds, becoming the fastest man on the planet.


At the 2012 Olympics though, I believe a new man will win the men's 100m final. His name, Yohan Blake. Although this year's Olympics will be his first, I think he will be able to step up to the mark and win. Here are the reasons why I think Blake will win gold in the 100m.


1. His training partner


Blake couldn't ask for a better training partner. Fellow Jamaican, Usain Bolt. With Bolt having won Gold in the 100m at the 2008 Olympics, Blake has the best peer a 100m runner could ask for. He will be able to give him guidance in order to prepare him for the Olympics. Bolt and Blake regularly beat each other in training too, so they are always providing each other with tough competition. 


2. His coaching staff


Not only does he train with Bolt, but he also has the same coaching staff as him. Jamaican, Glen Mills. In the past, Mills has trained the likes of Bolt, Jamaican sprinter Ray Stewart, who won silver in the 100m relay in the 1984 Olympics, British sprinter Dwain Chambers and Saint Kitts and Nevis sprinter Kim Collins, so there is nothing he doesn't know about sprinting. He was also the head coach of the Jamaican Olympic Athletics team from 1987 to 2009, helping Jamaica win 33 Olympic medals in that time period. He is currently the head coach of the Racers Track Club, helping Bolt and Blake to perform at their best for this summers Olympic games.


3. Take advantage of his opponents weaknesses


With Bolt still having problems with his start (one start led to him being disqualified from the 100m final at the World Athletics Championships just under a year ago as he came out of the blocks before the starting gun was fired), and Powell suffering from pre-race anxiety (which has led to him under-performing in some major races), this is a great opportunity for Blake to step out of the shadow of them, show himself to the world and make himself the new face of athletics in Jamaica.


4.   He's already defeated his opponents in previous races


Bolt and Blake both say they regularly beat each other in races at training. Both Bolt and Blake have defeated each other and their opponents in past athletics championships as well (Blake won the 100m final at the World Athletics Championships just under a year ago after Bolt was disqualified). However, Blake is the man with the fastest time so far in the 100m in 2012 with a time of 9.75 seconds. He set this time in the 100m final at the Jamaican Olympic trials at the end of June, defeating Bolt who had a time of 9.76 seconds, and Powell who had a time of 9.88 seconds.


Blake is now the national champion of Jamaica. He will hope to continue is form from the Jamaican Olympic trials, into this summers Olympics in order to win the gold medal. I think he will be able to do it.

Yohan Blake (535) winning against
Usain Bolt (539) at the Jamaican Olympic trials

twitter - @ConorJPorter

Boxing: Khan vs Garcia Preview

Change of scenery. Whilst the different types of football on either side of the pond are in their respective off-seasons, I'd thought I would cover a little bit of boxing.

It's just over a week away until the bout for the WBA and WBC Light Welterweight titles takes place between British boxer Amir Khan and American boxer Danny Garcia, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. 

Khan, with a record of 26 wins and two losses with 18 KOs, will hope to put aside all the drama from his previous fight against American boxer Lamont Peterson, and prove his worth in the ring by re-obtaining the WBA Light Welterweight title against Garcia. 

Khan originally lost the WBA Light Welterweight title against Peterson but after it was found that Peterson was tested positive for banned substances in the pre-fight drug test, he was stripped of this title. The vacant belt will be awarded to the winner of the fight between Khan and Garcia.

Garcia will be a tough opponent for Khan, as he has never lost a fight professionally. He has 23 wins and 14 KOs and is the current holder of the WBC Light Welterweight title, which will also be on the line in this fight.

Both of these boxers are very similar, with only a few differences. Both box with Orthadox stances and Khan, standing at 5ft 10", is only an inch taller than Garcia, standing at 5ft 9". Khan also has a longer reach than Garcia with 71 inches to Garcia's 69 inches. 

A win for Garcia will extend his undefeated streak as a professional to 24 wins. However, a win for Khan will allow him to prove his ability to fight against the likes of Floyd Mayweather, as he expressed his desire in a pre-fight press conference on the 4th June, to move up to the 147lb division if he successfully defeated Garcia. 

In the same press conference, things got heated between Khan and Garcia's father. This resulted in both boxers promising to knock the other out on the 14th July. 

With both boxers showing a clear desire as to why they want to win this fight, this is a fight that can't be missed. Due to this desire and passion by both boxers, I think this fight is going to go down to a decision unless either boxer makes a careless mistake in the ring.

On paper, it may look like Khan could just edge it will extra height and reach, but no one should underestimate the drive and determination of Garcia to continue his winning streak. 

Amir Khan (left) & Danny Garcia (right)

twitter - @ConorJPorter

Euro 2012: Team Analysis

It's not long till the Euro 2012 kicks off now so here's a low down on all the teams that are in the tournament and my predictions as to what stage of the tournament they will be eliminated.


Group A
Poland
Greece
Russia
Czech Republic

Robert Lewandowski

Team: Poland
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Group Stage
Key Players: Wojciech Szczesny & Robert Lewandowski  
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Quarter-Finals (2nd in Group Stage)


As co-hosts of the tournament, Poland will have home field advantage. Along with reasonable, yet still challenging group opponents of Russia, Greece and Czech Republic, Poland will be aiming to reach the knock-out stages of a major international tournament for the first time since the 1986 World Cup. Two key players that are vital for this to happen are Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, and Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski. In the 4-2-3-1 formation that Borussia Dortmund predominantly play, Lewandowski has thrived as he scored 22 goals in 34 league matches, to help Borussia Dortmund obtain back-to-back Bundesliga League titles. It would come to no surprise then that Poland will be using this formation in order to exploit Lewandowski's talents. Szczesny is a young, agile and alert keeper, who is capable of pulling off fantastic saves, something which has shown in the Premier League for Arsenal over the past two seasons. With predecessors in his position such as Jerzy Dudek and Artur Boruc, Szczesny has a tradition to live up to. With the skills he has and with home field advantage, I believe Szczesny can possibly exceed his predecessors if he performs to his full potential.

Giorgos Karagounis

Team: Greece
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Group stage
Key Player: Giorgos Karagounis
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Group Stage (4th)


With an undefeated qualifying campaign, Greece enters Euro 2012 in hope of keeping that momentum going. They know how to win this tournament as they became the unlikeliest of European Champions back in 2004. Since that final though, Greece hasn't had any success in any international tournament as they didn't qualify for the 2006 World Cup, and they were eliminated in the group stage in Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup. Hoping to change all that though is Panathinaikos midfielder and captain of Greece, Giorgos Karagounis.  He is a good passer and set-piece specialist. During the competition, he will hope to match or even surpass Euro 2004 skipper Theo Zagorakis's 120 international appearances, making him the Greece's most capped player.

Alan Dzagoev

Team: Russia
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Semi-finals
Key Player: Alan Dzagoev
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Quarter-Finals (1st in Group Stage)


Failure to qualify for the 2010 World Cup has given Russia the drive and determination to perform well at Euro 2012. Entering Euro 2012, Russia hope to repeat and go better than what they did in Euro 2008, where they reached the Semi-Finals, only to be knocked out by Spain, who ended up winning the tournament. The player that can help Russia perform even better this time around is CSKA Moscow midfielder Alan Dzagoev. Dzagoev is probably the most talented player to emerge from Russia in the past four years. He is a very creative and unpredictable player, who is able to outfox opposition defences with his clever passing and movement. Russia's opponents will be aware of his talents as he regularly controls the flow of the game for CSKA Moscow in the Champions League.

Petr Cech

Team: Czech Republic
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Group Stage
Key Player: Petr Cech
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Group Stage (3rd)


After coming second to current Euro champions Spain in the qualifying stages, Czech Republic qualified for Euro 2012 after defeating Montenegro over two games in the play-offs. The key player who helped Czech Republic reach this stage and who will play a huge impact in their success in Euro 2012 is Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech. The recent Champions League winner is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. With Czech Republic being in such an even matched group, Cech could be the difference between the Czech's advancing to the knock-out stages, or going home early.


Group B
Netherlands
Denmark
Germany
Portugal 

Robin Van Persie

Team: Netherlands
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Quarter-finals
Key Player: Robin Van Persie
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Group Stage (3rd)


The Netherlands are part of the Group B, known as the 'Group of Death'. After finishing runners up in the 2010 World Cup, they will want to keep momentum on their side and hope that this they can go all the way and win it. However, first they must get past Germany, Denmark and Portugal in the group stage which won't be an easy task. The main man up front, Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie, will be a vital for them. Coming off the back of an amazing season with Arsenal, scoring 30 goals in 38 league games, Van Persie will hope to keep that form going throughout the tournament. Although he is left footed, he is capable of scoring many goals with his right foot and his head. The complete centre-forward. 

Christian Erikson

Team: Denmark
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Didn't qualify
Key Player: Christian Erikson
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Group Stage (4th)


Denmark will have to pull out all the stops in order to qualify to the knock-out stages as they will go against 2010 World Cup Runners-Up the Netherlands, Euro 2008 Runners-Up Germany and fellow group qualifying stage team Portugal. With failure to qualify for the last Euro's and elimination from the last World Cup in the group stage, Denmark's chances of qualifying aren't looking too good. However, they must remember that they were in a similar situation back in Euro 1992, the tournament which they ended up winning thanks to striker Henrik Larsen. If Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner can do what Larsen did back in 1992, all will be great for Denmark. However, he will need a player-maker, which is why my key player is Ajax midfielder Christian Erikson. With 19 assists in 30 league games, Erikson has expressed he has the ability to set up goals. He is technically gifted and his passing is second to none. He's got the ability to shoot from long range with both feet which is a fantastic tool for any team to have. With these talents, he can help steer Denmark out of the 'Group of Death' and throughout the latter stages of the tournament.

Mario Gomez

Team: Germany
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Runners-up
Key Players: Mario Gomez and Manuel Neuer
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Winners (1st in Group Stage)


Euro 2008 Runners-Up Germany will hope that they can go one better this time around and I don't see any reason why they can't. Having won their entire group qualifying stage games, scoring 34 goals and conceding only seven, they qualified as one of the favourites to win the tournament. Key to their success will be Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and striker Mario Gomez. After only conceding 7 goals in the qualifying stages and a fantastic first season at Bayern Munich, he is the undisputed number one goalkeeper for Germany and is earning himself a place on the list of the best goalkeepers in the world. He is a great penalty saver, as he demonstrated this in the Champions League against Real Madrid and Chelsea, but he has been known to make the careless mistake every now and then. Gomez is coming off the back of a season which he scored 26 goals in 33 league games, a form which is likely to continue in the Euros as he is still playing with fellow Bayern Munich team mates. He is now emerging from the shadow of Miroslav Klose and is earning himself a regular place in Germany's starting 11. He will want to forget the horror of losing on home-turf in the Champions League final against Chelsea by using it as fuel to drive his determination to earn victory in this tournament. 

Christiano Ronaldo

Team: Portugal
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Quarter-Finals
Key Player: Christiano Ronaldo
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Semi-Finals (2nd in Group Stage)


Since 2000, Portugal has never missed a European Championship and they have never been eliminated in the group stage. Hoping to keep this form going will be Real Madrid forward Christiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo is no doubt one of the best players ever to play the game. He is able to score goals with ease as he demonstrated this last season scoring 46 goals in 38 games for Real Madrid. However, he is yet to reach his full potential at a major international tournament. With his ability to rip open defences with his foot-work and win matches basically by himself, I see no doubt why Ronaldo can't finally shine this time around.


Group C
Spain
Italy
Republic of Ireland
Croatia

Xavi

Team: Spain
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Winners
Key Players: Xavi and Andres Iniesta
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Runners-Up (1st in Group Stage)


As the undoubtedly best international team in the world, Spain will be looking to win a third successive international tournament, something which no international team has ever done before. In order to obtain this, a team has to be filled with stars, which Spain has. Two stars that shine brighter than others are Barcelona midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta. Both of these players always rise up to the occasion for both club and country and are probably the best midfield duo the world has ever seen. They're able to control the pace and rhythm of the game, making it near to impossible for any team to stop them. It's almost as if they can communicate with each other telepathically!!

Gianluigi Buffon

Team: Italy
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Quarter-Finals
Key Players: Mario Balotelli and Gianluigi Buffon
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Quarter-Finals (2nd in Group Stage)


With no real international success since winning the 2006 World Cup, Italy are hoping to do much better in Euro 2012. They qualified for the tournament with ease as they won eight games, drew two, scored 20 goals and only conceded two. To keep the momentum going, Italy need to make sure that Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is in top form. Buffon was badly missed by Italy in the last World Cup when he came off injured against Paraguay and never played again for the rest of the tournament, resulting in Italy exiting in the group stage. They must make sure that Buffon stays fully fit if they are to get anywhere in this tournament. After coming off a fantastic season by only conceding 20 goals, helping his side win the Serie A title, Buffon seems to be in the form of his life and he will hope to continue this form throughout the tournament.

Robbie Keane

Team: Republic of Ireland  
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Didn't qualify
Key Player: Robbie Keane
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Group Stage (4th)


Euro 2012 will be the first time the Republic of Ireland has qualified for the European Championships since 1988. Sadly though, with the teams Spain, Italy and Croatia in the same group as them, I don't see them getting past the group stage. One man that could prove me wrong though is LA Galaxy Striker Robbie Keane. With 53 international goals, it is clear that Keane knows how to find the back of the net and teams shouldn't underestimate him. He scored seven of the Republic of Ireland's 20 goals in the qualifying stage. Through the help of fellow players, there's no reason why they can't pull out some surprise results in this tournament, but it will be a difficult challenge ahead of them.

Luka Modric

Team: Croatia 
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Quarter-finals
Key Player: Luka Modric
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Group Stage (3rd)


Four years ago, Croatia missed out on a place in the semi-finals thanks to a defeat by Turkey in a penalty shoot-out. This time around, they hope to equal or do better than that result this time. One player that can help Croatia obtain this is Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric. Since Euro 2008, Modric has been recognised as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. He has good consistent weight and accuracy of his passes, causing him to gain interested by such teams as Manchester United and Chelsea. If he can bring this flair to Croatia's game, they will go far.


Group D
Ukraine
Sweden 
France 
England

Andriy Shevchenko

Team: Ukraine
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Didn't qualify
Key player: Andriy Shevchenko
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Group Stage (4th)


Euro 2012 will be the first time ever that Ukraine plays in the European Championships. Along with Poland, they are co-hosts and with this home-field advantage, they will be expected to perform well. However, with the likes of France, Sweden and England in the same group as them, it will be a difficult challenge. The only other international tournament which Ukraine has competed in is the 2006 World Cup, where they managed to reach the quarter-finals only to be knocked out by the eventual champions Italy. A vital player for their success in this tournament will be Dynamo Kyiv striker Andriy Shevchenko. At the age of 35, Shevchenko's speed and sharpness is not what it used to be and his international career is coming near to its end. So what better way to go than to win a major international tournament on home soil. The road ahead is a long one, but it is not an impossible task to achieve.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Team: Sweden
Where did they finish in Euro 2008? Group Stage
Key player: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Group Stage (3rd)


Sweden qualified for Euro 2012 after finishing runners-up in their qualifying group with eight wins and two losses, defeating the Netherlands along the way. Being in the same group as France, England and Ukraine, it will not be an easy road to the knock-out stages for them, but it won't be a road that they can't handle. One player that can help Sweden along this road is AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Last season for AC Milan, he scored 28 goals in 32 games and was the Serie A top goal scorer. If he can bring this form into the European Championships, Sweden will have no problem of reaching the knock-out stages. 

Frank Ribery

Team: France 
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Group Stage
Key Players: Frank Ribery and Hugo Lloris
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Semi-Finals (1st in Group Stage)


After poor performances in the last European Champions and the last World Cup, France hope to get back on their feet and become the dominant force they used to be. Key players that will help France get back on their feet are Bayern Munich winger Frank Ribery and Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. Ribery had a fantastic season for Bayern Munich, achieving 20 assists in 28 league games and helping them reach the Champions League final only to lose to Chelsea on penalties. His precision passing and amazing dribbling skills will allow him to score many goals or set up Real Madrid striker and fellow countryman Karim Benzema. Lloris's rapid reflexes makes him one of the best young goalkeepers in the world, a title which he lived up to during the qualifying stage as he only conceded four goals. Hopefully Lloris and Ribery will carry on their good form to help France reach the knock-out stages of a major international competition for the first time since the 2006 World Cup.

Steven Gerrard

Team: England 
Where did they finish in Euro 2008?: Didn't qualify
Key Players: Steven Gerrard and Joe Hart
My Prediction of Stage of Elimination: Quarter-Finals (2nd in Group Stage)


It will be a very bumpy ride for England if they want to win the European Championships. With Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney out for the first two games of the group stage due to a suspension and England's defence  not at full strength, England many find it tough to get good results in the Group Stage. Two players that can change their fortunes though are Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart. Gerrard captained Liverpool to winning the League Cup against Cardiff City. This was their first trophy since winning the FA cup in 2006. Not only is Gerrard able to be a play maker, he has the capability to score from range and lead a squad through hard times. Hart acquired 17 clean sheets in 38 league games, winning himself the Premier League Golden Glove for the second consecutive year. With his high level of consistency, he has shown his desire to be the best England goalkeeper since Peter Shilton and maybe one day he will surpass his records. If both of these players perform to the best of their ability, there is a slight chance that England might be able to qualify to the latter stages of the competition.


Euro 2012 will be a classical European Championship, full of unmissable action and drama that will shock the football world and bring the fans unforgettable moments. My favourites to win are Germany, but any Greece or Denmark fans out there will tell you, sometimes the team you least suspect can come out victorious. 


twitter - @ConorJPorter

The Madden Curse - Fact or Fiction?

Ever since the start of the 2001 NFL season, a player has been on the cover of the latest Madden video game. Later this month, another player will be selected to be on the cover of Madden 13. However, rumour has it that once you go on the cover of Madden, you become cursed. In worst case scenarios, your playing days could soon be over. Could this be true though? Let's jump into the Delorean, travel back in time and have a look at some players deemed to have been under the Madden curse.


2001: Eddie George

Eddie George

Back in the days where the PS3 and the Xbox 360 were a thing of the imagination, Tennessee Titans running back Eddie George, became the first player to be featured on the cover of a Madden video game. However, in the 2000/01 season, the Titans lost in the playoffs and Eddie George never averaged more than 3.4 yards per carry for the rest of his career.


2002: Daunte Culpepper

Daunte Culpepper

When Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper appeared on the cover for the 2001/02 season, the Vikings had a 5-11 season and he threw 23 interceptions and broke the most fumbles in a single season record. During the 2005 and 2006 seasons, he blew both of his knees which caused him to never return to his best form.


2006: Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb

Quarterback Donovan McNabb suffered from a sports hernia on the first game of the 2005/06 season for the Philadelphia Eagles. After recovery from this, McNabb tore his ACL and meniscus whilst jumping out of bounds in a game against the Tennessee Titans in week 11. This resulted in his season being ended early.


2009: Brett Favre

Brett Favre

Well, well, well. Most football fans should know the story about this guy. Quarter back Brett Favre was featured on the cover of Madden 09 because it was thought that he had retired from the game. However, it wasn't long till Favre was back in the game again, as he signed for the New York Jets in the summer of 2008 for the 2008/09 season. After poor performances on the field and an sexual harassment scandal off the field though, he decided to retire for the second time. This wasn't the last of Favre though, as he came out of retirement for the second time and signed for the Minnesota Vikings. He did lead the Vikings to the NFC Championship in the 2009/10 season, but during a game in week 13 against the Buffalo Bills in the 2010/11 season, he was hit whilst making a throw by Bills linebacker Arthur Moats, which caused him to sprain his AC in his shoulder. He came back against the Chicago Bears in week 15, but he sustained a concussion when he was sacked by Bears defensive end Corey Wooten. This ended up being his final appearance in the NFL (or so it seems to be). 


2012: Peyton Hills

Peyton Hills 

During the 2011/12 season, Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hills, missed five games due to a hamstring injury and one game because of a strep throat. This lead to a decline in the numbers he put up on the field. As well as this, Hills was also trying to negotiate a contract deal as his current one would expire at the end of the season. Hills ended up leaving the Browns to go to the Kansas City Chiefs during the free agency period in 2012.


Not all players that have been featured on the cover of Madden were bound for doom and gloom though.


2010: Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu

Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald

When Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was featured on the cover of Madden 10, alongside Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, he started all 16 regular season games for the Cardinals, as well as both playoff games. Although Fitzgerald didn't attend the Pro Bowl, he still posted 97 receptions, 1,092 yards and a career high 13 touchdowns during the season. On the other hand though, Polamalu didn't have the best of seasons has he suffered from a sprain of his MCL during the first half of the first game of the 2010/11 season, causing him to miss the next four games of the season.


In conclusion, the effects of being featured on the cover of Madden varies from player to player. Believing that there is such thing as a Madden curse though is down to you.


twitter - @ConorJPorter