So many questions...

It's been a busy few weeks for the Sidler and I've seemingly got a little lazy with my blogging. Just as I looked for some inspiration to start up again the Premier League came up with a weekend of unpredictable results followed by a midweek full of action drama and talking points. You can't fault midweek football when it's like it was this week, that is of course unless your name happens to be Arsene and you happen to be be unhappy about some manager's team selection. I wonder if Arsene would be so arsey if his team had won... no need to wonder he probably wouldn't have cared less.

The truth is Mr Wenger shouldn't be too unhappy after his team's performance against Burnley yesterday. Don't get me wrong they didn't defend well enough and they didn't finish some of their early chances but Burnley were excellent and may have won had Stephen Fletcher's goal not been ruled out, what happened to the offside rule where the attacking side got the benefit of the doubt?

The last few days in football have certainly thrown up more questions than answers, and much debate will of course be on Mick McCarthy and his choice of team to play against the champions. Having secured 6 points out of 6 his side travelled to United, most would be hopeful of an outside chance of nicking a point or three. Mick though decided to play a team full of his non regulars and admitted afterwards he had pretty much already decided his team would lose no matter who played.

The former Sunderland manager perhaps had a point. His side were coming up against a United team scorned after losing to Aston Villa at the weekend, and the reds rarely lose two league games in a row, especially at Old Trafford. And in the side's defence this wasn't a team of no hopers nor were they overrun by United, until the opening goal that is of course, but then how many times has that happened to even the best of side's at Old Trafford. Also in Mick's defence isn't football a squad game in these modern times? Long ago of course players played every game in which they were fit and available for, these days though the title isn't won on who has the best 11 but on who has the best 25 or so and it's the same down at the bottom. And though Mick may have technically broken the Premier League's rule on picking your best available side, has he really done anything worse than the United's and Arsenal's of this world who rest players for the league cup, it is simply prioritising. On the flip side is the fact that Wolves did break a rule and that it in turn gives United an advantage in the title race. Added to that there is the obvious annoyance to fans who had to pay £45 for the ticket alone just to see Wolves turn up with a second string, they arguably turned up at Old Trafford with a stronger side for the Carling Cup game. For me the defence out weighs the prosecution against Wolves and the only ones it harms are Wolves themselves, for the fans of course all will be forgotten if they beat Burnley and go on to avoid relegation come May.

There was of course questions for United as well, the first being why didn't Fergie play two up front against Aston Villa. I don't want to take anything away from Villa but United aren't the kind of team who should play 4-5-1 at home. For me though the real question for United and the Scottish knight was asked not at Old Trafford on Tuesday but at White Hart Lane on Wednesday. Why didn't you sign Niko Kranjcar? The Croat was the picture of perfection as his team ripped through the static defending of fellow 4th place wannabees Manchester City. He created lots, he scored twice and he scared the living daylights out of defenders. United have been lacking this scare factor many times this season, other than the boy Wayne of course, who became 2009's top Premiership scorer on Tuesday. Up until recently though United have lacked enough creativity in midfield and there has been lots of talk about who Fergie might invest in during the January transfer window, especially with £80 million of Ronaldo money still hanging around. Yet Wednesday's destructive play by Niko not only highlighted that Spurs look far more likely than City to be in the top 4 it also highlighted him as the best value transfer of last summer, at £3 million it's a wonder why no one else tried.

Wenger said this week that eight teams still had a chance of winning the league, and though mathematically he may be right there's surely no more than four who have an actual chance. Outside of the usual Chelsea, United and Arsenal there is of course the wild card, Aston Villa. Martin O'Neil's side have started asking the question, why not? Wins this season against Liverpool, Chelsea and United have caught the headlines. Draws with fellow Europe chasers City and Spurs and wins over Birmingham and Fulham mean they have gathered valuable points where City and Spurs have dropped against similar opposition. With Stewart Downing finally fit after his summer move it is like Villa have made a new signing just before the busy December period, added to the fact Emile Heskey has scored a few goals and Martin O'Neil has replenished his squad before next month's transfer filled period, Christmas come early if you please.

At Anfield my 2nd favourite headline maker (behind Arsene of course) was up to his favourite pastime, creating headlines of course. Guaranteeing a 4th place finish for his team may well end up being the moment Rafa started writing his own resignation letter and it leads me to ask, why?. Liverpool currently lie 5 points outside the top four, this is of course a pretty small margin, especially at this time of the season, but as it is only December it's also a long way to go before you start guaranteeing anything, never mind turning your season around. In their 2-1 win over Wigan, Liverpool may have grabbed 3 points but they hardly set the world alight or gave much proof that their form from now till May can be better than Villa, Spurs, City or even Birmingham for that matter. Liverpool's defence is still weak, the midfield still aren't creating enought and the strikers, outside Fernando Torres of course, aren't up to much, despite David Ngog's goal on Wednesday. Of course Benitez will luck an absolute genius should his side get in to the top four but his previous as far as mid season press confrences are concerned suggets they won't... and that's a fact!

It would be remiss of me not to mention the wonderful run that Birmingham find themselves on. Can it last? With money to come from their new owners in January it is indeed a possibility. The Blues from England's second city have one of the league's smaller squads and yet Alex McLeish has seen his side win 5 Premier League games in a row and sit behind Liverpool on goal difference alone. Like many pundits I predicted that Birmingham would be mere relegation fodder, a decent side who would struggle to find goals. And yet Cameron Jeremoe and changed man Lee Bowyer have proved that theory very wrong. I can't imagine Birmingham being in the European places come the end of the season but a top 10 finish is certainly a possibility and Birmingham fans could have hardly asked for more than that in August.

One last question lingers following the midweek football- were Arsenal playing claret and blue or white in their match against Burnley last night. Of course I know the answer, it was claret and blue right? Ok ok I'm joking but the point stands. We often purr over the beautiful football Arsenal play, and rightly so, with players like Fabregas and Arshavin at their disposal it is unsurprising. And yet last night they were outplayed, out passed, out Arsenaled. Burnley were fantastic. Mcdonald, Fletcher, Elliot, and Eagles caused the Arsenal defence all sort of problems and they came within an offside flag of a yet another unlikely home victory. Arsenal were of course very good themselves for periods of the game but as soon as Burnley didn't concede a second and then won themselves a penalty the result always looked to be going Burnley's way if anything. If Burnley can learn to defend better away from home they'll almost definitely be in the Premiership for season 2010/11.

Wenger of course had to complain not only about Wolves choice of players for their trip to Old Trafford but also that his team had to play three times in one week. With action as good as it's been I have to answer his question with a question.... Can't they all play seven times a week?