Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is searching for a new forward with the central England club two points above the three-team relegation zone after scoring just 17 goals in 17 matches.

I had Monday off so no column today (or next week for that matter as I burn up some mandatory time off), but wanted to play a little catch up and note that:

*Out of contract Galaxy top scorer Edson Buddle, 29, could still join former Galaxy striker Robbie Findley and sign with an English team after trying out with Birmingham City before Christmas.

LONDON, England Ipswich Town have been rewarded with a semi-final tie against Arsenal after beating West Brom in the Carling Cup. Ipswich, struggling in the Championship, secured an unlikely win over the Baggies on Wednesday after Grant Leadbitter's penalty gave them a 1-0 victory. The first leg, played in the week beginning January 10, [.

BIRMINGHAM, England — Birmingham fans ran onto the field and threw flares at rival supporters following Wednesday's League Cup quarterfinal win over Aston Villa in violent scenes, just a day before FIFA's executive committee votes on whether to award England the right to host the 2018 World Cup. Villa supporters responded by ripping up seats [.

Birmingham, the second city, a city of culture, diversity and one of the meanest defences in the premier league. As a football team, they'll almost the opposite to us, a complete negative if you will. We play open, attractive football, trying to score as many as we can and often conceding at will, while Alex McLeish's men spend their time making sure the opposition doesn't score and hope to grab one at the other end.

Birmingham, the second city, a city of culture, diversity and one of the meanest defences in the premier league. As a football team, they'll almost the opposite to us, a complete negative if you will. We play open, attractive football, trying to score as many as we can and often conceding at will, while Alex McLeish's men spend their time making sure the opposition doesn't score and hope to grab one at the other end.

Weekend Six Pack Draw hunting on Saturday, Reds to be Mainz Men on Sunday is a post from: Just Football

Each week our betting columnist Rob Hartnett will bring you six bets from the weekend football action. Rob is the public face of leading In Play betting specialists 188BET.com and appears regularly on the Bolton, Wigan, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Everton websites doing betting previews.

Birmingham City midfielder Sebastian Larsson admits his future at the club is still up in the air.
The 25-year-old winger has forced his way into the Sweden set-up this year with a string of impressive performances at St Andrews, including scoring a penalty in Blues' Carling Cup triumph over Aston Villa.

The goal scoring exploits of the Galaxy's U.S. international forward Edson Buddle have caught the attention of EPL club Birmingham City (AFP/Getty Images).

Maybe there's more to the Galaxy's selection of Juan Pablo Angel than meets the eye:

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) -- Galaxy striker Edson Buddle is trying out with Premier League club Birmingham during the Major League Soccer offseason.

BIRMINGHAM, England Los Angeles Galaxy and United States striker Edson Buddle is on trial at Premier League club Birmingham during the Major League Soccer offseason. Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is searching for a new forward with the central England club two points above the three-team relegation zone after scoring just 17 goals in 17 [.

So many storylines to consider on this Premier League Saturday. First up is the match between Sunderland and Bolton, which promises to be more entertaining this season as both teams have improved tremendously in recent years. Plus, many viewers will be looking forward to seeing if Stu Holden can score another wonder goal like he did last week against Blackburn.

Who will be the next manager to get the sack in the English Premier League? Are Avram Grant's days numbered? Does Wenger have to win a trophy? Can Roy Hodgson turn Liverpool around?

You wait around all season for the first EPL manager to be sacked and then two happen within the space of a week.

Birmingham are planning to steal Robbie Keane away from the grasp of rivals Aston Villa in a £6million January transfer window swoop.
Tottenham are prepared to listen to offers for Ireland striker Keane during the winter transfer window, with Harry Redknapp valuing the 30-year-old record Irish goalscorer at around £8m.

Hmmmm. Paul Doyle in the Guardian writes about stale old Birmingham.

Stale Birmingham plod towards relegation.

A simple exercise in devil's advocacy:

Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City have been stitched up. The least entertaining team in the Premier League is Birmingham City Fulham.

When that day finally comes that Sir Alex decides to finally hang up his....chewing gum...after such an illustrious career, the question will long have been asked, who is the right manager to succeed him? The obvious contenders will be recycled once more; Jose Mourinho, Steve Bruce, Alex McLeish, Roy Keane, or even Pep Guardiola.

Following a straightforward victory over Sunderland on Boxing Day, Manchester United travel to St. Andrews to face Birmingham City, a side that have not beaten United in their last 23 attempts.

Though the home team remain a formidable force at St. Andrews losing only one of their last 23 Premier League home matches.

Skysports.com understands Liverpool have rejected a loan offer from Birmingham City for Ryan Babel.
Birmingham have been long-term admirers of the Holland international and tried to sign Babel during the last January transfer window.
A summer move to St Andrews was again mooted for the attacker, while Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United were also showing an interest in the 24-year-old.

With the Premier League tighter than ever before there are a number of decent sides fighting it out at the wrong end of the division and desperately trying to avoid the dreaded drop. Let's have a look at some of the candidates who at the beginning of the season looked too good to go down...