Football On Tap

Data Skills Test

2010-11-26T15:02:00.002Z

The graph above details the number of pubs closed per week over the last ten years.

The Labour manifesto made a pledge to stop the number of pubs open declining. Sadly, the closures that have taken place over the last ten years have been overseen by a Labour Government.

The figures are taken from the British Beer and Pub Association survey conducted in 2009. The BBPA have said the job losses in the sector as a result of the closures were costing the Government £1.53 million a week in jobseeker's allowance. They also claim that over the past year, 40 pubs a week are closing all over Britain with the North West, North East and East Anglia being hit hardest.

The source of my data can be found here at the Guardian's Datablog.

This post is part of a piece of work for my BA Journalism degree at the University of Central Lancashire.

Video Skills Test

2010-11-26T14:47:00.003Z

2nd Year Games Design student James Burton talks about Sony taking on Nintendo in the field of motion controls. Does the Move have enough potential to take on the family friendly Wii?

This post is part of a piece of work for my BA Journalism degree at the University of Central Lancashire.

Map Skills Test

2010-11-26T14:40:00.005Z

View Skills test in a larger map

The above is the location of four stories that have been reported in the Lancashire Evening Post in the Preston area:-

The Ship Inn's refurbishment
Iain Hume's potential permanent move to Preston North End
The EDL protests in Preston town
A fire which destroyed the possessions of a family about to move house

This post is part of a piece of work for my BA Journalism degree at the University of Central Lancashire.

Images Skills Test

2010-11-26T14:16:00.011Z

Original

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The above images are of the solar energy panels at the University of Central Lancashire.

These panels are one of the landmarks on the Preston campus and highlight the effort being made by UCLan to save energy.

This post is part of a piece of work for my BA Journalism degree at the University of Central Lancashire.

Mark Payton Talks Online Media.

2010-10-19T14:26:00.003+01:00

Mark Payton of Haymarket Consumer Media talks about online media and one potential problem with the medium.

As part of another university exercise we had to play around with an extended version of the above clip. Using Windows Movie Maker things were pretty simple trimming down sections of the video and producing this 38 second clip.

There is clearly lots of potential with the number of tools available with the software to ensure a well produced video can be made.

And To PNE I Went...

2010-10-05T14:12:00.003+01:00

View PNE Opponents in a larger map

Here is my Google Map of Preston North End's opponents for the coming 10/11 Championship season. Notice the picture uploaded to Deepdale of a home night game.

The process of getting the map onto the blog was really easy thanks to the 'link' button in the corner of Maps. That made things very easy and just pasting the HTML code into the blog was very uncomplicated.

The only problem was the long-winded way of uploading the photo of PNE into Maps. Instead of being able to upload straight into maps you have to grab the image from a photo viewing site. Nothing a bit of patience couldn't fix I'm sure.

Transfer Window Round-Up: Summer 2010

2010-09-01T15:03:00.009+01:00

It's hard to think that once deadline day has passed that transfers actually took place over the whole summer. The question does remain as to why managers wait until the last possible minute to make these deals. Do they not realise their squad's needs until 4pm on the 31st August.

Well a lot of transfers went through on deadline day but some did actually take place before then and even before the World Cup.

Manchester United did most of their business prior to South Africa 2010 and they will be pretty happy they did. Despite the signing of defender Chris Smalling from Fulham, they will be very pleased with the signing of Mexican international Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez who had a very impressive World Cup. Signing the player post-World Cup would have easily taken the price up at least £5 million on his undisclosed transfer fee.

It is Sunderland who fell into this trap and shelled the money out anyway. Asamoah Gyan from Rennes was the subject of a £13 million move to the Stadium of Light yesterday and it was Gyan's impressive performances in South Africa that drove up what was thought to have been a £3.5 million fee pre-World Cup.

Birmingham City were busy during the transfer window. The signing of Ben Foster from Manchester United for £6 million eased the pain of Joe Hart's return to Manchester City. Aliaksandr Hleb's arrival from Barcelona on loan will also have placed many a Birmingham fan. The Belarus international was unlucky to arrive at Barcá at the same time the likes of Messi and Andres Iniesta were peaking and he never did get much of a look in. A loan move to former club Stuttgart has revitalised his career but it remains to be seen whether he can hit the form he was in when he left Arsenal in July 2008.

Chelsea were relatively quiet with Brazilian midfielder Ramires arriving from Benfica. Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, Deco and Juliano Belletti were shown the exit door at Stamford Bridge. Cole elected to join Liverpool as did Christian Poulsen from Juventus, Raul Meireles from Porto and Milan Jovanovic from Standard Liége.

To nobody's surprise Manchester City were the top spenders during the transfer window. They did most of their business post-World Cup but to them money is not an issue. World Cup winner David Silva, Yaya Toure, James Milner, Alexsandr Kolarov, Mario Balotelli and Jérome Boateng all arrived this summer at the City of Manchester Stadium, the majority commanding a fee of £20 million or higher. Also the return of the impressive Hart and - strangely - Brazilian striker Jo could well see City as serious title contenders this season.

As expected Real Madrid were busy again during the window. With José Mourinho at the helm now, he will want to shape his team as quickly as possible into a style that has seen success at both Chelsea and Inter Milan. The arrivals of Angel di Maria from Benfica, Mesut Ozil from Werder Bremen and Ricardo Carvalho are seen as Mourinho's major signings and it these players combined with the current 'Galacticos' that will be key to Madrid's success.

Madrid's rivals Barcelona signed arguably the current best striker in world football in David Villa from Valencia. The departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to AC Milan was never going to be mourned by the Barcá faithful now that they boast a front-line of Lionel Messi, Pedro and Villa. Add to that the much prolonged transfer of Javier Mascherano from Liverpool and it is hard to see anyone stopping Barcelona on all fronts this season.

Serial mover Klaas-Jan Huntelaar completed a £10.5 million move to Schalke from AC Milan where he was deemed surplus to requirements. Since leaving Ajax for Real Madrid in January 2009 he is yet to find his feet at a club willing to take a chance on a man who scored 105 goals in 136 appearances for the Dutch side. Schalke appear to be that team. Accompanied by the evergreen Raul, who was deemed surplus to requirements at Real, Schalke could see themselves improve on their second place finish in last season's Bundesliga.

Other moves of note, Stoke City's signing of Eidur Gudjohnsen from Monaco on loan can be seen as a coup as the Potters look like one of the sides facing a relegation battle this season.

David Trezeguet's 10 year stay at Juventus came to an end as he joined newly promoted Primera League side Hércules. Mauro Camoranesi and Brazilian Diego also left Juvé, joining Stuttgart and Wolfsburg respectively.

Robinho finally left Manchester City on a permanent basis, joining fellow Brazilians Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato at AC Milan.

Yohann Gourcuff left Bordeaux for pastures new at Lyon and highly rated Sporting Lisbon pair Miguel Veloso and Joao Moutinho are now plying their trade at Genoa and Porto respectively.

UEFA Champions League Draw 2010/11

2010-08-27T13:38:00.014+01:00

So on Thursday the groups were drawn. Here's a quick look at the teams and how they might get on.

Group A: Inter Milan, Werder Bremen, Tottenham Hotspur, FC Twente

English Champions League debutants Tottenham face the daunting task of navigating a tricky group containing last season's winners Inter and new Dutch champions Twente. This will not be an easy group for any of the teams as they all capable of taking points from each other. It might just be Spurs' lack of European experience at this level that could cost them. Look out for Wesley Sneijder of Inter who was instrumental in their charge to the European crown last season - one of the likely candidates for FIFA World Player of the Year.

Winner: Inter Milan
Runner-up: Werder Bremen

Group B: Lyon, Benfica, Schalke 04, Hapoel Tel-Aviv

Lyon continue to be one of the best teams never to have won the Champions League. With the constant sale of their star players they somehow continue to bounce back but their lack of a French title last season sent them under the radar during the transfer window this summer. Benfica are now a team considerably weaker with the sale of Brazilian Ramires to Chelsea and Angel Di Maria to Real Madrid. Bundesliga runner-up Schalke will be boosted by the summer signing of Raul who found himself surplus to requirements in Spain. Hapoel can only offer an intimidating atmosphere and must use that to their advantage if they are to achieve a Europa League place.

Winner: Lyon
Runner-up: Schalke 04

Group C: Manchester United, Valencia, Rangers, Bursaspor

Sir Alex Ferguson must have been delighted when he looked over the group for this season's European exploits: a severely depleted Valencia side, a team from the Scottish Premier League and unknown entity from Turkey. With the core of this Manchester United side remaining from last season's quarter-final exit it remains to be seen whether they can go one further or are in need of reinforcements. Valencia fans will be saddened by the departures of their star duo David Villa and David Silva and with no real replacements (bar the excellent Mata) qualification to the knockout stages would be an achievement. Expect the home, hostile environments of Rangers and Bursaspor to the main players if they are to expect further European football this season.

Winner: Manchester United
Runner-up: Valencia

Group D: Barcelona, Panathinaikos, FC Copenhagen, Rubin Kazan

Is it worth talking about Barcá? The imminent signing of Mascherano (at time of writing) coupled with the already signed David Villa gives you the sense that Barcelona might just destroy everyone they meet in Group D. Panathinaikos continue their recruitment of players their best. Luis Garcia (of Liverpool fame), Sidney Govou and Jean-Alain Boumsong have all moved to join Djibril Cissé and Gilberto Silva at the Greek champions. The effect that Rubin Kazan had on the competition was a positive one and were it not for the strength of their group last season (again grouped with Barcelona as well as AC Milan) they would have qualified. After all, they did Barcá at the Camp Nou. If Copenhagen can utilise their home form against the Greeks and the Russians, they may stand a chance of a Europa League place.

Winner: Barcelona
Runner-up: Rubin Kazan

Group E: Bayern Munich, Roma, Basel, CFR Cluj

Last season's runners-up Bayern will go into the competition this season with high hopes. With Frank Ribery electing to stay in Munich, coach Guus Hiddink will have access to a powerful attacking trident in Ribery, Arjen Robben and German Thomas Muller. Throw into the mix the lively Ivica Olic and expect Bayern to be challenging again this year. Roma finished runners-up again in Serie A but the astute signing of the apparently reformed Adriano could prove fruitful as captain Francesco Totti begins to fade. Basel might be able to hold one of the European giants at home but don't expect too many surprises in this group. Romanian's Cluj will be happy to be here.

Winner: Bayern Munich
Runner-up: Roma

Group F: Chelsea, Marseille, Spartak Moscow, MSK Zilina

No surprises as to who is likely to stroll through this group. Chelsea's impressive start to the Premier League season, albeit against West Brom and Wigan, is an ominous sign as both have been very impressive performances. If Drogba can remain consistent and free of injury this season he could easily finish as top scorer in the competition. The departures of Deco, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack shouldn't hurt the Blues too much as they have acquired able replacements in Ramires and Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool. Marseille will be buzzing from their Ligue 1 title, halting Lyon's dominance of the French league. The success of new striker Andre-Pierre Gignac from Toulouse will prove vital to their European ambitions. No club, no matter how big they are, enjoys a trip to eastern Europe and it is Russians Spartak who will provide this groups dreaded away days. The cold climates there will suit the home side and will be used to their advantage. Sadly cold climates are the only thing Spartak have to offer in this group. Like Cluj, Slovakian champions Zilina will be very happy to be here and should expect a bottom of the group finish.

Winner: Chelsea
Runner-up: Marseille

Group G: AC Milan, Real Madrid, Ajax, Auxerre

The glamour group. Three of these teams have won the competition before but you can't look past Real for a real contender for the title this season. With new coach José Mourinho installed alongside the new era of Galacticos which include Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, German star Mesut Ozil, Sergio Ramos amongst others, like Barcelona, you would expect them to crush all of their opponents. Including Milan. The red side from Milan are not the team they once were. They are still an ageing team with the likes of Gattuso, Pirlo, Nesta and Ambrosini still comprising their first team. The likes of Alexandre Pato, Mathieu Flamini and the impressive Thiago Silva breathe some life into what could be seen as a team going stale. Whether the revitalised Ronaldinho can catapult Milan to the latter stages remains to be seen. Ajax could challenge one of the big boys if they hold onto club captain Luis Suarez, who despite his unprofessional behaviour, excelled at the World Cup. Auxerre are not the team they once were and without the likes Cissé and Kapo they will find themselves concentrating on Ligue 1 after Christmas.

Winner: Real Madrid
Runner-up: AC Milan

Group H: Arsenal, Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga, Partizan Belgrade

Although seen as favourites to win the group, Arsenal's lightweight squad could struggle to make it out of this tricky group. The Gunners are clearly the technically superior team in the group but should injuries hit to key players such as Fabregas, Arshavin or Walcott, they could struggle. Shakhtar's Brazilian contingent should fare them well and the signing of Arsenal striker Eduardo should give an interesting scenario when the two clubs meet. Celtic's conquerors Braga showed there are more than three teams in Portugal and they should also fare well within the group. Partizan will ensure that Serbia is never a nice place for a team to visit and will use their home environment to their advantage if they wish to move forward from the group. A Europa League looks like the limit for them. Like Group A, all of these teams are capable of taking points from each other and it should be interesting to see who prevails.

Winner: Arsenal
Runner-up: Shakhtar Donetsk

So there you have it, a run-down of this season's Champions League groups. Here's to an interesting campaign, goals scored, mistakes and controversial decisions. We thank you in advance UEFA.

And...We're Back

2010-08-27T13:34:00.002+01:00

Welcome back.

Well, welcome myself back first, it's been a while since the blog has been updated.

First thing's first. I will be keeping this up to date on a more frequent basis over the coming year. So keep an eye out.

Secondly, the radio show will be returning. Hopefully we'll find another Sunday night slot, the time is to be confirmed right now.

It's been a busy summer for myself and for the world of football which meant that keeping up to date with things was nigh impossible.

So onto 2010/11 we go...

United's Young Guns

2009-12-02T10:21:00.008Z

Two very comparable performances and two very comparable results from Manchester United's youngsters over the past week has many people, including myself, wondering - does this new breed from United's acamedy have what it takes?

A miserable 1-0 home loss to Besiktas in the Champions League (their first in the group stage for eight years!) followed with a dominant 2-0 win at home to Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup leaves me dumbfounded.

Spurs' line-up last night was by no means week with only Niko Krancjar unable to play due to being cup-tied. Playing Alan Hutton and Gareth Bale at full-back also does not constitute a weak line-up as the rest of the team consisted of that of which gained a creditable draw at Villa Park at the weekend.

Looking at the United starting XI before the game you would think that the presence of Wilson Palacios and Jermaine Jenas would overpower that of Darron Gibson and Anderson. Oh how you'd be wrong.

A lot of people are comparing Gibson to a young Roy Keane but I tend to disagree. Gibson strikes me as more in the mould of Paul Scholes - brilliant with the long range strike (look at both of his goals against Spurs and one at the end of last season against Hull) and always looking for the ball from the defence.

Anderson reminds me more of Keane with regards to his appetite and tackling but minus the Brazilian style and dribbling of course.

Ritchie de Laet was a surprise choice at left back, and he coped well, at first against the below average David Bentley and then against the menacing Aaron Lennon as the two wingers switched sides in the 77th minute.

The two strikers on show, Danny Welbeck and Federico Macheda, performed their duties well. Welbeck showed a lot of hustle in the first half, closing down the opposition's defenders and providing the assist for the first goal.

Macheda came on and performed well up front by himself, showing some skill in the midfield to retain possession.

A killer instinct is maybe what this boy needs.

I won't be the first to say that Gibson now warrants a place in the United first team squad now. He find himself in Darren Fletcher's situation a few years back - a League Cup player, in and out of the first team. It's only a matter of time before he makes the step up.

Welbeck and Macheda, well, I have always maintained that Welbeck reminds of a young Thierry Henry - his stature, his strength and pace as well as his finishing (check out his FA Cup goal against Derby last season).

Macheda is the one I worry about. His lack of game time is certainly not helping and he rarely finds himself on the bench for a Premier League game, only time will tell if Ferguson has faith in him.

As a matter of fact, time will certainly tell if Sir Alex has faith in any of his new class of United's star potentials.

How Could You Thierry?

2009-11-20T12:37:00.010Z

Check this out and watch at 29 seconds.

Done? Good.

Check the video above before we go on.

I don't know about everyone else but I am still fuming about this whole incident. The fact that he has been allowed to get away with such a blatant act of cheating.

Now on the night of the game I had only heard about a "controversial" incident during the game and that it went to extra time. It was only until the morning after that I YouTube'd it and I was actually disgusted at a footballer for the first time since the genius that is Robert Pires dived against Portsmouth in the 03/04 season.

Thierry Henry is undoubtedly a Premier League legend. Probably the greatest signing the league has ever seen, Arsenal fans know this.

Watching him play on the TV was unreal. His turn of pace was frightening, he could run at defenders, take them on, score from range, he had it all. Henry tap-ins must be a rarity as his trademark finish would be to cut in from the left and side foot into the far corner, a sight Premier League goalkeepers must be glad to see the back of.

A model professional, he never bitched or moaned about anything, even if it wasn't going Arsenal's way. He was their answer to Ryan Giggs, a professional both on and off the pitch.

But the respect I had for Henry is no more.

To quote the man himself: "it was necessary to exploit what was exploitable".

Was it?

Could France not gone on to win the game fairly?

The quote above is basically saying: "Yeah, I cheated. So what?"

Outrageous.

I just got back from a seminar on TV interviewing and was interviewed on the subject and I just find it really hard to swallow that this is what this great player is going to be remembered for now.

I could rant and rant and rant about how much I think I hate Henry now. Great player (like Ronaldo) but to go and blatantly lie to the press about an obvious act of cheating just infuriates me.

The game isn't going to get replayed.

I can't decide if this is FIFA bottling it in case France didn't go to the World Cup or if it is a fair judgement. There are many moments in regular league games all across the world that are not dissimilar to what happened in France.

Another can of worms for another time.

Let the debate about the introduction of video technology begin...

Player Poaching

2009-10-22T19:43:00.011+01:00

In football???

Surely not.

Well I thought that too but a story I read in the Daily Mail today made me think again.

"Arsenal are leading the chase for 14-year-old Montenegro midfielder Nikola Zvrko. Chelsea and Barcelona are also interested in the youngster."

14?!?! From Montenegro?!?!

And these top European clubs are willing to uproot this young teenager from his homeland and move him to Western Europe.

This situation is not uncommon however.

Recall the ongoing Gael Kakuta saga at Chelsea who was signed from Lens at the age of 16, Fabregas from Barcelona to Arsenal: 16 and Gerard Pique to Manchester United from the same club at 17.

More recent cases such as Federico Macheda and Jeremy Helan (involving Manchester United and Manchester City respectively) have further raised awareness of a potentially growing problem in the European game.

Rumours (very strong ones at that) are that the clubs wanting the player offer the families of said player incentives, e.g. houses, jobs (Davide Petrucci's father was offered a groundsman job at Old Trafford), extra money, and it is only now that FIFA are considering taking action against those clubs found guilty of this.

Plucking these teenagers from their homeland and playing them in the reserves at their respective club cannot be good for the nation of the young players. Yes, they may develop at these clubs with the quality coaches (Macheda and Fabregas) but as Pique at United found out, first team opportunities are hard to come by and he finds himself now plying his trade in the starting line-up of Spanish champions Barcelona. I think it's pretty safe to say we won't be seeing Gael Kakuta playing in a Chelsea first-team anytime soon, ban or no ban.

Which illustrates my point.

These young players who have a real chance of playing in their original club's first team are having their (and their families) heads turned by the riches of the European big boys. Teams such as Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea can easily afford the compensation that would be required to place these players straight into their academies so money is not a problem.

The main problem is it remains sad to see the careers of these promising youngsters, who are blinded by the money and lights, being put in jeopardy and how FIFA intend to regulate this.

Oh, and I just read this article above the 14 year old story:

"Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is interested in signing Barnsley's teenage striker Reuben Noble-Lazarus. The 16-year-old became the youngest Football League player at 15 years and 45 days in 2008."

Enough said.

Great Success...Not So Much For Europe's Big Boys

2009-10-21T10:09:00.005+01:00

Eh?!

Barcelona 1 Rubin Kazan 2

Liverpool 1 Lyon 2

Rangers 1 Unirea Urziceni 4

What's going on with the world?!

It is quite simply the beauty of the modern game.

The first result clearly shows how far Eastern European football has come on over the past few years with CSKA Moscow, Zenit St Petersburg and more recently Shakhtar Donetsk winning the then UEFA Cup in recent years.

Next we have Liverpool who have proved to be in turmoil at the moment. It's sad to see their total reliance on Gerrard and Torres as Man Utd did last year with Ronaldo but the absence of Alonso has also proved decisive and with Aquilani yet to appear this could be a very tough European campaign for the Reds.

Memories of United's failure to make it through the group stage in 2005 spring to mind.

And Rangers' loss just sums up Scottish football (for me anyway). I watched Rangers play Arsenal in pre-season and despite the apparent lack of match fitness that everyone places blame on if they lose, Rangers' first team were torn apart by 17 year-old Jack Wilshere. This was an Arsenal reserve team (if one exists nowadays).

It is the turn of Chelsea and Man Utd tonight to see if they can beat Atletico Madrid and CSKA Moscow respectively.

My predictions:

Chelsea 2 Atletico 0

CSKA 1 Man Utd 1

And the radio show? It went down a treat considering I'd never seen a desk or any of the software before so despite some pre-show panic myself and my co-host came through nicely. This Sunday's show should be ace now I've learnt from the mistakes of last week.

Remember, www.frequencyradio.co.uk, Sunday - 8pm.

Football On Tap Hits The Airwaves

2009-10-18T15:58:00.007+01:00

That's right. Tonight at 8pm at www.frequencyradio.co.uk, Football On Tap makes it's radio debut.

The plan is to have a guest in every week to talk about the weeks football stories, mainly focused on the Premier League.

Now this sounds all well and good but whether people want to actually be on the radio is a different matter. If you're reading this and you live in Preston, get in touch (please!!).

Thing is I don't really have a clue about radio equipment, software etc so am slightly nervous but once I get into the flow of things it shouldn't matter. Hopefully my guest (you know who you are) will hold his own!

So yesterday was Old Trafford (again) but this time on journalistic duties. I did OK I suppose, two recorded interviews is better than none. Maybe they'll see the light of day tonight on the show but then again maybe not, my luck is I'll try to and will just end up dead air.

I admit it was agony standing outside Old Trafford listening to the crowd getting pumped for the game and then hearing United score but hey, that's life. I was also surprised by how many other fans were stood outside too, as if they were intentionally listening to the game from outside, soaking up the atmosphere, trying to be part of the game.

I know I'd take that rather than sitting at home reading my BBC text any match day.

Liverpool's beach ball incident amused me but I thought it was rather harsh on them, although why Reina still had his eyes focused on the beach ball as the match ball raced past him I'll never know.

Liverpool's woes, football world rankings, Boudewijn Zenden and much more - tonight - 8pm - www.frequencyradio.co.uk.

Back In The Game

2009-10-17T11:36:00.003+01:00

Finally, settled in.

Sorry for the delay but moving to a new uni takes it's toll! That's all done now and life is grand!

I write this as I wait to start my first real piece of journalism and coincidentally it takes me to Old Trafford on this fine afternoon. United are playing Bolton at 3pm and I thought it was only right that I choose a United based topic: the goalkeeping situation.

With Foster's form questionable at best, van der Sar continuing to age and Kuszczak not up to the task of holding down the number 1 jersey questions are starting to be asked.

Do United need a new 'keeper? Persevere with Foster? Sign van der Sar to another extension?

Who knows but my money is on a new 'keeper in the offing for the Old Trafford faithful. Interesting names have been linked: Akinfeev from CSKA Moscow, Patricio from Sporting Lisbon and David James from Portsmouth (???). We shall see how that one develops.

So my goal for the day is to get fan's views on the subject as my friend goes for the Fergie "Wiley's unfit" row and the reaction from Bolton's fans to Megson defending Sir Alex.

Should be an interesting day. Testing the waters of my journalistic skills. Good times :)

Capello's Selection Dilemmas

2009-09-02T19:19:00.007+01:00

Well we are now into a World Cup season for domestic leagues around the world and although it is ten months away, let's hazard a guess as to what is going through England coach Fabio Capello's head.

Goalkeeper

Still remains a problem position for England with the error-prone David James and the inexperienced Ben Foster seemingly battling it out for the starting berth. Someone worth keeping an eye on though is Robert Green of West Ham. Although not as widely recognised as his compatriots he remains a good shot stopper and of rational mind, something that is priceless in big games, not least a World Cup.

Defence

It seems that three, if not all, players are assured of a starting place when South Africa rolls around. Glen Johnson, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Ashley Cole are all regulars with their club and continue to perform consistently enough that most people aren't talking about anyone else to take their place in the England back four. I would expect Lescott, Upson and Richards to receive call-ups but only as replacements as the defence (ten months before the tournament begins) seems set in stone.

Midfield

Where to begin with this one? Can Gerrard and Lampard play together? What role does Joe Cole have to play? Who can replace Beckham's quality on the right and at set-pieces?

In my opinion Gerrard and Lampard cannot play together in the centre of midfield but that is no excuse to push Gerrard out to the left to accommodate Lampard. However Gerrard has been playing well from the left, cutting inside and given the freedom to roam as Ashley Cole bombs on out wide.

Gerrard isn't a natural left winger though and in a 4-4-2 formation (which Capello will more than likely adopt) width is a key component as it allows another supply route to the two strikers up top.

My suggestion would be to deploy Gerrard in the middle alongside Michael Carrick (who I think is severely underrated). Yes Gareth Barry and Owen Hargreaves are options too but it is Carrick's passing ability that sets him apart from his Premier League counterparts. This would allow Joe Cole (assuming he is fit and performing consistently for Chelsea) to return to his left flank with Aaron Lennon adopting a position on the right.

Many questions have been raised about Lennon's performances at club level and whether he is consistent enough, but if he maintains the level he has begun this current campaign with he will most certainly find himself in the starting XI in 2010.

This all depends on the form of Theo Walcott throughout Arsenal's season. Not much has been made of the former Southampton man but once he recovers from injury and is fully fit he will give defences all over the world a torrid time, just ask Croatia.

Other options that can be considered is Ashley Young on either wing, Shaun Wright-Phillips on the right or even David Beckham but I feel Beckham will be included for experience purposes although the man does still possess undoubted quality. And then there's Arsenal's Jack Wilshere, but that's for another post...

Forward

Many a name will be banded about over the course of the season and when it comes to selection time I still feel we will not really know who is going to South Africa.

Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe, Michael Owen, Peter Crouch, Emile Heskey, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Darren Bent, Carlton Cole.

All of the above names will be in contention come the end of the current season as it is evident that they will all score a considerable amount of goals for their club. This is where Capello's real selection headache lies with only Wayne Rooney virtually guaranteed a place on the plane to South Africa.

There is a lot of football to be played between now and June 2010.

Here is my personal selection for England's starting XI for their first game of the World Cup.

Goalkeeper - Green (West Ham United)

Defence - Johnson (Liverpool), Terry (Chelsea), Ferdinand (Man Utd), A. Cole (Chelsea)

Midfield - Walcott (Arsenal), Gerrard (Liverpool), Carrick (Man Utd), J. Cole (Chelsea)

Forward - Rooney (Man Utd), Defoe (Spurs)

Obviously this is a 100% guess and is based on the overall ability of the players in their position and how well I think they will do for their club over the coming season. Only time will tell if these players want it enough over the course of the 09/10 campaign.

Eduardo Banned For Two Games, Can Of Worms - Opened

2009-09-01T18:22:00.007+01:00

UEFA have certainly invited a lot of work for themselves haven't they?

With the recent announcement that Arsenal's Croatian forward Eduardo has been banned for two Champions League games, the European body will invite a combination of praise and criticism with their latest actions.

Now whether the player actually dived is still up for debate. Eduardo (naturally) claimed he felt contact from Celtic 'keeper Artur Boruc and had fallen because of this.

Video evidence suggests otherwise - there was no contact and the player threw himself to the deck to win his team a penalty effectively putting to bed any plans Celtic had of a fightback. The latter being a view the majority of people share. The grimy smile on Eduardo's face as he wheeled away in celebration of his scored penalty told the story.

Evidently, a view UEFA share as well.

Arsene Wenger is rightly furious with UEFA's decision to charge Eduardo as there is a certain Portugese international that has done the same for years in the Premier League and has proceeded to get away with it (expect that tradition to continue in La Liga).

But how far are UEFA now willing to go with every other dive that occurs in the Champions League this season, or domestic leagues for that matter. And is it just penalties they look at? The referee at Old Trafford on Saturday managed to spot Emmanuel Eboue's ridiculous dive and booked him, fair play but there are many players around Europe that will get away with it this season, in or out of the penalty box.

If UEFA see this as an avenue they wish to explore (let's face it, they have to now with the Eduardo suspension) then I would suggest setting up an individual body to deal with these sorts of incidents.

The problem remains how to integrate a system into games. Will referees be using video assistance to determine fouls, both in and out of the box? Will the assessment come at the end of the game and fines and suspensions dished out then? Will it be trialled? Will it apply to UEFA games or to individual domestic leagues / cup competitions as well?

All questions that will need to be answered now that UEFA have opened this can of worms. It shall not be the last we hear of diving this year, both at home and abroad.

Game Week 4: What I've Learnt...

2009-08-30T18:16:00.003+01:00

Arsenal - Nothing to worry about. Continue to play the way they have been and they will be genuine title contenders. Arshavin to assume role of key player alongside Fabregas. Eboue a disgrace with dive.

Aston Villa - Will look to Liverpool game throughout season as springboard and inspiration, Ashley Young must remain fit.

Birmingham City - Get Benitez to full fitness ASAP as he has shown strength and ability in his substitute appearances in the league.

Blackburn Rovers - Kalinic needs a goal to get up and running, proven goal scorer in Croatia but yet to net in England.

Bolton Wanderers - Combined aerial threat of Davies and Elmander looks promising.

Burnley - Will be needing to thank goalkeeper Jensen a lot more this season.

Chelsea - Complete domination, continue current form and they will certainly be champions. Perfect balance in squad.

Everton - No real creative threat without Arteta, lucky to grab win against a poor Wigan side.

Fulham - Looked exhausted from their European exertions. Greening strangely looks out of his depth.

Hull City - Possibly look to Altidore to start and provide goals, Folan and Fagan don't have it at this level.

Liverpool - Appauling attitude from Lucas, expect him to be kicked off the pitch by next opposition.

Manchester City - Promising start to the season, maintaining optimism could be key for team spirit. Adebayor and Barry continue to impress.

Manchester United - Uncharacteristic poor performance from Carrick, Fletcher to step up and become main-stay in midfield.

Portsmouth - Piquonne not found feet quick enough, Dindane needs to do so before Pompey find themselves in real trouble. Cannot afford to sell anymore big name players before Tuesday, i.e. James and Krancjar.

Stoke City - Rough and tough approach clearly wins you games. Proving successful with Delap's long throws but have no Plan B.

Sunderland - Good to see Gordon back in goal, at £9 million he should be playing every game, quality 'keeper. Jones and Bent continue to torment and will do so against the big teams.

Tottenham Hotspur - Modric injured and will be sorely missed, perhaps a cheeky bid for City's Petrov is on the cards? Crouch provides brilliant impact with chances and goals.

West Ham - More attack power needed, Diamanti to find feet quickly in England to aid Hammer's cause.

Wigan Athletic - Morale high after beating Villa away on the opening day. Morale low after being battered by Blackpool mid-week, Martinez needs to pick up fast beforeresults hit a slippery slope.

Wolves - Need to get Ebanks-Blake fit to provide further goal threat. Doyle and Keogh look nervous at this level.

The End Of The Old Guard - AC Milan 0 Inter Milan 4

2009-08-29T22:12:00.008+01:00

If there was ever a statement of intent from one team and the signal of the end of an era for the other then this match pretty much sums it up for both.

This evening an ageing AC Milan side were taught a lesson by a much more impressive Inter side. Who said Italian football was going stale? The problem is AC Milan are.

Starting with a side predominantly the other side of thirty may already show the reason for their loss. A lack of legs accompanied by a lack of strength on the bench all contributed to what must be classed as a demoralising loss. Goalkeeper Marco Storari, defenders Alessandro Nesta, Gianluca Zambrotta and Marek Jankulovski, and midfielders Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo are all players over thirty that started this edition of the Milan derby. The likely addition of David Beckham in January does nothing to dispel any signs of a team relying on the old guard.

Having Gattuso sent of in the 40th minute can not have helped but by then Inter were 2-0 up already. This was against an Inter side with a number of new signings in their starting line-up: goalscorers Thiago Motta and Gabriel Milito as well as the more stellar names of Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto'o.

Inter have done what AC haven't and that is rejuvenate their squad, liven things up a bit. The pushing of Ronaldinho to the focal point of Milan's attack - alongside Pato - is the Rossoneri's answer to this but does anyone realistically expect him to perform the wonders he worked at Barcelona in his prime, particularly if he is his being substituted in the 67th minute.

The introduction of players like Clarence Seedorf and Massimo Ambrosini, both ageing players who are arguably past their best, did nothing of note to change the pace of the game and Inter went on to score two more goals.

Desperate times for AC Milan call for desperate measures, with the signing of Klaas Huntelaar the only notable acquisition they should look to add further names in this short period before the transfer window closes. Otherwise they may find themselves struggling to gain a Champions League place in Serie A, let alone challenge for the title itself.

The Form Of Champions? Manchester United 2 Arsenal 1

2009-08-29T19:51:00.007+01:00

It is commonplace to know that in the modern footballing world would-be league champions are those that are able to grind out results without playing well, sometimes with the opposition playing better than them. This is what happened at Old Trafford today.

An Arsenal team who had scored ten goals in their first two Premier League games dominated the first half against a United team who looked out of sorts, Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs uncharacteristically misplacing passes at every given opportunity and Wayne Rooney isolated up front. This was largely down to Arsenal's new formation and their new pressing system where they close down their opposition much further up the pitch, this was on show today and was highly effective.

But for all of Arsenal's possession and dominance, their goal came out of nowhere and it was a lack of United's own pressing that cost them. Andrei Arshavin collected the ball twenty yards out, after claims were turned down for an Arsenal penalty, and without virtually any back lift, proceeded to smash the ball into the top corner leaving Ben Foster unable to keep it out of the net due to the sheer power of the shot.

A deserved lead to take into half-time for the Gunners.

It was then that most people expected changes for the second half, the possible arrival of Dimitar Berbatov to spark United into life, but it was probably the classic "hairdryer" treatment that Ferguson is famous for that was left ringing in the ears of the starting XI that he decided to keep faith with.

However, again, it was Arsenal who started brightly with only Foster preventing a two goal deficit with an instinctive save from van Persie. Arsenal's pressure meant that surely a second goal was inevitable and the Red Devils supporters began to get nervous. One Ryan Giggs through ball later and Rooney was on to it look a flash only to be brought down by Almunia in the Arsenal goal resulting in a clear cut penalty (one amusing segment after the game compared this incident to Eduardo's dive during the Champions League qualifier mid-week!). Rooney smashed home the penalty for the equaliser and the crowd could feel that a United turn-a-round was on.

Moments later a free kick conceded on the United right allowed Giggs to float in a ball that somehow found it's way into the back of the net via Abou Diaby's head. Laughable to say the least. A clear miscommunication between goalkeeper and outfield player resulted in a comedic moment that will undoubtedly find it's way onto many a christmas football gaffe DVD. It was from here Arsenal pushed on.

United surprisingly replaced Giggs with Berbatov and changed to a 4-4-2 and decided to run the game out with that. This could have so easily worked against them with Arsenal now having Eduardo, Bendtner, van Persie and Arshavin all on the pitch. Man of the match Darren Fletcher was constantly on hand winning possession back and launching further counter-attacks for United and if it wasn't for Nani's wayward finishing the game would of been put to bed.

Wenger's Mourinho-like jig in the dugout when he thought Arsenal had equalised, only to have it rightly ruled out for offside, added further amusement as he was sent off from the touchline and thought standing amongst the fans was viable. Clearly not. Thirty seconds later and full-time was blown. Everyone will claim United did not deserve to win the game, but they defended astutely, worked hard to win the ball back and maintained their concentration.

Something Abou Diaby did not do in his moment of madness.

Sneijder To Inter - Done

2009-08-28T19:56:00.006+01:00

Mourinho's done it again!

After completing somewhat of a coup in acquiring Samuel Eto'o from Barcelona in a ridiculous deal at what seems the Spanish club's expense (£40 million and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic) he's gone and done it again.

Real Madrid have declared it today, Wesley Sneijder will be wearing an Inter Milan shirt next season. Sneijder has come out and said that this deal has gone ahead against his will and he had wanted to fight for his place at the Bernabeu, although he has satisfied Inter fans by claiming he will give it all for the Nerazzuri.

Real's loss will certainly be Inter's gain. This is a player who is great with both feet, immaculate at set pieces and brilliant from long range. His range of passing may have seen be a more suitable replacement for Xabi Alonso at Liverpool. But for just £13.2 million Inter have acquired a substantial talent.

That's right, one of the world's shining talents for only £13.2 million. Now that is a bargain. Massimo Moratti must be doing something right as president to get this player at such a low cost. Aston Villa were rumoured to be interested but a move to the Italian giants makes more sense.

Scoring three goals (one a sublime Beckham-esque free kick) in his first two La Liga appearances for Madrid led us all to believe that this was a star in the making, certainly worthy of wearing the white of Real.

But injury forced him to miss the majority of last season and with new signings during the summer he has found himself surplus to requirements in Spain.

Let's hope his career in Italy starts with a bang and we can look forward to enjoying this prodigal talent in South Africa in 2010.

The Juggernaut That Is Manchester City

2009-08-28T17:38:00.009+01:00

Well we're nearing the end of the transfer window and it looks Manchester City are closed for business.

For now.

The protracted acquisition of Joleon Lescott from Everton seems to signify the end of the players coming into City but some may leave. Richard Dunne is on the verge of joining Aston Villa at time of writing and Martin Petrov is another that has been linked with a move away.

During the close season where player transfer speculation was rife, it seemed as if that Manchester City wouldn't stand a chance at attracting big name players who have other offers to play for a club in European competition or already play for one. It has been quite the opposite. Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure have left Champions League-bound Arsenal, Lescott has left Everton who are playing in the Europa League and Gareth Barry has left Aston Villa who had qualified for the Europa League as well (but are out of it now). Carlos Tevez reportedly had offers on the table from Chelsea and Liverpool but has chosen to become the idol of the blue half of Manchester.

It raises a question of the players' motives for moving but they will all say they felt more appreciated by City than by their European rivals. One thing remains common amongst these players, they are all of the belief that Manchester City will qualify for Europe this season, that reamins to be seen. Two games into the Premier League season and the team are showing early signs of breaching the top bracket of European football.

However it is the players coming in that are expected to have the biggest impact. Players such as Adebayor, Toure, Tevez and Barry between them have the characteristics Mark Hughes hopes to integrate into his team: class, determination, force and finishing.

The thing is if Mark Hughes feels something isn't working right or is missing a small part to his blue machine then in January he will be given the funds in the blink of an eye to strengthen his squad further. It is this that makes it seem as if Manchester City are invincible.

One thing they will not need to be able to buy is style and teamwork. Arsenal's style of football is exquisite and priceless. Money cannot buy morale and camaraderie, things vital to the stability of a squad, affecting results as a consequence.

With the likes of Richards, Bridge, Ireland, Given and Robinho already in place at Eastlands, along with the new additions this summer, the sky is the limit for City.

A place in the top four beckons...

UEFA Champions League Draw

2009-08-28T12:40:00.007+01:00

Interesting eh? Some colossal ties lined up, and some not so. Let's have a look.

Group A - Bayern Munich, Juventus, Bordeaux, Maccabi Haifa
Three teams have a realistic chance of qualifying and it will be up to Bordeaux - the French champions - to try and show the quality Ligue 1 possesses. The Bayern v Juve clashes should be entertaining, possibly billed as the battle of creative playmakers: Ribery of the Germans against the talented Brazilian Diego of Juventus.

To qualify: Juventus and Bordeaux
Europa League: Bayern Munich

Group B - Man Utd, CSKA Moscow, Besiktas, Wolfsburg
To me, it is the German champions that Sir Alex will fear the least in this potentially tough group. Trips away to Russia and Turkey are not the most inviting ones during a busy Premier League season and it will be interesting to see how the squad copes. Wolfsburg's strikeforce of Bosnian Edin Dzeko and Brazilian Grafite were clinical last season so I would expect them to give defences a lot of problems.

To qualify: Man Utd and CSKA Moscow
Europa League: Wolfsburg

Group C - AC Milan, Real Madrid, Marseille, FC Zurich
Kaka's return to the San Siro couldn't come soon enough. AC Milan have played Barcelona in recent years but not the team from Madrid. These two clashes should be epic and I would expect goals galore between the two, with players such as Ronaldo, Kaka, Ronaldinho and Pato on show. Marseille should provide no real opposition for either and should settle for third in the group.

To qualify: Real Madrid and AC Milan
Europa League: Marseille

Group D - Chelsea, Porto, Atletico Madrid, APOEL Nicosia
Chelsea should be dominant despite a resurgent Porto side containing the talents of Hulk and Cristian Rodriguez and Atletico who could cause problems with their potent strikeforce of Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan. Expect APOEL to concede a lot of goals with Porto and Atletico battling it out for second spot.

To qualify: Chelsea and Atletico Madrid
Europa League: Porto

Group E - Liverpool, Lyon, Fiorentina, Debrecen
Potential banana skin for a Liverpool team who have been struggling as of late. A lack of Alonso-ness has led a lot of people to ask questions about whether Liverpool can sustain a title challenge this year so a Champions League charge doesn't look likely. Lyon are considerably weaker this year without Juninho and Benzema so I would expect Fiorentina to do well in this group although the sale of Felipe Melo to Juventus will have harmed their chances.

To qualify: Fiorentina and Liverpool
Europa League: Lyon

Group F - Barcelona, Inter Milan, Dynamo Kiev, Rubin Kazan
No one likes a trip to the Ukraine or Russia but it is what both Barca and Inter will have to deal with in this group. The two European giants should dominate the group but I would expect them to drop points in their away games in Eastern Europe. When the two teams meet in Spain and Italy expect fireworks with Eto'o and Ibrahimovic returning to their former stamping grounds and if Eto'o scores against his former club Mourinho will be laughing harder than when he received the Cameroon international alongside £40 million.

To qualify: Barcelona and Inter Milan
Europa League: Dynamo Kiev

Group G - Sevilla, Rangers, Stuttgart, Unirea Urziceni
Rangers have never received such an opportunity to get out of the group stage than this. Possibly the weakest group of the eight although Sevilla will argue that. The Spaniards have managed to keep hold of the frontline of Luis Fabiano and Frederic Kanoute to provide the goals but it remains to be seen where the creativity will come from. Rangers will be looking for the form that took them to the UEFA Cup final in 2008 to guide them through this group.

To qualify: Sevilla and Stuttgart
Europa League: Rangers

Group H - Arsenal, AZ, Olympiakos, Standard Liege
The smile on Mr Wenger's face when he saw this group must have been ridiculously huge. Although Greek football is undergoing somewhat of a revolution with star players starting to ply their trade there, there will be no challenge to the Gunners and I fully expect them to top the group with maximum points. Although the opposition are all champions of their respective leagues the quality of the leagues themselves is what will let them down in the group stage.

To qualify: Arsenal and Standard Liege
Europa League: Olympiakos

Game Week 2: What I've Learnt...

2009-08-20T00:15:00.004+01:00

Well, from who played anyway. Other teams are involved in European fixtures this week.

Birmingham City - Home form crucial to Premier League hopes.

Burnley - Brian Jensen will be just as important to their fortunes as the goals they score.

Chelsea - Deco may prove integral in 4-4-2 diamond formation, Essien to play defensive.

Hull City - Start with Geovanni, main creative threat.

Liverpool - Have faith in youth, don't panic buy, i.e. Kyrgiakos.

Manchester United - Expect to delve into transfer market for big name player.

Portsmouth - Favourites for relegation.

Stoke City - As before, Delap - throw - goal won't win you every game, especially away at Anfield.

Sunderland - Bent important, don't take the foot off the gas when ahead against bigger teams. Cana and Cattermole would be missed.

Tottenham Hotspur - Defoe to have biggest season yet, with club and country.

Wigan Athletic - Flying (too) high after result at Villa Park.

Wolves - Milijas just as important as Ebanks-Blake and Kightly, impressive first two games for the Serb.

Season 09/10: Real Madrid

2009-08-17T16:32:00.018+01:00

Where do you start??

Looking at the Real Madrid squad it seems pretty safe to say they have two world-class players ready to fill any position on the pitch, whatever formation they play.

Having spent a ridiculous amount on players proven at the top level, the fact remains that these are players who have played at the top level, for club and country and should more than likely succeed at this great club.

But as Claudio Ranieri found out during his first term under the Abramovich era at Chelsea, money doesn't necessarily guarantee instant success. Stars such as Crespo, Mutu, Veron and Makelele were all brought in but resulted in a trophyless season, leading to Ranieri's unglorified departure from Stamford Bridge.

The same could quite easily happen to Manuel Pellegrini during his first season in charge at the Bernabeu. He's not exactly a household name and I would expect a 'Galactico' manager to be in place by the time the 10/11 season kicks in.

The egos at Madrid will first need to be tamed, particularly that of Cristiano Ronaldo who will undoubtedly be expected to be the star of the show of La Liga this campaign.

Then it will be onto how to accommodate such a vast array of talent into one starting XI.

Here's how I see it.

Casillas is a given in goal.

The back four will consist of Ramos, Albiol, Pepe, Drenthe.

Two deep lying midfielders of Alonso and Lassana Diarra.

Ronaldo on the right, Robben on the left with Raul/Kaka* supporting Benzema.

Notice the system seems very similar to that of Liverpool last season, this just shows how highly I rate this system and how it can be deployed to perfection with the correct personnel, Madrid and Liverpool possess that personnel. Simple.

This suggests that there will be a lot people leaving Madrid this season. Or will there?

The fact that Wesley Sneijder has retained his number 10 shirt for the coming season as opposed to it being taken by the arrival of Benzema suggests he is staying for now (he took Huntelaar's number 19 even when Klaas was still at the club). Sneijder is a player of undoubted quality and I hope, for his career's sake, that he either gets regular playing time in Spain or decides to move elsewhere so this can happen.

Guti, van der Vaart, van Nistelrooy, Marcelo and Mahamadou Diarra all face potential exits as the transfer window draws to a close.

Expect to see goals galore, home and away for Real Madrid this season. But the anticipation builds to El Clasico, Real Madrid v Barcelona, Messi v Ronaldo. Should be very interesting to see if Barca dominate as much as they did last year. Somehow, I am doubtful...

* Thanks to an observant reader I am now aware I have missed out Madrid's second most expensive player in their history, oops! I feel that although Kaka will play, possibly on the left to cut inside, it will be hard for Pellegrini to leave out a fan favourite such as Raul. Admittedly a glaring omission on my part of a fantastic player. Apologies.

Game Week 1: What I've Learnt...

2009-08-17T13:45:00.012+01:00

Arsenal - Still need a strong defensive midfielder.

Aston Villa - Delph will struggle to fill Barry's shoes.

Birmingham City - Benitez looks exciting when fully fit.

Blackburn Rovers - Need to get Kalinic fit to start making up for Santa Cruz's goals (McCarthy and Roberts are past it).

Bolton Wanderers - Front three needs rejuventation.

Burnley - Can Graham Alexander keep pace with the Premier League?

Chelsea - Avoid injuries to Terry, Lampard and Drogba.

Everton - Let Lescott go, he doesn't want to be there.

Fulham - Zamora needs to be scoring on more consistent basis as opposed to relying on everyone else to.

Hull City - Don't panic buy because most other players turned you down.

Liverpool - Don't start with Lucas.

Manchester City - Gareth Barry is the key to City's success.

Manchester United - Lack excitement without Ronaldo, Rooney to try and make up for it.

Portsmouth - Loan signing Piquonne needs to find his feet fast or Pompey will be propping up the table.

Stoke City - Find back-up tactic for Delap - throw - goal.

Sunderland - Keep Darren Bent and centre backs fit, Ferdinand set for a big season.

Tottenham Hotspur - Going to struggle to find best XI due to sudden quality in squad (when fit).

West Ham United - Will rely heavily on Cole and Noble for goals.

Wigan Athletic - Martinez's status as an unknown in the Premier League will work to his advantage.

Wolves - Will stay up courtesy of Ebanks-Blake's goals and Kightly's industry (when fit).

Arsenal's Options

2009-08-07T23:11:00.006+01:00

A defender?? A midfielder?? A striker??

You couldn't make up your minds could you as the vote ended in a tie between defence and midfield as the areas you think Arsenal need to strengthen first.

But we're going to go with my vote: midfield.

After missing out on Felipe Melo, now of Juventus, Wenger faces a desperate search for a player that can take the midfield by the scruff of the neck, complimenting Cesc Fabregas' attacking abilities and passing range.

Gilberto was that player. Flamini was that player. Last season Arsenal did not have that player.

A measly attempt at playing Nasri as a holding midfield player was disastrous as it became apparent he had no idea on how to fill that role. Denilson too has tried but has proven too lightweight in a position that has become more and more significant in the modern game.

The defensive midfielder, the "Makelele" role, the player who shields the defence, links play between defence and midfield. That's what Arsenal had in Vieira, Gilberto and Flamini. And it is what Arsenal need again.

Names such as Gokhan Inler of Udinese, Vieira of Inter, Blaise Matuidi of St Etienne and Lee Cattermole of Wigan have been linked but no progress has been made. Perhaps the likes of Miguel Veloso and Joao Moutinho of Sporting Lisbon (who I suggested in my recent post about Liverpool) should be looked at or even Fabregas' Spanish compatriots Raul Garcia and Javi Martinez, of Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao respectively.

Wenger more often than not has something up his sleeve. At the moment he seems more concerned with declaring interest in defenders or attempting to bid for a forward.

However, his priorities should lie in the heart of his midfield, the engine room of the team, where games could be ultimately won and lost.

A Tale Of Four Strikers

2009-08-07T17:35:00.010+01:00

With the strike force Tottenham Hotspur have you'd think they have the rest of the Premier League running scared wouldn't you??

With a strikeforce consisting of Jermain Defore, Robbie Keane, Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko, Spurs should have a realistic chance of making a Europa League place this season.

The key word there: should.

Let's have a look at their strike rates last season.

Jermain Defoe - 13 goals in 29 appearances for both Portsmouth and Tottenham.

Robbie Keane - 12 goals in 35 appearances for both Liverpool and Tottenham.

Peter Crouch - 16 goals in 48 appearances for Portsmouth.

Roman Pavlyuchenko - 14 goals in 26 apperances for Tottenham.

None of them leave a lot to be desired.

Although Harry Redknapp has acquired a strikeforce that can be rotated and changed when deemed fit. Manchester United showed it could be done with their elusive four of Cole, Yorke, Sheringham and Solskjaer during their treble winning season and a contributing factor toward this was the lack of ego these players possessed. The same could be said about Tottenham's striking quartet.

It is refreshing to see this, whereas further north in the blue side of Manchester, it should be interesting to see the opposite effect, where big superstars could be left on the bench one week and throw a tantrum.

This is where the manager plays a role. Veterans such as Ferguson and Redknapp know how to handle such players where inexperienced managers may fail at such a task.

I would expect either Defoe or Keane to partner Crouch or Pavlyuchenko as the season goes on.

Keane and Defore provide pace whereas Crouch and Pavlyuchenko provide power, a great combination if used effectively.

My first choice for a front line at White Hart Line would be Crouch and Keane. I feel both would score more regularly given a run in the team than the other pair. Crouch has shown at Anfield that he has what it takes to make it at the top (why Liverpool sold him is beyond me!) and Robbie Keane, prior to his move to Liverpool, was scoring for fun alongside Berbatov.

Spurs fans will be hoping that now the front line has started to take shape for the coming campaign, the goals will come.

Like I said earlier, they should...

Season 09/10: Fulham

2009-08-07T12:53:00.005+01:00

While the 08/09 season was deemed a huge success thanks to Roy Hodgson's side securing a Europa League berth for the coming campaign, where do Fulham go from here??

Defender Brede Hangeland was recently quoted saying that their aim for the season is Premier League survival. Doubtful. But it is this defender that remains so integral to Fulham's fortunes this seaon.

Fulham fans have every reason to be optimistic this coming campaign.

No, they won't be challenging for Champions League places but expect them to be around the Europa League positions again come the end of the season.

A strong spine to the team consisting of Mark Schwarzer, Hangeland, Danny Murphy and Andrew Johnson (all of whom will remain at the club for the coming campaign) shows that Hodgson has built a sturdy unit, capable of testing the best of teams, as Arsenal found out last season.

I watched them last night brush aside a Vetra side with ease as they qualified for the first knockout round of the Europa League where they have been rewarded with a two-legged tie against FC Amkar Prem of Russia.

The focus for Hodgson, I imagine, will remain the Premier League and attempting to reach the dizzy heights of last season.

Hodgson has shown himself to have a good eye in the transfer market too during his stay at Craven Cottage. The signing of Hangeland has been inspirational. The sale of Jimmy Bullard to Premier League rivals Hull City proved to be a worthy (if not lucky) piece of business as minutes into his debut he injured himself to be out for the rest of the season.

During this transfer window he has brought in promising young right-back Stephen Kelly from Birmingam and brother of former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise, Bjorn Helge Riise from Lillestrom.

With no major departures from last season's squad, team spirit and unity should not be a problem as I expect Hodgson to show faith in a team that effectively punched above it's weight last season, finishing above the likes of Tottenham and Manchester City.

It will be interesting to see if there are any more new faces brought into the squad at Craven Cottage or even any departures, with Arsene Wenger declaring his interest in defender Hangeland, we will see if Fulham and Hangeland can resist the overtures of Arsenal.

If Hangeland remains then Fulham fans can look forward to a European adventure and a season of promise in the Premier League.

Huntelaar To AC Milan - Done

2009-08-07T12:23:00.006+01:00

He's going to Stuttgart? He's going to Tottenham? He's going to Levski Sofia??

No he's not.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar looks like he is going to finally get the stage to showcase his talents in Serie A this season as a deal was struck between Real Madrid and the Italian giants.

But I can't help but feel that any attacking player Milan sign now will be an attempt to replace the irreplaceable Kaka. Yes, they are totally different players and yes, they have Ronaldinho but is anyone really expecting the Brazilian to replicate his form that saw Barcelona shine during his time there?

Huntelaar is an out and out striker. His £20 million move to Real Madrid from Ajax in January of this year was a result of scoring 105 goals in 136 appearances for the Dutch club.

His return of 8 goals in 20 matches for Real cannot be considered a failure as I believe if Fiorentino Perez had not made his way back to club presidency we would still be looking at Klaas as a first team player.

Also at international level, 13 goals in 21 appearances cannot be ignored.

With the ageing squad at Milan, a little rejuvenation wouldn't go a miss.

And this is what Huntelaar brings.

The midfield may be past their best but a new look front line consisting of Alexandre Pato and Huntelaar, aided by the likes of Pippo Inzaghi and Marco Borriello can only mean goals for the Italian side this season.

Leonardo's next job will be to liven up a midfield that has the potential to go stale. With Ambrosini (32), Gattuso (31), Pirlo (30) and Seedorf (33), the likes of Flamini and Ronaldinho are going to have to prove their worth to the Rossoneri this coming campaign.

Lionel Messi: God's Gift To Football

2009-08-06T14:43:00.014+01:00

Is there a player out there that moves a ball with such grace, such elegance other than Lionel Messi??

His 38 goals for Barcelona last season played a major role in them winning a famous treble, but it was the way he contributed to the team in other ways as well that makes him stand out as a very special player.

Many of his goals are similar to that of his number ten predecessor, Ronaldinho, taking on about three or four defenders then slotting the ball past the 'keeper. There are not many players in the world that can do this on a regular basis.

Consistency is key to Messi's game and he has that in abundance.

The way he runs at players, taking them on at every opportunity. Exploiting the slightest weakness in a defender's abilities has been his specialty over recent seasons and the last campaign was no different.

His ability to head the ball was in question all season but Messi saved the best until last as he rose rather comfortably above Rio Ferdinand to head home the second in a 2-0 victory, making the United central defender look mediocre rather than world class. It is definitely part of his game he will look to improve on.

The fact this is also a likable person sets him apart from his greatest rival for the crown of the world's greatest footballer: Cristiano Ronaldo. Showing his human side, Messi proceeded to do what we all do when we celebrate, get drunk. A video can be seen of a slightly inebriated Messi singing along as Barca celebrated an historic treble.

To come through the trials and tribulations he has had to face with a growth hormone deficiency that stopped him growing seems like a fairytale now for one of the world's best players and an established Argentine international.

He doesn't complain about contracts, doesn't demand more money and doesn't threaten to leave if something doesn't go right for him. His connection to Barcelona seems to deeper than that. The fact that the club was willing to pay his medical bills, as opposed to River Plate who pulled out a of a deal for this reason, shows Barcelona had faith in him, and Messi has most certainly repaid the club that gave him his chance to shine on the biggest of stages.

The debate continues as to who is the greatest and I think it is the coming season when the two players are competing in the same league, the same environment, that we will see who truly is...

Manchester United's Midfield Conundrum

2009-08-06T12:54:00.006+01:00

Let's assume Michael Carrick is guaranteed a starting role in the United midfield for the coming season (which he probably is), who is going to assume the position next to him??

Ferguson is more than likely going to revert to a classic 4-4-2 this season now that Ronaldo has gone, allowing Rooney to come in off the left flank and operate where he is most efficient.

With new signing Antonio Valencia impressing against Valencia last night, a place on the right seems assured with the left wing position being fought over between the likes of Nani, Park and young Serb Zoran Tosic.

There is also intense competition for that midfield slot alongside Carrick and I feel it can only go to one man: Darren Fletcher. Although many of you will argue the case for Scholes, Giggs, Anderson, Hargreaves or Gibson, Fletcher - for me - comes up trumps.

He is a classic Ferguson player, brought through the club since 2000 when he joined as a trainee and now finds himself as an established first team squad member. His performances toward the end of last season were of such quality he was considered as a certain starter for the Champions League final until that red card against Arsenal.

People may argue Anderson is the better player, he comes with a bigger price tag and naturally we are led to believe this. But on current form Fletcher is the man to partner Carrick. He has been solid during pre-season, unlike Anderson who has been woeful despite one moment of brilliance against Boca Juniors.

He can tackle, score goals and has a great range of passing. Despiting being of slight frame he is not afraid to get amongst the opposition, chasing down lost causes and making vital interventions.

Whether he can replace the creative force that is Paul Scholes remains to be seen but the coming season should provide a great indicator for a player that has come on leaps and bounds since his United debut in the 03/04 campaign.

N.B. When I first saw Fletcher play I instantly put him into the Richardson, Eagles or Bardsley category: not good enough for United. Oh how he has turned it around and I am very thankful to be eating my sour grapes.

09/10 Season: Chelsea

2009-08-06T11:58:00.007+01:00

How can you replace Guus Hiddink after the end of season form of Chelsea??

Well you bring in one of the most respected managers in the game.

But wait, haven't we been here before? Chelsea reach the Champions League final the previous season, top quality international manager arrives for the start of the next campaign, sacked midway through the season, temporary manager flown in for the rest of season.

Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping to dispel any thoughts that anyone is having (well, thoughts that I am having) about whether he can adapt to the Premier League. Pre-season form has been good. The squad are playing well. It's looking good so far for Chelsea.

The problem remains that Chelsea are looking to the same player each season as their star man - step forward Frank Lampard (again!).

Ancelotti's insistence that a diamond version of the 4-4-2, with Lampard at the top, means that Chelsea's talismanic midfielder's goalscoring responsibilities may be curbed slightly due to the prescence of two front men. In the past Chelsea have consistently played a variant of the 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation to great effect.

It will be very interesting to see if the Italian's gamble pays off.

Another interesting point to consider is the role other members of the squad will play now that a whole new system is being introduced. With a 4-4-2 diamond formation, width must come from somewhere and I cannot think of an established right winger in the Chelsea squad. Yes, Salomon Kalou can play there, and hopefully a fully fit Joe Cole can play there too, but they decided against a permanent deal for Ricardo Quaresma of Inter Milan so they could be left wanting in that department.

Although I would expect the versatile Essien to fill that role, Ancelotti couldn't live him out, surely?!

With the potential arrival of Andrea Pirlo from AC Milan, it leaves a lot to be desired for the other midfielders of the squad: Ballack, Deco, Mikel and new arrival Yuri Zhirkov. Handling a top superstars ego is a must in the modern game. He did it at Milan and I would fully expect him to be able to handle the superstars at Stamford Bridge.

Up front and in defence Chelsea seem fully equipped, with a two quality players available for each position.

It is the midfield and possibly the formation and tactics used that could do with a rethink...

Bent: Ready Made Replacement For Cisse

2009-08-06T11:38:00.009+01:00

At first it looked a bit unprofessional didn't it??

Darren Bent has finally got his move to Sunderland and he claims that his famous rant on Twitter "paid off". Not that it was unprofessional, all part of the plan eh Darren?

With Djibril Cisse choosing not to join Steve Bruce's ranks and opting for the revolution of Greek football at Panathinaikos, it seems a move for Bent is a very rational decision. They both share great pace and an eye for goal (and the occasional tantrum) but the thing that sets Bent apart from Cisse is his goalscoring record.

Bent has consistently scored in the Premier League, be it at Charlton Athletic or Tottenham last year where despite being the club's top goalscorer he was still sold on.

He will also be given a consistent run in the team. With Bruce shelling out a potential £16.5 million I doubt he would be placed on the bench. Kenwyne Jones could prove to be a more than adequate strike partner for the England front man as Jones' physical prescence could strike a perfect balance with Bent's deadly finishing.

I've always admired Bent since his days at Ipswich Town and he fully deserved his chance in the Premier League. He has grabbed it with both hands and I thought Tottenham was going to be his opportunity to step it up another level.

Can Darren score the goals for Bruce's Sunderland to justify his price tag? I hope so. It would bode well for the national team as well.

He may not have been Bruce's first choice (Peter Crouch) but only time will tell if settling for second best will pay off...

Delph Lands At Villa Park

2009-08-05T20:59:00.002+01:00

It was good to see someone who Manchester City couldn't get their claws into wasn't it??

A brave decision too by the Leeds United board not to accept Hughes' wish to wait an extra week has benefited all parties as it looks like Fabian Delph will get some playing time in the Premier League this season.

With Aston Villa's paper thin squad, Delph is a welcome addition to the plethora of young English talent at Villa Park. Gareth Barry's shoes may be hard ones to fill and I don't think we can all expect Villa to go on a Champions League charge this season but Delph could go a long way to aiding Martin O'Neill in his quest for playing in Europe's elite competition.

Currently, Villa's first team central midfield would consist of Stiliyan Petrov, Craig Gardner and Steven Sidwell. The addition of Delph (who I have been assured by an adamant lifelong Leeds fan can play all over the midfield) provides a bit of extra depth in a position that Villa are lacking.

He slots into O'Neill's philisophy of bringing on young English talent which is proven by the likes of James Milner, Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor.

The only way is up for Delph but whether he can live up to a potential £8 million transfer fee remains to be seen...

Aquilani Deal Gets Underway

2009-08-05T19:39:00.001+01:00

Who's that guy I left out from my last post??

Only the player that has been strongly linked to Anfield over the past couple of days.

The transfer of Italy international Alberto Aquilani from Roma to Liverpool seems seems to be Rafa's preference as a fee was agreed between the two clubs - believed to be around £20 million.

But how good is Aquilani and will he adapt to the physical nature of the Premier League compared to that of Serie A? Only time will tell.

Liverpool fans will be hoping that he can fill the shoes of Alonso alongside Mascherano in a system that worked so well for the Reds last season.

With £10 million leftover after all this transfer business is complete, will Rafa be given this money to spend elsewhere? OK, he won't be able to bring a star name in with that sort of money but further strengthening in the full back areas may be needed now with the departure of Alvaro Arbeloa and possible departure of Andrea Dossena to Napoli.

I'm sure Liverpool fans will be hoping their owners loosen their purse strings one more time for Benitez before the transfer window slams shut.

So David Villa and Fernando Torres probably won't join forces in the Premier League this summer, but we will get a good look at Villa later tonight as Valencia travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United, 8pm kick off on MUTV.

Alonso To Real - Done.

2009-08-05T16:09:00.003+01:00

But who's in through the Anfield door??

An undisclosed fee (around £30 million) has been agreed between the club and he has passed his medical, the signing of the contract remains a formality.

So with that deal done, plus the departure of Alvaro Arbeloa as well to Madrid, Mr Benitez now needs to look to the future and the players he will need if Liverpool are again to put up a substantial title challenge.

Last season can be deemed a real success by Liverpool in the league. Bar a few poor results against lesser opposition it could have been a different story.

A huge contributing factor this season was the formation and the slightly withdrawn use of his Rafa's rotation policy. A consistent team meant consistent results for Liverpool and they came to the brink of the title courtesy of consistency.

The 4-2-3-1 worked a treat. Mascherano protected the back four, Alonso took the equivalent role of an American quarter-back, Benayoun and Kuyt provided width with Gerrard and Torres producing the majority of the goals. It was all rosy.

I digress though.

There are a variety of options availble for Benitez. A lot of the press have touted a deal for Christian Poulsen from Juventus or Steven Defour from Standard Liege.

Let's not forget other players that could be avilable in that position such as Miguel Veloso and Joao Moutinho from Sporting Lisbon or Wesley Sneijder from Madrid. And that's just for midfield.

It is apparent that other areas need strengthening as well. Although Andriy Voronin has claimed he will fight for his place, is he really a credible threat to Premier League defences? David Villa has been a name thrown about a lot and it remains to be seen where the money from the Alonso transfer will go.

Villa and Torres, national team strike partners reunited at Liverpool - an interesting proposition to say the least...

09/10 Season: Arsenal

2009-08-05T15:14:00.005+01:00

Want to know the player that could potentially win the league for Arsenal this season??

Andrei Arshavin.

At the moment I don't think even Wenger knows where to play him but my preference would be for him to play behind a main striker, given the opportunity to run at defences, play the killer pass and score goals (ala Wayne Rooney for Manchester United).

But then who's the main striker?!

Bendtner? Hasn't quite proved himself yet.

van Persie? Very similarly technically to Arshavin but without the ability to run at players.

Eduardo? The more likely candidate now he is fully fit.

That is a big decision for Wenger to make, but as important as Fabregas is to the side, Arshavin remains a constant threat to many Premier League defences when played in the correct position (Liverpool away last season speaks for itself).

He may not be as physically strong as Rooney but remains technically gifted for a player of small stature. He came to Arsenal with a big reputation, UEFA Cup winner in 2008 and helped guide the national team to the Euro 2008 semi-finals where they were beaten by a superior Spain side.

Now the Russian has settled in England, I would fully expect him to have his time to shine.