Martin Johnson’s England simply does not have the enough quality in the side in the absence of injured stars

England’s weak 18 – 19 defeat at the hands of Australia and frustrating 16 – 9 victory of an impressive Argentina at Twickenham stadium have left many wondering whether manager Martin Johnson, recently honoured as the best player ever to grace the Twickenham turf by fellow professionals, has the credentials to continue coaching the national team.

Johnson started slowly in his coaching reign, with successive losses to Australia, South Africa and New Zealand proving what fans hoped would be a false start in his tenure.  National pride was restored during the 6 Nations with close fought battles with Ireland and Wales, and solid wins over Scotland and Italy and heavy a defeat of France ensuring a second place finish for a team who at times played some classy rugby. These performances helped many players who impressed during the competition tie up a place in the Lions squad for the summer tour of South Africa, with 9 English members of the initial squad taken.

From a solely English perspectives there were some standout performances during the tour, even if there were not enough representatives for a nation of England’s calibre. Whilst Lee Mears and Phil Vickery had fairly average tours (although the Gloucester prop did redeem himself in the last test for his poor showing against Tendai ‘the beast’ Mwrawri in the first) all the other England players came home with their reputations enhanced.

There was certainly an increased sense of hope surrounding the England side that a core of 2009 Lions could lead England into a new era, especially with the return of former prodigy Johnny Wilkinson. The powerful and experienced Andrew Sheridan and impressive as late replacement against the emerging boks Tim Payne, who looked to be the long-term successor to the ageing Phil Vickery, seemed sure to offer strong proping options. Lock Simon Shaw, who one journalist described as having the best game of his career against South Africa looked certain for a prolonged spell in the team, and the athletic Tom Croft’s versatility could provide numerous options in the pack. The ‘tree chopper’ Joe Worsley was an outside bet to make the Lions squad, but he too did himself justice with tough tackling and dogged displays.

In the backline Harry Ellis, Riki Flutey and Ugo Monye looked to be key Lions of which Johnson could build a division to rival the great backs of the 2003 world cup winning squad. Flutey’s quick pass to Shane Williams in the last test highlighted his immense skill and strong determination after coming back from an early injury during the tour, and Monye’s interception try showed how rapid the Harlequins man is.

Things looked bright for a strong end to 2009 for England, even if daunting tasks against southern hemisphere opposition laid ahead. So how are we discussing a weak performance against the Wallabies coupled with a poor showing out to Los Pumas.

Injuries have no doubt heavily debilitated resources at Johnson’s disposal. 10 leading props are on the casualty list, joined by Simon Shaw, Joe Worsley (for the Australia game), Nick Easter, Harry Ellis, Riki Flutey, Mike Tindall, and Delon Armitage. (who as it goes was unlucky not to make the Lions touring party). That is almost an entire XV Johnson has been deprived off, therefore critics should be quick to give him an inch to breathe in, as any coach would struggle without top players. (just ask Liverpool F.C. manager Rafa Benitez!)

Even so, the ordinary nature of recent displays and extreme number of errors asks questions of the players and coaching staff. It is my opinion that the team possesses too many wanderers, not good enough to cut the mustard at inernational level. Louis Deacon and James Haskell still look a bit weak against top class opposition, although Haskell’s game has come on slightly since he has moved abroad. It is in the backs where Johnson should look to blood new youngsters insead of continuing his fait in older players with less to offer. Both centres Dan Hipkiss and Shane Geraghty look to be out of their depth and Johnson could consider young Harlequin Jordan Turner-Hall or the slight but elusive Matthew Tait.

Or it may be that Will Carling, the former England wing is right in his calls for more experienced assistance for Johnson in the coaching staff. Carling believes Johnson is the man for the job, but could use abit of knowhow close to him to ease him into international coaching. Disgraced Quins boss Dean Richards was mentioned with tongue firmly in cheek, but someone of his stature and knowledge of the game would go a long way in progressing this England side.

Next up is New Zealand, a side not in their usual free-flowing form following a mixed tri-nations, but will none the less provide a stern test of opposition for England. Thankfully Shaw and Tait are back from injury although it is not known whether they will start. What is known that without an improved performance this saturday, the pressure is sure to mount on Martin Johnson and his backroom staff

Talk of World Cup success a little premature for England fans but Capello has given plenty of food for thought

England have qualified for the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa with relative ease under the guidance of strict Italian tactician Fabio Capello, and with it washing away the heart-ache of 2008 when the national side failed to make it to Euro 2008 when mis-managed by the now successul FC Twente boss Steve McClaren.

Lets start with the positives for England’s chances next summer, and there are many to bask in.
Firstly, in Wayne Rooney England have the star player for which the team needs to be built around. His impact at Euro 2004 when he was still a relatively inexperienced player was huge, and England would have no doubt gone further in the competition was it not for his cruel injury. Therefore Rooney needs to be placed as the primary centre forward, playing slightly off the advanced striker. There he can dictate attacks, run at the opposition, weave magic in the final third of the pitch without having to do too much work like he was often asked to do last season at Manchester United.
Rooney has scored 9 goals in qualifying and his presence in the team should not be undermined, even though at 24 he is still a rather young member of the squad. With the Merseysider as the focal point of the attack, every country will fear his threat. A traditional burly forward who will revel in the role, Rooney’s form and fitness are key in South Africa.

Another interesting development under Capello in the past 18 months has been the creation of the Lampard – Barry axis in central midfield. Whilst neither player would be described as a holding midfielder, together they shore up the side defensively, and Barry’s passing game and Lampard’s controlling style of play mean the team will not go without options when in possession of the ball.

An encouraging side affect of the Lampard – Barry axis is that it frees up Steven Gerrard to go out and do what he does best, attack the opposition in the final third of the pitch. Likely to be stationed on the left side of attack, the Liverpool man will not have to do as much tracking back and will hopefully feed of Rooney nicely. Then on the right England have a plethora of options to choose from, personally in order of Aaron Lennon, Theo Walcott, David Beckham and Shaun Wright-Phillips, who all have staked a case for inclusion in the team.

When you look further down the side to defence however, things do not lookso rosy. In goal a decision needs to be made on whether to stick ith Robert Green despite his recent red-card, or give the sometimes erratic David James the chance to keep nets in 2010. Stability is the key for me in goal, and i feel the defence would play a lot calmer if a constant goalkeeper was selected, with the alternatives of Ben Foster, Joe Hart and Scott Carson looking slightly weak.
The defence is a mixed bag. At full-back England are lucky enough to have two of the best attacking wing backs in the world in Liverpool’s Glen Johnson and Chelsea’s Ashley Cole, even if Johnson has been more than suspect when it comes to defending. In central defence John Terry is a standout marker and traditional England centre half and is arguably as important at the back as Rooney is up front. However Rio Ferdinand has been error prone in recent game and the cynic in me would  be tempted to give Ledley King a go, although his fitness is under a constant microscope, and West Ham’s Matt Upson and Man City’s Joleon Lescott not quite international class despite Capello’s keeness to give them both game time.

There is also a slight issue to be addressed up front. Emile Heskey has been the preferred striker of choice by Capello, as his physique and ball-holding skills allow the more natural talents of Rooney and Gerrard to drive games, although his weak strike rate really makes is inclusion difficult to grant, especially considering the form of players such as the useful Peter Crouch and the electric Jermain Defoe. However, Heskey probably balances the team better than the lighter weights of Defoe and Crouch.

Bearing injuries, form and fitness in mind i have selected my 23 man squad and my starting XI which i do feel is good enough to rival the best of the world – Spain, Brazil, Italy and so forth.

GK – Rob Green               RB – Glen Johnson            CB - John Terry             LB – Ashley Cole
          David James                    Micah Richards                 Rio Ferdinand                Joleon Lescott
          Ben Foster                                                                         Ledley King
                                                                                                         Matt Upson

RM – Aaron Lennon              CM - Frank Lampard          LM – Steven Gerrard           ST - Wayne Rooney
           Theo Walcott                           Gareth Barry                         Joe Cole                                  Emile Heskey
           David Beckham                       Owen Hargreaves                                                                   Jermain Defoe
                                                                                                                                                                         Peter Crouch

1st XI

                                                                                                      Green

                                  Johnson                          Terry                               King                       Cole

                                                                         Lampard                                 Barry

                           Lennon                                              Rooney                               Gerrard

                                                                      Heskey

Lions salvage pride and maintain the ethos and tradition of the outfit that helped them come so close to defeating the Springboks

The British and Irish Lions class of 2009 signed off their tour of South Africa with an emphatic consolation win in Johannesburg in the third test of the series, dominating over the Springboks in a 28-9 victory. Many players have come away from this tour having given the biggest performances of their life – Mike Phillips, Jamie Roberts and Simon Shaw to name but a few, and the squad will disperse back to the UK with their heads held high after giving the fans a true Lions test series in all its glory after Clive Woodward’s New Zealand nightmare in 2005 and Graham Henry’s mixed Australian bag in 2001.

Even so, for all the superlatives you can throw at this outstanding group of British and Irish warriors, who were not given a hope in hell by the South African media before the tour began, they have fallen short. As Paul O’Connell stated in his post-match interview; the squad as a whole will be left wondering how they lost the first two tests and didn’t manage to wrap up a test series victory and repeat the feats of the 1974 and 1997 Lions by defeating the Springboks in their own back yard.

And they have good reason to be disappointed: never before has the phrase “lies, damed lies, and statistics” been so appropriate. The Lions won on all fronts against the boks except what truly matters – test matches, outscoring their opponents 7 tries to 5, 74 points to 63 and on the man-of-the-match front with Simon Shaw and Shane Williams achieving the gong in the second and thid tests respectively. Counting these factors it is hard to understand how the boks won at all, but test matches are not won on paper and the South Africans were the more clinical and prolific side in the two telling first tests.

However, history will remember South Africa as the winners of the 2009 tour, 2-1 in tests, and although the Lions can be disappointed not to win a series in which they performed above expectations, they have restored the pride of their tradition and nailed a coffin in the argument that the challenge is not possible in the modern era. In 5 weeks Scottish coach Ian McGeechan moulded a group of individuals into a tight-knit squad that almost achieved the ultimate goal in rugby – surely now a Lions season must have the right amount of preparation for the players so that they have the best chance possibe of being winning tourists, starting in 2013 for Australia.

McGeechan has said he is “probably not” going to be involved in the 2013 Australia Lions tour, something that should worry the management in four years time. The Scot is the most successful Lions coach in history, with 4 tours as head, with 2 wins; 1989 and 1997, and 2 close series defeats in 1993 and now 2009, and is a man who encapsulates the spirit and tradition of what the organisation is all about. McGeechan, having been boss of the dirt-trackers in 2005, realised the need for change for this touring party and his size squad of 35 players contrasted heavily with Woodward’s inflated 45 and 21 backroom staff with even room for a spin doctor. As head coach this time around, he placed an emphasis on the camaraderie of previous tours, and made it clear the test team would be picked on form. By all accounts what he has done is to revitilise an oufit that was brought to its knees in New Zealand and people will be encouraged and excited for the trip down under in 2013.

This Lions vintage has been hailed by former players as one of the best ever, in spite of defeat, and the test series heralded as one of the greatest rugby union events in years. Ex-Wales scrum-half Gareth Edwards commended the players of their close fought encounter with the boks and former Scottish full-back Gavin Hastings said this Lions squad was one of the best he’s ever seen. Certaintly the interest in the tour has been lifted and all four home nations will be united for a crack at attaining a first series victory in what will be 16 years by the next test.

It is often commented by rugby pundits from Britain and Ireland that as a player you come back from a Lions tour vastly improved, and this year’s trip has seen huge transformations for many players. This South African team is probably the best in the world, and many Lions have held their own against the top players and can now be regarded in the higher echelons of world rugby too. Before the tour probably only Brian O’Driscoll was universally accepted as world class, now at least half-a-dozen Lions can be talked about in the same bracket as the talismancic Irishman.

Mike Phillips is the most physical and best scrum-half around at putting his team on the front foot. At 6 foot 3 and about 16 stone, the Welshman refused to bow to the script as the young pretending to Fourie Du Preez – the Springbok master, and has come away from this tour reputation glowing, with a new found ability to play at centre too!
Jamie Roberts is another Wales star who stole the show in SA, proving direct running and aggression is often second best to nothing. The Springboks had no answer to him in the first test, and his partnership with Brian O’Driscoll was one of the highlights of the tour. A medical student at Cardiff Uni, Roberts has a touch of brain to compliment his undoubted brawn, and was awarded the Lions player of the tour.
England lock Simon Shaw finally got his Lions test start in the decisive second test in Pretoria, and how he took it. Man-of-the-match and the best performance of his life Shaw was everywhere, solid in the line-out, a huge blundering prescence in the loose, and a disruptive influence to South African fluidity all over the park. After being told it was his best game after the match, the giant second-row was brought close to tears and can now bring down the curtains on his near 20 year career with sense of fulfilment and satisfaction.
Another Englishman Tom Croft proved his worth on tour, and really underlined how much of a shock it was that he didn’t make the initial squad with two first test tries. Croft has everything needed to be a back-row star with his pace and line-out prowess his most appealing features.
Irish full-back Rob Kearney did everything we thought Lee Byrne would do for the Lions this tour; kick extremely well from his left boot, use his pace and acceleration to beat defenders and take high ball effortlessly. Kearney has immensely enhanced his reputation and at the age of just 23 will surely be part of another Lions effort.
Finally we come to Jamie Heaslip, whose Hercules impersonation in the final test against the Springboks was oustanding. A strong runner, great passer of the ball and stout tackler his performances improved with every game.

The Lions know that they came close to winning, something South African captain John Smit acknowledged at the end of series dinner whilst also proclaiming utmost respect for the touring side and how it should forever continue, and although they did not triumph they have so much young talent – Croft, Kearney, Heaslip, Roberts, that Lions fan can already start to dream about a winning 2013 series.
As for South Africa, many of their players have now won everything the game has to offer, and although caused some controversy during the tour, with the ‘justice 4 Bakkies’ armband incident, Burger’s eye gauge and coach De Villier’s ridiculous comments further proving the heightened emotions that go hand in hand with a Lions tour, shaded the series and perhaps deserved too after their 12 year heartache. It was a tough and close fought series, one which enthralled, engrossed and excited rugby fans all over the world.

British and Irish Lions face Springboks in crucial first test in the ABSA Park arena, Durban

The waiting is nearly over for the first test of the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa.
At 3pm local time, the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will confront the Rugby World Champions and probably the best side in the world at the moment.

The Lions, while not being emphatically convincing in all of their victories have clocked up six wins from six games, an 100% record not bettered by a Lions team for over 20 years. Head coach Ian McGeechan has been pleased with the tour so far and impresed with the battle hardened nature of his side and the way they have ground out victories. As Martin Williams, the Welsh openside flanker, stated in his blog for the BBC Sport Website that it is the close fought games from which a team learns more about itself.

Even so, for me I think the games that have really set the Lions up for the first test in Durban on saturday are the two of which they produced their best rugby, blistering pace in the backline combining with steel and prowess of the forwards. These two matches, albeit against heavily weakened sides – highlighted how the Lions when on top form have a very good chance of beating the formidable Springboks. The second game of the tour against the Golden Lions saw the British and Irish Lions run in 10 tries in a 72-10 demolition, with the fourth match against a tough Natal Sharks outfit seeing them produce half that amount of scores, 5, along with an outstanding team effort.

The players who performed so admiriably in these games, with a few exceptions, practically make up the test side announced yesteray. Only captain Paul O’Connell and full-back Lee Byrne started one of these matches where the Lions looked their best, and with Byrne impressing throughout the tour and O’Connell a focal point of the pack, it is easy to see why the management have opted for this lighter but more creative line-up.

Byrne, who missed out on selection for the 2007 World Cup, has risen up the ranks again and rebuilt his confidence to become arguably the best full-back in the world, whose catching and kicking from his left boot will be key for the Lions if they want to dominate territorially against the Boks. The Welshman will start in an attacking back three with England star Ugo Monye and Irishman Tommy Bowe. A suprise squad selection, Monye only really has one full season of international rugby behind him, but his finishing prowess and solid defensive attributes have allowed him to leapfrog out of form Shane Williams and Luke Fitzgerald. The other winger Tommy Bowe, is a fantastic runner of the ball and combines his pace and trickery on the flanks with soft hands in the pass, will add an extra dimension to the Lions backline after superlative performances in the Six Nations.

Centres Jamie Roberts and Brian O’Driscoll seem to have developed a strong understanding in the middle of the park, with backline moves flowing with at time telepathic ease. Roberts recently told of his suprise at his own meteoric rise to stardom. During the last Lions outing he was doing a tour of his own around Europe with some friends after completing his A-levels. The medicine student will now be out on the pitch hoping that his parternship with Irish great O’Driscoll can herald success. O’Driscoll himself will have a point to prove in this game after playing just a minute on his last tour after being injured against the All Blacks. The class of the outside centre is evident from the way he plays and his influnce and experience will be needed for the Lions if they have any chance of winning the test.

In the half-backs the Lions will look to the Welsh pairing of Stephen Jones and Mike Phillips. Jones has been a mixed bag so far during the tour, at times marshalling the side with control and authority, but also showing signs of nervousness in his final warm-up game against Western Province. Nonetheless, the Scarlets half back is preferred to Ronan O’Gara, most likely due to his greater physicality. Mike Phillips was the obvious choice at scrum half, his ability to provide a solid link between backs and forwards and his large prescence his strongest features.

In the forwards, the Lions will look to attack South Africa in the scrum and the loose, as they are likely to come off second best at the line-out due to the world-class pairing of Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha dominating that area in most instances. For this reason McGeechan has picked a mobile and agile pack who will try to unsettle Springbok fluidity. Gethin Jenkins has been rewarded for his great form at International level with Wales with a test start ahead of the better scrummger Andrew Sheridan, but the Cardiff Blues prop has the quality to make tackles and hit the ball up in open play, a more rounded front row forward than his Sale counterpart. Lee Mears, who prepared for the tour to South Africa by working out in an altitude chamber to adapt to the different surroundings on the African continent, took advantage of the injury to first-choice Jerry Flannery. Phil Vickery shades the tight-head role for his experience and leadership honed in over a decade of top-level rugby.

The second row pairing of Paul O’Connell and Alyn Wyn Jones have a massive task ahead of them in the form of possibly the best Springbok locks in history. Having opting against a more physical partner for O’Connell, in the form of Hines, O’Callaghan or Shaw, coach McGeechan will be looking for Jones and O’Connell to compensate by their contributions in open play.

The back-row for the Lions perhaps hold the key to the first test. Much has been made of the Lions’ deficiences at the breakdown, and the two flankers, David Wallace and Tom Croft and No.8 Jamie Heaslip will have their work cut out to improve a part of the game that has really been lacking from McGeechan’s side. If these guys can come out on top against a strong Springbok trio of Heinrich Brussow, Juan Smith and Pierre Spies, then the Lions stand a chance.

The Lions face a must win game in Durban before the 2nd and 3rd tests which will be played at altitude, and I really do believe they can win this first test. The Springboks may be a little rusty after most of their players having not played for up to 7 weeks, and the Lions must take full advantage of this to hit the South Africans hard in the first half if they have any chance of triumphing over the full 80. Stephen Jones is the key man for the Lions for me, as his kicking and marshalling of the side will be needed to make sure the backline flows and the forwards put in the work in the South African 22. A big game for every player involved, the first test of this Lions series is sure to be explosive.

The jekyll and hyde of Lions selection

Good and Bad. That would be my assessment of the squad selected for the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa for the summer. Ian McGeechan opted for force over flair, with the idea of ’fronting up’ against the Springbok pack’s front five, where he sees the opposition weakness to be most evident. Whilst Peter De Villiers side aren’t exactly lacking in the second-row, it remains to be seen whether or not C J Van der Linde will start at prop or the coach will continue to punish him for his Irish excursion by replacing him with moving John Smit from hooker to prop – a move which will offer the Lions hope of destroying the Springbok front row.

With this in mind, McGeechan has looked for brute strength in the Lions front-row, and with Gethin Jenkins, Andrew Sheridan and Jerry Flannery, i am confident Britain will triumph in an area we are renowned for developing class players in. Alongside this positive, is the ballsy selection of Munster’s Keith Earls, who anyone has watched for Munster would be happy to embrace. Earls is a new player to many outside Ireland, and without experience at the top-level, may be a risk but may be an inspired choice – similar to the Scot’s decision to take the uncapped Will Greenwood in 1997.

With the captaincy being given to Paul O’Connell (top left) i feel the coaches have pulled a masterstroke. It would have been very difficult not to give the Lions armband to a grand-slam winning captain – Brian O’Driscoll – but this way the Leinster centre can focus on putting in big hits and orchestrating the backs while the Munster man is in a more natural position to lead the forwards – where the focus of the test series surely rests. As much to do with the choice is McGeechan ’s tendancy to pick a captain whose physical stature dwarfs others – as he has done in the past with Martin Johnson – and in O’Connell you have over 17 stone of Irish beef who stands in at 6 foot 6 inches.
Another decision that should be lauded is the management teams insistence to pick players on form, not reputation. Players on top of their game like Leigh Halfpenny, Riki Flutey, Simon Shaw and Stephen Ferris were all rightly included with Johnny Wilkinson, Ryan Jones and Steve Borthwick deservedly being left out.

However my bone of contention is with some players who have put in blistering performances recently for club and country and have been unforgivenly overlooked. Tom Croft, of England and Leicester is a fantastic forward who just about every pundit, fan and player would have included in their own Lions squad. He has the pace for the South African hard grounds, offers an extra option in the line out and has the perfect blend of control and aggression to complement the rugged back-rowers David Wallace and Martyn Williams. But the coaches obviously saw something no one else did to feel the need to leave him out of a 37-man squad. I believe an injustice has occured. Delon Armitage, Thom Evans, Ross Ford, Ian Gough and Mike Blair can also feel unlucky not to have made the cut (although Blair still may make the initial squad after Tomas O’Leary’s injury) however the pedigree of their alternatives make the verdicts easier to stomach. Replacements are inevitable in the high-intensity and physical nature of Lions tours and some of these players will get a chance if injuries do occur.

Rugby correspondents have voiced mixed reviews for the announced squad. David Hands highlighted those missing out of the plane whilst Stephen Jones felt the element of suprise was lost in such a foward orientated squad and Stuart Barnes bemoaned the lack of a golden no. 10. Personally, i think the Lions selectors have gone back to basics when naming their British and Irish contingent. Much has been made of the forward battle, the hard grounds of the South African pitches and the high-veldt altitude but not a lot of a theme i believe McGeechan holds as vital as any.

Attitude – and not strictly determined, lights out at 10 and no fun attitude – but the notion that a happy squad of tourists will be able to conjure up the kind of performances needed to win a Lions series.
The likes of Donncha O’Callaghan, Alan Quinlan, Andy Powell and Tommy Bowe will do much to keep the jokes flowing and create an atmosphere around the squad of enjoyment – a feature always likely to be transferred into strong displays on the pitch. I feel the management have got the balance of ‘dirt trackers’ (players for the midweek team) and test starters with the likes of Matthew Rees, Nathan Hines, Joe Worsley, Keith Earls and Ugo Monye all likely to start in the midweek side and have every chance of forcing their way in the first team – a process almost impossible in Woodward’s pre-chosen favourites in 2005’s Kiwi tour.
Overall, any Lions squad is going to be controversial, and the jekyll and hyde nature of some of McGeechan’s decisions are apparent but the more you delve into the Scot’s mindset – it becomes easier to understand the plans that he believes will lead to a test series victory on the African continent.

Classy Arshavin just the tonic Arsenal needed for second-half of the season

Before the signing of the former Zenit St. Petersburg forward (pictured) , Arsenal were a side in dire straits. 5th in the Premiership trailing a strong Aston Villa side; Arsene Wenger’s side looked an outside bet to grab a Champions League spot, and although looking solid in the cup competitions, Arsenal, a side who revel in attacking football looked to be lacking an extra dimension in the final third of the pitch.

Since the Russian playmaker’s move to the North London giants in January – or to be accurate February as he signed on in the delayed window due to poor weather (and two minutes before it shut) – his good form coincided with key players returning to fitness and Aston Villa’s free-fall has seen the Gunners secure a likely 4th spot in the League and the club has taken that high morale to reach the F.A. Cup semi-finals and the last four of the European Cup.

Andrey Arshavin announced his arrival in style in England against Liverpool in the league with a four goal display in the 4-4 draw. His finishing and predatory instincts were absolutely essential in an otherwise ordinary Red and White performance. Arsenal have longed for a player to finish off all their sublime interplay but have seemed to lack a out and out goalscorer since the departure of Thierry Henry to Barcelona in 2007. Adebayor filled the role last year with a good goalscoring return, but has failed to live up to the heights this year and although Robin Van Perise seems to be coming good, they have both been injured for large chunks of the season.

The karaoke-singing, baby-faced Russian star has adapted his game in the three months he has had in England and shown some of the talent that made him the most sought after player last summer, and led Arsenal to shell out close to $15 million to secure his signature. Arshavin gives Arsenal that extra dimension, able to create something out of nothing and combine classy build-up play with accurate finishing, simply put; he is a great player, who has a knack of finding the net.

His finishing and talent were both on display against Liverpool, with his first and third goals against Rafa Benitez’s side proving his ability and a 6-yard goalscorer, his second exhibiting his flair from long range and his last goal highlighting his composure in front of goal. It is just a shame he will not be able to demonstrate his genius on the European stage, cup-tied for already playing for Zenit St. Petersburg earlier in the competition. (which if you ask me is an ignorant rule that simply prohibits the chances of a player transferring mid-season)

Arshavin has shown his team-mates and his fans that what he offers is an immense talent that fits in with the Wenger philosophy of attractive football. Not often are the Arsenal manager’s signings always met with unanamous delight -considering some of the younger and lesser known players he signs – but this Easter European was rightly met with unheralded joy by the Gunners fans and if his early promise is to be fulfilled, so too will all fans of the best football league in the world.

Champions League experience key to England’s hopes in 2010 World Cup

Since the formerly entitled European Cup incorporated more than just the champions of European leagues and added a round-robin group phase to create the current Uefa Champions League in 1992, England has only produced three out of the four semi-finalists in three occassions out of a possible seventeen times, so to state an English hegemony on the competition’s modern history may be exaggerated, but considering the fact that they have come in three successive seasons (including this one) from 2007 does suggest a certain dominance from Premier League clubs.

This season’s semi-finals line up as Manchester United against Arsenal and Chelsea facing Barcelona. United got through against Porto by calling upon superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to hit a spectacular strike which knocked the stuffing out of the home team and re-inforced his credentials as one of the worlds leading players. Arsenal eased into the last four with a solid win at the Emirates stadium against Villareal, a chip from Theo Walcott, stab from Emmanual Adebayor and a penalty from Robin Van Persie sealing an easy victory. Barcelona were in the driving seat for their return leg versus Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena because of their four goal romp the previous week and a goal apiece from midfielders Franck Ribery and Seydou Keita scored a draw on the night, with Josep Guardiola’s men going through on aggregate. The most exciting tie of the round came at Stamford Bridge where Liverpool battled against the odds of a 3-1 deficit to stage an unlikely comeback only to fall to a Franck Lampard strike minutes from time (Pictured, right). 4 goals apiece the second leg ended, with Chelsea’s Alex, Lampard, Didier Drogba and Liverpool’s Fabio Aurelio, Xabi Alonso, Lucas and Dirk Kuyt all getting on the scoresheet with Guud Hidink’s side progressing.

The fact that England has given three out of the four Champions League semi-finalists in triple successive seasons is a fantastic acheivement for the Premier League but what has it done for the Fabio Capello’s national side? Manchester United have been the most consistent of the English sides in that time, appearing in all three semis, and Liverpool the most successful, winning the competition and finishing runners up once since 2007, but it can be said that the Italian coach has only permanently placed Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney as fixtures in his first tam XI from those teams. Capello is often heard to say that although the number of English players in the Premier League is lower than he would like - at around 40% - the strong quality of the players available shines through. If he is basing his view on our league in that way, then surely the Champions League would be the best place to see this quality develop.

It is seen that the experience picked up by English players in this competition will be invaluable in preparing them for international tournaments and continued dominance of our clubs can only be a good thing for the national team, as long as enough homegrown players are involved. It is expected that around 10 English players will play a key part in the semi-finals, and that is excluding the likes of Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs – not yet in the England set up – and long term injury absentees Joe Cole and Owen Hargreaves.

Although it is not known how much the rigours of Champions League football affect the chances of a nation in international competitions, recent winners of the World Cup – Italy, and European Championship – Spain, both have had hugely successful teams in the premier European club competition, and had domestic players plying their trade in those teams that made it to the final stages. Spainard David Villa improved drastically after he transferred to Valencia and got a taste of the Champions League, and David Silva too rounded his game after top level European competition. Italy’s Daniel De Rossi has become a world-class holding midfielder much thanks to his European nights with Roma and the same can be said of Milan’s Andrea Pirlo. Juventus’ defence became the Italian national team’s rearguard as Gianluca Zambrotta, Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluigi Buffon grew as players battling against the best teams from Europe.

From an English point of view it may help with the continued problem of underperforming at major international tournaments. England have recently gone into tournaments harbouring high hopes but have failed to deliver when it has really mattered. But the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool continually making the latter stages of the top European club competition against the best teams in the world may yet have a striking effect on English players.

Theo Walcott, under the guidance of Gunner boss Arsene Wenger, this season threatened to become the sort of right winger that his potential offered. A mainstay in the Arsenal first team thanks to Alex Hleb’s move abroad, Walcott was sorely missed during his injury absence, and 5 goals from 20 starts is a solid return from a striker still learning a more natural wingers role. His quality at club level has began to shone on the international stage too, after his superb hat-trick against Croatia in the World-Cup qualifiers, and the 20-year-old should be allowed to showcase his talent on the right side for England in South Africa next summer, beating off competition from the underperforming David Bentley, ageing David Beckham and potent but inconsistent Aaron Lennon. Theo’s chip against Villareal (left) set Arsenal up to cruise through the quarter-finals, and when fouled in the box in the second-half, ensured safe progress to the last four.

I believe that the experience picked up from Champions League games will stand English players in good stead to do well in international tournaments, starting in South Africa in 2010. I believe our team next summer should bear this in bind, and base itself around these players, with John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Theo Walcott, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney the fulcrum of the squad.

Do footballing greats always become quality football managers? Alan Shearer – Jury still out but what of his Euro 96 team-mates

With Andy Carroll’s goal 10 minutes from time salvaging Newcastle United a point against fellow relegation battler Stoke City, and with it former England great Alan Shearer’s first points as temporary coach still leaving the Magpies with an uphill struggle to stay in the Premier League, the debate over whether past stars become top managers rages on.

Shearer, (pictured, right) a classic English centre-forward in his time, took over the reigns at St. James’ temporarily park after current boss Joe Kinnear was taken ill, and as of yet has still to take his UEFA pro licence coaching course, a qualification needed to take charge of any top-level club in UEFA boundaries for more than 12 weeks. Shearer insists he will not stay longer than his caretaker role ensues but considering Kinnear could happily move to a boardroom position and the fans are sure to want the geordie legend to stay with the club, it seems entirely possible that he will stay beyond the original limit.

Since hanging up his boots in 2006, the former Blackburn and Southampton player has shown little interest or desire to take up management, rebuffing attempts from the F.A. to become a coach under Capello’s watch, and numerous times dampening down speculation of becoming Newcastle boss, instead preferring to focus on his job as a pundit for the BBC and his charity work. So it seems a wonder why he has risked his reputation on a Newcastle team so often devoid of enthusiasm and spark this season. One would obviously point to the fact that his beloved Toon may well suffer relegation, and living with the thought that he could have done something to help may well be the reason.

But what has the impact of Shearer achieved thus far? One point from six would suggest not a lot, and with no previous experience of management what can he be expected to do aside from spur on his players with tales of glory days in the black and white shirt, or give his players the boost of playing under someone many off them will respect and believe in.

Shearer is not the first English manager to take over at a club on reputation as a player alone  you can suddenly be a grade-A manager because you had all the attributes as a player is not water tight.

Arguably the most successful managers of the modern era in the Premier League – Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho – all had modest playing careers at best. So why do clubs continually put their faith in past pro’s when they have not proved that they can cut the mustard.
MK Dons, formally Wimbledon F.C. now based in Milton Keynes, are keen practicers of the trade having seen their recent successes under the guidance of former Manchester United star Paul Ince and now ex-Chelsea midfielder Roberto di Matteo. What makes it even more intriguing is these players never played for the club they managed, so why did the Dons feel the gamble was the right option? Increased crowds looking to see a famous face manage their local club? the increased exposure? Whatever the reason they did, and both times MK Dons have profited from the wealth of experience these players brought to the side.

It doesn’t always work out as nicely as it did in Buckinghamshire for all former players-come-managers. To take a look at the team-mates of Alan Shearer at Euro 96 gives a mixed report for the chances of ex-pro’s trying their luck at running a side as effectively as their played within one.

Out of the 21 squad members led by Terry Venables on home soil to only England’s second semi-final in any major tournament (excluding Shearer), 6 are retired are yet to have moved into management, 3 are of have been coaches, 4 were unsuccessful managers at top level, 6 are still playing and only 2 can be considered to have become good bosses – Stuart Pearce and Gareth Southgate – and even that is debatably given Pearce’s troubles at Man City and Southgate’s current problems with Middlesborough. 

The most intriguing post-player career is certainly that of midfielder Steve Stone, who shunned the chance to be a manager to train as a Herbal Therapist and now runs a therapy centre in North Yorkshire. However, the normal template for former players is to either become a pundit, as high-profile examples Jamie Redknapp with SkySports or Steve McManaman with SetantaSports have done, attempt coaching but ultimately give up unsuccessfully as Paul Gascogine, David Platt and Steve Howey did or respectively work your way up the coaching ladder taking the essential qualifications to become a manager, a route Paul Ince and Tony Adams chose. However, invariably most players find it difficult to replicate their efforts on the field in a postion of management, as Ince and Adams found.

Out of the 20 Premier League managers at the moment, only five were capped at international level – Martin O’Neill (Aston Villa) Mark Hughes (Man City), Gianfranco Zola (West Ham), Gareth Southgate (Middlesborough) and Alan Shearer (Newcastle) – although many enjoyed stellar if not spectacular playing careers. The top four clubs – Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal – are all managed by players that never touched the heights as a player as they have done so as a manager and there is an argument that it is impossible to be a great player and a great manager. That may not be true, as O’Neill & co. prove but it certainly seems that the tide of opinion is swaying against managers who were once players of note.

Two players from the Euro 96 squad – Steve McManaman and Sol Campbell – have both expressed an interest in one day becoming managers, but both mentioned the negative reaction to ex-players like Paul Ince and Tony Adams as detrimental to chances of young managers fresh from their playing careers.

It seems some teams are willing to give young ex-pro English managers a chance, like MK Dons and Newcastle, at the top at least it remains very much upon achievements and reputation for what you can do as a coach and not what you did on the pitch that dictates if you get a big job or not. And if it continues that way then England are likely to have a foreign manager more often that not.

Intriguing first leg of Quarter-Finals leaves questions unanswered in the Champions League for British clubs as Barcelona take centre stage

The Quarter-Finals of this season’s premier European club competition were supposed to see English representatives walk into the semis and reproduce three of the last four teams that the Barclays Premiership have done in the previous two seasons, with a club from the most famed league in the world eventually taking the title home. However, it looks like Barcelona are the early favourites to wreck the party and celebrate only a third Champions League triumph in their illustrious history.

Sides from the Iberian Peninsula – F.C. Porto flying the flag for Portugal, Villarreal and Barcelona representing Spain – threaten to dominate the closing stages of the tournament, in stark contrast to 2006-07 and 2007-08’s penultimate round. Porto snatched a late equaliser at Old Trafford, their second goal of the evening, leaving Manchester United needing a win or at least a three apiece spectacle to win the tie in normal time next week at the Estádio do Dragão. Villarreal put in a dogged display against a resilient Arsenal with moments of genius from the Brazilian (now naturalised Spanish) Marcos Senna and Gunners back-from-injury Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor leaving the game tantalisingly close at 1-1, to be resumed at the Emirates next Wednesday. The all English game between Liverpool and Chelsea bellied belief, as Torres’ early strike was overcome by two headers from defender Branislav Ivanovic and an effort from front man Didier Drogba, to allow Guus Hiddink a certain freedom in the resulting tie at Stamford Bridge. Away from these fascinating matches, the Camp Nou witnessed German side Bayern Munich’s biggest Champions League defeat, suffering a 4-0 humiliation to Josep Guardiola’s dazzling side.

Arsenal suffered a poor start against the ‘Yellow Submarines’ at the Estádio El Madrigal after conceding within the first ten minutes, but it looked harsh on the North London side, who had begun just as brightly as the hosts, and were unlucky to go into the break behind, having lost goalkeeper Manuel Almunia and defender William Gallas to injury, both likely to miss the return leg. Arsene Wenger’s young side looked to pull it together a bit in the second half and a fantastic lofted through ball from Cesc Fabregas saw Adebayor produce a stunning acrobatic effort (pictured, top right) to equalise, announcing his return to form, a fact that will surely be called upon at the Emirates Stadium for the return leg if Arsenal are to progress. The Gunners do seem to be in the driving seat to make the semi-finals and will be buoyed from their resolute performance and stealing an away goal.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson publicly backed his side to see off Porto in the second leg and take their place in the semi-final, but he must be privately worried by the Red Devils slump in form. It seems United are stumbling at the final hurdle, energy, form and threat deserting them in recent games. The 3-2 result against Villa gave the team a munch needed lift before the Porto clash, but youngster Federico Machedo’s last minute winner did much to overshadow a thoroughly dull and bleak performance from Ferguson’s side. Betting against Man Utd is not to be done so lightly, as so many times have this side come back from the brink to succeed, but their decline in form and the fact that they aren’t relying on players coming back from injury to lift them mean that Porto are the favourites to make the last four. 

Liverpool failed to convert the impetus of their late Premier League challenge when going down 3-1 at home to Chelsea. Fernando Torres fired the club into an early Anfield lead, but the Reds failed to deal with the aerial threat of Serb Branislav Ivanović, who scored two headers either side of half time, and when Didier Drogba tapped home from six yards, (left) the tie was perhaps sealed in the West London club’s favour, although neither side will be looking forward to the prospect of facing the Spanish giants from Catalan in the next round.

Barcelona looked unstoppable as they attacked their way to a rampant 4-0 victory over Bayern Munich at Camp Nou, looking the full package that the club has been promising for so many years, with a frontline second to none. Jurgen Klinsmann watched on as his team’s defence was continually cut apart as Barcelona tore into the German club’s ranks from the off. You have to feel for the former national team boss, who only this week allowed BBC Sport an insight into his coaching techniques, an up and coming manager whose advanced American training techniques and Buddha statues look lost on a squad who seem to lack the strength, depth and enthusiasm needed at this level. His forages into management with Germany initially looked impressive, taking an underperforming side to the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2006, but Munich’s outlay for the former Tottenham striker to turn the club into one of the leading lights of Europe looks to be nearing a premature end, with president Franz Beckenbauer labeling their first half display against Barcelona as “without doubt, the worst football in Bayern’s history.” So much for the next big chapter for the Bavarians, who look set to be dumped out of the competition in 6 days time.

The Spanish side did all the damage in the first half, with Lionel Messi slotting two well taken goals, Samuel Eto’o taking a poacher’s effort, and Thierry Henry scoring a trademark goal. Barcelona really could have had half a dozen by half time, and the way they put Bayern to the sword really emphasises their credentials as foremost contenders.

Josep Guardiola really has changed something to this season’s standout team, as Barcelona have gone from La Liga losers to Domestic and European batterers, with practically the same squad of players, except for the addition of galloping full-back Dani Alves. Everyone had heard of what the ex-Sevilla man could do, and it must surely be the heavy price tag for a defender that put off other potential suitors, as the Brazilian has been in mesmeric form this season. Carlos Puyol has also stood out the back, as the team’s captain and rock in the heart of defence; he can always be called upon to demonstrate how to coolly control oncoming attackers. In midfield, Guardiola has employed a three man system, one holding with two creators ready to unleash the exciting front three, with Yaya Toure, brother of Arsenal’s Kolo, usually preferred to Seydou Keita as the defensive pinnacle, and Spain’s Xavi and Andreas Iniesta pulling the strings. Up front, however, is where Barcelona really impress. Ever since 2007, when Thierry Henry joined the club, it was a difficult task to accommodate four forwards; Samuel Eto’o, Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and the French striker. Guardiola’s answer: to sell Ronaldinho, and what a masterstroke it was. With Henry cutting in from the left and not shackled with defensive duties, Messi dribbling from the right in Maradonna fashion, and Eto’o calmly slotting the goals from a central role, it seems President Joan Laporta has finally found the coach to implement a successful, but exhilarating style of play. Forget total football, La Blaugrana look a step ahead of the rest and a sure bet to lift the trophy in Rome on the the 27^th May.

 

 

 

 

England defeat Ukraine to all but seal World Cup bid in 2010

England coach Fabio Capello was pleased with a 2-1 triumph over a dogged Ukraine side at Wembley Stadium. The win all but secures a World Cup spot for the Three Lions, with games away to Kazakhstan and at home to Andorra only in the way of a perfect qualifying campaign, as the tournament in South Africa next summer looms.
The defeat of Ukraine was far from straightforward and a laboured English side only sealed victory with a John Terry effort five minutes from time. Andriy Shevchenko, $30 million Chelsea flop and now national team supersub, played his part and equalised after coming on in the second half, after Peter Crouch proved his worth in the starting line up with a side-on bicycle kick score on the half hour mark. Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, the two men most key to Capello’s plans, were at the heart of everything encouraging England did and worried the Ukraine defence throughout, the Manchester United striker coming close with an overhead kick, the Liverpool talisman curling a free-kick inches wide of the scrambling goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov. Captained by Terry, England did dominate the first half but let their standards slip in the second and were lucky to come out with the three points, Beckham’s cross vital to the late goal that has allowed English fans to dream of the upcoming World Cup.

However, a nation with the size and resources such as England should have no problems in qualifying for major tournaments, and Capello has done well to bring back the confidence to his side that dwindled under Eriksson and was non-existent under McClaren, who is proving himself far from a failure with FC Twente in Holland.
Much has been made of the Italian manager’s discipline, from banning butter at the breakfast table to forcing the squad to wear unfashionable tracksuits, but his team seem to have got the message that hard work and sustained effort will bring them success, and so far during the former Real Madrid boss’ tenure it seems to be working.

Five wins out of five in the qualifying group is exactly what the FA would have wanted when they appointed Capello, and England, although not looking like the finished article, have a certain purpose and directness about them which will see them go to South Africa with higher aspirations than they have had in previous tournaments. England have more points at this stage than Croatia, Portugal, France, Czech Republic, Russia and Italy, and have showed more consistency and confidence than those teams. There are still many strong teams in Europe that will pose a threat to the Three Lions during the World Cup, with Spain in iressitable form with Fernando Torres and David Villa firing off the strings pulled by Xavi, David Villa and Cesc Fabregas, the Netherlands putting together some of the total football they are renonwed for, and Germany marching towards South Africa with increased efficiency. Outside Europe, genuine contenders do look hard to come by. Brazil seem to lack quality in the middle of the pitch, with youngsters Anderson and Hernanes still waiting for a run in the first team, coach Dunga preferring the ageing Gilberto Silva and unpredictable Elano. Argentina, although able to call upon the attacking force of Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez, and growing under the guidance of Maradonna, sufferred a 6-1 annihilation against lowly Bolivia recently. Inane at this point to write off the South American greats, and with Chile and Paraguay impressing, the continent may still produce the World Cup winner, even if this time around their teams seem weaker.

By 2010 England should have been able to build a formidable and talented squad to tackle the world’s best, as the quality of players at Capello’s disposal has no doubt increased in recent seasons. Even if only 40% of the Premiership is made up of English players, as the Italian tactician is quick to point out, this just highers the levels of performance expected of them and many young homegrown players are thriving under these conditions. Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor are attempting the crack the top four monopoly with Aston Villa, Theo Walcott is ever improving under the tutelage of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, Leighton Baines, Joleon Lescott and Phil Jagielka impressing at Goodison Park and Ben Foster beginning to show signs of being a top drawer keeper at Manchester United. Some of these players will play a key part in South Africa, the rest add to the strengh and depth of the squad that is becoming much more apparent in this England team than those of previous seasons.

I feel England, with all these considerations taken into account, have as good as chance as any team to win the 2010 World Cup. The squad is robust, united and has a fair amount of flair amongst it. In recent tournaments, poor decisions and bad luck contributed to failure, with Eriksson selecting the untested Theo Walcott ahead of safe bets Andy Johnson, Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent amid an injury crisis, and penalty shootouts often knocking England out of competitions. If Capello’s team play with the same ambition and drive they have done so in the qualifying games then England’s so called Golden Generation may bring back the most coveted prize in football.