Russia Favourites To Get World Cup In 2018

We are just two days away from finding out who will be hosting the World Cup in 2018 and 2022. The countries in contention of getting the opportunity to host the 2018 World Cup are Russia, England, Holland/Belgium and Spain/Portugal. As all of these teams are European, no European country can bid for the 2022 World Cup. That's why, as you might have noticed, the standard of countries bidding for the 2022 World Cup is quite poor.

Personally, as an Englishman, I would love to see England get the World Cup for 2018. Unlike some of the other bidding countries, there is no need for FIFA to worry about stadiums being ready on time because all of the stadiums are set (well most of them anyway). The only thing, I think, that is going against England, is that they have already hosted the competition in 1966. I'm sure FIFA would like to pass the honour around.

Russia are favourites, and why not? They have some great stadiums, but unlike England, if they do get the honor, they are planning on building many new stadiums. I know they will have eight years to build them but I would prefer to have no pressure at all. So for me, it's a straight sprint between England and Russia to see who will be hosting the 2018 World Cup.

Two other bidding countries have been flying under the radar a bit, and both of those are joint bids. You have Holland/Belgium and Spain/Portugal. I'm not really surprised the Holland/Belgium bid hasn't been getting a lot of attention but I am surprised that the Spain/Portugal bid hasn't. So I wouldn't be surprised, unlike some, if Spain and Portugal get it.

I didn't talk about the 2022 World Cup bids, purely because, in football terms, I don't know enough about each country.

World Cup 2018             World Cup Bid 2022
England                           Australia            USA
Russia                             Japan
Spain/Portugal                 Qatar
Holland/ Belgium              South Korea

I would love to hear your comments and predictions that you may have.

El Clásico proves Barcelona and Real Madrid still a world apart

Many dubbed it the biggest club game in football history. With 209 meetings between the two sides that represent the political and cultural dichotomy prevalent throughout much of Spain, thirteen world champions on hand, the two most recent Ballon d'Or winners and the three most recent top scorers in the UEFA Champions League present, one club being just two points ahead of the other atop La Liga, and it being the most watched club football game on the planet other than the UEFA Champions League Final, the historic rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid had seldom received this much hype and buildup or felt more important.

Then came Monday night.

A cold, damp evening on the sodden pitch of the Nou Camp saw the 210th meeting between these two hated foes turn into a massacre of (somewhat) unexpected proportions as Barcelona thrashed visiting Real Madrid 5-0 to leapfrog Los Blancos and take the wheel as league leaders in Spain’s top-flight division.

We all know what happened, and in the aftermath of the destruction, as is typical in any big showdown between two heavyweights, pundits across the globe have been putting pen to paper (that expression is obsolete, but so be it) to tell their respective tales and opine about the more surprising storyline: Barça’s romp or Real’s whomp.

Ever since I was hired and agreed to come teach in Spain for a year at the end of this past spring, I had been looking forward to this match. Having only been to Barcelona once before when I was nine (and having partied a little too hard to remember it, apparently), I had planned on journeying up to Catalunya for the weekend and shelling out however many Euros it would take to get me inside Europe’s largest stadium to feast my eyes on the greatest rivalry in all of sports.

Let’s just say a weekend trip to Lisbon proved to be a bit less expensive than my venture to BCN might have been, and I figured since I’d be flying back from Cristiano Ronaldo’s former home to his new home, I’d still be able to catch some of the action on television in the Spanish capital.

Wrong again.

My bus from Madrid to Granada was scheduled to depart at 7:30 and arrive in Andalucía just after midnight, meaning I’d miss what was supposed to be the most exciting Clásico yet. My only hope was for my bus’s thirty-minute break to coincide with a piece of the action.

Luckily, it did.

The trip was one of the rockiest I had ever experienced via coach in my twenty-three years of existence, the light fixture above me that I needed to write things down was out, and my BlackBerry’s 3G network was having serious problems picking up a signal for most of the ride, but ultimately I managed to discover that Xavi and Pedro had found the back of the net and were sitting pretty at halftime 2-0 over Real. About fifteen minutes later the bus stopped. I walked into the bar and ordered a bocadillo de jamon y queso just as the second half was getting underway.

It didn’t take long for Barça to add insult to injury with a pair of David Villa strikes in the 55th and 58th minutes that doubled the home side’s lead over their rivals, who were lost in a sea of bewilderment and consternation. It was after the former Valencia forward’s second goal when I swallowed my last bite of baguette, cured meat, and olive oil, and headed back to the bus with several minutes to spare before the bus resumed its journey; I didn’t need to see anymore.

It should be noted that I am not a Real Madrid fan, so it’s not as if my emotions had been severely damaged by what I had just witnessed. To be fair, I appreciate the way Barcelona play, but am also a big fan of José Mourinho, the man in charge of the Catalan club’s most threatening opposition.

No, I left the bar because what I had seen in those three minutes had demonstrated to me what most of us already know: that football is a team game, and therefore, you win as a team.

One need only to have watched (or, eh-hem, seen the highlights of) Barcelona’s celebration after Xavi flicked the ball past Iker Casillas in the tenth minute for the game’s opening goal that sent the Nou Camp faithful into a thunderous uproar to confirm this notion, and catch a glimpse of Barcelona’s team-oriented mentality. After the talismanic midfielder ran wild down the goal line, there were no fewer than seven of his teammates in-tow, each one of them eager to pounce on their revered goal-scorer.

Barcelona’s possessive and meticulous style of play sold itself on this point. Intricate passing, perfectly-weighted through-balls, timely runs, composed finishing, and selfless play in general led to the demolition of (historically) Europe’s most successful club—their first defeat of the season and first under Mourinho, who was making his first return to the Nou Camp since April when he oversaw a defiant second-leg loss with Inter that still propelled the eventual champions to the UCL Final in Madrid 3-2 on aggregate.

After watching Barcelona’s bedazzling performance on Monday night, there will be many who will wonder exactly how Mourinho’s former squad managed to thwart the brilliant, disciplined tactical machine that is Pep Guardiola’s band of radiant technicians last season.

To be sure, the Special One’s new club most certainly does not lack quality. In fact, they still may be one of, if not the second-best team in Europe. But that term—team—is an ironic one for Real Madrid, because while they are one by default, it is clear that they are still light-years behind their rivals in instilling that team-first mentality on which Barcelona so prosperously thrives.

Mourinho clearly felt similarly, declaring in a post-match interview: “Barça is the finished article while Madrid is still a long way off that.”

The most telling tally in Barça’s emphatic destruction of Real on Monday night, however, must have been substitute Jeffrén Suárez’s stoppage time tap-in. A low cross from fellow sub Bojan Krkić to the Venezuelan-born winger, who slipped it past Casillas for the fifth and final goal of the evening, proved once again that at a club as great as Barcelona, even those players who are restricted to making mere cameo appearances are capable of on-pitch success thanks to the club’s seemingly impregnable tactical system.

For me, the current rivalry between these two clubs, which has now seen Barcelona capture five wins in the last five Clásicos, draws a curiously strong comparison to that of the Patriots and the Colts of the NFL—most notably during New England’s Super Bowl-winning years. It was the system employed by head coach Bill Belichick that enabled players like David Givens, Randall Gay, and even Randy Moss et al to maximize their talents and in turn help the team win game after game after game as a unit, while the Colts relied too heavily on quarterback Peyton Manning to do something about it (I’ll let you venture a wild guess as to which Real Madrid player is most closely associated with the four-time NFL MVP).

Granted, the Colts eventually found a formula that worked against the Patriots, and all of a sudden, they started winning games over their heated enemies. But will Real Madrid find a similar formula that enables them to finally return the favor and begin to conquer their now superior rivals once more?

Only time will tell as the next edition of this storied rivalry is slated for April, and Real will likely be playing catch-up until that point. There is of course no way of knowing where in the table Real and Barça will be come that date, but here is some parting advice for the future of Mourinho’s men in white when it comes to jousting with their neighbors from the northeast: invest more in an on-field philosophy based on tactics and teamwork as opposed to an off-field philosophy based on club President Florentino Pérez’s checkbook; it hasn’t won them a Clásico (much less a title) since it was activated...again.

Is cosying up to FIFA a price worth paying to host the World Cup?

Jack Warner, left, and Sepp Blatter: the key members in FIFA's boys' club

The big guns are out in Zurich. The Prime Minister, the future king of England and the country's most recognisable footballer are all heading to FIFA's headquarters to persuade 23 committee members from all over the world to vote for England in the World Cup 2018 bidding war. 12 is the magic number of votes needed to host the tournament, and England's bid team are pulling out all the stops. Junji Ogura, the head of Asian football, is being pursued by Jeremy Hunt, the secretary of state for sport and a fluent Japanese speaker, and is flying out to Kuala Lumpur today to attend the 2010 Asian football awards. Jack Warner, head of CONCACAF (football in the Caribbean, North and Central America) and FIFA vice-president was asked to lunch at Downing Street last month, and will be dining again with David Cameron tomorrow. And Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA, will hold a personal meeting with both Mr Cameron and prince William tomorrow ahead of Thursday's vote.

But, after last night's Panorama investigation into corruption within FIFA, the question is: is all this lavish brown-nosing really in the country's best interests?

The timing of the documentary certainly upset some in the England bid team, calling it "unpatriotic" and "an embarrassment to the BBC". But what the programme did do was highlight the awful corruption that goes on within football's governing body, and single out members, many of whom are integral to England's chances of winning the right to stage the World Cup. Jack Warner, who as mentioned above, was asked to dine at Downing Street last month, was exposed as having brought World Cup tickets back in 2006, and selling them on to Black-market traders for a profit of $1 million. A trick he again tried during this summer's tournament, but subsequently failed to do so. He has also, in the past, asked England to play a friendly in Trinidad and Tobago ( his home country) in exchange for his World Cup vote, something which England actually did back in 2008. And has been seen excepting 'gifts' from David Dein, the England bid liaison officer. Finally, it has also emerged this week that Mr Warner, who also acts as a 'special adviser' to the Trinidad and Tobago FA, failed to pay the  Tobagan players any bonuses for reaching the 2006 World Cup, and back-pocketed all the playing staffs sponsorship deals, said to be worth up up £6million. And yet, after all this, he is still courted by our own Prime Minister and considered key to our bid.

Issa Hayatou, one of the three men accused by Panorama last night of excepting bribes from ISL (International Sports and Leisure), is also seen as key to England's bid. As head of  Fecafoot, the Cameroonian Football Association, and president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) he controls a serious amount of votes which England have been key to get; paying him personal visits to Cameroon in the process. He is accused of being paid 100,000 French francs by ISL - the Swiss company to which FIFA awarded marketing rights to successive World Cups - and if found guilty will be banished from both FIFA and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) of which he is a member.

This, unfortunately, is what happens when an administrative body mutates into a rampantly commercial animal. No longer mere custodians of the game, they have become deal-makers inflating the price of television contracts and fostering a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately culture. Countries hoping to earn the ultimate honour of staging sport's biggest event after the Olympics are encouraged to engage in a beauty contest which is so constructed to allow favours to be swapped, inducements to be laid out and, if the Sunday Times is correct (they have accused two FIFA committee members - Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii of agreeing to sell their World Cup vote) individual executive committee members to profit at the ballot box.

Of course, hosting a World Cup would give a huge boost to our ailing economy- it is estimated that a World Cup could produce £5billion - it would create thousands of temporary jobs, and would bring an enormous sense of national pride not seen on these shores since Euro 96. But to account for all these things, new stadiums would have to be built in host cities such as Plymouth and Bristol, rail networks would need re-development, thousands of hotels would need to be built to accommodate the 3 million international tourists expected. All things, I would expect, paid for by the taxpayer.

As well as the cost of hosting a World Cup, other implications also need to be considered. Every bidding nation that enters the race to host the tournament has to sign up to FIFA's strict code of 'agreements'. The 8-point plan is FIFA's way of insuring that they make the most amount of money possible out of the tournament. The agreement states that "visa and entry procedures are loosened for the duration of the tournament", "workers' rights are duly abolished", "new laws need to be created to protect sponsors", and most startlingly of all " a full exempt on tax is needed for official FIFA delegates and sponsors" - essentially creating their very own four-week tax haven. This agreement is something which many people in Holland (a rival bidding nation) have been duly wary about, and have thus predicted that actually, hosting a World Cup would result in a net loss of 150million euros.

So, with Thursday's vote looming, and the true price of hosting a World Cup more evident than ever: have Panorama actually done England a huge favour?


Motty

More than a club: FC Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid



'More than a club'



On the same night the British media made its final attempt to derail England’s 2018 World Cup bid, the world of football showed its full wonder away from the BBC.  Football and politics do not mix well, and although the revelations in the Panorama Special clearly have a place in the debate of the 2018 World Cup’s destination and Fifa in general, football rose above all that last night.

Forgetting the politics, business and greed in hand on the BBC, rather ironically Sky Sports (all of the three aforementioned descriptives) played host to something more than all this, the philosophical football of Barcelona.

It seems no institution left in football is left untouched by the three devils mentioned, even Barcelona, a club viewed around the world as almost perfect on and off the pitch, find themselves in massive debts (much larger than many fans would ever have imagined), but last night, for 90 minutes they were an example to the whole of football.

Not only an example in as much as the result, nor the fact that for a period 9 of their 11 players had been brought through their own academy system, but most important was the performance. A style of football that can only be described as profound: a style which starts with Johann Cryuff, the epitome of Dutch Total-Football.  The constant positional interchanging that Total-Football (always capitalised) requires, was forgotten in his plan for Barcelona, but the spirit and philosophy remained the same.

“Tiqui-taca” as it is now known focuses on the quick and precise movement of the football and is without doubt the most pure concept in modern football, not least the most beautiful. It truly is the most joyous thing the game has to offer.  It’s the style of football which makes a team say we are "Més que un club".  And it is this, along with the longevity of relationships between players at Barce’ which is why Barcelona and indeed the Spanish national team are so good. And why they did to Real Madrid what they did last night.

Prior to the game, “CR9” as his Mum calls him said “Let’s see if they can put 8 past us” in reference to the Catalonian giants 8-0 win over Almeria in recent weeks. Perhaps, just perhaps it’s this attitude which sets clubs like Real Madrid and players like Cristiano Ronaldo apart, thinking they’re the best. Can you imagine Messi saying such a thing? He has no need, he is Barce’. He is as Cryuff was the summary of an era’s footballing output to history. He has no need to say he or Barce’ are the best, he knows it. But more than this, much more than this, is the impression that all those involved with Barce’, the players, staff and fans, feel this. They breathe it and they are all, at once, part of it.



It is ironic then that the most philosophic of football clubs, would impose such a heavy defeat on the most philosophical of managers, one of their former sons. With his talks of Waitrose’s eggs and Harry Potter, Jose Mourinho will no doubt be hurting more than ever following this defeat. He’s never lost by a 4 goal margin before, let alone 5.  But he’ll never have lost to a better side.

Buckett.

Barcelona v Real Madrid, Messi v Ronaldo

Tonight, Barcelona play Real Madrid at the Nou Camp. This is one the greatest, if not the greatest rivalry in world football. I guess that is why it is dubbed by some "El Classico".

Now, more than ever, the debate on who is the best player in the world is on everyones mind. Messi and Ronaldo have been imense for both club and country and it is hard to decide on
who I think is the better player. I think Messi is better. Why? Well they both do amazing things on the ball but I think Messi looks for the ball more and is more in the game than Ronaldo is at times.

As for the their respective teams, Barca and Real Madrid, it's hard to call between them. Both of them have attacking players that any club in the world would love and each defence ain't half bad either. So for this reason I'm going to go with home advantage and say that Barca will win. Either way, I'm hoping for a classic, and why can't it be. The best players, best managers. It shouldn't disappoint.

As for Mourinho, this will be his first taste of the "El Classico". Knowing Mourinho, the pressure shouldn't get to him. He went there last year and won over the two legs after some great defending. I'm sure the Barca fans are looking forward to seeing him after the controversy last year when he ran on pitch after reaching the Champions League final with Inter.

I would love to hear your comments if you have any.

Is It Time For Ancelotti To Go?

It may sound harsh saying he should go. But for the first time this season, Ancelotti and the Chelsea players will be sitting down on a Sunday night watching X Factor results or Match of the Day 2, knowing that they are not top of the table. That's because they could only manage a draw against Newcastle today.

After such a fantastic start, it has just gone downhill. It was looking great, after just five games they had a goal difference of +20. Drogba  couldn't stop scoring and no one could get past Cech and the rest of the defence. But since Drogba missed the match against Aston Villa midway through October, he can't score for his dinner. We saw today a  perfect example that the defence can be dodgy at times, and that there is a lack of communication in the lead up to Carroll's goal.

Obviously, I don't think he should go, but you never know with Abramovich. He sacked Mourinho after a loss against Aston Villa and a draw against Rosenberg in the Champions League.

There defence is not the problem I feel, it's the lack of goals, and especially with some of the attacking players they have, they should be scoring many more. The last time they won by more than one goal was against Wolves on the 23rd of October.

This leaves the Premiership wide open and leaves everyone guessing who is going to be lifting the title at the end of May. Up next for Chelsea is Everton at Stamford Bridge, and judging by Everton's woeful peformance yesterday against West Brom, this should be a chance for Chelsea to get back to scoring ways and more importantly, winning ways.

Feel free to leave any comments you may have.

Arsenal and Man Utd Keep Pressure On Chelsea

Today, Arsenal and United both leap-frogged Chelsea as they got victories in their matches today. Arsenal were victorious against Aston Villa in an entertaining match at Villa Park that finished 4-2 to the Gunners, while United ran riot against Blackburn, with the help of Berbatov, as they won 7-1.This means that nothing less than a victory at St. James' Park against Newcastle will give Chelsea top spot.

The early kick off of the day was between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Villa Park. It was a slow start to the game until Arshavin scored a fantastic goal out of nothing. Nasri then scored a first time volley with the help of a slight deflection just before half time. I'm sure Arsene Wenger didn't want deja vu from last week. They nearly did but in the end ran out comfortable winners and at times played some wonderful football. 2-4 it finished there.

Now onto Old Trafford, where Bebatov got his second match ball of the season with five goals. Once he got the first goal inside three minutes, you sensed there was only going to be one winner. Sure enough, they scored six more. Blackburn fans shouldn't be too disheartened. Maybe they made it a bit too easy, but it was more the brilliance of United that we have been waiting for this season. Now United are two points clear at the top.

I wouldn't be surprised either if they stay there because Chelsea have to travel north to a tricky match against Newcastle and we all saw what happened last weekend against Birmingham. This will be a really interesting match I think with both sides looking to get back to form after Newcastle lost 5-1 to Bolton last weekend, while Chelsea have lost three of their last four fixtures in the Premiership. If we thought the Premiership was wide open before the weekend, it definitely is now.

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

FIFA's absurd World XI shortlist shows footballers are no judges of talent

What with most of our sporting gazes transfixed firmly on the Ashes, you may have failed to notice that FIFPro (the global footballers' union) and FIFA yesterday announced the 55 players shortlisted for the 2010 World XI: the ultimate team of the past calendar year. From this list a final line-up will be announced at the Ballon d'Or shindig early next year.

Some 50,000 unionised players "in every continent: from Australia to South Africa, from Finland to Costa Rica, and from Russia to Argentina" pick their team of the year in a 4-3-3 formation, and those with the most votes are duly shortlisted. And it seems that rather than pick the best 55 players over the past year on form however, FIFPro and the FIFA committee members have picked the most famous players, the ones with the most marketing clout and the ones who play for the biggest clubs. 17 of the 55 ply their trade in the Premier League, just shy of the 18 who represent La Liga. 15 of the names on the list are employed in Serie A, which is gargantuan compared to a lowly four from the Bundesliga and just one single player from Ligue 1. So, according to Fifa, Premier League clubs may as well call off those international scouts right now: because not one player based outside Europe is actually any good at all.

The 55 players broken down by position:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Petr Cech (Chelsea), Julio Cesar (Inter), Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United)

Defenders: Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Michel Bastos (Olympique Lyonnais), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Lucio (Inter), Maicon (Inter), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Alessandro Nesta (AC Milan), Pepe (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Walter Samuel (Inter), John Terry (Chelsea), Thiago Silva (AC Milan), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United), Javier Zanetti (Inter)

Midfielders: Esteban Cambiasso (Inter), Michael Essien (Chelsea), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Kaka (Real Madrid), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Wesley Sneijder (Inter), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi (Barcelona)

Forwards: Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Samuel Eto’o (Inter), Diego Forlán (Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Diego Milito (Inter), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Ronaldinho (AC Milan), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), David Villa (Barcelona)

As you can see, it's essentially a list of the 55 most famous player on the planet, many of whom have had a poor 2010. Dimitar Berbatov, listed among the forwards for the first time in his career, has scored a meagre 13 goals in 37 games over the past calendar year, and, was named on the shortlist the day after Sir Alex Ferguson shouldered the blame for the striker's poor form.

Talking of bad form, Bayern Munich - currently 8th in the Bundesliga, 14 points off the leaders, and with "too many players performing below their level" according to captain Philipp Lahm, provide all four German-based nominees, including Lahm himself.

Another mystery worth noting is the inclusion of Real Madrid's Pepe. Admittedly a very solid central defender, but a player who, up until mid-September had yet to play a competitive game for Madrid in 2010. He picked up an injury last December, made two appearances for Portugal at this summer's World Cup (where he was replaced both times) and has only played any significant football over the past two months.

Looking at the list I'm surprised David Beckham, Diego Maradona and Pele weren't included as well.

Based on form, here's my own World XI:

Iker Casillas - Lifted the World Cup for Spain. One of the best 'keepers of all time.

Maicon - Ripped a new one by Gareth Bale this season, but prior to that, absolutely pivotal to Inter's treble-winning season.

Lucio - See Maicon, above.

Carles Puyol - The Captain of the best club side of all time. 'Nuff said.

Ashley Cole - Imperious last season. The only England player to come out of the World Cup with any credit.

Xavi - Godlike Genius.

Wesley Sneijder - The best player in Europe's best team.

Mesut Ozil - Helped Bremen to 3rd place last season. The best young player at the World Cup. Settled in nicely amongst Madrid's Galacticos.

Lionel Messi - 53 games, 47 goals.

Diego Forlan - Second in last year's La Liga goal-scoring chart. Two Europa league final goals. World Cup Golden Ball winner.

Diego Milito - Top-scorer in Serie A last year. Also scored the winner in the Coppa Italia final, and both in the Champions League final. Criminally under-looked in the World Cup by Maradona.


Motty.

Stupid, Stupid Mourinho

On Tuesday night, Real Madrid had a very comfortable victory over Ajax beating them 4-0. This victory meant they were safely through to the knockout stages. But in the final five minutes or so there was a bit of controversy.

So I'll set the scene for you. In the 85th minute Real Madrid are 4-0 up, cruising along, and have a free kick just inside there own half which Alonso is about to take. While taking the free kick, he was very hesitant to actually kick the ball. He was running up to the ball and then stopping. Obviously he was trying to make it seem like he had no options. After about two or three warnings, the ref had had enough and gave Alonso his second booking of the night and sent him off. If this was me, I would be furious, in the ref's face wondering why he gave me the yellow. Alonso, on the other hand, walked off with no complaints.

We are now into added time and Real Madrid have a goal kick. This time Sergio Ramos (who was also booked) was taking it. Why? I don't know. Long story short, he basically does the same thing as Alonso, as if it was an audition for a play and they were both trying to get the same part. Eventually, Ramos receives his second yellow as well.  Now yet again, I would be furious, but not only does Ramos just walk off with no complaints, he also shakes the ref's hand. I know we all under estimate the academic ability of the Uefa board with some of the decisions they make but they're not that stupid.

The idea behind this whole plan was that both players would get themselves sent off, miss the next game ( a meaningless game against Auxerre ) and return to the knockout stages with no yellow cards under their name. 

The two players have been charged, along with Mourinho ( the master mind behind the plan) , Casillas ( for giving Ramos and Alonso the instructions) and Dudek ( for giving Casillas the instructions to tell Ramos and Alonso). 

Speaking of Real Madrid. A little reminder that they are playing Barcelona at the Nou Camp at 8:00pm on Monday night on Sky Sports 1

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Fair Play Tottenham

Tonight, Spurs confirmed their place in the knockout stages. Not only is that an achievement in itself but I think it's fair to say that they have done it with relative ease.

Being a City fan, it broke my heart when I saw Crouch scoring the winner against us in the last ten minutes to guarantee themselves fourth spot. Since the start of the campaign, with the exception of a very shaky first half against Inter Milan, there was never a moment where a man or woman wearing a Tottenham jersey should have been worried about not making the knockout stages.

For me, based on current form, they have the two best midfielders in the Premiership. Of course, I'm talking about Gareth Bale and Rafael Van Der Vaart. In the second half against Inter at the San Siro, it wasn't Inter v Spurs, it was Inter v Bale. He was sublime. If you looked at all three of his goals, they were identical. He was murdering Maicon. If he didn't kill him at the San Siro, he definitely did at White Heart Lane. He set up two of the goals and ran circles around Maicon. As for Van Der Vaart, yet again he has been excellent, he has been incredibly consistent and for just £8 million too. What a bargain.

So where to from here for Spurs, I think a a quarter final finish is on the cards (obviously considering who they get in the round of 16). That will leave the owners in no doubt, satisfied with Harry Redknapp. But sure, if they can beat Inter, why can't they beat everyone else.

And finally, surprise, surprise Man united also qualified for the knockout stages with a 1-0 win over Rangers.

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

A Tale of One Pity: Reevaluating Arsène's Goon-Squad

When MŠK Žilina striker Babatounde Bello slipped a fast one past Chelsea keeper Ross Turnbull Tuesday night, surely the sentiment reverberating around Stamford Bridge could be likened to the ominous expression: “Here we go again.”

The Blues, who were coming off their worst run of form in recent memory (three losses in four matches), had breached yet again and found themselves trailing 1-0 at halftime to an opponent of less quality for the third straight match. This, compounded by the mysterious dismissal of assistant coach Ray Wilkins two weeks ago, rumors abound this week suggesting manager Carlo Ancelotti had tendered his resignation only then to have it rejected by the board, and a languid string of performances, did not bode well for Chelsea, a club evidently on the brink of pressing the panic button.

Little did the reigning Premier League champions or their supporters know that another London-based club some 19 hours and 49 minutes southwest by car (according to Google Maps) had already pressed it.

Manager Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal (does anyone else think it’s bizarre that the first name of Arsenal’s boss is eerily similar to the name of his club? No? Okay then), who were looking to erase a painful 3-2 collapse at home to Tottenham at the weekend, appeared to be sitting pretty late in the second half in a scoreless affair at Braga when Mexican striker Carlos Vela went down in the box, evidently as a result of having been tackled by one of the Portuguese club’s defenders.

The Gunners, who thrashed Braga 6-0 at the Emirates back in September, finally had their breakthrough, and one forthcoming Cesc Fàbregas spot-kick was all it would take to ensure both victory and advancement in Europe’s most prestigious football tournament.

But it didn’t happen.

Instead, Vela was booked for a dive, and the chance to seal progression to the knockout rounds of this year’s Champions League evaporated in the blink of an eye. Well, actually, on the foot of a 27-year-old Brazilian known simply as Matheus.

The Braga attacker with the 99 shirt found the back of the net twice in the final seven minutes—including an emphatic clincher in stoppage time—and threw Arsenal’s hopes of progressing to the final sixteen of the Champions League for the eighth-straight year into doubt. The victory put the Portuguese club even on points with Arsenal (9) and made certain the final matches of the group stages will mean something, if not everything, for both teams involved.

That being said, looking ahead to Group H’s final match day slated for December 8, Arsenal still should advance. On that fateful day they will be home to winless Partizan Belgrade, while Braga will make the long journey eastward to frosty Ukraine to take on group leaders Shakhtar Donetsk (12 points). Simply put, a loss is almost as unlikely a result for Arsenal as a win is for Braga.

But still, just what exactly is going on at the Gunners camp? And more directly, what is the issue with Arsenal?

I had the distinct privilege this past weekend to plop down in an Irish Pub and take in the aforementioned flop against Spurs. While nursing my first stout, Samir Nasri and Marouane Chamakh frustrated a rather paltry Tottenham side and gave the Gunners a 2-0 lead at the break, reassuring their manager and fans that they were still one of the Premier League’s toughest nuts to crack.

Then, Gareth Bale cheekily sneaked one past keeper Łukasz Fabiański to open the second half, Rafael van der Vaart added a penalty shortly thereafter following an inexplicable handball by Fàbregas, and Younes Kaboul’s deft header capped off what could be deemed either a remarkable comeback or a pitiful collapse.

Maybe it was the Guinness warping my vision, but I’m more inclined to believe it was the latter. Either way, the pallid performances changed sides after halftime, and this North London derby went to Spurs for the first time at Arsenal since 1993.

So I’ll ask it again (because I just realized I didn’t answer my question at all): What is the Gunners’ deal?

Well, for starters, they have little clout. I mean, is there anyone on that squad that’s going to instill legitimate fear in an opposing backline? Nasri is talented, but lacks strength; Fàbregas at the moment seems to be most invested in his reunion with Barcelona, his foolish handball speaking volumes about his lack of focus for his current club; and Robin van Persie hasn’t been fully fit since Hanson was popular (the sad thing is, that’s not far from the truth).

Secondly, they seem far more concerned with style than they do with results. I have watched a handful of Arsenal games this year—including the 2-0 loss to Chelsea in early October—and what they lack in the scoring department they more than make up with flair. But that’s not a good thing. I really can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched them pass the ball to death around the perimeter of the box before it either breaks down or is finally thwarted—all of this coming before anyone has even attempted a shot on goal. The game at Stamford Bridge supplied more than enough evidence to support that claim.

Thirdly, remember that comment Fàbregas made this summer about Arsenal lacking the drive and desire to win trophies? He was right. This should come as no surprise with Wegner’s continually placing style above results in the club’s pecking order, but if not for that reason, Arsenal simply lack both bite and an appetite for dominance, unlike foes Chelsea, Manchester United, and even Spurs.

Is it because they’re (still) too inexperienced? Too French? Or too frugal and adamant about spending big in the transfer window? It could be for one, if not all of those reasons.

At the end of Tuesday evening, Chelsea had struggled, but ultimately had won against inferior opposition, despite fielding a lineup overloaded with mere children. Arsenal, who had put forth their typical starting XI of youthful veterans, ultimately lost to decent, yet still subordinate opponents and are one loss away (this weekend at Aston Villa perhaps) from being in a bit of trouble. The difference between Arsenal and other prolific clubs such as Chelsea? It might be as simple as team makeup or as complicated as collective desire. Whatever it is, Wegner must identify and then ameliorate the problem swiftly, or he and the rest of his contingent of followers can be assured of yet another silverware-less season at the Emirates, home to one of the flashiest, yet most unfulfilling clubs in all of Europe.

£25 Million Down The Toilet

After just a season and a half with the club it seems Emmanuel Adebayor's City career is coming to an end. It was looking like a great signing at the start of the 2009-10 season but after a ridiculous celebration and a stud mark on Van Persie's face against Arsenal, it just went downhill.

So I think it's fair to say that he has been a flop but in fairness to Mancini, it wasn't him who signed the Togolese man. Obviously Adebayor hasn't really fitted in Mancini's plans but he was doing quite well under Mark Hughes. Mancini's game plan has been pretty simple, have at least two defensive midfielders and Tevez up on his own.

You can't really blame him either, as we know the Italian league is famous for it's defence-minded play and it has worked in his playing days and for him as a manager. But he might have to change his plans after a fantastic display at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

A hat trick against Lech Poznan must have given him a little bit of hope but I think Adebayor gave up all hope when he saw Jo was starting ahead of him on Sunday. So it's no use having him on the transfer list if there is no one interested. Juventus look favourites to get him on loan but I wouldn't be surprised if there the only one's looking into signing him.

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Mancini Lessens The Pressure

Last week, Man City could only manage a nil all draw with Birmingham and earlier on in that week they drew nil all with Man Utd. So heading into todays game with Fulham, it was almost a must win for Mancini and Man City to get back to winning ways.

 Needless to say, Man City thrashed Fulham 4-1 today with some beautiful football. City made a cracking start to the season with some fine wins against Chelsea and Liverpool.

 But they have hit a sticky patch in their season ever since they got thrashed 3-0 by Arsenal. Obviously the sending off of Boyata after five minutes didn't help, but it seemed, like everyone was hoping, they proved they weren't just ready for the big boys.

 They continued to show lack-luster performances with the exception of a 2-0 victory against West Brom away. So today, especially because I'm a City fan, I hope this is a turning point in their season. And you never know, maybe Tevez could be lifting the premiership trophy by the end of the season.

Another Derby, More Hype, But This One Delivered.

One of my first posts on my blog was about how awful the Manchester derby was but more about how much hype it was getting.

 On Saturday, Arsenal were playing Tottenham and this of course is a North London derby. Now pre match and during the week there were a lot of ads for the match, so I would have to say that the match was getting as much hype as the Manchester derby.

 And in a cracking match Spurs won 3-2 after being 2-0 down at half time. Chamakh and Nasri put Arsenal two up. Spurs got a counter attacking goal from the on form Gareth Bale and before you know it, Spurs are all over Arsenal. Tottenham then got a penalty because of Fabregas, who obviously wasn't thinking, hand balled a Van Der Vaart free kick. Van Der Vaart, as you might have expected, scored the penalty and it was now 2-2.

 From this point I could only see it being a Tootenham victory or a draw and with just five minutes of normal time remaining, Kaboul headed the ball past Fabianski and Spurs took all three points. So it just shows you not all derby matches can't live up to their hype.

I would love to hear any comments you may have

Movember Special: The Best Moustaches In Football, Ever

Seeing as my moustache-growing ability amounts to little more than pre-pubescent bum fluff, I have decided to make my mark on this Movember by counting down the 10 best top-lip-ticklers in football history.


10) George Best

He didn't have it for long, but like everything Best did, he did it very, very well.


9) Charlie Paynter

Charlie Paynter was manager of West Ham from 1932-1950. And is a glorious purveyor of the over-groomed moustache.


8) Ronald Spelbos

Total Football. Total Moustache.


7) Sam Allardyce

A weirdly attractive Sam Allardyce. Who'd of thought it?


6) Tony Daley

In truth, an uninspiring 'tash. But any excuse to show off that wonderful barnet.


5) Frank Worthington

Ladies, fancy a ride in my Ford Capri?


4) Alan Sunderland

Words cannot do justice to how magnificent an Afro-tash combo this is.


3) Graeme Souness

Liverpool could have had a whole list to themselves, but the man who started, what is still considered fashionable on Merseyside, is the man for me.


2) Rudi Voller and Frank Rijkaard

A two-for-one. And I don't need any invitation to put this picture up.


1) Warren Gass

Like leftover beef sandwiches on Boxing Day. Or England failing miserably at a World Cup: Warren Gass and a moustache just seems right.




Motty.

Problems Aplenty at Chelsea

One of the Premier League’s worst kept secrets was unveiled two weeks ago at Anfield when Liverpool defeated Chelsea 2-0: that England’s reigning champions are a very different squad without midfielder Michael Essien and striker Didier Drogba.

The revelation, which should come as a shock to no one, was made palpably evident by an anemic display put forth by the rest of the Blues, who were without the services of the versatile Essien (injured), and who were denied those of their indomitable forward for the first 45 minutes before a malaria-stricken Drogba (somewhat reluctantly) made his way onto the pitch just after halftime. And although Chelsea generated several more opportunities in the second half, the sickly Ivorian’s cameo was negligible.

After Sunday’s appalling 3-0 home defeat at the hands of plucky Sunderland yet another, perhaps more significant, secret was exposed in Carlo Ancelotti’s side: that Chelsea really aren’t that good. Allow me to rephrase: Chelsea really aren’t that good without a fully fit Essien and a fully fit Drogba in the starting XI.

In Drogba, Chelsea have a headstrong, hungry, and powerful striker whose killer instinct in front of goal falls second to none. In Essien, Chelsea have a multifaceted midfielder whose versatility, dynamism, and industry are irreplaceable. Without one or the other or both, the football being played by the collective whole dips notably in quality and zest, and becomes less watchable with each scoreless, elapsing minute. Both footballers have been rendered indispensable by Chelsea and their followers, and both men unquestionably are the keys and cornerstones to the Blues ultimate success.

So the burning question has to be asked: which African footballer is more valuable to the West Londoners?

Considering the plethora of goals he has bagged in all competitions in recent years (including a golden boot-winning 29 last season), instinctually one might at first be more inclined to say Drogba. Tandem partner Nicolas Anelka and left winger Florent Malouda are more than capable of finding the back of the net themselves, but neither pose as dangerous a threat as does 2009’s African Footballer of the Year. That being said, Drogba’s figures will inevitably overshadow the labor and physical presence of Essien, both of which elude the stat sheet.

Consider for a moment the last three and a half seasons both domestically and on the continent for Chelsea. The 2007-08 season saw the Blues come within a point and a missed spot kick away from winning both the Premier League and the Champions League, respectively, falling ultimately in both races to Manchester United, who at the time boasted the world’s greatest player, Cristiano Ronaldo. Essien remained healthy for much of the season, while Drogba remained injured for a large chunk of it.

In 2008-09, the Blues got off to a flying start before hitting a rut in the winter months, which eventually led to manager Luiz Felipe Scolari’s dismissal. Not surprisingly, an out-of-form Drogba and an injury-plagued Essien, who was out for several months, coincided with Chelsea’s poor form. Only when Guus Hiddink took over as interim manager in February—at almost the exact moment Essien was cleared to play again—did the 2008 Premiership/UCL runners up begin to steer the ship in the opposite direction. And had it not been for a heartbreaking away goal at the death by Barcelona’s Andrés Iniesta, an Essien wonder-volley would have been enough to secure a rematch with United in the UCL Final in Rome.

Then there was last season, and while Drogba continued to bag goal after goal, it wasn’t enough to thwart eventual UCL champs Inter in the first round of sixteen. Essien was nowhere to be found that match, as he was injured again, this time for most of the season. Chelsea, of course went on to win the double, but did so with only a point to spare over a Ronaldo-less United.

Finally, there is this season, and the last two weeks have told a similar tale. They fell to Liverpool without Essien and a fully fit Drogba, then defeated Fulham 1-0 last Wednesday with both players in the starting XI, Essien heading home the game-winner. The Ghanaian international foolishly challenged Clint Dempsey at the end of the fixture, however, and was duly sent off and handed a three-match ban. That left Drogba and the rest of the Ancelotti’s unit to battle Sunderland, and, well, let’s just say having Essien in there might have helped.

Obviously, it is not quite that simple. Yes, Chelsea are a galvanized squad when Essien is healthy and in the starting XI, as they often are with an in-form Drogba. Unfortunately for the Blues, however, the Sunderland defeat, which is already being called the worst at Stamford Bridge during the Roman Abramovich era, exposed several other flaws in the foundation.

One need only to have looked at the Chelsea backline deployed by Ancelotti against Steve Bruce’s squad on Sunday to see that at the moment all is not quite right at the Bridge. Detrimental injuries to both Alex and John Terry that could keep the center-half partnership sidelined for months meant that normal right backs Branislav Ivanović and Paulo Ferreira were left to fill their void, while Ashley Cole and José Bosingwa covered the left and right flanks. The makeshift backline breached a whopping three times, and Ancelotti may now be forced to spend in January and reel in a dependable center-half to hold down the fort until the Brazilian and the Chelsea skipper return.

Then there were the subs, which consisted of regular Salomon Kalou and batch of untested, inexperienced youths such as Gaël Kakuta Josh McEachran, all of whom (with the exception of 25-year-olds Kalou and backup keeper Ross Turnbull) couldn’t legally purchase a drink in the United States today if they tried. Where were the normal reinforcements of Michael Ballack, Joe Cole, Deco, Juliano Belletti and Ricardo Carvalho? Ancelotti should be applauded for his persistent and methodical utilization of youth into the squad, but perhaps it would have behooved the Italian to retain a couple of the aforementioned veterans he let walk in the summer for unforeseen circumstances such as these.

The loss to Liverpool was unexpected. The loss of Essien for three matches even more so. And Sunday’s loss to Sunderland? Let’s not even go there. And yet, after two weeks of relative turmoil and unrest, Chelsea still sit atop the pinnacle of the English Premier League two whole points above city rivals Arsenal. They may be too heavily reliant on Essien and Drogba, they may have a jerry-rigged backline, and they may have a handful of unknown, unproven kids coming off the bench. But as of today, they are still the best club in English football. If they should fall this weekend at Birmingham, however, Ancelotti’s raised left eyebrow will tell the story and the Italian may for the first time in his spell at Chelsea be forced to cope with a club on the brink of crisis.

Eh, Why Are Ireland Playing Tonight?

You may or may not know but this evening, there are many international matches. The one that I will be watching is England v France. Not only does it look the most interesting, but both managers are trying new players.

 Now, when you look at the Ireland team (who are against Norway tonight), it looks the same as usual, with the exception of a couple of injuries. This match definitely isn't taking place to generate a lot of money, so you would expect that it is to see new players.

 Seamus Coleman, who has made a good start to this season on the right side of midfield for Everton but is only one of the subs. Even if this wasn't friendly I might of put him in the starting line up.Shay Given, great goalkeeper, but he has only played twice for Man City this season. A loss to West Brom in the Carling cup and another loss to Lech Poznan in the Europa League.

 I thought you were picked for your national team based on your recent peformances for your club. Obviously not. There are NO players definitely making there debut tonight for Ireland. So like I said, why are Ireland playing tonight?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

England vs France Preview: A Happy Reunion for Laurent Blanc's France

As England play their completely unnecessary friendly against France this evening, two players from the French colonial out-post of the Reunion Islands are making a claim to be the next Hot Young Things of European football.

Ever since the Senegalese born Raoul Diagne pulled on the famous Blue shirt in 1920, France has welcomed their colonial brothers into the national team with open arms. The Golden Generation of 1998-2000 were known as the Black, Blanc, Beur squad (black, white, Arab), including the likes of Zinedine Zidane (Algerian), Marcel Desailly (Ghanaian) and Patrick Vieira (Senegalese). However, it is currently the tiny island of Reunion that is flourishing as the feeder colony to Les Bleus.

Lying 900km east of Madagascar, this tropical Indian Ocean island boasts a diminutive population of 800,000. Were it not for a record-breaking daily rainfall in 1952 (73.62 inches, if you must know), and a recent outbreak of the Chikungunya disease, which has populated almost a third of the island, Reunion could claim to be the land that time forgot. And in footballing terms, other than the fact that former Newcastle hell-raiser Laurent Robert was born there, it probably is.

Until now.

Challenging the idea of sugar as the island's main export is Reunion's new Ligue 1 sensations/ answer to the French national team's current dilemma.

The names of target-man Guillerme Hoarau and mercurial winger Dimitri Payet may only be vaguely familiar to the most ardent of English transfer gossip column readers, but in France they are quickly becoming Ligue 1's most exciting young prospects. Both Hoarau and Payet began their careers at JS Saint-Pierrose, Reunion's biggest club, before moving to France to ignite their professional careers.



Guillerme Hoarau: 'The French Emile Heskey'



However, neither set France alight immediately. Indeed, Hourau only scored 5 goals in 28 matches in his first season at Le Harve, before getting a modest 8 in 21 once on loan to FC Gueugnon, both at Ligue 2 level. It was the next season, where Hoarau notched up 28 goals in 38 games and the player of the year award, that people began to stand up and take notice. The name given to him by the French media – ‘the Karim Benzema of Ligue 2′ – may not seem so impressive now, but back when the Madrid bench warmer was banging them in for Lyon, it was quite the accolade. A 500,000Euros move to PSG was pushed through, described by former PSG president Alain Cayzac as the ‘signing of the century’. Hoarau’s first season in Ligue 1 gave backing to Cayzac’s bold statement, as the striker registered 20 goals, helping PSG to second place in the table, to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup, and becoming number one of several top European managers’ Christmas wish-lists



Dimitri Payet: France's new Hot Young Thing



Diminutive winger Dimitri Payet found the jump from Reunion to France equally as hard, perhaps due to the fact that his first attempt was during his childhood, aged just 12. Spending some time as a junior at Le Havre, Payet decided to move back to Reunion, before signing his first professional contract with Ligue 1′s FC Nantes. He made his debut for the club aged 18 and after a season of assured first team football, Payet moved to St. Etienne, where he has since earned rave reviews. A hat-trick this August against Lens has helped propel him to third in Ligue 1′s scoring charts, where he has got 8 in 12 games. Not bad for a winger.

Indeed, the current good form of both Hoarau and Payet could not have come at a better time for Les Bleus. The national team are currently going through a massive identity crisis after the much-publisised French Revolution at this summer's World Cup. 



After the sacking of Raymond Domenech, newly appointed manager Laurent Blanc decided not to select any of the players from the World Cup squad for his fiirst game in charge, a friendly away to Norway. And a 2-1 loss in that game had the media proclaiming that a French national team without its' famed Clairefontaine graduates lacked both the style and the substance of the World Cup 98 and Euro 2000 winners. 



The only way is up for Les Bleus



That said, after Blanc had calmed down, his subsequent squads, with a mixture of the not-so-old Karim Benzema and Yohann Gourcuff, and the brand-spanking-new Hoarau and Payet, amongst others, seems to be doing the job. Apart from an embarrassing 1-0 home defeat to Belarus, three unspectacular, yet successive 2-0 wins over Bosnia, Romania and Luxembourg have left France top of their Euro 2012 qualifying group. 

And Hoarau and Payet have played a vital role in France's current resurgence. Hoarau has started in all three of France's successive 2-0 wins, and although he hasn't repaid Blanc's faith with a goal, his inclusion in the team is seen as a platform for the likes of Benzema, Gourcuff and Nasri to work off. Almost like a French Emile Heskey. Payet, on the other hand, made his debut in the 2-0 win over Romania, coming on as a substitute and setting up both goals in the process. A feat he then repeated in the next game against Luxembourg. It is already abundantly clear that the young winger, with his lightning pace and direct running, can not only repeat his club form on the international stage, but also cement a starting place in the French XI. 

It seems then, that the long tradition of French footballing imports is set to continue with the boys from the tropical isle. 

Motty.