Sorry Rangers not fit to move south

IF nothing else, Glasgow Rangers’ recent performances in the Champions League have merely confirmed that they are not fit to play in the English Premier League. To be beaten at home so convincingly twice in a matter of weeks is unacceptable. Losing to Seville was one thing, but Tuesday’s capitulation against Unirea Urziceni was verging on the laughable.
Every game in the competition is a struggle for the Scots, but to then make things even harder by scoring two own-goals just sums their predicament up; you get the impression that it could only happen to them, and the number of empty seats on view at Ibrox during the latter stages of the game spoke volumes; even their own fans, renowned for being some of the best in the game, have had enough.
Which brings us back to the original point. One has to ask what the Premier League has to gain by inviting Rangers and Celtic to swell its ranks. At very best, both sides would finish mid-table; they wouldn’t even get close to breaking into the top four, or being able to compete with those on the periphery, such as Tottenham or Aston Villa.
There is no longer any money in the game north of the border, and that applies to the old firm as well. Rangers and Celtic are both unable to go out and buy players in the way they were previously, which means they are both set to struggle on the European stage for the time being. For now, until either side is able to make a serious impact in the Champions League, all the talk of them moving to the English league should be put to bed.

Sparky set for Robinho headache

MUCH has been made of the embarrassment of riches at Mark Hughes’ disposal, particularly in attacking positions. The return to fitness of Robinho will certainly give his manager food for thought, but maybe not in the way that had been hoped. With City currently flying high, having lost only once so far this season, the Brazilian’s place in the team is far from guaranteed; and this is where the problems begin.
Players of Robinho’s calibre don’t like being left out; they are selfish, and fail to see the bigger picture. With Craig Bellamy and Emmanuel Adebayor virtual shoe-ins, even Carlos Tevez has had to put up with being played in a deeper-lying role, and the Argentinian, it must be said, offers far more than Robinho in terms of work-rate.
Hughes has managed to keep the big egos at the club in check thus far, but the situation has been made easier with players missing through injuries or suspensions at various times. The acid test, many argued, would come when everybody was fit and available. That time, it seems, is now.

Wenger set to hammer Zola

SUNDAY'S visit of Arsenal now takes on mammoth proportions following West Ham’s collapse at Stoke City last weekend. These are testing times for Gianfranco Zola, and a London derby against an in-form Arsenal side is the last thing he needs.
Off the pitch, the Hammers are in a state of limbo, with former Birmingham City owner David Sullivan stalling over launching a takeover bid, while on it, things are even worse; without a win since the opening day of the season, the club are in real danger of becoming involved in a relegation scrap if results don’t improve soon.
Carlton Cole’s return will certainly help, but him aside, it’s difficult to see where the much-needed goals are going to come from. Tricky games against Sunderland and Aston Villa follow the Arsenal match, and Zola’s men will need to take something from at least one of the three if things are to improve any time soon; you wouldn’t bet on it though.

Ajax face fight to keep Suarez

URUGUAY striker Diego Forlan this week expressed his hope that compatriot Luis Suarez would stay at Ajax, at least until the end of the season. He said: “I can only advise him to stay at Ajax until the end of this term. Luis is still young and very eager to learn. He should be patient and stay a bit longer.”
However, regardless of Forlan’s pleas, the decision, ultimately, may not rest on the players’ shoulders. Sadly, the Dutch league isn’t the force it once was, and with finances at an all-time low, even the biggest clubs are resigned to losing their best players.
Having sold both Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Thomas Vermaelen in the past year, Ajax fans would find the sale of their talisman hard to take. Barcelona are said to be monitoring the situation closely though, and if they were to come in with a big offer in January, the board would find it almost impossible to resist.

Cole's-play set to be a big hit

EVERYTHING seems rosy for Carlo Ancelotti at present, but he would do well to remember that Big Phil Scolari was in a similar position this time last year, and we all know what fate befell him. Nobody is saying that Chelsea are about to fall apart, but they certainly won’t have it all their own way for the whole season.
The acid test for them will come if Didier Drogba or Frank Lampard pick up serious injuries, as well as when the African Cup of Nations comes around. Chelsea are lightweight up front. Drogba and Nicholas Anelka aside, they only have Salamon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge; not enough to win you a Premiership or Champions League.
On the plus side, however, it will certainly take something special to beat them right now. With the spine of the side as strong as ever, the return of both Joe Cole and Yuri Zhirkov will add a much-needed creative spark. It’s already looking ominous for opposition defences.

No case for the defence

LAST weekend’s Manchester derby provoked widespread debate for a number of reasons. Above all else, though, the one thing we can take from the game, is that both sides will need to shore up defensively if they are to have a major say in the destination of the title.
City have now conceded six goals in two matches; and while the games came against United and Arsenal, it’s still a worrying statistic for Mark Hughes. United, meanwhile, seldom concede three goals at all, let alone at Old Trafford. The mistakes that led to City’s goals will be a particular worry for Alex Ferguson and Ben Foster’s form at present is simply not good enough.
Nevertheless, three wins in a tough week, at Tottenham, Besiktas, and against City merely confirm what we already knew: that those people writing off United at such an early stage really do need to go and have a lie down. With Darren Fletcher beginning to take games by the scruff of the neck, and Ryan Giggs doing everything in his power to prove age is no barrier, they are once again the team to beat.

No more excuses

The Champions League returns this week, and it’s not just the English teams that will be desperate for success next May. Of course, Chelsea, and Roman Abramovich in particular, won’t rest until the trophy with the big ears is taking pride of place in the Stamford Bridge trophy cabinet, and how Arsene Wenger would love to be the first manager in Arsenal’s history to topple Europe’s elite.
But no, the two teams with a major point to prove this year come from slightly further afield. It’s high time both Real Madrid and Inter Milan went on a decent run and gave the four English side’s something to worry about. It’s time for the excuses to stop. Inter were easily brushed aside by Manchester United last season, whilst Madrid have failed to get past the second round for a number of years. Not good enough.
Real’s galactico’s need to hit the ground running, whilst Mourinho’s new signings Eto’o and Sneijder will surely add the spark that they’ve been missing for the last few years. Come on, give us a competition worth watching.

Gunning for trouble

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR'S behaviour during Manchester City’s 4-2 win over Arsenal on Saturday will inevitably come under scrutiny in the coming days. He can expect a ban and a fine, and in truth, can count himself lucky. Everybody knows his relationship with the Arsenal supporters soured towards the end of his time there, but whose fault was that? Yes.....you guessed it, Adebayor’s himself.
He thought he was better than he was, and talked constantly about joining AC Milan. That deal never happened, and so it was time for the beanpole hitman to backtrack, and reiterate his love for Arsenal. It was too late though; the damage was done and he was never going to be flavour of the month again.
Adebayor talked recently about how the Arsenal fans turned on him, but why was he surprised? These people pay the highest ticket prices in the Premiership, and have every right to turn on a player when he shows such a blatant disregard for them, their manager and everything the club stands for.
It’s one thing if it was Thierry Henry or Dennis Bergkamp calling the shots, but Adebayor was dining out on one half-decent season; it’s not like they couldn’t cope without him.
His kick on Robin Van Persie, if intentional, was a disgrace. But to run the full length of the pitch, to purposely antagonise a set of supporters who had done nothing but support him until he threw it all back in their faces, was one step too far. It’s just a shame that one of those missiles that were thrown on to the pitch didn’t hit him in the face; he deserved it.

Scouring for a bargain

EVERYBODY loves a bargain. A simple fact that, not surprisingly, even extends itself to the credit-crunch-free-zone that is world football. And while there is certainly an element of truth in the notion that the Ronaldo and Kaka transfer fees have sent the market into meltdown, there are still, with just under a month until the transfer window closes, bargains to be had.

How about Real Madrid's Dutch five-piece for starters? Klaas Jan Hunterlaar, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sjneider, Arjen Robben and Rafael Van Der Vaart would improve any squad in the world. None of the aforementioned are guaranteed regular action at the Bernabeu and, with the World Cup finals to come next summer, all will need to feature regularly at club level to be in with a shout of making the national squad.

Even domestically, the shrewder managers are liable to bolster their squad without blowing a whole summer's budget if careful. Little over a year ago, Tottenham's David Bentley was being touted as the natural successor to David Beckham; you could now realistically pick him up for less than £10m, and he hasn't become a bad player overnight.

Ironically, even crisis-torn Newcastle have a few diamonds in amongst their rough. Kevin Nolan and Damien Duff were performing consistently in the Premiership not so long ago, the latter even played an instrumental part in Chelsea's back-to-back title triumphs of 04/05 and 05/06, and both, given the Geordies' perilous financial plight, could be available for virtually nothing.

So, whilst finding value for money becomes increasingly more difficult, taking a punt on a player with a point to prove could, in the long term, save a club a fortune. And the last time I checked, international football players were not on the shelves in Primark.

In Arsene you should trust

THERE is a banner at The Emirates which reads "In Arsene we trust". Funny that, because in the last few weeks, having sold both Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure to Manchester City, for a combined fee of around £40m, there isn't much trusting going on if you listen to all those ardent Gooners out there.

For all the talk of City taking Arsenal's place in the top four, however, the reality is altogether different, and Arsenal fans have much to look forward to as the new season approaches. True, they could certainly do with some cover at the back, and a defensive midfielder to play alongside Cesc Fabregas would add some much-needed steel in the middle of the park.

However, the return of Eduardo, one of the most clinical finishers in the game, combined with an already bedded-in Andrei Arshavin, not to mention the emergence of Jack Wilshere, offers more than just a ray of hope.

Adebayor had a terrible attitude and thought he was better than he was, whilst Toure, quite simply, was past his best. £40m for the pair was a great piece of business, and if Wenger invests it wisely, Arsenal could be the dark horses in this season's title race.

Shooting stars

WITH the new Premier League season only weeks away, it's time for us to assess who, aside from the usual suspects, will be making the headlines.

Arsenal fans will hope Andrei Arshavin continues the rich vein of form he showed towards the end of the last campaign, including that virtuoso four-goal wonder show at Anfield. The pint-sized Russian has taken to the Premiership like a duck to water and, at £12m looks a snip. If Arsene Wenger's men are to challenge for the big prizes, Arshavin will be key.

Chelsea have been relatively quiet in the transfer market, but in Daniel Sturridge, they may have unearthed a gem. The young forward was deemed surplus to requirements at Manchester City, but some sparkling performances in pre-season have set tongues wagging at the Blues' Cobham training ground. With a deft first touch, great technique and an eye for goal, Carlo Ancelotti can send Shevchenko and Pizzarro on to pastures new without any sleepless nights.

Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young were the toast of Villa Park last season. However, this time around it could be Birmingham-born Nathan Delfouneso stealing their thunder. The 18-year-old striker has been prolific for both the youth and reserve teams, and marked his full first team debut with a goal, against MSK Zilina in the UEFA Cup. By the end of last season he had 13 senior appearances to his name, and only a fool would bet against Martin O' Neill increasing that figure in the coming months.

Harry's forward thinking

DOES Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp actually know what a midfielder or a defender is? After shelling out close to £40m last January to bring both Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane back to the club, Redknapp has bolstered his squad pre-season by signing Peter Crouch from Portsmouth, whilst still hoping to conclude a deal for Real Madrid striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

Tottenham have never had a problem scoring goals, their problems stem from the back. So, though they may have a strikeforce which could quite easily do the business in the Champions League, they are left with a midfield and defence which would struggle to contain the 'Dog and Duck' on Hackney Marshes.

Browned off with Phil

HOW many times in football do we hear the cliché that no individual is bigger than the club. Well, can somebody please tell that to Hull City manager Phil Brown. Brown has done a fantastic job at the KC Stadium, taking the club into the Premier League was a minor miracle in itself.

However, after last season's unbelievable start, when Hull exceeded all expectations, Brown appears to have made the fatal error of believing his own press. Just remember Phil, after Christmas your team embarked on a wretched run which saw you narrowly avoid the drop. Hardly a reason to take hold of the microphone and begin an impromptu karaoke session in the middle of the pitch after a last day home defeat to Manchester United, is it?

Golden chance for Tevez

WE will learn a lot about Carlos Tevez in the coming weeks. Maybe not to the extent of what his favourite Michael Jackson song is – Man in the Mirror, I’m guessing - but more importantly, how seriously he takes his football career. If rumours are to be believed, the Argentine striker’s next club will be either Manchester City or Chelsea. A year ago, there would have been no choice; Tevez would have simply emptied his locker at Manchester United’s Carrington training complex, and been sipping cocktails on the Kings Road with John Terry et al within hours.

So, what’s changed? In a word, nothing. Chelsea are still the attractive proposition they were a year ago; hungry, determined, successful and with more than a decent shout of winning one of the major trophies, whilst City, for all their financial muscle flexing are, ultimately, the same proposition they were this time last year, albeit with a couple more decent players thrown in; ambitious, deluded, success-starved and with a decent shout of…..winning the Carling Cup.

The diminutive forward has a divine opportunity to show football supporters everywhere that a bulging trophy cabinet is far more precious than a bulging bank account. Don’t let us down, Carlos.

Hats off to Arsene

ARSENE WENGER, the Arsenal manager, is reported to have turned down a £6m per-year salary to join Real Madrid. The Frenchman met with Madrid officials on more than one occasion but, in the end, the opportunity to oversee his young side come to the fore proved more appealing than being able to spend £150m on the world’s finest talent in a matter of days.

Wenger accused the Spanish club of wanting to create a “spectacular team” at any cost, before reiterating his desire to stay in North London, saying: “I want to have success by building a team with a style, with a know-how, with a culture of play specific to the club and its fans and with young people. My intention is to take that project to the ultimate end.”

Having had to work within a strict budget for a number of years at Arsenal, few could begrudge Wenger the opportunity to play fantasy football with unlimited funds at the Bernabeu. However, once again, he has proved that you can’t put a price on loyalty. Let’s hope those same fans that were deriding him for Arsenal’s lack of success in recent years a few weeks ago, appreciate what they have got.

Hope and glory.....and failure

ENGLAND’S under-21s should be applauded for their efforts in Sweden. The fact that they were the first side from this country to reach a football final in 16 years at any level tells its own story, yet there are lessons to be learnt, nowhere more so than in the mentality of the players.

England went into Monday’s final as favourites, but you would never have guessed that by watching the game. Germany may not have set the competition alight in the group stages – as England did – but, ultimately, they came good when it mattered most. Overall, the tournament was a relative success, with Kieron Gibbs and Jack Rodwell in particular, catching the eye, but Stuart Pearce’s claim that “we need to produce more creative Mesut Ozil types” should not fall on deaf ears. The German number 10 was a joy to watch, and this time next year could be lighting up South Africa.

Robbie thrown to the sharks

ROBERTO DI MATTEO has been confirmed as the new manager at West Brom after only one season in charge at the MK Dons, and he will hope that the move doesn’t prove to be too big a step too soon, as Paul Ince found during his brief tenure at Ewood Park last season.

The former Chelsea and Italy midfielder has taken to management like a duck to water, steering the Milton Keynes outfit to the League One play-offs in his debut season as a manager, but in the Baggies, he takes on a side that will be expected to bounce straight back into the Premiership at the first time of asking.

The Championship is a notoriously tough division to navigate, and with the likes of Newcastle and Middlesbrough joining the party, it doesn’t look like getting any easier. Di Matteo was a fantastic player in his pomp; cool, calm and clinical. He will need all of those qualities and more if he is to avoid the same fate that befell Ince, who is now, ironically, in the running to return to the MK Dons.

Far from the real deal

AS Real Madrid confirm that they have paid £56m to AC Milan for the services of Brazilian playmaker Kaka, smashing the world-record transfer fee in the process, one question keeps nagging away; why would he want to sign for a club that makes Newcastle United look stable?

Madrid are a prime example of a club living off past glories, and the fact so many top players want to sign for them is a complete mystery. They change manager more often than Chelsea, and conduct their business affairs in a shoddier manner than one of Alan Sugar’s apprentices. True, they generally finish in the top two in Spain, but that’s akin to saying Rangers usually finish in the top two in Scotland.

They have failed to make any impact in the Champions League for a number of years, and their 5-0 aggregate drubbing at the hands of Liverpool came as no surprise to knowledgeable football fans. That it was closely followed by a 6-2 home defeat by Barcelona merely confirmed their current standing in the European game.

There is certainly no doubting Kaka’s ability, and he may well prove to be a success in La Liga. However, how many players that have moved to the Bernabeu in recent years have taken their game up a level? Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Ruud Van Nistelrooy have all but disappeared off the radar, and for £56m, the flamboyant no.10 will certainly be expected to buck that trend.

Carlo to win the lot-ti?

CARLO ANCELOTTI takes over as Chelsea manager on July 1, and if he is to win the Premier League title or Champions League in his debut season, some astute transfer business is a must. This is a massive pre-season for the Blues, as their ageing side needs reshaping, and if Roman Abramovich is prepared to back the new boss financially, Chelsea have a great chance of winning one of the major trophies.

The Russian owner was said to have craved Kaka at the Bridge, but there are plenty more fish in the sea. A wide player and another striker are essential, whilst Frank Lampard could certainly do with a creative midfielder alongside him in the middle of the park; Michael Ballack is not the answer, and he should feel very fortunate to have been offered a one-year extension to his contract.

The likes of Ribery, Villa and Pato have been mentioned, and players of that ilk are what Ancelotti needs to take the side up another couple of notches. In terms of sales, Deco, after a bright start, has barely featured, and is set to join Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan, whilst Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou could all be deemed surplus to requirements.

Whatever happens, the new man at the helm will need to hit the ground running. As Luiz Felipe Scolari will testify, Abramovich is not the most patient of men. Over to you, Carlo.

Nice to have you back, Diego

HE could do things with the ball that others could only dream about and, now, it seems, he can be just as mesmerising with his mouth. Quote of the week comes from one Diego Maradona, the current Argentina manager.

On rumours that he had fallen out with one of his assistants, Sergio Batista: “I don’t know what’s wrong with him, maybe he’s having his period right now…maybe he just needs some attention and a kiss on the mouth.”

At times magical, but infuriating in equal measure, one thing Maradona could never be accused of is being dull.

(Boozed up) Brits abroad

WITH England’s qualification to next summer’s World Cup final’s all but secure, and both Scotland and the Republic of Ireland in strong positions to finish second in their respective groups, the tournament could represent the first time all three nations have competed at a major tournament together since Italia ’90.

Let’s just hope that the pubs in South Africa have ordered enough beer, and the local police force have had enough training….it could get very messy.

Stop the rants please, Rafa

RAFAEL BENITEZ could open a supermarket with the amount of sour grapes coming out of Anfield at the moment. Why does he do it? As if the “fact” tirade a few months ago wasn’t bad enough, he now insists that “If Man Utd have more points, it only means they have more points, that’s all, nothing else.”

Well, not really. It means a great deal more than that to be perfectly honest. First and foremost, the league table doesn’t lie, so if United have more points than Liverpool, it means they have been the better side.

Benitez also fails to mention that United are due to play a second successive Champions League Final next week; a competition that his own side were knocked out of at the quarter-final stage. What about the Carling Cup? If my memory serves me right, United won that competition back in February after a penalty shoot-out against Spurs. FA Cup? True, United didn’t win this; they narrowly missed out, losing to Everton in the semi-final’s on penalties; Liverpool were eliminated by the same opposition back in round 4.

Liverpool have certainly made great strides this season, but the reality is that they have failed to win a trophy since their FA Cup triumph in 2006. A fact their manager would do well to remember.

Johnson proving he's no baby

PORTSMOUTH right-back Glen Johnson, has broken a club record by scooping all nine awards at the end-of-season prize-giving ceremony.

Johnson has come on in leaps and bounds since his move to Fratton Park from Stamford Bridge; He always had potential, but Jose Mourinho felt his constant lapses in concentration would ultimately prove costly for Chelsea, and so sold him.

Tony Adams didn’t get much right down on the South Coast. However, it’s no coincidence that Johnson’s resurgence came about after working closely alongside the former Arsenal defender, and his place in Fabio Capello’s 2010 World Cup squad looks a certainty if he continues in his current vein.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is said to be weighing up a £10m bid in the summer. You can almost feel the Chelsea hierarchy kicking themselves from here.

Boro's plight paints sorry picture

FANS of Newcastle, Sunderland and Hull City are in for a torrid afternoon this Sunday, as their respective teams try to avoid relegation to the Championship. Middlesbrough, on the other hand are all but gone, and for English football on the whole, their demise paints a sad picture.

In an era where looking abroad seems the obvious answer to any problem, Boro’ continue to look a little closer to home. In Steve Gibson they have a young, English Chairman, who would do anything for the club he has supported since he was a boy. Gareth Southgate will be the first to admit that he has made some mistakes, but ultimately, he is a young manager that has tried to do things the right way, and his time will come.

On the pitch, few clubs, if any, can field as many home-grown players as Boro’, and it is probably this lack of experience that has cost them in the end. The town is one of the poorest in the country, which is often a factor in the high number of empty seats on view at the Riverside, and it will be hit hard by relegation.

Let’s just hope that, for the sake of English football, Gibson, Southgate and co can regroup and head for the dizzy heights of the Premier League in the next few years; if anybody deserves a second chance, it’s Boro’.

Leeds in need of a lift

LEEDS UNITED, as a club, have never been the most popular; you only have to read David Peace’s The Damned United for the reasons why. However, you would have to have a heart made of stone not to feel for the supporters at present.

37,000 packed into Elland Road last week to see their side eliminated from the League 1 play-off semi-final by Millwall; the likes of AC Milan and Juventus struggle to attract crowds of that size regularly in Serie A.

A few years ago, it was a shock to the system to see Leeds’ name alongside the likes of Millwall and Scunthorpe when the fixtures were released. Now, sadly, it is just the norm. This once-great club are in danger of becoming known as one of British football’s lesser-lights.

Turn it in, Tim

CAN somebody please explain why Setanta choose to persist with the most biased, clueless football pundit ever to grace our screens? Tottenham coach Tim Sherwood makes no attempt to hide his loyalty to the club that pay his wages, or even make balanced, well-thought arguments when trying to make a point.

His continual use of training ground lingo is an embarrassment, and quotes like “Newcastle are a bigger club than Chelsea” do nothing to enhance his standing. When asked recently to name his manager of the year, he plumped for, yes, you guessed it…Harry Redknapp. You couldn’t make it up.

Player / team of the season

THERE is no doubting his contribution to the game over the years, but that Ryan Giggs walked away with the PFA Footballer of the Year award smacks of sentimentality. Even more puzzling, is how a player can win such a prestigious award after starting only 12 games for his club.

There are a few players out there who have every right to be slightly annoyed at being overlooked, namely Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Nemanja Vidic. The PFA Team of the Year was also an eyebrow-raiser, with the likes of Patrice Evra and Nicholas Anelka among the selected players.

In a season where there have been very few stand-out performers, my selection below will no doubt provoke widespread debate as well….hopefully anyway.

(4-4-1-1) Manager: David Moyes

Given; Johnson, Vidic, Jagielka, Cole; Lennon, Lampard, Ireland, Gerrard; Cahill; Torres

Top brass know sweet FA

IS it really asking too much for the clueless buffoons running the national game to put the people who make it what it is, the fans, first just once? Of course it is. That is why both Chelsea and Everton have been awarded a paltry 25,000 tickets apiece for the FA Cup Final at Wembley on May 30.

That’s right, 25,000. Now, I’m no Carol Vorderman, but by my reckoning, in a stadium that holds 90,000, that leaves 40,000 tickets to go to…who exactly? Chelsea have 27,000 season-ticket holders, so straight away, 2,000 supporters will miss out, not to mention the fans who can’t actually afford to go every week, but still frequent Stamford Bridge as often as possible, whilst for Everton, who’s average gate is around the 40,000 mark, the game represents the club’s biggest match since they lifted the trophy in 1995; again, there will be at least 15,000 unhappy scousers.

And to think, the FA have announced that this year they will be clamping down on ticket touts. See, that’s what happens when you hand tickets out to any Tom, Dick and Harry with a briefcase in his hand. They get greedy, and because they don’t have any interest in the outcome of the game, they sell their tickets….to the touts.

Everton go weak at the knees

ALEX FERGUSON has inevitably come in for some stick following his decision to rest a number of key players in yesterday’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Everton. Let’s get one thing straight though. The United side which ended the game was a weakened side to the one which beat Porto last week. However, it was not weak; far from it, in fact. With Ferdinand and Vidic at the back, Anderson and Scholes in midfield, and Berbatov and Tevez up front, that side was more than capable of getting a result.

How about giving Everton a bit of credit instead? David Moyes has worked wonders at Goodison on a shoestring, and no team deserves its moment in the spotlight more. We constantly hear the top four harping on about injury problems, but try playing with an attacking midfielder (Tim Cahill) as a lone front man for two months, which is what Everton had to do.

Elsewhere in the side, Phil Jagielka has blossomed into one of the country’s most promising centre backs, whilst Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar have exceeded all expectations. With talented youngsters such as Jack Rodwell following the likes of Leon Osman and James Vaughan into the first team, the future certainly looks bright.

After eliminating both Liverpool and Aston Villa, as well as United, on their way to Wembley, the toffee men have certainly done it the hard way, and a victory over Chelsea on May 30 would surely give the club the belief that they can break into the top four next season.

Lamps still shining brightly

ANOTHER man of the match performance from Frank Lampard in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the weekend, following his brace in the Champions League epic with Liverpool last Tuesday, but why should we be surprised?

Lampard continues to dominate games, and there is so much more to him than just scoring goals from midfield. He won every 50/50 at Wembley, before setting up Didier Drogba’s winner, and Cesc Fabregas will seldom have such an ineffective afternoon.

Lampard is the heartbeat of this Chelsea side; when he plays well, they usually win, and as the weeks go by, the fact he is not even on the shortlist for the PFA Footballer of the Year award seems all the more scandalous.

Home is where the heart is

WHEN the season begins, newly promoted teams have one aim, and one aim only; survival. The easiest way for them to achieve that is by picking up as many points as possible at home.

Teams such as West Brom, Hull City and Stoke City know that they are not going to win many games away from home. True, Hull did manage to buck the trend at the start of the season, but that was very unusual, and since January, they have reverted to type.

All the plaudits, therefore, should go to Tony Pulis and his Stoke side that have picked up 32 of their 37 points at the Britannia Stadium. The atmosphere and noise levels inside the ground can be intimidating for the opposition, and it is no coincidence that many teams have struggled there this season.

Many neutral observers have criticised Stoke’s style of play, but why? If Liverpool or Chelsea win a game 1-0 courtesy of a scrappy goal they are praised for winning ugly. Stoke have mastered the art of grinding out results, and for that, they should be credited. That is why they will be playing Premiership football again next season.

Big Sam may have the last laugh

THERE is only one man who knows whether or not Rafael Benitez intended to disrespect Sam Allardyce and Blackburn Rovers, and that’s Benitez himself. The jury is out on that one and, quite frankly, the incident has been blown out of all proportion.

However, if the Liverpool manager was being arrogant, you wonder why. Out of the FA Cup, out of the Champions League, and with an uphill struggle to win the Premiership, Rafa could be about to finish a third season in a row without a trophy.

If Manchester United manage to hang on and clinch the title, the biggest party of all could well be taking place in Blackburn.

Let the games commence

TWO mouth-watering Champions League semi-final’s take place next week, and both games look set to go to the wire.

Chelsea must score in Barcelona, but after putting three past Liverpool at Anfield, that is certainly not beyond them, particularly with Didier Drogba in such scintillating form. The problem for Guus Hiddink’s men will be keeping them out at the other end, and the loss of Ashley Cole for the first leg is a blow.

In the all-English clash, both United and Arsenal will have added incentive to reach Rome after losing in the FA Cup semi-final’s, but the fact the holders are still fighting for the Premiership might just swing the tie in Arsenal’s favour.

With the second leg to be played at the Emirates, Arsenal will certainly fancy their chances, and having not won a trophy since 2005, Arsene Wenger’s side know that the time has come to deliver.

Fergie reaching for the port

IT'S no big secret that Alex Ferguson is partial to a drop of the strong stuff. However, if Mrs Ferguson has noticed the drinks cabinet is being emptied of its contents fairly rapidly of late, she need look no further than the performances of her husband’s side as for the reasons why.

Ever since the 4-1 capitulation at home to Liverpool, United have been on the slide. The 2-0 defeat at Fulham a week later did nothing to restore confidence, and while last weekend’s 3-2 victory over Aston Villa will be remembered for 17-year-old, Federico Macheda’s late winner, the truth is, Villa were mightily unfortunate to leave Old Trafford empty handed.

This recent poor run of form culminated in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw at home to Porto in the Champions League, in which, again, United were lucky to come away with anything. Though injuries and suspensions to key players have certainly played their part in the recent slump, there are too many big players not performing, and at the business end of the season, that is what will worry Fergie most of all.

Cristiano Ronaldo has barely got going this season, and, at times, doesn’t even look interested, whilst Dimitar Berbatov, as Tommy Docherty recently claimed, “would get injured on A Question of Sport." It really is a mystery as to why Carlos Tevez doesn’t feature more regularly, and if he continues to find himself on the bench, who could blame him if he decides to seek a new challenge in the summer?

Ironically, for a club renowned and celebrated for its attacking culture, the champions’ most consistent performer has been a defender, Nemaja Vidic. United head to Porto next week facing the unenviable task of becoming the first English team to beat the Portuguese champions in their own backyard; on current form, you would have to say it looks unlikely.

Alon-so out of order

CAST your minds back to the 2004-05 Champions League semi-final first leg between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. The game had very little in the way of excitement, and ended goalless; fairly typical of a Mourinho / Benitez encounter.

The main talking point, however, came when Blues’ striker Eidur Gudjohnsen went down, under a seemingly innocuous ‘challenge’ from Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso. Replays showed no contact had been made; Alonso was shown a yellow card, and subsequently missed the decisive return leg at Anfield.

This, quite rightly, infuriated the Merseysiders, and ever since, Alonso and his teammates have taken great pleasure in castigating Gudjohnsen for his behaviour; Steven Gerrard even dedicated a few pages of his autobiography to the incident.

So, the last person you would expect to see trying to get an opposing player booked during a Champions League semi-final first leg would be Xabi Alonso. How wrong can you be? Anybody with a half-decent pair of eyes could see that when Chelsea captain John Terry challenged Reds’ keeper Pepe Reina for a 50/50 that was there to be won, there was no malice whatsoever intended.

However, when the camera panned to Alonso, he was insinuating to Didier Drogba that Terry had led with an elbow, and doing his utmost to get the Blues’ leader booked. The result: Terry does get booked, and…you guessed it…misses the return leg.

Shame on you, Xabi.

Shear desperation

Alan Shearer Tribute: The Best Goals

IT seems the entire Geordie nation have been granted their wish, with the news that Alan Shearer is set to take over as manager of Newcastle until the end of the season. Ultimately, the move smacks of deperation; Shearer has no managerial experience whatsoever, and judging by his punditry on Match of the Day, little tactical nous.

However, in the short-term, the appointment just might work. The Toon find themselves in an ominous position; residing in the relegation zone with eight games remaining, and with games still to play against the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.

What they need, is somebody who can come in and galvanise the whole place with immediate effect. Somebody who can get the players to go the extra yard, and give the long-suffering supporters a ray of hope.

Shearer, it seems, is that man. Moreover, if it all goes pear-shaped, well…anybody got Kevin Keegan’s number?

Sour taste of Becks’ record

David Beckham EngLand Vs Greece 2002 93rd Minute Free-Kick

YOU may, or may not, have noticed, but David Beckham this week surpassed Bobby Moore’s all-time appearance record for the national side. His half time introduction against Slovakia took his tally to 109, one ahead of Moore.

Now, Beckham doesn’t float everyone’s boat. Some see him more as a model / actor / celebrity, than a footballer, and there may be an element of truth in that somewhere. However, he has just broken the record for the amount of games played in an England shirt. You don’t break such records, without having the dedication, application, hunger and desire that he unquestionably possesses.

Most of the people claiming Beckham’s achievement is inferior to Moore’s because Moore won all of his caps by playing from the start, whereas Beckham, latterly anyway, has come off the bench, fail to acknowledge the fact that many of Moore’s caps were won in friendlies, whilst Beckham has played considerably more competitive fixtures.

Because of the lifestyle he chooses to lead, Beckham is an easy target. Yet, give credit where it’s due, he has been a great servant to the national side.

If Beckham boards the plane to South Africa next summer, he will set a new record - the first player to appear in four World Cup finals' for England. Sadly, his detractors will probably find a flaw in that as well.

Is Lennon the right man?

Much has been made of Aaron Lennon’s current rich vein of form. His club manager at Tottenham, Harry Redknapp, has been full of praise for the young winger, whilst at international level, Fabio Capello preferred him to David Beckham in the recent games against Slovakia and Ukraine.

I get the impression, however, that I must be missing something. True, Lennon has a turn of pace that would frighten any left-back in the world; and, for Spurs at least, he chips in with his fair share of goals. Beyond that, though, what else is there?

His final ball into the box is only consistent in its inconsistency, whilst the ability to beat a man with a trick, instead of his pace, remains elusive. On the positive side, he is young, and will improve. However, Shaun Wright-Phillips is playing well for Manchester City , and shouldn’t be discarded.

One player sure to be cursing himself right now is David Bentley. Before his ill-fated move to White Hart Lane, he had one hand firmly planted on the coveted no. 7 shirt. Now, he struggles to make the Spurs bench. On his day, Bentley is a fantastic player, and his ability to play as a central midfielder, as well as a wide player, would make him more valuable to Capello than either of the aforementioned.

His mistake, was believing his own hype; for if he was playing regularly at Ewood Park right now, his place in South Africa next summer next summer would surely be a formality.

Sinners, not Saints

THE news that Southampton have gone into administration should strike fear into the heart of every football supporter in the country. A club that, as recently as five years ago, was plying its trade in the glitz and glamour-fuelled world of the Premiership, now finds itself on the brink of ruin.

This shouldn’t be allowed to happen to a club that has played home to footballing icons such as Matt Le Tissier, Alan Shearer and Kevin Keegan. Rupert Lowe and his cronies have a lot to answer for, and supporters will inevitably ask where the money raised from the sales of Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale and Kenwyne Jones has gone? Once the pride of the South Coast , Saints fans can now only look on in disbelief, as bitter rivals Pourtsmouth, for so many years, the annoying little relative, lift the FA Cup and entertain the likes of AC Milan in Europe .

As we have seen with Leeds in the past, no club, no matter how big its history or fan base, is immune to financial capitulation. When Southampton were relegated from the top-tier of English football, their fans believed it was just a temporary arrangement. Today, however, they have even more pressing issues on their minds; because when the 2009/10 season kicks off, they may no longer have a team to support.

Let's hear it for the Moyes

NEMANJA VIDIC has been widely tipped as a potential footballer of the year, which would make a nice change, given the award generally goes to a forward. Even John Terry failed to pick up the prize when he was outstanding in Chelsea’s back-to-back Premiership successes in 04/05 and 05/06.

Similarly, the manager’s award usually falls into the lap of the boss whose side finish as champions. Rightly so, some might say, but isn’t it time for those managers who achieve success on limited resources to be rewarded?

Surely Roy Hodgson leading Fulham to a top-half finish is as commendable an achievement as Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal finishing fourth. Likewise, David Moyes taking his Everton side, who incidentally, have been ravaged with injuries to key players all season, to the brink of UEFA Cup qualification, not to mention an impending FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United.

Unlikely, it may be, but an award given to a lesser light, would surely be welcomed with open arms throughout the whole football community.

Trouble brewing in North-East

THE current economic climate presents worrying times for us all, and nowhere more so than in the North-East. Football is an outlet in the area, a way of forgetting about more personal problems, like finding work.

Sadly, two of its inhabitants, Newcastle and Middlesbrough, could soon be playing Championship football. Both sides find themselves in precarious positions, and will struggle to get out of it. One win in eighteen for ‘Boro tells its own story, whilst poor home form, and a tough run-in, including games against Chelsea and Liverpool, will hardly do much to dispel the gloom on Tyneside.

Gareth Southgate and Chris Hughton have it all to do, but a late escape would propel them into North-East football folklore.

Not a King decision, Fabio

LEDLEY KING doesn’t have to justify his talent to anybody. Assured and comfortable in possession, imposing and dominant in the air, and good enough to play as a holding midfielder; when he plays, Tottenham seldom get beat.

His inclusion in the England squad has raised a few question marks though. If King is unable to train, how will this affect the team? If, for example, he is unable to take part in various set-piece drills, and adapting to different systems, surely he can only become a liability if called upon.

Another interesting conundrum is this. If Joleon Lescott trains well all week, but King is chosen to start without taking part in training at all, how will Lescott feel? Could the decision be a recipe for discontent? That is why Mr Capello is paid such a handsome salary, to make these decisions, and more importantly, to get them right.

Rome Mayor fights back

THE Mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, has addressed a letter to the Times Online, in response to their campaign to have this season's Champions League final taken away from the Italian capital.

Alemanno says: “A Google search with the words ‘London’ and ‘stabbed’ brings up 2,670,000 pages, ten times those that appear for Rome.” Quite possibly so, Gianni, but how many of those stabbings in London have been football related? Nobody is trying to diminish Rome’s reputation in a cultural sense, but the statistics speak for themselves.

If, as expected, one or more English team does progress to the final on May 27, and the anticipated nightmare becomes a reality, all Alemanno’s feeble response has ensured, is that Michel Platini won’t be the only one with blood on his hands.

Beach football, anyone?

IT'S almost impossible not to be impressed with the way in which Arsenal striker Eduardo, has returned from that horrific injury which almost ended his career. After bagging a brace in his first game back against Cardiff a couple of weeks ago, the Croatian scored an outrageous volley at the Emirates during the Gunners’ 3-0 victory over Burnley on Sunday.

As Arsene Wenger alluded to after the game, the deft flick with the outside of his left boot wouldn’t have looked out of place on the Copacabana beach. The pint-sized hit-man seems to have taken to the FA Cup like a duck to water. What price on him scoring the winner at Wembley? You’d have to have a heart of stone to begrudge him that; or, like me, hate Arsenal.
Eduardo Vs. Burnley Goal FA Cup - Click here for more blooper videos

Ashley's own-goal

LET'S not beat around the bush here: Ashley Cole is not the sharpest tool in the box. Far from it in fact. Anybody who feels the need to cheat on a beautiful, genuine, successful woman, with a washed-up, gold-digging chav, deserves little sympathy.

Let’s put things in perspective though. He had too many beers, and shouted a few obscenities at a policeman. Of course, his behaviour was bang out of order, but it was hardly the crime of the century.

Over the festive season, Steven Gerrard was arrested, and charged, with assault, after a fracas in a Southport nightclub, but I don’t recall him being subjected to such widespread condemnation. You can’t have one rule for one, and one rule for another.

Ever since the foolish comments he made about the ‘paltry’ £55,000 per-week he was offered by Arsenal, Cole has been the victim of a media-fuelled hate campaign. Sadly for him, after the inevitable verbal assault still to come from a certain Geordie, a night in the cells will seem like a five-star trip to Barbados.

A right old knees-up

WHILST we’re on the subject of inspiring role-models, what the hell is going on at Oldham Athletic? A night out last week descended into chaos, as players fought amongst themselves, and, wait for it…with the manager.

Did I mention that it was in front of a selected group of supporters at a ‘meet and greet’ evening? Thought not. A club source said: “What has gone on is incredible. We should be working together to get promotion and, instead, everyone is fighting each other.”

Quite what the staff and fellow punters at the Belle Vue dog track in Manchester made of it all is anybody’s guess, but few people will be surprised to learn that Lee Hughes was in the thick of the action. Nice to see prison has changed him for the better then.

No way to carry on

IS somebody going to have to die before the clowns at the FA decide to take action against the ever-increasing horror tackles which continue to blight the game?

Brentford striker Nathan Elder, was left with a fractured eye socket and cheekbone after an ugly clash with Rotherham midfielder Pablo Mills at the weekend. This coming hot on the heels of Kevin Nolan’s sickening two-footed stamp on Everton’s Victor Anichebe a few weeks ago.

Anichebe’s operation was said to be a success, but nevertheless, he has been ruled out for the rest of the season. You have to feel for David Moyes, when he loses a player for the season, on top of all the other injuries Everton have had to deal with, whilst Nolan gets away with a three-game ban. Ben Thatcher was handed an eight-game ban in 2006, after the FA reviewed his brutal forearm smash on Portsmouth’s Pedro Mendes, so what’s changed? If further action can be taken once, surely it can be taken again.

Wembley not the way

SO, both of this season’s FA Cup semi-finals will be played at Wembley. No doubt we will be told that it is for the benefit of the supporters; a bigger venue amounts to more tickets for the clubs taking part.

However, you would have to be very naïve to fall for that nonsense. The real reason, as always, boils down to money. The FA are still trying to pay for the new Wembley, and what better way to finance this, than fleecing the very people the stadium means so much to, the fans.

Atwell shocker

SO, yet another refereeing performance that has attracted a negative press, and yet again, it’s Stuart Atwell in the firing line. After a woeful display at the Wigan v West Ham game, which saw both Carlton Cole and Lee Cattermole dismissed, Steve Bruce claimed : “Mr Atwell at the moment is not quite ready to step up to the plate too often, with those type of decisions.”

All too often, managers are quick to point the finger of blame at the referee when points are dropped, rather than look at their own team’s failings. However, all we ask for is consistency. When a player performs badly, he is dropped; when a manager performs badly, he is sacked; when a referee performs badly, well, what exactly?

City too ambitious (again)

YOU think they would have learnt their lesson after the Kaka saga. The fact Manchester City offered the flamboyant Brazilian a reported £1m per-week, and still failed to get their man, tells its own story.
You have to chuckle then, when stories continue to emerge about the possibility of either Jose Mourinho or Arsene Wenger taking over at Eastlands in the summer. Finances aside, what can the second-best team in Manchester offer such highly-skilled managers? Champions League football? No. Uefa Cup football? No. A realistic shot of winning the Carling Cup? Quite possibly; but the ‘special one’ and his old pal wouldn’t even get out of bed for that sort of enticement package.

Can’t Beatt it

EYEBROWS were raised on transfer deadline day, when Stoke City manager Tony Pulis, shelled out £3.5m to take Sheffield United striker James Beattie to the Potteries. However, five goals in seven games have helped lift Stoke up to 15th, and given them a great chance of survival.

Beattie insists he was never given a fair crack of the whip the last time he played in the Premiership, at Everton, and is hell-bent on proving his critics wrong. If his rich vein of form continues, and Pulis’ men stay up, £3.5m will seem like a drop in the ocean to the Stoke faithful.

On the right (Carrow) Road

NORWICH CITY, who are staring down the barrel of relegation from the Championship, have announced that 17,000 supporters have already renewed their season tickets for the 2009/10 campaign. In these tough economic times, fans of the club should be applauded for their loyalty. I’m sure they will be able to cope with relegation; it’s the thought of any more rallying cries from Delia that will be sending shivers up their spines.