I know that’s a bold statement right off the bat, but I’m getting genuinely baffled by a competition that clubs, players and particularly UEFA consistently treat as the Champions League’s annoying little brother. So by the end of last night’s ‘entertainment’ I found myself asking this exact question rhetorically, because there seems to no love left for UEFA’s secondary competition.

When the competition was rebranded from the old UEFA Cup in 2009, it was meant to herald in a new era for the tournament and put it up there alongside the Champions League as a prestigious European competition to win. But instead, the competition and ‘glamour’ has simply decreased and this season alone the competition has been plagued by low attendances, clubs fielding weakened line-ups and games that have been so dull I’ve actually started to favour ITV dramas’ instead of some ‘cream’ of European football.

Since combining with the Cup Winners Cup in 1999, a competition that in hindsight UEFA were took quick to do away with, the clamor of talking part in the Europa (is that even a word?) let alone winning the thing has diminished. A notion highlighted by Liverpool’s line-up for most of the competition this season and Martin O’Neill’s infamous decision to field a Villa line-up full of reservers and youngsters to preserve an outside chance of his team finishing fourth in 2009’s league campaign. In other words, the competition holds little priority to these teams until it’s the last thing to play for.

The process of having the Champions League group losers enter the competition was meant to help give the competition a better competitive edge and more glamour sides, but more often these teams add nothing to the competitions later stages and games have become far less entertaining then any those in the Champions League or in UEFA Cup competitions gone by. And why should these Champions League losers be allowed into the Europa League anyway – just because they blew their European shot? How can the tournament be viewed anywhere near the level of the Champions League when it’s seen as a consolation to even be in the thing – are the teams that qualified in the first place deemed not good enough to win it by Platini and his cronies?

As we saw last season with Fulham’s amazing run to the final, this competition is not all together dead but it is on life support. For it to reach the level it’s supposed to it needs UEFA to get rid the finicky group stages at the start, when even the Cottagers themselves fielded reserve line-ups last season, and get it back to straight knock-out. Ignore the Champions League losers and run with the teams who earned their place in the competition first and foremost. The clubs too, need to take it more seriously, after all what will players and fans care about more in twenty years time; that 15th place finish in the Premier League or that memorable night in Europe when the club held aloft silverware? The ironic thing last night was seeing Liverpool limp out of the competition, only for then vow to do everything they can to be in it next season. Why will they care anymore for it this time next year? Like Arsenal in this season’s Carling Cup you can’t pick and choose when and at what point these competitions are best for you, just because you’re now desperate to win anything. The Europa League shouldn’t just be anything, the UEFA Cup never was – and something needs to be done to ensure the Europa league isn’t either, otherwise was really is the point?

For a few year’s now I’ve complained about the transfer window. Not in the general sense of the why’s and why not’s of why it was put into place and if it does or doesn’t have a positive effect on the game, but rather that it’s usually for the majority just well, dull.

Sky Sports news can get as excited as they want and Jim White’s voice an get higher and higher but it doesn’t change the fact that for the last few seasons, it’s not just the weather that’s been cold in January but the transfer window itself. Last year, the only thing to really warm the cockles as Sky Sports ticker counted down and Andy Burton pretended he was getting calls from actual agents, was Adam Johnson moving to Man City and Victor Moses move to Wigan. While 2009’s only headline maker was Robbie Keane’s return to White Hart Lane after his disastrous move to Liverpool. Despite the countless rumours from journalists on Twitter and the brilliant ‘I’ve just seen so and so at the airport’ message board rumours, the window hasn’t been as exciting as it should be.

But there’s some exciting light at the end of 2011’s transfer window, that could spark the market into life like never before seen in the January madness. That light is Darren Bent’s utterly bizarre move from Sunderland to Aston Villa, a move that if it does go through (and from what I believe it’s just hours away) may just be the trigger for a flurry of moves as we head into the second half of the window and towards the deadline on January 31st. We had already seen some early movement in the window, with Edin Dzeko, David Bentley, Wayne Bridge and Roque Santa Cruz moving, but it’s the Bent deal that is getting me excited for a proper transfer roller-coaster ride for the rest of the month.

The merits of Bent’s shock move can be long discussed but what it will mean is that Sunderland will now have money to burn and with the best part of £20 million there’s room for three decent additions to a Sunderland team that is already pushing for a Europa League Place. Bent’s arrival at Villa Park could also mean departure’s at the club for John Carew and possibly even one of Ashley Young and Stewart Downing – as they’ll need to fund their record layout for their new England international striker.

Liverpool are one of the clubs interested in Downing which would be Kenny Dalglish’s first foray into the market, while they are also talking to Ajax about Luiz Suarez. With Ryan Babel set to move to Hoffenheim, Dalglish looks to have some money and will be desperate to put his own stamp on the Liverpool squad. Then there’s Chelsea, who having missed-out on Steven Pienaar maybe tempted into freshening up their squad. Birmingham we know are looking for a front-man, as are Newcastle while Arsenal need reinforcements at the other end of the pitch.

It all bodes well for what could be the most exciting window for many a year, and I honestly can’t wait. As over the top Sky Sports news go on the window, I have to admit I love every second of it and this season they’ve upped the ante once again with a special transfer update everyday that includes gadgets and graphics akin to Andy Gray’s Monday Night Football toys – and they are brilliant. I love Jim White’s excitement along with Burton’s phone calls and will spend the next two and half weeks constantly checking twitter and hoping to see that yellow breaking news bar on SSN, hoping this year I won’t be disappointed.

Maybe then I won’t get into February once again complaining about yet another wasted transfer window. C’mon Premier League managers, don’t let us down.

What will it take for Fabio Capello to believe in Peter Crouch? An international record better than any other England striker? A cameo off the bench that includes a brilliantly taken volley? Or maybe two World Cups and a FA Cup winners medal? No, no Crouchy has all those in his locker, so what is it that Capello doesn’t ‘get’?

We all know that Crouchy has spent his whole life convincing people in his ability, I for one was one of those people having seen him arrive at QPR in the summer of 2000. But even as a raw youngster he was the stand-out player that season at Loftus Road and convinced me, yet the striker has had to spent the majority of this career proving people wrong about his talent – especially Fabio Capello.

Yet we are talking about a footballer who has played for his club and country and the very highest level. Take a look at Crouchy’s CV and you’ll see World Cup appearances, Champions League runs to the final and spells with Liverpool and a resurgent Tottenham Hotspur. Then there’s his actual international goal scoring record, which is nothing short of amazing and far exceeds anyone else in an England shirt – Wayne Rooney included. Yes you can point to a lot of the goals coming against ‘lesser’ opposition but that’s not Crouch’s fault, he can only score against whoever is put infront of him – and he does that consistently. He has 22 goals for his country in 42 internationals, most of which has come when he has started the game, yet last night a Championship striker bizarrely called-up out of nowhere was chosen to enter the field of play ahead of him and Capello continues to only use Crouch unless he really has to.

The thing is with Crouch, yes he may still look like the most awkward footballer on the planet and frustrate with how good he SHOULD be in the air as well as the amount of free-kicks he gives away but he delivers for England. Hell, he has always delivered for England and whatever club he’s been at too. Which is why Harry Redknapp continues to start with Crouch in Spurs Champions League matches, where he’s netted five goals in three games for Tottenham. The old adage of ‘his got a good touch for a big man’ maybe have been rolled out more times then Gareth Barry lost the ball last night but it’s true as Rafael van der Vaart has found to his advantage already this season.

I’m not suggesting that Crouch should be England’s number one striker as we all know that a fit and focussed Wayne Rooney is the team’s most potent weapon but Crouch should be more involved even when Defoe and Bent are also back in the fold. Not only for his goal scoring record but for the fact that defenders still don’t exactly know how to mark him properly and he does create space for others around him like Rooney and Steven Gerrard. That’s as long as England stop using him like a battering ram as they did with Andy Carroll and hoof the ball-up to him when they are clueless to find any other option – but that discussion is for another day.

England and Capello have always had that ‘big man’ option and while Andy Carroll may well be the future, Crouch is still the present and the goal last night was a timely reminder to his current England boss. Maybe this time he’ll listen.

Thanks Diego

So it’s Holland who are the first team to book their place at Sunday’s final, after they defeated Uruguay in Cape Town tonight. But I’d like to take this opportunity to heap praise upon a member of the tonight’s losing side, Diego Forlan.

There surely has never been such a world class goal-scorer so criminally underrated going into a tournament like Forlan was pre South Africa. I mean when bets were being taken on who was going to be the competition’s top scorer Forlan never got a mention despite his truly amazing record at club level. And while he probably won’t go on to nab the shiny shoe, he has still proved that he does belong and should come in the same breath as such top-draw goal getters like Fabiano, David Villa and erm…Wayne Rooney.

It’s not just his goals though -of which include a sublime free-kick, a cooley taken penalty and a worldy in the semi, no it’s his all round contribution as talisman for the Uruguay team that has seen he easily become one of the stand-out players on the tournament. As well as chief set-piece taker anywhere in the attacking third, Forlan has also formed a formidable partnership with Luis Suarez that has bought the best out the young Ajax front-man on football’s biggest stage. In a World Cup that has been severely lacking a player to shine-out amongst the cagey football, Forlan has been that man and has been as important to Uruguay as Zidane was to France in 1998 and Maradona in 86. It’s just a shame that despite that excellent strike against Holland he couldn’t help Uruguay all the way to the showpiece on Sunday.

Forlan has long been stuck with the unfortunate reputation he gained whilst at Man Utd, where as a young striker fresh off leaving his South American surroundings struggled at one of Europe’s biggest clubs even if he did score vital goals against Liverpool and Chelsea. Yet since leaving Old Trafford Forlan has emerged as a truly great goalscorer for first Villarreal and now Atletico Madrid, winning the European golden boot on two different occasions and last season helping Atletico to Europa League glory. Yet before this summer he was an outsider looking in at the grand table of true world stars.

Now though after a stellar world cup, where he will no doubt be included in the team of the tournament he will be given the credit that he has been long overdue, and it a testament to what self belief and hard work can do for player. It’s just a shame from a selfish point of view that he’s committed his future to Atletico, cos I for one would have liked to see him have one more hurrah in the Premier League and prove that last of the doubters wrong.

***

How weird was it just to have a solo commentator on the game tonight?  I have to admit that Jim Beglin is somewhere near the bottom on my pundit scale, but having to put up with a whole game with just Clive Tyldsley did make me wish he would get off his sick bed as soon as possible and start pointing out the obvious once again. And was it me or was the atmosphere dead in that stadium? For a World Cup semi-final it seemed like everytime Holland scored the reaction didn’t receive the excitement that the moment warranted.

I’m sure like me, you have read every column inch and more on yesterday’s debacle in Bloemfontein including Mike and James excellent blogs on here. You may have come-up with a range of different opinions on the players and manager and what’s next for English football.  Having taking in all of this, I’ve come to my own conclusion and for me the blame lies firmly with Fabio Capello.

Before I start let me just say, I’m never one for jumping on the bandwagon and shouting for the manager to be sacked. Being a QPR fan I know probably more than most that the notion behind changing managers every five minutes achieves nothing and I’m not even sure I’m suggesting getting rid of Capello, I just think there’s been way too many big decisions that the Italian has got wrong and has cost England at this summers World Cup. So let me explain;

The squad
Capello has been at the helm for two and a half years, which has been more than enough time to shape a squad he thinks will win the World Cup. Of course you can’t account for the players form and it’s only natural that some players on the fringes will come and go, but he should know the bulk of the squad. Why then did he decide at the very last minute to recall Jamie Carragher, giving a huge slap in the face to Matt Upson who up to that point had been the designated number three defender. Fabio then went as far as asking a 35 year-old Paul Scholes if he’d reconsider his retirement too. Not that biggest vote of confidence to the midfield players he had used thus far. Furthermore When the final 23 players were announced he decided to leave out Adam Johnson over a player who Johnson actually was picked ahead of at club level, picked Ledley King on the basis that he ‘might’ be able to cope with amount games and gambled on Joe Cole because of 45 decent minutes against Japan and a goal against Manchester United. Not forgetting taking Gareth Barry even though he clearly wasn’t fully fit. I remember thinking at the time it was probably our weakest tournament squad since the Graham Taylor era yet we landed in South Africa as third favourites.

The tactics
I think it’s universally agreed that our two best players are Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard. Now I could write a whole different piece on what was wrong with Rooney in South Africa but maybe his biggest grievance was the position he was playing.  Fans, pundits, ex-players and managers have all pin-pointed the same tactic, a tactic that would utilise are two leading lights and give the team a much better balance overall. By playing Rooney upfront on his own with Gerrard floating behind him surely would get the best out of both players. Of course the way Rooney played in this tournament in might not have mattered but not once did Capello try this not even for ten minutes and instead stuck to his rigged 4-4-2 that saw Gerrard marooned on the left and Rooney frustrated with both the role he played at the awkwardness of partnerships with him and either Heskey or Defoe. Why if we can all see that this could work, enough to at least try it, the man with the brilliant CV and £6 million a year can’t?

Then there was his substitutions during the finals, I’ve already said how shocked I’ve been at Joe Cole suddenly turning into Diego Maradona in Capello’s and the England ‘World Cup’ fans eyes and unsurprisingly he did nothing but prove Chelsea right in this tournament that his best days are behind him. Peter Crouch was largely ignored despite his excellent international goal record, and was even overlooked for the even more out of sorts then normal Heskey when we needed goals against Germany. Granted he didn’t give himself more attractive options with the squad that he took – but who’s fault is that?

Morale
One thing that the FA have banged on about since the appointment of Capello is the job he’s done in building-up the team after the dark days of Steve McLaren. McLaren’s biggest problem that he wanted to be one of the boys and in with the squad and it ultimately made him a laughing stock in the David Brent mould. Capello on the hand is a disciplinarian, the complete opposite to McLaren which has served England well during short spells during qualification games but did it become too much having two months worth of it? Did Capello’s regime feel more like school to these players (some might say that’s what they deserve)  and therefore effect morale in the camp? Did we go from one extreme with Steve McLaren with his ’Stevie G’s’ and ’JT’s’ to another from cold Capello? Comments made by both John Terry and David James would suggest so. You can have all the club experience in the world but international management is a totally different ball game and maybe this is an area Capello was found wanting.

Then there’s the whole issue of naming a team two hours before kick-off, including your number one goalkeeper. Again this may work at club level, where if you make a mistake you know there are plenty of other games to make amends for it, but this is the World Cup the biggest stage you’ll ever play in. These players want to know if they are playing and representing their country at the pinnacle event of their career (although most didn’t show it) and want to prepare for it. How can we get used to playing as a team if we don’t know who that team is until two hours prior to kick-off?

I could go on but I don’t want to the players to get off totally scott free, cos for all of Capello’s hindrance they were a disgrace to the three lions on their shirt. Question is what to do now, I don’t think Capello will go and it may not even be the right thing to do, but the points I’ve raised need to be asked of Fabio by his employers and  taken into account if they are to persist with the Italian. Otherwise the dark days were are already fearing as England fans may get darker then we could ever imagine.

Avriadechi!

I’m not going to dwell too much on yesterday’s result as far as I’m concerned it was job done. The fact that we were holding on to the lead with minutes ago against a team like Slovakia doesn’t bode well ahead of games against Germany and then possibly Argentina but the performance was so much better. There’s still worries, namely Rooney’s form, Johnson’s suspect defensive game and the failure to kill a game off, but the camp should now be galvanised especially with a mouth-watering game against Germany to look forward too. England always play better against ‘bigger’ opposition and there are few bigger from an English point of view than the Germans, so let’s just hope it doesn’t end in spot-kick tears once again!

One thing that did really annoy me though, watching the game in my nearest pub to work was the reaction when Joe Cole came on. Now I’ve got nothing against  Cole, infact he’s one of very few Chelsea (or now ex) players that I actually like, but all he’s done for the better part of year is have 45 or so good minutes against Japan. But the reaction when he came on in the Horse Shoe in Farringdon was like we’d just brought Pele off the bench! Usually I stop myself from opening my mouth in these situations – like when you’re on a train and you can here two people talking footy and getting things incorrect, but I couldn’t this time and found myself shouting to a pub of ‘World Cup’ England fans “It’s only Joe f#####g Cole!”. Pretty much show’s the lack of genuine creative players in this current squad.

For all the talk of crisis’s in England camp, I couldn’t help look at Italy today and wonder what all the fuss has been about! England may have been bad in their first two games, but by god the Italians have been worse. As reigning champions they’ve made a farcical attempt at defending their crown, that see’s them exit the competition with no wins, two points and bottom of a group that consisted of Slovakia and New Zealand – ranked 78th in the world. And you know what they deserved all of it too, there has been no sign of the quality or defensive steal of four years ago and the squad which consists mainly of the same personnel  from 2006 look too old, too pedestrian and frankly way off the pace.

The real stumbling block for the Azzurri was the lack of a ‘star’ player. Where was this generations Baggio, Del Piero or Totti? The team lacked that one player who could add a touch off class and produce something out of nothing to carry them through. Sadly for the Italians they may have left that very player twiddling his thumbs at home in Antonio Cassano, who despite his playboy reputation Marcello Lippi may regret now not taking. The Italian squad needs a complete overhaul and a new generation needs to step-up because the golden generation of four years ago now just looks like the golden oldies, and their down and out.

Oh and be warned, Holland went through tonight with three wins out of three without hardly breaking a sweat, and now face a favourable looking knock-out tie with Slovakia. They Dutch are quietly going about their business and worth a punt on a possible first World Cup win

Au revouir

I bet Irish eyes are smiling tonight. Hell, the football world should have wide grins on their face at the expense of a side that got exactly what they deserved today, as France bowed out of World Cup 2010.

Let’s forget for a second that they cheated their way to get here, thanks to Monsieur Henry because the deserve to go out for how they have conducted themselves both on and off the pitch since day one in South Africa. They found themselves in group,  easily winnable for a team with their talent but somehow finished the tournament with one point and just one goal and bottom of the group. It was easy to see why too – because they were dire in each and every game. The likes of Ribery, Anelka, Malouda and Evra looked shadows of the players we’ve come custom to seeing and gave no effort to the blue shirt like they have done for their clubs all season.

Off the pitch, events became calamitous as Anelka was sent home, the skipper publicly argued with coaching staff and players refused to train. I appreciate that the majority of the squad were frustrated, especially with Raymond Domenech who should have been shown the door a long time ago but it’s no excuse for the way these professional footballers have behaved.

This is a World Cup, the pinnacle of these players careers and some who may never play in one again yet they’ve thrown their opportunity down the pan with some abject performances and off-field petulance. I admire the players for taking a stance I do, but there are ways and means of doing it and they way the French squad have gone about it has been a disgrace. The sight of Thierry Henry and Djibrill Cisse chuckling and refusing to go back to the bench may on the surface seem humours but show’s a deep lack of respect for the badge and country they are representing. Whatever their thoughts on the manager and whether they are correct or not, he was the manager for this campaign and therefore should have expected to be treated in a better manner then he has been.

The shining light now is that the Domenech reign is over and that France can draw a line under this farcical World Cup adventure and look to a brighter and less controversial future under Laurent Blanc.

As much as it hurts to say this on the anniversary of Maradona’s involvement in Mexico 86 but how entertaining are Argentina to watch? Not only for some of the football they’ve played thus far or because of that gorgeous away kit they wore tonight but for the exploits of Diego on the touchline. The frantic hand signals, the eight or so cross motions he does before every game and the way he kisses every player after he substituted them. He’s like a one man highlight reel.

Final thought, would 37 year-old Martin Palermo Argentina’s sixth choice striker get in the England squad? Probably, but how ridiculous is it that their ‘reserve’ pairing is Champions League final hero Diego Milito and £40 million man Sergio Aguero. Still think they cant’ win the World Cup?

Who wants to win?

Does anyone want to win this World Cup? After the tepid trend of the first round of group games, the second lot’s trend looks like being the story of the underdog. Hot on the heals of Switzerland’s win over Spain, Mexico’s over France, Serbia’s over Germany and Algeria’s point with England came today’s shock result of New Zealand holding World Champions Italy to 1-1 draw in Nelspurit.

What is going on? New Zealand are a side ranked 78th in the world and actually have a semi-professional banker who’s taken an extended holiday in their squad. Italy have the most experience squad in the tournament including World Cup winners, yet today they were both on level terms. Credit must go to the All Whites and Ryan Nelson in particular for their defensive display but the Italian’s like England look to be lacking a real creative force that could even see them struggle progress to the knock-out stage. What odds would you have got pre-tournament that England, Italy and France wouldn’t get out of their groups – it could happen.

France’s problems however stretch further then progression though, after another day of disarray from the 1998 winners camp. A day after Nicolas Anelka was sent home due his half-time clash with Raymond Domenech, the players responded by refusing to train today with Domenech and his coaching staff. How the French FA have let Domenech stay in a job this long I don’t know because he should never  have been allowed to lead this team into this World Cup when players and fans were already so against him. It’s now ruined their chances on the pitch  and made them a laughing stock to the rest of the World Cup. And we thought things we bad for England!

One team that has guaranteed it’s passage to round two is Brazil who looked impressive in their 3-1 win over the Ivory Coast. Especially now that Luis Fabiano has found his scoring boots, I tipped him to be top scorer at the beginning of the tournament and now he’s off the mark I can definitely see the golden boot going to the Seville hit-man. Disappointing though to see the game spoiled by the red card decision, that kind of play-acting has no place in the game and hopefully FIFA will crack down on Keita.

The second round of group games conclude tomorrow with Spain and Portugal in action, before we get into the business end of this World Cup. I’ve got my fingers crossed already!

The Aftermath

I was beyond words last night, I really was – which for a writer by profession is some stretch. I’d sat and listened to my friends post-match, to the pundits on ITV and the guys on Radio 5 live on my home and although we have the tendency to go over the top in this country, last night they were all more the justified cos’ England were  useless. Therefore, here is my run down of the main complaints of last night.

1) England were awful
And that’s the nicest word I can think of. I have been watching England since 1990 and I have to say that was one of worst performances I have ever seen them produce in a competitive international. It’s right-up there with the exploits of Graham Taylor and Euro 92, the dismal defeat to Northern Ireland and the pain in the rain under Steve McLaren. England failed to create a single clear-cut chance against a team ranked 30th in the world, lacked any effort, any substance and most worrying looked like they couldn’t care less about it.

2) Wayne Rooney and the outburst
While I can imagine it must be a horrible feeling to be booed by your own fans, especially your county – what did he really expect? This wasn’t a meaningless friendly at Wembley, fans have travelled far and wide and spent thousands of pounds on supporting England in South Africa and all they ask in return is for the team to turn-up and at least try and perform. Last night they didn’t and therefore the fans showed their frustration as they are entitled too. Had Wayne Rooney done the same and been in the crowd last night would he have joined in the chorus of boos? Of course he bloody would.  I have two friends who have gone out to Africa and spent over £2,500 and that’s without hotels – for their money shouldn’t they expect some sort of effort and performance out of England in what it’s quite clearly the easiest group of the World Cup?

3) Wayne Rooney and the performance
I don’t want to single anyone out really because overall every individual were as bad as each other but my god what has happened to Wayne Rooney. In two games against opposition far inferior to England I can only remember one sight of the Rooney who’s had ripped opponents apart this season on his way to winning the PFA and Football Writers Player of the Year. This was meant to be his tournament, the stage to show that he can be talked about in the same breath as Messi and Ronaldo but after his displays so far in this World Cup he may have well stayed at home. I’m not sure if it’s the system, his fitness or the rub of the green but things need to change. Rooney is our talisman, and we need the Wayne Rooney of Man Utd and we need him soon or it could be too late.

4) The players ‘fear’
First it was the fear of playing at Wembley, then the fear of just playing in an England shirt and now according to Capello the players are scared by failure at this World Cup. Soon these players won’t be able to leave the house without a fear they are going to feel pressured by someone or something to do with England. But let’s be honest this is not a squad of players who have only played 10 or 20 times for this country, we are talking about players who have close to 100 caps and have played in numerous Champions League, FA Cup and  League Cup finals. They should thrive on the pressure and honour of playing for England, not shy away from it and blame it on sub-par performances. I’m sure every country puts pressure on their team to win, but do you see the likes of Brazil, Argentina or Holland putting performances like that in?  It’s nonsense.

5) Has Capello lost it?
It’s hard to believe Fabio Capello is losing it. Here is a manger that has a CV most could only dream about, but  you can’t help to question some of the decisions he’s made at this World Cup. Last night’s tactics were a disaster of the Raymond Domenech kind, an over reliance on a right wing where Lennon never got the chance to use the ball, Steven Gerrard leaving the left wide open while he cuts in, and Gareth Barry starting despite not being match fit – and let’s just for starters. Why was Joe Cole, arguably our most gifted player sat on the bench the whole game? What does Shaun Wright-Phillips really offer other then pace?  Would Adam Johnson’s presence in South Africa added more balance?
Our two best players are Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, FACT. We are crying out to play them both in the positions they are most effective for their clubs – Rooney up top on his own with Gerrard floating behind him. This would also give more balance to the midfield by bringing in someone like Cole who would stay on the left and offer my creative options up front. We are far too predictable at the moment, even Algeria worked that one out, so we need to be more creative and use our best players in a way that will aid the whole team. And if we can see that, why can’t out illustrious man in charge?

5) Emile Heskey
I know the argument. I’ve preached the argument. But last night you saw the dilemma of playing Emile Heskey when you need a goal – nothing happens. For all his hard-work and hold-up play, in international football you get very few chances to make an impact and you have to take them. Heskey doesn’t and just like the one-on-one he missed against the US, Heskey was equally ineffective last night. As mentioned Wayne Rooney wasn’t much better but when a goal is needed we just can’t rely on big Ivanhoe to deliver and that’s the problem. Oh and don’t get me started on that embarrassing attempt of a step-over.

But how has it come to this? How have England managed to degenerate so far since qualifying? Since they beat Croatia 5-1 at Wembley last September, there has not been a single performance that has truly inspired confidence in the team., yet we have rolled into this World Cup as one of the favourites. Winning the whole thing right now is irrelevant, three points and a passage is the only thing that matters but I have a horrible feeling that the ultimate embarrassment we all feared may just become a horrible reality.

Au revior?

There’s a well known saying that states what goes around, comes around.  It’s something that Raymond Domenech and his French team should think about this evening. Eight months after that infamous game with Republic of Ireland that saw Thierry Henry literally hand the French their World Cup place, they themselves are now staring at a group stage exit from the competition after tonight’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico.

Let’s be honest too, they deserve to be going out because they’ve been awful thus far. Tonight’s performance was marginally better then the bore draw of last week but Mexico were by far the superior team. The France were lacklustre, offering no spark, no creativity and ultimately they have hardly created a decent opportunity  in 180 minutes of football. Where was the world class talent of Ribery, Anelka and Malouda?  How is Sidney Govou in South Africa and Karim Benzema watching at home? And more importantly how the hell is Domenech still in charge in the first place!

Of course there’s still a chance they could sneak through, a high scoring victory against South Africa and a positive result for either Mexico or Uruguay would see France undeservedly go through. But after the way they’ve played so far in this tournament, I could even see them struggle to overcome the hosts- who will want to go out on a high.

By the way did anyone notice the tannoy announcer during the France game? He sounded like something out of Doctor Who rather then a stadium announcer!

While France are struggling, it’s the complete opposite scenario for Diego Maradona’s Argentina. The two-time winners have all but booked their place for the second stage thanks to a 4-1 win over South Korea. Hero of the day, other than Messi who pulled the strings was Gonzalo Higuian who netted the tournament’s first hat-trick. I like Higuain a lot, a proper striker’s striker, who seems to always be in the right place at the right time. None of his goals were spectacular today, but he was there to finish them off and it’s that predatory sense that you see less and less in the game now. For all the brilliance of Fernando Torres and Lionel Messi, it’s nice to see the true goal-scorer role still has a role in the modern game. Higuain reminds me of Davor Suker and Alan Shearer rolled into one, which can’t be bad and he must now be favourite to nab the golden boot. Good job Madrid tied him to a new contract right before the tournament started.

Tomorrow of course England are back in action with the world expecting a comfortable win over Algeria in Group C. Although I’m not bold enough to predict anything less than victory for the Three Lions, they should take heed from what’s happened to Spain and France already this tournament. It will be interesting to see who get’s the nod in goal and upfront, while Gareth Barry’s return may mean a more fluid midfield. The important thing though is the win whatever the performance, that can be worried about later, three points is what matters most.

World Cup wakes-up

Well that was a bit more like it wasn’t it? Six days into World Cup 2010 and we’ve finally got a day that gave us everything we enjoy about the big tournament. A attacking win from an unknown country, a stand-out performance from a true world-class star and of course a major upset that no-one saw coming.

If the day’s appetiser of a win for Chile, in a style we were yet to see (you know attacking!) the afternoon’s main course was something no one but the Swiss  thought about ordering. Gelson Fernandes  name will rank alongside scorers of famous World Cup giant-killing goals like Francois Omam-Biyik and Papa Bouba Diop,  after he scored the goal that gave Switzerland an amazing 1-0 win over European champions Spain. Those crafty Swiss stars even had the nerve to almost nab a second too, hitting the post late on, in a game that was actually totally dominated by Spain. But even with Torres, Villa, Pedro, Navas and the rest on the pitch the Spanish failed to breakthrough the stern Swiss defence, that unbelievably even included Philipe Senderos (well for the first 35 minutes anyway) and Reto Zeigler – remember him?

Despite the loss it’s no time to press the panic button for Spain, however the loss does mean there’s a distinct possibility of a second-round clash with Brazil if Spain now fail to top the group. Which for us neutrals we would hope be a feast of football and for us England fans would mean one lesser team to worry about. One things for sure the next games in Group H will definitely be ones to watch.

For the days dessert we were treated to the first real one-man show of the tournament. Where as Mesut Ozil’s display for Germany was impressive Diego Forlan’s performance against South Africa really was world class and  highlight how much the front man has evolved since his infamous spell at Old Trafford. It wasn’t just his two goals, but he’s all round play and how he was at the hub of everything for Uruguay. That ball he played to Suarez for the third goal was majestic and Diego really does look the part on the world stage. But should we be surprised? They guy has scored consistently scored over twenty goals every season he’s been in Spain bar one and that’s without playing for one of he so called ‘big two’ in La Liga. The reputation unfairly gained at Manchester United has long been replaced by his achievements in Spain and is now showcasing his talent to a World Cup audience, so good for him (and good for me who picked Uruguay in the office sweepstake and bought Forlan in my auctioned fantasy league).

So finally this World Cup is beginning to warm-up and I’ve got high hopes now for the next round of group games.

Minnow’s have something to shout about

Day five of the World Cup may have brought more bad weather and more mediocre football but it was at least a day for some of the minnows competing in South Africa. The day’s early kick-off was probably one of least desirable games on paper of the group stage, and although the game itself wasn’t exactly a classic what it did bring was a memorable moment for New Zealand football. Winston Reid’s 93rd minute equaliser gave the Kiwi’s their first ever World Cup point and gave themselves and Slovakia a fighting chance in Group F where all four teams currently level on points.

The smile and good feeling of seeing a goal mean so much too a team was quickly wiped away by another game that will quickly be forgotten. The best thing about the opening week to a World Cup, is the pure ecstasy of having three football games a day to watch, but the standard of some games has been so bad it’s made actually wish they didn’t bother. After the thrill-a-minute rides of Algeria and Slovenia, and Japan and Cameroon came today’s clash between Portugal and Ivory Coast. No quality, no fluency, no tempo and  no goals. To me this game was even worse because then it’s predecessors because  this was a game from the so-called group of death, this was a game that featured some truly world class players including former World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo. But bar a blistering shot that cannoned off the post, there was nothing but mediocrity from the Real Madrid star along with his Portuguese team-mates. The over-reliance on Ronaldo is rather alarming and one that could see Portugal struggle to get out of the group.  Either way both teams will need to up the ante in their next matches.

The evening’s events saw Brazil take on North Korea, in a match that many predicted would see the South Americans steamroll their opponents. With no disrespect to the Koreans the World Cup could do with a good thrashing (that’s not German) or at least a few more goals but it wasn’t to be. Before the game, the emotion got too much for one Korean player, who was in floods of tears during the anthem line-ups, in a image that will no doubt be included in every round-up montage used by the BBC at the end of the tournament. Brazil were far from brilliant, and were stifled for the first fifty minutes until Maicon’s strike and the excellently constructed Elano goal. But the day belonged to North Korea and Yun-nam Ji, who’s consolation goal against the five-time World Champions will rank alongside 1966 in Korean World Cup folklore. One question I raised from the game though is what has happened to Kaka? I know the Madrid midfielder is not completely match-fit but he looks a shell of the player who ran the Milan midfield a year or so ago. Maybe like the rest of the so-called mega-stars in South Africa he’s biding his time to make his mark on this summers tournament. Maybe Torres and co will buck the trend tomorrow.