Steven Gerrard’s role model status under threat

(courtesy of Wikipedia)


The darling of English football and Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard (pictured above) has been charged with assault and affray after a fracas at a Merseyside nightclub early Monday morning.

Five other men were arrested along with Gerrard, near the Lounge Inn in Southport.

A 34-year-old man was taken to hospital with facial injuries following the alleged incident.

Hours earlier, Gerrard had been a two-goal hero for Liverpool, heralded as the club’s driving force in their emphatic 5-1 victory over an abysmal Newcastle side.

In a season that promises much for Liverpool and much for their devoted and long suffering captain, as they look make history by clinching the Premiership title, it is peculiar timing for such an occurance to take place.

But perhaps it is a sign that his ego might have got too big. When you are worshipped to the extent that Gerrard is, is it that surprisingly that it might go to his head, and on this occasion take his idol-like status one step too far.

The Times reported that Gerrard asked the alleged victim Marcus McGee to change the music at the club, and then asked for the music card that operates the sound system.

When Mr McGee refused, Gerrard apparently elbowed him - “although this is not known if this was deliberate or not” – which then sparked a brawl.

Reign in expectations

But perhaps it is our own expectations of a football player that have to be reigned in.

Gerrard’s loyalty to Liverpool and his skilful and passionate approach to the game have led many a pundit this season to willingly profess their desire for him to win the title – irrespective if the other ten players deserve it.

After all, he has shown that rare quality seen nowadays in the English game – he has stayed at his club.

Gerrard resisted the temptations of ready-made trophies at Chelsea and has done it the hard way, captaining a side that has never really looked like genuine title contenders until this season.
He has always performed for his club when it mattered most. It was Gerrard that scored the equaliser against West Ham in the FA Cup final in 2006, it was Gerrard who scored the first goal in Liverpool’s sensational comeback against AC Milan in the Champions League final in 2005.

Despite all this, Gerrard is just a bloke who makes mistakes. Perhaps it is time for us to appreciate his football, but show less partiality to the individual.

Should referees be allowed to call players by their first names?

(courtesy of Wikipedia)

As referee Howard Webb (pictured above) beckoned over to Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard in the fractious game at the Emirates yesterday, he called him “Steven” – because yes, that’s right, that’s his name.

But would he have shown the same familiarity to let’s say Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna if he was requesting his attention. “Bacary! Bacary!” I think not.

A simple note perhaps, but one that raises the issue of inconsistency in refereeing.

In March this year, when the FA were amidst yet another of their ineffective ‘Respect the Ref’ campaigns, Chelsea and England left-back Ashley Cole turned his back on referee Mike Riley as he called over to him “Ashley!” after a heavy challenge on Tottenham’s Alan Hutton.

I remember Mike Riley sounding so meak as he repeated his name, and then finally producing a yellow card which was widely viewed as lenient for a dangerous, studs-up tackle.

Calling out of surnames in army fashion – irrespective of a player’s nationality - could perhaps be a more authoritative and consistent way of communicating with players.

At least this way Mr Webb might show some consistency to one area of his refereeing.

Sam Allardyce is back, but is this a positive appointment for the Premier League?

(courtesy of Wikipedia)

The return of Sam Allardyce (pictured above) to the Premiership after almost a year’s absence was hardly a shocking one. Rather it carried a sinking feeling of inevitability.

Allardyce was a dismal manager at Newcastle United. Securing just two points out of a possible six from bottom of the table Wigan and Derby, spelt the end of the Toon Army’s patience.

He’d been unable to produce the attacking football they crave. Managing Bolton Wanderers is far different to managing a club with lofty ambitions and an expectation that they should get there fast.

He failed, but then so many others have done before him and the media and the Premier League were unlikely to judge their ‘Big Sam’ too harshly for too long.

No, sure enough, a year on, another club has called upon his robust approach to combat the early signs of a relegation bound season.

Blackburn Rovers will now stay up

And it is highly likely that Blackburn Rovers will now stay up. Allardyce was drafted in by the Blackburn Rovers chairman John Williams because of his experience of keeping Bolton Wanderers up in two successive tough seasons in the early years of the millennium.

That bottom of the table dog-fight, is where Big Sam excels. Digging in, and digging deep. Certainly admirable in one way, and definitely necessary to some teams that will never have the resources to be high flyers.

But should Sam Allardyce’s style be a blue print for the English game?

Gary Speed, Kevin Davies and Kevin Nolan were all integral players to Sam Allardyce’s outfit at Bolton. Their physical, determined and sometimes undeniably thuggish approach made the Reebok Stadium an unwelcoming place for any visiting team.

Many pundits and journalists often saw Arsenal’s inability to play their football there – quick, flowing and nimble, a sign that they lacked that physical edge to win an English title.

By all means be physical, a team like Bolton is never going to beat Arsenal at their own game. But be lawful, stick to the rules, do not kick, elbow, fowl to get a result.

There was no doubt that Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish set his pack out with a definite mentality to stop Arsenal when they played them in February this year.

That game was shrouded by an infamous tackle from a Birmingham player Martin Taylor on Arsenal striker Eduardo. His leg was broken and he has been recovering ever since.

Clearly Alex McLeish never intended for his players to go in that hard. But the tackle exemplifies the mentality of a team that was sure to be fighting relegation come May, and was desperate to take points off the then Premier League leaders.

But then looking at the newcomers to the Premier League now, the more robust teams like Stoke and Hull, are faring considerably better than the well-intended but ultimately light-weight West Bromwich Albion.

Get points in any way we can

On his appointment, Sam Allardyce reflected that it was important to get points in any way that they can. Understandably a team’s survival in the league is paramount to their fans and club.

But if this means the end to inteligient, nimble, daring football in the Premiership, as the world’s most talented look to leagues where they’ll be better protected, then the quality of the English game will surely suffer.

What is a rescuing strike?

Since when was a winning goal in the sixteenth minute of a game, a rescuing strike?  

Yes, a goal in injury time could rescue crucial points for a team, like let's say, Manchester United's Vidic's 92nd minute tap in against Sunderland at the weekend.

But surprise surprise, Times Online decided to use the word 'rescue' in an Arsenal headline, perhaps feeling it would be less credible for a Manchester United side to be needing saving. 

Lack of biting edge

Both Arsenal's home game against Wigan and Manchester United's against Sunderland finished 1-0 and showed signs of a lack of biting edge.  

And yet Times journalist, Brian Granville at the Emirates Stadium, selected the more derogatory of headlines in:  "Adebayor strikes to rescue sluggish Arsenal" compared to Jonathan Northcroft's more positive slant for Manchester United in "Nemanja Vidic keeps United on track".

Arsenal needed a win to follow-up on their victory at Chelsea last weekend and regain some consistency and confidence.  But United too looked until the dying minute, that they were to produce a third goalless draw in five games.  

Both sides were culpable for missing chances - Arsenal's Denilson and Adebayor both hit the post and van Persie shot wide on a few occasions.  United's Berbatov headed high from six yards out.  

Northcroft himself said that United "so nearly paid for a tired, uninspired performance" and yet it is Arsenal that is described as "sluggish" as they missed chances to cement their lead.

Surely both teams could be deemed a little sluggish, but now back on track. 

Roy Keane stands down as Sunderland manager

Ex-Manchester United captain, Roy Keane (image courtesy of Wikipedia)

After a hundred games in charge, Roy Keane resigns as Sunderland manager.

Following a 4-1 drumming at home to Bolton Wanderers last weekend, and five defeats out of the last six games, Keane’s resignation feels inevitable.

In his 27 months in charge, Keane saw the club promoted from the Championship and saw off relegation from the Premiership last season.

That is no easy feat.

Particularly when you consider that Sunderland was his first managerial job.

At 37, he was the youngest Premiership manager, and heralded as one for the future, and yet London radio station, talkSPORT, were questioning today if he would ever return to management.

Where did it all go wrong?

Given his inspiring and combative performances as a former Manchester United captain, people expected him to transfer this approach to his players when he became manager.

And when Sunderland won the Championship title in 2007, Keane’s winning mentality certainly looked like it was rubbing off.

Run out of ideas

But this season, Keane seems to have run out of ideas.

Highly supportive chairman Niall Quinn invested heavily in the squad in the summer, bringing in experienced, able Premiership players like Steed Malbranque from Tottenham Hotspur and Anton Ferdinand from West Ham.

More of a surprise than Keane’s resignation today, is that ‘Mr Motivator’ hasn’t been able to get more out of his talented squad.

Nyron Nosworthy is a powerful defender that can make life hard for the best of attacking players.

The rather weighty midfielder Andy Reid - often dropped this season – has great passing vision and movement and makes things happen in the midfield.

And Pascal Chimbonda – despite inconsistencies – did put in some impressive performances for Spurs at right-back and I would have thought a disciplinarian like Keane might have able to keep him under control.

Kenwyne Jones

Sunderland’s opening part of the season was undoubtedly hampered by the injury to their brilliant centre forward – Kenwyne Jones.

Certainly Keane’s best purchase as manager from Southampton for 6m, any of the top four would be lucky to have his pace and assists.

Roy Keane is a proud man, and therefore it is unsurprising that he resigned if as he himself said, he felt he’d taken the club as far he could.

Timing wise, a fixture against his old boss Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford this weekend, seemed a good one to miss given the club’s current decline.

Hopefully the pundits are wrong in thinking he might not return to management. His honesty will be missed.

Have Arsenal resurrected their title hopes in their win over Chelsea?

Robin van Persie’s two strikes in three minutes in the second half certainly will have boosted the young Arsenal side’s morale.

But the reality is, a team’s winning mentality should not just be seen against the top sides in the Premiership but in every single game they face.

Wins against ‘la crème de la crème’ of the league – Manchester United and Chelsea, are impressive, but the North London side have lost to more predictably easier opposition, like Premiership newcomers Hull and Stoke.

Why has Arsenal lost those games?

• Wrong mentality.

Manager Arsene Wenger summed this up in his post-match interview this afternoon:

"It’s part of the learning process…that you need to understand that in every
game you need to be in that kind of state of mind”.

Whether they always perform to the best of their ability is another matter but Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool will always play to win and be the best irrespective of how lowly the opposition maybe.

And that’s what it takes to win consecutive matches in the Premiership, something Arsenal have struggled to do this season.

Any team will always want to beat a top four side, claim that victory and slice of history. It seems West Ham’s goalkeeper Robert Green consistently plays the ‘game of his life’ against Arsenal every season because he wants to beat them, but it is also down to Arsenal’s attack to make life difficult for him.

• Arsenal lost a winner in Mathieu Flamini – who sadly departed on a free transfer to AC Milan over the summer.

The way Flamini prepared himself on the pitch before a game was quite telling of his committed approach. He would jump up and down on the spot and do windmills with his arms, revving himself up to be ‘the running man’ in the side.

Flamini would run at players, not allowing them any time on the ball, and would put in a challenge and break up play.

No other Arsenal player can really do that, and subsequently opposing midfielders float around and run through the midfield unchecked and expose Arsenal’s already vulnerable defence.

Flamini’s replacements - Denilson and Alexandre Song rarely put in an effective challenge.

• The loss of Belarusian midfielder Alexander Hleb to Barcelona has also affected the Gunners’s ability to retain the ball and start attacks.

Granted Hleb never scored goals like his replacement – Samir Nasri – but he got stuck in, could keep the ball for hours through his skill and trickery, and was far more consistent in his performances compared to the one-hit wonder Nasri is proving to be.

Arsene Wenger is unlikely to bolster his team’s title credentials with any purchases in January, believing to the end, in his youthful side.

But by then, the title is likely to be all but out of sight.

Lord Mawhinney’s call for more home grown players

Mawhinney hopes Football League clubs produce more home grown players like English international Theo Walcott (image courtesy of PL Hee)

The Times has announced today that the Football League chairman, Lord Mawhinney plans to introduce the “Home Grown Players” rule in a bid to groom more England players.

The rule would mean that clubs have to have at least four members of their match-day squads who qualify as domestic players.

To qualify as a domestic player, the player has to have been registered in England for three seasons before their 21st birthday.

Genuine need for an English quota

The fact that there is a genuine need for an English quota to be introduced into the football leagues – the Championship, League One and League Two – illustrates how widespread the issue of foreign player recruitment has become.

The clubs in the three lower leagues do spend £30 million a year, however, on developing home grown talent.

And to great effect. As Mawhinney points out:

"Fourteen of the 23-man England squad that beat Germany in Berlin last week were
developed by youth development programmes at Football League clubs".

And with this extra impetus, we should see more special players like Ashley Young (from Watford), Theo Walcott (Swindon Town and Southampton) and Micah Richards (Oldham Athletic) coming through the ranks and breaking into the England senior side.

Aaron Lennon's dominance fails to cement England regularity

Aaron Lennon

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Aaron Lennon played with pace and persistence against Blackburn Rovers today and deservedly won man of the match for his efforts.

The 21-year-old midfielder raced round the Blackburn fullback Martin Olsson with ease, and the humiliation was such, that the defender was sent off six minutes from half-time as he was booked for his second, cynical challenge on Lennon.

Pundits have often heralded Lennon’s pace but criticised his lack of end product, but in this game he was able to provide both. Beating Olsson on the right for the umpteenth time and laying off a simple ball to the Russian striker Roman Pavluychenko to finish smartly.

Lennon also tested ex-Tottenham keeper Paul Robinson several times as he quickly darted about the midfield cleverly making space for himself.

The young midfielder’s impact coming off the bench against Chelsea a few weekends ago, suggests that he might be finding some consistency to his game under Spurs manager Harry Redknapp.

Not a shoe-in for England

But until he secures this consistency, puts in at least five impressive displays, it would seem far too premature for England manager, Fabio Capello, to answer Harry’s call that his player should be a shoe-in for England.

Two impressive performances do not earn you a call-up.

Kevin Nolan can play well against Arsenal one week, rough up the French elite and get a pat on the back from The Times writer Tony Cascarino and he certainly won’t earn that golden phone call.

When Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor got his first cap against Germany last week, he had strung together some compelling performances for his club throughout the last couple of Premier league seasons.

Agbonlahor’s team-mate, Ashley Young has only just received his first call-up to the senior side too after shining at Villa for some time.

Granted Capello took a chance on 19-year-old Theo Walcott after only just breaking into the Arsenal first eleven this season.

But when he was given this chance away to Croatia in September – like Lennon was given under ex-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson– he took it, becoming England's youngest ever hat-trick scorer at 19 years 178 days.

Lennon has yet to impress on the international stage.

But if he is able to frequently re-produce these exciting performances, indeed then, he would be a real asset to England.

Difficult captaincy decision for Wenger

Arsenal captain William Gallas has received a great of criticism since his on-field sulk after the Gunners's draw with Birmingham last February.

It is a draw that swung the momentum away from Arsenal in their quest for the Premiership title, and conceding a penalty in the dying minutes after such a hard-fought battle was understandably hard to take.

Arsenal never recovered from this draw, which some argued at the time was partly due to Gallas's lack of leadership qualities when he slumped onto the floor at the final whistle.

Croatian striker Eduardo's horrific leg injury in this game also significantly contributed to Arsenal's demise.

Gallas's post-match reaction could also reflect his strong desire to win and perhaps his realisation that despite their brilliance throughout the season, this youthful side might just capitulate when it truly mattered.

Winning mentality

Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, has often described Gallas as a "forgotten centre forward" in the way he charges into the box for late, decisive goals.

Gallas's sublime header in last season's home encounter against Wigan in the 82nd minute, his late finish in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United and in this season's Champions League away tie to Dynamo Kiev - were all a captain's contributions and should be counted in his defence.

Never openly criticise players

Gallas's latest folly, however, has been his open criticism of his team. A manager should not personally berate a player to the press, and neither should a captain.

What purpose does it serve in furthering that player's confidence and development if they believe their manager and/or captain doubts them?

The captain has revealed arguments in the dressing room in the Gunner's 4-4 home game with Tottenham Hotspur and has questioned the courage of the youth to genuinely fight for the title after their capitulation to Aston Villa last weekend.

Gallas talks of the necessity to fight together, but by speaking out against the team, he is surely causing further divisions in the camp.

Difficult decision

Many have called for Wenger to strip Gallas of the captaincy and certainly the fight and determination of the still young Cesc Fabregas might be better suited to the role.

Gallas will have be chosen partially because he has won titles with Chelsea, and therefore knows how to win and what it takes.

But 21-year-old Fabregas started this season off the back of winning the Euro Championships with Spain and is an undoubted fighter.

Wenger's decision is a difficult one when you consider how Gallas might respond by being stripped of the captaincy. He is a proud player, and at 31 might find it difficult to suddenly take advice from someone 10 years his junior.

It would be a humilation for him, and Wenger can ill-afford another vulnerable player at the heart of his defence.

The cost of international friendlies

Olympic Stadium in Berlin

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott is the latest player to pull out of the England squad to face Germany at the Olympic Stadium tonight.

The nineteen year old dislocated his right shoulder during training, which is likely to keep him out of club fixtures for several months.

Top premiership managers - such as Rafa Benitez and Arsene Wenger - have been frustrated by the timing of this friendly, particularly when there are no international competitive matches for four months.

Club versus country

It is this frustration that drives club managers to intervene and withdraw their players from national squads if they show the slightest sign of injury.

Liverpool Football Club, for example, enraged England manager, Fabio Capello and the FA when they scheduled Steven Gerrard to undergo an operation on his groin injury during the World Cup qualifiers in September.

Liverpool manager, Rafa Benitez announced that Gerrard had carried the injury for awhile and had just been able to "play through the pain" for a full 120 minutes in the club's Champions League qualifier with Standard Liege.

Incidentally, the two week international break meant Gerrard was able to recover properly without missing significant club football.

Fabio Capello was quick to re-assert his authority as England manager this week when he insisted Gerrard be assessed by the FA's medical staff after the club withdrew him due to injury.

The 'club versus country' debate will continue to swell until FIFA intervene and re-assess the timing and number of games in the fixture list.

‘It’s all about Aaron Ramsey, Aaron Ramsey, Aaron Ramsey’

Wales manager, John Toshack, tried to calm the hype surrounding 17-year-old Aaron Ramsey's debut in the Wales senior side tonight, by saying:

"It's not all about Aaron Ramsey, Aaron Ramsey, Aaron Ramsey".

But Wales captain, Craig Bellamy's flattering comments about the young Arsenal midfielder - saying he "cannot recall as much fuss about a young Wales player since Ryan Giggs" - has not helped to quell the nation's expectation.

Aaron Ramsey has already proved that he can handle this kind of pressure when coming on as a sub in Cardiff's FA Cup final in May earlier this year:

And he has also looked impressive in a string of appearances for his new club Arsenal in the Champions League and Carling Cup this season.

Tenacity

The Welshman's quality of passing has prompted comparisons with the imperious Cesc Fabregas.

But Ramsey's tenacity - his ability to hold off players despite his under-developed physical frame - will prove equally important to his success, particularly in the combative English game.

Injuries have forced Toshack into naming a very youthful squad - half the squad are under 25 - against an experienced Danish set-up in Copenhagen.

There's a great deal of promise from the young Welsh on show, however. Hull City's 25-year-old goalkeeper, Boaz Myhill, has convinced in the Premiership so far and is expected to win his third Wales cap.

Manchester City's 19-year-old striker, Ched Evans, has been handed glimpses of the pressures of the Premiership and is likely to feature alongside captain Craig Bellamy up front.

Some view friendly internationals as the perfect opportunity to blood the youth and see how they handle the pressure.

Rest assured, Ramsey will not disappoint.

Bold selection by Jim Magilton

Ipswich Town Football Club

(Courtesy of Paul)

Ipswich manager, Jim Magilton, made the controversial decision of including out-of-favour midfielder David Norris in his squad to face Doncaster this afternoon.

David Norris has been heavily criticised for his ‘handcuffs’ gesture in his goal celebration against Blackpool last weekend in support of his jailed former Plymouth team-mate Luke McCormick.

Luke McCormick was jailed for seven years in October after causing the death of two boys - Aaron Peak, ten, and his brother, Ben, eight – when drink driving.

McCormick had been driving at 90mph on his way home from David Norris’s wedding party when he crashed into the Peak’s car.

In a statement on the club's website, Norris denied making a handcuffs gesture or “personal message to Luke McCormick," but appreciates how his “actions may have been misintepretated” and has apologised to the Peak family for any offence caused.

Insensitive

It was a particularly insensitive celebration given the proximity of the event, and the Peak family’s disappointment that Luke McCormick will be eligible for parole after only three and a half years.

The boys’s mother, Amanda, described the player’s behaviour as “disgusting” and insisted he should be punished by the club.

In an interview with Sky News, Amanda said she found the goal celebration particularly offensive because it was likely to have been “premediated”.

Light punishment

Ipswich Town Football Club have fined David Norris and the proceeds are to be given to the Peak’s family charity of choice.

The Football Association have requested an explanation from Norris, but as yet have not chosen to suspend him, making him eligible for this weekend’s fixture away to Doncaster.

Given the sensitivity of the issue, this seems to be a light punishment. Other controversial goal celebrations in the past have earnt match bans from the FA.

In 1999, Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler was fined by the FA and banned for four matches after gesturing sniffing cocaine from the penalty box white line when he scored against Everton.
This had been in response to Everton fans’s taunts about him being a drug user.

"not been an easy decision"

Jim Magilton admitted that it had “not been an easy decision” to include Norris in his squad this weekend.

It is difficult for a manager to omit a player who scored the winning goal in his last game and says he wants to play, despite the likely abuse that he’ll receive from the crowd.

There is also the added pressure that it is an away game broadcasted on Sky TV.

It will be interesting to see how David Norris and the fans respond.

Aston Villa need greater steel to secure fourth place

Aston Villa First 11 (Courtesy of Guðmundur Lúðvíksson)

Two successive defeats in a week for Aston Villa, see them miss out on the chance to go fourth in the table and overtake current premier league holders, Manchester United.

With all their youthful, promising attacking talent in Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Steve Sidwell and James Milner, Villa need to eliminate defensive slip-ups in order to progress and build on their top six finish last season.

A mark of a top club is often their ability to ground out results - to be resilient, even when they are not playing their best football.

Villa manager, Martin O’Neill, referred to this sentiment in his post-match interview with Sky Sports: "We didn't play well but we shouldn't have got beat. That really is the disappointment”.

This has frequently been the criticism levied at Arsenal – for example, in their away defeat to Stoke this season – and what both teams lack, are assured defences.

Good offensive play

In Villa’s away game at St James’ Park a week ago, they were unfortunate not to open the scoring on numerous occasions.

Laursen headed Gareth Barry’s 11th-minute corner against the post, ten minutes later Agbonlahor miscued his shot from close range and Newcastle keeper Shay Given expertly saved Ashley Young’s powerful attempt minutes before the break.

The away team needed to be patient, to keep their shape and continue to create chances.

Defensive inadequacies

Newcastle were re-invigorated, however, at the start of the second half, when Laursen all too easily allowed Obafemi Martins to cut inside twice, and score two well-taken goals.

Defensive midfielder, Nigel Reo-Coker, was also culpable for the second goal in failing to challenge the goal assister - Newcastle’s Argentinean winger, Gutierrez - in the centre of midfield.

Even more blinding defensive inadequacies were to blame for Middlesborough’s goals on Sunday.

Villa left-back Nicky Shorey misjudged Stewart Downing’s cross and Turkey striker Tuncay Sanli eagerly pounced.

Making his premier league home debut for Villa, midfielder Steve Sidwell equalised minutes later and then two minutes from time, made a wayward pass which was seized by Tuncay to score his second.

The premiership’s “top four” all have exciting offensive players to put their teams ahead, but equally important to their success are their gritty, powerful defenders, who fight to intercept that cross and make that last-ditch challenge that keeps their team in the game.

As illustrated in Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic's double tackle below:






Aston Villa’s defence needs to produce that form consistently if they are to viably compete for a Champions League place.

Arsenal remind us of their English heritage in their win over Manchester United

The distinctive poppy embroidered onto Arsenal players’s red and white home kit in their crunch game with Manchester United this weekend, not only served to commemorate Remembrance Sunday but also served to remind the viewers that the traditions of this football club remain quintessentially English.

Arsenal Football Club was the only club in the premier league to pay their respects in this way.

After the high profile game, the shirts were signed by the players and they are to be auctioned and raffled in aid of The Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes - two organisations that support servicemen and women and their families.

Arsenal Chairman, Peter Hill-Wood said: “The players are very proud to wear this shirt and remember those who’ve given their lives for our freedom. We hope these very special shirts can raise vital funds for those who have served and are currently serving in the Armed
Forces.”

Arsenal Football Club also lay a poppy wreath at Islington’s Green War Memorial after the game on Saturday.

The North London club also work extensively in the community. Their chosen charity for the 2007-08 campaign – Treehouse – raised £250,000 for a new sports facility at the autism charity’s new education centre three miles from the Emirates stadium.

English vision

As customary, only one Englishman, young Theo Walcott, made Arsenal’s starting 11 on Saturday, and the precocious talent of 16-year-old Jack Wilshire warmed the bench.

Manchester United, in contrast, began the game with four established English internationals – Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney.

Many have been vexed by the fact that a top four side in the English premier league can be so bereft of English players.

And indeed, it was a young Frenchman on display, Samir Nasri, whose skill and talent bagged him a winning brace.

But as Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson, commented after the game it was a match of “fantasy football” and the pace, vision and passing of both sides was very much in the mould of some English greats.

Nasri’s industrious play and creative vision could well be likened to World Cup winner and ex-Arsenal legend, Alan Ball.

Compare below, Nasri's second goal against Manchester United on Saturday, with glimpses of the late Alan Ball's ability in his tribute video:





English ownership

Arsenal is the only top four premiership club to have not bowed to foreign ownership, despite mounting pressure.

According to a recent article in the Mail, the Hill-Wood and Bracewell-Smith families have been represented on Arsenal’s board for three generations, some 90 and 70 years respectively.

Chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, has insisted the club’s ownership will stay in the hands of those who have “Arsenal in their blood” and resist the increasing involvement of billionaire overseas investors Stan Kroenke and Alisher Usmanov, who between them control around 36 per cent of the club's shares.

Modest transfer dealings

The contentious departure of long-serving vice Chairman of Arsenal, David Dein, last year, has been widely linked to his contrary views concerning foreign ownership.

Dein has urged Arsenal’s board to rethink and sell-out to the Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov in order to geuinuely compete for titles.

In an interview with The Telegraph newspaper, Dein said: “He [Usmanov] would change the whole dynamic of the club. At Arsenal, something has to break".

But it is the board’s traditional outlook that continues to resist the big money market in football.
Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, too has a traditonal approach to spending. Samir Nasri has been the club’s most expensive purchase to date – a reported £12.6m from Marseille Football Club this summer.

Despite this relative modesty in transfer dealings – Manchester City’s foreign owners, Abu Dhabi, funded the signing of Brazilian Robinho for £32.5m – Arsenal appear to have the money to spend, declaring a pre-tax profit of £36.7m in September this year.

Arsenal’s vital win over Manchester United this weekend might re-invigorate hopes of a title winning campaign, but doubts linger as to whether their traditional English board and frugal French manager could still leave them without silverware for a fourth consecutive season.

Chelsea's dogged teamwork should see them Champions

Chelsea's five goals against hapless Sunderland yesterday, reinstored pride into Stamford Bridge once again after their disappointing defeat to Liverpool last weekend.

Speaking to a Blues enthusiast earlier, he had expressed his sadness that Chelsea “just seemed to give up altogether” against Liverpool.

None of that cowardice was shown against Sunderland who- as Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari had feared in his pre-match interviews – looked intent to merely defend from the start.

It was the home team’s readiness to be the first to the ball and close down Sunderland’s players in their opposing half that made it such a promising win for the home crowd.

Chelsea’s breakthrough came in the twenty-seventh minute when stand-in centre back, Alex, adopted the typical position for a centre forward, right in front of goal, so he was able to latch onto Joe Cole’s shot when Sunderland's keeper, Fulop, flapped.

Persistence

Good positioning and persistence characterised Chelsea’s forward play all afternoon. In the build up to their second goal minutes later, three Chelsea players closed down a Sunderland player in order to regain possession and commence another attack.

Frank Lampard retrieved the ball, passed to Deco, who released a ball down the right for Lampard to run onto and cross into the box, with an eager Alex and Nicolas Anelka waiting in the middle. Either player could have finished the move, but Anelka claimed it with the final touch.

The fluent build up play for Chelsea’s third – Joe Cole linked up with Lampard, who thread the ball to Florent Malouda, who then laid it off to Anelka – was reminiscent of “Arsenal the Invincibles”, who went for the entire of the 2003/04 season unbeaten whilst playing exquisite and committed football.

With players like Deco, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole, Chelsea are capable of consistently showing flair and vision. If they demonstrate the same degree of doggedness and grit in every game, they could well be champions come May.

(Image courtesy of Stewart Damonsing)

Is there a place for women's football?

England internationals, Karen Carney and Kelly Smith

(Images courtesy of Spencer Jarvis)

Typically provocative, talkSPORT presenter, Adrian Durham, declared the other night on his drivetime show: “men own the game” and argued that the men’s game should remain the priority for investment.

And to a certain extent, Adrian Durham is right.

The money involved in the men's game is staggering. According to the Telegraph, the Premier League currently has a three-year overseas TV deal worth £625m.

Last season, a spokesperson for the Premier League commented before the Arsenal and Manchester United game:

“It is not an exaggeration to say it could be watched by one billion people.”

And indeed, the match was scheduled in order to maximise worldwide viewings.

The 12.45pm kick-off time between the two top English sides, meant it was being broadcasted mid-evening to the football lovers of the Far East, in the morning on the East Coast of America, making it daytime in every region in between.

The game was available to 202 countries, and the feed going into as many as 600 million homes.

Women’s game – still a growing phenomenon

In contrast, when the BBC televised the FA Women’s Cup for the first time in May 2002, the clash between Doncaster Belles and Fulham attracted over 2.5m viewers – the highest viewing figures in the history of televised women’s football in the UK at the time.

Six years on, six times FA Cup winners, Doncaster Belles, are struggling financially and the oldest club in the women’s Premier League nearly closed in September after losing their major sponsor for the past four seasons.

Certainly the financial side of the women’s game is precarious, and supporters argue for the need for greater media attention and higher levels of sponsorship to develop the game.

Adrian Durham’s point that money is better spent on the men’s game than the women’s is limiting, however, and entirely under-estimating the ability and quality of some of the players in the Premier League.

Watching Wigan’s Lee Cattermole or Bolton’s Kevin Nolan week in, week out, does not exactly inspire in contrast to viewing the skill and vision of English internationals, Kelly Smith and Karen Carney.

Kelly Smith and Karen Carney

Arsenal captain, Kelly Smith, played eight years in the highly competitive US league.

Smith was paid the highest complement by former USA head coach April Heinrichs when she asserted that Smith would be an automatic choice for the USA team if she had been eligible.

According to Wikipedia, Vera Pauw, the Dutch coach, called Kelly 'the best player in the World' after she scored a hat-trick against Holland in a World Cup qualifier in 2006.

Smith’s intelligence, movement and finishing perfectly suit her role playing behind the leading striker and linking up play.

She is reminiscent of Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp in her ability to pick a pass and score important goals for club and country.

See below Smith’s two goals against Japan in the World Cup in China last year:





Fellow Arsenal striker, Karen Carney, has a steely sense of gravity not unlike ex-Arsenal Belarusian midfielder Alexander Hleb.

Both players possess great ball control and continually entertain as they dribble through the opposition and set up goals with ease.

Hleb showed his dribbling skills early on when he was playing for Stuttgart in the Bundesliga:





Smith and Carney are just two players among many others – just have a look at FIFA’s shortlist for Women Player of the Year 2008 – that are incredibly talented, entertaining and fully worthy of being watched.

Tottenham Hotspur and Harry Redknapp : a marriage made in heaven

Harry Redknapp’s decision to switch Premiership managerial roles from Portsmouth to struggling Tottenham Hotspur late Saturday evening has been heralded by many.

Metro Columnist, Mark Bright – who regrettably turned down the opportunity to play under Redknapp at West Ham United - said:

"I feel Spurs have rescued their season by getting Harry…[because] of his ability to coax the best out of his players”.

Indeed, Redknapp’s career has been characterised by his success at keeping teams up and building a solid foundation for the future:

• In his first managerial role in 1983, Redknapp saved AFC Bournemouth from relegation from the Third Division. A few seasons later, Bournemouth emphatically won the Third Division title, gaining a club record of 97 points.
  

• When Redknapp took charge of West Ham United in 1994, he helped to stabilise the club and bring through our current crop of established English internationals – Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick. In 1998, West Ham finished fifth in the league and won the Intertoto Cup in 2000.
  

• In his first full season in charge of Portsmouth, the club were promoted to the Premier League. In his second recent spell at the club – Redknapp saved them from relegation in 2005, took them to a ninth place finish in 2007 and won the FA Cup in May 2008.
  

Spurs in “need of a fighter”

With nine games played in the premier league this season, and only five points secured, Tottenham Hotspur were facing – albeit a premature - relegation battle.

Spurs Chairman, Daniel Levy – who was responsible for bringing Redknapp in – spoke of their current “need of a fighter, someone that has inspiration”.

As proven before, Redknapp is capable of this and has drawn attention very early on to a root cause of Spur’s problems - their “soft centre.”

It is unclear as to how much influence Redknapp had over the team’s selection in their first win over Stoke on Sunday. But a significant, positive change was made to this ‘soft centre.’

The light-weight Croatian midfielder, Luka Modric, was removed from the centre of midfield to play behind the Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko .

For the first time this season, Modric was given a clear role and one which played to his attacking strengths.

Strong, hungry players

As Portsmouth manager, in recent years, Redknapp has strengthened his team by buying strong, hungry players with a point to prove who were under-utilised at top premiership clubs.

England international right-back Glen Johnson arrived from Chelsea, Sol Campbell and Lauren from Arsenal, Peter Crouch from Liverpool and Jemaine Defoe from Spurs.

Most notably perhaps, is Redknapp’s signing of French international central defensive midfielder Lasssana Diarra from Arsenal last January.

After successive seasons of bench-warming at Chelsea and Arsenal, Diarra was adamant he needed to play and concerned it would affect his starting role for France in Euro 2008 championships otherwise.

His strength, decisive play and precision have made him one of the most dynamic midfielders in the premiership.

This is the exact player that Spurs have been craving since the departure of Michael Carrick to Manchester United a couple of seasons ago and one which has been heavily to Spurs since Redknapp’s arrival.

Buying power

Redknapp has already referred to his autonomy over buying players:

“I will pick the players…I wouldn’t let anyone else buy my players”.

This was a source of serious contention under former mangers Martin Jol and the recently departed Juande Ramos.

With the sacking of the Director of Football, Damien Comolli, it is believed Tottenham will return to a more traditional English football hierarchy, whereby managers are ultimately in charge of which players the club buys.

Redknapp’s authority as a highly rated top English manager should also earn him added sway.

The new Spurs manager has himself admitted

“that Portsmouth’s lack of financial leeway compared with Tottenham’s was crucial to him leaving”.

And despite his successful signings, Redknapp has struggled to purchase pricey, exciting midfielders that would contribute to Portmouth’s fluency in attack.

Certainly the signing of ex-Chelsea winger, Shaun Wright-Philips, over the summer would have bolstered Portmouth’s width. Instead, Redknapp had to make do with young loan signings – like 19-year-old Armand Traore – who although are talented, do not offer that same experience.

Tottenham have attacking talent in spades- with their £16m croatian Luka Modric, £15m David Bentley and young Mexican Geovanni Dos Santos yet to show their true potential.

Undoubtedly, Redknapp will strive to rectify this, and bring that added steel to a light-weight midfield and shaky defence.

(Image courtesy of Ricky Diver) 

The true value of good man-management

A manager’s clear pejorative is to get the best from his players and this manifestly stems from good man-management.

In the absence of their first choice strikers – most notably Newcastle United captain Michael Owen who is out with a groin strain - Newcastle interim manager, Joe Kinnear, has been forced to take a chance on injury plagued Shola Ameobi.

Up until last Monday evening, the 6ft 4in striker had made just four league starts in his two seasons with Newcastle.

Ameobi never registered in former Newcastle manager, Kevin Keegan’s plans, as he struggled to regain his fitness and form after suffering from a serious hip-injury in the 2006/2007 campaign.

Kinnear selected Ameobi in Monday night’s intimidating home clash with the rising Manchester City. The striker seemed to relish this chance and led the line courageously after the home side were reduced to 10 men 12 minutes in.

Ameobi’s new-found confidence

Ameobi’s equalising goal at St James’ Park just before half-time, reignited the home side’s hopes, and his work rate and drive created several other goal scoring opportunities – he showed a touch of finesse in a beautifully weighted pass to Damien Duff in the 34th minute.

The man-of-the-match was given a standing ovation from the Newcastle crowd when he was substituted late on, who he later thanked on the club’s official website:

“When you get that sort of reception it makes up for all those tough times that I've endured with all the injuries and time out”.

The striker has paid tribute to Joe Kinnear as giving him “a lot of self-belief” and reflects that he feels “great, physically and mentally”.

This new-found confidence was reflected again today in Ameobi’s second goal in as many games against derby rivals Sunderland.

Getting the best out of players

Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole’s form has undergone a resurgence this season, after new Brazilian manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has applied his Brazilian attacking philosophy to the English football club.

Cole’s performances have never hit the same heights since joining from Arsenal in 2006. Under former Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, the full backs were encouraged to defend and stay back which while providing a good defensive unit (Chelsea won two Premier league titles under Mourinho), did not utilise Cole’s pace and creative vision.

Scolari has achieved this and Cole’s performances this season have drawn praise from Aston Villa manager, Martin O’Neil, who believes Cole “is back playing his very best”.

Joe Kinnear has controversially commented that wayward midfielder, Joey Barton could turn Newcastle’s season around. If Kinnear is able to apply the same man-management skills to Joey Barton as he has to Shola Ameobi, the interim manager might indeed become a permanent fixture.

Arsenal’s clinical finishing patches up shaky defence

Arsenal’s seven goal encounter with Turkish side Fenerbahce, epitomised a thrilling night of Champions League football where 36 goals were scored in total around the grounds.

Fenerbahce’s ground in Istanbul has an infamous reputation.

Chelsea lost there in April, and until tonight, the Turkish champions were unbeaten at home in their last 15 European games in three years.

Attack-minded set-up

Despite this, and despite not having three first choice defenders in captain William Gallas, Kolo Toure and Bacary Sagna, Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, selected an attack-minded starting 11.

The tall, powerful Togolese striker, Emmanuel Adebayor, started alone up front, but had the useful support of Theo Walcott, Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby playing just behind him.

This was Abou Diaby’s first European appearance of the season, since he opened the scoring so emphatically at Anfield in the Champions League quarter-finals in April.

The long-legged Frenchman’s dribbling ability, quick movements and body strength make him altogether unpredictable and a real challenge to mark.

Diaby added presence to the five man midfield, and his early interception in the centre, contributed to the build-up play for Adebayor’s opening goal.

The opening half of the game was characterised by fluent, exciting forward play and suspect defending from both teams. Arsenal were able to exploit Fenerbahce’s square positioning through Theo Walcott’s pace and drive which led to their second goal.

In such an open game, the winner will be the side that is most exploitative of the other’s weakness and most lethal in finishing their chances.

Arsenal did just that. They recorded six shots on target in the whole game, finishing five of them, compared to the home side’s seven.

Shaky defence

For all their clinical finishing, Arsenal’s patched up defence did look very vulnerable at times.

Left-back Gael Clichy and centre-back Mikael Silvestre left the left-side wide open at times for Fenerbahce’s Spanish striker Daniel Guiza and Semih Senturk to push forward.

Defending set-pieces tends to be Arsenal’s downfall, and in the nineteenth minute once again they were caught short at the back post, allowing Guiza to volley across the six yard area and gain a fortunate deflection off Silvestre.

No defensive midfield

Arsenal’s stand in central defensive pairing of Alex Song and Mikael Silvestre, were not aided by the absence of a natural defensive midfielder.

The central midfield was often exposed as Diaby was given license to go forward and Nasri and Walcott stretched the width of the pitch.

Fabregas’s natural inclination is to be the playmaker, leaving Denilson (see picture above - courtesy of Jasmine Krancjar) to do his fair share of defensive duties.

Denilson’s inability to stand into Mathieu Flamini’s departed role, still remains a real concern for Arsenal, and on nights where finishing might go astray, they need to find a way of being tighter defensively.

This was a night, however, that celebrated attacking flair and promising players of the future.

As 17-year-old Welshman Aaron Ramsey announced his arrival on the European stage with a goal in the ninetieth minute, Arsene Wenger’s ethos should live on.

Back to Basics suits Phil Brown

Responding to Hull City’s win over West Ham United on Sunday, manager Phil Brown concluded: “The way you maintain success is having good basics.”

And with maximum points taken from their last three games against challenging London opposition – Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, Brown’s straight-forward philosophy seems to be working.

‘Good basics’ are essential for survival in the premier league, which is the first key target of all newly promoted sides like Hull City. Doing the basics well - essentially being committed, dogged defensively and using set pieces – has served Bolton Wanderers well since their promotion in 2001.

Suitable signings

Making significant, suitable signings also helps to make that considerable step up to any division. Phil Brown recruited well in the summer, bringing in two experienced premiership players in George Boateng from Middlesborough and Sunderland’s Paul McShane on loan for the season.

Brazilian Geovanni from Manchester City already had a settling in season under his belt and his vision and eye for goal - that attracted former Manchester City manager Sven-Göran Eriksson to sign him last season – has been seen in his wonder goals against Arsenal and Tottenham.

The Geovanni signing was crucial for Hull. Having a well-organised and committed team is essential, but having that spark, that player that can turn a game on its head, can significantly increase a team’s self-belief and determination.

Brown’s loan signing of Guinean defender Kamil Zayatte also looks a shrewd one. He is powerful and quick, and won nearly every aerial challenge against Everton early on in the season.

Riding your luck

A bit of luck can also play a significant part in establishing a winning streak.

Phil Brown has been able to put out the same starting 11 for the previous three games, all of which they have won.

West Ham at the weekend spurned a fair share of chances to open the scoring and then to equalise. Valon Behrami shot just wide of the post, Craig Bellamy blazed over and Matthew Etherington volleyed into the side-netting.

Hull’s Kamil Zayatte could have made it two in the second half, however, when he broke away through the centre to fire a rising shot just over the bar.

The Tigers might have ridden their luck at times, relying on the profligacy of established premier league sides like Arsenal and West Ham United. But they have also been dogged and resilient, and produced some genius moments through their nimble Brazilian.

‘The Times’ sportswriter Nick Szczepanik ‘s choice of headline “Bubbly Hull City continue to float on air”, however, adds a cautious tone to this newly promoted side’s early success.

"Music through unconventional means"

Sidestepping football for a moment, Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra deserve a raving review for their thrilling performance at the Southbank Centre on Friday night.

As a human beatboxer, Shlomo is capable of recreating a diversity of sounds using just his mouth.

He is the most listened to beatboxer in world history – after his collaborated tune with Bjork was performed at the Olympics opening ceremony in Athens – and has just commenced a year long residency at the Southbank centre.

His latest series entitled “Music through unconventional means” pushes the boundaries of beatboxing by incorporating it with all kinds of musical artforms:

· complex hip hop
· trance
· drum and bass
· world beats

Human beatbox choir

In his show, Shlomo beatboxes into a loop sampler, creating different layers of sound and energy.

When the Vocal Orchestra join Shlomo on stage, they form the world's only human beatbox choir.

The eight musicians boast a diverse range of musical backgrounds – from classical trained singers to drummers and rappers.

Bellatrix’s contribution warrants a mention. She is the UK’s leading female beatbox artist who plays bass whilst beatboxing.

The artists combine to create imaginative sounds and incredibly moving pieces.

This is truly feel-good music and the creativity of the artists is a wonder to behold.

Shlomo's next event is on Saturday 13th December at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank. Check it out.

Xavi Alonso fancies an Italian job

In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this week, Liverpool midfielder, Xavi Alonso, admitted that his attraction to Italian club, Juventus, “still remains in tact”.

Juventus had been in talks with Liverpool over the signing of Alonso in the summer, as the English side sought to fund a move for Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry.

No price was agreed, however, and Juventus sealed a deal for Danish international, Christian Poulsen, from Sevilla FC, instead.

Surprising timing

It is not only the timing of Alonso’s comment that is surprising. Indeed, Liverpool have made a unusally consistent start to their Premier League campaign this season – they are currently unbeaten and sitting second to Chelsea in the table. Alonso has played a vital role in this, playing in all seven games for the club so far.

Alonso has also had to overcome any loss of pride on two fronts:

• One, Christian Poulsen was chosen ahead of him,
• and secondly, Juventus coach, Claudio Ranieri’s recent swipe that he did not sign the former Real Sociedad player because he was too slow.
  

Barcelona link

Today the Spanish media linked Barcelona with a move for Alonso in January. Alonso’s response – “…I have still not decided on a concrete date for my return to Primera Liga" – is far from reassuring to any concerned Liverpool fans.

If Liverpool are still sitting comfortably around the top of the Premier League come January, however, that return to the La Liga might be put off for one more season, at least.

Can Abou Diaby fill the void in Arsenal’s central midfield?

After yet another spell on the sidelines, 22-year-old French midfielder, Abou Diaby, is set for a first team return following the international break.

Since his transfer from French club Rennes in January 2006, Diaby has so far failed to establish himself in the Arsenal first team for a consistent period. This has been largely due to a succession of injuries.

On the sidelines

Most notably, a horrific ankle injury sustained in a brutal challenge with Sunderland’s Daniel Smith kept Diaby out for eight months very early on in his Arsenal career.

Since then, niggling muscular strains have interrupted Diaby’s progress. Speaking to Arsenal TV this week, Diaby said he feels strong and ready to fight for a first team place.

Arsenal are currently craving for Diaby’s potential dynamism and long, elusive legs in the centre of their midfield.

Arsene Wenger failed to recruit a sufficient successor to the combative Mathieu Flamini in the summer, and Arsenal have paid for it in some of their Premier League results already.

Flamini's tenacity in the centre of midfield was missing in Arsenal’s away loss to Fulham in August, and their recent home defeat to Hull and away draw to Sunderland last week.

A lack of clinical finishing by the Arsenal strike force has also been responsible for those lost points. But the young Brazilian, Denilson, and Cameroonian Alex Song do not yet seem to have the composure or the ability to make a telling challenge or bursting midfield run.

Diaby has this ability. Comparisons have continually been made between Diaby and ex-Arsenal captain, Patrick Viera. Viera has himself referred to the player as having “the right potential”.

Up until now, all Diaby has is largely untested potential in Arsenal’s central midfield. In his 28 appearances last season, Flamini’s form consigned Diaby to the left-side of midfield.

Although Diaby did not always look comfortable in this converted role, he did come up with some magnificent goals - a wonder strike against Derby at home in the league and a pivotal Champions League goal at Anfield.

Physical presence

Diaby’s tall, imposing frame and physical presence suggests he is better suited to the centre, and he has continually professed this to be his preferred role.

Before Diaby’s unfortunate collision with John Terry in Arsenal’s Carling Cup Final against Chelsea in 2007, he had comfortably held his own in central midfield. Indeed, his superb dribbling around Chelsea’s box led to Theo Walcott’s opening goal.

Diaby will have to learn to eliminate ill-timed challenges from his game in order to provide Arsenal with a much needed defensive rock in their midfield.

At a towering height of 6ft 2ins, Diaby could help anchor a midfield entirely bereft of tall players (Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri both measure 5ft 10ins). This addition of height to the midfield would also augment the under-fire defence – Kolo Toure and William Gallas’s central defensive pairing has been criticised as deficient in height.

Many young players come to Arsenal because Arsene Wenger offers budding talent, rare opportunities to test themselves at the highest level. Diaby is now ready for that challenge and the gaping hole in the centre of midfield is counting on him to succeed.

Why Chris Waddle is talking twaddle

Daily Mail sportswriter Chris Waddle has today suggested Fabio Capello should drop England hat trick hero Theo Walcott because his game is too one dimensional.

According to Waddle, Walcott’s only asset is pace, and he argues that this will not suffice in international games when teams tend to sit deep and need to be broken down.

Certainly when Walcott is given space to run into he looks deadly, as seen in Arsenal’s home game to Slavia Prague last season, when he scored his first European goals for the club.

To argue that pace is all Walcott has to his game and to profess that he never sees him “run at opponents, go outside them, beat them one on one”, is vastly overlooking this Englishman’s strengths.

Walcott's dynamism beats four Liverpool players

Arguably one of the most exciting moments in last years’ Champions League is when Walcott made that dynamic, skilful run in Arsenal’s encounter at Anfield in the quarter finals.

That run was inspired by pace, yes, but Walcott did not simply have wide open space in front of him like Waddle would have you believe. He had to take on and indeed, beat four Liverpool players in one on one situations, in order to get to the byline and assist Emmanuel Adebayor in making their dramatic equalising goal.

Waddle also makes the point that as this is Walcott’s first real debut season for Arsenal; coaches have not yet found ways to stop his blistering pace.

Once again, however, Waddle is underestimating the consequences of what Walcott achieved through his hat-trick against Croatia a month ago.

Walcott’s style of play was thrown into the spotlight; every Football Manager across the world would know what this boy was about and how dangerous he could be. Arsene Wenger had been concerned after this game that Walcott would be man-marked and called for referees to give him added protection.

Indeed, both Wenger and Walcott would have been concerned that his game would be affected, if all he had was pace to burn.

The skill to overcome defensive tactics

As Waddle himself comments, teams play it safe against high profile and potentially pacey opposition by defending deep and not allowing them any space.

That’s what Dynamo Kiev did at home to Arsenal when they were one nil up in the qualifiers two weeks ago, and what Sunderland did throughout their game to Arsenal last weekend.

To a large extent, both teams were successful in thwarting Arsenal’s efforts as a result. And perhaps they would have been entirely successful if Arsenal had not had Theo Walcott in their side.
Walcott resisted the hard tackles and strong physical pressure in the Dynamo Kiev game. He refused to lie down or give up when his team fell behind in a difficult game in the Ukraine.

In the ninetieth minute, his efforts were rewarded when he tussled past players to get to the byline and produce an assist for his captain William Gallas to poke home.

Equally Walcott’s legitimate assist to Robin van Persie should have stood in the Sunderland game. A game in which he did not exert his game enough, but still made what should been a telling contribution.

Walcott's competition with Shaun Wright-Phillips

Certainly Shaun Wright-Phillips has looked a born-again footballer since rejoining Manchester City in the summer. His deliveries and confidence going forward makes him a strong favourite to start the next two England qualifiers. And indeed, Walcott does need to continue to develop consistency to his game if he is to be a definite starter in the England side.

Ultimately, Walcott has earnt his place in the England side to face Kazakhstan, however, because of his ability to change a game for both club and country through his pace, intelligence and skill. And like Waddle, I consider Capello the manager to make the right call.

(Image courtesy of PLHee)