Villa still to prove their European credentials

As Aston Villa stay on course for a Champions League spot this season, the issue of their strength and depth will come into play.

With James Milner and Emile Heskey out for their UEFA Cup home leg tie against the capable CSKA Moscow, Craig Gardner slotted in on the right and the experienced John Carew started up front with Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Villa’s commitment was there from the outset, but they struggled to contain the Russians’ classy technique and beautiful one-touch passing. The home side’s defenders will need to become well-attuned to dealing with the quality of attackers like Vagner Love and Milos Krasic if they are to build upon a Champions League qualification.

As it was, for the first goal, it was all Villa’s defence could do but to sit back and admire Love’s precise one-two with Alan Dzagoev before releasing a left-foot shot past Brad Guzan.

Home side's confidence

The home side’s confidence this season came through in the second half when Ashley Young delivered brilliant crosses into the box and Stiliyan Petrov made some powerful runs through the centre.

The equaliser came after another Ashley Young delivery, Craig Gardner got on the end and played John Carew in to finish.

Craig Gardner

In the absence of Milner, Craig Gardner played one of his brightest games for Villa, his excellent work ethic and runs forward showing the benefits of having a competitive squad. Manchester United have shown that again this season, and it often decides the fate of a team’s success within Europe.

The Russians had not played a competitive game for three months since their season finished in December. Villa were unable to exploit that by adding a winner in the final minutes, so a difficult tie will face them on the plastic pitch of the Luzhniki Stadium in two weeks time.

Villa will have come off playing Chelsea this weekend, and the Russians will be fitter and stronger, thus providing them with a real test of their European credentials.

Villa exposes the gulf between European Champions and England

Spain’s two goal victory over England in Seville came as no surprise or huge embarrassment, but it did once again raise the question of the quality of the Premier League.

Phil Jagielka, winning his second cap in the centre of defence, was selected on form, on his recent emphatic performances at nullifying Premier League attackers.

Fabio Capello would have noted Jagielka’s three commanding displays against Fernando Torres in the Merseyside derbies over the last couple of weeks.

David Villa

But Jagielka was unable to handle David Villa’s intricate and quick movements that led to the striker’s opening goal in the 36th minute. Darting either side of the Everton defender, Villa found space for himself to coolly finish past the hapless David James in goal.

David Villa’s class provided a sharp reminder to both Jagielka and the rest of the England team of the step-up to international football. Stewart Downing and Shaun Wright-Phillips might be star men for their respective clubs every week, but the wingers provided rare moments of that overlapping play that typifies Spanish football.

Equalling Bobby Moore’s record in making his 108th appearance for England, David Beckham produced some precise passes to justify his second half inclusion. Delivering a long ball across to Wright-Phillips on the left, the wide man cut inside and shot towards José Manuel Reina.

In the final moments, Beckham’s energy did not waver as he retrieved the ball in the centre and made an exquisite through-ball to Carlton Cole, who beat Reina but not Carlos Marchena on the goal line.

"basic errors"

Such was the strength and depth of Spain’s attack that the second goal came from 23- year-old substitute Fernando Llorente. The striker scored his debut goal for Spain after another defensive mistake by England, when Matthew Upson conceded a free kick, midfielder Xavi delivered and Llorente rose to head in.

Both Spain’s goals were adept finishes, but as Sam Allardyce concluded in ITV’s post-match analysis, it was “basic errors” that cost England victory.

Opta to cover the MLS

(Courtesy of Wikipedia)

For those who say that David Beckham’s aim to boost the profile of US soccer has failed to bear fruit, is surely mistaken after Opta look to cover Major Soccer League games now too.

Opta stats collate all the player statistics for the Premiership, Italy's Serie A, the German Bundesliga and France's Ligue One for newspapers and broadcasters and now it must be an indication of how far the MLS has risen in global importance, the statistical company are to cover their games as well.

Beckham might not have necessarily improved the quality of the MLS, or most probably see out his contract, but since his arrival he has sold many a shirt and undoubtedly drawn attention to a league that was anonymous beforehand.

And to that end, should LA Galaxy fans be really that disgruntled at his inevitable departure? How many had heard of this club before Beckham’s surprising arrival in 2007?

Essentially putting LA Galaxy on the map and the MLS on the radar of football fans around the world, more than enough paid back Beckham’s hefty signing-on fee.

Keane Pleads Professionalism in Case Against Disrespectful Benitez

(Courtesy of Wikipedia)

When things go wrong, and rather hastily, the separation, when it inevitably happens, does so in similar fashion. Robbie Keane was at Liverpool for a total of 189 days and if you thought that the Irishman’s return to White Hart Lane for £15million on transfer deadline day would be the end of his somewhat bitter sweet stay at Liverpool, you were largely mistaken.


Lack of Support?


Earlier in the week the Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez expressed his disappointment of Keane’s unsuccessful spell at the club, and insisted it was never down to a lack of support from the manager.


"When we signed him, I thought he could be a fantastic partner for Fernando Torres. I thought he could guarantee goals, but that clearly wasn't the case.


"Another factor is that Liverpool are a different club from most. Expectations are really high, people are asking questions every week and the pressure is on all the time. Maybe that was why he found it so difficult.


"Do I feel any responsibility for what happened? I supported him as much as I could and gave him plenty of opportunities to show his quality. He was not treated badly.


No Respect


Although not wanting to get “into a feud with anybody” suggesting he has “too much respect for that,” the Irishman spoke of being “baffled” about his swift return to Tottenham, and even admitted receiving a medal (if Liverpool win the league) come May “would not mean anything at all.”


Keane, who was largely frustrated at being deployed out of position and consistently substituted, claims his professionalism and respect for the Merseyside club was never reciprocated by Benitez.


"I never had one bad word to say about anybody there, I didn't have a problem with the manager, I never had a fall-out with the manager ... I was never late for training, I trained every day and I worked my socks off. It's as simple as that. You're probably as baffled as I am."


The Last Straw


Keane is strong-minded and has experienced something similar previously – at the age of 19 a gifted yet inexperienced Keane moved to the Italian giants Inter Milan only to be used sparingly – and so it is unsurprising to hear him speak of his short-lived career at Anfield philosophically;

“It wasn't a mistake for me to go there, it just didn't work out for whatever reason. I didn't fit into the way that rafa plays football. With a different manager there, maybe it could have worked."

It has been reported he knew his time was up when the unproven teenager David Ngog was a preferred choice in the squad ahead of him against Everton; yet, Keane is looking forward to his new position as club captain ahead of Tottenham's derby game against Arsenal, "I am a Spurs player now and Liverpool is gone."