...Arsene Wenger needs to accept responsibility for Arsenal’s failures

“We were kicked off the park and should have had a definite penalty. I’d like to know what the fifth official was doing. Carlos Vela was clearly fouled. The five referees is not an answer to the problem. It is a useless system. The turning point was the penalty – I still cannot understand how Vela got a yellow card…”

I could have used one of hundreds of Arsene Wenger’s post-match rants here, this just happens to be the most recent. Wenger’s boys have once again been hard done by; the referee is to blame for a bad decision and for not protecting his players from physical tackles.

I agree with Wenger on the penalty decision last night. It was a clear penalty. The only thing to say in the referee’s defence was that Vela threw his arms in the air in that dramatic fashion we all know too well. Still, he was stopped by an outstretched leg that was nowhere near the ball and, dramatics or not, it should have been a penalty kick. Five referees missed it; Wenger has a right to feel aggrieved. Unfortunately for Wenger his team cannot receive special treatment. They will receive bad decisions from referees; they will receive rough treatment from teams who cannot match them for technique.

Turning points in confidence and momentum clearly exist in football and can have dramatic effects, especially at the highest level. However, the players at Wenger’s disposal were good enough to batter Braga 6-0 just over two months ago, so they should have been able to win the match with or without a penalty from the appeal that took place at 0-0 with 14 minutes remaining. Was the penalty decision to blame for Arsenal’s failure to score for the first 76 minutes?! Instead Arsenal conceded late on and lost the game for the second time in four days.

The problem in defence still exists. Wenger can throw another Squillaci or Koscielny at Arsenal’s back four in the January transfer window, but the foundations of the problem must be his team’s mentality. Unfortunately for him a manager who has been in charge of a club for 14 years has nobody but himself to blame. Teams reflect the attitude and mentality of their manager after that period of time, and if Wenger cannot accept responsibility, swallow his pride and make the necessary moves to prevent such problems from happening again, but instead persists in attempting to protect his side by looking for others to blame, then he and Arsenal will never learn from their mistakes.

A constantly evolving young side is great to watch, and to admire when gambles on youth pay off. One downside of this can be that players are let go too early to the detriment of the team. Wenger let William Gallas leave in the summer, the very defender who was man-of-the-match and captain of Spurs as they beat Arsenal in their own back yard on Saturday. Gilberto Silva laughed in Wenger’s face by continuing to captain Brazil and run their midfield for years after he was deemed too old for the Arsenal youth club. Surely not even Wenger can defend himself or blame anyone else for these two glaring misjudgements. Often the presence of older players can be useful for the youngsters to learn from, and their experience is invaluable in situations like, say, a North London derby or an away game in the Champions League.

As usual with an Arsenal blog, I’m sure this will receive widespread criticism from Arsenal fans. The amount of excellent and popular Arsenal blogs out there show that you guys are a literary bunch who love to debate and defend your team online.

However, Gunners, just consider this: do you want to be a side of nearly men who always have an excuse when their side inevitably falls at the final hurdle with a manager who will always look to blame anyone before himself, or do you want to start winning the trophies that a club of your stature deserve?

The truth hurts, but maybe it’s time that you, as well as Wenger, faced up to it. If creaming yourself when your teenagers dismantle a lesser side in the Carling Cup is enough for you then fine, otherwise Wenger has to go.

...City’s negative tactics show a lack of ambition

If Manchester City have any kind of serious ambition, they need to show it in their on-field tactics rather than their marketing campaigns. City played three holding midfielders last night, and although Yaya Toure was played higher up the pitch he’s not the sort of player to provide a spark capable of creating goals through top defenders, even if City thought so when they handed him an annual wage larger than the GDP of most developing countries. City could hardly have wished for a better time to play United, who of course had injuries and players recovering from a virus, but Roberto Mancini showed at best caution, and more likely nerves.

Is there any situation in which he would be daring enough to play a two-striker system? Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor could be an effective combination because of their different attributes. I’m not saying he has to play an English ‘big man, little man’ tactic of playing long balls for the Togolese to nod down, because that could be seen as dated and is not the traditional Italian way (although Don Fabio likes a big man), but City at present merely rely on Tevez, a player who could not win a regular first-team place at United, to supply the magic and goals to surpass their Manchester rivals on the pitch and in the league. This is reflected in the stat that City have not won without Tevez in the league for two years.

Early on in the season, I wrote that I couldn’t see where City’s creativity was going to come from. They proved me wrong to an extent in that James Milner started to play in the middle and showed that he has the football brain to create. I also said that I doubted David Silva’s ability to deal with the physical nature of English football, but he showed that his touch and passing are so accurate that he can avoid the 50/50 situation less technically gifted players may find themselves in more often. Why did Mancini not play either of these two at the head of a midfield three rather than putting three bruisers in there? Surely two is enough.

Beebop and Rocksteady are fine, but every midfield needs a Krang.

...confident Germany devoured by hungry Spain

Germany’s confidence and willingness to attack played into Spanish hands as Vicente Del Bosque’s team relished facing a positive side for the first time in the competition. Instead of tasting revenge Joachim Low’s side were devoured without mercy.

Until last night Spain had only faced sides whose mission was to stop them playing, before considering trying to win the game themselves. Last night, however, it was Spain who changed to a 4-2-3-1 system to mirror Germany. This may have looked like a sign of weakness, but that was not how it translated on the pitch.

Germany’s defence played higher up than Switzerland, Paraguay et al as they sought goals and retribution for the European Championship defeat two years ago, leaving space for Spain to probe. Sure enough Andres Iniesta, the man identified in yesterday’s piece as Spain’s main threat with the ball at his feet, isolated the poor, defenceless Philipp Lahm and got to the byline on more than one occasion.

Germany’s counter attacking pace had seen off Argentina’s defective full-backs with ease, but Joan Capdevila and Sergio Ramos’ energy on the flanks meant that Lucas Podolski and Piotr Trochowski were denied space, leaving Miroslav Klose short of supply. Without the service to continue his composed finishing streak Klose suddenly looked sluggish and immobile, a key reason why he played second fiddle to Evica Olic at Bayern Munich last season.

Then there was the midfield. The tenacity of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Kadira had been able to break down the rushed passing of England’s ‘star’ midfielders but here they faced a glut of players oozing class and composure on the ball. Passes into space, triangles, round-the-corner, you name it. Germany also found a fired-up Xabi Alonso snapping into the challenge to compliment the more reserved style of Xavi and Sergio Busquests, showing his Premier League experience but sometimes being penalised unfairly for doing so.

Germany tried to make a game of it, but Spain simply did not let them do so, keeping the ball in deep positions in the first half. They tightened the screw after the break, almost setting up camp in German territory and showing a more direct manner. This game was decided by a set piece of course, but you feel that had Carles Puyol not powered his header home Spain would have found another way through at some point.

As one-sided a 1-0 victory as you may see for a good while, Spain looked composed in the later stages despite the knowledge that one attack was all it would take for Germany to achieve parity. Their confidence comes from the knowledge that they possess technically the best midfield in the competition, capable of holding the ball between them without being affected by the knowledge that they were on the brink of a first World Cup final.

Germany were brave and continued to try to play the attacking game that had previously brought them so many goals and so much success. But if you give Spain space, they will pass you to pieces. Last night Germany were like helpless, bite-sized Tapas; merely an entrada as Spain saved themselves for the main course: the World Cup final in Johannesburg on Sunday.

...Spain must find balance to match Germany’s equilibrium

If, as expected, Fernando Torres is finally dropped tonight, Spain will be forced to crowd the midfield and fit a lot of talented central midfielders into a system that prevents them tripping over each others’ toes. There have many smooth, round pegs, but some must quickly adapt to square holes if Spain are to overcome Germany’s balanced side.

While Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets have sat deep in a 4-4-2 it has forced Xavi, their best passer of a ball, to play further up the pitch (out of place) in a position that requires the pace and width he doesn’t offer. When they have switched to a 4-3-3 with Xavi moving into central midfield, David Villa has played on the left leaving the out-of-sorts Fernando Torres as the (so far rather blunt) point of attack. If Cesc Fabregas is the man to come in, after impressing in his cameo against Paraguay, where does he fit?

Another problem is that of Spain’s starting midfield four so far only Andres Iniesta has the necessary attributes to beat a man. Busquets, Xavi and Alonso are excellent passers of the ball but they lack the pace or dribbling skills get in behind defences, as shown by the fact that Switzerland managed to squeeze them out in their opening fixture despite being without the ball for long periods.

Germany, meanwhile, have a player for each position of their finely oiled 4-2-3-1 system. Sami Khedira sits, Bastian Schweinsteiger is, well, everywhere at once it seems, while Mesut Ozil has the creativity to play behind the front three, the ability to beat a man and a sharp eye for goal, as demonstrated with a great strike against Ghana. Lucas Podolski offers genuine width on the left, Miroslav Klose is happy to sit on the last man and usually they have Thomas Muller’s energy down the right.

But Muller isn’t playing, and herein lies Germany’s weakness in tonight’s game: an unfamiliar face in a settled starting eleven. It is here where Joachim Low will earn his corn. The choices? Another gamble on the youth policy that has worked so well so far and the selection of the talented but inexperienced young Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos, or the more experienced Piotr Trochowski, who is the more natural winger.

I personally would pick Kroos. He has already been earmarked for the number 10 shirt at Bayern Munich and is held in higher regard than Muller by many within the club. Despite his 20 years he has already made an impact at Munich and on loan at Leverkusen. During his debut for Munich, coming off the bench for the last 18 minutes, he provided two assists. On his UEFA cup debut he came on for nine minutes, made one and scored with the last kick of the game. Oh, and those three assists were all for a certain Mr Klose.

Put simply both teams needs to make changes for tonight’s game, and these decisions may well determine who plays the Netherlands in Johannesburg on Sunday. Germany’s change is forced because of Muller’s two yellow cards, whereas Torres’ form means Vicente del Bosque’s hand is forced for a different reason. If Spain can find a balance, they have the players to beat Germany, whose equilibrium depends on how well their new right winger adapts.

...smug Suarez sets awful example - should the rules be changed?

The behaviour and subsequent delight of Luis Suarez in the match against Ghana was shambolic and set a terrible precedent to youngsters watching the World Cup. He should be ashamed of the fact that his intentional handball is the reason that Ghana were knocked out of the tournament. Instead he is unrepentant and has gleefully claimed his act is the new ‘Hand of God’.

Thierry Henry’s behaviour in the World Cup qualifying play-off against the Republic of Ireland was a similarly instinctive piece of gamesmanship, but at least Henry had the dignity to apologise. He realised that his behaviour was wrong, whereas Suarez seems to think he is a national hero.

Suarez’s tears as he walked off the pitch were not borne from shame, as his celebrations when Asamoah Gyan missed his penalty with the last kick of extra-time revealed. The rules should now be changed to prevent children all across the world from imitating his behaviour and/or thinking it is ok to do so in the future.

At present, Suarez’s behaviour is not technically cheating. It is a straight red card and a penalty offence. Fortunately this kind of incident is rare as most people’s instinct is to try and defend a shot with any part of their body but the arm, but it may not be after this World Cup.

People may see the light punishment handed out by FIFA, who declined to extend Suarez’s one-match ban, weigh this negative against the positive, which is that Uruguay ultimately went though to the semi-final of the World Cup, and think that may be a worthwhile exchange.

The only alternative punishment for a blatant handball rather than a penalty would be to award a goal. For this to happen the referee would have to be absolutely sure that a. the act was undisputedly intentional, b. that there is no way anyone else, including the goalkeeper, could have stopped the ball entering the goal had the handball not taken place and c. that the ball was definitely goal-bound in the first place.

In the heat of the moment, with the limited perspective of one referee and an often crowded penalty area, the three requirements alone would be too much for the judgement of one man. Therefore my suggestion is this: for the rules to be changed along with the introduction of technology.

The referee is by definition susceptible to human error and while technology cannot be used at all levels of the game it should be used when as much is at stake as it was in this incident. After Lampard’s goal that never was and Tevez’s goal that shouldn’t have been this is the third different major mistake that could and should have been easily resolved with a simple video replay.

It is almost as if the first World Cup in Africa is telling us that it is time for the game itself to move on as well. Listen up Mr Blatter.

...Queiroz ruined Ronaldo’s big day in the World Cup and the Champions League

It could be argued that Carlos Queiroz’s negative tactics ruined the biggest two matches of Cristiano Ronaldo’s career so far.

“Ask Queiroz”, said Ronaldo in a post-match interview when asked of Portugal’s tactics, literally spitting with rage after Portugal’s 1-0 loss to Spain on Tuesday. This echoed his reaction after the 2009 Champions League final when his repost to a similar question was “Ask Ferguson”, but maybe it was Carlos Queiroz who was again to blame.

Although Queiroz had left old Trafford after his second stint as Alex Ferguson’s assistant by the time Manchester United faced Barcelona in Rome, his legacy lived on in a cautious 4-5-1 formation. There is no doubt Queiroz’s defensive coaching helped to firm up the back line which played a large part in United’s Champions League victory in 2008, but there is a time, namely when chasing a must-win game, that caution must eventually be thrown to the wind to some extent.

It was demonstrated again on Tuesday that if when you go a goal down you don’t attack a side capable of keeping the ball, they will do just that. United beat Barcelona 1-0 over two legs thanks to superb defending in the semi-final in 2008, but they were never chasing the game. When Barca scored once, then twice in Rome a United side indoctrinated by Queiroz’s masterful defensive tactics didn’t change the formation and attack Barca just as Portugal didn’t attack Spain.

The man who suffered the most on both occasions, isolated up front on his own, was Ronaldo. The man who has changed countless games for club and country was not given the support he needed to get a sufficient amount of the ball to do so again, neither was he dropped into a deeper position from which he could exert a greater influence. It is easy to dislike the ‘winker’ with a penchant for short shorts, but on this occasion it is justifiable to feel a slight pang of sympathy.

In Rome it seemed like Ferguson, a man known for his cavalier tendencies, seemed as shackled as his players, nervous to abandon the Queiroz-influenced tactics that had got him so far, just as Queiroz himself only got Portugal so far in the World Cup. Ferguson suffered much post-match criticism for not reverted to the tried and tested attacking 4-4-2 that has brought him such success during his illustrious career.

I’m not claiming to be Garry Kasparov, and I have already covered this subject extensively in my Otto Rehhegal blog (check the archive), but when you line up defensively but are losing, and losing fairly (by two then three goals in United’s case), surely there is no harm in trying a more positive tactic.

Queiroz is obviously a master of the defensive game, as demonstrated by Portugal’s three clean sheets in the group stages, but his attacking tactics seem to lag some way behind, despite his side’s 7-0 victory over a pub side called ‘North Korea’. For this reason he makes a great assistant but as a manager against the best teams, such as Spain or Barcelona, his tactics only serve to stem the inevitable tide, much to the chagrin of Cristiano Ronaldo.

...World Cup black list – top 10 villains

"One chance, blew it. Nice one Robbie"

10. Lucio

A surprise inclusion, but included because of his dirty tricks: pulling shirts, trying to punch Drogba’s broken arm and the rest. Strong as a brick shithouse in the tackle, but when the roles are reversed he collapses like a shit brickhouse in a manner that would make Rivaldo blush.

9. Cristiano Ronaldo

You almost felt sorry for Ronaldo as he was starved of possession during the second half against Spain. Almost. However, Portugal progressed from the group stages despite Ronaldo, who scored just one fluky goal against a demoralised North Korea. Lacked his usual flair and end product.

8. Aaron Lennon

Much was expected of the pacy winger who impressed in qualifying. However the World Cup stage exposed the empty space in which his football brain is supposed to be. His erratic passing and crossing confused him as much as his team-mates and he was dropped after just one game.

7. Franck Ribery

Had an excellent season at Munich but was abject in South Africa. In his defence France were collectively awful, but if anyone could have provided a spark to reignite their tournament it was Ribery. A tournament to forget for the man Zidane once called the “jewel of French football”.

6. Claudio Marchisio

The ‘playmaker’ in Italy’s dysfunctional 4-3-3, Marchisio was largely anonymous in all three of their appalling displays. Admittedly he lacks international experience, but Italy only played well when he was subbed against Paraguay. Why he was reinstated is a mystery to everyone but Marcello Lippi.

5. Alberto Gilardino

Scored a goal every other game for Fiorentina last season - 34 in 68 - but it was the disappointing Gilardino of his Milan days that stepped off the plane in South Africa. Has all the attributes to be a great target man but again disappointed for Italy when it mattered after a poor Euro 2008.

4. Fernando Torres

Perhaps a little harsh as he is still recovering from injury, but he has looked a shadow of his former self so far as Villa hogs the spotlight. Withdrawn after another anonymous display last night, the player who won Euro 2008 for Spain will be lucky if he starts the quarter-final against Paraguay.

3. Wayne Rooney

After his best season to date at United Rooney arrived at the World Cup with the expectations of a nation on his shoulders, and it showed. The Rooney we know simply didn’t turn up. His control, passing and positioning were all way off. Only came close to scoring once in four games.

2. Sani Kaita

His inexplicable attack on Vasilas Torosidis is perhaps the most needless red card in the history of the World Cup. With Nigeria leading 1-0 the pair chased a ball off the pitch and Kaita unnecessarily kicked out at the Greek, who of course fell dramatically to the deck. Greece went on to win 2-1.

1. Robert Green

Oh dear Robert. He fought so hard for his place only to make a mistake so bad it would make a junior school goalkeeper wince; a comical error that will blight the rest of his career and probably his life. England may still be in South Africa if they had beaten the USA and won Group C.

...Brazil’s transatlantic balance will win the World Cup

Yesterday Brazil played like two teams fused together; a physical, European-style rearguard of six formed a solid base from which their samba stars took Chile apart. Crucially (England, France and Italy take note), every man knew his role in a clearly defined system of play.

With England’s loose 4-4-2 and the hastily assembled 4-3-3 formations of Il Azzurri and Les Bleus, the players looked like they knew their starting shape but became amorphous as play became stretched. England in particular seemed to have no set style of play, although I’m sure this was not for lack of trying on behalf of Fabio Capello.

Despite the result yesterday Chile looked settled in a complex 3-3-1-3 system. Can you imagine the carnage if England were asked to play in this manner?! South American teams play 18 games in qualifying as opposed to 10 in Europe and this additional exposure to team-mates and tactics seems to be paying dividends in South Africa. Most people expected Brazil and Argentina to walk through the group stages but did they expect all three of Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay to progress?

Many of Brazil’s players made multiple transatlantic trips representing club and country during the qualifying campaign. As a result their play seems to be stuck half-way between Europe and South America. In footballing terms this is no bad place to be. Lucio and Maicon, for instance, will no doubt have been helped by the strict tactical discipline of Jose Mourinho, who will have taught them when and how to use their obvious flair when in possession, and how to press opponents whilst keeping the shape when without; raw talent refined by a cultured approach.

In attacking terms Brazil have the advantage of an abundance of technique and creativity, but they are also told to play in a certain way to make the most out it: Short, accurate passes on the deck combined with intelligent movement off the ball. The European teams mentioned above, now a mere footnote in the story of the 2010 World Cup, didn’t seem to have a defined style of play; they were neither patient nor exclusively direct. Unfortunately the ‘mix it up’ philosophy just doesn’t cut it in the knock-out stages of the World Cup.

Spain also play to their technical prowess, and are joint favourites with Brazil for good reason. In my opinion, however, Brazil will win it for three reasons. Firstly Fernando Torres is clearly not at his peak in a physical or a mental sense. David Villa is perhaps the best striker in the world at the moment but he needs Torres to come to life if Spain are to beat Brazil.

Secondly, Brazil as a team and as a nation ooze confidence and feel they have a right to win their sixth World Cup. Would Spanish fans, who have never tasted such a victory, feel comfortable taking massive World Cup replica trophies into tonight’s game with Portugal? Germany showed what confidence can do against a team who lack it, and Spain will feel pressure from a tense nation just as England did. I’m not saying Spain lack confidence, merely that Brazil have more of it.

The third reason is that bond of European brawn and South American beauty. Spain have a physical back-line but their ‘defensive’ midfielders are more creators than destroyers whereas Brazil’s are happy to sit. Italy won the World Cup because of their defence in 2006, and although I never thought it would be this way, I think Brazil will win it in 2010 for the same reason.

...England’s chronic self-doubt proves terminal

However many different Englishmen pull on the three lions at major competitions it seems they will always be united by one thing: a fear of failure. The nation may be stuck in a vicious circle. The more we talk of our players’ inability to recreate their club form on the international stage, the more they believe it themselves.

The match commentators yesterday suggested that England would take only one of the German eleven in exchange for one of our own players. While I personally think it would be closer to six (Neuer, Lahm, Ozil, Klose, Schweinsteiger, Podolski), the fact remains that England have players who would walk into the German side. Frank Lampard, for instance, has outplayed Michael Ballack ever since Germany’s inspirational captain arrived at Stamford Bridge. Klose doesn’t even start for his club. Pulling on the England shirt, however, instantly puts doubt in the mind of even the most seasoned professional.

What is worse is that the opposition know it. It is obvious. Germany smelt blood from the men in red; they were relieved by England’s mental self-oppression. People talk of experience being the key in big games, but it was England’s more experienced players whose mindset was stifled, rather than liberated by past exploits yesterday. The expectations were high and they knew it. Meanwhile the 20-year-old Thomas Müller played without fear and finished with two goals and an assist.

Many critics blame unrealistic expectations in the English media. The Metro this morning, for instance, talked of the end of a ‘golden generation’. It is hard to rationalise the root of this phrase as this group of England players have not once beat decent opposition in the knockout phase of a major tournament.

Most of these losses have come down to penalties; essentially a mind game. Does anyone really believe that if England had taken Germany to spot-kicks that the outcome would have been any different to the one we are so used to: waiting to see which unlucky soul will have but a Pizza Hut advertising contract as consolation for his failure for the rest of his life?

Of course not. Because like the match yesterday, the game would be up even before it had begun. In the past we have let the heart rule the head when choosing penalty takers such is the doubt coursing through the veins of many players who are more than capable of scoring from 12 yards. A brief list of players who have missed penalties for us in major tournaments in the last 14 years: Jamie Carragher, Gareth Southgate, Paul Ince, David Batty. Men with the heart to take a penalty, but not the head, nor the feet for that matter.

For this reason I do not expect to see England lift a World Cup for as long as I live. Pessimistic? Admittedly. An overreaction? Maybe, but unfortunately this scathing conclusion is borne more from cold Müller-esque reason than it is from the self-doubt and resulting hot-headed panic seen in the eyes of the England team yesterday.

...Lippi shows form is temporary, Capello proves class is permanent

Marcello Lippi’s decision to choose players who impressed in Serie A this season rather than those with proven international pedigree cost Italy a place in the knockout phase. Meanwhile Fabio Capello has deserted the policy of only picking players who are on form for their club teams, and as a result his England side are into the last 16.

Injuries to key players Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo were beyond Lippi’s control, but other world-class players were missing because of Lippi’s policy to pick on current form rather than past glory. What Italy would have done for the creativity of Sampdoria’s maverick forward Antonio Cassano when chasing the game against a determined Slovakian defence. What they would have done for the leadership and experience of Francesco Totti.

If Capello had stuck with the policy of selecting on form alone that he employed at the beginning of his reign as England manager it would have been Darren Bent, with 24 goals in 38 matches for Sunderland last season, and not Jermain Defoe, who lost his goal-scoring touch during the latter part of the campaign with Tottenham, who would have met James Milner’s cross on Wednesday. As it happened Defoe showed class under pressure to bag the winner.

Had the golden chance that Simone Pepe scuffed wide with his right foot in the dying seconds yesterday fallen to an experienced forward, he would probably have had the composure to score, hit the target or at least to use his left as the chance required.

Antonio Di Natale may have been Serie A’s top scorer last season, but he was disappointing when given the chance at Euro 2008 and managed only one tap-in during his three matches in South Africa. Alberto Gilardinho scored 34 in 68 for Fiorentina last season but has been consistently inconsistent for Italy in the past, an assessment he backed up with his performances at this World Cup, leading to his demotion to the bench.

So, who was left out? As well as Totti and Cassano Lippi could also have called up Giuseppe Rossi, who would almost certainly have scored the chance that Pepe missed and showed his class on the international stage by scoring 11 in 22 for the Italy under 21s, or even Alessandro Del Piero, who continues to belie his 35 years and could have made a huge impact from the bench.

The advantage of class over form and the faults in Lippi’s tactics were demonstrated in Italy’s first game, against Paraguay. With his team again trailing to supposedly inferior opposition, Lippi withdrew the ineffective Claudio Marchisio, brought on Mauro Camoranesi and switched from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2. Italy improved immediately as the 34-year-old began to pull the strings, scored within five minutes of his introduction, and almost managed to win all three points. In the next game, against New Zealand, Lippi inexplicably reinstated Marchisio and the 4-3-3. Again Italy failed to beat a ‘lesser’ team.

Lippi had a veritable wealth of talent at his disposal compared to his compatriot Capello. As a World Cup winner in 2006, he really should have known better than to choose players based on domestic form alone. He will now retire as Italy manager rueing what could have been.

...forget Ronaldo and Messi, Landon Donovan is the player of the tournament so far

It just had to be Landon Donovan that scored the dramatic last-gasp winner against Algeria last night. The USA’s talisman has proved to be the difference between a workmanlike side able to match decent opposition over 90 minutes, and one that is able to surpass them. Last night he was the difference between an early exit from the World Cup and a passport to the last sixteen as the undefeated USA went through as winners of Group C.

Without Donovan, the USA are at best an average side. The fact that they rely so heavily on their ’star’ striker Jozy Altidore, a man who scored just once in 28 games on loan at Hull City last year, speaks volumes of the lack of quality running through the squad. Donovan is the only player with genuine class, and so his team rely on him to perform to his potential when it matters. While he was criticised for going missing in Germany four years ago, he has put that right in South Africa.

One thing his less talented team-mates possess in abundance is spirit. As Bill Clinton, making a bizarre appearance for a post-match interview yesterday, said, “all great contests in life are head games”. However, mental grit can only get you so far at the highest level. New Zealand, under the leadership of their captain Ryan Nelson, have been able to match Slovakia and Italy so far but lack a quality player capable of finishing the job, and may well be found out by Paraguay this afternoon.

While the USA look to Donovan, other teams of a similar level rely on their sole star player to provide the goods. That the South African team placed their hands on the corn-rows of Steven Pienaar during a prayer before the tournament’s opening game showed how much they lean on the Everton midfielder. Unfortunately for the host nation Pienaar had a quiet World Cup and his team were knocked out despite a valiant victory against France in what proved to be their last game.

Similarly Australia look to Pienaar’s Everton team-mate, Tim Cahill, to provide goals and inspiration. When he was shown a red card in the opening game it was obvious they would struggle. Their win over Serbia last night (Cahill scored the opener) also came too late.
It is fitting, then, that Donovan chose Everton as the club to prove himself in European football with. His short spell on loan there showed just how far he has come on as a player after a fruitless four-year spell at Bayer Leverkusen during which he made just seven first-team appearances and another loan at Bayern Munich after which the Bavarian Club declined an option to extend his visit.

At Everton, though, Donovan was a revelation. David Moyes had little to lose by bringing him in, but he could not have expected the Californian to adapt to the pace of the Premier League so quickly after playing in the US Major League. Consolidating a place on the right of a five-man midfield containing both Pienaar and Cahill, he scored two goals in thirteen games, took set-pieces for the club and was voted as Player of the Month for January.

The spell at Everton may have played a major part in Donovan’s performances in South Africa. During his visit he was involved in several tight but mostly successful matches as his adopted team enjoyed a rich vein of form that included home wins against Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City and a hard-fought draw at Arsenal. Donovan has had to compete with at least the same level of intensity and with the added pressure of the expectancy of a nation on his shoulders when playing in the blue of the USA at the World Cup.

While the big names continue to struggle for their respective nations as documented here earlier this week, the players around them have the quality to take the carry them through. Donovan alone must continue to carry his team as they enter the business end of the competition. When it has counted so far he has provided the substance that his more illustrious peers have not. Without his two goals in three games the USA would be sat on a flight home now rather than preparing for their match against Ghana on Saturday. For this reason Landon Donovan is my man of the tournament so far.

...Otto Rehhegal's tactics a Greek tragedy

If Otto Rehhegal does not resign he must surely be sacked by the Greek FA. Needing a win, or at the very least a result against Argentina, he played scandalously negative tactics and Greece were eliminated from the World Cup without so much as a whimper of protest.

Here was a team condemned to their fate, playing damage limitation to Argentina rather than trying to launch the improbable assault that was their only hope of an escape route from group B. Admittedly the odds were stacked against Greece but, as the old adage goes it is better to try and fail than not to try at all.

Knowing that his team needed to score one if not two goals, Greece still played with ten men behind the ball. Their one forward – Georgios Samaras – was faced with the unenviable task of having to win the game on his own against Argentinean defenders fresh from their unemployment. The cameras flitted to Rehhegal with increasing frequency as the minutes ticked by, finding the vacant face of a man who looked like he had forgotten that he alone could change this, that he had the weight of a proud nation on his shoulders.

After the first abject display by his side in this tournament, a 2-0 loss to South Korea, Rehhegal blamed a lack of pace in his side for his static tactics. In that case why did not start with the youthful pace and energy of Panathinaikos’ highly-rated winger Sotiris Ninis, and look to get in behind the suspect Argentinean back line rather than forcing Samaras to toil alone, feeding off scraps with his back to goal?

Perhaps Rehhegal found the ‘inspiration’ for his negative tactics in three places. First and most obviously, Argentina have much better players than Greece. But they were already through and had made seven changes, which included playing two defenders (Nicolás Otamendi and Clemente Juan Rodríguez) who were making their World Cup debuts.

He might also have seen the way Inter Milan beat Barcelona and then Bayern Munich whilst not having possession for long periods. The difference here is that Wesley Sneijder was in constant support of the lone striker and Inter also had pace on the flanks to break with when their opponents eventually slipped up.

Another factor in his decision-making process may have been watching the way North Korea were so soundly beaten by Portugal after trying to make a game of it and pushing for a goal, when they had enjoyed more success when frustrating Brazil with Rehhegal-esque tactics. That said they also lost to Brazil, albeit by one goal rather than seven.

Surely Greece fans would have preferred to have gone out fighting. Getting a drubbing from Messi and co. would not have made for pleasurable viewing, but would surely have been preferable to merely giving in to the inevitable.

When Rehhegal’s Greece won Euro 2004 against all odds, their victory was built on belief and team spirit. True, their tactics were negative then, but then they rarely went behind and so did not face the same test as the team did last night. The best managers have a strong plan B, but it seemed as if the German manager did not have one at all.

Fans do not travel thousands of miles, dress like idiots and put up with the sound of vuvuzelas droning in their ears to see their team give up without a fight. Another adage, this time from General Khan, says “He who attacks must vanquish. He who defends must merely survive.” Needing points last night, survival was not enough for Greece. Rehhagel, knowing this from the start yet failing to act accordingly, saw his side vanquished. Like any honourable General, he must now fall on his sword.

...apart from goals North Korea give little away during their brief stay in South Africa

North Korea had never shown a match played by their national football team on foreign soil until yesterday. While this is positive for a nation sheltered under the tyrannical rule of Kim Young-Il, the downside was that they were battered 7-0 by Portugal. Mr Young-Il must hope, perversely, that his people have seen enough and that he can slam his iron curtain shut once more.

With the North Koreans on their way home following two losses, the chances of we, the outside world, gaining any fresh knowledge of this secretive nation are also drawing to a close. After a tetchy first press conference in which manager Kim Jong-Hun refused to be recognised as North Korea (the official title is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK) being the team’s last, we do not have much to go on.

We know much of their only other appearance in a World Cup finals tournament, in England in 1966. Although 44 years have passed since then the situation was much the same then as it is now. The nation was shrowded in mystery and subsequently aroused suspicions worldwide. They were nearly denied visas by the English authorities, who eventually backed down because they feared the tournament may be taken off their hands.

They were, however, involved in two matches that are still being talked about to this day. Firstly they beat Italy (who even by then had won the tournament twice) 1-0 to gain a place in the quarter-finals, which was the last time they played Portugal before yesterday. Having led by three goals after half an hour they then conceded five, four of which were scored by Benfica’s Mercurial striker Eusebio.

En route to the current World Cup, in South Africa, DPRK played their Southern neighbours over two legs. Unsurprisingly both encounters were full of controversy. The first leg was moved from North Korea to neutral China after the DPRK refused to play the anthem or fly the flag of South Korea. South Korea then won their home fixture, before which many the DPR team came down with food poisoning. The DPRK blamed South Korean secret services and described the alleged act as “moves towards confrontation”.

If this seems a little excessive the verdict of a defector of the regime (interviewed by the BBC in Seoul, South Korea) to his former country’s performance yesterday reads like an excerpt from George Orwell’s iconic novel 1984 and says much about the attitude of this country and their leader. “The result will be blamed on their weak minds," he said, “I'm sure the players will have to go though extreme re-education and self-criticism.”

Like the Big Brother of 1984, Kim Young-Il does not take kindly to criticism. Maybe this is why the match was shown 12 hours later than when it actually took place, so any protest could be cleverly edited out. If this was the case, the editors were not able to mask the seven easy goals conceded to six different Portugal players. The humble Jong-Hun (who incidentally also coaches the DPRK Army team) dutifully took responsibility, blaming his adventurous tactics for the holes in the defence that were so ruthlessly exposed.

However, maybe the players felt the pressure of millions of eyes watching them at home; of representing their proud nation at the World Cup in front of their comrades. The team managed to limit five-time World Cup winners Brazil to a just a one goal victory in their first fixture, so it seems likely that there was an outside factor affecting the performance against Portugal. If that was the case then maybe this is that last the people of North Korea will get to see of their national team abroad. On yesterday’s showing, perhaps that is a good thing.

...Lads

Click here to see proper lads. Whaaaay!

...Messi, Ronaldo and co. have much to prove if they are to be considered true greats

It seems, with Brazil’s convincing 3-1 win over Ivory Coast and Portugal’s 7-0 mauling of poor North Korea, that normal service has resumed at last. All that this tournament needs now is for Spain to trounce Honduras in tonight’s game and the big teams will finally have begun to live up to their collective reputation. The big stars, though, are yet to shine as individuals.

Of all the famous names at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa four stood out before the tournament began, which was reflected by their $20 million price tags in our My World 11 Fantasy game. If you haven’t already guessed these men were Kaka, Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. So far only Ronaldo has scored, against a demoralised North Korea and with the good fortune of the ball bouncing onto his boot via his back and then his head.

Kaka is beginning to shake off the cobwebs of a stop-start season with Real Madrid and did well to set up Elano’s goal yesterday, although this is his only meaningful contribution so far. His farcical red card yesterday may mean that may have to wait until the knockout stages to put that right. Ronaldo, his team-mate at Madrid, has been quiet but for sporadic flashes of quality.

Although Messi has been lauded by the commentators in both games so far, I personally don’t think he is playing anywhere near his best. In my opinion Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero (when he has come on) have had as much impact. I think he, like Steven Gerrard for England, concentrates too much on living up to his reputation on the international stage rather than relaxing and playing his usual game. Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o try to win games almost single-handedly for their countries, but with such talented players around him Messi has no need to do this.

It seems that Rooney forgot to pack his football brain when he left for South Africa. England seem to be feeling the pressure more than any of the big teams and Rooney has just not been himself. Having watched him all season at Old Trafford, the Rooney I watched on TV against Algeria looked like a bad impersonation. His positioning and touch were way off, and he wasn’t much better than the woeful Emile Heskey alongside him. He alone can turn England’s fortunes around, but unless he somehow pulls himself together for the final group game against Slovenia, his team could be on their way home.

Of course the big players are being marked more tightly than others, but this is nothing new for them. Is the weight of expectation too much for their young shoulders to bear? It is often said that for an excellent player to be remembered as a true great they must prove themselves at a World Cup. By this logic, not one of the fabulous four mentioned above, despite the fact that they are all Champions League winners, can yet be included in the distinguished list of names that have weaved their magic into the rich tapestry of the history of the World Cup. Having said that, they all have time on their sides.

...the BBC develop an option to filter out drone of Mick McCarthy

The BBC has reported a record number of complaints about the dull, monotonous drone that accompanies their screenings of the World Cup in South Africa, and so from early next week will be offering an option to filter out the noise of Mick McCarthy.

“It’s giving me a headache,” said Richard Croft, from Barnsley,“I can’t imagine why anyone would want to listen to such an offensive sound for a minute, never mind a full hour and a half. My wife and I thought there was something wrong with the TV, until we realised what it was.”

FIFA chief Sepp Blatter has refused to act, stating that he does not want to interfere with the unique culture and history of such a proud country.

Derrick Bird, from Winchester, wrote: “I have to watch the games with the volume down, it really has ruined the tournament for me. I could maybe understand it if the sound it produced had any variety or if it played a tune or something, but I just can’t handle the low-pitched whining, game after game!”

The recently disgraced Lord Triesman has admitted that a key facet of the England’s bid to host the World Cup 1018 was a promise that Mick McCarthy would be banned from all stadiums.

For this tournament, however, it seems that a sound filter is the only option. As from the Portugal versus North Korea game at Monday lunchtime viewers can press the red button on their remote control to choose from coverage with or without Mick McCarthy. While the broadcaster can’t promise to filter out the sound completely, they say it will make the World Cup more bearable.

... Adidas should withdraw the Jabulani and rescue the World Cup!

Yesterday’s blog covered one well-publicised issue particular to this World Cup: the widely unpopular vuvuzela. The conclusion was that by handing over the mantle to South Africa you also give them the choice of how the tournament should be run off the pitch.

Another aspect which is having a negative effect on the tournament is the Adidas Jabulani ball. At the start of every tournament there is the same old guff about lighter modern balls travelling faster and moving more to the disadvantage of the goalkeeper etc., with journalists jumping on small complaints (usually by goalkeepers) in an attempt to fill empty sports pages before the tournament begins.

Last World Cup it was said that the Adidas Teamgeist ball was hard to handle, unpredictable and so on. Some players complained, but then after five minutes of the opening game Philipp Lahm smashed it into the top corner of the Costa Rican goal, and the issue was all but forgotten.

Philipp Lahm, Germany vs Costa Rica, 2006

This time Siphiwe Tshabalala scored another great opening goal for the hosts, but unlike with Lahm in Germany it seems that was a one off. This time the speculation seems to be valid. Everybody is complaining, goalkeepers and outfield players alike. Adidas claim the ball has been painstakingly tested, but this cannot have been by top players, as the complaints rolled in as soon as the 32 competing nations began to train with it. It seems that rather than being hard to save as usual, this ball is also hard to strike.

If the ball is to the benefit of the attacking player, the only people who really suffer are the goalkeepers faced with the task of stopping them, and the odd set of fans who fall victim to their ball-induced errors. Billions of others around the world are happy to see more goals, especially if they are anything like Lahm’s.

The frequent sightings of quality players like Fernando Torres blazing miles over the bar, or Marek Hamsik failing to produce the bend he requires, is commonplace in this tournament and this tournament alone. As I said yesterday only Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso have come close to scoring goals from any real distance, the kind that have been commonplace in previous World Cups. If these players can’t strike the Jabulani as they mean to what chance do other, less talented players have?

The fact that not many people seem to realise is that this ball isn’t actually any lighter than those used at previous World Cups. The thinner air at altitude does have an effect, but not all of the venues are at altitude. So if these excuses are void the problem must be one of design.

Unlike the vuvuzela debate, with issues of culture and politics tied in, this problem is simple. Adidas have designed hundreds of excellent footballs. The technology has worked in the past be it the old-school stitched balls or the Tricolor of 1998, with it’s 32 independent bladders surrounding one central bladder (I’m really worried that I didn’t have to research that!).

Yes, if Adidas withdrew the Jabulani now it would be a PR disaster for the company who have invested so much into being the official ball supplier of the World Cup, but it wouldn’t be as bad as being held accountable for spoiling the first World Cup to be held on African soil.

By the way, check this out, it's like football porn! (I think I might be quite sad)

...The World Cup so far

So, we are into our sixth day of football. Almost a quarter of the tournament has passed already, enough to get a flavour for this World Cup in South Africa. As we look back on the 16 games played so far what has stood out to make this World Cup different from the previous 18?

I will get one main element out of the way quickly. So many column inches have been wasted on this subject and I would not like to add more than is necessary. The vuvuzela cannot be ignored. Like most others I find the noise unbearable but, having watched the Confederations Cup in South Africa last year, I expected it. It is a symbol of national pride and tradition for the country. It is South Africa’s World Cup to do as they like. They have earned this right by their progress as a nation.

With the exception of Germany’s drubbing of Australia there have been many tight, nervous encounters. So far nine games have been 0-0 at half-time. This tension should relax as the players find their feet in South Africa.

Many of the slim score-lines in the tournament so far have come as a result of the winning team protecting their lead and being hesitant to press for another. Games such as Argentina’s 1-0 win over Nigeria and today’s victory for Chile over Honduras by the same margin were so much more one-sided than the score-line suggests.

Although the goals have been few and far between at least there has been some romance. New Zealand yesterday exposed the danger of hanging onto a narrow lead in what was a exhilarating, memorable moment for the Kiwis – who scored to draw with a vastly superior Slovakia side in second half injury-time to earn their first ever point at a World Cup – not to mention for the tournament itself. Switzerland have just beaten the European champions and World Cup favourites Spain. A great result (unless you’re Spanish, of course) but typically of the competition the score was 0-0 at half-time, 1-0 at the final whistle.

The reasons for so many tight, goal-shy games could of course be due to outside factors. The criticism of the Adidas Jabulani ball has been vindicated by the poor quality of shots from distance. Only shots against the woodwork from Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso, two of the finest strikers of a ball in the game, have come close to recreating some of the long-range thunderbolts seen in Germany four year ago. Rather than putting ‘keepers at a disadvantage it seems easier to get a hand to these balls than it does to hit them accurately and with power. The makers of the Jabulani blame the altitude, but then they would do, wouldn’t they?

Altitude does seem to be affecting players, as expected. Games have been tapering off more so than usual as they enter the final stages. Players are more content to let the ball do the work than to make attacking, lung-busting runs and risk being caught out of both position and breath. This could explain why Argentina, who lost 6-1 to Bolivia in the highlands of La Paz in qualifying, didn’t score more than one past Nigeria. Maybe the players should use vuvuzelas to strengthen their lungs.

One plus about the conditions in South Africa is that it is not as hot as in previous years. Especially in Japan and Korea but also in the heat of a German summer players struggled with the heat and humidity. A South African summer, at altitude, would have been unbearable. Whereas Brazil won in the humidity of 2002 and Italy won in Europe in 2006, the altitude of South Africa doesn’t really give an unfair advantage any of the favourite teams.

Not that these favourite teams are living up to that tag. Spain lost, Italy, France and England drew and even Brazil made hard work of minnows North Korea. If the altitude, the ball, the trying to communicate through the din of the vuvuzelas and so on level the playing field in South Africa, this can only be good for the tournament. But please, let’s have some more goals!

...Italy's draw against Paraguay proves the 4-3-3 does not always work

Last night’s match between Italy and Paraguay was a refreshing sign that the charge of the 4-3-3 may be halted before it envelops the footballing world entirely.

Barcelona have enjoyed great success with the formation. Jose Mourinho won the European Cup with Porto against all odds and then back-to-back Premier League titles with Chelsea playing 4-3-3...and so on.

Too many teams though, in my opinion, fall back on the 4-3-3 as a safeguard when things aren’t going too well; the philosophy being if you can’t beat them, join them.

The shape, rather than innovative, versatile and positive as such a switch may suggest, can also be negative. The coach escapes criticism off the pitch as the formation suggests attacking football; on paper he has swapped a midfielder for a striker, but the 4-3-3 can be the public facade for a 4-5-1. When two teams play this same formation (as happened many times in the Premier League last season) games can be scrappy and devoid of chances.

The manager has an extra man to flood the midfield and limit the space given to the opposition’s schemers. He has wingers who are often asked to drop back into midfield leaving the lone front man isolated and battling two central defenders for every ball. As a result this central striker is often the archetypal ‘big man’ whose immobility can make him predictable should he be starved of the support from midfield he needs to do his job effectively.

There are situations when the 4-3-3 can work, but many others when it can be disjointed, with players being asked to play out of position. It can work when a team has genuine wingers or second strikers comfortable when playing out wide. With the glut of such players at his disposal Diego Maradona is justified in playing this system with Argentina. When three mobile, versatile forwards are rotating and dragging defenders around as Argentina did against Nigeria the effect can be devastating. With this in mind it is even more surprising that Antonio Cassano was excluded from the Italy squad.

Raymond Domenech, the France manager, simply seems to have run out of ideas as to how to get his men to play to their potential and so has followed the trend. He has left out his country’s all-time leading scorer and former captain, Thierry Henry. While he has been admittedly short of form for Barca he has been so as part of a 4-3-3. Put simply Domenech’s tactics work against France’s best player over the past decade.

Nicolas Anelka, preferred in the central role, is not comfortable with his back to goal, nor is he strong enough in the air to play this position alone. If Domenech’s switch to a 4-3-3 had been anything more than a late knee-jerk reaction to his team’s profligacy pre-tournament he would surely have taken Karim Benzema.

Marcelo Lippi’s team also suffered a poor warm-up schedule, and so he reverted to the 4-3-3. This meant playing last season’s top scorer in Serie A, Antonio Di Natale, as one of the two wide supporting strikers, with the consistently inconsistent Alberto Gilardinho up top. The patient catenaccio style favoured by the Italians meant that Gilardinho was kept embarrassingly quiet by the Paraguayan defence.

Italy were deservedly trailing 1-0 until Lippi swallowed his considerable pride, brought on Mauro Camoranesi (who like Henry is a victim rather that a benefactor of the 4-3-3) and switched to 4-4-2. Suddenly the Italians were running the game with the recognisable pomp of old, rescued a draw and were unlucky not to win all three points.

If Domenech was watching last night's game and wants to avoid a display as flaccid as we saw against Uruguay he should take note before it is too late for ‘Les Bleus’, in what will surely be his last tournament before Ramond Blanc takes the reins. Great teams make others imitate them and not vice-versa, which is probably why you don’t see Brazil or Spain pandering to the modern scourge that is the 4-3-3.

...England and France aside the top teams are living up to expectations

Just over three days since the start of the World Cup and ten games (or fifteen hours) of football watched. Can we keep this up for a whole month? Of course we can!

There have been some fairly dull matches (especially the 0-0 draw between France and Uruguay) and some nervy individual performances, but of the teams in with even an outside chance of winning the tournament only France and England have really disappointed so far.

The Netherlands were quiet by their standards earlier today but never looked threatened by Denmark and showed sparks of their potential in the tournament even without Arjen Robben. Eljero Elia of Ajax, on as a substitute, showed that he can offer the pace and penetration on the left wing that was badly needed as an alternative to the neat but often pedestrian play of Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and co.

Germany showed a fresh, attacking approach during the game yesterday evening in which they thrashed Australia 4-0. This could have been helped, rather than hindered by the loss through injury of their captain and dominant dressing room force Michael Ballack. His absence gives more of a free reign to Bastian Schweinsteiger and his young Bayern Munich team-mate Thomas Muller, whose superb goal – breaking into the area and beating a man before slotting calmly into the corner – showed an energy that in all probability is beyond the 33-year-old Ballack.

Argentina proved that however unpredictably and tactically haphazard Diego Maradona may be, they have the players to beat anyone. Although Maradona seems to have galvanised an enviable team spirit within his squad, and as technically adroit as their six attacking players are with some outstanding replacements on the bench should they be needed, you can’t help thinking that they could have been even better had Maradona used his head for once, and not his lion heart.

One of Argentina’s only weaknesses is at right-back. Apparently Jonas Gutierrez is one of the first names on Maradona’s team-sheet but as Alan Shearer (who knows Gutierrez well from his time at Newcastle United) said, he is an attacking left-winger and not a right full-back. This showed as he was caught out of position time and again and earned a yellow card for a clumsy recovery tackle on one of those occasions.

As has been well documented Maradona inexplicably left out the Champions League winning pair of the versatile former captain and superb full-back Javier Zanetti, who surely deserves to start in Gutierrez’s place, and Esteban Cambiasso, one of the main protagonists of Argentina’s metronomic passing game in Germany in 2006. While this is a disappointment it is the omission of Juan Riquelme (after a petulant argument between the two men) that is most saddening for lovers of the beautiful game.

One of the finest passers and set-piece takers in the global game, Riquelme could have been the catalyst to maximise the significant danger of Argentina’s myriad attacking threats. The clever runs of Messi and Tevez could have been pin-pointed by his superb passing range. Seba Veron also has a formidable passing repertoire but prefers a withdrawn role these days. He and Riquelme, with Javier Mascherano doing the dirty work behind them, could have formed a formidable midfield trio. Angel Di Maria has potential but is not yet on the same level as these three.

Another Inter Milan treble winner, Diego Milito, will have been disappointed not to start in place of Gonzalo Higuin. Although Higuin was excellent for Real Madrid this season, Milito scored the only two goals of the Champions League final in his last competitive game, so it is surprising that Maradona did not let him try to continue his hot streak and play him from the beginning.

Apart from Argentina the real entertainment so far has been provided by England’s Robert Green. I am an Englishman myself, but I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at his comical error. At least it was in the first game and Green has a chance to redeem himself, but I personally wouldn’t give him the chance. However, it is hard not to feel sorry for him. All these jokes are getting out of hand. In fact, you could say they’re crossing the line...

...Mancini loses his cool

Following recent complaints from several eyewitnesses Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has had his cool confiscated in a dramatic dawn raid on his Manchester home. A police spokesperson said: “The cool was found stuffed inside a mattress along with a contraband guide to scarf-knotting and an illegally imported overcoat deemed too well-tailored to have been obtained in the UK.”


Her Majesty's Department of Cool have charged Mancini with gross misuse of the privilege of cool bestowed on him as an Italian visitor to the UK and have set a date for his appearance at the Court of Cool.

Mancini would have been appointed as manager of Manchester City much earlier than December last year but for the prolonged legal wrangling over his license to cool. A Manchester Airport security guard said: “Italian managers such as Fabio Capello have been allowed access in the past on the agreement that they surrender the privilege to act cool at any time.

“However when Mancini attempted to make the same pledge with one thumb tucked under his belt buckle whilst puffing nonchalantly on a Cuban cigar, an undercover DOC agent raised the alarm. Mancini was eventually granted a cool on the condition that he upheld the conditions of it throughout his visit to the UK.”

But this was not to be the case. Enrico Suarez, a freelance advisor to the DOC said: “While initially ticking all boxes of the DoC’s fit and proper persons test with the obligatory consummate ease, several suspicious events prompted the launch of a covert surveillance operation against Mr Mancini. Firstly the nickname of ‘Bobby Manc’ bestowed upon him threatened to seriously undermine his ability to fulfil the quota of cool required under the terms of his contract with the DOC, although admittedly this was not entirely of his doing.

“Then Mancini was pictured wearing what can only be described as a ‘parka’ jacket. The DOC tweaked up their alert coding up from paisley to fuschia amidst a collective tut from inside the official building, and Mancini’s cool seemed to have its days numbered.”

However, events last week proved to be the final straw for Mancini’s cool. With his side trailing 2-0 to Everton, a team threatening to beat City to the coveted fourth spot in the Premier League table and so seriously jeopardising the likelihood of a contract renewal with the DOC, Mancini lost it. He must have known it was only a matter of time before the DOC caught up with him.

Officers say when they burst into his bedroom after first locating the cool Mancini was a broken man, weeping into the dishevelled, once perfect knot of his old blue and white scarf.

...little David Beckham to miss school trip

I know I’m a big boy now and I’ve been trying not to cry but I’m still dead upset that I can’t go on the school trip to South Africa. Even though I got a gold star from the nurse for being brave my leg still really really really hurts, and it won’t be better in time.


I’m a bit older than most of the boys now and I know I can’t join in as much as the other summer trips I’ve been on, but Mr Capello said there would be some things I could help out with and said I could come because I’m always a good boy. He said I wasn’t too old to help out with deliveries for the trip and that I’m still as good at that as anyone.

He said as well that I could help Mr Pearce to safely prepare Emile for the other boys to feed off. Everyone knows that Emile is never dangerous really but if you do the right preparation boys like little Jermain Defoe in class N17 can feed off Emile for 90 or even 120 minutes and this can help him to have fun in South Africa!

Also some of the younger boys might need some advice with flying on the wings. Depending on whether their Mummies will let them go, Shaun Wright-Phillips in class M11, Theo Walcott in N5 and Aaron Lennon from Defoe’s class might all need help and advice from me before they get on the plane. It’s frightening to fly without your Mummy and Daddy to begin with but you get used to it, especially me after my big trips to Japan and Korea and Germany.

That was good because I was allowed to take my toy dog Wag with me to keep me company on the plane and to sleep with me at night. But that was when Mr Eriksson was headmaster. Now Mr Capello, the new headmaster, has said the boys aren’t allowed to take anything like that this time as it might distract them. But I didn’t really sleep with Wag much anyway because she’s old and baggy now and she’s really starting to smell. But I’ve had her ever since I was a very little boy and I don't want to throw her away no matter how ugly everyone says she is.

So me and Wag are going to have to stay at home. I might see if I can have Wayne Bridge over for tea. He’s not hurt at all and even though he did have a fight with John Terry in SW6 nobody can understand why he doesn’t want to go to South Africa. He’s a bigger boy like me and it might be his last chance too.

...how do you solve a problem like Madrid?

The fact that Real Madrid, recognised by FIFA as the most successful football club of the last century, have not managed to reach the quarter finals of the Champions League since 2004 is almost unbelievable. The team that swept all others aside as they won the competition three times in six years at the turn of the millennium are now unable to surpass a team such as Lyon, who have been struggling in Ligue 1 by their standards this season.


So what has changed since Real last lifted the cup in 2002? The club have lost players like Zinedine Zidane and Roberto Carlos, but even they did not leave until some time after (2006 and 2007 respectively). In my opinion the finger of blame can be pointed directly at the club presidency, both the presidents as individuals and the system that allows them so much power.

Each manager (or more accurately head coach given the nature of the hierarchy) that has been brought in have had the players to challenge for the Champions League, but have not had enough time to shape the team in their image. Requirements such as always playing ultra-attacking football and Raul’s untouchable position in the team (as well as his reported influence in the dressing room) mean that managers have often had their hands tied. Also the knowledge that they will probably be sacked if they don’t win every cup they enter puts too much pressure on them and does not make for a healthy working mentality. For instance Fabio Capello, a man with a proven track record in the Champions League, was shown the door after one season despite having won the league.

Managers such as Capello were not given the time to make their own signings for the sake of building a football team. Instead presidents like Florentino Perez insisted on signing the biggest names in world football at the time: so-called ‘Galacticos’. Perez’s resurrection as president was welcomed at Madrid, but it should be remembered that in his first reign at the club, from 2000 to 2006, Madrid won the Champions League only once (in 2002, he was voted in after the victory in 2000).

When Perez took over he made some huge signings in Luis Figo and Zidane, but after the success in 2002 he became obsessed with the galactico model and made some oversights in the pursuit of it. When Real lifted the Champions League trophy in 2002 they arguably owed as much to Claude Makelele as they did to any of their flair players. Makelele’s prowess in the holding role allowed his team-mates to bomb forward while he plugged the gaps. When Perez showed that he did not value him highly enough when it came to negotiating a new contract, Makelele left for Chelsea in 2003 Real’s form dropped and they have not won the trophy since.

But Makelele was not the shirt-selling galactico that Perez craved. No, he wanted David Beckham, and (the fat) Ronaldo. Although Beckham’s transfer did pay for itself, he didn’t fit into Real’s formation. He is neither a defensive, nor an attacking midfielder but instead a wide or central midfielder more suited to a flat 4-4-2. He did well to force himself into the team by reinventing himself as a deep midfielder, but he helped the club off the pitch more than he did on it. Perez seemed to presume success on the pitch and concentrated on bringing in revenue from the new markets opened by Beckham’s worldwide appeal.

What Perez has done since his second coming is try to do the work in the transfer market he did in the six years of his first tenure in just one summer. The result is a team who have not been improved gradually, and have not bonded properly as a unit as they have had too many unfamiliar faces at one time. A good team is much more than a collection of individuals, yet this is exactly what we saw last week when Real could only draw 1-1 with Lyon and were sent crashing out at the first knockout stage again.

Money can’t buy you love; Cristiano Ronaldo fluffed a good chance when he shot against Lyon rather than to pass to Gonzalo Higuain who was much better placed to score. There is a good chance that Real Madrid, and Perez in particular, will not win the Champions League unless they learn to be patient. Real’s squad probably did need adding to when compared (as is always the case) to the treble-winning Barcelona, but as usual Perez bought the best footballers on the market rather than the footballers that Madrid needed in a tactical sense. Barca have a player perfectly suited to their system in every position. Real, meanwhile, bought big names such as Kaka and persist in playing him out of position. One quick comparison between his form as Milan’s central playmaker and this season out wide for Madrid tells you all you need to know.

For football fans who do not bow to the altar of Real Madrid there is a satisfying irony in the way that this season’s Champion’s League campaign ended for them: to an established team who overcame the galacticos of Madrid even though Real signed their best player, Karim Benzema, in the summer along with Ronaldo, Kaka et al. Even the impatient Perez cannot be so naive as to ignore the significance of this detail, can he?

...check me madskillz

Click here

...Carrick holds the key to success in South Africa

Fabio Capello and England finally learned some valuable lessons from an international friendly last night, but none more so than that Michael Carrick is the key to exploiting the limited strengths of our national team in South Africa, as compared to the likes of favourites Brazil and Spain.

Firstly, significantly, England’s intensity did not drop in the second half, as it has done in non-competitive matches for years now. OK, everyone is playing for their places on the plane, but it is encouraging to see a friendly in which the pace did not let up until the final whistle, as it did too often under Sven and McClaren.

Next, if we are to play two up top, i.e. Rooney and A.N Other, that man must be Peter Crouch. Defoe is an instinctive goal-scorer but is so direct that top defenders can work him out. Defoe should go but as an impact sub, when his pace will carry more of a threat, as we saw with his two goals against the Netherlands last year. Carlton Cole is unproven at international level; Heskey can’t score goals.

Also: Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard obviously cannot reproduce their club form for England, whether playing together or not. Gerrard is 29, Lampard 31. They haven’t done it so far. This may well be their last world cup. No room for sentimentality, with a coach as adept as Capello this is the best chance we have had since ’66.

I digress. The point is that England must play to their strengths. It has been proven that we can’t pass our way through teams due to an inherent lack of technical ability. The evidence is that every time we come up against a ball-playing team (Brazil and Portugal (twice) in competition, Brazil and Spain in friendlies) we are soundly beaten. No, our main strengths are these: two strong, ball playing centre-halves (if fit) in Terry and Ferdinand. One world-class forward. Pace. And I’m afraid to say that is it.

Ladies and gentlemen may I reveal the key to England’s slim hopes of winning the World Cup: the counter attack; the Catenaccio. The fact is that 46% of goals scored in open play at Euro 2008 were from counter-attacks. We are not Italy and do not have their patience, but we do have their best manager. Capello will be able to spend the longest period he has ever had with our squad just before the tournament begins. I’m not saying we must defend all game before we break (as that is not our nature), merely that the counter-attack is our best hope of scoring goals against top sides given the squad we have.

The key to the counter attack is to draw the opposing team in, win the ball and transfer it forward to the danger men as quickly as possible, in as few passes as possible, so as not to allow the opposition a chance to regain their shape. Think United’s goal away at Arsenal in the Champions League last season. This tactic involves vertical, not horizontal passes. Michael Carrick must play the holding role instead of Gareth Barry for this reason.

Carrick was a forward in his youth, his passing is forward thinking, more penetrative and more accurate than that of Gareth Barry, who spent many of his formative years at left-back. If the plan is to work Terry or Ferdinand must use their nous and aggression to win the ball, then offload it to Carrick to use his passing range to bring our pace into play: Ashley Cole (hopefully) and Glen Johnson bombing up from full-back, wingers such as Lennon/Wright-Phillips/Walcott/maybe Joe Cole getting beyond their men to add the width, Rooney waiting in the middle.

Gareth Barry has hardly put a foot wrong for England, but his slow, conservative passing style is not what we need against the best teams in the world. When Carrick came on last night England were more direct, and the goals began to flow. We may need a replacement left-back, a safe, left-footed player to provide cover for Ashley Cole. Stop hiding behind Crouchy, Gary, I’m looking at you.

You may be wondering who I would play with Carrick in the 4-4-2 England have proven themselves incapable of operating without. Steven Gerrard. Leave Lampard on the bench. In a blue shirt he would have buried the two clear-cut chances he had last night. In Germany in 2006 Lampard came into the tournament on great form with Chelsea and had the most shots of any player in the tournament but didn’t score a single goal. I for one am not prepared to let him repeat that feat. Give Gerrard a chance in his preferred position for once, but with Carrick behind him.

...The Carling Cup Final: Charlie Says vs Colly's Call

Working in the same building as Stan Collymore has its ups and downs. On the down side my colleague is a big, strapping Brummie skinhead with a short fuse who upon first meeting me looked me up and down as a convict would fresh meat. On the plus side I get to hear his hilariously biased score predictions of any fixture involving his beloved Aston Villa.

This time, though, Big Stan isn’t so sure. His claret and blue troops meet my Red Army in the great battle of the, er, Carling Cup this Sunday and even with his partiality Stan feels that Aston Villa will need more than 90 minutes if they are to overcome Manchester United. Stan’s view as a fan is that Villa will nick it in extra time. His ‘objective’ view is that the match will go to penalties.

Before I reveal my own views, let’s take a look at the form. Villa have won two and drawn three of their last five games, including their 3-1 victory at home to Palace in the FA Cup last night. United have won three, drawn one and lost one. United won 3-0 at West Ham on Tuesday, meaning they will have had a day more rest than Villa, so Ferguson cannot blame fatigue as he did after his team were deservedly beaten by Everton on Saturday (even though Everton played in Europe on the same day as United did the previous week).

One of the aforementioned draws was between the two teams in question. The fact is this season Villa have taken four points from United, three of those at Old Trafford, the only league game they have lost at home all season. Both results were deserved and United will have to up their game if they are to retain the Carling Cup. Last season United had luck and, bizarrely, an ipod to thank for a narrow win against Spurs on penalties.

United have injuries to Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Anderson to add to long-term absentees Owen Hargreaves and John O’Shea. Villa only have Nigel Reo-Coker injured, but their squad is smaller.

From a personal point of view this game is just that. I can still feel the pain as I ran upstairs to cry into my pillow. The year was 1994. I was a United-obsessed 10-year-old who had just seen my beloved team beaten and my favourite player, Andrei Kanchelskis (whose name was on the back of my shirt) sent off for a handball. For those who don’t remember, Dean Saunders scored the resulting penalty to seal the league cup final for Villa. 3-1.

The year was 2009. I was stood in the North Stand, much taller but only slightly more mentally developed. My team were beaten by a Villa side inspired by Richard Dunne, the former Manchester City captain. 1-0.

Over the years the moisture in my eyes has been replaced by that of a consolatory pint of beer, but the pain remains. I personally, predictably, think United will up their game and win this one. But Villa have not won a trophy in fourteen years. They’ll be right up for this and won’t give an inch. I don’t want a repeat of 1994. I’m watching the match in Derby (for some reason), and I’m sure the locals don’t want to see a grown man cry.