BENITEZ REALLY DOES DESERVE MORE RESPECT

Following the defeat to Lyon on Tuesday, I listened in despair to ‘so called’ Liverpool fans dialing into various radio phone-in’s calling for Rafael Benitez’s head.

This scenario would be sheer madness, and really could spell the beginning of the end for the eighteen times league champions.

It’s easy, when things are going badly, to blame the manager. And, while Liverpool have had money to spend during his tenor, Benitez has often had to sign his second or third choice player, rather than his desired choice.

There are numerous examples of this actually happening, but the media endlessly criticise his bad judgement in the transfer market. Sometimes there even appears to be a witch-hunt against the Madrid born coach.

Two seasons ago the Spaniard was keen to sign Florent Malouda instead of Ryan Babel, but ended up buying the Dutchman due to Malouda's wage demands. Back in 2006 the Spanish boss wanted to sign Simao, but ended up purchasing the enigmatic Jermaine Pennant. That same season Benitez wanted to purchase Daniel Alves (then a Seville player), but instead signed the much cheaper, although vastly underrated Alvaro Arbeloa.

More recent examples are the farce of the board choosing to sign Robbie Keane and not Gareth Barry, and, in August, the acquisition of Sotirios Kyrgiakos. Benitez would have preferred Michael Turner or Matthew Upson as more powerful options in central defence.

One welcome piece of news for Red's fans is that Alberto Aquilani, an expensive Benitez signing, played fifteen minutes for the reserves last night.

A judgment can be made on him in the very near future and the Italian certainly does have the ability to influence games with his neat passing and powerful shooting. And despite the undoubted pressure being placed on his shoulders the former Roma star should prove a hit with the Anfield faithful.

It must also be remembered that Daniel Agger is back in the side and building up his match fitness. Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Glen Johnson will all be back sooner rather than later and none of their injuries are long term. The fortunes of the Anfield giants could well look very different in a month’s time.

While it is disappointing for Liverpool that they have lost four games in succession, it’s still very early in the campaign.

In the league, so many teams have been dropping points to each other and it seems the Premiership has finally become the unpredictable circus we have all craved.

Many are already predicting that Liverpool will be out of the top four by the end of the season, but haven’t we heard this all before concerning the big four?

I vividly recall the 2001-2002 season. Manchester United had lost six games by the end of November, and were being written off by endless ‘experts’ and by the bookies (they were as much as 12-1 for the title at that stage). Inspired by Ruud Van Nistelroy, United then won eight league games in a row, and by the beginning of January were top.

It only takes a run of wins (which Liverpool are more than capable of) and a decent run of fixtures for everything to change.

No one can say that the five times European champions are playing well, but having a bad run in October does not automatically mean the end of the season.Liverpool supporters bemoaning Benitez’s decision making need to be more objective.

I heard a fan call Five Live on Tuesday night suggesting that Benitez was still living off the Istanbul drama of 2005. The caller also said that Liverpool won the FA Cup in 2006, but were lucky. Most annoyingly, he suggested that they had done "nothing" since. This observation is totally unfounded. Has this 'fan' forgotten that the team got to the European Cup final in 2007? Yes, the European Champions League final, is that really "nothing"?

Two years later, Liverpool nearly won the title, completing the double over Manchester United and Chelsea, and only lost two games in the entire campaign. No supporters, however frustrated, can say that during the three trophy-less years at Anfield, the club have not been in contention for the major trophies some way or another.

At this juncture I want to point out an obvious, but often discarded fact. Only one team can win each competition, something fans seem to forget in all the aftermath of disappointing defeat.

The 'big' clubs such as Liverpool or Arsenal should always be challenging on all fronts, and that's what the fans should expect. Liverpool have certainly done that, home and abroad in recent seasons.

Unhappy fans need to imagine the possible follow-on effects of sacking Benitez. If he left, would his Spanish or Spanish speaking players follow him out of the Anfield exit door? Quite possibly. Reina, Mascherano, and most unthinkable of all, Fernando Torres would probably all depart to pastures new.

Rafael Benitez is a top manager. As I have mentioned previously, in Gerard Houllier’s last season, Liverpool were eliminated in the UEFA Cup fourth round and scraped fourth place in the league with a megre 60 points. Last season Benitez’s team finished second with 86 points. There is no comparison.

If some people reading this are thinking that one season is too little a time to make a judgement, it must also be added that Houllier’s team were fifth the previous season with 64 points. The Frenchman’s team had been going backwards for a while. Benitez’s team have just had a few bad results in the last month or so.

Twice a La liga winner winner with Valencia, Benitez has taken his Liverpool team to two European Cup finals, a semi final and a quarter final. He has led the club to three comfortable top three finishes, an FA Cup win, and a League Cup final in his five years as boss. Anyone comparing his record to Houllier's is a fool.

In fact, if you compare the former Valencia manager’s record with that of Arsene Wenger’s over the same period, it is far superior.

The Gunner’s exciting start to this season has meant that Wenger is now a media darling once again. But football fans and pundits’ alike have short memories.

Arsenal are being praised to high heaven for their performances this season, but this time last year the Londoners had lost five league games. There were plenty of fan's calling for Wenger's dismissal then, but now the Gunners are being held in a positive spotlight once again.

People are so fickle and contradictory concerning their football analysis. We constantly hear how teams like Holland are technically superior and how all their players are comfortable on the ball, when England play badly. However, we also regularly hear how Liverpool's two Dutchman, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel are not good enough to play for Liverpool.

Meanwhile, last night, Real Madrid were beaten 3-2 at home to AC Milan (a poorer team than Lyon), but Xavi Alonso was in the team. Where was his protective midfield play there I wander? Is he really so special now?

There is hope for Liverpool. Two seasons ago they only had one point from their first three Champions League group games. Subsequently, the team won their last three group games and qualified in style.

They then went on to beat Inter Milan and Arsenal in the knockout stages, and only lost in an incredibly tight two legged semi final to Chelsea, that went to extra time.

When all the players’, particularly Aquilani, are fully fit, Benitez can be judged more thoroughly. For now, it’s too early in the season.

In my view, the most important statistic Liverpool fans must look at is that the Merseysiders finished 29 points behind the champions Arsenal in 2004, when Benitez took over. Since then, Benitez’s Liverpool teams have finished above Arsenal in three out of the last four seasons and finished 14 points ahead of them in the last campaign.

Just five months ago they finished four points behind the current champions and 14 points ahead of Arsenal (a 43 point swing over five years). Have Liverpool made progress under Benitez’s stewardship? Of course they have.

Finally, if you believe in coincidences, the last time Liverpool lost four games in a row was late in the 1986-1987season. A mere four months later they were playing the most exquisite football with a team being heralded by many as the greatest side they ever had. The team went 29 games unbeaten and won the League at a canter the following year.

Things can change so quickly in football, just ask Sir Alex Ferguson. Mark Robins, the City Ground anyone? Watch this space.

THRILLING END OF SEASON FINALE BREWING OVER IN THE FAR EAST..

Although the standard of football here in China is not the best, there can surely not be a more compelling title race in world football.

Beijing Guo an (my adopted team) are currently leading the table on goal difference from Henan Jianye. But there are only two points separating the top six teams, with three matches left of the campaign.

In a mildly exciting statistic, there is a similar scenario concerning Guo an than that of Liverpool. The seven times champions have not won the 'lian cai' since 1990, however, unlike the Merseysiders they have had several near misses in recent times.

I have become quite a passionate 'qui mi' (fan) of the Peking side over the last six months (glory hunter that I am) and have, on a few occasions headed to Gong ti (The Workers stadium) to watch their games.

What's especially amusing during the games is when the stadium blasts out rock music at the point when supporters begin to chant out abusive words. This is done to prevent the people watching on television from having these vulgar obscenities transmitted into their living rooms.

It certainly brings a smile to the faces of visiting expats such as myself.


There are currently six teams involved in the title race. In addition to Beijing and Jian ye, Tianjin Teda, Shanghai Shenhua, Shandong Luneng and Changchun Yantai are also in contention.

Shandong and Changchun are arguably the two most fluid teams, but Guo an are the team with the least defeats and by far the best goal difference. They also appear to be the team acquiring the most luck as every time they slip up, all the other challengers manage to drop points as well.

With a superior goal difference to Jianye, three wins will almost certainly clinch the title for the team from the capital. Their final league game happens to be on the evening of Halloween, so hopefully there will be no ghosts to exercise next season.


As always, the state of Chinese football is an emotive topic in the People’s Republic.

As I have stated previously, there are many skilful players, but unfortunately, they have a tendency to panic when in possession of the ball.

The goalkeepers are excellent, and the technique of the midfielders and wide players are sound enough. But the finishing of some of the strikers frequently leaves a lot to be desired.

I do to some extent, think that many Chinese coaches under-rate the Chinese players too much and select some of the foreign players in their squad just for the sake of it.

There is such a lack of confidence in the ability of Chinese footballers at the moment, that many coaches just automatically think that any foreigners they have available will be better.

For instance, there are three Australian players in Beijing’s team who I believe are no better than the Chinese players who play in the same position. In fact they are technically far inferior, but seem to play virtually every week.


Several months ago I wrote an article on Chinese football suggesting possible reasons why it is at such a low ebb.

After further research I believe there are several other reasons for it's downfall, including one particularly important factor.

China first entered the World Cup during the qualification stages for the 1982 tournament and were agonisingly close to qualifying.

It took a freak 5-0 victory for New Zealand over Saudi Arabia to eliminate them, when the Kiwi’s needed to win by four goals. It left the nation pulling their hair out in disbelief at such an astonishing turn of events.

In 1986, a victory at home to Hong Kong in Beijing was all that was required, but a surprise 2-1 defeat ensued, resulting in the worst scenes of football violence ever witnessed in China. There has not been in an international match played in the city since.

China have only qualified once for the finals, in 2002. However, that was more down to the fact that Japan and South Korea - the traditional powerhouses of Asian football - qualified automatically as hosts.

China were therefore able to breeze through what would usually be an extremely difficult qualifying process.

The fans were not fooled though. They were fully aware this achievement was not down to their team showing any signs of prowess on the international stage.


The national team has gone even further down the world pecking order since then, and these days, is not even competitive in Asia. It is an eternity way from the heady days of the 1980s.

So what is the main reason for this decline? It's simple – the one child policy (and quite possibly the two child policy that preceded it).

Now let's get something straight here, I'm not giving a view on whether this policy is correct or not in a social sense, but it is certainly a major reason why the football team has had such poor results.

Before 1975, families could have more than two children, and many couples had half a dozen children or more.

But in the last two decades the single offspring (girl or boy) has been expected to study hard at school, go to university (often studying subjects that their parents want them to study) and earn a good salary so they are able to take care of their parents when they get older.

Before the mid 1970s, it was a totally different scenario and this generation of children included the Chinese footballers who helped the national team peak in the 1980s.

Players born in the late 1950s and early 1960s were largely from big families and were able to take a risk and exercise their talents on the football field. And it would be left to the other siblings to study attentively and, if possible, achieve on an academic level.

Nowadays with only one child there is hardly any chance of this happening at all. Study and security is the number one priority. The risk involved in becoming a footballer is something frowned upon in Chinese society.


In a recent change of policy it is now possible for two children from the one child generation to marry and have two offspring. This is a welcome social change, but whether or not it can improve the fortunes of the Chinese football team is yet to be seen.

Perhaps though, it just offers that little ray of sunshine that the Chinese public need. After all, they are not asking for world beaters, they just want a team that is not down right embarrassing.

IS THERE A MYTH ON MERSEYSIDE?

I’m probably not the only football fan fed up with the lack of insight that so many football pundits seem to have these days.

The two words ‘Xabi’ and ‘Alonso’ are predictably mentioned every time Liverpool lose a game, but are predictably, barely used when they win.

It is the nature of the game's media to jump on certain bandwagons, but this also appears to be yet another media tirade against poor Rafa Benitez.

Firstly, I want to get one thing straight here. Xabi Alonso is a terrific player who is capable of scoring spectacular goals (occasionally). He also has the ability to control the pace and direction of a game and protect his defence, due his sound positioning and desire to receive the ball.

He is not, however, irreplaceable.

Pundits harp on about Alonso in the same way that they harp on about Ronaldo, but the Portuguese star won three league titles in his six years at Old Trafford.

The Spanish midfielder won no league titles in five years at Anfield.

Liverpool crave the league title, so why shouldn’t Alonso be sold for three times the amount he was bought for.

I don’t recall any people saying Liverpool missed the Spaniard when they took ten points from their first eight games in 2005-2006. I don’t remember pundits suggesting Liverpool needed Alonso when they lost three out of their first seven league games in 2006-2007.

I also don’t recall people suggesting Liverpool missed Alonso when they only collected 16 points from their opening eight matches two seasons ago (only one more point than they have now).

The reason - because he was actually there and contributing to these 'poor' results.

I am not suggesting Xabi Alonso will not be missed by the five times European Cup winners, he may well be. But now is way too early to judge.

Alberto Aquilani, his replacement, is set to make his debut before the end of the month, but even he needs a little time to adjust to the pace of the Premiership.

If Liverpool fail to finish in the top four (or finish 5th and win the Champions League), a scenario which never occurred while Alonso was at the club, then it would be right for pundits to say the 27 year old has been missed.

I would personally like to know on what basis he has been missed so far. As usual I don’t believe people are looking at the bigger picture.

In Europe (against continental sides) I think there may be an argument to be made. Against Fiorentina, Liverpool lacked somebody to control and dictate play. Steven Gerrard was forced to retreat backwards to collect possession and was therefore not so effective further up the pitch.

In the Premiership however, there is substantial evidence to suggest that Alonso’s influence is a ‘Merseyside myth’.

I can point out plenty of impressive recent Liverpool performances of note which did not include the former Real Sociedad star in the starting line up.

While I admit one off games are not always an effective tool of judgment, the emphatic 4-1 victory over Manchester United last season was achieved with a midfield two of Javier Mascherano and Lucas. Yes Lucas Leiva everybody. Are any pundits actually aware of this fact?

Did anyone mention Alonso’s absence after that game last March? No of course not, but they would have had Liverpool lost (but they didn't).

What about the 2007 Champions League semi final at Anfield against Chelsea? This was a game which Liverpool won and progressed to the final in Athens. Alonso was surprisingly left on the bench by his fellow countryman, Benitez. Any mention of this after the game? No.

How about the superb 1-0 win against Inter Milan in the San Siro two seasons ago?

While Alonso was in Merseyside attending the birth of his first child, the much maligned Lucas produced a very solid performance resulting in an excellent win against the Champions of Italy. Again, there was no mention of the Spaniard (concerning on-field matters anyway).

Nobody is suggesting Lucas is a superior player, but he is still young. He is also a Brazillian international who does really deserve more respect.


Alonso was terrific for Liverpool in the first half of his first season (2004-05), and the first half of last season.

But, for three years in the middle of that period he did not produce the same form on a consistent basis. This is why Benitez wanted to sell him in the summer of 2008 and sign Gareth Barry.

Of course in hindsight, Alonso had a very good campaign last year, so people highlight his loss more.


At this juncture, it is important for me to point out Alonso's weaknesses and suggest that thirty million pounds is an incredibly good piece of business from Benitez.

His passing, could at times, be so good that the amount of times he gave away possession (which was in fact relatively frequently) was actually forgotten.

I actually believe if I had a pound for the amount of times a commentator said "Ooo Alonso has given the ball away, that’s so unlike him" I think I would be approaching millionaire status by now. Again the word 'myth' springs to mind.

Xabi Alonso's absence is not the reason for Liverpool’s defensive problems so far this season.

I think Javier Mascherano has been distracted by both the summer interest of Barcelona and Argentina’s qualification problems. As captain of the national side he is taking much of the burden. The former West Ham star’s performances have been so below his normal standard that the defence has suffered and Lucas has been left to conduct the job of almost two players. Hence, the Brazillian's mistakes have been highlighted so much more.

In addition to being caught in possession a lot more than people think, Alonso didn’t score enough goals. The Euro 2008 winner also frequently slowed down Liverpool’s tempo, especially at home, when more urgency was needed. This certainly, contributed to Liverpool's inability to break down the so called 'weaker times in the last campaign.

If anyone saw the game at home to Hull City last year, they will know what I am talking about. And as long as Aquilani manages to stay clear of injury (and it's a big if), he should provide more going forward than Alonso ever could.

2-2 and 0-0 draws at home to Hull and Stoke City last year have been upgraded to 4-0 and 6-1 victories respectively this campaign. But of course, all that is forgotten in the media hype that surrounds a defeat.


Liverpool did lose to Chelsea last week, and yes they did win there last season with Alonso in the side.

However, the Spaniard also played in four Liverpool sides that lost at Stanford Bridge and was involved in three further defeats at to the Blues at Anfield during his five seasons.

Any arguments that he was severely missed last week are actually floored when all the evidience is analysed.


As I stated before, this article is not a vendetta against the Real Madrid star. He is a gifted player who will be remembered as a fine servant to the club.

But the press and punditry medium really need to hold fire and look at the facts before releasing such rubbish.

Xabi Alonso wanted to leave Liverpool and return to his native homeland.

Alberto Aquilani, a slightly different, more attacking player, is a new chapter in the history of Liverpool Football Club. With eleven caps for Italy and at only 25, he may just be the final part of the jigsaw for Rafa Benitez's team (although we have heard that one before).

If he is not, and Liverpool are not in club football’s biggest competition next season, then I will be content to eat my words.

I do though, somehow doubt, that this will happen.

MATCH OF THE DECADE???

The Manchester derby was certainly one of the best games of the Premier League era.

It had everything from goals and controversy, not to mention outrageous errors. It included players rolling back the years, other players wishing they could roll back the years, and helpless fans getting whacked by star players.

Firstly, I want to give my view on the stoppage time saga. According to Fifa's directives, referee Martin Atkinson got it right. He added on the right amount of time for Craig Bellamy’s goal celebration and for Michael Carrick’s substitution (a very canny move by Sir Alex).

The reason the whole affair is such an issue is that these directives do not always appear to be carried out correctly. Even with a goal in stoppage time, referees never seem to add on so much time.

For example, if three minutes stoppage time is allotted, usually, give or take a few seconds, three minutes is allowed.

I think many of us are blinded by the fact that the game was at Old Trafford and therefore it is a bigger issue than it should be.

It is, after all, so rare for two goals to be scored after 89 minutes 47 seconds, as was the case on Sunday. This is the reason why added on time lasted so long, and why it’s grabbed everyone’s attention.

Many people have correctly pointed out that in the seven minutes added on, Manchester City could also have scored, so why are they so unhappy?

What also has to be said is that the momentum is always with Manchester United when they are the home side, and, it was always going to favour the Champions to have the extra ‘extra’ minutes.

Manchester City though, only have themselves to blame. I don’t know if it’s the effects of having swine flu in the summer, but Michar Richards’ positioning for Michael Owen’s winning goal was unforgivable.

However, it was a super finish and once again the former Liverpool star has proved many doubters wrong just at the right time.

That goal was typical Owen. There are few strikers in world football who are better equipped in such a high pressure situation. That’s why he’s so special, and that’s why he was bought.

It’s moments like this which illustrate why Owen should be in the England squad. Even as a substitute he can change a game in an instant. Be honest, who would you rather have in that position at that time? Michael Owen or Jemaine Defoe?


Another thing which struck me about Sunday was an unexpected, but welcome statistic.

Of the 22 players who started the Manchester derby on Saturday, 14 were British or Irish born. In addition, Michael Carrick and Michael Owen also made substitute appearances.

In the modern English game, where so much is said and written about the lack of players from the British Isles playing at the very highest level, both teams had plenty of players from these shores. Better still, all seven goals were scored by British players.

Manchester United, Manchester City, plus Tottenham and Aston Villa (both of whom also have a large pool of English first team regulars) will probably all finish in the Premiership top eight this season. This is encouraging and keeps a respectable amount of authenticity that many people thought has disappeared from our game.

Two of those seven goals were scored by the enigma, better known as Craig Bellamy. Is he finally living up to his undoubted talent at the age of 30?

It’s just amazing how something always happens to Bellamy which makes us forget how well he played in the game.

Both of the Welshman’s goals were terrific. One goal was engineered due to superb technique, while the other goal was glittered with frightening pace and awareness.

However, at the end of the match in true Bellamy style, he appeared to slap a helpless fan (who, granted, shouldn’t be on the pitch) while the stewards are holding him back. It was like something out of a Godfather film.

The FA have said they will take no further action, but is this incident not worse than Adebayor’s goal celebration last weekend? Surely it is.

Equally as bad as Adebayor’s antics, in my view, were those of Gary Neville’s. A player with 85 England caps he may be, and that may be the reason he got away with it.

The way in which the Manchester United skipper celebrated towards the Manchester City fans was quite comical, but under the FA’s guidelines should definitely be classed as incitement.

No action will be taken against Neville either. But why does he escape any punishment?

Again there is no consistency from the FA, and they appear to be just as incompetent as UEFA.


There were endless talking points during Sunday’s contest, and it does have to be said that the best team won the game. However, the victors have issues that need addressing.

As an England fan I am particularly concerned about Rio Ferdinand.

It’s not just the individual errors that are worrying. The former Leeds captain is prone to those on rare occasions. It is the fact that he was outpaced so emphatically by Bellamy, a player also injury prone and approximately the same age.

At his best, Ferdinand is one of the world’s top defenders and very rarely gets beaten for pace. But it is alarming how frequently he gets injured these days.

The veteran of three World Cups has had both back trouble and calf trouble in recent years, but also seems to pick up injuries that crop up in different areas of the body. These types of injuries are, to some extent, of more concern than a one-off long term injury, because they suggest the body is breaking down.

I just hope that two of Ferdinand's poor performances this season (one on Sunday and one for England in Amsterdam last month) were down to lack of match practice and not the rapid decline of a great player.


Talking of great players, it would be churlish to sign off without once again heaping praise on Ryan Giggs.

Like many, I questioned his PFA award last year and placed it down as a sentimental gesture.

However, in the last three games the veteran has been nothing short of sensational.

One slalom style run he had on Sunday was vintage Giggs and it was almost like the clock had been turned back to 1994.

Despite the poor performance of Michar Richards at right back, Giggs showed that if you keep yourself in good shape, you can play at the very highest level well into your thirties. His pass to Michael Owen for the winning goal was wonderful awareness.

It must be remembered that the 35 year old has had many injury problems throughout his career. But now, maybe the long, frustrating lay off’s have actually helped keep him fresh and prolonged his career.


The former Welsh captain is one of the few United players of the last fifteen years who seems to be respected by everyone, fans and players alike, whatever team they support. He fully deserves his Indian summer, and we will all miss him when he finally retires, if he ever does.....

Even Liverpool and Manchester City fans should take a bow to this true legend of the game.

EVERYTHING SEEMS TO REVOLVE AROUND ARSENAL THESE DAYS..

Two main issues this week have been Emmanuel Adebayors’s antics at Eastlands and the overturning of Eduardo’s two match European ban.

The former topic is something I have mixed feelings about. But the latter is a ludicrous decision and yet again sends out the wrong message.

The Togo international’s goal celebration on Saturday was predictable, but it could have been worse. He ran up to the Arsenal fans, celebrated and let off steam. Football is about scoring goals and milking it.

So many fans and critics often comment on how boring goal celebrations are these days (Alan Shearer springs to mind)and that there are no characters in the game stirring things up anymore.

Well, the Manchester City striker is certainly a volatile character, and was it really so bad to celebrate so wildly?

I recall Thierry Henry running the length of the field after scoring a wonderful individual goal. This was against Tottenham at Highbury in 2002. I don’t remember the Arsenal fans complaining too much about that at the time.

Football fans have short memories. And that particular celebration was incitement of the highest level.

I can understand the Gunners fans being disappointed with Adebayor last season. His performances when it really mattered were despicable.

Against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi final, he laboured around the field like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Against Manchester United in the Champions League semi final second leg, he actually gave up after United took the lead. Anyone watching the game that night could visibly see that.

Behaviour like this is not what you expect from a top class forward. It is moments like that when fans are justified to complain about the outrageous salaries that footballers receive.


Looking from a different angle, I fully agree with the view of the Times writer, Gabriele Marcotti. He stated that Robin Van Persie also has a lot to answer for concerning Saturday’s brutal encounter.

Adebayor has received a three match ban for his stamp, but I’ve looked at this incident many times on television and I don’t think anyone can prove if he meant it.

He possibly did mean it, but what seems even more viable is that Van Persie deliberately set out to injure Adebayor with his awful tackle.

Following the match, the Dutch international immediately went onto the Arsenal website and complained about Adebayor’s conduct. Sour grapes anyone??

Van Persie, magnificent player that he is, can hardly talk about other players' conduct. His disciplinary record is awful.

Considering the atrocious injury record the forward has you would think that he would try his best not to get suspended, considering the amount of games he misses.

If Adebayor intended to stamp on Van Persie then he deserves a three match ban, but it’s not entirely transparent unless he admits it, which isn’t going to happen.


What is far more clear cut is that Eduardo dived against Celtic.

As I’ve stated before, I was happy to see the Arsenal striker banned, and two matches seemed a fair punishment.

But now it’s been overturned, where do we go from here?

UEFA does this so often. They make a decision, then on appeal they decide to overturn it. Why?

The Croatian international clearly went to ground before he was touched. The Celtic keeper, Artur Boruc, was rash, but it was a completely different scenario to Wayne Rooney against Arsenal or Glen Johnson against Tottenham.

Both of these players were clearly brought down by poor challenges from the prospective goalkeepers.

Two matches is not a harsh ban. Arsenal will qualify from their group quite comfortably and Eduardo should have missed two fairly uninspiring group games.

However, the striker's presence may now affect the outcome of the Champions League group in terms of the position of the other three teams, and that's not right.

I wonder how Standard Liege felt about his winning goal last night. He should not have even been on the pitch.


Remember, Didier Drogba’s ban was also reduced on appeal. Again I ask, why?

Initily, missing four matches meant that Chelsea’s fortunes in Group D could have been substantially affected by losing one of their key players.

This to me is a fair punishment as Drogba misses the majority of their group games.

Reducing the ban by one match now means that he only misses half of the qualification matches.

The Ivory Coast international is such a vital player for the Blues, far more vital than Eduardo is for the Gunnets. He can now inspire them for one more match, and that could yet prove crucial. Qualification can so often depend on one or two points here and there.

I actually believe Drogba deserved a greater ban. He has had that sort of punishment coming for a while.

While he is a supremely giftted player, he does attempt to bend the rules more than any other player I've seen in recent times.

Drogba spends more time on the ground than Emile Heskey, he just get's away with it more because he's so good.

If the Chelsea marksmen scores the goal that decides whether they go through as group winners or whether they finish second in their group, then UEFA have once again made a mockery of the fair play system.

The governing body of European football really needs to take a long hard look at themselves. In my view we are undoubtedly back to square one.

NOW IMAGINE A DAY IN THE LIFE WITHOUT LENNON?

John Lennon become a staunch left wing activist during his post Beatles days.

His namesake was doing the opposite to Croatia last night as he left the Croatian left back, Pranjic, feeling like a ‘Nowhere Man’ at times.

The challenge, by Josip Simunic made him look more like a night tripper than a “Day Tripper’.

Fabio Capello will not stretch further than saying ‘I Feel Fine’ after last night’s performance, but the England fans certainly need a ‘Ticket to Ride’ to South Africa now.

The second England goal was a delicious ‘From Me to You’ between Lennon and Steven Gerrard, and for England fans ‘Across the Universe’ it was time to celebrate.

Croatia were shouting ‘Help’ after only nine minutes. Slaven Bilic’s pre match comments about knowing England’s weaknesses were soon “Instant Khama’ in what can only be described as a ‘Hard Day’s Night’ for the team from the Adriatic.

Steve McLlaren can take note that ‘All You Need is Love’ in the England camp and it really can all ‘Come Together’.

Fabio Capello’s ‘Revolution’ is definetly in full swing and for the first time ‘In My Life’ I can see really see the ‘Wheels Go Round and Round’.

OK so that last one was pretty weak.

I could go on all night, but I won’t…


There are so many positives to come from last night’s performance at Wembley.

The media will always find negative aspects, but that will not bother Fabio Capello.

People will point out that the teams in England’s group are weak, but as I stated in a recent blog, this was the only qualifying group to features three teams ranked in the world’s top twenty at the start of play.

England’s goal difference of plus twenty six is astonishing in any one’s book.

I heard some critics saying Croatia were a poor side, but only 14 months ago, people were building this team up as potential European Champions.

Last night, England played in a ‘very English way’ obviously just to annoy Slaven Bilic, who seems to think he is a bit more special than he is.

The former West Ham defender is quite popular with the press, but I personally still remember his outrageous play acting to get Laurent Blanc sent off in the 1998 World Cup semi final. I still find it difficult to warm to him.

The old chestnut of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard not being able to play together was well and truly put to bed last night.

Special credit should go the Chelsea midfield star. He has adjusted his attacking instinct to become more of a defensive midfielder who occasionally motors into the opposition box.

The system is working, because Gerrard can drift and link up with Rooney. The scouse pair are England’s two most gifted players. It makes sense that they should be utilised in more free roles.

Much has been said about England’s right side, but it was outstanding last night.

Glen Johnson has been in for some unfair criticism in recent weeks, but Capello obviously trusts him. He was terrific last night and defended well too.

Johnson's wide play for Lampard’s second goal shows just what the Liverpool man can offer.

Emile Heskey’s contribution to the team needs to be analysed objectively. He is not in the team for his goals.

It is frustrating when he misses easy chances, but England have won eight out of eight
qualifiers with the Aston Villa man leading the line in six of those wins.

The 31 year old is there to drag defenders away and create space for Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard. I am sick and tired of people saying Crouch or Defoe should play. Remember that Wayne Rooney has been the top scorer in qualifying, so Heskey seems to be the perfect foil.

If it is not fixed it should be broken.

The stand out performer on the night was Aaron Lennon. But he is one of the few players in the team who not assured of their starting place.

The winger has been playing very well for Tottenham in the early stages of the season, and last night he showed how much he has improved.

His crossing and his running off the ball were terrific. And if this season’s evidence is anything to go by, his finishing has improved too.

The former Leeds player will be 23 come South Africa and is a real threat, but England have an embarrassment of riches on the right side of midfield.

Other options include Sean Wright-Phillips, David Beckham, of course, and the very similar Theo Walcott.

I believe that Walcott or Lennon will start the opening game in South Africa. It just depends on who is in the best form at that time. There is not a lot to choose between them.


I was listening to BBC Five Live on Monday night, and Ian McGarra of the Sun said he believed England have six world class players.

Robbie Savage, a proud Welshman said ‘Who are they then?’ McGarra replied by listing Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney. Savage reluctantly agreed.

I agree too. If you picked a world squad of 23 comprising of three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and four strikers, then I certainly think five of those players would get in. Rio Ferdinand may be the exception as he seems to be becoming very injury prone.

The Italian coach certainly has a very talented pool of players. It’s just important that key players stay fit.

Before the 2002 World Cup, both Beckham and Gerrard got injured.

During Euro 2004, Rooney limped off in the quarter finals after being the player of the tournament.

In 2006, the Manchester United star was injured before the tournament and was not fit, while Michael Owen hobbled out in the group stages.

If all the key players do stay fit, then I believe England have a great chance.

Roll on South Africa…

VIDEO EVIDENCE IS NEEDED TO SAVE OUR BEAUTIFUL GAME

The time has come for use of television replays on ambiguous decisions.

Recent events have made this scenario a must, otherwise the game will become more and more farcical, not to mention un-watchable.

All of the old concerns about video evidence can be discussed until we are blue in the face. But nobody can tell me it will destroy football more than it has been already.

So what are the arguments against video evidence?

The most frequent argument used is that it will slow down the game. This is nonsense.

Video replays can be shown twice at two different angles to determine the right decision. This process should take been 30 and 45 seconds.

This is much quicker than the time it takes for a player to get up after play acting or how long it takes for a referee to usher away angry players. Even goalkeepers sometimes take up to 45 seconds to take a goal kick.

The other argument the old fashioned fan will put across, is that bad decisions are what the game is all about. Without them, what would we discuss down the pub?

Well, down the Rose and Lion, we can discuss how video evidence has improved the game, and how many matches a player should be banned for, for diving.

Diving has been a major topic discussion in recent weeks. The main headlines have concerned Eduardo’s antics against Celtic.

Firstly, lets get this straight. It was a dive and the Brazilian born Croat deserves to be banned. But he is not the first to do this. What about Carlos Tevez versus Tottenham at Old Trafford last season.

The Argentine forward went down in the area but was clearly not touched. This crucial decision cost Howard Webb his reputation, but was Tevez reprimanded? No.

It’s good that the Arsenal striker has been punished, but if we had had video evidence at the game it would have been quicker to make a correct decision than it took the Celtic players to complain about the decision. Eduardo would have been sent off and presented with a two or three game ban immediately.


Instead we had endless discussion and the usual bureaucracy trail coming out of UEFA, while they were trying to decide the best course of action.


I have my own solutions to diving.

Video evidence should be used on every penalty decision if the referee is in any doubt. Ninety per cent of the time, players spend 20 seconds appealing anyway. But there should only be one replay in my view, as not to waste too much time.

If it’s a clear penalty, then an easy decision can be made.

If the referee thinks the player was barely touched but fell over, the referee should book the player for diving.

If the player fell over and was not touched at all, that should be a straight red card for simulation and a three match ban. No questions asked, it is usually always clear.

There are other ways of stamping diving out of the game.

I was listening to a phone in on Talk sport radio on Tuesday and a caller made an excellent suggestion.

The fan, an Arsenal fan ironically, said that the other team should be awarded a penalty if a player dives in the opposition area and is not touched. This is an excellent suggestion, but again only after use of one video replay.

These ideas may come across as radical, but there are too many rash decisions given these days.

I remember when I first began to like football in the late 1980s. A penalty was an exciting event as they were given so rarely.

Now, due to players fundamentally cheating, but also changes in the rules, three or four seem to be given every weekend. Many of the spot kick’s given are not clear cut.

Two recent events have also made me believe video replays are the future of the game.

The first is the Freddie Sears’ goal for Crystal Palace against Bristol City that was not seen by the officials (although this rarely happens in football). The second, was an incident which happened in the Bolton v Liverpool match on Saturday which reinforced the use of video evidence.

Fernando Torres cut into the Bolton penalty area and was cleanly tackled by Zat Knight, the Bolton centre back. The Spaniard went down under the challenge, but did not look for a penalty and did not dive.

Both Knight and Gary Cahill preceded to shout aggressively at Torres accusing him of cheating. This would not have happened if the recent media frenzy on diving had not occurred.

If players are now going to accuse players of diving when they haven’t, we have moved full circle and they too deserved to be punished.


If video evidence is used, decisions on diving and any other debatable action in the game can be dealt with more quickly and efficiently

Of course there are grey areas. Referees are given less responsibility, but it also makes their job easier. To some extent, it also adds to the drama of the game, like it does in Rugby.

I do believe the evidence should only be used when a decision is within the penalty area and not outside. This would, of course, mean that Emmanuel Eboue’s disgraceful dive at Old Trafford last weekend would not be punished. But it can be punished at a later date.

The important factor is that if the offence is outside the area it leads to a goal far less frequently.


Nothing is perfect in football and that’s why we love it.

However, without video replays, many of us are in danger of falling out of love with the game completely.