Can Liverpool Recover?

It has been quite a turbulent year for Liverpool fans. Last summer there were whispers amongst the "Pundits" and "Experts" that the Reds could potentially lift the Premier League crown, as well as being annual favourites to challenge for the Champions League. Despite this being an annual event, annoyingly for every other football fan, it has always been the case that Liverpool have promised but never quite delivered.

Over the past 20 years, amazingly dating back to 1990, they have lifted; 1 Domestic League, 3 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, 3 Charity Shields, 1 Champions League, 1 EUFA Cup and 2 EUFA Super Cups. However, despite being an impressive list of trophies, one any rival fan would be envious of, they have never won the Premier League. Certainly, Arsenal have won only 8 Trophies in the same period, 4 behind their Scouse rivals, so by that margin, why aren't Liverpool as dominant in the Premier League?

At the back end of last season, it seemed Liverpool couldn't manage the push into the 4th spot, even after Rafa Benitez's (or David Guest) daft claim they would reach the coveted Champions League qualification places. It seems that despite the successes of the past 20 years, Liverpool have slowly deteriorated as a force and now suffer the embarrassment of playing in the new restyled Europa League - for a club like Liverpool, this is an under performance and no disrespect to the clubs who successful qualify for this honour.


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In addition, the doomed takeover of the club by Tom Hicks and George Gillett (the worst a man can get) has devastated the business, whacking a huge c£400m debt on the company, reducing ticket sales, additional debt from failed player transfers (a discussion point a little later) and all the while attempting to build a new home at Stanley Park - oh dear.

So how has Liverpool gone from being a force in the 70's - 80's to finishing 7th in the Premier League?

History. Liverpool, like Man Utd and Arsenal and latterly Chelsea during the 90's and 00's, dominated the domestic game during the 70's-80's. They were a formidable team which won 11 domestic titles, 3 FA Cups, 4 League Cups and 7 European Cups while being lead by football legends such as; Bill Shankly, Kenny Dalglish and Bob Paisley, as well as notable managers Graeme Souness, Gerard Houllier and now Roy Hodgson. In addition, despite being a successful club, they were feared. Fear is a great asset to any club, Man Utd used it skillfully to lift titles during the 90's and recently Chelsea, who under one Jose Mourinho, won several Premier League titles as many clubs simply gave up at the starting whistle due to Chelsea's strength. However, many clubs enjoy spells of success before the quality of player or direction of the manager fails to continue the rich vein of form. Man Utd, under Ferguson, rose to prominence, much to Liverpool's dismay, and brushed them aside as the current force in English Football.

Players. In the past, Liverpool have boasted some of the best players in their respective eras. Ian Rush, Roger Hunt, Kenny Dalglish, Phil Neal, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, Peter Beardsley, Robbie Fowler, Steve Mcmanaman and Jamie Redknapp. However, today only Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres (subject of a lot of transfer speculation) and Jose Reina are of any World Class quality. It is a widely known fact that without Gerrard and Torres, Liverpool are an average team, proved by the run of form which rewarded them with 7th place when the two players were out through injury during the latter stages of the 2009/2010 season.
During the torrid tenure of Houllier, a stream of average to poor players came and went, such as Henchoz, Biscan, Heskey, Lucas and Traore. In addition, Benitez purchased a staggering 53 players during his tenure, such as; Pellegrino, Bellamy, Keane (for 5 minutes), Pennant, the pitiful Veronin, Itandje, the sick note Aquilani and Nunez. All these players, while adequate for the mid-table, will never win major trophies. Therefore, Liverpool have spent poorly in the transfer market with the notable exception of Torres - but then any Manager can spot he is a quality player with no real effort. It seems while other Managers have exploited a vast network of scouts and cast their eyes over more promising prospects, Liverpool seem to have had a scatter-gun approach to player transfers, either wasting vast sums on the likes of Robbie Keane (a loss of c£9m) or not spending enough on key areas such as attack, with Veronin and Kuyt who have not played to the reputations since pulling on the red shirt.

So where do Liverpool go from here? I believe that in Roy Hodgson, they have finally landed a manager who can manage. While the likes of Benitez and Houllier exploited vast Bank loans to pay for success, Hodgson is proven to create cohesive teams with small transfer budgets. Notably at Fulham, Hodgson assembled a team who reached the Final of the inaugural Europa League, no small feat for the West London club, a season which also saw Hodgson voted Manager of the Year. Hodgson is a players manager, a motivator who can take an average player and get the best out of them. Players such as Danny Murphy and Damien Duff were castoffs of the Sky Four, however their experience and performance saw that the small club of Fulham stood on the precipice of greatness.

Hodgson also has vast experience of English and European Football. Starting in 1976, Hodgson managed Halmstad in Sweden, moving to Bristol City in 1982 and then back to Sweden to manage Orebro and Malmo FF respectively. Notable appointments include Inter Milan, Switzerland, Udinese, UAE and Finland marking a very chequered career for the Englishman. Therefore, despite not being a fashionable or "sexy" manager, Hodgson has a solid track record and brings no flamboyance but a "John Smiths" style of management and game which Liverpool need.


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Therefore, now Liverpool have the Manager, where else can they improve? Here are my steps to take Liverpool from the 7th position they deserved back into the Sky Four.

1) Players - jettison players such as Lucas, Mascherano, Aquilani, Babel and Itandje who have been purchased at a high price but offer little quality on the field. There needs to be adequate cover for Gerrard and Torres should they be injured and the gormless Carragher should be dropped. Hodgson should ensure future players, such as Joe Cole, are good value and perform.

2) Stadium - I would immediately drop any plans to move to a new stadium. Anfield, like Highbury was for Arsenal, was Liverpool's spiritual home and, frankly, the huge debt drawn up by the Americans needs to be paid and controlled before any pie-in-the-sky plans are pursued. Any plans to take out a mortgage for a new stadium will inhibit the clubs ability to purchase new players and afford, comfortably, players wages.

3) Board - Gillett and Hicks need to go, they need to be lanced like a boil. Despite being out of Hodgsons control, Liverpool need secure, stable and sensible Directors who have the interests of the Club at heart and aren't installed to make a quick buck. Americans do not understand the Premier League and only see investment potential, which, if you know anything about the sport, are anything but. However, it remains to be seen whether a viable bidder can be found, my guess is that another set of Arab Sheiks will takeover, making yet another sugar-daddy club in the big league.

4) Table consolidation. I believe Liverpool will bounce back, however in order to deal with their current misfortune, they need to accept they are no longer the force they were. Liverpool are a lot like the England Team - massively over hyped and never perform. All the talk of lifting the Premier League and another Champions League title is hot air as they consistently fall short. I would add that that Champions League win was a flash in the pan, as the Reds have never repeated success of that scale since. However I remain to be proven wrong.

Therefore, I do believe Liverpool will bounce back. Its not always a foregone conclusion that Liverpool will always remain in the top 4 and play European football every season. With the likes of Man City, Tottenham and, to an extent, Aston Villa knocking on the door, Liverpool need to improve and act like a great club, instead of living in the past. It also remains to be seen whether Hodgson can wave his magic wand and sort out the club, which is crippled by poor leadership and debt. I would suggest any Liverpool fan expecting a top four finish this season to reassess their beliefs, and hope to be at least in contention. Maybe 4th is possible, but that will require outstanding managerial leadership and for the likes of Gerrard and Torres to lead on the field, only then can this once great side reaffirm their place amongst the Sky Four.

Eduardo da Silva; Arsenal, July 2007 - July 2010

It was a sad day the 21st of July 2010 when it was announced Eduardo da Silva, the most popular player in the Arsenal squad (players and fans alike) departed to Shakhtar Donetsk for a reported c£6m. This marked the end of a players Arsenal career which really was a "game of two halves" which will probably be remembered for the brutal way a potential world class striker was denied the opportunity to shine after a widely recognised brutal challenge in February 2008 against Birmingham during a Premier League match.

While I will (try to) avoid making this post come across as bitter and melancholy, it was truly a sad day when this fantastic player was cut down in his prime and is now another casualty of the wet Referee epidemic sweeping the game. While that is a discussion for another time, surely Referee's need to clamp down on reckless challenges and properly punish players who's challenges severely inhibit a players career? More needs to be done at both FA and Club level to ensure this is minimised. However, that is for another time.


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As an Arsenal Fan , it is quite difficult to swallow the amount of reckless challenges that fly into players which result in injury that are waved away as harmless or "innocent" challenges. All too often I heard last year that the only way to stop Arsenal from playing was to be rough and "go in hard" in order to disrupt their game. I am no purist, or naive, as I fully understand the need for football to become more a mans game and not the soppy, diving-ridden sport an outsider may think looking in. Whats more, there is no problem sticking a "reducer" on a pacy winger if it means you have won the mini-psychological battle which is fought during 90 minutes.

However, in the case of Diaby, Eduardo and more recently Aaron Ramsey, these players need protection from others who either tackle to injure or players who lack the ability to challenge properly and thus cause injury. Martin Taylor, now plying his trade in the Championship with Watford, probably meant no malice - however this doesn't detract from the fact he has significantly altered another professionals career. I, like many fans, know Managers encourage their players to use either hard/dirty challenges if it means securing a point or three, just because a player may be honest as the day is long, they are different on the field of play. We will never know if Taylor meant to harm Eduardo, his post-tackle reaction suggested it wasn't meant, however watching replays of the incident suggest either Taylor is a pretty poor defender (hence now at Watford) or over-estimated how much he intended to send a message to Eduardo in order to inhibit the performance of a possible threat during the game.

Enough conjecture, the incident happened two years ago and has been written about enough. My point was that Edaurdo could have been brilliant, and still could be, but we may never know.

Why am I so certain he could have been prolific? His record speaks volumns. While at Dinamo Zagreb, he scored 83 goals in 123 appearances, not too bad at all. He was named best player in the Croation league during 2004, 2006 and 2007 while also winning two Croation League Titles and a Domestic Cup. In addition, he also won the Croation SuperCup in 2006, helping to win 4-1 over Rijeka. He was at his most prolific during 2006/2007 for Dinamo scoring 18 goals in 18 matches.


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In 2007 he transferred to Arsenal for a reported c£ 7.5m (therefore generating a loss on sale of c£1m - however there could be additional sale clauses which mean Arsenal break even on his transfer out) and became a regular during the 2007/2008 season due to injury to Robin Van Persie, scoring a particularly delicious goal against Man City in a 3-1 away victory. After returning from injury in early 2009, Edaurdo demonstrated some of the outrageous skill he offered during on/off sub and starting appearances. During one particular game against Burnley in March 2009, which I was in attendance, he scored the most outrageous outside-the-boot flick to contribute to the eventual 3-0 victory. A further brace against Cardiff in a previous game in February 2009 gave the supporters hope he had truly recovered both physically and mentally however it wasn't to be.

After struggling with several hamstring injuries and recovery set-backs, his absence was noted by the Arsenal faithful. For a while supporters, myself included, questioned whether he was being carried by the team as it was evident the Edaurdo of old had disappeared and the flashes of brilliance were just that. It is a real shame a player of that calibre is now gone from the Premier League. I, as many Arsenal supporters, wish him well. A prolific player in his prime, Eduardo will surely go on to have a successful career with Donetsk, but I am sure his will always be a career overshadowed with "what could have been".

An extremely likable player who was well loved and respected. He will be missed and remembered as a real fox-in-the-box, a superb player gifted with outrageous skill and an ability to entertain and astonish.

Should he stay or should Cesc go?

Being an Arsenal fan, there are 3 things that we can set our watches by every year; (1) the “experts” writing us off pre-season before a ball is kicked, (2) Wenger stating that “this year is our year” (it will be at some point but…) and (3) Barcelona’s rather perverse pursuit of Cesc Fabregas.

Like an absent father who’s long-lost son has hit the big time and is now a famous (and wealthy) footballer, they are now suddenly interested in their former player who is now one of the most coveted midfield players in the modern game. It is known that Fabregas played in their youth team and has his routes in Catalonia, however, in footballing terms, Cesc was one of a number of outcasts from the great La Masia academy and, sporting a very 80’s haircut, came to Arsenal and blossomed into the maestro he is today. To rephrase, Arsenal made Cesc who he is.

Today (at time of writing), the ever distasteful (but arguably one of the best players around – Euro/World Champion) Xavi has stated Arsenal have Cesc “on loan” and he will return to Barca to continue his career. In addition, the Neanderthal Puyol has also stated that Arsenal are disrespecting Cesc and forcing him to stay. I may be wrong, and naïve, however there are such things as contracts in football and even though a Players ego may transcend the legal paper they sign when they desire a pay-rise, they must be respected and not thrown about like toys to a spoilt child.


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While I believe Cesc’s time at Arsenal is indeed short – with a potential move next year or the year after – when a Club wishes to acquire the services of another Clubs player, they must show respect and follow the regulations laid down by FIFA to purchase the player, who ever that player may be. It is fact that Barcelona are a great club, their trophy cabinet speaks for itself. Moreover, the Spanish are now World Champions, therefore Spain (or Barcelona) do command respect as the best in their profession. However, self indulgent arrogance simply shows that however great a player you are, you are judged as a man, an individual – think John Terry as a case in point. That follows as a Club, despite being the best in Europe, Barcelona must show they respect their fellow competitors and cant go around throwing cash and attitude at Clubs and demand their players, such arrogance damages the Clubs reputation and makes the vendor Club reluctant to sell.

However, instead of throwing our toys out the pram, it is easier to understand this saga if we break it down into constituent parts; Barcelona, Cesc and Arsenal.

Barcelona - As Barcelona elect presidents every 3-4 years, clubs like Arsenal are pulled into a circus of promises and innuendo when a prospective candidate, such as one Joan Laporta and (recently appointed) Sandro Rosell, are in the race to take the hot seat. Similar to our British Politics, a lot of big promises are made, many come to nothing. However, in recent years, Laporta has been aggressive in having the acquisition of Cesc as his crown jewel, “promising” his signature if he is re-elected.

Despite that claim being a kick in the teeth for Arsenal (and massively disrespectful), how can a club promise to sign a player without first discussing with the selling club? In addition, recent reports of Barcelona’s financial troubles show that not all is rosy in the rose garden. I will leave the financial analysis for better men, however when a Football Club takes out a c£130m bridging facility, it doesn’t look good. The lesson here is that despite your success and wealth, you must spend within your means, therefore the Catalans pursuit of Cesc’s signature is a matter of vanity and little else.

I am sure if I won the lottery, I would purchase 5 Omega Seamaster watches, however I can’t possibly wear them all, therefore I can acquire all the toys I want, but I can only use a few at a time, the same goes for Clubs buying players.

Cesc – As discussed, when Arsenal purchased Cesc for (reported) c£650k as a compensation fee, no-one had heard of his name and assumed it was another young star plucked from obscurity by Le Professor. With his mullet in tow, Cesc quickly began to stamp his reputation as a gifted and intelligent player, committed and passionate. By 19 years old, he had played more games than his colleagues at that age and was quickly installed at the key component in the Arsenal midfield. Like Henry before, Cesc had become indispensible.

Therefore the question is; would Cesc have become the player he is if he had stayed at Barcelona? I am sure he wouldn’t have. If we assume he stayed at La Masia, Cesc would have played a few games in the Barcelona B Team and gained a small reputation as being a good player in Spain. He may then, after a few years, been promoted to Barcelona first team and been benched for a few games. Then by his mid-20’s he may have become a great player, however all this would have taken time and he wouldn’t have made a similar impact on the footballing world.
I am aware that this is pure conjecture; however Barcelona let him leave as they obviously didn’t see the potential Wenger did. When a team is over-populated with midfielders, such as Barcelona’s squad, he wouldn’t have had a look-in.

Another case in point is Matthieu Flamini. A great player and a key part of the (somehow) great back 4 which took the Gunners to the Champions League Final in 2006, however he was a mercenary. After a much publicised exit from Marseille, in which manager Jose Anigo reportedly promised to “get him back”, he became a fringe player and a utility man. However, Flamini grew into a great player during that season and, unfortunately, realised it. Then, in an act of pure self indulgence, left for AC Milan for a c£5m contract claiming to be “an Arsenal fan” – as if that softens the blow for his departing supporters. However, he left for a team over populated with defensive midfielders, therefore in his Milan career he has only played 51 Seria A games (starts and sub appearances), 3 domestic cup games and a paltry 12 Champions League games. Benchwarmer he is.


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Arsenal – Since Wenger arrived in 1996, he has been building a team made of home-grown players and experience. While the recent incarnation of his dream is yet to bear fruit – and it will – he has relied on youth and a small transfer budget to keep Arsenal competitive. While the Emirates Stadium was under construction and now being repaid, Wenger has purchased the odd player to compliment the team and otherwise acquired youth players and promoted academy players. While the trophy cabinet is bare – this is a bigger achievement than most managers can boast. However, Wenger saw the potential in Cesc and took the gamble in allowing him to play. This is the reason why Cesc is Cesc, why he is a great player and coveted by teams in all countries.

The club itself has always maintained an air of silence around transfers, to protect the player and prevent other clubs gazumping them with overpriced offers and unrealistic wage demands. In stark contrast to Barcelona who have prostituted themselves around buying players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic for €69m (?) and the unknown Alexandr Hleb for €17m – which either haven’t played or have been shipped off a season later. Anyone who has played Championship Manager knows that you can cheat and spend pots of money building a squad but it doesn’t guarantee success, the irony being that Barcelona have succeeded with talent grown from their academy and not really due to the players they have purchased.

However the key point is that when a player is purchased, they sign a contract. Cesc signed a contract to 2014 stating his commitment to the club and has demonstrated this on the field. He is intelligent and experienced and should know that, like in Spain’s victorious World Cup campaign; he will be a bit-part player, an Omega watch on the Barcelona bed-side table. He wont play as much as will be forced to play in a team of ego’s who only want Cesc for his talent and will drop him like a stone when they can. However, it remains to be seen if this comes to fruition.

So, should Cesc go? I think he should. When a player wishes to leave, a portion of their desire, commitment and indeed form goes with them. Think Henry and Ronaldo in their respective final seasons, they were a shadow of their former greatness and were just a bit-part in a good season. Although having a player like Cesc leave will be a blow in terms of his absence, he won’t be missed in footballing terms.
Luckily, the old adage that Clubs become less prolific when a great player leaves is nonsense. When Henry and Ronaldo left, it made no difference to the quality of Arsenal or Man Utd, Even when Van Nistelrooy left Man Utd; there was no difference to their quality and ability to win trophies or titles.

For Arsenal, if Cesc were to leave, it would leave a void happily filled by the talented Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Denilson amongst others. In addition, when Cesc was absent during the 2009-2010 season through injury, he was barely missed. This is due to Wengers ability to adapt and change a squad around a player, if one is absent, another compensates. Therefore, despite being a loyal servant to Arsenal and being a great addition to the squad, if Cesc were to go, it would mean another c£40m in the Bank and the opportunity for a “future Cesc” to take over. However, I am sure we can use him for one final season before he drinks from the poison chalice in Spain….

Will England ever win the World Cup?

In the past week, Emile Heskey has announced his retirement from International Football. Despite a much criticised figure bowing out to a flurry of jokes surrounding his "prolific" career with the national side, does Heskey truly deserve it?

I for one did believe the fact Heskey started in most England games laughable, the fact there could be no footballing reason to why he should play ahead of Crouch or Defoe bewildered me. During the tournament, tactical reasons such as; "Heskey allows Rooney to score more goals" or "he's the target man" sounded plausable, however Rooney didn't score any goals and Heskey barely provided. In fact, the best skill he performed was a touch in the Germany game which was a mere fumble and a shocking waste of a one-on-one against our American cousins.

However, the caveat to these observations is that Heskey didn't pick himself, Cappello did - and McLaren and Eriksson before him. Therefore, despite barely playing for Aston Villa or indeed scoring any goals in the Premier League, he was chosen. The issue here is that there is an undercurrent of fear in the England camp which is inherited like some genetic impairment preventing England managers choosing young talent and opting for the reliable player - even though they lack serious talent (you can hardly call Heskey "World-Class"?).

As discussed in an earlier post, many teams are indeed developing their youth academies, Arsenal for one. However, while our young up-and-comers are winning caps and games in the U17 and U21 tournaments, they find a glass ceiling between them and the main team, which is much to the detriment of their progression and the ability of England to win major trophies. An example is the German side who, despite crashing out to a superb Spanish team, promoted Thomas Muller, Marko Marin, Toni Kroos, the excellent Mesut Ozil, Jerome Boateng and Holger Badstuber - this was the team who humbled England 4-1.


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So if other Nations can do this, why can't England?

Take another example, Spain had the following players in their squad; Pedro Rodriguez, Javi Martinez, Sergio Busquets, Juan Manuel Mata and Cesc Fabregas, these are all players of between 21 to 23 years old. Despite having a relatively mature defensive back four, the Spanish have youth to rely on which, unlike England, they play and utilise to win matches. Therefore, while young players lack international experience, they are used for their pace, strength and no-fear attitude which can often surprise and intimidate any opponent. Any neutral watching Germany couldn't have helped to be impressed with how Ozil and Muller commanded the midfield and crafted many assists and attempts to help the Germans crush many teams by a four goal margin, while the Spanish (despite being a little goal shy by their high standards) controlled games and provided excellent examples of their passing game to the World.

So what is England's problem with fielding emerging talent? As a fellow football fan and non-professional, I could say it would be a combination of fear, lack of belief, spend-happy Chairmen and the expectation which England are put under (by the English and on one else) to win tournaments. After all, a surprising fact that came out of the World Cup 2010 was that both Spain and Holland had never won the trophy of trophies, and these teams are light-years ahead of England in ability. However, despite always being nearly-men or non-runners (McLaren anyone?) we have always placed a massive amount of pressure, branded "England Expects" on these players, which if your dealing with the likes of Lampard and Gerrard, make them fold like leaves in a gale.

England managers don't believe in youth and fear it. Despite paying much lip-service to young players and the media, Walcott was never used in Germany 2006 (perhaps too young, but the pace was indeed a rare asset) or (in 2010) Johnson, Walcott, Agbonlahor, Banes, Huddlestone (or "Manystone" depending on your allegiance) and Bent weren't utilised. In addition, Bent has been one of the most prolific English strikers in the Premier League - so why didn't he play? The answers to these questions will allude as all, as we don't know what the FA or England manager thinks when deciding their preliminary squads. The cynic inside me believes commercial deals struck pre-tournament have a bearing on who gets on the plane, however I wouldn't like to think that's true.


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Youth are the wild-cards, the unpredictable entities in a squad. It seems a player who is consistently awful is chosen over an unpredictable youth as you always get the same sub-standard performance. However, Walcott pretty much saved Arsenal's Champions League campaign last year and scored important goals to propel the Gunners to 3rd spot, demonstrating a belief in youth pretty much always pays off. However, I don't want to sound blinkered so other examples include; Everton with Jack Rodwell and Dan Gosling - now hot properties after helping to surgically unpick Man Utd's defence. Aston Villa with Gabby Agbonlahor and Ashley Young - also targets for bigger clubs. Finally, dare I say it, Tottenham Hotspur have almost 17 British players, including the superb Danny Rose, who could all feature for England and Wales in upcoming tournaments. The trend, you may have noticed, is that there are non from the traditional Sky Four. However, while I would like to say a word for the others, Arsenal have 6 young English players emerging who could one day represent at International level.

All these young players have shown their ability and have subsequently come under the gaze of Chairmen like the repulsive Garry Cook at Man City. Here we have a middle manager, a Phil Brown, who's head has expanded with Man City's bank balances. Willfully throwing money at other clubs, he has been nicknamed "Santa Claus" as he is the man to secure your club's financial future if you have an overpriced diamond to sell. Others including Hicks & Gillett (formerly Rick Parry) and David Gill have bankrupted their clubs chasing expensive foreign players to buy success and have succeeded at heavy prices, time will tell if Liverpool and Man Utd can be fully self sufficient clubs.
Chairmen at wealthy clubs need to stop buying overpriced talent and focus more on youth development, trusting the youngsters who emerge in their Academies (providing they have Academies in the first place) and play them, regularly. Cook and Man City have spent almost c£300m on players to date and very few have been English players. Whether this can possibly continue is another matter, however it highlights the shocking ability to spend gross sums of money and not on individuals who are of the same nationality as the country in which they play.

It is my belief that the England team needs a major overhaul, and not the changes McLaren made and subsequently un-made during his black days in charge. Players such as Lampard, Green, Terry, Lennon, Upson, Carragher and Barry need to be dropped like stones as they are either lack the ability to play at an international level, are weak in temperament or, like Terry, are selfish and think only of themselves. Despite players declaring their love and pride in pulling on the England shirt, they rarely prove it and frankly should not be paid for the highest service you can provide in your profession. In addition, can you really call players like these World Class if they never perform at that level? For me its like labelling a 100 meter sprinter as an Olympian when they have never been to a Games in their career - perhaps I am being a little literal there.

In order for England to challenge again, I believe they need to follow these steps in order to mount a realistic challenge in 2012 or 2014;
1) Drop the aforementioned players.
2) Promote and replace these players with those from the U21's to add more youthful and able players. Scout the Championship for squad players who are used to physical football.
3) Develop the Burton Youth Academy.
4) The FA need to ensure the awesome spending of rich clubs is curtailed to ensure they are self-sufficient and look to their own Academies and reserve sides to bring players to the fore.
5) Play better teams in friendlies, we will never beat the likes of Spain. France or Germany if we never play them.

The England managers job is a tough job and I am not pretending that I can do better. However, as an observer and football fan, it is plain to see changes are needed. It is frankly embarrassing when an International Tournament comes around and our players fail to perform and fail to live up to their hype and reputations. Perhaps what I have written is a little Utopian and it can all be fixed in a moment, however, as the saying goes, we must put our money were our mouths are and start proving we are a World Class team, instead of talking the talk and taking the eventual walk.

Does Youth Matter?

History has shown that despite a squad with more youthful exuberance than experience, Wenger has truly done an amazing job keeping Arsenal competitive, generate funds to pay down the existing mortgage on the Emirates while also fostering new talent - something the managers of the other Big 4 have failed to do. Although football is a game to be won and the measure of success was traditionally how stocked your trophy cabinet had become, the present game however is about revenue generation and keeping your place in the Champions League, Europa League or, for some, the Premier League itself.

To this regard, the modern Football Manager has developed a fear you youth, in that they are temperamental, "inexperienced" and just not a quick enough fix for instant success. Teams such as Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd have chosen to waste millions on players who have either been complete disasters or brought some short term success. To what cost?


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I am sure I am understating slightly when I describe Liverpool and Man Utd as being in debt, in fact they are mortgaged to the hilt. Whereas the red quarters have been crippled with debt saddled by leveraged buy-outs, Chelsea have "hidden" their debt by converting it into equity, however as a certain American President once said; "You can put lipstick on a pig...".

Therefore, amongst other teams in England and indeed Europe, Arsenal have chosen to invest in the youth Academy and have laid the foundations for an institution which has been applauded by the footballing glitteratti, Fabio Cappello for instance. Only Barcelona, with their La Masia establishment, have got the edge on Arsenal...at the moment at least, with the likes of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi and one Cesc Fabregas. Despite spending lavish sums on individual talents, some a waste others an investment, Barcelona have a core of players brought through their youth system which are arguably the most enviable quartet in the modern game.

But where does this leave Arsenal? Certainly for the past 5 years, there has been little to shout about in terms of successes. However, this depends on how you rate success. Chelsea and Man Utd have been exchanging the Premier League crown and FA Cup while Spurs (shudder) and Liverpool et al have lifted the Carling Cup.... Despite its reputation, silverware is silverware.
However, when you pick up a credit card and hit the shops, you bring home many nice things but eventually you have to pay it back sometime. As with Liverpool and Man Utd, success has come at a great price, while Chelsea will one day be without their suger-daddy in Abramovich and will have to rely on their own income to fund their seasons - with a less than sold-out stadium and lack of consistent success this will be difficult to achieve.


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Success can be seen in another light. If you ignore the lunatic ramblings of Richard Keys (the punch-able face of Sky Sports) and Andy Gray who deem trophies alone mark a great club, then Arsenal are indeed one of the most successful clubs in football today. Let me explain;

1) The Emirates. Recently, Arsenal announced £35.2m of profit the six months ending November 2009. In addition, the club paid down c£130m of net debt - an impressive performance in any financial sector. This means the total net debt of the club (Nov 09) is c£203.6m. This doesn't mean Arsenal will be debt free next year, but it certainly means they will have increased inflow of liquid cash to invest in players and infrastructure moving forward. Finally, the Emirates generates c£3m per match with a sold out (or near sold out) arena. Therefore, if Arsenal continue to consistently perform financially at this level, they will be one of the top financial performers in football and one of the richest, self sustaining clubs in the World.

2) Youth. Not yet quite at the same standard of La Masia, Arsenal have developed a youth academy which is developing talents such as Gibbs, Traore, Wilshere, Watt, Vela, Eastmond, Randall, Simpson, Sunu and Lansbury to name but a few. Wilshere and Lansbury represent Arsenal at England U21 Level while any future England Team (for the World Cup 2014 competition for example) could have up to 5 players from the Arsenal squad in the first team (Lansbury, Walcott, Wilshere, Gibbs and Simpson). The trend appearing here? All English players which is proof the squads aren't totally stuffed with foreign talent. Finally, Arsene famously stands by his selections in both League and Cup games when selecting youth players. Cesc grew into the player he is by playing regularly, while the likes of Van Persie and Walcott have grown in prominence due to regular starts. This creates a team dynamic based on trust and a knowledge of your colleagues game which the likes of Barcelona utilize to dominate the game and ultimately win silverware. Therefore, perhaps not a strategy for success in the present, but one for the future which will bear fruit at some point.

3) Competition. Arsenal are one of few clubs which have been playing in the Champions League since its inception and have finished inside the top 4 of the Premier League consistently. In addition, despite going without silverware, they have also reached the Champions League final or quarter/semi finals in recent years while also, using a young side, gone further into the FA Cup and League Cup than any other team of the equivalent. This is based on the quality of talent and the philosophy of football which resulted in the "Invincible" of the 03/04 season - a fete never achieved by a top-flight football team within 100 years (Preston in 1880's). Of course, the key factor here is income which I mentioned earlier, Arsenal frequently see a sold-out audience every match day from tickets, merchandise, corporate entertainment and peripherals, not to mention TV rights income and sponsorship.

To conclude, despite a distinct lack of trophies in recent times, Arsenal are surely a team for the future. I do not mean to say there is still a "transition" period, this has been and gone. In the hyper-inflated market of transfers, it is wise to tread carefully, unless you will find you have spent £30m on some pointless cretin like Berbatov....need I say more?

Therefore, by creating a youth system which produces fine, coveted talent and managing cash income wisely, Wenger is creating a team which, one day, will be the English Barcelona, a team of quality, philosophy and history. I may come across as biased being a Gooner but the evidence speaks for itself. Watch this space.

Transferring in....

Arsenal have confirmed the singing of former Lorient defender Laurent Koscielny. It seems like Wenger's rare foray into the transfer market is gathering steam with other news that the Gooners may sign Felipe Melo from Juventus (a year too late) and Mesut Ozil, the young playmaker of the recently unsuccessful German World Cup side. In addition, Loic Remy and Mark Schwartzer have also been linked to Arsenal as Wenger (finally) addresses the issues of the sticks keeper and adds more potency to attack. It is commendable that Wenger has faith in his players, a true man-manager, however sometimes this can be slightly misguided and let you down. Need I go on?

While all this makes for interesting reading, it remains to be seen whether these players manage to breach the pearly gates of The Emirates, however I am more than confident the Professor will bolster the squad before August 14th, despite overtures from Barcelona for the wizard Cesc and Juventus for Cliche.


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As many Gooners will be starkly aware, Arsenal seem to have a tendency to let the revolving door of transfers let more out than in, with Koscielny replacing Gallas, Silvestre and (potentially) Campbell, 3 into 1 doesn't exactly go despite their advancing years and temperament. However, we remember the impact Vermaelen had on our season so another in that mould will certainly not go amiss. In addition, the forgotten man in Keiran Gibbs will certainly be staking his claim for the left full-back position even if Cliche (with his annoying ability to run 70 yards then sky a wasted shot instead of provide for the better finishers of the team) does depart to Italy.

In addition, Marouane Chamakh has been drafted in to add more fire power to the Arsenal attack, continuing Wenger's philosophy that attack is indeed the best form of defense - apart from set pieces.
Wenger has demonstrated his talent at creating potent attacking line-ups, who play intricate football and score some truly breath taking goals. However, the centre-back position has always alluded Wenger, who, until Vermaelen of course, chose either extreme youth or slow experience. The golden age of Adams, Winterburn, Dixon and Keown hasn't really been re-created of late, with defenders such as Djourou, Senderos (now at Everton) or Campbell (Warhorse) and Silvestre either accident prone or a general liability at the back. Although it pains me to say it, they ain't no Terry, Evra or Vidic.


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Before you curse me too much, it is clear that if Arsenal had one or two centre-backs of the quality of Adams or Keown covering the goalkeeper, the goal difference would have been a great deal more in our favor and thus, more success on the pitch would have come. But then thats the beauty of hindsight.
I am a believer in Arsene, the balancing act he has managed to pull off with players and finances has been miraculous, nay masterful. A few misguided individuals (most famously Pen*s Morgan, the non-entity and Simon Cowell butt scratcher) have called for Wengers head for the lack of trophies, however I would rather see a successful business which still competes rather than a bankrupt club with meaningless awards - Man Utd and Liverpool.....

But thats a debate for another day.

Introducing....

Thanks for choosing to read my blog. Unfortunately, I am about to go out and have little time to write anything of real note.

I have plenty of updates to add when I have a minute or two however the ketchup mouse (or that mysterious beast that eats my food that sits near my girlfriend) is taking my food so I am going to run.

Please come back soon for more updates!