World Cup Watch 2010 - Spain

Less than two weeks. That's how little time there is before the greatest spectacle in football kicks off. I can't put into words just how excited I am for this years World Cup. Right now I'm dividing my time equally between slavishly trying to lead Netherlands Antilles to glory in the FIFA World Cup game on Xbox, reading up on every single piece of information I can gather from Johannesburg and just generally drinking myself into a stupor to numb the emotions and while away the time. Kind of like Uncle Lenny after his third divorce.

I wanted to do a couple of pieces on the dangerman of the World Cup, the usual suspects; The Torres, the Ronaldos and the Sneijders. But that's been done to death and you don't exactly need me to tell you that Lionel Messi is actually half decent (He is, by the way). So instead, I thought I'd write about the overlooked aspects of the team, the potential keys to their success. Today, we'll be looking at almost everyone's second side, European Champions Spain.

Spain

Every generation gets to see a couple of footballing nations during their 'golden era', where the players have impossible potential, reach unprecedented success and are laboured with a heavy weight of expectation on their shoulders; Holland in the 70's, Bulgaria in the 90's. Surely Spain are the closest team to experiencing their golden era of football right now? Riding high on their success from 2008, Spain are the second favourites only to Brazil in most people's eyes. And rightly so, as they are as close to a complete team as possible.

Every part of the squad is strong; there is presence and physicality across the back, technique and vision in the midfield, and two of the best strikers in world football to spearhead the attack. In truth, the key to their success is not held by any single player, but in the performance of the whole team. We know just how good they are, all that needs to happen is for them to work well as a team on the pitch. Unfortunately for those of us clinging onto the dying embers of any hope England ever had of winning, Spain usually look utterly at ease playing with each other. They had a slightly clumsy performance in their recent friendly against Saudi Arabia, only winning 3-2, but one would assume this sluggishness will disappear once the tournament starts.

Obviously, Spain will need performances from their abundance of talent, they need Xavi and Iniesta fit and at the heart of everything, and we can probably bank on Torres and Villa getting goals, whilst Puyol will have to organise a sturdy defence to build from. But in my eyes, they will be depending on goalkeeper Iker Casillas more than they'd perhaps hope.

Key Man - Iker Casillas

Why they need him - In these big tournaments, experience and confidence are absolutely key. Most people would agree that Joe Hart has been the best English goalkeeper this season, but there is a reason why he won't be starting games at the World Cup. Experience is vital, and Casillas has it in abundance, being an ever-present in the Spain side since breaking into the team due to an injury to Canizares in 2004. Defences need to be able to rely on their goalkeeper, a safe pair of hands radiates confidence throughout the side. Spain clearly have the talent to win the competition, so what their chances of success depend upon is organisation, and that starts at the back. They need a solid defence to build on, and any inexperienced players coming into the side, or the attack minded full backs, will look to the likes of Puyol and Casillas to organise that. They need Casillas to shake off any bad form he might be having, he made an uncharacteristic error against Saudi Arabia which has caused some panic amongst the domestic press, and he needs to iron that out and be the dependable goalkeeper we're used to seeing between the sticks.

Why we should fear him - Casillas has long been one of the most highly regarded goalkeepers in the world, second perhaps only to the ageing Buffon. His record at club and international level speaks for itself, and teammates always laud his abilities, even garnering praise from Gordon Banks for a sensational save in the league this season. His biggest asset may well be his reflexes, he seems to be able to read the intentions of the striker before they even know themselves what they intend. This might be the reason he's one of the best shot stoppers in the world today.

Why we shouldn't fear him - Not so much a reason not to fear him personally, but a reason why his absence wouldn't exactly cripple the Spain squad. Their reserves. Waiting in the wings they have Victor Valdes and Pepe Reina, two goalkeepers also recognised as being some of the best in the world. Let me repeat their three goalkeeping choices. Iker Casillas. Victor Valdes. Pepe Reina... Shits on Martyn, Flowers and Seaman any day.

Oh, and also, it's customary for me here to dole out the old European goalkeeping stereotype of them flapping and needing to punch at any thing that even remotely resembles a cross-field ball.

Prediction - Runners-up

John Terry vs Wayne Bridge

Ladies and gentleman, like a phoenix from the flames, the Football To You blog rises from the ashes of apathy and abjectivity once more. Marvel at it's glorious transformation from infrequently updated, random outbursts to rarely maintained, illogical ramblings. Hopefully this renewed enthusiasm will continue, just be sure to 'enjoy' it while it lasts as best you can. So, what better story to return to than a nice, juicy scandal...

We shall start with a bombshell; John Terry doesn't seem like a very nice bloke.

I'm just throwing that one out there.

Seriously though, are many of us that surprised that John Terry turned out to be a bit of a bad apple? Anyone who is fined for mocking grieving American tourists days after the September 11th tragedy is probably a bit lacking in the morals department. Sure, that might be a bit of a sweeping judgement for me to make from this pedestal, but I'm not a role model children look up to. And if moral crusader Craig Bellamy comes out and labels you a bit of a wrongun', you know you're not in good shape.

So much has been made of this scandal that it's difficult to seperate fact from fiction. We know tabloids tend to run with anything that might sell, but it would seem to all intents and purposes that Wayne Bridge wasn't with the girl at the time, and that Terry wasn't the first to hit the back of the net so to speak. I apologise, I'm not proud of that pun. (I'm lying... I'm totally proud of it.)

It would be so easy to point the finger of blame at John Terry, but he wasn't the first footballer to act questionably in their private life, and he most certainly won't be the last. The sad truth is that the modern footballer has so much power that this sort of thing is an inevitability. Everything is given to them on a plate, they enjoy all the luxuries of life and are treated as being above the laws and rules that apply to the rest of us; is it really that shocking that they then act as though this were the case in their personal life? If we build them up to a position where everything comes so easy, can we really be outraged when they stray from showing restraint and honouring their responsibilities?

Of course, it would be wrong to say that this wasn't a situation Mr. Terry didn't get himself into. He did after all sleep with the mother of his friend and teammate's child. Not to mention, more importantly, he has a wife and children of his own. No matter what angle you look at it, that is abhorrent behaviour. Especially considering this man is in a position where almost every young boy in the country looks up to him as a role model; as an example of what they might one day aspire to be. Fabio Capello made an example of him as far as he could, but Terry didn't seem to be a changed man when he had Bridge referred to as a 'bottler' in the media days later.

John Terry hasn't displayed the respect and honour that the England captaincy, or even the privilege of representing your country at all, deserves. On the opposing side, I feel Wayne Bridge was a very sympathetic figure until today. I'm genuinely shocked that he's been labelled a 'wimp' and 'impassionate' for his withdrawal from the World Cup squad. I think the opposite is more accurate; every footballer dreams of playing at the World Cup. However, as long as the two are in the squad, it will be a circus. Not to mention the rifts it may cause in the training camp. By withdrawing himself, Bridge recognises this and removes the problem, perhaps even acknowledging that Terry is more valuable to the England cause than he is, like it or not.

Until today, when he refused to shake Terry's hand when Chelsea met Manchester City, he came across very well. Personally, I felt the snub seemed somewhat childish - surely he could force himself to partake in a somewhat meaningless, ceremonial handshake? It doesn't draw a line under the issue, but it would have shown a commendable sense of dignity. Still, snubbing a handshake is the very least I would have done had I been in his shoes, so he deserves credit for that.

Perhaps after today, the story will die down. Unfortunately, I don't think it will. It will continue to resurface for months, and as long as Terry continues to act with negligible grace and respect we won't have heard the last of it. And even if we do, it won't be long before the next overpaid, over-pampered footballer will come along and place himself above our supposed moral standards. And as long as we continue to build them up in such a way that they believe their own sense of entitlement, it won't ever stop.

Oh, and he should probably return his 'Dad of the Year' award to the competitions runner-up, Josef Fritzl.

Be sure to leave your comments on such a controversial issue. Cheers.

Ireland in shock after World Cup proposal denied

The whole nation of Ireland was stunned today when FIFA rejected their request to be the additional and 33rd team participating in next summer's World Cup. Football enthusiasts were shaken to their very core by the surprising news. It's almost as if FIFA don't want the second most prestigious athletic competition in human history, behind the Olympics, being compromised. Who'd have thunk it?

In all seriousness, we're not exactly sure what the Irish FA expected. While we all know how blatant the now infamous Henry handball was, the sad fact is that once the decision was made, there is nothing that could be done. In initially requesting a replay, they were clasping at straws to begin with - the very notion that Ireland would have allowed a replay with the roles reversed is laughable. It was a poor reffereeing decision. But there are errors made every week that cost teams games. Human error is part of the beautiful game, and I for one am dismayed by the idea of the proposed system of five referees as this will naturally eliminate some of the drama these mistakes create, both elation and fury, that is part of the very nature and appeal of football. If we start reversing decisions beyond wrongful suspensions to individuals, we are then on a slippery slope that invites all manner of requests. Alex Ferguson will be the first in the queue requesting a replay from November 23rd 1995 where Sheffield Wednesday were wrongly awarded a penalty, and so on and so forth.

In related news, the Irish now plan to request to be named 'Honourary World Cup Winners' and have a new trophy set up in their name reflecting the fair play they so unflinchingly support, win or lose. Or maybe just lose.

Is Roy Hodgson the best English manager in football?

It's Friday afternoon and that can only mean a vast majority of things. One of which is that I'm avoiding work and instead intend to fill you with a nice belly full of football facts and opinion. I hope you're ready.

While traditionalists (and BNP voters) might be sickened by the sight of a foreign national coaching the England team, and three of the 'Big Four' clubs in the Premier League managed by Europeans, slowly English managers are starting to claw back some degree of respect. For a start we have Harry Redknapp transforming Tottenham from perennial under-achievers to a genuine threat to the composition of the top four clubs of the Premiership. Steve Bruce has taken Sunderland from being a yo-yo club to a top half European contender. Sam Allardyce is doing his usual thing of grinding out Premiership survival whilst shouting from the rooftops that he could manage any club and is one of the best managers alive today, amongst other similarly credible claims such as 'I invented sliced bread' and 'El Hadji Diouf deserves the Nobel peace prize'. Even Gary Megson has somehow turned Bolton from a side that deep down would rather have been playing rugby or just kicking people in the street, to a club that can actually play some incisive attacking football.

Now, normally that would be reason enough for the manager of the year award, but today the spotlight falls elsewhere, on the dignified shoulders of Roy Hodgson. On December 28th 2007, when Hodgson took the Fulham job, he did so to repair his reputation. He had recently declined a contract extension to his post as Finland coach after failing to qualify for Euro 2008, despite the Finns still having a realistic chance of qualification in the final game - something which is usually unheard of. This 'failure' was a blemish on Hodgson's managerial record, where his proficient defensive organisation had led Switzerland to their first World Cup qualification since 1966, Inter Milan to a UEFA Cup Final, and Blackburn Rovers to qualify for the UEFA Cup after a season of mid table mediocrity.

Still highly regarded for his mercurial managing past, he found himself taking the helm of a Fulham side deep in crisis. Rooted in the relegation zone, propping up every club but the hapless Derby County, they were favourites to be making a swift exit from Premier League football. Previous manager Lawrie Sanchez had made bad forays into the transfer market, with deals that never paid off for the club and left their better players frustrated and discontented both on and off field. Fulham fans were more hopeful than expectant of Hodgson steering the club away from relegation, as many were underwhelmed by his appointment; most outsiders (including myself) failed to see it as the awe-inspiring turnaround Fulham so desperately needed. And then the magic happened. It turns out it was one of the best decisions Al Fayed would ever make as chairman (when he didn't find himself ousting conspiracy theories...).

It's fitting that Hodgson took over on 28th December, just days before the opening of the January transfer window, as many say that it was his activity in that first month that kept Fulham up. Some of his purchases included influential players such as Eddie Johnson and Erik Nevland. However his best purchase, and perhaps the best made by any club in that month, was the signing of Brede Hangeland for an undisclosed fee from FC Copenhagen in Hodgson's home away from home, Scandanavia. Hangeland has gone on to be the first name on the team sheet, and until agreeing a new four year contract today, attracted interest from some of the biggest clubs across Europe. While Hodgson suffered a poor string of results to begin with, a strong end to the season left them able to achieve Premiership survival on the last day of the season, in what many described as 'The Great Escape.'

Fulham then went from strength to strength under the nomadic Hodgson. In the off season they captured the signing of Mark Schwarzer, who has become a big player for them, and a new look front line in Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson. Zolton Gera and John Pantsil also found themselves playing their football at Craven Cottage, which was no longer a place where teams could pick up an easy three points, but a ground to be feared. They finished the season in a record high 7th place, qualifying for the newly formed Europa League.

These dizzying heights are perhaps only the start for the London club. Hodgson has maintained their status as a top half club, with Fulham sat in 10th place and with a realistic chance of successive Europa League qualifications, and they might yet find themselves advancing from the group stages of that very competition given the right results in the final two games. Frankly, his turnaround of this struggling club has been nothing short of sensational, and given proper backing could really improve on his current squad. Instead of hoping for a Christmas miracle in the form of Premiership survival this December, Fulham fans will only find themselves hoping that he finally puts pen to paper on a new contract.

As always, leave any comments on today's article.

Cheers

Dyer set to return (again) for West Ham

It's that time of year again. Three months since his last appearance, Kieron Dyer is set to make his bi-annual return from injury to 'full fitness'. The explosive midfielder returned to reserve action this week, scoring two goals against Stoke. While Dyer's quality has never been in question, his injury record makes painful reading for fans of the former Newcastle and England midfielder.

Since joining West Ham for £6 million in August 2007, Dyer has made only four starts. The injury plagued midfielder suffered the misfortune of a broken leg just 10 days after his full Hammers debut, and was out for a lengthy 17 month spell on the sidelines. There were initially fears that his career may have ended right there, but he overcame that setback much like his once persistent shin-splints problem, and most recently a recurring hamstring injury.

While unlikely to start, West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola may opt to include Dyer on the bench against Burnley this Saturday. With his team in need of a boost, we look forward to seeing a fully fit and dangerous Kieron Dyer recapturing the form that once made him a fan favourite on Tyneside and a genuine England hopeful.

El Clásico

Forget Everton v Liverpool or Arsenal v Chelsea, there is only one fixture that is the must watch this weekend, Spanish footballs uncivil war, FC Barcelona v Real Madrid CF. A derby where the two teams are not even from the same city or region and where pigs’ heads are showered to welcome former players. This has REAL history.

Sparks will be flying at Camp Nou this Sunday evening as Real lead the Catalonian at the top of La Liga by one point, but this rivalry goes much deeper than twenty two men on a pitch, of which two thirds aren't even Spanish!

It all dates back to the Spanish Civil Wars and the 1920’s when Madrid got the ‘Real’ (Royal) label and the disharmony soon got worse when Francisco Franco came to power. The Dictator tried changing Spanish ways including language,culture and fashion which had usually entered Madrid via Catalonia. The final insult was that Catalan could only be spoken freely within the walls of Camp Nou without Police Interfering, Real Madrid were now the favoured Club among Spanish hierarchy.

Simon Kuper summed up perfectly how the people of Barcelona felt with "The Catalans feel Catalan first and Spanish second, and to prove it they have fought wars and made revolts against Madrid” (Football against the enemy)

Enough of the Political History lesson. Many believe this to be the most Important meeting of the two adversaries since the 2002 champions league semi-final,which Madrid consequently won. Last season Barcelona done the double over Real including a 6-2 thrashing and along with the Catalans doing the Spanish Treble, it prompted a change at the Bernabeau. In come former president of the ‘Galacticos’ era Florentino Perez and a €270 million spending spree has now give the Los Blancos another Star Studded Line-Up. Ronaldo,Kaka,Alonso,Benzema the list goes on. Are these current ‘Galacticos’ ready for the mighty force of the Catalonians? We all know the talent Pep Guardiola has at his disposal.

One things for sure i'm savouring another meeting between undoubtedly the worlds two best players. Ronaldo Vs. Messi. Its almost like a personal boxing Match, and at the moment I have Messi up one round from the Champions league final. Yes it will probably be Ronaldos first start for six weeks or so but I have no doubt he had this game firmly in his sights, and there will be no better way of justifying his huge price tag then conducting a win over the infamous enemy.

Personally I have this one down as a thriller, but can’t really pick a winner as both haven’t been firing on all cylinders in Spain or Europe. No doubt this will change 6 p.m. Sunday and I can not wait!

What do you think the outcome of this colossal match will be?

The race for South Africa 2010 - Who should Fabio take?

For those of you English football fans (sorry Ireland), the return to a competitive international tournament is drawing closer. After the 'Wally-with-a-brolly' debacle, Italian mastermind Fabio Capello has done what poor old Steve McClaren couldn't - guide a supremely talented group of footballers through a seemingly harmless group to a major international competition. Kudos.

Sarcasm aside, I actually think Capello has done a wonderful job of instilling confidence and discipline into a once lifeless England side, which played with zero passion and commitment. The manner in which we qualified was more impressive than qualification itself - to not reach successive international tournaments would be nothing short of a disgrace. However, the question now comes of who will find themselves sat on a plane ready to play in the greatest showcase of football in the world, and who will be in Barbados having a page-3 lovely rubbing them down with lotion.

Today, we're going to look at striking options. Most coaches will opt to take 5 strikers in their squad, but there has been speculation that Mr Capello will only be taking 4. A fit Wayne Rooney is a certainty, which means that the likes of Peter Crouch, Jermaine Defoe, Michael Owen, Darren Bent, Carlton Cole, Emile Heskey and Gabby Agbonlahor all have to finish the season well to squeeze their way into the squad.

Let's start with the most puzzling choice in my opinion, Emile Heskey. We know we're not taking Emile for his goalscoring record, at club level or international level, but Fabio seems to see something we're all missing in the boy. Sure, he is a handful for defenders to deal with, providing a physical presence that can cause a back line trouble. But is he really good enough to play against the likes of Spain or Italy - can you ever imagine hearing the words 'And Emile Heskey demands the ball from Steven Gerrard, he takes the ball into feet and with the deftest of turns he's past the baffled Carlos Puyol, he's got Wayne Rooney to his left and plays a pinpoint ball into the path of Rooney for a goal!'

... I think not.

If Fabio insists on taking a striker specifically with the intention of creating space for Wayne Rooney, I'd much rather it be Carlton Cole than Emile. While not prolific, Cole is in the form of his life at a top level, playing for a club which aren't going to create many chances. He offers a lot more of a goal threat, and is an equal physical presence. He feels like more of a brute that would scare defenders, I just feel like Emile would lead in with his elbows and then go and admit this to the referee when the shame spiral got to much for him. A January move for Cole, to a top club like Liverpool as has been rumoured, would only help solidify his chances of going to South Africa.

An alternative to this would be the people's hero Peter Crouch. Now, me and Crouchy never exactly got on well. I always thought of him as one of the more overrated strikers to play in an England shirt, and likeable though he is, I never really saw him as a legititimate threat. For a lad his size, he never really won enough headers to justify calling him a 'target man', and whenever you said 'He has a good touch...' you always had to qualify it with '...for a big man.' However, his record in an England shirt has been nothing short of spectacular. Fair play to him, he's made me eat my words on almost every occasion. He makes intelligent movements, and is more of a threat in the air now. One criticism is that he only scores against minnow international sides, but he really hasn't had an oppurtunity to play against the better sides at international level - all he can do is score in the games he plays. He just needs to stop with those damned bicycle kicks... I don't care if they all fly in the top corner, it just looks unnatural when his frame twists in the air like that.

Next, we have Gabby Agbonlahor. He would provide an alternative to all the other strikers on that list, with deadly pace and a tendency to attack the full backs. He'll be a constant menace to defenders, and is more than capable of being shifted to the wings if necessary. His form hasn't been as incredible as last season, where he launched himself onto the scene with an impressive partnership with Ashley Young. However, he has played well and if he can stay injury free he may be a useful addition to the squad. His experience remains in question, as does his performances against top class stoppers, but as an impact sub he could really make a difference.

Finally, we move on to the natural goalscorrers. The boys you want on the pitch with the ball at their feet when you're behind in the 90th minute. This could turn into quite a rant, because I've said it for years; Darren Bent is the most underrated striker this country has right now. Since he was single-handedly trying to keep Charlton in the Premier League, getting goals out of a team that frankly had none in them, I've followed him closely and I cannot believe with his performances this season he is not a certainty for the squad. I will say this against him first however; he may turn Rooney into less of a goal-threat. Bent thrives on the space created by his striking partner, and while his game is about making intelligent runs and drawing defenders out, he is always looking to get on the end of that final ball, not to make it for someone else. His partnership with Kenywe Jones is a handful, and while Jones is maybe not the best natural finisher, his goal rate will continue to be dwarfed by Bent's the way that they both play.

Bent offers strength on the ball that Jermaine Defoe simply doesn't. Defoe's game is to play off the shoulder of the last defender, and kill him for pace once he's beyond him. Don't get me wrong, he's a deadly finisher, but before his incredible 5 goal display at Wigan, he only bagged 6 goals to Bent's 9, and 3 of those came from his demolition job where he got another hat trick against Hull. If we temporarily ignore those spectacular performances, the impressive 11 goals in 11 games doesn't look quite as good next to 3 from 9. His goals from shots percentage is now 31% to Darren Bent's 24%, however before this weekend Bent would have had a dominant edge there. Does Jermaine even get many goals against the bigger clubs? I can only remember him scoring once against United, and once against Chelsea. I can't say I've ever seen him make the difference against a top four side. Look at Darren Bent, playing for a side worse than Tottenham, and he's already scored against all teams in the big four this season, something I'd wager no other striker has done. Now, that is impressive. His performances in an England shirt haven't been, no-one can deny that, but a fit and confident Darren Bent will get you goals.

Oh, and I refuse to even accept Michael Owen as a possibility until he plays more. Don't suggest that's because I'm biased as a Newcastle fan, I just like to see my international forwards, I don't know, playing games. But I'm a traditionalist.

Here's my team for the World Cup if we take 5; Rooney, Cole, Bent, Defoe, Agbonlahor

If we take four, I'd leave Gabby back in England enjoying an extended summer.

Thanks for reading if you made it this far, be sure to comment on your opinions.

Everton and Liverpool Ground Share.

Having had plans for a new stadium at Kirkby rejected Everton are said to be considering a ground share with fierce rivals Liverpool. Toffees chief executive Robert Elstone has stated that the club would now have to consider if it was financially viable. In a move that may disturb fans of both Merseyside clubs it would appear that the situation is being seriously considered. Liverpool deputy executive director Paul Shaw has however stated that the plans are not currently on the clubs agenda. Any deal that would see two of the biggest rivals in world football playing under the same roof seems frankly ridiculous. As ever we are interested to get the opinions of the fans. So please leave comments below. :)

Grant Installed as new Pompey Boss

Avram Grant who has been working in a director of football roll at Portsmouth has been handed the managerial post following the departure earlier in the week of Paul Hart. Grant had been the bookies favourite all week and the confirmation today had seemed inevitable. Grant has Premier League experience of course having managed Chelsea during the 07/08 season and in the process guided his team to the Uefa Champions League final where if it had not been for John Terry's penalty miss his side would have been named Champions of Europe. Grant takes over the helm at a time of great instability at Fratton Park with the club dogged by, not only financial, but on the pitch troubles, they currently sit rock bottom of the Premiership with just 7 points from 13 games. Grant faces an uphill struggle if he is to maintain Portsmouth's Premier League status but many feel that the Israeli is the right man for the job.

Ferguson vs Ferguson

After Paul Harts "shock" departure on Tuesday night it has brought a unique prospect into contention, a father-son managerial clash in Englands finest division. As reported yesterday Avram Grant was widely tipped by many to take over the position but after since being quoted as saying he would not take the role a certain Mr Darren Ferguson has come to the front of the field and been installed as favourite for the Pompey job.

Labelled as not only Britain’s, but the worlds supreme young manager along with Pep Guardiola, Darren Ferguson controversially parted company with Peterborough United despite back to back promotions to the Coca Cola Championship. This highlights just how alarmingly detrimental a poor run of results can be for any Steward of a team, successful or not.

So will Darren Ferguson come head to head with his father and mentor? He certainly seems to be following in the living legends footsteps, surely he must also be on a shortlist to takeover at the helm of Old Trafford when the great man retires. .Many may argue that Ferguson jnr has not managed, in what some consider, to be the best League in the world and faced the abundence of prodigious managers and players it is blessed with.

In my opinion, I feel we will not have to wait much longer for Ferguson to resume work and when he does he will show what a top-class tactician he is, whether it be with Portsmouth or any other football league team.

One thing is for sure, if Darren ever does return on the opposite touchline at Old Traffod Ferguson Snr will not be taking it easy on his son, as he has never given him much preferential treatment. In his time as a player at Manchester United he made just 27 appearances in four years.

Who says blood is thicker than water?

by Dale Hall

Champions League Recap

Well, it wasn't the most exciting night for Europe's top competition, but we still saw some interesting results. Lady luck appears to be shining on Bayern Munich right now, with their 1-0 result against Maccabi Haifa, courtesy of Ivica Olic's strike, coupled with Juventus losing 2-0 to Bordeaux means that they can still qualify with victory against Juventus in a mouth-watering European tie in December. Bordeaux went ahead through Fernando Menegazzo, with highly rated Marouane Chamakh finishing the scoring.

Elsewhere, English sides had mixed results across the competition. Premier League champions Manchester United lost 1-0 at home to Besiktas, the goal coming in the 2oth minute from Rodrigo Tello's deflected long range strike. The goal was cruel for United, who were clearly the better team, but were unable to equalise despite coming close in the last 10 minutes. Chelsea meanwhile, won 1-0 at FC Porto to top their group with relative ease. The goal came from Nicolas Anelka, but on an otherwise uneventful night, Fernando Belluschi was able to impress for the home side.

In other results, Real Madrid won 1-0 at home to FC Zurich. While many would have expected a more impressive scoreline, the only goal of the game came from a good move from Kaka playing in Argentine wonderkid Gonzalo Higuain to finish. That leaves Real Madrid looking comfortable to qualify, with AC Milan in second place, crucially above Marseille but only by a point. They drew 1-1 with Marseille, unable to guarantee qualification. They went ahead through Marco Borriello, only to conceed a Lucho Gonzalez equaliser. The final results from tonight's action saw a 2-1 win for CSKA Moscow against Wolfsburg, to leave both sides on the same number of points looking for second place, and Atletico Madrid drawing 1-1 with Apoel in the game nobody cared about.

Hull Take 3 Points In Premier League.

Hull battled through a brave Everton comeback in the 2nd half to secure a vital 3-2 win in the Premier League tonight. 3 goals inside the first 30 minutes from Stephen Hunt, Andy Dawson and Dean Marney saw the struggling side race to a seemingly untouchable lead. The Tigers were not however guaranteed three points at a Kamil Zayatte own goal at the start of the second half through the result back into the balance. An unfortunate night for the defender continued as he conceded a penalty which Louis Saha converted to ensure a nerve racking end to the game. Phil Brown's men held on however and 3 points moves them into 15th place although many of there rivals retain games in hand. Hull fans may feel that 3 points earned tonight could be vital come the end of the season.

In tonight's other Premier League encounter Fulham overcame a Blackburn side with relative ease at Craven cottage emerging as 3-0 victors. Erik Nevland opened the scoring just before half time and a brace from Clint Dempsey in the second half secured the win.

Half Time Scores

Champions League

AC Milan 1-1 Marseille

Apoel Nicosia 1-0 Atletico Madrid

Bayern Munich 0-0 Maccabi Haifa

Bordeaux 0-0 Juventus

CSKA Moscow 2-1 Wolfsburg (Full Time)

FC Porto 0-0 Chelsea

Man Utd 0-1 Besiktas

Real Madrid 1-0 FC Zurich

Premiership

Hull 3-0 Everton

Wednesday's Champions League Preview

Well, well, well. What is there to say about tonight's upcoming scintilating offering of European football?

...Erm. Not that much actually. Especially for those of you only following the British teams, who have both secured qualification to the latter stages, with only the challenge of finishing top of their groups left to play for. Be sure to check out the Chelsea and Manchester United previews for individual team news.

Casting our eye further afield, we might see some interesting action in Group A, with struggling European giant Bayern Munich looking to overturn a four point deficit behind Juventus to avoid crashing out. They face hopeless Maccabi Haifa at home, with three points surely already in the bag, whilst French surprise package Bordeaux, who occupy the top spot presently with 10 points, face second placed Juventus who sit on 8. The prospect of Juventus dropping points will only spur the German side on further, with the spotlight on Mario Gomez in light of the absences of key players such as Luca Toni, Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery. A win for Bayern and a loss for Juventus will set up a mouth watering crunch tie in December for the remaining spot in the latter stages.

Finally, we have the chance to watch two of the biggest teams in the competition try to secure qualification, with neutrals hoping both AC Milan and Real Madrid hold on to first and second place respectively. They each have 7 points, the only real threat coming from Marseille on 6. However, with the French side still having to play AC Milan away and Real at home, it seems unlikely they'll be able to break into the top two. It still is all to play for though, so nothing will be taken for granted in group C, and we could yet see some upsets.

The only other thing to note is that we all get the chance to see more of Sergio 'Kun' Aguero, appearing for struggling Atletico Madrid who hope to secure third place and a place in the Europa League against Apoel. This player is sure to excite and may prove just why the biggest clubs in Europe will most likely be fighting for his signature in a £40 million transfer battle this January.

Porto's Hulk: A video compilation.

Chelsea play Porto tonight and contained within that squad is one of Europe's hottest talents - 23 year old Brazilian 'Hulk' Here is a video of some of his exploits from last season for your enjoyment.

Previews of tonights Champions League ties can be found on the homepage.

Porto vs Chelsea Preview

Perhaps the most eagerly anticpated Champions League group game in the competition's history? Not exactly. But Chelsea fans can look forward to seeing a reasonably strong side take on FC Porto at the Estadio do Dragao tonight, with key players Didier Drogba and Michael Essien expected to continue their recovery from injury, alongside Michael Ballack and Deco also making their return to the squad. Frank Lampard is one of the few noticeable absentees, but with qualification already secured the Chelsea stalwart is unlikely to be missed too much. The only interesting nugget to take from this tie is that the exciting Gael Kakuta makes the squad, and a cameo appearance from the youngster may only solidify his status as one of the best prospects in football at the moment. Porto, who find themselves third in the Portuguese league, have finally got a full squad available for selection, but it would seem that only home advantage gives them a chance of beating a formiddable Blues side.

Also, please take a moment to appreciate the brilliantly named attacker in Porto's side, the Brazilian known as 'Hulk'.

Man Utd v Besiktas Preview

Manchester United face Besiktas at Old Trafford tonight, with the odds stacked in the English Champion's favour despite being expected to play a youthful starting eleven. Youngsters Danny Welbeck, Federico Macheda and Gabriel Obertan are expected to feature at some point, and Sir Alex Ferguson will make a point of giving first team experience to promising midfielder Darron Gibson, who he says is desperate to play more football. Edwin van der Sar travelled with the squad, but is not expected to start. This leaves the question of whether England hopeful Ben Foster will be given the chance to impress Fabio Capello after a string of sub-par performances, or if Ferguson will continue to prefer Tomasz Kuszczak between the sticks. In a surprise return to fitness, Berbatov has made a swifter recovery than was expected from a knee injury, and may feature at some point, despite Ferguson's claims that he wouldn't be available last Saturday. With Besiktas picking up a solitary point so far this season in the Champions League, it is hard to see beyond another three points for United, making them all but certain to place above Wolfsburg and finish top of Group B.

Vidic to leave Man Utd?

In one of the more persistent transfer rumours of this season, it seems that the possibility of Nemanja Vidic leaving the Premier League for a warmer clime is more likely than ever. The Serbian stopper has been consistently linked with a move away from Old Trafford, with European giants such as AC Milan, Barcelona and the free-spending Real Madrid interested in the 28 year old.

It would seem as though the Rossoneri or los Merengues would be the most likely destinations for Vidic, with AC Milan's back four looking increasingly aged on paper, and Real Madrid not afraid of dipping into the coffers this season. Their centre-back partnership of Pepe and Raul Albiol would most likely be improved by the addition of Vidic, the club having also been linked recently with Fiorentina left back Juan Manuel Vargas to bolster their options on the flanks.

Vidic has been unable to find his best form this season, and the pairing of Ferdinand and Vidic has certainly seemed more vulnerable than last season. With Ferdinand's long-term fitness in question, and Vidic linked away from the club, we might see Sir Alex Ferguson forced into action in the transfer market if he cannot convince Vidic his future remains at Old Trafford.

As always, let us know your opinion on this story; will Vidic see his career out at Manchester United, or is it a matter of time before the centre back finds himself playing his football elsewhere?

The Next Portsmouth Manager....

Following Paul Hart's departure from Fratton Park earlier this week it appears opinion is divided on whether or not the manager was to blame. (See story and comments on homepage). However, the search is now on for the next boss with Avram Grant widely tipped to take the hotseat. Is former Chelsea manager Grant the man to keep Portsmouth in the league or should Pompey be looking elsewhere? Along with Avram Grant, Darren Ferguson and Alan Curbishley have also been mentioned. Curbishley of course has Premier League experience with Charlton and West Ham and has a good track record, managing to establish Charlton has a Premier League side before his departure. Ferguson, on the other hand, is unproven at this level but as one of the best up and coming young managers in the game it is no shock to see his name being suggested. Who do you think should be the man to take the reigns? Check out the latest odds and leave comments below :)

Latest Odds for next boss

Alexandre Song renews Gunners contract.

Cameroon international Alexandre Song has put pen to paper on a new contract that will see him remain at the Emirates until at least 2014. The defensive midfielder has broken through the ranks at Arsenal over the last two seasons and has now become an important part of Arsene Wenger's first team plans. Song joins Eduardo in renewing his contract with the Gunners, the Croat international having renewed his deal last week.