Since the abrupt departure of Martin O’Neill 5 days before the 2010 Premier League started, Aston Villa has been in a tentative state of transition. Caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald was handed the reins and hopes were high after a display of scintillating, fluent football in the 3-0 win against West Ham.

However, the wave of support was tempered by mediocre football in the 1-1 draw at Vienna and almost extinguished in the aftermath of a humiliating 6-0 thrashing by Newcastle United.

Actually, this is not the first time Aston Villa had their hide skinned. They capitulated to Liverpool 5-0 and Chelsea 6-0 last season but the defeats were palatable given the quality of the opponents. Against Newcastle United, a team just promoted from the Championships and which had earlier lost 3-0 to Manchester United, it is a disgrace.

To be sure, Newcastle’s cavalier attitude can be overwhelming when you underestimate and foolishly play into their strength. But for all their attacking prowess, it is accompanied often by a porous defense. Yet Aston Villa could not make much inroads on goal after an early penalty miss.

This abject performance has left Aston Villa fans pondering over the appointment of Kevin MacDonald as manager on a permanent basis. More disappointment was heaped on the Villains when they crashed out of Europe after losing 2-3 to Rapid Vienna (agg 3-4) in the second leg qualifier in mid-week.

Aston Villa started well, took the lead twice through Gabriel Agbonlahor and Emile Heskey, and had a penalty miss by captain Stiliyan Petrov. For a while, you thought Aston Villa had banished the nightmare of Newcastle’s 6-0 drubbing as they controlled the game but conceding silly goals saw their efforts came to nought.

The only consolation is that Martin O’Neill was also undone by the same opponent in the qualifying stages last year. They had a crucial penalty saved too and their defense was breached after 16 seconds at Vienna.

For the time being, MacDonald continues to take charge of first team affairs until the international break which means one more crucial game (Premier League clash with Everton) to decide his fate.

Kevin MacDonald vs Martin O’Neill

Against Newcastle United, Kevin MacDonald had admitted to getting the lineup wrong, saying: “Newcastle are a decent side with a lot of experience and took their chances well. Maybe I was a bit naive in my selection. I played two youngsters again and maybe two games in a week was too much for them.”

Naive selections aside, the fact that his charges continue their wayward manners after half time and his ineffective substitutions indicate that his dressing room prep talk and tactical nous require further refinement if he wants to be on par with his predecessor Martin O’Neill.

When Martin O’ Neill took over from David O’Leary, he succeeded in moving Aston Villa up the Premier League table from 15th position to 11th and then 6th spot for the next 3 seasons which ensured the club’s participation in European competition.

Though major titles still elude the club, O’Neill’s consistency is a remarkable legacy of his four year tenure, considering the competitive nature of the Premier League. Indeed, Kevin MacDonald has big shoes to fill but he can seek solace from some Aston Villa fans who viewed consistency as stagnation. You can’t please all the people all the time but are these fans being negative?

When you bring ROI (return on investment) into the picture, O’Neill achievements may have to be taken down a peg or two as he spent more than £83m in the transfer market over 4 seasons.

Of course, one can always point to football clubs with more generous transfer budgets which ended up as flops (Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough) or have yet to yield any trophies. For the record, Roberto Mancini busted £130m in this summer transfer window alone and it is unclear how much the new recruits can contribute to his campaign.

However, owner Randy Lerner is not a sugar daddy in the league of Roman Abramovich or the Middle East Sheikhs, so it is fairer to compare Aston Villa’s success to tightly run and well-managed clubs like Arsenal, Everton and Blackburn.

Some of Martin O’Neill’s purchases, namely Ashley Young, James Milner, Brad Friedel, and Carlos Cueller were justified but others bombed badly. Nicky Shorey, Marlon Harewood and Steve Sidwell were a waste of money.

On the other hand, David Moyes bought excellent players like Arteta, Yakubu, Saha, Cahill and Fellaini either on free transfers or relatively inexpensive prices after taking into account his disciplined sell-to-buy policy. Overall, David Moyes’s outlay net of transfers in the last 4 years was less than than Martin O’Neill, but Everton finished ahead of Aston Villa in 3 of those 4 years.

Clearly David Moyes did a better job at keeping his club’s finances healthy. Speaking of which, Arsene Wenger come up tops among the trio for maintaining Arsenal in top four by not splashing on big-name players and rely solely on polishing raw talents.

If the money has been better spent, either on a quality play-maker who can dictate the game against the top teams, or sturdy reinforcements to support the final stretch where the first XI tend to tire, O’Neill will have secured Champions League qualification for Aston Villa already.

The Villains did come close enough; for the last 2 seasons, the team had a strong advantage only to crumble near the finish line as tiredness and injuries took their toil. The collapse stood in stark contrast to Everton’s superb comeback from a woeful start and the latter nearly finished ahead yet again.

Martin O’Neill was helpless in preventing the team’s loss of momentum. Young, Milner and Agbonlahor scored only 16 goals in 14 games. Aston Villa couldn’t capitalize on its home ground advantage and instead showed better form in away matches by counterattacking with gusto.

Aston Villa’s thin squad has proven to be a handicap as the club pursues glory on multiple fronts. Last season, Villa did well in both the domestic cups and the strain becomes even more telling. Rotating a small and tired squad is difficult. Some players have to cope with more games while others are fielded out of position.

To fulfill the fans’ aspirations, I believe Martin O’Neill may have requested for another huge transfer budget this summer but Randy Lerner is not inclined to pump in more money.

It is clear that Martin O’Neill’s position became untenable with Lerner’s insistence on a sell-to buy policy and possible wage cut. Nearly 85% of Villa’s turnover are wages, that is rather high for a football club. Villa director General Charles Krulak had criticized O’Neill for not complying to the club’s need to reduce its wage bill and acting like he is “bigger than the club.”

There is nothing wrong with Randy Lerner’s desire for a sustainable business model. Europe has not emerged from the sovereign debts crisis and football clubs are not immune to austerity measures. It will be financial suicide for owners to drag football clubs further into debts.

However, there is something to be said about Aston Villa’s sell-to-buy policy. Instead of selling players surplus to requirements, it often targets the jewels in the crown, and with the recouped money, they buy other players and increase their hit and miss ratio.

Last season, Aston Villa sold former captain Gareth Barry and now James Milner (2010 Player of the Year) to Manchester City. In return for the highly prized Milner, Aston Villa received £26m which includes the £8m rated Stephen Ireland.

From a business perspective, it makes sense as the Villians more than doubled their investment from two years ago when they signed Milner from Newcastle United for £12m. But it could be shortsighted to see Aston Villa’s competitive edge eroded.

As a parting gift, Milner turned in a magnificent performance and scored the third goal against West Ham United. It is sad that a player who is leaving is more committed than some of his mates. The slackers will do well to pull up their socks soon…

Can Aston Villa recover from the loss of its two star players? When James Milner was brought in to fill the gap left by Gareth Barry, he proved his worth admirably. But is Stephen Ireland a good replacement? Well, I can only say a power shift happened when Manchester City bought over both players while dumping Richard Dunne and Stephen Ireland onto Aston Villa.

That is not to condemn Stephen Ireland as a terrible player. He is hardworking, eager to improve and has been solid, especially last season. But it is clear James Milner was a more important player for Aston Villa than Stephen Ireland was to Manchester City. Stephen Ireland almost went to Sunderland in 2008 and costing only 8million, I doubt Manchester City are suckers to do such a deal.

Is Kevin MacDonald the Right Choice?

Looking at the achievements and shortfalls of Martin O’Neill, Kevin MacDonald actually stand a good chance of getting the job. If Aston Villa want to tighten their belts and go the youth development route, MacDonald is the right man.

Having spent 15 years at Aston Villa as reserve team manager, MacDonald is no stranger to the terrain, staff and players. He is instrumental in developing the youngsters who broke into the first-team and is regarded as an excellent coach.

MacDonald may also enjoy the implicit backing of chairman Randy Lerner who has yet to contact any candidates pending the team’s performances and an interview where he is expected to express his footballing philosophy and desire to shoulder the responsibility.

While footballing results may not have gone his way, Kevin MacDonald have won admirers for trying his best in his unassuming manner and keeping his feet on the ground. Knowing the fickle nature of football fans, he is wary of their praises which could turn on a dime when the chips are down.

His lack of ego is also endearing. MacDonald prefers being the “invisible” man, just getting out on the pitch to coach while his players take the credit. However, the scrutiny on non-football aspects and pressure in the Premier League may just see him giving up the role.

I believe Kevin MacDonald, if he is up for the challenge, should be given more time in the Premier League (at least a full season) rather than just two matches. As he possesses an intimate knowledge of the youngsters, he may be able to strengthen the team without costly transfers by promoting players from the reserve squad into the senior team.

It is worth noting that Aston Villa had won the The Premier Reserve League South for the third year in a row. Villa has an impressive youth development program and there some serious talents eager and ready to cut their teeth in the Premier League. These lads are also winners for clinching the Reserve title consistently.

Martin O’Neill’s presence may inhibit their progress but with Kevin MacDonald in charge, we will see these youngsters sooner than later. There is also a good chance of him implementing Lerner’s sell-to-buy policy effectively by casting off players past their prime.

But of course, when you are talking about youth and trying to save money, the fans have to be patient and tolerant of failures. They must be realistic in their expectations that Kevin MacDonald cannot outperform Martin O’Neill in his first season and may even flirt with relegation.

Youth promises enthusiasm and pace, but also comes with it, unpredictability and inexperience. Will we see more 6-0 drubbings for MacDonald’s youth team? Yes, but this baptism of fire is necessary for the youngsters to gain experience and develop their skills. Alex Ferguson showed faith in his youth team comprising of Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham and was richly rewarded.

Current Squad and Youth Development

Kevin MacDonald’s main role will be to usher in an era of young, promising players into the first XI. It is a gamble but the alternative of having Martin O’Neill overpay for players of Premier League quality while those who can set the Champions League alight just wouldn’t come, is not attractive either.

Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor are the future of Aston Villa’s strike force. The latter’s pace, poaching instincts and good rapport with Young will yield the goals to keep Villa afloat. But injury is a concern as Agbonlahor missed most of pre-season with back and hamstring problems, and he may not last the entire season.

Having another experienced striker will ease those days when goals are in short supply. Unfortunately, John Carew is not the same player he was in Spain. He is still lethal with his header but his speed has slowed considerably and is injury prone. Worse still, now his penalty taking is suspect.

As for Emile Heskey, he has struggled to provide a real goal threat for many years. Moving out the deadweight will be good news for James Collins, Andreas Weimann and Nathan Delfouneso who were top scorers in the reserve league. It is unlikely though that Villa will see any 30-goals a season type of striker just yet.

In midfield, Aston Villa are also bustling with exciting young players. Marc Albrighton’s gave an impressive show against West Ham, where he set up two goals, and was instrumental in the other. He dares to run at fullbacks and deliver telling crosses. His rise to prominence on the wings has allowed Ashley Young to switch inside and the freedom to roam. Barry Bannan is another promising attacking midfielder who had the composure to score an away goal in the 1-1 draw at Rapid Vienna.

The midfield can improve further in terms of creating chances and not giving the opponent too much space as in the Newcastle match. More sophisticated teams will have tore the youngsters apart and handed them a double-digit whipping. It remains to be seen if Stephen Ireland can provide the creative link which Aston Villa crave.

Without a doubt, Aston Villa’s weakest link lie in their defense. Martin O’Neill wrestled with the problem and failed, leading to some embarrassing results. We have to accept that Richard Dunne is not John Terry (even after the sex scandal) and true to form, he committed several typical mistakes which led to Newcastle’s goals. Dunne may still be useful in the box but inadequate when tracking back.

Habib Beye, one of the more experienced defenders, was criminal in allowing Rapid Vienna to score two elementary goals. Curtis Davies is decent for a back-up but his wages is on the high side considering his contributions last season were limited by a shoulder injury. He could be a good candidate for wage adjustment or simply being sold. American defender Eric Lichaj is still too raw to meet the challenges of top flight football.

Kevin MacDonald will take a while to experiment with his defensive setup before hitting the jackpot, if ever. It can be difficult for youngsters to make their debuts when the defense is so shaky. In just two matches alone, we have seen too many defensive errors. If there is money available for spending, getting solid defensive cover should be MacDonald’s top priority.

Improving the Training Sessions

If Kevin MacDonald wants to go one up over Martin O’Neill, training is a good area to focus on. It is shocking to know that your opponent has you all figured out. John Terry revealed last season that Chelsea knew Aston Villa would tire in the last 30 mins and they were waiting for that. This is inexcusable for modern footballers.

The players are in a professional league and are expected to last 90 minutes, not to mention keeping their focus till the final whistle. Why are Aston Villa players so tired and lacking in stamina? Just imagine what will happen if they had a good run in Europa League, besides challenging for the Premier League and domestic cups.

It is no coincidence that Frank Lampard, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Wayne Rooney can feature in almost every game without tiring. Improving the training sessions is critical in improving the players’ fitness and preventing serious injuries.

Victory Against Everton Is Possible

A silver lining for Kevin MacDonald is that their visitors this weekend, Everton, have also made a poor start to the season. David Moyes is desperate to get his first win of the season under his belt.

The Toffees were beaten by Blackburn Rovers on the opening day and surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw with Wolves last weekend. There is no cause for alarm yet as Everton are slow starters and usually come back strongly in the second half of the competition.

Kevin MacDonald has a good chance to win as Everton’s record at Villa Park does not breed confidence. They have managed just one win at Villa in the Premier League, though they could have added another one if not for a late Phil Jagielka own goal last season. David Moyes will be hoping for better luck this time but I doubt they will be drowning in sorrow if they lost.

We may even see an entertaining goalfest based on previous encounters and if Aston Villa go all out (since their defense is in a shambles anyway), this trend should continue.

Assuming Kevin MacDonald is really down on his luck and Everton won, I believe he is the best candidate to lead Aston Villa. Deciding on MacDonald’s career based on the few disappointing results is unfair when he is trying to do something different and meaningful for the future of the club.

Any successful manager will have their humble and rough beginnings. O’Neill built the foundations of his coaching in non-league football before managing at the highest level. The same goes for Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger too.

Should Kevin MacDonald decide front-line management is not for him, one solution would be to bring in a figurehead to work alongside him, allowing him to concentrate on coaching while his partner deals with the media, player recruitment and negotiating contracts.

If that doesn’t pan out, Aston Villa have to start interviewing candidates for the managerial role. United States manager Bob Bradley faces competition from the likes of Gareth Southgate, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Martin Jol, though the American is the only one who has voiced out his desire to take over at Aston Villa.

Bradley has impressed in his time in charge of the USA, leading the team into the last 16 of this summer’s World Cup which included a 1-1 draw with England.

He has an advantage in that Aston Villa has an American owner (Randy Lerner) as well as several American players (Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan and Eric Lichaj). So anti-American hostility is unlikely to rear its ugly head, like in Old Trafford and Anfield. However, Bradley is considered a risky option having never managed outside of his home country.

It will be an interesting two weeks to see who Randy Lerner will appoint for Aston Villa. Stay tuned…

Notwithstanding Mourinho’s remaining two year contract with Inter Milan, Real Madrid President Florentino Perez is certain of his appointment and could make that all-important announcement as early as next Tuesday.

There is no doubt that Real Madrid is recruiting a proven champion but not all Madridstas have taken warmly to Jose Mourinho’s impending arrival, at least not yet. Perez wasted little time in lauding Mourinho style as the perfect fit for Real Madrid.

He said, “Bringing in Mourinho – one of the best coaches in the world, if not the best – is an opportunity Madrid couldn’t let pass by. A change of coach is always hard but we believe now is the moment to give a new impulse to our project.”

In fairness, Manuel Pellegrini gave a good account of himself. Granted that he had a “dream” team of Galacticos, but achieving 96 points (a club record for los Blancos) and 102 goals in La Liga is no small feat. Unfortunately, the dominant Blaugrana proved hard to dislodge.

For his debut effort, Pellegrini cannot be considered an abject failure but the high expectations at Real Madrid and Pep Guardiola’s sextuple of titles (also won in his first season) made his tenure untenable.

Losing twice in the El Clasicos this season exposed the gulf in standard between both clubs and is something which staunch Real Madrid fans cannot forgive. The defeat by Olympique Lyon in the Champions League and a humiliating exit at the hands of Second Division B side Alcorcón in the Copa del Rey also did Pellegrini no favors.

I believe given sufficient time, Manuel Pellegrini will win something for Real Madrid, in keeping with his track record at San Lorenzo, River Plate and Villarreal. But Perez is loathe to wait for him to come good, not when Barcelona intends to set the bar even higher with their recent purchase of David Villa, one of the most promising and lethal Spanish strikers.

Jose Mourinho will certainly relish the challenge of improving on Pellegrini’s tenure but more importantly to stop Barcelona from winning titles and writing new chapters in Spanish football annals. However, this is far from a marriage made in heaven.

Florentino Perez’s vision of Galacticos (strikers and attacking midfielders only, defenders need not apply) is to set them free on the pitch and entertain the fans with goals and nifty footwork.

Such laissez faire attacking football where Galacticos flaunt their skills at the expense of the team while water-carriers do the heavy lifting runs contrary to Mourinho’s philosophy of organized defense and collective spirit.

Perez’s Galacticos model is ideal from a purely entertainment and financial perspective. After all, Barcelona also adopts an exhilarating brand of fluid, attacking football en-route to their unprecedented success.

Jose Mourinho’s ability to put up a barricade in front of goal may be peerless, but Real Madrid fans are not accustomed to such negative tactics. Hence, even if Real Madrid win a treble, its boring football will be viewed unfavorably compared to Barcelona. At least Manuel Pellegrini had 102 goals to account for entertainment value.

I doubt if Mourinho will bend his principles to satisfy Florentino Perez and Real Madrid fans. In any case, attacking football is not his forte. Arsenal, an accomplished master of one-touch football paid a heavy price when they tried to beat Barcelona at their own game, only to have a certain Lionel Messi tear their defenses apart. You will not catch Mourinho commiting suicide by playing into Barcelona’s strength.

To be sure, Mourinho doesn’t adopt an ultra defensive catenaccio style of football nor strive to win by the solitary goal. His teams possess a high work rate and organized defense but are equally capable of incisive and ferocious bludgeoning when they counter attack.

The Portuguese is flexible in adjusting his strategies but he hardly fall prey to mind games. Sparring with Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger did not derail Chelsea from winning the Premier League title. When Louis Van Gaal claimed that his Bayern side played a more entertaining football while Mourinho’s teams seek only to win negatively, the latter did not rise to the bait by pressing the all-out attack mode at Santiago Bernabeu, just to impress his future employer.

Mourinho persisted in his game plan which Inter Milan executed to perfection. His football philosophy has worked on so many occasions and he will not bow to pressure from anybody. This is where disputes will continually flare up between Mourinho and Perez’s management, regardless of the titles won.

Neverthelesss, such is the invincible aura surrounding Barcelona that some priorities have to be adjusted and pride swallowed. The mismangement of Real Madrid in the last decade has also strengthened Mourinho’s hand.

Mourinho’s appointment makes him the 11th coach in seven years. During this time, Los Merengues only won five trophies including two Spanish Supercopas while he has won 17 titles in Portugal, England and Italy.

Real Madrid had also gone six consecutive seasons without overcoming a single knock-out tie in the Champions League. None of the coaches Florentino Perez brought to Real Madrid has won anything. Clearly the Los Merengues need Mourinho more than he needs them.

Florentino Perez insisted he will not pay for Mourinho’s £16m get out clause but if truth be told, the money will be settled in some form or another. While arch rival Barcelona continue to celebrate their conquests, his expensively assembled team comprising Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso and Karim Benzema had yielded zero returns.

When Perez was re-elected, he promised greatness but his legacy at Real Madrid is now in danger of being written off as a shambles compared to the outgoing Joan Laporta at Barcelona.

Florentino Perez has to be clear what he wants or can get from Jose Moruinho before he signs on the dotted line. The Portuguese is a brilliant coach who plans meticulously and inspires football players to punch above their weight. Few coaches can incite passion and rally the troops to fight for a common cause as well as Mourinho. Sacrifice is the common value which run through the Nerazzurri as they defeated Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Having the best of both worlds is too much to ask for, unless he entices Pep Guardiola to defect to the “White House.” Being a true blue Catalan, Guardiola is unlikely to commit the cardinal sin. That leaves Mourinho, one of only 3 coaches to have won the Champions League in two different countries as Perez’s best hope of wresting European football leadership.

If his first objective is to win a treble to be on par with Barcelona, it will serve him well to see how Inter Milan coexisted with Jose Mourinho.
Inter Milan’s luck have improved in recent years, garnering five consecutive domestic championships and the perfect treble. But throughout its history, the Nerazzurri were regarded as underachievers.

When Massimo Moratti took over the reins in 1995, he bankrolled high profile players like Ronaldo, Christian Vieri, and Hernán Crespo but Inter were still no match for AC Milan and Juventus. It was a turbulent period with managers operating on a revolving door basis (including Luigi Simoni, Marcello Lippi, Hector Cuper, etc) and fans protesting against Moratti.

A large part boils down to Massimo Moratti’s impatience and distrust in his coaches. Surprisingly, for Moratti’s character, he backed Jose Mourinho who was on a generous pay package fully in the transfer market after the Portuguese failed to outperform Roberto Mancini in his first attempt.

There were also countless controversies which put Moratti in a tight spot, notbaly Mourinho’s war against the entire Italy football fraternity. Moratti was under pressure from the Italian media for not taking “energetic action” to rein in Mourinho’s impudence towards referees, players, coaches, journalists and the football authority.

Moratti’s perseverance paid off though as Inter Milan ended their 45 year wait for the Champions League title. This makes one wonder what Chelsea could achieve if oil oligarch Roman Abramovich had cast aside his ego and exercised the same faith in Mourinho by indulging his arrogance and disregarding disputes with John Terry… perhaps the first Champions League title will have arrived at Stamford Bridge.

Similarly, if the relationship between Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid is to blossom, the owner’s unwavering support is crucial. The trio of president Florentino Perez, director general Jorge Valdano and sporting director Miguel Pardeza have huge egos too but they will have to accept the outspoken Mourinho stepping on their toes.

It is painfully obivous José Mourinho is infatuated with himself, and his self-aggrandization made him lots of enemies. But it is this narcissism that sets him apart from the rest. Without a commanding and fanatical personality, he will be just another industrious coach with a clipboard, taking notes and strategizing away but unable to instill his plan into the hearts and minds of his players.

Modern football pays well but demands results in the shortest time possible. Managers and players are always a game or two away from the axe. To manage expectations and egoistic footballers, you need a cult-like or dictatorial figure with strong leadership and imposing personalities.

Jose Mourinho has made it clear that he will be the one making decisions about the Real Madrid first team but there are prima donnas in the squad who think otherwise. Raul wields enormous influence over the team as the captain and he has access to the inner sanctum of Santiago Bernabeu.

Unless the striker conforms to Mourinho’s teachings, high profile clashes are inevitable. Selling Raul in the summer will help Mourinho establish his authority but it is bound to raise the ire of Real Madrid fans.

On the issue of transfers, Mourinho will certainly be given a generous budget but the jury is still out on Mourinho’s talent spotting ability. There were hits and misses during his reign at Chelsea. Ferreira, Wright-Phillips, Schevchenko, Kezman, Tiago, Maniche, Jarosik, Del Horno, Boulahrouz, Essien, Drogba, Carvalho, Kalou and Mikel were bought but very few established themselves as first team regulars.

While Madrid’s directors and owner should steer clear of coaching matters, the delineation of approving transfer targets is less clear. Interfering to the extent of ignoring the coach is wrong as can be seen by Manuel Pellegrini’s frustration.

Pellegrini was not consulted about the sale of Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, departures he lamented as mistakes on the part of the club. He said resignedly: “I wanted Sneijder and Robben to stay but I never had a conversation at Real Madrid about who I preferred, if it was Cristiano or Kaka and Sneijder and Robben. The coach should have had a more important voice in what the team needs. At that point I felt small.”

One of the major factor for Inter Milan’s successful assault on multiple fronts this season was their shrewd purchases in the transfer market. Moratti has credited Marco Branco, Inter’s technical director, for working hand in hand with Mourinho to recruit quality reinforcements last summer.

Inter Milan bought Diego Milito with the €46m that accompanied Samuel Eto’o in exchange for Zlatan Ibrahimovic last summer. The other arrivals were Wesley Sneijder, Thiago Motta and Lucio, whom have all played instrumental roles in Inter Milan’s campaign. Without doubt, this is the most successful spending spree in football.

Diego Milito, a late bloomer at age 30, deserves special mention for the way he repaid the transfer fee. He was an unpolished gem at Real Zaragoza and Genoa but he reached his full potential under Mourinho and scored crucial goals, like the winner in the Coppa Italia against Roma and the 1-0 victory over Siena, which won Inter Milan their 18th scudetto. Milito’s brace against Bayern Munich in the Champions League was the icing on the cake and encapsulated how much he has improved in one season.

Unfortunately, Diego Milito will not be arriving at Real Madrid as Moratti has said he is not for sale. Not to worry as there are so many transfer rumors swirling around currently, you can barely keep up. Mourinho has expressed his preference for players who are in their early 30s; coincidentally, English players Lampard and Gerrard fit that profile and are in his shopping list.

Mourinho’s thinking deviates markedly from conventional wisdom of youth policy exhorted by Arsenal and Barcelona. Besides experience and consistency, Mourinho may find older players easier to motivate as their chances of achieving glory is less than their younger counterparts. It is apparent from the way old warhorses like Javier Zanetti and Marco Materazzi dig into energy reserves to cover men and ground as the competition intensifies.

Regardless of the players arriving or departing Real Madrid next season, we are likely to see attacking instincts being curbed, less dribbling and stepovers, more running and selfless defending. If the Los Merengues demonstrate altruism in fulfilling Mourinho’s tactical demands to the letter, the trophies will come.

How long the Mourinho and Real Madrid union will last is another issue though. Fabio Capello and Vicente del Bosque, now in charge of England and Spain respectively, were dismissed after winning La Liga titles because their style was deemed too boring for the fans.

In the case of Mourinho, he will have no qualms about leaving once he satisfies his objective of winning the Champions League in 3 different countries. He doesn’t aspire to an impressive legacy with a single football club like Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.

Mourinho has already indicated that he will not take charge of Real Madrid for the long-haul, and will love a return to the Premier League. This marriage of convenience is actually beneficial for all parties. The trophy cabinet has been empty for too long and Real Madrid fans can finally enjoy the feeling of winning major titles again. They also need not worry that Mourinho will overstay his welcome with his pragmatic football.

The rivalry in Spainish football has never been more intense. I believe other teams in Europe are having sleepless nights too as they contemplate their chances in the Champions League with Barcelona and Real Madrid fighting for the ultimate prize. Next season will be interesting, stay tuned…

However, Pep Guardiola is now facing his sternest test since taking over the reins at Barcelona. It is still the same breathtaking style of Total Football but the invincibility is waning. Replicating last year’s success is already impossible as Barcelona were eliminated from the Copa del Rey by Sevilla. The chase for La Liga and Champions League titles is still on, if hanging by a thread.

In La Liga, Pep Guardiola failed to create an insurmountable lead like last season. The current one-point gap will motivate Real Madrid to push Barcelona right to the wire, as the La Liga is the former’s only chance for glory after spending a massive fortune assembling Galacticos during the summer.

Given the long standing rivalry between the two Spanish clubs, Barcelona cannot afford to take their foot off the pedal, if they want to create history. However, the Blaugranas are showing signs of strain from fighting for honors on multiple fronts.

On Saturday, Xerez, in 20th position with only six victories and 30 goals in 33 matches was pitted against Barcelona with no hopes of an upset. True to form, the Catalans dismissed their opponent in a 3-1 victory. Pep Guardiola is not in a celebratory mood though as Real Madrid squeezed past Zaragoza 2-1, courtesy of Raul and Kaka, to maintain the pressure.

But rather than worry about his rival, Pep Guardiola will do well to evaluate his team’s weakness. Barcelona were leading 2-0 but complacency set in. With nothing to lose, Xerez went all out and sneaked in a goal as well as causing panic in Barcelona’s backline, despite its limited firepower. Such defensive lapses will haunt Guardiola as the consequences are dire against tougher opponents.

Tensions in the domestic league aside, Barcelona’s European party is also in danger of being spoiled by a crafty Jose Mourinho. The Blaugranas did not impress in the group stages of the Champions League but they stamped their class after steamrolling Stuttgart and Arsenal 5-1 and 6-3 respectively.

The scoreline may gloss over the fact that Barcelona were lackluster in a 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium and only prevailed at Nou Camp with a certain Lionel Messi in majestic form. Against Inter Milan, Pep Guardiola will need more Nou Camp magic as the odds are stacked higher after a 3-1 defeat at the San Siro in the Champions League semi final first leg.

Inter, seeking to relive the glory of being Europe’s champions since consecutive titles in 1964 and 1965, effectively clamped down on FIFA Player of the Year Lionel Messi and made the defending champions swallow their pride – it was the first time they conceded three goals this season.

Although Barcelona scored first from Pedro Rodriguez’s low shot in the 19th minute, they failed to capitalize on the advantage and overwhelming possession. As the game wore on, Barcelona appeared jaded, probably due to the 10 hour bus trip.

On the other hand, the goal spured Internazionale into combat mode where they launched swift counter attacks and tightened the backline. Inter Milan equalized through Wesley Sneijder in the 30th minute and collected a precious two goal lead through Maicon in the 48th minute and Diego Milito in the 61st minute.

Perhaps nobody does it better than Barcelona when it comes to exquisite passing but it cannot compensate for the loss of concentration and inability to track back quickly. That Inter Milan have a disciplined defense is no secret but the Catalans underestimated the lighting pace at which Jose Mourinho’s team launch their counter attacks.

A downcast Pep Guardiola was frank about his defence’s frailties, saying: “We could have been more concentrated. It can happen, especially when you are playing in the semi-final of the Champions League, especially versus Inter. They have very fast forwards.”

To be sure, Jose Mourinho has transformed Inter Milan from an underachiever to a club with character and self belief. Previous Inter sides lacked a killer instinct and would have resigned to fate after a dominant Barcelona went ahead.

However, Mourinho’s team fought back bravely to subdue the “best team in the world.” The new found resilience is also evident in a defense marshalled superbly by Lucio and skipper Javier Zanetti which neutralized Lionel Messi, Maxwell and Dani Alves.

As Inter failed to breach Barcelona’s defense in three previous encounters, this victory was all the more significant in dispelling old demons. It is also worth mentioning that Mourinho’s strategy proved to be superior and was executed to a tee on that night.

In the face of Barcelona’s fearsome attack, Jose Mourinho opted instead for an aggressive line-up by fielding three forwards (Samuel Eto’o, Diego Milito and Goran Pandev) plus playmaker Sneijder. The irrepressible Sneijder orchestrates attack while the tireless Milito’s pace and positioning ensures he is frequently in the thick of action.

It was a masterstroke which unsettled the defending champions. Incidentally, this was the same formation which dismantled the Stamford Bridge fortress last month.

In fairness, there were a few fouls on Barcelona which are borderline penalty cases – Esteban Cambiasso’s stab at Messi’s boot in the penalty box and a Wesley Sneijder challenge on Dani Alves. Barcelona were also a victim of an offside decision (or lack of) on Diego Milito’s goal.

However, blaming the referee, Olegário Benquerenca of Portugal, of  helping his compatriot, Jose Mourinho, is an unsportsmanlike behavior. After all, Ogegario once awarded three penalties against Mourinho’s Porto in a single league match.

Casting doubts on a referee’s professionalism just because you lose a match is uncalled for. Barcelona also have little moral grounds to complain since they were the beneficiary of a referee decision which helped to elminate Chelsea last season.

Is Pep Guardiola A Fluke?

Pep Guardiola has to pass the crucial tests against Real Madrid and Inter Milan for his managerial credentials to be taken seriously. With a quality team like Barcelona, football critics feel that Guardiola had his work cut out for him.

How hard is it to win titles when you have Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Henry, Alves, Ibrahimovic, and at one time, Eto’o, in your team? The situation is similar for Manuel Pellegrini who may yet steer Real Madrid to the La Liga title, but it is not enough to satisfy the fans with the amount of talents at his disposal.

As for Jose Mourinho, it is difficult to begrude him the label of Special One. He earned his spurs by winning the domestic league, Cup and Champions League for Porto with an impressive record. Next he arrived at Chelsea to clinch the Premier League after a 50 year absence for the Blues.

In the process, Alex Ferguson was toppled from his lofty perch as Mourinho set a new standard for the Premier League in terms of points won and goals conceded. Now at Inter, he won the Serie A in his first season and is looking to add the Champions League.

Jose Mourinho enjoyed success in 3 different leagues, compared to Pep Guardiola’s sextuple wonder in a single league. Last season Champions League debacle at Stamford Bridge was also a blot on Guardiola’s unprecedented success. Without the referee’s mistake, the outcome for a struggling Barcelona who almost lost the plot could be different.

Guardiola was also lucky that his squad wasn’t plagued with too many injuries in his first season. Staying in contention for the titles while key players are injured for prolonged periods is a necessary quality of a successful coach.

Questions about Guardiola’s abilities and sustainability of his success will continue until he laid them to rest on the pitch. Will Guardiola crack under the pressure and set off a domino effect of losses, which result in a barren spell? I hope not and it is too much to call him a fluke.

Pep Guardiola is an intelligent player/coach and a leader of men. More importantly, he is a true blue Barcelona fan. The Catalans’ repressed culture and heritage is in his blood and he defends it passionately. There is no doubt he wants his squad to be equally committed.

At the age of 13, Guardiola was inducted into the youth academy and promoted by Johan Cruyff after 6 years. Guardiola quickly assumed the role of midfield general in the senior team and in 12 seasons, he captured six La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and one Champions League trophy.

The sterling achievements held him in good stead among Barcelona fans and players alike. Cesc Fabregas and Xavi had openly declared their desire to emulate Guardiola’s influence in midfield. However, reputation can only carry you so far if you can’t control the troops.

Pep Guardiola has an invaluable skill in rallying his charges, to convince them of his football philosophy and maintain the burning desire to pursue more trophies. So far, the players enjoy playing for him and prima donnas are kept in line.

Perhaps Guardiola’s coaching genius will be enhanced if he managed a less talented team but it is not easy to galvanise Barcelona. Just recall the destabilising effect of dissension in the dressing room, primarily from Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o, when Frank Rijkaard was the coach. In that disastrous season of 2007-2008, Barcelona finished third, 18 points behind Real Madrid and embarrassingly 10 points behind Villarreal.

When Pep Guardiola took over, he was quick in imposing his authority and eliminating players who were ill-disciplined and had grown too big for their boots. There is something to be said about the coach when he deals with virtually the same set of players but with vastly different results – six titles in one and a half years.

Guardiola’s ability to gel the players was honed during his time as skipper for Barcelona. He is a strong personality who articulates his opinion when the occasions call for it. Interaction and communication with players is a delicate skill and he mastered when to control and when to set the players free.

Imparted the art of Total Football by his mentor, Johan Cruyff, Guardiola’s football philosophy is simple - keep possession by moving the ball around and move as one in attack and defense. The strikers have to do their part in defense and vice versa. That requires a high fitness for every player.

Guardiola’s coaching is also famously meticulous with careful preparations, match analysis and a strict training regime. Under his guidance, Xavi and Iniesta forged the best midfield partnership, Messi became more versatile and lethal, and Pique a more stable but attack minded central defender. Toure, Busquets, Henry and Alves also increased their productivity in the past year.

So far, Guardiola has stayed true to his footballing philosophy and his players are always hungry for goals. By motivating his players and asking them to play the way football is supposed to be played, success has followed Guardiola and it is certainly not built on shaky foundations.

Next week, the clash of the titans will continue between the Catalan and the Portuguese which will fixate the entire football community. Pep Guardiola will do well to advice his players to refrain from diving. I believe Messi can deliver more damage dribbling the ball than diving blatantly or whining to the referee. Chelsea may have been the unfortunate victim of playacting last season but things do come full circle.

There is also an urgent need for Plan B when the direct route fails. Inter Milan effectively cut off Barcelona’s supplies by denying Xavi time and space on the ball. When Messi fails to dance through Inter’s defense, there is not much penetration from the Blaugranas. What is left from the formidable Barcelona are long aerial balls which were handily dealt with.

Shifting the emphasis along the flanks will have created more trouble for Inter Milan which also happens to yield Barcelona’s first goal. However, the left wing is a dilemna for Guardiola without the effeverscent Henry. He will have to select either Maxwell or Bojan but both lack the cutting edge or that moment of brilliance when the chips are down.

The substitutions are also crucial as Guardiola failed to lift the team or inject attacking impetus with his changes in the first leg. Above all, Pep Guardiola has to shore up his defense when faced with Inter Milan’s quadruple front line.

I believe Barcelona will score at home and they can seek solace that Inter Milan may have to make a similar long distance bus trip to Spain. However, Mourinho may yet have an ace up his sleeve. If there is anybody who can protect a two goal lead and spring a surprise at Nou Camp, it has to Jose Mourinho.

Given the depth of talent, contrast in styles, tactical nous of the managers, and the suffocating weight of expectations as history is in the making, I believe the second leg will show football fans around the world why Champions League is the most prestigious tournament.

Trumping Jose Mourinho in the semi final and another 90 minutes of thrilling action in the finals will see Barcelona create history by lifting consecutive Champions League titles. Such historic moments fuel the romanticism of the Champions League. I am inclined to believe Pep Guardiola will step up to the challenge and leapfrog Jose Mourinho as the most sought-after coach in Europe.

At the moment, Pep Guardiola’s contract with Barcelona expires at the end of the season and there are no confirmation of extension yet. He could be tempted to Manchester United but he will certainly prefer to extend his legacy at Barcelona. Even if he is to call it a day and stop coaching, his achievements will be etched in the Catalans’ memory as their amazing coach who did it all in one season.

For now, as with any arrival, there is a great sense of anticipation. Manchester City’s hero Mike Summerbee had welcomed Patrick Vieria at the training ground and spoke of how he played until age 40. Vieira, who is turning 34 in June, will have been encouraged to know that age is not a stigma at City.

To be sure, even in the fast paced Premier League today, it is possible to have a long career without any significant decline in performance. Evergreens Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are good examples but the injury plagued Patrick Vieira is a risky bet.

Patrick Vieira’s trademark tenacity in keeping and fighting for possession has become harder to execute with age. In fact, two former Arsenal team-mates, Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn, believe his best days are over.

To which the Frenchman retorted: “I have nothing to prove to anybody. I just have to believe in myself. I know what I am capable of and I am back in England because I feel I still have something to offer. And City believe in me as well.”

How long the goodwill in Manchester City last is unclear. For now, Vieira is making all the right noises for the benefit of his new club. He emphasized that Manchester United have lost their aura of invincibility, especially with the departure of Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Indeed, Manchester United’s dearth of attacking options has been compounded by an increasingly challenging Premier League. Besides the traditional Big Four, Tottenham, Manchester City and Aston Villa are also gunning for glory. The humiliating 1-0 defeat by Leeds United and fortunate 1-1 draw with Birmingham reflected Manchester United’s struggle to battle on all fronts with limited resources.

Not that Alex Ferguson needs any reminder and there is always a price to pay for stoking his competitive nature. The two Manchester clubs will clash in the Carling Cup later this month and emotions are set to run wild. It will be a time to settle old scores too as Vieria’s last kick for Arsenal was a penalty which cost Manchester United the FA Cup in 2005.

Rekindling intense rivalry is one thing but it is quite another to reinforce Manchester City’s title pretensions. Patrick Vieira has echoed Roberto Mancini’s sentiment that City could achieve the top prize this season.

So far, Mancini’s immaculate win record in 4 games since replacing Mark Hughes has left City fourth in the Premier League table, 7 points behind leader, Chelsea. They are definitely in contention for the title if we considered that Arsenal came back “from 15 points behind in one season.”

The owner, Sheikh Mansour, will actually be contended with a top four finish to justify his spending and account for half a season of “no progress” under Mark Hughes. Thus, talking up title hopes is something which Mancini and Vieira should refrain, lest it backfires on them.

Can Patrick Vieira Fit Into Mancini’s Plans?

In the past, Manchester City have had little luck in signing aging stars who integrate into the team and excel. Past failures include George Weah, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler and David Seaman. It is thus baffling to note that Roberto Mancini, with Abu Dhabi’s rich war chest at his disposal, decided to gamble on the 33-year-old Patrick Vieira, who is no longer a hot property.

Arsene Wenger was never interested in making a firm offer and he has politely remarked that Viera and City make a perfect match. As for Harry Redknapp, who has a knack of getting over-the-hill talents to outperform, the timing wasn’t right or maybe he just didn’t try hard enough.

It is too early to say Mancini has made a mistake as a veteran can provide experience, stability and leadership to a young squad. In his prime, Vieira was known as a tough player who could tackle, makes quality passes and score crucial goals. His height, stamina, strength and perception were important assets which drove Wenger’s stylish attacking side.

Getting the youngsters to learn what makes Vieira tick during training will benefit them immensely, even if he finds it hard to muster his old magic on the battlefield. Alex Ferguson favors such an approach too when he signed Teddy Sheringham, Laurent Blanc and Edwin van der Sar.

Despite success in the Premier League and Serie A, Patrick Vieira’s hunger to win more titles remains unabated. Currently, there is no player in Manchester City with a better resume than Vieira. During his nine years with Arsenal, Vieira won the Premier League and FA Cup Double in 1998 and 2001, clinched FA Cups in 2003 and 2005 as well as helming the ‘Invincibles’ campaign when the Gunners broke Nottingham Forest’s record for unbeaten games in the Premiership.

Patrick Vieira was also part of France’s 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winning sides. The only honor to elude him is the Champions League which is a major reason for his departure from Arsenal. When Vieira moved to Juventus in 2005, he helped them win the Italian Championship but a groin injury affected his performances.

His appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals at Highbury was a sham as Arsenal won 2-0 on aggregate against Juventus. Robert Pires and the 19-year old Cesc Fabregas upstaged Vieira who had little to show except for a yellow card.

When Juventus were rocked by a match-fixing scandal and subsequently relegated to Serie B, Patrick Vieira transferred to Inter Milan and enjoyed another streak of Serie A titles but he was relegated to a fringe player due to injuries.

Roberto Mancini, then manager at Inter Milan, recruited Vieira but ended up using Oliver Dacourt as his first choice. With the club signing Sulley Muntari and Thiago Motta, Vieira found it even harder to get into the first team.

Mancini duly delivered three Serie A titles but was surprisingly replaced by Jose Mourinho. The change of manager did not bring better luck for Vieira though. In last year’s Champions League game against Manchester United, Vieira looked like a passenger and was substituted at half-time. For this season, he featured just 16 times in all competitions – with most of those coming from the bench.

Despite adding more championships on his resume, it has become clear that the team is carrying Vieira to glory instead of him playing an instrumental role. You can’t blame Jose Mourinho for being happy to offload Vieira whose contract will be due in June 2010, after which he becomes a free agent.

Mancini’s Juggling Act In Midfield

Notwithstanding the risks, Roberto Mancini has huge plans for Patrick Viera. He said: “Patrick is a world-class midfielder with a winner’s mentality and will fit into this group very well. He knows me and my staff well and he also knows what the Premier League is all about. He will not need much time to settle in. Patrick is one of the great players of his era with almost every honor in the game to his name.”

We can expect Patrick Vieira to be a regular presence, though he won’t featuring any time soon due to a calf injury picked up in his last Inter Milan match. As for the captaincy, it stays with Kolo Toure for the time being.

It will be nice to see Patrick Vieira as the same resilient midfielder who break up opposing attacks, hoard possession and launch counter attacks intelligently, as well as score crucial headers.

Manchester City has no shortage of quality strikers so if Vieira marshals the midfield well and provides the aerial threat which Mancini relishes, he could easily resurrect a flagging professional career and his influence in the French national team.

Against Blackburn recently, Manchester City were dominant but after conceding the first goal, the team became unsettled and it took the fourth goal to put the game beyond doubt. It is likely that Vieira, had he been fit, will serve as a calming influence for the jittery back line.

However, there are huge risks for Roberto Mancini if the Frenchman is no longer the same player. If he wants a trusted deputy in the dressing room to lead and motivate the troops, it may backfire when Vieira struggles to justify his selection.

So far, Mancini has enjoyed success at City by letting everyone start on a clean slate. Reputation counts for little – whoever is on form and has a good attitude gets into the first XI. That explains why Robinho is benched while Bellamy who did not let his unhappiness about Mark Hughes’s dismissal get in the way of his performance, is now an integral part of Mancini’s plans.

However, the arrival of Vieira may result in Mancini getting a reputation of favoring certain players which was how Sven Goran Eriksson found himself. We have to remember that Vieira is not here for the money. Even if he meets all the performance targets in his contract, he gets about £70,000-a-week, hardly an eye-catching amount.

His main intention in signing for Manchester City is to win back a place in the French World Cup squad. Currently, his impact on the national team has been minimal. He played four international games since September 2007. For France’s friendly against Spain in February 2008, Le Parisien newspaper awarded him 2 out of 10 for his performance.

It is evident that Patrick Vieira has to start playing regularly to get back his sharpness and match fitness. This is a year when Vieira will not tolerate sitting on the bench. Thus, if he doesn’t get enough matches under his belt, Mancini will have one more disgruntled player in the dressing room.

I believe Nigel de Jong or Gareth Barry may have to make way for Vieira but that means disrupting the midfield equilibrium. Nigel de Jong has been one of City’s impressive performers this season. His physical strength in tackling and holding the ball makes it unlikely for Mancini to replace him.

In City’s 4-4-2 formation, the other half of the central midfield is Gareth Barry whose composure and reading of the game make him an invaluable asset. Barry may have underperformed for Mark Hughes but since Roberto Mancini’s arrival, he is beginning to regain the sort of sparkling form that attracted Liverpool.

Even if Mancini adjusts his formation to accommodate Vieira, Stephen Ireland may be a better choice with his attacking thrust. At the moment, City have no European commitments, except for domestic league and cups competition, thus, it is difficult to see Vieira breaking into the first team unless Barry or de Jong suffer serious injuries.

Persisting with Patrick Vieira and also handing him the captain’s armband could result in a dressing room revolt. There are enough opinionated characters in the dressing room for that to happen, like Adebayor, Craig Bellamy and Vieira himself.

I believe Mancini realizes his precarious position in Manchester City. Though Mark Hughes did himself no favors when he struggled to win matches and splashed out £50m on three defenders who cannot protect the goal properly, the callous manner in which he was dismissed will be a good reminder for Mancini.

Success has to be immediate to please his Abu Dhabi boss but even then it does not guarantee Mancini will stay on the job, like what happened in Italy, after winning three Serie A titles. Mancini’s position becomes even more untenable if he misses out on the top four finish while players lose confidence in his management. He could be whisked out of the the door faster than you can say Mark Hughes.

Mancini’s midfield juggling act has just begun and it will be interesting to see how it pans out. At his age, Patrick Vieira is winding down his career as a football legend and he cannot match his younger contemporaries for pace and has to be used sparingly.

If Vieira accepts his role as a substitute, especially in the later stage of the competition where experience can make or break a team, all is fine. If not, Mancini may regret signing a former legend who he has little use for.

For David Moyes, his club remains mired in a relegation battle but they can hold their heads up high. It is hard to connect, based on this performance, Everton’s rough patch of two league wins out 16 as they edged out Liverpool in every aspects except finishing. Moyes rightly declared that “I don’t feel we’ve come off the pitch losers.”

In the first half, the Reds struggle to hold their defense together and were flirting with calamity. If not for the composure of goalkeeper Pepe Reina, the mood in the Reds dressing room will have been vastly different. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez will again have to fend off barbed questions on his management during the post match interview.

Besides Reina’s superb form, Lady Luck has also conspired against David Moyes to render hard work and enterprise irrelevant. In the 12th minute, Javier Mascherano fired a shot which took a firm deflection of Joseph Yobo’s left foot to put Liverpool ahead.

It was a gift from heaven but Liverpool’s second goal was a gift from the Everton’s backline. Yobo was the vilian again when he he failed to intercept a crucial pass Dirk Kuyt lobbed in Gerrard’s direction. That allowed Gerrard to set up the shot for Albert Riera which Tim Howard palmed out and Kuyt immediately pounced upon for the second goal.

Not surprisingly, David Moyes was left fuming at such elementary errors. He said, “In any games but especially big games, you hope you don’t get into situations with those mistakes.” Moyes substituted Yobo with Lucas Neill but the damage was done already.

If Everton’s defense was a shambles, Benitez has little to gloat in this department too. Fortunately, Reina was magnificent between the posts. He saved a Jo’s effort from point-blank range in the first half and Tim Cahill’s free header on 71 minutes. The double save, which came with Liverpool 1-0 up, essentially sealed Everton’s fate.

Everton had their chances to draw level as they found the net twice but Jo was judged to be offside. Jo is not a clinical poacher and that pretty much sums up the attacking options David Moyes has at his disposal. Even purchasing Peter Crouch or having Louis Saha back from injury will improve Everton’s finishing.

Overall, this is a performance which should give David Moyes and the fans some encouragement. I am impressed by Steven Pienaar’s creativity. Moyes made a shrewd move by switching him to the right flank instead of the usual left. If not for a niggling knee injury, he may have wrought greater damage on Liverpool’s defense.

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, in Pienaar’s usual berth, was also up to the task but he spurned two gilt-edged chances, including one chance which skewed off his left shin after an elegant flick of Tim Cahill’s head.

Everton’s position remain precarious, sixth bottom and three points off the relegation zone. There are also stiff challenges looming – Tottenham at home and Chelsea away. However, I believe if they continue to get their fundamentals right, like in this derby, get some defenders during the January transfer window (either through loans or transfers), they should be climbing up the league table very soon.

As for Liverpool, they did little to convince their critics that the worst is over. There was little fluency and possession in their game. Steven Gerrard may have united the troops with a rallying call but he has not led by example on the pitch. Gone was his crisp passes and marauding form up front, even though he contributed with a match-winning effort.

Liverpool fans can heave a sigh of relief that their captain can still turn a match around in a moment of brilliance. However, the inability to dominate proceedings is worrying and he needs to improve on his match fitness. A half fit Steven Gerrard is still an useful asset to Benitez but with a flurry of matches coming up, there is a risk that he may get injured again.

I believe this victory has given Rafael Benitez a repreive. He came into this game with his future highly uncertain , a similar predicament to David Moyes. Liverpool has crashed out of the Champions League as the top seed in the group, with a game still left to play in the group phase. That is arguably Liverpool’s worst performance in recent years.

While Liverpool did enough to beat Debrecen, fate was not in their hands as Lyon failed to score an equalizer. The fact that Liverpool won but have to depend on the benevolence of others to qualify means, in the words of Steven Gerrard, “they only got what they deserved.”

Besides the absence of Champions League football, Liverpool fans have to contend with a lack of money and quality players, squabbling owners, long injury list, new stadium plan shelved, and an inability to rack up victories consistently in the previous 10 games.

Not all factors are within Rafael Benitez’s control but as the manager, he cannot shirk his responsibility that the players who started regularly are not good enough, out of form or lose their focus. Liverpool can’t defend set pieces and have an unhealthy dependence on Gerrard and Torres.

For how long can the Reds base their foundation for success on the performance of so few individuals? Extraordinary talents they may be, but they are not robots and will fall short eventually.

The acquisition of Alberto Aquilani is also baffling. It is too early to pass judgment as the player has hardly seen any action, but for a relatively thin squad, there is little sense to sign a player who would miss the opening three months of the campaign.

To be sure, stepping out of the shadows of Xabi Alonso is no easy task as the Spaniard has five years of stellar service. Rafael Benitez may have assumed that Lucas is ready for the big stage, or at least stand-in until Aquilani was ready, but that faith was misplaced as Liverpool often cede possession in midfield.

That’s not entirely Lucas’s fault as he did put up some commendable efforts. The problem with Lucas is that he was never cut out to be a playmaker of Alonso’s calibre. Mascherano is a holding midfielder and can’t do that either, which is why Liverpool looked short on creativity and penetration this season.

Alonso not only linked up play in the final third of the pitch with his vision and accurate passes but he was also able to bring out the best in his team mates. Hopefully, Aquilani will have that effect and can last the pace of an arduous season.

Rafael Benitez is not in a hurry to rush Aquilani into action, which could be a wise move as the player will have more time to integrate into the team and prevent aggravating his injury. Only time will tell if Aquilani can repay the faith, patience and money lavished on him.

With the influx of foreign players, managers and owners, the Premier League is getting more competitive by the year. Outlier clubs like Manchester City, Tottenham and Aston Villa are now breathing down Liverpool’s neck, trying to squeeze into the top four. Instead of keeping up with their rivals, Liverpool have, however, gone backwards, after the events of this summer.

Xabi Alonso was sold and replaced with someone who is injury prone and has not started a game yet. Glen Johnson was recruited and while that wasn’t a bad deal, there are no further funds for Benitez to bolster his squad, after improved contracts for key players and Benitez. That left Liverpool with a weaker squad and more vulnerable to injuries.

It’s time for Rafael Benitez to take an honest hard look at the reality and stop splurging money on players who have to be sold off later or languish on the bench because they fail to perform. Financially, Liverpool are on a knife edge and losing their football powerhouse status is not an option.

The consequences of not finishing in the top four of the EPL, and missing out on a shot at Champions League glory are disastrous. Just think of the demise of Leeds United.

Rafael Benitez is coping with the pressure so far, and has insisted that he will see out the five-year contract he signed earlier this year. If he does not want to be sacked prematurely, there are a few departments which needs tweaking right now.

The defense is running low on confidence – Skrtel is having a terrible run of form and Agger is injury prone so Liverpool will definitely benefit from the arrival of quality defenders. The club will also need to strengthen its attacking department. N’Gog is trying his best but he’s not ready to act as a back-up to Torres.

The rumor mill has placed Ruud van Nistelrooy as a candidate to arrive at Liverpool. This may not the best option because of his age but being cash-strapped, van Nistelrooy will be value for money. He is an experienced striker (certainly no slouch in the Premier League) and should be able to deliver the goods. In fact, if Ruud van Nistelrooy is not beset by injuries, he will still be among the top scorers in the La Liga.

In order to raise cash for recruitment purposes, Benitez will do well to offload some of the deadwood in his current team. Babel, Degen, Voronin, Plessis and Dossena are a massive drain on the wage bill and don’t pull their weight adequately. I believe Liverpool fans will not miss them if they were to be offloaded tomorrow. Some of the players who have moved on like Sissoko, Crouch, Hyypia, Alonso and Riise are more effective than the current bunch of laggards.

There are some promising lads in Liverpool reserve squad including Pacheco, Spearing, Kelly, Eccleston and Amoo. None of them have the same finesse as Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen or Robbie Fowler and are likely to become utility players, if Rafael Benitez gives them opportunities to break into the first team. Thanks to budget constraint and injuries, we may just see more of these youngsters soon.

Will Liverpool ever win the Premier League? This is a question which a lot of people are asking. Unfortunately, as is so often in the past, just when the dream appears within grasp, it slipped away. Last season, Liverpool secured 86 points. At one stage, the Reds were free and clear of United and looks likely to clinch the Premier League title, with a comfortable cushion to boot.

A capitulation resulted in Manchester United winning their third league title in a row, but Liverpool humiliated the Red Devils with an impressive win, proving that the champion may not be the better team.

Regardless of what Alex Ferguson insinuated that second spot is already Liverpool’s best position, the fans are sold on the idea that Liverpool have made good progress and the club would win it next year. All they need is to go that extra mile.

Yet four months later, this “progress” has been destroyed. Liverpool are out of contention for the Premier League title and have to make do with the Europa League. Silverware may once again be missing in Liverpool’s cabinet.

Nevertheless all is not lost and I am loathe to dismiss all of Benitez’s efforts during his tenure. The fans have to remember that it wasn’t smooth sailing last season too. Benitez was in the middle of negotiating a contract extension, the owners tried unsuccessfully to sell the club, Liverpool were bogged down by wretched draws at home, etc.

It was only in the later part of the season that things settled down and Liverpool went on a fantastic run. If Rafa remains committed to the Liverpool cause and is willing to work with what he has, the rewards for having a stable team will eventually come.

The team is happy again as the winning feeling is back. There is a renewed team spirit in the squad with many of Liverpool’s best players backing Benitez after pressure mounted on him to resign. Skipper Steven Gerrard has called for unity, while Fernando Torres and Jose Reina have said Benitez is the right man to lead Liverpool back to the top of Europe.

Rafael Benitez reflected on his first away clean sheet of the season and the momentum that successive wins can bring. “Winning a derby is very difficult and also very important but we are higher in the table now, everybody is happier and hopefully we will keep winning some games,” he said.

Liverpool may well win the Europa Cup, FA Cup and finish in the top four come the end of the season. The fans would then hail the campaign as a great success and forget about the shortcomings in the squad. The season may get even sweeter if Manchester United stumble in their title campaign and fail to achieve a record 19th league title.

Liverpool are now back to fifth in the Premier League table and just two points behind fourth place Arsenal. This bodes well for their customary late Premier League charge. Don’t write off Liverpool just yet as Rafael Benitez thrives on a siege mentality and the Reds are at their most dangerous when the chips are down.

While the jury is still out for his latest bet on Michael Owen, nobody will debate the success he yielded in the ’90s when he threw his lot behind the fledglings comprising Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, David Beckham and Nicky Butt.

However, the stakes have gotten higher and Ferguson is not given to wholesale changes to his squad anymore. Competition in the Premier League has increased tremendously with the influx of foreign money and it is no longer a walk in the park or a two horse race between Manchester United and Arsenal. By embarking on spending binges, Chelsea, deprived of success for 50 years have become a Premier League powerhouse.

Manchester City are also building a team based on this formula and garnered initial success by demolishing Arsenal and going right down to the wire in the Manchester derby. While Arsenal continue to have a say in the title race, there are also lurking threats posed by the likes of Liverpool, Everton and Aston Villa which have benefited from capable and consistent management.

In addition, the debt obligations of Manchester United, thanks to the Glazers’ leveraged buy-out, also mean failure is not an option. Catastrophic financial implications await Manchester United if their title chances and entertainment value decline.

Hence, it is not surprising that Alex Ferguson has developed an “unhealthy” dependence on Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Both have been the bedrocks of many brilliant Manchester United teams but age is no longer on their side.

Ferguson is reluctant to see Paul Scholes end his stellar service but the latter has indicated that this season could be his last. Scholes has been enjoying a renaissance the last few years after a successful comeback from illness and injuries. Impulsive tackles aside, he has established himself as one of the best midfielders to grace the Premier Leauge.

Paul Scholes is most impressive with the ball at his feet. He exudes an assuredness; even with opponents breathing down his neck, he is rarely forced into making stray passes. His passes may appear gloriously simple, yet the range and unerring accuracy are the envy of many footballers.

Indeed, the statistics speak for themselves. Against Birmingham, Scholes made 100 passes, 97 of them successful, while against Wigan, he made 41 passes, with 40 of them successful. Against Stoke City on Saturday, his record stood at 70 passes, 67 of them finding their targets.

The other indispensable veteran is Ryan Giggs whose recent displays has Alex Ferguson waxing lyrical on his longevity. Ferguson said: “I don’t know what else there is to say about Ryan. It’s not a matter of him defying his age, it’s that there’s no discernible deterioration in his game.”

“He is an absolutely marvellous player who has thoroughly deserved all the superlatives and praise he has had down the years.”

“The amazing thing about him is the youthfulness he continues to show. It’s as if he is just starting out his career. The other great thing about him is you can praise him to the heavens and he won’t be affected by a single word of it.”

To put Giggs’s longevity in context, it is not difficult to play football till 35-36 years old when languishing in the bottom divisions, but to play an influential role at the highest level for a club like Manchester United where there is always intense pressure to win is awe-inspiring.

Comapred to United’s right wing where many have come and gone, including Andrei Kanchelskis, David Beckham, Karel Poborsky, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jordi Cruyff, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, nobody has really toppled Giggs from his rooster except for Alex Ferguson’s decision to move him into central midfield.

Some fans had called Ryan Giggs the Benjamin Button of the Premier League and it is an apt description for the extraordinary way in which he rolls back the years. The youthfulness in Giggs’s play has coincided with his superb match fitness, lack of injuries and confidence.

Giggs turns 36 in November, but his form has been excellent so far. He created eight of United’s goals in his last three appearances. Micah Ricards, who has a tough job of shackling Ryan Giggs in the 4-3 Manchester derby loss, is not alone in feeling embarrassed that he cannot outrun nor outlast a player many years his senior.

Days later, it came down to the Welsh wizard to provide two magical moments for Manchester United to break down a stubborn Stoke’s defense through Berbatov and O’Shea. Wolfsburg were then given a reminder of Giggs’s evergreen status when they fell prey to his deflected free kick and a superb laid-off for Michael Carrick.

I believe Ryan Giggs is a better player than he was four or five years ago when Manchester United went three seasons without a league title and Giggs was singled out by the fans for his peripheral impact.

Appeasing the fans’ dissatisfaction by finding a scapegoat will have been an easy route for a manager to take. Fortunately, Alex Ferguson refused to bench the player and maintained his unwavering support during those dark moments.

It is impossible to speak about the legend Ryan Giggs without mentioning the crucial role Ferguson played as his mentor. From the day Giggs burst on the scene and displaced Lee Sharpe at the tender age of 17, Alex Ferguson was there to shield him from the impressionable media who drew comparisons to George Best.

Ferguson realizes that such attention could be a curse and destroy the budding talent if expectations fall short. Amid all the hype, he ensured his prodigy has his feet firmly planted on the ground, behaves in a professional manner and is kept away from bad influences in football.

Giggs has repaid his faith and today he is one of the seniors who passes on the proud Manchester United tradition to the youngsters and provides a calming influence, experience, motivation and close bonding on the pitch.

Looking at the accomplishments of Ryan Giggs, it makes me wonder if there will be another player who can accumulate as much awards during his lifetime in this era of “modern” football. As Manchester United’s most decorated player, Giggs has won 11 Premier League titles, two European Cups, four FA Cups and three League Cups, as well as the PFA Player of the Year award last season. Yet, success has not bred any complacency in him. In fact, he remains as hungry for success as ever.

Giggs scored his 150th goal in all competitions during the Champions League victory over Wolfsburg, becoming the ninth player to reach that landmark. He is also on track to breach the century goals in the Premier League, having scored in each season of the Premier League since its inception in 1992.

The goal scoring records are impressive given that Giggs’s importance has never been measured by the number of times he finds the net but rather the chances he created.

While past achievements are no indication of the future, Ryan Giggs has no intention of getting by with sub-standard performances. To stay at the top at his age means Giggs has to be more disciplined than his peers in preparing his body for the rigors of Premier League and Champions League football.

Brazilians Ronaldo and Ronaldinho may have excelled in their prime but once they put on the extra pounds, they become liabilities to their teams. Fortunately, flab is not a word you associate with Ryan Giggs.

Ryan Giggs’s temperament, experience and thirst to improve also sets him apart. Aware that blistering pace and dazzling footwork are no longer his forte, he has cultivated other areas of his game, like accuracy in dead ball situations and passing.

While Giggs is still skillful enough to stay close to the touchline and pull opponents wide, his conversion into a central midfielder means he has to play a more intelligent game and reads the game well to distribute passes. As a winger, he just needs to focus on getting past defenders and then cross the ball into the six yard box. His ability to refine skills to suit Ferguson’s strategic needs speaks volume of his versatility.

Manchester United’s Dilemma

On the surface, it is still a smooth ride for Manchester United. Apart from an early stumble at Burnley, the Red Devils have racked up victories against Arsenal, Stoke City, Manchester City, Besiktas and Wolfsburg.

Arsenal had outplayed United and so did Manchester City which eventually resulted in a debacle about added time. Wolfsburg gave United a mighty fright at Old Trafford and, with a little fortune, they could have won with their lead in the second half and other gilt edged opportunities.

Manchester United’s struggle against weak teams has been trying but their capacity for rallies ensure they stay in the title race. However, luck finally caught up with them when Sunderland forced them into a 2-2 draw on Saturday. Ferguson did not place Ryan Giggs on the bench which deprived the team of a vital inspiration.

Two precious points are lost but considering that there are more tough matches coming up, Ferguson has to use Giggs sparingly. Herein lies the problem. Though the Red Devils have a penchant for staging late comebacks, Ryan Giggs is a key part of the revival and if he suffers a dip in form or is sidelined due to injuries, the title campaign could be derailed.

The expectations heaped on Ryan Giggs may also be counterproductive. The season is only 10 games old, nothing has been won yet but Ryan Giggs has already been feted by a multitude of eulogies. Some Manchester United fans are even clamoring to have him knighted.

I am not saying that Giggs is not deserving of a knighthood. His professionalism is a shining beacon to all sportsmen who endeavor to excel beyond the “normal” age limit.

However, football fans are capricious and their adulation can turn on a dime with the subject being hung out to dry after a string of lousy performances. And I will rather not see that happen to Giggs.

Where Is Alex Ferguson’s Future Team?

Despite Manchester United’s shaky start, there is no need to press the panic button as they do not usually gather momentum until after Christmas.

Nevertheless, Mark Hughes was not entirely wrong to say that United are not the same after selling Cristiano Ronaldo. Manchester United can still dominate possession but there are times when they appeared lost and didn’t know what to do with the ball as they press forward.

There are only two players now (Scholes and Giggs) who still possess ability to unlock defenses and deliver quality passes in the final third. Barring which, Rooney often has to drop deeper to create chances. The lighting pace at which United launch counter attacks when Ronaldo was around has also been blunted.

Currently, Manchester United’s vaunted attacking prowess are being hampered by a lack of quality wingers. If the players entrusted with the task of succeeding Giggs and Scholes, Alex Ferguson will have a pleasant headache and the fans can rest easy that the future team is ready.

Some of United’s critics are wondering what happened to Fergie’s team building? How can the title campaign of a world class club hinge so heavily on a man turning 36 years old? After all, this is an age where one can be forgiven for panting after climbing a few flight of stairs, not to mention being in the thick of action of a high tempo football match.

Has Alex Ferguson adequately prepared Manchester United for the day when the two icons hang up their boots? If not, for all his stellar achievements, Ferguson will have failed United miserably when the old guards call it a day.

Antonio Valencia is trying hard to fill the massive void left by Cristiano Ronaldo and so far, I believe he is more of utility player than a game changing maestro. Valencia is strong and pacy, but in terms of ball control, first touch and accuracy, he leaves much to be desired.

He had an open chance to score against Stoke City after beating the defense and leaving Sorensen stranded, but he can only fire the ball wide. Valencia committed the same mistake again when Wolfsburg granted him an open look at goal.

As for Nani, this is already his third season at Manchester United after a 17 million pounds transfer from Sporting Lisbon but his technical abilities have not improved much. He failed to make simple passes and doesn’t have the deftness to get pass defenders.

It could be a lack of confidence as the fans love to compare Nani to Cristiano Ronaldo. I believe If Nani cannot replicate Ronaldo’s mesmerizing skills, he should at least do away with the flamboyance.

Too often Nani overindulged at the expense of the team, gifting the ball easily when he runs at defenders or shooting on sight, when a team-mate was better placed. The spurned chances have left Wayne Rooney a frustrated and isolated player.

Nani’s impotent display at Britannia Stadium did not escape Alex Ferguson who brought on Ryan Giggs and the transformation in Manchester United’s play was immediate.

With two stunning assists, Giggs showed Nani that effective contributions on a football pitch do not have to be complicated. Dazzling ball skills may be candy to the eyes but it is the simple, efficient passes which can win you the game.

No doubt Giggs remains in a class of his own, and when he does eventually retires, his loss will be more keenly felt by Manchester United than any other player during Fergie’s illustrious reign.

But for the continuity of United’s success, this should be the last season that Giggs hogs the limelight in this manner. While I don’t expect to see Alex Ferguson breaking up the team, it is certainly time for the youngsters to step up to the plate or Alex Ferguson should impose a break-up of the team.

Next season may pose a greater challenge to United’s dominance if Alex Ferguson fail to find able substitutes to replace the legendary Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

The victory is especially meaningful given that many critics had written off Arsenal’s title ambitions during the pre-season. Adebayor and Kolo Toure, were offloaded to Man City for a total of £41m and the only player recruited was Thomas Vermaelen frrom Ajax.

Arsene Wenger stood by his principle of not signing star players to bolster his depleted squad. He defended his philosophy of cultivating raw talents, saying: “Other clubs have more money. At Arsenal we try to go a different way that, for me, is respectable. When you buy all the time, it becomes a trap. The team we have now gets there, and by that I mean it wins the championship.”

You can include some of Wenger’s own players as disbelievers of that statement. Few people can understand why Wenger refuses to spend even as there is surplus cash in the transfer budget. They have a right to be worried about how the “lightweight” Arsenal can challenge the mighty European champions Barcelona and the ambitious Real Madrid? Manchester City’s aggressive buying spree has also intensified the battle for a top four position in the Premier League and Champions League qualification.

Alex Ferguson even wrote off Arsenal’s chances, preferring to single out Chelsea as the main threat to their Premier League title. He has also ridiculed Manchester City’s spending spree and remarked that Liverpool have had their best season in twenty years and will be hard to improve. Mind games will come in handy, maybe in Christmas, but for now, Ferguson’s gambit in unsettling opponents has misfired.

With Manchester United floundering against Birmingham City and Burnley, Alex Ferguson will do well to stay focused on getting a positive response from his team rather than being a football pundit and expound on the strength and weakness of his competitors. If Manchester United continue with their insipid performances, they could lose not only the Premier League title but struggle with relegation.

Instead of talking up their chances like Manchester United, Arsenal kept a low profile during pre-season and pefer to let their feet do the talking. They have also kept their feet firmly on the ground despite some remarkable results – hammering Everton 6-1 (their orst home defeat since 1958) and being the first English team in 26 years to defeat Celtic at their home ground.

Indeed, many critics had waited for Arsenal to fall flat on their face against Celtic. Emmanuel Adebayor clearly has little love lost for his former club when he piled on the pressure by highlighting that Cesc Fabregas and some of the senior players will leave if Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League.

Still, Arsenal were too much of a class act for Celtic. The Gunners started the match with their usual fluid and intricate passing and had the best chances while Celtic can only lay claim to ruggedness and fighting spirit, egged on by the vociferous home fans.

Last season, Arsenal may have been outmuscled but this time, the physical game failed to stem the tide of attacks. To be sure, there was an element of luck to Arsenal’s 2-0 victory. After all, it is not often that a goal is scored via a deflection off the back of a player but William Gallas did just that.

Celtic survived an early scare when an unmarked Andrei Arshavin swept the ball into the net but the assistant referee has raised his flag for offside. While Arshavin is still a joy to watch with his sublime runs and beautiful touches, his impact thus far has not been as eye-catching as his debut season. Arshavin’s match fitness is also suspect as his contributions faded off substantially in the second half.

Arsene Wenger was right to replace Arshavin with Abou Diaby who lend a sharper impetus to the front line. But it is too early to lambast Arshavin. He has the knack of turning the game on its head in a moment of brilliance. Maybe a goal will boost his confidence and he will regain his pivotal playmaker role.

Arsenal had to wait till three minutes from half time before breaking the duck and it was a fluke shot. Van Persie tapped a free kick to Fabregas who aimed a screamer at Boruc but somehow the ball struck Gallas on the back and swerved to the other corner, leaving Boruc stranded.

After the break, Celtic did not improve on their potshots and stray passes but they certainly stepped up on their physical game. Arsenal’s defense and midfield held up well under the harsh treatment and the front line continue to camp in Celtic’s half, edging closer to goal with successive efforts.

The introduction of Diaby was a shrewd move as the lad integrated quickly into the team and he made an important contribution by releasing Clichy to cross which Gary Caldwell inadvertently directed into his own goal.

Arsenal showed a collective resolve. Arsenal for their part looked better when playing the short passing game we have come to expect, long passes typically overhit. When the Gunners lost possession, they breathed down the neck of their opponent and afforded them little space and time on the ball.

Celtic were forced to surrender possession cheaply with stray passes. But the high tempo game was not the only killer, Celtic’s own lack of creativity meant they could not strike back after falling behind. Almunia had an easy night, he could have kept his gloves clean, had he not intervened in the only threat – a swerving shot from a corner which William Gallas had blocked.

The only saving grace for Celtic was their determination to put up a fight. “It was a fierce battle,” said Wenger. “There were some bad fouls and the referee took some time to intervene. We got some harsh treatment.”

Wenger also had particular praise for former captain Gallas, who he said was playing his best football for two years. The good form of new signing Thomas Vermaelen has also pleasantly surprised Wenger and he believes that the left-footed Belgian has added balance to the team.

Overall, it was a credible team performance with lots of hard work and one-touch passing. The understanding, focus and camaraderie bodes well for the success of an arduous season which is interspersed with the distractions of World Cup qualifying rounds.

Van Persie and Bendtner were well-marked yet both still caused problems for the defenders, putting them under constant pressure. Denilson and Song were also brilliant with the latter impressing with his creativity and industry which have adequately compensated for the loss of Mathieu Flamini.

Cesc Fabregas, The Midfield Engine

However, there is no mistaking the engine driving this Arsenal team -Cesc Fabregas. He has always created chances with his pinpoint passes and astute reading of the game. This season, Arsene Wenger has an added responsibility for Fabregas which is to bang in the goals.

If Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are scoring goals from midfield, there is no reason why Fabregas should be deprived of this license to go forward. He is now 22 years old, the right age to develop into a scoring machine, according to Arsene Wenger.

Fabregas has already shown what he can do by running 50 yards and unleashing a blitzer from outside the box to score against Everton. If Fabregras choose to be more selfish by firing long range missiles, taking free-kicks and penalties, or going on solo runs instead of passing the ball, he will certainly get twenty goals a season and give Arsenal’s title campaign a boost. But this will have to come at the expense of the strikers and the way the team operates.

With main strikers Robin van Persie and Arshavin not hitting the groove and scoring goals, Fabregas’s influence on the game is timely for Arsene Wenger. However, as the season progresses, Arsene Wenger will have to manage carefully the discontent from strikers, team structure as well as an over-reliance on Cesc Fabregas since he now has a dual responsibility to pull the strings in midfield and to score goals.

The downfall of Arsenal in previous campaigns had often coincided with the burnout or injuries of Cesc Fabregas. It is unclear if the Spainard has peaked too early and will be reduced to underwhelming performances by March. The more influence Fabregas has on a game, the more roughing up he can expect. To emulate Cristiano Ronaldo’s role for Manchester United is not just about sharpening finishing prowess and accuracy but also to improve on fitness.

Frank Lampard and Cristiano Ronaldo can feature in virtually every game because of their extraordinary fitness and ability to sustain hard knocks. In terms of technical ability, Fabregas is a shoo-in for personal accolades like Footballer of The Year awards but he cannot achieve his full potential if he cannot withstand the ordeals of a gruelling season.

Arsene Wenger also need to fend off the temptations from aboard which have prised away proteges like Patrick Viera and Thierry Henry. Barcelona is interested in Fabregas and the rumor mill is in overdrive that Arsenal’s captain will arrive next summer in a £30m deal.

Arsenal have furiously denied any such agreement has been struck or that they have even had any contact with the Spanish giants, but given that the presidency of Barcelona Football Club is up for grabs next year, the deal may just happen.

Arsene Wenger has reminded his players that integrity is defined by a person’s commitment to a contract and Fabregas, who is midway through a seven year contract, owes his loyalty to the club who polished his skills and gave him a platform to shine.

Fabregas is non-committal about his future but he has admitted that he wants to go back to his native Spain one day. I believe Arsenal’s flying start matters little to the Spainard as he may be intent on leaving in 1 or 2 years time. If Arsenal clinch titles, Fabregas will want to seek fresh challenges and if Arsenal fails, he will be convinced that Arsenal are just not ambitious or capable enough.

Thomas Vermaelen Stabilizes Shaky Defense

Thomas Vermaelen has proven to be another shrewd acquisition by Arsene Wenger. How did such a talent slip under the radar of top clubs and emerged on Arsenal’s shopping list with a price tag of only £10m?

To be sure, even this £10m was spent carefully. Arsene Wenger’s scouting team watched Vermaelen play for Ajax and Belgium on more than 30 occasions. So far, the research has paid off as Wenger is suitably impressed by the assurance of Vermaelen’s performances. Vermaelen has also found his way into the hearts of Arsenal fans but more importantly, he earned the respect of his peers in just two competitive matches.

Usually, the debut season is the hardest, because of the expectations and the need to adapt quickly to a different management, culture, egos, and playing style. However, Thomas Vermaelen had transitioned into English football so seamlessly, it put some of the seniors to shame.

“Thomas looks like he’s been at the club for more than a few months,” said the goalkeeper Manuel Almunia after the play-off first-leg victory at Celtic. “He’s a very calm player, very relaxed, and that makes the defenders around relaxed as well, not only William [Gallas] but me, Gaël and Bacary. We have confidence about this player.”

You can count on Almunia’s words because the defensive wall in front of him is extremely important to his livelihood. The central pairing of Vermaelen and Gallas cover each other well and were rarely caught out of position. In fact, the stability has prompted Arsene Wenger to comment that William Gallas is enjoying his best form in the last 2 years.

Clichy and Sagna constitute the other components of the bulwark and it is nice to see all of them functioning as a unit without any discords or engaging in blame games (at least not yet).

Vermaelen’s characteristics of a typical British centre-half – toughness and fearlessness have probably made his transition easier. He is strong in the air and has a great left foot but it is his attacking instincts which have surprised me. Vermaelen likes to surge out of defense with the ball at his feet or to join the attack in dead ball situations but he is no slacker in tracking back to cover the gaping defensive hole when the opponent counter-attacked.

That is a taxing act to follow but being young and eager, Vermaelen edged out his predecessor Kolo Toure as a more useful asset. The test for Vermaelen will come if he puts a foot wrong and Gallas starts criticizing him. Will he react positively or his confidence will be affected badly? Vermaelen also needs to prove his versatility if Wenger rotates Gallas with an inexperienced Djourou or a much slower Silvestre.

Arsenal’s New Found Team Spirit

Much has been said about the character of Arsenal’s young squad, even in previous seasons. Granted they had the self belief and fighting spirit but young players bring with them a high degree of unpredictability, immaturity and silly conflicts. It is difficult to select a leader from this class who can win everybody’s respect and motivate the team in its darkest hours, much like what Patrick Viera did.

Have they finally put their differences aside and incorporated Wenger’s mantras about mental strength? I believe there is a good chance of seeing a more united Arsenal after Adebayor and Toure moved on. Sometimes, clearing dead wood is essential for a manager. Pep Guardiola was vindicated in his decision to sell Deco and Ronaldinho and then leading Barcelona to an unprecedented Spanish treble.

Arsenal showed their confidence and desire to win when they refused to relax even as Everton wilted under the pressure from all the passing and goals conceded. Against Celtic, they did not back down from the physical challenges and their fans’ incessant vitriol.

Besides the obvious quality of the youngsters, there is a desire to contribute and win. Everybody in Arsenal squad likes to go forward which can be a nightmare for opponents. This is exemplified by Denilson and Song who are not only roaming comfortably in midfield but also aiming to get on the score sheet.

Nicklas Bendtner has played and with more confidence now that Adebayor has departed. Robin van Persie who was unsettled previously has recently exhorted the new found team spirit: “I think we showed in both that we really want to fight for each other and if we can produce that every three or four days, we can make a big step forward.”

However, team spirit is easy to play up when times are good. Last season, Arsenal had a 21 game unbeaten run but they lost the plot after a petulant act by captain William Gallas who sat on the ground at St Andrews in protest. As events unfolded, it soon became obvious that the team spirit in Arsenal squad is broken with players splitting into different camps. The conflicts – who should wear the armband and which players should be in the first XI – eroded Arsenal’s competitiveness.

It is only in adversity that we get the measure of a man. When staring at a string of defeats, will the blame be pushed around or the squad close ranks and shoulder the collective responsibility of turning draws and losses into wins?

William Gallas’s behavior will be under intense scrutiny, especially at Old Trafford where the Red Devils are sure to put the fight of their life against their old nemesis. Defensively, it will be more challenging as few teams can counter the attacking verve of the current Premier League champion, when their engine is lubricated fully.

I am not sure if the fragmented pieces in Arsenal have finally gelled together but so far, I like the new camaraderie in Arsenal squad. The Gunners are supportive of William Gallas and if he doesn’t self-destruct and alienate himself again, then Arsenal stand a good chance of ending their trophy drought.

Injury List And Misfiring Strikers

The 2009 season has just started only but Arsenal’s injury list is already a troubling issue. The good news is that after two games, the list has not got any longer.

Theo Walcott still hasn’t recovered from a back injury, but Wenger said it was a matter of days not weeks. Nasri, Djourou, Rosicky, and Fabianski are all still out, while Eduardo has recovered from a tight hammy that kept him out of the Celtic match.

If all the players are fit for selection throughout the nine month quest, Arsenal is a sure bet for trophies but a full squad is a tough ask, given that harsh treatments will escalate in the coming weeks as every team wants a shot at tripping up the league leader.

Arsene Wenger should also look into why Bendtner, van Persie,and Arshavin who have started up front in a 4-3-3 formation against Everton and Celtic left their scoring boots at home. Even though goals are in abundance currently, it is not healthy to depend on defenders and midfielders to score goals. They should be supplying the assists and not gunning for glory, else van Persie may have to find another job elsewhere.

Time To Deliver The Goods

The objective is to win the Premier League title and possibly land the Champions League but I believe the fans will still accept a top four finish and allow Arsene Wenger more time to build his team. But even the professor feels that there should be no more excuses and goods must be delivered soon.

Wenger said: “At 22 or 23 I think a team is mature enough to deliver, and this is a massively important year for our club. To talk of winning the league is an audacious statement, but I built this team, and I want to deliver with this team.”

I believe the Gunners are already very hungry for success and they are due some luck too. Arsenal hasn’t won a trophy since the FA Cup in 2005 and they last won the league in 2004. The Gunners finished fourth in the Premier League last season, spending several weeks in fifth place and nearly lost out on Champions League qualification, if not for Aston Villa suffering a near cataclysmic collapse.

Arsenal have started off brightly before, only to end up with their hopes in tatters but this time, they may just defy the odds as the underdog. The squad is a year older and wiser and hungrier, and when you put your egos, feuds and differences aside, miraculous things can happen.

Barcelona achieved unprecedented honor with virtually the same squad before Pep Guardiola stepped into his debut managerial appointment. There is little technical skills he can teach the players which they do not know already so his job is not to impart knowledge but to get the players to function as a unit, the way he wants it.

Man-management skills take precedence and the fact that he has been a player in a successful Barcelona team helps. Guardiola knows what the players want and can channel their desires for silverware to selfless and hard work in training and competitive matches.

I believe Arsene Wenger can coax this team to rise to the occasion and punch above their weight. If Arsenal pass the tests at Manchester United and Manchester City with flying colors and continue to stay cautious, focused and motivated, they could very well end their five year trophy drought.

After trading in the “world’s best player” and then signing an over-the-hill striker whose panache has been eroded by a stint at Newcastle and long term injuries, is Alex Ferguson running out of options already? Maybe Ferguson is not desperate but rather, the 32 page glossy brochure depicting Owen as a charismatic, cool, good-looking, articulate, clean, fresh, fit and healthy player have worked its wonders on him.

We will never know but from a financial perspective, this roll of the dice by Alex Ferguson presents mutual benefits and little risks. Manchester United secured Michael Owen’s service on a free transfer and will pay him a low basic salary of about £20,000 a week, with massive performance-related bonuses which could take him close to £110,000 a week. Compared to previous costly errors in the transfer market, this is a shrewd investment by a long mile.

For the player, he gets a taste of Champions League football (instead of fighting relegation battles with Hull and Stoke) and a chance to add Premier League titles to his career highlights. The top-notch training facilities, medical team and lower expectations from Manchester United fans will also provide a conducive environment to resurrect his flagging career, just in time for the World Cup next year.

David Beckham has shown that money is secondary, provided he can fulfill his dreams of playing for a prestigious European club and representing England in the World Cup again. He willingly accepted pay cuts in AC Milan and virtually paid out of pocket to settle terms with LA Galaxy. Fabio Capello was rightfully impressed with his determination and there is no reason why he should not give Owen a fair chance if the latter rediscovers his lethal scoring instincts.

Currently, shirt sales attributed to Michael Owen are stagnant, which means that Manchester United fans have yet to warm up to this former stalwart of arch rival, Liverpool. It will take several match-winning performances for Michael Owen to prove his mettle, win over the skepticism of the fans and vindicate Alex Ferguson’s judgment.

However, even if the club has to contend with a non-performing Owen, the financial losses can be written off easily. Of paramount concern is the dearth of quality reinforcements which could hinder their title campaign next season. With Manchester United’s massive debts, not winning trophies and being forsaken by football fans is a recipe for financial disaster.

In Europe, challenging the likes of Barcelona which handily defeated them in the Champions League and the awe-inspiring Galaticos II of Real Madrid is becoming an uphill battle. On the domestic front, Liverpool and Chelsea breathed down Manchester United’s neck in the closing stages and if not for their inconsistencies which proved insurmountable, the Premier League race could have a different outcome.

Indeed, Manchester United should be beefing up or at least retaining its core assets but they were forced to sell Cristiano Ronaldo, their most reliable source of goals, to Real Madrid. Carlos Tevez is also set for a move to Manchester City or Chelsea, further reducing United’s front line options.

In fairness, Ronaldo has been clamoring for an exit for some time and Alex Ferguson has done his best to extract much value from the Portuguese. Keeping him for another season will only result in a disgruntled player with diminishing returns on the pitch and lower market value as well as disruption to team spirit.

Unlike Arsene Wenger who confessed that his transfer budget is not as generous as reported and Liverpool’s financial quagmire as highlighted by KPMG, Manchester United are flush with cash (from Ronaldo’s sale) and they still maintain a winning touch as domestic champions and consistently deliver in Europe, yet world class talents are reluctant to bite the bait.

Karim Benzema, one of the fans’ favorites, was clear about his career path and never wavered from his ambition to join Real Madrid. As for Franck Ribery, he is understood to show a firm interest in playing for Liverpool. David Villa will only contemplate the overtures of Barcelona or Real Madrid, rather than the gloomy weather in Manchester.

Manchester United’s next target is Aguero but he lacks pace, height and clinical finishing, yet is outrageously expensive. The deal will also require Berbatov to move in the opposite direction, and is a poor exchange even if the Bulgarian’s laziness and inability to convert crucial penalties earned the ire of United’s fans. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, a key member of the current Dutch side, is unappreciated in Real Madrid but Manchester United have yet to table an attractive bid.

But before we jump to the conclusion that Manchester United board has not tried hard enough or are using the money to pay off financial obligations, we have to understand that Spanish clubs traditionally enjoy an upper hand in the transfer market. Florentino Perez’s re-appointment as Real Madrid’s President further strengthened their appeal.

Manchester United always come a distant second when competing on equal terms for established Latin players since the days of Gabriel Batistuta, Marcelo Salas, Patrick Kluivert, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho. The arrival of Carlos Tevez is more of a fluke due to the intricacies of his contract, West Ham’s troubles, and the absence of major clubs’ interest.

Under such circumstances, perhaps the fans should be thankful for the arrival of Antonio Valencia (a virtual unknown poorly rated), Michael Owen, and another French youth winger Gabriel Obertan who offers lot of promise, but don’t expect any of the three to make major contributions immediately.

We can draw parallels for this dry period of talents to the 2006/07 season – when United sold Ruud van Nistelrooy to Real Madrid and only signed Michael Carrick from Tottenham Hotspur. Fortunately, Carrick managed to bolster a weakened midfield and has since matured into a player capable of holding the fort for the Red Devils.

Of the three recent signings, I place greater faith in Michael Owen to measure up to expectations. Home grown finishers in the Premier League don’t come any better than Michael Owen. In May 1997, at the tender age of 17, he burst onto the scene and began an illustrious career of breaking goal scoring records.

His electrifying pace, poacher’s instinct and goody two-shoes nature made him a hot football property, exactly the type of player who will sit well with Alex Ferguson. England also placed high hopes on Owen that they can finally terrorize opponents into submission.

At Liverpool, Michael Owen forged a fearsome partnership with Robbie Fowler and in fact, hastened the departure of the moniker of God. Owen became Liverpool’s top scorer every season since 1998 until he left the club and had scored more than 150 goals. Despite England’s early exit from the World Cup, Owen was named the 1998 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

In 2001, Michael Owen’s late brace in the FA Cup final against Arsenal took the trophy to Anfield and he completed a treble of honors by winning the UEFA Cup Final against Deportivo Alaves. At the end of the year, Owen became the first English player in twenty years to win the European Footballer of the Year award.

Unfortunately, Michael Owen’s bout of injury in 2003-2004 resulted in a bleak season for Liverpool. Gerard Houllier became the first victim, followed by Owen whose sale to Real Madrid for £8 million was approved by incoming manager Rafael Benitez. Despite being confined to the bench, Owen still ended the La Liga season with thirteen goals, and achieved the highest ratio of goals scored to number of minutes played.

The downfall started when Newcastle United held out an olive branch to Michael Owen who wanted more match time to be in top form for World Cup 2006. The deal was sealed but Owen ended up spending more time in the treatment room than playing for the Magpies. It is fair to say that his injury stems from mismanagement and bad luck.

The broken metatarsal in 2005, tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in a short-lived World Cup 2006 that kept him out for a year and the hernia operation in 2007 effectively destroyed the aura surrounding Michael Owen. In all, he suffered injury or illnesses 16 times during his time at Newcastle and made only 58 Premier League starts.

At Manchester United, I believe Michael Owen will receive better care to shake off his rustiness and get back to full fitness. Under the watchful eyes of Alex Ferguson, the signs from pre-season training are good that the player still retain his scoring touch, is working hard and enjoying his time at Old Trafford. After all, Owen has many friends in the United squad, thus integrating into the team is not a problem.

I believe Alex Ferguson yearns for the return of a conventional striker. Last season, Manchester United have incredible firepower in Ronaldo, Berbatov, Tevez and Rooney, but they fail to outscore their closest competitors. Instead, United’s success was largely based on sound defending as they won games by the odd goal and embarked on a record breaking run of not conceding goal for 1212 minutes. Ferguson will certainly want the defensive discipline to continue but having another clinical striker to put away chances increases their title hopes.

But from so many strikers, why did Alex Ferguson gamble on an injured player? For one thing, he appreciates the fact that rewards, if materialized, greatly outweigh the risks. A case in point is the purchase of Ruud van Nistelrooy. The deal was nearly axed when the Dutchman ruptured his cruciate knee ligaments during a training session. Nevertheless, Manchester United persevered and completed the transfer in 2001 by paying PSV an additional £500,000 for the player’s services.

It turned out to be an excellent transaction as van Nistelrooy repaid the faith and money during his five years stint with 150 goals in 220 appearances as well as becoming the club’s all-time European scoring record with 38 goals.

While Michael Owen may have lost the blistering pace in his youth, he is still among the most clinical strikers in England. If Owen can thrive during Houllier’s era which saw a Liverpool side engaging in a patient game of short passing and counter attack, then he should love the fluid, entertaining play by the Red Devils.

Owen will certainly benefit from the dominant possession and chances created by Manchester United compared to the dis-spirited and incompetent players at Newcastle. Sometimes, the quality of service is so good, a striker need only be there physically to stick the ball into the net.

Manchester United’s attacking style also reduces the need to depend on pace since most opponents are pinned back and have to defend in numbers. Thus, timing and positioning are more crucial factors to capitalize on crosses from the flanks as well as link up play from midfield. Eric Cantona, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were among the influential strikers during Ferguson’s reign but each did not make their mark based on speed.

In terms of commercial success, Michael Owen isn’t a glamor signing like David Beckham who sells merchandise by the truckloads. Fortunately, Alex Ferguson’s transfers stand in contrast to Real Madrid’s vision. He prefers hatchet men to deliver, and the United brand will take care of itself. Thus, he is more than happy to have Real Madrid take David Beckham off his hands, even in the face of huge commercial losses.

Since Michael Owen is not going to start often, his value lies in being a veteran who has played at the highest level and rise often to the occasion. Owen can strengthen the bench for the big games, in the absence of Carlos Tevez.

The Argentine may win hands down in terms of pace and technical skills like passing, dribbling and ball control, but Manchester United have saved themselves £22 million. In addition, Tevez’s impact is not as significant as Cristiano Ronaldo and can be rendered redundant by Rooney.

Owen compensates for his one-dimensional game with a high conversion rate which stands proudly above Tevez, Torres, Berbataov and Rooney. Thus, little separates both players as they are expected to net 10-15 goals a season when coming off the bench.

Michael Owen also serves another purpose of acting as a model to improve the prodigious talents of Danny Wellbeck and Federico Macheda. In recent years, Ferguson has shown a propensity for signing vintage players. Laurent Blanc, Teddy Sheringham and Henrik Larsson were regarded as past their best but their purpose was to impart experience and skills to the youngsters.

Alex Ferguson has certainly come a long way from the impulsive ’90s when he wiped out old guards in one fell stroke and immediately blooding the youth team. However, competition has intensified tremendously and a team of hot-blooded youngsters may be a risky formula for success.

Just look at Arsenal. Beautiful football is dished out by a bunch of youngsters who are not short on skills, stamina and eagerness but their inability to capitalize on chances and hold their ground when the going gets tough is a major stumbling block.

Welbeck and Macheda will eventually step up but not after they have gained consistency and experience. Speaking of experience, some fans may prefer Samuel Eto’o or Thierry Henry. I agree they will be more beneficial for the youngsters but the price will not be cheap either. Since Alex Ferguson has been a long-time admirer of Owen and regards age as an asset rather than liability, this is a good time to pick up a distressed asset for pennies on the dollar.

Overall, Michael Owen makes an ideal replacement for Ruud Van Nistelrooy, an out-and-out striker who put goals away at close quarters. Ferguson can toy with different options by either fielding Berbatov in the hole while pairing Owen and Rooney up front. Or Rooney can play in a withdrawn position, leaving Owen and Berbatov to lead the front line.

But for every transfer success, there are also failures for Alex Ferguson. The United’s medical team cannot always perform miracles. Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were laid out for long spells and could not last the rigors of a full season. Eventually, they moved on.

I cannot say if Owen will be another Louis Saha or Ruud van Nistelrooy but since any player will need a few games to settle down in a new environment, and for someone who is low on confidence and fitness due to a myriad of injuries, it is fair to give Owen a longer time to hit top gear before judging him.

However, assuming Owen rediscovers his form, there are flaws to his game that make Cristiano Ronaldo appear indispensable. Owen may be a natural finisher (with one foot) but he lacks creativity, nor is he capable of holding the ball up on his own or getting past defenders with trickery. He has to feed off other players and his limited game outside the box means you have to build the team around Owen.

Despite these flaws in his game, I am more worried about Owen’s attitude and desire to win. Detractors of Cristiano Ronaldo may denigrate him as a flamboyant peacock and dirty diver, but nobody can deny that he demands an exacting standard of himself and possesses a burning desire to be the best footballer.

Cristiano Ronaldo trains hard – polishing existing skills and experimenting with new tricks to become a more complete player. Alex Ferguson has revealed the secret to the magic which Ronaldo weaves on the pitch and the answer is alarmingly simple: tireless hours of practice.

Does Michael Owen desire to win titles and improve himself? Or does he believe that an old dog cannot learn new tricks? Is he content to warm the bench or just go on the pitch and put in 90 minutes of insipid performance and then collect his wages at the end of the day? If he has this kind of attitude, no football club or manager can help him.

During the final matches of survival for Newcastle, I was disappointed by the Geordies’ lack of heart and character and their nonchalance towards relegation. Great hopes and responsibilities were thrust on Michael Owen but he did not respond in a positive manner. Thus, it remains to be seen if Owen works hard all the way at Manchester United or only impress in the first few matches.

As for Liverpool, they may be indignant but there is hardly any betrayal here. Michael Owen wanted to move back to Anfield on two occasions, giving them first priority and agreeing to take massive pay cuts but to no avail, probably because of injury concerns, transfer fees and more importantly, Benitez’s hesitation.

By the way, Owen is not the first player to ply his trade for both clubs, thus the animosity should not get out of hand. Previously, there were Phil Chisnall and Paul Ince who was appointed Liverpool’s captain. Sir Matt Busby also played for Liverpool before going on to manage Manchester United, making them the first English club to win the European Cup.

Nevertheless, Owen’s arrival at Old Trafford will deepen the rivalry which runs through both clubs from fans to boardroom. Such moves are frowned upon as can seen by Alex Ferguson’s refusal to allow Gabriel Heinze and Carlos Tevez to cross over to the enemy and similarly Steven Gerrard “just would not come.”

Relations between United and Liverpool reached new lows last season with Benitez’s infamous rant about Ferguson. This transfer certainly adds spice to the rivalry and it will be fascinating to see Owen visit Anfield with United in the Premier League on October 24.

Considering Michael Owen’s contributions for Liverpool, the fans should wish him all the best, even if he plays a significant part in a fourth consecutive Premier League title for Manchester United and their record 19th title. I hope the treatment will not be as belligerent as what we saw from the Catalans when Luis Figo switched from Barcelona to Real Madrid.

Will Manchester United get over the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo? There are no shortage of punters backing Owen to be the top Premiership scorer next season and also making the World Cup squad next summer. We shall see, in a few months’ time. Stay tuned for updates.