Arsenal should only celebrate if Wenger spends in the summer

Let's get this out of the way first - I am a Tottenham supporter, so it is very hard for me to watch Arsenal players, coaches and supporters celebrate, especially when it comes at the cost of my own club.

But a thought did occur when I watched the scenes at full time at St James' Park on Match of the Day - just why were Arsenal celebrating so much? Sure, those of us at White Hart Lane would have 'gone f-ing mental' had we snatched fourth place and the chance to test our nerves again in a Champions League play-off, but then again Tottenham have only qualified for Europe's premier competition once (in it's current form). For Arsenal, it is almost a given.


To explain my point, consider the Aston Villa fans when they found out they would be safe - should they celebrate as if they had won the title? No, because a team the size and quality of Aston Villa should not secure Premier League safety with just one game to spare. Relief, naturally, tons of it, but celebration?

Of course, the margins for finishing in the Top 4 are a lot smaller than finishing in the Top 17, but the reaction on Sunday evening in Newcastle continues the worrying trend at Arsenal over the last five years or so. Ambitions continue to slip, to a point where locking in that fourth place finish on the final day is nor a massive achievement.

Now, if it means Arsene Wenger can stop operating in the relative bargain bin of the big teams' transfer market, stops signing one season wonders from France (Olivier Giroud), recently relegated Bundesliga players (Lukas Podolski), inconsistent hair transplant victims (Gervinho), and Sebastien Squillaci, then it would be a cause for celebration. If Arsenal can move on from a collective of young players struggling to meet the hype, established internationals and European stars who cannot establish themselves in the Gunners starting XI, and one or two genuinely world class players, to a side resembling the early Wenger teams, aligning break neck pace with a winning mentality and a rock solid defence, then the finale to the 2012-13 season will be remembered as the moment that re-launched Arsenal Football Club.

I admire the way Wenger has managed to run Arsenal economically and prudently, especially since the building of the Emirates. The stick he gets for an unwillingness to spend money the club doesn't have is ridiculous, however not enough is made of the many he has spent. 17 years in the Champions League and the team has changed from van Persie, Fabregas, Nasri and Toure to Giroud, Ramsey, Cazorla and Mertesacker. The star players shine less brightly than their predecessors, while those around them are of a much lower standard. Arsenal used to have young prodigies bristling for the chance to play, whereas now Wenger has players sat on the bench who he would rather not have to rely on.

This summer we can expect big spending from Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea as they prop up new managers. Liverpool will hope to continue their good form from the first half of 2013, although the likelihood is Everton will suffer in the wake of David Moyes' departure. Arsenal and Tottenham will be going head to head, and whoever has the better summer transfer window is likely to come out on top next season. Both teams could do with a new lead striker, while Arsenal lack fortitude in midfield and Spurs lack a playmaker. At the back Totttenham will be happier with their lot, while rumours persist over the Gunners' No.1 spot.

What gets me is that while the likes of Villas-Boas and Brendan Rodgers look up, Wenger is more worried about what is below. The Top 4 as a trophy did not sit well with ordinary football fans, and while it is a sign of the evolution of modern day football it also demonstrates a worrying attitude from Wenger. Nobody believed him when he said at the beginning of the season that Arsenal were title contenders, and most alarmingly of all was that you did not feel Wenger really believed it either.

It is apparent that Wenger is caught between a rock and a hard place - set targets too high and they will be dismissed out of hand, set them too low and there is a chance the club becomes complacent. However, it is better to fail aiming high than fail aiming low.

Wenger himself needs to demand more from his players, who might not cost the top amount in transfer fees but certainly take home big wages (even by your average Premiership players' standard, and some Arsenal players are very average cough Bendtner cough) but the Frenchman also needs to sharpen up his act in the transfer market. Newcastle signed Moussa Sissoko, a rampaging, physical box to box midfielder, for around £3million with agent fees, where were Arsenal? Tottenham signed Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen, two players who would have loved to have joined Arsenal by all accounts, but Wenger said no. Why? Blind loyalty? Or has the ex-Monaco boss started to doubt himself and worry a little too much about what might happen if the transfer doesn't work out, rather than what will happen if the transfer succeeds?

The one ace in the hole that Arsenal have, especially over their North London rivals, is they have the new stadium already. Other teams will have to restrain their budgets to pay for a bigger capacity, however the Financial Fair Play rules may turn that Ace into a Jack or ten. Still, if Wenger is gambling that everyone else will be penny pinching and Arsenal can take advantage of their financial planning, I fear he is massively mistaken.

So this it, a crucial summer that will either make those last day celebrations to start with more to come, or the final hurrah as the club continues to slowly slip away from the top.

Budesliga yet another flavour of the month

 Wilkommen! Guten Tag! Das, erm Spielsplaztenberger. Okay, my GCSE German needs some brushing up, but the Bundesliga is here! Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are in the Champions League, and ze Germans are set to rule us all (in football terms). This is the age of the Mannschaft, all hail the mighty Farterland!!

Actually, let’s not. While the rest of the media loses their collective shit over the indomitable Germans, gushes over their ownership models and sycophantically applauds the young German talent coming through, how about we enjoy some perspective? Yes, we should not stick fingers in our ears and our heads in the sand but every three-to-five years there is another fad, another first-mover, another market leader, another football flavour that is THE BEST THING EVER and must be copied head to toe by the English powers that be if we are to achieve anything, ever.

At the moment, it’s the German model. Before that, La Masia and Barcelona. Before that, England was dominating Europe, following on from the all Serie A Champions League final of 2003, which naturally was a reaction to Real Madrid and Spain’s supremacy. Go into the nineties and earlier, see the great Italian dominance of Europe, including Milan’s successful defence of their European crown in 1990, and of course Ajax’s famous academy system.

As media attention has ramped up and become increasingly desperate to seek headlines by resorting to extremes, it is now the norm to decide whoever wins has the best plan, the best set up, the best system, and everyone else is failing. The German duo were extremely impressive as they beat Real Madrid and Barcelona. Bayern Munich comprehensively outclassed the Catalans who struggled without their talisman Leo Messi and, probably more importantly, without Carlos Puyol and Javier Mascherano, while Real left it too late to undo the damage exacted by Dortmund in the first leg.

There was some fantastic German talent on offer, and of that England manager Roy Hodgson can be envious. But the fact is the Premier League is such a worldwide phenomena, brings in such massive revenue and can offer such massive wages that of course it will attract the world’s best, in the same way that Serie A in the 90’s attracted the best players because it paid the biggest fees and wages, and how Real Madrid and Barcelona can tempt the best players in the Premier League to Spain, given their unfair share of La Liga TV revenue. To think English teams can easily adopt the German system of bringing through youth is simplistic. There are many unique factors (language, cultural immigration, money) that come into play.

But hey, I hear you cry, if we want a successful national team we need to follow the German method (which I imagine is the football equivalent of the missionary position – maximum efficiency). Let’s look at the record books – before 2002, Germany had won three world cups, finished runners up three times, and semi-finalists three times. They also won three European championships, twice runners up, and once semi-finalists. What I am saying is, the Germans have always been successful at international level, and it is somewhat ironic that they have not won a major international trophy since 1996 – seventeen years of hurt, it makes my heart bleed.

It is the Spanish model, shown up this week, that has proved the most successful in recent times, but again there are mitigating circumstances. The concentration of most of the players in two teams – the two teams in La Liga – will have helped the cohesion and understanding of the team. That Spain is basically Barcelona with Real’s power is no coincidence.

There is a lot to admire about the German system, just as there is much to admire in the Spanish, Dutch, Italian or Scottish systems (okay, maybe stretched a little far there). Germany certainly treats its fans a little better, and the ownership model has a lot of plus points, but equally you could argue that the rules that give fans 51% of the club allows Bayern Munich to dominate, as the signing of Mario Gotze from Dortmund shows. Bayern have finished well ahead of their rivals and you can only see the gap getting bigger. There is no Sheikh on the horizon to mix things up a bit.

Ticket prices are a lot lower, and it is shocking that as TV revenue for the Premier League increases so do match day prices, but recent announcements that ticket prices were to increase in the Bundesliga led to protests. It goes to show that’s it’s all relative, although naturally we’d rather have the German supporters’ price problems than ours.

When the English FA built St George’s Park they received phone calls from across the continent asking them what they were doing, how they were doing it, what they were planning, what they wanted out of it. Everyone wants to know the best practices so they can adopt and adapt to meet their requirements and their systems. When England had three semi finalists in the Champions League other countries were looking at how we marketed the league, how we tapped international markets, how we negotiated our TV deals. Italy changed from an individual to a collective bargaining agreement, Germany and Spain started moving matches to appeal to the Asian market. We need to do the same.

We should identify the best things about the German system, the Spanish system, in fact all systems, see how we can integrate them into how football is run in our country and mould them to suit our circumstances and our needs. Not simply say the Germans are winning ergo we should copy what they do.

Uli Hesse, a writer for ESPN, annually checks the stats and shows the Bundesliga has the most goals in it on average than any of Europe’s leagues, each year for the last decade. Where were the plaudits in 2003? Why weren’t people looking to their tactics and strategies back then? Because they were not winning and English teams were. Then the Spanish came. Now it is time for the Germans.

If we here in England only look to copy others we will always be one step behind. We need to find the best method that suits us, what we want and what we need. Only then can we lead the way and win the trophies. In the mean time, let’s slow down the German love fest. One all-German final does not mean a new era had begun. Yet.

Solutions for the FA Cup

How do we save the F.A. Cup? It's a big question, and one that is recurring with each passing round of the competition. The Cup has a fantastic heritage but now the Premier League and, more importantly, the Champions League take precedent, what can be done to regain the status of the world's oldest cup competition? Here are some solutions, and my own personal view on them.

1. Money

Money makes the world go round. The massive sums available for playing in the Premier League make the competition far, far bigger and powerful than the Champions ship. The TV revenue helps buy the top talent in the world, which keeps interest high, which brings even more money and so on. The Champions League is an extension of this system. Playing in the Premier League is worth £40-80million, depending on different reports, while the Champions League can be another £40million plus. When you get at tops £5million for winning the FA cup, it is no surprise where the priorities lie.

So the obvious answer is to increase the prize money, especially in the latter stages. The problem here is the FA does not have that money lying around - any spare cash it has goes to service the debts - so it is easier said than done. And the longer the F.A. Cup suffers, the lower sponsorship and interest will be, and the less money it will generate.

Summary: Would certainly help, but not likely in the short term.

2. Scheduling

An apparent problem with the F.A. Cup is that it gets in the way. Games fill up the football calendar, you get fixture congestion, fatigue, and unless you are going all the way to Wembley it is a distraction a team could do without.

Personally I think the fatigue argument is nonsense, but if teams want to put weakened line-ups that is up to them (this is for any competition, not just the F.A. Cup). But managers bring the point up so we should analysis it.

The problem can be split in two: teams who have too many fixtures, especially when replays come into it, and teams who are knocked out who have no fixtures for weeks.

(i) Too many games

The F.A. Cup is given specific weekends when there are no Premier League fixtures - specifically the first and last weekend in January. Also, because of the short period between rounds, the fifth round features very few PL games - West Brom vs Wolves being the only one this weekend, for instance. Because fans and authorities need to be notified in good time before games can be reorganised, matches are piled up later on in the season. You cannot give just a week's notice, and sometimes games have to be organised again if one or both teams continue to advance in the competition.

The solution would be to keep PL games fixed, and move F.A cup games to free midweek or weekend slots (all bar the third round weekend, which I would keep). With the FA Cup final usually being the last game of the season, a week after the league finishes, you have time to fit in the games if there is a backlog. All PL games need to kick off at the same time on the final day for reasons of fair play. With the semis at Wembley there may be a need to cram in the games a little, but not as much as now.

Replays are also an issue. You could simply eradicate replays, and it is a sensible suggestion. First the endless replays were scrapped, then replays at the semi final stage, so why not go the whole way? The lack of interest at the Wigan - Bolton replay midweek shows that there can be overkill. Traditionalists may argue they should remain, but scheduling is so tight they become an unnecessary burden. I do not like having 4th round games happening on the same weekend as 5th round games.

And, as ever, there is the problem of the Champions League's decision to split the last 16 fixtures over four weeks, further adding to the fixture congestion. Some synchronicity between the domestic and European calendar would help. Sorting out international friendly dates would also help.

(ii) Not enough games!

Tottenham were humbled at Fulham 4-0 in the 4th round. As a result they find themselves with no game this weekend. Blackpool are out after losing at Southampton in round 3. Both teams have a rescheduled match to sort out due to the winter chill, but rather than help the travelling fans by arranging the game this weekend the tie is on Tuesday night!

Once again the lack of time between rounds and doubt over how far teams might go means precious weekends pass with no fixtures, while midweek is filled with long journeys and tough games.

Summary: A switch to midweek would solve a lot of scheduling problems, easing congestion. Can and should be done asap.

3. Fan Interest

Attendances and interest in the F.A. Cup has been on the wane. The 7500 at Wigan for last week's replay indicates there is an issue and the Cup can find it a struggle to get column inches when the PL and CL are around. The lack of interest is not as bad as some may say - Wigan's attendances have been pretty dire all season - but while the Premier League is ruled by money, how about we make the F.A. Cup the people's cup?

To start with, ticket prices could be tapped at a set level. Ticket prices in general are astronomical, and it is not just at the top. Prices at non-league clubs are criminal, and perhaps this could encourage a downward pressure on prices as a whole. I know its unlikely, but you never know.

Another option would be to encourage more children to attend. A set price of £5 for under 16s may be dismissed as a token gesture but if it gets more kids interested in the game, in the cup, and maybe their local team, then its all good. Might encourage a few more Dads to take their kids to the game rather than buy them that Xbox game.

The F.A. Cup final has pretty good ticket allocation compared to other events but even still it is a corporate love in. How about a few less tickets for the companies and a few more for the fans? Even a ballot for the neutral fans could be exciting, although it does risk taking tickets away from fans of the two competing clubs.

What about making every game available on TV? If we are going midweek we could have games Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday. In rounds 3 and 4 this would be tough given the number of ties but from the 5th round onwards this should be manageable. Even more interesting - make all the games available on free channels! A trial of showing live 3pm kick-offs could also be trialled.

Summary: More could be done to keep and raise interest. Ticket pricing may upset smaller teams looking for a payday, which is fair enough, but no reason for kids tickets to be free. More ties on TV on successive days may help. Certainly worth investigating.

4. Champions League place for the winner

Would certainly add a little more spice to the pot, but how many times has a team not already in the Top 4 won the cup? If there was a CL place on offer those teams are likely to take the cup more seriously, but others less so. Still, might give an opening to a team like Everton or Villa, who on their day can beat the top teams but lack consistency. Hell, on this season's results you could include Wolves!

Summary: Intriguing, but would a better solution be to make the Europa League more important? The PL wont give up a CL place anyway.

5. Seeding the top teams

Would the F.A. Cup be more interesting if Man Utd and Liverpool had been kept apart in the third round? Liverpool fans may say so, but the traditionalists would cry foul.

I'm with the traditionalists on this one - the random draw makes the F.A. Cup what it is. If we start fixing it so the top teams have an easier run we will just end up with a load or all-PL games with a scattering of Championship teams in there.

Summary: Would change the nature of the Cup. Not for me.

6. Top teams play away

Something that cups in Germany and France do is to have the top teams play away. This gives the minnows a better chance because they have the home support behind them and it does help produce upsets.

Of course, this does not help the randomness of the draw, plus the Police may be a little concerned about the big teams taking thousands of fans down to little grounds, for obvious reasons.

But my biggest concern apart from the romance of the cup being diminished is that the small clubs look forward to a big pay day when they travel to the Old Trafford's, Emirates and St James' Parks of the world. This is a major opportunity to make money that would be removed, and ultimately you have to question whether Crawley's chances of progression against Man Utd would be massively enhanced if they were playing at their ground rather than Old Trafford. What would the players prefer?

Summary: Infringes of the random nature of the cup, plus will it help the lower league teams financially? For every one team that benefits from home advantage and causes an upset, how many will lose and lose out on the money?

7. Get rid of the League Cup

Too much of a good thing? Does the League Cup remove some of the novelty from the F.A. Cup? Does it add to the fixture congestion? Other countries only have one cup and yet you could argue that there is even less interest in that one cup than either of ours.

In a way, the League Cup, with its short setup and early final has found a little niche to call its own. Its a quick route to a Wembley, a trophy, and Europe. One arguement is to move it forward so that, for the PL teams, it does not overlap the F.A. Cup. In my mind, that is something worth considering.

Summary: Do not dispense with the League Cup, but it could be moved to ease scheduling.

8. Other Ideas

- English/UK players only
- Limit on over 21/23yo players
- Play all games in one or two batches, making it a quick, intense competition
- Make F.A. Cup final first game of season instead of last (replacing the Charity Shield)


If you have any ideas add them in the comments section

What The Hell Is A Booking Fee???

Time to grind some gears....with the latest price details for the Champions League at Wembley released, starting at £176, it got me wondering: what the hell is a booking fee??

I buy a ticket. It costs £150 - an insane and inflated price designed to get as much money as possible - and then they whack on a £26 (£36 if you are abroad) booking fee. Why not include the fee in the cost? Do they think we will see 150 quid and say 'that seems quite reasonable actually' but £176 would be a bridge too far??

It is not just Uefa of course, they are just the latest example. Tottenham (and everyone else) do it. The best is when they charge a booking fee even though you are picking up the tickets. Why not include the sodding thing in the price? Are they saying 'We are ripping you off, but only by this much! The extra cost isn't to do with us....'

It doesn't matter to us! We still have to pay it!!

Football is not alone, of course it isn't. Not just sport, but anywhere, there are always hidden costs that make a bargain actually more expensive than the other options. I'm getting sick and tired of it - I want the fee to be all inclusive. I want the bottom line. i do not want to know who gets what, or why I'm charged this bit or that, just tell me how much it costs me in total. How much I have to pay.

And at £176, Uefa can stick their ticket up their ass! If I got one (and Spurs were not in a final) I'd sell it to a tout and make some money. In fact, why don't Uefa do just that?? They would make a fortune.

The Curious Case of David N'Gog

Liverpool drew 0-0 with Sparta Prague, failing to get a shot on target in the whole game. David N'Gog started upfront and provided yet more questions about how he has found himself to in a team with such history and lofted ambitions.

When Rafa Benitez signed him from PSG the french club did not put up much of a fight, hence the low transfer fee. In 25 games he had scored 3 goals, two of those coming in one game in the French League Cup. At Liverpool he has improved his scoring rate slightly to 19 goals in 89 games.

This season he has scored 8 goals, five coming from the Europa League. His goal in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal was a powerful finish, beating Almunia at the near post, but I cannot fathom why he still gets games for Liverpool.

Quick quick, not bad in front of goal, he offers little as a leading front man (a poor man's Torres, even with the Spaniard in such dire form). He is not strong in the air, not technically proficient on the deck, does not stretch the channels, nor hold off defenders. He looks like he is at 80% all the time.

The fact he is edging towards a century of games for Liverpool is more of an indictment of their striking options over the last few years. Why Benitez selected him ahead of the enigma that is Ryan Babel shows his reign went downhill. Roy Hodgson, with no funds to spend, had to play him and was initially rewarded with goals but the Frenchman has returned to type.

The problem is, after being seduced by Liverpool, it is unlikely that N'Gog will settle for a stint at a team down the Premier League table, or in the Championship. He turned down a move to West Brom in the summer, but that is about his level. He is a Peter Odemwingie, a striker who does well if he gets into double figures for the season, which he has never done in his career.

I'm sure he tries his heart out, and hey, he is better than me, but I never seen what Bentiez has seen in him. If someone offers £5million they should bite their hands off because I do not see N'Gog making it in the Premier League, at least not for a side aiming for the Champions League.

The sooner Andy Carroll gets fit the better!

Managers' Decisions Changed Arsenal - Barca Game

A great game for the neutral. Entertaining, attacking football that produced chances, errors, moments of brilliant, and set up the second leg perfectly. But when you look a little closer, the match hinged on the changes made by the managers.

Arsenal had their chances in the first half but they were counters presented by Barcelona's attacking football. When the full backs become auxillary wingers you can, when the opportunity presents itself, cause panic in their defence if you counter attack with pace. Indeed, with better decision making, Arsenal may have scored in the first half. However Pep Guardiola's men created several excellent chances and arguably should have scored more than David Villa's goal.

The side from the Emirates tried to press high up the pitch but Jack Wilshere and Song sat too deep. There is nothing more fruitless and exhausting than breaking your balls to press a centre back or defensive midfielder only for him to make a simple pass to a free team mate. The Spanish side make this look easier than it is, but with Arsenal trying to push up but their central midfielders too deep, Barca could get in dangerous positions and then slide someone in behind, as they did on several occasions in the first half.

Second half Arsene Wenger's side pushed Wilshere alongside Cesc Fabregas and Arsenal's pressing game became much more effective. Wilshere was getting much more involved in the game (personally I thought he was anonymous in the first half and caught in possession too much) and also much further forward.

Then, with the game very even, Guardiola made an ultimately horrendous decision. Seydou Keita came on for David Villa. Villa had been very dangerous in the build up as well as a goal threat. If Messi had squared the ball on a couple of occasions Villa would have six yard tap ins. In fact, out of the two the Argentian was the one having a poor game - his dribbling often slowed down moves, he ran into crowds and his finishing was wayward.

With Iniesta pushed forward, Wenger made his next decisive move - taking off the liability that was Alexandre Song and putting on Arshavin, pushing Nasri inside with Wilshere. With greater cutting edge going forward Arsenal turned the screw and got the goal their increasingly better play deserved.

Barcelona lost shape, found it difficult to get their passing game working, and Arsenal grew in strength. The Spanish champions were not poor by any means, which makes Arsenal's victory more worthy, and the away goal is key, but Wenger has certainly sharpened up his game plan to beat 'the greatest side in the modern eara'.

It's a great achievement to beat Barcelona anywhere, but will they be able to get the result they need at the Camp Nou? That's a completely different challenge altogether, although as Hercules and Mallorca have shown, it is not impossible...

Spurs get lucky with Young Boys

Young Boys 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur

As a Spurs fan, that was horrendous. Never mind the first thirty minutes that found Tottenham three goals down, the entire game was a defensive shambles. And whatever happens, do not blame the pitch.

The AstroTurf pitch simply exacerbated fundamental flaws in the setup of the London team which were not helped by some very poor individual decisions. Young Boys started at a very high tempo, but were very compact and did not use the flanks. Spurs on the other hand went with a traditional 4-4-2 formation with wingers hugging the touch line. This was the first mistake, and is a lesson that needs to be learnt.

- 4-4-2 does not work away from home in Europe

Villareal and an under-cooked Fiorentina gave Spurs a few lessons at the Lane. Tottenham's away record at the top teams has been terrible for many, many years. And yet Harry Redknapp went with an offensive 4-4-2 against the team from Bern. He, and the players, showed a lack of respect and awareness. For that first thirty minutes Spurs could not get on the ball. Young Boys' 5 man midfield were far more fluid, and Tottenham did not press as a team.

- Pavlyuchenko and Defoe should not play together against strong teams.

Neither player was impressive. Neither player showed a good enough touch in build up play nor in front of goal. Neither player worked hard. Nor did they get back and close down the holding midfielder, stopping Young Boys from progressing their play up the pitch.

The Russian, apart from the movement and finish for his goal, was woeful. Defoe still looked a little off pace. The half chances that did come their way did not manage a meaningful effort on goal. If they are not scoring, they offer nothing. However....

- Keane is the key

I'm not saying he should start every week. But when the opposition has men behind the ball, and more men in midfield, the Irishman's ability to drop deep and get play going motivates the rest of the team to increase their off the ball movement. Keane did not hesitate to come to the half way line and take the ball of the centre backs and get involved with the central midfielders. His markers did not know whether to stick or twist, and his lay-off for the second goal was excellent, and was the first link up between any of our strikers.

- Huddlestone is a giant

Palacios and Modric were out numbered, but the Honduran did not help his game by being wasteful in possession and poor in defence. The holding role does not suit him as he wants to step up and press the ball and ends up caught in a no-man's land that contributed to the second and third goals we conceded. Only when Huddlestone came on after thirty minutes did Spurs look assured on the ball, slowing the tempo when needed and providing good positional awareness when needed.

He is not yet vocal enough to be a midfield general, but his game has improved to the extent that others now take their lead from him.

- You cannot play high and not press.

The second and third goals also exploited a lack of pace at the back. Even if Spurs had Usain Bolt at the back, it's easy to out pace someone when they have to turn 180 degrees. However, when there is pressure on the ball it is harder for the opposition to play the perfect ball for the runners to run on to.

As said above, Spurs were out numbered in midfield and the strikers were not helping out. The back line should have dropped, therefore, keeping the play in front of them. Instead they tried to push up and were exposed. Once again a lack of respect and awareness saw Spurs concede two unnecessary goals.

- The Internationals did not help.

Some players are still suffering from a World Cup hangover. With an early start to the Premiership season, plus mid week internationals before the season had begun, some players are lacking the sharpness needed. This was Spurs' second competitive game - Young Boys are on 7 already.

- Hurry Up Sandro

Tottenham's only summer signing, Sandro is due to arrive after the second leg of the Copa Libertadores. The defensive midfielder would be the perfect addition to a three man midfield and would have cut off the two through balls for the Swiss team's second and third goals. When Spurs make the switch to 4-3-3/4-5-1, he could be key



All is not lost. Pavlyuchenko's late goal makes Spurs favourites at a packed White Hart Lane. With a more traditional surface and the crowd behind them, you would expect Spurs to win, maybe by a couple of goals. However, if they cannot address those defensive issues and the naivety of manager and players, this season will be anything but Glory Glory.

Time for Ancelotti's Stamp

Three years have passed since the Special One left Stamford Bridge, yet the team remains true to his values, his tactics and his formation. The key men remain the same - Cech, Terry, Ashley Cole, Lampard and Drogba - and despite the best efforts of Carlo Ancelotti the style is still the same - strong and powerful, but not always pleasing on the eye.

The Italian has achieved something Mourinho did not, namely a domestic double, and he still has a chance to deliver the Champions League, something Chelsea have never won. But the feeling remains that Mourinho created the Chelsea we have seen today, and the likes of Avram Grant, Guus Hiddink and now Ancelotti are merely reaping the benefits. Key personnel remain the same, and those that have left have been replaced with similarly styled players.

Moruniho's teams were accused of defensive, direct football. Effective without doubt, but for the money splashed about more was expected. Those that have succeeded him have not had a blank cheque book, and arguably Ancelotti is having it harder than most. The likes of Michael Ballack and Joe Cole have left the club, their wages deemed excessive for what they brought to the team.

Looking at Ancelotti's previous teams, should we be expecting an attractive, attacking style of play? A brief glimpse of his managerial history shows that the Italian likes to adopt a defensive style of play in general, but tends to mould a system to suit his players. Is it any surprise, therefore, that he should choose to continue with a kind of football that has worked so well for Chelsea in the recent decade?

One legacy the man from Reggiolo is trying to create is behind the scenes at the club's training ground in Cobham. The idea is to replicate the famous Milanello training facility and Ancelotti has brought over Bruno di Michelis to help build a world class complex.

The Chelsea squad still has a few areas that need improvement. The return of Michael Essien will bring drive and determination, but the team lacks width and sheering pace on the wings as the full backs are asked to cover both fofensive and defensive duties. Anelka and Drogba still struggle to shine as a partnership, while Lampard struggled in the first half of last season without the physical presence of the Ivorian upfront.

The signing of Fernando Torres would certainly make a statement, but I worry how well he and Drogba would do in a partnership. Both like to lead the line and be the focal point of attacks - would they be able to link up together and score the goals? And how well would Lampard work in a deeper role?

Chelsea could do with genuine wingers to offer a different option (Malouda and Kalou are not by any definition wingers) and also a creative midfielder to get on the ball and create chances. It's all very well smashing Wigan for eight, but as Inter Milan showed they can be stifled as an attacking force. If Chelsea want to win that Champions League, and Ancelotti wants to be the man to do it, he needs to make a couple of changes and then maybe we can say this is Ancelotti's Chelsea.

Fergie Still Has Plenty of Rebuilidng To Do

Such are the exalted pressures placed on managers these days, second place is simply the first of the losers. Last season's runners-up, Manchester United, have enjoyed finishing first more often than not, and Sir Alex Ferguson will not except finishing second once again. However, if his team are to succeed at home and abroad, they still have lots of rebuilding to do.

Ultimately, United did not finish that far off top spot, but it could be argued that they faced the poorest Chelsea side in the last few years. Ignore the OAP-quips, Chelsea had a good team but they lacked pace and creativity on the flanks, Lampard had a poor start to the season, Anelka a poor finish to the season. Obi Mikel has yet to control midfield like Makelele, Essien was out injured for most of the season and Cech still looked suspect. Both Chelsea and United were undone at home in the Champions League, and United missed plenty of opportunities to take an unassailable lead in the title race.

Ferguson has made more moves in the summer transfer window than anyone so far, snapping up Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling. Hernandez certainly looked lively for Mexico, bagging a good couple of goals. How quickly he can settle in to the Premiership we will have to wait to find out, but he does seem to have talent.

Smalling, for a fee of over £10 million pounds, had impressed in a game for Fulham against local rivals Chelsea, but since then has looked a little shaky for a player heading to a club of United's stature. Perhaps Ferguson hopes to mould him into a world class defender, rather than drop him straight in the deep end, but with fitness concerns over Rio Ferdinand and transfer rumours surrounding Vidic, Smalling may get more games than either he or this manager expected.

By and large, United's defence was pretty solid. Edwin van der Sar continues to perform to a high standard, although Fergie's dalliance with Ben Foster as a future number 1 did not work, unsurprisingly in my opinion. So maybe there is scope for a new, top class number 1. Someone like Manuel Neuer, a better keeper than the World Cup has suggested, could be ideal.

Upfront, Wayne Rooney was on fire, but its always easier for a striker to score when he is the lone recipient of the team's chances. When partnered with Berbatov or Owen, who both failed to produce to the high standards demanded at Old Trafford, the Englishman looked less assured. Berbatov has failed to be the target man for Rooney to play off of, and Owen has inevitably found injuries blocking his path. Mama Biram Diouf looks to be the next Manucho, but Hernandez and Marcheda could help beef up the attacking options.

Its in midfield where the greatest problems lie. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs edge nearer retirement, and in Scholes' case especially there have been times when the old maestros have simply looked out of the loop. This would be fine if others had stepped up to the plate, but apart from Darren Fletcher who continues to impress, there is a real lack of quality.

Ji-Sung Park could find himself propelled into a regular slot. Trusted by Fergie to play in the big games, perhaps its time to start becoming a first eleven regular, if only because his midfield rivals have played poorly, at best.

Michael Carrick flatters to deceive for club and country. His passing ability is pleasing on the eye, but is not incisive enough. He lacks bite in the tackle, can be overrun and outplayed by quality opponents, and goes missing far too much. Compared to Scholes in his prime, Carrick looks like a lost choirboy. Anderson looks at best average, at worst a headless chicken. For someone costing near £20 million, he has failed to provide value for money on any level. I do feel, however, that Ferguson has deployed the Brazilian too deep, and should allow the bustling midfielder to operate further up the pitch. The need for a playmaker has probably clouded Ferguson's mind.

Darren Gibson provides squad depth, but not excellence against premier opposition. Will he dictate midfield against Inter or Real or Barca? The forgotten man, Owen Hargreaves, has the ability and United have definitely missed him. The 2009 Champions League final was a prime example, but his rehabilitation into a consistent first team player is still a long way off. 2 minutes at the end of the season does not count, and I will not believe he is ready until he can play a full month's worth of action.

Obviously, the Glazers ave restricted the transfer budget to some extent, but Ferguson still has a decent kitty to spend. The problem is, players like Smalling and Hernandez may become top class players and first team regulars in the future, but United need a world beater in midfield now. The supply of such players is short, and prices will be extremely high, but it's a price worth paying if United want to go the extra step and win the Premiership and Champions League again.