Carragher – “England still in good shape”

Jamie Carragher is fit and ready to step into the breach and help to rebuild England’s World Cup ambitions after their opening draw, according to the player.

A goalkeeping howler by Robert Green meant an uninspired England could only draw their opening Group C game 1-1 with the USA, and Carragher was forced to come on in place of Ledley King at half-time after the Spurs player injured his groin.

Carragher had a disappointing domestic season as his Liverpool side missed out on the Premier League top four and the defender returned from international retirement before the 2010 Football World Cup at the request of manager Fabio Capello.

It now seems that the Italian will pick the Liverpool man to play alongside John Terry at the heart of the England defence in their next game against Algeria.

Carragher has said he is confident himself and Terry can form a strong defensive partnership if they are “given the opportunity”, adding he is sure due to the “ability” both the players have.

The defender stated that he remained assured that England can have a successful World Cup despite their inauspicious start to the tournament.

“A lot of experienced players in the squad have been to World Cups before,” Carragher said.

“I don’t think the squad has changed that much from four years ago. Hopefully [we can] build on the experience from then and go one better.”

The World Cup 2010 betting still makes England among the favourites for the tournament.

In addition to the centre back issues, Capello also has to make a decision on his goalkeeper after Green’s mistake in their opening game and one of those options is David James.

The veteran goalkeeper was overlooked for the USA game but has declared he is “fit and well” and wants to start the clash with Algeria if Capello decides to drop Green.

Ivory Coast ‘under more pressure than England’

Everyone connected with English football knows that there has always been a huge expectation on the national team. However, Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba has revealed that the massive pressure his team are under from their adoring fans.

The Chelsea man – who hopes to play some part in the World Cup finals despite breaking his arm on Friday – says that the expectation back home in Ivory Coast is ‘higher than England’.

This is partly because the Ivory Coast fans always expected a decent standard, but mainly because it has been concluded that the current squad of players is the most talented the country has ever had.

As Drogba says, he and most of his team mates ‘play for big teams and have won things’ but have never done so with their county. Basically, it is about time they did so and therefore, nothing other than winning the World Cup will do.

Spain World cup betting  odds may suggest they are the favourites, but the Ivory Coast public won’t want to pay attention to this.

If sufficient success is to be achieved though, much depends on the fitness of Drogba. Therefore, it is good news that after it was feared he would miss the entire tournament, he now has an outside chance of playing the first game.

There won’t just be weight on the player’s shoulders either – there manager Sven Goran Eriksson will be feeling it to. So what does Drogba make of his boss?

Well, he says that the former England head coach is ‘one of the best managers on the market’ and that his experience can be used ‘to beat one or two big teams at the World Cup’.

They will need to do just that to progress from the toughest group of the tournament too. Brazil and Portugal World Cup Betting pundits will expect their respective nations to progress and Ivory Coast will have to defeat at least one of them.

A victory over Portugal in their opening game on Tuesday would certainly help them settle into matching their country’s expectations.

Capello picks first England World Cup side

He’s keeping the players and the fans guessing but according to England manager Fabio Capello he already knows who will start the side’s opening group game against the USA.

Since taking charge of the Three Lions, the Italian has gained a reputation for playing his cards close to his chest. The days of team sheets being released to the media well ahead of kick off are gone and it seems Capello is taking the same approach to the World Cup.

Speaking to Radio Five Live, he revealed the first XI has already been picked for the game, although he is aware that injuries could force him to change his plans.

He said: “I know the 11 that will play Saturday and I hope the next two days, during the training, all the players will be fit.”

The side’s preparations were dealt a cruel blow just hours after they arrived in South Africa when Rio Ferdinand injured his knee. James Milner and Matthew Upson have also been suffering from a fever, so there’s no guarantee that Capello will be able to field the players he wants. Indeed, the problems in the camp seem to have led to England’s World Cup odds lengthening.

However, the manager is also satisfied with the progress England have made during his time in charge, claiming that “they’ve improved a lot” since his first game in charge back in February 2008.

For now Capello, the players and the fans will just have to pray that England’s World Cup injury curse doesn’t strike again and they are able to field a full-strength side against a USA team who will be no pushovers.

Furthermore, anyone with a betting system will be aware that England have a poor record at the start of tournaments.

It should be remembered that no side has ever gone on to win the World Cup after losing their first group game, so the Three Lions really do need to get off to a flyer.

Arsenal Gossip – June 9th

As the world cup approaches most the Arsenal news are slowing down. I do not expect much action on the transfer front until after the tournament, but I promise to give you the latest updates in all matter concerning Arsenal.

 Philippe Senderos has officially agreed a 3 year deal with Fulham. To be quite honest I liked the man. He seemed to be a very intelligent and also very humble (which is rare these days) so I wish him all the best with Fulham. He has all my respect and I will applaud him when he returns to the Emirates. The competition was just too fierce for him at Arsenal, and I don’t even think he was offered a new deal by Wenger.

 We are being linked with every single midfielder in the world at the moment, and to be quite honest I am getting tired of it. Werder Bremens whiz kid Mesut Özil is the latest player on the list, and reports suggest that Arsenal are preparing a £12m offer. The Joe Cole rumors won’t die down and he could be on his way to Arsenal. My question here is, if Cole does sign for us, who is heading out? We have way too many midfielders to our disposal at this point, and I cannot really see where Cole would fit into our current lineup. I do rate him as a player, but this signing makes little sense. We need defenders, not more injury prone midfielders.

 At this point I just want some action. Do you hear that Wenger? Give us fans some action and make your first signings. You told us at the end of the season that your dealings would be done before the World cup. We are less then 48 hours away and we have seen nothing…

Have a good night Gooners!!

PS. If you have any suggestions on topics you would like me to cover, feel free to shoot me a comment and I’ll do my best.

United relief as Real rule out Rooney

by Simon Sparrowhawk

Get ready to breathe a huge sigh of relief Manchester United fans, because Real Madrid are not going to try and take Wayne Rooney to Spain, yet.

After months of speculation surrounding a possible bid for England and United’s star striker it has finally been confirmed that Real will not make a move for Rooney this summer. Despite, Jose Mourinho being a huge admirer of the former Everton hitman, it seems the price is too steep now.

Florentino Perez told the gathered media yesterday that the Bernabeu club will not move for Rooney or Barcelona’s Lionel Messi before the new season, but that may not end the speculation.

However, the Real Madrid president was not so clear on potential offers for Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, Arsneal’s Cesc Fabregas and Chelsea pair Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard. It seems that at least one, and possibly more, of these will be playing in the white of Madrid in August.

There are fresh rumours this morning of a £32m bid from Madrid for Liverpool captain Gerrard. If true, then it’s a sign of real intent on behalf of the La Liga runners-up.

It seems that United can plan for the future with Wayne Rooney but the future is less certain for the rest of the Premier League big boys.

Arsenal Gossip – June 8th

It has been quite today on the transfer front, as we are still waiting for new signings. According to himself, Wenger is not afraid to splash cash this summer on his defense. The Frenchman has been quoted saying “The basic improvements that have to be made is defensive and with spending the right money, But what I mean by the right money is that we will not be scared to spend if needed.”

 Senderos is today being linked to Fulham and could sign for the cottagers after the World Cup. Senderos is available on a free transfer, so I doubt he will sign anywhere before the tournament starts. After all a good couple of games this summer could boost his value and maybe give him a more lucrative deal.

 Serbian Winger Milos Krasic that has caught the attention of Wenger these past few weeks looks to be on his way to Serie A and Juventus. In an interview with Sportal, Krasic has made it pretty clear where he wants to play. “CSKA have established a price. We will see what happens, but I believe that there won’t be any problems and that everything will be resolved positively so I can play for Juventus.” I guess that puts that rumor to bed that he was on his way to Arsenal..

Several sources are today saying that Yaya Toure could be used as bait in the potential Fabregas deal. His Agent Dimitri Seluk is saying that Toure is interested in joining Arsenal. This is a funny one to me, hence only a week ago Toure’s agent clamied that his client was not interested in a move to north London. We will have to wait and see with this one, if we could get something like 40 – 50mm quid plus Toure, I’m all for it. Anything less than that, tell barca to get lost!

Some news from the French World Cup camp is claiming that Gallas will not speak to the media for the duration of the world cup. It seems as if William likes to give people the ice box treatment. William is also apparently upset that the captain’s armband has been given to Patrice Evra, and not himself. I think Gallas should grow up and stop behaving like a 5 year old. I mean communication is key when you are a captain no?

Rooney back on the agenda as Real eye BIG signings

by Simon Sparrowhawk

Are Real Madrid readying themselves for another assault on the Premier League? It seems so!

Real president Florentino Perez has today confirmed that the Spanish giants are looking to make “two or three big signings” before the start of next season. And if their antics of last summer are anything to go by, the Premier League elite should prepare now.

In recent months Madrid have been linked to a host of stars from England, with Manchester United Wayne Rooney apparently topping their list of targets. A £95m bid has been mooted from the Spanish capital and would test the Old Trafford club’s resolve to keep their star man.

Other targets include Rooney’s United team-mates Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic, while Chelsea duo Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole have been strongly linked with moves to Spain. Earlier today there were also noises about a possible bid to hijack Barcelona’s attempts to sign Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal. Fabregas’ Emirates colleague Gael Clichy has been linked to Barcelona today, but Madrid is said to be his preferred destination.

Jose Mourinho has barely got his feet under the desk at the Santiago Bernabeu but it seems he is already showing his desire to make his mark in Madrid.

Who do you expect to end up joining Mourinho at the Bernabeu? Could the former Chelsea boss take the English trio of Rooney, Lampard and Cole? I wouldn’t bet against it!

Barcelona gunning for Clichy

According to reports that surfaced earlier today it is said that Barcelona are now gunning for Arsenals left back Gael Clichy. The rumors state that Eric Abidal and Maxwell could be on their way out to make room for the Frenchman, and might even be used in a makeweight to smoothen the deal. Is this just something the Catalans do to get a reaction from the Arsenal board and try to unsettle Arsenal players, or are they really interested in Clichy?

According to Wenger the defense needs strengthening and maybe Abidal plus cash might not be such a bad deal after all for Arsenal. Abidal can also be used in a central position and could add some steal to the current back four.

 With Gallas, Campbell, Silvestre and Senderos heading for the ext. Could Arsenal really afford to even consider letting Clichy go? And do you think that Gibbs is ready to step up and make the position his own?

 I don’t know about you guys, but Arsene might need more then a couple of defenders this summer.

Head-to-head – United versus Arsenal

by Simon Sparrowhawk

Let’s have a debate. I’m sure this one will be hotly contested. If you could pick a team combining the Manchester United and Arsenal squads, who would make the cut?

Goalkeeper: Edwin van der Sar (Man Utd)

This is simply a no brainer. Despite being in the latter stages of his career the big Dutchman is still one of the top goalkeepers in world football. Known for his concentration and distribution the former Holland number one has stepped into the big shoes of Peter Schmeichel and guided the club to new levels of success. Messrs Almunia and Fabianski are not much competition either. In fact, the substitute would probably be United number two Tomasz Kucsczak.

Right back: Bacary Sagna (Arsenal)

Very close this one. Two years ago France full-back Bacary Sagna would have walked this one, but after his average displays last term he has only made it into the team thanks to the propensity for injuries amongst Rafael Da Silva, Wes Brown and the ageing Gary Neville.

Centre half: Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal)

There is a great deal of choice in the central defence positions at both United and Arsenal and all have a good argument for selection. Vermaelen had a brilliant season and brought a new steel to the Gunners backline. Not only is he strong in the tackle and surprisingly good in the air, for a relatively small centre-back, but he is a menace at the other end too. A great Arsene Wenger signing!

Centre half: Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd)

This one was a bit of a toss-up between Vidic and Rio Ferdinand. Both had injury problems this season but Vidic managed to play more games and towards the end of the season his form improved dramatically. Also an enormous threat in the opposition penalty area, only a lack of pace stops him being the complete centre-back.

Left back: Patrice Evra (Man Utd)

One word. Legend! Patrice Evra has developed into arguably the best left back in world football. Evra v Ashley Cole would be a very tough one to call but Evra v Gael Clichy is not so tough. Clichy took a step back this season, while Evra only enhanced his reputation. Always ready to support on the attack and never caught out of position at the back, Evra is simply world class.

Right Midfield: Nani (Man Utd)

Almost too close to call. Antonia Valencia or Nani? Valencia had a superb start to the season and took Nani’s place in the side. However, by the season’s end, roles had been reversed. Not that Valencia’s form dipped but the penny finally dropped for Nani, who is now one of the most feared players in the league. A goal threat has emerged in the Portuguese flyer and for that reason he gets the nod.

Centre midfield: Darren Fletcher (Man Utd)

What a player this boy has become, and Arsenal would love to have him. Fletcher has such a good engine and seems to improve with every performance and never lets his manager down. Goals have been added to his game but it is his ability to hassle and hound his opposite number that makes him invaluable.

Centre midfield: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)

After a little debate about whether to include the seemingly Barcelona-bound Arsenal captain I have decided that he is still contracted to the Gunners so it would be foolish to exclude him. Fabregas is the Gunners main creator and would do the same job in this side, leaving Fletcher to do the defensive work. His imagination and unerringly accurate passing makes him such a major force in world football.

Left midfield: Andrey Arshavin (Arsenal)

Another tough one as Nani could have been switched to this wing with Valencia taking the right hand side but Arshavin deserves his place. The Russian is a menace with the ball at his feet and would fancy his chances against any full back in the world. Comfortable on either foot the outspoken Gunners forward has an underestimated change of pace and bags his share of goals.

Second striker: Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)

I know he was injured for five months but Van Persie is a brilliant player and the Gunners title aspirations might have come closer to reality if he had stayed fit. The Dutchman began the season in devastating style and will be a good tip for the World Cup Golden Boot if Holland can stay in the competition long enough. A scorer of great goals, and a great goalscorer too, he has the ability to provide touches of genius around the penalty area.

Main striker: Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)

What more can you say about Wayne Rooney? There are few superlatives left to describe England and United’s main man. Rooney has always been irrepressible but this season he moved to a new level. With Ronaldo gone the pressure was on Rooney to score the goals to fire United to a third successive league title and he all but managed it. If injury had not ruled him out of the closing stages then the trophy would still be at Old Trafford. I’m sorry Chelsea fans but it’s true. Sadly for United, Rooney’s ankle injury robbed them of his services at the crucial time.

So there you have it. Feel free to debate my selections and it is only an opinion.

Who do you think should be in or should be out of this side?

Fergie steps in to steal top City target

by Simon Sparrowhawk

Could Manchester United be set to steal Edin Dzeko from under the noses of Manchester City? It appears a distinct possibility.

Last week there was more than just a little bit of chatter that Roberto Mancini was going to activate the Wolfsburg striker’s £34million release clause. That clause expired on June 1 and it seems City’s interest did not materialise in a formal bid. Could they rue that decision?

Sir Alex Ferguson is known to be a big admirer of the big Bosnian striker, who scored twice against United last season, and now appears to be preparing a bid for the player. And when he does, you can bet Dzeko will be interested.

Of course, the German side have recently confirmed Steve McLaren as their manager from next season and are not interested in selling their prized asset. However, McLaren’s appointment could be another bonus for Fergie. Lest we not forget that McLaren was Feguson’s assistant during the treble winning season of 1999 and knows how Dzeko could develop under his former boss.

Wolfsburg, and their new gaffer, will not want Dzeko to leave but after City failed to seal the deal before the clause in his contract expired it could, bizarrely, drag the price down.

The £34m clause would have acted as a good bargaining chip but, with the clause now removed, if Dzeko decides he wants to leave they may have to accept far less. As much as £10m less in fact.

There are strong rumours emanating from sources in the red half of Manchester about a £25m offer for the Bosnian hitman. So, what would he bring to Old Trafford?

Well, he brings goala. Dzeko has scored an astonishing 56 goals in 94 appearances for the recently deposed German champions and, at just 24, still has his best years ahead of him. United have struggled without a real target man if Wayne Rooney is absent and Dimitar Berbatov has failed to impress in such a role on numerous occasions.

Apologies for the cliché but Dzeko has great touch for such a big man and is comfortable receiving the ball into feet or via a more aerial route. With Nani and Antonio Valencia providing a barrage of service from the flanks there will be plenty of crosses to get his head on.

Any deal for Dzeko may mean the end for Berbatov though at Old Trafford. Is Fergie willing to cut his losses on a player that has only sporadically justified his £30m price tag? I, for one, am not so sure.

Will United steal Dzeko from City’s clutches for a relative bargain fee?