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England a one boy team!?

Following Steven Gerrard’s comments in response to Wayne Rooney’s second broken foot, it seems the Liverpool captain has labeled England as a one boy team:

‘It would be a disaster for England if we had to go to the World Cup finals without Wayne. He is idolised around the country and is our main man.

‘I think it is impossible to have a successful World Cup without Wayne.’

This is supposed to be one of the most, if not THE most talented generations of English footballers ever. Virtually every player plays for a Champions League team and a number have been up for some sort of major individual honour, how can the success of this team rest on one player - no matter how talented?

A crap manager, that’s how. The signficance of Rooney’s loss is a testament to how mediocre this England side have been in pretty much every match under Sven Goran Eriksson. Never dominating any team and always relying on moments of individual brilliance - rather than impressive team play or tactics- to win matches. Hence, Rooney’s importance.

We will almost certainly see England fall flat again in the summer. The injuries have weakened the strength and moral of the squad and the nation that follows them, and in Sven Goran Eriksson the FA have the complete, polar opposite of the kind of manager you need to turn things around.

Who do you WANT to go down?

Everyone seems to be focusing on who might go down or who might avoid the drop. But the more interesting question to us, is who do you actually WANT to go be banished from the Premiership forever?

Does Harry Redknapp’s saggy face and twitchy eyes get on your tits so much that you can’t wait to see Pompey go down? Did a girl from Birmingham once turn you down when you asked her out, causing irrational disdain towards Steve Bruce’s side? Perhaps Jonathan Greening scored a hattrick against you in FM2006 and only West Brom’s relegation would be just punishment? Maybe you don’t care, and the just can’t wait to sit back and enjoy the news clips of men, women and children crying as their club disappears into nothingness before their very eyes.

Whatever the reason, let us know who you can’t wait to see do a Leeds.

Spurs’ Goal: Fair or Farce?

After a thrilling final North London derby at Highbury, much of the post match analysis will focus on the build up to the opening goal.

For those who missed it - two Gunners, Eboue and Gilberto, clash into each other unchallenged by any Tottenham player, referee Steve Bennett waves play on after seeing the two begin to rise to their feet and Spurs go ahead to open the scoring. Wenger loses his rag enough to square up to considerably larger Martin Jol and all hell breaks loose in the stands.

The Gunners boss also demonstrated a hazy memory by declaring that the incident marked the end of fair play in English football.

So were Tottenham required to put the ball out of play when players from the same team simply ran into each other and were already on their way back to their feet shortly after? Since when were teams required to compensate for the incompetance of their opponents? Is Arsene really in any position to complain about fair play given the oft-documented antics of Pires and Reyes?

All we know is that this bitter rivalry just got a whole lot more bitter.

Your Say: Most Ridiculous North London Derby Ever

One of the biggest and certainly most meaningful North London derbies is this Saturday and it is difficult to explain the enormity of the match for both sides. Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane have already acknowledged that this time the stakes are considerably higher. It’s gotten so bad that some supporters can’t even bring themselves to watch.

Tottenham, four points ahead of Arsenal in fourth, must not lose in order to keep their destiny in their own hands for the final weeks of the season. Arsenal, on the other hand, must surely win in order to maintain their recent momentum in the league and ahead of the Champions League semi final second leg against Villarreal next week.

But as with any big match the significance doesn’t end with just the immediate season. Tottenham’s rejuvenation in the league and Arsenal’s subsequent ‘transition’ phase has led to mumurs of a shift in power in North London. Should Tottenham pip Arsenal to the fourth (and the Gunners fail to win in Europe) then it may well spark a revolution, starting with the departure of Thierry Henry. However, should Spurs go back to the old ways and bottle it when it matters most - normal service may be resumed next year with Arsenal’s young side gaining the confidence they need to challenge for the title once again.

The match also pits Tottenham’s young, predominantly British squad against Arsenal’s young, predominantly foreign squad. Not an insignificant detail given all the hoo-ha this season about reliance on players from overseas.

So let’s hear some predictions and invariably some insults. Will Wenger rest players ahead of Villarreal to go for broke to win the trophy he covets most? Will Carrick, Jenas, Defoe and Robinson show Arsene what he missed out on by not signing them? Will Robert Pires score his 900th goal in 5 matches against Spurs? Can Jens Lehman go one North London Derby without stepping on someone’s foot at a corner?

The tension could be cut by a very limp piece of string at this point, let us know who you think is going to come out of this one on top?

Tenner: Ballack the tipping point.

Tenner chimes in for once on the least surprising news of the day:
Up till now, Hernan Crespo has been the only “big name” signing we’ve made at Chelsea. A player who was once the world’s most expensive transfer and, just as Terry adds some home grown never-say-die mentality, added certain quality and respectability to the squad. But he’s also had one of the rockiest times at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho usually prefers the unglamorous players, ones who are still hungry to win and who he can easily control. But with the signing of Michael Ballack is a distinct change in transfer policy and could either take us to the next level or see us start down the road of the Galacticos, where too many cooks finally spoil the broth.

Personally, I think all that Ballack’s signing means is Lampard will get a few games off for once, or Makelele will slowly be replaced by Essien. My Gooner mate loves to believe that this is the beginning of the end for the Roman era, but the tears in his eyes as he slags off the signing of arguably one of the top midfielders in the world says otherwise.

Ballack will improve Chelsea to no end. Every trophy will continue to be ours unless we happen to slip up. And there is nothing that anyone can do about it, really (other than Ronaldinho).

Boggs: Come on Villarreal!

Boggs gets desperate:

I have only one wish in life. For Villarreal to beat Arsenal and knock them out of the Champions League.

As a Tottenham supporter, I understand this will not happen. Villarreal aren’t a ‘big’ club and Arsenal will win the Champions League and beat us to 4th place to add insult to injury. But I can only hope that this plea reaches some higher power who takes pity, I even promise to never again punch kittens in their arrogant little faces.

COME ON YELLOW SUBMARINES.

Boggs: Come on Juve!

Boggs gets all religious in the 11th hour:

I have only one wish in life. For Juventus to beat Arsenal today and go knock them out of the Champions League.

As a Tottenham supporter, I understand this will not happen. Juventus are missing many key players, Arsenal will win the Champions League and beat us to 4th place to add insult to injury. But I can only hope that this plea reaches some higher power who takes pity, I even promise to never again punch kittens in their arrogant little faces.

COME ON JUVE.

Drogba: Football’s Saviour?

Didier Drogba cheats. The fans know it. The refs know it. Pundits know it…even bloody Didier Drogba knows it.

“Yes,” he confessed, “it was handball, but it’s part of the game. If City had done it, no one would have mentioned it, but everyone is out to make a big mess about Chelsea.”

But is it really a case of victimization of the champions? Tottenham’s Robbie Keane has had a helping hand (Get it? Hah!) on his way to a goal multiple times this season, yet has not suffered so much as a slap on the wrist (Get it? Hah!). There probably could have been a case made for poor ol Didier, if he hadn’t also sprouted this nonsense in the same interview,

“Sometimes I dive, sometimes I stand,” he admitted. Brilliant. Not exactly groundbreaking news, though the response has been furious from rival supporters and press alike.

But what specifically is the problem with confessing this most severe of football sins? Divers are everywhere and everyone knows it, why is it a bigger crime to come out and be honest? Surely the playacting is despicable when players like Jose Antonio Reyes try to maintain that a particularly nasty gush of wind is justifiable reason to go to ground, clutching his shins for dear life? Neither Reyes nor Drogba show remorse, but at least the latter will admit to it.

Drogba’s actions and subsequent admissions may also finally see some FIFA sanctioned punishments for divers with the FA leading the cause, a sort of Jean-Marc Bosman of cheating.

So we say keep on cheating, Didier. The more high profile cases of handballs, elbows, diving and rolling we can get the sooner it’ll be dealt with.