Rwonfootball - While all of the spotlight is on South Africa for the 2010 World Cup, I am as nervous about the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Should the host bid process be changed and what would you do if anything?

Bobby – Well I don’t think it is clear as to whether or not there is a process at the moment or not. FIFA has to decide is there a rotation policy or not and. Just because Brazil is the only CONMEBOL nomination the award of the 2014 World Cup is not a slam-dunk by any means. The evaluation committee could find that Brazil is unable to comply with all the requirements. Rio is hosting the Pan American Games next month and they are hoping to use the Games as a launching pad for a 2016 Olympic Bid. If next month’s Games go badly then it will be a major black eye and call into question both the 2014 and 2016 bids. I would not be surprised if the USA hosts in 2014. 

Footiefan – Thanks for fixing that link, Bobby.

Henry14 - What do you make of Poll's media antics of talking about his football experience, and can he be blamed and what difference is what Poll is doing from a Rooney / Gerrard/Vieira autobiography and lastly do you feel the press 's criticism of coming out in public to speak about these things is fair?

l personally thing Owen is not the same player he was and may never be the same again, how would you rate Owen among the world's best strikers.

Who is the better player between these examples
Maldini vs. Kaiser
Zidane vs. Cruyff
Buffon vs. Schmeichel

Do you get the feeling that the United team is being build for Carlos Queiroz to take over? He is a 4-5-1 merchant and all the players they have suit the system perfectly. and Ribery is going to Bayern, the guy is a joke, he said he wanted Madrid or England last week and all of a sudden changes his mind. Personally l hope Wenger gets one player out of the hat, who is incredibly good who is not known a lot

Bobby – Poll is trying to sell books just like the players. The problem is he has to work harder because the market for a referee’s autobiography is pretty limited. Regarding Owen – I will reserve my comments until he gets himself match fit and with a decent number of games under his belt.

As for who are the better players - the smart arse answers are Maldini, Zidane and Buffon because Beckenbauer is 62, Cruyff 60 and Schmeichel 44. Somehow I don't think that is what you meant though.

Maldini vs. Kaiser – very different players. Maldini much more a defender while Franz Beckenbauer invented a position. Zidane vs. Cruyff – Cruyff by a mile. Buffon vs. Schmeichel – nothing between them. 

I don’t think for one moment that SAF is building a team to satisfy someone who might take over in the future – why would he do that? He’s building a team that he believes will win trophies next year, not one that is tied to one formation.

CIAO - SAF has been with United for a long time. Considering the years of service and the handful of players that have had issues with him... I'd say you have to cut the man some slack. And for the record I am not an SAF fan. Regardless, Marcotti makes an interesting point by indicating that the current transfers are Carlos Q's vision of the future. Maybe he is in transition to take over from SAF in a couple years time. What do you think?
Regardless, I would also have to say that in current years the most balanced team in the dressing room and on field has to be VVV's beloved Milan. Ancelotti is one of the top 5 managers. Along with Lippi, SAF, Mourinho and Hiddink. (Runner ups: Capello, Wenger, Del Bosque, Dino Zoff and Benitez) (Future tops: Klinsmann, Mancini and Big Sam)
What do you think of Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu? Would you say he is one of the most underrated coaches? I think it would be great to see him given the opportunity to manage a competitive team.

Bobby – Regarding SAF I don’t think he is looking to retire soon. Carlos Queiroz could finish up waiting longer than Prince Charles. Just look at Guy Roux who is returning to coach Lens at 68 after being retired for two years.
I would have to disagree with your choice of Hiddink over Capello. Lucescu has a good record and would make an interesting choice for a club in one of the big 5.

Neophyte - My U-10 player just tried out on a U-12 team on fluke...the coach needed another player to scrimmage a complete team and he was there so they put him in. Three goals, two earned corners and an earned penalty kick got the attention of the coach. Should he play up at U-12 or play on his U-10 team?

Bobby – I don’t think there is a hard a fast rule on something like this. As an 8-year old I played for the under-12 school team without any trouble or problem. Seven years later I was very small for my age and got regularly pummeled. It wasn’t until I hit 17 that I caught up physically and was able to compete again. If your boy can handle it physically then I think the next question would be whether or not he wants to move up or does he want to play with his friends? Does he have an option move back and forward between levels?

Ringo - With Ryan Giggs retirement from international football, does he now become the second greatest ever player, not to appear in a World Cup?

Bobby – I would not have him as high as second.

CIAO - Does anyone know where Nakata is playing now? How about Ilhan Mansiz (Turkish player that shined during the 2002 World Cup)? Do you think Italy and England will qualify for the EURO 2008? Did anyone watch the Italy game over the weekend? How did they play?

Bobby – Nakata and Mansiz are both retired I believe. As for qualifying – Italy without a doubt, England yes but with a greater level of doubt. I didn’t see the Italy game just the highlights. Italy got three points – enough said and be thankful. Scotland has to play there tomorrow - it will be a bad night's sleep.

Mistafantastic - I heard Alan Green (a man I had a lot of respect for) babbling on 606 Friday that Beckham was going to hinder his career by going "to that joke of a league MLS". Only Andy Grey & Martin Tyler have at least given MLS the benefit of the doubt for the time being. I know all these so-called "experts" wouldn't be hammering Becks if he went to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, or even Australia, but have no problem ripping a league that's given England a helluva lot of players the past few years. Why exactly is this the case? I'm the last guy to ever defend MLS but this is irking me something awful! Any comments? Cheers!

Bobby – My only comment is the vast majority of comments coming from England regarding MLS is based on total and absolute ignorance.

The realrico - At first I thought there was no way Henry leaving Arsenal, but with him now being linked to AC Milan, it seems like it is more likely now then ever he might go. My question is if he leaves, whom does Arsenal get with the money from the Henry sale?

Bobby – I don’t think Henry is leaving. My question is what is Milan actually up to – the Henry transfer hint is a smoke screen for something else.

Neophyte - Since the Beckham rule, we have seen an increase of foreign players come into the MLS. Now Claude Makelele and Shevchenko have stated playing in the MLS might be something they would consider. If Beckham actually plays in the league, do you see more players from Europe coming to the MLS?

Bobby – Will more players come from Europe – the answer is yes but it will not be a flood. I wouldn’t read too much into the comments by Makelele or Shevchenko. They are professional players and in Shevchenko’s case his wife is American so there is no reason not to consider a moved to MLS. MLS just has to make sure that a balance is maintained and that the players that come from Europe don’t come with a #### attitude.

LosAngelesChelseaFan - Why do think that West Ham or Newcastle would risk putting Joey Barton in their dressing room? I just don’t get it. Is this an $11m charity donation?

Bobby – When you have a player with ability – and Barton does – there will always be managers who think that they can control players with bad reputations and turn them around. Out of all the players who were trouble but with genuine talent that you can think of over the years, how many were dumped and never picked up?

Gongatore - What do you think of the US squads' performance vs. China and since it starts this week how they may do in the Gold Cup? I was impressed by Bradley's kid, he really has some bite to his game, what do you think?

Bobby – I didn’t see the game so I can’t really comment on the specifics. The team that played against China is very different than the one that will play in the Gold Cup. If the USA don’t make it the Gold Cup Final Bob Bradley may find that the honeymoon period is over. As for young Bradley I haven’t seen enough of him to form a decent opinion.

The Fink Tank lists the best Premiership players based on statistical anlaysis.

The Times transfer talk. Everton linked with American Frankie Simek. Remember if 5% of these deals are done it will be a miracle. 

A look at the Premiership wage bill.

Bill Edgar with more statistics.

A post-season review of Bundesliga strikers.

Matt Scott says that a report suggests that “New riches may lift Premiership also-rans to the fore.” It seems to me that if this is true the one thing that the mid-table clubs then need is proven managerial talent.

A powerful profile of Sinisa Mihajlovic by Jonathan Wilson.

And now to the matches. The European qualifiers dominate although if the truth be told there are very few games that capture your attention.
 
Here are the best of them and you catch-up on the group standings by following the link. 

In Group A Belgium must beat Portugal to maintain any realistic chance of finishing second. Goal scoring is a problem for the Belgians and they are also missing Bayern Munich defender Daniel Van Buyten through injury. Portugal will be missing Simão while Cristiano Ronaldo is suspended. Portugal currently leads Belgium by four points.

Finland against Serbia in Helsinki is a real six pointer with both countries tied on 11 points after six games and with only a single loss each. What is more they have both slipped on banana skins in the not too distant past. Serbia lost to Kazakhstan 2-1 in March while Finland’ lost away to Azerbaijan 1-0. Giant Serb striker Nikola Žigic  is suspended for this one.

Ukraine and France are tied at the top of Group B (Scotland has the same number of points but a game more played) and are two ahead of fourth place Italy. Both countries will be missing important players for the match in Paris. Olexandr Kucher, Andriy Shevchenko, Artem Milevskiy and Sergi Rebrov are all absent for Ukraine while Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Willy Sagnol and Louis Saha are all crocked and unavailable to France. Scotland does not play until Wednesday while Italy travels to Lithuania looking to improve on the draw between the teams the first go round.

Bosnia-Herzegovina needs to find a way to stop a Turkey side that has only dropped two points in the first five games and leads Group C. Bosnia-Herzegovina is six points behind the Turks and five behind second place Greece and started poorly in the early qualification games. A 2-1 win in Oslo against Norway provided fresh hope but a loss will leave them hoping for a minor miracle in order to finish second. Two Premiership players are in Turkey’s squad – Emre (Newcastle) and Colin Kazim-Richards (Sheffield United). 
 
UEFA.com wins the prize for the headline of the week - “San Marino short in attack.” Here is a quick synopsis of San Marino’s campaign so far. They have an outstanding chance to break their own record for the worst European Championship qualifying campaign. All five matches to date have been lost with an average margin of defeat of a little under 6 goals. This is even worse than their 2000 qualification campaign that saw no points and an average loss by 5.4 goals. Attack would seem to be a secondary problem. Oh yes I forgot. They play Germany this weekend on FSC – the last time Germany won 13-0. If only the San Marino forwards had done better!!

Ryan Giggs plays his final game (#64 and this one against the Czech Republic) for Wales in an international career that has been largely about fighting lost causes. During his time a play-off loss to Russia in the Euro 2004 was about as near as Wales has come to qualifying for either the Euros or the World Cup. Freddy Eastwood (Southend) has been called up to the Welsh squad. He qualifies through the Grandpa rule.

In Group E both Croatia and Israel should pick up full points against Estonia and Macedonia respectively. The big match in this section will be on Wednesday and will be in Zagreb when Russia plays Croatia. While Beckham’s return hogs the headlines the Croatia - Russia game might have a bigger impact on England’s chances.

Denmark versus Sweden looks to be one of the few standout matches. Northern Ireland sits atop Group F but are idle this weekend and on Wednesday of next week. Denmark has a game in hand on Sweden and Spain and has played two games less than NI. A Danish win – and a Spain win against Latvia – could create a logjam at the top of this group. Denmark have called up Morten 'Duncan' Rasmussen who gets his nickname from a similar style to the former Everton striker. Something to look forward to!!

Group leaders the Netherlands sit out this Saturday and Wednesday. Hristo Stoitchkov’s interim replacement Stanimir Stoilov has omitted Juventus striker Valeri Bozhinov from the Bulgarian squad for the away and home games against Belarus. Bulgaria dropped what could become tow crucial points when they drew at home to Albania in March 0-0. Belarus took only a single point from their first three games but have since beaten Slovenia and Luxembourg in the last two. Another win could add Belarus to what originally looked to be a three-way race.

In MLS Toronto faces Colorado Rapids without three Canadian players who have already reported to the national team for the Gold Cup. They are still without Carl Robinson (Wales vs. Czech Republic) although young centre-back Andrew Boyens is available after missing last weekend’s draw with the Columbus Crew. Boyen was on international duty with New Zealand against Robinson and Wales. 

Goalkeeper Greg Sutton appears to be the largest hole to fill with replacement Srdjan Djekanovic having only very limited experience. The Rapids are on a hot streak with two wins and two draws in the last four matches although they have only averaged a goal a game.

LA Galaxy plays DC United and is another team that will be missing Canadian players - Kevin Harmse and Ante Jazic. However they can still call on American Landon Donovan who doesn’t have to report to the USA camp until Monday. The Beckham headlines seem to be blurring the fact that this is a LA team that just isn’t getting results.

Six games have brought only one win, five points and four have come from two games against Chivas. Coach Frank Yallop will also be without defender Chris Albright may miss most of the rest of the season after suffering a severe hamstring injury. Midfielder Kyle Martino is suspended after a red card last week and LA may have trouble putting together a full bench! DC has won their last three games and has taken ten points from their last four games.

The game of the weekend in MLS is Kansas City Wizards hosting New York Red Bulls. Defensively the RED Bulls have been a solid unit – or a series of solid units. They have only conceded four goals in 8 games (5 shut outs), even though the back four has been a bit of a revolving door with multiple changes common. It is a marked improvement on last season that saw 15 goals against over the first eight games.  Kansas City is a point behind the Revolution and Red Bulls in the Eastern Standings and has played the same number of games as Red Bulls, and one less than New England.

Henry14 - Q1 What do you make of Kroenke guy's increase in stake, what do think are his intentions?
Q2 l saw Milan and they are really catching form at the right moment do you see them having a shout out red hot united because l feel Inzaghi and Gilardino are not good enough for Milan. Do you feel that the second leg being at Milan can be a disadvantage for United?
Q3 What do you make the kissing and hugs of Roman and Jose?
Q4 l do not feel the premier league is the best league because they are four teams that really and this season two that are in the title hunt were as in Germany and Spain the race is interesting which do you think is the best league and what does it take for the premiership to have a four way race?

Bobby – 1. To state the blindingly obvious Stan Kroenke's intention is to make money. The question is how will he go about it? He could be looking to take the club over himself and his present stake gives him a foothold. Second option is that he thinks someone will come along to buy the club and he will be able to turn a profit on his present stake – the JP McManus/John Magnier Manchester United strategy. The third possibility is that he foresees a battle for control coming from multiple sources and he might want to position himself as a potential “kingmaker”.
Q2 – Two seasons ago I picked United to beat Milan because I didn’t think that Milan could control Giggs and Ronaldo – they did it with ease and went through to the final. Milan have got better as the competition has progressed and I thought they looked very comfortable in beating Bayern Munich in the second leg. As for Inzaghi and Gilardino not being good enough for Milan – it doesn’t really matter one way or another at the moment as these are the boys that Ancelotti will have to go with. I wouldn’t bet against either or both scoring against United. At this stage I am not sure that home or away second really makes any difference although given a preference I would take the first leg at home.
Q3 – I choose not to read any of the Abramovich/Mourinho soap opera stories.
Q4 – I have never understood the argument/discussion about what constitutes the “best-league” without spending an eternity over the definition of best. If the point is what league is the strongest then based on performances over the last four or five years the answer is Spain. It might marginally help the marketing guys to say that their league is the best but the bottom line is that if spectators and TV viewers don’t find the league exciting or engaging they won’t watch it. Soccer is a game that can be enjoyed at every level so I am constantly amazed at the number of so called fans that tell you that they hate such-and-such a league because it is ####. You don’t need two teams with great technical ability to provide an entertaining spectacle – that is part of the beauty of the game. 

RINGO - How many non-league teams have won the FA Cup?

Bobby – As Venti_vidi_vici answered – Tottenham. It was actually part of the FA Cup preview article a few weeks back before Chelsea played Spurs in the quarter final. One piece of trivia to add to Spurs 1901 Cup win. Spurs started the tradition of hanging club colour ribbons to the trophy.

RINGO - I was just listening to the Thursday podcast of World Soccer Daily and they played another Mourinho parody, could you please post the address like last time?

Bobby – There seems to be a few of them out there. Check out the link.  

Spike24 - There's a little controversy brewing among Reading supporters over whether we should be trying to secure a place in European competition this year or not. Some are disappointed that it seems we've given up on it, while others thing trying to get there would be too much too soon. Which way do you think Reading should be going? Knowing of course that Coppell is too smart to pull an Ipswich even if we were to qualify.

Bobby – I don’t any team is going to give up on a chance to play in Europe even though it might be considered “too early”. Reading have made great progress this season but the real test will be year two as so many teams have found out. It looks like Sidwell will be moving on and that will leave a big hole to fill. I sense that a couple of defenders might also be on the summer shopping list.

Gongatore - Can you chat a bit about what makes a player like Keano be able to lead a side like Sunderland to success so quickly? Does being coached by Sir Alex for all those years and his influence have much sway here?
Also how much has Sheva contributed to making Drogba a better player this year?

Bobby – Given his record as a player then I can imagine (and has earned) that he has garnered instant respect from the players. After losing their first four games he also came into a situation where the players were looking for leadership and bought into his ideas. If you look at the number of times Sunderland have come back to win or turned a draw into a win this year then I think that is a strong indication of the confidence and drive that he has instilled in the players. He has also made some very good moves in the transfer market. Character players have been brought in while others have been moved on – I think something like 14 players have moved in or out since Keane arrived.

You have to remember that Keane’s first professional coach in England was Brian Clough so he has played under tow of the very best who have ever managed in England.

The Sheva/Drogba question has come up before and I do think that Shevchenko’s presence has helped Drogba although Drogba has been awesome this season.

henry14 - What do you think about the new Arsenal kit for 2007 which has petitions for rejection.

Bobby – I don’t think very much of it but there again kits have never been a big thing for me.

Venti_vidi_vici - I have a great deal of respect for the job Martin Jol has done at Spurs given his relative inexperience, especially the record performance last year when they pushed Arsenal all the way in the battle for fourth place. Is his job in jeopardy, especially if he misses out on Europe in a season where the goal was fourth place?

Do you think there is any possibility that the FA Cup final will be moved back a week, particularly if the same two teams are in the UCL final? Unfortunately having the FA Cup final a few days before the UCL final could force one or both of the managers to keep key players out of the Wembley showdown. Furthermore England doesn’t play a qualifier on 2-June, then visit Estonia on 6-June.

Bobby – If Tottenham had not turned their domestic season around then I think Jol would have already been gone. I would be surprised if he was fired now. Spurs have been very entertaining over the last few months and I think the fans – although disappointed with the overall results – would be disappointed if he was let go. There again the North London derby does go this Saturday.

There is no way that the FA Cup final will be moved nor do I see either manager resting players. 

Verbal97 - Where do you think Michael Owen will be getting treatment next year - Newcastle or is there a chance he'll go to Old Toilet. If he goes to Man U, he might as well burn down Anfield.

Bobby – If Manchester United were going to sign Michael Owen surely they would have done that before he moved to St James’ Park rather than waiting till after he has missed almost a full year due to injury. That rumour is one of the most bizarre of the season.

Gunner44 - My question to you is do you think Giggs deserves to be nominated or should Vidic be the one nominated or even Essien?

Also who would you pick if you starting a team next season C. Ronaldo or Kaka if given the choice at the end of this season? Explain why?

Bobby – It is always more difficult for a defender to get the nod over an attacking player. Giggs – and Scholes – have both turned back the years this season so I find it difficult to say that they do not deserve the nominations. Essien has been terrific this season and I would agree that he is very unlucky not to be considered. I would say the same of Ricardo Carvalho.
My choice would Cristiano Ronaldo over Kaka as I think he is a bit more versatile and a bit more willing to impose himself on a game. However, if I was a manager I would not be complaining if Kaka arrived at my door one day asking for a game.

Carneade - Have you ever heard of this "Unofficial Football World Championships" ?

Bobby – We talked about this on the Fox Soccer Report during the last Euro qualifying week of games. We mentioned that Scotland was in a position to become the “World Champions” if they beat Georgia but in turn Italy had the opportunity to hold both crown simultaneously if they then beat Scotland. And that is how it turned out.

djnima19 - Last week I heard Steve Cohen and Nick Geber (your fellow pundits at FSC) call for Italian clubs as well as the national team to be banned from all UEFA matches for a couple of years due to the violence from ultras, lax match fixing, and corruption. He noted that Juve are well back on their way to Serie a, and that one of the execs at Juve who resigned now sits on the Italian FA. Do you believe something that harsh is justified and if enforced, would it improve Serie A in the long run? He mentioned the England ban and how it improved the league.

Bobby – Last things first. After the Heysel disaster in 1985 the FA – under pressure from the UK government – withdrew English teams from European competition. UEFA banned English clubs – not the national team – from European competition after the FA withdrawal. Linking the ban on English clubs to how the league improved is not something that history supports. It is widely acknowledged that the turning point in the English game was the Taylor Report into the Hillsborough Disaster which had nothing to do with hooliganism. The Taylor Report recommended the upgrading of stadia including all-seater facilities for the top leagues in England and Scotland and that recommendation was pivotal in turning the game around in England. The Premier League, Sky TV etc are other critical elements but the Taylor Report was the first important step.

In fact the Taylor Report played a critical role in killing off a Thatcher government proposal that would have required all fans attending games in England to carry identity cards. This was the governments answer to combating hooliganism.

Suggesting that Italian football would be cleaned up if the national team and clubs were banned from European competition because it helped clean up the English game is faulty logic at best.

Finally if you cast your mind back to Euro 2000 which country was it that would have likely got tossed from the competition because of hooliganism but, as it was, they failed to qualify from the group stage – England was it not.

Henry 14 - What do you make of the claim that the Prem is becoming an old firm with United and Chelsea dominating an Liverpool to a certain extent, but there is a feeling that Arsenal are surely the club that could easily lose their top 4 status which to some extent l painfully agree with.

Bobby – The game has always had era’s of dominating teams and this one is no different. Check out how many league titles Liverpool won in the 70’s and 80’s.

MasMaz - Would like you to drop your objectivity, which you never do, and comment on Roy Keane. I believe you are a closet Man U supporter. What is your opinion of him? As a player and as a man.
-And do you think Henry will be back next year?

Bobby – MasMaz join the line up behind the others who think I am a Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, Spurs, and Celtic fan! Keane was a fantastic player – one of the best I have ever seen – and he looks as if he could become a fascinating manager – as someone said he seems to have reinvented himself. However, I read his book and I thought it full of self-justification. Yes – Henry will be back next season even if he has to play full back.

Verbal97 - Beasley has just scored against Arsenal, which makes it 4 goals in 18 apps, not bad for a winger on Man City. He was easily the player of the match, though it was a dire match, against Liverpool. Why wouldn't Pearce, who made some cryptic comments yesterday, not want to make his loan deal permanent? He's got more goals than in 10 starts/18 apps than Corradi (a striker) does in 23 starts/28 apps, even on goals with Vassell (another striker) who has started 27 times/31 apps, and just 2 fewer than leading striker Samaras, who's started 19 times/38 apps.

Bobby – We don’t know what sort of money PSV is looking at plus we don’t really know how Beasley has applied himself since moving to City. Beasley has the pace and ability but something went wrong after a great start in Holland. However, I would hope that he does stick around and City signs him permanently.

realmadridcffan - 1. Do you know how the aggregate away rule to decide two legged ties started and what do you think of it? I kind of like it because it rewards good road play and punishes sloppy home play.

2. What did you think of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup draw? Do you see any surprises coming up for this edition of the 2007 Gold Cup?

3. What do you think has been the key to Manchester United's excellent form this year? Manchester United has actually been quite a surprise this year in the EPL, considering not that many people where picking them to be leading the premiership at this time.

Bobby – 1. In 1967/68 the away goals rule was used to  decide first round ties only in the European Cup. The away goals rule was brought into full use for the 1968/69 European Cup and from there it was extended to other tournaments. Real Madrid were the first team that season to go out of the competition because of the rule – they lost to Rapid Vienna. Before that replays had been used and then a coin toss was brought in. The coin toss remained an option for a number of seasons when the away goals rule was not a factor. In one famous game Celtic and Benfica exchanged 3-0 results and Celtic won the coin toss twice – the first to decide who got to call and the second the actual deciding toss. Celtic went on the European Cup Final that season but lost to Feyenoord in extra time.

2. I like the fact that guest teams are no longer involved. If you are going to have a regional tournament then that is what it should be. Having said that I still dream that the day will come when we will be able to enjoy a full blown Copa America with CONCACAF and COMNEBOL teams involved – however, I am not holding my breath on that one. With three teams qualifying from two of the groups it reduces the chances of a surprise. A couple of countries I will be watching for. ####mp;T – can they build on their WC showing or will they go into decline ala Jamaica post 98 given that the team is quite old. The other is Panama. They’ve turned out a couple of good age group sides in the last few years and they did push the USA all the way two years ago.

3. A number of factors have combined to make it a great season for United. The four I would pick out would be the reemergence of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes – absolutely outstanding performances - and Ronaldo becoming a world class player. The other the drive and single mindedness of Alex Ferguson.

Henry14 - 1. What happens if Watford lose in the FA final or win it and then relegated, will they play in Europe

2. ESPN pundits seem to feel Eto'o will move where do you see him going and why?

3. What are Wenger's chances of getting N'Zogbia from Newcastle

4. What do you think were Arsenal's problems and what do you think can be the solution so that they are (up with?) United and Chelsea next season.

Bobby – 1. Either way they will compete in the UEFA Cup as long as the team they lose to – if they lose – have already qualified for either the Champions League or UEFA Cup.

2. I don’t think Eto’o will move. Take into consideration that the manager will likely leave and the new boss isn't going to want to dump Eto'o - in my opinion.

3. Arsenal have been linked with N’Zogbia for a while but I thought I read that he signed a new contract with Newcastle. Of course, that doesn’t mean he can’t or won’t move but it would certainly cast some doubt over a possibile transfer.

4. Arsenal are not experiencing anything that a bit more experience will not fix. I said at the start of the season that this was a transition year. Third or fourth place in the Premiership will make a relatively successful season.

Buffytvs - Re the last but one comment on Woodgate: when we did our picks before the EPL season started, I called Middlesbrough for the drop. That was before the tfr window closed, and they brought in Woodgate, who has made am enormous difference. Without him, I think they would be in deep trouble. So... this coming year, can we make the deadline for the picks AFTER the tfr window?

Bobby – I will consider a change in timing for next season’s picks. I looked up everyone’s picks and only two of 70 picked Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool as a 1-2-3 finish – no one is sitting with 1-4 right let alone 1-5. As far as relegation is concerned 6 from 70 have picked two of the three teams presently occupying the bottom three slots. No one picked all three. Interestingly only two people picked WHU to finish in the bottom three and nobody picked them as the season’s potentially biggest disappointment.

Venti Vidi Vici - Whatever happened to all the Man Utd fans/shareholders who so fiercely opposed the Glazier takeover, and I think even established a new non-league MU team?? Has the club's recent performances on and off the field temporarily shut them up, or have they given up and apologized?

Bobby – The team is growing and prospering. Here is their website. Time will tell whether they are right or wrong but from my vantage point I still cannot see how the Glazer family is going to be able to have the club service the debt level without affecting the on field product. And before someone jumps in with the Arsenal example it is something very different. United is the equivalent of consumption debt – non productive debt – while Arsenal is investment debt where an asset has been purchased that increases revenue.

Verbal 97 - Anyway, do you think that the replays for Man United and Chelsea hurt their chances in the quarterfinal matches against Roma and Valencia? It certainly isn't ideal. Also, can Man United cope without Larsson with Saha and Solksjaer injured?

Bobby – I think the replays are more likely to hurt England (game against Israel on March 24 in Euro qualifiers) than Chelsea and Manchester United. It will however be interesting to see the teams that United and Chelsea put out against Bolton and Sheffield United this weekend. United have got goals from 15 different players in the Premiership this year so I think they can overcome the problem until Saha returns at the end of this month – supposedly.

Gunner 44 - Do you think it will be smart of Barcelona to sell Eto'o, I mean the guy has been amazing for them and he has one bad season and now they want to sell him? For me this is the problem with football nowadays too many rushed decisions are been made, even Ferguson mentioned this in an article I read a couple of weeks ago that managers and players need to be given time to build themselves before they are sacked.

Bobby – I would be very surprised if Barcelona decides to sell Eto’o. I would agree that fans patience seems to be getting less and less. It seems to me that years ago supporters understood that it took time for a player to adapt to a new team. Now a player has to be an instant success even though they may be experiencing a new culture and having to learn a new language. It took Drogba two seasons to show his real stuff . How many Chelsea fans are willing to admit that they wrote him off as a bad investment during the first 18 months or so.

Gongatore - Last week you thought that if it was down to Barca selling Ronaldinho or Eto'o, you thought they would not get rid of Eto'o. That is kind of interesting. Do you think R is burned out from last season or do you really think he is losing steps and defenders read him better? Also what do you think of Roma's chances against Manu in the CL? Wouldn't it be nice to see a different side win? Let's face it Roma plays a terrific style of ball.

Bobby – If it was down to Ronaldinho or Eto’o I would sell Ronaldinho. That doesn’t mean that he is burnt out or finished just that I think Eto’o would be more difficult to replace. Ronaldinho is just about to turn 27 and he will be a great player for some years to come. Roma worry me in that they have terrific players who have largely underperformed in Europe for years - I wonder if they might be the CL surprise team this year.

Henry14 - My list of the best strikers in the world when fit are 1 Eto’o 2 Klose 3 Henry 4 Drogba 5 lmbrahimovich My top 5 defenders are 1 Cannavaro 2 Nesta 3 Chivhu 4 Calvhahlio 5 Gallas What is your list of five best strikers and defenders?

Bobby – Strikers when fit 1. Eto’o, 2. Drogba 3. Henry 4. Villa 5. Klose.

Defenders 1. Cannavaro, 2. Gallas, 3. Nesta 4. Terry, 5. Lucio.

HatrickVieira - Considering the injuries at Arsenal, do you think a tactical O'Neil and an inspired Carew can silence the Gunners? Additionally, how 'bout posting your predictions for weekly EPL fixtures, I am sure we would all enjoy a comparison and don't mind your "overanalyzation".. regardless of what Jeremy thinks!

Bobby – I would be picking a draw for Aston Villa and Arsenal. With Villa’s record this season it is hardly a outrageous pick. As for ongoing predictions I explained before that I don’t want it to become a prediction blog. However, the weekend preview blog last Friday seemed to fairly well received so I will try to post something every Friday – and maybe make a prediction now again for big games and/or possible surprises – so everyone has a chance to post pre and post game thoughts.

Bigdave disaster - You didn’t talk about the Celtic Milan game on the show and I was wondering what your thoughts were? (and not just if you think it was a penalty on Naka because your sane and you would have to think so, still bitter I thought we stole it from a better side with grit hard work and a bit of luck and a goal post or two)

Bobby – A brave show from Celtic but in the end just not up to the standard needed to get the better of Milan. It looked like a penalty to me and here was also the Maldini handball. But by all accounts Milan were clearly the better side.

First of all my aplogies to anyone who logged on earlier expecting to share half time and full time thoughts. My Internet service provider became my internet no-service provider this morning. Normal service has just been resumed.

And to the game. I enjoyed the game and the time flew past. There was always the threat o####oal or a controversial incident to keep me glued to the set. A share of the points I thought was fair over the ninety minutes with United no doubt regretting their failure to put Chelsea away in the first half.

United were terrific in the first half. The back fire was water tight and the midfield was much brighter and quicker in thought and deed than their Chelsea counterparts. With Giggs being given the freedom to room the United game plan seemed to consist of getting the ball to Ronaldo and allowing him to run free or alternatively, to move the ball quickly through the midfield and isolate Makelele.

The United goal started with Giggs popping up deep on the right side and the ball was quickly relayed to Saha. Saha showed the deftness of a pickpocket as he almost passed the ball into the net.

Mourinho’s key move was taking off Geremi (a lovely passer but not the most mobile of players) and slotting Essien in as a right wing back. We saw Essien’s versatility a couple of weeks ago against Tottenham as Chelsea tried to salvage the game. This time Essien did turn the game. He did a fine defensive job but he also provided Chelsea with much needed width on the right side and an extra man in midfield. I am pretty certain it was Essien who was up in the United penalty box and who forced the corner from which Carvalho scored.

I don’t think SAF will be disappointed in any of the performances from his players although Jose Mourinho is unlikely to feel the same way. It looks to me as if Claude Makelele is beginning to show his age against teams that move the ball quickly. Ballack and Shevchenko both disappointed and not for the first time this season.

Up to this season Mourinho’s teams have exceeded the sum of their parts - that is not the case this season. Chelsea is far from firing on all-cylinders. 

Finally a word about the referee Howard Webb who did a fine job.

Flashman - A lot of Toronto FC fans, many still waiting to commit their first dollar, are hoping the club can attract big-name Canadian players and bring in quality opponents for international friendlies. But the club plan to play on plastic turf - they and FIFA claim it's very special stuff - but many reactions to that have been negative. I thought the Spartak-Inter CL game, played on this turf, was a very sterile affair. Paul Stalteri and Dwayne De Rosario have trashed it, as has Charmaine Hooper. Since we're still golfing in mid-November on pretty decent grass an hour north of Toronto, it makes the club's claim that grass won't work sound like the accountants are running Mo's show. This is a team that isn't likely to see a home playoff game for many years. And its playing style is likely to be more shillelagh than stiletto, so wouldn't grass suit the sort of game they'll need to play in the early going, attract quality clubs for friendlies, and keep fans interested? Also, the playing surface is not likely to see, in the short term, heavy multi-purpose usage, such as the CFL, though rugby would be a nice event to add. This seems like a penny-wise, pound-foolish approach in their early going. A warming climate is hardly hurting the southern Ontario sod industry. What's your take on it?

Bobby – Up to now MLSE have shown that they are good business people but they are not in the trophy winning business – the Maple Leafs a prime example. However, I would not be blaming MLSE for choosing the artificial surface – that was a CSA decision that was made from the outset. The CSA has been a proponent – despite players’ objections – for a long time now. Over eight years ago a member of the Canadian Soccer Association told me that FIFA would approve artificial surfaces within a month and that Winnipeg should spend over a million dollars installing the to-be-approved artificial surface in Winnipeg Stadium for the Pan American Games soccer tournament. The same person also told me that the Pan Am soccer tournament would attract crowds of 40,000. The approval did not come until many years later, the surface wasn’t installed and the average crowd for the soccer tournament was 2,500. I mention it as an illustration that major assumptions –international friendlies is a good one – sometimes are flawed and just don’t pan out.

Henry 14 - Bobby what do you make of Pompey and lastly how do you rate Hleb amongst Wenger's best midfielders at Arsenal?

What do you make of Spurs striking combinations, Martin Jol just spend $20m on a 20 goal a season striker, he has Keane who averages 16 goals a season and l do not see why he does not make them his first choice pairing, what do you make of the basic Martin Jol team selection?

Bobby – I think Portsmouth will settle into an upper mid table position with a reasonably good chance of grabbing a UEFA Cup spot. But I think a Champions League spot might be beyond their reach. Hleb is improving every game and based on what I saw while he was at Stuttgart we have still not seen the best of him.

Obviously Jol believes that rotation is the best policy and I think it is too early to say that he is wrong. He has to keep all four happy at some level because he will need all four during the rest of the season. Spurs are facing a much heavier load than last season – only 40 games – with an extended and deep UEFA Cup run a strong possibility plus the FA Cup starting in January. Managers need to look at the larger picture and cannot just pick the best team for every game. Whether Jol is right or wrong will be judged at seasons end rather that after a 1-1 draw with Blackburn.

Neophyte - Pressley is getting such a raw deal. Watching the happenings at Hearts is the equivalent of a manly soap opera. Where do you see him going?
What did you think of Giggs' service into the box? He looked rushed and completely off target---to much confidence? Poor form? Lack of patience? What do you think?

Bobby – There has been talk of Pressley going back to Dundee United where he spent some time after moving back to Scotland from Coventry. With Craig Levein now in charge at Tannadice it is a move that makes some sense given that Pressley is now 33 and apparently interested in a coaching career. However, what might be a good move for Pressley and Dundee United might not be a good move for Hearts and the supporters. As for Giggs, I didn’t think he had a particularly poor game against Sheffield United.

Bmax14 - I had a question and comment on the article from Marcotti on formation of new leagues. I know his article is not about any "super league" but over the years I've heard speculation on the "Super league" and Uefa's ongoing fight against such a proposal. Do you think something of this nature (Euro league with 20 biggest clubs) will ever come to fruition and if so, do you think it's good or bad for the game? From a fans perspective, it seems the most anticipated games of the year are the occasional great matches in the Champions league so I would expect a weekly slate of games between the likes of Man U v. Barca or Chelsea v. AC Milan would be great. All of the top leagues are dominated by 2-3 teams anyways so I see this Euro league as natural progression of the game. Ideally, I'd like to see the domestic leagues more competitive but under the current system I don't see this happening. I also don't mind Marcotti's proposal to try and get the smaller leagues up to par with the Big 5. It is a bit ironic though that as Europe becomes more integrated politically and economically that Uefa seems to want to stick with the domestic approach.

Bobby – A full European league will come – but it will not be anytime soon as long as things stay pretty much the same. UEFA has acted very astutely in how they have managed the G14 and the money on offer from the Champions League. As it is the G 14t eams in the big 5 leagues have the best of both worlds with big domestic TV deals (Bundesliga might be considered an exception to that) and a very good prospect of big Champions League pay days each season. The one thing that is on the horizon that might set off a rebellion and that is if Platini wins the UEFA Presidential race and cuts representation for the top three countries from four to three teams.

I came around to seeing the Atlantic League proposal as a positive one when it was suggested a few years ago and I think the idea of a series of super leagues is even better. As it is England, Italy, France, Spain and Germany have big enough domestic markets to generate significant television and ancillary revenue so these leagues can take care of themselves. It is the “big” teams in the small markets that need to be taken care of and it would seem to me that if larger league markets can be created then there is a better chance that the “second-tier” teams can compete on a more equal basis in the Champions League and that would make it an even better competition. The Champions League needs to remain as the “cherry-on-top” and not become a replacement for regional or national leagues. 

Davard - With the talk of super leagues and the EU and political integration, why not a Great Britain Premier League?

I was thinking about this the other day, considering a baseball team like the Seattle Mariners traveling 3,000 miles to play The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, for example. Celtic traveling to London is about 1/10th that. (give or take, for all you exacting readers)

Keep the cups in place (FA, Scottish, Irish [if there is one, I am ignorant of Irish football]) but unite the leagues into one super British Isles league! You can even keep the individual continental leagues for those who do not qualify. I'm sure there's been talk of this in the past - More Champions league places for the one league, less boring fixtures, No more Watford, Sheffield United, etc, unless they are truly a great team. AND it makes domestic football (for GB) even stronger, and more unified. I'm all about the political unity, we're all brothers on this planet - let's let football lead the way!

I want to know where you stand on an idea like this and why it would or would not work.

Bobby – Davard you are making some large assumptions here. More Champions League places? – do you really think that the rest of Europe would sit back and allow a GB league to just add the existing SPL and Premiership CL places together? Do you think the likes of Watford and Sheffield United are going to vote themselves into the Championship? How many turkeys think Christmas is a great idea?

USAenglandfan – I was speaking with a family friend and former editor-in-chief of a kid’s soccer magazine here in the US, and he had an interesting take on the potential for success here and in other parts of the world. A lot of what he said had to do with economics. He said that in many cases the more wealthy your country is, the harder it is going to be to compete in the world's sport. The discussion was much more detailed, but this was the general idea. There are obvious exceptions (Pirlo, who was raised upper class, comes to mind), but I think it makes sense. You have your Brazils of the world where kids cope with the harsh reality of the favelas and soccer is not only woven into the culture, but is also seen as a 'way out'. I'm sure some of you have heard/thought about this, but I'd like to know what you all think.

And finally, cast your votes: Rooney with beard or without beard? I vote 'with'

Bobby – I’m not sure that I would agree with entire notion that wealthy countries have a harder time competing in the world’s sport – I assume you are limiting this to soccer rather than world sport. Certainly the wealthier the economy then the more choices that kids are likely to have within a broader range of sports and that means – I would think – that more kids would be lost to other sports. However, if you flip the notion – poorer nations find it easier to compete in the world’s sport – few would agree.

As for Rooney - it is one thing to lick up to the owner, it is another thing to try and look like him.

Blueblades - Do you think Everton has any chance of finishing in the top four this season? It seems to me that the fourth spot is up for grabs especially with Liverpool be so inconsistent.

Bobby – A number of teams – Everton included – have a shot at fourth place. Despite their inconsistency I think Arsenal will slot in at number 3. Andy Johnson needs to get going again though – I think this is his driest spell in the Premiership. Cahill will be a big loss and if Arteta was to go down then all bets would be off.

Henry 14 - Did you see the Arsenal Champions League game, l have to say Hleb is a genius, a highly creative player. You were laughing at Gallas the other night l hope you would laugh at the Hamburg defense, because the guy went on a one man dribbling expedition that if he had score surely it would have been goal of the year for the last 3 years+

Bobby – I didn’t see the Arsenal game. I was laughing at Gallas – why would I be laughing at Gallas?

Hawkman14 - Do you see any current EPL players as top-flight future managers? If so, who?

Bobby – I did an article last season and suggested that Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher might be prime managerial candidates. Given the number of managers who have at one time or another come under the influence of SAF then existing United players would seem to be a potential pool of future recruits. Carragher is supposed to be a real student of the game and given the position that he plays it makes him another player who may choose the dug out after his playing days are over. Look for defenders and hard working midfield players to make the move.

A whole series of questions relating to Makelele foul on Angel as he broke free and Zokora’s blatant dive.

bliss_street - Makelele's tackle on Angel would have earned him an unnecessary roughness penalty in the NFL. I wondered whether referee Graham Poll was going to give him a straight red card or let him off with a yellow. Imagine how flabbergasted I was when he made no call at all!

henry14 - I have to say they is a tendency for Chelsea to go away with the most decisions, on all their games l have seen they have been given fair decisions on penalties, but the officials were not consistent when they are guilty, l felt Makelele deserved a straight red card. The most outrageous decision to me was the way Zokora sunk so low to fall to the ground, it is one thing to make the most of a tackle but to fall to the ground is tacking cheating to unprecedented levels. I think the FA should ban players who do so for games if they go unpunished in the game, because it is so unprofessional

AlexMorph - I'll probably be immensely unpopular for suggesting this, but I think that Angel played Makelele for the foul because he knew that he couldn't outrun him. The Frenchman was right on his tail, running off to the side a bit, and Angel showed him his back without bringing the ball. He went across the direction of the ball and Make ran into him (ok, he didn't have to use his arms), so the ref probably saw it as obstruction from the Villa striker.

travel_coach - Since the ref. made no call on Zokora's dive in the Pompey game, cannot the FA review the incident and penalize Zokora with some time off and a fine for unsportsmanlike conduct?

Ducky_Jones -  I've read comments from Glenn Hoddle & Tony Adams about the Zokora phantom penalty; they're calling him a cheater and that if he wants to stay in the EPL he can't do that sort of thing. Is there a double standard in how they treat foreign players compared to English ones? I've seen Rooney dive in the area and get the penalty call. I'm sure that I've seen other English players do the same thing. What gives?

bigdavedisaster - As a Spurs supporter in the EPL I can not defend Didier Zokora’s dive. There is no place for it in football except for apparently the EPL, La Liga, Serie A Champions league (Giggs) the world cup and just about all the other leagues and competitions until something is done it will only get worse! As long as diving continues to produce results it is here to stay in today’s big dollar global football world were wins mean so much....oh and with all those dollars come all those cameras so we can see the dive from all angles as to be sure not to miss one

Bobby – I have watched the challenge by Makelele on Angel and in my opinion Makelele was very lucky to stay on the park let alone get away without even a foul being given against him. Angel is not the quickest forward in the Premiership but he was in front of the Chelsea player, heading for the goal with the ball under his control. I can agree that Angel played for the foul but the ball was always within his playing distance so an obstruction call couldn’t be given by Graham Poll. Makelele was all over Angel – Chelsea was very fortunate in that situation.

In terms of Zokora the FA’s position would be that the referee made his decision and so calling Zokora to account for the dive would be undermining the ref’s decision. If Zokora had punched Mendes off the ball without an official seeing it then video evidence could be used as the referee did not make a decision.

However in the case of the elbow Thatcher threw at Mendes – and connected with – the referee gave a yellow card but the FS still used video evidence. Although I can see the difference – the Thatcher decision involved further punishment of a foul correctly called by the referee versus what would essentially be the retroactive overturning of a referee decision – it does not seem to me to be that great a leap to make sure that dives such as the one by Zokora are punished using video evidence. Bringing the game into disrepute is a pretty good catch-all for something like this I would think.   

And yes – there is a double standard in terms of diving. Foreign players are singled out. Diving may not have been so prominent before foreign players became more prevalent but it was definitely there.

davard - Could you please explain the Makelele/France situation to me? Can a player not retire internationally but still play in a domestic league? Does this mean McClaren could, within his rights, declare Paul Scholes onto the nat’l team, with or without his consent? In fact, he should, just to see Fergie's reaction.

Bobby – We went over this one a couple of weeks back if I remember correctly. I don’t believe FIFA anticipated their rule that a player can be suspended if he doesn’t report for international duty would used to force a player into reporting when he had already announced his international tournament. The rule was imposed to try and deal with situations where players were being pressured into calling off “injured” after being named to a national team. Your point is well taken. McClaren could name Scoles to the squad and force a suspension if he didn’t turn up. The obvious solution is for FIFA to create a register of retired international players. Then the likes of Makelele would register his retirement and would not have to bother with the antics of Domenech. 

neophyte - Great pieces on the Yanks at Reading. We have been following them in our household. They are everyone’s favorite 2nd team. Question: Why doesn't USSOCCER promote the Americans abroad? I would think they would be the poster kids for the up and coming generation.

Did you see Villarreal against Zaragoza? Riquelme put on a show! Note to the rest of La Liga, do not make him mad. You won't like him when he's angry. I think the press in Argentina pushed too far and now they (the Argentines) will be looking even more troubled against their South American competition.

Bobby – I guess the question is better put to the USSF. However, what would they promote – that Reading has two US players? I think US soccer fans know that so they would really be preaching to the choir.
I didn’t see the Zaragoza – Villarreal match but I have noticed that Villarreal’s performances have improved over the last couple of weeks and they are moving up La Liga – to my relief seeing that I picked them to finish third!

spike24 - What do you think about Reading's Ibrahima Sonko? It seems he must be considered one of the surprising standouts of the new season. The only games Reading has failed to get a result were the ones he missed from his red card. And in the games he has played, he's been a dominating force - neutralizing Rooney against Man Utd, and coming up with tackles and deflections to preserve 1-0 wins against West Ham and Man City.

Will we see him playing as a French International any time soon? I understand that since he's never played for the top squad, his time at Senegal does not invalidate him from playing for France.

Bobby – I am holding judgment just a little bit longer on individual performances from Reading. As a team I think they are an entertaining team to watch and their goalscorers will get enough goals to keep them out of relegation trouble. However, after so few games we will have to wait and see who is playing above their normal level. I understand he was ready to join Senegal for an African Cup of Nations qualifier this weekend but called off through injury.

gregz – What’s the deal with Shevchenko? He is a much more lethal striker than Drogba and yet Drogba has been totally outshining him. I wonder though is it a case of Sheva making Drogba look good because he attracts so much attention from defenders which leaves Drogba open to score goals. And what of Tevez is it too early to expect anything good from him.

Bobby – I think generally fans have unrealistic expectations when big signings move to another club and sometimes another country. I am convinced that Shevchenko will come good. At the moment Drogba is carrying the load in fine style. As for Tevez and Mascherano – it far too early to tell.

wickedzoot - Regarding the West Ham meltdown. I saw a not on the rumors page that at least one of the Argentines is already bucking for a transfer. I kinda lost track after that. Was that smoke? I haven't seen much reporting on WH lately so I wonder if I've missed something. Will they get a chance to turn things around or are we just waiting for the next window to see where they go?

Bobby – It is a normal type of rumour when a player has moved in a high profile transfer and success hasn’t been immediate. There was the ridiculous story earlier this week that Shevchenko was heading back to Milan in January. At the moment the Argentine pair have not made an impression and so what other European teams would be looking to step in anyway? I find it interesting the Chelsea conspiracy theorists have gone strangely quiet since the pair arrived and WH has not won a game since. 

MeanSucka - Becks' work rate seems to have greatly increased since being brought off the bench, most notably against Dinamo Kiev. Think he was gunning for inclusion on the England squad? Or trying to get back in Capello's starting 11? Or both?

The shot of he and Ronaldo sitting on the bench at the beginning of the game was interesting. I guess they're discussing the best places to live in the states! Now if we could only get an MLS franchise here in Miami - especially since we recently lost our only draw - Romario.

Bobby – I think the chances of a Beckham recall to the England national team is very low. But one thing is for sure – he will not be called up by Steve McClaren if he is not a first choice for Fabio Capello.

Venti-vidi-vici – Many people (Jose Mourinho included) seem to think that Inter Milan is, ON PAPER, one of, if not, the best club teams in the world. Crespo-Ibrahimovic-Adriano is arguably the best trio of strikers anywhere, along with Figo, Vieira, Cambiasso, Solari and Stankovic in midfield and a very experienced back-four, Inter should amount to a formidable force. I guess, like Real Madrid teams of recent years, it’s not always about the sum of the parts. Unfortunately, most of the Inter team is (or at least acts) semi-retired !!!!

On the other hand, Milan is simply trying to get used to life without Sheva. Gilardino had an excellent first season at the club, and if Oliveira can find the form which saw him claim the La Liga scoring title, the two can form a lethal partnership for many years. In the mean time Sheva is very sorely missed. The midfield of Gattuso, Pirlo Kaka’, Seedorf, now in their fourth or fifth year together, can play from memory, and Gourcuff (incredible potential) will fit in nicely. The back four with Nesta, Simic, Jankulovski and Kaladze, along with the elder statesmen of the game, is one of the stingiest in Europe. Do you think it will all come together for the rossoneri?

Speaking of Milan’s defense what do you think of the careers of Milan’s aging defenders, Cafu, Costacurta and, in particular, Maldini? Paolo represented Italy 126 times, including 23 consecutive World Cup finals games (all starts), losing a final, a semi and a quarter all on penalties, and losing the final of Euro 2000. He has played in seven Champions League/Champions Cup finals (winning four), and holds the record for the fastest goal ever scored in a UCL final. He is in his 23rd season with Milan’s senior squad and has now played over 800 games in all competitions for Milan. He is the first and only defender (excluding goalies) ever to win the World Player of the Year Award (1994). When he retires at the end of this season, where will he rank among the all time greats of the game?

Note: When Maldini made his debut for Milan, he played alongside Ray Wilkins and Mark Hateley, and a couple of his current teammates were not yet born!

And who are your top 5 midfields?

 
Bobby – I was surprised that Milan did not make more moves in the summer. The Milan midfield looks to be a solid unit once again but they have relied on the full backs to give them width. When the full backs fail to get forward Milan tends to become a bit predictable. Maldini has been the greatest defender of his generation and history will consider him one of the greatest ever – right up there with Franco Baresi. The World Player of the Year title he won was from the publication “World Soccer” rather than thee FIFA award. If FIFA has any sense at all they should present Maldini with a special award for services to the game and to recognize his outstanding play over 20 years at the end of this year.

Top 5 midfields? I am assuming current midfields. In no particular order I would have Milan in the top group and Chelsea – more on potential than current form though. Barcelona has to be included. If Alonso could find his form again then Liverpool would be another. Valencia would have to come into the reckoning especially if Vicente can stay fit and once Joaquin settles in. Given that Lyon have lost two excellent midfield players over the last two seasons and they are still producing great football then they would also be up for consideration.

buffytvs - You missed listing another atrocious call -- the blatant handball on Paul Scholes' shot by a Newcastle defender (whose name I've blotted out I think) was ignored. The Richard Dunne block I've never seen a good enough angle on, but it looked really su####ious too.

Bobby – I am surprised that there is not more debate over handballs. The appropriate section of law 12 states “A direct free kick is … awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following ….offences: handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)”.

Liverpool fans will find the bracketed section ironic I am sure. It is what constitutes deliberately that is the problem. It seems to me that for many referees the rule is flexible and has much to do with where the “offence” occurs on the field.

Richard Dunne did very well to save the ball and not with his hand either.