Group A

Czech Republic
The Czech Republic has qualified for four European Championships in four attempts and has only lost two qualifying games along the way.


How they qualified
They topped Group D beating out Germany by two points and finished a mammoth twelve points ahead of third place the Republic of Ireland. Jan Koller led the scoring with six goals.


The Coach
Karel Bruckner took over the full national team in 2001 after a successful spell in charge of the under-21 side. Since then Bruckner has integrated many of the players from the under 21s that finished second in the 2000 European Championship with remnants from the 1996 European Championship side that finished as runners-up to Germany.

A failure to qualify from the group stages at the 2006 World Cup nearly cost the veteran coach his job but he managed to ride out the criticism. Nonetheless the 67-year-old has decided to retire at the conclusion of the 2008 Euros.


Key Players
Tomas Rosicky is injured and he will be badly missed by a side that many consider to be in decline. Goalkeeper Petr Cech will be a key to Czech hopes and confidence as will a back four that has depth with the likes of Grygera, Jankulovski, Rozehnal, Ujfalusi and Kovac to choose from.

Milan Baros was the top scorer at Euro 2004 and is an enigma. The striker has consistently failed to deliver the goods at club level with Liverpool, Aston Villa, Lyon and Portsmouth but put a Czech top on him and another player appears.  A scoring rate of almost a goal every two international games places his striking rate among the best in the world.

 
Great Euro Memory
It took a golden goal by Germany’s Oliver Bierhoff in the 1996 final to kill off Czech hopes of becoming European Champion at the first attempt. The Czechs battled Germany all the way and with a break at the right time they could well have won the 1996 tournament.


Synopsis
Their finish ahead of Germany while scoring twenty-seven goals and conceding only five flatters to deceive. There is a fine line between experience and old age when it comes to a soccer team and it may just be that the balance has tilted too far in a squad in which nine players the wrong side of 30. Martin Fenin who moved to Eintracht Frankfurt last summer after impressive performances at the under-20 World Cup is the only player under the age of 23 in the squad.


Coming Up in World Cup Qualifying
Drawn in Group 3 with Poland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and San Marino.



Portugal
Portugal has now made it to the last four European Championship Finals and qualified for the knock stages in 1996, 2000 and 2004.


How they qualified
Portugal finished a point behind Poland in Group A and three points above Serbia and Finland while drawing six of their fourteen games. Ronaldo was the top scorer with eight goals.


The Coach
Luiz Felipe Scolari’s relationship with the Portuguese media has plummeted to depths so low that the Brazilian coach might even be regretting turning down the England job in 2006!!

Scolari has proven time and time again that he can create teams that are difficult to beat and in a number of cases his teams have been incredibly successful. Conversely the Scolari-approach more often than not sacrifices players natural flair at the twin alters of the isms – pragmatism and cynicism.


Key Players
Cristiano Ronaldo’s importance almost goes without saying (but I thought it should be mentioned anyway)  but if you look through the squad of players available to Scolari you cannot fail to be impressed.

The likes of Alves, Bosingwa, Carvalho, Meira, and Miguel are all excellent  defenders, while the midfield has a mixture of creativity, strength, experience and pace with Deco, Petit, Nani, Moutinho,  Veloso and and Raul Meireles all pushing for spots.

If you look past Ronaldo perhaps the key forward for Portugal might be Werder Bremen’s Hugo Almeida. Almeida’s abilities might be best described as rugged and willing but he might be given the chance to complete a Portuguese puzzle that has repeatedly been missing a piece up top.


Great Euro Memory
It was 3-2 loss but the 1984 semi-final against France was an extra time epic in Marseille.


Synopsis
Finished as runners up to Greece when they hosted four years ago and a lack of goals from their recognized strikers (or striker) has cost Portugal silverware at past European Championships and World Cups. Portugal looks solid defensively and Cristiano Ronaldo could carry his country deep into the tournament once more.

However, all the other teams are more than aware of Ronaldo’s capabilities and no doubt  they will set out to try and nullify him.  Deco has been an important part of Scolari’s plans but his form has been generally disappointing over the last year. No goals and only three helpers for Deco during the qualifying stage carries  a warning that his most effective days at the top level may be on the wane. 


Coming Up in World Cup Qualifying
Drawn in Group A with Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania and Malta.



Part One - History and background

Part 3 coming up Friday  - Switzerland and Turkey.
 

Redfan2000 - Time seemed to stop you commenting on the Inter vs Liverpool game, so what was your summation of the two legs?

Bobby – Liverpool was the better team and won it through perseverance and patience. Against ten men and with around five minutes to go in the first leg Liverpool could have easily panicked but they stuck to it.

There were only perhaps two moments when Inter threatened in Milan and the Reina save low to his left was probably the pivotal moment. If that deflection had gone in then Inter might have made a real go of it.

But as it turned out, Reina saved, Burdisso gets a second yellow and Torres scores a terrific goal. We could argue about Inter playing most of the time with ten men and the impact it had on the outcome but you can only play against what is in front of you and Liverpool won without ever really being tested by the Inter attack.

Weah11 - Do you see a clear out (coaches + some players) if Chelsea fail to pass Fenerbahce? I read that Lippi is interested in coming to the EPL.

Bobby – Can I see coaches and players moving on if Chelsea fails to pass Fenerbahce? I can see coaches and players moving on even if they go on to win the Champions League and the Premiership. It is part of the normal process.

By the same token you will not see a clear out (I would define a clear out as six or seven legitimate members of the first team squad leaving). In fact I can’t think of the last time a big club had a real clear out of staff.

It’s down to the fact that players at top clubs are making incredible money and there are very few clubs outside maybe a dozen or so in Europe that are willing to match their wage demands. The fans response to failure is to call for a clear out but the reality is that there has to be another club willing to pay a transfer fee and to pay the salary demands.

Without that other side of the equation most players are more than willing to sit tight and allow their bank balances to grow. Lippi is just one of a number of high profile managers who will be available this summer. It’s a summer of a major final and so that means we will also see national team managers resigning or getting fired.

Don’t be surprised if most of the media interest is around managerial appointments rather than player signings this summer.

Thierry_Henry - Some Arsenal fans are starting to tell Wenger what he should do. As if he doesn't see what's wrong with the team. Just because we've drawn 4 matches in the last few weeks...

Look, at the beginning of the season Bobby suggested we will not be in the top 4. If it wasn't for injury to Eduardo, we would be first. So, relax and keep faith in the magin man, Wenger.

Bobby – As MasMaz pointed out I picked Arsenal to finish third. I have the article from last August archived and hopefully it will be rolled out at the end of the Premiership season for the benefit of all.


Foxcube - Perhaps you did in on TV but I'd love to hear your comments on Mancini's U-turn (or anyone could share?). Another question is why the top 4 in England don't break away from the league and have their own TV deals. Thanks!

Bobby – Mancini has a reputation for being overly emotional at times and speaking before thinking. I think that was one of the moments. The big four don’t breakaway and do their own tv deals because they are not allowed to.

My understanding is that centralized TV broadcast sales is part of the Premier League regulations and to be changed 75% of the 20 teams have to vote to change. As turkeys very rarely vote for Christmas you are not likely a change anytime soon.

ReggaeGunner - I watched the Roma vs Milan match and I was very impressed by the player Vucinic. Why doesn't Spalletti play him in the starting 11 and let Totti play off him or is he more effective coming off the bench. Whenever I see him play he seems to be the difference when he's on the pitch. Always a threat to the other teams when on the pitch. Another to mention is Aquillani, he shoots the ball well.

Bobby – You would think that Spaletti is going to find it more difficult to keep Vucinic out of the starting line-up based on his scoring record off the bench. He’s scored in the three games in the last few weeks when he has come as substitute; there again he failed to score in the game he started. 

He’s not overly quick but seems very composed when a chance comes his way. Maybe we will see him in the Rome derby on Wednesday as he scored against Lazio earlier this season.

Venti_Vidi_Vici  - Platini was quoted today encouraging English fans to oppose foreign ownership in the EPL. He seems to jump at every opportunity to criticize the EPL and the FA. He disapproves of foreign ownership, lack of English players, the foreign national team coach, the violent play and the 39th match, just in the few months he’s been at the helm. Does he have some anti-English agenda, or is he just concerned with the state of English football, and the effects it has, and could have, on European football?

Bobby – I would suggest that Platini’s issue is more about money than it is about the nationality of the league. The Premiership has the largest TV contract, the largest crowds and has become a magnet for international businessmen looking to make money.

However I don’t think you will see President Platini turning down Sky’s bid for the Champions League rights even though it is English money.  


Flashman - Nice move by your network to get the Canada-US U-23 game on this week. The way Toronto FC look to be deliberately not improving their roster, I'm convinced they're looking to tank deliberately and get a high draft pick. One of whom could be playing for Canada in that game. Should be interesting to see what's he's like.

Now, can we expect any changes in Champions League telecasts here in Canada now that Sky has snagged the bulk of future broadcast rights? We've got certain games now for free on basic cable with TSN. Though they act like they can barely stand showing them, with the total lack of support for soccer shown on that network. Will this new deal mean that FOXSWC will be taking games away from them, showing other games concurrent with those that might remain on TSN or will nothing change?

Flashman - What do you make of Amaudo Guevara, like? New York soccer journalist Ives Galarcep is reporting tonight that Mo Johnson is on the verge of re-connecting with the Honduran midfielder he coached in New York by signing him for Toronto FC. Guevara ticked off Toronto fans last year by refusing to come to the team with a deal for him already worked out. Now we're supposed to get over it and welcome this talented but flaky guy back in. Should we? Can we? Will we? And if he does join TFC, what can we expect from him on and off the field.

Bobby – I think there is a general concern that Toronto has done little so far to improve their roster. Based on the moves to date they have gone backwards since the end of last season. It seems to me that the fans gave them unbelievable backing during the first year and expected little but good effort in return from the first year team.

A year on and they expect a lot more. These fans do not strike me as the gullible Maple Leaf types who are willing to sit back and accept any rubbish put their way while MLSE milks fans dry. Without a good start I can see the vociferous support turning ugly.

In terms of Guevara nothing has been announced yet. If he signs for Toronto then you can expect to see a Riquelme-type player (I said type) who the team has to be built around and to get the most out of him all the plays have to go through him. Guevara fell out with Preki in no time at all last season and I have a great deal of admiration for the Chivas coach so I have my doubts that Mo and John Carver will have more success with him. 

The Sky deal is for the UK only. Although Fox Soccer Channel in the US and Sky are both News Corp. companies it is my understanding that they operate completely independently. Fox Sports World Canada is owned by Can West Global and has deal with that is limited to the provision of certain games.

ESPN is the current North American rights holder for Champions League and I believe they have at least two seasons left but I stand to be corrected on that. ESPN owns 32% of TSN and TSN and Setanta sub license Champions League games from ESPN.


RonW - When Inverness Caley was promoted to the SPL I think there was talk of them playing home games in Aberdeen. Where are they playing now? One of the best sports headlines ever was about ten years ago when Caley were in the lower leagues (maybe even non-league) and they beat Celtic ... "Super Caley Went Ballistic Celtic Were Atrocious"

Bobby – Inverness Caley Thistle did opt to play their home games at Pittodrie during their first season in the SPL but finished up being able to move back to their own stadium around the half way point in the season after renovations were completed in super quick time. That was in early 2005 and they have played out of their own stadium since. The Sun’s headline was an all-time great when ITC beat Celtic in 2000. I think at that time ITC was in the first division.

22justin - We all know you are a closet Serie A lover, just admit it. Serie A is the TRUE BEST LEAGUE IN THE WORLD. YOU KNOW IT AND I KNOW IT.

Bobby – A closet has nothing to do with it. I've watched Serie A for years.  Best is subjective so I will let you argue that one out with others.


RINGO – Have to agree with Bobby, that 1970 cup final was the best one I remember, the '75 Fulham/West Ham game is right up there also, not for the game itself but because it was the first time I went to Wembley. Sad to say that the first three goalscorers for Chelsea have all since died, and in the order they scored, Ian Hutchinson died in 2002, if I where David Webb I might be slightly concerned.

That final could have become the first time no-one won the cup. If David Webb had not 'cheeked' in the winner at Old Trafford the second replay was to have been played at Highfield Road, Coventry three days later ,and if that had ended in a draw both teams would have held the cup for six months each. The England world cup squad where leaving for the Mexico WC five days later ,leaving no more time for another game.

Bobby – There was also the story that might be of interest to those that think the game nowadays is a bit rough. A few years ago a newspaper (or the Beeb) asked then Premiership referee David Elleray to review the 1970 Cup Final from a disciplinary point of view and to judge the game against then current standards.   

By the end of the first game at Wembley which finished 2-2 Elleray said that both sides would have finished with eight men each with the first sending red card coming in the 13th minute. What’s more Chelsea would have got 13 yellow cards and Leeds seven.

Henry14 - Last week somebody asked you if Arsenal should sell RVP and rightfully said no now l do think Rosicky who will be 28 needs to go and we can built our left hand side on a younger and not so much injury prone guy and Vela will be a good player + a new winger l feel should he be sold.

Bobby – What makes Rosicky injury prone? One season? Rosicky has played in two-thirds of Arsenal’s Premiership games since he joined the club which puts him ahead of the Freddie Ljungberg and I don’t remember a clamour for Freddie to be sold because he was “injury prone.” Rosicky’s scoring record is very close to the Swede’s so it seems like a fair comparison.

Why you would get rid of a player who is in his prime years and suggest that he should be replaced by another youngster - it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Or is it a case that what you haven’t seen is better than what you have?



Sleeper000- The English FA denied FIFA's request to increase Martin Taylor' punishment due to their belief that it was only a single isolated incident and they did not want to set a "horrible" precedent by extending Taylor's suspension. Question, what could FIFA do to enforce their request other than placing sanctions on the English FA which let's face it, will never happen? I am not trying to argue what should be done, I am simply curious as to what is the extent of FIFA's power in this scenario.

Bobby – FIFA has no real interest in extending Taylor’s punishment. It is pure posturing and Blatter playing to the masses knowing that he would be guaranteed media coverage if he raised the subject.

Does anyone really belief that FIFA has any interest in questioning the suspensions dished out every week because once they cross that line that is what it leads to. There are worse challenges than Taylor’s every week in leagues around the world and the precedent of FIFA issuing or mandating additional suspensions over and above those assessed by the national associations would grind the system to a standstill.

It’s also a quick way to finish up in court and FIFA has a very poor court record! The press release can be found here but I read nothing of a “horrible” precedent.



Finally, regarding the Arsenal goal that was disallowed for offside. It was not discussed on Monday’s show. However, a player cannot be played “onside” by a deflection off an opponent. To be played onside in such a situation the opponent must be judged by the referee to have full control of the ball. Otherwise the referee’s decision is based upon the position of the attacking player when the ball is last played by a teammate.

Gunner 44 - I think what we should learn from this is the EPL is a marathon not a sprint. But even in a marathon you don't want to be last for a long time you have to keep moving up as the race goes on. But anyways on Friday I heard you say that you don't see Arsenal winning the title and I just have to ask why? Because I think they have as much chance of winning it as Man U and Chelsea.

Bobby – My reasoning is that as the weather deteriorates Arsenal will drop points. I am also not convinced that they have got their wide midfield and full back players sorted out and in particular the left hand side where have been playing without a naturally left footed player. With Clichy back it will help but he will need time to get back to full match fitness.

Manchesterboy4life - I am just wondering what you think of Man U having a strong start to both the premiership and Champions league and if you think they have the depth to go deep in Europe and still hold off the Blues on the home front? Also do you hear of maybe some transfer news that we who are not in the know may be oblivious to?

Bobby – I cannot see United succeeding on two fronts. If they get passed the last 8 in the Champions league I will be surprised. They look to me to be a side that looks better equipped to have a run at the league title. They have surprised me by scoring the number of goals they have this season so far.

USAEnglandfan - Bad to worse at West Ham... really breaks my heart because they were one of my favorite teams to watch last season, they have some of my favorite players, and Pardew has that easy-going air that I really like. I have only been able to watch a select few EPL games this season so I'm a bit out of the loop, but how are NRC and Benayoun doing? What can this slide be attributed to? It has to be something more than the Argies signings.

Speaking of which, I don't fully buy the Argentina-England incompatibility theory. Heinze has done fine, Arca was Sunderland's only bright spot and was pretty highly sought after in the EPL this summer, and am I wrong that D'Alessandro had a solid run at Portsmouth? Personally I think the issue is that most of the talented Argentinians are snapped up by Spain before the EPL cares to look.

Last question: West Ham has a decent amount of stars. If West Ham goes down, what big name guys do you guys think would sink with them?

Bobby – I have only seen a limited amount of West Ham games this season so I am probably not in a great position to comment…but. It appears to me that there is just a general malaise about their play. Zamora was on a good run early on but nobody else is picking up goals. I know Dean Ashton only played the second half of the season but I think he was a big reason why WHU finished strongly last season. I expected better this season…a lot better but we might be seeing that a number of the players just played over their heads last season.

Your comments about Argentine players are well stated. Just with any nationality – some will work out and some will struggle. Back in the late 70’s when Villa and Ardiles signed for Spurs was a fantastic success while Villa – despite his fantastic goal to beat Man City in the FA Cup – was a disappointment.

Djnima -  Very interesting article on Rosicky. I agree with the article in that Wenger is playing Rosicky out of his natural position. However, the professor has no alternative. I don't think he can play Rosicky and Cesc in the middle of the pitch without being soft at the back. Gilberto has to come into the equation to help out in defense. I think playing Rosicky on the wing to adapt him to the EPL will smooth out his transition.

I am not an arsenal fan but it has been such a pleasure to watch them play football!

Bobby – I agree that Rosicky is being played in a wide position to allow him to accustom himself to the Premiership. I still believe that Rosicky has been signed to replace Bergkamp and you will see him paired with Henry but just a little deeper.

neophyte -  Since we are on the subject of Keepers (I enjoyed that article about it being the safest spot on the field) who are your top three EPL Keepers? May I taint your opinion a bit--Is there anyone out there with as good of technique as Van Der Sar?

Bobby – The good ones to choose from: Van der Sar, Cech,  Lehmann (didn’t think I would ever say that), Friedel, Reina (last season), Robinson, Given and ….David James.

I will discount age. I would place Cech first, Van der Sar second and then I have trouble splitting Lehmann, Freidel and Given for third place.

bigdavedisaster - All this talk about the EPL lacking teams with skills is simply wrong in my opinion. I’ll put up the skills of Arsenal Man U and Chelsea (all of which I hate) up against the top three teams in any other league. As in most league the teams at the top with the players tend to play a more skilled "pretty" game while the lesser teams have to scrap and hustle for the few chances that they get. Comparing leagues is simply a matter of taste. It’s comparing apples to apples and the champions league helps do that.

Bobby – I have never understood the argument of which league is “the best” and fans dismissing leagues because the quality is poor. The beauty of the game is that it can be played in many different ways that emphasize different qualities and attributes. It is also a game that can be played at any skill level. To me the issue is not which is the best league, it is whether or not what you are watching entertains and engages you.

gooner17 - Maybe Hunt did or didn’t mean to hit Cech but how come no one is saying anything about Ferreira? iI was taught as a defender to shield off attackers to protect your keeper in those situations and to make sure the keeper wins the ball first. Instead he just points to where the ball is (like Cech couldn't see it) and lets his keeper get nailed. Ferreira should feel just as bad as Hunt.

Bobby – Excellent point on Ferreira. I saw another example today in the Chelsea game of something that shocked me. It was the second half and Shevchenko was in a central position and passed the ball to Lampard(?) in the inside left position. Shevchenko then made to go beyond Lampard and to move into a position around about the edge of the penalty box on the left.  I was taught never to run in front of a teammate who has the ball…..which is exactly what Shevchenko did. Shevchenko should have side stepped Lampard and made a run behind him which would have allowed Lampard to thread a ball through to Shevchenko who would have then been moving at full throttle. As it was Lampard had to hesitate because he could not pass the ball till Shevchenko was out of his way and by the time he could pass the ball Shevchenko had run into an offside position.

buffytvs - 1) Today Charlton reaffirmed their faith in Ian Dowie. Isn't such an announcement usually the immediate prelude to a firing?

2) Seems to me a disproportionate number of 'Goals of the Week' emanate from the MSL. Who picks these things?

Bobby – Aaah – the dreaded vote of confidence. Time for Ian Dowie to update his CV.
As for who picks the “Goals of the Week” – I have to say I don’t know. 

henry14 -  l have to say first congratulation to Liverpool and Chelsea, but when l look at their game it was one of the worst attitudes to football by Jose Mourinho, what was a back four quickly became a back seven, it was boring , similarily to the game arsenal played against CSKA Moscow, it was a miserable game , they had 8 men in the box which is a very poor approach, the performance does not give me much to think they can go all the way, what did you think watching the game

Bobby – I didn’t see the Arsenal game but I did watch Chelsea and Barcelona. It was a disappointing affair. Chelsea forced Barcelona to play into congested areas of the park and their tactics worked almost to perfection. Without Eto’o Barcelona is missing speed through the centre and that allowed the Chelsea defense to play tight on the forwards. If anyone was likely to score for Barcelona it looked to be Messi.

 

And finally there was a lot of discussion on the Cech injury and the role played by Stephen Hunt. My take is that there was no intention on the part of Hunt to injure Cech. Quite simply if you are going to go after someone you would put the boot in; you would not use your knee. You have to be an absolute #### to try to inflict injury by the use of a knee given that the odds are that you will come out the worst of it. Hunt was going full speed, Cech slid into his path and Hunt when to go to ground. Gravity takes over at that point and there is no way to avoid the collision.

Mourinho’s comments about the ambulance taking 30 minutes to get to the ground were another example of the Chelsea manager’s unfortunate tendency towards exaggeration in times of stress. Two seasons ago he said he saw Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard enter the dressing room of referee Anders Frisk at half-time only to have to back down and admit that he had never seen anything of the sort. Now he claims 30 minutes when the records apparently show the actual time taken was only 7 minutes. It is not an endearing trait of Jose’s.  

David James - the Portsmouth keeper - on obesity.

The injuries to Cudicini and esppecially Petr Cech is top of mind. Tony Cascarino still considers the position between the posts to be the safest on the park. There is also a list of severe injuries suffered by goalkeepers. When I started to watch football there were no substitutes and teams would always have their designated outfield player ready to take over if the goalkeeper went down injured.

Dr. Thomas Stuttaford gives an experts view on the Cech injury.

Rod Little on the subject of what does Steve McClaren write in his notebook. As an aside most fans would have noticed Jose Mourinho scribbling away during a game. But according to the excellent biography by Patrick Barclay it is something that only happens in the first half and is for his use at halftime. In the second half Mourinho considers it a pointless exercise.

Brian Glanville looks at the acquisition of Tomas Rosicky and a historical perspective of other Arsenal playmakers.

Mark Hodkinson on something that is bound to resonate with nostalgia buffs. A book is to be published this week on the late Peter Adolph – the inventor of Subbuteo.

And last and certainly least - is the strip that Bolton’s wore on Sunday the ugliest in the Premiership and if not which one is worst? Which team has the worst strip in the Premiership. For those that missed it it is the clour of something you find hardened on a pavement on Sunday morning.

henry14 - l am so shocked by how Tottenham are doing and the way they brought in players in the summer l thought they were going to somewhere close to challenging the top five but they seem to be a shadow of their former self. The way l see it is that the summer of last season, they bought good players in Lee and Stalteri who were quite effective and efficient to their season, this time around l think they bought for the fun of things. They lost a creative deep lying midfielder and l am shocked that they went on to add an extra striker, to have four strikers which l thought was unnecessary , at least they should have sold one, l am still shocked to why Jol bought Asseu Okkoto and Chimbonda when he had Lee and Stalteri, Full backs who do not help in winning a lot, when they could have gone looking for a central midfielder with some vision, l think the team from last year has been altered in a number of positions and l find it difficult to see them anywhere close to fifth, because l can not see them beating ordinary teams as they used to do. I have a feeling that like as you said time and time again on the big show that a lot of teams that reach that 5th place tend to get ahead of themselves and somehow fall. What so you think. I knew that Michelle was a Chelsea fan, Jeremy is a Manchester United fan. l wanted to know which teams do Mitch, Carlos and you support respectively.

bigdavedisaster - It’s not so early anymore and Spurs seem to be absolutely lost when it comes to finishing scoring chances and I believe the culmination of this was seen after the Jenas miss against Liverpool. You could feel the air come out of the entire side. What I first thought was simply pressing to hard to be in contention for that "top five" spot is not so slowly turning into a crisis of confidence. Do you think Jol needs to simply find a starting side and stick with it and hope that the goals come? And where has Keane been? He was a terror last year and a shadow this?

Bobby – Clearly Tottenham is not enjoying a great start to this season.  The problem is that Jol does not have one problem but a number of them. The fact that Ledley King missed the first few games has not helped either. I do not think that signing two new full backs has been the cause – that should only have added some depth to the squad.

I think you have to look at the midfield as the source of the main problem. Carrick has not been replaced although someone such as Danny Murphy should have been able to pick up the slack. Didier Zokora will come good if he is given a bit of time to settle in. The wide positions in midfield are where Spurs have been caught short. Despite having a herd of midfield players most of them are most comfortable in central positions. Aaron Lennon’s injury has been a major blow and has meant that Spurs have lost that one player who offered them something different. On the other side of the field Spurs have the same problem as last year – no left sided midfield player. That is why Jol wanted to sign Boro’s Stewart Downing. The opposition knows that Spurs pose no consistent threat from wide positions.

As for having four forwards, I do not think you can criticize Jol for that given that all the top teams now carry four strikers. Jol will have anticipated more games than last season – remember Spurs only played 40 games last season – and needed to sign someone like Berbatov. The fact that the Bulgarian is out injured just reinforces why Spurs need four strikers. As for Robbie Keane, there is not the same spark as last season and he does not seem to getting on the ball like he did last season. Spurs will improve but it will not be a dramatic improvement - by the end of the season I expect them to be in an upper-mid-table position.

Carlos supports Braga in Portugal, for me it is Dundee and I do not know about Mitch.

djnima - My question for you has to do with Arsenal's back four. With Gallas an obvious starter and Toure in such great form, who do you think will be arsenal's starting center backs once Senderos is fit? Do you think Gallas will again resign himself to playing LB so that both Senderos and Toure can be accommodated? Also, I am thinking about picking up Rosicky for my fantasy team. Now that arsenal has an easier schedule and need points to catch up to the front pack, do you think he is a good investment? Oh and I know I asked you this earlier in the season, but who do you have in your fantasy line up right now? Thanks for all the time you put into the blog!

Bobby – In order for Arsenal to challenge for the Champions League Gallas has to be in the centre of the defense. Clichy will come back into the team at left back. Djouro and Senderos - when he returns - will get their chance but if you want a first choice back four then it will be Eboue, Toure, Gallas, Clichy. Rosicky is improving every game and I think he is a good investment – if you have the fantasy money. My team has chopped and changed a lot and I liberally move players in and out. Going into this weekend the team is; James; Mellberg, Terry, Campbell, Djourou; Gerrard, Cahill, Arteta, Barry: Johnson, Rooney.

My boys are taking it one game at a time; they are playing against great players; we are not thinking of Europe etc etc.

AlexMorph - About Ronaldo: I certainly think that he should figure back into the Real Madrid side. Cassano has been less than inspiring so far, and I suspect it's only because of his previous relationship with Capello that he gets in the side over Robinho. That aside, do you think that Capello might finally make a stand against Raul and the Madrid faithful? It seemed that against Lyon he was playing as an attacking midfielder to scarcely any effect. Would Guti, who is inconsistent but shows the occasional moment of brilliance, not be better with Ronaldo/RVN playing in front of him?

the beautiful game – Well finally Capello has decided to drop Raul and Beckham, and you could see the huge improvement in the teams performance while they were not on the pitch, but in the 2nd half has soon has the came on the team looked like the Madrid that was their in the 3 previous league games and the CL game against Lyon. do you think Capello will stick to his guns and keep them both on the bench are will he bow to the breaighu pressure and keep playing them both more so Raul.

I as a Barca fan could love him to keep playing them as that would equal Madrid not being much of a threat to us this season because with them both in the team I must say the team looks ordinary.

Usaenglandfan - This Real talk has me thinking. Bobby, you must be asked this now and again, but what on earth has happened to Raul?? I started getting into football around the '02 WC, and from what I understood, Raul was considered one of the deadliest strikers on earth at 26. I've only really seen him in highlight videos, but WOW. What a composed, elegant finisher. And now this? Was it the dawn of the Galacticos era that killed his form? Will it ever come back? The guy's only 29 for gods sake. I'm missing something here...

Bobby – It looks as if Capello is going to stick with Raul despite the fact that he has played poorly for the last two seasons. Capello is a man with very definite views and he will stick by the players he believes in – it looks as if Raul is one that he believes in. Two goals on Tuesday will not have hurt his cause. On the broader question of what has gone wrong it might be ####imple as losing a step due to injury.

neophyte - I would love to see Ruud and Ronaldo together. That is one of those combinations that you only dream about but never see in real life. Crespo is amazing. He scores goals no matter the league, venue or tournament. I would have liked to have seen him back at Milan teamed up with Kaka again. Did you see him in their last match attacking form the keepers right and just leave the defender looking for his shoes after he had just been "Crespo'd"? Amazing!

Did Reading "win" the game against Man U. or did they just survive. I don't recall any real scoring chances they produced while Man U. was all over them. What are your views on this one? (I hope Reading stays up for a while. They are exciting and counter better than most tenured Prem. clubs).

Bobby – Crespo is criticized by many for the number of times he is caught offside but it is the fact that he pushes right up on the last defender that makes him so dangerous. He may not be the quickest striker but he is brilliant at pinching a half a yard on a defender and his movement across the line is outstanding. He has averaged about a goal every two games, which puts him in the top echelon of world strikers.

While United may have dominated most of the game Reading pushed players forward when they got the chance. I remember a great chance that Kevin Doyle had in the first half but van der Sar stoned him so it was not all one-way traffic. I am taking Reading to stay up because they will score a lot of goals.

SL Red - Wouldn't you agree that Wenger's greatest dominance has been in the contemporary big money transfer game? He has made money on the inconsistent (Anelka), bought stars at a cut rate (Henry), and even taken stars away from local rivals on a free (Campbell). To win championships while keeping the transfer kiddy in plus territory is amazing.

I think someone has been telling me that Crouch will end up a squad player. Looks like its happening with the arrival of Kuyt. Not that I'm complaining.

Question - Now a month in who looks like the best signing of the season?

Bobby – Wenger’s wheeling and dealing in the transfer market is one of his strengths and a major bonus for Arsenal. He picked up Anelka as an unknown from PSG – before he became inconsistent! – and sucked Real Madrid in for a mega-transfer fee. I think it is fair to say that no manager since has got the same production out of the Incredible Sulk. I do not think Wenger has ever received due credit for the emergence of Thierry Henry. At the ’98 World Cup, for Monaco (post Wenger) and at Juventus, Henry was a speedy but limited midfield player. Wenger was willing to pay a lot of money (around $18m?) for a player that no other team was showing an interest in. Henry was no instant hit at Highbury either, as Wenger went about converting Henry back to the central striker he had been as a youngster at Monaco when Wenger was in charge. Wenger has also been aggressive in going after younger players –much to the displeasure of continental teams in Holland, France and Spain.

On the downside, he has also had a couple of failures – Francis Jeffers and Richard Wright come instantly to mind.   However, I am not sure that Wenger has operated on the plus side over his ten years in charge at Arsenal. Certainly he has spent less than Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool but I not sure he has recouped it all. 

Best new signing – I would have to say Andy Johnson,  David James or Sol Campbell so far.

MeanSucka - I wonder if Becks relationship with Capello will accelerate his "big fish in a small pond" move to the MLS. I mean, it probably won't be the same as the Pele/Beckenbauer Cosmos, but I'm sure the Becks/Donovan Galaxy will draw some fans, no? Ronaldo would be the king of NY too, but I can see him going back to Italy.

Bobby – I said on the FSWR over two years ago – as Michelle and Jeremy sniggered – that Beckham would finish his career in MLS. Two years on it now seems almost inevitable.

gregz- How do you think Riquelme's retirement will affect Argentina's chances of winning next year's Copa America and even at WC 2010. I know they have good players but they need a man in the middle of the park to hold the team together. The only player that can fill Riquelme's shoes is Aimar and he strikes me as a person that can handle pressure from the demanding Argentine public. I fear he will retire as to evade the pressure of being the main playmaker, but I hope he will use the opportunity to stamp his class on the world stage finally after a somewhat disappointing WC 2002. Finally, who do you think is the better player Aimar or Riquelme?

Bobby –Over the years Argentina has opted for a playmaker around whom everything is built. Maradona, Veron, Ortega, Ardiles, and Sivori have occupied that role or one similar. Riquelme has been the undisputed central figure since his resurrection at Villarreal but that has not stopped him being a controversial selection with some Argentine fans.

Peckerman was obviously a Riquelme fan but I wonder if Basille is of the same persuasion. It might be a case that Riquelme has called time on his international career before it has been called on him. As for Aimar, he seems to be a player whose career has stuttered as recurring injury problems have been an ongoing blight. In comparing the two, I think Riquelme is the superior player with a greater passing range and he is much more robust. 

Quest5227 - What is with Manchester United? They may be winning, but they are playing UGLY football. It is boring and predictable, and only occasionally, do they play intricate, intuitive passing plays. The midfieled don't run forward with the ball, the Center backs stay back, and there is way too much back passing. Take the example of the match against Benfica. They won, but they were not in control of the game. They were timid, boring and tentative. (except for Ronaldo)
Is it time for new leadership at United? New tactics? Or is it the lack of creativity in midfield? O'Shea and Fletcher should be "last 10 minute" players IMHO, not starting for United. The lackluster transfer window activity has much to do with this. What do United do now? Any thoughts?

Bobby – I thought that Manchester United played the consummate away game in Europe – happy with a point and nicked three. It wasn’t pretty but it was effective and Benfica created few chances although they had much of the play until Saha scored.

bmax14 -  Anybody see Sepp Blatter's (FIFA president)comments regarding removal of the shoot-out for WC final? He suggested a replay or gradual reduction of players with a Golden Goal, all interesting suggestions. I don't really like the replay idea as you have to wait another day to see a champion and the reduction of players seems kind of silly. I'm certainly not against PK's but I must admit it's a terrible way to lose a game, especially if you've played well enough to win. However, it's tough to match the excitement of the Pk so seeing it gone from a final would be a bit disappointing. If it was my vote, I'd either keep the current format or provide more overtime with the Golden goal coming into effect immediately (like hockey playoff OT). Allow 3 more substitutions once OT starts if need be but avoid any replay idea or reduction of players.

LosAngelesChelseaFan - Yes. I'm deeply shocked to find myself in total agreement with Septic Bladder, who said: "When it comes to the World Cup final it is passion, and when it goes to extra time it is a drama. But when it comes to penalty kicks it is a tragedy. Football is a team sport and penalties is not a team, it is the individual. He said a replay or gradually deducting players in extra time would be a better solution. "

Now is it possible that this would have the side effect of generating an additional $50m of TV and attendance receipts or am I just being cynical? Nevertheless, I strongly agree with the suggestion. I hate shootouts that only seem inject fear of failure and negative play. For me this overshadowed the last few rounds of play and the final.

Bobby – Please, no one should hold their breathe waiting for another of Sepp’s “ideas” to be implemented. It is just another one of his “50 ideas before breakfast and 51 of them are bad” as a German journalist once described Sepp’s pronouncements. Twenty years from now we will still be debating an alternative to penalty kicks. Personally, I would love to see a return to the days of replays but it just will not happen unless we are magically transported back to the 1950’s when World Cup Finals were largely supported by domestic fans attending, sport TV was in its infancy, and the threat of hooliganism and more importantly terrorism were non-existent. In other words replays were possible in a simpler age but no more.
Games going on indefinitely is also an non-starter given the logistical challenges of transport, security and the inequity of a team potentially playing for three hours or more, winning and playing a team that had only played 90 minutes three or four days before. Lastly but certainly not least – TV would never go for it.

NYCDA - I know predictions made in September in the EPL amount to nothing, but based on what we've seen from Reading FC and their consistent ability to ward off the big-name clubs and come out with points, where do you see them ending when the dust settles in May? While Coca-Cola Championship medalists have suffered relegation in subsequent promotion seasons of past (i.e. last year's Sunderland and Norwich of two years past), could Europe be a realistic goal for this underrated Reading side?

Bobby – I picked them to finish 14th and I think I will stick with that placing. A place in Europe is too much to ask. Just look how long it took Bolton to get there. The only “instant” success in the last decade or so has been Ipswich and we know what happened to them the following year.

henry14 - I personally feel that all the other 19 teams in the Prem lack creative midfielders in the mould of the Deco, Pirlo type that Arsenal have in abundance, l think everyone saw the how Arsenal were full of ideas and United lacked them at all, and by the way l feel Gerrard is not at all creative he is an impact midfielder. Bobby what do you make of my creativity theory. Is it true that everytime Arsenal won at Old Trafford during Wenger's time they went on to win the title?

Bobby – Do you not think that having too many creative midfield problems can be a problem? A team is about balance and having all the creative talent in the world doesn’t make a difference if you can’t win the ball and score goals.  I don’t think that just because Gerrard covers a lot of ground and tackles well that you can’t describe him as creative. He scores goals, he inspires and he sets up goals – that sounds like a pretty creative package to me. 

Yes – Arsenal’s three title wins under Wenger have happened in the same season as winning in the Premiership at Old Trafford. On second thoughts (!!! I have been corrected) the 03/04 season was a 0-0 draw.

bmax14 - A fantastic and necessary result for the Gunners. This was a great game to watch with a bit of everything. I was convinced that Man U was beatable as their perfect start didn't appear to be so "perfect" with the results coming against the likes of Fulham and Watford. Arsenal really threw down the gauntlet to the rest of the league with this victory. When you look at their schedule for the next 4-5 weeks there are some very winnable games and they could be in the top 2-3 by late October. Well done Gunners!

Bobby – Arsenal should take advantage of a fairly straight forward schedule in the next few weeks but how many fans expected then to take two points from a start that included Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Manchester City? Arsenal has a young side and with a young team you will find inconsistency now and again.

neophyte – (1). Arsenal’s 4-5-1 is not a new formation but seems to have taken the place of the beloved 4-4-2. I like it since you see more attacks from various angles and not just balls crossed from the wings in a traditional 4-4-2. (2). Baptista for Reyes. Who is going to get the better deal Real or Arsenal? Is Baptista really that big o####uy or is the TV camera playing tricks? He looks HUGE! When Rosicky and Baptista start clicking...look out.

Bobby – Wenger has been a resolute 4-4-2 manager until last season’s run in the Champions League. I think you will find that he will mix the two formations using 4-5-1 when up against strong opposition. The extra man in the midfield gives Fabregas a bit of help with the extra load. When Vieira was in his prime that wasn’t an issue but Cesc is a  very different player. However, week in and week out as long as injuries do not interfere Wenger will go back to 4-4-2.
In terms of Reyes and Baptista it may turn out that it is a good move for both clubs and the players. I am still not sure where Wenger will play Baptista – he is known as “the Beast” for a reason.

only1cab - As an Arsenal fan I'm obviously very happy and agree with your opinion about Rosicky, in my opinion he’s like Hleb with a brain. I watched the Chelsea game and was amazed to see how much space they gave up on the flanks. Kuyt could have phoned his mum back in Holland and ask her where he should shoot on one of Liverpool’s attacks. When J Cole and Robben are fully fit do you think they will revert to their old system and if so who would you drop? I think Essien (even though he’s been their best player so far) as I could never see them dropping Lampard and they've recently signed Ballack.

Bobby – That has been the question since Ballack was signed. Given the injury situation it has still to be answered. I suspect that Essien would be the player that is most likely to find himself on the bench if everyone was available and fit.

travel_coach - I was only able to watch the first half of the United loss -- my daughter's U12 team had a game -- but it was a very good first half, very enjoyable. Ronaldo had several chances and the way things looked, I expected Lehman to get a second yellow for being an angry person. I'm not an Arsenal fan at all, but before the game it was clear that United was overdue for a loss and Arsenal was due for a win. Why was Thierry Henry absent?

Bobby – Henry was hurt.

simba9 - Do you think that Didier Drogba has finally come into his own, despite all the criticism he endured in his first two seasons at Chelsea? There's an interesting story on the Chelsea website about his numbers. By and large not too shabby!

Bobby – His goal against Liverpool was spectacular. However, he does tend to be a bit hit or miss so I think he needs to keep up his form for a full season before he convinces everyone. He might also be benefiting from Shevchenko attracting the attention of defenders.

henry14 - l feel Mourinho should play bridge in place of Cole bcoz l thought he was the best left back in the Prem over the 5 rounds

Bobby – Ashley Cole is a much better left back than Wayne Bridge.

buffytvs - As a United fan, I have to be disappointed in the second half effort. And also in the rather odd substitutions -- I thought Fletcher and O'Shea would go. That said, I thought a draw would have been a fair result, but perhaps I'm biased. Best player on the pitch? Rosicky. And Batista was very impressive in the short time he had.

This is the second match on the trot SAF has played Rooney up front with Saha in support, and the second time Rooney has been mostly ineffective. That's how Eriksson wasted him too, and I'm surprised to see it at Old Trafford.

Bobby –  I would have to disagree. Ericksson played Rooney as a lone striker against Portugal. Rooney’s best performances have always come when playing just behind a main striker – the role that Fergie asked him to play on Sunday.

ancanada - Man U midfield appeared to be overrun by the Gunners midfield in the second half Sunday, and I cannot remember a shot that Lehmann had to save in the second half until Solksjaer which produced a great save. I cannot understand why Carrick was on the bench; Bobby is it possible he is still carrying an injury as this appears to be the only valid reason. Do you think the number of games the international players’ couple with the travels of some to various parts of Europe and the recent world cup is affecting performance.

Bobby – I think SAF was thinking that if he could hold the Arsenal midfield 5 with his 4 that Rooney or Saha to get a goal. However, I still don’t understand why you would spend that kind of money on a player and then not stat them against one of your toughest rivals. Wenger seems to think that some players are suffering from World Cup hangovers and I am sure that other managers would concur. But there again that is one of the reasons that clubs carry large squads.

Reggae_Boy_23 - I don't know if there's anymore for me to add to the whole Arsenal situation. Everyone seems to have pretty muched summed up the game pretty well. But my question is in regards to the 4-5-1 formation. Don't you think Arsenal have too many attacking options up front to just use 1 forward. Yeah there is better possession in the midfield, but Arsenal does not really have a problem with possession so far this season its scoring goals and I think they lack attacking options with just one striker especially with the midfielders not showing any good form in front of goal so far. Also Henry never seems quite comfortable when he's left up front alone. I can remember a number of occasions both with France and Arsenal when he has been pleading with his coaches to give him some support what do you think? One other thing Bobby. Your thoughts on Real Madrid so far this season. I know you like Capello, but I'm not too impressed with the squad he's put together so far. Is it too early to tell or do you see any potential problems with his lineup?

Bobby – I remember the days when 4-2-4 was being systematically dumped in favour of 4-3-3 and the same argument was being made. Now we are at 4-5-1 and on the face of it would seem extremely negative. But it comes down to how it is executed. If the 5 midfield players are just lined up across the park then it is going to make for some dull football. If, on the other hand, two or even three of the 5 midfielders are given license to get forward and support the lone strike when the chance occurs then there is the possibility of plenty of goals.
I think Capello is implementing a band-aid solution for this year in the hope that he can find some younger players next year. It has not been impressive stuff but Juventus was not very entertaining either – but successful. There again that is another story!!

usenglandfan - I'm surprised no one has talked about Riquelme yet. I know it's all about the EPL right now, but one of the most pivotal midfielders in the game just retired internationally, at 28 years old, from a perennial top 5 team and the best team at the World Cup! Oh yeah, and he was captain. Do think he retired for the reasons he cited (I’m pretty sure he said it was due to the criticism he received post WC and post Brazil @ Emirates) or could it have been something else? He's such a "rugged individual" type of person, so I wouldn't be all that surprised if this decision was indeed driven by spite, but who knows? I thought this deserved some attention.

Bobby – It is a shame to lose a player of his quality to international football when you would think that he should have another World Cup in him. It is good news for Villarreal though and they desperately need a tonic given their awful start to the season.

kirbym - Surprising bit of fence mending that Mourinho did with Benitez. That feud had livened things for awhile and I wonder what will replace it. Also, Mourinho actually admitted the Ballack foul was a red card offense. A sign of JM stepping a bit more lightly?

In the Newcastle-West Ham match I couldn't see what Roeder did to inflame the WH fans (granted, not everything is on camera). He was an unpopular appointment there and they never seemed to respect him--including the players, despite a rather backhanded vote of confidence from Di Canio. It seemed to poison his tenure right from the beginning. Do they still hate him that much?

Bobby – JM will be controversial when it suits his need. As for Roeder it appears from some comments from West Ham fans that they do hate him that much. I don’t think they held that view when he helped them to seventh in the Premiership however.

CIAO - Given Totti's track record with the Italian national team... do you think the team is better off with out him? Also have you heard any rumors about Mancini getting sacked and/or Buffon being signed in January at Inter? I that at the end of the season they bring Mourinho to Inter. If things don't turn around in the next 3-4 games Mancini will be looking for a new job. Hopefully a new manager can set up a functioning youth program.

Bobby – I never thought that Italy would come even close to the World Cup without Totti turning in some spectacular performances. As it was he made very little impact – Pirlo was far more influential. I still think though that Italy can benefit from an in-form Totti.
I guess that whoever is in charge at Inter they are only ever a couple of results away from being fired. Sven-Goran Eriksson has been linked to Inter and the Mourinho story has been around for awhile. The problem is that no manger is going to build a youth system at Inter because there is no befit to it if a manager is going to be evaluated on results today rather than building for three or four years down the road. As far as Buffon is concerned – haven’t heard anything since the transfer window closed.

MeanSucka - Speaking of Italian football, how is it that a relegated Juventus with a points deficit is able to hang on to so many of their stars. Was United really overrated this season or was it the Ewing Theory at work with Henry out? The Ewing Theory is based on Patrick Ewing with the New York Knicks - when he got hurt in 1999 they went to a different style of play and made it all the way to the NBA Finals. Same phenomenon with Drew Bledsoe and the New England Patriots in 2001 when they won the Super Bowl - reinforcing team over the individual.

I suppose we'll see when Henry returns, but as you said - they need to get results against average sides too. Can't wait to see Rosicky blossom.

Bobby – We don’t really know what deals the team may have cut with some of the players nor to way know how much of this season is being underwritten by shareholders.
In terms of the Ewing theory – interesting. However Arsenal has gone 4-5-1 before with or without Henry in the side. The secret is having someone with a bit of pace and mobility up front. Arsenal tried Dennis Bergkamp as the lone striker in the 2005 FA Cup Final and it did not work.

Twenty minutes left and the Czech's have this one in hand. Eddie Johnson shows some life with a shot that goes wide.

A flowing move from the USA at last. They move the ball quickly and Convey puts in a cross that Cech gathers. Josh Wolff on but not before Rosicky gets his second and the Czech's third. At least Arsenal fans will be happy. McBride leaves the game - he has received no support whatsoever.

Johnson with another effort - he's playing his way into the starting line-up against Italy.

There as a huge gulf between the Czech Republic and the USA today.

Man of the match - Tomas Rosicky.

Player ratings

Keller – No chance with any of the three goals. 6

Cherundolo (sub 45) –A tactical substitution but the full back rarely got forward in the first half to support the attack. 4

Onyewu – He took an earlier booking and was guilty of a poor clearance that dropped to Rosicky for the second goal. 4

Pope – He did not look to smart on the first goal but it was wicked cross to deal and Koller added a little nudge. Pope adapted well to a back three in the second half. 5

Lewis – For a defender to be caught so badly out of position five minutes into a game is a cardinal sin. Lewis never looked comfortable all game. 2

Beasley – Was he playing? It was a bad day to try out the Harry Potter invisibility cloak. How he stayed on the field, I do not know. 1

Reyna – The captain battled away but his promptings did not receive much support. 6

Mastroeni (sub 45) – He was a victim of the half time situation and found himself sacrificed for a more creative player. 5

Donovan – He flitted in and out of the game. 3

Convey – He did not hide but he did not contribute much either. When he found himself in good wide positions, he failed to deliver quality crosses. 3

McBride (sub 77) – He should be able to sue for lack of support. Big Brian was isolated all game although his first touch was poor. 4

Substitutes;

Johnson (on 46) – When he came on he added a drive to the US game that had not existed previously. He has surely played his way onto the starting line-up against Italy on Saturday. 6

O’Brien (on 46) – He looked badly short of match practice and never made a telling contribution. 3

Wolff (on 77) – Not rated.