Wenger Was Right, This Is The Closest Title Race For Years...But Why?

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, trying to stave off questions about his side's defeat at the hands of Tottenham, claimed that the Premier League title race is more open than ever this season. But he didn't go into the reasons behind his claims.

So I have done it for him.

Please, if you would be so kind, read the following list: Fabio Da Silva, Ross Turnbull, Tiago Bebe, Patrick Van Aanholt, Wojciech Szczesny, Jeffrey Bruma, Chris Smalling and Johan Djourou.

I'm sure you'd agree that this list of Premier League footballers would be unfamiliar to less ardent fans, maybe even relative unknowns to their own supporters.

But the names listed were all substitutes for Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal - currently the top three teams in the table - in recent weeks.

Now, in the hope that I'm not boring you to death with Chris Evans-style lists, please check out another one for me: Martin Keown, Hernan Crespo, Dimitar Berbatov, Ray Parlour, Ji-Sung Park, Damian Duff, Gary Neville and Carlo Cudicini.

Now this list of distinguished international and world class players is a sample of the names of substitutes during recent Premier League winning campaigns for the 'big three.'

Obviously injuries have to be taken into account, and even 'innovative' 25-man squad quota can be argued as reasons to this phenomenon of lack of depth. But there must be something else.

For starters all of the names on the former list were named when only five substitutes were allowed. Upping that number to seven gave manager's scope to include not only youth, but other quality players in their match day squads, but this hasn't worked and there have even been examples of clubs not being able to name a full bench.

Could the main reason be, however, that the Premier League is no longer 'the place to be?' La Liga, Serie A and even the Bundesliga have taken giant strides to catching up, and in some cases overtaking, the Premier League in terms of entertainment and value for money.

After English teams dominated the latter stages of the Champions League for four or five years we appear to be losing out to our continental counterparts once more. Would the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Hernan Crespo be happy warming their behinds on benches up and down the country week in, week out? No. But look at the squads of Europe's major clubs. In Real Madrid's recent 5-1 demolition of Athletico Bilbao their substitutes included the likes of superstar striker Karim Benzema, multi-million euro-rated defender Raul Albiol and the sort after Lassana Diarra. Need I say more?

The Premier League has lost what one of its biggest former stars would call its 'Va Va Voom.' It is going to be difficult to turn that around with the current financial situations for most clubs, coupled with the drive from the FA and UEFA for more home-grown 'talent' to emerge.

Arsene Wenger's claim that the title race really will be the closest since he first stepped into his managerial boots in North London will probably proved to be correct. Sadly however it is due to a drop in standards, rather than improvements.


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What Ancelotti's Main Reason For Leaving Stamford Bridge Would Be

When the news first broke yesterday that Carlo Ancelotti had offered the Chelsea board his resignation I have to admit I wasn't completely shocked. They have of course, since be quashed. But would it have been really unexpected?

Sure, he achieved unparalleled success during his first season at the Stamford Bridge helm. His side even sit atop the Premier League table as I write, even though they have lost three out of their last four league matches.

But yet again it appears to be the meddling of Chelsea's big players behind the scenes who are making Ancelotti's life more difficult than it should be at the moment.

On the field he has problems. His side have scored only once in the league during November, and with John Terry and Frank Lampard topping an injury list full of stars the winter months could be as dark and depressing for Chelsea FC as they will be for the nation as a whole.

But Roman Abramovich has a problem; he is too involved in the day-to-day running of the club. This may seem an odd statement to make about a man who has invested his own personal millions into the London club and seen quite a healthy return of trophies to boot.

But think for a moment.

The majority of Manchester United fans currently sport their green and gold 'anti-Glazer' paraphernalia at any given opportunity, and Liverpool's followers were instrumental in the removing of Hicks and Gillett. Now I'm not condoning how these Americans have forced the two greatest football teams on our shores into debt and a certain level of self-destruction, but neither group of 'Yanks' got as involved in first team affairs as Abramovich has done at the Bridge.

Jose Mourinho, one of the top three managers in world football, left the club after his relationship with his boss soured due to Abramovich's desire to add Avram Grant to the backroom set-up.

Then Grant himself was dislodged as manager despite leading the team to within a penalty kick of their maiden European Cup. Scolari was sacked after being given minimal support and his replacement Guus Hiddink could not be convinced to stay.

It was the aforementioned Luis Scolari who brought Ray Wilkins back into the Chelsea family where his coaching prowess shone. He was labelled by Ancelotti as 'vital' to the Blues' Premier League title success last season, but has now been ousted unceremoniously by the powers-that-be.

If Abramovich wants to 'suggest' to his managers who they should sign, or who they should have working for them, that seems fair enough. But to shoulder his managers with his own ideas and then blame them if trophies aren't delivered is not football. He strong-armed Mourinho into incorporating Andrei Shevchenko into his side, and look how that worked out.

If Ancelotti walked away tomorrow the fans would be losing unquestionably their greatest manager since the 'Special One' and the blame would lie squarely at the door of the man who made all of their recent success possible in the first place.


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Why Do Arsene's Latest Breed Keep Losing Their Bite?

The term 'false dawn' has been bandied around lately in the wake of apparent recoveries from the ongoing financial crisis. We are being warned that the 'credit crunch' is still evident and any improvement is an example of the aforementioned false dawn.

The phrase could, and arguably should, also be applied to Arsenal Football Club at present. For the last two or three seasons, including the current campaign, the Gunners have looked impressive during the early stages, made silly errors and had some poor results, before fading away out of the title picture way before 'squeaky bum time.'

Losing at home to their nearest neighbours today, for the first time in well over a decade speaks volumes. Even more so when you consider they were 2-0 ahead and cruising at the interval.

I have a close friend who is a staunch Arsenal supporter, and he will back them to the hilt. He cannot explain the situation and left me a raving voicemail after today's results. It was certainly a missed opportunity for Arsene Wenger's men, a win would have temporarily put them top of the pile and given Chelsea's failure at St. Andrews, they would have stayed there.

What is to blame for their issues? Can we still claim that Arsenal are a side full of youngsters who will soon blossom into world beaters? I doubt anyone would claim the likes of Denilson will ever be on a shortlist for the Ballon D'or.

Arsenal will still be there or thereabouts come May, but if they cannot find the reason behind their slumps in form, their constant defensive errors and goalkeeping crises they will still fall short of Manchester United and Chelsea who, despite the odd slip-up or poor run of form, still set the benchmark for the closest things to Premier League perfection. Yet let us not forget it was Wenger's Arsenal who achieved such perfection in their 'Unbeatables' season, which for players, staff, management but most importantly the fans, must seem like a lifetime ago.


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Why England Should Always Miss Out In 'Club v Country' Rows

Yesterday I wrongly predicted that the England v France friendly would be a dead-rubber. Instead it was a damning verdict on England without key individuals. It could be argued that any country would miss the talents of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney (despite his dip in form).

The biggest talking point following the game was arguably the injury sustained by vice-captain Steven Gerrard as he chased back vehemently in the closing stages of the encounter. It was revealed today that he stands to miss a month of Liverpool's season, just at a time when it appears he is leading the overhaul of their poor start to the campaign.

It raises the question of club v country, which had already been dragged kicking and screaming back onto the back pages following the announcement of John Terry's injury situation.

Yesterday 'The Sun' claimed: 'Fabio Capello feels John Terry has put Chelsea before his country. The England boss said: "He didn't play for us this season because he wasn't completely fit. He preferred not to play so he could be fit for his club. He played many games with injections."

Hard-hitting words from the Italian, but arguably, very fair. However he was happy to remove his skipper Rio Ferdinand at half time last night, surely hoping to avoid the wrath of Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

But if Terry has picked club over country, so what?

It has to be said that I very rarely agree with any words that leave Terry's lips, but if he were to state that he did indeed prefer to turn out for Chelsea rather than England I would applaud him.

Each and every game in the Premier League is a must-win if his team are to retain the title whilst an England friendly against France - which could easily have been a David Beckham tribute act if Capello had his way - is a non-event.

Terry, Gerrard, Rooney, Lampard and all of the other names associated with England should pick club over country. They have two years until their next chance for glory with England, and what are the chances of that success coming to fruition?

Whereas success at club level is not only more impending, but also more likely. I'm also sure that those fans who persistently mention that "they're all too bloody overpaid" would be happy to mention it is the club's who pay their wages.

England should take priority at the end of seasons leading into major championships in the slender hope that we can 'banish the ghosts of 1966' but until such times the players should always but club over country, head over heart.


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Should The FA Be Yellow Carded For Time Wasting?

"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely." This is a quote from the French sculptor Auguste Rodin, but it could also be applied to the Italian football manager Fabio Capello in his quest to sculpt a world-beating England team.

The old argument has been running for season upon season, are International friendlies in the middle of season actually a help or hindrance to our national side?

This time however the argument takes on a slightly different angle, given the number of eyebrow-raising selections in the squad. Many football fans, myself included, used to insist that such friendlies should be used as a trial for players who have impressed for their clubs, not a run-out for the tried (or should that be tired?) and tested players and formations.

This time however there have been questions asked as to why the likes of Cardiff City striker Jay Bothroyd has made the cut. Surely the bigger talking point is why has goal-shy West Ham forward Carlton Cole been called up?

Bothroyd may play in a lower league, and he may not be a young precocious talent who can be moulded into the type of player England require him to be. But the facts are clear. He has scored over a dozen more goals than Cole and his form, at any level, has been scintillating.

Now we could hark back to Dave Nugent's one cap as a Championship player, or even the glaring omission of Bolton skipper Kevin Davies as examples of strikers who have tried and failed on the international stage. But who has the right to say ex-Arsenal youngster Bothroyd will be one of them until we have seen him playing with the three lions emblazoned across his chest?

The friendly tonight will be a dead-rubber, will be hyped-up as much as possible by Adrian 'Daybreak' Chiles on ITV but condemned as a waste of time by the morning's news outlets. But compared to friendlies involving all of the household names from here and abroad which have also left a bad taste in the mouth, at least there is a chance that tonight's encounter will not be a waste of time as, like Rodin suggested, Fabio Capello gains vital experience and knowledge from it.


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