Real Madrid was struck with bad luck on Friday when Fabio Cannavaro abandoned the training session with a strained adductor muscle, thus keeping the Italian out of Saturday's match against Recreativo. Pepe and Metzelder, however, are fit for action, and Alberto Bueno has made the squad list yet again. read more
So, Arsene Wenger saw this one, did he?The legendary Mr Magoo has felt the need to stoke the mob fires of national fervour by calling for clubs to be investigated for withdrawing players from international duty. A very interesting development, I find, but not because of this ridiculous argument about player availability.I'm not going to repeat all that same counter-rubbish that isn't even worth saying, because anyone who thinks injured players should be reporting to play for England is either a sadist or a crazy person.Wenger is correct in saying that the friendly was arranged for a stupid time of year, right in the middle of the Premier League calendar and just before Matchdays Five and Six of the Champions League.But for me, the most interesting aspect of this story is the clear and obvious way that Wenger has attempted to try and stir up the storm against his Premiership rivals, knowing full well that the English media will jump on his comments as excuse to further kick out at Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool.Wenger knows that this debate is raging primarily in England, and, as everyone knows, Theo Walcott is his only English international, and, prior to being called up, Walcott had no major injury concerns and so withdrawal wasn't an option.Walcott was injured in training for England, and Wenger knows he has no recourse to argue the injury. The irony of course is that Wenger has always spoken out against players representing their countries in the African Nation read more
It is 13 games into the season and Blackburn sit in the relegation zone. Should the alarm bells be ringing for Rovers fans?Paul Ince was a bit of a surprise appointment at Ewood Park. After a hugely successful season at MK Dons, winning the Football League Trophy in March and the League Two title in May, Ince was hot property.The general consensus, however, seemed to be Ince wasn't ready for the Premiership. Leicester City came in for Ince and he was widely expected to sign up at the Walker Stadium.He knocked them back however, and just a matter of days later shocked many by being the man to take the helm at Blackburn.Taking Ray Mathias with him, he looked to improve the squad for the forthcoming season. He was met by a mini-exodus however. Brad Friedel jumped ship, and David Bentley was sold on to Spurs.Ince bolstered the squad with winger Vince Grella, Keith Andrews, and Chilean Carlos Villanueva. He replaced Friedel with Paul Robinson, a solid signing.Overall, it looks clear that the squad has diminished in terms of quality. Andrews may have just scored his first international goal, but I'd be be surprised if many have even heard of the others.Was this down to Ince's lack of knowledge of the higher-end transfer market? Mathias would hardly have brought a knowledge of top-flight football.Look at the result, it looks as though Rovers should get ready for a season of struggle. It begs the question, was Ince the right man?There are other candidates that could have done read more
Martin O'Neill is adamant Manchester United's fantastic Villa Park record will continue to be a talking point until his claret and blue troops beat the Barclays Premier League champions. read more
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