Arsenal head into this evening’s Champions League tie with Porto seeking to overturn a 2-1 deficit without talismanic captain Cesc Fabregas. The Spaniard has been pivotal to everything good Arsene Wenger’s side has done this season and his presence will be sorely missed. Can Arsenal retain a cutting edge without him?

Wenger appears confident that his side can progress, and will have been buoyed by the goalscoring return of Andrei Arshavin on Saturday in the 3-1 victory over Burnely. However, Nicklas Bendtner’s failure to find the net will have been of some concern and Wenger knows his team can not afford to be goal shy, leaving him with some difficult selection decisions.

Wenger has talked up the possibility of Samir Nasri moving in from the flanks to partner Alex Song in a more central role. However, one goal from 17 appearances this season is hardly the kind of attacking form that will give the Arsenal faithful confidence. Yet with Abou Diaby only just returning from injury and Eduardo horribly short of form, much will be expected from the Frenchman.

Can Wenger also place some of his faith in Theo Walcott? Following a disappointing display for the national side, Walcott responded in the best way possible against Burnley. The impetus is now on the 21 year-old to continue demonstrating he is worthy of a place in Wenger’s starting XI and Fabio Capello’s England squad, something a strong European display would go a long way to prove.

At the other end of the pitch, Arsenal fans can draw confidence from the fact that Manuel Almunia will start in goal following Lukasz Fabianski’s error strewn performance in the first leg. Furthermore, Wenger’s men handed Porto a 4-0 drubbing in their last meeting at the Emirates Stadium back in September 2008.

Arsenal still have a realistic chance of a Premier League and Champions League double, and it would be a surprise to see their exit at the last sixteen stage. However, those players with attacking responsibilities will have to raise their game in the absence of Fabregas to ensure the North London side don’t trip up in a tie in which they are probably still favourites.

Manchester United has always had a star or two in the starting XI. In the Premier League era they have been people such as Eric Cantona, Andy Cole, Ryan Giggs, Dwight Yorke, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo. All of them have attracted the headlines in the front and rear of the nation’s tabloids newspapers. Yet perhaps none of these players, Giggs excepted, have been as consistent and loyal as Paul Scholes.

The unfussy central midfielder is a model professional. He is a shining example of how people who lead their professional lives in the public eye can keep their private lives private. He has shunned the spot light and always let his football do the talking. Now aged 35, the impish, ginger-haired midfield maestro appears only marginally more comfortable before a television camera than he did at the outset of his career.

He has always been able to hide behind the celebrity of those around him. Some of his more illustrious team mates down the years have naturally been enthusiastic about leading their entire lives in the public domain. It’s hard to imagine the shy Scholes donning a sarong or indulging himself in a fling with Jordan. Whilst the Beckham’s and Yorke’s have had their private lives splashed across the media, Scholes has just concentrated on his football.

The only time he has really caused any consternation was when he decided to retire from International football. He could surely be of use to Fabio Capello right now, but he decided to take a decision that was in his best interest – and Alex Ferguson’s.

Scholes has proven to be one of Ferguson’s most reliable lieutenants down the years. He has always performed his duties with minimal fuss and has seen off more glamorous signings such as Juan Sebastian Veron who have come in to compete with him for a spot in the middle of the field. He has always given his all for United and Ferguson must wish that he had 11 players of the same ilk, 11 players who go out and perform each week and then keep themselves to themselves until the next game.

It is lamentable that there aren’t more players like Scholes around. Whilst he doesn’t posses the skills of a Ronaldo, the panache of a Rooney or the glamour of a Beckham, what he does posses is heart. You know what you’re going to get from Paul Scholes. He is arguably the most consistent performer that the Premiership has had since its inception. His 100th goal in the top flight came at Molineux on Saturday at a time when his team needed it most.

It was apt that such a milestone strike for him was an unfussy goal struck from all of 10 yards. Whilst his most memorable strikes have been the screamers against Middlesbrough and Bradford City, the majority have been clinical strikes, Scholes arriving late into the penalty area to drive his team forward. Saturday’s strike highlighted his experience and class as he coolly stroked the ball into the net for his milestone goal and, perhaps more importantly to him, to put his team back at the top of the league.

At 35, Scholes must surely have one eye on retirement. It has been to England’s detriment that he called time on his International career and it will be to Manchester United’s detriment when he calls time on football altogether. He has never been one to revel in personal glories, but becoming the 18th player in the history of the Premier League to bag 100 goals will surely prove one of the prouder moments from his career at an individual level. The plethora of trophies won by the team will mean a whole lot more, however, and with Scholes carrying on for now, United will fancy their chances of adding to the League Cup this season.

Miles Reucroft

A little over three months until the World Cup gets underway and you would be forgiven for thinking England’s preparations are in meltdown.  This is exactly the sort of build up to a tournament that Fabio Capello had designs on stamping out when he commenced his tenure as England manager.  Ironically, England’s strictest manager for years now finds himself facing a daily debacle in the weeks preceding the competition, as his stars fight tabloid rumours, injury and poor form.

At least there was a promising fight-back in the Egypt game to smile about.  However, many of the positives, I believe, will be rendered immaterial by the time June comes.  For example, there was the reminder of Peter Crouch’s goal-scoring record at this level.  He scored two good goals, but will they be in a vain quest for a starting place?  I think Capello sees him more as an impact substitute, and I would be surprised if he starts the first game.  Additionally, referees at major tournaments appear to victimise Crouch simply because of his stature (witness the last World Cup, when the whistle blew every time the ball went in his direction).

The two farcical elements hindering the team are the indiscretions of John Terry and Ashley Cole.  We have nothing to worry about where Terry is concerned; his personality is such that he won’t let ruining his former best friend’s marriage impact on his performance at the tournament.  Granted, his recent showings have been a little distracted, but with his own domestic situation now more settled, his head will be in the right place in time to face to US.  As for Cole, should his injury clear up in time, which is likely to be touch and go, his feckless approach to his marriage also seems to suggest someone who will not let off field distractions conquer his quest for the ultimate prize. 

In any case, Leighton Baines will hopefully provide adequate cover.  He looked solid after a nervous introduction against Egypt, and should not be out of his depth, in the group games at least.  Cole’s injury, and Wayne Bridge’s withdrawal, had many predicting disaster, but before every World Cup or Euro there is always adversary such as this, and it is how the replacements perform that dictates whether there is any long-lasting bemoaning of bad luck. 

Aaron Lennon’s elongated injury is another irritant for England.  Not that I believe he would start many games, but he is a blisteringly quick option to have on the bench, and one of only a few potential game changers England possess.  Had Lennon been fit however, we may not have seen quite as much of James Milner, a player I admire very much, and one who could really come of age this summer.        

So for all those doom merchants who have started already, stop now.  I have seen enough unity, passion and belief in the build up, to counter all the negativity being bandied around.  With Capello, we stand the best chance we have had since Terry Venables et al at Euro 96.  I will put my money on the table now that will at least make the semi-finals, even with the like of Brazil, Argentina, and Spain around.  I would just love England to go that bit further and send the whole country into delirium.

Mike Dicker

England’s 3-1 defeat of Egypt last night will have given Fabio Capello plenty of food for thought as he tries to finalise his 23-man World Cup squad. Whilst it was not the most eloquent performance of the Italian’s tenure, particularly in the first half, some players probably did enough to book their place on the plane, whilst some failed to seize their opportunity to impress.

The performance also showed that Capello is not afraid to spring the odd surprise. Robert Green played the entire match when most expected Joe Hart to be tested. Leighton Baines played the full 90 minutes when many had thought Capello would also give Stephen Warnock a chance to press his claims. Theo Walcott and Jermain Defoe also got starting berths against the odds (althought neither fully capitalised on the opportunity).

Back in September following confirmation of England’s qualification, we delivered our verdict on who should be on the plane to South Africa. Six months, a few injuries and a well publicised affair later, things have changed a bit. Based on the evidence we saw last night, as well as recent league form, here is the squad we would pick (NOT necessarily the one we think he will pick):

Goalkeepers
Robert Green
Joe Hart
Paul Robinson

Defenders
Rio Ferdinand (captain)
John Terry
Matthew Upson
Wes Brown
Glen Johnson
Ashley Cole
Leighton Baines

Midfielders
Frank Lampard
Steven Gerrard
Gareth Barry
Aaron Lennon
Shaun Wright-Phillips
James Milner
Michael Carrick
Stewart Downing

Forwards
Wayne Rooney
Peter Crouch
Jermain Defoe
Emile Heskey
Carlton Cole

Some of these predictions are probably no more than wishful thinking. For example, David James is likely to get the nod ahead of Paul Robinson, despite their current club form. Capello is also likely to go with eight defenders at the expense of an extra attacker, with Carlton Cole the man to make way.

There is also the assumption that Ashley Cole and Aaron Lennon will be fit in time to play. Furthermore, it would be a shock if David Beckham did not make the cut. Out of those midfielders we’ve picked, Stewart Downing would probably consider himself lucky to be chosen ahead of the former England captain, despite England’s need for width on the left.

The World Cup is now less than 100 days away and everybody has an opinion on who should make the England squad. Let us know your thoughts on who you would take and why.

England’s preparations for this summer’s World Cup begin this week when they host Egypt in a friendly at Wembley. Fabio Capello only has a few warm-up games to prepare for England’s opening group C fixture against Slovenia on June 23, and this week’s friendly will provide an opportunity for England’s stars to cement their places in the starting line-up for that match.

There are a few positions in Capello’s first choice eleven which remain up for grabs.

It will be particularly interesting to see if David James is handed his first international start in almost a year.

James was widely thought to be Capello’s first choice goalkeeper until a string of injuries limited his international chances to just one substitute appearance this season.

However, the Pompey keeper has been in tremendous form since returning for his club and will relish the chance to prove himself as England’s number one once again.

The news of Ashley Cole’s broken ankle was a real blow for England fans and it remains unclear whether the Chelsea star will be fit for the beginning of this summer’s tournament.

Wayne Bridge and Stephen Warnock are both in the frame to take over from Cole at left-back next week and will each be hoping for the chance to impress the England manager against the African Nation Champions.

Another area of interest is which striker will be chosen to partner Wayne Rooney at the head of England’s attack.

Jermaine Defoe continues to bang in the goals for Tottenham but Capello still seems to prefer Emile Heskey as a foil for the Manchester United star.

The game would have been Rio Ferdinand’s first since taking over as England skipper earlier this month, but injury again rules him out with Steven Gerrard being given the armband.

Ferdinand’s form at international level has been shaky in recent times so he would have been hoping for the opportunity to produce a solid performance leading England’s back-line as captain.

England’s opponents were desperately unlucky not to qualify for this year’s finals themselves.

Egypt finished with an identical record to Algeria at the top of their qualifying group but lost their tiebreak play-off 1-0 last November.

They remain one of the strongest African teams and will provide a stern test for Capello’s side.

They have few household names with most of their squad hailing from the Egyptian league but have maintained a strong work ethic under manager Head Coach Hassan Shehata.

Hull City striker Amir Zaki and West Ham forward Mido have been on the fringes of the squad of late but were both overlooked for this year’s African Cup Of Nations Tournament.

Joe Elvin

The criticism that has been made of Wayne Bridge’s decision to turn his back on his country has been both appalling and ill-conceived. He has been put in a position that is, thankfully, very unfamiliar to most and it is not for anyone else to judge Bridge as a ‘wimp’ or a ‘traitor’.

The prospect of spending several weeks this summer in the claustrophobic environment of a World Cup with a former best friend and personal Judas would be an unpleasant one for anyone. Bridge has taken what one can only assume to be an extremely difficult decision and do what is best for his own state of mind. He also made a stand against the abhorrent behaviour of Terry. Unfortunately for England, however, Bridge certainly has a role to play in Fabio Capello’s squad.

The Italian has emphasised as much by leaving the door wide open for Bridge to return. He has axed Terry as skipper in a clear showing of his disdain for Terry’s actions. Quite right too.

I hope that Bridge will change his mind. Whilst he is not as good Ashley Cole, he is surely of superior quality to either Stephen Warnock or Leighton Baines, fine Premiership left-backs though both are. He displayed a sound strength of character against Terry this weekend, refusing the hypocrisy of a hand shake and then putting in a solid 78 minute shift out on the pitch.

That he was booed by certain members of the Chelsea crowd must surely have been bewildering to Bridge, too. He is an innocent party in the recent circus of events that have been covered in the media and must have left his former stomping ground with a personal sense of a job well done, safe in the knowledge that Terry’s turmoil is entirely of his own making.

Three months is a long time, we can only hope that Bridge decides to travel to South Africa after all. He has to do what is right for him and if he continues to conduct himself in the dignified manner that he thus far has, then I wish him all the best. He may not be as good a footballer as Terry, but he is clearly a better man.

Miles Reucroft

When Chelsea and Manchester City came face-to-face on Saturday at Stamford Bridge, few would have expected Roberto Mancini’s side to walk off with all three points. Form suggested that Chelsea would extend their lead at the top of the table, and dent Manchester City’s chances of finishing in the top four in the process.

Wayne Bridge failed to shake captain John Terry’s hand, but more importantly Chelsea failed to extend their lead at the top of the table and are now in danger of being caught at the summit. Their lead over Arsenal has been cut to just three points following their victory over Stoke, whilst Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United side are now just one point adrift thanks to their ‘noisy neighbours’.

Chelsea weren’t just beaten, they were well beaten in what was there first home defeat of the season. Ancelotti’s side were the first to score after a through ball from Joe Cole saw Lampard put his team one up just minutes before half time. However, the advantage was short lived when Carlos Tevez scored for Man City seconds before the end of first half stoppage time. City went in with their tails up and the tone was set for the game.

Within minutes of the start of the second half, City scored again through Craig Bellamy which a shot flew into the far corner. Before Saturday’s match, Chelsea had only conceded eight premier league goals at home so the concession of two in quick sucession must have set alarm bells ringing on the Blues’ bench and with their supporters.

Also of concern will have been the ill discipline which saw Juliano Belletti concede a penalty and earn a red card which allowed Tevez to make it 3-1 from the penalty spot in his first match back in two weeks. Add to that a second yellow card for Michael Ballack which saw him join his team mate for an early bath and a fourth City goal from Craig Bellamy, and it was a truly miserable afternoon for the Chelsea faithful, most of whom had left for home before Frank Lampard could stroke home a consolation penalty.  

Ancelotti was understandably disappointed with his team’s performance and recognised the errors which cost them. “We had the game in our hands but we made mistakes. We lost our balance and conceded goals on the counter-attack and after that the game was more difficult”, he said. The business end of the season has arrived and the Italian must be feeling the pressure.

He showed a great deal of faith in his squad in resisting making any signings during the January transfer window, something which is now starting to look somewhat misplaced. He has lost player to injuries, most notably Petr Cech and Ashley Cole, suspension (Ballack and Belletti), and he must have some concerns about John Terry’s very visible dip in form following his private life revelations.

Things are unlikely to get any easier for Chelsea in the forthcoming weeks. They face a tough FA Cup quarter-final against a resilient Stoke side at the weekend, followed by a must win London derby against West Ham, before they host Inter Milan and try and overturn the first leg deficit in their Champions League tie.

City’s win means the battle for fourth spot remains closer than ever. Worryingly for Chelsea fans, the title race is now looking equally as tight. Having been top of the pile for so long, anything other than a third Premier League title has to be considered a failure for the Stamford Bridge club, something which their manager must be all too aware of.

Rachel Thompson

What a week for Clarke Carlisle, the Burnley centre back widely acknowledged as football’s ‘brainiest player’. After a clear demonstration of his intellectual prowess on Channel 4, he offered us a clear demonstration of his ineptitudes as a Premier League centre back on Saturday.

Burnley’s defeat to Portsmouth has made their fight against relegation all the more difficult. Their 2-1 defeat at Turf Moor was almost solely the result of some desperately poor defending by Carlisle. Portsmouth’s first came about as a result of his lack of awareness, as he allowed Frederic Piquionne to pounce upon a deflected shot at the back post for a simple tap-in. Their second, too, came from a penalty conceded by the hapless Carlisle.

A simple defensive throw-in to the keeper was intercepted by Carlisle. What followed was comical. Instead of hammering the ball out in acknowledgement of his error of judgement Carlisle tried to show the trickery of a Maradona to play his way out of trouble. Needless to say, this didn’t go according to plan. He was easily disposed by the two advancing Pompey attackers leaving Carlisle to haul down John Utaka.

There was the earlier penalty conceded by Carlisle too, when he recklessly slid through his earlier foe Piquionne. Brian Jensen spared his blushes on that occasion.

Burnley have been facing an uphill struggle to avoid the drop all season and would have fancied three points at home to the Premier League’s bottom club. If Brian Law’s men are to recover, they will need sharper thinking than that provided by Carlisle. Whilst he may be comfortable with conundrums and coming up with nine letter words, he hasn’t appeared comfortable with Premiership attacks all season long.

Miles Reucroft

Manchester City’s resounding success at Stamford Bridge on Saturday was made possible by the fragility of Chelsea’s backline. The loss of Petr Cech in last Wednesday’s defeat to Internazionale could well prove to be the pivotal moment in this season’s Premier League title race as it is abundantly clear that Chelsea do not have sufficient cover for their Czech number one. It is also clear that Hilario does not have sufficient cover in front of him to protect him from acute humiliation.

City’s first goal summed up the problems facing Carlo Ancelotti’s men. A nothing ball lumped forward by the inexplicably booed Wayne Bridge drifted into Chelsea territory harmlessly. That Terry was found wanting for pace and positioning is a pressing concern for both his club and country. That Hilario let such a meek Carlos Tevez effort squirm uncomfortably past his flailing right arm is a pressing concern for Chelsea.

It’s hard to envisage that Cech would have let that past him – if only because he’s taller than Hilario. Bellamy’s first, too, should not have beaten the poorly positioned Portuguese and, again, one cannot imagine Cech having let that particular effort past him.

Chelsea’s success during the Roman Abramovich era has been built upon a solid back-line; a solid back-line led by captain Terry. His personal life has clearly impacted upon his football of late. He has never been the quickest but has usually been capable of out-thinking his opponents and carrying his side with the sheer force of his personality. His mask has been torn from him and he has been shown up as vulnerable and immoral individual.

It’s nigh on impossible to feel any sympathy towards Chelsea and, particularly, Terry. They lost their collective head on Saturday and it will test Ancelotti’s managerial capabilities to the limit. He is the only man who it is possible to sympathise with for he inherited the squad at his disposal. His plans are now being unravelled by the unpalatable behaviour of his players both on and off the pitch.

He has vowed to stand by his captain but Terry must rediscover his form and fast. He was poor against Everton, nearly cost his team two points at Wolves and looked out of his depth against Inter. On that last occasion it was Inter’s Brazilian centre back Lucio who showed the world how a centre back should perform his duties. Such was the gaping chasm in class between the two opposing players that it’s difficult to believe that they should be playing on the same pitch. That was not the same John Terry who led Chelsea to Premier League glories and we can but hope that it’s not the same Terry who gets on the plane to South Africa this summer.

If he cannot recover mentally from the past few weeks then Fabio Capello will be entirely vindicated in his decision to strip Terry of the captaincy. Any World Cup team needs a strong leader and Terry currently looks a shell of a man. It will not be easy for him to recover either, since every trip away from Stamford Bridge will bring audible derision from the stands. How Terry copes will be central to Chelsea’s aspirations for 2010, as well as England’s hopes in South Africa.

For now, however, Ancelotti and Chelsea will be praying that Terry recovers his state of mind and form post haste, whilst also lighting their candles in hope of an early return for Cech. As things stand, a fragile Terry and an inadequate Hilario are proving a fatal concoction for Chelsea’s hopes and a perfect fillip to those of their rivals. 

Miles Reucroft

Manchester United were good value for their Carling Cup success yesterday, without the obvious assistance of the inept referee Phil Dowd. The fourth minute penalty that handed Aston Villa an early lead came about when Nemanja Vidic upended the impressive Gabby Agbonlahor. It was a definite penalty and Vidic, as the last defender, denied Agbonlahor a clear goal scoring opportunity. The penalty was awarded; the red card didn’t follow it.

Vidic wasn’t even shown a yellow card. Minutes later a flurry of fouls brought about the brandishing of yellow cards to two Villa players. Michael Carrick, who had a good game for United, slid through the back of Villa’s Emile Heskey – no card.

The point is that there was no consistency in Dowd’s decisions. He bottled the Vidic red card call. It would have changed the game and we may now be saluting Villa as the current League Cup holders.

I am loath to criticise referees as they only ever get one view of the action when making a decision. I am willing to criticise Dowd here, however, as he clearly acknowledged the foul committed by Vidic with the awarding of the penalty to Villa. Dowd is an experienced official and should be expected to follow the rules. He clearly should have dismissed Vidic. It would have been better had he not awarded the penalty at all. Instead he only made half a decision.

From that moment on United deserved their victory. The inspirational Wayne Rooney replaced the injured scorer of United’s first – Michael Owen – and took United to a level of football that was simply beyond Villa. Rooney, in tandem with the hugely impressive Antonio Valencia, controlled the game. It could all have been so different. United, with the decisions made by Dowd, appeared to have completed the game with 12 men.

Miles Reucroft