Is Modric the answer?

So far 2012 has not been Tottenham Hotspur’s year; they have lost their grip on a top four place in the English Premier League and now face a battle to ensure Champions League football next season. Since hammering Newcastle on 11^th February they have played nine Premier League games and won only one. After impressing so much at the start of the season what has happened at the club to make them suddenly so ineffective?

The obvious answer is of course that Harry Redknapp has had his head turned by the England job. It is quite remarkable that in this media frenzied world a manager with his recent record is blameless in the national press. It is clear the press have decided who they want as the new national manager which leaves the players as the scapegoats. The players have clearly been deeply upset about the prospect of losing the ‘great’ Harry Redknapp and simply cannot continue to play at the same level. This is of course utter rubbish; the reason Spurs have imploded is that confidence has gone to certain player’s heads’ and others simply haven’t got close to the standards they set themselves earlier in the season.

One extenuating circumstance has been that Aaron Lennon has missed several games which clearly disrupted their balance. Normally Spurs employ two natural wingers, who, when aided by the over lapping full-backs created chaos for defences earlier in the season. Unfortunately for Spurs Gareth Bale’s form has dipped massively since he was granted freedom of the pitch and his continual presence on the right of the attack makes the team lopsided. Whilst there is no doubt Bale is an immensely talented player his ego appears to have grown disproportionally to his performance level. He is, and always will be a left winger who needs space to be most effective; until he remembers exactly where it was that he flourished his performances will continue to be below par.

However, there is one player at Spurs who continues to under deliver; Luka Modric. Last summer figures of £40 million were being branded around for the Croatian midfielder. Similarly to Bale there is no doubt that he is a wonderful player; brilliant first touch, lovely passer of the ball(his pass completion percentage currently stands at 87.5 in 32 games) and can beat people for fun. However, he doesn’t contribute enough in terms of assists and goals to command anywhere near that fee. In nearly four completed seasons at Spurs Modric has 12 goals and 15 assists in 121 league appearances. That is the kind of return you used to expect from Fabregas, Gerrard or Lampard in a single season, let alone four!

For a player of Modric’s ability those statistics are alarming. He is deployed in a central midfield partnership with Scott Parker where he is expected to be a combative, yet creative. This is simply not his game as his display of air tackles against Manchester City recently demonstrated. He needs to be given a platform further up the pitch where his creative attributes can come to the fore and be expressed as we have seen with Croatia.

Much of this will also lie with the manager. Redknapp has tinkered a little bit with formations this season but his midfield is incredibly ineffective defensively; Bale, Lennon and Modric are all luxury players to some extent. This has resulted in Scott Parker having a much greater workload than he should have had. Great defensive midfielders, it was always said, should be anonymous as Makelele was; why therefore is Parker always so noticeable?

If Spurs fail to qualify for the Champions League there is little doubt that we will see a repetition of last summer with the Modric will he/won’t he rumours coming round again. It should not be forgotten that in a poor Premier League season Spurs have been one of the few positives. However, they must now push on and secure a Champions League place or they could be rebuilding their side again over the summer. I feel they deserve a place in this season’s top four but at the moment they are not quite there and at this stage of the season the league table doesn’t lie.

How good are Spurs?

This season must be the most enjoyable Tottenham Hotspur fans have had in recent memory; they lie third in the Premier League and look set to be involved in the European Champions League again next season, for only the second time. Having spent many years investing in youth the fruit of their labors is finally there to be enjoyed and the style of their football has probably been the best in the league so far this season.

During the summer they added the experience of Brad Friedel in goal, the rugged determination of Scott Parker in midfield and the much maligned Emmanuel Adebayor up front. All three signings have been integral to their success this season and playing alongside the likes of Gareth Bale, Ledley King and Luka Modric the club appears to be going from strength to strength. After a sluggish start to the season they then went on a ten game unbeaten run which was only ended by Stoke City in December. In January they strengthened their attacking options with the loan signing of Louis Saha from Everton.

Some of their attacking play in particular has been breath-taking; with Bale and Lennon on either wing and Adebayor proving to be an immense spear head the goals have come thick and fast but it has been the manor of them that has really made people sit up and take notice. Bale has been a revelation this season and has given them the balance on each wing that they have been striving for. The wingers have also enabled Spurs to allow Modric to truly express himself in the centre where the addition of Scott Parker has taken defensive duties away from the playmaker and allowed him to flourish.

However, the Premier League is an odd place this season with at least three of the supposed top sides going through somewhat of a transition. There is no doubt that Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are not at the level expected of them and there is even enough doubt to suggest that the current Manchester United team is not as strong as those we have seen in the past. At the start of the season Spurs lost convincingly to both sides from Manchester and are about to enter the crucial stage of their season. By the end of March they will have played Arsenal, Chelsea and United in the return games.

There is no doubting that Spurs are a side in the ascendance and thus are a rare commodity in the Premier League. Indeed, if it weren’t for Manchester City I genuinely believe Spurs could have won the title, as it is they look likely to cement third place in the coming weeks. However, there are several things they have to improve on if they are to mount a title challenge next season.

Both of their first choice strikers are on loan from parent clubs which means they could leave at the end of the season and not return. With Jose Mourinho expected to reappear in the Premier League next season Adebayor’s future could be in doubt after the two worked successfully at Madrid last year. It has made such a difference having a focal point who can hold play up and play in the likes of Bale, Lennon and Modric and having finally acquired it they don’t want to lose it.

It is imperative that someone tells Gareth Bale to remain on the left wing! Every time I have seen Spurs recently he is playing through the middle and it is not his area. He is at his best when he is steaming up the left wing and whipping a ball across the six yard box. There is a feeling he is being advised to play more centrally to score more goals but for the meantime it is detrimental for the team (and yes I did see the Norwich goal).

I do not intend to be disparaging about Spurs; they have been a breath of fresh air this season and it will be fascinating to see how they get on in the coming months. A couple of key signings in the summer could well see them established as one of the regular top four and with a new ground on the horizon the future looks bright for Spurs. It is however difficult to assess just how good they are at this moment in time.

Transfer deadline day - why the wait?

Almost every football fan worldwide is currently watching SkySports or their nation’s equivalent to find out who their club will sign before midnight tonight. It appears crazy to me that managers actually wait until the last minute to conduct their summer’s business.

I can fully understand that some sides have lost players and may have started the season poorly which could prompt the manager into reinforcing his squad before the International break but still. Targets should have been identified prior to the window opening and acted upon accordingly. The reigning champions in England, Manchester United carried out their business very early in the summer and have therefore had time to adapt and enable the new players to settle. Just look at the performances of Phil Jones and Ashley Young; both have hit the ground running after settling quickly into the United set up.

On the other side of the coin you have the two north London sides – Arsenal and Tottenham. Both sides are running around like madmen trying to tie up deals to ensure they are ready to compete for Champions League football this season. When you look at Arsenal the issue becomes more farcical considering the Cesc Fabregas saga was always likely to end sooner rather than later and was by no means the best kept secret in football. From speaking to several fans they simply cannot understand why replacements have not been identified and approached before the end of the window.

Meanwhile at Spurs the situation seems incredibly reminiscent of when Dimitar Berbatov left White Hart Lane. The situation with Luka Modric has been on-going for months but it has left the club short on options. I even wonder whether Redknapp even had time to buy any players with all the golfing and SkySports advertising he has had to do this summer. The club have several squad players who are clearly surplus to requirements but the clubs asking price has put potential suitors off. Having enjoyed a successful season in the Champions League last year this season looks like being very uninspiring at the moment.

Elsewhere in Europe there doesn’t appear to be the frenzied activity there is in the Premier League today. Many of the Italian and Spanish sides have bought steadily throughout the summer and their seasons start later than in England anyway. I could appreciate this stance if you picked up genuine bargains at the end of August but normally clubs end up spending well over the odds. The selling clubs must relish days like these when they can charge astronomical fees for players simply not worth the fee.

Whilst the transfer deadline day is exciting for fans, journalists and pundits alike it must be a nightmare for the managers and senior clubs officials. My message to all of these would be to simply follow United’s example and conduct your business early, to the benefit of everyone at the club.

Premier League Preview – the battle for 4th place

The battle for the elusive final place in the Champions League will be the most intense it has ever been and is likely to be between Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham. All three sides are only a couple of signings away from being serious title challengers but at this moment in time do not possess enough quality to worry the top three.

Since the return of Kenny Dalglish Liverpool has once again become a force in the Premier League. Their form at the end of last season was that of Champions and if they can start well they could be a force again. The key addition of Luiz Suarez was made in January and it will be intriguing to see how he develops this season; his partnership with Andrew Carroll will be pivotal to the club. They have strengthened in midfield by adding Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson which will certainly provide ammunition for the forwards. The key to Liverpool’s success at the end of last season in my humble opinion was the absence of Steven Gerrard. There is no doubting his importance to the club but the side appeared more balanced in his absence. The addition today of Jose Enrique will also give much needed support to the defence which will be important if they are to qualify for the Champions League again.

The goings on at Arsenal this summer have been rather strange and with the impending departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri it will be difficult for the club to remain amongst the elite. They have strengthened by signing Gervinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain but it is surely not enough. There is no doubt that Arsenal still have enough quality to match anyone on their day but losing their two best players is too much at once. If manager Arsene Wenger can bolster the squad before the end of August it could be different but the signs are not good. Last season they set their bench mark against Barcelona but then got nowhere near it as they capitulated yet again at the business end of the season. If they can keep Robin van Persie fit and go some way to replacing Fabregas they could be surprise package but with their start of the season looking so tough it could be a long season for Arsenal fans.

Meanwhile at Spurs the summer has been spent trying to offload players unsuccessfully and retain key players. There are a number of fringe players that they have tried to sell but they have demanded too much money which has effectively ended all interest. Their wage bill has to be lowered due to not being in the Champions League which means they cannot buy until these players go. Although they have been linked with almost every player in Europe there still appears to be no imminent new signings. With Spurs tending to conduct most of their business at the end of the window it could be a busy end to August.

It is almost unprecedented for the competition at the top of the league to be so close and it will be an incredibly interesting season for the clubs mentioned above. It will be very tough to separate Arsenal and Liverpool for 4^th and it is likely to be dependent upon who Arsenal sign in the coming weeks. The whole club needs a lift at the moment and Wenger has to deliver.

Premier League Preview – the contenders

The long summer is almost at an end which means only one thing, the start of the football season is upon us. Every football fan worldwide has been getting more excited by the day about the return of the Premier League. It has been a long three months but at 3pm on Saturday the wait is finally over.

It has been an interesting summer in terms of transfers for the leading sides in the Premier League. With 20 days to go in this transfer window there is still a way to go and the expectation is that several high level deals are still remaining. Whilst the three Northern sides, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City have acquired several new additions the London teams, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham have stuttered. Indeed the London clubs have spent most of the summer either trying to keep their best players or adjusting to a new manager.

Manchester United began the spending early this summer by signing David de Gea, Phil Jones and Ashley Young. All three additions are young and should form the core of the United team for the foreseeable future. This writer’s pick of signings would have to be Jones. At 19 he is already at ease in the Premier League and playing in the Champions League will only improve him as player. Whilst de Gea endured some misplaced criticism after the Community Shield he is still the second most expensive goalkeeper in history and will be between the posts at United for the next 15 years. Whilst there is some doubt over Young’s arrival from Aston Villa he has certainly gone to the best place if he is to hone his natural ability and fulfil his potential.

Manchester City have bought well and will be serious title challengers against their city rivals. The addition of Sergio Aguero from Athletico Madrid is excellent and it will be fascinating to see how he progresses in England. Only two years ago he was being likened to Lionel Messi and the general consensus is that he is ideally suited to the demands of this league. They also picked up Gael Clichy from Arsenal who will offer more pace than Aleksandar Kolorov and should prove a decent buy. Almost all summer the side have been linked with signing Samir Nasri from Arsenal but in David Silva they have one of the players I believe could be player of the year. After having an initial year to adapt he should be ready to show his class this season.

The manager’s position at Chelsea has changed yet again and they begin this season with Portuguese sensation Andre Villas-Boas. It is not the first time Chelsea have hired a successful coach from Porto and the fans will be hoping they have unearthed another football genius. The only real business Chelsea have done thus far is adding Oriol Romeu from Barcelona. It looks like being a positive signing as most La Masia graduates are remarkably good technically and physically. It is understood that they remain in the market to sign a creative midfielder and Luka Modric has been consistently linked.

I have written about these clubs in the order I believe they will finish this season. The signings United have made will enable them to easily manoeuvre the new players into the existing set up which will make them formidable. The recent speculation surrounding the possible signing of Wesley Sneijder from Inter would only make the league more of a formality if he signs.

The closest challengers I believe will be Manchester City. Now they are competing in the Champions League they are able to attract the next level of player which has made them significantly stronger than last season. The addition of Aguero should hopefully make them open up a little and we may finally see an attaching City side, although it is still relatively unlikely under Roberto Mancini. One feels that he has to deliver this season after another hefty outlay this summer.

Unlike many other pundits I generally feel Chelsea do have a chance in this title race but it is all depends on getting the best out of Fernando Torres. There are several key players at the wrong end of their careers at Stamford Bridge and if Villas-Boas can get el nino firing again they could be the surprise package in the top three. Defensively you would expect them to be sound but they have to buy another creative central midfielder if they are to get the best out of Torres.

This season promises much already and I will review the contenders for that elusive fourth place tomorrow. It is a position that will be the most sought after ever this season with Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs are fighting to qualify for the Champions League.

Fascinating summer ahead for Manchester City

It has been a long wait but Manchester City have finally won a trophy and have qualified for next seasons Champions League. This is where their owner Sheikh Mansour intends them to remain after injecting a fortune into the club. However, as Tottenham have found, it is one thing qualifying for the tournament, it is another thing staying in it for many years.

On the one hand it is great that the so called top four has been broken up, but on the other it highlights the fact that success can simply be bought. The monopoly that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United have enjoyed has ensured that their wealth far outweighs any of their counterparts. However, with City and their bottomless pit of cash anything is now possible.

They have struggled to attract the top level players as they have lacked a Champions League place. With this now assured the spending could be astronomical this summer. In 2009 they had a £100 million offer accepted by Milan for Kaka only to be rejected by the player as he felt City was a step down. Following the outcome of this season anything is possible.

There have already been links to several of the World’s top players although some seem very far-fetched; Iniesta and Xavi for instance. But, one article I did read suggested that some of these players might want one last pay day and they can pretty much name their fee at City. Football has been a business for a long time now but even with UEFA’s new rules coming in the clubs will still act as they please.

City have made massive strides this season but the true test will come next year. It will be fascinating to see what they do over the summer; one assumes it’s going to be busy.

Tottenham face must win game

There are no two ways about it; Spurs must beat Manchester City tonight if they are to have any hope of securing a top four finish. They currently lie in 6^th position in the Premier League with three games remaining and are six points behind City. The vultures are already hovering over some of their key players and Spurs will find it difficult to retain the services of some of their key players if they fail to secure Champions League football.

It has not been a disappointing season for the White Hart Lane faithful who enjoyed a wonderful run in the Champions League. It was very refreshing to see a side enjoying their football as much as Spurs at points in this seasons competition. They eventually lost out to Real Madrid when the gap in class became too great for them to close. However, the experience playing in Europe’s elite competition has wet the appetite for more.

Their league form has been incredibly inconsistent with too many points dropped against some of the weaker sides. The form and fitness of their strikers has been a real problem and one that Harry Redknapp is clearly keen to remedy this summer; Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch have only mustered eight league goals between them all season which is simply not good enough.

However, the fans and players need to have some element of realism if they fail to qualify for the Champions League. The club did not spend stupid amounts of money after qualifying last year which was sensible. The Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy has bought wisely and was instrumental in bringing van der Vaart and Sandro to the club; both of whom will be key players for them next season. When you consider how much money City have spent without Champions League football it puts it into perspective.

Whatever the outcome this evening Spurs fans should have a comfortable summer. I think the core of the team – Dawson, Modric and Sandro will all stay, the likes of Bale and van der Vaart may leave for pastures new but Spurs will make a tidy profit on them both. The key will be the purchases; a top class striker or two, a right back and another left sided player should all be added. Minor disappointment maybe endured at the end of the season but things are looking positive for Spurs at the moment.

Arsenal and Spurs produce another classic

On a night that featured a north London derby and the 2^nd instalment of the el Clasico triple bill few would have anticipated the Premier League game would outshine the Copa del Rey final.

The game at White Hart Lane this evening was breathtaking. The speed, intensity and quality of football on display tonight was something to behold. Whilst some of the defending left plenty to imagine the attacking potency from both sides produced a wonderful game.

The start of the game was electric, Arsenal were 2-1 up after 11 minutes through Walcott and Nasri. Playing on the Arsenal right Theo Walcott looked determined and hungry and was visibly worrying the Spurs defence every time he attacked. Meanwhile Spurs, who were the inferior side in the opening exchanges, seemed to be creating opportunities at will.

It was Arsenal who scored next through Robin van Persie to make it 3-1. Then, a few minutes before half time Tom Huddlestone produced an unbelievable bit of magic. Following a corner on the Spurs right hand side the ball fell to the midfielder 25 yards out. After being cleared by the Arsenal defence the ball fell to him and he hit it on the half volley perfectly into the left hand side of the net. Although he lacks pace his ball striking ability is something to behold.

The second half was not quite as free flowing as the first. The game was predominantly played in the Arsenal half with Spurs pushing for the equaliser. The introduction of Aaron Lennon at half-time for Gareth Bale proved to be very effective. Every time he ran at Sagna he looked like he had the beating of him. Indeed, it was Lennon who forced the Arsenal keeper Szczesny to bring him down in the penalty area when he broke free on the left hand side.

The subsequent penalty was dispatched by Rafael van der Vaart for his 2^nd of the game. Once Spurs had equalised the game began to flow as it had done in the first half, albeit with less intensity. There were a couple of chances at both ends with Fabregas forcing a fine save with a fierce drive from 20 yards.

All in all the draw was a fair result this evening. However, with Chelsea winning and Spurs falling slightly further behind Manchester City the result doesn’t help either side. Arsenal now find themselves 3^rd after Chelsea beat Birmingham and Spurs remain 5^th.

El Clasico battles commence

What an exciting three weeks we have install; Barcelona and Real Madrid will play four times in the space of 18 days which will decide their fates for this season. They are set to play in La Liga, the Copa del Rey final and the Champions League – all the games should be fascinating and should ooze quality.

The first of these four thrillers is the 2^nd La Liga game between the two Spanish giants; the first was won by Barcelona by five goals to nil at the Camp Nou. It was an incredible game which demonstrated the Catalan’s prowess and ability. Since that day Barcelona have managed to open up at eight point gap at the top of the table with seven games remaining. The Spanish league rules state that if sides finish level on points then the overall winner will be the team with the better head to head record.

It has been an incredible season for Barca already; they are on for the treble at the moment which would be their second under Pep Guardiola. They are without doubt the best club side in the world and there is reason to suggest they could be the best side in the history of the game. Three of their players were the finalists in the Ballon d’Or nominations this season which is a testament to their recent success.

Over in Madrid the entire season now hinges on these games. There is still the possibility of them walking away with the double (the league looks unlikely) which would be another feather in Mourinho’s cap. They are through to the semi-finals of the Champions League after an emphatic win over Tottenham in the quarters. The defeat at the Camp Nou will have hurt the Portuguese manager more than he would admit in public. He was completely unable to prevent the rout and he has not been in that position many times in his career.

The first game was without doubt the best game of football I have seen this season and possibly even longer. The levels of skill and technique were higher than anything you see in England and it was a pleasure to watch. Hopefully these four games will live up to expectation – I’m quite sure they will.

Spurs go out but can hold heads high

The inevitable happened last night; Spurs went out of the Champions League to Real Madrid after failing to overcome a 4 goal deficit from the first leg. Whilst they huffed and puffed they failed to break down the Madrid defence and conceded a sloppy goal to Cristiano Ronaldo which effectively ended the contest.

It has been an exciting campaign for Spurs who have scored 25 goals and conceded 17. They have clearly enjoyed playing in the Champions League and being tested against the best sides in Europe. It makes such a difference to see a team genuinely enjoying their football and the challenge. Their adventures this season remind me very much of Leeds United’s debut season when they reached the semi-finals.

The next hurdle for Real Madrid will be Barcelona who they now face 4 times in 19 days which will effectively decide their season. There was talk from the commentators last night that Mourinho’s mind will now be on Barca; I think he has thought about little else since the final whistle blew in their 5 goal humbling at the Camp Nou in November. Whilst few would back against Barcelona the fact that Madrid now have Mourinho makes a massive difference. In last season’s group stages Inter Milan lost convincingly home and away to Barca but came back to shock them in the semis.

Spurs now only have the Premier League to focus on which is actually just what they need. They have tasted Champions League football and must now ensure they participate next season. With Manchester City stumbling on Monday they have hope again, let us see what they can achieve in the next few weeks.

City must rise to the challenge

The next six days will have huge consequences for Manchester City; the face Liverpool tomorrow night in the Premier League followed by the Manchester derby on Saturday for a place in the FA Cup final. With Spurs getting back to winning ways over the weekend the pressure is back on City to perform at Anfield.

It is not only a huge week for the team; the next two games will also decide Roberto Mancini’s fate. Having spent millions of pounds on his squad the Italian must deliver Champions League football for the club, he simply must. Failure to do so should and surely will result in his departure from the Stadium of Manchester this summer.

The club currently lie in 4^th position and are three points ahead of Tottenham. They still have to play the London club at home on 10^th May which should decide which team will qualify for Europe’s elite club tournament. It is essential that City obtain this lucrative position so they are then able to target the top players from around the world. At present they are capable of paying any figure for any player but lack the resources to offer a serious package.

It is time for City to put their name forward as a growing force in English football. They have had several near misses already and in order to start to convince the players the club is heading in the right direction they must come away with something from Anfield. They will face a tough Liverpool side who have improved significantly under Kenny Dalglish.

Today’s game is based solely around money but it is not always the richest that triumph. Just because City have spent millions assembling a squad of Internationals it doesn’t guarantee them success. If they are to improve then trips like tomorrows will have to be navigated again and again, its time to see whether City really are in for the long haul.

Madrid thump sorry Spurs

Last night’s game in the Santiago Bernebeu turned into a nightmare for all associated with Tottenham Hotspur. It had all looked so promising until half an hour before kick-off and then things began to unravel. The withdrawal of Aaron Lennon just before kick-off because of a sore throat set the tone, Peter Crouch’s stupidity made it worse before Ronaldo finished them off with the 4^th with three minutes remaining.

When Crouch was sent off the game was effectively over; with Madrid one goal ahead already it meant Spurs had no out ball and failed to retain possession time and again. Whilst Assou-Ekotto, Dawson and Sandro excelled with a rear guard action the rest puffed and panted but failed to get near the level required to compete at this level.

It was a pity for the London side as the game could have been very different but for their brainless striker. Whether you think the referee was harsh or not, someone of his age, and experience should not be lunging at defenders away from home. The game was then Madrid’s for the taking and with attacking players like Di Maria, Kaka, Ozil and Ronaldo you are going to be punished.

In the dressing room at half-time Mourinho clearly gave Madrid a rollicking which was needed. They were too lethargic in the first half and lacked the killer instinct you associate with the top sides. Their second half performance was a marked improvement but they will need to improve vastly if they are to win the Champions League this season.

Whatever the outcome at White Hart Lane next week Tottenham should be very proud of their achievement’s in Europe’s elite competition this season. They were out of their depth last night but circumstances went against them. The experience will make their younger players stronger and more determined to play in this tournament year in year out.

Meanwhile for Madrid, another ‘el classico’ possibly awaits them in the next round; which would mean four games in 19 days between themselves and Barcelona – brilliant!

Real Madrid vs Spurs – a preview

The last eight of the Champions League, the business end of the season; this is what every football fan waits for. This year Tottenham have made their debut in Europe’s elite competition and tomorrow will play Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernebeu for a place in the semi-final.

Both sides had bad results at the weekend but most noticeable was Madrid’s loss at home to Sporting Gijon. It brought an end to Jose Mourinho’s imperious and quite phenomenal home record; he had not lost a home game since February 23, 2002. Meanwhile Spurs’ hopes of qualifying for the Champions League took a major setback with a goal less draw with Wigan.

It appears that Cristiano Ronaldo will not feature tomorrow night after much speculation in recent days. His manager and fellow countryman Mourinho has indicated he will speak with his talisman today to determine whether he can play any part in the game. It would be a significant loss but with the likes of Di Maria, Kaka and Ozil they still have fabulous options.

The game will be a huge occasion and another fantastic opportunity for Spurs. They have overcome some big obstacles already this season and this is surely the biggest test of their side. It looks unlikely they will be in the competition next season after another poor result domestically but they should go into this tie full of confidence. The Premier League side are underdogs yet again but it will not faze them, with the impressive Sandro likely to feature again they will not get a better chance to beat Madrid.

It should be a great occasion for both sides in a wonderful arena, let us hope the game lives up to expectations.

Champions League draw throws up mouth watering ties

This morning’s Champions League draw has thrown up some incredible ties including an all English quarter final and the potential to have a Barcelona vs Real Madrid semi-final. The draw in full is:

Real Madrid / Tottenham vs Barcelona / Shakhtar Donetsk

Inter Milan / Schalke vs Chelsea / Manchester United

The Champions league debutants Tottenham face a very daunting trip to the Bernebeu which will really test Harry Redknapp’s team. Their main threat in this season’s tournament has been Gareth Bale but I would expect Jose Mourinho to deal with him. However, with the 2^nd leg being played at White Hart Lane anything is possible and with them likely to be underdogs Spurs certainly have a chance.

The current favourites Barcelona host Shakhtar in the first leg where they will be expected to win comfortably. The away leg at the Donbass Arena in the Ukraine will however be a very tricky game as they are very strong at home. It will also see Dmytro Chygrynskiy return to the Camp Nou for the first time since he returned to his former side. The Ukrainian centre back failed to establish himself during his time at Barcelona and will be eager to prove a point to Guardiola. If Barcelona and Madrid progress we will then see four classicos in 19 days!

Reigning champions Inter Milan face Schalke in what looks like the least interesting tie of the round. The Italian champions have played much better football under new manager Leanardo and after beating Bayern Munich in the previous round should be favourites to advance.

The tie of the round however sees Chelsea face Manchester United for a place in the semi-finals. It will be an incredibly tight game between the English sides and with United still to face them for the 2^nd time in the league this season it will be so hard to pick a winner. Chelsea are out of contention for the league so will focus heavily on this game. With United still fighting on three fronts player fitness will be crucial; doubts remain about Rio Ferdinand’s fitness and key midfielders will need to return in time.

It is the strongest Champions League Quarter final draw for many years and all four ties will be fascinating games. Barcelona remain the team to beat but there remain a couple of sides who would fancy their chances.

Milan a disgrace

Last night officially saw the end of Italian football as we know it; the performance from Milan in the San Siro was quite simply a disgrace. I really do not want to take anything away from Tottenham as they played well enough to deserve their victory but the game was a non-event.

Expectations for the weeks Champions League ties were high going into last night; Spurs have been very entertaining in their debut season in Europe’s elite competition and Milan had been playing open, attacking football under their new manager Massimiliano Allegri. Unfortunately for many neutrals the game was terrible; it resembled a Europa Cup game not a last 16 encounter in the best competition in the world.

The Milan team is still full of ageing players who simply cannot compete with any of their fitter, stronger counterparts throughout Europe; this is also a sad indictment of most of the Italian teams at the moment. The only players who still looked able to play at the top level on last night’s evidence were Nesta and Pato. In all honesty I felt sorry for both of them with some of the dross they had to play with. The incredible thing about top defenders is that they always have time to play the ball out from the back and although Nesta does not possess the speed of old his reading of the game and technical ability remains higher than most defenders in Europe.

It is strange how cycles exist in football; I grew up without a Sky box and watched Serie A when it was the best and most entertaining league in the world. On current evidence it remains well short of what it was and it is hard to see how it can recapture the glory days again. Many of the stadiums remain from Italia 90 and they are decrepit and rarely reach capacity. I find it a real shame that Italian football has sunk to these depths and really hope they can rise again – but it is getting harder and harder to see.

I have not touched on the Gattuso – Jordon incident as it was plain for everyone to see what a disgrace he was; UEFA should punish him to the full extent of their powers, there is no place in football for that behaviour!

Let us hope that tonight’s game at the Emirates is better than the garbage on display last night.

Robinson is England's number one

Almost every English football fan wants to sit down with Fabio Capello and discuss his views on the national team. I would want him to answer one question ‘How on earth can Paul Robinson not be in your squad?’ It is madness; I am not saying that Joe Hart is not good enough but Robinson is currently the best and most consistent performer in the Premier League.

Since signing for Blackburn Rovers in 2008 Robinson has been masterful and kept an impressive 13 clean sheets in the league last season. Having had an exciting start to his career at Leeds he moved onto Tottenham Hotspur where he played for 4 years with varying degrees of success. An error whilst playing for England against Croatia in 2008 epitomised his mixed fortunes over this period. It was Paul Ince who brought him to Rovers at a time when everyone felt he was finished at the top level.

He endured a tricky start to his Blackburn career but when Sam Allardyce came in as manager he seemed to instil the confidence he had been so short of. He has always been a wonderful shot stopper and has become far stronger at coming for crosses in the last 18 months. In 2010 he announced his retirement from International football having been overlooked by Capello for the England squad.

At a time when Joe Hart is having concentration issues and seems more interested in drinking with Gareth Barry it is unbelievable that Capello has not asked for a change of heart from Robinson. He is in my opinion the best English keeper around, Hart certainly has the ability and his time will come but for now Robbo is England’s number 1!