England on the ropes! Game preview against Russia!

Game Day!

So what can we expect from England today as they meet the Russian foe?

Uggggh! You can feel the anxiety across the bloody pond for this one.... and damn it, the best we can do over here with all of the lousy American sport channels that abound is ... GameCast on freaking ESPN's website. Now that's sick!! Not even Sentana is stepping up to air this one!

Here is some great commentary on today's match worth duplicating here (with proper credit to the originator):

Sky Sports writes:

The temptation will be for McClaren to embrace the old adage 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' and stick to the side which was ruthlessly efficient on Saturday but as he rightly pointed out, his selection choices will be either brave or foolish, depending on the result.

It is at the business end of the field that McClaren is posed with the biggest conundrum, as he weighs up whether to employ Peter Crouch - back from suspension - or stick with a rejuvenate Emile Heskey, who could afford a wry smile in the direction of his critics following what was a powerful and astute performance at the weekend.

Although McClaren has intimated that he is ready to tinker, given a congested treatment room, it seems likely he will keep faith with those that impressed against Israel.

In midfield he is spared the decision of whether to axe Gareth Barry, assured and polished against Israel, as Frank Lampard and Owen Hargreaves are both unavailable.

Steven Gerrard waxed lyrical over the Aston Villa schemer post-match on Saturday and freed from the shackles of having to rotate forward forays with Lampard, it could be the Liverpool man that proves the key at Wembley. Shaun Wright-Phillips, in tandem with the buccaneering

Micah Richards will hope to build on another strong display, while Joe Cole's return to the left side adds balance and experience.

Paul Robinson will be thankful Israel's attacking prowess was thoroughly derelict, but Russia are likely to pose more questions for a goalkeeper who McClaren has backed, despite widespread criticism from elsewhere, with David James championed for promotion from the bench.

Key to England's success, at least from a defensive perspective, will be nullifying the impact of Russia playmaker Andrei Arshavin, a player that will be looking to expose the absence of a recognised holding midfielder in the home side's line-up. Barry will be charged with the task of keeping a watchful eye.

Hiddink likes to employ a three-man backline and a solid bank of four in front, which allows Arshavin, of Zenit St Petersburg, licence to roam in the final third.

Third-choice keeper Vyacheslav Malafeev will line up between the posts, as regular No.1 Igor Akinfeev is injured and his deputy, Vladimir Gabulov, suspended after being sent off at the weekend against Macedonia.

Sky Sports on Heskey starting for England:

Steve McClaren has praised Emile Heskey's contribution against Israel, with the striker tipped to retain his England place against Russia.

Heskey made his first international appearance in three years when partnering Michael Owen in the weekend's 3-0 success over Israel at Wembley.

But, with Peter Crouch available after suspension, McClaren has been mulling over who will line up alongside Owen in Wednesday's crunch Euro 2008 qualifier with Russia.

Reports suggest McClaren will stick with Heskey up front and the England coach has been happy with the Wigan forward's form.

Handful

"I saw evidence of Heskey holding the ball up very, very well on Saturday and bringing players into the game," said McClaren.

"I saw him play against Newcastle for Wigan, and his appetite and attitude was one of the main reasons I brought him in.

"That's exactly what he showed against Israel. He's a handful for defenders when he plays like he did. He gave us an outlet.

"Emile didn't need any motivation. I've always found him to be very professional.
"He has matured with age and he showed that."

Sporting Life:

Russia coach Guus Hiddink claims a Wembley triumph over England on Wednesday night would leave him "nicely surprised".

The Dutchman insists England must be regarded as favourites for the Euro 2008 qualifier even though the visitors will kick off one place and one point ahead - and boast the tightest defence - in Group E.

Hiddink feels Steve McClaren's side is not as poor as some critics have suggested, particularly as their 2-0 loss in Croatia last October was brought about by a freak error by goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

He said: "If we were to win at Wembley I would be nicely surprised because England are regaining their position in the group.

"Before, they spoiled some points. When you see the Croatia game, the white line on the six-yard box was a little bit high and they conceded a goal.

"That might have given people a view away from their real strength, which I think has always been there.

"The friendly with Germany last month, although they lost it, they controlled and dominated the game. There were two lucky goals from Germany.

"Then they beat Israel. If you prevent opportunities against Israel then you do well. Steve McClaren is sticking to what he believes is right and the result of the last game proved he is on the right road."

Hiddink's Russia side was much less experienced, he added.

He said: "They have to get used to tough games. Some already are but as a group they are not used to playing , like the English players are, very competitive games every three or four days."

Russia beat Macedonia 3-0 on Saturday despite having goalkeeper Vladimir Gabulov sent off.

Hiddink used four forwards on that occasion but will be more cautious at Wembley.

He said: "There will be a few changes but not many. The Macedonia game was very important for us and we had four very attacking players.

"We want to stick to our style against England but we will look for a balance as well.

"It is impossible to play against England with five or six attackers, who for me are also midfield players with the ability to penetrate a lot."

One man who is also keen to see Russia triumph is Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who was instrumental in Hiddink's appointment last year at a time when England had also been keen to recruit him.

The billionaire is believed to be part-funding the coach's wages and the pair are in regular contact.

Hiddink said: "Every now and then we have a short talk not just about the national team but about Russian football. They are brief but good contacts. He will wish the best for the Russian team."

The Independent writes:

Sam Wallace: McClaren stakes his future on Heskey intimidating Russians
Published: 12 September 2007

The Emile Heskey revival rolls on – and for Steve McClaren the future of England's Euro 2008 campaign is hitched to a Wigan striker who has scored five goals in 44 international games.

Heskey starts alongside Michael Owen against Russia tonight in a retro-forward line that carries the hopes of the current England manager as it once did that of his predecessor Sven Goran Eriksson.

A brave decision? Leaving out Peter Crouch, suspended for the Israel game on Saturday, would seem to chime with the old wisdom that you do not change a winning team. But when the team McClaren faces tonight are so different from the Israel team who offered scant resistance the question arises of whether Russia under Guus Hiddink will be quite so submissive against Heskey's muscular approach.

It is quite some change of heart that McClaren has made from barely three weeks ago, when he was not even considering Heskey for the friendly against Germany. From stopgap to first choice, the 29-year-old has found himself back in the England first XI on the basis of 90 minutes against Israel. Ninety minutes in which he blasted his one and only shot over the bar and played no significant role in any of England's three goals. Nice work if you can get it.

Perhaps the logic of sticking with the same XI who beat Israel was just too irresistible for McClaren once he lost Owen Hargreaves to injury on Monday night. Gareth Barry held his place in the centre of midfield and, as a result, it must have seemed simpler to keep the side intact.

What will England lose by leaving Crouch on the sidelines? He may not be as overtly physical as Heskey, but no one seriously believes that a Russian side coached by Hiddink will be intimidated by the Wigan man. England will miss the sureness of Crouch's touch and a much greater confidence to play balls in behind defences or spread possession wide. And by playing him as a substitute, the England manager stands to lose even more from a striker who has already spent much of the season on the bench.

Popular wisdom dictates that Crouch is an impact substitute, but that is wrong. His first two England goals against Uruguay and Hungary were scored when he came off the bench, but the subsequent 10 have all been scored when he started matches. Last season, Crouch scored 24 goals for Liverpool and England in the Community Shield, Premier League, Champions League, international friendlies and Euro 2008 qualifiers. All of them came in games he started.

Put simply, Crouch is in need of a manager who will show a little faith in him. Dropping him in favour of Alan Smith against Brazil in June was such a disaster that McClaren went straight back to Crouch for the Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia five days later. Crouch obliged by leading the line, scoring a goal and helping to save England's season. Then he got booked and suspended for Saturday's Israel game. Such is the state of panic with England at the moment that whatever worked in the last game is grimly clung to in the hope that it will do the trick again.

Currently flavour of the month is Heskey who, despite the doubts, could be the salvation for English football and lead his side triumphantly to Austria and Switzerland next summer. But if he is the Messiah, then he has spent an awfully long time in the wilderness. If he was such a brilliant option, why has he languished outside the team for three years, largely forgotten by

McClaren until a moment of emergency?

For Crouch, whether he likes it or not, it is time yet again to prove himself to McClaren. Just as he almost had to do after McClaren's first game in charge against Greece, before which the England manager had provisionally picked Dean Ashton until the striker broke his ankle in training. It happened again when Crouch had to win his place back from Smith in June. In the time it has taken Crouch to score 12 goals for England, Wayne Rooney has scored one. Would there be any argument about Heskey keeping his place if it was Rooney coming back tonight?

For McClaren, in particular, the shadow of Hiddink falls across this game. When he glances across to the opposite dugout, the England manager will see a man who has won one European Cup, six Dutch titles and led two different nations to fourth place at the World Cup – one of them South Korea. Some record. The Dutchman was managing the Netherlands when

McClaren was first-team coach at Derby.

Given that Hiddink's name was higher than his own on the original shortlist to replace Eriksson, McClaren might have been forgiven for being slightly intimidated by his opposite number. But McClaren has never lacked belief in his right to be England manager and he dismissed the effect that Hiddink's reputation might have on the game.

"I think the players relate to players, they don't relate to managers," McClaren said. "They go out and look at their opponent. What we say is, 'Whoever you are against you have to win that battle'. Once they have crossed the white line they won't be thinking about what the [opposition] manager is doing or his reputation. They will be looking at the opposite number."
Brave words. Listening to McClaren over the last few months, it is clear that the man upon whom he relies the most is Steven Gerrard, who rescued him on that dark night against Andorra in March. It is a debt that McClaren will owe for ever and yesterday he declared that Gerrard will have "the freedom to be our inspiration" tonight. But even Gerrard will struggle to compensate if the Heskey-Owen partnership does not work out.

Unchanged melody A hit for England?

England are expected to field an unchanged team tonight for the first time in 39 matches, dating back more than three years. The last occasion was during Euro 2004 when Sven Goran Eriksson retained the starting XI who defeated Croatia 4-2 in the final group match.

The unchanged team survived only 27 minutes before Wayne Rooney was injured. Without him England lost on penalties to Portugal in the quarter-finals after a 2-2 draw.
England v Croatia & Portugal (June 2004): James; G Neville, Terry, Campbell, A Cole; Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes; Rooney, Owen.

AFP:

Terry wants England to be more arrogant
19 hours ago
LONDON (AFP) — John Terry has told his England team-mates to play with a touch of arrogance when they face Russia in their make-or-break Euro 2008 qualifier.
England captain Terry agrees with Steven Gerrard's claim that England's squad has enough talent to beat any team in the world.

But the Chelsea defender acknowledges that Steve McClaren's side have often been too timid when they should be dominating opponents.

Terry wants to see England back up his belief they are a superior team to Russia by taking the initiative from the start on Wednesday.

Wembley will be no place for faint hearts as England need to see off Guus Hiddink's side to stay in the race to next year's finals, so this is the perfect time for Terry and company to show they really believe in themselves.

Terry said: "I can totally understand where Stevie is coming from when you look around the dressing room.

"You see these guys playing week in and week out in the Champions League and at the top level, in the big competitions and they are playing very well and getting to the latter stages.

"If we can get that togetherness and arrogance it can be a massive thing for us. We saw that against Israel. We all got together and it needs to be a little bit more like that every single game.

"Maybe we have not had that in the past, but it is certainly something we are looking to build upon once we do get through the group and go on to the competition, to have that little bit of arrogance and really go that step further."

Second-placed Russia sit one point ahead of England in Group E and could leave the hosts' Euro 2008 hopes in tatters with a win.

They have the best defensive record in the entire European qualifying campaign, with just one goal conceded, but Terry is convinced England will rise to the challenge because big games bring the best out of them.

"The pressure of the vital games certainly does that for us," he said. "If we had not got the three points against Israel it would have been disaterous.

"We now come into this game against a Russia side who are very attacking, quick going forwards. It is going to be very tough.

"Once we get this one out of the way and hopefully with the three points, things will be looking good.

"It was the game plan to put Israel right on the back foot, not to give them anytime to play and we did not give them any chance to settle in.

"That will be the same again on Wednesday. Even when we had scored, we were still chasing them down and putting them under pressure, to get at them again."

John Terry: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/euro_2008/article2434662.ece

England vs Russia

England stomps Israel 3-0; At last something for the three lions to cheer about!

Just when you think England has breathed its last breath....

Today's win was an impressive display of fortitude since the loss to Germany two weeks ago which was an abonination in the eyes of English Football (Soccer) loyalists.

Chelsea's Shaun Wright-Phillips ('20), Liverpool's Michael Owen ('49) and Manchester City's Micah Richards ('66) each scored for England, which had been hanging by a thread in fourth place in Group E before the match, and remains so just one point behind Russia.

England hosts Russia on Wednesday and stories like this one abound about the decision to change the line up after such a tremendos victory today. Steve McClaren call your office!

Lastly, David Bentley was booed upon his replacing Wright-Phillips. Some notes on that can be found here.

Pundit reviews from some of the best here.

Anglican Bishops link flooding to sin

Here is an interesting take on the rationale for the flooding that's going on in England. It's not typically Anglican for Bishops, Rectors, or Deacons to link human behavior to God's retribution in the form of flooding and/or natural disasters. It's generally the case that this tough talk is something that you might see being shouted out of a "spitfire Baptist" or "guilt-ridden Catholic" sermon, so it's sort of strange seeing it come from pulpit of the often high-brow, soft spoken, peering down their nose at you - Anglican Communion.

Notwithstanding, the timing of the message lends support to the pro-traditionalist, pro-Christian members of the Anglican Communion which has been struggling with the pro-homosexual agenda being fostered by leaders of the Episcopal Church in the United States and Canada.

What's also interesting is that the message didn't just come from just any old Bishops, but from the Rt. Reverened Graham Dow, Bishop of Carlisle, who is a high ranking authority in the Church of England, and from Rt Rev James Jones, who is next in line for the position of Archbishop of Canterbury or Archbishop of York.

Rt Reverend Jones said, "The sexual orientation regulations [which give greater rights to gays] are part of a general scene of permissiveness. We are in a situation where we are liable for God's judgment, which is intended to call us to repentance."

Wow. This didn't come from Pat Roberston and the 700 Club, but from leaders of the mainstream Anglican Church. Don't believe me. You judge for yourself.

Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool; Man U wins but also loses

Champions League play always has its surprises, and the past two days have provided just that.

Even with serious injuries to the Chelsea squad, Chelsea managed to pull out a fabulous one goal advantage at home in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final today. To me, the bigger surprise was Chelsea holding Liverpool to zero goals during the 90-minute battle. With Gerrard and Crouch in the mix, nothing seemed to come easy for Liverpool. In fact, nothing came at all. It's not a shock that Chelsea won at home, but it is a shock that Liverpool didn't manage to put at least one in the net.

Manchester United's lackluster 3-2 home victory yesterday over A.C. Milan sets the stage for a disadvantage for Man U as they head to Milan in the second leg planned for next week. Even with Rooney's two goals (and one coming in stoppage time in the second half), Man U's terrible defense allowed two big "away" goals. Milan scoring two away goals will add up unless United can pull out a major lopsided victory next week. And with roster injuries to Man U, that is going to be a tall order. No, make that gargantuan order!

The betting man who thought that the Champions League final would be a dramatic Manchester United vs Liverpool, may have to settle for the unexpected Chelsea vs A.C. Milan - particularly, if things hold as they appear to be holding. And who gets the edge in such a meeting? If the Chelsea squad remains as injured as they are - then A.C. Milan will have an advantage. If Chelsea can get back to full strength, then its going to be a real Champions League final for the ages!

And this is the thing with soccer - you're never out until the final whistle blows.

And again... this is why soccer the the greatest sport on Earth.

Soccer: the REAL athlete's sport

OK, so today I'm tackling the big question that everyone has been asking me these days... what is all this (sudden) fascination you have with Soccer (a.k.a. European football)?

Well its not really sudden, since I've been a fan for some time, but its been nearly impossible until very recently to be able to watch it on cable television and take in the game at a professional level on a regular basis. With the advent of Fox Soccer Channel (FSC), fans like myself can catch both the English Premier League (EPL) - the number one professional soccer league in the world, U.S. MLS, Italian League, and other soccer leagues from around the world. And its daily coverage instead of what we used to get which was a splattering of sound bites at the end of the World Cup.

Thank God for FSC as ESPN hasn't really caught onto the "world most popular" sport. Here's what I see: ESPN shows a five second clip of a ball entering a goal with little reference to the actual game, and calls it "coverage". Although to be fair, ESPN does get high marks for http://www.soccernet.com/ - its probably one of the best sites out there for scores, news stories, trades, and analysis, etc. But ESPN TV, especially SportsCenter coverage -- stinks! They need to get a clue over there at ESPN studios - someone needs to remind them that ESPN Desportes shows are produced in spanish, and the channel isn't available to everyone state-side. And they could probably cut out some of the airtime they give to the world's biggest cheater - baseball's Barry Bonds. Maybe some of the spots that ESPN devotes to kissing Bond's rear could go to real athletes like Ronaldo and Keane.

Of course, soccer isn't an unknown here. Just about every kid in the USA grows up playing soccer as part of the gym curriculum; and teams are popular from Elementary School through High School level. But when I was young, most kids could probably name only one soccer player - the great Pelé. Although they probably couldn't tell you that he is a famed player from Brazil. Today, kids know Ronaldo, Rooney, Henry, Keane, Lampard, and on and on.

Today, my hometown of West Hartford boasts as having the largest number of soccer leagues, and boasts of being the town with the largest number of kids playing in all of the State of Connecticut: 1400 kids are registered to play soccer under the banner of the West Hartford Youth Soccer Association. And that is just the kids - that doesn't include high school teams, recreational teams, and adult leagues. If you move from Italy or the U.K. and want your son or daughter to grow up playing soccer - then West Hartford is where you want to be! Here is the WHYSA site in case you are interested.

My general interest in soccer was reignited back when the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994; FIFA was very reluctant to permit the U.S. to host the World Cup based on the incorrect perception that there weren't many soccer fans in the United States. FIFA also imposed that in order for the United States to host that they would have to create a professional league at some point in the near future - which they did in 1996 under the banner of Major League Soccer (MLS). Despite the initial perception of FIFA representatives and officials from competing nations, World Cup Soccer venues were well-attended in the States - up to 70,000 attendees per game. And with a good action plan in place, interest in U.S. Soccer is on the rise.

Anyone can recognize that Americans have almost too many choices for Pro Sports with long seasons that already tend to cross over each other. NFL Football, MLB Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, PGA Golf, NASCAR, Tennis, are but a few that receive regular programming time, then complicate the matter by throwing in NCAA College games and tournaments in most of those sports mentioned above. So why would anyone want to add Soccer to the list to compete with all of those previously mentioned. Well, one reason is that Soccer pound for pound, minute for minute is better than most of those listed above.

So why do I believe that soccer is better than most other American sports?

Well to start with, soccer is one of the few sports where the athletes, referees and officials have to actually be in reasonable shape in order to even show up on the field of play. Players and officials must run their tails off for 45 minutes straight - with few breaks, followed by a brief intermission, and then followed by another grueling 45 minutes of non-stop play. If that isn't enough, players endure kicks to nearly every part of their body, collisions, slide tackles, dives, and a host of other dangerous maneuvers during the game. Most soccer players are in incredible shape - and clearly, you can't fake the kind of physical fitness that's required of the game. No one stands around "waiting for a ball to come to them"; you either play hard for 45 minutes at a clip or you don't play. There is no time out, and if time is wasted, the ref adds more time on the end of the period to make up for it.

In contrast, if you look around Major League Baseball (and I am a die hard baseball fan, so no hate mail please), a great number of the guys on the field are just plain fat and out of shape. And I don't just mean those porkers in the Designated Hitter (DH) position, but pitchers, outfielders, first basemen, and particularly MLB umpires are all poster-children for weight loss programs. Quite a few (American) football linesmen are big, bulky and out of shape too. It's nearly pathetic to call some of these overpaid slobs - athletes. And I won't even start on the golfers. Oh man!

Soccer season tends to run from late August through end of May (continuing through the summer for athlete's chosen to represent their nation in World Cup qualification games), and often the teams participate in multiple Cup Championships during the regular season and in the middle of regular season league contention, and not after they are all rested up at the end of the season. How about that in contrast to Major League Baseball owners and players whining about pre-season activity by some players who participate in the World Baseball games. Gesh, give us a break, won't ya? Just don't overexert yourselves boys! It's a long summer sitting on the bench spitting out sunflower seeds and we wouldn't want you to become too tired to do that!
Soccer action is fast and furious, while baseball comes slowly, one pitch at a time. Soccer requires athletes to cover lots of space by spiriting back and forth a long 130 yard field, unlike pro basketball players who run around on the court and are able to rest during the plentiful "television timeouts" (Football is even more pathetic when it comes to TV timeouts). Soccer requires team effort all the time, passing the ball forward and backwards, and side to side, where as pro basketball is simply premaddonas making pretty baskets from 30 feet away.

Whippeee!

I would also say that the excitement, stamina/physical fitness required, fan sense of extreme anticipation (based on the fact that soccer at the pro level is usually a low scoring game than can be decided at the last second by a quick goal which could mean a win, loss, or draw), atmosphere, unpredictability, and complexity of the game, the incredible technical skill required, and number of rules (actually referred to as Laws) that govern actual play - all of this - makes the sport more exciting than most.

Finally, I particularly have to give a special Kudos to the professional English soccer leagues for setting the bar across all sports for penalizing teams who don't make the grade, and rewarding teams that do. The English system is made up of six levels (listed lowest tier to highest tier): Conference North and Conference South (both level 6), Nationwide Conference, League Two, League One, League Championship, and the Premiership (a.k.a. English Premier League or EPL). If you finish in the bottom positions in either the Championship League or the EPL then you receive an automatic demotion the next lowest tier; this is referred to as "relegation". So losing can mean losing a sponsor, notoriety, embarrassment, playing in front of smaller crowds, and there are obvious salary and pay disadvantages. On the other hand, if you finish in the top three spots in either League One or the Championship League, you receive a promotion to the next highest tier. And promotion naturally comes with all the rewards of moving to an advanced league provides - money, fame, and fortune.

So what does this do? Well, it makes teams play hard all the way through the last game of the season since every game counts; teams control their own destinies, and of course, on the other side of the equation - no one wants to lose to a team about to be relegated. The competition is so fierce that it doesn't permit teams to settle for a loss here and there based on laziness, when it could mean getting bumped down to a lessor division after losing in consecutive quality games. In contrast to other sports, where teams face no "penalty" other than embarrassment and loss of revenue for being at the bottom of their division.

The best example of how relegation can affect your club is to look at the history of Leeds United. A team considered to be cream of the crop in the EPL, a team that won several cups in the 80s, now finds itself struggling to keep from being relegated to League One!! Obviously, the money teams are usually the Premier teams, and once you lose a foothold, it become harder to recruit the best players, and reclaim ascension and glory. After all, what all-star wants to play for a has-been, when there are 20 teams in the Premier League offering higher salaries, and more options?

Alas, if you wonder what the big deal is... then tune in. There's nothing like it in the world!

Passed the Ref class, and reviving an old English Soccer theme!

I've been rather swamped this week with this and that so I haven't had time to update my blog - even though a lot has been happening. Taking a short break from some of the more serious and pressing issues going on in my life and around the world, I thought I'd post something fun.

Since it's both Champions League and World Cup qualifying time again, I had to drum up a little something to keep myself entertained. Back during the 2006 World Cup, England had a great little theme that certainly ruffled the feathers of the host Nation - Germany. If you haven't heard it, listen here or watch it here; its by the Tone Def Allstars.

For those who missed it this week, Manchester United's trashing of Roma was about as thrilling as it gets - particularly for those of us who wanted to see Roma fans dejected for the brutal behavior displayed by Roma fans and Italian police. Watching United score three times in under 20 minutes put the icing on the cake, and avenged Man United fans. And adding to the weeks' good news - Chelsea snuck through with a one goal victory too. And with Liverpool FC advancing easily, it looks like the Champions League champion will be out of the EPL (where is belongs). This is just further evidence that the EPL is the greatest league in all of professional soccer.

I also passed my Grade 8 referee exam yesterday evening, so I can officially begin my referee career. My hope is to eventually post some of the more interesting referee experiences on my blog. I plan to tackle the question of why am I involved in the whole "referee thing" in the future. But for now, I'm going to bask in passing what was a relatively challenging exam - after two weeks of attending nightly classes to try and absorb the "Laws of the Game". If nothing else, I've come away with an even greater respect for the game, and for my fellow referees.