The build up to this World Cup has been as much about who may not be there as to who will be there. Players have been ruling themselves out of matches or getting serious injury scares. It seems that a high proportion of these players, often influential players, are based in England and play in the Premier League.

Consider five groups international players can slot into: PL players who are fit and have been selected; PL players who are selected but have picked up big concerns; PL players whose injury status meant selection was impossible; PL players who have been selected unfit; and non-PL players who were selected but have picked up injuries. Straight up one can point out that any argument I make is flawed in that my focus is on quite clearly Premier League players. I’m sure it is possible to do a similar experiment with many of the world leagues. However, the Premier League is the world’s biggest league with the world’s best players – a very high proportion of players selected to play at the World Cup come from the Premier League.

Into those groups we can add names. The Premier League players who are fit and have been selected I will ignore as there are many. Into Premier League players who are selected but have picked up big concerns goes: Cahill (Everton, Australia), Altidore (Hull (loan), USA), Behrami (West Ham, Switzerland), Skrtel (Liverpool, Slovakia), Palacios (Tottenham, Honduras), Drogba (Chelsea, Ivory Coast), Ferdinand (Man Utd, England), Bendtner (Arsenal, Denmark), Ballack (Chelsea, Germany), Heitinga (Everton, Holland), Gerrard (Liverpool, England), Nani (Man Utd, Portugal). Without going into individual cases all of those players are either out of the World Cup through injury having been selected or are very big doubts.

Into Premier League players whose injury status meant selection was impossible I will only give a few examples: Brown (Man Utd, England), Hargreaves (Man Utd, England), Zamora (Fulham, England), Anderson (Man Utd, Brazil), Bosingwa (Chelsea, Portugal), Woodgate (Tottenham, England).

Into Premier League players who have been selected unfit can go: Torres (Liverpool, Spain), Rooney (Man Utd, England), Barry (Man City, England), Fabregas (Arsenal, Spain), Essien (Chelsea, Ghana), Mikel Obi (Chelsea, Nigeria).

Finally, into non-Premier League players who were selected but have picked up injuries can go: Pirlo (AC Milan, Italy), Robben (FC Bayern, Holland), Julio Cesar (Inter Milan, Brazil), Forlan (Atletico Madrid, Uruguay), Karhan (Mainz, Slovakia), Streller (FC Basel, Switzerland), Iniesta (Barcelona, Spain) – Iniesta was selected unfit.

Too many Premier League based players are included in these lists. It begs thinking about whether Premier League players play too much.

The structure of football in England means that a player can play 38 league games, 14 domestic cup games (excluding replays), and between 15-19 European games – totalling a potential 67-71 games in a season. That is a very heavy schedule.

In a World Cup year, the number of games a player plays is even more crucial. To the clubs it is the same as usual, the season is no different. To the governing bodies, in England – the FA, their motives are split. They want a competitive domestic system but they also want the national side to progress.

What can be done about the amount of football played in a World Cup year to try and stop these injuries from occurring? The two most common suggestions are to start the season earlier and incorporate a winter break. This would not change the number of games played but would allow for the players to have time off either at the end of the season or mid-season to recuperate. La Liga has adopted a full-time winter break. Such an idea has been advocated by club managers here. Sir Alex Ferguson said in January of this year:

“My experience tells me that when you get to December, it is draining for players to continuously play matches every Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday. It is difficult to play football through heavier grounds in cold weather. By December, everybody needs a break. With a break in January you can repair the small injuries the players pick up. Even the coaches need a mental break. Why don’t we use the whole of May to make up for the loss of matches that are held in January?”

Of course, Ferguson has the progress of Manchester United at heart when he made those comments but they become applicable to the national sides too.

One other suggestion I have heard is to cut the number of teams in the Premier League to 18 and have only one domestic cup. I don’t advocate this idea – other countries have leagues with 20 teams in, the Premier League should be no different.

When clubs do try and rest players in the Premier League, even if the motive is not for the sake of the national team, the idea is not supported by the FA. Wolves were fined £25,000 for fielding a changed line-up at Old Trafford which included all 10 outfield players being switched. Mick McCarthy believed Wolves would not win the game with his strongest team out so wanted to save them for the next, more important game against Burnley.

The Premier League clubs will be concerned by how many of their players will come back from the World Cup and find a season starting in the very near future. Many will not have a proper break from football and be thrust into pre-season training soon after returning. Such is the concern that Manchester United have admitted that all their players at the World Cup will be given a month off and the club have accepted that they will be forced to start the new season without some important players.

This all makes for nice reading – in hindsight we can make suggestions to counter all these injuries that are happening to players associated with the Premier League. However the reality is a little bit different.

Premier League based players are professionals. They are monitored, primed and shaped to play a lot of football at an intense level. Players in Europe’s other top leagues will be playing as much football as Premier League players. There are more Premier League based players at the World Cup than from other leagues therefore the proportion of players injured who play Premier League football is higher.

The biggest factor I believe is conditioning and the nature of the Premier League. English domestic football has become frantic, quick, strong and very competitive. Players who want to play in England at the top level must be at the top of their game. There is more chance of a player being injured in the Premier League than other leagues for this reason.

When a Premier League player now goes on international duty he will find the standard of football and the speed of the football fall from what he is used to. Premier League players are conditioned to play at a high tempo. At a World Cup, the training sessions are so controlled that the players are finding they are have to hold back. The matches are so different from what they play week in week out that the body has to make an adjustment. No longer are tackles flying around. The players find they have a tiny bit more time on the ball. These conditions lead to injuries.

I would argue that the Premier League has become too strong. No longer is international football the ultimate form of the game. Injuries will occur at international football – because of the strict conditioning a Premier League player is used to; their bodies are so in tune to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League that when it stops, the body can’t handle it.

I find it amazing that the FA do not try and support a more drastic type of break in the season, especially in a World Cup year. The Premier League may be the strongest league in the world but it may also be prohibiting some of its biggest stars from appearing on the biggest stage in football.

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The champions league draw took place in Monaco. It has so far become one of the most important dates in the football calendar. A lush ceremony left most of the big clubs happy with their draw; especially the English clubs.

It was not how we foresaw it. No rendezvous with the stretford end for Cristiano. No case of the ex for Louis van Gaal and AZ, and definetly no sign of the special one in west London. It did throw a couple of surprises, Kaka travels back to San Siro and Eto’o and Barca renew old acquaintances along with Zlatan and Inter.

Ruben Kazan didn’t have the luckiest of draws handed there way facing Inter, Barca and Kiev. They start with a home draw with Inter. Maccabi Haifa also didnt have lady luck on their side pitted against Bayern, Juventus and French champions Bordeaux, an early Christmas present for football fanatic viewers on the 8 December Juventus host Bayern.

Unirea urziceni make their debut with Rangers, Seville and Stuttgart. Home form will be vital in group G as urziceni are the clear underdogs the other three are more than capable of progressing.
All fingers will point and all eyes will look at November 3rd. Milan host the Galactico’s mk2. Kaka visits the San Siro against the man who was a dominant force in bringing the man to Europe Leonardo. Olympique Marseille and fc zurich make the numbers in group c.

Out of the English clubs Arsenal must be surley pleased no long journey’s on the round they face newcomers AZ, Standerd Leige who’s older fans may remember Arsenal’s demolishing of them in the 94 cup winners cup with an 7-0 win in Leige, Wenger’s men cant expect that but surley must have one eye on progressing with Olympiakos the other opposition.

Champions Manchester utd wont have the easiest of travels, a trip to Besiktas never an easy place to travel as Liverpool found out but may seem more vulnerable at Old Trafford. A walk down memory lane and to the Luzniki stadium to face CSKA Moscow and then German Champs Wolfsberg albeit without Felix Mcath.

Lyon’s new look team will be put to the test at Anfield a new era without Benzema and Juniniho Lisandro lopez caries the weight of expectation to Anfield as they both also face Fiorentina and Debreceni.
Sergio Aguerio finaly arrives at the shed end but not how peter Kenyon would of liked. John Terry will have to be at his best to contain the ‘son in law of God’, Porto again face Chelsea and Cypriots APOEL make up the numbers.

Barcalona are surley the team to beat so impresive last term, but surley wont be allowed to regain their title in the Bernabau. An Il classico final could be on the cards as the power in European football could once again be shifting fom British shores to sunny Spain. Inter can surley challenge this term, Mourinho strengthening wisely with Eto’o, Milito, Motta and Lucio could see the special one be crowned King once again. The beauty of Champions leauge football is all the teams deserve to be here it is the top of the game and hopefully they all don’t disappoint.

Manchester United and Barcelona will meet in the 2009 Champions League Final held in Rome this May – as both sides overcame London opposition to reach the 54th final. Manchester United are competing in their fourth final having won the trophy in all three final played previously whilst Barcelona will be competing in their sixth final – however only winning the competition twice in their history.

Cristiano Ronaldo proved all the doubters wrong, regarding his mentality to perform on the biggest stage, with a superb performance against Arsenal – in which the Portuguese forward scored twice. United ran away 3-1 winners on Tuesday night, winning the tie 4-1 on aggregate after a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford in the first leg. The only sour note on a memorable night for the current European Champions, was the dismissal of Darren Fletcher after a tackle on Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas. Replays showed that Fletcher clearly got hold of the ball rather than Fabregas. United have lodged an appeal to UEFA regarding the decision.

There was controversy in equal measure at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, when midfield playmaker Andres Iniesta scored a 92nd minute equalizer – putting Barcelona through on the away goal rule having drawn in Catalonia a week ago. Tom Henning Ovrebo was at the centre of the controversy having failed to give Chelsea four penalties claims – one being a clear handball by centre half Gerard Pique. Ovrebo was criticism by both Guus Hiddink and Didier Drogba who referred the performance of the ref as a “f*cking disgrace” – he has since apologised for his outburst. UEFA are currently looking into the incidents at Stamford Bridge.

Manchester United and Barcelona last met in a European Cup final in 1991 when the teams played in the Cup Winners Cup. United beat Barcelona 2-1 in Rotterdam, with Mark Hughes scoring both goals.

Real Madrid were thumped 6-2 by Barcelona at the Bernabeu last night – giving the Catalan club a seven point lead going into the remaining fixtures. Real Madrid were confident prior to the game that they would be able to shorten the gap to just three points, however that dream was quickly broken with Henry, Messi, Puyol and Pique running riot.

Real Madrid have had a miserable season, losing Ruud VanNistelrooy to injury midway through the season – whilst be dumped out of the Champions League by Liverpool. The La Liga title was their only hope of silverware this season – which is now and truely dead in the water. Barcelona have now scored an incredible 100 goals in La Liga this season – with Samuel Eto’o on 27 goals so far.

Barcelona now travel to Chelsea on Wednesday for their second leg semi final tie. Chelsea obtained a 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp last Tuesday, playing a defensive brand of football. Barcelona will be confident enough that they can score at Stamford Bridge – therefore Chelsea will need to beat the La Liga leaders – who are playing some unbelievable football at the minute.

Michel Platini, star of the 1982 and 1986 World Cup finals, will not be too pleased with the potential of another all English final, as Arsenal, Chelsea and current European Champions Manchester United all progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Platini, who has voiced concerns over the domination of English sides and the accumulating debts of some clubs, has criticised English clubs in the past and would have preferred to see a more balanced semi-final – considering 75% of the teams involved are from the Premier League. Barcelona make up the other semi-final slot – and they will be taking on Chelsea.

Champions League Fixtures

Tuesday 28th April 2009

Barcelona v Chelsea


Wednesday, 29 April 2009

Man Utd v Arsenal


Tuesday, 5 May 2009

Arsenal v Man Utd


Wednesday, 6 May 2009

Chelsea v Barcelona

Steven Gerrard is out of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Chelsea having failed to recover from a groin injury. Gerrard was rested against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, in which Liverpool won 4-0, and was expected to feature in the squad for the Champions League quarter final with Chelsea.

Chelsea team to face Liverpool: Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Carvalho, A Cole, Essien, Ballack, Lampard, Kalou, Malouda

Liverpool team to face Chelsea: Reina, Aurelio, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Kuyt, Lucas, Alonso, Mascherano, Benayoun, Torres

Bayern Munich team to face Barcelona: Butt, Lell, Demichelis, Lucio, Lahm, Sosa, Van Bommel, Ottl, Ze Roberto, Ribery, Toni

Barcelona team to face Bayern Munich: Valdes, Alves, Pique, Puyol, Abidal, Xavi, Toure, Keita, Messi, Eto’o, Iniesta

As the league season draws to an end the Arsenal skipper insists he and his team mates will fight till the end in pursuit of trophies.

In a bid to end all of Arsenal’s unwanted critiscism at the start of the season Fabregas is sure they can stay unbeaten till the end of the season and land at least one trophy to end a four year drought.

Arsenal’s up and down form and inability to kill games of in the leauge has left them fighting for fourth rather than first, but as they face Chelsea in the F.A. Cup semi’s and if they avoid defeat on wednesday they will be in the Champions league semi’s. The return to form and return of key players from injury at a key time has seen Arsenal go 28 games unbeaten(albeit a 1-0 loss to Roma but won the tie threw penalties), They are also the only side in England who haven’t lost this year and they haven’t conceded at home also this year, Robbie Keane’s goal for Liverpool being the last one conceded.

Arsenal face three massive games in the next ten days, Villarreal in the 2nd leg of the champions leauge quarter final, Chelsea at Wembly in the F.a. cup semi-final and then Liverpool in the league at Anfield. Fabregas feel’s confident Arsenal can win all three and the rest of the games to finish the season on a high and win his first trophy as club captain.

Arsenal will be without former captin William Gallas for the rest of the season, Gael Clichey and Johan Djorou both picked up knocks in the last week so both are a doubt for Wednesday.

Two members of Cristiano Ronaldo’s family, Godfather Fernao Sousa and cousin Luis Felipe, have urged the Portuguese International and Manchester United winger to join Real Madrid as he ‘needs a new team and challenge’.

Ronaldo, who played in the 2006 World Cup Finals, annoyed many at Old Trafford last season with his constant flirting with Real Madrid – despite winning the double with Manchester United. He eventually committed to United recently, although many at the club feel that Madrid will come in for him again this summer.

His Godfather Fernao told Madrid based newspaper “The mistake last year was to speak about Madrid so much. This year hardly anyone is saying anything and it is certain the transfer will go much better. He’s won everything with United and he needs new challenges with a new team.”

UEFA have confirmed that Liverpool will not have to play a match on April 15, which will be the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, after their scheduled Champions League quarter-final second leg against Chelsea was for April 14, rather than the 15th.

Liverpool had request that UEFA ensure they did not play on April 15, when a special memorial service will be held at Anfield in memory of the nintey six fans who were crushed to death at a 1989 FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium.

UEFA director of communications William Gaillard was quoted as saying “We could fulfil our promise to Liverpool and that makes us happy and we hope Liverpool fans can find the right atmosphere for honouring their loved ones,” . Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry, who will be leaving the club at the end of the season said the club were “very happy” with the outcome. Parry was quoted as saying “We are very appreciative of the decision to play the second leg on April 14. It was always clear from our discussions with UEFA that they understood the issue and the sensitivities involved around the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.”

European Champions Manchester United have been drawn with FC Porto in the quarter final of the Champions League. United lost their last tie with FC Porto 3-2 in 2004 after – with the Portuguese Champions eventually winning the tournament.

Arsenal will face Villarreal – a rematch of the 2006 semi-final, a game in which Arsenal won to go onto play Barcelona in the final. Barcelona will face Bayern Munich – with Bayern Munich full of confidence after their thrashing of Sporting Lisbon in the last round. However the tie of the round falls in England where Chelsea take on Liverpool, yet again.

Liverpool and Chelsea have played each other a number of times over the past five years – including the semi final last season. Liverpool were leading 1-0 at Anfield until an injury time own goal scored by John Arne Riise. Chelsea eventually won the tie to progress to the final in Moscow – where they lost on penalties to Manchester United. The first legs will take place on either April 7th or 8th with the return leg a week after,

Sir Alex Ferguson was happy with the draw as was quoted as saying “We are happy with the draw and we are looking forward to the next round”. Whereas Bayern boss Jurgen Klinsmann was more concerned with the threat of the English teams than his opposition Barcelona. The German World Cup winner was quoted as saying “The English clubs seemed more dangerous but in football anything can happen”.

The draw in full

Quarter Finals

• Villarreal v Arsenal
• Manchester United v Porto
• Liverpool v Chelsea
• Barcelona v Bayern Munich

Semi Finals

• Manchester United or Porto v Villarreal or Arsenal
• Barcelona v Bayern Munich or Liverpool v Chelsea