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I am sure you want to be reading this about as much as I want to be writing about it. Yes, behind what Mad Mario has been up to this week, it is the most talked about issue in English football – you’ve guessed it – Torres and Carroll, and what can be done to get more out of the players. Well given that I have just finished writing my awards for 2011, and both feature in the biggest disappointments category, I would suggest the kindest thing to do for both – bar taking a pair of scissors to Carroll’s ludicrous ponytail – is to suggest early retirement.

On a more serious note, it is a valid question (I begrudgingly suppose) to ask if both AVB and King Kenny are going the right way about getting the most out of the strikers by offering only cameo appearances and effectively relegating them to the bench.

Footballers, and forwards especially, have fragile egos, and being confined to the bench for most games is not something that is very likely to get the best out of them, and neither are in the mould of a super sub, needing to feel loved and wanted at a club to get the max from them, not to mention at least 70 minutes of the game.

That being said, if it is a choice between relegating my team or an overpriced donkey, I know which one I would pick. You cannot play a striker who neither scores nor assists, and especially with AVB’s situation over the last couple of months, I would no more advise a starting role for Torres than I would for John Terry to win citizen of the year.

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At the start of the season, AVB did give Torres a chance to be his main man, yet Torres did not deliver, and whilst his movement improved to the stage where it resembled a donkey with two legs not just one, it was still abysmal and after a stupid red card against Swansea, the emergence of Sturridge and the realisation by AVB that Drogba is and always should be the main man, Torres has found chances to prove himself wanting.

Likewise with Carroll, after failing to do much with the chances given to him by King Kenny, you cannot really crucify the manager for not wanting to play someone less likely to score than every other forward the club possesses – including a very talented Mr Suarez? In fact, Carroll has three more yellow cards than he does goals this season.

Ironically enough, both clubs may find themselves forced to play their expensive flops in the coming weeks – Drogba will be off for the best part of two months for the African Nations and should the Suarez ban stand for 8 games, Liverpool may find themselves a striker short.

With both clubs now fully aware that buying for big bucks in January does not guarantee anymore goals than standing over a toilet with your millions, pouring it down and then flushing, both may be wary of entering the market exactly a year after making the worst buys in recent memory.

For Torres and Carroll, a chance to prove themselves may well come around again, and with first team football looking likely – even though it is more of an enforced selection than anything else – each can show the world exactly why they were worth the hefty price tags paid for them.

The chances of this happening? About as high as me going out and buying a Barcelona shirt. Less than zero.

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Club Brugge beat Anderlecht and Standard Liege defeated Genk as the top two both lost in the Belgian First Division playoffs.Karel Geraerts put Brugge ahead after just four minutes of the Playoff I match at the Jan Breydelstadion.

The hosts doubled their advantage through an own goal from Anderlecht’s Croatian midfielder Ivan Perisic four minutes before half-time.

And it was 3-0 on 55 minutes courtesy of a strike from Nigeria international striker Joseph Akpala.

Anderlecht finished with 10 men after Argentine Matias Suarez received his second yellow card with 20 minutes to go.

In Sunday’s other Playoff I match, Standard Liege came from a goal down with four minutes remaining to beat group leaders Genk 2-1.

Visitors Genk led through a goal from Hungarian midfielder Daniel Tozser in the 68th minute at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.

The hosts leveled courtesy of an Axel Witzel penalty on 86 minutes, before Cameroonian forward Aloys Nong found the net in the 90th minute to snatch the win for Liege.

Genk and Anderlecht remain first and second in the Champions League qualification places, with Liege third in the automatic Europa League qualification berth and Club Brugge fourth.

In Playoff I, Group B leaders Westerlo came from behind to draw 1-1 away to Zulte-Waregem.

Striker Mahamadou Habibou put hosts Zulte ahead in the 39th minute at Regenboogstadion.

But the visitors leveled six minutes into the second half thanks to Brazilian Paulo Henrique.

Westerlo remain top of Group B, level on points with Germinal Beerschot and with the right to play off for a Europa League qualification spot at stake.

While most Liverpool supporters cannot wait for co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett’s turbulent reign at Anfield to be consigned to the dustbin of history, the American duo have other ideas. Despite calls for the duo to sell up swiftly and finally relinquish their power on Merseyside, Hicks and Gillett are determined to hang on as long as possible and bank as much money as they can in the process.

The co-owners troubled stay at the club looks set to continue, with Hicks and Gillett reportedly dragging their heels over a serious takeover bid from Chinese business tycoon Kenny Huang and several other offers on the table.

Texan businessman Hicks is reportedly holding out for an astonishing £800m, a figure which continues to represent a major stumbling block for potential investors, just three years after buying a 50% stake in the club in a £218.9m takeover. Gillett however is willing to sanction a cut-price deal in a bid cut his ties with the Merseysiders after a torrid spell at the helm. Business analysts have suggested the partners £800m asking price is a wildly unrealistic valuation, particularly as the club is currently saddled with £350m of debt. The true valuation of the club is considered to be nearer £325m, while investor Huang would be willing to bid up to £350m.

After falling out with the club’s supporters, manager and even each other, it was widely thought the co-owners would be willing to lower their asking price in order for a quick sale. The deeply unpopular pair fell out with Kopites after piling the club with debt, failing to deliver on a new stadium and entering into a bitter and public feud with former manager Rafael Benitez. It now appears the Americans are prepared to risk angering supporters even further by digging in and holding onto the club for as long is it takes for their valuation to be matched.

Potential investor Huang has been in talks with Royal Bank of Scotland representatives for several weeks now and has been desperate to conclude a deal before the end of the transfer window. This would give new manager Roy Hodgson the funds to bolster his squad ahead of the start of the season. While Huang and his investment company QSL Sports Ltd are keen to close a deal for the club they are unlikely to meet the current owners’ outrageous demands.

Meanwhile Hicks has also been accused by sources at Barclays Capital, the company in charge of the investment search, of already scuppering two perfectly legitimate bids as he looks to increase his profit margins from the sale. However RBS, who are owed £237m from Liverpool, could yet intervene by handing Hicks and Gillett an ultimatum to find a buyer if they want to continue receiving the bank’s backing.

A source from Barclays Capital revealed: “We have found more than one really good fit investors, who have the wealth not to worry about a few hundred million quid.

“But they will not be held to ransom, because they know the asking price is unreasonable, and they simply don’t want to be taken for a ride, no matter how rich they are.”

The longer the Americans remain in power at Anfield the more detrimental it will be to the long term future of the club. Having received a torrid of abuse during their three and a half year tenure at the club, Hicks and Gillett will be prepared for any supporter backlash should they attempt to block Huang’s efforts to seize control of the club. The handling of the sale simply highlights where the current owners’ priorities lie and they are certainly not with the future of the club.

Chinese investor Huang’s bid gives Liverpool the chance to move forward and should the Americans act swiftly and realistically, then the club could have a new owner before the start of the season. This would bring a huge sense of optimism to the club’s manager, players and supporters and possibly even the chance of fresh funds for signings after three years of doom and gloom under the Yanks.

After increasing the club’s debt by £200m and failing to deliver on player investment and a new stadium, the least the Americans can do is agree to a quick sale and let the club move forward. However should the Americans remain in charge; a huge dark cloud will remain over the club well into the new season.

Like my article? Read some other articles related to this post

– Liverpool set for challenging season

With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery

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There are some players who look amazing when playing the 2nd tier of English football but once they’ve made the step up to the big league, they fail to deliver. Whether it’s a prolific goal scorer, hard tackling midfielder or a decent shot stopper their performances in the Premier League, for one reason or another, have not matched the standard they had set in the Championship.

The standard of football between the two divisions has improved vastly over the last several seasons and this season sees the quality of the Championship as good as it ever has been. In defence of these players, there is of course a higher standard of football despite the dip in margin. For example, strikers are up against better teams and while they might have got 10 chances per game in the Football League, they may only get the odd few in the Prem.

So what unfortunate ten make my top ten list of players who are Championship rather than Premier League quality? Find out below…

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Click on Routledge below to see the Top TEN

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Compiled by Matt Freebody

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Roy Hodgson will be on a revenge mission when his West Bromwich Albion side host Liverpool in the English Premier League on Saturday.
Hodgson was sacked by Liverpool in January after just six months in charge at Anfield – the shortest managerial reign in the club’s history.

The 63-year-old took over at West Brom the following month, charged with keeping the promoted club in the top flight.

The Baggies are unbeaten in five matches under Hodgson, with one win and four draws seeing them climb to 16th on the table, one point above the relegation zone.

They should have beaten second-placed Arsenal in their last match on March 19, but let a two-goal lead slip to 2-2.

Liverpool turned to former player and manager Kenny Dalglish to replace Hodgson and the crowd favourite has presided over a considerable improvement in the team’s fortunes.

The Reds have moved up to sixth place on the table, recording victories over Manchester United and Chelsea in the process.

The club’s new American owners spent big in the January transfer window to bring in strikers Luis Suarez from Ajax and Newcastle United’s Andy Carroll.

Carroll has made just a handful of appearances for his new side due to injury, but has now returned to fitness and scored his first goal for England in a 1-1 draw with Ghana on Tuesday.

Liverpool benefited from a contentious penalty decision to defeat Sunderland 2-0 at home in their most recent outing, with Dirk Kuyt and Suarez on target.

Dalglish will be without his captain Steven Gerrard for the trip to the Hawthorns due to a groin injury.

Young midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is also unavailable, while fullbacks Martin Kelly and Fabio Aurelio are in doubt with hamstring problems.

West Brom have the majority of their squad available, with only defender Pablo Ibanez (hamstring) and Graham Dorrans (ankle) expected to miss out.

If you had to pick any player that divides public opinion with his sometimes outrageous antics both on and more recently off the field writing for the Daily Mirror, most people would look no further than Derby midfielder Robbie Savage and his latest interpretation on Wayne Rooney being seen having a crafty smoke will not doubt do just that.

Perhaps Savage makes a fair point when condemning the way in which players are reproved for their antics away from the football pitch by the media as although the very nature of their work sees them propelled into the spotlight, footballers are human beings just like the rest of us.

Whilst Rooney may light up a cigarette now, I’m sure all his ‘sins’ would be washed away if he provided the spark Manchester United require if they are to wrestle the Premier League crown off Chelsea this season and the media may again laud his footballing ability rather than needlessly plaster such insignificant news across their front pages.

The health risks are obvious, but one cigarette is not going to hamper his performances as suggested this week; in fact it may even help him to relax ahead of a new season in which we hope Rooney can once again encapsulate Premier League audiences with the scintillating displays that they have become so accustomed to.

The legendary Brazilian midfielder Socrates is reported to have smoked two packets a day through his playing career and yet he is remembered for his majestic midfield performances simply because in his era, the national press were not so obsessive over capturing sports stars up to no good. Zinedine Zidane was also captured smoking before the World Cup 2006 semi-final but the Portuguese could do little to stop him dominating the midfield to secure France a place in the final.

Savage’s argument is further vindicated by his referral to Blackburn midfielder Tugay and how the midfielder’s car used to “stink of smoke”. The Turkish midfielder retired as late as 39 after being an integral part of the engine room at Ewood Park.

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Ultimately, one or two cigarettes will hardly effect a player that much and it is rather exasperating that the media sensationalise stories such as the one Rooney has been involved with this week as opposed to embracing what will commence on the pitch come Saturday 14th August.

Arsene Wenger is lining up a stunning move to bring Kolo Toure back to Arsenal just over two years after he left the club to join Manchester City according to the Daily Mail.

The Gunners produced a superb performance to beat London rivals Chelsea 5-3 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday although Wenger still has reservations over his defence.

Summer signings Per Mertesacker and Andre Santos were both guilty of naive defending during the victory as the pair along with the rest of the back four made a number of errors during the game.

It’s now thought that the 62-year-old Frenchman is considering a bid to re-sign Toure from City despite the Ivory Coast defender departing the Emirates Stadium in a £16 million deal in 2009.

The 30-year-old is no longer a first team regular at the Etihad Stadium after sitting out the last six months as punishment for failing a drugs test in March.

He is now on a collision course with the club after they moved to withhold substantial image-rights payments which is something Toure is reportedly set to resist.

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His days in Manchester look numbered and he could find himself back in North London with Wenger supposedly keen to bring him back to Arsenal in an effort to shore up his error-ridden back four.

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Getting booked for taking off your shirt – Or any kind of booking for over-celebrating. Surely that’s what we want in football for the players to care a bit when they score and so mean it when they celebrate. I agree that deliberately celebrating in front of the opposition fans is not how players should behave, but getting booked for leaving the playing arena to celebrate with the fans or removing their shirt is ridiculous. It seems to me a rule bought in by the power of the sponsors and makes no football sense. As obviously when a player scores, he will be shown on camera and the sponsors want their company name to be shown too.

Insistence to leave out goal line technology – Although not strictly a rule I feel it belongs in this list. As recently as last month UEFA President Michel Platini ruled out the possibility of introducing any kind of technology based on the hawk eye system used in cricket and tennis to assist referees in goal line incidents. Citing what he describes as an introduction of PlayStation football. Certainly we wouldn’t want technology on every aspect of the game as that would be too disruptive. Surely though being able to see if the ball has crossed the line or not would aid the referees.

Pointless fifth and sixth officials – Following on from the lack of goal line technology, these extra officials are UEFA’s alternative in order to help the referee around the penalty area, in the belief that more eyes mean better decisions. However I have failed to see them greatly add to the game and more eyes on the pitch will not always result in correct decisions as you are also increasing the potential for disagreement amongst the officials and people still getting decisions wrong.

Unclear offside ruling – No-one seems to be entirely sure or in agreement about what being in ‘an active position’ entails when deciding if a player is offside. The rule states that a player is not offside until they become active in the play. For some this means that a player is not offside until they touch the ball. But players can gain advantages from being offside and not touching the ball by being in the goalkeepers line of sight or causing an unfair distraction and this is not always called up for being offside.

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The Bosman Case – Has transferred too much power in contract negotiations to the players, who are effectively now able to hold their club to ransom for the wages they desire, leaving to clubs that offer better wages when they feel like it. Previously this only affected smaller clubs who were forced to tie players down on longer contracts to ensure they wouldn’t leave on a free when their contract ended. But as the Rooney saga demonstrated not even clubs of Manchester United’s stature are free from this.

The lack of a salary cap – Following on from the implications of the Bosman case having no salary cap for players’ wages ensures that simply the richest clubs are allowed to pay over the odds for players. Manchester City is the most recent and obvious example of a club being able to pull in players from other clubs simply by offering that player a much bigger pay check than his current club could. Also surely it is simply morally wrong for footballers to be earning five or six times the national average wage in a week.

Acceptance of ‘Professional fouls’ – When say a team are counter-attacking and a player on the defending team deliberately fouls a player so a free kick is given in a relatively harmless position and they are able to get numbers back to defend. This is often glazed over by commentators as the defender ‘using their experience’. But I feel it gives an unfair advantage to the defending team through cheating, and more should be done to ensure the attacking team kept the advantage of numbers that they had.

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If a player’s been punished on the pitch he cannot be suspended retroactively by the governing body – Even if a player is seen afterwards to have severely broken the rule to the extent that everyone is agreement they should have been sent off, if the referee gave say a yellow card for the incident. The governing body is subsequently powerless to reassess the incident and decide if a more severe punishment is required.

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The January Transfer window – Has been an odd addition to the game since it was introduced in the 2002-03 season. It encourages panic buying, leads to an inflation of transfer fees therefore hindering smaller clubs and allows big clubs that had perhaps faltered an unfair advantage to add to their squads. Its main appeal is not for football reasons but from media who love to sell rumours and feed of the excitement of transfers, along with fans who are encouraged to be excited by who their club could bring in during the window.

Having to leave the field of play before returning if you pick up an injury – The thinking behind this law was to ensure the game could flow as an injured player wasn’t being treated on the field. Yet how it is carried out in today’s game ensures an advantage to the team who have usually been in the wrong by injuring an opposition player. There are countless examples when this man advantage, however brief, has led to goals.

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Compiled by Joe Walsh

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David Ngog is certainly a player who divides opinion on Merseyside.  Some view the young Frenchman as a waste of space, while others believe that he has been hung out to dry at Liverpool and not been given the opportunity he deserves to enable him to find his feet at Anfield. I personally find myself somewhere in between, although I do believe that some of the criticism is a little harsh given that he is a young player and still learning his craft.

Unfortunately last season was a harsh one for all Liverpool supporters and it was easy to pinpoint scapegoats. With Torres out injured Ngog was expected to take on the goalscoring burden, which was a tough gig for the youngster and the expectation levels on him were a little high and in my view unwarranted given his inexperience. He did show some promise at times last season and it makes you wonder what Roy Hodgson should do with Ngog for next season.

There have been contrasting rumours in the media in the last two weeks with regards to his future and whether he has one at Anfield. It has been mooted that West Brom are keen to take him on a season long loan, while other reports suggest that Hodgson is putting him up for sale at £6m to raise funds to strengthen the squad. Some of the forums suggest that we should attempt to get as much as we can for him as he is deemed a lost cause; personally I would send Ngog out on loan for a season at least, to give us a better reflection as to whether he can cut it in the Premier League.

So what should Hodgson do with David Ngog? Does the Frenchman deserve one last chance at Anfield?

Click on image to see a gallery of the BEST BABES at the World Cup this summer

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Rafael van der Vaart is not best pleased with life at Tottenham Hotspur of late. He has been effectively marginalised in the first time by a switch in formation and the searing form of Luka Modric; he was incredulous at being left out of Spurs’ Europa League group stage squad, criticising the club for displaying a lack of ambition. Harry Redknapp took action at the weekend to correct the issue – but it backfired on Tottenham, nearly costing the team all three points at St James’ Park.

Redknapp’s tactical basis thus far in the 2011/12 Premier League season has been to stick to an old-fashioned but flexible 4-4-2 system, and it has worked wonders for Tottenham. Since their opening defeats at the hands of the Manchester giants, Spurs were in some of the best form in the league, as demonstrated by superb victories over both Liverpool and Arsenal.

But in an attempt to revitalise van der Vaart, who is not always effective in a wide position and lacks any desire to track back when his team is not in possession, Redknapp chose to return to last year’s unpopular 4-5-1 for the trip to Newcastle on Sunday, restoring van der Vaart to his preferred trequartista role while pushing Modric (right-footed) and Bale (left-footed) onto the left and right wings, respectively.

Clearly, van der Vaart’s low mood has forced Harry’s hand. It is well known of the mercurial Dutchman that he is not blessed with the world’s most resolute mindset. But just as obvious is that Redknapp and Tottenham have not learned how to deal with temperamental star players, despite their previous experience of such personalities (David Ginola springs to mind, for some reason).

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Modric has been quoted this week as saying he is unsure he wants to sign a new deal at White Hart Lane – although since he is already tied down to the club for five years, with Daniel Levy showing no sign of wanting to relinquish his services, it would be fiscally prudent to do so. Now it appears van der Vaart must be accommodated, even if it is at the detriment of the team as a collective.

Redknapp was heavily praised by journalists attending the post-match press conference for a “stroke of genius” in introducing Defoe, but the Englishman brushed that compliment aside. “If I was really clever,” he responded, “I’d have started him and maybe we’d have won the game.”

It should be noted that the blame for the tactical switch cannot be solely laid on van der Vaart’s insecurities. Redknapp himself emphasised that he was switching the shape around to account for Newcastle’s strength in the middle of the park. Yohan Cabaye and Cheik Tiote are one of the more industrious central-midfield pairings in the Premier League at present and a big part of why the Toon are still unbeaten in mid-October. But with Spurs in such strong form themselves, should Redknapp be gambling on switching strategies for a game of this importance, when a strong return was so vital to keep up the momentum of the derby victory following the international break?

The decision to rest Defoe from the start risked hampering his burgeoning relationship with new strike partner Emmanuel Adebayor. Bale and Modric were extremely quiet until they switched over after the first half-hour. Van der Vaart scored the penalty to give Spurs an initial lead, and had a good game, but he would still have been on the park to take the spot-kick in a 4-4-2 and Modric, Bale and Defoe would have performed better (if the 2011/12 season thus far is anything to go by). Take a good look at the video Harry – here’s hoping you switch back to what has been working by the time Spurs face Blackburn next weekend.

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