There are many, especially those who don’t have very much of an interest in sport, who think that top athletes are overpaid to do nothing more than ‘play a game’. However, there are many like Lionel Messi, Tom Brady, Derrick Rose, and others who are the best or among the best in their respective sports that look like they at least somewhat deserve the high salaries that they receive.

On the other hand, there are others who, well, don’t.

In some cases, the talent is there, but the production isn’t whether due to injury, lack of effort or confidence, or personal distractions, or other reasons, and in others, the talent may not be what it was or seemed to be at one time.

Here’s a look at ten footballers who top the list of well-paid disappointments. Not long ago, this list would have included Fernando Torres, but it’s hard to criticize the man after the week he had, and the likes of Diego, who’s been a vital part of Atletico Madrid’s run to the Europa League final, and Wesley Sneijder, whose form has picked up under new Inter manager Andrea Stramaccioni, also get a pass.

David Bentley, Tottenham

At one point, it looked like David Bentley was set for a big future with club and country. Unfortunately, his career has tailed off dramatically since his move to White Hart Lane.

Two excellent seasons at Blackburn Rovers saw Tottenham splash out £17m for the former Arsenal prospect in the summer of 2008. Has he repaid the investment? Not even close. An argument could be made that he’s never really been Harry Redknapp’s cup of tea, but he also hasn’t been fantastic, minus a few flashes.

After an unimpressive loan spell at Birmingham City in the second half of last season, he went on loan to Championship side West Ham early this season. However, that stint would last only two starts and three substitute appearances before he was ruled out for several months due to knee surgery.

At 27, there’s still some time to get his career back on the right path and maybe even get back into the England picture, but the last few years don’t offer much encouragement for the future.

Wayne Bridge, Sunderland

Bridge was one of the first new faces of the Roman Abramovich era at Chelsea and was a regular starter early on. But for much of the last several seasons, he’s rarely been a regular starter, first at Chelsea, then at Manchester City, where he moved for £10m in January 2009.

After a loan stint at West Ham in the second half of last season, it seemed a given that he’d leave City last summer. However, he remained there, making only a solitary Carling Cup appearance before a January loan move to Sunderland. The perfect move, right? Not quite. Instead of establishing himself as a regular for the Black Cats, he’s made only three starts in almost three months.

He’s still carved out a respectable career, which includes 36 caps for England, and he’s set for life if he’s managed his money well. Still, one can’t help but look at his career and wonder if it‘s been what it could or should be.

Andy Carroll, Liverpool

At some point in the future, Andy Carroll could be worth £35m and high wages.

At present, however, he is not. The promise is certainly there, as shown by his back-to-back late winners against Everton and Blackburn this month. But the investment was too much, too soon for someone who hadn’t quite matured enough as a player or a person. And a return of only eight goals from more than 40 appearances this season wouldn’t quite cut it, even if his price tag was £15-20m smaller.

He turned 23 only in January, so he has time on his side, along with great talent and potential. But right now his paycheck is 75% potential and 25% production, at best.

Stewart Downing, Liverpool

If you were to cast a vote for the worst summer 2011 Premier League transfer, Downing would almost certainly top the list.

Downing is a quality player, but it’d have taken a lot for him to justify the £20m that Liverpool paid Aston Villa for him last summer. And thus far, it’d be a stretch to say he’s paid even a tenth of that investment. With only three league games left, Downing has yet to record a single league goal or assist. Zero, zilch, nada, nil. He has delivered two goals and an assist in Liverpool’s run to the FA Cup Final, but no matter how you shake it, he has been a tremendous, tremendous disappointment.

Edin Dzeko, Manchester City

Over the last few years, City have spent quite lavishly, to say the least. Some of their investments have panned out, and some haven’t.

Thus far, their £27m investment on Dzeko hasn‘t panned out as perhaps expected. After only six goals in 21 appearances last season after joining from VfL Wolfsburg in January 2011, he had a torrid start to this season, matching that total in his first three matches. But he hasn’t been able to keep it up, scoring only three goals in his last 19 league appearances after notching 10 in his first nine. Dzeko is no doubt a fine striker, but the presence of Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli, and Carlos Tevez certainly don‘t give one much margin for error, and there’s a high chance he leaves the club in the summer.

Andre-Pierre Gignac, Marseille

Where, oh where, to start with Monsieur Gignac? His long-term weight issues? The disrespectfulness to his manager that earned him a few days with the reserves earlier this season? Or his lack of goals?

To be frank, Andre-Pierre Gignac has had all of one great season, the 2008/09 campaign in which he scored 24 league goals for Toulouse. So it could be said that the £13m Marseille paid for him in the summer of 2010 was a bit much, especially when you consider PSG were able to land Kevin Gameiro this past summer for just a little more than £9m.

Gignac was a Marseille supporter since childhood, so this was supposed to be a dream move. But to this point, he‘s been a colossal nightmare. Last season, he netted 12 goals in all competitions, but he never found any consistent form. This season, he’s been downright atrocious. In more than 20 appearances – most of which have been from the bench – he’s scored only once, in a Coupe de la Ligue win over Lens in October.

Along with a failed last-minute move to Fulham in the summer, Gignac reportedly turned down a January move to Everton, saying he’d only leave Marseille for a club like Manchester United. However, he needs to do far better to have a chance at such a club. If he doesn’t step it up soon, he’ll end up low on salary and high on regret.

Yoann Gourcuff, Lyon

When Lyon forked out £18m for Gourcuff in August 2010, they were likely expecting more seasons like the two impressive campaigns he had for Bordeaux. To date, he’s fallen well short.

Last season, Gourcuff scored only four goals and notched five assists in 36 appearances for Lyon. This season, injuries prevented him from debuting until October, and an adductor injury in February against APOEL sidelined him until recently. When he has been on the pitch, he hasn’t delivered, producing only one goal and one assists in all competitions.

With all of the high fees that Lyon have received for star players over the last several years, their finances won’t be hurting if they have to take a sizable hit on Gourcuff. Still, Jean-Michel Aulas will be hoping that the former AC Milan starlet can at least somewhat show why he commanded such a high fee two summers ago.

Stephen Ireland, Aston Villa

Three seasons ago, Stephen Ireland looked like one of the English Premier League’s rising stars, as he was in stellar play-making form for Manchester City.

But City’s lavish spending, a dip in form, and the arrival of Roberto Mancini the next season brought his ascension to a screeching halt. He moved to Aston Villa as part of City’s move for James Milner in the summer of 2010, but he was dropped a few months into the season, and then-manager Gerard Houllier publicly called him out for a lack of all-around effort.

Ireland moved to Newcastle United on loan in January 2011, but he didn’t debut until mid-April and made only two sub appearances before a season-ending ankle injury. He’s returned to the Villa fold this season under Alex McLeish and has shone in spots, but he’s also had his bad moments, like telling McLeish to ‘fuck off’ during a February defeat at Newcastle.

He has the talent to be a difference-maker in Villa’s push to avoid the drop and delivered a quality performance against Sunderland a week ago. But if they fail to stay up, his high wages make it highly likely that he’ll be on his way out in the summer.

Jermaine Jenas, Tottenham

You never like to kick a man when he’s down, but Jenas has not been what he could be.

Jenas used to be a fairly regular scorer and provider, but since the start of the 2009/10 season, he has all of one goal and notched only a few assists. Spurs loaned him out to Aston Villa at the end of last August, and he didn’t make his debut until November due to thigh and Achilles issues. After two substitute appearances, he made his first Villa start at home to Manchester United in early December… and lasted a little more than an hour before being stretched off with what proved to be a season-ending Achilles rupture.

Worse yet for Villa, they’ve reportedly been stuck paying his wages, which are £45k per week, for the duration of the season. That means that they’ll fork out more than £1m in wages for someone who played less than 120 minutes of football for them. Ouch.

Luca Toni, Al Nasr

For several years, Toni was known as one of Europe’s deadliest strikers, banging in more than 150 goals for Palermo, Fiorentina, and Bayern Munich in a six-season stretch. But as his career winds down, he’s been getting paid a lot to do very little.

Last season, he joined Genoa on a free transfer from Bayern, and he scored only three league goals in 16 appearances before moving to Juventus for free in January 2011. That move didn’t pan out so well, as he scored only twice in 14 league appearances in the second half of last season. This season, he didn’t feature at all for Juve in the first several months of the season, so it wasn’t a surprise to see him depart in January. But he hasn’t been as much of a hit for UAE side Al Nasr thus far as they might have hoped for, with only four goals from his first 10 appearances.

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The best part about holiday shopping is the amount of discounts you can find. It is very important to go around the market before buying something because you never know, you might find it for cheaper elsewhere.

Keeping that in mind, I looked around for quality presents with good discounts and picked, what I thought, were really good bargains.

Real Madrid 2011-12 Third kit

adidas have made a red third kit for Real Madrid’s 2011-12 UEFA Champions League campaign. The red shirt has white adidas stripes on the shoulder.

The original price of this red Galacticos shirt is £41.24 but you can buy the 11-12 Real Madrid Champions League third shirt for £35.05.

Nike Total90 Strike IV

The Strike IV by Nike is the ideal football boot for powerful shooting and accuracy. Strike IV is designed to provide you assistance in touch, control, optimal precision and uniform striking surface.

The T90 Strike IV is available for £58.66 and that’s after a 26% discount – from the actual price of £79.99.

V. Persie 9 – Holland 2010 World Cup Home Shirt

Nike manufactures the sports goods for the Holland national team and the number 9 orange home shirt of the sensational Arsenal skipper, Robin van Persie, is available on the Soccerlens Store.

The original price of this shirt was £59.99 and it is on a 5% discount. You can buy the 10-11 Holland home shirt for £56.99.

Zidane 10 – France 2010 World Cup Home Shirt

It was a disappointing trip to South Africa for the 1998 champions. Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema were already trapped in a lot of controversy and to add to the tension, there were disagreements in the dressing room. It was clearly a different France than we last saw in 2006 under the captaincy of the great Zinedine Zidane.

The original price of this adidas manufactured shirt was £54.99 but with a 45% discount, you can buy the 10-11 France home shirt for £30.

Drogba 11 – Ivory Coast 2010 World Home Shirt

Didier Drogba’s injury to the forearm kept him from performing a hundred percent. On top of that, it would have been quite a task to beat Brazil and Portugal. North Korea was the fourth team in their group. They still managed a goalless draw with Portugal and a three goal win over Korea but Brazil was just too strong for them.

That was probably Drogba’s last World Cup as a top class striker. The Chelsea ace wore the number 11 for his national team.

The original price of the shirt was £59.99 but we’re offering a 42% discount. You can now buy the 10-11 Ivory Coast home shirt for £35.

Beckham 7 – England Euro 2012 Home Shirt

David Beckham was the most influential footballer in recent times and his experience and skills were unmatched across England. His presence will be missed but there is a lot of promising young blood coming through.

The original price of the Euro 2012 home shirt was £59.99. After a massive 42% discount, you can buy the 11-12 England home shirt for £35.

Eto’o 9 – Cameroon 2010 World cup Away Shirt

Samuel Eto’o is as clinical as a striker can get. If his successful spells at Barcelona and Inter Milan don’t convince you enough, his larger than life pay-check with Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala should leave you dumbfounded.

The original price of this shirt was £59.99 but after a 42% discount, you can buy the 10-11 Cameroon away shirt for £35.

adidas adiPower Predator

The adidas Predator was formerly worn by players like Xavi, Lionel Messi and many others in top competitions around the world. It’s built for speed, power and swerve.

The original price of the boot was £154.99. Kitbag is offering a 29% discount and you can buy the adidas Predator for £109.99.

Robbie Fowler Signed Liverpool Shirt

The Liverpool born striker came through the youth ranks of the Reds and played through his prime at Liverpool. He left his childhood club and moved the Leeds United and went on to impress fans across England. He also made appearances for Manchester City and had another stint at Liverpool.

To honor the Reds legend, here’s a personally signed Liverpool numbed 9 shirt of Robbie Fowler:

The original price of this framed shirt was £366.67. Kitbag is offering a 15% discount and you can buy the Fowler signed Liverpool home shirt for £311.67.

This magnificent collector’s item was originally priced at £916.67. Kitbag if offering a 15% discount and the Pele and Maradona dual framed and signed shirts for £779.17.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Euro 2012 – the 14th European Championship for teams sanctioned by the UEFA – is scheduled to be played between 8th June and 1st July 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Spain are the current holders of the cup – they defeated Germany in the final in Austria / Switzerland version of the tournament in 2008.

The groups and the schedule of the Euro 2012 have been announced and the groups are as follows:

Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic
Group B: Holland, Denmark, Germany, Portugal
Group C: Spain, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Croatia
Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England

You can see the team by team preview of Euro 2012 from a couple of weeks ago and here we’re covering the football gear to be used by the national teams in the tournament.

Before we look at what kits the players will be donning for the competition, lets look at the official Euro 2012 match ball:

adidas Tango 12

The official match ball that will be used for the duration of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine in the coming summers is the adidas Tango 12. It is a brand new ball inspired by the famous line of adidas Tango balls.

Here’s a picture of the ball. As soon as it is made available, we will have it up for grabs in the Soccerlens Store.

Official UEFA Euro 2012 Match Ball: adidas Tango 12
(Click to enlarge image)

All the football gear and kit manufacturers have lined up for the biggest tournament in Europe and they present to you the Euro 2012 shirts:

Croatia

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Czech Republic

Chelsea stopper Petr Cech, Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky and Galatasaray forward Milan Baros will probably be featuring for the last time in a major tournament and surely, they will all want to end their careers on a high.

Czech Republic will wear a Puma manufactured red shirt with white and blue details. They will be playing in Group A.

Czech Rep. Home Shirt

Click here to buy Czech Republic Euro 2012 home shirt.

Denmark

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

England

England captain John Terry came under much scrutiny before the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but this time around, things seems to be relatively smoother. Fabio Capello will be looking to exit the job with grace.

England are placed in Group D and will play their opening fixture against the French national team. The Three Lions will wear a plain white shirt, manufactured by Umbro.

England Home Shirt

Click here to buy England Euro 2012 home shirt.

They will wear navy blue away shirts with light blue collars.

England Away Shirt

Click here to buy England Euro 2012 away shirt.

France

France are also placed in Group D and they will play their opening fixture against England. The French squad is relatively younger blood from last time around. Karim Benzema is set to lead the attack as Franck Ribery will takeover the creative part.

Les Bleus will wear a Nike manufactured navy blue shirt. The only details on the shirt are the Nike swoosh and the team emblem.

France Home Shirt

Click here to buy France Euro 2012 home shirt.

The Frenchmen will wear a white away shirt with black horizontal stripes – kind of like the prisoners.

France Away Shirt

Click here to buy France Euro 2012 away shirt.

Germany

Euro 2008 finalists, Germany are seeded in Group B and it is the toughest group in this tournament. Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski will be looking to steal the show with sound backing from the rest of the squad. Joachim Low will be looking to leave previous disappointments behind.

Germans will wear a very attractive white shirt with diagonal black, red and yellow lines on the front and black adidas pin-stripes on the shoulder.

Germany Home Shirt

Click here to buy Germany Euro 2012 home shirt.

Greece

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Holland

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Italy

Participating in Group C, Italy will open the tournament with a match against the world champions. Juventus’ fantastic shot-stopper Gianluigi Buffon will look to play this tournament through as Daniele De Rossi and his midfield will have to take the pressure off of defence and supply Mario Balotelli up front.

Italy will wear the Puma manufactured blue shirt with a white collar containing details in the colours of the Italian flag.

Italy Home Shirt

Click here to buy Italy Euro 2012 home shirt.

Poland

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Portugal

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Republic of Ireland

LA Galaxy striker and national team captain Robbie Keane will look to lead Ireland to at least give a tough time to the giants of Group C. He will need all the expertise Shay Given, John O’Shea and Darron Gibson have to offer.

Ireland will wear a white away shirt with green details. The kits are manufactured by Umbro.

Rep. of Ireland Away Shirt

Click here to buy Republic of Ireland Euro 2012 away shirt.

Russia

Arsenal striker Andrie Arshavin will captain a Russia side out of which only four players ply their trade outside of the country. Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko, Vfb Stuttgart forward Pavel Pogrebnyak and Everton midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov are the three other players who play outside of Russian Premier League. Yuri Zhirkov’s services will also be available.

Russia will wear an adidas manufactured red shirt with a blue and white diagonal stripe going down the front.

Russia Home Shirt

Click here to buy Russia Euro 2012 home shirt.

Spain

Reigning world and European champions, Spain will play Euro 2012 in Group C. Since the triumph in the World Cup, the Spaniards haven’t been in top form but they should never be underestimated with the quality of the squad they possess.

Head coach Vicente del Bosque will be looking for a repeat performace from his team which features five Real Madrid players and eight Barcelona players. Another three Barca players have been called-up for the squad recently (Martin Montoya, Thiago Alcantara and Pedro).

Spain will wear a red jersey proudly featuring a single golden star above their team emblem. The kit is manufactured by adidas.

Spain Home Shirt

Click here to buy Spain Euro 2012 home shirt.

Sweden

Coming soon to the Soccerlens Store…

Ukraine

Andriy Shevchenko captains the Ukraine side and the former AC Milan and Chelsea striker will look to impress in front of his home crowd. Ukraine are in Group D and will face tough competition from Sweden, France and England.

They will wear an adidas manufactured yellow shirt with blue details.

Ukraine Home Shirt

Click here to buy Ukraine Euro 2012 home shirt.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Update: Groups Draw details and the official match ball of Euro 2012 added. Scroll down to view.

With the 16 teams competing in Euro 2012 now selected and the qualifying process complete, all eyes look to Poland and Ukraine as time ticks down. The seeding for the selection of the group stages has been completed also, with the draw for the pool stages happening in Kiev on December 3rd. English and Irish fans will look for a favourable draw, but both nations will know that the competition is packed with top teams.

Pot 1 consists of co-host Poland and Ukraine, world champions Spain and a technically gifted Netherlands side; most participants will be keen to draw the hosts rather than the other two powerhouses.

SPAIN

Spain’s mantle as the top team in the world has been slightly diminished of late, as poor results in friendlies against Spain and Costa Rica have tarnished the end of 2011 for La Roja. Vicente Del Bosque has a plethora of players to choose from however, with a strong base from Barcelona and Real Madrid making up the majority of the team.

The Spaniards midfield is still as menacing as ever, with Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Xabi Alonso world class players that opponents will struggle to compete against; however Xavi is still Spain’s main man and will orchestrate long periods of possession for the world champions.

NETHERLANDS

Holland impressed during the qualifying rounds, and again must go into the tournament as one of the favourites. Bert van Marwijk’s men, similar to Spain, have had an under-par end to the year however, as the Oranje lost their last qualifying game to Sweden and were put to the sword by Germany in a recent friendly, losing 3-0.

Despite this the squad is full of talent and a number of young players are battling the established names for a place in the starting XI. Although their defence at times can be questioned, their attack cannot.

Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder will look to provide chances for red hot striker Robin van Persie. The Arsenal man is proving himself to be one of the top hitmen in Europe, and will look to fire his nation to glory.

POLAND

On of the downfalls of hosting a major tournament is the fact that you do not get to take part in qualification, and Polish fans will hope that Franciszek Smuda’s men do not suffer due to a lack of competitive fixtures. Solid performances in friendlies over the last 12 months have seen the host draw with Germany and beat the likes of Belarus and Hungary; the home crowd will also play a key part in their chances.

Borussia Dortmund attacker Robert Lewandowski was a key figure in the German club’s Bundesliga success last season, and will be counted on to get goals for the Eastern European side.

Poland are co-hosts.

UKRAINE

Ukraine have had inconsistent form over the last year, and with the glory days of Sergei Rebrov and Andriy Shevchenko over, Oleg Blokhin has had to look to the youth in his side.

Dynamo Kiev forward Andriy Yarmolenko holds the weight of expectation on his shoulders, as the 22-year-old has shown the necessary promise to fill the boots of the generation before him.

Ukraine are co-hosts.

England find themselves in the second tier of the seeding, alongside old enemy and highly-fancied Germany; 2006 World Cup winners Italy and an unpredictable Russia team make up this quartet.

ENGLAND

England have been inconsistent over the qualifying rounds, and despite showing their quality at times can also lack creativity and the ability to break teams down. Fabio Capello will be buoyed on by an unbeaten qualifying campaign and friendly victories over Spain and Sweden, but will look for more from his team if they are to pose as realistic challengers.

Wayne Rooney’s absence in the pool stages will be a real blow for The Three Lions, and the Italian coach will be under pressure to find a replacement that can fire the side into the knockout rounds. Scott Parker has really matured over the last 12-18 months, and the Tottenham man could showcase the determination and will to win to inspire his team-mates; a North London central midfield partnership alongside Jack Wilshere could just prove the balance England needs.

GERMANY

Germany, as always when a major tournament rolls round, must be considered as serious contenders.

Joachim Low has comprised a squad with an enviable mix of experience and youth, and a flawless qualifying campaign proves testament to the side’s motivation to succeed.

The German side is packed full of quality, but playmakers Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze in particular have vital attributes in creating chances for sharpshooter Mario Gomez.

ITALY

Italy traditionally have blown hot and cold when it comes to international tournaments, and the Azzurri this time round have shown inconsistency and a lack of a real killer instinct in the qualifying rounds.

Cesare Prandelli has a football mad nation keen to recapture the glory days, and a wide ranging player base to choose from – however the side in blue will most likely adopt cautious tactics and look to win fixtures by the odd goal.

Mario Balotelli looks to have been given a real chance to start up front in the absence of Giuseppe Rossi and Antonio Cassano, and may lead the line alongside Juventus’ Alessandro Matri.

However the key man for Italy will be at the back, where Giorgio Chiellini will look to emulate great Italian central defenders of the past, and organise a stubborn rearguard upon which the midfield and attack can build upon.

RUSSIA

Dick Advocaat’s Russian side will fancy their chances of upsetting some of the bigger names, as the proximity of the tournament favours the Eastern European side. A solitary defeat in qualification has shown that Russia are an emerging superpower in the game, and they undoubtedly harbour a number of excellent players.

Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko are struggling currently at their North London clubs; the experienced duo will need to find their form to inspire a talented but not yet proven team.

The third pot is made up of four seasoned and competitive nations, as Portugal, Sweden, Croatia and Greece lie in wait. The likes of Zlatan Ibrahmovic and Cristiano Ronaldo are first rate players in supposed third rate teams, but none of the participants in this pot will be pushovers.

PORTUGAL

Portugal were beaten to the top of Group H by Denmark, but the Iberian nation powered past Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoffs to book their place at Europe’s top table. Coach Paulo Bento has ruffled some feathers since taking charge of the team, with veteran duo Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Bosingwa retiring from international football after falling out with the former midfielder.

Despite the absence of the experienced pair, Portugal still have an abundance of quality, with the likes of Nani and Joao Moutinho sure to terrorise opposition defences. Their key man is obviously Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, and if the 26-year-old  can replicate the form and goalscoring ability he shows for his club on the international stage, Portugal will take some beating.

SWEDEN

The Swedes have a technically gifted and balanced side, made from a mix of players playing in their homeland and the top European leagues. Erik Hamren’s side qualified as a top runner up in qualification, and had they not had Netherlands in their group may well have topped a pool.

Temperamental but clearly gifted Zlatan Ibrahimovic hold the nation’s destiny in his hands.

Although Ibra was ineffective in the recent game against England at Wembley, his club record tells a completely different story. It will be a long-shot, still, to believe that he can single-handedly take his nation all the way through the competition.

GREECE

The Euro 2004 champions look to have recovered form and showcased some excellent football in an unbeaten qualification process.

Fernando Santos’ squad still has some remnants from the triumphant side from seven years ago, which is complemented by exuberant youngsters breaking into the international fray.

PAOK striker Dimitris Salpingidis has learnt from some of the senior goal-getters in recent Greek history, and has the ability to cause opposition defences a headache.

CROATIA

Slaven Bilic’s men made the finals by comprehensively beating Turkey 3-0 in the playoffs, and should not be written off. The Croats follow Luka Modric’s direction, and the Tottenham playmaker has the ability to hurt any side in the world, whilst Bayern Munich attacker Ivica Olic will be keen to add to his tally of 15 international goals.

Modric’s club teammate Niko Kranjcar and Bolton Wanderers’ Ivan Klasnic will also be available for selection. Both of them last played for the national team in October against Latvia.

Finally, Republic of Ireland find themselves in the lowest tier of seeding for the tournament, but will have expected this. Giovanni Trapattoni’s men are bunched alongside an under-performing France, dark horses Czech Republic and Denmark.

FRANCE

France have not shown enough quality to make it into the top pots, and the French public will not be happy as being deemed as a fourth-tier side. A late goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina ensured Les Bleus automatic progression to the tournament, but their form in qualification was nothing to write home about.

Laurent Blanc is widely seen as the man to spark a renaissance, and the coach undoubtedly has talented players to call upon. Experienced international heads such as Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema will harbour most of the responsibility for leading their nation’s dreams – but look out for Sochaux playmaker Marvin Martin.

The starlet has rose to fame over the last 12 months, and his craft and guile has prompted many in the game to compare him to Zinedine Zidane; it could be Martin’s time to announce himself to the world game.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

The Emerald Isle will be competing in the European championships for the first time since 1988, and a wave of expectancy has washed over the country since a 5-1 aggregate victory over Estonia ensured Ireland’s place at the finals.

Giovanni Trapattoni still relies on old heads Richard Dunne, Shay Given and Robbie Keane, but faith should be put in some of the younger players such as Aidan McGeady to compete at the highest level.

DENMARK

The Danes qualified for the tournament by topping Group H ahead of Portugal, and Morten Olsen’s men will go into the competition full of confidence.

If the Scandinavians can get off to a good start they will be a match for most, and in Christian Eriksen they have one of the brightest prospects in the world game. The Ajax midfielder will look to impress to force a transfer to one of Europe’s biggest clubs, and has the energy and guile to win a game for Denmark.

CZECH REPUBLIC

It is fair to say that the Czech Republic are not the force that once saw them challenge for international tournaments in the 2000′s, but Michael Bilek’s men will still provide a tricky test to their opponents next year.

Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky captains the side and is a talisman for the nation, but the Czechs are going through a transitional period as a number of the under-21 players make the step up to the seniors.

However, still the elders of the team, like Milan Baros, carry the hopes of their nation.

So there you have it; although there is a lot of football to be played before Euro 2012 starts in earnest, most of the major players in the continent will have one eye on the finals. With the groups being drawn in the forthcoming weeks excitement over the tournament should build, as there are many nations that could realistically experience glory next year.

Groups

Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic.
Group B: Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal.
Group C: Spain, Italy, Ireland, Croatia.
Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England.

Euro 2012 Schedule

Match schedule
All kick-offs CET, Ukrainian time is one hour ahead

Friday 8 June 2012
#1: POL v GRE, 18.00CET, Warsaw
#2: RUS v CZE, 20.45CET, Wroclaw

Saturday 9 June 2012
#3: NED v DEN, 18.00CET, Kharkiv
#4: GER v POR, 20.45CET, Lviv

Sunday 10 June 2012
#5: ESP v ITA, 18.00CET, Gdansk
#6: IRL v CRO, 20.45CET, Poznan

Monday 11 June 2012
#7: FRA v ENG, 18.00CET, Donetsk
#8: UKR v SWE, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Tuesday 12 June 2012
#9: GRE v CZE, 18.00CET, Wroclaw
#10: POL v RUS, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Wednesday 13 June 2012
#11: DEN v POR, 18.00CET, Lviv
#12: NED v GER, 20.45CET, Kharkiv

Thursday 14 June 2012
#13: ITA v CRO, 18.00CET, Poznan
#14: ESP v IRL, 20.45CET, Gdansk

Friday 15 June 2012
#15: SWE v ENG, 20.45CET, Kyiv
#16: UKR v FRA, 18.00CET, Donetsk

Saturday 16 June 2012
#17: CZE v POL, 20.45CET, Wroclaw
#18: GRE v RUS, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Sunday 17 June 2012
#19: POR v NED, 20.45CET, Kharkiv
#20: DEN v GER, 20.45CET, Lviv

Monday 18 June 2012
#21: CRO v ESP, 20.45CET, Gdansk
#22: ITA v IRL, 20.45CET, Poznan

Tuesday 19 June 2012
#23: ENG v UKR, 20.45CET, Donetsk
#24: SWE v FRA, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Wednesday 20 June 2012
No matches

Thursday 21 June 2012
#25: 1A v 2B, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Friday 22 June 2012
#26: 1B v 2A, 20.45CET, Gdansk

Saturday 23 June 2012
#27: 1C v 2D, 20.45CET, Donetsk

Sunday 24 June 2012
#28: 1D v 2C, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Monday 25 June 2012
No matches

Tuesday 26 June 2012
No matches

Wednesday 27 June 2012
#29: W#25 v W#27, 20.45CET, Donetsk

Thursday 28 June 2012
#30: W#26 v W#28, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Friday 29 June 2012
No matches

Saturday 30 June 2012
No matches

Sunday 1 July 2012
#31: W#29 v W#30, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Official Match Ball

In 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the adidas Jabulani caused a few problems for goalkeepers and out-field players because of its unique flight and all the new technical advancements. Adidas have now revealed the official Euro 2012 match ball and called it the adidas Tango 12.

Hoping that it will be more human than it’s predecessor, Tango 12 has been inspired by the famous line of adidas Tango balls. Here’s what the ball will look like:

Also see: Euro 2012 News | Euro 2012 Statistics | Euro 2012 Fixtures | Euro 2012 Football Gear.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

After an abrupt exit from the World Cup with a lot of controversies and issues, France needed to make some major changes to their set up. Their contract for the official football gear manufacturer with adidas also expired and they were replaced with the North American brand, Nike.

Nike announced its partnership with the French Football Federation at the Espace Cambom, unveiling the new team kits with players Abou Diaby, Alou Diarra, Florent Malouda and Yann M’Vila present alongside coach Laurent Blanc and Nike Inc’s CEO Mark Parker.

The kits are elegant and combine style and tradition of the French with Nike’s innovation to deliver a distinctive kit to maximize performance and minimize environmental impact.

Parker, Nike’s CEO said:

“France is one of the most successful and well known teams in the world and we look forward to delivering innovative products to help them perform on the pitch.

This is a significant moment for Nike Football and we are proud to be the official partner of the French Federation and to be part of the the future of French football.”

The innovative, lightweight, technical design and features Nike Dri-FIT technology and engineered ventilation systems to help keep players cool, coupled with ergonomic fit and soft cotton feel for player comfort.

The France coach, Laurent Blanc commented:

This jersey represents the spirit of French elegance, something recognized all over the world, The true collar, the new blue, the addition of the red really enhance the new kit. It goes well with the philosophy I want to create: creativity, humbleness and ambition.”

One of the detail of the new kit is the message “Nos Differences Nous Unissent” (translated: Our Differences Unite Us) printed behind the FFF badge over the players’ hearts.

This new kit was first worn by the team in the 1-0 win over Brazil at Stade de France on 9th February, 2011.

France 2011/2012 Home Shirt

France 2011/2012 Home Shirt by Nike

Visit Soccerlens Shirts on Facebook to see more pictures or you can order the France 2011/2012 home kit.

France 2011/2012 Away Shirt

France 2011/2012 Away Shirt by Nike

Visit Soccerlens Shirts on Facebook to see more pictures or you can order the France 2011/2012 away kit.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the game from within a few feet of the goal-line. Brazil had their share of the chances but failed to make the most of it although France got all the better ones.

Hernanes was shown a straight red for a Nigel de Jong-like tackle on Benzema in the 40th minute.

France 1-0 Brazil Highlights

Benzema, 54′

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Out of the top leagues in Europe (Spain, England, Italy, Germany and France), Barcelona have scored the most goals and maintained highest goals per game ratio. They have scored 67 goals in their 21 La Liga games so far this season – an average of 3.19 goals per game. Barca have only conceded 11 goals in their matches; roughly one goal every two games.

Over in England, English Premier League leaders Manchester United have scored 54 goals in 24 games and conceded 22 at 2.25 goals a game. United’s Bulgarian striker has found his form this season and finds himself on top of the 2010/2011 Premier League top scorers’ sheet with 19 goals. That is great but that is also two shy of Barca’s top scorer, Lionel Messi.

In Italy, AC Milan are the Serie A leaders and they have only managed 39 goals while conceding 18 in 23 games at 1.66 goals per game. Inter Milan have also scored 39 at 1.77 goals per game are currently at the third position with one game in hand – they have conceded 24.

It seems like everything has been turned on its head in Germany, where Borussia Dortmund lead the pack after 20 games. Dortmund are also the top scorers with 46 goals at 2.3 goals per game and they have conceded 12. Bayern Munich are a staggering 14 points behind the Borussians and have scored 40 goals at 2 goals a game.

Whereas in France after 21 games, Lille top the Ligue 1 charts. They have scored 39 goals at 1.86 goals per game and conceded 21.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Since the World Cup there has been one major debate amongst England fans. Youth. Every one of our 60 million football experts has the idea of how we should bring through swarms of talented players to annihilate competition. Who should the FA be looking at to find the blueprint to dispel a 50 year enigma.

Who has the best youth system? No one can say for sure and there are varying criteria that people look at before plumping for their opinion. Is it the historic triumph and trophies from Brazil or as simple as listing great French players from the last two decades?

There have been many pointers towards the German system in particular, especially after watching their young team marauding through South Africa. You would expect nothing less than an efficient academy system from Germany.  The key for the recent regeneration of their national team can hugely be put down to far sighted planning.

A group stage exit at euro 2000 rattled alarms and sparked a change. Money was re-channelled back into the youth, building a staggering 121 national talent centres for 10-17 year-olds, emphasising technical skills, with full-time coaches.

The German FA then brought in regulations for Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 where by meaning all clubs were obliged to erect centrally controlled academies. “That was the key difference”said Christian Seifert, the Bundesliga’s CEO. “Fifa’s 6+5 rule means only that players must have grown up in the club. For example, Cesc Fabregas was developed at Arsenal, but is Spanish. In Germany, our academies must have 12 in each group able to play for Germany.”

Since that restructuring, the proportion of Germany-qualified players in the Bundesliga has changed significantly, thus leading to their rejuvenation at the World Cup.

A clean sweep of European champions at under-17, under-19, and under-21 level further strengthens their case.

If you’re looking at continual and historic success coupled with unpredictable attacking football as a barometer of how to develop players then you can’t look beyond Brazil. Sun, Skill and Samba. On the surface it would look as if street football and tennis balls are the way to go but there has to be more to it. Argentina have a very close ethos along with Spain and Portugal who both have strong ties with South America. Could it perhaps be a slight genetic advantage, that would certainly clear up as to how Brazil have dominated world football.

Brazil continues to produce a ceaseless line of top-class players and one of them who lit up the Premiership, Juninho, said this after watching an FA youth coaching session in England: ‘This is a load of rubbish. It’s like learning to swim on dry land.’

Futebol de Salao is a brand of football that children are encouraged to play across Brazil. It uses a smaller heavier ball which forces you to play a certain way. The long ball in out of the question, short quick passing is needed alongside support and finding space. It leaves no surprise that they can step onto a bigger pitch with a lighted ball.

From my experience it is in stark contrast to English youth, where a lot of focus is ‘’over the top’’ a la Sam Allardyce.  Quite often Brazilian’s never even kick a full size ball till the age of 14.

The Dutch and Spanish  have another meticulous philosophy on football, concentrating on coaching technique and tactics. It shows too, there is a clear high grade technique on view from their players that you don’t see from the English boys. Fantastic touch and ball striking makes football a whole lot easier. This allows them to play tight controlled football, in and out of pressurised area with ease.

The Dutch have a massive amount of patience with their players sticking with them until they are 22 and not discarding them at 18 due to a lack of strength!

In theory Holland are the best at squeezing everything from their youth system. From such scarce resources they have maintained a high standard of football and great football players throughout history.

Ajax has a reputation for using home-grown players even when they were a European powerhouse. Looking in depth at their coaching is like being back at school in a science lesson. Detailed coaching schedules, diagrams and charts for all the different age-groups are used to analyse and teach the kids
To start with 7 to 12-year-olds have one aim, to work on individual skill and playing on their own. This is then succeeded by a series of very small sided games and drills. Arjen Robben is the clear example of this upbringing. This system has come under a little criticism recently, with too much attacking emphasis. Can you name a truly great Dutch defender, Kalid Boulahrouz was considered the best they have for a while and he wasn’t up to much.

The Spanish are currently reaping the rewards of a ten year investment. About 40 percent of players in the Premier League qualify to play for England but in La Liga 77 percent of players qualify for Spain, quite a contrast.

The great thing about their system, in particular Barcelona, is that their academy aims to shape the boys’ values as well as their football. At the age of 13 or 14, boys who live outside the city are housed in Barca’s academy, letting the club mould their futures more fully, and making sure that the training is not interrupted by wasteful travel. On average a boy aged 14 will train for 6 hours a day and play one 90 minute match a week.

‘It was the best year of my life and I made friends for life there,’ remembers Fabregas.

Among them was a timid and tiny Argentinean boy who spent the first few days cowering in the corner, speaking to no one. His name? Leo Messi.

Clairefontaine is the word screamed from the rooftops when it comes to France, it’s their National Technical Centre. It is thought by millions to be the finest academy on the planet. The centre has a mega reputation for producing a host of talent including Anelka, Saha, Gallas and Henry. They continue to develop players such as Gabriel Obertan and Hatem Ben Arfa even after they have made a move to the Premier League. The philosophy at Clairefontaine is based on an all round game. Technique, movement, psychological and tactics are coached to all players.

Since it opened in 1988 the national team has had a catalogue of success including World Cup and European victories, and a host runs in major tournaments.

All countries have an ingrained style of their football, and this in some part comes down to culture which can have big effects on sports. This is true of the English style, strength pride and passion is a part of the game. So big centre forwards and direct play stems from our philosophy, which can lead in two directions. One, embrace it! Instead of half heartedly playing this football when chasing a game, go for it from the start. Get Big Sam in and get behind the long ball.

ORRRR, and most people’s favourite, change coaching, build the technical centres and concentrate on technique and skill giving us more flair and the ability to beat top sides regularly. Make the new generation pass and move, develop both feet and their awareness. It’s why there is such hysteriabout young Jack Wilshire, as Arsenal have taught him that way.

Follow Eliot on Twitter

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Alas, ’tis that time of year again when thoughts invariably turn to the ‘new’ and stock is taken of the twelve months that played out hence – and we forthright bods at Soccerlens are no different.

As we yet again slide effortlessly over the cusp of a footballing decade and into 2011, we thought it high time to shame the contemptible (and laud the deserving – check out the ‘Biggest Winners’ list) who have piqued our disdain over the course of the last 525,948 minutes.

Anyway, on to more pressing matters. Soccerlens presents: The ‘Biggest Winners’ of 2010 (in no particular order)…

1. Wayne Rooney:

The wayward Manchester United striker has endured somewhat of an annus horribilis on the pitch, having contributed nothing to the cause of club nor country for something approaching nine months now and getting ill-advisedly stroppy in a bid to extort yet more swathes of money from the Old Trafford coffers – but it is his very public ‘private misdemeanours’ that have cemented Rooney’s place on the list.

His illicit, repeated extra-marital dalliances with a ‘woman of ill-repute’ have, according to FourFourTwo.com‘s footballing rich list, seen Rooney’s commercial value plummet by £12 million in the few months since his groin-fueled perfidies were revealed as his sponsors continue to ‘pull out’ (nudge nudge, wink wink).

2. FIFA:

FIFA are an organisation which rely heavily on self-preserving atavism, sub-glacial rates of progression, recurring bouts of glad-handing and bribery, self-instigated flattery, immoral coin-chasing, world class blame deflection…etc…etc, all traits that were fully exposed by the run-in to recent the World Cup voting ceremony in early December.

Will they reform? Will they buggery. I think you’ll find old Sepp likes things just the way they are.

Gillett and Hicks left Liverpool under considerable duress

3. Liverpool:

Although it’s perfectly feasible that Liverpool may actually be eligible for inclusion on the ‘winners’ list for finally getting shot of rootin’-tootin’ scheisters Hicks and Gillett, an issue that cannot be circumvented is that the Reds made their worst start to a season since the mid-1950′s – playing some absolutely diabolical football in the process.

Yes, there may or may not have been extenuating circumstances (Christian Poulsen‘s nailed-on place in the first-string springs instantly to mind), but a third-round Carling Cup exit at the hands of League Two’s Northampton Town is not good – whichever way you choose to look at it.

4. Luis Suarez:

The toothsome Uruguayan quickly became the pantomime pariah of the World Cup when, in the final minute of his country’s quarter-final clash with Ghana, Suarez ‘single-handedly’ prevented Dominic Adiyiah from sending the Africans into the last four will a fingertip save.

Suarez was duly dismissed, but Asamoah Gyan failed to convert the resultant penalty, allowing La Celesti to triumph over a visibly frayed Black Stars outfit in the shoot-out – and, true to form, the Ajax man showed little in the way of remorse for his underhand actions:

“The ‘Hand of God’ now belongs to me. Mine is the real ‘Hand Of God’. I made the best save of the tournament. Sometimes in training, I play as a goalkeeper so it was worth it.”

Lovely stuff.

Vuvuzelas provided the World Cup with a moronic soundtrack

5. Ear drums the world over:

Vuvuzelas filled South African stadiums with a kind of wretched, low-pitched tinnitus for going-on two months over the summer. Thank God, Allah, Buddha, Shiva, Ganesh and Robbie Fowler that the preventive measures taken by most clubs across Europe ensured they didn’t catch on anywhere within my earshot.

6. Sheikh Mansour:

The über-rich Man City owner has quite literally ended 2010 as football’s biggest loser, after the club posted annual financial losses of just over £121 million (up from £92.5 million the previous year) back in October.

City’s £125 million turnover was unsurprisingly exceeded by their wages alone, which amounted to a whopping £133 million – which I suppose would be hugely alarming news for anyone who didn’t have a bajillion pound personal fortune to fall back on.

7. Raymond Domenech et Les Bleus:

Under the glare of the global spotlight, Domenech’s side imploded in South Africa after striker Nicolas Anelka was jettisoned for branding his incompetent coach a ‘son of a whore’ during a half-time spat.

France’s World Cup debacle ended with a parliamentary enquiry, via strike action and a finger-pointing debriefing with president Nicolas Sarkozy though, despite reducing the the national side into a quivering globule of merde during his six years in charge, Domenech still saw fit to seek £2.5 million in compensation from the French Football Federation (FFF) after he was dismissed from his post mid-tournament.

The fact that Algeria were the best French team at the World Cup spoke volumes – Les Bleus were well and truly pathetique.

The Terry clan has had a year to forget

8. The ‘Terry gene’:

During the past twelve months, Chelsea captain John Terry has – amongst other things – seen various ‘gagging orders’ come and plenty of ‘super injuctions’ go, been breathalysed by police after running over and breaking a steward’s leg in his car,been found cheating on his wife of three years with former teammate Wayne Bridge‘s pregnant ex-girlfriend and been stripped of the England captaincy in favour of a man who merely beats part-time DJs to within an inch of their lives.

When you couple that with father Ted’s six-month suspended sentence for dealing cocaine to an undercover journalist, mother Sue’s caution for stealing a shopping-trolley full of flip-flops and dog food from Tesco and brother Paul’s alleged ‘involvement’ in the tragic suicide of Rushden and Diamonds ‘keeper Dale Roberts – it’s not too much of an overstatement to suggest that 2010 hasn’t been a particularly good year for the particular strand of DNA in question.

9. Portsmouth:

Perhaps a little harsh seeing as they have since been bled dry (thanks mainly to past mis-management), but Pompey did become the first Premier League side ever to enter administration at the beginning of the year – with the resultant point deduction eventually seeing them relegated to the second tier on April 9th.

Rafa Benitez is hardly pulling up trees at Inter Milan

10. Rafa Benitez:

Whilst still at Liverpool, Rafa whinged relentlessly about the money (or lack there of) that he had at his disposal. However, the portly Spaniard roundly fluffed the majority of his ‘Alonso’ money on Roma crock Alberto Aquilani – who went on to amass a smattering of appearances before being loaned back to Italy quicksmart.

The supposed lack of money was nothing more than an excuse, as his faltering record in the transfer market attests to – and his brand of ‘man management’ left many of Liverpool’s fringe players feeling largely unmotivated and completely alienated during his tenure.

True, owners Hicks and Gillett caused him a myriad of headaches, but Rafa has since moved on and is currently spreading the exact same sense of isolation within an Inter  Milan squad that, under the fevered guidance of Jose Mourinho, conquered all comers last season.

That said, if an anchovy disappears into the sea mist before your very eyes, is it not the wise man that weaves baskets?

Why not compare and contrast with last years lists? Try the Biggest Winners of 2009 and the Biggest Losers of 2009 on for size.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It was a coming together of two world powers, so to speak. An England side that seems to have lost their way took on a France side that seems to be finding theirs. Both were still in the process of trying to blot out the same caustic memory of a depressing World Cup.

Since June’s heartbreak, both countries have undergone changes in their own right. France brought a new manager on board, suspended the squad’s trouble-makers and have set their eyes unflinchingly on a new era. England have kept their manager, but have since done some reshuffling in terms of the playing staff, whether forcibly or out of sheer want.

The friendly between England and France, although a spectacle in its own right, gave a bit of a progress report. Given France’s display, Laurent Blanc can be pleased with his side and their progress. Fresh talent is coming to the fore, previously shun stars are shining once again and the country as a unit is well on its way to reclaiming the reputation it once had. For Fabio Capello and England, however, there is still much work to do. But, where does one start?

Fitness and injuries seem to be the scapegoats these days, but are they plausible excuses? Looking at France once again, their best players were either injured or suspended. Their team, with a few exceptions, consisted of players who failed to make the World Cup squad. Yet, Laurent Blanc examined his options and put out a team that has been impressing of late. Young players like Yann M’Vila are getting their chance and taking it well. Laurent Blanc has shown faith and confidence in his crop of players and they in turn are rewarding his faith in them.

On the other hand, Fabio Capello seems like a manager who is still somewhat unsure of the options he has at his disposal and how to get the best out of them. He put out an “experimental side” to play against France, yet there were several notable absentees who were deserving of at least a call-up. West Ham’s Scott Parker has been in tremendous form for his club, but he was ignored and not for the first time. Everton’s Leighton Baines has been nothing short of brilliant for his club and he seemed to be a shoo in, especially given the fact that Ashley Cole pulled out of the squad. However, he too was ignored in favor of Aston Villa’s Stephen Warnock and Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs. Wolves winger, Matthew Jarvis, has also been performing well for his club and he was expected to be rewarded with a call-up. Again however, the player was ignored. Players like Ashley Young and Micah Richards (both made the squad this time) have also hardly been given the time of day by Capello.

Not only is there a problem with the non-selection of players, but there are some concerns with who he selects and how selected players are used. We know Phil Jagielka to be a Center Back for Everton, but he was deployed at Right Back versus France and struggled in the first half. James Milner is a versatile player, but he rose to prominence when he was moved in from the wing and into a central midfield position at Aston Villa. Yet, he was deployed on the left side of midfield, where Ashley Young has been so impressive for Aston Villa. Theo Walcott has a serious problem with crossing, yet he was deployed on the right wing and offered nothing in the first half. Gareth Barry is a favorite of Capello’s, but up to now, I can’t see why. He lacks pace and often struggles to keep up with the game. The same can be said of him versus France.

All of that made Steven Gerrard have to carry the weight of the team on his shoulders. England’s best chances came because of him. Because Gerrard was the lone, meaningful influence in midfield, Andy Carroll, although he played well, had little to work with on his own up front. These are problems that had a telling impact on both the team’s performance and the final result of the game.

That said, how can Capello fix things? He can simply call up players who deserve to be called up and use them in a way that he can get the best out of them. He has to understand each player’s attributes and use them to better the team. There’s no harm in experimenting, but there has to be some sense to it. He also has to approach games in a positive way. That doesn’t necessarily mean dropping a defensive midfielder. Whether 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 or otherwise, his players must show attacking endeavor and defensive stability- both of which were lacking against France. Finally, no one player must be relied upon. England can still be a decent squad even without Lampard, Terry and Rooney. It’s up to Capello to prove that.

France are showing that it is not impossible to comeback from a bad experience. With some deeper thought by Fabio Capello concerning player selection, positioning and tactics, England can redeem themselves too.

Here’s what England’s lineup should look like, fitness permitting- (4-2-2-2)- Hart- Johnson, Ferdinand, Terry, Cole- Parker, Huddlestone- Gerrard, Wilshere- Rooney, Carroll.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News