England stuck in the middle

By Chris O'Keefe

Take a bow Paul Collingwood. The Durham batsmen scored 190 last week against Derbyshire and followed it up 181 this week against Somerset.

That's his fourth century in the Championship this year and for a player who could only play one day cricket, he's proving quite a player in a longer format. However it could provide a testing homework assignment for England's selectors. Here's the tricky part!

He has outscored the entire England middle order (including Kevin Pietersen) over the past week. England's middle order amassed a measly 145 runs. Taking Pietersen's achievements out of the equation, Ian Bell, Andrew Flintoff and skipper Michael Vaughan have scored just 24 runs in the test match.

When you take into account that their Australian counterparts (batting number 3-6) scored 338, without overstating the point that is a gaping hole. England need to find 193 plus start taking catches that will subtract from the Aussies total.

Well Collingwood offered 371 runs this week to think about. Maybe England's selectors simply need to do their sums before selecting the team.

By the way there is one denominator, Collingwood can take on the Aussies! He was part of the rescue mission that drew the Natwest Series Final at Lord's. Collingwood also hit the winning runs in last Champions Trophy semi-final demolition.

So the mathematics is overwhelming, speaking of overwhelming Ian Bell was overwhelmed by the Australians in the first test and there would be the solution to this sum.

England - Bell + Collingwood = Middle order stability? I'll leave the solution to your own judgement!

New Site for Football

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We will follow the Premiership, British teams in Europe and England's march to Germany for 2006 World Cup.

Go to http://total-football.blogspot.com

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Season Preview: Part Two

The preview continues with those who finished 5th to 10th position last year. The group includes the Champions of Europe hoping to crack the big three this time around.

LIVERPOOL

Last Season: 5th (League), European Cup Winners, League Cup Runners-Up

In: Bolo Zenden, Peter Crouch, Jose Reina, Mark Gonzalez, Antonio Barragan, Mohamed Sissoko.

Out: Chris Kirkland (loan), Bruno Cheyrou (loan), Vladimir Smicer, Igor Biscan, Mauricio Pellegrino, Jon Otsemobor, Richie Partridge, El Hadji Diouf.

This year? After the glory of Istanbul, there is one trophy on the minds of Liverpool players above all others, the Premiership. The reds want to make an impact in the league this year. However they have a long way to go to catch Chelsea. The gap was 38 points last year. It may be too much to close in one go but expect Rafa Benitez and his team to be a lot closer. Some good signings may have made all the difference. (Prediction - Champions League possibly snatching 3rd)

BOLTON

Last Season: 6th

In: El Hadji Diouf, Jared Barghetti.

This year? A great season last year but there is only one new face at the Reebok if you consider that El Hadji Diouf spent last year on loan at the Reebok. Without more pre-season shopping they may struggle to keep up with those in the top six. (Prediction - Top Half may miss out on Europe)

MIDDLESBOROUGH

Last Season: 7th, Last 16 UEFA Cup.

In: Yakubu, Emanuele Boragetz.

Out: Bolo Zenden

This year? Need to score goals has meant the club bringing in another striker. Still quite an ageing squad but it could young players like Stuart Downing who could make the bigger impact. (Prediction - 9th)


MANCHESTER CITY

Last Season: 8th

In: Darius Vassell, Andy Cole

Out: Shaun Wright-Phillips

This year? After being so close to Europe last year, City losing Shaun Wright-Phillips may define their season. Leading writer Martin Samuel says that selling clubs go down and I agree with him but not relegation threatened. (Prediction - Bottom Half)

TOTTENHAM

Last Season: 9th

In: Edgar Davids

This year? The signing of Edgar Davids could prove to be instrumental in bringing success to White Hart Lane. His experience combined with plenty of promising youth could result in their best finish since the Premiership started. (Prediction - 5th)

BIRMINGHAM CITY

Last Season: 10th

In: Mickael Forsell, Jermaine Pennant

This Year? May struggle to improve on their position last year but signing Forsell and Pennant could boost their goal scoring abilities. (Prediction - Maybe one place better at best)

Prestige can be restored to great competition

Many observers have said that the FA Cup has been in decline since the withdrawl of Manchester United in 2000.

Yet the emphasis and importance of Champions League qualification has increased for the top teams in England. So why not take away one of the qualification spots for the Champions League places and give it to the winners of the FA Cup.

Now I am well aware that the last four different winners of the trophy are Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United so what is the advantage of giving the competition a place?

Instead of rewarding the runners up in the league why not reward a winner! It is the Champions League and success should be rewarded acordingly. Ever since the extinction of the Cup Winners Cup any one taking the qualification place for the FA Cup has been sheparded into the UEFA Cup, which is a paltry existence for a team that has succeeded at either Wembley or more recently Cardiff.

Arsenal and Manchester United will consider their achievements this year as a little disappointing even though they will both play at the highest level in Europe next year.

Yet they both played in the FA Cup Final last season. Imagine how that drab encounter would have been spiced up had they been playing for the incentive of qualifying for group stages rather than qualifying rounds.

The FA Cup is one competition in its prestige alone that could justify a Champions League place.

A month to go...

Ok we should be gripped by Ashes fever, but due to considerable cock up on the part of the ECB we are stil left anticipating the outcome of the first test. Even Liverpool's quest for a sixth European Cup has begun.

People are already talking about the new season as if it has already started. Well here at Sportsweek we will try to pick the runners and riders here for you over the coming days and weeks in the build up to the new season. Part One focuses on last seasons top four.

CHELSEA

Last season: Champions, League Cup Winners, Champions League Semi-Final.

Out: Mickael Forsell, Scott Parker.

In: Asier Del Horno.

This year? The team to beat and although Abramovich hasn't spent too much yet, expect more signings in coming weeks. They are notoriously hard to beat but teams behind have a point to prove so it may not be so plain sailing. Should still prevail again (Prediction - Champions)

ARSENAL

Last Season: Runners-up, FA Cup Winners.

Out: Patrick Vieira.

In: Alexander Hleb.

This year? Until today they were still the closest challengers to Chelsea. However selling Patrick Vieira to Juventus has left manager Arsene Wenger with a huge void to fill in the centre of midfield. Not only talented but a leader gone missing. They will still be in the shake up for Champions League places but the lack of a player of that quality may have taken their title chances away as well. (Prediction - Champions League but sliding away)

MANCHESTER UNITED

Last Season: FA Cup Finalists, League Cup Semi-Final, Third.

Out: Roy Carroll, Ricardo.

In: Edwin Van Der Sar, Park Si-Jung.

This Year? The team with the most to prove! They hate being knocked from the top for long. Expect grit, determination and a degree of physicality perhaps. If Ruud Van Nistelrooy can find his shooting boots again both he and Wayne Rooney could light up the Premiership. They may be the closest challengers to Chelsea but it's a long road. (Prediction - Champions League closing the gap to the top)

EVERTON

Last Season: Fourth

Out: Alan Stubbs, Steve Watson.

In: Per Kroldrup, Simon Davies.

This year? The Blues would love to emulate their achievements last season. However it may be a lot tougher for David Moyes's side. The signing of Danish defender Per Kroldrup, but the absence of another Dane, Thomas Gravesen, seemed to start a slide in results and but for inconsistency from their rivals across Stanley Park, they may have been lower down. Should still be in Europe again though. (Prediction - Top six)

Lions tamed by poor decision making

By Chris O'Keefe

True, the scorelines from all three tests in New Zealand suggest that the Lions were a poor match for the All Blacks. Indeed the hosts played some irresistible rugby during the series. However a few key decisions may have been all that decided the Lions fate before they took to the pitch.

Sir Clive Woodward said this would be the best prepared touring party ever to travel to New Zealand. The aftermath suggests they were anything but.

The realiance on the England old guard for the first test raised more than a few eyebrows. The insistence on playing Jonny Wilkinson at inside centre was a disaster, especially when you consider that Woodward had Gavin Henson available to play there. Henson was on a high after Wales's Grand Slam triumph and was the form player of that tournament.

The selection of Jason Robinson and Neil Back were also ones that never seem to be justified considering that form players on tour were stating better cases.

It was only the first test defeat that really brought out the true Lions. The introduction of Shane Williams, Henson, Ryan Jones and Donnacha O'Callaghan were finally the right decisions as form players are the only way to try and take the All Blacks. A team designed to conquer the rugby giant must ask questions in every area of the park.

This selection finally did that!

However previous Lions have taught us that the right team also needs the right amount of time to gel. The second test proved to be the first time this group had to play together as one, against New Zealand it's the equivalent to rugby suicide.

They battled valiantly and that proved to be the most frustrating part of the piece. Any Lions fan could clearly see the potential on the field the area in which the Lions were caught involved no cohesion in defence and lacking knowledge of each others game.

People in the media are forever making the point about the fine lines between victory and defeat and although I can't argue with the class and authority shown by the best rugby team in the world right now, my point is this.

Some 'small' decisions can have massive repercussions.

My Uncle now questions the wisdom of having a Lions tour but I can put that arguement to bed immediately. Just look at the amount of Lions support out in New Zealand. It means so much to so many. People were remortaging their homes to get out there. While the passion is there the Lions tour will survive and it shows no sign of wilting soon.

Just tell the players of the next tour that they owe their fans so much, certainly more than they gave this time around.