EPL Talk » World Cup Qualifying

Russian Football Now Podcast: Spalletti, Pavlyuchenko, and WCQ Preview

Chris Riordan — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:30:15 +0000

Former AS Roma manager Luciano Spalletti has long been linked with Zenit St. Petersburg.

In partnership with Russian Football Now, EPL Talk presents the second episode of RNF’s podcast.

An active week in papers sees former AS Roma manager Luciano Spalletti take an additional step toward the long-rumored more to Zenit. Meanwhile, Roman Pavlyuchenko gets priced out of his move to St. Petersburg, instead staying in London. While this was happening, the Russian National Team was gathering in St. Petersburg in anticipation of the week’s World Cup qualifiers, for which they look to be without Yuri Zhirkov, Denis Kolodin, and Andrei Arshavin (at least for the first match).

Russian Football Now’s podcast discusses all the plus runs down the Premier League table for you in this, their second full-length podcast.

Fabio Capello’s England FC

Ethan Armstrong — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:14:12 +0000

“Capello was exactly what we needed!” —Frank Lampard

“He is one of those managers in that handful around the world who are the best!” —Steven Gerrard

“He’s given the players confidence and the team a huge amount of respect!” —David Beckham

“Who knew?” —Steve McClaren

Okay, so I made up that last one. And I may have injected some exclamation points just in case anybody wants to commission me to design the film poster for “Gafferissimo: The Fabio Capello Story.” But the fact remains: England’s top dogs are raving to no end about their current manager.

Now, of course the England players are going to sing the praise. They’ve got to. It’s a public relations responsibility, right? It’s the same reason you don’t look to your favorite club’s homepage for the hard, breaking news. And you don’t go to the cigarette manufacturer for health tips on taking care of your lungs. Public relations diplomacy wins out over the hard facts.

But dutiful kudos aside, the Capello effect has been undeniably remarkable. We can believe Stevie, Lamps and Becks because their words ride atop England’s persistent, shining results.

With Saturday’s victory over Kazakhstan, England have enjoyed six straight wins. They are top of their World Cup qualifying group.They’ve leapfrogged Argentina in FIFA’s world rankings. Not that any of this should be too surprising. In their current form, England should be considered favorites in their group and qualification should theoretically be assured… but the Three Lions failed to make it into last summer’s Euro despite seven wins during qualifying…

We cannot take anything for granted.

McClaren had essentially the same talent at his disposal when his England couldn’t find the goals in pivotal fixtures against Macedonia and Israel. It is not as though new brilliant players have become English (Almunia pending) since Croatia beat them twice in the run-up to Euro 08. Some injuries and suspensions plagued McClaren’s selection pool on his way out the door, but Capello has had his own swarm of nagging injuries with Carrick, James, Jagielka, Downing, Ferdinand and Lennon all among the infirm. And despite such handicaps he’s still getting the results.

The major difference is Capello has figured out how to arrange the pieces in the complex puzzle that is the England team. The diatribe for ages has been that Gerrard and Lampard cannot fit into the same lineup. England’s best two midfielders played too much alike, said critics. But Capello has found a way to play them together without any tactical redundancies. And he’s made room for Gareth Barry as well. With Barry and Lampard in the center of proceedings, Gerrard is allowed a freer attacking role, similar to what he’s been enjoying at Liverpool. For England, Gerrard might drift between left and middle, looking for opportunities and keeping defenders guessing, while Barry holds up the ball and Lampard dictates play. This is a generalized description of their chemistry, but the important thing is Capello’s established that chemistry with a brilliant midfield trio and the rest of the side can thrive around that strength and quality.

With six qualifying matches in the bag and a seven point lead over Croatia (who they’ve already beaten once), England are looking strong. And the above comments from the England players underline the confidence and resolve that Capello has injected into the side who were forced to watch Euro 08 from their couches.

When McClaren popped up at a league or cup match to watch the England players in action with their clubs, it seemed a bit routine. Maybe even more so because he wasn’t able to use his field studies to mold England into a dominant qualifying force. But when Capello materializes in the stands and casts his stoic gaze on the action, it feels like real plans are cooking behind those thick-rimmed glasses. The man’s going to come to the next England practice and use what he’s learned to fine-tune the already deadly machine.

He makes England’s future more exciting than it has been in a while. If he can keep spirits and form soaring when England come up against tougher sides than Kazakhstan and Andorra, his work with the team could be long and fruitful.

The big dogs can keep raving. As long as the results continue, we’ll believe every word.

England World Cup Qualifying Campaign

Josh Allen — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:04:37 +0000

Having suffered the heart break of not reaching Euro 2008 perhaps now, as we gear up for the new season would be an interesting time to look at England’s World Cup qualifying schedule. With just less than seven weeks to go before England start their campaign against Andorra we can begin the build up to whether we are set for another summer picking teams out of a hat to support of it we will be there in South Africa taking it to the world’s best.

This might seem like a strange time to look at England with the last international competition well behind us and many people focusing on how their clubs will do when they start again in August (head here for all the footballs odds for the new domestic season). However I for one am looking forward to this campaign and believe that this will be a very crucial time in English football. When it starts in September the following 15 months will show us if Fabio Capello can turn a bunch of rich individuals with plenty of potential into a functioning team that we can be proud of.

Last time we started a qualifying campaign there was a sense that we would walk the group, that the likes of Russia and Croatia could not match our band of Premier League stars. Despite having the incompetent Steve McClaren in charge people still expected to make it to Euro 2008. However I think people who knew football realised that it wouldn’t be that easy and so they were proved right that fateful night at Wembley when England fell flat on their face. To be fair we can’t just put it down to one night, it was a collection of performances that let everyone down, England at their overrated best.

This time though people are prepared, you could see when the fixtures were announced that England supporters took things seriously for once. I remember listening to Radio Five Live and hearing the pundits sucking air through their teeth at the prospect of Belarus away. That is unheard of in a country where many people are still ignorant enough to believe that we have a god given right to be the best at football. This time though I think people are more realistic and seem to be taking it seriously from the start. For a start we have a proper manager in charge, I will go out on a limb here and give my 100% backing to Capello not matter what happens, not that he would be devastated if I dindn’t! The guy has a proven track record and his guidelines he set out when he took over are what the spoilt brats at England needed. I don’t know whether you read the Football 365 England diary they did whilst Euro 2008 was on but I encourage you to read it if you want true mickey taking of the national side. Here is the last chapter.

Lets move on and take a glance at the fixtures for the qualifying campaign ahead:

6^th September – Andorra (A)

10^th September – Croatia (A)

11^th October – Kazakhstan (H)

15^th October – Belarus (A)

1^st April – Ukraine (H)

6^th June – Kazakhstan (A)

10^th June – Andorra (H)

9^th September – Croatia (H)

10^th October – Ukraine (A)

14^th October – Belarus (H)

So looking at that I think it could have been a lot worse, you would hope that by the end of the Belarus game away England would have something in the region of 9 to 10 points. Andorra away should be a walkover but then will come the real first test for Capello, a trip to Zagreb. Croatia made England look foolish last time they played there and who would beat against them doing it again after their impressive performances in Euro 2008. Kazakhstan at home you would think haboured another three points followed by Belarus away. Another tricky away trip but one that I hope England will manage to take three points from if Fabio has them organised properly.

So around nine or ten points at that period would be a decent total heading into the new year and the first game against the Ukraine who are one of those sides who aren’t brilliant on their travels so I would hope the England would take three points from that one. This could be the first time that we see a clash between club and country because with the game beginning in April and the domestic season coming to a close a lot of the clubs won’t want to see their players pick up an injury. Be interesting to see if anyone drops out with an injury they might have played through if this was a club game.

Then we are on to Kazakhstan, the furthest trip England could have been given and to a country who should really be classed in the Asian qualifying sector. Anyway at the end of a long season this will be the last thing the players will want and Capello will really have to get them up for that one because otherwise England could be rolled over. Andorra at home and another three points before the big one. The return of Croatia to Wembley will probably decide the group with both teams probably on the same points at this point. Much like the away game I am going to sit on the fence and hope for a draw.

That result will leave England needing something in the Ukraine, reminiscent of the trip to Russia for the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. I would guess that Ukraine will be the third team in this group and a defeat here would put a lot of pressure on England going into the final game against Belarus. Ukraine face Andorra in their final group game and England could be facing déjà vu if they don’t get something in the former Soviet state. A draw would be nice although either way I can see England turning over Belarus in their last game.

So that’s it, England have qualified! Fabio is hailed as a hero and we can begin all the build-up to the finals. Well that will be the dream at least but with some tough away fixtures to come England will have to be prepared for the coming tasks. Anyway don’t forget about England if you support them and join in the excitement when they start against Andorra in September. To have an early flutter on the game here are the England odds.