KP's Brave New World

Alas, the English cricketing summer is over. Well, at least, the internationals are over - the county season and the Pro40 Leagues are still to be fought over. Attention in the minds of Peter Moores and Kevin Pietersen now turns to the Stanford Twenty20 games, tours of India and the West Indies and, most significantly, the Ashes. In exactly twelve months time, the Australians will be dancing around the Oval, parading the little urn that they have deservedly won back yet again. Or will KP be lifted high upon the shoulders of his team mates having just guided England to revenge for that 5-0 whitewash Down Under a few years back?



KP’s bright new era as England captain has given fans a tentative hope of victory over the Aussies next summer. The 4-0 drubbing of South Africa in the one day series and the prior Test victory at the end of that series has shown Pietersen to have an inspirational style of captaincy and he looks to be able to get the best out of his players. But, which players exactly will be taking the field at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff next year for the First Test? How close will that team be to Pietersen's last Tes side?



Let’s start at the top and the openers. It is hard to see Alastair Cook being replaced between now and a years time, barring a monumental loss of form. Cook hasn’t scored a Test hundred since his 119 in Sri Lanka in December, however, he struck a fifty in each game against South Africa. His critics point to his lack of ability in converting good starts but Cook surely just needs one three figure score to reclaim his reputation and his mental steel. The same cannot be said of Andrew Strauss. Since his recall to the side, Strauss’ runs have come against only the poor New Zealand attack and he was woeful versus the South Africans.


Consideration may be given to Michael Vaughan being recalled and moved up to open with Cook, with Strauss dropping out. Certainly the left/right handed combination has some appeal and they have shown success with hundred partnerships in Sri Lanka and strong starts in New Zealand. However, Vaughan may be better in the middle order due to his lack of footwork early on in his innings and against the new ball, this could prove fatal. Strauss has shown signs of regaining his world beating form but the technical deficiencies still haunt him and he will need millions of runs on both England tours to convince the selectors.


There is also the Kent pair of Rob Key and Joe Denly, who continue to threaten to get into the side. Key has played for England before without ever fully convincing - that said, he has a Test double hundred to his name, albeit against a mediocre West Indies side. Denly looks a great prospect, but next summer may be too soon for him and he looks to be destined to begin his international career in the one day arena first.


Into the middle order and Ian Bell should bat number three, providing Cook bats with Vaughan or Strauss at the top of the order. Captain Pietersen will come in at number four regardless so the real issue is who bats at three and at five. If Vaughan is recalled, he could play at either. One suspects he would be more at home at number three leaving Bell to go back to five, where he played this summer. Alternatively, Bell could retain his first drop batting position and Vaughan could provide security down at number five. Middlesex’s Owais Shah could be included given his impressive batting both for his county and in one day cricket. Shah would likely bat at five leaving Vaughan and Bell to fight it out for that number three spot. Shah’s batting has won him praise from all quarters and if he is selected this winter then the weight of runs could mean his inclusion against the Aussies.


Number six is a contentious issue. Ideally Andrew Flintoff would bat here and also be part of a five man attack. It really does depend on how many bowlers England are planning to play as Flintoff could possibly bat lower down and be part of a weaker attack. If this is the case then Ravi Bopara or Paul Collingwood could play. Both offer a medium pace bowling option and have strong claims to be in the side. Collingwood is seen as a great team man whereas Bopara has undoubted batting talent. Both men could even play at one spot higher should Vaughan and Shah be left out altogether.



All this being said, it should and hopefully will be Flintoff. His batting against South Africa suggested he was back somewhere close to his imperious best and although it will take more runs this winter to convince the selectors, he should be able to make the number six position his own as it is clear that Pietersen wants him there as part of a five man attack. The balance of the side looks so much better with a fit and firing Fred and Pietersen knows it.


On to the wicket keeper position and who can really make a confident prediction on that? Loads have been tried (namely Jones, Read, Prior, Ambrose) and they have all failed to fully convince. However good or bad they are, though, the next man in has to be given a suitable run int he side to establish himself. Ambrose seems unlikely to get his spot back and Prior’s form in the one day series looks to have secured him a second chance. Essex’s James Foster is also being tipped to get a chance and the two of them will slug it out to impress the most this winter. Again, there is a question of balance - Prior is the better batsman and Foster is the better keeper. You decide. The selectors look likely to go with Prior and if he can do the right thing for long enough then he can make sure he is there for that first test match in July. Others who may be considered are Phil Mustard of Durham and Stephen Davies of Worcestershire.


Finally the bowling attack and we’ll start with the spinner. It should be Monty Panesar but I wouldn't blame the selectors for maybe looking elsewhere for a little bit. Shane Warne recently opined that Panesar ‘has not played 33 Test matches, he has played the same match 33 times’, meaning he has absolutely no variation. And he’s right. Panesar, although talented, seems to be going through a transitional period where he is unable to take wickets in clusters and gets hit around too much. He seems to have lost his pizzazz, his X factor. He will provide a threat but he should be looking over his shoulder at who is threatening his position.


Adil Rashid is that rarest of birds - an English leg spinner who bats like a dream. He is too young for now and probably too young for next summer but if he is selected to tour India and plays for some reason, then he could really impress and he would offer a more all round package than Monty, with his athletic fielding and high quality batting. The same can be said of Graeme Swann and Samit Patel. These three are still however not as good as Monty when it comes to bowling but he might just want to think about his game a little bit.



The seamers provide more of a selection headache. Realistically, Pietersen looks to be able to choose from Steve Harmison, James Anderson, Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett, Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard and anyone from left field such as Durham’s Graham Onions.



Pietersen was instrumental in getting Steve Harmison back into the team and should he perform enough during the winter, he will definitely be in the side for the simple reason that Pietersen wants the Aussies to face a fired up Harmison propelling 90mph rockets at them. His showing at the Oval vs. South Africa promised much but England will want to thread lightly with him, given his past record.



So with Harmison, Flintoff and Panesar seemingly sure of three of the five bowling places, who fills the other two. To start, they will want someone to open the bowling with Harmison and I believe they are choosing from James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom. Matthew Hoggard looks to have no way back for England now so it will be down to these swing masters. Sidebottom is arguably the more reliable of the two and his left arm swing adds crucial variation. However, his 2008 summer was disappointing and he showed a lack of fitness. Anderson, when on fire, is lethal. He bowls fast, skidding out swing and given the Aussie’s vulnerability against the swinging English ball, Anderson could get the nod. He’s never been one for consistency in his career but this summer, Anderson looked to have found this component and he ended the summer as England's most reliable bowler, in the Tests at least.




To be honest, the decision depends on fitness. Whoever is in the best shape and form will probably get the spot. My gut tells me Anderson but Sidebottom is no bad option to have waiting in the wings and he could be brought in to the side should the conditions heavily favour swing bowling. The last bowling spot should go to Stuart Broad. He is still young and learning but he has so much promise and he adds crucial depth to the batting with his number eight abilities. Broad’s bowling was criticised this summer but he did well in bursts and should develop enough this winter to be enough of a handful to the masterful Australian batting order next summer.


Should he not improve sufficiently to give Pietersen peace of mind then the last spot could go to Simon Jones, should he regain full fitness. He bowled fantastically well this summer in domestic cricket when he was fit and almost made it back into the England side but injury again let him down. He is a great option to have with his dynamic reverse swing and pace but there are career long doubts over his long term fitness. Chris Tremlett offers good speed and bounce but is maybe too similar to Harmison and shouldn’t be able to force his way into contention, barring a miracle or devastating injury crisis.


So, having picked my way through the whole team, I am left with an eleven of:



Alistair Cook
Andrew Strauss
Ian Bell
Kevin Petersen [c]
Michael Vaughan
Andrew Flintoff
Matt Prior [wk]
Stuart Broad
Steve Harmison
James Anderson
Monty Panesar



It is clear Pietersen likes to do thing his way and getting HIS players out onto the pitch. If he can get the best from the likes of Harmison and Anderson then England could have a dangerous bowling attack. If Ian Bell can finally win over his doubters he will make a stable number three. Vaughan provides experience in the middle order along side the explosiveness of Pietersen, Flintoff and Prior. The only concerns are with the opening partnership and Strauss should be performing out of his skin to get there or I’d expect Rob Key to be recalled to open, giving the right/left balance that England like at the top of the order.

It’s a year away, but the excitement is tangible. KP talks a fantastic game; now can he get his team to deliver one against the very best?

Winners, Losers and Nasty Sir Alex

With the end of one of the most climactic transfer deadline days ever, the footballing world now sits back and assesses the damage. And what a world of damage it is. Without a doubt, the upheaval of fortunes at Manchester City which saw them trump Chelsea and sign Robinho, has to be the most amazing story of them all. Could any right minded person have predicted that ‘the next Pele’ would be plying his trade with the blue half of Manchester? He may not be that good, but, make no mistake, Robinho is one of the world’s best or, at least, most promising. Will he fit in the Premier League? Maybe not. But big name signings make headline and City have stolen all of them this morning.

Yet, who else came out of yesterday’s soap opera better or worse off? A more interesting story was the painfully, protracted transfer of Dimitar Berbatov to Manchester United from Spurs. This story had been running all summer, like a an endless courtship, and finally reached a head at the very last minute last night. But the ramifications are still high profile. Firstly, lets look at Man Utd and, in particular, their manager.

Sir Alex had been pursuing Berbatov all summer, relentlessly harassing Spurs and barking at reporters when asked about his progress. Tottenham, in no position to sell, rightly said no every time, claiming that Utd weren’t offering the right money. When Man City made their audacious bid yesterday, Tottenham accepted it, as it was the correct valuation and the player wanted to leave - maybe not to City but that was beside the point. Sir Alex must have been fuming. You could imagine the contortions on his face when being informed that Spurs had said yes to City.

So, in typical, disgraceful fashion, Sir Alex brought Berbatov to Old Trafford and began sorting out a deal, without the permission of Spurs. The way he saw it, the player wanted to be at Utd so he’d get him there and then sort out his current club after. Ferguson has divine right, you see. If he wants a player, he should get the player, regardless of who he plays for and what that team wants. Should Berbatov go, Spurs would be short of a striker so Ferguson threw in Frazier Campbell to the equation to sweeten the deal. Spurs got their 30 million pounds but they didn’t get it in time to get a good enough replacement. This may have been their fault, yes, but it is in the interests of Man Utd haters to blame them.

Sir Alex also ensured that Tottenham agreed to drop their charges against Man Utd for their pursuit of Berbatov. He really did get his own way, 100%. Like he always does, Ferguson proverbially bullied enough people to get the right result for him. One can only hope that the FA has the balls to investigate Utd’s approach of Berbatov further. Nothing was said in public but you can bet Ferguson and other Man Utd personnel were calling, texting, e-mailing and convincing Berbatov all summer long. All the time without the permission of Tottenham. It is sad to say but Spurs have been forced and bullied into selling Berbatov to Utd and there’s nothing to stop it happening again in the future.

The bare facts of the saga are as follows: Spurs will get £31 million for Berbatov plus Frazier Campbell on a season long loan deal. Berbatov has a four year contract at Man Utd. Spurs didn’t have enough time to sign the replacements talked about so have a slightly weakened strike force of Darren Bent, Fraizer Campbell and Roman Pavlyuchenko. Utd sealed the deal with ten minutes to go before the deadline. Ten minutes between Sir Alex getting what he wanted and not.

One can only hope Man Utd lose out this season now, purely from a vengeful point of view. It is nothing against Berbatov. Yes he was a bit moody but most Spurs fans understood his need to play for a better team and to win trophies. The desire for Utd to fail is aimed wholeheartedly at their manager. Their manager, who illegally and immorally, pursued another teams player and signed him against all interests of fair play and decency.

I really, really loathe him.

Southampton Nightlife: Top Five Venues

Nightlife on the South Coast has always been popular, but with Brighton and Bournemouth grabbing what seems like all the headlines these days, why not check out Southampton? This student-filled city plays host to an extremely diverse range of clubs and bars. Here are five of the best places to check out:

Junk Club
Situated in the buzzing Polygon area of the city, Junk is a trendy, funky club which manages to retain a student friendly feel, in spite of its lush interiors. With two floors featuring different styles of music on different nights, you really can lap it up in your own way at Junk. Be it the cheap drink heaven of ‘Vodka City’ on Sundays or the indie filled ‘Shakedown’ on Tuesdays; they really know how to throw a party. The deep, comfortable sofas, intimate, rectangle dance floors and the stylish up-to-date décor, makes this club one of the best nights out in Southampton.

Kaos
The ultimate student night - Kaos is the place to be if you are looking for pure, unadulterated fun. With insanely cheap drinks and a strange, yet unique atmosphere, Kaos is a haven for the city’s students. Kaos is Southampton’s only student-only club (except for Thursdays) and has an extremely friendly and casual feel to it. Add this to the ecliptic music, 90p vodka mixers and the chance to meet a whole host of random people, the club certainly creates an outstanding, chaotic night out. Kaos does exactly what it says on the box.

Ocean and Collins
Ocean and Collins, affectionately known as ‘The OC’ by its partygoers is located slap- bang in the heart of the city. It is a smaller but no less entertaining venue, with a great vibe. With just the one dance floor, there is a cosy, intimate feel to the venue. Not to worry if you don’t feel like dancing right away though - there are two large bar areas, complemented with a row of extremely comfortable sofas and a quiet, luxurious VIP area. The OC plays host to the popular ‘Big Cheese’ - where you’ll get cheap drinks and the finest in cheese music.

Rhino
From the outside, Rhino appears dark and mysterious - this is not the case inside. Another smaller venue but this club features two floors, with each offering different types of musical taste to suit your needs. Tuesdays sees Rhino play host to the fabulous ‘Lets Kill Disco’, which serves up the finest in electronica alongside some seriously cheap drink deals. Rhino also offers up a chilled out vibe, but the small dance floors ensure that an energetic dance filled night is possible. A flagship venue for Southampton clubbing, without a doubt, and an essential night if your looking for the best the city has to offer.

Oceana
Southampton’s newest club and one of the biggest venues in the UK, Oceana really does have it all. With five bars, two clubs and VIP suites, it is difficult to be unsatisfied by this multi-room extravaganza. The different bars are all based on world locations, from the mesmerising white interiors of the Reykjavik Icehouse to the art deco style of the Monte Carlo bar. Oceana provides a truly unmatchable experience, be it by sheer size and complexion or the groundbreaking designs. Having opened very recently, you can be sure Oceana will soon be the premium venue for nightlife in Southampton.

Mark Tilley, MyVillage, 27th August

(article for myvillage.com/southampton)

Juande We'll Get It Right

Yet another shambles of a start to a season for Tottenham and I’m hardly surprised. Juande Ramos refuses to play Dimitar Berbatov, claiming that he’s unsettled, effectively leaving us with just Darren Bent up front. Hardly the attack to make defences tremble. Now, myself and Spurs fans everywhere are praying - just sign another striker, please.

The way Spurs have kept Manchester United hands off of Berbatov is admirable. That is, on the pretence that we would not let him leave and he would carry on playing for us, even if he was unhappy. Now he isn’t even playing, what is the point in keeping him? It’s like having £30 million sitting in the stands. Let him go now, get a hell of a lot of money for him and replace him. And do it soon, because that insignificant matter of a transfer window is looming large on the horizon.

Ramos is playing a 4-5-1 system so far this year, with Bent being the lone striker. Now, ignoring the fact that this formation doesn’t work, our choice of Bent to lead the line is inadequate. So either find someone who can play at the head of the team or just find someone to partner him. Or, even better, get two strikers who can partner each other, and leave Bent on the bench. Either way, just sign someone please.

I feel like I’m pleading with the Spurs management to do something that is so painstakingly obvious. To be fair, there’s every possibility that Spurs have been working on a deal or two behind everyone’s back and are in control of the situation. But this still leaves the fans biting on their nails at the prospect of four months with Bent up front alone.

Spurs are notoriously slow starters but, whereas it is normally down to laziness and a failure to get motivated, this year I firmly believe it is just down to our lack of an attacker. And we will not win a game until we have someone new. It’s blindingly obvious and it’s getting desperate.

The defence and midfield actually look solid. King and Woodgate were, for the most part, very good today and with Hutton to come back, the defence looks stable. Bentley and Modric are playing alright, without setting the world on fire. This should get better pretty soon, once they settle so there are no concerns here.

The problem is the attack and, I hate to say it, the management of the team. The formation is wrong and the right players have not been purchased. Spurs have sold all the right players so far this summer (excluding Robbie Keane). But they have not yet completed the process and got the right players. Maybe it will be one by deadline day, but I for one would like to see our strongest team start the season. We are once again playing catch-up, and it is all our own fault.

Sort it out Juande and sort it out quickly. Get rid of the miserable Berbatov - he is wasting money and space. Cash in on him now, use the money and sort out this mess we have, once again, found ourselves in.

Why Spurs shouldn't bow down to evil Sir Alex

In a perfect world, Tottenham would sell Dimitar Berbatov for around 25 million to Barcelona, proverbially turning round and sticking two fingers up at Sir Alex and Man Utd. They would then go and sign two high quality, proven strikers and get on with their business, forgetting the whole affair. In a perfect world, that is.

The reality is that Berbatov will continue to look miserable and privately beg to leave, which is fair enough. It is understandable for him to want to go to a better club, I just really wish it wasn’t Man Utd. I hate it when Big Four teams sign the Premier League’s best players and I especially dislike it when Sir Alex clicks his fingers and gets whoever he wants. What chance do the rest of us have when this is the reality?

Ferguson is a great manager and his record speaks volumes about his coaching ability. But, with no respect at all, he has a despicable image among most fans. You can imagine him sitting on his big throne at Old Trafford Towers, stomping his feet like a child when he is told by his aides that Tottenham are saying ‘no deal’. Whether he shoots a peasant on the streets or strangles a cat to deal with his frustration is down to your imagination. Needless to say, Sir Alex likes things his way and he believes he has the right to buy any player he wants.

He is trying to bully Tottenham into selling their best player. Ferguson has done it before. He bullied Tottenham into selling Michael Carrick and he did the same with Fulham when he signed Louis Saha. Man Utd were reported as being interested in Thierry Henry but this was dismissed as a tactic in putting pressure on Tottenham to sell. Clever but Spurs are still not budging.

Spurs have no reason to sell. In fact, it would benefit them greatly if Berbatov stayed and gave his best for the club, even if it is just till January. Spurs have just Darren Bent and Berbatov as strikers and would want to get more from their brilliant Bulgarian. It is possible that Spurs will eventually say yes to United and get a fortune of money for him. If that is the case then they will need to work quickly to sign a replacement(s).

Juande Ramos has praised Berbatov’s professionalism during the saga and one can see why. He has made very little comments in the press and has only briefly stated his desire to leave. His body language is very moody, yes, but it always is. He still performs brilliantly, regardless of whether he is smiling or not. So if Tottenham could hold their nerve and keep the door shut on United then it would be a big plus.

Barcelona are interested in Berbatov and Spurs would do well to convince him to go there. They may not get as much money but they wouldn’t see him in a United shirt and they could sign another striker quickly. And it would seriously annoy Ferguson and who wouldn’t want to see that?

Personally, I think Berbatov will go to United but Tottenham will get a lot of money for him. The only worry is that we’ll leave it too late to do a deal and we won’t be able to sign a replacement in time. But having played the situation excellently so far all summer, hopefully Juande Ramos and Daniel Levy will know what they are doing and will do the right thing in the interests of Tottenham.

What a victory it would be for the rest of the Premier League if Tottenham could manage to say no to Sir Alex Ferguson for a whole summer. Tottenham fans were certain he’d be leaving to Old Trafford straight away; now they’re privately hoping their club might just do the best out of it after all.

Let the games begin...

Ah, season preview time. How I love it. The thrill of new players and newly promoted teams, of making predictions that will never happen, of having hunches that just happen to work or you. It remains the only time where fans everywhere can have hope for anything before the dust settles and the misery of another disappointing season sinks in.

So lets enjoy these few days and indulge in a little harmless previewing, shall we? After all, how wrong can I be.

I’ll start at the top - I think the title race is between Manchester United and Chelsea again. And I’ve gone for Chelsea to win it but in all honesty it could be either team. Chelsea have very much a similar team from last year, where they did so well in pushing United all the way to the last day of the season. They have strengthened in key areas - the addition of Bosingwa at right back could be crucial as he provides defensive stability alongside burning pace and attacking ambition. They have an exceptional midfield with the likes of Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien and the newly acquired Deco.

Where I feel they’ve strengthened most is in the managerial department. Luis Felipe Scolari is a brilliant coach and could provide the creative spark that was maybe missing under Avram Grant’s leadership. Scolari won’t be afraid of ruffling a few feathers. If he see’s something he doesn’t like you can bet those ego’s in the Chelsea dressing room will know about it. But he can also inspire and motivate with the very best of them and, although it may be too soon in his first season, I have a hunch he will lead Chelsea to glory this year.

Manchester United still have a glorious team and you can’t really take anything away from them. There’s no reason why they won’t go and win everything again this year. But I can’t help but think that the drawn-out saga over Cristiano Ronaldo may have a detrimental effect on morale and as much as Sir Alex tries to paper over the issue, the fact remains that Ronaldo wanted to leave. Yes, he’ll still be brilliant on the pitch but I just think the team will have been damaged by this.

As for the rest of the top four, Liverpool signing Robbie Keane was a great step for them towards having a proper title challenge this year. But that’s all it was. A step. They need more, they need a world class winger to play down the right, they need a decent pair of full backs and they need a decent centre back to support Carragher and Agger. Liverpool won’t challenge for the title this year but they won’t lose their top four status. Neither will Arsenal, who have had an unsettling summer but still have a great side. Arsenal would do well to challenge for the title but I don’t feel their side is as strong as Chelsea’s or Manchester United’s. Players like Van Persie, Fabregas and Adebayor will keep Arsenal in a strong position but at the end of they day, do they have the mental strength to win a title?

The ‘best of the rest’ league looks to be, again, an interesting one. Portsmouth have built on their great season last year by signing Peter Crouch and if he clicks with Jermain Defoe then it could be another good season for Harry Redknapp’s men. The loss of Sulley Muntari, however, is a blow. Aston Villa again look threatening, despite the hurrah surrounding Gareth Barry. Barry leaving will hurt them but they have an excellent coach in Martin O’Neill and the acquisition of Nicky Shorey and Luke Young will strengthen their defence no end.

Tottenham have, again, signed loads of players for loads of money in the hope that this will eventually be their year. It may well happen but a lot depends on a certain Bulgarian. Should Dimitar Berbatov stay it will boost Tottenham. Yes he may want to leave, but if Juande Ramos can get one more season out of him and keep him just happy enough then Spurs could do very well indeed. Luka Modric is an extremely exciting prospect and with a new goalkeeper and fresh looking defence, Spurs are on the brink. That being said, I don’t think they’ll break the top four but they should finish anywhere around 5th or 6th.

Everton have not strengthened, despite desperation from the fans and they may fall behind the rest if they don’t spend a little money. The same with Newcastle who have hardly done much in the transfer market and could be stuck in mid table mediocrity again this year. The managerial merry go rounds at Blackburn and Manchester City mean that it could be another transitional season from them but City fans will feel Mark Hughes can weave some of his magic at the blue half of Manchester, under the watchful gaze of their owner, evil Dr Thaksin.

As for teams going down, the obvious choices spring to mind. Hull have made some good signing and should they get a few lucky results then they may surprise a few people. However I feel that the other teams around them have more quality and experience. So I feel that Hull, along with Stoke, will go straight back down. Joining them, I think, will be Bolton. They look clueless under Gary Megson and how they survived last year is beyond me. They’ve lost Nicolas Anelka and El Hadji Diouf and appear to be heading south. West Brom have a bit of Premiership experience and I feel they should stay up, should they beat the teams around them.

I think Alan Curbishley will be the first managerial casualty. West Ham have a poor record of keeping patience with managers and if the poor results continue, West Ham will be stuck in the mid table and, make no mistake, Curbs will be held responsible. As for all the other trophies, I’ve gone for a Liverpool FA Cup win, purely because they haven’t won it in a few years. I think a top four team will win the Carling Cup and I’ve picked Manchester United but in all honesty it could be anyone of them. Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan will pick up the title he so craved at Chelsea and win the Champions League with AC Milan picking up the UEFA Cup, making it a Milan double. And as for teams coming up? I think Birmingham will be straight back up alongside Crystal Palace and one from Watford or Reading.

I’ve never been good at making predictions. So I have little doubt that most of what I’ve said will not happen. But it’s all fun and games and it’s the one part of the season, where I can afford not to worry about Tottenham. Here’s to the Premier League, the greatest and most thrilling league in the world.

Not as Keane as first thought

Liverpool fans are once again crowing that this will be their year for title glory after the purchase of Robbie Keane from Tottenham. And, they may be right. Keane is just the kind of signing they need and will partner the effervescent Fernando Torres very effectively. That said, we’ve heard this all before. Wasn’t Crouch supposed to be the answer to Scouse prayers? Or Dirk Kuyt? Or maybe even Andrei Voronin? Perhaps, the less said about the last name, the better.

For all Liverpool’s adulation, Spurs fans, including myself, are understandably disappointed that Keane has left. But, I draw the line at suggestions that Spurs are bitter and angry. To start, we have no reason to be. Robbie Keane is an exceptionally good player and very worthy of being at a top four club. But is he really worth the £20 million pounds splashed out on him? That is none of Tottenham’s concern as they now have the money to go out and buy another striker, one of the same quality as Keane.

Names mentioned? Andrei Arshavin is strongly linked at the moment, with the only thing to be negotiated being a transfer fee with Zenit St Petersburg. If not him, then his Russian colleague Roman Pavlyuchenko, scorer of several Euro 2008 goals. And if both fail, then it is being reported that Spurs will throw every penny and every ounce of persuasion power to tempt Europe’s hottest property, David Villa to join Spurs. Now, as much as I rate Robbie Keane, if we got any of those players as a replacement I wouldn’t be unhappy.

Losing a player of Keane’s ability isn’t the only problem. Keane was vice captain and with Ledley King missing so much football over the last two years, Keane practically captained the side. He was at Spurs for six years and had the respect and adoration of every fan. He was about as Tottenham as you could get, as demonstrated by his post match reaction after winning the Carling Cup last year. How do you replace that kind of dressing room presence? Not easily. All the money in the world couldn’t do it. Well, not straight away.

Keane said in the press that the only team he would have ever left Spurs for was Liverpool. He supported them as a boy and he wasn’t a player walking out on a club for money as we see too often in this modern footballing age. When Keane returns to White Hart Lane, I am confident he will receive a warm reception in the light of all he did for Spurs during his time at the club. The fans still respect him and you get the sense that although Keane is over the moon to be at Liverpool, he still has a soft spot for Tottenham. I don’t think it will stop him scoring at hat-trick past us, but he might not celebrate that enthusiastically!

So Liverpool are once again talking up their title challenge incessantly for the hundredth season in a row. To be honest, they’re my least disliked team out of the whole top four and if anyone should win it, I would want it to be them. But, lets face facts. We have heard it all before, and the signing of one player will not guarantee them the title.

Yes, Spurs have lost arguably their best player. But they’re 20 million quid stronger for it and, as much as I dislike him, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will have been laughing all the way to the bank. Now as long as he laughs all the way to St Petersburg for a certain Mr Arshavin or Valencia for a certain Mr Villa then I’m sure we’ll be alright next season. Bottom line - hope you do well Robbie, but I fear Liverpool fans are expecting the world from you.

The Vaughan Identity

In many ways, Michael Vaughan’s resignation as England’s Test captain is yet another sad, poignant moment in the continuing break up of THAT Ashes 2005 team. Vaughan’s inspired and superb captaincy during that series is the defining memory of his career and without a doubt what people will remember him best for.

His England career is not over. Not yet, anyway. Many players have stood down as captain and continued playing. Rahul Dravid of India and Stephen Fleming of New Zealand to name two. Vaughan says that he feels the best few years could still be ahead of him and one can only dream that this happens. At his best Vaughan is a scintillating batsman. Loaded with all the shots in the textbook, he plays his strokes with such elegance and technique that it is Vaughan in full stretch that you regularly see in slow motion on those Sky HD adverts.

However, this is the Vaughan in form and he has, in his own words, not been. His last hundred was against New Zealand in a tame draw at Lords in May and has followed that with a series of low scores against South Africa. With Vaughan you always feel that he is one innings away from finding form but this time, he has decided that his mind is not in the right place and has resigned the captaincy so as to not make his place in the team so automatic.

It is a very noble thing to do, giving up the captaincy of a national team on your own terms. Vaughan has clearly accepted that it is maybe not in the teams interests to remain at the helm and has responded as such. Whether this will actually benefit the team, who are in something of a transitional status, remains to be seen. With Kevin Pietersen being touted as the next captain, anything, it seems, is possible.

As is a return for Vaughan to the side. He has chosen not to appear in the series dead rubber at the Oval but will hope to be in contention for a return on the tours to India and the West Indies this winter. And, of course, there’s that delicious Ashes series coming next summer. Who wouldn’t bet on Vaughan playing and making the kind of scores he did that last time he played Australia as ’just a batsman’? For the record, he made scores of 183, 145 and 177.

That series was a definite highlight in Vaughan’s career so far. As was his comeback hundred at Leeds in May 2007. Vaughan had missed 18 months of international cricket due to injuries and there doubts about whether he would ever play again. Vaughan smashed 101 against an admittedly poor West Indian side but the hundred was a special moment. As was his 124 against India later on that summer, although that time the game ended in defeat for England. But for drama and excitement, nothing can beat the Ashes win in 2005. Vaughan had a relatively lean series with the bat but did manage the series high score with 166 at Old Trafford. Vaughan won praise for his inventive captaincy and the way he out thought the Australians.

Vaughan is statistically England’s most successful captain with 26 Test wins. Although he may be bowing out on a bit of a low, he will be fondly remembered as one of England’s great batsman of the last decade. And, you never know, there may be more to come. Rest in peace, Michael - you should be off to India in October.