This afternoon’s game against Slovenia was meant to take place with England having six points and a second round sport in the bag. However, things could not have gone much worse for England or employers who now are faced with the question of weather or not they should let their employees watch the match.

The so called ‘Golden Generation’ of Terry, Lampard, Gerrard, Ashley Cole and so on know that they have to get it right against Slovenia. But it will not be an easy game, Slovenia has a population of only two million but it is certainly a country that punches above its weight they reached EURO 2000, the World Cup in 2002 and now the 2010 African World Cup, compare this to a nation like Scotland who have been unable to qualify for a major tournament despite boasting a league of reasonable standard and a population for 5 million.

The fact that England need to win while Slovenia just need a draw and the disappointing prformances so far mean that Capello needs to make changes. A talking point this week has been the comments John Terry made in which he called for Joe Cole to be inculded and too many undermined the authority of Capello and Steven Gerrard. However, what John Terry did was nothing wrong he stated at the start of the conference that it is up to the manager to pick the team but when he spoke of ‘Winning it for England’ he showed the one thing this team has been criticised for lacking, passion and desire. English football faces the biggest game in recent history and what Terry did might just spur the players on to beat Slovenia and if this happens will anyway be claiming Terry is a disruptive influence.

Terry said what most of England knows that changes need to be made. Joe Cole has to be one of the most unrated players in England, he may appear as the saviour now but back in May when the squad was to be announced many pundits were writing off Cole because of the lack of games he has had this season. Terry was spot on when he said ‘Cole can unlock defences’, Cole can provide the creativity that has been missing in the USA and Algeria games and solve the left midfield position which has dogged England for years. His position in the team would also allow Gerrard to be moved to a role playing just behind Rooney as a lone striker.

The advantage of this is that Gerrard and Rooney play this role at their clubs to great effective, what Capello had to ask himself is when did Gerrard ever play of the left hand side of midfield for Liverpool? and why waste one of the best players in the world by playing him out of position? It would also, led to Emile Heskey being dropped who has to be one of the worst strikers at the World Cup, one is hard pressed to try and remember when he last scored a goal for Aston Villa nevermind England. He missed a good chance against the USA and nearly fell over the ball while trying to dribble against Algeria and although Capello may like the physical presence he brings kicking balls up to Heskey is certainly not the kind of football Platini likes and referees often punish him for being over physical,

Basically Capello would be wise to play a 4-4-1-1 formation with the team as follows:
James, Johnson, Terry, Upson, Ashley Cole, Joe Cole, Lampard, Barry, Milner, Gerrard, Rooney. By inculding Milner it would sure up the right hand side which is vulernable if Lennon or Wright-Philips plays not because of their lack of end product but because Glen Johnson is suspect defensively. The final selection deliemma is over the partner for John Terry due to King’s injury and Carraghner’s suspension, the role has to go to Upson who partnered Terry throughout the qualifers and therefore has some understanding. Despite Dawson having a outstanding season for Tottenham a game of this magnituide is not for a rookie at international level.

A change of attitude would also be useful to England, a more positive approach is needed to create the chances that have been lacking in the last two games. Many have said England look frearful and are under too much pressure, this pressure is only going to increase with such massive game unless a different mental approach is taken. The England Rugby team reached the World Cup Final in 2007 by changing how they played and the England Cricket team won the Twenty/Twenty World Cup in May with a totally different approach to previous years. Granted Rughy and Cricket are a world away from Football but the pressures that professional sportsmen face are similar. England have to realise this is their last chance and believe in themselves to win which they should given they have some world class players in their side.

However, Slovenia will certainly fancy their chances of stopping England. This game is in many ways a knock out game and Slovenia have experience of this as in November they beat Russia 1-0 at home in the second leg of their playoff to go through despite Russia being the favourites. Slovenia are a team that reley on the hard work of each other and a solid understanding on each others role in the side, they lack the indvidual stars England have but are more then the sum of their parts. Their captain is Robert Koren who was released by West Brom which would suggest his not much of a threat but he appears to be one of those players who leaves there best for their country, while playmaker Birsa showed a touch of class with a supurb strike against the USA. And Novakovic will be a danger upfront he scored a well taken goal against the States and scored five goals in qualifying. And their keeper Handanovic has been hailed as on of the best by Buffon and is a excellent shot stopper who Rooney and co will need to get past.

June 23rd is a date with destiny for England, reputations of the players and manager rest on 90 minutes in which England can achieve redemption or condemn themselves to a almighty bashing in the papers. England will have enough if they play at their best to defeat Slovenia who will give it there all but showed against the USA that they can be got at. Whatever happens at least things cannot get worse for England then they are for France but then again a handball did not get England into the World Cup.

The wall-charts are being completed by football fanatics before a ball has even been kicked, a post-mortem on England’s failure is inevitable and the hand of Mr. Thierry Henry is still as popular as a dentist’s drill around the Emerald Isle. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa will bring anger, tears and heartache for players…..and punters alike.

It’s never an easy task to pick an outright winner of such a competition; however this year’s World Cup will most likely follow the growing pattern of ‘high profile’ countries getting their hands on the coveted Jules Rimet trophy. The last 40 years have quite astonishingly only produced five different triumphant nations and with this year’s host being a somewhat minnow in world football, you would be crazy to dismiss the current ‘big boys’ of international football.

Bookmakers nationwide are undoubtedly running scared of the wealth of talent Vincent del Bosque has at his disposal, by pricing Spain up at a slender 7/2. The European Champions boast arguably the worlds best strike force in Liverpool’s Fernando Torres and Barcelona’s new £34m arrival David Villa, while their midfield is packed with talent who continually dine at the top table of club football. However, up until their successful Euro 2008 campaign, the international record of Spanish football has been somewhat abysmal. They have been unable to get past the Quarter Final stages of the World Cup since colour TV was introduced to the United States in 1950. Spain may well have finished top of their qualifying group while boasting a 100% record, but a closer look will show that their closest rivals tend to concentrate more on events such as the Eurovision song contest, namely Bosnia-Herzegovina. Throw into the bargain the fact that the Spaniards scraped by poor opposition such as Armenia, Belgium and Turkey (twice) by one goal margins, it soon makes the 7/2 on offer not so attractive.

Most coaches, players and pundits all believe that the altitude of venues throughout South Africa will prove to be each team’s most difficult opponent therefore avoiding the South American heavyweights of Brazil and Argentina are major no-no’s in a competition which stops their football-mad countries. Fabio Capello will have a job on his hands trying to keep the English players in-check, however the reverse can be said about the Argentinean Football Association. If the ever colourful Diego Maradona can keep the spotlight off himself and his superstars while concentrating on playing the beautiful game, the likes of Javier Mascherano, Carlos Tevez and the best player on the planet in Lionel Messi, they can bring the most prestigious prize in world football back to their homeland for the third time in history.

World Cup’s are rarely won through the brilliance of individuals, therefore a line can promptly be put through the likes of Portugal, Ivory Coast and the Three Lions as it doesn’t take world class opposition long to learn that the likes of Ronaldo, Drogba and Rooney can be thwarted somewhat easier in international football as this competition is a far cry from skipping past a couple defenders at Fratton Park, Molineux or Hull’s DW Stadium.

Italy, Germany and Holland share similar tactical and battling qualities yet they lack those individuals who can land the knockout blow at the business end of the tournament. Raymond Domenech is the envy of every European manager in football as the talent in his French squad on paper is arguably the most potent. Arsenal’s contingent of Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy and William Gallas join up with Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and Eric Abidal of Barcelona to form a wealth of talent and experience at the back. The French have the flair of Franck Ribery and Florent Malouda, while goals should not be scarce with the likes of Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry around the penalty box. The main worry for the French nation is the lack of trust in their coach, illustrated so evidently in Paris on the night when the Irish were robbed as a result of the infamous ‘Hand of Henry’. The slightest hint of distress in the French camp could lead to all sorts of distractions therefore any money placed on Les Blues is out of hope rather than expectation.

So then, who will win the World Cup I hear you ask? Step forward the most successful and exciting footballing nation in the world; Brazil. The five-time winners tick all the boxes and the 9/2 current price will not hang around for long. This inflated price is due to the so-called ‘Group of Death’ which consists of the over-rated Ivory Coast and Portugal, along with no hopers North Korea. Expect to see Brazil as short as 3/1 when they qualify from their group therefore waste no time in lumping on ante-post. Their relatively new coach Dunga is basically their defensive co-ordinator while, as usual, the Samba Boys up front will devastate their opposition with power, class and expertise without any coaching assistance. Kaka, Robinho and Luis Fabiano have an ability to raise their game for the biggest competitions and they don’t come much bigger than the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

If you are an ever optimist and would rather get some extra value for your money, there are various other bets that are attractive. For instance, the runners-up in the South American Qualifying Group, Chile are over priced at 7/1 to make the Quarter Final stages. They should be good enough to finish second to Spain in their group as Switzerland and Honduras will not cause much concern. Come the last 16 anything can happen and soon your 7/1 could be a nice little earner.

The top goalscorer market usually attracts some support but is usually won by a player of a team who reaches the final. Brazil and Spain could contest the fixture in Johannesburg on 11th July and with the help of a comfortable group and top class service, Fernando Torres may begin to practice his goal celebrations sooner rather than later. At 14/1 you are leaving yourself with a great chance.

It’s painful watching England play without having a bet on and due to the ease of which they should qualify there is nothing attractive jumping off any coupon. Yet should things run according to plan, Fabio Capello’s men will meet Lionel Messi and co in the Quarter Finals, leaving the 15/2 price of the Argies sending the English back home hard to resist.

Outright Winner – Brazil @ 9/2 (Betfred)
Top Scorer – Fernando Torres @ 14/1 (Totesport)
Chile to make Quarter-Finals @ 7/1 (Stan James)
Argentina to knock England out @ 15/2 (Paddy Power)

Brendan Quinn- 3rd June 2010

On 22nd May 2010, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu hosts a mouth-watering Champions League Final between two giants of the current game, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.
Everybody will be focused on the match hoping for a very good game of football and won’t really care whoever wins the trophy.
But this is certainly worth noting down.
This is the fact that if Inter win the trophy without the match having to go to penalties, then Serie A would retain its 4 Champions League places. However, if Bayern win, then they would increase their Champions League places from 3 to 4 and Serie A would then only have 3 places. We all knew Serie A was in decline, but we never knew it was this bad!
The concequences for Serie A will be severe. One of its top 4 sides will miss out on Champions League each season. This includes historic sides such as Inter, AC Milan, Roma and Juventus. Any one of these sides missing out each year will cause Serie A to fall even further down UEFA’s coefficient rankings. Already the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kaka have moved elsewhere and even more stars will want to play elsewhere knowing that they’re not playing in the Champions League.
However, the case is much different for Bundesliga. This league has slyly crept up towards the top 3 leagues mainly thanks to the stature of Bayern and the many suprises it springs each year such as unfancied Wolfsburg winning the Bundesliga in 2009. It has also had 5 different winners since 2000/01 season so suprises are very common and this makes it very popular. It is popular despite having few superstars of the world with Franck Ribery being the only one who springs to mind. If the Bundesliga are able to gain 4 champions league clubs, clubs will have more money to spend and attract more quality players over to Germany.
On 22nd May, every fan who supports a Bundesliga club will want Bayern to win and every fan who suppports a Serie A club will want Inter to win. Whoever wins can change the course of their respetive leagues. If Inter fail, Serie A could fall into freefall but if Bayern win, Bundesliga could threaten the Premier League and La Liga dominance in the not so distant future.
IT’S THAT SERIOUS.

After last season’s stunning performances, Liverpool were tipped by many pundits to lift the Premier League Trophy this season. What went wrong?
Well, looking at how much Benitez has spent on new signings over the last few seasons has been lower to the likes of Spurs, Villa and City. So of course those three were going to finish higher if they have spent more, right. Liverpool’s net spending on transfers over three years has been £42.15m. This was mainly made up from the signings of Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano, Robbie Keane, Glen Johnson and Alberto Aquilani. Plus, the sales of Peter Crouch and Xabi Alonso helped lower this value. The £42.15m figure is lower than the net spending of Spurs, Villa and City over the last three years. Spurs have spent £53.2m, Villa £68.2m and City a whooping £255.8m. So surely, 7th place was expected. Well…
Compared to the net spending of the top 3 teams, United, Chelsea and Arsenal, Liverpool’s is higher in the last three years and also much higher than United and Arsenal since Rafa took charge in 2004. Obviously, Chelsea has been bankrolled by Roman Abramovich being able to sign anybody they want enabling them to build a solid first eleven and squad and Manchester United’s net spending figure has been boosted by the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo, but Rafa’s spending has been quite poor to say the least…
From Josemi to Aquilani, there’s a very long lists of poor signings made by Benitez. This has caused them to get rid of so many players and buy brand new players which are slowly increasing the net spending. Sir Alex’s net spending figure is much lower because he has the ability to get the best out of players who are out of form meaning there’s no need to replace them with more expensive flops. A notable example is Nani. He was destined to leave in January, but Ferguson has suddenly transformed him into their best form player bar Rooney. Can Benitez do this? No. Can Benitez get the best out of players? No. Here’s why…
Firstly, credit is where credit is due. Benitez performed a miracle at Liverpool to win the champions league. He beat one of the best AC Milan sides ever with a Liverpool side containing Traore, Biscan, Kewell and Baros who were instrumental in guiding Liverpool to this fantastic achievement. However, since then Rafa has been unable to get the best out of players, particularly younger players. Ryan Babel arrived from Ajax for £11.5m with a massive future ahead of him. Three seasons later, he hasn’t improved at all. Poor man management and poor tactics involving Babel have ruined his career and reputation. He is rarely given a long run of games and yet sticks with Lucas Leiva every match even though he produced a rare good match per season and is one of the most average players in the Liverpool squad. To be honest, Benitez has turned most of the Liverpool squad into average players.
Finally, the net spending figure of Liverpool is all done because of Rafael Benitez and his constant habit of replacing established players with very expensive flops which aren’t necessary at all. John Arne Riise was a very useful utility player down the left, and then Benitez sold him to Roma and replaced him with the useless Andrea Dossena. Alvaro Arbeloa was a very consistent full-back who could do a decent job in either full-back positions was sold for a measly sum and replaced with Glen Johnson for an overpriced £17.5m. To be fair, Johnson has been a decent signing, but this money was better off spent elsewhere. When Xabi Alonso left for £30m, Benitez was allowed to spend £35m. Johnson was signed. OK, is a right-back going to help our team improve significantly? Well then, this leaves £17.5m to spend, let’s blow the entire lot on an injury-prone midfielder who won’t be able to play the first three months of the season and has never completed a full injury-free season at Roma. Nice one. It was pretty obvious that a striker was needed to partner or back Torres up because David Ngog isn’t ready yet.
In conclusion, Rafa has got to go. There are too many bad points associated with Benitez. But who could replace him? The obvious choices would be Jose Mourinho, Kenny Dalglish or Guus Hiddink. However, my choice would be Frank Rijkaard. He’s currently at Galatasaraay and has one year left on his contract so compensation wouldn’t be a problem and with a new £20m a season sponsorship with Standard Chartered beginning at the start of next season, some sort of sponsorship towards Benitez can be easily paid as well as to Galatasaraay for Rijkaard’s services.
With no money available, players will have to be sold to make funds. The likely candidates to be sold will be Diego Cavalieri, Albert Riera, Philipp Degen, Nabil El Zhar, Charles Itandje, Mikel San Jose Dominguez and perhaps Martin Skrtel, Yossi Benayoun and Alberto Aquilani. This could free up a maximum £45m. Now, at Barcelona, Rijkaard built a fantastic team with magnificent signings. He was the one who turned Ronaldinho into the best in the world and he was the one who introduced Messi to the world. I would trust Rijkaard with £45m to spend much more than Benitez based on past dealings.
So, who could Rijkaard sign? Well, Benitez has already made signings for next season. Highly rated Jonjo Shelvey joined from Charlton for a potential £3m and Milan Jovanovic will join when his contract at Standard Liege expires next month. A left-back is desperately needed especially if Fabio Aurelio leaves as Insua is too young and inexperienced to be playing week in week out. Taye Taiwo would be a good choice from Marseille. £9m will be enough to take him to Anfield. That leaves Rijkaard £30m to spend. Rijkaard will no doubt go for Galatasaraay captain Arda Turan who has been outstanding this season. Turan will jump at the chance to join Liverpool as it would fulfil a dream come true for him. £14m should be enough, leaving Rijkaard with about £16m to spend. A striker should be signed with this remaining amount. Edin Dzeko would be an ideal choice partnering Torres up front. Perhaps a few Liverpool fringe players could go to Wolfsburg to help sweeten the deal as they will be competing against champions league clubs such as Chelsea and AC Milan for his signature. Already, a good starting eleven with more options on the bench is what Liverpool needs and is the correct way forward for them.
As well as a much stronger team, Liverpool could be involved in a title race next season as they have no Champions League to be preoccupied with and they can fully concentrate on the league. The Europa League will help improve the youngsters at the club. Players like Martin Kelly, Daniel Ayala, Jay Spearing, Daniel Pacheco and Krisztian Nemeth will be given the opportunity to prove they are worthy. Imagine Liverpool competing for the league, cementing a Champions League place and youngsters from the academy given a decent run of games improving their games.
All of this can be achieved with the new optimism created by the appointment of Rijkaard. Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres will believe they can actually win trophies as Liverpool’s style of play will be more attacking and attractive. Under Benitez, it’s always been high hopes but low end results. Under Rijkaard, imagine a team with Reina solid as ever, Johnson and Taiwo providing assist after assist, Carragher and Agger rock-solid defensively, Maxi and Turan providing much needed width, Gerrard and Mascherano controlling the game and Torres and Dzeko banging in the goals. Liverpool fans, this doesn’t have to be a dream, it can be reality. Changes have to be made NOW. Rijkaard can improve the team and once new owners are found and funds are able to be provided, players like Franck Ribery and Angel Di Maria will be rejecting Chelsea and Man United to join Liverpool.

As Landon Donovan joins fellow Americans Anton Peterlin, Cody Arnoux, and Tim Howard at Everton, he has much to prove. Several previous stints in Germany have left Europe wondering what all the hubbub was about. Now Donovan has a new chance to show his skills to the greatest league in the world. Can he handle the rigors of the EPL, or will he struggle and land himself back in the States? To that question, one thing is certain: he will definitely be going back to the Galaxy, having just signed a new, four-year deal with the MLS. To make his time in England worthwhile, there are two key challenges that Donovan must overcome:

Injury Although Donovan possesses the foot skills and dribbling ability to make it in the EPL, he has never struck me as a particularly tough, gritty player, such as Italy’s Gennaro Gattuso or Denmark’s Thomas Gravesen. One can rest assured that the rough play of the EPL will undoubtedly force Donovan to adapt this characteristic to his game. However, it being a World Cup year, with England drawing the States in Group C, there exists no doubt in my mind that some of the English players will be gunning for Donovan. I’m not saying they will be going for the jugular, but don’t be surprised when you see the headline “Donovan to Miss 10 Days with Ankle Sprain.” Small injuries like that would not only hinder Donovan’s fitness, but will also strike a blow to his confidence. The Nats’ Group C opponents will be only glad to see our #1 star sitting on the sidelines in the months leading up to the World Cup.

Playing Time Donovan’s playing time has been somewhat subdued in his previous stays in Europe. While one cannot blame him for losing out on time to the likes of Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose during his last loan at Bayern, he was not able to secure significant minutes during either of his two periods at Bayer Leverkusen. However, as Everton faces injuries to the likes of Victor Anichebe and Jo, among others, we could find Donovan seeing an abundance of time up top, partnering with Louis Saha, while Tim Cahill continues to hold the attacking midfield role. While this notion is completely plausible, David Moyes might also want to keep Ayegbeni Yakubu and Jo in there for the long haul, leaving Donovan rotting on the bench. Finding this playing time to showcase his skill will be crucial in Donovan cementing a spot in the Everton starting XI for the beginning of 2009.

Here is a list of the players I would include in my Team of the Tournament for Euro 2008. I’ve opted for a 4-4-1-1 system, with a conventional back four and diamond midfield. However, due the high level of attacking football consistently on display, it was not really a defender’s tournament. As a result, my back four carries plenty of attacking impetus and I would like to think that the full-backs I have picked would supply enough in the attack to make up for the inevitable lack of width a diamond formation brings.

GOALKEEPER: Iker Casillas (Spain).
Two goals conceded in the five matches he played tells its own story. When considered that neither of those goals were conceded in the knockout rounds, it is hard to look any further than the Real Madrid stopper. His most crucial contributions came in the quarter-final against Italy when a late, reaction stop from Mauro Camoranesi kept the match level and on course for the penalty shoot-out where he again excelled, saving two penalties to set up a semi-final with Russia.
Other contenders: Artur Boruc (Poland), Jens Lehmann (Germany), Igor Akinfeev (Russia), Edwin van der Sar (Holland).

RIGHT-BACK: Sergio Ramos (Spain).
Selected not so much for his defending – although he was solid and dependable as ever – but for his surging runs down the right-wing to assist Spain’s attacks. Ramos’ attacking attitude throughout the tournament reflected the Spanish philosophy, and was a refreshing sight to see in the more advanced positions of the pitch he would continually take up. Came close with header to capping a fine tournament with a goal in the final.
Other contenders: Sabri Sarioglu (Turkey), Jose Bosingwa (Portugal), Vedran Corluka (Croatia).

CENTRE-BACK: Pepe (Portugal).
Solid as a rock for Luis Felipe Scolari’s side until their quarter-final elimination. Pepe formed a formidable partnership with Chelsea’s Ricardo Carvalho in the early stages of the tournament and deserved to progress further than his team ultimately managed. Also scored Portugal’s opener against Turkey with a dynamic run from the back.

CENTRE-BACK: Carlos Marchena (Spain).
A no-nonsense, old-fashioned centre-back who’s partnership alongside Carlos Puyol was crucial in protecting Iker Casillas’ goal and gave his more attacking colleagues a solid platform on which to express themselves. Perhaps not the most naturally gifted member of the Spanish squad, but his never-say-die attitude and will to win were important for team spirit as much as anything else.
Other contenders: Carlos Puyol (Spain), Josip Simunic (Croatia), Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal).

LEFT-BACK: Yuri Zhirkov (Russia).
Like Ramos, Zhirkov impressed more supporting attacks than he did while defending. Nonetheless, he was still an important member of Guus Hiddink’s squad due to his pace, ability to beat players and fine passing ability. Don’t be surprised if this talented 24-year-old is prised away from CSKA Moscow this summer by one of Europe’s elite.
Other contenders: Philip Lahm (Germany), Joan Capdevila (Spain), Danijel Pranjic (Croatia), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Holland).

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER: Marcos Senna (Spain).
The Brazilian-born Senna displayed a phenomenal amount of restraint and nous in an otherwise free-flowing Spanish midfield. Senna was effective in protecting the back-four and performed his role exquisitely in ensuring that Spain were not left exposed while others were attacking around him. Notably kept the dangerous Andrei Arshavin quiet in the semi-final encounter with Russia.
Other contenders: Torsten Frings (Germany), Hamit Altintop (Turkey), Orlando Engelaar (Holland).

CENTRAL MIDFIELDER: Deco (Portugal).
Before the tournament, all eyes were on Cristiano Ronaldo in the Portugal squad but it was the little man from Barcelona who outshone him and many others in the early stages. Despite a poor season for his club, Deco consistently produced displays of class and poise ensuring the majority of Portugal’s attacks flowed through him at some stage. After seeing him in this sort of form, Barcelona might now be regretting their decision to allow him to leave the club this summer.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDER: Andres Iniesta (Spain).
The only player to start all of the champions’ matches, Iniesta was the pick of Spain’s astonishingly talented midfield quartet due to his vision for a killer pass and the versatility he showed with the way he often switched wings with David Silva. Although he was unable to cap any of his fine displays with a goal, he was involved in many of his team’s attractive build-up play, with his crowning moment coming with the beautiful through-ball he played to David Villa for his second goal in the opening match against Russia.
Other contenders: Michael Ballack (Germany), Luka Modric (Croatia), Rafael van der Vaart (Holland), David Silva (Spain), Xavi Hernandez (Spain).

ATTACKING MIDFIELDER: Wesley Sneijder (Holland).
After the group stage matches, Holland were many experts’ favourites to win the competition, thanks in no small part to this man. Sneijder supported frontman Ruud van Nistelrooy effectively, as well as combining brilliantly with Rafael van der Vaart in midfield to launch attacks. Scorer of two of the goals of the tournament as well; first against Italy when he finished off a sublime team attack, followed by the way he finished off the 4-1 romp over France with an unstoppable shot from 25 yards.
Other contenders: Arda Turan (Turkey), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Niko Kranjcar (Croatia).

SUPPORTING STRIKER: Andrei Arshavin (Russia).
The talented Russian was suspended for the first two matches in the group, but returned to devastating effect with goals against both Sweden and Holland. Arshavin was also provider for Russia’s other two goals against the Dutch in the quarter-final and was undoubtedly the main reason for their marked improvement during the course of the competition. Came unstuck in the semi-final, thanks to a master-class from Marcos Senna, but there is still no denying this man’s talents.
Other contenders: Robin van Persie (Holland), Lukas Podolski (Germany), Fernando Torres (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal).

CENTRE-FORWARD: David Villa (Spain).
Missed out in the final due to injury but the tournament’s top scorer had already displayed enough talent beforehand to warrant a place in this team. An opening match hat-trick confirmed what a class act he is, before a late strike against Sweden proved his hunger and desire to win. Expect a big money move later this summer.

Other contenders: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Holland), Semih Smeturk (Turkey), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Russia).

When Spain breezed past Russia in their opening group game, few would have expected the sides to be meeting again in the semi-finals. Fifteen nights ago, Guus Hiddink’s Russian side succumbed to a master-class of attacking football, thanks mainly to hat-trick hero David Villa, his strike partner Fernando Torres and the outstanding service provided by Andres Iniesta and David Silva.

Since then, however, Russia have been sparked into life. Andrei Arshavin was suspended for the first two group matches and was sorely missed. Since his return, the Russians have begun to catch the eye, first with an impressive 2-0 victory over Sweden in their final group game and the emphatic 3-1 extra-time win over Holland in the quarter-finals. Arshavin scored in both matches but, more significantly, was the driving force behind the team on both occasions. Luis Aragones, the Spain coach will be wary of the threat the playmaker poses to his side’s ambitions and is likely to instruct Villarreal’s Marcos Senna to attempt to nullify Arshavin’s eye for goal.

Aragones will be hoping for a more open game after the quarter-final that saw an ultra-negative Italian side stifle his team’s attacking prowess before the eventual victorious penalty shoot-out; while Hiddink is probably just delighted to still be here after the improbable victory over his home nation, Holland in the previous round. Make no mistake, this is far from a forgone conclusion – Russia have more than enough quality to pose a threat to Spain, despite that earlier result in the group.

Pre-tournament favorites Germany will go into tonight’s game in a confident manner, following their 3-2 elimination of Portugal in the quarter-final. Coach Joachim Loew, who admitted earlier this week that he considered resigning following his team’s group match defeat at the hands of Croatia, will return from a touchline ban which meant he saw the quarter-final win from the stands. Loew has a full squad to call upon and is likely to pick the same side that beat Portugal, having no doubt been delighted with the way midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger returned from suspension to cap an impressive display with a goal and two assists.

Turkey meanwhile, along with Russia, have been the tournament’s surprise package. Due to their tendency for scoring late goals, Fatih Terim’s side have only been leading for a total of two minutes despite emerging victorious from 3 of their 4 games. The roller-coaster ride has come at a cost, with several key players including Middlesbrough’s Tuncay Sanli picking up bookings meaning they will miss the semi-final showdown with Germany. Turkey are also still without captain Emre Belozoglu, who was injured in the opening match with Portugal. This puts Terim in a difficult situation as he only has 13 outfield players to call upon. Still, we’ve seen his side pull off minor miracles already in this tournament, whose betting against another one?