McCarthy Gives United Early Christmas Gift

As a Wolves supporter myself, I try to keep them out of this column as much as possible as it is my aim to be strictly neutral. However, as my team are all over the national press today I'm going to give my honest view on last night's events that have divided the Wolves community.

How quickly the mood at a club can change. Saturday evening was the greatest victory for Wolves for a long time. A fantastic 1-0 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane and a good performance to boot. Then last night came Mick McCarthy's shocking decision to make ten changes to that team, every outfield player as only Marcus Hahnemann remained between the sticks.

Now, I can understand the reasons why this was done as Wolves go into a crucial six pointer at home to Burnley on Sunday, but to change all the outfield players was puzzling to say the least. After the victory over Spurs there was a sense that Wolves might be able to get something from the game, whether this was true or not we'll never know.

Manchester United were hardly at their best, and it was a poor game in truth. I bet Alex Ferguson was rubbing his hands with glee as he saw the Wolves team. This would surely be a chance to get back to winning ways after Saturday's surprise defeat to Aston Villa.

Let's get real for a moment though. This is Old Trafford and Manchester United we are talking about. It was likely that any Wolves team that went out there were going to be turned over last night, and maybe this was McCarthy's thinking. But this is so unlike him, this is Mick McCarthy, the tough, straight talking former defender who it seems hates to lose at anything. For him to be so seemingly defeatist is what amazed me.

Could McCarthy not have just rested players who he thought needed it, Kevin Doyle for example? I understand that Wolves did a lot of running without the ball on Saturday and were always going to last night. These are professional footballers though who should be able to handle three games in a week. I shall be expecting to see Burnley dead on their feet then at Molineux on Sunday as they tackle Arsenal tonight. They will be playing three games in a week, I expect at full strength. The pressure is now on McCarthy and his team to pick up three points on Sunday.

There is the argument that there were eleven professionals out there representing Wolverhampton Wanderers who could have got the job done and to be fair to them they caused some problems early on, but once Wayne Rooney expertly converted the opening goal from the penalty spot, that was that. I wonder what Carlo Ancelotti made of McCarthy's decision? Had Wolves affected the title race? I doubt Ancelotti would've expected much from Wolves anyway.

From a personal opinion it was disappointing to see the heroes from Saturday evening dropped for such a game, but Burnley is crucial. Three points on Sunday and all is forgiven. What is irking Wolves fans the most though is that a ticket for the game cost £42, and extra add ons for travel. If some knew they'd be watching largely second string players they wouldn't have bothered. It was Manchester United who set those ridiculous prices though and Mick McCarthy's job is to pick the team and get results - ultimately keeping Wolves in the Premier League. It sounds harsh but it's not up to him to care about the fans. He didn't do it out of spite, he did it for Wolves.

But there can be no complaints from Wolverhampton now should Man Utd or Chelsea play a weakened side against one of their relegation rivals. Wolves have to now move on from this episode to the one that really matters - Burnley on Sunday.

Big Two Falter As Villa Make Their Move

What an unpredictable day it was in the Premier League yesterday. Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham all slipped up in apparent 'home bankers'. Spurs were toppled by my team Wolves, while United lost to Aston Villa and Chelsea were held to a 3-3 draw by Everton at Stamford Bridge.

So while it seems nobody wants to take the title race by the scruff of the neck it looks as if Spurs are determined to stuff up their chances of Champions League football - they have not won since that 9-1 drubbing of Wigan. We also saw more of Manchester City's leaky defence and ruthless attack in another goal glut at Bolton, another 3-3 thriller.

So it seems it all worked out perfectly for Aston Villa. Not only did they notch up their first win at Old Trafford since 1983, with their main rivals slipping up they found themselves sitting in the top four. While it has been Tottenham and Manchester City thumping their chests and talking up their chances of breaking into the top four, it's Aston Villa quietly going about their business on the pitch.

Incredibly Villa have now won at Anfield and Old Trafford this season while beating Chelsea on their own patch - that's championship winning form! In fact, the only thing keeping them out of the title race are the defeats against the likes of Wigan, West Ham and Blackburn.

But it's a carbon copy of last season. A blistering start to the season including a win at The Emirates saw Martin O'Neill's men firmly placed in the top four, they were the only side who were going to do it. However, they faded dramatically after Christmas as Arsenal clawed them back to comfortably finish above them in the end as Villa finished sixth.

So O'Neill will be hoping that Villa have come into form at just the right time to have a real go at securing Champions League football. With no Europa League football this time around, Villa can focus firmly on the League, depending whether O'Neill fancies a crack at the FA Cup, but this wouldn't be too demanding.

Looking over their shoulders, you would expect the firmest challenge to come from Liverpool, who will surely return to top form at some stage, especially with the return to fitness of Fernando Torres. Though O'Neill may take comfort from the fact that the Reds will have to travel across Europe some Thursdays before returning to League action on the Sunday.

One thing's for sure, an interesting battle lies ahead for fourth spot just as for first. For now though, I'm sure Villa supporters are revelling in their fabulous victory and trying not to look too far ahead.

Managers Should Get Respect They Deserve

There have been two incidents this week that have seen dressing room bust-ups between player and manager. Of course this is nothing new in football, and some see it as a healthy difference of opinion and two people showing their passion for the club.

However, Queens Park Rangers seemed to have turned against their manager as they have suspended Jim Magilton whilst investigating an incident between he and influential midfielder Akos Buzsaky after Monday night's defeat to Watford.

The other incident occurred at The Emirates Stadium on Saturday where there was an apparent falling out in the Stoke dressing room between Tony Pulis and striker James Beattie. We don't know the facts of exactly what happened but if you believe the tabloids it seems it was to do with the club's Christmas party which seems difficult to believe.

Of course this would be an unbelievable thing to argue about after a game and Beattie would clearly be in the wrong, but he has had a good time of it since his move to The Brittania in January and would be foolish to mess it up.

Now for QPR to suspend their manager they must feel he has done something to warrant this punishment. But his back room staff have come to his defence by refusing to work until he is reinstated so they must feel there has been an injustice. When there is a disagreement between player and manager it is simple; the manager is correct because what he says goes. The players just have to get on with it. You wouldn't got to work, have an argument with the boss and expect him to be suspended would you?

I'm sure a similar thing won't happen at Stoke though. Pulis has done magnificently over the past couple of years and I'm sure he won't want to lose Beattie so maybe they can do what's best for the club and patch things up. The spirit has been fantastic at The Brittania and this has been instrumental in their survival.

There had been rumblings of discontent though down at Loftus Road prior to this incident about poor results despite Rangers been in and around the top six. But there are high expectations from the high rollers who run the club who want instant success, so maybe this is there chance to dump Magilton. What they need though is stability.

No player should be above the manager and if a player is unhappy then the club should cut out the player that's causing the disharmony and get rid. The manager is in charge of the team and the players should respect that.

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Owen Rolls Back The Years

Just like Jermain Defoe nine days before him, Michael Owen sent out a reminder to Fabio Capello and also Sir Alex Ferguson that he's still capable of playing at the top.

He rattled in a magnificent hat-trick against Wolfsburg to round off Manchester United's Champions League group in style. This was Owen's perfect opportunity to shine in an unfamiliar starting line up as United had already progressed in the group. However, their opponents were at their strongest and desperate for victory to try and get through, so this was an impressive performance by Owen against the German champions.

The first was a close range header at the back post, the second a nice reaction poke in and the third the most impressive. With Wolfsburg attacking desperately to try and get something from the game United hit them on the counter attack and with Owen through on goal you got a glimpse of Argentina at World Cup 98, as he cutely chipped the keeper to seal a brilliant hat-trick.

Owen would now like to think he's got a shot at a starting place in the Premier League against Aston Villa on Saturday. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen but Dimitar Berbatov has hardly been setting the world alight lately.

And how Capello would like to see him in a regular starting berth as Owen tries to force his way into his World Cup plans. But if Owen can continue to hit these heights then he must surely be in with a chance of boarding the plane to South Africa.

England Satisfied With Group Draw

The gods were smiling this evening as England got the best draw they could possibly have hoped for in South Africa. They were placed in Group C along side USA, Algeria and Slovenia. Their first game will come against the Americans on June 12.

Looking at the possibilities before the draw was made, there were teams that England would have wanted to avoid, notably France and Portugal so they will be satisfied with their three opponents. To win the group now will be the expectation from fans and you would think England will. USA and Slovenia will be expected to fight it out for second, Slovenia who knocked out Russia in the play-offs, while I admit I don't know much about Algeria, though they won their qualifying group and also beat Egypt in a play-off, so maybe they shouldn't be written off completely.

But if England are serious contenders to win the tournament then they should not be too concerned about who lies in their group, though you don't want be too complacent either.

Looking further ahead England will be keen to avoid Germany in the last 16 who could lie in wait if either fail to win their groups. Otherwise it would be one from Australia, Serbia or Ghana.

Looking at the rest of the draw the group of death this time appears to be Group G which contains Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea. That's Ronaldo, Drogba and Kaka coming up against each other in the group stages. France got off the hook somewhat, avoiding the big seeds and being placed into Group A with hosts South Africa, while their toughest test are likely to be Mexico. The other top sides will be expected to progress with a minimum of fuss. The first game of the tournament will be hosts South Africa against Mexico in Johannesburg on June 11.

Though we all look forward to the draw for the group stages, like the Champions League, it gets really interesting in the knock out stages.

There is nothing like a World Cup to keep you going throughout the summer when the domestic action has ceased and with 188 days until the action begins I for one cannot wait.

Spurs Miss Big Opportunity

Can anybody break the big four? The long established quartet that have dominated English football over the past few years. No one has achieved this feat since 2004/05 when Everton beat city rivals Liverpool into the last Champions League place.

And with Liverpool's current form, many have begun to wonder whether this will be the season when the 'big four' will be broken apart.

So who's in pole position? Currently it's Tottenham who sit in third for now, after yesterday's draw at Villa Park. Aston Villa themselves and then big spenders Manchester City will also think that they are in with a shout.

But I would say that Spurs are the only team who look likely to do it if anyone does. While on the face of it the point they picked up in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa may seem a good result, it was a game that Spurs dominated for large parts. A fantastic performance, especially as the away side, something that the 'big four' consistently do.

Something else they consistently do, however, is win when they're on top and Spurs didn't do this yesterday. Full marks to them for their performance, they were very impressive, more so than the home side. At present they certainly look more likely than Villa and Manchester City, who seem to be in the 'best of the rest' section of the Premier League.

You do feel though that if Chelsea, Manchester United or Arsenal had been playing so well in that game that they would have persevered at prevailed with three points. It was also a massive opportunity for Tottenham to put some distance between themselves and Liverpool, who will surely return to form and push hard for fourth spot.

It's quite unbelievable to be lamenting Spurs for wasteful finishing after they put nine past Wigan only a week ago. All the ingredients are there for Spurs to get into that big four. They must be ruthless though, and they must win games when they're on top. A point here and there off the big four wouldn't hurt either.

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What a long journey home it must have been for those Barnsley fans travelling home from Plymouth. After being euphoric with a 4-1 first half lead, those celebrations were cut short and the three points that were surely coming their way taken away.

This was because after 58 minutes the game was abandoned after the Home Park pitch was deemed unplayable and dangerous by referee Gavin Ward.

As a football fan, this has got to be the worst feeling in the world, worse than seeing your team get hammered, because you've not had that joy - especially on a long away trip - snatched away. Of course, if the referee felt that there was a danger to the players, then this had to be the right thing to do.

In the aftermath though comes the argument whether the points should be given to Barnsley. It's a difficult one. While it seems unlikely, with half an hour left Plymouth had more than enough time to go and get three goals. Barnsley boss Mark Robins was understandably outraged and said he didn't think the referee would have given the same decision had Plymouth being winning 4-1. This was probably just heat of the moment stuff though, if the pitch is unplayable, the decision has to be made regardless of the result. But what of the travelling fans? I'm assuming the return game will be free.

It all seems very unjust, for Plymouth to get another crack, for Barnsley's players to have to forget they ever had a 4-1 lead and go out and do it again. It's probably the only solution though as there was too much time left on the clock to give a final result.

Must Win For Arsenal?

At the beginning of the season, there weren't many who thought Arsenal had a realistic chance of winning the title apart from a few optimistic Gooners, but after a blistering start to the season many had begun talking up there chances.

They had bounced back from the double defeats in Manchester early on in the season and had returned to fantastic form in the Premier League. That was until last Saturday and an unexpected defeat at Sunderland, where Arsenal in truth weren't themselves. They have since returned to winning ways though after seeing off Standard Liege 3-0 in the Champions League in midweek.

Now comes a huge test of their mettle though as league leaders Chelsea visit the Emirates on Sunday. Arsenal currently find themselves eight points behind the Blues with a game in hand. While nobody can write off a side like Arsenal in November, you feel they need to win this one or at worst not lose.

Arsenal were unlucky to lose against Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier in the season, after being the better side for large parts of the game. But that is what the best do, they win games when they are not at their best.

Sometimes you don't feel the Gunners are capable of this, for them to beat Chelsea on Sunday I feel they will have to be at their best. They will not want to be reminded of the 4-1 beating that Chelsea dished out to them at the Emirates at the back end of the last campaign. While Arsenal are perhaps the nicest on the eye, there is no doubting the quality Chelsea have at their disposal.

But Chelsea are not inhuman, they are capable of having an off day, particularly on their travels. This is a game where all results are possible, but one you feel Arsenal will need to win to stop the fight for the Premier League title becoming a two-horse race.

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Defoe Sends Out A Reminder To Capello

After banging in five against Wigan last week, Jermain Defoe has perhaps reminded the whole of England why he should be in England's starting line up next summer.

It was a truly phenomenal display from Defoe and watching it you do have to question why Emile Heskey would be deployed ahead of him. Sure Heskey brings something different to the side with his hold up play, but I feel you need your strikers to score goals.

Indeed I would favour Peter Crouch ahead of Heskey, while he is not as strong, he can hold the ball up and also score goals. This is not a witch hunt or a major criticism of Heskey but this is a player who doesn't start regularly for Aston Villa, while it was Defoe and Crouch who got six between them against Wigan last Sunday.

Wayne Rooney is number one striker and rightly so, but he isn't always prolific but it is he who brings so much to the team that he can't be ignored. For me, Rooney and Heskey wouldn't be enough of a goal threat at next summer's finals.

There is also a certain Michael Owen, hero of previous major tournaments, to consider. For me, he is definitely worth putting on the plane, but for him to be picked he needs to be scoring regularly for Manchester United and prove he is fit enough.

So right now, if I was Fabio Capello I would go with Rooney and Defoe to start up front with Crouch as a different option if needed.

Out Of Their Hands

Liverpool go in to Tuesday night's game against Debrecen knowing that victory may not be enough to keep them in the Champions League. If Fiorentina beat an already qualified Lyon in Florence, Liverpool's European adventure for this season will be over, regardless of the result in Hungary.

For an English team to go out of the Champions League in the group stages is almost unthinkable, after all England has begun to take a strangle hold on the competition in the past few seasons. After an all English final in 2008, three of last season's semi-finalists were from these shores, despite Barcelona being the eventual winners.

The biggest mistake that Liverpool could make is taking the win against Debrecen as read. Most would expect the Reds to pick up three points and then hope for Lyon to get a result. But this is a Liverpool team out of form, particularly on their travels. They have not won in their last six away games in all competitions.

Debrecen still harbour slim hopes of finishing in third and claiming a Europa League spot and despite losing all four of their group games, have not been disgraced. They ran Liverpool close at Anfield, only losing 1-0, and scored five goals in the two defeats against Fiorentina.

I'm sure Rafa Benitez will drum into his players before the game to forget about events in Italy and just concentrate on what they can affect, beating Debrecen.

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As if it hadn't been a bad enough week for the Republic Of Ireland, then came news of the seedings for the Euro 2012 qualification groups, for which the draw takes place in February.

After coming agonisingly close to World Cup qualification, Ireland have found themselves placed in pot 3 among the likes of Scotland, Norway and Austria as well as their neighbours from the north.

This must surely come as yet another huge kick in the teeth. There were Ireland fans, consoling their anger and disappointment with the thoughts that surely qualification for the next major tournament would be made easier after such a gutsy performance.

What must be more annoying would be to take a peek at the sides seen as better than them. Given a generous position in pot 1 are Croatia, a side who failed to even make the play-offs in World Cup qualifying and among other sides to have disappointing campaigns in pot 2 feature Romania and Sweden.

Ok, I know this is largely based on at past European Championship tournaments where the above mentioned sides have performed well, but you would think UEFA would use some common sense and take into account the most recent competitive performances of nations.