As with each new term, all eyes were on how the latest selection would do as many made the step up from last seasons successful U17 side and they weren’t disappointed as the young Lions comfortably dispatched their opposition with goals in each half from Liverpool duo Michael Ngoo and Jonjo Shelvey.

Noel Blake’s team dominated the game from start to finish in the international friendly and a goal in the 16th minute after Ross Barkley set up Ngoo score on his debut was no less than they deserved.

They continued to create chances but had to wait until the 72nd minute before doubling their advantage, former Charlton Athletic starlet Shelvey stepping up to curl home a free kick from 25 yards to seal the win.

This was their only opportunity to train together ahead of the European Championship qualifiers next month as they look to progress from a group containing Cyprus, Albania and Belgium and Blake declared himself delighted with the performance after the game.

“The victory is one thing, and that’s always a good start for a new year group. But I was absolutely delighted with the performance from start to finish.

I thought we controlled the tempo of the game and scored two very good goals but I was most pleased with our passing and our game management in particular.

That’s something we’ve spoken about a lot and it really pleased me, so it’s good food for thought from the first game.”

Arsenal’s Benik Afobe amd Nico Yennaris also made their debuts for the U19s, appearing as second half substitutes, and will hope they have done enough to assure themselves of a place in next month’s squad.

Many journalists have already marked this fixture as the day when Blackpool begin to realise just how tough the Premier League will be. Words like “nightmare” have already been used to describe what will follow kick off for the Seasiders this afternoon.

They couldn’t be more wrong. The minnows know exactly what awaits for them this season, despite a fairytale start at Wigan last week, and they are prepared to face it head on with refreshing honesty and humour.

None exemplifies this attitude better than the irrepressible Ian Holloway. Too few managers approach a press conference with the aim of being totally honest, telling journalists exactly what he thinks of each issue they put to him without echoing the same old tired cliches over and over again.

Just take his comments on the way his club is being run financially:

“We still need seven or eight players if we are to reach the January window in some sort of shape. The trick is getting your top earners sorted out on sensible money, then you can pin everyone else down under that. You can control the other Herberts by telling them, “Excuse me, you’re not as good as him, you’re not worth as much, so shut up and get out of my office”.

‘But if you’ve got too big a lid on it, and your best player is on 220 grand a week, how can you make sense of what the others should be on? Can you say, “There’s two grand a week, off you go”? I don’t think so. You get average players earning far more than they should, and that’s when the trouble starts.’

Ahead of the game he also lauded Wenger as a “genius”, and admitted that he even wants to come down to London Colney to watch the Frenchman at work, to learn from it and add it to his own managerial style so he can take himself forward and with him his Blackpool side who seem to share his ambition to learn from the best in what could be the launchpad for a successful top flight career whether they stay with Blackpool or leave.

But as well as the breathtaking realism he displays, there’s no doubt what journalist’s really look forward to are his quirky side comments and entertaining anecdotes.

“I’m still desperate to beat [Wenger]. I lost at cards to my wife the other night and was fuming, because I hate losing at anything. In life, you aspire to be the best at everything.

We might end up losing by the most embarrassing scoreline in Premier League history, or we could pull off the shock of the century.”

I for one hope he enjoys more of the latter than the former, just not starting today.

Talking Tactics

Having lost Samir Nasri to injury this week, there is some some good news for the Gunners as they look to welcome back World Cup winner and club captain Cesc Fabregas to the side after he missed last week’s trip to Anfield. Johan Djourou also returns but both he and the Spaniard may only be fit enough for the bench. Robin van Persie is pushing for a start after a substitute role on Sunday.

In that case Alex Song should be used in central defence as Vermaelen’s partner, with Diaby playing as the holding midfielder with Tomas Rosicky likely to take Samir Nasri’s slot in midfield, although hopefully with Jack Wilshere pushed further forward than he played last weekend.

With Arsenal likely to dominate possession I’d like to see Kieran Gibbs and Emmanuel Eboue get the nod ahead of Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna at full back, both replacements offering far more going forward than the latter pair.

Theo Walcott will hope to take his place on the right wing, whilst Andrey Arshavin will be lucky to retain his place on the left wing after a poor performance against Liverpool, having previously admitted he is carrying an injury. In my opinion Carlos Vela deserves a chance to shine if the Russian is indeed left on the bench.

His Under 18 team travel to Carrington with the prospect of a fourth successive Academy league title in sight but the former Sunderland captain insists that his players are just making sure they take each game as it comes.

Kevin Ball said: “My focus is not really to keep them level-headed – it’s more a case of them doing that themselves.
At this moment in time it’s not really in our hands, in terms of if [Nottingham] Forest win the rest of their games and beat us they win [the league]. That keeps the focus on [the] need to win our games. They know that.”

Nottingham Forest currently sit six points adrift of the Wearsiders but have three games in hand over the leaders and Ball believes that the only way to keep the pressure on Forest is to concentrate on their own games.

“There may be a game that could be pivotal – the Forest game when we play down there – but that counts for nothing if we don’t do stuff in between. If we lose the two in between then the Forest game isn’t important any more.”

Their more immediate worry is Manchester United on Saturday, who are also involved in a title race in their own league. Three points off leaders Everton following last week’s draw with Sheffield Wednesday this game is as vital to them as it is to Sunderland, although both teams have selection concerns ahead of the clash which could give the two teams a more youthful look.

Ball said: “They’ve cancelled our Under 16 game because they haven’t got enough bodies, they’ve got injuries which enables me to play some of our Under 16s in our game as well. So we’ll have two or three playing on Saturday for us as well which is a great experience for them.”

Sunderland will be missing three key players through injury for the game with Lewis King (calf), Craig Lynch (angle ligament), and John Egan all ruled out, although Ball is “hopeful” the latter two will return in the next few weeks. They will also be without top scorer Ryan Noble after the striker completed a loan move to Watford on Thursday.

A win on Saturday would certainly be an important step towards the national academy league final, something which Kevin Ball is targeting as coach.

“What I would like to do one day while Academy coach is win the national final. We’ve got to the Semi-Final, twice we’ve got to the Final and I want to be the coach of a team that wins it.”

The huge rise in popularity of football forums, fan sites and twitter posts is contributing to the pressure that high profile managers find themselves under, the BBC’s Phil McNulty believes. Not long ago the only opinions that most football fans followed were those of the pundits and the match day fans, but with the introduction of message boards fans have become influenced by the views of fellow supporters from all over the world.

In his role as chief football writer for BBC Sport, McNulty writes regular blogs about the latest football news and he thinks the greater access fans have to pundits and fellow supporters’ opinions certainly has had an effect on how we perceive managers.

“I think the presence of blogs, message boards and the advance of other forms of social media is a factor because it can allow a groundswell of opinion to develop. I think fans have a right to high expectations, but the whole sense around football these days is that people want success yesterday – and this is where the expectations actually lose touch with the reality.”

BBC Sports Phil McNulty agrees that the pressure managers have to face now is far beyond what it was.
“There is no doubt that expectation levels are at unbelievable levels these days. When I was younger, there may have been the odd murmuring about a manager at the highest level in England if he went three seasons without a trophy. Now it can be three games and managers are under pressure.”

Another factor that has been highlighted is the never-ending debate over money in football. Jeff Brown, currently anchorman for BBC Look North in the North East and Cumbria, says the money that fans are forced to pay to watch their team play is the key factor in losing the fans support. “The fans are more impatient now- they don’t accept that for every winner there has to be a loser.

When I was younger and went to games it only cost pennies and you stood in terraces and it didn’t seem to matter as much if you lost. But when you’re paying £40-50 you expect to see your team win every single week.”

McNulty agrees that the money in the game has definitely had an effect: “I think the rewards for success are so great and the penalties for failure so acute that expectation was always going to rise.”

As you move towards that familiar stadium armed with your match day program in one hand, scarf in the other, your own momentum being dictated by the steady flow of like-minded and identically clothed men, it is the unity that makes it such a special experience. You start up conversations with people you don’t know, who you will never meet again, all the while treating them like a well known friend trading pre-match opinion, banter and jokes.

Then you have found your seat and the game itself begins. A tower of noise is started by complete strangers stood 100 yards away, yet you, along with thousands of others, will lend your voice to it simply for the colours those strangers wear.
Wherever you are, football can often bridge the gap between people from all around the world. Simply by wearing your team’s colours you can provoke conversation and debate.

Unlike so many sports, football is universally available to play. If you spoke to a ten year old child in North London, and then a ten year old child in a Brazilian favela , the only part of their day that both can relate to is playing football with a few mates. And because of that, the only dream and ambition they are likely to both share is to be a footballer and that is something special.

Those are the reasons I, along with millions of others, love football.

Before Liverpool dramatically claimed all three points against arch rivals Manchester United, Rafael Benitez was coming under increasing pressure after just nine Premier League games. A few days earlier a Middlesbrough win had failed to keep Gareth Southgate in a job, Steve Gibson firing the Boro boss despite being just one point off the Championship summit.
Let’s consider the plight of Benitez first. He’s brought them domestic and European success since his arrival at the club and despite never winning the Premier League title, and Kenny Daglish is the only Liverpool manager who boasts a better record over the first 200 games in charge. Yet after a sloppy run of form at the start of this campaign the Spaniard saw the security of his job a topic up for debate.

Phil McNulty, the BBC’s chief football writer, believes that the Liverpool boss was never under any immediate danger of losing his job, despite the rumours in the press: “He had been strongly supported by senior figures at Liverpool, such as co-owner George Gillett and managing director Christian Purslow, as well as Kenny Dalglish. Of course if Liverpool had lost to United, it would have increased the sense of unease and made the need for an improvement even more acute, but it would not have cost him his job.”

Whether you think that support is justified, and I happen to think the acrimony towards Hicks and Gillett has meant some of Benitez’s shortcomings have been ignored, it is there in numbers. You must remember Benitez has signed a very lucrative long-term contract not so long ago.”

Meanwhile Gareth Southgate became the latest manager to lose his job this season, after Gibson decided Southgate wasn’t the man to lead Middlesbrough back to the top flight. Jeff Brown, the current anchorman for BBC Look North in the North East and Cumbria, has criticised the timing of the announcement. “I was surprised by the timing of it. I wouldn’t have been surprised [if he had been sacked]at the end of last season, it was an obvious cut off point for a new manager to come in for a different division. If anything, I thought it was more likely to have been the other way round, with Gareth leaving [voluntarily]. He’s a very honest guy.

I’m not surprised that he is devastated by the decision, having dealt with him as a player and as a manager he is one of the nicest and most eloquent people in football.”

He has been named alongside some other equally impressive talents, such as Sergio Asenjo and Bojan Krkic in a very strong line-up.

The Spanish squad in full:

• Sergio Asenjo Andrés (Atletico)
• Álvaro Domínguez Soto (Atletico)

• Francisco Mérida Serrano (Arsenal)

• Óscar De Marcos Arana (Athletic Bilbao)

• Andreu Fontás Prat (Barcelona)
• Oriol Romeu Vidal (Barcelona)
• Bojan Krkic Pérez (Barcelona)

• Aarón Ñíguez Esclapez (Celta Vigo)
• Jose Luis Mato Sanmartín (Celta Vigo)

• Didac Vila Roselló (Espanyol)

• Daniel Parejo Muñoz (Getafe)

• Tomás Mejías Osorio (Real Madrid)

• César Azpilicueta Tanco (Osasuna)

• Emilio Nsue López (Real Sociedad)

• Alberto Botía Rabasco(Sporting Gijon)

• José Ángel Valdés Díaz (Sporting Gijon)

• Jordi Alba Ramos (Valencia)

• Diego Mariño Villar (Villareal)

• Marcos Gullón Ferrera (Villareal)

• Víctor Laguardia Cisneros (Zaragoza)
• Ander Herrera Agüera (Zaragoza)

There is little doubt that Eduardo deliberately went to ground to get his side a spot kick against Celtic, even the most ardent Arsenal fan will admit it should never have been given, and even that the Croatian international deserved a yellow card for his troubles. But there is no excuse for the unacceptable way that the media and Europe’s governing body have treated him.

Wenger’s description was of a “witch hunt” and Uefa will be happy to know they have reached the point where the burning can begin in earnest, handing a two match ban out. In doing so, however, they have turned a page in the history of football that they cannot be allowed to return to.

A dive, if spotted by the referee, warrants “only” a yellow card. No suspension, you will notice. Yet if the referee fails to do his job, that same dive can now be accompanied by a retrospective two match ban. The ban is for “decieving the referee”, a simply ridiculous phrase that Uefa should be forced to regret after every single game this season. Hats off to Uefa if they really intend to stick to this new plan to get rid of cheating in the game, but does anyone really believe they are going to implement the same penalty against the likes of £30m+ Ibrahimovic, £80m Cristiano Ronaldo and co when they con the ref in every game they feature in this season. If they did so we would probably never see them get two consecutive appearances this year.

If a player claims the ball did not touch him when the opposition appeal for a corner kick, presumably if the ref believes that player and gives a goal kick after the match that player will then be given a two match ban for “decieving the referee”? Hmmm, I think not. Likewise if in the middle of the pitch someone takes a dive to win a meaningless free kick, the next day when everyone realises he has conned the referee will he miss the next two matches as a result? Once again, I highly doubt it.

The truth is that the media and Uefa have teamed up to make an example of Arsenal Football Club and of Eduardo, creating a show of unity against cheating in a haphazard, nonsensical manner that has been pathetic to see. If Uefa had really wanted to stamp out cheating in football, where is the two match ban for Ashley Young following the wingers tumble to gain a penalty against Rapid Vienna just days after Eduard0-gate? Where is the ban for Lionel Messi following an attempted headbutt that he only recieved a yellow for?

I will leave you with this thought – If Ronaldo had done the same thing as Eduardo, as he has done so many times in his career, would we have the same situation?

He had been battling the disease for over 15 years and it is hard to think of anybody within the footballing world who will be missed quite as much as Sir Bobby Robson will be.

Sir Bobby was a massively popular figure whose knowledge and experiences of football were second to none, having coached Ipswich, PSV, Barcelona, Porto, Sporting Lisbon, Newcastle United, Fulham and England with great success over a managerial career spanning over 35 years. As a player he was capped 20 times for his country while playing for Fulham, West Brom and the Vancouver Royals.

I’m sure everyones thoughts are with his family at this time, who released this statement:

“It is with great sadness that it has been announced today that Sir Bobby Robson has lost his long and courageous battle with cancer.

“He died very peacefully this morning (Friday) at his home in County Durham with his wife and family beside him.

“Sir Bobby’s funeral will be private and for family members only.

“A thanksgiving service in celebration of Sir Bobby’s life will be held at a later date for his many friends and colleagues.

“Lady Robson and the family would very much appreciate it if their privacy could be respected at this difficult time.”