Is Arsene Wenger's Tenure at Arsenal in Jeopardy?

The obvious answer is no, he is well respected at the club and has done a lot in the past. The real question is SHOULD Arsene Wenger's Tenure at Arsenal be in jeopardy? The answer to that is a resounding, undeniable YES! Football in The Premier League is about winning trophies, not balancing books, bringing in youth or just playing attractive football. Arsenal are not bridging the gap between themselves and the Chelseas and Manchester Uniteds of this world. The footballing knowledge of Wenger is not in doubt, the level of his arrogance is. The policy of bringing in young players and spending next to nothing will please the accountants but will not please Arsenal fans and any of the Gunners' followers with even an ounce of ambition.

Admittedly the tutelage of Wenger has produced  numerous talents such as Ashley Cole, Nicolas Anelka and the imperious Cesc Fabregas but 5-plus years without a Trophy is unbearable. Wenger himself is responsible for raising expectations at The Emirates with the success he has enjoyed in over a decade in charge, but the key issue is growth. Football clubs look to grow and get better and although he has done well it is time to look for a new direction, a new way of thinking and a new era.

The Gael Clichy sale is symptomatic of a team which harbours players with unfulfilled ambitions. Who could blame Fabregas , Nasri and the Manchester City bound Clichy, from having their heads turned by clubs moving in the right direction (and offering ridiculously high salaries to boot).

The time is right to make a change now before the season starts. There is no time to let Andre Villas-Boas settle in at Chelsea and to let Alex Ferguson further build on last season's success. I would say move now or by Christmas the Title may be well on its way back to Old Trafford,Stamford Bridge or even Eastlands.

Where does David Haye go from here?

After David Haye's defeat by Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday, there has been much discussion regarding various issues that detract from the events that actually occurred in the ring. Haye has mentioned a broken toe hindering his efforts, there have been allegations of German officials providing Team Haye with banned substances and many quarters have criticised the performance of the referee.

Ultimately an impartial observer would have to say that Wladimir Klitschko won fair and square. The giant Ukrainian pulled off a masterful strategy that exploited all the physical attributes that make him a genuine heavyweight great. Klitschko worked the jab all night and never gave Haye a chance to get close. The unanimous points decision would suggest that no rematch would be necessary but this is far from the truth. Even in the post match interview Klitschko expressed regret at not earning a K.O, despite the victory. There is an argument for saying that both fighters lost with regard to their pre-match remit. Haye promised to rip his opponents' head off, while Klitschko promised to make his opponent his 50th knock-out victim. The WBA, IBF, IBO, WBO, and The Ring champion  also stated that he does not intend to retire and was not totally happy with his performance.

As far as Haye is concerned, he needs to take some time away from the cameras and formulate a strong,credible P.R campaign to rebuild his reputation. The wild trash talking pre-fight is now looking vulgar, crass and empty following his defeat. The broken toe argument is irrelevant and now is a further obstacle in the fight for Haye's credibility. Once a fighter steps into the ring, he has declared himself as fit to fight and any moaning post fight is just sour grapes, as Klitschko pointed out. The British public will have to be convinced that this time, Haye is not just talking,he is obsessed with the World Titles and will show his intent in the ring. I know many people are shaking their heads at the prospect of a rematch, but it is amazing what good promoting,branding and advertising can do to arouse interest.

A rematch is still viable as both fighters have still got something left to prove to each other. David Haye still has something stashed in his locker,  knowing that he did not land the full force of his trademark,'Hayemaker' all night and that this holds the key to his offensive strategy. Haye can also work on using his speed advantage better in offense.The British former WBA Champion showed swiftness in ducking and evading shots, but did not show fleeting hand combinations in attack. The Klitschko jab is as effective a jab as there has ever been and much time will have to spent watching the July 2nd fight to work-out a counter strategy.

There is no way Haye will retire having lost like this. Money is no issue to him, he has been a millionaire for years and as we all know there is only so many cars, houses and watches you can buy to entertain yourself. In boxing, reputation and legacy are everything and there is no way Britain's best heavyweight will look in the mirror without having thoughts of revenge and setting the record straight. I still think 'The Hayemaker' has something to offer in the heavyweight division. In boxing size isn't everything, heart is, and if David still has the heart to avenge his defeat,there are many punters who will pay another £15 to watch him try.

Novak Djokovic on Rafael Nadal

'Nadal is one of the best players ever,and he puts a lot of effort into every point,so even though I was a set and a break up, I knew he wasn't finished.'

Wladimir Klitschko on getting to the top

'From nothing to everything is a long way,..From everything to nothing is one stop.'

Are England Really the 4th Best Football Team in the World?

Recently Fifa released the latest international football rankings. England have been rated as the 4th best side in the world ahead of the likes of Brazil and Argentina! You may think that the use of an exclamation mark at the end of the previous sentence is unwarranted,but regular England watchers will understand. Fabio Capello has been in charge for years now and we are no better off. Every interview the Italian has illustrates more evidence as to why the players may be lacking in inspiration. The former Real Madrid Manager is still unable to speak English coherently and as a result, cannot get his points across effectively. £6million a year is paid to the England Manager, surely enough to pay a decent language coach to sharpen up his communication skills.

There are question marks about the players' commitment to the international game but I do not believe this is the real problem. The real problem boils down to a lack of leadership, tactical errors and a lack of forward thinking urgency,in the way England play. The captaincy situation has been a joke, again the fault of Capello. Rio Ferdinand has been an England stalwart for years and was the perfect man for the job, a winner in every sense. Having taken the captaincy from John Terry once, Capello took a respectable, hardline stance, by then going back on his decision he interrupted the stability of the side. Terry is a good captain no doubt but why mix and match with such a key position in the squad?

In terms of tactics, England have a tendency to lob the ball forward, down the side channels, with passes that resemble neither long ball tactics nor moves of purposeful industry. The England strategy is neither here nor there. When you think of Spain you think of quick,incisive passing with bustling movement up front. What do you think when you think of England? Exactly, nothing. We don't stand for any particular brand of football,we have no distinguishable style or pattern to our play,other than the aimless punts up-field outlined earlier.

I have deliberately excluded the players from critiscm on the grounds that their talent is unquestionable. What is needed is a 'Composer' to put these collective talents together and make us stand for something other than a big disappointment (1966 aside).

Would Capello have been allowed to stay if he were a club Manager,performing as he is? We all know the answer to that one.

Sachin Tendulkar Quote

'I just keep it simple,watch the ball and play it on merit.'

World Championship Darts: PDC or BDO?

Phil Taylor is the best darts player of all time and is the leading star of the PDC (Professional Darts Championship) with a staggering 13 titles plus 2 BDO crowns. Since its inception in 1994, the PDC has gone on to assume the mantle of the premier darting organisation in the world. Before 1994,the BDO (British Darts Organisation) was the sole name at the top of darts giving us greats such as Eric Bristow, Jocky Wilson and John Lowe.

As a lover of darts I have to say that I watch both world championships and both offer the excitement that darts can offer. The best player in the BDO is Martin Adams who has won the title on 3 occasions and holds the title currently. Despite the greatness of Adams, few would dispute that should he face the best of the PDC, Taylor would be a resounding favourite.

The real answer to which organisation is better is answered at the Grand Slam of Darts where the best of both stables go head to head for darting supremacy. In the four years of its existence, the PDC has given us winners on 3 occasions (3 wins for Phil Taylor),but the the most recent tournament was won by the talented BDO member, Scott Waites.

To give a fair evaluation it would be wise to look past the best players in both organisations and consider the other players that constitute the upper echelons in each roster.The leading lights of the PDC aside from Taylor are: Adrian Lewis, James Wade, Raymond Van Barneveld and Gary Anderson while the BDO boasts Scott Waites, Tony O'Shea, Ted Hankey and Gary Robson. Overall it is pretty clear to the most impartial darting observer that the PDC members would have the edge over the BDO contingent. Taylor and Barneveld have actually won the BDO crown on 2 occasions. As per usual money talks and it would appear that the lucrative prizes on offer at Barry Hearn's organisation are pummeling the opposition into submission!