The Penalty Shootout: Rooney's Injury

Welcome to the latest installment of The Penalty Shootout. In this week's edition, our pundits will discuss the impact of Wayne Rooney's broken foot on the England team as the Three Lions prepare for the World Cup.

Brian: It doesn't look good for England, Bryce. Wayne Rooney broke his foot and is out at least six weeks. You and I both saw with our own eyes at Euro 2004 how poor the England attack is without Rooney. England has a midfield full of guys who like to sit back and hit it long to Owen, and Rooney was the one guy who actually could link up with the midfield and attack with quick passing and timely runs. He's the one irreplaceable player in that team, and now he could be out for the World Cup. Even if he does make it back during the tournament, it's hard to imagine that he'll be at his best. Should we rule England out now among our favorites?

Bryce: Well, obviously the already daunting task of unseating Brazil before the likes of Italy or Germany did just get that much more difficult. I think the immediate replacement for Rooney in the starting eleven is Peter Crouch, which means playing with a much more direct approach. Ultimately, the success of that tactic will be determined by Michael Owen, assuming he regains his fitness and form. The oft-injured Magpie excelled for years with the likes of Heskey knocking the ball down to him, and Crouch from Liverpool certainly fits the description of a good target man.

Given their group, I think England can still advance to the knock-out phase. The question then becomes whether or not the prospect of Rooney (without match fitness) being available for the quarter or semifinals and beyond is enough to give him a roster spot. Rooney or no, England must believe that they can overcome this latest obstacle and compete with any nation in the world in a single-game elimination tournament.

Brian: I agree, England has the talent to overcome the loss of Rooney. At the very least, they should be able to win a fairly easy group without him. Plus they will be buoyed by the fact that Rooney could return for the knock-out phase. I think if there's any chance that Rooney could play, you have to give him a roster spot. Let's be honest - it's not like the 23rd guy on the roster, whoever that may be, is going to get any playing time. Rooney is worth the risk. He's that important.

Now, I have to disagree with you about Crouch. I just don't think he's world class. True, he could knock down some balls for Owen and give Beckham a target on crosses. But he just isn't good enough and often disappears during matches. Plus, he will make England completely a one dimensional, hit-it-long team. Just picture a hypothetical game with Owen and Crouch up front. Gerrard or Beckham will win the ball, and just hoof it long all day. England will be lucky to have 30% of the possession. England needs a forward who can run at opposing defenses. If you play Owen and Crouch up front, and Beckham and Cole on the wings, you have absolutely no team speed in your attack. As you know, I think speed is paramount, particularly on the international level. That leaves us with two options: Jermaine Defoe or Darren Bent. Play either of those guys, and you've become a little more dynamic in your attacking options.

Bryce: I still think Crouch earns the spot in the starting eleven by default. Defoe and Owen are too similar to be partnered together, if nothing else because they are too short. Defoe hasn't played much at Tottenham this year for precisely that reason- Robbie Keane has been too in-form to drop, leaving Mido as the only consistent option in attack as Captain Keane's partner. Darren Bent has shown all season an uncanny knack for finding the back of the net. But is he tested enough to play a lead role for England this summer? I'm just not sure he could do it game in-game out this summer. Could Bent or Defoe use his pace to snatch a goal or two at some point? Undoubtedly. I just think Sven will look to Crouch until he plays himself out of the team. There's just something about the possibility of Beckham's crosses having a huge target man that will prove too tempting for the soon-to-be ex-England manager.

Brian: Sadly, Sven probably will start Crouch and we'll be stuck watching the England midfield run around like chickens with their heads cut off, only to win the ball and waste possession by hoofing up yet another desperate long ball attempt to Owen and Crouch. It won't be pretty football, and England will have to hope that it can win games on class alone. I think we can probably agree on this much: there is no way that England can beat a world class team without Rooney. Remember who Sven took off before England fell apart against France at Euro 2004? Rooney. And I'm sure you remember what happened once Rooney got hurt in the quarterfinal against Portugal. The "attack" is far too one dimensional and there's no creative spark anywhere in that team, save Rooney. Lampard and Gerrard can show flashes of brilliance but neither has taken over a game on the international stage like they do for their country (partly because they don't have an anchorman in midfield sitting behind them, but that's another matter). Fortunately for England they might not have a tough opponent until the quarterfinal. Let's just hope that England is still in the tournament at that point and the lad can contribute.

Video: Rooney's Injury (courtesy www.youtube.com)




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Free Kicks - 29 April 2006

A Nation Holds its Breath...
Big, big news out of London today, where Manchester Utd and England star Wayne Rooney went down with a broken foot in a league game against Chelsea on Saturday. Rooney went down in the 78th minute after a challenge from Chelsea defender Paolo Ferreira. He immediately grabbed his right foot and was in obvious discomfort. Doctors have determined that Rooney has broken the fourth metatarsal on his right foot - similar to the injury he sustained at Euro 2004. The early diagnosis is that Rooney will be out six weeks. Needless to say, this has huge implications for England in June's World Cup. England's first World Cup game is on June 10 - exactly six weeks from today. Anyone that saw England play Portugal in the Euro 2004 quarterfinals will attest how vital Rooney is, and how poor they are with Rooney out of the lineup. England manager Sven Goran Eriksson will now have to determine in the weeks ahead if Rooney is recovering quickly enough to be included in England's team, and if he's fit enough to play. Whether you are an England supporter or not, let's wish Wayne a speedy recovery - the World Cup needs its stars. We'll have more on this story in the weeks ahead.

Classy Guy
As expected, Chelsea wrapped up its second consecutive English Premier League title on Saturday. They won the title with class on the pitch with a dominating 3-0 victory over Man Utd, but once again proved to be classless off the pitch. Following the game, our old buddy Jose Mourinho chucked his championship medal into the crowd. After being given a replacement, he threw that one into the crowd as well. He then went on one of his typical "woe-is-me" rants during his postgame newsconference. The highlights:

• "I have a Premiership medal from last season and it's the same medal. I only need one."
• "I think being manager in terms of being recognized for what you do it's the worse club to work at. For example I won nine consecutive matches this season and I was never manager of the month. Not one single time. I have been here for two years, we are champions and I have won manager of the months two times in two years."
• "I should be the happiest manager in the world at this moment but I'm not."
• "Every single word I say in this country, the next day it is a nightmare.

Poor Jose. Nobody loves him. Boo hoo! I might be missing something, but when your owner spends £260 million in less than three years, you are supposed to win! When you have international-quality players on your reserve team, you are supposed to win. Like Bryce alluded to in his mailbag, Chelsea is in another world with its spending habits. When you are throwing around money like that, not many outside of West London will be standing and clapping for you when you win.

Thanks, But No Thanks
Portugal's Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has removed himself from consideration for the England managerial job following the World Cup. Now there are some questions behind why "Big Phil" turned down the job. Some say that the FA was only offering £2.5 million a year, while Scolari wanted £5 million. A more frightening report says he balked after his 14-year old son received threats on his life. Who knows, perhaps Scolari is posturing for more money. But this episode shows us two important things: one, the amount of attention and scrutiny the British media puts on these poor guys is ridiculous, and two, The FA has no clue what it's doing. The fact that the Scolari negotiations got out to the media show how inept The FA is. The FA, along with the media, have created such a terrible situation that they've run Sven out of town and now are making the role unwanted by any big name manager. At this rate, look for The FA to hire a second-rate candidate like Steve McClaren.

Fashion Corner
As Bryce likes to point out, I am the fashion expert here at Bookable Offense. It's a job I take very seriously, as fashion is not a joking matter. I anticipate the unveiling of new football kits as much as I do cup finals. And when there's fashion news that concerns Arsenal, I take particular interest. With that said, there's some disturbing news to report. More than one Arsenal fan website is reporting that the Gunners will wear a "special" shirt for the UEFA Champions League final against Barcelona in Paris on May 17. Now, while I urge fans to take this unconfirmed report with a grain of salt, I feel compelled to reveal the rumored design in this edition of Free Kicks. If you are as sickened as I am, please do your part and contact the club to make sure this doesn't happen.

And Finally...
Fans of the networking website myspace.com take note: The world-famous Highbury Squirrel has his own myspace page! Yes, you, me, the 14-year old girls of the world, and now the Highbury Squirrel can network and chat via myspace. The Highbury Squirrel had a brief yet famous appearance during the first leg of the Arsenal-Villarreal Champions League semifinal. He scurried and bounced his way over the pitch and into our hearts before finding refuge (we hope) midway through the first half. Let's hope he finds his way over to Emirates Stadium next season!

Email us your thoughts at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Weekend Mailbag

Another big weekend in the world of the Beautiful Game can only mean one thing: that's right, another peek into the old mailbag. And remember, these are all questions emailed in by readers of Bookable Offense. To email your questions, hit us up at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Ian in Hackney, London, UK: Chelsea is wrapping up its second straight EPL title under Abramovich. Before 2004, Chelsea was a rather mediocre club. But now they have the best team money can buy, and actually buy players and stick them on the bench just so other teams can't get their hands on them. My question: Is Chelsea good for football?

Bryce: I see where you are going with this one, Ian. Chelsea have thrown their billionaire owner's money around and managed to bring home their first steady stream of trophies in club history. Michael Essien and Shaun Wright-Phillips were both big-money transfers last summer that perhaps could have made a larger impact with other clubs, sure. But the thought that finances might have something to do with a club's success is not new.

In the history of the Premiership, how many other teams have lifted the silverware at the end of the competition? How many of those teams had (as in the case of Blackburn) or have considerable financial resources (Arsenal and Man U) in comparison to less successful clubs? Money has always been the difference for long-term success of clubs in the modern game and will only continue to be the case.

Get used to it.

Charles in Denver, CO: You guys notice how much the headsets that the referees are wearing in the Champions League look like Madonna's old set up? Is that something we should be concerned about?

Bryce: Well, for some reason the fashion questions keep pouring in when it is my turn to answer reader emails. Brian is much more equipped to handle these questions, if for no other reason for his passionate following of Madonna's career. But I will do my best.

I think you raise an interesting comparison, Charles. We all know FIFA wanted to spice up the ladies game by changing to tighter-fitting uniforms and shorter shorts, so maybe this is Sepp Blatter's ingenious leadership at work again. What else could possibly add more sex appeal than the officials doing their best Britney Spears impersonation or showing a bit more style?

The only way to make these headsets more appealing would be to have the referees' comments broadcast live on television as they officiate matches. The prospect of players comments being picked up by the mic and accidentally broadcasts into the homes of millions has all kinds of promise. Sepp should look into that one immediately.

Sanjay in Bangalore, India: Do you think any Asian teams - Japan, Korea, Iran, or Saudi Arabia - will go far in the World Cup? And what about Australia? Thanks.

Bryce: No, but thanks for writing.

Peter in North Caldwell, NJ: Hey guys, love the website. Teams like Arsenal get a lot of criticism for having a lineup of foreign-born players. Do you think it's important that a club team consists of mostly players from its own country?

Bryce: Again, like fashion questions, I usually let Brian handle these Arsenal queries, but since I've drawn mailbag duties and you technically could be refering to handful of other clubs, I'll humor you.

Obviously where the problem is felt the most is in the national side of the club's country of origin, not by the clubs themselves. L'Arsenal certainly hasn't been hurting for fan support or domestic success over the years.

One worry about the EPL in particular is that while it is highly entertaining and features a tremendous quality of play, young English players have fewer and fewer opportunities to play at an elite level in their home country.

Whether we'll see a greater stratification of domestic leagues in Europe remains to be seen. But is it difficult to believe that more and more young players from England, Italy, and Spain (and Germany to a lesser extent), whose leagues are net importers of talent will eventually be sending more players to France, Holland, or even (shudder) Eastern Europe for more regular first-team action? Me thinks not, Peter. Me thinks not.

Taylor in Huntington Beach, CA: Let's hear your MLS predictions for this year! Who's going to be in the MLS Cup Final this year? Who takes the cup? And who's the league MVP?

Bryce: Someone has to be feeding Taylor questions. I thought no one would ever ask!

Obviously, New England is a popular pick for the consistent form they've shown over the past few years and the emergence of potential World Cup participants leading their attack. How many games Twellman, Dempsey, Noonan, and Ralston miss due to National Team duties will be a huge factor in determining their regular season record. Of course, that doesn't matter at all in MLS, so I like their chances of finally winning their first MLS Cup, although I think DC will finish with a better record in the regular season.

Picking a winner out of the Western Conference is a much tougher task. Based on fan support, Chivas USA would win it in a landslide. If you haven't had the Chivas experience, you are missing out on the best thing going in MLS.

Real Salt Lake and the Rapids aren't built to win this (or any) year, so they're out.

The team formerly known as the San Jose Earthquakes and now playing in Texas somewhere is not worth mentioning. They're dead to me. They should be dead to you, too.

If it weren't for his spectacular chat earlier this week, I might have some bad words for PrimaDonovan and the Galaxy. I'll just say I don't like him, their team, or their chances of winning anything this year.

That leaves Dallas, 2006 Western Conference Champions.

As for MLS League MVP, I have to go with Carlos Ruiz. He's the best player not missing a month of the season for the World Cup and arguably the best goal-scoring threat in the league.

Nigel in Boston, MA: Who do you think the next England manager should be? Is it important that he's an Englishman?

Bryce: As far as I'm concerned, the nationality of the coach means a whole lot less than his managerialaccomplishments and potential. Scolari would have been a great fit- a proven winner, someone that has dealt with the pressure cooker that is being the Boss of a highly-regarded national side, etc. And he's got a mean game face.

I am still surprised that the "need for an Englishman" story still has legs. If Scolari or another foreign coach were taking the job away from an equally deserving homeborn coach, maybe it would be an issue. But as things stand, there isn't an English coach nearly as qualified for the job.

Don't be surprised if the FA finds a way to postpone the decision until after the World Cup.

Pedro in Yakima, WA: We love you guys in Yakima! But I have to know, who is the better football player, Brian or Bryce?

Bryce: Brian, hands down. I pity the fool audacious enough to challenge the man to a game on FIFA 2006.

Thanks for writing in everyone. And keep on reading, Yakima.

If you'd like to send us your question, email us at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

More Chat Time with Landon Donovan

Today Los Angeles Galaxy star Landon Donovan held a chat for fans on one of our competitor's website. However, do to a miscommunication of the starting time, some fans missed out on the chat. Fortunately, Landon agreed to do a second private chat to answer Bookable Offense readers' email questions.


Bryce: Landon, thanks so much for taking the time for this chat. Our readers really appreciate it.

Landon: Sure, no problem. Let's get started.

Steve in San Jose: Now that the Earthquakes have been relocated to Houston, do you blame yourself or AEG more?

Landon: Well, that's a tough question. I mean, I don't really see how someone could say that I was responsible. All I did was go on vacation to Germany for a couple of months in the offseason, and then when I came back, LA traded for my rights. I had no idea anything like that was even possible.

As for AEG, they have clearly supported all of their franchises equally. Sure, they helped LA build the Home Depot Center, but that's different. If they give one franchise special treatment, why has Alexi Lalas been the GM for three of them?

James in Baltimore: Do you think Bobby Convey did more to improve his game by making the best of initially difficult circumstances in Reading to help earn them a spot in the Premiership than you did by returning to MLS?

Landon: I think Bobby has improved his game a lot, but so have I. I mean, winning the Coca Cola Championship and the MLS Cup are very different things. Let's see how Reading does against real competition next season.

Kathy in Detroit: If you had to choose between winning the next three MLS Cups and appearing in one Champions League final, which would you choose and why?

Landon: Well, as you know, I am a professional soccer player, and what matters most in this business is winning titles. The opportunity to win three MLS Cups while still having dinner at my parents' house twice a week would be a dream come true (sometimes my girlfriend gets to spend the night there, too!).

Sure, some people say the Champions League is the best club competition in the world, but how many of those teams have won three MLS Cups? That's what I thought....

Jeremy in Miami: Do you think you'll ever outgrow living in Mia Hamm's shadow?

Landon: That's one of my biggest career goals. I have a ways to go in terms of catching her numbers with the national team, but I've got the MLS Cup competition pretty much wrapped up I think. I will see if my petition to play with the US Women's National Team goes through- then we can really see who's better.

Keith in Los Angeles: Have you ever thought about appearing on "Fox Football Friday" or "Jim Rome is Burning" to defend yourself?

Landon: I let my game speak for itself. Did you see my two-assist game against Chivas USA? All I have to say to them is, "How 'bout them apples?"

Your questions were great, thanks for writing in and continuing to support Bookable Offense.

Bryce: Thanks again Landon. And remember, to have your questions answered all you have to do is write to us at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Photos courtesy of espn.com. Portions of this chat may have been fictionalized. Please don't sue us.

Free Kicks - 26 April 2006

Champions League
The final is set. Barcelona and Arsenal will lock horns at the Stade de France on May 17. Once again the results in the first legs of each semifinal held up. While the folks at UEFA will be happy with both participants rated in the top-5 among most supported clubs in the world, the final will feature a number of exciting storylines. Ronaldinho will be gunning for his first European trophy. Likewise, Arsene Wenger is looking to prove that his team can get it done on the European stage. Arsenal's young Spaniards, Fabregas and Reyes, will take on one of the giants from their homeland. And, to steal an American sports phrase, the game may very well turn out to be the "Henry Bowl," with the winner getting the prolific striker's services next season. We'll have plenty of coverage leading up to the final in the weeks ahead.

Madrid is a Mess
Just when things couldn't be any more of a mess, our friends at Real Madrid are at it again. The club's new President, some guy named Martin, was voted out of office today, just two months after taking over for the previous president. Five managers and four directors of football have come and gone since 2003. This past season alone has seen nine new players come into the team while 10 have been shown the door. Raul hasn't been good since before the 2002 World Cup. Roberto Carlos and Beckham are past their best. Zidane is retiring and Ronaldo will certainly be shown the door. Real Madrid might be great at brand marketing and selling shirts, but the current regime is awful at building a football club. The team is old and stale, and needs to rebuild. But it's unlikely that the club's supporters will give the administration time to rebuild a successful club. I don't envy the next man to sit in the president's chair.

The Tears of Cassano
Speaking of Madrid, one of their newer signings, Antonio Cassano, is fearful that he will not be called into the Italy squad for this June's World Cup. While he has had a run of games lately, Cassano has not played much for Madrid since making his January move. Before that, he pouted his way through the last year and a half in a contract dispute with AS Roma. Italy has a number of options up front - Gilardino, Toni, Totti, Inzaghi, Del Piero, Vieri, and Iaquinta - which could see the temperamental Cassano left out of the squad. I hardly feel sorry for the lad. He put in minimal effort for Roma for 18 months and caused numerous problems for the club. While he was arguably Italy's best player at Euro 2004, his poor attitude and lack of commitment at Roma show that Cassano is not a team player. If he's left out of the squad, he'll have gotten what he deserved.

Professionalism is a 24-hour Job
It was extremely disappointing to read last week that USA midfielder DaMarcus Beasley was charged in Holland for drunk driving. Beasley, who caught the world's attention with his fearless and athletic play at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, will be heavily relied up this summer by the US team. For much of his young career he's been a model of hard work and good behavior. Plus, he has the one attribute his US colleague Landon Donovan lacks - ambition. He earned a big-money move to PSV Eindhoven, and was an instrumental member of their team that went to the Champions League semifinals a year ago (becoming the first American to play in that stage of the competition). Beasley has made all the right moves up until this point. Let's hope he regains his focus and makes smarter decisions. A lot of people will be counting on him this summer.

Did You Know?
40-year old AC Milan centerback Alessandro Costacurta, who started Wednesday's Champions League game against Barcelona, was a teammate to both team's coaches, Carlo Ancelotti and Frank Rijkaard, nearly two decades ago.

And Finally...
My favorite story of the day comes from Brazil, where former Real Madrid manager and current Santos coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo has been handed a 60-match ban by Brazilan authorities. His crime, you ask? Luxemburgo accused a Brazilian league referee of flirting with him during a match. "He was flirting with me," said Luxemburgo during the post-match media conference. "He blew his whistle and looked at me with every decision he made....Maybe it was because of my pink shirt." Apparently the authorities take flirting accusations very seriously. This is yet another example of why men shouldn't wear pink shirts.

Please send us your emails at bookableoffense@gmail.com

Lehmann Saves the Day

Video courtesy www.youtube.com.

Weekend Mailbag

It's mail time yet again, boys and girls (bookableoffense@gmail.com). My colleague is at home convalescing this weekend. It seems he picked up the flu bug last week and is now milking it for all its worth. So you're stuck with yours truly, Brian Thompson. Lucky you. As always, these are actual questions from actual readers. Enjoy.

Joe in Portland, OR: Talk about a bunch of whining losers this weekend. First Wenger pees his pants and points fingers because a goal is scored after his own men knock into each other, without being injured mind you, and the referee waves play on accordingly, and now this from Mourinho after Chelsea's loss to Liverpool: "I wish them luck for their qualification match in the Champions League." What's up with the sore losers in London these days?

Brian: Thanks for starting me off with an easy one, Joe. A lot of media types and fans like to get their panties in a bunch over what this manager or that manager says to media. It's all handbags, as far as I'm concerned. Imagine being a football manager for a second. The pressure is immense. The spotlight is often brighter than that on many world leaders. Your team just finishes an emotional, hard fought game (a local derby and an FA Cup semifinal, in your examples), and the result didn't go your way. And then, someone sticks a microphone in your face and begins asking questions. Of course these guys will whine and complain from time to time. What's the big deal? Quite frankly, I find the stoic Sven-types to be quite dull (except when Sven's caught snogging with the secretary - that's far from dull).

Now, you bring up something I have to comment on since I watched the game: the controversial goal by Spurs on Saturday. Was there anything illegal about the goal? No. Was it unsporting? Yes. Eboue was down, writhing in pain. Carrick saw this, hesitated, and then continued play. Sky Sports' Chris Kamara was on the touchline and reports that he heard Spurs manager Martin Jol yell "play! play! play!" to Carrick, at which point he pressed forward. So were their actions unsporting? Again, yes. Remember, Arsenal in 1999 insisted an FA Cup game they won against Sheffield Utd be replayed because they scored a goal under similar circumstances with a Sheffield player down injured. But with that said, the Arsenal defense went to sleep on the play against Spurs, which you can't do if the referee hasn't blown the whistle. And like I mentioned in my column after the game, Spurs deserved a goal. They were outplaying the Gunners for much of the game. If Wenger wants to be angry with someone, he should look at the team sheet he filled out that had his two best players on the bench and then looked in the mirror before looking at Martin Jol.

Vinny in Baton Rouge, LA: Do you think Juventus needs to worry about sleepwalking themselves out of first place in Serie A? Can Milan still catch them?

Brian: I'm excited - a Serie A question! Bryce and I have yet to give Serie A the attention it deserves on our site. That will change, I assure you. Italian football fascinates me because what happens off the pitch is usually far more exciting than anything that happens on the pitch.

I discuss Serie A with Bookable Offense's Italian football expert Jon Cook quite often. Jon has pointed out all year that Juventus are a slow, old team that is not nearly as good as the experts thought they would be. They get away with it because the bottom half of the Serie A table is downright dreadful.Their performance in the Champions League quarterfinals seems to indicate as much. They are struggling down the stretch, which is another indication that they are slowing down. Juventus does not rotate its squad much at all. Their two center-halves are in their mid-30s, and their four starting midfielders are age 29 or older.

Now Milan are no spring chickens, particularly in the back. But they do have some younger playmakers like Kaka and Gilardino, a rejuvenated Inzaghi, and the best all-around forward in the world, Shevchenko. And, they've had more to play for lately - Milan is still in the Champions League (at least until Wednesday), and Juventus is not. Milan is more focused and enthused, and it shows. With that said, I don't think Milan is going to catch the Old Lady. Juve finishes at Siena (16th place), home to Palermo (9th), and at Reggina (15th). Milan finishes with Livorno (8th) at home, at Parma (10th), and then has a potentially huge game at home against Roma (5th). Based on the schedule, Milan is more likely to drop points down the stretch than Juventus.

Jenny in Oak Ridge, TN: So what match did you watch on Sunday: Dallas v Kansas City, West Ham v Middlesbrough, or Celtic v Rangers?

Brian: Hi Jenny. It's always a pleasure to hear from our female fans. Dallas played KC today? I hadn't realized that the Cowboys and Chiefs were playing already. How did Terrell Owens look? This past week has been very football-heavy for me, particularly since I've had to pick up the slack while Bryce recovers, so I have to admit I didn't watch any football today. I was out enjoying the sunshine and then had a lovely dinner at PF Changs. I highly recommend the Mongolian beef. It's quite tender.

I was pleased to see West Ham come out victorious over 'Boro today. Alan Pardew has done a miraculous job with the Hammers this season. They appear to be a Premiership team for the long haul yet again. Should they upset Liverpool in the FA Cup final, they will be deservedly rewarded with a trip to Europe. The world of English football is a better place when tradition-rich teams like West Ham, Leeds United, and yes, Tottenham Hotspur are successful.

Anonymous in Berlin: Brian, give Bryce a break. The poor guy is really sick.

Brian: I'm sorry. Bryce, wherever you are, I hope you are resting and drinking plenty of fluids. Fans, I'd like to start a "Get Well Bryce" campaign. Please email your "get well" cards and wishes to Bryce. The best message will be posted in the next mailbag. I suggest Hallmark for e-cards.

Our website would be nothing without you. Yes, you! So, drop us a line: bookableoffense@gmail.com. If your email is chosen for our next mailbag, you'll win an autographed photo of Bryce.

Henry on the Bench? Again?

I begrudgingly understood when it happened the first time at Old Trafford. The fixtures were piling up, and Arsenal didn't need to win that game.

But we were all very much under the impression that Arsenal had to have this game. This was the North London derby. This was for a Champions League place.

But when Arsenal kicked off against Tottenham on Saturday afternoon, the best player on either team was on the bench.

And if Thierry Henry is on the bench, is Arsenal better than Spurs? The answer is no. And Saturday's 1-1 result was very fair, regardless if you think Spurs scored their goal a bit cheaply.

Arsenal has two routes into the 2006-07 Champions League:

1. Overcome a 4 point deficit to Spurs. Arsenal had four games left: Spurs (h), Sunderland (a), Man City (a), Wigan (h). Spurs had three left: Arsenal (a), Bolton (h), West Ham (a). If Arsenal were to beat Spurs and win out, Spurs could not catch them.
   
   
2. Win the Champions League this year. This would require making 1-nil hold up at the Madrigal this Tuesday, and beating Barcelona or Milan in a one-off game on a neutral pitch.

Now, I ask you - which is the easier route?

It's a catch-22, really. There is only one trophy the Gunners can still win this season - the Champions League. It is the most prestigious club football competition in the world, and they have a real chance at winning it. But, Arsenal must secure Champions League football for next season. They have a self-funded 60,000 seat stadium to fill next season (and a whole lot of debt to pay down).

And then there's Henry. He's been playing this "will I stay or will I go?" game for months. It's hard to believe Henry stays at Arsenal if there's no Champions League football next term, especially with Barcelona calling.

So what is Wenger to do? The fixtures are piling up and the season is winding down.

Today, he made it clear what the priority is: to win the Champions League - THIS SEASON. Anytime you start your best player, your captain, your only real goalscoring threat on the bench in a game like this, you've made your intentions clear. Going into today, there were only five or six (should they make the CL final) games left in the season. Henry could have played today. But Wenger is making it clear - goal No. 1 is the Champions League, and he wants his best players ready to go on Tuesday.

You can hardly blame the man. He's never been this close. It's the one thing that's missing on his CV. He can almost reach out and touch that pretty, shiny silver trophy. It's been a disappointing season domestically for Arsenal. Much like Liverpool a year ago, if you win the Champions League, everyone will soon ignore your struggles at home.

So, it's a calculated roll of the dice. We'll know if Wenger got it half right after the return leg this Tuesday against Villarreal. But we won't know if he got it all right until after the final on May 17.

But Arsenal are now in a position, following Saturday's draw with Tottenham, where they no longer control their own destiny in the league. If Spurs win out, they get 4th place.

If Arsene Wenger made the right call today, a day which he has made his intentions crystal clear, we could find Arsenal in possession of a rather large trophy by mid-May, and by next season Henry captaining the Gunners against the likes of Real Madrid and AC Milan in a beautiful new stadium. But if Wenger got it wrong, he'll be trophy-less, out of the Champions League, and spending his weekend evenings at home watching his former captain scoring goals in a lovely new red and blue striped shirt on Sky Sports.

Yes, I realize I write about Arsenal too much. Thank you. Tell me about it at bookableoffense@gmail.com

The Penalty Shootout: Alan Shearer

Welcome to our first installment of The Penalty Shootout. This is an occasional feature where our Bookable Offense columnists, Bryce Campbell and Brian Thompson, will discuss and debate a topic in the world of football.

Our first debate: The legacy of Alan Shearer.

Brian: One way or another, Alan Shearer's career is soon coming to an end. Statistically, he's had a spectacular career. He's the Premiership's all-time leading scorer and the only member of the 200-goal club (260). Bryce, I know he's a favorite of yours, but I have to say it: Big Al is vastly overrated. Was he very good individually? Yes. But he wasn't a winner. He won only one major title in his career when Jack Walker effectively bought Blackburn the 1994-95 title. He's won nothing at Newcastle despite being there nearly a decade, and he won nothing while captain of England. He's had talent around him over the years, but no results! Am I missing something here?

Bryce: First of all, it is still far too soon to talk about this publicly. This is the end of the playing days of the finest Premiership player in history. Maybe his family should be allowed to talk about this right now, but this is clearly offsides, Brian. Really.

However, far from allowing Big Al to be attacked without a retort, I shall gladly point out how ridiculous your argument is. Exactly three teams have won the Premiership title since Blackburn. So are there only three teams in England with players worth anything? And as for a lack of success with England, when was the last time England won anything? Oh yeah, before Shearer was born. His numbers are incomparable, plain and simple and the man leaves the game a legend.

Brian: Understood, but I think a captain should be held to a higher standard. When you captain your club and country, you are held accountable for the performance of your teams whether you like it or not. True, only three teams have won the Premiership since Blackburn in 1995. But Shearer's teams were rarely even competing for trophies for much of his career. He played in 2 FA Cup finals (the most recent as far ago as 1998), and lost both. Blackburn and Newcastle had no success to speak of in Europe in any of their attempts at the Champions League or UEFA Cup. With England he had a spectacular Euro 96 on home turf, but was hardly an inspiring captain in France 98 or Euro 2000.

My bigger point is that Shearer is a "me first" kind of guy. His teams have rarely had any major success, and perhaps he's partly responsible for that. It's pretty much common knowledge that back in 1999 he was so upset with Ruud Gullit starting him on the bench against Sunderland that he threatened to put in a transfer request if Gullit wasn't removed as coach. He threatened to quit England before the 1998 World Cup if the FA fined or suspended him for kicking Neil Lennon in the head during a league match. And some critics have claimed that the only reason he announced his international retirement before Euro 2000 rather than afterwards was to ensure there would be enough fan and media sentimentality to guarantee his place as a starter. Certainly, Shearer's records and accomplishments are without equal, and I realize there are far bigger culprits if we are playing the "who's the most selfish footballer" game. But I think when we sit down to write the biography of the man's career, there are some missing chapters.

Bryce: So let me get this straight- Alan Shearer is a bad person for returning to his hometown team despite the club's lack of success since an FA Cup in the mid 1950s, and because he can't singlehandedly win them trophies, he is a failure? Boy, I'd hate to have you evaluating the success of this website.

First of all, what else can a center-forward do besides score goals? No one else has matched his production over the past decade-plus of Premiership football. Period.

And so someone's uncle told someone's next door neighbor told someone at the Tabloids that Alan Shearer was a "me first" kind of guy. If he had done the selfish thing and gone for the big money, he would have signed with Manchester United instead of Newcastle or left the club long ago. As it was, Newcastle finished second in the table twice, made good domestic cup runs (but was not one of the four teams since he joined the Toon to win the Final), played regular European football, and Big Al was the main reason they were able to accomplish anything.

Would you have kinder words for him if he had been putting forward the same production in a Red Devil shirt the past ten seasons? Surely, his numbers would be even more astronomical given the potential service of Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, and Ronaldo, and Man U could have won their latest six Premiership titles and three FA Cup titles (in fact probably one or two more) with even more ease and class. Imagine him playing for a manager like Sir Alex, or leading an attack with an actual backline in defense.

As for his lack of success with England, I think you've got the wrong (future) captain in your crosshairs for France '98. And just who would you have rather seen starting at striker in 2000? I'm all ears.

Your argument seems to amount to anyone not playing for Chelsea or Brazil (yeah, get used to it) for the next ten years won't matter because they won't win any hardware.

That, my friend, is ridiculous.

Brian: Point well taken, Bryce. I knew it would be a challenge to take you on over a man you hold in such high regard (in fact, Bryce will have Big Al's same hairstyle in about 5 years). While I stand by my earlier arguments, I do have a tremendous amount of respect for a man who passed up numerous big-money moves to Man Utd in order to play for his hometown club. I wish him luck when he finally becomes manager at Newcastle. No matter what he does, he'll never be as awful as Souness.

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Relegation Battle Far From Finished

Birmingham's win against Blackburn has propelled them back above Portsmouth in the battle to avoid relegation. Whether or not the momentum from today's win will carry them to safety remains to be seen. The one certainty is that with three games remaining for each Birmingham, Pompey, and West Brom, anything is still possible. Let's take a look at one scenario where things come down to the final fixtures on May 7th.

Steve Bruce's side got a much-needed second goal from substitute striker Mikael Forssell just minutes from the end after giving up an equalizing goal to former City man Robbie Savage tonight. With the full three points, the Blues moved back ahead of Portsmouth on goal differential.

Their next fixture takes them to Liverpool to face a slumping Everton side. David Moyes is understandably upset at the disappointing finish to the campaign that the Toffees are putting together. I think City would be unlucky to leave with less than a split of the points.

The following week Birmingham will play host to a resurgent Newcastle. Despite almost certainly missing Alan Shearer, the Magpies will still present a serious challenge for the Blues as they will still conceivably be fighting for a surprise UEFA Cup spot. Between two desperate sides, anything could happen.

Steve Bruce's men will make their last stand away at Bolton. The good news for City is that Bolton has been far from in-form of late and by the final week could have played themselves out of a European spot. Still, it is a very difficult place to go take three points for most visiting sides, let alone relegation-threatened sides like Birmingham City. In fact, the last team not named Chelsea or Manchester United to win at Bolton in any competition was Everton. On August 21st.

For Harry Redknapp and Portsmouth, their best chance to regain their lead will come this weekend when Sunderland come to Fratton Park. Three points from this fixture is an absolute must. In order to stave off relegation due to goal differential, Portsmouth should look to run up the score if at all possible.

The true test for Redknapp will be earning more than the automatic points associated with playing the Black Cats.That's because the road from there becomes much tougher for Pompey.

A difficult trip to Wigan lies ahead the following weekend before a season finale against mighty Liverpool on the South Coast. Portsmouth will definitely have more to fight for than their final two opponents, but Wigan have shown a surprising knack for picking up points all season long and Liverpool have been a model of consistency, not having lost in over a month. I think Redknapp is realistic to be pleased with a point from either match.

West Brom are the decided underdogs in this battle to stay above water. Already three points down in the table, their one slight edge is a goals against advantage over Portsmouth. If the Baggies are to pull off another miracle and avoid relegation, they will certainly need some help from the teams above them.

This weekend Brian Robson's men are off to Newcastle. While the absence of Shearer might give the Baggies some confidence, the Toon have only lost three times at home this season, and only to teams in the top six of the table. I think they consider themselves fortunate to leave with a point which I don't see happening.

The following fixture has West Brom hosting West Ham United. The Hammers have their sights set on European qualification through the FA Cup. Should they overcome Middlesbrough this Sunday, they will face Liverpool in league play three days later before finally turning their attention to West Brom. I think this leaves them vulnerable to say the least and the Baggies could manage a timely home victory.

On May 7th, the final match day of the season, West Brom will be match up against Everton at Goodison Park. The Toffees, as I've said, are far from awe-inspiring these days and I think Brian Robson will believe his team can pull off another miracle. If the other fixtures go his way, he just might manage the impossible again.

The season might easily come down to goal differential. And in the end, will any of these teams be worthy of maintaining their place in the Premiership?

Probable Scorelines
Everton 1, Birmingham 1
Newcastle 2, West Brom 1
Portsmouth 3, Sunderland 0

Birmingham 1, Newcastle 1
Wigan 2, Portsmouth 1
West Brom 1, West Ham 0

Bolton 1, Birmingham 0
Everton 1, West Brom 2
Portsmouth 1, Liverpool 2

Final Point Totals:

West Brom 35 -22
Portsmouth 35 -24
Birmingham 34 -22
Sunderland 13 -44

Think you've got a better idea of how the relegation battle will shake out? Drop us an email at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

Still Some Work to do at the Madrigal

Gilberto clearly was up for it. He pretty much shut down Riquelme.

The rest of the Arsenal team was up for it as well. But at the end of the day, the Gunners have very much left the door open for Villarreal. The teams will go into next Tuesday's return leg of the Champions League semifinal will Arsenal leading 1-0 on aggregate.

Like Real Madrid and Juventus before them, the Yellow Submarine never looked particularly threatening against Arsenal. The young Gunner defense bended, but did not break. Lehmann was only really tested on a couple of free kicks.

Arsenal had plenty of chances to score, particularly in the first half. It took Villarreal a good 15 minutes to finally settle into the match. They were fortunate that the score was not already 2-nil in that first quarter-hour.

With Riquelme being contained, Forlan got no service the entire game. Shut down Riquelme, and Forlan is just a spectator.

Arsenal squandered some clear chances in front of goal, particularly off of set pieces. In open play, the Gunners had trouble getting the ball to Henry in space.

1-0 at Highbury settles nothing. Arsenal can feel good about its performance. But there is still a lot to play for. I think there's a good chance we'll see a goal or two in the return leg. Villarreal will consider themselves fortunate to be very much in this tie still and will relish the chance to make Arsenal pay at the Madrigal.

Video: Arsenal's Kolo Toure scores the game's only goal (courtesy: www.youtube.com).


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The Biggest Night of Gilberto's Career?

Wednesday night will be a special one in North London. The first leg of the Arsenal-Villarreal semifinal marks the final European game ever to be played at Highbury. While the pundits will no doubt wax nostalgic about the great European nights in the grand old stadium's past, the players on both sides undoubtedly will be focused on the task at hand. We all know how vital the first leg is in a two-legged tie.

Arsenal has not faced an opponent quite like Villarreal in the Champions League this season, and vice versa. Both teams love to move forward in numbers, especially on the counterattack. Both teams have suspect defenses that have held up surprisingly well in European play. And both squads have punched above their weight on the big stage this season.

Juan Roman Riquelme is the man who makes Villarreal dangerous. Much like Ronaldinho at Barcelona or Totti at Roma, the Villarreal team is built around the skills of Riquelme. He can beat you with his speed and beat you on free kicks. But most commonly, he'll make your defense look downright silly with his ridiculous passing ability. He likes to sit in the gap between the midfielders and the forwards, take the ball early, and punish you before you even realize he had the ball.

Clearly, shutting down Riquelme is the key defensively for Arsenal. Shutting down a player of his skill requires a tenacious defensive midfielder in the Makelele or Vieira mold.

The man tasked with containing Riquelme for Arsenal will be Gilberto Silva. Gilberto, a World Cup winner, Premiership medal winner, and FA Cup winner, perhaps has played in no bigger contest in his career.

Seldom in his career has Gilberto been relied upon so heavily as he will in this game. He no longer has the reassuring presence of Patrick Vieira next to him. Instead, he will have a teenager, Cesc Fabregas, at his side. He will not have Arsenal's most experienced defender, Sol Campbell, behind him. Instead, he'll be playing in front of a defense with an average age of 22.5 years. And he won't have the luxury of playing for a team that controls the ball for 75% of the game, as is the case when he lines up for Brazil.

Early in the season, Gilberto struggled to adapt to the additional responsibilities and his young teammates. He was often caught out of position. When he did win the ball, his distribution was poor. Riquelme carves up teams that give away possession cheaply in the opposing third of the field.

Gilberto will have to build on his good form of late and produce one of the best performances of his career on Wednesday night. Villarreal know how important it will be to score an away goal at Highbury. Gilberto has become a veteran leader and a stand-in captain for the Gunners this season. Against Villarreal, he will have the ultimate responsibility.

Riquelme and Gilberto have crossed paths before when Argentina and Brazil have locked horns. On Wednesday night in London, they will do battle again on one of the biggest stages of them all. Whoever comes out on top of this battle might be stamping his ticket to Paris.

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Midweek Mailbag

Since Brian and I are constantly flooded with email from readers (bookableoffense@gmail.com) we don’t often have time to respond to each message individually. We have decided to do our best to answer some of our favorite questions from actual readers of the blog from the past week or so. Take a look:

Luis in Santa Fe, NM: Bryce, in your most recent story, you anointed Landon Donovan "the master of CONCACAF fixtures." Why do you think Donovan has such trouble duplicating his MLS/CONCACAF form on the bigger stage? Any chance he makes the breakthrough this summer in Germany?

Bryce: As someone that has watched Donovan’s development quite closely over the years, it seems quite obvious to me that he simply doesn’t have the bottle to play at an elite level. Sure, coming back to MLS the first time made sense: he needed to play more regularly to improve and to earn his spot in the national side. The problem is he quickly outgrew the quality of the league without realizing it, along with most of CONCACAF as well.

Landonites will be quick to point out his three MLS Cups and his position as the all-time leading assist man on the US Men’s National Team. Well, let’s be honest. MLS is good for developing young players and providing a decent domestic league. It is not anywhere near the quality level of many other leagues in the Americas, let alone in Europe. And, how many of those assists for the national team came against Mexico? against European competition? He can keep his offensive outbursts against Guatemala and Grenada and pat himself on the back, but I won’t do it.

The problem for Donovan is, he is the best player in the league by far, he knows it, and he doesn’t have any hunger for a bigger challenge. He was obligated to leave San Jose for Leverkusen, who understandably thought they were getting a player back much closer to being fully developed. Instead, they found they had a player unwilling to compete for a spot in the starting eleven, shrinking from the challenge of European football, and wanting to go home where he could be safe and warm.

I don’t think he has progressed enough to make a splash in Germany. He’s too comfortable where he is without being challenged. Landon, it’s time to move out of your parents’ basement and get on with your career.

Lucy in Dublin, OH: What position/role do you see Donovan fitting best in the US team?

Bryce: Ugh. Here we go again. Because he is talented enough to potentially play a significant role, Donovan will be in the starting squad in Germany, but I am scared to think where he might be lining up.

My fear is that without a terrific start to the MLS season by Eddie Johnson (1 goal in three games so far), Arena will feel compelled to start Donovan up top partnering McBride. However, given the dearth of right-sided midfield options, I think Donovan will most likely wind up either playing an attacking role behind the forward paring or wide right. As long as he stays away from the striker position, I’ll be relatively happy.

Darren in Boise, ID: What's the verdict on the new US home kit? Are you impressed?

Bryce: Good question, Darren. I usually let Brian handle the fashion questions, but since it’s my turn with the mail bag, here goes:

I must admit, I was a bit worried when I first saw the unveiling, but I think they work. Nike is really pushing the “retro” look this year, and it hasn’t gotten stale for me just yet. I don’t know how long the asymmetrical socks will be around, but we’ll see. Definitely better than the Red Bulls t-shirts they are playing in in New York these days.

Broken Hearted in Toronto, CA: Why won’t Brian return my calls anymore?

Bryce: Well, I don’t want to get involved here, but I tried to tell him that the gentlemanly thing to do was at least return your call. Don’t get too upset about it, I’m sure he’ll contact you really soon.

Hey, if nothing else, the NHL playoffs start this weekend, right?

Phil in New York, NY: Hey guys, I thought Brian’s piece on Fox Football Friday was great. I really enjoyed your questions. I think Steven was right about the Champions League match this week by the way.

My question for you is, why don’t you two have your own show?

Bryce: Well, I get so embarrassed when we get emails like this. We sincerely believe the boys at the Triple F are doing a great job, and we’ve always been writers before TV presenters. We might be willing to consider an offer, but it would have to be pretty dramatic to pry us away from Bookable Offense.

Simon in Cowgate, UK: Ay lads, I’ve got bad news for ye. It looks like local legend Alan Shearer has gone did his knee and might miss his final three fixtures for the Toon. Me world is upside down. Is there no God?

Bryce: Simon, I know it looks bad. Here he is, “Big Al” closing out his illustrious career with an outside chance of helping Newcastle qualify for a spot in Europe next season, and now this. I have two ideas about who’s to blame for this.

The first culprit is a familiar one; the only man that attempted to destroy everything at the club from the moment he was given the chance. Sure, maybe we didn’t see all the clues right away, but just look at the evidence:

He signs Clumsy Oaf, I mean Jean-Alain Boumsong for eight million pounds.

He oversees the famous bust up between Bowyer and Dyer.

He chases Craig Bellamy away.

He promptly assures that Michael Owen misses most of the year injured after a suspiciously intelligent transfer move.

He tries to mire the team in a relegation battle before being sacked earlier this season.

I think there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the evil one might be behind this one. Suspect number one in Shearer’s injury debacle: Graeme Souness.

The second possible explanation stems from when and where the injury took place. It’s been a long and miserable season for those lowlifes in Sunderland. The Mackems hadn’t felt the wrath of Alan Shearer in a Newcastle uniform before his penalty on Monday. I think the long awaited punishment from the boot of the child of God proved too painful for the Black Cat faithful and they somehow spited the great One and robbed us of his final matches in the black and white of the Toon. The one consolation is he went out with the club’s most satisfying win of the season. Suspect number two in Shearer’s injury debacle: Sunderland.

I’ll leave the next step up to you and your mates, Simon.

And remember, as always, if you have any questions, drop us a note at bookableoffense@gmail.com.

ESPN Strikes Out Again

It is absurd that ESPN is not showing the Champions League semifinal between AC Milan and Barcelona today. We are at the semifinal stage of the premier club football competition in the world, and there is no outlet on English-language television in the United States to view this vital contest between two of the greatest, most widely supported clubs in the world.

Going into this season, ESPN promised football fans in America that it would show more Champions League football than ever before. In the group stages, the network lived up to that promise and aired two games a week. But as we entered the knockout stages, they've cut back their coverage to only one game a week. In the round of 16, they even went so far as to tape-delay their broadcasts.

Football fans in America deserve better. If ESPN was working in the best interest of football fans, they should sell the rights to games they aren't airing to Fox Soccer Channel or Gol TV.

One can't help but be pessimistic over what we're in store for this summer when ESPN airs the FIFA World Cup.

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Our Visit with the Lads

LOS ANGELES - On Friday, my Bookable Offense colleague Bryce and I had the honor of attending a live broadcast of Fox Football Friday. As many of our American and Canadian readers will know, Fox Football Friday is a weekly show hosted by British ex-pats Nick Geber and Steven Cohen. The Anglo-centric show, which is set in a pub, includes previews the upcoming weekend's English Premier League contests, phone calls from viewers, questions from the live audience, and discussions of other topical issues in the world of football.

I must admit that I am only an occasional viewer of the show. The show airs on Friday evenings, which is typically pub time for me. However, the "Triple F" is a very watchable program. Nick, a Liverpool supporter, and Steven, a Chelsea fan, are very engaging and knowledgeable. They move the program along nicely from topic to topic, and do a nice job of interacting with callers and audience members. Things can get a little slow when they are spending five minutes discussing a Charlton-West Brom match. Still, I was very interested to attend the show and see what goes on behind the scenes.

Living in Los Angeles, I've been able to attend a few television show broadcasts in my time, including the Tonight Show and American Idol. While Fox Football Friday may not have the big-studio bells and whistles, it succeeds in bringing American and Canadian viewers a venue to hear about and discuss the world of European football.

Bryce and I arrived at the Fox Soccer Channel studios one hour before the broadcast. I couldn't help but be suspicious when they herded the audience of 12 into what appeared to be the office lunch room. While we waited, we were treated to an episode of "The People's Court," and Bryce even spotted a celebrity - FSC's English Premier League host Nick Webster. After about a 40 minute wait, we were finally ushered into the studio.

One thing you soon learn when you attend a live television event - everything you see on TV is much smaller in person. The Fox Football Friday "pub" was basically a small bar area and three tables. There were not even enough chairs for the 12 of us in the studio audience. We soon learned that the pub did not actually serve libations, which is disappointing for any football fan. Instead we were treated to a glass of Coke.

The stars of the show made their way into the studio, rehearsed a bit, and got settled in for the show. Neither Nick nor Steven interacted much with the studio audience, but they can be forgiven considering their hosting responsibilities. We were, however, treated to the cheery attitude of Keith, the Irish bartender/interviewer.

As the show began, it quickly became apparent that we were there more to add ambiance than we were to actually watch the show. Bryce and I had our backs to the hosts as we sat at the bar sipping our Cokes. It was easier to watch the proceedings on nearby flatscreen TVs than it was to actually turn around and watch the hosts. Then again, there wasn't much to watch other than a couple of guys talking football.

It was easy to follow along with the hosts as they discussed the weekend's matches. However, as part of the audience, we were required to act as one normally would in a pub setting. So we chatted amongst ourselves and with the friendly Keith. One downside to the show was that we were unable to hear questions being asked by viewers calling in on the phone.

The highlight of the night was the second segment. Bryce and I were moved to a table and were prepped for the question and answer segment. I have to admit, even this seasoned journalist was a bit nervous ahead of my 15 seconds on live TV! But when the moment arrived, I stepped up like a champ and delivered my question - I had wanted to know how Arsenal would respond to its role as a favorite in the Champions League semifinal against Villareal . Likewise, Bryce turned in a man-of-the-match performance in asking his question about Newcastle's summer priorities.

Following the Q&A segment, we were able to settle back and enjoy the rest of the show. Unfortunately, we had finished our Cokes, and Keith didn't have any refills for us. We then spent the last 20 minutes trying to devise ways to act out on camera.

Overall, I quite enjoyed participating on the show. It's always a thrill to get on camera. I was impressed with the professionalism and organization of all of those involved in producing the show.

I would suggest that the hosts try to incorporate a segment on leagues besides the EPL in the show. Also, the questions from the audience and callers were a bit random and not always germane to the topic the hosts were just discussing. It would be nice to have a bit more consistency in that regard. And finally, they really need to find out a way to serve beer to the live audience. The show is set in a pub, after all!

Little did we know that our evening with Fox Football Friday wasn't over when the show ended. We were fortunate enough to cross paths with our new pal Keith later in the evening. I could write a whole other story on the hijinx that ensued, but that will have to wait for another time.

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