Premier League Nonsense

So what's all this Confederations Cup malarky all about then. As if the Euros last year weren't enough the bankers in Geneva have gone and dreamed up some other nonsense competition.

What's it all about? Who's it for? I really lack the interest to find out anything. It just smacks of another pot to keep the sponsors happy.

We keep hearing how 'tired' these players are supposed to be then bugger me they go and introduce another bloody pointless competition for them to compete in.

Begger's belief - really does!

James Milner, the Aston Villa winger, seems like he's been around decades but he's only 23 years old.

He started with his home town club, Leeds, making his debut in 2002 when he was still just 16. But Leeds were in free fall after chairman of the time, Peter Risdale, splashed the cash living the dream as Leeds chased an elusive glory.

A glory that never came. Debts, not cups, filled the board room chatter and Milner was sold to Newcastle in 2004 to pay off some of the creditors.

All the time he was playing for the England Under 21s.

At the start of last season he moved to Aston Villa, a side he had previously appeared on loan for.

He has recently been named again in the England Under 21 for the upcoming Euro Championships which of course begs the question. What the bloody hell for?

42 appearances at that level but nary a look in with the full team. Surely, after seven years, that tells its own tale?

He's played more games than any other player and that illustrious lists includes such quality as Tom Huddlestone (33 caps) and David Prutton (25).

Surely it's time for him to either move on to the full squad or step down and let everyone get excited about some other young prodigy.

When 6-0 isn't enough
i'm never going to be one of England's biggest fans. Don't get me wrong I used to go to Wembley back in the day and even did my bit in foreign lands for the 3 Lions. Even now as I age disgracefully I can still be found sometimes wearing an England football shirt, stretched over my widening girth and displaying my beer gut in all its glory. With my naval clearly visible I call it 'doing a Brittney'.
A 100% start to a world cup campaign ain't to be sneezed at by anyone. Days gone by we'd wonder if we'd ever see another goal. Under Fabio they come by the bagful. Happy days for sure.
To be sure it's only the qualifying round. Thumping Andorra 6-0 doesn't mean the World Cup is as good as England's. No one seriously believes that outside of the playground and the tabloid press-room.
What it is though is a good start. Visiting former satellites of the Soviet empire and thumping them does not mean Spain and Brazil would roll over so easily. But you can only beat what's in front of you and till now Fabio's men to be handling that fairly well.

Arsenal's Youth Cup winning squad 1999/2000? With the Arsen having won the 2009 edition, their 3rd triumph in a decade, what can we expect from Bouldie's Boys? And what has happened to those who have similarly triumphed? Obviously winning the Youth Cup ins't the start of a flourishing football career as these tales indicate.

Graham Stack - now 27 years old, managed to play 62 league games in a creer that has seen him play for Millwall, Reading, Leeds, Wolves, Plymouth and Blackpool. Scored a pen for the Arsenal in a League cup tie

Craig Holloway - impeccable North London name but still never made the grade

Israel da Silva - no idea

Liam Chilvers - also 27 and also never played in the league for the Arsenal. Spent time on loan with Northampton Town, Colchester United, Notts County and is now with Preston. Like Stack played in Belgium with Arsenal's partner club there Beveren

Niccola Galli - Italian, his father was good mates with Liam Brady from his time there. Towering centre back he sadly died aged 17

John Halls - Islington boy but failed to make the grade. Like others he spent time with Bevern, Colchester as well as Reading, Stoke City, Preston, Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and most recently Brentford. But still only managed a pissy 120 league games

Moritz Volz - German full back who managed to carve out a decent career for himself at Fulham before going on loan to Ipswich. Probably happy in East Anglia 'cos he likes a bit of cycling does Moritz

Steve Sidwell - despite being a ginger has gone on to have a reasonable career including four years at Reading and one season bench warming at Chelsea. Now with Aston Villa but, like the aforementioned, never played a league game with the Arse

Stephen Santry - no idea

David Noble - one problem faced by silky young midfielders is they always get compared with Liam Brady and Noble was no different. Moved to West Ham after failing to get a game with the Arse, then Boston and Bristol City as well as loan spells with Watford and Yeovil. Now released by Bristol City

Rohan Ricketts - left the Arse to join Tottenham but they should have known we would never let them have the cream of the crop. A few games on loan at Coventry and Wolves before apermanent move to Wolves then loan again to QPR. A handful of games with Barnsley but now he plays for Toronto in the US MSL

Graham Barrett - actually managed a couple of league games with the Arse but still left. Spent time on loan with Bristol Rovers, Crewe, Colchester and Brighton before signing with Coventry. Represented the Republic of Ireland, after three years at Cov he moved to Scotland, initially with Livingstone then Falkirk and St Johnstone.

Jay Bothroyd - temper tantrums saw him sold by Arsenal to Coventry City where he spent three reasonably productive seasons before becoming an Englishman in Italy when Perugia signed him. Never settled there and returned to England initially on loan with Blackburn before signing for Charlton then Wolves. A loan spell with Stoke now he is with Cardiff City

Jerome Thomas - North London boy but had to move to QPR on loan and Charlton before he could get game time. Now with other Arsenal boys Richard Hughes, Lauren, Sol Campbell, Kanu at Portsmouth

Jo Kuffour - went on to represent Ghana at full international level, like so many of the class of 2000 he was forced to leave the Arsenal in search of first team football. Swindon on loan first then Torquay, Brentford, Bournemouth and now Bristol Rovers.

Jeremie Aliadiaire - French striker probably had the longest Arsenal career of any of the class of 2000, playing the most games, including 29 in the Premier League. More than the rest of his erstwhile teammates put together. Loan spells with West Ham, Wolves and Celtic before joining Middlesbrough

Carlin Itonga - disappeared into non league football

When Kieran Gibbs slips and gifts manchester United their opening goal in the Chmpions League semi final it's inexperience and he'll learn from it.

But when Michael Essien loses the ball in the build up to Barcelona's equaliser it's what exactly?

So Manchester United effortlessly brushed aside a strangely ineffectual Arsenal side and still Wenger and Fergie gush nice words about each other. True words but strangely out of place given their history.

But these two ties, along with last season's FA Cup tie which United won 4-0, have shown us hat the gulf between the two sides is still massive and while deep down Wenger appreciates this, Fergie perhaps recognose the Arsenal for what they really are.

Lamented foes fallen on hard times and in need of a kind word now and then.

Wenger saw Fletcher's red card and agreed it was harsh! Wenger, the same Wenger who has seen nothing on the pitch for the last decade and a bit surely not getting soft?

But the fact is there is little to say about the Arsenal. Over the two games they were as threatening as butterfly cakes and bowling on the village green.

As ever Fergie is the master and Wenger the student and as a student he has a lot to learn about winning things. Anything.

Like any Arsenal fan I would welcome the Carling Cup or the FA Cup. A trophy is a trophy and while the bank manager may appreciate lengthy European cup runs I'm pretty sure the players would like a medal or two to show for their achievements

Yet again come the big game and the Arsenal go missing. On a night of humiliation and pain at the Emirates Arsene Wenger's men showed nothing to suggest a four year trophy drought is going to coming to an end any time soon.

Forget Gibbs' slip, he did the same at Old Trafford. Forget Almunia's poor positioning for the free kick, Arsenal offered nothing. Zilch. And that has got to have Wenger questioning his policies. They just rolled over and died.

But we expect this to be fair. Wenger is putting together a team of losers. Just check out this list.

2009 - Champions League semi final v Manchester United
2009 - FA Cup semi final v Chelsea
2008 - Carling Cup semi final v Totts
2008 - Champions League quarter final v Liverpool
2007 - Carling Cup final v Chelsea
2006 - Champions League final v Barcelona

Some clubs of course would love to have that record. But we're Arsenal. And Wenger keeps saying he's a winner. But he's not. Not now.

Instead of having players like Walcott coming out and saying people are scared of Arsenal 'cos we beat the likes of Portsmouth and Middlesbrough, instead of Wenger saying they would beat United in the second leg they should just shut the rubber duck up and win a bloody trophy. Win something, then boast.