Man City must aim higher still

January 13, 2010

This time last year, I wrote a piece arguing that Manchester City were setting their sights in the transfer market pathetically low.

For a club with almost limiteless funds, putting Craig Bellamy and Nigel de Jong at the top of the transfer wish list was a bit like a Lottery winner hunting through the racks of last year’s suits at TK Maxx.

Since then, their dealings in the transfer market, with the exception of moves for Carlos Tevez and possibly Emmanuel Adebayor, have shown a similar lack of ambition.

As well as Tevez and Adebayor, City have signed Joleon Lescott, Kolo Toure, Gareth Barry, Roque Santa Cruz and now Patrick Vieira, who is returning to the Premier League at the age of 33. Most of them are decent players. None of them are from the top drawer.

It may seem perverse to criticise City when they have just won their fourth successive league game, a Tevez-inspired 4-1 success over Blackburn Rovers, to climb to fourth place under an ambitious new coach in Roberto Mancini.

Yet now, with the Champions League a realistic target and no one in the Premier League looking beyond their reach, this is precisely the time they must set their sights much, much higher than the rollcall of mediocrity they’ve spent the last couple of years assembling.

What is Roberto Mancini’s coaching philosophy? What sets them apart from the other clubs, like Aston Villa, with their noses pressed up against the Big Four glass?

How many non-City fans could tell me what their first choice midfield is? Who is the player pulling the strings? What are the team’s defining characteristics? Are they ruthless counter-attackers led by the bustling Bellamy, reformed Rusholme Ruffians inspired by Robinho (or Stephen Ireland) or do they have aspirations to pass teams into submission?

You can see why City might be reluctant to shop at the high end of the market after two high-profile failures — first Robinho, who has not done much to suggest Real Madrid were unwise to let him go, and then the 100 million pound rebuff from Kaka – but they should not let that discourage them.

I’m not saying City need to make a “galactico” signing in the 100 million pounds range. They should, however, be shopping for elite internationals at the peak of their careers, the sort of players who can really stamp an identity on the side. Patrick Vieira? Five or six years ago, maybe.

Once City have established an identity, they should find it easier to attract more top players who find the prospect of playing for them appealing from a football point of view.

Tevez was a good start. Next on the list should be David Villa, Franck Ribery, Kun Aguero, Andres Iniesta, Karim Benzema, and if they want to be really cheeky, Nemanja Vidic and Cesc Fabregas.

How much debt was it that Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan wrote off? £300 million should get you a lot more than the current hotch-potch of styles and players, and fourth place in the league.

PHOTO: Manchester City’s new signing Patrick Vieira (L) poses with manager Roberto Mancini during a photocall at the club’s Carrington training complex in Manchester, January 8, 2010. REUTERS/Phil Noble

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Tags: Al Nahyan, Andres Iniesta, carlos tevez, CITY, city fans, craig bellamy, DAVID VILLA, decent players, Emmanuel, Gareth Barry, Karim Benzema, kolo toure, league game, lottery winner, MADRID, man city, Manchester, manchester city, nigel de jong, Patrick, patrick vieira, Phil Noble Source, premier league, profile failures, pulling the strings, real madrid, roberto mancini, Robinho, rollcall, roque santa cruz, ruffians, santa cruz, Stephen Ireland, target, top drawer

Agents: Big clubs have asked about Silva

December 21, 2009

David Silva’s agents have admitted that ‘big clubs’ have asked about the Valencia star’s situation, although he is only thinking ahead to next summer’s World Cup.

The 23-year-old has previously admitted he was the subject of a large bid from an English club in the summer.

It is thought Manchester United have contacted the player’s agents, Amadeo Rengel and Julio Llorente, to ask about a possible bid, although the club is said to want to wait until next summer to evaluate the situation.

But Real Madrid and Barcelona are also thought to be interested in signing the Spain international.

His agents said: “Now Silva only thinks to play in and arrive well to the 2010 World Cup, but we can not deny that big clubs have asked about his situation and we transmitted the question to Valencia.

“The decision rests with Valencia but Silva will also decide at the right moment – but at this moment we are very calm.”

Silva was expected to depart the Mestalla in the summer, along with team-mate David Villa, as Valencia looked to ease their precarious financial position.

But the pair stayed and Silva is tied to Valencia until 2013, with the club thought to value the 23-year-old at 40 million euros.

Tags: Amadeo Rengel, Barcelona, David Silva, DAVID VILLA, financial position, Julio Llorente, MADRID, Manchester, manchester united, mestalla, real madrid, rengel, right moment, Silva, Spain, team mate, Valencia, World Cup

Opportunity knocks for Europa League teens

December 18, 2009

Opportunity knocked for a host of teenage hopefuls in the Europa League on Thursday with 16-year-old Romelu Lukaku making the biggest impression as Anderlecht reached the last 32.

Lukaku scored twice in the first 20 minutes as the Belgians defeated Ajax 3-1 and help his side pip the stylish Dutch giants to top spot in Group A.

Everton, with their place in Friday’s knockout round draw already assured, also opted for youth in a 1-0 Group I defeat against Belarusian side BATE Borisov.

Centre-back Shane Duffy, 17, deflected a 25-metre drive from Alexsandr Yurevich into his own net for the only goal of the night at Goodison Park as manager David Moyes made nine changes to the side which drew 3-3 with Chelsea last Saturday.

Defender Jake Bidwell – at 16 years and 271 days – became the youngest player to figure for Everton in Europe and the third youngest behind Jose Baxter and James Vaughan to play for the first team overall.

As well as defeat, Everton’s threadbare squad suffered another jolt when 18-year-old Jack Rodwell was forced off with injury after just eight minutes.

Elsewhere, Celtic, already eliminated, came back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at Rapid Vienna in Group C where Hamburg and Hapoel Tel Aviv had made sure of qualification into the knockout round.

Celtic were three goals down after only 19 minutes with Nikica Jelavic (2) and Hamdi Salihi on target.

But Marc-Antoine Fortune then grabbed a brace before Paul McGowan drove in a stoppage-time equaliser for the Scots.

Italian hopes suffered a double setback as Genoa joined Lazio at the exit door.

Genoa lost 2-1 to Group B winners Valencia for whom David Villa grabbed a last-gasp winner. Lille took second spot with a 3-1 win over Slavia Prague.

Lazio lost 1-0 at home to Levksi Sofia in Group G where Austria’s FC Salzburg finished as the only side with a 100-percent record as Dusan Svento scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at fellow qualifiers Villarreal.

Veteran Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos played his last match for Group H winners Fenerbahce, helping the Turkish side to a 1-0 win over Sheriff of Moldova.

Carlos, 36, who signed for Fenerbahce from Real Madrid in 2007, had recently revealed he had penned a two-year deal with Corinthians of Sao Paulo.

Friday’s last 32 draw features the top two teams in each of the 12 groups as well as the eight third-place finishers from the Champions League group stages.

Juventus, Liverpool, Sporting Lisbon and Atletico Madrid are among the teams from the Champions League first stage who will be in the hat.

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: Atletico, Austria, belgians, bidwell, Carlos, CHELSEA, David Moyes, DAVID VILLA, equaliser, everton, fc salzburg, genoa, Goodison Park, Hamburg, hamdi salihi, Hapoel, hapoel tel aviv, hopefuls, Jack Rodwell, Jake Bidwell, james vaughan, jose baxter, last gasp, Lille, marc antoine fortune, Paul McGowan, PRAGUE, rapid vienna, roberto carlos, rodwell, Salzburg, Shane Duffy, slavia prague, stoppage time, target, Tel Aviv, Valencia, Vienna

Spain sitting pretty after World Cup draw

December 5, 2009

European champions Spain, favourites for the World Cup, will have a firm eye on potential opponents in the last 16 after being drawn with Honduras, Chile and Switzerland in Group H.

The Spanish, whose best World Cup performance was a fourth-place finish in 1950, will be making their 12th tournament appearance and have never lost to any of their three group rivals.

And the trio will likely suffer should Spain’s exemplary qualifying prowess continue.

Spain, along with the Netherlands, were one of only two teams to qualify from the European zone unbeaten, notching up 10 wins, scoring 28 goals and conceding just five in the process.

The team’s success has been based on quality and balance throughout a side dripping class.

Captain Iker Casillas is one of the world’s finest goalkeepers, while Xavi is vital to Spain’s fluid one-touch style with his inch-perfect passing and vision. Up front, Europe boasts no finer finishers than David Villa and Fernando Torres.

Rafael Callejas, head of the Honduran football federation, said much preparation lay ahead for his team, ranked 38th in the FIFA standings and set for only their second World Cup participation after their 1982 appearance when they went out in the first round.

“We face very high level teams in Spain, Switzerland and Chile,” he said. “Honduras must prepare itself very well.”

Honduras reached the finals in dramatic fashion thanks to a last-second equaliser in the USA’s clash with Costa Rica, and will look to the professionalism of Colombian coach Reinaldo Rueda and evergreen striker Carlos Pavon to guide them through their pool campaign.

Fellow Hispanophones Chile, ranked 17th by FIFA and boasting the youngest average age of all the South American teams, make a return to the World Cup after a 12-year absence.

Coached by Argentinian veteran Marcelo Bielsa, Chile qualified behind Brazil in the South American zone with their steely resolve mirrored in an impressive away record.

Making up Group H are Switzerland, who reached the last 16 in 2006 before falling on penalties to Ukraine. They overcame a shocking 2-1 defeat to minnows Luxembourg to top their pool in European qualification.

The team, now coached by German Ottmar Hitzfeld, features a healthy blend of youth and experience, combining talented younger players such as Eren Derdiyok, Tranquillo Barnetta and keeper Diego Benaglio with seasoned campaigners like Alexander Frei and Blaise N’Kufo.

CAPE TOWN (AFP)

Tags: alexander frei, american zone, cape town, Carlos Pavon, Chile, class captain, Costa Rica, DAVID VILLA, diego benaglio, dramatic fashion, equaliser, Europe, european champions, european zone, Fernando Torres, fifa standings, football federation, goalkeepers, H. The, Honduras, iker casillas, luxembourg, ottmar hitzfeld, professionalism, prowess, rafael callejas, reinaldo rueda, rueda, South American, Spain, striker, Switzerland, the Netherlands, ukraine, USA, world cup performance, xavi

Thinking the unthinkable: should Liverpool sell Torres?

November 4, 2009

It is a little glib to suggest that Liverpool have a one-man strike force in Fernando Torres.

It seems almost beyond dispute, though, that whenever the Spaniard is unavailable Liverpool look ill equipped to challenge for the title, a situation hardly helped by the sales of Xabi Alonso, Robbie Keane and Alvaro Arbeloa in the past year.

I realise this could come across as heresy to Liverpool fans, but might the answer be to sell Torres too?

Torres is, without question, an exceptional player but he is not irreplaceable. Liverpool have won nothing with the Spaniard in attack because they simply do not have the same in-depth quality that Chelsea and Manchester United can boast.

If Cristiano Ronaldo was worth 80 million when he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid, Torres should command a similar figure.

With that money Liverpool could buy three, maybe four, top drawer players who would give their squad more balance. Valencia striker David Villa would cost around 30 million and would be a handy replacement for Torres, as would Atletico Madrid’s Argentine frontman Sergio Aguero. Either, or both of them, would leave manager Rafael Benitez enough left over to strengthen in other areas.

Villa’s team mate David Silva would add some creativity in Liverpool’s midfield as would Tottenham Hotspur’s midfield spark Luca Modric or his team mate Aaron Lennon, if they could be prised away.

With Liverpool’s debts unlikely to ease any time soon, Benitez will probably need to sell before bringing in new blood but few of their current squad, apart from Torres, Gerrard and midfield anchor Javier Mascherano, would raise the kind of money that they would require for a major squad overhaul.

Selling Torres might be the one step back Liverpool need to take in order to take two forward because at present they appear to be getting left behind.

PHOTO: Fernando Torres looks on during their Champions League soccer match against Fiorentina at the Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence September 29, 2009. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

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Tags: Aaron Lennon, alessandro bianchi, Alonso, arbeloa, Argentine, artemio franchi, champions league soccer, CHELSEA, David Silva, DAVID VILLA, Fernando Torres, fiorentina, Franchi Stadium, handy replacement, Javier Mascherano, Liverpool, liverpool fans, MADRID, Manchester, midfield, modric, new blood, rafael benitez, real madrid, Robbie Keane, Sergio Aguero, strike force, team mate, top drawer, Valencia, xabi alonso

Ibrahimovic: “Mihajlovic teached me how to score from free kicks”

October 27, 2009

Zlatan Ibrahimovic fired a rocket to score Barcelona’s second goal against Zaragoza (6-1 win) on Sunday. The laser shot was the first goal of the evening for the Swedsih striker who’s succesfully silencing his critics. “I feel very fine at Barcelona.”

Due to a hand injury Ibrahimovic missed an important part of the pre-season. “Just a week before the start of the Championship I was able to return to group training,” Zlatan told Marca. “It didn’t helped my integration at Barcelona but I was fortunate to score a goal every match I played.”

“With each match I feel much better physically. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to score a goal during a couple of matches but I’m glad we still won those matches.”

The Camp Nou Stadium witnessed one of Zlatan’s trademarks on Sunday night: the free kick.

“I used to train with Sinisa Mihajlovic at Internazionale. He’s a free kick specialist. I had him for one or two years and when you see him take free kicks the only thing you can do is learn from him,” added ‘Ibra’.

So far, Ibrahimovic managed to score seven goals in La Liga and he tops the goal scoring ranks together with Valencia striker David Villa.

Paul Haring

Tags: Barcelona, camp nou stadium, DAVID VILLA, free kick, free kicks, group training, internazionale, match, Mihajlovic, Paul Haring, Valencia, Zaragoza, Zlatan, zlatan ibrahimovic

Classy Barcelona hit Zaragoza for six

October 26, 2009

Mali international Seydou Keita scored a first ever hat-trick as champions Barcelona got back to their best, crushing Real Zaragoza 6-1 at Camp Nou on Sunday to move three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table.

Barca had experienced a blip with a Champions League home defeat to Rubin Kazan in midweek but responded with a football masterclass to punish Real’s 0-0 draw at Sporting Gijon on Saturday.

Keita scored a memorable hat-trick (24 min, 41, 86) to take his season’s tally to five while Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice and also had two goals ruled out for offside.

Ibrahimovic joins Valencia’s David Villa at the top of the scoring charts on seven goals while Lionel Messi has six goals after scoring a fine chip.

Barca were three goals up after a destructive first half but that was not enough as they tore Zaragoza to shreds in the second half and it could have been double figures.

On 24 minutes Barca made the breakthrough with Messi showing quick thinking from a corner to clip a ball in and Keita got in front of his man to score with a diving header.

Five minutes later Ibrahimovic thundered in a ferocious free-kick from 25 yards although goalkeeper Juan Carrizo will be disappointed.

Barca scored a third on 41 minutes with Xavi producing a sublime pass to release Ibrahimovic and the Swede crossed for Keita to smash home his fourth goal of the season crashing into the back of the net as he did so.

In a spot of role reversal Keita turned provider for Ibrahimovic zipping in a low cross which the Swede deftly flicked in off his boot on 56 minutes.

Messi produced a cheeky chip in the 80th minute and Keita completed his hat-trick four minutes from time as Zaragoza prayed for the final whistle.

Earlier Spanish international Villa returned with a bang scoring his seventh goal of the season as Valencia defeated 10-man Almeria 3-0 on Sunday to move into the top four.

Villa missed the 0-0 draw with Barcelona due to a thigh injury but started against Almeria and headed in on 54 minutes before Pablo Hernandez scored a sensational 35 yard chip and Juan Mata completed the scoring.

Almeria’s cause was not helped by the dismissal of goalkeeper Diego Alves after an hour for fouling Pablo.

Valencia supplant Deportivo La Coruna in fourth on goal difference with Sevilla just a point ahead in third.

“This was an important game for and three points that could make the difference between Champions League football at the end of the season,” said Valencia coach Unai Emery.

Depor saw a four-game winning run come to an end in emphatic fashion, crashing to a 4-0 defeat at Valladolid.

“Nobody in the dressing room is talking about the Champions League,” insisted Depor coach Miguel Lotina.

Earlier Villarreal finally recorded their first win of the season with a first goal from Brazilian club record signing Nilmar and a free-kick from Spanish international Joan Capdevilla sealing a much-needed 2-1 home win over Malaga on Sunday.

“Perhaps we sat a bit too far back but the points were too important and we couldn’t slip up,” said coach Ernesto Valverde. “It was our first win and you always hope a good run can start from here.”

It was Valverde’s first league win since taking over in the summer and lifts the club off the foot of the table with Malaga replacing them.

Nilmar arrived at Villarreal with a big reputation and his 11-million-euro fee made him the most expensive player in the club’s history.

It had been a slow start for the Brazilian forward but in the 27th minute he got his first goal in Villarreal’s colours.

Malaga responded close to half-time through Albert Luque but Capdevila’s free-kick on 54 minutes restored Villarreal’s lead and for once they held on.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: Albert Luque, back of the net, barca, Barcelona, camp nou, carrizo, DAVID VILLA, emery, ernesto valverde, hat trick, Joan Capdevilla, la coruna, league home, lionel messi, MADRID, Malaga, mali, Miguel Lotina, Pablo, real madrid, real zaragoza, rubin kazan, s david, SEVILLA, seydou keita, shreds, sporting gijon, thigh injury, Valencia, valladolid, xavi, zlatan ibrahimovic

La Liga: The most boring competition in Europe?

October 1, 2009

A few days ago, Real Zaragoza president Eduardo Bandres said: “The Spanish league will be a matter totally and absolutely between two teams, among other things because the system for distributing television rights determines that it will be this way. It is unique in Europe and because of this the Spanish league is one of the most boring in Europe.”

The television channels would beg to differ, as they regularly run adverts or open their coverage of matches from La Liga claiming it is the ‘best league in the world’ with clips of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi running in the background.

But Bandres has a point. Five games in, and the table has an all-too familiar look about it. There are only two clubs left with a 100 percent record – Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Who has scored the most goals? Real and Barca with 16 apiece.

Who has conceded the fewest? Real with two. Barca have let in three.

Which clubs have the most money? Real and Barca are both working on budgets of over 400 million euros, three to four times greater than their nearest rivals. They rake in around half of the money earned from La Liga’s television rights, which are not negotiated on a collective basis.

At least Valencia’s David Villa bucks the trend in the individual goal-scoring charts, topping the rankings with six, but second behind him with five each are Ibrahimovic, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

There are four clubs expected to be mixing it at the top and competing for Spain’s other two Champions League qualification places: Sevilla, Valencia, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal.

Atletico and Villarreal are in the bottom three without a win from their opening matches, and are already 12 and 13 points adrift of Real and Barca respectively. Valencia have slipped down to seventh without a win in their last three outings.

Only Sevilla are putting up a fight, and they lie third with 12 points from a possible 15. They have a squad that boasts Frederic Kanoute, Luis Fabiano and Alvaro Negredo up front, with the likes of Jesus Navas, Diego Capel and Diego Perotti providing the bullets.

They have won six on the trot in all competitions and will provide Real Madrid with their stiffest test yet when Manuel Pellegrini’s side visit the Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday. As things stand, this is Real’s most difficult league clash of the season outside of their home and away battles with Barca.

A victory for Sevilla could signal the start of a genuine challenge from the Andalucians, and add some much needed spice to the title race. A defeat would leave more people agreeing with Bandres.

PHOTO: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates his goal against Real Madrid, May 2, 2009. REUTERS/Juan Medina

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Tags: atletico madrid, Barcelona, champions league, collective basis, cristiano ronaldo, DAVID VILLA, diego capel, Diego Perotti, Eduardo Bandres, Europe, fabi, few days, five games, frederic kanoute, Jesus, Lionel, lionel messi, luis fabiano, MADRID, president eduardo, real madrid, rivals, ronaldo, s david, SEVILLA, Spain, spanish league, television channels, television rights, Valencia, Villarreal, Zaragoza, zlatan ibrahimovic

Roberto: We need to win

September 25, 2009

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Roberto has urged his team-mates to dig deep and produce a result at Valencia as they try desperately to turn their season around.

Los Rojiblancos are in something of a crisis following a dreadful start to the season and coach Abel Resino is clinging on to his job by an ever-thinning thread.

There were calls for his dismissal during Wednesday’s home draw with Almeria which left them second from bottom of the Primera Division table.

Atletico travel to Valencia, for a match which is a must-win affair for both teams, looking for their first away points of the season and Roberto knows just how much the three points would mean.

“The team really needs a victory,” he said.

“We had it in the match against Almeria until they levelled in the final moment.

“We didn’t expect that goal and it affects you in the hours after the game.

“Then, you get home, you go to sleep and you wake up with a different attitude, with a desire to train and move on.

“All of the team members look forward to coming to work and we’re aware that we have the chance to win and resolve this situation every three days.

“Now we have to grit our teeth and fight to achieve our goals.”

Raul Garcia, Mariano Pernia and Ignacio Camacho are injured, while Sergio Asenjo, Alvaro Dominguez and Leandro Cabrera have been called up to the Under-20 World Cup and are also missing.

Valencia have hit a bit of a slump of late following an impressive start to the season.

Los Che were one of four sides to win the opening two games and looked certain to make it three on the trot last weekend until surrendering a late goal at home to Sporting Gijon.

That disappointing 2-2 tie was then followed by a miserable 3-1 defeat at Getafe and Hedwiges Maduro is desperate to get back to winning ways at the Mestalla.

“Against Atletico we have to show intensity and motivation,” he said.

“It’s a good game to do that because we have to give a victory to our fans at home.

“We’re all working to the maximum to achieve the three points.

“The only answer is to win, showing our qualities.

“Winning a game is not easy. But we have only just suffered our first defeat and it’s not a problem.

“Now we all have to improve and learn from our mistakes. Wednesday’s was an odd game but we have to face the next one and we will do it with great desire to win.”

However, Unai Emery will be without Ruben Baraja, Angel Dealbert, Manuel Fernandes, Asier del Horno, Nacho Gonzalez and Vicente, who all look set to miss out through injury.

The Mestalla fans will be hoping David Villa continues his fantastic start to the season, with the Spain striker having scored five goals in four matches.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: abel, Abel Resino, almeria, Angel Dealbert, atletico madrid, Che, DAVID VILLA, getafe, Goalkeeper, Gonzalez, good game, hedwiges maduro, ignacio camacho, manuel fernandes, mariano pernia, Primera Division, raul garcia, Roberto, ruben baraja, Sergio Asenjo, slump, Spain, sporting gijon, team mates, team members, two games, Valencia, Vicente, winning ways, World Cup

Little-known hot-shots put Ronaldo in World Cup shade

September 7, 2009

The weekend’s World Cup qualifying matches were graced by some of the top strikers in world football, but a glimpse at the list of top scorers from each confederation reveals a striking lack of big names.

Fernando Torres, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo were all in action on Saturday, but none have come anywhere close to the 12 goals scored by Osea Vakatalesau of Fiji.

Vakatalesau has not even featured in a qualifying match since Fiji’s 2-0 win over Oceania section winners New Zealand in November 2008, but he is not the only confederation top scorer who won’t be appearing in South Africa next summer.

Thailand’s Sarayoot Chaikamdee and Uzbekistan’s Maksim Shatskikh were the deadliest marksmen in the Asian zone with eight goals apiece, but both countries failed to qualify.

Uzkebistan finished bottom of Group One behind Australia, Japan, Bahrain and Qatar in the final round of the Asian campaign, with former Dynamo Kiev player Shatskikh’s last involvement coming in the 4-0 win over Qatar back in March.

Sarayoot, meanwhile, has not played since Thailand’s 3-0 home defeat to Japan in the third round of qualifying in June last year.

Both players were able to fill their boots in the early stages of the qualifying procedure, with Thailand’s 13-2 aggregate victory over Macau and the Uzbeks’ 11-0 demolition of Taiwan going a long way towards explaining how Sarayoot and Shatskikh came to occupy their lofty positions.

Moumoui Dagano of Burkina Faso is the top scorer in Africa with 10 goals, but the 28-year-old’s hopes of participating in next summer’s South African showpiece were dealt a heavy blow when his side were drawn in the same group as all-conquering Ivory Coast.

Luton Shelton of Jamaica and El Salvador’s Rudis Corrales top the scoring charts in the CONCACAF region, but they, too, will not make the finals; Jamaica having fallen by the wayside in the penultimate qualifying round and El Salvador seven points off the play-off spot in the current standings.

Things take on a more familiar feel in South America and Europe, where Brazil’s Luis Fabiano and England’s Wayne Rooney are the sharpest shooters.

Rooney, who has eight goals, is being pushed hard by Spain’s David Villa while Uruguay’s Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan is one of nine-goal Luis Fabiano’s nearest rivals.

Elsewhere, though, it is world football’s lesser lights that have seized their moment to shine and in the top scorer’s tables at least, it really is anybody’s game.

PARIS (AFP)