Leicester City 1 Portsmouth 1 - December 31st 2011

Foxes frustrated following New Year's Eve stalemate

Leicester City promotion hopes were dealt another blow this afternoon as they were held to a draw by Portsmouth at the King Power Stadium.

Leicester City have taken nine points from eight games following Nigel Pearson's return to the club

Marko Futacs put the visitors ahead with a fierce volley following some lackadaisical Leicester defending, but former Pompey striker David Nugent equalised for the Foxes four minutes later with an excellent header.

Both sides had chances to win as Greg Halford hit the Leicester woodwork while Yuki Abe had a powerful strike well-saved by Pompey goalkeeper Stephen Henderson.

Leicester have now been held to three consecutive home draws, and are without a win in five games.

The Foxes looked positive in the early stages of the match when youngster Jeff Schlupp rode a heavy challenge before firing just wide from 25 yards.

But the game soon settled down before Lee Peltier's hanging cross into the Portsmouth box almost picked out Paul Gallagher at the far post.

Chances were few and far between in the first quarter of the match, but it was Portsmouth who took the lead on twenty minutes after Leicester's defence failed to clear a David Norris cross, and the ball eventually fell to Marko Futacs who made no mistake from close range, blasting past the helpless Kasper Schmeichel.

It was a soft goal to concede, and one former centre-back Nigel Pearson will not have enjoyed watching.

Portsmouth's early lead sparked Leicester into life as Lee Peltier delivered another scintillating ball across the face of the goal just moments later.

The Foxes were soon level through David Nugent who was on hand to head Paul Gallagher's free kick past Stephen Henderson.

It was Nugent's eighth league goal of the campaign, and his second consecutive goal against his former club.

The visitors should have restored their advantage when Schmeichel lost Joel Ward's high ball in a dangerous position, but Greg Halford's header struck the woodwork.

Schlupp nodded on another Paul Gallagher free-kick with ten minutes remaining in the half, but Sol Bamba could not find the finishing touch at the back post.

On the stroke of half-time, Yuki Abe's fierce strike from 20 yards was excellently saved by Henderson, and the Portsmouth shot stopper did well to thwart Schlupp's follow-up attempts.

After the break, Liam Lawrence forced Kasper Schmeichel into a near-post save before Andy King's volley did little to test Stephen Henderson.

Marko Futacs fired high and wide inside the Leicester penalty area moments later before Paul Konchesky came close for the hosts at the other end.

Portsmouth looked the more likely side to go on to win the match, but the introduction of Jermaine Beckford with twenty minutes remaining injected life into the home side, as the former Leeds and Everton striker had his angled strike parried by Henderson.

Beckford then had a penalty shout waved away by referee Colin Webster despite seeming to have been upended by Joe Mattock's clumsy challenge.

Lloyd Dyer hit the side netting in stoppage time but the final whistle meant that the points were shared as Leicester City were held at home once again.

Man of the Match - Yuki Abe

How far can Spurs go this season?

© HansWurst76, Flickr 

Tottenham Hotspur claimed their twelfth league win of season last night with a 2-0 victory at Norwich City.  They have now lost just one domestic match in the last four months, capping off a fantastic first-half to the season. More impressively, Tottenham are third in the Premier League, ahead of local rivals Chelsea and Arsenal, with a game in hand on teams around them.

At this stage of the season, the question must be asked: are Tottenham Hotspur legitimate title contenders?

Other than Manchester City and Manchester United, Tottenham have been the most consistent Premier League side since losing their opening two matches against their Mancunian counterparts, and have taken 38 points from 15 games. Had they won a point against both Manchester clubs, they would now be just three points behind first place, with a game in hand.

Tottenham's early Europa League exit was disappointing, but that competition will not have been Harry Redknapp's main priority this season. Although they do have a large enough squad to deal with the daunting Thursday/Sunday fixtures, the Europa League served as somewhat of an unnecessary distraction, and Redknapp fielded a noticeably weaker side both in that competition and in their Carling Cup loss to Stoke in September. Tottenham's only potential distraction in terms of fixtures is the FA Cup: although a home tie with Cheltenham suggests that its younger personnel will be given the chance to impress in this tournament.

Tottenham's blistering league form is a credit to its strong core of players.  Brad Friedel has been assuring in goal, and the defence has conceded the fourth fewest goals in the Premier League. Despite changes at centre-half, Younes Kaboul and William Gallas have been generally very impressive, while Kyle Walker and Benoit Assou-Ekotto offer width and support in attack. The central midfield pairing of Luka Modric and Scott Parker is arguably the best in the Premier League, while Sandro has also stepped up this season.

Gareth Bale has been absolutely stunning so far this season.  His pace, vision and distribution make him one of the best footballers in England, and one of the most difficult players to contain.  If Tottenham are to mount a serious title threat this season, it will be due in no small part to this man. The front two pairing of Rafael Van Der Vaart and Emmanuel Adebayor is paying dividends, netting fifteen league goals between them to date. A typical starting XI offers a good mix of youth, experience, and depth in every position, making Tottenham a very dangerous side to play against.

© Bjǿrn Giesenbauer, Flickr

Gareth Bale's incredible form should provide Tottenham with a swift return to Champions League football next year

But full credit must go to Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who has transformed this club in just over three years. When he arrived at White Hart Lane in October 2008, they were bottom of the Premier League, having taken just two points from eight games under Juande Ramos. Spurs finished eighth overall that season, taking 49 points from 30 games. Since then, Tottenham have enjoyed fourth and fifth placed league finishes in consecutive seasons, and an inspiring Champions League run to the quarter-finals. If this is Redknapp's final season at White Hart Lane, as speculation indicates, he is certainly bowing out in some style. Should he stay at Tottenham, he has a good chance of winning a league title there in the future. But with the England manager job looming after Euro 2012, it is a big if, as Redknapp has been as equally coy over his position next year as he has been regarding Tottenham's title hopes.

Whether Tottenham can mount a serious title challenge, however, is a different matter.  They were well-beaten by both Manchester City and Manchester United in August, although they endured a difficult pre-season with speculation surrounding Luka Modric's departure from White Hart Lane, and were at the time without Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor, who have since helped to transform their league position. At their best, they are capable of causing any side problems, and the two Manchester clubs still have the Europa League to contest in. With a seven point deficit, Tottenham realistically need both Manchester City and Manchester United to slip up in order for them to make ground on the top two.  But if they do fall short, fans are unlikely to be disappointed with a top-three finish and Champions League football, which they are very capable of achieving.

Although the season is far from over, other sides must recognise Tottenham Hotspur as a genuine threat.  They are playing better football than Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool (having taken seven points from a possible nine against these sides), all of whom have their sights set on Europe next season but have been inconsistent to date.  Early Champions League exits by the two Manchester clubs could mean that fourth place in the Premier League is not enough for a place in the upper echelons of Europe in 2012, so sitting in third position is currently a good place to be. Tottenham certainly have the tools to make a return to the Champions League next season.

Leicester City 1 Ipswich Town 1 - 26th December 2011

Foxes share Boxing Day spoils

Paul Gallagher's second half penalty erased Leicester City's sluggish start to earn a deserved draw with Ipswich Town this afternoon at the King Power Stadium.

Lee Bowyer put the visitors ahead early on after Kasper Schmeichel had saved Michael Chopra's first-minute penalty.

But Gallagher equalised from the spot with twenty minutes remaining after Jason Scotland was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the area.

Matt Mills should have won it for the Foxes in the dying minutes, but his header from six yards flew well wide of the mark.

The result extended Leicester's winless streak to four games, having won just two out of seven since the return of Nigel Pearson.

The home side got off to the worst possible start when Paul Konchesky conceded a penalty inside the first minute for a foul on Lee Martin.

Michael Chopra stepped up to take the spot kick, but Kasper Schmeichel was equal to it, excellently tipping the ball around the post.

Ipswich did take the lead just minutes later when Lee Bowyer's hanging ball into the penalty area was poorly dealt with by the Leicester defence, and it was Bowyer himself who was on hand to smash the ball past Schmeichel from six yards.

The goal was a soft one to concede, and uncharacteristic of a usually stingy defence under Nigel Pearson.

Ipswich could have been a man down shortly afterwards when last-man Ibrahima Sonko fouled Jermaine Beckford who was bearing down on goal, but referee Darren Drysdale only displayed a yellow card.

Paul Gallagher struck wide from the ensuing free-kick, before Jason Scotland tested Kasper Schmeichel with a long range strike after Sol Bamba was caught in possession.

Matt Mills did well to block Lee Martin's shot following an Ipswich counter attack, while Sol Bamba's mazy run forced Ipswich goalkeeper Aaran Lee-Barrett into a near post save at the other end.

The second-half saw Andy King replace Lloyd Dyer in midfield, but the game never failed to spark into life until Paul Konchesky's low cross found David Nugent, but Aaran Lee-Barrett kept the ball out with his legs.

The game fell back into a lull before the Foxes were awarded a spot kick half-way through the second half when Jason Scotland was penalised for handball.

Paul Gallagher stepped up to slam the ball past Lee-Barrett from twelve yards – his second consecutive goal at the King Power Stadium and seventh of the season.

The equaliser briefly sparked Leicester into life, as Yuki Abe's low shot was fumbled and eventually saved by Lee-Barrett in the Ipswich goal.

The hosts had a glorious chance to secure all three points in the dying minutes of the match when Paul Gallagher's corner kick picked out an unmarked Matt Mills inside the six yard box, but the Leicester skipper fired his header well wide of the mark.

The final whistle maintained Leicester's unbeaten run at home since the return of Nigel Pearson, but the Foxes have now taken just nine points from seven games in their quest for promotion this season.

Man of the Match – Yuki Abe

Leicester City 1 Peterborough United 1 - 10th December 2011

Foxes held at home for the first time this season

Leicester City were held to a frustrating draw by Peterborough United this afternoon at the King Power Stadium.

Paul Gallagher put the Foxes ahead in the second half, but his goal was cancelled out by Lee Tomlin's header with twenty minutes remaining.

Leicester looked the team most likely take all three points, but Darren Ferguson's side were able to withstand the pressure and hold the hosts to their first home draw of the season.

Nigel Pearson will have been pleased with his side's start to the match following their 2-1 loss at Hull City last weekend, and looked to take advantage of some poor defending by the visitors in the early stages of the first half.

Andy King's inviting ball across goal resulted in a barrage of corner kicks, before Jermaine Beckford headed   just wide after twelve minutes.

Lloyd Dyer then tested Posh goalkeeper Joe Lewis with a 25 yard strike, whose fumble fortunately fell into the path of a Peterborough defender.

Leicester looked to capitalise on their dominance when Paul Gallagher's free-kick was flicked on by David Nugent into a great position, but there was no end product - much to the frustration of the hosts.

As the first-half continued, Peterborough began to threaten at the other end when Lee Tomlin's clever ball behind the Leicester back line to Emile Sinclair forced a brave interception by Kasper Schmeichel..

Jermaine Beckford hit the post from a tight angle before Joe Lewis made an outstanding save from Sean St. Ledger's close range header in first-half stoppage time.

Leicester did eventually take the lead after the break when Paul Gallagher took advantage of some lacklustre Peterborough defending from a short corner, and a clever pass from David Nugent, to fire the ball past Joe Lewis from twelve yards.

It was a well-worked goal from the hosts which continued their trend of beginning the second-half strongly at home.

But Peterborough were far from dead and buried and found themselves back in the game after 70 minutes when Emile Sinclair's pinpoint cross into the box picked out Lee Tomlin inbetween Sean St. Ledger and Lee Peltier to head past Kasper Schmeichel from six yards.

It was a deserved goal for the visitors who had stuck to their game plan all afternoon of effectively breaking on the counter attack.

The hosts looked to restore their lead and came close when Lee Peltier's near post shot forced Joe Lewis into a low save.  

But it was Peterborough who could have taken all three points with five minutes remaining after a good initial save from Kasper Schmeichel forced a goalmouth scramble, before the Leicester defence eventually managed to clear their lines.

The remainder of the match fizzled out, ensuring that both teams earned a point - although Leicester enjoyed the lion's share of opportunities to bounce back from last weekend's loss.

Man of the Match - Lee Peltier

Leicester City 2 Blackpool 0 - 29th November 2011

King and Danns on target for top-six Foxes

Leicester City moved into the play-off places for the first time this season following a 2-0 win over a determined Blackpool side at the King Power Stadium.

Andy King put the hosts ahead in the first-half with a cool finish after latching on to Lloyd Dyer's clever through ball.

And the points were secured eight minutes from time when Dyer raced ahead of the Blackpool defence before squaring the ball to Neil Danns who fired home from eighteen yards.

It was Leicester's second consecutive home win, and the three points ensured that the Foxes remain unbeaten since the return of Nigel Pearson, taking seven points from nine.

However, it was Blackpool who started the game strongly and could have gone ahead when Matt Mills' poor clearance fell to Jonjo Shelvey, but the Liverpool loanee fired over the bar.

But the hosts started creating chances and came close when Sol Bamba, who was recalled to the squad, then headed wide from a Paul Gallagher corner, before Jermaine Beckford's snapshot flew just past the post.

On the half-hour mark, Kasper Schmeichel was forced into making a superb point-blank save from a Gary Taylor-Fletcher header from six yards.

At the other end, Blackpool goalkeeper Matt Gilks was equal to a Jermaine Beckford strike, making a fine save at his near post.

The home side did take the lead on 37 minutes when Lloyd Dyer beat his defender before sliding the ball through to Andy King, who slotted the ball underneath Matt Gilks.

It was a well-worked goal and demonstrated Leicester's organisation and ability to withstand pressure and take their chances.

The Foxes were much improved in the second-half and should have doubled their lead when Jermaine Beckford latched onto a poor back pass, but his shot did not trouble Matt Gilks.

Matt Mills headed just over from a corner kick before Matt Gilks was on hand again to superbly save another Jermaine Beckford strike.

Paul Gallagher and Andy King linked up well on the right-hand side, playing the ball behind the Blackpool backline, but Jonjo Shelvey was on hand to clear at the right time in what might have been a wonderfully worked goal.

The introduction of Steve Howard and Neil Danns gave Leicester a boost with just over twenty minutes remaining, and the two linked up to create a good chance to double the lead, with Howard firing just over from 25 yards.

But Danns did score Leicester's second with eight minutes remaining when Lloyd Dyer raced ahead of the Blackpool backline before squaring the ball to the former Crystal Palace man, who cleverly slotted the ball into the net from just outside of the area.

It was a fine goal and testament to Danns' excellent performance since entering the game as a substitute.

David Nugent should have made it 3-0 after finding himself one-on-one with Matt Gilks, but his curling shot fell just wide of the post.

Andy King fired wide in injury time, but the points were already safe as Leicester moved into the top six for the first time in eighteen months – when Nigel Pearson was initially with the club in 2010.

Man of the Match – Lloyd Dyer

Leicester City 3 Crystal Palace 0 - 20th November 2011

Gallagher double sinks Palace

© ~~Tone~~, Flickr

Nigel Pearson's second spell in charge of Leicester City began with a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace this afternoon at the King Power Stadium.

Jermaine Beckford broke the deadlock just before the hour mark with a cool finish from inside the area, before Paul Gallagher scored two wonder goals in the space of four minutes to put the game beyond the visitors.

It was a spirited performance by the hosts who had spent the last three weeks managerless since the departure of Sven-Goran Eriksson in October.

Pearson's return to the King Power Stadium, after parting ways with the club in 2009 to join Hull City, saw Leicester adopt a more familiar 4-4-2 formation which proved successful during his previous stint in charge.

The hosts started positively from the outset, with Lee Peltier flashing a dangerous ball across the face of the goal in the first minute which just evaded the right foot of David Nugent.

Nugent then had a shot blocked before Andy King latched onto the end of another excellent cross by Lee Peltier, but he could only guide his header directly at Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni.

Paul Gallagher tested Speroni with a low driving free-kick from 20 yards before Glenn Murray fired just over for Crystal Palace on the half-hour mark.

The first-half fizzled out without much to write home about, but Leicester sprung into life after the break on 55 minutes when Paul Konchesky's mazy run allowed the full-back to find Richie Wellens on the edge of the box, who played the ball into Jermaine Beckford who coolly slotted the ball past Julian Speroni into the back of the net.

It was a wonderfully worked team goal by the Foxes, and Beckford's second since joining the club at the end of the summer transfer window this year.

The former Everton striker could have doubled his tally two minutes later when he intercepted a misplaced pass between Anthony Gardner and Paddy McCarthy on the half-way line, but lost his balance inside the penalty area at the final moment and his shot lacked any real power.

At the other end, Kasper Schmeichel made a brilliant point-blank save from substitute Chris Martin's unmarked header from six yards out – a moment which would prove to be pivotal.

With just under 20 minutes remaining, Leicester doubled their lead when Paul Konchesky laid off a quick free-kick to Paul Gallagher who struck a sublime 25 yard curling strike into the top right-hand corner.

It was a fantastic individual goal that epitomised the Scotsman's technical ability, and showed what the Foxes have missed during his time on the sideline.

And just four minutes later, Leicester put the game out of sight when Dean Moxey only half cleared Paul Konchesky's cross and Paul Gallagher struck another 25 yard screamer past the helpless Speroni into the top left-hand corner.

It was a goal of top quality that bettered Gallagher's first, and completed a superb homecoming for Nigel Pearson.

It was a cruel outcome for Crystal Palace, who came close late again through Chris Martin and Glenn Murray, but the final whistle meant that Leicester took all three points and climbed to eighth in the Championship as they look to return to winning ways under Nigel Pearson.

Man of the Match – Paul Gallagher

Leicester City 0 Leeds United 1 - 6th November 2011

Second-half strike stuns managerless Foxes

© Isriya Paireepairit, Flickr


Adam Clayton's second-half goal gave Leeds United a narrow victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium this afternoon.


Clayton's 25 yard curling strike came with just over twenty minutes remaining and was a highlight in an otherwise lacklustre encounter between two promotion hopefuls in which the home side were condemned to their fourth home loss of the campaign.


Leicester played well in parts but struggled to create any clear cut chances after being frustrated throughout by a resolute Leeds defence.


Caretaker managers Mike Stowell and Jon Rudkin made no changes to the Leicester side that beat Burnley 3-1 at Turf Moor during the week, and the Foxes started brightly with some good build-up play between Paul Gallagher and David Nugent, before Steve Howard volleyed over the bar from eighteen yards.


Robert Snodgrass then tested his former team-mate and Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel at the near post after Andy Keogh had won a corner for the visitors following Sol Bamba's important block.


Richie Wellens had a dipping shot tipped over the bar by Alex McCarthy after fifteen minutes, while Ross McCormack fired high and wide at the other end of the pitch.


Paul Gallagher should have tested McCarthy just after the half-hour mark but dragged his shot well wide of the far post to sum up a fairly uninspiring first period.


Leicester showed more energy after the interval and came close to breaking the deadlock when his shot was deflected over the crossbar after excellent work from Richie Wellens.


David Nugent then had a shot blocked before Leicester had a penalty appeal turned down on the hour mark after Wellens appeared to have been brought down inside the penalty area.


But it was the visitors who went ahead with twenty minutes remaining when Adam Clayton took advantage of the Foxes' failure to close down a Leeds counter attack by curling the ball past the outstretched Kasper Schmeichel from 25 yards.


The goal was a strike worthy of winning any game, and the only real difference between the two sides on the day.


The goal spurred Leicester into making a double substitution; former Leeds man Jermaine Beckford replaced Steve Howard, while Neil Danns made way for Michael Johnson.


Beckford immediately looked sharp and was unfortunate not to latch onto the end of Kasper Schmeichel's long goal kick, before the Danish shot-stopper made a fine near-post save to keep out a strike from Robert Snodgrass.


Former Leicester defender Patrick Kisnorbo then made a vital stop to keep out Jermaine Beckford's goal-bound effort with ten minutes to go as Leicester continued in search of an equaliser.


But Paul Konchesky's wild strike from distance flew well wide of the goal with tow minutes remaining was Leicester's last real chance to draw level, and the final whistle indicated a second successive home defeat for the managerless Foxes.


Man of the Match – Patrick Kisnorbo

Sven's departure leaves Leicester shell-shocked

Sven-Goran Eriksson has left his position as Leicester City manager by mutual consent following talks with club owners earlier this evening, the official site has confirmed.

© Matt Beighton, Flickr


First team coach Derek Fazackerly has also left the club, meaning that academy director Jon Rudkin and coach Mike Stowell will take charge ahead of Leicester's trip to West Ham United this Saturday.


The decision appears to be a reactionary one following Leicester's 3-0 home loss to Millwall at the weekend and the former England manager's departure has left the majority of Foxes supporters stunned. Eriksson joined the club in September 2010 with Leicester in the bottom three of the Championship following a torrid start to the season under former manager Paolo Sousa which saw the Foxes pick up five points in their opening nine games.


Despite an inconsistent start to the Championship campaign which saw the Foxes falling into the bottom half of the table, Leicester remain two points outside the playoffs, having lost just two of their last 10 league games.


While the club remains in a solid financial position with a strong core of excellent players, rumours are likely to circulate in the upcoming days over the future of the club and the vacant position.

St Andrews setback keeps Foxes' feet on the ground

Leicester's 2-0 loss to Birmingham City on Sunday was an indication that despite a recent run of good form, there is still work to be done before Sven-Goran Eriksson can consider his side a legitimate promotion contender.

© Jon Candy, Flickr
Matt Mills (left) faces a three-match suspension after his red card

The Foxes were undone by a second-half penalty and a breakaway goal after Matt Mills was shown a red card by substitute referee Kevin Wright for a two-footed tackle, although the former England manager had no complaints with either decision after he witnessed his side suffer their first away league defeat of the season. Instead, Eriksson is more likely to be concerned about his side's poor second-half display in spite of his captain's dismissal.

The result was in stark contrast to the Foxes' last televised game at the start of October which saw them demolish local rivals Derby County in a season-best 4-0 win. Leicester looked shell-shocked after falling behind early in the second-half against Birmingham and never recovered. The midfield play was erratic and never controlled the game, leaving strikers David Nugent and Darius Vassell little to work with. Richie Wellens and Jermaine Beckford were given too little time to have any real impact on the game, and Kasper Schmeichel was uncharacteristically out of position for the second goal.

A quarter of the way into the season, Leicester have shown significant improvement after a slow start which saw them lose their opening two home games. They were undefeated in seven before the international break and kept four consecutive clean sheets after the centre-back pairing of Matt Mills and Sol Bamba began to solidify. In this time, Leicester have knocked Southampton, Brighton and Derby off the top of the table, and yet have struggled in games against mid-table sides – much to the frustration of Foxes fans.

After 11 games, there can be no excuses. Expectations are too high for that. The settling in period is over. There have been glimpses of excellence this season and times when every individual element has come together nicely. But the loss against Birmingham was a harsh wake-up call that this will be a long and difficult season, and that nothing will simply be handed to them.

Of course, there are upsides. Leicester have a chance to quickly put this loss behind them with a game against Watford tomorrow night at the King Power Stadium, and Sven-Goran Eriksson has an almost fully fit squad to choose from – one with such depth and quality that would make other Championship managers envious. In terms of league form, Leicester have also won their last three home games and have scored eight goals in those wins, while Watford have won just two of their opening 11 games. Finally, Leicester are just two points outside of the playoff places – and five points outside the automatic promotion places. These are encouraging signs, but Eriksson will expect his players to respond and play significantly better than they did at the weekend.

With Leicester City in the national media spotlight this season, the pressure is on Sven-Goran Eriksson. Anything less than promotion in May will be regarded a failure. But for now, Sunday's loss should be considered a minor blip. One defeat in eight games is hardly reason to panic. The Championship is a tough, physical league, but alarm bells should not be ringing just yet. The side is good enough to quickly return to winning ways.

Great Expectations

Whether England's next generation has the potential to accomplish what the current setup has not been able to – win a major tournament

© Michael Radtke, Flickr

The England national team travel to Montenegro this week for a crucial qualifying match on Friday night. A win or draw in Podgorica would ensure progression to the Euro 2012 finals next summer, while a loss would leave England's qualification hopes out of their own hands and resting in the balance of a play-off match. England's opponents will prove a much more difficult challenge than many are anticipating, given that Montenegro have conceded just three goals in six qualifiers. However, England are expected to advance to the finals next year – but what is everyone expecting with the current setup?

Even the most patriotic fan will tell you that England have fallen way below expectation in recent tournaments, dating back to a semi-final appearance at Euro 1996. Current FIFA world rankings rate England as the eighth best team in the world (which arguably flatters Fabio Capello's side) – but at times they seem so far behind their European counterparts – Spain, Netherlands and Germany to name a few - who are ranked higher, and for good reason. England have also struggled against Croatia and Russia in recent times, not to mention supposed 'unknowns' like their Eastern European opponents this weekend.

Critics argue that England have been reliant on the same players for too long – without success. John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole, who have all enjoyed lengthy international careers, have been the core of the side for many years. But time catches up - now all five are over the age of 30 – so should Capello look to the future sooner rather than later? Some of those players may soon not be considered for another major tournament – be it next year's finals, or those in 2014. Germany are a side who have proven that such a method works, with coach Joachim Loew opting for future starlets at the time Thomas Mueller and Mesut Ozil ahead of more experienced players at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – a choice which resulted in Germany reaching the semi-finals of the tournament, Mueller winning the Golden Boot and Ozil transferring to Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer.

Should England consider a similar approach for Euro 2012? Here are some of the players who could feature in that squad – and in future tournaments to come.

Defenders

Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Kyle Naughton, (Norwich City), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea)

First off, Joe Hart appears likely to hold the number one goalkeeper's spot for some time. But some England's centre backs are ageing. Capello has already handed international debuts to Chris Smalling and Kieran Gibbs, but might consider Phil Jones as an option after forging a successful partnership with Smalling at Manchester United. Jones has also been impressive at England U-21 level, which boosts his chances of featuring next summer – should he receive sufficient playing time under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Kyle Walker enjoyed a successful loan spell at Aston Villa last season before rejoining parent club Tottenham Hotspur this year. An excellent performance against Arsenal at the weekend was enough for Capello to call Walker to the squad to face Montenegro, but such a decision could be reactionary in spite of his talent. Micah Richards is likely to feature next summer as backup for Glen Johnson, but Walker should provide healthy competition – especially if he enjoys a good domestic season. Kyle Naughton has impressed at newly-promoted Norwich City after a summer move from Tottenham (last season he stood out at Championship side Leicester City, scoring five goals), so Capello has several options at right-back.

The left-back position – dominated by Ashley Cole in recent years – is more susceptible. There are fewer up-and-comers in this spot. Kieran Gibbs has a chance to impress in the wake of Bacary Sagna's injury last weekend, which sees the Frenchman sidelined for around three months. If Gibbs can help to steady a leaky Arsenal defence, it will bolster his chances of a call-up next year. Chelsea's Ryan Bertrand has also played for England since the age of 16, but will need to be given the chance to impress there ahead of Cole before an inclusion into the national team.

© Ronnie Macdonald, Flickr

Kieran Gibbs (right) has the chance to shine for Arsenal ahead of England's Euro 2012 campaign

Midfielders

Jack Wilshire (Arsenal), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Scott Sinclair (Swansea), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Henri Lansbury (West Ham United – on loan from Arsenal), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Marc Albrighton (Aston Villa), Josh McEachran (Chelsea), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal)

England's midfield has arguably overcome its biggest problem already. The seemingly inevitable selection of both Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard has proven time and time again to be an ineffective partnership, in spite of former individual success. But with Lampard now aged 33 and Gerrard having faced a lengthy spell on the sideline due to injury, this could pave the way for future midfielders to break through.

Jack Wilshire already faces enormous pressure regarding both his domestic and international future. At the age of 19, he has already been tipped for greatness and is likely to be a pivotal figure in the England setup for years to come. There is no doubt that he could play an important holding role from which Fabio Capello forms his midfield, but for this to work he would need the right balance around him. Everton's Jack Rodwell also has a chance to impress and step up from U21 level during Wilshire's period of injury, which will see the teenager out of action until early next year.

Tom Cleverley has been a revelation at Manchester United this year after impressive loan spells at Leicester City, Watford and Wigan Athletic in recent seasons. Only injury has kept him out of Sir Alex's plans lately after a fantastic start to the Premier League with the Red Devils, and should be a part of the England team in years to come.

© Ed Schipul, Flickr 
Tom Cleverley has already been backed by manager Sir Alex Ferguson to play for England

Since transferring from Chelsea in 2010, Scott Sinclair has been outstanding for Swansea – scoring 22 times in the league and helping the Swans gain promotion to the top flight this year. However, although Sinclair is a playmaker, he is predominantly a winger which may see his chances of an England call-up reduced ahead of the likes of Stewart Downing and Ashley Young. Nevertheless, Capello may want to see more of him this season.

Jordan Henderson has already played for England but will need to establish a first-team spot at Liverpool in order to secure a regular spot at international level. The likes of Henri Lansbury, Marc Albrighton, Josh McEachran and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all in a similar position, but are capable of rising through the ranks at their respective clubs in order to catch the eye of Fabio Capello. There are definitely enough young midfielders capable of excelling for England if given the opportunity.

Forwards

Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea)

Like the goalkeeping situation, England's availability of strikers is not a huge concern; however, a drop in form or an injury could open up a spot in the starting XI for a young talent.

Andy Carroll had a fantastic start to Premier League life with Newcastle before joining Liverpool in January 2011 for £35 million – a price tag many argue that he will never be able to fulfil. However, Carroll has already impressed Fabio Capello enough to be handed his England debut, and scored in a 1-1 friendly with Ghana. He should feature in next year's squad, but whether he will be a starter rather than an impact player is uncertain.

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Andy Carroll has made three appearances for England so far

Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge have had a similar last couple of years. Both enjoyed successful loan spells at other Premier League sides last season (Sunderland and Bolton Wanderers respectively) before returning to their parent clubs, impressing their managers enough to feature regularly in important fixtures. Bearing in mind that said clubs are Manchester United and Chelsea, this should not be underestimated. Both Welbeck and Sturridge were also regular goal scorers at U21 level for England, boosting their chances of a call-up next year.

Barring any major injury or huge drop in form this season, Wayne Rooney is the only dead certainty for England at Euro 2012 – in terms of strikers. The likes of Darren Bent, Jermaine Defoe and Peter Crouch have often been overlooked in the past by Capello, regardless of form. If Welbeck can establish a strong partnership with Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford this season, a call-up is likely. Daniel Sturridge is in a slightly more difficult position due to extra competition at Chelsea, as well as a lack of stability in terms of the line-up. But both possess the ability to succeed for England and should be given an opportunity to impress.

So can England's new Lions succeed where former sides have failed? Whether Fabio Capello will choose to adopt such an approach is uncertain. Whether it would work is unclear. But an inclusion of youth in the Euro 2012 could be just what is needed to help England reach its potential, as well as to meet national expectations. Capello, the media, and fans have all seen what the golden era of players are capable of. Maybe now is the time to see what the future holds.

Tottenham winning the war, not just the battle

Spurs starting to look like the Arsenal of old as the balance of power shifts in North London

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Tottenham Hotspur's 2-1 win over local rivals Arsenal yesterday may not have been the classic encounter that football fans have come to expect in recent years. In fact, not only did it fail to live up to its expectation of a fiercely-contested and action-packed derby, it was a relatively quiet, perhaps subdued affair – especially in comparison to the 2008 4-4 classic which saw Tottenham stage an incredible injury-time comeback.

During the match, however, one thing was noticeable. Arsenal are not the top side in North London anymore.

Some Spurs fans may argue that their rivals never were the better side. However, Arsene Wenger has certainly had Arsenal playing at a consistently high level over the last decade, whereas Tottenham have undergone several managerial changes before the appointment of Harry Redknapp at White Hart Lane in 2008 started to steer them in the right direction. In that sense, the majority of neutrals would have considered Arsenal as the stronger side at the end of last season.

Tottenham were not the dominant side against Arsenal yesterday, nor were Arsene Wenger's men particularly poor. But both clubs have made a number of changes and decisions over the last six months which have seen the tables turn.

The biggest difference is in midfield. Arsenal lost two key players over the summer, namely Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri to Barcelona and Manchester City respectively. Those two players alone either scored or set up 39 per cent of Arsenal's 72 league goals last season. Mikel Arteta, who was signed by Wenger from Everton seemingly as a replacement, has a very difficult job on his hands to fill the boots of two world-class playmakers – especially considering Arsenal's ever-growing injury list.

In contrast, Totteham's midfield is a thing of beauty. Harry Redknapp was able to fend off interest from other Premier League clubs in Luka Modric, whilst securing the signing of England international Scott Parker from West Ham United for £5 million in arguably the transfer of the season to date. The starting midfield line-up of Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Scott Parker and Rafael Van Der Vaart against the Gunners yesterday would have made Arsene Wenger green with envy – especially considering players such as Niko Kranjcar, Tom Huddlestone, Sandro and Jake Livermore are also on the fringes.

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How important was it for Tottenham to keep Luka Modric over the summer? 

In recent seasons, Arsenal have managed to cover up their defensive frailties with the ability to create a number of goal-scoring opportunities every game. But with injuries to Laurent Koscielny, Thomas Vermaelen and now Bacary Sagna who suffered a broken leg in yesterday's clash, their defense now seems suspect; this was highlighted after Arsenal conceded 12 goals in two consecutive league matches away from home against Manchester United and Blackburn. The addition of German international Per Mertesacker which seemed so good on paper has done nothing to strengthen Arsenal's backline, and their back four yesterday included midfielder Alex Song. Whilst Tottenham are not renowned for their defensive nature, their options are certainly plentiful in comparison.

Finally, Totteham's loan-signing of Emmanuel Adebayor was another great decision by Harry Redknapp – if not somewhat controversial. The Togolese striker spent three and a half years with Arsenal before moving to Manchester City in 2009. After half a season with Spanish giants Real Madrid, Adebayor signed a year-long loan deal with Spurs this summer and has since found the net three times in five league games. On the contrary, although Arsenal still have Robin Van Persie - undoubtedly one of the best strikers the Premier League has ever seen - something still does not seem right. The loss of Fabregas and Nasri has left the Dutch forward with a heavy burden to carry. Although Gervinho did join the club this summer, he is a different type of player and, although it is still early in the season it seems unlikely to be able to pick up where the former left off. Marouane Chamakh has failed to impress since arriving at the Emirates Stadium last season, leaving question marks over where Arsenal's goals are going to come from.

Although there was no gulf in class during yesterday's match, at times it did seem as if Tottenham and Arsenal are headed in different directions. Although Arsene Wenger's has his side in the Champions League this season, Tottenham have the stronger squad by far - as indicated by yesterday's starting XI. The slight additions made by Harry Redknapp has improved his side - potentially to a top-four finish - while Wenger's panic-buying combined with several injured players could prove to be his longest season as a manager. At times so far this season, Spurs have looked like the side Arsenal used to be a few years ago – and the side Arsenal fans probably still wish they were.

New-look Leicester impressing at the right time

Leicester City's 4-0 victory over local rivals Derby County yesterday evening could hardly have come at a better time - just before the international break, and in front of a massive Sky television audience.

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The win was emphatic and maintained Sven-Goran Eriksson's strong record in East Midlands derby matches. But more importantly, it highlighted that this Leicester side is starting to gel.

It is no big secret that the Leicester, recently referred to as the 'Manchester City of the Championship' on Sky Sports, have invested in big-name players this summer. The likes of Paul Konchesky, David Nugent and John Pantsil all have extensive Premier League experience, while Matt Mills and Jermaine Beckford came with heavy price tags. After a sluggish start with some below-par results (and performances), the victory over Derby emphasised the overall quality Leicester City possess.

However, such a victory has been on the cards for some time. On the back of a seven-game unbeaten run and four consecutive clean sheets (including two excellent draws at Cardiff and Middlesborough) it seemed only a matter of time before things would start to click. Matt Mills has been outstanding in his last few outings for the Foxes, while centre-back partner Sol Bamba has excelled all season. As a result, Leicester have conceded just nine goals in 10 league matches, the second fewest in the Championship. The entire back line are playing with confidence; both in themselves and with goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel - and vice versa.

The midfield has suffered injuries - Richie Wellens and Michael Johnson being the latest. But each player raised their game yesterday, which will add a competitive element to the selection process. Andy King and Gelson Fernandes are both playmakers who can change the nature of a match, while Yuki Abe and Neil Danns have been solid when called upon.

Credit must also be paid to the forwards. Darius Vassell has been a revelation this season. The former England international is enjoying his finest form for the Foxes, looking more of a threat playing as an out-and-out striker rather than as a winger. The return of David Nugent yesterday was a huge boost to the side, and youngster Jeffrey Schlupp proved he can cause real problems for defenders with his unique combination of size and pace. When Jermaine Beckford returns from injury, Sven-Goran Eriksson will be spoilt for choice, and also given somewhat of a selection headache - but an enjoyable one.

That takes us to the manager. Sven-Goran Eriksson has done a tremendous job of remaining patient with his players confident in the knowledge that it was only a matter of time before things started to click. He will know that he is under pressure to deliver this season. Yesterday's game against Derby marked his anniversary with Leicester - a year in charge for the Swede. During that time, Leicester have taken 75 points from 46 games - more often than not, a total good enough for the play-offs. And now that he has had the summer to tailor-make a squad, this side is constantly improving.

Expectation is still high, but the hard work is paying off. Teams don't instantly click overnight; it does take time. Leicester enter the international break in eighth place, just one point outside the playoffs. But Sven's men are slowly and surely making things happen, and, after a slow start, they're doing it under the radar.