Chelsea are deplorable, while Capello axes Michael Owen from the England squad

Comment & analysis round up

Quote of the day: “Since May I’ve been trying to renew my contract but they [Real] didn’t want to because they were so sure they would sign Cristiano Ronaldo. Now, because they haven’t signed anyone, they won’t let me go… I have told the president, the sports director and the coach I want to go. I won’t refuse to play for Real if I stay. But if Schuster wants to keep a player who is unhappy, it is his responsibility.” – Robinho.

Runner-up: “We deplore the way Chelsea’s directors have acted, despite knowing perfectly well the decision not to sell the player, making statements and even going so far as to sell shirts with the player’s name on through their official website.” – A statement from Real Madrid.

Today’s overview: Several journalists let rip on the Reds this Monday, after having struggled through yesterday’s Aston Villa-Liverpool snoozefest.

Paul Doyle mocks Rafa Benitez’s side claiming that Liverpool could “shorten the pitch by 11 metres, thereby giving an even greater role to one of their most creative players, Pepe Reina.” David Pleat noted how the match was “painful viewing,” while Peter Lansley argued that “on this performance, Liverpool barely resemble title contenders.”

However the big issue of the day is comment on Fabio Capello’s decision to leave Michael Owen out of his England squad.

Martin Samuel called the decision “the biggest gamble of [Capello's] brief international management career,” Sam Wallace believes it “demonstrates just how little Capello rates the man,” Matt Lawton claimed “the decision looks like madness,” while Shaun Custis argued that it shows for Capello that “past reputations mean nothing.”

On the more positive side, there are also features on the surprise call-up, Jimmy Bullard. Kevin McCarra took the pragmatic approach when saying “opting for the 29-year-old Bullard shows an open mind, but it is also the case that the possiblities for the manager are limited.” Tom Dart is far much celebratory, noting how “little more than five years ago, he was at Peterborough United.”

In other news, after the UEFA Super Cup win for Zenit Martin Samuel heralds the return of Russian sport, Jeremy Wilson reports on the deals surrounding Totternham on the final day of the transfer window, Mike Anstead complies his list of the 10 best bargains of the summer, Gabriele Marcotti looks at some of the less well-known clubs who have made it into this year’s Champions League and Peter Reid pens about his life as Thailand manager.

After too many poor Liverpool matches, Paul Doyle sarcastically mocks Rafa Benitez’s side in the Guardian. “Liverpool could narrow their pitch by over 11 metres on each side, ie remove the flanks that they’ve long left fallow anyway. They could also shorten the pitch by 11 metres, thereby giving an even greater role to one of their most creative players, Pepe Reina. Not only would this condensed pitch suit Benitez’s guileless brand of football, but extra seating could be erected on the rezoned metres, adding thousands to Anfield’s capacity, almost rendering a new stadium redundant, and freeing up more money for Benitez to spend on strikers whose lack of pace makes them ideal for conversion into ineffective wingers. If ever one decides to emulate Ryan Babel by saving the side from costly Champions League humiliation with a wonderful cross from near the touchline in the 27th minute of extra-time against Belgian hicks, he can be dropped for the next match so that Robbie Keane can again totter fruitlessly down the channels.”

David Pleat (Guardian) also found Liverpool’s trip to Aston Villa to be hard viewing. “Lucas Leiva, Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso denied the home side’s counter-attack by suffocating the supply line to their creative personnel. Gareth Barry, Nicky Shorey and Stiliyan Petrov had no room in which to manoeuvre and feed the pacey Ashley Young. With the winger denied the ball, Benítez would claim his tactic worked perfectly, though it was painful viewing.”

Peter Lansley was also critical of Liverpool in his post match report for The Times. “On this performance, Liverpool barely resemble title contenders, cementing the argument that the big four has become the big two – Manchester United and Chelsea. It is an indictment of their teammates to suggest that Gerrard and Torres would have made the difference.”

According to Martin Samuel (The Times), “Fabio Capello took the biggest gamble of his brief international management career last night when he opted not to recall Michael Owen.” “Capello has decided to ignore the fear factor that Owen can instil within international defenders and selected four players who cannot match his total of 40 international goals when combined: Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey and Theo Walcott. Capello’s chosen quartet have 24 goals between them at an average of a goal every 5.04 games; Owen’s ratio in 89 internationals is one goal every 2.22 appearances.”

The Independent’s Sam Wallace was quick to call Owen’s omission the beginning of the end for the Newcastle striker’s international career. “It is the first time a fit Owen has been omitted from an England squad since he broke into the international scene as a teenager 10 years ago and demonstrates just how little Capello rates the man who has 40 goals for his country, the fourth-highest tally of all time. Owen has played just once for Capello, as a substitute in the defeat to France in March, and, at 28, he must fear he will never surpass Sir Bobby Charlton’s 49-goal England record – at least while the Italian is in charge.”

The Daily Mail’s Matt Lawton also takes the same over-hyped approach to reporting the Owen-England story. “Michael Owen’s international future was plunged into serious doubt last night after Fabio Capello took the extraordinary decision to omit him from an England squad that includes Fulham’s Jimmy Bullard… the decision looks like madness when it leaves England going into two crucial World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and, more importantly, Croatia with just Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey and Theo Walcott as strikers.”

As expected, the Sun’s Shaun Custis adds his voice to the crowd claiming Michael Owen’s England future may be over. “The message was clear — boss Capello believes he can get to the 2010 finals without the Newcastle striker, who has hit 40 goals in 89 games for his country. It is a huge gamble by Capello and he knows he risks the wrath of the nation if it backfires. But the Italian has shown he can be ruthless — and that past reputations mean nothing.”

Kevin McCarra reviews Fabio Capello’s latest England squad in the Guardian. “No one need accuse Fabio Capello of seeking a quick fix. He kept his nerve and decided that more evidence will be required before Michael Owen is recalled to the squad… Capello has had enough worries as it is. Steven Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick are all injured. Opting for the 29-year-old Bullard shows an open mind, but it is also the case that the possiblities for the manager are limited. Even so, he does not let circumstances dictate every choice to him.”

The Times’ Tom Dart features the surprise call up to the England squad, Jimmy Bullard. “Little more than five years ago, he was at Peterborough United, having failed to make the grade at West Ham United, whom he joined from Gravesend and Northfleet. But he blossomed after a £275,000 move to Wigan Athletic and proved that he could more than hold his own as a top-flight player. A lively character off the field, he moved to Craven Cottage in 2006, but damaged his cruciate ligament that September, which kept him out for 15 months.”

After returning from the UEFA Super Cup, Martin Samuel heralds the return of Russia in The Times. “Russian sport is the coming force in Europe. There can be little doubt that Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister of Russia, is looking to restore national pride and power using a template from the Soviet Union when this was achieved partly through success in gymnasiums and on tracks. Russia’s super-rich are required to invest in sport and, unsurprisingly, heavy funding has proved beneficial in commercially driven team sport. PBC CSKA Moscow are Europe’s basketball champions in two out of the past three seasons – they lost in the final in the middle year – and the national ice hockey team are world champions, for the first time since 1993.”

On the final day of the transfer window, Jeremy Wilson (Telegraph) reports on the deals surrounding Totternham. “Ramos is still hoping to sign Andrei Arshavin from Zenit St Petersburg and Manchester City’s Vedran Corluka and, while he admitted that it was possible for Berbatov to play for Tottenham again, he appears increasingly resigned to losing the 27-year-old… Tottenham, who are also understood to be trying to complete deals for Sergio Garcia and Diego Milito from Real Zaragoza, completed the signing of Roman Pavlyuchenko from Spartak Moscow on Saturday and Ramos said that the Russia forward would provide much needed support to Darren Bent.”

The Sun’s Mike Anstead complies his list of the 10 best bargain summer transfers in the Premier League. “No4: Jonas Gutierrez (£2.5m) The Argentina winger has already shown glimpses of his talent at Newcastle — even drawing comparisons with Toon legend David Ginola. Boss Kevin Keegan took advantage after Gutierrez bought out his contract at Real Mallorca and he could bring some overdue joy at St James’ Park.”

Gabriele Marcotti looks at some of the less well-known clubs who have made it into this year’s Champions League. “Take Famagusta, who form a remarkable story. For a start, they have been exiles for more than 30 years. In 1974, Famagusta fell under Turkish control as Cyprus was partitioned, so the club packed up and moved to Larnaca, on the Greek end of the island… Or how about BATE? If they were in the English football pyramid, their average gate of 3,619 would have made them the 83rd-best supported club in the nation, just after Darlington and before Hereford United… Tiny and unknown though they may be, these three clubs represent a success for those who believe in an egalitarian, merit-based Uefa.”

Peter Reid delivers an article to the Daily Mail about his life as Thailand manager. “They’ve been trying to teach me how to say ‘thank you’ in Thai but gave me the female version, kop kun ka, instead of kop kun kap, which is how men pronounce it. Charming. The national team manager and they’ve got me talking like a girl!… The people here have been fantastic and I got a good, positive reception — certainly better than being booed. I was impressed. The players are only part-time but technically they are very good. I’ve got to go to Vietnam and Singapore to see other players in the squad, but the things we need to work on will be the physical side, the defending and set-pieces. I need to make them more streetwise really so they can compete better against the other sides. They are a very proud nation so there’ll be no problem getting them to do the work.”