It would be excusable to believe that the sweeper had become a moribund position in modern football. For supporters it is not an enticing prospect to see a striker or attacking midfielder substituted for an extra defender. A sweeper traditionally plays behind the two central defenders, tasked with marking space rather than the man and clearing anything others fail to deal with. However the role was reintroduced by two British sides recently who faced Manchester United and Chelsea at their home grounds. Glasgow Rangers and Blackpool achieved contrasting success but will teams facing daunting opposition away from home be inclined to field an extra defender and apply the padlock?

For managers who decide to include a sweeper in a five man defence, the priority is to keep a clean sheet and disturb the opponent’s attackers. Rangers opted for this system against United in the Champions League last week and frustrated a team which had been rotated but did incorporate Wayne Rooney. The Scottish team’s 40-year old captain David Weir adopted this lesser seen role although cynics would argue that they defended with nine men as Kenny Miller was an isolated figure up front. Recently recalled to the Scottish national team, Weir was arguably the man of the match as he gave an assured performance which reduced the illustrious home team to a series of long range efforts.

The following weekend in the Premier League saw Ian Holloway choose to place Alex Baptiste in a central defensive three, in the faint hope of halting Chelsea’s goal scoring juggernaut. The rampant Blues scored within 71 seconds and added three more before the conclusion of the first half. The tactic had backfired with the Tangerines unable to keep their shape at the back and were mesmerised when Chelsea broke with pace. However in the traditional mould of the sweeper, Baptiste managed to occasionally get forward, evading his markers and fired a low, rasping shot at Petr Cech.

Holloway acknowledged that his tactical change had not followed the prescribed plan. But he evidently felt compelled to attempt something different given his assertion that Chelsea are “light years ahead.” He additionally suggested that the disparate PL features a number of internal divisions, reaffirming the gulf in quality between those at the top and the bottom. Newcastle outscored Chelsea in a thrilling League Cup encounter last night but few teams would travel to Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford or the Emirates in the league hoping to replicate that performance. Should more sides, therefore, consider this defensive and attritional stance when facing incomparable opposition?

The notion of not conceding and hoping to possibly grab a goal is associated with the Italian word, catenaccio which translates as padlock. This well known term is utilised to describe a team intent on defending and using pace to spring a counter attack when the opportunity arises. It is best associated with a five man defence and the inclusion of a sweeper. In this system the onus is on keeping a strong defensive shape and employing the last man to ‘sweep up’ if the two conventional centre-backs are exposed. However a sweeper should ideally be a cultured footballer, able to make clean tackles and swiftly distribute long range passes up field. As the opposition are invited to come forward and apply greater pressure, an accurate pass from defence can release quick forward players to exploit the vacated spaces. Famous sweepers in the modern game have included AC Milan’s Franco Baresi, France’s Laurent Blanc and Arsenal’s Tony Adams.

Today the role is rarely seen, particularly in England but many defenders display the hallmarks of a sweeper. Spurs’ Michael Dawson has the ability to make unnervingly precise long range passes and John Terry can often be seen making astute forward runs. Although this position/formation should not be viewed egregiously, it would understandably irritate spectators who would view it as anti football in the entertainment driven top flight. Yet when playing exceptional opposition the first task is to make your defence impregnable. Otherwise the reigning PL Champions will rack up more than four every week.

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Today, football is bigger than ever. The number of followers is ever-increasing and the money involved has reached epic proportions. But what has actually happened to the standard of play and how does it compare to years gone by?

There is no doubting that advances in technology and the increasing money in the sport has led to some major changes being implemented throughout the sport, even at grass roots level. When Arsene Wenger joined Arsenal much was made of the way he was able to change the philosophy of how a professional footballer should live their life. Never before had the diets and the training regimes of players been so closely monitored. The almost instantaneous success he achieved made others take notice.

It could be argued that these improvements have made people more athletic. In fact, perhaps they have contributed to the evolution of the human race. If you were to look at the world record for the 100m sprint, over time it has kept dropping – maybe people are evolving and becoming faster. The same could be said for the marathon.

Either way, there has clearly been a step up in terms of the standard of athlete. This is no exception for football. Many people talk about the great players of the past such as Maradona and Pelé. Whilst it is almost impossible to compare players of different eras, it would be very interesting to see if these players would still be stand-outs if they played in today’s game. You often see players with a very high standard of technical ability struggle in the top leagues today. It has become a requisite that every player is not only technically brilliant, but also a super athlete. I often ask myself whether Maradona would have been able to keep pace in a league such as the Premiership today with the lifestyle he used to live.

It seems clear that to excel in the world of football today you must be incredibly dedicated. Players cannot afford to live the lifestyle that many footballers did in the past otherwise the results will be obvious on the pitch. Two of the greats of English football, George Best and Bobby Moore, could be seen down the pub after the game on a Saturday. If that were to happen in today’s game, it would lead to them being fined or even sacked.

In the modern game, not only do players train more, but they train in more sophisticated, scientific ways. The improvements in technology (e.g. the pitches, the boots and the training equipment) have led to more effective time spent on the training ground. In my opinion, this has resulted in players also being technically better than they ever have been. With players being stronger, fitter and quicker, it seems almost inhuman the way Lionel Messi can waltz round a whole team. In older times, when George Best used to play, teams would often only have very small squads. This meant that players often had to play through injury, especially with the medical facilities being far less effective. When you look at it this way, does what George Best did compare to what Messi does today? In my eyes it is a clear no.

Yet there is still a majority who would regard the great players of past generations as the best ever. I often wonder whether people consider the overall improving standards or just judge it by who stood out the most from their generations.

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It is disappointing that we will never find out how many of these players compared, but judging by the improvements that have been made in the last fifty years, the future of football looks very exciting indeed.

Written By Matt Ellis

The FA Cup is underway again and we’ve had our first of many upsets. Rochdale 2-3 FC United of Manchester. On a chilly Friday evening at Spotlands, the magic of the cup was in full flow. Goals, drama, and Adrian Chiles reporting from a caravan made for compelling viewing. I enjoyed the match as a neutral, but never have I been so biased towards a team I have no affiliation towards.

FC United of Manchester formed in 2005, after Malcolm Glazer and company forced Manchester United shareholders to sell up. The Glazers have  privately owned the club ever since, so a  number of Man United fans turned their backs on Old Trafford and formed the ‘Red Rebels’  as a result of these events. This is why I see Friday evening’s scenes as a victory for football, but more specifically a victory for fans.

I have nothing against Rochdale. They played their part in a cup tie worthy of television coverage and maybe deserved more from the game. But it’s so interesting to see how far raw fan power can get you. Admirably rare in fact. To put things into perspective, consider how unfairly clubs now treat fans. Ticket prices are ever increasing, often pricing your everyday fan to revert to the armchair for their football fix.  This considered, the fans turning their back on such a global brand as Manchester United is to be noted on many levels, especially in the Old Trafford board room.

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It made me proud to be a fan of the sport. Seeing fellow football fans protesting against what is wrong, and doing it in a successful way. Many of whom have followed FC United from day one, or converted from ‘The Red Devils’ to ‘The Red Rebels’ during their existence. Resisting the temptation of watching Rooney, Vidic and Scholes every week in favour of the rough and tumble of The Evo-Stick Premier Division. I have to say I was rejuvenated by an aspect of the FC United following on Friday. These are fans that have celebrated numerous League Championships, FA Cup wins, and European glory. Yet the passion they greeted Friday’s final whistle with, was phenomenal. It ignited emotions that are normally seen after Man United dumped Barcelona out of the Champions League. A mass pitch invasion and chanting of The Red Devils songs ensued. Raw passion from real fans. A massive component of the game we all love.

Is this the first step to fans regaining an element of power in their Club? Maybe, because we shouldn’t be ignored as fans. Without us there would be less passion, less interest, less atmosphere and empty grounds across the country. As an integral part of a Club, we have every right to be heard. And hopefully FC United will continue to make noise.

The Club have certainly returned to the roots of football. Sensible ticket prices, standing on the terraces, rubbing shoulders with real fans who are there for the football, and only the football. Miles away from prawn sandwiches, and where the closest thing to a corporate box is a goalkeeper standing in a penalty area in his pre match suit.

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Admittedly it’s still early days for FC United in the 2010 FA Cup and they may struggle to overcome Brighton or Woking in the 2nd Round. But they’ve certainly got the media attention and glory that their initiative deserves. How far they can go? Only time will tell but I for one will keep a keen eye on the developments of one of the country’s most unique clubs.

Written By Rob Edwards

“It’s a f****** conspiracy!” The angry lady behind me shouted in the general direction of Mark Clattenburg as he neared my side of the pitch. “You’re a f****** cheat. I hope you’re f****** happy with your f****** paycheque, ref! You’ve f****** earned it today!” She, like everyone else in the stand, was annoyed that the referee of Manchester City’s defeat to Arsenal last Sunday awarded a goal kick to the visitors, overruling his linesman who had given a corner kick to the home side.

I’ve never truly understood the chant “you’re not fit to referee!”. Of course, the influence is subconscious, but it’s not exactly going to win the referee around to giving the next 50-50 decision to your team.

In fairness to the angry lady, she was right about that call; it was incorrect for Mark Clattenburg to award the goal kick and ignore the decision of his assistant. What didn’t help her case is that she directed a similar torrent of abuse towards the referee after every decision he made that wasn’t in City’s favour. Of course, I wouldn’t expect any football fans of any club to have a totally unbiased view – I do it and you do it. It’s human nature that we all see decisions with our team in mind.

The atmosphere against Arsenal was very feisty, something that was caused by the fans’ perceived view that the referee had given an incorrect red card and then, later, an incorrect penalty, both against City. From where I was sitting, I felt aggrieved about the red card. Looking through my blue shaded glasses, I’d seen Boyata win the ball, but even I couldn’t convince myself that Fabregas had dived, despite my best efforts and the efforts of those around me who had successfully convinced themselves. I had to check with a Belgian friend of mine, who is biased towards all things Belgian, and he told me that both decisions were correct. If he couldn’t find a way for the offending Belgians to be let off, then I wasn’t going to be able to.

I feel sorry for Boyata. It was only his third Premier League start and he’s made a genuine attempt to win the ball from a forward dashing towards goal. There’s no question that he fouled him and no question that a red card was the correct decision, but it’s from instances like this that he will learn. With just five minutes played, allowing Chamakh a shot on goal would probably have been the better decision – with Hart in inspired form this season, there’s no guarantee he’d have scored if he had hit the target. Even if he had netted, it would have left City 85 minutes to pull back the 0-1 deficit with a full complement of players, instead of trying to win the game a man down.

However, there’s no doubt that he’s a rising talent in the City squad and one mistake doesn’t change that. That he was selected over Lescott will show to him how much the manager values him.

Now, of course, only the hardcore of the hardcore City fans are still contesting those two major decisions; the referee got them both correct. But, at the time, those two decisions, combined with a few incorrect yellow cards and fouls – which went both ways – ensured a vitriol of abuse from the home fans. In fact, I’d go as far as saying the Clattenburg’s performance in that match was better than his previous performance at Eastlands when he officiated the match with Blackburn.

There were other contentious decisions besides the sending off and penalty. Some blues are upset, and in my opinion rightly so, by Cesc Fabregas’s imaginary card waving antics towards the referee after Boyata’s foul. A few years ago we were told that it would be a bookable offence because it was ungentlemanly conduct or not in the spirit of the game, but it’s a ruling that’s been applied rather haphazardly since it was introduced. Fabregas may have been lucky to escape a card there mainly because he did it whilst the referee wasn’t looking at him.

But had he been shown a yellow card for that incident, it’s impossible to say that he would have been sent off for the foul he committed later; without getting into a metaphysical debate on causality, if he was on a yellow card he might not have made the challenge that led to the foul.

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Later in the half, having already been shown a yellow card for a foul, a lot of the City support around me was convinced Fabregas should have been sent off for a second yellow card that, they believe, was given to wrong man. However, if my memory serves me correctly, the reason Djourou was shown the card was because he committed a foul and the ball broke to Tevez, who continued with the ball as the referee played the advantage. When Tevez lost the ball to Fabregas, it was clear there was no advantage and the play was brought back to where the foul was committed and a free kick was given.

There are, of course, some decisions by Mark Clattenburg on Sunday that I didn’t agree with. I do believe that Alex Song should have seen a second yellow card; principally because, having already been booked, he committed a very similar foul that had seen City’s Gareth Barry cautioned. Throw in the odd free kick wrongly awarded or ignored and this, to the angry lady at least, showed a definite bias against City.

But that inconsistency doesn’t prove that Mark Clattenburg cheated; it simply proves he is human.

Manchester City vs. Arsenal, however, wasn’t a particularly bad game for him, either. He has no anti-City agenda as seems to be the general consensus amongst my fellow City fans. A few wrong decisions on Sunday and the fact that he gave Craig Bellamy a second yellow card for diving when he was tripped almost a year ago when Mark Hughes was still in charge just proves he can get things wrong.

Those same fans forget, for example, the advantage he played that allowed Wright-Phillips to cross for Adebayor’s header in the City vs. Arsenal fixture last season. In fact, before Sunday, City had never lost a Premier League game with him in charge. Decisions do balance out over the course of a season and City have already had a slice of good and bad.

In fact, it’s all too easy for the word ‘cheat’ to roll off the tongue. It’s a serious allegation and one I don’t believe to be true of the game (there are so many things wrong with football, but this, in my view, isn’t one of them). Making mistakes isn’t cheating. But, then again, I suppose chanting ‘incompetent’ or ‘having a bad day at the office’ doesn’t scan.

The most interesting aspect of the allegation of a “conspiracy” to stop City from breaking into the top four is that, this season, City have been on the receiving end of some quite beneficial decisions. Take Blackpool away: Tevez’s first goal was offside and, on his second, he clearly fouled the defender he stole the ball off. The match previous to that, Sam Williamson gave away a penalty for a fair tackle on Tevez outside the box.

And if there was an enormous movement to protect the established top four, then Tottenham wouldn’t have just pipped City to the post last season. Surely both City and Tottenham would have been out of the running by then?

In fact, on one particular City forum, it’s become a bit of a predictable occurrence to see a thread posted about who the referee for the next game will be, followed by comments about how that referee never gives City anything or how that referee hates the club. It gets tiresome and clearly isn’t true.

Blaming the referee for a defeat like Sunday’s is an easy conclusion to come to. It absolves the team from any blame (not that I feel City should be blamed in any way). I can understand where Mancini is coming from when he says that City’s performance shows how far the team has come; 0-3 was a very flattering scoreline towards an Arsenal side that were matched for large portions of the game by a team with a man less.

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But it’s not Clattenburg’s fault that Boyata fouled Chamakh and nor is it his fault that the rules say he had to send Boyata off. It’s not even his fault that another referee in another match with a very similar incident has incorrectly shown a yellow card instead of a red.

Consistency is what is needed in decisions, but consistently correct decisions.

Talk of a conspiracy against City is embarrassing. There just isn’t one.

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Harry Redknapp sees no reason why his Tottenham side cannot win this season's Premier League title, particularly after they hit back from two goals down to beat Arsenal 3-2 in the north London derby.

Spurs were outclassed in the first half and were fortunate to only be 2-0 down at the interval, Samir Nasri and Marouane Chamakh netting for the Gunners.

However, Redknapp's team were transformed after the interval and hit back to claim the three points thanks to Gareth Bale's goal, a Rafael van der Vaart penalty and Younes Kaboul's late winner.

The weekend results have left Spurs six points adrift of stuttering leaders Chelsea, leading Redknapp to say:"It's wide open this league this year, wide open.

"Chelsea aren't as good as they were, Man United aren't as good as they were three or four years ago. They're still excellent teams but they're not the force they were. They were almost invincible, the pair of them.

"I think Tottenham are now getting closer and the championship is wide open. I said that to the players on Friday morning. 'Why can't you win the championship? Who says you can't?'.

"It's wide open for somebody who can put a run together. It's there for someone to have real go at it this year. Why should we all be fearful and keep saying, 'We can't win it'?

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"I wouldn't be saying it if we had a bad group of players. I'm a realist, I'm not dreaming. It's difficult to do but it's not impossible.

"This is the best chance anyone's going to get this year. There's very little to choose between the top five or six teams at the moment."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Steven Pienaar has said speculation surrounding his future will not affect his current form.

The South Africa international has been strongly linked with a move away for weeks, with Tottenham looking the most likely destination for the 28-year-old.

The Toffees are still trying to persuade Pienaar to sign a new contract but time is running out.

Everton have already hinted they would rather sell him in January rather than lose him for nothing when his contract expires.

When asked whether he would still be on Merseyside come the end of the season Pienaar told Sky Sports: "No comment."

The winger did go on to say that he knew nothing of the apparent link with Tottenham, claiming it was all media speculation at this point in time.

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"I was also told this by one of my team-mates, so I don't know what is going on.

"The media in England is quite big and everyone can say what they want. I am just happy at Everton and I want to focus on my game."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Holger Osieck admitted Australia could have lost their Asian Cup match to Bahrain were it not for goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.The Socceroos beat the Gulf nation 1-0 in Doha on Tuesday thanks to a long-range effort from Mile Jedinak, but it was a number of clutch saves from the Fulham custodian at the other end which kept Bahrain scoreless and propelled Australia to the top of Group C.

“We know the quality that Mark has to offer to the team and I’m happy to have him there,” Osieck said.

“He had an excellent performance and made some good saves, especially in the second half.”

“He kept us in the game and we must give him credit.”

Australia remain undefeated in the tournament after a 4-0 win over India and a battling 1-1 draw with South Korea earlier in the group stage, and Tuesday’s result means Osieck’s side will face the runners-up from Group D in the quarter finals, with either Iraq or North Korea the likely opponents.

“It was our target to go to the quarter-finals and I’m glad to achieve the target,” Osieck said.

“We have seen in other games that there are quality teams and I’m happy to be still in the competition.”

“All the teams are good and whoever we are going to play against, the match is going to be tough.”

“It doesn’t matter who we play because there is great deal of quality in the group but we must be ready and play our own game.”

Australia do have some personnel issues, with Jason Culina, Luke Wilkshire and David Carney all missing from Tuesday’ match due to injury, while Brett Emerton picked up his second yellow card of the tournament against Bahrain and will miss the quarter-final.

Bahrain coach Salman Sharida was pleased with his side’s performance despite the loss, and said they deserved more out of the match.

“We have had a good performance tonight and we were the better side as we controlled the game and we were organised,” Sharida said.

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“We got into the Australian area a lot but we missed a lot of chances. Missing chances in such a game is not acceptable as we wanted to get the three points but we played against an experienced side who have a lot of good players.”

“Australia and Korea Republic are strong teams and they are in a good position in Asian football.”

“We have had some difficult situations in the team but the players showed a good performance in the matches that we had.”

Having already played more than half of the Premier League season, Football FanCast wants to know who YOU think should win the PFA award.

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney won the award last year due to a stunning season of football, scoring an astonishing 26 goals and assisting 6 times in the Premier League alone – allowing the former Everton striker to scoop both the PFA and Football Writers’ awards last term.

However, this year it is Rooney’s counter-part Dimitar Berbatov who has been in a fine run of form with 19 goals so far this season, scoring 3 hat-tricks and five goals alone in their 7-1 drubbing of Allardyce’s Blackburn Rovers. A hat-trick against biggest rivals Liverpool back in September showed the world of his undistinguishable class, knocking in a strong contender for the goal of the season.

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Tottenham’s Gareth Bale has been outstanding since emerging into Redknapp’s starting XI in 2009, and has shown his true ability, adapting fantastically to his newly assigned left wing – scoring 7 goals and providing 3 assists in the domestic league. Bale has emerged into a strong footballer over a short period of time, and has been essential to Tottenham’s success in both the Premier and Champions League – making a fool of Inter’s world class Maicon all at the same time of course. A hat-trick against Inter Milan when losing 4-0 really does show the Welshman’s talent.

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Continue to the NEXT PAGE for more contenders…

Bale’s team-mate Rafael van der Vaart has also largely impressed, and has been a pivotal factor alongside Bale in pushing Tottenham to properly challenge for the domestic title in over 53 years. Since joining from Real Madrid for a reduced fee of £8million in the summer, VDV has been a revelation to the club, leading the attack with 9 goals and six assists and could prove to be one of Tottenham’s most impactful signings of all time. The Dutchman has already gained both heart and support from the Spurs fans, but will eye to finish high on what has already been a fantastic season for the 27-year-old. A two-goal tally against Aston Villa in both October and December are probably his best displays.

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Arsenal’s Samir Nasri has been on prolific form all season, with 9 goals and a single assist. However it is not only the figures which count for the Gunners, as he has provided the creative spark that Arsenal have so desperately needed in Cesc Fabregas’s absence. Nasri continued his form on nicely for his country, playing a central role in France’s 2-1 victory over England at Wembley last year.

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Continue to the NEXT PAGE for more contenders…

Blackpool’s Charlie Adam has recently been of intense media speculation since the winter transfer window opened, with the Seasiders receiving bids from both Liverpool and Aston Villa. Adam has been without a doubt Blackpool’s player of the season so far, providing sensational performances and acting as Holloway’s Xabi Alonso – central to set-pieces and the general assister of the side. The former Rangers midfielder helped the Blackpool to promotion last season and remains the club’s best asset, but may have set his sights on Anfield after handing a transfer request this week.

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Manchester City’s controversial captain Carlos Tevez has been nominated for the award, due to his prolific goal-scoring form all season. With 14 goals and 5 assists in the Premier League, Tevez has notoriously lead City into seriously challenging for the title and bringing silverware to Eastlands. Despite a mid-season wobble, declaring that he wanted to leave Manchester because he missed his family and was homesick – Tevez answered his critics the way every footballer should: with a leading performance on the pitch. Despite not scoring a hat-trick yet this season, the Argentine has scored twice on five separate occasions.

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Vote in the poll below for the player YOU think should take home the Player of the Year award.

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Follow me on Twitter for fantastic features and the latest updates on the PFA awards!

It is a refreshing change to see a pretty full Premier League calendar this Saturday. Manchester United and Arsenal appear to have home bankers in which both can strengthen their position at the top of the Premier League table. Elsewhere Manchester City and Tottenham both face tough away trips to test their title credentials; while West Ham won’t welcome the tough trip to Goodison Park as they look to drag themselves away from the bottom of the table.

In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that include Arsene Wenger eyes the quadruple; Liverpool continue to attract top players, while Gerard Houllier hits back at Sunderland critics.

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Spurs and West Ham make final bids for Olympic Stadium – Guardian

Uefa considers calendar overhaul – Daily Telegraph

Liverpool attract top players – Comolli- Independent

Arsene tells stars: Go and win the lot – Sun

Houllier hits back at Bent criticisms – Guardian

Giggs: I’ll play on next season – Sun

Spurs target Rossi is available for £16.5m – Independent

Grant ready to take Joe Cole ‘home’ on loan – Mirror

Brady: Grant chaos made us stronger – Guardian

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Giggs plans to extend Manchester United contract – Independent

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Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti admits his team have very little chance of winning the Premier League title as they prepare to face Fulham on Monday.

The defending champions are rocking after losing to Liverpool last week in Fernando Torres’ first match for the club and now Ancelotti is having to reset his targets with Chelsea 10 points behind leaders Manchester United.

“It’s difficult to think we can come back to fight for the title, it’s better to think game by game,” he said.

“We have to reach minimum fourth place. To close the gap is very difficult; we have to be honest about this. But the most important step is to be fourth in the table and fight with the other teams.”

Ancelotti admitted he was shocked at the way his side, seemingly back in form, lost to Liverpool last week.

“I think it was a surprise the defeat against Liverpool because I saw in the days before the game that the team trained well with motivation and power,” he said.

“But now we have to look forward to Fulham and maintain high our confidence; you have to have confidence when you play above all the Champions League.”

“Our aims now are very clear, we have Champions League, we have FA Cup and we have to close the gap. It’s difficult to close the gap but we have to reach fourth to keep Chelsea in the Champions League.”

New boy David Luiz, signed from Benfica for 21 million pounds, will make his full debut for the Blues in Monday’s game at Fulham.

The Brazilian defender has been told he will face Mark Hughes’ side as Chelsea bid to recover from their loss to the Reds last week.

“He will start. David Luiz is a very good defender because he has ability and skills to play all the positions in the back four. He can play centre-back, right-back, he hasn’t played left-back but he has the ability to play there,” Ancelotti said.

“He’s Brazilian so he has very good technique. He can help us to build our play better from the back. I think he will be one of the best defenders in the world in the future.”

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“He’s young but he already has fantastic experience because he played in Benfica, he played in the Champions. Sadly he cannot play in the Champions League for us but he can show his quality in the Premier League and FA Cup.”

Chelsea expect to go into the match at Craven Cottage with no new injury problems after the international break.

“The players came back yesterday, they don’t have a problem. Everything is ok. Just (Jose) Bosingwa has a little problem and we hope to recover him in time. Some players played 90 minutes but we have time to prepare them.”