Mancini should let Tevez rot

Carlos Tevez refused to come on as a sub for Manchester City at Bayern Munich

Carlos Tevez is a disgrace to football.

To refuse to play under any circumstances is unforgivable, but to do it in one of the biggest matches in your club's history, when you are desperately needed, and you earn a reported wage of between £200,000 and £300,000 a week, is simply disgusting.

Tevez obviously felt aggrieved to have been left on the bench but can anyone blame Roberto Mancini for leaving him there?

He spent the whole summer trying to force his way out of the club, has looked off the pace during his time on the pitch this campaign and is clearly not putting in the same effort that he did in the past.

If Tevez wants a move away, he needs to earn it.

He needs to knuckle down, continue to produce the goods at Manchester City and then get an inevitable transfer.

This is completely the wrong way to go about it.

Tevez has been a great player in the past, no doubt, and was key to City's success last season in winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League, but who would want a person like him in their dressing room?

He should be willing to do anything for City.

Tevez didn't have any problems with City when he signed his lucrative contract two years ago

They are paying him at least £200,000 a week and have invested so much money and effort in him in addition to that, so the least he can do is show a bit of respect to his employers and fans and act with ultimate professionalism.

Think of the fans who paid their hard-earned money for flights to Munich, tickets for the Allianz Arena and perhaps accommodation. They deserve more than this.

Think of the young fans who worship the Argentinean, who buy replica shirts with his name on the back and treat posters of him as a shrine. They deserve more than this.

Then think of Tevez. 'Stuck' at a club he doesn't want to be at, on a mere £200,000 a week and living in what he seems to think is a hellish city. Boo hoo.

On the pitch, his effort usually cannot be questioned.

Tevez is a tyrant at times with his extremely high work-rate but in his appearances this season, he simply hasn't been the same.

The incident in Munich where he refused to come on as a substitute should be the tipping point.

Mancini must have toyed with the idea of leaving Tevez out completely at times this season, but he needs to be forceful now and finally close the door.

Mancini says Tevez is "finished" at City

The Italian's immediate reaction has been admirable, stating Tevez will never play for him again, and he must now stick to his word.

Put him in the reserves, perhaps. In fact, don't even do that because his mere presence will corrupt those around him.

What they should do is make him suffer. Make an example of him so nobody dares to cross a line like this again.

Make him sit out the final three years of his contract without playing a game.

That would be a costly move, but one that City can afford.

Tevez doesn't deserve to play football after his actions in Munich. Not for City, not for anyone.

He is an embarrassment, a disgrace and a fraud.

Tevez would have been the ideal substitute for Mancini to bring on in this game at 2-0 down.

Bayern were running rings round his side and Tevez - fully committed and at his best - would have been a fantastic player to come on and change the game.

It seems a long time since Tevez lifted the FA Cup as City captain in May

His petulance robbed Mancini of a vital option from the bench and he epitomises everything that is wrong about the modern-day player.

Tevez earns more in a day than most do in a year yet he has the cheek to refuse to play a game of football. What is wrong with the world?

He has given a lot of people a lot of joy over the years but the sight of him on a football pitch again would be an extremely unwelcome one. Football doesn't need the likes of him.

The Tevez situation will rightfully grab the headlines but it can't mask City's inept performance against Bayern Munich.

A 2-0 defeat flattered City as they were completely outclassed with the likes of Franck Ribery running the show.

The game proved City still have a long way to go before becoming giants of European football and that Mancini has still not completely changed his philosophy.

His decision to take Edin Dzeko off and bring on Nigel De Jong was laughable, although Mancini couldn't bring Tevez on so his options were severely limited.

Dzeko was also involved in a war of words with Mancini

Dzeko's petulant reaction to being brought off added real weight to the argument City are a team full of egos but his reaction sets him apart from Tevez.

He was angry to have been brought off and was wrong to show such public dissatisfaction, but at least he showed he cared and wanted to play for the club. More than can be said for Tevez.

No club should touch him after these antics and he should get nowhere near the City team now.

He would only have been used as an impact sub anyway with Sergio Aguero and Dzeko in lethal form, so he won't be as huge a loss as some believe.

Carlos Tevez doesn't deserve the privilege of being a professional footballer after refusing to play so if he is never seen on a football pitch again, it will be too soon.

Time for Carroll to deliver the goods

Andy Carroll has struggled to live up to his huge transfer fee at Liverpool

Kenny Dalglish bristles when the media ask him about the form (or lack of it) of Andy Carroll.

He insists the beanpole striker will come good and has blasted the "obsession" and "paranoia" the country has with him.

But how much longer can Liverpool afford to wait for him to deliver?

He has scored three times in 16 games since joining in January, and for a striker who cost £35million, that is simply not good enough.

That astronomical transfer fee made him the most expensive British player of all-time but he has looked off the pace and out of his depth during his time at Anfield.

It was only natural the country got excited about him last season when he was banging in the goals for Newcastle, performing like a typical English number nine and becoming the eighth-most expensive footballer of all-time.

And it is only natural he now finds himself under close scrutiny and criticism after eight months of flattering to deceive and failing to nail down a regular starting slot at Liverpool.

At 22, it is far too early to label Carroll an Anfield flop, but the huge transfer fee is cranking up the pressure and with it the criticism.

Scoring a goal or two in this weekend's Merseyside derby will help him no end but the longer his lack of form goes on, the harder it is going to be for Carroll to prove himself.

Anyone who watched him in his last year and a half at Newcastle will know how good he is and potentially could be.

Carroll looks a shadow of the player he was in the first half of last season at Newcastle

But at St James' Park he was in a team tailored to his style and he has struggled to adapt in a Liverpool team where he isn't necessarily the main man.

This season, he has twice found himself on the bench for league games and on Saturday against Wolves he missed two gilt-edged opportunities.

The much-anticipated partnership with Luis Suarez hasn't materialised, with the Uruguayan starring and the Geordie floundering.

And then there is the much-discussed subject of his private life.

Carroll likes a drink - that much is well-known - but we don't truly know the facts of what he gets up to and so we can only really judge him on what he does on the pitch.

Sadly for him, the verdict is damning.

Already Liverpool fans are losing patience and unless Carroll starts performing fast, he could find himself confined to the bench regularly and fall behind Craig Bellamy in the striking pecking order.

Liverpool supporters grew accustomed to having a pacy, composed and technically excellent finisher in Fernando Torres and so the comparisons between Carroll and the Spaniard have been inevitable.

Torres is back among the goals at Chelsea, increasing the spotlight on Carroll

Torres had a shocking start to life at Chelsea and continues to have his struggles but there are now signs he may be getting back to the form of his Liverpool days. There are no real signs Carroll is returning to his Newcastle form and so Torres' renaissance is only going to add to the pressure.

If Carroll was to fall down the Liverpool pecking order and find game-time limited, that would obviously hinder his prospects of playing for England at next summer's European championships, a tournament where he was supposed to be one of his country's main men.

It is too early to suggest Carroll's Liverpool career is doomed, but there is only so long Dalglish can keep faith with him before he has to admit defeat.

Maybe Carroll needs to be in a team who get the ball into the box earlier. Maybe he can't adapt to life on Merseyside.

His presence is not helping Liverpool at the moment and that could perhaps lead to his departure in January or next summer.

It may be too early to talk in those terms and if the Anfield club were to sell now, they would certainly make a huge loss, but it has to be a possibility unless he starts to show his undoubted potential.

Dalglish has always insisted Carroll was a signing for five-and-a-half years, not just a few months, but what is clear is that he cannot wait that long for his striker to deliver.

Dalglish is showing tremendous loyalty to Carroll but will it be to Liverpool's detriment?

At times for Liverpool, Carroll has drifted wide and dropped too deep and that is simply not his game.

He is useful with the ball at his feet but his real strength is getting in the box, using his heading ability and ferocious left foot.

Carroll's performance level against Wolves was improved but he is still nowhere near the level he was at during his days at St James' Park and the worry must be he will never reach those levels at Liverpool, where the style of play does not suit him.

He has an awful lot to prove and not a lot of time to do it. Dalglish may keep the faith but fans may not be so understanding.

Opposition fans will jump on anything he does wrong and those cries of "what a waste of money" will get louder the longer his lack of goals continues.

Carroll's confidence appears to be battered and that is going to get worse for each game he doesn't find the net.

Can Carroll regain his goalscoring touch?

The worrying thing for him must be that Liverpool look a much stronger side when he is not in it.

They don't feel obliged to pump the ball in the box and they don't feel reluctant to give him the ball when he drops deep.

Carroll should have time to turn his Liverpool career around but football is a cut-throat business and the £35million transfer fee means time is in short supply. Newcastle must be laughing all the way to the bank to have got that much for him.

If he performs well against Everton on Saturday and gets on the scoresheet, he will come away as a derby hero and much of the frustration of his time at Anfield will begin to subside.

But if he is ineffective at Goodison Park the knives will be out and Dalglish will be under pressure to end his unwavering faith in the striker and banish him to the bench.

It's time for Carroll to finally deliver.

Ba gives a timely reminder of his quality

Demba Ba's hat-trick suggests he may have been the striker Newcastle were looking for all along

Amid all the hullabaloo of Newcastle United's doomed chase for a striker in the closing stages of the summer transfer window, there was one hitman already on the club's books patiently waiting for his chance.

Demba Ba performed admirably in a struggling - and ultimately relegated - West Ham side last season and when he moved to St James' Park on a free transfer in June, he was seen by many as the replacement for Andy Carroll, who left to join Liverpool in January.

However, sluggish pre-season performances and poor displays against Arsenal and Scunthorpe were all it took for many to write him off and dismiss him as an also-ran and a back-up.

Yesterday's superb hat-trick against Blackburn though was Ba's birth as a Newcastle player. Fans were finally able to see the best of him and his performance means the forlorn summer striker search is becoming more and more meaningless.

Ba, as a devout Muslim, observed Ramadan during August and so the fasting involved will have undoubtedly made an impact on his football.

Now, fully fit and in peak condition, he is a player who can carry the goalscoring burden and provide the focal point of a progressive team.

The three goals he grabbed against Blackburn - who, it must be said, were woeful - will also boost his confidence enormously as he now has the springboard to launch his career in a black and white shirt.

It wasn't just the goals, either. He linked up well with the midfield and worked tirelessly all afternoon, while he looked the sharpest he has since joining the club.

Ba's treble helped Newcastle to a 3-1 win over Blackburn and helped his side remain fourth in the Premier League.

All the negativity of the summer has been pushed to one side and manager Alan Pardew now has his team playing exactly as he wants.

Pardew must be delighted with his side's strong start to the season

Early-season performances were solid if not spectacular, but the displays in the last two games against Aston Villa and Blackburn have been exciting and offer real hope for the campaign ahead.

It is all built on a very solid base, with Tim Krul impressive in goal, Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor in dominant form and makeshift left-back Ryan Taylor somehow still holding his own and contributing to the side's success.

The midfield partnership of Cheick Tiote and Yohan Cabaye is one of real potential. Tiote had a slow start to the season but is now re-approaching his best while Cabaye is a superb technical player who looks like he will be a real threat at the attacking end of the pitch. As a duo they have the ability to control the game and provide the spark for those in front of them.

Leon Best has grabbed three goals from four league starts and now Ba has joined the party, there is much to be optimistic about.

It is also a sign of Newcastle's progression that there are players on the bench who can realistically change a game.

Hatem Ben Arfa and Sylvain Marveaux came on against Blackburn and both are technically gifted players likely to be regular starters before long, yet this game was won largely without them.

Ben Arfa was given a superb reception from Newcastle's fans on his first home appearance since his horrific leg break

Then there are others like Peter Lovenkrands, Shola Ameobi, Sammy Ameobi, Shane Ferguson, Davide Santon, Dan Gosling, Mehdi Abeid and Haris Vuckic who weren't required yet are ready to step up if needed.

The squad is still threadbare in certain areas - particularly left-back and centre-half - but there are talented youngsters coming through and quality back-up in most areas.

Newcastle's positive start to the season makes Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias' decision not to invest heavily in the summer look like something of a masterstroke, but it is likely to be a case of more luck than judgement on their part.

They have hit lucky that certain players have been able to step up to the plate, but as the season progresses their decision not to spend may yet come back to haunt them.

This is a superb start to the season, for sure, but it is still just a start.

If Newcastle are still miraculously near the top by Christmas, then their lack of spending can perhaps be justified.

But only six league games have yet been played and none of their opponents have been particularly impressive. You can only beat who you are pitted against, though, so worries about playing greater quality opposition can wait for now.

Steve Kean's Blackburn were extremely poor at St James' Park

Newcastle's fans will enjoy occupying a Champions League place because they will recognise it is not going to last for long.

Their next few fixtures, against Wolves, Tottenham, Wigan, Stoke and Everton, may help them stay up there but sooner rather than later, it is likely six teams will pull away and leave the rest fighting it out between themselves.

The best Newcastle can realistically hope for is seventh, but that would be a superb effort and a real sign of progression.

Anything higher would be nothing short of a miracle with the money the top six clubs have spent over the last few years.

So Pardew can aim to lead his side to the title of 'best of the rest' and their great start to the season will offer great hope they will do just that.

This seems to be a team playing for each other, with a mixture of hard work and technical ability, and the Newcastle fans are now looking ahead with optimism rather than the traditional pessimism.

The performance of Ba against Blackburn perhaps sums up how Newcastle have done so far this season: written off yet coming up with the goods.

The pre-season scaremongers tipping the Magpies for the drop are slowly changing their tune as a team full of endeavour and talent emerges from the doom and gloom which engulfed the club just a month or two ago.

Those who left in the summer - particularly ex-captain Kevin Nolan - are slowly being forgotten about as a new team of heroes comes to the fore for the Geordie faithful.

They won't be bleating it from the rooftops just yet, but forgotten man Ba and co may be about to lead Newcastle to a hugely successful campaign.

Why Doncaster board truly have lost the plot

Sean O'Driscoll did a fantastic job at Doncaster

Crazy decision of the season has to go to Doncaster chairman John Ryan and his board.

To sack manager Sean O'Driscoll is plain madness and it will only end in tears for all those associated with the Yorkshire club.

Donny may be bottom of the Championship but firing O'Driscoll is not the answer.

This is a man who led them out of the wilderness of League One playing attractive football and kept them in the Championship against all the odds.

And who is to say he wasn't about to turn this situation around?

Doncaster's poor start - one point from seven league games - can largely be attributed to the injuries of key players, in particular striker Billy Sharp.

Sharp is arguably one of the top strikers in the division and scored 15 times last season, yet was stretchered off on the opening day of this campaign at Cardiff and that was always going to hamper O'Driscoll's side.

Any team at Championship level would struggle without a player of Sharp's quality

He is expected to return for this weekend's home game against Crystal Palace, a match which will give Rovers a real chance to get their first win on the board.

O'Driscoll has been nicknamed the Arsene Wenger of the Football League due to his attractive style of football but it was more than that which he brought to the Keepmoat Stadium.

He brought them success beyond most fans' wildest dreams.

They were in the Conference just eight years ago so simply surviving in the Championship must be their equivalent of winning the Champions League.

Every team of Doncaster's size is going to struggle at some point in a season and so it is important for chairmen like Ryan to stay patient and remember just what their manager has achieved.

It could be said that no-one, not even Jose Mourinho or Sir Alex Ferguson, could have done a better job than O'Driscoll on the limited resources and small crowds Doncaster have.

Just two days ago, Ryan publically backed his manager and said there was nobody better equipped for the job, and that is an attitude he should have stuck with. Any statements he makes in future will now be worthless as he has proved himself to be a liar and a backstabber.

He has done an unbelievable job as chairman - seeing the side progress all the way from non-league to the Championship and acquiring them a state-of-the-art new stadium - but this could turn out to be a major own goal.

He has gambled and appointed Dean Saunders as his new manager. Saunders may turn out to be an excellent young boss and save Doncaster from relegation but Ryan cannot claim there is any proof he is any better equipped than O'Driscoll.

Ryan (left) has taken a major gamble appointing Saunders (right) as O'Driscoll's replacement

It is great to see a young British manager given a chance at a high level but Doncaster should not have been a club looking for a new boss.

O'Driscoll kept them in the Championship for three years and once almost led them to the play-offs, while he has turned around situations like this in the past.

Sacking him could just compound the problems the club already have and will make the survival task even tougher.

The irony is that O'Driscoll could have left Doncaster for more fashionable clubs at numerous points over the last couple of years.

Burnley and Sheffield United are just two of the clubs he could have joined but each time he stayed with Doncaster to carry on his project. This is a manager who should have been virtually unsackable.

There is little doubt he will not be out of the game for long.

The minute another Championship job comes available - and plenty of them will - O'Driscoll will be sought after.

He would be an asset for any club and deserves the chance of taking a team to the Premier League, never mind saving them from Championship relegation.

O'Driscoll simply couldn't have done any more at the Keepmoat Stadium and there may be many regrets from those in charge when this season is over.

Keeping Doncaster Rovers in the Championship is a minor miracle in itself and it is just a shame their board do not see it like that.

The best Saunders can hope for is survival and it would be nice to see him succeed, but he will have his work cut out and struggle to follow the excellent job of O'Driscoll.

Doncaster are punching above their weight and by sacking O'Driscoll, they have arguably put themselves on the ropes.

Why Tottenham may have found their missing link with Adebayor

Emmanuel Adebayor should prove a sensational signing for Tottenham

When Tottenham Hotspur were humiliated 5-1 at home by Manchester City less than a month ago, it seemed they were a million miles away from being a Champions League outfit.

They had a deeply unsettled player on their hands in Luka Modric, had struggled to improve their squad all summer and were stuck with a number of players who were surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane.

It's amazing how quickly negativity can turn into positivity.

Following Sunday's 4-0 win over Liverpool, Spurs now look a vibrant side once again.

Modric is still there and his majestic opener against the Merseysiders and subsequent imperious performance suggests the summer-long transfer saga between him and Chelsea will not affect his on-field form.

The problem with deadwood has been sorted too, with the likes of Peter Crouch, Wilson Palacios, Alan Hutton, Jermaine Jenas and David Bentley eventually lured away in the closing stages of the transfer window.

But undoubtedly the key change from that fateful Sunday afternoon in August against City has been two key signings.

Scott Parker will add determination and steel to the midfield and should be the perfect foil for Modric and Rafael van der Vaart, who will both have the freedom to exploit attacking situations.

Parker's passion and ability will be key additions to Tottenham's side

He joins as the reigning Football Writers' Player of the Year and his experience and ability to rally the troops will be needed increasingly as the campaign progresses.

It is the capture of Emmanuel Adebayor on a loan deal though which should provide Tottenham with their missing link.

Too many times last season Spurs couldn't see off relatively modest opposition due to their inability to score goals.

They scored the lowest number of league goals of any of the top six - with 55 - while all three newly-promoted clubs at least matched their tally.

Jermain Defoe was injured for long periods and couldn't get a real run in the team when he returned, Peter Crouch did an honest job up front but could only score four league goals in 34 appearances, Roman Pavlyuchenko chipped in with his fair share of goals but struggled to make an impact in many of his appearances while midfielder van der Vaart was the club's top goalscorer with 13 league goals.

The signing of Adebayor should change all that.

He has struck three times in the league in just two games for Spurs - already just one shy of Defoe and Crouch's tallies for the entire of last season.

Adebayor adds potency to the Spurs line-up and represents a real target for widemen Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon, as well as regular suppliers Modric and van der Vaart.

Bale and Adebayor should be relishing playing with each other

His all-round performance against Liverpool was fantastic and the two goals he scored were the least he deserved.

Adebayor was brave making the switch to White Hart Lane given Spurs fans' misgivings over his Arsenal past, but he has silenced the critics in the ideal way so early in his career at Spurs that he can now fully concentrate on proving his quality on the pitch and firing his team up the table.

The Togolese striker will strike fear into any defence - as proved by Rio Ferdinand's recent praise of him - and on his day is as good as anyone out there.

He was extremely unlucky to be frozen out by Manchester City, did a good job for Real Madrid in the second half of last season and was superb for Arsenal. The deal to take him to Tottenham is a win-win for both parties and it would be no surprise to see him fire his new club back into the Champions League.

Adebayor will thrive in Harry Redknapp's attack-minded team and a year's loan at White Hart Lane should breathe new life into his career.

He has a superb first touch, - as he proved with his second in the Liverpool thrashing - tremendous composure in front of goal, pace, power, great heading ability, skill and has a rocket of a shot, while he should be in his prime at 27. Adebayor is the all-round package and all he needs is the platform to prove it.

He comes with baggage of course, but all that will be worth it if he can be the regular goalscorer Spurs have been missing over the last year or so.

That man used to be Jermain Defoe, and it seems Adebayor's arrival has given him the shove he needed to return to form.

The Defoe-Adebayor partnership could be one of the most potent in the country

He looked sharp against Liverpool (scoring a well-taken goal) and his partnership with Adebayor looked impressive to say the least. They should feed off and compliment each other magnificently and Redknapp will justifiably be looking for both men to hit the 20-goal barrier if they can stay injury-free.

There is no excuse for either of them not to. They both have bags of talent and the team around them to make it happen. Which strikers wouldn't be licking their lips at playing alongside the likes of Bale, Modric, van der Vaart, Lennon and Parker, as well as attacking full-backs Kyle Walker and Benoit Assou-Ekotto?

If the Liverpool game is a sign of things to come, it could be a very exciting season at White Hart Lane.

It is harder than ever to breach the top four and qualify for the Champions League with the quality of the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea, but Spurs proved against Liverpool they have more than enough about them to qualify for Europe's premier competition.

Liverpool are very promising and this one performance doesn't change that, but Spurs were so superior against them it was frightening. Arsenal are out of the picture currently so why shouldn't Redknapp feel confident of again reaching the promised land?

This season may be his swansong at Tottenham as he is widely expected to take over as England boss after Euro 2012, but he could deliver Spurs fans the ultimate parting present with Champions League qualification.

The signing of goalkeeper Brad Friedel should not be overlooked either as he will provide real stability between the sticks, something Spurs didn't have with Heurelho Gomes.

The decision of chairman Daniel Levy to force Modric to stay raised a few eyebrows and some said it would backfire, but the early signs are that it will be a masterstroke with Spurs keeping a gem of a player and the Croatian again looking happy and producing his best on the pitch.

Modric's goal and performance against Liverpool suggests Levy's tactics were correct

The Europa League may be a distraction as the season progresses but with Redknapp rarely playing his full-strength team in that competition, it shouldn't affect them too much.

There is now much optimism at White Hart Lane and the negativity of the Modric saga and City thrashing has now been swept away by the swashbuckling display against Liverpool. The Reds may have ended the game with nine men but even with 11 on the pitch Spurs were far superior.

Tottenham look like they will be a menacing team this season and the 5-1 loss to City can now be forgotten about. That is not a true reflection of where they stand; it was merely a reflection of where they were then.

Now, with Modric on board again and pulling in the right direction, with Adebayor and Parker adding their undoubted quality to the team, a top four finish is far from beyond them.

Parker will be a resounding success but Adebayor should score goals for fun and strike up a great partnership with Defoe.

He is the missing link Redknapp has been searching for and will provide the focal point for potentially one of the most exciting sides in the Premier League.

Stoke's European adventure shows how far they have come

Tony Pulis has defied the critics to lead Stoke into Europe

The Europa League is often demeaned as a meaningless competition, but for Tony Pulis and Stoke City it is the culmination of years of hard work.

There are still snobbish elements of the English game which look down on Stoke and their style of play, but surely it is time for universal appreciation for the remarkable job Pulis has done.

This is his second spell in charge at the Britannia Stadium and he could never have imagined he would achieve what he has.

To get a so-called unfashionable club like Stoke promoted, stabilised in the Premier League, into the final of the FA Cup and therefore into Europe is among the finest achievements in English football's recent history.

The first competitive game of Pulis' second spell with the Potters was a 1-0 Championship defeat at Southend in August 2006, played in front of less than 9,000 spectators. He will tonight lead them out against Dynamo Kiev in the group stage of the Europa League, while they will also face Besiktas and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

That is a situation which would have been unimaginable just a short time ago yet perfectionist Pulis will not settle for a brief taste of life in Europe. He will want to progress further and regularly compete in European competition.

After all he has achieved in the last five years, who would bet against him doing that?

It seems Stoke were always something of a sleeping giant with the passion of their fans, and Pulis has unlocked their potential alongside supportive chairman Peter Coates.

Local chairman Coates has played a massive part in Stoke's success story

The Britannia Stadium is now widely recognised as one of English football's best fortresses, with teams like Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City among the regular victims of the Potteries roar.

Yet some people still like to stick the knife in.

More like a rugby team, some will say. Rely too heavily on throw-ins, say others.

While it is true Rory Delap's long throws are still important to them, they are nowhere near as vital as some people like to make out. The side is still packed with strength, but (whisper it), there is an element of flair to Stoke's play these days.

Wingers Jermaine Pennant and Matthew Etherington are perhaps the best examples of this, always willing to run at defenders and excite fans.

And if you're looking for terrace wit, look no further than the Britannia Stadium.

After Arsene Wenger moaned Stoke used 'rugby tactics' after one of his Arsenal side's annual defeats there, Stoke fans sang rugby chant 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot' and 'One-nil to the rugby team' when their side scored. Other oft-heard chants at the Britannia are 'We only score from a throw-in' after a goal from open play and 'We'll play how we want'.

Stoke's fans are regarded by many as the loudest in England

Stoke have been patronised so often in their three years in the Premier League that it is almost as though their fans don't care what others think of them anymore. As long as they can appreciate the job of Tony Pulis and his team, that is all that really matters.

The rumoured pursuit of Manchester City's Adam Johnson on transfer deadline day shows how far Stoke have come and although the move didn't materialise, it shows the ambition Pulis has to take his club up yet another level.

His signings this summer are another sign of his ambition.

Defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson are relatively risk-free signings as they came without a transfer fee, and although both are prone to injuries, if Pulis was to keep both fit he would have two of the country's best defenders on his hands. Both are full England internationals and experienced in the Premier League, so they could turn out to be two of the buys of the season.

When you add them to the excellent defenders Stoke already have in Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth, teams are going to find it even harder to break the Potters down this season.

Chairman Coates always backs Pulis in the transfer market and did so again with big-money moves for Peter Crouch, Wilson Palacios and Cameron Jerome.

Crouch is something of a coup for Stoke as he is a hugely successful international striker with England and should fit perfectly into their style of play. The £10million transfer fee is another indicator of the club's ambition and trust in Pulis.

Crouch's decision to join Stoke shows how far they have come

Palacios may be the pick of the signings, though. For a rumoured fee of £6million, Stoke have signed a player regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League just a matter of one or two years ago.

Jerome will further bolster Pulis' striking options, which also include Kenwyne Jones, Jonathan Walters, Crouch and Ricardo Fuller, meaning Stoke's goals tally should be impressive this term.

They beat Liverpool last week - although the victory may have been slightly fortuitous - and if they can continue to improve this season, there's no reason they can't finish in seventh and perhaps even battle the top six.

Pulis has beaten the odds continually and revels in proving people wrong, so he will see this as the season to truly shut the critics up.

He has never led his side to a top-half finish in the Premier League so that must be a prominent target, as well as progressing from the extremely tricky-looking Europa League group.

Stoke have never been in a serious Premier League relegation battle and it shows how far they have progressed that they are no longer even mentioned as possible candidates for the drop.

Their Europa League campaign will be a new challenge for them but Pulis and his team will be relishing it and confident of ruffling a few feathers.

It is time for the criticism of them to stop. Stoke are one of English football's biggest success stories and should be receiving nothing but praise.

City on a learning curve but don't read too much into Napoli draw

Aleksandar Kolarov celebrates his equaliser with Sergio Aguero

Manchester City 1-1 Napoli

Perhaps Manchester City's blistering early form in the Premier League lulled us into thinking they would take the Champions League by storm this season, but Napoli provided a harsh example of how difficult life will be for City in their first campaign in the competition.

They couldn't have started their league campaign any better, hitting Swansea for four, Bolton for three, Tottenham for five and Wigan for three, but facing Italian opposition was always going to be a different prospect and a challenge that takes some getting used to.

Napoli were solid at the back and almost impossible to break down at times, while the quality of their counter-attacking play always threatened to cause City problems.

Yet Roberto Mancini's side arguably deserved to win the game.

They weren't as potent as they have been in the league so far this season, but they still managed to carve out 24 attempts at goal and saw three of those come back off the crossbar. City didn't test Napoli goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis enough, but the quality of their frontline will cause any European team problems.

With Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero both in fantastic goalscoring form, David Silva and Samir Nasri providing the ammunition and the likes of Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli in reserve, there shouldn't be many more nights like this where City struggle for goals. They will learn about the Champions League as a unit and they will succeed.

Aguero, Silva and Dzeko have all been in scintillating form so far this season

Napoli managed to keep the fearsome quartet of Silva, Nasri, Dzeko and Aguero relatively quiet and must be given credit for that, but City will feel confident their quality will shine through as they learn to play against resilient opposition.

They are in the proverbial 'group of death' but this is a challenge they should relish.

City have some of the finest talent in the world at their disposal and there is no reason, despite dropping two points against the Italians, why they can't progress to the knockout stages at least.

Will Bayern Munich be relishing facing City? Will Villarreal?

The truth is that the side from the Etihad Stadium are the team everybody wanted to avoid. They are dangerous, they are talented and they are strong.

Many have said Bayern's win in Villarreal suggests they may dominate the group, but it's hard to see any one team running away with it in reality.

Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery's reaction to drawing Manchester City was one of trepidation

City's next game, against Bayern at the Allianz Arena, will provide a true examination of where they are at but they are more than capable of beating the German giants and there is no reason for trepidation.

They are still learning the ropes in the Champions League, but they cannot be patronised in the same way other Champions League newbies often are.

City can and should make an impact and there is no reason to think otherwise after the Napoli game.

There was a natural nervousness among the players due to the sense of occasion at Eastlands, and perhaps the failure to take three points will provide the reality check everybody at the club needed. This is not going to be easy.

City's road to the knockout stages may be a rocky one, but they should get there.

The return fixture against Napoli will be extremely difficult due to their quality and the passion of their fans, while Villarreal and Bayern Munich possess great individual talents and find themselves in the knockout stages most seasons.

Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi is sure to cause City's defence problems

However, City's solidity at the back, creativity in midfield and quality up front should be enough to beat most teams.

With a bit more ruthlessness, they will be more than a match for anyone in this group.

In the end, a draw against Napoli was something of a relief after Gareth Barry's mistake led to Edinson Cavani's excellent opener, with Aleksandar Kolarov's superb free-kick delivering the point the home side at least deserved.

The side from Naples will go away very happy with the point and their performance suggests they will be in the reckoning for a top-two spot and qualification for the knockout stages.

Their resilience and professionalism stifled City at times and they were always dangerous going forward, so this is an occasion Mancini's team should learn from and become better as a result of it.

They will not be able to afford to miss so many chances in future games but with the quality of City's attackers, it shouldn't be long before Europe's finest are being put to the sword.

Incredible Djokovic writes his name in history

Novak Djokovic sealed his first US Open title and fourth Grand Slam with victory over Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokovic must feel invincible.

This is a man who has now won 64 out of 66 matches in 2011, has beaten the great Rafael Nadal six times in a row and scooped three of the year's four majors.

The US Open was added to his burgeoning collection after a battle of epic proportions with Nadal and the familiar outcome of the Serbian's victory.

Can there be any more consistent performers in sport right now than Djokovic? Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo maybe, Usain Bolt perhaps.

This final was one of the highest quality from both players, but Djokovic's play in the opening two sets was some of the best tennis arguably ever seen.

His return of serve - deep and fast - is perhaps the best of all-time and offers almost as much advantage as a serve.

Nadal contributed to his first set downfall by being too passive and dropping the ball too short, but Djokovic was simply stunning, giving the Spaniard a minimum of chances on his ultra-dangerous forehand and punishing Nadal time and time again.

Nadal would come out firing and break Djokovic at the beginning of the second set but then came the game which would sum up this final.

Nadal battled hard in the first two sets but had no answer for Djokovic's quality

A Nadal service game lasted all of 17 minutes, with several brutal points taking their toll. Djokovic eventually sealed the break of serve - one of 11 breaks he earned in the match - and that seemed to demoralise Nadal, who for so many years has always been the man to come out of those exchanges on top.

He was quickly broken again and the match - which had by now become a war of attrition - was firmly in Djokovic's hands.

With the quality of the Serbian's returning, every service game for Nadal became a war and that must have been mentally draining for the Spaniard. He received very few cheap points on serve and with Djokovic's attacking and defensive wings so strong, it seemed there would be no way back.

Nadal did break back but Djokovic immediately returned the favour and took the set 6-4, leaving Nadal's gameplan in ruins.

However, if there is one thing you can take for granted when Nadal is around, it is that he will never give up. He will fight for every point. He will push his opponents to the heights of their game if they are to beat him.

Djokovic was outhitting and outwitting him and had played the perfect two sets, but he knew he couldn't take anything for granted. This is Rafael Nadal, sport's ultimate warrior.

He may have made too many unforced errors in the first two sets, but Nadal is always dangerous, a point he was about to prove.

Djokovic broke him early in the third set but Nadal kept his belief, showing the great fight and resolve which is always a characteristic of his, and broke back, a pattern which punctuated the match. The pair then immediately traded breaks again, with the quality of tennis now reaching stratospheric levels.

Nadal upped his game to set the final alight

The Serbian's two-handed backhand cross-court continued to punish his opponent but there was a renewed vigour about Nadal and the crowd were by now fully involved and behind Nadal, who was now controlling the pace of the rallies and showing the aggression and determination of a champion. He was not about to give up his US Open title without a fight.

His problem was that the moment he raised his level, Djokovic raised his even further.

However, as the third set progressed, it became clear the Serbian was struggling with tiredness and a back trouble, legacies of his two-set comeback against Roger Federer in the semi-final. His first serve percentage plummeted and some of the accuracy of his groundstrokes went down, but the two players still managed to produce some of the best tennis you could ever wish to see.

Djokovic somehow found extra energy from somewhere to break serve and lead 6-5, meaning he was serving for the championship.

After some stunning and miraculous rallies though, Nadal denied him and immediately broke back to force the tiebreak. The match was fast becoming a classic and it had the feel of a marathon despite being in just the third set.

The match seemed to hinge on the tiebreak, with Djokovic now flagging and Nadal flying.

The Spaniard was now winning the majority of the long rallies and he took the tiebreak 7-3. This was fast becoming arguably one of the best matches of all-time and the two-set comeback for Nadal appeared a formality. All aspects of his game were now firing while Djokovic's standard was beginning to tail off, but in a match full of unpredictability, perhaps we should have expected the unexpected to follow.

And so it did.

Djokovic was struggling with his back while Nadal was seemingly as fresh as a daisy and sucking the life out of his opponent with every point. It is extremely difficult to beat Nadal over five sets and Djokovic was finding that out here.

Djokovic's back injury appeared to hamper his chances of winning

A Djokovic medical timeout after the first game of the fourth set seemed to take the sting out of Nadal's attack and from that point on, there was only one winner.

The Serbian returned to the court with renewed energy and attacking intent, and broke Nadal immediately after missing four break point opportunities.

Djokovic has become a warrior in the last year or two and he was showing all of those qualities now.

He could see the finish line and he could see the history books. That was seemingly enough to urge him on and forget his ailments.

Djokovic was comfortable on serve for the first time in a long time and it was now Nadal's fitness fading slightly, while the Spaniard was again dropping the ball short and lacking ideas. Perhaps he had been lulled into a false sense of security by Djokovic's apparent injury or perhaps it was just the brutality of the match catching up with him.

Nadal was then broken to love to hand Djokovic a double break and there was no way he was going to let this opportunity slip.

He hammered a forehand home on championship point to seal an incredible victory, one which seemed so unlikely after the hammer blow of losing the third set.

Djokovic produced some stunning tennis to seal the championship

It was an unbelievable match, one which deserved to go the distance of five sets, between two absolute warriors but unquestionably the best player on the night won. It was four hours and ten minutes of brutality and for Djokovic to stand up to Nadal despite everything and come out on top underlined his status as the world's best player.

If Andy Murray was watching from home, he will have realised beyond any doubt that his task to win a Grand Slam is now a mammoth one.

If not even Nadal, playing at very close to his maximum, can beat Djokovic, then who can?

The Serbian has incredible heart and never loses belief and it is this as much as anything which has seen him have such an unbelievable year.

He always finds a way to win, as his did in the semi-final despite facing two match points against Federer, and Nadal and co must be wondering what they can do to beat him.

Djokovic is just the sixth man in the Open era to win three of the four majors in a calendar year, with adversaries Federer and Nadal also achieving the feat in their careers.

This is a true golden era for men's tennis, and it was taken to new heights in this final.

Federer and Nadal are already legends of the game but Djokovic's name will surely be added to that list in the coming years. He has simply got it all and he could threaten the number of Grand Slams won by those two greats if he continues in this vain.

What is clear now is that Djokovic and Nadal are by far the best two players in the world and their rivalry should only just be beginning. If this final is anything to go by, we are in for an exciting few years.

Nadal was, as ever, very gracious in defeat

The quality of tennis is just phenomenal, the brutality of the rallies mesmerising.

Nadal must be given huge credit for his constant battling qualities, especially in the third set with his ripping forehands, never-say-die attitude and dictation of play.

He will be devastated by the loss but will recover to have many more great battles with Djokovic in the future.

Having lost six out of six to the Serbian this year, though, there is a worry Djokovic may do to Nadal what Nadal has done for so long to Federer and dominate him.

Nadal is too good for everyone but Djokovic now and so he must find a gameplan specifically for when he plays Djokovic to try and halt the trend.

Djokovic has been in inspired form for a year now

With the quality of Djokovic's play at the moment, he could dominate men's tennis for a number of years now.

The biggest problem he will face is trying to replicate this year, because it will be simply impossible for him to repeat the success he has had.

Djokovic is taking men's tennis to new heights but he knows his competitors, particularly Nadal, will not accept another year from him like this.

Nadal is closer to Djokovic now than he was at Wimbledon and should feel optimistic that he can wrestle a Grand Slam or two away from the Serbian next year.

This US Open final was a relentless battle between two ultimate sportsmen and makes the short-term future of the men's game look very bright indeed.

More of the same please.

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Sam Stosur sealed her first Grand Slam victory after thrashing Serena Williams in a controversial final

The outstanding Samantha Stosur defeated 13-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams and her victory should not be overshadowed by the American's on-court antics.

Williams was undoubtedly in the wrong after the verbal volleys she handed to umpire Eva Asderaki and she certainly brought the game into disrepute.

Talk of banning her from future Grand Slam tournaments was over-the-top to say the least and a lot of what she said was heat of the moment, but she has a duty to behave honourably and with class on the tennis court as youngsters around the world must look up to her.

As for Stosur, hopefully this will be the start of something very special for the Australian.

She has been on the verge of making it big-time for a number of years now and this victory should lead her to bigger and better things.

Stosur outhit Williams - no mean feat - throughout the match and kept her cool while the vociferous crowd rallied against the umpire and behind Williams, and this win should give her so much belief to build on the success.

She is a brilliant and deserving champion and it would give many people a lot of pleasure to see her have a period of sustained success.

The story of this match may have all been about Serena but on the other side of the net there was a woman making her overdue mark on the biggest stage.

Expect to see a lot more of Stosur in the coming months and years.

Why England need Barton bite

Joey Barton ironically comes up against ex club Newcastle tonight on his QPR debut

When Joey Barton steps out to make his Queens Park Rangers bow against former club Newcastle tonight, he could be forgiven for having mixed emotions.

He salvaged his reputation during his last season at St James' Park and revelled in playing in front of 50,000 adoring spectators, but couldn't keep his mouth shut about the club's hierarchy and was booted out on a free transfer.

From a footballing perspective, it seems like a step down for Barton to leave the Magpies for Loftus Road, a ground with a capacity of less than 18,500.

However, QPR are going places and Barton looks set to be at the centre of it. This could and should be a move to keep alive his ambitions of playing for England.

Fabio Capello has hinted Barton will never play for England under him as he is "too dangerous", but the Italian needs to take a chance and the Liverpudlian could be just what the national side needs.

Calling up leader Barton would be a risk worth taking for under-fire Capello

The England set-up still seems cosy and lacks the bite it needs, and Barton would certainly provide that.

Watch him against Newcastle tonight and you will see exactly what England are missing.

He has had his problems - and hasn't overcome all of them as he proved in Newcastle's clash with Arsenal earlier this season - but he would ruffle feathers and lead England forward in a way not many of the current team can.

He would demand 110% from every player, in training and in games.

Barton may not be widely liked by other England players - most notably Gareth Barry, who Barton has in the past called a 'teacher's pet' - but his presence would ensure others do not get too comfortable and are kept on their toes.

It's not just his character which would improve the England team, it is his ability as well.

There were certainly not many better right-sided midfielders in the country than Barton last season. That is not even his best position, so that tells you just what a fine and versatile player he is.

QPR boss Neil Warnock has hinted Barton will be given chances in the centre and on the right of midfield under him and that means it is almost a certainty he will shine.

Warnock says Barton will be the first name on his QPR teamsheet

He will tackle, work tirelessly, pick out a pass, deliver quality balls into the box and provide great delivery from set-pieces, so it seems a no-brainer for England to pick him.

Barton comes with baggage but he is worth the risk. He offers something different and would drag the team by the scruff of the neck if the situation required it, as he proved in Newcastle's 4-4 draw with Arsenal last season.

Controversy follows him but his inclusion in the England set-up could rid the side of the complacency which seems to have set in.

There was a great deal of optimism after the 3-0 win in Bulgaria but playing at Wembley seems to have become a burden, and after the dour performance in the 1-0 win against Wales last week, something needs to be changed.

There is the base of a very good team there, but the lack of fighting spirit needs to be addressed.

If Capello is to stick with his 4-5-1 formation - which he should do - then a dream midfield trio could be Barton, Jack Wilshere and Steven Gerrard, with Stewart Downing and Ashley Young on the wings and Wayne Rooney up front.

Wilshere and Barton could be an ideal England midfield partnership

With feisty characters Barton and Wilshere in the centre, opposition teams would not be given a moment's respite and their grit would provide the basis for the four main attacking players to produce their best.

Scott Parker, Frank Lampard, James Milner and Gareth Barry would all be just outside the team but more than able to step in if needed.

Capello knows his current England team is stale and needs shaking up, and there would be no better way to do that than to include Barton.

He is sure to prove himself again at QPR over the coming months and if he can produce similar form at Loftus Road as he did for Newcastle last season, it will be almost impossible for the England manager to ignore him in the lead-up to Euro 2012.

If Harry Redknapp, as expected, takes over from Capello after the Euros, expect Barton to be in his squad.

Redknapp recognises Barton's baggage but also recognises his ability.

He may not be the most universally popular player in the country, but he is certainly one of the most talented.

The question is, what matters more to England: winning games or pleasing people? I know which one I'd choose.

Why Cahill should repay Bolton's faith

Gary Cahill has reached a pivotal moment in his career but must not leave Bolton for free

Gary Cahill's decision to join Bolton in 2008 has turned out to be one of the best of his life.

A player once farmed out by Aston Villa to Burnley and Sheffield United is now firmly established as one of the best defenders in the Premier League and a key member of Fabio Capello's England squad.

Cahill may be feeling disappointed a dream move to Arsenal or Tottenham did not materialise in the summer transfer window but he needs to concentrate now and forget what has gone on.

He is out of contract next summer but he should sign a new deal in recognition for what Bolton have done for him.

In his Aston Villa days, Cahill was never given a sustained chance to break into the team but Bolton gave him the opportunity to play week in, week out in the top flight and realise his potential.

Aged 25, it seems now may be the right time for him to move on to one of the 'bigger' clubs but his contract situation could leave a sour taste in the mouth if Bolton were to lose him for free. They don't deserve that.

If Cahill was to sign a new contract, that would mean Wanderers would get a transfer fee matching his worth, perhaps over £10million, and get the rewards for revitalising his career.

It seems inevitable a top club will come in for him again - probably in the January transfer window - regardless of his contract situation.

So signing a new contract - even if he was to leave just weeks later - seems like the honourable thing for Cahill to do.

As for Aston Villa, they must bitterly regret letting Cahill leave three-and-a-half years ago.

Cahill was never given a real chance at Villa

He was their fifth-choice centre-back behind Martin Laursen, Olof Mellberg, Curtis Davies and Zat Knight when he left Villa Park and looking at how their careers have progressed over the past few years, the decision to let Cahill go for just £5million looks foolhardy.

He could have been the cornerstone of Villa's team and earned them in excess of £10million had he eventually moved on, so they must be looking at Bolton with envy.

Cahill's assured performances for England in the recent European Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and Wales alongside John Terry in defence makes it hard for manager Capello to reinstate Rio Ferdinand to the team when he regains fitness.

Cahill has slotted seamlessly into the England set-up

Cahill is now one of the best defenders in the country and also has great technique, meaning he is always a threat in attacking situations. He would be an invaluable member of most teams so don't be surprised to see Arsenal and Tottenham come in for him again along with the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea.

The good thing about him though is that he seems very professional and lets his football do the talking.

Cahill's name was linked with top clubs throughout the transfer window but there were never any rumblings of discontent from him in the way players like Luka Modric, Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri did.

It seems clear he recognises what Bolton have done for his career but he needs to back that up with actions now. Sign a longer-term deal and leave shortly after for a large fee (an example of this would be Andy Carroll's move to Liverpool).

Bolton deserve to make a healthy profit on Cahill and he has turned out to be one of the only positive legacies of Gary Megson's reign at the Reebok.

Megson is not fondly remembered by Bolton fans but deserves praise for his capture of Cahill

Megson and chairman Phil Gartside took a chance on Cahill and it has paid off, and now they should get their reward.

If Cahill does eventually leave Wanderers for a "big" club it will show players stagnating at other clubs that Bolton is the right place to go to revive their career.

They also now have a manager in Owen Coyle that is prepared to take on other teams' cast-offs and give them a chance in the Premier League.

As for Cahill, he will go down as one of Bolton's biggest success stories and his goal for England against Bulgaria last week made him the first Wanderers player to score for England since 1959.

It will soon be time for him to move on to the next level - possibly Champions League football - to fully cement his place in the England team and improve his reputation, but he should never forget what Bolton have done for him.

Signing a new contract and then leaving weeks later may seem traitorous but it may be the most loyal thing Cahill can do.