India: Worse than Bangladesh?

India were outplayed in every department by England

It's easy to have a pop at India's cricketers at the moment but they have brought it all on themselves.

They went into the Test series against England as officially the best side in the world but after their 4-0 defeat serious questions have to be asked about where they are heading in the longer form of the game.

The status of Indian cricket is still perhaps as high as it ever has been after their World Cup triumph on home soil earlier this year, but in the Tests in England this summer they let their standards slip so far it became hard to see how they could beat anybody - even the likes of lowly Bangladesh.

England must be given enormous credit for their hard work and skill and nothing should be taken away from them.

They simply demoralised the Indians day after day with sensational bowling, batting and fielding displays, and they would have beaten anyone in this form.

However, India should have put up a much better fight.

If that side was the best in world cricket, then the standard of Test cricket is in a sorry state.

Their much-vaunted batting line-up delivered no scores above 300 (although they hit exactly 300 in their seventh innings of the series) and that is never going to be enough to beat world class teams like this England one.

As for their bowling 'attack', they may as well have just not bothered.

Praveen Kumar was decent when fit but the rest of the bowlers were toothless and never bothered the likes of Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook, who simply racked up the runs.

The likes of Pietersen helped themselves to runs against the poor Indian bowling attack

England's lowest score of the series was 221 all out in the second Test, but they still managed to win the game by a comfortable margin.

They only had six batting innings - they declared one of those on 269-6 - and in the other four, they never got lower than 474.

Their innings at Edgbaston - where they hit a massive 710-7 declared - summed it all up.

As ever, England's batsmen should be given a huge amount of praise for their performances but the amount of 'buffet bowling' on show was embarrassing.

And as for the fielding, we could be here all day.

Captain and wicketkeeper MS Dhoni didn't set the greatest of examples, consistently dropping routine deliveries, and while this might not have cost India many wickets it certainly set the tone for the others.

Dhoni's wicketkeeping came under serious scrutiny as the series progressed

This should have been a top class encounter between two world-class outfits at the top of their games but the fact is that one team turned up and the other didn't.

There is no doubt India suffered bad luck during the series - injuries to key bowlers Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar hardly helped - but they say you make your own luck and that may just be the case here.

Many of India's players looked unfit and unready for the rigours of Test cricket, while the preparation for the series left a lot to be desired.

Perhaps it was inevitable they would struggle to produce their best, with some of the team arguably jaded from the World Cup and subsequent Indian Premier League, while the average age of the side also contributed to their lack of fitness.

However, the shrugged shoulders attitude a lot of the players showed was simply unacceptable.

Gautam Gambhir was perhaps the prime example of that in the final Test when, after suffering concussion, he was simply not up for the fight.

He came in at number nine in the first innings and number eight in the second despite recovering from the injury, and that just summed up the lack of fight in this India team.

Rahul Dravid scored three centuries in the series and he is the only player - along with perhaps Kumar - who can hold his head high after the series.

Dravid performed admirably despite the failings of his team-mates

Without Dravid, India would have been even further embarrassed and that is hard to imagine.

He was the only player to contribute a century for India in the series and that means Sachin Tendulkar's wait for his 100th international hundred will have to go on.

He almost achieved it in the last Test - falling an agonising nine short of the landmark - but it is inevitable it will come sooner rather than later.

Tendulkar had a relatively lean series with the bat but he is still a world-class player at 38 and it would be a major backward step if India dropped him. They won't drop him, of course.

It is hard to imagine how India could have been any worse but how would they have fared against Bangladesh, for instance?

Last year, Bangladesh faced exactly the same England team in two Tests and were heavily beaten.

The likes of Tamim Iqbal showed a lot more fight than many of this Indian line-up

However, they managed 382 in the final Test and were a lot more threatening than India with the ball.

They lost one of the games by an innings and one by eight wickets, but at least they had a proper go at it.

India lost two of the Tests this summer by an innings and the other two by heavy run margins, so it could be said that even Bangladesh could have beaten them in this form.

India's biggest problem may be the average age of the team and the fact that too many of their players are 'undroppable'.

Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma will not be dropped despite poor series, while Rahul Dravid will deservedly keep his place in the team.

Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Harbhajan and Dhoni must stay in the side but as for the others, it would be a great show of strength from India's board of selectors if they went down a different route.

Tendulkar suffered disappointment in the series but should come back stronger

Test cricket must be prioritised and faith should be placed in younger players to ensure India's team does not become a closed shop where players are never given a chance to impress.

India are much better right now in the one-day forms of the game - they are 50 over world champions, after all - and it would be a major surprise if there was not a marked improvement in the forthcoming one-day series.

Sehwag will be a big miss after he was ruled out but it is hard to bet against India turning the tables and coming back strongly.

As for Test cricket, they will be better when they get back in their own conditions but the failure of this series should not be ignored.

It has laid bare the failings of Indian cricket and such a debacle should never be seen again.

India is a proud cricket nation that has taken a battering over the last two months but all is not lost and it can be turned around.

The rebuilding job should start here.

Wenger has the look of a haunted man

Arsenal's situation is clearly getting to Wenger, for so long seen as a calm figure

Arsene Wenger's expression said it all.

Just two Premier League games into the season, he already finds himself under the most intense of pressure with his wafer-thin squad battling in vain to uphold the Frenchman's reputation.

Arsenal's start to the season could not have been any worse and there is very little light at the end of the tunnel for Wenger. Their loss at home to Liverpool on Saturday was the latest huge blow to hit the Gunners and Wenger looked like a man approaching the end of his tether despite the campaign still being in its embryonic stage.

His side face Udinese in the Champions League play-off on Wednesday holding a slender 1-0 advantage and on the evidence of last week's game, Arsenal will have to perform excellently to avoid a shattering exit from Europe's premier competition even before the group stage.

Nothing has gone right recently for Wenger, with captain and star man Cesc Fabregas departing home to Barcelona, a loss in their first home league fixture of the season against Liverpool, the suspensions of three first-team players, injuries to key players and the potential sale of Samir Nasri making this surely the most difficult period of his Arsenal tenure. Add to that Wenger's struggles to find suitable acquisitions in the transfer market and describing the current situation at the Emirates Stadium as a crisis may not be too wide of the mark.

Nasri performed admirably against Liverpool but still looks set to join Manchester City

However, the Frenchman must somehow find some positives out of this as well as work tirelessly to improve his squad to ensure the season does not spiral away from Arsenal.

If they crash out of the Champions League in Italy, it will be nothing short of a disaster for the north Londoners so Wenger must work some of his magic to avoid it.

Progression to the group stages would give his beleaguered squad and fans the lift they all need, while also giving the club a little extra clout in the transfer market before the window slams shut.

Defeat is unthinkable so Wenger must put all the troubles to one side until the hurdle of Udinese is overcome.

Things don't get any easier after that though, with a trip to Old Trafford to face champions Manchester United, so this week could be a defining one in Wenger's reign at Arsenal.

It has started terribly with the Liverpool defeat but two positive results against the Italians and the Red Devils would quickly make things look rosy again.

However, positivity is in short supply at the Emirates Stadium right now with the frailties of Wenger's philosophy laid bare in the loss to the Merseysiders.

Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool scored twice late on to pile more misery on Arsenal

A few injuries and suspensions is all it takes for Arsenal to look distinctly average despite a relatively positive overall performance against Liverpool.

Youngsters like Emmanuel Frimpong, Ignasi Miquel, Carl Jenkinson, Henri Lansbury and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all clearly talented but are under too much pressure to perform immediately.

They have been thrown in at the deep end and Wenger knows he has no chance of finishing in the top four with such an inexperienced group. That is why he needs to spend, quickly.

Frimpong played well against Liverpool, full of enthusiasm, but his lack of experience and composure cost his side when it really mattered with two needless bookings surrendering the match.

Frimpong's red card was the decisive moment for Arsenal against Liverpool

Arsenal looked set to take at least a creditable point from the game before his dismissal and ill-discipline has now cost them in both of their opening Premier League fixtures.

They were already without Gervinho and Alex Song after they were both handed three-game bans for incidents in the game at Newcastle and with their squad so thin, Arsenal cannot afford players to be unavailable when it is avoidable.

Udinese is a crunch game which will set the tone for Arsenal's whole season but their business in the transfer market will be almost as important.

Should Nasri follow Fabregas and Gael Clichy out of the door, there should be at least £60million burning a hole in Wenger's pocket and he must spend it if Arsenal are to so much as challenge for a Champions League place this season.

A left-back, centre-back, central midfielder and creative midfielder must be brought in at the very least.

Clichy needs replacing, as Kieran Gibbs is prone to injuries and lacks the big-time experience to fill the Frenchman's shoes. Wenger missed a trick by losing out on Jose Enrique but he must still address the left-back situation.

Enrique showed Arsenal what they were missing with a man of the match display for Liverpool

Arsenal have some excellent central defenders - something which is often overlooked - with Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou, but they need another one, a player who is not afraid to put his body on the line and kick it long when needed. A defender will not come cheap, but the likes of Gary Cahill, Scott Dann and Ryan Shawcross would be well worth the outlay.

Fabregas and Nasri would then also need replacing but that will be an almost impossible task.

Wenger has seemingly lost out to Chelsea over Juan Mata but there are plenty out there who would improve Arsenal's squad.

Wenger has repeatedly stated he will not bring in anyone who is no better than the players he has - or has had - but he needs to face facts and see that he needs to strengthen his squad regardless.

He cannot afford to let the transfer window close without adding to his squad as the squad in its current state will struggle to make the top six, never mind the top four. Arsenal desperately need some extra bodies or the house that Wenger built may come falling down.

Wojciech Szczesny, Vermaelen, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Gervinho and Robin van Persie are all excellent players but they need help. There is the makings of an excellent team at the Emirates but that is all it will be unless Wenger strengthens.

There are major problems at Arsenal but it would be foolhardy to suggest Wenger should go after all he has achieved for the club.

He must swallow his pride and spend some money now though or the haunted look that has befallen him in recent days may become a permanent fixture.

Barely a week goes by without Arsenal's trophy 'drought' being mentioned, so that needs to be addressed this season to get that monkey off Wenger's back.

Arsenal have not won a trophy since Patrick Vieira lifted the FA Cup in 2005

The title may be out of the question this year but the Carling and FA Cups are realistic aims this season and Wenger should go all out to win them.

Should they win a cup this season, that would give them the confidence to have a real title tilt next year. Wenger still appears to be aiming for the future looking at his recent signings so next season could be a more realistic goal for Arsenal.

That will not sit well with the fans though, who appreciate what Wenger has done for their club but are becoming restless at his stubbornness in the transfer market and with his style of play.

Money must be spent and the style needs to be tweaked.

Wenger's passing style is constantly lauded but it is worthless without any end product.

If he encouraged his side to take shots rather than try to walk the ball into the net they may have a bit more success, with his past title-winning teams the prime examples of that.

The doom merchants are circling at the Emirates Stadium now but this is not a lost cause yet.

It was fitting Liverpool played their part in Arsenal's latest drama as they are the blueprint the Gunners perhaps should follow.

When they sold Fernando Torres for £50million in January, they immediately replaced him with Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, signings which galvanised the fans, and have followed that up with more high-profile acquisitions this summer.

Suarez was at the heart of Arsenal's downfall on Saturday

Wenger may only have a few days to get his squad up to standard but Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish only had a few hours in January and got the required business done.

A few exciting signings and a couple of good results would quickly turn this 'crisis' around but as things stand, Wenger looks like he is in agony.

This is a critical week in Arsenal's season and it could be over before it has really begun if things go badly.

Wenger needs to somehow turn his frown upside down by bringing in new players, leading his side through the tricky Udinese tie and inspiring his squad.

Anything short of that and Wenger's reputation will be further damaged, perhaps beyond the point of repair.

Toon's ticket farce

Some fans did not receive their season ticket before the campaign's opener against Arsenal

It's the highlight of many football fans' calendars: receiving their new season ticket for the new campaign.

One ticket, or card, represents a year's worth of hope, anticipation and excitement, which will probably ultimately result in disappointment, anguish and looking ahead to the next season, which is "bound to be better".

However, Newcastle United managed to screw up that whole process this summer to leave many fans worried before the season had even begun.

The majority of fans were largely unaffected, with the club announcing existing season ticket holders would keep their existing season tickets for the new campaign.

However, for new season ticket holders, those moving seats or those changing age category, there has been a close season of uncertainty and a long wait to receive their new "season card".

Supporters had enough to deal with this summer, with the sale of fans' favourites, lack of investment, rumoured squad discontent, fan trouble at Darlington, Twitter flare-ups, visa issues and a nightmare trip to the USA which resulted in an injury to Hatem Ben Arfa (apologies if I've missed anything out).

But the Toon Army will still be there in their numbers - with almost 47,000 attending the season opener against Arsenal - despite being treated largely with contempt by the club.

Newcastle's clash with Arsenal will mostly be remembered for the incident involving Joey Barton and Gervinho

New season ticket cards were not issued until less than a week before the first home game, against Arsenal, with many fans not receiving them before the game.

The club's box office telephone line was flooded with fans demanding to know where their tickets were and many were cut off due to the overload. Also, time spent "in the queue" while phoning Newcastle's box office costs money, so some fans who may have had around £5 worth of credit left on their mobile phones were eventually cut off after they ran out of money.

Those who didn't receive their season ticket before the Arsenal game had to go to the box office at the stadium on the day of the game to get a paper ticket, before their card eventually came in the post.

It was yet another shambolic episode to show that, off the pitch at least, Newcastle continues to be in disarray.

The club insisted season tickets were printed and released by a third party, but why couldn't they take care of it all themselves? What are they, amateurs?

Why couldn't tickets have been sent out weeks, even months, in advance, so any problems could be ironed out well before the season?

It's almost as if the club want the fans to desert them.

Fans from the "singing corner" in level seven were uprooted from their seats this summer, angering many who had owned a ticket there for years.

The club gave harsh sanctions following the Darlington pitch invasion

Then, after the crowd trouble which marred the friendly at Darlington, the club banned any non-season ticket holders or non-members from away games, meaning many "occasional" buyers, who may live in other parts of the country and therefore had attended Newcastle games near to them, are now unable to see Newcastle in an away fixture.

The ticket fiasco at St James' Park last weekend meant many fans had to arrive at the ground ridiculously early to ensure they could get in, with most at the very least disillusioned with how they were dealt with.

In addition to the trouble those season ticket holders had, there were also reports others had problems getting in the ground, with several "swipe cards" not working.

Newcastle fans still produced an impressive atmosphere against Arsenal

Those fans who did eventually get in watched a promising 0-0 draw against Arsenal, but even that did not mask the general disillusionment by many fans towards their beloved club.

There is growing anger from the terraces and if the club is not careful, a return to the kinds of protests seen in 2008 after the resignation of Kevin Keegan may not be too far off.

They were disillusioned anyway after the nightmare of a summer their club went through, but episodes like this are only going to make the gap between the club and the fans grow ever wider.

Newcastle fans are among the most passionate and loyal in the country but they are constantly given no reward for it and are now being treated more as customers than supporters.

Their backing on Saturday against Arsenal was as good as ever but the club must start giving them something back before they do finally turn their backs on the club or, more likely, the board.

Fans' patience is beginning to wear thin and this ticket farce - while not widely reported - has made that a whole lot worse with a minority of Newcastle's support.

The ticket situation only affected a relatively small number of supporters but is just another example of the mess the club appears to be in internally.

The happiness of fans should be the most important thing the club ensures but it seems as if supporters are bottom of Newcastle United's list of priorities.

Long season ahead for Blackburn

On taking over, many expected Venky's to take Blackburn to the next level

When Indian poultry giants Venky's took charge at Blackburn last November, there was a great deal of optimism from Rovers fans.

With a heavy heart, the Jack Walker Trust sold the club and fans were looking forward to a new golden era at Ewood Park where their club could once again compete with the big boys.

Champions League qualification was a matter of when rather than if, they were led to believe, while they were promised marquee signings and the prospect of the likes of Ronaldinho and David Beckham playing for their club.

Just a matter of months later, though, and those promises appear to have been broken.

Venky's sacked proven manager Sam Allardyce in December and replaced him with the untried Steve Kean, Blackburn only narrowly avoided relegation on the last day of last season and the highest profile acquisition so far has been Dundee United's David Goodwillie.

Local talent Phil Jones has been sold to Manchester United for a reported fee of £18million and it appears even that money will not be given to Kean to enhance his squad.

Phil Jones' departure was inevitable but it appears the money from his transfer will not be made available to Kean

There is an awful lot of negativity around Rovers now but in truth there is the basis of a decent team there.

Paul Robinson is among the Premier League's finest goalkeepers, Chris Samba one of the most consistent centre-halves and in Michel Salgado they have a right back who has won everything there is to win at club level with arguably the world's greatest club, Real Madrid.

David Dunn, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Gael Givet and Ryan Nelsen all offer great experience while youngsters like Martin Olsson, Steven N'Zonzi, David Hoilett, Mauro Formica and Ruben Rochina are exciting talents who could form the backbone of Rovers' team for the next decade. If they can get it right this season, they could lead the club to a surprise top half finish.

Blackburn's big trouble is that their experienced players are approaching the end of their careers and have lost a yard of pace, while their younger players are arguably not ready to be regular starters in the Premier League. Rovers have no players truly in the prime of their careers and this means they will lack the quality needed to see them through this campaign without some additional strengthening of the squad.

Manager Kean went into the summer expecting to be a busy man this summer bringing in new players.

He has been busy, but that has been more to do with players leaving the club than coming in.

In addition to Jones' departure, star defender Chris Samba continues to be heavily linked with a move away and it appears unlikely he will still be a Blackburn player when the transfer window closes.

That would leave Rovers terribly weak at the back, while scoring goals was their big problem last season and even that has not been rectified.

The capture of striker Goodwillie is seen by many as the solution but last season was his only prolific one at Dundee United and the gulf in class between the Premier Leagues of Scotland and England is clear.

Kean believes Goodwillie will give Blackburn a different dimension this season

Add to that the Scotland star's brushes with the law and suddenly the £2.8million signing does not look quite so attractive.

Goodwillie could turn out to be one of the signings of the season but there is a real risk he will go the other way and be more trouble than he is worth.

The funds promised to Kean early in Venky's reign now appear a distant memory but the club continues to be linked with big names, like David Bentley, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas.

The three previously mentioned may come from Tottenham in a swap deal for Samba but there is unlikely to be any significant outlay.

Fans want to know what has happened to the Phil Jones money and what has happened to the funds promised earlier this year.

They want to know what the aim is for this season and whether this relatively light squad has what it takes.

They are still confused as to why Allardyce was sacked last year when he seemed to be providing stability for the club and why Steve Kean continues in his role despite appearing out of his depth last season.

Most pundits are wholly unconvinced by Kean's managerial credentials

Kean is an immensely positive man and that should have a great effect on his squad but Rovers struggled under him last season and fans are yet to be convinced of his managerial credentials.

The Scot forged a good reputation as an excellent coach but doubts persist as to his ability as a manager and, despite the owners appearing fully behind him, the writing appears to be on the wall for him. It would be a surprise if Kean sees out the season and it is no surprise he is the bookmakers' favourite to be the first Premier League manager to lose his job this campaign.

As Blackburn hurtled towards trouble last season, the owners' decision to sack Allardyce appeared more and more foolhardy.

Most agree appointing Kean as his successor was also a huge mistake but the owners had the chance to rectify that this summer, with managers like Steve McClaren available and willing to make the move to Ewood Park.

Venky's clearly have no knowledge of football and the absence of a chairman or executive director with football experience could cost them dear. They have struggled to get transfers over the line this summer and the more the uncertainty grows, the more players will be unwilling to move there.

The owners should be learning as they go along but that could be a recipe for disaster, as was proved at Newcastle with Mike Ashley and their relegation in 2009.

There are gaping holes in the boardroom at Ewood Park left by the likes of John Williams and they need to be filled for the club to gain back some of its respectability and to give it a chance of success.

Former chairman Williams had been a stable figure at Blackburn

A lot of the smart money is on Blackburn to go down this season and it is hard to argue with that as they haven't improved the squad which came perilously close to relegation last time out. In fact, that squad has been weakened if anything.

Kean may have a couple of more new signings in the offing, with Radosav Petrovic and Bruno Ribeiro rumoured to be close to joining, but fans are worried by their lack of experience in English football.

The club which prided itself on stability in the years before Venky's took over badly needs to regain some of it.

Kean may not be the man the fans want but the owners clearly rate him and the best option now may be to give him the whole season to prove himself.

That may well result in relegation and if that happens, the owners will only have themselves to blame and it will be the supporters who suffer.

An advert for Venky's chicken has only underlined Blackburn's status as one of this year's Premier League laughing stocks so they will need to hit the ground running at the start of the season to turn the momentum in their favour.

David Dunn certainly appears impressed with Venky's product, but will Blackburn's fans?

On paper, they have a favourable set of fixtures to start the season and it could be a case of "Crisis, what crisis?" if Rovers pick up a reasonable number of points from those games.

However, if they were to lose those games the odds on Kean being the first Premier League manager to lose his job may look generous.

It should be a great time to be a Blackburn fan, with low ticket prices and a growing fan base in Asia, but all that will count for nothing if their squad is not improved in the remainder of this month.

Nikola Kalinic and Chris Samba may both leave but Kean must bring in at least two strikers, a midfielder and two defenders if Rovers are to get through the rigours of a Premier League season unscathed.

The departures of Kalinic and Samba would be further crushing blows to Rovers' chances this season

As things stand, they look like potential relegation fodder and with owners lacking football knowledge, a manager lacking support from the stands and a squad lacking any depth, this could be a long hard slog of a season for Blackburn.

While there is great optimism for the likes of Hoilett, Rochina and Formica, the general consensus is that this Blackburn squad is threadbare and not up for the battle of a relegation dogfight.

Those Venky's public promises of Champions League football seem a galaxy away and the Championship seems a far more likely destination.

Rather than getting the passports out for trips to Milan and Madrid, it may be more prudent of Blackburn fans to dig out their road maps for journeys to Barnsley and Brighton.

Pre-season predictions

Anticipation is building ahead of the start of the season

It's that time of year again.

A time for everybody to get their hopes up and dream about the season that lies ahead.

It is also a time for people to risk making absolute fools of themselves by predicting what the season will bring. Here goes...

Premier League.
1. Manchester United. 2. Manchester City. 3. Chelsea. 4. Liverpool. 5. Arsenal.
6. Tottenham. 7. Everton. 8. Aston Villa. 9. Sunderland. 10. Stoke. 11. Fulham.
12. Newcastle. 13. West Brom. 14. Wolves. 15. Bolton. 16. QPR. 17. Norwich.
18. Blackburn. 19. Swansea. 20. Wigan.

Top scorer: Javier Hernandez.
Player of the Year: Luis Suarez (unless Wesley Sneijder joins Manchester United).
Young Player of the Year: Jack Wilshere.
One to watch: Josh McEachran.
Quote of the season: Alan Pardew (Day after August and January transfer deadline days): "We didn't want to let him go but it was too much money to turn down. We tried desperately to replace him but we were quoted ridiculous prices. All the money will be spent in the next transfer window."

Championship.
1. Leicester. 2. West Ham. 3. Nottingham Forest. 4. Southampton. 5. Birmingham.
6. Leeds. 7. Middlesbrough. 8. Brighton. 9. Blackpool. 10. Ipswich. 11. Cardiff.
12. Reading. 13. Burnley. 14. Hull. 15. Portsmouth. 16. Bristol City. 17. Millwall.
18. Derby. 19. Crystal Palace. 20. Peterborough. 21. Doncaster. 22. Watford.
23. Coventry. 24. Barnsley.

Top scorer: Nicky Maynard.

League One.
1. Preston. 2. Huddersfield. 3. Sheffield Wednesday. 4. Sheffield United. 5. Scunthorpe.
6. Charlton. 7. MK Dons. 8. Colchester. 9. Brentford. 10. Bournemouth. 11. Hartlepool.
12. Leyton Orient. 13. Exeter. 14. Carlisle. 15. Oldham. 16. Chesterfield. 17. Bury.
18. Rochdale. 19. Wycombe. 20. Notts County. 21. Walsall. 22. Stevenage.
23. Tranmere. 24. Yeovil.

Top scorer: Bradley Wright-Phillips.

League Two.
1. Crawley. 2. Port Vale. 3. Bristol Rovers. 4. Accrington Stanley. 5. Rotherham.
6. Northampton. 7. Dagenham and Redbridge. 8. Oxford. 9. Swindon. 10. Bradford.
11. Shrewsbury. 12. Plymouth. 13. Crewe. 14. Southend. 15. AFC Wimbledon.
16. Gillingham. 17. Torquay. 18. Burton Albion. 19. Aldershot. 20. Hereford.
21 Cheltenham. 22. Macclesfield. 23. Morecambe. 24. Barnet.

Top scorer: Matt Tubbs.

Conference.
Promoted: Luton, Stockport.

FA Cup winners: Arsenal.
Carling Cup winners: Tottenham.

Champions League winners: Barcelona.
Europa League winners: Paris St-Germain.

Scottish Premier League winners: Celtic.
La Liga winners: Barcelona.
Serie A winners: Juventus.
Bundesliga winners: Bayern Munich.
Ligue One winners: Paris St-Germain.

EURO 2012 winners: Germany.

Top 50: Premier League players (50-26)

We all know the history of English football did not begin with the advent of the Premier League in 1992.

However, the Premier League's birth marked a watershed moment and next season will be the 20th since its inception, so I will now run down the top 50 players (in my opinion) to grace it.

The list is of course dominated mostly by players who have played for Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea, but that is merely down to the success those clubs have had over the last two decades rather than any bias on my part.

Players have been selected based on what they achieved for their clubs and the respect still held for them at the clubs they starred for. One-season wonders will not be considered: players included will have to have achieved something concrete over a period of time.

There were some players I made every effort to include in the list, like Tim Flowers, Claude Makelele, Freddie Ljungberg, Nigel Winterburn, Kevin Phillips, Lucas Radebe, Petr Cech, Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, Paul Ince, Chris Sutton, Paulo Di Canio and Shay Given, but it was simply impossible to include everybody.

Here are my top 50, in reverse order...

50. David James (Liverpool 1992-99, 214 apps; Aston Villa 1999-2001, 67 apps; West Ham 2001-03, 64 apps; Manchester City 2004-06, 93 apps; Portsmouth 2006-10, 134 apps; Premier League titles: 0)

The much-maligned goalkeeper often does not get the credit he deserves for his career, and he holds the record for the most Premier League clean sheets (173) and has just been overtaken for the record for the most Premier League appearances (James has 572).

James seemed to get better as he got older, pulling off some stunning saves and eradicating most of the errors which had blighted his career.
  
49. Carlos Tevez (West Ham 2006-07, 26 apps, 7 goals; Manchester United 2007-09, 63 apps, 19 goals; Manchester City 2009-present, 66 apps, 43 goals; Premier League titles: 2)

Tevez joined West Ham in controversial circumstances in 2006 and initially struggled to adapt, but he eventually fought his way into the side and almost single-handedly kept the Hammers in the Premier League.

He then moved on to Manchester United, where he became a real fans' favourite, but found his game time limited in his second season and moved to rivals Manchester City. Tevez has always been renowned for his work-rate but at City he has an astonishing strike rate of 43 goals in 66 games, so it would be a real blow if they were to lose him this summer. He captained City last season as they qualified for the Champions League and won the FA Cup, while he also jointly won the Premier League's Golden Boot with 20 goals.

48. Marcel Desailly (Chelsea 1998-2004, 158 apps, 6 goals; Premier League titles: 0)

French World Cup winner Desailly was a colossus at the back for Chelsea as he helped lead the club into the Roman Abramovich era.

He left the season before Chelsea's title-winning campaign of 2004/05 but if it wasn't for him, Abramovich may never have bought the club as they may not have been in the Champions League. He is widely recognised as a Chelsea legend and his goal against Liverpool on the last day of the 2002-03 season helped the club into the Champions League, something which attracted Abramovich to the club.

47. Sami Hyypia (Liverpool 1999-2009, 318 apps, 22 goals; Premier League titles: 0)

Hyypia may not have won the Premier League with Liverpool, but he did pretty much everything else, winning 10 trophies in his 10 years at Anfield.

The Finnish defender was signed for just £2.6million but went on to captain the side and he was a lynchpin of the team, an ever-present for much of his time at Liverpool, and he remains well-loved among the Liverpool fans. 

46. Martin Keown (Everton 1992-93, 13 apps, 0 goals; Arsenal 1993-2004, 310 apps, 4 goals; Premier League titles: 3)

Keown is perhaps best remembered for his infamous spat with Ruud van Nistelrooy, but he was in fact a very accomplished defender who was crucial in Arsenal's early days in the Premier League and in Arsene Wenger's most successful years at the club.

Keown was a typical old-fashioned 'rough and tough' defender, whose style was perhaps not to everyone's taste, but Arsenal could do with a figure like him now. He made a few errors, particularly towards the end of his career, but will be remembered as one of the great Arsenal defenders.

45. Robert Pires (Arsenal 2000-06, 189 apps, 62 goals; Aston Villa 2010-11, 9 apps, 0 goals; Premier League titles: 2)

Pires was a sublime player for Arsenal and his greatness should not be overshadowed by his recent indiferrent spell at Aston Villa.

His performances in 2001-02 earned him the Football Writers' Player of the Year award while he was a crucial member of the 2003-04 'Invincibles' team, scoring 14 goals and setting up many for partner-in-crime Thierry Henry.

44. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Manchester United 1996-2007, 235 apps, 91 goals; Premier League titles: 6)

Norwegian hitman Solskjaer was one of the most natural goalscorers the Premier League has ever seen, and many of his goals came from the substitutes' bench. He scored many late goals and these were crucial in the six campaigns Solskjaer picked up a Premier League winners' medal. His four goals in 12 minutes as a substitute at Nottingham Forest in 1999 summed up his contribution over the years.

His name is still sung on the terraces of Old Trafford and he is part of Red Devils folklore after scoring the winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final. The 'Baby-Faced Assassin''s last years at United were blighted by injuries, but he will go down as a legend of the club.

43. Fernando Torres (Liverpool 2007-11, 102 apps, 65 goals; Chelsea 2011-present, 14 apps, 1 goal; Premier League titles: 0)

Torres has had a troubled start to life at Chelsea but if he can reproduce anything like the form he showed at Liverpool for three-and-a-half years, he could become a legend at Stamford Bridge.

With 66 goals in 116 Premier League appearances, 'El Nino' has the fourth-best strike-rate of any Premier League player, scoring once every 1.76 games, and is the complete striker when at his devastating best.

42. Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal 2004-present, 212 apps, 35 goals; Premier League titles: 0)

Fabregas broke into the team at Arsenal as a 17-year-old and has been a key member of the side ever since. He scores goals, sets up goals and has a great passing accuracy, while he is also Arsenal's captain, so he is an indispensable member of their side.

He is a world-class midfielder but has been dogged by injuries in recent years and continues to be heavily linked with a move to hometown club Barcelona, but if Arsenal are to end their trophy drought they must keep the Spaniard. Fabregas will be disappointed to have just one major trophy to show for his time at the Emirates (the FA Cup in 2005), as his performances have deserved much more.

41. Dwight Yorke (Aston Villa 1992-98, 179 apps, 60 goals; Manchester United 1998-2002, 96 apps, 48 goals; Blackburn 2002-04, 60 apps, 12 goals; Birmingham 2004-05, 13 apps, 2 goals; Sunderland 2007-09, 26 apps, 1 goal, Premier League titles: 3)

Trinidadian Yorke made plenty of headlines for off-the-pitch issues but what is often overlooked is that he was a cracking striker.

'The Smiling Assassin' scored 123 Premier League goals and was particularly prolific at Manchester United, winning the title in three of his four seasons there (although he only made eight appearances in the season they didn't win the league). Yorke was also a key member of United's Treble-winning team and had a formidable strike partnership with Andy Cole, and also had a great spell at Aston Villa, which persuaded Sir Alex Ferguson to part with £12.6million for him.

40. Teddy Sheringham (Nottingham Forest 1992, 3 apps, 1 goal; Tottenham 1992-97, 166 apps, 76 goals; Manchester United 1997-2001, 104 apps, 31 goals; Tottenham 2001-03, 70 apps, 22 goals; Portsmouth 2003-04, 32 apps, 9 goals; West Ham 2005-07, 43 apps, 8 goals; Premier League titles: 3)

Sheringham was the first Premier League Golden Boot winner in 1992/93 with Tottenham, and had a great first spell at Spurs where he was a prolific goalscorer. He may not have been blessed with raw pace, but he more than made up for that with his razor-sharp football brain and was rewarded with a transfer to Manchester United - with the unenviable task of replacing Eric Cantona - in the twilight of his career.

Despite a somewhat strained relationship with strike partner Andy Cole - the pair never spoke a word to each other but performed excellently together on the pitch - he performed well during his time at United and won the PFA Player of the Year award in 2000/01, as well as the Football Writers' award for the same season, despite being 35 at the time and in the face of fierce competition for a starting berth, with United boasting Sheringham, Cole, Yorke and Solskjaer. He scored the stoppage-time equaliser in the 1999 Champions League final - before Solskjaer scored the winner less than two minutes later - and won three Premier League titles during his time at Old Trafford, bringing the trophies his career up to then had deserved.

39. Lee Dixon (Arsenal 1992-2002, 305 apps, 9 goals; Premier League titles: 2)

Dixon is undoubtedly one of the best right-backs to have played in the Premier League and he was a real stalwart for Arsenal as they progressed from Premier League also-rans under George Graham and Bruce Rioch to champions under Arsene Wenger.

He was always reliable and never seemed to let anyone at Highbury down, while his forward runs were crucial as he possessed a great cross. His primary role was defending though, and he excelled at that.

38. Gary Speed (Leeds 1992-96, 143 apps, 22 goals; Everton 1996-98, 58 apps, 16 goals; Newcastle 1998-2004, 213 apps, 29 goals; Bolton 2004-08, 121 apps, 14 goals; Premier League titles: 0)

Welsh midfielder Speed is third on the list of all-time appearance makers in the Premier League having amassed 535 games, and was top of that list for a time.

Speed is best remembered for his six-year spell at Newcastle - during which he helped lead the club into the Champions League - and he made his reputation through sheer consistency, as well as having an uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time, scoring many crucial headers due to his great heading ability. His performance level never seemed to drop and he saw his top flight career come to an end at Bolton, where he continued to produce excellent displays.


37. Denis Irwin (Manchester United 1992-2002, 296 apps, 18 goals; Wolves 2003-04, 32 apps, 0 goals; Premier League titles: 7)

Denis Irwin was Mr Consistency at Old Trafford and did his business in an understated manner, giving everything to the cause.

The Irish international was a crucial member of Sir Alex Ferguson's hugely successful squad in the 90s - although he is rarely talked about and was extremely underrated - and was a fantastic full-back who attacked well, defended well and was very reliable with penalties and free-kicks, having a fierce shot on him. A richly deserving holder of seven Premier League winners' medals.





36. David Ginola (Newcastle 1995-97, 58 apps, 6 goals; Tottenham 1997-2000, 100 apps, 13 goals; Aston Villa 2000-02, 32 apps, 3 goals; Everton 2002, 5 apps, 0 goals; Premier League titles: 0)

Once called the best player in the world by Johan Cruyff, no less, Ginola lit up the Premier League during his time in England. Brought to Newcastle in 1995 by Kevin Keegan, the flamboyant French winger demonstrated his magnificent skills and mazy dribbles and was one of the iconic figures of the Geordies' 'Entertainers' side which came so close to winning the league.

Ginola joined Tottenham in 1997 and won both the PFA Player of the Year and Football Writers' Player of the Year awards in 1998/99. He was a player to truly capture the imagination and put the fear of life into defenders, who he embarrassed time and time again. It was a shame to see the maverick's career peter out with poor spells at Aston Villa and Everton.

35. Les Ferdinand (QPR 1992-95, 110 apps, 61 goals; Newcastle 1995-97, 68 apps, 41 goals; Tottenham 1997-2003, 118 apps, 33 goals; West Ham 2003, 14 apps, 2 goals; Leicester 2003-04, 29 apps, 12 goals; Bolton 2004-05, 12 apps, 1 goal; Premier League titles: 0)

'Sir Les' had excellent and prolific spells at QPR and Newcastle, scoring 25 league goals in the season the latter should have won the league, 1995-96, as well as winning the PFA Player of the Year award in the same campaign.

He formed a formidable partnership with Alan Shearer for a year at St James' Park but was then sold by Kenny Dalglish to Tottenham, where he struggled to find the same kind of goalscoring form due to injury. He is fondly remembered at White Hart Lane after helping them win the League Cup and stay in the Premier League, while he still has hero status at Newcastle as one of the club's iconic number nine figures. Ferdinand is fifth on the all-time Premier League top scorers' list.

34. David Seaman (Arsenal 1992-2003, 325 apps; Manchester City 2003-04, 19 apps; Premier League titles: 2)

Arsenal goalkeeping legend David Seaman is often remembered for a few high-profile mistakes, but he was in fact a tremendously consistent 'keeper who was the bedrock of Arsenal for more than a decade.

The pony-tailed Yorkshireman earned the nickname 'Safe Hands' due to his excellent ball-handling skills, and he also made some stunning saves which were crucial in two Arsenal Premier League title wins. He had already won the league with the club before the inception of the Premier League, while he is also the second-most capped English goalkeeper, behind only Peter Shilton.




33. Jamie Carragher (Liverpool 1996-present, 463 apps, 3 goals; Premier League titles: 0)

Carragher is simply 'Mr Liverpool' now after 15 years of fantastic service, and the defender seems to have plenty left in him yet. Liverpool fans often salute him with a rendition of "We all dream of a team of Carraghers", and it is easy to see why they sing that as no-one puts more effort in or has as much passion as him.

He started as a versatile player capable of playing anywhere across the back four but Rafael Benitez switched him to a permanent centre-back in 2004 and he hasn't looked back from there. He was arguably the most consistent defender in England for a few years after that and he is still there, putting his body on the line, at 33. Carragher was possibly the most important player in Liverpool's run in the 2004-05 Champions League, which they won.

32. Michael Owen (Liverpool 1996-2004, 216 apps, 118 goals; Newcastle 2005-09, 71 apps, 26 goals; Manchester United 2009-present, 30 apps, 5 goals; Premier League titles: 1)

Owen burst onto the scene at Liverpool as a 17-year-old and was tipped to become one of the club's great goalscorers. He was key in the club's Treble-winning season of 2000/01 but left just before their Champions League triumph of 2004/05.

He had a fantastic eight-year spell at Anfield - twice jointly winning the Golden Boot - where he scored at a rate of more than a goal every other game but a mixture of injury and a lack of form blighted his spells at Real Madrid and Newcastle. Now a bit-part player at Manchester United, he picked up his first Premier League winners' medal last season despite making just 11 appearances, 10 of those as a substitute. He will be best remembered for his time at Liverpool but it is a great shame his career did not hit the heights it could have done. 

31. Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United 2001-06, 150 apps, 95 goals; Premier League titles: 1)

van Nistelrooy was the ultimate goal-hungry striker and scored 95 times in just 150 Premier League appearances for Manchester United, with just one of those coming from outside the penalty area. He was on target to become the club's all-time leading goalscorer before he fell out of favour and was sold in 2006.

The Dutchman's goals-to-games ratio is the second best in Premier League history, scoring at a rate of a goal every 1.58 games, and he was rewarded with the PFA Player of the Year award in 2001/02 and the Golden Boot in 2002/03. He broke the 20-goal barrier in four of his five Premier League seasons and became the club's record European goalscorer, while he was unlucky to be at United during one of their rare lean spells, winning just one championship during his five years there.

30. Ashley Cole (Arsenal 2000-06, 156 apps, 8 goals; Chelsea 2006-present, 149 apps, 6 goals; Premier League titles: 3)

Cole is much-maligned for his activities off the pitch but on it, no-one can argue with his quality. He is arguably the best left-back of the Premier League era and is one of only three players to have won the Premier League with two different clubs.

He left Arsenal under a cloud after claims Chelsea tapped him up, but the marauding left-back played a crucial role in the Gunners' 2003/04 'Invincibles' season and remains one of the first names on Chelsea's teamsheet. He is England's most-capped left-back and, at 30, is well on course to become England's all-time leading appearance maker. Cole is excellent both defensively and going forward and it is only his scrapes off the field that can be criticised.

29. Edwin van der Sar (Fulham 2001-05, 127 apps; Manchester United 2005-11, 186 apps; Premier League titles: 4)

The Dutch goalkeeper had a solid spell at Fulham after a glittering career abroad before Sir Alex Ferguson brought him to Manchester United when he was almost 35. He will now be remembered as one of the best goalkeepers to play for the club.

The Red Devils struggled to replace Peter Schmeichel after he left in 1999 and it is now clear they should have replaced him with van der Sar back then. He pulled off great saves and had the fantastic ability to start attacks from the back - just like Schmeichel - and his presence was a key factor behind United's four recent league triumphs. He also won the Champions League and set a new record for the longest time without conceding a goal, not conceding in 1311 minutes in the 2008/09 season, which broke not only the Premier League record but also the world record for a single season. 

28. Steve Bruce (Manchester United 1992-96, 148 apps, 11 goals; Premier League titles: 3)

Defender Bruce may have only played in the Premier League for four seasons, but he played a crucial role in establishing Manchester United at the top of English football with consistent displays as the Red Devils dominated the early part of the 90s.

He also had a knack of scoring vital goals - such as two late goals to defeat Sheffield Wednesday in the Premier League's first season, a result which was pivotal in securing the league title - and led United as captain, so his influence in their eventual Premier League dominance cannot be overestimated. Sir Alex Ferguson often commented on Bruce's "determination and heart", which was a vital part of the Geordie's game, while he was also very comfortable on the ball and helped start attacks from the back.

27. Gary Pallister (Manchester United 1992-98, 206 apps, 8 goals; Middlesbrough 1998-2001, 55 apps, 1 goal; Premier League titles: 4)

It is extremely difficult to separate Pallister and Bruce as they were a great partnership, once described by Gary Neville as the best central defensive pairing Manchester United have ever had. Pallister just gets the nod here because he played for longer than Bruce and won one more title.

Pallister was an excellent defender who rarely made errors and, similarly to Bruce, scored some vital goals for the club. One of the most prominent examples of this was in an April 1997 'title decider' against Liverpool, where Pallister scored twice in a 3-1 victory, with United going on to win the league. Pallister finished his career with Middlesbrough and although he struggled with injuries, he again underlined his class.

26. Sol Campbell (Tottenham 1992-2001, 255 apps, 10 goals; Arsenal 2001-06, 135 apps, 8 goals; Portsmouth 2006-09, 95 apps, 2 goals; Arsenal 2010, 11 apps, 0 goals; Newcastle 2010-11, 7 apps, 0 goals; Premier League titles: 2)

Campbell is still referred to as 'Judas' among Tottenham fans due to his high-profile defection to arch rivals Arsenal in 2001, but from a purely footballing point of view he enhanced his career immensely by making the switch, becoming one of the best defenders the Premier League has seen.

Campbell is one of just four players to have broken the 500 appearance barrier in the Premier League and all this came after being switched from a striker to a defender in his late-teens. Campbell was extremely athletic and a rock at the back for two of Arsenal's league triumphs. His form stuttered towards the end of his time at Arsenal but he performed magnificently for Portsmouth and in a short comeback for the Gunners, sandwiched between two less successful spells at Notts County and Newcastle.


Source for appearances and goal statistics: premierleague.com
*Stats for Premier League only