Who Ate All The Bratwurst

The Bratwurst pickle: Do Arsenal have more chance of winning the Champions League than the Premier League?

Arsenal booked their place in the Champions League proper last night with an unconvincing home win against Dinamo Zagreb. After their venture to the final last year, do Arsenal have a better chance of succeeding in Europe than at home?

Alan Hansen delights in giving a weekly lecture on how easy English teams find it to defend against Arsenal. And Martin O'Neill has now set a blueprint for keeping the Gunners's attacking full-backs pre-occupied. So will Arsenal once again fare better in the Champions League than the Premier League?

Rob

The Bratwurst pickle: How should Liverpool line-up against Maccabi Haifa?

Remember Gerard Houllier's short-lived plans to create two separate Liverpool teams which he could rotate? Rafa Benitez could find himself in a similar position soon. He has allowed Anthony Le Tallec to leave on loan today, and I would guess a few more disgruntled fringe players will be asking for a move by January.

I found it difficult to trim Rafa's squad down to an XI for tonight's game, and I won't have thousands of angry Scousers shouting at me if I get it wrong (hopefully)! Do you agree with this line-up? Remember Jamie Carragher, John Arne Riise, Steve Finnan and Harry Kewell are all injured at the moment.

Rob

The Bratwurst pickle: How should England start against Greece tomorrow?

A new era for England, building for the future etc. etc. Regardless of any masterplan to step out of Sven's shadow and build a team for South Africa 2010, Steve McClaren will be judged on results alone. He will be looking to get off to a winning start against Greece tomorrow. Click below to see the Bratwurst XI - our preferred starting line-up from the squad McClaren has picked.

The Bratwurst pickle: How should England start against Greece tomorrow? continued

GK Paul Robinson - had a dodgy World Cup but is still the best keeper available.

DR Gary Neville - as we pointed out yesterday, replacing him will be a real worry.
DC Rio Ferdinand - solid in Germany and getting close to his best.
DC John Terry (c) - another of England's better World Cup performers and a great skipper.
DL Ashley Cole - lacked sharpness in Germany, but Wayne Bridge was equally rusty.

MR Aaron Lennon - one of the few World Cup success stories.
DM Owen Hargreaves - another World Cup success story. Offers something different to the Gerrard/Lampard riddle.
MC Steven Gerrard - underperformed in Germany, but would be able to play his natural game without the out of form Lampard.
ML Stewart Downing - gets the nod over Richardson on the basis of his delivery.

FC Dean Ashton - was impressive at Norwich and now West Ham. Give him a chance from the start.
FC Jermain Defoe - enjoying an excellent pre-season and has a point to prove.

Feel free to post your own starting XI as a comment below.

Rob

The Bratwurst pickle: Is Patrick Vieira worth the effort?

After all the hype and debate about who might tap-up Toni or court Cannavaro, the main transfer wrangle to come out of the Italian match-fixing scandal so far is over Patrick Vieira. Is he really worth the effort, let alone the transfer fee?

The Bratwurst pickle: Is Patrick Vieira worth the effort?

Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini is already explaining how nicely Vieira would fit into his team, Bergkamp wants him to prolong his fleeting visit to the Emirates Stadium, Sir Alex Ferguson is known to be a fan and Barcelona are reportedly interested too.

Vieira might have had a decent World Cup, but he was pretty useless last season (never more evident than we he played against Arsenal in the Champions League). He not only looked out of form, but it also seemed that his legs could no longer support the all-action game he relies on. Are Europe's big teams right to chase Vieira, or is Big Paddy past his best?

Rob Parker

The Bratwurst pickle: Who will you support now?

Well, 28 teams are gone, just four remain: Germany, Italy, France and Portugal. If you're German, Italian, French or Portuguese, congratulations – you can happily ignore the following question: now that your country has bitten the dust, which of the four semi-finalists do you want to go all the way and win the World Cup?

Bratwurst is right behind Germany, the hosts with the most (and I never thought I'd say that…). Jurgen Klinsmann has encouraged his team to play bold, attacking football and his forward thinking has paid off handsomely. Of the other three teams, I wouldn't mind too much if the French or Italians won, but there's no way you can convince me that Portugal deserve to win the tournament. And I'm not saying that because they beat the English.

You have one bullet left… John Motson or Clive Tyldelsley?

Simple question: You have one bullet left in the clip. Do you shoot John Motson or Clive Tyldesley?

Should FIFA let McDonald's, Coca-Cola and Budweiser sponsor the World Cup?

Respected medical journal The Lancet has criticised World Cup organisers for agreeing to have the tournament sponsored by McDonald's, Coca-Cola and Budweiser. The journal questioned how a sporting event can claim to promote good health, yet offer a huge marketing platform to companies which sell, respectively, fast food, fizzy drinks and alcohol.

Difficult to disagree. What do you think?

The Bratwurst pickle: Who should play in central defence for Germany?

One for our German readers mainly, but anyone is free to join in: who should play in central defence for Germany? Are Per Mertesacker and Christoph Metzelder really the best pairing Deutschland has to offer? Robert Huth always seems solid for Chelsea, so it has been a bit of a surprise to see the shaky Mertesacker starting at his expense. What do the German public think?

Rob Parker

The Bratwurst pickle: who is England's best holding midfielder?

It's a question that has been distracting some of the finest minds in the game: Jamie Carragher, Michael Carrick or Owen Hargreaves?

Or someone else? Do we even need a holding midfielder, given that our back four is pretty solid? So many questions, so little time.

Answers on a postcard please…

The Bratwurst pickle: who should I put in my World Cup fantasy football team?

I'm gearing up to enter as many fantasy footie competitions as I think I can manage without going mad. The question is, which players should I have at the top of my shopping list? Everyone will pick Ronaldinho (pictured, left), so should I pick him too? Which teams will concede fewest goals? Who will be the surprise Schillaci/Roger Milla this year? Any bright ideas, fellow Bratwursters?

The Bratwurst pickle: can Steven Gerrard play as a striker?

Simple question: if Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen are still crocked in a month's time, should Stevie G play up front for England? He's clearly good enough to play most positions on the pitch, but second striker? I'm not convinced.

What say you?

The Bratwurst pickle: will the Champions League final be Thierry Henry's final game for Arsenal?

Will TH stay or will he go?

I think he'll stay, whatever the outcome in Paris tonight. He's top dog at Arsenal and the emergence of so many talented youngsters means the club's future is bright - plus there's a shiny new stadium to play in next season.

Henry would play second fiddle to Ronaldinho at the Nou Camp, plus he wouldn't be guaranteed a regular starting place – although his chances of becoming Barca's top striker would be pretty good (I doubt Samuel Eto'o would hang around if Henry arrived; Eto'o for Chelsea?). Henry must be sorely tempted to move to new pastures though, if only for a fresh challenge. I think that would be a mistake (look at Vieira/Juventus). Only the great man himself can resolve this pickle.

Hot tomato sauce, I'm looking forward to the game though.

The Bratwurst Pickle: Does Sven Goran Eriksson read Who Ate All The Bratwurst?

We can't pretend that some of Sven's squad decisions did not come as a surprise even to us wily Bratwurst types. That's not to say they were wrong, but they came as a shock from the usually conservative Swede.

But what struck us is the similarities between some of our suggestions and the provisional England squad. Is Sven a secret Bratwurst lurker?

Theo Walcott and Darren Bent

Bratwurst said:

"I really hope Sven gambles on Theo Walcott, rather than Darren Bent, who I doubt at the highest level - imagine if Brazil hadn't gambled on a 17-year-old Pele."

and:

"Theo Walcott is the outsider of the outsiders, but his name is still being put forward in some quarters.  Although he has yet to play for Arsenal, Walcott made a big impression while in Southampton.  Still only 17 years old he is an undoubted talent, but might be considered too similar to Jermain Defoe."

Sven decided: Walcott is similar to Defoe, but he prefers Walcott.  He too seems to doubt Bent at international level.

Aaron Lennon

Bratwurst said:

"With Dyer sidelined, Kieran Richardson, Michael Carrick, Jermaine Jenas (spit) and maybe, on recent form, even Aaron Lennon have pushed him down the pecking order."

Sven decided: Lennon had indeed forced himself up the pecking order on recent form.

Shaun Wright Phillips

Bratwurst said:

"Wright Phillips, meanwhile, has largely been used as a substitute at Chelsea... calls for him to replace David Beckham on the right-side of midfield have become a lot quieter since he left Eastlands."

Sven decided: Wright Phillips had not played enough and was eclipsed by Lennon's form.

Stewart Downing and Kieran Richardson

Bratwurst said:

[Downing] has an outside chance of making the England squad.  You would imagine that it is a straight race between Kieran Richardson and Downing to go along as Joe Cole's understudy.  Personally I'd go for Downing, but it is still nice to have two left-footed young Englishmen vying for a place.

Sven decided: Richardson out, Downing in.

Owen Hargreaves

Bratwurst said:

"Being a jack of some trades, master of none is more likely to earn you a trip to Germany than any amount of skill... I'd say that the English/Canadian/German has a good chance of making the 22."

Sven decided: Hargreaves's versatility is the order of the day.

Rob Parker

The Bratwurst pickle: How do you replace Wayne Rooney?

With England facing the possibility of a group stage or even World Cup without Wayne Rooney or Michael Owen, how would you replace them?  Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe together?  Crouch and Darren Bent?  Or put an extra man in midfield - Michael Carrick or even David Beckham - giving Joe Cole and perhaps Shaun Wright Phillips the right to roam?

Rob Parker

The Bratwurst pickle: Downing for England?

There were some excellent crosses from Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing in the astonishing 4-2 win against Steaua Bucharest in the Uefa Cup semi-final tonight. Would you take Downing to Germany? The 21-year-old would probably have been a certainty if not for his long injury lay-off, but he now seems to be rediscovering his form. Should he be in Sven's 23 though?
Rob Parker

The Bratwurst pickle: should Gene Hackman replace Sven?

He was good in The Royal Tenenbaums and great in The French Connection, but can Big Gene Scolari control Wayne Rooney's gambling habit? The FA seems to think so, although Big Gene has cannily denied ever meeting with them, despite getting permission from the Portuguese FA to do so. Turnip Taylor calls it a 'shambles', but I wasn't sure if he was referring to the recruitment of the new England manager, or his time in charge of the national team. Two words: Andy Sinton.

What say you, dear readers… Is Big Gene really a better option than Big Sam, or Little Alan, or Psycho Stuart or even National Express-coach driver Steve?

The Bratwurst pickle: Who to leave out?

While England sweat on the fitness of Michael Owen - one of their only two genuinely world class strikers - Brazil have the luxury of mulling over which of their seemingly endless supply of striking superstars to leave on the bench, and even which ones to leave at home.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is unlikely to field the dream team attack of Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kaka, Adriano and Robinho, and is therefore the man blessed with the difficult decision of which of his quinteto magico to leave out.

Ronaldinho

The best player in the world two years running according to FIFA (they get some things right) is a certain starter for Germany.  He showed against AC Milan that he is human as his first-touch and ball control let him down in the first half.  But he also produced the superb ball that led to Barca's goal and a couple of other flashes of brilliance.  He will probably play on the left, which is good news for Parreira who will still have vacant space up front.

Ronaldo

Now eclipsed by Little Ronaldo, the original remains one of the best in the world on his day.  He is still noticeably carrying some of the weight he picked up at the fiestas and carnivals attended during his various long injury lay-offs.  At 30 and with plentry of young talent waiting in the wings, this could be Ronaldo's last World Cup. For all the excess pounds, Ronaldo is still a clinical goalscorer.  He may have lost a yard or two of pace, but he is no slouch and Brazil are not likely to be short of running.

Adriano

Adriano has arguably been in better form than Ronaldo for the past two seasons, but reputation counts for everything.  The Inter Milan star seems to fit the bill of understudy as far as Parreira is concerned.  Whenever Ronaldo has been out, Adriano has never failed to impress and his form for Inter means he is regularly linked with a move to Chelsea.  The young pretender is now 23 and is ready to take the crown if King Ronny fails to impress.  If Brazil play with two strikers then Adriano could get the nod, but if Parreira chooses to surround Ronaldo with attacking midfielders then he will probably miss out.

Kaka

One such attacking midfielder is Kaka.  Also aged 23, Kaka has been an enormous success since moving to AC Milan from Sao Paulo.  Much like Adriano his fate will depend on what formation Parreira chooses.  If he picks two strikers, a central midfield containing Kaka may be a little too attacking even for Brazilian tastes.

Robinho

Usually mentioned alongside Wayne Rooney and Leo Messi as one of the top three youngsters in the world, 22-year-old Robinho in fact a little older than his baby face would have you believe.  Lauded by Pele (but then again, so was Nicky Butt), Robinho is a fan favourite in Brazil.  Parreira might find space to squeeze the tiny Real Madrid player on the right-side of his midfield, but he is unlikely to start up front.

The best of the rest

As if he wasn't already spoilt for choice, Parreira also has Julio Baptista, Amoroso, Nilmar, Luis Fabiano, Ewerthon, and Fred to choose from, all of whom might be giving Peter Crouch and Darren Bent something to think about if they were English!

The Bratwurst pickle: O'Neill for England?

BBC Radio Five polled most of the country's top football writers on who they think should be Sven's successor. The verdict? Unsurprisingly, most of them chose Martin O'Neill. The Northern Irishman is a media darling, partly thanks to his track record, but also I suspect because of his association with Brian Clough. I think that they think that some of that Clough magic has rubbed off on O'Neill. If that makes sense at all.

Anyway, what do you think? Who should be next England boss? Bratwurst would go for Alan Curbishley, by the way.

The Bratwurst pickle: should Sol Campbell go to Germany?

Simple question, difficult to answer.

Big Sol hasn't played much this year - when he has, he's made even Pascal Cygan look good. I figure centre-half is the one area where England are as blessed as any nation, but I also take into account that Campbell has been consistently awesome at major tournaments.

He hasn't become a liability overnight - the media overplayed his little disappearing trick, when all that happened was he had a couple of dodgy games. No different to Rio Ferdinand then. I say take Sol, no question.

What say you?

The Bratwurst pickle: can England have its cake and eat it too?

Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard. Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard. Whichever way you look at it, they're two of the finest forward-gear midfielders in the game today. Not so hot in the holding position though… which leads me to the age-old question (a question that won't go away either): where do you play the dynamic duo for England?

Let's examine the options…

1 Play them both in central midfield
Going forward, that's fine and dandy, although Gerrard sometimes appears to have had his thunder stolen by Lampard for England and looks a bit crestfallen. If Sven can teach one of the pair to stay back when the other rampages forward, then OK, but I'm still not convinced… we're all pretty sure this is the option Sven will choose in Germany though.

2 Drop one and bring in a holding midfielder
Maybe this square peg/round hole business is easy to solve - simply drop either Stevie G or Lamps and bring in a player who has the discipline/tackling skills to play the Makelele role, as it is now known. But who? Ledley King won't be fit, Nicky Butt has had a pretty dire time at Birmingham and Phil Neville, well, need I say more? A lot of people like Scott Parker, but he's little different in style to Gerrard, only not quite as good. Owen Hargreaves perhaps? Um, no, perhaps not. Rio Ferdinand? Talented player and could do the job adequately, but, again, Sven won't gamble here.

3 Drop Beckham and play Gerrard on the right
Drop the captain! Shame on you, Bratwurst! I've heard this solution suggested before but I don't buy it. Becks is a big-game performer and he's been having a fine season in Spain for Real Madrid. Plus, after France 98 (red card) and Japan/Korea '02 (toe injury) he'll want to make up for lost time by playing to his full potential in what may be his last WC.

4 ???
Any suggestions welcome!

The Bratwurst pickle: Choose your second team

In the summer of '98 there were very nearly as many Jamaica replica shirts knocking around as there were England shirts. Once again it's time to choose your second team for the World Cup. So which plucky underdog will you root for? Will the presence of Englishman Chris Burchall (pictured) make you go mad for Trinidad? Are you ready to pogo for Togo? Um, ah… nothing much rhymes with Angola (except perhaps Dele Adebola, Ed.), but you get the general idea.

To help your choice, check out the wide range of World Cup kits at uksoccershop.com.

The Bratwurst pickle: God over the hill at 31?

Rafa Benitez has sent a clear message to Robbie Fowler that the player's future at Liverpool is far from secure: 'Robbie is top class, no doubt about it, but you also need pace and stamina levels if you want to win trophies…' Which translates roughly as, 'Robbie hasn't looked after himself quite as well as Teddy Sheringham…' All this uncertainty must be mental torture for Fowler, who has been in good form since his return to Anfield. Benitez is obviously fishing for a younger, fitter Fowler replacement, so my advice to Robbie would be lay off the sauce and hit the gym.

What say you? Should God get a new Liverpool contract?

The Bratwurst pickle: Arsenal or England?

So here's a pretty dilemma: would you rather Arsenal win this season's Champions League, or England win this summer's World Cup?

An easy question to answer for non-Gooners out there, but how do Arsenal supporters feel on this matter - I suspect most would prefer their club team to win in Europe, rather than see Ashley Cole collect a World Cup winner's medal…