England Huff And Puff, Cesc & Loads In

England ventured onto the World Cup stage last night and produced an emminently forgettable performance. Plenty of endeavour but few succeed without natural talent to supplement it. Perhaps Fabio Capello will  but a point will have disappointed a man who exists only to win.

Robert Green is taking the brickbats which is entirely understandable, a workmanlike USA! USA! USA! deserved their point, not least for exposing the limitations of the squad. Capello’s decision to bring on Shaun Wright-Phillips for Milner brought no ingenuity to the left, Joe Cole may well have been more incisive as he is used to that position.

Aaron Lennon showed in bursts that he can provide width but the dangerous crosses came from Johnson and Gerrard. Would Walcott have done any better? Perhaps not but I am sure he would have taken the shot on in a similar position to that which Lennon found himself in the first half, the decision to cross showed his natural winger’s instinct rather than a forward’s selfishness.

Defensively, the central pairing of Terry with King / Carragher was not uncomfortable but not authoratative either. In short, a nervy performance with few showing the class that we are reportedly told every week that they possess. It isn’t the end of the world nor was it a signal of intent. It was a typical opening game, the top of the group still beckons and that is all that matters at this stage.

Onto Arsenal. Arsene is in South Africa and told the media that They can do one:

There is nothing to say, Cesc Fabregas is Arsenal and has a contract. We are not interested at all in breaking it.

Definitive and today’s election should not change that. Laporta stays in office until the 30th of this month and no doubt will try again. His sidekicks noted on Friday that there are three parties at the negotiating table and Barcelona have not been invited. Which sums Them up rather nicely: unwelcomed gatecrashers. Still, they have not even got in the building yet so ner-ne-ner-ne-ner.

Joe Cole is apparently going to sign a contract for £135k per week which will no doubt send Fabregas’ agent into Arsene’s office for a new contract. And why not? If he is going to commit to Arsenal and publicly declare he does not want to go to Barcelona for the duration of his deal, let him have parity. Give it to van Persie as well for the same terms. But for God’s Sake not a deal where bonuses are paid up front, akin to the one Henry signed.

Apparently Wenger is trying to annoy the Spaniards by nicking Gregory van der Weil, who wants Robin van Persie to put in a good word with Wenger for him. Do it! Mind you, he did the same for van der Vaart and look where that got him.

It seems that the £30m Arsene has spent a decade building up is burning a hole in his pocket. He’s got Cole, wants van der Weil and is intent on signing Schwarzer, Jagielka, Koscielny and Peinaar. A whole new team in one summer it feels like.

’til Tomorrow