FOOTBALL: Barcelona are brilliant but not unbeatable

As Thierry Henry slotted in Barcelona's fourth goal at Camp Nou on Wednesday night, their opponents, the German champions Bayern Munich, must have thought it could not get any worse. 4-0 down after 43 minutes. But it could have been worse.

As Henry peeled away to celebrate the 51st Champions League goal of his career, his teamate Lionel Messi was lying on the floor just outside the 'D' of the penalty area, face in his hands. In the build-up to the goal, Bayern captain Mark van Bommel had thrust his shoulder at the oncoming Messi, who seemed to connect face-first. It was a red card offence, but English referee Howard Webb, who had called play-on to allow the advantge and the subsequent Henry strike, chose not to take any action.

Had the Dutch international van Bommel seen red, or had Barcelona been given a penalty kick earlier in the half when Christain Lell felled Lionel Messi, it could have been much worse for Bayern. As it was, Bayern goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt, who had taken a boot in the face from Henry in the first half, pulled of a couple of good stops in the second and Bayern's heaviest Champions League defeat is only 4-0.

Barcelona's front three- Samuel Eto'o, Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi- were sublime. They carved open Bayern's defence, even if it was a makeshift one lacking Lucio, Phillip Lahm and Daniel van Buyten and consisting of a Brazilian named Breno who has played only a few games all season. The Barcelona trio are capable of slicing open any defence; should Terry, Ferdinand or Carragher, to name a few, face Messi and co. later in the competition, it is likely to be how few goals they concede rather than keeping a clean sheet.

However, Barcelona are not unbeatable. Their midfield (Xavi, Iniesta etc.) and their forwards are among the best, but their defence is not in the same league as those of the English sides (although William Gallas' injury, that puts him out for the rest of the season, seriously weakens an Arsenal defence that is certainly the weaker of the four). Carlos Puyol, Barca's experienced centre-half, was forced to play at full-back and the Mexican Rafael Marquez played in the centre. Marquez is not a naturally defensive player and his forward wanderings leave holes in Barcelona's backline.

Barcelona are surely favourites to win the competition. When they are on form, it is difficult to see how they can be beaten. Nevertheless, if one of the English sides is organised in defence, particularly not allowing Henry or Messi to cut inside as they flow forward, keeps close tabs on the string-pullers Xavi and Iniesta as well as poking holes in Barcelona's less-than-secure defence, then Josep Guardiola's men will be denied.

BUNDESLIGA FOOTBALL: Matchday 19

Vfb Stuttgart pulled off the result of Matchday 19 in the Bundesliga with a 4-2 away at Bayer Leverkusen. The game was played at the LTU Arena in Dusseldorf because the Bayer Arena is being extended and Leverkusen were not allowed to settle into their new temporary home as Mario Gomez scored in the second minute. The lead was doubled by former Aston Villa midfielder, Tomas Hitzlsperger, whose free-kick was clocked at 125 km/h. Gomez added his second after halftime, his 37th goal in 43 Budesliga games, and despite a Leverkusen fightback, Stuttgart took all three points back to Baden-Wuerttemberg.

Last season's second and third placed teams, Werder Bremen and Schalke respectively, met in Gelsenkirchen, with both managers under pressure because of their current mid-table predicaments. There were many chances for both sides; Bremen's centre-half Naldo had three good chances but it was Schalke came out on top, winning a tight game 1-0.

At the Borrussia Park in Mönchengladbach, top met bottom as Hoffenheim were the visitors. Mönchengladbach took a first-half lead through Alexander Baumjohann, who will move to Bayern Munich at the end of the season, and looked like they had won the game until Wellington nodded in a free-kick in the dying minutes.

Bayern Munich's first home game since the winter break was against Borussia Dortmund, who took an early lead through Valdez after a defensive slip from Demechelis. Brazillian Ze Roberto equalised but the game looked to be heading for a draw before German international Miroslav Klose found the net twice in the last few minutes to secure a 3-1 win for Bayern.

Elsewhere, second place Hertha Berlin could only manage a 1-1 draw at struggling Arminia Bielefeld with Liverpool's on loan striker Andrej Voronin scoring their goal. The shock of the round was at the Wildparkstadion, where former German international goalkeeper Oliver Kahn watched struggling Karlsruhe secure a 3-2 home win against Martin Jol's Hamburg. Frankfurt and Cologne drew 2-2 at the Commerzbank Arena while Wolfsburg secured a solid 2-0 home win over Vfl Bochum. Finally, Energie Cottbus secured a priceless home win over Hannover which drags them out of the relegation zone. Hannover, who have the worst away record in the Bundesliga lost 3-1 at the Stadion der Freundschaft.

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	TSG Hoffenheim	19	8	2	0	23	6	4	1	4	22	18	21	39
2	Bayern Munich	19	6	2	1	27	17	5	3	2	15	9	16	38
3	Hertha Berlin	19	7	2	1	19	8	4	2	3	11	14	8	37
4	Hamburg	19	8	1	0	15	6	3	2	5	14	21	2	36
5	Bayer Leverkusen	19	5	1	4	20	14	5	2	2	19	12	13	33
6	VfB Stuttgart	19	6	2	2	18	9	3	2	4	14	16	7	31
7	Wolfsburg	19	8	1	0	25	6	0	5	5	13	20	12	30
8	Schalke 04	19	6	2	1	13	5	2	4	4	12	12	8	30
9	Borussia Dortmund	19	3	7	0	17	9	4	2	3	12	14	6	30
10	Werder Bremen	19	6	2	2	28	15	1	3	5	12	16	9	26
11	Cologne	19	3	2	4	8	12	4	1	5	14	16	-6	24
12	Eintracht Frankfurt	19	3	3	3	16	12	2	2	6	10	21	-7	20
13	Hannover 96	19	5	4	1	18	11	0	1	8	4	24	-13	20
14	Arminia Bielefeld	19	2	4	3	11	13	1	5	4	7	16	-11	18
15	Cottbus	19	2	1	6	8	16	2	3	5	7	16	-17	16
16	Karlsruhe	19	4	1	4	10	13	1	0	9	8	23	-18	16
17	VfL Bochum	19	2	4	4	15	16	0	4	5	6	16	-11	14
18	Borussia M'gladbach	19	2	2	6	12	19	1	1	7	7	19	-19	12

BUNDESLIGA FOOTBALL: Matchday 18

The Bundesliga re-started on Friday after a 7 week winter break with champions Bayern Munich travelling to fourth placed Hamburg, coached by former Tottenham Hotspur boss, Martin Jol. Hamburg, who were unbeaten at home going into the game, more than matched the mighty Bayern.

The game was a truly end-to-end affair, with numerous chances for both sides; one of which, a Luca Toni effort in the 28th minute, seemed perfectly legitimate but was ruled out. Hamburg did get on the scoresheet just before halftime when Mladen Petric headed in after a save from Bayern goalkeeper Michael Rensing. Bayern pushed on in the second-half, despite Franck Ribery struggling to get in the game, and created chances but Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni were particularly culpable of squandering chances, and Hamburg held on for a 1-0 win.

League leaders TSG Hoffenheim welcomed Energie Cottbus to the new Rhein-Neckar Arena for the first Bundesliga game at the stadium. Despite the long-term injury of Vedad Ibisevic, who has 18 goals for the season, Hoffenheim won comfortably through goals from Demba Ba and Boubacar Sanogo. New signing Timo Hildebrand, the former Vfb Stuttgart goalkeeper, who was signed from Valencia in Spain, went off injured but it is expected to play next week.

In the capital, Hertha Berlin, after a superb year in 2008, began where they left off with a 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt at the Olympiastadion. Two goals from Marko Pantelic, who continues not to see eye-to-eye with coach Lucien Favre, were enough for Berlin despite sustained second-half pressure from Frankfurt which included Benjamin Köhler's strike.

Hannover 96 welcomed back German international goalkeeper Robert Enke after a four month lay-off, for the game against Schalke. Germany's number one was instrumental in rebuffing a number of efforts from Schalke as Hannover won a very open game by one goal to nil. Sergio Pinto scored the goal and Schalke forward Gerald Asamoah was particularly guilty of missing oppurtunites for the away side.

Elsewhere, Vfb Stuttgart beat bottom side Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Mercedes-Benz Arena with goals through Romanian international Ciprian Marica and German international Mario Gomez. Wolfsburg secured a draw on an absolutley awful pitch in Cologne, while Borrussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen managed the same result at the Signal Iduna Park, the biggest club stadium in Germany. Vfl Bochum had an important win at home to fellow strugglers Karlsruhe with goals through Fuchs and Klimowicz and Arminia Bielefeld cause the shock of the weekend, winning 2-1 against Champions League regulars Werder Bremen. Bremen badly missed the suspended Diego and Claudio Pizarro and find themselves in the bottom half of the league going into matchday 19.

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	TSG Hoffenheim	18	8	2	0	23	6	4	0	4	21	17	21	38
2	Hertha Berlin	18	7	2	1	19	8	4	1	3	10	13	8	36
3	Hamburg	18	8	1	0	15	6	3	2	4	12	18	3	36
4	Bayern Munich	18	5	2	1	24	16	5	3	2	15	9	14	35
5	Bayer Leverkusen	18	5	1	3	18	10	5	2	2	19	12	15	33
6	Borussia Dortmund	18	3	7	0	17	9	4	2	2	11	11	8	30
7	VfB Stuttgart	18	6	2	2	18	9	2	2	4	10	14	5	28
8	Wolfsburg	18	7	1	0	23	6	0	5	5	13	20	10	27
9	Schalke 04	18	5	2	1	12	5	2	4	4	12	12	7	27
10	Werder Bremen	18	6	2	2	28	15	1	3	4	12	15	10	26
11	Cologne	18	3	2	4	8	12	4	0	5	12	14	-6	23
12	Hannover 96	18	5	4	1	18	11	0	1	7	3	21	-11	20
13	Eintracht Frankfurt	18	3	2	3	14	10	2	2	6	10	21	-7	19
14	Arminia Bielefeld	18	2	3	3	10	12	1	5	4	7	16	-11	17
15	VfL Bochum	18	2	4	4	15	16	0	4	4	6	14	-9	14
16	Karlsruhe	18	3	1	4	7	11	1	0	9	8	23	-19	13
17	Cottbus	18	1	1	6	5	15	2	3	5	7	16	-19	13
18	Borussia M'gladbach	18	2	1	6	11	18	1	1	7	7	19	-19	11

FOOTBALL: Newcastle 1-1 Sunderland (01.02.09): Black Cats feel agrieved after 'terrible' penalty decision

This was a game of two halves if ever there was one. Sunderland dominated the first-half, going ahead through a Djibril Cisse goal just after half an hour. Newcastle equalised in the second half, through a debatable penalty, but neither side showed the class to win the game.

Sunderland started brightly but had to wait until the 20th minute until they really threatened Steve Harper's goal. Kieron Richardson's 25 yard free-kick crashed against the left-hand post and rebounded eventually to Kenwyne Jones, whose shot was cleared off the line by debutant Kevin Nolan. Both players were in the news this week: Jones signing a lucrative new contract at the Stadium of Light, while Nolan was signed from Bolton Wanderers for £4 million.

The Magpies replied moments later, when Andy Carroll's looping header struck the top of the crossbar. Otherwise, the Sunderland midfield was linking up well and they made the pressure count in the 33rd minute, when Kenwyne Jones ducked under a Dean Whithead lob into the box and Djibril Cisse, who was just onside, saw his first shot saved by Steve Harper but steered the rebound into an empty net. Andy Carroll fired a shot just wide 5 minutes before half-time but Sunderland looked comfortable.

However, the Black Cats completely lost their way in the second-half as Newcastle dominated possession . Their poor play was typified by Steed Malbranque and Kieron Richardson's inability to keep the ball in midfield, after looking good before the break. Sunderland were not helped by the injury to goalscorer Djibril Cisse, who hobbled off after mistiming a tackle. Kenwyne Jones looked like he may be following his strike-partner down the tunnel, after a crunching tackle from Sebastien Bassong, who was superb in the Newcastle defence. But Jones stayed on.

Jonas Gutierrez ran his socks off for the Magpies, tormenting Sunderland full-back Phil Bardsley, who had picked up an early booking. Named man-of-the-match at the end, the Argentinian winger's purposeful runs and pressure culminated eventually in a Newcastle goal. Midway through the second-half, local boy Steven Taylor burst into the box shadowed by Steed Malbranque. Taylor appeared to stick out his left leg and cause the Frenchman to stumble, but in the referee Howard Webb's opinion, Malbranque's somewhat clumsy fall which knocked over the Newcastle number 27 was a foul, and the Premier League's top referee pointed to the spot. Shola Ameobi smashed in the penalty.

Despite the perceived injustice, Sunderland did not improve after the goal, continuing to give the ball away cheaply to Joe Kinnear's team. That said, Sunderland did almost snatch the game. In the 84th minute, substitute and former Newcastle man, Michael Chopra, stole the ball from Fabricio Coliccini and ran into the left-hand side of the box; Steve Harper and the goal beckoning. However, the man who scored for Newcastle against Sunderland in a Tyne-Wear derby a few seasons ago, attempted an unlikely cross to Kenwyne Jones and missed his target. The conspiracy theories started.

Sunderland could also have snatched it in the final minute of added time, when a poor Newcastle clearance fell to the feet of Andy Reid, another substitute, who took it down and volleyed just wide. It would have been the first time Sunderland have beaten Newcastle home and away in one season since 1967.

Ricky Sbragia is probably a little happier than Joe Kinnear with this result, especially as the Balck Cats began the game three points ahead of their local rivals in the league. But judging by Danny Collins comments after the game, labelling the penalty decision as "terrible," Sunderland feel that they should have made the short trip home with all three points.

FOOTBALL: The behaviour of Premier League players has to improve

Manchester United's 3-0 win over Chelsea on 11th January was, in the main, an excellent advert for the Premier League. There were lots of classy, expensive, world-renowned players competing in England's largest club stadium and they produced a good, competitive game with 3 goals.

Both teams passed the ball crisply and accurately. Chelsea dominated the first half hour's possession, but with Drogba relatively isolated, looked lacking going forward. With the introduction of Anelka for Deco at half-time, Chelsea began to lose the midfield battle and were ultimately outclassed. Luiz Felipe Scolari has been criticised for having no Plan B and this game was yet another piece to add to the mounting evidence that Anelka and Drogba struggle to play together, whether in Plan A, B or Z.

For United's part, everything went to plan. Ryan Giggs, a surprise choice in the starting XI, was superb and Darren Fletcher more than matched the muscle of Michael Ballack and John Mikel Obi. Both Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov got on the scoresheet and young Jonny Evans looks increasingly like a future United centre-back.

Overall, Richard Scudamore and friends can be happy with what was broadcast to hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide. Even referee Howard Webb had a good afternoon, even if he did have to dish out quite a number of yellow cards.

But with all the increases that there have been in the Premier Lague in the last few seasons- player's wages, number of foreign players, quality of football, ticket prices, pitch standards- it has seen no such increase in disciplinary standards. I am going to single out Wayne Rooney, but he is far from the only overpaid ego to conduct himself well below the level of acceptability, nevermind sportsmanship.

With 20 minutes on the clock in the United-Chelsea encounter, Rooney was ajudged by referee Howard Webb of committing a foul in Manchester United's right back area. Seeing that the decision had gone against him, Rooney gave Webb an aggressive torrent of bad language, including "f*&k off!" Webb strode over to the spot where the free-kick was to be taken and called Rooney over. The referee called Wayne by his first name, just as everyone could hear on the pitchside television microphone, but Rooney walked away, raising his arm in the air a couple of times to signal that he had heard the referee but did not care. When Rooney eventually turned around, he listened to a couple of words before turning around again and sulking like a 5 year old.

No more than 10 minutes later, Rooney was at it again. Whilst I can understand the England International's frustration at Ronaldo's headed 'goal' being disallowed, despite Rooney and Giggs' clever corner routine being within the rules, his response was a disgrace. He sprinted over to the assistant referee and shouted abuse at the official from half a metre away, using the widest range of his foul language. How referee Webb had the patience during these two incidents to put up with Rooney, without even cautioning him, is a testament to England's best referee.

I despair at how normal such behaviour has become. I don't want to see games reduced to nine-on-nine by half-time because the referees have punished every piece of dissent, but Webb's tolerance of Rooney does nothing to stop him from doing it next time and makes a mockery of the FA's already ridiculed 'Respect' campaign. The FA need to bring retrospective fines or even bans for persistent dissenters (as well as divers and other offenders) or simply start cautioning dissenters during games. I accept the short term effect would be numerous sendings-off, but something has to be done, otherwise the game is likely to continue in this rut of very poor discipline.

FOOTBALL: Arsenal 1-0 Bolton Wanderers (10.01.09): Late Bendtner strike saves toothless Arsenal

When the idea of a 39th game in the Premier LEague was floated by Richard Scudamore and co., one of the numerous questions was: Which world city would want a game that doesn't involve the 'Big Four'?" This game at the Emirates involved one of the Big Four and may well have had the residents of Hong Kong or Cape Town trying to find out how to get their money back.

Bolton manager Gary Megson named only four of a possible seven substitutes and awarded Chris Basham only his second appearance of the season; the first of which was two minutes against Sunderland in November.

Megson's lack of options showed in Bolton's approach, which often involved at least ten men behind the ball, the kind of which his opposite number, Arsene Wenger, has complained about many times in the past.

By the half hour mark, Arsenal had a 70-30 possession advantage, but they struggled to convert their dominance into chances. Robin Van Persie twice volleyed over from similar positions on the edge of the area, but otherwise the Gunners offered little threat to Jussi Jaaskelainen's goal.

Bolton's lack of players was not helped just before half-time, when striker Johan Elmander limped off to be replaced by Riga Mustafa. When the substitute was then substituted in the second-half, his disgust was obvious. Not that it made a lot of difference; Bolton's attacking threat was negligible.

That is not to say Gary Megson's men were completely chanceless. Five minutes after the break, an excellent crossfield ball by Jason Gardner was noded goalward from 15 yards by Matthew Taylor, but the effort was comfortably saved by Manuel Almunia.

The game was beyond the hour mark before Arsenal created their first clear chance; Samir Nasri, who has fitted very well into Arsene Wenger's quick-passing midfield, played a diagonal ball into the unmarked Emmanuel Adebayor in the penalty area. The Togo international had plenty of time, but rather inexplicably took a fraction too long and allowed Andy O'Brien to block his shot.

An excellent Arsenal move a few minutes later saw Adebayor back-flick the ball into the path of the oncoming Van Persie who, in the presence of a couple of Bolton defenders, controlled well, continued into the box and stabbed the ball goalwards, only to see the ball rebound off the post.

Arsenal's continuing advances eventually paid-off five minutes from time, when Gael Clichy played Van Persie in down the left-hand side of the box and his dinked cross was met at the backpost by substitute Nicklas Bendtner, who poked the ball home.

Arsenal did face a scare late on, when Kevin Davies found space in the area, but his effort from 8 yards out went straight into the arms of Almunia. A draw, however, would have flattered Bolton.

As for Arsenal, this result was crucial, particularly after Aston Villa's lunchtime win over West Brom. However, Arsenal's inability to consistently take teams apart, as frequently say as Manchester United or Chelsea, is the reason that their grip on a Champions League place is under continued threat from Aston Villa.

FOOTBALL: Gillingham 1-2 Aston Villa (04.01.09): Milner brace masks poor Villa performance

Two goals from James Milner, the second a contentious penalty, saved Aston Villa's blushes in an exciting third round FA Cup tie at the Priestfield Stadium.

Gillingham started the game brightly, but a poor clearance from Adam Miller allowed Milner in for a 14th minute opener. Villa's £12 million summer signing from Newcastle played a one-two with Stiliyan Petrov before side-footing coolly past the Gills' Simon Royce.

After the goal, Gillingham had much of the ball and pressed into the Villa half, but created few clear chances. Striker Simeon Jackson should have done better with a header at the back-post from a free-kick.

Nevertheless, it was Villa that should have gone in 2-0 up at half-time. Just before the break, an excellent James Milner cross was volleyed over by Nathan Delfouneso, to the visible disgust of manager Martin O'Neill. The 17 year old Delfouneso, who started due to Gabriel Agbonlahor's illness, was preferred to Marlon Harewood, suggesting that the latter may be surplus to requirements at Villa Park and on his way out in the January transfer window.

The second half began much as the first ended, and Gillingham scored a deserved goal just before the hour mark. Zat Knight, who was lucky to get away with a big mistake in the first half, was turned far too easily by Simeon Jackson who drilled his shot into the top-right corner. It was nothing more than the League Two side deserved.

Knight's mistake was symptomatic of Villa's defensive frailty. Both Curtis Davies and makeshift right-back Nigel Reo-Coker were booked in the first half and Nicky Shorey did nothing to suggest he would regain his place in the first eleven, which he has lost in recent weeks.

With only 13 minutes left on the clock, Ashley Young burst into the area and tumbled over Gillingham defender Adam Miller. Referee Stroud pointed to the spot, despite Young appearing to go down very easily, and James Milner, on his 23rd birthday, slotted home the penalty.

Villa go through to the fouth round to play Cheltenham or Doncaster, but speculation over certain players' futures will only be stoked by this performance.

FOOTBALL: Robinho, Torres, Van Nistelrooy and ... Gomez?

It was one of those ‘what were you doing when…?’ moments. I was sitting in a pub on Tottenham Court Road, confronting my second pint. Dave, a friend from school, was describing some wonderful adventure he had had recently in New Zealand or Fiji or somewhere. However, the television screen on the wall was trying to catch my attention. A Sky Sports News presenter was standing outside Eastlands, with swathes of happy Manchester City fans behind him. I had heard of the takeover of City by Abu Dhabi United Group on the bus down to London from Newcastle earlier that day.

Then the moment came. ‘MAN CITY SIGN ROBINHO.’ I did a Rowan Atkinson-style double-take, but Dave continued. The pub had become a little quieter as people started to take notice of the screen. There was a gasp here and a ‘No way!’ there. Finally I had to stop Dave in mid-flow. I asked him to confirm that I was not seeing things. Manchester City had signed Robinho from Real Madrid for the best part of £35 million.

A few weeks on, the reality has sunk in, and thankfully sports programmes on television, radio and paper format have stopped the incessant talk of the new ‘richest club in the world.’ Whatever your opinion on how Man City will fare in the future, it is the relationship between Mark Hughes, one of England’s best young managers, and the new owners, that intrigues me. After seeing the power struggle between Jose Mourinho and Roman Abramovich at Chelsea, it begs the question how much interference will Hughes accept from the owners over the question of transfers. How much influence did Hughes really have over the signing of Robinho?

The Daily Telegraph seemed to shed some light on this in an article on Friday September 19^th. It is claimed that Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan personally insisted that one of a list of six players be signed on transfer deadline day, in order for the deal to go through. The eventual signing, Robinho, was one of the six. Another was Dimitar Berbatov, who City reportedly agreed to meet in Manchester before he was whisked away from under their noses by the team from the red side of Manchester. Former Manchester United striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy was on the list, as was Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. David Villa, Euro 2008 top scorer and reported Real Madrid replacement for Robinho, also made the shortlist.

It was the sixth man on this so-called ‘galactico’ list that intrigued me. Mario Gomez, born in Germany to a Spanish father and German mother, has acquired the nickname ‘Mr Reliable’ in Germany for his consistent goal-scoring, no-matter the form of his club, Vfb Stuttgart. While the media speculated that Drogba was leaving Chelsea at the end of last season, Gomez was mooted as a replacement. Coincidentally, the 6ft 3in striker made his Stuttgart debut against Chelsea in the Champions League in 2004.

Gomez’ Bundesliga scoring record is excellent. In his second full season for Stuttgart, he netted 14 goals in 25 games, helping them to win the Bundesliga. Last season, while his team struggled and eventually scraped into the Inter-Toto Cup, Gomez managed 19 league goals in the same number of games, as well as 3 Champions League goals. This is all very impressive, but I am still surprised to see him in the ‘galactico’ list. He is 23 year old, with only two full seasons behind, playing in a league that, while I enjoy watching the Bundesliga, offers a staggering number of high-scoring games for a top European league. The reason: most of the defences are mediocre at best, (note Bayern Munich, the team with by far the most money and historical success, conceding 5 at home to Werder Bremen on September 20^th 2008.)

Gomez is undoubtedly an excellent prospect, and every Stuttgart fan I have spoken to is resigned to him leaving the Swabian side at the end of the season. But how on earth did this young star, who unfortunately vastly underperformed while in the spotlight of Euro 2008 for Germany, get on to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s list? Regardless, barring injury, Gomez has a very bright future. Will we get the pleasure of watching him in the Premier League sometime? I have a feeling we will…

FOOTBALL: Aston Villa 2-2 Arsenal (26.12.08): Arsenal once more forget the winning formula

Arsene Wenger could not afford to lose this game. Arsenal have already lost five games this season, two more than the whole of the last campaign. A home win would have put six points between Villa and Arsenal; further strengthening the former's chances of securing a Champion's League place for next season at the cost of the latter.

Yet Arsenal could very easily have lost. From the off, Villa were brighter, winning the lion's share of 50-50s in midfield, sending balls down the flanks for the ever-willing Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young. The space created in the middle was amply filled by supporting midfielders and even defenders; Curtis Davies should have done better with a misdirected header early on and Luke Young forced a good save from Manuel Almunia with a deflected 25 yard strike.

Arsenal lacked direction and accuracy; a stray pass on the break from Emmanuel Eboue which comfortably missed the target of Robin Van Persie typified the Gunner's poor start. At the other end, Villa were piling on the pressure, hitting the woodwork three times in the first half. Steve Sidwell headed a corner onto the upright, James Milner snook in at the far post only to see his right foot stab come back of the post and Curtis Davies was very unlucky when his turn and lob just inside the penalty area struck the crossbar.

But just three minutes after Davies' effort, Nigle Reo-Coker tried to be a bit too clever in clearing his lines, letting Denilson first block and then cooly slide the ball under the advancing Brad Friedel. A brilliant Bacary Sagna overhead clearance off the goalline prevented a quick equaliser from Ashley Young. The Gunners had a 1-0 halftime lead.

When Abou Diaby finished a flowing Arsenal move just after half-time to make it 2-0 and van Persie struck a post not long after, it looked like all three points were going back to the Emirates.

But this season you cannot do much worse than to underestimate Martin O'Neill's men and Arsenal's inability to see out a game came to haunt them again.

With 63 minutes on the clock, William Gallas committed a clumsy foul in the area while tracking Gabriel Agbonlahor. Gareth Barry drilled home the resulting penalty. The final half hour was, in reality, a relatively equal affair with few chances, but Arsenal failed to sure up the back line and in stoppage time, Villa centre-half Zat Knight found himslef in space fifteen yards out and coolly slotted the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

It was no more than Villa deserved, especially considering their numerous first-half chances, but Wenger will be disappointed with Arsenal's gift of a first goal and conceding the second in the 92nd minute. Unsurprisingly, the referee bore some of the blame from Wenger in the post-match interview. Like Arsenal' inability to close out games, some things never change.

FOOTBALL: Taking a Stand: Should standing areas be re-introduced into top-flight English football?

One of my earliest football memories is being in the Roker End for a thumping 6-0 win for Sunderland against Millwall. Prior to the game at Roker Park, Millwall were top of the First Division, only to be replaced by the Rokerites at full time. I vaguely remember a Craig Russell hat-trick as well as goals from Martin Scott (almost certainly a penalty) and Phil Gray. Doing a bit of research, I also discovered that the manager of Millwall at the time was none other than Mick McCarthy. The game took place on Saturday December 9 1995 and within two months McCarthy had replaced Jack Charlton as Republic of Ireland manager. McCarthy later became Sunderland manager.

As great a result as this undoubtedly was, it is not the main reason that I remember that particular game (this result paled into relative insignificance compared to the record-breaking 9-0 win that I had witnessed nine months earlier at Old Trafford, where a ruthless Manchester United had made Ipswich Town look totally hapless). No, as far as I can remember, this was my first game on the terraces and remains one of very few games in which I have stood.

It was the events of April 15 1989 and the subsequent Taylor Report into the Hillsborough disaster which sealed the fate of the terrace in top flight football. As a response to a number of hooligan and crowd segregation problems in the 1980s, it became increasingly popular to erect impenetrable fences around the separate fans. Such a system was in place for the Liverpool-Nottingham Forest FA Cup semi final at Hillsborough in 1989. However, as the gates at the back of the Lepping Lane End were opened at kick-off to prevent problems outside the ground, the rush of people onto the terrace crushed the people nearer the front. 96 fans died.

The Taylor Report into the tragic incident, recommended that all top flight stadia should be all-seater, and by the end of the following decade the move was implemented. (I can remember trying to get into the Roker End in the 1996-1997 Premier League season for a game against Tottenham Hotspur. Sunderland was given grace to use terracing that season because they had a new all-seater stadium being built to be ready for the next season.)

Although all-seater stadia are now the norm in top-flight English football, especially to the younger generation, there remains a significant minority who continue to push for safe standing-areas at Premier League football grounds. In 2000, as reported by the BBC, Kate Hoey, the then Sports Minister, angered the families of Hillsborough victims by suggesting safe standing areas could be introduced. Last year 145 MPs signed a motion in Parliament for a rule change to allow for small, safe, standing areas in football grounds in the top two divisions. Even David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party, said in January 2007 that "there may be some more modern ways of organising the limited standing areas."

The top German league, the Bundesliga, is the most common example given by pro-standing lobbyists of effective and safe terracing at large football stadia. The Bundesliga boasts some fantastic grounds, especially as many were revamped for the 2006 World Cup. There are certainly more 50,000+ capacity club stadiums in Germany than in England, all of which offer standing areas. With this in mind, I was very happy to accept the chance to experience standing in the Bundesliga. The Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion in Stuttgart hosted the 3rd/4th place play-off between Germany and Portugal in the 2006 World Cup, as well as England’s 2nd round tie against Ecuador. It has 4,187 spaces for standing out of a stadium capacity of 55,896. And I was there for Stuttgart’s home Bundesliga tie with Hamburg on Saturday 5th April.

The terraced area is different to the old Roker End at Sunderland. Every three steps, space enough in depth probably for two grown men or maybe three younger fans, is regimentally divided up by a railing about stomach-height of a grown man. They span the whole width of the standing area so that the only way in and out, is via the steps to the extreme left or right-hand side. The railings have temporary seats built into them, so that it can be used as a seating area, as was required during the World Cup.

Never for a second on the terrace at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadion did I feel unsafe. Nevertheless, that is not my whole-hearted endorsement of the re-introduction of standing areas in the Premier League. As a young adult, I have largely grown up with all-seater stadia, and before my trip to Stuttgart’s stadium, I would certainly have said I was happy with the Premier League rules on football grounds. But my experience at the Gottlieb Daimler Stadion made me realise that safe standing areas in large football stadia is possible, workable and it seems, judging by the support for the idea in England, desirable.

The atmosphere in the standing area was fantastic; incomparable with seating areas. Due to the closeness of supporters to each other, the songs resounded in a way that would not be possible in the seats and the German tradition (and in other continental European countries) of jumping in unison was a sight I will never forget. It also encourages conversation between strangers much better than seating areas, and even yours truly with poor German managed a bit of talk with the locals, albeit most of it reverting to English. I am sure anyone who has experienced standing at football knows what I am talking about.

I was not alive for the Heysel disaster, and too young to remember the tragedy at Hillsborough. I did not experience any of the football hooliganism of the 1970s and 1980s, and can only rely on the memories of others, such as those penned in Nick Hornby’s fantastic book, Fever Pitch. It seems to me however that banning terracing in the Premier League was a simple blanket way of giving police greater control over fans. There is no doubt that the policing at matches is much easier nowadays, but the football experience has suffered. And football is entertainment. If supporters behave and clubs are prepared to create safe, standing areas such as those in the Bundesliga (of course clubs may be reluctant after spending so much money on erecting all-seater environments), then maybe there is a future for the terrace at the top of English football. Would a Cameron Conservative government fulfil their promise to "have a really good look at this"? Only time will tell.