Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

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• Steven Gerrard: England have improved since 4-1 beating by Germany
• England will have a clearer picture of their position after Germany | Daniel Taylor
• Andre Marriner keeps Premier League status despite penalty mistake
• Robbie Keane will not lead Ireland in Poland and may require surgery
• How Qatar became a football force
• Kolbeinn Sigthorsson to miss Iceland's World Cup play-off in Croatia
• Suárez offered Henry's private jet
• Brackley Town 1-0 Gillingham | FA Cup first-round replay match report
• A-League tactics: Pedj Bojic takes pressure off Alessandro Del Piero
• Ravel Morrison's training volley gives Southgate reason for excitement
• Löw defends decision to rest players
• Kris Boyd thanks coaching badges for Scotland recall for Norway game
• France fight history and despondency
• Lionel Messi will not be rushed back from hamstring injury
• Swedish hope cold will stop Ronaldo
• England's Joe Hart and John Ruddy train before clash with Germany - video
• England v Germany: Roy Hodgson and Steven Gerrard look ahead to showdown – video
• England v Germany: Joachim Löw looks forward to game at 'legendary' Wembley – video
• The Fiver | A Gallic shrug en masse | Jacob Steinberg
• Sturridge and Lallana to start for England against Germany
• Burkina Faso on course for World Cup but they must go it alone in Algeria
• England friendlies should be a chance to learn, not to kill players' careers | Jacob Steinberg
• Qatar's accidental vagina stadium is most gratifying | Holly Baxter
• France v Ukraine: 84% of French public gives up on Didier Deschamps' team
• Jordan wins damages from OK! magazine

Steven Gerrard: England have improved since 4-1 beating by Germany Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:11 PM PST • Captain says side is 'stronger' than one thrashed at World Cup • Nine changes made for friendly against Joachim Löw's team Steven Gerrard will lead England out in Tuesday's friendly against Germany having insisted the current national team is stronger and better balanced than the side overwhelmed so comprehensively by the Germans in Bloemfontein at the 2010 World Cup. The Liverpool midfielder is one of three survivors, alongside Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney, from the starting line-up at Free State Stadium three years ago who will play at Wembley, where England have not prevailed in the fixture since 1975. Roy Hodgson will select Chris Smalling at centre-half, Tom Cleverley in midfield and Adam Lallana on the left as he continues to audition prospective players for next summer's tournament in Brazil, with the Germans, too, expected to experiment with their team. This will be the first meeting of the sides since that infamous collision in Free State, where Fabio Capello's England endured the frustration of seeing Frank Lampard's "equalising goal" waved away and were ultimately, and ruthlessly, unpicked on the counter-attack. Asked if the current team are better than the one thrashed that day, Gerrard, who will draw level with Bobby Moore on 108 caps, said: "I'd say we are and the reason I feel that is that, if we were to meet Germany tomorrow in a World Cup, I don't think we'd leave the pitch having been beaten 4-1. "I do feel we are a lot stronger. There is a good mix of youth and experience in the squad at the moment. We are all moving forward and improving all the time. I look back to the Chile result last Friday and I came away from that game feeling different from a lot of people: I'm really confident that, if we were to meet Chile further on into a World Cup competition, we would have the players at full strength to go and beat them. "What happened in 2001 [when England won a World Cup qualifier 5-1 in Munich] and 2010 is not going to have any impact on the result tomorrow. It's a different game. I suppose, if you look at how they've performed in recent tournaments and where they're ranked [No2 in the world, according to Fifa], then maybe we are slight underdogs. But, if you look at both squads and starting XIs, I wouldn't say huge underdogs. This is a game all the players are desperate to win and bounce back from the Chile performance." Hodgson will make nine changes from that defeat, with only Lallana – the most impressive of a trio of debutants on Friday – and Rooney retained. Joe Hart, out of favour at Manchester City, will play his first match in over three weeks while Cleverley's start will be his first since the friendly victory over Scotland in August. Daniel Sturridge, with 23 goals in 33 games for club and country this calendar year, will feature despite being unable to complete training at London Colney on Monday as he continues to be hampered by a thigh complaint. The forward's discomfort is a legacy of a disrupted pre-season – he was injured in the draw with the Republic of Ireland at the end of last term – and requires careful monitoring, particularly with Liverpool's derby against Everton on Saturday. Yet Hodgson suggested he had never expected the 24-year-old to complete the last session before the Germany fixture. "It's not been a great problem for Liverpool," said the England manager. "The injury occurred two and a half weeks ago and I'm entitled to think and believe the injury is no worse than it was when he last played for Liverpool against Fulham. The doctors tell me he's fit enough to play but it won't be 90 minutes. I've got Rickie Lambert, who was injured and couldn't play on Friday, who I want to see on the field. "I intend to use this game like I used the Chile game, to 'air' this squad. Hopefully the bulk of the players will, at some stage, get the chance to get on the field and get a cap and show what they can do. So, when March comes around, if I then say, 'This is my squad' and there aren't people in that squad who've maybe been there for a while, they won't be able to turn round and say: 'You had me in the squad but never even gave me the chance to show what I can do.'" The Everton teenager Ross Barkley is expected to earn a third cap at some stage, most likely as a No10 playing off either Rooney or Lambert, while even Gerrard may not complete the full 90 minutes. The captain, who has started every Premier League game this season, has been carrying a hip problem over recent weeks and underwent an injection last week as part of an established programme of treatment and rehabilitation. The injections help support the ligaments in the hip. "I have them every couple of years," added Gerrard. "My game-return when I had them two years ago – I surprised myself really, so I'm hoping I can get the same game-return from this set I've had. I wouldn't have them if I didn't feel any benefit from them. The reason I went in for these recently is because I've felt so good physically over the last couple of years." England Steven Gerrard Germany Friendlies Dominic Fifield theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

England will have a clearer picture of their position after Germany | Daniel Taylor Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:06 PM PST Roy Hodgson is more interested in on-pitch relationships between players than worrying about Germany's visit In an interview with Bild at the weekend Roy Hodgson was asked to pick the three people who came to mind when he thought about Germany. The first was easy: Franz Beckenbauer. At number two he went for Angela Merkel. It was the third one that stumped him. "I thought they might like the name of Thomas Mann so I slung it in there," he explained on Monday. "I've read only two Thomas Mann novels in my life and I gave up one of them, Doctor Faustus, after 10 pages. It was too difficult for me." Hodgson was asked the same question, this time with an English slant, after the final training session before Germany roll up at Wembley. The first name he reeled off was Bobby Moore (followed by William Shakespeare and John Lennon). Frank Lampard had mistakenly referred to "Sir Bobby" last week before realising there was never a knighthood. "There should have been," Hodgson interjected. Against a backdrop like that it is no wonder Steven Gerrard, even with his own record of achievement, admitted feeling "slightly embarrassed" when, in the next seat, Hodgson went into his eulogy about the fact his captain is about to draw level with Moore on 108 caps. Gerrard will overtake David Beckham if England get through the group stage in Brazil and he plays in every game between now and then. Though for now, with Germany capable of making this a problematic night, England's thinking has to be short-term. Hodgson's face certainly fell when he was informed that England had not lost back-to-back games on their own ground since Wales and Scotland won at the old Wembley in 1977. Germany, by his own reckoning, have a realistic chance of becoming the first European nation to win the World Cup on South American soil. England will have a clearer understanding of their own position after Joachim Löw's team have passed through but there is no getting away from the fact the performance against Chile, albeit with an experimental line-up, was a jolt – or that Hodgson still gives the impression he is looking for a decent team to take shape rather than knowing, for certain, what his best options are. He can be encouraged by the report he received from his goalkeeping coach, Dave Watson, about Joe Hart's performance in training, featuring at least three outstanding saves. A solid performance would firmly re-establish Manchester City's goalkeeper, in Hodgson's eyes, as a mandatory first-team pick. Anything less, on the other hand, will turn the volume back up again among his critics. Ashley Cole also has a lot riding on this game now it is clear he and Leighton Baines might have to job-share at left-back but it is not only that side of defence where there is a question mark. Amid the Cole-Baines debate it has largely been overlooked there is another battle going on between Glen Johnson and Kyle Walker for the right-back spot. Hodgson was emphatic there were no first choices. "I'm not prepared to say who I think the right-back and left-back should be when we start the tournament in Brazil." Inevitably the subject of England's 4-1 defeat by Germany in the last World Cup cropped up. Yet too much can be made of what this means for the current team and management. Hodgson is looking for clues, rather than a belated form of revenge (on behalf of Fabio Capello), far more interested in building on-pitch relationships between various players than getting one back for Bloemfontein. Daniel Sturridge's partnership with Wayne Rooney is of particular importance, with the Liverpool striker passed fit despite ending training early because he is still being troubled by a slight groin injury. Sturridge will make way at some point for Rickie Lambert in a team that will also see Adam Lallana get a second cap. "It was important he gets another chance," Hodgson said of the Southampton wide player. "He's playing in one of the positions in which we're short of personnel, because Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck are all missing. I was more than satisfied with his performance against Chile." As for the idea of playing Baines and Cole together, with the Everton man in the more advanced position, Hodgson made it clear he considered this a step too far. "It's not a reality at the moment. We're England, we have lots of other opportunities and you'd be asking me to play somebody in a position where he doesn't play for his club, even though theoretically he might have the qualities to play there." With only one more friendly, against Denmark in March, before Hodgson has to name his World Cup squad, it is also true, however, that Lallana may have to impress more than he did against Chile. Tom Cleverley needs a big performance, having dropped out of the picture recently, and Ross Barkley could be excused for worrying about the implications of not getting a start in either of the two friendlies. As for 1977, it is a nice one for the fact-collectors but Hodgson was perfectly correct when he said it did not really have any relevance to the greater picture. "It won't stop us winning our first match in the World Cup, will it? I don't think, psychologically, it will hurt us in six or seven months' time." Equally it would not do his team's confidence, or maybe his own, a great deal of good. England Roy Hodgson Friendlies Daniel Taylor theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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Andre Marriner keeps Premier League status despite penalty mistake Posted: 18 Nov 2013 03:00 PM PST • Referee awarded Chelsea controversial late penalty • Will take charge of Fulham v Swansea on Saturday Andre Marriner, who awarded Chelsea a controversial penalty against West Bromwich Albion last week, will officiate in the Premier League this weekend despite an acceptance within refereeing circles that he had erred in giving the stoppage time spot-kick. Ramires had gone down after contact with the visiting defender Steven Reid with Marriner's view of the incident having suggested the full-back caught the Brazilian's back leg to knock him off-balance. Replays have since indicated the clash was a collision rather than a foul, with Marriner and Mike Riley, head of the Professional Game Match Officials' Limited, conceding the referee should have played on rather than awarding the penalty. "I can understand why Andre gave it when you consider what he saw at the time," said Riley. "He thinks he sees Ramires getting in front of Reid and that there is contact, the defender catching his back leg to make him off-balance without playing the ball, so it's a penalty. You can see Marriner thinking to himself: this is what I've seen, pausing to replay it in mind, and then giving the penalty. But he should have played on. Watching the incident again, you can make a case for simulation because Ramires changes body angle. The truth is only Ramires truly knows [whether he dived]." The penalty, converted by Eden Hazard, allowed Chelsea to extend their unbeaten home record under Jose Mourinho in the Premier League to 66 matches and prompted criticism from the West Brom manager, Steve Clarke, and a furious reaction from his players. Yet Marriner will still officiate Fulham's home game against Swansea City on Saturday. In contrast his fellow referee Robert Madley, who awarded Stoke a late penalty in the 3-3 draw at Swansea for handball against Wayne Routledge, will not officiate this weekend. The Welsh club's manager, Michael Laudrup, later claimed Madley owed him and his players an apology. Incidents of simulation are actually significantly down on this time last year when a flurry of early season controversies had prompted calls from within the game for players to eradicate diving. "We think there have been six simulation offences this season whereas, this time last year, there had been 19 offences," said Riley. "Players and managers saw the moral imperative to stamp it out: the Professional Footballers' Association said 'don't dive', managers like Sir Alex Ferguson said it was unacceptable, as David Moyes has this season. "So we've seen a drop off in simulation offences. We should be proud it's not an accepted part of our game. Players say it is not acceptable. Supporters say it is not acceptable. The moral imperative is on players not to get involved in it, and the onus is on players not to do it. Of course, there have been some bookings for dives which aren't dives, such as that of Gareth Bale at Fulham last season when he was trying to avoid a tackle (from Steve Sidwell)." The incidents that have occurred have prompted calls for the introduction of retrospective punishment for simulation. "But it would have to be enforceable," added Riley. "Five years ago Italy had it, retrospective action for diving, but the policy was disbanded after three weeks. They stopped it because nobody could agree what was and what wasn't a dive. There have been incidents where action has been taken in Australia and Scotland, but Fifa's position is you cannot take retrospective action in this regard." Referees Premier League Laws of football Dominic Fifield theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Robbie Keane will not lead Ireland in Poland and may require surgery Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:45 PM PST • LA Galaxy striker plagued by persistent achilles problem • Martin O'Neill yet to name the captain for Tuesday's game Robbie Keane has admitted he may need surgery to cure a persistent achilles problem. The 33-year-old Republic of Ireland captain will not start Tuesday night's friendly against Poland in Poznan despite delaying a visit to a specialist to make the trip. However, with his season over in the United States he will keep an appointment next week, when he will discover whether an operation is required. Asked if he may need surgery, the Los Angeles Galaxy striker said: "It is kind of looking like that but I won't know for definite until Monday. But there is definitely something that will have to be done and that is likely to be it." O'Neill is yet to select a replacement captain – he hinted that the defender John O'Shea may get the nod if he starts – and will make changes as he attempts to run the rule over as many of his squad members as possible. Republic of Ireland Poland Martin O'Neill theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

How Qatar became a football force Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:39 PM PST Winning the bid to host the 2022 tournament was just part of Qatar's plan to be a major player in the global game Deep into the now dishearteningly familiar report of serial abuses to which Qatar subjects its battalions of migrant construction workers, Amnesty International issues a sharp and direct challenge: "The outside world will judge," the report says, "whether the World Cup has been built on forced labour and other exploitation." From football, apart from the Fifa president Sepp Blatter's equivocations as to whether he recognises any responsibility at all for workers' rights, there has been near-silence about the conditions of workers who will build the stadiums, hotels and other structures for the 2022 World Cup. This is in part due to football's habitual difficulty negotiating real life when it presses too close to the game's dream factory. In part, though, it reflects the extraordinary influence now wielded over the world's most popular sport by this tiny Gulf state of two million people, sticking out of Saudi Arabia on land described in the CIA factbook as "slightly smaller than Connecticut". Almost unknown and unnoticed in football until its World Cup bid grew formidable, Qatar, the richest country in the world by GDP, at $103,900 per head, has now spread its name across the globe partly through colonising the game. In 2011 the Qatar Foundation paid €150m for a five-year deal to become the first ever sponsor of the Barcelona shirt, arguably the world's most prestigious advertising space. Just two years into that odd arrangement, by which the country's charitable arm was paying to sponsor a football club, the deal was converted into Barcelona's first genuinely corporate sponsorship. Announcing Qatar Airways' agreement to pay €96m for a three-year deal, Javier Faus, Barcelona's vice-president for economy and strategy, said that for the money, Qatar Airways would get its name not only on to the players' chests but on the Camp Nou facade, on the iconic stadium's seats, next to the Nike logo, and: "There will be a space for them in the museum." Qatar Airways' executive director, Akbar al-Baker, said of the deal with the club which had always previously stood apart, a member-owned institution representing Catalan regional pride: "We share values, ambitions, courage and excellence with FC Barcelona." Qatar's wealth, generated by a $183bn GDP (in 2012) drawn mostly from natural gas, bought Paris St-Germain, in May 2011. That acquisition, by the state-owned Qatar Sports Investments, followed a lunch the previous year at the Elysée Palace shared by the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, Michel Platini, the French president of Uefa, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who has since succeeded his father Hamad as the country's emir, and the Qatari prime minister. Platini has acknowledged that Sarkozy wanted the Qataris to buy PSG and Platini to vote Qatar in Fifa's 2010 World Cup decision but denies that his president's urging influenced his vote. Platini's son, Laurent, was subsequently offered the job as chief executive of Burrda, the QSI-owned sports clothing company, which Platini says is completely unconnected to him voting for Qatar. PSG's chances of competing at elite European level and paying the galactic wages of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and other top-rank signings were fuelled by this summer's startling deal, in which the Qatar Tourism Authority will pay up to €200m a year as a sponsor, for four years, reportedly backdated to start in 2012. The emir, and the country itself, have never explained the thinking which truly lies behind this frantic interest in football. The country's national sports sector strategy 2011-2016 draws on the Qatar development plan to 2030 to claim: "The principles for Qatar's sustainable and balanced development [are] based on a vibrant and prosperous economy that provides economic and social justice, stability and equal opportunity for all." Many observers agree that Qatar's strategy is part aspirational, rapidly to build western-friendly foundations for a post-gas modern economy, and part defensive, to make a noise big enough to transcend Saudi Arabia's looming shadow. The softer part of Qatar's football influence is spread by the Aspire academy, an extraordinary talent-spotting programme which claims to assess 400,000 young footballers a year across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Promising young players are scrutinised at centres throughout Africa, and in Paraguay, Thailand and Vietnam. Paraguay and Thailand are the home territories of the influential former Fifa executive committee member Nicolás Leoz and serving exco member Worawi Makudi, but Aspire denies the locations are linked to World Cup voting. The best two players from each country are selected to be trained at an Aspire academy, in Senegal. Last year Aspire bought a club in the Belgian second division, KAS Eupen, which is being used to give first-team senior experience to promising graduates from the Senegal and Doha academies. The quality of the Aspire facilities attracts leading clubs and their academies, including Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Everton and Liverpool in recent years, to go to Doha for warm weather training or to compete in junior competitions. From the beginning the "Aspire football dreams" project has been viewed by some as a global recruiting operation for overseas players who will be given citizenship and play in the Qatari national team but Aspire's director general, Ivan Bravo, formerly Real Madrid's director of strategy, denies it. Aspire claims the programme is pure social responsibility, helping to improve the life chances of young people in poor parts of the world. That noble mission rather clashes with the treatment of migrant workers building Qatar itself, and Fifa's headquarters and VIP centre in Doha, one of whom complained to the Amnesty researchers: "Nepalis are treated like cattle." Yet so far the football world, and ambassadors for Qatar's World Cup bid including Pep Guardiola, Zinedine Zidane and Gabriel Batistuta, and for Aspire, Lionel Messi, left, and Pelé, do not appear uneasy. The bid for 2022, won in that feverish vote of Fifa's exco in 2010, was the fruition of Qatar's bold effort to make itself known: nation-building through football, with money and on a scale unprecedented. World Cup 2022 Fifa Qatar Middle East and North Africa David Conn theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Kolbeinn Sigthorsson to miss Iceland's World Cup play-off in Croatia Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:35 PM PST • Eidur Gudjohnsen likely to come in for the injured striker • Croatia coach confident his side will prevail in second leg Iceland's striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson will miss the play-off second leg with an ankle injury. The Ajax player's absence is a big blow after the first leg in Reykjavik ended in a 0-0 draw.I always try to find solutions to problems rather than lament over them," the coach, Lars Lagerback, said. ""We are in a win-win situation because we have nothing to lose and everything to gain," said Lagerback. "We have to make changes but we'll try to stick to our own style as much as possible." The former Bolton and Chelsea forward Eidur Gudjohnsen, now playing for Club Brugge, is likely to step in for Sigthorsson. Gudjohnsen, 35, came on as a substitute when Sigthorsson was carried off on a stretcher in Friday's first leg. The versatile Eggert Jonsson, who can play as a central midfielder or defender, should come in for the suspended Olafur Skulason, who was sent off on Friday. Lagerback is hoping Croatia, who have gone five games without a win and are looking to qualify for their eighth major tournament finals as an independent nation, will throw caution to the wind. "They will have to attack as the home team but I am not sure they will throw everyone forward because that could play into our hands and allow us to get a precious away goal on the break," said Iceland's coach. "We know Croatia are a team of exceptional quality and [Mario] Mandzukic is one of the most versatile strikers in the game but I have plenty of faith in my team's character. "We have only lost one game in this World Cup qualifying campaign and that means something." Niko Kovac, the Croatia coach, is confident that his side will prevail on home soil second time around. The coach watched his side dominate the match only to end up frustrated, but is confident ahead of the second leg. "The impression remains that we are the better team and have a better overall repertoire," he said. "They play very simple football with a lot of vertical switching and that's always risky. "I am confident that we will repeat our dominant display in Zagreb and will ultimately get to Brazil." World Cup 2014 qualifiers Croatia Iceland World Cup theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Suárez offered Henry's private jet Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:30 PM PST • Suárez part of Uruguay squad for return tie with Jordan • Henry wants striker to be fresh for Merseyside derby Liverpool's principal owner, John W Henry, has offered Luis Suárez use of his private jet in order to keep the Uruguay international as fresh as possible for Saturday's Merseyside derby against Everton. Suárez is involved in a World Cup play-off against Jordan in Montevideo on Wednesday, with Uruguay leading 5-0 from the first leg, and would not be home on Merseyside until Thursday night at the earliest should he travel back by scheduled flights. The derby kicks off at 12.45pm at Goodison Park and the Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, is anxious to avoid any travel issues with Suárez as he seeks a win that would establish a six-point lead over Everton. That has prompted the club's billionaire owner Henry to offer Suárez a direct return to Liverpool on his private jet. Luis Suárez Liverpool Uruguay John W Henry Andy Hunter theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Brackley Town 1-0 Gillingham | FA Cup first-round replay match report Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:30 PM PST • Brackley Town 1-0 Gillingham Glenn Walker scored the only goal of the game for Brackley Town as the Conference North side reached the second round of the FA Cup for the first time by upsetting Gillingham. They rode their luck in Monday night's first-round replay and were indebted to their 20-year-old goalkeeper Alastair Worby on more than one occasion but held on and will meet Macclesfield next month. Walker's winning goal came in the 21st minute with a deflected strike from outside the box and League One Gillingham could not find a way back as they were denied by Worby and hit the post through Joe Martin and Cody McDonald. FA Cup Gillingham theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

A-League tactics: Pedj Bojic takes pressure off Alessandro Del Piero Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:27 PM PST How the Sky Blues' right-side rotation has helped them build on some of their pre-season ambitions Much of the fallout from Sydney FC's 2-0 win over Melbourne Heart has been about the Heart's poor performance, but it was perhaps the first signs of Sydney FC's new style of play. The Sky Blues showed promising glimpses of the fluid 4-3-3, possession-based football promised at the start of pre-season and new recruit Pedj Bojic flourished on the right. When new assistant manager Rado Vidosic arrived, he boldly declared he would look to change "everything about Sydney FC this season", defending high up the park and keeping possession. But Sydney's late pre-season form was nothing short of a disaster, losing to Wellington Phoenix (3-0), Newcastle Jets (1-0), Perth Glory (3-0), Brisbane Roar (4-1) and National Premier League (NSW) Two champions St George (2-1). By the time the A-League rolled around, expectations were dampened and the possession game was out the window, as Sydney FC defended deeper and looked to counter-attack in their opening two matches, with mixed results. They even abandoned the 4-3-3, switching to a 4-2-3-1 formation. As confidence has grown, Sydney FC have slowly been returning to their 'Plan A', and the right side rotation between Bojic and Brett Emerton was a sign of the fluidity worked on during pre-season. When Sydney FC had possession in the build-up phase, Emerton would immediately take up a right back position. By moving into a deep, right position, Emerton allowed Bojic to push further up the park and beyond David Williams, his direct opponent. Almost from the start, the Emerton-Bojic rotation had caused problems for Melbourne Heart, although their defensive intensity (or lack of it) was a contributing factor. In the third minute, Sydney FC had possession on the left hand side, drawing Melbourne's defence across the pitch before switching play across the back line. Emerton and Bojic rotated, like the above graphic demonstrats, and Williams's lax effort to cut out Emerton's forward option to Bojic allowed for an easy pass. Bojic was able to run at Aziz Behich, Melbourne's left-back, and cross. It was the first of many dangerous forward runs from Bojic who dominated that side of the pitch for much of the night. As the match progressed the combination continued to flourish, and as Emerton grew in confidence he – as a central midfielder – was even overlapping the marauding right-back. Such willingness to get forward, from both players, caused regular problems for Heart's left, with Williams frequently failing to cut out the pass into Bojic, who could then create overloads against Behich. As the heat maps below demonstrate, Bojic (left) took up very advanced positions on the right, whilst Emerton (right) saw the majority of his possession on the right in the middle third of the pitch. This kind of rotation was used in pre-season by Sydney FC, who were playing a 4-3-3 at that stage, but they struggled at times when in possession due to a lack of central passing options. They have since switched to a 4-2-3-1, and against Melbourne Heart, were frequently able to comfortably play out around the outsides of Heart's defensive block. This kind of basic player rotation was the first signs of Sydney FC looking to play as they did in pre-season, but with more success. Whilst Melbourne Heart offered little, in the first half especially, this was more the kind of football expected from Sydney FC, who had previously relied on counter-attacks centred about Alessandro Del Piero. Adding a little more complexity and variation in the build-up phase will surely come as Sydney FC gains in confidence, but for now, such a pattern will allow Sydney to get the best out of Bojic, who is still perhaps the best attacking right-back in the A-League. Football tactics A-League Sydney FC Melbourne Heart Australia sport Kate Cohen theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Ravel Morrison's training volley gives Southgate reason for excitement Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:25 PM PST • England Under-21 forward scores stunning volley in training • 'It is not hype when it is a video of something he has done' A video of Ravel Morrison's audacious volley that has gone viral online highlights the creativity that so excites the England Under-21s manager, Gareth Southgate. Morrison has shone for West Ham after breaking into the first-team this season and become an important player for Southgate's Under-21s side. The latest video demonstrating Morrison's ability shows him scoring an incredibly powerful volley during Under-21s training for Tuesday's Euro 2015 qualifier against San Marino and accrued more than 1m views in 24 hours. "It is not hype when it is a video of something he has done," Southgate said when asked about the goal. "It is there for everyone to see what he is capable of. "As a coach, I love the creativity of it because you could try a more straightforward finish and still not pull it off. It is not a case of being overelaborate. That was a finish that is just as hard if you hit it with a side-foot volley or you do what he did. "He did what he did and it is an incredible goal. It is interesting the mindset of a couple of our players because they are creative thinkers, definitely." Saido Berahino, who scored twice in Thursday's 3-0 win over Finland, is suspended for the match at Shrewsbury. He was booked after his first goal for lifting up his shirt to show a tribute to his late father. The suspension saw Southgate call up MK Dons' Patrick Bamford to the Under-21s for the first time. England Under-21s Gareth Southgate theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Löw defends decision to rest players Posted: 18 Nov 2013 02:20 PM PST • Manager says Wembley friendly is chance for him to test squad • Löw full of praise for 'fantastic coach' Roy Hodgson Joachim Löw has dismissed suggestions his decision to rest several key players for Tuesday's friendly against England is in any way disrespectful and was generous in his praise for his opposite number Roy Hodgson, a man the Germany manager first encountered during his playing days with FC Winterthur in Switzerland. The full-back turned midfielder Philipp Lahm, midfielder Mesut Özil and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, were absent from the German travelling party that made the trip to London after last Friday's 1-1 draw in Italy, during which the defensive midfielder Sami Khedira sustained knee-ligament damage that could wreck his chances of appearing at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. However, talk that Löw's decision to field several reserves against England was in any way insulting was dismissed as exactly that – only talk. "It was clear for me that these two matches against Italy and England, I would use them to try out new players in key positions and what better test for these up-and-coming players than to play in front of a partisan crowd of 80,000 fans spurring their own team on," he said. "It was clear to me that I needed to experiment a bit and send home some of the players who are firmly established. It was a deliberate acid test for these young players and it's definitely not the case that we're fielding a B team or that there's any lack of respect to our hosts." The goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, midfielder Sven Bender, left-back Marcel Schmelzer and centre-backs Jérôme Boateng and Mats Hummels will be given the chance to impress against England, in a team Löw believes still has significant room for improvement. "Against Italy we lacked efficiency in the final third and we have to be more efficient, more to the point," he said. "Maybe we were missing the kind of clinical precision that is needed at that level. "Defensively speaking, I think the game against Italy was a very good performance: very compact, we closed our opponents down, our forwards were pressing the Italian midfielders, so they didn't have any time on their hands. But we need quicker transitions, picking up the rebounds … we could get better there." While Germany's shortcomings are probably the inadequacies of Hodgson's dreams, Löw does not subscribe to the view that Tuesday night's opponents are international also-rans. "England have been, always will be and still are one of the big footballing nations," he said, naming Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney as elite game-changers, before citing the team's "tremendous force" and "tackling power" as ticks on the ledger's credit side. "Roy Hodgson is a fantastic coach," he added. "Wherever he's gone, he's left the most positive of marks. He's a man of the world who's gone to Sweden and a host of other countries, where he's learned about the local culture, the people and the styles of football played there. "As a person, he comes across as a gentleman, perfect manners and always an open ear for young coaches." Speaking of the horrific knee injury that has threatened to derail the World Cup hopes of one of his key midfielders, Löw was cautiously optimistic with his prognosis. "The doctors have assured us that the operation went well," he said of the surgery on Khedira's knee. "If anyone's capable of coming back from such a serious injury and playing in a World Cup, then that player would be Sami Khedira. He is a natural-born fighter, it's in his spirit, so let's see what happens. We just have to be optimistic, like he is." Germany Friendlies World Cup 2014 World Cup Roy Hodgson England Barry Glendenning theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Kris Boyd thanks coaching badges for Scotland recall for Norway game Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:53 PM PST • Kilmarnock striker back in national squad after three years • Claims coaching sessions have changed his approach Kris Boyd claims the "giant step" he has taken towards the rehabilitation of his Scotland career is partly down to taking his coaching badges. The Kilmarnock striker, who was called up having last played for his country in September 2010, has scored six times in 12 club appearances this season but has been praised just as much for his all-round play, a contrast to his younger days. Boyd said of working towards his 'A' licence: "It has opened my eyes to the game. You have more appreciation for the game, you realise that it is not just about you, it is about the full team. "You realise that managers' decisions are not just based on one man, you have 11 or 18 men to keep happy. "The easy part is the ones that are playing, it is the ones that are not playing that you need to manage properly. "So I have maybe added things that have helped the team whereas maybe in games before, you would go out and look after number one. But as a footballer you have a duty to take part in a team. "I don't think I will start the game but if I get 10 minutes or am in the stand, it is still a giant step in the right direction from where I have been in the last couple of years." The goalkeeper Matt Gilks and striker Ross McCormack have become the latest players to pull out injured. Scotland Norway theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

France fight history and despondency Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:45 PM PST Les Bleus must become first to overturn two-goal deficit in European World Cup play-off but fans not holding their breath The battle cries emanating from France sound like a particularly fervent verse from La Marseillaise. Talk of playing with heart and guts, dying on the pitch even, has dominated the build-up to Les Bleus' biggest game in recent years. Sadly for Didier Deschamps, great orators do not always qualify for World Cups. Deschamps, the man who led France to their defining success 15 years ago in Paris, will hope to summon the same spirit inside the Stade de France on Tuesday evening that captivated the nation during that heady summer of 1998 but has rarely returned. If his side are to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Ukraine on Tuesday night, the result of an abject performance in Kiev last Friday, then they will need to produce a performance that the majority of France's populace feel is beyond them. Deschamps' side hover on the precipice of national humiliation. Lambasted and chastised over the weekend, a poll of 23,000 people in Le Parisien showed that 84% of the public do not believe France will make it to the World Cup in Brazil. More damning was the response when the same newspaper asked how many people "continued to support the team despite anything" – only 16% said yes. Failure to reach the World Cup for the first time in 20 years would represent a nadir in France's recent decline. They may have been handed the most unenviable of qualification draws, pitted in a group of five alongside Spain, but it has been the manner of their displays that has caused concern, despondence and downright anger. Deschamps described the defeat in Kiev as a "slap in the face", but his players have vowed to put all on the line in the return leg. "We are ready to die on the pitch," insisted Arsenal's Olivier Giroud, while the midfielder Blaise Matuidi said: "We have to play with heart, with guts ... we have to be stronger in the battles." Hugo Lloris added: "We want revenge." No side has ever overturned a two-goal deficit in a European World Cup play-off, but France must ignore the history books if they are to join the party in Brazil. Not since 1994 have Les Bleus failed to reach a major tournament (although cynical supporters may wish they had not bothered in 2002 and 2010) when a 2-1 home defeat by Bulgaria blocked the path to America and proved the end for Gérard Houllier. Laurent Koscielny will miss game following his red card in the first leg, meaning Deschamps must decide who will partner Eric Abidal in the centre of defence. Real Madrid's Raphaël Varane has been struggling with a knee problem but could feature, with Liverpool's Mamadou Sakho the alternative option. Deschamps said on Monday: "We don't have time to dwell on the frustration, we need to move on. The risk is there but we must play an outstanding game, we must surpass ourselves but keep control of the match. We must put ourselves in the position of expecting something from them [the crowd]. It is our determination that will prompt them to be behind us." Franck Ribéry was marked out the game in Ukraine and Mikhail Fomenko's side having not conceded a single goal in their last eight matches. Deschamps, though, believes France will benefit if their opponents adopt a similar tactical approach on Tuesday night. "If he [Ribéry] is closely marked, it means that there is freedom for two or three other players. So they have to be close to him," he said. For Ukraine, the disappointment of missing out on an automatic qualification place to England will evaporate if they can avoid a two-goal defeat in the French capital. Their success has been built on a frugal defence which the goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov says has been the key to his impressive run of clean sheets. "The guys have been great," said Pyatov. "This sequence was possible due to their efforts. When the goalkeeper is not beaten, the team has a better chance of winning. For me the main thing is the result of the team, it is more important to go to Brazil than to set records." France must find a way of breaking Ukraine's resolve and hope fortune falls their way again. Four years ago it was the hand of Thierry Henry that guided them to South Africa in controversial circumstances against the Republic of Ireland, a sequence of events that remains extraordinary to this day. After the defeat by Bulgaria in 1993, Deschamps lamented: "We've made real asses of ourselves." Hristo Stoichkov, the striker who went on to become the tournament's joint top scorer in 1994, delighted in France's misery: "The French were so scared they played with their buttocks clenched … they didn't deserve to qualify and we hit them where it hurt most," he said. Deschamps will recall that day with misery. A repeat, though, would be even harder to stomach. France World Cup 2014 World Cup 2014 qualifiers Ukraine James Riach theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Lionel Messi will not be rushed back from hamstring injury Posted: 18 Nov 2013 01:27 PM PST • Barcelona forward advised to take time in recovery • Rumours over diet contributing to injuries unfounded Lionel Messi says he will be back playing "when the body tells me I'm fine" and not a minute sooner, as he recovers from a hamstring injury. The Barcelona forward was ruled out for up to two months on 11 November after suffering another hamstring problem in the previous day's 4-1 win at Real Betis, where he limped off after 21 minutes. This month his Barça team-mate Cesc Fábregas urged the Argentinian not to rush his recovery after experiencing similar problems at Arsenal and advised Messi to have patience as he looks to get back to full fitness. The 26-year-old gave an interview with the sports newspaper Diario Olé in his native Argentina, confirming he will not rush back and will return only when he has fully recovered. "The plan is to resume playing when the body tells me I'm fine," he said. There were rumours that Messi, who has scored 223 goals for Barça with 14 so far this season, had changed his diet which could have been a contributing factor to his run of injuries. "[That is] not true," he said. "My diet is the same as ever. A lot of things have been made up. I do the same as always. And I started the pre-season with my ideal weight to reach the end feeling good. Nothing changes." The four-time world player of the year, who has suffered from hamstring issues in the past, believes his recent run of injuries is just down to bad luck. He added: "I'm sad because I did not expect it and I'm also angry because it is an injury that happened to me right after another. I'm not worried, really. This injury happened because it had to happen. There is nothing unusual or anything to look back at. A hit, a bad move and I was injured." Messi also dismissed his injury as a result of playing too many matches for Barcelona and admitted he is happy with the coach Gerardo Martino's rotation policy. He said: "It's not good to pick up an injury, but I wouldn't have done anything differently. I'm not the only player who plays a lot of games in a season. Everyone playing in La Liga does the same. "As long as I feel OK, I'll play whenever necessary. I have no reason to place limits on myself. I know that when the coach wants to take me off, he'll replace me, and there's no problem with that." Meanwhile, the Barça left-back Jordi Alba hopes to return to full training in 10 to 15 days in the final stretch of his recovery from a muscle injury he sustained last month. Lionel Messi Barcelona Argentina theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Swedish hope cold will stop Ronaldo Posted: 18 Nov 2013 12:33 PM PST • Conditions in Stockholm may conspire against Portugal • Hosts hope their talisman can outdo Cristiano Ronaldo World Cup play-off Sweden (0) v Portugal (1) Kick-off 7.45pm, Stockholm. Sky Sports 1 Sweden know their World Cup hopes rest on getting the ball to Zlatan Ibrahimovic as they prepare for the second leg of their qualifying play-off against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. The battle of the superstar forwards went Ronaldo's way in the first leg as his diving header gave Portugal a 1-0 win, and Sweden were left to ponder the scraps on which Ibrahimovic fed. Sebastian Larsson believes Sweden simply need to play higher up the pitch in order to pose a greater threat. He said: "We cannot go out all guns blazing but we must have a more attacking game with more ball higher up the pitch, then we will get Zlatan more in the game." They could also have conditions on their side, with the Portuguese media already pointing nervously to forecasts which predict temperatures will be around freezing point. With the condition of the pitch also being brought into question, Ronaldo is ready for a tough encounter. "Portugal have a small advantage, and we are expecting a very difficult game, but we are ready," he said. "We will have to be fully focused. More than anything else, these players want to be in Brazil, so we will give our best to get there." World Cup 2014 qualifiers Sweden Portugal theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

England's Joe Hart and John Ruddy train before clash with Germany - video Posted: 18 Nov 2013 11:14 AM PST Goalkeepers Joe Hart and John Ruddy take part in a rigorous training session before facing the Germans on Tuesday

England v Germany: Roy Hodgson and Steven Gerrard look ahead to showdown – video Posted: 18 Nov 2013 11:06 AM PST The England manager Roy Hodgson and captain Steven Gerrard discuss meeting Germany on Tuesday

England v Germany: Joachim Löw looks forward to game at 'legendary' Wembley – video Posted: 18 Nov 2013 08:56 AM PST Germany manager Joachim Löw says his entire team is excited about facing England at Wembley Stadium, a place he calls 'legendary'

The Fiver | A Gallic shrug en masse | Jacob Steinberg Posted: 18 Nov 2013 08:24 AM PST Click here to have the Fiver sent to your inbox every weekday at 5pm, or if your usual copy has stopped arriving 'UKRAINE IS GAME TO YOU'? The Fiver bows to no man in its appreciation of having a good snooze during the working day, which usually involves ambling into the office at 10.27am, turning on the computer at 10.43am, dozing off at 10.44am, being clumped round the head by The Man at 10.46am, falling asleep again at 10.53am after a few minutes spent staring into the middle distance, a liquid lunch from 11.47am to 1.55pm followed by a post-work snooze, another clump round the head by The Man at 2.37pm and an order to write an unfunny tea-time email on the burning football subject of the day, starting to write an unfunny tea-time email on the burning football subject of the day at 3.43pm, nodding off again at 3.47pm, another clump round the head from a stick-wielding, red-faced Man, filing an unfunny tea-time email on the burning football subject of the day at 5.30pm having made sure to waste a good 250 words on filler, rushing off to the pub at 5.31pm, bursting into tears at 5.45pm after realising it failed to press send on the unfunny tea-time email before leaving, only to fall asleep on the way back to the office. But even the Fiver knows there is a time and a place for such behaviour. No one told France that, though, so when they turned up in Kiev for the first leg of their World Cup play-off against Ukraine, their performance suggested that they believed being asked to give up their Friday night for something so piffling was far too grave an insult for them to contemplate. Imagine! Samir Nasri forced to go to Kiev! The bare-faced cheek! So instead Nasri, of whom so much is expected and so little is actually delivered, turned up in his pyjamas, guzzled some night nurse and lay down, the rest of his team-mates soon following suit. Unfortunately that had disastrous consequences, Roman Zozulia tripping over an unwitting Koscielny, who was lying fast asleep in the France area, leading to a penalty that made it 2-0 to Ukraine, and the defender was so annoyed at being rudely woken up that he got himself sent off shortly afterwards. That means Koscielny will be suspended – night off! – for the second leg in Paris tomorrow night, when France will attempt to overhaul their two-goal deficit without Thierry Henry's hands to get them out of a hole, assuming they can muster up the enthusiasm. "One side played a top-level match and we played just a match, like it was an ordinary game," Didier Deschamps sighed, bewildered at his side's fecklessness. "We took a slap in the face." A slap from Ukraine, then, but the French public found an even more powerful way to get its message across, a poll in Le Parisien revealing that only 16% of them give two hoots about the national side – a Gallic shrug en masse. It'll be a shame if they're not there, though. Not because of all the great talent that will miss out – that's funny – but because the last World Cup featured the entire team going on strike. On a bus. Come to think of it, even if they don't qualify, the entire squad should be made to travel to Brazil, driving from stadium to stadium on the bus while having petty rows about nothing in particular. It would make a great reality TV show and the Fiver would definitely pitch it right now if it wasn't nap time. Night! QUOTE OF THE DAY "I am sorry that you feel that your expenditure on the book was not worthwhile. If you would like to send the book to me at our head office address, stating where you bought the book and at what price, we will refund your expenditure and postage" – a spokesperson for Hodder and Stoughton responds to a disgruntled customer who requested a refund after spotting 45 factual errors in Ma Booky Wook, by Lord Ferg. TWEET OF THE WEEKEND "Someone came forward to officiate the game, but #ColwynBay have protested against this as the person smelt of alcohol......." – Altrincham FC's official account alleges why their Conference North match in north Wales had to be abandoned after 83 minutes – while they were leading 2-0 – when the referee suffered calf-knack and a replacement was rejected. "You can't just have any Tom, D1ck or Harry come in and finish the last 10 minutes of the game," parped Colwyn Bay boss Frank Sinclair. FIVER LETTERS – STILL WITH PRIZES "Re: Friday's Fiver: (With my sincerest apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge.) Goalies, goalies everywhere … That Roy was slow to think … Goalies, goalies everywhere … But Forster's chance did sink" – Louis Ortal. "Given the frequency with which players, supporters and pundits are now referring to being on 'The Plane' when talking about going to the World Cup in Brazil reminds me of the reverence afforded 'The Armband' (Fiver passim). This got me thinking: what does 'The Plane' do on the odd-numbered years, between World Cups and Euros? Should 'The Armband' and 'The Plane' ever be allowed to travel together, or is the risk too great to our fragile national psyche if they were both to be lost? Do I listen to SHOUTSPORT too much?" – Tom Davies. "After a look at the list of Indonesian people on the list of Indonesian topics on Wikipedia, I'm not convinced Erick Thohir would beat Radius Prawiro, Joy Destiny Tiurma Tobing, Wage Rudolf Supratman, or – my favourite – Hotman Paris Hutapea to the title of world's least likely sounding Indonesian (Friday's Bits and Bobs). Even then he would still have competition in the family from his father Teddy Thohir and brother Garibaldi Thohir" – David Shepherd. "Well, I tried to win Letter of the Day, but failed. Obviously, I was disappointed, and rationally accepted that my best efforts simply weren't good enough. However, I then realised after that I was too good, my level was too high. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger. I can't wait to have another chance with the right tea-timely email. Even if I have requests from other Not-So-Big Papers I say no. There is no space for me now but I will wait. Thanks, Mr Di Canio. I feel much better about myself now" – Matt Dony. • Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And if you've nothing better to do you can also tweet the Fiver. Today's winner of our letter o'the day is: Tom Davies, who wins a copy of Football Manager 2014, courtesy of the very kind people at Football Manager Towers. We've got more copies to give away this week, so if you haven't been lucky thus far, keep trying. JOIN GUARDIAN SOULMATES We keep trying to point out the utter futility of advertising an online dating service "for interesting people" in the Fiver to the naive folk who run Guardian Soulmates, but they still aren't having any of it. So here you go – sign up here to view profiles of the kind of erudite, sociable and friendly romantics who would never dream of going out with you. BITS AND BOBS Another game, another cruel snub for $exually Repressed Morris-dancing Fiver: Mr Roy has named his England line-up to face Germany tomorrow. The team: Hart; Walker, Smalling, Jagielka, Cole; Townsend, Mbe, Cleverley, Lallana; Rooney, Sturridge. Eden Hazard has told his Belgium team-mate Kevin De Bruyne to do one out of Chelsea if he wants to get anywhere near playing in the World Cup. "For him leaving and playing, that would be good," honked the man keeping him out of the team at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, Big Phil is still smarting at having been told to do one out of Chelsea by Roman Abramovich. "Latin people are too open, we work a lot with our heart. Some people don't understand that and create difficulties for you," he sobbed. "I was upset by the way my departure occurred." Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has accepted damages in the high court over a 'character assassination' of him in an OK! magazine 'kiss-and-tell' about Simon Cowell. Southampton striker Dani Osvaldo will undergo a series of tests after being forced to come off in Italy's 1-1 draw with Germany due to unspecified allergy-knack. "Osvaldo had a pretty strong allergic reaction, so he needed an anti-histamine injection," said Italy's medical officer, Professor Enrico Castellacci. And free-agent Yossi Benayoun is to have a trial at QPR after stalling on signing an 18-month deal at Málaga. RECOMMENDED VIEWING Ravel Morrison got game. STILL WANT MORE? Get your ears around the latest Football Weekly podcast. England friendlies should be a chance to learn, not to kill players' careers, writes Jacob Steinberg. Paul Doyle has the lowdown on Burkina Faso's World Cup showdown against a very funky Algeria. "With its shiny, pinkish tinge and labia-like side appendages, the supposedly innocent building was just asking for trouble" – Holly Baxter on the Al-Wakrah World Cup stadium. Quiz time: guess the fixture from the distance between the two clubs' grounds. Oh, and if it's your thing, you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. SIGN UP TO THE FIVER Want your very own copy of our free tea-timely(ish) email sent direct to your inbox? Has your regular copy stopped arriving? Click here to sign up. WIN! WIN! WIN! Jacob Steinberg theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Sturridge and Lallana to start for England against Germany Posted: 18 Nov 2013 06:30 AM PST • Hodgson confirms Sturridge will start against Germany • Southampton's Adam Lallana to keep place at left midfield Daniel Sturridge will start for England against Germany on Tuesday night after the England manager, Roy Hodgson, said the striker had not suffered a recurrence of a thigh injury. "The reason he came off after two sectors of the game we were playing this morning was to give Rickie Lambert a chance also playing at centre-forward because there's a good chance, and we want to see him play tomorrow night as well as Daniel Sturridge," said Hodgson. The England starting line-up was confirmed as the same team who wore bibs in a training session on Monday morning, with Adam Lallana keeping a place at left midfield. "I was more than satisfied with his performance against Chile," said Hodgson of the Southampton player. Kyle Walker, Chris Smalling, Phil Jagielka and Ashley Cole will line up in defence with Joe Hart in goal. The midfield consists of Andros Townsend, Steven Gerrard, Tom Cleverley and Lallana. And Wayne Rooney will start just behind Sturridge in attack. England Germany Friendlies Roy Hodgson theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Burkina Faso on course for World Cup but they must go it alone in Algeria Posted: 18 Nov 2013 06:01 AM PST Burkinababes are on the brink of reaching finals for first time but fear of violence in Algeria sees them return ticket allocation The Algerian football newspaper Compétition did not beat about the bush after the country lost 3-2 in the first leg of their World Cup play-off in Burkina Faso. "This referee is a BASTARD!" it bawled on its front page, alongside a photo of Janny Sikazwe, the Zambian official who awarded the home side an 86th-minute penalty for handball after a shot by Bertrand Traoré struck the defender Essaid Belkalem. "His hands were behind his back and he was outside the area but should Belkalem have cut off his arms?" wondered Compétition sarcastically. Although Algeria's manager, Vahid Halilhodzic, skipped the press conference for fear of saying something incendiary, the rage spawned by the decision has injected extra tension into Tuesday's second leg in Blida. The Burkinabe Football Federation (FBF) had originally arranged for 1,500 Stallions supporters to travel to the match but has instead decided to return its ticket allocation, claiming that "exaggerations" in the Algerian media have created a toxic atmosphere that could trigger the same sort of violence that marred last year's Africa Cup of Nations play-off between Senegal and Ivory Coast. "We are confident of securing qualifying anyway, so we don't wish to expose our supporters [to danger]," explained the FBF president Sita Sangaré, although up to 300 Algeria-based Burkinabe students are expected to be among a crowd of 45,000 at the Mustapha Tchaker stadium. Burkina's manager, Paul Put, is not a man who likes to dwell on his past but Algeria fans have been mentioning it frequently in the buildup to the second leg. Put has served a three-year ban in his native Belgium for match-fixing and has always protested that he was a victim rather than a willing perpetrator of nefarious practices that he says were widespread in Europe when he was the manager of Lierse in 2005. He, along with at least 30 other defendants, is due to appear in a long-delayed court case relating to alleged corruption masterminded by the Chinese businessman, Ye Zheyun, who denies any wrongdoing. Put maintains that he only accepted the suspension in Belgium so he would be allowed to continue to earn a livelihood elsewhere and he has been doing that in Africa, first taking charge of Gambia, where he just about achieved a par performance, and then being appointed manager of Burkina Faso and surprisingly guiding them to the final of this year's Africa Cup of Nations, where they lost narrowly to Nigeria. The nation reaching the World Cup finals for the first time would represent a sort of personal redemption for him and ignite unprecedented national celebrations in Burkina. Burkina's chances of making history might be greater if it were not for the penalties in the first leg: while the fury over the one awarded by Sikazwe and successfully converted by Aristide Bancé ensures they will face an even more hostile environment in the away leg, the (less contentious) one missed by Bancé in the first half of that match means Burkina only have a one-goal advantage. Algeria, with two away goals and a formidable record in Blida, are confident of overturning that. They know, however, that their finishing will have to be sharper than it was in Ouagadougou where, once they abandoned their caution after falling behind and the Valencia midfielder Sofianie Feghouli became more influential, they created enough goalscoring opportunities to have won the match regardless of refereeing blunders. But Burkina, expert counter-attackers, are confident of scoring in the second leg too, especially as their hosts will likely stream forward from the start, leaving gaps that could be exploited by the delightfully quick-witted Rennes forward Jonathan Pitroipa and the fleet-footed striker Préjuce Nakoulma. The Stallions attack could also be boosted by Alain Traoré, the Lorient striker who is fit again after an injury-ravaged year, and his brother Bertrand, the outrageously gifted 18-year-old who recently completed a transfer to Chelsea and has since wrought havoc in the Algerian defence after being introduced for the final 15 minutes of the first leg. That game showed that both teams have much more talent going forward than in defence, although the Burkinabes will be reassured that the Lyon defender Bakary Koné, who departed injured in the fourth minute of the first leg, has recovered to help try to withstand the anticipated onslaught. Fifa has appointed Africa's most experienced referee, Senegal's Badara Diatta, to take charge of a match that promises goals and drama. World Cup 2014 qualifiers Burkina Faso Algeria World Cup 2014 Paul Doyle theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

England friendlies should be a chance to learn, not to kill players' careers | Jacob Steinberg Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:58 AM PST Over-reaction to the Chile defeat sums up the lack of patience shown to debutants and the England squad in general Andros Townsend might have ruined it for every other England newcomer with that excellent performance and goal on his debut against Montenegro last month. Unfortunately now, it seems, everyone has to hit the ground running when they put on the England shirt for the first time. Judging by some of the reaction to his performance in Friday's 2-0 defeat by Chile, a match in which an experimental England were thoroughly outplayed by a proper, settled side, Jay Rodriguez could be forgiven for thinking he was supposed to have scored a hat-trick, made two goals and saved a penalty for good measure. It is true that Rodriguez was poor against Chile, unable to affect the game or get into positions where his pace and directness could be applied usefully, and it also may turn out that he is not good enough to have any real future for England. Maybe. He has probably played himself out of contention for a World Cup spot too, which is the harsh reality of international football, where the lack of games means that managers are forced to make snap judgments. Roy Hodgson will have been more impressed with Rodriguez's Southampton team-mate, Adam Lallana, who was bright in parts, yet surely it is too early to say with any certainty that he is out of his depth after 57 minutes at this level, even if that is what our eyes told us on Friday night. Danny Welbeck, whose injury gave Rodriguez a chance on the left of England's attack, will not be too worried about losing his place in the squad when the important matches arrive. Yet it is grossly unfair to write off Rodriguez, or anyone who finds themself in a similar position in the future. Rodriguez was playing in the Championship for Burnley until joining Southampton last season, so it is entirely understandable that he should appear uncomfortable when playing at Wembley for the first time, with new team-mates and against the kind of opposition he will not have faced before. With their intense pressing high up the pitch, Chile did to England what Southampton usually do to their opponents in the Premier League, the effect of which meant that the hosts' midfield was rarely able to get Rodriguez into the game. Then, when he did receive the ball, usually in tight areas in his own half, he looked too nervous to do anything productive. What matters now is that Rodriguez learns and is allowed to learn from it. If he does, then he will develop. Those butterflies never affected Townsend against Montenegro or Poland last month – or a 17-year-old Wayne Rooney on his debut against Australia in 2003 – but, really, it is ridiculous to expect everyone to take like a duck to water. Some need the armbands for a while. We do not expect players to slot seamlessly into a side when they join a new club, but pragmatism is in short supply when it comes to England. No one gets banned from driving for stalling the car in their first lesson. Play badly for England though and, well, probably best not to show your face for a few months. The effect of this short-sighted attitude is that we create the fear that Fabio Capello referenced when he became England's manager early in 2008. The atmosphere at Wembley never feels far from bubbling over into toxicity and the team were booed off after losing to Chile, one month after securing qualification for the World Cup. Apparently the feelgood factor created by those two impressive wins over Montenegro and Poland has been extinguished. The first question put to Frank Lampard, England's captain for the evening, was whether Chile had given Hodgson's side a reality check. Lampard dismissed that and he was right. Chile are a better team and played in a style that discomforts England. Losing to them in friendly is not a disgrace, especially when a number of important forward players were missing, and does not really justify the self-loathing predictions for how England will fare at the World Cup. What are people expecting anyway? England are not going to win it and they are not going to get close to winning it, but we already knew that anyway. Some perspective, please. The sooner people come to terms with that, the more they'll enjoy the tournament and when you expect nothing, you're more likely to be pleasantly surprised. Instead this World Cup looks like more of a chance for improvement in the long term. There are young players who should benefit from the experience of tournament football, whether it is positive or negative, and there are also a highly promising group of youngsters – Ravel Morrison, Ross Barkley, Luke Shaw, Wilfried Zaha, Saido Berahino and others – poised to come through. It would be nice if they were allowed to develop at their own pace rather than straining to meet our ludicrous expectations. England Friendlies Chile Jacob Steinberg theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Qatar's accidental vagina stadium is most gratifying | Holly Baxter Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:27 AM PST The resemblance of the Al-Wakrah World Cup stadium to the female genitalia can only be a good thing – sport and vaginas are not always such public bedfellows Have you ever heard of the Vagina Building? If you're not from Chicago, it's unlikely – but if you are, it's a precious part of local folklore and a celebrated shape on the skyline. Towering amid the clustered phallic skyscrapers, the Crain Communications Building (its slightly more official name) was completed in 1983 with a prominent vertical slit in the front. Urban legend – for sadly, that is all it is – states that the building was designed by a woman sick to her back teeth of phallic architecture as a big feminist middle finger to the men who had made her live in the shadow of their huge metal penis replacements for decades. The truth is that the vaginal resemblance is accidental, and the architect behind it very much male. But the story persists, and is still told with a sense of pride. Luckily for all of us who enjoy a good story involving construction and genitalia, this week has proven that Chicago's Vagina Building will soon be rubbing, er, shoulders with another case of "accidental vagina representation". The design for Qatar's new Al-Wakrah sports stadium has quickly gone viral: with its shiny, pinkish tinge, its labia-like side appendages and its large opening in the middle, the supposedly innocent building ("based upon the design of a traditional Qatari dhow boat") was just asking for trouble. And trouble came, in the form of Buzzfeed and thousands of Twitter fans. Surely a well-populated Facebook group is only hours away. As those who have tried to keep alive the tale of the Chicago tale of the Vagina Building know, there is something quite pleasing about a building shaped like a fanny. Look out on to the London skyline and penises are everywhere: the Gherkin, for instance, might even be visible from your office window right now, thrusting itself into the grey autumn sky among wisps of cloud, a proud red light shining at its very tip. And that's without even going into the phallic implications of Big Ben. The world even has an ode to the wonky boner, that lopsided erection that is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Penile structures were just as abundant in the ancient world, of course – and while the humble yoni once had its heyday in certain parts of Asia, it still usually took a backseat wherever ornamental penises were involved. The Qatari stadium's resemblance to a woman's private parts may be unintentional, but I for one applaud it. Perhaps the bigwigs behind the design (no doubt all male) should embrace this so-called faux pas and rebrand it as a deliberate nod towards the increasingly liberal Qatari policies concerning women in sport. In a world where sport and vaginas very rarely come together with such prominence (see: every UK female footballer's salary versus every UK male footballer's salary), this can only be a good thing. And after all, why not have 45,000 people crammed inside a woman's reproductive system? It's not like they haven't been there before. Gender World Cup 2022 Women Feminism Architecture Qatar Middle East and North Africa World Cup Holly Baxter theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

France v Ukraine: 84% of French public gives up on Didier Deschamps' team Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:09 AM PST • Poll in Le Parisien shows that only 16% still support Les Bleus • Mathieu Valbuena expected to replace ineffective Samir Nasri It is siege mentality time for the French national team. At least, it had better be. For if the squad happen to be scouring the papers or the internet ahead of their final shot at World Cup qualification as they bid to overturn a two-goal deficit against the Ukraine, the public vote is not too complimentary. The newspapers have been polling the public to gauge confidence. In l'Equipe, with almost 60,000 people responding, some 61% do not think France will make it to Brazil 2014. The response in Le Parisien (23,000 votes) was even more radical. The pessimists numbered a shade over 84%. Perhaps most alarmingly of all was another question posed by Le Parisien. "Do you continue to support Les Bleus in spite of everything," it asked? A mere 16% clicked "Oui". Pressure is bearing down on Didier Deschamps's team, who must improve in just about every department from the limp first-leg showing which gives Ukraine the upper hand. The crowd for a sellout Stade de France now arrives with low expectations, but this is an enigmatic team, and if everybody selected plays to their best level they have the weapons to strike back. There are hopes that Raphael Varane, the Real Madrid defender, will recover from injury in time to replace the suspended Laurent Koscielny, and Samir Nasri, who caught considerable flak for his lack of creativity and non-rapport with Franck Ribery in the first leg, is expected to be replaced by Mathieu Valbuena of Marseille. It is seven years since France last beat a team above them in the Fifa rankings. The classification does tend to throw up oddities, but all the same, such a stretch for a football nation of France's heritage shows that psychologically Deschamps and his team have it all to do. There is hope, though: France scored nine without reply in their last two home matches – against Australia and Finland. France Ukraine World Cup 2014 qualifiers Samir Nasri Amy Lawrence theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Jordan wins damages from OK! magazine Posted: 18 Nov 2013 05:06 AM PST Simon Jordan sued magazine after claims in 'kiss-and-tell' about Simon Cowell caused him 'severe distress and embarrassment' A former owner of Crystal Palace Football Club has accepted damages in the high court over a "character assassination" of him in an OK! magazine "kiss-and-tell" about Simon Cowell. Entrepreneur and businessman Simon Jordan's solicitor told a judge in London that the article in OK! "was stated to be an account of Alicia Douvall's relationship with the world famous music mogul Simon Cowell". Christopher Hutchings said: "It was without doubt intentionally published to coincide with the revelation that Mr Cowell was to become a father for the first time. "However, the 'kiss and tell' also featured a character assassination of the claimant." Hutchings told Mr Justice Bean at the high court on Monday that in the 20 August 20 article the defendant – Richard Desmond's Northern & Shell, publisher of OK! – made allegations "concerning the alleged relationship between Ms Douvall and the claimant and as to the conduct of the claimant". Those allegations had caused "severe distress and embarrassment" to Mr Jordan, who was "well-known for his ownership of Crystal Palace Football Club from 2000 to 2010". Hutchings said: "The allegations were deeply intrusive and their publication displayed a complete disregard for the claimant's private life. "Had the defendant bothered to contact the claimant prior to publication he would have informed it that he denied the allegations. "Regrettably, it did not do so and instead published its story in any event without carrying the claimant's firm denials." Hutchings told the judge that on 23 August Jordan, through his solicitors, complained in relation to the article: "The defendant refused to apologise or to otherwise remedy the ongoing harm." As a result, he was "left with no option but to issue proceedings for libel" in September. He continued: "The defendant accepts the claimant's denials and no longer seeks to assert that the allegations are true. "The defendant is here today publicly to apologise unreservedly to the claimant for the damage and distress caused and for its failure to put its story to the claimant prior to publication and then for its failure to promptly correct the position thereafter. "It has agreed to publish an apology in OK!, and has undertaken not to repeat the allegations and has paid damages and legal costs. As such, the claimant considers that his reputation is fully vindicated." Phillip Johnson, counsel for the defendant, told the judge: "The defendant wishes to express its regret and to offer its sincere apologies to the claimant for the distress and embarrassment caused by its article." The damages figure was not revealed in court. Media law Northern & Shell Consumer magazines Magazines Newspapers & magazines Crystal Palace theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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