England boss Fabio Capello has been given a fitness boost ahead of the Euro 2012 qualifiers after all 24 members of his squad reported fit for international duty.

Capello's side take on Bulgaria and Switzerland in their first competitive fixtures since the disappointing World Cup exit in June.

Chelsea pair John Terry and Frank Lampard plus Fulham striker Bobby Zamora all picked up injuries playing for their club sides at the weekend and were ruled out of the squad.

Everton defender Phil Jagielka and Spurs strike duo Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe were doubts after the weekend's Premier League action, but all three joined up with the rest of the squad on Monday evening where they reported fit for international duty.

Speaking about the double-header, which begins at home to Bulgaria on Friday night, Capello has stressed the importance of the Three Lions making a strong start to their qualifying campaign.

He said:"It will be two important games because in this period the players are in a good situation and physically will be strong.

"Bulgaria is a dangerous team. I watched three games that they played, two before the World Cup and the last against Russia. They lost 1-0 but they played very well, it will be a tough game that we will play here at Wembley.

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"On Switzerland, they played the World Cup and they are a good team with good organisation.

"They have a really important manager (Ottmar Hitzfeld) and when you play away in Switzerland it is not easy to beat this team."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

The UEFA Champions League sponsored by Heineken returned last night and across Europe there were plenty of exciting encounters. Werder Bremen and Tottenham Hotspur shared four goals, as did FC Twente and the current holders Inter Milan, while at the Nou Camp Barcelona’s Lionel Messi was back to his best as Barca netted five times. Sadly the action at Old Trafford didn’t live up to the standard set by the other Champions League matches as a goalless draw between Manchester United and Rangers ensured that this ‘Battle of Britain’ won’t live long in the memory. So why was there a lack of excitement for football fans in Manchester?

European football nights are fantastic occasions. There are few better stadiums to host such nights than Old Trafford and The Theatre of Dreams was rocking, with Rangers fans hugely contributing to the fantastic atmosphere. The fans did their part, especially the Scots who travelled and were singing throughout, but this wasn’t rewarded with scintillating action on the pitch. Throughout the game Rangers lined up with ten men behind the ball, often with five across the back line, parking the proverbial bus in front of the goal. It was left to United to unlock the defence, something the Red Devils just couldn’t do and thus a frustrating night ensued. It’s not the first time we’ve seen this sort of encounter either.

The 2010 World Cup largely failed to live up to expectations, with many games mirroring the one at Old Trafford and a general lack of ambition shown as teams played for a point. Rangers can’t be held totally to blame for this, as an away draw will always be a good result. Ultimately they achieved what they set out to do and the cheers from the Rangers section as the final whistle was blown told you exactly which set of fans were happiest. Rangers manager Walter Smith seemed disheartened by the fact that he prepared a team with only one task in hand – to defend, but in this results-driven business points take precedence over panache.

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It isn’t the first time that teams have shut up shop from the first whistle to the last and it certainly won’t be the last time it happens either. When teams of differing quality come up against each other 90 minutes of attack v defence will be played out. This time the defence came out on top, as was largely the case in South Africa and the consequence is that the football on show will struggle to capture the imagination of fans. Man United v Rangers will quickly be erased from the memory but the problem is that matches like this seem to be becoming common place across different competitions. So what’s the solution? Score within the first ten minutes and then the next 80 will fly by!

Check out the Top 10 Footballing ‘Battles of Britain’ – unsurprisingly Manchester United v Rangers didn’t make the cut!

West Ham United boss Avram Grant has hailed Scott Parker as the best English midfielder in the Premier League this season.

The 30-year-old has impressed despite the Hammers' struggles this term and Grant believes that Parker should be back in Fabio Capello's England squad as a result.

He said after the 1-1 draw with Wolves at Molineux:"I think if you look at all the English midfielders, with respect to others, there is no doubt that Scott, from the beginning of the season, has been the best midfielder.

"I need to talk to Fabio Capello! I am not the England manager, but I am sure that Scott deserves to be there.

"He played well offensively and defensively, was good with the ball. He has a great record for blocking shots of the other team and is very clever and professional – a good guy, very positive.

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"I think it would be good for the England team if he was there, especially in this form."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Arsene Wenger has a real talent for developing and breeding young players in the hope that they might become the future stars of Arsenal Football Club. His track record would reaffirm the idea that he is one of the best, if not the best in the game at producing quality young players to make the step up.

However, whilst trawling the forums, blogs and newspapers this morning I stumbled across an immensley interesting article in the Daily Mail that pays tribute to a 62 year old French psychologist who has played an important role in the production of Arsene Wenger’s young guns.

Jacques Crevoisier has known Wenger for almost 40 years and has worked with some of Europe’s brightest young talent. Crevoisier states, “Arsene Wenger always tells me that you have to be clever to play for Arsenal and that is where he starts…Without that, you cannot fit into his system. At Arsenal I’ve done tests for all the young players. They were all outstanding psychologically. I think Wilshere’s showed him to be a bit more confident than Walcott but they all had some of the best profiles you will see.”

For Crevoisier, these psychometric tests intend to measure psychological endurance, competitiveness, emotional control, stress resistance, aggression amongst a variety of other characteristics. There main aim is to uncover strengths and weaknesses so that the manager can work on young players shortcomings and build upon their strengths. It is also hoped that the tests would detect whether these future stars have the intelligence to match their skill and ability.

The 117-question analysis has stark results. Crevoisier says that some of the results of the young English players are different compared to their French equivalents “Young English players come across as more committed and aggressive in the test but their self-confidence and concentration is not as good” Crevoisier explains this as due to a lack of first team opportunities. He furthermore makes it clear that, “If you are at an average-sized club in France you will get the opportunity to play. At the same size club in England, you have, say, a 28-year-old international with lots of caps in front of you and the chance is not there.”

Crevoisier’s work is not foolproof. He recalls his time at Tottenham and states that it does not always work. He believes that if significant steps are not taken to work on the results of these tests then there is little point in the exercise. In addition he remembers “giving the young players at Tottenham their tasks and they would do them at the end of training. The problem was that the players were not given a chance in the first team – they still aren’t. What is the point of having an academy if you don’t use those players?”

He finalises his findings by acknowledging that this is not the case at Arsenal. Arsene Wenger has created a mentality that opportunities in the first team will arise for the talented youth if they can show that they are willing to work hard and prove that they have what it takes.

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Romelu Lukaku has experienced a meteoric rise to fame. Just two years after making his debut for Anderlect, 17 year old Lukaku’s ability has already been compared to that of Didier Drogba (also note the physical resemblance).  He has started attracting the interest of clubs from around the world, including Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United and has even earned plaudits from Cristiano Ronaldo, who has called him “a fantastic young player”. You’d be excused if Lukaku has slipped under your radar, so here are five things that you need to know about the young Belgian striker.

1. Romelu Renama Lukaku was born on the 13th May 1993 which, as stated before makes him only 17. He signed his first professional contract with Belgian giants Anderlecht at the age of 16 and made his debut only 11 days later. Prior to his big break in the first team, he had been scoring goals for Anderlect since he was 12, an amazing 121 goals in 87 games for the youth side. He comes from a good footballing family, his father is former professional Roger Lukaku and his brother Jordan is also a professional player at Anderlecht.

2. The 09/10 Belgian Juliper Pro League season was his true breakthrough. At the age of 16 he finished as the league’s top scorer with 15 goals in 24 games and helped Anderlecht to the league title. It was on the back of this season that calls for an international call-up were finally heeded and he made his debut against Croatia in February 2010.

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3. His physical attributes indicate that he would be well suited to a physical Premier League tussle. He stands at an immense 6ft 4in and over 14 stone – not bad for a lad mid-way through his teens, but it is also the nature of his game that appears to be well beyond his years. As well as outmuscling opponents, he can also out think them and out run them. He has the positional sense of a seasoned professional and can score goals on the ground and in the air.

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4. Despite being Europe’s new hot property Lukaku is very ambitious, yet has his feet firmly on the ground. When asked what he thought of being branded ‘The new Drogba’, he replied: “It’s an honour. Didier, along with Adebayor, is my idol. But he is a world-class attacker and has scored more than 100 goals for Chelsea whereas I’m just starting out. It would be better to see how I compare when I’m his age.”

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5. So is he interested in a move? The answer is yes, but not quite yet. He would like to finish school before seeking a move, and even then he is keen to repay Anderlect for their faith in him:  “Anderlecht have been very good to me, I like it here and I may even stay until I’m 20”, Lukaku has said. This sentiment is also supported by his father Roger, who is the young player’s career counsellor and ensures he avoids the pitfalls that modern day players are subject to.

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We’re far enough into the season now that we can begin to evaluate which signings have worked for which teams and which new recruits haven’t quite made the grade. Of course, foreign players often need time to adjust and establish themselves in the Premier League, so any criticism of players thus far should be viewed in that light. Arsene Wenger made three major signings over the summer – two defenders and one striker. Wenger’s a man renowned for his player knowledge and his eye for a good signing. Are this summer’s signings further evidence of his genius?

Sebastien Squillaci

Arsenal picked up Squillaci for about £3 million this summer after their defender exodus saw them in need of cover in defensive areas. At the moment he seems to be the third choice centre-back, but with Vermaelen sidelined by a troublesome injury, Squillaci has had plenty of game time so far this season. Squillaci has all the qualities required from a defender at the top level. He’s strong in the air, powerful and good in one-on-one situations. More importantly for Arsenal, he’s 30 years old and has been around the block with Monaco, Lyon and Sevilla and can provide the Gunners with something they are often claimed to lack: experience. This comes across in his calm and measure performances on the pitch. Apart from a mistake against Chelsea, Squillaci hasn’t put a foot wrong. As covering defenders go, Squillaci has been a good signing for Arsenal.

Laurent Koscielny

More impressive still has been Laurent Koscielny. Arsenal picked up the French defender (of Polish descent) for £8.45 million this summer. So far he’s proved to be worth every penny. When Vermaelen returns from injury it’s likely that Koscielny, not Squillaci or Djourou will partner him in the centre of defence. Koscielny may not be the speediest centre-back, but he has a good positional sense, reads the game well and always seems to be there to put in a last ditch tackle. There may be some concerns regarding his discipline having picked up two red cards so early on in the season, but neither of them were for particularly dirty tackles. As he adapts to the league he’ll learn to be more cautious and avoid unnecessary punishment.

Marouane Chamakh

But Wenger’s star summer signing has to be Marouane Chamakh. It’s better still considering that he was picked up on a free transfer. After 18 appearances this season, Chamakh has 8 goals and 5 assists – very healthy figures. It’s not just the statistics that impress though. Chamakh has a great work rate, tracks back and works hard to link up the play. Van Persie’s injury may have thrust him into the spotlight a little earlier than Wenger planned, but he hasn’t gone missing. Could this be the 20+ goals-per-season striker that Arsenal have been missing for the last couple of seasons? If he keeps working hard, it doesn’t just seem possible – it seems probable. There’s also the mouth-watering prospect of a striking partnership between him and a fully-fit Robin van Persie. The signs are very good.

So that’s three good signings by Wenger. No surprise there. The main surprise when the transfer window closed was that Wenger didn’t bring in a new goalkeeper. Yet Fabianski is improving game-by-game and if he can cut out the costly mistakes, he could be a real prospect. Arsenal are currently second in the Premier League table. These new signings have played a big part in making this happen.

If you’re interested and want to hear more feel free to follow me on Twitter, where you can also keep up to date with the Arsenal news!

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Sunderland currently find themselves in 6th position in the Premier League only four points off Champions League qualification. It may only be half way through the season but it must be said that the Wearside club have done extremely well so far this season.

So what is it that makes Sunderland deserving of their current league position? Well there are obviously numerous factors that contribute to their success so far this season. Firstly, I think it is only fair that attention is drawn to club chairman Niall Quinn. Mr Quinn has stood by his manager Steve Bruce in times when many other people in his position would have been quick to act negatively. In Bruce’s first season at Sunderland, despite a run of fourteen games without a win, Bruce led the Black Cats to a thirteenth place finish in the Premier League.

With the help of Quinn, Bruce has been given time and freedom to get the club where they want to be. Bruce has a wealth of experience in English football and this is becoming evident this season. Although an active member of the transfer windows, Bruce seems to have built a young team that have the quality to compete at the correct end of the division, thus giving us another reason for the club’s deserved current league position.

In seasons before it would be fair to say that Sunderland have never really had enough firepower to catapult themselves up the division, however, this season with Darren Bent, Asamoah Gyan and on loan youngster Danny Welbeck they certainly have the players to consistently find the net. Too many times have the club relied on the prowess of the much maligned Darren Bent.

Before we get carried away, it is only half way through the season and it will be interesting to see where the club finishes come the end of the season. Something I must admit though, and that is despite touching upon positive points for the club’s league positioning so far this season, I’m not convinced that they are ready to challenge the top five just yet though, but the foundations are certainly laid.

If you like what I’ve written why not follow me on Twitter

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Manchester City are the latest team to be linked with a move for Southampton starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and are ready to hijack Arsenal’s move for the player.

Just a day after Arsenal seemed set to land the sought-after striker, Manchester City have declared an interest and are willing to offer Southampton more money for their 17 year-old prodigy. However Southampton have previously stated that they will only allow Oxlade-Chamberlain to join the team who are best equipped to continue his remarkable development, so City’s finances may have to take a backseat in negotiations.

City administrator Brian Marwood is expected to meet with the teenager’s advisors later this week in the hope that they can thrash out a deal before the window shuts which may include loaning Oxlade-Chamberlain back to Southampton for the rest of the season.

It is thought that Oxlade-Chamberlain is desperate to secure his big Premier League move as soon as possible and retains hopes that a deal can be signed in the remaining days of the window.

Liverpool and Manchester United are also known to have shown an interest in the player and it remains to be seen where he will end up in February.

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Blackpool have rejected a transfer request handed in by captain Charlie Adam on Monday.

The 25-year-old Scot handed in the request after the Seasiders rejected a four-million-pound bid for his services from Liverpool on Saturday, the third time the club had knocked back an offer for the player after earlier interest from Aston Villa and Birmingham.

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway said Liverpool would need to up their bid in order to prise Adam away from Bloomfield Road.

“If I was the Liverpool manager I would want to buy him because they have never replaced Xabi Alonso,” said Holloway.

“But you have to come up with the right amount of money. I don’t want to stand in his way, but they have to put up or shut up.”

And despite the midfielder handing in the transfer request, Holloway said there was no way he would drop Adam for Blackpool’s match against Manchester United on Tuesday,

“Not a chance,” Holloway said. “If I tried to stop that boy playing against Manchester United, he would probably kill me.”

“Charlie loves this club and just because he puts a transfer request in doesn’t change that.”

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Adam joined Blackpool from Rangers in August 2009 and was a key figure in getting the club promoted into the Premier League last season.

He has played a key role in Blackpool’s impressive campaign that sees them sit 12th in the league standings, scoring four goals in 21 matches.

West Ham came within seconds of climbing out of the relegation zone but ended bottom of the table after a 2-2 draw at Everton on Saturday.

Avram Grant’s men took the lead through Jonathan Spector in the first half and defended stoically until substitute Diniyar Bilyaletdinov equalised with
15 minutes to go.

Frederic Piquionne’s elation at scoring what he thought was the winner was wiped away by a red card for a second bookable offence. But the goal still looked like a decisive one, which would have lifted the Hammers out of the bottom three.

But, with seconds remaining, Marouane Fellaini ensured the points would be shared with a composed finish in injury time.

The first half was equally balanced with both teams going close.

But as it seemed the home side would take control of the game, Spector arrived in the area to score his first Premier League goal of the season.

After some neat work from Mark Noble and a composed pull back from Luis Boa Morte, Spector was on hand to smash the ball past Tim Howard to silence the home crowd.

Everton’s players were booed off the pitch after a dismal first half performance. But West Ham’s inability to add to their narrow lead kept the hosts in the game.

Everton broke through 13 minutes from time in emphatic fashion after Fellaini nodded the ball into Bilyaletdinov’s path who drilled past Robert Green to set up a dramatic finish.

Just as it seemed the onus was on the home side to get the win, Wayne Bridge crossed for Piquionne who capped a superb performance with a glancing header into the Everton net.

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The sheen was taken off the moment by the goal scorer’s sending off – Piquionne had been booked minutes before the goal for an off the ball incident. Peter Walton then gave the striker his marching orders for an over-zealous celebration.

West Ham’s opportunity to escape the relegation zone was snatched away by Fellaini in the 90th minute.

Jack Rodwell headed the ball into the towering Belgian’s path who neatly finished to save a point for his side.