The best things in life are free

So, the transfer window has closed and the 20 Premier League teams are stuck with the players they have. Or are they?

There are plenty of players yet to find a club after being released in the summer, and they are all free to sign for any club who will take them.

In the past there have been plenty of Premier League managers willing to take a punt on cast-offs from across Europe, with some experiencing more success than others. For every Peter Lovenkrands there is a Mario Jardel, and for every Stephen Carr there is a Mineiro.

To show the wealth of talent available on a free, I have constructed a team of players still on the market. I would not be surprised to see certain top-flight managers take a punt on one or two of the following eleven.

Goalkeeper – Dida

For all his propensity to drop a clanger, Dida remains capable of doing a job in the top flight. After all, you don’t win 91 caps for Brazil without having some talent.

Behind the occasional (and often comical) mistake lies a ‘keeper with phenomenal shot-stopping ability. While his reflexes may not be quite what they used to be, the 36-year old could provide useful cover at a number of different clubs.

Right-back – Ricardo Rocha

There is little doubt that Portsmouth would have kept hold of Rocha if they could afford his wages, and it is something of a surprise that no club has snapped him up so far.

Impressive during Pompey’s run to the FA Cup final last season, the versatile Portuguese defender put a disappointing spell at Tottenham behind him to prove he has what it takes to succeed in England. I would not be surprised to see former Portsmouth boss Avram Grant bring him to West Ham in the near future.

Left-back – Max Tonetto

Italian international Tonetto has played European football for two clubs, and might be best remembered by English fans for missing the decisive penalty as Roma were knocked out of the 2008/09 Champions League by Arsenal.

The versatile 35-year-old is as comfortable on the wing as he is at left-back, and he could prove a valuable asset to a number of sides.

Centre-back – Danny Shittu

Shittu might not have played any club football for over a year, but any doubts about his fitness were extinguished when he played all 270 minutes of Nigeria’s World Cup campaign.

The former Bolton man has bags of Premier League experience, and may feel he is still capable of playing at the highest level. However at the very least he could do a job for any Championship club, and it is a little baffling that no club has come in for him as of yet.

Centre-back – Jay DeMerit

Another World Cup regular, Demerit will want to sort out his future quickly to ensure he remains in USA coach Bob Bradley’s plans.

While offers from the MLS and England’s Championship are likely to be forthcoming, the 30-year-old may want one last hurrah in one of Europe’s top leagues before he hangs up his boots.

Right midfield – Yildiray Basturk

Turkish midfielder Basturk hardly set the world alight in his short spell with Blackburn Rovers, but on his day he is practically unplayable.

The versatile playmaker, while not the hardest worker, has impeccable close control and bags of skill, as evidenced by his contribution to the great Leverkusen team alongside such illustrious names as Ballack and Ze Roberto.

Left midfield – Jacek Krzynowek

Plenty of clubs could do with owning a player of Krzynowek’s ability, even if he is the wrong side of 30.

The Polish winger is skilful and has a powerful shot, which he demonstrated against Real Madrid in a Champions League tie a few years ago. While he may have lost a bit of pace, Krzynowek is still capable of pulling a rabbit out of the hat from time to time.

Central midfield – Arnold Bruggink

After beginning his career as a striker, Bruggink has found a new niche for himself in an attacking midfield role.

The former Dutch international has carved a successful career for himself, first in his homeland, then in Mallorca, and most recently in the Bundesliga with Hannover. With an eye for a pass and an even greater eye for a goal, the former FC Twente prodigy may wish to extend his career in a fourth country.

Central midfield – Ruben Baraja

Plenty of clubs are in need of a midfield enforcer, and there are few available who do that job better than Baraja.

After captaining Valencia for much of his 10-year spell, the Spaniard opted to leave the Mestalla this summer. Injury problems have limited his involvement in recent years, but Baraja has never been one to rely on pace, and he could well have another year or two at the top.

Forward – Julio Cruz

A regular goalscorer in Argentina, Holland and Italy, the former Inter striker is without a club after being released by Lazio at the end of last season.

The powerful Argentine frontman has 22 caps for the Albiceleste, the last coming in 2008, and he played twice for Jose Pekerman’s side in the 2006 World Cup.

Forward – Guille Franco

Despite an impressive 2009/10 campaign with West Ham, Mexico international Franco once again finds himself without a club after being released as part of the Irons’ cost-cutting operation.

The Argentine-born frontman endeared himself to the Upton Park faithful with his tireless efforts, and has a knack for scoring vital goals. Any young striker could benefit from watching Franco go about his game.

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Premier League round-up 30/08/2010

This weekend marked the last round of Premier League fixtures before the close of the transfer window, and understandably the 10 games played were – on the whole – cagier affairs. Players were keen to avoid mistakes for fear of being replaced by trigger-happy managers before tomorrow evening, and thus took fewer risks.

Such an attitude led to more tentative displays from the likes of Tottenham, who failed to pierce Wigan’s sieve of a defence as they fell to a 1-0 defeat. Perhaps distracted by Thursday’s Champions League draw – which paired them with holders Internazionale – Harry Redknapp’s side lost focus and lacked the attacking vigour of last week’s win over Stoke.

After beginning the game looking to avoid defeat, Roberto Martinez’s Latics soon realised they had a chance to get all three points from the visit to White Hart Lane. Spurs failed to heed a very visible warning shot in the form of Antonio Alcaraz’s embarrassing miss, and minutes later Hugo Rodallega (below) notched his first goal of the season.

[picapp align=”none” wrap=”false” link=”term=hugo+rodallega&iid=8207927″ src=”http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/8207927/premier-league-wigan/premier-league-wigan.jpg?size=500&imageId=8207927″ width=”500″ height=”335″ /]

The Colombian’s winner will give Redknapp cause for concern, and he will be keen to avoid similar slip-ups after the Champions League ties in Milan, Bremen and Enschede. With margins of error smaller than ever this season, just one European hangover could be the difference between Champions League qualification and a season in the Europa League.

One team looking more comfortable at the moment is Arsenal. Spurs’ North London neighbours saw off a stubborn Blackburn outfit and could have easily added to the two goals scored by Andrey Arshavin and the resurgent Theo Walcott.

This is exactly the kind of game Arsene Wenger’s side have dropped points in in recent years, but even when their forwards were squandering chances at one end, the Gunners’ back-line limited Rovers to few clear-cut chances at the other. Despite picking up a red card on his competitive debut for the club, Laurent Koscielny looks like a smart acquisition by Wenger.

That 2-1 victory leaves Arsenal on seven points, the same tally as Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men brushed past basement side West Ham with Dimitar Berbatov starring in a 3-0 win. The watching Fabio Capello will be relieved the Bulgarian has retired from international football, with Berbatov’s fellow countrymen taking on a weakened England back-line in Friday’s European Championships qualifier.

Nemanja Vidic

As important as Berbatov’s flair was the performance of Nemanja Vidic at the back. After a poor World Cup the Serbian is quickly getting back to his best at Old Trafford, and West Ham’s forwards barely got a touch on the ball, let alone a clear sight of goal.

But Arsenal and United are still chasing champions Chelsea, who kept up their 100 per cent record with a stroll in the park against Stoke. The Potters’ negativity left them playing a game of damage limitation even before Florent Malouda netted the opener, but Tony Pulis’ side know these are not the games from which they should be looking for victories. Still, with Stoke still yet to record a point this season, their home game against winless West Ham in September is already looking like a relegation six-pointer.

The top four is rounded off by Aston Villa, who bounced back from last week’s humbling at St James Park with a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Everton. A well-taken goal from Luke Young may see Fabio Capello start to regret the full-back’s retirement from international football, while another impressive performance from Marc Albrighton made the £26m sale of James Milner look smarter by the day.

Milner’s new employers Manchester City slipped to a shock defeat at Sunderland, who are quickly turning the Stadium of Light into a fortress. Micah Richards, so impressive last week against Liverpool, was the villain of the piece this time round as he brought down Darren Bent for the decisive penalty kick.

Not so long ago, the thought of Birmingham against Blackburn on Sky would have encouraged the casual supporter to turn off the TV and get a headstart on their work for the week ahead, but not any more. Blues boss Alex McLeish has recognised the 1-0 wins of last season will not be so easy to come by without Joe Hart on the club’s books, while Bolton manager Owen Coyle has brought a fluid passing system with him from Burnley.

Roger Johnson

He has also brought Robbie Blake with him, and the veteran striker was the Trotters saviour, firing a late free-kick into the top corner of Ben Foster’s net to complete a comeback after goals from Roger Johnson and Craig Gardner had given Birmingham a 2-0 lead. Foster’s opposite number Jussi Jaaskelainen, meanwhile, had a game to forget – a needless slap on Johnson saw the Finn dismissed before half-time.

Another ground which witnessed a 2-2 scoreline was Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road. Luke Varney’s profligacy in front of goal contributed to Sheffield Wednesday’s relegation from the Championship last season, but the former Crewe man enjoyed a more fruitful debut with Ian Holloway’s team. Opponents Fulham will have impressed manager Mark Hughes to some degree after coming from behind for the second week running, but there remain question marks over their defensive solidity.

Aside from Blackpool’s fairytale start to the season, perhaps the biggest surprise this term has been the form of Mick McCarthy’s Wolves. They kept up their unbeaten record with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle, in a game which turned into a physical battle between the two midfields. A series of crunching tackles from Wolves captain Karl Henry silenced Newcastle hard-man Joey Barton but the Toon Army picked up their game in the second half to earn a deserved point.

On the subject of combative midfielders, Christian Poulsen enjoyed an impressive debut as Liverpool saw off the challenger of West Brom. Fernando Torres may have grabbed the headlines with the only goal of the game, but Poulsen showed a good understanding with Steven Gerrard, giving the Anfield faithful reason to be optimistic despite the departure of Javier Mascherano. The visitors can also be relatively happy with the performance, suggesting defensive collapses like that suffered against Chelsea are a thing of the past.

Team of the week (4-4-2):

Mignolet (Sunderland); Luke Young (Aston Villa) Vidic (Man Utd), Vermaelen (Arsenal), Baines (Everton); Al-Muhammadi (Sunderland), Poulsen (Liverpool), Mikel (Chelsea), Nani (Man Utd); Berbatov (Man Utd), Varney (Blackpool)

The best players NOT going to the World Cup: Part 1 – Goalkeepers and defenders

With managers of most of the 32 World Cup nations naming their squads, or at least their provisional squads, I decided to take a look at some of the players missing out on this summer’s tournament in South Africa.

As so much top talent will be left at home, I felt it only fair to make a 23-man squad of players who won’t be on the plane for the footballing showpiece of the summer.

The midfielders and forwards will follow, but first I will run you through some of the goalkeepers and defenders who will have to watch the tournament on television.

Goalkeeper -Quim (Portugal)

After years of playing backup to Ricardo, the veteran Benfica ‘keeper might have hoped to finally take his chance between the sticks for Portugal. However, after starting his country’s qualifying campaign as first choice, he has gradually slipped further and further down the reckoning, eventually missing out on Carlos Queiroz’s squad altogether

Goalkeeper – Sebastien Frey (France)

After Gregory Coupet’s unconvincing showing at the 2008 European Championships, the French #1 jersey seemed up for grabs. Some earmarked Frey, enjoying his football at Fiorentina, as the man to step up to the plate. It was not to be, though, as Hugo Lloris’ stellar form has seen the Lyon stopper installed as first choice. Considering the other names in the provisional squad, it looks like coach Raymond Domenech has been happy to turn only to goalkeepers playing their football in Ligue 1.

Goalkeeper – Shay Given (Republic of Ireland)

I have been reluctant to include players whose nations failed to qualify for the tournament, but the manner of Ireland’s elimination means I feel Given  deserves a mention. Only a great injustice prevented the Manchester City ‘keeper from having a chance to test himself against the world’s best. Although he may get another opportunity in 2014, he is currently at the peak of his powers and will surely be a great loss to the tournament as a spectacle.

Right-back – Javier Zanetti (Argentina)

Eyebrows were raised four years ago when Argentina manager Jose Pekerman left Javier Zanetti out of his World Cup squad. The former national skipper, who captains his club side Internazionale, was felt by many to be a better option than Lionel Scaloni, and many would favour Zanetti now over a number of the names in Diego Maradona’s squad. It seems Maradona’s penchant for playing four centre-backs has worked against Zanetti who, at the age of 36, will not get another shot at World Cup glory in his career.

Right-back – Cicinho (Brazil)

When he burst onto the scene in the mid-2000s, Cicinho looked like the natural heir to Cafu as Brazil’s marauding right-back. Unfortunately he didn’t count on two things: Dani Alves and Maicon. It’s not every day you see two world-class right-backs storm past you on the outside and destroy your international future, but that is what has happened to the Roma defender.

Left-back – Davide Santon (Italy)

A few eyebrows were raised when Italy coach Marcello Lippi opted not to include any Inter players in his squad. If the omission of temperamental striker Mario Balotelli was not altogether surprising, many will have expected young full-back Santon to get the nod. The 19-year-old has already established himself as a regular at club level, and might have expected to add to his five international caps in South Africa, but Lippi has gone with the experience of Gianluca Zambrotta and Fabio Grosso as he bids for glory this summer.

Left-back – Roberto Carlos (Brazil)

With Jamie Carragher returning to the England set-up after previously retiring from international football, it looked as though the Corinthians left-back Roberto Carlos was set to do the same. A return to the Brazilian league brought the former Real Madrid man to the attention of national team coach Dunga, with whom he played in the 1998 World Cup, but Carlos ended up falling just short in the final reckoning.

Centre-back – Gabriel Milito (Argentina)

One of the more mystifying omissions, Milito is widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the world. Barcelona paid an eight-figure fee for the left-footed defender, who has 32 caps for his country, and yet he failed to make the grade in a squad including players like Fabricio Coloccini who ply their trade in Englands second tier. Only Diego Maradona knows why Gabriel Milito will not be lining up against Nigeria.

Centre-back – Christoph Metzelder (Germany)

Metzelder’s injury problems have been well-documented, but even that didn’t stop him from playing all of Germany’s games at Euro 2008. He misses out this time though, and will hope a move to Schalke from Real Madrid will help him turn over a new leaf in a career decimated by months on the sidelines.

Centre-back – Phil Jagielka (England)

Just over a year ago, Phil Jagielka looked certain to be included in England’s World Cup squad, but then he suffered a horrific injury when playing for his club Everton against Manchester City. Despite looking just as composed after his return, Jagielka has slipped down the pecking order, perhaps proving a victim of his own versatility. Unfortunately at the age of 28, and with young talent like Gary Cahill emerging from elsewhere, the former Sheffield United man may have missed his only World Cup chance.

Centre-back – Marco Materazzi (Italy)

It will come as sad news to some, and as a relief to others, but Marco Materrazzi will not be renewing his love-hate relationship with the World Cup viewing public this summer. It is four years since the eccentric centre-back took centre-stage in the final against France, and this World Cup has proved one tournament too far. Which means we won’t get the opportunity to see anything like this again:

Beyond their means – Portsmouth’s journey to Wembley

Let me take you back to Sunday morning.

Tottenham fans up and down the country were looking forward to their day out at Wembley, many believing their FA Cup semi-final against relegated Portsmouth was a foregone conclusion.

After all, Avram Grant’s side were without arguably their best player in Jamie O’Hara, and had lost much of their squad over the last 18 months.

Fast-forward a few hours and Spurs fans take to the forums, complaining that Pompey were playing by their own rules, bringing the game into disrepute, and didn’t deserve their place in the final. Sour grapes, or do they have a point?

Portsmouth’s financial woes have been well documented over the 12 months since Alexandre Gaydamak sold the club, but the problems may go back even further than that.

Sulaiman Al-Fahim is one of several owners to have taken the reins at Portsmouth this season

David James revealed the punishing effects of unexpected bonuses when Pompey lifted the FA Cup and qualified for Europe in 2008, and one might argue Gaydamak did well to sell up and get out while he could.

But since the Russian’s departure the club has had numerous owners, none of whom managed to arrest the seemingly inevitable slide into administration.

They have since struggled to pay players, and some would say they acted beyond their means in fielding a senior team against Tottenham.

The main case in point is Aruna Dindane. The Ivorian’s appearance in the semi-final ought to have triggered a £4m payment to former club Lens, but Grant’s team managed to reach an agreement with the French outfit.

But Lens surely would not have agreed the original sale if they knew Portsmouth had absolutely no intention of paying for the international striker. This is particularly pertinent when you consider Les Sang et Or are also allegedly owed payments for the 2008 transfer of Nadir Belhadj to the south-coast side.

Furthermore, due to the constraints of administration, Pompey did not apply for a UEFA licence. Now they have reached the final they are seeking to appeal a decision which they essentially made themselves, in an attempt to qualify for a competition one of their own players has admitted helped orchestrate their downfall.

Harry Redknapp’s side have the right to feel aggrieved about the Dindane fiasco. The fact that he won the clinching penalty is academic, however. The important thing is Portsmouth reaching this stage of the competition is founded on ‘buying’ players they could not afford.

Ghanain midfielder Muntari has since moved to Inter Milan

But was this not also the situation when Redknapp himself was manager at Fratton Park? Rumours have been circulating that the club still owe Udinese £4m for the signing of Sulley Muntari during Redknapp’s tenure, and multi-million pound sales of Muntari himself and Lassana Diarra have been insufficient to generate the funds needed to pay a backlog of transfer installments.

Is the significant difference between Portsmouth and so many other Premier League sides simply the fact that other owners are willing to continue bankrolling debt-ridden clubs when the going gets tough?

Tottenham themselves were shown to be £65 million in debt, according to figures published last year, yet chairman Daniel Levy continues to fork out multi-million pound fees on fringe players such as Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker.

Without such a benificent owner, Tottenham might find themselves in the same situation as last Sunday’s opponents, at which point talk of ‘existing beyond their means’ could well go out of the window.