The topic has been brought up in the past and subsequently quickly dashed. But in modern football, or any sport, there is no place for regular season games to be played on foreign pitches.

It’s becoming the norm for domestic league Super Cup games to be competed abroad. It was also frightening to hear about the proposal for a 39th Premier League game, which would also take place abroad. Sometimes there can be good vibes from such an event and perhaps nothing but positive ambition for the game. But on the whole, it just looks like a money-spinning idea that really should never have been entertained.

What are fans paying for? Supporters hand over their cash for a season ticket, or even the opportunity to witness the first game of the season. And although there are yet to be ideas for the first game of a Premier League season to be played abroad, it is something which takes place in Major League Baseball.

The Oakland A’s opened their season this year against the Seattle Mariners in Japan. Opening day in baseball is sacred. It was America’s sport until football took over, and for those who are still clinging onto America’s pastime, the league have decided to strip away one of the elements which make that sport great.

Japan is a country that loves baseball. Yu Darvish, a superstar in Japan, is now playing for the Texas Rangers, and the Mariners took Ichiro Suzuki back to his homeland for opening day. Maybe the idea would have been a little more hideous if the sport was taken to a country where baseball is not so high up on the agenda. I’m thinking somewhere like Qatar.

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The NFL do it at Wembley every season and it’s great for the fans of the sport in this country. And although there is a great deal of interest, you can’t help but feel sorry for the real fans across the pond; those who have stuck by their team and who genuinely can throw out the customary “I’ve been a season ticket holder for 50 years.” “Thank you sir, but you’re only 39.”

Imagine the uproar if Manchester United were to play one of their key games on foreign soil. Would we be so dismissive of the anger felt by fans of other sports? Like Baseball for America, the Premier League is England’s game and England’s league. We’re not gifted with the choice of four major sports competing throughout the year, and have you ever heard anyone lose their sanity over a lack of rugby?

Sports need money, that much is clear. We have to accept that there are going to be positive proposals for the game and others which make you want to give up altogether. And taking the game abroad falls into the latter category.

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Growing the game internationally is important, which is why clubs tour America or the Far East in pre-season, and it‘s great. But isn’t that enough?

The argument for the idea is that the Oakland A’s, for example, experience poor attendances at their home games; although that may have a lot to do with the fact that the Dodgers and Angels are their neighbouring teams. The game against the Mariners drew a crowd of over 40,000 and in turn gave much more credit to the idea over the long-term.

But then it comes down to markets and the demand for the sport. Unlike America, England can’t move sports clubs to better suited cities, and we just have to deal with that. However, taking a chunk of the season away, even if it is a considerably small chunk, doesn’t sit right. Sure, I won’t feel any pain if United play a boxing day fixture in Qatar against Sunderland, but it’s the principle. What next? One game turns to two and then four and so on. What happens when Wembley does not host the FA Cup in the future?

Nicky Butt believes that Tom Cleverley has a bright future ahead of him, but feels he needs an injury-free season to become a Manchester United regular. BBC Sport reports.

Butt, who played 387 times for United and holds 39 England caps, feels the 23-year-old is at an age where playing regularly is more important than ever.

Cleverley has started all three of United matches so far this season, but a series of niggling injuries means that he has been restricted to just 12 starts in his Old Trafford career.

“He’s one of those players who can go on to great things but he needs a good run in the team and to get used to playing week in and week out for a massive club”, he told BBC Radio Manchester.

Since coming through the academy, Cleverley has had loan spells at Watford, Leicester and Wigan, although he is now edging towards the forefront of Sir Alex Ferguson’s plans and has three England caps behind him.

England manager, Roy Hodgson praised Cleverley’s performance in the 5-0 win over Moldova, but he was less convincing in the 1-1 draw with Ukraine- missing three golden opportunities to score.

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But Butt believes Cleverley has the ability to shine at the top level: “He’s a phenomenal young footballer and he’s at the right club to develop, with the right manager, the right coaches and the right players around him.”

Gervinho will never be able to replicate what Lionel Messi has done at Barcelona, but it didn’t really need me to make that obvious. What he can do, however, is adapt to a role that’s been brought to prominence by the Argentine forward and, in turn, heavily favour Arsenal’s fortunes with new dynamics to their attacking play.

There was high praise for Gervinho while in France. He was brought to Le Mans with a lot of promise and played a key role in Lille’s title-winning success of two seasons ago. The praise wasn’t just limited to those off the pitch, as Eden Hazard described the Ivorian as one of the best players he’s played with.

Gervinho, however, was the runner-up to Hazard, the consolation prize for Arsenal fans who really wanted the Belgian superstar in the red and white. His first season at the club was well short of what he’d accomplished in French football, with many fans and even the then Arsenal captain suggesting the move for the player was a mistake. Probably. There was certainly enough evidence to suggest Gervinho would fail to reach the heights of what was projected for him, but more importantly what Arsenal needed from him. Four goals and five assists is ok for a newcomer to the Premier League, but it shouldn’t be acceptable for an attacking player performing at a top four club.

Deadwood? Maybe a bit harsh, but Gervinho was showing little to suggest he was good enough to be a mainstay in Arsenal’s starting XI. He appeared weak, tame, with mental fragility and lacking quick and precise decision-making in and around the penalty area. However, there is a real feeling that Robin van Persie’s presence hindered the impact of the Gunners’ new signing. We saw it with Thierry Henry and players like Alex Hleb; the supporting cast in the team needed to look to the leader on the pitch first and contribute in their own way second. The shackles are off now. Look at the impact Alex Hleb had in 2007/08 following Henry’s departure. Is there even a hint that we could see another great contribution from a player who really was in the shadow of a former captain?

Arsene Wenger has played this magic trick before, transforming a misfiring wide player into a centralised striking superstar. And while I’m not suggesting Gervinho is on the way to becoming the next Thierry Henry, Wenger has plenty of experience in finding the most fitting role for his players and bringing out the best in them.

Despite his lack of goals last season, Gervinho’s dribbling ability and confidence to get past the last defender is excellent. A wide player with genuine attributes of playing in that position. What about through the middle? Wenger tested the player in that role in last year’s preseason, with the player grabbing two goals in his first game with the club away to Koln. This season, when a lot of emphasis was on bringing in another striker to compete with Olivier Giroud and fill the squad out, there’s been talk of Gervinho operating through the middle in training. Maybe this was the other striker the club were looking for.

He displayed cutting edge in the home win against Southampton, using his versatility to leave the opposition defenders second-guessing his movements and dragging the Southampton players out of position. Two goals for Gervinho on the day but two very different styles. The tap in for the second goal is a quality that Arsenal have long been searching for in a striker. The first, however, was a demonstration of Gervinho’s composure and ability to race away from a defence and put away a golden opportunity. The Gervinho of last season would definitely have looked to pass instead of shoot.

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Much more work is needed to tell if Gervinho’s new role is the real deal. But what it does guarantee Arsenal is a plan B; another option when Giroud isn’t quite working; a quick, tricky player who can unsettle a stubborn backline.

Give Gervinho a purpose in the squad, a real role that the team can benefit from, one that turns frustrating dead end situations into points. Early days yet, but Gervinho definitely has the build and quickness to allow Arsenal to adopt the false 9 role and be very threatening in a once one dimensional attack.

A round of upcoming international fixtures will be marked by the usual complaints about the omission of one and delight at the inclusion of another. There will be plenty of fans who feel their full-backs are deserving of England call-ups ahead of the usual mainstays in Roy Hodgson’s team. After all, aren’t we supposed to be looking at something a little different in the England squads? Regardless, there are far too many supporters who appear to walk this line between wanting the best of both worlds: the international stage needs to acknowledge and appreciate their club’s star players, but don’t they dare return injured.

Arsenal fans would scream bloody murder if Robin van Persie got a call-up to the Netherlands squad. The reaction was even more menacing if he returned to London Colney with an injury. Where was the sense in taking Abou Diaby along for a couple of France internationals so soon after returning to the first team at Arsenal? One of those France games was a meaningless friendly.

Supporters want to see their players represent their country. Why, what’s the point? How many people really say they look forward to a round of England internationals over a London derby followed quickly by a Champions League night. Santi Cazorla is putting in consistent and outstanding performances for Arsenal, should that warrant a place in Vicente De Bosque’s side? Yes, absolutely. But why do fans need to see it. It’s of no use to Arsenal if the player returns from a pointless trip to South America absolutely burnt out and unable to perform in the next league game. But that doesn’t stop plenty sounding out how good he has been and how deserving he is of a call-up.

Can you really blame Alex Ferguson for taking up such a strong stance over his players and international tournaments. International football is becoming a nonsense, and the only reason the World Cup and European Championships are so warmly received is because there is nothing else to watch (unless you fancy baseball during the summer) and also that so many “neutrals” embrace it and become die hard football fans for a few weeks.

Kieran Gibbs may be called up for the England squad at some stage in the near future, but is that what Arsenal fans really want? Do supporters really need the England manager to acknowledge just how good the player is at the moment? Where’s the regard for his own injury worries of the past? What kind of reaction will be had all over Twitter when the player picks up an injury that rules him out for a considerable chunk of the season?

Andre Santos was picked by Arsene Wenger in the final group game of the Champions League last season, despite the team being down to the bare bones in terms of defenders. The manager stated that he wanted to show plenty of respect to the game and the opposition. Well forget all that respect malarkey, what kind of respect is Wenger shown when Uefa dish out all those fines? What about the persistent knocking on the door by international managers who want to take another one of his walking wounded away for two weeks.

Santos’ case last season in the Champions league highlights that these injuries can indeed happen at Arsenal just as much as they can when the player is away with his national side. But why run the risk? Why do Arsenal fans keep talking up the impact Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs will have for England? Honestly, there’s a real sense of double standards about many fans.

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Gervinho will be lost for around a month when he travels to the African Cup of Nations in January. Everyone saw the effects the tournament had on him last season following his penalty miss in the final. Andrey Arshavin looked a broken man when Russia failed to qualify for the World Cup. Meanwhile, there is still a season going on. The African Cup of Nations is thankfully being moved to the summer following this season’s tournament, but that’s something that should have happened a long time ago.

The international fixtures in the calendar should be marked with red circles signalling danger. Everyone should stick they head in the ground and hope for the best when they emerge. Maybe it’s just an excuse for some to watch a round of internationals. But really, why all the fuss when so many clearly stand in the corner of their club in the “club over country” debate.

Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko has stated that he has no intention of leaving the club, and will fight for his place in the team.

The Bosnian attacker is not a first-choice for Roberto Mancini, who has Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero and Mario Balotelli to pick from also, and is reportedly interested in luring Radamel Falcao to the Etihad Stadium.

However, Dzeko has confirmed that he does not want to leave the Premier League champions and will continue to work hard to get a place in the City staring XI.

“Every time I see a paper, for what seems like a year or more there is a story saying that I am leaving City, or that I want to go,” he told The Sun.

“But I’ve never said that so the stories don’t come from me. I’ve always wanted to stay at City and fight for my place. My motto has always been ‘never give up’.

“I hope the City fans who have always been fantastic towards me have seen I can score important goals for the team and that’s what I want to carry on doing.

“There is myself and three fantastic strikers so obviously we can’t all play at the same time. So sometimes it can be difficult to find your rhythm.

“You could play one game and then be on the bench for the next three.

“I think confidence is the key to playing at your best, of course. Plus the more games you play, the more goals you are likely to score.

“But, as I say, with many good strikers at the club that’s how it’s going to be.

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“As a player you accept that and just try your best each time you play. That’s what I do and will continue to do,” he concluded.

duo Frank Lampard and Ryan Bertrand will both be unavailable for England in their World Cup qualifier against Poland on Tuesday.

The Three Lions are vying to qualify for the 2014 tournament in Brazil, and beat San Marino 5-0 at Wembley on Friday night.

The Stamford Bridge pair missed that game through injury, and the FA have confirmed that both are losing their battles against injury and will not travel to Warsaw.

“Frank Lampard

and Ryan Bertrand

have been ruled out of England’s FIFA World Cup

qualifier with Poland,” read a statement on the FA website.

“Lampard (calf) and Bertrand (illness) did not take part in England’s 5-0 win over San Marino, and will not be ready for Tuesday’s game.

“Roy Hodgson and his squad of 23 players travel to Warsaw on Monday morning.”

Theo Walcott has also been ruled out of the clash after picking up a chest injury against San Marino.

Roy Hodgson was hopeful that the duo would make it back to fitness in time to be considered, but both are struggling for fitness.

Bertrand has the flu and reacted angrily on Twitter last week after suggestions that he had pulled out of the Three Lions’ contingent due to a mere sore throat.

Lampard meanwhile has failed to shake off a calf injury, which will be a blow to England given that Hodgson will look to his senior players in eastern Europe.

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Steven Gerrard is back in contention once more after serving a suspension against San Marino, whilst a number of senior players that were rested on Friday could be reinstated to the starting XI.

The Guardian state that Ashley Cole, Joleon Lescott, James Milner, Glen Johnson, Jermaine Defoe and Gerrard will all be brought back into the starting XI.

Manchester United and Chelsea have been told to wait until next summer before approaching Genoa defender Mario Sampirisi, according to talkSPORT.

The 19-year-old has reportedly been attracting the attention of the Premier League teams, as well as a number of other European sides, due to a string of impressive displays for the Serie A club.

However, reports suggest that the pair have been told by the Rossoblu (Red-Blues) to forget about making an approach until at least next summer.

Since making his senior debut in January, the wing-back’s performances have earned much praise from the Italian media, leading to speculation that he could be on the move.

Both United and Chelsea have reportedly sent scouts to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris to witness the youngster’s abilities first hand, which may tempt them to make a bid in the near future.

The club’s management are believed to be unwilling to let him leave during the winter transfer window as they hope to nurture his talents ahead of a big money move in the not too distant future.

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The teenager is a product of the AC Milan academy, from which he ‘graduated’ before switching to Genoa.

Sampirisi is also an Italian U-20 international and is widely expected to advance to the senior set-up over the course of the coming seasons.

It’s an arduous task being a Premier League fan. Those who support the top teams arrive expecting victory on a weekly basis while those of us who follow a bottom feeder are sent into a state of ecstasy if our beloved team is able to scrape to a draw and a precious point that may well be worth its weight in gold come the end of the season.

Standards may differ, but no matter where their team lies in the table, the fans are passionate and willing to follow their team all over the country.

Away days in the Premier League are always fun – gathering together with a bunch of like-minded fans, travelling to other parts of the country and plotting the first few pubs to hit before the big kick-off. Being able to sample another part of the country in a big day out with football at its core – that’s a beautiful thing.

Now, while we’d all try to argue that our club has the best support home and away, I put it to you: is there a particular set of away fans that has impressed you when visiting your home stadium? They’re in fine voice, backing their team from the first whistle to the last – but they’re also good to share a pint with after the game, no matter the result.

There are numerous sides that have brought wonderful supporters to games I have attended in my time – and we at Football FanCast want to know which Premier League team you, the readers, feel has the best support on the road.

So, which Premier League club do you think has the best away support? – CAST YOUR VOTE BELOW!

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[poll ]

Problem solving. Thats all Brendan Rodgers seems to have done since arriving at Anfield in the summer. And now he’s faced with the ultimate conundrum not even a member of the Countdown audience could resolve. What to do with Steven Gerrard? With the emphasis now based on ball retention and short, sharp passing, Gerrard’s role in the Rodger’s system is currently hanging in limbo. In all honesty the Reds skipper isn’t the most technically accomplished player and is more likely to risk a 40-yard ball across field and lose possession instead of a simple five yard pass to a teammate. At 32 his days as a regular are coming to an end but theres a lingering thought that his path to the substitutes bench could be hastened by Rodgers as a means to fully implement his methodical philosophy on Merseyside.

This week on FFC could Luis Suarez be driven away from the Premier League and which Villa striker is being linked with a January loan move to Anfield?

[divider]

Best of FFC

A transfer warning to Liverpool: Don’t buy them!

A distinct possibility for Liverpool FC in the coming years?

Should more teams follow Brendan Rodgers’ lead?

Rafa Benitez deserves much more respect for his achievements

Will Luis Suarez be driven away?

The TEN things we have learned so far about Liverpool under Rodgers

Tottenham V Liverpool Combined XI

Alberti confirms Liverpool and Arsenal interest

Liverpool ready to make £6m return move

[divider]

Best of WEB

[divider]

A glimpse of his potential? – Live 4 Liverpool

Negative approach? Brendan Rodgers gets it wrong again… – Liverpool Kop

Analysis: The impact of Lucas’ return on Joe Allen – This is Anfield

Downing: Left Back, Or Left Back In The Changing Rooms? – Liverpool Kop

The First Time I Ever Saw The Reds – The Tomkins Times

‘LFC can’t rely on him’ – Aldo writes-off goal-shy Liverpool star. Premature…? – Live 4 Liverpool

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Why Steven Gerrard must quit international football – This is Anfield

[divider]

Quote of the Week

[divider]

“It’s important for the club to sign our young talent – but it’s even more important for Raheem. If you are 17 and playing regularly, you would be very foolish not to commit yourself very quickly. This is a club that is going to give young players an opportunity and he has played more games than he could have dreamed of this season, both in the Premier League and the Europa League. Liverpool have given him the chance to become a full international player. If I was Raheem Sterling and his agents, I would look to tie it up very quickly.” Brendan Rodgers urges Raheem Sterling to sign his new contract at Liverpool

[divider]

Featured Video

After dispatching with local rivals Tottenham 5-2 last weekend, you’d be forgiven for thinking that things were on the up for Arsenal, but after enduring a drab 0-0 draw against Aston Villa on Saturday evening, the boo boys were out in force once more, only serving to highlight just how fickle and divided the club’s support really is over the issue of their manager Arsene Wenger and whether he deserves to continue to lead the club forward in the future.

To put it into context, the result against Paul Lambert’s struggling but spirited side left Arsenal in sixth place in the Premier League after 13 games, having drawn five, won five and lost three, sitting five points behind Chelsea in fourth place. This is far from a catastrophe given the circumstances which has seen the club lose its best player for two successive summers running and with plenty of the season still left to play.

Arsenal fans appear to collectively lurch from one crisis to another, from despair to unbridled joy with consummate ease, with very few shades of grey in between. Of course, the reality is that when you trust a manager, as the board undoubtedly do with Wenger, to the tune of 16 seasons, stability and continuity are almost ingrained in the club’s psyche and the pace of change is often painfully slow, which makes a mockery of the hysteria on the terraces, with perception often far outstripping any kind of development.

The north London club, perhaps more than any other in the top flight, finds itself at the whims of a vocal minority susceptible to the media-driven narrative that encapsulates the extremes felt by the few; this in turn sees those very same grievances projected onto the many. Arsenal are currently enjoying their 15th straight season in the Champions League and while Wenger’s argument that finishing fourth is tantamount to winning  a piece of domestic silverware is troubling, what is the alternative?

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The boo boys should be careful what they wish for and amidst all the knee-jerk reactions to what was an admittedly disappointing result, but far from the end of the world, who do they propose that the club moves for to take over the reins instead of Wenger? What mythical manager out there could do a better job with the resources that he has at his disposal than the Frenchman?

The game against Villa was the club’s third inside a week, with their previous two seeing them hammer local rivals Tottenham at home and their victory over Montpellier in mid-week clinching their place in the knock-out phase of the Champions League. To be greeted with jeers of “you don’t know what you’re doing” by a section of the away support just further drives home the point that some fans have been mollycoddled to such an extent, that they live in a bubble, seemingly devoid of any sort of context. Honestly, when you’re banging the same drum as Piers Morgan, you really do lose all credibility and you have to wonder just how far you’ve strayed from both sanity and rational thought.

The current situation at Arsenal is far from ideal, granted, and the club do appear to have bargained way too much on the Financial Fair Play rules being strictly enforced by Uefa. Turning the tide back over the waves of mediocrity which all too often dominate their displays is going to be difficult and requires patience above all else, but it’s at least a coherent plan worthy of consideration, rather than making a scapegoat out of Wenger just because the team happen to be playing poorly on an absolute dog of a pitch.

Wenger showed signs of his frustration in the press conference after the game, with his substitutions largely seen as lacking in invention, stating: “What is the thinking behind the substitution? I will not explain every decision I make. I have managed for 30 years at the top level and I have to convince you [journalists] I can manage the team?” When pushed on the topic of the chants, he seemed reluctant to have a pop at the fans: “I don’t want to comment on that. I do my job and do my best for the club. Why should I create a rift? I have given you the answer.”

The problem that Wenger faces is that he’s failing to match the expectations which he himself helped to create. A seven-year trophy drought is no laughing matter and to an extent, the failed experiment with the dogmatic approach to a one-dimensional playing style was all at Wenger’s behest and the extent to which they’ve fallen away from the summit of the English game was somewhat preventable.

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However, when you consider that prior to the club’s title triumph in 1997-8 under Wenger, that the club hadn’t won the league for six years and had won just a solitary FA Cup since the 1970s, then they are clearly in better shape now than they ever were back then. The belief that the grass is greener has festered away at some of the club’s fans and it’s a dangerous view to subscribe to. Gratitude for past achievements is not a good enough reason to keep a manager employed in the present, but it should at least afford them more time to turn things around when things are not going according to plan.

Wenger is far from perfect, but criticism, such as the booing he endured away at Aston Villa at the weekend, just lacks any semblance of perspective; the sort of fans which feel it is their ‘right’ to compete at the higher end of the table and challenge for trophies. That the fans have to contend with the highest average ticket prices in Europe must be hugely frustrating, particularly given that Wenger seems reluctant to criticise the board over the matter, therefore making his position untenable, but we shouldn’t lump all our negative points about the club on to the shoulders of one visible target.

The relationship between a manager and a team’s fans is always a tricky one to balance, but with a dearth of alternatives and a team undeniably in transition out on the pitch, patience and faith are the order of the hour, not malevolent discontent which threatens to undermine anything Wenger does. With the club’s identity so directly intertwined with the Frenchman’s, removing him from the job could have catastrophic consequences that will condemn Arsenal to years in the wilderness, and with the fate of the side hanging by a thread, now is simply not the time for rash decisions and reactionary rhetoric.