The Borussia Dortmund squad that played against Real Madrid. Is this the last we see of this promising bunch playing together?

Borussia Dortmund‘s demolition of Real Madrid was extraordinary. It wasn’t just the scoreline, 4-1, that beggared belief, but the manner in which Dortmund completely and utterly outplayed and outclassed the Spanish heavyweights.

Real Madrid, with Mourinho at the helm, are not an easy team to beat. They might not be the most exhilarating side in the world, but they aren’t easy to break down. That is, until Dortmund blew that theory out of the water.

I cannot convey in words how much I loved that performance. The manner in which Dortmund went about winning the ball back was brilliant, sprinting to close the ball down as soon as it entered an area remotely threatening. When, inevitably, they did win the ball back, they broke with pace, power and precision – the most deadly of triumvirates.

At the heart of this were Dortmund’s young brigade – Ilkay Gundogan, Mario Gotze, Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski. And therein lies the problem for Dortmund, and for any football fan wishing to see more displays of that ilk.

Gotze’s departure to Bayern has already been confirmed. That, in itself, is a bitter blow to a side hoping to supersede Bayern as Germany’s premier club. That Gotze has been at the club since he was eight will hurt them even more. If they can’t stop a homegrown kid who has been embedded in the club for a decade from joining their arch rivals, what hope have they with others?

Lewandowski’s contract expires next year, and it is widely expected that he will move to either Bayern (yes, them again) or Manchester United this summer. After the Pole’s breathtaking four-goal display, he will not be short of suitors. Indeed, the man most ecstatic after the match will most likely have been his agent.

So, with Gotze and probably Lewandowski gone by the start of next season, where does that leave Dortmund? Both Reus and Gundogan will be attracting plenty of interest from across Europe and the allure of a big money move may prove difficult to resist, especially after witnessing the sales of possibly their two most influential players.

Robert Lewandowski could be on his way out at the end of the season

There is a very real possibility that three of those four will be gone by next August. That is, assuming the board would not allow, under any circumstances, the departure of all four.

It must be remembered that Dortmund have absorbed big losses before. They lost Shinji Kagawa to Manchester United this year, and have still maintained excellence. They lost the highly influential Nuri Sahin the year before and proceeded to win the German league and cup double.

They are masters at picking out a deal for young, promising players. They signed Lewandowski for just £4m. But they will be hard pressed to sustain departures of this nature and remain as effective as they are right now. Especially since their German rivals Bayern appear to be strengthening to such an extent that many observers have declared Barcelona‘s era of European dominance as over, and Bayern’s to have begun.

Sadly, the prominence of German football in European competition over the coming years is likely to be restricted solely to Bayern Munich. Much like the Ajax side of the mid-90s, this young, vibrant team will be broken apart and sold to various European superpowers, and we will never find out just how good they could have been if they could have stayed together.

And that’s the thing I don’t get. During Dortmund’s celebrations at the end of the game, the fanatical support of ‘The Yellow Wall’ was in full force. Ten minutes after the match had finished, not a single person had left their seats and were still vociferously applauding their heroes. The atmosphere, even watching on TV, was incredible.

So, my question is, why would anybody want to leave that? Dortmund are all but in the Champions League final, and they could soon be European Champions. They have a young, talented side that has the potential to get even better and a manager in Jurgen Klopp who is displaying all the traits of a great in the making. On top of that, they possess a brand of football that is, in my humble opinion, even more exciting than that of Barca and Bayern. And yet, there is seemingly a queue to get out of the door.

I don’t quite understand it. It can’t be about an inability to win trophies, it can’t be about a lack of enjoyment and it certainly cannot be about the club’s level of support. So, I find myself coming to the rather sad conclusion that it has to be all about the money, an extra few thousand in the pocket. What a horribly depressing conclusion to come to. Oh, how I would love to be proved wrong.

Manchester United, and more annoyingly, Robin Van Persie, won the title last night. Thankfully, I was unable to watch the horrific scenes unfolding at Old Trafford. It would have been hard to watch, and in fact, I probably would have turned it off in disgust after Van Persie’s ‘Goal of the Century’.

It means that when Manchester United visit the Emirates next week, we’ll probably end up giving them, and him, a guard of honour. Thankfully, I won’t be able to watch that either. Thank god for my cricket tour.

What last night did do, was make me think about what Arsenal need to do to compete at the top of the table once again. After years, and years, of financial prudery. Arsenal, and Arsene, have declared that they will be spending money this summer.

The club will have an extra £50m at least due to new TV and Emirates sponsorship deals, which, in addition to the huge pile of cash burning a hole in Arsenal’s bank account, should leave Wenger with a ‘war chest’ capable of satisfying the Emirates faithful.

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, I’m in charge, and Arsenal have £75m to spend (genuinely, that’s a realistic amount), this is what I would do…

Firstly, we need a world-class striker, as United proved with RVP, as it makes all the difference. For all I like about Giroud, he isn’t, nor will he ever be, world-class. Strikers in the very top bracket, capable of firing a side to a title, are few and far between, even less are readily available.

Robert Lewandowski, Edinson Cavani and Falcao are three that seem likely to move this summer. However, all three are probably out of Arsenal’s reach financially, as much because of their wages as their transfer fees. It seems very much that Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic is who Wenger is going to go after. The Montenegran has scored 12 goals in 26 Serie A games this season and whilst he might not have the quality of a Van Persie yet, at just 23 years old, it is likely Wenger will see the vast potential he possesses.

His price tag is reportedly around £30m, which would see Wenger smash his previous transfer record. It seems like a good move for Arsenal, as Jovetic is rated very highly and would signal their intent to once again mix with the big boys. It looks like a good deal for Arsenal and Jovetic should fit in well.

Ok, £45m left. With the news today that German attacking midfielder Mario Gotze has agreed a move to Bayern Munich. Malaga playmaker Isco is my man. The young Spaniard has lit up the Champions League this season during Malaga’s remarkable run the quarter-finals.

Wenger has expressed a fondness for Spaniards in recent seasons, signing Mikel Arteta, Santi Cazorla and most recently, Nacho Monreal. With Malaga banned from the Champions League the next time they qualify due to financial irregularities, it seems likely Isco will be on his way. On the face of it, it looks like a perfect fit. Despite the presence of Cazorla and Wilshere, Arsenal have often lacked penetration this year, something that Isco would undoubtedly offer, as well as goals.

At just 22, he like Jovetic, offers great room for improvement too. Surely an enticing prospect for Wenger. Due to Malaga’s financial difficulties, Arsenal shouldn’t have to pay much more than £20m for the Spaniard. With former Malaga teammates Cazorla and Monreal now residing at the Emirates, it wouldn’t be much of a leap for Isco to join the North London side. Deal done. Let’s say £22m.

£23m left. I saw a story the other day about Wenger going in for QPR keeper Julio Cesar, I hadn’t thought of this before, but it struck me as a great idea. The 32-year-old Brazilian offers Champions League winning experience, great quality and consistency at a good price.

QPR are going down, they won’t want to keep paying Cesar’s wages in the Championship, he won’t want to stay. That will drive the price down. He is also the perfect age, whilst he obviously does not offer brilliant long term prospects, all we need is a top quality stop gap before Wojciech Szczesny is able to fullfil his undoubted potential. £5m, three year contract, easy peasy.

£18m left. Now it gets a bit tricky. A month ago, I would have said we require a bruising defensive midfielder, someone like Etienne Capoue. But now, after Aaron Ramsey and Arteta have formed a commanding central midfield partnership, I’m not so sure. Also, with our new attacking midfielder Isco further forward, Wilshere could be deployed deeper.

I think I’d end up spending the remainder on two ‘squad’ players in the defensive midfield and central defensive positions. They are both areas we have quality in, but areas we also need more strength in. Our defence often takes a beating from fans and the media, but too often this season we have been lacklustre going forward, that is where the problem lies.

I will now be sending my recommendations to Mr Wenger presently, and I expect a reply in the coming days.

There was an element of surprise to Kimi Raikkonen‘s very impressive win in Australia a week ago. He did not show anything in qualifying to suggest he would be formidable at the front, and Lotus’ pre-season barely got off the ground.

One thing that did become very clear in Australia is that the Lotus is very easy on its tyres. Raikkonen managed to make a two stop strategy work, something Mercedes tried and failed to do, and even set some very quick times towards the end of the race on his rapidly wearing tyres.

Raikkonen has always been ice cool, perhaps too cool, especially in interviews, so he certainly won’t be flustered by the sudden attention thrust upon him. He was impressive last season without ever really being spectacular, understandable given his two year absence in rallying. That very much looks like changing this year.

The general media consensus now is that the Championship is a three horse race between Lotus, Red Bull and Ferrari. So that probably means Raikkonen, Vettel and Alonso.

As the media is often prone to doing, I think there is a lot of haste in that assessment. Clearly Red Bull and Ferrari will be up there, given the quality of car and drivers they have. However, after just one good result for Lotus, however impressive it was, they are now being tipped as Championship contenders.

Mercedes have, for the most part, been forgotten. Let us not forget that Hamilton put the Silver Arrow on the second row, despite going backwards in the race. Hamilton put it down to the car settings being slightly off. The Mercedes also nearly pulled off a two stop strategy, despite not quite managing it. It suggests they aren’t too hard on their tyres, which is vitally important this season.

But the biggest factor for Mercedes is Hamilton. He was formidable last year, and once he gets used to his new surroundings, he probably will be again. If he can keep accumulating points, as Alonso did last year, he might be in a position later this year to mount a title challenge. I certainly wouldn’t bet against it.

Perhaps the biggest surprise in Australia was the performance of McLaren. Whilst they were not overly optimistic before the race, no one expected them to be quite so uncompetitive. Jenson Button has openly said he wants rain in Malaysia (something which seems very likely) as those are the only conditions in which the McLaren looks vaguely competitive.

With rain, and the inevitable unpredictability that goes with it, looming for the weekend, it promises to be another tantalising Grand Prix. If Lotus and Raikkonen win again, the attention around them will gather. But with Alonso, Vettel, Hamilton and a raft of other potential race winners looming, it’s far too close to call. And that’s what we want to see.

Graeme Swann once remarked that England‘s top three of Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott was the dullest in international cricket. Of course, as always, Swann’s comments were made in jest.

With the recent retirement of Strauss, one might have hoped that the start of England’s innings’ might be injected with a touch more urgency.

Nick Compton clearly isn’t one of those people. During his debut tour of India, Compton displayed an aptitude for grinding out an innings, without managing to go and make a commanding score. He has addressed that issue in New Zealand.

An impressively calm maiden Test ton was crucial in England saving the game in the last match, whilst he has laid the platform for an England win in this game. His double century stand with Trott yesterday has set things up very nicely for England’s more extravagant batsmen, in the shape of Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell and Matt Prior.

Compton will never set the pulses racing. During his, admittedly short, Test career to date, Compton has accumulated his runs at a strike rate of 35.05. That’s Geoff Boycott territory.

Now, let me get one thing straight. I am not condemning the rather attritional nature of England’s top three. I am a staunch defender of Test cricket and it’s often, shall we say, meandering nature. Put me in front of a telly with England desperately trying to bat out the final day against a army of spinners, on a crumbling surface, and I am a happy man.

Despite Compton displaying the authority that has perhaps been missing up to this point in the Test arena, it still took him 230 balls to score his 100 runs. Staunch in defence, a happy leaver of the ball, with extravagance kept to a minimum. He is certainly no Pietersen.

The thing is, England don’t need him to be, or Cook, or Trott. As Australia have proved with the rather more dashing David Warner and Phil Hughes in their top three, urgency at the top of the innings is a difficult beast to tame.

Even Virender Sehwag, the most successful marauding opening batsman ever, has struggled when faced with conditions rather more tricky than the home comforts of India.

Test cricket is a war of attrition. Battles are won over five days, not five minutes. The patience shown by Compton might turn off some non-purists. Admittedly, the thought of watching him and Trott bat for an entire day doesn’t get my stomach fluttering with excitement. However, at least they are capable of batting all day.

With his second hundred in as many innings, it looks very much like Compton will be opening the batting for England in this summer’s Ashes series. If he, Cook and Trott can blunt Australia’s battery of pace bowlers for a day, I’m sure we can forgive them for sending a few people to sleep.

At least ,we won’t be as bored as Swanny!

Olivier Giroud (2ndR) of Arsenal looks dejected with teammates during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match against Bayern Muenchen at Allianz Arena on March 13, 2013 in Munich, Germany.

It was an incredible effort, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Arsenal are the first side to keep a clean sheet at the Allianz Arena all season (not bad for a defence which has taken such a bombardment of criticism, justified, it must be added). They also ended Bayern’s 24 game unbeaten run. Of course, it all means nothing as Arsenal are out of the competition. It’s unfortunate; one more goal would have completed perhaps the most incredible Champions League comeback ever (I’m sure Liverpool fans will contest that).

Alas, it was not to be.

When Koscielny’s header sneaked in, I thought perhaps it was destiny. Clearly, the referees did not agree. A measly three minutes of added time were awarded, absolutely scandalous in a game with so many fouls. Manuel Neuer wasted about a minute all by himself when he dived on the ball after the second goal. Not that I’m bitter or anything.

Of course, Arsenal were always fighting an uphill battle after their utterly appalling performance in the first leg. It’s annoying, the Gunners found themselves in the same situation last season.

Having lost 4-0 away to Milan, Arsenal proceeded to thrash the Italians back at the Emirates 3-0; if it were not for Van Persie missing an absolute sitter in the second half, they probably would have completed the comeback. But, just like now, despite the fact their second leg performance was exemplary, they had already shot themselves in the foot. You can’t complete a marathon if you start by shooting yourself in the foot. You’d need a miracle.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, that miracle didn’t come tonight.

There were plenty of positives to take from the evening. Primarily, the performance of Carl Jenkinson. Since the start of the season, when his impressive form earned him an England call-up, he has been marginalised by the return of Bacary Sagna.

Despite the Frenchman not performing terribly well, Jenkinson has hardly got a look in. Surely his showing tonight will give Wenger some food for thought. He dealt with Arjen Robben easily, he was threatening going forward, and he displayed a passion for the side which only Jack Wilshere can better.

Jenkinson has been an Arsenal fan all his life, and it shows. He was impressive in the North London derby last weekend too, and in my opinion, the sooner he is given a first team berth permanently, the better.

Also, a word for Lukasz Fabianski, it is fair to say his inclusion in the squad at the expense of Wojciech Szczesny was perplexing. The Pole has never really convinced in an Arsenal shirt and I certainly wasn’t pleased by his inclusion. However, he turned in an impressive performance, looking comfortable and making a couple of key saves. It will be interesting to see whether he will keep his place for the weekend against Swansea. He certainly deserves to.

Arsenal can be proud of their effort tonight. They should glean confidence from their performance, and it will hopefully push them on in the chase for fourth.

But still, they were so close, so agonisingly close…

Arsenal travel to Munich today knowing they face a nigh on impossible task at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening. Arsenal will have to score at least three goals to have any chance of progressing to the quarter-finals.

If it were to happen, it would be the most remarkable comeback in Champions League history. Unfortunately for the Gunners, not much is going their way. Most importantly, they have lost Jack Wilshere to injury.

Bayern have selection issues to worry about too, with Ribery, Schweinsteiger and Boateng all unavailable. Bayern are however much more equipped to cope with such losses. Lose Ribery, bring in Robben. Lose Schweinsteger, bring in Gustavo.

For Arsenal, losing Wilshere is a bitter blow. Whilst his likely substitute, Tomas Rosicky, is a very good player, he is no Wilshere. Since the precocious midfielder made his long awaited comeback from injury in November, he has been the standout performer at the Emirates. His blend of passion, creativity and determination are an intoxicating mix; one that drives both his teammates and the fans forward.

Wenger has also opted, strangely it must be said, to rest Wojciech Szczesny and bring in fellow Pole Lukasz Fabianski. It seems odd to rest Szczesny for such a big game, especially since Fabianski is yet to make a senior appearance this term due to injuries.

It is well known that Wenger rates Arsenal’s No.2 highly, despite a raft of errors when given opportunities, but nevertheless, it seems like an odd choice. More than anything, it seems to display a lack of faith in Szczesny and suggests that the search for a new shot-stopper in the summer will be a high priority.

A few Arsenal players have come out and spoke about the game. Gervinho has said that they need a miracle, whilst Olivier Giroud believes that “scoring early will be key”. Both are true. A miracle will be required and for that miracle to occur, an early goal will be required.

There is the slimmest of slivers of hope for Arsenal in the shape of the almost-comeback against Milan last season. Facing a 4-0 deficit from the first leg, the Gunners performed admirably in the return leg, winning 3-0, and had it not been for Van Persie fluffing a tap-in in the second half, they would have pulled it off too.

However, the key difference last season was that Arsenal were attempting their comeback at home. Going to the Allianz Arena to overturn a deficit is a much more arduous task than doing so at the Emirates, especially when Bayern have racked up three away goals.

The big dilemma for Arsenal is whether to go on an all-out attack, or sit back and try to stay in the game. It’s a tricky one, and it’s not difficult to imagine Bayern tearing Arsenal to shreds if they choose the former. If they opt for the latter however, it will make scoring the three goals they require much more difficult.

Arsenal will probably get beaten, and the night will be probably be swiftly forgotten. But, what if Arsenal do it? Now that’s a salivating prospect.

Now, replace schoolboy with Australian Test cricketer, and teacher for coach Micky Arthur. Sounds rather bloody ridiculous. Doesn’t it?

Happier times: Micky Arthur and Shane Watson

Australia decided to exclude four players, Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson and Usman Khawaja from the 3rd Test against India for failing to submit three points on which Australia could improve their game.

Firstly, isn’t it Arthur’s job to figure out what is wrong with the side? Secondly, to drop four players for such a minor incident seems stupidly harsh.

Arthur claimed he was drawing a line in the sand; so does that mean that if a player in the future breaks a similarly minor rule, they too will be dropped? Break a curfew by five minutes? Dropped. Late for the team bus? Oh you bet you’ll be dropped.

It might be slightly more understandable if the players in question had been involved with disciplinary problems in the past but that certainly is not the case. Shane Watson is the vice-captain and James Pattinson has been arguably Australia’s most impressive bowler thus far. Why Arthur would feel he could possibly cope without those two vitally important players, I have no idea.

To make matters worse for Australia, Watson has now come out and said he is “considering his options”. The all-rounder was going to fly home before the 4th Test anyway due to the impending birth of his first child but will now fly home immediately. The thought of losing Watson, one of Australia’s most influential players in recent years, does not bear thinking about for Arthur, Clarke and co. He is vital in maintaining the balance of Australia’s side with his underrated medium pace.

I wonder what Michael Clarke thinks about the whole situation. I can’t imagine a captain desperate on salvaging a draw from a series would be too keen on losing two important bowlers and his number four batsman and fifth bowler.

Clarke will now have to suffer through the third Test with limited bowling options. An absolute nightmare against a batting unit as strong as India’s, and in alien conditions, no less.

As an Englishman, I find the whole situation rather amusing, especially with back to back Ashes series coming up this year. This facade hardly smacks of a side that is well prepared to take on an impressive England, never mind the fact that they are playing rather poorly. For Australia, there are no winners in this situation.

Brian Mcdermott

It is fair to say that the news of Brian McDermott’s dismissal from Reading today came as a surprise to many. The surprise comes more at the timing of the decision than anything else.

With just ten games to go this season, the new manager will have little time to exert his influence on the side, and one cannot help but wonder whether keeping McDermott might have been the better option.

Reading’s Russian owner, Anton Zingarevich, who took over the club last May, will be desperate to benefit from the new TV rights deal which comes into effect next season. The deal will be worth about £30m a season to each Premier League club, a sum which will bring water to the eye of many an owner.

McDermott has impressed many observers since taking over at Reading in 2009. Whilst he narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League in his opening campaign, the Royals won the Championship at a canter the following year. Although Reading and McDermott initially struggled this year, winning just two games in the first half of the campaign, they burst to life in 2013.

A succession of last gasp comebacks, owing predominantly to the goals of Adam Le Fondre, secured McDermott the Manager of the Month award. However, it would not last. Defeats to Stoke, Wigan and Everton followed, before the loss to fellow relegation strugglers Aston Villa put the final nail in McDermott’s coffin.

With Reading now lying 19th, level on points with QPR, and with with away games to Manchester United and Arsenal as their next two fixtures, it is crunch time for Reading. They must get this managerial appointment right.

Paolo Di Canio is the odds on favourite to get the job after he was seen in the stands during the defeat to Aston Villa. Whilst he might be a popular choice among Premier League fans, keen to witness the Italian’s antics every week, Reading fans might be more anxious. For one, Di Canio is still very inexperienced and certainly hasn’t experienced a relegation dogfight before.

It would certainly be a risky move; however, the other candidates, including Roberto Di Matteo, Nigel Adkins and Steve McLaren would be similar. Perhaps the enigmatic Italian would provide a different energy at the Majedski stadium.

Di Canio impressed at Swindon, and his appointment might turn out to be a masterstroke. He would certainly look to adopt a more entertaining style of play to the more direct one used by McDermott, something that might take the players some getting used to.

Whoever Reading appoint, and they must do so quickly, has a mammoth task on their hands.

Luis Suarez is probably the most universally despised footballer in the world

It very much seems that the PFA Footballer of the Year award will be going to one of Robin Van Persie, Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale. Now, for differing reasons, I don’t very much care for any of them.

As an Arsenal fan, it is not hard to fathom why I find it difficult to smother Robin Van Moneybags and Gareth ‘As good as Messi and Ronaldo’ Bale in praise (as good as Messi or Ronaldo, really? Seriously? It must just be some weird joke I just don’t get).

But Suarez is a different matter altogether. He is probably the most universally despised footballer in the world. From his infamous handball that denied Ghana a semifinal berth in the World Cup, to his 8 game ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra, via the gathering of a seemingly permanent reputation as a diver (it appears to have been overlooked that Bale has been booked a record 6 times for simulation this season).

I, like everyone else, really did not like Luis Suarez. But that stance seems to be softening. Perhaps it is because I don’t have the energy to outwardly despise him alongside Van Persie and Bale, perhaps I’m just coming round to appreciate his undoubted ability as a footballer. What you can’t deny is that he’s a bloody good footballer.

His opening goal against Spurs was just brilliant. Put through by Enrique on a tight angle with Lloris advancing rapidly, he poked it past the Frenchman by shooting so unexpectedly early, the Tottenham keeper had no time to react. Whilst us mere mortals would have opted for a more conventional, less effective option, Suarez displayed the sharpness of mind which is arguably his greatest asset.

Suarez has single handedly kept Liverpool in the hunt for 4th spot this season, others have flitted in and out of form, but the controversial Uruguayan has been utterly brilliant all season long. Whilst last season his finishing often left much to be desired, that complaint certainly cannot be made this year. He’s leading the scoring charts with 21, two more than Van Persie and five more than Bale. He has also turned provider on four occasions, the stats certainly back him up.

Whilst Bale has hit a purple patch in the last month or so, driving pundits into a frenzied rush to heap as much praise on him as humanly possible, and Van Persie has benefited from playing in by far the best side in the league, Suarez has had to contend with the relative mediocrity that surrounds him at Anfield, whilst rarely going through a period of ineffectiveness.

He’s still grabbing headlines for the wrong reasons, his handball against Oldham almost broke Twitter as the entire country rushed to call him a ‘massive ****’. That was harsh on Suarez, I don’t think he purposefully handled the ball, and we can’t expect all footballers to immediately admit to handling the ball with a goal on the line. After all, even the legend that is Thierry Henry found himself in a similar situation. Footballers aren’t saints. In other news, the Pope is Catholic, and sun rises from the east.

Suarez gets my vote for Footballer of the Year; just as Van Persie did last year with Arsenal, he has made an average side perform like a good one. For me, that’s more impressive than running riot in a brilliant side focussed on getting the best out of that individual (Van Persie), or running very quickly and scoring a few pot shots (Bale).

I suspect the gong will go to Van Persie or Bale, whether that has anything to do with Suarez’s reputation, I don’t know. But we might not be able to appreciate his talents for much longer, with endless rumours about a summer departure doing the rounds. One thing’s for sure, we’ll miss him when he’s gone. Well, at least the Liverpool fans will, especially after they’ve spent Suarez’s transfer money on Leon Best.

England were thanking an unlikely source after they comfortably batted out the final day at the University Oval in Dunedin to secure a draw. Steven Finn, who had never previously made a first-class fifty, batted for nearly 5 hours and 203 balls whilst making 56.

England have often had to rely on their tail enders to bail them out in recent times. Monty Panesar and Jimmy Anderson’s famous rearguard at Cardiff in 2009 instantly comes to mind, whilst Graham Onions’ heroics in South Africa also warrant a mention.

Alastair Cook said the England team had “bribed” Finn to see out a certain amount of overs. Clearly, Finn will have had a bumper payday. Of course, England will be frustrated at the situation in which they found themselves. Starting tours badly has become something of a habit for England recently and it is one they must unlearn quickly if they are to climb back, and stay, atop the world rankings.

England should recover for the next Test, as they did in India late last year, and they will probably still record a series victory. For New Zealand, they will be disappointed at their inability to force a win from what was an eminently winnable situation. They are unlikely to catch England cold again and will have to work extremely hard to keep England at bay in the final two Test.

Whilst Hamish Rutherford showed undoubted quality, there is still a glaring lack of depth to their batting. As Finn showed, their bowling attack is hardly venomous and unless England’s batsmen suffer from any further brain aberrations, they shouldn’t have a problem negating Neil Wagner and co.

The pitch in Dunedin was remarkably devoid of life, whereas Wellington is expected to be a green seamer. Whilst both sides might be encouraged by this, it probably suits England better. Their bowlers, Anderson in particular, should exploit the conditions expertly and will likely cause New Zealand’s frail batting line-up more than a few problems.

England’s batsmen, meanwhile, have spent their entire careers in these types of conditions, years of early April starts in the Championship have seen to that. If New Zealand are to avoid the type of battering handed out to them by South Africa, they must start the match well. Continuing the momentum they gained in this Test will be crucial for them, take a few early wickets, get a big opening partnership, and they are in the game. If England take control, it’s very difficult to imagine anything other than a crushing win for the tourists.

Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton‘s arrival seems to have lifted Mercedes to new heights this season. They utterly dominated the final two days of testing in Barcelona, Hamilton, and then Rosberg, setting the fastest times of the winter. Mercedes dropped off so badly last year, after Rosberg won in China, that by the end of the season, they were struggling to even pick up points. Judging by the admittedly unreliable indicators from testing, that won’t be a problem this year. With Hamilton at the wheel, the Mercedes looks like having the pace to challenge at the front of the grid. A bold prediction – Hamilton for pole in Australia. You heard it here first.

Sauber

Benefitted quite nicely from the Hamilton to Mercedes deal, as they were able to bring in the highly rated German, Nico Hulkenberg, to replace the outgoing Perez. As Hulkenberg showed in Brazil at the end of last year, he has the potential to win races. Whilst he might struggle to do that for Sauber, he will certainly amass an impressive points tally. Alongside the Mexican rookie, Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber have an exciting driver line-up to go with their new striking dark grey livery.

Force India

Have not had an ideal winter. Undecided on their second driver, they spent most of the winter trying to decide between the young, fast Jules Bianchi and the older, more experienced Adrian Sutil. In the end, they opted for experience in the shape of Sutil. In my opinion, it was a poor choice. In Sutil’s previous F1 stint, he hardly set the world alight, he was merely a reliable points scorer. I doubt a year away would have turned him into anything more than that. A punt on the clearly quick Bianchi (who has now gone to Marussia) would perhaps have shown a bit more ambition from Force India. Looks like another season slogging it out in the midfield.

Toro Rosso

Sticking with Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne. The car looks to be much the same as last season. Will be hoping to stay ahead of Caterham and Marussia. Aims will be limited to getting out of Q1 and scoring the odd point.

Caterham

Have a completely new, very inexperienced driver line-up in Charles Pic, who was at Marussia last year, and Dutchman Giedo van der Garde. Will be looking to reign in Toro Rosso and get out of Q1 on a more regular basis. Might struggle early on as their young drivers get to grips with the cars.

Marussia

Signed the young Englishman Max Chilton early on, but didn’t confirm their second driver until the end of the final test. Had a deal in place with the Brazilian Lucas Razia, but when his sponsorship failed to materialise, so too did his race seat. The deal fell through and they opted instead for the already mentioned Bianchi. Not much is expected of them, and it will be interesting to see how both the rookies go. Chilton should benefit from having every day of testing to himself.

Despite the fact that Red Bull hardly set the world alight during testing (Mark Webber setting their only seriously fast time), they will most certainly be battling it out at the front of the grid. It’s generally thought that Red Bull rarely, if ever, run less than 60 kg of fuel in testing and it would explain their relatively slow times compared to the other big teams. Various analysts have commented that out on track, the Red Bull looks to have more downforce than any other car, to be expected with Adrian Newey in charge of the design. Expect Vettel to be fighting it out for pole in Australia.

Ferrari

Fernando Alonso said this year’s car was “200 times better” than last year, surely a good sign for the Scuderia after they entered last season with a car unable to get into Q3. Despite the car appearing to struggle with rear grip upon the exit of corners, the F138 looks to have serious pace as evidenced by Alonso’s time on the last day of testing in Barcelona. Despite Mercedes grabbing the fastest times on the last two days, the Ferrari was not too far behind. Their consistently quick times over the winter should mean Alonso will have a car deserving of his ability.

McLaren

It hasn’t been the best of winters for McLaren. On occasions, they’ve shown genuine pace, on others, the car has looked distinctly average. Jenson Button has conceded that they don’t quite know how to get the best out of the car, which is worrying with Australia just round the corner. Without Hamilton to push the car beyond its limits, something Button hasn’t yet proved he can do, McLaren might struggle to keep pace with the other top teams, who appear to have made significant strides forward. It will also take time for Sergio Perez to fulfil his undoubted potential and should not be expected to fight at the front early on.

Lotus

Despite showing impressive pace during testing, Lotus do seem to be struggling with reliability issues. Whenever they have had the car out on track, it has looked quick, but unfortunately, it hasn’t been out on track too often. Roman Grosjean recently complained about not feeling ready for Australia due to his lack of track time, which, considering he has completed twice as many laps as Kimi Raikkonen, does not bode well. However, if Lotus can fix the reliability issues, they will be fighting at the front. Just how close to the front is a tough one to call but don’t be surprised if they are on, or close to the front row in Australia. Last year, the car had very strong race pace, so if Raikkonen can continue his consistency from last year, and Grosjean can cut out the stupid crashes that plagued his season, the Lotus could be the surprise package of the season.

Arsene Wenger – running out of time?

After Arsenal‘s 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening, which followed the even more embarrassing 1-0 loss to Blackburn in the FA Cup, the pressure has ramped up on Arsene Wenger.

The ‘Wenger Out’ topic is certainly a touchy one for Arsenal fans. Head to Twitter after a poor result (you won’t have to wait long) and you’ll see a raft of people bad mouthing Wenger and demanding his removal. However, you will also see a similar number of people backing his corner, blaming Arsenal’s difficulties on the board.

A recent survey by Sky Sports which asked whether or not Wenger should stay was split exactly 50:50. If you wanted to defend Wenger, you would have no shortage of stats to back you up: 16 straight years in the Champions League, 3 Premier League titles and 4 FA Cups. Wenger also oversaw the move to the Emirates and was the driving force behind the construction of a new world class training facility (paid for with the £20m profit he made on Nicolas Anelka).

However, recently, if you wanted to make a case for the prosecution, you would find yourself with a plethora of sticks to hit the Arsenal manager with. It is a temptation the media and, increasingly, the fans are giving in to.

This was Wenger’s worst ever start to a league campaign, the worst before that was last season. Before this year, he had never lost to non-league opposition, but he has now lost to Bradford and Blackburn. With the prospect of a trophy at the end of this season almost non-existent, Arsenal will be without silverware for an eighth successive season. The ‘trophy’ of 4th place which Wenger has always maintained is more important than the FA or League Cup is also in doubt with Arsenal 4 points behind an impressive Spurs side. He has also seen the likes of Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Alex Song leave in the last couple of years, without adequately replacing them.

It doesn’t make for pretty reading (unless you’re a Spurs fan, of course).

I have been perching on the ‘Wenger Out’ fence for so long that I have splinters; but I increasingly find myself leaning over to the dark (out) side. It hurts me to say that. You will never find me abusing the Frenchman, he deserves the utmost respect for his work at Arsenal, but he seems to be losing the tactical edge that used to be so evident.

When Arsenal have been struggling in games, hardly a rare occurrence, Wenger is often reluctant to change anything and when he does opt for a change, nothing much happens.

Perhaps the biggest illustration of Wenger’s fall from grace has been his dealings in the transfer market. While there was a time when Wenger was able to pluck a future world class player from relative obscurity (think Henry, Anelka, Pires, Fabregas), his recent purchases have left something to be desired.

For Henry, read Gervinho. For Anelka, read Chamakh. For Pires, Arshavin. Players who are currently farmed out on loan due to the club’s inability to move them on permanently (thanks to their inordinate wages) are: Bendtner, Chamakh, Djourou, Chu-Young, Denilson and Andre Santos.

Admittedly, Wenger has had to deal with financial restrictions, but he is responsible for the assembly of the squad which is currently failing Arsenal Football Club so spectacularly.

Jack Wilshere is one of the few Arsenal players to openly support Wenger

Thomas Vermaelen and Jack Wilshere have both come out in defense of their manager, claiming it is not his fault. Of course, much of Arsenal’s current malaise is down to the players, who were all brought in by Wenger. However you swing it, Wenger doesn’t come off well.

With Arsenal about to benefit from a newly signed sponsorship deal with Emirates, money will now be readily available to be splashed – something the board has confirmed. What you have to ask is, would a different manager be better placed to spend that money? It’s difficult to say, but Wenger has hardly inspired confidence with his recent signings and there is nothing to suggest that is about to change.

Of course, all talk of Wenger being sacked is irrelevant. The board will not remove him as they trust his judgement wholeheartedly and are much more likely to offer him a new contract than fire him. Wenger’s current deal expires at the end of next season. He has always honoured his contracts and I doubt he will walk out on this one.

Much will depend on next season; Wenger will probably still be in charge and will have bought new players (I would question his sanity otherwise). If he turns things around, he might well stay on; if he can’t, the end of an era beckons.

After a more than credible draw at Goodison on Wednesday (although you wouldn’t have thought it if you had searched #AFC after the game on Twitter) Arsenal desperately need a win against Swansea tomorrow.

A draw against Everton is a very good result, as better teams will go there and lose, but because of the draw at Villa Park, Arsenal really needed a win. Now, they desperately need a win. Manchester United are out of sight at the top of the table, and 4th place is becoming harder to see. They must win to keep in touch.

On paper, it looks like a game the Gunners should win. Despite Swansea’s win against high flying West Brom, they have been shaky away from home and should provide Arsenal with ample opportunities. So often when teams travel to the Emirates, the bus is parked and Arsenal struggle to break through. Swansea probably won’t do that.

They play with a strong attacking philosophy and will look to beat Arsenal at their own game. Michu is a real threat for them and at £2m looks like the bargain of the season. Recently, he has been playing further forward to good effect, and his late arrivals in the box reminiscent of Frank Lampard at his best.

Swansea also have plenty of pace behind him, and Routledge, Dyer and Hernandez will offer a great counter attacking threat which Arsenal will have to be wary of.

For Arsenal, Podolski looks like coming back into the side after an ‘illness’, whilst Bacary Sagna is a doubt after getting a knock against Everton. Other than these changes, the team should be pretty similar to the one against Everton.

Against both Villa and Everton, Arsenal have been pressed relentlessly high up the pitch and thus have struggled to impose their passing game on the opposition. With a midfield three of Wilshere, Arteta and Cazorla, you would think that Arsenal might be able to cope with this tactic, and they will certainly have to find a way around it tomorrow as Swansea will certainly look to exploit that weakness.

If Arsenal do manage to get into their rhythm early and control the game, they could inflict some serious damage. Walcott often runs riot at home when opposition teams give him space to run into and if Cazorla and co. can find him, Arsenal should get the win.

Today the ECB announced that Ashley Giles would be taking on the role of ODI and Twenty20 team director. Andy Flower will stay on as overall team director and will still be in charge of the Test side. Ultimately, Giles will answer to Flower, but will have total control over the limited overs sides.

This split coaching role has never been seen before in international cricket and shows how the relentless international schedule can take its toll on coaches as well as players.

The move, which is designed to allow Flower more time at home and to focus on the future of the Test side, could spark a radical change in how international sides are run.

Coaches in cricket have rarely lasted. No one has had the longevity of Sir Alex Ferguson, or even David Moyes. Since being appointed full time team director in 2009, Flower has presided over two Ashes victories, a Twenty20 World Cup triumph and a rise to No.1 in the Test rankings. It is understandable that England want to keep hold of him. Too often, administrators are vilified for their decision making, with money seemingly at the forefront of their minds.

This time, they have got it just right. It is completely unreasonable to expect a family man like Flower to be away from his wife and young children for so long without any drawbacks. These drawbacks might come in the shape of weariness, a lack of desire, maybe even a lessening of tactical awareness. Without taking this step, Flower would almost certainly have left, or been removed, from his job within the next few years.

Now, with less responsibility and more time to plan, there is no reason why he couldn’t keep going for years. Flower is a winner, he will see this development as a way of helping him build a dynasty with England similar to that of the great West Indians and Australians. That will surely be his ultimate goal.

Giles is also a sensible appointment, he was already involved in the setup as a selector and guided Warwickshire to the Championship title last year. It was not so long ago that he was playing for England and he will certainly have some fresh ideas that he will look to implement.

Will these ideas will result in England finally cracking one-day cricket? Only time will tell. There should now be some freshness and focus in the coaching. The ECB have shown commendable foresight and vision in making this appointment and it is a move that will surely be followed by others in the near future.

Wow. What a brilliant day of Test cricket. If anyone ever says they don’t like Test cricket, or Twenty20 is more entertaining, strap them to a chair and play the full coverage of today’s play. That’ll do the trick.

Today was also a message to the ICC, if you want to keep Test cricket alive, make sure there are more pitches like this one. This pitch is perfect, it offers assistance to the bowlers, but as Pujara, Cook, Pietersen and Gambhir have shown – if batsmen apply themselves – runs are there to be made.

Pietersen came into this series under a lot of pressure. He is still technically in a re-integration period, I should think that has been accomplished today. He made the claims from some quarters that he should never play for England again look utterly ridiculous.

You will see few better innings than the one Pietersen played today. Make no mistake, the ball was turning and spitting, it’s just that he and Cook (who must not be forgotten, as easy as it is to do) nullified India’s spinners to such an extent that the pitch looked benign.

You know when KP is in form, he bats with a swagger and an air of invincibility that hasn’t been seen since Viv Richards. He plays the most outrageous shots with consummate ease. Put simply, he is incredible to watch.

When on 97, when nerves might understandably be taking their toll, Pietersen nonchalantly decided to reverse sweep Harbhajan. 4 runs, 22nd hundred, no problem. From there, as so often happens, he stepped up another gear.

He treated Pragyan Ojha, an exponent of his supposed nemesis left arm spin, with complete disdain. Two slog sweeps went sailing over mid wicket, with men posted on the boundary. But the best shot of all was his six over cover. Ojha was bowling a defensive line, desperately searching for some respite. Pietersen saw it float outside off, waited, then smashed it over cover with such ease it was almost unbelievable.

His eventual dismissal, caught behind off Ojha, was a shock. It clearly shocked the rest of England’s batsmen as they promptly folded, but the damage was done.

Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann then proceeded to completely out-bowl the Indian spinners and put into context just how well Cook and Pietersen batted. It was completely spellbinding, Indian batsmen – supposedly the best players of spin in the world – being completely outclassed by two orthodox English spinners.

Gambhir was the one bright spot for India, showing a fight that was clearly lacking in his team mates. Especially Kohli and Yuvraj, who both looked like they had no interest whatsoever in sticking around.

India are not beaten yet. If Gambhir and the more-than-capable Harbhajan can add a few runs tomorrow morning, they might just be able to put pressure on England.

We’ve seen before how England can collapse against spin and you can’t rule out the same happening again. Get that lead up to 100 and we could have a proper game on our hands.

Same old Arsenal, same old problems. After the 5-2 win against Spurs and the 2-0 win against Montpellier, there was an understandable buzz about the side. Back on track, surely.

Maybe not.

It must be remembered that we beat a 10 man Spurs, they dominated us for the 15 minutes they had 11. We beat Montpellier relatively comfortably, yes, but they are a vastly inferior side. So, a game against a side third from bottom who have recently been thrashed 5-0 should be no problem, right? Wrong.

Villa played very well, I’ll say that right off the bat. Paul Lambert said before the game that they have to restrict Arsenal’s passing game, they certainly accomplished that. Whenever the centre backs (basically Mertesacker as Koscielny was always marked) tried to play it into midfield, a Villa man was onto the receiver in a flash. Arteta spent his 90 minutes playing the ball straight back to Mertesacker because he had no space to turn.

It was a tactic that was deployed all over the pitch and it worked extremely well. There were a few neat turns and flicks from Arsenal which left Villa slightly exposed but there was never any cutting edge (sound familiar?). In the last 10 minutes of the first half the game opened up a bit, there was some end to end stuff and I thought Villa were starting to tire a bit.

No way could they keep up that intense pressing game for another 45 minutes, surely? Wrong again. The second half followed exactly the same pattern as the first- Arsenal struggle to make any kind of inroads in the final third, they lose it, Villa counter attack. That was basically it.

Arsenal were pretty solid at the back. Mertesacker was imperious once again, forget Cazorla, he’s my player of the season so far (controversial, I know). Szczesny in goal was encouraging too, he made an incredible save from Brett Holman which in the end rescued a point. But those are pretty much the only positives.

Arsenal have been solid in patches this year, but it seems to come with the caveat that there is no attacking threat. Whenever the goals have flowed, they’ve also flowed at the other end. Frustrating doesn’t even cover it.

There were some late chances, Gervinho nearly popped up in the box before a flailing Villa leg denied him. Ramsey had a few pops from range (he had his best game in an Arsenal shirt for quite some time) and perhaps the best one of all was Coquelin right in the last minute.

The defensive midfielder found himself in the box with 3 or 4 options to cut back to in the box. He decided, surely in a blaze of not knowing what the hell to do, to blast it as hard as he could across the face of goal. It flew at least 20 feet high and wide of anyone in the box and went out for a goal kick. That wound me up a bit.

He shouldn’t even have been on the pitch. Wenger brought him on for Giroud with 5 minutes to go (you have to hope he was carrying some kind of debilitating injury) with Wilshere sitting pointlessly right next to him on the bench. If you’re going for a win, you don’t bring on a defensive midfielder for a striker, not when you’ve got one of your most creative (and passionate) players sitting right there raring to go. Argh.

There are always going to be rash ‘Wenger out’ calls after a game like that (I nearly wrote loss there, that’s how it feels). I’m sitting on the fence, and I have been for a while. I think I’ll wait to see what he does in January before I make up my mind either way.

That being said, if Pep Guardiola became available tomorrow…

The recent announcement that Arsenal have renewed their association with Emirates is not all that surprising. What with loyalty and all that, it was very much expected. However, the news that the 5 year extension is worth £150m is surprising. Currently, Arsenal earn around £5.5m from their deal with Emirates, which covers shirts, training kit and the stadium naming rights.

That figure pales in comparison with what other clubs earn. Of course, that deal was negotiated when Arsenal were trying to secure loans for their swanky new stadium and needed guaranteed cash, and quick.

This new deal though is further evidence that Arsenal will be able to compete financially with other top clubs in the future. The £30m a year deal is the second largest ever negotiated, behind Manchester United‘s recent £45m a year contract with Chevrolet.

Part of the deal was that some of the cash would be provided in advance. That means Wenger will finally have a war chest in the summer capable of appeasing the fans desires, whether he uses it is another matter entirely.

There is also at least £20m burning a hole in Wenger’s pocket ready to be spent in January. He rarely dips into the market during January, having always said it doesn’t represent value for money. There is a history of him dipping in when required though. The purchase of Andrey Arshavin was crucial in 2009 when trying to reign in Aston Villa (his subsequent troubles not withstanding).

So, with guaranteed financial stability, Champions League or not, Wenger might just be persuaded to open up his cheque book. The much maligned Ivan Gazidis has consistently stated that Arsene is in charge of all footballing matters so if Arsene wants somebody, he should be able to go out and get him.

The fans have been calling for money to be spent for years. Now, their calls finally seem to be realistic. Of course, in the immediate wake of this announcement there were some outlandish, hopeful transfer predictions. Falcao and Gotze were among some of the names mentioned.

There certainly seems to be a general feeling that Arsenal need a powerful central midfielder. Abou Diaby, despite his sensational early season form, has proved once again that he can’t be relied upon to stay fit. So that area is surely a priority, as another forward might be.

Fellaini, due to his performances this season, is being touted as a possible target. It seems like a good fit, although the mind of Arsene Wenger is notoriously difficult to get an insight into.

I don’t think it will happen, I would like to be proved wrong, but it just doesn’t seem right. Wenger has always stated that he doesn’t like signing players taller than him (he stands at around 6 feet 4 inches) so a move for the Belgian would be a break from form.

A winger/striker is much more likely to be a priority. With Gervinho off to the African Cup of Nations and Theo Walcott‘s contract stand off still ongoing, there are lots of question marks surrounding this area. How or who Wenger is planing to strengthen this area with is a mystery. He’ll probably just end up buying a French 17-year-old left back who has the potential to be world class in a few years. Hurrah.

After England were soundly thrashed by 9 wickets last week, much of the focus centred on the non-selection of Panesar. Clearly, with hindsight, he should have played. But would he have made a difference to the result? Doubtful. There were two key problems for England in the last Test, their batting and Cheteshwar Pujara.

Whilst Panesar has impressed on his return to the side, his dismissal of Tendulkar in particular was reminiscent of the Panesar of 2006. However, he couldn’t fix the main problem. Pujara ends the day not out on 114, his Test average now standing at a Bradman-esque 85.50. It is impossible not to draw comparisons to Rahul Dravid. Pujara has replaced the great man at no.3; he even bats with the same air of invincibility.

When Dravid was batting, especially on a good day, the only way you were going to get him out was with a huge slice of luck, a bad decision, or a very rare loose stroke. The same applies to Pujara. He does not worry about his strike rate, admittedly rather easy with Sehwag, Kohli and Yuvraj in the same batting order. He is technically about as perfect as you could hope to be and, crucially, he can play the short ball.

Early on in the first session, Broad was testing the water. He gave Pujara a sharp bouncer, he ducked under it as it flew through to Prior. Broad, clearly encouraged by the pace and carry of the ball, tried again. This time, Pujara lent back and nonchalantly guided the ball over the slips. Perhaps most impressively, Pujara propped forward to the next ball, which was full and offered the most pristine forward defence you will ever see. Dravid himself would’ve been proud.

These 3 balls showed exactly why Pujara has the potential to be one of the greats. To have the ability, awareness and confidence to clip Broad over the slips was mesmerising. Then, when some batsmen would hold back, wary of another short ball, Pujara went forward.

Sometimes, a dead pan defence is more demoralising for a bowler than a slog over midwicket. Pujara’s defence said to Broad: “You’re not getting through here, good luck”. Broad had bowled a perfectly good ball, it didn’t even test Pujara. So, rather than focusing on whether or not Panesar should or should not play, or to play 5 bowlers or 4, England might want to think about how the hell they’re going to get Pujara out. It is a rather more perplexing conundrum.

Last week’s unqualified success in Austin was, undoubtedly, good for F1. In order to secure its long term future, it needs to break the American market. There is no reason why America shouldn’t love F1 – it’s fast, it’s a big show with plenty of ‘wow’ factor that Americans seem to love. It’s also currently enjoying one of the most exciting periods in its long and celebrated history.

There are currently 6 world champions on the grid, something that’s never happened before. The competition is fierce, as evidenced by the titanic title fight Alonso and Vettel are currently engaged in. The sport is even taking responsible steps to being more green. Hurrah, the polar bears are saved! So, all is well in the world of F1.

But what if a nasty little controversy could be coming right round the corner? In Austin, Ferrari took the utterly ruthless decision to break open Felipe Massa‘s gearbox, thus moving Alonso up a place on the grid and, crucially, onto the clean side of the track. The decision came under scrutiny, teams and drivers were asked whether they thought it was fair. Few hopped off the fence, perhaps understandably considering F1′s new desire to stay out of the news for the wrong reasons. Martin Whitmarsh did say it was something he wouldn’t have done, but that perhaps shines more of a light on McLaren and whether they have the ruthless streak it takes to win. They, and not Lewis Hamilton, are certainly the reason he is not in the title fight. Indeed, he might even be winning it had McLaren not been so incapable throughout the season. Anyway, I’m going off on a tangent. Damn McLaren.

In demoting Massa, Ferrari displayed their ‘win at any cost’ attitude, which could prove crucial in Brazil on Sunday. Now, this is just an idea, and an admittedly far fetched one at that. Could Massa purposefully end Vettel’s race? Thus handing Alonso the Championship on a shiny silver platter.

Now, I’m not saying Ferrari will have a meeting about it and demand Massa take Vettel out. Massa will probably not even be close enough to Vettel to force such a move. But what if Massa’s having a torrid race (very possible) and Vettel is dominating at the front (more than very possible). Massa sees Vettel in his rear view mirror and ‘accidentally’ gets in Vettel’s way. Vettel has had problems with backmarkers in the past and such an incident might be what it takes for Alonso and Ferrari to win that much coveted title.

Massa obviously wouldn’t admit to it, he couldn’t. But I have a feeling Stefano Domenicalli and Luca Di Montezelo, the Ferrari king pins, would be rather pleased with Massa’s actions. I must clarify again that this will almost certainly not happen, it’s actually rather ridiculous to even suggest it.

But maybe, just maybe, Massa will feel inclined to ‘take one for the team’. After all, Ferrari will try and win at any cost.