Don’t worry folks, this isn’t going to be a 3000-word essay on the evolution of man, I’m not going to throw quotes from Robert Winston or Richard Dawkins at you, more a closer look at how we, as football fans, digest our intake of football.

Twitter has been a godsend for many, but it has also changed the way in which we consume our football. It has brought a small world even closer together and the sheer immediacy of it all appeals greatly. It’s a fantastic source of information aswell as being a brilliant outlet for exploring the minds of players, journalists and just your fellow casual fan alike.

Sky Sports regularly now ‘understands’ a transfer rumour on the basis of Twitter account, and the amount of information if you follow the right people truly is staggering. Newspapers, both regional and national, are a dying breed and circulation figures have plummeted, advertising revenue is down and don’t be surprised if we’re to see a few more big national’s go out of business over the next few years – but this has directly led to the expansion of online media as a knock-on effect.

Instead of breaking a story through the morning newspaper, journalists often break news through their Twitter account and the race to be the first to do so is fierce. Interviews, colour pieces and general more in-depth analysis will always be confined to the page, unsuitable for the 140-character limit, but the inclusiveness of Twitter means we absorb information at a quicker rate.

It’s also changed the way we watch football – I include myself in this – I often watch games while on my Twitter account, as it allows you to interract with different people from all four corners of the world while the game is going on. You could liken it to being in a virtual pub with a bunch of strangers all of which have an opinion on any given event, no matter how minute – it may sound odd to an outsider (I’m looking at you, Mark Lawrenson), but that’s essentially what it is.

Live blogging also provides a useful outlet for both comment and debate. There’s nothing worse than being an opinionated football fan and having nobody around to listen to your opinions – we all have them, some more outlandish and unsubstantiated than others – but the desire and demand is clearly there. This can often delve into statistical information on the game you are watching, while it is going on, which as long as it’s provided with context, can be a useful tool when assessing any game.

We are, of course, in the midst of a double-dip recession, although you wouldn’t know it from the way that the average fan is continually priced out of a seat on the terraces. Football is more than just a form of entertainment, it’s a release and a break from your day-to-day life, but being a loyal supporter these days is a seriously expensive habit, as is going out to watch every match, so many resort to the comforts of their own home with none of the fiscal drawbacks.

Uefa President Michel Platini’s brainchild of holding Euro 2020 in 12-13 different cities in countries all over the continent simply highlights the way the game is being moved away from the regular punter. I would call it contempt or disdain for the fans, but that would imply that the game’s governing bodies actually cared what we thought in the first place. The passionate and engaged football fan is being pushed further and further to the edges in place of corporate interests, with nearly a quarter of seats for most major finals now no longer vailable to fans of either side actually contesting the game but the sponsors instead. The holographic mexican wave is quite possibly Platini’s idea of a wet dream and the frightening thing is, it doesn’t sound so hugely far-fetched anymore.

Broadcasters also seem to think that a likening for football doesn’t come hand-in-hand with intelligence, hence the patronisingly inept pundits we are often ‘treated’ to. The likes of Alan Shearer, Martin Keown and Mark Bright think their job is merely to tell you what is happening on the screen every time something of note takes place, when in fact, it is the opposite, they are supposed to be telling us what we, as laymen, cannot see. There is no insight, no tactical analysis and no point of listening, so we go elsewhere for our information.

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The modern football fan has evolved beyond all recognition due to fiscal, geographical and practicality factors. Football is non-stop, there is no real break from it, particularly this summer with both the Euros and Olympics taking place. It can be seen as a form of addiction, and outlets such as Twitter and Live blogging provide you with that much-needed hit of debate before the next big fix, the games themselves.

Fittingly, given the subject matter, you can follow me on Twitter @JamesMcManus1

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I understand that Olympic football technically classifies itself as amateur. In order to facilitate this, the rule of only having three players over the age of 23 is enforced. However, although these players may not be getting paid for their troubles it is impossible to deny that they are professional footballers.

So, why not go the extra step and allow players of all ages. Yes, FIFA and UEFA might have something to say about that but frankly having the three over age players rule reduces the standard of football that isn’t quite amateur but it certainly far worse than we’d all like to watch.

The GB squad is like a ‘who’s who’ of players that rarely play for their clubs. It’s embarrassing.

Then, teams like Brazil, who just happen to have most of their best players within the age limit, are allowed to play almost the exact same team that they will put forward for the World Cup in 2014. It’s a farce.

Can the winners really claim any kind of success when each nation is suffering from vastly different handicaps depending on whether or not their players are under or over a certain age?

Moreover, whilst some domestic leagues are conducive to the timing of the Olympics, others are not.

I know that even if we had all of our players we would still be unlikely to win but the fact that we have to take Marvin Sordell and Scott Sinclair when Brazil can take Neymar and Lucas Moura is thoroughly depressing.

For Spain too the rules are slightly ridiculous. They have a team easily capable of winning the tournament except for the fact that most of their players are in the prime of their careers, which somehow acts as a disadvantage as they’re not allowed to play.

I wholly support the idea of football in the Olympics. If the ‘women’s ten metre air rifle’ competition is worth a gold medal then football definitely is, but they shouldn’t be doing things in half measure.

Its understandable that the Olympic committee will probably be worried that many countries won’t enter a proper team due to club commitments but that is the choice of those players and those countries.

Just because a competition might not end up being even, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t at least allow it the potential to be even. By enforcing rules like they have at the moment it is almost as though they are admitting that nobody will ever take football at the Olympics seriously so why should they bother to try and make it as important as the World Cup or other international tournaments.

They don’t have this age restricting rule with any of the other team sports so why do it with football. It makes no sense.

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The winner of the 100m final at the Olympics this summer will be the best sprinter in the world, likewise the winner of the swimming and rowing and long jump and many other events will also be the best in their field. The winners of the football will not. They will be the best collection-of-players-under-23-accompanied-by-3-players-over-23 in the world. Doesn’t quite have the same ring to it does it? That’s because it’s a joke of an event, and it will remain so until something is done about these rules.

Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay

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Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Japan; Premier League clubs are touring the Far East with an increasing regularity. Arsenal are currently in the middle of a tour that has seen them play against a Malaysia 11, and will pit them against Kitchee FC in Hong Kong and Manchester City in an exhibition match in Beijing. Both Manchester clubs are also on tours to the surrounding area.

The benefits of these tours are obvious, but they’re also obviously financial. Every club recognises that if they want to compete on the field they also need to compete off it. Basically, that means doing whatever your competitors do. So, if Man Utd build up a following in the Far East then Arsenal, City and the rest have to do so too.

In terms of merchandise, the markets in the UK are already saturated. Every football fan in this country is already spending vast sums of money on their club through shirt sales and ever-increasing ticket prices, but we only make up a fraction of the fan base of our clubs.

The potential for the growth of supporters abroad is almost limitless. It is an opportunity that cannot be missed. But is it actually beneficial at all in footballing terms?

Teams currently on tours to the US face a similar problem in terms of the quality of opposition their facing, although it could be possible to play another European team out there like Chelsea and PSG did. Can mangers really claim that these matches are preparing their team well for the current season? Is facing a Malaysia 11 or a Hong Kong 11or a Shanghai Shenhua side with no Drogba or Anelka really productive preparation for a season of football in the Premier and Champions League?

At least the teams in America have the luxury of being largely anonymous. They might receive a small amount of attention but they won’t be hounded everywhere they go as they would in parts of Asia.

Chelsea’s team were photographed training in Central Park, it would be near enough impossible to do that in Beijing or Kuala Lumpur. That too is an issue. A pre-season tour should be a relaxing affair where the players are free from the press and the distractions in England, free to focus on the season ahead and how they will perform as a team. How are these teams supposed to focus when they are constantly being paraded in public, singing shirts and photos from the moment they step off the plane to the moment they leave.

Rather than being a relaxing but concentrated training programme for the season ahead it seems like an exhausting PR exercise with some matches thrown in as an afterthought. Yes, these tours do not make up the entirety of the clubs’ pre-seasons but it is an unwelcome distraction nonetheless.

The players say they enjoy it, and I’m sure they do. Who wouldn’t want a holiday abroad with your friends? But that’s not the point. Pre season shouldn’t be enjoyable. It should be a gruelling physical challenge as players force themselves back in to fitness and the mentality needed for 10 months of solid competition.

Until last year teams like Arsenal had never ever been on such tours. The furthest Wenger ever took them was Austria, he always slated the prospect of travelling so far. There must have been a reason for that.

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Like I said, once one English team starts to go on these tours, everyone has to. It is not just the Champions League clubs that do these tours either; as well as Chelsea teams like Spurs, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Stoke are also on tours in America too. As productive as it was for Stoke getting beaten 2-1 by Columbus Crew on their tour you can’t help but wonder what they’re hoping to get out of all this?

Building these relationships abroad is important, but fans aren’t going to decide to support your club just because you came on a tour. It might sound shallow but by-and-large foreign fans will support the teams that are successful. Therefore, wouldn’t everyone be far better off by ensuring that a meticulous, strenuous pre-season was carried out elsewhere – free from media hassle and against good opposition.

Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay

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Arsene Wenger has stated that he is relaxed over his transfer strategy and feels that his squad is strong enough to compete for silverware this season.

The Gunners have added Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud to their squad this summer, but have lost Robin van Persie and Alex Song.

The French coach is expected to potentially dip into the market on the last day of the transfer window, but Wenger is happy with how things have panned out for the north London side.

“I am relaxed. We have enough players, that is for sure, but you want always to improve your squad,” The Telegraph report Wenger as saying.

“We have resources available so if it is not happening now it will happen in December. But we believe strongly that we have the quality in our squad to do very well.

“We bought Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud so you cannot say we have not bought but, when you listen to people, you always have to buy more.

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“Getting our injured players back is the best way for us to strengthen the squad. We do not just want to bring average players in. Spending in itself is not a quality. Buying good players is a quality, better players than you have is a quality,” he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

Arsenal are set to open up contract negotiations with star attacker Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain in the near future, The Sun claim.

The England international has four years left on his existing deal at the Emirates Stadium, but has made a dramatic impact since moving to north London.

The Gunners have had to watch on as Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri have forced a move away from the club in the last year of their contracts, whilst Theo Walcott is in the final 12 months of his deal and is refusing to extend for the time being.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to be rewarded for promising showings for the north Londoners with a prolonged deal and a pay increase to boot.

Arsene Wenger hopes that signing the Ox up on a new long-term contract will avoid a similar tricky situation arising in the future, and may even convince Walcott to consider a new contract with Arsenal also.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Liverpool are most certainly a side in transition under new manager Brendan Rodgers, but aside from the disappointing start to the new league season, there have been seeds of hope sown by the performances of several youngsters in the side with Jonjo Shelvey in particular displaying  maturity well beyond his years with performances reminiscent of a young Steven Gerrard.

The 20-year-old midfielder already boasts a wealth of experience considering his age, having featured in exactly 100 first-team games at club level for Charlton, Blackpool (on loan) and Liverpool in his fledgling career so far. While his sending off against Manchester United is still a divisive topic among both sets of supporters, there’s no denying that the the player is certainly a huge talent.

This rashness of thought is common in young players and he will inevitably still make mistakes, with his dismissal against the club’s bitter rivals something of a doosie, but Gerrard was equally as guilty of similar sorts of challenges early on in his career and he eventually matured into a fantastic, world-class player.

Shelvey has quickly developed into a starting regular under Rodgers and his performances have seen Gerrard switch to a deeper-lying role as a result, which has coincided with a return to form for the skipper, who had looked lost at the tip of the midfield triumvirate at the start of the season.

To do the role justice, you need to not only have sound positional and tactical awareness to be able to flit between the dual demands that the role requires – supporting the lone striker and helping the side dominate possession – in the managers system, you have to be able to keep your composure and combine both power and precision.

The club’s pursuit of both Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson this summer suggested that Rodgers had reservations about Gerrard’s effectiveness in the role and whether he had the legs for it anymore, which over short spells he may well do, but he can struggle to influence the game over long period, but Shelvey has excelled there, just as he did against Manchester City behind Gerrard when he came on to replace the desperately unlucky Lucas Leiva, who went off with injury just five minutes into the game.

It was his performance coming off the bench against Young Boys in the away Europa League tie that really caught the attention, though and it was not only his confidence, or as Rodgers will insist on calling it in his new managerial jargon ‘game arrogance’, but the way he seemed like the best player on the pitch just moments after he took to the pitch.

Rodgers praised the midfielder after the game stating: “He has been outstanding. He is still only 20 years of age and is developing and growing all the time and you saw his confidence when he came on. His (first) goal, we worked it very well and he did what he can do very well and I think he will be a big player for Liverpool.”

He’s one of those rare players that just looks like he knows what he’s doing; he’s intelligent with his movement both on and off the ball and while his passing can be wayward at times (see the performance against Hearts at home), that’s been the exception rather than the norm at the moment and he deserves a place in the side on merit at the moment.

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The real test, though, will be how he copes when the side is at full strength. Lucas will certainly return to the starting eleven when he recovers from his spell on the sidelines and Joe Allen is practically undroppabale simply because his metronomic passing is key to the teams style, which could see Gerrard pushed further forward again, which would mean Shelvey being dropped to the bench. The form of Nuri Sahin and Jordan Henderson, while consigned largely to cup games at the moment, is also worth of consideration.

Replacing a club legend is an impossible task in many fans eyes as you’re often held to the same standard, but the terraces are likely to be far more lenient if the player in question boasts the work-rate and ability of Shelvey, particularly given his age. He’s not shown quite the same consistency that Gerrard displayed during his peak years yet, nor the game-changing ability to drag the side by the scruff of its neck, but positionally and the way that he looks to drive forward from midfield with the ball, always looking to play the forward pass has shades of Gerrard in it and at the moment, he is the unquestionable heir apparent.

You can follow me on Twitter @JamesMcManus1

Liverpool forward Fabio Borini has stated that he is confident that he will end his goal drought in the near future.

The Italy international moved to Anfield in the summer, and along with Luis Suarez is one of only two recognised forwards at the Merseyside club.

However, the diminutive attacker has not lived up to goalscoring expectations as yet, but feels that it is only a matter of time before he starts to hit the net.

“It’s just a matter of time for me. The same thing happened last season,” Borini explained to The Telegraph.

“I scored one goal before October, then got injured for three months and after that I scored my second goal in January. From January until March I scored ten goals. I know from past experience that the goals will come.

“In Swansea I scored six goals from March until May. I am always late. The position I have been playing at Liverpool has been different as well. It hasn’t been as the main striker.

“I know I have been bought to score goals but I don’t feel the pressure. I don’t need to rush my performances. I’m working hard every day in training and the goals will come. I feel good. I’ve settled in quickly and everything is going well for me. It has probably been easier for me to settle in because I’ve had so many different clubs in the last few years.

“I’ve moved a lot so I know what it needs to settle in quickly. You can’t wait for things to happen, you have to make things happen quickly for yourself,” he concluded.

Liverpool face Udinese in the Europa League on Thursday night.

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The company who are proposing to take over Leeds say they have almost completed negotiations with the club.

The investment bank Gulf Finance House (GFH), who are based in Bahrain, say they are hopeful they will seal the deal within three weeks.

David Haigh, GFH Capital’s deputy chief executive officer and chief operating officer has explained the current state of the process to the Sun. He described the club as “a young Pamela Anderson”, saying, “It’s in great shape with superb assets and a great future ahead of her.”

“Like any big acquisition we have to be thorough and that’s the process we’re going through right now. We’re almost there and, hopefully, within three weeks it could be done . We are working incredibly hard to get the deal done but there are procedures and rules which must be followed.”

GFH started negotiations with Leeds chairman Ken Bates in June. The chief executive of GFH, Hisham Alrayes said: “We are excited by our intentions for Leeds United and remain fully focused on the specifics of this deal, hoping to conclude a positive outcome as soon as possible.”

In an official statement from GFH, they make it clear that taking Leeds from the Championship back into the Premier League is a priority for them, saying they want to do this “as quickly as possible.”

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Last month, the Leeds United Supporters Trust welcomed news of a possible takeover at Elland Road.

defender Jan Vertonghen has admitted that his side must start Premier League games better if they want to finish in the top four this season.

The north Londoners were beaten 4-2 by Chelsea on Saturday at White Hart Lane, with the Blues going into half-time 1-0 up.

The Belgian international has stated that it has been the case that Andre Villas-Boas’ men have started poorly on a number of occasions this term, and that they must come out of the blocks running from now on.

“At home we seem to play better after half-time. We need to think about how to put two strong halves together,” he confessed to The Sun after the Chelsea defeat.

Vertonghen also came to the defence of under-fire defensive partner William Gallas, who found the going tough against the current Premier League leaders on Saturday.

“William is our captain and an important player.

“He always wants the best for me, even though we are both centre-backs. I really appreciate him,” he concluded.

Andre Villas-Boas has also admitted that his side are disappointed after losing a 2-1 lead, but that they would bounce back with positive results in the near future.

“Everyone is disappointed because we wanted to go nearer to the top and this was a good chance to bring them down, but we have 30 more games ahead of us and we have to be focused and ready for them,” he told the club’s official website.

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“We have to bounce back from adversity and improve our results again.”

As Steve Davis approaches the anniversary of his first year in charge of Crewe Alexandra, the 47 year old manager will sit down in front of an audience of fans this coming Friday to answer questions in a rather refreshing interaction between supporters and management. Likely to be the agenda will be the future of the club, potential transfer targets, the use of the money garnered from sales of Nick Powell and Ashley Westwood in the summer and Davis’ longevity in the face of reported interest in his services from Burnley.

Burnley have seemingly avoided Davis, opting for ex-Watford man Sean Dyche, but as loyalty becomes an increasingly deteriorating commodity in football, the future of the young manager remains a pertinent question following a hugely impressive first year dabble in league management; 10 defeats in 44 games is the record and one that will post his name on the shortlists of clubs with a vacancy to fill, just as long as it takes him to put pen to paper on his proposed new deal.

An offer of a fresh 18 month contract for the talented manager is yet to be signed despite Davis’ vocal claims that he wishes to remain in South Cheshire and speculation will remain until it is all cleared up. Supporters are likely to bring that up on Friday evening as Davis, who hopes to, in his words, “take Crewe as far as he can take them” begins to face queries on that particular plan as the Alex begin to stall on the pitch.

Friday’s grilling will occur on the eve of an FA Cup tie with Wycombe Wanderers at Gresty Road which, if nothing else, offers a chance for Crewe to gain confidence from a welcome distraction from league duty. Consistency however, has been a huge issue so one would expect a result to be another false dawn following yet another disappointing defeat, this time at home to Yeovil, in the aftermath of a promising home win over Swindon Town. Crewe have failed to register back-to-back league victories this season that has yielded 6 defeats, 5 draws and 4 wins, an erratic run of results that appears echelons away from last season’s 20 match unbeaten run that ensured promotion. Such stuttering form provides a macrocosm for Davis away from Friday’s Q and A as he faces questions on the field and has yet to find answers.

Any optimism built from Tuesday’s unexpected victory over Swindon was quickly and effectively extinguished by a clever Yeovil outfit that embodied Gary Johnson’s wealth of experience of lower league football. A frustrated Steve Davis accused the Glovers of reverting to physical, long ball play, but such assessment would have been harsh to a team that utilised two clever, quick wingers, Keanu Marsh-Brown outstanding on the right hand side, and proved a strong counter-attacking outfit.

Yeovil passed the ball well in-fact, around a midfield that struggled to get to grips with possession. In the absence of the injured Abdul Osman, Ollie Turton toiled in a performance reflective of his inexperience while Luke Murphy also struggled to make his mark on the game, unfortunately failing to build on his excellent performance on Tuesday night.

The warning signs were there before Byron Webster swept home from a corner for the game’s only goal, Paddy Madden headed a cross from Sam Foley into the net only to see it ruled out for offside as Yeovil prevented the Alex from getting the ball down to play their natural passing game. Byron Moore and Chuks Aneke were denied by Marek Stech but they were both weak efforts as Crewe’s attack too often petered out with minimal effect.

Mathias Pogba endeavoured up front alone but appeared isolated  in his struggles to hold the ball up. Davis rightly bemoaned the absences of Ajay Leitch-Smith and Max Clayton in attack but would have expected a more telling contribution from the likes of Aneke, a casual player becoming far too much of a luxury and Michael West, who in the manager’s post-match words, was completely off the pace. The winger was withdrawn in the latter stages for Brendan Daniels as Crewe improved, but it was all to late as Yeovil’s rearguard action forced the home side to run out of ideas and deservedly returned back to Somerset with a relatively comfortable three points.

Crewe will argue misfortune at times where the ball just didn’t fall kindly, but the harsh reality was that the tally of chances, two Aneke shots and a half-volley from Pogba that cleared the bar the most notable, were counted on one hand. Davis, by reports, cut an angry figure after the whistle sounded, locking his players up for an elongated period before verbally dressing down the referee’s assessor. A more calculated, calmer view was offered later in which he vowed to look at changing personnel and bringing players in which is clearly needed in a week that will bring a lot of Qs the manager’s way. It is up to him, as he tries to prove his loyalty in the run up to the one-year mark of a mightily successful reign so far, to find the As.

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You can follow me on Twitter @AdamGray1250

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