Captains, coaches and media make a Messi of it

Lionel Messi is the best player in the world right now. Not many people, Cristiano Ronaldo fan club aside, would argue with that. 60 goals for club and country in 2010 including twelve braces, five hat-tricks and a memorable quadruple against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final says more than enough. His control on the ball, pace, passing, movement and all-round ability is second to none. But he should not have won the 2010 FIFA Ballon D'or award.

Why on earth not, you may ask? Well, because the award (slightly rehashed this year to merge the long-running Ballon D'or with FIFA's own World Player of the Year award) is meant to commemorate the footballing year. It is the player of the year 2010 who should have received the accolade. And what are the most important and memorable footballing moments of a calendar year? Each country has their own individual leagues and cups of course, but worldwide it is the UEFA Champions League that is best remembered. And of course, once every four years, 2010 being one of them, there is the small matter of the World Cup. These are the tournaments that stick in the worldwide footballing conscience for years.

Cast your mind back to 2002. The original Ronaldo led Brazil to World Cup triumph and rightfully claimed the personal honour for himself. Zinedine Zidane scored that wonder-volley at Hampden Park to land Real Madrid their ninth European Cup as well. These things stick in the memory. 2006? Fabio Cannavaro led Italy to World Cup glory and claimed the award. 2008? Cristiano Ronaldo had his incredible 42-goal season at Manchester United as they claimed the Champions League title, again he correctly won the award. 2009? Messi was the key figure as Barcelona won no fewer than six trophies, and the Argentine netted in both the Champions League and World Club Cup finals. He rightfully claimed the award.

But this year, where was Messi when Jose Mourinho's Internazionale shut up shop at the Nou Camp to prevent the Blaugrana from going through to the Champions League final? Where was Messi when Argentina were crushed 4-0 by Joachim Lowe's effervescent young Germany team in the World Cup quarter-final? As incredible as he is, the diminutive no.10 didn't quite do the business in the two tournaments that really mattered last year.

So who did deserve to win it? Well, the other two contenders in the final shortlist of three, Messi's clubmates Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta both could have a better claim. Always mentioned together due to their similar playing style and near-telepathic communication on the pitch, the Catalan duo were integral to Spain's first ever World Cup triumph, passing every team in the tournament to death with Iniesta smashing home the winner deep into extra time of the final. They have also contributed to Barcelona's success at league level, and while they play a different role to Messi, their passing, movement and creativity is just as integral to Barca as Messi's goals are. When people think back to 2010 in a few years time, they will remember Xavi and Iniesta's World Cup magnificence more than Messi's failure to score at all in South Africa.

Personally, I feel there are two other candidates even more worthy than any of the Barcelona trio who were in the running. And don't get me wrong. I'm a huge fan of Barcelona, I'm sat in my room with a Xavi Hernandez poster and a diagram/article of Barcelona's formation featuring all three of the players in question on the wall next to me! But both Wesley Sneijder and Diego Milito should have been in the running for the award. The UEFA Champions League is the ultimate tournament in world football today. It takes thirteen games to win it, as opposed to the seven of the World Cup, and on the whole, the quality of football is undoubtedly much higher. Milito scored the goals that won Inter the final at the Bernabeu in May. Not only that but he scored the clinching goals in Serie A and the Coppa Italia as Mourinho's team claimed an unprecedented title. He should surely have been in the running, and at least in FIFA's World XI of the year. But no, not a single international captain, coach or media representative gave the Argentine striker a vote.

The bigger case still rests with Sneijder. The Dutch maestro did get some votes, notably from England captain Rio Ferdinand and Italy coach Cesare Prandelli, but not enough to make the final three. Yet it was he who was the key player, the trequartista that opened up defences across the continent to deliver the Nerazzurri's first European title since 1965. Not only that but he led a Holland team, scarcely fancied at the start of the World Cup, to the final itself, scoring five goals along the way and playing with a real verve and swagger not seen in many other players today. They lost the final, and the team's dirty tactics gave them a bad name, but Sneijder could not be blamed for that. The combination of star player in Inter's treble and leading Holland to their first World Cup final since the 1970s should surely have been enough to make him the player of 2010. Or at least make the final three.

Hats off to Lionel Messi, he is a true footballing genius and will hopefully be around winning trophies for many years to come. But when I think back to 2010 a few years down the line, and I'm sure I won't be alone, it will be the flying Dutchman, Wesley Sneijder, and his star role in both Champions League and World Cup that will stick in my memory.

A night of intrigue, insights and incensed Liverpool fans

It has been a while since I addressed the Premier League title race, relegation battle or any other aspect in blog form, but a night like tonight has made it simply irresistible. Tonight's results have put the jobs of four managers in serious jeopardy and probably not done the bookies much harm.

Firstly, Chelsea's horrendous run of form has continued. Another defeat, this time to bottom-of-the-table (although now up to 17th) Wolves. Just when it looked like Carlo Ancelotti's men couldn't get any worse, they truly have. An own goal from Jose Bosingwa, who hasn't looked like the same player since returning from a year-long injury lay off earlier this season has left Chelsea outside the top four and nine points adrift of league leaders Manchester United despite having played a game more. Bare in mind Chelsea were six points clear of the Red Devils as recently as late October and that truly is an incredible statistic. Ancelotti, who yesterday claimed he felt lucky not to have already been sacked, must now be truly worried as Roman Abramovich hasn't exactly shied away from firing managers and other members of staff in the past. The weakness of their squad was exposed and the confidence appears to have completely left them despite the return of key players.

With the Blues seemingly on the edge of leaving the title race, the two main challengers to United went head to head at the Emirates stadium tonight. Here, two vastly improved sides displayed very different tactics. While Arsenal continued with their sometimes admirable, sometimes frustrating pass-and-move football, Manchester City carried on with their uber-defensive tactics and came away the more satisfied. With three holding midfielders (I don't care what you say, Yaya Toure is not an attacking midfielder) and a solid back four, and only really Carlos Tevez as a serious goal threat, Roberto Mancini's tactics do seem to be getting results. Although whether they have that killer instinct required to claim the Premier League title is doubtful. Somewhat reminiscent of Jose Mourinho's Inter last season, the main complaint would be that Tevez, Milner, Silva and Yaya are not a front four quite as threatening as Milito, Eto'o, Sneijder and Pandev were. Arsenal are certainly looking much more promising with Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas continually improving and Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Robin Van Persie also impressing in spells. The main concern for them would be their defence, with Laurent Koscielny, Johan Djourou and Sebastien Squillaci not quite up to the standard of the injured Thomas Vermaelen. Big question marks remain over Lukasz Fabianski, but with Arsene Wenger recluctant to spend in January I doubt their attack can see them all the way through to the finish line. The resulting bans for Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta's late red cards will not help the two clubs either.

Tottenham Hotspur as well, are still lacking as far as winning the Premier League goes. Gareth Bale, Rafael Van Der Vaart and Aaron Lennon are all in incredible form, but silly dropped points earlier in the season could cost them as they remain eight points behind United, having played one more match. Defeat at Everton tonight is nothing to be embarassed about but defensive solidity is something that Spurs are yet to acquire.

Moving away from the title race, and onto Liverpool (how it must pain their fans to read that sentence). The Reds' away form has been abysmal this season with only one win from ten games and seven defeats after the 3-1 reverse at Ewood Park. The fans have turned on Roy Hodgson, joining in with Rovers fans tonight singing 'You're getting sacked in the morning'. The veteran boss has performed admirably around the continent and with Fulham, but it appears the mess Rafael Benitez left him at Liverpool is too much to turn around and his signings were not of the required quality for the Anfeld outfit to get back into the Champions League. People may laugh, but relegation is still a possibility for the five times European champions.

But relegation is even more of a possibility for West Ham United. The Hammers were battered 5-0 at Newcastle tonight to a side missing their main-man as Andy Carroll was sidelined by injury. This will come as a bitter blow to Avram Grant who thought his side had turned a corner after four games unbeaten. Touted for a long time as likely to be sacked soon, it may finally be the week that owners David Gold and David Sullivan wield the axe. Another team in claret and blue are in the relegation zone with them, and Gerard Houllier's neck is also on the line. Aston Villa have finished in the top six for the last three seasons but find themselves eighteenth with a seemingly disgruntled team, unhappy fans and an unpopular manager. Defeat at home to Sunderland leaves the Villans facing a real uphill struggle.

So where does this leave everybody? I feel Chelsea and Spurs are now battling just to finish the season in the top four. Arsenal and Manchester City almost certainly can challenge Manchester United for the title, but only if the former sign better defenders/ a goalkeeper and the latter add more goal-threat to their play (the signing of Edin Dzeko may help, but not if he is simply a reserve for Tevez). And while as a Manchester United fan, I may be slightly biased, it is certainly looking good for the Old Trafford outfit. Odds on favourites with the bookies, United sit clear atop the table, with games in hand and still unbeaten. With Javier Hernandez, Nani and Dimitar Berbatov in goalscoring form, and Wayne Rooney looking like hitting his form of last season again, it would be a brave man to bet against the Red Devils. Their main concern will be the fixtures list with 2 games against Chelsea and visits to White Hart Lane, the Emirates and Anfield all still to come. But with the form of the other teams, what do they really have to fear? At the other end of the table, it could be any three from ten or twelve to be quite honest. Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland also deserve a mention as they have made themselves real contenders for Europe.

What is for sure, is that this is one of the most exciting Premier League seasons ever, right throughout the table. And I haven't even mentioned Ian Holloway...

Long live the Premier League!