Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has revealed his frustration at the way at least two members of the Sky Blues' squad youngsters Joe Hart and Adam Johnson carried themselves during the international break.

The two players were pictured have been pictured in bars ever since leaving the Eastlands to join up with their national team last week and Mancini has spoken to them about the importance of restraint in order to protect the longevity of their careers.

Being the cultured Italian gentiluomo that he is, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is probably not averse to the odd shot of grappa in his cafe corretto, or a even willing sip of Nebbiolo Vino Rosso when the occasion arises, but one thing that he can't tolerate is what he deems to be the excessive drinking culture that appears to be rife amongst the young(ish) English contingent of his current squad.

Owen Hargreaves

With 67 days to go before the big kick-off in South Africa, recent developments have changed the look of England's squad with currently several positions still up for grabs due to injuries and form issues. Let's look at some of the questions Fabio Capello has to deal with before the plane leaves.

Blues on the booze There is not too many Premier League footballers with university degrees, but that didn't stop the Manchester City quartet of Gareth Barry, Adam Johnson, Joe Hart and Shay Given wanting to hunt for that authentic student experience this week. The players were in St Andrews, Scotland, to play golf on Monday [.

By Ollie Irish

Gareth Barry, photographed near some booze. The horror!

Manchester City players Joe Hart, Gareth Barry, Adam Johnson and Shay Given were rumbled enjoying themselves a bit too much at a university party in St Andrews, Scotland, on Monday just one day after their team lost 3-0 at home to Arsenal.

Manchester City won 2-0 today - through Adebayor, Tevez, and an inspired Adam Johnson.
Meanwhile, Robinho was scoring beautifully flicked on backheel goals in Brazil...
Will Robinho ever have a serious impact on the Premier League? Or will Adam Johnson, who cost 1/4 of the price at only 8 million Pounds, end up having a more productive Premier League career?

The world of football looked on with eyes wide and mouths agape yesterday as a plethora of World Cup squads named provisional rosters for this summer's tournament in South Africa. Fabio Capello kicked off the surprises early by including names such as Adam Johnson and Michael Dawson, and throughout the day more and more surprises were named by the world's top teams.

By Ollie Irish

Breathtaking improvisation by the Drog. Few players could have scored such a goal, and that's why he wins Goal Of The Weekend over the likes of team-mate Alex and Man City winger Adam Johnson.

Outstanding assist by Ashley Cole also worth a hat-tip.

With a little under three months left to the World Cup, the excitement is building up in the air over England's chances and who gets a plane ticket to South Africa. There are a few obvious 'shoe-ins' in the wide areas for the squad – barring fitness – including the likes of James Milner and Aaron Lennon.

I set a low bar for Bob Bradley and he easily cleared it today when he named fis 30-man preliminary roster.

As I wrote yesterday, all I wanted him to do was:

1. Name only three goalies.
2. Don't name less than 30 players.
3. Leave Frankie Hejduk in Columbus.

Pass, pass and pass.

When it comes to soccer (or football) the English media are without a doubt some of the most difficult people in the world to please. The national team are often under the intense spotlight of journalist who feel their team should be ranked amongst the best in the World. Yet England always seem to fall short and the headlines depict a story of underachievement.

Squad Profiles are available for each of the twenty clubs currently playing in the Premier League. They are an overview of each club and specifically denote players to highly consider selecting for your side. Others have been ear-marked to watch out for as they may be new to the Premiership or returning from injury.

By Chris Wright

Joe Hart: The young ‘keeper wasn't made to face a barrage, but his assured demeanour allowed you to afford the kind of confidence in him that you wouldn't allow yourself to feel toward his immediate predecessors David James and Robert Green.

Michael Williams

As the final whistle in Bloemfontein signalled the end of England‘s dismal World Cup campaign, the nature of their departure from South Africa became hot topic for journalists and the public alike.

Nerves, tiredness and performance were just a handful of excuses as to why Fabio Capello and his squad failed to deliver but the lack of any young prodigies in the English game gained extra attention.

Michael Williams

As the final whistle in Bloemfontein signalled the end of England‘s dismal World Cup campaign, the nature of their departure from South Africa became hot topic for journalists and the public alike.

Nerves, tiredness and performance were just a handful of excuses as to why Fabio Capello and his squad failed to deliver but the lack of any young prodigies in the English game gained extra attention.

Fabio Capello's assertion this week that a clutch of Manchester City players could form the nucleus of a successful England team not only underlined the new status of City in the panoply of English football; it also brought back into focus a time-honoured principle of international team building.

LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham is still hopeful that there is still a spot available on Fabio Capello's national team squad.

Beckham has tallied a whopping 115 caps at the national team level, but missed out on the 2010 World Cup tournament due to an Achilles tendon injury and hasn't played at the international level since.

Blues on the booze There is not too many Premier League footballers with university degrees, but that didn't stop the Manchester City quartet of Gareth Barry, Adam Johnson, Joe Hart and Shay Given wanting to hunt for that authentic student experience this week. The players were in St Andrews, Scotland, to play golf on Monday [.

Saturday in the Premier League was eclipsed by the top three clubs in the table while Sunday witnessed two massive local derbies play out to incredibly different results. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United survived their respective matches to gain three points without dominating inferior opponents while Sunday's rivalries produced a 0-0 and an emphatic 5-1 demolition.

Manchester City's 'sky-blue meat grinder' transfer policy is seemingly set to claim yet another victim with winger Adam Johnson today admitting that he is beginning to entertain thoughts of leaving the club, despite having only joined from Middlesbrough a little over ten months ago.

Good news this morning in that Newcastle are reported ready to take Adam Johnson of Man City on loan in January, if they can. Adam Johnson - would be great player for Newcastle It appears that Manchester City are ready to let four players leave Eastlands on loan in January, and the Sunday Sun is [...

Silva is City's most important player

David Silva spent most of his debut for Manchester City being buffeted about the pitch by Tottenham's Tom Huddlestone on the opening day of the season. Then it seemed like City's big summer signing was not made for English football, where praise from pundits generally centres on a player's pace, power and drive, rather than his vision or ball skills.

England legend Alan Shearer has publicly stated his desire to see Aston Villa starlet Ashley Young in Fabio Capello's final 23 man squad for this summer's World Cup in South Africa. Many pundits are pointing to a battle between Young and Chelsea's Joe Cole for the final wing spot on England's roster, and Shearer believes it is Young that would benefit striker Wayne Rooney the most.

It was often said through out much of the last ten years that England's midfield was its strongest point. With Beckham in his pomp and Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard ably assisted by a constant rotation of players wedged in to the left midfield position, it often felt a little hollow.

I nearly didn't do this one, as it seemed so obvious and I figured facsimiles would be everywhere. I hadn't seen anything, so... here we are.It's very simple, the title says it all. Most of my picks are precisely a shade of player not on the particular manager's palette in South Africa. Let's commence.

At thirty-one-years of age, Martin Petrov still has a lot to offer. And one would think that that is what Owen Coyle was thinking when he brought the Bulgarian to The Reebok this summer on a free transfer. But, is he a good player to have in your side?

What Petrov is capable of, and what he has displayed in the last two Premier League seasons, are very different things.

Reina
Johnson Carragher Skrtel Agger
Kuyt Gerrard Lucas Jovanovic
Ngog Torres
Goals:
Barry 13'
Richards 53'
Tevez 68' (pen)
Dominated, embarrassed, humiliated. Tactically out-classed, overrun in midfield, passed to death, and toothless in attack.

It may only be the second week of the season but the clash between Manchester City and Liverpool told us a lot about where the two clubs are at.
City's meteoric rise from mid-table battlers to genuine title contenders has coincided with Liverpool's decline and the clash at Eastlands looked every bit like a matchup between two sides going in opposite directions.

By Ollie Irish

Photo: Umbro (click to enlarge)

(Top row: Joe Hart, Adam Johnson, Eric Dier, Jade Bailey, Saido Berahino, Thomas Cruise; Bottom row: Jack Wilshere, Fern Whelan, Wayne Rooney, Connor Wickham, Theo Walcott)

Here's a first view of England's new Umbro home kit.

England began their journey to The European Championships by destroying a feeble Bulgaria at Wembley this evening. From start to finish England dominated and they went a little way in restoring a reputation, torn apart by a dismal World Cup campaign.

Jermaine Defoe scored a quality hat trick, with his third goal especially noteworthy.

The major headline tonight was always going to be how Wayne Rooney coped with the revelation of his alleged illicit contact contact with ladies of the night. The truth was revealed, and the truth seems to be that Rooney is relieved. But that aside, Manchester City deserve a special mention for aiding England's cause.

Frank Lampard is in a precarious position.

Super Frank missed the Three Lions' opening two qualifying fixtures for the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship recovering from a hernia procedure. England proceeded to display a swagger not seen since World Cup qualifying a year ago.

New captain Steven Gerrard flourished alongside Gareth Barry in the center of midfield.

It was with great interest that I noted that England's side against Switzerland contained no fewer than six players from Manchester City. Since the arrival of the money men at Eastlands, I have been a huge critic of the haphazard way in which City have gone about trying to achieve success.

It has always struck me as being like applying a cheat code in Championship Manager which allows you to buy whoever you want.

If you question Bob Bradley's USA roster selections (most don't), then you'll go stark raving mad over Fabio Capello's latest:

Wilshere about to rumble for the Lions...

England's October camp team:

G: Ben Foster (Birmingham City), Robert Green (West Ham United), Joe Hart (Manchester City)

DEF: Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), John Terry (Chelsea), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa)

MID: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Joe Cole (Liverpool), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham Hotspur), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Ashley Young (Aston Villa)

STR: Darren Bent (Sunderland), Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur), Kevin Davies (Bolton Wanderers), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

Quick thoughts:

• I support a 33-year-old Davies in camp.

Joe Hart (GK)

Kyle Naughton (RB) Gary Cahill(CB) Phil Jones (CB) Kieran Gibbs (LB)

Jack Rodwell (DMC)

James Milner (MC) Jack Whilshire (CM)

Adam Johnson (RW) Ashley Young (LM)

Wayne Rooney (FC)

Subs:

Ryan Shawcross

Joshua McEachran

Tom Huddlestone

Theo Wallcott

Tom Cleverley

Fabian Delph

Connor Wickham

Jordan Henderson

So do you agree?

I'm not sure how I'm feeling about this game. Before some games I'm a big anxious, before others there is complete confidence, but right now I just don't know. Perhaps, a better way of putting it would be to say that I'm shuffling between various states.

I guess it's down to the fact that there won't be many surprises in this game.

Manchester City winger Adam Johnson is on allegedly Liverpool's radar.
The England speedster is reportedly weighing up his options at Eastlands after failing to hold onto a regular spot in Roberto Mancini's starting XI.
"Every footballer has to think about it when the time comes. It is still early but I definitely would consider [leaving]," Johnson told the Telegraph.

Lichaj...doing some serious clubbing too....

The Big Nasty, Eric Lichaj, acquitted himself well in a 2-1 Aston Villa loss to Tottenham Hotspur going up against one of the best wingers in the Prem on Sunday, Gareth Bale.

You can ballpoint it that Lichaj is at least second on the rightback depth chart for 2014 at this point and likely 2011 as well (despite some folks at ESPN suggesting Jonathan Spector already has the starting 2014 spot locked-up.

The commentator mash up of England's World Cup performance.

Here's the links:

• Adam Johnson chat [Manchester Evening News]
• Star man report [Sky Sports]
• 3 Up Front podcast [Soccerlens]
• Sir Alex dishes out punishment [Dirty Tackle]
• Diaby injury blow [BBC]
• Asian Cup squads [World Cup Blog]
• Neil Young tribute [Manchester Evening News]
• Top 10 moments from S.

Andrea Ranocchia (Bari :: Italian :: age 21) Bari impressive season so far much depended on their strong defense, leading the defense line Ranocchia is an attractive target for Inter, Juventus, Manchester and Arsenal, Andrea is an international player with Italy U-21 team. Leonardo Bonucci (Bari :: Italian :: age 22) Labeled with his teammate Ranocchia as the [.