Phil Jones is good, but please Fabio, he's no Baresi

While those of us who have covered England for longer than we care to remember are trying to manfully manage expectations, up steps Fabio Capello. Phil Jones after his cavalier start with Manchester United (his rick against Basel and poor performance of Anfield have already been airbrushed from popular perception) can, according to Capello, be braketed with Franco Baresi and Fernando Hierro.

I published a quick article earlier that caused a bit of a stir. Maybe I should explain my thinking a little more..

The league champions have brought in a very good player in Ashley Young - a player Arsenal had been keeping an eye on all season they have also brought in a fantastic young defensive player in Phil Jones.

Por Sopenilla
Corría el 20 de junio de 1986 cuando Javier Pérez accedió a la presidencia del C. D. Tenerife. Por aquel tiempo, el cuadro chicharrero vagaba en el destierro de la 2ªB arrastrando consigo una deuda superior a los 300 millones de las antiguas pesetas. En medio de tanta penuria, la llegada de Pérez significó un antes y un después.

True fans should be able to spot any one of their team's horribly clad players from the front, side or even by glancing at his bum.

Dare to separate yourselves from the fair weathered fans? Here's your chance if you can name the 'badly-dressed-on-the-bottom (at left) Spanish national team player who was on the receiving end of a certain Spanish Royal Soccer Federation Sports manager's manhug?

Real Madrid is my religion. This....my church.

Well, we're back today with our fourth installment of The Fan In You, a series where a fan offers their perspective on how they came to root for the team they love. This week's piece brought to you by our La Liga correspondent Donald Wine II.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique may have traded in his Old Trafford surroundings for the warmer weather of Barcelona, but the defender admits that he still has a lot of admiration for two United players in particular.

The World Cup winning center-back has revealed that Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are two of his role models, and Pique even called the pair "two of the best center-backs in the world.