If Henry didn't play for Arsenal I wouldn't have given a toss if they'd won last night or not. However, I fear the league has now seen the last of a true great. The Premiership will be an infinitely duller place without Henry-should he now feel it's time to move on.

Eh?

Zanetti misses out. Madness...

It certainly is. Steve O'Brien was the Belfast Giant's most impressive D-man last last year. He hails from your neck of the woods-Braintree MA.

With regard to Steve O'Brien, what on earth is 'Chivas USA'?

Germany World ranking: 19 Star player: Michael Ballack (Bayern Munich)-In the last two tournaments Ballack has carried the Germans on his broad shoulders. A world class player who can score, create and defend all with equal aplomb, he is the heart of the side and will need to haul his team mates to the success the home fans crave. Assessment: Germany don't appear to have too much of a chance at this World Cup. Panned by major footballing figures, Klinsmann's side lack real quality and could struggle accordingly. However, they are traditionally a footballing super power. The old strengths were outlined by the 2002 squad's ascent to the final in spite of their own limitations. Home advantage and support could bolster and inspire the usually resilient Germans. Prediction: Quarters and no more. Holland World ranking: 3 Star player: Ruud Van Nistelrooy (Manchester United)-Arguably the most lethal finisher in Europe, Van Nistelrooy's job is to finish off the build-up play of his outrageously gifted mates. If he gets a chance, he usually gets a goal. Assessment: As usual, the Dutch have talent coursing through the team. The squad is blessed with some seriously good young players. Van Der Vaart, Sneijder, Kuyt, Van Persie and the electric Arjen Robben have the sort of talent to light up a tournament. A midfield of Boateng, Cocu and Van Bommel has the right mix of experience and grit, while veteran captain Van Der Sar is a superb goal keeper. The freshness of the squad could be a blessing in disguise. The old internal bickering has dissipated. Many of the players are untried at international level yet the majority ensured qualification and replaced the more established stars of previous campaigns. Prediction: A good bet for the semis. Italy World ranking: 14 Star player: Francesco Totti (Roma)-The Roman talisman should be fit in time for Germany. In spite of a good depth of players, the Azzuri will need their slick frontman to be in full working order. Capable of the audacious on the big stage Totti is a classic number 10, brilliant inside and outside the box. Assessment: A squad oozing class, the Italians are serious contenders for this year's tournament. The defence is air tight, the goal keeper world class and in Andrea Pirlo, Italy have a deep-lying play maker who can destroy the opposition from his own half. An excellent forward line and gritty midfield could see them right. Yet the usually slow-starting Italians will need to get ahead early, the disaster of Euro 2004 should be a stinging reminder of what can go wrong. Prediction: Potential finalists. Spain World ranking: 5 Star player: Raul (Real Madrid)-Team captain, Real legend and goal scorer extraordinaire, Raul could be set to make his eventual mark on the international stage. He should be fresh after a stunted season. Assessment: Raul will be backed up by the usual plethora of ridiculously talented players-a brilliant goal keeper, tight defence and a midfield and attack overflowing with stars. They can mix and match in the middle. Xabi Alonso, Fabregas, Xavi, Albelda and Baraja are magnificent footballers. Yet for some reason the Spanish are invariably rubbish at major competitions and it will be a surprise to see them beyond the quarters. Prediction: Amazingly they'll fade. Quarters at the most. Portugal World ranking: 8 Star player: Luis Figo (Inter Milan)-The captain is a fading force yet still a class act. The inspirational winger has yet to hit the international heights that blew England out of the water in Euro 2000 but when he is on the pitch the team will always lift itself that extra notch. A bona fide legend, this World Cup is his last chance of glory. Assessment: The team is bursting with slick, skilful ball players and is capable of playing some truly breath taking stuff. Cristiano Ronaldo is a player of wonderful ability, his role as heir apparent to the great Luis Figo will phase him no more than the next hapless full back that he leaves in his wake. As always, the Portuguese will suffer for their lack of cutting edge. In order to accomodate the array of midfield talent, Scolari will plump for Pauleta as the lone striker. While statistically a decent striker, the PSG forward has yet to convince at the big tournaments (despite his hat-trick against Poland in 2002). As was highlighted in the European Championship final two years ago, a tight defence and a disciplined midfield can suffocate even the most gifted of opponents. Prediction: Out at the quarter final stage.

I'm surprised this topic hasn't been started yet. Without it getting too tribal (i.e. myself and the few other celts on here getting a bit 'non-English' ) what are your honest views of those teams with a realistic chance of taking the trophy home? Argentina World ranking: 8 Star player: Juan Roman Riquelme (Villareal)-A player of bewitching skill and verve. Apart from Ronaldinho, Riquelme is the most electrifying midfielder in the world. Assessment: The only team really capable of beating the Brazilians when the 'Seleção' are in top gear, Argentina are always strong in defence, endlessly talented in midfield and lethal up front. It's surprising therefore that the Argies have only ever won the tournament twice. They certainly have a terrific chance of going all the way. However, Pekerman is almost spoiled with talent. Players like Sorin, Crespo, Zanetti, Aimar, Ayala, Tevez and of course Riquelme are amongst the best in the world, but will they gel? They could have the break-out star of the tournament though. Forget Theo Walcott, 18 year old Lionel Messi is the most gifted teenager in the game. One third of the attacking juggernaut at Barcelona, this guy could easily explode onto the tournament and relieve Riquelme of at least some of the country's expectations. Diving barstewards though. My prediction: Finalists. Brazil World ranking: 1 Star player: Ronaldinho (Barcelona)-Above all of Brazil's uber-stars Ronaldinho is the main man, the go-to guy, the top dog. Blessed with an awesome array of tricks, feints, dummies and with the ability to perform consistently at a level approaching God-like, it is his form that will dictate Brazil's fate. Assessment: If the Brazilians get going, it will be hard to stop them. With a good mix of experience and youth, and in spite of the obligatory defensive failings, they are overwhelming favourites. Winners of five World Cups, finalists on the last three occassions and possessed of the most talented set of attacking players in the world, Brazil could steamroller their way to the final. To attack their ageing (yet still top drawer) full backs and exposed defence, it is necessary to get the ball first. If somehow the opposition is able to shut down Ronaldinho, then they must contend with Milan superstar Kaka', Inter's powerful and brilliant Adriano, the lardy yet prodigiously gifted Ronaldo and Lyon's talismanic playmaker Juninho. Emerson and Gilberto dominate the middle, winning the ball for their more gifted compatriots. Ergo Prediction: Winners. Czech republic World ranking: 2 Star player: Pavel Nedved (Juventus)-One of the most dominant midfield players in European football over the last decade, Nedved has it all; skill, speed, passing, and terrific shooting ability. An inspirational figure, the Czechs could go a long way if he sticks around for the World Cup (a competition he has never played in). Assessment: Brilliant but erratic, the Czech Republic were the best team at the European Championships somehow conspiring to lose in the semis to Greece. An equally humiliating defeat in Germany is certainly possible. However if they click and their top players are up for it, Milan Baros in particular, then the Czechs (the highest scoring team in European qualifying) could blow the opposition away. In Peter Cech they have the world's best goal keeper and playmaker Tomas Rosicky is a true crowd-puller. An old style running midfielder, he has quick feet, sharp skills and an even sharper brain. If you watch no other team at this tournament, watch these guys. Prediction: Dark horses. Semi-final (at best) exit though. England World ranking: 10 Star player: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)-Without doubt the most naturally gifted English player around, Rooney is a dominant footballer of skill, power and goal-scoring prowess. His gifts carry with them the hopes of both the nation and team mates. He is likely to miss the party though. His metatarsal injury rules him out of any action for at least six weeks. Assessment: This is the best England squad to go into a World Cup for some time. At least that's what was thought this time last week. Eriksson's bizarre selection of the gifted yet uncapped, unwatched, unplayed Theo Walcott (17) is a huge gamble. He and Peter Crouch are the only fit strikers in the squad. It is in midfield and defence that the English are most impressive. Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, David Beckham, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Michael Carrick are all top quality footballers but it is Steven Gerrard who is the stand-out performer. The Liverpool captain is the complete midfielder. Awesome stamina, power and passing ability, along with some pretty inspirational leadership qualities, took Liverpool to Champions League glory last season. He could have a similar effect if he is freed from defensive restraints. The main weakness for England is and always has been their inability to dictate play for sustained periods. Against quality European or South American opposition, England are very easy to contain. The exciting bluster of the Premiership is often undermined by patience, skill and movement. Prediction: Quarter-final exit. France World ranking: 7 Star player: Thierry Henry (Arsenal)-The second best player on the planet, Henry is strong, skilful, brimming with self-confidence and has quicksilver in his boots. He has led Arsenal all season long. Now the French will look to his abilities for glory. Assessment: On paper France are in with a chance. They are strong in defence, midfield and have the mercurial Henry as their spear-head. Zinedine Zidane, the greatest player of the last 15 years, has returned to weave his magic one more time. So too have the equally crucial Makelele and Thuram. However the latter three are ageing. This is Zidane's swansong, his powers-once so frightening-are fading. Henry can't be expected to do it all himself. There is a whiff of inxperience about the squad, the heroes (and later villains) of the 1998, 2000 and 2002 campaigns have been largely replaced by young, untried home-based players. Henry better be in the mood. Prediction: Will lose out to real quality in the quarters. For ease of reading, I'll split this.

I'll say it again, Hargreaves gets picked on his club form. He's just helped Bayern to a domestic double.

Hargreaves plays in midfield for Bayern Munich. He's hardly useless. Anyway, the inclusion of Walcott is very strange. Almost as strange as the total exclusion of Darren Bent. He's a player who has been in absolutely lethal form all season yet makes way for a championship striker who has been injured all year. Bizarre.

I saw the end of last night's episode. I have no interest whatsoever in the show but was shocked at how cheap and nasty it looked. Is that deliberate?

Excellent end to a very good season. We were so close to the CL. If we hadn't dropped all those silly points it would be us and not Arsenal sitting in fourth place. Anyway, at least Spurs missed out.

We should win this. 2-0 Rovers.

Another massive scalp. Another brilliant result. We outclassed Chelsea all over the park for long periods last night. Newcastle were breathing down our necks but finally we have the UEFA spot tied up. Brilliant.

Good riddance quite frankly. Brum are a club with humility, class or any sense of respect. They can rot in the Championship for all I care.

I think that a win is very possible. Our players should be fired up by the prospect of securing 6th place.

MOTD latest-six weeks (the exact date of the game versus Paraguay) minimum for Rooney. I'm not an England fan by any stretch of the imagination but it's sad to see a player of such awesome ability having his place on the world's biggest stage threatened.

Good result. Just the kind of uneventful win we needed after four games without a victory. Our UEFA place is in our own hands now.

Eh? 10 clean sheets in a row looks pretty good to me.

Arsenal will get buried if they play like that against Barca. The only option is to fight fire with fire and to play as open a game as possible. Arsenal's superior defence should win out.

The return leg is next week. Arsenal did well last night. Villareal are a good team and Arsenal had more than enough chances to win. Villareal rarely got in behind the Arsenal back line. At the other end Henry and his mates were penetrating at will (so to speak) and I would be very surpised if the Gunners don't go through.

No no no no! Losing to a side as inferior as Birmingham is simply unacceptable. I'll be glad when they get relegated.

Nelsen. Absolute legend.

Apart from the awesome Kaka and the peerless Shevchenko, Milan were appalling last night. Barca are a superior footballing team and must be a sure bet for the competition. In Ronaldinho, Messi, Larsson, Giuly and the lethal Eto'o they have the most complete set of attacking players in world football. However I fancy Arsenal to win the Champions League. Henry is without equal in his ability to lead by example and talent. Behind him is a solid, hard working team, brimming with self-belief. Fabregas is the most exciting young player in Europe right now; a playmaker with the ability to dictate the game, dominate the midfield, score goals and create passes and space from nothing. And he's only 18. The equally impressive Eboue has come from nowhere and his chemistry with Hleb (a footballer so at ease with the ball that it hurts) is a major aspect of Arsenal's attacking play. If indeed we have no chance of making next season's CL, then I'd like Arsenal to win it. We are blessed to have a player of Henry's calibre playing in the Premiership and it would a shame to see him go elsewhere.

Terrible, terrible decision. A point lost through awful officiating. Yet again.

Oh yes. That looks absolutely brilliant.