Well done Gary Cahill

I bet Harry Redknapp was beating the TV with a heavily stuffed brown paper bag when he saw Gary Cahill's performance for England on Friday against Bulgaria. As well as giving a very assured performance at centre back he managed to mark his full competitive debut with a goal. An assured goal which a lot of premiership strikers would have been proud of. Fair enough it was against a Bulgaria back four which made Arsenal's back four at Old Trafford look like the kind of defensive unit the 1985 Chicago Bears would have been proud of (NFL fans known what I am talking about). But still, well positioned, chested and steered through the keepers legs. Lovely. More than that though he was the first Bolton Wonderers player to score for England since Nat Lofthouse in 1958 against USSR. Something that wouldn't have been the case had Harry been allowed to go to £17million on Wednesday to secure his man. He better hope that Cahill stops playing like that otherwise it may well be £27million by January.

Rooney makes the elite list

Friday's Enland Euro qualifier match in Bulgaria was duller than the extended highlights of Kim Kardashian's home-made porno. A bad pitch, terrible early Friday night tv slot, lethargic near non-existent opponent and a home crowd of neo-nazi cockmonkeys made it one of the less enjoyable experiences. However it did mark an event of note; Wayne Rooney's first half brace put his goal return at 28 in 71 appearances, and places him in the top all time leading England goalscorers. Given his age (25) and his talent (limitless some would argue) it's not inconceivable that he will eclipse all of them to become England's leafing goalscorer. More likely I would argue is that, if England consistyently qualify for all tournaments over the next 12 years and he stays healthy, Rooney will eclipse Pete Shilton as the all time capped player. Even if he doesn't he is close to leapfrogging some national heroes in Alan Shearer, Tom Finney and Nat Lofthouse who all sit with 30 goals. It's worth mentioning that Shearer hit his 30 in 63 appearances and Rooney's two in Sofia came off the back of a well publicised 12 month drought. Something he is known to suffer from in the first 9 years of his career. Still, it's pretty bloody impressive. His form at the beginning of this season suggests we are going to see more of the old Rooney and less of the self pitying knackered post-World Cup Rooney of last season. This can only be a good thing for England going into a European Championship next summer. Hopefully Wales will bring a hat-trick on Tuesday night.

For those of you interested he are the leading England goalscorers. As a future pub-quiz question the unofficial fourth overall highest scorer are colloective own goals with 42. The first recorded own goal coming against Soctland in 1879. So there you go. Keep that one in your hat if you want look like a bit of a twatish know it all next time someone says it's Michael Owen.

1. Bobby Charlton - 49 goals in 106 apps

2. Gary Lineker - 48 in 80 apps

3. Jimmy Greaves - 44 in 57 appearances

4. Own goals - 42 since 1879

5. Michael Owen - 40 in 89 appearances

6. Tom Finney - 30 in 76 appearances

= Nat Lofthouse - 30 in 33 appearances

= Alan Shearer - 30 in 63 appearances

7. Steve Bloomer - 28 in 23 appearances

= Vivian Woodward - 28 in 23 appearances

= Wayne Rooney - 28 in 71 appearances

Transfer window winners and losers

Deadline day didn't live up to it's potential but overall this was an active transfer window with some clear winners and losers.

Winners

Liverpool - A

You felt when Kenny Dalglish came back in January that he had a plan. Famed for his obsession with the game it was well documented that despite being away from the game for 12 years his scouting knowledge of world football was still razor sharp. His transfer dealings in the last two windows have revealed that plan to be; mix young British talent with experienced quality foreign players. And it seems to be working as the midfield in particular looks to be functioning like a unit who have played together for years. In contrast to the Wenger/Arsenal policy of paying over the odds for unproven foreign talent, he appears to favour paying more for players who know what the Premier League is all about. It's too easy to pay less for a player who has flourished in Germany or Turkey or Italy but who can't get to grips with the pace and physicality of the Premier League. In total he nearly spent £50million reinforcing a midfield with players who have proven that they can pass and tackle consistently. Downing looks like a quality purchase who can feed in the air for Carroll as the old-school number 9, or play it through the back for Suarez to run on to. But for me Craig Bellamy on a free could win the shrew deal of the season award already. After City cancelled his contract Liverpool were able to pick up a player who two seasons ago was arguably in the top 5 players in the league. Even if they have to pay him £60k a week to be a bit part player he adds a dimension and depth to an already exciting team who like to move it quickly along the ground. Equally as important was getting Joe Cole, an undeniable bust, out of the club and someway to being off the wage bill. A loan deal to Lille was not something a lot of people saw coming but could turn out to be the best for all concerned. Lille are a great club playing Champions League football. Cole will get a chance to regain his confidence away from the British media spotlight and maybe come back to Liverpool a new player. If he is still surplus to requirements there then his reputation on the Continent will certainly be enhanced.

Manchester United - A

2011 could well mark the start of the next generation of Fergie's dynastic franchise. After the defeat to Barcelona again in the Champions League final it was evident that Fergie looked at his team and felt it was stale, at least comparative to those clubs sitting astride the European pyramid, and that it was time to break it up and start again. His transfers, in and out, this summer are the manifestation of that epiphany. Gone are relative deadwood players like Wes Brown, John O'Shea and Gabriel Obertan and in came a crop of youth to compliment the already youthful first team. Phil Jones has slipped into the back four in the absence of Ferdinand like he was born there. I would like to take odds of him being substantive England Captain within 5 years. Arsenal must be looking at Ashley Young, who cost only £3million more than Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and kicking themselves. He made their back four look like they didn't exist in their 8-2 loss and early signs are he could form a dominating understanding with Rooney. And I think even David De Gea will turn out to be a quality signing. Lest we forget the barren years following Schmeichel's departure when there seemed to be a revolving door policy for average goalkeepers at Old Trafford. Van Der Sar stopped that and was the most naturally gifted keeper of his generation. De Gea has big gloves to fill but given time and coaching, he is only 20 after all, he could be an outstanding keeper for many years.

Manchester City - B+

It might be seen as a no-brainer that Manchester City would be considered winners in the transfer window given that they spent out another near £100million for what seems like the 10th window on the trot. In previous years it's felt like Mark Hughes and then Roberto Mancini have been caught up in a real life game of Football Manager, overpaying for players who have played well against you once or twice so they can't play against you again. So for me this is the first window where it feels like they have bought in players they need at a price that reflects their value. Sergio Aguero, on the basis of his first three games, could be the buy of the season. He wasn't cheap at £38million, but compared to the £50million Chelsea paid for Torres and £35million Liverpool paid for Carroll it's almost a bargain. 

A transfer window wouldn't be the same without City engaging in a public transfer tug-of-war and this season Nasri was the rope. Again though, compared to the £24million and £26million paid out in previous summers for Lescott and Milner respectively, his £25million price tag looks like a more realistic appraisal of a players value than we've previously seen from City's hierarchy. It'll be interesting to see what Mancini does in January once they have had their first round of Champions League games, particularly if they're still in the competition.

Q.P.R. - B+

It felt at times on 31 August that I might get a call from Neil Warnock asking me to attend Loftus Road for a medical at the rate he was getting them in on Wednesday. Shaun Wright Phillips and Joey Barton will add much needed Premier League experience to the side. Barton in particular has experience of being in relegation dog fights. DJ Campbell from Blackpool at £1.25million is a steal for a hard worker who will get 8-10 goals with the right supply. Kieron Dyer could be a great free signing if he can stay on his feet for more than 5 minutes. Like Barton he knows what it is to scrap for survival in the Premiership. Like CIty it'll be interesting to see if the investment is there again in January to see them over the line for Premiership survival. Stoke have proven the model works with the right team behind it.

Losers

Arsenal - C-

Being an Arsenal fan must be starting to feel like an exercise in perpetual stress. Most fans knew deep down that this was the summer when they would finally lose Fabregas. Some suspected Nasri would go. Yet no one could understand why Wenger seemed to be living in a state of denial about both and making no noticeable effort to replace them. For a man famed for backing away from bidding for players over haggling a million or two he likes to leave it until the last minute when prices get jacked up after sellers smell desperation. And this window was a classic example. Arteta is a good player, superb with the ball at his feet and in another generation he would undoubtedly have broken into the Spanish team. But he is 30 and not long ago blew out his knee. Wenger has spent £10million and given a 4 year £70,000 a week contract to a player who feels like a less impressive version of Fabregas or Nasri. I can't help but feel Arsenal would have been better off using that money to give Nasri the contract he wanted and broken their wage structure. Per Mertesacker is the kind of big, experienced centre back they desperately needed and could form an impressive pairing with Vermaelen, if he can stay fit. Beneyoun on loan isn't terrible but again it feels like Wenger could have made more of the £60million had he accepted earlier that he needed to make adjustments. Hopefully January may bring more joy for Gooners, but I wouldn't bet on it. 

Tottenham - C

Sometimes I swear Harry Redknapp enjoys wheeling and dealing more than actually managing a club. The period between 1st September and 1st January must be hell for him! As such eyes tend to fall on him on deadline day to make a big splash, like last year with the still unbelievable £8million Van Der Vaart signing. So it was dissapointing, and more than a little worrying, for Spurs fans to see the club adopt a selling policy which saw Crouch, Hutton, Jenas, Bentley and Palacios go, and Bassong get within a cat's whisker of moving to QPR, while only Adebayor and Parker came in. I don't think too many Spurs fans will miss Bentley, Palacios et al, and certainly Parker at £5million is a brilliant signing and the kind of leader Tottenham are missing. Gary Cahill is just the kind of centre back Tottenham need in the absence of Woodgate and King and by all accounts a £17million cash deal was on the table but Spurs wouldn't go. Similarly they missed out on Phil Jones earlier in the summer to Man Utd. I can't help but feel if Chelsea had bid £30million plus Alex for Modric earlier in the summer that, given a few weeks to find a replacement, Harry and Daniel Levy would have taken it. By all accounts they are already talking to Bolton again about making the Cahill deal in January, but for Spurs that may be too late to save their season if they can't shore up that back line.

Everton - D

The only way the transfer window could have been worse for Everton fans would have been in Moyes left with Arteta. He is almost certainly only biding his time until one of the bigger clubs comes calling for him. And I don't think anyone would begrudge him the right to take it gievnt he near miracles he has performed at that club. Arteta going for £10million at the death of the window was a huge blow. Not only in losing a player they desperately need in a team short of goals and creativity, but in that it gave them no time to replace him. The saving grace for Everton remains to be the seemingly never ending supply of quality players coming out of the academy who appear league ready at 17 or 18. This year it is Ross Barkley. But without re-investment of the £10million it's difficult to see where Everton get enough points for more than 12th place this year. On a plus Royston Drenthe could be a good short term fix for the season. He was always considered to be a great potential Dutch talent who has stagnated a little in the new Galacticos era at Real Madrid. Everton could use a skill player with something to prove right now. One to watch.

Deadline day deals mark watershed in wage spiral

Summer transfer deadline day 2011 will likely be remembered for the deals that didn't happen more than those that did. Tevez, Modric and Sneider were all lined up as the trio that would set the mark of the summer transfer deadline frenzy. But was it the over inflated contracts of recent transfer periods rather than the transfer fees themselves the reason for a lack of marquee signings?

The total spend for the summer period was up 33% on the same period 2010, so it would be spurious to make claims about Premier League clubs tightening belts. And, to be sure, the league has seen some stellar names move during the summer with Aguero and Mata coming in, Nasri moving north and Fabregas moving home. But the usual frenetic deals that come with 31 August just didn't materialise. Maybe we were spoilt with January's transfer deadline day when the world seemed to go mad and Chelsea dropped £50million on Torres with Liverpool taking £15million out of the brown paper bag before passing on the remainder to Newcastle for Andy Carroll. So why was yesterday such a let down? 

The two most noticeable spenders outside of Manchester City have been Manchester United and Liverpool, two clubs who have never shied away from big numbers on big names. Summer 2006 saw Liverpool lay out £25million for Fernando Torres. 31 August 2008 brought us the £30.5million Berbatov deal. January 2011 brought us the Carroll and Suarez double header. This summer though marked them out as the two clubs most willing to spend big money on youth. And while Jordan Henderson may have commanded a £20million price tag he won't command £100,000 a week wages. Phil Jones might be the next John Terry but he won't be earning even half of £170,000 a week wages of the England captain.  Luis Suarez has scored 6 times as many goals as Fernando Torres since their respective moves in January 2011. Yet Torres earns almost 3 times the £70,000 a week wages that Suarez commands at Liverpool. And this is where the crux of the issue lay. The aggressive 'get my man at any cost' transfer policy employed first at Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and then more recently Man City has led to a level of super contracts for above average players that a lot of teams would have to smash their salary caps to match. So who's going to sign these players once considered worth all the riches they were lavished with and now not even considered worth a squad number?

The effects of these contracts were evident in the deals that did happen yesterday as much as they were in those that didn't. It is a twisted state of affairs when England midfielder Scott Parker had to agree to a £10,000 a week wage drop to move UP a division, due to his £70,000 a week contract at West Ham. Similarly Mikel Arteta had to drop from his £80,000 a week salary at Everton, a team who are having to sell players in order to fund loans, to £70,000 a week at Arsenal. Wage drops were a strong theme yesterday with moves often pushed through on the strength of players agreeing to pay cuts. For most players at most teams the amount needed to wipe off a salary to push through a move is relatively small in the grand scheme of things. Man CIty, though, are a special club these days. And their transfer policy has brought it's own special problems.

Over recent years City have handed out £90,000+ a week multi-year contracts to Jolean Lescott, James Milner, Emmanual Adebayor, Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bridge, Gareth Barry and Roque Santa Cruz, not to mention the monsterous contract handed to Carlos Tevez in 2009. All of these players, if they haven't moved on already, are either surplus to requirements (Bridge) are on the verge of being so with the wealth of new players at Eastlands. These are all top flight players with years of premier league experience between them. Certainly there wouldn't be a lack of clubs willing to take them. Tottenham were succesful in taking Adebayor on loan. Real Betis have made the most of the situation and taken Roque Santa Cruz on loan, a player who would have been considered out of their league in recent years. Bellamy went to Liverpool for a free, but only after City cancelled his contract and paid him off. There is no doubt in my mind that Carlos Tevez would be looking for a new house in Madrid, Barcelona or Milan today if it wasn't for the huge £250,000 a week contract he signed two years ago. No team is going to match that on top of a £50million transfer fee. As such he is currently the worlds highest paid bench warmer. It's widely understood when you sign for City that compensation for being so well paid compared to other clubs is that you could quickly go from belle of the ball to someone's understudy. Just ask James Milner, the £26million summer signing last year. This leaves City and their players in an interesting predicament. Stay, be happy with your role and become a very rich bit part, or accept you have to earn 50% less at a Villa, Tottenham or Everton and be a key player.

With UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules quickly riding over the horizon clubs we may see a game of brinksmanship between the Man City players and owners. City will have to cut potentially hundreds of thousands a week of their wage bill. If the fringe players won't take a paycut voluntarily then we may see a lot of free transfers for players who have been paid off by a club that spent over £150million on them during the last three years. Their loss will undoubtedly be the rest of the Premier League's gain.

Calm Down Sky Sports

If Sky News is accused of being the eternal pessimist, over hyping bad news to make it seem worse than it is, then Sky Sports is best described as it's slightly slower, eternally optimistic sibling. One thing to be said for Sky Sports News is that no matter how dull a transfer deadline day is they will still try and make it sound like it's the greatest day in mankind. That the deal to make your head go all David Cronenberg-y and explode over the television in unabated cerebral excitement is juuuuuuuuuust around the corner. That corner being the one at the entrance to Norwich's training ground. Where some poor schmo has to stand and look excited as a second string Armenian left-back from Sochaux arrives in a blacked out Ford Mondeo. Still, it's better than doing it at the end of January. Brrrrrrrrrrrr.......