Tonight marks the return of the Champions League with Manchester United looking to emulate the European Cup back-to-back success of Nottingham Forest from the early 1980's and retain the trophy they won on a rainy night in Moscow back in May.
The current group format of the pre-Christmas Champions League games makes it very difficult to get excited about what still remains most prestigious trophy in club football. It won't be until the Spring when the knockout stage of the competition kicks in that world-wide TV audiences and match attendance figures will reach their respective peaks. Fans continue to vote with their feet and you can expect plenty of empty seats in Stamford Bridge tonight for the visit of Bordeaux. The additional European group matches with their ridiculous ticket prices continue to turn loyal fans away. It's bad enough having to pay increased prices for domestic league and cup matches so why fork out the extra hard earned quid for a meaningless group fixture against a side likely to feature in the latter stages of the UEFA Cup?
How long more can UEFA (or FIFA for that matter) persist with such an outdated competition structure - full of meaningless group games - that only serves to fill the coffers of the richest clubs through TV rights money? A revised structure could include two opening rounds of home and away fixtures. All the top teams would be seeded against the lowest ranked qualifiers with away goals coming into play. All the winners from the round two would then go into the hat for a straight knockout round 3 and so on all the way to the semi finals. Losers form the opening two rounds would play off for spots in the latter stages of the UEFA Cup. Can you imagine a third round pairing of Man Utd vs. Liverpool, Real Madrid vs. Barcelona or Arsenal vs. Juventus? This proposed structure would also allow for the likes of Athletico Madrid, Lyon or even Celtic to avoid the big boys until the latter stage of the competition (depending on the luck of the draw) and enjoy an extended run.
The G14 (or G3897) clubs would hardly agree to such a dangerous knockout structure on the off chance they would miss out on the extra TV money to be gained in the latter stages of the competition. How long before we have a European Super League with the richest clubs in Europe playing one another home and away in separate league. Sound far fetched? Well which would you rather watch this week: a meaningless group game between Chelsea vs. Bordeaux or a European Super League clash between Real Madrid vs. Liverpool?
The cries for bringing back the straight knock-out tournament structure are becoming louder with each passing season. The introduction of a play-off between the teams that finish 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th in the Premier League (a la the Play-Offs) to decide the final Champions League spot would also generate huge interest.
Now that really would bring in the punters…
Showing posts with label Champions League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Champions League. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
POIGINIANT CHAMPIONS
Manchester United have once again been crowned Champions of Europe following a late-night gripping encounter with Chelsea in Moscow. It was no great surprise that the destination of the Champions League trophy eventually came down to a penalty shoot-out but many fans will have been surprised by the quality of the 120 minutes beforehand.
United bossed the opening half and could have easily been 3-0 ahead after half an hour. Ronaldo capped a remarkable 42-goal season with a bullet header following excellent approach play by Wes Brown and Paul Scholes. The Red Devils failed to add to their tally despite a period of intense pressure with Carlos Tevez and Michael Carrick each going close. Chelsea showed their undoubted resilience by grabbing an equaliser shortly before half time with the tireless Lampard firing home from close range.
The Londoners were a different side in the second period and overran United in midfield with Lampard, and Ballack taking control in the centre of the park. Didier Drogba was having an ineffectual evening thanks to the brilliance of Vidic but demonstrated his class by thumping the Manchester upright with a spectacular 25 yard effort. The game became stretched going into the final 15 minutes with both sides visibly tiring (to be fair it was 1am Russian time). Tempers became frayed near the end and Drogba received his marching orders after a silly tap across the face of Vidic. Despite their numerical disadvantage Chelsea had the best chance of sealing victory when Lampard rattled the United crossbar late on. Giggs could well have grabbed an extra-time winner were it not for the superb defending of John Terry.
The Chelsea captain would play the pivotal role in the dreaded penalty shoot-out. Terry strode forward for the 10th and final spot-kick knowing a goal would secure Champions League glory for his side. Alas, the England defender either slipped or made a hash of his run-up and for the third time that night the upright came to the rescue of Manchester United. Memories of 1999 came flooding back when Bayern Munich absolutely pummelled the United defence with the aid of a 1-0 cushion only to hit post, crossbar and side-netting. United bounced back to score twice in injury time and snatch the most dramatic European Cup final victory in history. RTE panellist, John Giles remarked during extra-time that despite Chelsea's dominance, United's name may well be on the trophy. How right he was and when Edwin Van Der Sar flung himself to his right to deny Anelka in sudden death, the European Cup was set for its third visit to Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson looked more relieved than happy at the final whistle. Winning 31 trophies in his time as a manager with both Aberdeen and Man United cements his position in the pantheon of best British managers of all time. In my opinion his greatest achievement is putting together three different teams in his time at Old Trafford and being consistently successful with each side. Who knows, if the cap on foreign players hadn’t been in existence during the mid-90’s United may well have won at least another two Champions Leagues.
It was fitting that Sir Bobby Charlton was present to lead the United squad up to receive the trophy from Michel Platini, adding a touching poignancy to the celebrations. The Old Trafford club are still defined by that horrible crash that took the lives of so many wonderful footballers on a Munich runway 50 years ago.
The current manager and squad look set to honour the memories of that team by continuing their dominance of both the domestic and European game for many years to come.
United bossed the opening half and could have easily been 3-0 ahead after half an hour. Ronaldo capped a remarkable 42-goal season with a bullet header following excellent approach play by Wes Brown and Paul Scholes. The Red Devils failed to add to their tally despite a period of intense pressure with Carlos Tevez and Michael Carrick each going close. Chelsea showed their undoubted resilience by grabbing an equaliser shortly before half time with the tireless Lampard firing home from close range.
The Londoners were a different side in the second period and overran United in midfield with Lampard, and Ballack taking control in the centre of the park. Didier Drogba was having an ineffectual evening thanks to the brilliance of Vidic but demonstrated his class by thumping the Manchester upright with a spectacular 25 yard effort. The game became stretched going into the final 15 minutes with both sides visibly tiring (to be fair it was 1am Russian time). Tempers became frayed near the end and Drogba received his marching orders after a silly tap across the face of Vidic. Despite their numerical disadvantage Chelsea had the best chance of sealing victory when Lampard rattled the United crossbar late on. Giggs could well have grabbed an extra-time winner were it not for the superb defending of John Terry.
The Chelsea captain would play the pivotal role in the dreaded penalty shoot-out. Terry strode forward for the 10th and final spot-kick knowing a goal would secure Champions League glory for his side. Alas, the England defender either slipped or made a hash of his run-up and for the third time that night the upright came to the rescue of Manchester United. Memories of 1999 came flooding back when Bayern Munich absolutely pummelled the United defence with the aid of a 1-0 cushion only to hit post, crossbar and side-netting. United bounced back to score twice in injury time and snatch the most dramatic European Cup final victory in history. RTE panellist, John Giles remarked during extra-time that despite Chelsea's dominance, United's name may well be on the trophy. How right he was and when Edwin Van Der Sar flung himself to his right to deny Anelka in sudden death, the European Cup was set for its third visit to Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson looked more relieved than happy at the final whistle. Winning 31 trophies in his time as a manager with both Aberdeen and Man United cements his position in the pantheon of best British managers of all time. In my opinion his greatest achievement is putting together three different teams in his time at Old Trafford and being consistently successful with each side. Who knows, if the cap on foreign players hadn’t been in existence during the mid-90’s United may well have won at least another two Champions Leagues.
It was fitting that Sir Bobby Charlton was present to lead the United squad up to receive the trophy from Michel Platini, adding a touching poignancy to the celebrations. The Old Trafford club are still defined by that horrible crash that took the lives of so many wonderful footballers on a Munich runway 50 years ago.
The current manager and squad look set to honour the memories of that team by continuing their dominance of both the domestic and European game for many years to come.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Rooney a true team player
The deployment of Wayne Rooney on the right wing for Manchester United’ 0-0 Champions League Semi Final draw in the Camp Nou last night raised many eyebrows, none more so than on the excellent (Irish) RTE television panel. John Giles, Eamon Dunphy and Liam Brady each made a point of singling out Rooney for his professional, unselfish display in an unaccustomed role away from his usual strikers’ position.
It is testament to the professionalism of Rooney that he carried out his duties of closing down the likes Abidal, Xavi, Deco etc. using every last ounce of his seemingly boundless energy without so much as a complaint or shrug to the sideline. It must have been horrible for an out and out striker with his undoubted talents to go a full 90 minutes without so much as a shot on the goal but he still put in the maximum effort for the good of the team.
Now Rooney is no angel and can infuriate ABU’s everywhere with his (regular) petulant outbursts to referees, but he showed his true worth to Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United last night with another committed display where he sacrificed his own personal ambitions on behalf of his team mates.
It must be incredibly frustrating for the talismanic striker to be asked to play such a withdrawn role but Rooney responded and while we may not have witnessed the usual lung-bursting runs and individual flicks of brilliance, honed on the backstreets of Merseyside, his contribution was nonetheless every bit as important.
Contrast the Rooney performance with that of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Firstly, no blame should be apportioned to the Portuguese winger for missing that penalty so early on in the tie but the remainder of his ‘performance’ left a lot to be desired. For a player who is fouled so often there is no reason for all the theatrical diving and gesticulating that infuriates opposition players and fans. Win your free kick and just get on with it. Worse still, his continual reluctance to track back and help out his team again went unnoticed last night thanks to the Herculean efforts of Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick.
There is no doubting Ronaldo’s individual talent as anyone who can score the amount of goals that he has done in one season deserves respect. That is not the issue; it Ronaldo’s lack of professionalism in not carrying out the so-called donkey work and tracking back (a la Rooney) for the sake of his team mates that annoys the most.
Man United fans should not regard these comments as an attack on Ronaldo the player, more a comment on his attitude and professionalism to the rest of his team mates.
If Rooney can put in a 90 minute performance without throwing his arms in the air every time he is tackled, track back when he loses possession and sacrifice his attacking talents on behalf of his team then so should Ronaldo.
It is testament to the professionalism of Rooney that he carried out his duties of closing down the likes Abidal, Xavi, Deco etc. using every last ounce of his seemingly boundless energy without so much as a complaint or shrug to the sideline. It must have been horrible for an out and out striker with his undoubted talents to go a full 90 minutes without so much as a shot on the goal but he still put in the maximum effort for the good of the team.
Now Rooney is no angel and can infuriate ABU’s everywhere with his (regular) petulant outbursts to referees, but he showed his true worth to Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United last night with another committed display where he sacrificed his own personal ambitions on behalf of his team mates.
It must be incredibly frustrating for the talismanic striker to be asked to play such a withdrawn role but Rooney responded and while we may not have witnessed the usual lung-bursting runs and individual flicks of brilliance, honed on the backstreets of Merseyside, his contribution was nonetheless every bit as important.
Contrast the Rooney performance with that of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Firstly, no blame should be apportioned to the Portuguese winger for missing that penalty so early on in the tie but the remainder of his ‘performance’ left a lot to be desired. For a player who is fouled so often there is no reason for all the theatrical diving and gesticulating that infuriates opposition players and fans. Win your free kick and just get on with it. Worse still, his continual reluctance to track back and help out his team again went unnoticed last night thanks to the Herculean efforts of Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick.
There is no doubting Ronaldo’s individual talent as anyone who can score the amount of goals that he has done in one season deserves respect. That is not the issue; it Ronaldo’s lack of professionalism in not carrying out the so-called donkey work and tracking back (a la Rooney) for the sake of his team mates that annoys the most.
Man United fans should not regard these comments as an attack on Ronaldo the player, more a comment on his attitude and professionalism to the rest of his team mates.
If Rooney can put in a 90 minute performance without throwing his arms in the air every time he is tackled, track back when he loses possession and sacrifice his attacking talents on behalf of his team then so should Ronaldo.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
ONE FOOT IN THE FINAL
Liverpool threw away a potential Champions League final appearance following a moment of madness from Jon Arne Riise in injury time at Anfield last night. A goal up despite wasting a succession of excellent second half chances, Liverpool still looked set for a deserved victory. Riise will have nightmares about his attempted clearance that flew past a startled Jose Reina to give Chelsea a decisive away goal going into the second leg at Stamford Bridge next week.
Chelsea played well below par and Liverpool were little better in a tension-filled match that rarely rose above the ordinary in standard. But the Londoners will be boosted by that late stroke of luck and should be strong enough defensively to progress to the final. Rafa Benitez will have to alter his usual tactics of defending deep and hitting Chelsea on the counter attack and simply must take the game to the Pensioners next Wednesday night to have any hope of making the final.
How the Red’s will be ruing those two Fernando Torres opportunities and that Gerrard rocket that Peter Cech superbly thwarted. If any of those chances had gone in it would have been curtains for Chelsea and most likely Avram Gant too. The Israeli manager has been handed a lifeline by the errant head of Riise and it would take a major catastrophe for Chelsea not to seize the initiative and make it to Moscow.
For all his shot-stopping talents Cech still remains susceptible to crosses and as a result Bentiez may well have to introduce Peter Crouch to the proceedings at some stage in the second leg if a goal isn’t forthcoming. Chelsea will qualify if they can keep it tight and if Carvalho reproduces his performance from last night – covering for the painfully slow Terry – then Roman Abramovich can look forward to a trip to his home town with some confidence.
Chelsea played well below par and Liverpool were little better in a tension-filled match that rarely rose above the ordinary in standard. But the Londoners will be boosted by that late stroke of luck and should be strong enough defensively to progress to the final. Rafa Benitez will have to alter his usual tactics of defending deep and hitting Chelsea on the counter attack and simply must take the game to the Pensioners next Wednesday night to have any hope of making the final.
How the Red’s will be ruing those two Fernando Torres opportunities and that Gerrard rocket that Peter Cech superbly thwarted. If any of those chances had gone in it would have been curtains for Chelsea and most likely Avram Gant too. The Israeli manager has been handed a lifeline by the errant head of Riise and it would take a major catastrophe for Chelsea not to seize the initiative and make it to Moscow.
For all his shot-stopping talents Cech still remains susceptible to crosses and as a result Bentiez may well have to introduce Peter Crouch to the proceedings at some stage in the second leg if a goal isn’t forthcoming. Chelsea will qualify if they can keep it tight and if Carvalho reproduces his performance from last night – covering for the painfully slow Terry – then Roman Abramovich can look forward to a trip to his home town with some confidence.
Kenna and Rafa
KENNA TAKES THE HELM
Galway United have taken something of a calculated gamble in the appointment of Jeff Kenna as their new manager. Rooted to the bottom of the Eircom Premier League with only a single point on the board so far means the former Republic Of Ireland International will have his work cut out for him from the word go.
His brief is straightforward, keep Galway in the Premier League for next season. Kenna was non-committal on wether or not sufficient funds would be made available in July when the domestic transfer window opens. It is likely he will have to contend with the current squad in an effort to maintain Galway’s top flight status which will hardly fill United’s supporters with much confidence going on the displays they have witnessed so far this term.
It would be a real fairy-tale story if Kenna could keep Galway up at the end of the season so good luck to him and the Galway supporters.
TAKE A BOW RAFA
Rafa Benitez deserves much credit for steering his side towards yet another Champions League semi final meeting with Chelsea tonight. The Spaniard has been on the receiving end of much criticism this term for Liverpool’s failure to challenge for the Premier League title and rightly so. In Europe though, Benitez’s side is purring and hitting form at just the right time.
Amidst the recent boardroom shenanigans Liverpool have embarked on one of their most impressive runs of the season so far which could culminate in a third Champions League final in four years if they can overcome their London rivals over another two-legged semi final, beginning in Anfield tonight.
For all the detractors about ‘squad rotation’ the Merseyside outfit – bar Steven Gerrard – are at full fitness and look a lot more refreshed than Chelsea coming into the final stretch of the campaign. Torres, Babel, Alonso and Carragher should prove too much for a tiring Chelsea and Liverpool should be able to look forward to a date in Moscow and possibly another unforgettable European night.
Galway United have taken something of a calculated gamble in the appointment of Jeff Kenna as their new manager. Rooted to the bottom of the Eircom Premier League with only a single point on the board so far means the former Republic Of Ireland International will have his work cut out for him from the word go.
His brief is straightforward, keep Galway in the Premier League for next season. Kenna was non-committal on wether or not sufficient funds would be made available in July when the domestic transfer window opens. It is likely he will have to contend with the current squad in an effort to maintain Galway’s top flight status which will hardly fill United’s supporters with much confidence going on the displays they have witnessed so far this term.
It would be a real fairy-tale story if Kenna could keep Galway up at the end of the season so good luck to him and the Galway supporters.
TAKE A BOW RAFA
Rafa Benitez deserves much credit for steering his side towards yet another Champions League semi final meeting with Chelsea tonight. The Spaniard has been on the receiving end of much criticism this term for Liverpool’s failure to challenge for the Premier League title and rightly so. In Europe though, Benitez’s side is purring and hitting form at just the right time.
Amidst the recent boardroom shenanigans Liverpool have embarked on one of their most impressive runs of the season so far which could culminate in a third Champions League final in four years if they can overcome their London rivals over another two-legged semi final, beginning in Anfield tonight.
For all the detractors about ‘squad rotation’ the Merseyside outfit – bar Steven Gerrard – are at full fitness and look a lot more refreshed than Chelsea coming into the final stretch of the campaign. Torres, Babel, Alonso and Carragher should prove too much for a tiring Chelsea and Liverpool should be able to look forward to a date in Moscow and possibly another unforgettable European night.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Wenger and Keane
WENGER STICKS TO HIS GUN (NER)S
If we are to believe today’s media reports Arsene Wenger looks set to once again stubbornly refuse to open the Arsenal chequebook this summer and keep faith with the majority of his current squad for next year’s campaign. If this week has taught the Frenchman anything it should be that his squad is paper-thin in terms of quality when is comes to the latter stages of the Champions League.
It is all very well integrating the likes of the talented Vela and Merida into his squad for next year’s campaign(s) but neither will possess enough Champions League experience to make a significant contribution for the Gunners.
If Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea lifts the coveted trophy in Moscow next month the pressure will continue to increase on Wenger and his squad to deliver in Europe next time out. Otherwise the current Gunner’s squad will always be remembered as the English side that played the most attractive football of their generation but failed to deliver the trophies that their rivals managed.
KEANE TO IMPROVE
Roy Keane is in bullish mood and why wouldn’t he be. His Sunderland side has successfully steered clear of the Premier League drop zone and are only a few points away from deservedly securing their top-flight status for next season. Keane has been quick to tell anyone that will listen about his ambitious plans for next term and the money he will need to spend (€50 million) during the summer to achieve that goal.
The silence from Niall Quinn and the Sunderland board has been deafening.
Quinn has not been forthcoming in recent weeks with any sort of response to his manager’s overtures except for the usual bland sound-bites. The summer months could prove to be interesting times at the Stadium of Light as the clash of Keane’s demands and the reality of the potential Sunderland board’s investment collide.
For all his tremendous achievements since taking over the Black Cats, Keane would do well to remember that the only thing in the life of a football manager is the sack.
If we are to believe today’s media reports Arsene Wenger looks set to once again stubbornly refuse to open the Arsenal chequebook this summer and keep faith with the majority of his current squad for next year’s campaign. If this week has taught the Frenchman anything it should be that his squad is paper-thin in terms of quality when is comes to the latter stages of the Champions League.
It is all very well integrating the likes of the talented Vela and Merida into his squad for next year’s campaign(s) but neither will possess enough Champions League experience to make a significant contribution for the Gunners.
If Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea lifts the coveted trophy in Moscow next month the pressure will continue to increase on Wenger and his squad to deliver in Europe next time out. Otherwise the current Gunner’s squad will always be remembered as the English side that played the most attractive football of their generation but failed to deliver the trophies that their rivals managed.
KEANE TO IMPROVE
Roy Keane is in bullish mood and why wouldn’t he be. His Sunderland side has successfully steered clear of the Premier League drop zone and are only a few points away from deservedly securing their top-flight status for next season. Keane has been quick to tell anyone that will listen about his ambitious plans for next term and the money he will need to spend (€50 million) during the summer to achieve that goal.
The silence from Niall Quinn and the Sunderland board has been deafening.
Quinn has not been forthcoming in recent weeks with any sort of response to his manager’s overtures except for the usual bland sound-bites. The summer months could prove to be interesting times at the Stadium of Light as the clash of Keane’s demands and the reality of the potential Sunderland board’s investment collide.
For all his tremendous achievements since taking over the Black Cats, Keane would do well to remember that the only thing in the life of a football manager is the sack.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Champions League -1/4 Final Reaction 1
The moment that encapsulated last night’s breathtaking Champions League Quarter Final occurred in the dying minutes of a never-to-be-forgotten encounter. Ryan Babel thundered towards the Kop at break-neck speed and whacked the ball into the net sending the home side through to the last four.
Cesc Fabregas cut a forlorn figure as he tried in vain to prevent the winger from scoring but sheer tiredness prevented the talismanic midfielder from reaching his opponent and within seconds Arsenal were out of the Champions League.
That brief cameo demonstrated the benefit of Benitez’s squad rotation and never-say-die attitude but also just how exhausted and jaded looking the whole Arsenal side has become in the final weeks of the season. For all Arsenals’ electric football and individual brilliance, they exit another Champions League tournament because of defensive frailties and a paper-thin squad without enough quality to see them through the really tough European nights.
Many will feel the penalty incident involving Ryan Babel and Kolo Toure was the turning point in the match but the truly pivotal moment occurred once Flamini had to withdraw through injury. Arsenal were overrun in midfield once the Frenchman departed and the Gunners sorely missed his seemingly boundless energy and non-stop running. Flamini has become the one player Arsenal can rely on to cover every blade of grass but once his influence went missing Liverpool exploited the situation to the maximum and the tide quickly turned in their favour.
Rafa Benitez has endured his fair share of criticism over his side’s repeated failures to challenge for the Premier League title but his charges are ominously hitting form in Europe once again at just the right time. Gerrard, Babel, Alonso, Mascherano, and especially Torres look refreshed thanks to the Red’s early season squad rotation. They will certainly not fear Chelsea in the semis, especially with the prospect of possibly facing arch-rivals Manchester United in Moscow.
Another season goes by and yet another European failure for Arsene Wenger. His side contributed to a magnificent game but looked worn-out in the final quarter of an hour despite coming within 7 tantalising minutes of reaching the semi finals. Despite all the scintillating football Arsenal has produced over the past three seasons the Emirates Stadium trophy cabinet remains bare. Worse still, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford and Anfield have each welcomed domestic and European trophies during that period.
Quality reinforcements simply must arrive to bolster the squad in key areas such as defence and in midfield during the summer which may mean spending heavily in the transfer market. This scenario seems to go against the better judgement of Arsene Wenger but even he will have to admit after last night’s crushing defeat that the time has come to add much needed experience to his young squad so as to be able to maintain both a European and domestic challenge next season.
Will Gooners everywhere be able to stomach another trophyless season next term at the expense of United, Chelsea and Liverpool? I doubt it.
Cesc Fabregas cut a forlorn figure as he tried in vain to prevent the winger from scoring but sheer tiredness prevented the talismanic midfielder from reaching his opponent and within seconds Arsenal were out of the Champions League.
That brief cameo demonstrated the benefit of Benitez’s squad rotation and never-say-die attitude but also just how exhausted and jaded looking the whole Arsenal side has become in the final weeks of the season. For all Arsenals’ electric football and individual brilliance, they exit another Champions League tournament because of defensive frailties and a paper-thin squad without enough quality to see them through the really tough European nights.
Many will feel the penalty incident involving Ryan Babel and Kolo Toure was the turning point in the match but the truly pivotal moment occurred once Flamini had to withdraw through injury. Arsenal were overrun in midfield once the Frenchman departed and the Gunners sorely missed his seemingly boundless energy and non-stop running. Flamini has become the one player Arsenal can rely on to cover every blade of grass but once his influence went missing Liverpool exploited the situation to the maximum and the tide quickly turned in their favour.
Rafa Benitez has endured his fair share of criticism over his side’s repeated failures to challenge for the Premier League title but his charges are ominously hitting form in Europe once again at just the right time. Gerrard, Babel, Alonso, Mascherano, and especially Torres look refreshed thanks to the Red’s early season squad rotation. They will certainly not fear Chelsea in the semis, especially with the prospect of possibly facing arch-rivals Manchester United in Moscow.
Another season goes by and yet another European failure for Arsene Wenger. His side contributed to a magnificent game but looked worn-out in the final quarter of an hour despite coming within 7 tantalising minutes of reaching the semi finals. Despite all the scintillating football Arsenal has produced over the past three seasons the Emirates Stadium trophy cabinet remains bare. Worse still, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford and Anfield have each welcomed domestic and European trophies during that period.
Quality reinforcements simply must arrive to bolster the squad in key areas such as defence and in midfield during the summer which may mean spending heavily in the transfer market. This scenario seems to go against the better judgement of Arsene Wenger but even he will have to admit after last night’s crushing defeat that the time has come to add much needed experience to his young squad so as to be able to maintain both a European and domestic challenge next season.
Will Gooners everywhere be able to stomach another trophyless season next term at the expense of United, Chelsea and Liverpool? I doubt it.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Champions League 1/4 Finals 2nd Leg
UNITED INJURY SCARES
Make no mistake about it Manchester United’s European and domestic success now rests on how quickly Vidic and Ferdinand are able to return to the first team. Pique and O’Shea are each capable defenders in their own right, but Sir Alex Ferguson needs his first choice centre-back pairing back in action as soon as possible with Roma, Arsenal, Chelsea and possibly Barcelona on the horizon.
For all United’s vast array of attacking talent the absence of a steady defence behind them will undermine their title aspirations. The two injured centre-backs are mostly responsible for conceding a paltry 17 Premier League goals this season. This remarkable defensive record has been completely overshadowed by the silky skills of Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez.
If United are to round off their season without a brace of trophies they will need to maintain their undervalued defensive discipline. Ferdinand & Vidic must return for that to occur or else a season that promised so much will end in failure.
ARSENAL MUST DELIVER
Arsene Wenger needs victory in tonight’s Champions League encounter with Liverpool much more than Rafa Benitez does. While the Gunners look unlikely to lift the Premier crown this season, any success in the Champions League would be viewed as a bonus for a perceived young and in-experienced squad.
That excuse will not wash with Arsenal supporters for much longer though and another barren trophy cabinet at the Emirates at the end of the season will only fuel further unrest. Wenger simply has to invest in further strengthening his squad during the summer break otherwise his side will again fail to the wrestle the Premier League title from the mega-squads of Manchester United and Chelsea.
Arsenal’s domestic form has dropped off alarmingly in recent months through tiredness and with the Premier League title moving further away nothing short of an unexpected victory over the English side most suited to the European knockout competition will suffice this evening.
Make no mistake about it Manchester United’s European and domestic success now rests on how quickly Vidic and Ferdinand are able to return to the first team. Pique and O’Shea are each capable defenders in their own right, but Sir Alex Ferguson needs his first choice centre-back pairing back in action as soon as possible with Roma, Arsenal, Chelsea and possibly Barcelona on the horizon.
For all United’s vast array of attacking talent the absence of a steady defence behind them will undermine their title aspirations. The two injured centre-backs are mostly responsible for conceding a paltry 17 Premier League goals this season. This remarkable defensive record has been completely overshadowed by the silky skills of Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez.
If United are to round off their season without a brace of trophies they will need to maintain their undervalued defensive discipline. Ferdinand & Vidic must return for that to occur or else a season that promised so much will end in failure.
ARSENAL MUST DELIVER
Arsene Wenger needs victory in tonight’s Champions League encounter with Liverpool much more than Rafa Benitez does. While the Gunners look unlikely to lift the Premier crown this season, any success in the Champions League would be viewed as a bonus for a perceived young and in-experienced squad.
That excuse will not wash with Arsenal supporters for much longer though and another barren trophy cabinet at the Emirates at the end of the season will only fuel further unrest. Wenger simply has to invest in further strengthening his squad during the summer break otherwise his side will again fail to the wrestle the Premier League title from the mega-squads of Manchester United and Chelsea.
Arsenal’s domestic form has dropped off alarmingly in recent months through tiredness and with the Premier League title moving further away nothing short of an unexpected victory over the English side most suited to the European knockout competition will suffice this evening.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Champions League Quarter Final Round-Up
The strength in depth of Manchester United’s squad was clearly evident in their comprehensive 2-0 in Rome during the week. Paul Scholes rolled back the years with an imaginative display in the centre of the park. His delicate pull-back for Ronaldo’s headed goal was the highlight in a vintage performance from the mercurial midfielder. Wayne Rooney demonstrated his seemingly boundless energy with another unselfish display while Ronaldo finally sparkled in an important European tie.
United will never have a better opportunity to lift Europe’s most prestigious football trophy than this season. Should they progress as expected past Roma, a Barcelona club in disarray awaits in the semi finals. Sir Alex Ferguson has utilised his squad superbly thus far and as the run-in to the end of the season begins in earnest, few would bet against the Govan native lifting the Champions League trophy for a second time.
One potential sting in the tale for Alex Ferguson's side is the injury to centre-back Nemanja Vidic. Although it appears the Croatian will be out for up to three weeks any long term problems could ultimately scupper United's chances of lifting the Champions League. It is a fact that Rio Ferdinand plays better with Vidic to cover for him in the centre of United's defence and the break-up of this prolific partnership (a meagre 15 league goals conceded so far this season) at such a critical time of the season could prove fatal.
As for the remaining Premier League clubs the quarter-final ties clearly demonstrated the short-comings in each side’s turbulent end to the season. Arsenal visibly tired towards the end of their incessant second half attacking performance. The minute the Gunners conceded an away goal to Dirk Kuyt they were forced to attack at every opportunity and failed to breach a disciplined Liverpool rearguard. For all Benitez's critics on his squad-rotation policy, his Liverpool side - despite defending for much if the second half - look the sharper coming into the final weeks of the season. Granted the Anfield side lost too many winnable games at the start of the season but Torres, Gerrard, Mascherano and Babel all looked much fresher than their North London opponents did on Wednesday night and Benitez should take some credit for that.
Chelsea continue to look and play like a club in constant inner turmoil after their surprise 2-1 defeat in Turkey. Most worryingly for Avram Grant, his Chelsea defence conceded another two goals and the murmurs of results such as this never occurring under ‘the Chosen One’s’ tenure refuse to go away. The Blues should have enough quality to turn the tie around in Stamford Bridge next week but a resurgent Liverpool are their likely opponents in the semi finals where Grant’s future will be decided depending upon the outcome of that semi final encounter.
United will never have a better opportunity to lift Europe’s most prestigious football trophy than this season. Should they progress as expected past Roma, a Barcelona club in disarray awaits in the semi finals. Sir Alex Ferguson has utilised his squad superbly thus far and as the run-in to the end of the season begins in earnest, few would bet against the Govan native lifting the Champions League trophy for a second time.
One potential sting in the tale for Alex Ferguson's side is the injury to centre-back Nemanja Vidic. Although it appears the Croatian will be out for up to three weeks any long term problems could ultimately scupper United's chances of lifting the Champions League. It is a fact that Rio Ferdinand plays better with Vidic to cover for him in the centre of United's defence and the break-up of this prolific partnership (a meagre 15 league goals conceded so far this season) at such a critical time of the season could prove fatal.
As for the remaining Premier League clubs the quarter-final ties clearly demonstrated the short-comings in each side’s turbulent end to the season. Arsenal visibly tired towards the end of their incessant second half attacking performance. The minute the Gunners conceded an away goal to Dirk Kuyt they were forced to attack at every opportunity and failed to breach a disciplined Liverpool rearguard. For all Benitez's critics on his squad-rotation policy, his Liverpool side - despite defending for much if the second half - look the sharper coming into the final weeks of the season. Granted the Anfield side lost too many winnable games at the start of the season but Torres, Gerrard, Mascherano and Babel all looked much fresher than their North London opponents did on Wednesday night and Benitez should take some credit for that.
Chelsea continue to look and play like a club in constant inner turmoil after their surprise 2-1 defeat in Turkey. Most worryingly for Avram Grant, his Chelsea defence conceded another two goals and the murmurs of results such as this never occurring under ‘the Chosen One’s’ tenure refuse to go away. The Blues should have enough quality to turn the tie around in Stamford Bridge next week but a resurgent Liverpool are their likely opponents in the semi finals where Grant’s future will be decided depending upon the outcome of that semi final encounter.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
VA VA GLOOM...
The departure of Thierry Henry to Barcelona is certainly a sad day for Premiership and Arsenal fans all over the globe. There is no denying the Frenchman's contribution to the Gunners over the past eight seasons: 2 Premierships, 3 FA Cups in a career spanning 364 games and a record 226 goals.
Henry cast doubts on his future at the Emirates stadium back on the 8th of June in an interview with American Sports broadcaster ESPN. Henry admitted he was "devastated" by Vice-chairman David Dein's departure during the interview. He
said: "I was devastated when Mr. Dein left the club. I don't know what happened and I don't want to know. As I have said many times, at the moment I am an Arsenal player. But everyone knows that a lot of stuff has happened at the club recently that wasn't supposed to happen”.
It was clearly apparent after the interview that the likelihood of a transfer to Barcelona or one of the the Italian giants AC or Inter Milan looked a serious possibility...
Why should David Dein's departure from the boardroom be such a cause of concern to Henry? There is no doubting the close relationship that existed between the Dein family and Henry and subsequently Arsene Wenger. Dein's son, Darren, is 'personal advisor' to Henry and was also his best man when he got married. Henry told ESPN: "The bosses have been unsettled and a lot of players at the club have now become unsettled."
If Henry was understandably upset at Dein's departure, why use it as an excuse to undermine Arsene Wenger and all the other young players remaining at the club for whom he expressed such 'love'? Are suggested replacements such as Michael Owen or Nicholas Anelka likely to sign for Arsenal now following those comments which suggest Wenger might not even be at the club much longer? How do comments like that help his former mentor who rescued Henry from relative obscurity at Juventus and converted into one of the best strikers in Europe?.
His final season in the Premiership was plagued by injury and the sight of Henry struggling to run during the Champions League exit to PSV Eindhoven was a sad exit from Europe's premier competition. There was also the disappointing Champions League final display against Barcelona when Henry spurned two excellent chances and Arsenal eventually lost out. Arsenal fans will choose to remember his virtuoso performances in the Champions League against Roma and Inter Milan as well as his probably his best ever goal in an Arsenal jersey, the flick up and volley over Fabien Barthez's head against Man Utd in the Premiership.
It will be fascinating to watch Henry in the Primera Liga next season as Barcelona look to retain the title from arch-rivals, Real Madrid. What will be even more fascinating is how Henry fits into the culture of one of the biggest club's on the planet.
At the Emirates, Henry was always the number one name on team sheet, whereas at the Nou Camp he will be jostling for position and more importantly influence with the likes of Eto'o, Ronaldiniho, Messi and Gudjohnsen.
Thierry Henry should be remembered for being one of the finest players ever to grace the Premiership. Few other individuals - apart from Roy Keane - have had such a defining influence on one single club. However, the Frenchman's recent comments about David Dein's departure form the boardroom sound more like an excuse now rather than a legitimate reason for bringing an end to his long association with the North London club.
Henry cast doubts on his future at the Emirates stadium back on the 8th of June in an interview with American Sports broadcaster ESPN. Henry admitted he was "devastated" by Vice-chairman David Dein's departure during the interview. He
said: "I was devastated when Mr. Dein left the club. I don't know what happened and I don't want to know. As I have said many times, at the moment I am an Arsenal player. But everyone knows that a lot of stuff has happened at the club recently that wasn't supposed to happen”.
It was clearly apparent after the interview that the likelihood of a transfer to Barcelona or one of the the Italian giants AC or Inter Milan looked a serious possibility...
Why should David Dein's departure from the boardroom be such a cause of concern to Henry? There is no doubting the close relationship that existed between the Dein family and Henry and subsequently Arsene Wenger. Dein's son, Darren, is 'personal advisor' to Henry and was also his best man when he got married. Henry told ESPN: "The bosses have been unsettled and a lot of players at the club have now become unsettled."
If Henry was understandably upset at Dein's departure, why use it as an excuse to undermine Arsene Wenger and all the other young players remaining at the club for whom he expressed such 'love'? Are suggested replacements such as Michael Owen or Nicholas Anelka likely to sign for Arsenal now following those comments which suggest Wenger might not even be at the club much longer? How do comments like that help his former mentor who rescued Henry from relative obscurity at Juventus and converted into one of the best strikers in Europe?.
His final season in the Premiership was plagued by injury and the sight of Henry struggling to run during the Champions League exit to PSV Eindhoven was a sad exit from Europe's premier competition. There was also the disappointing Champions League final display against Barcelona when Henry spurned two excellent chances and Arsenal eventually lost out. Arsenal fans will choose to remember his virtuoso performances in the Champions League against Roma and Inter Milan as well as his probably his best ever goal in an Arsenal jersey, the flick up and volley over Fabien Barthez's head against Man Utd in the Premiership.
It will be fascinating to watch Henry in the Primera Liga next season as Barcelona look to retain the title from arch-rivals, Real Madrid. What will be even more fascinating is how Henry fits into the culture of one of the biggest club's on the planet.
At the Emirates, Henry was always the number one name on team sheet, whereas at the Nou Camp he will be jostling for position and more importantly influence with the likes of Eto'o, Ronaldiniho, Messi and Gudjohnsen.
Thierry Henry should be remembered for being one of the finest players ever to grace the Premiership. Few other individuals - apart from Roy Keane - have had such a defining influence on one single club. However, the Frenchman's recent comments about David Dein's departure form the boardroom sound more like an excuse now rather than a legitimate reason for bringing an end to his long association with the North London club.
Monday, April 16, 2007
SEMI FINAL DRAMA BECKONS
This season’s Champions League final in Athens is set to contain at least one Premiership club after Chelsea and Liverpool were drawn to face each other in the semi finals. Manchester United will face AC Milan in the other semi meaning the possibility of an all English European Cup final is still very much alive. All four of the remaining teams would make worthy champions but only one club can emerge with the trophy.
Manchester United vs. AC Milan
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United side are still hunting their own domestic double as well as the Champions League. The 7-1 demolition of Roma in the quarter finals will have sent a warning out around Europe that - if given time and space to play - they are a side to be feared. Roma had no answer to United’s all out attacking policy and threw in the towel once they fell 3-0 behind.
With Ronaldo, Rooney and Carrick currently in scintillating form, there is no reason to suggest they cannot overcome the challenge of Milan. If United can repeat their high tempo performances of previous rounds then they have every chance of progressing.
However, Milan will not concede 7 goals home or away to Manchester United or anyone else for that matter and will mark Ronaldo and Rooney a lot tighter than Roma did. Injuries and tiredness could yet work against United before the Champions League final date with so many tough domestic assignments still to overcome. AC Milan knocked out an impressive Bayern Munich side with the help of outstanding performances from Kaka, Seedorf and Inzaghi in the quarter finals. The Italians success of recent years has been based on their legendary rugged defence and quick fire counter attacking. What a fitting end it would be to a remarkable career to see Paolo Maldini lifting the European Cup at the end of a remarkable career.
The emergence of Kaka as the best playmaker and passer in both Serie A and the Champions League has transformed Milan’s season. Kaka’s brilliance coupled with the experience and talent of Andreas Pirlo are by far the best central midfield pairing left in the competition.
Milan will be the fresher - from having less games and no league title chase to distract them - of the two teams coming into the semi final. They have the experience and knowledge of how to win in Eurpoe against quicker and younger teams, so expect them to dash the hope of Manchester United and go through to the final.
Verdict: AC Milan to go through on away goals
Liverpool vs. Chelsea
There are so many sub-plots surrounding this semi final tie, you could make a movie about it. Jose Mourinho has been battling a lengthy injury list, boardroom unrest and an impatient Russian billionaire all season and yet he has managed to guide his team to the semi finals. Chelsea are still in contention for an unlikely quadruple but rest assured, the only trophy that will save the ‘chosen one’s ‘ job is the Champions League. The importance of the returning John Terry and Joe Cole from injury cannot be over-emphasised.
Liverpool have enjoyed a decent run in the Champions League this season and had it easy in the quarter finals against one of the worst PSV sides in recent years. The Reds are out of the race for the Premiership and will have the luxury of being able to rest key players in the run up to the semi finals. However, for all Benitez’s qualities as a top tactical manager expect Chelsea to come out on top over the two legs. The main reason being, simply, revenge for the semi final defeat two seasons ago. If Mourinho is good at one thing it is getting the best out of his players when he utilises the ‘world is against us' mentality.
On paper, Liverpool looks to be the fresher side and have had the easier run to the semi finals. They have also broken their hoodoo by trouncing an under-strength Chelsea at Anfield recently. However, Chelsea will save their best performances for the Champions League for the remainder of this season.
The Chelsea players have made it clear they want their manager to stay and will do everything possible to keep him at the club next season. Winning the Champions League is probably the only way the Portuguese man will remain at the helm next season.
Verdict: Chelsea to go through 1-0
Manchester United vs. AC Milan
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United side are still hunting their own domestic double as well as the Champions League. The 7-1 demolition of Roma in the quarter finals will have sent a warning out around Europe that - if given time and space to play - they are a side to be feared. Roma had no answer to United’s all out attacking policy and threw in the towel once they fell 3-0 behind.
With Ronaldo, Rooney and Carrick currently in scintillating form, there is no reason to suggest they cannot overcome the challenge of Milan. If United can repeat their high tempo performances of previous rounds then they have every chance of progressing.
However, Milan will not concede 7 goals home or away to Manchester United or anyone else for that matter and will mark Ronaldo and Rooney a lot tighter than Roma did. Injuries and tiredness could yet work against United before the Champions League final date with so many tough domestic assignments still to overcome. AC Milan knocked out an impressive Bayern Munich side with the help of outstanding performances from Kaka, Seedorf and Inzaghi in the quarter finals. The Italians success of recent years has been based on their legendary rugged defence and quick fire counter attacking. What a fitting end it would be to a remarkable career to see Paolo Maldini lifting the European Cup at the end of a remarkable career.
The emergence of Kaka as the best playmaker and passer in both Serie A and the Champions League has transformed Milan’s season. Kaka’s brilliance coupled with the experience and talent of Andreas Pirlo are by far the best central midfield pairing left in the competition.
Milan will be the fresher - from having less games and no league title chase to distract them - of the two teams coming into the semi final. They have the experience and knowledge of how to win in Eurpoe against quicker and younger teams, so expect them to dash the hope of Manchester United and go through to the final.
Verdict: AC Milan to go through on away goals
Liverpool vs. Chelsea
There are so many sub-plots surrounding this semi final tie, you could make a movie about it. Jose Mourinho has been battling a lengthy injury list, boardroom unrest and an impatient Russian billionaire all season and yet he has managed to guide his team to the semi finals. Chelsea are still in contention for an unlikely quadruple but rest assured, the only trophy that will save the ‘chosen one’s ‘ job is the Champions League. The importance of the returning John Terry and Joe Cole from injury cannot be over-emphasised.
Liverpool have enjoyed a decent run in the Champions League this season and had it easy in the quarter finals against one of the worst PSV sides in recent years. The Reds are out of the race for the Premiership and will have the luxury of being able to rest key players in the run up to the semi finals. However, for all Benitez’s qualities as a top tactical manager expect Chelsea to come out on top over the two legs. The main reason being, simply, revenge for the semi final defeat two seasons ago. If Mourinho is good at one thing it is getting the best out of his players when he utilises the ‘world is against us' mentality.
On paper, Liverpool looks to be the fresher side and have had the easier run to the semi finals. They have also broken their hoodoo by trouncing an under-strength Chelsea at Anfield recently. However, Chelsea will save their best performances for the Champions League for the remainder of this season.
The Chelsea players have made it clear they want their manager to stay and will do everything possible to keep him at the club next season. Winning the Champions League is probably the only way the Portuguese man will remain at the helm next season.
Verdict: Chelsea to go through 1-0
Thursday, March 08, 2007
WHAT NOW FOR MIS-FIRING GUNNERS?
Arsenal rounded off a hugely disappointing fortnight by crashing out of the Champions League last night following a 1-1 draw at home to PSV Eindhoven. The Gunners exited the last sixteen round 2-1 on aggregate following another uninspiring performance at the Emirates Stadium. Last night's defeat followed further defeats in the Carling Cup (final) by Chelsea and in the 5th round of the FA Cup at the hands of Blackburn. Losing to PSV, a side Arsenal would have felt capable of beating with the young talent in their squad must be particularly galling.
Once again, a set piece proved Arsenal's undoing and despite Arsene Wenger's surprising admission in the days leading up to the match that he introduced extra training to address the said issue, poor defending from a free kick ultimately proved their undoing. Even the presence of Arsenal's £130,000 a week striker, Thierry Henry, for the final half hour failed to inspire them. It is clear from his brief cameo appearance last night that Henry is not fit. How Arsenal must long for the inspiring captain from last season who scored so many vital goals (that famous win in Madrid springs to mind) during Arsenal’s run to the Champions League final where they ultimately lost out to Barcelona.
Adebayor's early season promise is fading with every match and for all their young talent, Arsenal still do not have a 'fox-in-the-box' to convert the countless passing moves that have yielded nothing in front of goal so many times this season. The truth is the Gunners wasteful use of possession and lacklustre attempts in front of goal resulted in their elimination from Europe's premier competition last night.
These are the recurring issues of a disappointing season though and Wenger must address them during the close season. The resurgence of Manchester United, Liverpool's injection of millions of American Dollars and the seemingly bottomless pit of roubles at Chelsea are making it more and more difficult for Arsenal to keep pace in Europe let alone at the top of the Premiership.
There is no doubting the young talent that has been unearthed by Wenger this season, Denilson, Walcott, Eboue and Glichy to name but a few. Coupled with the experience of Toure, Lehman, Henry and Ljunberg, the bottom line is Arsenal should be doing a lot better than they are. The investors and supporters will no doubt demand more from the Gunners next season as the tag of inexperience can now no longer be applied to the young Arsenal squad. The likes of David Villa from Valencia and Samuel Eto'o from Barcelona are exactly the type of experienced international quality players that would improve Arsenal where they now need it most, up front.
The question is Will Wenger persist with his young talented squad for another season or supplement his squad before the start of next season by spending big and bringing in proven international talent? Another trophyless season may push the Arsenal board towards the latter.
Once again, a set piece proved Arsenal's undoing and despite Arsene Wenger's surprising admission in the days leading up to the match that he introduced extra training to address the said issue, poor defending from a free kick ultimately proved their undoing. Even the presence of Arsenal's £130,000 a week striker, Thierry Henry, for the final half hour failed to inspire them. It is clear from his brief cameo appearance last night that Henry is not fit. How Arsenal must long for the inspiring captain from last season who scored so many vital goals (that famous win in Madrid springs to mind) during Arsenal’s run to the Champions League final where they ultimately lost out to Barcelona.
Adebayor's early season promise is fading with every match and for all their young talent, Arsenal still do not have a 'fox-in-the-box' to convert the countless passing moves that have yielded nothing in front of goal so many times this season. The truth is the Gunners wasteful use of possession and lacklustre attempts in front of goal resulted in their elimination from Europe's premier competition last night.
These are the recurring issues of a disappointing season though and Wenger must address them during the close season. The resurgence of Manchester United, Liverpool's injection of millions of American Dollars and the seemingly bottomless pit of roubles at Chelsea are making it more and more difficult for Arsenal to keep pace in Europe let alone at the top of the Premiership.
There is no doubting the young talent that has been unearthed by Wenger this season, Denilson, Walcott, Eboue and Glichy to name but a few. Coupled with the experience of Toure, Lehman, Henry and Ljunberg, the bottom line is Arsenal should be doing a lot better than they are. The investors and supporters will no doubt demand more from the Gunners next season as the tag of inexperience can now no longer be applied to the young Arsenal squad. The likes of David Villa from Valencia and Samuel Eto'o from Barcelona are exactly the type of experienced international quality players that would improve Arsenal where they now need it most, up front.
The question is Will Wenger persist with his young talented squad for another season or supplement his squad before the start of next season by spending big and bringing in proven international talent? Another trophyless season may push the Arsenal board towards the latter.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Champions League Review
The four Premiership representatives enjoyed mixed fortunes in the Champions League this past week. Liverpool and Manchester United were the big winners with excellent wins away from home over Barcelona and Lille respectively. Chelsea earned a creditable 1-1 in Portugal whilst Arsenal were hugely disappointing and lost 1-0 in Eindhoven. The bottom line is that with the second legs only a fortnight away, there is still a chance that all four Premiership clubs could still qualify for the quarter finals.
Liverpool will grab all the headlines for their 2-1 win in the Nou Camp and rightly so. The win followed a turbulent week for the Merseyside club which saw Craig Bellamy (the nutter with the putter) and Jon Arne Risse plastered (no pun intended) across the tabloids for their involvement in a drunken training camp incident. Credit to the two players involved for answering the critics with the two goals that won the game for Liverpool. However, it was superb performances from Mohamed Sissoko and Xabi Alonso in midfield along with Jose Reina and Jamie Carragher at the back which formed the backbone of Liverpool's victory.
Whilst the reds win will be lauded throughout England, it is important to remember that Barcelona are a pale shadow of the team which won the Champions League last season and put in a truly woeful performance. The hullabaloo surrounding Samuel Eto'o didn't help the Catalans in the build up the game and in truth; the overall team performance against Liverpool was wretched. It would appear that Rijkaard's influence over the Barca dressing room has completely evaporated and a change of management may well occur at the end of the season. Liverpool may indeed qualify for the next round but Rafael Benitez knows there are sterner tests ahead in Europe and an improved performance is needed if Liverpool are to have any chance of repeating their 2005 heroics.
Liverpool Captain and England international, Steven Gerrard had a poor game by his own high standards and his attempted tackle on Zambrotta for the home sides' opening goal summed up his overall performance. It is now certain that Alonso and Sissoko are Benitez's preferred central midfield partnership in Europe and Gerrard will have to put up with playing wide on the right for the remainder of Liverpool's campaign to accommodate his manager's wishes. The signing of another central midfielder - Javier Mascherano from West Ham - is yet another sign that Gerrard has failed to win Bentiez over with his central midfield performances so far this season.
Manchester United's win in France was overshadowed by events off the pitch as well as Ryan Giggs controversial winner. Reports of a heavy handed Police presence, coupled with disturbing images of fans attempting to escape crowd congestion scaling the barrier fences was an eerie reminder of darker days in English football. Whether Gigg's goals was within the rules of the game or not is irrelevant now as the game has been completed.
United's performance was patchy to say the least. Remember this is a Lille side who are the lowest ranked team of the remaining clubs in this year's competition. Sir Alex Ferguson will be delighted with an away win in Europe and can point to a series of missed chances that could and should have guaranteed them a bigger winning margin. United did just enough to get past Lille in the first leg but will need to find at least two extra gears if they are to have any hope of progressing past the remaining sides in the quarter finals.
Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Porto was tempered by the loss of John Terry to a suspected ligament injury which could sideline the Blue's captain for up to six weeks. Jose Mourinho will be delighted with the away goal and should have done enough - even without his talismanic captain - to progress further in the competition. Chelsea are another club who have been hogging the headlines for all the wrong reasons this season with the well publicised spat between the Chelsea manager and the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich. Still, in a Carling Cup final, still in the FA Cup and Champions League and only 6 points behind a tiring Manchester United leaves the Londoners in a healthy position going into the final months of the season.
Andry Shevchenko's goal was a prime example of why Chelsea were willing to pay 30million for the Ukrainian striker. Shevchenko will need to repeat his goal scoring exploits in the remaining rounds of the competition if he is to truly justify his transfer fee after a disappointing first season at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have done enough to qualify for the quarter finals, provided they can keep a clean sheet at home in the second leg.
Arsene Wenger will not be too disappointed to be only a goal down going into his side's second leg at home to PSV Eindhoven. A tired looking Arsenal failed to breach the PSV defence. The Gunners were eventually undone by a superb 20 yard strike from PSV's Edison Mendez. While the Arsenal manager might be concerned with his team's second half performance in particular, he will hope the wide open pitch at the Emirates Stadium will allow his side to create more opportunities than they managed last night.
The North Londoners should have had enough quality to break down a stubborn PSV defence but failed. Fabregas looked like a player badly in need of a break but will have to wait as Arsenal have a series of important fixtures coming up. Henry was well marshalled throughout and is still to reach the heights of some of his European performances last year. Overall, 1-0 is not a bad result but Arsenal cannot afford to give away any goals in the second leg.
The questions to be answered are (a) can the Gunners manage to keep a clean sheet and (b) do they have enough firepower up front to score the goals to qualify for the next round.
Liverpool will grab all the headlines for their 2-1 win in the Nou Camp and rightly so. The win followed a turbulent week for the Merseyside club which saw Craig Bellamy (the nutter with the putter) and Jon Arne Risse plastered (no pun intended) across the tabloids for their involvement in a drunken training camp incident. Credit to the two players involved for answering the critics with the two goals that won the game for Liverpool. However, it was superb performances from Mohamed Sissoko and Xabi Alonso in midfield along with Jose Reina and Jamie Carragher at the back which formed the backbone of Liverpool's victory.
Whilst the reds win will be lauded throughout England, it is important to remember that Barcelona are a pale shadow of the team which won the Champions League last season and put in a truly woeful performance. The hullabaloo surrounding Samuel Eto'o didn't help the Catalans in the build up the game and in truth; the overall team performance against Liverpool was wretched. It would appear that Rijkaard's influence over the Barca dressing room has completely evaporated and a change of management may well occur at the end of the season. Liverpool may indeed qualify for the next round but Rafael Benitez knows there are sterner tests ahead in Europe and an improved performance is needed if Liverpool are to have any chance of repeating their 2005 heroics.
Liverpool Captain and England international, Steven Gerrard had a poor game by his own high standards and his attempted tackle on Zambrotta for the home sides' opening goal summed up his overall performance. It is now certain that Alonso and Sissoko are Benitez's preferred central midfield partnership in Europe and Gerrard will have to put up with playing wide on the right for the remainder of Liverpool's campaign to accommodate his manager's wishes. The signing of another central midfielder - Javier Mascherano from West Ham - is yet another sign that Gerrard has failed to win Bentiez over with his central midfield performances so far this season.
Manchester United's win in France was overshadowed by events off the pitch as well as Ryan Giggs controversial winner. Reports of a heavy handed Police presence, coupled with disturbing images of fans attempting to escape crowd congestion scaling the barrier fences was an eerie reminder of darker days in English football. Whether Gigg's goals was within the rules of the game or not is irrelevant now as the game has been completed.
United's performance was patchy to say the least. Remember this is a Lille side who are the lowest ranked team of the remaining clubs in this year's competition. Sir Alex Ferguson will be delighted with an away win in Europe and can point to a series of missed chances that could and should have guaranteed them a bigger winning margin. United did just enough to get past Lille in the first leg but will need to find at least two extra gears if they are to have any hope of progressing past the remaining sides in the quarter finals.
Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Porto was tempered by the loss of John Terry to a suspected ligament injury which could sideline the Blue's captain for up to six weeks. Jose Mourinho will be delighted with the away goal and should have done enough - even without his talismanic captain - to progress further in the competition. Chelsea are another club who have been hogging the headlines for all the wrong reasons this season with the well publicised spat between the Chelsea manager and the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich. Still, in a Carling Cup final, still in the FA Cup and Champions League and only 6 points behind a tiring Manchester United leaves the Londoners in a healthy position going into the final months of the season.
Andry Shevchenko's goal was a prime example of why Chelsea were willing to pay 30million for the Ukrainian striker. Shevchenko will need to repeat his goal scoring exploits in the remaining rounds of the competition if he is to truly justify his transfer fee after a disappointing first season at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have done enough to qualify for the quarter finals, provided they can keep a clean sheet at home in the second leg.
Arsene Wenger will not be too disappointed to be only a goal down going into his side's second leg at home to PSV Eindhoven. A tired looking Arsenal failed to breach the PSV defence. The Gunners were eventually undone by a superb 20 yard strike from PSV's Edison Mendez. While the Arsenal manager might be concerned with his team's second half performance in particular, he will hope the wide open pitch at the Emirates Stadium will allow his side to create more opportunities than they managed last night.
The North Londoners should have had enough quality to break down a stubborn PSV defence but failed. Fabregas looked like a player badly in need of a break but will have to wait as Arsenal have a series of important fixtures coming up. Henry was well marshalled throughout and is still to reach the heights of some of his European performances last year. Overall, 1-0 is not a bad result but Arsenal cannot afford to give away any goals in the second leg.
The questions to be answered are (a) can the Gunners manage to keep a clean sheet and (b) do they have enough firepower up front to score the goals to qualify for the next round.
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