Barcelona typially enjoy 60-70% possession-but they will have to make better use of the ball than they have done against the likes of Arsenal, Inter and Chelsea in the past. Man Utd are renowned for punishing teams that don't take chances.
Rumours are that Man Utd will start with Fletcher. I don't really agree with this decision. He hasn't played in a while, and Hernandez could be a real thorn in Barcelona's side, especially if Mascherano plays centre back.
In saying that, it's hard to believe that Man Utd could survive with Carrick and Giggs in the centre. And, Hernandez can be just as effective coming on as a sub. Assuming the game hasn't got away from Utd at that point.
Lionel Messi is the best player in the world. It's on nights like these, players like him show their worth. But, if you looking for a guy to get a key goal, look no further than Andres Iniesta.
I'm not sure on Carles Puyol's ability to match up against Valencia if he does line out at left back.
Sergio Busquets is becoming one of the most hated figures in European football. It will be interesting to see if he adds to this reputation tonight. I don't like this aspect of Barcelona's game for sure (I've seen it against Chelsea more than once), however, I do think that the good outweighs the bad. No team is perfect.
Ibrhaim Affelay could be a real game changer from the bench for Barcelona. Maybe Nani for Man Utd also.
Rumours are that this could be Pep Guardiola's last game in charge of Barcelona and that he could leave to take over at Stamford Bridge next season. Would I like to see this? Yes. Will it happen? No.
My prediction: 2-1 to Barcelona. Scorers: Messi, Iniesta, Rooney.
Showing posts with label Champions League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Champions League. Show all posts
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Monday, 11 April 2011
Stand and Deliver
So, tomorrow night at Old Trafford an expensively assembled and overpaid squad will attempt to overturn a narrow deficit and force their way into the Semi-Finals of this years Champions League. It's time to put up or shut up. To be honest, a bit more bluster would do no harm I'm sure. Times were more interesting and encounters more fiery when the Special One was around.
In the 1st leg at Stamford Bridge last week, I had to watch (and listen) as the worse than average Carrick and geriatric Giggs schemed to create the scoring chance for the council estate thug Rooney to give Man Utd what could be a decisive lead. Chelsea huffed, but didn't really puff, and Man Utd looked comfortable throughout, helped I'm sure by the fact that Messrs. Ferdinand and Vidic were re-united at the heart of their defence. I'm being a bit unkind to Rooney-this was as well as I'd seen him play in a while, and he showed remarkable self-restraint when being kicked around by Essien and others earlier in the game.
So, tomorrow night, it's going to take something special. Nothing, and I mean nothing, I have seen this season gives me any faith that Chelsea are capable of getting the win in normal time. Fernando has had the time, if not the chances, to open his Chelsea account, but it didn't really look any more likely last week, even though I was relying on the big occasion and the memory of what he's managed to achieve against Vidic and Co in the past to spur him on. Tomorrow night he should have the bile of the thousands in the stands to egg him on-the fact that he has played for Liverpool and was booked for diving last week is sure to attract plenty of of ire from the Stretford End. Hopefully he will feed off this negative energy, but I'm not holding my breath.
Meanwhile, Arsenal managed a win at the seemingly doomed Blackpool to 'stay in contention' for the Premier League title. Please. Arsenal must go to Old Trafford as well as face Spurs and Liverpool in the remaining 5 weeks of the season. If they win even 1 of those games I would be surprised. I for one am giddy at that the thought of Andy Carroll getting in Jens Lehmann's face at a set piece. This recent story suggests that he's still someone with issues. Prior to their win at Blackpool, Arsene Wenger unwisely had a go at the Arsenal supporters-calls for his head likely to grow louder between now and the end of the season-where they will end up, again, with nothing.
As I write this, Liverpool are dismantling Man City at Anfield, watched by the fawning Ray Wilkins-surely the nicest man ever to provide commentary on a football game (he was equally wide eyed and gushing at the Bernabeu last week). I still like him in the job better than the bald Scottish sexist.
In the 1st leg at Stamford Bridge last week, I had to watch (and listen) as the worse than average Carrick and geriatric Giggs schemed to create the scoring chance for the council estate thug Rooney to give Man Utd what could be a decisive lead. Chelsea huffed, but didn't really puff, and Man Utd looked comfortable throughout, helped I'm sure by the fact that Messrs. Ferdinand and Vidic were re-united at the heart of their defence. I'm being a bit unkind to Rooney-this was as well as I'd seen him play in a while, and he showed remarkable self-restraint when being kicked around by Essien and others earlier in the game.
So, tomorrow night, it's going to take something special. Nothing, and I mean nothing, I have seen this season gives me any faith that Chelsea are capable of getting the win in normal time. Fernando has had the time, if not the chances, to open his Chelsea account, but it didn't really look any more likely last week, even though I was relying on the big occasion and the memory of what he's managed to achieve against Vidic and Co in the past to spur him on. Tomorrow night he should have the bile of the thousands in the stands to egg him on-the fact that he has played for Liverpool and was booked for diving last week is sure to attract plenty of of ire from the Stretford End. Hopefully he will feed off this negative energy, but I'm not holding my breath.
Meanwhile, Arsenal managed a win at the seemingly doomed Blackpool to 'stay in contention' for the Premier League title. Please. Arsenal must go to Old Trafford as well as face Spurs and Liverpool in the remaining 5 weeks of the season. If they win even 1 of those games I would be surprised. I for one am giddy at that the thought of Andy Carroll getting in Jens Lehmann's face at a set piece. This recent story suggests that he's still someone with issues. Prior to their win at Blackpool, Arsene Wenger unwisely had a go at the Arsenal supporters-calls for his head likely to grow louder between now and the end of the season-where they will end up, again, with nothing.
As I write this, Liverpool are dismantling Man City at Anfield, watched by the fawning Ray Wilkins-surely the nicest man ever to provide commentary on a football game (he was equally wide eyed and gushing at the Bernabeu last week). I still like him in the job better than the bald Scottish sexist.
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Winding Down
Ok. There have been several false starts since my last posting. So much has happened since then-unless your name is Fernando Torres of course. Between Man Utd. Losing their grip on the Premier League title (only to recover it again after recovering from 2 goals down against Avram Grant’s West Ham at the weekend), to Arsenal fooling with their supporters yet again (getting comprehensively outplayed by Barcelona in the deciding leg of their Champions League clash as well as failing to take 3 points from Sunderland, West Brom or latterly Blackburn, to Ashley Cole going postal on an apprentice, a lot has happened, but not much has really changed.
Liverpool are still a Jekyll and Hyde team-like no other it seems. Sure they have beaten Man Utd and Chelsea under King Kenny’s 2nd coming, but they have also lost to Blackpool, West Ham and now West Brom (managed by someone who seems to have found his level again). Players needed-apply within I guess. Even if he does get the job permanently, I figure Liverpool need at least 4 players to be considered a serious contender for the title itself, let alone the Champions League positions. Ashley Young is a player linked with them consistently-that would help-as would a centre back, left back and probably another midfield player, someone like Joe Cole, not the ghost of Joe Cole, who has been seen around Anfield at times this season. It’s hard to know what they will get from NESV-Meireles was signed by the Texans and the purchase of Suarez and Carroll was essentially self-financed by the sale of Torres. It should be an interesting summer on Merseyside.
I don’t think I’m the only one suggesting that Arsenal need a change of tack. If their current manager is not up to the task of either then they should look elsewhere. This is sacrilege according to most journalists, but what exactly have Arsenal achieved over the past few years, and who should be accountable for the lack of tangible success? Wenger is hailed for the football his side play-pretty at times for sure, but too often impotent and gets a lot of credit for the club’s financial position as well-a laudable objective to be sure, but surely the manager should concentrate on the football at a big club like Arsenal and leave the finances to someone else (like a Director of Football maybe?). Unless Wenger shows a bit more nous in the transfer market (Arshavin and Rosicky have hardly been success stories, Arsenal are said to have passed on the chance to sign Mesut Ozil, Chamakh was free, but hasn’t set the world alight) or changes the way his teams play-unlikely I would say, then Arsenal are simply gambling that the opposition declines enough to allow them to win a title. And if that wasn't this year, then when will it be?
For all his troubles, Wayne Rooney has scored some truly vital goals for Man Utd this season. Witness his ‘spectacular’ overhead kick to win the Manchester derby to Saturday’s hat trick, you can’t deny that his class is still there. Whether a mooted 2 game suspension will do anything to set him back remains to be seen. Yet again, Man Utd seem to ride their luck better than most. If it’s not Rooney escaping what would have been a longer ban for his elbow on James McCarthy, it’s Nemanja Vidic hacking all around him at the weekend, after being booked earlier in the game, and failing to earn a second yellow card. C’est la vie. Regardless of the circumstances, coming from 2 goals down at half-time is worthy of the title, this year anyway. I wouldn’t back against them for the league and cup double at this point either-Man City’s sterile approach to the game-even their manager was ‘surprised’ at their goal scoring exploits against hapless Sunderland at the weekend-suggests that Utd will find a way to win their upcoming FA Cup Semi-Final, which will set them up in a final against either Bolton or Stoke. Ahem. The Champions League? Please.
I have to believe that now is the time for Fernando Torres to ‘finally’ break his goal drought for Chelsea. What better way, time and place to do it than at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night. Although Chelsea’s form has improved since his signing, they still don’t seem like a well oiled outfit. Impressive as he has been, David Luiz showed that he has his faults-it was his rash lunge that allowed Jon Walters to commence his run that led to the opening goal for Stoke at the weekend (even though I still think he looks an excellent signing). Michael Essien still looks a shadow of his former self at times. No matter what combination is tried up front, the participants seem ill disposed to forming a partnership. The league title is surely beyond them now-so surely the Champions League Quarter-Final should see them going for broke. By and large, they now have a full squad to choose from, aside from the cup-tied Luiz and still injured Benayoun (who could feature in the return leg at Old Trafford). For around 40 minutes or so last month, Chelsea showed that they can be a better team than Man Utd-the midfield battle surely favours them if Essien, Lampard and Ramires can play to their potential. Tomorrow night, they need to play at a higher tempo for 90 minutes-their season depends on it at this point, and maybe Ancelotti’s job.
The result from Milan tonight-where Schalke have beaten Inter by 5 goals to 2-should serve as great motivation to whichever English team wins this tie-who will surely be heavily favoured to make the final at Schalke’s expense (I’m assuming that there will be no German miracle for Inter in this round), and, while Barcelona are still the hot favourites (rightfully so), in a one-off game, anything is possible. Chelsea v Barcelona at Wembley? A fitting site for a dish best served cold. But, dominant as Barcelona have been this season, they face a tough enough trip to the Ukraine, and more than likely will have to overcome Real Madrid in the semi-finals (as he showed last year, Mourinho is still a master tactician, but whether he has the players at Madrid to execute the type of game plan that has served him well at Porto, Chelsea and Inter remains to be seen. I suspect not.
I guess I’m getting ahead of myself here, but after tonight’s results, it’s nearly safe to say that Madrid and Schalke will feature in the next round. After tomorrow, I don’t necessarily think the picture will be any clearer, well at least as regards Chelsea/Man Utd, but I’m holding out for a Chelsea/Barcelona final on May 28th.
P.S. I have been saying all season (not on here it seems) that Spurs play schoolboy type football-attack and defend with no ball retention in between. Their tactical ineptness was cruelly (heh heh) exposed tonight, although Peter Crouch playing like Lee Cattermole didn’t help their case.
Liverpool are still a Jekyll and Hyde team-like no other it seems. Sure they have beaten Man Utd and Chelsea under King Kenny’s 2nd coming, but they have also lost to Blackpool, West Ham and now West Brom (managed by someone who seems to have found his level again). Players needed-apply within I guess. Even if he does get the job permanently, I figure Liverpool need at least 4 players to be considered a serious contender for the title itself, let alone the Champions League positions. Ashley Young is a player linked with them consistently-that would help-as would a centre back, left back and probably another midfield player, someone like Joe Cole, not the ghost of Joe Cole, who has been seen around Anfield at times this season. It’s hard to know what they will get from NESV-Meireles was signed by the Texans and the purchase of Suarez and Carroll was essentially self-financed by the sale of Torres. It should be an interesting summer on Merseyside.
I don’t think I’m the only one suggesting that Arsenal need a change of tack. If their current manager is not up to the task of either then they should look elsewhere. This is sacrilege according to most journalists, but what exactly have Arsenal achieved over the past few years, and who should be accountable for the lack of tangible success? Wenger is hailed for the football his side play-pretty at times for sure, but too often impotent and gets a lot of credit for the club’s financial position as well-a laudable objective to be sure, but surely the manager should concentrate on the football at a big club like Arsenal and leave the finances to someone else (like a Director of Football maybe?). Unless Wenger shows a bit more nous in the transfer market (Arshavin and Rosicky have hardly been success stories, Arsenal are said to have passed on the chance to sign Mesut Ozil, Chamakh was free, but hasn’t set the world alight) or changes the way his teams play-unlikely I would say, then Arsenal are simply gambling that the opposition declines enough to allow them to win a title. And if that wasn't this year, then when will it be?
For all his troubles, Wayne Rooney has scored some truly vital goals for Man Utd this season. Witness his ‘spectacular’ overhead kick to win the Manchester derby to Saturday’s hat trick, you can’t deny that his class is still there. Whether a mooted 2 game suspension will do anything to set him back remains to be seen. Yet again, Man Utd seem to ride their luck better than most. If it’s not Rooney escaping what would have been a longer ban for his elbow on James McCarthy, it’s Nemanja Vidic hacking all around him at the weekend, after being booked earlier in the game, and failing to earn a second yellow card. C’est la vie. Regardless of the circumstances, coming from 2 goals down at half-time is worthy of the title, this year anyway. I wouldn’t back against them for the league and cup double at this point either-Man City’s sterile approach to the game-even their manager was ‘surprised’ at their goal scoring exploits against hapless Sunderland at the weekend-suggests that Utd will find a way to win their upcoming FA Cup Semi-Final, which will set them up in a final against either Bolton or Stoke. Ahem. The Champions League? Please.
I have to believe that now is the time for Fernando Torres to ‘finally’ break his goal drought for Chelsea. What better way, time and place to do it than at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night. Although Chelsea’s form has improved since his signing, they still don’t seem like a well oiled outfit. Impressive as he has been, David Luiz showed that he has his faults-it was his rash lunge that allowed Jon Walters to commence his run that led to the opening goal for Stoke at the weekend (even though I still think he looks an excellent signing). Michael Essien still looks a shadow of his former self at times. No matter what combination is tried up front, the participants seem ill disposed to forming a partnership. The league title is surely beyond them now-so surely the Champions League Quarter-Final should see them going for broke. By and large, they now have a full squad to choose from, aside from the cup-tied Luiz and still injured Benayoun (who could feature in the return leg at Old Trafford). For around 40 minutes or so last month, Chelsea showed that they can be a better team than Man Utd-the midfield battle surely favours them if Essien, Lampard and Ramires can play to their potential. Tomorrow night, they need to play at a higher tempo for 90 minutes-their season depends on it at this point, and maybe Ancelotti’s job.
The result from Milan tonight-where Schalke have beaten Inter by 5 goals to 2-should serve as great motivation to whichever English team wins this tie-who will surely be heavily favoured to make the final at Schalke’s expense (I’m assuming that there will be no German miracle for Inter in this round), and, while Barcelona are still the hot favourites (rightfully so), in a one-off game, anything is possible. Chelsea v Barcelona at Wembley? A fitting site for a dish best served cold. But, dominant as Barcelona have been this season, they face a tough enough trip to the Ukraine, and more than likely will have to overcome Real Madrid in the semi-finals (as he showed last year, Mourinho is still a master tactician, but whether he has the players at Madrid to execute the type of game plan that has served him well at Porto, Chelsea and Inter remains to be seen. I suspect not.
I guess I’m getting ahead of myself here, but after tonight’s results, it’s nearly safe to say that Madrid and Schalke will feature in the next round. After tomorrow, I don’t necessarily think the picture will be any clearer, well at least as regards Chelsea/Man Utd, but I’m holding out for a Chelsea/Barcelona final on May 28th.
P.S. I have been saying all season (not on here it seems) that Spurs play schoolboy type football-attack and defend with no ball retention in between. Their tactical ineptness was cruelly (heh heh) exposed tonight, although Peter Crouch playing like Lee Cattermole didn’t help their case.
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Week 1 Review
It's never to early to have a recap, right?
Woeful Wigan
I didn't expect Wigan to combust this early, and certainly not at home to Blackpool, but this team looks doomed.
A Change is as Good as a Rest
Aston Villa looked rejuvenated under the watch of Kevin McDonald. Young players like Albrighton didn't look out of place. West Ham were poor and James Milner is gone, so Week 2 will be interesting. For West Ham, this could be a close run thing come May.
No Cesc? Big Problems
Arsenal were poor against a pretty solid Liverpool. Liverpool coped much better without Torres than Arsenal did without Fabregas. Only an uncharacteristic error by Reina and a moment of madness from Joe Cole spared Arsenal. Chamakh was a peripheral figure and the only good thing you could say was that he showed himself capable of 'scoring' the type of goal Arsenal don't score often enough. Winning ugly ain't easy, but it's necessary.
In with the Old, out with the Young
For a 2nd consecutive week, Paul Scholes looked like Man Utd's best player and Wayne Rooney looked as out of sorts as he did in the World Cup. Surely the better teams will find a way to stymie Scholes and then Rooney will need to step up. Time is on their side at this point.
Hit for 6
Ominously for the rest of the Premier League, Chelsea start where they left off-scoring lots of goals against weak opposition. The performance wasn't great (seriously), but the win was convincing. Wigan should be running scared.
Getting there
Ok, so if it wasn't for Joe Hart, Man City could have been 3-0 down at half-time. But they weren't, and the 2nd half performance against Spurs was much better. This team has too many good players in too many positions not to succeed at some point, the question is when? A point at Spurs is a good start.
Plastic Dreams
Ironic that the poor effort to keep out Bassong's header that gave Spurs any hope was down to one Scott Sutter.
Pavlyuchenko showed what he could do with the 2nd goal-he's a player that has much more to give than we have seen so far in my view.
In other news
It looks like Real Madrid have landed Mesut Ozil-but surely they've picked the wrong Germans from the World Cup team-unless money is an object (and maybe it is?) I would have gone for Schweinsteiger and Muller over Khedira and Ozil myself. I thought Khedira was just ok in the World Cup (and might not have played at all were it not for the absence of Michael Ballack, among others), bar the 3rd place game maybe, and Ozil was very hit and miss.
Shay Given will hopefully have a new club before August 31. I really like Joe Hart and don't have a problem with him being 1st choice at Man City, but Shay is still too good a keeper not to be starting somewhere, and why not Arsenal? His perceived lack of command in the box coupled with Arsenal' lack of height at the back might not be a good fit.
Woeful Wigan
I didn't expect Wigan to combust this early, and certainly not at home to Blackpool, but this team looks doomed.
A Change is as Good as a Rest
Aston Villa looked rejuvenated under the watch of Kevin McDonald. Young players like Albrighton didn't look out of place. West Ham were poor and James Milner is gone, so Week 2 will be interesting. For West Ham, this could be a close run thing come May.
No Cesc? Big Problems
Arsenal were poor against a pretty solid Liverpool. Liverpool coped much better without Torres than Arsenal did without Fabregas. Only an uncharacteristic error by Reina and a moment of madness from Joe Cole spared Arsenal. Chamakh was a peripheral figure and the only good thing you could say was that he showed himself capable of 'scoring' the type of goal Arsenal don't score often enough. Winning ugly ain't easy, but it's necessary.
In with the Old, out with the Young
For a 2nd consecutive week, Paul Scholes looked like Man Utd's best player and Wayne Rooney looked as out of sorts as he did in the World Cup. Surely the better teams will find a way to stymie Scholes and then Rooney will need to step up. Time is on their side at this point.
Hit for 6
Ominously for the rest of the Premier League, Chelsea start where they left off-scoring lots of goals against weak opposition. The performance wasn't great (seriously), but the win was convincing. Wigan should be running scared.
Getting there
Ok, so if it wasn't for Joe Hart, Man City could have been 3-0 down at half-time. But they weren't, and the 2nd half performance against Spurs was much better. This team has too many good players in too many positions not to succeed at some point, the question is when? A point at Spurs is a good start.
Plastic Dreams
Ironic that the poor effort to keep out Bassong's header that gave Spurs any hope was down to one Scott Sutter.
Pavlyuchenko showed what he could do with the 2nd goal-he's a player that has much more to give than we have seen so far in my view.
In other news
It looks like Real Madrid have landed Mesut Ozil-but surely they've picked the wrong Germans from the World Cup team-unless money is an object (and maybe it is?) I would have gone for Schweinsteiger and Muller over Khedira and Ozil myself. I thought Khedira was just ok in the World Cup (and might not have played at all were it not for the absence of Michael Ballack, among others), bar the 3rd place game maybe, and Ozil was very hit and miss.
Shay Given will hopefully have a new club before August 31. I really like Joe Hart and don't have a problem with him being 1st choice at Man City, but Shay is still too good a keeper not to be starting somewhere, and why not Arsenal? His perceived lack of command in the box coupled with Arsenal' lack of height at the back might not be a good fit.
Thursday, 6 May 2010
And now, the end is near
So it's been a whole 2 months since I last posted. Laziness and volcanic ash are to blame I guess. Plus a lack of material. Well, not really.
The last time I was composing a post for this blog, I was going with the theme that Chelsea were going nowhere and I'd like to see them break up the team and start from scratch. Now, it looks as if they will win the Premier League, despite my misgivings back in March and a schizophrenic series of results along the way, Chelsea only need to beat Wigan at Stamford Bridge on Sunday to deny Man Utd a historic 4th in a row and record breaking 19th English league title. Thanks to Steven Gerrard's errant pass last weekend, Chelsea are in the driving seat-surely they will be able to overcome a Wigan side that beat them 3-1 earlier in the season? The bookies make them 9-1 on, which I would say is about right. Roberto Martinez and Dave Whelan have been making all the right noises this week about Wigan giving it the full gun, and I believe they will, but surely Chelsea will be able to put together 90 minutes from the 1st minute to reclaim the league crown after what has been a poor Premier League seasons all round.
All 3 English clubs have since exited the Champions League, as have Barcelona, and we are left with a final featuring 2 former sons of Stamford Bridge set to play key roles for Inter Milan and Bayern Munich. Chelsea and Arsenal can have no complaints, Man Utd can feel somewhat unlucky to go out on away goals with Wayne Rooney not being fit enough to play a full part in their defeat to Bayern Munich. Barcelona finally met their match in a dogged and well drilled Inter Milan team, who managed to withstand the Catalans despite being a player down for over 60 minutes at the Nou Camp.
The Champions League final is scheduled to kick-off on May 22 around 45 minutes after the European Rugby Cup champions are crowned. No Irish representation this year, as Toulouse take on Biarritz. Last weekend saw Leinster bow out during an exciting 2nd half in the rain, while Munster went out without a whimper in sunny San Sebastian. Home advantage and injuries had a large bearing on both games I'm sure, but both teams rode their luck at stages this year (Munster in their final pool game with Northampton and Leinster in the quarter-final with Clermont Auvergne. Let's hope both sides rebound for 2011.
The last time I was composing a post for this blog, I was going with the theme that Chelsea were going nowhere and I'd like to see them break up the team and start from scratch. Now, it looks as if they will win the Premier League, despite my misgivings back in March and a schizophrenic series of results along the way, Chelsea only need to beat Wigan at Stamford Bridge on Sunday to deny Man Utd a historic 4th in a row and record breaking 19th English league title. Thanks to Steven Gerrard's errant pass last weekend, Chelsea are in the driving seat-surely they will be able to overcome a Wigan side that beat them 3-1 earlier in the season? The bookies make them 9-1 on, which I would say is about right. Roberto Martinez and Dave Whelan have been making all the right noises this week about Wigan giving it the full gun, and I believe they will, but surely Chelsea will be able to put together 90 minutes from the 1st minute to reclaim the league crown after what has been a poor Premier League seasons all round.
All 3 English clubs have since exited the Champions League, as have Barcelona, and we are left with a final featuring 2 former sons of Stamford Bridge set to play key roles for Inter Milan and Bayern Munich. Chelsea and Arsenal can have no complaints, Man Utd can feel somewhat unlucky to go out on away goals with Wayne Rooney not being fit enough to play a full part in their defeat to Bayern Munich. Barcelona finally met their match in a dogged and well drilled Inter Milan team, who managed to withstand the Catalans despite being a player down for over 60 minutes at the Nou Camp.
The Champions League final is scheduled to kick-off on May 22 around 45 minutes after the European Rugby Cup champions are crowned. No Irish representation this year, as Toulouse take on Biarritz. Last weekend saw Leinster bow out during an exciting 2nd half in the rain, while Munster went out without a whimper in sunny San Sebastian. Home advantage and injuries had a large bearing on both games I'm sure, but both teams rode their luck at stages this year (Munster in their final pool game with Northampton and Leinster in the quarter-final with Clermont Auvergne. Let's hope both sides rebound for 2011.
Monday, 14 December 2009
It's been a while
Staind-It's Been A While
Yessir, keeping this yoke up-to-date is tough going. Well, not really. If I spend less time reading what other people think and committed more of my own musings to the blogsphere, there would be more frequent updates.
How and ever......
Chelsea certainly have hit a rough patch. No win in 4 games (1 loss, 1 loss on penalty kicks, 2 draws), a lot of questions about their defence and goalkeeper, and the loss of Michael Essien for 4 weeks or longer have certainly made me less sure of things than I was up to a month ago. They got a huge break at the weekend, when, having failed to put away Everton when leading on 2 separate occasions, Sir Alex Ferguson went conservative at home to Villa and Chelsea actually gained a point in the Premier League race. To be fair, the latest setback to Everton had a element of fluke about it-the 1st and 3rd goals were certainly fortunate, and even the 2nd goal was a bit odd-how often would you expect to find Ricardo Carvalho lying prostate on the 6 yard line? In truth, other than the defeat to Man City, none of these results have made much of a difference-I'm not sorry to see them out of the Carling Cup, and the draw against Apoel Nicosia didn't deny them the top spot in their Champions League Group. So, I hope that this is the rocky patch that any team tends to encounter in the course of the season. Still, I would have been happier if it happened in January, when there would be good reasons to expect a dip in form.
One encouraging point in this average run of form is the potential I have seen in Gael Kakuta-he may have been worth the hassle after all. He certainly can pick a pass, and always looks like he can make something happen. Still a bit raw for sure, but a potentially dynamic and creative force at the apex of Carlo's diamond in the near future. With Mikel and Essien absent in January, we might get to see more of him, and the 'big' summer signing Yuri Zhirkov (who has featured in recent games), potentially in a FA Cup tie. I will be watching with interest.
Liverpool appear to be in bad shape-even with Torres and Gerrard back in the starting XI, they could not hold a half-time lead to Arsenal at the weekend and now find themselves 5 points off the final Champions League Qualifying spot (with no prospect of entering as winners this year....). Rafa Benitez certainly appears in no hurry to unleash Alberto Aquilani, but when you have Lucas Leiva, why would you? It's hard to believe that Liverpool will miss out on 4th spot (heck, I even fancied them for 3rd before Sunday), but then you see that Man City can't defend (it's amazing they have only lost once but have drawn over 50% of their games) and Spurs are, well Spurs. Villa look just ok-they were fortunate enough to beat Chelsea (well, maybe not, just about anyone can score from a dead ball situation against Chelsea this season), and have had some odd results (home loss to Wigan, away defeats to Blackburn and West Ham), and like Man City, draw too many games. For now, they are the front runners for 4th, but there is a long way to go.
World Cup 2010 draw took place (with only 32 teams included), and yes, we have some interesting groups. The 2 current African powerhouses, Ivory Coast and Ghana, have good chances to take out waning (Portugal) and rising (Serbia) European powers, and make their mark against former winners (Brazil and Germany). England will have nothing to fear in their group, but isn't that when it all starts to go wrong? In defeating Russia, Slovenia should give them something to think about, and the USA will certainly give it a go. Their nightmare scenario? An unlikely series of results leading to a 2nd round clash against Germany. Spain have what appears to be a straightforward enough 1st round, but after that, may find Portugal and Italy on their path to the semi-final. Ireland or no Ireland, I'm looking forward to it-with many half-days planned.
Yessir, keeping this yoke up-to-date is tough going. Well, not really. If I spend less time reading what other people think and committed more of my own musings to the blogsphere, there would be more frequent updates.
How and ever......
Chelsea certainly have hit a rough patch. No win in 4 games (1 loss, 1 loss on penalty kicks, 2 draws), a lot of questions about their defence and goalkeeper, and the loss of Michael Essien for 4 weeks or longer have certainly made me less sure of things than I was up to a month ago. They got a huge break at the weekend, when, having failed to put away Everton when leading on 2 separate occasions, Sir Alex Ferguson went conservative at home to Villa and Chelsea actually gained a point in the Premier League race. To be fair, the latest setback to Everton had a element of fluke about it-the 1st and 3rd goals were certainly fortunate, and even the 2nd goal was a bit odd-how often would you expect to find Ricardo Carvalho lying prostate on the 6 yard line? In truth, other than the defeat to Man City, none of these results have made much of a difference-I'm not sorry to see them out of the Carling Cup, and the draw against Apoel Nicosia didn't deny them the top spot in their Champions League Group. So, I hope that this is the rocky patch that any team tends to encounter in the course of the season. Still, I would have been happier if it happened in January, when there would be good reasons to expect a dip in form.
One encouraging point in this average run of form is the potential I have seen in Gael Kakuta-he may have been worth the hassle after all. He certainly can pick a pass, and always looks like he can make something happen. Still a bit raw for sure, but a potentially dynamic and creative force at the apex of Carlo's diamond in the near future. With Mikel and Essien absent in January, we might get to see more of him, and the 'big' summer signing Yuri Zhirkov (who has featured in recent games), potentially in a FA Cup tie. I will be watching with interest.
Liverpool appear to be in bad shape-even with Torres and Gerrard back in the starting XI, they could not hold a half-time lead to Arsenal at the weekend and now find themselves 5 points off the final Champions League Qualifying spot (with no prospect of entering as winners this year....). Rafa Benitez certainly appears in no hurry to unleash Alberto Aquilani, but when you have Lucas Leiva, why would you? It's hard to believe that Liverpool will miss out on 4th spot (heck, I even fancied them for 3rd before Sunday), but then you see that Man City can't defend (it's amazing they have only lost once but have drawn over 50% of their games) and Spurs are, well Spurs. Villa look just ok-they were fortunate enough to beat Chelsea (well, maybe not, just about anyone can score from a dead ball situation against Chelsea this season), and have had some odd results (home loss to Wigan, away defeats to Blackburn and West Ham), and like Man City, draw too many games. For now, they are the front runners for 4th, but there is a long way to go.
World Cup 2010 draw took place (with only 32 teams included), and yes, we have some interesting groups. The 2 current African powerhouses, Ivory Coast and Ghana, have good chances to take out waning (Portugal) and rising (Serbia) European powers, and make their mark against former winners (Brazil and Germany). England will have nothing to fear in their group, but isn't that when it all starts to go wrong? In defeating Russia, Slovenia should give them something to think about, and the USA will certainly give it a go. Their nightmare scenario? An unlikely series of results leading to a 2nd round clash against Germany. Spain have what appears to be a straightforward enough 1st round, but after that, may find Portugal and Italy on their path to the semi-final. Ireland or no Ireland, I'm looking forward to it-with many half-days planned.
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