Tuesday Review

Chelsea 2-0 Copenhagen

Chelsea went to Denmark and left with a stranglehold on their tie, while Real Madrid got the away goal they needed and dominated in their matchup with Lyon.

The Blues' domestic struggles have not effected their European form. They stayed true to that concept yesterday with a relatively routine 2-0 win over FC Copenhagen.

Chelsea controlled the match throughout, getting the crucial first goal early in the match before a second half goal gave them a fantastic result.

One may have expected them to come out shakily against FC Copenhagen in a wild atmosphere. That wasn't the case.

Nicolas Anelka netted a brace on the day. He scored his first in the 17th when Jesper Gronkjaer gave the ball away just past midfield, and the Frenchman pounced on the ball and made a beeline for goal before finishing well to the far post.

The Danes tried to fight back into the match. But Chelsea were firmly in control and continued to look the more dangerous side, as Torres fell short on a nice chance soon after and a curling effort from Anelka sailed over the bar.

The Lions hoped to spur a second half comeback. And they did manage a half-chance just 20 seconds in when Martin Vingard's shot from 20-yards fell into the arms of Cech.

Anelka doubled the lead in the 54th. A fine ball from Lampard played Anelka in behind, and he rifled his right footed shot past Johan Willand.

The Blues continued their domination. Torres did well to create an opportunity in the 59th, putting a nice move on to create space before seeing his low shot saved brilliantly by Willand.

Copenhagen leading scorer Dame N'Doye was quiet on the evening. Only managing a long strike that swerved wide of the right post in the 76th.

Opinion

These sorts of matches are rarely easy for the away side. Yesterday, I discussed how pesky and committed sides have troubled the Blues this season. But that was not the case on yesterday. Chelsea were the far superior side not just from an ability standpoint (which we knew coming into the match), but also in terms of discipline and composure.

The first goal changed everything. It took the air out the crowd and their opponents, as the Lions had to know they were facing a major uphill battle after falling behind at home. They pressed Chelsea at times, and even had the bulk of the possession. There was some nice interchange and combination play in the midfield (particularly of the one touch variety) from the hosts, but they never looked truly dangerous as Chelsea gave them no breathing room in their final third.

The visitors simply dominated, looking comfortable on defense and dangerous on offense.

The only negative is the Fernando Torres situation, which continued to yield negative returns, as the Spaniard had an astounding seven shots but no goals.

Despite the struggles of their 50M man, the Blues kept rolling. Anelka's second goal came from a brilliant spinning through pass from Lampard. "Lamps" wo was pulling the strings all evening and may have even scored himself if not for a few poor efforts from distance.

All I can do is applaud Ancelotti's boys for a job well done. They were clinical (minus Torres), composed, and creative, and now head back to London with a ticket to the quarterfinals all but secured.

Lyon 1-1 Real Madrid

Los Galacticos survived a dicey first half, and then responded with a fine performance in the second 45 that probably left them dissappointed with just a draw.

The Ligue 1 side had the best of the play in the first half. But they failed to create many chances. Their best opportunity fell to Bafetimbi Gomis. The normally sure-handed Iker Casillas fumbled a nice cross from Michel Bastos, and it fell to Gomis close to the penalty spot. But his left footed strike lacked accuracy and sailed well over the bar.

Real came out a different side in the second half. This time looking the more dangerous going forward.

They hit the post twice in the 48th and 49th minutes. First Ronaldo's gorgeous curling free kick from the left side beat Lloris but bounced off the post. Then Sergio Ramos' looping header beat the keeper again but slammed off the cross bar.

Real kept pressing. And they probably should have had a penalty in the 62nd when Ronaldo's free kick slammed off the raised arm of a Lyon defender in the box.

It seemed only a matter of time until Real broke through. They did so in minute 65. A clever bit of skill from Ozil helped find Ronaldo at the top of the box, and he played a perfect one-touch to Benzema streaking into the area. The former Lyon man evaded two defenders, before slotting his side-footed strike between the legs of Lloris for the goal.

More desperate than before, Lyon pressed forward in search of the equalizer. Their efforts were rewarded when they netted the tying goal with seven minutes left.

Miralem Pjanic's free kick from 40-yards hit the one-man wall of Ronaldo, and took an unexpected deflection into the box. Cris picked up the altered aerial route of the ball quickly, and flicked on for Gomis, who volleyed into the left corner from close range.

Opinion

This tie is headed for a similar scenario as last season, with Real entering their home matchup after securing a decent enough result in France. But Les Gones shocked everyone last year, going through thanks to late goal from Pjanic in Madrid.

Lyon should be criticized for their lack of attacking impetus in the first half. They defended quite well, while Real looked more interested in holding them scoreless than netting one of their own. Bastos and Cissokho were dominating up the left side, and they were holding the ball in the Madrid half for long periods of time.

But despite having the visitors on the back foot, the French side took very few chances going forward. If you look at what happened in the second half, it's clear that Lyon missed a major opportunity to force Real's hand. Why were they not throwing more bodies forward to get the first goal? Surely they must wish they had done so now.

The second half belonged to the favorites.

Once again, Jose Mourinho showed his managerial prowess. His team endured the home side's best shot, then sought to pounce on them with their superior quality and skill in the second half.

Real were brilliant. Ronaldo was bringing defenders with him and then distributing to the likes of Ozil, Benzema, and Adebayor.

In the end, the result may very well leave Real with a sour taste in their mouths. Had they not been so unlucky (two off the post and a missed penalty call from the referee), they could be heading home with a similar lead as Chelsea.

You have to credit Lyon for fighting back. And it's certainly clear that they are confident against the star-studded lineup of Real after beating them last season.

We're set up for a very intriguing second leg between these two. I'd have to call Madrid the favorites, but that was the case last year, too. Just about anything could happen When these two meet in a fortnights time.

Chelsea's Trip North

Copenhagen v. Chelsea

Get your predictions out there... leave a final score for me in the comments section below!

Chelsea's season in England has burst open at the seams over the last three months. However, they maintained their good form torwards the end of the Champions League group stages when their domestic struggles began back in October. Then they likely had the most favorable matchup of the eight group winners when they drew tiny Copenhagen for the Round of 16, who surprised many by advancing out of Group D with ten points.

The Blues make the trip north insisting that they will take the Lions seriously. Carlo Ancelotti gave us the normal coachspeak, telling the press that his team will be wary of the Danish side's organization and spirit.

You'd expect Chelsea to come through the two legs comfortably. But trips such as these have proved tricky in the past. They goal for the men from London will be to secure a result that takes the pressure off of them for the second leg.

But first, let's talk about FC Copenhagen (never thought I'd write that). Honestly, I know very little about them. They impressed me in the group stages with their discipline and attention to detail on the pitch. They did not overly impress me with their football but they made things difficult on their opponents, especially at the Parken.

Now the second half of Copenhagen's season begins with their hardest tie to date-- a first leg visit from Chelsea. They will surely know that they're up against it, but they also must be aware that their best chance to spur the upset in the tie will require a strong performance today at their home pitch.

Stale Solbakken has a full squad to choose from for the teams' first match back in two months. While physical fitness is at a high level following the conclusion of preseason, the teams' sharpness is at least a big question mark.

Handling Fernando Torres and Nicolas Anelka will be no easy task for Solbakken's side. But he insists that they are full of confidence. Mikael Antonsson and Mathias Zanka Jorgensen are the center-halves, keep an eye on them as they try and corral Torres up top.

Surely Solbakken will realize that his chances of scoring are far greater at home than at Stamford Bridge. That's why things will be especially interesting. You'd have to expect his side to go for it when they get a chance. Any time they can find a bit of space in the midfield, they should press forward quickly as they look for a goal off the counter. That means the performance from speedy Costa Rican international Christian Bolaños and former Chelsea man Jesper Gronkjaer will be essential. Gronkjaer is the name you probably know best from the Superliga team, having employed his trade at CFC, Ajax and Birmingham.

The goalscorer is Dame N'Doye, who has scored 13 times in 18 matches.

Chelsea's performance in this competition is of paramount importance after failing to secure silverware in their EPL (barring a miracle) and domestic cup campaigns.

The Fernando Torres signing is yet to pay dividends. But Ancelotti will keep him in the first 11 tomorrow, relegating Didier Drogba to the bench. Fellow January signing David Luiz is cup tied after already appearing in the competition for Benfica. Branislav Ivanovic deputizes for him.

Quality in the final third will be the key for the Blues. You have to assume that they will have around 60% of the possession, but Copenhagen will work tirelessly to close down any space, so they'll need that little bit extra in order to score. Much of that onus will fall at the feet of Torres, who has looked increasingly dangerous since joining the Blues but has lacked that quality in front of goal.

Torres will need good service from Lampard and Anelka. The Frenchman will be relied upon heavily to hold the ball up and maintain possession, while the playmaking Lampard needs to improve on lackluster performances of recent weeks. He's the guy that can create and get his teammates into dangerous positions, stretching the Copenhagen defense and forcing them to make tough decisions.

In some ways, that makes this match very similar to an EPL trip to a West Brom or Fulham. Chelsea will have the possession, but can they create and finish their chances against an inspired side (buoyed on by their home fans) that will play determined football as long as they're in it?

In past years, Chelsea have shown a propensity for grinding out these types of matches and getting the result they need. But that has not been the case this season. And that makes this match all the more interesting.

The greatest key will be the first goal. If the Blues can get that vital opener, things will immediately get easier for them. A lead means they can afford to be more conservative with the ball and avoid risky passes (meaning fewer possible giveaways and counterattacks in the process), and will eventually have more space to work with as Copenhagen will have no choice but to throw bodies forward.

Clearly, this a match that Chelsea will be favored in. However, trips to face a greatly motivated, but relatively unknown squad have spelled trouble in the past for big clubs. Add in the fact that these types of matches in particular have given the Blues trouble this season, and I think we may well watch a very interesting 90 minutes in the Danish capital.

Gunners Glory

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Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona

26'- Villa
78'- Van Persie
83'- Arshavin

When Arsenal and Barcelona met last year at The Emirates, Arsenal came back from a late deficit to put the pressure on the favorites as they headed to the Camp Nou for the second leg. It was a similar situation Wednesday as Barca jumped out to an early lead, but couldn't extend the gap, and then could only watch as a strong Arsenal side came back to score not once, but twice in the final 12 minutes to take a crucial lead back to Spain.

The Gunners were shorthanded last season (missing the likes of Song, Vermaelen, Van Persie, Fabregas, and more over the two ties). That was not the case this time around as Samir Nasri made his return from a hamstring injury to replace Arshavin. Meantime, Arsene Wenger was able to field a nearly full strength lineup, only missing the suspended Bacary Sagna in the back four.

Barca were without Carles Puyol in the middle. Eric Abidal slid inside to replace him while Maxwell deputized out left. But otherwise Pep Guardiola's side were also at full strength.

Barca came out holding onto much of the possession. But it was the Gunners who fought their way back into the game to create the match's first chance early on. Theo Walcott did well to cut inside from his right wing position and play a nice square ball for Fabregas in the box. The former Barca youth player received the ball, took a touch, and promptly scooped it over the head of the defense for the in-form Van Persie, who ran onto it before seeing his shot saved well by Victor Valdes.

The Gunners continued to press, but lacked the quality in the final third to create another chance.

Then the visitors took over. Xavi Hernandez and Andrés Iniesta began to carve open the Gunners' defense with some fantastic passes.

Messi went close after Villa played him in behind down the left, but Wojciech Szczesny did well to close down the angle, and the Argentinean phenom's chip went just wide of the far post.

Barca kept pressing, and had Arsenal on their heels. They would take a lead that seemed inevitable in the 26th. Messi caught Gael Clichy defending too deep and found Villa onsides behind the defense. The Spaniard made no mistake, putting a low strike through the legs of Szczesny for the lead.

Pedro could have made it 2-0 just minutes later. But his shot from close range was stopped by Szczesny.

Van Persie squandered yet another opportunity in the 29th after Jack Wilshere's perfectly weighted diagonal ball saw him in down the left side. But he hesitated in the box before putting a sub-par effort well over.

Minutes later, Pedro got through on goal once again. But Szczesny was off his line quickly to make the save. Messi headed the rebound into the net, but he was offsides when Pedro shot and the goal would not stand.

The rest of the half saw an increasingly desperate looking Arsenal holding on for dear life. The visitors looked dangerous, but couldn't carve out another clear opportunity before the break.

Arsenal looked a bit more composed on the defensive side as the second half began. And they started to grasp control of the match.

Van Persie blasted a long shot over the bar in the 57th. Then he couldn't get on the end of a low cross from Nasri as Gerard Pique challenged him.

But Barca began to dominate soon after, as it appeared that Arsenal might be left to rue their missed chances. A failed clearance from Eboue helped Messi burst through on the left side of the box, he tried to beat Szczesny near post but found side-netting.

Then it was Arsenal's turn to step on the gas. And this time they were rewarded.

In the 78th, Gael Clichy lobbed behind the left side of defense, Robin Van Persie hooked onto that the close to the end-line, then caught Valdes leaning the wrong way and beat him to the near post for a stunning equalizer.

Five minutes later they had the lead. Fabregas found Nasri streaking down the wing with one defender to beat. The Frenchman cut inside and rolled the ball across the area to Arshavin, who finished beautifully with a curling effort to the far post.

Arshavin nearly went from hero to zero when his poor header back to Szczesny allowed Dani Alves to pounce on the ball in the right half of the area, but the Pole once again charged off his line to make the save.

Soon after, the referee whistled for full time, and the Gunners had beaten the Spanish giants for the first time in their history.

Opinion

Arshavin's goal capped a magnificent night for Arsenal, who fought tooth and nail throughout to stay in the match. And they probably deserved at least a goal after a host of near misses throughout the match.

The Gunners' actual goals ended up being created by their best attacking players. But if it wasn't for several other players stepping up, Barca could have been out of sight before RVP's equalizer.

Arsenal's stars did come through on the two goals thanks to RVP's finish (it must be said the goal was aided by a terrible goalkeeping error from Valdes, who didn't cover his near post), and the fantastic counterattack goal from Arshavin (set up well by passes from Fabregas and Nasri).

However, one would have to argue that Arsenal's most dangerous players did not perform well. Fabregas had one of his worst night's in European Football, as he gave the ball away a multitude of times and was not clinical in front of goal. Meanwhile, Van Persie missed a pair of great opportunities in the first half and didn't make Valdes work on two shots from distance in the second 45. Nasri, returning from injury, looked off the pace and was hardly involved before cleverly finding Arshavin for the final score. Walcott was also uninvolved, and was subsituted in the 76th minute for Nicklas Bendtner. Alex Song, who many consider the anchor of the Gunners' defense as he holds down the midfield when Wilshere/Fabregas venture forward, was off his game, as an early yellow card made the physical defensive midfielder a non-factor. He was substituted for Arshavin in the second half.

While Arsenal's big names weren't getting the job done, several Gunners made unexpected contributions.

Laurent Koscienly turned in a man of the match performance at center-half. He stifled attack after attack for Barca, was never out of position, and somehow went the entire match without losing a one-on-one battle with Messi, Villa, or Pedro. It was surely his best performance in an Arsenal kit.

Furthermore, it's important to note that Koscielny has withstood a lot of abuse from Arsenal fans and the media, much of it unfair. A closer look tells a different story. Yes, Koscielny has been guilty of a few egregious errors in the back that have resulted in goals this season. But his mistakes are not fundamental issues with his defending, they are more of the silly variety, which are easily fixable. His ability should not be questioned, as he is a creative player who can set up the attack with a nice pass, or break up an attack with a well timed challenge.

How a player could endure so much criticism for not being a flawless center half in the EPL from day one is beyond me. Not everyone can be Thomas Vermaelen, people. The Frenchman has been improving and adjusting to the game every week. And if you look at the job he has done on the whole, he's actually been quite good, and clearly has potential to turn into a fine defender.

I find myself lost for words when describing the maturity of 19-year old Jack Wilshere. Can someone check the kid's birth certificate? He continues to be completely unfazed in each and every situation he's placed in.

Yesterday, he was the Gunners' best attacking player. He rarely gave the ball away, and was still able to make several dangerous moves forward from his deeper role in midfield. Here we have a youngster playing on by far the biggest stage of his career, and somehow he looked the most composed and effective on a side featuring some of the world's most established players.

There was one more fine performance from one of Arsenal's less experienced players. It came from the goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. The 20-year old was Arsenal's fourth-string goalkeeper in preseason, but was widely recognized as a top prospect, especially after his loan spell to Brentford last year had the Bees fans comparing him to past greats.

On Messi's first breakway, the 23-year old looked surprised after the young goalkeeper had stormed off his line without hesitating, and then managed to keep his arms up as he went to ground, making the chip from Messi a difficult one. He made a similar play on Pedro later in the first half to keep the Gunners close.

Then he came up huge in the final seconds, leaving his line to deny Alves after Arshavin's poor header saw the Brazilian in one-on-one with the Pole. He did well to close off the angle, and then showed great poise by not diving in, when doing so would have surely causing a penalty kick.

I'd say the trio of Wilshere, Szczesny, and Koscielny saved the day for Arsenal. And between the three of them, the Gunners have several fine players for many years to come.

Looking Ahead

With the second leg looming, you'd still have to consider the EPL side as underdogs. Barcelona scored the crucial away goal at The Emirates, and now know that any combination of goals and a clean sheet (which has been their specialty this season) will see them through.

Obviously, Wenger would prefer to see his team not concede at the Camp Nou. But let's be honest here, and realize that the Gunners' chance of shutting out Barca are unlikely at best. Especially when considering their typical insistence on playing attacking football.

One would have to think that they would enter the second leg with a bit more caution, but certainly with plenty of attacking intentions. Without question, Arsenal's best defense will be their offense, as matching Barcelona on away goals seems a much more likely scenario than holding them scoreless.

If you ask me, the second leg should be more of the same between these two. After all, both teams will enter the match at the Camp Nou knowing that the quality of their offensive performance will play perhaps the greatest role in the final result.

The Arsenal fan in me is nervous about that tie. But the football fan in me simply can't wait.

Spurs Shocker

Please, please, PLEASE, give me your thoughts on the match by leaving a comment! It's always fun to talk some footy with fellow fans!

Tottenham 1-0 AC Milan

80'- Crouch

It was a wild evening at the San Siro, as a match chalk-full of hard tackles, physical altercations, and a massive late goal for visiting Tottenham made for plenty of talking points.

In the end, it was a match that could have gone either way, and looked headed for a 0-0 draw late on. But a fine bit of counterattacking football helped the visitors to just the type of result they dreamed of before taking the pitch. Now they head back to White Hart Lane with a lead in the tie after a fine performance in Milan.

Spurs looked poised and confident throughout the match, and even had the hosts rattled and frustrated for much of the 90 minutes. Surprisingly, it was Tottenham that looked the more experienced of the two teams, as Milan lost their cool in the second half while Harry Redknapp's team defended well and pounced on their one opportunity for victory.

The match featured plenty of action, but there wasn't much to discuss until the second half.

It was Spurs that controlled the proceedings in a scrappy first 45. However, they failed to create any serious chances aside from a few long distance efforts courtesy of Rafael van der Vaart.

Meanwhile, Milan were dreadful in the first half. The service from the midfield was non-existent, as Ibrahimovic and Robinho had little to work with, while the ever-dangerous Pato started the match on the bench.

Massimiliano Allegri signaled his intent to attack by substituting Pato into the match for Clarence Seedorf to start the second half.

Van der Vaart nearly scored a spectacular goal early in the half when he chipped substitute keeper Marco Amelia from 20-yards. The chip had the Italian beaten, but landed just wide of the right post.

Soon after, Mario Yepes came desperately close to putting the Rossoneri in front. His header appeared headed for goal after a nice cross from Gennaro Gattuso. But Heurelho Gomes made a stunning save, as his lightning-quick reactions saw him push the ball over the bar.

With Milan pressing forward, the match began to open up. And a major altercation soon after only further stirred the pot.

It all started when Mathieu Flamini took out the legs of Vedran Corluka with a two-footed tackle at midfield. Although replays showed Corluka had managed to avoid the brunt of the challenge, the Frenchman's malicious tackle got enough of him to force a substitution. Flamini received a yellow for the challenge, and things got chippy when he and van der Vaart exchanged words at midfield as AC players accosted the referee and tried to pull the injured Corluka to his feet so play could continue.

Gattuso, no stranger to a game of physicality, simply snapped thereafter. First he shoved Peter Crouch after the two collided post-whistle, then he had a go at Tottenham assistant Joe Jordan during a stoppage. He would finally receive a yellow for a dangerous challenge in the 76th, ruling him out of the second leg in London.

Buoyed on by the home crowd, the home team pressed relentlessly, while Redknapp told his team to defend, playing everyone but Peter Crouch behind the ball.

But a little bit of space was all Aaron Lennon needed to help give Spurs a shock lead in the 80th. It all started after Milan gave the ball away in the Tottenham final third, and Modric poked the ball up to the speedy Englishman, who took off with acres of space in front of him. The winger scurried up the right side into the Milan half, then touched the ball around a slide tackling Yepes, before quickly finding Crouch in front of goal for an easy finish.

Milan almost grabbed the equalizer on two different occasions in stoppage time. First Robinho nearly beat Dawson and Gomes to a ball inside the 6 after the two miscommunicated and let the ball fall between them. Then Ibrahimovic appeared to have scored spectacularly after blasting a Rooney-esque bicycle kick into the corner. But referee Stephane Lannoy made a big decision by ruling that the Swede had pushed off on Dawson. Replays would show that the call was correct.

It looked like things might boil over during the match. But it turned out that wouldn't happen until after the final whistle. A frustrated Gattuso returned to Jordan after the match, and the two went eye-to-eye. In a moment of complete madness, the Italian head-butted the assistant and an altercation between the two teams ensued for a few moments before cooler heads prevailed. That wasn't the case for Gattuso, and several players had to hold him back minutes after the initial altercation.

Opinion

The win was of the historic variety for Spurs. And they deserve a massive amount of credit for it. Van der Vaart and William Gallas were the only starters with any experience in these sort of matches. But you wouldn't have known that from the performance. The Whites withstood the pressure of an incredibly intense match in front of 80,000 fans, and had to hold off a barrage of attacks from ACM before netting the crucial away goal.

Center half Dawson didn't look out of place in the biggest match of his career, while backup center mids Sandro and Palacios controlled the match.

Milan couldn't be happy that the winning goal came when they were looking their most dangerous. But the road side certainly deserved it on the whole, as the match went exactly according to plan.

The work rate in the first half was top notch, as Spurs hassled the slower duo of Gattuso and Seedorf in the middle, didn't let Robinho into any dangerous areas, and possessed the ball enough to make Milan's defense work, too.

They tried to attack in the second half. But ended up on the defensive, where they were able to effectively stifle the Milan offense.

We're talking about an inexperienced team facing a veteran-laden squad that's currently sitting atop Serie A. And guess what? Rednknapp's bunch looked not just to be the better of the two sides over the full 90 minutes, but the more composed one as well. There's something to be said for that.

Spurs now are the favorites to move on to the quarterfinals. And you can't count them out in terms of going deep into the competition. When they defend well, everything falls into place for a team that has attacking quality all throughout the squad.

There are still 90 minutes to be played. But after what we saw on Tuesday, you'd have to think this tie is Tottenham's for the taking.

The Weekend in Review

Leaders Hold Serve

Manchester United and Arsenal both stumbled two weeks ago. But both sides showed their absolute best in wins over the weekend.

United surely had the toughest fixture of the two sides. But they managed to come out victorious in a crucial Manchester Derby where they were certainly tested. Meanwhile, the Gunners cruised to a routine win over Wolves.

United made sure to put last week's disaster at Molineaux behind them, all but eliminating Manchester City from the title race with a 2-1 win at Old Trafford. City asked questions of the leaders' defense after equalizing in the second half, but the Red Devils' back-line was up to the task, and then Wayne Rooney won it with one of the finest goals in EPL history.

Much of the first half belonged to United. But it was City who created the first chance in the early going. Carlos Tevez turned in the box and found David Silva streaking towards the goal, who set the ball up nicely on his left foot before rolling his shot wide of the far corner with the goal at his mercy.

The rest of the half was a hard fought affair with Man U looking to be on the ascendancy. And a sudden counter attack goal just before halftime gave them the lead.

Nani did brilliantly to handle an aerial ball from Ryan Giggs behind the defense, then quickly composed himself and slotted into the right corner.

City worked their way back into the match in the second half. But it took a serious slice of luck to pull them level. Edin Dzeko's shot caromed off the back of Silva and looped into the far corner past a wrong-footed Edwin van der Sar.

City pressed forward afterwards, knowing that only three points would do to keep their title hopes alive. But they were unable to create a serious chance while Nani came close for the Red Devils.

Then Rooney won it with what will surely be the goal of the season. A deflected cross from Nani in the 78th saw him momentarily backtrack before hammering an incredible bicycle kick into the upper corner. The goal was not only of absolutely sublime quality, but also came at a crucial juncture, as it handed Man U the full three points, knocked City out of the title race, and kept second place Arsenal at arms length for now.

I just can't say enough about the United defense. This is not exactly the best attacking side that Sir Alex Ferguson has ever had at his disposal, and they often find themselves under pressure as a result. But the back four were once again up to the task, even without Rio Ferdinand in the lineup.

Chris Smalling stepped in and did a fine job for them. He has looked shaky at times this season, but he's a youngster with a boatload of potential and ability. That showed on Saturday when he and Vidic continued to stifle attacks from City, especially after the road side had equalized and started to look lively and confident going forward.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils scored two gorgeous goals and deserved the three points. Nani's goal began with an absolutely perfect first touch, as he controlled the ball beautifully out of the air while under pressure from Pablo Zabaleta.

But that one will surely be forgotten after Rooney's wonder strike. If you somehow haven't seen it, I'm going to post the link again here. Even my roommate who spends half his time ignorantly exclaiming that "soccer is gay" whenever I turn on a match was impressed.

As for the Blues, their title hopes are almost assuredly finished. Now it's time to focus on nabbing a Champions League positon, which is absolutely essential with regards to them being able to consistently acquire the world's best players. We know they have the money to throw around, but it will be much easier to lure players to Eastlands if they can finish in the top four.

With no matches remaining against Arsenal or Man U, they're surely in good position to qualify. But Tottenham would leapfrog them into third position should they win their match in hand, while Chelsea aren't far behind either.

In recent years, Arsenal have had a tough time coming back from tough results. And the 4-4 draw to Newcastle (a match which they lead 4-0 at the break) raised such doubts again. But the initial returns regarding their response were positive, as they cruised to an easy 2-0 win over Wolves.

2-0 flattered Mick McCarthy's side, who were second best for the full 90 minutes, and had goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and some poor finishing to thank for the somewhat respectable scoreline.

Robin Van Persie continued to fire on all cylinders, scoring twice and giving the hosts the lead early. The Dutchman latched onto a pinpoint Cesc Fabregas cross with a beautiful right footed volley that bounced off the post and in with just five minutes gone.

The Gunners continued to press throughout the rest of the first 45. And they should have had more after a host of near-misses from Arshavin, Walcott, and Fabregas.

A lack of finishing prowess has hurt Arsenal in the past. But they looked comfortable in this one, and iced the match in the 56th on a vintage Arsenal attack that saw a nice bit of combination passing release Walcott down the right side, who did well to find Van Persie all alone in the box, and he made no mistake en route to his 10th goal of the year.

Last week's draw with Newcastle was more than a little unceasing for Arsenal. But they are far from being out of the race for the title. The fixture list is assuredly easier than United's. Visits from Stoke City and Sunderland represent their next two EPL matches, and you'd expect them to cruise against those two sides, who are far less dangerous away from their home turf.

The team appears to be hitting their stride on both sides of the ball as well. Van Persie is in absolutely devastating form right now, having scored nine goals in his last five matches. Is it possible he could end up with 20 on the year despite missing nearly the entire first half of the season?

The defense has also been quite good. Aside from last week's freak second half against Newcastle (discussed ad nauseam last week), they have only given up one league goal in 2011, and even that was a controversial score from Everton that was blatantly offside.

They'll have to stay healthy on defense, where depth is not exactly at a premium. But if they can, you'd have to think that the race for the title will go down to the wire.

Three Teams, Two Spots

Chelsea and Manchester City showed that they are pretenders over the weekend. City were humbled by United, who had a firm grip on the match for most of the 90 minutes. Meanwhile, Chelsea's downfall continued in a 0-0 draw at Craven Cottage, as they once again looked a completely different side from the one that was heavy favorites three months into the season.

City continued to show a lack of chemistry going forward at Old Trafford. Sure, the match could have been much different had Silva been more clinical early on. And they did show some fight in the second half after Nani's goal just before halftime could have buried them. But in the end, the goal they did score was a lucky one, and they didn't create many clear chances despite looking the more dangerous of the two sides at times.

The Blues only look dangerous when Silva and Tevez are combining in the final third. Yaya Toure has been the wild card, but he had a shockingly poor match against Man United, giving the ball away multiple times and looking inexplicably disinterested, even after the equalizer. Meanwhile, Edin Dzeko has been M.I.A. after a solid debut. His first touch has been off, and he hasn't been himself in the air (welcome to the EPL).

Asking two players to ignite the offense all by their lonesome is a hit or miss approach. Tevez and Silva were both sub-par against United, and City created virtually nothing because of it. That's been a theme for them all season. If those two aren't carrying them, it's meant problems for them on the attack.

Chelsea looked poised to run away with the league at one time. That seems so long ago now. The defending champs began the season with consecutive 6-0 wins, and they had only lost once by Halloween. But it all came crumbling down thereafter. And even after they showed signs of life behind a four match unbeaten run, I'd say their run for back-to-back trophies is over after a loss to Liverpool last week and draw against Fulham on Monday.

Carlo Ancelotti surprised me by benching Didier Drogba, and opting for Fernando Torres and Nicolas Anelka up front. Torres got into dangerous positions but was uncharacteristically poor in front of goal, while the veteran Frenchman was quiet. Drogba entered for Torres in the 65th minute.

Anelka is a nice player, and he started to find the net consistently in January. But he didn't work well with Torres in the Liverpool match. So why not play your two greatest talents up front? Anelka is not on good enough form to justify benching either or those two. Perhaps it wouldn't have made a difference, but you'd think Torres and Drogba would fit well together.

Then there's Tottenham. Spurs claimed they had title aspirations last month. But they dropped too many points after the New Year to really pose a threat.

Spurs have certainly spent a pretty penny over the last couple of seasons. But they wouldn't even dream of dropping some of the cash that City and Chelsea have. But while they weren't spending close to £50M in January like their competitors, Tottenham improved a fine squad by adding Steven Pienarr and appear to be coming together despite nicks to Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart, and Luca Modric over the last two weeks.

At full strength, Spurs are as good an attacking as Chelsea, and probably a better one than City. But a lack of depth could prove their downfall as they must balance the Champions League and EPL over the coming weeks.

Clearly, Arsenal and United's battle will grab the headlines. But this fight is a crucial one as well. Man City would be furious should they once again fail to qualify for Europe's greatest club competition, and it would be a major shock to see Chelsea miss out after the way they started the season. But both scenarios are distinct possibilities with Tottenham looking a real threat for the second straight season.

Back to Champions League

The round of 16 starts today in the UEFA Champions League. And we can all look forward to a host of tasty matchups between some of Europe's best clubs.

It all starts today with AC Milan hosting Tottenham at the San Siro, while Valencia host Bundesliga strugglers Schalke.

The match in Milan is surely the more intriguing one. Both teams had to be unhappy with drawing each other in the first knockout phase. Tottenham won their group in spectacular fashion, and were aided by a dominant win over Inter Milan at White Hart Lane.

The Rossineri currently lead Serie A, but have to be taking frequent looks in the rear view mirror with Napoli and Inter Milan nipping at their heels.

Italian teams are known for defending in these situations, and you'd have to expect Massimilliano Allegri's bunch to be somewhat cautious. But they should commit plenty of bodies forward as they try to get a lead before heading back to London.

I'm looking forward to seeing the T'ham back four go up against an incredibly dangerous three-man attack for Milan, which features the likes of Alexandre Pato (9 goals in 11 matches), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (13 goals/10 assists in 23 appearances) and Robinho (9 goals in 17 appearances).

Spurs center half William Gallas has been here before. But he has shown a propensity to get beaten by quicker players like Pato and Robinho in his old age (still he provides a great source of confidence and experience in the back). Michael Dawson has been quite good playing alongside the former Arsenal player, but this is easily the biggest stage he's played on in his whole career.

But while the back may be vulnerable, Harry Redknapp vowed to attack at the San Siro. Okay, so all managers say that in these situations, but Redknapp isn't one to change up his tactics on a dime.

One thing is for sure, they may have a chance to control the midfield. Pirlo and Kevin Prince-Boateng are out for AC, while Mark van Bommel is cup tied and will also miss the fixture.

If Modric is out for Spurs, it will be a major test for replacement center mids Sandro and Wilson Palacios. But if they can find wingers Aaron Lennon and Niko Kranjcar (who has been on fine form in place of Bale) out in space, it will cause major problems for the home side, who won't want to get spread out in the midfield.

If Modric does play, and shows no signs of rust after having his appendix removed, Spurs could actually dominate the proceedings in the center of the park.

For me, the game will be decided by the quality of Spurs' defending against a host of world class talent, and the battle in the central midfield between several backups on both sides. But these fixtures are typically wildly unpredictable. So we'll just have to wait and see.

I've got little to say about the other matchup. It seems like we have several great ties and a few duds, and this is one of those duds.

It's been a massively dissapointing season for the German team, as they were expected to challenge for honors in Germany after signing Raul from Real Madrid. Instead they got off to an awful start and have struggled with consistency since in the league. But they did manage to come out of a group that included Lyon and Benfica.

One must be impressed with Valencia's performance this season. They are in third place in La Liga and have played well for most of the season despite the losses of David Villa and Silva last summer. They have a nicely balanced attack with former Mallorca hit man Artis Aduriz leading the way. But they are also very dangerous from the flanks with the likes of Joaquin and Pablo Hernandez always a threat.

Saying Goodbye to a Legend

A lot of football fans here in the U.S.A. only got into the game after the retirement of Ronaldo de Lima. And it always hurts me when many think I'm referring to Cristiano when I mention the name.

Recently, many of us have been using playful nicknames including Fat Ronaldo, Ronaldo McDonalds and the like to help differentiate the two. But trust me, we mean no disresepct whatsoever, as the Brazilian will go down as one of the greatest goalscorers in history.

He finished his career with an astonishing 352 goals in 515 appearances and scored 30 goals or more seven times in his club career. Okay, so he packed on the pounds in the latter half of his footballing days, but that didn't stop him from scoring goals at a fantastic rate when fit (just check out his career stats, dude was ALWAYS scoring as long as he could get on the pitch).

Now let's take a look at some goals. This was a player with the skill of a Messi, the finishing of a Villa or Eto'o, and the frame of a Drogba. He was absolutely unstoppable, and I wish we had FSC and/or GolTV here during his heyday, so I could have enjoyed his unbelievable play outside of World Cups and today's youtube compilations. I look at these scores and he is routinely netting goals that most players can only dream of scoring once or twice in an entire career!

Ronaldo will be remembered for a lot of things. He had a tumultuous career full of controversy on and off the field. But I hope we can all see him for what he really is: one of the best goal scorers of our time.

Here are his top ten goals ever.

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima will be missed. But he will NEVER be forgotten.

See you all tonight for some Champs League discussions...

Weekend in Review

Man U Taste Defeat

NOTE: FOR A FULL REVIEW ON ARSENAL AND NEWCASTLE'S INCREDIBLE 4-4 DRAW PLEASE SEE PREVIOUS POST

At one point on Saturday afternoon, there was celebration across the red side of Manchester, as Arsenal dropped points in dramatic fashion against Newcastle. But A 2-1 loss at Wolves ended the Red Devils'29 match unbeaten streak and quickly hushed those cheers.

United could have taken a stranglehold on the title race with a win, as they would have gone seven points clear of the Gunners. Instead they could only rue their missed opportunity as the race for silverware remains wide open.

It all started so well for the visitors.

Just three minutes in, Nani did well to hold the ball in the box, before quickly taking a touch and blasting a left-footed shot past Wayne Hennessey.

However, George Elokobi erased the lead in the 10th. His header from a set piece was placed perfectly into the corner, and sent the crowd at Molineux into delirium.

Kevin Doyle netted the winner in minute 40. He didn't know much about it, but the striker was more than happy to claim the goal after Nenad Milijas's free kick slammed off of his head and past van der Sar.

United pressed for the equalizer in the second half. But Mick McCarthy's side defended valiantly, and kept the Man U attack at bay.

The Red Devils had plenty of the ball throughout the second 45. But they were unable to break down a stingy Wanderers defense that saw them play at least eight men behind the ball in the second half. That has been a problem with Man U for much of the season. They go through long periods where they will have possession, but rarely look dangerous. I'd say a big reason for that is the lack of a creative presence in center midfield. Michael Carrick/Darron Gibson isn't exactly a combination that scares any defenses going forward (with the exception of Evans' fantastic distance shooting).

It's no secret that Man U have had trouble creating many chances at times. Against Wolves, they had their work cut out for them after going down, as McCarthy had his team congest the middle of the pitch with his defense. That forced right and left midfielders Nani and Giggs to either beat two or even three defenders in order to get into dangerous positions, or send a cross into the box with Wolves defenders always outnumbering the Man U attackers inside the 18.

The loss comes at a bad time for Man U, as they are headed for one of their toughest stretches of the season over the next month. The fixture list will be plenty busy with FA Cup and Champions League ties both looming. And they also face Man City this weekend in the league, while difficult trips to Stamford Bridge (Mar. 1) and Anfield (Mar. 6) are still to come.

Torres Quiet, Chelsea Lose

Chelsea's three-game win streak came to an end in a disappointing 1-0 loss to surging Liverpool.

Rau Miereles won it for the visitors, taking advantage of a hesitant Peter Cech, and slamming a left-footed strike into the corner from close range.

The match was largely a disappointment. There weren't a ton of chances as both sides struggled to find their chemistry offensively. Maxi Rodriguez should have put the visitors up, but missed embarrassingly with the goal at his mercy from 3-yards.

Meanwhile, Torres was quiet for the duration. He had a chance blocked by a sprawling Jamie Carragher in the first half, but had little time on the ball otherwise. Someone will have to explain to me why Carlo Ancelotti found it neccessary to start Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba, AND Torres in the first 11. Surely that's a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth.

Meanwhile, Kenny Dalglish left Dirk Kuyt all on his own up front. Kuyt is much more of a workhorse than a scorer, and leaving him on an island was predictably a disaster. Fortunately, 'Pool defended fairly well and Miereles pounced on their biggest chance of the second half.

The loss was an absolutely crucial one for the Blues. They had a chance to close the gap on Man U and Arsenal with a win, but dropped the ball completely on Sunday.

Now they have to decide whether they are serious title contenders, or headed for a battle simply to retain their place in the top four as they are now even on points with Tottenham, and only six ahead of a Liverpool team that is hitting their stride.

A Wild Saturday

We had a historic comeback, a player score four goals in a match, a ton of late goals, and more than a hint of controversy in what was a fantastic weekend of premiership football.

One match to watch was a pulsating affair between Blackpool and Everton. I'm going to have to make a point to watch the Tangerines from now on. They are getting increasingly desperate as their tumble down the table continues, and that combined with Ian Holloway's gung ho style has been making for some crazy matches. They lost a wild one in a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United two weeks ago, and a 3-1 loss to West Ham earlier this week was also quite exciting. But they topped it all off with Saturday's spectacular 5-3 loss to Everton. Win or lose, Blackpool are a must-see for me every week.

Meanwhile, the Toffees were simply fantastic in the match. Louis Saha scored four, but check out the midfield play from Jack Rodwell, Maruoane Fellaini, and Mikael Arteta in the highlights, who pull the strings non-stop for 90-minutes. It's been a tough year for David Moyes' team, but they'll hope this one can spur them to a strong finish.

Man City had their way with faltering West Brom in a 3-0 rout. Carlos Tevez's scintillating play continued with a first half hat trick. This goal was the pick of the litter, and it's an absolutely beautiful piece of skill.

On the whole, Wigan's play has not been fun to watch this year. But they were fantastic in a 4-3 win over Blackburn at the DW Stadium.

And finally, Stoke City staged a late fight back to beat Sunderland 3-2 at the Brittania.

Shocker at St. James

Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal

Walcott- 1'
Djourou- 3'
Van Persie- 10'
Van Persie- 26'
Diaby- RED CARD 53'
Barton- 68' (PK)
Best- 75'
Barton- 83' (PK)
Tiote- 87'

What a weekend it was in the Barclay's English Premier League.

An astonishing 41 goals were scored on Saturday, which was good for a single-day record. Meanwhile, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea all slumped to disappointing results, adding yet another twist to the title race.

One would imagine that United's first loss of the season would be the top news. But Arsenal's incredible loss of composure at St. James' Park was the story. The Gunners scored a trio of goals in the first ten minutes en route to a seemingly insurmountable 4-0 halftime lead.

But a loss of composure, coupled with several terrible refereeing mistakes saw Newcastle get back into the game. In the end, the Gunners were left stunned, as they had somehow managed to only take a point after putting on a world class display in the first half.

Theo Walcott's pace helped him get behind the defense just moments into the match from an Andrei Arshavin through pass, and he finished well.

It was a rare set piece goal goal for Arsenal just minutes later. Johan Djourou's well-placed header looped into the upper-corner from Arshavin's cross.

The in-form Robin Van Persie appeared to have put the icing on the cake with the next two goals of the match. Walcott made a nice run up the right side in the 10th, crossing low across the box onto the right foot of Van Persie, who made no mistake from close range.

The fourth goal also came from the right side. A nice cross from Bacary Sagna met the head of a completely unmarked Van Persie for an easy goal.

The Gunners looked sluggish and disinterested to begin the second half. But no one could have predicted what was to come.

Newcastle didn't look especially dangerous until referee Phil Dowd justifiably sent off Abou Diaby in the 53rd, who overreacted to a dangerous challenge from Joey Barton by grabbing him by the back of his neck, and then made matters worse by shoving Kevin Nolan.

Denilson and Alex Song were both out with injuries, meaning there was no other true defensive midfield to play in Diaby's place. That was when the Gunners started to struggle.

With Arsenal suddenly reeling, Newcastle began to show some fight.

Phil Dowd pointed to the spot for their first goal when Laurent Koscielny made contact with Leon Best. Barton finished to make it 4-1.

There was more controversy after Wojciech Szczesny took the ball out of his net and initially refused to give the ball back to Barton. Kevin Nolan responded by throwing the 'keeper to the ground, but his deed went unpunished.

Newcastle began to create opportunities. Szczesny was tested on several occasions before Leon Best made it 4-2. He won the ball from Clichy off a cross and finished from close range.

Dowd was once again at the center of attention in the 83rd. He gave an unbelievably dubious penalty, whistling Koscielny for a foul once again after he and Best had made minimal contact at best as they went up for an aerial ball. Barton converted again.

The fourth goal came off of a piece of brilliance from Cheick Tiote. In the 87th, The Gunners appeared to have dealt with a Newcastle free kick, but the ball fell to the foot of an onrushing Tiote, who finished delightfully with a full volley from over 20-yards.

Both teams could have won it, too. Nolan came close on a low strike, and Van Persie had a goal controversially called back for offsides just moments from the final whistle.

Diabolical Dowd

Look, I know that Arsenal's second half performance left a lot to be desired. But without the performance of Phil Dowd, there is surely no way that Newcastle even puts much of a scare into the Gunners.

While they were certainly guilty of coming out flat in the second half, and panicking at 4-3, Arsenal clearly deserved all three points on the day. After all, it was Dowd who was easily the most influential figure in the fight back rather than Newcastle themselves.

Before you accost me for being an "Arsenal Homer," let's take a closer look at what went down last Saturday, and how it massively effected the flow of the match.

Interestingly, the first blow of the second 45 minutes was not off of a poor call. Arsenal fans are still holding their collective breaths after seeing center back Johan Djourou limp off with a knee injury. He was replaced by the struggling Sebastian Squillaci, who once again looked off the pace on multiple occasions.

Then came this sending off of Abou Diaby. The red card was surely justified. You simply can't do that type of thing. But let's keep in mind that his reaction stemmed from this reckless challenge from Joey Barton. Diaby, who broke his leg from a similar challenge several years ago, was understandably upset. Still you've got to keep your calm there, as it leaves the referee with no choice.

But despite the sending off, Arsenal's lead would have been safe. Dowd gave the home team a glimmer of hope in the 68th, calling an EXTREMELY soft penalty on Koscielny. Take a look, Koscielny is indeed clumsy with the challenge, but there is very little actual contact, clearly not enough to send Best to the ground.

If that was the whole story, I wouldn't be complaining. But it gets much, much worse, as the buildup of poor decisions becomes too much to ignore.

Let's start with the immediate aftermath from the first penalty kick goal (there's also a replay of the soft penalty decision). The problem starts when Szczesny refuses to give the ball back to Nolan, who throws him to the ground. How is that not a red card on any football pitch? Little less in a match where you've already sent off an Arsenal player for a virtually identical offense? It's simply inexplicable refereeing from Dowd and his assistant, who both witnessed the entire thing. To make things even more laughable, it was Szczesny who received a yellow for time wasting.

At 4-2, Arsenal dropped back to defend their lead. The Magpies were pouring on the pressure, but it was still hard to imagine they'd make it all the way back.

But then Dowd went to work again. His decision to award a penalty in the 83rd was simply absurd. It's a nothing challenge at best and I have no idea what he was looking at. This is a routine cross into the box and even the Newcastle players look somewhat shocked that the referee has given it. He's simply gotten gotten up in the moment, and made an inexplicably poor decision.

The equalizer was brilliant. But once again, Dowd's role was essential after a bizarre foul call on Tomas Rosicky lead to the free kick.

I'm not here to whine. And I'm the first to admit that my love for Arsenal may swing my opinions at times. But I try my best to be objective. And I simply don't see any way that the Gunners even gets a real test in the second half if not for the clueless decisions from Dowd.

I can't stand fans who constantly complain about refs. But there are rare times where you can legitimately say that referees have cost you points. This is one of those times.

A part of me thinks that Dowd had to be giving Arsenal a piece of his mind after Cesc Fabregas was accused of verbally assaulting officials at halftime during Wednesday's match against Everton. At least that's what it looked like. The calls weren't only bad, but they were consistently going against Arsenal.

It's a frustrating loss for the Gunners. And they have to be wondering what could have been after Manchester United lost. But despite the shocker over the weekend, they're still right in the race after picking up a point on the leaders.

While the result didn't kill Arsenal's long-term chances, the injury to Djourou has to have Wenger worried. The 24-year old has been a great surprise this season after returning from a knee injury. He and Koscielny have formed a decent partnership with Thomas Vermaelen still out. In fact, the Arsenal defense hadn't given up a goal in 2011 before Saturday's debacle.

The Swiss international limped off with an apparent knee injury moments into the second half. That's not good news, as he missed all of last season with ligament damage to his knee.

Wenger's team is deeper this season than they have been in the past, and it has helped them cope with several losses over the year. But the one position where they have little cover is at center-half. The team was linked with a plethora of defenders during the January transfer window, but Wenger decided to go ahead with Djourou/Koscielny/Squillaci while Thomas Vermaelen continued to rehab an Achilles injury.

Squillaci is now thrust into competition after looking dreadful this season. He has simply been off the pace, and this lack of speed has seen attackers get behind him on multiple occasions.

The loss of Djourou compounds Arsenal's problems up the middle of the pitch. Defensive midfielders Alex Song and Denilson are both hurt right now and there hasn't been news on how long they will be out. Now Diaby is suspended for three matches, leaving Wenger with very few options. If all three miss this weekend's match, I'm not sure who the man might be in that spot.

All of that has to be tough to swallow for a team that was on fire before the trip to Newcastle. But with plenty more points up for grabs this season, they are still very much in the race for the trophy.

Mid week review: Liverpool Splash Cash, Chelsea Back, City Finished?

Liverpool Spending Spree

I was singing the praises of Liverpool on Sunday. They had just signed a budding superstar in Luis Suarez and finally had the financial backing to continue improving in the summer. However, I only briefly mentioned the situation with Fernando Torres. And Chelsea threw the transfer market for a loop Monday when they bought "El Niño" for a cool £50M (more on that later).

'Pool's reaction to the Torres sale was immediate, as they grossly overreacted by purchasing Andy Carroll from Newcastle for a shocking amount of ₤35M, making the promising but unproven striker the seventh most expensive player in football history.

So let me get this straight, the Reds in 24 hours somehow decided they were going to throw the bulk of the money from the Torres deal on a player that is yet to complete a full EPL season? Why overspend in January on a player that would probably be far cheaper in the summer? And most importantly, why not wait until the offseason to find the perfect fit for the team? It's a mystery to me.

It's hard to believe, but this type of irresponsible spending has been commonplace at Anfield for some time now.

I just don't get it. Liverpool aren't getting back in the race for a top four spot this season and Carroll can't even play for a month with an ankle injury. Buying him at that kind of price was not only a huge risk, but also a mistimed maneuver considering he won't even star until well past the halfway point.

The Suarez buy was a good one. But the reaction to the Torres sale was unbelievably over the top. Methinks that the braintrust over here in the U.S. need to learn a thing or two about the transfer market before they get themselves into the same mess that the last ownership group did (who were also Americans, ironically).

On the bright side, the Reds are starting to round into form. They've won three straight and capped it off with a 2-0 win today over Stoke City at Anfield.

Rau Miereles' run of good form continued when he opened up the scoring with a ferocious right footed strike after the ball fell to him inside the box.

Suarez made his debut for the club in the 63rd. And he quickly impressed with a beautiful flick to Dirk Kuyt inside the box that forced Begovic off his line to make a play on the ball.

Then he finished off the Potters in minute 79. A nice through pass from Kuyt saw him in behind the defense, he calmly touched the ball around the goalkeeper, and a backtracking Andy Wilkinson couldn't keep the ball out of the net.

So despite the poor decision on Carroll, things do seem to be looking up for Liverpool. They've taken wins from their last three games, and Suarez looked like he may well be ready to contribute immediately. Meanwhile, Miereles is finally giving them a reliable attacking midfielder. Plus the defense looks better, too.

If they can add a few more pieces over the summer and the Carroll buy pays some dividends, they could be right back in the Champions League in 2012. But surely they have dug too deep of a hole to reach that level this year.

Are Manchester City Done?

With Chelsea, Arsenal, and Man U all winning on Tuesday, Manchester City went to Birmingham hoping to keep pace with the three title contenders. Instead they left with a disappointing 2-2 draw that saw them blow two leads, and potentially end their title chances in the process.

It was a gorgeous City opener. Tevez' one-touch out wide to Silva, who did well to streak into the box and play the ball right back to the Argentinean, who exhibited a great bit of ball control to create space before placing a slow roller between the legs of a defender and into the corner.

But while the brilliance of Tevez and Silva was showing the best of City, their defending of set pieces continued to show off their worst.

In the 23rd minute, the Blues won a free kick from the left side, and City failed to properly deal with it as it caroomed off the knee of Nikola Zigic and into the net.

Aleksandar Kolarov's sweet left foot helped the visitors to a halftime lead. His curling shot from a free kick wrong-footed Ben Foster and sailed into the left corner.

Birmingham were certainly the stronger of the two teams in the second half. Their pressure paid off in the 71st when Patrick Viera pulled down Kevin Phillips in the box, and Craig Gardner was up to the task from the spot.

Another tough result for Roberto Mancini and company, and this may have been the final blow for a team that continues to lag behind the rest of the contenders.

It all looked so promising initially. The goal was a brilliant piece of play from Tevez and Silva and you'd think that they would be better at defend their lead(s) against the lowest scoring team in the premiership. Even though they're a side that makes defense a huge priority, City have lacked discipline in that area over the last month.

The defending, especially on set pieces, has been diabolical. And it really came to bite them today on the first goal. The marking was poor, and they inexplicably allowed the ball to bounce once before it deflected off of an opportunistic Vidic.

When City played for a scoreless draw at the Emirates in early January, I found it hard to take them seriously as true title contenders. For a team needing to rattle off a perfect month or so just to get back in the race, the players' failure to completely gel coupled with Mancini's conservative style have made it difficult for them to really put a scare into Man U. If you ask me, they're done with regards to the title chase.

Chelsea Surge

The Blues unquestionably have a ways to go in terms of getting back into the the title race. But they can at least be proud of getting three straight wins after things appeared ready to burst apart at the seams.

They scored a big result on Tuesday, winning a wild match 4-2 at Sunderland.

Chelsea fell behind on goals from Phil Bardsley and then gave up a shock equalizer to Kieran Richardson in the first half, but responded well on both occasions.

The game featured a host of chances for both sides.

Steve Bruce's team gave it a good go. But Chelsea showed they may be turning a corner by snatching control of the match and showing great flair and creativity. They were rewarded for it with goals from John Terry and Nicolas Anelka in the second half to clinch the three points.

Now we wait for the Fernando Torres debut in the much-discussed match against Liverpool.

The Torres transaction actually lost some of its luster amidst all the drama on Monday's transfer deadline. But the mere thought of him playing next to Drogba has me salivating. Both of them appear to be heading into their best form after struggling with consistency and fitness for much of this season.

Trouble in Blackpool?

It's hard not to root for the Tangerines. They insist on playing an attractive style and have been relatively successful in doing so. Meantime, they have one of the world's best interviews managing them in Ian Holloway. But while they were flirting with the half top of the table close to a month ago, they have been rapidly falling down the standings since.

It might end up being a similar story to Burnley last year. They started off well before falling apart in the second half of the year. Even if Blackpool do stay up, they will surely be in a battle next year with Charlie Adam likely out the door.

As for West Ham, they showed again that they do have the attacking quality to make some noise. Victor Obinna has been fantastic of late, scoring five times in his last two games. He scored twice in what was a completely wide-open match at Bloomfield Road on Wednesday (including one stunning strike to put Blackpool away). Enjoy the highlights.

News and Notes

There could be another injury crisis at Arsenal. Defensinve midfielder Alex Song (a player that the team boasts no reliable replacement for) and leading scorer Samir Nasri all picked up knocks this week. The Gunners have been quite strong on the road this season, but a visit to St. James' Park to face Newcastle this weekend will be a dangerous one without several key cogs in the lineup.

We'll be treated to a bonus edition of the "Superclásico" in April. Real Madrid and Barcelona both advanced to the finals of the Copa del Rey. The match will come just days after their final regular season meeting, and it should be fun to watch as always.