Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea (Man U win 3-1 on aggregate)
HIGHLIGHTS
Manchester United emerged from their UEFA Champions League second leg on top in the match, and on aggregate, after a 2-1 victory over Chelsea. The Red Devils will meet Schalke in the semifinals after winning a relatively even match at Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side had the edge in the tie, as they came home to Manchester already holding a 1-0 advantage. Looking for more of the same, Ferguson started a similar side to the first leg, with Wayne Rooney sitting behind Javier Hernandez on the forward line, Ryan Giggs, Nani, Ji-Sung Park, and Michael Carrick in midfield, and John O'Shea (in place of the injured Rafael), Chris Smalling, Nemanja Vidic, and Patrice Evra across the back.
Carlo Ancelotti's confidence in the struggling Fernando Torres didn't waver. And he started the Spaniard up top alongside Nicolas Anelka. But like Ferguson, his lineup didn't spark many surprises, with Frank Lampard, Florent Malouda, Ramires, and Michael Essien across the midfield, while John Terry and Alex (in for the cup tied David Luiz) manned the middle with Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic on either side.
After a quiet opening to the match, Chelsea began to assert themselves with a host of chances. With the Blues beginning to put the pressure on, the game opened up with opportunities aplenty.
In the 12th minute, Torres fielded a cross into the box and laid off for Anelka, whose vicious strike whizzed inches wide.
In minute 15, Florent Malouda made a weaving run into the box and dropped for Lampard, but his low strike lacked placement and Edwin van der Sar smothered.
A clumsy Fernando Torres failed to control in the area in the 21st, but he managed to touch back to Anelka whose swerving half-volley screamed just outside of the post.
United were on the back foot, but Sir Alex Ferguson's side are famous for scoring when being pushed back. And they thought they had accomplished just that when Rooney crossed to Hernandez for a well taken goal with his head, but the linesman called it back.
United were looking nervous in the 32nd, when a giveaway and subsequent long through ball saw Anelka behind the defense down the right side whilst van der Sar scurried off of his line. The Frenchman actually beat van der Sar to the ball outside of the box, but the veteran keeper did well to tackle the ball away and clear.
The first part of the second half featured vintage defending from United. The Red Devils dropped back and waited to counter with the skilled and creative Rooney and the speedy Hernandez looking for space on the front lines.
Didier Drogba entered the match at halftime. And he was Chelsea's best attacking player on the evening, accounting for most of Chelsea's offense in the second half. Just moments after coming on, the Ivorian created space with a nifty touch in the box, but his left footed strike scooped wide and van der Sar appeared to have it covered.
Already needing two goals to go through, Ramires' sendng off worsened matters for Chelsea in the 67th, as he stupidly kicked Nani from behind. Referee Olegario Bartolo Benquerenca didn't hesitate in showing the second yellow.
The Blues surprised after going down to ten men by rallying the troops and getting back into the match.
Another spark from Drogba netted the Blues' first goal of the tie. The prodigious striker did well to bring down a long ball from Essien on his chest, and then finished well to the far post.
United were only sweating for 45 seconds. Immediately after the kick off, substitute Antonio Valencia created space and found Ryan Giggs in the middle of the pitch, the Welshman played a picture perfect aerial pass to Park, who to took the ball on the bounce and lashed a beautiful volley to the far stick to ice the tie.
Other Results
Schalke 2-1 Inter (Schalke through 7-3 on aggregate)
Real Madrid 1-0 Tottenham (Real through 5-0 on aggregate)
Barcelona 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk 0 (Barca through 6-1 on aggregate)
Showing posts with label Fernando Torres. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fernando Torres. Show all posts
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
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 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.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
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...
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
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.
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.
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