Monday, 26 October 2009
Sunday, 25 October 2009
Will Benitez be in Liverpool on Monday?
Well, my bet is that if he fails to beat Man.Utd a couple of hours from now, we will wave goodbye to 2005 CL winners. And this is the biggest problem, with a poor start on 09/10 season; the Spanish coach is letting everyone reminisce about what he failed to win in the last four years, no Premier League championship and a single CL in his debut year that is making the reds fans think more of a strike of luck than real talent.
So, why does a team with players like Gerrard, Torres, Mascherano or Reina as so many problems to produce a consistent football and consecutive wins? Well, that’s the one million dollar question.
But in my view, while the constant rotation of the squad is probably good to keep players fresh for a long season, it produce a very weak eleven every one out of three Liverpool’s matches. Well, while everyone at Anfield says Rafa Benitez his ‘crucial’, ‘central’ and so on, I truly believe he will say goodbye to England if he fails to win today’s game against Alex Ferguson’s Man.Utd.
So, why does a team with players like Gerrard, Torres, Mascherano or Reina as so many problems to produce a consistent football and consecutive wins? Well, that’s the one million dollar question.
But in my view, while the constant rotation of the squad is probably good to keep players fresh for a long season, it produce a very weak eleven every one out of three Liverpool’s matches. Well, while everyone at Anfield says Rafa Benitez his ‘crucial’, ‘central’ and so on, I truly believe he will say goodbye to England if he fails to win today’s game against Alex Ferguson’s Man.Utd.
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Normality (almost) back to CL (Day3/Part2)
So after Tuesday madness things looked pretty predictable yesterday, with no real surprises except that one (Real), Milan won at the Bernabeu. In the field of normality, the hot favorites claimed the three points, and with half way thru the English sides are on their way to secure a qualifying spot.
In Group A French champions dominated easily the German giants from München. Nine man Bayern saw their GK Butt safe two penalties. On the other game, finally Italian side Juventus took their maiden win but things could be different if Haifa’s last minutes effort produced.
Group A
Bordeaux 2 – 1 Bayern
Juventus 1 – 0 Maccabi Haifa
Standings
1 Bordeaux 7pts
2 Juventus 5pts
3 Bayern 4pts
4 Maccabi Haifa 0
At B, the red devils keep their winning pace in a very cold and hard grass field at Moscow, the late goal from Valencia opens the gates of the knockout stage. Unfortunately for Wolfsburg they missed the chance to get the three points from weaker side Besiktas.
Group B
CSKA 0 – 1 Man.Utd
Wolfsburg 0 – 0 Besikstas
Standings
1 Man.United 9pts
2 Wolfsburg 4pts
3 CSKA 3pts
4 Besiktas 1pt
Well, well, depressed Milan went to Madrid a made a comeback to secure a win. On the other match French side Marseille won and seems to be shouting we want to go thru, will Madrid or Milan fail?
Group C
Real Madrid 2 – 3 AC Milan
Zürich 0 – 1 Marseille
Standings
1 Milan 6pts
2 Real Madrid 6pts
3 Marseille 3pts
4 Zürich 3pts
If normality as a place to stay is at group D. The top spot favorites Chelsea and Porto seem eager to quickly secure the qualifying. If things go their way they can both assure the knock-out stage at day 4.
Group D
Porto 2 – 1 APOEL
Chelsea 4 – 0 Atl.Madrid
Standings
1 Chelsea 9pts
2 Porto 6pts
3 Atl.Madrid 1pt
4 APOEL 1pt
In Group A French champions dominated easily the German giants from München. Nine man Bayern saw their GK Butt safe two penalties. On the other game, finally Italian side Juventus took their maiden win but things could be different if Haifa’s last minutes effort produced.
Group A
Bordeaux 2 – 1 Bayern
Juventus 1 – 0 Maccabi Haifa
Standings
1 Bordeaux 7pts
2 Juventus 5pts
3 Bayern 4pts
4 Maccabi Haifa 0
At B, the red devils keep their winning pace in a very cold and hard grass field at Moscow, the late goal from Valencia opens the gates of the knockout stage. Unfortunately for Wolfsburg they missed the chance to get the three points from weaker side Besiktas.
Group B
CSKA 0 – 1 Man.Utd
Wolfsburg 0 – 0 Besikstas
Standings
1 Man.United 9pts
2 Wolfsburg 4pts
3 CSKA 3pts
4 Besiktas 1pt
Well, well, depressed Milan went to Madrid a made a comeback to secure a win. On the other match French side Marseille won and seems to be shouting we want to go thru, will Madrid or Milan fail?
Group C
Real Madrid 2 – 3 AC Milan
Zürich 0 – 1 Marseille
Standings
1 Milan 6pts
2 Real Madrid 6pts
3 Marseille 3pts
4 Zürich 3pts
If normality as a place to stay is at group D. The top spot favorites Chelsea and Porto seem eager to quickly secure the qualifying. If things go their way they can both assure the knock-out stage at day 4.
Group D
Porto 2 – 1 APOEL
Chelsea 4 – 0 Atl.Madrid
Standings
1 Chelsea 9pts
2 Porto 6pts
3 Atl.Madrid 1pt
4 APOEL 1pt
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Spooky times on the CL (Day 3/Part 1)
Maybe the craziest day ever in the CL happened last night. I don’t recall ever seeing the majority of the hot favorites losing their winning pace in such a strong fashion. Maybe it’s magic from badabim-Kazan or ‘vampirean’ things from dark side Urziceni, whatever happened what a great night for football.
Barcelona’s lost their first game of the season against a pretty much unknown Russian champions Rubin Kazan at the Nou Camp. None off the English side’s were able to beat their opponents, with Liverpool being shocked at Anfield with a comeback victory 2-1 of Lyon, while the gunners achieved a not so bad 1-1 draw at AZ Alkmaar.
At Group E, Liverpool lost at home and to make things even odder, Italian side Fiorentina played a cool fashion football and scored four goals against three of home side Debreceni.
Group E:
Debreceni 3 – 4 Fiorentina
Liverpool 1 – 2 Lyon
Standings:
1 Lyon 9pts
2 Fiorentina 6pts
3 Liverpool 3pts
4 Debreceni 0pts
At Group F, if you think Barcelona’s lost is all the surprises you can get, well you’re wrong. Jose’s Mourinho Inter Milan was reduced to a two goal draw against Ukrainian side Dyn.Kiev.
Group F:
Barcelona 1 – 2 Rubin Kazan
Inter 2 – 2 Dyn.Kiev
Standings:
1 Barcelona 4pts
2 Dyn.Kiev 4pts
3 Rubin 4pts
4 Inter 3pts
In G, while Rangers were being brutalized at Ibrox, German side Stuttgart was receiving the same kind of treatment at the feet’s of unbeatable CL side Sevilla.
Group G:
Rangers 1 – 4 Unirea Urziceni
Stuttgart 1 – 3 Sevilla
Standings:
1 Sevilla 9pts
2 Unirea 4pts
3 Stuttgart 2pts
4 Rangers 1pt
At H, well Arsenal was stopped in their winning ways in the CL, but they are still in front of the group. On the other game a late goal from Stoltidis give the Greeks from Olympiacos the second spot at half way thru.
Group H:
AZ Alkmaar 1 – 1 Arsenal
Olympiacos 2 – 1 Standard Liege
Standings:
1 Arsenal 7pts
2 Olympiacos 6pts
3 AZ 2pts
4 Standard 1pt
Barcelona’s lost their first game of the season against a pretty much unknown Russian champions Rubin Kazan at the Nou Camp. None off the English side’s were able to beat their opponents, with Liverpool being shocked at Anfield with a comeback victory 2-1 of Lyon, while the gunners achieved a not so bad 1-1 draw at AZ Alkmaar.
At Group E, Liverpool lost at home and to make things even odder, Italian side Fiorentina played a cool fashion football and scored four goals against three of home side Debreceni.
Group E:
Debreceni 3 – 4 Fiorentina
Liverpool 1 – 2 Lyon
Standings:
1 Lyon 9pts
2 Fiorentina 6pts
3 Liverpool 3pts
4 Debreceni 0pts
At Group F, if you think Barcelona’s lost is all the surprises you can get, well you’re wrong. Jose’s Mourinho Inter Milan was reduced to a two goal draw against Ukrainian side Dyn.Kiev.
Group F:
Barcelona 1 – 2 Rubin Kazan
Inter 2 – 2 Dyn.Kiev
Standings:
1 Barcelona 4pts
2 Dyn.Kiev 4pts
3 Rubin 4pts
4 Inter 3pts
In G, while Rangers were being brutalized at Ibrox, German side Stuttgart was receiving the same kind of treatment at the feet’s of unbeatable CL side Sevilla.
Group G:
Rangers 1 – 4 Unirea Urziceni
Stuttgart 1 – 3 Sevilla
Standings:
1 Sevilla 9pts
2 Unirea 4pts
3 Stuttgart 2pts
4 Rangers 1pt
At H, well Arsenal was stopped in their winning ways in the CL, but they are still in front of the group. On the other game a late goal from Stoltidis give the Greeks from Olympiacos the second spot at half way thru.
Group H:
AZ Alkmaar 1 – 1 Arsenal
Olympiacos 2 – 1 Standard Liege
Standings:
1 Arsenal 7pts
2 Olympiacos 6pts
3 AZ 2pts
4 Standard 1pt
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Why do we have top seeds for South Africa?
Well before CL Day3 this is probably not the best talk, but I can’t control myself, why the hell FIFA did change the rules of the game half way thru? Talking to some friend’s major reasons emerged.
First: Platini’s influence as UEFA’s president to try and find an easier path for the ‘bleus’.
With a below average campaign France is facing a possible earlier football vacations on 2010, what will make the self proclaimed football cleaner lost his temper. The one’s that have seen football in the eighties will probably remember how things were done when Platini’s awesome Juventus couldn’t win the games.
Second: FIFA’s and Real Madrid income brake if former CR7 fails to appear.
According to newspaper Marca, that would mean a loss of 80 million pounds. With Portugal’s lack of ability to win games on the pitch, this is probably the only way to make the football star land in South Africa.
Well, this is one vision, and maybe this none of them will go thru, if somehow you don’t know the fixtures, here they are:
Rep.Ireland vs France
Portugal vs Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece vs Ukraine
Russia vs Slovenia
Who do you think will go thru?
First: Platini’s influence as UEFA’s president to try and find an easier path for the ‘bleus’.
With a below average campaign France is facing a possible earlier football vacations on 2010, what will make the self proclaimed football cleaner lost his temper. The one’s that have seen football in the eighties will probably remember how things were done when Platini’s awesome Juventus couldn’t win the games.
Second: FIFA’s and Real Madrid income brake if former CR7 fails to appear.
According to newspaper Marca, that would mean a loss of 80 million pounds. With Portugal’s lack of ability to win games on the pitch, this is probably the only way to make the football star land in South Africa.
Well, this is one vision, and maybe this none of them will go thru, if somehow you don’t know the fixtures, here they are:
Rep.Ireland vs France
Portugal vs Bosnia-Herzegovina
Greece vs Ukraine
Russia vs Slovenia
Who do you think will go thru?
Monday, 19 October 2009
Sunday, 18 October 2009
The unbeatable European side
After Barcelona’s draw at Valencia there’s only one European team from the UEFA’s top ranking countries to win all matches in the awakening of the championship season. It comes from Portugal and, somehow, I truly doubt you can guess the name of the team.
No, it´s not Champions League most appeared club Porto, and it’s not the other two more or less known side’s Sporting Lisbon and Benfica. No, try to guess?? You can’t?? It’s Braga usual regular in the former UEFA Cup that failed the playoff for the new Europa League.
With a more effective than attractive style of play, Braga can proudly call themselves the only domestic league team with seven back-to-back wins in 2009, with 12 scored goals but only three conceded. There are few things to say, but it’s nice to see ‘little clubs’ with high hopes, Braga’s coach is former Porto’s star-striker Domingos that leads a bunch of Portuguese football veterans on the field, such as international’s Meyong, Eduardo or Alberto Rodriguez and top form Brazilians Alan, Mossoró and Moisés. They play on a hybrid 4x3x3/4x2x3x1 that gives good defensive protection and have as preferred score a 1-0 win.
Well, another good thing from Braga his the city itself, on the northwest of the country, the town as an awesome cultural aspect, especially related to the country’s obsessive religious past. By these days they’ll probably praise to the God of football…
No, it´s not Champions League most appeared club Porto, and it’s not the other two more or less known side’s Sporting Lisbon and Benfica. No, try to guess?? You can’t?? It’s Braga usual regular in the former UEFA Cup that failed the playoff for the new Europa League.
With a more effective than attractive style of play, Braga can proudly call themselves the only domestic league team with seven back-to-back wins in 2009, with 12 scored goals but only three conceded. There are few things to say, but it’s nice to see ‘little clubs’ with high hopes, Braga’s coach is former Porto’s star-striker Domingos that leads a bunch of Portuguese football veterans on the field, such as international’s Meyong, Eduardo or Alberto Rodriguez and top form Brazilians Alan, Mossoró and Moisés. They play on a hybrid 4x3x3/4x2x3x1 that gives good defensive protection and have as preferred score a 1-0 win.
Well, another good thing from Braga his the city itself, on the northwest of the country, the town as an awesome cultural aspect, especially related to the country’s obsessive religious past. By these days they’ll probably praise to the God of football…
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