Another weekend passes in the Netherlands and still the top 2 teams refuse to be beaten, is it possible that the Eredivisie will have it's own alternative to the Arsenal 'Invincibles' this season?
With 21 more fixtures until the end of the campaign it may just be a little optimistic to consider such a possibility, but judging by the dominant form of FC Twente and PSV Eindhoven so far it may not be at all fanciful. This last weekend saw probably the biggest league game of 2009-10 to date, with leaders FC Twente facing off to Martin Jol's free-scoring Ajax who are in third place.
Since Ajax linked up with Martin Jol in the summer, there have been high expectations for the Amsterdam team to reclaim their place at the top of the Eredivisie. They have certainly been entertaining their fans, up until last Sunday they had scored 40 goals in 12 league games- a quite phenomenal record that owes credit to the Uruguayan Luis Suárez, who has 16 goals already!
However things did not continue in that vein for Ajax when they visited FC Twente's ground, De Grolsch Veste. The last and only occasion that Ajax had failed to score in this year's Eredivisie was back on August 23rd, at home to Sparta Rotterdam. By late Sunday afternoon the tally had been doubled and cost Ajax their second defeat of the term as they went down 1-0.
The goal for FC Twente came courtesy of Bryan Ruiz. Something which should not be a surprise seeing as the Costa Rican has been outstanding since Steve McClaren purchased him in the summer for the tidy sum of €5m. A Theo Janssen free-kick from the right of the Ajax penalty area was gobbled up by Ruiz, who firmly headed in the set-piece virtually un-marked, giving him 9 league goals thus far.
With the way that Ajax have been winning games recently, it was of little surprise that FC Twente didn't have everything there own way. In fact they started the game strongly and actually hit the cross bar through the aforementioned Suárez during the first half. The most pleasing aspect for Steve McClaren however will be how his team controlled the game and protected their lead after Ruiz's strike.
What with FC Twente securing an 8th consecutive league victory, it was only apt that their nearest rivals PSV should respond in kind with their biggest win of the season. They visited ADO Den Haag, who are currently mimicking last season's fraternisation with relegation, when they were newly re-promoted to the Eredivisie.
As mentioned in previous reports on the league, PSV are now managed by McClaren's predecessor at FC Twente, Fred Rutten. As if the Eredivisie couldn't be scripted any better, Rutten's team are on a run of their own as they chase top of the table, with 10 wins from their last 11 league fixtures. The 5-1 win they racked up on Sunday means that they still trail Twente by 2 points but now lead Ajax by 4.
Special mention has to be made for the Swede Ola Toivonen, who scored 4 of PSV's goals, with the hat-trick all in the first half. The attacking midfielder is a summer signing who has acquited himself well and is now tallying a goal every other game.
Fourth placed Feyenoord continued their recent poor turn of form that has seen them drop points and get separated from the top 3. This time around they faced reigning champions AZ Alkmaar at their DSB Stadion, and the final result of 1-1 greatly reflected the old adage that the contest had been a game of 2 halves.
Whilst neither team were to be ashamed of the outcome, anything short of 3 points is a failure when considering the way that FC Twente and PSV are currently finishing matches. Feyenoord are now 11 points adrift of the summit, whereas AZ are a massive 16 and their defence is as good as over already.
Elsewhere, NAC Breda were the weekend's big movers. They took advantage of all the teams closest to them going victory-less, and with a dominant 4-0 home win over Willem II they jumped up to 6th place in the table.
The 'The Rats' have been inconsistent so far this term but in the form of a sequence of results, rather than individual ones. Their latest win means they haven't lost in 4 league games, if they can keep their heads then they could secure another Europa League spot to go with this season's.
A final thought for the Eredivisie's bottom club- RKC Waalwijk. The former top-flight stalwarts who returned this season after a 2 year wait in the Eerste Divisie (2nd division), have had very little to cheer since their come-back. Until last Saturday they had lost 11 of their first 12 matches.
Recent form has been enhanced though (of sorts), instead of losing heavily their 3 prior fixtures to Saturday had ended in 1-0 reverses. So it came to pass that RKC Waalwijk cemented a 2nd vital win of the league season and their first away from home. Their opponents were NEC, who more significantly lay a single spot above them in the relegation zone.
Only 13 games into the campaign and already we have seen what may prove to be a massive 'six-pointer', for the bottom of the table anyway. Serious doubts understandably remain over whether or not RKC Waalwijk can realistically escape their pre-ordained fate, but at least they're improving.
The improvements at FC Twente are no longer being dismissed either. The way that the Eredivisie is developing the challenge is now set for one of the Netherlands traditional big 3 teams to get in the way of Twente claiming their first title since 1926, and from halting McClaren's transformation from villain to hero..
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Bundesliga: Leverkusen gearing up and Bayern haunted
Last season's Bundesliga turned out to be one of the most competitive title races ever witnessed anywhere and this time around things are shaping up to be just the same. However, the Bundesliga table as it currently stands is another surprise, the top 2 spots are held by the teams that finished 9th and 10th respectively in 2008-09.
On 23 points, and the only team left unbeaten after the first 11 games, is Bayer 04 Leverkusen. They are swiftly followed by Werder Bremen who are a single point behind them. The top 8 teams are only separated by a mere 5 points and Bayern Münich are down in 6th place, 4 points off the pace.
Last summer Wolfsburg famously kept their nerve to become champions for the first time in their history. If Leverkusen were able to maintain their current form and position to the end of the season, Germany will have the unusual statistic of first time winners of the championship back to back.
The major concern for Leverkusen is that they should be even further ahead of the chasing pack, their last 3 league fixtures have ended in draws. In fairness both away games were against Hamburger SV and Schalke 04, with the home draw versus Borussia Dortmund. All 3 sides finished above Leverkusen last season, which goes to show how much they have since improved.
Possibly their most impressive result thus far was the frantic 3-2 away win over Wolfsburg. The home team had to endure their goalkeeper Diego Benaglio being sent off after only half an hour, and then being taken apart by Leverkusen. They established a 3-0 lead despite also having Erin Derdiyok sent off. Some pride was salvaged by Wolfsburg netting 2 goals in the last 15 minutes, but Leverkusen were deserving victors.
A brace in that game by Simon Rolfes contributed to his tally so far of 4 goals in 9 games, already surpassing his total of last term. The German international midfielder has so far encapsulated the overall change around Leverkusen.
Defence has been the solid foundation, with only 8 goals conceded in the 11 games. Whereas goals are easier to come by, Stefan Kießling having provided 7 so far is in the most prolific form of his career. The big question is whether or not they will actually be able to keep themselves at the summit of the Bundesliga and stave off the challenges of the traditional big teams.
Bayern Münich should be faring better than they currently are, particularly with Louis van Gaal freshly appointed as manager. Last season's runners-up were not in the best of health before he arrived and the Dutchman should be given a couple of seasons to work his magic and make things to his liking. You only need to look at the eventual rewards of AZ Alkmaar last season to realise that van Gaal could make Bayern a European threat again.
Even so the hierarchy at Bayern may be just a little perturbed at how well things have turned out for Jupp Heynckes. The sixty-four year old journeyman coach was parachuted in as the club's caretaker manager after the sacking of Jürgen Klinsmann. He had previously retired in early 2007, leaving the top job at Borussia Mönchengladbach. On June 5th he was revealed at Bayer Leverkusen.
Clearly the experience at Bayern has whetted the appetite of the man who has coached Real Madrid and Benfica amongst others in his time. The scenario could lead to an ironic twist if he was to be responsible for Bayern failing to win the title back, and it would bring back painful memories of similar events last season.
Wolfsburg were helmed by a certain Felix Magath during their title triumph. The former Bayern manager was sacked in 2007 and left Münich to take up the reigns at the unheralded Wolfsburg. He had secured 2 Bundesliga titles whilst at Bayern but it must be assumed that the 2008-09 season is his greatest personal accolade to date. A real bolt from the blue and one that showed Bayern what they had spurned.
Nothing can be taken for granted at this stage though. Bayern are still clearly a threat and could come good as the season unfolds, they have held on to Franck Ribéry and if his mood improves he will be influential. Perhaps even more significant will be the return of Luca Toni from injury, he has continued to score freely in Germany and is a big miss for them.
The other main contender’s for now are Hamburger SV, who lay third by virtue of goal-difference. They are now managed by Bruno Labbadia, who as it happens left the same position he had held at Leverkusen in the summer- the fates have a habit of conspiring in the Bundesliga!
Finally a mention for the team in 4th place. Schalke 04 were big under-achievers last season, former FC Twente manager Fred Rutten lasted a scant 11 months before being sacked last March. They finally finished down in 8th place and the club meanwhile made an audacious and successful move for Felix Magath.
The speculation and confirmation that Magath would leave Wolfsburg before the end of their title-chasing campaign, did lead to some resentment and concern that the club may blow their chances. It turned out to be unfounded when they won their final 3 league games with a 13-1 aggregate score.
More to the point, Magath has started his new position at a canter and Schalke 04 are just 2 points off of Leverkusen. If the Bundesliga continues to carry on as it is, Bayern's board may yet face more sleepless nights over the managers they let get away...
On 23 points, and the only team left unbeaten after the first 11 games, is Bayer 04 Leverkusen. They are swiftly followed by Werder Bremen who are a single point behind them. The top 8 teams are only separated by a mere 5 points and Bayern Münich are down in 6th place, 4 points off the pace.
Last summer Wolfsburg famously kept their nerve to become champions for the first time in their history. If Leverkusen were able to maintain their current form and position to the end of the season, Germany will have the unusual statistic of first time winners of the championship back to back.
The major concern for Leverkusen is that they should be even further ahead of the chasing pack, their last 3 league fixtures have ended in draws. In fairness both away games were against Hamburger SV and Schalke 04, with the home draw versus Borussia Dortmund. All 3 sides finished above Leverkusen last season, which goes to show how much they have since improved.
Possibly their most impressive result thus far was the frantic 3-2 away win over Wolfsburg. The home team had to endure their goalkeeper Diego Benaglio being sent off after only half an hour, and then being taken apart by Leverkusen. They established a 3-0 lead despite also having Erin Derdiyok sent off. Some pride was salvaged by Wolfsburg netting 2 goals in the last 15 minutes, but Leverkusen were deserving victors.
A brace in that game by Simon Rolfes contributed to his tally so far of 4 goals in 9 games, already surpassing his total of last term. The German international midfielder has so far encapsulated the overall change around Leverkusen.
Defence has been the solid foundation, with only 8 goals conceded in the 11 games. Whereas goals are easier to come by, Stefan Kießling having provided 7 so far is in the most prolific form of his career. The big question is whether or not they will actually be able to keep themselves at the summit of the Bundesliga and stave off the challenges of the traditional big teams.
Bayern Münich should be faring better than they currently are, particularly with Louis van Gaal freshly appointed as manager. Last season's runners-up were not in the best of health before he arrived and the Dutchman should be given a couple of seasons to work his magic and make things to his liking. You only need to look at the eventual rewards of AZ Alkmaar last season to realise that van Gaal could make Bayern a European threat again.
Even so the hierarchy at Bayern may be just a little perturbed at how well things have turned out for Jupp Heynckes. The sixty-four year old journeyman coach was parachuted in as the club's caretaker manager after the sacking of Jürgen Klinsmann. He had previously retired in early 2007, leaving the top job at Borussia Mönchengladbach. On June 5th he was revealed at Bayer Leverkusen.
Clearly the experience at Bayern has whetted the appetite of the man who has coached Real Madrid and Benfica amongst others in his time. The scenario could lead to an ironic twist if he was to be responsible for Bayern failing to win the title back, and it would bring back painful memories of similar events last season.
Wolfsburg were helmed by a certain Felix Magath during their title triumph. The former Bayern manager was sacked in 2007 and left Münich to take up the reigns at the unheralded Wolfsburg. He had secured 2 Bundesliga titles whilst at Bayern but it must be assumed that the 2008-09 season is his greatest personal accolade to date. A real bolt from the blue and one that showed Bayern what they had spurned.
Nothing can be taken for granted at this stage though. Bayern are still clearly a threat and could come good as the season unfolds, they have held on to Franck Ribéry and if his mood improves he will be influential. Perhaps even more significant will be the return of Luca Toni from injury, he has continued to score freely in Germany and is a big miss for them.
The other main contender’s for now are Hamburger SV, who lay third by virtue of goal-difference. They are now managed by Bruno Labbadia, who as it happens left the same position he had held at Leverkusen in the summer- the fates have a habit of conspiring in the Bundesliga!
Finally a mention for the team in 4th place. Schalke 04 were big under-achievers last season, former FC Twente manager Fred Rutten lasted a scant 11 months before being sacked last March. They finally finished down in 8th place and the club meanwhile made an audacious and successful move for Felix Magath.
The speculation and confirmation that Magath would leave Wolfsburg before the end of their title-chasing campaign, did lead to some resentment and concern that the club may blow their chances. It turned out to be unfounded when they won their final 3 league games with a 13-1 aggregate score.
More to the point, Magath has started his new position at a canter and Schalke 04 are just 2 points off of Leverkusen. If the Bundesliga continues to carry on as it is, Bayern's board may yet face more sleepless nights over the managers they let get away...
Thursday, 29 October 2009
La Liga: Barcelona versus the new Galácticos
After the summer that Real Madrid had it is little wonder that they have been touted as the team to beat for this season's La Liga. Naturally they are always considered amongst the favourites for any competition, history and reputation dictates it, but even by their own standards the summer of 2009 was a bold and expensive one.
For approximately £215m Real Madrid purchased four high-profile players; Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso. The most lavish spending spree in football history has put Real Madrid on a pedestal once again.
Many have argued that whilst it's not unusual for big clubs to spend vast amounts of money, for Real to have splurged such figures in the space of one transfer window and during a global recession is verging on tasteless. That may be so, but it doesn't stop the majority of fans in awe of the team that they have built, and it doesn't necessarily guarantee success.
What is certain is that Real's new manager Manuel Pellegrini is in a pressure cooker situation. This isn't unusual when you consider how even winning La Liga hasn't saved the job for previous incumbents such as Vincente del Bosque and Fabio Capello. The only difference this time is that Pellegrini has even less time to lose to secure trophies (if that's possible).
This is inevitably where Barcelona come into play. The historical rivalry between the Catalan club and Real Madrid is all the more fierce when considering the political implications of old. Realistically it will be up to Josep Guardiola and co. in order to stop 'Los Blancos' from re-claiming La Liga from them.
As things currently stand not too much has changed from last season, 8 games into the new season and Barcelona are top of the pile with Real Madrid chasing them from second spot. The Champions League holders have negotiated the league without suffering a defeat and have dropped points just the once, after a 0-0 draw away at Valencia on October 17th.
Real meanwhile have flattered to deceive. They are only three points behind Barcelona due to their 2-1 away loss to Sevilla at the beginning of the month, but they haven't steamrollered opponents. They did start the season with 7 straight victories in the league and Europe, but since their reverse at Sevilla the club's form has taken a nose-dive.
They failed to get a result when AC Milan came to the Santiago Bernabéu in the Champions League recently. The 3-2 defeat was justified on the balance of play, and it may well have given Leonardo some breathing space as he gets to grips with management.
For Pellegrini though, things have contrived to get worse for him. That result was followed by a laboured 0-0 against Sporting Gijón, this put them at the top of La Liga but only for a mere 24 hours before Barcelona destroyed Real Zaragoza 6-1 last Sunday.
The new signings have been working for Real though. Ronaldo became the first player ever to score in his first 4 league games for the club, Kaká has shone in patches and Benzema has also scored 3 times in La Liga. It appears that Real's problems lie in the fact that they are still sometimes slack in defence, they may have bought the World's best rated players but their hero is ultimately Iker Casillas.
For Pellegrini's sake it must be hoped that Real reached the nadir of their season on Tuesday evening. They faced Agrupación Deportiva Alcorcón (to give them their full name!) in the 4th round of the Copa del Rey and were embarrassed 4-0. The tie may be over 2 legs with the return at the Bernabéu, but the damage has been done by the Segunda B side (third division).
Since the result, Pellegrini has been lambasted by the Spanish press. The sports daily 'Marca' stated that the Chilean coach should "Leave Now", whilst the paper 'AS' described the defeat as the "ridicule of the century". When it comes to football the Spanish press can be like the Sun at it's shallow best, only with at least some wit and humour included.
Barcelona may have been cruising through the league so far, but they are not without their problems either. Josep Guardiola may have delivered an emphatic riposte to his critics when he secured the league and Champions League double last season, but unbelievably there are still some doubters around.
Their last Champions League outing ended in their only defeat so far this season, a 2-1 loss at the Nou Camp to the Russian champions Rubin Kazan. In the grand scheme of things there is little to worry about for Barcelona. However they have a proud record at home and when the visitors took the lead with 17 minutes to go, the least that would have been expected was a grandstand finish and an equaliser.
As for the other threats to the big 2? Sevilla proved with their defeat of Real that they are a contender, at least as far as matching them on a given day. Their league form has seen them suffer 2 defeats and they lie in third, 3 points off of Real Madrid. Both came away from home to Valencia and Deportivo de La Coruña, who are 4th and 5th respectively.
Speaking of Valencia, they have been defeated just the once up to this point and it seems that any financial worries surrounding the club are not being detrimental to the team's performances. More significant is the fact that they have held on to David Villa who has been outstanding as usual, scoring 7 times in as many La Liga appearances. If they want to challenge though then they must hold off suitors for Villa all over again come January, Mr Ferguson you have been warned...
For approximately £215m Real Madrid purchased four high-profile players; Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso. The most lavish spending spree in football history has put Real Madrid on a pedestal once again.
Many have argued that whilst it's not unusual for big clubs to spend vast amounts of money, for Real to have splurged such figures in the space of one transfer window and during a global recession is verging on tasteless. That may be so, but it doesn't stop the majority of fans in awe of the team that they have built, and it doesn't necessarily guarantee success.
What is certain is that Real's new manager Manuel Pellegrini is in a pressure cooker situation. This isn't unusual when you consider how even winning La Liga hasn't saved the job for previous incumbents such as Vincente del Bosque and Fabio Capello. The only difference this time is that Pellegrini has even less time to lose to secure trophies (if that's possible).
This is inevitably where Barcelona come into play. The historical rivalry between the Catalan club and Real Madrid is all the more fierce when considering the political implications of old. Realistically it will be up to Josep Guardiola and co. in order to stop 'Los Blancos' from re-claiming La Liga from them.
As things currently stand not too much has changed from last season, 8 games into the new season and Barcelona are top of the pile with Real Madrid chasing them from second spot. The Champions League holders have negotiated the league without suffering a defeat and have dropped points just the once, after a 0-0 draw away at Valencia on October 17th.
Real meanwhile have flattered to deceive. They are only three points behind Barcelona due to their 2-1 away loss to Sevilla at the beginning of the month, but they haven't steamrollered opponents. They did start the season with 7 straight victories in the league and Europe, but since their reverse at Sevilla the club's form has taken a nose-dive.
They failed to get a result when AC Milan came to the Santiago Bernabéu in the Champions League recently. The 3-2 defeat was justified on the balance of play, and it may well have given Leonardo some breathing space as he gets to grips with management.
For Pellegrini though, things have contrived to get worse for him. That result was followed by a laboured 0-0 against Sporting Gijón, this put them at the top of La Liga but only for a mere 24 hours before Barcelona destroyed Real Zaragoza 6-1 last Sunday.
The new signings have been working for Real though. Ronaldo became the first player ever to score in his first 4 league games for the club, Kaká has shone in patches and Benzema has also scored 3 times in La Liga. It appears that Real's problems lie in the fact that they are still sometimes slack in defence, they may have bought the World's best rated players but their hero is ultimately Iker Casillas.
For Pellegrini's sake it must be hoped that Real reached the nadir of their season on Tuesday evening. They faced Agrupación Deportiva Alcorcón (to give them their full name!) in the 4th round of the Copa del Rey and were embarrassed 4-0. The tie may be over 2 legs with the return at the Bernabéu, but the damage has been done by the Segunda B side (third division).
Since the result, Pellegrini has been lambasted by the Spanish press. The sports daily 'Marca' stated that the Chilean coach should "Leave Now", whilst the paper 'AS' described the defeat as the "ridicule of the century". When it comes to football the Spanish press can be like the Sun at it's shallow best, only with at least some wit and humour included.
Barcelona may have been cruising through the league so far, but they are not without their problems either. Josep Guardiola may have delivered an emphatic riposte to his critics when he secured the league and Champions League double last season, but unbelievably there are still some doubters around.
Their last Champions League outing ended in their only defeat so far this season, a 2-1 loss at the Nou Camp to the Russian champions Rubin Kazan. In the grand scheme of things there is little to worry about for Barcelona. However they have a proud record at home and when the visitors took the lead with 17 minutes to go, the least that would have been expected was a grandstand finish and an equaliser.
As for the other threats to the big 2? Sevilla proved with their defeat of Real that they are a contender, at least as far as matching them on a given day. Their league form has seen them suffer 2 defeats and they lie in third, 3 points off of Real Madrid. Both came away from home to Valencia and Deportivo de La Coruña, who are 4th and 5th respectively.
Speaking of Valencia, they have been defeated just the once up to this point and it seems that any financial worries surrounding the club are not being detrimental to the team's performances. More significant is the fact that they have held on to David Villa who has been outstanding as usual, scoring 7 times in as many La Liga appearances. If they want to challenge though then they must hold off suitors for Villa all over again come January, Mr Ferguson you have been warned...
Friday, 23 October 2009
Premier League makes attack the key to success.
It has been argued for the last ten years that the Premier League is the best domestic league in Europe and therefore the World. There are strong arguments for it, although it could be said that it's mostly an English mantra. At the same time many foreign players have also endorsed the view, namely those that have played in it.
Meanwhile La Liga is usually the other domestic league to be named as a potential rival to this crown. Judgements are based upon the wealth of each league as well as other factors such as attendances and of course the stature of the players the clubs own. We know that as far as attendances, the Premier League wins hands down.
This season so far, La Liga and the Premier League have both been producing attractive football, at least in terms of goals and results. The overall goal average across the Premier League has shifted upwards, this may very well lower as the season progresses, but it is significant.
Since the Premier League's inaugural season in 1992-93, the eventual champions have often been the team with the highest goal average per game at the seasons end. The first two Premier League seasons did buck this trend, Manchester United won both titles whilst Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United topped the averages respectively.
What has been consistent is the fact that only one team per season usually averages two or more goals per game. The statistics show that the first time the Premier League had a team that broke this barrier, it was the 1996-97 season and the eventual champions Manchester United.
Only on one occasion has there been two teams to finish the season with a goal average of 2+ a game, back in 2001-02. The champions Arsenal and Manchester United took those honours, but interestingly Liverpool were actually the runners-up that year and were fifth in the goal averages column.
Clearly it takes more than just goals to win the title, although it's a massive step. The statistics prove that a strong defence is where a title challenge begins, and then you have to back it up with goals. This was achieved with a menacing aplomb by Manchester United in the early years of the Premier League.
However you need only look at the 1998-99 season to see the cost of not scoring enough when having a mean defence. Arsenal's defence of their title won the previous year should have been cemented when they incredibly conceded only 17 goals in their 38 matches. Unfortunately they only scored 59 to Manchester United's 80 and the title travelled back up North.
Looking at the present season, after the opening 9 fixtures there are 6 teams that are currently averaging more than 2 goals a game. With Arsenal going so far as to be averaging 3.38! Such rampant goal scoring surely can't continue all season long. Then again it has to be noted that whilst generally the top six are scoring more, their defences are also more porous.
It all points to the Premier League possibly moving towards an even more open style of play, where attack is being emphasised by the goals that are being conceded. We need only look at Liverpool and the current mire that they are in.
The Merseyside club has actually out-scored all other teams in the Premier League bar Arsenal. And yet they have conspired to win 5 and lose 4 of their opening 9 matches, partly down to the 13 goals they have shipped. Then again their goal difference is almost identical to Tottenham, who's start has been all the more rosy.
When studying the statistics it quickly becomes clear that there is a fine and difficult balance between a team's attack and defence. Very rarely will it be argued that a team who finishes as champions are not the most deserving of the accolade, but sometimes you can look back and wonder where things went so wrong.
This comes to mind if you consider the team that currently holds the highest ever goal-scoring average of the Premier League era. It came in José Mourinho's first season with Chelsea (2004-05), when he triumphantly secured the title at the first attempt.
That season Chelsea were only defensively breached on 15 occasions, a remarkable backbone that paved the way to their success. The runners-up Arsenal meanwhile scored 87 times at an average of 2.29 goals per game, their reward was to finish 12 points adrift!
It therefore goes to show that we cannot make too many predictions based upon the season thus far. It must simply be noted that the Premier League heavyweights are scoring more and conceding more that we have seen before. This has coincided with the financial rise of Manchester City and the continued positive developments at Tottenham and Aston Villa.
It could be argued that if we were to focus on La Liga, they can now lay claim to hosting the World's best 3 players at this time. It is fair to say that Lionel Messi, Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo are massive attractions and a coup for La Liga. Not only that, Barcelona are the current holders of the Champions League after dispatching Manchester United last May.
Ultimately a comparison between the Premier League and La Liga should come down to the quality of football that is played rather than money etc. Do higher scoring games prove quality, or should we crave an Italian defensive style. The Italian influence of Capello on England certainly hasn't meant clean sheets all the time.
The progress of Real Madrid's Galactico's mark II will be crucial, will they dazzle La Liga and Europe or will they wilt as they did against AC Milan the other evening? For now the likes of Deportivo La Coruña and Sevilla are aiming to show that La Liga won't just be a two-horse race, and competitiveness links to popularity.
So far so good for the neutrals then. There is a real chance that the traditional English top-four of recent times is facing a substantial challenge at long last. The question is if the Premier League was the best league in the World before, what is it now that it's getting more competitive, or will La Liga outmuscle it?
Meanwhile La Liga is usually the other domestic league to be named as a potential rival to this crown. Judgements are based upon the wealth of each league as well as other factors such as attendances and of course the stature of the players the clubs own. We know that as far as attendances, the Premier League wins hands down.
This season so far, La Liga and the Premier League have both been producing attractive football, at least in terms of goals and results. The overall goal average across the Premier League has shifted upwards, this may very well lower as the season progresses, but it is significant.
Since the Premier League's inaugural season in 1992-93, the eventual champions have often been the team with the highest goal average per game at the seasons end. The first two Premier League seasons did buck this trend, Manchester United won both titles whilst Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United topped the averages respectively.
What has been consistent is the fact that only one team per season usually averages two or more goals per game. The statistics show that the first time the Premier League had a team that broke this barrier, it was the 1996-97 season and the eventual champions Manchester United.
Only on one occasion has there been two teams to finish the season with a goal average of 2+ a game, back in 2001-02. The champions Arsenal and Manchester United took those honours, but interestingly Liverpool were actually the runners-up that year and were fifth in the goal averages column.
Clearly it takes more than just goals to win the title, although it's a massive step. The statistics prove that a strong defence is where a title challenge begins, and then you have to back it up with goals. This was achieved with a menacing aplomb by Manchester United in the early years of the Premier League.
However you need only look at the 1998-99 season to see the cost of not scoring enough when having a mean defence. Arsenal's defence of their title won the previous year should have been cemented when they incredibly conceded only 17 goals in their 38 matches. Unfortunately they only scored 59 to Manchester United's 80 and the title travelled back up North.
Looking at the present season, after the opening 9 fixtures there are 6 teams that are currently averaging more than 2 goals a game. With Arsenal going so far as to be averaging 3.38! Such rampant goal scoring surely can't continue all season long. Then again it has to be noted that whilst generally the top six are scoring more, their defences are also more porous.
It all points to the Premier League possibly moving towards an even more open style of play, where attack is being emphasised by the goals that are being conceded. We need only look at Liverpool and the current mire that they are in.
The Merseyside club has actually out-scored all other teams in the Premier League bar Arsenal. And yet they have conspired to win 5 and lose 4 of their opening 9 matches, partly down to the 13 goals they have shipped. Then again their goal difference is almost identical to Tottenham, who's start has been all the more rosy.
When studying the statistics it quickly becomes clear that there is a fine and difficult balance between a team's attack and defence. Very rarely will it be argued that a team who finishes as champions are not the most deserving of the accolade, but sometimes you can look back and wonder where things went so wrong.
This comes to mind if you consider the team that currently holds the highest ever goal-scoring average of the Premier League era. It came in José Mourinho's first season with Chelsea (2004-05), when he triumphantly secured the title at the first attempt.
That season Chelsea were only defensively breached on 15 occasions, a remarkable backbone that paved the way to their success. The runners-up Arsenal meanwhile scored 87 times at an average of 2.29 goals per game, their reward was to finish 12 points adrift!
It therefore goes to show that we cannot make too many predictions based upon the season thus far. It must simply be noted that the Premier League heavyweights are scoring more and conceding more that we have seen before. This has coincided with the financial rise of Manchester City and the continued positive developments at Tottenham and Aston Villa.
It could be argued that if we were to focus on La Liga, they can now lay claim to hosting the World's best 3 players at this time. It is fair to say that Lionel Messi, Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo are massive attractions and a coup for La Liga. Not only that, Barcelona are the current holders of the Champions League after dispatching Manchester United last May.
Ultimately a comparison between the Premier League and La Liga should come down to the quality of football that is played rather than money etc. Do higher scoring games prove quality, or should we crave an Italian defensive style. The Italian influence of Capello on England certainly hasn't meant clean sheets all the time.
The progress of Real Madrid's Galactico's mark II will be crucial, will they dazzle La Liga and Europe or will they wilt as they did against AC Milan the other evening? For now the likes of Deportivo La Coruña and Sevilla are aiming to show that La Liga won't just be a two-horse race, and competitiveness links to popularity.
So far so good for the neutrals then. There is a real chance that the traditional English top-four of recent times is facing a substantial challenge at long last. The question is if the Premier League was the best league in the World before, what is it now that it's getting more competitive, or will La Liga outmuscle it?
Friday, 16 October 2009
El Diego and the World Cup: A ratings winner!
Crunch time came and went on Wednesday night for several nations hoping to qualify for next summer's World Cup. A lot of the group winners for the European qualifying section had been decided before it's final matches. Instead most fans imagination came to rest on the fate of Argentina, who were dicing with missing their first tournament since 1970.
Of course the South American power- house is perennially mentioned as a possible favourite for each and every World Cup. They are a nation who's past achievements seem to fore go any need to worry about form and players, as with Brazil and Germany (amongst others) there is a fear and an aura when it comes to facing them.
Even so, the past year has not been a harmonious journey for Argentina and their manager, the mercurial Diego Maradona. From the outset of his tenure there have been occasional moments of amusement and bemusement, in varying guises.
His first match in charge was against Scotland on its own territory. A repeat, as fate would have it, of the same venue (Hampden Park) and opposition where he scored his first international goal in 1979.
The most entertaining part of the whole spectacle was not Argentina's goal in the 1-0 win, but rather Maradona's pre-match press conference. He had caused the assembled journalists to chuckle and laugh when he asked them who Terry Butcher was in an exceptionally deadpanned manner, before cracking into a fiendishly playful grin.
Scotland's assistant manager had previously stirred up the 'hand of God' incident when recalling his own experience as part of that England team, admitting that he couldn't forgive the Argentine's actions.
Nevertheless, this exchange via the press goes some way to encapsulating Maradona. On the one hand he has always been close to stirring up controversy and willing to cross a line, but then on the other his charisma and passion could consume and drive all those around him.
Being an unpredictable genius of a loose cannon is something that draws you to Maradona time and time again. His autobiography 'El Diego', is a compelling read and throughout it there are candid retelling of his verbal jousts with players, managers and chairmen.
A recurring theme is his strong will and how he won't hold back from a perceived injustice. He doesn't skirt the controversies either, as he admits to the heavy use of cocaine in Italy and explains the 'hand of God'. And yet despite his misdemeanours, there is always a charm and something strangely admirable about how he conducted himself and handled his career.
His talent and skill on the football field can never be denied, but his occasional madness off of it combines to make him probably the most colourful player to have ever graced the game. Connoisseurs often lean towards Pelé as being the greatest ever player, but for me it really has to be Diego Maradona.
Their statistics and achievements have been mulled over endlessly, and FIFA memorably changed the goalposts in their poll to find the 'Player of the Century'. The Argentine collected 53% of votes, which prompted FIFA to appoint a panel who subsequently chose Pelé, finally they chose on awarding both players the accolade.
Where Maradona differs from Pelé is in terms of his infectious character and it's influence upon others. History shows how he stomped his authority all over the 1986 Mexico World Cup. The English perspective is understandably always tarnished, but Maradona not only contributed 5 assists and 5 goals, he also inspired the rest of his national team to raise the bar.
This feat was repeated in his incredible period with Napoli, during which time the club won it's only 2 Serie A titles in history along with the Uefa Cup. He is still third in the club's all-time list of league goal scorers.
The 1990 World Cup in Italy paid testament to Maradona's determination to always get one up on his adversaries. A relatively average Argentinean side still grounded their way to another final, with Maradona still a fulcrum of it.
Whatever you may conclude to think of El Diego, be it a 'coke-fuelled cheat' or one of the other negative remarks thrown his way over the years, I cannot consider ending my awe of him. I prefer to embrace all the characteristics that contributed to making him the mesmerising player that he was and the fascinating personality that he is.
So now, bar those in various play-offs for the remaining World Cup places, there is time to wait and look ahead to what may come in South Africa. Whilst clearly I'll be gnawing away my fingernails over England, I will be keeping a close eye on all proceedings and especially Argentina's.
Although I doubt that Maradona will match Franz Beckenbauer in winning the competition as a player and coach, less obvious things have happened. Either way I'm sure the ride will be an incredibly entertaining one and all the better for El Diego's revolutionary antagonism.
In fact he has already started. A range of derogatory insults to assembled journalists after Argentina’s qualify-clinching win over Uruguay, has landed him in trouble with FIFA. He may face a 5 match touchline ban for his tirade, which makes you wonder what he'd come up with if he did get his hands back on the World Cup next summer..?!
Of course the South American power- house is perennially mentioned as a possible favourite for each and every World Cup. They are a nation who's past achievements seem to fore go any need to worry about form and players, as with Brazil and Germany (amongst others) there is a fear and an aura when it comes to facing them.
Even so, the past year has not been a harmonious journey for Argentina and their manager, the mercurial Diego Maradona. From the outset of his tenure there have been occasional moments of amusement and bemusement, in varying guises.
His first match in charge was against Scotland on its own territory. A repeat, as fate would have it, of the same venue (Hampden Park) and opposition where he scored his first international goal in 1979.
The most entertaining part of the whole spectacle was not Argentina's goal in the 1-0 win, but rather Maradona's pre-match press conference. He had caused the assembled journalists to chuckle and laugh when he asked them who Terry Butcher was in an exceptionally deadpanned manner, before cracking into a fiendishly playful grin.
Scotland's assistant manager had previously stirred up the 'hand of God' incident when recalling his own experience as part of that England team, admitting that he couldn't forgive the Argentine's actions.
Nevertheless, this exchange via the press goes some way to encapsulating Maradona. On the one hand he has always been close to stirring up controversy and willing to cross a line, but then on the other his charisma and passion could consume and drive all those around him.
Being an unpredictable genius of a loose cannon is something that draws you to Maradona time and time again. His autobiography 'El Diego', is a compelling read and throughout it there are candid retelling of his verbal jousts with players, managers and chairmen.
A recurring theme is his strong will and how he won't hold back from a perceived injustice. He doesn't skirt the controversies either, as he admits to the heavy use of cocaine in Italy and explains the 'hand of God'. And yet despite his misdemeanours, there is always a charm and something strangely admirable about how he conducted himself and handled his career.
His talent and skill on the football field can never be denied, but his occasional madness off of it combines to make him probably the most colourful player to have ever graced the game. Connoisseurs often lean towards Pelé as being the greatest ever player, but for me it really has to be Diego Maradona.
Their statistics and achievements have been mulled over endlessly, and FIFA memorably changed the goalposts in their poll to find the 'Player of the Century'. The Argentine collected 53% of votes, which prompted FIFA to appoint a panel who subsequently chose Pelé, finally they chose on awarding both players the accolade.
Where Maradona differs from Pelé is in terms of his infectious character and it's influence upon others. History shows how he stomped his authority all over the 1986 Mexico World Cup. The English perspective is understandably always tarnished, but Maradona not only contributed 5 assists and 5 goals, he also inspired the rest of his national team to raise the bar.
This feat was repeated in his incredible period with Napoli, during which time the club won it's only 2 Serie A titles in history along with the Uefa Cup. He is still third in the club's all-time list of league goal scorers.
The 1990 World Cup in Italy paid testament to Maradona's determination to always get one up on his adversaries. A relatively average Argentinean side still grounded their way to another final, with Maradona still a fulcrum of it.
Whatever you may conclude to think of El Diego, be it a 'coke-fuelled cheat' or one of the other negative remarks thrown his way over the years, I cannot consider ending my awe of him. I prefer to embrace all the characteristics that contributed to making him the mesmerising player that he was and the fascinating personality that he is.
So now, bar those in various play-offs for the remaining World Cup places, there is time to wait and look ahead to what may come in South Africa. Whilst clearly I'll be gnawing away my fingernails over England, I will be keeping a close eye on all proceedings and especially Argentina's.
Although I doubt that Maradona will match Franz Beckenbauer in winning the competition as a player and coach, less obvious things have happened. Either way I'm sure the ride will be an incredibly entertaining one and all the better for El Diego's revolutionary antagonism.
In fact he has already started. A range of derogatory insults to assembled journalists after Argentina’s qualify-clinching win over Uruguay, has landed him in trouble with FIFA. He may face a 5 match touchline ban for his tirade, which makes you wonder what he'd come up with if he did get his hands back on the World Cup next summer..?!
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Eredivisie: McClaren on top of the Netherlands
Nine games in and things continue to look good for FC Twente, who finally claimed the top of the table all for themselves this last weekend. McClaren's team continued their unbeaten domestic season with another win, this time 3-1 away at mid-table Heracles. Meanwhile nearest rivals PSV fell 2 points behind the Eredivisie table-toppers, after being held 0-0 at Utrecht.
Things didn't initially start too well for FC Twente on Sunday. In the ninth minute the visitors conceded an unnecessary, if slightly dubious looking freekick. Everton curled in the set-piece with his right foot and it managed to allude everyone and bounced in past the goalkeeper.
A single goal was never likely to be enough for Heracles though, as McClaren has assembled a formidable attacking line-up. The equaliser came through the Costa Rican summer signing from Gent- Bryan Ruiz González. In the 31st minute he latched onto a deflected Jannsen cross and buried it with his left foot, for his fifth goal in nine Eredivisie games.
In the second half the visitors slowly cranked up the pressure and eventually delivered 2 killer blows within 2 minutes of each other. Firstly the prolific veteran Blaise NKufo cut into the area from the right by-line and hit a low finish past the keeper.
This was the 34 year olds 5th league goal of the campaign, and it appears that those critics who had written him off prior to this season were foolish to do so. The Swiss international has top-scored in each of his 6 seasons with the club and currently has 106 in 198 appearances!
The best was inevitably saved for last, with virtually their next attack FC Twente struck again. This time the impressive Theo Jannsen, who was signed by McClaren last season, connected with a defensive header and sent a stunning 20 yard volley into the top left corner.
Barring the stoppage-time elimination to Sporting Lisbon from the Champions League, McClaren's team have so far had a perfect start to the new campaign. They are already going strong in the Europa League, where they secured an away win in the harsh arena of Fenerbache. All in all then, FC Twente are looking like a team determined to go one better than last season's runners-up spot.
So to PSV Eindhoven, who have been on an upward trend this term under the stewardship of McClaren's predecessor, Fred Rutten. On Sunday however they were lagging a little and were lucky not to be defeated by the team in fifth place.
On several occasions in the first half Utrecht had PSV scrambling for posession as they linked up play and threatened PSV's goal. From set pieces and the wings they were especially dangerous, but they were thwarted each time by Andreas Isaksson (formerly of Manchester City).
The gloriously named Ricky van Wolfswinkel was unlucky more than once. In the first half the ball broke to him in PSV's box only for Isaksson to charge down his low drive. Soon after his snapshot finally beat the Swede but smacked off the post and flew across the goal face.
PSV were guilty of giving away the ball far too many times and would have been glad to enter half-time at stalemate. Still, Rutten's team came very close to stealing a victory when they too hit the post in the 65th minute. A great 20 yard strike by Otman Bakkal leaving the keeper stranded.
With time running out Utrecht created more openings that were spurned, before Balazs Dzsudzsak was sent off for PSV. The Hungarian received a tad harsh second yellow card and was ushered from the field after placing his hands on the referee.
At this rate Utrecht look like a decent team who may well push on and attain a Europa League space this season. Whereas PSV will hope that this was just a blip. They will have to assert themselves better if they want to challenge for the Eredivisie.
Elsewhere, Ajax were held to a 2-2 draw away at Roda JC's. The hosts though down in 14th place were ultimately an equal match to Martin Jol's side, but they faced lots of early pressure. Ajax had 3 good opportunities to open the scoring and hit the post via Miralem Sulejmani in only the fifth minute.
The breakthorugh came in the 22nd minute when Ajax were awarded a penalty for Davy de Fauw's handling of a cross. This was emphatically converted by Luis Suárez for an incredible 11th goal in 9 league games, but the setback spurred Roda JC to get into the game and compete.
A mere minute later and the home side were on equal terms, much to Jol's chagrin. Anouar Hadouir put in some determined work near the corner flag when closely marked by 2 Ajax defenders. He then threaded a pass between them for Arnaud Sutchuin, who worked his way into the area and saw his low drive deflected over the keeper for 1-1.
Ajax started the second half as they had the first, going close with a couple of efforts, but they were soon to find themselves 2-1 behind. Willem Jannsen cut back the ball from the left wing and found Boldizsár Bodor, whose first touch placed the ball low into the Ajax goal from inside the edge of the area.
Whilst Roda searched for ways to extend their lead there was alawys the danger of Ajax breaking on the counter-attack. Such an attack led to Roda conceding a free-kick on the edge of their area in the 66th minute, the insatiable Suárez curled a sweet shot into the top left corner for the equaliser. There were no further goals but time remained for Ajax's Urby Emanuelson to be sent off when he should really have had a yellow card instead.
As for the rest of the league, Feyenoord maintained their decent start to the season with another win that puts them in fourth place behind Ajax on goal difference. This time around they defeated RKC Waalwijk 3-0. Not a very surprising result against the Eredivisie's minnows, but they had managed to destroy Roda JC 4-1 the previous weekend.
Unfortunately for RKC Waalwijk that result is a mirage compared to every other game so far, all of which they have lost. The goals came in the 28th, 73rd and stoppage time minutes, thanks to Andwele Slory, a Tony Varela OG and Georgino Wijnaldum. For now, Mario Been's team must also be considered as viable title-challengers. Whilst RKC Waalwijk will hope that they can perform like they did against Roda more than once this season, however unlikely it seems.
Finally, reigning champions AZ Alkmaar also won, this time a 1-0 home victory versus NAC Breda through Jeremain Lens' third goal of the campaign. Try as they might Ronald Koeman's team cannot string together any consistency, thus far they have won 5league games and lost 4.
This season is already looking like one of transition for AZ and they could find themselves having to settle for fifth place come the end. Meaning realistically the Eredivisie is lining up to be a 4 team race....I wonder where I've seen that before?
The rest:
Vitesse 2-0 Sparta Rotterdam
ADO den Haag 1-1 Groningen
Willem II 1-1 NEC
Heerenveen 1-1 VVV Venlo
Things didn't initially start too well for FC Twente on Sunday. In the ninth minute the visitors conceded an unnecessary, if slightly dubious looking freekick. Everton curled in the set-piece with his right foot and it managed to allude everyone and bounced in past the goalkeeper.
A single goal was never likely to be enough for Heracles though, as McClaren has assembled a formidable attacking line-up. The equaliser came through the Costa Rican summer signing from Gent- Bryan Ruiz González. In the 31st minute he latched onto a deflected Jannsen cross and buried it with his left foot, for his fifth goal in nine Eredivisie games.
In the second half the visitors slowly cranked up the pressure and eventually delivered 2 killer blows within 2 minutes of each other. Firstly the prolific veteran Blaise NKufo cut into the area from the right by-line and hit a low finish past the keeper.
This was the 34 year olds 5th league goal of the campaign, and it appears that those critics who had written him off prior to this season were foolish to do so. The Swiss international has top-scored in each of his 6 seasons with the club and currently has 106 in 198 appearances!
The best was inevitably saved for last, with virtually their next attack FC Twente struck again. This time the impressive Theo Jannsen, who was signed by McClaren last season, connected with a defensive header and sent a stunning 20 yard volley into the top left corner.
Barring the stoppage-time elimination to Sporting Lisbon from the Champions League, McClaren's team have so far had a perfect start to the new campaign. They are already going strong in the Europa League, where they secured an away win in the harsh arena of Fenerbache. All in all then, FC Twente are looking like a team determined to go one better than last season's runners-up spot.
So to PSV Eindhoven, who have been on an upward trend this term under the stewardship of McClaren's predecessor, Fred Rutten. On Sunday however they were lagging a little and were lucky not to be defeated by the team in fifth place.
On several occasions in the first half Utrecht had PSV scrambling for posession as they linked up play and threatened PSV's goal. From set pieces and the wings they were especially dangerous, but they were thwarted each time by Andreas Isaksson (formerly of Manchester City).
The gloriously named Ricky van Wolfswinkel was unlucky more than once. In the first half the ball broke to him in PSV's box only for Isaksson to charge down his low drive. Soon after his snapshot finally beat the Swede but smacked off the post and flew across the goal face.
PSV were guilty of giving away the ball far too many times and would have been glad to enter half-time at stalemate. Still, Rutten's team came very close to stealing a victory when they too hit the post in the 65th minute. A great 20 yard strike by Otman Bakkal leaving the keeper stranded.
With time running out Utrecht created more openings that were spurned, before Balazs Dzsudzsak was sent off for PSV. The Hungarian received a tad harsh second yellow card and was ushered from the field after placing his hands on the referee.
At this rate Utrecht look like a decent team who may well push on and attain a Europa League space this season. Whereas PSV will hope that this was just a blip. They will have to assert themselves better if they want to challenge for the Eredivisie.
Elsewhere, Ajax were held to a 2-2 draw away at Roda JC's. The hosts though down in 14th place were ultimately an equal match to Martin Jol's side, but they faced lots of early pressure. Ajax had 3 good opportunities to open the scoring and hit the post via Miralem Sulejmani in only the fifth minute.
The breakthorugh came in the 22nd minute when Ajax were awarded a penalty for Davy de Fauw's handling of a cross. This was emphatically converted by Luis Suárez for an incredible 11th goal in 9 league games, but the setback spurred Roda JC to get into the game and compete.
A mere minute later and the home side were on equal terms, much to Jol's chagrin. Anouar Hadouir put in some determined work near the corner flag when closely marked by 2 Ajax defenders. He then threaded a pass between them for Arnaud Sutchuin, who worked his way into the area and saw his low drive deflected over the keeper for 1-1.
Ajax started the second half as they had the first, going close with a couple of efforts, but they were soon to find themselves 2-1 behind. Willem Jannsen cut back the ball from the left wing and found Boldizsár Bodor, whose first touch placed the ball low into the Ajax goal from inside the edge of the area.
Whilst Roda searched for ways to extend their lead there was alawys the danger of Ajax breaking on the counter-attack. Such an attack led to Roda conceding a free-kick on the edge of their area in the 66th minute, the insatiable Suárez curled a sweet shot into the top left corner for the equaliser. There were no further goals but time remained for Ajax's Urby Emanuelson to be sent off when he should really have had a yellow card instead.
As for the rest of the league, Feyenoord maintained their decent start to the season with another win that puts them in fourth place behind Ajax on goal difference. This time around they defeated RKC Waalwijk 3-0. Not a very surprising result against the Eredivisie's minnows, but they had managed to destroy Roda JC 4-1 the previous weekend.
Unfortunately for RKC Waalwijk that result is a mirage compared to every other game so far, all of which they have lost. The goals came in the 28th, 73rd and stoppage time minutes, thanks to Andwele Slory, a Tony Varela OG and Georgino Wijnaldum. For now, Mario Been's team must also be considered as viable title-challengers. Whilst RKC Waalwijk will hope that they can perform like they did against Roda more than once this season, however unlikely it seems.
Finally, reigning champions AZ Alkmaar also won, this time a 1-0 home victory versus NAC Breda through Jeremain Lens' third goal of the campaign. Try as they might Ronald Koeman's team cannot string together any consistency, thus far they have won 5league games and lost 4.
This season is already looking like one of transition for AZ and they could find themselves having to settle for fifth place come the end. Meaning realistically the Eredivisie is lining up to be a 4 team race....I wonder where I've seen that before?
The rest:
Vitesse 2-0 Sparta Rotterdam
ADO den Haag 1-1 Groningen
Willem II 1-1 NEC
Heerenveen 1-1 VVV Venlo
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Champions League minnows bigger than you think.
Just two games into this season's Champions League group stage, and it is becoming apparent that the dynamics of European club football is reflecting more that of international football. It has been a common soundbite in recent years that there are no easy international matches anymore, and likewise judging by some of the results, the same could now be said for the highest level of club football.
If you only take a fleeting look at the scorelines of this weeks round of Champions League matches, you could be forgiven for thinking that there were some mistakes in the reporting. The stand-out results involved both of Milan's clubs. Firstly Jose Mourinho's Inter only managed a 1-1 draw in Russia against Rubin Kazan, and then on Wednesday AC Milan fell to a 1-0 home defeat to Swiss champions FC Zürich.
Whilst it is true that Rubin Kazan are the current holders of the Russian Premier League, this season is their debut in the Champions League. Their own domestic campaign is also yet to get underway. Yet despite any supposed lack of match fitness, the hosts were ambitious and determined against Mourinho's team, taking the lead after only 11 minutes through the Argentine Alejandro Domínguez.
Inter then rode their luck and narrowly avoided going further behind, before the Serie A champions realised that the 'Special One' might be a little bit livid and hit back. After Samuel Eto'o was spectacularly denied, Inter eventually equalised through Stanković and his header at the far post from Maicon's deep cross.
The second half saw Inter go down to ten men when Balotelli rather harshly received a second yellow card in the sixtieth minute. From then on in the visitors were on a damage limitation exercise that almost came unstuck when Semak hit the post with 10 minutes remaining.
At the San Siro on Wednesday, things ended up far worse for Leonardo and AC Milan. After just 10 minutes the hosts were behind, courtesy of Hannu Tihinen who deftly back-heeled Milan Gajić's corner into the goal.
This spurred AC into a period that saw them close to an equaliser on several occasions, with Clarence Seedorf heavily involved. Try as they might though, no breakthrough could be found, and FC Zürich continued to threaten on the counter.
The second half introduced Ronaldhinho, fresh from denying claims of an impending retirement, and AC began to turn the screw. The veteran Filippo Inzaghi was especially unlucky as he was denied by two excellent saves from Zürich's goalkeeper Leoni.
As the match wore on, the home side launched more and more attacks for a desperate equaliser but to no avail. They instead very nearly ended up 2-0 down when Margairaz failed to convert a one to one against AC's goalkeeper Storari. In the frantic last moments Gianluca Zambrotta hit the post, but rather than wilting FC Zürich hung on for a famous victory.
Elsewhere, the 2nd round of Champions League group games produced more evidence of a leveling of the playing field. Germany's VfB Stuttgart travelled to Romania to face the domestic champions Unirea Urziceni, and had the perfect start. After a mere five minutes Serdar Tasci took advantage of an opportunity, racing past the defender to place the ball past the goalkeeper.
The home team reacted positively though and displayed enough craft to suggest something better to come. In the opening period of the second half they achieved parity, the ball ping-ponged around the six yard box and found Varga on the right. He took it inside and curled a sweet shot inside the post with his left foot.
The first goal in Champions League football for Unirea Urziceni resulted in joyous celebration from their manager, a certain Dan Petrescu. The former Chelsea stalwart is a hero in the area after leading them to their first ever domestic league title last season. After securing their first ever Champions League point he will be all the more revered.
Other results that may have been expected to be more one-sided, included Chelsea's visit to Apoel Nicosia in Cyprus. Although Ancelotti's new charges came away with a 1-0 away win, the result could have gone pear-shaped for them.
They led through Nicolas Anelka's quality first touch strike in the 18th minute, but as the contest progressed the Cypriat team almost crafted an equaliser. Savvas Poursaetides came the closest when Cech saved his deflected goal-bound effort with his legs.
Overall the general consensus on the result was that Chelsea had become too complacent and that they nearly came unstuck. Either way, the result is the most important thing after all, and Carlo Ancelotti is still on course for his primary objective.
Finally, there was a similar struggle at home for Laurent Blanc and his Ligue 1 champions Bordeaux, who came through 1-0 against Maccabi Haifa FC from Isreal. Victory was only secured with 7 minutes left on the clock, Michaël Ciani the hero with a header.
The match had been a finely poised affair and there were plenty of goal attempts for two sides that like to play attractive attacking football. Even David Bellion was getting in on the act, although the former Manchester United striker should have at least hit the target with one of two great openings.
The rest of the fixtures from around the Champions League yielded more predictable outcomes (see below). The attacking powers that be with Real Madrid and Barcelona confirmed comfortable victories, whereas Arsenal and Manchester Utd came through tests of patience to also win.
Group A had Bayern Munich and Juventus play out an entertaining 0-0 in Munich, whilst Liverpool came back from Florence with Rafa's ranting in their ears, following a tame 2-0 loss to Fiorentina.
So far so good then for Michel Platini. As it was his vision to slightly alter the automatic qualifying for the Champions League based upon coefficients. This effort does appear to have made the competition more representative of the continent as a whole, rather than it being dominated by the financially lucrative leagues of Western Europe.
Of course it will still be a surprise if the latter stages of the competition were not to be predominantly tied to clubs from the Premiership and La Liga. Judging by some of the results so far however, we may be on the cusp of a new wave, where more scorelines upset the established order..
If you only take a fleeting look at the scorelines of this weeks round of Champions League matches, you could be forgiven for thinking that there were some mistakes in the reporting. The stand-out results involved both of Milan's clubs. Firstly Jose Mourinho's Inter only managed a 1-1 draw in Russia against Rubin Kazan, and then on Wednesday AC Milan fell to a 1-0 home defeat to Swiss champions FC Zürich.
Whilst it is true that Rubin Kazan are the current holders of the Russian Premier League, this season is their debut in the Champions League. Their own domestic campaign is also yet to get underway. Yet despite any supposed lack of match fitness, the hosts were ambitious and determined against Mourinho's team, taking the lead after only 11 minutes through the Argentine Alejandro Domínguez.
Inter then rode their luck and narrowly avoided going further behind, before the Serie A champions realised that the 'Special One' might be a little bit livid and hit back. After Samuel Eto'o was spectacularly denied, Inter eventually equalised through Stanković and his header at the far post from Maicon's deep cross.
The second half saw Inter go down to ten men when Balotelli rather harshly received a second yellow card in the sixtieth minute. From then on in the visitors were on a damage limitation exercise that almost came unstuck when Semak hit the post with 10 minutes remaining.
At the San Siro on Wednesday, things ended up far worse for Leonardo and AC Milan. After just 10 minutes the hosts were behind, courtesy of Hannu Tihinen who deftly back-heeled Milan Gajić's corner into the goal.
This spurred AC into a period that saw them close to an equaliser on several occasions, with Clarence Seedorf heavily involved. Try as they might though, no breakthrough could be found, and FC Zürich continued to threaten on the counter.
The second half introduced Ronaldhinho, fresh from denying claims of an impending retirement, and AC began to turn the screw. The veteran Filippo Inzaghi was especially unlucky as he was denied by two excellent saves from Zürich's goalkeeper Leoni.
As the match wore on, the home side launched more and more attacks for a desperate equaliser but to no avail. They instead very nearly ended up 2-0 down when Margairaz failed to convert a one to one against AC's goalkeeper Storari. In the frantic last moments Gianluca Zambrotta hit the post, but rather than wilting FC Zürich hung on for a famous victory.
Elsewhere, the 2nd round of Champions League group games produced more evidence of a leveling of the playing field. Germany's VfB Stuttgart travelled to Romania to face the domestic champions Unirea Urziceni, and had the perfect start. After a mere five minutes Serdar Tasci took advantage of an opportunity, racing past the defender to place the ball past the goalkeeper.
The home team reacted positively though and displayed enough craft to suggest something better to come. In the opening period of the second half they achieved parity, the ball ping-ponged around the six yard box and found Varga on the right. He took it inside and curled a sweet shot inside the post with his left foot.
The first goal in Champions League football for Unirea Urziceni resulted in joyous celebration from their manager, a certain Dan Petrescu. The former Chelsea stalwart is a hero in the area after leading them to their first ever domestic league title last season. After securing their first ever Champions League point he will be all the more revered.
Other results that may have been expected to be more one-sided, included Chelsea's visit to Apoel Nicosia in Cyprus. Although Ancelotti's new charges came away with a 1-0 away win, the result could have gone pear-shaped for them.
They led through Nicolas Anelka's quality first touch strike in the 18th minute, but as the contest progressed the Cypriat team almost crafted an equaliser. Savvas Poursaetides came the closest when Cech saved his deflected goal-bound effort with his legs.
Overall the general consensus on the result was that Chelsea had become too complacent and that they nearly came unstuck. Either way, the result is the most important thing after all, and Carlo Ancelotti is still on course for his primary objective.
Finally, there was a similar struggle at home for Laurent Blanc and his Ligue 1 champions Bordeaux, who came through 1-0 against Maccabi Haifa FC from Isreal. Victory was only secured with 7 minutes left on the clock, Michaël Ciani the hero with a header.
The match had been a finely poised affair and there were plenty of goal attempts for two sides that like to play attractive attacking football. Even David Bellion was getting in on the act, although the former Manchester United striker should have at least hit the target with one of two great openings.
The rest of the fixtures from around the Champions League yielded more predictable outcomes (see below). The attacking powers that be with Real Madrid and Barcelona confirmed comfortable victories, whereas Arsenal and Manchester Utd came through tests of patience to also win.
Group A had Bayern Munich and Juventus play out an entertaining 0-0 in Munich, whilst Liverpool came back from Florence with Rafa's ranting in their ears, following a tame 2-0 loss to Fiorentina.
So far so good then for Michel Platini. As it was his vision to slightly alter the automatic qualifying for the Champions League based upon coefficients. This effort does appear to have made the competition more representative of the continent as a whole, rather than it being dominated by the financially lucrative leagues of Western Europe.
Of course it will still be a surprise if the latter stages of the competition were not to be predominantly tied to clubs from the Premiership and La Liga. Judging by some of the results so far however, we may be on the cusp of a new wave, where more scorelines upset the established order..
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