It’s going to be a bit of bare bones over the next few weeks, as most of Europe is idle, Mexico is on their summer break, Argentina is winding down and Australia has yet to kick in their new campaign.  Still, there is the Russian Premier League, the Campeonato Brasileiro, Major League Soccer, the Women’s World Cup, Copa America and the Gold Cup to keep us occupied until full football service is restored in late August.  So, if you’re really jonesing for some footy, WFC will point you in the right direction.

England v Switzerland (Saturday) – According to Fabio Capello and John Terry, the awkward transition from Rio Ferdinand’s tenure as captain of the Three Lions has been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.  The Italian describes his relationship with Rio as “perfect” and Terry has said that the center back pairing had been in contact and cleared the air from the get-go, just as was the case when the captaincy was taken from the Chelsea defender, prior to the World Cup.  Ferdinand hasn’t confirmed the claims of his colleague and manager but his professional approach to England duty has long been exemplary.

With a dearth of options in attack, the Three Lions will need the back line to function at optimum levels in order to stay in front of second-placed Montenegro in Group G of Euro 2012 qualifying.  In attack, Wayne Rooney is suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards and Jermaine Defoe has pulled out.  That leaves Darren Bent to partner with either Bobby Zamora, who, as the season progressed, gradually approached the level of play he enjoyed under Roy Hodgson, or Peter Crouch, who, as the season progressed, began to approach the level of play I enjoy on weekends at the local park.

Luckily for Terry and Ferdinand, the Swiss have even less experience in stock on their forward shelf than England.  Veterans Alex Frei and Marco Streller have retired, leaving coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, the man who ironically criticised Jose Mourinho’s negative tactics at Real Madrid earlier in the spring, with a handful of fresh-faced young forwards to baptise in the fire of Wembley.

With the resources at hand, Hitzfeld would dearly love to play for a typical Swiss scoreless draw but his side are already six points behind their hosts and Montenegro, forcing them to open up if they are to make up ground with only four matches remaining.  Capello, meanwhile has a full complement of wingers to choose from, with some pairing from Ashley Young, Stewart Downing, Theo Walcott, James Milner and Adam Johnson surely looking to combine with the forwards, as well as Glen Johnson and Ashley Cole, to exploit the inexperienced but desperate Swiss attack.

Switzerland’s best hope might be a season-ending hangover from the English squad.

Brazil v Netherlands (Saturday) — You read the heading correctly.  This is a home game for Brazil; a true one, which will take place in Goiás, rather than Dubai, Qatar or Arsenal’s Emirate’s stadium, their home away from home in Europe.  Eschewing financial gain in favour of stoking home support ahead of the Copa America, the Selecao also have the added incentive of gaining a measure of revenge against the country which ended their South African World Cup dream, no matter how strongly keeper Julio Cesar may deny it.

“It’s not a rematch. The World Cup is a unique competition. I felt a lot that defeat – we all did [but] this is a valuable match for us. It’s good for the new coach to watch the team. We have the Copa America ahead and as we won’t have the qualifiers this time for the next World Cup, it’s more difficult for [him] to build the team.”

One area to which Mano Manezes may pay particular attention is the forward line.  Youthful sensation Neymar is expected to be rested, as he has exhausted himself leading Santos to the Copa Libertadores Final.  In his place, expect Robinho to be paired with another young gun, Internacional’s Leandro Damaio.

L’Oranje will not be so interested in the outcome of the match and, with Wesley Sneijder already ruled out, Bert van Marwijk may look to bleed some youngsters so far from home, giving tired, jet lagged veterans a rest.  Robin van Persie, however, is eager to do his bit, as he hopes to convince a reluctant van Marwijk to stay on with the national side beyond next summer’s Euros.

USA v Spain (Saturday) – I do not speak, let alone read, Spanish.  As it is Friday afternoon at the writing and I am unable to find any information in English, anywhere on-line, regarding the US team’s set-up for a game occurring in less than twenty-four hours, against the World Cup holders no less, I now feel far less guilty about neglecting my MLS column over the last few weeks.  [In fact, guess what the next one will be about!]

Every great champion has a nemesis it just can't seem to beat. The US would love to be the country which has Spain's number.

The Americans are tuning up for the Gold Cup, which kicks off this coming week, and while a defeat against the best side in the world might not reinforce their confidence, the workout that Xavi, Andres Iniesta and company will put them through, as they chase after whatever scraps of possession the Spaniards let drop by the wayside, should raise the level of their game heading into the CONCACAF championship.

Clint Dempsey may still be adjusting his body clock to US time but Landon Donovan has been in a nice run of form lately for MLS club LA Galaxy.  Tim Howard, who finished the Premier League season strongly, with a clean sheet against Chelsea, knows it’s going to be a long ninety minutes against La Furia.  Yet can the experienced trio truly relate what it will be like to face Spain to the newer members of Bob Bradley’s squad?

While Vicente del Bosque will likely limit his tired veterans to cameo appearances, Spain, like Brazil, may be looking to settle a score, this one dating back to the 2009 Confederations Cup where the Americans stunned the European champions.

The US will face my Canadians on Tuesday, opening their Gold Cup schedule and I’m afraid it will be the Canucks who will be experiencing a bit of wrathful vengeance in the wake of this friendly.

Colorado Rapids v Philadelphia Union (Saturday) — The sophomore Philadelphia Union are now holding down first place in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference, a point ahead of the New York Red Bulls with a game in hand.  Their twenty point output in eleven games is all the more surprising given that, until last week’s 6-0 drubbing of Toronto FC – Stanley Cup Finals aside, it’s not a good week to be Canadian – they had scored just eight goals and conceded nine.  For New York, who have lost five players to Gold Cup squads for several weeks, drawing half their matches to date may prove costly.

The Union encounter the altitude of DSG Park at perhaps just the right time.  Colorado, the MLS Cup holders are in what can only be described as a holding pattern.  The Rapids have drawn their last five matches and six of their last seven.  The match in between was a victory over Houston Dynamo but the indecisive run follows a three-game losing streak.  Several players have contributed goals, with Jamie Smith and Jeff Larentowicz on three and Omar Cummings and Irish international Caleb Folan on two.  No one has truly stepped up to lead the line, though, and the lack of a creative mid-fielder is being felt, especially as Gary Smith’s side is yielding an unspectacular goal per game behind the indifferent attack.

Philly have been stalwart on defence but that will be tested during the final thirty minutes in the Mile High City.  Offensively, Carlos Ruiz and Danny Mwanga lead the line and last year’s goal source, Sebastian LeToux has turned provider, with three assists thus far.

The Union will look to put some distance between themselves and the Red Bulls before the New Yorkers’stars return and Gary Smith will be demanding that his side shake off the doldrums and start racking up some points.  They are champions, after all.

Flamengo v Corinthians (Sunday) —  After an embarrassing failure for Corinthians in the qualifying stage of the Copa Libertadores, followed by a nasty demonstration from so-called supporters, two club legends have departed.  Ronaldo is in retirement, free to be as fat as he pleases.  Roberto Carlos is in Russia, captaining Anzhi Makhachkala to third place in the Premier League, level on points with leaders CSKA Moscow, as well as Zenit St. Petersburg and Dinamo Moscow in an incredibly tight race, featuring eight clubs all within a result of the top spot.  That leaves Portuguese International Liedson to lead the line.  Not a bad third option.

Flamengo are being captained, if you can believe it, by none other than Ronaldhino.  The hip-hop/Soca impresario has apparently put aside his musical aspirations to focus on leading the Rio de Janeiro side back to the fore of the national tournament.  It’s been an adventurous ride in the opening two matches, with seven goals scored and three conceded in a win and a draw.

The Paulista club haven’t been quite so prolific, managing a pair of 2-1 victories over Coritiba and Gremio. If, however, everyone desired style from our club rather than results, we’d all be Arsenal fans, wouldn’t we?

River Plate v Colon de Santa Fé (Sunday) – River are six points off the pace and Colon are nestled near the bottom of the table.  Yet, the young Millionaros are fighting a desperate battle against the relegation average.  The key for a River back line, which has conceded only eleven goals in the Clausura, will be to corral Colon’s dangerous Esteban Fuertes, third in the league with eight tallies.  Three points at home against a struggling club are absolutely vital towards staving off what would be an historic fall from grace.

Velez Sarsfield v Godoy Cruz (Monday) – With three games remaining in the Argentine Clausura – and no playoff, as in its Mexican counterpart – Velez are clinging to the lead by a single point over Lanus and two over Godoy.  The league title represents their lone hope for silverware on the year, after finishing second to Estudiantes in the Apertura and then conceding a fatal away goal to Penarol this week, in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores semi-final.

Smarting from the defeat, you can bet that Velez’prolific midfield, consisting of David Ramirez (6 goals), Maxi Moralez (4) and Augusto Fernandez and Ricardo Alvarez (both with 3) will be supporting line leader Santiago Silva (6 goals, as well) with an unmatched intensity, lest their season suddenly slip from their grasp.

Godoy’s attack is led by the partnership of Alvaro Navarro (5 goals) and Ruben Ramirez (4).  Both the midfield and defence have seen a high rate of turnover throughout the campaign, which has resulted in a much higher concession of goals than their counterparts.  It will be difficult for Godoy to hold off Velez’wide array of attacking weapons, especially at the Jose Amalfitani.

Independiente v Lanus (Monday) – Second-place side, Lanus, are on the road against the Copa Sud America champions.  Independiente must win all three of its final matches and pray for all sorts of help to make up their five-point deficit and pass four clubs.  This match, though, would be an excellent start.

Lanus have fought an amazing fight all season, thanks to the league’s third stingiest defence (behind Argentinos Juniors & River), just to keep rampant Velez within reach.  They will rely on their back four to hold off Independiente, so that seven-goal man Diego Valeri can strike at the opposite end.  It’s that time of year in Argentina, where victory is imperative and dropped points can prove deadly.

See you next week!

]]> http://worldfootballcolumns.com/2011/06/04/wfcs-weekend-catch-choice-fixtures-for-4-5-june-2011/feed/ 0 Bent & Rooney resulteditor Bent & Rooney World ball breakers uefa_logo World ball breakers FIFA logo Bradley, Onweyu, Bocanegra, Donovan US Ball Breakers MLS Logo Brazil Ball Breakers Brasileiro logo Argentina Ball Breakers Argentine FA logo World ball breakers http://worldfootballcolumns.com/2010/11/18/mona-lisas-mad-hatters-or-how-i-spent-my-international%c2%a0break/ http://worldfootballcolumns.com/2010/11/18/mona-lisas-mad-hatters-or-how-i-spent-my-international%c2%a0break/#comments Thu, 18 Nov 2010 03:32:58 +0000 Martin Palazzotto http://worldfootballcolumns.com/?p=10690 Continue reading »]]> Actually, it should be Fabio Capello trying to get falling down drunk while Laurent Blanc conducts the magnum opus but England’s off-key performance against France has to go on the back burner, for the moment.

The more important question to the world of football, at large, and we are World Football Columns, is what in the name of Sven-Goran Ericksson is wrong with Spain?

4-0?  Come on!

For once, the Prince of Petulance has a reason to be upset.

Worse, it really should have been 5 from Cristiano Ronaldo’s opening strike, which was disallowed.  Nani was in an offside position but you can’t interfere with play after the ball has crossed the goal line.

Spain were absolutely abysmal in this match.  There was just no desire in them to compete.  All they could do was wave their hands in the air for offsides after every goal.  It was completely pathetic.

Now, I know it was a friendly and results really don’t matter but the only word that comes to mind is bullshit (well, that and horse hockey but you get the idea).  Friendly or not, Vicente del Bosque brought virtually his entire World Cup squad to Lisbon.  The starting XI was the same line-up that featured against the Dutch on 11 July, man for man.  There was no experimenting, no tinkering, no adjusting.  There was only standing around like idiots.

For Portugal, of course, there was no Carlos Queiroz and, subsequently, no bus to park.  Even if Sir Alex Ferguson’s former number two had been in charge, his message wouldn’t have been any different from that of his replacement, Paulo Bento.  It was a friendly, with nothing at stake.  Bento told his side to go out and play.  And they did.

C-Ron only played the first half but he made the minutes count.  His little move with the outside of his right ankle to cut inside for the should-have-been goal was sublime.  Shortly thereafter, Carlos Martins opened the scoring with a shot that passed Casillas and which Sergio Ramos could only help into the net.

In the second half and without their captain, Portugal just poured it on.  Heider Postiga struck for a brace, one a thundering volley, punishing Spain for failing to clear the rebound on a beautiful stop from Casillas.  In added time, Hugo Almeida, who for some reason (probably the unkempt hair, five-day stubble and leering gaze) reminds me of a wino, uncorked a nice little bender when sent in alone against a hard charging Casillas.

Spain have now had their butts handed to them by Argentina, drawn with Mexico and been schooled by the Portuguese.  Jules Rimet is turning over in his grave.

Admittedly, they’re doing well in the Euro qualifiers but if the players’hearts aren’t in these exhibitions, del Bosque would be better advised to follow the lead of Brazil and cap some youngsters and veterans who have been overlooked.  Win or lose, they’d at least put on a better show.

Speaking of the Selecao, they were raking in the cash, along with Argentina, by bringing their traveling road show to the edge of the Arabian Desert.  For the right price, both were happy to leave their rabid fans behind and assist in demonstrating the capabilities of Qatar to host the World Cup.  From my perspective, they demonstrated exactly what was lacking in the bid — enthusiasm.

In 2022, Juan Roman would be welcome in Qatar but Larissa? Not a chance!

Fab Presilli, in his preview of the match, wrote of this and all I can say is that he was spot on.  The Qataris certainly have a nice stadium, the money and technology to build more and, as is the Arab tradition, are wonderful hosts.  Unfortunately, if you watched this game you realise the problem and that is that there are not a lot of Qataris and even fewer of them are football fans.  On the night, they had what might now be the two best international sides in the world, if Spain’s ennui grows any worse, and it sounded like they were playing in an empty gymnasium.

Seriously.

You could hear the players calling to each other throughout the match. There was very little noise from the crowd.  When the cameras panned the audience to show the few traveling supporters, the other problem with the Qatari bid became evident.  The Brazilians and Argentines in attendance were not only uncommonly quiet, by their standards, the women were all bound up in scarfs and such, as is the law in the Arab Emirate.

The thing about the World Cup is that it is a festival; the biggest party in the world, in fact.  It’s celebrated wildly, with colorful music, make-up and outlandish and/or sexy costumes.  The football is almost secondary.  Simply put, it is all about excess.

Naturally, Islam is not.  How many people are going to travel thousands of miles to a party where they must keep their clothes buttoned up and the noise down?  People are arrested, convicted and jailed in Doha for kissing in public, which is often done when teams win big matches.  Had the last WC been held here Larissa Riquelme’s cell phone would have been confiscated, along with Larissa Riquelme.   Qatar society is just not conducive to the traditions of the World Cup.

On the pitch, Robinho's new trick wasn't fooling Nicolas Pareja

As for the match, it reflected its environment.  There were occasional flashes of brilliance quickly put down by  hard-line defences.  Lionel Messi broke through in the first half with a heart stopping run but his volley glanced off the wrong side of the post.  Ronaldinho was in the starting XI for Brazil but was only able to escape the censorship of Javy Mascherano once or twice.  There was that delicious back-heel, in the six, that sadly rolled right to Sergio Romero.  Neymar and Robinho tried to combine several times but couldn’t get it right.

Then, in added time, when it looked like the match would end in a drab draw, Messi made one last run.  His pin-balling bob-and-weave got the ball to his favoured left foot and he struck it through the legs of Thiago Silva, against the grain and past a diving Victor.  One moment of timely brilliance in a desert of boring conservatism.

Between these two matches, I tuned in to the US/South Africa match in Cape Town, to get a look at all the American youngsters, fresh out of their MLS diapers, whom Bob Bradley had invited on this little field trip.  As would be expected from fielding an eleven brimming with green recruits, the play was enthusiastic but uneven.

This is as close as Somma could come to toppling an entire nation singlehandedly.

The South Africans, who fielded a more accomplished side, including Everton’s Steven Pienaar and Leeds United’s bundle of hubris, otherwise known as Davide Somma, were on the front foot for the most of the first half.  Somma, who seems to think that the United States has it in for him after not trying to recruit him for their national side when he was struggling in MLS, told anyone who would listen (cue the media) that he would absolutely “destroy” the Americans.

Complete annihilation must be a more subtle process than I had thought, because Somma didn’t seem to do much for the hour he was on the pitch.  You never know, though.  Check back to this space every few days, just in case.

Thankfully for once, the US didn’t fall behind early, even if they were being backed up for much of the opening frame.  In the second stanza, they showed their typical chutzpah, mixing it up and creating a handful of chances.  With Somma safely on the bench, Bob Bradley brought on 17-year-old NY Red Bull sensation Juan Agudelo.  In the 78th, he inserted Stabaek’s baby-faced Mikkel Diskerud, 20, a Norwegian whose mother is American.  The two youngsters enjoyed a bit of chemical romance in the 85th minute, when Diskerud managed to control a ball as he was falling backwards, bouncing into the path of the cutting Agudelo, who deflected it with the outside of his boot past a stunned Itumeleng Khune.

While Agudelo looks to be a very promising talent, my new number one for catchiest footy name is definitely Mikkel Morganstar Diskerud.

Apparently there is no translation in any other language for "Keep an eye on the really tall one."

And lastly, what can I say about England?  Sadly, the match wasn’t broadcast Stateside.  If ESPN thinks it’s a good idea to hire British commentators and pundits like Ian Darke and Steve McManaman (thanks for that), then they should show more English matches (the bastards).

Reduced to following a game via Matchcast is almost as enjoyable as having heartburn but the general feel of the match does come across.  Like indigestion, the feeling I had was that the home side was woeful.  Andy Carroll seemed to have some early moments but no joy and Crouchie weaved his magic but it was far too late.

The French seem to be coming around, even without  Franck (what scar?) Ribery and Patrice Evra.  Jose Mourinho, as he is for any big job, is the bookie’s favourite to take over for Fergie at United, when that day comes, but Laurent Blanc has turned some heads and, as he has a first hand understanding of the program, might just be the right man for the job.

As for Capello, the good news is that these were the last internationals on the calendar year.  He can get out and see some matches, get his Christmas shopping done and come back in the New Year to discover the bad news, that despite the breath of fresh air, nothing will have changed.  England will qualify for the Euros easily enough but will once again go through the dissociative process, when they get within sight of the Carparthians.

Such is life.

In England, several major clubs discovered trip wires on the pitch, when they ventured into Carling Cup action on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Manchester City took an early lead through Jo, at the Hawthorns, but fell 2-1 to West Brom and Everton went down at Brentford on penalty kicks.  Meanwhile, having received no telephone calls from Chelsea, Real Madrid or Inter Milan, Sam Allardyce led his Blackburn Rovers into Villa Park.  Considering that these two clubs met in the semi-finals of the competition, last season,  Big Sam had to be  both dismayed and wary at meeting Villa this early.  Those fears would be realised when the  sure (?) foot of Emile Heskey brought Gerard Houllier level in his first match as manager, after Gael Givet had gifted Rovers the lead.  Ashley Young would wrap the match up with a brace, although there was no joyful embrace like the one he offered the departing Kevin MacDonald in the Villans last outing.

Roy has found himself apologising so often, he must be glad he isn't Japanese.

The big bangs occurred at Anfield and Stamford Bridge.

Milan Jovanovic opened his Liverpool account against Northampton, on 9 minutes, but the Reds didn’t do much else.  Shortly after the restart, Billy McKay brought the Cobblers even and in the 98th minute Michael Jacobs made the upset look like a shoe-in.  David Ngog gave the Kop hope at the death, however, only for Nathan Ecclestone to miss from the spot, gifting Northampton the victory on penalties.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s breakneck momentum was brought to an abrupt halt by visiting Newcastle.  Patrick van Aanholt’s first Chelsea goal lost some of its glow when Nile Ranger and Ryan Taylor struck, 5 minutes apart, to put Toon in front going into the break.  Afterwards, Shola Amoebi’s brace cancelled out Nicolas Anelka’s but it was injury which did in the Blues. Having used two substitutes at the restart, Salomon Kalou’s hamstring pull, followed by Yossi Benayoun turning his ankle,  forced Chelsea into playing much of the half shorthanded and it ultimately cost them the match.

In Italy, Roma continued its dismal start losing 2-1 at Brescia and Napoli did likewise, crashing 1-3 at home to red hot Chievo.  Having read the press the riot act, last week, for pushing the panic button on Roma’s season, Claudio Ranieri may find himself perusing the want ads next, if he can’t get the Wolves back on the scent.

Bari went to the Guiseppe Meazza, on Wednesday, feeling pretty good about their own start.  Any delusions of grandeur quickly went up in smoke, however, as Inter blazed 4 goals past Jean Francois Gillet.  Samuel Eto’o remained in form, striking for two and his tallies were bookended by Diego Milito, setting straight the critics of his early season profligacy.

On Thursday, there was another upset, of sorts, as Palermo trounced Juve 3-1 for their first win of the season.  The Old Lady has only 4 points in as many matches and has conceded 10 goals already.  The only thing keeping Luigi Del Neri employed is a 4-0 pasting of bottom feeding Udinese.

The hair should have been the first clue.

In Brazil, the explosions came off the pitch.  Santos gave coach Dorival Junior the sack this week for refusing to back down on his suspension of teenaged star Neymar.  The youngster, who famously turned his back on a £23m bid from Chelsea, was piqued that Junior refused to allow him to take a penalty after being hauled down in the box.  He then turned his back on the successful effort of his teammate and proceeded to lace into his coach in front of the crowd, the press and television cameras.  The club’s board wanted their young star back on the pitch, with some important matches in the offing, and when the manager let it be known he felt his authority was being undermined, he duly found out that he was, in fact, correct.  If it’s any consolation to the departed, Junior’s opinion was echoed by national coach Mano Manezes, who left Neymar out of his squad for Brazil’s upcoming friendlies and was forthright about his reasons.

We’ve lived troubled moments in the past, and we want to keep problems out of the national team at this point. We believe it’s important to send this message out for everybody to have in mind the way we work. We want to leave clear the line we have chosen to manage this group. – Mano Manezes on Neymar’s disciplinary issues

Translation — We already have enough Ronaldinhos, Robinhos and Adrianos.  What we’re looking for is a few more Kakas and Lucios, kid.  So don’t call us, we’ll call you.

Since they seem to be of like mind on how young players should be brought along, one wonders if there’s room on Manezes’staff for Dorival.  One also wonders what awaits down the road for Santos, now that their precocious youngster has had a taste of power.  Who will he turn his back on next?

The immediate question, though, is will there be more fireworks and nasty plot twists on the weekend?  The stage is set for some and our intrepid crew of WFC writers is here to tell you about them.

Chris Mann

Chris Mann

Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona, La Liga…Saturday

Barca’s unforeseen defeat to Hercules aside, both teams have enjoyed relatively painless starts to the season, sitting in sixth and third place respectively. Although Pep Guardiola’s side overcame Sporting Gijon on Wednesday, without the recently injured Lionel Messi, the Argentine’s absence could have more of a pronounced impact at San Mames on Saturday. With Athletic the top scorers during the season’s nascent stages and Fernando Llorente enjoying an excellent run of form, Barcelona will have to be at their best to overcome the strength of their hosts and the vibrant atmosphere that the Basque supporters always generate.

Fabricio Presilli

Fab Presilli

Campeonato Brasileiro – 25th round

Santos vs Cruzeiro…Saturday

After a tumultuous week, with the firing of coach Dorival Junior, for refusing to back off his disciplining of wonder kid Neymar, Santos’boys faced a tough opponent.  With their club rising up the championship table, Cruzeiro’s Argetinian duo, Ernesto Farias and Walter Montillo, are making goals and headlines.

Internacional vs Corinthians…Sunday

The Libertadores Champions are still trying to get to the top of the table nationally, and Corinthians place is up for grabs with a shaky record on the road. Ronaldo is healthy and expected to play and fellow senior citizen Roberto Carlos has been one of Timão’s best players.

Geoff Edwards

Geoff Edwards

Bayern Munich v FSV Mainz 05, Bundesliga…Saturday

Who would have predicted FSV Mainz to be top of the table with 5 wins out of 5?  I certainly didn’t, but that’s where they are. Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel, not so long ago tending bar to fund his studies, now being hailed as the ‘German Mourinho,’has given Mainz’s young team and its fans the chance to dream of bigger things.

What better place for those young dreams to be cruelly crushed than the Bayern’s Allianz Arena. The Bavarians have had a stuttering start to the season, struggling to break down opposing defenders. But, ominously, they are coming off the back of a trademark last-gasp win at Hoffenheim and will be confident of victory despite Franck Ribery’s month-long injury lay-off. It won’t be a cakewalk however. In Andre Schuerrle, Lewis Holtby and Marcel Risse, Mainz have a trio of in-form young forwards capable of inflicting real damage on Bayern’s sometimes dodgy defence.

Werder Bremen v Hamburger SV, Bundesliga…Saturday

The ‘Nordderby’is one of the most eagerly awaited rivalries on the German football calendar. Bremen are in the middle of a small crisis, coming off the back of 2 abject defeats to Mainz and Hannover 96. With their defence reaching new levels of incompetence and the lack of rhytm in attack, following the loss of Mesut Ozil, Bremen will have to improve drastically to beat their great rivals who, despite their midweek loss at home to Wolfsburg, have had a decent start to the season.

Tapesh Patel

Tapesh Patel

Lyon vs. Saint-Etienne, Ligue 1…Saturday

You really couldn’t write this. Saint-Etienne finished in 17th place last season  and Olympique Lyonnais second. Yet now the minnows are topping the league with six games gone. The last time St. Etienne won the league was in 1981, when some fellow named Michel Platini led the side.  They may not win the league, but the foundations are set for a great season. Take Dmitri Payet for example, who has now scored six in six, continuing a fine run which may lead him into the national side.

Les Verts success has taken a lot of the customary attention away from local rivals Lyon. Les Gones will be desperately hoping for a win, as the ironic 16-place gap between the two sides almost looks larger than the 60km that separates them geographically. Manager Claude Puel may be fearing for his job if reports are to be believed. The best remedy for all of the negative press? A victory in the Rhône Derby. This one is perfectly poised.

Leeds United vs. Sheffield United, The Championship…Saturday

Another derby, this one in the colder climate of Yorkshire. A bumper crowd of 35,000 is expected to watch what should be a fiery encounter at Elland Road. Gary Speed returns to his former club as manager after the sacking of Kevin Blackwell last month.   The Blades will be optimistic for a win, in the absence of Leeds goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Martin Palazzotto

Martin Palazzotto

Los Angeles Galaxy v New York Red Bull, MLS…Friday

Some gossip rag has run a story that David Beckham cheated on his wife all the way back in 2007.  It’s America, so naturally Becks is suing for libel.  He has a much better chance of winning here than he would at home.  That said, he also has a much better chance of winning on the pitch than he does in court.

It’s a battle between the two biggest clubs in the league, with the Galaxy sitting atop the table and New York, currently 5th.   The Red Bulls will be without Thierry Henry, who although legitimately injured, will probably be decorating his new $9M Manhattan penthouse, complete with its own bamboo forest.  Wow, isn’t American soccer beginning to sound more like the English game?

America v Santos Laguna, Mexican Apertura…Sunday

In Group 3, of the three group alignment in the Primera Division, Cruz Azul are in fact cruising, 10 points in front.  In Group 1, Monterrey and Santos share the lead at 18 points and are 5 points ahead of any second place club.  As long as they maintain their pace, one of them will take the wildcard spot in the playoffs.  Which means that the battle for Group 2 between Toluca (13), San Luis (13) and Club America (12) is the only current point of contention in the league.  Having given up the top spot to Toluca last week, America welcome Santos to the capital.  This is not the club you want to see coming out of the visitor’s clubhouse when you absolutely need a result.

AS Roma v Internazionale, Serie A…Saturday

Last season, these two clubs fought it out tooth and nail for both the Scudetto and Coppa d’Italia.  Inter took all the honours but the departure of Jose Mourinho left the Nerrazzurri in a state of flux and, as some (including yours truly) thought, vulnerability.  Rafa Benitez seems to have settled the side to his liking, however, with a 4-0 deconstruction of Bari, which saw Diego Milito finally find his scoring touch.  On the other hand, Roma is in chaos at the moment.  Claudio Ranieri is sniping at the press, his side can’t manufacture a result and there are rumors of a ghost in a toga, crowned with a laurel branch, wandering the bowels of Stadio Olimpico, playing a dirge on a violin.  This match may well define Roma’s season and a loss may end the Reign of Ranieri.

Matt and Roman

The Scouser Report with Matt Dalton & Roman

It’s been a pretty embarrassing week to be a Scouser, what with Everton and Liverpool both being royally embarrassed at the hands of Brentford and Northampton respectively. This weekend sees Everton travel to Craven Cottage to take on Mark Hughes’Fulham, whilst Liverpool will be entertaining, and I use the term very lightly, Sunderland.

Both sides of Stanley Park will be desperate for not only points but convincing performances.  Normally, these would be clubs that they would fancy their chances against. No offence to Sunderland or Fulham, but they are not of the same quality as the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United and should provide a good opportunity to get some confidence back in times of trouble.  That is not to say that either will be an easy game.  Last season, a beachball proved how tricky it can be to face Sunderland and Fulham haven’t let anyone kick sand in their face for a while now.

After the complete disaster of midweek, I am going to put my neck on the line.  Things have to get better some time for both the Reds and the Blues of Merseyside and this is the weekend it will happen. Liverpool to win 2-0, Everton to scrape an injury time winner to take a 2-1 result back home.

..

Well, that about wraps it up.  If any of you are wondering where Eliot Rothwell is, after his big Premier league debut last week, he hasn’t ditched us just yet.  Instead of weighing in on Catch Them If You Can, Eliot will be treating us to an insider’s look at Premiership weekends, in his new series, Diary Of A Wannabe Journalist.  As well as a birds-eye view of a different match each week and the free food which comes with it, Eliot will be rubbing elbows, literally, if the seating in the press box at Goodison Park is consistent with the rest of the league, with the likes of Phil McNulty, Tony Barrett and whether he likes it or not, Henry Winter.  So keep a weather eye for Eliot’s entries each week!

See you after the weekend!

No, the Champions League is definitely the cock of the roost and, this year, it invades the territory of another cagey bantam, the FA Cup.  Wembley Stadium, home of the world’s greatest domestic cup competition, is set to do double duty this year, deciding Europe’s best, as well as England’s. While Real Madrid’s dream of playing for the title at the Santiago Bernabeu in ’09-10 was crushed by Lyon, for Premier League holders Chelsea and their closest rivals, Arsenal and Manchester United, it’d be twice as sweet to feature in a pair of  May finals in London.

For that to happen, though, one (or two!) of them must fight their way through a Premier League winter and also overcome 31 other clubs, all dreaming of European glory.  The final group qualifications were completed at the end of August, quickly followed by the seeding and drawing for group assignment.   Now, the transfer window has closed and squads are set until January.  So what are we waiting for?  It’s time to get this party started.

Here, then, is a breakdown, group by group, of the proving ground for those who would move on to Wembley.  Read on to see how your side rates in the 2010-11 UEFA Champions League.

..

Group A

Appropriately, we start with the defending champions.  With only two significant changes at Inter Milan this year, Mario Balotelli’s exit would usually be considered the most important.  Not so much, though, when Jose Mourinho is the other mega-star bidding farewell and his is, obviously, the more difficult act to follow.  Not surprisingly, given their history at Chelsea and Liverpool, new man Rafa Benitez has been rising to the Portuguese’s steady stream of bait, trying to convince anyone with a microphone in hand that Mourinho’s departure really isn’t that big a deal.

As confident as the Spaniard is, with Jose’s treble winning side still largely intact, it’s shaping up to be a tough season for Rafa on all fronts.  During the Serie A summer, Roma, Sampdoria and Napoli all improved and AC Milan came out of nowhere, at the last minute, to snatch up Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho.  A sixth Scudetto on the trot will be difficult, to say the least.  Making matters worse, they’ve been drawn into one of the tougher groups in the Champions League.  In Milan, this year, there will be no rest for the weary.

Tottenham Hotspurs‘ fortunes, ironically, owe much to the squad selection of former Inter and current Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho.  Not only did Spurs reach a literally last second deal with the Castilian giants, to claim the unwanted Rafael van der Vaart (notice the Special One’s tendency to dislike anyone named Rafa), but Mourinho’s recruitment of German attacking mid Mesut Ozil has put a crimp in Bremen’s ability to challenge for the second group spot.

Harry Redknapp, as he prefers, has no end of attacking options and so the injury to Jermaine Defoe is more of an inconvenience. Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchencko, Robbie Keane, Gareth Bale, van der Vaart, Nico Kranjcar and Luca Modric should make the England striker’s absence bearable.  It’s the back end that’s lagging for the London lads.  Ledley King’s knees will never be 100%, Jonathan Woodgate is doing a better Owen Hargreaves impression than the man himself, Michael Dawson is out for 8 weeks and while new signing William Gallas may shore things up in the early doors, it’s only a matter of time before he starts grating on nerves.  He’s done that wherever he’s played, on either side of the Chunnel.

Werder Bremen instantly missed departed Mesut Ozil, being thrashed by Hoffenheim to open their Bundesliga campaign.  They did rebound with a 4-2 home victory over Lukas Podolski’s FC Köln, though.   Tim Wiese, Per Mertesacke and Torsten Frings can do better in the back but, up front, Claudio Pizzaro, Hugo Almeida and young Marko Arnautovic will be lost without someone to provide service.  If Marko Marin can make the transition to the inside, playing at the tip of the 4-4-2 diamond, the mourning period for Ozil may be short.

Last season, Steve McLaren rediscovered his managerial mojo, after a disastrous spell as England boss (is there any other kind?).  Leading cash strapped FC Twente to a domestic double, their first, Steve-o held off Martin Jol’s attempt to re-establish Ajax,PSV& Feyenoord’s rule over the Eredivisie, after AZ Alkmaar had cast them down in 09.  Trouble is, he’s off to Wolfsburg to take the next step in his recovery.  Michel Preud’homme leads the Tukkers now and they’ve started out well domestically.  This group is a tall task, however, especially with limited personnel.

Analysis: Benitez may have a lot ahead of him but I can’t see him tripping out of the blocks.  Inter should win this group and even if they do slip, it should only mean a more difficult opponent in the round of 16.   Bremen and Spurs will fight for the second spot but I’m tipping Spurs.  The Germans have more experience and are stronger in the back but Redknapp’s crew are too fast, too many and too hungry.

Group B

Two seasons ago, Felix Magath drove Wolfsburg from obscurity to the summit of the Bundesliga, before moving to Schalke 04.  Magath, is a direct, no-nonsense manager, who looks to surround himself with reliable people.  That may be why Kevin Kuranyi is now plying his trade in Moscow, rather than Gelsenkirchen.  Raul is now the talisman, to be supported by late transfer Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.  Christophe Metzelder anchors the back line and German #1, Manuel Neuer is the man between the posts.  It may take a little time for the new squad to gel but if they can, they will be difficult.

Claude Puel has become used to the revolving door at Olympique Lyonnais.  The top players, like Karim Benzema and Florent Malouda aren’t usually around for long, so the former Lille manager has gone back to what he knows, building a solid, cohesive squad that can compete with anyone.  Last year that philosophy paid off with a terrific run to the Champions League semi-finals.  This year, with the addition of Yoann Gourcuff’s midfield creativity to Jeremy Toulalan’s solid holding capabilities, Lyon should be a more balanced squad.

This is the type of group that Benfica can exploit.  The Portuguese giants, twice winners of the Champions League, as always, have a solid team, though not spectacular by continental standards.  With Fabio Coentrao, Luisao and Maxi Perreira at the back, defence can become attack very quickly.  Up front Oscar Cardozo and Javier Saviola provide a danger to any goal.  Pablo Aimar is the tip of a diamond shaped midfield which, while not as polished as some, does play well as a unit.   Manager Jorge Jesus will want to make a quick start in the group, with his two main opponents still working out the kinks.

The other three clubs in the group may be wary of each other but if they let up against Hapoel Tel Aviv, they’ll be in for a shock.  The one time Asian champions are starting to make their mark in Europe.  Last season, they won their Europa League group before bowing out to Russian sensations Rubin Kazan.  This year, they’ve qualified for their first Champions League group stage.  Somewhat hampered by a very strict Homegrown Rule (no more than 5 foreigners on any squad), the Israeli’s are nonetheless very game.

Analysis: There are so many ifs in this group that it’s very difficult to nominate a winner, or even a loser, out of the top three.  With eyes closed and fingers crossed, I’ll go with Schalke and Benfica to advance, mostly on the basis of their managers’stronger and more recent championship pedigrees.  I also think Lyon might feel some effect from the current French national malaise, making them more susceptible to lapses.

Group C

The Premier League looks to be even more competitive and Chelsea have roared out of the gate.  So, even the contrary Sir Alex Ferguson has to be happy with Manchester United‘s draw.  Not only should it be favourable from a competitive standpoint but the travel destinations are also advantageous, with two Mediterranean sunspots and a quick hop up to Glasgow on the itinerary.

United’s attack looks more diverse, after Wayne Rooney carried the whole load last year.  Young Javier Hernandez has fit right in and Dimitar Berbatov has rediscovered some form.  Rooney, despondent after a poor World Cup is beginning to look like himself again.  In midfield, Paul Scholes is experiencing some deja vu, pulling the strings like a far younger version of himself and Ryan Giggs continues to play as though he has a painting, a la Dorian Gray, safely hidden somewhere about Old Trafford.  If either should falter, young Darron Gibson is more than ready to step in.  With Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans also coming along, Rio Ferdinand’s chronic back and knee problems are only a minor concern.  Rather than a challenge, the group stages are more of a welcome respite for Fergie’s charges.

Unai Emery’s Valencia are not what they were with the David’s, Villa and Silva.  They are younger.  Beyond that, if their 3-1 La Liga debut at Malaga is any indication, nothing much has changed. Aritz Aduriz has been brought in to help Joaquin Sanchez provide leadership but Ever Banega and Juan Manuel Mata will have to be bled on the march.  There is bound to be some adversity along the road and the measure of the young guns will be taken in how they respond.  Still, los Che have to fancy their chances of sliding in beside United, for the second qualifying spot out of the group.

The Old Firm showed some hints of agoraphobia in the last campaign, as both Celtic and Rangers crashed out of Europe spectacularly.  Unlike Tony Mowbray, Walter Smith was able to exert some damage control on the domestic front, and the blue shirts won the Scottish league going away.  With some key members of the squad, Maurice Edu (USA), Madjid Bougherra (Algeria) and Vladimir Weiss (Slovakia), having been tempered in the crucible of the World Cup finals, and 40 year old captain David Weir receiving his first call up for national duty in some time, Smith is hopeful his side show more competitive fire during this year’s travels.

Having claimed their first Turkish Super Lig title, relatively unknown Bursaspor are the wide-eyed tourists of Group C.  The Green Crocodiles’heads will surely be turned when visiting such storied venues as Old Trafford, Mestalla and the Ibrox, especially with their squad largely homegrown.  It will be in the hands of well travelled Argentine Federico Insua, who has played in the top flight at home, as well as Mexico, Spain and Germany, to keep his teammates minds on the task at hand, else tears will be shed.  Like as not, however, the most enjoyable parts of their travels are going to be before the referee blows the whistle.

Analysis: I don’t want to shock anyone but United will win the group.  The Glaswegians will challenge Valencia for the right to move on but I think they’re the more likely of the pair to drop points to the Turks.  With just a quick jaunt across the Med to face the minnows, the Spaniards will be much less out of their element.  Sadly, Bursaspor’s first appearance in the Champions League will not be a Turkish delight.

Group D

If anything, Barcelona have it easier than United.  None of the three clubs in this group pose a real threat to the Catalans, even though they were surprised last year by Rubin Kazan.  You can best believe, however, that Pep Guardiola will have his players chewing on that bone as they make a return journey north.

Barca have a slightly different look this year.  Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s power game never meshed in the Nou Camp and he’s back in Milan, albeit with AC, rather than Inter.  Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez, no longer up to the pace, have taken up teaching positions in the Big Apple. David Villa is a much better fit with Lionel Messi and Liverpool escapee Javier Mascherano adds some steel to that sublime midfield corps.  And Pep is still stalking Cesc Fabregas!

Athens giants, Panathinaikos, have developed a cosmopolitan flavour.  There is the French strike pairing of Djibril Cisse and Sidney Govou,  Spaniard Luis Garcia and Brazil’s Gilberto da Silva in the midfield.  Malian Cedric Kante and another Frenchman, Jean-Alain Boumsong are in defense.  Yet, their best player might be homeboy Sotiris Ninis.  Young, quick and clever, the Greek now has some World Cup experience, to boot.  Even with all the veterans around him, he reminds doubters that theTryfilli have an eye for the future.

Jesper Gronkjaer, still swift at 33, leads FC Copenhagen.  The Lions are Danish champions two years on the trot and seven times for the decade.  Unfortunately, that dominance hasn’t translated to the European stage.  Plain and unassuming, the Danes must play perfect football to have a hope of progressing in this group but they are a well balanced unit, capable of taking a result.  If they put in enough hard working shifts, they just might be see a nice payoff at the end.

With former Newcastle standout, Obafemi Martins still looking to open his account, five games into his Rubin Kazan career, the two time Russian Premier League holders are sitting four points behind Luciano Spaletti’s Zenit St. Petersburg.  Zenit are a traditional power, while the Kazan club has a journeyman history in the lower levels of Russian and Soviet leagues.  It’s a classic case of speed v power, puncher v boxer, Rocky Balboa v Apollo Creed and, at the moment, Gurban Burdiyev’s Rubies are taking it on the chin.  Where’s Burgess Meredith when you really need him?

Analysis: Another unimaginative pick for you, as Barcelona waltz through the group.  I’d like to think that Panathanaikos’experience will see them through, as well.  It’ll be tough, though, especially if Rubin Kazan can find a goal scoring touch.  Copenhagen won’t necessarily bring up the rear, as 2nd through 4th will be a toss up, but they don’t look to have enough to progress.

Group E

Bayern Munich began last season struggling to recover after sinking to the depths of 2nd place in the ’09 Bundesliga campaign.  Such are the expectations of the league’s flagship club that anything less than leading the fleet is abject failure.  Dutch master Louis van Gaal was tasked with restoring the Bavarians to their accustomed place.  Once he removed the mutinous Luca Toni, the club charted a course to overtake Bayer Leverkuesen atop the table.

There were three unexpected sources for their success.  Ivica Olic’s emergence glossed over the tepid seasons of both Miro Klose and Mario Gomez.  Holger Badstuber’s steady play an versatility, on the left and in centre of defence, was key in covering for injuries.  Finally, Thomas Müller’s rapid ascendance, which extended to the world stage in the summer, compensated for the chronic injury issues besetting wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben.  With all those players returning and the addition of Toni Kroos in midfield, there is no reason that Bayern shouldn’t realistically target Wembley as their final port of call in 2011.

AS Roma brought in their own managerial miracle worker, Claudio Ranieri, in ’09-10, and he put wind in their sails, as well as on their shirts.  Eclipsing an aging AC Milan and reeling in the heady Sampdorians, Roma put a scare into Jose Mourinho’s plans for total European dominance. Last season, the stumbling block was up front, with Francesco Totti slowing considerably and Ranieri’s gamble, in rescuing Luca Toni, proving a bad one.

This season, Claudio is again attempting to salvage a career.  The troublesome Adriano is back in the Serie A, where he has never seemed able to maintain a focus on his day job, much preferring the Italian nightlife.  If it all comes together, Roma will be contending for more than one trophy in spring.  If not, well, Ranieri best not think about that.

Swiss international captain, Alexander Frei, at 31, is back to wrap up his club career where it began, at FC Basel.  The cantankerous Frei, famous for spitting at Steven Gerrard  in the ’04 Euros, spent time at Rennes and Borussia Dortmund while simultaneously providing most of the Swiss offence under Ottmar Hitzfeld.   The other notable player in the Bebbi lineup is Ghanian right back Samuel Inkoom.  Basel, like Copenhagen, dominate domestically and feature a home flavoured squad.  Unfortunately, in Europe that stands them in as much stead as it does the Danes, which is to say not a lot.

Over the past four years, CFR Cluj have enjoyed great success in Romania and, with a motley collection of Euro travelers, haven’t done too badly in Europe.  Having won their second domestic crown and held onto the Romanian Cup, Cluj get another CL crack at Roma after having stunned them in 2008, 1-2, in the Eternal City.  It will certainly be tougher, this time around, as the Italians will be looking for a measure of revenge.   Stamford Bridge fans will well remember that the Romanians followed that victory up with a scoreless away draw, against the Blues.

Analysis: Both Bayern and Roma should feel relatively comfortable about making it out of this group.  They have more than enough quality to get the job done.  Should they take their superiority for granted, however, they’ll quickly learn that their two group companions can do more than make up weight.

Group F

Carlos Ancelotti brought Chelsea back to the top of the Premier League, where they hadn’t been since Jose Mourinho’s tenure.  The Italian even went the Portuguese one better by securing a domestic double.  That he did it with what was essentially Jose’s old squad didn’t seem to dampen his spirits.  However, Mourinho himself tempered Ancelotti’s ecstacy, winning both sides of their two legged CL tie.

This year Chelsea have launched their Premier League campaign with the power of a moon bound rocket and some of Jose’s recruits are not along for the ride.  Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Ricardo Carvalho are all elsewhere.  Stepping into the gap are Florent Malouda, Branislav Ivanovic and Yossi Benayoun, as well as a healthy Michael Essien.  Also likely to be trusted with more responsibilities will be Salomon Kalou, Daniel Sturridge and possibly Gael Kakuta.  The foundations at the Bridge are still sound and crossing over into European glory may finally be the Blues’destination.

Didier Deschamps did not take the France job, preferring to remain at Olympique de Marseilles.  If les Bleus’performance at the Stade de France, a fortnight past, is any indication, Didier is quite happy not to be in former teammate, Laurent Blanc’s shoes, even with his own club’s mid-table start to the Ligue 1 season. OM didn’t make much noise in the transfer window, although Hatem Ben Arfa was very vocal in his eagerness to move to England.  He’s now at Newcastle but Andre-Pierre Gignac and young Loic Remy  are capable of picking up the slack.  The midfield is steeped in quality, with Lucho Gonzalez and Brandao leading the way.  Steve Mandanda captains from goal and el Gringo, Gaby Heinze is around to lend some sharp steel to the back line.  Don’t expect the French champs to remain merely average for long.

Glasgow born and Republic of Ireland international Aiden McGeady has arrived in Russia to change the forunes of the struggling Spartak Moscow club.  Sitting 3 points and 2 places out of European contention, Spartak need all the help they can get.  Brazilians Welliton (13) and  Ari (5) provide all of the punch but the anemic offence may be less of a worry than the the loss of defender Martin Jiranek to Birmingham City.  At the moment, domestic issues would seem to demand more of manager Valery Karpin’s attention than European concerns.

Another domestic giant who loses its way when traveling the continent is MSK Zilina, perennial Slovakian champions.  The Susoni, managed by Czech Pavel Hapal, are strictly a regional club.  Having played in all save one season of the young Slovak super-league, Zilina have either been champions (5x) or runners-up (3x) in half of them.   Almost the entire squad is made up of Slovaks or Czechs, barring just four players, one of whom is Bosnian.  It just goes to show you, that in a very small pond, even a minnow can be a big fish.

Analysis: If Chelsea don’t have virtually everything their own way in this group, I will eat my socks (I need my hat).  Marseilles should pick up the scraps with Spartak distracted and Zilina not a factor.

Group G

If this isn’t the group of death in the 2010-11 CL, it’s definitely the ‘Group of Champions.’ Real Madrid, although they haven’t won in 8 years, are, of course, the ultimate European champions, with 9 pieces of silver in the roomy Santiago Bernabeu trophy cabinet.  Jose Mourinho has come to town to lift that number into double figures and, to date, he has delivered wherever he has been.  His new signings indicate that he intends to leave Madrid as he has every other club, with a squad that can challenge for trophies long after he’s departed.  Mesut Ozil, at 21, replaces the creativity of 33 year old Guti and the injured Kaka.  Sami Khedira, 23, offers more pace than the 28 year old Xabi Alonso and a better attacking dynamic than Mahamadou Diarra, 29.  Finally, Angel di Maria, 22, will make defences think twice about shifting over to cover Cristiano Ronaldo.  Jose will blend the youngsters in slowly but the club has enough depth to compete on several fronts and to give domestic concerns to an aging Barcelona side.

With 7 European Cups on display at the San Siro, Silvio Berlusconi doesn’t like to be an afterthought.  So, before the transfer window closed, he orchestrated a series of deals that put AC Milan right back in the Serie A spotlight.  Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose pace and power should fit in well, is on a one year loan from Barca.  Robinho, lonely and homesick in England, now has no excuses with Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato to lighten the dreary work day and, in Ronaldinho’s case at least, introduce him to the best nightclubs.  To make room and keep the books balanced, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is now with Schalke.  Kevin-Prince Boateng adds strength to the midfield and Thiago Silva and Alessandro Nesta anchor the line.  With Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Mathieu Flamini and Onweyu Oguchi, there is depth and experience enough to let both Inter and Real know that this will not be an easy year.

As 4 time European club champions, Ajax round out the 20 championships crammed into Group G.  Without the depth or financing of Real or Milan, the Amsterdam side have to be rated as outsiders, yet if someone lets them get their foot in the door, they have the strength to force it open.  Maarten Stekelenberg back stopped the Oranje to the World Cup final with support from Andre Oojier, Gregory van der Wiel and Demy de Zeeuw.  With Martin Jol settled as manager, they’ll now look for club glory, as well.  Uruguayan Luis Suarez has pledged Ajax his future and wears the captain’s arm band.  He’ll mentor countryman Nicolas Lodeiro and the young Dane sensation, Christian Eriksen, from the unfortunately named hamlet of Middlefart.  Chemistry issues do arise with the presence of 7 time loanee Mido, providing attacking support.

French side AJ Auxerre are a fish out of water in their present company.  Fish maybe but not minnows.  Auxerre have risen to the upper reaches of  Ligue 1 in the past two seasons, finishing 3rd last year.  This is a workmanlike club, disciplined but lacking in starpower. Outside of France, its most familiar players would be forward Valter Birsa, of Slovenia, and the gritty Swiss defender, Stephane Grichting.  While not well known, their more famous opponents had best be prepared because, as any Ligue 1 side will gladly inform them, Auxerre aren’t shy about introducing themselves.

Analysis: The abundance of hardware in this group may stir up some nostalgia and pride, which could very well turn it into a group of death. Real, under Jose’s firm guidance will lay claim to the top spot. Luis Suarez has a way of showing up in big moments and making a difference as 49 club goals and one World Cup save will attest.  You can’t count Ajax out and AC Milan’s one weakness may be the continental naivete of its new manager Massimiliano Allegri.  Auxerre will make the others work but they are just too far out of their depths.

Group H

There’s a term in American slang for Arsenal.  Snakebit.  Just as they get rolling and have Chelsea and Man United looking over their shoulders, a key player is stricken with a critical injury.  Usually, as it is right now, that player is Robin van Persie but it’s also happened with Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Tomas Rosicky and the departed Eduardo da Silva.  Last year, United supporters were fretting over what would happen should Wayne Rooney blow a tire and be sidelined for a significant period.  That happens repeatedly to Arsenal in every campaign and it’s a major reason they haven’t collected any silverware in six years.  Still, a gimpy Gunner squad is more than capable of making their way to the elimination rounds from this group.

The Premier Leaguers will find a familiar face across the pitch when they meet up with Shakhtar Donetsk.  Former Gunner Eduardo, he of the broken leg while at the Emirates, is now the key man in the Miners set-up.  Brazilians Luiz Adriano and Jadson, the goalscorers in Shakhtar’s surprising 2009 UEFA Cup championship triumph over Werder Bremen are still around and still young (23 & 26 respectively).  Overall, the Ukrainian club likes to play an attractive passing game.  They’re not in Arsenal’s class when it comes to finesse but they do have a bit more grit.

Most of Braga‘s players share something in common with the club.  Short names.  In all, 17 of them have followed in the honourific tradition of Pele, Junior, Ronaldo and Kaka.  If you think you’ve deduced a large population of Brazilians in the squad, you’re correct, although one or two of them do have a second name, most notably George Lucas.  Meanwhile, manager Domingo Pacienca has to be hoping that no one tells the big boys in the group that his club are sometimes known as the Arsenalists.  He’ll have enough problems trying to get a result out of those two matches without any bulletin board material introduced into the mix.  May the force be with them.

One half of Eastern Europe’s greatest football derby, Partizan Belgrade, is back in the Champions League for the first time since 2003.  It was a tough battle for them to get here, too.  The final qualifying tie with RSC Anderlecht consisted of a pair of 2-2 draws, extra time and a penalty shootout, which Partizan finally won 3-2.  After that, the home and home against Red Star this season will seem like a romantic stroll in the park.  When they were last in the group stages, seven years ago, they were last in the group.  Not much is likely to change.

Analysis: Arsenal have been drawn into a group which, largely, likes to play the same open style that Arsene Wenger worships.  Since none of his opponents are Barcelona, he’s unlikely to be beaten at his own game.  That leaves one pass into the later stages for the other three sides to scrap over.  Despite the fact that Braga’s Brazilians outnumber Shakhtar’s almost 3-1, I’m going with the Ukraine.  They know how to get down and dirty when needed and that will make the difference.

..

The action gets underway in midweek and by Christmas, we’ll know who’ll be continuing their continental travels and who’ll have to be satisfied by redoubling their domestic efforts.  Enjoy the action and I’ll see you after the holidays, with the elimination round preview!

There were four outstanding deals made in the dying moments of summer and they are as follows:

Robinho (and Zlatan Ibrahimovic) to AC Milan

For the past year, since the departure of Kaka to Madrid, Silvio Berlusconi has been crying pauper, loudly proclaiming he can no longer afford to go out and spend willy nilly to land the most sought after targets in the market.  A season spent watching Roma and, for a while, Sampdoria challenge Inter for the Scudetto did not sit well with the Italian president, however.

When he can tear himself away from more important matters, Berlusconi knows how to make a deal ... Then again, maybe it's a transferable skill.

Then, Jose Mourinho left town and opportunity beckoned.  The wily Berlusconi bided his time, though, waiting for the deadline to approach and hardened bargaining positions to soften.  Then he struck with surprising speed and financial cunning.  Agreeing a one year loan deal with Barcelona for the unwanted Ibra, with an option to purchase the player outright in 12 months time, caught the rest of football by surprise.

Then, at the last, he secured the services of Robinho, discontented with Man City ever since his compatriots Jo and Elano were shipped out, perceivably as punishment for his lack of focus.  Now, at the San Siro, the Brazilian will enjoy the company of fellow samba-leros Ronaldhino and Alexander Pato.  The deal was made for approximately a third of Man City’s original £32M purchase price of the moody winger, not two years gone.  In order to cover the cost, Berlusconi simply moved fringe player Klaas-Jan Huntelaar on to Schalke 04 for a reported €13M.

Ibra and Robinho are both possessed of  combustible personalities but are also capable of  setting fire to opposing defences.  If it’s not too late, it might be a good idea for Rafa Benitez to confirm the Giuseppe Meazza is well equipped with extinguishers.

Alex Hleb, Jean Beausejour and Martin Jiranek to Birmingham

Am I good, or am I good?

Alex McLeish, like a true Scot, understands the value of a pound.  As well, in Carson Yeung, he’s been blessed with a chairman who does, as well.  In the current climate of the Premier League, no one player is going to transform Birmingham into world beaters.  As like as not, with Sheikh Mansour in the neighbourhood, you’d probably have to overpay for your man, to boot.  On the other hand, an eye for talent can take a decent budget and divide it among several solid players.  If that eye is also accompanied by a strong hand, the resultant value of the squad might prove to be greater than the combined purchase price of its various members.

McLeish guided the Blues out of the Championship, two years ago, and then had them threatening a European place for much of  their first season back in the top flight.  With Hleb’s ability to play in the hole or on the wing, Beausejour’s speed and power down the left side and Jiranek’s towering presence in central defence, combined with James McFadden, Matt Derbyshire and Ben Foster,  Birmingham continue to have the look of upward mobility.

Asamoah Gyan to Sunderland

He scores in stripes for Ghana, maybe it'll work for the Mackems, too.

For every step forward Steve Bruce has managed at Sunderland, another obstacle has risen up to bar his way.  Most of those impediments have taken the form of injured players.  It was Lee Cattermole last year, over the holidays, who went down hard just as the Black Cats were flexing their claws.  This season it’s Frasier Campbell who’s come up lame at a very inopportune time, with the unhappy Kenwyne Jones having been sold to Stoke and Martyn Waghorn to Leicester.  That has left Darren Bent and ManU loanee Danny Welbeck without any cover.

So with just 15 minutes remaining in the silly season, Bruce snatched up the Ghanian for a hefty  £13.5M.  At Rennes, Gyan was not prolific, scoring just 14 times in 47 matches but with his international captain, John Mensah, to welcome him to the Stadium of Light, Bruce hopes he will settle quickly and translate his World Cup form into club success.

Rafael van der Vaart to Tottenham

With Crouchie and Abigail Clancy on the outs, Harry earns bonus points for maintaining the depth of the Tottenham WAG squad, in the bargain.

There was some controversy over this deal, because it looked to have been submitted late.  After deciding that no one would believe that Steve Bruce was intentionally chatting with the clerk and holding up the line after completing his deal, Harry Redknapp went with the old standby and blamed it on faulty wiring in the communications equipment.  And it’s not really surprising that it worked.  After all, if the powers that be are willing to take the word of Kim Jong Il on faith, regarding the fate of the North Korean World Cup squad, why wouldn’t they believe Harry?

Still, it’s a very happy van der Vaart coming to White Hart Lane, where his experience and creativity should put him right into the starting eleven, despite not being able to crack a Madrid lineup missing Kaka.  Whether Luca Modric appears more often in a wide role or he has to share some playing time with David Bentley and Nico Kranjcar matters not.  It’s the type of problem Redknapp loves to have, as evidenced by the continuing logjam up front, with Jermaine DeFoe, Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Robbie Keane all worthy of first team status.

..

Of the four, which do you think was the boldest of the last minute deals?  Vote in our poll below!

[poll id="14"]

By following the local game, I had learned to lower my expectations and I expected the Sal island native to be an overrated trickster. The first time I saw him playing was on the last national league and by half-time I knew I was wrong. Santa Maria was winning 2-0 at Académica da Praia and Rody was involved in every meaningful attack. He was replaced at the beginning of the second half and the match ended 2-2.

He reminded me of Ronaldinho, on his first brilliant years in Barcelona. Rody had impeccable technique, superb acceleration and an uncanny skill to beat his marker. A few months later, Cape Verde U-21 played against the favourites and hosts, Portugal, on the opening first match of the Lusophony Games. Rody came from the bench and he had the last 30 minutes to shine.

And shine he did, creating two clear opportunities to score and then, out of nothing, winning the penalty that settled the 1-0 win. Cape Verde won the tournament, and afterwards, nobody was surprised when Rody was snapped up by Portuguese giants FC Porto. It reminded me of another rags-to-starlet story, a long time ago.

In 1994, when I just a kid, they were “The Next Big Thing”: three Cape-Verdeans scoring dozens of goals for the FC Porto U-19 team. There was even a rumour about how they spoke Creole among themselves, to further confuse the opponents. Zeferino was the speedy forward, Tinaia the strong midfielder and Rui César the playmaker.

When the summer came around, they were off to Real Madrid B, playing every week alongside Guti, Cambiasso and Etoo. Was it the start of a glittering career? In the space of three years, all three of them were released. Zeferino is now playing in Malta and Tinaia was last seen on the Spanish fourth division.

The last one, Rui César, returned to FC Porto’s Dragon Stadium just last month. The Portuguese champions were playing a cup match against third division Sertanense. The Cape-Verdean is now 31 years old and, besides two years playing for Marítimo, never left the lower leagues.

Rui César was unexpectedly honest to the Portuguese media: “Of course I’m not happy with my career”. But “I think anybody would do the same as I did. Nobody turns down an invitation from Real Madrid”. At the time Porto wasn’t know for giving youngsters a chance on the first team. Yet “of course now I always have that doubt, whether or not it would have been better to remain at FC Porto”.

Brazil, for example, will not ignore the former Ballon D’Or winner Ronaldinho until the last minute. Higuian’s recent surge for Argentina in the qualifiers has put him in the running for next summer and Joe Cole has recently come back from injury and is in contention, after 11 months, for the England national team. It’s all up in the air –even for Spain, the European Champions. 

A squad that allows Cesc Fabregas to sit on the bench is without a doubt a squad of luxury. The Spanish midfield is possibly the strongest we’ve seen at any level in a long time. Their ‘Plan A’ – their passing game – is formidable. 

There will be times, however, next summer where they will have to look to ‘Plan B’. David Silva is a great attacking threat down the left, and can also play off the striker, like he does for Valencia. Santi Cazorla is also available as is Juan Mata who may be useful as a direct approach to combat teams such as Brazil. 

Jesus Navas is another option for La Furia Roja. A quick, tricky and direct winger – there’s no doubt in his quality and had it not been for personal circumstance he’d surely have followed a career path similar to that of Daniel Alves – showing just a few weeks ago his quality when he helped Sevilla inflict Real Madrid’s first loss of the season. 

The personal circumstance in question here is that Navas suffers from chronic homesickness. Somewhat ironic for a gypsy, Navas cannot spend too much time away from the Andalusian region. This has caused him to miss out on Sevilla’s tour of the USA and he has had to return home early from Spanish national team camps.

At only 23 years old, it could simply be that Navas has jut not grown up yet; this begs a further question. Do footballers struggle to adapt to real life circumstances because they’re somewhat institutionalised into the game? Navas has been part of the Sevilla set up since the age of 16 and life outside the walls of the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán is may be considered alien to him. 

Recently, however, Navas has vowed to get over his phobia: 

“To play for your country is the greatest thing and I hope to be able to, too. I have to be calm and make my decision. I have to continue taking the right steps.” 

There’s no doubt what it means to Navas, but the question is how is he going to break the psychologically barrier? It might be a question of maturity, or a particular bond to his home life that he will have to break. Whether this condition can be cured in time for next year’s World Cup remains to be seen. Spain may not be crying out for a winger but they could do a lot worse than have Navas in their squad to try and capture their first World Cup.

That’s all I remember from his first season; cameo displays in the last twenty minutes where he would make and be given a plethora of chances – he’d take a few of them as well. It was the ease in which he’d beat a player that was so breathtaking – at just 17 people were already starting to talk.

Five years later and Leo Messi is a regular in the Barcelona team and in contention for the Ballon D’Or again. Highlights have included three La Liga titles, two Champions League wins and a Copa del Rey, which completed the treble last season. These titles have come with some unreal performances along the way – especially one night at the Bernabeu.

I wrote about how Del Piero received one of the highest accolades in football – a standing ovation at the Bernabeu for his displays last season, but for a player from Barcelona to receive it is something else – only Ronaldinho had achieved such feat in recent years. The Bernabeu know their football and can accept when they’re in the presence of greatness.

I think Leo Messi is the most gifted footballer currently playing the game. His touch, low centre of gravity and zero back-lift combined with his excellent footballing brain and his confidence in placing his shots instead of hammering them make him one of the most deadly and prolific players in today’s game.

I’m a Manchester United fan and a massive fan of Cristiano Ronaldo – but there is something that Messi offers that draws me in even more so. I’ve always wondered which is better; a player that is unpredictable and therefore unstoppable, or a player like Messi who is slightly more predictable, but nevertheless, unstoppable.

The ‘Maradona’tag has been lambasted around too often. Pablo Aimar, Javier Savola and many others have accrued to this name but after much analysis it’s clear to see Messi comes closer than all of them. He’s even replicated Maradona’s two (in)famous goals. Beating the same amount of players and running roughly the same distance for his wonder goal and for the other, using his hand. Let’s be fair though, Messi is a great player in his own right.

If Maradona is the acid test at International level then Ronaldinho holds that mantle for his time at club level. Comparisons of his impact can be made to Ronaldinho having achieved the same at club level.

Nicknamed the “Messiah” he saved Barcelona a few times last season. The Champions League game against Shaktar the most memorable – 1-0 down with 15 minutes to play – enter Messi.

It has quickly become Messi’s team following the departure of Ronaldinho – and his levels of performance for his club team are not in question here – the ultra critical eye will look towards his tenure with the national team.

Last month in his hometown of Rosario, Messi was frustrated as Argentina lost to Brazil. He showed clear signs of disappointment due to the lack of quality from his team mates. It’s fair to say Argentina aren’t the best side in the world at the moment but would Maradona have acted in the same manner? Something which Messi has to learn when playing for his country is that he has to take on more responsibility.

Messi’s tendency to stay out wide could be considered a limitation. Cristiano Ronaldo for example often swaps flanks, goes down the middle and appears in the box. Messi does sometimes drift but he spends the majority of the game out on the right wing. This limitation may occur due to the nature of his Barcelona team, regardless it does restrict his impact on a game from time to time. It’s not a problem when Xavi and Iniesta are pulling the strings but the boy who moved to Spain at 11 to treat his growth hormone deficiency must adapt all over again because great players pull through no matter the circumstance.

Messi recently said he admired Rooney’s passion for the game.

“When he loses, it hurts and those are the sort of players you want to be playing with.

“I can understand the pressure on him, but to be honest, from what I have seen, Rooney is the sort of player who would thrive playing under pressure.”

That’s built in to Wayne Rooney it’s not something you learn, but something you have and the same could be said about Maradona. The question is, when it goes down to the wire can Messi put in that performance or score that goal that makes the difference on the International scene? Only then will he be considered truly one of the best – but time is on his side.

But you’d have to doubt Messi at your peril as he takes in a good goal scoring record to Argentina on Saturday where lowly Peru will undoubtedly struggle with a player that’s in a different league.