Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle at the weekend has left the Red Devils five points adrift of their ‘noisy neighbours’at the top of the table. Their loss at home to Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup exposed a worrying problem for the defending Premier League champions.  In previous articles, I have suggested that Tom Cleverley could be the man to lead United to another domestic title, but following the team’s recent performances I feel compelled to ask whether Sir Alex Ferguson should have broken the bank to mount a tilt at the Premiership?  My answer now would be a resounding maybe.

Before falling to Palace, United had gone unbeaten in three matches, with a 1-0 win over Swansea and draws with Benfica (2-2) and Newcastle (1-1).  Those performances, however, fell well short of United’s normal standards.  The ball has been bogged down in midfield, David De Gea has given some abject performances, and, with Phil Jones deputising in the center of the pitch, the defence has looked unsettled.

Michael Carrick has come in for criticism from some sections of the United support, but, when he’s on form, he can pass the ball as well as anyone in the world. He just doesn’t hit that form regularly, and, when he’s not at his best, seems to pass the ball laterally far too frequently.  It’s frustrating to watch, although his cautious play does help maintain possession when United is ahead. If they’re chasing the game, though, such a timid approach isn’t what’s needed.

Anderson began the season in great form, bombing forward and netting against Norwich City and Tottenham. Unfortunately, he has followed Cleverley to the trainer’s table.   Although Fergie couldn’t have anticipated both being injured, their absence has the gaffer scraping the bottom of the barrel for midfield talent.

Cleverley is on his way back, with Old Trafford faithful hopeful that he will return with the same confidence and control he showed before going down.   The 8-2 mauling of Arsenal, where he started, the 3-1 victory over Chelsea and the 5-0 win over Bolton, all demonstrated his worth, but since he’s been out, United have stuttered, with no-one on the bench to replace him.

Darren Fletcher has been ever-present, yes, but he is a more defensive minded player, and needs someone with guile and passing ability alongside him.  While signing Wesley Sneijder, would have seen Cleverley on the bench, when he clearly is deserving of first team selection, United might now be neck and neck with City, rather than having to match them just to stay within five points of the top.

The Dutchman is world class, there is no argument there, but Sir Alex refused to pay his astronomical wages (believed to be £200,000 a week), although it was reported in many quarters that a £35 million fee had been agreed. Even Sneijder thought he was Old Trafford bound.

It’s difficult to believe that the Inter man wouldn’t have made a difference, but Sir Alex’s decision is understandable. Whatever one thinks of the Glazers, £200,000 a week and £35 million may be a little too much.  Especially with Wayne Rooney already on the books for a similar amount.  The Americans can’t be faulted for not being Sheikh Mansour.

So what are the alternatives in the transfer window, if Anderson and Cleverley aren’t back to a hundred percent by the end of the holidays?

Mario Götze was a name that was bounded around over the summer and many United fans believed him to be the man to lead United’s new age revolution. His asking price stood, and still stands, at around £30 million. The main criticism of a deal is his age (19), but if he’s this talented as a teenager, it seems a bargain.

I don’t think either of them should be signed though. I won’t even entertain mentions of Shinji Kagawa, Xabi Alonso or another youngster, Christian Eriksen.  Instead, I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that United needn’t spend huge money on a temporary stop-gap until their missing duo are fully recovered.

There is a veteran player out there who can unlock a defence with a single pass from virtually anywhere on the pitch, provide a bit of set-piece magic, and restore the feel-good factor to a team that’s beginning to doubt its legacy, as their noisy neighbours continue to run unchecked.  He has just completed the last year of his contract, meaning he would be available on a free; has led his side to a championship, and might be looking for the perfect ending to a storybook career.

Yes, I’m talking about David Beckham, and yes, I know he’s thirty-six, has lost virtually all of the pace that once terrorised Premier League fullbacks, making him a defensive liability.  However, he has played in the middle with LA Galaxy, in a league that, while short on skill, is definitely long on fitness and pace.  He has the intelligence to compensate for his shortcomings, and his presence may see Rooney drop back into a deep position less often, as the ginger Scouse is certainly aware that Becks can get the ball to him up the pitch.  Then, once Cleverley and Anderson are fully reintegrated, Beckham will undoubtedly be a strong mentor and threat off the bench, in the latter stages of tight matches.

While Golden Balls has fully exploited his marketability throughout his career, and has entertained the notion of playing with Spurs or QPR, there is no question that he would jump at the opportunity to once again don the red strip of United.  Nor would he cost £200,000 per week.

I may be looking through rose-tinted spectacles when I mention his name, but United certainly need a spark to revive not only their flagging hopes of another Championship, but also to regain the swagger that has suddenly gone missing in this young squad.  Too many of the icons are gone and those remaining, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs, are both playing too seldom and suffering from tarnished images.  Beckham’s tenure in MLS has been looked upon with scorn, often on both sides of the Atlantic, but there is no questioning his competitive spirit.  The doubts raised if he returns will only stoke that fire.  He’ll have something to prove, and, as he did in LA this year, he will prove it.

Who says you can’t go home?

If Manchester United were going to win the Champions League Final against Barcelona, even at Wembley, they needed to be at the top of their game.  Unfortunately for them, it was the Blaugrana who were perfectly in tune.  United were more determined, playing much stronger than in the 2-0 loss in Rome, two years ago.  Still, Barça, who cruised to victory at the Stadio Olimpico, put it into overdrive in the second half in London, pulling away for a 3-1 confirmation of their superiority.

There can be no criticising the Catalan’s approach to the match, either.  Despite Man U’s early pressure, with Park Ji-Sung picking Dani Alves’pocket almost immediately, Pep Guardiola’s side remained calm and did not revert to the antics which, in tandem with Real Madrid, disgraced their semi-final opening leg.  Sergio Busquets did cover his face early on, a trademark routine from him, but this time he had the valid excuse of being mashed in the puss by an errant ball.

The visitors soaked up the opening onslaught and, by the ten minute mark, were beginning to settle into their typical control of possession.  Lionel Messi and David Villa were both able to penetrate the box and it was United’s captain, Nemanja Vidic, whose precisely timed tackling kept the first of many probings from drawing blood.

In fact, with no play acting from Barcelona and little extracurricular contact from the Red Devils, the quality on offer in this final was heaven-sent.  The only player struggling with his interventions was Antonio Valencia, who, more than once in the first half could have been booked for taking down Messi.  The Ecuadorian just wasn’t up to his recent form in this match, on either side of the ball.  Of course, when you’re assigned to man-mark the FIFA World Player of the Year, a struggle is not unexpected.

Pedro trumps Chicharito

One of the anticipated advantages for United, coming into the match, was the big-goal prowess of young Mexican forward Javier Hernandez.  Yet, he and Wayne Rooney, who have partnered well throughout the season, couldn’t seem to synchronise their thoughts on this night.

Instead, it was Barcelona’s young scoring sensation Pedro, who found the target, opening the scoring just before the half-hour, finding open space in the box and accepting Xavi’s pass after the midfielder had worked his way deep.

With two key players, in Chicharito and Valencia, misfiring, being a goal down did not bode well for Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad.  Rooney, though, wasn’t going down easily.  If the youngsters were nervous, he’d turn to the veterans.  Working a pair of give-and-goes with first Michael Carrick and then Ryan Giggs, Rooney maneuvered into the box and slotted past Victor Valdes to equalise less than ten minutes after Barça had gone in front.

Rooney leveler

In the second half, Barcelona tightened their grip on possession.  Ten minutes after the restart, Messi slipped past Patrice Evra and curled a twenty yard shot past Edwin van der Sar, one talisman cancelling out the effort of the other.

Behind again, United began to exhibit frustration with their inability to win back the ball.  Rather than begin movements of their own, they began to hit more long balls before the mid field could move up the pitch in support of Rooney and Hernandez.

Fergie moved to make his first change of the match, bringing on Nani for Fabio and shifting an ineffective Valencia to the full back position.  Unfortunately, the Portuguese let him down, quickly coughing up the ball to Xavi and then which resulted in a goal for David Villa.

Messi reveler

Now down two goals, Rooney tried to break through the Blaugrana defence again.  This time, though, he did not enjoy the support he had in the first half.  Giggs seemingly ran out of gas, after trying to match the pace of Dani Alves and Andres Iniesta for an hour and Carrick was labouring.  Park moved into the middle for Giggs but the home side couldn’t fashion another fight back like the memorable victory over Bayern Munich.

With the match in the books, Barcelona will celebrate but both sides will look ahead to next year.

Fergie will almost certainly be looking to improve his midfield.  Paul Scholes will be leaving, Ryan Giggs is finally beginning to show signs of age, Darren Fletcher is still a doubt after being stricken by an undiagnosed virus and Nani’s gaffe may have shaken the marginal confidence the Scot has in him.  Worse, Owen Hargreaves was never able to overcome his injuries, managing only to qualify as a home-grown player under the Premier League’s new squad rules.

In the end and despite appearances, it's Fergie who's seething and Pep who can relax.

The overhaul in the middle of the pitch will only put more pressure on the club’s new goalkeeper, whether or not it turns out to be the young and relatively inexperienced David de Gea.  On top of all that, both Fergie and Dimitar Berbatov will have to come to terms, or part ways, after the Bulgarian allegedly left Wembley after being left entirely out of the squad for the Final.

The forecast sounds grim for United but it is best remembered that the club was largely written off after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, just when Liverpool had pushed them to the brink.  Instead the Red Devils finished a point behind Chelsea for the league and claimed the Carling Cup, while it was the Anfield outfit who crumbled.  It may finally be time to spend some of that Ronaldo swag, this summer, but don’t expect United to be anywhere else than in the thick of it, next season.

For Barcelona, ironically, there is nowhere to go but down.  Just as in 2009, the Catalans are already being hailed to repeat their Champions League glory in the next campaign.  Other than the possibility of the thirty-three-year-old and increasingly brittle Carles Puyol yielding more and more minutes to Javier Mascherano, the squad is unlikely to change significantly.

What will be different is that Jorge Valdano is no longer Sporting Director at Real Madrid, with Jose Mourinho assuming control over player recruitment and movement.  In 2011-12, the Special One will no longer have one hand tied behind his back at the Santiago Bernabeu.  He can now go after another striker, should he feel the need, without interference and mocking from the boardroom.  Can you say Carlos Tevez?  Or perhaps a midfield enforcer along the lines of Esteban Cambiasso.

Whatever choices Mourinho makes, however, his opposite number at the Nou Camp is no one’s fool.  He knows that the challenges are only going to get tougher and the road harder.  That is the test of greatness.  Already, many are nominating this Barcelona dynasty as one of the greatest sides ever but Pep Guardiola has already admitted that such determinations are best left to future generations.

Barcelona is certainly putting forth a strong case, however.

In the years since, I’ve written about them from time to time.  Talk about waxing nostalgic… Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia, Carlos Alberto, Vladislav Bogisevic, Johan Neeskins, Roberto Cabanas… Sheikh Mansour would be in raptures to have such a squad at Man City and Florentino Perez would sell his soul to the devil.  These were the original Galacticos and countless European clubs, from Real Madrid to AC Milan to Manchester United and on down the list, have attempted to build a dynasty around the same free-spending business model.  Not very many have succeeded.  Some, such as Leeds United, have had to pay the piper for their excesses.

Now, after a quarter-century’s hibernation, the Cosmos are on the cusp of a comeback.  Much like another legendary New York tale, Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle, in which the title character, harried by a nagging wife, hikes up into the Catskill Mountains for a nap , shortly before the American Revolution, sleeps through the historic conflict and wakes up a generation later to find everything has changed, the reincarnated Cosmos will be entering a wholly different world.

The originals were a novelty act in a country which had never embraced top-flight football.  As such, their celebrity was enormous. The toast of the town, they celebrated every night at Manhattan’s Studio 54, while the rest of America went through a recession.  Despite the free spending, free living and free loving, the Cosmos propped up the North American Soccer League for almost a decade, selling out crowds wherever they went.  There was no limit to what they could do or how much they could spend.

Pele lent his feet to the original Cosmos and now he lends his voice to the new.

The new version will certainly face limits.  There is a much deeper recession under way today, one that the public can’t ignore through excess, although many are still trying.  Major League Soccer has replaced the NASL and since Commissioner Don Garber took the new league’s reins, growth has been carefully planned and spending severely restricted.  MLS does make allowances for stars’wages but only for a maximum of three per club, not a whole squad, such as the Cosmos fielded.

As a result, Cosmos.2 will have to be a more subdued, less talented team.  Of course, I’m assuming that they are admitted into the league as it’s 20th, rather than first and foremost franchise.  Given the statements coming from the league, though, that seems all but a fait accompli.  When it is made official, the club won’t even be the first club in New York, much less the league.   The first hurdle in restoring their dynasty will be supplanting Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez and New York Red Bull as the Big Apple’s footy darlings.

That may be difficult.  The first time around, their supporters were neophytes.  Now, they’re educated and discerning. As with the city’s two baseball sides, the Yankees and Mets, the majority of fans (and dollars) will flock to a winner when presented with a choice.

The twentieth century Cosmos, once they had signed Pele, were able to attract the greatest champions of their day, even though NASL was not sanctioned by FIFA, nor involved in the Champion’s Cup, the CONCACAF version of the European Cup.  They did have more than enough money to attract the best, however, through Warner Brothers and Cosmos President Steve Ross, the prototype for Roman Abramovich.

In the new millennium, Paul Kemsley’s Cosmos will not be so well-heeled.  Kemsley is an associate of tight-fisted Newcastle Chairman Mike Ashley and Sir Alan Sugar (think Donald Trump with a funny accent).  A real estate speculator, the Cosmos owner was Tottenham Hotspur Vice Chairman when Sugar presided over the London club.  Unfortunately, he would lose much of his estimated £180 million fortune in the market crash and does not have the resources to rival the 1980s incarnation.

Would you hand the keys to your football club to this man?

Still, the Cosmos name, to which he purchased the rights, has managed to attract some interest and the league seems satisfied with the club’s ability to raise funds.  Wise enough to take advantage of his resources, Kemsley has bridged the gap between the two Cosmos, hiring the club’s original messiah, Pele, as Honorary President and its legendary striker, Giorgio Chinaglia, as International Ambassador.

It’s all very romantic and has obviously held appeal for the new generation of American soccer fans, who have only heard of the Cosmos’legend.  Kemsley has certainly been active. There is a Director and Assistant Director of Football, an Honorary President, International Ambassador and a massive legacy, official merchandise is rolling out the door and there is a pre-existing youth academy.  There just isn’t a team.  For someone who witnessed the originals, the romance is of the Quixotic variety and one has to wonder just how much tilting at windmills is taking place.

MLS requires its clubs to have or be planning soccer specific grounds, which will take quite a bit of fund-raising.  Intentions are to base the stadium on Long Island, on the opposite side of Manhattan from Red Bull’s New Jersey digs.  Hopes are that they can secure space in Flushing Meadow Park, in the Borough of Queens, which already houses the baseball Mets’Citi Field and the US Tennis Open’s Arthur Ashe Complex.  Even with MLS’steady, almost plodding, financial model, I’d be more comfortable with the new Cosmos if it was the Lord Sugar heading the operation, rather than his more spontaneous acolyte.

To be fair, Kemsley does seem to have some idea of how to get a club up and running.  He understands that the new venture will require a strong emphasis on youth, hence the academy plans.  As well, he brought former Galaxy winger and US international Coby Jones on board as the Associate Director of Soccer.

In the early stages of MLS, the diminutive and dreadlocked speedster was the league’s biggest star.  That was pre-Landon Donovan, pre-David Beckham, Freddie Ljungberg and Thierry Henry.  Usually outsized and muscled, Jones developed some tactical guile for the frequent occasions when his pace wouldn’t serve.  As a technical director with the Galaxy, he translated those skills into the boardroom.  His knowledge should help the club when (if) the time comes to field a competitive side, as they will need to draw heavily on the US college system in the early doors.

Giggs' courteous demeanor and quiet confidence are reminiscent of Cosmos original coach, Gordon Bradley

Yet, the fans won’t stick with a bunch of teenagers dressed up as Beckenbauer, Chinaglia, Pele et al.  There will need to be a marquee name or three to put up in lights, to lead the supporting cast.  Kelmsley knows that and recruited the enigmatic Eric Cantona as Director of Soccer.

The former Man United mega-star, the original, far more dangerous version of Roy Keane, has not been idle since hanging up his boots.  He has established himself as an actor and pitchman, the latter surprising considering his outspoken and radical political views.  Cantona may not be mainstream but he travels easily between the football, entertainment and business worlds.  He may be just the man to attract the type of player the new Cosmos need to further identify them, in the supporter’s eyes, with their legendary ancestors.  It’s difficult (but great fun) to imagine who that player might be but Cantona’s knowledge of Europe dovetails with Jones’domestic expertise.

Ryan Giggs’name has been bandied about as one who might don the green jersey.  The earliest the club will enter the league, though, will be the spring of 2013.  The Welshman will be 39 then and his low-key demeanor is not what the Cosmos would need in their top player.  Fronting an unestablished team in New York will require a personality, someone in the mold of the NFL Jets’Hall of Fame quarterback, Joe Namath, who famously promised, then delivered, a Super Bowl victory for his upstart side.  Yet, Giggs is reportedly interested in management and a young Cosmos side, where not much will be expected, initially, may be a good first opportunity to don the gaffer’s hat.

Under current MLS rules, Cantona will be able to ignore the wage cap to recruit three name players, remember.  So who then, might comprise the Cosmos inaugural constellation of stars?

In New York, the fans don't love their stars unless the camera does, as well.

If the Frenchman were to tap his United contacts, Dimitar Berbatov presents an inviting target.  The Bulgarian will be 33 in 2013 and would be comparable, if not in style, then at least in star power, to the original Cosmos #9, Giorgio Chinaglia.  By then, Berba may be looking for a new challenge, as well.

If the club were to follow its marketing plan of mimicking its past self, Cantona would then be charged with finding a fluid number 10, à la Pele, to feed the Berba but dangerous in his own right.  It would certainly fit the bill if he were Brazilian himself.  With that in mind, I’m thinking big and suggesting none other than Kaka.  Having become a bit brittle in the last two or three seasons, his value has gone down and he is currently struggling to find a place in the Real Madrid starting XI.  In two years, he will only be 30, young enough that the pace and athleticism, which compensate for the comparative  lack of creativity in MLS, will not expose him.

Another interesting choice is Clarence Seedorf, of Milan.  The Dutchman still has the touch and imagination but his pace is already severely lacking and he will be 36 in 2013.  Much like Pele, that would curtail his tenure with the club greatly.  On the other hand, he is well-known in New York, regularly participating in a reader Q&A in the Times.  Were he to come to the Apple, he’d be an instant fan favourite.

King Eric may relate to Cuchu

Having secured his playmaker, Cantona would still have one wage cap exemption to sign his version of the Kaiser.  Rather than a sweeper, he’d likely seek out a strong-willed holding mid, capable of winning the ball, starting the play and, every now and then, finishing it, to boot.  In other words, someone who reminds him of younger days.  Inter’s Esteban Cambiasso certainly fits the bill and would be 32, when the ink dries on his Cosmos contract.  The bullet headed Argentine defender/midfielder is a strong tackler, can pick out a pass and has a bloodhound’s nose for goal.

I have no idea of the contract status of any of my fantasy recruits and as this is just me waxing futuristic for a change, I’ve no inclination to check.  But while I still harbour suspicions of the new Chairman’s financial abilities, I admire his sense of adventure and football acumen in hiring Cantona and Jones to build his new Cosmos.  With investors to attract, players to recruit and a stadium to design and build, not to mention admission to the league to be secured, the pitfalls, as well as the possibilities are endless.

In the immortal words of Tragically Hip frontman Gordon Downie, however, when it comes to the Cosmos, I can get behind anything!

Thus, it is little surprise that after an autumn and early winter of inconsistency, where sure victories and looming defeats have both been turned into draws at the death, inspiring me to tag the Old Trafford outfit as the ‘Almost Beatables,’they may finally be hitting their stride.

A week after former United spark plug and current Man City captain Carlos Tevez drew level with Dimitar Berbatov, at 14, for the lead in Premier league goals scored, the Bulgarian replied, raising the bar significantly.  His hat trick left Birmingham singing the Blues after a 5-0 United symphony of goals.  Ryan Giggs and Nani also joined in the chorus, suggesting that United may be starting to mature into their typical second half form.

For the first time in seven league matches and ten overall, United offered up a dominant performance.  Even more-so than that last blowout, where they did concede a goal in the match that allegedly led to Sam Allardyce’s sacking, everything seemed to go their way.  Straight out of the gate, Birmingham mishandled a corner, when Ryan Giggs found John O’Shea (remember him?), who flicked on to Berbatov for an easy finish.  It was O’Shea’s first duty in almost two months and he quickly proved he is still capable of filling in when and where needed.

Berba finds goal on two minutes, while City's Barry Ferguson either attempts to scratch the itch between his shoulder blades or practices his impression of a Playstation avatar.

On the half hour, Wayne Rooney’s breakneck charge drew enough attention that he was able to slide a pass over to the Berba, who took an angle on defender Roger Johnson and fired low past Ben Foster.  The Bulgarian was then instrumental in Giggsie’s goal, just before the whistle, stealing the ball from Alex Hleb while laying on the turf and beginning a chain of passes which would end with Rooney again providing service, this time for the ageless Welshman.

The love triangle between the trio would be completed less than ten minutes after the restart.  This time Rooney would start the play and Giggs would find Berbatov alone in the six, completing his third trifecta of the season.  Though he has a long way to go to match Cristiano Ronaldo’s 42 goals in all competitions during the 2008-9 campaign, Berba can now point to those three matches and claim to have done something the Portuguese never did in his United career.

Since coming back into the fold, Rooney has been content to feed others and Berbatov has certainly eaten well.  Still, it remains that thirteen of his seventeen goals have come in just four matches, five against Rovers, three each against Liverpool and Birmingham and the brace against Sunderland.  Although the Red Devils have any number of players who have pitched in with more than one goal this season, be it Chicharito, Nani, Giggs, Park Ji-Sung, whose South Korean side have made it to the Asian Cup semi-finals, where they’ll face rival Japan, or captain Nemanja Vidic, it would further their purpose even more if Berba were able to cancel some of his debt to the Scouser, by offering up some service of his own in those contests where his own efforts are being frustrated.

Meanwhile, Nani’s clean-up effort with a quarter-hour remaining suggests that Fergie’s boys have finally remembered to keep their foot on the gas.  To some extent, United were helped in this match by Birmingham’s unusual choice to take their chances and attempt to match the table topper’s more open style.  To do that at Old Trafford, especially after playing it much closer to the vest at St. Andrew’s, over the holidays, is a bit of a head-scratcher.

There was no 'almost' for McLeish's Birmingham on Saturday.

After the match, Fergie must have taken some delight in seeing Roberto Mancini’s City look rather impotent at Villa Park.  Although Tevez, new signing Edin Dzeko and the rest of the City attack had their chances in the match, they went down, largely at the hands of a bankrupt goal-keeper, in Brad Friedel, and a break-the-bank signing, in Darren Bent.  The England bench warmer opened his Villa account on eighteen minutes and Friedel held off the Sky Blue assault far better than he is creditors attempting to collect over $5 million US in debts from his failed Ohio football academy.

Arsenal managed to keep pace with United, however, as Robin van Persie netted three goals of his own against Wigan.  As it now stands, City lay three points and two games off the pace, while the Gunners remain two points and one match behind.

Next up for United is a stretch away from the friendly confines.  A pair of midweek matches, this Tuesday against Blackpool and, seven days after, against a suddenly dangerous Aston Villa, sandwich a Saturday FA Cup match at St. Mary’s versus Southampton.

Sir Alex tends to enjoy fairly easy matches whenever he’s pitted against one of his coaching acolytes or admirers, whether it’s Steve Bruce, Roy Hodgson or, as this time around, Alex McLeish.  Ian Holloway is definitely an admirer, as noted by his passionate defence of the Scot in the midst of the Wayne Rooney drama, earlier in the campaign.  However, while one wonders where Olly’s mind is during some of his press conferences, there is no question that it is fully focused on the task at hand when the Seasiders take to the pitch.  Bloomfield Road will not be easy pickings.

It’s still a long haul to the last week of May and the Premier League title but if United are to be there at the end, forcing Arsene Wenger’s 2003-4 Invincibles to share a piece of history, they can only proceed one match at a time.  So, after Saturday’s mauling of Birmingham, at Old Trafford, it’s one down and sixteen to go.

See you midweek!

♦   ◊   ♦

In Case you missed it, here is last week’s introduction to the Tales of the Almost Beatables.

The build up to this game was pretty interesting. From a widespread fear of being embarrassed by Hodgson’s “good friend,” the mood quickly changed with the news that Liverpool had replaced him with the legendary “King Kenny.” The tension which had been building suddenly transcended into anticipation, as there was more and more optimism across the Red half of Merseyside, particularly with the news that Manchester United mainstays Edwin van der Sar, Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney would all be missing. I am not the biggest fan of van der Sar, although I do not doubt he is a very good keeper, but the loss of players of Vidic and Rooney’s calibre is massive to any team. It appeared that the Gods were looking favourably on the Scousers this weekend.

That was, until the game got underway. Honestly, I had feared a real pasting, given our performances over the festive period. With less than a minute on the clock, Howard Webb seemed to be playing into my fears. From a position without a great view of the incident, he decided to award the home side a very controversial penalty. Dimitar Berbatov had taken a through ball, in stride, and looked to get past Daniel Agger inside the penalty area. Agger waved a foot in the ball’s direction and Berbatov went down.

Down goes Dimitar! To be fair, it was a windy day.

My initial assessment was dive. Since then, I’ve watched a half-dozen replays of the incident and I’m not very convinced that there was, if any, much actual contact between the players. One angle makes it appear there was a slight touch but the reverse indicates none at all. The referee’s assistant, who was in a better position to judge than Webb, did not think it was a penalty, although the man with the whistle did.

Interestingly, the pundits all seemed to believe it was not a penalty, and Dalglish, only back on the job for a matter of seconds, was adamant that it was not. Even a quick, if unscientific, straw poll among some Facebook friends, who are (sadly and incurably) United supporters, yielded a consensus that Webb had it wrong. Unfortunately, if these decisions were democratic, even in this age of technology, the matches would take far longer and likely degenerate into chaos. Therefore, despite vigorous protestation, Ryan Giggs stepped up to put the ball in the bottom corner, just outside of Reina’s reach, putting the hated enemy on top virtually from the outset.

A dream start for United was a nightmare scenario for Liverpool. Woy’s good friend, Sir Alex Ferguson, has built a dynasty picking sides off on the counter attack and, with almost an entire match remaining, had the Reds exactly where he wanted them: twisting on the hook. With Liverpool already chasing the game, there is no doubt that the penalty completely changed the game’s dynamic.

On the other hand, I am sure that Dalglish would have been looking for his team to push forward, anyway. His career was built in a team that liked to attack and play good football and he incorporated that philosophy into his management style during his first stint at the club, before the tragedy at Hillsborough took its toll.

How ironic then that, midway through the game, the camera should pan to a Liverpool “supporter” vociferously shouting “Munich! Munich! Munich!” at opposing fans, whilst offering them a two-fingered salute. Given the history of our very own club and, indeed the timing with respect to the Ibrox disaster, which Kenny Dalglish was involved in commemorating this week, I find it deeply saddening to think that a fellow “supporter” of the club could behave in this way.

Furthermore, it was around this time that a Facebook friend, and fellow Red, posted a status with similar sentiment.

Although he doesn’t seem the type, I wish the fan at the match would read this. I would tell him exactly what I told my friend — You are a disgrace and you should be ashamed of yourself. My friend’s “excuse” for such despicable taunts was, “You should read what they have said about Hillsborough!”

Isn’t it amazing how short all of our memories can be, Reds and United supporters alike, and how we so easily settle for the lowest common denominator rather than rising above it all to show the best of ourselves?

Anyway, back to the game now I’ve had my mini-rant! Howard Webb’s next major decision was, in my mind, a good one. Dirk Kuyt scrambled past Darren Fletcher at the centre line, only for Fletcher to deliberately pull him back and down. Sergeant Webb of the South Yorkshire’s immediately handed the Scot a citation, as, if Kuyt had escaped, it would have been the start of a very promising counter attack.

Stevie G. is already removing the armband, anticipating Webb producing a red card.

At the half hour mark, Webb again had to dispense some hard justice. Steven Gerrard, perhaps worked up more than most by the return of Kenny, lunged in to a fifty-fifty challenge with Michael Carrick near the half way line. Unfortunately, he led studs first, recklessly throwing himself at the ball with both feet off the floor.

That Carrick made a meal of the contact is irrelevant; it was simply reckless and dangerous. Gerrard was red carded for the incident and, personally, I cannot really defend him. We may criticise players at times for showing a lack of passion or pulling out of tackles. That does not mean that we should support them when they abandon all self-control, however.

Quite why Gerrard made the tackle in such a fashion is beyond me too. Carrick was going nowhere and there was no danger. The pundits were unanimous in their verdict that he should have left the field of play, whilst Dalglish didn’t exactly condemn the decision. He alluded to the fact that a yellow card may also have been a just punishment, but he didn’t openly criticise the referee. I got the feeling that he didn’t want to criticise his captain, and to openly agree with the referee would have been just that.

The red card, more-so than Agger’s dubious penalty was the defining moment in the match. United were inevitably the team with more possession and less pressure to attack. The following sixty minutes, from a Liverpool point of view, was more than encouraging, though. The commitment on display was top-notch and not once did heads drop. Despite large periods of pressure, we defended resolutely and attempted to play our way out of trouble when opportunities presented themselves. Unfortunately, the player sent off the pitch was the one who time after time, especially in big matches, has taken the club on his back and led them out of trouble to glory.

Daniel Agger and Fabio Aurelio’s inclusion was a big plus point for me. Earlier this week, I slated Hodgson for dropping the pair in favour of Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Paul Konchesky. Their performances against Blackburn, combined with those of Agger and Aurelio today, say a good deal regarding the footballing differences between Dalglish and Hodgson.

The set-up today clearly announced an intent to attack, using the famous “pass and move” ideology.” In the first half, I struggled to grasp exactly what system we were playing, with Kuyt, Gerrard, Maxi Rodriguez and Raul Meireles continuously trading places. There was fluidity to the play and movement, where previously only rigidity had existed.

Interestingly, both fullbacks had very solid games, getting forward often in support of the attack. Aurelio was calm and composed on the ball, allowing us to retain possession on several occasions. On the other side, Martin Kelly continues to impress. He dealt with a very tricky and experienced Ryan Giggs in admirable fashion. Furthermore, the additional threat of Patrice Evra didn’t daunt him and he even managed to cause his opposite problems of his own on occasion.

Dalglish preferred the young legs and daring attitude of Martin Kelly to the more staid Paul Konchesky and why soon became evident.

As Liverpool became more desperate and time evermore their enemy, United found more and more opportunities going forward. Interestingly, Pepe Reina made eight saves today, with several being of the very highest calibre. Having only been that busy in a Liverpool shirt on two other occasions, Reina might be a little disappointed that Berbatov was the player awarded the man of the match, although I am sure that he would have traded any personal accolade for a better result.

Webb’s day wasn’t over with Gerrard’s ejection. Two more incidents. both in the Liverpool penalty area, kept him on his toes. The first was part of the Evra/Kelly duel, which developed nicely in the second half. here, Evra burst into the penalty area, wrong-siding Kelly, but the young Liverpool defender managed to get his body in the way of Evra and the ball, delivering an expertly executed shoulder barge, to clear the danger. Webb, quite correctly, ruled no penalty, to the Frenchman’s clear dismay.

The second incident again developed from a United attack down the left flank. Giggs posed the threat and another of Liverpool’s younger players, Jonjo Shelvey, made the challenge. On first viewing, At first glance, Shelvey appeared to cut off the Welshman’s run for a deserved penalty, although the replay revealed that Shelvey actually took the ball away from Giggs; a very brave play from the youngster. Obviously, Webb had a better view of the play than I and made the correct call. Don’t you hate it when that happens?

In the face of adversity and defeat, there was still much of a positive nature to take from the match. Especially notable was the trust Dalglish placed in the younger players. Shelvey was introduced on the hour mark, along with Ryan Babel, as direct replacements for Meireles and Maxi Rodriguez. About fifteen minutes later, David Ngog was also introduced to replace Fernando Torres who continues to look out of sorts.

There are clearly deep-rooted problems within the squad that are not going to be rectified overnight. Torres is either unhappy or lacking confidence (both?) and his frustrations are showing in every game he plays. Dalglish faces a major challenge to restore the Spaniard to his best.

Dalglish may not have seen the desired result in his first match back in charge but he did see far more desire from his squad than Roy Hodgson typically did. If we play in that manner every week, it won’t be long before we are climbing the table once more. Yet it is best remembered that when Woy did see such commitment, it came in matches such as this, against teams in the top end of the standings: Arsenal in the opener and then United, Tottenham, Chelsea and Bolton. The rest of the month will tell whether Dalglish can command that from this squad, with return matches against Blackpool, Everton and Wolves followed by games against Fulham and Stoke.

♦   ◊   ♦

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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.

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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!

“Personally, I think internationals are going to be something of the past,” he said. “The pride of it and all that, I just think it’s getting lesser and lesser.

“Players these days don’t see as pride in their country, they see it more as a chore, you know ‘God, I have to go again’. That was the way it always was for me.

“I think you’ll be surprised how many players – young ones at that – who will retire from international football after the World Cup.”

There are rumours coming out of the French camp that Karim Benzema is frustrated with his role in the national side. A goal-scoring substitute against the Faroe Islands, his international manager Raymond Domenech was hugely critical of the forward following September’s draw with Romania. Real Madrid’s £35 million signing is quoted as saying “it doesn’t go well” for him under Domenceh. With 7 goals in 26 caps, he is yet to recreate his explosive form at Lyon on the international stage . At just 21, France could be losing their potential leading light for the next decade.

We have seen plenty of players within the British Isles retiring from their respective countries in this decade. Alan Shearer is probably the most famous example of them all. After 63 caps and 30 goals for England, he gave up England duty aged 29. His body could not survive the rigours of playing for Newcastle and England, and was plagued with knee problems throughout his career. He gave the reason of prolonging his club career, and played for Newcastle until 2006. His childhood dream of becoming Newcastle’s top scorer was realised with 206 goals. That’s all the justification he needs for turning his back on the international game.

Paul Schloes ‘England career also ended at 29, after a Euro 2004 spent playing on the left of midfield. He cited family reasons for his retirement, with a frustration at been made the scapegoat at the peak of the Lampard-Gerrard debate lurking under the surface. Clubmate Ryan Giggs went 9 years without playing a friendly game for Wales, and played just 64 times in a 16-year career with his country. Sir Alex Ferguson, despite being a former Scotland manager, is not a fan of international breaks and is still up to his old tricks. Darren Fletcher and Wayne Rooney are ‘unavailable’ for Scotland and England this week. Keep an eye their availability for Manchester United hosting Bolton on Saturday.

For such a small nation, Wales seem to have more retirees than most. Captain Craig Bellamy mentioned today that he is considering hanging up his Welsh boots, as he could be playing Champions League football next season. At 30, and with his injury record, it’s understandable. But Bellamy always enjoyed playing for his country, unlike Jason Koumas. A player of untapped potential, a fear of flying meant he only amassed 34 caps, and didn’t play an international match outside the United Kingdom for two-and-a-half years between September 2005 and March 2008. Add this to the loss of Paul Parry, Carl Robinson and Carl Fletcher, along with manager John Toshank’s very public falling out with Robbie Savage, the Welsh have had their resources stretched to the limit.

Some players don’t play for their countries due to the manager. Glasgow Rangers pair Kris Boyd and Lee McCullough won’t turn out for Scotland due to a serious personality clash with Coach George Burley. Juan Roman Riquelme’s dispute with Argentina coach Diego Maradona turned into a slagging match, riling fans of Boca Juniors to the extent that Maradona was labelled a ‘traitor’ by the supporters who once idolised him

Whilst all the examples previously have been of players approaching their 30s, this trend of talented young players bemoaning international duty at such a young age is worrying. The Champions League is seen as the be-all and end-all these days, with Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher stating all the best players in the world play in the competition. There are enviably going to be some big names missing from next year’s World Cup in South Africa.

Perhaps these youngsters should look at the examples of Steven Gerrard and Cristanio Ronaldo. 2 of the world game’s biggest names, 2 hugely patriotic men, who see the honour in representing their respective countries. Ronaldo was clearly not fully fit taking the field for Portugal against Hungary, and only lasted 27 minutes. Employers Real Madrid were not best pleased. Gerrard has been troubled by a groin injury for over a year now, with has led him to miss games for club and country, but his autobiography showed his undoubted passion in wearing an England shirt.

Should Ireland qualify for South Africa next summer, you can be 99% sure that Stephen Ireland will not be on the plane over. That in itself is a shame. This would be the perfect stage for him to display his undoubted talents. Greats of the game like Cruyff, Pele and Maradona all made their name on the international stage in major tournaments. Whist most of the power in the 21^st century lies with the clubs, the international game will always have its place. Not only those it brings football fans together, but countries come to a standstill when their national side are involved in a World Cup. Maybe then, Ireland would realise it is not a chore. It is a privilege.