Sir Alex – BRITISH SOCCER {DIVA}

Red Card…

This could be the second red card I’ve given to Mr.Wenger in the space of a couple of seasons and I feel it is absolutely deserved. Unless he does something major in this summer’s transfer window, he’ll be getting a lot more than a red card from the Gooner nation. You have been warned Arsene.

It’s an absolute certainty Arsenal will lose Cesc Fabregas this summer. And there are now rumblings his fellow midfield maestro Samir Nasri could be out of the door too. To be without Fabregas is a tough pill to swallow. But to lose Nasri as well might be one pill too many to take.

What could the roll on effect be at the Emirates if these two players were to go? Would Robin Van Persie stay? Could they still attract respectable names to the club despite losing a name like Fabregas or will Arsenal just continue to lose quality players about to hit their prime?

Arsene Wenger is under the most intense pressure since taking the reigns at Arsenal. His philosophy has always been fit to please Gooner fans. However, since the end of last season, he has come under tremendous fire for not being able to adapt outside of his beliefs. Why is he being so stubborn? Why can’t he see what everyone else sees? Arsenal need a goalkeeper, a center back, a left back and a striker. And who will replace Fabregas and Nasri if they both go? Does he have that much faith in Ramsey and Wilshere?

Sir Alex Ferguson always gets so much credit for believing in “his kids.” Wenger gets ripped for having the same beliefs. The problem however Mr.Wenger is that Sir Alex actually wins trophies with his kids. You don’t. You can’t and you never will unless you add a little adult into the mix. The kids need a bit of hand holding at Arsenal. These kids have no leadership skills and yet they also have no leader to follow. Fabregas was a laughable captain. He didn’t lead by example. He just wanted to be led out the front door straight to the Camp Nou. Can we blame Wenger for this?

Actually I think we can. It’s a bit like the LeBron James story in Cleveland. Sure the owner of the Cavs tried to build several teams around LeBron but he did a lousy job and bought the wrong players in over and over again. Eventually LeBron got tired of being in a losing team and having to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Wenger didn’t necessarily buy terrible players, but he didn’t give Fabregas some guts and leaders to help him carry the burden. He kept handing him more kids to babysit. After a while, losing gets old and winning becomes a distant dream.

This could be a painful summer for Arsenal fans. Let’s hope we have to retract this red card for Mr.Wenger and he makes us eat our words…

What’s up with Europe’s big boys..?

Rafa_Benitez_280x39_921611a The Champions League is proving to be really weird this year people. Barcelona struggled to beat a team that sounds like a really delicious sandwich. Liverpool need to get their prayer mats out and hope for a miracle. Bayern Munich do not look like German giants. Inter Milan are not so special. Real Madrid really need Ronaldo back. And Manchester United should look into cloning Rooney 10 times, despite moving closer to the knockout stages.

Did one of you rival fans put something in their nutritional beverages? Or could it be the clocks going back? That always messes with one’s alignment. Whatever the problem is, these teams need to snap out of it and fast.

Bordeaux, Arsenal, Sevilla, Juventus, Lyon, Chelsea, Fiorentina and FC Porto are looking the best thus far in the competition. Arsenal and Chelsea have been regular cast members in the Champions League group stages. And if you are a player, manager, executive or fan of either of these clubs, you have to believe you have a great shot at winning Europe’s greatest prize, especially when you look around and see the big boys struggling.

I’m sure the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan will make the knockout stages. That’s not what’s in question. What’s in question is how they are playing. Real Madrid should really be beating this particular AC Milan team. They’ve been poor in the Italian league and nobody really thought they were the AC Milan of old when the season started. Ronaldo has been sorely missed by Real Madrid, but after buying so many expensive and quality players this summer, are Real Madrid really a one man team?

Inter Milan were lucky to have walked away with a win against Dynamo Kiev. The Champions League is the piece of silverware the club wants badly. You can see the reflection of the Champions League trophy in Jose Mourinho’s eyes as he observes his team from the touch line. Schevchenko almost came back to haunt the man who didn’t really give him a chance at Chelsea. But a couple of last gasp goals from Milito and Sneijder saved the blushes of Mourinho and his men. And what’s happened to Eto’o since his move from Barcelona to Inter Milan?

Manchester United – although sitting comfortably at the top of their group – just don’t seem to be the same team this season. The loss of Ronaldo has been far greater than even the genius of Sir Alex Ferguson could have imagined. They fought back once Rooney came on as a substitute. But what if Rooney gets injured? What then? Where will their inspiration come from? It’s tricky times at Old Trafford. The amazing thing about United is they are drawing or winning and not playing their best football. They don’t warm up to their sublime best until December/January. The question is, do they have the talent to shift into their usual 5th gear this season?

Liverpool are a mess. Alonso is another player who left for Real Madrid in the summer and Liverpool have not recovered. Aquilani could be the answer, but we just haven’t seen enough of him yet to compare. Voronin and Lucas are not the answer. Benayoun, Kuyt and Torres are the only players that are trying to make an impact and difference on the pitch. Carragher has been a disaster all season and with Gerrard being injured, they don’t have that final driving force in the midfield to make things happen going forward. I don’t like to talk about people losing their jobs, but Benitez is one bad result away from losing his.

Of course this could all change next week and that’s the beauty about the game we fans love! What do you think of the European giants struggling in the Champions League? Which team is looking the most dynamic for you? Is it possible that a Lyon, Fiorentina or Sevilla could win the Champions League? Did you drink wine or beer when watching the games this week?

Two old geezers made the difference…

Britain Soccer Premier League On Sunday, we witnessed why the Premier League is the best and most exciting league in the world. The Manchester derby had everything. Passion, goals, panic, flare, heartache and pure elation. In the end it finished Manchester United 4 Manchester City 3. And it was two old geezers who stole the headlines and made the difference in the game of the week. Take a bow Ryan Giggs and Michael Owen.

United and City evolved their rivalry into war on the Old Trafford pitch. And if the players were Russell Crowe, the Theater of Dreams was the Coliseum. The atmosphere was undeniable. The fans were ready for their own battle and their singing could be heard around the world. When Manchester City fans were chanting their hearts out, the Manchester United fans would sing louder as if to say “how dare you raise your voices in our house.” Even when Bellamy shoved goals down their throats, the United fans refused to give up. And when United would score again, City fans would crank it up another notch. It was a superb display of fan support.

Manchester United bossed this game from start to finish. They didn’t give their old team mate Tevez a sniff of much. Bellamy was really the star of City’s show and Giggs was at the heart of everything good for United. In the 1st half Manchester City played really well and they stood tall against their fiercest rivals. The “wannabe top four boys” of the Premier League had a point to prove and they certainly had a fighting spirit about them in the early stages of the game. But a tactical move by their manager Mark Hughes to put Steven Ireland out on the left allowed the Manchester United midfield more space and the Red Devils took complete control in the 2nd half.

Ryan Giggs made it all happen for United. Together with Fletcher and Anderson in midfield, they totally dominated possession and created lots of chances to finish off the game. And it took several attempts to finish off the game. Just when City thought they had stolen a point after Ferdinand’s giveaway to Bellamy, Giggs and Owen combined for the winning goal. It was a delicious ball from Giggs and a sublime finish from the never say die Owen. How fitting for two old heroes. Giggs proves once again his legendary status in football and Michael Owen sends a clear message to Capello. Can he build on this? Can he really mount a case to get to South Africa?

And what about Sir Alex Ferguson. He bought on Valencia and he too helped change the game. Then he subbed Berbatov for Owen and he netted the winner. His plan worked to perfection throughout. He wanted this one badly and his team delivered. He wanted to prove that United are still the best team in Manchester. Oh and by the way…they are! With over 400 million pounds of talent on display in this game, it was the pure beauty of football that won in the end. It was the fans that reaped the rewards and the game of football was victorious.

Who was your man of the match? Did you think Tevez was a factor at all? Was the referee fair with the injury time played? Is Fletcher the answer in midfield for United? Would City have won with Adebayor? Is Shay Given one of the most underrated goalkeepers in the world? Do you think the result was fair?