Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool

There was a flurry of activity today before the match at Villa Park. This summer's Gareth Barry to Liverpool transfer saga carried over into the stands, as the Villan faithful hurled purposeful insults at Liverpool and Rafa Benitez. Martin O'Neil and Rafa have traded barbs over Barry, and now that he's definitely still a Villan, they can shake hands and go about their business.

1st Half
While the crowd shook with fervor, the pitch offered little in the way of excitement in the first half. Skrtel was yellow carded early for taking down John Carew, and FernandoTorres hobbled off the pitch in the 27th minute, with what looked to be a minor injury. There were few chances in the first; a weak shot by Carew that Reina turned away, and Dirk Kuyt hit the side netting with a shot from a tough angle. The best chance came when Robbie Keane, looking more comfortable in a central role, dropped one over to the young Frenchman, David Ngog, who had replaced Torres, and his left foot sent the ball just inches over the bar.

2nd Half
The second half provided a little more excitement from both sides, if not a lot in the way of creativity and inspiration. Alonso sent a ball over the bar, and Villa pressured the Reds with a couple of corners. Friedal didn't have much to do, but he looked confident in goal all game, a good sign for Martin O'Neil, after the poor start to the season for the former Blackburn keeper.

James Milner came on to a rousing applause later on in the second half as the game settled in and both teams looked more focused on keeping the ball out of their goal. The closest call was a long ball that landed at the feet of Robbie Keane inside the Villa box. Keane was tracked closely by Nigel Reo-Coker, who got all leg and no ball after the Irishman's shot headed weakly towards Friedal. No call was made and the game ended with some small flurries, but nothing too worrisome for the managers.

Rafa
The Reds' manager continues to perplex with his lineup choices. He is obviously set on Arbeloa at right back, I don't know why, but I can live with it. But what about stacking five across the midfield and using Leiva, Mascherano, and Alonso all in withdrawn roles? They weren't playing Barcelona. So why forsake your own attack to shut down Aston Villa? Does he have that little confidence without Gerrard?

And Ryan Babel didn't see the field in a game in which David Ngog and Fabio Aurelio came on for forwards. If scoreless and one goal draws are what killed Liverpool's chances last season, why is Rafa aiming for draws with the likes of Aston Villa early on? Leaving Babel on the bench wasn't a message to him for going to the Olympics. It was merely one more in a never ending series of baffling Raffers.

The topper was putting Benayoun on for Keane in the 79th minute. Keane was finally having a decent game in a central striking role, and Rafa yanks him for Benayoun, which left Ngog alone up front. Five games so far this year, and the Reds haven't notched one goal before the 80th minute yet. That is pretty scary, but what is scarier is that Rafa probably thinks everything is going to plan.


Torres
It doesn't get much worse for us Liverpool supporters, when Gerrard is in surgery and Torres limps off the pitch with an injury. Rafa even conceded that this injury could take a couple of weeks. Let's hope its not more than that. If Benitez stacked the midfield against Villa, imagine the Man U game without Torres and Gerrard next week. Man U might as well set up tents in Liverpool end right now, because they will be spending the whole day their soon.

It looked like a hamstring injury, and you don't want that to hamper you all season, so as is the case with Gerrard, Torres should get it fully taken care of now.

Week 3: Gunners, Lactics, and Pompey Shine

Saturday
This weekend's featured game:
Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle

1st Half

There are two ways that Arsenal can attack an opponent. One option is to pass the ball around the other side's end beautifully, with pinpoint passing, give and go's, one-touch brilliance, hordes of attackers slashing, back-heeling, finding seams in the flat-footed defense, and ultimately pass it back out and start over again, giving the other side enough time to get back, bunch up and fire the ball out. This was the Gunners in the first couple games of the season.

The other way they attack is to pass the ball around the other side's end beautifully, with pinpoint passing, give and go's, one touch brilliance, hordes of attackers slashing, back-heeling, finding seams in the flat-footed defense, and quickly finding a player with an open shot, who fires it home. Basically this is playing their visually pleasing style of football with purpose, not just finding the passing lanes, but making each pass with positive movement towards the goal and an open shot.

The latter is how they played against Newcastle on Saturday. They pushed forward with waves of attack early on, committing large numbers forward for short periods. Given was solid early and he would have to be all game, to keep things respectable. Newcastle's attack was sparse, relying on small numbers in Arsenal's end, with little movement and cutting from their midfield.

In the 18', Adebayor made a great deke past his defender and put one into the box, forcing a N'Zgobia hand ball. Robin Van Persie fired home the penalty kick low and to the right, with Given guessing right, but diving to his left a little too late. From this point on, Arsenal kicked it into high gear and their waves of attack became a tsunami of sustained offense directed at the Newcastle goal.

Adebayor was taken down and RVP took a dive which resulted in separate free kicks just outside the box. RVP's second free kick was thwarted by a spectacular save by Given. In the 38th, Adebayor missed one just wide left. Arsenal's first magic goal came at the end of the half, with Adebayor running down the right of the box, sliding one over to Eboue, who back-heeled to RVP, who slide into the ball and buried it high into the goal.

The first half was dominated in possession and chances by Arsenal, with only an Almunia save of Michael Owen at the death of the half, to provide Newcastle with any hope.

2nd Half

The second half saw Keegan's squad come out with a little spark, as their pressure and movement improved. Nicky Butt was controlling in midfield and Jonas Guitierrez looked good on the right. Arsenal's counter provided another majestic goal, which basically worked from left to right like this: Nasri-Adebayor-Denilson-Nasri-Adebayor-Denilson. Just an amazing goal, showing what Wenger's boys are all about. Five passes in a relatively small area around the box, the last one pushed ahead perfectly for Denilson goal.

From that point on, it was all Arsenal. Newcastle's energy was sapped and if it weren't for missed opportunity, Given, and the crossbar, they would of had a few more. I don't like saying the game could have be 8-0, because it wasn't, and if you are going to say that, then you would have to say that it could have been 8-2, because Newcastle missed some chances as well.

Joey Barton

The most absurd moments of the game came in the end with none other than the villainous Joey Barton. Barton slid into a tackle at full speed and threw his elbow into Samir Nasri's right leg as he slid past. Then the criminal is cracking a sinister, goading smile at him as he hobbles back into the play. Why the hell did Keegan throw Barton in, when the team is down three goals? Does he want him to kill someone? How is that going to help when his hearing comes up on Friday? It was 100% intentional, and then Keegan comes out after the game and condemns Nasri for tripping up Barton. That's crazy, Nasri should have clotheslined him.

Keegan also said that Barton needs a second chance and that the FA and the media should back off a little. Thing is, Barton has had a second chance.....and a third.....and a fourth. This guy has got problems and just giving him another chance without seriously dealing those problems, is a mistake. I tend to think that the FA should suspend him until he proves that he can be a positive influence.

Arsenal: Hard to find a player who didn't play well. Even Eboue had a sharp game, despite the fact that Wenger insists on playing him out of position each time out. Fabregas makes such a difference in his side, when he's pushing forward and getting into space. Nasri looks like he is going to be the real deal at Arsenal. Van Persie (pen 18'), Van Persie (41'), Denilson (59')

Newcastle: A poor effort overall for the Magpies. Ameobie was garbage in the first half, but picked it up slightly in the second. Guitierrez was perhaps the only bright spot, as he got up and down with pace and posed a threat to the Arsenal defense. Given kept them alive by making save after save. Owen had a couple of chances, but he needed support from his midfield that never came.


Bolton 0-0 West Brom
West Brom failed to click on offense once again, as the highlights were provided by keepers Jussi Jaaskelainen and Scott Carson. A combined 33 shots (7 on target) yielded a 0-0 draw at the Reebok. West Brom now sits in last place with Tottenham, with one point after 3 matches.

Everton 0-3 Portsmouth
Another defeat at Goodison is a frightening sign for David Moyes and Everton. Portsmouth, relieved to be done with Man U and Chelsea, got Jermaine Defoe on track with two goals. Defoe and Peter Crouch got on together for the first time this year, ending Pompey six game PL losing streak, dating back to the end of last season. Glen Johnson notched the other goal for Pompey, and Yakubu was stoned by David James on an Everton penalty attempt.
Portsmouth- Defoe (11'), Johnson (40'), Defoe (68')

Hull 0-5 Wigan
Hull was quickly brought back down to Earth by the attacking force of the road team, Wigan. Antonio Valencia got on the board for the first time this season and the impressive Egyptian international, Amr Zaki, grabbed two more goals, bringing his total to three for the season. Steve Bruce may have a steal on his hands with the signing of the his new striker. Valencia was the man to be reckoned for the Lactics, as he pressed the Hull defense all night.
Wigan- Ricketts (og 4'), Valencia (13'), Zaki (63'), Heskey (68'), Zaki (81')

Middlesbrough 2-1 Stoke
Dominate Middlesbrough nearly squandered their 3 points at The Riverside Stadium on Saturday. An Alfonso Alves goal, after Stoke midfielder Amdy Faye was sent off for a reckless tackle, was followed in the second half by a missed Steward Downing penalty. Justin Hoyte then put a Stoke cross past Ross Turnbull for an own goal and a 1-1 tie. Tuncay Sanli saved the points in the 85th minute with a clinching goal, for a 'Boro team that has turned out three impressive performances so far this season.
'Boro- Alves (37'), Sanli ('85)
Stoke- Hoyte (og 71')

West Ham 4-1 Blackburn
West Ham poured it on late at Upton Park, in a game that was closer than the final score. Late tallies by Craig Bellamy and Carlton Cole sealed the victory and left a disappointed Blackburn side and new manager Paul Ince on four points after two games. West jumped out to a two goal lead after a Christopher Samba own goal in the 20th minute. Jason Roberts pulled one back for the Rovers just before half, but missed a penalty on the start of the second, and Blackburn wasn't able to pull level.
West Ham- Davenport (12'), Samba (og 20'), Bellamy (90'), Cole (90')
Blackburn- Roberts (44')


Sunday
Chelsea 1-1 Tottenham
After two disappointing results for Juande Ramos, Sunday's London derby saw his Spurs squad stand up to the challenge. Chelsea came out blazing and got a 27th minute deflection off Juliano Belletti, who was filling in at midfield. Tottenham leveled with a Darren Bent strike against the run of play, just before halftime. Spurs would hold off Chelsea in the final tense minutes for their first point of the season.
Chelsea- Belletti (27')
Tottenham- Bent (45')

Sunderland 0-3 Manchester City
Shaun Wright-Phillips had a brilliant return to Manchester on Sunday, scoring two goals at the start of the second half in his debut against the Black Cats. You have to feel good for him after years as an afterthought at Stamford Bridge. Stephen Ireland notched a first half goal as Man City took it to Roy Keane's squad, 3-0, in what can only be considered a step back for Sunderland. The Black Cats had looked formidable at the Stadium of Light last season, and now they have dropped their first two matches of the new campaign there.
Man City- Ireland (45'), Wright-Phillips (50', 58')

Week 3: Barry Playing (Against) the Reds

Saturday

Arsenal vs. Newcastle
Cesc Fabregas was back in the side at midweek, a 4-0 win in the CL qualifier against porous FC Twente, making a huge difference in the Gunners form. Arsenal are a different team with the Spaniard on the pitch and it will show at the Emirates against Newcastle. They will be steaming on the heels of last week's shock defeat to Fulham.

Arsene Wenger is still looking to strengthen his side and Saturday's match could help sway the level of urgency at the Emirates. Another surprise defeat and they may shell out more than necessary for Xabi Alonso.

Newcastle has looked a tough side early on this season, with Owen on form and some midfield play. The real difference will rest with the erratic defense, who look vastly improved and focused.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Newcastle

Everton vs. Portsmouth
David Moyes' frustration over a lack of depth continues as the Toffees welcome Pompey to Goodison Park. A small signing, Danish international Lars Jacobsen, this week should do little to relieve his worries. Louis Saha will join Yakubu up front....until he gets hurt. Everton looks far less motivated this go around and it will be up to Moyes to make do with what he has.

Portsmouth has struggled in their first two matches, but against the likes of Chelsea and Man U, it is too early to panic. Crouch and Defoe have looked completely unsure of one another, but Rednapp will gave the pair a little time before he rushes into a change up front.

Both teams are in need of some kind of result here, which could make from a very tight match.
Prediction: Everton 0-1 Portsmouth

Middlesbrough vs. Stoke
'Boro has looked like a much improved side through these first two weeks. A convincing win against Tottenham and a heartbreaking loss to Liverpool at Anfield have seen two very positive performances from the squad. David Wheater looks to be an emerging star and if Alfonso Alves can find consistency, 'Boro could stick around in the top half of the table for some time.

Stoke is a team that may be taking a little page out of the old Leeds' book, knock 'em around and wear 'em down. They showed their heart against Villa last week, but relying on performances like that every week will eventually starting biting them back.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 1-0 Stoke

Bolton vs. West Brom
Bolton has been up and down in their first few games. An early Carling Cup exit at midweek is sure to light a fire under the squad. Few thought their 3-0 win against Stoke in week 1 was a sign of things to come, but they'll need more results like that against bottom clubs to stay clear of the relegation zone that they flirted with all last year.

West Brom rolled through the Championship last year, with exciting play and a squad that looked a good bet to avoid relegation in the Prem this year. So far, their play has been anything but exciting. The need to get some offensive flow going in this match.
Prediction: Bolton 2-0 West Brom

Hull City vs. Wigan
Hull City have come out of the box firing. They have that early season promotion passion that, when it slows, can grind a team to a halt. Look for Wigan to frustrate them and counter in spurts.

Antonio Valencia has yet to bust out, and he better soon, or I'm gonna have to stop talking him up. Wigan looked great last week against Chelsea, holding their own and losing a hard fought battle. A tough loss to a side like Chelsea can either deflate or inspire a squad. Steve Bruce is hoping it's the latter.
Prediction: Hull City 0-1 Wigan

West Ham vs. Blackburn
The Hammers will be looking for three points at Upton Park on Saturday after a disappointing 3-0 bow to Man City last week. Curbishley has been the favorite to get the axe early on this year and he will need to rack up some wins to keep himself in good shape.

Rovers are sitting at 4 points after two games and look to be resilient despite losing Bentley and Friedal in the transfer market. Paul Robinson has been dreadful in goal, and looks to be getting worse each year. It's hard to imagine he was once an England number one. Santa Cruz will need some support up front if he is to do his damage.

I like both teams to come out and challenge each other.
Prediction: West Ham 2-2 Blackburn

Sunday

Chelsea vs. Tottenham
Stamford Bridge will be the site of Chelsea's first London derby of the season. I'll admit, Chelsea looks real tough early on, and the edition of Robinho will be frightening if it happens. Scolari will not want to take his foot off the pedal against a floundering Tottenham side.

Tottenham has looked in disarray early on, but that's to be expected somewhat, after a summer of bringing in new faces. Apparently Spurs forgot about all areas of the pitch not in the midfield, where they have a small army of options. It's not just the two loss start, but they have been the poorer team in each outing. For a team with two great center backs, they have little defensive solidarity. Maybe Ramos missed them getting racked up on last year. If they can get some type of cohesion and a set lineup, they will improve greatly throughout the campaign.

This will not be a repeat of last year's Carling Cup final.
Prediction: Chelsea 3-1 Tottenham

Sunderland vs. Man City
The Black Cats not only have a great nickname, they have an ever improving squad under Roy Keane. Keane has made the rare superstar player to coach transition work, because while talented, he was just as gritty on the pitch, so he does not expect perfection from his squad. He keeps adding to the talent pool, with Ferdinand, Cisse, and Healy joining up. Sunderland is for real and will be a top half team by year's end.

Man City is in club limbo right now off the pitch, lacking in forward depth and handcuffing Mark Hughes, who may yet regret his Blackburn exit. The side took three points last weekend against the Hammers, but will be hard pressed to do so at the Stadium of Light.
Prediction: Sunderland 2-0 Man City

Aston Villa vs. Liverpool
Villa Park will be buzzing this Sunday, as the Reds come into town. The Gareth Barry saga is still fresh in the minds of the Villan faithful, and they will be urging their squad on to a fast start. A shock loss last week to Stoke will only add more fuel to the fire. Their is a lot of talent in the Aston Villa squad and they have beefed up their midfield with the acquisition of James Milner.

Liverpool is struggling at the start of their 2008/09 season. Three poor performances have led to three wins, but their luck is bound to run out sooner rather than later. Robbie Keane has looked like he was signed from a pub team, and their wing play has been even more anemic than usual. The loss of Gerrard in the midfield is huge. Rafa will have a decision to make in his lineup, going with Alonso and Mascherano in center midfield could provide no support down the spine to a floundering Keane and Torres pairing. Benitez's act is beginning to wear thin and he will need more magic to produce a win at Villa Park.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Liverpool

Idle: Manchester United, Fulham
Feel free to comment with your own predictions and ridicule me for mine. Laters.

Man United 1 Zenit St. Petersburg 2

Man U and Zenit just completed an epic battle in Monaco, where this year's UEFA Super Cup was held. Okay, so probably not so epic, in fact, although I didn't see the game, I'm sure it was nothing spectacular. Pavel Pogrebniak (44') and tiny Portugese midfielder, Miguel Danny (59'), scored for Zenit, while Nemanja Vidic got one back in the 73' for Man U.

Personally, I think this game is needless. What is in it for the Champions League Champion? I mean, they already won the European Cup, if they beat the victors of a lesser tournament, it's no big deal. If they lose, it's not much bigger, outside of a little embarrassment. There's just more incentive for the UEFA Cup Champion to go all out for victory. Zenit gets to hold their heads high now, while Man U has the weekend off to rest up for a Gerrard-less Liverpool.

Since 1998, when the Super went from a two-legged affair, to a one-off match in Monaco, the UEFA Cup Champion has won 7 out of 11 competitions. I've actually heard people suggest that this makes the UEFA Cup comparable to the Champions League. Give me a break. This is about another competition that lines pockets and wears out players over a long season.

Champions League Group Stage Predictions

Analyzing a Champions League draw is a chance for a team's negative supporters to bemoan their "impossible" group. You can actually find Arsenal fans that think they have had tough draws in the past couple of years. Chances are if you are a fan of one of the "Big4" in England, then you are the number one seed in your group, and finishing in the top two shouldn't be a problem.

Having said that, man does Liverpool have a tough group this year or what?

Truth is, it's hard to precisely know how difficult your group is, until the games start. Sometimes a team can come into the Champions League Group Stage near the bottom of their table, in terrible form. We can, however, use last year's form and this year's new signings as some sort of a barometer of who will come out of this round, into the final sixteen.

Group A:
Another stacked Chelsea squad looks to have a safe entry into the final 16. Roma has played well in the Champions League in recent years. Totti is a great big game player, and their loss of Mancini is offset by the signings of Baptiste and Riise (Chelsea should be happy to see him again). Bourdeaux could give Roma a challenge for the second spot. Where France has been Lyon and a bunch of talent feeder clubs for Spain, Italy, and England, in the past. It now looks like Bourdeaux, Marseille, and even Monaco could be forming a solid group with Lyon at the top of the Ligue. As for CFR Cluj, I won't insult you by pretending I've seen them play recently. My knowledge of Romanian football is limited to the masterful Gheorghe Hagi, and the fact that Adrian Mutu has done enough cocaine to make Maradona blush.
Prediction: 1) Chelsea 2)Roma 3)Bordeaux 4)CFR Cluj

Group B:
Jose Mourinho shouldn't have any trouble getting Inter past this stage with the group he's drawn. Werder Bremen has improved their attack, with Claudio Pizarro joining Markus Rosenberg and Diego up front. The lone Greek representative in this stage is Panathinaikos. They finished in third in Greece last year, and probably won't pose much of a threat to Inter or Bremen. Then again, I didn't think Olympiacos had much of a chance last year either. Anorthosis Famagusta is battle tested in Cyprus......I can't even finish that line. Their only hope is that their opponents all think it's a vacation when they come to Cyprus to play.
Prediction: 1)Inter 2)Werder Bremen 3)Panathinaikos 4)Anorthosis Famagusta

Group C:
This appears to be the weakest of the groups. Barcelona looks to dominate this foursome come September. Sporting Lisbon held on to Moutinho from Everton's charge, but they were a distant second to Porto in their own country last year. FC Basel seems to make it through the UEFA Cup in strong fashion, but will have to hope hold on at home against superior talent. Shakhtar Donesk was beaten pretty good last year in this stage, but the experience should help. They have a quick squad with a strong Brazilian contingent.
Prediction: 1)Barcelona 2)Shakhtar Donesk 3)Sporting Lisbon 4)FC Basel

Group D:
There are no pushovers in this group. If Liverpool thought had a tough time last year, this year's group looks more solid. They looked poor against Standard in the qualifier, and play like that will earn them an early exit in the CL. PSV has overtaken Ajax this decade as the best team in Holland. Andreas Isaakson has replaced Gomes in goal, and they have lost Jefferson Farfan, their top scorer. Marseille has suffered the loss of Samir Nasri and former Red, Djibril Cisse, but they still have a player in Mamadou Niang, who gave Liverpool fits last year in this stage. Plus, I can't believe I have to watch Boudewijn Zenden play again, I thought it was over when he left. Atletico Madrid is the real tough foe for the Reds in this draw. They used the sale of Fernando Torres to bring players and form a squad better than any El Nino played for while in Spain. The matchup will be much anticipated. They should be competing with Real Madrid, Villareal, and Barca for the top spot in La Liga, which could hurt them later on in the CL.
Prediction: 1)Liverpool 2)Atletico Madrid 3)PSV 4)Marseille

Group E:
Defending Champions Manchester United tend to like to get their group stage over with early. Villareal is going to be a worthy opponent for the Red Devils. Marcus Senna has become a Makalele-like force in the midfield for the Yellow Submarine, and the addition of Jozy Altidore could add some punch to their attack. Celtic is a team that refuses to back down for anyone. They challenged Barca last year, and can muck out wins with their physical play. Plus they have the best-named player in the world, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. Aalborg is Danish for 'hope for the Uefa Cup'.
Prediction: 1)Man U 2)Villareal 3)Celtic 4)Aalborg

Group F:
This group is tricky because of the chance that Lyon and Bayern could possibility knock the other one out with their head to head battles. Fiorentina is not up with the top four teams in Serie A and could have tough time here. They have added Gilardhino, who has shown diminishing returns for AC Milan in recent years, and they have Mutu, who had a drug problem, but according to the Fiorentina forums, is a family man who should be left alone. So disregard the Maradona's blushing thing. Steaua Bucharest is another Romanian team that I don't know much about, but Romania has two teams in the group stage, so maybe I should catch a Liga I game sometime, or not.
Prediction: 1)Bayern Munich 2)Lyon 3)Fiorentina 4)Steau Bucharest

Group G:
Arsenal's strong showing in their 4-0 trouncing of FC Twente shows they are in good Euro form, if not domestically just yet. Porto is always a tough CL team, and should give the Gunners are run for the top spot. Fenerbache will be a contender in this group as well. They've added Spanish forward Daniel Guiza, and they have a strong Turkish base, with a some of the players that made up the magical Turkish national team at Euro 2008. Dynamo Kiev won't be able to match the success of their Ukranian rival, Shakhtar. This group will be very close with Arsenal, Porto, and Fenerbache, neck and neck at the end.
Prediction: 1)Arsenal 2)Fenerbache 3)Porto 4)Dynamo Kiev

Group H:
Like group F, the group features two national powerhouses in Real Madrid and Juventus. Zenit, UEFA Cup Champions are not going to be pushovers, but the loss of Pavlyuchenko and having a pouting figure in Arshavin on the squad, could prove to be too much to overcome. Juve and Madrid are both looking good. Funny side story, I was watching The Colbert Report last night, where a politician joked, and I'm paraphrasing, hey, the U.S. may be struggling, but it's not like we are Belarus. Then Colbert put up the stat of America's unemployment rate (5.7%), versus the same in Belarus (1.6%). The hilarious fact is in place of me talking about Belrussian dominators, Bate Borisov.
Prediction: 1)Real Madrid 2)Juventus 3)Zenit St. Petersburg 4)Bate Borisov

Champions League Draw

The 2008/09 UEFA Champions League Group Stage draw has been announced and the groups are as follows:

Group A
Chelsea (ENG)
AS Roma (ITA)
Bordeaux (FRA)
CFR Cluj (ROU)

Group B
Inter Milan (ITA)
Werder Bremen (GER)
Panathinaikos (GRE)
Anorthosis Famagusta (CYP)

Group C
Barcelona (ESP)
Sporting Lisbon (POR)
FC Basel (SUI)
Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

Group D
Liverpool (ENG)
PSV Eindhoven (NED)
Marseille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP)

Group E
Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP)
Celtic (SCO)
Aalborg (DEN)

Group F
Lyon (FRA)
Bayern Munich (GER)
Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
Fiorentina (ITA)

Group G
Arsenal (ENG)
Porto (POR)
Fenerbahce (TUR)
Dynamo Kiev (URK)

Group H
Real Madrid (ESP)
Juventus (ITA)
Zenit St Peters burg (RUS)
Bate Borisov (BLR)

Matches will start on:
September 16th and 17th

My analysis will be forthcoming.

Gerrard Out!

Steven Gerrard has reportedly been ruled out of the next two weeks of matches due to his groin injury. He will have minor surgery to discover the problem with the injury that has hampered him all preseason and through these first couple games.

The big blow is for Fabio Capello, as Stevie G has been ruled out of EEngland's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Croatia. He played the entire game tonight at Anfield, and will be back on the pitch for the Reds in a little over two weeks.

He's on!

Here he is, the wonderful Jose.

Liverpool Player Reviews

After most Liverpool matches I'll provide a brief review of each player's performance. In addition, when I watch a match, I'll try and focus more on one player (that I'll pick prior to the match), and go in depth on that player and his performance. Today's player, Alvaro Arbeloa.

In Focus: Alvaro Arbeloa

The In Focus player today is right back Alvaro Arbeloa. Spanish international, Arbeloa has been a favorite of Rafa Benitez's for some time now, and honestly, I don't know why. Today he was pretty lackluster once again. Within the first ten minutes, he had already lost two balls in the air and gotten beaten to two other balls. His tackling was sloppy from the get go, resulting in a Standard free kick that should have been his ball.

His transitional passing from right back to the midfielders is usually pretty effective, but not tonight. His passing was off and he set Gerrard and Alonso off on the ball several times. One play in particular in which he got the ball on the right and with an open Gerrard in the middle, he forced the ball in his end to Kuyt, resulting in an odd man rush down the field that Skrtel put an end to. Arbeloa does not cross field possession very well and tonight was no different. He was never really effective in getting it over to the left.

The one reason that Rafa loves him so much is his controlled run ins on the offensive end. He does get onto the ball well when filling in the space for Kuyt, but after he got there, he did nothing. He didn't work the ball into the middle very well, and his crosses were never something for Standard to worry about.

He did play a little better in the second half and even fired one from 30 yards that gave the outstretched Aragon a lot of trouble. Please Rafa, start Finnan! Or even give Degen a shot. I can't watch Arbeloa get dominated anymore.

Grade: D

Player Grades
Pepe Reina- A
Reina was solid, as usual. He distributed the ball nicely, with only a couple of hiccups. He made a few extended stops on dangerous shots, but his key contribution was his great control of the ball in the air off crosses, free kicks, and corners. He was on nearly every ball with a grab or a punch out.
Fabio Aurelio- B+
Another good game from Aurelio. He was excellent in the first half. His free kick was a perfect bender that had to be punched away by the Standard keeper, and his distribution and crosses were efficient. Fabio is an underrated defender, who is good in the air for his size, and rarely gets beat one on one. If only we could play him and Dossena at the same time.
Jamie Carragher- A-
Carragher held the back line firm tonight. He is constantly quarterbacking the defense, whether defending a set play, or when they are working the ball up. He cut off a lot of attacks tonight with a swift clearance. His coordination with Skrtel was a little off early, but he got it together.
Martin Skrtel- B
Skrtel started out the game shaky, losing his man a couple of times, and stepping up a little early, but overall it was another good performance. He really looks like he could become a star with a little more seasoning. He makes good paced runs going forward and his timing seems to improve defensively, as the game wears on.
Dirk Kuyt- B
Oh Dirk, you are a roller coaster ride. Dirk did more of what Dirk does. He ran all over the place, outworking defenders and midfielders to win the ball, only to lose it with a errant pass or bad touch. Then he puts in the game winner. It's hard to say where his place should be in the team, but he's a good player to have in your rotation.
Steven Gerrard- B
Gerrard is still struggling with a thigh injury, which limited his trademark runs and give and go plays. He mainly distributed from a central position along with Xabi Alonso, and sent a couple of rockets flying over the bar. His crosses were descent, even though none really connected. Hopefully the skipper heals soon and is back in top form.
Xabi Alonso- C+
Xabi was an okay fulcrum in midfield today. His passes were tight and efficient, but his long range passing was pretty dreadful. I don't know if it was lack of communication and cohesion with the forwards, but not one of his trademark long balls was run on to.
Yossi Benayoun- C
Yossi did some good outside-in work, but nothing really came from it. He had one chance in close, but should of laid off to Torres, instead he flubbed a shot slowly towards the keeper. It's all or nothing on most days with him, he either makes a spectacular play or two, or he is subbed.
Robbie Keane- F
Oh, Robbie Keane! He was so lost out on the pitch tonight. He looked like a deer in the headlights every time he touched the ball. It seems as though he is thinking too much. Robbie needs to play instinctively, and he is not doing so. Had a great opportunity in the box that he totally mistimed.
Fernando Torres- C
Torres was, for the most part, shut down all afternoon by the Standard defense. Onyewu was all over him and Adama Sarr picked up the slack when Oguchi couldn't. Every deke he made was thwarted, and his two positive runs with the ball into the box, ended with deflected shots that lost their pace. El Nino looked really frustrated towards the end of the game.
Ryan Babel- B
Babel came on in the 61st minute, and failed to put a lot of pressure on the right side of the Standard defense, preferring to cut back into the middle and dish off most of the time. His cross from far left to provide the game winner was magic.
Nabil El Zhar- B
El Zhar came on late in the game and provided a little spark, dipping into the defense a couple of times. With some more experience, he could be a good attacking replacement on the right for Kuyt at the end of games.

Man of the Match: Dirk Kuyt

Liverpool 1 Standard Liege 0 : Thank You Dirk

Dirk Kuyt's extended right leg delivered Liverpool from Champions League exile just two minutes from facing a penalty kick showdown against Standard Liege. The second leg of this Champions League 3rd Round Qualifier was ended when the Dutchman poked in a fantastic cross, from countryman, Ryan Babel, placating the anxiety-ridden Anfield crowd.

The first leg between the two sides saw a dreadful Liverpool performance only yield a 0-0 draw for Standard. The Belgian side deserved more after having what looked to be a goal, called off, having a penalty saved, and hitting the post. Liverpool's chances were few and far between.

Wednesday's second leg saw the Reds once again struggling to find the net against the Belgian Champions. Standard Liege stood up to Gerrard, Torres, and company time and again, with physical play and a withdrawn midfield. The game was free flowing and open, if not exciting, and there were few stoppages in the first half.

The first chance saw Pepe Reina make a save on good low shot from the right by Dieumerci Mbokani. Mbokani missed out on a chance later after a ball fell to him in the box, and Riena made a nice save as the ball came to Maroaune Fellaini. Fellaini was a force in the midfield all night, on both sides off the pitch. He was joined by Wilfred Dalmot and Bonfim Dante, two left sided players who also had great first halves. Dante, in particular stood up to the Liverpool attack on the right, and showed wonderful control on the ball going forward.

Fabio Aurelio had a chance mid way through the first half, his in swinging free kick from the right side being punched out by Standard keeper Rorys Aragon. The Reds had pressure, but no true chances during the first half and the frustration was beginning to show on the pitch and in the stands. American international, Oguchi Onyewu, tormented, an obviously bothered Fernando Torres, all night. Sticking at his side and throwing a shoulder into him whenever possible.

The first half ended 0-0, and the second brought increased physicality from Standard, as a few yellow cards were thrown. They seemed content to sit back and frustrate the Reds by turning back any whiff of an offensive opportunity. The counter attack provided hope that they could sneak one in the first, but Skrtel and Carragher pretty took control by the 60th minute.
Ryan Babel came on in the 61st minute for Benayoun, but failed to stretch the Standard backs.

The Liverpool attack was controlled, but failed to generate any significant chances. Gerrard's few opportunities were long range efforts sent high over the bar. The same for Alonso, his big effort skimming harmlessly into the keeper's mitts. Another sub-par Robbie Keane performance saw him subbed for Nabil El Zhar at the 83rd minute.

Liverpool's efforts brought only possession domination, as the second half drew to a close.

The first period of extra time wasn't much more exciting than the second half. With the visitors seeming confident on their back line and content to counter attack. The tension at Anfield was palpable, with each errant Liverpool miscue drawing sighs from around the stadium.

The second extra time period was more positive for Liverpool, as they began to get desperate. Arbeloa shot, headed wide, was turned away by a full stretched Aragon. El Zhar was taken down in the box, but the official didn't see fit to end the game with a penalty, as he corked it and swallowed his whistle. Babel, dribbling on the far left side, back in from the end line, sent an in swinging cross toward the far post that Kuyt reached out and slid past the keeper for the victory, 2 minutes from time.

Liverpool saved millions of dollars of Champions League money, along with a heavy, embarrassing start to their 2008/09 campaign. How do they do this stuff? Why do they do it? It wasn't enough to get one point from three games in the group stage last year, making the last three games, heart attacks waiting to happen. Hopefully they will not mess around with likes of Besiktas and Marseille this go 'round.

Pitch Wars: Pavlyuchenko vs. Berbatov

Russian international, Roman Pavlyuchenko, has reportedly signed with Tottenham, filling their gaping whole at striker. Whether or not this is their last effort to support Darren Bent up front remains to be seen, but it should open the door for Dimitar Berbatov to make his desperate escape to Manchester to compete with Darren Fletcher for the Red Devil goal scoring title (I'll keep it up until somebody overtakes him.). This is the perfect opportunity to size up the two lanky forwards.

Berbatov

Pitch Pluses

• Hails from a former Communist country where he is the most popular athlete.
• He's tall, but graceful, and probably gets more Bulgarian tail than.....I don't know anyone who gets a lot of Bulgarian tail. Except Berbatov.
  
• Berba is a great target man, with excellent body control. He can set up a goal just as easily as he can score one. His instincts around the goal are superb.
• His name is pretty great. Go up to a buddy of yours who doesn't know anything about the Premier League and just say "Berbatov". I'll give you a Berba hair tie if your friend doesn't smile.

Dives

• Speaking of his hair tie, Berba wears, what appears to be, some kind of a hairnet on the pitch, despite having perfect hair. Or is it the string that makes it perfect? (Wait, doesn't Carlos Tevez wear one too? That would be an unprecedented pair up front. Quick, I'll come up with their nickname......Rooney and the Lunch Ladies. I'll work on it.)
• He whines when things don't go his way. He shows up his teammates when they make a mistake. He pouts when he doesn't get to play for millions of dollars on the best team in the world right now.

Pavlyuchenko

Pitch Pluses

• Pavlyuchenko hails from a former Communist country where he is the tallest person not currently returning home from the Olympic games or occupying Georgia. (Calm down, that's the country Georgia, I'll get you a newspaper and an atlas and we can move on.)
• He's tall, but not in Peter Crouch, four appendages going in four different directions kind of way. He's got a lot of pace for a lanky striker and is great in the air.
• He has been a prolific scorer for Spartak Moscow and, as of late, for the Russian national squad. Not just a Euro 2008 flash, he's been productive for several years. Has a chance to be a Adebayor-type player.
• A descent name, long, kind of absurd, in Russian it means, "disco warrior". (That translation is probably made up by me.

Dives

• Could get knocked around in the Premier League with such a scrawny frame. He is unproven at the level, with the kind of game speed.
  
• If he becomes a breakout player this year, will eventually want to leave Tottenham for Manchester, to fill the whole by Berba, who by that time will have left the planet to find a better team to whine for.
• Doesn't have anything to hold back his blond locks. I honestly don't know how he concentrates without something up there.

And the winner is.......Berbatov!
It's honestly his name that put him over the top, I can't stop saying it. Also, my comparisons are always very scientific. I just totaled up the pluses and subtracted the dives and it all came out Berba.

Riera A Red?

Reports are coming in that Liverpool his completed a move with Espanyol to bring winger Albert Riera to Anfield. The agreement will probably net Espanyol somewhere in the range of $17 million, depending on his performance.

Hard to say how I feel about this move the Reds. They need a 'true' winger desperately, but is Riera the answer? He has a varrying array of skills on the ball, but it is yet to be seen how those skills will transfer from La Liga to the Premiership. He had a loan spell with Man City in 2005/06, and was descent. But he has improved a lot since then, catching the eye of Barcelona and Real Madrid, among other clubs.

With the Rafa's "Spanish Armada" at Anfield, at least Riera won't have any trouble fitting in with the club. The question is, what will happen to fellow countryman Xabi Alonso now? Arsenal is interested in Alonso, and with their early season midfield troubles, he would be the perfect tonic. Liverpool should ship someone out now to cover some of the transfer losses. Hopefully that player will be Jermaine Pennant. He has been a bust for Liverpool, and would fit in at mid-table team a lot better.

Fantasy Profile: Smart Midfield Buys

As the Premier League season starts to take shape, so should your fantasy team lineups. Choosing you midfield stalwarts is the easiest part. Gerrard, Ronaldo, Lampard (yuck, I feel awful giving Plump Francis any credit), Fabregas, and Ballack, all should go hard and fast for any fantasy owner. The tricky part is picking those players that will get you solid points, and not break the bank.

What you want out of these players is consistency, week in and week out, they get you points. Here are some of my sure bets and sleepers for 2008/09 Premier League fantasy season.

Good Bets
Stewart Downing (Middlesborough): Downing is a lock to start every game he is healthy for 'Boro. He is a good goal scoring and set up option on the left wing and he won't cost as much as a Scholes or Alonso, who won't get as many games.


Jimmy Bullard (Fulham): Bullard is a great buy for a good cost. He takes the Fulham free kicks which is an added bonus. Fulham may not be a great team, but they have enough in the lineup to provide some goals and help Bullard rack up points.

Gareth Barry (Aston Villa): Much like Downing, a solid choice, who will play in every game he is healthy. Once he puts the transfer mess behind him, Villan fans will fold him back into the bosom of Villa Park, and he be a staple of the Aston Villa midfield for another year.

Stephen Ireland (Manchester City): Their is a lot of talent in the Man City midfield, but Irish international, Ireland, shouldn't have much trouble holding down a place if he keeps improving each year. He creates a lot, can shoot, and more importantly has a good amount of talent around him to pick up points.

Sleepers
Morten Gamst Pedersen (Blackburn): Had an off year last year, but has looked back on form for this campaign. A great crosser, he takes corners and free kicks, which should help. He also is the rare Blackburn player who just assume punch you in the face as look at you.

Samir Nasri (Arsenal): Nasri is a young player who is looking better and better as the depleted Arsenal midfield struggles. He should get plenty of games, and his points will improve with his comfort level in the Prem.


Steed Malbranque (Sunderland): It seems as though everyone has marked Sunderland for vast improvements under Roy Keane this year. One reason is the acquisition of Steed Malbranque. Free from the cluster of Spurs midfield, Malbranque will join a Black Cats attack which looks stronger every day, with David Healy and Cisse joining, Jones, Diouf, and Chopra up front. With all that firepower, Malbranque should rack up a lot of points and play in a lot of games to do it.

Wild Card
Antonio Valencia (Wigan): Valencia really came to my attention last year against Arsenal. He was the most dangerous player on the pitch for the entire game. He broke down the Arsenal defense with his pace and confidence on the ball. He needs consistency, but has the potential to become a star.

A Couple of Things
-I tend to think a team like Tottenham is trouble. They have so many midfield options. They have 8 solid, first team, for any non "Big Four" team, players from which to choose, for 4-5 spots. Who sits? Any player from the Spurs midfield could be a little risky, not to mention Spurs give up a lot of goals.
-The "Big Four" teams will have a glut of midfielders every year, and like Spurs, great players will sit or not play 90 minutes every game. Choosing the best from these teams works, but players like Nani, Anderson, Alonso, Kuyt, Babel, Rosicky, Wright-Phillips, Joe Cole, etc., will leave a lot of minutes and games with points unaccounted for.

Other Players Worth a Shot:
Niko Kranjčar (Pompey), Blumer Elano (Man City), Martin Petrov (Man City), Ashley Young (Aston Villa), Geovanni (Hull City, Matthew Etherington (West Ham), Wilson Palacios (Wigan)

Portsmouth 0 - Man United 1

Fletcher does it again! Crap.

Unbelievable, two games, two Darren Fletcher goals, four points. If Darren Fletcher doesn't score another goal for Man U for the rest of year, will anyone be surprised. Pompey went down 1-0 to Red Devils today at Fratton Park. Portsmouth is now right where we expected after facing off against Chelsea and Man U in the first two weeks of the season.

It's not vital that Manchester United gets off to a blazing start, not as important as it is for Liverpool and their new strike force, or Chelsea with new manager, Scolari replacing the Gamorrean Guard (I'm not a huge Star Wars guy, but do yourself a favor, Google Avram Grant and Gamorrean Guard, and compare. You're welcome). It is important that Man U locks up Berbatov, or at least one big signing in Ronaldo's absence.

Harry Rednapp and Portsmouth could go either way this year. Muntari was a bigger loss than most people think, considering his role is hard to fill, and David James will need to repeat his great form in goal for the Blue Army. Defoe and Crouch may need a little time to work it out, but they are both immensely talented. I really want to see Crouch succeed for Pompey. He deserved a better shot at Liverpool (and for England for that matter), and if he gets games, he will score goals and set up some more. If Crouch and Defoe are spectacular, look for Fabio Capello to keep a close watch on the pair for England.

Welcome, PL Starting XI

Let's start the blog off right. Here's a pre-season (okay, so two games into the season), Premier League Starting XI. This is just the eleven best players in the Prem at seasons beginning. Compared to the top performers at the end of the year.

GK- Peter Cech (Chelsea): At his best, Cech is the best in the world. He had some poor games last year, but at the top of his game, I'd take him over Van der Sar. Edwin is better transitionally with the ball, but Cech can dominate a game.
CB- William Gallas (Arsenal): Gallas is as good as anyone in the role of tough, physical defender. Good in the air and on the ball as well. The most talented back in the game at times, just needs to keep his cool on the pitch.
CB- Nemanja Vidic (Man U): So formidable on the backline with Ferdinand. He rarely makes a misstep or get beat off the ball, and he is a monster in the air.
LB- Patrice Evra (Man U): I loving watching Evra play football. And that's from a Liverpool supporter. He wins nearly every battle for the ball, has a lot of pace, and is terrific supporting wide for their strikeforce. The perfect left back combo of grit and skill.
M- Cristiano Ronaldo (Man U): Went from being the most talented player in the world, to being the best player in the world last year. It's hard to see him pushing past his performance from last year, after he returns from injury. Consistency and health will tell the story of whether he becomes one of the all-time greats.
M- Steven Gerrard (Liverpool): No one better when the chips are down and you need a goal. Pace on the ball, box to box midfield play, wicked shot, wonderful creativity, and maybe the best anticipation of any player in the world.
M- Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal): Yes, the Spaniard went cold last year and reverted to his old passive form of one too many passes and being tentative in the scoring areas. However, if he can play all the time like he did in the first half of last season, where he blended his beautiful vision and creativity with surging strikes and aggressive moves, Cesc will dominate defenses in the Prem. once again.
M- Michael Ballack (Chelsea): There is not one player more threatening coming forward with the ball than Ballack. When Chelsea plays Liverpool, I cringe when he has the ball. He can do anything offensively. With the exception of world class dribbling skills, he has every tool you need. At his best, he is one of the greatest midfielders of our time.
M- Ashley Young (Aston Villa): I can't tell you how many times I have watched Villa in the past two years where Young has been the best player on the pitch. He is everything you want from a winger. He has pace, is great on the ball, his crossing on the run can be pinpoint, and he can dish or fire one with great skill around the box. Makes a lot of defenders look silly in the process.
F- Carlos Tevez (Man U): Carlos Tevez amazes me because of how much he is in the game as a striker. He can track back and make a stop, he can start the play, he can push out on the wing, and he can rush in for support. And his finishing is world class.
F- Fernando Torres (Liverpool): The true testament to "El Nino's" greatness is how much other teams supporters laud his skill. It's not just all the goals he bagged for the Reds last year, it's how spectacular so many of them were. For a combination of strength, pace, touch, and finishing, Torres has become the best striker in the world.


Okay, so I cheated a little and added a fifth midfielder. Right back is the PL's weakest position. My apologies to Bacray Sagna and Glen Johnson for not giving them a shot. Screw off Wes Brown. And the only reason Tevez made it over Drogba is that Didier is built like a rock and throws himself about at the slightest contact. It's not that he is diver, hey if you can trick the officials into helping your team, you're kind of lame , but more power to ya. It's that he falls so often that he hurts his own performance. I can't for the life of me figure why you would go down after being tapped in the air, on a ball you would've won anyway. Mind boggling.

And Mascherano, Essien, and Ferdinand deserve to be there, but what are you gonna do?