Arsene Wenger has not collected trophies quite as greedily as his Manchester United counterpart Alex Ferguson but in terms of his impact on English football he has no equal.

Ferguson transformed an under-achieving United into the most succesful club in English football but Wenger has set the benchmark for modern-day club football in terms of style.

Like the great Dutch sides of yesteryear, Arsenal’s players, whichever part of the globe they come from, are schooled in Wenger’s philosophy of pure football, one-touch passing and dazzling counter-attacking.

They have evolved from a side built on the traditional English assets of power, grit and workrate to become among the slickest footballing teams in Europe. On their day they are the best team in the world to watch and are a textbook for how the game should be played.

Wenger became Arsenal’s longest-serving manager on Thursday and his latest squad appears equal to anything that has gone before. Great managers are judged on their ability to rebuild teams when key players either get too old or move on and both Wenger and Ferguson are masters at it.

Despite a good start to the season for United, it still looks like the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo might return to haunt them.

Arsenal, though, have Andrei Arshavin quickly establishing himself as the new darling of the fans following Thierry Henry’s move while ball-playing defender Thomas Vermaelen is making his mark. The Gunners are oozing potential.

Wenger appears to have crafted another great squad and with Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott on the way back from injuries, this could be the season that the Frenchman starts collecting silverware again after four trophy-less years…

PHOTO: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger addresses a news conference in Liege, September 15, 2009. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

Let’s be honest here, people, predicting the English football scores has proved to be a lot trickier than many of us imagined.

You’d have thought that the frankly obsessive interest most of us here at Reuters Soccer Blog Heights take in football would see us approach this competition with the pitiless, sweeping brilliance of Celta Vigo in their ‘EuroCelta‘ heydey of 1998-2000*.

But no. It turns out we’re strictly second division, rather like Celta now, in fact, when it comes to predicting the scores. Still, at least we now know why.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger puts his success in football down to being brought up in the Croix d’Or bistro in Duttlenheim. Wenger said:

“I even learned about tactics and selection from the people talking about football in the pub… who plays on the left wing and who should be in the team.”

This is good news for me, as my dad was brought up in a pub so I’m going to get him to do my predictions this week. Expect great things.

To recap, briefly, you get one point for predicting the right result, and make that five points if you get the score spot on. This week there are double points, and possible forfeits, for Stoke v Manchester United, and there are always bonus points available, but I’m afraid they are entirely on my whim. Here’s how things stand at the moment:

Reuters Soccer Blog: Simon Evans 46, Kevin Fylan 42, Paul Radford 41, Patrick Johnston 40, Justin Palmer 35, Miles Evans 35, Mitch Phillips 35, Mike Collett 28, Neil Maidment 26, Julien Pretot 25, Mark Meadows 16, Asia Sports Desk 15

Rest of the World: Maid leads with a whopping 63, Chipking is second on 54 and UTV got a mighty 15 on debut.

How are the rest of you doing? Remember, the scoring has been so poor that you can still join in at any time and expect to overtake most of us within a couple of weeks. Look at UTV: another week like last week and she’ll be in mid-table security.

So, here are this week’s games. I’ll add in our predictions as they come in from around the Reuter Soccer Blogosphere. And please, give us yours in the comments section.

Portsmouth v Everton: Simon Evans: 1-1; Terry Fylan: 0-2; Paul Radford: 0-0; Patrick Johnston:1-2 ; Justin Palmer: ; Miles Evans: 2-2; Mitch Phillips:1-0; Mike Collett: 0-2 ; Neil Maidment: 0-2; Julien Pretot : 2-1; Mark Meadows: 0-1; Asia Sports Desk: 1-1

Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderers: Simon Evans: 2-1; Terry Fylan: 1-0; Paul Radford: 2-1; Patrick Johnston: 1-0 ; Justin Palmer: ; Miles Evans: 2-1; Mitch Phillips:1-1; Mike Collett: 1-0 ; Neil Maidment: 1-1; Julien Pretot : 1-0; Mark Meadows: 2-1; Asia Sports Desk: 1-1

Blackburn Rovers v Aston Villa: Simon Evans: 1-2; Terry Fylan: 1-2; Paul Radford: 0-1; Patrick Johnston: 0-2; Justin Palmer: ; Miles Evans: 1-3; Mitch Phillips: 1-0; Mike Collett: 0-2; Neil Maidment: 1-3; Julien Pretot : 1-1; Mark Meadows: 0-2; Asia Sports Desk: 0-1

Liverpool v Hull City: Simon Evans: 2-0; Terry Fylan: 6-0; Paul Radford: 6-0; Patrick Johnston: 5-0 ; Justin Palmer: ; Miles Evans: 2-1; Mitch Phillips: 1-1; Mike Collett: 5-0; Neil Maidment: 4-0; Julien Pretot : 4-0; Mark Meadows: 2-0; Asia Sports Desk: 3-0

Stoke City v Manchester United: Simon Evans: 0-2; Terry Fylan: 0-2; Paul Radford: 0-0; Patrick Johnston: 1-2 ; Justin Palmer: ; Miles Evans: 1-1; Mitch Phillips: 0-2; Mike Collett: 0-2; Neil Maidment: 1-2; Julien Pretot : 1-3; Mark Meadows: 0-1; Asia Sports Desk: 0-2

Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley: Simon Evans: 1-1; Terry Fylan: 3-1; Paul Radford: 3-1; Patrick Johnston: 4-1 ; Justin Palmer: ; Miles Evans: 3-2; Mitch Phillips: 2-0; Mike Collett: 3-1; Neil Maidment: 3-0; Julien Pretot : 3-1; Mark Meadows: 2-0; Asia Sports Desk: 2-1

Wigan Athletic v Chelsea: Simon Evans: 0-2; Terry Fylan: 0-3; Paul Radford: 0-3; Patrick Johnston: 0-2 ; Justin Palmer: ; Miles Evans: 0-2; Mitch Phillips:1-1; Mike Collett: 0-4; Neil Maidment: 0-3; Julien Pretot : 0-2; Mark Meadows: 1-4; Asia Sports Desk: 0-3

Fulham v Arsenal: Simon Evans: 1-1; Terry Fylan: 2-2; Paul Radford: 1-2; Patrick Johnston: 0-2 ; Justin Palmer: ; Miles Evans: 1-4; Mitch Phillips: 0-1; Mike Collett: 1-3; Neil Maidment: 1-3; Julien Pretot : 1-3; Mark Meadows: 1-1; Asia Sports Desk: 1-3

Playing on Sunday:

Sunderland v Wolverhampton Wanderers: Simon Evans: 2-1; Terry Fylan: 0-0; Paul Radford: 2-1; Patrick Johnston: 3-0 ; Justin Palmer: ; Miles Evans: 1-1; Mitch Phillips:0-0; Mike Collett: 1-1; Neil Maidment: 2-1; Julien Pretot : 1-0; Mark Meadows: 0-0; Asia Sports Desk: 0-0

Playing on Monday:

Manchester City v West Ham United: Simon Evans: 3-0; Terry Fylan: 4-1; Paul Radford: 3-0; Patrick Johnston: 2-1; Justin Palmer: ; Miles Evans: 2-2; Mitch Phillips: 0-1; Mike Collett: 3-0; Neil Maidment : 3-0; Julien Pretot : 3-0; Mark Meadows: 3-1; Asia Sports Desk: 3-0

* They really were good, as well. Lubo Penev, Valery Karpin, “After You” Claude Makelele, Alexander Mostovoi, Mazinho… (And sorry to any fans of Aston Villa, Liverpool, Benfica or Juventus for bringing back unpleasant memories).

PHOTO: Michael Owen gets a rude awakening from Mazinho as Alexander Mostovoi looks on during their UEFA Cup third round first leg match at Balaidos, November 24, 1998. Celta won 3-1. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

UEFA’s decision to hand Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva a two-match ban for diving has infuriated the Croatian media, many fans and national team coach Slaven Bilic.

“It is a shameful decision, especially in view of the fact that Eduardo personifies everything that’s decent in professional sport,” Bilic told Zagreb daily Vecernji List after learning the verdict.

Fans and media have gone to even greater length in defending the Brazilian-born Croatia striker, who has won the hearts and sympathy of his adopted country after recovering from a horrific leg break he suffered in Arsenal’s Premier League match at Birmingham in February 2008.

The sense of injustice in Croatia wasn’t helped by last weekend’s injury suffered by Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric, who faces up to six weeks on the sidelines after breaking his leg in a league match with Birmingham (again).

Croatia’s leading sports website, www.sportnet.hr, had harsh words.

“Eduardo has been punished in a most detestable manner, supposedly so that justice is done, while justice was deaf, dumb and blind only 18 months earlier when he was in bed with his ankle shattered and his career hanging by a thread,” the website said.

Is Eduardo a victim of double standards, or simply his own ill-judged decision to go down rather easily after minimum or no contact with the goalkeeper?

PHOTO: Croatia manager Slaven Bilic speaks with Luka Modric (L) and Eduardo Da Silva (R) during a training session at Poljud stadium in Split, February 5, 2008. Reuters stringer photo.

Liverpool’s Rafa Benitez may feel he got a good price for Xabi Alonso but he is in no danger of dislodging Arsene Wenger as the Premier League manager with the Midas touch.

Wenger has received criticism of late for not ‘spending big’ on replacements for departing first-teamers. He should be receiving credit for earning a huge pile of cash for players no longer in his plans. Does anyone in football generate as much money from transfers as Wenger?

The wily Frenchman has built a career on signing young prospects for small fees and selling them for gigantic ones when he feels the time is right.

Most recently Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure moved to Premier League rich boys Manchester City for a reported combined fee of 39 million pounds after being brought to Arsenal for much less.

They follow the likes of Nicolas Anelka, Emmanuel Petit, Marc Overmars, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira in enjoying great success and form under Wenger before moving on to pastures new to the benefit of the Arsenal bank balance.

Success-starved Arsenal fans, frustrated by the absence of a trophy since the FA Cup in 2005, may look upon the departures of such players as a defeatist approach but Wenger has a bunch of hungry youngsters waiting to come in and yearning for success.

Between them they should be able to replace Toure, Adebayor and, if Everton get their wish, the Swiss defender Senderos, shouldn’t they?

LUCRATIVE SALE: Marc Overmars signs for Barcelona in July 2000, for a fee of more than $40 million. REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino

“Highly intelligent” and “Arsene Wenger” sit neatly together in countless newspaper columns outlining the exploits, achievements and travails of the cerebral Arsenal manager.

Consequently there was no elaborate deconstruction required following an interview with a French television channel at the club’s training ground this week.

Wenger, who habitually brushes aside any question of his allegiance to the north London club, was asked his thoughts about yet another approach from Real Madrid if Florentino Perez returns as president.

“With Florentino Perez in charge, the project he has put forward would be interesting for any coach but I would prefer  not to comment on this,” Wenger replied.

Wenger was fully aware that he had already commented. His response followed a sometimes acrimonious question-and-answer session with the Arsenal shareholders on the previous night and grumbling among fans who have been forced to absorb higher season ticket prices during a fourth consecutive season without a trophy.

The prospect of Wenger defecting to the Bernabeu after 13 years at Arsenal inspired an instant response in north London and one gratifying to the many supporters of a sensitive man committed to his vision of the beautiful game and convinced that style and success are not mutually exclusive. The group Redaction has mobilised a march of supporters for Sunday’s home match against Stoke and online petitions backing Wenger have been launched.

Wenger met Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis on Wednesday and was diplomacy personified afterwards. “There’s nothing to worry about,” he said. “I’m staying here. If that changes I will let you know, but don’t worry about that. It’s not an issue.”

To the majority of fans a semi-final spot in this season’s Champions League and fourth place in the Premier League, based on frequently brilliant if often brittle football, are no petty achievements. For the uncommitted, Arsenal in full flow are a reminder of the splendour which attracted them to sport in the first place.

The problem is the relentless pressure to succeed which distorts modern sport and has turned football clubs into franchises. Impatient chief executives believe pouring millions into their clubs should ensure success. The reality is more complex than a balance sheet.

If Wenger were to leave, Arsenal would lose a great and committed manager with a proven track record including two league and FA Cup doubles. His captain Cesc Fabregas may very well head to the exits along with a host of other carefully nurtured young talent. And where, then, would the club turn?

No man or manager is infallible. Frank McLintock, captain of the 1971 double-winning Arsenal side, alluded to a stubborn streak in Wenger and the lack of physical strength in the spine of the current team.

“If you do question his policy it can feel a bit like criticising the Pope,” McLintock wrote in the Guardian. “The team needs an immediate injection of power.”

A modern version of the rugged Scotland centre-half would be a start. It should not be beyond the wit of Wenger or the budget of Arsenal.

PHOTO: Arsenal’s manager Arsene Wenger watches during their English Premier League soccer match against Manchester United at Old Trafford in Manchester, May 16, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble

With the new Star Trek film out, we thought we’d have a bit of fun and see which soccer players could play the famous characters.

They’ve changed all the actors anyway and brought in a youthful crop, so why not?

Over at Kottke.org, they’ve already done it with NBA players. Captain Kirk is Tony Parker they reckon.

Reuters resident Trekkies Kevin Fylan and Alison Wildey had a bash at a soccer version but please come up with your own ideas in the comments below.

1. David Beckham as Kirk (if not John Terry or Steven Gerrard)

2. Someone logical and Germanic as Spock, so maybe Arsene Wenger

3. Scotty would have to be a little powerhouse who fixes it just in time like Maradona (or a Scotsman like Archie Gemmill)

4. Bones is tricky. Are there any doctors in football? Dr Josef Venglos? Did Norman Whiteside go off and get a physio qualification?

5. We need the guy in red who gets shot at the start of each episode. Darren Fletcher?

PHOTO: Cast member Zachary Quinto poses at the premiere of the movie “Star Trek” at the Grauman’s Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California April 30, 2009. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Don’t be surprised if you see this message on eBay in the next few days: “FOR SALE: 57,000 red and white flags as good as new — only waved for eight minutes. Apply Arsenal FC, Emirates Stadium, North London.”

For Arsenal’s fans not only stopped waving their freebie flags after eight minutes, but they also stopped believing in their side after an hour as thousands of them trooped away from the stadium no longer able to watch as Manchester United demolished their young team.

It ended 3-1 as United reached the Champions League final for the second successive season 4-1 aggregate.

What was fascinating about Tuesday was what was going on off the pitch as well as what happened on it.

Arsenal fans have never exactly been noted as the most vociferous in the country, earning their old ground Highbury the nickname of “The Library” because it was often so quiet.

But on Tuesday, Arsenal, trailing 1-0 from the first leg, needed all the help they could get and the club left thousands of free flags on every home seat in the stadium to help create an atmosphere that manager Arsene Wenger believed would help intimidate United and boost the confidence of Arsenal’s youngsters.

Wenger had been talking up Arsenal’s prospects of victory all week, and they started the match like a whirlwind with the fans creating a frenzy of noise and colour.

But it went very quiet indeed after eight minutes when Park Ji-sung put United 1-0 ahead and what hopes Arsenal still harboured were detonated three minutes later with an explosive freekick from World and European Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo which made it 2-0, leaving Arsenal needing four goals to win.

United wrapped the match up with one of the goals of the season after an hour when Park, Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney all exchanged passes in a sweeping counter-attack move that went from one end of the pitch to the other in 13 seconds culminating in Ronaldo making it 3-0 and completing what Wenger called, “the worst night of my career”.

In some ways United’s two early goals ruined what was a hugely anticipated contest between two of England’s biggest clubs, because as Wenger also said: “The match was over before it really started.”

United were delighted and marched on imperiously to the final. Most Arsenal fans were long gone by the time it ended, but many who did stay to the painful finish had the grace to clap United off the field.

They could do that quite easily as their flags had long been put to one side.

For blogs on sports other than soccer, please click on http://blogs.reuters.com/sport

PHOTO: Arsenal fans wave flags ahead of their second leg Champions League semi-final soccer match against Manchester United at the Emirates stadium in London May 5, 2009. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Arsenal played poorly at Manchester United on Wednesday but escaped with a 1-0 defeat that leaves them still in with a chance of reaching the Champions League final.

When you consider that they haven’t conceded a goal at home in the competition all season, the situation doesn’t look half bad. After all, they have already beaten United in north London this season and there is no reason why they can’t do it again.

First though, their big performers need to turn up, because they went missing at Old Trafford. Theo Walcott barely got a kick, Emmanuel Adebayor was subdued and Cesc Fabregas was overwhelmed in midfield.

It will also help if Robin van Persie is fit after missing the first leg. Without the Dutchman, and the ineligible Andrey Arshavin, they looked lightweight in attack.

United were not at their best either and will be frustrated at not putting the tie to bed. However, they did not allow Arsenal an away goal and so will start clear favourites to reach Rome and a possible re-match with Chelsea.

Remember, they were in far worse shape after drawing 2-2 at home with Porto in the quarter-final, first leg. And with such a plethora of attacking options, Alex Fergsuon’s side will be confident of breaching Arsenal’s Emirates fortress.

PHOTO: Manchester United’s John O’Shea (C) celebrates with Darren Fletcher (L) and Rio Ferdinand (R) after scoring during their Champions League semi-final, first leg against Arsenal at Old Trafford, April 29, 2009. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

I’m not sure if Alex Ferguson would approve of a decision taken by one of his old clubs but East Stirlingshire, where he began his managerial career as a 32-year-old in 1974, have just taken a very controversial stand against “sporting behaviour”.

The modest club, whose major objective in the recent past was to avoid
finishing bottom of the Scottish Third Division, but are currently third in the table, have ordered their players NOT to kick the ball out of play if one of their opponents is down injured.

Coach Jim McInally has told his team to only stop playing if the referee orders them to do so. He was furious following an incident during their 2-0 win at Forfar Athletic on Saturday.

After play stopped 10 minutes from time so an East Stirling player could be treated for injury, Forfar goalkeeper Ally Brown tried to restart play with a soft pass back to East Stirling. However, Forfar’s substitute striker Calum Smith had other ideas.

With time running out and his side 2-0 down, he decided to try and pull one back and was only prevented from scoring by a save from East Stirling keeper Mark Peat.

Players from both sides started arguing which led to three of them being booked and McInally banning his side from kicking the ball out for an injury in future.

“It may seem a bit unsporting, but football is a ruthless business at times,” he explained. “If Forfar had scored, they would have had a foothold in the game and the last few minutes might have been tricky for us.”

Most fans accept the sporting convention as part of the game now and remember how Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger offered to replay an FA Cup tie against Sheffield United after his side had scored without giving the ball back after an injury. It made no difference in the end. They won the original game 2-1 and the replayed game by the same score.

Of course, there is no law against being unsporting in this respect — it is just a convention that has grown up with FIFA’s approval to make the game fairer. But is McInally right or wrong?

Is there a place for sportsmanship in the ruthless world of the Scottish Third Division — or anywhere else for that matter?

PHOTO: Arsenal’s Dutch winger Marc Overmars (R) is congratulated by his Nigerian team mate Nwanko Kanu (C) after scoring a controversial goal during their F.A Cup fifth round match. Sheffield United’s captain David Holdsworth reacts angrily, Feb. 13, 1999. REUTERS/Ian Hodgson

Arsenal’s signing of Russia’s most talented player Andrei Arshavin on the final day of the transfer window (just about) brought an end to months of speculation, but will he or any of the other January transfers make an impact in what is left of the Premier League season?

If Arsene Wenger’s previous transfers are anything to go by Arshavin, like Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Mathieu Flamini before him, will need a settling-in period to adapt to Arsenal’s distinctive patient style. Unfortunately for the Gunners, who are five points off the Champions League places, time is running out.

After letting Hleb and Flamini go in the summer, Arsene Wenger’s side was always going to look short of depth in midfield and fans were screaming out for the signing of Arsharvin in the summer. Has this deal come four months too late?

The other big January story came from Tottenham Hotspur, who bizarrely bought back Pascal Chimbonda, Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe. Good business by Harry Redknapp? Hopeless optimism? We’ll see about that.

Man City also spent a lot of money, if not quite as much as they would have liked, but I wonder if the cleverest deal might turn out to be Aston Villa’s purchase of Emile Heskey from Wigan for £3.5million. If Villa make it into the Champions League, that may well come to seem the bargain of the year.

Otherwise, who do you think will turn out to be the next Javier Mascherano, Nemanja Vidic or Emmanuel Adebayor? And who will be the next Jean-Alain Boumsong?

PHOTO: Andrei Arshavin celebrates a goal for Russia against Germany in a World Cup qualifier in Dortmund, Oct. 11, 2008. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach