Liverpool hopes of one more great Champions League escape were dashed on Tuesday night, as Fiorentina sealed their place alongside Olympique Lyon with a 1-0 win over the French side, leaving the English team’s 1-0 success against Debrecen irrelevant.

Liverpool, of course, only have themselves to blame for leaving their fate in the hands of a team that had already secured their own qualification.

There will doubtless be a lot more criticism of Rafa Benitez, his transfer dealings and the perceived failures of man management, but the analysis of exactly why Liverpool failed to progress can wait for another post.

For now, consider one question: Might this result actually work in Liverpool’s long-term favour?

The club could certainly have done with the revenue from a run to the semi-finals or beyond but, with the best will in the world, did this season’s team ever really look capable of making it as far as Madrid?

With a squad that (everyone has said) is inferior to last year’s, maybe it will prove in their interests that they no longer have to juggle Champions League and Premier League campaigns. They can now have a leisurely tilt at the Europa League — if they make it to the final it will be an enjoyable run, if they don’t … well, who really cares? — and concentrate on doing something about that dreadful domestic form.

The priority, as always, must be to secure qualification for the group stage of next year’s Champions League. That 19th league title looks as elusive as ever but a top-four finish may have just become a more realistic possibility.

PHOTO: Liverpool’s coach Rafael Benitez looks on as Steven Gerrard walks off during the Champions League soccer match against Debrecen at the Puskas stadium in Budapest November 24, 2009. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh

Monday morning update 2: Mike Collett claims, with some justification it must be said, to have altered his predictions on Friday afternoon. I do indeed have an email from Mike asking me to change them, so I guess we’ll have to give him credit for getting Liverpool v Man City, the double pointer, bang on at 2-2. OK, Mike … but next time, one shot please.

I also decided to give Mitch a one-point bonus for his 5-0 prediction in the Spurs game (closer than anyone else), making him one of the week’s big winners with 18 points. Martyn Herman would have got 20, including a two-point bonus for being the only person to predict an Arsenal defeat, but I docked him two for trying to sneak in a 2-2 prediction on the Anfield game … after the final whistle.

So here’s the latest table here at Reuters Soccer Blog Towers. Let us know how you are doing. Just to recap, it’s a point for the right result, or five points for the correct score. Double points on Liverpool. A two-point bonus if you got Arsenal losing. More bonus points for style if you make a convincing argument in the comments.   

Reuters Soccer Blog panel: Patrick Johnston 129, Mitch Phillips 111, Paul Radford 106,  Mike Collett 101, Simon Evans 89, Kevin Fylan 88, Mark Meadows 87, Miles Evans 86, Neil Maidment 81, Julien Pretot 74, Asia Sports Desk 68, Martyn Herman 46, Justin Palmer 38, Sonia Oxley 29

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Original post: Tired of Thierry? Had enough of Henry? Exhausted at the attempts of headline writers around the world to come up with a catchy way of describing Ireland’s unfortunate World Cup exit? (The Hand of God II, Le Hand of God, La Main de Dieu, Thierrygate … and that’s just us on Reuters Soccer Blog).

If so, we have just the thing for you, as our predictions game is back with a bang following that pesky World Cup break.

Remember the name Rafa? The big big man is back, quite possibly with Sir Steven Gerrard, as the Premier League returns with a belter: Liverpool v Man City at Anfield, 1245 Saturday.

Elsewhere, Man Utd need to put the Chelsea defeat behind them at home to Everton, while Wigan Athletic will have to watch out for the angriest striker in the Premier League, Ireland frontman Robbie Keane, when they face Spurs.

For those new to our score predictions game, you get one point for getting the right result, but make that five points if you get the score exactly right. Pit your wits against us here at the Reuters Soccer Blog panel and just see how quickly you overtake us. Here’s the state of play at the moment.

Reuters Soccer Blog panel: Patrick Johnston 117, Paul Radford 102, Mitch Phillips 93, Mike Collett 88, Miles Evans 86, Simon Evans 85, Kevin Fylan 78, Mark Meadows 77, Julien Pretot 74, Neil Maidment 67, Asia Sports Desk 55, Justin Palmer 38, Martyn Herman 28, Sonia Oxley 26

Rest of the world: Keep your score and let us know in the comments. From next week I’ll try to keep tabs on how you’re doing and add you to the table.

Without further ado, here are this weekend’s matches … and your double pointer is Liverpool v Man City. They couldn’t lose again, could they?

Liverpool v Manchester City: Patrick Johnston 1-1, Paul Radford 2-1 (Gerrard winner), Mitch Phillips 3-0, Mike Collett 1-1, Miles Evans , Simon Evans 2-1, Kevin Fylan 1-2, Mark Meadows 1-0, Julien Pretot , Neil Maidment 2-1, Asia Sports Desk 2-1, Justin Palmer , Martyn Herman 2-2 (came in after match had finished, so points surely to be deducted), Sonia Oxley 1-2

Birmingham City v Fulham: Patrick Johnston 2-1, Paul Radford 0-0, Mitch Phillips 1-0, Mike Collett 1-1, Miles Evans , Simon Evans 1-1, Kevin Fylan 1-0, Mark Meadows 1-1, Julien Pretot , Neil Maidment 1-2, Asia Sports Desk 1-1, Justin Palmer , Martyn Herman 2-1, Sonia Oxley 1-1

Burnley v Aston Villa: Patrick Johnston 2-1, Paul Radford 1-2, Mitch Phillips 1-1, Mike Collett 1-2, Miles Evans , Simon Evans 2-1, Kevin Fylan 1-2, Mark Meadows 1-1, Julien Pretot , Neil Maidment 1-1, Asia Sports Desk 1-2, Justin Palmer , Martyn Herman 2-0, Sonia Oxley 1-2

Chelsea v Wolverhampton Wanderers: Patrick Johnston 4-0, Paul Radford 3-0, Mitch Phillips 4-1, Mike Collett 3-1, Miles Evans , Simon Evans 3-0, Kevin Fylan 4-1, Mark Meadows 3-0, Julien Pretot , Neil Maidment 4-0, Asia Sports Desk 4-0, Justin Palmer , Martyn Herman 5-0, Sonia Oxley 3-1

Hull City v West Ham United: Patrick Johnston 0-2, Paul Radford 0-1, Mitch Phillips 1-0, Mike Collett 2-2, Miles Evans , Simon Evans 1-2, Kevin Fylan 0-0, Mark Meadows 1-2, Julien Pretot , Neil Maidment 1-1, Asia Sports Desk 0-0, Justin Palmer , Martyn Herman 1-1, Sonia Oxley 2-3

Sunderland v Arsenal: Patrick Johnston 1-3, Paul Radford 0-2, Mitch Phillips 1-1, Mike Collett 1-2, Miles Evans , Simon Evans 1-1, Kevin Fylan 1-3, Mark Meadows 0-3, Julien Pretot , Neil Maidment 1-3, Asia Sports Desk 1-2, Justin Palmer , Martyn Herman 1-0, Sonia Oxley 0-2

Manchester United v Everton: Patrick Johnston 2-0, Paul Radford 2-1, Mitch Phillips 2-0, Mike Collett 2-0, Miles Evans , Simon Evans 2-0, Kevin Fylan 2-0, Mark Meadows 1-0, Julien Pretot , Neil Maidment 2-0, Asia Sports Desk 2-0, Justin Palmer , Martyn Herman 2-0, Sonia Oxley 2-0

Bolton Wanderers v Blackburn Rovers: Patrick Johnston 2-3, Paul Radford 1-1, Mitch Phillips 2-1, Mike Collett 2-1, Miles Evans , Simon Evans 1-1, Kevin Fylan 1-1, Mark Meadows 1-2, Julien Pretot , Neil Maidment 2-1, Asia Sports Desk 2-2, Justin Palmer , Martyn Herman 0-1, Sonia Oxley 2-1

Tottenham Hotspur v Wigan Athletic: Patrick Johnston 4-1, Paul Radford 3-1, Mitch Phillips 5-0, Mike Collett 1-1, Miles Evans , Simon Evans 2-0, Kevin Fylan 2-0, Mark Meadows 3-0, Julien Pretot , Neil Maidment 2-1, Asia Sports Desk 2-1, Justin Palmer , Martyn Herman 2-1, Sonia Oxley 3-2

Stoke City v Portsmouth: Patrick Johnston 2-1, Paul Radford 2-0, Mitch Phillips 1-0, Mike Collett 1-1, Miles Evans , Simon Evans 2-1, Kevin Fylan 2-0, Mark Meadows 2-1, Julien Pretot , Neil Maidment 2-0, Asia Sports Desk 1-1, Justin Palmer , Martyn Herman 1-0, Sonia Oxley 2-1

Thursday update: Nothing to do with this incident, of course, but worth noting that Ferguson has been banished to the stands, receiving a two-match ban and a fine of 20,000 quid for the comments he made about Alan Wiley in October.

So, the FA has decided to get tough with the United boss. Are they right to do it? Read the full story here.

You might think Alex Ferguson would have realised, after half a century in the professional game, that the view from the manager’s dug-out is rarely objective or entirely accurate.

And if a referee does happen to make a mistake, which he is bound to do in the high-speed hurly-burly of a Premier League match, the Scot might also have come to the conclusion that venting your spleen at the powerless fourth official is a waste of everybody’s time.

But no, it seems not. Week after week, month after month, season after season, barely a match passes without Ferguson complaining about something that didn’t go United’s way.

On Sunday, when he might have been questioning his decision to play only one striker in a cautious approach to the showdown with Chelsea or berating his walkabout defence for failing to defend the key free kick, he found three reasons why John Terry’s goal should not have stood.

The initial foul on Ashley Cole by Darren Fletcher should not have been given, he said. Wes Brown was impeded in trying to defend the subsequent Frank Lampard free kick and Didier Drogba was offside and obscuring Edwin van der Sar’s view of the ball when it went in.

Of the hat-trick, the initial one appeared to have the most merit but any number of aggressive tackles are deemed fouls these days and Cristiano Ronaldo used to benefit as much if not more than anyone else in that regard.

The marginal contact between Drogba and Brown is also small beer in the current climate where wrestling in the box ahead of free kicks and corners has become an established part of the game. Rest assured that when Steve Bruce was patrolling the centre of United’s defence he would not have allowed himself to so easily be taken out of the game at a vital moment.

TV replays were inconclusive over Drogba’s position and, even if all three moans were justified, people have surely just stopped listening.

“You lose faith in refereeing sometimes, that’s the way the players are talking in there — it was a bad one,” he said, with Wayne Rooney chipping in by apparently mouthing “12 men” at a TV camera as he trudged off at the end.

PHOTO: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson reacts during their English Premier League soccer match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London November 8, 2009. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

France’s Ligue 1 cannot compare with England’s Premier League or Spain’s La Liga in terms of worldwide profile or star quality on the pitch but on Sunday Lyon and Marseille produced the sort of spectacular entertainment Chelsea v Manchester United just could not match.

I had not expected much from this match, which ended in a depressing goalless draw last season. Both teams had played in the Champions League earlier in the week – yes, there are French teams in that competition — and I suspected they would play conservatively, probably settling for draw.

If you look at my Predictions League ranking, you’ll see I’m not actually the bookies’ nemesis.

Lyon and Marseille did indeed draw, but not before scoring five goals each in probably the best Ligue 1 game since Marseille came back from four goals down to beat Montpellier 5-4 in the 1998-99 season.

Here is how it unfolded:

1-0 (3rd): Miralem Pjanic volleys home after a bad clearance by the Marseille defence

1-1 (11th): Souleymane Diawara heads home from a corner kick. The ball is deflected by Stephane M’Bia but the league hands the goal to Diawara.

2-1 (14th): Sidney Govou runs free in the Marseille half and beats Mandanda with a curling shot.

2-2 (44th): Benoît Cheyrou unleashes a 25-metre strike, Lloris fails to handle.

2-3 (47th): Ivory Coast striker Bakari Kone spins the ball past Lloris.

2-4 (80th): Brandao makes it four from close range

3-4 (81st): Lisandro Lopez flicks the ball past Mandanda after outpowering the Marseille defenders.

4-4 (84th): Lopez levels from the penalty spot after the referee stated Gabriel Heinze handed the ball in the box

5-4 (90th): Michel Bastos is set up by Pjanic and gives Lyon the edge

5-5 (90+3): Jeremy Toulalan inadvertently scores an own goal.

Classic drama, that prompts one question… How long has it been since you witnessed such a game in your league?

PHOTO: Olympique Lyon’s Lisandro Lopez (top) celebrates after scoring against Olympique Marseille during their French Ligue 1 soccer match at the Gerland stadium in Lyon, November 8, 2009. REUTERS/Robert Pratta

It is a little glib to suggest that Liverpool have a one-man strike force in Fernando Torres.

It seems almost beyond dispute, though, that whenever the Spaniard is unavailable Liverpool look ill equipped to challenge for the title, a situation hardly helped by the sales of Xabi Alonso, Robbie Keane and Alvaro Arbeloa in the past year.

I realise this could come across as heresy to Liverpool fans, but might the answer be to sell Torres too?

Torres is, without question, an exceptional player but he is not irreplaceable. Liverpool have won nothing with the Spaniard in attack because they simply do not have the same in-depth quality that Chelsea and Manchester United can boast.

If Cristiano Ronaldo was worth 80 million when he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid, Torres should command a similar figure.

With that money Liverpool could buy three, maybe four, top drawer players who would give their squad more balance. Valencia striker David Villa would cost around 30 million and would be a handy replacement for Torres, as would Atletico Madrid’s Argentine frontman Sergio Aguero. Either, or both of them, would leave manager Rafael Benitez enough left over to strengthen in other areas.

Villa’s team mate David Silva would add some creativity in Liverpool’s midfield as would Tottenham Hotspur’s midfield spark Luca Modric or his team mate Aaron Lennon, if they could be prised away.

With Liverpool’s debts unlikely to ease any time soon, Benitez will probably need to sell before bringing in new blood but few of their current squad, apart from Torres, Gerrard and midfield anchor Javier Mascherano, would raise the kind of money that they would require for a major squad overhaul.

Selling Torres might be the one step back Liverpool need to take in order to take two forward because at present they appear to be getting left behind.

PHOTO: Fernando Torres looks on during their Champions League soccer match against Fiorentina at the Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence September 29, 2009. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

Newcastle United fans have put up with a lot over the years but selling “naming rights” for James’ Park might be the final straw for some fans.

At 10pm on Tuesday the club announced that Chris Hughton would be made full-time manager and that owner Mike Ashley would no longer be selling and instead would inject 20 million pounds this week.

Slipped in among the back-slapping was the news that the club would welcome bids for the naming rights of the ground the club has occupied with pride since 1892.

Newcastle fans have had years of fun abusing Sunderland for what they consider the pretentious “Stadium of Light” which replaced Roker Park 12 years ago and now their fiercest rivals are poised to return the favour when one of the most famous and atmospheric grounds in the country becomes an advert.

Supporters have become less sensitive about names of new or rebuilt stadiums since the days when Millwall’s Den was imaginatively named “The New Den” and selling the naming rights to a new ground, such as the Emirates Stadium, is no longer that controversial.

Slapping a new name on an established ground, however, is another matter entirely.

Manchester United, never slow to miss a commercial opportunity, would surely never consider losing “Old Trafford” even though the sort of fee they could command for such a deal would dwarf anything Newcastle could hope to raise.

Imagine Liverpool’s players trotting down the tunnel and reaching up to pat a sign reading “This is the ACME Co Stadium”, with the world-famous Anfield relegated to the club museum.

Such decisions are exactly why Ashley is so disliked and distrusted by the rank and file Newcastle fans, something that cannot be changed by donning a replica shirt and downing a few pints amongst them.

The forum of the city’s Evening Chronicle newspaper website was overflowing with comments from angry fans on Wednesday.

Though some fans said it was not a major issue and that the money would be welcome, the overall feeling was very opposed. “Magpie5uk” led the way with the following heartfelt pros:

“This completely detached buffoon has to be stopped. He is unscrupulous, and will not stop until he has taken everything that not only fans, but people of Newcastle in general, appreciate. He is systematically destroying everything that means anything to the fans.
For instance:
1…Our Premier League Status.
2…Our top players.
3…Kevin Keegan.
4…Alan Shearer.
5…Our dignity.
6…Our humility.
7…Our enjoyment of Saturday Afternoons.
8…(AND POSSIBLY THE WORST OF ALL!) Our heritage, with this DISGRACEFUL decision to sell the name of the ground!!!
This man MUST be stopped!!”

PHOTO: Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley (C) at St James’ Park, Feb 1, 2009. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Maintaining the strength in depth to cope with injury crises is as crucial for the management of a top-class team as it is difficult to master, writes William James.

The recent experience of England's rugby team is testament to this after being forced to pick a squad without twelve regular members.

Similarly just 10 games into soccer's Premier League season, managers of the big four clubs have been forced to field reserves. Liverpool handed big-game debuts to Daniel Ayala and Jay Spearing, while injuries forced Arsenal to thrust goalkeeper Vito Mannone into the Champions League spotlight.

The challenge for any team is to keep a pool of talent bubbling underneath the first team that is both able and experienced enough to step up to the next level. Teams invest vast amounts into scouting young talent, but experience is harder to buy.

Managing the gulf between the first team and the reserves is key to ensuring the consistency that brings league titles and secures international trophies. What this soccer season has shown already is that this issue warrants much greater attention.

Second-string teams competing in football's reserve leagues are given over largely to youth and those returning from injury, while more senior players lose match sharpness bench-sitting for the first team.

The loan deals that provide young players with the experience to slot back into first team action are too inflexible to work; lower-league sides demand season-long loans and control over players.

The result is young talent floundering in reserve leagues or stranded out on loan without a route back to their parent club when first-team opportunities arise.

At international level the balance of reserve squads is again tipped in the favour of youth to the detriment of the senior game. Despite England's rugby team missing over twelve players through injury, only three of the replacements that have been announced were drawn from the England Saxons, the notional reserve team.

The less said about football's England B team the better; without fixtures or a defined role it has been supplanted entirely by the Under-21 setup.

The standard of domestic cricket is often derided, but the sport is the best British example of a functioning reserve system working hand in hand with the national team.

England Lions, the squad below the test team, gave Jonathan Trott the chance to step up and perform on a stage that propelled him into the senior team for the final Ashes test. At the age of 28 he had the right mixture of experience and ability, and seized the chance he was given to perform.

Graham Onions is another who, aged 26, successfully made the transition earlier this year.

Forcing youngsters to sink or swim under the gaze of the world's television cameras is rarely successful and often damaging to both the player and the team.

Those determining the structure of national and domestic squads should take note; youth and talent is essential in the long term, but so is managing a pool of players beneath the first team who are ready to contribute when needed.

England's Jonathan Trott celebrates reaching his century against Australia during the fifth Ashes cricket test match at the Oval in London August 22, 2009. REUTERS/Philip Brown

So it was an even worse week than usual. Ok, there were some surprise results but generally it was pitiful, some panelists only picked up one point and even most of our outside contributors struggled despite showing us up in recent weeks.

On behalf of all of us, I’d like to point out that the Premier League is more evenly balanced than it has been for a while (see Kevin’s blog) so we have a slight excuse….

Mitch Phillips was the only one to come out of the weekend with any credit, leaping into second spot after getting two scores bang on including West Ham 2-2 Arsenal, which sadly for the rest of us was a double-pointer.

To avoid a plethora of emails from Mitch and to keep it tight at the top, we will let his prediction of a draw in Wolves v Villa stand despite him sending in his entry after the match had started!

Here are the updated scores:

Reuters Soccer Blog panel: Patrick Johnston 92, Mitch Phillips 81, Paul Radford 79, Simon Evans 71, Mike Collett 70, Kevin Fylan 66, Miles Evans 63, Julien Pretot 59, Mark Meadows 50, Asia Sports Desk 48, Neil Maidment 44, Justin Palmer 36, Martyn Herman 10, Soxley (newbie) 2

Mark Meadows

(more…)

A game between Liverpool and Manchester United is one of football’s great fixtures and it has recently been given additional spice by a number of clashes between the managers.

Much has been said and written about the verbal jousting between Rafael Benitez and Alex Ferguson and at the moment the Scot is losing both on and off the field.

Ferguson is by far the most successful manager in the Premier League but Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool suggests he is now helpless and out of ideas when he crosses swords with his Spanish opponent, who was calm and collected before the game.

Ferguson said after the match there was a “wounded animal aspect to the game” given Liverpool’s recent poor run but their victory may also have been the result of a growing confidence among Benitez’s side when it comes to meeting United. 

After losing 4-1 at home to Liverpool last season, United needed a different approach when visiting Anfield on Sunday but their display was a case of déjà vu.

The game was won by Liverpool’s team effort, by the passionate Anfield crowd but also by Benitez’s ability to rediscover United’s weaknesses (Rio Ferdinand?).

PHOTO: Liverpool’s manager Rafa Benitez (L) and his Manchester United counterpart Alex Ferguson gesture during their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England, October 25, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool has again exposed the chinks in the Premier League champions’ armour, notably their defensive frailties against top level opposition.

While United overcame Rio Ferdinand’s howler in a 4-3 win over City in the Manchester derby, the England centre back’s lack of pace and cutting edge cost Alex Ferguson’s side dearly against Liverpool.

The ease with which a half-fit Fernando Torres got away from Ferdinand to score Liverpool’s opening goal will have raised not only Ferguson’s eyebrows, but also given Fabio Capello a headache.

Is Ferdinand, who has looked completely at sea in the heart of United’s defence this season and had a nightmare of a game in England’s 1-0 defeat by Ukraine, going through just a temporary loss of form or are his best days behind him?

Ferguson has no world class cover for Ferdinand in his squad and his decision to let Gerard Pique return to Barcelona after United’s 2008 Champions League triumph might come back to haunt him. That is if it hasn’t already…Pique stopped United from taking the lead in the 2009 final while Ferdinand was at fault for Barcelona’s second goal in the 2-0 defeat by the Spanish champions.

England’s potential rivals in the 2010 World Cup will also be rubbing their hands over Ferdinand becoming a liability and while Capello must hope he rediscovers his form, the Italian might also want to consider an alternative partner to John Terry in the centre of England’s defence.

PHOTO: Liverpool’s Fernando Torres (front) outmuscles Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand to score during their English Premier League match at Anfield, Oct 25, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble