Left field

English plight in Europe is no fluke

Anyone who might have assumed the deteriorating form of English clubs in Europe since Manchester United won the 2008 Champions League resulted from a convergence of misfortunate circumstances such as tough draws or mounting injuries to key players has been emphatically refuted.

Come Thursday, the Premier League might be left without a single club to represent it in either the Champions League or the less fancied Europa League, where Manchester rivals City and United were not just beaten but also played off the park last week by rivals many of their fans will have considered second-class opposition.

Especially unimpressive were Manchester United, who can consider themselves lucky to be taking only a 3-2 deficit to their return leg clash at Spanish side Athletic Bilbao, whose fans did all the singing at Old Trafford as the Basque outfit outplayed the English champions on their own turf like no other team in recent history.

“We were well beaten and they were the better team,” said United manager Alex Ferguson after their Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea produced a stellar performance to give his team a glimmer of hope they can overturn the tie in the cauldron of Bilbao’s San Mames stadium.

I can’t remember Ferguson heaping so much praise on any European opposition that visited Old Trafford in the last two decades, including the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Bayern Munich.

Like United, stuttering Chelsea and their caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo also face a daunting task of overturning a 3-1 first leg deficit in their Champions League last-16 clash with Napoli, who geared up for the trip to Stamford  Bridge with a 6-3 rout of Italian Serie A rivals Cagliari on Friday.

Premier League leaders Manchester City are in the best position of the three to progress as they have only a 1-0 deficit against Sporting Lisbon to overcome at their stadium. But an away goal for the visitors – who are fourth in the Portuguese first division with only a theoretical chance of winning the title - could mean more European disappointment for City, whose Champions League debut ended in a group stage exit at the hands of Bayern and Napoli.

Is Van Persie the Premier League’s best ever ‘volleyer’?

By James Illingworth

Robin Van Persie’s stoppage-time winner at Anfield on Saturday was not the most spectacular goal of the Dutchman’s career but it could go some way to confirm his status as the best volleyer the Premier League has seen.

The Arsenal hit-man notched his 31st goal of the season when he latched onto Alex Song’s lofted through-ball to guide a side-footed volley past Jose Reina at the Liverpool stopper’s near post.

And while Van Persie faces up to some stiff competition in the history of the Premier League’s best volleyers, his ability to strike the ball in mid-air with power and precision on such a consistent basis could mark him out from the rest.

Looking back at the early years of the Premier League since its inception in 1992, former Manchester United and Chelsea striker and current Queens Park Rangers boss Mark Hughes was renowned as a fierce volleyer of the ball.

The league’s all-time leading scorer Alan Shearer also owns an impressive catalogue of strikes for Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United with his 20-yard screamer against Everton in 2002 living long in the memory.

And when the topic of the Premier League’s greatest goals is discussed it is hard to find a more spectacular effort than Paolo Di Canio’s rocket against Wimbledon in 2000 when the Italian met the ball with both feet in mid-air to crash it past Neil Sullivan.

Arsenal finally tackling their problems

By Phil O’Connor

Perhaps stung by criticism from the likes of Patrick Viera and Emmanuel Petit, Arsenal’s stunning 5-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur was built not just on pretty passing but on solid tackling too.

Viera and Petit provided the steel in midfield for Wenger’s first great Arsenal side, and both have recently been critical of their slide towards mid-table mediocrity.

Suddenly the likes of Tomas Rosicky and Mikael Arteta – more known for silky skills than tough tackling – were flying into challenges against Spurs, winning the ball and providing a platform on which to build.

With the labouring Andrei Arshavin shipped back to Russia, Arsenal seemed to have a new sense of purpose, and even when they went two goals behind there was still a sense that they could salvage something from the game.

Arsenal upped the tempo, Bacary Sagna’s header header bringing them back into the game before Robin Van Persie curled the ball into the top corner beyond Friedel.

Not for a second did Arsenal look like settling for a draw either, and Rosicky’s lung-bursting runs were rewarded when he netted his first goal in 50 Premier League matches.

Ibrahimovic answers critics but questions remain about Milan

Phil O’Connor

It’s taken a long time, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic has finally delivered a performance worthy of his talent against an English team in the Champions League.

Long scoffed at by British fans and journalists  for his pale imitation of a  top-class striker in Europe’s top competition, Zlatan delivered something of a virtuoso performance as Milan thrashed Arsenal 4-0 at the San Siro, rendering the last 16 return leg in London next month all but meaningless.

His passing – particularly in the first half when his pinpoint cross picked out Robinho for the Rossoneri‘s second goal – was sublime and in the second half he got the goal he richly deserved, firing home Milan’s fourth from the penalty spot after he was dragged down by Johan Djourou.

But questions still remain about the Swede and his team mates. As excellent as he was on it, Ibra’s movement off the ball was sometimes  slow and laboured, while every time a pass went astray he gestured his discontent to his colleagues.

Indeed, his whole team seemed affected by selfishness; Robinho never bothered to thank Zlatan for the great assist and several Milan players took wild shots when Ibra was better-placed to finish.

Once ranked as Europe’s best for their clinical, technical displays in Europe, Italian sides have stood in the shadow of Spanish “tiki-taka” for the past few years.

Barca tired? Not on this evidence

Men tuning in for lots of action in Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 first leg ties would have rued the decision to stay in front of the TV on Valentines’ Night when Barcelona v Bayer Leverkusen and Olympique Lyon against APOEL Nicosia reached the 40-minute mark.

Both were 0-0. APOEL had not registered a shot on goal. Barcelona had dominated their German opposition with 78 per cent of possession, yet no opening score.

There have been reports of a tired Barcelona recently, justifiably. The La Liga and Champions League holders have slipped to 10 points behind arch rivals Real Madrid, who are about the strongest outfit left in Europe’s premier competition on current form.

Perhaps this woke Barcelona up as Alexis Sanchez netted a 41st-minute opener.  Coach Pep Guardiola said afterwards: “I think for the spectators the second half was more fun to watch than the first.”

Barcelona scored two more goals, Lionel Messi came alive, and the Catalans conceded just one in a hugely improved second-half display, that led Leverkusen defender Vedran Corluka to say the tie was over. Few would argue with him.

More in the balance is Lyon’s tie with unheralded APOEL, who will head back to Cyprus with just a one-goal deficit. Can the Nicosia side make more history and reach the quarters?

In action on Wednesday will be Arsenal’s record goalscorer Thierry Henry when the London-club travel to the San Siro for their AC Milan clash, while Zenit St Petersburg host Benfica. Valentine’s Day will be over so let’s hope for romance on the pitch in the first halves.

Va-va-voom. Vintage Henry scores on Arsenal return.

The clock said 68 minutes, and no one at the Emirates Stadium in north London was looking at the action on the pitch as the fourth official held aloft his lit-up board to signal the re-introduction of Thierry Henry to English football.

Ten minutes later and he’d scored the game’s eventual winner. Comebacks don’t get this good this often.

14 to replace 15 shone the bright numbers before the goal, but alas Henry’s former number has since been taken by young English talent Theo Walcott, who idolises the French great.

Now, for six weeks and six weeks only after which he will return to the United States with the New York Red Bulls, Henry can be seen wearing an Arsenal shirt with the number 12, the same as his France days during which he won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship.

The only numbers Arsenal fans will care about are 228, 229 and who knows, possible even into the 230s.

With a trademark movement of his right boot, Henry had added to his record Arsenal tally of 226 having watched his new teammates spurn chance after chance against Leeds United in the third round of the FA Cup.

Arsenal fans out there, does this worry you? Would you like to see Arsene Wenger bring in another striker in the January transfer window given the lack of goals?

from Reuters Soccer Blog:

Who can Arsenal actually buy?

With Cesc Fabregas gone and Samir Nasri possibly on the move too, there is a lot of gloom around Arsenal at the moment and Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by Liverpool did nothing to help the mood.

Arsenal fans are for the first time questioning the stewardship of Arsene Wenger and have demanded some top signings to prevent yet another trophyless season.

But who could Arsenal actually bring in? Would a really top player want to go to a club resembling a sinking ship? The Gunners also don't have the same financial clout as Manchester City, United, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and even Liverpool nowadays. (The Italian clubs are worse off though).

Valencia winger Juan Mata seems destined for Chelsea after Arsenal's initial interest but even he is not the wow signing Arsenal fans want to ease the pain of Fabregas going back to Barca.

But Wenger's great strength has been buying near unknowns and making them great. Vieira, Henry and of course Fabregas.

There is no value in the market right now and really top players are not available. Trying to develop Jack Wilshere and Co into the new Fabregases looks like Wenger's only option.

Fans will give him the season to prove he can work miracles again but come this time next year, the rumblings of discontent in north London could be full-blown protests.

from Reuters Soccer Blog:

Soccer Break Tuesday

The pain for Arsenal fans just rolls on it would seem, as a trip to my office's kitchen confirmed on Monday when I heard two voices grumbling about "Van Persie" and "not enough shots".

The North London club's woes of the last two weeks or so have been much publicised, but perhaps at last there is some news to cheer Gunners fans up in the return of former keeper Jens Lehmann? Who would you prefer in goal? Lehmann, or Arsenal's only currently available goalie Manuel Almunia, in good form in the last two matches against Barcelona and Manchester United?

Keep a close eye out as the signing could be confirmed on Tuesday after Arsenal moved to sign the German late on Monday.

Some very recent news on the earthquake repercussions is that Japan's J. League has been postponed indefinitely, while news on the international friendlies is due on Wednesday.

Now onto Tuesday's Champions League matches, including four former winners. Do you agree with these predictions?

Inter Milan must become only the second team in Champions League knockout phase history to overturn a first-leg home defeat with a second leg away win. Some task.

Worth a bet given Bayern's turbulent last week in which coach Louis van Gaal said he would leave at the end of the season? Bear in mind however that Van Gaal, while at Ajax Amsterdam in the 1995/96 season, was the only coach to achieve this feat according to UEFA statistics.

from Reuters Soccer Blog:

Inter v Bayern means repeat of 2010 Champions League final

Holders Inter Milan will face Bayern Munich, the team they beat to clinch the trophy last season, in the Champions League last 16 with a repeat of the 2006 final also due after Barcelona were drawn to meet Arsenal. 

Bayern might actually be favourites given Inter's struggles so far this term while Barca and Lionel Messi destroyed Arsenal in the quarter-finals second leg last season despite the two sides' similar style of play.

Those two are definitely the standout ties with Manchester United probably chuffed to have got Marseille while Real Madrid will again clash with bogey side Olympique Lyon in what will be an interesting game for Karim Benzema.

Stuttering Chelsea will be glad to have drawn knockout round debutants Copenhagen and having given Inter a mighty fright in the group stage, Tottenham Hotspur and Gareth Bale have the chance to do the same to AC Milan after being paired together.

Here's the draw in full, maybe not as many tasty ties as there could have been but we'll still all be very excited come February I'm sure.

 Group stage runners-up first and will play first legs at home. 

   AS Roma                      v Shakhtar Donetsk

from Reuters Soccer Blog:

Champions League podcast – 2

Wayne Rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Karim Benzema and Juan Mata are among the strikers up for discussion in the latest edition of our Reuters Sports Champions League podcast. Kevin Fylan is joined by Ed Osmond, Owen Wyatt, Paul Radford and Mark Meadows.

Listen!