Going with his original 3-4-1-2 Dutch setup, Louis Van Gaal’s Manchester United was clearly still getting used to the new formation against a Welsh team that pressed. In the second half United switched to a 4-4-1-1 formation. but Swansea manager Garry Monk had his team well prepared for the changed as was evidenced by the amount of room Swansea utilized on the pitch. United had more of the possession but ran out of time to do anything with it.

Player ratings:

Manchester United

David De Gea — 4/5

The two goals conceded by United were not so much the fault of De Gea, but more so a result of poor defending and giving Swansea too much time and space.

Tyler Beckett — 3.5/5

Regardless of what you might think about youth player debuts, the only way you’ll learn is through experience.  Beckett has a big responsibility filling in for a position that was commanded by the like of Patrice Evra. However, it was clearly evident from today’s performance that United do need an experienced center back or two at the defensive helm if they are to improve at all this season.

Chris Smalling — 4/5

Smalling’s successful clearances and timely tackles held the defense together. Also the communication between Beckett, Phil Jones and he was good to see.

Phil Jones — 4.5/5

Despite the defeat, Phil Jones put in a man of the match performance. He made several important tackles and clearances that otherwise would have inflicted United with further damage.

Jesse Lingard — 4/5

If we continue to see anything like what we saw in the first twenty five minutes, he definitely has a bright future ahead of him. Lingard was substituted after picking up a knock.

Darren Fletcher — 4/5

Fletcher put in a typically solid game.

Ander Herrera — 4/5

The new boy from Bilbao really had a good showing at midfield. He opened up some chances for United and got some important passes up front through to Mata, Rooney and Chicharito.

Ashley Young — 3/5

Young was ineffective today. He made far too few attacking runs at the Swansea defense, and resorted to passes to defenders or midfielders far too often.

Javier Hernandez — 3/5

Hernandez had a quiet afternoon, for the most part, and didn’t show enough to convince United to keep the footballer.

Juan Mata — 3/5

Mata was responsible for not tracking back when marking Ki Sung-Yueng, which led to Swansea’s first goal.

Wayne Rooney — 4.5/5 

United’s captain came close to scoring from a free kick when his shot hit the outside of the post. Other than that, he was vocal when needed, which is a good sign. Meanwhile, his overhead goal shows that Rooney still has the magic touch.

Subs:

Adnan Januzaj— 4/5

After coming on for the injured Lingard, Januzaj made an immediate impact by tearing Swansea left back Neil Taylor to shreds in several runs down the wing. His impact on the game resulted in Taylor being substituted.

Nani — 3.5/5

Some might say his best years are already behind him. However Nani displayed some glimpses of his vintage dribbling prowess.  Having been rumored to be on the chopping block at the end of the season, what was lacking today was his final third completion passes. That won’t help his cause in United’s future. Being brought on for Herrera, Nani looked to make some prosperous crosses that evidently did not connect with anyone at the front. The unforced errors in terms of attacking possession are something that needs to be improved on in his game. That is where the majority of frustration about him from the supporters comes from. He sometimes has that hunger for goal. While sometimes he is dormant and you don’t notice he’s even on the pitch. Hopefully that can change with Van Gaal or with a change of scenery.

Swansea City

Lukasz Fabianski — 4/5

Fabianski made a few key saves during the match, which will give Swansea fans and players a lot of confidence regarding the former Arsenal keeper.

Angel Rangel — 3.5/5

With 98 appearances last year for Swansea, Rangel continues to command the right side of defense for Swansea.

Jordi Amat – 3.5/5

He and Ashley Williams controlled the center of defense; United managed 8 shots on target. With some successful clearances, he worked well to prevent United’s attacks coming down the center of the pitch.

Ashley Williams — 4/5

With several key tackles at defense, the center back put in a hard hitting performance.

Neil Taylor — 2.5/5

While Taylor’s level of play in the first half was satisfactory, he got exposed after Adnan Januzaj ran past him on several occasions. Taylor is no Ben Davies, and the sooner Swansea get a better full back in this transfer window, the better. Otherwise Swansea will continue to be opened up, and will be weaker when attacking down the left wing.

Ki Sung-Yueng — 4.5/5

Ki did well to create space and to take advantage of Mata failing to track him, which led to the calm, cool and collected goal to open the scoring for the Swans.

Jonjo Shelvey — 4/5

Shelvey completed a good majority of the passing in the middle to help Swansea maintain position when they needed it.

Wayne Routledge — 3.5/5

Routledge was a constant workhorse in midfield for the Swans, but his poor first touch in the first half prevented him from having a clear-cut one-on-one opportunity to score against De Gea after failing to accurately control Shelvey’s through-ball.

Gylfi Sigurdsson — 4.5/5

Sigurdsson put the match out of United’s reach in the second half. What looks to be Tottenham’s loss may be Swansea’s gain.

Nathan Dyer — 3.5/5

Dyer continued his pesky runs down the right wing, but his decision making at times was poor.

Wilfred Bony — 4.5/5

Swansea’s talisman from last year picked up from where he left off. His strong physical presence really helped Swansea up front to create some chances for midfield when the Swans were pushing up.

Subs:

Dwight Tiendalli — 4/5

Having come on for Taylor, Tiendalli managed to put a stop to Januzaj’s probing runs down the right wing.

Jefferson Montero — 4.5/5

Having come on for Dyer, Montero really changed the pace of the match. He went on to to make the cross that led to Sigurdsson’s game winning goal. A great performance.

Bafetimbi Gomis — 4/5

Gomis immediately made an impact on the game with his physical prowess, which was just as strong as Bony — the man he came on for in the second half.

Since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, various footballers from all over the planet have displayed their skill and talent in what is arguably the most competitive league in the world. We have seen a Dutch invasion, a French revolution and slew of talent from Africa and South America. However this time around it’s the Belgians that are having their time in the spotlight.

Last season in the Premier League, Belgium footballers were responsible for a total of more than 60 goals and over 40 assists. Only English players have surpassed this number due to the larger percentage of them in the top flight.

So who are these impact players? Let’s take a look at some Belgians who now ply their trade in the Premier League:

Goalkeeper

Simon Mignolet

He has arguably provided more stability at the back for Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool. His £9million pound transfer from Sunderland last season is sure to give this rising star a strong case for the number one position in net for club and country. With a few clean sheets under his belt this season, Liverpool just might have found the keeper they have been looking for.

Defenders

Vincent Kompany

Manchester City’s captain Kompany had a rise to fame in his native Belgium with local club RSC Anderlecht and then German side Hamburger SV. Later on Kompany would catch the eye of City. Ever since, he has been a formidable figure in the back. With over 155 appearances and seven goals to his name, the 27 year old is one of the best defenders in the world.

Jan Vertonghen

Other than Tottenham’s 3-0 loss at the weekend to West Ham United, Tottenham have conceded very few goals this season partly due to the quality of Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen. On BBC London 94.9 recently,Vertonghen stated “We have a lot of confidence. I think everybody can see we don’t concede a lot of goals.” For Tottenham supporters, that is sure to boost their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League at the end of this season.

Thomas Vermaelen

The Belgian has had many injury woes the past couple of season, including a recent fatigue fracture. However Wenger stated that “He has gone through a difficult period but he is a great player, and will show that in the future now that he is completely fit and available.” Wenger went on to add, “He is fantastic, as a character and a player. Everyone is happy that he is back.” Belgian supporters are hoping Vermaelen can work his left footed magic in defense towards their efforts of qualifying for Brazil in 2014.

Midfield

Moussa Dembele

The player was recently stretchered off in their Europa League opening match at home against Tromso. However Dembele made his presence felt in the following matches for Tottenham. The 26 year old will hope to continue his impressive form at White Hart Lane despite the fact that some Tottenham supporters prefer to see Sandro or Lewis Holtby in the midfield position.

Marouane Fellaini

I am sure many wig makers throughout the Manchester are are happy that business is booming for them. The former Everton man signed for Manchester United in the summer for £27.5 million. With five matches under his belt for United in the Premier League so far, the almost two meter tall Belgian is still acclimatizing to the ways of the champions. The Manchester Derby was a nightmarish affair for many supporters in red. However the season is long and Fellaini has already suffered an injury, which could rule him out for several weeks after he undergoes surgery.

Kevin De Bruyne

The 22-year old finds himself with some formidable competition at Stamford Birdge. The likes of Andre Schurrle, Oscar, and Willian will be competing for some prime real estate in the midfield. Last season De Bruyne was loaned out to Werder Bremen and saw him collect 10 goals and land second in total goal tally for the club. In his loan spell he showed some promise for Mourinho as to why to keep the young Belgian in his side. Playing alongside the likes of Mata, fellow countryman Hazard and the Brazilian Oscar, the number 15 young baby-faced Belgian will hope to gain the vote of confidence from the supporters and his manager.

Eden Hazard

Coming over from Lille to Chelsea was a huge move for Hazard. With 34 match appearances and 9 goals to his name in the 2013-2013 Premier League season, Hazard put his own blueprint on the Chelsea midfield.  His pace and dribble combined with his low center of gravity really make him a formidable task for defenders to manage.  However recent injuries and his lack of finishing in front of goal have raised some eyebrows about his ability and whether or not he is up to the task for club and country. All he needs is some goals to help him regain his confidence.

Strikers

Kevin Mirallas

Roberto Martinez has been receiving much praise and attention for Everton’s recent performances. While the Catalan tactician has been solidifying his attack up front with fellow Belgian Romelu Lukaku, and Nikica Jelavic, the 25 year old is looking promising. Last season saw him play 27 matches and put away 6 goals for Everton. Martinez will be looking for more from one half of his Belgian attacking prowess. Having being put in on the right and left wings of attack in the past few matches, Martinez has someone at his disposal that can be lethal from all sides.

Romelu Lukaku

Roberto Martinez’s transfer deadline loan signing has been proving to be a hidden gem for Everton.  Recently in their match with West Ham United, Lukaku netted the match winner. In his post match interview he stated “Nothing. I didn’t even know that I’d scored. That was the first thing that I asked. I don’t remember anything, I had the knock and then I didn’t remember what happened.” Last year at West Bromwich Albion, the Belgian collected a total of 17 goals in 35 Premier League appearances.

Christian Benteke

In their loss to Chelsea at Villa Park in the third match of this season, Benteke managed to put away the only goal for Villa on the night. Throughout the match he was proving to be menacing and somewhat of a nuisance for the Chelsea defense. However in the post match interview, Mourinho dubbed the Belgian strikers as “the big boy.” For Villa fans, the “big boy” has a record that can speak for itself. Last season, Benteke made 34 club appearances tallying 19 goals on the campaign. Paul Lambert will be hoping Benteke can help turn fortunes around at Villa Park.

As these Belgian stars continue to shine, so will the Premier League. This collection of “golden age” footballers from a country that has been pretty quiet in its players production line, is finally making noise. The Belgian side currently sits in a commanding first place in group A. With a match against Croatia on Friday, October 11 and Wales on October 15, they will be looking to make sure that there is a Samba-filled summer throughout Belgium next year.

Despite sources in Italy saying that Roberto Di Matteo may not be interested in the Sunderland job, Sunderland’s Director of Football Roberto De Fanti is recommending Di Matteo for the manager position, but Ellis Short and the Sunderland staff have their work cut out for them if they want to hire the former Chelsea manager as the man to replace Paolo Di Canio.

As the news spread of Di Canio’s sacking, names emerged from the pile of contenders for the vacant managerial post. Names such as Gus Poyet, Tony Pulis, Alex McLeish, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Gianfranco Zola have been mentioned in the same breath for the position. But Di Matteo, who led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2012, is the bookmakers’ favorite for the job.

Di Matteo had humble beginnings. His managerial career began at MK Dons in July of 2008 after Paul Ince left for Ewood Park. The goal was to help the club win promotion with the new manager. To get there, Di Matteo pried his former teammate from Norway, the lanky Tore Andre Flo, out of retirement. The club finished third in League One in the 2008-2009 season. The club lost on penalties in the playoff semi-final to Scunthorpe United.

After Matteo left MK Dons, he became manager at West Bromwich Albion in June, 2009. In his first season at the Hawthorns, the club finished behind Newcastle in the Championship, which guaranteed promotion to the Premier League. A reunion of sorts for Di Matteo came on the opening day of the 2010-2011 Premier League season with a return to Stamford Bridge for the former club hero. The result was a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea, but Di Matteo managed to attain the manager of the month award for September. The tide turned for him when a series of losses in January saw the club falling down the table. By February of 2011, Di Matteo was given the proverbial pink slip. The club finished in the top half of the table in 11th place.

Then all roads seemed to lead back to home. A fan favorite at Chelsea as a player, Di Matteo was brought in as manager during March 2012 to replace Andre Villas-Boas.

As a former player and someone the fans recognized from the Chelsea squad of the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Di Matteo struck an immediate chord with the Chelsea faithful, which was helped by a series of positive results in Europe and the Premier League.

Di Matteo brought in his Chelsea teammate Eddie Newton as his assistant to help maneuver the club out of the rut they were experiencing. Di Matteo started his stint as Chelsea manager in winning form, with victories over Birmingham City in a fifth round tie of the FA Cup, which was followed by three points against Stoke City. Then finally the miraculous turnaround in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. This saw the club victorious with a 4–1 win to turn their fortunes around against Napoli from the first leg where Chelsea had lost 3–1 under Villas-Boas. Also Chelsea won the F.A. Cup final against Liverpool with a 2-1 victory.

Results continued to improve for the Italian with the amazing come-from-behind win at the Camp Nou against Barcelona, which saw Fernando Torres seal Chelsea’s ticket to the UEFA Champions League final in Munich, and a date with history. The eighth of a succession of managers under the Abramovich reign, Di Matteo was the first to come through the Stamford Bridge ranks to finally capture the elusive Champions League title. The final was written like a Hollywood script as the club’s legendary striker Didier Drogba took the honors of putting his final goal away for the club via a penalty kick.

Eventually, Di Matteo ran out of favor with the club the following season. A 3-0 loss away to Juventus in the Champions League sealed his departure. The decision was harsh, controversial and sudden. For many fans and pundits, Di Matteo had made significant progress at Chelsea culminating in their greatest triumph under Abramovich, as champions of Europe. Plus you only have to look at the win percentages of recent managers to see how well Di Matteo did in relation to his predecessors (and successors):

Rafa Benitez — 58% win percentage
Roberto Di Matteo — 57% win percentage
Jose Mourinho (2013-present) — 50% win percentage
Andre Villas-Boas — 48% win percentage

Di Matteo’s resume reads like a man who has suffered defeat and victory at the highest and lowest levels of English football both as a player and manager. Make no mistake that Sunderland is not Chelsea. If Di Matteo does take the hot seat at Sunderland, he’ll have a difficult task at hand to get the side playing together as a team and escaping relegation. But there’s enough talent in the team to piece together a winning formula.

Roberto Di Matteo offers experience managing in the Premier League. He was successful at Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion. He has the pedigree and track record to improve Sunderland as a football club. If Sunderland are unable to sign him as a manager, then the Black Cats will either have to hire someone who doesn’t have the experience managing at the top level, or will find someone who hasn’t coached in the Premier League for several years. Di Matteo is the wise choice. It’s time for him to return to Premier League management.

This week marks the third round of the Football Association League Cup, better known these days as the Capital One Cup. But before we get to the preview, here’s some history regarding how the tournament first started.

In the late 1950’s, the competition came to mind by a gentleman named Alan Hardaker, who happened to be the secretary of the governing Football League. From 1957 to 1979, Hardaker was considered to be somewhat of a “know it all” when it came to football.  The association was having a hard time generating revenue; the revenue from ticket sales was not cutting it. At the same time, the existing F.A. Cup was not seen as a lucrative form of financial gain for smaller clubs.

With the advent of floodlights at many English grounds in the late 1950’s, the League Cup was introduced in the 1960-61 season as a way to generate revenue through a mid-week competition that would be played in the winter.

Initially many of the top teams declined to participate, so when the incentive of guaranteed European qualification was offered to the winner of the tournament from 1966 on, teams suddenly took more interest in the competition. The winner would automatically qualify for the UEFA Cup, which is now the UEFA Europa League.

In 1967, the final garnered close to 100,000 screaming supporters at Wembley Stadium. The large attendance was enough to seal the League Cup as a permanent fixture at the national stadium. The F.A. Cup finally had some competition.

In subsequent years, sponsorship deals would emerge to help financially facilitate the cup competition. Sponsors have included various milk companies, a camera company, insurance company, lager brewery and soft drink company have added their name to the competition. For many clubs who do not have the opportunity to play in the Premier League or qualify for European competitions, the League Cup is a platform for them to attain some popularity and a financial boost to their finances. So as the third round of the League Cup kicks off again this week, let’s try and take the competition a bit more seriously and realize that, after all, that there is still a trophy to be won.

This week’s prominent fixtures

Manchester City v Wigan Athletic (Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2:45pm ET)

Manchester City will be looking to build upon their performance at the weekend in their derby match win over cross-town rivals Manchester United. Wigan Athletic will be looking to show why they deserve to be back in the Premier League with a hopeful showing. The club sits in 11th in the Championship.  In their last six encounters, City have won five and lost once against last year’s F.A. Cup winners. If last year’s cup final is anything to go by, this should be an interesting reunion of sorts.

Sunderland v Peterborough United (Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2:45pm ET)

Well, with all the drama happening on Tyneside and the quick dismissal of Paolo Di Canio, Sunderland will be looking to restore order rather quickly and to make sure the ship doesn’t sink at the Stadium of light. Meanwhile, the Posh under the guise of Sir Alex Ferguson’s son Darren will be hoping to find a continuation of wins after their victory over MK Dons at London Road Stadium this past weekend.  In their past four encounters, Sunderland have won all four with three of them containing a clean sheet.  The Posh sit second in League One and will look to build upon Sunderland’s rocky state. Might we see some “Fergie” time?

Aston Villa v Tottenham (Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2:45pm ET)
(For viewers in the United States, the match will be shown on tape delay at 4:45pm ET on beIN SPORT) 

Ahead of this cup match, Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has shared his discontent following their matches last Thursday (Europa League), Sunday (Premier League) and now this match against Villa (Tuesday). Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert and his stalwarts will be looking to build on their 1-0 victory at Carrow Road against Norwich this past weekend. Tottenham have won the last five of the six encounters between the clubs, one of which ended in a 1-1 draw. Villa Park can be a formidable ground and Lambert will be hoping the home support will give his side the edge in this one.

Hull City v Huddersfield (Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2:45pm ET)

Steve Bruce will be looking to build upon his team’s impressive performance against Newcastle in their 2-3 win. It will be a reunion for Bruce as he will be returning to Huddersfield Town. He took charge of the club back in 1999 and in 2000. Bruce stated he will be looking to rotate the current squad to give more of a priority to the Premier League. He said, “Well we’re in the cup competition, and of course it’s a priority, but it’s not a priority for us.”

Hull will be hoping to stay injury free as it was confirmed that defender James Chester was taken off at Newcastle, which might see him be out of the squad for a couple of weeks. Huddersfield’s best showing in the competition was in a semi-final defeat in 1968.

Huddersfield manager Mark Robins has steered his current squad to three wins and three draws from their past eight fixtures.

Head to head in their past six encounters, Hull has won four times, drawn once including a loss. They currently sit ninth in the Championship. It will be a Yorkshire Derby affair.

Manchester United v Liverpool (Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2:45pm ET)
(For viewers in the United States, the match will be shown live at 2:45pm ET on beIN SPORT) 

David Moyes and the Red Devils will be hoping to put the past behind them with another “derby” encounter with Liverpool. Both clubs suffered a defeat at the weekend as Pochettino’s Southampton took a 0-1 victory by way of Dejan Lovren’s headed goal just eight minutes into the second half. Liverpool suffered their first defeat of the season.

Most of the attention in this match will be on the expected return of Luis Suarez to action after serving his suspension. Meanwhile, United supporters will be hoping that Robin van Persie recovers in time to play in this vital match for Manchester United.

Other League Cup fixtures this week.

Tuesday Sept 24, 2013

West Ham United v Cardiff City
Burnley v Nottingham Forest
Southampton v Bristol City
Swindon Town v Chelsea (for viewers in the US, live on beIN SPORT at 2:45pm ET)
Watford v Norwich
Leicester City v Derby County
Fulham v Everton

Wednesday Sept 25, 2013

Newcastle United v Leeds United
Tranmere Rovers v Stoke City
Birmingham City v Swansea City
West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal

As the classic A Tale Of Two Cities begins, “It was the best of the times, it was the worst of times.” However this weekend’s protagonists have a long and fabled history against one another with the backdrop being the city of Manchester — with the dominance for the best team in Manchester on the line. Manchester City plays Manchester United this Sunday at 11am ET.

The city itself it’s known for its industrial past in association with the textile industry during the period of the industrial revolution. Cotton was its main exporter and, like many during the Victoria Era, the public wanted the finest material of the cotton producers. As time went on, the River Irwell (Manchester Ship Canal) provided more growth for shipped good, which drew Manchester in competition with their rival port city of Liverpool. It was the place where the first railway station was built in the world. Scientists built the first programmable computer. Like the city where the first atom was split, the Manchester derby is sure to set off a chain reaction.

Although the famed derby between Manchester United and Liverpool is not really considered a derby, primarily because they are not the from the same city, it does make the blood boil between its famous supporters. Most of the famed feud was highlighted in Danny Dyers football documentary drama Football Factories. However. this weekend’s rivalry is a bit more close to home as both Old Trafford and the Etihad are separated by just 5 miles. For many, blue and red have divided the local citizens including suburbs and eating establishments who sympathize with Fred the Red or the Blue Moon. While many may proclaim other derbies such as the Milan derby, Boca versus River Plate, El Clasico, and the Old Firm as containing the true essence and emotions that encapsulates a derby, the Manchester derby is just as lethal.

With that, let’s take a look back at some memorable moments from the derby.

April 2001

Manchester United and City fans will remember Roy Keane’s horrific tackle on Alfe-Inge Haaland. Their tussle went back a few years when Roy Keane had a clear attempt on goal, when the United skipper succumbed to a cruciate ligament by Haaland. He was playing for Leeds at the time. Many believed “Keano” took his time and waited for the opportune moment as was mentioned in his autobiography.

November 2002

“The Goat” Shaun Goater. He netted twice for City to celebrate the blue half’s final derby  victory at Maine Road with a 3-1 win for Kevin Keegan. Anelka started the scoring, with the baby faced assassin Ole Gunnar Solksjaer equalizing.

September 2009

Ah yes. United were chasing City with Craig Bellamy and Carlos Tevez creating a gap between them and United. But nothing is ever written in stone at Old Trafford. Giggs finds Michael Owen with a sublime pass in added time. It was the boy wonder of old as Owen sealed City’s demise on the day with s movie-like winning goal.

February 2011

Nani opened Manchester United’s account before newly acquired David Silva from Valencia pulled one back for the City. Then one of the best goals of all time in the Premier League happened as Rooney created an acrobatic bicycle kick out of nowhere that sailed past Manchester City keeper Joe Hart into the back of the net. Wazza!

October 2011

Why always me? The bad boy Mario Balotelli helped City unravel a United side 6-1. Victory at Old Trafford seemed to switch the momentum for Roberto Mancini to win the League by goal difference. Many in the blue side of Manchester never believed they would win the title during Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign.

December 2012

RVP. United new man Robin Van Persie would net the game winner in injury time, which sparked some discontent from the City supporters with some objects being thrown on the pitch. The Tevez red card on a tackle that took down Rafael right in front of Sir Alex Ferguson did not help matters. The victory gave United a six point lead in the Premier League with two matches to go before Christmas.

So as we look toward Sunday, we wonder what the next chapter will bring. There are a few changes in the story line this time around. We have two new managers in David Moyes and Manuel Pellegrini, who look to make an immediate impact in the derby. David Moyes will have to use his expertise from the years on the battle ground he has had at Anfield and Goodison Park. With his time at River Plate and Real Madrid, Pellegrini will be bringing his bag of experience of heated derby encounters.

Sunday’s match looks like it’ll primarily be won in the midfield as Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick seem to have formed a good anchor in midfield for United. For City, Navas, Silva, and Fernandinho will be looking to take the spotlight in the next chapter of this famed derby.

As City’s motto says “Concilio Et Labore,” by wisdom or effort. Let this weekend’s derby see United and City use a little bit of wisdom and some effort to provide a mouthwatering and entertaining spectacle for both sets of supporters and neutrals alike.

Photo by marcp_dmoz

Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Adebayor bagged a brace as Real Madrid destroyed Spurs by four goals to nil Tuesday night, a result that surely sends them crashing out of the Champions League. The second leg at White Hart Lane next week could well be their last match in the prestigious tournament for some time as fourth place in the Premier League is looking more unlikely as the season draws to an end.

Building up to the match at the Bernabeu, many were nicknaming the tie Ronaldo vs. Bale but it was Adebayor that stole the limelight. Not only did he score 2 goals, but he held the ball up well and was a constant threat to Tottenham’s defence until he departed shortly before the end. His second goal in particular was brilliant, Marcelo whipping in an exquisite cross that the Togolese striker cleverly headed across Gomes into the back of the net. On the other hand Ronaldo and Bale had quieter games than expected. It’s hard to criticise Ronaldo as he scored the fourth goal with a tremendous right foot volley and was constantly involved in Madrid’s attacking play; taking shots from everywhere. But his performance wasn’t as superior as expected. Bale also didn’t live up to expectations. He tried his best and you can’t fault his determination but he just looked out of his depth. A few runs down the left hand side in the first half caused Madrid problems but he never really threatened Casillas in the Madrid goal. Madrid’s defence doubled up on the Welshman doing well to extinguish any bursts he tried to make down the wing. As the game wore on, his movement became predictable and in the second half he drifted out of the game and it became evident that he wasn’t fully fit.

Before the game there was optimism coming from the Spurs camp but, in all honesty, the gap in quality between the two teams was huge and that was displayed in the 90 minutes. The night started badly for Spurs even before kick off with Aaron Lennon was forced to withdraw due to illness. After four minutes Adebayor, who had a brilliant goal scoring record against Spurs whilst playing for fierce rivals Arsenal, headed home his first goal of two. Eleven minutes later Peter Crouch’s stupidity took the tie even further away from the already trailing Spurs. Moments after getting booked for a reckless challenge, he committed the same offence which resulted in him receiving his second yellow followed by a red. Spurs held out until half time but that second goal was always coming and it arrived in the 57th minute through Adebayor. More goals were always on the cards; Di Maria scored the 3rd in the 67th minute with the goal of the match. Cutting in from the right hand side, the Argentinean winger rifled an unstoppable shot into the top corner leaving Gomes with no chance. Ronaldo deservedly finished the route with 10 minutes to go, volleying past the suspect Gomes who should have really done better with the shot. In the end the final score could have been much worse for Spurs who had to defend wave after wave of attack from Madrid.

In all fairness Spurs were up against a far superior team and they were underdogs from the moment the teams were paired together. Although Mourinho says the tie isn’t finished, the Premiership side’s European dream is surely over unless they provide one of the best performances in world football ever and manage to beat Madrid by 5 goals.

Photo by Ronnie Macdonald

This season has seen many players turn out match winning performances week-in week-out. As a result, the PFA Player of the Year is harder to call than ever. The young Player of the Year Award may be easier to judge. Only two players stand out: Jack Wilshere and Gareth Bale. Phil Jones and Andy Carroll are also worth a mention. But out of the two leading candidates, I feel Wilshere should claim the accolade.

Whilst everyone in recent times has seen Cesc Fabregas as Arsenal’s midfield maestro and the player that holds the team together, it has been the emergence of the 19-year-old Englishman that you could say has kept Arsenal in the hunt for the Premier League title up ’til now. Whilst Arsenal’s midfield was being dominated by Barcelona in their recent tie, it was Jack Wilshere who was the only player keeping up with them and at times outclassing them. As the season has grown so has the player. He is calm on the ball, and his pinpoint accuracy when passing is at times breathtaking. Some may rightly say more goals are required before he is seen as one of the best in the league but this season his performances have been near perfect.

Bale on the other hand has been untouchable at times, especially the two games against Inter Milan, but isn’t as consistent especially in the Premier League. Some games he has lit up the left hand side but in too many games he has gone missing. Some may say it is down to some niggling injuries he has suffered.

Due to the hype surrounding his name Bale will probably scoop to win the award but I feel this will be unfair to Wilshere as he has been the most consistent and frankly the best young player overall this season.

Photo by Ronnie Macdonald

It’s been five trophy-less seasons for Arsenal. And after being knocked out of the F.A. Cup at the hands of their fierce rivals Manchester United, many feel that the drought will not end this year making six years without a trophy for the Gunners unnaceptable. Not long ago however, two weeks to be precise, it looked as if a trophy was finally going to grace the Emirates trophy cabinet. Arsenal were going strong fighting on four fronts. They had an ‘easy’ Carling Cup final against struggling Birmingham and were slowly creeping up on Manchester United in the title race. Throw in Barcelona in the Champions League and Leyton Orient in the F.A Cup and people were talking about a possible quadruple!

Fast forward two weeks however and after winning just one of five games Arsenal now only have one chance of silverware, the Premier League. Although Arsenal are only 3 points behind United with a game in hand, their bottle and mentality is questionable after being crushed in such a short space of time. So could the arrival of fan favourite Jens Lehmann, a player who won the Premiership and F.A Cup with Arsenal during his spell in North London, revive Arsenals season and end the long wait for silverware?

Even though the arrival of Lehmann hasn’t been confirmed, there are strong suggestions that he will be making a return. The Daily Mail is reporting the deal is as good as done. Arsenal are down to one senior goalkeeper, Lehmann’s former nemesis Manuel Almunia, after losing their other three, Szczesny and Fabianski to season ending injuries, while Mannone is on loan at Hull City. Lehmann is a free agent so Wenger is able to sign him outside of the transfer window. The German stopper was due to spend six weeks at his old club working on his coaching badges anyway so the move couldn’t be more convenient.

Although it is unlikely he would immediately dislodge Almunia as Arsenal’s current no.1, his presence around the club could be vital in helping to secure silverware. He has won the Premier League, something only ONE current member of the Arsenal squad has also done; Gael Clichy. His winning mentality and knowledge of how to win the title could rub off onto the rest of the squad and be key to Arsenal’s success. Complacency or lack of effort would not be allowed if he was on the pitch, or even the bench for the matter. He isn’t scared to shout at his team-mates if they make a mistake. He is the type of player Arsenal need right now: a leader, someone that will take the players by the scruff of the neck and tell them to fight for every point until the end of the season so that their dreams of winning the Premier League can become a reality.

Only time will tell whether Jens Lehmann rejoins Arsenal and in two months we will know if they have ended their trophy drought. Ten games are left to play. If Arsenal win all ten they are champions. Winning ten games on the bounce may seem hard, but when you consider they only have ten games left to play compared to their rivals Manchester United and Chelsea who are still in other competitions, you can see there is hope for Arsenal. We all know they are capable of beating anyone but as the season draws closer to the climax and the pressure mounts, will they be able to cope? Surely the arrival of Jens Lehmann would be beneficial in helping this team win a trophy they deserve.

If today’s opening match fixture was a litmus test for the rest of the premier league season, my bet is on the match officials. As soon as the match kicked off I had that gut feeling of “here we go again”. Now I know it’s easy to accuse the officials of ruining the game for you, today’s match however was no excuse.

Chelsea had created a slew of chances, give credit where credit is due. Stephen Hunt, known for the skull fracturing incident at Reading 2 years on, made a dream debut for Hull at the Bridge with a goal in the 28^th minute to put the Tigers up 1-0. The free kick was a good one, with the lucky deflection, that lead to the goal and set the tempo of the match

The Blues goal that came in the 37^th minute was unbelievable by way of a Didier Drogba free kick which should have never been awarded. First of if you were watching the same match as me you would have noticed that Obi Mikel instigated Seyi Olofinjana with an (wrestling like) elbow to retaliate which ensued in the free kick being awarded. Apparently Alan Wiley didn’t see the elbow. Wiley for sure was pressured by the home supporters and we all know that the “big four” do this. So 1-1 to Alan Wiley. After that it was just a matter of time before Chelsea won.

Now the big mystery which not even Sherlock Holmes himself could have solved was where the 6 minutes of added time came from? This resulted in a chip shot from Drogba to win the match. If I was a Wolves fan I would be furious. There was absolutely no justification for 6 added minutes.  First of there were no serious injuries or crowd disturbances to warrant that much amount of time. The match would have ended 1-1, deservedly so in my opinion. I got a fishy feeling that this isn’t the last we seen of “extra time” being awarded at Stamford Bridge or other Premier League grounds. Of course with a little help from the men in the black.

I am not against Chelsea but I am against the fact when referees take over the match, they ruin it with controversial calls (i.e. Rob Styles) for everyone including the fans that paid a lot of money to see a football match and those watching at home.

If today’s match  taught me anything about the season upon us, is that I am betting on blue the next time Chelsea plays. They definitely have some powerful help from the men in black.

First a shout out to our readers in Canada. Happy Canada Day!

In a world where loyalty is hard to come by, it’s still nice to know that in some part of the world it still exists. Case in point, Manchester United and Nemanja Vidic. But before I go into that let us take a brief trip down memory lane to see how those who were tempted by cash and left for so called “greener” pastures.

David Beckham. Ah yes, the diplomat for world football. We all know the history and how the ill fated move to the now former “Galaticos” caused his career to tank. Yes it can be argued that he made millions from advertisements, clothing, modeling and so forth. But us die hard football aficionados appreciate play and loyalty for the club that gave you everything. He only won two trophies in his stint at the club in a move which was pushed by his wife. I got nothing against that. You want the fashions of Europe, that’s fine, just don’t let them interfere with football.

Andre Shevchenko. I remember the banners in the Curva Sud at the San Siro. He was immortalize by the fans that took him to their hearts. Top scorer for Milan and the Serie A, which included a Coppa Italia, Scudeto (Italian Serie A Championship) and a Champions League title. So tell me why would anyone want to leave a club in which they are seen as a God? Wait for it. You got it. The wife. In a move that was pushed to learn English and be with buddy Roman. Which led to the departure of the “Special One”, and saw Shevchenko’s career go into the gutter. Going where the money is, is part of the equation, which results in your career going no where. So where are the loyal one’s you ask? Here are some examples.

Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane, Paolo Maldini, Javier Zanetti, Raul, Eto. Just to name a few. There are a lot more out there but for the sake of length of this article I wanted to bring in Nemanja Vidic.

Finally someone who didn’t give in to his spouses want for a lavish lifestyle in a European club that would see his career go down the drain. Vidic expressed this week his love for the club and that he enjoyed playing at Old Trafford with his mates. http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/9753098/Vidic-to-ignore-wife-and-stay-at-OT.

To the footballers out there. Read up loyalty in the dictionary. To the WAG’s out there, the footballers already make millions and it’s not about you, but about the game, fans, honor, and the loyalty that comes with playing for the badge.

I want to say in relation to Kaka and Ronaldo. I got a feeling they’ll be following in Becks’ footsteps. They could learn a lot from Vidic.

I never thought I would say this, but I miss Ruud van Nistelrooy. I know he had his critics, but he was the right fit for United. It’s unfortunate that not playing him in the 2006 Carling Cup final in favor of Saha was the final straw. This was one of Fergusons not so bright moments as a manager when your ego gets the better of you.

The performance’s of Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov (don’t get me started) over the past year has brought into question United’s attack upfront. If this weeks Champions League tie with Porto proved anything, is that Dimitar is pasturing and Carlos Tevez isn’t there. Whether it is his love for Boca Juniors or something else, he (Tevez) is not worth 30 million pounds. Nor is Berbatov. He reminds me of a Ruud van Nistelrooy, but lankier and not as aggressive in the penalty area. Van Nistelrooy if memory serves me right, netted a goal tally of 36 in his first season for the Red Devils. Berbatov only netted in 27 goals for Tottenham in his 70 appearances for them. For United this season Berbatov has only put in 8 (EPL) past the wood work in 29 appearances. I am not saying that it’s easy to score in the Premier League, but United is just not the right fit for Berbatov.

Tevez on the other hand is a real bother. With only 24 appearances he’s put in 3 (EPL) past the keeper. He is a pit bull on the pitch, fighting for every ball like it was his last game. Unfortunately, his inconsistency over the past few matches has fallen short of impressive. Yes he did score the go ahead goal against Porto and netted one in at the cottage, but I don’t believe he is worth keeping around. He is good to have as a substitute to bring on and bolster the team spirit. One week he is cold the next he’s hot. He’s just not that convincing.

Here are some stats about Rooney, Berbatov and Tevez’s defensive play.

(Per Game)

Berbatov 0,82 won tackles, 1,21 intercepted attacks
Rooney 0,44 won tackles, 1,16 intercepted attacks
Tevez 0,46 won tackles, 0,38 intercepted attacks

Fine, granted Berbatov is shielding the ball well enough and can flick the ball on to a winger in full flight, but that’s not enough offensive power. In my opinion Berbatov is great for a team like Tottenham, Fulham, Sunderland, and Stoke, but not for United.

Ferguson should have never sold Van Nistelrooy because he never wanted to leave in the first place. Here is some glimpse into what Berbatov won’t be able to do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXAQQrjljxM

I say bring on Macheda, give the young lad a chance. Soon he’ll put in more then Tevez and Berbatov combined.

Not since the fall of the Soviet Union has there been a menacing force like the red card. It somehow magically appears out of thin air, from the referee’s pocket to rear its ugly head. The red card is to football players, what Valhallawas to the Vikings. A place where the souls of the dead would sweep you away to the after life. No footballers were hurt in the making of this article. Remember how the Soviets would always try and get one over on their opponents whether it be drugs, psychology, politics or the threat of a global war. They always seemed to rear their ugly head at the most opportune time. What’s to stop the red card from every showing its ugly head? Maybe nothing. With that, let’s take a trip down memory lane.

Conspiracy? We all remember the Juventus fiasco with Luciano Moggi. The wire tapping of match officials, which included a lot of bribery. One week players would get sent of for a heinous tackle then magically appear the next week as if nothing happened. Small calls would be made in favour of Juventus such as a foul here and there leading towards the opponents goals. A good opportunity for a scoring chance wouldn’t you say? A little help from the referee never hurts. From what we have learned from our Mediterranean friends, who’s not to say the same can’t happen in England with match officials and the F.A. I beg to differ.

Just this past week Brad Friedel’s red card was rescinded by the F.A. out of thin air. This isn’t new in England. Chelsea players including Lampard, Terry, and others have also gotten their cards rescinded just like that. Liverpool’s Gerrard for his actions at the nightclub in Southport was dismissed completely. As if nothing happened. If you watch matches in the Premier League you can see referees making small calls here and there in favour of certain clubs. Remember the big clubs can intimidate referees and get the call their way. They don’t seem obvious to someone who hasn’t been watching the game forever. I know an act when I see one. Why doesn’t Vidic’s or Rooney’s card get overturned? Makes you think. Being one of the most provoked players in the Premier League it wouldn’t be a surprise for Rooney to be public enemy number one. If you’re the opposing team and the referee is in your pocket, why not? Case in point Rob Styles.

It came to my attention that Rob Styles was on the board of directors for a paving company in London. While this was made public, he continued to referee games involving Chelsea and still does. A great friend to have as well. So the act continues. Whatever happened to Clattenberg? Oh yes! He was fired but then magically his sentence got reduced to eight months. Give me a break. I can’t wait for the lid to blow on English football, the game that I love so much. It’s only a matter of time. If the F.A. can overturn red cards, players acquitted of criminal acts are let free, and have the referee in your pockets (i.e. Roman), then God help the beautiful game.