Mother of All Finals: UCL Finals '11/'12 - Chelsea versus FC Bayern Munchen

In the slug-out that has been dubbed the mother of all finals, the closing game of the UEFA champions league season would be going down at the allinze arena,Munich,Germany. The two gladiator teams in the deciding contest that wraps up the 2011/2012 season are wothy ones- Chelsea Football Club and FC Bayern Munchen.

Although it is not news anymore that the much touted el-classico finals that had been hugely anticipated would not be happening; no doubt the ones who have earned the title 'classico killers' would be presenting a more dynamic showdown in Germany. It must also be said that the venue happens to be the home of one of the gladiators FC Bayern Munchen, but the champions league finals being what it is, would always play out as one of the finest spectacles of the modern age.

Chelsea and Bayern Munchen, both of them giants in their own rights may not have had the ideal season in their various leagues as the champions league and other competitions must have taken their toll; in the midst of all that, the joy of participating in one of the greatest showpieces of all time wipes off the pain in an instance.

Both teams have definitely got scores to settle with the cup claim, as they have once been on the losing side in a UCL finals in the last four years. A chance to finally bury the ghost of 2008 for chelsea,after losing to Manchester United in a penalty shoot-out contest,they had almost won. They seek to claim the most prized and desired trophy their proprietor, Roman Abramovich has ever wanted.

Bayern Munchen equally lost to Inter Milan in the 2010 finals; now they have seemingly earned revenge against the coach of that same side Jose Maurinho, albeit in the dugout for his new team Real Madrid. Going all the way to qualify for a final that had been slated for their stadium even before the season began, Bayern would naturally feel that they were destined to claim the much coveted trophy right in their own backyard.

For chelsea it would not only be a joy to win it for the fitst time,but to go into the next season as defending champions in a season when the finals would be taking place at wembley stadium,London in celebration of the centennial.Nothing would give them more happiness than to tour the same city that would be hosting the olympics in less than sixty days from now with a UCL trophy no london side has ever one.

There would be lot at stake for both sides, but it must not be forgotten that in the windy road to the finals, they had both lost very important personnel. All of that must count for something,but it remains to be seen how the absence of John terry, Raul Meireles,Ramires, and Borislav Ivanovich would affect their game-plan with injuries tto some other members of the side.

Their opponents would also be missing key players in the form of Gustavo. David Alaba, and one more key player. Bayerm Munchen seemed to be better poised to handle the shock; combined with the backing of their teeming fans,the pendulum looks set to swing in their favour a bit more.

Pundits have done all kinds of analysis, and bookmakers have put out their ratio for the stakes and likely bets; one thing every football follower must not forget about the season is that it has been one full of twists,turns and last minute drama. You would choose to write off any of the two teams only at your own detriment.

All in all,only one side can win it, and it must have been thoroughly deserving.Whatever happens, the beauty of the game is in participating and there is definitely going to be adequate financial rewards for both sides regardless. Let the game begin, as we can't wait to see the mother of all finals play out right before our very eyes. May the better side win!!

Just Before the Curtain Falls: A Preview of the Last Day of the EPL 2011/2012 Season

By all standards, this has been one of the most intriguing and amazing football seasons in the English premier league. It has been a long chain of drama all season, with quite unexpected twists and turns that would make the season go down as one of the most keenly contested of all time.

The drama has shown up in phases: first at the top as featured in the race between the top two all through out the season; next was the battle for the remaining two UEFA Champions League (UCL) ticket spots by the second set of four teams on the table, and then the battle to survive relegation by another set of five clubs, with one displaying some magnificent level of football inspired by the passion to survive.

In glancing, you can not forget the teams which thrive in the middle of the table, neither up there nor at the bottom; just seeming to enjoy life in the premier of all English leagues while hoping for better days.

Enough of waxing philosophical, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of the beautiful round leather game as played out this season in the EPL. The top battle had always been between Manchester United and Manchester City in a fitting continuation to where they left off last season having both picked up the main trophies i.e. the EPL title and the FA Cup respectively.

It must also be said that they both contested the season opener- the Community shield and from that point on, the battle line seemed drawn. It was to continue in a see-saw fashion, with Manchester United holding fort at the top for some time before Manchester City overtook them and made the place their own for very long.

All of these while, some new entrants were also staking claim to the third and Fourth spots in what was a striking move away from the norm as recorded in previous seasons where the usual top teams, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool would sit in comfort, waiting to claim their right to the UCL spots at the end of the season.

This particular season was different in that Newcastle had announced their full recovery from the crisis that rocked the club not quite four years ago; a journey that was to see them go down in to the championship, bounce back, then move on to mid table and in no time, get back among the contenders for the prestigious UCL spots available only to the top four.

Apart from Newcastle United who occupied the third place for some time, there was Tottenham who had just been waiting in the wings to replace Newcastle in third spot once the opportunity showed up.

In spectacular fashion, all of these played out while Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool kept drifting on the brink, lurking in background all waiting to swoop with one burst of sustained form praying that those earlier mentioned two occupying the third and fourth spots slip up.

Each of these three teams also had their peculiar moments along the line: Arsenal having to recover from going as low as seventeenth position on the table after losing three of its first six games, and looking almost all dead and buried even before the season had really begun. They were to recover in dramatic fashion fitting for the making of a film; a feat that would not be complete without the mention of their phenomenal captain, Robin van Persie.

Next up was Chelsea who seemed to have all sought of problems even after bringing in a coach whom many had thought was young and dynamic, fitting the long-term picture of the owner and one who could deliver the elegant style of football combined with the continuous capture of trophies for the Stanford bridge outfit.

In no time, all of that went burst, and Chelsea were staring a major crisis in the face. Some spoke of player sabotage, others of change that had been too rapid. At the end of the day, Villas Boas got the sack, his replacement was Roberto Di Matteo his erstwhile assistant until now; appointed to steer the ship till the end of the season. Boom! Recovery came leaving many wondering what had changed; No doubt Chelsea was back.


Not Least among them was Liverpool who had shown prospects and a strong intent to return to the top caucus, playing some amazing football at the beginning of the season. The form began the dwindle from the point where they found unusually hard to win home games, a feature that characterized their season and merely reduced them to an entity that could only display cup form, as they ended up claiming the carling cup and playing the FA cup finals, a trophy Chelsea claimed at their expense amidst some measure of controversy.

Before zoning in on the final day, it is quite worthy of mention that Wigan Athletic were simply astounding, having changed their game pattern in silence only to announce this by claiming the scalps of Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal almost in rapid succession, the only key survival of the Wigan end of the season whirlwind was Chelsea albeit with two highly controversial goals that denied Wigan at least a deserved draw.

To think that Wigan athletic achieved all of these in the face of relegation with the same set of players which had been there all season long; was a story up there among the stuff of legends. One of such wins was to contribute to the main twist leading to a final day decider as to where the EPL trophy would rest its prestigious head for the next one year; that was the win against Manchester united at a time when they had taken a seemingly unassailable lead of eight points which at the end of the day was reduced to five as Manchester City started their journey back from the slump.

In a season that has defied many of the earlier set myth and the trend of book makers, even witnessing a player literally comeback from the dead in the form of Patrice Muamba, there may never have been one better poised for a final day decider, witnessing two table toppers tied on eighty-six points apiece, only separated by an eight goal difference.
Manchester United faces Sunderland in a bid to claim a twentieth trophy, but they would certainly be needing a favour from Queens Park Rangers (QPR) who match up against Manchester City, also bidding for their first title in Forty-four years if only they can hold on.

The next decider would be among Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle, who would be slugging it out against West Bromwich, Fulham and Everton respectively in the quest to claim third spot, and maybe a fourth spot which would be rendered useless if Chelsea were to win the champions league.

At the bottom of the table, QPR and Bolton both need wins in their respective games as only one of them can survive the drop, in a last gasp finish, any of the two club fans would have given anything to avoid. Truly this has been an amazing crown to the end of a breath-taking season, rounding up in style.

The Pseudo-Premiership Derby Final: Did It Live Up To Expectation?

In the midst of all of the hype that had been attached to this classic derby,it would only have been normal to have certain fans ask the question "was it all worth it in the end?" Before your heart wonders much longer,what is being talked about exactly- it is the Manchester derby that has now come and gone but the aftermath determines in what direction the premiership trophy swings. it has been made all the more exciting this year; especially having two clubs from the same city slug it out for supremacy in the English premier league. This is in addition to the build-up to such controversial and much anticipated derbies.It must be pointed out that the game would normally be tough enough without the prospect of a cup at stake as the clubs would gladly play their hearts out just to earn the bragging rights for themselves and their fans in the city space they share.

The whole story gets more interesting considering the fact that we have had families where the father supported one half and the mother the rival side.Often times, such scenarios are replicated among siblings- this would give you an idea of how controversial such derbies can be. Narrowing it down to the very last in the series of epic battles between these two city rivals Manchester united and Manchester city; the first leg ended in a mauling for the latter in a place that would normally be regarded as their fortress- Old Trafford 'The theater of dreams' with the game ending six goals to one in favour of Manchester city. that scoreline was the exact kind of backdrop for this latest meeting combined with added juice,the premiership trophy at stake. All of that being said, the game which had been loaded with as much hype as the english press could muster started just like any other.

With the expectations set at such a high level, the game failed to live up to its billing,as it turned out a one-sided affair with united failing to hit a shot on target all through the ninety minutes of play, a characteristic quite alien to the team and their high standards.They were out-muscled,out-played and overall very poor on the night.quoting Goal.com below:

But this was not a night for his volumes of scrapbooks. He picked the wrong team, organised them into a cautious formation and saw his side fail to produce a shot on target for the first time in a Premier League match in three years.A victory by a wider margin would not have flattered City, who made up for what they lacked in final-third dazzle with energy, power and hunger, epitomised by the outstanding Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany.Ferguson’s tactics failed miserably. He chose his European away-day formation, setting his team out in 4-5-1 with Wayne Rooney up front alone, and Ryan Giggs and Park-Ji Sung given starts ahead of in-form pair Danny Welbeck and Antonio Valencia.

This summed up the story on the night,leaving Fergie smarting on the sidelines.Before the game he had mentioned that it was to be his most important derby yet. considering that he has had such a long and rich history in the game,such words were not to be taken with levity, but they also seemed to have been his undoing; rather than approach the game with a youthful,pacy and energetic squad who could match Manchester city for pace and style,Sir Alex chose to go with the conservative, starting players like Giggs,J.S Park,Paul scholes and Ferdinand. The few pacy ones available on the night were Nani and Rooney and they both failed to come to the party. The beautiful thing that has now come to be associated with the evolving Manchester city side is the flair and quality of their attacking football which was brilliantly displayed on the night even though Manchester united made the job rather too easy for them.

The season may be far from over as there still two more determinant games with Manchester city still needing to visit Newcastle's sports-direct arena before hosting queen's park rangers on the final day of the season;both very tricky ties. Manchester united also have Swansea city and Sunderland to deal with in the final run-in. While Manchester united may have the easier of both sides' fixtures,the crunch derby game may just turn out the season decider with the winner going on to pick up the much coveted trophy, except something major happens. Both sides have also got the necessary inspiration to finish the season on a high and all is set for a relishing crescendo ending to the season.Which ever way it goes,it must be said for the records that this has been one season the richly adds to Mancunian football folklore as the two clubs from the same city have had a go right from the first day and the story remained about them all season long.They have both been gallant gladiators but there can only be one champion,that would be a finding that is worth the short wait.


credit to goal.com for the quote and google images for the pictures.

The Evra-Suarez Race Row: Victory for the Team, One Individual or the Game?

In the build up to the game between Manchester united and Liverpool, there had been so much made of the racial row between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra; both of them key players for their respective sides, and this had put a very strange colouring on the game. Amidst all of the speculations over who was right or wrong, and the consequential eight match ban for the Liverpool striker, the stage was set for what was to be the biggest match of the weekend. The club officials had come out to play down the issue on the basis of concentrating solely on the round leather game, but many could easily predict that there was some drama to come beginning from the decision to either shake hands or not, between the two actors involved. After so much anticipation and speculation, the game finally began and almost everyone got to shake hands except Luis Suarez who refused to shake the hand of a certain Patrice Evra. It could only signify something; the rift was far from over and the bad blood was to be carried over into the game.

Apart from the long drawn row between the two players, it is common knowledge that both teams have always had the long running rivalry between them and there has never been much love between fans of both clubs. The race row was only to add to the feisty relationship that had always existed, dating back to very many years in the past. Moving away from the row to the individuals involved; which ever team won on the day would have decided which of the two individual actors got the bragging right and the seeming satisfaction of having had one over the other. Very early in the game, Liverpool looked to be more on the front foot even with tackles flying especially in the Manchester united defence where the principal actors were involved and would always have the chance of potential contact. On the way the game went on, Liverpool came out more and seemed a bit more comfortable even while Manchester United struggled as the home team on the night, initially preferring to catch Liverpool on the break. No doubt, it was early days and Liverpool seemed to have settled in better, while the home team was still looking to find their rhythm.

The initiative remained with the Liverpool side for some time, with Manchester united getting lovely surges upfront especially from the right wing through Luis Valencia who was giving the Liverpool left-back a torrid afternoon. Some of those breaks were to help switch the initiative back in favour of Manchester United and in no time the Liverpool midfield virtually collapsed, leaving the duo of old Paul Scholes and Micheal Carrick to take firm control of the game. Manchester United were put on the front foot creating chances from right left and centre, with chances falling to Danny Welbeck, Paul Scholes and Luis Valencia. The home team remained in front till the end of the first half, and one would have been forced to ask, why the Liverpool coach Kenny Daglish had adopted such troubling tactics choosing to play Jay Spearing, Jordan Hendersen, and Stewart Downing ahead of Charlie Adam and Craig Bellamy. It was clearly obvious that the two less-experienced players in the Liverpool midfield forced the more matured Steven Gerrard to stay back, having to play very deep rather being able to move further upfront to connect the midfield and the attack, with the potential opportunity of weighing in with a couple of goals or assists.

The other obvious question was why start Stewart Downing started ahead of Craig Bellamy who had been on a high burst of form lately only to have been taken off when the Liverpool team needed someone to send in the crosses as at when Andy Carroll was brought in to the game? As the game drew on, it became quite obvious that even the Liverpool players were confused and really could not interpret the tactics any longer. Manchester United was to make them pay, as they punished them very early in the second half with two goals in quick succession, the first coming in as early as the forty-ninth minute. They maintained the initiative all through out the second half, although Liverpool finally pulled one back through Luis Suarez, a little victory for the Uruguayan on the day. Before then, not much had been done to trouble David De Gea, the Manchester United goalkeeper.

Overall, Manchester United came out victorious, with Patrice Evra captaining the team on the day even with a personal score to settle. He seemed to have his fellow defender Rio Ferdinand sharing his sentiment as he showed that in no little manner to Luis Suarez in his conduct before and during the match. Both actors might have had individual victories on the night, although Patrice Evra may be seen to have come out with the more cherished victory, and thus he did not hesitate to express lavishly as he was so jubilant and cheerful in front of the Manchester United fans as if he had won the champions league. He even went close to the other actor while celebrating and it had to take some quick intervention from match officials and stewards to keep them apart. To be fair, maybe they never had the intention of joining issues or having an altercation, but the referee had to wade in with a word of caution for Patrice Evra seemingly telling him to be cautious as there could be further consequences down the line. The affair between both players had been quite melodramatic, and cast a shadow on the whole but the game could not have been the better for it as they left many unanswered questions and a continuous trail of controversy.

Inside The Premiership: Match-day of Circus and Intrigues

Some say football is life; the question is “how do you argue against such a claim that has proved itself so plausibly over time?” For some of us this is what we live for, to experience the beauty of the game and to savour the grandeur of its unpredictability. The last weekend in the premiership would be any genuine football follower’s dream day, where the stage was so well set up with intriguing features such as: noisy neighbours transforming in to genuine championship rivals; the underdog pip title favourites; seeming minnows go to a celebrated slaughter ground and come out alive with a gleaming point for their pains; giants who once sank regaining vigour and potential; a tale of two strugglers- a question of who wanted it more. I could go on and on and on; Intrigues, intrigues, and more intrigues. Such is an apt description of what went down on premiership match-day nine.

Manchester United versus Manchester City Match [1 - 6]

The famous Manchester derby could not have played out with more intrigues than we witnessed on this day, with the score-line totally unbelievable. In what was only Manchester city’s second win in old Trafford in thirty-seven years, the ones referred to as the ‘noisy neighbours’ transformed in to genuine title contenders handing both Sir Alex Ferguson and his team their worst ever home defeat till date. Which better opponent could have been poised to end the Manchester united run of nineteen consecutive home league wins than Manchester city?

A game that started out as a repeat of the ceremonial season opener- the community shield game where Manchester united came back from two goals down to take the title after scoring three goals. Revenge could not have been sweeter for Manchester city and to have handed it out in such fashion and venue spoke of style and class, speedily announcing city’s arrival at the helm of English football.

The win took them five points clear with an extra five-goal difference cushion. The enigmatic and controversial Mario Balotelli had mistakenly burnt down his house on the eve of the match - a freak firework accident leaving Roberto Manchini with a million questions. Instead of lament, he decided to take out his pain on Manchester united scoring the first two goals in what was to turn out a rout in the end. Next thing he went to the fans to celebrate with his shirt up and the underwear unveiling this question in print “Why always me?” only him would be in the best position to answer that.

The remaining four goals were scored by players fast coming into their own, namely Edin Dzeko- a brace, Kun Aguero and the in-form David Silva. Darren Fletcher pulled back a consolation goal around the eighty minute mark, but it was too little on the day to salvage such a humiliation from a city neighbour or share bragging rights. Ferguson has since referred to the day as his worst ever in football both as a coach and as a player.

QPR versus Chelsea [1 - 0]

The stage was set for Chelsea to go second on the league table right after the Manchester united loss to their city neighbour, but QPR had other ideas. In what turned out to be QPR first win over Chelsea in sixteen years, an underdog really got one over a title favourite. Before the end of the first forty-five minutes, Chelsea was a goal down and two men short; something absolutely unthinkable before the match began.

As much as Chelsea struggled on the day trying to exhibit that extra stuff of champions, there was only going to be one winner and it was QPR. Never an easy task when a team of nine men had to stand against a full squad of eleven inspired men. Some say the referee was a bit too harsh in sending off Bosingwa and then Didier Drogba, but it just seemed like another day at work for referee Chris Foy. Chelsea were left to rue what could have been, three points worse and a minus one goal difference for effect.

Arsenal versus Stoke City [3 - 1]

The third consecutive win for the gunners and another back to back home win against such spirited opponents such as Stoke City. It was a case of the fading giants looking like they are coming back to their best potential. Although it wasn’t to come easy as everyone has now come to know that in Stoke city, there lies a tough customer, and to get a win you would have to grind it out.

That is exactly what Arsenal had to go through even with the luxury of playing at home, needing a cameo appearance from the now magical captain Robin Van Persie to claim maximum points, as he scored a brace and spared the gunners a few blushes. Gervinho also proved quite lethal on the day proving to Arsene Wenger that he just might be a viable striking option.

Analysing an Arsenal game would never be complete on a day without mentioning their defence, a perpetual problem. On the day, they seemed to get their acts right although conceding the now ‘standard’ give-away goal they have developed as a habit. Overall they did well, and the few shortcomings were drowned by the joy of the win.

Blackburn Rovers versus Tottenham [1 - 2]

The pressure keeps mounting on Steve Kean and his men as they conceded another set of three precious home points to Tottenham. Blackburn has got to realise that sparks of good performance just won’t do it, as Tottenham continue their quest to return to the champion’s league with unique victories both home and away.

The Tottenham team deserved praise on the afternoon, especially Van der Vaart for converting the brace, sealing the game for his side. It must be said that claiming three points at the home ground of Blackburn who could be very stubborn customers on their is quite commendable.

Bolton W. versus Sunderland [0 - 2]

This game in particular, a case of two strugglers and that aptly describes the drab performance all through the first half of the match with both sides playing as if there was not much at stake. Prior to the game rumours were out that Steve Bruce could lose his job if he lost the second of two deadline games, the fist one being the loss at Arsenal the previous week. The bite from his side just could not confirm the latter news. Although all of that was to change in the second half, as their attitudes showed more aggression and on the day they happened to want the win more than their hosts. Two goals in the last nine minutes of the game acquitted them alright, thanks to Sessegnon and Bendtner.
Bolton wanderers were handed out their fifth consecutive home loss, asking real questions of Owen Coyle and his side. Dropping points especially at home does not do anybody any favours. The heat is on, and Owen Coyle must try to find a solution before it is too late.

Liverpool versus Norwich [1 - 1]

To have gone to a slaughter ground like Anfield, the Liverpool fortress and come out with a draw, new boys Norwich should be highly commended especially with the plethora of stars Liverpool had available on the day. The same score-line happened to be what premier league giants Manchester United thankfully left with the previous week, and to have achieved the same feat for Norwich was no mean achievement.
So far in the Premier league Norwich has given a good account of itself, but it must be said that while Kenny Daglish’s project for the reds is still very much on track, they must learn to claim maximum home points as such dropped can only come back to haunt the team in the final reckoning.

Fulham versus Everton [1 - 3]

Two late goals from Louis Saha and Jack Rodwell sealed Fulham’s fate handing Everton their first ever win in craven cottage. Fulham only have them to blame as they could have sealed the game with begging chances not converted. Everton continue their away form magic of previous years, as they have now built a record of tricky guests for any home side in the premiership, the top four inclusive.

Fulham would feel very unlucky after such a competitive game, the least they should have gotten was a draw, but goals determine these games as they painfully had to learn, if you do not score then be ready to take the fall.

The Rest of the Bunch

Wolves versus Swansea City [2 - 2]

Swansea City would definitely take the away point almost as a loss after they gave away a healthy two goal lead in the dying minutes of the game; again another top level lesson for them -that at this stage, you either seal it or protect what you have.

Wolves coach Mick McCarthy cut a picture of one with very mixed feelings after the game, both with the relief of a rescued point while at the same time being quite crossed with the behaviour of the team fans on the day. Wolves salvaged a point from an effectively drab performance at home.

Aston Villa versus West Bromwich [1 - 2]

The baggies went to Villa Park to claim their first win in thirty-two years over a formidable opponent. They also had the one man extra advantage fully in their favour as Aston Villa had to live with referee Phil Dowd’s controversial red card handed out to Chris Herd.

Villa had gone ahead, but lost the game to two come-back strikes by West Bromwich giving Roy Hodgson something to cheer following a second consecutive win after claiming the scalp of wolves last week. It would only be proper to spare Alex McLeish some thought as he tried to make his side recover from the heavy loss to Manchester City last week but it was not to be.

Newcastle versus Wigan [1 - 0]

Newcastle showed the original stuff of champions after having to dig in to their bag of tricks to pull of a win on a day they did not exactly deserve all three points. Wigan had a fair performance on the day, but Newcastle reiterated the point of remaining unbeaten so far in the season.

Speak of a side riding quite high on confidence at the moment, a good enough compensation for their troubles in recent years that saw them sink in to relegation before staging an immediate come back the next year. Credit must be given to Alan Pardew and his side so far for their recent exploits, fast transforming St James Park in to a fortress.

Inside The Premiership: Inferences from Match-day 8

The last weekend in the premiership was a very exciting one and can compete notably with some of the most exciting ones in the past throwing up some strong inferences which would be drawn out as we go on.

Liverpool versus Manchester United Match [1 - 1]

This particular derby also known as the Lancashire derby has a history of being the biggest and the greatest in England, but a series of events seemed to have overtaken the very famous fixture. Worthy of mention would be rivalries between Manchester United and Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, also Arsenal and Tottenham.
History is almost back to its best as this North West derby is fast becoming the biggest once again as it has shown in the last three seasons especially the Anfield version. The pudding gets more interesting throwing in players such as Luis Suarez, Dirk Kuyt, Steven Gerard, Nani , Javier Hernandez (Chicarito),Patrice Evra , Wayne Rooney and the rest of the lot.

Liverpool is fast proving to be Manchester United’s albatross in recent times, considering how much dominion Manchester United seem to have exercised over Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City in recent Seasons. After Two straight losses at Anfield, it took a Chicarito equalizer to salvage a point and to preserve Manchester United’s unbeaten run in the league. It also speaks volumes about the Liverpool team fast returning to its best.

Manchester City versus Aston Villa [4 - 1]

If anything else can be drawn from this game, it is the fast emerging fact that Manchester City are beginning to cut the picture of genuine title contenders especially as they now sit atop the premier league in terms of points and Goal difference. The amazing thing was the mode of execution against an Aston Villa side that had been until that day. Roberto Manchini on the day chose to feature a team with David Silva, Kun Aguero, Edin Dzeko, or the embattled Carlos Tevez; and in spite of the omissions, the result was resounding with spectacular goals on display; especially the two from Mario Barlotelli and James Milner.

The Manchester City defence also kept a player like Agbolanhor quite for most of the game, to preserve their unbeaten run setting their title hopes on a firm footing, although it might be too early to talk about that, with thirty other match-days to go.

Chelsea versus Everton [3 - 1]

This may not go down as the best of games between the two; judging by the standard and quality of recent games in the last two seasons. Everton lacked that giant killer instinct that shows up almost every other time they get play a top four side. Although Kudos must be given to Chelsea on the night that remains without the services of Fernando Torres serving a second of his three match ban .It was nice to see players like Daniel Sturridge, Juan Mata and Ramires bringing in a bit of fresh air to the side.

The young but dynamic manager Andre Villas Boas is yet to convince some of the Chelsea fans, but that is a problem that might be fixed with time as Chelsea remain nicely poised third on the log, especially with the potentially beneficial timing of the Manchester Derby taking place next week.

Arsenal versus Sunderland [2 - 1]

Captain fantastic- Robin Van Persie is proving to be more than a talisman for an Arsenal team that has been under so much fire of late. His form in 2011 has been scintillating scoring twenty five goals in the last twenty eight games, even amidst calls by greats like Dennis Bergkamp that he could be of better use and value to the team if he were to be used behind a main striker, without having to shoulder the goal scoring burden of the whole team. So far, Arsene Wenger has been justified, but it remains to be seen if the club can tie down the striker in the long-term with the contract talks presently put on hold.

Sunderland gave a fairly good account of them, but no one understands how Steve Bruce expected to have taken maximum points or a draw at the least from such a game without fielding a clear cut striker, breathing down the necks of an Arsenal defence that is now known to be so generous. It is simply hard to forget the Asamoah Gyan Loan Scenario.

The win propelled Arsenal to the top half of the Table, placing them tenth on the log standing.

Newcastle versus Tottenham [2 - 2]

It was all fireworks from beginning to the end at St. James Park, on Sunday as Newcastle who remain both unbeaten and fourth on the log, twice had to come back from behind to draw level with a formidable Tottenham side. The Alan Pardew led team is brewing with so much confidence even after the exit of the important duo- Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton. After a strong showing on coming back last season, they are really building on that platform now.

Notable was the midfield duel between Tiote who is fast establishing himself as an enforcer in the middle of the pack and Scott Parker, who easily stands out as one of the best defensive midfielders in whole of the premiership.

The game was tough and exciting; with a fair enough result for both sides in the end.

Norwich versus Swansea City [3 - 1]

If anything Swansea city must realise that a mere display with beautiful passes and skills does not cut it at this level, if the cutting edge remains absent. Against a Norwich side that happened to have come up at the same time as Swansea, losing all three points in this kind of game was not the best of options on the day. Kudos to Norwich, as the whole idea is to get the job done- a prerequisite for staying on at this level. Norwich has now risen as high as ninth on the Table.

QPR versus Blackburn Rovers [1 - 1]

The trip to India happened to have done the Blackburn team some good as they went away to the Queens Park Rangers’ grounds to pick a precious away point, although the result does not improve their position as they stay rock bottom of the league table. It’s amazingly strange that Blackburn is performing this poorly even with the quality of players they can still hold on to. Houliett for one is doing a great job. It remains to be seen how long Stephen King can hold on to his job.

The Rest of the Bunch

Wigan versus Bolton [1 - 3]

Nice to see Bolton go to Wigan Athletic to pick up all three points, that effectively puts back on track Owen Coyle’s project which has been commendable albeit unlucky of late. Wigan now cuts the picture of a side fast on the decline, a departure from gallant performances put up when they first came to the premiership. This portends a dangerous trend that may see them on their way back to the championship if something different is not done soon enough.

Stoke City versus Fulham [2 - 0]

Stoke city maintain a fortress in their home ground as it is fast becoming a fact that any club visiting could forget about taking away all three points available on the cards. Fulham remain unconvincing only showing flashes of brilliance from time to time.

West Bromwich versus Wolves [2 - 0]

West Bromwich Albion did themselves a world of good by picking up all three points available on the night, with their striker Peter Odemwingie back on the score sheets. Roy Hodgson would be mightily relieved to have picked all available points against a Wolves side that haven’t had a bad start to the season so far. Mick McCarthy would be looking to put the team back on track with their next game.

Monsieur Wenger Finally Gets The message

Timeline is 2011, and monumentally the year marks Arsenal football club’s one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary.Everywhere else it would have been a time to roll out the drums and celebrate,with Arsenal thankfully not an exception. Sorry enough,that’s where the similarities end.In other places also, it would often mark a change in board policy,say setting a target of picking up extra trophies,bolstering the squad,enlarging the stadium and giving the fans a treat, possibly clear discounts on seasonal tickets. Amazingly, Arsenal Football Club have opted for the reverse in the majority of points earlier listed.The board refusing to change a policy that has cost the club six trophy-less years, sales of more than four experienced players plus the loan of a couple of other valuable legs. An increase in the price of seasonal tickets in a season when we should be celebrating.Weakening the squad up to a point where the team loses loses scandalously to one of its biggest rivals by a scoreline last experienced one hundred and fourteen years ago.One would be forced to say “what a way to celebrate our one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of existence.” Rather than change the policy, Wenger insists on doing the same thing he has done in recent years that brought about the decline in the first place.

Needless to say, the last time Arsenal won the premiership was in 2004/2005 season during the era of the 'invincibles' , prosecuting the whole season without losing a game. Do we say that perfection got Wenger obsessed,and then he decided to try out another method,hoping to achieve the same result? It must be pointed out that the same squad that is now famously referred to as the 'invincibles' had in it experienced legs such as Vieira, Henry and Pires,some of whom had won the World cup and the European title as at the time; including some seasoned campaigners like Dennis Bergkamp,David Seaman,Ray Parlour,Kanu Nwankwo,Ashley Cole,Lauren Etameya,who had won a couple of African nations cup trophies and even the olympic football medal,not forgetting Gilberto Silva,who was a part of Brazil’s 2002 world cup winning squad. Clearly, it took such as arsenal of players with that much fire power to achieve such an enviable feat in contemporary English football. The question now remains “how does a coach who achieved so much with such a side,turn around and invariably deny the importance of experience? choosing to pursue an all-out youth policy,which in all fairness has proven futile in the long run?”,only monsieur Wenger can explain.

Whilst one would try not to be too hard on the man,seeing what he has already achieved,and how much he loves the club and wants to do well for it; it is hard not to class him as an extremist after doing the same thing for six years without a positive result and insisting on remaining on the same path. It is painful to mention that since 2005,Wenger has sold an average of two players every season,most times players playing in the same position when one could have stayed as replacement for the other, and at other times without clear replacements.how do you explain the sale of Patrick Vieira and Edu in the same transfer window, or Gilberto Silva and Flamini in the same season? He went on to sell players like Pires,later on Hleb, Lauren,Henry and the likes. Every team relies on a blend of its more experienced minds and a league of youth,so that the culture can be healthily transferred on and the younger players now understand what it means to play for the badge,and to show pure loyalty when you kiss the badge.It may sound like rubbing it in by a sheer comparison with Sir Alex Ferguson,who has chosen to do the latter,but who else do you compare a seasoned coach like Arsene Wenger to? Both coaches exist in a class of their own,having been the only two managers to have handled big clubs for over ten years. It is also necessary to compare as it keeps the fire burning and signifies the willingness to improve.Even as an Arsenal fan,i would admit that Sir Alex has copied Wenger’s style so many times,achieving success in the process.Can the professor just do the same? Afterall life is about learning the lesson and moving on.

Enough said about the negatives.The financial climate has not been the same as in the past, and the harsh reality is that football does not exist on a different planet, so the financial crisis does affect our beautiful game too.One must appreciate that ‘le professour’ is doing a good job in balancing the books,especially considering huge debts other clubs have been incurring combined with having to service the loan repayment of the emirates stadium expenses all at a go.Nevertheless there must be a balance,so that a club with such lasting legacy and a huge supporter base does not begin to toe the path of self-destruction by getting obsessed with a conservative policy of not spending.It has to be realized that winning major trophies even if assisted by spending,improves the popularity of the brand and in turn value of the club,by attracting a higher sales of club merchandise, richer sponsors, more valuable television rights, better sponsorship deals from kit manufactures and sponsorship partners. With a seasoned board, albeit on the decline since the departure of David Dein,one would think that it should not take much to realize all of these points ,as the whole combination is the glaring reality and the obvious truth.It even attracts fans from some places like Asia and America where the fan base is not yet as large as it should be bringing about a temptation to tour such regions in the nearest future.

Even if the board has not shown any positive prospects with their moves in the board room,it appears Arsene Wenger has been forced to get the message by the harsh realities of the day.As earlier said,balance is key and it would be a rare combination of a football mastermind and some shrewd economics. Point of note, Wenger had chased per Mertesacker for four years, as long as i can remember,only picking him up with one year left on his deal albeit at twenty-six years of age,even with the benefit of the player forcing one last promising move to a big club as added advantage.Bringing in an experienced player like Santos,a left-back for the Brazilian national team, Mertesacker himself being the captain of his former club and a seasoned campaigner for the ‘German machine’; Park chu Young,another international and captain of the South Korean national team, experienced premiership executioner by the name Yossi Benayoun,also captain of the Isreali national side and finally Mikel Arteta who has done it all for Everton,a graduate of the famous Barcelona ‘le-mercia’, and one who has played for the Spanish national team at every level except the senior team which is not hard to put down to the boom of stars the current generation in Spain has thrown up. Who says experience does not count? The only question remains, “we all hope it is not a little too late to salvage the season and at least a fourth place finish? It remains to be seen. Another clear concern which must be voiced before bringing this to an end is the training routine Wenger deploys which is more geared towards fitness than it is football specific.May be that would account for the number of injuries the players sustain, and the high number of players out on the doctor’s list simultaneously? If It was an issue of concern with much younger players who should be better at coping with it, as compared to older players that have just been brought in, one can only wait in anxiety.Thankfully enough, Wenger splashed the cash on the last three days of the transfer window,coming up with some shrewd deals and extra cash for the banks as usual.Some would attribute it to the ‘Man-Utd’ loss,but i disagree, feeling that Wenger always had it all planned this way.Only that nature chose to deal him a strong lesson to go with it.