A moral dilemma...

Over the two legs, even the most ardent Liverpool detractor, would struggle to argue that the team from Merseyside didn’t do enough to warrant a place in Friday’s draw for the quarter finals of the Champions league. But as deserved as the win was; was Liverpool’s victory not merely a win for tactical organisation over the more creative and subtle skills of the Catalan giants?

When Liverpool lifted the Champion’s league after defeating Milan on penalties in two thousand and five, Benitez was hailed as a tactical genius. We, the football loving public, were told that no other coach in Europe could have forged a team capable of not only challenging for, but winning the champions league with the squad at Rafa’s disposal, but rest assured, with the funds and kudos acquired after such an incredible win, Benitez would be in a position to mould a team much more in keeping with the beautiful game.

Fast forward almost two years to Anfield and last night’s game against Barcelona, and to a display from the home side that while effective, was not what could be described as a joy to watch. It was in fairness, a ninety minute display of one of the most organised and tactically astute performances I have ever witnessed. The way the likes of Alonso and Sissoko performed was to be admired, particularly in the case of the former, who time after time has sacrificed his own style of play for the performance of the team.

While it could be argued that the performance last night was formed out of necessity, that type of display put in by Liverpool last night will win them few fans; it would be churlish to suggest that Liverpool should have adopted a more fool hardy approach for entertainment’s sake, but it got me thinking.

A few years ago Liverpool led by Gerrard Houllier, went to the Nou camp for a UEFA cup semi final first leg match. What unfolded over the next ninety minutes was nothing sort of abysmal. Content with a nil, nil draw, Liverpool made no attempt to even force a corner, never mind actually score a goal. On their return, a goal less draw successfully strangled from the game, Houllier on his arrival back on Merseyside, was quite rightfully castigated by the media, supporters and former players, who argued, a Liverpool team should be better than playing for a draw, no matter who the opposition. Houllier countered, that the result was more important than the display.

A throw away comment that got lost in the archives after Liverpool managed to defeat Barcelona in the return at Anfield. Houllier it seems had been right. Sadly however, this type of thinking has now slowly found its way into ninety five percent of the game, particularly in the Premiership, with only Manchester United and Arsenal the real exception to the rule and the two who refuse to change their principles regardless of the opponent. Currently our domestic league is the most successful and given the lack of competition, is also the best league in the world to watch. But given only one of four teams can win the league, the remaining sixteen are merely fighting for survival.

Neil Warnock said recently that teams like his own, Premier league new boys Sheffield United; don’t have their season shaped by results at places like Anfield and Old Trafford. This is true, but the lure of playing at these venues season in season out, out weighs the need to entertain. Warnock, who is not alone in this way of thinking; seems more than happy to weigh off four annual trips to the precipice of English football, against thirty odd results ground out of teams by what ever means necessary to ensure his teams Premier league status.

With added cash incentive from television rights to consider from next year, the price paid for failure will be even higher and fewer and fewer teams will be prepared to take the risk of playing entertaining football. Next year the big four will be involved in one hundred and fifty two league games. They will not be involved in a further six hundred and eight. On that basis alone, entertainment will be at a premium.

The Premier league is in real danger of out valuing itself. In simple terms if the public can’t get their entertainment from football, they will look else where. Since the creation of the Premier league nearly two decades ago, the image of the game has been successfully rejuvenated; stadium are the best in Europe and they are full, week in, week out. But not only are they full, the season ticket holders are a true reflection of society. Men, women and children of all ages and all creeds flock to Premier league grounds, often twice weekly. But they are a fickle lot, and they want enjoyment for their thousand pound a throw seat. Bore them stiff on their arrival and Saturday afternoon football will be replaced by the latest fad or craze sweeping the nation.

Once they’ve left, they won’t be seen again. No longer will the season tickets be sold; Sky will lose their subscribers and the days of the billion pound television rights deal will be a distant memory. In its place empty stadiums, premier league sides in financial disarray, the return of the hooligan as the game is handed back to the working classes who had been priced out of the market. In short, we’d be left with Italian league football as it is today.

A worrying thought. I’m sure you’d agree.

Player of the year? Not for the first time

If watching Chelsea stroll to a second Premier league title in as many years wasn’t bad enough, am I now going to be forced to listen to claims by Manchester United ‘supporters’, that victory for the world’s most loathed club in this years Premier league title race, is going to be a victory for the underdog? Am I seriously supposed to believe this will be some kind of triumph for the knights of Old Trafford over the irrepressible forces of darkness from Stamford Bridge?

Almost as hard to take is claims form certain areas of the media and from that most horrid of creatures, the United ‘fan’, that the manager has discovered a new, unsung hero from nowhere; a small but powerful midfield general; a player with the guile and skill of Zidane, combined with the tackle and determination of Roy Keane. And so for the name of this unknown diamond in the rough; ladies and gentlemen, I give you Paul Scholes, an underrated and little known ginger fella with an eye for goal, rest assured, this lad has a big future in front of him.

Now is it just me, or has Paul Scholes played a bit before? Didn’t he have a few good games in a white shirt with three lions on it, eventually proving himself to be one of the finest goal scoring midfielders of his generation? I seem to remember he didn’t too badly in a season when the new underdogs of the modern era won the treble at the brink of the last centaury either.

There is little doubt that regardless of the resting place of this year’s Premier league crown, Scholes will still collect the PFA award for player of the season and deservedly so. But lets not be fooled, we’ve all seen it before; the one touch pass, the driving runs, the rifled shot, the clumsy tackle and who could forget that Beckham, Scholes corner routine? I for one would love a second chance to watch all of this again with Scholes in an England shirt once more.

Unquestionably the little ginger one is having a good season, but aside from one season when he was pushed from pillar to post by both his club and national manager, when has he not? Despite the removal of many a high class professionals from Old Trafford, not once has Scholes threatened to be amongst those casualties. Even now toward the twilight of his career, he is still United’s biggest asset, even above Rooney and Ronaldo.

If the title does indeed find its way back to Old Trafford, as painful on the eye as that is, maybe, just maybe it might be better than the alternative. The special one lording himself over the national game for a third successive season, pretending he has actually managed to achieve something of significance, rather than barely accomplishing the minimum, is even harder to take than the gloatings of the Essex branch of the United supporters club.

The United colours of the Premiership

Walk into a bar or restaurant in any major city in England and the chances are the waiter or barman who serves you will be from foreign shores. Should you fall and break your leg, chances are the same will apply to the doctor who treats you in hospital.

So why as a nation, multi cultural in practically all professions, are we so obsessed with the volume of foreign players plying their trade in the top flight of our football?

It’s argued, the presence of all these foreigners is ruining the national side, stifling young English talent out of the Premier league and into the Championship and beyond. All well and good except that isn’t the case. The pinnacle of English football, where the game is supposedly at it’s most polluted with the off shore invaders; Englishmen contribute to the spine of three out of four of the nation’s top sides and at the other, would anyone seriously argue that the likes of Theo Walcott’s development is being hampered by the total football played by Arsenal?

Just as an outlandish thought, maybe the national game isn’t suffering from the foreign invasion at all; perhaps the opposite would be closer to the truth. Admittedly the money generated by the Stamford Bridge money machine has had a negative effect on player values throughout Europe, but the Premier league has been an unprecedented success since its inception and far from showing signs of flagging, it’s attracting stronger, more competitive sponsorship and ownership with each new season. A position unique to English football, one glance at the derelict terraces of Italy is proof of that.

While the likes of Alan Shearer and Matt le Tissier contributed enormously to that success, a look back at the top flight of English football in the mid nineties, and memories flood back of an aloof Cantona skilfully wrong footing defences at the theatre of dreams, or the arrival of Gullit and Vialli to Chelsea, or even Tino Asprilla appearing at St James Park in the snow.

Fast forward a decade and while the likes of Rooney and Gerrard wet the appetite, the main course is of Henry, Ronaldo and Drogba. An article last week made reference to a lack of creative midfielders, and the absence of a Zidane in the Premier league. Our game has moved on from that. Robbie Savage and his like have made sure the playgrounds of the pedestrian playmaker have no place at Ewood Park or the Reebok; in their place are players so slight of foot and so devastatingly effective, the length of the pitch can be consumed in seconds.

Perhaps the game is over run by foreigners, but the positives they have bought to the game have far outweighed the negatives. Probably in the same way the bronzed Australian waitress has done for your local pub. Or would you prefer your lager served by the classic English centre forward, plenty about her up front, but missing a few teeth?

Relegation Woe...!!

At the start of the two thousand and six, seven season, it would have been expected to see the London rivals, Charlton Athletic and West Ham United comfortably placed in mid table at this stage of the season.

After Curbs' departure from the Valley at the end of last season, his replacement Ian Dowie, had been promised and given good money to spend in the transfer market and the former Crystal Palace manager seemed to have done a good job on paper, bringing in a combination of youth and experience to freshen up the Addicks.

West Ham enjoyed a fantastic first season in the premiership under Alan Pardew, culminating with the Hammers only seconds away from a famous FA cup victory. The start of the new premier league season it seemed couldn't come fast enough for West Ham.

The issues surrounding the two clubs have been well publicised, and the manager merry go round came to the forefront of this weekends fixtures with Alan Curbishley taking on his former employers in his new position as West Ham United manager, with former Hammers boss Alan Pardew in the hot seat at the Valley.

The game that followed was as one sided an affair as has been seen this season and on that type of performance West Ham will soon be travelling to Coca Cola Championship grounds. I do feel genuine sympathy for Hammers supporters after watching Saturday's game; it's disgusting to watch players who represent the club you love, not putting the effort in for either the shirt, or the inflated wage they are paid to play a game they love.

Outside the support however, I feel no such sympathy. The conduct of the West Ham players has left little to be desired, they have shown they lack the heart for a fight against a team, like Charlton or Watford, but are prepared to have a go against the glamour sides like Man United, an appaling trait in professionals in any career. The management situation has been handled appallingly too, how many Hammers fans believe they are better off under Curbs than they were four or five months ago under Pardew, or if the sniping from the new manager amidst a back drop of growing player unrest has helped?

With Pardew at the helm, there was at least some belief the side would play their way out of trouble, at least that belief has found its way across the capital to the Valley. It was also a cheap shot for Curbs to have a dig at Pardews training methods and motivational techniques, funny how these things can come back to haunt you.

Similarly, it was also highly dis respectful of Les Reed to criticise his former boss Ian Dowie about fitness levels of players at Charlton after Dowie left, particularly as player conditioning came under the remit of Mr Reed. Thankfully, Reed lasted only weeks in the job before the Charlton senior management came to the senses and removed him, getting in a man who has conducted himself with dignity throughout a difficult period in his professional career.

Since taking over Pardew has done a good job, nothing spectacular, but you feel momentum is with the Addicks, more so than the team they battered and Herfordshire outfit Watford, who were also extremely poor against Everton in the late game on Saturday.

More over for Pardew, and a mark of the man that despite his Charlton side effortlessly disposing of the Hammers at the Valley on Saturday, I haven't found one quote criticising West Ham or their treatment of him. In a time when professional integrity and football are words on opposite plains, Pardew deserves nothing but respect for that.

Champions League

So, a mixed week for the English teams in the Champions league. While Liverpool and Manchester United enjoyed good results, both Arsenal and Chelsea faired slightly worse.

Admittedly Chelsea managed a one all draw away at Porto, but the loss of John Terry was a heavy price to pay for that all important away goal. I'm sure given the choice, most Chelsea fans and perhaps even the special one himself, would have traded off Terry's fitness against a one nil defeat. Quite how long the England skipper is out for, and the effect that has on the reminader Chelsea's season, remains to be see.

For Arsenal, their performance midweek probably merited more than the result they achieved and a tricky tie awaits them back at the Emirates for the second leg. Going into the League cup final on the weekend they are hardly in ideal shape, that defeat at the hands of PSV, was preceeded by an awful performance in the FA cup against Blackburnand perhaps the only good news of the week for the Gunners may turn out to be that injury to the Chelsea captain.

The Barcelona, Liverpool tie, turned out to be a tale of two split camps. Whilst on one hand the Barca team seemed lacking in organisaiton, creativity and most importantly any team spirit, perhaps due in part to Ronaldinho and Eto's public and recent falling out; Liverpool on the other hand, under the tactical astuteness of Benitez, showed just how to regain that all important team togetherness.

In fairness to the Liverpool players in question, Riise and Bellamy, the type of spat the two shared, is rumoured to be common place amongst training grounds and trips away at football clubs the world over. Bellamy it seems, is paying the price for a reputation that seems to have dogged him through out his playing career. You get the feeling Liverpool may well be Bellamy's last chance and a career that might have been beckons should he be shown the Anfueld exit door in the summer.

In the other game concerning an English side, Manchester United scraped a one nil victory thanks to a highly contreversial Ryan Giggs free kick goal. The scenes that followed however, were nothing short of disgraceful and UEFA should hopefully intervene and issue Lille with a severe repremand. Pervesly, this may also serve as a major test of the new UEFA presidents intergrity. With Platini insisting on fair play at all times, the actions of the Lille players and coaching staff could prove to be quite an embarassment for him at such an early stage of his presidency.

More worrying than the scenes that followed United's goal, were the pictures taken during the match of the United fans, seemingly trapped in the bottom teir of the away supporters section. These scenes only go to show that whilst the English game has made great strides in eradicating trouble from it's terraces, it seems that in light of Tuesday's scenes, coupled with trouble in Italy and also the threat of game postponements in Germany, that our European counterparts have significant steps to take to ensure safety at their grounds matches that of ours.

Paramount in all games should be the safety of not only the players, but also the spectators. It would be interesting to see if the reaction of UEFA would differ should scenes of Tuesday nights nature in France be repeated at Anfield or Old Trafford.

Lucky Arsenal...?

Watched the game this afternoon and thought Arsenal played poorly in the main, with Wigan playing far better than I had expected them too, great in the first half especially. A first half performance capped by a great goal. Had Heskey scored just before the intervel and not hit the upright, Wigan would have been in a terrifc position.

Thought the game turned after some shocking refereeing by Mr Dowd, when a cast iron penalty for Wigan was denied, but you don't get them as an away side against the big four. Also a big offside decision went against Wigan in the build up for the goal, added to Dowd not allowing an injured Wigan player to return to the pitch, Arsenal score and then the result is never in doubt.

Wenger and Arsenal fans point to the Gunners never say die attitude, and give credit to their battling credientials, fair enough, I just hope they give Bolton the same on Wednesday, far be it from me to criticise Mr Wenger, but I'll put my house on him seeing a similair incident involving Henry and a Bolton Defender.

Two things disappointed me this afternoon in particular, the inexcusably poor officiating, these guys are supposed to be pro now, but they are as scared as ever to give the really big decisions concerning away teams at the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Man U. Also Theirry Henry should be ashamed of himself after his conduct this afternoon, this latest incident is another in a long line of Gaelic strops from the Frenchmen.

Henry is a fantastic player who I, like many had previously admired for, not only his skill levels (still never in doubt those!), but also the way he conducted himself on the pitch, this seems to be a thing of the past now. Perhaps Barcelona's interest last season has gone to his head, his actions this season tend to make me think he may be regretting his decision to stay in North London. Especially considering the Gunners look to be as far away as Liverpool in terms of actually winning the Premiership. His current form is exceptional, and he is still one of the best players on the planet, but some of his actions toward fellow professionals are disrespectful at best, and at worst smell of extreme arrogance. A personal disappointment from a man I hoped would be above that type of thing.