1. Roberto Mancini remains unconvincing in Europe.
Given Mancini’s track record with Inter, it’s probably not all that surprising that Manchester City are achieving league supremacy whilst crashing out of Europe early. In six seasons now Mancini’s record lists two QF’s, two last 16’s and two group exits (in that order) – so he’s actually getting worse. The league remains the number one title for any club to win, particularly City given the recent dominance by their neighbours, but that shouldn’t detract from what has to be seen as an early failure for a squad with so many world class players. A laboured start to the group ultimately cost them and there’s no denying they got a tough draw. The bad news? Even if they win the league they’ll likely be in the 4th pot again next time around so it’s not going to get any easier. Mancini needs to return to the drawing board and try and find a formula to stop top teams scoring, especially away from home. You can have all the goals you want in your own stadium, but the key to winning the Champions League has always been about grinding out clean sheets and away goals. Until Mancini works out how to do that, City won’t be considered a serious threat in the world’s premier club competition.
Given Mancini’s track record with Inter, it’s probably not all that surprising that Manchester City are achieving league supremacy whilst crashing out of Europe early. In six seasons now Mancini’s record lists two QF’s, two last 16’s and two group exits (in that order) – so he’s actually getting worse. The league remains the number one title for any club to win, particularly City given the recent dominance by their neighbours, but that shouldn’t detract from what has to be seen as an early failure for a squad with so many world class players. A laboured start to the group ultimately cost them and there’s no denying they got a tough draw. The bad news? Even if they win the league they’ll likely be in the 4th pot again next time around so it’s not going to get any easier. Mancini needs to return to the drawing board and try and find a formula to stop top teams scoring, especially away from home. You can have all the goals you want in your own stadium, but the key to winning the Champions League has always been about grinding out clean sheets and away goals. Until Mancini works out how to do that, City won’t be considered a serious threat in the world’s premier club competition.
2. The tournament can still spring surprises.
Just last year the group stages were being accused of being boring, wasteful and ultimately pointless as pretty much every year the same 14/15 teams qualified with maybe a couple of other teams taking turns to then get spanked in the last 16. Not this year, aside from Man Utd’s epic fail and Lyons simply remarkable turnaround, the group stages saw some truly epic topsy turvy matches with the fate of almost every team in the balance until the closing half of every fixture (the exceptions being Barca and Madrid... who will surely contest the final unless they meet first). The plaudits though, all belong to one team and one team alone. Step forward APOEL – a team from Cyprus (that’s right... Cyprus) who not only managed to qualify, but WIN their group and thus avoid the big guns in the next round. A phenomenal achievement and a real shock to the competition. They deserve every bit of credit given to them and their success should be shown as an example to all about how far team spirit and unity can carry you. Granted they also have some decent players, but I bet only Fozu could name any of them...
Just last year the group stages were being accused of being boring, wasteful and ultimately pointless as pretty much every year the same 14/15 teams qualified with maybe a couple of other teams taking turns to then get spanked in the last 16. Not this year, aside from Man Utd’s epic fail and Lyons simply remarkable turnaround, the group stages saw some truly epic topsy turvy matches with the fate of almost every team in the balance until the closing half of every fixture (the exceptions being Barca and Madrid... who will surely contest the final unless they meet first). The plaudits though, all belong to one team and one team alone. Step forward APOEL – a team from Cyprus (that’s right... Cyprus) who not only managed to qualify, but WIN their group and thus avoid the big guns in the next round. A phenomenal achievement and a real shock to the competition. They deserve every bit of credit given to them and their success should be shown as an example to all about how far team spirit and unity can carry you. Granted they also have some decent players, but I bet only Fozu could name any of them...
3. AVB should drop Frank Lampard every week.
Quite why it’s a big deal that a 33 year old player who is 2 years past anything like his best sits out the occasional game is beyond me, but there you go. Fergie was never getting stick for rotating Scholes and Giggs at this age so it remains baffling that AVB should. Given the only thing Frank Lampard now offers is the odd deflected shot, AVB’s decision to use younger, better players against Valencia was the correct one which thankfully (for him) was completely justified by both result and performance. Chelsea’s midfield three were mobile and dominant, making the decision to field Mikel up to now laughable and the decision by Liverpool to ostracise Raul Merilies simply inexplicable. Chelsea are unlikely to win the tournament, but Tuesday’s performance showed that nobody will relish playing them. For Lampard, a future on the periphery beckons and if Chelsea are going to truly evolve under their new young manager, several others will soon join him.
Quite why it’s a big deal that a 33 year old player who is 2 years past anything like his best sits out the occasional game is beyond me, but there you go. Fergie was never getting stick for rotating Scholes and Giggs at this age so it remains baffling that AVB should. Given the only thing Frank Lampard now offers is the odd deflected shot, AVB’s decision to use younger, better players against Valencia was the correct one which thankfully (for him) was completely justified by both result and performance. Chelsea’s midfield three were mobile and dominant, making the decision to field Mikel up to now laughable and the decision by Liverpool to ostracise Raul Merilies simply inexplicable. Chelsea are unlikely to win the tournament, but Tuesday’s performance showed that nobody will relish playing them. For Lampard, a future on the periphery beckons and if Chelsea are going to truly evolve under their new young manager, several others will soon join him.
4. Fergies decision not to buy a midfielder has been badly exposed.
As with any situation, nothing is quite as simple as pinning all the blame on one reason, but of all the questionable calls Fergie has made over the past decade the decision not to re-enforce the one gaping hole in the squad over the past three seasons is genuinely mystifying. Utd are kicking, wailing and screaming for a centre mid anywhere near the levels of Keane and Scholes in their pomp. Michael Carrick and Fletcher have done a job and there’s no denying the long term potential of Cleverly and Anderson, but none of that excuses the continued overlooking of this area while Ferguson stockpiles strikers and wingers. Ferguson himself now seems completely at a loss what to do with the position given he’s played both Phil Jones and Wayne Rooney there this season along with a staggering 12 other players. United have been appalling since the Arsenal game, coasting on the result for several weeks before being brought down to earth by City and since finding it impossible to score. They now find themselves out of the Champions League, without their best defender and relying on a youngster who’s played six times for them to save their midfield. Fergie has been down before and come back stronger, but you suspect the transition may have to be sped up a bit if Utd aren’t going to lose more ground rather than regain it over the next few seasons. And whilst we’re here, let it be said again that Jonny Evans would not get in the Wigan team, he is that bad.
As with any situation, nothing is quite as simple as pinning all the blame on one reason, but of all the questionable calls Fergie has made over the past decade the decision not to re-enforce the one gaping hole in the squad over the past three seasons is genuinely mystifying. Utd are kicking, wailing and screaming for a centre mid anywhere near the levels of Keane and Scholes in their pomp. Michael Carrick and Fletcher have done a job and there’s no denying the long term potential of Cleverly and Anderson, but none of that excuses the continued overlooking of this area while Ferguson stockpiles strikers and wingers. Ferguson himself now seems completely at a loss what to do with the position given he’s played both Phil Jones and Wayne Rooney there this season along with a staggering 12 other players. United have been appalling since the Arsenal game, coasting on the result for several weeks before being brought down to earth by City and since finding it impossible to score. They now find themselves out of the Champions League, without their best defender and relying on a youngster who’s played six times for them to save their midfield. Fergie has been down before and come back stronger, but you suspect the transition may have to be sped up a bit if Utd aren’t going to lose more ground rather than regain it over the next few seasons. And whilst we’re here, let it be said again that Jonny Evans would not get in the Wigan team, he is that bad.
5. Manchester owe it to their fans to take the Europa League seriously.
City’s case here is less clear cut given their relatively new entry into the elite (although you wouldn’t know it talking to Gordan Strachan, who last night claimed they were “a much bigger club than Napoli”). They are leading the league, in the semi’s of the Carling Cup and are favourites to win two trophies at least this season. However, the Europa League has just hit the jackpot with one of the biggest (Utd - history, global fanbase, european pedigree, recent trophies that’s what it means Gordan) and the richest (City – that’s right - richest Gordan... not biggest) clubs entering the draw for the next round of fixtures. City could well win it and that would still represent a major achievement. Utd on the other hand, owe it to all their supporters to go on and try and win the thing to erase the memory of that group effort. The two clubs will be rightly amongst the favourites to now win it but only if they take it seriously. And frankly why not? They have the squads to make a fist of it and neither of them are truly likely to suffer such a lack of domestic form they’ll finish 5th. Plus one of them is going out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle to boot. For either team to play a Harry Redknapp inspired bunch of kids in the next round would be a genuine disgrace and an insult to everyone who pays money to watch and support the clubs.
City’s case here is less clear cut given their relatively new entry into the elite (although you wouldn’t know it talking to Gordan Strachan, who last night claimed they were “a much bigger club than Napoli”). They are leading the league, in the semi’s of the Carling Cup and are favourites to win two trophies at least this season. However, the Europa League has just hit the jackpot with one of the biggest (Utd - history, global fanbase, european pedigree, recent trophies that’s what it means Gordan) and the richest (City – that’s right - richest Gordan... not biggest) clubs entering the draw for the next round of fixtures. City could well win it and that would still represent a major achievement. Utd on the other hand, owe it to all their supporters to go on and try and win the thing to erase the memory of that group effort. The two clubs will be rightly amongst the favourites to now win it but only if they take it seriously. And frankly why not? They have the squads to make a fist of it and neither of them are truly likely to suffer such a lack of domestic form they’ll finish 5th. Plus one of them is going out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle to boot. For either team to play a Harry Redknapp inspired bunch of kids in the next round would be a genuine disgrace and an insult to everyone who pays money to watch and support the clubs.
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