With the 1st leg of the Champions League semi-finals now concluded, none of the four competing teams should be truly pleased with the outcome. Though United got their goal, through the unlikely source of John O'Shea, they should have had many more if it hadn't been for Almunia and his woodwork. Arsenal on the other hand looked ineffective and are away-goalless, which significantly weakens their bargaining position when the two face each other at the Emirates. While firing on all cylinders at Anfield a fortnight ago, when the game matters and the pressure is on, their psychological frailty is all too often and they look tepid and limp. Or did they just miss the little Russian four-goal hero? In any case, with the unlikely midfield trio of Anderson, Fletcher and Carrick and the rare inclusion of the loveable Carlitos up front, United had a spark for the first time in a while, and that was without the undisputed player of the season. Wow!

In the other tie at the Nou Camp, the Blues of West Lndon predictably parked the bus and Barca were left frustrated. Terry called their defensive display one of the best ever. Of course, if you do not concede at Barcelona where you're up against arguably the best attack in the world, you'll sing your praises, especially if you're a centre-back with Terry's qualities and mindset. I can't help feeling however that you could have had the same spectacle if Chelsea had lined up 10 Martin Keowns and a Petr Cech. Or how about 11 defensively-programmed baboon machines? That may have provided a little more interest anyway. While you may argue that it's not being attractive that counts but winning. This is true, but Celsea didn't win, they drew 0-0. When has the old adage of attack being the best form of defence been more pertinent in a game like this when the opposition is defensively frail and an away goal is priceless. I can't see Barca failing to score at the Bridge and if that's the case then I can see Chelsea's cynical tactics coming back to haunt them. With the awesome Iniesta making things happen in midfield, let me allow myself the indulgence of predicting their rightful appearance in the final.

Before the 2nd legs of the semi-finals however, which are sure to serve up more of a football spectacle, I warn you against missing El Classico where Barca will be aiming to prove that they are indeed 'mas que un club' by beating Real Madrid (with 6 ex-Prem players in Dudek, Heinze, Diarra, Robben, Faubert and van Nistelrooy) at the Bernebau and pulling away in La Liga title race. If they do, then all the superlatives associated with them will be well justified. Watch this space...

So here we go again, it's Champions' League Semi-Final week and once more Barcelona - the upstanding guardians of all that is noble in football - take on the combined might of the Premiership's nouveau riche - Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd. Can anybody seriously fail to go all gooey at the mention of the Catalan dreamboats? They certainly tick all the boxes. Mind-blowingly raunchy attacking football? Check. More big names than a Russian phonebook? Check. Socio-political credibility having been the primary outlet for Catlan anti-Franco sentiment for decades as well as letting UNICEF advertise free on their shirts for a year? Darn tooting. Bloody enormous stadium in a beautiful city? You get the picture...

Nevertheless, you might be forgiven for considering them just that little bit too picture-perfect. Surely there is some chink in their armour? Well, if anything then surely their record in the European Cup is the one blot on their otherwise pristine copybook. Two European Cups in the bag are not to be scorned, but a south-westerly glance towards their lavishly adorned rivals Real (they have 9 titles) is all it takes to send blood pressure skywards in Catalunya. What's more, a season that has promised so much for them hangs very much in the balance. With a 13 point lead in the league whittled away to a mere 4 and last year's bottled opportunity against Utd playing on their minds, Barca are carrying the weight of expectation not just for themselves but for all teams who aspire to the Catalan model. What a depressing eventuality it would be should a team with a strikeforce that has scored more than most other teams put together end the season potless. It would also seem crushingly unfair for a team that has its heart in the right place and its head screwed on, so for the sake of football purists everywhere – good luck Barca.  

MM

As we move into the business end of the european football season, three of the top four leagues are yet to be decided and are still up for grabs.  

The most interesting of the 3 has to be the Bundesliga where only 3 points separate the top 5 teams.  Of the top 3 teams, only Hertha Berlin recorded a win this weekend, as both Wolfsburg who are currently 2 points clear of Berlin, and Bayern Munich suffered defeats.  Munich suffered the embarrassment of losing 1-0 at home to Schalke, when a win would have put them level with Wolfsburg at the top.

In Spain, Real Madrid- who stubbornly refuse to give up the chase for the title - moved to within 4 points of Barcelona by beating Sevilla with a Raul Hatrick.  This victory followed Barca's 2-2 draw with Valencia and heaps the pressure on the current leaders and their 'incredible' strike force of Eto, Messi & Henry.

The Premiership is also enjoying one of its most enthralling climax's in recent years.  There is an increasing probability that Utd will successfully defend their title, especially after yesterday's contoversial 5-2 victory over Spurs (Ronaldo should have received a second yellow for taking his top off to celebrate his goal, and Utd were awarded a penalty when Gomes clearly touched the ball).  Having said that, Utd seem to be stumbling towards the title so there could yet be a twist in the storyline.

Right, thats enough for today. Champions League Semi's on Tuesday....can't wait!


ET

Articles about anything are rarely an exercise in objectivity and this is no different. That being said, I aim to offend no one. My question is, why is it that some clubs of our beloved Association Football are so easily despised and unpopular?

I'll tell you a story: a Liverpoolfan friend of mine and I often play football on a Thursday after work. The other day, a guy turned up to play who happened to be a Manchester United fan. The fact that he wasn't from Manchester isn't the point but my mate who despises Man U with a passion made his feelings immediately clear to the newcomer so he told him a story.

He had been sitting in the bus the previous week when he noticed a badge with the Man Uemblem on it. The badge had been sown onto the bag of a schoolboy sitting in front of him, yet his deep loathing for the club surfaced immediately and he was faced with feelings of anger and hatred. He was having urges to physically assault the carrier of the emblem when he noticed that the boy's head was not in proportion to the rest of his body and in fact it was perfectly obvious that he had a form of dwarfism and that he was suffering from a disfigurement and disability. It then dawned on him how crazy the whole thing was, there he was with feelings of absolute hatred towards not only a total stranger but a child with a disability. As he was dealing with his feelings he realised that this little kid had a tough life and was possibly bullied and tormented at school and that his love of Manchester United, a consistantly successful side that plays pure beautiful football, may have been a rare enjoyment and pleasure in an otherwise miserable life that offered him the opportunity get one over his classmates. And then, he said, turning to the newcomer, I had a moment of clarity, that's when I realised that all Manchester United fans are like that! Luckily, the newcomer took it in good spirit and made it clear that the hatred was not reciprocated.

Now clearly, lets not beat about the bush, this hatred stems principally from jealousy. Liverpool were immensely succesfully in the 1970s and 1980s but while Man Uhave been dominant both domestically as well in Europe over the last 15 years, Liverpool have not won the title since 1990. In the same vain, Chelseahave probably been the most consistantly high-performing team in the last 5 years, and unsurprisingly are hated by the majority of the population in the UK. But there is more going on than just jealousy. Some clubs are more unpleasant and loathsome than others and attract players with dislikeable characteristics.Chelsea have a disproportionately high number of unsavoury characters. "I like Ashley Cole" is not a sentence heard very often. Nor is it when you substitute Cashley's name for Drogba, Terry or Lampard. And clearly, as a club you will attract characters that reflect your own core which does not bode well for Chelsea and it supporters. Now I am not a Chelsea-hater and I know Chelseafans who see it the same way. Football clubs are a human construct and therefore reflect human characteristics. In our society we have both good and bad eggs and a hell of a lot in between the two but while one can often disagree with who fits in what category (e.g. I like Dave from the down the road while my wife hates him, and equally my father-in-law who's Spurs through and through hates theGoonerswhile I quite like them) one can also very often find agreement.

And so we enter the final stage of the season with the general populous willing the top-dog to crumble and fail. If it's not a national trait to want those at the top to be knocked off their perch then its a universal human characteristic, and who in this world, those who call themselves Red Devils excluded, want United to be victorious once more. For those who do not buy into this 'universal norm', this year's Bundesliga campaign may be of particular interest to you. While the football club of Hoffenheim, a village of 3000 inhabitants, spent most of the season at the top of the Bundesliga, they have done a bit of a Villa of late and have fallen by the wayside only to be replaced by VfL Wolfsburg, a small industrial town with very little by way of football history. Most Germans actually want them to win. If only that would happen in the Premier League.

SS          

So it looks like Man Utdare on their way to another title then. A workmanlike win against Portsmouth, a failure on Chelsea's part to keep up their already optimistic hopes and bish-bash-bosh, the whole thing just got a little less interesting. After the thrills and spills of Liverpool's 4-4 draws, in which they won the hearts and minds but ultimately passed up a fantastic chance at a title-tilt, the dust has settled and we are faced with the prospect of a record-equalling 18th title for Man Utd. A little premature you might think, but you just get the feeling that the horse has bolted for Benitez's team this year. The season has ebbed and flowed, with the Merseysiders gaining, then losing, then wrestling back, and now apparently losing again the chance to end their drought. That CL draw at Chelseain particular was a lovely microcosm of the whole season. Fantastic start by the men in red only to be hauled back, have a late rally and then fall short again. 

Even if the title does end up at Old Trafford though,Liverpool can take a lot of heart from this season as it appears the pendulum has finally taken a significant swing back across the Pennines. As much as folk have consistently talked up their title chances, this has been the year they finally looked like they might actually have a chance. However, it's not a great reflection on the league that Utd will probably walk away champions after what has been a pretty bog-standard season. They really have been there for the taking, and as much as people keep referring to the 'blip' they are having, I think the problems are much more deep-seated. There appears to be a distinct lack of hunger and flair in their play and the dynamic of the team is a bit all over the place really. It's what the Spanish call the end of 'un ciclo', apparently, and with Tevez and Cristiano 'hotpants' Ronaldo possibly on the way out, as well as Giggs and Scholes surely unable to continue at this level there will have to be some serious rejigging by Sir. Does the old fella have one last regeneration project in him?  

MM  

Andrei Arshavin scores four goals at Anfield, yet Liverpool's title hopes are still alive. Another nail biting night for the red half of Merseyside.

The epic Champion's League final in Istanbul; the FA Cup final against West Ham; last week's football feast at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool have regularly provided football fans with spectacular, gripping matches in which even neutral hearts acccelarate. Tonight was no exception.

What I found interesting is the fact that Liverpool appear to have learned how to play without Gerrard. He is a fantastic captain who leads by example. His passion motivates the team, and until recently, they couldn't play without him.

Did you see the game against Blackburn? There was a passage of play in which Mascherano sprinted 50 yards to recover the ball from deep in the Rovers' half, and even when he didn't get it the first time he kept battling away until he did.

That game was followed by another in which Stevie G was absent. Although the aggregate score line was negative, the Reds still managed to slip four goals past Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. With this evening's fixture, Liverpool have scored 12 goals in their last three games.

I am neutral, and as such am enjoying the sheer thrill of this year's title race. But if I had to take sides, I'd love to see Liverpool clinch it for their gallant effort this campaign, and for consistently having finished in the top four. Liverpool deserve to finally have their name engraved on the Premier League trophy.

Pompey, you have my full support tomorrow night!

JIM

FA Cup final weekend is here, and despite all the comments about the FA Cup becoming a diluted competition, this feels real!  

Just thinking back to some of the great footballing moments i have experienced brings back memories of the FA Cup.  In April 1999 I had my distant cousins over from Australia so had to stay in for the Arsenal Vs Man Utd semi final replay.  I listened to the game on the radio (unfortunately my family was very anti-sky), and can remember the sinking feeling as Ryan Giggs ran past what seemed like 20 Arsenal players before smashing the ball past David Seaman from a tight angle.

This was a game that had everything, goals from David Beckham and Dennis Bergkamp, Roy Keane being sent off, Bergkamp's penalty being saved by Schmeichel in stoppage time, and 'that goal' by Giggs to end it all.  Even though the memories of that epic day in April 99 are not happy for me personally, they still stick in my mind and I would love another momentous day  - this time with the result going in Arsenal's favour.

Whilst Arsenal have an abundance of talent up-front (with Arshavin coming back it looks like Wenger will have to drop Nasri to the bench), their real problems lie in defence.  With Gallas injured for the season, Almunia still suffering from his ankle injury, Clichy and Sagna still out, we can only pray that Gibbs is passed fit to complete the defense of Fabianski in goal, Eboue on the right, Toure and Silvestre in the middle, and Gibbs on the left.  When Wenger bought Silvestre at the beginning of the season i was just as surprised (and confused) as everybody, but considering our current injury crisis, his experience could prove to be the difference.

Chelsea on the other hand have a pretty much full strength squad (apart from Cole, Deco and Ferreira), and one can only help that they are still both mentally and physically exhausted from Wednesday's 'game of the millennium' (please!)

In the Premiership, the biggest game has to be Sunderland Vs Hull.  You feel that this could be the game when Sunderland begin to pull themselves clear of the bottom and 3 and dump Hull City right into the thick of things.  It is surely a 'must-win' game for Middlesbrough as well.  They face Fulham at home, and with 3 of their remaining 5 games after today against Arsenal, Utd, and Villa, these are 3 points they need.

Over to the Championship, Wolves will secure promotion with a victory over a QPR side in turbulent times.  Having recently seen QPR play, i expect them to be pushing for promotion next season, but expect Wolves to win at Molineux today.  At the other end of the table, today should be the day when Charlton join Leeds in League One, who could have predicted that 3 seasons ago?

ET

Oh Manchester City, what have you done? 

With a place in next year's Europa League now unlikely following last night's exit to Martin Jol's mighty Hamburg, how long has Hughes got left at the Eastlands? Surely time is expiring.

This weekend sees the Semi Finals of the oldest cup competition in the world.  Arsenal go into battle underdogs against a Chelsea team I fully expect them to beat, and Manchester United face Everton in a repeat of the 1995 Cup Final.  Even though their recent form has been patchy (to say the least), I think Utd will have what it takes to set up an FA Cup final against Arsenal.

Off the pitch, Ferguson has once again re-ignited his long running feud Benitez, Petit has questioned Arsene Wenger's transfer dealings, and Dennis Wise is apparantly in the running for the QPR job. Now that would be fun! 

FA weekend..... here we go!

ET

One could say the tie always had that air of inevitability about it. Another course of boredom served up on the conveyor-belt that is manufactured Champions League football. Last year's annual match-up however, between Chelsea and Liverpool, two heavyweight gluttons of European football, was anything but predictable and that should have been a sign of things to come. In any case, with the tie at 3-1, the script was already written for something special. That it would turn out to be 4-4, after 0-2 and then 3-4 was certainly not expected. Benitez is often described as functional in his approach, he wants his players to fit like cogs into the machine of his vision. Clearly the machine that is Liverpool FC was either not programmed correctly or, more plausibly, took on a life of its own in the heat and madness of the moment. Fabio Aurelio's opener was not cooked up by anyone but himself and this set the tone, or more consistently, the flavour for the beautiful game that followed.

In truth, the game followed the pattern of the more exuberant of 8-course French culinary feasts. If you've ever been subjected to endless courses of French nosh, la grand bouffe so to speak, you will understand the metaphor. If not, you may recall the scene from Monty Python's 'The Meaning of Life' in which John Cleese's French Waiter forces 'one more wafer' into the resistant Mr Creosote who subsequently explodes. In reality, the culmination of a French culinary extravaganza serves up a lump of Brie, or Cambembert if you wish, which from my experience, consumed in sufficient quantities before bedtime results in surreal and menacing dreams and, I swear, on one occasion, after heavy cheese consumption, my delirious dreams conjured up the devil at the end of my bed. And so, the cheese in this football extravaganza takes the form of Frank Lampard's delightful late equaliser and the devil appears as the lonely figure of our very own Roman Abramovich smiling inanely from high above at the delights down below.

Only Abramovich is no devil, just a perversely rich man, but if you are not a Chelsea lover you will resent his wealth. Saying that, and I may be the only one of this opinion, the devil in the analogy above has acquired a sort of innocence, a more pure and likeable nature. Has he learnt from his mistakes (may he have gathered that someone who knows more about football should call the shots on football matters? maybe also that you can not buy success without a good manager and a well-balanced squad of players?) or is it just that there are bigger, less innocent rascals on the block, such as the sheikhs of Man City or the pervy grease-balls of QPR? The meddling in team affairs by sporting directors or self-appointed directors of football has long been discredited in this country and clearly guarantees failure, yet at QPR, six managers in only 18 months has been a result of exactly this approach.

Surely, success is a universal norm that man aspires to, and as such today's Champions League games will serve as a lesson to those that have failed so far, that success is derived from consistency, stability and a long-term vision. Arsenal's Wenger and Man U's Ferguson are the longest in post in the Premiership and both will once again be challenging to take their places and this year's Semi-Final tonight. As with last night however, there should be no air of inevitability tonight as Porto, Man U's opponents, will be firmly in the driving seat after a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford and, to be honest, Man U have been shite for about a month now. Arsenal however have regained form in the last month, though will still need to work hard against a strong Villareal side who they drew with 1-1 in Spain. I will not be offering predictions on these ones as my guess for last night-'s all-England encounter was 3-0 to Liverpool and look how that one turned out.

SS

So, another year, another installment of the yawnfest that is Chelsea-Liverpool in the Champions' League. Question is, does anyone actually care anymore? Judging by the uniformly apathetic response to the initial draw in most quarters, you'd be forgiven for thinking not. Buried deep inside the back pages, you could almost hear the collective yawn from Fleet St as the fixture revealed itself with grim inevitability; taking its rightful place yet again as the footballing equivalent of that weird, boring guy nobody wants to talk to at the office party.

Contrast this with the soon-to-be mercilessly extinguished excitement at the prospect of the original fixture between these two back in 2005, and it tells us something both about the rise to glory of the Super-Premiership and how quickly we have become complacent about English (alright, alright - Premiership, then) success in the CL. Having said all that, Chelsea have clearly shaken things up a tad with the utterly unexpected bollocking they dished out last week, so I for one will be casting aside the pent-up resentment at the loss of those many hours and watching with enthusiasm renewed. With nothing to lose and Liverpoolforced onto the front foot it should be a good watch.

Elsewhere, Barcelona are making their usual stately progress throughout the knockout rounds with an effective dead rubber against the Muncheners. Everybody seems to be putting their name on old big ears already, but those who have been keeping an eye on La Liga this year will have taken note that they aren't without their frailties. As good as the 4-0 against Munichwas, it was against a team who had come off the back of a 5-1 humiliation at the hands of Wolfsburg. They've also had a little wobble this season, not winning for six matches in a row so it just goes to show they're not unbeatable. Tonight should see them field a weakened team, doubtless unleashing some hitherto unheard of 14 year old sensation. Might be worth a look if Chelseawrap it up in double quick time at Stamford Bridge.

And finally. Spare a thought for Luton Town after their relegation from the Football League yesterday. From League Cup glory (back when it actually meant something (apparently)) in the eighties - and even from winning the Paint Pot Trophy at Wembley just a week ago it's a long way to fall. Still, there's always that away day at Ebbsfleet United to look forward to.

MM