Liverpool v. Arsenal Postmatch

Fresh off of getting his broken nose reconstructed, Peter Crouch pulled off the first hat trick by a Liverpool player against the Gunners in 11 years. If you're curious, Robbie Fowler was the previous one to do such a deed against the Londoners. Crouch's first goal coming in the opening 5 minutes of the 1st half seemed to take any thunder the Gunners may have brought to Anfield. His second came 10 minutes before the end of the half and clearly sealed the deal.

Arsenal looked like a side that had zero fight in them and could have cared less about getting a result. Easily the worst I've witnessed them look this year, I think Arsene Wenger will now have to seriously ponder whether his team will be able to hold on to the 4th spot. Yes, they have a game in hand, and yes if they claim full points they would leap frog Liverpool right now for the 3rd spot. However, that is why they play the matches and at this point I am thoroughly unconvinced that with matches to play against Bolton and Chelsea, Arsenal will be picking up sufficient points to finish in the 3rd spot.

While the news that John Arne Riise has gone bankrupt was quite stunning, Crouch's third goal was wonderful. Good touch for a big man indeed, Crouch played the entire match and looked to be sending a message to the England National Team manager that he deserves to step into the starting line up when Euro qualification resumes. Given the current form of England's starting strikers, I don't see how anyone could argue Crouch shouldn't step in immediately to a starting role.

So excited was VoF after this victory we took the time to watch the Manchester United v. Blackburn match. That is until Blackburn collapsed and seeing 4 United goals in the final 30 minutes made us sick to our stomachs.

Attention was then turned to the Bayern Munich v. Schalke match. I still believe the Bundesliga is the most exciting league in Europe to watch right now - in terms of the title chase anyways. Bayern are so up and down this season. At one point I claimed they looked so resurgent I predicted them to win the title - about a month ago in fact. Then they stumbled and fell completely off the pace until today. Schalke could have gone a long way to sealing the title today, but 3 points to the reigning champions means the German title is as wide open as at any point in the season.

Liverpool v. Arsenal Preview

I had a dream last night. It was one of the most wonderful dreams I've had recently. This one involved me sitting down at my computer preparing to type up a preview for the Saturday "glamour fixture" between Liverpool and Arsenal. In my dream Liverpool were just a few points off the pace of the table leaders and Arsenal were just a few points out of second. Meaning, the preview I was about to type in my dream had all kinds of importance to the VoF readership. I reckoned my inbox would be flooded by Friday afternoon and my cell would be ringing non stop with people wanting to chat up this match and find out my insights and expertise. In my dream, of course. Even Four Four Two gave me a ring wanting to know if they could come shoot my apartment whilst the match was taking place so they could write about what it is like being in the Vein of Form apartment during such a massive event as Liverpool and Arsenal fighting for 2nd in the EPL and positioning themselves for a chance at winning the league.

Then, my grind 'n brew coffee maker fired up and snapped me out of my slumber. I stumbled into the shower realizing it was only a dream.

The truth is that Liverpool and Arsenal will play this weekend for...nothing much. Finishing 3rd or 4th doesn't make too much of a difference at this point as both sides will be playing Champions League football next season. Speaking of which, Liverpool will have their quarterfinal match against PSV next week heavy on the brain and will be hesitant to risk injury or over exerting key players. Arsenal are coming to Anfield having whipped up on the Reds the last two meetings there - in the Carling Cup and FA Cup - so perhaps Liverpool will have a bit of revenge on their minds.

Or maybe not. Arsenal played last week against Everton like they were content to work hard enough to not lose, but not hard enough to win. Then, they forgot to finish the match and dropped full points after Andy Johnson put one in the net in added time.

With Liverpool rightfully focused on the current Champions League campaign and Arsenal focusing on, well, I don't know what, this match should be just alright. Maybe next season will see a late match meeting between these two that means something in terms of the league title.

In a meaningless match on Saturday, I'll predict 1-1.

Calm Down About Landon

Serious. The recent Vein of Form post regarding the US National Team was a bit in jest. Maybe even more than a bit. But some of the US soccer writers are getting well out of hand with singing the praises of Landon Donovan.

Does ESPN Soccernet's Steve Davis' ranking Donovan's 3 goal performance amongst the all-time US National Team performances reveal the horrible state of soccer "journalists" in the US? Or does it reveal how far the US has to go until we start seeing truly meaningful performances?

Come on Steve Davis, settle down already! It was a friendly against Ecuador!!!

Let Donovan take the pitch this summer in the Copa America against Argentina - in a hostile environment - and then if he puts in a 3 goal performance give him a top 10 ranking.

Wake up Steve Davis. Give us a column about how a performance like this means the man that captained his national side should take that effort to Europe and prove he has the drive to become one of the game's best. A captain would have immediately said afterwards that he is on the market for a top club, and he is ready to put the past behind him. Instead, Donovan stated he isn't interested in playing for the US this summer!

Are you serious Landon Donovan? That is an insult to anyone that has ever pulled on the national team jersey. And it is an insult to anyone who has ever captained a national side - for any country in the world.

Grand Opening?

The new Wembley opened today with a match between the Under 21 squads of England and Italy. Without question, this was one of the more exciting matches of the year. Finishing in a 3-3 draw, there could easily have been 8 or 9 goals scored! The missed opportunities (Gabriel Agbonlahor we're looking directly at you) highlighted why players for both countries are not getting call ups to the senior squads this week.

However, it has to be noted that Giampaolo Pazzini put on a stunning show of attacking football. Not only did he score the fastest goal at Wembley - 25 seconds in - he managed to pull of a hat trick in front of the 60,000 spectators on hand today. The stadium holds 90,000 and looked quite empty but there was still a fantastic atmosphere and the play on the pitch elevated the noise level on a regular basis.

David Bentley was the Man of the Match for England. His first half free kick was a piece of brilliance and he was spreading the ball around the pitch with accuracy and he was a positive presence for the full 90 minutes. Bentley is quietly having a great EPL campaign with Blackburn Rovers and looked the most deserving of a senior call-up in the future. His crossing ability is likely to draw comparisons to a former England captain - and newest member of LA Galaxy - and Vein of Form thinks he deserves all the accolades that come his way.

Once the excitement over Wembley opening to a six goal match calms down, the England U21 defense will come under heavy scrutiny. They were shocking from corner kicks and looked out of sorts on a consistant basis. England was lucky not to concede 4 or 5 goals. The back line cannot be blamed entirely as the England midfield was giving away posession often. I thought the substitions that brought on James Milner and Matt Derbyshire were the best additions to the squad over the course of the full 90.

Yes, it was a great way to kick off what is going to be a fortress for the England National Team. But...yes, there are several questions that will have to be asked regarding the preparedness of England's future to step up to the big stage.

US Men's Soccer Team Extravaganza!

Vein of Form has been inundated with emails begging to know if we are taking time off for the international break. The readers apparently think this publication is some one-trick pony that only pontificates on the domestic league competition. Fear not readership, we have plenty to say about the international matches being contested over the next week. The thing is, we are stationed in America which means we have little or no use for Euro qualifiers. Wake us in '08 when the Andorras, Icelands and Latvias are eliminated.

As an American, it is my duty to provide the most thorough and professional analysis of the upcoming US National Team friendlies. You could say I am thoroughly professional. Indeed, it is time to focus on the upcoming Gold Cup where the mighty US will take on the likes of Haiti, Cuba, Panama and Mexico. It is my understanding they even let Canada compete, but that is more as a foreign policy make-good than anything else. I doubt Canada even has a national squad.

The coming week will see the Americans compete against Guatemala and Ecuador. While Guatemala isn't the heftiest of opponents, Ecuador shouldn't be taken lightly. They made it to the knock out round of the most recent World Cup and despite having arguably the easiest draw, managed to blow a golden opportunity to make a name for themselves. These matches are to serve as a warm up for this summer's Gold Cup. Or to CONCACAF dwellers - our European Championships!

So, it is a relief that coach Bob Bradley has called in the big guns from overseas, some of them for the first time. Jay DeMerritt (Watford), Frankie Simek (Sheffield Wednesday) and Benny Felihaber (Hamburg) should be greeted with open arms by their US teammates and fans as they make their debut at the international level. Meanwhile, the likes of Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Tim Howard (Everton), Gooch Oneywu (Newcastle) and Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham) ought to take these two matches as an opportunity to assert themselves as the leaders of the squad. It would make for a more interesting scenario if the US were playing on foreign soil in a hostile environment, and against more skilled competition. Playing in front of roughly 20,000 docile (ok, near comatose) US "soccer fans" isn't exactly going to test the mental strength of the squad or force them to work on communicating on the pitch in the face of such an obstacle.

I'm not going to be discouraged by the recent World Cup results, nor will I let the MLS detractors prevent me from firmly believing the league is on the rise. There is not a Euro-snob on the planet that can convince me domestic leagues in the Czech Republic, Belgium, Norway or even Scotland are playing football at a higher level than MLS simply because they're in Europe.
So, ridicule me if you choose.

All I can say is that if you think the US Men's National soccer team will not be a threat to win the World Cup in 2010: "Yer havin' a larf!"

Liverpool v. Aston Villa Post-Match Comments

The day started off well enough. A little coffee and Sunday newspaper, 3 slices of turkey bacon and the realization that Vein of Form would publish its first Liverpool post-match comments in over a week. The match appeared by all account to be very winnable and when the line ups were announced there was every reason to believe that the Reds would get more than a couple on the rapidly dropping Villa. But that is why they play the games.

Oh Momo, oh Momo, where has your form gone off to? For the 3rd match running the Mali midfielder has looked out of sorts. He was giving the ball up nearly with each touch and generally flailing around without much purpose. Steven Gerrard had his worst game of the season and Javier Mascherano is still settling in - this obvious from his errant passing and ill advised shot attempts. Even Vein of Form's hero, John Arne Riisse, had a bad outing. When your entire midfielder is off it doesn't usually spell 3 points.

Yes, Villa were quite aggressive and the trio of Ashley Young, John Carew and Gabriel Agbonglahor ran hard all match. That doesn't excuse the complete lack of sharpness Liverpool had for a large chunk of the match. Meaning, aside from a strong opening 15 minutes they were flat and had no teeth.

Bellamy and Kuyt gave their usual strong work rates, but Kuyt had many poor touches and Bellamy just couldn't link up with the midfielders' passes. Fowler's header at the end nearly snuck in, but in fairness coming away with a single point was all they deserved. Given Arsenal's defeat it would have been fantastic claiming full points but flat & uninspiring play will get you nowhere in the EPL.

The international break couldn't come at a worse time. The Reds' had a 12 day rest and looked rusty so additional time off - with the high potential for injuries from Euro qualifiers - will have Rafa pacing in front of his television whenever one of his players in on the pitch. We're not giving up hope that Mascherano will come good in the remaining fixtures and prove his arrival at Anfield will be a tremendous grab after all.

But with nothing to play for in the league, it has dawned on VoF that flat performances and doing just enough to secure at least a point will be the norm the rest of the way.

Manchester United Are A Pretty Decent Side

Just a few days ago I accused Manchester United of not looking treble worthy - or hungry for trophies for that matter. In all fairness, I also accused Bolton of being crap against everyone other than Arsenal. After today, Chelsea's denial that the title race has been decided looks less admirable and more and more delusional. Even with Henrik Larrsson returning to Sweden and a few injuries popping up around Old Trafford (Gary Neville this afternoon) it would appear that there are is no weakness large enough to prevent the Premiership title from going United's way.

Bolton coming to Old Trafford somehow was being translated as a "tricky fixture" for the Red Devils. When not even half an hour had passed and the score line indicted there was no coming back for Bolton -- that early assumption was embarrassing. Did we expect a moment of brilliance from Nicolas Anelka? Or maybe Kevin Davies and Kevin Nolan? Okay, we expected something in the way of a fight considering Bolton are a top five side demanding the respect typically reserved for the Big 4 of England.

But when England manager, Steven McClaren, was seen leaving the grounds 15 minutes from full time there had to be a couple things going on in his head. 1. Kevin Nolan will never be quality enough for an England call-up. 2. There is no one pulling on the England shirt close to the player that Christiano Ronaldo is.

When Ronaldo came off - making way for Alan Smith - it was clear to anyone watching that Ronaldo is the most dangerous player in the world. He was the drive behind the first 3 goals and he is more than willing to take United on his shoulders the rest of the way.

Chelsea may or may not finish the day 6 points behind United. I reckon that 6 points is as close as they will get this season. Their best shots of getting one up on United remain potential FA Cup and Champions League finals. But even if those dream match-ups come to pass and Chelsea claims United's scalp in one or both, the consistency and at times stunning will to win the EPL United has displayed will outshine any amount of trophy polishing the London club attempts.

Weekend Football Preview

We were able to pull ourselves away from this DC United v. Chivas match - just barely - in order to bring you a delicious preview of anything important going on in football this weekend. Just kidding, we are actually watching the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament. Which for entertainment on a Thursday night, ain't half bad. Those VCU kids won our hearts tonight!

Now, rumor has it Chelsea will be suffering a hang over from there mid-week snoozer against Man City when a questionable penalty call against current-Man City-future-Chelsea defender Micah Richards gifted the Blues 3 points. Chelsea didn't look much like a side hungry for a quadruple. But then, Manchester United haven't looked like a treble worthy side for 4 straight matches. And the current leaders are up against a Bolton side that can only play spectacular football against Arsenal. Everyone else: they're crap.

It is this esteemed publication's opinion that Man Utd., Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool will all claim full points this weekend. Also, it might be worth watching Tottenham v. Watford on Saturday and Charlton v. Newcastle on Sunday.

In what is quickly becoming VoF's favorite league to watching - the Bundesliga! - Saturday will see leaders Schalke v. third place Stuttgart. Hannover will be taking on a suddenly resurgent Hamburg and Bayern Munich (taking on Franfurt) suddenly look as likely as anyone in Germany to win the title.

There are no games of note in Italy this weekend.

Now back to the NCAA's - go Gonzaga go!

Milan Derby Dud

Maybe it has become too common place around Vein of Form lately to diss the Italian football league, but even if that is the case, tonight will not be the time to buck that trend. Given that the previous Milan Derby was a 7 goal thriller, this version was certainly a let down. Having been knocked out of the Champions League earlier in the week, we expected Inter to be ferocious for 90 minutes and display a desire to put AC Milan in their place. Essentially, prove to the continent the wrong Milan team advanced, and Inter are truly a team for the ages. Instead, Inter came out flat and showed they had no early plan to slow down Kaka.

The Brazlian ran up and down the pitch in the first half and set up a nice play that saw Ronaldo score on his former side - his celebration dared the Inter fans to continue with their whistling everytime he touched the ball. This didn't seem to light any fire in the gut of the Inter players. They plodded through the first half, and Milan despite getting the lead, failed to go for the kill. This was the glaring mistake. At this point in the season Milan can ill afford to settle for a point - or as would be the case - zero points from the derby.

They have no reason to believe Champions League football is a lock for next year, and if you are unable to show the ability to punish your biggest rivals in the most important match of your season to date, how can one expect you to show anything against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals. The very much in form German powerhouse have to be thrilled to see how toothless (Ronaldo aside - pun totally intended) Milan looked on the day.

Inter slowly began to assert themselves and came back to win 2-1. The match lacked the frantic pace we would expect from such rivals. Inter are well on their way to a scudetto and are no doubt hearing the calls of it lacking the luster a major Euro domestic title should bring. They looked distant. They lacked focus. Shouldn't they have been going for a decisive win?

That being said, why were AC Milan so quick to fold in the second half? They thoroughly dominated the first half. Kaka was brilliant. Gattuso was a machine. Pirlo looked dangerous from the free kicks. Having seen a complete collapse in the second half, VoF predicts AC Milan will look to be the worst team remaining in the Champions League and have a lot of work to do if they wish to compete in that competition next year.

In other news, Chelsea battled back twice today against rival Tottenham to send that FA Cup tie to a replay, having earned a 3-3 draw at The Bridge. Message to John Terry: Your club misses you more than anyone could have imagined.

Champions League Quarter Final Draw Extravaganza!

Is "extravaganza" spelled correctly in this post title and in this sentence? Will you let Vein of Form know one way or the other? We love that word and plan on using it a lot in the coming weeks. Because really, what sums up the last few months of the footballing season other than "extravaganza"?

Speaking of which, there was this happening today known as the UEFA Champions League Quarter Finals Draw. VoF is rather pleased with the draw. Not simply because Liverpool drew PSV Eindhoven, but the entire round looks to be very balanced and each match up exciting.

Liverpool v. PSV Eindhoven
These two met in the group stages (which means they have played twice, American readers) and Liverpool came away with an away draw and a home victory. We presume by the time they take the pitch Crouch's nose will be healed and Javier Mascherano willl have reclaimed world class player status. Having survived Barca, Liverpool believe they are destined to claim their 6th European title. PSV won't make this easy, but they won't make it as sweaty lip-stress ball clenching-forehead wrinkling crazy as the previous round. VoF is of course with LFC.

Valencia v. Chelsea
If Chelsea continue to give up early goals in this tie, forget a semi-final appearance. VoF predicted Valencia to win La Liga at before the season began, and we still believe they can claim a trophy before this is all over. David Villa has been reported as a Chelsea target for over a year now. The Spanish international will be looking to prove why it will take a small fortune to pry him away from Valencia. And if John Terry is not back in the line up, Michael Essien will be forced in to a more defensive role - that spells trouble for Chelsea. This is too close to call, but we aren't cowards, so Chelsea get through...barely!

Manchester United v. AS Roma
Did we predict Roma to down Lyon, or did we predict Roma to down Lyon?!?! Some would have you believe ManU are in some injury crisis simply because Alan Smith is getting some PT and Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solksaer are out of commission. Look, ManU are not on the brink of an EPL crown because Saha or Ole. They are back on top because of players like Ronaldo, Giggs, Vidic, Van der Sar, Evra, etc. etc. etc. Rooney will have to show up of course, but ManU should see a very dangerous -but in the end - very beatable Roma team off. Totti is a hero at the VoF offices - but does he have two career best performances in him? That's what it will take to see Roma survive. He has to carry this team and torture the ManU defense. Tie of the round? Probably.

AC Milan v. Bayern Munich
Two sides with a ridiculous amount of history. Serious, when you talk football history if Milan or Bayern Munich don't come up within the first ten minutes, you've lost the plot. Milan will feel they are settling in for a Champions League spot for next year, and Bayern are not willing to rule out claiming a German domestic title - still the CL is the most realistic opportinity for either side to claim silverwear this season. A lot of fans of the other 6 remaining teams were hoping to draw one of these two (if they couldn't get PSV) so Roma or ManU will not be shaking in their boots in the semis either way. Still, don't bet against history or pride. A couple things both these clubs have in bunches.

UEFA Cup Round Up

Lens 2 - Bayer Leverkusen 1
Maccabi Haifa 0 - Espanyol 0
Newcastle 4 - AZ Alkmaar 2
Celta Vigo 0 - Werder Bremen 1
Sevilla 2 - Shaktar Donetsk 2
PSG 2 - Benfica 1
Rangers 1 - Osasuna 1
Braga 2 - Tottenham 3

In other news, Vein of Form totally glossed over the fact that the Gold Cup semifinals and finals will be held at Soldier Field in Chicago. We happen to be headquartered in Chicago and plan on attending. You won't get any predictions that our coverage of that super elite competition will be improved simply from being there. Mostly, we want to be there in the flesh because last summer we invested $80 in a limited edition US national team jersey and would like to put it to some kind of use.

Gunners Gone Bad

Today officially marked the end to Arsenal's season. Okay, not really as they still have to finish out the EPL season secure their spot in the next Champions League. But it needs to be noted that in the span of a month this side has been beaten in the Carling Cup final, eliminated from the FA Cup and now bounced from the CL. This is the same side that in two cup matches scored a total of 9 goals at Anfield in the face of anyone that has ever pulled on a Reds shirt. Arsenal can play the most beautiful football in Europe and have some of the most exciting players on the planet. That doesn't change the fact they are highly inconsistent and face a lot of questions for next season.

First, Thierry Henry is gone. Whether it is to Spain or Italy or MLS (kidding) it looks certain he will not stick around at the Emirates. Which is ironic as it was such a major deal to have Henry captain this side out on the pitch for the opening of the Emirates - now it doesn't appear he will be greatly missed. Which raises an even bigger question: Does manager Arsene Wenger believe the youth and depth he has can replace TH14? It is our belief at VoF that Theo Walcott could be out of this world. Although, one goal in a Carling Cup final does not translate into instant greatness. Nor are we certain Adebayour will be able to shoulder the load of being The Man That Must Produce - even more - once Henry is gone.

In addition to Jens Lehman and Freddie Ljungberg's future in question, will one William Gallas be so willing to stick around once he realizes he will be part a "Baby Gunners" squad that is still 2 years away from posing a title challenge. Man Utd. and Chelsea do not look ready to give up their dominance any time soon, and Liverpool's new ownership seems to indicate any and all players are available for purchase if Rafa requests.

Finally, Julio Baptista looks to be an absolute perfect fit for the EPL. He has the strength, pace and fire to excel. One problem, will former club Real Madrid take notice of how much he has grown and call him back and send Jose Reyes back to London? Reyes is a talent no doubt, but not such a talent that he can't be replaced. Baptista is showing all the signs of being unstoppable.

Speaking of Real Madrid, their season essentially ended today as well. In the 2nd most interesting match up of this round, Bayern Munich knocked them out via the away goal rule. Both sides would contend a domestic title is not out of the question. We would contend they have as much a chance of claiming a domestic trophy as we do of getting asked to drive the pace car at a NASCAR race. Real Madrid don't have the talent to compete this year with Sevilla, Barca or Valencia. And Athletico and Zargoza are not convinced they can't claim the 4th CL spot from Spain.

Liverpool v. Barca -- Post Match

Well, well, well...Vein of Form woke up this morning and found lots of angry emails in the 'ol inbox. Several people took issue with our referring to Sheffield Utd. as "pesky". Many readers felt that "crap" or "near the bottom of the table" was more precise. There existed more than a few emails calling Stevie G. (or as VoF would say "Our Beloved Stevie G") a diver and a cheat. Now, it is time you all act like adults and email VoF tomorrow congratulating us for supporting Liverpool Football Club and their advancement to the quarterfinals. They slayed the mighty Barca (sort of) and moved one step closer to Number 6.

A few email-ers took exception to our criticisms last night of certain Barca players and our prediction that not many of those superstars would last in the EPL. All you need to realize is that a former EPL player was responsible for the only goal in this leg...We stand by our remark - as always.

Final thoughts before we forget about Barca forever (or at least until the Real Madrid match this weekend), would include:

• Crouch has got to go.
• John Arne Riise is our favorite Liverpool player right now.
• Rafa Benitez is one year and 3 signings away from figuring out the EPL.
• Dirk Kuyt is going to be immense next season. He'll have one full go-round under his belt and be unstoppable. LFC haven't had someone with his work rate in years.

Some other CL matches were played today as well.

First, Valencia proved to the footballing world that when Inter Milan wins the scudetto, no one will give a shit. Next, Roma proved that as mediocre as the Serie A is, the French league is evenr worse. Third, we feel rather indifferent about Chelsea advancing. Tis true LFC have got Chelsea's number in the Champions League, but they scare us more than any remaining team in the draw.

Today the reigning Euro and Spanish champions were eliminated, the French champions were eliminated and the soon to be crowned Italian champions were eliminated. Tomorrow the final 8 will be set and the draw is just days away! This is why we love football.

Champions League Preview

Vein of Form does not hide its love for Liverpool Football Club. In fact, the writers here are positively frothing at the mouth for tomorrow's match up against defending champion Barcelona. Why frothing, you ask? We've witnessed the Reds play Barca off the pitch of the Nou Camp, handle a pesky Sheffield United and end up on the losing end to Man Utd. despite putting on a fantastic display of suffocating skill. All of this in the span of a couple weeks - and with nothing else to play for Liverpool will come out fierce. Anfield was built for nights like this. And while we are huge fans of Deco and Ineista, we have no use for Ronaldinho, Messi or Xavi. Those three wouldn't last a season in the EPL. That being said, expect Barca to come out looking for an early goal - meaning in the first 10-15 minutes - and expect the Reds to weather the storm. This will be a defensive clinic from Liverpool with not much scoring to be had. Vein of Form is predicting a 1-1 draw and a quarterfinals birth!

As for the rest of the matches...

Chelsea v. Porto
Without JT in the lineup we are not as comfortable calling this an obvious Chelsea victory. But one Didier Drogba is unstoppable at the moment. 1-0 to Chelsea.

Inter Milan v. Valencia
Valencia are at home and in fine form. Inter are runaway leaders in a league that is on par right now with the Swedish league. Okay, that is harsh. It is on par with the Dutch league.

PSV v. Arsenal
Speaking of the Dutch...PSV takes a 1 goal lead to the Emirates, and if they are as smart a side as we believe them to be, look for the Dutch leaders to grind out a 0-0 draw.

Celtic v. AC Milan
Our hearts are with Celtic going in to the San Siro with no fear of the should be in Serie B Italian side. But Milan are closing in on a CL birth for next year in the Italian league and should put away the Scots 2-0.

Lyon v. Roma
This is a tough one. Lyon play in the French league which means they have zero competition. Roma are drawing as many matches as they possibly can in the boring boring Serie A. 0-0 in this one and it will go to penalty kicks. We like Roma just because.

Real Madrid v. Bayern Munich
Beckham is out. Which means Real are without their best player. Who would have thought that would be the case just a month ago? Shame Becks hurt his knee attempting one of his beautiful crosses this past weekend. Real will sorely miss him in Germany. The 2 away goals will come back to hurt the Spanish side as they will fall 1-0 in Munich.

Manchester United v. Lille
The Lille fans were a disgrace. The French police were out of control. The French league doesn't deserve 2 quarterfinalists (assuming Lyon prove Vein of Form wrong). So, all we can say is "Go Lille go!!!"

Barca v. Sevilla Post-Match

Sevilla look to be one of the most exciting teams on the planet. The match yesterday against former La Liga leaders Barcelona was one of the better matches I have seen all year - in any league. Danny Alves is a monster. He covers the entire pitch: he defends, he attacks, and he takes marvelous free kicks. I have seen him play several times now and without question he is one of the top players in the Spanish league.

I felt the ref lost control in the second half. Unless Giuly muttered something in Spanish to piss off the ref I saw nothing that deserved a red card. When it got down to 10 v. 9 there was a ton of space on the pitch and Sevilla where unlucky (Alves & Kanoute in particular) not to make this a more one sided display.

More to the point, Barca took an early lead and then were awarded a penalty that saw Sevilla defender Aitor Ocio sent off. Ronaldinho missed the penalty and Sevilla never once hinted that they may have lost their belief. What a testament to the team that coach Juande Ramos has built. There are no global names on Sevilla (Alves is close to bucking that trend) and they play such determined and beautiful football you cannot help but feel they are going to snatch La Liga this season. It is a shame they didn't make the Champions League this year, but look out next year.

However, once again we saw a team weather the storm that is the first 25 minutes of a match against Barca. Liverpool did it so well in the first leg of the Champions League tie and Sevilla did the same yesterday. Both sides then were able to control the match and put two goals past a shakey Barca defense (aside from Carlos Puyol) and a shambolic at times Victor Valdez.

In recent matches we have seen Valencia, Liverpool and now Sevilla stand up to Barcelona - and then see them off decisively. Will Real Madrid do the same in Barca's next La Liga encounter? Will Liverpool handle them at Anfield on Tuesday? Barca no longer strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. They appear very beatable.

Liverpool v. Man Utd. -- Post Match

Well, where to begin on this one? Liverpool fans have known since early doors that Reina cannot defend balls crossed into the area. I am not going to blame Reina, but come on, that was the most important free kick of the season (to this point) and he botched it! The title race looks well over and nothing short of a miracle will allow Chelsea to rein the Red Devils in. And Man Utd. have such a large goal difference lead going level on points does them no good.

Moving right along, why did Benitez take Bellamy off? He looked most likely to create a scoring chance or score himself. Say what you will about Bellamy's off-pitch behavior the guy gives 100% when he pulls on the Liverpool shirt and he was the most dangerous man on the pitch. Terrible move, Rafa.

I was very very disappointed to not see Mascherano used. He could have been the wild card coming off the bench. Especially when everyone saw that Momo was not having a good day. For as monstrous as Momo can be at times, yesterday he was giving the ball away too easily and couldn't keep his feet.

Finally, Peter Crouch has got to go. Liverpool must have a striker with a hunger to punish the 'keeper and bury the ball in the back of the net. That was an absolute gift that fell to him and he did nothing with it! Sure, a good save by Van der Sar you will say. But come one! Drogba would have put it away. Rooney would have put it away. Hell, Brian McBride would have put it away!

Okay, enough of that. We've got Barca visiting on Tuesday and Dirk Kuyt is already promising to put them to bed at Anfield. Man Utd. are a better side than Barca and Liverpool have out played both recently.