You have to wonder if the British teams in the Champions League did that old trick with the heated balls.

Talk about an easy ride. While Barcelona play Inter and Real Madrid face Milan, Arsenal have got AZ Alkmaar. We know that the group stages of the competition are little more than a holding operation before the real thing begins in the spring, but even so, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea might as well have been handed a bye.

Not, of course, that they did not find cause for complaint. Sir Alex was worried about travel fatigue for his United players. The thought of being obliged to yomp all that way to Moscow and Istanbul to play CSKA and Besiktas upset the poor old soul. Apparently unaware that Rio Ferdinand happily flits midweek to a party in Florida and Wayne Rooney is forever swishing over to Spain for a video game shoot, Ferguson is worried that travel, far from broadening his players’ minds, compromises their hamstrings.

Three thousand miles each way to Russia is not what he wants midweek in a crowded fixture calendar. Mind, given his record, Ferguson was probably using a bit of psychology here, some diversionary tactics from what he knows is the biggest threat to his team’s advancing. That comes not from cramping up in the first class cabin, but from the identity of the fourth member of his group.

Wolfsburg may only be a relatively short hop across the channel to Germany, but the Bundesliga champions were oddly served by the draw. Quite how the best team in the fourth best league in Europe ended up as fourth seeds is a question for one of Michel Platini’s seminars. With their striking partnership of the Brazilian Grafite and the Bosnian Edin Dzeko wreaking havoc on German defensive discipline last season, it is not fanciful to see them coming second behind United. And possibly taking a few points from them along the way.

Liverpool and Chelsea, on the other hand, both face foes not so much familiar as wearisomely repetitive. When the draw is made you can stake your mortgage on the certainty that Lyon will be pitched up against an English club. As for Chelsea against Porto, it seems to happen as regularly as Chelsea against West Ham. And rarely have the Portuguese threaten to derail blue ambition. Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, will already be planning to rest key players from the hurly burly of the Premier League during fixtures against Alkmaar, Olympiakos and Standard Liege. We can expect several whey-faced youngsters to turn out in those games. And that’s just Andrei Arshavin.

The problem with the group stage is that it is now almost entirely political. The expansion of the competition that Michel Platini requires in order to garner the votes to stay in office has not affected the power structure of the draw. That remains all about ensuring that the big clubs gain a clean and clear run at the knockout stages, the place where the television money really kicks in. If there was a chance of them not being there, they would take their ball away and organise a competition of their own.

UEFA can no more afford a final stage without their marquee names than the marquee names can afford to miss out. So we can now safely say that the last 16 will feature Arsenal, United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Milan, Real Madrid, Inter and Barcelona, plus in all likelihood, Bayern Munich, Fiorentina, Atletico Madrid and Stuttgart. That is what the big clubs demand and that is what UEFA will deliver.

Which leaves us with what? Well, three months of jet lag, Arsenal debutants and Fergie wondering why it is only his team that is obliged to play away at tea time on Saturday after a Wednesday night away in Europe. The Champions League group stage is not a competition, it’s a waiting room until the real thing starts in the spring. Set your alarms for March: there is precious little in this draw to keep you awake until then.

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This is it! Probably the moment for which everyone in the world is waiting. Not just Spanish fans, even EPL and SerieA fans. Everyone wants to see the new Galacticos and the new best team in world in action. And come Saturday, we’ll be seeing exactly that. La Liga kicks off with arguably the world’s most expensive players and probably the one’s that resulted in the highest buying this summer - Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Ibrahimovich, Benzema and Ibrahimovich. I won’t mention Henry because he won’t sell for as much, even though he’s yet a top notch and obviously not Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Dani Alves, Casillas because they’ve already been there.

Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait for as long as end of November to see the Battle of Spain … or rather Europe - Real ‘Glactico’ Madrid VS ‘Best-Team-Of-The-World’ Barcelona. That’s quite a stupid fixture placement by the bosses of the Spanish FA considering the don’t enjoy the best tv time slots in Asia and the Pacific. Well, you have to look into all that considering Asia is THE big market now. Anyway, moving on to the football part, the game will be featuring probably the most dynamic bunch of footballers the world has seen on the same pitch on the same night - Xavi, Iniesta, Henry, Ronaldo, KAKA, Benzema, Messi, Ibrahimovich, Casillas … phew!

Well, I won’t be getting into an all round preview of the league because frankly speaking I don’t watch much of it nor do i think you do - except for the Madrid and Barca games of course.

So here’s just the top table preview … Read the rest of this entry »

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England’s cricketers have secured demi-god status for the second time in four years, while it is 40 years since the Poms last won anything worthwhile in football. I know it’s England. They’re shite. So are Australia. But never mind.

Not that I really care, it’s the English national team for god’s sake. They can go fail in 20 competitions and I’m sure no one here in India would give a fat rat’s arse for it. Here we just love and worship Brazil.

Coming back to Liverpool, they aren’t a bad team. They are good. Good with a very good squad. But how good are you if you haven’t won a single league title since 19 years? And what are hen good enough for?

Anyway, here’s what I think Liverpool could learn from this summer’s Ashes success … Read the rest of this entry »

A large chunk of the transfer talk over the summer has been David Villa’s ‘will he, won’t he, loves me, loves me not’ move to either Real Madrid or Barcelona.

But it seems that this particular chapter in the year long saga has been closed - until at least Christmas - with the Mestalla forward’s declaration on Tuesday that “I was told I should leave Valencia for the good of the club, but then soon after everything changed.”

But there is a curious case of another Spanish striker who was also pushed and prodded onto the transfer market - a striker who is a Euro 2008 winner, a former top scorer in la Liga and a footballer who is guaranteed to bang the ball into the onion bag wherever he plays.

But there has not been a single iddy-biddy story linking this mystery man to any club in la Liga - a fairly astonishing occurrence for the gossip-crazy local press.

That footballer is Read the rest of this entry »

I completely agree that Arsenal had a great game last night, not sure about the two goals, nvm, but the young Gunners stood up well to face a strong Celtic team away from home. Also, the other day they made Everton look like Derby. Clearly they’ve had a good start to the season, but websites overrating them and calling them the best title contenders is utter nonsense!

Arsenal still has various systematic flaws in their team which they need to cope up with. However, we still assure you that selling Adebayor was a smart move! Coming back to the systematic flaws, I don’t really understand why Song is an Arsenal player and why RVP plays lone striker ahead. Arshavin too needs to play more centrally and be a lot more involved in the game. I think Arshavin should play as an attacking midfielder and offer more support to RVP. Last night RVP  was not at his best and had an average game due to lack of support. Both players are playing new roles. And Mr. Wenger, as he has always done in the past, would try to mould them as they deem fit into his own vision.

Moving ahead, I also witnessed a few positives last night- new signing Vermaelen looked terrific lsat night. He has an amazing pace, excellent ability in air and most importantly will strengthen Arsenal’s weakest sector - Defence. Also, Arsenal still has Rosicky, Walcott and Nasri injured.

My point being, it’s just the start of the season and by no means should anyone think that any team is stronger than the other just on the basis of 2 games!

As usual, if you guys have any contributions to make, you’re welcome to come this way for all your Comments!

Classic. After having lost their opening BPL fixture at White Hart Lane, certain reports suggest Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez would now only receive a shocking £2m-£3m to spend before the August transfer window is shut. A naturally devastated Benitez needs to cope up with defensinve problems since Agger has a back injury and Skrtel too is doubtful for a few more games.

Now Benitez can either buy a low-budget defender or look for a loan deal or a free transfer. His target Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross is out of question since Stoke City have refused to give away a player so important to them on loan for a cheap price. Similarly, Portsmouth too have laughed off Liverpool’s attempt to take away Sylvain Distin to Anfield for loan.

However, we wonder why Liverpool is having the current cash crunch. Agreed they spent roughly £35m on Glen Johnson and Aquilani this summer, but Benitez has well recovered these purchases by the sale of Alonso, Anderson, Arbeloa, Hobbs and even Robbie Keane who was sold back to Spurs for £12m. Further, reports suggest the decrease in Benitez’s budget is due to the increase in the wages of Kuyt, Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun.

Benitez needs to understand that every club has problems and managers have to cope up with them. Hence to sum it all up, do Liverpool stand a chance to win the league this season or no?

Come this way for all your Comments!

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The wait is over. It’s finally that time of the year when you get your jerseys out of your closets and save your voices for all the screams during the series of those 90 minutes.

Old rivalries will continue, fresh challengers have the opportunity to upset the established order and new faces are on the scene eager to make an impact.

Eighty-three days have passed since the curtain fell on the previous campaign, during which time there have been a number of big-name arrivals and departures, with the promise of more to come as the transfer window remains open.

Once again, Eurofootball247.com will be there to bring you all the best of the Premier League action with our write-ups and views during the entire season..

Chelsea have the honour of opening the new season as Hull City make the daunting trip to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have yet another new manager - Italian tactician Carlo Ancelotti is the fifth man in the dug-out in less than two years - and remain major contenders for the crown despite a relatively quiet summer in the transfer market.

Phil Brown, meanwhile, has been one of the busier managers and his negotiations are finally beginning to bear fruit after a number of high-profile rejections earlier in the summer.

Brown watched his side slide inexorably down the table last term after a bright start and must ensure there is no hangover after his troops only avoided relegation on the very final day of the season.

Champions Manchester United set the standard last term and remain the team to beat despite the exit of gifted Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo and the tireless Carlos Tevez as they aim for an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League crown.

Birmingham have the unenviable task of being the first side to travel to Old Trafford and Alex McLeish’s newly-promoted side must improve on their miserable record of no points and no goals from their previous five Premier League visits.

Liverpool ran the Red Devils close before eventually falling just short, with their bid to end a 20-year wait for the English title taking them to Tottenham. Read the rest of this entry »

Out of the current Big Four, I see Chelsea pushing Manchester United hard for their Premier League crown this season.

Chelsea proved last season that they are an extremely difficult side to beat, and they are excellent when up against it. If you go one up against them, you can be sure you need to get another before you can breathe easy.

They seem to have got that little bit stronger over the summer and, while they looked a little shaky defensively in the Community Shield, the addition of Yuri Zhirkov should prove to be an astute one.

Carlo Ancelotti may even dip into the transfer market before the closing of the transfer window and if he can get his tactics right, United will rightly be concerned about the threat from west London.

That said, if Liverpool start the season the way they ended it, Rafa Benitez’s side cannot be ruled out either. Read the rest of this entry »