The Sporting calendar

The European Champions league final (or as us oldies know it – the European cup) came a step closer for all the English clubs this week, with a quite outstanding performance in their respective second legs.

Liverpool:
Despite looking strong and playing well against Real Madrid, I cannot see them progressing past the semi-final stages (sadly for me) – Benitez has been earning his living from the European cup for far too long – the league is our “bread and butter.”

Man Utd:
Yes despite the historic rivalry, without playing especially well against Inter Milan, they deserved to go through to the quarter finals. I watched half their game in the first leg, they should have made the tie safe there. As much as I’d like to see them go out at the semi final stages, I think they’ll at least reach the final. If they do, then I hope Wellback, Carrick and the like get a look in as they are playing well.

Chelsea:
Can they hold their nerve this time around?
They scraped through to the final by the skin of their teeth last time against the pool, heart breaking for a pool fan, especially the way they got there (own goal by riise) but they did break the jinx that Liverpool had over them in semi finals.
Although Juventus are not the force they once were, any result in Italy against an Italian team, is a good result. Has Hiddink come just in time to save their season?
They deserve their place, possible finalists I think.

Arsenal:
Their win over Roma was the best news of the round for me. I can take or leave Arsenal, they don’t really bother me either way, but when I watched the text updates on BBC live text, saying their tie was going to a penalty shoot-out, I worried for them.
Penalties are a complete lottery, so when the first kick was saved, I feared the worst for them.
I remember watching them in the final and losing out, they didn’t do themselves justice at all, love them or hate them, they always try to play attacking, flowing football.
In Arsene Wenger, they have one of the most knowledgable managers in the Premier League. If the doubters got their way and he left the club, then Arsenal would really be in trouble.
Semi finalist this year I think, but well worth their place there – hopefully!

An early blast from the pool, put the skids under Real as they struggled to hold the ball and play.
Torres looked sharp as he (for once) played off the last man, a neat turn early on leaving him 8 yards out and 1 on 1 with the keeper, who saved well with his legs, Torres should have scored.
Another pool attack from a corner, saw the ball come out to Mascherano, who hit a looping half volley, heading for the top corner, which the keeper saw late and produced a fantastic save, pushing the ball onto the bar.
The keeper was on fire, until he was left unprotected after 16 minutes.

The Real defence let a long ball bounce and it looped over the Real number 3, who turned to face his own goal with Kuyt and Torres breathing down his neck, Torres touched his shoulder momentarily and he went down, Kuyt took a touch and pulled the ball back along the 6 yard box, where Torres or Gerrard were waiting to pounce unmarked. The keeper had no chance.

Liverpool continued to look sharp, closing down well and forcing mistakes in Real’s passing game.

Babel looked lively and floated a ball to the right edge of the area, as Kuyt headed it back in, the unfortunate Heinze (once a pool target) raised his arm as the ball looked to have come off his shoulder, the linesman behind Kuyt flagged immeadiately for a penalty, which Gerrard made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way. Less than half an hour played and Liverpool were 2-0 up!

Real started to come back into the game a bit more, ex Portsmouth player Diarra looks impressive bringing the ball out of defence and rarely misplaces a pass.
Real playing much better as half time arrives.

Liverpool flew out of the blocks again at the start of the second half, looking dangerous on the break, a sweeping move had the ball at babel’s feet, for once he hit the byline and dinked in a left foot cross, which bounced right in front of the “running from deep” Gerrard who controlled it brilliantly first time to fire into the roof of the net.

Real didn’t switch off and came back at liverpool more and more going close on a number of occasions, the ball just wouldn’t go in for them, and when it finally did, they had two players offside!
Real’s passing game through the middle was causing Liverpool problems every time they came forward, Lucas came on, but had little effect, until Liverpool brought on the pocket rocket!
Jay Spearing, who has been with the club since he was seven years old and captained the youth team to the youth cup, from the position of centre back stemmed the flow of attacks through the middle!

Box to box he played, any pool fans remember sammy lee in his playing days – exactly the same he is. A tigerish midfielder with a great engine and an eye for finding spaces in the opponents half, he had the crowd chanting his name after 20 minutes!

Pool swept up field to score a fourth, Dossena making up for his booking, getting free in the box, firing under the keeper’s hand to make it 4-0.

All in all a very satisfying game for the pool, who move into the last eight.
I would still question why Torres can’t be lazy, whilst sitting on the last man in defence, of the four times he did it in the second half, he did this, he got clear twice and won free kicks the other two times.
This was the sharpest I’ve seen him in a long time, perhaps he is now fit?
Arbeloa had a cracking game, very solid, Mascherano will be missing for the next round as he picked up a yellow card and will be suspended.
Lets hope that Liverpool avoid English opposition in the next round, with Chelsea coming through their away leg against Juventus, Man Utd looking unstoppable and Arsenal on a run, the one danger team looks to be Bayern Munich, who followed up their 5-0 first leg win with a 7-1 thrashing of Sporting Lisbon!