Betting on the Champions League?

The Champions League is back with us this week and Wednesday’s action throws up some very interesting ties, involving some of Europe’s biggest clubs. The likes of Chelsea, AC Milan and Barcelona will all be looking to avoid embarrassing home defeats, while Arsenal face a tricky trip to Marseille.

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How can Arsenal's season be deemed successful?

In over the seven years I’ve been an Arsenal fan, there has never been such a grim situation surrounding Wenger and his boys. I thought there would never be a sadder moment than Thierry Henry’s departure to Barcelona, but I was clearly wrong. Arsenal have played their poorest football in over 15 years this season and there is a general sense of fear creeping into the minds of Arsenal fans about the current state of affairs at the club.

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Liverpool May Have To Walk Alone

Despite the long and illustrious history of the European Cup, there have only ever been five winners from capital cities (see if you can get all five – answers are at the bottom of the page). It is of no surprise that a number of European Cups have been won by some of the poorest areas, not least Liverpool.

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TV Self-Reliance Good for English Football?

Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre this week opened the debate on foreign television contracts – arguing that Premier League teams should be allowed to negotiate their own deals. The proposal would replace the current structure – a £1.4bn contract which expires in 2013. Under the terms of this agreement, the revenue earnt goes directly to the Premier League, who then splits it evenly amongst the 20 clubs that make up England’s top division.

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England looking strong going onwards from Montenegro

With the usual chaos and controversy of the Premier League suspended for a weekend, England travel to Montenegro for the culmination of their group G campaign seeking a solitary point to take them into next year’s European Championships.

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Saturday Paper Round Up @ City consider Van Persie move, Chelsea target in contract talks and Barca eye Palace teen

Valencia are set to hold contract renewal talks with striker Francisco Alcacer in a bid to put an end to Arsenal's interest in the player.

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Power Playing

What football fans witnessed this week in the form of Carlos Tevez’s refusal to play was repugnant. What Alex Ferguson has witnessed in the form of TV’s ever growing influence over football was repugnant also, in his opinion. At the heart of both these much publicised incidents is the idea of power within football and who should have the right to exercise that power.

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Ten of the best: Robin Van Persie’s finest century strikes.

So he has done, after signing for Arsenal back in 2004, Robin Van Persie’s brace against Bolton at the weekend helped him earn his 99^th and 100^th goals for the club. Whilst the striker has spent a lot of his tenure in North London on the injury table, Van Persie’s goals over the last few years have been like gold dust to the Gunners especially last year. And being Dutch means that there have been some crackers along the way.

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Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion are more similar than I previously thought

Arsenal and Brighton and Hove Albion are more similar than I previously thought. Arsenal, renowned for being the best passing team in the land, are as pleasing on the eye (on their day) as Barcelona who are without a doubt one of the best teams of modern times.

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Barcelona at a Crossroads

By all accounts, on Saturday Barcelona tore through Osasuna, spanking the Pamplona side 8-0. While this may have added flames to the fire that is the non-competitive nature of La Liga, it also added to the thought that this Barcelona side is one of the best that the world has ever seen. But while everything on the pitch seems as rosy as ever, off the pitch the club appears to be at a crossroads.

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Two types of genius

The two greatest footballers in the world are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both play in La Liga and both are icons around the globe.Yet how can two such wonderful attacking players have equal success but have such contrasting styles?

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Milan’s new team return to the top table

Periods of transition do not come as stark as they did for AC Milan, regarded as one of Europe’s true giants with seven Champions League wins, in sinking to the depths of the Europa League at one point in the last three years at odds with such proud European tradition, they hit the lowest ebb with annihilation in the Champions League by Manchester United.

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Wenger must go?

You could also argue that he has changed the youth system at the club and give it 3 or 4 years and Arsenal will be atop the league with an average age of 13. How often though have you heard that with Arsenal? For years and years I have heard that amazing players will come through and dominate the team but since then Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey are the only key players to emerge from the youth setup.

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Could Man City's David Silva emerge as Barca target?

This incredible generation of Spanish footballers is currently overflowing with midfield talent, but even amongst the big names of Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas at Barcelona, not to mention Real Madrid lynchpin Xabi Alonso, Manchester City's David Silva definitely stands out as a star player of immense ability.

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The problem facing Spanish football

Some football fans believe La Liga is slowly becoming the biggest and best league in the world. You can't exactly blame them; Spain does posses two of the world’s biggest sides in Real Madrid and Barcelona, arguably the greatest player of my generation in Lionel Messi with Cristiano Ronaldo coming a close second and the national side currently holding onto the World Cup and European Championships with a smug grin on their respective faces.

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