Chelsea v Manchester United
English Premier League
Sunday, 08 November, 2009
Stamford Bridge

The last 5 titles in the Premier League have been shared by Manchester United and Chelsea, and as the two best sides in England go head to head on Sunday, it’s bound to be a memorable game no matter what the outcome.

Watch Chelsea v Manchester United live in the Premier League by signing up to view the best football feeds online with Ole Ole Football.

You’ve already read about five great Chelsea-United games from the past, and also read our United v Chelsea betting tips.

In this article we look at what Manchester United need to do to hold off, and maybe beat, Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and revisit the predictions made in this week’s Soccerlens Podcast (a must-listen for all football fans).

Chelsea’s advantage

For United, the game will be all about rectifying the mistakes in tactics and approach that they made at Anfield and ensuring that their system to counter-act Chelsea’s strengths and exploit their weaknesses is implemented properly and not left on the touchline.

With Ancelotti employing a diamond formation in the center of the park and playing two strong, mobile strikers up front, Chelsea are awesome through the middle but vulnerable on the flanks.

Add to this the fact that Chelsea are so strong in the second half of the game, and United have a real battle on their hands.

Can United hold the center?

United would benefit by playing three in central midfield, starting with Carrick as the playmaker and Fletcher and Anderson alongside him alternating between ball-winners and offensive threats.

Two pacy wide players who can run at the defence and beat their man (Valencia on the right and possibly Nani on the left, although Giggs / Rooney would do too) could then take up the advanced winger positions and not only exploit Chelsea’s lack of width but also pin down the opposition fullbacks, allowing United’s own fullbacks to push up and double-team Chelsea’s players.

The threat on the wings translates into pressure on the middle for Chelsea, who would then be forced to lose a man either from midfield or central defence to counter-act the threat posed at the wings. This in turn opens up more space for the central midfield and the target man up front (Berbatov, although he might need to be slapped before the game to fire him up) to get into scoring positions through the middle.

In defence United will need to close down spaces quickly to prevent Lampard and Drogba from shooting from long range while Vidic and Evans (or Brown) will need to defend out of their skins to keep Chelsea players away from EVDS, who’s going to be tested quite a lot in this game on set pieces. Defending corners will be a worry for United as well.

United could win this game if they can manage to avoid losing the battle in midfield and keep feeding the ball to the flanks and use their pace and width to pull Chelsea apart. Considering that Chelsea won their last two home games 5-0 and 4-0, it will be a tall order.

Chelsea v Manchester United Prediction

The Manchester United-Chelsea betting odds point to a home win and there’s little evidence from this season’s results to suggest otherwise. All the big players have lost games away from home (Arsenal to United and City, Chelsea to Villa and Wigan, United to Burnley and Liverpool) and the pattern looks set to continue.

However, this is unlikely to be a goal-fest and United are known for their late comebacks so it should be a tight, close finish, and we’re predicting an upset (assuming that United play according to plan).

Prediction: Chelsea 1-2 Manchester United

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Even this early on into the current EPL season viewers have witnessed nearly every team have at least one or two surprise if not shock results. Often these so called ‘blips’ have been accompanied by a dip in form, or at the very least results that have meant the table from top to bottom is as intriguing and open as perhaps it has ever been before.

At the top you have United and Chelsea, who play each other at the Bridge (at least that’s what it’s called for now) this weekend. United are a different side this term after losing Ronaldo and Tevez, and my general opinion is that no team, no matter how good or how big the squad may be, can improve as a result of selling its best player. In this particular instance arguably the best player in the world to boot.

Chelsea on the other hand remain largely unchanged from last season apart from in the board room and the coaching staff and I feel represent the stiffest challenge to United’s bid for a 4^th consecutive league trophy. Behind them lie Arsenal, City, Spurs, Liverpool and Villa all looking for that coveted top four finish.

Below them the remaining sides are left scrambling for Europa League finishes or the ambiguity of mid table league position, but for the first time in many years I don’t feel many of them really fear relegation. My rational behind this is quite simple, although results have shown that anyone can take points from most everyone in the Premiership this season, some teams stand out as being particularly below par.

For example, Hull have to be everyone’s favourites to go down, short of a miracle – which at the current rate is also what Phil Brown will need to keep his job until the end of the season. Then you have to look at Portsmouth, whom despite a recent upturn in fortune, cannot realistically view themselves as anything other than relegation fodder unless some drastic changes happen behind the scenes.

The recent financial issues at Portsmouth are well documented so I won’t go into detail, but if they fail to add quality to the playing staff in January they are as good as relegated in my eyes. At the moment they can barely pay the bills let alone anything above that.

Then I turn my attention to the three promoted sides. They have all acquitted themselves very well so far, but realistically what are the chances of none of them going back down again.. very improbable.. which means all of the relegation places are taken up. Sorry to ruin the suspense for everyone but if you support any other team the season is pretty much over unless you want to finish in a European place.

And so the sense of irony that the world of football always seems to have a commendable mastery of comes around again. In making the Premiership the most competitive it has ever been, it has actually made it the easiest to survive, but the most difficult to succeed in. Unfortunately that means the bottom of the league which normally provides more excitement than the top come the end of the season, is a good as decided already.

On this day 23 years ago, a certain Alexander Chapman Ferguson was appointed as the manager at Manchester United. Today Sir Alex is the most decorated manager in British football history.

His tactical genius, inspirational personality and tremendous focus have put him in a league above others. Probably the only indispensable chink in the Man United armory, his achievements speak for themselves but to dominate the game for two decades takes more than just tactical astuteness and good man management skills.

Eye for talent

“If we look after him the right way he is going to be one of the stars of football.”- on Ronaldo

Sir Alex’s ability to unearth raw talent and develop them into superstars is probably unmatched, though Arsene Wenger too is accomplished in this regard. What separates him from the rest though is that he doesn’t just spot a player’s skill; he can also judge one’s character and ability to perform under pressure. This was seen in the Champions League final when, Anderson, a teenager in his first season at the club, stepped up and coolly converted his penalty whereas, some more experienced and accomplished players failed to do so. Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, Vidic and Ronaldo were all relatively unknown when they arrived at the club but were instrumental in the European cup wins. Cantona, Schmeichel and van der Sar were signed in bargain deals.

Discipline

“You can never allow the players to run the football club and you can never allow the supporters to run the football club. Somebody has to be in charge, and the manager is the best man.”

He is known to maintain very high standards both on and off the pitch. His strict policy has seen superstars like Beckham, Stam and Nistelrooy thrown out of the club when they crossed the line. He also managed to bring the best out of Cantona, who had previously been involved in several scuffles with teammates and bosses. He has also helped hot-headed players like Rooney and Ferdinand get a grip over their temper. His now famous “hair-dryer treatment” has been lashed out to some of the biggest names in football.

Protecting his players

“Wayne understands, as Ryan Giggs understood and Cristiano understands, we will not ask him to climb the mountain tomorrow. The big danger with young players is always that you ask too much of them too quickly. We will let him mature and develop as easily as we can.”

Though a tough taskmaster, he has always protected his players during their rough patches. He kept Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney away from over-exposure to the media when the burst to the scene as “Wonder-kids”. He has constantly protected Rooney despite criticism for his lack of goals, stood behind Cantona during his infamous Kung-Fu kick incident and saved Ronaldo from the public’s wrath after the 2006 World Cup

Hunger for titles

“At the end of this game, the European Cup will be only six feet away from you and you’ll not even able to touch it if we lose. And for many of you that will be the closest you will ever get. Don’t you dare come back in here without giving your all.”- At half-time in the 99 Champs League final

Sir Alex is a born winner. He hates loosing and instills the same feeling in his players, an attitude which has seen his team win the Champions League final after trailing for most of the game and on another occasion saw Utd bounce back from a 3-0 deficit at half-time against Spurs to win 5-3. He has postponed retirement plans on several previous occasions insisting that he still has the desire to win more titles.

Whether it was the problem of getting his team accustomed to the different style of play in the European tournament in the 90’s or the more recent issue of the Rooney-Tevez pairing up-front, Sir Alex has always managed to find a way out of difficult situations.

When he started out his rivals were the likes of Souness, Venebles and Dalglish who despite being about the same age have faded away which shows that he has constantly evolved with the changing cultures in the football, in the process introducing revolutionary ideas and tactics (and even phrases like “squeaky-bum time”). While his attitude and tactical knowledge have put him at the top, it’s his personal drive and ability to evolve which have helped him stay there for more than two decades.

Eccentric style

“They say he’s an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages! I’ve got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages!” on Arsene Wenger

Sir Alex has at several times used the media to his advantage. Now famous for his mind games and mischievous swipes at opposition managers, he on several occasions has also lavished praise on his players in public. Never one to be afraid of taking a gamble, he dropped Jim Leighton ahead of the 1990 FA Cup final, signed a certain Eric Cantona, already famous for his indiscipline, and replaced most of his double winning squad with youngsters, in 1994, which prompted Alan Hanson to say “You’ll never win anything with kids”. Just like this time, he has forced his critics to eat their words on several occasions.

When this fiery Scot took over a talented but title hungry Man Utd in 1986, his sole aim was to knock Liverpool “off their perch”. 23 years on, he has achieved so much more. He has taken the club to heights that were not reached even during the time of the legendary Sir Matt Busby.

Unlike several other managers who now lay more emphasis on a patient and disciplined approach, as the financial stakes increase constantly, he has achieved it all while playing “the beautiful game” the way it should be played. As famous for his catchy one-liners as for his style of chewing gum, Sir Alex is held in the highest esteem among fans and rivals alike.

With his declaration that he wants a third Champions League title before retirement (straight after he won his second!), the man who reportedly was about to be sacked in 1990 has once again warned his rivals that the fire in him still burns.

“Alex has given Manchester United the most fantastic ride, and he has made the club what we always thought it was – number one” – Sir Bobby Charlton

Elizabeth Lambert is a college football defender playing for New Mexico in the Women’s Mountain West Conference college tournament. In the game against Bringham Young University (BYU), things got a little rough with Elizabeth. Things got so rough that she earned the nickname Elizabeth “cheap-shot” Lambert. Seriously, words can’t describe what she has done. So, here’s the video of the event:

Watch the video here:

That’s just disgusting. Number 1, that’s a college level match and you don’t need to harm your opponents at that level. Number 2, what happened to the referee and the linesmen? The only acceptable answers for not showing the red card to Elizabeth will be a physical inability to blow… the whistle, that is. Blind will do too.

This is surely something that needs to be looked in to and serious action taken against the players and the officials involved.

Major League Soccer is growing and improving but outsiders often criticise the league for having a lack of quality. It is a relatively fast football played in the US, with plenty of big, athletic players of the kind which is becoming so important in so many footballing countries across the world.

The league has a lot of players who possess technical skill but relatively few whose most important attribute is a range of tricks and flicks allied to incisive vision and killer technique.

Jaime Moreno at DC United doesn’t quite have the trickery but his touch and technique have been a joy to behold – not to mention his goals. More recently, Seattle Sounders’ young Colombian forward Fredy Montero has excited supporters with his pace and footwork in his debut season.

But flying the flag for wizardry in MLS over the last couple of years has been Chicago Fire’s Mexican international Cuauhtémoc Blanco, a player of worldwide renown whose signing in 2007 was overshadowed by LA Galaxy’s move for David Beckham, a player whose career path in MLS has been remarkably similar to Blanco’s.

On 29th October, Blanco announced that he is leaving Major League Soccer to return to Mexico and Veracruz, where he spent time on loan in 2004. At the age of 36, Blanco’s career is winding down and a trip home is understandable. But his ability will be missed by MLS, even if his presence is largely unpopular outside Chicago. The rivalry between the United States and Mexico puts him at an automatic disadvantage, but he has several traits which inspire distaste in football supporters. He is certainly not universally popular, and it’s not surprising that many are toasting his departure.

Regardless, Blanco is a superb footballer and an asset on the field. He has one or two tricks up his sleeve, most famously the brilliant Blanco Hop which became so well-known after its use during the World Cup in France in 1998. He has earned over 100 caps for his country, played and scored in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, and has winner’s medals from the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1996 and 1998 and the 1999 Confederations Cup, where he also won the Golden Boot. Despite only briefly playing club football in Europe, Blanco has had an impact on world football.

Kid América

Blanco spent no fewer than 15 years at Club América, the giant club from his home town, Mexico City. He spent much of that time on loan, but was back at Estadio Azteca in time to play an important part in two successful years for the club. In 2005, América won their tenth domestic title, (the 2005 Clausura) and a Mexican Super Cup. The following year they won the CONCACAF Champions Cup and took an impressive fourth place in the World Club Cup. Egypt’s Al-Ahly beat them to third in a tournament won by Brazil’s Internacional.

The aforementioned loan spells weaved through his career at América. In 1997 he moved for a short time to Necaxa – now playing in Aguascalientes – also in Azteca, and he played a handful of matches for Veracruz in 2004. Between 2000 and 2002 he spent his only time in Europe, playing just over 20 games for La Liga side Real Valladolid.

Upon his return, Blanco starred for América and helped them embark upon their mid-2000s purple patch. In 2007, the decorated and experienced midfielder headed to the United States to join Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire.

Blanco hops to MLS

Like his fellow big 2007 signing Beckham, Blanco’s popularity is far from pristine. His contributions to Chicago have been tainted by aspects of his play and also by off-field factors. Chicago Fire contributes over $2.5 million to his designated player salary, supplemented by the $415,000 he receives from Major League Soccer and the Fire’s wage cap. Only Beckham earns more and, like Beckham, Blanco has played a loan spell abroad during his MLS contract.

While playing for AC Milan or, in Blanco’s case, Santos Laguna may not be hugely problematic, it is an implicit slight to Major League Soccer that its two highest-paid stars feel the need to test themselves elsewhere in the off-season and feel they can play all year round despite being comfortably into their 30s. Blanco also has a reputation as a diver and has a habit of play-acting and getting involved in unnecessary controversy, as demonstrated by his gift to referee Jair Marrufo earlier in the season.

Beckham had to deal with the burden of his side failing to make the playoffs in 2007 and 2008, but Blanco has helped the Fire reach the playoffs in ‘07 and ‘08, though they ultimately stumbled. They have again qualified in 2009 and are 2-1 down to New England Revolution heading into their conference semi-final second leg at Toyota Park.

Veracruz 2010

A dramatic turnaround would help Blanco’s legacy at Chicago no end. Mexican club Veracruz announced last week that they will be signing Blanco, who has decided not to re-sign with MLS. Blanco’s departing statement indicates a great deal of fondness for MLS and Chicago Fire, and suggests that several clubs were offering the player a chance to return home. He claims that he promised fans of the Red Sharks in 2004 that he would return to the club, and is happy to be keeping that promise.

Despite talk of an opt-out clause in his Veracruz contract, it seems Cuauhtémoc Blanco’s time in the USA is at an end upon completion of the 2009 season. And while his cheeky eye for a pass and deftness of finishing will be missed, his cost and histrionics will not.

You can read more about Cuauhtémoc Blanco here, and read Soccerlens’ interview with Blanco here.

Chris Nee writes at twofootedtackle and co-hosts the twofootedtackle Podcast.

Watch Chelsea v Manchester United live in the Premier League by signing up to view the best football feeds online with Ole Ole Football.

This weekend plays host to arguably the match of the Premier League season when Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea take on reigning champions Manchester United in what could be reasonably termed, a championship “six-pointer”.

To honour this occasion, we look back over some of the finest games between these two giants of English football:

You can catch the Soccerlens preview for the Chelsea – Manchester United game and our predictions in this week’s podcast.

1) Manchester United 1-3 Chelsea: Tuesday May 10th 2005

This was the game which not so much underlined the dominance of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in his first season, as highlighted it was a fluorescent marker with stars alongside.

His team was built like a machine, driven by a mixture of ego, talent and plain hard graft. Mourinho had turned promising talents such as John Terry, Frank Lampard, Arjen Robben and Damien Duff into winners with his own brand of brilliant self-regard and willingness to put the noses of the established order out of place.

This was a match that highlighted the gap which Mourinho had managed to construct in his first season in England and that of the previously unbeatable top two of Arsenal and Manchester United. At the beginning of the season this will have been viewed as a litmus test for Chelsea, but the fact that it wasn’t said it all about this team. They entered this match searching for their 29th win of the season and a Premier League record 94 points-and they duly got it.

United were forced to put up a guard of honour to the new champions, a galling feat for born winners such as Roy Keane and Gary Neville, and then proceeded to demonstrate why they had been bested by the champions. On the face of it, United were fielding a full strength line-up including the attacking totems Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney whereas Chelsea were without John Terry and Petr Cech.

Yet for the next 90 minutes United were put distinctly on their proverbial backside. Despite an early typical Van Nistelrooy poached goal, Chelsea struck back through a Tiago effort from long range. Gudjohnsen then struck again, beating Roy Carroll to the ball to score, before a Joe Cole strike sealed the win. That they could win so easily away at their title rivals with a weakened team was poignant, and was a sign of things to come. For the next two years Chelsea were to be the top dogs-this win signified that Chelsea really had arrived.

2) Manchester United 4-0 Chelsea: FA Cup Final 1994 Saturday 14th 1994

Certain games deserve to go down in the annals of history, as much for the score and the match itself, but also for the players and the teams that take part. This match deserves to be remembered so simply for the sheer majesty of Manchester United’s double-winning team of the 93/94 season.

With a mind of the great teams in United history that had come before them, and the sheer brilliance which was to follow they will perhaps never be remembered as fondly as many of United’s teams, but their place in helping establish Manchester United’s hegemony of English football for the next decade and a half deserves credit. This was a team packed with stars, established pros and burgeoning young talents who would go on to light up English football.

The starting line-up held the giant, both in size and ability, Peter Schmeichel, vastly underrated fullbacks Irwin and Parker, the doughty defensive partnership of Bruce and Pallister which was nearing an end and the combative midfield duo of Roy Keane and the Guv’nor Paul Ince. In attack they held future Chelsea striker Mark Hughes, the prolific winger Andrei Kanchelskis (whose time at United remains curiously underrated) and the livewire, soon to be legendary, Ryan Giggs. Yet the real star was Eric Cantona, whose performance in this match prompted the Guardian to say: “Eric the Baton Rouge demonstrated his match-winning qualities in a different way. Chelsea were victims of a guillotine motion. There was no appeal.”

Indeed there wasn’t. Chelsea were not a bad team, in fact they had beaten United twice already that season, but on this day they could not live with them. Gavin Peacock, scorer of the two winning goals against them in their league meetings that year, was sadly anonymous. Yet the game hinged on six second half minutes.

That was all it took for Eric Cantona to take the game away from Chelsea, courtesy of two penalties, one deserved for a Newton foul on Giggs, the other a dubious call against Frank Sinclair-who at this time was reckoned as one of the brighter defensive talents in England (oh how long ago that was!) against Andrei Kanchelskis. After that, there was little hope for Chelsea, Sinclair slipped to allow Hughes through to score before a late Brian McClair goal simply added further gloss to the scoreline. In hindsight, it has merely further enhanced their legend.

3) Chelsea 5-0 Manchester United: Sunday October 3rd 1999

Despite being the dominant force throughout the English footballing epoch which was the 1990s, on certain occasions when Manchester United lost, they lost in earth-shattering inept manners. Certain occasions specifically spring to mind, the 6-3 loss away at Southampton-when Le Tissier and Ostenstad ran riot, that 5-0 defeat at St James’ Park which Newcastle fans probably still remember as well as yesterday. Then there was this day, a game where Manchester United, having been the top dogs throughout the decade, were taught a lesson, and such was the difference between the teams that the paragon of virtue and even-handedness Sir Alex Ferguson was forced to admit: “we were well-beaten.”

In fairness, there is no disgrace in losing to what should be remembered as a potentially brilliant, yet ultimately underachieving Chelsea team. This was a team who could partner Gianfranco Zola-in his illustrious pomp, with £10million signing Chris Sutton, up front. Could boast one of the best attacking midfielders in the league in Gustavo Poyet, working in tandem with a World Cup winning captain in Didier Deschamps. This was hardly a who’s who of football mediocrity.

But United’s team wasn’t bad either, they were on the back of arguably the club’s greatest season ever, and featured the deadly duo of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, David Beckham back when he had pace and was probably at his most effective, Paul Scholes-emerging as a star for club and country, and Jaap Stam in defence-who at that time was probably the world’s best centre half. Yet there was one vital difference between this United team, and the one which had Treble triumphed-this was between the sticks, and a name who will forever send shivers down the fans of United fans everywhere, Massimo Taibi.

It took all of 27 seconds for Taibi’s haplessness to impinge on a potentially crucial match for United, as he charged of his line, clashed with Dennis Irwin and allowed Gustavo Poyet to score. Then a Ferrer cross allowed Chris Sutton to head home his first goal for the club, and just to underline how everything was going Chelsea’s way Nicky Butt was sent off 23 minutes for kicking Dennis Wise right under the referee’s nose.

From then on in, Chelsea merely sauntered to victory. Poyet underlined his class by reacting first to grab his third from close range, then two minutes later Henning Berg’s own goal merely rubbed salt in United’s open wounds, and then ten minutes from the end Graeme Le Saux set Jody Morris away to shoot between Taibi’s legs and send the Stamford Bridge into raptures.

4) Chelsea 5-6 Manchester United: 16th October 1954

Just to prove that there was life before the Premier League, no matter how much certain sports broadcasters (naming no names) may have you believe there weren’t. Here was a game from back in the days when footballers were normal everyday people who spent most of their days in proper jobs such as plumbing and carpentry, well at least that’s what your grandparents said.

Yet this match proved that for sheer excitement, it could compete with anything which British football has since produced. This was a game between a Chelsea team who would emerge from the season as league champions and a Manchester United team who would ultimately emerge from their chrysalis as the Busby Babes, perhaps the most celebrated group of young players that British football has ever seen.

A number of that group were playing in this match, Duncan Edwards-the versatile, multiskilled player who was a boy built like a man, and was so good that Bobby Charlton once described him as “the only player that made me feel inferior.” Then there was Dennis Viollet the lightning quick striker, Bill Foulkes and David Pegg.

Yet on this day they were coming up against a Chelsea team who were in the process of embarking on a title-winning campaign. Led by Ted Drake, himself a fine striker for Arsenal and England, and spearheaded by England international, club captain and top-scorer Roy Bentley-who scored 21 goals that year. The team itself was a team devoid of stars, but was noteworthy for featuring future England manager Ron Greenwood in their ranks.

But on this day this was a pulsating match dominated by the powerful Manchester United team. They raced into the lead, leading 5-2 at half time, but were pegged back by Chelsea, who made the score 5-3 early on in the second half. United scored again to restore their three goal cushion, before late goals from O’Connell and Jim Lewis set up a grandstand finish. Alas, Chelsea were not to pull the game back to 6-6, and making one of the finest comebacks of all time. However one Chelsea man could look back on the match fondly, as the aforementioned O’Connell grabbed a hat-trick-as an amateur inside left making his debut for the club.

5) Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United (Manchester United win 6-5 on penalties): UEFA Champions League Final: Wednesday 22nd May 2008

Quite simply the mother lode of all Manchester United and Chelsea matches. The quality of this match was not the highest, it was in fact a draw with only two goals scored, and its was played on a pitch and in conditions which were hardly conducive to the greatest of football. But for drama, high stakes and sheer gut-wrenching emotion, this match had it in spades.

This was the match of the top two teams in England being played out for all of Europe to see, as they entered into a heavyweight bout against one another which no-one deserved to lose-especially not in the manner they did.

United, enjoying perhaps the finest season they had seen since the Treble winners of 98/99 were the heavily fancied favourites. They had in Cristiano Ronaldo, a player whose utter dominance over the year was reminiscent of a legendary figure such as a Cruyff or Zidane.

In Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra, three of the finest defenders in the world, in Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez a hard-working strike partnership who troubled defenders the world over, and in Owen Hargreaves, Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick, a midfield blend of energy, passing and measured control which could run any game.

But Chelsea, as they have proved time and time again, are arguably at their most dangerous when they are written off. This was the season which saw off Mourinho, left the club briefly disunited and in disarray, and then introduced an unknown Israeli of little standing and reputation called Avram Grant, who someway, somehow managed to turn their chaotic season around into a three way fight for trophies.

This remained Mourinho’s team, run by Grant, but as formidable as ever. The dominant defence of Terry and Carvalho remained, the energetic Essien was being deployed as a makeshift right-back, Frank Lampard continued to score freely-as he had done so emotionally against Liverpool in the semi-final, and Didier Drogba remained on his day a potential matchwinner.

It was United who struck early, as Michael Essien’s unease at right-back was exploited when Cristiano Ronaldo rose above him to head home a Hargreaves cross. Chelsea struck back with Frank Lampard took advantage of defensive hesitancy to score. Didier Drogba then transformed into the villain of the piece with a lamentable push on Vidic which reduced Chelsea to ten men, yet with neither team able to force a win, penalties came.

Tevez, Ballack, Carrick and Belletti scored before Ronaldo, whose brilliance through the season had saved United, saw his penalty saved by Cech. Lampard, Hargreaves, Ashley Cole and Nani all scored to leave John Terry to step up and stroke home the winning penalty.

Everyone knows what happened next.  Terry’s slip sent the ball wide, brought tears to his eyes, and suddenly let United off the hook. Anderson and Kalou both scored before Giggs put United back in front. Then up stepped Anelka, Van der Sar guessed right, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Watch Chelsea v Manchester United live in the Premier League by signing up to view the best football feeds online with Ole Ole Football.

Eduardo’s back heel onto Arshavin, who runs and takes the ball and finds the pass to Diaby, who sets himself up and scores.

That my friends was the goal of the night and the fourth for Arsenal against AZ Alkmaar. The football recently played by Arsenal is nothing short of phenomenal, offensively of course. This has prompted me to compare The Arsenal with the best of the rest in Europe.

The question is, Are Arsenal playing the most tantalising football in Europe? They are top scorers in the Premier League, as well as playing the flowing football that has football fans everywhere applauding.

Across Europe, Ajax are scoring goals for fun, with Suarez really becoming a deadly finisher. Steve McClaren’s FC Twente are top of the Eredivisie winning smoothly but with powerful strikes. Real Madrid, Manchester United Liverpool and Barcelona have talented players, but they are not spellbinding crowds, with their potential swagger and grace.

Arsenal have scored six times in a match twice, against Blackburn and Everton. Stylish strikes from seventeen different Arsenal players have managed to rain in doubters who are actually backing the Gunners to win the Premier League. Schalke 04 have fight in them, never giving up, particularly against Hamburg. Chelsea are looking easy on the eye, but technique-wise, not quite as fluid.

However I’m talking about flowing football. Players’ intertwining passes capturing the imagination of supporters. It really is fantastic to watch. The array of attacking talent assembled by Arsene Wenger is finally beginning to pay fruition, and potential slip-ups are easily overcome (like Spurs). They are showing they can score the perfect goal and are reminding me of the uber-gifted Barca team of last season, scoring for fun. Could they repeat Barcelona’s mean feat and win everything going?

Bordeaux are unstoppable at set-pieces and are lightening quick on the counter attack. They are the closest in challenging Arsenal for the best football. They have Gourcuff and Chamakh, but Arsenal have Fabregas and Van Persie. What a match this would be if they met in the Champions League? I digress, but this Arsenal team has the potential to walk every competition. I stress; the potential. I’ve seen too many false dawns but it feels a bit special. Young English talent coming through the ranks, learning and excelling in playing “the Arsenal way”, and the first team is not doing too bad either.

Right now, I believe no team is playing quite as stylishly as Arsenal. The technical skill is there for all to see, but if this Arsenal team wins something this season, the team will definitely dominate world football. A joy to watch, silky moves to match, let’s hope we see plenty more good football in remainder of the season.

This week saw the news that Chelsea have joined Newcastle United in openly stating that they are considering selling the naming rights to one of England’s  most established stadiums.

Opening myself to accusations of being overdramatic  I believe that  if today’s announcement to tinker with the name of Stamford Bridge for commercial rights goes ahead it will be one of the biggest events in the clubs history.

My initial reaction to the announcement was one of anger, frustration and down right disbelief that Chelsea were considering becoming the next club to sell off a chunk of the clubs heritage in pursuit of commercial success. As those of you who have read my writing before may be aware I have regularly written about the mixed blessings of the commercialism of football and how in many regards it has sucked the heart from the game. On many levels  I believe that the selling of naming rights of old established stadiums follows the mantra of selling football down the river for a few bucks.

This however is where the problem lies, for a club like Chelsea the naming rights of Stamford Bridge are worth more than just small change and the more I consider both the pros and cons of the issue you can see why clubs are willing to risk angering fans and consider such landmark decisions.

Ron Gourlay the Chelsea Chief Executive justifies the decision by claiming that a failure by the club to take advantage of this opportunity would affect the clubs ability to compete:

“What we are not prepared to happen, and I am sure our fans will appreciate this, is allow our rival clubs in England and Europe to gain a competitive advantage over us in terms of the revenue they can generate through either expanding the capacity of their existing stadia or moving to a new stadium and then invest that upside in their team or the club.”

“What we are not prepared to happen, and I am sure our fans will appreciate this, is allow our rival clubs in England and Europe to gain a competitive advantage over us in terms of the revenue they can generate through either expanding the capacity of their existing stadia or moving to a new stadium and then invest that upside in their team or the club.”

Full press release.

Chelsea have stated for many years since the Abramovich takeover that break-even is the objective and with a huge wage bill to cover all possible revenue streams will be considered by the board and some would argue the potential revenue would be too much to turn down.

Interestingly Chelsea’s press release did promise the intention to keep the Stamford Bridge in the stadium name but I fail to see any name suggestions that will give the potential sponsor the maximum namecheck possible as well as keeping the fans happy and how a true compromise could be reached.

Generally the principal in English football has been mainly for new build stadiums to sell stadium naming rights notable examples include the Arsenal and Bolton,Coventry, Wigan and Reading.  This practise is generally seen as more acceptable as there is not the history attached to a previous stadium name some of which such as Chelsea’s come with over 100 years of history attached.

This leads us onto the most interesting part of the official press release in acknowledging the importance of fans what will the reaction of the Chelsea fans be?

There are already numerous facebook groups denouning today’s announcement and I cannot expect the fan in the stand to take this lying down, fans understand that in the modern game money is a factor but at what point does this stop? After the Game 39, television and naming rights fiascos i cannot believe that it will be long before the latest controversial money making scheme threatens to errode our game further.

The arguments of  money v tradition/credibility/respect will rumble on for as long as football continues to expand and I expect that this topic will be on the minds of Chelsea fans for the weeks and months to come.

The fans must be wondering for how long  they will turn on Soccer Saturday and be able to hear Jeff Stelling utter the phrase ‘now over to Stamford Bridge’ unedited without a commerciallly motivated tagline?

Written by Kristian Downer, the editor of http://www.echelseafc.com.

Eight red cards, thirty two goals and more talking points than a Peter Andre exclusive, Gameweek 11 had everything. Even by the implausibly high standards set in Fantasy Football, this week was a bit special.

Whether you winced as Shay Given batted away James McFadden’s penalty, rejoiced as Jamie Carragher finally got his comeuppance, or sat indifferently as Phil Brown’s tenure at Hull approached its conclusion, chances are you will have had an exciting last seven days in the world of Fantasy Football.

You can join the Football Media fantasy football league (and try your hand at beating Neil to the finish line) by signing up here.

The Men In Form

Claret and Blue was the colour of the week, with no fewer than five Burgundy boys making up the week’s top scoring team. Graham Alexander of Burnley was the week’s top point scorer with 21 points, the veteran Scot is enjoying his first taste of the Premier League at 37, and his two goals tightened the coffin lid on a hapless Phil Brown.

Portsmouth fans have had little to smile about this season, but things are looking up at the moment. Wigan were worryingly swotted aside 4-0 at a jubilant Fratton Park, with Aruna Dindane grabbing his first league goals with a neatly taken hat-trick, earning him 20 points in the process.

And let’s not forget the big boys too. Robin Van Persie is fast becoming the hottest left footer in the business, with two more goals for Arsenal in their 3-0 derby success over Robbie Keane’s “definitely on a par” Spurs side. Bacary Sagna and Cesc Fabregas also continue to shine, whilst Thomas Vermaelen is fast looking like £10 million well spent.

The Men To Avoid

He was once touted as the next big thing in English football, scoring goals with his head, showing off his incredible athleticism, swearing on TV, but Micah Richards has fallen away since bursting onto the scene in 2005. So much so that he can no longer consider himself first choice at Manchester City. Pablo Zabaleta was playing at right-back this weekend, and with Kolo Toure, Joleon Lescott and Vincent Kompany competing for central defensive berths, the feeling is creeping in that Richards may need to leave Eastlands if he is to maximise his undoubted potential.

Same goes for David Bentley at Tottenham. It seems only yesterday that many – including myself – were blindly tipping him for an England starting slot. How he has dropped away since. Against Arsenal, the ex-Blackburn man preened, pouted and strutted his way around the park, offering little by way of genuine threat, and generally irritating with his body language. He has just 3 Fantasy points this season, and when Aaron Lennon comes back, Harry Redknapp will have little hesitation in lancing that particular boil.

Bargain Hunt

Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal) – It wasn’t all good news for Arsene Wenger this week. Losing Gael Clichy to a stress fracture of his back for a month is not ideal, but the Frenchman’s replacement is. Kieran Gibbs is quick, smart and uses the ball well. At £4.5m, he also represents the bargain of the century in a swashbuckling Gunners side.

Matthew Etherington (Stoke) – Once upon a time, Matty Etherington and his Peterborough team-mate Simon Davies, were the most sought after property in England. Neither career has really reached the heights they once promised, but Etherington is enjoying a renaissance under Tony Pulis. A goal and an assist against Wolves last week earned him 13 points, and his £5.2m price tag is far from restrictive. Take a punt.

Jack Collison (West Ham) – This kid has talent. End of story. Two assists at Sunderland last week for the Welshman handed him 10 points for the week. His style is reminiscent of someone like Frank Lampard or Paul Scholes, a smart user of the ball, who gets around the pitch. £5.2m equals bargain for this youngster.

Premier League Fixtures

• Aston Villa v Bolton
• Blackburn v Portsmouth
• Man City v Burnley
• Tottenham v Sunderland
• Wolves v Arsenal
• Hull City v Stoke City
• West Ham v Everton
• Wigan v Fulham
• Chelsea v Man Utd
• Liverpool v Birmingham

Obviously the main one is Chelsea v United on Sunday, try to avoid too big a clash in your side for that one. Arsenal look to capitalise on that match with a win at Wolves in Saturday’s evening game, whilst Man City will look to end a run of draws with a home win over Burnley’s travel-sick side. Liverpool have to wait until Monday night to take on Birmingham, with an injury list longer than most people’s list of grievances with Rafa Benitez.

My Team

Well, I jinxed myself. A poor week of 67 points all things considered. Captain Cesc and super Robin Van Persie did me proud, and there were goals for Didier Drogba and Wayne Rooney to boot. But my Villa gamble failed, James’ Milner and Collins did nothing in their two games (Milner picked up an injury half-way through his first), and fellow newbies Michael Ballack and Jamie Carragher also didn’t help much.

This week, Carragher is gone. William Gallas of Arsenal is my choice to replace the suspended Scouser. I am considering another, costly, change to my lineup should Milner be ruled out. Gareth Barry is my choice to replace him, but I have faith in my team to bounce back.

FM League

As a result of my poor week, I have slipped down to 4th spot. Two of the first three spots, however, are taken by newcomers, with Ray Wall (Razors Utd) and Pavenpul Bhullar (Messi’s Boca Juniors) sneaking into the top of the league (latecomers, tsk!). Credit though must go to the excellent Jon Reeson and his Westfield Irons, who move into 2nd spot after a 101 point week – thank Alexander, Ashley Young, Lampard and Van Persie for that!

Myself, well I sit 24 points off the lead, but there is still so much to play for.

You can join the Football Media fantasy football league (and try your hand at beating Neil to the finish line) by signing up here.

Inter Milan v AS Roma
Serie A
Sunday, 8 November 2009
San Siro
Kick off: 20:45

As Internazionale faces AS Roma at the San Siro this Sunday, Roma manager Claudio Ranieri will be hoping that the evidence he is looking at is wrong.

Exhibit item A tells Ranieri that Roma without Francesco Totti does not offer much this season. As Totti had a flying start to this year’s Serie A season, floating upwards on the top scoring chart, so was Roma looking in OK form. Since it was decided that Totti would have surgery on his knee to fix recurring knee problems, Roma have fallen back down the table.

Currently 14^th, and performing poorly on their travels this season, Ranieri must be hoping that the task of facing a top team such as Inter will be motivation enough to for Roma’s underperforming squad. To be fair, no one beats Inter at the San Siro, but Roma can do much more than they are showing.

After taking over from Luciano Spalletti after two losses at the beginning of the season, Rome-born Ranieri must have known that he was taking over a team dominated by confusion. The Roma squad is certainly not of poor quality. Looking at the talent available to them, it seems that what is needed is an authority-figure able to make these players confident of their abilities again.

With clear instructions, and a strong figure at the helm who believes in them, Roma are good enough this year to qualify for the Europa League again. With the right guidance, players such as Daniele De Rossi, Jérémy Ménez, David Pizarro, Simone Perrotta and Mirko Vucinic are good enough to make a serious impact in the Serie A.

Even without Totti, this side should be performing better than sitting 14^th. Perrotta can score goals and set up play. The incredible technical talent Jérémy Ménez possesses is reminiscent of that of Francesco Totti himself. Pizarro has played well enough recently to be considered for a recall by World Cup ready Chile coach Marcelo Bielsa. Vucinic certainly has talent, though it does not always shine as brightly as it could.

In Totti’s absence, Daniele De Rossi, Roma’s second greatest son at the moment, is given the chance to shine with the captain’s armband. De Rossi’s ability is great, and his enthusiasm contagious. Ranieri, himself a player to come through the Roma system in his time, needs to make that count. He needs to make sure that Roma success is not so dependent on whether Totti is able to play or not.

Tactically and technically Roma have an exciting team. Ranieri needs to instil the confidence and belief in that team again to make them play to their abilities. Club talisman of the stature he is, when Totti then comes back from injury he should have the privilege of simply having to add that touch of class and ingenuity he is so able to do. Sooner rather than later i Lupi, the Wolves, will then start heading back up the table. Ranieri needs to revive a Roma rapacity for results.