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Chelsea v Manchester United ... total English domination of Europe starts here
The finest sides in the land served up a thriller in their last game – can they resist the urge to play it safe with so much at stake in Moscow?
by 101greatgoals.com on 02 May 2008
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With 10 days between the end of the Premier League season and the Champions League final in Moscow, there will be no shortage of build-up to the showpiece game of the European season.For now, much of the media are celebrating the fact that it is an all-English final. We should get used to this state of affairs and it would be no surprise if the Premier League was to dominate the Champions League in the coming seasons. Especially as the Big Four are likely to continue their monopoly of the top four places in the league and, as a result, continue to lead the way in Europe. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United can put their dominance in England down to almost exclusive qualification for the Champions League and they are swiftly becoming not just the richest and most powerful teams in England but also in Europe.There is a certain irony that in the same season that Richard Scudamore announced his 39th game initiative, Moscow will stage an international match of massive importance between the best two teams in England.The hype surrounding the fixture will be immense and both teams have the capability to play open and attractive football as well as employ tactics that will stifle the opposition and reduce the game to an unattractive spectacle. The FA Cup final last season was a sad way for the grand old trophy to return to Wembley as the two sides played out a mind-numbing 120 minutes.But this season the Premier League games have been feisty affairs. United beat Chelsea 2-0 in Avram Grant’s first game in charge and the encounter at Stamford Bridge last week was as good a game as any seen in English football this season. And this was against a fairly weakened United team.It is intriguing to note how the two remaining Premier League matches could affect the final. If Chelsea can overhaul United – an unlikely prospect with the Red Devils facing West Ham and Wigan – they will be clear favourites for the final. Chelsea are currently the side with the most momentum in Europe and this would be further enhanced by grabbing their third Premier League crown in four seasons.But, if United were to hold on to their lead, Chelsea would not be unduly worried and it shouldn’t hamper their confidence for the final as no one even expected them to challenge after Grant took over from Jose Mourinho. The personal battles on show in Moscow will be more than intriguing and in many cases could be career defining. Ashley Cole will have to keep Cristiano Ronaldo quiet, as he famously did in Euro 2004 in a match remembered for a brilliant individual tussle. Can Rio Ferdinand keep Didier Drogba quiet? And will the United midfield be able to handle Lampard and Ballack.With two of the best sides in Europe going head to head in the final it is no surprise that tickets are already going for £5,000. But with so much talent on show this could be the ultimate showcase of all that is good about English football.
We could be in store for a game full of passion, commitment, bundles of energy and no shortage of class players.
Comments (15)
on May 02, 2008 on May 02, 2008
The nationality with the most players present in the biggest World club tournament is English, have that all you English player haters, i.e 90% of the Arsenal fanbase, where are you lot, ha ha ha!
What is the nationality of all the players present (and Welsh or Scottish isn't English)?
on May 03, 2008 on May 03, 2008
Terry, A.Cole, J.Cole, W.Phillips, Lampard, Ferdinand, Neville, Brown, Hargreaves, Carrick, Scoles, Rooney. Not bad for a nationality that most people on this site has claimed to be inferior. Its the England set up not the players that have failed us!
And the French?
by khim pun on May 03, 2008
I want to look
by The knower of all things on May 03, 2008
Your having a LAUGH!!! when spain and italy dominated the CL they had percentage wise a far higher italian or spanish player base in their teams.As an englishman I'm embarrassed at the nationalistic bandwagon claiming superiority in this sport.We are DOMINATED by the world in the PL and we really only have a claim to the NAMES of the teams.We are not really that good we NO longer play an english style football everything about us is FORIEGN and the whole of europe is laughing at or egotistical claims based on THEIR players!!! when the money leaves so will the foriegn footballing skill.
How many of those English players cost more than £10 million or are on £60 thousand pounds per week or more?.... Only those 2 clubs can afford to buy and keep them....1 team in debt up to there eyeballs and the other losing £75 million pounds per year. .. Proper clubs running proper buisnesses cannot.
by The Knower Of More on May 03, 2008
There are more English players in the Champions league final than any other nationality, FACT, like it or not!!!!!!!
But there is none in the Euros fact! Like it or not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its obvious that they are good enough, if they werent then there wouldnt be so many players present in such a major cup final. Where is Arsenal, Barcelona, Real and Co? The England team has suffered from poor management and a crap setup for years. Very few other nations suffer from such pressure and negative media attention as England. Some of the players are world class and are definately good enough to be in this years Euros.
The English players cannot pass a ball in the opponents half.... It's Ferdinand to Terry back to Ferdinand to Gerrard and hoof it to Crouch, the move breaks down..... The English players lack technical ability except Barry and J. cole. they need the foreign players around them all English don't work.
by Ron S on May 07, 2008
I have tickets, but considering the high prices these have gone up to, I consider seriously to use them as my loan payoff. How much do you think I can get for these: Category 1 - Tribue A, Section 5 Category 2 - Tribue A, Section 7 Cheers, Ron liverbul(at)gmail.com
by abubakar magai on May 09, 2008
i want chelsea to win this cup this time around and i wish them good luck than you
by ABIODUN ISIAKA VICTOR on May 09, 2008
I witt to be acmilan fas send to my box good day
by Jonny Dickins on May 13, 2008
The Champions League final will be boring. Neither side has reached this pinnacle in a long time, Chelsea never at all, so they will be cautious. This will be one hell of an anticlimax.
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