In the first half, Milan created enough chances to be at least 2-0 ahead but a lack of an experienced and capable striker meant they just created. And Juventus profited from a mistake at the back to get their opener. But the evidence would have pleased the Milan hierarchy – they know they have to buy but they already have a coach in Clarence Seedorf, who will take the famous club forward.
Salomon Kalou was often derided in his time at Chelsea as been a wasteful striker but the Ivorian is getting good press nowadays for all the right things. Last weekend he rescued Lille’s floundering league campaign with three goals that saw them beat Ajaccio 3-2. He has now scored 10 goals in 27 league appearances. Good as he prepares for Brazil.
We could all see why Yaya Toure is the African Player of the Year. His goal, his drive and assist drove Manchester City to beating a plucky Sunderland team that had stifled the favourites for over 60 minutes. His goal – out of the blue brought the Citizens back into the game and his layoff to Jesus Navas in the last minute ensured that there were no late minute heroics from Sunderland.
It is so easy over in the Bundesliga as Bayern Munich thrashed Schalke 04 5-1 to move 20 points from second-placed Borussia Dortmund. So with the Bundesliga title all but won, the attention will now be on becoming the first team to retain the new Champions League. Realistically, there are just three teams that come to mind that will give them a good fight in Europe – PSG, Real Madrid and maybe Chelsea because of Jose Mourinho.
The Caf Champions League and Confederations Cup matches were played last weekend and just as in seasons gone by, some teams, especially the North African ones played their matches without the requisite names on the back of their jerseys. This is not allowed by football governing body, Fifa and should not be allowed by in Caf, but under Issa Hayatou, anything goes.
This is always about the time that Arsenal’s season normally crumbles – between February and March and we are there again. Arsenal were fresh but not motivated enough to go and get a win away to Stoke City on Saturday and fans will be wondering for the umpteenth time whether their whole season will fade away in three weeks. There seems no way back in the Champions League, Liverpool are up to second and a FA Cup is not cast in stone as City are eyeing a domestic treble. Let us just hope and wait.
Moses is getting left behind at Liverpool
The main protagonists for the Super Eagles at the 2014 Fifa World Cup – players like Mikel Obi and Victor Moses are not playing football regularly for their clubs. Moses has almost been snuffed out of playing entirely and as Liverpool are only in the race for the English Premier League, Brendan Rodgers will always play his best XI, and that does not include Moses. Mikel is in the same situation at Chelsea with his only saving grace been that Nemanja Matic could not be registered fro the Champions League or else…